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__label__wiki	0.942179	0.942179	Winnipeg Sports Blue Bombers Goldeyes Brandon’s Ryan White glad to be home with Manitoba Moose By Russ Hobson Sports Anchor/Reporter Global News Ryan White’s hockey career has now come full circle. Fourteen years ago, the Brandonite helped the midget Wheat Kings win the national Telus Cup, and now he’s back in his home province playing for the Manitoba Moose. “A lot colder than I remember,” White said. “And getting out there in the morning with the dog is a little bit bone-chilling some days, but it’s nice to be home. A day off yesterday, so I got to go home and see some family, and it’s pretty special.” “To have a guy like him that really wants to play here, it’s huge for the organization,” Moose head coach Pascal Vincent said. “So I’m very, very impressed with Ryan.” RELATED: Marko Dano ‘happy to be back here’ after re-joining Manitoba Moose White has yet to record a point in his first 10 games with the club. He’s already gotten an opportunity to play both on the power play and their penalty kill. But before the Moose came calling, the 30-year-old White was thinking his opportunities in North America might be drying up. “When the NHL teams aren’t calling like they used to be and jobs aren’t jumping off the shelves, you start looking around to see where you’re going to end up,” he said. “I just had a kid five months ago, so we were trying everything we could to stay over here, and when Zinger (Craig Heisinger) called, we were pretty happy to get an opportunity to come here.” From the Montreal Canadiens, to the Philadelphia Flyers, to the Arizona Coyotes, to the Minnesota Wild, it’s been quite the ride for White. He’s now spent time with 10 different professional teams over just the last eight seasons. “It’s been a little bit of a whirlwind the last few years,” White said. “Bless my wife. She’s been good for all of it. A couple trades where I’m gone and she’s moving the house out and stuff like that. So it’s been a little bit of a challenge, but it’s part of it.” RELATED: Manitoba Moose make 4 roster changes prior to road trip When White first entered the NHL in 2009, he was better known as an enforcer, but as the game evolved, so did White. “As the game has kind of changed, I’ve been trying to kind of change with it,” White said. “I went from being a skill guy in junior to trying to find a way into the NHL and pretty much doing whatever you can to get there.” “When I came up through the league, it was very physical, and you were fighting for your job every day.” White is playing with the Moose on a 25-game contract, so he’s still fighting for his job every day. And he still has hopes of getting back to the show. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,” White said. Get daily local headlines and alerts Ryan White Canada's Footprint: How cigarettes, coffee and Canadian engineers helped put men on the moon $22/hr is average wage needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Canada: report B.C. casino regulator received complaint alleging BCLC management pressured to 'allow dirty money' 'Organized crime knows fraud is the way to go': former RCMP financial crime expert Second $100M settlement announced in RCMP sexual harassment case Model that predicted 2008 financial crisis suggests another recession is coming: expert 'It's causing a lot of fear': Lawyers brace for 'demoralizing' Legal Aid cuts Sask., Quebec arrest videos show ‘startling’ examples of excessive police force: experts More Weekly Flyers Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first. New York Rangers sign Jacob Trouba to long-term, $56 million deal Whitehead jerseys selling like hotcakes: Bombers Bombers’ Chris Matthews says he’s ready to go Friday – but remains on injured list Ed Tait’s Five Things for Friday night’s Blue Bomber game versus Ottawa Blue Bombers’ Chris Matthews ready to make impact after being slowed by injuries More Headlines →	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1197
__label__cc	0.721496	0.278504	Showing Pricing for Newhall, CA Discover Frontier Internet in Northridge, California. High-Speed Internet. 1-year price guarantee on service internet & phone Frontier Internet Frontier Freedom Essentials Frontier Internet America's Top 120+ Frontier Freedom Essentials Frontier Preferred Internet America's Top 200 Frontier Freedom Essentials How to get High-Speed Internet bundles in Northridge for less Frontier stands out from other Internet service providers, because it’s the only one that can install direct-to-home connections to the numerous residences in Northridge. With a direct connection, you get a reliable phone, TV signal, and fast Internet speeds—all day long. That’s something cable providers just can’t match. On top of delivering a steady connection, a Frontier High-Speed Internet bundle in Northridge, California will also give you more for your dollar. 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Installation ($75), broadband router fee ($10/mo.), taxes, governmental surcharges, and fees, including Internet Infrastructure Surcharge ($1.99/mo.) and other applicable charges extra, and subject to change during and after the promotional period. Service speed is not guaranteed and will depend on many factors. Maximum service speed is not available to all locations and service may not be available at certain speeds at your location. Your ability to stream may be limited by speeds available in your area. Service and promotion subject to availability. Equipment delivery/handling fee applies. A $9.99 broadband processing fee upon disconnection of service applies. Frontier reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time. Other restrictions apply. Subject to Frontier’s fair use policy and terms of service. Frontier Secure Security Bundle offer requires a two-year term agreement and maximum $120 Frontier early termination fee on new offers including Internet. After 12-month promotional period, promotional discount will end and the then-current everyday monthly apply to Frontier Secure Security Bundle, unless you call to cancel. Frontier does not warrant that the service will be error-free or uninterrupted. Requires Internet access service, which is not included. Monthly price is for up to 10 devices. System requirements: PC: Windows 7 or later (excluding ARM-based tablets). Mac: 10.8 or later. 1 GB memory or greater for PC and Mac. Smartphones and Tablets: Android 4.0 or later and iOS 6 or later. ©2018 Frontier Communications Corporation. Frontier Premium Internet Frontier Freedom Essentials per month. Equipment fees, taxes & other fees apply. Services subject to availability and all applicable Frontier terms & conditions. Limited-time offer for new residential Internet and voice Double Play customers. Offer not valid in select areas of CT, NC, SC, MN, IL, OH and NY. Call to check promotion availability for your address. Must subscribe to new High-Speed Internet with maximum speed range between 25.1 Mbps and 115 Mbps download and qualifying new voice service. The maximum speed range will depend on provisioned product tier. Maximum service speed is not available to all locations and the maximum speed for service at your location may be lower than the maximum speed in this range. Service speed is not guaranteed and will depend on many factors. Your ability to stream may be limited by speeds available in your area. Service subject to availability. Equipment fees, taxes, governmental surcharges, and fees, including router fee ($10/mo.) and other applicable charges extra, and subject to change. Installation fee waived for Frontier Premium Internet and voice double play. A $9.99 equipment delivery/handling fee applies. A $9.99 broadband processing fee upon disconnection of service applies. Minimum system requirements and other terms and conditions apply. Standard charges apply for jack installation, wiring and other additional services. If Internet service is canceled, voice service will increase to the standard monthly rate. After 12 months, monthly rate for Internet and voice services subject to change. Unlimited calling within the U.S. and to Canada and Mexico is based on normal residential, personal, noncommercial use and excludes 900 numbers and directory assistance calls, which incur an additional charge. Subject to Frontier’s fair use policy and terms of service.. Frontier reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time. Other restrictions apply. Get High Speed Internet in Northridge In Northridge, cable can’t match the reliability and convenience offered by Frontier High-Speed Internet. With Frontier, your Internet connection won’t fluctuate based on the web traffic in your neighborhood and you’ll always know you’re getting the speed you’re paying for. 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Get the best in home entertainment with DISH TV in Northridge. You’re sure to find a DISH TV package that offers all the channels your family wants at an affordable cost. Another great perk that’s included in every qualifying DISH TV packages is the free Hopper® Whole-Home HD DVR that will revolutionize the way you watch TV. You’ll be able to record up to 8 of your favorite shows simultaneously and save up to 2,000 hours of the hottest programing, including: the latest movie releases, beloved family classics, and all the big games of the season. Not only that, but the DISH TV Hopper® lets you enjoy your recorded shows and any of the 15,000 movies offered On Demand through any TV in your home. As if all these great benefits weren’t enough, you can also save money by combining the amazing features of DISH TV with Frontier High-Speed Internet in Northridge! Receive FREE Standard Installation and the following bonuses when you call today: 4.5 out of 5 stars \| Based on 2 Reviews DANIEL R. Reviewed Frontier I really like the customer service you guys provide and also your guys price is the best out there. Thank you!! JON R. Reviewed Frontier From the customer service to the service tech, everyone from Frontier has been courteous, helpful and thorough. Aside from a error in the system thinking my residence was a business and stalling the workflow, which was not a human error, everything has been smooth and easy. Granada Hills (2.6 mi.) North Hills (3.0 mi.) Tarzana (3.9 mi.) Mission Hills (4.5 mi.) Panorama City (5.0 mi.) Pacoima (6.7 mi.) San Fernando (6.7 mi.) Sylmar (7.4 mi.) Calabasas (7.6 mi.) Newbury Park (21.6 mi.) Camarillo (28.6 mi.) Santa Paula (31.1 mi.) Monrovia (31.2 mi.) Duarte (32.6 mi.) Whittier (33.6 mi.) Palmdale (34.1 mi.) Norwalk (34.4 mi.) Baldwin Park (34.4 mi.) West Covina (35.9 mi.) Artesia (36.1 mi.)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1200
__label__wiki	0.523508	0.523508	None of someone business plan Writing research methodology pdf files Write up make my website Ir sources of power in bangladesh Although Kim's division only captured the small Japanese-held town just within the Korean border for a few hours, it was nonetheless considered[ by whom? The SNF of a cycle with thorium will contain U Talking to ArmeniaNow, Kapan-based Khustup Environmental NGO President Vladik Martirosyan said that even without uranium mines the area faces serious environmental problems connected with the local mining industry. Evidence suggests that Soviet intelligence, through its espionage sources in the US government and British SIShad obtained information on the limitations of US atomic bomb stockpiles as well as defense program cuts, leading Stalin to conclude that the Truman administration would not intervene in Korea. At almost all frequencies of radiation of strength up to the limit prescribed by CE, one will not notice any interference. Early life[ edit ] Controversy about origins[ edit ] Controversy surrounds Kim's life before the founding of North Korea, with some labeling him an impostor. This is a concern since if the waste is stored, perhaps in deep geological storageover many years the fission products decay, decreasing the radioactivity of the waste and making the plutonium easier to access. I did not like to be called by another name. The wavelength dependence of the sensor, i. This was little noticed at the time until state media started talking about it in After using her as a hostage to try to convince the Korean guerrillas to surrender, but to no avail, she was killed. According to some information, the Governor carried out "explanatory" work with the local population and NGOs to prevent their participation in the action. However, the environmentalists are determined to fight back to the ropes. It is then turned into a hard ceramic oxide UO2 for assembly as reactor fuel elements. But this week the council of elders in the town of Kapan turned to the National Assembly and the Government and urged them to cancel the uranium prospecting work in Syunik. Kim had been warned of the likelihood of an amphibious landing at Incheon, which was ignored. The economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping in China from onward meant that trade with the moribund economy of North Korea held decreasing interest for China. It covers roughlysq kmsq mi and borders five countries. North Koreans were taught that Kim was the "Sun of the Nation" and could do no wrong. The linearity of the sensor, i. The main source of radiation in the human body is potassium 40Ktypically 17 milligrams in the body at a time and 0. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US, UN, and EU economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and concerns over possible military dimensions of its nuclear program. Electromagnetic interference Before focusing on 1 and 2the primary subject of this document, we will go over the other factors in measurement accuracy. It is important to distinguish the processing of uranium to make fuel from the reprocessing of used fuel. It is likely that the fissile material of an old bomb which is due for refitting will contain decay products of the plutonium isotopes used in it, these are likely to include U from Pu impurities, plus some U from decay of the Pu; due to the relatively long half-life of these Pu isotopes, these wastes from radioactive decay of bomb core material would be very small, and in any case, far less dangerous even in terms of simple radioactivity than the Pu itself. Kim Pyong-il was prominent in Korean politics until he became ambassador to Hungary. Kim married Kim Sung-ae inand it is believed he had three children with her: Is not European social democracy more-or-less congruent with Enlightenment standards? Kim dispelled the rumors, however, by making a series of public appearances. Nuclear proliferation and Reactor-grade plutonium Since uranium and plutonium are nuclear weapons materials, there have been proliferation concerns. During the Soviet era, the Armenian uranium resources were estimated at 30, t. The works continued from until in Syunik region on the area of Lernadzor village. But environmentalists question Grigorian's assurances on the environment.This document discusses the interpretation and basis for stated measurement accuracy of Ophir Laser Power/Energy meters General Discussion2. Combination of Errors and Total Error3. Analysis of Power and Energy Calibration Errors4. Detailed Analysis of Power and Energy Calibration Errors. Conclusion. 4 questions are such that “one stop” material not available. Although, they’re not ‘impossible’ to solve, but you’ve to brainstorm and connect dots spread across multiple sources. Visit Yahoo Help. Yahoo Japan users - please visit Yahoo Help to learn how to add your email address. Explosive atmospheres need to be protected from ignition sources. Selecting equipment and protective systems which meet the requirements of the ATEX Product Regulations or similar regulations is essential. FLIR A ex is an ATEX compliant solution, with a thermal imaging camera mounted in an enclosure, making it possible to monitor critical and other valuable assets also in explosive atmospheres. RTI specializes in remote control products for A/V, lighting, security and more - for your home or office. Learn about our custom automation systems today. This document discusses the interpretation and basis for stated measurement accuracy of Ophir Laser Power/Energy meters General Discussion2. Combination of Errors and Total Error3. Analysis of Power and Energy Calibration Errors4. Detailed Analysis of Power and Energy Calibration Errors. 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__label__cc	0.518572	0.481428	Low Cost Cremation Peoria IL 61656 Welcome to the Wenig Funeral Home website! Thank you for visiting. The Wenig Funeral Homes have always had a fine reputation of providing meaningful and dignified funeral services for Sheboygan County families. For safety and convenience of those who choose to witness the cremation start sequence, a wall separating the operations area from the Ridge Room has a large viewing window adjacent to a private cremains chamber. This service includes basic services of funeral director and staff, sanitary care and casketing of deceased, removal of deceased from place of death and transfer to the funeral home within 50 miles, service at the graveside, funeral coach, flower van and utility vehicle. Download a free funeral program template and open the file with Word. Don't hesitate to look around the website and examine the paid funeral program templates, as they might provide you with many ideas for what theme to use for the loved one's template. In Ann Arbor our staff working 24 hours in a week to provide pickup and drop off, we are the best in the , Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, our Ann Arbor Car is very famous and about 80% passenger familiar with our expertise of the DTW Cars. Funeral Planning Checklist Peoria 61656. Then in comes Bronagh Gallagher as John's daughter Mary, to share his degrading memories and hear his abject regrets. And when Mark reappears to get his paycheck, his reward is a description of a drinking cycle, clinical in its detail, terrifying in its zealous self-destructiveness. Attending to all necessary funeral arrangements at your home or in our office. Leather Hardbound Guest Book. Straight Lines Across Pages Debossed with GUESTS on Cover 192 Cream Colored Pages - 20 Lines Per Page As he dismantled his broken seat, another musher came along. Janssen asked him the time, and couldn't believe an hour, if not two, had passed. Maybe I was still trying to reconcile what I'd seen in my childhood. But I knew I wanted a more positive relationship with death. There's quite a lot of excitement about it. You may have had a round robin from Church Action on Poverty , a member of the Funeral Poverty Alliance got together by Quaker Social Action , urging you to support the Bill by writing to your MP. They just leave a large mound of earth above the coffin, which settles flat in one year. Does the quoted price include Medical Examiner fee for cremation approval ? We believe in valuing old traditions as well as incorporating new ideas to serve our families in their most difficult times. They do not, however, handle disputes over contract compliance, which are a private legal matter. Age UK, Dignity and Golden Leaves offer to pay a contribution towards third party costs that increase by the RPI each year, while Golden Charter offers just a contribution. The death must have occurred within Miami-Dade County, even though the decedent may not have been a county resident. Truitt has nothing against for-profit companies being involved in the industry. He just wants families to be fully informed when the dead's remains are used to make commercial products. Peoria You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung Deniz Aktan Kucuk (Turkey), Human Voice Echoing in the Silence of God:Life and Death in the Poetry of Tevfik Fikret The type of service that you choose to have will affect the total cost of cremation services. Memorials may be made in his honor to The Buck Rambo Memorial Fund, 3009 Columbia Avenue, Franklin, TN 37064. Guests should also offer their condolences to the family. The funeral ceremony includes chanting and individual offerings of incense. In some countries including the United States, there is increasing use of the alkaline hydrolysis process , trademarked as "Resomation", which involves the use of lye heated with the body at high pressure, allowing the body to be broken down into its chemical compounds. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, May 20, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at St. William Catholic Church. Jana will be laid to rest at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville. You may even see a policeman sitting there just to make sure everybody is safe and sound and gets to where they need to go, but it doesn't mean you get to ignore the rules of the road, says Scott. Low Cost Cremation Peoria 61656 The reason given is that "cremains" is thought to have less connection with the deceased, whereas a loved one's "cremated remains" has a more identifiable human connection. Content is available under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted. We are the only cremation society in the state of Illinois to own and operate its own cremation equipment. That means we can personally oversee the care and disposition of your loved one from start to finish. People to have lain in state in the Herbert C. Hoover Building are as follows: 77 Call Memorial Funeral Chapels & Crematory at 830-773-9591. Our staff is dedicated to providing you with information and tools that can be helpful during your time of need, or while pre-planning a funeral service. The Bruskiewitz Funeral Home has been a family owned & operated funeral home in Milwaukee since 1912. For more than 100 years, the Bruskiewitz Funeral Home, now led by Dan Bruskiewitz, has been meeting with families to guide them in their funeral and memorial decisions with compassion and dignity. Options to add when renting a luxury car in Houston - Astrodome, Texas, USA? Some morticians are also trained to embalm deceased people. Embalming is a process that prepares a person for burial. I called Grimes to learn of the details of the service and was told arrangements hadn't been made yet, but your website would be updated immediately when finalized. Contact your local GP to certify the death (if the deceased passed away at home) For more information, including the contact information for the EPA representative in Florida, see Burial of Human Remains at Sea on the EPA website. The Local or Deputy Registrar will sign and certify the Death Certificate and affix the county's seal. Upon completion, the Certified Copies of the Death Certificate are sent to Cremation Options. There was a Japanese police drama in which a funeral is staged as a sting to draw out a scam artist who shows up at funerals, claims to have known the deceased and asks the family for payment of debts the deceased supposedly owes him. Available anytime day or night when death occurs. One of our qualified licensed Funeral Directors will answer the phone. Click for more information. During 1926, George purchased the Yule Funeral Home and Warren's Funeral Home came into being. Four generations of Warrens have taken part in the funeral profession since its inception. Funeral costs are divided into two parts - the funeral director's charges and the disbursements. Howard Chadwick Funeral Service was originally founded in 1991 by Howard Chadwick, his wife Sandra and nephew Alistair Cox Auburn police are investigating a deadly shooting that happened at Swan's Mobile Home Park located in the 1600 block of Lee Road 12. She was devastated "saying her final goodbye" to her brother Phillips revealed. I don't necessarily do it in that order; it just depends on what feels right at the time. It's good to be prepared. There is a conference fee: 30 EUR per each accepted paper. The prices for those items will be shown on your bill or the statement describing the cremation goods and services you selected Luxury cars exalt your comfort, style and convenience above all. These vehicles spot exclusive interior and stylish exterior, leather seats, luxurious acoustic systems, cutting-edge technologies for the comfort of their passengers. These are burial packages that are inclusive of everything needed, also we have access to cemetery property at a local cemetery for $2,995, opening and closing included. Additionally, a mass may be held on the annual anniversary of the death. Low Cost Cremation Peoria IL 61656 But this great person did not affect singularity; they were old truths that he endeavoured to defend, those that were transmitted to us by our first reformers, and owned by the best divines of the Church of England. The Main Chapel, which seats 98 and has some standing room. We felt like they were genuine people. We were a little nervous taking our two young boys to a luxury car dealer. Wile we filled out the paperwork with Angie, Matt offered to entertain the boys. Higher Standards - Our family philosophy is to set standards for every aspect of cremation that exceed the State requirements as well as those of other cremation providers. Carr 152 Km 2.1 Bo Quebradillas - Puerto Rico, PR 00794 After she was exposed to the mortuary profession, Anneta researched it and immediately loved it! For most of us, it's hard to imagine loving death. A dignified, sympathetic, family owned service since 1961 Our on-site crematory insures that your loved one never leaves our care, and is available for your inspection. It is our hope that our Worry Free Cremation process and our Cremation Integrity Guarrantee makes this process as easy and as comfortable as possible for all the families we have the honor to serve.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1219
__label__wiki	0.676829	0.676829	Panasonic Eluga I4 launched in India at Rs. 8,290: Specs, features and more Panasonic has launched a new entry-level smartphone Eluga I4 in India, expanding its portfolio of Eluga branded affordable smartphones. The new 4G VoLTE enabled smartphone is priced at Rs. 8,290 and is available from Panasonic authorized retail outlets and other major offline stores across India. This is the latest addition in Panasonic’s Eluga I series in India and is the successor to Eluga I3 which was launched last year. Also, this is the third smartphone from Panasonic within this month. Apart from this, the company has also introduced two more smartphones in its Eluga series recently- Eluga Ray 500 and 700. Panasonic Eluga I4 specifications Talking about the build, the Eluga I4 has a metal body and features a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button. It has a 5-inch HD (1280 x 720 pixels) 2.5D curved glass IPS display. Dimension wise the phone measures 146.7×71.3×8.3mm and weighs 150.7gm. The Eluga I4 is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6737 64-bit processor clocked at 1.25 GHz and coupled with Mali-T720 GPU. It packs 2GB RAM, along with 16GB internal storage which is expandable up to 128GB. The phone has a dedicated slot for microSD. Coming to the camera, it features an 8MP rear camera with quad-LED flash and a 5MP front-facing camera. The Dual SIM phone runs Android 7.0 (Nougat). Connectivity options on the phone include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, and USB OTG. It is powered by a 3000mAh battery. Moreover, the new Panasonic Eluga I4 comes with the company’s in-house AI Assistant Arbo. It can give users suggestions on the basis of their usage pattern. The Panasonic Eluga I4 is priced at Rs. 8290 and is an offline-exclusive phone. It is available from Panasonic branded shops and authorized retail outlets across the country. The phone comes in Blue, Black, and Gold color options. Commenting on the launch, Pankaj Rana, Business Head, Mobility Division, Panasonic India, said, “To add on to the positive response received to our previous I series launches, Panasonic smartphone’s is pleased to introduce the all new Eluga I4 with stunning 5″ HD IPS display and OTG support feature which lets you transfer data safely. At Panasonic, we try to reach our consumer demands and bring meaningful innovations that can help make their lives exceptionally better.”	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1222
__label__cc	0.749742	0.250258	Like the dead hand reaching up from the grave in a horror movie, a long-severed employment relationship can emerge from your past and trip up your career mobility — particularly if the employer has ever been touched by scandal. As we’ve noted, even if you had absolutely nothing to do with the scandal in question, you should know that it will affect your employment prospects and be prepared to address it: You’ll need to be forthright about the facts, do what you can to enhance your reputation, and even be willing to take a “rehab job.” Beyond those three recommendations, we offer some additional tips for lowering your chances of being caught in a scandal and surviving one if you are: Know the law and cultural climate where you work. What is defined as a scandal and how severely scandals are punished (including the punishment of innocent parties) differs across countries and industries. Explicit laws vary but so do implicit social norms, which can be easy for outsiders to transgress. Managers who take overseas assignments or change industries should ensure that they are clear on what constitutes legal misconduct and socially sanctioned though technically legal behavior in their new environment. Pay close attention to ethics and research a company before joining. Most job-seekers do not conduct enough research on the organizations they join. The current data show that a company’s behavior can affect a manager’s career even after leaving the organization. The fact that every company you work for can affect your career mobility in the future makes an even stronger argument for due diligence when selecting a company to work for. Develop strong external networks. An extensive network and other types of social capital can help mitigate the effects of organizational stigma. Stigmas are most salient when judging unknown individuals; the stigma, and hence its effects, become less important other relationships jointly paint a consistent profile of virtue. A stigmatized manager can appear less of a risk in the job market if there are multiple credible arbiters to vouch for his or her integrity. Consider a diverse résumé. Stigma and stereotypes are most powerful in the absence of other information, so having multiple jobs on your résumé can dilute the impact of a scandal firm. On the other hand, having multiple jobs on your résumé statistically increases the fact that one of your past employers will be involved in a scandal. Also, because stigma leads us to interpret the stigmatized person’s actions negatively, a manager from a scandal firm whose résumé shows frequent job changes may be judged as flighty or lacking commitment. Address your emotional, private needs. Being stigmatized can have serious consequences on people’s emotional and physical health. Managers who are trying to negotiate a job change while dealing with organizational stigma — especially in the case of a present scandal with a present employer — should take these consequences seriously. Seek out a safe place to work through any emotional difficulties the scandal might have caused. Without this, emotional issues can easily bleed over into the job search or attempts to network. Certain types of stereotypic stigmas are harder to get away from. People remember and react more strongly to stereotyped behavior. Minorities stereotypically associated with particular criminal enterprises (for example, Latinos and the drug trade in the U.S.) are given harsher sentences for those crimes than non-stereotyped defendants. Baby-faced individuals are stereotyped as honest, naïve, and somewhat less competent than adults with square jaws and strong features — and baby-faced defendants are more likely to be judged guilty of negligence and less likely to be judged guilty of intentional wrongdoing in the courts. As our data show, financial executives are punished more harshly for financial scandals than non-finance executives, even when both groups were innocent. If the nature of the scandal jibes with negative stereotypes about your nationality, appearance, or professional function, you may need to make even stronger efforts to overcome the organizational stigma. Consider distancing strategies. In the event of a corporate scandal, distancing one’s self from the stigmatized organization is crucial. Depending on the nature of the scandal and the degree if any of the manager’s involvement, this distancing can take different forms. Certainly the manager needs to distance him- or herself rhetorically from the wrongdoing. The wake of a scandal may also be a good time to make a change of industry, function, or country. Reinforce shared values with desired industry/field. What distinguishes organizational stigma from business failure or a mere corporate faux pas is the generally held belief that the organization in question has gone against the underlying values of the industry or broader culture. When applying for jobs, managers from scandal firms should look for opportunities to assert their personal commitment to said values. This should be done in a meaningful way, connecting professional accomplishments to the values that informed them, not empty lip service. It would also be wise to look up the mission statement or corporate value statement of potential hiring firms, and be ready to make connections between their stated values and your own capacities and ambitions. Keep the scandal firm on your résumé. Trying to obscure a past association will only make a job seeker look guilty. People interpret information in light of previously received information, which means that the first few bullet points of a résumé strongly influence how the rest of it will be read. If your history includes high-profile, well-respected schools or companies, try to find a way to list those first. Look where your peers have gone. Industries and companies vary in their treatment of candidates from stigmatized firms. Former colleagues from the scandal firm who are now working elsewhere may be a good source of job leads and information about what companies are open to candidates with your background. Companies that have hired many alumni of a stigmatized firm may even have developed a positive stereotype of such workers as an undervalued source of talent. More In Thinking like a Leader Is It Ever OK to Break Into Your Colleague’s Computer? in Demonstrating Integrity by Karen Firestone; 4 mins read If Your Boss Has a Lot of Integrity, You May Be More Likely to Compromise Yours in Demonstrating Integrity by Meredith F. Burnett, Patricia Faison Hewlin and Tracy L. Dumas; 4 mins read Does Doing the Same Work Over and Over Again Make You Less Ethical? in Demonstrating Integrity by Bradley Staats, Celia Moore and Rellie Derfler Rozin; 4 mins read Back to Demonstrating Integrity	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1226
__label__cc	0.667724	0.332276	Home Health Coding Review: Top 10 Diagnosis Issue Areas of ICD-10 - On-Demand Product Code: YJ062515D SAVE when you order all three on-demand webcasts in the 2015 Home Health Training Webcast Series. Order for all three for just $520! Save up to 25% on all Home Health & Hospice products with a Beacon Institute membership! Remember to enter the membership discount code at checkout. Not a Beacon Institute member? Click here to learn more. Available ON-DEMAND Presented: Thursday, June 25, 2015 Presented by: Joan L. Usher, BS, RHIA, COS-C, ACE, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM Trainer Not all diagnoses are created equal, especially in the ICD-10 coding system. In this 90-minute webcast, home health expert and “Coding Corner” columnist Joan L. Usher, BS, RHIA, COS-C, ACE, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM Trainer, will guide you through the most common and confusing diagnoses under ICD-10—including COPD, diabetes, and falls—and help you understand the complexities of coding through a case study with primary diagnosis and other comorbidities. At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to: Identify the top 10 diagnoses for home health and hospice Describe documentation requirements for the top 10 diagnoses Recognize correct coding of four case studies Review how to code diagnoses in ICD-10, including: Congestive heart failure (CHF) Pressure ulcers Sequela of CVA Discuss what specific documentation is needed for each of the top 10 diagnoses, including: Laterality Seventh character extensions Case study with primary diagnosis and other comorbidities Bonus Materials/Tools Homecare Administrators and Directors Staff Educators Homecare nurses Billing and coding staff Meet the Speaker Joan L. Usher, BS, RHIA, COS-C, ACE, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM Trainer, is president of JLU Health Record Systems in Pembroke, Massachusetts. Usher has more than 27 years’ experience as a consultant and is a nationally recognized expert in the field of ICD-9 & ICD-10-CM coding and health information management (HIM). She has taught ICD coding in home health for 17 years and has educated more than 15,000 people nationwide. Usher is a past president of the Massachusetts Health Information Management Association. Under her leadership, Massachusetts received four national awards from AHIMA in continuing education programs, support for accredited HIM education, legislative advocacy, and electronic communications. Usher is one of Beacon Institute’s experts for our Ask-the-Expert membership benefits. She also provides a monthly ICD-10 coding column for our Homecare DIRECTION newsletter and speaks during many of Beacon Health’s successful webcast series. She has contributed to numerous national publications and is the author of HCPro’s ICD-9 Coding for Home Health: A Guide to Medical Necessity and Payment, ICD-10 Coding for Home Health: A Guide to Medical Necessity and Payment, and ICD-10 Essentials for Homecare: Your Guide to Preparation and Implementation. Webinar system requirements and program materials: To fully benefit from the webinar experience, please note you will need a computer equipped with the following: Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or later, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari, with JavaScript enabled Internet: 56K or faster Internet connection (high-speed connection recommended) Streaming: for audio/video streaming, Adobe Flash plug-in or Safari browser on iOS devices Prior to the webinar, you will receive an email with detailed system requirements, your login information, presentation slides, and other materials that you can print and distribute to all attendees at your location. COULDN'T LISTEN LIVE? No problem. The On-Demand version is also available. Use it as a training tool at your convenience—whenever your new or existing staff need a refresher or need to understand a new concept. Play it once or dozens of times. A $199 value! Participation in this webinar is just $199 per site. All materials must be retrieved from the Internet. Call your customer service representative toll-free 800-650-6787 or email customerservice@hcpro.com if you have questions. Loyal Listener Library	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1227
__label__cc	0.60318	0.39682	Friends of Headlight Category: Contests 2015 SLS-DISQUIET Literary Contest Summer Literary Seminars have begun a new collaboration with DISQUIET - winners of 2015's literary contest will be rewarded with tuition, airfare, and accommodations at the 2015 DISQUIET International Literary Program in Lisbon, Portugal. Not too shabby! Note: there is a mandatory $17 application fee for each entry. Contest winners in the categories of fiction, poetry, … Continue reading 2015 SLS-DISQUIET Literary Contest Vallum Poetry Contest Vallum: Contemporary Poetry is now accepting original and previously unpublished submissions for the annual Vallum Award for Poetry 2014. First Prize: $750, Second Prize: $250, + publication in the magazine. Deadline: July 15th, 2014. Contest Judge: George Elliott Clarke. Some of the best poets in the world have graced the pages of Vallum. Get your word on! Entry Fee: … Continue reading Vallum Poetry Contest The Walrus Foundation Announces the Third Annual $5,000 Walrus Poetry Prize The Walrus Foundation Announces the Third Annual $5,000 Walrus Poetry Prize FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Toronto—April 29— The Walrus Foundation is proud to announce the third annual Walrus Poetry Prize, generously supported by the Hal Jackman Foundation. "I'm really proud that our poetry prize is now in its third year, and that the incredible Amanda Jernigan is … Continue reading The Walrus Foundation Announces the Third Annual $5,000 Walrus Poetry Prize MUSICWORKS’ 4th ANNUAL “SONIC GEOGRAPHY” WRITING CONTEST NOW OPEN OPEN YOUR EARS AND SHARPEN YOUR PENCILS! MUSICWORKS’ 4th ANNUAL “SONIC GEOGRAPHY” WRITING CONTEST NOW OPEN Juried contest offers top three winners cash prizes and publication in Canada’s acclaimed magazine about experimental music and sound art DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS MAY 16, 2014 For immediate release: TORONTO, CANADA—Musicworks’ 2014 contests are now open to receive entries … Continue reading MUSICWORKS’ 4th ANNUAL “SONIC GEOGRAPHY” WRITING CONTEST NOW OPEN Call for Submissions – The Royal Society of Literature Here is a wonderful opportunity to be published with the Royal Society of Literature! The Royal Society of Literature is delighted to announce that we are now accepting entries for the sixteenth V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize, awarded for the best unpublished short story of the year. The winner will receive a prize of £1000 and … Continue reading Call for Submissions – The Royal Society of Literature Quebec Writing Competition Now Open! The competition deadline is 11:59 pm on May 31st, 2014. Please click here for information about the Quebec Writing Competition: cbc.ca/qwc Click here for complete rules and regulations: cbc.ca/montreal/features/writingcompetition/rules A partnership between CBC Quebec, the Quebec Writers' Federation, Maisonneuve magazine andVéhicule Press, the Quebec Writing Competition recognizes the best original, unpublished stories by Quebec’s English-language writers. 2014 Far Horizons Award for Poetry The Malahat Review, Canada’s premier literary magazine, invites emerging poets from Canada, the United States, and elsewhere to enter the Far Horizons Award for Poetry. Eligible poets have yet to publish their poetry in book form (a book of poetry is defined to have a length of 48 pages or more). One prize of $1000 (CAD) is … Continue reading 2014 Far Horizons Award for Poetry	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1228
__label__cc	0.526262	0.473738	3 myths about protein that you need to stop believing iStock It's a misconception that protein can only come from animal products and that vegetarians and vegans will be deficient – plant-based protein sources can be more than adequate. We need ni... 10 myths about pores you need to stop believing iStock Certain things you believe about pores might not be true. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot open or close your pores, but pores can dila... 10 Medical Myths We Should Stop Believing. Doctors, Too Researchers identified nearly 400 common medical practices and theories that were contradicted by rigorous studies. Here are some of the most notable.... High-Protein Diet: 5 Best Protein-Rich Paratha Recipes For A Healthy Breakfast Dietary protein has a number of benefits for your body, including building and repair of muscles. Here are some protein-rich paratha recipes to make y... 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Debunking the anti-vaccination myths For decades, doctors and scientists have advocated for the use of vaccinations to promote public health. Vaccines are safe and effective, but there is... These 11 Mueller Report Myths Just Won’t Die. Here’s Why They’re Wrong When we joined other legal experts earlier this month to testify before the House Judiciary Committee regarding lessons from special counsel Robert Mu... The myths that feed Everest's mystique Ever since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to summit Mount Everest in 1953, adventurers the world over have tried to follo... Don't believe these iPhone Lightning cable myths Makers of third-party Lightning cables for iPhones keep pushing falsehoods to try to dupe people into buying their cables. Here are three myths you sh... Whatever became of urban myths? Were they replaced by fake news? 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Zack Snyder is turning Norse myths into anime for Netflix Netflix isn't just tapping Zack Snyder for a zombie action movie. The streaming behemoth has announced that Snyder and DC animated movie directo... Irish Poets Uncover the Kabbalah in Celtic Creation Myths In the early ninth century an Irish warrior-priest Cormac mac Cuilennáin, who would become king, wrote Sanas Cormaic in which he presented... ... Debunking brain-health myths: How to really boost mental power “Mindfulness”? “Transcendental meditation”? For Rahul Jandial, a board-certified brain surgeon and neuroscientist, those are just terms for meditative... Starting a side hustle? Here are 5 gig economy myths you can’t afford to ignore With the advent of the gig economy and flexible online platforms, nearly a third of workers maintain a side hustle. ... 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Healthy monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, including omega -3 fats are also a part of the fat pro... Is fungal or animal protein better for building muscle? A small new study suggests that fungus-derived protein present in some meat replacement products may be better for building muscles than animal protei... Even Tyson is selling meatless protein alternatives Tyson, one of the biggest food producers in the US, is getting into the alternative protein game, but it hasn't embraced entirely plant-based pro... Healthy Diet: 4 Fruits That Are Relatively Rich In Protein Fruits are not traditionally rich in protein and they're generally not expected to be- they have higher levels of other important nutrients including ... This Cake Is Not Only Yummy But Also High On Protein, See Recipe There are so many way you can make your dessert one of your healthiest meals of the day. Do away with sugar and use natural healthier alternatives; sw... 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Politicians can’t stop spending — and they don’t want to Dear John: Your column about debt is right on. I have been following federal spending, deficits and debt for many decades. Where you and I part is tha... I can't stop fantasising about a dad I see on the school run I am in a near-sexless marriage but this is making me feel like a lovesick teenager. How can I channel these thoughts into something positive?I am a w... Chris Evans Needs to Stop In this house (the Splinter house), we have a (mostly) unified ranking of the Chrises. From best to worst it’s: Pine, Hemsworth, Evans, Pratt. Some pe... Ways to stop masturbating Masturbation is normal and healthy. However, it may be a problem if it impacts other areas of a person’s life. Tips to stop masturbating include avoid... Stop Robocalls on Your iPhone, Once and for All Robocalls are getting worse—that should be a familiar headline, if not a familiar feeling, for anyone who owns a smartphone. Mine have gotten a little... Please, Stop Shitting in the Pool Oh America, is there anything we love to do more than dip our diarrhea-filled bums into recreational sources of water? Apparently not! Because the Cen... CDC: Stop washing your raw chicken Health officials once again warned consumers about the dangers of washing raw chicken before cooking it, citing the risk of spreading harmful bacteria... How Can We Stop the Collapse of Nature? Scientists warned last week that a million species could go extinct, and it’s all our fault. Well, not “our” as in you and I, but “our” as in humanity... How to stop biting your nails Often a coping strategy for stress and anxiety, distraction is the key to ending the bad habitNail-biting doesn’t necessarily begin as a result of str... Technology That Could End Humanity—and How to Stop It Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom says technology often has unintended consequences, and that we may have to choose between totalitarianism and annihila... Is Oil Rally Getting "Stop" Signal from Soybean Oil? Soyoil prices, which have a 15-year history of forerunning the crude oil market, are signaling the crude oil rally has peaked, if politics is not a fa... Man describes trying to stop synagogue gunman Oscar Stewart says he pursued the gunman who killed one person and wounded three more in a synagogue near San Diego, California on Saturday. Stewart t... USA Gymnastics Can't Stop Fucking Up, So Why Should It Exist At All? When Li Li Leung, USA Gymnastics’ fourth CEO in under two years, came to the job in February, she had her work cut out for her. She’s been tasked with... Your money: Should you pay to stop phone spam? If your phone log is anything like mine, the list of incoming scam calls makes it look like you work for the State Department: Sri Lanka, Lithuania, R... China's Xi says trade war won't stop globalization The Chinese president told an audience at the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that his country is an "ardent proponent" of globaliz... EU will limit the use of palm oil as car fuel but won’t stop it The European Union will make only minor tweaks to “renewable” energy policies that are actually increasing greenhouse gas emissions and driving defore... Stop Calling Games 'Metroidvania' Let’s talk about one of my least favorite words in the video game lexicon: metroidvania. A portmanteau combining the video game titles Metroid and Cas... Stop Punishing Your Kid's Good Behavior Sometimes, I come across parenting advice that makes me uncomfortable, and that’s because I feel exposed. This happened when I read a Tumblr post by a... For the Love of God, Stop Glamorizing These People On Thursday, Los Angeles magazine published an interview with Louise Linton, the wife of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. Linton, a wannabe actress, ... Analysis: Nadal, and everyone else, should stop doubting him Analysis: This time, about a month out, even Rafael Nadal had his doubts about what his chances were going to be for yet another French Open title &#... Stop the music: Empire to end after season 6 After five seasons of power grabs, inexplicable kidnappings, and Cookie Lyon’s endless parade of fur coats, Fox has announced that Empire’s upcoming s... Canada won't stop Huawei CFO extradition to US The Canadian government says it has no intention of suspending the extradition of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou to the US.Meng was arrested in Canada on Dec... Graduation To Go: Illness Can’t Stop Ceremony Walking across the stage at graduation is a milestone many teens can’t wait to cross. One Florida high school senior thought he might not be abl... The race to stop the death of Venice Venice is straining under the huge numbers of visitors that flock to see its canals and architecture. The Italian city has plans to restrict them, but... Hey Google, stop trying to redefine privacy Privacy was one of the themes of Google’s I/O keynote this year, and that’s understandable given what the competition has been doing all t... Weekend Box Office: Can't stop the Endgame Avengers: Endgame topped the domestic U.S box office this past weekend, just like we all figured it would, and will continue to do for a little while—... How do I stop old USB drives from infecting my new Windows PC? Jason wants to protect his new high-end laptop from viruses but needs data on old SD cardsI’ve just bought a high-end Windows laptop for video editing... Why this geneticist says we should stop human evolution Measles cases in the US have hit a 25-year high, with 78 new infections in the past week alone. In a sign of the times, a cruise ship with hundreds of... How to stop companies from selling your data Unlike the way we interact with Facebook and Google, most people don’t have a direct relationship with data broker companies and often don’t even know... The Warm-Up: Stop crying about USA 13-0 Thailand "Ben Snowball has a message for the snowflakes (hilarious surname jokes incoming) after USA 13-0 Thailand, while we also heap praise on Romelu Lukaku ... Is there anything we can do to stop Greenland from turning green? The speed and scale of Arctic melting is shocking even hardened researchers – the need to act now has never been clearer, says our chief reporter Adam... We must stop the US from going to war with Iran \| Bernie Sanders Trump campaigned on getting the US out of ‘endless wars’ – but his administration is taking us down a path that makes war more and more likelyThe drum... Can anything stop Boris Johnson? – podcast The Tory leadership hopeful has spent the past three days avoiding questions on why the police were called to his home after an altercation with his p... Toy story: why Hollywood can’t stop kidulting From Detective Pikachu to Sonic the Hedgehog, when did audiences OK the big brand movie? Orson Welles memorably described his final role, voicing the ... Disabilities won’t stop these New Yorkers from looking fabulous Earlier this year, actress Selma Blair revealed she had multiple sclerosis, and that she struggled with putting on the kinds of everyday items most of... Trump team should stop flaying the Fed President Trump and several of his underlings are wrong in both form and substance in verbally browbeating the Federal Reserve Board to reduce interes... Stop Freaking Livestreaming While Driving A worst-case scenario: being the subject of a video on the subreddit Livestream Fail titled “Guy wrecks car while reading Twitch chat and driving.”... Grandfather killed while trying to stop SUV from being repossessed A Texas man died while trying to stop a tow truck driver from repossessing his SUV in Houston, police and his distraught relatives said. Alberto Nduli... How to Stop a Recording From Waking Alexa Lifehacker recently published a video in which two subjects test the functions of an Amazon Echo. Soon after, our Senior Technology Editor, David Murp... Behold: The Fastest Formula One Pit Stop Ever Though it feels like most of the drama in Formula One as of late has revolved around an energy drink megalomaniac who sponsors a team but refuses to p... NRA to stop producing new content for NRATV The National Rifle Association will no longer produce new material for NRATV — a move that coincides with the end of their business ties with lo... 19 genius inventions that can stop us from using so much plastic Plastic can take anywhere between 400 and 1,000 years to degrade in a landfill. Now companies and individuals are coming up with sustainable products.... Greenpeace activists stop BP oil rig in North Sea A group of environmentalists have occupied a 27,000 ton oil rig to prevent it being installed off the coast of northern Scotland. They demanded that B... MAD Magazine to Stop Publishing New Content Starting with issue No. 10, which goes on sale in October, the humor magazine will be available only in comic-book stores and will also be mailed dire... Mad Magazine to stop publishing new issues It’s time to worry, Alfred E. Neuman. Mad magazine — the iconic satirical publication with freckle-faced, jug-eared mascot Alfred E. Neuman — wi... Be polite when you stop and search, Met officers are urged A senior police adviser teaching officers to conduct "polite" stop and searches has said the controversial tactic cannot stop London's blade epidemic ... \| WATCH: World Rugby's incredible 'Try and Stop Us' ad World Rugby introduced a campaign to grow women's rugby right around the world which includes a stunning advert that will certainly inspire a new gene... The problems that may stop the US retaining the Women's World Cup The Americans have arguably the best squad in France this summer. But they are far from a perfect unit as they aim to become world champions againThe ... Stop being a lazy parent and chaperone your kids Hey NYC parents: Get off your butts and chaperone your kids! Not only because it’s good to be involved in your children’s school lives (particularly w... Trump Can’t Stop Attacking Biden. G.O.P. Strategists Wish He Would. The president has tagged Joe Biden with two nicknames and argued that he’s naïve about threats to America. But he’s also likened Mr. Biden’s bid to hi... NFL asks teams to stop Oklahoma drill, others In response to data that showed a high rate of concussions during the early part of training camp in recent years, the NFL has asked teams to eliminat... Cards' Nkemdiche arrested after traffic stop Police in Scottsdale, Ariz., arrested Arizona Cardinals defensive end Robert Nkemdiche for alleged speeding and driving without a license earlier this... Many US jails fail to stop inmate suicides Medication withheld, cries for help ignored, routine checks neglected: With suicides a problem in many jails across the U.S., an AP/Capital News Servi... Upset about the plastic crisis? Stop trying so hard We make good-faith efforts to help the planet by recycling, but what we really need to do is even simplerAll the plastic ever made: the fate of 8.3bn ... Stop the Bruins: We’re sick of this Boston run of titles Look, we like to be open and honest and completely transparent here at Open Mike, so I will warn you: If you are from New England, or if your sporting... Owensboro man wants to stop town’s growing violence OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — An Owensboro man is trying to bring residents together to stop the town’s growing violence. The Owensboro Messenger-Inquir... Jordan Henderson: ‘City don’t stop at one trophy … we want more and more’ The Liverpool captain is determined that a Champions League final win over Spurs would be just the beginning for his sideIt is easy to see Liverpool’s... "Minorities Have Been Cheated, We Have To Stop It": PM Modi At NDA Meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing members of the National Democratic Alliance or NDA after being unanimously elected the alliance leader, today... Huawei blockade: do I need to stop using my Android phone? Google has cut off Huawei from its Android services because of Trump’s blacklist, but what does that mean for your phone? Donald Trump’s blacklisting ... Go away! Here's how to stop mosquitoes from biting you this summer As temperatures rise, so do mosquito populations. Here's how to avoid getting bit by mosquitoes this summer. ... Stop it! Japan Anti-Groper App Becomes Smash Hit A Tokyo police smartphone app to scare off molesters has become a smash hit in Japan, where women have long run the gauntlet of groping on packed rush... Choose what happens to your Google account when you die (or simply stop using it) Have you given any thought to what will happen to your Google account when you die, or when you simply forget to use it for an extended period of time... Stop Letting Your Baby Sleep in a Car Seat Outside the Car It may seem convenient to let your sleeping baby continue snoozing in their car seat after you’ve reached your destination, but this could be putting ... Joe Biden Can't Stop Praising Vicious Segregationists Joe Biden has never been shy about his love for that imagined era of gentlemanly “civility” in politics, but at a Tuesday evening fundraiser the forme... Police arrest man in hit-and-run death of girl at bus stop CAPE CORAL, Fla. (AP) — Investigators say they’ve arrested a 19-year-old man who they say drove away after his pickup truck struck and killed an... 3 tips to stop resentment from killing your marriage During a long and happy marriage, your spouse will be a source of comfort, strength and joy. They’ll also annoy the crap out of you. So says longtime ... How to make a road stop like a pro on your next family trip There's a lost art to doing a road stop. And that's a shame since road trips are a time-honored American tradition. ... Why it's time to stop buying pedigree dogs As the Kennel Club warns the old English sheepdog faces extinction, consider rehoming if you are looking for a new best friend – whatever its ancestry... Politeness costs nothing, but it may stop people understanding you Researchers looking at a Q&A website found well-mannered answers were popular with the questioner even if they didn’t make sense Does it always pay to... Stop Feeling Bad If You're Not Saving Every Penny to Buy a Home If you feel a little behind on your homeownership goals—or if you’re wondering whether homeownership should even be one of your goals—don’t worry. Fir... How to Display All Those Funko Pops That You Can't Stop Collecting You have a couple dozen Funko Pops laying around your house. You don’t know where they came from. Maybe Terry from accounting gave you Groot for Chris... Heathrow expansion could stop other UK airports developing None of Britain's other airports will be able to have major expansions in the coming decades if Heathrow gets its third runway, the government's advis... UPDATE 1-YOUR MONEY-Should you pay to stop phone spam? If your phone log is anything like mine, the list of incoming scam calls makes it look like you work for the State Department: Sri Lanka, Lithuania, R... Trump: Obama ‘had to know’ about effort to stop me from becoming president President Trump said his predecessor Barack Obama had to “know about” efforts to ensure he wouldn’t win the presidency. “There... Could Queen Elizabeth Stop a ‘No Deal’ Brexit? Can Queen Elizabeth stop Brexit? The question has been dismissed as pure fantasy by those on both sides of the Brexit debate in the past. But accordin... Bottas thought a one-stop British GP was "out of the question" Valtteri Bottas thought making one-stop was "out of the question" in the Formula 1 British Grand Prix was possible, after losing out to team-mate Lewi... CDC tells consumers to stop washing raw chicken Health officials once again warned consumers about the dangers of washing raw chicken before cooking it, citing the risk of spreading harmful bacteria... Over-the-top messaging allows Australia to stop regulating SMS services Messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, iMessage, and WeChat offer enough competition that SMS regulation is no longer required, the AC... Stop saying 'Minecraft Earth' is essentially 'Pokémon Go' Minecraft Earth is a mobile AR game, but that doesn't mean it's Pokémon Go. Yes, it uses a mobile device. Yes, it superimposes digit... How do I stop my ex’s wife ruining our daughter’s wedding? You want to protect your children, but they are adults. Don’t put yourself at the centre of conflict, says Annalisa BarbieriI separated from my husban... Trump digs at Biden at Iowa stop President Donald Trump and his 2020 Democratic rival Joe Biden are getting in some digs at each other during separate campaign speeches in Iowa. (June... Stop Being a Tool for Asshole Anonymous Sources BREAKING news in the EPIC civil WAR in the Democratic Party! The DEMS are in DISARRAY! The Hill got the JUICY DEETS: One ANONYMOUS ASSHOLE says AOC is... Why Carmakers Want You to Stop Buying Cars, Someday Those jumbles of electric scooters piled up on sidewalks in San Francisco, Seattle, Beijing or other digitally minded cities are more than just a mess... "How Can We Stop Them?" Goa Congress Leader To NDTV After 10 Join BJP Congress insiders in Goa told NDTV that despite being aware of the BJP planning a rebellion, there was nothing they could do given the lack of leaders... Stop and search is discriminatory, so why is it on the rise? – podcast The first stop and search Jamal ever experienced was when he was 11 years old. Now, at 24, he has been stopped numerous times. Most recently, a stop b... Starbucks will stop selling newspapers in September If you want to read the paper at Starbucks, you’ll have to start bringing your own. The Seattle-based coffee giant, beginning Sept. 1, will no longer ... Stop Covering Your Baby's Stroller With a Blanket It can be tricky (and stressful) to try to keep an infant protected from the sun. Parents generally want to avoid using sunscreen on infants under six... NBA really wants to stop growing free agency trend LAS VEGAS — The NBA knows its rules about when teams can negotiate with free agents are not being followed. So expect changes on that front for 2020. ... States sue to stop Sprint-T-Mobile merger A group of state attorneys general led by New York and California filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday to block T-Mobile's $26.5 billion bid for Sprin... LEADING OFF: Angels stop at Wrigley, Bellinger gets off day LEADING OFF: Angels stop at Wrigley on way home, batting leader Cody Bellinger gets an off day for Dodgers ... NYC restaurants need to stop hiding bathrooms in a maze Gotta go when you’re eating out? You’ll go, and go and go. When nature calls, toilets require an Outward Bound trek at lots of restaurants around town... Children drive 600 miles before police stop them Four children in Australia got into one of their parents' car and drove for more than 600 miles (around 1,000km) before being stopped by police the fo... UK plan to stop under-18s seeing pornography online is delayed again The UK government’s plan to block underaged users from accessing online pornography was meant to come into force in April. It has now been delayed aga... FedEx will stop air shipments of packages for Amazon FedEx is dropping a contract for air shipment of packages for Amazon within the United States, reducing its ties with an online retail giant that is e... To Stop Robocalls, Parties Need to Understand Who Is a Robocaller There is little debate that robocalls meant to deceive consumers are bad, and that calls from schools or doctors’ offices are typically benign. It is ... Please Stop Using Citroën H Vans as Food Trucks Allow me to rant, because I need to get this off my chest. Despite being a bit of a hipster myself, I despise when a perfectly good Citroën H is used ... Stop Everything You're Doing and Buy This Giant Duck Pool Float for $10 I don’t care if you don’t own a pool or you don’t know anyone who has a pool. This $10 float is something everyone needs to look at and then impulse b... Don't Stop Paying Attention Just Because You're Waiting in Line Sometimes it’s important to remember that even at a modest pace, in a capable vehicle, off-roading can be every bit as dangerous as it looks. This Lex... Uber and Lyft stop accepting new drivers in NYC Uber and Lyft have stopped hiring new drivers in New York City, due to a newly-passed law aimed to tamp down on an already oversaturated rideshare mar... Sometimes It's Nice To Stop Mid-Game And Watch The Players Around You Yesterday I logged on to Destiny 2 for the first time in a very long while, intent on clearing out a chunk of the massive to-do list my character had ... Researchers developing AI to stop you from cheating on your diet Artificial intelligence is putting new teeth on the old saw that cheaters never prosper. New companies and new research are applying the cutting-edge ... Uber and Lyft stop hiring new drivers in NYC Both Uber & Lyft have placed a hold on new drivers in New York City. Buzz60’s Natasha Abellard has the story. &#... Can China stop rare earths exports to the US? As China looks for ways to retaliate against the US amid an escalating trade row between the two giants, speculation is rife that Beijing could slash ... UK PM candidate Leadsom says: parliament cannot stop Brexit Andrea Leadsom, one of the candidates vying to replace Prime Minister Theresa May, said on Tuesday that the British parliament could not stop Brexit t... Fed's Rate Cut Plans Stop Making Sense The facts have changed, but the Federal Reserve sure doesn’t seem like it is changing its mind on leaning toward an interest-rate cut at its policy me... ‘This Violence Has to Stop’ Governor Says After U.N.C. Charlotte Shooting A gunman killed two people and injured four others on the last day of classes at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. The police have taken a s... Break Into Your Car Safely with a Door Stop and Metal Rod There comes a time in every car owner’s life when they lock their keys in their vehicle, or lose them completely. Sure, you can pay to have a professi... Stop picking on me, says Konta after Wimbledon exit Johanna Konta's often tetchy relationship with Britain's tennis media corps turned sour again as she accused them of "picking on me" after her quarter... Dems won’t impeach Trump but can’t stop talking about it House Democrats can't stop talking about impeaching Donald Trump, yet they blame everyone else for their predicament. Democrats slam Trump as “lawles... The U.S. is in the World Cup final with a stop of penalty and a spot of tea With a crucial save by Alyssa Naeher and goals by Christen Press and Alex Morgan — who added her own signature celebration — the defending champions a... Stop talking about my generation, says beaten Mladenovic Kristina Mladenovic was dumped out of the French Open in the second round with a 6-2 6-1 defeat to Petra Martic on Wednesday, leaving Caroline Garcia ... California wants to stop your smart gadgets from eavesdropping on you As privacy concerns grow regarding the information tech giants collect on users, California lawmakers have introduced a bill that would limit how reco... Woman says she was robbed at gunpoint after ATM stop in Lexington LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington police were investigating after a woman said she was robbed at gunpoint early Monday morning after accepting... WHO warns Ebola could spread elsewhere if attacks don’t stop DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The World Health Organization is warning it may not be possible to contain Ebola to the two affected provinces in eastern Congo ... State Bar wants to stop Avenatti from working in California LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Stormy Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti says he’ll fight a bid by the State Bar of California to keep him from practi... Don't let animal activists stop needed HIV research At any given moment, millions of doctors and medical researchers across the globe are working toward a singular goal: that no illness should be a deat... 3 reasons robocalls are hard to stop (and 5 things to do about them) Just a couple of months ago, I shared with you seven ways to stop robocalls. It's a hot topic that I monitor regularly. It's like being a spectator at... Stop Filling Out Questionnaires for 'Personalized' Products There are few things more satisfying than telling a story about yourself, and hearing it told back to you with validation and approval. That’s why hor... New Jersey cop to suspects during traffic stop: ‘I’m going to knock you the f–k out’ A New Jersey cop threatened to knock two men unconscious and sic his 90-pound police dog on them during a traffic stop, saying the animal would “rip t... Stop Living In the Past and Get Yourself a Eufy RoboVac for $90 Off Why use a traditional vacuum when it is 2019 and you can have a robot do it for you? Life is much to short to waste time vacuuming. Right now, you can... 'We have to stop no-deal': Ed Davey kicks off Lib Dem leadership bid Exclusive: Former minister Ed Davey aims to broaden party’s appeal with climate focusThe former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister Ed Davey launched hi... Stop Brushing Your Teeth With Charcoal Toothpaste Trendy toothpastes made with charcoal are likely a worse option for your teeth than traditional toothpaste, according to some British dentists. In a n... The media needs to stop getting the Republican tax cuts wrong With the 2020 election campaign heating up, the Republican tax cuts enacted in 2017 will be a major topic of debate. Most Republicans defend the tax c... 3 reasons robocalls are hard to stop and 5 things to do about them Robocalls are efficient and powerful tools for sending targeted messages to the public, and there are several reasons they have such staying power. &... Indians’ Carlos Carrasco won’t let leukemia stop him CLEVELAND — Indians starter Carlos Carrasco is being treated for leukemia, but remains hopeful he’ll pitch again this season. Carrasco, who was ... Five ways to stop feeling overwhelmed by the news We are constantly bombarded with news, real and fake, which has been shown to cause us stress. Here, experts share tips on how to avoid becoming overa... Gut microbes interfere with Parkinson's drug - but we could stop them We have identified organisms in the gut that break down the main drug used to treat Parkinson's disease, a step towards making the therapy more effect... No, Tim Cook never told Apple TV+ showrunners to stop being ‘so mean’ For the second time in as many days, Apple is pushing back on high-profile press reports that the company says mischaracterizes actions supposedly tak... Scientists invent foam that can stop a bullet as well as steel can When designing armor capable of stopping a bullet, the two most important factors are weight and resistance to penetration, and they’re often at... Body of adult man found near bus stop on west side TUCSON – Tucson Police Department is investigating a body found on the west side of Tucson Friday afternoon. According to TPD, they received a r... Suspect with man bun caught on camera stomping cyclist at bus stop A thug with a man bun stomped a 65-year-old cyclist unconscious — and then stole his bike during a heinous, caught-on-video attack in Californi... Google will stop syncing files between Drive and Photos Google is changing how Drive and Photos share your videos and photos with each other, in a move that might actually cause more problems than it solves... Albanian opposition trying to stop holding of local polls Albanian police say they have arrested five opposition supporters for allegedly damaging ballot boxes and documents to prevent upcoming municipal elec... “Ride For The Wall” Makes Stop In Mount Sterling MOUNT STERLING, Ky. (LEX 18)– Hundreds of motorcyclists are making the journey across the nation to honor the brave men and women who have made ... Slack IPO dares investors to bet the company can stop hemorrhaging red ink The cultish devotion to Slack in offices around the world is about to propel the workplace collaboration platform to a $16 billion IPO today.Read More... \| China tells US to stop trying to 'mess up' Hong Kong Beijing on Friday denounced what it called "violent interference" by US lawmakers critical of what they see as a worsening human rights environment in... ‘The IAAF will not drug me or stop me being who I am’: Semenya appeals against Cas ruling • South African files appeal to Swiss supreme court• ‘I am a woman and I am a world-class athlete’Caster Semenya has filed an appeal to the federal su... Opinion: Kevin Durant is all of us on social media, and he should never stop He’s way too accessible on Twitter and Instagram. He’s hilariously defensive, especially for a two-time NBA Finals MVP. And he shouldn&apo... TV Broadcasters Outside Parliament Can't Shake 'Stop Brexit Steve' Protester, with megaphone, wins cat-and-mouse game with TV reporters covering U.K.’s break with EU by getting into shot every time; BBC built a scaffo... The Senate Still Wants to Stop Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia A new effort is underway in the Senate to stop the Trump administration’s arms sales to Saudi Arabia, according to Politico. After past efforts to cur... Egypt tries to stop sale of Tutankhamun statue in London Officials fear bust of pharaoh might have been looted from Karnak temple in LuxorEgyptian authorities are trying to stop the auction of a statue of Tu... We Can't Stop Watching Halsey and BTS' Latest Dance Party So this is how BTS gets ready for a concert event. Over the weekend, the K-pop band headed to Paris for a special performance at the Stade de France.... New Zealand told: 'Stop stealing Maori kids' New Zealand's government watchdog will investigate the practice of authorities seizing newborn babies from their mothers -- including some when they a... NHL notebook: Rain doesn't stop Blues parade Heavy rain didn't dampen the spirits of the St. Louis Blues or their fans Saturday as a crowd estimated in the hundreds of thousands turned out to see... Hero cops stop teen from shooting himself at last possible moment When the officers turned the corner in the stairwell on the third floor, the 19-year-old was sitting on the stairs with a shotgun barrel to his chin a... China calls on U.S. to stop "extreme pressure" on Iran The United States should not use "extreme pressure" to resolve issues with Iran, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Tuesday, amid a standoff following ... AP Investigation: Many US jails fail to stop inmate suicides Suicide, long the leading cause of death in U.S. jails, hit a high of 50 deaths for every 100,000 inmates in 2014, the last year for government data. ... My friends’ husbands keep hitting on me. How can I stop them? \| Dear Mariella It’s reassuring to know that our allure doesn’t fade with age, says Mariella, and while it may actually be the opposite, it’s hard to know what’s prom... Trump tells Mexico to stop "invasion" of migrants U.S. President Donald Trump told Mexico to stop the "invasion" and "onslaught" of migrants entering the United States illegally, or face rising U.S. i... At least 1 dead, 19 injured in Japan bus stop stabbing attack Thirteen children are among the victims in a morning stabbing attack at a bus stop near Tokyo, Japanese authorities and media said. ... Price finally solves Yankees as Red Sox win 8-5 to stop skid David Price finally won at Yankee Stadium for the first time with the Boston Red Sox, backed by early homers from J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts in... Google Photos and Drive will stop working together next month Google has just announced important changes to automatic sync between Google Drive and Google Photos. It looks like the Mountain View company has deci... Wheelchair tennis champ: ‘My disability doesn’t stop me from anything’ With her mighty forehand, Joanna Nieh sends a ball blistering past her opponent. “Nice point,” the other player cries. More impressive is that the for... Childfree by choice: Stop telling me I'll change my mind later Saying a woman will regret it returns to the idea of motherhood as the natural position and anything else as deviant At work a while back, I was compl... Knife attack at Japan bus stop wounds 19, kills at least 1 A man wielding a knife attacked commuters waiting at a bus stop just outside Tokyo during Tuesday morning’s rush hour, killing as many as two people a... Let's stop the argument that financial education doesn't work Research continues to validate financial education, leading to better decision-making, heightened confidence and increased self-efficacy. If you impug... U.S. trade chief says talking with China won't stop cheating Washington wants changes from Beijing that would rewrite the terms of trade between the two countries by improving intellectual property protection, h... The Latest: States sue to stop $26.5B Sprint-T-Mobile deal NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on T-Mobile-Sprint lawsuit (all times local): 12:25 p.m. A group of state attorneys general led by New York and California ... Men are suing women who accused them of harassment. Will it stop others from speaking out? A series of high-profile defamation cases have been brought against women in response to the outpouring of sexual misconduct allegations in the wake o... Reports: States will sue to stop $26.5B Sprint-T-Mobile deal NEW YORK (AP) — Published reports say a group of state attorneys general are planning a lawsuit to block a $26.5 billion merger of wireless carriers T... Schoolgirls for sale: why Tokyo struggles to stop the 'JK business' The persistent practice of paying underage girls for sex-related services, known in Japan as the ‘JK’ business, has seen charities step in where polic... Explainer: Can Britain's parliament stop a no-deal Brexit? Several of the contenders to replace Prime Minister Theresa May have said Britain should leave the European Union on Oct. 31, even if that means a no-... Homophobic attacks must stop, say women assaulted on London bus Exclusive: We felt an obligation to share our story, Melania Geymonat and Chris tell the Guardian“We are pretty tired of talking about getting punched... CBI Alerts Airports To Stop Ex-Kolkata Top Cop From Flying Abroad Former Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar should not be allowed to leave the country, the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI has said in a lookout ... Italian PM to coalition leaders: Stop squabbling or I quit Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says he'll resign unless the two parties in the coalition government set aside their differences and continue wo... UPDATE 2-U.S. sues to stop merger of two printing companies The U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday it had filed a lawsuit aimed at stopping Quad/Graphics Inc from buying LSC Communications , two of the bi... Why the vitriol about my bike expenses won't stop me cycling to work – MP Media criticism has actually kickstarted my drive to get commuters on to two wheelsOver the last few weeks, our schoolchildren have staged climate cha... PCSD: 2 suspects at large after attempted traffic stop TUCSON – Deputies with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department are searching for two suspects who reportedly fled after an attempted traffic stop at a no... Daphne Caruana Galizia’s son: ‘They killed my mother but they won’t stop me’ The Maltese writer’s journalist son tells of his pride in her achievements as a BBC radio drama recounts her storyThey had spent hours discussing powe... Artist’s estate wants to stop “LOVE,” “HOPE” reproductions VINALHAVEN, Maine (AP) — The estate of the artist behind the famous “LOVE” and “HOPE” images is attempting to stop reproductio... Do you suffer from 'buttne'? Expert reveals causes of bum spots and how to stop them ARE you self conscious about spots on your bum? Thankfully, there are ways to clear acne from your booty region. Here, a skincare expert reveals all.... Super Mario Maker 2's Boo Button Can't Stop This Nonsense Today on Highlight Reel we have Mario Maker nightmare machines, undersea kingdoms in Breath of the Wild, Sekiro nightmares, and much more... Why the UK’s grand plan to stop gadgets turning against us is flawed Internet-connected gizmos from kettles to TVs are an underestimated security risk. But the UK government’s response ignores the biggest risk – ourselv... Facebook is trying to stop spread of bogus health claims Facebook announced Tuesday that it has changed its algorithm to curb the circulation of “misleading health content,” following reports tha... Analysis says we need to stop building fossil fuel plants now Enlarge / Wind turbines spin as steam rises from the cooling towers of the Jäenschwalde coal-fired power plant in the distance. (credit: Sean Gallup/... Antibiotics after assisted births could stop thousands of infections Giving a single dose of antibiotics to mothers who have a medically assisted birth using forceps or vacuum could prevent almost half of maternal infec... Police discover body in vehicle during traffic stop ELOY, Ariz. – During a traffic stop, an Eloy Police Detective pulled over 70-year-old Rodney Puckett near Toltec Road and Interstate 10. During ... Deutsche Bank, in a Last-Ditch Effort to Stop Its Spiral, Could Lay Off 20,000 The German bank is said to be preparing a sweeping restructuring that will eliminate thousands of jobs and bring to an end its 20-year foray into Wall... IOC overhauls bidding process for Games to stop dropouts The International Olympic Committee outlined plans to overhaul the bidding process for future Games, stating that cities interested in hosting the Gam... \| Stirling century can't stop Bangladesh beating Ireland Paul Stirling's century was insufficent to prevent Bangladesh beating Ireland in a triangular series ODI with Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das starring for t... How To Use Mario Maker 2's Tricky 'Scroll-Stop' Feature How’s your Super Mario Maker 2 going? Making some Marios? Trying out some of the cool new features? One of the most subtle but powerful new tricks you... Gucci owner pledges to stop using underage models The luxury fashion group Kering, which also owns Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen, makes commitments on model welfare and the environment at the Copen... Lawsuit filed to stop Ohio abortion ban after 1st heartbeat COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Planned Parenthood and Ohio abortion clinics have sued to prevent the state’s restrictive abortion law from taking effect.... Police: Man dragged state trooper during traffic stop PAINTSVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) – A state trooper was dragged about 75 feet by a vehicle in Johnson County. This happened Tuesday near the intersectio... UK PM May tells Putin to stop destabilizing activities: spokeswoman Prime Minister Theresa May told President Vladimir Putin on Friday that their countries can only have a different relationship if Russia stops the beh... An Alabama Restaurant Is Selling the Whitest Sandwich Ever and We Need to Stop Them The ancient prophecies speak of a time when the forces of good will have to unite to fight the ultimate evil. Throughout history, this revelation has ... Stop, look, and watch: 3 All That fan-favorites confirmed for reboot in an exclusive look If adults seem just a little invested in the upcoming, Kenan Thompson executive-produced All That reboot, it’s because the ‘90s Nickelodeon sketch com... Research: The best way to stop the spread of fake photos is education It can be hard to tell whether a picture is real. Consider, as the participants in our recent research did, these two images and see whether you think... IndyCar Grand Prix preview: Can anyone stop Will Power? The pole-sitter has won the past four iterations of the IndyCar Grand Prix. Three of those have been Team Penske's Will Power ... Ask The Salty Waitress: I just want folks to stop hovering over my grill Dear Salty: Recently I was hosting a dinner party and decided the weather was nice enough to grill outside. I’m not the most proficient griller, but I... North Koreans stop activity for Kim Il Sung anniversary Daily life in North Korea came to a standstill at noon Monday as the country observed the 25th death anniversary of the regime's founder, Kim Il Sung,... OK seriously, stop whining about Apple’s controversial new iPhone 11 design I’ve been doing this for long enough to know how certain stories are going to play out. That’s why I knew a year before Samsung even annou... Stop buying these items each month and save $18,000 a year Americans are spending a lot on things they don't absolutely need, which comes at a cost of their important financial goals. &... SunTrust to stop financing private U.S. prison operators SunTrust Banks Inc will stop financing operators of private prisons and immigration holding facilities, it said on Monday, becoming the latest lender... Authorities: Woman Pulls Gator From Pants During Stop Charlotte County Sheriff’s Department PUNTA GORDA, Fla. 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UK-flagged tanker reported 'safe and well' after stop in Gulf UK-flagged supertanker Pacific Voyager which halted in the Gulf on Saturday is "safe and well", a British official told Reuters, after Iran dismissed ... Stop & Shop workers reach new deal after strike BOSTON (AP) — Unionized supermarket workers in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island have ratified a new contract that came out of an 11-day str... Forest the size of the US could stop climate change - study Planting an area the size of the US with trees would be the most effective way to combat change, according to a study published in the journal Science... The UK's 'right' to healthcare doesn't stop a racial gap in maternal deaths The birth of a new royal baby is all the buzz: Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex welcomed a son this week who will now be seventh in line for... Pioneer US Satire Magazine To Stop Publishing After 70-Year Run MAD magazine, the once-subversive humor publication that helped redefine American satire and influenced a half-century of comedians and comic artists,... See the Bikinis Bachelor Nation Can't Stop Wearing This Summer We love these products, and we hope you do too. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a small share of the revenue from your purchases. Items ... K9 officer finds meth during traffic stop in Benson BENSON, Ariz. – A woman was arrested during a traffic stop Wednesday after a canine located methamphetamine in the exterior of a vehicle, police said.... Police stop far-right band performances in eastern Germany The rock bands had violated the rules set for the concert, according to police in the German state of Thuringia. Far-right groups regularly hold rock ... Google set to launch tools that could stop online tracking In an effort to help limit online tracking, Google will soon roll out a dashboard-like function in its Chrome browser to aid users in stopping trackin... If You Could Stop Time, Would You? A Novel Puts a Dark Spin on the Question During a worldwide economic collapse, the heroes of Andri Snaer Magnason’s “The Casket of Time” seal themselves in time-proof boxes. So does everyone ... 3 Georgia inmates stop man from trying to commit suicide: report Three Georgia inmates sprang into action after another inmate wrapped a sheet around his neck and tried to kill himself, according to a Thursday repor... Stop Using Homemade Sunscreen Recipes You Found on Pinterest Those looking to stay safe from the sun should steer far clear of do-it-yourself sunscreens, a new study out Monday suggests. The study looked at reci... Netflix is testing a desktop pop-out player so you never have to stop watching Imagine how much Netflix binge watching you could do if minor inconsiderations like work, emails, or social networks weren't getting in the way. ... BritBox: the one-stop streaming service for classic British TV There are plenty of options for TV streaming these days – but if you're hankering after some good old British television, BritBox may be w... Stop thinking you can hire enough people to fix your cybersecurity problems Compute and algorithms processing mountains of data is more efficacious than trying to hire cybersecurity professionals when there aren’t enough of th... Trump says he won't work with Democrats until they stop investigating him – live Press conference held after Nancy Pelosi criticizes presidentMueller to release search warrants from inquiry into Michael CohenSign up for the US brie... Steam will stop supporting Ubuntu Linux over 32-bit compatibility If you're a Linux gamer who prefers Ubuntu, you might want to look for another distribution in the near future. Valve is dropping official suppo... Pak Trying To Stop Extradition Of Dawood Ibrahim's Top Aide To US: Report Pakistani diplomats in London are making all-out efforts to prevent the extradition of D-Company's top lieutenant Jabir Motiwala to the United States.... Chicago's new mayor vows to stop gun violence After taking the oath of office, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she has "no higher calling" than restoring safety and peace in the city's neig... Odell Beckham can’t stop throwing jabs at the Giants Odell Beckham Jr. is still throwing jabs at his former team. In a recent, wide-ranging interview with Complex UK, Beckham commented on his trade from ... Climate activist Greta Thunberg in Berlin: 'We will never stop' The Swedish teen activist has praised Germany's young protesters for sacrificing their education for the climate. Thunberg's movement calls on student... Mark Levin: Stop blaming Trump for Iran "Life, Liberty & Levin" host Mark Levin appeared on "Hannity" Thursday where he blasted Iran apologists in the media and defended National Security Ad... WWE Stomping Grounds a pivotal stop ahead of SummerSlam WWE Stomping Grounds features a number of rematches from Super ShowDown, but also provides an opportunity to end a number of feuds as fans search for ... Polish bishops admit they haven't done enough to stop abuse Poland's bishops are acknowledging that they have not done enough to prevent clerical abuse of minors and say there are "no words" to describe their s... U.N. clinches deal to stop plastic waste ending up in the sea Around 180 countries reached a deal on Friday that aims to sharply reduce the amount of plastic that gets washed into the world's oceans, the United N... Stop Wasting Money On Terrible Backpacks and Get This Under Armour Bag for $27 Looking for a backpack that could work for either you or your kids? Under Armour has a versatile bag that won’t break after a few months of use. The U... Rally at Supreme Court to stop abortion bans Activists were joined by members of Congress to rally near the Supreme Court on "National Day of Action to Stop the Bans" on abortion. (May 21) ... Gotta Be Bold: The Bachelorette Has a New Favorite Word and No One Can Stop Saying It Hannah Brown really wants her men to be bold. What does bold mean, exactly? A lot of different things, according to tonight's episode of The Bachelo... Gutierrez lifts SKC past Crew to stop skid Felipe Gutierrez scored and Tim Melia made four saves when Sporting Kansas City ended a four-game winless streak with a 1-0 defeat of the Columbus Cre... UNHCR urges EU to stop sending migrants to Libya The European Union has relied heavily on Libya to help stem the flow of migrants into Europe. But migrants in the failed state face increasing danger,... Rep. Jim Jordan: Dems 'focused' on impeaching Trump, 'not going to stop at anything' Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, voiced his frustration with "the squad" Tuesday and reacted to the House of Representative's vote to condemn President Trump'... Amazon is watching, listening and tracking you. Here's how to stop it You can turn off some of the tracking, but then many Amazon features won't work. And if you want to delete your Alexa recordings, you need the ap... VR is a strangely fitting home for stop-motion animation Strange, fantastical things are brewing in VR, and the Tribeca Film Festival's Immersive Arcade is a great place to find them. One of the most in... Stop the nitpicking! This season of Game of Thrones is miraculous Seeing the fury around The Bells baffles me. Are we watching the same show? Warning: this article contains spoilers.As King’s Landing burned, and char... Make Stop-Motion Animation Videos With Your Kids My son has always been into scene-setting and storytelling. He’s the sort of kid who brings a couple of “guys” with him in the car, no matter how shor... Mexico sends 15K troops to US border to stop migrants Mexico deployed nearly 15,000 soldiers and National Guardsmen to its border with the US, the army chief said Monday — admitting they are detaining mig... Stop Judging Dates Based on What Cars They Drive It’s a trope that happens in most romantic comedies (and also Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift): The guy or girl in question judges their date based on w... Data brokers are selling your secrets. How states are trying to stop them. Data brokers know everything about us because they buy and sell the personal information of millions of Americans with whom they have no direct relati... Iran's UN Envoy Urges US To Stop "Economic War" Against Iranians Iran's UN ambassador said Monday that conditions were not ripe for a dialogue with the United States after President Donald Trump imposed new sanction... Teen sues officer who held him at gunpoint near bus stop JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming teenager is suing an off-duty officer from Colorado who pulled a gun on him as he ran to a bus stop in Jackson. The Jac... I’m 70, but I can’t stop my new partner from talking to other people \| Dear Mariella If age teaches us anything, it’s that you can’t change other people, says Mariella. You may be wrong for each other, or you may need to adapt your beh... CHEAP: Stop reading, start buying — the latest Chromecast is only $25 Welcome to CHEAP, our series about things that are good, but most of all, cheap. CHEAP! I’m a big fan of media streamers. Honestly, I think they’re on... Donald Trump said he tried to stop the 'send her back' chants ... but did he? - video Donald Trump claimed Thursday he tried to stop his supporters chanting 'send her back' after he assailed Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar who he's ... Trump Says He Tried to Stop ‘Send Her Back’ Chant. Here’s What the Video Shows. President Trump said he disagreed with his supporters chanting “send her back” after he railed against Somali-born congresswoman Ilhan Omar at a rally... Ex-Clinton aide says she would 'ankle dive' to stop Hillary from running again Jennifer Palmieri wants to spare her former boss the misery she would encounter in another presidential run, saying she would "ankle dive at the door"... Colombia's Duque says working to stop slayings of community leaders Colombia is working to halt scores of slayings of community leaders by criminal groups and remnant bands of rebels following the country's historic 20... Chrome update will stop sites from checking for Incognito Mode Chrome's Incognito Mode hasn't been working as well as promised lately -- some sites now check for private browsing and insist that you sign... UK's Labour aim to seize parliamentary time to try to stop no-deal Brexit Britain's opposition Labour Party said on Tuesday it would try to take control of the parliamentary agenda on June 25 to give lawmakers the chance to ... U.S. to stop training Turkish F-35 pilots because of Russia deal: sources The United States has decided to stop accepting any more Turkish pilots who had planned to train in the United States on F-35 fighter jets, three U.S.... "Stop Bengal From Becoming Mini Pakistan": JD(U) Warns Mamata Banerjee Janata Dal (United), heading the NDA government in Bihar, said on Tuesday that West Bengal, under Mamata Banerjee's leadership, is fast turning into a... French healthcare will stop paying for homeopathic treatment in 2021 After another study found that homeopathic medicines had no proven benefit, the French government announced it will end reimbursements for these treat... Efforts to curb cyberbullying won’t stop the broader tech backlash Attempts to clean up social networks are to be applauded, but such efforts are mere bandaids in the bigger fight to counter anti-tech sentiment. Read ... Want to stop climate change? Jared Diamond says nations need therapy In his new book Upheaval, polymath Jared Diamond says nations need a special kind of therapy to solve big problems like climate change, Brexit and nuc... Ten U.S. states sue to stop Sprint-T-Mobile deal, saying consumers will be hurt Ten states led by New York and California have filed a lawsuit to stop T-Mobile US Inc's $26 billion purchase of Sprint Corp, warning that consumer pr... How Sony taught me to stop murdering companions and love the NPC sidekick It wasn’t that many years and bits ago that ‘companion’ was a dirty word in videogames. The promise of being tethered to an NPC f... McLaren: High risk to not stop Norris for second time in British GP McLaren says committing Lando Norris to an early final British Grand Prix pitstop would have been "high risk", after the strategy call it made dropped... Subway stop floods after downpour knocks out wall in Queens Everybody was surfing — surfing M-T-A. 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Trump administration moves to stop more immigrants from seeking U.S. asylum The Trump administration on Monday moved to bar almost all immigrants from applying for asylum at the country's southern border, requiring them to fir... Raptors urge some fans to stop cheering Durant’s injury A few Raptors fans appeared delighted after Warriors star Kevin Durant fell down with an Achilles injury that will sideline him for the rest of the NB... Newborn who stopped breathing saved by deputy during traffic stop A South Carolina deputy got more than he bargained for during a traffic stop in Summerville, when he wound up saving the life of an infant who had sto... Agencies boost efforts to stop wildland firefighter suicides BOISE, Idaho (AP) – Federal wildland firefighting authorities are increasing mental health resources following an apparent increase in firefight... The Latest: Disastrous pit stop costs Sato lead in Texas FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The Latest on the IndyCar race in Texas (all times local): 8:20 p.m. Pole-sitter Takuma Sato has lost his lead at the IndyCar... Police stop 4 kids who drove SUV 600 miles down Aussie coast Police say four children aged 10 to 14 packed fishing rods in a parent’s SUV, left a farewell note then drove 600 miles down the Australian east coast... Fraud is expected to cost the ad industry $44B in 2022 — here’s how blockchain could help stop it Business Insider Intelligence This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence. Current subscribers can read the report here.... Light therapy may stop cancer treatment side effect Researchers say that light therapy is an effective treatment for oral ulcers resulting from radiation therapy for head and neck cancer or stem cell tr... Mark Zuckerberg: We can't stop Russian election interference by ourselves, US government must help "As a private company we don't have the tools to make the Russian government stop," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at the Aspen Ideas Conferen... Britain's Labour is confident parliament can stop no-deal Brexit Britain's main opposition Labour Party is confident that parliament can prevent a government trying to take the country out of the European Union with... Wayfair CEO Refuses to Stop Furnishing Concentration Camps: Report Wayfair, an e-commerce giant that sells home goods, is reportedly fulfilling an order for $200,000 worth of bedroom furniture to a government contract... Yes, It Is Possible to Stop Corporate America From Extorting State and Local Governments Amazon’s “HQ2" debacle—a high-profile nationwide shakedown of state and local governments by a fabulously wealthy corporation—made many people re... Data brokers are selling your secrets. Some states are trying to stop them. It isn’t easy. Vermont’s new data broker registry highlights the difficulties of regulating dozens of secretive firms that buy and sell the personal information of m... Seat tech boss: it’s ‘possible’ to stop cars speeding for good Seat's head of connected car and infotainment claims the technology is there for governments to easily put blanket speed restrictions on new cars One... Valeri scores, adds 3 assists as Timbers stop Dynamo 4-0 Diego Valeri scored on a penalty kick and added three assists, leading the Portland Timbers to a 4-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo ... FIFA says wrong to stop Iran activists in World Cup stadiums NICE, France (AP) — FIFA says it was wrong for people campaigning for women to be allowed into Iranian soccer stadiums to be removed from a Women̵... Ferrari Cruise Ended Very Badly for This F50 That Couldn't Stop in Time An armada of Ferraris has been cruising around the island of Capri for an exclusive event called the Cavalcade, which sounds awesome, and probably was... Iran says it won't wage war, Russia tells U.S. to stop stoking tensions President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday Iran would not wage war against any nation, while Russia told the United States it should drop what it called... Many US jails fail to stop inmate suicides, investigation reveals Scores of jails have been sued or investigated for allegedly refusing inmates medication, ignoring their cries for help, and failing to monitor them. ... 4 states join effort to stop T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint Four more states joined an effort by state attorneys general, including NY’s Letitia James, to stop T-Mobile‘s acquisition of Sprint, it emerged Frida... Four U.S. states join lawsuit to stop T-Mobile-Sprint deal Four more U.S. states joined an unusual effort by state attorneys general to stop T-Mobile US Inc's acquisition of Sprint Corp, a New York official sa... Four more states join lawsuit to stop T-Mobile-Sprint deal Four more U.S. states have joined an unusual effort by state attorneys general to stop T-Mobile US Inc's acquisition of Sprint Corp, a New York offici... Stosur prepared for qualifying battles to stop rankings slide Former U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur says she is prepared to slog through qualifying draws to restore her ranking having slipped outside the worl... 4 states added to suit to stop $26.5B Sprint-T-Mobile deal NEW YORK (AP) — Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Nevada are joining the legal fight against T-Mobile’s $26.5 billion bid for Sprint in a cas... High-stakes bid to stop climate bill hits 2nd day in Oregon SALEM, Ore. 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India officials stop Amnesty International event in Kashmir SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Authorities in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have stopped Amnesty International from holding an event to release a r... Deepfakes are a real threat to the 2020 election. This technology could stop them With the 2020 US presidential election looming, political leaders, presidential candidates and the country's intelligence chief are worried about doct... Could a low-yield, sub-launch nuclear missile stop a Russian first strike? Could a low-yield Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile help stop a Russian-launched first nuclear strike by ensuring a proportional response and holdi... UPDATE 3-SunTrust to stop financing private U.S. prison operators SunTrust Banks Inc will stop financing operators of private prisons and immigration holding facilities, it said on Monday, becoming the latest lender ... UK justice minister says likely parliament will find a way to stop no-deal Brexit British justice minister David Gauke said on Sunday he believed that parliament would find a way to stop a new prime minister taking Britain out of th... Hammond leads 30 Tory MPs in plot to stop no-deal Brexit Thirty Tory MPs led by Chancellor Philip Hammond are plotting to stop a no-deal Brexit in October in a move which would raise the chance of a second r... Facebook Is Trying to Stop Bogus Health Claims from Spreading Online Facebook is working to limit the reach of posts making “sensational health claims” in an effort to tamp down on misinformation, according ... Sri Lanka arrests top officials over failure to stop Easter bombings Sri Lanka's top police inspector and a former defense secretary have been arrested for failing to avert blasts that killed more than 250 people in Apr... Julián Castro Wants to Stop Police Brutality by Getting Rid of Qualified Immunity “Qualified immunity” refers to one of the most powerful federal laws that protects police officers from personal liability in cases of deadly force. B... 'There's no way to stop this': Oakland braces for the arrival of tech firm Square Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has signed a deal to move his payments company to Oakland – which activists say will only exacerbate an already brutal housing... Video shows judge barking at officer during traffic stop A judge was allowed to go on his way after aggressively challenging a police officer during a traffic stop and ordering him to "check the registration... Netflix is finally going to stop spending so much money on original projects For the past several years, Netflix has seemingly been opening its checkbook at every available opportunity for every creator with an idea. The era of... Police stop sports car driver for speeding, 10 minutes after driving off lot Canadian police impounded a man’s McLaren sports car for speeding on a highway, 10 minutes after he drove it off the lot. ... China tells Britain to stop 'gesticulating' about Hong Kong Britain no longer has any responsibility for Hong Kong and needs to stop "gesticulating" about its former colony, China's Foreign Ministry said on Mon... G20 heads to stop short of denouncing protectionism in communique: Nikkei Group of 20 leaders will agree to accelerate World Trade Organization (WTO) reforms but stop short of calling for the need to resist protectionism in ... U.S. rights groups, doctors sue to stop Georgia 'heartbeat' abortion ban A group of civil rights organizations, doctors and clinics sued Georgia's government on Friday to overturn a law passed in March that bans abortions i... Bill won’t stop meddling in 2020 elections, say technology experts Lawmakers are considering a bill to address the problem posed by video editing tools that can make anyone, including politicians, appear to say things... Nurse warns women to stop vacuuming their vaginas to end their periods A DANGEROUS menstrual vacuuming trend has been highlighted by medical experts. Women were hospitalised after trying to stop their periods with hoovers... Texas officer fired after shooting black man in traffic stop A Texas police officer has been fired after he was charged with criminally negligent homicide in the fatal shooting of a black man during a traffic st... Rowan County Traffic Stop Leads To Big Drug Bust ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) – A Kentucky State Police trooper conducting a traffic stop in Rowan County uncovered a much bigger crime. KSP says o... Mike Pompeo flies to Germany as first stop on Europe trip The US Secretary of State is hoping to persuade European allies that Washington is not looking for conflict with Iran. European states have been fight... Google to stop offering new Android versions for Huawei phones Google said it will stop providing Android updates for Huawei phones -- the tech company's response to an executive order that U.S. companies stop doi... Poland must stop treating EU as a money-making machine - Katainen Poland should stop treating the European Union as a money-making machine and make a more substantial financial contribution in the future, European Co... NBA roundup: Harden extends streak, Rockets stop Raptors "James Harden extended his streak of consecutive 30-point games to 22 but had\r\nplenty of help as the Houston Rockets claimed a 121-119, wire-to-wire... Pelicans stop skid thanks to Gentry speech, Davis high "Anthony Davis shoulders Pelicans with season high in victory over Dallas Mavericks following tongue-lashing from head coach Alvin Gentry at the half ... Police stop Tesla driver 'who fell asleep while using autopilot' Police in the Netherlands say they stopped a Tesla driver after he appeared to have fallen asleep at the wheel while using the car's autopilot feature... How to stop climate change? Nationalise the oil companies \| Owen Jones Extinction Rebellion got the ball rolling, but more radical action is now necessary if humanity is to surviveIf only the Daily Express was right. That... Polygamous sect leader ordered to stop Minnesota building Officials in northern Minnesota have ordered a temporary halt to construction on land linked to a man who led a secretive polygamous sect's compound i... Sandra Bland's own video of traffic stop surfaces Cellphone video recorded by Sandra Bland, a black woman found dead in a Texas jail following a 2015 traffic stop, shows for the first time her perspec... Pentagon tells White House to stop politicizing military SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The Pentagon has told the White House to stop politicizing the military, amid a furor over a Trump administration order to h... Pentagon Tells the White House to Stop Politicizing Military SEOUL, South Korea — The Pentagon has told the White House to stop politicizing the military, amid a furor over a Trump administration order to ... Seaweed Pods, Anyone? Marathons Get Creative to Stop Littering the Streets Plastic bottles and cups fill the streets after marathons. But a more pressing problem from these events is something you can’t see: Your carbon footp... Have You Learned Nothing, People? Stop Telling Bill de Blasio to Fix the Subway Bill de Blasio is the Mayor of New York, or so we are told. He rarely shows up to work and often appears disconnected and bored from the day-to-day d... Can’t Everyone Just Stop Hollering At Phil Kessel While He’s Tryin’ To Watch The Teevee? With the long NHL offseason here and no more hockey being played at all*, a young fan’s fancy turns, of course, to trade drama. This year’s downright... David Letterman says we need to "stop yakking about what a goon" Trump is and vote David Letterman may be a few years removed from the world of traditional late-night talk shows, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still throw in his two ... I’ve had children at school for 27 years. At last I can stop pretending to like it \| Suzanne Moore No more parents’ evenings, PTA meetings and tedious texts about rules – I can’t wait for my youngest to leave next weekSchool’s out for ever. Just one... Failed sweep didn’t stop Yankees from sending Red Sox message There were maybe 10,000 folks left by the end, the bulk of the crowd scattered by the storms, if not the scoreboard. The faithful have come to realize... Hilary Duff Gets Powerfully Real About Her Decision to Stop Breastfeeding Hilary Duff is once again keeping it real. Typically forthcoming about the unpredictable road of motherhood, the actress did not surprise when she t... ‘I Did My Best to Stop American Foreign Policy’: Bernie Sanders on the 1980s In an interview, one of the leading candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination discusses his long-held opposition to war and his suppo... Poland must stop treating EU as a money-making machine: Katainen Poland should stop treating the European Union as a money-making machine and make a more substantial financial contribution in the future, European Co...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1231
__label__wiki	0.697688	0.697688	Who Flipped It Better? Get Funky Crew vs. Kendrick Lamar Max Weinstein The Sample: The Isley Brothers - 'That Lady' (1973) You've probably heard Kendrick Lamar's 'i,' the brand new single that samples 'That Lady' by The Isley Brothers. Message aside (yay, positivity!), 'i' sounds more like a toothpaste commercial than a Kendrick Lamar song, aesthetically. His voice sounds particularly munchkin-like and the beat makes you want to do the Carlton dance. In other words, it's about to be a smash hit. But is it corny? Flip 1: The Get Funky Crew - 'Who's That Lady' (Prod. by Beatmaster Clay D) [1989] The fact that other artists have sampled The Isley Brothers perfectly in the past (Biggie's 'Big Poppa' and Ice Cube's 'Today Was A Good Day' come to mind) doesn't negate how Rahki used the sample here. Neither of those songs sound like jingles, despite also being huge hits. In 1989, for instance, The Get Funky Crew used the same reeling guitar loop on 'Who's That Lady' that Rahki did on "i." The difference is the Get Funky Crew was a Miami Bass group. The music was completely pared down to the bare essentials, i.e. obnoxiously loud drums. As soon as the song starts, your body gets moving. Swift and Rahiem, the members of the Get Funky Crew, are only rapping over drums and bass for their verses. The chorus incorporates the hook and the guitar from 'That Lady' without sacrificing the hard-ass bounce that Miami Bass is characterized by. Flip 2: Kendrick Lamar - "i" (Prod. by Rahki) [2014] There are redeeming qualities about "i," like the positive sentiment consistent with Kendrick's self-empowering ideology from past albums. But while the idea of the beat follows in Puffy's tradition of blatant rip-offs (at least until the more interesting second half of the song), it sounds like a high school band played it. Great for prom. That's not good or bad. That's just what it is. The standalone fact that Rahki sampled 'That Lady' does not in itself make the song corny; the way he used it does. When you hear the Get Funky Crew cut, you don't think "crossover." But the first few seconds of 'i' -- is that a cowbell? -- make it painfully obvious that Kendrick wants his global hit. And he's got it. So song-wise? 'Who's That Lady' beats Kendrick out. But Rahki did a lot more with the sample than Beatmaster Clay D did, and even though the Get Funky Crew song is more superior overall, the production on 'i' expands the possibilities of what you can do with 'That Lady' -- for better or worse. The traffic-jam second half of the song doesn't rely on the sample as much as it uses it for a hectic springboard. Beastmaster Clay D didn't flip the sample too much; he just laid the guitar and the vocal loop on the hook. Rahki used all kinds of different parts from the original, so he wins this week. Dance with your grandma to it. Source: Who Flipped It Better? Get Funky Crew vs. Kendrick Lamar Filed Under: kendrick lamar	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1236
__label__wiki	0.713881	0.713881	Stender Interactive Gallery Accessible Art Works Camps, Classes & Programs Instructor’s Bios Master Artist Workshops Voices of Our Times $5 After 5p Lil Parton Endowment Museum Board Museum Docents Museum Gala Museum Guild Museum closed to the public The Huntsville Museum of Art will be closed to the public on Sunday, April 1, 2018. Duty. Honor. Country. Highlights from the West Point Museum Lecture & Reception Voices of Our Times: Carolyne Roehm Huntsville Museum of Art 300 Church Street S.W. Huntsville, AL 35801 United States www.hsvmuseum.org 300 Church Street S. Huntsville, AL 35801 Sunday 12 – 5 p.m. Tuesday 10 – 5 p.m. Wednesday 10 – 5 p.m. Thursday 10 – 8 p.m. ($5 after 5 p.m.) Friday 10 – 5 p.m. Saturday 10 – 5 p.m. $12 Adults $5 Children (Ages 6-11) $5 Students $10 Seniors (Ages 60+) $10 Military & Educators Members & Children under 6 are FREE	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1240
__label__cc	0.523453	0.476547	All » Content Hub Blog » The Synergy Between Music and Content Marketing The Synergy Between Music and Content Marketing February 17, 2016 Yoav Schwartz Your brand sets the tone Most of us have a favorite musical genre (or two) and can easily classify what genre a song falls into based on a few key factors. What instruments are prominent in the song? What speech patterns are the vocalists using? Are there any lyrics at all? In content marketing, your brand is your genre. Just like a genre sets parameters for what type of songs will fit into it, your brand guidelines define your company’s tone and, as such, who your content will appeal to. Similar to how a musician will identify with his fans, it’s critical you define your brand and your personas before investing in content creation. While songs within a certain genre will all have similar qualities, it can get really boring and repetitive if every song on an album sounded the same. The Beatles didn’t rise to stardom by creating replicas of “Love Me Do”. They wrote ballads, experimented with new recording techniques and instruments, and even let Ringo sing once in awhile! Similarly, your content mix – the articles, videos, white papers, interactive surveys – creates a great journey towards further engagement or conversion. As an experienced content marketer, you already know that through creating a variety of pieces, you have a better shot at appealing to a wider audience. But you don’t have to go too crazy – there’s no need to appeal to every single person who has access to the Internet. While they loved to experiment, no matter what they did, The Beatles could still be classified as a rock and roll group. They weren’t going to release an opera album out of the blue just to try and attract a new crowd. The same practice can apply to content marketing. You don’t make content for everyone – you create it for specific personas, target accounts, or even customers. Content and experience go hand-in-hand Even the greatest track must be listened to on quality headphones or speakers to truly be appreciated. For example, if your speakers don’t support the low bassline in your favorite tune, it’s not going to sound all too great. Bad for the artist, and bad for you. In the same vein, even the greatest content mix must be combined with a quality user experience or it too will fall flat to your audience. Say your latest article isn’t formatted for mobile devices. For everyone trying to access it from a cell phone or tablet, that journey is going to end prematurely. It’s all about the journey No musician wants to be a one-hit-wonder. Even though you could probably identify Rick Astley’s greatest (albeit, most annoying) hit, “Never Gonna Give You Up”, you’d probably be hard-pressed to name another of his tunes, much to Mr. Astley’s dismay. To produce an entire album of great tracks is hard, but it pays off if you get it right. Plus, with great sound engineering, you can create a seamless flow between songs that allows you to create an exceptional end-to-end journey. Much like satisfying your prospects at the top of the funnel with a great content mix served in a great experience, you’ll want to lead them to the next ‘track’ – converting them to a lead, then a customer, then a bigger customer! That’s the makings of a great content journey. Also, don’t become complacent when your strategy goes platinum. Where do you think the music world would be if Michael Jackson stopped with the Jackson 5? Continue to evolve your workflows and implement content strategies in other areas of your organization, beyond the marketing team. Keep evolving Recorded, mastered music is great. But nothing beats a live show. It's on stage where artists connect with their fans, where they change up their tunes, try new riffs in a jam session, and keep things fresh. Likewise, your content experience needs to remain fresh and relevant. That's why it's critical that you, as a marketer, have the control to move things around, test different calls-to-action, and create micro-experiences that are timely for an event or season. Make sure whichever platform you choose to manage your content experiences scales with you and puts you in the driver’s seat. Your audience may start out small, but in a few months or years you could be selling to a Madison Square Garden-sized crowd and having a tool that’s only built for open mic night at a local bar won’t cut it. Help your content make it to the mainstage! Learn how to increase your content's discoverability with our latest eBook. Yoav is the co-founder and CEO at Uberflip and is responsible for driving the mission, vision, and goals of the company. He spends considerable time working with his team to continuously delight and surprise Uberflip's customers. Follow on Twitter More Content by Yoav Schwartz 6 Must-Have Chrome Extensions for Better Sales Enablement Create better engagement with these Chrome extensions built for sales teams. 3 Things Your Customers Need From Your B2B Content Sometimes creating content for B2B audiences can be difficult, but if you include these three points in you... Want more marketing tips, trends, and insights? By registering, you confirm that you agree to the storing and processing of your personal data by Uberflip as described in the Privacy Policy. By registering I confirm that I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy. You did it! ;) Six Ways to Use Content Experiences for Event Marketing Amp up your event marketing, engage attendees to stop by your booth, and create personalized follow-up experiences for event attendees using Uberflip. Do These 4 Things to Strengthen Your Nurture Program Launching a nurture program? Gating, logic, personalization, and data enrichment are all important factors to consider! In this post, we dig into the why and how. How to Choose the Right Level of Personalization For Your ABM Program Unsure how tailored your account-based marketing efforts should be? We've got you covered. How to Distribute Personalized Content for Your ABM Program [cheat sheet] If you're not careful, your personalization efforts for your ABM program may come off less tailored and more creepy. Find out how to create a personalized strategy for 5 content distribution tactics. 7 Ways to Show Prospects and Customers You Love Them Want to show your prospects and customers you love them? Check out these 7 easy ideas for every budget. The Content Experience Framework: How to Build Content Experiences at Scale in 5 Easy Steps As marketers attempt to create personalized experiences for their prospects and target accounts, they'll need a framework to scale that approach. We break it down in 5 easy steps. F#ck Content Marketing—Focus on the Content Experience In this article, Uberflip's President and CMO Randy Frisch spells out the end of content marketing as we know it and envisions the future of content and its place within marketing. A/B Testing: 3 Tests Our Marketing Team Ran and the Surprising Results A/B testing in digital marketing is a must-do! See what our marketing team is A/B testing and the results of our experiments. 7 Things to Consider When Relaunching Your Website Redesigning your website? Doing a complete overhaul? We've got you covered. Check out these 7 not-so-obvious things to consider when relaunching your website. How to Measure the Success of Your Lead Nurturing Campaign How do you know your demand generation marketing efforts are paying off? This blog post explores what makes a nurture campaign successful and how to measure it. What Ice Fishing Taught Me About ABM What do ice fishing and ABM have in common? In this blog post, Kevin Jacobs takes you on a journey to catch the biggest fish in the lake and on your target account list. Interview Highlights: Finding Courage in Healthcare Marketing	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1241
__label__wiki	0.578493	0.578493	Economic literature: papers, articles, software, chapters, books. MyIDEAS More options at page bottom Economic literature MyIDEAS (now with weekly email digests) Advanced (and improved) search Browse Econ Literature JEL classification Subscribe to new research RePEc Biblio FRED data Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ecm/nasm04/419.html My bibliography Save this paper Financial intermediaries, markets, and growth Author & abstract Download & other version Related works & more Falko Fecht Kevin X. D. Huang This paper contributes to the literature comparing the relative performance of financial intermediaries and markets by studying an environment in which a trade-off between risk sharing and growth arises endogenously. Financial intermediaries provide insurance to households against a liquidity shock. Households can also invest directly on a financial market, if they pay a cost. In equilibrium, the ability of intermediaries to share risk is constrained by the market. Moreover, intermediaries invest less in the productive technology when they provide more risk-sharing. This creates a trade-off between risk-sharing and growth. We show the balance of intermediaries and market that maximizes welfare depend on parameter values. Falko Fecht & Kevin Huang, 2004. "Financial intermediaries, markets, and growth," Econometric Society 2004 North American Summer Meetings 419, Econometric Society. Handle: RePEc:ecm:nasm04:419 HTML HTML with abstract plain text plain text with abstract BibTeX RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite) ReDIF JSON Download full text from publisher File URL: http://repec.org/esNASM04/up.27430.1075497028.pdf Download Restriction: no Other versions of this item: Falko Fecht & Kevin X. D. Huang & Antoine Martin, 2008. "Financial Intermediaries, Markets, and Growth," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 40(4), pages 701-720, June. Fecht, Falko & Huang, Kevin & Martin, Antoine, 2005. "Financial intermediaries, markets and growth," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2005,03, Deutsche Bundesbank. Falko Fecht & Kevin X. D. Huang & Antoine Martin, 2004. "Financial intermediaries, markets, and growth," Research Working Paper RWP 04-02, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Falko Fecht & Kevin X. D. Huang & Antoine Martin, 2004. "Financial intermediaries, markets, and growth," Working Papers 04-24, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Falko Fecht & Kevin X.D. Huang & Antoine Martin, 2007. "Financial Intermediaries, Markets, and Growth," Vanderbilt University Department of Economics Working Papers 0714, Vanderbilt University Department of Economics. References listed on IDEAS Valerie R. Bencivenga & Bruce D. Smith, 1991. "Financial Intermediation and Endogenous Growth," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 58(2), pages 195-209. Bencivenga, V.R. & Smith, B.D., 1988. "Financial Intermediation And Endogenous Growth," RCER Working Papers 124, University of Rochester - Center for Economic Research (RCER). Raghuram G. Rajan & Luigi Zingales, 2001. "Financial Systems, Industrial Structure, and Growth," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(4), pages 467-482. Ennis, Huberto M. & Keister, Todd, 2003. "Economic growth, liquidity, and bank runs," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 109(2), pages 220-245, April. Huberto M. Ennis & Todd Keister, 2003. "Economic growth, liquidity, and bank runs," Working Paper 03-01, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Greenwood, Jeremy & Jovanovic, Boyan, 1990. "Financial Development, Growth, and the Distribution of Income," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 1076-1107, October. Greenwood, Jeremy & Jovanovic, Boyan, 1988. "Financial Development, Growth, And The Distribution Of Income," Working Papers 88-12, C.V. Starr Center for Applied Economics, New York University. Greenwood, J. & Jovanovic, B., 1990. "Financial Development, Growth, And The Distribution Of Income," University of Western Ontario, The Centre for the Study of International Economic Relations Working Papers 9002, University of Western Ontario, The Centre for the Study of International Economic Relations. Jeremy Greenwood & Boyan Jovanovic, 1989. "Financial Development, Growth, and the Distribution of Income," NBER Working Papers 3189, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. Greenwood, J. & Jovanovic, B., 1988. "Financial Development, Growth, And The Distribution Of Income," RCER Working Papers 131, University of Rochester - Center for Economic Research (RCER). Jeremy Greenwood & Boyan Jovanovic, 1990. "Financial Development, Growth, and the Distribution of Income," UWO Department of Economics Working Papers 9002, University of Western Ontario, Department of Economics. Neuburger, Hugh & Stokes, Houston H., 1974. "German Banks and German Growth, 1883–1913: an Empirical View," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 34(03), pages 710-731, September. Berlin, Mitchell & Mester, Loretta J, 1999. "Deposits and Relationship Lending," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 12(3), pages 579-607. Mitchell Berlin & Loretta J. Mester, 1997. "Deposits and relationship lending," Working Papers 96-18, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Fulghieri, Paolo & Rovelli, Riccardo, 1998. "Capital markets, financial intermediaries, and liquidity supply," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 22(9), pages 1157-1180, September. Allen, Franklin & Gale, Douglas, 1997. "Financial Markets, Intermediaries, and Intertemporal Smoothing," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 105(3), pages 523-546, June. Franklin Allen & Douglas Gale, 1995. "Financial Markets, Intermediaries, and Intertemporal Smoothing," Center for Financial Institutions Working Papers 95-02, Wharton School Center for Financial Institutions, University of Pennsylvania. Franklin Allen & Douglas Gale, 1996. "Financial Markets, Intermediaries and Intertemporal Smoothing," Center for Financial Institutions Working Papers 96-33, Wharton School Center for Financial Institutions, University of Pennsylvania. Franklin Allen & Douglas Gale, 1995. "Financial markets, intermediaries, and intertemporal smoothing," Working Papers 95-4, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Enrique L. Kawamura & Gaetano Antinolfi, 2005. "Banking and Markets in a Monetary Model," Working Papers 79, Universidad de San Andres, Departamento de Economia, revised Feb 2005. Douglas W. Diamond & Raghuram G. Rajan, 2000. "A Theory of Bank Capital," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 55(6), pages 2431-2465, December. Douglas W. Diamond & Raghuram G. Rajan, "undated". "A Theory of Bank Capital," CRSP working papers 363, Center for Research in Security Prices, Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago. Douglas W. Diamond & Raghuram G. Rajan, 1999. "A Theory of Bank Capital," NBER Working Papers 7431, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. Ross Levine, 1997. "Financial Development and Economic Growth: Views and Agenda," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 35(2), pages 688-726, June. Levine, Ross, 1996. "Financial development and economic growth : views and agenda," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1678, The World Bank. Rajan, Raghuram G & Zingales, Luigi, 1998. "Financial Dependence and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(3), pages 559-586, June. Raghuram G. Rajan & Luigi Zingales, "undated". "Financial Dependence and Growth," CRSP working papers 344, Center for Research in Security Prices, Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago. Raghuram G. Rajan & Luigi Zingales, 1996. "Financial Dependence and Growth," NBER Working Papers 5758, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. Levine, Ross, 1991. " Stock Markets, Growth, and Tax Policy," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 46(4), pages 1445-1465, September. Tullio Jappelli & Marco Pagano, 1994. "Saving, Growth, and Liquidity Constraints," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 109(1), pages 83-109. Jappelli, Tullio & Pagano, Marco, 1992. "Saving, Growth and Liquidity Constraints," CEPR Discussion Papers 662, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. Freeman, Scott, 1985. "Transactions Costs and the Optimal Quantity of Money," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(1), pages 146-157, February. Douglas W. Diamond & Philip H. Dybvig, 2000. "Bank runs, deposit insurance, and liquidity," Quarterly Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, issue Win, pages 14-23. Diamond, Douglas W & Dybvig, Philip H, 1983. "Bank Runs, Deposit Insurance, and Liquidity," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 91(3), pages 401-419, June. O. Emre Ergungor, 2003. "Financial system structure and economic development: structure matters," Working Papers (Old Series) 0305, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Falko Fecht, 2004. "On the Stability of Different Financial Systems," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 2(6), pages 969-1014, December. Falko Fecht, 2003. "On the Stability of Different Financial Systems," Working Paper Series: Finance and Accounting 110, Department of Finance, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. Falko Fecht, 2003. "On the Stability of Different Financial Systems," Finance 0305008, University Library of Munich, Germany. Fecht, Falko, 2003. "On the Stability of Different Financial Systems," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2003,10, Deutsche Bundesbank. Douglas W. Diamond & Raghuram G. Rajan, 2001. "Liquidity Risk, Liquidity Creation, and Financial Fragility: A Theory of Banking," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 109(2), pages 287-327, April. Douglas W. Diamond & Raghuram G. Rajan, 1998. "Liquidity risk, liquidity creation and financial fragility: a theory of banking," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue Sep. Douglas W. Diamond & Raghuram G. Rajan, "undated". "Liquidity Risk, Liquidity Creation and Financial Fragility: A Theory of Banking," CRSP working papers 476, Center for Research in Security Prices, Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago. Douglas W. Diamond & Raghuram G. Rajan, 1999. "Liquidity Risk, Liquidity Creation and Financial Fragility: A Theory of Banking," NBER Working Papers 7430, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. Hamerle, Alfred & Liebig, Thilo & Scheule, Harald, 2004. "Forecasting Credit Portfolio Risk," Discussion Paper Series 2: Banking and Financial Studies 2004,01, Deutsche Bundesbank. Allen, Franklin & Gale, Douglas, 1995. "A welfare comparison of intermediaries and financial markets in Germany and the US," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 179-209, February. Franklin Allen & Douglas Gale, 1994. "A welfare comparison of intermediaries and financial markets in Germany and the U.S," Working Papers 95-3, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Beck, Thorsten & Levine, Ross, 2002. "Industry growth and capital allocation:*1: does having a market- or bank-based system matter?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 147-180, May. Thorsten Beck & Ross Levine, 2002. "Industry Growth and Capital Allocation: Does Having a Market- or Bank-Based System Matter?," NBER Working Papers 8982, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. Qian, Yiming & John, Kose & John, Teresa A., 2004. "Financial system design and liquidity provision by banks and markets in a dynamic economy," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 385-403, April. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS) Financial intermediaries; Financial markets; Risk-sharing; Growth; JEL classification: E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data) G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General NEP fields This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports: NEP-CFN-2004-10-30 (Corporate Finance) NEP-MFD-2004-10-30 (Microfinance) Access and download statistics All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. 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Opportunities to help RePEc Get papers listed Have your research listed on RePEc Open a RePEc archive Have your institution's/publisher's output listed on RePEc Get RePEc data Use data assembled by RePEc IDEAS is a RePEc service hosted by the Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis . RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1244
__label__cc	0.515846	0.484154	I agree to Ecouterre's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and to the use of cookies described therein, and I also consent to the collection, storage, and processing of my data in the United States, where data protection laws may be different from those in my country. Inflatable Airbag “Collar” Protects Helmet-Free Cyclists From Broken Skulls Eco-Friendly Accessories under Eco-Friendly Accessories, Men's Eco-Fashion, Wearable Technology, Women's Eco-Fashion by Jasmin Malik Chua A fear of helmet head is one thing; your melon smashed on the side of the road is quite another. But for cyclists whose vanity overrides common sense and safety, consider the Hövding, a collar that deploys a noggin-protecting airbag in case of impact. Disguised as part of your outfit, the Hövding (“chieftain” in Swedish) comprises a host of gyroscopes and movement-detecting accelerometers, allowing it to spring into action in a tenth of a second. Sound crazy? Watch the video after the jump to see it in action. STEALTH SAFETY The Hövding, designed by Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin as a university thesis project, is meant to be unobtrusive—until it saves your life, that is. Although slightly bulky, the collar comes with a removable (and washable) shell that can be produced in an assortment of colors and prints. When further camouflaged under a scarf or two, the collar becomes almost invisible. When further camouflaged under a scarf or two, the collar becomes almost invisible. Inside, the Hövding contains an inflatable device, a helium cartridge, and the sensor unit, along with a “black box” that saves the last 10 seconds of sensor data. To turn on the collar, simply place it around your neck and zip it up. Primed and ready, the Hövding is prepared to fire at a moment’s notice should your movements deviate from the norm. CRASH TESTS Haupt and Alstin ran the helmet through extensive tests, using both crash-test dummies and stunt professionals, not only to recreate every possible collision but also to teach the sensor the difference between falling from a bike and, say, bending over to tie an errant shoelace. The Hövding can tell the difference between falling from a bike and bending over to tie a shoelace. The video above clearly shows the helmet deploying in time to protect your cranium, although its speed shouldn’t be a surprise, considering how well air bags work. A USB input allows you to charge the collar, as well as install firmware updates. Over time, the Hövding is designed to tune itself to your movements, because who needs the embarrassment of a prematurely firing helmet? + Hövding [Via Wired] 4 thoughts on “Inflatable Airbag “Collar” Protects Helmet-Free Cyclists From Broken Skulls” dave pinsen October 22, 2010 at 8:51 pm Neal Stephenson imagined this technology in his book Snow Crash in the early '90's. bruce william October 25, 2010 at 2:15 pm I could see people trying that on in one of these- http://www.commonwealth-projects.com/projects/the-masses tex November 5, 2010 at 8:43 am Another expensive product for the stupid and vain? We Americans have had one for years! Check this advanced, cutting edge technology out: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/airbag-helmet.html icreatables January 30, 2011 at 11:27 pm Ill stick with my helmet. But that is a cool invention. Inflatable Airbag "Collar" Protects Helmet-Free Cyclists From Broken Skulls Hövding Airbag Helmet A fear of helmet head is one thing; your melon smashed on the side of the road is quite another. But for cyclists whose vanity overrides common sense and safety, consider the H�vding, a collar that deploys a noggin-protecting airbag in case of impact. Disguised as part of your outfit, the H�vding ("chieftain" in Swedish) comprises a host of gyroscopes and movement-detecting accelerometers, allowing it to spring into action in a tenth of a second. Sound crazy? Watch the video after the jump to see it in action.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1254
__label__cc	0.569101	0.430899	Providence St. Patrick Hospital and a well-respected local private practice are seeking a full-time board-eligible/board-certified general Gastroenterologist to join a well-established GI team. Join a growing multi-specialty group of 55 providers, and enjoy competitive compensation and a full benefits package in the stunning beauty of Montana. Experienced GI preferred, but newly graduated GI fellowship-trained physicians are encouraged to apply ERCP is preferred, but not required Monday to Friday, day shift Call coverage ratio will be 1:6 Mix of inpatient and outpatient duties Ideal candidate will demonstrate high-quality care, teamwork and attention to detail Where You'll Work Providence St. Patrick Hospital is a pillar of the medical and business community in western Montana. Our 253-bed tertiary center has been named a Top 100 Hospital by Thomson (formerly Solucient). We house the world-renowned International Heart Institute of Montana and collaborate with the University of Montana and others to leverage scientific expertise for the benefit of our patients. Where You'll Live Missoula is a sophisticated university town of 65,000 halfway between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks. The area offers unlimited recreational opportunities like skiing, paddling, fishing and hiking. Its numerous cultural amenities, including a symphony and active theater, fuel a vibrant arts scene. Missoula is a family-oriented community with great public schools, universities and social activities year-round. Western Montana's summers consist of long, adventure-inspiring days and starry nights, and its winters are mild. Who You'll Work For Providence Health & Services (PH&S) is a not-for-profit system of 34 hospitals, more than 600 clinics and hundreds of locally driven programs across five western states: Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Providence is committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, with a special emphasis on its mission to serve the poor and vulnerable. PH&S is a partner organization of the Providence St. Joseph Health family and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity organization. Job ID Number: 10812 Facility Name: Providence St. Patrick Hospital Location Name: Missoula, MT Brand Name: Providence Health & Services Provider Profession: Physician/Surgeon Medical Specialty: Gastroenterology Job Setting: Hospital Type of Role: Clinical Email: suruchi.tronstad@psdrecruit.org Schedule: Full Time CP: Yes CB: Yes NP: No PA: No HC: Yes IS: No YM: No You've got questions? I've got answers! Reach out today, and together, we'll find a job that checks all your boxes. Suruchi Singh Tronstad Provider Recruiter suruchi.tronstad@psdrecruit.org About Providence Health & Services Provider Solutions + Development creates healthier communities by forging lasting partnerships between providers and not-for-profit health systems. For 20+ years, we’ve helped thousands of physicians and advanced practice clinicians achieve their practice potential by consulting, mapping and managing their career moves. Founded within Providence Health & Services, we’re now a clinical career navigation group with a purpose-driven culture. Some of the nation’s preeminent health systems entrust us with finding the right providers – not just any providers – for mutual, long-term success. We’re here to help you discover, select and manage the next step in your career journey. Where would you like to go?	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1260
__label__cc	0.601812	0.398188	Chapter 7 – Last Kiss Westeros – The North Castle Black, The Wall Ghost howled in the distance as Dolorus Edd and Ser Davos dragged Jon’s body into the storage quarters of Castle Black. “We have to get him warm!” Edd was saying, panting as he dragged the dark, armorclad man through the snow and into the stone tunnel. He was frantic. Davos wasn’t… he had seen enough to know that the Lord Commander was surely dead. He kicked down the door. “Grenn!” Edd shouted as dragged Jon into the room. “Howell! Help us!” Together they pulled him onto a table, pulling the black cloak off his body, parting clothing one by one and revealing the wounds beneath. “He’s gone, lads,” Davos said quietly. “It was Yanos, it had to be,” Edd cursed. “Damn his treacherous arse!” “How many of your brothers can you trust? For sure?” Davos asked. Edd laughed. “Trust? The ones in this room, Ser Davos. Who else?” Davos grimaced, then narrowed his eyes in thought. “Does the wolf know you?” He asked, “We could use all the help we can get.” There was a knock at the door. All four men had weapons in their hands and were facing the door before the third knock, and the door opened… revealing not a traitorous brother of the watch, but someone far worse… the red haired witch Mellisandre. She closed the door behind her, and Davos hissed in disgust, but walked back her to lock the door while the Red Priestess hovered over Jon. “I saw him in the flames, fighting at Winterfell…” she said softly. Her voice carried none of its seduction, power, or arrogance now, Davos noted. She sounded tired, and pathetic. “I can’t speak for the flames,” Davos spat. “But he’s done.” “Right now, that bastard Slynt is making Castle Black his,” Edd spat. “He’ll have seen that we didn’t come,” Davos warned. Edd spat onto the ground. “I don’t care who’s sitting at the high table. Jon was my friend. And those fuckers butchered him. Now we return the favor.” Davos shook his head. “Son, we don’t have the numbers.” “We have a direwolf.” “And is Ghost an immortal then?” Davos put a restraining hand on the angry man’s shoulder. “It’s not enough. I didn’t know Lord Commander Snow for long, but I have to believe he wouldn’t have wanted his friends to die for nothing.” Edd laughed. “If you were planning to see tomorrow, you picked the wrong room ser knight. We all die today. I say we do our best to take Yanos with us when we go.” An idea occured to him, and a small smile crossed Ser Davos’s face. “We need to fight, but we don’t need to die. Not if we have help.” “Who is gonna help us?” Grenn broke in from the other side of Jon’s body, still looking down at his murdered friend. “You’re not the only ones who owe your lives to Jon Snow. Bolt the door. Don’t let anyone in. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Yanos Slynt was having the night of his life. He had been set for the rest of eternity in the capital, a comfortable man, even before he had thrown in his lot with the Lannisters. After that, though… he had been given Lordship, rule over Harrenhal. Then dwarf fool had had him exiled to this hellhole. That would have been the end of the story of a lesser man… but not Yanos Slynt! After Endrew had been killed in the Wildling attack on the wall, that piece of filth Jon Snow had risen to become Lord Commander… but his policies were unpopular with some of the older, more established members of the Night’s Watch, and Yanos’ gifts had always been in the art of treachery. With Maester Aemon dead, there was no one to council against what he whispered into their ears… and now Jon Snow was dead like the bastard of the north he was, buried in a pile of snow. And now he was Lord Commander… and he and his most loyal men were celebrating with their pet whore… and they were going to thoroughly enjoy her. Yanos watched thoughtfully as the gagged redhead was lowered on a tackle and pulley by her bound wrists towards the large man sitting on the chair beneath her. She had been hanging by her wrists for some time, to teach her a lesson after she’d head butted one of the younger brothers who had slid between her thighs to give her a hard fucking, and she’d almost broken his nose. After dangling by her wrists for a while, the next member of the group who knew about her had arrived, and had decided to leave her strung up, and simply drop her down onto his lap. Another of the men was manning the ropes and slowly lowered her down towards the waiting cock. The seated one, a slimy rapist of a man from Kings Landing named Ebil, grabbed her ankles and moved her legs apart so she was straddling his lap as she came down. The pain in her arms had obviously taken some of the fight out of her for the time being, as she was only too happy to allow the hard cock to slide into her ginger twat, and sit her buttocks on the man’s lap, allowing her to take some of the strain off her arms and shoulders. His large hands went up around her waist, up to her chest and began to grope her perfectly sized barbarian tits for his own enjoyment. He was playing with her nipples happily for a time before he decided it was time to get on with it. He grabbed hold of her hips and began to lift her up and down on his shaft, as he bucked his own hips upwards to drive his shaft into her. Yanos watched her naked body as the large man she was sitting on was thrusting himself up inside her, violating her, as she had been violated many times since she had become their prisoner. He could see the conflicting emotions on her face, relief for her arms, discomfort from having the large cock forcibly invading her pussy, and a mixture of anger and disdain for the situation in general. She looked up and made eyes contact with Yanos as the guy thrust his cock into her again, and she flinched slightly form the pain. Yanos smiled at her, and she glared back, her fury undisguised. He walked over to her and grabbed a handful of her long red hair and yanked it back so her head tilted back to look up at him as he stood over her. “Your wildling friends will all be dead soon,” he whispered to her, as the cock continued to slosh in and out of her. “Now that I’m in charge around here, the barbarian masses the Stark bastard took pity on will be put to the sword, as they should have been… soon they’ll be just as dead as he is.” Ygritte’s eyes were wide. She struggled to yank her head away from him, but he held it tightly and grinned maniacally down at her, moving his face forwards so he was staring directly into her eyes. “That’s right, slut. Your old lover is dead. We’re all your lovers now. Isn’t that wonderful?” Yanos smirked. “We’ll kill them all… except maybe the giant. Why waste a perfectly good giant cock? Maybe we’ll let it stay alive if it puts on a show for us… I’d like to see the look on your face when we lower your asshole down onto a giant’s cock and watch it tear you apart,” he giggled like a lunatic. She tried to head butt him, but they were all aware of her tricks now and he moved his head back, and then returned the favor with a hard slap across her cheek, just as the guy under her pulled her hips down as hard as he could and he squirted his load inside her. “Yes, yes… that would be fun,” Yanos turned and walked slowly back to his chair, idly stroking his unshaven chin, deep in thought. Snow wouldn’t land on a Red Priestess. Scarlett hadn’t known that, but she had ample opportunity to find out as she rode from Eastwatch to Castle Black. They rode through a blizzard, and everyone was covered in slow… except for her. Her crimson cloak was as pristine and untouched by white as when she had first put it on, covering her against the wind and the cold. Scarlett found she wasn’t cold. Maybe she should have been… but she felt confidence and purpose infusing every step forward. She felt nothing but the warmth of R’hllor’s light… except when she thought of how she had deceived the man riding beside her to get here. “Is that the castle ahead?” Jorah answered, cold but tall and proud in his saddle anyway. No northerner would let himself appear intimidated by a little snow. “What else could it be?” Daario said, huddled beneath his cloak. His attention kept turning to the massive form of the wall of his right, unable to quite believe the sheer scale of it. Scarlett could understand… she had seen it in the flames before, and she almost couldn’t believe it either. “No…” Scarlett said, peering through the snow. “I’m not sure what that is… It looks like walls. Low ones, and tents. There’s smoke from a fire.” She peered harder, and she saw a dark-clad rider pelting through the snow… and two more riding after him. Her instincts suddenly flashed. He was being chased… she had seen this in the flames too, a flash of the an onion standard, the rider beneath a black cloak. “My Lord, that rider… Protect him.” “Go!” Jorah yelled, kicking his horses into a run. Daario and a few others were just a few seconds behind. In the distance, Scarlett could see a fight… a brief one. Then Jorah began talking with the rider. She rode up herself. “…is dead,” the onion knight was saying. “The men under his command murdered him. I was riding for help.” “You found it,” Jorah said. “Mutiny among the Night’s Watch is punishable by death.” “I appreciate it,” he said, his eyes drifting over to the Scarlett as she rode up. His face visibly fell as he looked at you. “What troubles you, sir knight?” Scarlett asked, pulling her hood back from her head. “Just had my fill of Red Priests,” he said, turning away back to Jorah. “Ser Davos Seaworth.” “Jorah Mormont,” he said. “I have a guess why you came,” Davos said, gesturing at Scarlett. “The same reason Stannis came. You’re going to have a hell of a time get any of the men here to fight for you against Ramsey Bolton… not without Jon Snow to lead them. And he’s dead.” “So bring him back,” Daario said. Everyone looked at him. “She can bring people back from the grave,” he said, defensively, gesturing at Scarlett. “If we need the Lord Commander, and his body’s in the Castle like they say, bring him back. What’s the problem?” Jorah and Davos both turned to look at her. Jorah had both eyebrows raised. Scarlett swallowed. Ygritte had refused to let them men see her cry… even if it mean that she hadn’t been able to cry for Jon. He was dead… she hadn’t realized how much she had been hoping to see him rescue her. How much she had been depending on it. How much she didn’t want him dead anywhere near as much as she claimed. She had suffered in silence beneath the gag, unable to stop the men from having their fun, but now that they had left her alone she had begun crying almost immediately. She sobbed harder than she could have guesses, curled up in a corner, crying, until the tears had frozen on her face. Only after hours of crying and sleeping and crying and sleeping did she wake up when she heard the door open again. Ygritte steeled herself, knowing what was coming… another round with the fat crow and his bastard friends… but instead a woman walked into the room. She was young, younger than the wildling herself, and with hair an even more vibrant shade of red. Not quite as tall as the Ygritte, she carried a candle in front of herself, casting most of her face in light and shadow as she entered, looking over at the bound woman. She knelt down, just out of reach of where Ygritte could lunge. Took in the raped woman, her bruised and scratched body, the cum stains on her thighs, but most of all the frozen trails of tears on her cheeks. “You loved him, didn’t you?” Maybe it was her sadness, maybe it was sheer exhaustion, but Ygritte didn’t feel up to glaring right now. She just closed her eyes and looked away. “I saw you two together in the Light of my Lord,” the crimson woman said, peering at the wildling through the candle. “And I know you… I know you better than anyone ever has… anyone but Jon Snow, who now lies dead on a table. What would you give to be able to tell him? What would you sacrifice?” Ygritte was looking at the priestess again now, silent behind her gag. She had started crying again… she hated herself for that, but she couldn’t stop. She just nodded, not knowing precisely what she was nodding to. “I’m going to set you free, Northerner. And together, we are going to find and bring Jon Snow back.” The castle was their, in effect if not in truth. Yanos Slynt and his close followers had been captured, but no one had official authority to condemn them to death. There hadn’t been much to stop Jorah from doing it, save for his sense of duty and obligation… northerners were funny that way… but it had been enough. Instead of slaying them on the spot, they had been imprisoned. The Ygritte girl had been brought down to Jon Snow’s tomb to await the Last Kiss… waiting to see her lover again in this life. If her mind wasn’t so busy racing, Scarlett would be in a panic. Lying to Daario had seemed like such a good idea at the time, a lie that she couldn’t be called out on. Why hadn’t she thought he might need her to bring someone else back? She couldn’t possibly refuse to try without revealing the deception, her lord’s need was obvious and genuine. Daario wouldn’t be fooled again… and if the Seconds Sons lefts them now, all could be lost. She had to make it work. The Lord of Light was guiding her steps, that much had been obvious for months, even before she had followed the candle light to a lover of the dead man, here in this very castle for her to find. The Church of R’hllor maintained that the Last Kiss had once been used to bring those favored by the Lord of Light back to this world… she believed those words. It had worked before. It could work again. As she walked through the courtyard, she almost walked right into Mellisandre where she stood, waiting for her. “It can’t be done, sister,” she said. Scarlett looked at the taller woman. Mellisandre was another native of Asshai, with the same pale skin, the same accent. They had met before, in Essos, years ago. She had never liked the older priestess. Never trusted her. There was… darkness, in her. A fanatical, slavish devotion that destroyed rather than protected, and a desire for power over service. “Was it not you that wrote of the priest in the Brotherhood performing the rite?” Scarlett asked quietly. “It appears it can be done.” “Not with him,” Mellisandre insisted. “I tried already. R’hllor decides who returns, sister… not us.” Scarlett looked over Mellisandra, noticing for the first time the exhaustion in the woman, the despair in her eyes. Noticing the ice and snow that clung to her cloak and hair. “I see no sister of mine,” she whispered to the other woman. Then, without a word, she walked through the door and left her in the snow. “What must I do?” Ygritte asked as she brushed a lock of Jon Snow’s errant black hair out of his face. Scarlett walked around Jon in a slow circle, lighting the dozens of candles she had had brought down. As soon as she was finished, she took the one she had been carrying and dropped it into the brazier of coal before his head. The oiled coal leaped into flame, and she could see the reflection of those flames dancing in the wildling’s eyes. “Strip him,” she commanded, moving to assist, lifting the dark, bloodstained cloak off his form. Ygritte unfastened his armor, fingers pausing a moment over the patched arrow-holes in the back of the tunic before dragging it off his form. Soon Jon lay naked on the wooden table, lit by dancing flames from each direction. This was going to work. It had to work. “Love is for the living…” she whispered to herself. Turning to Ygritte, she continued. “Now… you have lain with him before? Do so again, the best you can.” Men were able to get hard for hours after their death, she knew. It might work. “And when I saw, get away from his mouth.” Slowly, Ygritte bent over and, already starting to sob, she took his cock in her mouth. Scarlett didn’t know exactly what the woman was doing, but she seemed to really be giving her all. She couldn’t focus on that. Instead, she began to chant a devotion to R’hllor in High Valyrian. The flames flickered and danced and grew as Ygritte climbed up over Jon’s body. In the second before she sank down on him, Scarlett could see that the man was hard… then he disappeared into her pussy as the naked wildling lowered herself down, sobbing as she rode him. The flames leaped higher. “I love you, you stupid crow,” she sobbed out. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” “Isse se ōños hen Rullor, iksā sigligon. Valar dohaeris, yn aōha service iksis daor gaomagon,” Scarlett chanted as Ygritte sobbed. The wildling woman bent down to kiss Jon fervently. “Please…” she whispered. “Please…” “Ondoso se perzys ao henujagon bisa vys, se ondoso se perzys ao māzigon arlī. Māzigon arlī naejot ūndegon se ōños istin tolī. Jorrāelagon iksis syt se living, se ābrar iksis syt jorrāelagon. Dohaeragon se ōños hen jorrāelagon!” Scarlett’s changing reached a crescendo as she ended facing away from Jon and towards the brazier. “Now,” she told Ygritte. Then she breached in the scorching hot fumes and smoke of the brazier, turned, and kissed Jon Snow, breathing the flame into him, giving him the fire of life… the Last Kiss. And Jon Snow’s eyes leaped open in a rush. Ygritte gasped. Scarlett almost fell down in shock. Jon let out a small cry. And then Ygritte’s mouth was back on his, kissing him, loving him. His hands rose up to hold her. Scarlett sagged backward against one of the walls, careful not to knock over one of the half a hundred candles she had lit, exhausted and relieved and excited and stunned all at once. “Ygritte…” Jon moaned. “Shut up and kiss me you bastard!” Ygritte hissed, diving down to press her lips against his again. She hadn’t stopped fucking him, Scarlett noticed. “How dare you die and leave me alone!” “I thought I’d lost you…” he moaned. “You know nothing, Jon Snow,” she chiding, smiling at him. Then she kissed him again, and neither said anymore as Scarlett slipped out the door, leaving the two lovers together in the light of the flames. Previous Article Chapter 6 – Visions of Ice in Fire Next Article Chapter 8 – Leaving Light Behind	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1264
__label__cc	0.691034	0.308966	Le Chevalier D’Eon (Dub) Watch Le Chevalier D’Eon full episodes online English Dub. Synopsis: 18th Century, France. Lia de Beaumont, loyal servant of Versailles and its King, Louis XV, is found dead in the river Seine. Floating inside a coffin, on which the word “Psalms” was written, her body had been poisoned by mercury, thus preserving decay. According to the Church, the soul that belonged to a corpse incapable of being consumed by the soil will forever wander in the human realm, unable to go to Heaven.This greatly affects D’Eon de Beaumont, Lia’s brother and one of the king’s spies. He vows to discover by whom – and why – she was murdered. But he never expected that the one who conducting the revenge would be Lia, now possessing D’Eon’s body! And what will the knight do when this quest might risk France itself? History is retold in this supernatural tale of vengeance, loyalty and betrayal. Sources: Myanimelist, Wikipedia Genres: Historical, Magic, Mystery, Seinen, Supernatural Language: Dub Le Chevalier D’Eon (Dub)-episode-1- Le Chevalier D’Eon (Dub)-episode-10- Bem, Bela, and Belo are ugly humanoid youkai who fight for justice. They live among humans and protect them from evil youkai. The three find themselves ostracized from both humans and other youkai, but the three continue to fight in hopes of one day becoming humans themselves. genres: Demons, Horror, Supernatural Yoshihito, a 23-year-old man who has no job or girlfriend. In order to make ends meet he rents out one of the rooms in his house. While he’s showing Lily, his first tenant, around the house, she’s suddenly attacked by a vampire named Vivian, and Yoshihito notices that Lily is actually a werewolf. As Yoshihito […] genres: Supernatural, Vampire Zhongguo Jingqi Xiansheng A lost form of magic is revived from the Eastern Han dynasty, meanwhile, dangerous man eating monsters lurk the streets. What will stop these beasts from their mindless terror? genres: Comedy, Supernatural, Thriller JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 3: Stardust Crusaders (Dub) Years after an ancient evil was salvaged from the depths of the sea, Joutarou Kuujou sits peacefully within a Japanese jail cell. He’s committed no crime yet demands he not be released, believing he’s been possessed by an evil spirit capable of harming those around him. Concerned for her son, Holly Kuujou asks her father, […] genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Shounen, Supernatural	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1276
__label__wiki	0.895735	0.895735	Colony of Fiji British colony Flag (from 1924) Coat of arms Rerevaka na Kalou ka Doka na Tui Fear God and honour the Queen Capital Levuka Languages English, Fijian, Fiji Hindi Government Constitutional monarchy • 1874–1901 Victoria • 1901–1910 Edward VII • 1910–1936 George V • 20 January – 11 December 1936 (abdicated) Edward VIII • 1936–1952 George VI • 1952–1970 Elizabeth II • 1874–1875 Hercules Robinson • 1968–1970 Robert Sidney Foster • 1967–1970 Kamisese Mara Legislature Legislative Council • Established 10 October 1874 • Independence 10 October 1970 • 1901 18,274 km² (7,056 sq mi) • 1901 est. 120,124 Density 6.6 /km² (17 /sq mi) Density 10.9 /km² (28.1 /sq mi) Currency Fijian pound Fijian dollar Kingdom of Fiji Dominion of Fiji Today part of Fiji History of Fiji Discovery of Fiji The rise and fall of Cakobau Colonial Fiji Constitutional crisis of 1977 Coups of 1987 Military–church relations Coup of 2000 Mutinies Mara deposed Iloilo plot Court Martial Military unrest Proposed Reconciliation Commission Qualified positions Military opposition Religious reaction International reaction Crisis of 2005–06 Unrest in 2006 The Colony of Fiji was a British colony that existed from 1874 to 1970 in present-day Fiji. The United Kingdom declined its first opportunity to annex Fiji in 1852. Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau had offered to cede the islands, subject to being allowed to retain his Tui Viti (King of Fiji) title, a condition unacceptable to both the British and to many of his fellow chiefs, who regarded him only as first among equals, if that. Mounting debts and threats from the United States Navy had led Cakobau to establish a constitutional monarchy with a government dominated by European settlers in 1871, following an agreement with the Australian Polynesia Company to pay his debts. The collapse of the new regime drove him to make another offer of cession in 1872, which the British accepted. On 10 October 1874, Britain began its rule of Fiji, which lasted until 10 October 1970. "Fiji for the Fijians" Sir Hercules Robinson, who had arrived on 23 September 1874, was appointed as interim Governor. He was replaced in June 1875 by Sir Arthur Gordon. Rather than establish direct rule in all spheres, Gordon granted autonomy over local affairs to Fiji's chiefs, though they were now forbidden to engage in tribal warfare. The colony was divided into four regions, each under the control of a Roko; these regions were further subdivided into twelve districts, each ruled by a traditional chief. A Great Council of Chiefs was established in 1876 to advise the Governor. This body remained in existence until being suspended by the Military-backed interim government in 2007 and abolished in 2012. Under the 1997 Constitution, it functioned as an electoral college that chose Fiji's President, Vice-President, and 14 of the 32 Senators. In its early days, the Great Council was supplemented by a Native Regulation Board (now the Fijian Affairs Board); these two bodies together made laws for the Fijians. (European settlers, however, were not subject to its laws). In 1882, the capital was moved from Levuka to the more accessible Suva. Adopting a "Fiji for the Fijians" policy, Gordon prohibited further sales of land, although it could be leased. This policy has been continued, hardly modified, to this day, and some 83 percent of the land is still natively owned. He also banned the exploitation of Fijians as labourers, and following the failure of the cotton-growing enterprise in the early 1870s, Gordon decided in 1878 to import indentured labourers from India to work on the sugarcane fields that had taken the place of the cotton plantations. The 463 Indians arrived on 14 May 1879 - the first of some 61,000 that were to come before the scheme ended in 1916. The plan involved bringing the Indian workers to Fiji on a five-year contract, after which they could return to India at their own expense; if they chose to renew their contract for a second five-year term, they would be given the option of returning to India at the government's expense, or remaining in Fiji. The great majority chose to stay. The Queensland Act, which regulated indentured labour in Queensland, was made law in Fiji also. Fiji in World War I Fiji was only peripherally involved in World War I. One memorable incident occurred in September 1917 when Count Felix von Luckner arrived at Wakaya Island, off the eastern coast of Viti Levu, after his raider, the Seeadler, had run aground in the Cook Islands following the shelling of Papeete in the French territory of Tahiti. On 21 September, the district police inspector took a number of Fijians to Wakaya, and von Luckner, not realizing that they were unarmed, unwittingly surrendered. Citing unwillingness to exploit the Fijian people, the colonial authorities did not permit Fijians to enlist. One Fijian of chiefly rank, a greatgrandson of Cakobau's, did join the French Foreign Legion, however, and received France's highest military decoration, the Croix de Guerre. After going on to complete a Law degree at Oxford University, this same chief returned to Fiji in 1921 as both a war hero and the country's first-ever university graduate. In the years that followed, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, as he was later known, established himself as the most powerful chief in Fiji and forged embryonic institutions for what would later become the modern Fijian nation. Fiji in World War II Main article: British Empire in World War II By the time of World War II, the United Kingdom had reversed its policy of not enlisting natives, and many thousands of Fijians volunteered for the Fiji Infantry Regiment, which was under the command of Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau, another greatgrandson of Seru Epenisa Cakobau. The regiment was attached to New Zealand and Australian army units during the war. The Empire of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, on 8 December 1941 (Fiji time), marked the beginning of the Pacific War. Because of its central location, Fiji was selected as a training base for the Allies. An airstrip was built at Nadi (later to become an international airport), and gun emplacements studded the coast. Fijians gained a reputation for bravery in the Solomon Islands campaign, with one war correspondent describing their ambush tactics as "death with velvet gloves." Corporal Sefanaia Sukanaivalu, of Yucata, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, as a result of his bravery in the Battle of Bougainville. Indo-Fijians, however, generally refused to enlist, after their demand for equal treatment to Europeans was refused.[1] They disbanded a platoon they had organized, and contributed nothing more than one officer and 70 enlisted men in a reserve transport section, on condition that they not be sent overseas. The refusal of Indo-Fijians to play an active role in the war efforts become part of the ideological construction employed by Fijian ethno-nationalists to justify interethnic tensions in the post-war years. The development of political institutions A Legislative Council, initially with advisory powers, had existed as an appointed body since 1874, but in 1904 it was made a partly elective body, with European male settlers empowered to elect 6 of the 19 Councillors. 2 members were appointed by the colonial Governor from a list of 6 candidates submitted by the Great Council of Chiefs; a further 8 "official" members were appointed by the Governor at his own discretion. The Governor himself was the 19th member. The first nominated Indian member was appointed in 1916; this position was made elective from 1929. A four-member Executive Council had also been established in 1904; this was not a "Cabinet" in the modern sense, as its members were not responsible to the Legislative Council. After World War II, Fiji began to take its first steps towards internal self-government. The Legislative Council was expanded to 32 members in 1953, 15 of them elected and divided equally among the three major ethnic constituencies (indigenous Fijians, Indo-Fijians, and Europeans). Indo-Fijian and European electors voted directly for 3 of the 5 members allocated to them (the other two were appointed by the Governor); the 5 indigenous Fijian members were all nominated by the Great Council of Chiefs. Ratu Sukuna was chosen as the first Speaker. Although the Legislative Council still had few of the powers of the modern Parliament, it brought native Fijians and Indo-Fijians into the official political structure for the first time, and fostered the beginning of a modern political culture in Fiji. These steps towards self-rule were welcomed by the Indo-Fijian community, which by that time had come to outnumber the native Fijian population. Fearing Indo-Fijian domination, many Fijian chiefs saw the benevolent rule of the British as preferable to Indo-Fijian control, and resisted British moves towards autonomy. By this time, however, the United Kingdom had apparently decided to divest itself of its colonial empire, and pressed ahead with reforms. The Fijian people as a whole were enfranchised for the first time in 1963, when the legislature was made a wholly elective body, except for 2 members out of 36 nominated by the Great Council of Chiefs. 1964 saw the first step towards responsible government, with the introduction of the Member system. Specific portfolios were given to certain elected members of the Legislative Council. They did not constitute a Cabinet in the Westminster sense of the term, as they were officially advisers to the colonial Governor rather than ministers with executive authority, and were responsible only to the Governor, not to the legislature. Nevertheless, over the ensuing three year, the then Governor, Sir Derek Jakeway, treated the Members more and more like ministers, to prepare them for the advent of responsible government. A constitutional conference was held in London in July 1965, to discuss constitutional changes with a view to introducing responsible government. Indo-Fijians, led by A. D. Patel, demanded the immediate introduction of full self-government, with a fully elected legislature, to be elected by universal suffrage on a common voters' roll. These demands were vigorously rejected by the ethnic Fijian delegation, who still feared loss of control over natively owned land and resources should an Indo-Fijian dominated government come to power. The British made it clear, however, that they were determined to bring Fiji to self-government and eventual independence. Realizing that they had no choice, Fiji's chiefs decided to negotiate for the best deal they could get. A series of compromises led to the establishment of a cabinet system of government in 1967, with Ratu Kamisese Mara as the first Chief Minister. Ongoing negotiations between Mara and Sidiq Koya, who had taken over the leadership of the mainly Indo-Fijian National Federation Party on Patel's death in 1969, led to a second constitutional conference in London, in April 1970, at which Fiji's Legislative Council agreed on a compromise electoral formula and a timetable for independence as a fully sovereign and independent nation with the Commonwealth. The Legislative Council would be replaced with a bicameral Parliament, with a Senate dominated by Fijian chiefs and a popularly elected House of Representatives. In the 52-member House, Native Fijians and Indo-Fijians would each be allocated 22 seats, of which 12 would represent Communal constituencies comprising voters registered on strictly ethnic roles, and another 10 representing National constituencies to which members were allocated by ethnicity but elected by universal suffrage. A further 8 seats were reserved for "General electors" - Europeans, Chinese, Banaban Islanders, and other minorities; 3 of these were "communal" and 5 "national." With this compromise, Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970. Monarchy of Fiji Fiji during the time of Cakobau Military history of the British Commonwealth in the Second World War ↑ Kaplan, Martha; Kelly, John (2001). Represented communities: Fiji and world decolonization. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. British Empire battles of the Second World War Conquest of British Somaliland Capture of Italian Somaliland Recapture of British Somaliland Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia First Battle of El Alamein Second Battle of El Alamein Italian invasion of Egypt Operation Compass Run for Tunis Siege of Giarabub Siege of Tobruk Capture of Tobruk Operation Brevity Operation Skorpion Operation Sonnenblume Occupation of Libya Battle of Madagascar Battle of Dakar Operation Postmaster Battle of the Barents Sea Evacuation of Norway Occupation of Iceland Evacuation of Spitsbergen Faroe Islands Occupation Reinforcement of Greece Battle of Crete ( Rethymno Vevi) Convoy AN 14 Attack on Mers-el-Kébir Battle of Calabria Campobasso Convoy Battle of Cape Bon Battle of Cape Matapan Battle of Cape Passero Battle of Cape Spada Battle of Cape Spartivento Cigno Convoy Duisburg Convoy Espero Convoy Battle of the Ligurian Sea Battle of Skerki Bank Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1940) Battle of Taranto Tarigo Convoy Battle off Zuwarah Operation Abstention Operation Agreement Operation Albumen Operation Excess Operation Grog Raid on Alexandria Raid on Souda Bay Malta Convoys Battle of the Heligoland Bight Dunkirk evacuation Dieppe Raid Operation Gisela Operation Steinbock Operation Diver Evacuation of Gibraltar Sword Beach Clearing the Channel Coast Battle of the Scheldt Operation Blackcock Battle of the Reichswald St Nazaire Raid Liberation of Belgium Liberation of the Netherlands Battle of Kowloon and New Territories Battle of Hong Kong Island Japanese invasion of Malaya Battle of Jitra Defence of Johore Fall of Singapore Japanese conquest of Burma Arakan Campaign 1942–43 Recapture of Burma Operation U-Go Battle of Imphal Battle of Kohima Indian Ocean disaster Indian Ocean retreat Cocos Islands mutiny Indian Ocean raid Battle of Ceylon Evacuation of British Somaliland Japanese occupation of the Andaman Islands Indian Ocean raid (1944) Indian Ocean strike Battle of the Malacca Strait Bombing of Sumatra Bombardment of Andaman Islands Bombardment of Northern Malay Invasion of Iraq Battle of Fallujah Siege of Habbaniya Battle of Basra Capture of Baghdad Invasion of Khuzestan Invasion of Central Iran Syria–Lebanon Invasion of Lebanon Capture of Beirut Invasion of Syria Capture of Damascus Battle of the River Plate Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence Battle of the Denmark Strait Newfoundland Escort Force Mid-Ocean Escort Force Western Local Escort Force Western Approaches Escort Force Fiji articles Heads of State Cakobau period Colonial period 1977 crisis 1987 coups 2000 coup Reconciliation Commission 2005–2006 crisis Archipelagoes Rotuma Attorney-General Chiefly system Burebasaga Kubuna Tovata Minister for Foreign Affairs Great Council of Chiefs Proposed charter Fijian dollar (currency) Fijian people Indo-Fijians Rotuman people Meke (dance) Traditions and ceremonies Territories of the British Empire and the United Kingdom Current territory Former territory * Now a Commonwealth realm Now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations 1542–1800 Ireland (integrated into UK) 1708–1757 Minorca Since 1713 Gibraltar 1800–1813 Malta (Protectorate) 1813–1964 Malta (Colony) 1807–1890 Heligoland 1809–1864 Ionian Islands 1878–1960 Cyprus 1921–1937 Irish Free State 17th century and before 18th century 19th and 20th century 1579 New Albion 1583–1907 Newfoundland 1605–1979 Saint Lucia 1607–1776 Virginia Since 1619 Bermuda 1620–1691 Plymouth Colony 1623–1883 Saint Kitts (Saint Kitts and Nevis) 1624–1966 Barbados 1625–1650 Saint Croix 1627–1979 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1628–1883 Nevis (Saint Kitts and Nevis) 1629–1691 Massachusetts Bay Colony 1632–1776 Maryland since 1632 Montserrat 1632–1860 Antigua (Antigua and Barbuda) 1636–1776 Connecticut 1636–1776 Rhode Island 1637–1662 New Haven Colony 1643–1860 Bay Islands Since 1650 Anguilla 1655–1850 Mosquito Coast (protectorate) 1655–1962 Jamaica 1663–1712 Carolina 1664–1776 New York 1665–1674 and 1702–1776 New Jersey Since 1666 British Virgin Islands Since 1670 Cayman Islands 1670–1973 The Bahamas 1670–1870 Rupert's Land 1671–1816 Leeward Islands 1674–1702 East Jersey 1674–1702 West Jersey 1680–1776 New Hampshire 1681–1776 Pennsylvania 1686–1689 Dominion of New England 1691–1776 Massachusetts 1701–1776 Delaware 1712–1776 North Carolina 1712–1776 South Carolina 1713–1867 Nova Scotia 1733–1776 Georgia 1754–1820 Cape Breton Island 1762–1974 Grenada 1763–1978 Dominica 1763–1873 Prince Edward Island 1763–1791 Quebec 1763–1783 East Florida 1763–1783 West Florida 1784–1867 New Brunswick 1791–1841 Lower Canada 1791–1841 Upper Canada Since 1799 Turks and Caicos Islands 1818–1846 Columbia District/Oregon Country1 1833–1960 Windward Islands 1841–1867 Province of Canada 1849–1866 Vancouver Island 1853–1863 Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands 1858–1866 British Columbia 1859–1870 North-Western Territory 1860–1981 British Antigua and Barbuda 1862–1863 Stickeen Territories 1867–1931 Dominion of Canada2 1871–1964 British Honduras (Belize) 1882–1983 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1889–1962 Trinidad and Tobago 1907–1949 Newfoundland3 1958–1962 West Indies Federation 1. Occupied jointly with the United States. 2. In 1931, Canada and other British dominions obtained self-government through the Statute of Westminster. See Name of Canada. 3. Gave up self-rule in 1934, but remained a de jure Dominion until it joined Canada in 1949. 1631–1641 Providence Island colony 1651–1667 Willoughbyland (Suriname) 1670–1688 Saint Andrew and Providence Islands4 1831–1966 British Guiana (Guyana) Since 1833 Falkland Islands5 Since 1908 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands5 4. Now the one the departments of Colombia. 5. Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April–June 1982. 17th and 18th centuries 19th century 20th century Since 1658 Saint Helena14 1792–1961 Sierra Leone 1795–1803 Cape Colony Since 1815 Ascension Island14 Since 1816 Tristan da Cunha14 1807–1808 Madeira 1810–1968 Mauritius 1816–1965 The Gambia 1856–1910 Natal 1862–1906 Lagos Colony 1868–1966 Basutoland (Lesotho) 1874–1957 Gold Coast (Ghana) 1882–1922 Egypt 1884–1900 Oil Rivers/Niger Coast 1884–1966 Bechuanaland (Botswana) 1884–1960 British Somaliland 1887–1897 Zululand 1890–1962 Uganda 1890–1963 Zanzibar (Tanzania) 1891–1964 Nyasaland (Malawi) 1891–1907 British Central Africa Protectorate 1893–1968 Swaziland 1895–1920 East Africa Protectorate 1899–1956 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 1900–1914 Northern Nigeria 1900–1914 Southern Nigeria 1900–1910 Orange River Colony 1900–1910 Transvaal Colony 1903–1976 Seychelles 1910–1931 South Africa 1914–1960 Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria (Nigeria) 1915–1931 South-West Africa (Namibia) 1919–1961 British Cameroons (Cameroon)6 1920–1963 Kenya 1922–1961 Tanganyika (Tanzania)6 1923–1965 Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)7 1924–1964 Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) 6. League of Nations mandate. 7. Self-governing Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965 (as Rhodesia) and continued as an unrecognised state until the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement. After recognised independence in 1980, Zimbabwe was a member of the Commonwealth until it withdrew in 2003. 17th and 18th century 19th century 20th century 1685–1824 Bencoolen 1702–1705 Pulo Condore 1757–1947 Bengal (West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh) 1762–1764 Manila and Cavite 1781-1784 Padang (Indonesia) 1786–1946 Penang (Malaysia) 1795–1948 Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1796–1965 Maldives 1812–1824 Banka (Sumatra) and Billiton (Sumatra) 1819–1826 British Malaya (West Malaysia and Singapore) 1826–1946 Straits Settlements (Malaysia and Singapore) 1839–1967 Colony of Aden 1839–1842 Afghanistan 1841–1997 Hong Kong 1841–1946 Kingdom of Sarawak (Malaysia) 1848–1946 Labuan (Malaysia) 1858–1947 British India (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Burma) 1874–1963 British Borneo (East Malaysia and Brunei) 1879–1919 Afghanistan (protectorate) 1882–1963 British North Borneo (Malaysia) 1885–1946 Unfederated Malay States 1888–1984 Sultanate of Brunei 1891–1971 Muscat and Oman protectorate 1892–1971 Trucial States 1895–1946 Federated Malay States 1898–1930 Weihai Garrison 1907–1949 Bhutan (protectorate) 1918–1961 Sheikhdom of Kuwait 1920–1932 Iraq8 1921–1946 Transjordan8 1923–1948 Palestine8 1945–1946 South Vietnam 1946–1963 North Borneo (Malaysia) 1946–1963 Sarawak (Malaysia) 1946–1963 Singapore 1946–1948 Malayan Union 1948–1957 Federation of Malaya (Malaysia) Since 1960 Akrotiri and Dhekelia (before as part of Cyprus) Since 1965 British Indian Ocean Territory (before as part of Mauritius and the Seychelles) 8 League of Nations mandate. Iraq's mandate was not enacted and replaced by the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty 18th and 19th centuries 20th century 1788–1901 New South Wales 1803–1901 Van Diemen's Land/Tasmania 1807–1863 Auckland Islands9 1824–1980 New Hebrides (Vanuatu) 1824–1901 Queensland 1829–1901 Swan River Colony/Western Australia 1836–1901 South Australia since 1838 Pitcairn Islands 1841–1907 Colony of New Zealand 1851–1901 Victoria 1874–1970 Fiji10 1877–1976 British Western Pacific Territories 1884–1949 Territory of Papua 1888–1901 Kingdom of Rarotonga/Cook Islands Federation9 1889–1948 Union Islands (Tokelau)9 1892–1979 Gilbert and Ellice Islands11 1893–1978 British Solomon Islands12 1900–1970 Tonga (protected state) 1900–1974 Niue9 1901–1942 Commonwealth of Australia 1907–1953 Dominion of New Zealand 1919–1942 and 1945–1968 Nauru 1919–1949 Territory of New Guinea 1949–1975 Territory of Papua and New Guinea13 9. Now part of the Realm of New Zealand. 10. Suspended member. 11. Now Kiribati and Tuvalu. 12. Now the Solomon Islands. 13. Now *Papua New Guinea. Antarctica and South Atlantic Since 1908 British Antarctic Territory15 1841–1933 Australian Antarctic Territory (transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia) 1841–1947 Ross Dependency (transferred to the Realm of New Zealand) 14. Since 2009 part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Ascension Island (1922–) and Tristan da Cunha (1938–) were previously dependencies of Saint Helena. 15. Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands). Coordinates: 17°41′02″S 178°50′24″E / 17.6840°S 178.8401°E / -17.6840; 178.8401 This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1286
__label__wiki	0.508713	0.508713	Category: The Chemical Brothers The Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole ARTIST: The Chemical Brothers TITLE: Dig Your Own Hole CHART ACTION: #14 US, #1 UK SINGLES: Setting Sun (#80 US, #1 UK), Block Rockin’ Beats (#107 US, #1 UK), Elektrobank (#122 US, #17 UK), The Private Psychedelic Reef OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Dig Your Own Hole, Where Do I Begin LINEUP: Ed Simons, Tom Rowlands. One cut features Noel Gallagher. One features Beth Orton. WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Beats, samples, block rockin’ beats FTW! SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: The place where beats, electronica, techno, hip-hop and all of the other genres like that meet? It’s here; it’s this album. There’s a lot going on. Yeah, the beat in each song is incessant, almost to a fault. But wisely they use the beat as an easel to throw all kinds of elements on there. Being DJs and producers, the Chemical Brothers have an ear for what works together, and what will provide contrast when juxtaposed – which is just as important. I doubt that Daft Punk would be a big thing without the Chemical Brothers blazing the commercial trail for them. This entire record is kind of their playbooks – big beats, big sounds, samples, production, repetition, hooks, guest vocals, all of it. They were contemporaries, but the success of the Chemical Brothers paved the way for Daft Punk to be received by the general populace. Anyone who is a remote fan of techno, house, electronica, whatever you wanna call it, this is the place to start. NOTES & MINUTIAE: Two tracks, “It Doesn’t Matter” and “Don’t Stop the Rock” where the initial songs in their Club DJ series “Electronic Battle Weapons” IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: No. GRADE: A. Put this on and groove, move, dance, whatever. Plenty of beats available! The Chemical Brothers – Exit Planet Dust TITLE: Exit Planet Dust CHART ACTION: #9 UK SINGLES: Song to the Siren, Leave Home (UK #17), Life Is Sweet (UK #25) OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Chemical Beats, perhaps? LINEUP: Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons. Tim Burgess (Charlatans UK) and Beth Orton guest on a track each. WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: UK club DJ wonderkinds run out of records to mix, so they create their own sounds to mix around. It’s really, really good. SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: I missed this whole UK DJ wave in the 90’s. Still being grungy, I guess. I probably should have jumped on the bandwagon, though. The Chemical Brothers created their own sonic world, with heavy emphasis on bass, electronic drums and repeating electronic patterns. Almost every track has a great groove and beat to it, but it doesn’t get old or tiresome. It seems they learned their lessons pretty well from all the bands that they remixed in the early to mid 90’s – what worked on the dance floor or on record. Pert near every track is great for listening, working or working out too, and that’s a hard feat to accomplish. NOTES & MINUTAE: They were the Dust Brothers, but had to rename themselves after the US production duo of the same name found out about them. GRADE: A- : This sets the stage for their later career and the genre in general. It’s a great record to have around.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1290
__label__cc	0.505835	0.494165	mid-March 2008 notes; April-July upcoming releases Filed under: Uncategorized — kendrasteinereditions @ 12:00 am We’ll be taking off for a mini-vacation to the Texas Hill Country—-any orders rec’d in the next five days will be shipped on Monday 24 March. Don’t forget the March releases: NEXT EXIT: EIGHT from Hosho McCreesh and Caleb Puckett; VISITATION from MK Chavez; and two new ones from yours truly, LUNA AMERICANA and now KSE #91, AFTERGLOW. I’ll provide write-ups about NE8, VISITATION, and AFTERGLOW in the next 10 days if I can. Reading-wise, I’ve been finishing the editing/sequencing of Doug Draime’s Oregon poems, which will come out in April; Jim D. Deuchars just sent me an amazing sequence of eight poems, based on various conceptions of “eight”, which will be the May release; Adrian Manning has now finished a stunning suite of poems inspired by Sonic Youth’s “Daydream Nation” album, that chapbook coming out in June; and Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal has given me a number of poems set in both California and Mexico for NEXT EXIT: SEVEN, which will come out in July. I’m also working my way through the Complete Poems of Frank O’Hara, containing a number of lesser-known pieces I’d not read before, and I’ve read AT HERRING COVE by Ronald Baatz about ten times so far. In concept, it’s not unlike my 44 HARMONIES or Hosho McCreesh’s 37 PSALMS FROM THE BADLANDS, but the result is completely different. In this work, Baatz combines the poetry-in-the-everyday-detail brilliance of a Mark Weber with the transcendent Zen humor of Brautigan at his best, but it’s always completely Baatz. I think I’d recognize him after 3 lines. When I spoke with the late composer and theorist John Cage in 1989 in Virginia, he told me that if he were really doing his job as a composer—-helping people to hear the music in the supposedly non-musical and getting people to “listen” to their world—-he might eventually put himself out of business (I published a piece in BLACK TO COMM magazine back in the early 90’s about my conversation with Cage—good luck finding a copy!). The same is true for Ronald Baatz. He does not fetishize or enshrine the artifact of the poem, although his literary work is elegantly sculpted yet spontaneous, like the best jazz. His work leads us to see our immediate world with a poetic eye as he does. If we read enough Ronald Baatz (or Mark Weber), perhaps we all would perceive the world as poetry—but since that hasn’t happened yet, we can still savor Mr. Baatz’s work now for its freshness and insight and wit. See you all in five days. I’ll have a drink for you here while I’m gone… http://www.realalebrewing.com/brewery_tours.php	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1296
__label__cc	0.561768	0.438232	Ferdinand Magellan Translate (Subscriber Feature) Listen (Subscriber Feature) After Magellan died, his crew, led by Juan Sebastián del Cano, completed the trip around the world. © G. Dagli Orti—DeA Picture Library/age fotostock (1480?–1521). The first European to sail across the Pacific Ocean was the Portuguese navigator and explorer Ferdinand Magellan. He was the first person to discover a route by which ships could sail a complete circle around the world. The Strait of Magellan is named for him. This strait, located at the southern tip of South America, proved to be the long-sought connection between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Sailing for the Spanish king Charles… It’s here: the NEW Britannica Kids website! We’ve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops. Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. Already subscribed? Log in here Choose a language from the menu above to view a computer-translated version of this page. Please note: Text within images is not translated, some features may not work properly after translation, and the translation may not accurately convey the intended meaning. Britannica does not review the converted text. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1298
__label__wiki	0.739829	0.739829	Arizona volunteers sentenced for trespassing, leaving migrants goods (Google Maps photo) PHOENIX — A federal judge sentenced four humanitarian aid volunteers with No More Deaths to probation for trespassing on a wildlife refuge in southwestern Arizona to help migrants. Zaachila Orozco-McCormick, Natalie Hoffman, Oona Holcomb, and Madeline Huse were sentenced to 15 months of unsupervised probation. They were also fined $250 each, and banned from the refuge for the duration of their probation. “The border crisis in this country is a matter of life and death. History will not favor those on the wrong side of it,” Huse said in a statement. “Our border policy continues to push people into remote and dangerous parts of the desert.” The women were convicted in January for entering the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge near Yuma without a permit and abandoning personal property. Hoffman was also convicted of operating a motor vehicle in a wilderness area. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officers found the women trespassing on the wildlife refuge in August 2017, and they all admitted to entering the refuge without a permit and leaving a stash of water and canned food at Charlie Bell Well. Group: Border Patrol agents destroy immigrant aid in Arizona desert Border Patrol arrests ASU faculty member, volunteer in Arizona 8 Tucson volunteers arrested as group accuses agents of destroying aid What’s next for No More Deaths after latest convictions of volunteers? In a statement, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange commended the officers’ commitment to “preserving the lands Congress has designated as national wildlife refuges.” The sentencing comes after four other No More Deaths volunteers — Caitlin Deighan, Rebecca Richeimer, Zoe Anderson, and Logan Hollarsmith — on Feb. 21 agreed to pay a fine of $250 each and receive civil infractions in exchange for criminal charges being dropped. Another volunteer with the group, Scott Warren, is facing misdemeanor charges for his work on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, as well as three federal felony charges for other humanitarian aid work. Both trials are scheduled for May 2019. The vital role family plays in society Four benefits of having a wireless security system	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1311
__label__wiki	0.613622	0.613622	Kat Powers East Texas Mornings 98.3 KYYK \| Hit Country, Texas Favorites Top Highlight KYYK It Up a Notch 4th of July Celebration KYYK and All Star Autoplex are bringing a full day of family fun to Palestine on July 4th! Neches Heritage Day Festival KYYK and Elliot Chrysler Dogwood Trails Giveaway Fairy Garden Project in Palestine! 81st Dogwood Trails Arts and Music Festival KYYK 98.3 & Railyard Customs & Collision V-Day Giveaway! Everybody Love Everybody Schlitterbahn Galveston Offers Summer Fun Indoors! Readers are Leaders Mardi Gras on Main Street Brings Mardi Gras to You Secret Word Listen to a TLC Radio station for a Secret Word contest and enter below to win! Your Text Alerts Hit Country, Texas Favorites 12:00amMonday 12:00amMon Your favorite hits from the 90s, 2000s, and today from the leading Nashville country artists like Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Maren Morris and more. East Texas Mornings with Kat Powers Kat Powers, East Texas' favorite morning show host always knew she wanted to be on the radio. As luck would have it, her singing talents wouldn't allow that-so 2 years ago she found herself at KYYK filling the air waves with her positivity and humor. Born and raised in East Texas, Powers turned 18 and left as fast as she could, she spent 7 years travelling before realizing home really is where the heart is and returned to her roots. Midday Show with Tim O'Brian Midday show host Tim O'Brian has been with KYYK for 5 years. In his time here, he's met some of the biggest names in country music, and many up and coming artists! The Afternoon Pick Me Up with Tory 03:00pmMonday 03:00pmMon Listen every weekday afternoon for your "pick me up" to get through the rest of your day! Hit Country Nights Your favorite hits from the 90s, 2000s, and today from the leading Nashville country artists like Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Maren Morris and more all night long. 12:00amTuesday 12:00amTue 03:00pmTuesday 03:00pmTue 12:00amWednesday 12:00amWed 03:00pmWednesday 03:00pmWed 12:00amThursday 12:00amThu 03:00pmThursday 03:00pmThu 12:00amFriday 12:00amFri 03:00pmFriday 03:00pmFri Friday Night Nostalgia Remember the good ol' days of cruising the plaza, pasture parties and hanging out at Mazzios? This summer KYYK 98.3 and Mazzio's are throwing it back on Friday nights for some Friday Night Nostalgia! Your favorite hits from the 90s, 2000s, and today from the leading Nashville country artists like Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Maren 12:00amSunday 12:00amSun Crooke & Chase Countdown Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase have been the go-to source for country music news and entertainment for 3 decades. 12:00pmSunday 12:00pmSun 12:00amSaturday 12:00amSat 07:00pmSaturday 07:00pmSat Red Eye Radio For almost 50 years, Red Eye Radio Network has been a part of the fabric of the trucking industry by consistently providing professional drivers up-to-the-minute news, information, and entertainment. The show is motivated by one purpose %E2%80%94 to deliver a positive, in-cab experience by helping trucker drivers/owner operators and fleet owners stay informed, engaged, and entertained on the road or wherever they are in their daily lives. Texas Mornings Start your day off listening to the current happenings in Texas each day. Lonestar Farm and Ranch Report Lonestar Farm & Ranch Morning is the most listened to Farm report in the state of Texas according to the 2013 AMR ratings. Beginning at 5:30am each Monday through Friday, listeners get 24 minutes of news, weather, and commodity markets with award winning Agri-Business Director Tony Purcell and staff meteorologist Dan Brounoff. TSN agri-business news will quickly become the farmers and ranchers #1 source of information. Meddling In The Morning Meddling In The Morning is a local talk show for the community of Palestine and surrounding neighborhoods, hosted by former Mayor of Palestine Bob Herrington and Darla Holt. Glenn Beck - one of America's leading multi-media personalities - is host and star of the national radio show The Glenn Beck Program, and is the founder and owner of TheBlaze, a 24/7 news, information and opinion network that is available on television and online. Known for his quick wit, candid opinions and engaging personality, Beck attracts millions of viewers and listeners. Rush Limbaugh, the "Doctor of Democracy," is known as the pioneer of AM radio. Limbaugh revolutionized the media and political landscape with his unprecedented combination of serious discussion of political, cultural and social issues along with satirical and biting humor, which parodies previously "untouchable" personalities and topics. His passion inspires millions of Americans to be the best they can be and keeps the country on course to a bright future. The Sean Hannity Show focuses on the political and economic news of the day. Callers and political guests, as well as other conservative talk figures, play prominently on the program.Sean Hannity is a multimedia superstar, spending four hours a day every day reaching millions of Americans on radio, television and internet. Dave started on one station in Nashville back in 1992 sharing practical answers for life's tough money questions. Word spread caller after caller, and so did the show. The Dave Ramsey Show is now on more than 586 stations from coast to coast and has more than 13 million total listeners. A lot has changed through the years, but Dave's practical advice on life and money has remained consistent. Let's Talk Nutrition Let's Talk Nutrition is a health talk radio show. The program features Michael Garko, Ph.D. and focuses on health and nutrition experts with extensive knowledge of complementary, alternative, and traditional medicine. The mission of Let's Talk Nutrition (LTN) is to educate and empower the audience on how they can take charge of their health by practicing scientifically proven principles of diet, lifestyle and dietary supplementation. Mark Levin has become one of the hottest properties in Talk radio, his top-rated show on WABC New York is now syndicated nationally by Westwood One. He is also one of the top new authors in the conservative political arena. Mark's radio show on WABC in New York City skyrocketed to Number 1 on the AM dial in his first 18 months on the air in the competitive 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM time slot. Mark's book Men in Black was released February 7, 2005 and quickly climbed to Number 3 in the nation on the New York Times Best-Seller list. When your book is endorsed by Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, you know you have a winner on your hands. In a short period of time, Mark has become one of the most listened to local radio Talk show hosts in the nation. Texas Fishing and Outdoors Whether you're an experienced angler, or just getting started, Brian Hughes, host of the Texas Fishing & Outdoors Show has the information you need to make your time fishing on the lake enjoyable. Comprehensive lake reports from all around the state, as well as tips from the experts. You'll know what's biting when you hear TSN Fishing & Outdoors Show Saturdays 5 am to 7am and Sundays 5 am to 6 am. Total Access From Texas Motor Speedway Texas Motor Speedway's Total Access is a weekly, one-hour radio show produced and hosted by Rich Phillips. James Carey and Morris Carey, known as the Carey Bros., are nationally-recognized experts on home building and renovation. They share their 70+ years of experience as award-winning, licensed contractors with millions of people nationwide through a weekly radio program and syndicated newspaper column both titled On The House. Neil Sperry Lawn and Garden Texas Lawn and Garden Hour: This live Q&A program airs 11-noon every Saturday on a large list of stations. Neil takes calls from the Panhandle to the Valley and from the mountains of West Texas to the Piney Woods of East Texas. No matter where you live, give Neil a call at (888) 256-1080. Wine Crush The Wine Crush is a one hour dynamic, fast-paced lifestyle program that not only explains and demystifies the world of wine, but demonstrates how wine can be integrated with every day life. Host Laura Lawson is a veteran in the wine business who manages to couple her vast wine knowledge with her unique sense of humor and tactful sarcasm. The emphasis is on the lighter side of wine and the good humor that should accompany it. Refreshing and upbeat, Wine Crush satisfies both the novice and the expert wine drinker; with guests ranging from winemakers and industry experts to chefs, etiquette experts, celebrities and more. The Money Pit The Money Pit is a nationally syndicated, call-in radio show that helps listeners with their home repair and improvement problems. The show has consistently been named among "America's 100 Most Important Radio Shows" by Talkers magazine. It's been on the air for over ten years. Bobby Likis Car Clinic The original "Bobby Likis Car Clinic" was born in November 1986 on a local cable television network. The program increased in popularity, and by 1991, audience response was so tremendous that Bobby moved Car Clinic to the Gulf Coast ABC affiliate, where it was an outstanding success. 1991 also marked the birth of Car Clinic on the radio. Cigar Dave Cigar Dave is the creator and host of the Cigar Dave Show - the acclaimed nationally syndicated radio show devoted to the Alpha Male Lifestyle - and the foremost authority on the Alpha Male Good Life. Glenn Beck Weekend Edition At Home With Gary Sullivan DIY has never been bigger, and Gary Sullivan is radio's DIY man. With over thirty years of home improvement know how, and over a decade of broadcast experience, Gary will help your listeners build it up, tear it down, fix it, or replace it. Whether you're an experienced angler, or just getting started, Brian Hughes, host of the Texas Fishing & Outdoors Show has the information you need to make your time fishing on the lake enjoyable. Comprehensive lake reports from all around the state, as well as tips from the experts. You'll know what's biting when you hear TSN Fishing & Outdoors Show Saturdays 5 am to 7am and Sundays 5 am to 6 am.Brian Hughes is a licensed guide on Purtis Creek Lake and Lake Athens. He is the host of the Texas Fishing & Outdoors Show on the Texas State Networks and is a staff writer the Richland Chambers Progress. Brian is a member of the Texas Outdoor Writers Association, past member AmBASSador staff, Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, Texas Parks and Wildlife Angler Education Program and certified angler instructor. Into Tomorrow "Into Tomorrow with Dave Graveline" is the radio network program covering the latest in consumer electronics and technology. The program is hosted by Dave Graveline, one of the most talented and professional award-winning radio and television hosts in the business. The show is a dynamic blend of listener interaction and insightful and informative guests speaking on a variety of topics related to technology. Rush's Week In Review Before Rush Limbaugh began broadcasting on network radio more than 25 years ago, political talk was often dry, hackneyed, and boring. Meet the Press is a weekly American news/interview program broadcast. Meet the Press specializes in interviews with leaders in Washington, D.C., across the country and even the world on issues of politics, economics, foreign policy and other public affairs, along with panel discussions that provide opinions and analysis. It originates from NBC's bureau in Washington, D.C. Tom Gresham's Gun Talk is the original national radio show about guns and the shooting sports. Airing coast to coast for more than two decades, Gun Talk runs on more than 248 stations each week. Call 866-TALK GUN (866-825-5486) to talk with Tom live during the show! Refuel with Jennifer Ballew Uplifting Bible study from a real, working, Christian mother and wife. Sean Hannity Encore Show Sean Hannity is a multimedia superstar, spending four hours a day every day reaching millions of Americans on radio, television and internet. Handel On The Law Bill Handel's weekend show, "Handel on the Law," is bold, entertaining and addictive. Bill definitely knows his way around our wacky American legal system, and with a quick wit and razor sharp tongue, offers up advice to countless callers on a weekly basis. Syndicated nationally, Handel has amassed a loyal fan base that continues to grow. Bill Handel has been able to couple his passion for talk radio with his experience as a lawyer and the result is a unique blend of information and humor. 95.7 KNET 98.3 KYYK www.KYYK.com Contact KYYK.com We are a dynamic local radio station bringing you hit country music & Texas favorites. KYYK and Quality Cool Air Billy Bob's Ticket Giveaway KYYK Whataburger Birthday/Anniversary Giveaway Official Rules KYYK FCC Radio Profile Subscribe now to the newsletter to receive East Texas videos & stories. © 2019 98.3 KYYK \| Hit Country, Texas Favorites Website by Clever Mutt Find 98.3 KYYK on Facebook Follow 98.3 KYYK on Twitter TLC Media 1450AM / 95.7FM KNET	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1312
__label__wiki	0.933601	0.933601	“Incognito” Gets Us Thinking About Who We Are Claire Adams and Mark Jacobson star in the Rubicon Theatre Company's West Coast premiere production of "Incognito" by Nick Payne, directed by Katharine Farmer and now playing at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura. The play will run Wednesdays through Sundays until October 1st. Photo Courtesy of Rubicon Theatre On the heels of the West Coast debut of “Constellations” at the Geffen Playhouse three months ago in Los Angeles, another stellar Nick Payne-written play called “Incognito” has premiered in Southern California and will run through October 1st – this time at the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura. (L-R) Mark Jacobson, Claire Adams, Joseph Fuqua, and Betsy Zajko star in the Rubicon Theatre Company’s West Coast premiere production of “Incognito” by Nick Payne, directed by Katharine Farmer and now playing at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura. Photo Courtesy of Rubicon Theatre Like “Constellations,” the brain — through the lens of memory, science, time, and love — is examined at length in “Incognito,” which is faithfully directed by Indy Award-winner, Katharine Farmer. But, unlike “Constellations,” which dealt more with the permutations of possible outcomes involving a couple in the metaphysical sense, “Incognito” delves deeper into the concept of identity and who we are with respect to the interconnected tapestry of humanity, as represented by four actors who weave a trio of key stories (two of which are loosely based on real-life events) and play an astounding 21 characters in all. The multi-pronged plot further touches on compelling themes relating to amnesia, free will, self-worth, acceptance, and even Albert Einstein. In doing so, it mostly explores three individuals and their trajectories: the non-fictional Thomas Harvey of Kansas, who, as a pathologist conducting Einstein’s autopsy, takes the genius’ brain, places it in his car trunk, and subsequently develops a lifelong obsession with it (played by Joseph Fuqua); Martha Murphy, a neuropsychologist living in London who struggles to connect with others (Betsy Zajko); and, an epileptic British pianist in Henry Maison – inspired by Henry Molaison, Patient H.M. — who sadly experiences chronic anterograde amnesia, or short-term memory loss (Mark Jacobson). Supplementing these three characters are two major supporting Brit roles – Margaret Thompson, Henry’s wonderfully loyal wife, and Patricia Thorn, Martha’s lesbian partner (both played by Claire Adams). Fuqua, who is in his 30th production at the Rubicon, is absolutely riveting as Thomas. Fuqua channels Thomas’ one-track-minded preoccupation with Einstein’s brain by affecting a determined but blank stare behind his eyes. It’s a nice touch by Fuqua since Thomas is essentially self-unaware of how irrational his behavior is, given that those whom he interacts with, including his wife Elouise (Zajko), as well as reporter Michael Wolf of Harper’s Magazine (Jacobson), are able to plainly recognize that something is indeed wrong. This comes to a head in a climactic scene years down the line, when Thomas belligerently argues with Wolf (whose real last name was Paterniti) about how ignominiously the former’s story comes across in the magazine. Here, just with subtle facial expressions utilized by Fuqua alone, we observe Thomas’ reason for living – to study Einstein’s brain – practically evaporate when Wolf argues that even if he misrepresented him in the article, it’s no worse than what Thomas (who had mysteriously never published his findings on the brain) has done by “lying to himself.” As such, we the audience profoundly realize why Thomas may have deluded himself and why he “couldn’t stop” his research – because Einstein’s brain had become so closely tied to his identity. Additionally, Fuqua is captivating to watch as Anthony of Yorkshire, who suffers from a disorder called confabulation, whereby due to long-term associations being permanently lost, he is privy to only memories in the present time. Though not as severe as Henry’s condition, Anthony often asks his clinician, “Have I told you about Deborah?” Again, owing to the complexity of human nature, Fuqua conveys a subtle longing as Anthony, hinting that a part of his character’s brain may not be in full agreement with how he processes stimuli and information. (L-R) Betsy Zajko, Joseph Fuqua, and Mark Jacobson star in the Rubicon Theatre Company’s West Coast premiere production of “Incognito” by Nick Payne, directed by Katharine Farmer and now playing at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura. Photo Courtesy of Rubicon Theatre Betsy Zajko plays Anthony’s neuropsychologist, Martha Murphy, who is oddly envious of her patient’s ailment, and wonders how freeing it must be to be unfettered from a neurally chronicled past. Murphy cares deeply about Anthony, and is diligent about helping him, but similar to Thomas, her intelligence is not readily applied to understanding herself. Zajko splendidly emotes Murphy’s disconnectedness with not only her own self-concept, but in attempting to fulfill her human need of wanting to bond with another (Patricia Thorn) on an intimate level. Zajko is also stellar as Elouise Harvey, particularly during a scene that calls for her character to stand her ground against her unfaithful husband. Zajko musters a fireball of energy within a moment’s notice, hurling it like a maelstrom across the stage in what is an impressive example of building momentum throughout a scene. Furthermore, Mark Jacobson inhabits the role of Henry Maison, who is tragically and perpetually stuck in a narrow pocket of time just before his honeymoon with wife Margaret. “Sorry, I have trouble remembering things,”Henry admits, as he re-lives the same day over and over again, trying to recall the notes on his piano (composed for the play by legendary pianist, Roger Kellaway) even long after his spouse has passed away. Yet, we don’t think of Henry as any less human as a result of this because his adversity could be ours. Jacobson is so eerily accurate in his depiction that it is almost heartbreaking to watch, especially when he goes from proposing to his beloved, to suddenly becoming ensnared by a violent seizure. His performance evokes gasps from the audience, who are attentive and respectful as if they were seeing the real thing in front of them. Not to mention, Jacobson is unflaggingly committed to each of the six disparate characters he plays, and is able to make the audience laugh right after they’ve witnessed something solemn – as both Freddy Myers, a flippant hippie, and Greg Barraclough, an inappropriately behaved lawyer. Lastly, Claire Adams, as both Margaret and Patricia, provides the respective emotional stakes and resonance to Henry and Martha’s arcs. Adams’ Margaret is the exemplary wife, who is boundlessly supportive of her unwell husband, because that is simply the person she is. Likewise, Adams is very genuine in her reactions as Margaret, heart-rendingly responding with impeccable timing to her surroundings. As Patricia, Adams is charismatic and intriguing as the ostensible panacea to Martha’s problems. Patricia tries to make the same-sex relationship work, but she is pushed away, and Adams’ portrayal makes it easy for us to identify with a situation we may have found ourselves in at one time or another. (L-R) Betsy Zajko and Claire Adams star in the Rubicon Theatre Company’s West Coast premiere production of “Incognito” by Nick Payne, directed by Katharine Farmer and now playing at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura. Photo Courtesy of Rubicon Theatre Overall, bolstered by Farmer’s direction, “Incognito” is a brilliant piece of writing and theatre that fires up our imaginations, capitalizing on a bare stage with four chairs. The excellent lighting by Mike Billings aids us with the character transitions, as the four performers seamlessly go from one persona to the next — each one rife with their own distinct temperaments, dialects and emotional breadth — with nary a pause. It is a triumph of focus, forethought, follow-through, and finesse, as the actors become revolving puzzle pieces in a clockwork of curiosity. And, it’s no matter that there is really no set to speak of, or even a change of costume, because the truth of the matter is that, as their various characters, the actors are so believable that we imaginatively fill in the settings and connect the dots ourselves. It is a wondrous experience that we’ll remember for a long time because it entrusts us, the observers, with a very special responsibility. For more information about “Incognito” at the Rubicon Theatre Company, please visit rubicontheatre.org Related Items:Albert Einstein, All My Life, amnesia, Betsy Zajko, Claire Adams, Constellations, family, featured, identity, Incognito, Joseph Fuqua, Katharine Farmer, Mark Jacobson, memories, memory loss, metaphysical, minds, neuropsychology, Nick Payne, non-profit theatre, physical, physics, play, playwright, psychology, Roger Kellaway, Rubicon Theatre, Rubicon Theatre Company, science, self-identity, shows to see in Los Angeles, shows to see in Ventura, Southern California, the self, Ventura, ventura county Candlelight Pavilion’s ‘No, No, Nanette’ Channels Whimsical Nostalgia of a Simpler Time Santa Monica Playhouse’s ‘The Marriage Zone’ Is Hypnotizingly Funny & Insightful Ray Dalton of “Can’t Hold Us” Fame Finding Own Groove “A Funny Thing Happened…” Finds Humor In Situations Where We Need It Most	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1313
__label__wiki	0.710055	0.710055	SUBSCRIBE \| LOGIN forumstutorials & featuresnewsblogsjobsservicesnewsletter LIBRARY: Tutorials Reviews Interviews Editorials Features Business Authors RSS Feed Story Stuff Is Story Stuff COW Library : Art of the Edit : Kylee Peña : Story Stuff Is Story Stuff (print friendly) Kylee Peña CreativeCOW.net. All rights reserved. I like writing. I always have, and I've always been okay at it. It makes a lot of sense to me when editors also write – blogs, scripts, whatever – because the tasks are so similar. It mostly comes down to constructing a story of some kind, and the same pitfalls seem to apply more and more as I keep editing and writing stuff. Since I'm sufficientish (or maybe proficientish? I don't know words) at writing and I want to be AWESOME, I did the obvious and looked up advice from famous authors so I could copy off...er...attempt to emulate their success in small ways. I got hooked into a bunch of articles by awesome writers talking about being awesome a couple months ago. Since then, I've been noticing more parallels between good editing and good writing. Story stuff is story stuff, but it's been interesting to apply tips meant for writers to editing video – unscripted or narrative, or whatever you might be cutting. Don't go into great detail describing places or things. – Elmore Leonard In unscripted stuff particularly, I've seen a tendency for editors to use a whole bunch of b-roll at the beginning to describe a place. It's kind of like the editorial equivalent of four pages of describing the weather and town instead of actually getting to the story. It's so much better when a place or thing is built through a character experiencing it. Every sentence must do one of two things – reveal character or advance the action. – Kurt Vonnegut If a cut isn't revealing character or advancing the action, then why is it there? This has been especially interesting to me while cutting narrative. I'm not just assembling a scene. I'm editing a script, after the fact. Your story will always be stronger if you just show the physical actions and details of your characters and allow your reader to do the thinking and knowing. – Chuck Palahniuk Palahniuk goes on to talk about the differences between two kinds of passages. In one, the main character is described as anxious about missing a bus. In the other, the circumstances of the main character's anxiety are laid out. You're in her head and getting a sequence of events that leads you to feel anxious FOR her, but the text itself doesn't say "X was anxious." In editing, I've seen something like this: you're following a protagonist who is about to embark on a scary adventure after a restless night. In one version, you dip to black, put up a descriptive title slide, then move onto the action of the next day. In another version, you find key bits in the b-roll (maybe even in different parts of the day or from another day) that build the anxiety of the night leading into the action of the day. Easier said than done – you often don't have the b-roll – but some creativity and intent is sometimes all it takes to help suck the audience in a little bit more. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted. – Kurt Vonnegut In the subjective world of writing and editing, it's hard to please everyone. And that's not what this is about. Tell the best story you possibly can with what's been provided to you. Don't be lazy, don't cut narrative corners, and don't assume your audience are imbeciles (unless that's your target, I guess.) If someone feels their time was wasted by watching your story, that's their problem. If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. – Elmore Leonard If it looks like editing, edit it differently. This is the one I've had on my mind the most over the last couple of months. Sometimes I come into contact with sequences cut by people I don't know and have the opportunity to examine them closely. So often I'll find that a good opportunity for an invisible edit is squandered by a flash to white or unnecessary speed ramp. Style over content. The footage is good. The right music change, natural sound, and arrangement of cuts would be sufficient to end a thought (or paragraph) and go to the next one. This bit is more than just an inability to transition: cuts that are too clever or on the nose or perfectly to music, unintentional jump cuts, star wipes (eh) – any kind of edit that reminds a person that editing has happened. I suppose it's extremely obvious to compare writing and editing since it's all storytelling, and often as an editor you actually ARE rewriting a thing someone said. Plus, how many times have you been searching for editing jobs online and found a bajillion copy editor gigs instead? Story is story and editing is editing, but some timeless wisdom has served me well in the edit suite lately. View 5 Comment(s) Art of the Edit Tutorials • Art of the Edit Forum Re: Article: Story Stuff Is Story Stuff by George Roulston 179864581 A musical analogy: J.S.Bach was the master of multipart contrapuntal compositions. As a pianist or organist has only so many fingers, his genius was to write just enough for each part (or musical thread) to enable the listener to construct complete musical themes from interwoven fragments. Editors are in a similar position. There is only so much screen time available to us and elaborating every detail in every storyline would bore the audience to tears. So we practitioners of the 'invisible art' must always be second-guessing our audience. Is this short scene enough? Will they understand the dilemma of our protagonist from this one close-up or do I need dialogue here? How do I convey the evolving relationship of two or more characters? 2-shots? Close-ups? Music? How much time do I want to spend setting the location? I've been doing this for twenty years now and still haven't found any simple answers. Every movie is a new adventure, I guess that's why I'm still doing it. Reply Like Re: Story Stuff Is Story Stuff by Stephen Menick 181526235 Smart stuff. Thank you. by Shawn Hare 181687240 Hi Kylee, Your article was thoughtful, well researched, and meaningful. Ray Bradbury claims to have never rewritten a single page of any of his novels. Quite frankly, in some instances (a la Something Wicked This Way Comes), it shows. While I enjoyed Fahrenheit 451, and some of the Martian Chronicles stories, there are equal numbers of stories by him that have been thoroughly disappointing, and it's precisely because he broke all of the rules that you centered upon. I believe that a good writer reads, re-reads, and reconsiders, and alters what (s)he has written, and thinks about the edit as (s)he goes along in the creation of the story, as much as a good director shoots for the edit to the best of his/her abilities. Getting the story across, as you said, without insulting the audience's intelligence, and moving the story forward -- not wasting a moment of precious, irreplaceable time, all the while working to create as invisible an edit as possible (unless you're actually aiming for an obviously edited piece ... though it certainly removes any possibility of story immersion and suspension of disbelief) should be the modus operandi. by Clay Couch 181708041 John Grisham would disagree :) Clay Couch buddy.couch@gmail.com @Clay Couch by Kylee Peña 181690603 Vonnegut: "The greatest American short story writer of my generation was Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964). She broke practically every one of my rules but the [one about not wasting time]. Great writers tend to do that." blog: kyleesportfolio.com/blog twitter: @kyl33t demo: kyleewall.com Stereo 3D Post Perfection for Russian War Epic Stalingrad Series: Editing and Editors Next: Editing Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons & Dragons Related Articles / Tutorials: Art of the Edit Kelley Slagle began her career in entertainment as an actor, so it’s not surprising the communal storytelling of Dungeons and Dragons caught her eye. She both edited and co-directed the prizewinning documentary "The Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons & Dragons", speaking to overe 40 artists across the 45-year span of the game's history. Creative COW Managing Editor Kylee Peña spoke to Kelley about the challenge of managing that much material into a 90-minute film, balancing indie filmmaking with the demands of a day job in video production, and the power of art to sustain a community. Feature, People / Interview Editing The Emmy Award-Winning Phenomenon, Wild Wild Country Wild Wild Country premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival to great acclaim, and when it hit Netflix a few months later, it quickly became a phenomenon, going on to win the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary of Nonfiction Series and netting editor Neil Meiklejohn an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming. Creative COW's Matt Latham spoke with Neil about managing a project of this scope, treating the eight parts as a single film rather than episodes, his use of Adobe Premiere Pro, workflows with visual effects and music, and much more, including career advice for aspiring editors. Matt Latham What It Takes to Edit Big TV Shows: This Guy Edits Sven Pape of "This Guy Edits" joins TV editor Josh Beal (House of Cards, Bloodline) for a close-up look at editing Season 2 of Counterpart, the Starz series starring JK Simmons in a dual role -- which is only the start of the challenges presented by this high-energy sci-fi thriller. Josh dives deep into storytelling techniques, workflow, teamwork, organization, and even offers some insights for people wondering how to get started as TV editors themselves. Sven Pape Writer-Director Vidhya Iyer: Parents, Children, & Brown Love Writer-director Vidhya Iyer is an Indian-Nigerian-American filmmaker, improv comic, AFI graduate, and CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) New Writers Fellow. Work on award-winning shorts has led to a comedy pilot called "PG 30" about authenticity, adult children learning to become honest with their parents, and the unique "brown love" between immigrant parents and their children. Creative COW Contributing Editor Clarence Deng explores all this and more, including the empowering community that grows up among filmmakers who are helping each other tell their truest stories. Clarence Deng The Top 5 Most Common Problems with Student Films What are the biggest mistakes of most student films? This "Science of Editing" episode may just have the answer. Join "This Guy Edits" Sven Pape and Macquarie University lecturer Dr. Karen Pearlman, author of "Cutting Rhythms: Intuitive Film Editing" and former President of the Australian Screen Editors Guild for a look at specific things to avoid to make your films your best. Editing Marvel's Black Panther: Debbie Berman ACE This is an epic tale spanning two decades, three countries, 12,000 miles -- and that's just the story of Debbie Berman, ACE, starting in reality TV and indie film in South Africa, making her way to Canada and then the US to edit Marvel's Spider-man: Homecoming and, most recently, Black Panther, already one of the most popular films of all time. In this exclusive interview with Creative COW Managing Editor Kylee Peña, Debbie talks about struggling toward US citizenship, a serendipitous meeting with an ambitious young director, helping to bring representation to the big screen and pride to her home country. People / Interview What Picasso Can Teach Us About Filmmaking Feature film editor Sven Pape takes a unique, entertaining look at Pablo Picasso's approach to art, and offers specific examples from a variety of movies, as well as Picasso's own advice. As Sven puts it, success requires action. Make a film. Fail. Then fail harder. Of course, Picasso and Sven have great advice for succeeding too! You'll get a kick out of this one. Tutorial, Feature Searching: Creating Cinematic Drama From Small Screen Trauma The thriller "Searching" takes place on computer screens, but no screen captures were made. Instead, the team built the individual elements in Adobe Illustrator, animated in Adobe After Effects, and edited those elements together with live action footage in Adobe Premiere Pro. Creative COW Managing Editor Kylee Peña spoke to editors Nick Johnson and Will Merrick about the extraordinary lengths they went to to create this exceptionally compelling big screen drama from the family crisis being played out on small screens before us. Cate Haight ACE on Editing The Sundance Hit Indie, Puzzle Cate Haight, ACE, has edited some of the most memorable films and television shows in the last few years. Her latest indie feature Puzzle -- which tells the story of a suburban mom who discovers a passion for competitive jigsaw puzzling -- debuted at Sundance Film Festival this year. Creative COW Contributing Editor Alee Caldwell sat down with Cate to talk about going to the fest, advocating for change, and putting together the pieces of Puzzle. Alee Caldwell Always Be Editing: Sculptors & Bricklayers Revisited Do you edit like a sculptor, or like a bricklayer? It seems a simple enough question, but as longtime editor, post house owner, and VFX software developer Simon Ubsdell shows, the implications for how this affects the way you edit can be profound. His advice, regardless of where you land on the spectrum? Always be editing. Simon Ubsdell © 2019 CreativeCOW.net All Rights Reserved	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1315
__label__wiki	0.52744	0.52744	The Club – Behind The Story 18 Friday Mar 2016 Posted by Kara Hunt in Book Showcase, Faith & You, Fiction Christian, Fiction, Karin Kaufman, mystery, neopaganism, new age, spiritual warfare, suspense, The Club, thriller, wicca This month’s suspense post showcased the supernatural Christian thriller novel, The Club by multi-published Christian author, Karin Kaufman. And as promised, here’s the story behind the story. And it’s just as thrilling as her novel. When I first planned the Anna Denning Mystery Series, I knew two things for certain: first, the series would be set in a Colorado mountain town, and second, the series’ protagonist would battle spiritual forces in the guise of “harmless” neopagan and new age practices. I live in Colorado and love the mountains—right now I’m blessed to live very close to the foothills—so the mountain setting was a no-brainer. (Besides, my favorite mysteries play out in isolated settings, and there’s nothing quite as isolated as a mountain town!) The protagonist who confronts neopaganism, wicca, and various new age practices? That aspect of my books come from my past, as a Christian who briefly, a long time ago, dipped her toe into wicca because, well, it seemed so appealing. I know the pitfalls, I know the dangers, and I have empathy for those who get sucked into the neopagan lifestyle. In fact, one of my returning characters, Jazmin Morningstar, is a wiccan, and I love writing about her. When people say God can use anything from your past, believe them! Still, I didn’t want my mysteries to be nothing more than anti-neopagan polemics. Anna Denning, my main character, isn’t shy about disliking practices that fall under the umbrella of neopaganism—in fact, some readers think she should be a little less outspoken, a little sweeter—but more than anything I want my books to be entertaining. I want them to be escapes—in all the best senses of the word. I want to take readers away to the Colorado mountains, give them a few hours of thrills and chills, and introduce them to characters I hope will become friends. The Club is the fourth book in the series, and as it opens, Anna Denning has been a widow for three years. In The Witch Tree, the first book in the series, she meets a man (Gene Westfall) and finds—much to her surprise—that she’s drawn to him, and he makes an appearance in the other books in the series too, but I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t go into details! But it’s been fun writing about two characters who take love, marriage, and Christian vows seriously. Because Anna is a genealogist, The Club (like my other mysteries) features past crimes and misdeeds come to life—or come, finally, to a come-uppance. Payback. The past never really dies, does it? One day there’s a reckoning. In the latest mystery, Anna takes her genealogy skills to a new level, this time working for the local police department. (If you’ve been reading the series, you just knew she had to make that leap, didn’t you?) As a consultant, she finds missing identities, missing relatives of murder victims, and, in The Club, a missing finger. Literally. I hope readers enjoy this latest book in my series. I loved writing it. I always love returning to Elk Park, my fictional (or is it?) mountain town, and reacquainting myself with the characters who call it home. Karin lives near the foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains with Dakota Grace, her energetic and lovable rescued rez dog. To find out more about Karin and her books, stop by and visit her Facebook author page, at http://www.facebook.com/#!/authorkarinkaufman, or on her website, at http://www.karinkaufman.com. Ready to pick up your copy of The Club? Amazon. Kobo. iBooks.Barnes and Noble. Upcoming Writing Contests! Posted by Kara Hunt in Fiction, News & Updates, News Updates, Non-Fiction, Writing Contests amwriting, Fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, short short story, writing contests Tethered by Letters’ Spring 2015 Short Story Contest We are currently accepting short stories of any genre ranging from 1,000 to 7,500 words. The short story contest winner will be published in F(r)iction. Five finalists will be considered for subsequent journal publications or a TBL online monthly feature. Each finalist will also receive free professional edits on their submission. International submissions welcome. Prize: $500 and publication in the quarterly journal Entry Fee: $15 per entry URL: http://tetheredbyletters.com/submissions/contest-submission Contact Info: Joe Reinis, jreinis@tetheredbyletters.com Tethered by Letters’ Spring 2015 Flash Fiction Contest We are currently accepting flash fiction submissions of 55, 250, or 500 words in length. The flash fiction contest winner will be published in F(r)iction. Three finalists will be considered for subsequent quarterly journal publications or a TBL online monthly feature. Each finalist will also receive free professional edits on their submission. International submissions welcome. Entry Fee: $7 per entry OR $15 for three entries Tethered by Letters’ Spring 2015 Poetry Contest We are currently accepting poetry submissions of all genres and styles—from traditional form to free verse. Length requirements are no more than three pages per poem, single-spaced with double spacing between stanzas. The poetry contest winner will be published in F(r)iction. Three finalists will be considered for subsequent quarterly journal publications or a TBL online monthly poetry feature. Each finalist will also receive free professional edits on their submission. International submissions welcome. The Drue Heinz Literature Prize Call for Submissions 2016 The University of Pittsburgh Press announces the 2016 Drue Heinz Literature Prize for a collection of short fiction. The prize carries a cash award of $15,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press under its standard contract. The winner will be announced in December or January. No information about the winner will be released before the official announcement. The volume of manuscripts prevents the Press from offering critiques or entering into communication or correspondence about manuscripts. Please do not call or e-mail the Press. 1. The award is open to writers who have published a novel, a book-length collection of fiction, or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals of national distribution. On-line publication and self-publication do not count toward this requirement. 2. The award is open to writers in English, whether or not they are citizens of the United States. 3. University of Pittsburgh employees, former employees, current students, and those who have been students within the last three years are not eligible for the award. 4. Translations are not eligible if the translation was not done by the author. 5. Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Manuscripts may be no fewer than 150 and no more than 300 typed pages. Prior publication of your manuscript as a whole in any format (including electronic) makes it ineligible. 6. Stories or novellas previously published in magazines or journals or in book form as part of an anthology are eligible. Dates for Submission Manuscripts must be received during May and June 2015. That is, they must be postmarked on or after May 1 and on or before June 30. Send submissions to: Drue Heinz Literature Prize University of Pittsburgh Press 7500 Thomas Blvd. If you have any questions about these guidelines, please e-mail info@upress.pitt.edu Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize A $12,000 advance and publication by Graywolf will be awarded to the most promising and innovative literary nonfiction project by a writer not yet established in the genre. The next prize will be awarded to a manuscript in progress. We request that authors send a long sample from their manuscript, as well as a description of the work, as detailed below. We expect that we will work with the winner of the prize and provide editorial guidance toward the completion of the project. The Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize emphasizes innovation in form, and we want to see projects that test the boundaries of literary nonfiction. We are less interested in straightforward memoirs, and we turn down a large number of them every year. Before submitting your manuscript for the prize, please look at the books previously published as winners of the prize for examples of the type of work that we are seeking. Brigid Hughes, founding editor of A Public Space, will judge the prize. The Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize seeks to acknowledge—and honor—the great traditions of literary nonfiction. Whether grounded in observation, autobiography, or research, much of the most beautiful, daring, and original writing over the past few decades can be categorized as nonfiction. Submissions to the prize might span memoir, biography, or history. Eligibility: Any writer who has published at least one previous book (in any genre) and resides in the United States is eligible. We will consider one submission per person. Graywolf’s editors and the prize judge reserve the right to invite submissions. Agented submissions are also welcome. Manuscripts submitted for previous years’ prizes will not be reconsidered unless resubmission has been specifically requested by Graywolf’s editors or the judge. Timeline: Only electronic submissions will be considered. The online submission manager will be open for Nonfiction Prize submissions during the submission month only. The last submission month for the prize was May 2014. The next submission period will be posted once that announcement has been made. Deadline – Annually in May. Follow this blog and stay updated on the Graywolf Press 2015 submission period and further announcements on more upcoming writers contests. Kara loves to read and write supernatural suspense thrillers and is an ACFW Genesis 2013 Finalist in the Mystery/Suspense/Thriller category. But Kara also loves to share stories about God’s love, mercy and faithfulness. Kara will share more books and thoughts about faith and God’s unending mercy in bi-monthly posts on this site. Trusting The Original Story Teller Posted by Kara Hunt in ACFW, Faith & You, Writing Inspirational Fiction Christian Fiction, faith, Fiction, God, trust, writing God is not only the Creator of all that exists, He’s also the Master Author of our lives. We may be familiar with how our life stories began, but only He knows the entire character arc our lives will take. He knows how much to show us and how much to tell us. He knows what type of protagonist we’ll be and if we’ll be victorious over the obstacles thrown at us by the fiery antagonist. He knows the choices we’ll need to make, and the consequences if we choose unwisely. But Hebrews 12:2 also reminds us that He’s the Author of our faith as well. God’s in the faith business and so are we when we write to glorify Him. He’s the original Story Teller. The Author of All. And if we trust Him, He’ll also be our Divine Agent. We can then rest assured that He’ll make the necessary preparations for us to succeed in our walk with Him and our writing career. But that takes faith. Faith in the stories God has given us. Faith for the right words to tell it, and faith that we’ll be able to see it through without losing our minds. But more importantly, faith that our fictional stories will mimic our true life stories and bring those who read it one step closer to Him. One page at a time. Because at the end of every story, fictional or otherwise, that’s all that really matters. – Kara R. Hunt ACFW’s November 2013 New Releases!!!! ACFW, Amish, Christian, Fiction, fiction books, inspirational, mystery, Romance, suspense November 2013 New Releases A Marriage in Middlebury by Anita Higman — A Marriage in Middlebury is a love story, but it’s also a story about the complex, quirky, and sometimes prickly interworkings of the folks who frequent the local tearoom in Middlebury, Texas. (Contemporary Romance from Abingdon Press) The Christmas Promise by Kimberly Rose Johnson — Dr. Pete Harding doesn’t date single moms, no matter how lovely Keira Noble’s smile, or how adorable her four-year-old son. He’s been down that road before and knows it can lead to a broken heart. But that doesn’t mean he can’t help the pretty widow find a puppy to put under the Christmas tree for her son…. Pete claims he only wants to help her find the perfect gift for Cody. Yet Keira can’t deny the tender feelings in his eyes whenever he looks at her. Could this handsome Scrooge have a change of heart, and create a new family for Christmas? (Contemporary Romance from Heartsong Presents) Silver Bells by Deobrah Raney — As Elvis croons from the radio and Christmas descends upon a small Kansas town, two people find the miracle of love. (Contemporary Romance from Summerside Press [Guideposts]) Rodeo Queen by Shannon Taylor Vannatter — When her safe life is shattered by danger, can he protect her long enough to reclaim her heart? (Contemporary Romance from Heartsong Presents) Plain Peace by Beth Wiseman — Anna’s grandfather seems determined to ruin her Rumspringa . . . and any hopes she has of finding a husband. (Contemporary Romance from Thomas Nelson) Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay — Samantha Moore must stop hiding behind literary characters, such as Elizabeth Bennet and Jane Eyre, in order to find her true self and true love. (Contemporary from Thomas Nelson) Aloha Rose by Lisa Carter — Can Laney overcome her fears of rejection and Kai move past the tragedies of the past to find in each other more than they ever dreamed? (Romance from Abingdon Press) By the Waters of Kadesh by Carole Towriss — Moses sends spies to explore the mysterious land of Canaan, but when ten of the twelve return with a bad report, all Israel, including a former Egyptian soldier and a young widow, must deal with the unexpected and terrifying fallout. (Historical from DeWard Publishing) Middle Grade: Hear No Evil by Mary L. Hamilton— Summer camp is no fun for Brady McCaul. The girl with the cute dimples thinks he’s immature and childish. The camp bully targets him with cruel taunts and teasing, and flips Brady’s canoe to keep him from winning the race. But worst of all, his mom won’t let him come home. She doesn’t want him living with her anymore. Brady wonders if even God cares about him. Can Brady figure out what he did to earn Mom’s rejection and change her mind by week’s end? Or will he have to live with his workaholic dad, the guy who left when Brady was seven? (Middle-Grade from HopeSprings Books) Suspense/Thriller: The Truth Revealed by Deborah Lynne — The Truth Revealed is a suspenseful page turner about two missing kids and Samantha Cain is trying to help find them before their time runs out. (Suspense/Thriller from OakTara) Outcasts (The Safe Lands) by Jill Williamson — The remnant from Glenrock is now living as rebels within the Safe Lands, looking for a way to find purpose in their lives. When a young rebel is murdered and his death points to a rebel leader, it’s hard to know who to trust. Levi tries to organize a plan to free the children and fights for respect as elder over those who’d rather go their own way. Omar tries to change his image of a traitor by donning a costume and going out into the night as a vigilante hero. And Mason stumbles onto a shocking secret about the Safe Lands meds, but his investigation just might get them all liberated. (Young Adult from Zondervan) Pre-Conference Mix and Mingle Posted by Kara Hunt in ACFW, News & Updates 2013, ACFW, ACFW Genesis, Arts, Author, books, Christian, Christian Fiction, Christianity, Fiction, Genesis contest, God, Historical, inspirational fiction, Jesus Laurie Tomlinson, fellow ACFW member and 2013 Genesis Finalist, had the great idea of having a pre-conference mix and mingle for those going to the 2013 ACFW Conference. What a great idea to be able to meet people before actually meeting them in person! It’s a few questions designed to help people put names with faces, get to know a little bit about their writing, and break the ice before Indianapolis. – Fill out your own answers (you don’t have to answer all of them!) in a post on your own website and paste the URL to that post (not your home page) using this handy link-up tool. If you don’t have a website, feel free to answer the questions in the comments below! – Make sure to link back to this post after you fill out your answers so any of your readers who are conference attendees can participate, too! The more, the merrier. Okay, so here are her questions and my answers! Name: Kara Hunt What you write/tagline: Suspense / “Some wounds refuse to be healed.” Place in the book world: 2013 ACFW Genesis Finalist in the Suspense/Mystery/Thriller category and 2012 Semi-Finalist in ACFW’s Genesis for my submission in the Women’s Fiction category. On a scale of hugger to 10-foot-pole, please rate your personal space: Hugger!! The unique talking point that will get you going for hours: World events People at home you’ll be missing: My hubby Curt, my two adult sons, Blake and Stone, and Zeke our outrageously spoiled beagle mix. Conference goals we can pray for? That God’s will will be done at conference, not mine. Up for any contests/awards? Yep!!! Any disclosures, disclaimers, or crucial information we must know? Yes. I love Strawberry Twizzlers and Ginger ale. Please don’t be alarmed if you see gobs of them threatening to fall to the floor from my over-stuffed purse! Find out more about this mix and mingle at http://www.laurietomlinson.com/a-pre-conference-mix-and-mingle/#comment-252 Fear, God & the Blank Page Posted by Kara Hunt in Uncategorized, Writing Christian Fiction Christian, Christian Fiction, Christian novel, Christianity, Fiction, God, inspirational fiction “And I will give you rest.” ~ Matthew 11:28 KJV Does staring at the blank page of your new manuscript cause confusion, anxiety or fear? Don’t let the enemy torture you with it any longer. Turn to the Savior and ask Him to give you the words to share and a vision for the story He wants to be told through you. He has promised to give us rest – freedom from everything that wearies and disturbs us. And that includes the fear of the dreaded blank page. Give Him your story and your fears. You will never regret it. New ACFW Book Releases for August 2013! 2013, ACFW, Amish, books, Christ, Christian, Christian Fiction, contemporary women's fiction, faith, faithfulness, Fiction, fiction with faith, Forgiveness, God, help, Historical, Historical romance, historicals, hope, humor, inspirational, inspirational fiction, Jesus, love, mysteries, new releases, redemption, Romance, sins, suspense, thrillers Bride Wanted by Renee Andrews Troy Lee has been writing letters to his future bride since he was a boy. Still, she’s never been more than words on a page…until now. When he meets Destiny Porter, he thinks he may have finally found the woman he’s been waiting for. But Destiny came to Claremont with a single purpose-to get Troy’s permission to print his letters in her magazine. Yet once she lays eyes on the handsome Southern man, Destiny knows she’s in trouble. She can’t help dreaming about being Troy’s bride. But will he still want to be her groom when he finds out who she really is? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired) Healing Hearts by Margaret Daley — After surviving a tragic accident, little Madison Winters is in desperate need of comfort. And social worker Abbey Harris has the perfect solution. With the help of her cherished therapy dogs, Gabe and Cottonball, Abbey soon coaxes a smile from Madi-and her workaholic guardian. Dominic Winters is heartbreakingly handsome and is hurting just as much as Madi. But it might take more than wagging tails to get the brooding businessman to open his heart. With the help of a matchmaking little girl and two sweet dogs, Abbey and Dominic may get a second chance at love. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired) Bless Her Heart: Class Reunion Series by Debby Mayne — As Priscilla Slater’s 15-year class reunion approaches, she decides to attend out of curiosity… and to flaunt her latest achievement-taking her business to a national level with the possibility of a TV show. As if getting ready for the event and putting up with the pranks of her former classmates isn’t enough, Pricilla’s hometown visit is further complicated by her parents’ separation. Eager to escape the painful reality of her childhood home, Priscilla bolts as soon as a call from New York brings good news. But returning to New York means returning to Tim, Priscilla’s best friend and business pal who has been impatiently suggesting their relationship should be more than a friendship. (Contemporary Women’s Fiction from Abingdon Press) General Contemporary: This Dance by Jerusha Agen — When tango dancer Nye Sanders lost what she loved most, she thought she would never survive the agony. Two years later, Nye has learned to live with the pain. She has a new career and life that have nothing to do with the world and faith she left behind. Not about to repeat mistakes of the past, Nye thinks she can dictate a painless future by staying within the walls of her emotional defenses. She doesn’t plan to meet a handsome lawyer or an elderly landowner-two men who will make her face love and the God she can’t forgive. (Contemporary from Write Integrity Press) General Historical: Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma — In the twilight of the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands, the Germans have taken everything Cornelia had to give, even what was most precious to her. Now Gerrit Laninga-a man who puts God and country above all else-arrives at her house, needing help. She is terrified for herself and terrified for her family, but most of all, terrified of the pain she might feel again if she allows herself to love Gerrit. Cornelia must decide if saving a stranger’s life is worth risking her own. (Historical from Thomas Nelson) Shenandoah Crossings by Lisa Belcastro — Journey back in time with Tess Roberts as she seeks adventure on the high seas during the American Revolution hoping to escape the heartache of her present-day life. Her plans go awry when the one man she’d hoped to leave behind tracks her down with every intention of forcing her to his will. (Historical Romance from OakTara) Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden — After her father’s death, Mollie Knox takes over his watchmaking company and uses her head for business to solidify the good name of the 57th Illinois Watch Company. Her future looks bright until the night her beloved city is destroyed in the legendary Great Chicago Fire. With her world crumbling around her, Molly must do whatever it takes to save her company in the aftermath of the devastating fire. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker]) The Farmer’s Bride Collection by Debby Mayne, DiAnn Mills, Susan K. Downs, JoAnn A. Grote, and Ellen Edwards Kennedy — Love is in season as you journey into rural America’s history and witness the harvest of romance through six delightful stories. From Minnesota to Florida, New York to Kansas, and Ohio to Louisiana, heroic men and women make sacrifices in order to create a home, nurture the crops, and secure a future for the next generation, but sometime romance is almost an afterthought. Can love also grow down on the farm? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing) Fired Up by Mary Connealy — While someone’s trying to make Dr. Dare Riker go up in smoke, Glynna Greer, the diner cook who turns every meal into a burnt offering and the overworked doctor are firing up a romance that might end up burning them both. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker]) Pattern for Romance by Carla Olson Gade — Honour Metcalf’s quilting needlework is admired by a wealthy customer of the Boston Mantua-maker for whom she works. In need of increasing her earnings, she agrees to create an elaborate white work bridal quilt for the dowager’s niece. A beautiful design emerges as she carefully stitches the intricate patterns and she begins to dream of fashioning a wedding quilt of her own. When Honour is falsely accused of thievery and finds herself in a perilous position, merchant tailor Joshua Sutton comes to her aid. (Historical Romance from Abingdon Press) On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin — Homesick WWII flight nurse Lt. Georgie Taylor arrives in Sicily and strikes up a friendship with Sgt. John Hutchinson, who longs to become one of the Army’s first pharmacy officers. When Georgie and Hutch’s lives back home fall apart, can they weather the hurt and betrayal? Or will the pressures of war destroy the fragile connection they’ve made? (Historical Romance from Revell [Baker]) Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White — The daughter of a British general, Gwyneth Fairchild barely saves her life by fleeing London aboard a ship to America. Her goal is to find refuge with the Lane family in Maryland, having been told by her father she could trust them. After meeting their son, Thad Lane, she wonders how safe she truly is when she discovers that they trade in a dangerous commodity–espionage. Not long after Gwyneth finds refuge in his city, Thad Lane experiences the tug of love, though he fears it may blur lines of loyalty. But at this moment, with the British advancing on Washington and Baltimore, they have only their shared faith in God as a shield about them. (Historical Romance from Harvest House) Roping the Wrangler by Lacy Williams — Schoolmarm Sarah Hansen longs for a family of her own. But horse trainer Oscar White is the last man she’d consider. Still, she can’t help noticing the care he shows three motherless girls and the gentle way he helps Sarah overcome her fear of horses. Too bossy by half-that’s the Sarah that Oscar remembers from their teenage years. Yet as a former orphan, he finds the little Caldwell sisters-and their pretty teacher-getting under his skin. Could the tender heart Sarah’s always hidden tame a once-reckless wrangler? (Historical Romance from Love Inspired) Millie’s Treasure by Kathleen Y’Barbo — From their first meeting atop the Memphis Cotton exchange, where Pinkerton/inventor Kyle Russell is testing his flying machine, to their pursuit of pirate treasure and the escaped criminal Will Tucker, the Pinkerton and his Memphis belle find solving puzzles to be the least of their challenges in this historical romance with a dash of Southern Steampunk. (Historical Romance from Harvest House) Historical Suspense and Mystery: Rules of Murder by Julianna Deering — Drew Farthering, mystery lover and heir to the family manner, has to track down a killer and win the heart of American debutante, Madeline Parker. (Historical Mystery from Bethany House [Baker]) Dark Road Home by Elizabeth Ludwig — Ana Kavanagh’s only memories of home are of fire and pain. As a girl she was the only survivor of a terrible blaze, and years later she still struggles with her anger at God for letting it happen. At a nearby parish she meets and finds a kindred spirit in Eoghan Hamilton, who is struggling with his own anger–his sister, Cara, betrayed him by falling in love with one of his enemies. Cast aside by everyone, Eoghan longs to rejoin the Fenians, a shadowy organization pushing for change back in Ireland. But gaining their trust requires doing some favors–all of which seem to lead back to Ana. Who is she and who is searching for her? (Historical Suspense from Bethany House [Baker]) Carolina Reckoning by Lisa Carter — When 30-something housewife, Alison Monaghan discovers proof of her husband’s infidelity in a photograph with a mysterious woman, she must decide how to confront Frank when he returns home from work. But Alison may not get that chance. Frank never makes it home. And now she is the chief suspect in his murder. (Romantic Suspense from Abingdon Press) Fatal Inheritance by Sandra Orchard — In the face of mounting threats, a grieving granddaughter fights to hold fast to the family farmhouse she’s inherited, but can her childhood-crush-turned-cop help her find her way home? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired) Dangerous Waters by Sandra Robbins A young woman seeks the help of her former fiancé to solve the nineteen-year-old cold case of her parents’ murder. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired) Memory’s Door by James L. Rubart — The prophecy brought them together. But the Wolf has risen, and now their greatest battle begins. The four members of Warriors Riding have learned to wage war in the supernatural, to send their spirits inside people’s souls, to battle demonic forces, and to bring deep healing to those around them. But they are all struggling. Now the second part of the prophecy has come true. The Wolf is hunting them and has set his trap. He circles, feeding on his supernatural hate of all they stand for. And he won’t stop until he brings utter destruction to their bodies . . . and their souls. (Contemporary Suspense from Thomas Nelson) Dark Halo by Shannon Dittemore — One halo brought sight to Brielle; another offers sweet relief from what she sees. (Young Adult from Thomas Nelson) ACFW, ACFW Genesis, Christian, Christian Fiction, Christian novel, Christianity, Fiction, God, inspirational fiction, new releases, writing Children’s Books: The Blessings Jar: A Story About Being Thankful by Colleen Coble Alexa Grace is having a bad day, but then Grandma arrives with something special for “Grandma’s Little Punky Grace”-an Ebenezer jar that she thinks is very peculiar. Grandma explains that an Ebenezer is a “stone of help” and represents God’s blessings. Alexa Grace wonders if she can fill the jar with some of God’s blessings. She goes on the hunt with her furry Newfoundland puppy and Grandma, and Alexa Grace’s new blessing jar soon overflows with God’s wonders. (Children’s Book from Thomas Nelson) Romance Releases: Charisse by Fay Lamb — He wants a family. She wants retribution. Charisse Wellman’s husband has been gone a year, and she’s about to lose the only home her son, V.J., has ever known. She’s quit law school but the money just isn’t there. Her only option is to work as a law clerk for her ex-friend, Gideon Tabor. The only problem: Gideon is the judge who let her husband’s killer go free, and Gideon doesn’t know the connection. (Contemporary Romance from Write Integrity Press) A Wedding for Julia by Vannetta Chapman — Julia Beechy is so stunned, she can hardly breathe. Her mother’s announcement that she must either marry or move from the family home upon her mother’s imminent death catches Julia by surprise. How can she leave the only home she has ever known? What about her dream of opening her own Plain café? When Caleb Zook offers support, comfort, and a solution, Julia is afraid to accept it. Can she marry someone she barely knows? Is it the right thing to do? Is this God’s plan for her future? Caleb thought his time for marrying was long past, but he feels a stirring in his heart he cannot shake for this beautiful, forlorn woman. Amid the circumstances of this life-altering decision, the people of Pebble Creek weather the worst storm to hit Wisconsin in the last hundred years. Where will Julia and Caleb be on the other side of it? (Contemporary Romance from Harvest House) Rodeo Regrets by Shannon Taylor Vannatter — A spoiled rich girl spends years lassoing one cowboy after another with no strings attached until she runs into the man who broke her heart. (Contemporary Romance from Heartsong Presents) Cooking Up Love by Cynthia Hickey — Tabitha McClelland knows accepting a job as a Harvey House waitress can be risky. Traveling alone to the rough-and-tumble West just isn’t done by young ladies of good breeding. But far more dangerous is her powerful attraction to Adam Foster. Family means everything to the widowed chef, but the self-sufficient Tabitha cherishes her freedom above all else. Adam is captivated by the fiercely independent Tabitha. Fraternizing with the female employees is strictly forbidden, but the Harvey Girl awakens feelings too compelling to ignore. Can Adam convince Tabby to share his dream of a future in California-together? (Historical Romance from Heartsong Presents) Courted by a Cowboy by Lacy Williams — Sam Castlerock’s return to Bear Creek, Wyoming, may be the answer to Emily Sands’s prayers. Though she’s not the kind of girl to rely on anyone else, the handsome cowboy-turned-banker may be able to get her family a much-needed extension on their loan. But Sam also reminds Emily of her dreams of a husband and family of her own. (Historical Romance from Love Inspired) Mistaken by Karen Barnett — Since booze and prohibition have made criminals out of every man in her world, Laurie Burke resolves to find at least one honorable man to fill her life. Convinced that handsome newcomer Daniel Shepherd is connected with her brother’s rum-running gang, Laurie quickly scratches his name off her list. Daniel has mixed feelings about returning to the dirty mill town of his youth, but grudgingly agrees to manage his grandfather’s drug store until a replacement can be found. The moment he meets Laurie on the windswept bluff overlooking the beach, he knows that if he can earn her love, he might have a reason to stay. (Historical Romance from Abingdon Press) Whispers on the Prairie by Vickie McDonough — Sarah Marshall just wants to go home. It wasn’t her idea to leave Chicago and head west in search of gold, but her uncle’s ambition left her no choice. Neither was her intention to settle in Kansas City with her ailing aunt, but being penniless and without possessions brings little bargaining power. Ethan Harper, the youngest of three brothers, enjoys a peaceful existence helping run his family’s stage shop along the Santa Fe Trail. Only one cloud continues to darken his horizon-guilt over the tragic death of his oldest brother’s wife. The only acceptable penance Ethan can think of is finding another woman to marry his brother and help raise his motherless children. A match so incompatible, it just might work. (Historical Romance from Whitaker House) Small Town Girl: A Novel by Ann H. Gabhart — Kate Merritt worries love’s passing her by until Jay Tanner shows up to charm her hesitant heart. (Historical Romance from Revell [Baker]) Romantic Suspense Releases: Jungle Fire by Dana Mentink — The deadliest animal in the jungle is the two legged kind as missionary nurse Truman is about to find out. (Romantic Suspense from River North [Moody]) Rosemary Cottage (The Hope Beach Series) by Colleen Coble — Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve, to heal, maybe even find love. But there’s a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island . . . The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community. It’s always been a refuge for her and her family. She also wants to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder. (Romantic Suspense from Thomas Nelson) Fiery Secrets by Stephanie McCall Dr. Grace Taylor, a driven pediatrician and single mom, needs divine intervention if she’s going to heal from the actions of her cheating, abusive ex-husband. But she never thought God would work through Chris Anderson, a tutor at the local learning center whose secrets keep him from opening up to her. Both Grace and Chris have been asked to walk through their trial by fire; they’ve come out alive, but they still smell like smoke. (Romantic Suspense from HopeSprings Books) Historical Biblical Fiction Release: Harvest of Gold by Tessa Afshar — An arranged marriage. A man whose heart is closed to love. A king whose life hangs in the balance. A nation on the brink of annihilation. Sarah and Darius’s story continues in this long-awaited sequel to Harvest of Rubies. Fighting impossible odds, Sarah and Darius have to overcome the enemy against the king, against Jerusalem, against their marriage, and against their souls. Will they finally learn to love and trust one another? The prophet Nehemiah tries to help the struggling couple while rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The only problem is that he comes under constant attack. Will he overcome? (Biblical Fiction from River North [Moody]) June 2013 ACFW New Releases! ACFW, Christian, Fiction, inspirational, inspirational fiction, June releases, new releases A Bride for All Seasons by Robin Lee Hatcher, Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, and Mary Connealy — 1800s mail-order bride catalogs facilitated many happy marriages. Here are the stories of four couples who owe their wedded bliss to creative editing by The Hitching Post publisher. (Historical Romance Novella from Thomas Nelson). Pieces of the Heart: Quilts of Love Series by Bonnie S. Calhoun — Cordelia Grace watched Bernard Howard, the love of her young life, go off to fight for our country in WWII. And she has spent the last three years creating the Pine Cone quilt that will grace their marriage bed when he comes home. Her image of their “happy-ever-after” grows proportionally as the quilt expands. But is the man that returns from the war, the same man that she remembered? Are the dark shades of color that she had to use for the outside edges of the beloved quilt prophetic of her life to come? (Historical Romance from Abingdon Press). Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer — Abducted from a train by a gang of aging outlaws, Crockett Archer must choose between either escaping to follow his own dreams or staying to help the daughter of his captor fulfill hers. (Historical Romance from Bethany House). Blowing on Dandelions by Miralee Ferrell — In 1880, three years after Katherine Galloway’s husband’s death, she struggles to run an Oregon boardinghouse and raise two girls alone. Things don’t get easier when her critical, domineering mother moves in. And with a daughter entering the teenage years, the pressure on Katherine becomes close to overwhelming. Then she crosses paths with Micah Jacobs, a widower who could reignite her heart. (Historical Romance from David C. Cook). Trouble in Store by Carol Cox — Fired from her most recent governess position, Melanie Ross must embrace her last resort: the Arizona mercantile she inherited from her cousin. But Caleb Nelson is positive he inherited the mercantile, and he’s not about to let an obstinate woman with newfangled ideas ruin all he’s worked for. But someone else doesn’t want the mercantile to succeed, and threatening words have escalated into destruction and danger. (Historical Romance from Bethany House) Grace’s Pictures by Cindy Thomson — Grace McCaffery hopes that the bustling streets of New York hold all the promise that the lush hills of Ireland did not. As her efforts to earn enough money to bring her mother to America fail, she wonders if her new Brownie camera could be the answer. But a casual stroll through a beautiful New York City park turns into a hostile run-in with local gangsters, who are convinced her camera holds the first and only photos of their elusive leader. Spread thin between her quest to rescue her mother, do well in a new nanny job, and avoid the gang intent on intimidating her, Grace must put her faith in unlikely sources to learn the true meaning of courage and forgiveness. (Historical Romance from Tyndale House) Restoring His Heart by Lorraine Beatty — A Love to Build On. After he crashed his sportscar into a gazebo, Adam Holbrook is sentenced to 30 days rebuilding it – definitely not Adam’s usual glamorous lifestyle. But when Laura Durrant, the contractor scheduled to help him, shows up, everything changes. Suddenly, Adam woudn’t mind an extended sentence. And no one’s more surprised in this change in attitude than Adam. As they work amid the dust and sweat, Laura teaches him about more than carpentry. she teaches him everything he’s missed out on – a family, a relationship with God… and maybe even love. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired) Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter — In the years since her twin brother’s tragic drowning, Madison has struggled with her ability to trust God-or anyone else, for that matter. It was her brother’s dream to win the annual River Sail Regatta in their small harbor town of Chapel Springs, Indiana. And Madison’s determined to honor his legacy by making his dream her own. But learning to sail means learning to swim. And her instructor is Beckett O’Reilly. As much as she’d like to deny it, the chemistry between them is electrifying. As her feelings for him grow, a fledging faith begins to take root in her soul, as well. But Beckett harbors a secret that will test the limits of their love and the depth of Madison’s faith. (Contemporary Romance from Thomas Nelson) Yesterday’s Stardust by Becky Melby — Journalist Dani Gallagher finds a tattered diary written in the Roaring Twenties-and clues to a lost treasure. Chef Nicky Fiorini helps unravel the clues, and attraction ignites, but Dani is hiding her own secret. Just as she and Nicky are on the verge of solving the mystery, internal fighting breaks out in the gang. Dani is caught the middle, and Nicky is furious. Then the diary leads to a hidden room and a shocking discovery, but have they missed the real treasure? (Contemporary Romance from Barbour Publishing) Guarding the Witness by Margaret Daley — Arianna Jackson was used to guarding people, but because she saw something she shouldn’t, she ends up being protected by a U.S. Marshal. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired) Stolen Identity by Lisa Harris — Danielle Corbit doesn’t understand why someone would want to steal her identity. But after discovering a dead body on the Oregon coastline she’s attacked by a dangerous hacker who will stop at nothing to frame her. Only her former fiance, Jason Ryan, is willing to help. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired). Plain Pursuit by Alison Stone When her brother is killed in a small Amish town, Anna Quinn discovers she’s an unwelcome outsider. But the FBI agent investigating the case is right at home–because Eli Miller was born and raised in Apple Creek’s Plain community. Eli left his Amish faith behind long ago, but his heart is rooted in a local cold case he can’t forget–a mystery with strange connections to Anna’s loss. Desperate to uncover the truth, Anna and Eli are faced with stony silences and secrets…secrets that someone wants to keep buried in the past. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired). Suspense/Mystery Releases: The Good Girl by Christy Barritt — The only time Tara Lancaster missed church was at seventeen because she had pneumonia and her mom made her stay home. But when her life shatters around her and her reputation is left in ruins, Tara decides escape is the only option. She flees halfway across the country to dog-sit, but the quiet anonymity she needs isn’t waiting in her sister’s house. Instead she finds a knife with a threatening message, a fame-hungry friend, a too-hunky neighbor, and evidence of…a ghost? Following all the rules has gotten her nowhere. And nothing she learned in Sunday School can tell her where to go from there. (Thriller/Suspense from Whitefire Publishing). Dog Tags by Heidi Glick — A former Marine determines to protect the woman he loves at all costs, and yet his own secrets might turn her against him forever. (Thriller/Suspense from Harbourlight Books). Fear Has a Name by Creston Mapes — Journalist Jack Crittendon fights to protect his family from a stalker’s terrifying schemes, investigates a pastor’s mysterious disappearance, and struggles to keep his faith amidst unthinkable fear. (Contemporary Thriller/Suspense from David C. Cook). Deadly Devotion by Sandra Orchard — Research scientist Kate Adams and her colleague Daisy are on the brink of a breakthrough for treating depression with herbal medicine when Daisy suddenly dies. Kate knows that if it hadn’t been for Daisy’s mentorship, she wouldn’t have the job she loves or the faith she clings to. So when police rule Daisy’s death a suicide, Kate is determined to unearth the truth. Former FBI agent Tom Parker finds it hard to adjust to life back in his hometown of Port Aster. Tom’s just trying to keep a low profile, so when Kate Adams demands he reopen the investigation of her friend’s death, he knows his job is at stake. In fact, despite his attraction to her, Tom thinks Kate looks a bit suspicious herself. (Mystery from Revell [Baker]). Historical Releases (not romance): A Heart Deceived by Michelle Griep — In this Regency historical romance, an opium addict bent on his next fix finds God through John Newton, and to avoid prison for a murder he didn’t commit, runs to the sister of his best friend for help-only her brother is the one he is accused of killing. (General Historical from David C. Cook). The Well: A Novel by Stephanie Landsem — Mara is a desperate Samaritan girl searching for a miracle to save her dying mother, a journey that brings her unexpected joy and a heartbreaking decision. (General Historical from Howard [Simon and Schuster]). General Contemporary Releases: In Plain View (Valley of Choice) by Olivia Newport — Annie Friesen has walked away from a successful career to live among the Amish-which turns out to be harder than she thought. (General Contemporary from Barbour Publishing). Pretty is as Pretty Does: Class Reunion by Debby Mayne — Priscilla Slater goes to her ten-year high school reunion with equal parts dread and eager anticipation. Even though she’s a successful owner of a chain of hair salons, she still feels like the ugly duckling. But when she arrives at the reunion, Priscilla soon realizes that her old classmates aren’t exactly as she remembers them. With humor and a just a touch of sassiness, Priscilla finds herself facing her own truth-and she may be surprised at what she discovers. (General Contemporary from Abingdon Press).	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1319
__label__wiki	0.997834	0.997834	Judge rules on Death of Raumati Beach Pedestrian Prominent Kapiti Lawyer Peter Foster says client has a momentary lapse of judgement and a good man dies. Peter John Porch appeared for sentencing in the Porirua District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to careless driving causing the death of 91 year old Eric Pickering at Raumati Beach. Back in March Mr Pickering was on his way to the local bakery in the morning when he was fatally hit by Mr Porch's car which was travelling at low speed. Mr Porch, 39, was turning in a wide arc on the road when he hit Mr Pickering who was knocked to the ground and run over by the car that was going less than 10km/h on March 30. He died at the scene. Mr Porch's lawyer, Peter Foster, told the court his client was on his way to work in Raumati Beach. He says his client moved into the driveway of the property that he was working at. He saw a car there, went left instead in a big, wide arc. On his left was Mr Pickering. Judge James Johnston said Mr Pickering's leg was caught by the front left tyre of the car, knocking him to the ground. He says Mr Porch drove directly over Mr Pickering before coming to a stop. An innocent life lost and a resulting shattered family. A report from the Serious Crash Unit said Mr Porch would only have been driving between 9.2-9.3km/h when he hit Pickering. CPR was carried out on Pickering, but he could not be revived and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Foster says Mr Porch pleaded guilty at the very, very earliest opportunity to careless driving causing death. "These cases are the sort of sentencings where a good person like Mr Porch has a momentary lapse of judgement and a good man dies," Foster said. "The effect on everybody is profound." Mr Foster says there was a Restorative Justice meeting between Mr Porch and Mr Pickering's family, and a report of the meeting displayed emotion, sadness, remorse, and forgiveness. "His remorse just shines through in every aspect of this case, and there's no doubt about that." Judge Johnston said the court was humbled by the compassion and understanding of Pickering's family. He found special reasons by the slimmest of margins to not impose the mandatory driving disqualification period of six months. The reasons included that it was a misty morning, Mr Pickering had been wearing clothing that blended into the nearby gravel, and that the matter occurred at low speed. Judge Johnston instead sentenced Mr Porch to three months of disqualification from holding or obtaining a driver's licence, 180 hours of community work, and ordered him to pay $3000 reparation.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1322
__label__cc	0.605207	0.394793	The scientists at the Institute for Creation Research made great headway in 2018. Below are some of the projects ICR scientists worked on this past year. Understanding the Ice Age ICR physicist Dr. Jake Hebert’s research continued to refute the astronomical ice age theory. The supposed correlation supporting it in the well-known 1976 paper “Variations in the Earth’s Orbit: Pacemaker of the Ice Ages” depended on an age assignment of 700,000 years for the most recent reversal of Earth’s magnetic field. When secular scientists changed that to 780,000 years, they unwittingly melted their own Ice Age story. After toppling this iconic old-earth argument, Dr. Hebert plans to continue his climate studies, including the climate of the pre-Flood world. Early Flood Sediments Creation scientists have long speculated on how certain rock layers may correlate with the stages of Noah’s Flood. ICR geologist Dr. Tim Clarey compiled stratigraphic columns using oil well and seismic data from three continents in search of global sediment patterns. The first megasequence rock stack, the Sauk, doesn’t cover pre-Flood ground at all. Deposited early in the Flood year, the Sauk likely represents the effects of tsunamis that transported and deposited sediment across pre-Flood shallow seas and not across land masses. This helps explain why so few, if any, land creature fossils occur in Sauk Megasequence rocks. Rapid Limestone Deposits Match the Flood Dr. Clarey’s further research continues to show that contrary to textbook tradition, Earth’s limestone rock layers weren’t laid down slowly over eons. Instead, virtually all sedimentary layers, including mudstones, were deposited by rapid water movement. Secular scientists should reevaluate their adherence to slow processes so they can see how catastrophic processes better explain Earth’s geological history. Palo Duro Canyon’s Flood Rocks Texas’ Palo Duro Canyon is second in size only to Grand Canyon in the U.S. Flat-lying rock layers stack on top of each other for many miles in all directions. They show no erosion between the layers and thus are missing the time gaps proposed by evolutionary scientists, who want to insert millions of years between each layer. The Ogallala Formation covers about 174,000 square miles across eight states. It’s so evenly spread that it would have required fast-moving water over a huge area, likely from the receding stages of the Genesis Flood. A Biblical Paleo-Biogeography Model Biogeography is the study of the global distribution of plants and animals. A bird fossil discovered in Wyoming matches a modern bird found only in Africa. This and other evidence reveal evolution’s failure to explain the distribution of past and present life forms. Dr. Clarey and ICR geneticist Dr. Jeffrey Tomkins are working on a biogeography model based on paleontological data and post-Flood migrations. A model based on biblical history better explains the present locations of plants, animals, and fossils. Human-Chimp DNA Dissimilarity Dr. Tomkins’ research reveals how recent advances in genetics further refute human evolution. Both secular and creation genetics research confirm the same amount of human-chimp DNA dissimilarity: about 15%. Because evolutionists need a difference of only 1 to 2% to make their models seem plausible, the huge chasm in actual DNA differences between chimps and humans is far too great to support the evolutionary story. Dinosaur Proteins Brian Thomas investigated proteins in fossils. His unpublished research used new techniques to characterize dinosaur and other bone collagen. Initial results show that fossil proteins may be more widespread than commonly believed. This challenges millions-of-years ideas. He also collaborated with the Creation Research Society to evaluate rates of collagen degradation. Look for published information on his results in 2019. ICR continues to advance research that supports the authority and accuracy of God’s Word. ICR continues to advance research that supports the authority and accuracy of God’s Word. Thank you to those whose generous support allows us to challenge the evolutionary misinformation so prevalent in today’s world.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1323
__label__wiki	0.593645	0.593645	[Film Review] Johnny English Strikes Again (2018) Title: Johnny English Strikes Again Genre: Comedy, Action, Adventure Director: David Kerr Screenwriter: William Davies Music: Howard Goodall Cinematography: Florian Hoffmeister Jake Lacy Pippa Bennett-Warner With its longer-than-usual gaps between each installment (2003, 2011, and 2018), the JOHNNY ENGLISH franchise conspicuously falls back on the passing of time to let its core audience forget how middle-of-the-road the movies are, and at least it works for this reviewer, with a clean slate (does anyone still remember what happened in the two prequels?), he briskly ponies up for a third time, simply because jolly, inoffensive comedies are like gold dust nowadays. Since only under one circumstance that the inept former secret agent Johnny English (Atkinson) could be permitted for a new field job as he currently devotes all his time in the prepping of future espionage practitioners, the premise is that the identities of all current British agents are leaked by an anonymous cyber attack, and after Johnny inadvertently disposes of other fellow retirees (cameos by Dance, Fox and Gambon), he is the only one left to do the job, and boy, he does it with such volition and determination, but in an old-fashion style, even a gorgeous femme fatale Ophelia (a habitually befogged Kurylenko, recycles and jests her Bond girl image with below-bar common sense) can hardly distract him to nail down the antagonist, an internet-era technology wunderkind Jason Volton (a bumptious Lacy). The schtick, as usual, is Mr. Atkinson’s brilliant comic physicality aided by garden-variety visual jokes, that saves the day (the virtual reality skit is really funny). Meantime elsewhere, this economical BOND parody is low in ambition, panache and coherence (spatially, it goes as far away as the southern France and a dim-lit Scottish castle way too shabby to hold a G8 summit), but what is unexpectedly disarming is a sense of self-knowledge, a humility of complying with audience’s expectation, a bungling, old-school one-track-mind trying to make his job done, with a little help of sheer luck and his opponent’s oceanic denseness, no more no less, which can be best attested by the scene where the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (a Ms. May channeling Thompson) calls Johnny on the carpet and insults him as an imbecile, follows by the actress’ fleeting uneasiness of her vituperation, a telltale sign that sticking-to-the-middle-road is the party line behind this rehashed potboiler. referential entries: Oliver Parker’s JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN (2011, 5.5/10), Peter Howitt’s JOHNNY ENGLISH (2003, 5.2/10). September 24, 2018 by lasttimeisaw 2018, 6.0/10, Adam James, Ben Miller, Charles Dance, David Kerr, Edward Fox, Emma Thompson, Jake Lacy, Michael Gambon, Olga Kurylenko, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Rowan Atkinson, UK Film One thought on “[Film Review] Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)” Pingback: [Film Review] OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006) – Cinema Omnivore	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1324
__label__wiki	0.975462	0.975462	Durant, Bagg, Williams earn player-of-the-week honours Rob Vanstone, Regina Leader-Post Here’s the press release: Saskatchewan Roughriders Darian Durant, Renauld Williams and Rob Bagg have each been named a CFL Gibson’s Finest Player of the Week. Durant was named Offensive Player of the Week following Sunday’s 37-point victory at Mosaic Stadium. The eight year Rider completed 20 of 32 pass attempts for a season high 347 yards. The University of North Carolina product added four touchdown passes including a 60-yard strike. This is the third time is his career that Durant has been named offensive player of the week. Williams was named the Defensive Player of the Week after leading a dominating defensive performance in the Riders shutout win over Hamilton. The 32-year-old middle linebacker picked up three defensive tackles and two quarterback sacks. The Hofstra graduate has tied his single-season high of five sacks after only four weeks. This is the third time in his career and the second consecutive week that Williams has received weekly defensive honours. Bagg was named Canadian Player of the Week after a breakout game on Sunday. The 28-year-old Kingston native had five receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard score. For Bagg, it was his sixth career 100-yard game and second highest single game total. This is the third time in his career Bagg has been named Canadian Player of the Week after picking up honours once in 2008 and once in 2009. Durant, Williams and Bagg become the fourth, fifth and sixth Riders to pick up weekly awards this season after Kory Sheets and Williams were named last week while returner Jock Sanders picked up Special Teams honours the week before. Corey Chamblin's comments after Wednesday's practice Riders dominate CFL awards Canadian champion Danielle Reed conquers pole-dancing cliches 'Gang brooding' resulting in larger groups of geese in Wascana this year	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1326
__label__cc	0.523592	0.476408	Arik Air Takes Career Talk To Secondary School bY ANTHONY AWUNOR, Lagos \| Arik Air, Nigeria’s leading carrier, through its Cabin Crew Initiative, has held career talk at St Francis Catholic Secondary School, Idimu, Lagos to sensitise the students on career opportunities in the aviation industry. The airline’s crew who spoke at the programme included a pilot, Capt. Babajide Oni and Wale Odeyemi, a Cabin Crew Training Instructor. Both aviation experts told the students that they could become pilots, aircraft engineers and cabin crew members by remaining focused on their academic studies. Odeyemi said the programme apart from kindling the students’ interest in aviation, was also aimed at sensitising them on the importance of the airline’s crew to safety of passengers. According to him, there is the need for a replacement of the aging workforce in the aviation industry. Also speaking Capt Oni noted that the cost of studying at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria and International Aviation College, Ilorin, was expensive, stressing that some students could however get scholarships if they are hardworking and brilliant. The Administrator of the school, Rev Fr Leo Muoneme, said the school would continue to encourage students to follow their passion. “We want our students to be able to stand anywhere in the world and say they received solid secondary school education foundation. “They can decide to choose any profession but we believe that they should have passion for it and utilise their God-given talents,” he said. The cleric expressed optimism that the Nigerian aviation industry was being strengthened by Arik Air and other airlines, adding that it would be great if some of the students become part of the aviation sector in future. Accident Investigation, Not Media Trial, Says Ex-AIB Chief Arik Air Wants Young Nigerians To Embrace Careers In Aviation	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1327
__label__cc	0.527001	0.472999	Elizabeth D'Agostino (Canada – ) Nature collapse, from the portfolio Boundless and borderless Sydney Printmakers was established in 1961 at a time of printmaking resurgence in Australia, to act as a forum for the promotion and exhibition of prints in Sydney and as an advocate for the place of printmaking within art and contemporary practice at a time of widespread indifference and ignorance. It has made a significant and enduring contribution to the history of printmaking in Australia and particularly in Sydney for more than 50 years. In 2011 a group from Toronto's Open Studio Printmaking Centre, Canada and Sydney Printmakers, Australia attended IMPACT 7, an International Print Conference at Monash University Melbourne. An appreciation of their respective approaches led to the idea of a print portfolio exchange and exhibitions in both countries, with the title and theme of 'Boundless and Borderless'. The folio is made up of 44 prints, 22 each from Canada and Australia. Each artist provided 50 prints: 44 numbered and 6 artist proofs. Each of the contributing artists received a complete folio of prints. Open Studio Printmaking Centre, Toronto and Sydney Printmakers, Australia each retained three folios of artist proofs. An information sheet included in the print portfolio states: 'Canada and Australia have similar histories of settlement and colonization. The landscape looms large in both imaginations, as does the spirit of the explorer and adventurer. Each artist in this 'Boundless and Borderless' portfolio has viewed the theme from their own perspective conjuring up personal experiences and interpreting their ideas with a variety of printmaking techniques'. The catalogue leaflet provides a list of works with accompanying artist statements. etching with silkscreen on ivory BFK Rives paper 11.4 cm (diam.) platemark; 38.3 x 28.2 cm sheet Signed l.r. corner, pencil "[illeg]". Not dated. Gift of Sydney Printmakers 2014 © Elizabeth D'Agostino	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1332
__label__cc	0.659983	0.340017	C# A F#m G#m A B And if you save yourself you will make him happy C# A F#m G#m A B He'll keep you in a jar and you'll think you're happy C# A F#m G#m A B He'll give you breathing holes and you'll think you're happy C# A F#m G#m A B C#m He'll cover you with grass and you'll think you're happy now A F#m You're really in a laundry room A F#m A G#m The clue just came to you, oh C# A F#m G#m A B And if you cut yourself you will think you're happy C# A F#m G#m A B He'll keep you in a jar then you'll make him happy C# A F#m G#m A B He'll give you breathing holes then you'll think you're happy C# A F#m G#m A B C#m He'll cover you with grass then you'll think you're happy now (Chorus) (Solo - Base do Verso) (Chorus) C# A F#m G#m A B And if you fool yourself you will make him happy C# A F#m G#m A B He'll keep you in a jar then you'll think you're happy C# A F#m G#m A B He'll give you breathing holes then you will seem happy C# A F#m G#m A B C#m You'll wallow in his shit then you'll think you're happy now A F#m (3x) A F#m A G#m	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1333
__label__cc	0.739507	0.260493	Cameroon Massacre: How Nigeria’s inaction exacerbated Bakassi By OakTV \| 11 July 2017 \| 12:10 pm Convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has urged the Federal Government to set up a Presidential Commission for the people of Bakassi in other to make life easier for them. and South-South leaderChief Edwin ClarkFederal GovernmentPan Niger Delta ForumPANDEF John Tosh Chief Edwin Clark has worked for the CIA for over 20 years. Militancy in the Niger Delta is his area of expertise. Secret service should investigate this man. Christopher Adodo The elder statesman is simply saying that the government cannot protect its citizens, and exert pressure on the Cameroon government. Also, that the government cannot even defend his own right. He is very correct in his assessment.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1335
__label__wiki	0.606403	0.606403	Sneak Peek! Learn How to Become a Motown The Musical Supreme on Broadway Balances America November 18th, 2014 \| By Ryan Gilbert Stop! In the name of Diana Ross! Broadway Balances America, the special six-part series airing on The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television, returned on November 18 with a behind-the-scenes look at the new national tour of Motown The Musical. Correspondent Amber Milt goes backstage to learn just what goes into a "Supreme" transformation at Motown, with insights from the cast and crew about beaded dresses, wigs and how they balance their lives on stage and at home. Wouldn't you love to know the story behind all the classics you love by The Supremes, The Jackson 5 and more of the Motown family? Click play!	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1338
__label__wiki	0.629424	0.629424	All the Mallows (Malvaceoe) to the number of a thousand, agree in containing mucilage freely, and in possessing no unwholesome properties. Added Sep 9, 2010 \| Healing Shrubs \| 3,269 Reads Their family name "Mallow" is derived from the Greek malassein, "to soften," as alluding to the demulcent qualities of these mucilaginous plants. The Common Mallow is a well-known roadside plant, with large downy leaves, and streaked trumpet-shaped purple flowers, which later on furnish round button-like seeds, known to the rustics as "pickcheeses" in Norfolk and elsewhere, whilst beloved by schoolboys, because of their nutty flavour, and called by them "Bread and Cheese." Clare tells playfully of the fairies, borne by mice at a gallop:— "In chariots lolling at their ease, Made of whate'er their fancies please, With wheels at hand of Mallow seeds, Which childish sport had strung as beads." And recalls the time when he sat as a boy:— "Picking from Mallows, sport to please, The crumpled seed we called a cheese." Both this plant and its twin sister, the Marsh Mallow (Althoea hibiscus, from altho, to cure), possess medicinal virtues, which entitle them to take rank as curative Herbal Simples. The Sussex peasant knows the Common Mallow as "Maller," so that "aller and maller" means with him Alehoof (Ground Ivy) and Mallow. Pliny said: "Whosoever shall take a spoonful of the Mallows shall that day be free from all diseases that may come to him." This plant is often named "Round Dock," and was formerly called "Hock Herb": our Hollyhock being of the Mallow tribe, and first brought to us from China. Pythagoras held Malvoe folium sanctissimum; and we read of Epimenides in Plato, "at his Mallows and Asphodels." The Romans esteemed the plant in deliciis among their dainties, and placed it of old as the first dish at their tables. The laxative properties of the Mallow, both as regards its emollient leaves, and its radix altheoe efficacior, were told of by Cicero and Horace. The Marsh Mallow grows wild abundantly in many parts of England, especially in marshes near the sea coast. It gets its generic name althoea, from the Greek althos, "a remedy," because exercising so many curative virtues. Its old appellations were Vismalva, Bismalva, Malvaviscus, being twice as medicinally efficacious as the ordinary Mallow (Sylvestris). Virgil in one of his eclogues teaches how to coax goats with the Marsh Mallow: "Haedorumque gregem viridi compellere hibisco." The root is sweet and very mucilaginous when chewed, containing more than half its weight of saccharine viscous mucilage. It is, therefore, emollient, demulcent, pain-soothing, and lubricating; serving to subdue heat and irritation, whilst, if applied externally, diminishing the painful soreness of inflamed parts. It is, for these reasons, much employed in domestic poultices, and in decoction as a medicine for pulmonary catarrhs, hoarseness, and irritative diarrhoea or dysentery. Also the decoction acts well as a bland soothing collyrium for bathing inflamed eyes. Gerard says: "The leaves be with good effect mixed with fomentations and poultices against pains of the sides, of the stone, and of the bladder; also in a bath they serve to take away any manner of pain." The mucilaginous matter with which the Marsh Mallow abounds is the medicinal part of the plant; the roots of the Common Mallow being useless to yield it for such purposes, whilst those of the Marsh Mallow are of singular efficacy. A decoction of Marsh Mallow is made by adding five pints of water to a quarter-of-a-pound of the dried root, then boiling down to three pints, and straining through calico. Also Marsh Mallow ointment is a popular remedy, especially for mollifying heat, and hence it was thought invaluable by those who had to undergo the ordeal of holding red hot iron in their hands, to rapidly test their moral integrity. The sap of the Marsh Mallow was combined together with seeds of Fleabane, and the white of an hen's egg, to make a paste which was so adhesive that the hands when coated with it were safe from harm through holding for a few moments the glowing iron. French druggists prepare a famous medicinal sweet-meat, known as Pate de gimauve from the root of the Marsh Mallow. In Palestine, the plant is employed by the poor to eke out their food; thus we read in the book of Job (chap. xxx. ver. 4), "Who cut up Mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat." In France, the young tops and tender leaves of the Marsh Mallow are added to spring salads, as stimulating the kidneys healthily, for which purpose is likewise prepared a syrup of Marsh Mallows (Syrupus Althoeus) from the roots with cold water, to which the sugar is afterwards added. The leaves, flowers, and roots, are employed for making ptisans. In Devonshire, this plant is termed by the farmers, "Meshmellish," also "Drunkards," because growing close by the water; and in the West of England, "Bulls-eyes"; whilst being known in Somerset as "Bull Flowers" (pool flowers). The root of the Marsh Mallow contains starch, mucilage, pectin, oil, sugar, asparagin, phosphate of lime, glutinous matter and cellulose. An infusion made with cold water takes up the mucilage, sugar, and asparagin, then the hot water dissolves the starch. The flowers were used formerly on May-day by country people for strewing before their doors, and weaving into garlands. The Geranium is said to have been originally a Mallow. Mahomet having washed his shirt while on a journey, hung it on a Mallow to dry, and the plant became therefore promoted to be a Geranium. Most probably, the modern French Pate de gimauve contains actually nothing of the plant or its constituents; but the root is given in France to infants, on which they may try their teeth during dentition, much as Orris root is used elsewhere. The laxative quality of the common Mallow was mentioned by Martial:— "Exoneraturas ventrem mihi villica malvas Attulit, et varias quas habet hortus opes." The Musk Mallow (Malva moschata) is another common variety of this plant, which emits from its leaves a faint musky odour, especially in warm weather, or when they are drawn lightly through the hand. Its virtues are similar in kind, but less powerful in degree, to those of the Marsh Mallow.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1339
__label__wiki	0.966162	0.966162	LongRoom News › Entertainment Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan Drama ‘Wildlife’ Sells to IFC Films TheWrap \| 2/12/2018 \| Beatrice Verhoeven Pink_sakuragirl (Posted by) Level 3 2/12/2018 1:52 PM EST in Entertainment Click For Photo: https://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/wildlife.jpg Paul Dano’s directorial debut “Wildlife” has been acquired by IFC Films for its U.S. and Canadian rights, the distributor announced Monday. The Sundance hit stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan, Bill Camp and Ed Oxenbould. Gyllenhaal also stars as producer. Wildlife - Screen - Dano - Zoe - Kazan “Wildlife” was adapted for the screen by Dano and Zoe Kazan from Richard Ford’s acclaimed novel. The film was produced by Alex Saks of June Pictures, Dano, Oren Moverman of Sight Unseen Pictures, Ann Ruark and Nine Stories’ Gyllenhaal and Riva Marker, with Zoe Kazan, Ted Deiker and Eddie Vaisman serving as executive producers. IFC Films is planning a fall theatrical release and a 2018 awards campaign for the film that had its premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival last month. The movie tells the story of a boy who watches his parents’ marriage crumble after his mother falls in love with another man. Films - Films - Family - Dano - Statement “For as long as I have wanted to make films, I have known I would make films about family,” said Dano in a statement. “To have brought together a creative family in the making of ‘Wildlife’ has been one of the great joys... (Excerpt) Read more at: TheWrap gyllenhaal ‘wildlife Generational Déjà Vu – Iran Seizes British Oil Tanker in the Strait of Hormuz… Carson Says Trump ‘Not a Racist’ How Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong got to the moon landing's giant leap Trump complains of 'crazed' media coverage over 'send her back' chants Trump Keeps Getting Asked About the “Send Her Back” Chant	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1347
__label__wiki	0.802621	0.802621	Louise Brooks, the toast of Paris 1929 Louise Brooks was the toast of Paris while she was in France making Prix de Beauté. The film was in production between August 29 through September 27, 1929. (The film was released August 20, 1930.) Brooks appeared on the covers of magazines, was the subject of numerous articles, and had her picture taken by one of the leading photography studios in the city, the Studio Lorelle. The image below shows Brooks' portrait on display in a Parisian shop window. Re: Silent version of Prix de Beauté screening in San Francisco As was mention here earlier, on Thursday, July 18th, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival will screen a new restoration of the RARE silent version of Prix de Beauté (1930), with musical accompaniment by Stephen Horne. The screening opens this year's annual festival, the largest such festival in North America. It is an opportunity to see the least seen version of any one of Louise Brooks' films. Below is a rare image from the film. And here is what the Festival website has to say: Silent version of Prix de Beauté to screen in San Francisco On Thursday, July 18th, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival will screen a new restoration of the silent version of Prix de Beauté (1930), with musical accompaniment by Stephen Horne. The screening opens this year's annual festival, and is a very rare opportunity to see the least seen version of one of Louise Brooks' finest films. Here is what the Festival website has to say: France, 1930 • Director Augusto Genina Cast Louise Brooks, Georges Charlia, H. Bandini, A. Nicolle, M. Ziboulsky, Yves Glad, Alex Bernard Prix de Beauté marks Louise Brooks’s last starring role in a feature. Less known than her work with G.W. Pabst (Pandora’s Box, Diary of a Lost Girl), Prix de Beauté was marred by its foray into early sound (Brooks’s voice was dubbed). Our presentation is the superior silent version recently restored by the Cineteca di Bologna. Brooks is stunning as Lucienne, the “everygirl” typist who enters a beauty contest and is introduced to a shiny world of fame and modernity. But Prix’s script, a collaboration between René Clair and G.W. Pabst, doesn’t leave Lucienne in a fairy tale bubble but leads to a powerful, moving denouement. Cinematographers Rudolph Maté and Louis Née make beautiful use of Brooks’s glorious face. Approximately 108 minutes. General $20 / Member $18 Buy Tickets and Passes Here! Berlin Exhibit :: Diversity Destroyed If you have an interest in Wiemar Germany, then don't fail to check out Diversity Destroyed: Berlin 1933 - 1938 - 1945. It looks at what happened in Germany and to German culture in the years after the Nazi's came to power. According to its website, "Today, Berlin enjoys a global reputation as a modern, tolerant and culturally diverse metropolis. The 2013 Theme Year 'Diversity Destroyed' will endeavor to communicate the importance and sensitive nature of these democratic values and achievements. The forthcoming Theme Year will highlight the social and cultural diversity that was destroyed in Berlin under the National Socialist regime in the years following 1933." Wikipedia has a rather extensive page on the history of the Wiemar Republic, the German state which existed between 1918 and 1933. Louise Brooks worked in Germany at the time, during the years 1928 - 1929. Diary of a Lost Girl screens twice TODAY in Brooklyn I just found out about this screening of the Louise Brooks film Diary of a Lost Girl (1929) at Spectacle in Brooklyn, New York. I wish I could be there. Sounds like it will be an interesting viewing and listening experience. More info here. According to the Spectacle website: "On May 23rd, Ana Lola Roman will provide live electronics, synths, beats, live vocal atmospheres, and drum pads to provide a futuristic, timeless, modular, and modern soundtrack/score to G. W. Pabst’s first Louis Brooks’ film. Roman’s haunting, lush, and minimal flourishes will provide a sound-scape that teeters on suspense, sexuality, raw-eroticism, and danger. This will be a chance to see silent film’s penultimate Muse; the vivid innocence, playfulness, and primal, yet refined beauty of Louise Brooks through Roman’s modern, raw, animistic, refined lens. Louise Brooks, the silent film star who very well could have been the first to engage in the earliest version of ‘method’ acting, stars in Pabst’s Diary of a Lost Girl. Brooks plays the main character of Thymian, who is forced to face lurid tragedies and brief encounters with scandal and lust. The premise of the story is disturbingly modern. Diary of a Lost Girl plays on fears we could face at anytime. We see Thymian take on a variety of misfortunes all while forced into a class-system she was not born into and which is clearly beneath her. Modern viewers will first notice that this film, released in 1929, is the first of its kind to deal with problems of exploitation, prostitution, and abandonment. Even before Lolita, or before Taxi Driver, this silent film eerily depicts a new genre of film to come." Poster by Domokos (Tit’nul) from Future Blondes CNN on how Louise Brooks inspired Gatsby actress CNN has an interesting article about how flapper era women inspired the actresses in the recently released Baz Luhrmann film, The Great Gatsby. The new source asked actresses Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher and Elizabeth Debicki who gave them inspiration for their characters. The actresses mentioned F. Scott Fitzgerald's own love interests Ginevra King and Zelda Sayre, along with actresses Clara Bow and Louise Brooks. The piece notes: Louise Brooks was another great actress of the silent movie era, best known for her films "Pandora's Box" and "Diary of a Lost Girl", both filmed in Germany in 1929. Among the first to sport a bobbed haircut, it was Brooks who inspired the Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki, playing "The Great Gatsby" character Jordan Baker in the film. "She is just fierce, wonderful, intelligent, and I read a lot about her," said Debicki. "She really typified that woman who appeared in the 1920s, completely independent and, like Gatsby, she built herself up, created the image she wanted. "I had photos of her in my kitchen, everywhere. When I woke up in the morning I would look at Louise Brooks." For more on Louise Brooks and F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby, scroll down to check out earlier blog posts. Cool pic of the day: Louise Brooks looking stylish and deco Lulu in Hollywood available through Open Library Lulu in Hollywood is now available as an e-text through Open Library, an online lending library with zillions of books which can be checked out or read online. Lulu in Hollywood is Louise Brooks bestselling collection of autobiographical essays. It was first published by Knopf in 1982. The eBook pdf of the text may be found at http://openlibrary.org/works/OL4772459W/Lulu_in_Hollywood This version includes William Shawn's original introduction, which was replaced by Kenneth Tynan's famous New Yorker essay, "The Girl in the Black Helmet," in the most recent reprint from the University of Minnesota. (Shawn was the editor at the New Yorker when some of the pieces included in Lulu in Hollywood were first published.) Also available at Open Library is Three Films of W.C. Fields (Faber & Faber, 1990), which includes an introduction by Brooks, "The Other Face of W. C. Fields." (That essay is included in Lulu in Hollywood.) The eBook pdf of the text may be found at http://openlibrary.org/works/OL4772458W/Three_Films_of_W.C._Fields There are many other swell books on early film available through Open Library. be sure and check it out. Louise Brooks and F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is all the rage. So now might be a good time to look at Louise Brooks' connections with the famous Jazz Age novelist. Brooks, it could be said, shouldn't be on the cover of the three books by Fitzgerald pictured above. But she is. Tender is the Night (Penguin, 1999) Bernice Bobs Her Hair (Penguin, 1990) Flappers and Philosophers (Penguin 2010) That's because Fitzgerald was actually smitten with another actress of the silent era, Lois Moran, who served as the basis for a character or two in Fitzgerald's celebrated fiction. It is widely believed that Moran and Fitzgerald had a brief affair during the 1920s, despite their difference in years. (For more on the actress, see Richard Buller's outstanding biography A Beautiful Fairy Tale: The Life of Actress Lois Moran, from 2005.) Brooks and Fitzgerald did meet at twice, at a couple of parties, but apparently didn't leave much of an impression on each other. Instead, it was the similarly bobbed actress Colleen Moore about which Fitzgerald famously said, "I was the spark that lit up Flaming Youth, Colleen Moore was the torch. What little things we are to have caused all that trouble." (For more on this actress, see Jeff Codori's fine biography Colleen Moore: A Biography of the Silent Film Star, from 2010.) Nevertheless, Brooks image has become closely identified with the Jazz Age and its most famous writer. At least three other recent editions of Fitzgerald’s work (including new eBook and print-on-demand editions) depict Louise Brooks on their covers. Why? Because Brooks' image is iconic. For more on Louise Brooks and F. Scott Fitzgerald, see the May 9th LBS blog, "Louise Brooks and the original Great Gatsby." Brooks did play a Flapper on the screen on at least a couple of occasions, in Just Another Blonde (1926) and Love Em and Leave Em (1926). Only the latter film survives in tact. Brooks' characters in these two films was never so glamorous as Fitzgerald's flappers, but they did diepict the wild and carefree spirit of the times in plainer garb. Cool pic of the day: Louise Brooks Cool pic of the day: presenting Louise Brooks (sexy and not to be messed with) Louise Brooks on Soundcloud I was recently exploring Soundcloud and came across a handful of songs which were inspired by or are homages to silent film star Louise Brooks. Check out these songs, as well as Soundcloud itself. There are other related tracks on the website which aren't embedded below. "Sur ma Serviette" (On my towel) taken from "ARTEMIS" Louise Brooks is the star of "Sur ma Serviette" ("On my towel") from the album "ARTEMIS" -- Released on April 22nd 2013 on Manivette records/Le Chant du monde in France. Louise Brooks at the Internet Archive TV News site Only recently has the Louise Brooks Society become aware of the Internet Archive's TV News site. It indexes a select number of archived news television programs. Search "Louise Brooks" and there are four results. Among them is a San Francisco news program about Laura Moriarty's novel, The Chaperone, and a CSPAN Book-TV program in which noted historian David Pietrusza speaks about his fondness for Louise Brooks. Check it out. The quotable Louise Brooks "A well dressed woman, even though her purse is painfully empty, can conquer the world." -- Louise Brooks For more quotes by Louise Brooks, visit the Wikiquote page devoted to the actress at http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Louise_Brooks The two other quotes from Brooks on the Wiki page are: "I have a gift for enraging people, but if I ever bore you it will be with a knife." -- Lulu in Hollywood (1982) "I have been taking stock of my 50 years since I left Wichita. How I have existed fills me with horror for I failed in everything. Spelling, arithmetic, writing, swimming, tennis, golf, dancing, singing, acting, wife, mistress, whore, friend, even cooking. And I do not excuse myself with the usual escape of not trying. I tried with all my heart." -- Letter from Louise Brooks to her brother, quoted in the biography by Barry Paris. Cool pic of the day: Louise Brooks, circa 1925 Cool pic of the day: the one and only Louise Brooks, circa 1925. Louise Brooks and the original Great Gatsby This 1926 trailer is the only surviving footage of the first movie adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, The Great Gatsby. This lost silent film, written during and set in the Roaring Twenties, was first adapted as a stage play at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City. The subsequent film was directed by Herbert Brenon (his 1925 credits include The Street of Forgotten Men, Louise Brooks' first film), and produced by Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky at Famous Players-Lasky. It was released by Paramount Pictures (Brooks' studio), and starred: Warner Baxter - Jay Gatsby Lois Wilson - Daisy Buchanan (starred in The Show-Off) Neil Hamilton - Nick Carraway (starred in The Street of Forgotten Men) Georgia Hale - Myrtle Wilson William Powell - George Wilson (starred in The Canary Murder Case) Hale Hamilton - Tom Buchanan George Nash - Charles Wolf Carmelita Geraghty - Jordan Baker Eric Blore - Lord Digby Gunboat Smith - Bert Claire Whitney - Catherine Nancy Kelly - child I think Louise Brooks would have been wonderful in The Great Gatsby. She was the flapper type, though Brooks' herself did not think so.... Interestingly, Louise Brooks met F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald on a couple of occasions, according to Barry Paris' brilliant biography of the actress. The first time was in Los Angeles in January, 1927. The second time was in France in May, 1929. Her observations of the famous literary couple (told to critic Kenneth Tynan and others) are recorded in the Barry Paris book. Here's a bit of related trivia: did you know that the original and most famous cover of The Great Gatsby was designed by Francis Cugat, the older brother of bandleader Xavier Cugat. The bandleader recorded a version of "Siboney" which was a favorite of Louise Brooks. She recommends it as a Latin dance number in her 1940 booklet, The Fundamentals of Ballroom Dancing. A version of that classic song can be heard on RadioLulu. ‘Just One Day’ by Gayle Forman has Louise Brooks inspired character Just One Day, the recent YA teen novel by Gayle Forman, has a Louise Brooks inspired character. The book is the story Allyson, a “good girl” on a European tour with Willem, an adventurous Dutch actor. After seeing him perform in Twelfth Night, Allyson accepts Willem’s invitation to spend a day together, after which he calls her Lulu, the nickname of the silent film actress Louise Brooks.... that's according to the review in the New York Times. More about the author and her books can be found at www.gayleforman.com/ Caro Emerald's new video features Louise Brooks How many images of, or related to, Louise Brooks can you spot in the new video from the Dutch singer Caro Emerald? "Tangled Up" is the new single from Caro Emerald's new album, The Shocking Miss Emerald, which was released just a few days ago. From what I've heard, I like it. I hadn't known of Caro Emerald before, and obviously, I've been missing something. The Shocking Miss Emerald (which brings to mind The Shocking Miss Pilgrim film and memoir by Frederica Sagor Maas) is Emerald's second album. Her debut album, Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor, was released in January, 2010 and immediately went to number one on the Dutch album charts. The album stayed number one for 27 weeks, an all time record, beating out Michael Jackson's Thriller, which spent 26 weeks at number one in 1983. The album reached double platinum status in the Netherlands in July, 2010. In August of that same year it reached triple platinum, and by November it had gone quadruple platinum, before hitting platinum six times over by year's end. Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor would end up spending 104 weeks on the album charts, until it was removed due to a Dutch rule which provided that albums can't spend more than 2 years in the charts. It later returned and climbed as high as number eight. So, how many images of, or related to, Louise Brooks can you spot in the new video from the Dutch singer Caro Emerald? For more on this fantastic singer, check out her website at www.caroemerald.com/ [Thanx to the Meredith Lawrence for alerting me to this fantastic video.] Dodge Brothers accompany Beggars of Life TODAY in UK The Dodge Brothers, together with pianist Neil Brand, are set to accompany Beggars of Life at the Aldeburgh Cinema in Suffolk, England. This May 5th screening, which takes place at 8:00 pm, is part of SOUNDS & SILENTS: A Festival of Silent Film & Live Music. Directed by multiple Oscar winner William Wellman, Beggars of Life (1928) tells the story of a girl who goes on the run after killing her abusive stepfather. She dresses as a boy, and together with another young vagabond, they hop freight trains, confront a group of hobos, and steal a car in their attempt to escape the police and reach Canada. The film stars future Oscar winner Wallace Beery as rail-riding hobo Oklahoma Red, Louise Brooks as Nancy, the girl on the run, and Richard Arlen as her vagabond companion. Many consider Beggars of Life Brooks' best American film. An American film magazine of the time, Picture Play, described it as "Sordid, grim and unpleasant," though added, "it is nevertheless interesting and is certainly a departure from the usual movie." This special screening is an example of how invigorating the combination of a great silent movie and contemporary live music can be. The Dodge Brothers, an Americana-drenched quartet featuring the English film critic and BBC commentator Mark Kermode, will set the musical mood. When The Dodge Brothers accompanied Beggars of Life at the British Film Institute, the Bradford International Film Festival, at Barbican, and elsewhere across England at earlier outings, they wowed an appreciative audience each time. The Dodge Brothers are composed of Aly ‘Dodge’ Hirji (acoustic guitar, mandolin), Mike ‘Dodge’ Hammond (lead guitar, lead vocals, banjo, dobro), Mark ‘Dodge’ Kermode (double bass, harmonica, ukulele, accordion, vocals), Alex ‘Dodge’ Hammond (washboard, snare drum, percussion), and Neil ‘Dodge’ Brand (piano). More on the band can be found on their website at http://www.dodgebrothers.co.uk/ Bryony Dixon, Curator of silent film at the BFI National Archive, has said "Beggars of Life and the Dodge Brothers - deep dish Americana, rail-riding hoboes and Louise Brooks - they were made for each other." Louise Brooks silent film to show at Cineteca Nazionale The Louise Brooks silent film, Diary of a Lost Girl (1929), will be show at Cineteca Nazionale in Italy on May 12th. The film will be accompanied on piano by Maestro Antonio Coppola. The Cineteca Nazionale website says this: «Pensavamo di titolare questa rassegna di cinema muto accompagnato dal vivo con Il cinema è donna, ma nel rifletterci più appassionatamente abbiamo deciso per femmina che ci è suonato più autorevole ma non retorico, più impetuoso ma non enfatico, più seducente ma non provocante. Qualcuno ha detto che la donna è come la Natura, generosissima ma spietata, e prendendo per buona questa definizione, seppur estrema, abbiamo compilato il programma includendo non solo dive ma anche registe e autrici. Perché affermiamo che Il cinema è femmina? Sebbene rispondere a una domanda con un'altra domanda cozzi violentemente contro la buona creanza, ci concediamo uno scampolo d'insolenza replicando: "Cosa vagheggeresti se anziché spiegarti il perché e il percome nominassimo semplicemente Francesca Bertini? Greta Garbo? Louise Brooks? Pina Menichelli? Mary Pickford? Leda Gys? Quali e quanti cassetti della tua memoria e della tua anima si spalancherebbero rovesciando cascate di emozioni e di immagini?". Il cinema come arte prenderebbe immediatamente corpo nel tuo immaginario al di là di tutte le chiacchiere, troverebbe istantaneamente nitida connotazione, schiettissima identità fino alla tanto paradossale quanto legittima asserzione che per quanto volessimo disquisire sul Cinema, per quanto volessimo essere accademici, ecumenici e snob, la donna uscirebbe sempre e comunque dalla porta per rientrare dalla finestra, gettando alle ortiche tutti i possibili papiri e le possibili ciance. Per questa rassegna il Cinema Trevi sarà la nostra spalancata finestra. Buona visione e buon ascolto» (Antonio Coppola). L'appuntamento di maggio è dedicato a Louise Brooks. «Nata nel Kansas, a Wichita, nel 1900. Iniziò come ballerina, allieva della famosa Ruth Saint-Denis; il grande impresario Ziegfeld la scoperse mentre si esibiva nelle "Denishawn Dancers" e la scritturò per lo spettacolo Louis the th14 alle "Follies", segnato quindi da George White che la volle con sé per Scandals e dal famoso "Café de Paris" che la chiamò a Londra. Tornata negli Stati Uniti, Hollwyood ne saggiò cautamente le possibilità affidandole, a partire dal 1925, alcune parti di fianco. Due anni dopo, Howard Hawks la impone all'attenzione con A Girl in Every Port (Capitan Barbablù). […] Con il film di Hawks, la ballerina del Kansas diviene il prototipo della ragazza europea dell'epoca, inquieta, e piena di vita. "Bruna, con occhi vivi e stupendi, i capelli diritti acconciati con la frangetta di moda, lo sguardo provocante e pur fanciullesco, il riso smagliante grazie ad una chiostra di denti sfavillanti, essa era l'immagine stessa della garçonne, la maschietta, la ragazza europea degli anni intorno al 1925" (Castello). La sensualità frammista ad un fondo di maliziosa innocenza, soprattutto la prepotente freschezza e vitalità sono le caratteristiche che fecero della B., pur nel numero limitato delle sue interpretazioni, un'attrice importante (dotata, tra l'altro, di notevoli qualità espressive). Nel '29 fu protagonista assoluta di The Canary Murder Case, un film poliziesco che Malcom St. Clair aveva tratto dal romanzo di S.S. Van Dine, conosciuto in Italia come La canarina assassinata, imperniato sulla misteriosa morte d'una celebre "diva" del varietà, conosciuta come la "Canarina" per un suo costume di piume. […] Ormai famosa, l'attrice attendeva ancora un film di autentico impegno e fu Pabst, nel suo periodo migliore, ad offrirgliene l'occasione, con il torbido personaggio di Lulù, la donna che si degrada nel vizio e finisce assassinata, in Die Büchse der Pandora (Lulù), ispirato a due drammi di Wedekind; ad esso seguì Das Tagebuch einer Verlorenen (Il diario di una donna perduta) […]. A cavallo fra il '29 ed il '30 la B. disegnò il suo ultimo personaggio importante, la sartina che diventa Miss Europa (Prix de beauté), in un film diretto da Augusto Genina su soggetto di Clair» (Ernesto G. Laura, Filmlexicon degli autori e delle opere). Diario di una donna perduta (1929) Regia: Georg Wilhelm Pabst; soggetto: tratto dal romanzo omonimo di Margarethe Bohme; sceneggiatura: Rudolf Leonhardt; fotografia: Fritz Arno Wagner, Sepp Allgeier; musica: Timothy Brock, Otto Stenzeel; interpreti: Louise Brooks, Adré Roanne, Josef Rovensky, Fritz Rasp, Vera Pawlowa, Franziska Kinz; origine: Germania; produzione: Hom Film, Pabst Film; durata: 106' Thymiane (Maria nella versione italiana) figlia di un farmacista, viene violentata dall'assistente del padre. Rimasta incinta viene rinchiusa in un riformatorio. Scappa con un'amica e le due finisco a lavorare in un bordello.«Ultimo dei 10 film muti di Pabst, forse il più geniale, anche più di Lulù, certamente il più sarcastico nella critica sociale. Al centro di un macchinoso intrigo, esplicitamente melodrammatico, la Brooks vi disegna un personaggio complesso e contraddittorio di taglio sadiano che si adatta con vitalità primitiva alle peripezie del suo destino» (Morandini). Here is the Italian language page run through Google Chrome translate: "We thought the owner of this collection of silent films accompanied by live with The cinema is a woman , but we decided to think about it more passionately female that there is not rhetorical but sounded more authoritative, more impetuous but not emphatic, more seductive but not provocative. Someone said that the woman is as Nature, generous but ruthless, and taking good for this definition, albeit extreme, we have compiled the program including not only dive but also directors and authors. Why do we say that cinema is female ? While answering a question with another question cozzi violently against good manners, we allow a remnant of replicating insolence: "What if instead of vagheggeresti explain the whys and wherefores nominassimo simply Francesca Bertini? Greta Garbo? Louise Brooks? Pina Menichelli ? Mary Pickford? Leda Gys and what and how many drawers of your memory and your soul will throw open waterfalls spilling of emotions and images? ". The cinema as art in your body immediately take imaginary beyond all the talk, would instantly clear connotation, schiettissima to the identity as paradoxical as a legitimate assertion that as far as we wanted to quibble about the cinema as we wanted to be academic, ecumenical and snobbish, the woman always come out the door to return to the window, throwing to the winds all possible papyri and possible nonsense. For this review, the Cinema Trevi will be our window wide open. Good vision and good listening "(Antonio Coppola). The appointment of May is dedicated to Louise Brooks. "Born in Kansas, Wichita, in 1900. She began as a dancer, a student of the famous Ruth Saint-Denis, the great impresario Ziegfeld discovered while she was performing in the "Denishawn Dancers" for the show and scritturò Louis the 14th to "Follies", then scored by George White that decided to use him for Scandals and the famous "Café de Paris" who called in London. Back in the United States, Hollywood nor wise cautiously entrusting the possibilities, starting from 1925, some parts of the left. Two years later, Howard Hawks to the attention with A Girl in Every Port ( Captain Bluebeard ). [...] With the Hawks film, the dancer of Kansas becomes the prototype of the European girl at the time, restless, and full of life. "Brown, with bright eyes and beautiful, straight hair with bangs styled fashion, the look provocative and even childish, rice thanks to a dazzling white teeth gleaming, it was the very image of tomboy, the flapper, the European girl the years around 1925 "(Castle). The sensuality mixed with a fund of mischievous innocence, especially the bully freshness and vitality are the characteristics that made of the B., even in the limited number of his interpretations, an actress important (with, among other things, of considerable expressive qualities) . In '29 it was the absolute protagonist of The Canary Murder Case , a crime film that Malcolm St. Clair had the novel by SS Van Dine, known in Italy as the canary murdered , based on the mysterious death of a famous "diva" of the variety , known as the "Canarina" for his costume feathers. [...] Now famous, the actress was still awaiting a film of genuine commitment and Pabst was, in his prime, to offer him the opportunity, with the turbid character of Lulu, the woman who degrades in vice and ends up murdered in Die Büchse der Pandora ( Lulu ), inspired by two plays by Wedekind, it followed Das Tagebuch einer Verlorenen ( The Diary of a Lost Girl ) [...]. At the turn of the '29 and '30s B. drew his last major character, the seamstress who becomes Miss Europe ( Prix de Beauté ), in a film directed by Augusto Genina on the subject of Clair "(Ernesto G. Laura, Filmlexicon of authors and works ). Director: Georg Wilhelm Pabst , subject: based on the novel by Margarethe Bohme; screenplay: Rudolf Leonhardt; photograph: Fritz Arno Wagner, Sepp Allgeier; Music: Timothy Brock, Otto Stenzeel; Cast: Louise Brooks, Adre Roanne, Josef Rovensky, Fritz Rasp, Vera Pavlova, Franziska Kinz; origin: Germany; production: Hom Film, Film Pabst, duration: 106 ' Thymiane (Maria in the Italian version), the daughter of a pharmacist, is raped by the Assistant father. Pregnant is locked up in a reformatory. Run with a friend and the two end up working in a brothel. "Last of the 10 silent films of Pabst, perhaps the most ingenious, even more than Lulu, certainly the most sarcastic social criticism. At the center of an intricate plot, melodramatic explicitly, the Brooks will draw a complex and contradictory cutting Sadian that fits with primitive vitality to the vicissitudes of his destiny "(Morandini). Re: Silent version of Prix de Beauté screening in ... Silent version of Prix de Beauté to screen in San ... Diary of a Lost Girl screens twice TODAY in Brookl... Cool pic of the day: Louise Brooks looking stylish... Louise Brooks and F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Grea... "Sur ma Serviette" (On my towel) taken from "ARTEM... Louise Brooks at the Internet Archive TV News site... ‘Just One Day’ by Gayle Forman has Louise Brooks i... Dodge Brothers accompany Beggars of Life TODAY in ... Louise Brooks silent film to show at Cineteca Nazi...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1348
__label__cc	0.740666	0.259334	9.3D: Muscle Tone 9: Muscular System Control of Muscle Tone Smooth and Cardiac Muscles Muscle tone is a measure of a muscle’s resistance to stretching while in a passive resting state. Describe the factors involved in muscle tone Muscle tone is the maintenance of partial contraction of a muscle, important for generating reflexes, maintaining posture and balance, and controlling proper function of other organ systems. Tone is controlled by the sensory muscle spindle, which measures muscle stretch. Tone is not limited to skeletal muscles, but is also a property of cardiac and smooth muscles. muscle spindle: A sensory unit associated with muscle tissue that is responsible for maintaining muscle tone. muscle tone: The continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles, which helps maintain posture. golgi tendon organ: A sensory unit associated with a tendon that is responsible for preventing damage to the associated muscle. Even when at rest, muscle fibers are at least partially contracted, possessing a small degree of tension which is termed muscle tone or tonus. Muscle tone is controlled by neuronal impulses and influenced by receptors found in the muscle and tendons. This influence leads to the generation of reflexes in the spinal cord, such as the immediately obvious knee jerk reaction but also including key functions such as the posture maintenance and proper digestive system function.. Sliding Filament Model of Contraction: Muscle fibers in relaxed and contracted positions. Muscle tone ensures that even when at rest the muscle is at least partially contracted. The main regulator of muscle tone is the muscle spindle, a small sensory unit that is closely associated with and lies parallel to a muscle. Connecting to the endomysium of a muscle fiber, muscle spindles are composed of nuclear bag fibers and nuclear chain fibers. Both are similar to muscle fibers in that they contain actin and myosin myofilaments that allow them to stretch with the muscle. However, unlike skeletal muscle fibers where the nuclei are spread out and located at the periphery of the cell, in nuclear bag and nuclear chain fibers the nuclei are located in a central region which is enlarged in nuclear bag fibers. Both cells of the muscle spindle contain sensory neurons. When stretched, muscle spindles become activated, triggering impulses to the spinal cord that can generate an immediate reflex. Spindles can also trigger impulses to the cerebral cortex providing information about the degree of stretch within the muscle. To maintain tone, spindles also operate a feedback loop by directly triggering motor neurons linked to their associated muscles. If tone decreases and the muscle stretches the spindle, an impulse results in a muscle contraction. With this contraction, the spindle is no longer stretched. A similar system is found in the tendons attaching muscle to bone. Distinct stretch receptors called golgi tendon organs assess the level of stretch within the tendon. The sensitivity of the golgi tendon organ is significantly less than that of the spindle, so it is thought they exist to prevent damage rather than control muscle tone. Smooth and cardiac muscles do not have specialized muscle spindles. Tone is maintained through autonomous feedback from the muscle fibers, neurons, and associated tissues. 9.3C: Motor Units 9.3E: Types of Muscle Contractions: Isotonic and Isometric	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1351
__label__cc	0.711522	0.288478	In this section: Research and innovation Biomineralisation Biomaterials and tissue engineering Dental education research Dental public health and health services research Microbiology and cell biology Translational and clinical research R.B.Kayman@leeds.ac.uk Tackling global challenges In the School of Dentistry, our research has real impact on the lives of the wider public. We work to participate in research that makes a tangible difference in the field of dentistry, and improve dental healthcare as a whole. Filling without drilling technology Led by Professor Jennifer Kirkham, 'Filling without Drilling' SAP technology was co-invented and taken through to commercial partnership at the School of Dentistry, working with the University's Innovation Knowledge Centre in Medical Technologies. SAPs are rationally designed to produce biomimetic scaffolds that are capable of nucleation of tooth mineral based upon knowledge of the role of proteins in enamel formation. Essentially, they allow patients to have a tooth filled with no need for invasive drilling. Credentis ag now market a range of products based on Leeds' SAP technology as part of the Curodont ™ range. Digitisation of dentistry workflows The School of Dentistry’s Dr Andrew Keeling developed intellectual property in digital imaging which has been licensed to Arkive Dental Ltd, a company which specialises in the secure scanning, archiving and storage of digitized orthodontic casts. Both orthodontists and general dentists are now able to digitally archive their study models and access them from anywhere in the world at the touch of a button. This reduces the need for physical storage space and prevents deterioration of the models over time. Where physical models are still necessary, further work in digital dentistry at Leeds has involved liaising with 3D printer manufacturers to tailor machines specifically for printing high quality dental models. This means the archived digital dental models can easily be transformed back into physical models. They can then be printed at resolutions of up to 10 microns. Our group has also directly advised on the British Orthodontic Society National Clinical Guidelines for the use of 3D study models in orthodontics. Digital workflows in dentistry are likely to have a profound effect on the profession in terms of the way dentists diagnose disease, restore function and appearance and communicate with patients and other dental professionals. Digital imaging lies at the heart of this emerging discipline. Cross-disciplinary solutions The Schools of Dentistry and the Design at the University of Leeds have a long-standing academic collaboration between materials scientists and textile engineers with a common interest in the repair/regeneration of both hard and soft tissues. We aim ultimately to apply the knowledge gained by working together to the development of therapies for patient benefit. To bring together complimentary expertise through the School's Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Group and the Clothworker's Centre for Innovation in Healthcare Materials in the School of Design. Together we been developing, modelling and applying a platform of tunable, versatile collagen hydrogels and non woven fabrics targeting the repair or regeneration of a variety of tissues. We work closely with clinical colleagues to identify unmet or poorly-met clinical needs to develop bespoke solutions; we are currently working on applications as diverse as wound dressings, periodontal membranes, and drug delivery vehicles. Both groups also have a focus on translating this underpinning knowledge into products for clinical use. Funding has been obtained to carry out fundamental research to develop the technology platform, to take novel materials through to pre-clinical testing. Partners at material supply, manufacture and end-users have been engaged. This collaboration has facilitated the training of several PhD students/Postdoctoral Research Assistants in a multidisciplinary way of working.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1354
__label__cc	0.656695	0.343305	Tag Archives: women HUSH, HUSH SWEET CHARLATON Essayist & Author Marguerite Quantaine My late sister, Kate, believed in truth. She thought she recognized it, practiced it, and that it would prevail. But I’m no longer sure truth ever was, or will be — nor am I certain of it’s prevalence in society today. Because all truth stems from whatever is written as fact, and even the most inspired of wordsmiths are writers-at-soul choosing multiple elements of speech, edicts, merged thoughts, external influence, doubt in some entities rarely balanced by confidence in others, and a necessity for meticulous punctuation in order to advance beliefs, all the while knowing the end result will be subjected to individual interpretations using numerous mediums regardless of the author’s intent. Enter our willingness to believe whatever we’re being told and — worse yet — our parroting of those narratives, as if each utterance was an original thought from which we’ll eventually justify any errors of our ways by citing a misdirected faith in the charisma of charlatans dressed in fleece. Now, don’t get me wrong by taking me out of context. I harbor no objection to people having faith. It’s often a convenient, efficient, popular, time-honored tradition that’s easier to embrace than most are willing to admit, and necessary to the survival of even the unfittest. What I question is our inclination to believe the worst in others, as if in doing so we’ll esteem ourselves in the presence of those whose alliance we crave. What I find dubious is our rallying for the very rights we join school cliques, and group cliques, and office cliques, and organization cliques, and awards cliques to deny to those unwilling to join our cliques. What I cannot fathom is the instant exclusion of those we’ve never met and never spoken to based solely on what we’ve heard from a friend, or associate about the stranger. Think of how many times you’ve united against bullying in our schools over the past decade, assailing the abusiveness of name-callers as detriments to society. And yet, nearly half of us voted for a name-caller to lead us and participated in the notion of locking up a person who has never been arrested, booked, tried, or convicted of a crime in her lifetime. In a patriarchal society — which ours is — I can understand how misogyny can flourish among males. But the implausibility of misogyny is such that I can’t understand how it thrives among females. Except, maybe I do? Perhaps it’s because every news anchor, commentator, journalist, politician, and figurehead over the past year failed to question (what I’m inclined to recognize as) the ecclesiastical elephant in the room. I first felt the enormity of it’s presence forty years ago when I refused to attend the wedding of my brother. At the time I’d been in love with my Elizabeth for seven years, a woman who’d not only been crucial to saving my life after a catastrophic car crash, but had eagerly, earnestly, and single-handedly tended to my long-term recovery for five of those seven years. Nevertheless, the invitation to my brother’s nuptials didn’t list Elizabeth’s name, nor did it include her as a plus-one option. As a result, I declined the invitation. Now before you feel any politically correct indignation on my behalf, please don’t. Remember, it was 1977. Homosexuality had only recently been declassified as a mental disease, while me and mine were still labelled by law as felons at risk of being arrested, indicted, tried, convicted and sentenced as such. We were social misfits. Deviants. A cause for embarrassment. Even now there remains places in America where being homosexual is still regarded as a detainable offense, though not prosecutable; municipalities where dissident profiling can prevent police from responding to assaults, or delay ambulances from arriving in a timely manner; where medical treatment is subpar, and getting away with causing a death could go unnoticed, or be ignored altogether. (It’s here you should take umbrage.) ———– TO CONTINUE READING ———— THE ABOVE ESSAY REPRESENTS AN EXCERPT FROM: Seriously, Mom, you didn’t Know? by Marguerite Quantaine © Copyright © 2019 NOW ON AMAZON & AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES NATIONWIDE You are urged to LOOK INSIDE on Amazon for a try-before-you-buy FREE READ of the first 3 chapters. Find Me On Amazon • Friend Me On Facebook • Follow Me On Twitter Marguerite Quantaine is an essayist and author. Her novel, IMOGENE’S ELOISE : Inspired by a true-love story is available on AMAZON, in paperback , and on Kindle. Note: Please share this on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest and add your thoughts by selecting Leave A Message here. I’m all eyes and heart. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Democrats, essays, history, Independents, Love, marriage, memories, parents, Republicans, sisters, women on June 12, 2017 by margueritequantaine. LONE STAR STATEMENT I’ve often tried to hearten authors who despair over bad reviews, reminding them that a critic says as much about herself as the book she applauds, or pans (even though no amount of encouraging words can provide solace to one whose sales figures might plummet as a result of an unmerited critique). Nevertheless, having recently received my first one star review since the release of my novel in 2014, I’ve decided to discuss the evaluation here, as a way to reaffirm my assertion that words reveal the nature of every writer. IMOGENE’S ELOISE: Inspired by a true love story Where did all those 5 star reviews come from? By Jxxxxxxxx Gxxxxxx “Thank goodness you can “Try a Sample” of every Kindle book. I have saved myself a lot of disappointment by getting the sample first. I didn’t get very far with this book. The main character wakes up one morning and tries to piece together the events of the night before. She got a little drunk, danced with a woman, and kissed her. I do not have a issue with this being a love story between two women. We have our gays. But the author starts her story at such a frenetic pace; the main character is in complete meltdown mode, and the author is heavy on the details of this woman’s inner life. It was just all too much. The author uses a lot of words and doesn’t say much.” IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE VALIDITY of any evaluation, ask yourself five quick questions:. 1. What one sentence stands out the most in the review of your book? For me, in this review, that sentence was, “We have our gays.” 2. What does it tell you about the nature of person who wrote the review of your book? I suspected homophobia, but condescension also came to mind. However, I don’t allow perceived obviousness to detract from any valid portion of a review. True, at first this person contends she doesn’t have an issue with the book being a love story between two women — then clarifies her assertion by being exclusively categorical. But she follows the clarification by warning the reader of the fast pace the book sets, and that the “inner life” of the main character is revealed. I asked myself, did the critic miss the subtitle of the book: Inspired by a true love story? Or, did she think the true story should have been tempered by alternative facts? Had the reviewer read the book in it’s entirety, she’d have learned the pace is purposely panicky — and that every line of the first chapter is a thread that connects to the final chapter, where the reader learns how very much was said, indeed. As for the kiss? It didn’t happen. Perhaps the reviewer was channeling Katy Perry, or her assumptions interfered with her assessment. No matter. In essence, the review (except for the kiss) is accurate. 3. What do you think was her true intent for writing a review of your book? Possibly, to dissuade others from reading the book. Because that happens, especially when the topic interferes with the reader’s religious beliefs, or political position. Also, consider that there’s a certain popularity contest associated with success, and that those who harbor resentments relish bringing down others via a misplaced abuse of power (the pen being mightiest). But being bias is a double edged nib. Those who like you are just as likely to tip the scales in your favor. That’s why I caution authors against either attracting the first, or encouraging the latter. Instead, let honesty prevail. Remember: Truth is a blessing. Deceit is a lesson. 4. Has the critic ever written any other reviews for your genre? J.G.’s Amazon history indicates she has not. 5. Did the critic actually read your book? J.G. readily admits she did not read my book, so the criticism was limited to an opinion of the first chapter which she failed to finish, as evidenced by the ‘kiss’ she inserted that didn’t occur. I’M NOT CERTAIN IF ALL AUTHORS take time to track their book sales on Amazon, but I do, and verified the sale of 9 more books the day the J.G. review was published than were sold the prior day. I think that’s because J.G. drew attention to the Look Inside Amazon offer of IMOGENE’S ELOISE prior to purchase, which apparently resulted in people doing exactly that, ultimately disagreeing with her estimation. Ironically, the Look Inside free is exactly why I encourage readers to ‘try before you buy’ in order to prevent buyers remorse. ALL OF THIS MAKES MY SUGGESTIONS to writers who ask my advice fairly generic: (A) Write well. (B) Create a five year plan to promote each book and be diligent. (C) Don’t expect everyone to understand, love, or agree with what you write. (D) Learn from every review, regardless of its merit, or lack thereof. FINALLY, DON’T WASTE A MINUTE of your creative energy bemoaning a review you feel is unfair. Instead, ask yourself if it’s fair that not every woman has the talent, ambition, dreams, perseverance, courage, business acumen, disposition, self-esteem and skill it takes to be a writer? (Hint: No.) That alone gives you license to greet each morning by patting yourself on the back — because writing a book is a prodigious accomplishment. This is me, standing. Applauding you. How do you handle a bad review? What advice do you offer? I welcome your feedback and encourage you to share this on social media. Please add your thoughts here by selecting REPLY. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged authors, book reviews, Fiction, gay, how-to, lesbian, nonfiction, novels, women on May 16, 2017 by margueritequantaine. MY LIFE OF CRIME & PUNISHMENT The first thing I ever did to indicate the direction I was heading resulted from letting my kid sister, Kate, annoy me. I was 3.3 at the time and tiny for my age; she was a martinet of 2 and already bigger and brighter than me. We lived in a drafty 19th century farmhouse on the brick street of a south side neighborhood in a small midwestern town back then, where her crib sat in my parents bedroom, being used one night to corral us while company visited. It was late. We were lying back-to-back. I was weary and wanting to sleep. She was incessantly demanding that I “Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out!” of her bed until I got fed up and gave her a reason to bellyache. I peed on her. That was my crime. As punishment, every person Kate introduced me to from that night onward included the preamble, “This is my sister, Margie. When we were kids she peed on me,” invariably prompting the retelling of our toddler turf war. The last time she introduced me was to her late shift hospice nurse in May of 2015. It’s allowed her to maintain the upper hand on my heart, forevermore. When I was not quite five I crossed a busy street in the middle of the block after being warned never to do so. As punishment I was, first, hit by a taxicab, and then vilified by my kindergarten teacher, Miss Beech, for losing the school’s celebrated green-and-white stick figure safety flag awarded to the most accident-free district. I spent all of kindergarten, first, and much of second grade shunned. The alienation ended when we moved from our neighborhood into the school district that was presented the prestigious safety flag after my mishap. In junior high school my best friend was Beverly Brown. During the summer of 1959 we’d frequent the Bloomfield Elementary School playground where all the neighborhood kids hung out. One day I discovered the basement door to the school was left open. Upon further exploration, I found I could easily walk through the door of the humongous furnace, and crawl through the boiler tunnels leading to classrooms located on the first and second floors. Inspired, I became an entrepreneur as The Bloomfield Boiler Guide charging a quarter per tour, commencing with a Cokes & Chips Party in the furnace chamber while whistling to Mitch Miller’s The River Kwai blaring repetitively on Bev’s Stromburg Carlson portable record player. At the end of the first tour we were, one-by-one, greeted by police officers as we gaily emerged from the furnace and transported by patrol cars, sirens screaming all the way to the joint where we were sentenced to sit on hard benches behind bars until parents arrived to spring us. That was my punishment. Bev’s were there within minutes. Mine never came. After six hours, a change in shift occurred and I was released to walk home feeling my claim to chain gang fame crumble. At age 14, I forged my parents signatures to wangle a coveted 40 hour a week job working 5 hour weeknights and 15 hour Saturdays as the record department sales and inventory control clerk at Hopkins, the most popular electronics store in town. The Hopkins family consisted of the Magooish father, Robert, Sr., who was obsessed with soybeans, and two feuding brothers, Motorola Bob and Prince John, the latter being a local disc jockey who depended on me to choose the best of the latest released demo records arriving daily in the mail for playing on his prime time show. All three men were members of the Kiwanis Club which placed a freestanding, glass globe, stainless steel Ford Gumball machine at the entrance to my music department. Ford gumballs came in pristine white, cadmium yellow, royal blue, Pepto pink, and verdant green, each with a fiend thirsty flavor cementing a brisk business as the best penny chews of the 50s and 60s. Back then, 45 RPM records were a buck plus one cent tax the dollar, so Magoo kept plenty of pennies on the top of the cash register to pay the tax for any customer short of change. As it so happened, I was addicted to Ford gumballs. I used the freebie pennies and a few from the till to treat my multi-record buying customers to a free gumball without thinking to inform the trio. Many miles and decades later I learned the missing cents — sometimes as many as 20 a day — were wreaking havoc each evening when Motorola cashed out the register and came up short against the receipts. He swore Prince was stealing change to keep the books from ever balancing. The discourse turned so beastly between accusations and denials that one day Prince packed up and moved his family to Texas. My punishment was in learning I was the trigger, much too late. Not that Motorola would have admitted any error, and not that Prince would have accepted any apology, and not that Magoo cared beyond the ticker tape apparatus (next to the gumball machine) operating 24/7/365 tracking the soy bean market. As a corporate executive in New York City for the designer line of the largest provider of leisurewear in the nation, I’d occasionally gift a sample pair of pajamas, ‘borrowed’ from the showroom for delivery to a very wealthy friend who pestered me for a freebie each time she planned a new paramour sleepover. One day I was served with a subpoena to appear in court to testify as “the other women” in a high profile NYC divorce proceeding. It seems the wife of my friend’s lover had discovered her husband’s affair and promised not to divorce him as long as he told her the name of his mistress. Unbeknownst to me, my friend suggested her lover give the wife my name instead of hers, thereby allowing them to continue the affair without consequence. Hubby complied, never suspecting his wife would use the confession as proof of his infidelity, backfiring on all three of them once I was deposed. That wasn’t my punishment. That was my cure. Life is a silver lining for those of us willing to scrape the surface of adversity. At five, I may not have grasped the words, but I already knew how oppression is forged from the indignation of adults. Being alienated taught me to observe more, listen closely, talk less, read well, recognize the treachery of language, and understand that bullying won’t be curtailed from the child up until it’s eradicated from the parent, down. Oh, and by the way, it doesn’t take getting hit in the head by a taxi cab to learn that. As for those in uniform, it’s true, I still challenge authority. But I never again broke into another school (unless you count the times I didn’t get caught), and I make every effort to shake the hand of all police officers I encounter, thanking them for their service while trying not to whistle The River Kwai as I work the crowd. Meanwhile, the mere mention of gumballs requires I battle temptations to buy a vintage Ford machine on eBay as a tribute to Motorola, Prince and Magoo who taught me the invaluable skills that eventually landed me a job in Manhattan where I sang New York, New York with gusto after turning the head of Ol’ Blue Eyes when we passed as strangers in the night outside the 21 Club. Which takes me to the brink of divorce court with one of the most interesting and exciting bad influences I ever had the endless pleasure of knowing — and leaves me within the aura of my sister, Kate, who remained my loyal partner in crime and laughter for the balance of her life. Sleep sweet my peep. Copyright Marguerite Quantaine © 2017 Please SHARE THIS on Facebook and Twitter, and tell me how you feel by selecting REPLY. is available on AMAZON, in paperback and Kindle. Please choose LOOK INSIDE for a free read of several chapters before you consider buying. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged essays, family, friends, LGBT, Love, memoirs, sisters, women on April 13, 2017 by margueritequantaine. MAY THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON Fill you with the awe of a child, the serenity of feeling loved, the courage of a feral cat, the gratitude of a rescued dog, the joy of a songbird, & the hope of another day to get it right, do it better, & say what’s in your heart to all those you hold dear. Happy Holly Days My Sweet Peeps! Marguerite & Elizabeth #UpToSomethingSince1970 McQ©2014-2016 What is ALL YOU WANT for Christmas? PLEASE SELECT REPLY to share your wish-list here. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0940548011/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_kOpBub0DCT8E8 This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Chanukah, Christmas, Elves, family, friends, Kwanza, LGBT, Santa, women on December 19, 2016 by margueritequantaine. I’ve been lying to my partner about something-or-other for 45 years. I consider it an essential ingredient in the recipe of happily ever after. Oh sure, I know lying has been a ‘don’t’ on the Top 10 for nearly 58 centuries, and (no doubt) good books will be thumped in outrage at me for being an avowed fabricator. No matter. I maintain that the best way to stay hopelessly devoted is to — subjectively and selectively — lie. Case in point: Regardless of the fact that my much better half has enough clothes to restock the shelves of a small boutique, she doesn’t wear 95% of her wardrobe. Instead, she dons the same outfits, day in and out for an average of 2 years running, because each shirt, pair of slacks, sweater, sweatshirt, pajama top, tee, and jacket in a revolving variety rack of, sa-a-ay, 2 garments per category, is proclaimed to be her favorite. This is where bleach becomes my buddy. I accidentally splash bleach, or spill bleach, or mistake a spray bottle of Soft Scrub for Shout, or add Clorox instead of Downy to the rinse-cycle of any garment (including my own) that I cannot stand to look at for a tub-of-water longer. In fact, hearing her scream from the laundry room “You idiot!” is like music to my ears and triumph to my eyes. Saving her from potential harm (like when she insists it’s safe to clean the car mats lying on the ground in the pouring rain because she’s using a dry/wet vacuum) requires more creative lying. That’s where a commercial artist comes in handy. Because almost all interviews written about her favorite celebrities can be (1) altered to reflect safer choices made on any given topic, and can be (2) printed out, complete with stock photos. It gives me comfort to know she’ll always listen to the advice of Doris Day, Angie Dickinson, and Cher. (Bless their little borrowed hearts.) There was a time when too many knives presented a challenge here because she can’t grasp the idea that every good cook has her own set of knives, knowing the size, weight, and feel of each in her hand, it’s purpose and degree of sharpness for meat, vegetable, bread and bone. But my darling has a dire need to buy every plastic handled five-and-dime knife at garage sales that “look just like” my wood handled German and Japanese cutlery. (They don’t. Not even close.) So, I filled a small kitchen drawer with her knockoffs. Now, every time she comes home with a knife I act excited, steal a kiss, and quietly deposit the knife in the garbage. If she asks about the newbies, I point her towards the drawer. Speaking of vegetables (as in overbuying them), that’s what the lidded bowl on my Kitchen Aide mixer hides. So far, the neighbors haven’t figured out who leaves fresh veggies in their mailbox late at night — but no one’s companied either. Except for her. “I wish someone would leave me free tomatoes in our mailbox sometime,” she said. “How come we never get left any free Chiquitas?” she asked. “Apparently the fruit fairy doesn’t like you,” she decided. “Me?” I dare. “Not you?” “Don’t be silly. Everyone likes me.” In all fairness, I did once sneak an apple into our mailbox. She bemoaned that it wasn’t a donut. Inanimate objects are also factored in. Semiannually, she’ll want tickets to an Oldies But Goodies concert advertised weeks in advance of the event. I’ll squeeze her hand, promise we’ll go, and hurry off to write the concert on the calendar as a reminder before returning to her with a treat — a dish of ice cream, cookie, popcorn, or such. But I never record the event because (a) she invariably forgets about it, and (b) it only took our attending one of those dreadful $40.00 per ticket concerts to teach me to … well … lie. Personally, I don’t understand those who always need to be right when an argument erupts, or prove a point, or stand on principle, or choose to hold others to a higher standard of truthfulness than they practice themselves, or insist that communication is the key to a good marriage. Because, while she and I are seldom diametrically opposed on any issue, if she isn’t going to budge, I’ll always acquiesce, convinced that — unless conversation is salted with sincerity, peppered with levity, and garnished with good intentions — it isn’t communication at all. It’s just babel. That being said, I must confess it wasn’t true when I wrote, “I’ve been lying to my partner about something-or-other for 45 years.” I’ve actually been lying to her about something-or-other for 45 years, 11 months, and 4 days. And for this I am, truly, grateful. Marguerite Quantaine is an essayist and novelist. WHERE DO YOU STAND? Please select REPLY to offer feedback, and SHARE THIS essay to start a discussion. Thanks for stopping by!. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK without first reading 7 chapters for FREE on Amazon to determine the caliber of writing and quality of the story. Select “Look Inside” over the cover of the book. Thanks! IMOGENE’S ELOISE: Inspired by a true-love story by Marguerite Quantaine http://www.amazon.com/Imogenes-Eloise-Inspired-true-love-story/dp/0940548011/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434585436&sr=1-1&keywords=Imogene%27s+Eloise This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged humor, LGBT, Love, marriage, relationships, women on February 17, 2016 by margueritequantaine. Every Woman Should Run For Public Office Once Or Twice “There’s never been a colored, a Jew, a Democrat, a Yankee, a queer, or a woman as Mayor of this town and there never will be!” I glanced up from my notes to study the odd little man in his Oshkosh overalls, Penny’s plaid shirt, knee-high Frye boots and Tom Mix hat. His cohorts called him Red. I don’t know if he was christened that, or nicknamed for the color of his neck — but it certainly didn’t stem from embarrassment by him, or any of the men at that district Republican Committee meeting rewarding him with whistles and a rousing applause as I sat alone in the far, back corner of the small auditorium, recording the forum as a favor to the (absent) president of our local Republican club. And, all I could think was — what luck! No, not because I was a committee member and could object. I wasn’t. But I was born in the small town that hosted the first Republican convention, “Here, under the oaks, July 6, 1854” where an obscure granite rock with a bruised bronze plague once sat on a tiny patch of treeless grass, three short blocks from where I spent my most misinformative years. Back then, the rites of passage included adopting both the religion and political party affiliation of your parents. My parents were protestant and Republican. I’m neither, but during my juvenescence, I feigned being both. The reality is, religion and politics have never been roadblocks for me. I tend to accept that we’re all going to believe what we need to believe in order to survive our slippery slope slide from here into hereafter. However, the pretense of politics alarms me, and is the reason I encourage every woman to run for public office. It’s easier than you think, and more satisfying than you dare imagine. After filling out the simple forms with the Americanized spelling of my last name and paying a nominal filing fee, I learned you aren’t required to raise money, put up signs, hand out cards, take out ads, stand on street corners in inclement weather inhaling exhaust while waving to commuters — or even to serve if elected. Which I did not do. Instead, I entered the citywide race for Mayor because I could. And, because the Mayor of our town is in charge of the police force that was alleged to have created computer software profiling every resident according to age, gender, race, religion, political affiliation, marital status and coded lifestyle. I ran because the Mayor had the power to veto city council legislation. I ran because the personal voting records of all residents, their addresses, and phone numbers are made available to campaign camps via their candidate. I ran because it’s possible for local elected officials to access sensitive census information about their neighbors. I ran because I’d be invited to all candidate gatherings, lunches, forums, debates, and media interviews with equal time to speak, followed by unlimited time to answer questions. Places where I could tell the people about the alleged profiling, the veto capability, the reality of records, and the potential for both discrimination and profiteering to the detriment of the electorate should the (professed private) census information be misused by unscrupulous officials with a personal agenda to advance. But primarily, I ran because I was told: “You cannot.” “And yet, I can.” “You can’t run as a Republican.” “Unless I’m registered as a Republican. Then I can.” “It’s a nonpartisan race, so no one will know.” “Unless it’s leaked.” “You won’t have the backing of the Republican Party.” Aye, there’s the sub rosa. Most of us like to think we’re supporting a candidate who shares our convictions and has our best interests in mind. Run for office. That’s when you learn it’s the RNC (Republican National Committee), the DNC (Democratic National Committee), and corporate funding that dictates the conversation, feeds the media, and virtually runs this country in a Charlie-McCarthy-meet-Jerry-Mahoney-manner, where those connected contingents funnel all the money solicited from donors into the war chests of the candidates they’ve preselected to win. I kid you not. The nominees of both the RNC and DNC sign a Party platform pledge to toe the Party line, in order to receive the financial clout of the RNC, or DNC, because the chances of winning an election for those who don’t sign — even on a local level — are zip, zero. And, get this: Those war chests can be used to funnel funds for phone banks to robo-call citizens who have a voting history of going to the polls on odd, even, and ‘off’ years. They can funnel ‘independent’ surveys with contrived questions for the ostensible purpose of suggesting nonexistent improprieties practiced by the opposing party. They can funnel for spamming newspapers with testimonial templates to praise one candidate, or deride the other, or push an agenda, or create confusion, or imply majority support, with each letter signed and sent by a party faithful — so it appears to the public as an original thought and legitimate concern rather than a parroted message. They can funnel for business owners to be visited by party members offering recommendations on which candidates to support, along with a friendly suggestion of how valuable it is to have a customer base of political party members. They can funnel for whisper campaigns, leaked to small presses, controlled by deep pocket party pleasers, linked to online sites willing to post the disinformation. And, get this, too: The strategies for beating your opponent are all recorded (or was when I ran) in an instruction manual detailing how to sway an election to a preferred candidate with news stories clouded by opinion. Where the media inserts the words “could, might, alleged, contend, claim, may and if” for “is, are and will” to report a possible truth. Where newspaper corrections to falsehoods are buried in places no one reads. Where editorials aren’t required to be factual. This old maxim still holds true: The most dangerous woman in the world is the one who can’t be bought. That’s where running for political office serves as the American dream. Because running to lose by telling the unmitigated truth assures that your voice will be heard. And isn’t that what we all want? To be heard? When I ran for office, my words were so well heard — by the time election day rolled around they’d been stolen and used to further the campaigns of others running for even higher offices. So, ladies, that’s how you make change happen. Not by sitting behind a safe screen, typing out rhetoric about what’s wrong with the country and who’s to blame. And, not by writing a check, convinced your donation will contribute to making this nation better and stronger. Instead, run for office. Attend every avenue available for you to get up and speak. Recognize freedom of speech for the priceless gift it is. Say what’s in your heart. Ignore naysayers. Concentrate on connecting with real people. And experience the exhilaration that comes from putting your mouth where your mind is. In the final analysis, the financial reports required to be filed by all candidates indicated the incumbent spent around one hundred and twenty-five dollars per ballot cast in favor of him to wage his campaign against me. I spent zero, zip, and nada + nil. I lost by 67 votes. No, not once. Twice. I also ran for school board. I lost by 56 votes. And for both losses I am truly grateful. Copyright by Marguerite Quantaine, October 8, 2015 PLEASE SHARE THIS ESSAY & ADD YOUR THOUGHTS BY SELECTING: REPLY. Her book, Imogene’s Eloise : Inspired by a true-love story is available AMAZON, in paperback , and on Kindle. “… crisp…clever…unique…saucy humor…delicious writing…fabulous…funny…historically accurate…genius debut… This will be a classic; buy it now.” SHE Magazine Reviews IMOGENE’S ELOISE: Inspired by a true-love This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged American Dream, campaign, candidate, Democrat, feminist, herstory, lesbian, protest, Republican, women, women studies on October 8, 2015 by margueritequantaine. SEE YA LATER ALLIGATOR The first time I spotted the alligator in the murky waters of a man-made lake framing luxurious condos on one side and a city park on the other, I worried aloud for the safety of the mallards, Muscovy, and white, waddling ducks, the snapping turtles, giant goldfish, flock of pristine egrets, and wading blue heron, making their homes in the marshes there. “And, the kids who play in this park,” my sweetheart added. I didn’t respond. Not that I would ever want a person of any age to be harmed by an alligator, but there was no imminent danger in that. Only the nature-preying-nature lurked. The lake is more for show and tell by realtors looking to justify pricey units with a view. There’s no swimming allowed, and since it’s illegal to feed wildlife in Florida outside of a reserve, observing nature in this park is mostly done from a deck built 15 feet above, and stretching 20 feet out over the water, where picnic tables are placed for brown baggers wondering what so many thieving sea gulls are doing there, some sixty miles inland. At first, all I saw were the mammoth marble shaped alligator eyes, trolling the lake’s surface, leaving innocent ripples of water in his wake. “Or,” she said when I pointed out the marauding eyeballs, “it’s a submarine.” “No, hon, I’m pretty certain it’s an alligator.” “But, I’m thinking — if it is a submarine…” “It’s a gator, okay?” “I’m just saying what it could be,” she persists, as the tire tracks of its back emerges. “Or, maybe one in camouflage to look like an alligator, so no one would suspect.” Really, who am I to say otherwise? I thought. We only visit this particular park once a year, in September or October, depending on what date the High Holy Days fall. I won’t expound on the significance of these 10 days for those of you who aren’t Jewish, but I will share the custom of casting bread upon the water (tashlikh) as a symbol of one’s transgressions being disposed of. Unlike other religions, Jews don’t believe in original sin. Instead, we’re born pure, acquiring our indiscretions with age, intent, or ignorance along the way. But, if we’re sincere in saying “I’m sorry” to those we’ve wronged, and have done good without expectation in return, and made an earnest effort to mend fences, the sin slate gets wiped clean on Yom Kippur, giving each of us another chance to get life right, and do it better. The disclaimer appears in the setting of the sun, symbolizing the closing of the Book of Life, when even nonbelievers (secretly) want their names, and those of their loved ones inscribed therein — although no one learns who makes the cut until the High Holy Days roll around again the following year. (Because only those remaining in the here and now know if they were inscribed back in the then and there.) For the record, I’m very disorganized about organized religion, to the point of anti-it. But I do like everything about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the culmination of 10 days of introspection, taking stock of one’s life, offering amends, being grateful for whatever cards have been dealt, making promises and looking forward while witnessing the sun sink behind the trees, or beneath the ocean, or into the hills. Of course, I’m pulling for more than family and friends. I want my pets to be included in that Book of Life, too, and mercy shown for all the animals on earth. I want children to be protected, and hurts healed. I want every woman to fall in love with the person who has fallen in love with her. My list is long. I ask a lot. It takes me the full 10 days to catalog all the hope in my heart. “Watch out,” we were warned by a couple dawdling nearby. “The flora and fauna police are on duty.” I glance over at the retiree in khaki shirt and shorts, feeling powerful on his unpaid patrol. “I’m prepared,” I assured them. “I filled my pocket with stale bread, pre-pulverized in my Cuisinart to melt any evidence upon impact. Would you like a some?” They showed me their cut up crusts of kosher rye. “No thanks. We’re good.” As the sun began its steady decline, I confidently hurled a handful of crumbs to flutter like tiny confetti into the water below — forgetting that the brass ring containing the keys to the car, our home, my sister’s home, the metal license tags of our dogs, and a silver kitty charm carried for good luck was also in that pocket. It went with. “I’ll be,” she said, looking down at the unintended snack. “It is an alligator!” To paraphrase a verse in a song from the original, Broadway cast album of The Unsinkable Molly Brown: Your prayer was answered, the answer was ‘no’ — She heard you all right. Most of you who follow this blog, or my Facebook page know that I lost my kid sister in May, 10 weeks after she was first diagnosed with everywhere-cancer. What I haven’t shared as much is, in that brief period (and since) I also lost both of my dogs, Buzzbee and Sparky, and a Russian Blue, tamed-to-my-touch, feral cat, Sneaky, twin brother to Pete. And, my car bit the dust. When the last loss happened, I recalled the words attributed to Virginia Woolf upon being asked by her niece why the bird she’d found had to die. Woolf answered, “To make us appreciate life more.” I’m not sure I concur. I don’t think I could appreciate life any more than I do. My gratitude is fierce and deep and never falters — even when the answer is, indeed, ‘no’. Because I see, and hear, and recognize the loss most others endure, daily, is so much greater than my own; the worldwide despair and hunger of millions in the dark of every night, the destruction of homes by flood and fire, the assault on nature by ignorance and greed, the ongoing slaughter of innocent and innocence, the intentional harm inflicted on the undeserving. It doesn’t lessen the depth of loss I feel, but it does lessen the length of time I spend, struggling. The High Holy Days come earlier this year and I’m on tenterhooks about it, to the point of being mindful of the fact that the ritual of tashlikh is to happen on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, not on Yom Kippur as I’ve always chosen to observe it. We’ll be returning to the man-made lake, regardless — this time with an entire loaf of challah for the alligator. We hope it was written into the Book of Life. We hope we all were. by Marguerite Quantaine Copyright © 2015 PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS ESSAY BY SCROLLING DOWN & SELECTING: REPLY. — SHE Magazine Reviews IMOGENE’S ELOISE: Inspired by a true-love story. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged books, commentary, essays, holidays, Jewish, memories, Rosh Hashanah, spiritual, women, Yom Kippur on August 14, 2015 by margueritequantaine.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1362
__label__cc	0.720611	0.279389	DEVOUR READS Published on November 4, 2016 November 4, 2016 by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment It isn’t your average newsletter service – That would be boring and that’s not how Devour Reads works! Sign up for your SPECIFIC favorite categories and ONLY get information on new releases and sales TWICE a month. THAT’S IT! Sorry for the yelling, but I’m so excited. Ooooh, the shivers. Okay, so let’s say you REALLY love – No, I mean LOOOOOOOVVVVEEE Billionaire romances. Who doesn’t, right? But you’re sick of wading through the vast emails and newsletters in your inbox. Oh my word, who isn’t RIGHT? You sign up with Devour Reads for FREE and get information on up to 15 books in each of the TWO emails you’ll get in a month. There will be freebies, sales, and new releases from the best authors in the category. So sign up here! Give your inbox a break. Get information on amazing books by authors who tell the stories you’re begging for. No more running to the best sellers lists to drown in the sheer amount of books (good and bad and ugly). One email, twice a month, and your ereader will never go hungry again. REMEMBER! Each genre you sign up for increases your newsletters by 2. Not on the same day UNLESS they are opposite genres like Romance and thriller. Click below to sign up for your preferred emails and to sign up for our current giveaways in that genre! Billionaire Romance Dsytopic and Apocalyptic Inspirational Romance WITCHES, WEREWOLVES, AND MONSTERS, OH MY! Young Adult Horror, Mystery, and Thriller Young Adult Paranormal GUEST POST by A.M. TORRES Published on November 4, 2016 September 19, 2016 by mariacatalinaegan1 Comment Fiction/Suspense Date Published: March 29 2014 (it was edited again last month and given new cover) Tommy Hulette never asked to be born. Everyone wants to make him regret it even so. Tommy Hulette hates his ghetto Brooklyn neighborhood. He’s content living with his beautiful mother, his loyal caring father, his little sister Greta. He enjoys playing stick ball with neighborhood friends then really perks up when he meets beautiful and interesting Stephanie Mandan from Starrett City. But Tommy’s world is shattered forever. His mother becomes terribly unhappy and commits suicide. Things go downhill completely when his father decides he needs time to cope with the tragedy, sending Tommy and his sister to live with a brother Tommy never heard about. He promises that it will be for a short spell until he can come back for them. He doesn’t and it doesn’t take long for Tommy to discover how this brother hates him and has since birth. He wants to punish Tommy for events occurred long before Tommy was born.Then it gets worse as he wants Tommy to end his life just like his mother…and to this Tommy is pushed and pushed and pushed. Pushed to the limit, and with no one to turn to, Tommy takes solace in his sister’s company and letters he receives from Stephanie. Will he be able to cling to life, and not succumb like his mother? A.M Torres is the author of nine books. The first of these books Love Child which was originally published in 2011, but it was edited in 2014, and again in 2016. Love Child is a book in Fiction/Suspense category, and it was given a good review by Midwest Book Review who described it a “A tragic story of standing up for oneself, Love Child is a fine and very much recommended read.” Her second book, and the third books were the sequels to Love Child, Child No More, and Child Scorned. A.M Torres is also the author of the Christmas theme book J and K Christmas which include poems and short stories. She has released one copy of this book every year since 2011. J and K Christmas 2013 received four stars from Readers Favorite. A.M Torres earned her Bachelors Degree at Ashford University and is the mother of two boys Jason and Kristofer. She was born in New York City, but was raised in the projects of East New York Brooklyn. She lived in Sunset Park for over seven years, and currently lives in Staten Island, New York.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1363
__label__wiki	0.593644	0.593644	JOHN STAMMERS AND JEREMY REED: LIGHT AND SOUND Posted: April 16, 2016 in John Stammers Page Tags: contemporary British poetry, contemporary poetry, jeremy reed, John Stammers, Poetry This article appears in THE HAPPY MOMENT: A CELEBRATION OF THE POETRY OF JOHN STAMMERS: https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=The+Happy+Moment&type= In John Stammers’ first two books, Panaromic Lounge Bar (Picador, 2001; Stolen Love Behaviour, Picador, 2005) the runs of street-life images echo the work of mid Jeremy Reed at his mid-best. In Panoramic Lounge Bar, we have ‘House on the Beach’: ‘The shadows mediated by the black slats of the venetian blind/ stripe the silk finish ceiling; / I am reminded of the sheen on the ocean….’. In Jeremy Reed’s Red-Haired Android (1992) we find perhaps an earlier prototype: ‘The louvers of the venetian blinds snap shut,/ phasing out a beach scene, a turquoise sea…’ (‘Love in the Afternoon’). Jeremy Reed’s love of colour (‘A Coke can’s red paint peeled to a glitter…’: ‘Things That Stay’, Red-Haired Android, 1992), and intricate sound modulation, do find echoes in John Stammers’ first two books, taking the form of an obsession with light itself: ‘The mackerel sky elides lackadaisically across.’ (‘Spine’, Panoramic Lounge Bar), where image and sound, the emphasised ‘a’ and emergent ‘i’ sounds, set up a lightness of tone, a concordant sound-to-image relationship. Also, we have ‘…trinkling glass/ do nothing but vie with the C-sharp of Lambrettas/ that dopple off down the street to G.'(Furthermore the Avenue, ibid) The main difference between these last two particular pieces is in the use of the ‘i’ sound. In Jeremy Reed the vowels moves towards a nervy high, like a suddenly fizzing coke can; in John Stammers the high becomes a stretched out level that is modulated by the insistent ‘a’ sound. Both carry an onomatopoeic charge. Stolen Love Behaviour is indeed very much a summer book, it is lit up with images of glorious skies, with hot days, sunshine and cloud shapes. I think Jeremy Reed wins out with his attention to detail: ‘Indoors, indispensible utilities, / the glint of car-keys, a bracelet of change…’: ‘In and Out’ (Nero, 1985), or; ‘Wristwatch off, silk shirts, head slanting back/ beneath a regulated eye-dropper – /your bathroom scene, mirrors frosted with steam,/ a cologne bottle minus its stopper;..’: ‘Bathroom Scene’ (Nineties, 1990). Compare with John Stammers’ ‘tiny crabs are spots of cochineal on saffron rice...’ (Further the Avenue, Stolen Love Behaviour.’, ‘your profile against the duck-egg blue sun blind… (ibid) Jeremy Reed: But then : ‘…the shadows mediated by the black slats of venetian blind/ stripe the silk finish ceiling’ (: ‘House on the Beach’), must come very close behind. John Stammers appeal to the larger vista: ‘... the stucco wedding cakes of Campden Hill...’ (Younger, Stolen Love Behaviour; ‘The air today is so brilliant you have to breath it in sunglasses,/ the clouds in their short-sleeved cotton shirts...’ (Flower Market Street, ibid). Larger vista, and different order and intent. He aims, and succeeds, to capture the event of the human response as part of the experience. They both share this fascination with colour, and the effects of light; they seek out contrasts, sometimes configured by Japanese people, as if seeking out the exotica of the everyday: ‘Two Japanese girls at Bank Station provide an instance/ of ultra-black with their hair, their acidity/ all expressed in the citrus colours of their clothes…’: ‘Two Japanese Girls at Bank Station’, (Stolen Love Behaviour, 2005) and Jeremy Reed’s, ‘Your dresses spilled across a hotel bed/ were like a hectic dispersal of flame….Your Japanese lover’s black kimono…’: ‘Blue Lagoon’, (Engaging Form, 1988); ‘Mostly it’s the accidental attracts/ a Japanese girl bending to a rose…: ‘Kodak’ (ibid), and ‘The lilac ash cone on a black cheroot,/the Japanese girl flicks it on her boot,//and purses her mouth to a strawberry’: ‘Nineties Shade’ (Nineties, 1990). John Stammers: So what do I imply when I say echo, and prototype, here? Is there any direct evidence John Stammers knows Jeremy Reed? Apart from both being born almost the same year? There is a minor sexually ambivalent charge to be found in Stammers, compared with the major sexually ambivalent tone of Jeremy Reed’s writing. In John Stammer’s ‘The Tell’ (Panoramic Lounge Bar, 2001): the photos of a same-sex kiss are kept and valued. It could be argued that the poem charts more the time period, the sexually experimental nineteen-seventies, than any commitment to sexual ambiguity, as in Jeremy Reed. The valuing lies in the life-experience contained in the encounter: the writing of oneself, in true psychological practice. John Stammers is charting his points in time, the cultural high moments of time and place. Hence we have ‘Out to Lunch Poem’ whose details capture the yuppie phenomena of the nineteen-eighties boom years. The admirable poem ‘Younger’ is the market-stall poem of Stolen Love Behaviour, and the younger self/selves the main theme of the book. All we can say for certain is that there are similarities of approach, detailing, choice of subject. For Jeremy Reed, as his introduction to Black Sugar makes plain, the intent is to write from within the experience, and not as the alienated outsider, the position inherited from previous generations. John Stammers inherits “language-games”; he engages with the experience on different levels. Jeremy Reed asserts a source of poetry within an experience, that the writing is the poetic aspect of the experience, a responsive aspect that falls within a paradigmatic role and dynamic. For John Stammers the poetry inhabits the experience in a different way; the focus of the paradigm is towards the recognition of a shared dynamic. His use of language is always expressive of identifying markers: “I speak, as most of us do, in the ironic, Americanised, pastiched mode of that culture’s diction (adolescent sarcasm being the most primitive form)”: the Wolf Magazine interview. Even such a poem as XEMAE (Stolen Love Behaviour), utilizes a recognizable and accessible pattern; the terminology and referencing may be obscure, generally unknown, but the sense of the poem is easily retrievable. There is one degree of separation between John Stammers and Jeremy Reed; it their appeal to the writing of Frank O’Hara and the New York School; this also expresses itself in an openness to the poetry of Baudelaire. There is also one degree between John Stammers and Mark Ford. That also is Frank O’Hara; Mark Ford edited and selected Frank O’Hara in 2009. But then we also have Mark Ford’s Soft Sift book of poetry from 2003, and Stammers’ selection of Gerard Manley Hopkins (2008), from whose ‘The Wreck of the Deautschland’ this is a quotation. It is becoming to seem that there is no degree at all. See also: http://www.jeremyreed.co.uk/ LOUIS PAUL BOON GIL: work in progress	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1370
__label__wiki	0.838866	0.838866	Savage Hulk Vol 2 Alan Davis/Cover Artist Mark Farmer/Cover Artist Val Staples/Cover Artist Alan Davis/Writer Alan Davis/Penciler Mark Farmer/Inker Matt Hollingsworth/Colourist Will Moss/Editor X-Men (Earth-616)/Appearances Charles Xavier (Earth-616)/Appearances Scott Summers (Earth-616)/Appearances Jean Grey (Earth-616)/Appearances Henry McCoy (Earth-616)/Appearances Robert Drake (Earth-616)/Appearances Warren Worthington III (Earth-616)/Appearances Alexander Summers (Earth-616)/Appearances Lorna Dane (Earth-616)/Appearances Samuel Sterns (Earth-616)/Appearances Emil Blonsky (Earth-616)/Appearances Nevada/Appearances Las Vegas/Appearances Westchester County/Appearances Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters/Appearances Cyclops' Visor/Appearances Savage Hulk Vol 2 1 Solicit Marvel Comics 75th Anniversary Variant Marvel Comics 75th Anniversary Variant Textless Marvel Comics 75th Anniversary Sketch Variant John Cassaday Variant Savage Hulk Vol 2 #1 August, 2014 June 25, 2014 Val Staples "The Man Within" Will Moss Appearing in "The Man Within" Professor X (Charles Xavier) Cyclops (Scott Summers) Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) Beast (Hank McCoy) Iceman (Bobby Drake) Angel (Warren Worthington Ⅲ) Havok (Alex Summers) Lorna Dane Leader (Samuel Sterns) Abomination (Emil Blonsky) (Cameo) Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters Cyclops' Visor Xavier's ship Jeb's RV Synopsis for "The Man Within" The Leader watches a news report about the recent battle in Las Vegas between the Hulk and the X-Men. Amateur footage caught at the scene shows Bruce Banner talking to the X-Men. Interested in what Banner had to say, the Leader zooms in and reads his lips, and sees that he is speaking about someone named Xavier. The Leader remembers the name tied into a NASA report about a massive alien planetoid that came to Earth and was repelled by some telepathic force that was able to link the population of Earth into a single mind. He notes that this was shortly before the battle between the X-Men and the Hulk. He reviews the surveillance footage of one of Banner's labs and discovers that the X-Men were seeking a device from within. He then tracks the gamma ray signature from the device to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in Westchester, New York. Meanwhile, in the Nevada Desert, the Hulk is being bombarded by missiles launched at him by the military. The concussive blasts of the explosions merely knock the Hulk off his feet, angering him. He then picks up a rock and tosses it back at the soldiers, smashing their rocket launchers and then leaps away. While back at Xavier's Mansion, Professor X is busy working on altering the gamma device that saved his life. Marvel Girl tells him that he should be resting, but Xavier intends to keep working on the device as it may hold the key to curing Bruce Banner of the Hulk. When Cyclops asks why Banner didn't use the device to cure himself already, Charles explains that the device requires a telepathic component. However, with the gamma charge in the device depleted they need to find the Hulk to get more. When his students question the urgency on this matter, Professor X explains that the device contained a lingering psychic imprint that allowed Xavier to feel the torment that Bruce Banner has experienced and cannot rest until he does everything he can to try and cure Bruce Banner. Back in the desert, the Hulk has long since escaped the military and as nightfall, the sad creature sits and gazes at the stars. Mesmerized by their beauty, the Hulk begins to calm down and reverts back into Bruce Banner. A few hours away, the X-Men have returned to Banner's secret cave and discover that it is still intact, but buried under tons of rubble. In order to clear it out, Havok uses his powers to blast through the debris. At that same moment, Bruce Banner has wandered to the Cactus Rose RV Park where he scrounges for clothing out of a dumpster. He is spotted by a man named Jeb who notices Banner is quite downtrodden and offers to take Bruce back to his RV to have a meal with him and his wife. Bruce tries to politely decline, but Jeb insists on it since the military has scared most everyone else out of the area and the nearest diner being ten miles away. With no other choices, Banner reluctantly agrees and goes with Jeb. While back at his lab, Professor X is scanning Marvel Girl's mind to learn what he can about his X-Men's battle with the Hulk. The group finishes preparations to lure the Hulk back to the cave. Cyclops then takes Havok, Angel, and Iceman with him to lure the Hulk back while the others prepare for his arrival. As the four X-Men take off in their jet, they are unaware that they are being observed by one of the Leader's monitoring devices. Meanwhile, Bruce sits down to dinner with Jeb and his wife when suddenly another round of military carpet bombing happens nearby. Banner begins to panic and then warns the couple to flee as the military is after him. Before they can make sense out of this warning, Bruce begins to transform into the Hulk. Not far away, the X-Men pick up a gamma signature and follow it, being cautious of the missiles being launched. However, instead of finding the Hulk, they find the Abomination leaping toward them. AN ALL-NEW SERIES!!! Alan Davis writes and draws a blockbuster story pitting the HULK against… the X-MEN!?!?! Learn the startling secret of Professor Xavier’s connection to Bruce Banner! Guest starring the Leader and the Abomination! Continuity Notes This story takes place after and heavily references the events of X-Men #65-66 wherein Professor X repelled an invasion of Earth by the Z'nox by linking every mind on Earth. This took a heavy toll on Xavier's mind and he needed the gamma device in Banner's secret lab to cure himself. The appearance of the Abomination in this story is difficult when taking into account the chronology of the time. During the time this was placed, the Abomination was captured and brought to the Stranger's homeworld in Tales to Astonish #91. He later escaped in Silver Surfer #12 thanks to a group of evil sorcerers. He was later returned to the Stranger's planet by the Silver Surfer. He remained as the Stranger's prisoner as seen in Thor #178 until he finally freed himself in Incredible Hulk #137. By the end of Savage Hulk Vol 2 #2 the Abomination was captured by the military. The only way to explain this is that the Abomination somehow got off the Stranger's world, was captured by the military only to be freed by the sorcerers and then returned to the Stranger's world later. Discuss Savage Hulk Vol 2 1 on the forums Images from Savage Hulk Vol 2 1 Retrieved from "https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Savage_Hulk_Vol_2_1?oldid=4067254"	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1377
__label__wiki	0.513204	0.513204	No, this Fisher-Price Happy Hour Playset isn't real Adam Padilla, the Co-Founder and Director of Branding for BrandFire, is responsible for the latest bit of fakery to flood the internet. Luckily, this time it's all in good fun. Padilla made an image of a Fisher-Price Happy Hour Playset in Photoshop; the playset supposedly features a bar, stool and plastic beer bottles for kids to play with. SEE ALSO: 'Lives are at risk:' Hillary Clinton blasts fake news Padilla likes to post humorous original images on his Instagram account adam.the.creator – and this has been one of his most successful posts. "My 21 month-old daughter gave me the idea while playing on her kitchen playset at our apartment," Padilla told Mashable. I mentioned to my wife, Willow, that it would be hilarious if a major toy company created a bar set for toddlers. "The next day I Photoshopped the package design and posted it on my Instagram with a caption that made it seem like it was an actual product. Many of my fellow 'meme friends' like black_humorist, thedailylit and highfiveexpert got a kick out of it, but it really took off the next day when someone posted it on Facebook and Reddit." Whom wants this for Xmas? 😭🎁 A photo posted by Adam The Creator Ⓜ️ (@adam.the.creator) on Dec 5, 2016 at 12:46pm PST Most of the responses Padilla has seen have been positive ones — with many social media users wishing it were a real product. "The reaction has been absolutely incredible," Padilla says. "Most people recognize that it is a joke, and think it is hilarious. Many of my close friends have seen it passed around their individual social circles with comments like, 'you should buy this for your nephew!' It seems that people really got a good laugh, which is awesome." Some parents even posted on Fisher-Price's Facebook page, urging the toy manufacturer to consider the fake product. Image: FISHER-PRICE/FACEBOOK Of course, some people didn't realize the playset was a joke, and expressed their shock on Fisher-Price's Facebook page. Padilla was pleasantly surprised by the toymaker's response. "Fisher-Price even issued a release that recognized the humor and assured parents that they are not involved in the parody," he told Mashable. It's refreshing to see a major brand so hip to culture that it took the joke in stride and reacted in a very human way … with reason, humor and intelligence. But overall it has been a lot of fun to see the story go national." There's a serious side to this fake product news, however. Padilla thinks it is an important reminder of how it's important to be vigilant on the internet. "It goes to show the power of the internet to take a story viral," he says. "The right mix of pop culture and realism, with a bit of technical skill can really send something around the world pretty quickly. "It’s amazing to see and hopefully can inspire some creative thinking out there. Most importantly, I feel like it’s crucial to scrutinize what you see online and not be too quick to accept things as factual just because you saw them posted someplace. "Use your judgement and be smart about what you read. A lot of this is just common sense." BONUS: This triple spiral of 15,000 dominoes falling down is incredibly satisfying to watch Topics: Conversations, Culture, fake news, Family & Parenting, Fisher-Price, Memes, Photoshop, Photography, toys Image: adam.the.creator/instagram	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1379
__label__cc	0.737218	0.262782	LimeCulture delivers accredited training to it’s 20th cohort of ISVAs May 21, 2018 May 17, 2018 by LimeCulture This week has seen LimeCulture deliver its accredited Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) Development Programme to the 20th cohort of ISVAs. “We are really excited to have delivered this course to 20 different groups of ISVAs. Our first ISVA Development Programme was delivered back in 2011, and I don’t think we had any idea just how much demand there would be” says Bernie Ryan, LimeCulture’s Training and Development Director. “At that time, we really had no idea that the ISVA workforce would grow to the extent it has. Back in 2011, there were about 90 ISVAs working in pockets across the country, but we’ve now delivered the Development Programme to over 600 ISVAs, which is absolutely fantastic as it shows how important and valued ISVAs are now, with more and more posts being funded and created every year“. The ISVA Development Programme has been updated and amended since the first delivery back in 2011. The LimeCulture Training Team continually review and update the course material to ensure that the content is as good as it can be, to meet the needs of ISVAs. “Our course is practical in focus and it gives ISVAs the tools they need to do their job, so its vitally important that we make sure that everything we teach on the course is up-to-date and relevant to assist them in their roles. We constantly assess and update to make sure that the course supports ISVAs to do their job” explains Gemma Kirby, one of LimeCulture’s Training Managers. Gemma previously worked as an ISVA supporting children and young people, so she is perfectly placed to know whether the material developed for the ISVA Development Programme is useful for ISVAs “I know from when I was an ISVA, that I needed my training to be practical and informed by what actually happens on the ground, on the frontline. This is consistent with what ISVAs still tell us they need” she says. The LimeCulture Training Team know and understand just how hard it is to be an ISVA. “Its such a demanding role” says Gemma. “ISVAs ultimately have to support their clients by identifying and managing their needs, which are often multiple and can be very complex. In addition we regularly have to do this along side an ongoing police investigation or a court case, which can be extremely challenging. So it’s vitally important that we are professional, create and maintain boundaries and completely understand how and where our roles and responsibilities as ISVAs fit within the wider system. It is not an easy job” reflects Gemma. When the course was originally developed by LimeCulture in 2011, it was designed and planned in recognition that very few people understood the whole system that ISVAs operate within. “Back in 2011, ISVAs were a relatively new workforce. There was quite a lot of nervousness within the criminal justice agencies about what their role actually entailed” explains Bernie, who managed a team of ISVAs in her previous role as Manager of St Mary’s SARC. “Some people thought they were counsellors, other people thought they were volunteers and in all honesty, in the early years we saw the role interpreted in quite a few different ways, which was worrying because of the potential impact that it could have had on not only clients, but the wider workforce too” explains Bernie. “However, we’ve worked really hard to ensure that through our training key messages have spread about how the ISVA role should work to support people who have experienced sexual violence and why it is important to ensure consistent ISVA provision is delivered”. The key thing that Limeculture has tried to do through their training is explain the ISVA role in context. “Ensuring the health and well being of the client is central to the role of the ISVA, but as ISVAs also have to operate within the criminal justice system, it is crucial that they understand the strict rules that apply there” explains Jo Palmiero, a prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service who also works on a part-time basis for LimeCulture as a Training Manager. “So many ISVAs are nervous about this element of their role. So we provide them with training that explains the criminal justice process and how ISVAs fit within it. We explain what they can do as an ISVA and what they shouldn’t do, and most importantly, why”. The LimeCulture Training team believe this is why the demand for the ISVA Development Programme course has been consistently high since it was launched. New courses become fully booked almost as soon as they are open and they believe it is because of the quality of the material they train and how they apply it. “We only use trainers who are leaders in their field, and most importantly, trainers who can use their professional knowledge and skill and apply it to the ISVA role. So for example, when we train ISVAs on safeguarding, it is not generic safeguarding that we teach, it’s how it applies to ISVAs or when we train the ISVAs on risk management, it is not generic, it’s focused on how ISVAs can manage the risks of their clients.” LimeCulture is the leading provider of ISVA Training. “We deliver the ISVA Development 3 or 4 times a year and our courses are always full with ISVAs from the full range of ISVA services, regardless of whether they are provided by the voluntary sector, NHS, Local Authority or SARCs” explains Bernie. “For us, this is a really important aspect of our training. We want -and actively encourage- ISVAs to learn from each other too. They find this really helpful and many of the ISVAs who’ve trained together remain friends and continue to support each other professionally. The positives that come from learning alongside and from other ISVAs from different areas and services is really key” says Bernie. “In fact, we would be worried if all of the ISVAs on a single cohort came from a single sector or type of service because they wouldn’t get the opportunity to learn from their peers in the same way. Luckily that has never happened and we’ve always had ISVAs employed from a range of services attend our courses”. The 20th cohort, who started their training this week, is made up of 25 ISVAs – 13 of them are from the specialist sexual violence voluntary sector (such as Rape Crisis-type organisations) – 6 ISVAs are from Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) – 5 ISVAs are from Victim Support and 1 is from an NHS Trust. “I know from when I did my own ISVA training, the value of learning alongside other ISVAs who work in different ISVA services and even different sector types is wonderful. I learnt so much from my peers” recalls Gemma. The feedback from the 20th cohort, who have completed the 1st module this week, has been entirely consistent with this view, with one ISVA providing this feedback “Its been great training, really engaging and fun. Interesting to work alongside other ISVAs and hear point of view different from my own” and from another ISVA “Excellent training, tough, informative and very well put together and delivered. I have really enjoyed the discussions and learnt a lot through other ISVA’s experiences”. Further information about LimeCulture’s ISVA Development Programme can be found on our website https://limeculture.co.uk/training-development Please Note- The next ISVA Development Programme will be open for online bookings soon. If you would like to express an interest in joining our 21st cohort, please email us info@limeculture.co.uk and we ensure that you are given priority when bookings are open. LimeCulture also provides an Advanced Development Programme made up of different electives for experienced ISVA. For more information about our additional training for accredited ISVAs, please visit our website A bit of good news for a Friday afternoon… May 11, 2018 by LimeCulture This week has been great for LimeCulture. Our Core Team met on Wednesday for a team meeting and together we were able to focus on our priorities for the coming months. We’ve got a lot on that we are excited about and we’ve got a few bits of great news that we’d like to share with our supporters, customers, clients & friends. We figured the best way to do this would be through a blog post! So here goes… LimeCulture will be recruiting again soon Yes, that’s right. We are expanding our Core Team again. Our workload has increased and we need to make sure that we are properly resourced in order to deliver on the important work that we are committed to. We are looking for some fantastic team players to join our brilliant, fun and hard-working team. We will soon be needing two new administrators to support our busy team to carry out the important work that we do. We are currently finalising these job descriptions and once they have been agreed, we will publish the advert, job description and person specifications here. So if you would like to join our team, or know somebody who would love to work with us, please watch this space…as more information will follow over the next week or so! LimeCulture offers free advanced training to 100 ISVAs Yes, we did say FREE training! We have now developed Elective 3 of the Advanced Development Programme (ADP) for experienced ISVAs, which will focus on supporting older people. We know that older people also experience sexual violence, but they tend to be under represented in official crime reports and in sexual violence services too. However, we know that older people should be able to benefit from support from ISVA services, and we’re keen to ensure that ISVAs feel able to effectively support this hidden group too. LimeCulture have worked with Age UK and other partners to develop a brand new course to assist ISVAs support older people who have experienced sexual violence. The best bit is that we are able to deliver this course free of charge to 100 accredited ISVAs! Our ambition is to see a geographical spread of this important specialism, so we will be delivering the course in various locations across the country over the summer and autumn months. To ensure the spread of this specialism, we propose to offer each ISVA Service a free place to allow every ISVA service to support older people more effectively by having an ISVA with specialist training, skills and knowledge. It is important to note, that this training is ONLY available to fully trained ISVAs who have completed their full accredited ISVA Development Programme. More information about how to book a place on the new Advanced Development Programme, Elective 3, will follow over the coming weeks! So look out for it! Keir Starmer will be chairing 2018’s Knowledge & Network Event, the National ISVA Conference Finally, it is with huge pleasure that we announce that the Chair of the 2018 National ISVA Conference will be Sir Keir Starmer, QC MP. Those of you who attended the 2016 Conference will recall that Keir was a truly excellent and inspiring Chair…so we were thrilled when he told us that he would be honoured to chair this year’s conference again. Knowledge & Network, the National ISVA Conference will take place in Birmingham on 17 October 2018….and we can’t wait! The conference will open for bookings on 1 June, along with the nominations for the LimeLight Awards. For more information about our work, please contact us! Visit our website https://limeculture.co.uk or email us info@limeculture.co.uk or call and talk to us 0203 633 0018	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1387
__label__wiki	0.618538	0.618538	Location: snowy England Song of Hope - Part 2 These characters all belong to the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien. This story was written for pleasure and not for financial gain. With thanks to Virtuella. For of the most High cometh healing. - The Bible Ecclesiasticus xxxviii. 2 “Your King commands you to give him the weapon.” Aragorn spoke in a tone more often heard in commanding troops or calling an unruly council to order. Faramir hesitated for a moment before replying, “My lord, I am sorry, I cannot.” “Look over there!” Aragorn cried. He pointed to the far corner of the chamber. While Faramir was momentarily distracted he lunged and grabbed the dagger from his Steward’s hand. Faramir glared at Aragorn and looked longingly at the blade. “Again you thwart, me, Elessar!” he cried. “I curse you!” Éowyn paled. “No, Faramir. To speak thus is treason!” Aragorn gave no reaction to the outburst. “Sit down, Faramir,” he said calmly. “You are not well.” “No! My life must end now.” Aragorn reached out and gripped Faramir’s arm. The Steward collapsed on the floor with a cry. The King cushioned his fall and sank to his knees, supporting the semi-conscious man. Éowyn knelt beside them, a troubled expression on her face. Aragorn turned to face the crowd of curious servants who had gathered. “Mistress Elwen, you bring me hot water,” he said, “the rest of you return to your duties. Lord Faramir is not himself. Captain Beregond, take the dagger and stow it away safely, together with your lord’s sword.” The servants scuttled away, Beregond followed at a more sedate place “What’s happening to him?” asked Éowyn. Aragorn took Faramir’s hand, which was again deathly cold and felt his brow. Faramir’s teeth were chattering and he stared blankly ahead of him. “I fear this is another effect of the Black Breath,” said Aragorn. “I have seen it take men this way before, driving out all that is good and hopeful from their hearts and filling them with despair. I should never have left him!” “Nor should I.” said Éowyn. “But tell me, my friend, will he recover?” Her eyes were wide with fear. She laid a loving hand on her husband’s arm, but he recoiled from her touch. “I will use every art known to me to ensure that he does.” Aragorn said firmly. “Firstly, we must get him warm and I must tend his wounds. Do you have any furs?” “I have fur cloaks in my wardrobe,” Éowyn replied. ”Shall I fetch them from my chamber?” “Please do, Éowyn.” Éowyn hurried away. Aragorn looked up and became aware that Beregond hovered in the doorway. “Have you stowed the weapons away safely?” Aragorn asked the Captain. “Yes, my lord, and one of the guards is cleaning the dagger.” “Close the door then and help me lift Lord Faramir on to the bed, please.” Together the two men accomplished their task. Aragorn then bade Beregond make up the fire. He pulled the blankets up to the Steward’s waist and removed the blood-spattered nightshirt. Faramir struggled feebly and seemed deaf to the soothing words of reassurance the King offered. As he had expected, he found several shallow cuts across Faramir’s chest. Aragorn had seen this before, men driven to despair who sought to take their own lives usually made a few tentative cuts before achieving their lethal purpose. He shuddered. He had come too close this night to losing his dearest friend and wisest counsellor. He pressed his ear against Faramir’s chest and found that his heart beat far too slowly while his skin felt like ice. He placed a hand on Faramir’s forehead, seeking to connect with his mind, but it was like trying to swim beneath dark and clouded waters full of ice, which he could not break. Mistress Elwen knocked on the door. Beregond took the bowl of steaming water that she brought and placed in on the table beside Faramir’s bed. Aragorn crumbled some athelas leaves into the water. “Take deep breaths of the steam,” he instructed his friend. “No, no!” Faramir cried. “It sears, it burns!” Aragorn groaned inwardly. Faramir was obviously deep in the grip of some dark enchantment, which even the athelas seemed to have little power against. The herb had roused him from the deathly slumber, but a darkness lingered in the Steward’s mind, which threatened to destroy him body and soul. He dipped a cloth in the athelas mixture and began to cleanse Faramir’s wounds. “No!” Faramir protested. “This worthless body must be utterly destroyed. Let me follow my father into the fire, which alone can cleanse the foulness!” “I cannot let you bleed, son of my heart, nor permit your wounds to become infected while you are not yourself,” Aragorn said firmly. Faramir ceased struggling but seemed to withdraw even further in some dark corner of his tortured mind. Aragorn tied the bandage; he took Faramir’s icy hands between his own and started to chafe them. Faramir, though, jerked away from his touch as if it burned him. Éowyn returned carrying an armful of furs. “How is he?” she asked. “His wounds are slight, but his mind is clouded with darkness,” Aragorn told her. He took the cloaks from her and wrapped them around Faramir, with the fur next to his skin. Instead of snuggling into the warm covers, though, the Steward seemed to recoil from them as he did from their touch. Beregond threw more logs on the fire and discreetly withdrew. The King moved to the foot of the bed and studied Faramir’s face. The Steward’s eyes were closed and he had his head turned away from both his lady and his lord. He seemed to be in the grip of some dreadful waking dream, which was destroying him. Aragorn tried to recall everything Master Elrond had ever taught him concerning the Black Breath. It seemed that a trace of the malady had lingered within Faramir’s spirit, which had been stirred by him touching the bespelled dagger. Aragorn knew he must find a way to reawaken Faramir’s soul to all the goodness and beauty within Arda and within his life. Warmth did not seem to be helping the Steward, neither did athelas, the most potent weapon known to healers against the deadly illness. Faramir lifted his head a little and spoke. “Go, leave me, Éowyn,” he said. “You never truly loved me, now you will be free to wed one more worthy. And you, Elessar, I know you pitied me, which is why you offered me friendship and called me your son, while in your heart you secretly despised me!” Éowyn began to weep quietly. Aragorn opened his mouth to remind Faramir that their shared Thought Bond could conceal no falsehoods He remained silent, though, knowing it was futile to try to reason with one whose mind was so disturbed. Just as futile as Éowyn’s tears. He knew he must find a way to save the one he loved as dearly as a son. Maybe a healing chant would help, but would it hold sufficient power? “Estel?” Arwen’s voice called from outside the door. “Come in, my love.” The Queen entered her lovely eyes full of concern. ”How is Faramir?” she asked. “Beregond told me he was not faring well.” Aragorn nodded sadly. “I was wondering if a healing chant might aid him,” he said. Arwen nodded. “It might, but a healing song would have more power. Did not song create order out of nothingness at the beginning? But first, light candles to banish every shadow from the chamber.” Glad to be given a new sense of purpose, Éowyn bustled from the room in search of candles. “We will together call upon Estë,” said Arwen. “I would not have our friend and Steward fall victim to the darkness.” “His mind is so clouded he might try to flee from the song,” said Aragorn. “Then we shall lock the door and bid his loyal captain to return lest we need his help,” said the Queen. She called Mistress Elwen to summon Beregond. Éowyn lit candles in every corner of the chamber until it resembled the Merethrond on a feast day. Beregond was bidden to stand by the bed and be watchful. Aragorn called for more hot water and steeped several leaves of athelas in it. The herb might not be working for Faramir, but it would raise his own spirits and strengthen his resolve. Aragorn placed his hand on Faramir’s forehead and began with a simple prayer to Estë, a chant rather than a song. Then Arwen joined in and began to weave a melody. Éowyn had little time for Elvish music, finding it insipid compared to the hearty songs of her homeland. The songs of the Rohirrim told of the great deeds of their ancestors or the beauty of their horses and the land where they roamed. Such songs fired the blood on a chilly night or made the farmer’s labours easier. Elvish songs seemed to have little purpose other than to sound sweet and while away the hours of the immortal singers. Usually Éowyn struggled to remain awake during them. This song though was different; it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and every fibre of her being feel more alive. The song was both sweet and painful, sad and joyful, ancient yet new, and all at the same time as the King and Queen’s voices rose and fell in perfect harmony. For a few moments, Faramir remained motionless and silent. Then suddenly he groaned and writhed as if in pain. He raised his hands and covered his ears with them. Aragorn gently but firmly prised them away. He grasped one cold hand in his own, all the while never pausing in his song. He gestured to Éowyn to take Faramir's other hand. Beregond remained alert in case it became needful to restrain the Steward. The song continued; the words telling of the great deeds of the Valar and the beauties of the world they had created out of song. The melodies became ever sweeter and the harmonies more complex. Aragorn's deep resonant bass, mingled perfectly with Arwen’s high sweet soprano. Faramir's eyes flickered open. For a few moments, his gaze darted wildly around the room before meeting Aragorn's kindly and concerned gaze. His writhing ceased and he breathed deeply of the athelas vapours, all the while listening to the song as if entranced. At last, the voices died away, the final notes appearing almost to float in the evening air. Faramir slowly sat up and studied the anxious faces surrounding him. “What happened?” he asked. “Éowyn? Aragorn?” “What do you remember?” asked Aragorn. “I was in Minas Ithil and we found an ancient chest. There were finely crafted daggers within of skilled and ancient design. I picked one up and was enveloped in a cold dark fog from which I could not escape until I heard the music. It was a foul place indeed, without light or hope. But how did I come to be here and where are my clothes?” He belatedly noticed the Queen's presence and pulled the furs more closely about him. “It is a long story,” said Aragorn. “Suffice to say for now that Beregond brought you home from Minas Ithil and we sang to lead you back into the light.” “I was lost and could not find you, father of my heart, nor could I find could Éowyn, nor my little ones, nor any of the happiness I have known these past years. Gondor herself was lost in darkness. It seemed as if all that was good was lost to me forever.” “It was but a trick caused by the Enemy’s dark arts,” said Aragorn. “All is well and as it should be.” “How do you feel now?” asked Éowyn. “I am hungry and this room is far too hot!” His features clouded again. “Young Turgon touched the daggers too. How does he fare?” “I am certain the cook will have some food for you,” said Éowyn. She looked at her husband and then at the King and Queen and her heart swelled with love and gratitude. Fearing she might burst into tears, she hastened from the room. “Turgon is well, I have spoken with him. He has been picking apples all afternoon then ate a hearty supper,” said Aragorn. “The Valar be praised! That chest and its contents must be destroyed before any more unwary souls can fall victim to the dark magic.” “A wise decision.” “Can someone fetch me some clothes so I can get out of bed?” Faramir asked. “I will go and ask your manservant to bring some,” said Beregond. “I promised Eldarion I would tell him a bedtime story,” said Arwen. “I will leave you with your patient, Estel.” She left the room, closing the door behind her. “I feel perfectly well,” Faramir protested as Aragorn felt his forehead and checked his heartbeat. He then noticed the bandages and stared at them in bewilderment. “I do not recall being wounded?” “You tried to hurt yourself with your dagger,” Aragorn said gently. “You suffered a recurrence of the Black Breath and were not yourself.” Faramir looked horrified. “I cut myself with my dagger? What else did I do and say?” “Nothing of any consequence,” Aragorn said firmly. “The Black Breath destroys all sense of hope and joy. It caused you to talk gibberish.” “Am I doomed to be mad like my father, melancholy like my mother, and plagued with recurrences of the Black Breath?” There was fear in Faramir's voice. “Indeed not, my friend.” Aragorn shook his head. “You have one of the greatest minds of this age. Unlike your father, you have fought the dread malady and triumphed. You also resisted the lure of the Ring, which takes the strongest of wills. As for your mother, it was the presence of the Enemy nearby and longing for the sea that lowered her spirits. She was joyous in her youth. I very much doubt you will ever suffer another relapse as long as you avoid bespelled weapons. You were enchanted with an ancient evil magic. However, I would like you to inhale athelas daily for a while and take some herbs I will prepare for you, just to make absolutely certain you are healed. Also, you must tell me at once if you feel melancholy or your soul is troubled in any way.” “I must be a weakling as Turgon was unscathed,” Faramir said sadly. “I will of course do as you say.” “You are no weakling. That young recruit had never encountered the Black Breath before. I also believe that the Enemy created his vile weapons to worst afflict the bravest and noblest of heart and mind.” Faramir sighed then his eyes lit up. “My heart is full of thankfulness that you rescued me again from the darkness.” “It was my pleasure. I would not be without you, ion nîn.” Aragorn smiled. “My heart rejoices that I was able to heal you.” “Never before have I heard so sweet a song,” said Faramir. “Could even Lúthien when she sang before Melkor have weaved such magic?” Aragorn laughed. ”You had better tell my lady that,” he said. “She is said to be as fair as Lúthien so she might well share her gift for music too.” “You and your lady should sing together more often,” said Faramir. Éowyn, together with Faramir’s manservant came back into the room, the latter carrying an armful of clothing. “You and Arwen must sing the hymn to Yavanna at our harvest celebrations,” said Éowyn. “Such sweet music should be heard by all our folk here.” “We will, for there is much to thank Lady Yavanna for,” said Aragorn. His eyes met Éowyn’s and they both looked towards Faramir. He smiled at them both, his world was full of hope and joy once more. Tags: music, stories, teitho	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1390
__label__wiki	0.753617	0.753617	Candle of Hope B2MeM Challenge: Family traditions, from the silly to the serious. Are the children read to at bedtime every night or do they exchange silly gifts on birthdays/Yule/etc. or do they light candles for deceased family on a certain day of the year? Maybe silly games like “pinch punch first of the month” or do they have a game night once a week? Or are there traditions for spotting the first spring flower, firefly, or something of that nature? Something, anything about family traditions. Format: Short story Rating: PG Characters: Ivorwen, Gilraen, OFCs, Dírhael, Aragorn, Arwen, Eldarion. Pairings: Ivorwen/Dírhael, Gilraen/Arathorn, Aragorn/Arwen Summary: Every Mettarë, a candle is lit. The wind howled around the house, its cry promising yet more snow before morning. Ivorwen shivered as she re-entered the lamp-lit kitchen. “There is a storm brewing,” she said. “I hope your father returns home ere nightfall.” “He said we should begin the feast without him,” said Inzilbeth, without looking up from her spinning. “It’s Mettarë. I want daddy,” said Gilraen. “He will try to be here to eat with us, my sweet,” her mother replied. “I can hear hoof beats,” said Inzilbeth, she rose to her feet, cocking her head to one side and straining to listen. Ivorwen opened the door again and looked out into the freezing darkness. She listened intently. “The horse is not coming this way.” “I wish it had been his horse,” said Inzilbeth. “I’m hungry.” “Let us light the Mettarë candle,” said Ivorwen. “We will eat if your father still isn’t home afterwards.” She led her daughters into the living area, which was decorated with branches of holly and yew. Going to the dresser, she opened a drawer and took out a thick new beeswax candle, which she placed in a candlestick in the centre of a table. “What’s that?” asked Gilraen. “Don’t you know?” said Inzilbeth impatiently. “Your sister was too young last year to remember,” said Ivorwen. “I expect she will forget this year too!” “I won’t!” “Peace, girls,” Ivorwen said sternly. She removed her fraying shawl with its loose threads, which she wore around the house and took up her best one, which she draped around her head and shoulders. She dimmed the lamps so that only the light of the fire remained. She then took up a spill and lit it from the blazing fire in the hearth. Going over to the table, she solemnly lit the candle. “The days grow dark, but the light will return,” she said in a clear loud voice. “While light yet glows in the West, it will never be extinguished.” The three stood watching the flame in silence for a few moments. Ivorwen felt a stab of pride as she studied her daughters’ intent faces. They were good girls, both of them. Inzilbeth would soon be a young woman and a very capable one too, while Gilraen was swiftly changing from a chubby baby into a pretty little girl. She had despaired of bearing more healthy children when Gilraen had surprised her with her arrival. “May the Valar protect our family and hearth!” she said at last, noticing Gilraen was beginning to fidget. Ivorwen took up the candle and placed it in the window, then relit the lamps. If only Dírhael would return. There were too many fell creatures abroad these dark nights. “Why do we speak of light in the West?” asked Inzilbeth. “The sun rises in the East.” “The words refer to the Men of the West and the lore they brought with them to Middle-earth,” Ivorwen replied. “We are of the Children of Lúthien and it is said her line will never fail. Now, help me set the table, Gilraen. Inzilbeth, take the pot off the fire. The food will spoil if we don’t eat now.” It was then that they clearly heard the approach of hoof beats. A few moments later, Dírhael entered, shaking the snow from his cloak. “Daddy!” cried Gilraen running towards him. He picked her up and placed her on his broad shoulders. “We feared you would miss the feast,” said Inzilbeth. “How could I not be home for Mettarë?” said Dírhael. “I saw the candle in the window lighting my way home.” The Elf- woman looked confused as she handed Gilraen the candle. “I am sorry, my lady, I did not realise that your candles had burned down and needed replacing,” she said. “I should have explained,” said Gilraen apologetically. “I needed a new candle as it is Mettarë and we have a tradition in my family. The Elf smiled as understanding dawned. “Ah yes, I recall now that Eru’s younger children celebrate the festival at the same time as the winter solstice. Enjoy your celebration, my lady!” “Celebration!” Gilraen almost spat the offending word as the door closed behind the Elf. What had she to celebrate? She was a widow, at an age younger than most maidens were wed and far from her home and her kin this night. She almost stuffed the candle into the depths of a clothes chest. Then she remembered her mother’s words on the day she had left for Rivendell. “Teach our ways to your son, Gilraen,” Ivorwen had said. “Do not let him come to manhood ignorant of the customs of his own family and his own people.” Gilraen had hugged her mother tightly and given her word. Tears pricked her eyes as she remembered that last conversation. She missed her mother so much. It was her duty to keep the promise she had made. Gilraen glanced across the room to where Aragorn was playing with some stuffed toys. Content that he was safely amusing himself, she took up a shawl and covered her head and shoulders with it. She placed the candle in a candlestick and lit it from one of the candles already burning. Taking a deep breath, she said aloud; “The days grow dark, but the light will return. While light yet glows in the West, it will never be extinguished.” The words sounded hollow to her ears. Arathorn would never return and each year it seemed that there were fewer of the line of Lúthien left. Her son was the last direct male heir of the line of the Kings of old. She stared at the candle flame, remembering the happy Mettarë feasts of her childhood. They were simple affairs, but her home was always filled with love. She thought of her parents lighting the candle tonight and of Inzilbeth and her husband and young Halbarad. “May the Valar protect our family and hearth!” she whispered. She had no hearth to call her own and most of her family were far away. She picked up the candle to take it to the window, but found she could not. Tears poured down her cheeks. Gilraen replaced the candle on the table. “Naneth!” Her son left his toys and ran towards her on chubby legs, his small face crumbled in concern. Gilraen scooped Aragorn up in her arms. He smothered her tear stained face with kisses. “Naneth, don’t cry, Estel make it better!” Gilraen smiled through her tears. While her son lived and thrived, there was still light and hope for the future. She placed the candle in the window and imagined herself at home. The royal family always breakfasted together on special occasions and Mettarë was no exception. Aragorn smiled contently at his children’s happy chatter. “I’ve a new gown to wear at the feast,” said Farawyn. “It is blue silk and it shines in the torchlight!” Eldarion rolled his eyes. “It is bad enough to have to dress up without you keeping reminding me.” Sensing a disagreement brewing, Aragorn asked. “So who can tell me what is special about Mettarë then, apart from having new clothes?” “It is the shortest day,” said Eldarion. “It used to be the last day of the year before wicked Sauron was defeated.” “We have my favourite things to eat,” said Farawyn. “And what else?” prompted Aragorn. “We light the Mettarë candle,” said Eldarion. “That is most important of all,” said Aragorn. “We light the candle before we welcome our guests and begin the feast.” “I have the candle ready,” The Queen gestured towards a side table where a magnificent beeswax candle decorated with gold leaf stood waiting. “The days grow dark, but the light will return,” she said softly. “While light yet glows in the West, it will never be extinguished. You are the light of the West, beloved.” “Many bore the light before me.” Aragorn closed his eyes and was back in his childhood rooms in Rivendell, watching his mother light the candle. Then he was a young man in Grandmother Ivorwen’s house, watching her as she placed the candle in the window. So many had followed this tradition, waiting and hoping that the candle flame would pierce the ever- growing darkness. Now the light shone on his children, but would they remember those who went before them? His little daughter interrupted his reverie. “Lighting the candle is the best part of Mettarë,” she said. “When I grow up I’m going to light one for ever and ever!” A/n. Wishing all my readers health and happiness in 2016.This was first published for BTME in March and has been revised for the season. Tags: btme15, short stories	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1391
__label__wiki	0.813284	0.813284	Skip to main content Skip to sections Applied Water Science March 2017 , Volume 7, Issue 1, pp 137–153 \| Cite as Analyses of freshwater stress with a couple ground and surface water model in the Pra Basin, Ghana George Owusu Alex B. Owusu Ebenezer Forkuo Amankwaa Fatima Eshun First Online: 04 April 2015 The optimal management of water resources requires that the collected hydrogeological, meteorological, and spatial data be simulated and analyzed with appropriate models. In this study, a catchment-scale distributed hydrological modeling approach is applied to simulate water stress for the years 2000 and 2050 in a data scarce Pra Basin, Ghana. The model is divided into three parts: The first computes surface and groundwater availability as well as shallow and deep groundwater residence times by using POLFLOW model; the second extends the POLFLOW model with water demand (Domestic, Industrial and Agricultural) model; and the third part involves modeling water stress indices—from the ratio of water demand to water availability—for every part of the basin. On water availability, the model estimated long-term annual Pra river discharge at the outflow point of the basin, Deboase, to be 198 m3/s as against long-term average measurement of 197 m3/s. Moreover, the relationship between simulated discharge and measured discharge at 9 substations in the basin scored Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient of 0.98, which indicates that the model estimation is in agreement with the long-term measured discharge. The estimated total water demand significantly increases from 959,049,096 m3/year in 2000 to 3,749,559,019 m3/year in 2050 (p < 0.05). The number of districts experiencing water stress significantly increases (p = 0.00044) from 8 in 2000 to 21 out of 35 by the year 2050. This study will among other things help the stakeholders in water resources management to identify and manage water stress areas in the basin. PCRaster GIS River discharge Water vulnerability Groundwater POLFLOW Water vulnerability is often estimated from the ratio of water demand and water availability, with water stress occurring when the local water demand exceeds the local water availability (Wada 2008). Ledger (1972) pioneered the studies of water availability and water demand in a case study in Warwickshire Avon, England. However, Falkenmark (1989) was the first to have estimated water stress indices based on available freshwater resources and water per capita. Falkenmark’s estimation did not account for industrial and agricultural water demand, but Oki and Kanae (2006) accounted for them in their estimation of water stress. At continental levels, there are many macroscale hydrological models (MHMs) that have been developed to simulate water stress by using water availability and water demand (Takahashi et al. 2000; Vorosmarty et al. 2000; Oki et al. 2001; Alcamo et al. 2003a, b; Arnell 2003; Doll et al. 2003; Widen-Nilsson et al. 2007). However, due to their lower spatial resolution of 0.5°, the MHMs may not be suitable for catchment water vulnerability analysis. Catchment models such as MIKE-SHE (DHI 2000), MIKE-11 (Havnø et al. 1995), HEC-RAS (Brunner 2008), TOPKAPI(Ciarapica and Todini 2002), TOPMODEL (Beven and Kirkby 1979), MODFLOW (Baalousha 2012), and LISFLOOD (Van Der Knijff et al. 2008) can be used to estimate water availability, but they lack water demand component. While these catchment models are powerful in the estimation of water availability, they are not suitable for long-term average water availability simulation. Moreover, they loosely model coupled relationship between surface water and groundwater. POLFLOW is a catchment-scale hydrological model developed for the simulation of water and nutrient fluxes (De Wit 2001). POLFLOW is embedded in PCRaster (Karssenberg 1996, 2002) language. Though the model has been developed for nutrient fluxes, the water flux component can be separated and used for another application. For instance, POLFLOW has been separately used for the estimation of changes in surface and groundwater resources (Jarsjö et al. 2004; Durdu 2005). “The long-term average total runoff, the groundwater recharge index, and the groundwater residence time are the determinant factors in the model” (Durdu 2005). The POLFLOW model has also been applied in several other European river basins (De Wit 2001; Greffe 2003; Jarsjö et al. 2004; Durdu 2005). Like other similar catchment models, POLFLOW lacks water demand component. This study extends POLFLOW water flux model with water demand module for the estimation of water stress for Pra Basin of Ghana. In the Pra Basin, IPCC (2007) projected a slight increase in rainfall and 3–4 °C increase in temperature by the end of the twenty-first century. How will climate change affect the basin’s hydrology? Opoku-Ankomah (2000) used a lumped model, for the whole of the basin, to compute water vulnerability index using only surface water discharge and total population of the basin. Though the study computed vulnerability index of 442 persons/106m3 of surface water, it could not spatially identify those areas in the basin that are experiencing vulnerability. The complex relationship between water supply and water demand compelled Water Resources Commission (Water-Resources-Commission 2012) of Ghana to establish the Pra River Basin Board—a decentralized management body to facilitate the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). This body seeks to promote the coordinated development and management of water, land, and related resources in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. The main objective of the study was to develop a catchment-scale distributed hydrological model for simulation of water stress, for the years 2000 and 2050, in the Pra Basin, Ghana. The first specific objective was to estimate surface and groundwater availability. Secondly, the study extends POLFLOW model by adding a water demand model. The third objective was to compute water stress indices—from the ratio of water demand and water availability in the basin. The first hypothesis of the study is that there will be no significant difference between the estimated water demand in 2000 and 2050, while the second hypothesis is that the number of districts experiencing water stress in the basin will not significantly differ in the years 2000 and 2050. The study area The Pra Basin with an area of 23,000 km2 is one of the south-western catchments (Opoku-Ankomah 2000) that occupy 20 % of the land area of Ghana (Fig. 1). Open image in new window The location of the study area The basin is a home to four administrative regions—Ashanti, Eastern, Western, and Central—as well as 41 districts in Ghana. While population in the basin increases from southern part to the north, annual rainfall and temperature decrease with increasing levels of evapotranspiration. These climatic elements are also seasonally based, which brings about frequent climatic and hydrological droughts in the dry season and flooding in the rainy season. The basin has a populated farmland and rapidly developing urban and suburban areas. Its agriculture is mainly rain fed, and there is high agricultural water demand for irrigation. There is also high industrial and domestic water demand due to economic growth and high population growth. Moreover, there are already some districts in the basin, though not urban, where water demand is outgrowing water availability or supply, and this is further exacerbated by the continuous growth of population and climate change. The basin is divided into three sub-basins and they include Offin river, Oda river, and Birim river. The Offin is found in the upper west of the basin, while the Oda is found in the middle part of the basin with Birim in the eastern part (Fig. 1). The basin is also the home of the largest natural lake (Bosomtwe) in Ghana. Theory and calculation In this study, water stress is modeled by dividing water demand by water availability (Wada 2008). The model is divided into 3 parts (and they are all captured in Fig. 2). The first part computes water availability by using POLFLOW (De Wit 2001) model; the second part extends the POLFLOW model with water demand model. The third part involves modeling water vulnerability indices for the basin. In this study, POLFLOW model is extended by accounting for water demand/use in estimating long-term average water fluxes in Pra Basin (Fig. 2). Moreover, this model unlike the original POLFLOW will estimate annual river discharge (Q) by including only part of groundwater recharge that is less than or equal to one year old because the model temporal framework is annually based (De Wit 2001). The conceptual framework and flowchart of the model. Legend: R s is surface runoff and soil interflow contribution; R gw is amount of precipitation surplus available for groundwater recharge; PET is potential evapotranspiration; crop coeff is crop coefficient; f gw is shallow groundwater index; f dgw is deep groundwater index Water availability estimation From Fig. 2, total runoff was estimated as: $$Q = P - E_{\text{a}}$$ where Q is the long-term average annual runoff (mm/year), P is the long-term average precipitation (mm/year), and E a is the long-term average actual evapotranspiration (mm/year). There are two methods of estimating actual evapotranspiration in POLFLOW: (1) Wendland (1992) and (2) Meinardi et al. (1994) methods. Wendland (1992) calculated evapotranspiration by empirically relating it to soil and land cover through the use of crop coefficients. Meinardi et al. (1994) estimated actual evapotranspiration based on Turc (1954) precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (Ep) model as: $$E_{\text{a}} = \frac{P}{{\sqrt {\left( {0.9 + \frac{{P^{2} }}{{E_{\text{p}}^{2} }}} \right)} }}.$$ Langbein (1949) estimated Ep as a function of long-term temperature (T, °C) as: $$E_{\text{p}} = 325 + (21 \times T) + \left( {0.9 + T^{2} } \right).$$ It can be seen in Fig. 2 that total runoff (Q) is also equal to: $$Q = R_{\text{s}} + R_{\text{gw}}$$ where R s is surface runoff and soil interflow contribution, R gw is amount of precipitation surplus available for groundwater recharge. The groundwater recharge (GW) (Jarsjö et al. 2004) was estimated as: $$R_{\text{gw}} = {\text{GW}} = f_{\text{gw}} \cdot Q$$ where f gw is groundwater index. The surface runoff in Eq. (4) was estimated as: $$R_{\text{S}} = \left( { 1 {-}f_{\text{gw}} } \right) \cdot Q$$ $$f_{\text{gw}} {\text{ = if(groundwater level near the surface then, water, else}}(1 + (3({\text{slope}} + 0.0001))).$$ The deep groundwater recharge index (f dgw) was described as a function of aquifer type, texture of the top soil, groundwater level, slope, and land use: $$f_{\text{dgw}} = f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{aq}} \cdot f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{so}} \cdot f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{lc}} \cdot \left( {1 - ({\text{slope}} + 10^{ - 7} )^{0.4} } \right)$$ where “aq” is related to aquifer characteristics, “so” is related to soil characteristics, and “lc” is related to land use characteristics (Tables 1, 2). The tabulated parameter values of deep groundwater recharge index and aquifer type ($f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{aq}}$), primary porosity(pp), and conductivity of the aquifer (ca) (Meinardi et al. 1994) Aquifer type $f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{aq}}$ pp (−) ca (mday−1) Unconsolidated sedimentary aquifer: good permeability Unconsolidated sedimentary aquifer: poor permeability Consolidated sedimentary aquifer: good permeability Consolidated sedimentary aquifer: poor permeability Igneous and metamorphous rock: modest permeability Igneous and metamorphous rock: poor permeability Incidentally brackish groundwater Generally brackish or saline groundwater The tabulated parameter values of soil ($f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{so}}$) and land cover ($f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{lc}}$) indices (Meinardi et al. 1994) $f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{so}}$ $f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{lc}}$ Loam/sand Permanent crops, others Loam/clay Built up Groundwater near surface Once groundwater recharges were computed, the residence time—the time it takes for underground water to join surface water—was computed as a function of groundwater velocity (v, m/day), conductivity of aquifer (ca, m/day), primary effective porosity (pp, m3/m3), and hydraulic gradient (h, m/m) as (Wendland 1992): $$v = \frac{{({\text{ca}} \times h)}}{\text{pp}}$$ Wendland (1992) provided empirical average values of primary effective porosity and conductivity of aquifers. Average shallow groundwater residence time was estimated as: $${\text{RT}}_{\text{sgw}} = \frac{\text{lp}}{(v + 360)}$$ where RTsgw is the average shallow groundwater residence time (year), lp is the average length of underground flow path (m), and 360 is a conversion factor (days per year). The distance parameter can be estimated as a function of the stream density: $${\text{lp}} = \frac{1000}{{2 \times {\text{ns}}}}$$ where ns is the number of streams per km2 and 1000 is a conversion factor from kilometers to meters. If there is no stream density map, “ns” can be estimated as: $${\text{ns}} = {\text{if}}\left[ {{\text{water}},{\text{then}},2,{\text{else}}\left( \frac{Q}{450} \right)^{0.8} } \right].$$ The final part of water fluxes as shown in Fig. 2 is the deep groundwater residence time, and it was estimated as: $${\text{RT}}_{\text{dgw}} = \frac{{1000 \times {\text{tp}} \times {\text{at}}}}{{f_{\text{dgw}} }}$$ where RTdgw is the average deep groundwater residence time (year), tp is the total effective aquifer porosity (m3/m3), at is the aquifer thickness (m), $f_{\text{dgw}}$ is the long-term average deep groundwater recharge (mm/year), and 1000 is a conversion factor (mm to m). Water demand estimation The total water demand in the Pra Basin comprises domestic water demand, industrial water demand, and agricultural water demand. Domestic water demand was estimated as: $$D_{\text{dom}} = \frac{{P_{\text{district}} \times {\text{percapita}} \times 365}}{1000}$$ where D dom is annual domestic water demand (m3/year), P district is annual population of a district, and per capita is per capita water demand (liters/capita/day). The numbers 365 and 1000 are to convert it from day to year and liters to m3, respectively. Average per capita water demand in the Pra Basin has been estimated by Opoku-Ankomah (2000) to be 65 l/c/d. There are limited lumped data on industrial water demand in the basin. The data on large-scale industrial water demand (Table 3) were extracted from EPA (2000). All the large annual-scale industrial water demand was computed by multiplying the demand by 310 working days. Small-scale industries, however, are common in the basin, but there were no data on them. Small-scale water demand was estimated based on the proportion of the working population in the industries (Table 5). In developing countries, it has been estimated that 4.3 % of water use is industrial as against 12.6 % for domestic (Wada 2008). Therefore, industrial water demand at district level was estimated as: $$D_{\text{industry}} = 311\frac{A}{4.3} \times 0.34\frac{{D_{\text{dom}} }}{365}$$ where D industry is small-scale industrial demand in a year (311 working days), A is average proportion of industrial economic activities in a district (computed from Table 5), 4.3 is percentage of industrial water use in developing countries (Wada 2008), 0.34 is the ratio between industrial water use in developing countries (4.3 %) and domestic water use (12.6 %). Major industries and their water demand in the Pra Basin (EPA 2000) Demand/use (m3/year) Guinness Ghana limited Kumasi Brewery limited (KBL) Ashanti Goldfields Corporation Obuasi Dunkwa Continental Gold mines Konongo Anyanfuri Midras minings Obenemasi Gold mines Ghana Consolidated Diamond limited Akwatia Agricultural water demand consists of livestock water demand and irrigation water demand. There were no data on livestock water demand, and it was estimated based on 6 % of rural water demand as (Water-Resources-Commission 2012): $${\text{Demand}}_{\text{livestock}} = 0.06 \times {\text{Demand}}_{\text{rural}}$$ $${\text{Demand}}_{\text{rural}} = \frac{{P_{\text{rural}} \times {\text{percapita}} \times 365}}{1000}$$ where P rural is population of rural areas in each district. Large-scale irrigation water demand data were abstracted from EPA (2000). The main irrigation dams and their water demand are listed in Table 4. “Informal urban and peri urban irrigation is practiced around some towns in the basin. There is little data on the overall extent of this informal irrigation in the basin. However, it is estimated that there are at least 12,700 smallholders irrigating more than 11,900 ha in the dry season around Kumasi [Metropolitan Assembly] alone, which is more than the area currently functioning under formal irrigation in the whole of the country.” (Water-Resources-Commission 2012). Just like industrial water demand, informal irrigation water demand was estimated as: $$D_{\text{irrigation}} = 311\frac{A}{83} \times 19\frac{{D_{\text{dom}} }}{365}$$ where D irrigation is an informal irrigation water demand in a year (311 working days), A is an average proportion of agricultural activities in a district (computed from Table 5), 83 is percentage of agricultural water use in developing countries (Wada 2008), 19 is the ratio between agricultural water use in developing countries (83.1 %) and domestic water use (12.6 %). Irrigation water demand (EPA 2000) Area (Ha) Demand (million m3) Nobewam Adiembra The occupational percentage (%) of the economically active population in Pra Basin Agric and forestry Electricity, gas and water Transport, storage and communication Public admin. Adansi-east Afigya Sekyere Ahafo Ano south Amansie west Asante-Akyem north Asante-Akyem south Ejisu/Juabeng Ejura Sekyidumasi Kwabre Offinso Sekyere west Bosomtwe Atwima Kwanwoma Kumasi metro Sekyere east Atwima Mponua Atwima Nwabiagya Amensie Central Amansie east Obuasi Municipal Adansi north Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa Komenda/Edna/Eguafo/Ebire Twifo-Hemang/Lower Denkyira Upper Denkyira Assin north Assin south Birim north Birim south Fanteakwa Kwaebibirem Suhum/Kraboa/Coaltar West Akim Yilo Krobo Kwahu West Municipal Kwahu south Atiwa East-Akim East-Akim Municipal Bibiani/Anwiaso/Bekwai Mpohor Wassa east Shama Ahanta east Wassa Amenfi east Pra Basin Baseline Study Report-2010 The total water demand is the summation of domestic, industrial, and agricultural water demand: $${\text{Demand}} = {\text{Demand}}_{\text{domestic}} + {\text{demand}}_{\text{industrial}} + {\text{demand}}_{\text{livestock}} + {\text{demand}}_{\text{irrigation}}$$ Water stress estimation Water stress was computed based on the scenario that all the demand will be met by surface water only (Eq. 20), groundwater only (Eq. 21), and from both surface and groundwater (Eq. 22). $${\text{Vul}}_{\text{RS}} { = }\frac{\text{Demand}}{{R_{\text{S}} }}$$ $${\text{Vul}}_{\text{Rgw}} = \frac{\text{Demand}}{{R_{\text{gw}} }}$$ $${\text{Vul}}_{\text{total}} = \frac{\text{Demand}}{Q}.$$ The 2050 scenario analyses The model also simulated 2050 water stress based on the following scenarios: There is a climate change with a decrease in precipitation relative to historical data and referred to as “drier”, i.e., a 10 % reduction in precipitation relative to the reference situation was applied. There is a climate change with an increase in precipitation relative to historical data and referred to as “wetter”. In this case, a 10 % increase in precipitation relative to the reference. There is a climate change with 1 °C increase in temperature. For each scenario, the population of the district is computed based on the growth rate as $$R_{i} = \left( {\frac{{\left( {P_{2010ij} - P_{1995i} } \right)/P_{1995i} }}{n}} \right)$$ where R is percentage growth rate for each district (i), P is the population of a district, and n is the difference between the years 2010 and 1995 (n = 15 years) The 2050 projected population (P 2050) status for each district was then estimated as: $$P_{2050} = P_{1995} e^{{R_{i} t}}$$ where R i t is growth rate for each district over time, e is natural log. The data for the model were retrieved from Ghana Hydrological Services, Meteorological Services of Ghana, Water Resources Commission of Ghana, and Districts and Municipal assemblies. The data from “Ghana at glance” also provided input variables such as land cover, soils, geology, and vegetation (Owusu 2014). The weather data were retrieved from three weather stations: Kumasi, Dunkwa, and Oda (Fig. 3). The SRTM DEM (NASA 2004) was used in this study (Table 6). The soil and land cover maps of Pra Basin showing the overlay of hydrological and meteorological Stations Sources of data for the model Average annual precipitation Ghana Meteorological Service Average annual temperature Average annual evapotranspiration 1:1,000,000 EPA, Ghana geological Survey Hydrogeological map EPA (2000) Digital elevation model (DEM) USGS–SRTM Derived from DEM River network Catchment boundary CERSGIS/Ghana at Glance Soil map 1:250,000 Soil Research Lands Commission Regional boundaries Discharge data Hydrological Services Dept Water Resources Commission Statistical service The model output includes the following maps: Long-term average total runoff. Groundwater recharge indices. Groundwater residence time. Water demand. Surface water Vulnerability index. Groundwater Vulnerability index. Total Vulnerability index. Model calibration and validation The POLFLOW model was calibrated and validated by dividing the weather and discharge data into two: 1990–1995 and 1996–2000. The long-term annual average of 1990–1995 data was used for calibration, while 1996–2000 was used for validation. The parameters were first optimized at calibration stage, and at the validation stage, the optimized parameters were used with the validation data. The POLFLOW model was calibrated by manually tuning aquifer index ($f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{aq}}$), primary porosity (pp), conductivity of the aquifer (ca), soil type index ($f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{so}}$), and land cover index ($f_{\text{dqw}}^{\text{lc}}$), as shown in Tables 1 and 2. Several runs of the model were performed for the various combinations of the parameters. The optimized parameters’ values are shown in Table 7. The soil and land cover map of the study areas are shown in Fig. 3. The estimated value of groundwater recharge was also compared with EPA (2000) values. The estimated water demand values were compared with Gyau and Adom (EPA 2000) estimation. The estimated water stress indices were compared with Opoku-Ankomah (2000) estimation. Evaluation of the model The performance of the hydrological model was statistically evaluated based on nine observed records at the following substations (Fig. 2): Outflow point at Deboase. Mfensi and Dunkwa hydro-stations on Offin tributary. Konongo and Anwia-Nkwanta on Oda tributary. Bunso and Akim Oda on Birim River. Assin-Praso and Twifo Praso on the main Pra River. The statistical criteria of the evaluation were based on the analysis of residual errors, i.e., the difference between observed (measured) and simulated values. The normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) and the Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient (NSE) (Nash and Sutcliffe 1970; Moriasi et al. 2007) were computed as: $${\text{NRMSE}} = \frac{{\sqrt {\frac{1}{n}\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n} {S_{i} - O_{i} } } }}{{O_{\hbox{max} } - O_{\hbox{min} } }}$$ $${\text{NSE}} = 1 - \left[ {\frac{{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n} {\left( {O_{i} - S_{i} } \right)^{2} } }}{{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n} {\left( {O_{i} - O^{\text{mean}} } \right)^{2} } }}} \right]$$ while S is simulated and O is observed for station i, O max and O min are the maximum and minimum observed values, respectively, and O mean is the mean of observed data. NSE “Values between 0.0 and 1.0 are generally viewed as acceptable levels of performance, whereas values <0.0 indicates that the mean observed value is a better predictor than the simulated value, which indicates unacceptable performance” (Moriasi et al. 2007). Modeled versus measured discharge The model estimated a long-term annual discharge of Pra river at the outflow point at Deboase station to be 198.187 m3/s as against long-term average measurement of 197 m3/s based on optimized parameters in Table 7. In addition, model estimates are also available for upstream and downstream of each tributary: A discharge of 9.95 and 71.01 m3/s was estimated at Mfensi and Dunkwa hydro-stations on Offin tributary as against 10.3 and 76.2 m3/s that were measured, respectively. The model estimates were 3.53 and 9.7 m3/s for Konongo and Anwia-Nkwanta on the Oda tributary as against the 4.3 and 8.5 m3/s that were measured, respectively. On the Birim tributary, the model estimates were 3.04 m3/s upstream and 35.35 m3/s downstream as against 3.7 and 43.4 m3/s that were measured for Bunso and Akim Oda stations, respectively. On the Pra main River, the model estimates were 88.1 m3/s upstream and 153 m3/s downstream as against 83.6 and 179.05 m3/s that were measured for Assin-Praso and Twifu Praso stations, respectively. Figure 4 shows the relationship between modeled and measured discharge at nine substations in the basin. The normalized root mean square error (RMSE) was 1.6 %, and Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient was 0.98 for the calibrated model. At the validation stage, the root mean square error (RMSE) was 2.5 %, while Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient was 0.93; this indicates that the model estimation is in agreement with the long-term measured discharge. The values of the optimized parameters of the recharge model fsodgw Open Forest Birimian volcanics (Metamorphosed Lava and Pyroclastic Rock and Hypabyssal Basic Intrusive, Phyllite and Greywacke) Leptosols Sandy Loam Open cultivated savanna woodland Dahomeyan (Granite) Fluvisols Savanna woodland Birimian Sediments (Phyllite, Schist, Tuff & Greywacke) Lixisols Clay Loam Tarkwaian (Quartzite, Phyllite, Grit, Conglomerate and Schist, including basic intrusive) Luvisols Reservoir & Lake Upper Voltaian (Mainly Sandstone) Gleysols Riverine savanna vegetation Sekondian (Sandstone, Grit, Conglomerate, Shale and Mudstones, Nodules of Limestone and Siderite) Scattered trees Arenosols Acrisols Nitosols Alisols Solonetz Modeled versus measured annual average discharge (m3/s) of 9 hydro substations of Pra Basin Modeled total runoff, quick runoff, and total groundwater recharge Figure 5 shows the estimated total runoff (Eq. 1), quick runoff (Eq. 6), total groundwater recharge (Eq. 5), and deep groundwater recharge of the basin. The groundwater recharge rates, just like the total runoff and quick runoff, tend to be lower in the northern part of the catchment. The estimated minimum, average, and maximum total runoff for the Pra Basin is 175.88, 297.87, and 489.46 mm/year, respectively. The estimated average quick runoff, total groundwater recharge, and deep groundwater recharge for the basin is 97.60, 200.27, and 85.15 mm/year, respectively. The average estimated runoff (mm/year) and groundwater recharge (mm/year) of Pra Basin Estimated groundwater recharge indices and groundwater residence times The estimated minimum, average, and maximum total recharge index for Pra Basin was, respectively, 20, 67, and 99 % of water surplus (Eq. 1), leaving the average quick runoff coefficient to be 33 % of the water surplus (Fig. 6). Spatially, the proportion of water surplus (Eq. 1) that is available for groundwater recharge ranges mainly from 60 to 100 % in the lowland gentle slope areas (Fig. 6). The estimated minimum, average, and maximum deep groundwater recharge index for the Pra Basin is, respectively, 0, 28, and 52 % of water surplus (Fig. 6). The average shallow groundwater residence time is 1.23 years, while the average deep water residence time is 125 years. The shallow groundwater residence time (Eq. 10), the time it takes for water to join an adjacent stream, is mainly less than 2 years, with a minimum of 0.0076 years (2.75 days), but deep groundwater residence time (Eq. 13) is predominately greater than 50 years (Fig. 6). The estimated groundwater recharge indices (−) and groundwater residence times (years) of Pra Basin. Note: the light tone colors (yellow) for shallow groundwater and deep groundwater are higher than 2 and 250 years, respectively Estimated and projected water demand Figure 7 shows spatiotemporal patterns of water demand in the Pra Basin. The estimated mean domestic water demand is 2,261,330 and 8,735,522 m3/year for 2000 and 2050, respectively, while the total demand for the whole basin was estimated as 69,044,682 and 262,787,260 m3/year for the years 2000 and 2050, respectively. The estimated mean industrial water demand is 5,893,501 and 22,504,958 m3/year for 2000 and 2050, respectively. The total industrial water demand was estimated as 238,868,171 and 860,864,391 m3/year for the years 2000 and 2050, respectively. Estimated and projected water demand (m3/year) of Pra Basin The results suggest that there is a possibility of a significant increase in industrial water demand (p = 0.0016) by the year 2050. The estimated mean agricultural water demand was 26,957,279 and 105,086,000 m3/year for 2000 and 2050, respectively. The total agricultural water demand was estimated as 651,136,235,000 and 2,625,907,368,000 m3/year for the years 2000 and 2050, respectively. The analysis showed that by the year 2050, there will be a significant increase in agricultural water demand (p = 0.0003). The highest domestic and industrial water demand occurred at Kumasi Metropolitan Area, in the northern part of the basin. Water stress The average surface water stress Index was estimated as 0.0385 and 0.150 for the years 2000 and 2050, respectively, and the difference is significant (p = 0.00043). The average groundwater stress was estimated as 0.055 and 0.15, and the difference is significant (p = 0.00044). There is, however, high spatial distribution of water stress in both years with some areas such as Kumasi Metropolitan Area and Kwabre districts registering maximum index of 1, i.e., more areas are likely to experience higher water stress in 2050. The study estimated water stress based on stream and groundwater discharge and water demand. The discharge estimation was in agreement with the measured discharge, with Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient of 0.98. The high accuracy of the modeled discharge may be due to a slight modification in computation of discharge. Thus, whereas other POLFLOW researchers (De Wit 2001; Jarsjö et al. 2004; Durdu 2005) simulated the accumulated discharge of Eq. 1 with the measured discharge, this study divided the accumulated discharge in Eq. 1 into quick runoff and delayed runoff (Shallow and Deep groundwater), and only delayed runoff with a residence time less than or equal to 1 year was accumulated with the quick runoff to simulate total river discharge. This approach helped in the calibration of velocity, conductivity, soil characteristic, and aquifer characteristics as in Eqs. (7–13) (Table 7). The estimated mean daily groundwater recharge of 0.548 mm/day in this study is slightly higher than what WatBal lumped model estimated as 0.456 mm/day (EPA 2000). This may be due to the fact that this study used higher rainfall values with a mean of 1300 mm/year, while WatBal used only 1099.80 mm/year for the whole basin (EPA 2000). It must be emphasized that this study developed a distributed model with different rainfall values for 12 zones with minimum and maximum values as 1050 and 2150 mm/year, respectively. The potency of this study in assessment of water stress depends on an accurate estimation of domestic water demand because industrial water demand is also related to it (Eqs. 14, 15) (Wada 2008). While Gyau and Adom (EPA 2000) estimated domestic water demand of the Pra Basin to be 193,651 m3/day in 2000 and 871,829 m3/day in 2050, this study similarly estimated 189,164 and 719,965 m3/day for the years 2000 and 2050, respectively. The values of the previous study appear a bit higher than this study because they used a per capita water demand as low as 30 liters/per capita/day for small communities to as high as 130 l/per capita/day for large communities. This study used a constant per capita value of 65 l/per capita/day. Based on this study, there is a possibility of a significant increase in domestic water demand (p = 0.0006), industrial water demand (p = 0.0016), and agricultural water demand (p = 0.0003) by the year 2050. Surface water availability, groundwater availability, and total water stress were separately computed because of the water use pattern in the basin. Most of the smaller communities depend on groundwater boreholes, while the larger communities depend on surface water withdrawal. In this study, annual surface water estimation includes about 90 % of shallow groundwater resources that have residence time less than or equal to 1 year. Therefore, without adding groundwater resources to compute total groundwater stress, the usage of surface water stress will be sufficient in accessing water stress in the basin. Using Kundzewicz et al. (2007) explanation of water stress indices (Table 8), three districts in the basin that include Kumasi Metro, Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa, and Komenda/Edna/Eguafo/Ebire experienced very high surface water stress index of 1. Other districts such as Ejura Sekyidumasi and Kwabre districts experienced high (0.4- 0.8) surface water stress, while Kwabre and Suhum/Kraboa/Coaltar experienced low to moderate surface water stress (0.1–0.4). The rest of the districts experienced no water stress in the year 2000. The number of districts experiencing water stress will significantly increase (p = 0.00044) from 8 in 2000 to 21 out of 35 districts in the basin by 2050 (Table 9; Fig. 8). Opoku-Ankomah (2000) used lumped model to estimate marginal vulnerability water stress for the whole basin in 2000 though he further added that it will be extremely vulnerable in 2050. Ranges and interpretation of water stress indices (Kundzewicz et al. 2007; Wada 2008) Degrees of water stress Per capita water availability Water scarcity index Rws (−) Definitions of degrees of water stress Rws < 0.1 No water stress Low stress 0.1 < Rws < 0.2 Potential water scarcity Moderate stress Looming water scarcity High stress Experiencing water scarcity Very high stress 0.8 < Rws Economic development is limited by water scarcity Water stress indices of the districts in Pra Basin Total water Wassa west Obuasi Municipal (Adanse West) Assin (north) Legend: Rws < 0.1 = not stress; 0.1 < Rws < 0.2 = low stress, 0.2 < Rws < 0.4 = moderate stress; 0.4 < Rws < 0.8 = high stress; 0.8 < Rws = very high stress (Wada 2008) The estimated surface and total water stress indices (Rws) of Pra Basin. The total water stress indices were estimated by dividing total water demand by the sum of groundwater resources and surface water resources in the basin. Legend: Rws < 0.1 = no stress; 0.1 < Rws < 0.2 = low stress, 0.2 < Rws < 0.4 = moderate stress; 0.4 < Rws < 0.8 = high stress; 0.8 < Rws = very high stress (Wada 2008) The POLFLOW model has been mainly developed to estimate nutrient concentration in a catchment (De Wit 2001; Jarsjö et al. 2004; Durdu 2005). In this study, the POLFLOW model has been adapted, modified and extended to estimate water availability, water demand, and water stress in the Pra Basin of Ghana. The estimated river discharge is in agreement with the measured discharge. The shallow and deep groundwater recharge and residence times were also estimated. Most of the shallow groundwater drains into the adjacent stream in less than 2 years, while it takes longer time for deep groundwater to join the streams. The total water demand estimation was divided into domestic, industrial, and agriculture. The estimated total water demand significantly increased from 2000 to 2050; therefore, the first null hypothesis which states that, “there will be no significant difference between the estimated water demand in 2000 and 2050,” is rejected. The number of districts experiencing water stress will significantly increase from 8 in 2000 to 21 out of 35 districts by the year 2050; therefore, the second null hypothesis which states that “the number of districts experiencing water stress in the basin will not significantly differ in the years 2000 and 2050,” is rejected. Though POLFLOW is mainly used to estimate nutrient concentration, this study has demonstrated that it can be modified to model water stress in the tropics. This research has been supported by the University of Ghana-Carnegie Next Generation of Academics in Africa project with funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. 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J Hydrol 340:105–118CrossRefGoogle Scholar © The Author(s) 2015 Open AccessThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited. 1.Department of Geography and Resource DevelopmentUniversity of GhanaAccraGhana Owusu, G., Owusu, A.B., Amankwaa, E.F. et al. Appl Water Sci (2017) 7: 137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-015-0279-x Accepted 04 March 2015 First Online 04 April 2015 King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology Not logged in Not affiliated 34.201.121.213	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1392
__label__cc	0.562292	0.437708	FORCING THE “D” 17.07.2018 12.05.2018 Categories Auto Moto Service Device for Dismounting of bearings is shown in figure 13. They are as follows: from the bearing, remove the separator, pushing the balls enter between the collars of the bearing lugs is rotated 90° and in this position zakanchivaut nuts. Screw compress the bearing from the trunnion of the crankshaft. The demolition is over. Then proceed to the modernization of the intake system. The inlet channel in the right half of the crankcase unfold cylindrical reamer Ø12 mm and process it from the axle of the crankshaft using a drill or a needle file to square cross-section with a size of 12X12 mm. Next, install the intake phase, corresponding to the diagram above (see Fig. 2). The crankshaft is inserted into the right half of the crankcase without bearing on the right shaft is fastened a circle of thin plywood or sheet metal, on the outer circumference of which a scale in degrees (you can use two school protractor large size). Half of the crankcase strengthen in a vise, using wooden spacers, install the crankshaft position of bottom dead center (BDC), and combine the “0” scale arrow fixedly attached to the crankcase. For convenience, define BDC and TDC is recommended to set the piston in the cylinder, screwed the latter to the right half of the crankcase. Turn crankshaft in direction of engine rotation (counterclockwise when viewed from the side of the right axle] at 40° after BDC, and through the inlet channel applied to the axle shaft risk the lower edge of the inlet channel. The shaft is removed from crankcase and cut the intake window to the risks. The opposite side of the inlet window is partially sealed tin or Triticum or fill with epoxy resin mixed with aluminum powder. Again set the crankshaft in the right half of the crankcase, fasten the graduated disk, as stated above, the crank shaft in the direction of engine rotation to 40° after top dead center (TDC) and make risk on the soldered part of the axle on the upper edge of the inlet channel. Remove the shaft from the housing, cut down the excess solder or epoxy putty. You can begin to assemble the motor. However, it is recommended to reduce the tightness in the fit of the bearings, pricenew axle crankshaft and a roller clutch to a sliding landing. For this purpose, laps shown in figure 14. (Before final Assembly of the engine be sure to carefully wash the parts in kerosene.) The first stage of Assembly and installation into the crankcase crankshaft bearing. Half of the crankcase is heated on a hot plate or in an air bath to 70-80°. The degree of heating is determined by the touching details of a match head. Combustible structure should leave a trace, but did not ignite. The bearing are pressed into the heated crankcase half using the mandrel shown in figure 15. Similarly, install the bearing and in the other half of the crankcase. Since the axle of the crankshaft lapped, its installation requires no special tools. Between the two halves of the crankcase put the factory spacer, the crankshaft is inserted into the bearings, tighten all the screws, tightening half of the crankcase. Final fit of pins crankshaft crankshaft bearings is a gradual tightening of these screws. Tighten the crankcase need in sequence and gradually. The tightening procedure is shown in figure 16. Under the screws necessary to put the spring washer. Fig. 13. Puller for crankshaft main bearing: 1 — tip, 2 — strip, 3 — screw. Fig. 14. Lapping for journals of shafts: left — clip (D16), right ring (cast iron). Fig. 15. Bar (brass) for pressing bearings: indigenous (basic dimensions) and adhesion (dimensions in brackets). Fig. 16. Torque sequence of the bolts of the crankcase. Fig. 17. Press the left clutch bearings: 1 — mandrel (brass), 2 — bearing. Fig. 18. The inlet fitting of the carb (brass: installation bend in place). Fig. 19 Device to adjust the quality of a mixture: 1 — housing (Article 3), 2 — nut (brass), 3 — needle. Then assemble the clutch. Install bearing roller clutch o-ring in the right half of the crankcase. When pressing the bearing using the mandrel shown in figure 15. Insert the roller clutch Assembly with spring resistant nuts and rod, press the left side bearing using universal puller and the mandrel (Fig. 17). I put my left o-ring. Now put the piston. For this purpose it is heated to 70— 80° C (temperature control, as described above), then use the tools shown in figure 8, press the piston pin (see Fig. 9), but without the mandrel. Oiled, it needs to be in the hole of the upper connecting rod from small presses hand. The gap between the finger and the bosses of the piston to 0.005 mm. Cylinder set, putting it under the factory gasket. Nuts of fastening of the cylinder tighten diagonally. Using the feeler gauge check the clearance between the piston and the sleeve. It is equal to 0,05—0,07 mm. Lower edge of the inlet ports of the cartridges must match with the top face of the piston in BDC position. This is achieved by installing shims under the cylinder of different thickness. (In the manufacture of linings recommend the use of annealed red copper or sheet aluminum.) Check the absence of bias of the piston. When measuring the clearance left and right of the piston pin, the probe should enter between the sleeve and the piston with the same force. In the case of bias it is necessary to remove the cylinder and installing the connecting rod on the two supports of durable wood, easy blows of a hammer from soft metal to align it. The distortions reduce the power of the engine and cause premature wear of parts. Further, the Assembly is detailed in the factory manual. On converted so the motor we recommend to set the carb with a Central float chamber from the boat motor “salute” or from the Cycling motor MAW (trade, Germany) with a cone diameter of 11 mm. the Drawing the inlet for the carb MAW is shown in figure 18. It is also useful to upgrade the carburetor, increasing the hole diameter to 0.9 mm nozzle and needle setting you can adjust the mixture (Fig. 19). Use the muffler from a motorcycle “Java-05”. The converted engine has a compression ratio of 12-13. Moped full load (own weight of 45 kg, the driver is 85 kg, 15 kg Luggage, only 145 kg) develops on the horizontal sections of the highway speed of 55-60 km/h (with driven sprocket 46 teeth total gear ratio 19, 31 : 1), which corresponds to 8500-9000 rpm it can easily overcome the climbs and freely towing a trailer weighing about 100 kg. Forced motor requires slightly different adjustments than that specified in factory manual. At a compression ratio of 12.5 — 13 spark advance should be set to 1.2 — 1.6 mm before TDC and apply cold enough candles, for example A US 6.5. As fuel use gasoline AI-93, A-95 in a mixture of aviation oils MS-20 or MK-22 in the ratio of 20: 1. In conclusion, we must warn you that by force motors of the series “D” as described above, reduces the service life, require frequent adjustments of the ignition, as the details of the factory circuit breaker cannot withstand prolonged operation at 7000-3000 rpm to Start work on the crossing of the motors is possible only with sufficient experience in their operation and made a whole set of special tool, which was mentioned in our article, for disassembly and Assembly of the engine with a hammer lead to very sad consequences. F. KISELEV “CARATOVORA” Recoiling the rope from multiple cords by using a simple device. In a wooden bar size 400x60x30 mm drill at a distance of 140 mm from each other three-hole Ø 6 mm. they put In the... Draw the circuit diagram, weathering adopted the proportionality of graphic symbols electronic elements, it is not as simple as it might seem at first. Great help here can have a stencil... NO BUTTONS, NO SWITCHES DRILL CLEAN!	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1395
__label__wiki	0.777366	0.777366	THE CAR GETS ON THE RAILS 25.07.2018 12.05.2018 Categories Design Komsomol construction project of the century called the Baikal-Amur mainline, the first group of builders which came here directly from the XVII Congress of the Komsomol. And today from all over the country to impact the construction site go to the envoys of the League, comes appliances. Go further miles of railroad tracks, and the entire path will reach 3 thousand km with extra: taiga jungle and mountain ranges, permafrost — in the most difficult conditions, requiring not only the labor heroism, but also continuous innovation, bold engineering solutions, modern technology. In many parts of the route of courage to operate different mechanisms, created in the design Bureau of Gastrojejunal of the Ministry of transport construction of the USSR: a powerful tractor and the tracklayer cranes, machines for assembling parts of the track and shpalopropitochnyi; tested designed specifically for permafrost vibro machine for installation support contact network. One of the original works of young engineers that design Bureau — a combined course for car — were shown at the Exhibition of achievements of national economy of the USSR and awarded medals. Our special correspondent at the USSR exhibition of economic achievements B. Rawski met with the chief of the Department Bureau V. A. Baranovym and sector head V. A. Smirnov who participated in the development of this device we offer to today’s young innovators, participants NTTM. You can imagine the surprise of drivers, when waiting in front of the closed gate at the railway crossing, the appearance of the train, they will see racing on the tracks with a distinctive wagon rattling at the joints… the car. Yes, regular Board machine, exactly the same as and lined up in single file on the highway move — on was familiar and that the familiar “rubber course”: an ordinary pneumatic tire. How did she end up on the rails and how miraculously kept on a narrow, polished by the compositions of the silver “blades” of a railway track? What it is — a publicity stunt? Combined shooting for Comedy film? However, even more surprised seasoned drivers when the mysterious car suddenly slow down on the move, and the driver jumped out of the cab, something will magician near the radiator and the body, and in a moment the car suddenly swerve off the rails on a highway, and now she sped by him, leaving aside the empty railroad tracks. THE DRIVER WITH THE “RIGHTS” OF THE DRIVER Something like this could obviously be observed in the tests of simple attachments to the cars developed in design Bureau of Gastrojejunal of the Ministry of transport construction of USSR and shown recently on one of the thematic exhibitions of the USSR. Any machine equipped with them, while retaining its basic quality, acquires a new, unprecedented for this type of transport: ability to travel on the rails and move along them with almost the same speed as on the highway. It is not excluded that for the first time this idea came up by the drivers in the weary hours of waiting loading and unloading at freight stations: drive a car on the rails but its progress to the destination, and then again moved out on the road — and soon the goods on the spot, without unnecessary transshipment at the stations and wasteful downtime. Anyway, this idea occupied the minds of inventors for a long time. There was a transportation paradox: if the engine on the highway there was absolutely nothing, here’s a vehicle track right there would be the case no less than on the roads. This need has not disappeared with the advent of diesel and electric locomotives. And it was explained, in essence, one: the railroad was needed, in addition to the locomotive, a universal self-propelled unit, which you can use to perform a variety of work in their highly complex economy, but that it would not hurt while on the track, did not break his presence on the tracks “Holy of holies” — the schedule of trains. Inevitably the opinion of the railway workers stayed on the scurrying trackside representatives friendly form of transport — car. After all, what “specialties” have no modern vehicles from the truck to the ambulance and a crane to “janitor” — the machine. Now, if “teach” them to walk on the rails, and retaining the ability to move on the roads… Then, for example, a crane, doing work on an emergency site of the railway, to which there are no other entrances could roll off the tracks at the next crossing and back on the highway, freeing the way for the trains. And ambulance, alternating pavement with rails, would help to avoid traumatic critically ill peretekanie of the stretcher from one mode of transport to another. Fig. 1. Car-vehicle KrAZ-257 towing… cars. The car could replace the locomotive on just yet paving sections of railway lines, large buildings, sidings enterprises where the powerful locomotive is forced to push at times only one or two cars. But for this, we repeat, it was necessary to “teach” the car to run on rails, confidently holding on them. One of the possible solutions of the problem lay, that is, on the surface: to replace the car wheel of wagon. But this version was a significant deficiency in the body would need to always carry two pairs of a “change” of the wheels. And time for the conversion, installation, or removal of the car from the rails took a lot. Were found, seemingly a more convenient option: made by type wagon wheels are smaller and have attached them right to the car. On its own, which were of larger diameter, the car was moving on the roads and on the rails — were based on the smaller wagon. But it was applicable only in areas without the “intersections”: at the arrows on the “native” wheels interfere. In the design Bureau of Gastrojejunal managed to synthesize the advantages of the first and second method, creating attachments the combo turn. The basis of it — a small guide rollers, reminiscent of the wheels of the trolleys. They are mounted on a kind of “chassis” — racks, attached pivotally to the vehicle frame. When racks with wheels raised the vehicle travels on ordinary roads. But here it enters the moving or specially stacked deck, allowing to drive the wheels on the rails, chassis rails with the rollers lowered and the car rides on rails, like on the highway, easily passing hands and even shunting “crossroads”, I Wonder what the driver of such vehicle, in addition to the usual driving “rights”, has also, like the locomotive engineer a special certificate issued by the railway administration. UAZ-TROLLEY Attachments the combo turn can be designed for any vehicle in relation to its features and track. On most machines guide rollers are mounted front and rear, and for securing them to the uprights using existing frame holes. Stand equipped with shock absorbers to cushion the rail joints and greater pressure of the guide rollers. Regardless of whether the car’s track and the railway track, the front roller are set so that the useless rails on the steering wheels of the machine do not touch the rail. Back rely on it remaining the leading, although experiencing less stress as part of gravity assume the rear rollers. If track car less than way, between the rotor and the hub and wheel install required thickness siritelny goals. UAZ-452А on the combined course. The most simple suspension rollers — UAZ-452А (Fig. 2). Equipped with a combined course, it can act as a trolley for the delivery of small goods and passengers to and from work, and also be used as an ambulance and a special machine for movement both on road and on rails. And on tracks such avtorezina can reach speeds up to 65 km/h. Fig. 2. Suspension scheme combined stroke on the UAZ-452А: 1, front guide rollers, 2 locking helm 3 — boots-ramp, 4 — washers for the widening of wheel gauge, 5 — rear track rollers, 6 — torsion bar, shock absorber, 7— a wooden liner in the longitudinal frame, 8 — clamp rollers in the raised position, the 9 pair of wheels. To put this car on the rails of the driver and his assistant just in 7 min included equipment, special shoes and apparel, make it not on the move, and on any available part of the railway. Entering the shoes alternately rear and front wheels of the car, the driver and his assistant guide rollers is lowered until the latch catches, holding them in working position. The steering wheel blocked in position “directly” using fork clamp attachable to the steering column. Suspension road wheels on the UAZ-452А — torsion. The angle of twist of the torsion bars adjust their damping force and the pressure rollers to the rails. The rack rollers are mounted to the frame with clamps, and frame rails to protect them from deformation of inserted blocks of wood in — ear. SIDE RAIL MOTOR TRACTORS Despite the fact that the rollers take the weight of car, grip of the rubber wheels with the rail even in this case, it is still higher than conventional locomotives. Therefore, drop-side trucks on the combined course can not only carry cargo on the rails, but also serve as a rail motor tractors, that is to tow the cars. GAZ-66, for example, can be used as a tractor for trains weighing 80 tons; ZIL-130 for train weighing 120 tons, and so heavy car like the KrAZ-257, — to 800, etc Towing of cars cars equipped with the universal coupling, and a hose adapter to connect air brake system of wagons, controlled from the cab using the installed crane operator. Fig. 3. The front guide rollers ZIL-130: 1 — rink 2 — hour, 3 — clamp racks, 4 — spring shock absorber. Fig. 4. Rear rollers KrAZ-257: 1 — hour, 2 — spring shock-absorber, 3 — rink, 4 — telescopic lifting housing screw, 5 — worm gear lifting mechanism Katkova pair. Front springs are fixed with special screw rods so that the steering wheels were raised, and the load is taken to guide rollers. Their suspension of the rail motor tractors has its differences. The ZIL-130 rack rollers (Fig. 3) are connected to shock absorbers that can be adjusted, affecting the pressure rollers. Lifting and lowering Katkova pairs is carried out using a hand winch. Guide rollers (Fig. 4) KrAZ-257 unlike other vehicles located behind the wheels, almost under the cab. All racks and rollers, telescopic, spring shock absorbers. Raising and lowering them are made with the worm gear mechanism. Although the rail motor tractors — heavy cars, to translate them on the rails required a little more than 10 min. On the combined course can be transferred not only listed the cars, but also trucks, cranes, rotary snow ploughs — cars wide variety of “specialties”. V. A. Smirnov Say, in the Urals during the difficult years of chaos after the civil war an artificer built a car where everything was wooden, even the engine. However, if the wizard so the echo... YOUR WORKPLACE The scientific organization of labor, rational layout and equipping of workplaces is an important reserve for increasing productivity and improving product quality. Not casually the... THE HANGER CAPS… ARTILLERY TANK FOR THE RED ARMY	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1396
__label__cc	0.565459	0.434541	WEEKEND GOING THROUGH PHOTO FILES Looking at our photo files, we discover some pictures and stories that did not yet use - there may be some people and situations you know. Fred & Sue Stubenrauch’s farewell: The Douglas Park community farewelled Fred and Sue Stubenrauch on Saturday 8th December. Barry Smith thanked the couple on behalf of the community, especially for his role as caretaker manager when Steve was called up to Treand House. They were presented with a small token of appreciation. We wish them well as they begin/return to their life of retirement in Bathurst. American MSC Walter Downs turns 87. Brian Gallagher writes: Walter in the wheelchair with the MSC Center Valley community When I was studying in Boston (1976-78), I discovered that there were MSC parishes in Rhode Island, about one hour away by bus. I phoned and was invited for a weekend, beginning a firm friendship with Walter Downs, the parish priest, and discovering a home away from home in St Francis parish. I visited fairly regularly, enjoying Walter's company and meeting many parishoners. Walter's family came from Boston and were all avid fans of the Red Sox. As I was by the end of that season. He loved his parish and was a very popular pastor. I recall a lunch time conversation towards the end of my stay when Walter told me that he had been asked to move to the MSC retreat house in Youngstown. He gave me a long list of good reasons why he should not accept the appointment, ending with ‘what do you think?’ I said ‘I think you will go.’ He went -- and began a very fruitful ‘second career’ in spiritual direction and later mission preaching. Lauro Rufo CS: In student days Scalabrinian priesr, Lauro Rufo, died recently. He did his early years of seminary training with the MSCs in 1971-2 in Croydon and Canberra. In recent years With greatest sadness, the whole Scalabrinian Congregation announced the death of Fr. Lauro Rufo,cs after a long battle with cancer. Fr. Rufo is one of our Scalabrini Fathers working in Sydney, especially at St Therese parish, Mascot.. Downlands College home page remembers its origins: 1931 photo Downlands College is owned and conducted by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC), alongside a committed group of teachers and support staff. The College was opened in 1931 as a boarding school for boys with a total enrolment of 68. Today, it is fully co-educational, with more than 850 day and boarding students from all parts of Queensland and beyond. Protest ceremony against Adani outside Tony Burke's Punchbowl office. Claude Mostowik, director of the MSC Justice and Peace office. Celebration of Paul Guy MSC, Golden Jubilee of Profession. Paul, standing, with Brian Cahill, Ben Flemiing, Paul Jennings, John Ribat	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1399
__label__wiki	0.9897	0.9897	How changing rules of engagement sparked a diplomatic crisis for diplomats RN By Antony Funnell for Future Tense Updated Thu 26 Jul 2018, 8:26 AM AEST The days of discreet deal-making are quickly coming to an end Getty: Blend Images International diplomacy is changing fast. Career diplomats in Washington are increasingly finding themselves sidelined and distrusted by their own political masters. Meanwhile, in Beijing, China's foreign policy professionals are being schooled to prioritise nationalistic rhetoric over subtle negotiation. Then there's the advent of social media and the 24-hour news cycle. The days of discreet deal-making are quickly coming to an end amid the tweets and soundbites of modern political engagement. It's not all negative, of course, but many leading students of diplomacy worry about the future. Here are three major trends to be aware of. A distrust of diplomatic expertise (the United States) When James D Melville resigned from the US diplomatic service in late June, he did so in protest. The US ambassador to Estonia — a career diplomat — said he could not support the language and actions employed by Donald Trump against his European allies. Mr Melville's resignation caused a minor media blip, but it was hugely symbolic of the extraordinary change underway in the ranks of the US State Department. Funding to America's foreign affairs service has decreased by 30 per cent under Mr Trump's brief tenure, to $US37.8 billion. Photo Military personnel and nationalistic attitudes play an increasing role in international diplomacy. Getty: Valery Matytsin And according to Tuft University's Monica Duffy Toft, more than 62 per cent of ambassadorial appointments are now political, with career diplomats shunted aside. "Many career diplomats at the senior levels are stepping down," Professor Duffy Toft says. "That's worrisome. Mid-level ones are sort of groping their way through it, and then junior people are not going in because they are seeing this denuded State Department. "They're not sure they're going to have [the] great career that their predecessors had." Listen to part one What does the future of diplomacy look like? Increasingly, international relations are highly personal and assertive. Professor Duffy Toft says the prioritising of outsiders over career diplomats reflects the Trump administration's distrust of public service expertise. But she also says it demonstrates a long-running trend in the United States to value military might ahead of diplomatic prowess. At $US600 billion, the US Department of Defence budget is more than 12 times that of the State Department. And intelligence and military personnel are increasingly being used as America's chief agents of international affairs. "Kinetic diplomacy is this idea of diplomacy by armed force, where special operators actually become the face of the United States," Professor Duffy Toft says. "They are the ones trying to get other countries to do what we want them to do." She points out that while America has a "special operations" presence in 149 countries, under Mr Trump only 85 of the United States' 188 ambassadorial posts have so far been filled. "There are some worrisome aspects with the use and the deployment of these special operations forces around the world," she says. That includes, she says, the lack of public scrutiny afforded by military operations. Diplomacy as a tool of hyper-nationalism (China) Like the United States, China's diplomatic corps is also undergoing significant change. Officially, the Government of Xi Jinping talks about harmonious foreign relations, but the Lowy Institute's Merridan Varrall says there are worrying signs for the future. Photo China's diplomatic corps is changing, and one expert says there are worrying signs for the future Getty: Grant Faint A new breed of Chinese diplomat is being taught to be hyper-nationalistic, she says, and to identify the interests of the ruling Chinese Communist Party with those of the nation. "The implications are for quite difficult times ahead in diplomatic negotiations and diplomatic discussions," she says, warning foreign affairs cadres are being extolled to take an "us against them" approach to the outside world. Dr Varrall, the director of the East Asia Program, spent eight years in China, during which she taught at the China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing. She says Chinese foreign policy centres around four key ideas: That China has an historic destiny to be a great global power; That it's assertiveness is appropriate given past humiliations by Western colonial powers; That China's natural role in Asia is that of a "benevolent, but strict" father-figure; And that all countries have certain immutable characteristics — Chinese people are peaceful, for example, whereas the Japanese are always aggressive and Americans inevitably imperialistic. "If someone is so fixed in their views and so determined that they are right and unwilling to compromise, it's going to make it very difficult to move ahead in a way that is mutually agreeable," Dr Varrall says. And, she says, that's ultimately counterproductive for China itself. "If you are wedded to these ideas about how others see you, and you are interpreting everything that they do and say through that particular lens, it's going to be difficult to be as deft and as responsive as you need to be," she says. A rise in undiplomatic language and behaviour (everywhere) One very noticeable recent trend has been the rise of what Professor Duffy Toft calls "personalised diplomacy" — Mr Trump being perhaps the best example and exponent. From his one-on-one summits with Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin to his outspoken attacks on NATO and America's European allies, critics say American foreign policy is increasingly being directed by his personal whim. The same could be said of other "democratic" world leaders like Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines or Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan — both of whom, like Mr Trump, claim a personal connection with their people through social media. Photo Donald Trump, pictured with Vladimir Putin, is perhaps the best example of "personalised diplomacy" Getty: Mikhail Klimentyev But overriding or ignoring the expertise of professional advisers carries significant longer-term risk, says Philip Seib from the University of Southern California. "If you strip your foreign policy establishment of the people who are competent to design and build that foundation, eventually it's going to collapse," he says. This, he says, risks turning international relations into a spectator sport. "There is an expectation now that everything is going to show up on Twitter or everything is going to show up on YouTube," Professor Seib says. "I think it's important not to become overly enthusiastic about the wonders of new communication tools. "To some extent they complicate the processes of diplomacy. The Australian National University's Rory Medcalf says we are entering uncharted waters. "A leader making a sudden U-turn on a policy via Twitter, more often than not the results are going to be destabilising and unpredictable, and our foreign ministries have generally not been trained or equipped to manage the damage," he says. Nor have they been trained to deal with the consequences of leaders using distinctly undiplomatic language. While tyrants and their propagandists have long used hyperbole and personal insults to try and get their way, it was, until recently, rare to hear a democratic leader engage in such rhetoric. But Mr Trump insults friend as well as foe, recently deriding his Canadian counterpart as "dishonest and weak" and labelling Mexico as a country of "rapists". Listen to part two Who would want to become a diplomat, anyway? Professor Seib says it's about appealing to domestic politics. "There's a tendency to try to cater to that audience, to be more political than diplomatic," he says. "And I think the rise of social media fosters that kind of behaviour." Caitlin Byrne from the Griffith Asia Institute agrees, saying real tensions exist between politicians and professional diplomats, who often operate behind closed doors, official to official. "Their audiences are much more confined," she says. "Whereas for political leaders, they may well be on the global stage, but the audience they are really trying to impress is the one that elects them." She points out that many senior US diplomats who regularly use colourful invective, like UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, are political appointments. But, she worries that such behaviour will eventually become the rule, not the exception. "I do think we are at a point where we see the language replicated, mirrored and amplified, as well, through media to a point where it starts to be seen as normal, and there is some danger in that," she says. Posted Thu 26 Jul 2018, 7:10 AM AEST Australia is busy making friends to try to muscle out China Trump vs the world: How 'America first' is shutting down the world chorus Why Pompeo's appointment could be met with relief at the State Department	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1402
__label__wiki	0.879698	0.879698	BEA Opens Up to Developers Friday Jul 30th 2004 by Clint Boulton BEA this week released Beehive code through the Apache Software Foundation, which has designated XMLBeans a new project. Looking to take the sting out of Java development, BEA Systems released code under Apache Beehive in the hopes of getting programmers to write service-oriented architecture (SOAs) applications. Launched in May to help sway developers to and unite them against Microsoft .NET, Beehive is the donation of the company's WebLogic Workshop application framework, a development environment for BEA's runtime software, to the open source community under Apache. The software maker also announced at the O'Reilly Open Source Convention Wednesday that Apache XMLBeans, an incubation project to help simplify Java and XML development, has been green-lighted as an official Apache Software Foundation project. XMLBeans is an XML-Java binding tool BEA submitted to Apache in September 2003. Dave Cotter, BEA director of developer marketing, said making projects like Beehive and XMLBeans widely available through an open source group like Apache will lend customers the flexibility to curb vendor lock-in. The free bits of code will also make SOA and J2EE software development easier, something that could not be said for Java application creation in the past. SOAs, the current popular method of distributed computing, is being taken up by several companies looking to provide a more encompassing approach than Web services. Cotter said users can download Beehive code from Apache and run it on the Tomcat open source application server. Supporters of Beehive include Borland, Compuware, and Eclipse, which announced a significant pro-Java development partnership with Beehive last month under a project called Pollinate in which the Eclipse framework and Beehive framework will be "bolted together," according to Cotter. "Developers are ecstatic," Cotter told internetnews.com, noting that about 70 companies have written controls and extensibility software that works on the BEA platform. "Beehive is on its way to being a de facto standard for the way that apps are being created." In related news, BEA also said it has expanded the functionality of its developer portal with the help of content from technical publisher and show host O'Reilly Media and CollabNet. Geared to lure new developers to Java or heighten the interest of current Java developers, the refreshed dev2dev site will now feature technical tutorials from O'Reilly that focus on BEA's software and current industry trends. The media group will also provide infrastructure for blogging, talkbacks and wikis CollabNet, a group that makes collaborative software development tools, will provide a project workspace to let programmers download code samples and build applications with tools for knowledge and communications management. This article was originally published on internetnews.com. Nginx Updates Web Server Application Platform Six Key Components That Enable Kubernetes What is Load Balancing and How Does it Work?	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1403
__label__cc	0.666297	0.333703	David Gilmour took some criticism for carrying on Pink Floyd without Roger Waters—not least from Waters himself. Begun as a solo album, this became the relaunch of Pink Floyd when cofounders Rick Wright and Nick Mason joined in. Gilmour's less-acidic worldview means A Momentary Lapse of Reason lacks the pointed lyrical edge of the last handful of Floyd albums. But the lush, richly detailed arrangements of tracks like the dreamy "Learning to Fly" give Gilmour's liquid guitar solos room to evolve. A Momentary Lapse of Reason Pink Floyd The Dogs of War One Slip On the Turning Away Yet Another Movie Round and Around A New Machine, Pt. 1 Terminal Frost ℗ 2016 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Pink Floyd (1987) Ltd., marketed and distributed by Sony Music Entertainment More By Pink Floyd The Endless River (Deluxe Edition) Now and Zen (Remastered) The Confessor In the Flesh (Live) In Through the Out Door (Remastered)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1404
__label__wiki	0.617421	0.617421	British Open Round Matchups Blackhawks vs Sharks NHL Week 26 Odds, Preview, and Pick Written by D.S. Williamson on March 28, 2019 The Chicago Blackhawks head to San Jose to battle the Sharks knowing that the only way to salvage their season is to upset the apple cart for other teams. The Blackhawks won’t make the playoffs. But, a victory as a huge NHL betting odds dog on Thursday in San Jose would definitely give their fans something to think about. Can the Blackhawks pull it off? “We’re showing we can play in those tight games but we’ve got to find a way to win that.”#CHIvsARI pic.twitter.com/2Ao8RilixN — Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 27, 2019 When: Thursday, March 28 at 10:30 pm ET Where: SAP Center, San Jose, CA TV: ESP+ Moneyline Odds: San Jose -222 Over/Under Total Odds: 6.5 Why Chicago Blackhawks are a good bet to win at +185? Chicago is only 16-19-3 in away games this season. They can win a game on the road once in a while, though. In fact, they’ve won 3 out of their last 5 on the road. They beat Dallas 2-1 on March 9, Toronto 5-4 on March 13, and Montreal 2-0 on March 16. The Blackhawks aren’t on San Jose’s level, which is why they’re such huge underdogs in tonight’s matchup. However, considering they’ve had success on the road in their last 10 games, they’re worth a look to pull off the upset. Goals For: 3.2 Shots For: 32.6 Power Plays: 20.6% Face-Offs: 49.4% Goals Against: 3.6 Shots Against: 34.6 Penalty Kills: 73.1% Shutouts: 3 Why San Jose Sharks are a good bet to win at -222? The San Jose Sharks have a devastating home record at 23-9-3-2. San Jose has been one of the most consistent teams in NHL this season. They currently have 95 points and are only 6 points behind Pacific Division leading Calgary. The last time the Sharks faced the Blackhawks, they dominated 5-2. What’s interesting is that San Jose was the dog in that match. Because it happened in March this year, there’s no reason to believe San Jose doesn’t beat Chicago again on Thursday night. NHL Hockey Betting Trends for Chicago Blackhawks at San Jose Sharks Blackhawks are 1-4 in their last 5 overall Blackhawks are 2-8 in their last 10 in fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation Sharks are 7-1 in their last 8 versus the Central Division Sharks are 7-3 in their last 10 home games versus a team with a losing road record Blackhawks vs Sharks Final NHL Betting Analysis San Jose’s the team to beat based on the trends, but the Sharks appear to be in dire straights right now. San Jose has lost 6 straight heading into this match. What’s really disturbing is how the Sharks lost to teams they should have dominated like Anaheim and Detroit. San Jose also lost to the L.A. Kings. Chicago hasn’t played much better, losing to Philadelphia, Colorado, and Arizona in 3 of their last 4, but the Blackhawks offer way too much value in this match. There’s a chance San Jose could dominate the Blackhawks. Taking -222 on a team that’s lost 6 straight doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Backing a team offering odds to beat their reeling rival does make sense. NHL Free Pick: Chicago Blackhawks +185	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1407
__label__wiki	0.638687	0.638687	Edmonds Senior Center selects W.G. Clark Construction to build Edmonds Waterfront Center A rendering of how the new Edmonds Waterfront Center would appear from the northeast. W.G. Clark Construction has been selected as the contractor to build the new Edmonds Waterfront Center, a partnership between the Edmonds Senior Center and the City of Edmonds. “With substantial progress made in fundraising, design and permitting, selection of the general contractor marks a significant milestone in the process,” the announcement said. “We are thrilled to have W.G. Clark on board,” said Senior Center Executive Director Farrell Fleming. “Their reputation, professionalism and commitment to community made them the clear choice for our project.” “We are very selective about the projects we take on in our Special Projects Division,” said W.G. Clark Senior Project Manager Jim Bray. “When our team heard about the Edmonds Waterfront Center, we were all in.” The Edmonds Senior Center plans to build a new 26,000-square- foot sustainable building that offers a range of programs emphasizing health and wellness, recreation and education for people of all ages while still responding to the unique needs of an aging population living in south Snohomish and north King Counties. The plan includes beach restoration and improved access to the rare waterfront site. Previous articleThe walls come down at Mar-Vel Marble as new arts center on way Next articleEdmonds house fire caused by generator in woodpile, investigator says 2 Replies to “Edmonds Senior Center selects W.G. Clark Construction to build Edmonds Waterfront Center” Denise Wechsler says: I’m very excited about the new center. However, in the drawing above, it appears that there is LESS parking than currently available. I hope that the plan provides for at Least the same amt of spots if not More due to the proposed mixed usage. Jim Stevens says: I think it’s early to draw any solid conclusions based on what one sees in this drawing. It is clearly meant to be conceptual, that is, intended to give a something more like the flavor of how things will look, rather than display the final result itself. It is also more than a year from when it was produced (dated June 2016 at the bottom), so we do not know how thinking has changed since then. Even if I did not follow my own advice and believed in WYSIWYG, I cannot tell the size of the parking area at the right side of this picture. I totally agree on the need to accommodate parking at the SCSC. I also think Farrell Fleming and the Board clearly understand that need too. My suggestion to anyone with specific concerns about the new construction is to become involved with the design process as much as possible from here forward. Clinton J. Wright on Wednesday: Edmonds mayoral debate at ECAOnce again, Ron, you adroitly make... Ron Wambolt on Wednesday: Edmonds mayoral debate at ECASome candidate usually tries to characterize... Chris Kratz on Edmonds mayoral candidates face off in well-attended debateSimply stellar reporting - if only... Robert F Maier on Edmonds mayoral candidates face off in well-attended debateExcellent summation of the debate. I...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1409
__label__cc	0.684068	0.315932	22, February, 2019 As the bell rang, signaling recess time, third-graders Hannah, Justin, and Kathy jumped off their seats and gleefully ran out of the classroom, hoping to get a table at the always-full cafeteria. But when they got there, all the tables were taken. Except for one. Maira, the new girl in their class, sat alone at the otherwise empty table. She rummaged through her backpack, her eyes downcast. Students passed by and gave her second looks, their gaze focusing on the scarf that was draped around her head, neck, and shoulders. Maybe we can share a table with Maira, Hannah thought, as she purposefully walked toward their new classmate, Justin and Kathy trailing behind her. “Hi, Maira! Is it okay if we sit with you?” Hannah asked, giving the girl a friendly smile. Looking up in surprise, Maira nodded. The three sat down and put their lunchboxes on the table. “How are you doing so far?” Hannah asked Maira. “Pretty good… I think.” Maira answered, forcing a smile. “I’m just finding it hard to make new friends,” she added. “How come?” Kathy wondered, opening her lunchbox. “Everyone here is friendly, you know.” Maira answered shyly, “It’s just that I feel so different.” She looked around and glanced wistfully at the group of students at another table who were busy giggling and chatting with each other. “But Teacher Ava says different is good!” Justin said, cutting into Maira’s thoughts. “Yes!” Hannah chimed in. “By the way, I like your…,” she motioned around her head, then gestured to Maira’s scarf. “Oh, my headscarf!” Maira brightened up. “Thanks! But my Mom’s is actually prettier.” Puzzled by what she heard, Kathy paused, then asked, “Everyone in your family wears a headscarf?” she inquired. “But it’s hot!” she said, fanning her neck with her hand. Maira giggled and explained, “Mom says all the girls in our religion should wear a headscarf.” She smiled, “It’s okay because I feel good wearing it!” Hannah was about to take a bite of her snack when she suddenly asked, “Oh! You want some of my chicharon?” She handed the packet of salty treat around. Kathy and Justin immediately took a piece each. Maira politely said, “Thanks, but I don’t eat pork.” “At least try one!” Justin said, while taking a bite of chicharon. “It tastes really good!” “We’re not allowed to eat pork in our religion,” Maira shook her head. “Oh… okay… Hmm…” Kathy mused, before asking, “What can you eat instead? Are you allowed to eat cookies?” Maira beamed at Kathy’s words. “I love cookies!” She added, “They’re actually my baon today!” She opened her brown paper bag. “Wow!” Hannah, Justin, and Kathy breathed in the delicious scent of sesame cookies. “Please have some,” Maira offered. “My grandmother made them,” she added shyly. “Have some of mine too!” Kathy held out her plastic container of butter cookies. The cookies were passed around, and the four students munched on the delicious treats. They were starting to enjoy each other’s company when suddenly, the bell rang. Hannah, Kathy, and Justin quickly stood up. They were walking away from the table when Hannah suddenly turned around. Maira was still seated, slowly zipping up her backpack. “Well,” Maira said ruefully. “See you in class.” The three friends looked at each other, confused. “Of course, we’ll see you,” Hannah finally said. “Aren’t you walking with us?” She asked with a smile. “Yes!” Maira said, joyfully jumping up and slinging her backpack over a shoulder. With smiles on their faces, the four friends chatted and laughed as they made their way to the classroom. Text by the My Pope team. Previous Article “World’s biggest pyro show” kicks off tonight in Angeles City, Pampanga Next Article Star Wars-themed clinic in Manila gives hope and comfort to young cancer patients The Legend of Mount Mayon Five indoor playgrounds to keep kids active during the rainy season	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1418
__label__wiki	0.824303	0.824303	Home / Faculty Awards Faculty members earn accolades for teaching, research, creative excellence Type: News Story The annual Faculty Teaching, Research and Creative Awards honored faculty across disciplines, including in English, dance, medicine and pharmacy. Annual faculty awards honor exemplary teaching, research and creativity Twelve faculty members from disciplines across the university are being recognized for their work. 2017 Faculty Award winners demonstrate excellence in creativity, research and teaching Temple's faculty award winners represent the university’s most distinguished professors, whose achievements include breakthroughs in the study of mood disorders, neurodegenerative processes and neonatal lung support, as well as the inspiration and skilled mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students. Faculty members honored for accomplishments and contributions The Faculty Awards Luncheon was an opportunity to celebrate some of Temple’s most distinguished professors. Cellist Jeffrey Solow helps students find their own voices Jeffrey Solow, a cellist and professor of instrumental studies at Temple, brings an abundance of experience in performing, recording, writing and publishing to his role as teacher and mentor. Faculty of the Game: Jacqueline Tanaka Type: Accolade Jacqueline Tanaka, associate professor of biology in the College of Science and Technology, was honored with the "Faculty of the Game" award during the Temple men's basketball game on Dec. 18. She was recognized for her outstanding teaching and mentorship of biology students. Temple chemist receives Kaufman New Investigator Award to support research William M. Wuest, an assistant professor of chemistry at Temple University’s College of Science and Technology, has been named a recipient of one of the first new investigator awards from the Charles E. Kaufman Foundation. The award will support his research on drug resistance in bacteria. Fox strategy professor is known for his passion and distinct point of view For Great Teacher Award winner Mitrabarun "MB" Sarkar, teaching is more than a career — it's a calling, a moral imperative that drives him to continually understand what will make a true impact on his students both professionally and personally. 'Wilde' exhibit takes major awards at Philadelphia Flower Show Temple’s 2013 Philadelphia Flower Show Exhibit, “WILDE! Cultivating wonder in everyday places” was awarded The Alfred M. Campbell Memorial Trophy, given to the “Educational major exhibit that demonstrates the most successful use of a variety of plants in a unique fashion,” and a PHS Special Achievement Award. Call for faculty award nominations Type: Announcement Temple President Richard Englert and Interim Provost Hai-Lung Dai are now accepting nominations for annual faculty awards honoring the university’s finest teachers, researchers, creative artists and clinicians. Great Teacher Award recipients Amini and Bass mold minds and inspire students Great Teacher Award honorees Shohreh Amini, professor of neuroscience and biology, and Sarah Bass, associate professor of public health, are among a dozen outstanding Temple faculty who will be recognized at tomorrow's Faculty Awards Luncheon. Nominations for the annual faculty awards honoring the university’s finest teachers, researchers, creative artists and clinicians are now being accepted.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1437
__label__wiki	0.956237	0.956237	newsinfo / Editors' Picks ‘Marwan killed by aide’ MILF says it’s the only truth on Mamasapano By: Arlyn dela Cruz, Nikko Dizon - @inquirerdotnet Philippine Daily Inquirer / 02:02 AM September 13, 2015 Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir (also known as “Marwan”) lies dead in his hut, his possessions in disarray after a surprise raid by members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Was Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” executed by his aides? If he was, was the execution the “alternative truth” to the Mamasapano clash that President Aquino said the government was investigating? Mohagher Iqbal, chief peace negotiator of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said in an interview that there was “no alternative truth.” “There is only one truth,” Iqbal said, adding that it is found in the report of the MILF in its investigation of the clash between its forces and commandos from the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, on Jan. 25. The report included the MILF investigators’ observation that Marwan was shot in the back of the head, probably while lying face-down on the floor. “This was our information per our investigation although we no longer did a follow-up because we felt it was the task of the PNP,” a source from the MILF said on Saturday. “Marwan was already dead when the SAF arrived in his hut. The scenario we saw was the attack [by the SAF] was just a drama,” the source said in an interview. Maguindanao village chair, 3 others die in Cotabato ambush Piñol reassignment not yet final — Palace Palace: DBM to release P59M for BTA members’ salaries The source told the Inquirer that the MILF believed Marwan was killed by his own aides, a theory based on the group’s investigation report. Forty-four SAF commandos, 17 MILF guerrillas and three civilians were killed in the daylong gun battle, sparking public outrage that delayed the completion of a peace agreement signed by the government and the MILF last year. MILF’s probe “It was really his [Marwan’s] security [aide] who killed him,” the source said, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. The source said that the MILF’s own investigation showed that the firefight in Barangay (village) Pembalkan, Mamasapano, where Marwan was found, was between the 84th Seaborne unit of the SAF and the group of Marwan’s Filipino aide, Basit Usman. “Basit Usman and his men were alerted by the gunshots from Marwan’s hut and that triggered the firefight,” the source said. Other Inquirer sources, quoting unconfirmed reports, said one of Marwan’s aides was killed in the firefight while another was able to escape. The MILF Special Investigation Commission implied in its 35-page report submitted to the government in March that Marwan was executed, but the information went largely unnoticed, or ignored. Truth in MILF report Speaking to the Inquirer in a separate interview, Iqbal said the truth about what happened in Mamasapano could be found in the MILF report. “If you have read the report, the truth is there and for us that is the truth, not the alternative truth. I don’t want to sound political, but the report speaks for itself,” Iqbal said. The MILF report was never made public, but copies were given to, besides the government peace panel, an international team that monitored the ceasefire between the government and the MILF, the Department of Justice and Sen. Grace Poe, who headed the Senate inquiry into the Mamasapano clash. Ocular inspection Here is how the MILF investigators, in their report, described what could have happened inside the hut and the surrounding area where the firefight between the 84th Seaborne and Marwan’s men allegedly took place: “During the ocular inspection, the Commission found that there were very few bullet holes on the wall of the hut where Marwan was found and killed. The trajectory of the bullets also indicate that the fatal shot did not come from the shots fired outside the house as the bullet holes are roughly [46 centimeters] above the floor. If the shots were fired while Marwan was lying down, he could not have been hit while if he was standing and engaged the elements of the SAF in a firefight, the injuries sustained should have been at his lower body and not on the chest.” Shot at close range The report noted: “There are also no bullet holes on the floor of the hut. In all likelihood, the fatal shot must have been fired at close range and while Marwan was lying on the floor.” It also said that Marwan’s hut, which has a floor area of 2.4 by 4 meters, was only 119 meters away from the hut of Usman. That Marwan was executed by his aides, who likely had become government assets, and was not killed in an exchange of fire with SAF commandos would drastically change the story in the report of Director Getulio Napeñas, the then SAF commander, on what happened in Mamasapano. It would also raise the question of whether the 55th SAC, the back-up force that suffered the heaviest casualties, should have even been in Barangay Tukanalipao, which was 3 kilometers away from Barangay Pembalkan. Despite the deaths of 44 of his men, Napeñas described the police counterterrorism operation as a success because they were able to take down Marwan. The US government had offered a $5-million reward for the capture of Marwan and $1 million for Usman. Usman slipped out of Mamasapano after the clash and was killed in May in Guindulungan town, also in Maguindanao. MILF fighters reportedly took down Usman. Gov’t investigation Last Tuesday, President Aquino disclosed at the Meet the Inquirer Multimedia forum that there was an emerging “alternative truth” to the Mamasapano debacle. Aquino said the photograph of Marwan lying dead in the hut “posed many questions.” “That is what we want to resolve,” he had said. The photo, contributed by a source to Inquirer columnist Mon Tulfo, was published by the Inquirer on Jan. 30. Difficulty in finding witnesses Aquino did not give details, saying an investigation was going on and that the investigators were having difficulty finding witnesses. The photo published by the Inquirer showed Marwan lying half-naked, with a pool of blood under his head, indicating that he might have been shot from behind. A clean chest shot also left him bloodied. His body appeared not to bear large bullet wounds. Various Inquirer sources noted that this was not how someone would look like if he was felled by bullets from high-powered firearms. SAF survivors said Marwan was awakened when members of the strike force entered his hut. He fired on the commandos, who fired back, killing him. They said one officer took pictures of the slain Marwan and another cut a finger from the right hand of the dead terrorist for DNA tests. The gunfire roused Marwan’s followers who lived nearby, the survivors said, and the commandos fought their way out of the hut and the village. No resistance Iqbal said there was no way Marwan could have offered resistance, but declined to comment beyond what was stated in the MILF report. “What [the investigators] presented is the result of actual investigation on the ground. What we presented is a strong lead to ferret out the truth. We wanted to know the truth like everyone else,” Iqbal said. Contradicting the statements of SAF survivors, the MILF report noted that within the vicinity of Marwan’s hut, “there are no indications of bomb explosion[s] as there are no craters on the ground around the hut.” “Neither is there indication of an intense firefight in or around the hut,” the MILF report added. The MILF report also said the 84th Seaborne encountered members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), an MILF splinter group, as the police commandos withdrew from Marwan’s hut. “Intense fighting occurred in an area about 927 meters from the hut where Marwan was found and killed,” the report said. Ali Tambako The MILF report said that according to information gathered, “Marwan was buried by the forces of Mohammad Ali Tambako around the areas of Barangays Pembalkan and Dasikil, known lairs of the BIFF and the forces of Mohammad Ali Tambako.” The Inquirer source from the MILF said the police should interrogate Tambako, whom they arrested in General Santos City in March. “Tambako was the one who coddled Usman and Marwan. He should know something,” the source said. A military officer told the Inquirer that investigating how Marwan died would lead to the truth about how the SAF Mamasapano operation was “handled, controlled and mismanaged in the end.” ‘They lied to P-Noy’ “They lied about what really happened, how they killed Marwan. They lied to the President, to the people and to the families of the 44 SAF officers who died in the operation,” the officer said. “It is now difficult to find out what really happened, because there is no one to blame for the deaths of the SAF 44 but their commanders who deployed them for a poorly planned mission. When it backfired, they blamed everyone but themselves,” the officer said.—Nikko Dizon and Arlyn de la Cruz, Correspondent at large Marwan killed at close range – MILF Mamasapano report FULL TEXT: MILF report on the Mamasapano incident 9-hr fire hits cargo ship docked in Manila TAGS: Mamasapano, Mamasapano clash, Marwan, MILF, Mohagher Iqbal, PNP, Police, SAF	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1439
__label__cc	0.696082	0.303918	Older Windows unsafe, Microsoft issues warnings International Science Technology San Francisco, May 15 (IANS) Software giant Microsoft is warning users using older Windows versions to urgently apply for a Windows Update in order to protect their systems and data against a potential widespread attack. The company has already released security patches for Windows 7, XP and Windows Server 2003 despite the fact that XP and Server 2003 are already out of support. “This vulnerability is pre-authentication and requires no user interaction. Any future malware that exploits this vulnerability could propagate from vulnerable computer to vulnerable computer in a similar way as the WannaCry malware spread across the globe in 2017,” the company wrote in a blog-post on Tuesday. The company has not yet observed any exploitation of the vulnerability as yet. However, the security patches have been released to ensure that no cyber attacker could create a malware and attack data and systems saved and running on Windows operating system. “It is for these reasons that we strongly advise that all affected systems – irrespective of whether Network Level Authentication (NLA) is enabled or not – should be updated as soon as possible,” the post added. Systems running Windows 8 and Windows 10 are not affected by this vulnerability. rp/ksk	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1440
__label__wiki	0.554217	0.554217	Best bets of the week Our Pick of the week Casino & Blackjack NFL best bet: Top must-wager weekly No matter what you call it – Pick of the Week, Lock of the Week, Best Bet, etc., a regular column delineating the one must-bet wager weekly is a staple of any NFL prognosticator in any medium. On this page we present only the cream of the crop, the bet you’ll want to make in a given week. In addition, we promise complete transparency: We’ll leave up our past picks, win, lose or push so you can judge for yourself whether or not to take NFLbets’ advice (but we think you will). As we’ve stated elsewhere, a primary rule within the NFLbets dogma is this: Don’t force your bets. There is absolutely no requirement to make a minimum number of wagers weekly. Heck, the ideal situation would be to throw down as much money as possible on those three to five occasions in any given NFL season when the outcome is crystal-clear obvious days beforehand. But where’s the fun in that? After all, one or two bets are always worth making. NFLbets’ “Pick of the week” is primarily for the conservative NFL bettor, because the truth is that in gambling, conservatism is the way to go. We stake our reputation on our best bets, so let’s enjoy making some money this year! Here’s the official NFLbets Pick of the Week for Super Bowl LIII Thursday, 31 January 2019 17:43 EST NFLbets will say (write?) this from the go: Our Pick of the Week for the Super Bowl and most subsequent recommendations on the game are the result of backward logic. The premise is simple: The betting opportunities on the New England Patriots just aren’t that interesting or lucrative. Without further ado, here’s NFLbets’ Pick of the Week for Super Bowl LIII: Take the Los Angeles Rams +2½/+3/+3½ vs the Patriots. We’re also advising NFLbettors to take the Rams money line (ML), currently fetching from +115 to +130 and only going up before kickoff. Here’s why: Since ballooning from Rams -1 to Rams +2 on January 21, the point spread hasn’t moved since Rams +2½ in most Vegas sportsbooks as of Thursday evening before the game, and only now is Rams +3 beginning to show its face at the bigger online sportsbooks. Some 75% to 80% of the money continues to come in on the Patriots, which to NFLbets implies that the bookmakers still consider this more or less a pick ‘em, anyway. In short, if you’re covering the Rams at +2½ or less for a -110 payout, you may as well cover that ML and put the odds on your side. (See what we meant by the lucrative and interesting bets on the Rams’ side? And by backward logic?) So what needs to happen for the Rams to pull off the upset in Super Bowl LIII and bring things full circle back to 2002? The Rams defensive line needs to dominate the Patriots offensive line. Tom Brady has been tormented in Super Bowls before – recall how the line on the 18-0 New England side gave up five sacks (and, essentially, the game) against the Giants in XLII – and we daresay the Patriots haven’t faced a front like that of Donald-Suh-Brockers in years, certainly not in 2018-19. The Patriots OL has been middling this season, allowing an OK 21 sacks, but it doesn’t seem to matter to Ndamukong Suh, who loves blowing up New England lines: In eight career games against Belichick-and-Brady, Suhs destroyed the middle for nine QB hits. And Aaron Donald is Aaron Donald, the best player in this Super Bowl right now. C.J. Anderson must continue producing – but more importantly, wearing down the middle. Recall that the Patriots have faced just one A-list running back in 2018-19: Kareem Hunt in week 6, who torched them for 185 total yards and a TD. Anderson’s unimpressive-looking 44 yards in New Orleans did not indicate the punishment he doled out on his 16 carries, mostly in the second and third quarters, that softened that Saints D enough to allow Jared Goff three lead-changing scoring drives late. And just imagine if the Rams running game looks more like that of the divisional round game. Against the Dallas Cowboys, the combination of Todd Gurley and Anderson went for 38 carries for 238 yards and 3 TDs against a run defense that was statistically and reputedly better than the Saints’. This is the kind of attack that is indefensible, even if the opposition head coach somehow knows what’s coming. Of course, the question of whether the Rams can win without a big day from Anderson may soon be moot; if Gurley isn’t playing or clearly can’t go, Los Angeles absolutely positively needs a monster game out of one of the great NFL late-season pickups in quite some time. Three words for the defense: Bend, don’t break. A Belichick staple! At their best, e.g. in most of the Saints game, the Rams defense can stop anyone inside or just outside the red zone. A dude like Corey Littleton (a safety disguised as a linebacker) has the correct skills to flourish in a short field and has done so lately, and the shortcomings of Marcus Peters are greatly reduced. Plus, just in the simplest terms, i.e. our kicker and punter are better than yours, Sean McVay would kill to turn this game into a punty-punty field position battle determined by a late long-ass field goal. We believe the longer the Rams keep a Patriots touchdown off the board, the likelier their chances to win. And NFLbets really likes their chances: The Rams will win Super Bowl LIII. Against the Spread NFL Playoffs: Betting, odds in football postseason NFL playoffs betting: Faltering Chargers, Patriots offenses scream "TAKE THE UNDER!" Damn, do the bookmakers want us to bet the underdogs this weekend – or maybe the oddsmakers are collectively in disbelief at favorites’ inability to cover point spreads. Since the New England Patriots covered 3 points against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, underdogs are a ridiculous 13-2 ATS. Heck, the last time a favorite won ATS was when the Minnesota Vikings covered 3½ points on the last f##ing play against the New Orleans Saints in last year’s 2017 divisional game. In fact, since we’re talking Los Angeles Chargers -4 at New England Patriots, over/under 47½ points There’s this. Last year, the Patriots went 1-2 ATS, covering only against the Tennessee Titans, who arguably should not have been allowed into the playoffs for aesthetic considerations. A general changing of the guard currently going on in the NFL – i.e. the Broncos, Steelers, Packers and yes, the Patriots are in at least short-term decline, while the Chiefs, Colts, Rams and the like rise – apparently leads to unpredictability. After all, it’s not just Foles (and last year Blake Bortles; ’member Blake Bortles?); these “unforeseen” upsets are happening all over the place. The latest perpetrator of such ATS wins are the “Los Angeles” Chargers, who, in addition to “upsetting” the Baltimore Ravens in the wild card game, have run up some insane numbers this season. Said numbers, which NFLbets has run before and are now updated, look like so: • The Chargers are just 4-3 SU (3-4 ATS) in true home games; • in week 7, they beat the Tennessee Titans in London, but did not cover the spread; • the Chargers are 8-1 SU/ATS in away games, with the sole loss at the Rams in week 3; • therefore, in games outside of Los Angeles, the Chargers are an incredible 9-0 SU (8-1 ATS); • finally, in these 9 games, the Chargers averaged 26.9 points – about ½ point more* per game than in L.A.-based games. So yeah, in setting the line at Patriots -4, oddsmakers are begging you to bet on the Chargers, even if it’s below freezing and/or snowing in Massachusetts (as of this writing on Thursday, high temps are expected to be 28°). Secretly, however, Vegas et al are believing at least three of the four favorites are winning ATS this weekend. Okay, NFLbets’ll call the bookies’ bluff. We believe that the Chargers do in fact cover the 4 points in this game. Why? Because the safest bet in this game is for the score to go under 47½ points. Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is getting kudos everywhere in football land for last week’s clever game plan, which featured some 58 plays run with seven in the secondary. With safeties playing anywhere and much of the filed blanketed by a zone when four CBs dropped back into coverage, the Chargers D constantly gave Lamar Jackson bad to no looks. Think they’ll try the same or similar this week? Here’s a hint: Bill Belichick ain’t playing Madden 2019 out there. On the other hand, history has shown that you can’t bring a pass rush against Tom Brady, and this version of his offensive line is certainly solid. In their four wins against playoff teams this season – their only four games against playoff teams, and all prior to week 8 – the Patriots OL allowed just four sacks. And in the past six games (albeit against lesser competition), just five sacks total have been registered on Brady. The point: Brady doesn’t exactly have a lot of weaponry on this offense, playing as he is with the Patriots’ worst offensive supporting cast since the days of Reche Caldwell, but this has been (ho hum) doing enough to win all season. In fact, NFLbets’d guess that the Pats’ template for this game will be a lot more week 16 (in which three New England RBs and Cordarelle Paterson combined for 256 yards rushing and three TDs as the Pats posted 35+ minutes of ToP) than, likesay, week 14 (when Brady went 27-of-43 for 358 yards and three TDs in a losing effort at Miami). As for the Chargers offense, well, there’s that thing about Belichick taking away the opposition’s favorite weapon. So on Los Angeles that would be … Philip Rivers, NFL supposes, but has anyone watched Rivers lately? Sure, he can take a hit and get back up, but the dude has thrown for over 300 yards just three times this season (including week 1) and just once in the second half of the year. He’s thrown for 160 yards or fewer in the past three games and in week 14 managed just 203 on 19-of-29 passing against the crippled Cincinnati Bengals. Belichick will take a run-heavy attack all day. The Patriots defense is pretty damn mediocre against either run or pass (they’re ranked no. 19 and no. 14, respectively, in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric), but also as opportunistic as ever at no. 3 in turnovers created, no. 2 in rushing TDs allowed and no. 7 in scoring allowed overall. Atop this is a general decline in Chargers rushing production: In four of the past six games, they’ve been under 90 yards and the offense has given up 8 turnovers. Purely empirically speaking, Melvin Gordon hasn’t looked good since an injury this season and, excepting a surprise 14-yard gain, he managed just 26 yards on 16 carries against the Ravens last week. Between the weather, generally more conservative play calling in the postseason and a recent decline in these offenses says firstly that we’re saying take the under on an O/U of 47½ points, and we’re making this the Official NFLbets Pick of the Week this week. Additionally, this may be wacky of us, but we’re covering both sides on this game, figuring for a real grueling, grind-it-out squeaker. We say take the Chargers +4 at New England, but also take the Patriots ML at -200 – not a great return, but doesn’t a Patriots advancement feel inevitable…? NFLbets Picks of the Week record in 2018-19: 8-5-1. NFLbets Best Bets record in 2018-19: 36-29-2. Matchup predictions NFL playoffs betting: Dallas Cowboys minus-2? Bwah ha ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaa! Friday, 04 January 2019 11:29 EST NFLbets would like to thank the sharps for balancing this line after an apparent tsunami of money from Dallas fanboys took the already laughable Cowboys +2½ down to Cowboys +1 versus the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC’s first wild card game. As this is written at approximately 9am ET on Thursday, January 4, this is back to Seattle Seahawks +2 at Dallas Cowboys, over/under 43 points The Seahawks money line (ML) is holding steady from Tuesday at +110. Fantastic – NFLbets is making this just our second Sure Bet of the 2018 season. (Though admittedly, we really should’ve listed the Seahawks minus whatever points against the Oakland/Las Vegas/London(?) Raiders in the U.K. as a Sure Bet.) Take the Seattle Seahawks ML (+110) at Dallas. Come on, you’re not really fooled by the possum act Russell Wilson & Co. put on against the Arizona Cardinals in week 17 , are you? By the same token, NFLbets is sure you noticed how the Cowboys first-stringers running their standard game plan had their hands full with a New York Giants team missing Odell Beckham. In how many ways are the Seahawks just flat-out better than these Cowboys? Let’s break it down this way. Dallas offense vs Seattle defense For a few weeks – weeks 10-14, to be precise – the Cowboys seemed to have a viable offense. New acquisition Amari Cooper’s incorporation into he Dallas offense finally gave Dak Prescott a proper weapon to throw to and the ’Pokes ran off a 5-0 SU/ATS which included three wins against playoff teams. Since then, something has happened with the Prescott-Cooper-Jason Garrett triangle; maybe Amari’s not returning Dak’s calls or Garrett’s dog ate the least few remaining pages of his playbook. Whatever the cause, the Cowboys have looked bad first getting shut out by the Indianapolis Colts in week 15 before closing out the season on an 0-3 ATS run. After snagging 10 passes for 217 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles in week 14, Cooper has had 14 receptions combined in three games. Cooper’s 11 targets in the Giants game included two drops and two balls bounced yards in front of the receiver. Worse yet for Dallas, the Seahawks defense would likely prefer a steady diet of Ezekiel Elliott runs and Prescott doing improv anyway: Seattle’s D has been the proverbial bend-don’t-break in 2018, ranking just 30th in yards per run attempt but 4th in rushing TDs allowed and no. 1 overall in fumbles induced. Advantage: Seahawks. Seattle offense vs Dallas defense The Dallas defense is both flying under the radar and badass: They’re no. 9 in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric, including a top-five rushing defense. Fair enough, but who has been able to stop Wilson-to-Tyler Lockett in 2018? Exactly no one in 16 games, particularly the Cowboys, who in week 2 “held” Lockett to one TD on 82 total yards of offense plus 92 more on special teams returns. Beyond Lockett, the Seattle offense isn’t exactly multi-faceted. Undrafted Cinderella story Chris Carson has been as good as the hype promises as 4.7 yards per carry for 1,151 total and 9 TDs, but his (and to some extent Rashaad Penny and Mike Davis’s) workload is due in no small part to a thin WR corps and the especially weak offensive line. At 51 sacks, the formerly more mobile Wilson has been rushed more often than anyone in the NFL except DeShaun Watson. This OL will be the Seahawks’ kryptonite in these playoffs, but not this week. Advantage: Seahawks. Seattle vs Dallas special teams Neither special teams unit is particularly, well, special; Football Outsiders have both on the bubble of the NFL’s bottom 10 in special-teams performance. The Seahawks do have Lockett, who as the team’s top non-QB “skill” player will likely see an increase in responsibilities in the postseason, as is Carroll’s typical wont; so call Tyler the X-factor in this game. And who are the Cowboys bringing…? Not much. Advantage: Seahawks. Seattle coaching vs Dallas coaching Come on, now – you’ve got the second-best head coach in the league who evolved his team into a Super Bowl contender in what was supposed to be a rebuild year versus a dude who doesn’t play-call for offense or defense and who thrives under the perpetual low bar set by ownership. Then again, Jason Garrett’s Cowboys are 2-4 SU (3-3 ATS, 2-1 ATS at home) against Pete Carroll’s Seahawks, so maybe … uh, no. The sick truth is that Carroll’s Seahawks are an extremely impressive 9-5 SU (10-4 ATS) in postseason games. Advantage: Seahawks. Other numbers and trends All the home teams are naturally favored in the first round of this year’s playoffs, but the opening line of 2½ minus the 3-5 points typical assessed for the home side implies that bookmakers would make this a “pick ‘em” or even Seahawks +1 to +1½ on a neutral field. In fact, we’re not entirely sure why the Seahawks aren’t the straight-up favorites: Home teams went just 22-18 SU (20-19-1 ATS!) in wild card games in the past 10 postseasons. Time is literally on the Seahawks’ side here as well. One of the great mostly-untold secrets of NFL betting is that since 2001, West Coast teams have enjoyed an advantage of just over 70% ATS in primetime games regardless of location or day of week. This has borne out once again in 2018, as Pacific Time-based teams went 7-4-1 ATS (8-4 SU) in these games – however many, including NFLbets, wagered on the Los Angeles Rams -7 vs Minnesota in week 4, thereby resulting in a 7-3-2 (70%!) win rate for West Coasters. On their part, the Seahawks were 3-1 ATS/SU in prime time, with the sole loss coming in week 2 to the then-utterly unheralded Bears in Chicago. Finally, the Cowboys are a big 1-2 SU (0-3 ATS) in the playoffs since Garrett’s move up to head coach in 2010. They’re also 2-6 SU/ATS in the 21st century and 3-9 SU/ATS since Super Bowl XXX. And in this case, NFLbets’d argue that historical precedent does matter. Why? In two words: Jerry. Jones. Advantage: Seahawks. Best bets for Seattle at Dallas wild card game In addition to the NFLbets Sure Bet noted above (Seattle ML at +110), we’re also hedging slightly with a bet on the Seahawks +2. We’re also advising that NFL bettors take the under on an O/U of 43 points, figuring that the Cowboys defense will allow fewer points than the those of Carolina, San Francisco, Kansas City and Arizona. (The Seahawks have averaged a neat 30.0 points per in the past eight games.) With the Seahawks and Cowboys both boasting top-8 offenses in time of possession, this won’t be a free-flying aerial experience – and if Seattle shuts down Elliott early while going up, likesay, 13-0 or 13-3 at halftime, Dallas might just go without a TD the entire game. So how ’bout them Cowboys waitin’ until next year??!?!?!? NFLbets Best Bets record in 2018: 1-0. Sure bets: The closest thing to guaranteed wins, big payouts in NFL betting Oh boy! Santa brought us two double-digit week 16 point spreads to bet on! Sunday, 23 December 2018 10:15 EST NFLbets probably has no right to be this geeked about a couple of bets in week 16. We managed a 2-1 mark in yesterday’s NFL betting (foiled by Blaine Gabbert and a garbage-time FG bad beat yada yada yada) and our choices for Sunday aren’t exactly “Sure Bets.” But we looking forward to these games with optimism and potentially lots of schadenfreude. If/when NFLbets wins these bets this weekend, we’ll say it couldn’t have happened to a couple of nice teams… Cincinnati Bengals +10 at Cleveland Browns, over/under 44 points Right from the preseason and the team’s turn on the increasingly insufferable Hard Knocks, we knew this Cleveland Browns season would be memorable – not good, mind you, but memorable. HBO showed us from the go that these Browns were not the boring old 2016 St. Louis Los Angeles Rams led by the snooze-inducing Jeff Fisher and Mr. Anti-Charisma himself, Jared Goff. Instead, the Browns were seen to be the proverbial asylum run by the inmates, with a head coach obsessed with chairs, an offensive coordinator who reckoned he was Michael Keaton’s Batman and a line coach whose training philosophy was based on World War II stories. Amidst these jokers was the NFL’s own plotting, scheming, headhunting pantomime villain, a guy so dastardly insane he actually wanted the head coach position in Cleveland. The first half of the 2018 season was akin to Shakespearean Theatre plotted by the Farrelly Brothers, a Trump Administration operating within the AFC North, and the Browns were again the league’s punchline for reasons beyond the usual crap in Cleveland. And then, something changed – namely, the top dog. Gregg “Richard III” Williams was named head coach in time for NFL bettors to cash in on a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. A deserved start, sure, but ol’ Boba Fett, Intergalactic Bounty Hunter, turned things back around to get this team on a 4-1 SU/ATS run going into week 16. Guess desperation breeds success, eh? On the other side of the field this week are the Cincinnati Bengals, who have not only swapped bodies in freakily Friday fashion, but have also racked up their usual three-volume list of injuries. Hue “Know My Name; Look Up the Numbers” Jackson is famously back on the sidelines in Cincinnati in some capacity and if you’re a believer in karma, the Bengals are once again your exemplar of proof on the subject. More pragmatically speaking, until beating the Las Vegas Raiders last week, the failing Bengals had been on a 1-7 (!) run during which the average result was a 14-point loss. The truth is, Cincy hasn’t been a quality opponent since winning at home against the Baltimore Ravens in week 2. “Two teams heading in opposite directions”? You bet (literally)! In fact, NFLbets will fearlessly predict that this is the game in which the narratives of these two franchises is flipped, at least for the medium-term. NFLbets’ Pick of the Week for week 16: Take the Cleveland Browns -10 vs Cincinnati. Buffalo Bills -13½ at New England Patriots, over/under 44½ points Try, if at all possible, to blow away the noise about Belichick ‘n’ Brady and forget the reputation – mainly because the Buffalo Bills certainly have been in practices this week. Seriously, have you seen these guys play lately? The once-feared New England Patriots are a very unimpressive 2-3 SU/ATS – and the Pats were favored in all five games – since week 10. The New England offense is somehow still ranked no. 6 in the NFL per Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric, but the rushing game is disappearing faster than Arctic ice and has sunk to 28th in yards per attempt. (Look: Do you believe in Cordarelle Patterson as a viable NFL halfback? Come on.) Additionally, NFLbets isn’t sure why NFL bettors are plunking down more and more on the Patriots minus the points; the line has ballooned from 12 to 13½ at some sportsbooks since Monday. Fair enough, it’s easy most years to sleep on the Bills and Brady is a sick 29-3 SU for his career against Buffalo, with the average score reading Patriots 30, Bills 16. In these teams’ week 8 game in Buffalo, it was Patriots 25-6. We’ve got three arguments in favor of betting Bills +13, though. First, these Bills aren’t bad, actually. They’ve boasted a top-5 defense in DVOA terms for the entire second half of 2018 and are currently at no. 3 overall. During the same period as New England’s stumbling to 2-3, Buffalo has gone 3-2 SU (2-3 ATS); Josh Allen appears to now be surfing the learning curve with three straight games of over 200 yards passing and just five interceptions thrown in the past six games – great stats to face up against a frankly weak Patriots defense ranked 31st-“best” overall and 21st against the pass. Second, the on-field importance of Josh Gordon’s departure has been muffled behind sympathy for the man’s substance abuse issues. The fact is that Gordon was this team’s leading receiver statistically and the Patriots’ only true downfield threat. Who will replace Gordon’s 18.0 yards per reception? The hobbled Rob Gronkowski? The lacrosse dude? Finally, there is the weather: Forecasts call for snowfall starting right about kickoff time. Sure, Brady & Co. are well used to the cold-ass climes of their own home, but the Bills play in even colder stuff and their quarterback isn’t 41 years old. We’re absolutely not suggesting that temperatures in the 30s will win the Bills the game, but cold almost always puts a damper on scoring other than on freakish opportunities – the latter, a former strength of Belichick’s Patriots, is also nowhere in evidence right now. The lines call for a final score of about 29-16, but can anyone thinking logically really justify betting on the Patriots to score four TDs in the frozen stuff this weekend? We’re saying take the Buffalo Bills +13½ at New England and take the under on an O/U of 44½. NFLbets Best Bets record in 2018: 37-29-2. NFLbets Pick of the Week: How can the 49ers stop Seattle from running up the score? Again, NFLbets is stumped by the thinking here. Seattle Seahawks -3½ at San Francisco 49ers We suppose common wisdom expects Pete Carroll to have the foot off the pedal and use this game as an exercise to keep sharp; after all, the Seahawks could very well throw this game away, with the NFC West out of reach and the Minnesota Vikings 1½ games back for the no. 5 seed. Nevertheless, we don’t see how Seattle can avoid scoring points. Ten times this season, the 49ers’ opposition has put up 24 points, regardless of whether the offense in question is top-flight like the Chiefs’ and Chargers’ (38 and 29 scored against the Niners) or unimpressive such as the Cardinals’ and Buccaneers’ (28 and 27 scored against). Last week’s dismal performance by Russell Wilson and the Seahawks we’re willing to write off to anomaly and/or statistical regression/correction: In the prior six games, they’d averaged just under 29.5 per game. After all, two weeks ago at Carolina, Wilson went for 322 yards passing to go with 2 TDs against zero interceptions. Seattle’s primary weak area, the OL, won’t be very hard pressed by a bottom-10 pass rush allowing 235+ ypg passing and an average QB rating of 102.7 – that’s 18 points better than league-leading Drew Brees, folks. And just two weeks ago, in a game just about as meaningless for the Seahawks with the Vikings coming up the Monday after next, Seattle beat these same 49ers by 27 freaking points. What has changed? Come on, now. Take the Seattle Seahawks -3½ at San Francisco Santa Clara. NFLbets Pick of the Week record in 2018: 7-4-1. Vikings-Seahawks on MNF: More separating of men from boys (Can we still say that in 2018?) Monday, 10 December 2018 15:21 EST Now that was an educational Sunday of football, a solid three tv broadcast timeslots provided an excellent preview of next month’s playoffs. For example, we can now emphatically count out the Philadelphia Eagles (who wavered between bland and bad throughout the Dallas game), Denver Broncos (wrecked by a single TE in 30 minutes in San Francisco), the Carolina Panthers (currently suffering the hangover which follows a giddy embrace of Norv Turner) and Washington (crushed by Pee Wee League QB Eli Manning’s Giants). We can additionally temper expectations of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and possibly the Los Angeles Rams, though in this latter case, NFLbets reckons the Rams’ kryptonite is cold weather, and they’re not likely to face any such in the playoffs. NFLbets is also pumping the brakes a bit on the Houston Texans until we discover whether the loss to the Indianapolis Colts (whose stock is also rising steadily) was merely the hardly unexpected snapping of a long winning streak by a divisional rival. On the upswing NFLbets lists the Los Angeles Chargers (scarier by the week, especially in away games) Baltimore Ravens (with a nice ATS win against the Kansas City Chiefs; the SU loss did not hurt their no. 6 standing in the AFC, as the Ravens hold all tiebreakers against the competition), Dallas Cowboys (who expect the canonization of St. Amari of Dallas-Ft. Worth) and Chicago Bears, all looking like very tough outs in the playoffs. We’re expecting more separation of men from boys on Monday Night Football this week: Minnesota Vikings +3 at Seattle Seahawks, over/under 46½ points Both of the these teams sit pretty high on the ATS standings board: Going into MNF, the Seahawks stand at 7-3-2 while the Vikings are currently at 7-4-1. The Bears, Saints and Chargers – all at 9-4 ATS – are the only teams higher on the ’board. So why does it feel as though these teams are tending in opposite directions? The Vikings are stumbling in the second half, currently on a 2-3 SU/ATS jag in which they frankly looked outclassed vs New Orleans, at Chicago and at New England – three proper playoff teams. We can remove the 2018 Minnesota Vikings to previous playoff-bound incarnations of the team due to this version’s below-average play outside the dome. After starting out at an impressive 3-0-1 ATS (2-1-1 SU) in away games, their last away win SU/ATS came in week 7 against the New York Jets, who are the New York Jets. And here’s the key to this game: A team vulnerable on the road cannot expect to come to Seattle, one of three NFL home locales with the greatest statistically significant advantages for the home team, and surprise the Seahawks. Excepting 2017, the ’Hawks have been good for at least a 5-3 mark at home ATS every year since 2011 – and the most common results is 6-2 ATS. Right now, they’re at 3-1-2 at home. On top of this, remember that West Coast teams in prime team are an incredible 71% ATS this decade. But hey, we don’t even really need greater trends or regression to the mean to justify belief in a big Seahawks win tonight. Since week 3, Seattle has lost only to the Chargers and Rams – not a bad pick for Super Bowl LIII, NFLbets’d say, and they’re 5-1 against teams not currently in the playoff picture, likesay Minnesota. After topping 27 points just once in the first six games, they’ve done so in five of the past six and the over is on a 4-0 streak in Seahawks games. Best of all is that Pete Carroll and QB Russell Wilson have crafted a fascinating hybrid offense with a run-heavy playback, modern-style quarterback option plays and old-fashioned stretching the field with the occasional empty backfield. The defensive game plan has reverted to a philosophy that got the Seahawks into Super Bowls, namely lots of wysiwyg zone schemes and exceptionally few disguised coverages. NFLbets will admit it: This may not be conducive to approaching 100% objective betting, but we like Carroll’s coaching of Seattle in 2018. Admission of bias aside, NFLbets quite frankly can’t conjure up the argument for anything beyond a push out of a bet on Vikings +3 here. Even the plus of a short IR list is enough for Minnesota, as CB Trae Waynes, anchor of the secondary, will miss this game due to a concussion. Sometimes it’s best to not overthink things – a sentiment with which Coach Carroll and Marshawn Lynch would certainly agree. NFLbets Pick of the Week: Take the Seattle Seahawks -3 vs Minnesota. Pick of the Week: Los Angeles Rams set to crush Detroit Lions, get shockingly rare ATS win In a week of NFL betting loaded with away favorites, sure, we’ll go with the biggest of ’em all. For our Best Bet for Week 13, NFLbets is saying take the Los Angeles Rams -10 at the Detroit Lions. The trappings and stats indicating a healthy Rams win are all in place. Though this game in Detroit represents just the second trip east of the Mountain Time Zone for the Rams, playing inside certainly won’t hurt an offense scoring nearly 35½ points per game. If you’re really looking for the silver lining, one may point out that the Rams’ first away game in the east was also played in a dome and saw the Rams topped by the Saints, 45-35. Of course, the 2018 Detroit Lions are not the 2018 New Orleans Saints. Also on the Rams’ side is the by week. Obviously, Sean McVay has not much history here, a.k.a. one tiny-ass sample size. In his debut season, L.A. exited the bye week with a 51-17 thumping of the New York Giants, who were already well on their way to a date with destiny and Saquon Barkley as the second-worst team in the league. Now, the 2018 Detroit Lions aren’t quite the 2017 New York Giants, but they’re no world-killers, either. Among the notables from that insane week 11 Chiefs-Rams game was the lack of Todd Gurley. Naturally, Southern California sports media has been all over the stud halfback’s near no-show in the 105-point scorefest; reports far and wide provide little information but unanimously state Gurley’s 100% good to go against Detroit. About the best NFLbets can say about the Lions run defense is that at least it’s not the pass defense, a bottom-3 unit by Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric. But the no. 1 reason to bet the Rams this week? Their insane numbers against the spread in 2018. McVay’s guys are impressive as hell at 10-1 SU, having gone toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow with the likes of the Saints, Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks twice. In fact, beyond the Saints, the most challenging opponent faced by the Rams in 2018 has been the point spread. Their record ATS, however, is absolutely freakish at 4-5-2, having failed to cover the point spread on a SU win six times – This outlier is the outliest. (NFLbets’ recordkeeping on ATS marks is somewhat subjective in that the line is frozen for our purposes when we place the bet. Individual sportsbooks may have the Rams as good as 6-5 ATS or as poor as 4-7 ATS, both just as nuts as our reckoning…) The Rams ATS mark comprises two factors, which NFL bettors may ascribe to the 4-5-2 in whatever proportion they so choose: First is the bookmakers just flat-out doing their job properly; second is the L.A. D’s infuriating inability to close out games against weaker opponents. Beyond the Chiefs and Seahawks (twice), the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers have all kept the Rams’ margin of victory inside a touchdown-plus-PAT – and L.A. was favored by 7-7½ against all three. But wait! Activated for the game is Aqib Talib, whose presence could well prove to be the support pillar the Rams’ pass defense needs. What gives with Marcus Peters is anyone’s guess, but dude has been exposed all season by opposition receivers to the extent that the daunted, all-star Rams D ranks just 16th in overall DVOA and is 27th-“best” at allowing passing touchdowns. Deadly if opponents are inside their own 25, Los Angeles’s pass defense is as porous as any in the league as offenses march closer to the red zone. Talib has got to make a difference here, right? NFLbets thinks so. The Rams haven’t had a nice blowout win since week 7’s immolation of the 49ers – the only non-prospective playoff team they’d seen since week 2, incidentally – in San Francisco. Currently on a lowly 1-5-2 ATS run, the Rams are simply too good for such trends to continue. This could get ugly for the Lions… NFLbets’ Pick of Week record in 2018: 5-4-1. The “Jets always play the Patriots tough” cliché vs. reality (Come on, you're really betting against Belichick?) Sunday, 25 November 2018 09:51 EST NFLbets hates clichés. Already trapped as we are in an incredibly loud world, who needs more meaningless blather to make things noisier? And in the betting world, belief in such common nonsense often proves detrimental to the bankroll, as the cliché certainly need be, likesay, true to be believed. But NFLbets hates clichés even when they are true. Cliché conveniently stands in for critical thinking, bypassing the analysis the proper bettor needs to do before throwing down a wager. True, crusty old pap like “Defense Wins Championships” may be backed by stats, but on Any Given Sunday one might have to Think Outside The Box, consider the Bigger Picture and stop Throwing Good Money After Bad. This week’s Exhibit A: “The New York Jets always play the New England Patriots tough.” This was the line bleated out by many a podcaster, radio show host and ESPN dude (men, women … they’re all dudes on The Worldwide Leader) this week who sought to predict the outcome of New England Patriots -10 at New York Jets, over/under 46½ points NFLbets crunched some simple numbers on this one and, in short, whoa. These are real and they are spectacular. The last time the Jets were favored in this biannual meeting of AFC East “rivals” was back in week 2 of the 2008 season. You may recall that as Matt Cassel’s second start for the Patriots at quarterback; the Jets and head coach Eric “The Man Genius” Mangini of course had Brett Favre at the helm. As 1-point home favorites, the Jets lost that one SU, 19-10. And then things got weird. Since 2008, the Jets are 5-13 SU against the Patriots, including the current 3-11 run. The mindblower is that ATS, the Jets are – get this – 12-6 ATS in the matchup. The point spreads on these games vary, as do the point differentials: Six times in this span, the Patriots have won by 10 points or more over the Jets, representing all their losses ATS in the rivalry. So why can’t oddsmakers get a hold on these Jets-Patriots games? Like NFLbets knows. We’d guess, however, that since oddsmakers and sportsbooks should not be beholden to cliché but must aspire to marketability, the points spreads are kept low so as to encourage someone to bet these mostly anti-climactic and/or meaningless New York-New England games. Regardless, the motivation doesn’t matter, right? The Jets Always Play The Patriots Tough cliché has been proven mostly true, right? Sure! Go ahead and throw down lots of money on the Jets +10! Ah ha! Not so easy, is it? Now you’re thinking -- and on the right track, NFLbets believes. For over half of the aforementioned games, the New York Jets coach was Rex Ryan. Ryan essentially considered the Patriots game in New York to be the Jets’ annual Super Bowl. (You can hardly blame the dude, with his career .479 winning percentage and low expectations from management.) Ryan’s Jets went a relatively successful 3-7 SU (and a fantastic 7-3 ATS) against Belichick’s Pats. Todd Bowles? Worse. Going into Sunday’s game, he’s 21-31 ATS; more relevant for our purposes, his Jets are 1-5 SU and 4-2 ATS against the Patriots. Both of those ATS losses have come in the past three games, in which the Jets have been outscored 91-26. And Bowles’s sole SU win against New England came in the 2015 season’s week 15, an irrelevant game for New England. This particular edition of the Jets is, to put it plainly, seriously awful on offense. The passing offense is bottom-5 in most statistical categories, and the offense is bottom-3 in turnovers, first downs and total yards. On defense, the Jets are about average in most areas, but the truth is that Tom Brady has shown that he Eats Defenses Like These For Breakfast. Then there’s Belichick’s Patriots coming out of a bye week. In the head coach’s 18 seasons, his charges are a solid 13-5 SU. The bookmarkers’ collective mindset on this game appears to be that, if/when the Patriots win this game, they’re winning by more than 10. Fair enough, the Patriots have occasionally looked this season – Where’s the running game? Where’s the pass rush? Can Rob Gronkowski qualify for federal disability at this point? – they’re 4-3 SU/ATS against teams at .500 SU or below, but in two games against AFC East opponents have looked like the Taking Care Of Business Patriots of, likesay, the entire 21st century. NFLbets hates clichés, but we love busting them: Our Pick Of The Week says take the New England Patriots -10 at New York. This could well be the last time we’re recommending the Patriots for the remainder of the season and represents a real win-win for the NFL bettor who’s also a fan. If the Jets somehow overcome, the ESPN dudes and blogosphere alike will with unanimity get to digging the Belichick/Brady Patriots’ graves. The 106th Grey Cup on (American) Thanksgiving Sunday: Last call for CFL betting in 2018! Friday, 23 November 2018 09:52 EST Despite NFLbets’ so-so record and low earnings on Canadian football betting this year, we’re going to miss the CFL over the next six months badly. Regardless of how much fun the NFL in 2018 is, as the sports world’s talking heads so gushingly exhort to us, the CFL is always a breath of fresh air away from the stolid and conservative American game. This Thanksgiving weekend, NFLbets is thankful for another great season of CFL football – and that we came out ahead. In any case, this weekend isn’t about looking back but rather looking forward to the 106th Grey Cup, a rematch of the 104th: It’s the Calgary Stampeders versus the Ottawa Redblacks, essentially the top two franchises, organizations/teams in the league in the 2010s. Betting on the Grey Cup features not nearly as many proposition bet offerings as during the Super Bowl, but plenty of interesting proposition bets exist. NFLbets is factoring in these variables in picking wagers for this one. Keys to the game, as they say, are the following in our estimation. • In two meetings this season, the Stampeders swept the Redblacks by a combined score of 51-7. In those games, Ottawa QB Trevor Harris was held to 4.5 yards per pass attempt while Calgary crushed the turnover battle by a margin of 10-3. True enough, these games were waaaaaaaaay back in June and July, weeks 3 and 5, but Harris did have all his primary “skill players” in the offense, including the Redblacks’ three blue chip WRs Diontae Spencer, Greg Ellingson and Brad Sinopoli. • Last week’s West Division final saw the return of a Calgary defense whose first half represented a record setting pace but stumbled through November in allowing 26 points in a row to BC Lions, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg in games down the stretch. The Bombers who’d run up 29 on the Stamps in October were nowhere in evidence last week, as the Calgary D didn’t allow a single play to advance over 27 yards, much less into the end zone. • Thanks to this defense, serious ball control by the offense has allowed the Stampeders to cover their most serious weakness going into this game: Namely, the shredded receiving corps. In his nearly totally unexpected return to the field after an injury three weeks ago, Eric Rogers showcased both his own skill set and the secret to success of the Calgary passing game. While the CFL headlines were splashed with exclamations describing Rogers’s three TDs – and justifiably so; heck, he outscored Winnipeg single-handedly (so to speak) – but the key stat was really his six total catches for just 61 yards. The Stamps’ longest play from scrimmage went just 29 yards and the offense took just 48 snaps, yet had the ball for nearly 32½ minutes of possession time. This team plays slo-o-o-o-o-w when needs must, like when prospective NFL QB Bo Levi Mitchell has maybe three viable WRs. • Outside of Ottawa, the RedBlacks are 5-4 SU and 6-3 ATS in 2018. • RedBlacks DB John Rose will play, as his appeal regarding a league-mandated suspension for this game due to his shoving of a referee in the East Divisional final is pending. Rose was the Redblacks’ second-high in tackles in the 2016 Grey Cup game, but NFLbets wonders if he won’t feel the pressure to be on his absolutely best behavior… • Finally, the all-important weather report. As of Friday, temperatures for kickoff are expected to be in the 20s Fahrenheit, with a mere 10% of precipitation. The Stamps will certainly be pleased to hear of the latter, as a couple of weather-induced freak plays cost them the 105th Grey Cup against the Toronto Argonauts. Throwing it all into the NFLbets mega-calculator, i.e. editor/lead writer Os Davis’s cerebellum, we’re liking the following bets and props. Calgary Stampeders -4½ vs Ottawa Redblacks, over/under 53½ points These two lines would put the final score at Calgary, 29-24 or 29-25, which feels just about dead on. (Guess the oddsmakers are pros, eh?) The Stampeders were proven quite vulnerable in the season’s second half, but in every loss this year, the opposition scored at least 27. NFLbets isn’t at all sure where four to five true scoring opportunities will come from for Ottawa, particularly if the Stamps control the clock, playing an old-school field-position battle as last week (and the first seven games of the regular season, to be honest). We’ll take the Calgary Stampeders -4½ vs Ottawa in the Grey Cup; we’re calling this our Best Bet for the Grey Cup. Additionally, we’ll cover the under on an O/U of 53½. As is our usual wont, NFLbets will base the remainder of our wagers at least in part on this result, with perhaps a bit of hedging. All in baby! (Almost.) Margin of victory The more sensible, i.e. top halves, of the odds in the “Grey Cup: Margin of Victory” proposition bet look something like the following. Calgary Stampeders win by 1-6 points: 3/1 Stampeders, 7-12: 17/4 Stampeders, 13-18: 6/1 Ottawa Redblacks win by 1-6 points: 4/1 Redblacks, 7-12: 15/2 Redblacks, 13-18: 14/1 A tricky one here, as NFLbets’ two most believable scenarios, Stamps by 1-6 or by 7-12, both bring some great value. Since we’ve already got money on Calgary -4½, we’ll recommend that bettors take the Stampeders to win by 7-12 points at 4/1. NFLbets will also be hedging a few Moneys (NFLbets’ preferred form of currency) on the Redblacks by 1-6 points at 4/1 so as not to go home empty-handed with an Ottawa upset. Race to 10 points Some of the (relative) troubles the Stampeders had in the second half of the 2018 season are reflected in the first-half scoring: Though in the last three games, the Stamps “won” first halves by a combined 51-12, that socre drops to just 147-134. And it’s certainly no coincidence that as Calgary got off to a 7-0 start, they outscored opponents in the first half six of those seven times. In all 2018 games, the Stampeders would have won the “Race to 10 Points” prop 12 times in 21 games; however, just once did an East Division team beat Calgary to 10 points: the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in week 1. As for the Redblacks, as NFLbets has noted virtually all season, they’ve certainly been among the most maddening for football bettors in 2018 – though the Tiger-Cats are right up there, too. They’re currently on a four-game win streak, but with three Ws coming against Hamilton. Far too mercurial for most bettors, the Redblacks won a game this year with nothing but field goals and lost a game in which they scored 41. Too mercurial to predict on this one, so we’ll consider them reactive to the Stamps’ game plan. The conclusion: If you believe that the Stamps’ first-half defense of the season’s first half has returned (based on, admittedly a small sample size of three games including two against the league’s 6th and 9th best teams), like NFLbets, you’ll take the Stampeders to score 10 points first at 8/13; not fantastic odds, but it says here that low payout beats no payout. Your choices in the “Grey Cup 2018: Highest Scoring Half” proposition bet: First half: 8/11 Second half: 21/20 A “tie”: 25/1 The smart money suggests the first half is the best bet here, but NFLbets already has Moneys on one under-even odds bet. Bookmakers are probably figuring that, with both sides having recently played in the Grey Cup (with rosters still fairly representative of their respective Cup-playing teams), the feeling-out process that usually colors the opening 15 minutes of a championship football game will be non-existent. The odd thing about these odds is that recently, games with either side have seen lots more points scored in the second half. Going back to week 19, second halves of Ottawa games “win” by an average “score” of 31-24; for Calgary games, it’s a big 41-21 differential. In the two meetings between the clubs early in the season, each half “won” one game. We’re going with the odds and against the common wisdom of conservative game plans. The Stampeders may be playing their offensive schemes tight and close to the chest, but NFLbets reckons for both sides, it’ll be the defenses coming out swinging in the first half. We’re advising to take the second half as the higher scoring at 21/20 or so. And as we bid adieu to the 2018 CFL season, we wish all bettors good luck in this final game. Damn are we going to miss this league ... #IsItJuneYet? NFLbets’ CFL best bets record to date: 10-9. CFL recommendations record to date: 14-11. Overall record: 24-20. How the f* can NFLbets make Cardinals -5 our Pick Of The Week? Oh yeah, it’s the Raiders… One Raiders' exhortation to teammates this week NFLbets probably won’t even need to go the numbers for this one, instead relying on a simple truth that sports fans often ignore and NFL bettors can find unquantifiable: Namely, that NFL players are (gasp!) actual human beings who consume as much mass media and entertainment-related programming as any American. Las Vegas Raiders +5 at Arizona Cardinals, over/under 40½ Going into week 3, NFLbets realized (and certainly was not alone in spotting this obviosity) that the Raiders were done for 2018, a worthy bet-against through much of the remaining season. After they lost SU but beat the not exactly awe-inspiring Denver Broncos ATS, 19-14½, NFLbets noted that “This could very well be the last win ATS for the Las Vegas Raiders until week 11 (at Arizona).” Aaaaaaaand now that Raiders-Cardinals match is upon us, and NFLbets dares say (dares write?) that Chucky’s dysfunctional bunch may be even worse off than NFLbets’ near-apocalyptic vision for the 2018 “Oakland” Raiders. Since the week 2 ATS win, NFLbettors who have wagered against the Raiders are 6-1 – snd their sole ATS win came in week 4 against the Cleveland Browns by an adjusted score of 45½-45! Back in week 3, NFLbets didn’t need more than an eye test (we’re still getting way too much televisual exposure to “Oakland” football out here in California) after the unceremonious dispatching of only a top-10 superstar in Khalil Mack. BY now, you’ve certainly read one of the three versions from reporters in the Raiders’ locker room following their latest SU/ATS loss., but this masterful tweet bears repeating here. One Raiders veteran to another, on his way out of the locker room past three reporters, including myself: “I gotta get the f* outta here.” — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) November 12, 2018 Look. Raiders players are on social media. Raiders players watch TV – probably quite a bit while on the road – and this attention is extremely probably well imbalanced in favor of sports coverage. Raiders players have seen stuff like Matt Shneidman’s tweet and Howie Long’s fawning interview with Jon Gruden, in which Howie played Norah O'Donnell to Chucky’s Mohammed bin Salman. Not to mention this. (We know Deion Sanders is a blowhard and fans may unthinkingly characterize him as a Raider hater forever, but let’s face facts here…) For those of you keeping score at him, this has resulted in a defense that's bottom-5 in total points allowed, turnovers, passing TDs allowed and rushing yardage allowed, while ruanking dead last in net yards per pass attempt. (Okay, those were stats but quite superficial, you gotta admit…) Since the Browns placekicker lived out his nightmares before millions and handed (footed?) the Raiders a win, they've been outscored by an average of 16.6 points per game including a 28-point shellacking delivered by the now 2-8 SU (3-7 ATS) San Francisco 49ers. These Cardinals that NFLbets thought laughingly bad when they played Denver a month ago now look positively primed to win outright against the dictionary definition of “hapless”, a team on pace for the worst record ATS in 10 years or so. Take the Arizona Cardinals -5½ vs “Oakland”. Additionally, NFLbets also suggests – though we don’t call teasers and parlays official “best bets” – taking a 3-team 6-point teaser with the Cardinals at +1 along with the red-hot New Orleans Saints -1½ vs the Philadelphia Eagles and the Carolina Panthers +1½ at the Detroit Lions. Top NFL Books 50% up to $1,000 Bet Against the Spread - AFC EAST ATSh Dolphins 3-0-0 2-0-0 3-0-0 Patriots 1-2-0 1-0-0 1-2-0 Jets 1-2-0 0-1-0 1-2-0 Bills 1-2-0 0-1-0 1-2-0 Click here to see all AFC ATS teams - NFC EAST Cowboys 1-2-0 1-0-0 1-2-0 Eagles 1-2-0 1-0-0 2-1-0 Redskins 2-1-0 1-1-0 2-1-0 Giants 1-2-0 0-1-0 1-2-0 Click here to see all NFC ATS teams NFL Betting School Best NFl Bets Bitcoin Sports Wagering College Football Betting Live Game Betting CFL Betting NFL Betting Lines NFL Betting UK NFl Contests NFL Matchup Predictions Real Money Bets NFL Betting USA MyBookie Promo Code Sure NFL Bets Trivia NFL Betting Vegas Sports Betting NFL Betting by State Thanksgiving football Bet Monday night football Longshots	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1441
__label__cc	0.584191	0.415809	Foundations and Trends® in Entrepreneurship > Vol 7 > Issue 3–4 Minority Entrepreneurship Timothy Bates, Wayne State University, USA, tbates7893@gmail.com Timothy Bates (2011), "Minority Entrepreneurship", Foundations and Trends® in Entrepreneurship: Vol. 7: No. 3–4, pp 151-311. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/0300000036 © 2011 T. Bates Gender and ethnicity Minority-Owned businesses, Entrepreneurial dynamics 1 Small Business Overview 2 A Brief History of the Development of the Underdevelopment of the Minority-Business Community in the United States 3 Social Resources, Ethnic Enclaves, and the Contributions of Sociologists to Explaining Entrepreneurship Patterns Among Minorities 4 Explaining Minority Entry Into Self Employment 5 Barriers Restricting the Size and Scope of the Minority Business Community 6 Measuring Success Among Minority Entrepreneurs 7 Directions for Future Research In the field of minority entrepreneurship, sociologists and economists have written most of the influential studies, yet these groups typically ask different questions and base their analysis on different assumptions. The literature predictably lacks a single unifying focus and is quite diverse regarding issues explored and methodological approaches employed. Differing approaches and their outcomes are summarized and critically probed in this review. My intent is to illuminate strengths and weaknesses — along with patterns of common findings — in this voluminous literature. Minority-owned businesses are collectively reflections of evolving constraints and opportunities operating in broader society. Minorities seeking to create viable business ventures have traditionally faced higher barriers than whites as they sought to exploit market opportunities, raise financing, and penetrate mainstream networks. Entrepreneurial dynamics are clarified by focusing upon specific contexts in which firms are being shaped by prevailing opportunity structures. Progress has been noteworthy overall for minority-owned businesses, in part because barriers impeding their collective development have been gradually declining. The dominant methodological approaches and findings of economists and sociologists in the minority entrepreneurship literature are, ultimately, highly complementary. Sociologists have posed bolder questions while economists have paid more attention to pinning down causeand-effect relationships, yet their findings have been gradually moving towards convergence over the past two decades. It is possible — and desirable — that these respective bodies of work may someday merge, creating a minority entrepreneurship scholarly synthesis. 1. Small business overview 2. A brief history of the minority business community in the U.S 3. Social resources, ethnic enclaves, and the contributions of sociologists 4. Explaining minority entry into self employment 5. Barriers restricting the size and scope of the minority business community 6. Measuring success among minority entrepreneurs 7. Directions for future research Minority Entrepreneurship reviews the economic and sociological literature on the topic of minority entrepreneurship. While economists and sociologists have written most of the influential studies, these groups typically ask different questions and base their analysis on different assumptions. The literature predictably lacks a single unifying focus and is quite diverse regarding issues explored and methodological approaches employed. Differing approaches and their outcomes are summarized and critically probed in this monograph with the intent is to illuminate strengths and weaknesses – along with patterns of common findings – in this voluminous literature. Minority-owned businesses are collectively reflections of evolving constraints and opportunities operating in broader society. Minorities seeking to create viable business ventures have traditionally faced higher barriers than whites as they sought to exploit market opportunities, raise financing, and penetrate mainstream networks. Entrepreneurial dynamics are clarified by focusing upon specific contexts in which firms are being shaped by prevailing opportunity structures. Progress has been noteworthy overall for minority-owned businesses, in part because barriers impeding their collective development have been gradually declining. Minority Entrepreneurship shows that the dominant methodological approaches and findings of economists and sociologists in the minority entrepreneurship literature are highly complementary. Sociologists have posed bolder questions while economists have paid more attention to pinning down cause-and-effect relationships, yet their findings have been gradually moving towards convergence over the past two decades. This books posits that it is possible and desirable that these respective bodies of work may someday merge, creating a minority entrepreneurship scholarly synthesis.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1442
__label__wiki	0.822391	0.822391	News 31 August, 2011 – 9:04 am EDT Send an Iqaluit teen to see Tumivut: Alianait Festival starts “Tickets for Teens” campaign By SARAH ROGERS Tumivut, which translates into “our footsteps” is a four-piece group that blends traditional Inuit throat singing with hip hop and other contemporary music. (PHOTO COURTESY) Next week Iqaluit’s Alianait Arts Festival will present a back-to-school concert featuring award-winning throat singing and hip hop quartet Tumivut. Their Sept. 9 show at Inuksuk High School in Iqaluit marks the first Nunavut show for Tumivut, whose name means “our footsteps” in Inuktitut. And it should be a “youth-focused” event, said Alianait’s executive director Heather Daley. So, Alianait is asking show-goers to make sure youth can go, by contributing to its “Tickets for Teens” campaign by the purchase of $12 tickets that will be given to Iqaluit youth. “We want to be able to present healthy, alcohol-free events, but we can’t do it for free,” Daley said. “We thought we’d see if community members are willing to buy tickets so young people can enjoy the show.” Any tickets bought for teens will be given over to Inuksuk high school, where two of the group’s performers, Cynthia Pitsiulak and Charlott Qamaniq-Mason, first met before they moved to Ottawa — and distributed to students there. Alianait shows are always free for elders and children 12 years and under who are accompanied by an adult. And all proceeds help support Alianait’s mission of helping to build a healthier Nunavut through the arts, Daley said. The Tumivut show starts at 7:30 p.m. at Inuksukl. Tumivut also features Montreal hip hop artists Orick Terry and Daybi who complete the four-member group. Iqaluit rocker Joshua Qaumariaq is slated to open the show. Advance tickets are available at Arctic Ventures for $22 ($12 for youth) and $25 at the door ($15 for youth). Next in Alianait’s concert series: Nova Scotia folk singer/banjo player Old Man Luedecke will play at Nakasuk school on Nov. 25. Iqaluit performer Joshua Qaumariaq will open the Sept. 9 concert. (PHOTO COURTESY)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1445
__label__wiki	0.870773	0.870773	Insert Car-Crash Pun Here By Lou Lumenick May 6, 2008 \| 1:20pm I’ll leave it to my very esteemed colleague Kyle Smith to parse the merits of “Speed Racer” in his review later this week; I’m still recovering from diabetic shock and numb from spending more than two hours sitting through what felt like a two-hour version of one of those hyper-real Zyrtec commercials. Fantasy aside, the Hollywood Reporter today confronts the looming possibility that “Speed Racer,” which has been tracking poorly and is receiving early reviews to match, will take this weekend’s No. 2 position at the box office behind the second weekend of “Iron Man,” which is expected to add at least $50 million to the till. (They don’t mention this weekend’s other wide opener, “What Happens in Vegas,” which some prognosticators think may have a shot at pushing “Speed Racer” into third place). “At present, ‘Speed Racer’ appears on track to gross $25 million-$35 million during the coming frame, though a late-breaking surge in must-see sentiment could produce a bigger bow,” writes the Reporter’s Carol D’Orio. Warners, which is claiming “Speed Racer” cost a modest $100 million, is already in spin mode, arguing that even a $25 million domestic opening will allow the flick to break even. Troma vs. Tribeca	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1447
__label__wiki	0.966477	0.966477	Mets pounded 25-4 for worst loss in franchise history By Mike Puma July 31, 2018 \| 10:39pm Mets lose long one in brutal fashion Zack Wheeler report comes in with Mets watching closely ESPN gets more cringeworthy by the day Inside the Mets' plan to to save Jeurys Familia WASHINGTON — This is the vaunted pitching on which the Mets’ 2019 fortunes rest? Only hours after assistant general manager John Ricco stood pat with his best pitchers at the non-waiver trade deadline, expressing a desire to contend next season with a strong rotation, Steven Matz orchestrated an abomination against the Nationals that screamed “sell, sell, sell.” In a historic implosion, the Mets lost 25-4 at Nationals Park. The demolition — which included Jose Reyes entering in the eighth inning for his first career pitching appearance — was the worst loss in Mets history. It topped the Mets’ 26-7 loss to the Phillies on June 11, 1985 at Veterans Stadium. “It’s a tough loss,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “It’s embarrassing. We have got to do better than that.” A dejected Jose Reyes, who pitched for the first time in his major league career, exits the dugout after the Mets suffered their worst loss in franchise history.Ron Sachs/CNP Reyes allowed homers to Matt Adams and Mark Reynolds in the eighth inning, as the Nationals scored six runs to ensure the worst loss in Mets history. Ryan Zimmerman added levity to the situation, by faking as if he might charge the mound after getting hit by a floating Reyes pitch. “Any time you lose a game and you allow 25 runs and you lose 25-[4], you have to feel disappointed about it,” Reyes said. “You don’t see that too often.” Daniel Murphy tormented his former team with a 3-for-4 performance that included two homers and six RBIs to lead the Nationals’ 26-hit attack. The Nationals scored seven runs in the first inning and kept attacking, padding that lead to 10-0, 13-0, 16-0 and 19-0 after the second, third, fourth and fifth innings, respectively. The Mets finally offered resistance with a scoreless sixth and seventh. Murphy, Trea Turner, Juan Soto, Anthony Rendon and Michael A. Taylor all had at least three hits for the Nationals. Jacob Rhame, Tim Peterson and Tyler Bashlor were all clobbered in relief behind Matz, who didn’t even survive the first inning. In the shortest outing of his career, Matz lasted only two-thirds of an inning and allowed seven earned runs on eight hits and one walk. The lefty, who was among the players the Mets made almost untouchable at the trade deadline, allowed two hits to Turner in the first inning alone. “I think I am going through a thing and trying to work through it,” Matz said. “This stuff comes up throughout the season and I just have to find a way to find a way to get through it and I wasn’t able to do that today.” When asked if the “stuff” was fatigue, Matz did not offer specifics. “It’s just stuff you go through during the season,” he said. “Good pitchers find a way to get through it and that is just what I am trying to figure out right now.” A club source indicated the lefty was dealing with dead arm — which is not uncommon this time of the season. It was a third straight unsatisfactory start for Matz, whose ERA has surged from 3.31 to 4.35 since July 12. Tanner Roark’s bases-loaded double for three RBIs was the Nationals’ biggest hit in a first inning that wouldn’t end. Matz was mercifully removed after 32 pitches. The seven runs allowed by Matz matched a career high. “[Matz] was leaving everything over the middle,” Callaway said. “Everything was leaking back over the middle of the plate. It was up and they did some damage.” Jeff McNeil ensured the Mets wouldn’t get shut out by hitting his first major league homer, a solo blast with two outs in the seventh. Austin Jackson hit a two-run blast in the ninth inning for his first homer with the Mets; the veteran outfielder was signed on Friday. Roark dominated the Mets, holding them to one run on four hits over seven innings. Filed under daniel murphy , jeff mcneil , jose reyes , new york mets , steven matz , tanner roark , wilmer flores Why Yankees GM didn't make a 'splashy' move at deadline	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1448
__label__cc	0.723497	0.276503	The Weirdest Building In Ocean Beach History? An Egyptian Revival Trolley Station Once Stood at Bacon and West Point Loma by Staff on July 11, 2019 · 10 comments in Ocean Beach The trolley sub-station at West Point Loma and Bacon in the 1920s by Bob Edwards Imagine you are a resident of inland San Diego in the Summer of 1926. Seeking relief from the 90 degree heat, you and some friends pile into a buddy’s Model A Ford and head down to Ocean Beach to spend the weekend at a cottage another friend has rented at the Camp Holiday Auto Court, adjacent to the Silver Spray apartments. The cute white cottages on the cliffs are a bit small for your group but you’re spending most of the time on the beach anyway, so it really doesn’t matter. The rental cost, $10 a month, is a little steep, but what the heck, it’s a vacation. Each morning you head down to Benbough’s Ocean Beach Bath House and rent a scratchy, saggy, woolen “bathing costume” for 10 cents and spend your day swimming in the ocean or in the saltwater pool next to the Silver Spray. Throughout the day you pig out on hot dogs and cotton candy and in the evening you toss back a few brews at one of the bars on Newport. After dinner, you walk down to the New Ocean Beach Dance Pavilion at the foot of Newport where you and a thousand other patrons flirt and foxtrot the night away to the sounds of a live band. Closer look at the detail. All good things come to an end, though, and while your friends have no obligations and elect to stay at the beach for a few more weeks, now it’s Monday and you have to be back to work at your swing shift job in downtown San Diego by 2 PM at the latest. You dress in your work clothes, a three piece wool suit with a stiff starched shirt and celluloid collar, and decide to take one last walk north along the boardwalk. After the boardwalk ends at Cape May Avenue, you start trudging through the sand, past the ruins of Wonderland Amusement Park to where you will head inland a few blocks and catch the streetcar back to the city. The midday sun is blazing hot and you are soaked by the time you turn inland near West Point Loma and head for the trolley stop at Bacon Street. Should have had more lemonade, you think. Your mouth is parched, sweat dripping into your eyes. Your shiny black shoes are pinching your feet and your sunburned neck and shoulders feel raw. There are a few houses and motels along West Point Loma, but more than half the properties are vacant lots occupied only by rolling sand dunes. On this hellish day, it almost feels like you’re trudging through the desert and that image is completed when you look ahead through the shimmering heat waves above the dunes and see a mirage, a two story Egyptian temple. But it’s no mirage, it’s real. Surround by palm trees, the temple has tilted stucco walls that are finished to resemble large sandstone blocks. The walls are lined with arched doors, there are painted busts of pharaohs atop tall columns and at the top of the structure, the stylized wings of an Egyptian vulture are carved into the plaster. “What is this, the Sahara?”, you say to yourself. Or maybe the banks of the Nile, where just a few years before British archaeologists unearthed the treasures of King Tut. Tut-mania is all the rage these days. In fact, you just saw a silent newsreel about the fantastic discovery of the golden mummy at the new Strand Theater on Newport. With a final effort you arrive at the building and slump down against the shady side of the temple, meditating on King Tut and Egypt and the incongruous presence of this structure in 20th century Ocean Beach. As your mind drifts, your thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the sound of iron wheels on steel rails and the clanging of the street car as it pulls up to the trolley stop a block away at the intersection of Bacon and Voltaire. You hurry over and climb aboard for your 40 minute trip to downtown. By the time the trolley crosses the wooden trestle at Famosa Slough, the breeze through the open windows has cooled you down. Your mind clears from your hallucinatory fever dream of ancient Egypt as you leave behind the relaxing pleasures of Ocean Beach and head back towards reality and your job downtown. When one thinks of the earliest architectural styles in the Beach Area what usually comes to mind are Arts and Crafts-style bungalows, single-walled beach shacks, tile roofed stucco Spanish Revival cottages, and the occasional Art Deco or Victorian home or business. (Of course Native Peoples may have built temporary or seasonal dwellings when they came to the beach for gathering mussels and fishing, but those were probably long gone by the time European Americans started developing OB after 1887). In addition to these more common styles, there has been a long history of eccentric architecture in San Diego and its beach areas. Although many of the weirder buildings have been torn down, the bizarre onion-domed Theosophical Society Headquarters and the Parthenon-styled Greek Amphitheater at Point Loma Nazarene are still standing. You can also find cool examples of “Tiki Modern” architecture scattered around Shelter Island and other parts of the Point. One of the weirdest buildings that ever existed in OB, was the King Tut-influenced Egyptian Revival trolley sub-station on the site of what is now the Third Corner Restaurant in north OB. Built in the 1920s and still standing as late as 1937, the building housed e lectrical equipment that converted the AC power provided by San Diego Gas and Electric to a form usable by the traction motors that powered the streetcars. Although there had been Egyptian-styled buildings in Europe and America as early as the Napoleonic wars and France’s invasion of Egypt in the early 1800s, the fad for buildings influenced by the ancient Egyptian civilization really took off after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922. The discovery was one of the biggest news stories of the day. Art Deco was in bloom at that time and it incorporated many elements from ancient cultures (Egyptian, Mayan, Assyrian, etc.) into the geometric and streamlined style that characterizes Art Deco. In 1924, this fad spread to San Diego when three trolley sub-stations were built in the Egyptian Revival style at a cost of about $30,000 for all three buildings. The Egyptian Garage/Big City Liquor in City Heights gives us an idea of what the OB sub-station may have looked like back in the day. The OB Rag’s colleague, Anna Daniels, wrote a great article for the San Diego Free Press (“King Tut In City Heights“) about one of these sub-stations that was built at the corner of Euclid and University. After only two years this substation became redundant and the building was repurposed as the Egyptian Garage for many years. It is now the home of Big City Liquor. The building featured multiple columns topped with the sculpted busts of pharaohs A second trolley sub-station in the Egyptian style was constructed near 30th and University Ave. in North Park. What remains of that station is visible behind Berger Hardware on University Avenue. The third building was the Ocean Beach sub-station. Designed by architect Eugene M. Hoffman for the San Diego Electric Railway Company, the building was completed in July of 1924. Hoffmann was a German immigrant educated in the United States who started his career in New York and New Jersey and worked for the prominent architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White. That firm designed the original Penn Station in New York City and the Brooklyn Museum among other notable buildings. After moving to San Diego in 1910, Hoffmann was employed by John D. Spreckles, the wealthy sugar baron. Hoffman worked on many buildings for Spreckles including designing the William Penn Hotel, a remodel job at the Hotel del Coronado, the Spreckles Theater on Broadway in downtown San Diego, and numerous garages, workshops, and power stations for the Spreckles transportation empire. According to Eric DuVall of the Ocean Beach Historical Society, soon after the OB sub-station was built, it was rendered obsolete “due to advances in Electric Rail technology. Newer cables could carry considerably more power and sub-stations became unnecessary”. Stylized Egyptian vulture wings at the top of the City Heights building Eric recently discovered an aerial photo of north Ocean Beach from 1937 that shows that the abandoned sub-station was still standing at that time. Eventually the building was torn down and a series of restaurants has occupied the space for many years. Those restaurants included Charlie Brown’s Windjammer, the Belgian Lion, and the current occupant, the 3rd Corner. The only images of the OB sub-station that remain are the grainy black and white photo shown in this article and the line drawing, probably from Hoffmann’s original plans, that was published in the San Diego Union. By examining current photos of the Egyptian Garage/ Big City Liquor building in City Heights, we can get some idea of how the OB sub-station probably looked in all its glory with a new coat of sandstone-colored paint, poly-chromed pharaoh heads, and brilliantly painted Egyptian symbols and floral accents. A closer look at the Wings. How cool would it be to have this eccentric and exotic building still standing in our community? Now, besides one old photo and a newspaper clipping, it’s just dust in the wind, all gone like an eroded Egyptian monument blown out to sea after centuries of being blasted by scouring Saharan siroccos. Sucks. This article was inspired by a photo shown at Eric DuVall’s OB Historical Society presentation “Trolley to the Beach”. The same picture is in Kathy Blavatt’s book Ocean Beach Where Land and Water Meet. Background for the imagined Ocean Beach visit in 1926 came from Kathy’s book and its companion volume Ocean Beach by the OB Historical Society, both published by Arcadia Publishing. Big thanks to Eric DuVall for additional information and guidance and also to Anna Daniels and the former San Diego Free Press. Eric DuVall July 11, 2019 at 11:17 am Very well done Bob! What an interesting story. What a blunder tearing that place down. Carumba. ZZ July 11, 2019 at 2:59 pm Bob, can you post or link to the 1937 aerial photos? Bob Edwards July 11, 2019 at 3:23 pm Hi ZZ, Are you a member of Facebook? Eric DuVall posted the aerial pic I mentioned on the “Vintage Photos From Point Loma and Ocean Beach” Facebook page which is an incredible and fun resource. If you have avoided being assimilated by the evil Facebook empire, let me know and I’ll see if the OB RAG’s Editordude has your email address (if that’s ok with you) and I can ask him to forward you a copy of the picture. Thanks for the info Bob, I have a facebook i don’t use much, hope i remember the password. Great. Let me know if you can’t find the Facebook group and we’ll get the picture to you somehow. Eric DuVall July 11, 2019 at 11:24 pm I can send ZZ the photo too Bob, if the Rag is worried about it. It is pretty interesting if you are in to that sort of thing. Frank Gormlie July 12, 2019 at 11:51 am The OB Rag is not worried – please send it and we can post it. Eric DuVall July 12, 2019 at 7:14 am The winged disc is always the Sun or Sun God -power, divinity etc. Going back twenty four centuries or so. Frank Gormlie July 12, 2019 at 12:24 pm This is one of the best articles the OB Rag has published this year! Please take a few moments and enjoy a walk into the past. Judith July 16, 2019 at 1:05 pm Really enjoyed the OB time travel article and also wish it had been preserved. Great writing, thanks. Older Article: Restaurant Review: Cesarina Ristorante in Point Loma Newer Article: Americans Are Pressuring EPA to Ban Round-Up While City of San Diego Still Uses It on Beaches, Playgrounds and Parks	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1449
__label__cc	0.505046	0.494954	Logitech refreshes its gaming headset lineup Four new models Logitech today announced a new lineup of gaming headsets, which include surround sound and RGB features. Furthermore there is a new software called G Hub. The four new headsets are going to become available this month. The new lineup includes: The Logitech G935 LightSync Wireless gaming headset ($170), the Logitech G635 LightSync Gaming Headset ($140), the Logitech G432 ($80) and the Logitech G332 ($60). The G935 and G635 are the flagship headsets with 7.1 surround sound and RGB lighting. The main difference between these two models and the G635 is the fact that the G635 is wired and the G935 is wireless. Both models have been equipped with Pro-G 50 mm audio driver and leather padding. They also both feature LightSync lighting, which syncs the RGB lighting to other peripherals or accessories. Furthermore there is a flip-to-mute mic as well as three customizable G buttons. The G432 and G332 drop most of those features but you will get the same 50mm drivers. The G432 offers 7.1-channel audio, while the G332 is not going to receive the 7.1-channel audio certification. As always surround sound and multi-channel with headsets is a myth and commonly being used for marketing purposes. Surround sound requires more than two drivers, which have to be located at different positions. Logitech refreshes its gaming headset lineup - Logitech - News - ocaholic	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1451
__label__cc	0.74584	0.25416	Learn moreContinue to october.eu We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Learn more for borrowers borrowers’ stories institutionals < all projects Mechanical Field Support B.V. presented by October Netherlands If I had lent to this project? lent to this project, means… paid back in total Warning Lending money to SMEs presents a risk of capital loss and requires your savings to be immobilised. Heteren, Netherlands Created in 20-07-2001, Mechanical Field Support B.V. is active in the gas turbine power generation sector. The company, managed by Alex Peelen, has 22 employees and is based in Heteren. Mr. Alex Peelen, managing director, has overall 22 years of professional experience in the gas turbines for power generation sector and has been the managing director of Mechanical Field Support B.V. for 12 years. The company’s main activities are: Maintenance service provider for gas turbines. Sale of spare parts for gas turbines. The company works with o.a. BP, Engie, Essent. The company requests a loan of 1,250,000 € over 36 months to finance further international expansion and inventory. This project will be realised by the end of the year. The amount offered on the platform is limited to 612 500€, which is in line with the regulatory limits. Analyst’s Opinion The borrower is the main operating company representing 90% of the group’s turnover and 95% of the profitability. The financial analysis was carried out on the consolidated financial statements, which reflects the group’s performance. With a turnover of 4 168 000 € in 2017 and an experienced team, the company has a good track record combined with a two-digits operating margin. The historical growth in turnover is driven by increased sales to existing customers and sales to new clients. The forecast is based on the draft 2018 figures, which show a preliminary turnover of above 5 mln, at comparable profitability levels. The borrower has a good repayment capacity with a forecast FCCR (Fixed Charge Cover Ratio ) at 1,31 and an excellent financial structure, with a forecast net debt / ebitda ratio of 0,4 and a net debt / shareholder equity of 35%. The analysis of the project leads to a credit rating of B+ and a 4,9% annual interest rate. The multiple of FCCR at 1,31 means that the company has a safety margin of 31% relative to its ability to repay its credit maturities. The expert opinion is given as an indication on the basis of the elements provided by the project holder and information from our databases (External data provider). This opinion is only an element of reflection in the decision making of a lender to participate in the financing of a project. Strong points: Good historical performance based on diversified client base. Excellent repayment ability with a forecasted FCCR of 1.31. Long-term contracts with blue chip clients. Points of caution: International expansion risk. Limited supply of highly qualified personnel. Call us at +33 (0)1 82 83 28 00 Speak to an account manager quickly. We give you an answer in 5 minutes on average. Contact us. Warning: Lending money to SMEs presents a risk of capital loss and requires your savings to be immobilised. Do not borrow beyond your repayment capacity. For partner Terms of service October	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1452
__label__wiki	0.800337	0.800337	FAQs: Regulations on Operational Terms for Rail Level of Services Arbitration 1. What is the purpose of these regulations? The Canada Transportation Act provides for arbitration when shippers and railway companies are not able to reach a negotiated level of services agreement. The matters eligible for arbitration are described, in part, by the use of the expression "operational terms". The Regulations on Operational Terms for Rail Level of Services Arbitration serve as a framework for what constitutes an "operational term" to give support to conducting arbitrations. 2. What are the key elements of these regulations? The Regulations on Operational Terms for Rail Level of Services Arbitration define the expression "operational term" for the purposes of paragraph 169.31(1)(c) of the Canada Transportation Act. 3. How do these regulations affect Canadian businesses? Specifying what constitutes operational terms in the Regulations on Operational Terms for Rail Level of Services Arbitration supports the commercial negotiation of level of services agreements between shippers and railway companies, bringing clarity and predictability. In cases where the parties cannot reach an agreement on a commercial basis on a level of services agreement or specific terms and shippers request that the Canadian Transportation Agency arbitrate, the Regulations on Operational Terms for Rail Level of Services Arbitration help focus on the issues in dispute and allow resolution within the legislated timeframe. 4. Where can I get more information? Canadian Transportation Agency K1A 0N9 E-mail : info@otc-cta.gc.ca Website: www.cta.gc.ca	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1457
__label__cc	0.515482	0.484518	About Islam Courtesy Islamicity.com All Inquiries & Contact Information INVITATION TO SEND ARTICLES FOR PUBLICATION Pakistan Think Tank PTT Mission Think Tank Reports Art & Images People & Life Style Signs & Messages Invitation to Publish on Pakistan Think Tank Islamabad Time Posts Tagged Shia PAK TRIBUNE: Pakistan’s vulnerability to terrorism Posted by admin in "Jihadi" Outfits of Terrorism, Makaar Dushman on February 21st, 2013 Pakistanis Must Choose To Resist Terrorism, Especially the Terrorism of the State The policy of ‘fielding’ these non-state actors against the foreign policy initiative at lessening tensions in the region is riddled with bad faith. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Amir Haider Hoti says Pakistan should undertake “do-or-die” action against terrorists who “want to destroy our state and society” from their sanctuaries inside the country. His words challenge the state of Pakistan: “We are on the defensive in our streets and alleys, and they (terrorists) are at ease in their sanctuaries. We should evolve a national consensus on a comprehensive strategy for defeating terrorist outfits. We appeal to all political parties to take a clear stand on this issue (terrorism). If the experience of the recent past is anything to go by, terrorists will not forgive any political or religious party, even those who have literally acted as supporters of terrorists and apologists. It will be an exercise in futility to appease terrorists”. Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has tried to rationalise the anti-drone policy his party was compelled to back, to be inside the national consensus against America, built inside parliament in Islamabad: he opposes the drones — because they violate the sovereignty of the state — at the same time as he opposes the continuation of Taliban sanctuaries in the ‘ungoverned spaces’ of the country. The fact is that the US is retreating on the drones and may ultimately face internal American objection to them, while the Taliban flourish not only in their sanctuaries in the Tribal Areas but also in big cities inside the ‘governed spaces’. Pakistan does not have a credible policy on the Taliban. Its approach is riddled with contradictions. The Pakistan Army, which ‘guides’ the foreign policy enclave in Islamabad, says it is not ready to challenge the sanctuaries. The world — including the 42 states that sent their troops to Afghanistan under Chapter Seven of the UN resolution — wants to help Pakistan in its confrontation with terror. But the strategy evolving in Pakistan is more focused on the situation inside Afghanistan where India is seen as a security challenge amid still-unproved allegations that the Baloch insurgency is orchestrated by New Delhi. Meanwhile, terror has moulded the attitude of the political parties who should have persuaded the army against its dangerously isolationist mindset: they want to make concessions to an entity that is actually planning a ‘revolutionary’ takeover of a nuclear-armed state. The ANP is targeted because it contests Pakhtun nationalism with the predominantly Pakhtun Taliban on the basis of Pakhtunwali. The Swat trauma proved to the Pakhtun nation that terror can tame the tribal spirit and that the pain of seeing their sons killed can persuade the people to obey all kinds of commands. The terrorists use a policy of positive discrimination to command the direction of politics in Pakistan: they will not target those who favour ‘talks’ rather than ‘action’ vis-à-vis Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Their latest message clearly exempts parties that are friendly to the Taliban on the basis of the logic that terror is emanating from a reaction to the American presence in the region and that being anti-American will appease the terrorists. The Taliban are not alone in their sanctuaries. Their support among the erstwhile ‘non-state actors’ trained by the state of Pakistan, in al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan, as instruments of foreign policy, riding on asymmetrical warfare is deep seated and growing. The so-called Punjabi Taliban are terror’s foot soldiers, produced by our madrassa network in support of privatisation of war on the basis of their doctrine of jihad. The policy of ‘fielding’ these non-state actors against the foreign policy initiative at lessening tensions in the region is riddled with bad faith. The ANP’s cry from the heart will resound in 2013 when things get worse for Pakistan. But Pakistan’s isolationism — concealed behind rabid anti-Americanism — will not allow other political parties to rally around the ANP and confront the most palpable threat to the existence of the country. The Pakistan Army can take on the Taliban but it will need international help. The capacity of the state to cope with terror is at its lowest ebb. "Jihadi" Fanatics, Muslim Killers, Shia, Sunni Unity, Terrirism The unbending Iran Posted by admin in Foreign Policy on December 9th, 2012 Zafar Hilaly The writer is a former ambassador. At the level of the common man there has never been much interest in what is happening in Iran. For that matter, among the well off too, there’s little curiosity about the possible impact of developments in Iran on our polity or that of the region. When I asked someone, well read on world developments, ‘How’s Iran?’ without batting an eyelid, he replied, ‘Well, a better place to visit than here, but not as good as Turkey,’ a response which illustrated complete disinterest and ignorance of the turmoil that has gripped Iran.Perhaps one reason why Iran gets scant coverage in our media, in contrast to the morbid interest in whatever happens in India, is that there is no real enthusiasm among the overwhelming number of our populace for the Iranian connection. We share a religion but really little else, whatever our history and culture buffs may say.And if historically the two countries were closely interlinked all that seems eons ago and, frankly, neither has worked hard to draw closer to the other, certainly not since the Iranian revolution. That’s a pity because developments in Iran will impact powerfully on Pakistan and far more so than what is ever likely to happen in Delhi.The revolution, for example, not only transformed Iran but also Iran-Pakistan relations. From being close allies we became mere acquaintances and during the Afghan jihad fought a fairly intense proxy war.Moreover, although we didn’t realise it at the time, the domestic impact of the Iranian Revolution on Pakistani society was even more profound. All of a sudden we became a battle ground for the perennial struggle between the Shia and Sunni groups, with Saudi Arabia backing the latter and Iran the former and that battle has intensified and turned bloodier as the years have passed. However that merits a separate discussion. Here I will focus on the possible repercussions of the current standoff between the US and Iran over the nuclear issue.Consider that sanctions imposed on Iran are exacting a heavy toll on the everyday life of the populace and the economy. The value of the Iranian rial has fallen by 40 percent; prices of commodities are doubling, in some cases, by the day; medicine and food stocks are low and are not being replenished as fully or as quickly as needed and the government is finding it hard to sell its oil. In fact, already there are isolated reports of children suffering on account of lack of medicines. However, Iran is not bending.If the US-Iran standoff drags on, the most obvious fall out will be the arrival of Iranian refugees fleeing hunger, although that need not be more than a trickle because of the distances involved. However, if war breaks out followed by the kind of saturation bombing of Iran, which some predict will be necessary to destroy Iran’s well protected nuclear installation and the supporting infrastructure, then the number of those fleeing will rapidly escalate.However, what Pakistan has to fear more from an American/Israeli onslaught on Iran is not so much the presence of refugees but the angry reaction of Pakistan’s own large Shia population in whose hearts Iran has a very special place.Already incensed by the regime’s failure to protect them from being slaughtered by what most Shias now say are Saudi sponsored Wahabi extremists at home, or to bring the murderers to justice, there is every chance they will vent their spleen against the government and demand that Pakistan denounce the UN sanctions regime, break off relations with the US and open the borders with Iran to enable them to go to Iran and help fight the aggressors.And, in the mayhem that will ensue, sectarian killings may surge. Actually the whole thing may take on an ugly sectarian hue. Pakistan, therefore, has more interest than most in what transpires between the US and Iran in the weeks and months ahead. So will there be war?What is certain is that an encircled Iran has to defend itself. No other power will come to its aid. Thus the rationale for the pursuit for a nuclear option by Iran is not a product of the paranoid fancies of the mullahs. Finding themselves in a similar position in relation to the Arabs, the Israelis went nuclear. And so did Pakistan, when confronted by giant India. In a rare moment of insight, a US State Department official also conceded: “Any government in Iran, even a secular western-oriented one, would continue the quest for nuclear weapons” (October 2003).And why not? To Iran’s east is Pakistan, dominated by an establishment that is in hock to the west and considered an unreliable friend of Iran. To the south, on the peninsula of Qatar, is the US Central Command, with hundreds of planes, thousands of missiles and a whole fleet of vessels, including aircraft carriers, prowling the waters of the Persian Gulf. In the west is nuclear armed Israel; and in the north is Russia. Worse, near Iran’s borders in Afghanistan are thousands of American troops and special service forces, fully equipped to spring into action at the given signal.It would be strange, therefore, if Iran sought to strengthen its position and, if not actually build nuclear weapons, then acquire the option to do so within a fairly short time. Iran has seen how non-nuclear Iraq was invaded and flattened by the US, whereas nuclear armed North Korea was left alone. In fact, rather than threaten North Korea, like it has Iran, the US is eager to talk to Pyongyang.For the US, control of the oil spigots of Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Iran is an imperative need. So too, safeguarding of 20 percent of world oil supplies which flow through the Strait of Hormuz. The US has trillions of dollars to lose each year if the price of oil rises, as it could if the control of oil were in the purview of a hostile Iran because that would not only wreck the American/western economy but bring about an apocalyptic change in America’s style of living. And one way of preventing that disaster is to eliminate the Iranian regime for which America now has a pretext and UN support. Surely, say the erstwhile Bush neo cons, it’s a prospect too alluring to pass up.Significantly, the US has ramped up its demands on Iran. Claiming that on one occasion Iran had indeed deceptively withheld data (for which it made amends) Washington wants to be completely reassured about the safety of Iran’s nuclear programme. Actually, it wants nothing less than the complete cessation of all nuclear activity, including a dismantling of the already established facilities. In other words, if you cut out the spin, nothing Iran does or the guarantees Iran offers will suffice and no matter what inspection regime Iran accepts, Iran’s entire nuclear programme has to be demolished.For Israel, on the other hand, the issue is exclusively the possession by Iran of nuclear weapons. Israel is determined to remain the only nuclear power in the Middle East and will not be thwarted. Israel has completed all preparations for an attack on Iran. The recent Israeli engineered fracas in Gaza was to test Israel’s anti-missile system (Iron Dome) in battle conditions and also, lest Hamas teams up with Iran in a war, to destroy Hamas’s cache of Iranian supplied rockets which it has largely accomplished.The very opposite goals of the protagonists, and the fact that a Pentagon advisor in 2006 said: “The White House believes that the only way to solve the problem is to change the power structure in Iran and that means war,” prompted Seymour Hersh to opine that a war is inevitable.Whether or not that happens and even if the prospects are not as bleak as Hersch suggests, our media would be rendering a service if it keeps the public informed about the goings on and the wavering possibility of war. If nothing else, it will help us brace for the impact.And if historically the two countries were closely interlinked all that seems eons ago and, frankly, neither has worked hard to draw closer to the other, certainly not since the Iranian revolution. That’s a pity because developments in Iran will impact powerfully on Pakistan and far more so than what is ever likely to happen in Delhi. The revolution, for example, not only transformed Iran but also Iran-Pakistan relations. From being close allies we became mere acquaintances and during the Afghan jihad fought a fairly intense proxy war. Though the article is well written and is full of knowledge, but it suffers from some level of intellectual dishonesty so prevalent in Pakistan nowadays. Trying to blame Iran for Pakistan’s sectarian violence is a nonstarter. Not even a single Shia has been involved in bombings and killings. We all know who are behind all these killings and who are they paymasters so let that just go. It is not difficult to see, the reality. For example the reality that a Shia young doctor working in Ayub Medical College Hospital, was shot in the head along with 30 others who were forcibly dis-boarded from a bus and killed in cold blood. So trying to bring in Iran here, is just intellectually laughable. The issue of cold relation between Iran and Pakistan also has to be examined with an impartial eye. It was ZiaulHaq that imported the dangerous jihadi culture and extremism at the cost of banning out the Iranian cultural influence on Pakistan. The Iranian culture, a sophisticated and non-violent one, which was part of Pakistan’s identity and core ideology from Iqbal to the national anthem was pushed out. Even Persian was banned from being taught in public schools. We are seeing the results clearly today. So thank ZiaUlHaq for that. Also let’s not forget all those Iranian diplomats that were killed and kidnapped in Pakistan. By comparison Iran has been a very safe place for Pakistani diplomats and Iranians have been very patients with Pakistanis killing their diplomats and even military guests (one and a half dozen Iranian military cadets were killed in Pakistan). The issue even goes further with even Iranian students on exchange programs having been targeted by “banned outfits”. Also I think Iranians have not yet forgotten that Pakistan had given them guarantees that Taliban will not harm Iranian diplomats in Mazar Sharif but unfortunately Taliban killed a dozen Iranian diplomats there as well. We have to also at least refer to these if we want to be intellectually sincere. And the author should not worry, about Iranians ever coming to Pakistan as refugees. Iranians are many times richer and have more resources than Pakistan can ever dream. They are self sufficient in food production and have more food calorie per person available in their country than Pakistan as per FAO. Also the author is advised to go to some peripheral city hospitals in Pakistan and see the pathetic conditions prevalent there and the drug non-availability. Iran even under sanctions is doing much better than Pakistan being a US ally. As per CIA, Iran has a GDP (PPP) of over a trillion dollar. Our (ex)diplomats better be concerned more about Pakistan than the internal affairs of another sovereign nation. At least Iranians can defend their borders and not allow drones continue killing innocent people. There is a lot that Pakistan can and should learn from Iran. Unfortunately very few are willing to learn that. For starter, Iranians do not have to beg others to build them power plants. Iranians build their own power plants and that is why they do not have load sheddings every other hour in 55 degree heat. We need to swallow our pride and just congratulate Iranians for being truly free and independent. I advise the author to have a visit to Iran and see things for himself. As for how general Pakistani population feels about Iran, suffice to say that according to a Gallup poll, 86% of Pakistanis supported Iran having nuclear weapons. The highest ratio in the world, including the Iranians themselves. Afghan Jihad, Iran, Pakistan, Pakistan media, Pakistan's West -Oriented Establishment, Saudi Arabia, Shia, Strategic Ally, US, Wahabi © 2019, All Rights Reserved by Pakistan Think Tank.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1461
__label__wiki	0.503657	0.503657	Showcasing Visual Arts Zainab Ansari, Reporter\|November 8, 2018 Art students add to the final touches of their rodeo sketches. Elizabeth Chirko It would be a mistake to underestimate the skill and efforts of advance visual art courses. Students get to demonstrate their artisanship through a variety of mediums and techniques. From ceramics to drawing and painting, visual art classes offer students so much more in enhancing one’s talent. “The classes helped my skill through understanding all the fundamentals to be able to create the pieces I want, meaning it takes it step by step kind of like building a house.” Junior Darcy Segura said. “You start with the foundation and start slowly building up.” For those who aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty to create something three-dimensional, sculpture presents the perfect course. Students learn the technical and aesthetic skills in building sculptures through a variety of materials such as paper, plaster, wire, and clay. The ideas for creations are abound, from a rearing horse and busts to anything else that can be physically shaped. “I wanted to get more a more 3-D understanding of form,” senior Allison Maeker said. “When you’re in art you kind of only think of things two dimensionally so you always need a reference. But when you can understand what a head looks like from three-quarters view, the back or a specific angle because you’ve sculpted it, then it helps a lot with drawing by envisioning it in your head.” Digital Graphics and Animation In Digital Graphics and Animation, students experience limitless opportunities in what they create using computer programs. Students utilize tablets connected to Photoshop, Premiere Pro and other graphic design programs, as well as cameras and scanners, to create digital paintings and posters. “The first project we did was supposed to be inspired from scholastic magazines where they used realistic looking people and patterns intertwined with them,” Segura said. “When I came into this class, I learned a ton of information that I didn’t even know existed, like anatomy. I didn’t know I needed that.” This course allows students to use different mediums and tools to create to their heart’s desires. By using different brushes and paints like acrylic and watercolor, students learn various techniques and essentials for painting, such as color theory. Students are currently working on monochromatic pieces to experiment with tints and shades. Jacob McCready The murals located in the athletic hall were hand painted by the art students. “It’s a way to express myself creatively and it’s a break from the stress of all my other academic courses,” senior Fernanda SanJose said. “I just really wanted to expand my horizons and develop a new skill in a different medium. I learned how to use watercolor, which is really hard still, and color theory, which I didn’t think about much in drawing.” In the end, visual arts courses allow creative students to follow their passion and develop their skill through learning anatomy, color schemes, and other essentials for art. In addition to developing artisanship, students also learn skills valuable outside of art. “These art classes encourage creativity which you don’t really find in other classes,” Maeker said. “It’s a more realistic way of learning time management. You don’t really have homework, but you do have to get assignments done in time.”	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1462
__label__cc	0.547731	0.452269	Subtropical Storm Alberto: Florida governor declares state of emergency ahead of storm Posted 10:38 AM, May 26, 2018, by PIX11 Web Team, Updated at 10:39AM, May 26, 2018 Path of Subtropical Storm Alberto as of Saturday, May 26, 2018 (National Hurricane Center) Earliest reasonable arrival time of tropical storm (National Hurricane Center) FLORIDA — Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for Florida ahead of Subtropical Storm Alberto. Gov. Scott said it is important for all residents to keep safe and prepare for rain and flooding. “As we continue to monitor Subtropical Storm Alberto’s northward path toward Florida, it is critically important that all Florida counties have every available resource to keep families safe and prepare for the torrential rain and severe flooding this storm will bring. Today, I have declared a state of emergency in all 67 Florida counties to make sure that our state and local governments are able to coordinate with federal partners to get the resources they need. Yesterday, I directed the State Emergency Operations Center activate to Level 2 and I will continue to be in constant communication with state and local emergency management officials as this storm approaches Florida. “If any Florida family doesn’t have an emergency preparedness plan, now is the time to act. Remember, the track of these storms can change without notice. Do not think that only areas in the cone will be impacted – everyone in our state must be prepared. I encourage every Floridian to visit FloridaDisaster.org and get your plan before this storm hits so you can keep your family safe. We will continue to provide updates to Florida’s residents and visitors and do everything to prepare for and respond to this storm,” he said in a statement. The storm moves slowly through the Caribbean Sea is threatening to bring heavy rainfall, mudslides, and flash floods to parts of Mexico, Cuba, Florida and the U.S. Gulf Coast this weekend. Subtropical Storm Alberto — the first named storm of the 2018 hurricane season — was roiling parts of coastal Mexico and Cuba with rip currents and dangerous surf on Saturday. Both countries issued tropical storm watches for portions of their coastlines, with rain totals in some isolated areas of up to 25 inches. U.S. forecasters followed suit by issuing a tropical storm watch for parts of the Gulf Coast from the Florida Panhandle southwest of Tallahassee to the New Orleans metropolitan area. Associated Press contributed to this report. Subtropical Storm Alberto still chugging toward Gulf Alberto, 2018’s first named tropical system, chugs toward Gulf Filed in: Nation/World, News, Weather Hurricane season is here. Brace yourself for up to 4 major storms in the Atlantic Tropical Storm Barry develops in the Gulf, threatening epic flooding in Louisiana Tropical Storm Barry’s outer bands begin hitting southeastern Louisiana ‘Wedge’ tornado that hit Missouri’s capital ‘felt like an earthquake’ Millions in line of punishing rain from Tropical Storm Barry Nation/World News Weather Barry makes landfall in Louisiana as hurricane, weakens to tropical storm Barry weakens to a tropical depression, but authorities still warn of dangerous flooding New Orleans is already getting flooded by what could turn into a hurricane Two dead after a reported tornado touches down in Oklahoma Tornadoes hit Kansas, Pennsylvania as storms sweep across US Violent tornado hits Missouri capital, trapping people, sending debris 13,000 feet into air	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1466
__label__wiki	0.749389	0.749389	Woman stunned by $1M cable bill, mystery auto-payments Posted 7:59 PM, July 10, 2018, by Tribune Media Wire OKLAHOMA CITY - Dianne Hampton thought someone was playing a joke on her when she opened her cable provider's app and saw a nine-digit outstanding charge. “Am I seeing the commas correctly?” the Oklahoma woman remembered thinking after signing into her Cox Connect App to pay her bill for internet service. No, her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her. “You stare at it [and] it's like you're hypnotized by this,” she said. “And, then, you go, ‘No, I don't think so.’” That's when she pulled up her banking records and the panic really set in. First, she said someone tried yanking a million dollars out of her account, when she’s not even signed up for Cox's auto-draft bill pay. Records show the payment was supposed to go to Cox. Of course, it never cleared because Hampton didn't have a million dollars in her account. Someone kept trying to pull more money out of her account. Another payment attempt was for $100,000. “Then there was a $9,999 [payment] that also tried to hit, and it's clearly ... Cox and it was insufficient as well,” she said, The amounts kept getting smaller and smaller until there was enough cash in Hampton's account for the payments to clear, resulting in two payments totaling about $1,200. “[With] Cox or anyone else you're paying a bill to, [when] you do not have the funds you get an insufficient charge [and] it bounces back,” Hampton said. “End of story. They're not going to come back for a smaller amount.” There was a sixth payment to Cox that Hampton put a stop on just in time. Cox’s spokesperson said, due to customer privacy, they can't speculate as to what may have caused the excessive payments that were initiated on the customer's behalf. That got Hampton thinking. Were the bizarre withdrawals caused by a glitch or had one of her accounts been hacked? Cox launched their own investigation and concluded "there was not a security breach on their end on the customer's account and the error was a payment error, not a billing error." They also claim they were overpaid, but Hampton said the payments didn't come from her. KFOR checked with her credit union. Tinker Federal Credit Union’s Senior VP of Marketing Matt Stratton told the Oklahoma City news station that they "processed everything properly and the issue appears to be between Ms. Hampton and Cox." Friday, Hampton received her refund check from Cox, plus they waived the overcharge fees. Her account was also zeroed out, and Cox went ahead and waived her $80 outstanding bill for internet service. She didn’t have an Uber account, but charges to the company maxed out her credit card Gloria Vanderbilt, fashion designer and Anderson Cooper’s mother, dead at 95 Fake German heiress sentenced to 4-12 years behind bars New alleged victim of Jeffrey Epstein says he raped her when she was 15 Woman donates kidney to firefighter who rushed to help her daughter after seizure Beth Chapman, of ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter,’ dead at 51 Woman tracks down stolen iPhone, is met with gun Senior scammed out of $3,000 now warning others Queens woman sickened at resort where American tourists died	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1467
__label__cc	0.625553	0.374447	Elemental Truth – Chapter 1 Filed under Series by Necia Phoenix This entry is part 01 of 37 in the series Elemental Truth Disclaimer; Okay folks, here it is, Elemental Truth, first of the Elemental Wars stories. It is in the final stages of editing. Hope you all enjoy it.* She was a beautiful devil, and she held us in the palm of her hand. ~ Emperor Tousan year 20 Oracle of the Seeress of Nekar; year 1028 of the Empire of Nekar Tier stared down the steep hill at the cluster of buildings in the valley below, not feeling the heat of the afternoon sun. He fingered the small black scroll, sighing. One didn’t ignore a summons from the Seeress, no matter who he was. He urged his horse on ignoring the chills creeping up his spine. The Oracle of the Seeress was a complex of buildings, nestled in a narrow valley between snowcapped mountain ranges. Half the complex was dedicated to the local god, whose name escaped him. The other half was the home of the Seeress, last of the Spirit Elementals. A cold breeze whipped up the path, passed through him. His horse sidestepped, nickering before inching forward. In the courtyard below, priests of the local god had spotted him and waved. He raised his hand in greeting and shook himself. Just a meeting with the Seeress. The wind grew colder and he felt a heavy pressure building at his temples. It was almost enough to make him halt. With a near audible snap, the pressure was gone, and he again felt the wind, though now it was warm on his cold skin. His horse side-stepped and balked, ears flat on his skull. “You’ve faced worse than this, old friend.” Tier murmured, patting the warhorse’s neck. “You don’t even have to speak to her, that’s my job.” The horse snorted, pranced in place. “Come on.” Step by step, he coaxed the horse through the open gates, and once inside it shifted uneasily. The priests who’d been waving at him were nowhere to be seem. Tier frowned as he patted his horse’s neck, looking around. He was reluctant to dismount, taking in his surroundings. Three sides were a covered walkway. A tall, arching doorway gaped at him. It probably lead into the main Oracle. The south wall was a square doorway, with the doors wide open. A stable walkway, horses poked their heads out of their stalls looking in his direction. Beyond the walkway was a corral which he’d seen from up the pass. The arching doors swung open and several priests came out; their long gray robes looked hot. The bottom hem was frayed and knotted with strands of colorful ribbon. The symbolism was lost on Tier. He was not a religious man. A strong, hot wind kicked up, and their robes billowed and snapped around them. Tier’s horse snorted, sidestepped again and rolled his eyes at the sound. “Your Highness, we have been waiting for you.” A wrinkled, stooped priest, with a long gray beard, reached up to grip the warhorse’s bridle, rubbing its nose gently. His beard wagged above his toes which peeked out from beneath his robes. “Where is the messenger we sent?” The priest peered up, squinting. Tier sighed. “He was killed in a scuffle with bandits along the way.” Tier said, he pulled the small bag of humble belongings from his saddle-pack and handed it to the priest. “I buried him up near the Jaktor border.” “I see.” The old priest tucked the bag into his robes, sighing. “We will hold a bonfire for him tonight. Thank you, your highness.” Tier inclined his head. It was the least he could do for the half grown boy. “Do you know what the summons is about?” He asked, dismounting. A younger priest took the reigns and led his horse towards the stable area. The other priests milled about, expressions unreadable. “I don’t know, your Highness. We obey, we do not question.” The Head Priest said apologetically. “Figures.” Tier scowled, wiping at his travel dusted breeches. “Don’t tell the peons, eh?” “Your Highness!” The High Priest scowled at him. Tier shrugged. “Is there a place to clean up?” “Tier!” He turned, recognizing the voice, and grinned. A tall, lean man came through the gate, dropping the reins of his tired looking horse as a priest scrambled over to grab them. Rale Hassof, his younger cousin, strode towards him arms outstretched. He was one of the few noblemen Tier trusted. It had been close to three years since he’d seen him. “What are you doing here?” Tier asked as they clasped arms. Rale pulled a black scroll from his pocket, wiggling it between his fingers. “I got a summons. You get one, too? I thought you were up in Jaktor, trying to take the city. His excellency has kept you busy.” “I was, but the messenger said it was important and it couldn’t wait. General Dyrnos is there, they don’t need me to hold the siege.” “It is going well, then?” “We should take the city by winter.” The High Priest, hands clasped in front of him, cleared his throat, and gestured towards the doorway. “Gentlemen, the Seeress is waiting for you, if you will please follow me.” Icy fingers clawed up his spine, and the pressure at his temples was back. It increased until it was a steady, throbbing pain in time with his pulse. On the edge of his awareness, he heard a low song, a familiar, haunting tune he couldn’t place. He halted, staring out of the arching gate at the fields beyond. Silver mist crept toward him, covering the ground and the closer it got the louder the song grew. A ghost mist. Spirits of those who died violently. Tier gritted his teeth. He shouldn’t be able to see them, it was said that only those touched by the spirits were able to see them. He couldn’t look away. Shapes appeared in the mist, hovering several horse-lengths from him. Tiny tendrils of mist crept towards him, hesitant. Faces formed dark gaping eyes and mouths open in a silent scream. The song reached a deafening roar. “Your highness?” The Priest’s voice cut through the song. Tier jumped, the mist vanished as if it never was. With it the song faded away. “Are you coming?” “Yes.” Tier nodded curtly. He took a final long look towards the fields outside the gate, rubbing his palms on his pants, before following the Priest. They were led to a small, torch lit room filled with heady smoke. Blue cord wound around the stone support pillars. In the center of the room was a raised dais, draped with blue cloth. Tier’s gaze was drawn to the slim, pale form in the center of the dais. She was a woman-child, draped in thin gauze-like white strips of cloth. She lay on her back, arms and legs sprawled out, hands twitching. Her hair, thick silver curls, moved as though it had a mind of its own. The chills were back. This was the ages old Seeress? “He is here, holy one.” The priest bowed low, turned and hurried back up the hallway. She turned her head, looking towards him. Tier took a step backwards. Her eyes were white. No color, no pupil. A dead, emotionless gaze staring at him. “I’ve been waiting for you.” She whispered. “I need your help, you must find the elementals.” Tier couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, both repulsed and fascinated. The air stilled, the chamber silent. Somewhere Tier heard water dripped. The Seeress moved in exaggerated, fluid movements, somehow in time with the water. She stood, diminutive; the sheer fabric strips did nothing to hide her lush, young figure, nor her pasty-pale skin. Her movements were stiff, first fast, then slow, her hair and clothes floated around her as though she were underwater. Tier’s heart was pounding painfully in his chest, the hair on the back of his neck was on end. “My lady, the Elementals nearly destroyed the world.” The priest said from the doorway, his voice admonishing her like a father would a daughter. She didn’t glance his way. Tier shot a look at Rale. His cousin’s eyes were wide, his face pale. “The world is out of balance and we need the elementals to fix it.” Her voice was soft, sultry, almost too low to hear. The Seeress turned her head towards them. “If they can’t be found, and brought here, there will be disaster.” She lifted one slender hand, pointing in Tier’s direction. “Find them. There isn’t much time.” Tier heard a rush of air moving through the chamber, darkness closed in around him. His head throbbed; a chill crept up his back. He stood in a circle of light, unable to see the rest of the chamber. “What?” His own voice startled him. He heard nothing else, not even the dripping water. He strained to listen. There, a whisper of movement, a rustling of fabric, soft breathing at his ear. “The world was plunged into darkness, my prince.” The Seeress’ whispered. He cringed, his skin was trying to crawl away on its own. Her voice conjured up images of silk and satin, and his stomach churned dangerously. “Some of the Sprit Elementals survived. We warned the great kings what would happen, but they wouldn’t listen. It was the others, the shapers, who did the damage.” “I thought the shaping elementals were all extinct.” He forced the words out. “There are a few who survived. They’re hidden in the shadows, waiting to destroy what I have worked so hard to rebuild.” “They want what I have.” Her voice went brittle. “Power. If you bring them here, they can be forced to fix what they’ve destroyed. And heal the damage to the land.” She sighed against his ear. “You’ve seen it yourself, during your travels.” He felt cool hands on his forearm and tried not to flinch away. Her voice dropped and he could almost feel her thin form pressing against him. “If we are to save our world, we must find them.” Tier felt the darkness closing in on him, wrapping around him. A cloak of shadow, blocking everything but her voice. “Do not forget, my prince. If you do, we all will suffer and perish.” He felt as though he was falling. Images, confusing and violent, flashed through his mind. Her voice echoed in his ears. “Another war is coming and if the elementals are not found, it will tear our world apart.” He opened his eyes trying to remember when he’d closed them. The Seeress stood in front of him, expression as blank as her eyes. His head pounded. “You will go and find one water user, one fire wielder, one air dancer and one rock shaper.” Her voice was cool. She circled him, he felt like a mouse and she was a great cat ready to pounce. “That is impossible, with all due respect, Holy One, they’re extinct. All gone.” Rale protested. “Where would I go to find them?” Tier asked. She trailed a finger across his back and as she circled back in front of him, across his chest stabbing at him with an overlong fingernail. “You start south, near the Fortress of Dhaul.” She trailed her fingernail downwards. Tier clenched his fist, slapping her hand away wouldn’t be received well. One didn’t slap away the Seeress if one wanted to live to old age. She looked back at him and dropped her hand. “You will return them to me. Do I have your word on it, dear prince?” He hesitated; so many things could go wrong. “What if I don’t find any? What if they refuse to come with me?” “Do your best, if they refuse to join you, return to me. We’ll reconsider our options.” Her head tipped to one side. “Can you do that, your highness?” He stiffened, the insult loud in his ears. “You have my word of honor.” He forced the words out. There was an odd ring to them, like the closing of a lid. The Seeress smiled and turned towards Rale. “You go, account for everything you see.” “What?” Rale blinked, looking back and forth between Tier and the Seeress. “You are my witness. Can I hold you to that, Lord Rale?” Tier felt his cheeks burning. He gritted his teeth and met Rale’s startled eyes over the top of her head and gave a sharp nod. “You have my word.” Rale choked out. The Seeress inclined her head, turned, and walked with the slow, stop start motion, back to the dais. The priest stepped between the Seeress and Tier, handing him a newly sealed black scroll, before bowing and leaving again up the passage. From the shadows came several pale, female attendants, helping the Seeress back onto the dais. “What is this?” Tier held it up. “Your orders.” She looked over her shoulder at him. “Just in case you forget what they are. Till we meet again, your highness.” Next chapter will be posted Thursday, June 5th. (c) 2014 Necia Phoenix There might be some formatting adjustments as I figure this out, please bear with me. Tagged e, Elemental Truth, elemental wars, serials \| Leave a comment \| Filed under Series, Writing by Necia Phoenix Disclaimer; Elemental Truth, the first of the Elemental Wars books, is in the final stages of editing. Hope you all enjoy it. It took them three weeks traveling along the southern trading route to get to the coast of Lorn. Another three weeks of travel, following the winding north road, brought them to the village of Dhaul. Once guarded over by the Fortress of Dhaul, a center of commerce, it had dwindled to a modest fishing village nestled between the ocean and the towering Dhaulation Mountains. The steep foothills looked, from a distance, blanketed by a sea of soft greens. The village itself clustered around the old trading route road which switched from paved road to wide dirt path, winding through the southwestern territories of Nekar. In the center of the village was the market. Central hub of activity. Locals spread their wares to sell, hoping to catch the attention of the rare passersby. Tier stopped by a wagon filled with assorted fruits and vegetables, and glanced around. Though the villagers were continuing their usual activities, they were all watching him and Rale closely. Tier sighed. They were supposed to look for elementals here? “Is that the fortress?” Rale pointed towards the southern granite face that towered over the valley. Tier could make out towers brushing the underside of dark clouds. He turned to the merchant, but the man was already speaking. “We’ll have rain before nightfall, gracious lords.” He lifted a fruit, offering it to Rale. “Fruit’s the first off the tree, the very best!” “What is that?” Rale took the fruit. “Starfruit, only grows in this region.” Tier said absently. “How much?” “For you, gracious lord, ’tis free.” The man bowed. “I can’t take your wares without proper payment, good sir.” Tier pulled a coin out. “It’s not fair to you.” The man’s eyes widened at the sight of the coin. “I will take no payment, gracious lord, but a donation would not be refused.” “A donation then.” Tier handed him the coin and motioned toward the mountains. “Is there a pathway up to the Keep?” The merchant frowned, tucking the coin into an inner pouch of his coat. “There is, but the way is dangerous, and overgrown. The imperials stopped patrolling that section of the road. There is a guide, though, he takes in travelers and takes people up the road. He’s never lost anyone.” “Where would we find him?” Tier glanced around, the curious stares of the nearby villagers was unnerving, they needed to get out of sight before things turned ugly. “Well, there is a dunurch up the road.” The merchant pointed. “The guide can often be found there. He’s a surly gossip, though.” “I’ll consider myself warned.” Tier inclined his head as the merchant bowed, and steered Rale back towards the horses. “A what?” Rale hissed as they walked away. “A dunurch, it’s something like a restaurant or eating hall.” Tier said, glancing around the seemingly busy road. They had no guards, nothing to hint that they were more than just travelers passing through. The villagers sensed they were different. Eyes followed their every move. Tier untied his horse and motioned Rale to follow. “They’re nosy.” Rale said. Tier nodded. “We’ll stop at the dunurch and figure out where to go from here.” “Do you have any idea what we are looking for?” Tier shook his head and was several steps in front of Rale before he realized his cousin had halted. He half turned. “Then what are we supposed to do?” “We’ll discuss it over dinner.” Tier glanced around. “We’re drawing a crowd out here.” He ignored Rale’s grumbles behind him. His cousin didn’t grasp the necessity of keeping his head down. He was far too used to the perks of his station. Tier doubted he’d ever traveled without an entourage or guard, except for the trip to the Oracle. In the outlaying provinces of the Empire, unless there was a guard, it wasn’t wise to announce your affiliation with the Imperial household. Resentment still ran deep. Though it had been over four hundred years since the storming of the fortress and the acquisition of Dhaul into the Empire, these people could relate the battle account as though it happened yesterday. The dunurch was unnamed, probably a meeting place everyone knew about. They tied up their horses and Tier led the way. It was a wide, circular building, round low tables with cushions spaced in a circular pattern. The Dunurch Keeper hurried over, a thin aging man who bowed low, staring at Tier for an uncomfortable moment before his eyes widened and blood drained from his face. “Your…your highness…” “Please, no titles. We just need a table and light.” “This way, most gracious lords.” The man bowed and turned walking stiffly around tables. The cushions were worn and stained. Tier glanced at Rale’s dubious expression and settled on his. “They don’t bite Rale.” Tier said. Rale started to say something then shook his head and cringed as he lowered himself to the stained cushion. “I should have told her no thanks.” “Do you think she would have taken that answer?” Tier asked. The Dunurch Keeper set a tray with an elaborate silver teapot and several little silver cups. “The meal is a tasis over grain and steamed vegetables, is this acceptable?” The man was actually wringing his hands together. “Sounds great.” Rale made a dismissal gesture and leaned forward, squinting at the shiny table top. “It looks clean.” “Rale.” Tier scowled as the Dunurch Keeper stiffly walked towards the kitchen. “Tier this place is filthy.” “Do you want to sleep in the rain?” Tier asked, pulling a map out of his vest. “No.” Rale said after a long pause. “I don’t want to die of sickness from bad food though.” Tier poured tea into a small cup and handed it to Rale. “Then be nice to the people who give you food, here. The Empire isn’t exactly trusted in the outer territories.” “Hmm. What next?” Tier poured himself some of the tea, sipping it and glancing around the dunurch. They were the only guests, aside from the young woman and an older man sitting in the far corner of the room, speaking low in the local in the local rough dialect. No threat. He unfolded the map and set the tea to one side. “She sent us here for a reason,” He said, tapping the map. “Why?” Rale leaned forward, voice hushed. “Our likelihood of returning home alive is not good, Tier. There are no…” He sat back as several plates were deposited in front of them. “There are no more…” “There were rumors around Jaktor that there were pockets of elementals hiding north of the mountains.” Tier said. “I didn’t give them much thought, until meeting the Seeress.” He finished his tea, folded the map away and motioned to the plates of food. “This doesn’t look half bad.” They ate quickly and spoke little. Regulars began filing in, lightning lit up the sky, and each time the door opened a rush of cool moist air accompanied the new guests. As the Dunurch Keeper cleared the table Tier watched the young woman and old man in the far corner; both looked uneasy as the tables around theirs filled up. “Good sir,” Tier lifted his hand, catching the attention of the Dunurch Keeper. “we’re looking for guides up the mountain.” Tier said. The Dunurch Keeper gestured toward the pair in the corner. “Matau and his granddaughter know the mountain paths to the Keep, and beyond, better than anyone else.” He said. “You’d be wanting lodging too?” “There’s an inn?” Rale said. The man shook his head. “Matau.” The Dunurch Keeper waved him over and turned back to them. “He’s a gossip and Xin is a bit strange. But they have taken many up the mountain to the fortress and back safely and they take in lodgers. They’re the only ones who will.” Tier nodded, watching the pair make their way over. The old man leaned heavily on his cane while the young woman followed behind at a distance. Her blue-gray eyes flickered over Tier and Rale, not quite meeting his gaze, before looking towards the Dunurch Keeper. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun with two carved wooden hair-sticks in it. Though not very tall, there was something very peculiar about the way she stood, hands gripping the hem of her too-large tunic. She glanced back up, meeting Tier’s gaze then looked away. Oddly shaped blue eyes and the pale skin, Tier was intrigued. She didn’t fit in. “Tis too late to go up the mountain.” The old man said, his words slurred. He settled on a cushion with a grunt, jabbing at the cushion between him and Tier. “Xin, sit.” She sat, keeping her eyes lowered. “Shall I bark too, Matau?” She asked, her voice low. “Hush, girl. The road to the fortress is steep, and dangerous.” “Howso?” Rale asked. “Bandits, spirits, wild animals.” Matau shrugged. “How long do you plan on staying up in the Fortress?” Xin asked. “A day or two,” Tier shrugged. “Then on to Delebeg.” The Xin and Matau exchanged a dubious look. “There are outlaws in the forests beyond the fortress. Since there are so few Imperial Patrols in this area, they gather in those mountain passes, robbing those passing through.” “Tier…” Rale began. Their perspective guides gasped in unison. “Prince Tier?” Xin asked, staring at him with wide eyes. Tier inclined his head, shooting a dark glare at Rale. He was going to have some strong words with his cousin. She shook her head. “What is an imperial Prince doing in the backwoods sticks of the empire? Without a guard?” “None of your business, girl.” Rale snapped. “Personal curiosity.” Tier said. They needed these two, to guide them up the mountain. He’d rather have a guide than fumble through unknown, possibly hostile territory. Xin’s eyes narrowed. “If we’re going to be guiding both your lordships up the mountain, knowing who we’re dealing with is my business, my lord.” She leaned forward, pinning Rale with an unfriendly stare. “I’m not going to risk my neck if you two are going to put us in danger, I don’t care who you are. Your highness.” “Xin.” Matau rested his hand on her shoulder, knuckles white. “Go make sure the cots are prepared for our esteemed guests.” She looked at him, her expression hard. She stood, gave a stiff bow, and left. “Forgive my granddaughter, she has a sharp tongue.” Matau sighed. “However, she’s right, your lordships. Is the danger worth the coin?” “Our business will bring neither you nor your people danger, good sir. ‘Tis a personal interest in the fortress that brings us here.” Tier said smoothly. “It’s a day and a half one way. There is a small cabin on the side of the mountain we stay in overnight. The weather is changeable.” “Your price?” Rale asked. Matau named an amount and Rale made a noise that Tier wasn’t sure if he was amused or annoyed. Tier nodded. “Half now,” Tier set the money on the table. “Half on our arrival at the fortress.” Matau’s eyes narrowed. He hit the table with a fist. “Done.” The next chapter will be posted Tues, June 10th. Thanks for reading. 🙂 There might be some formatting adjustments as I figure this out, please bear with me. Tagged Elemental Truth, elemental wars, indi publishing, serials \| Leave a comment \| The modest two level house sat atop a steep bluff overlooking the village to the south and the ocean to the east. A path along the side of the cliffs led to the beach below. In the back of the house was a small building and a grove of trees. Xin met them on the porch, nodding and pointing around back. “The barn is back there, gentlemen.” She said meeting Tier’s gaze. “Xin.” Matau’s voice was wearing on Tier’s ears. The man rattled on about people and scandals that meant nothing to him. “This way.” Xin motioned them to follow, stepping from the porch without a glance back. She led them to the shed, which was surrounded by a fence in dire need of repair. “Does he always talk that much?” Tier asked. Xin glanced up and him and grinned. “Just think, your highness, three or four days of that.” “Gods help us.” Tier muttered. “Try living with it.” She snickered. Tier led the horses into the small yard, making sure it was going to be secure enough. With the talk of bandits he wondered if there were any reports of raids. Behind him, Rale was attempting some small talk. Tier shook his head, his cousin had a lot to learn about traveling incognito. “This place could use some work.” Rale commented. “Matau’s too old to do the repairs, he won’t let me do it, and no one will come do them for us.” Xin shrugged. “So it falls apart.” “Why won’t any anyone come up to help?” Rale asked. Xin stared at him. “Is it too far up the hill?” Tier turned back to his horse, pulling the saddle and blanket from it’s back, and giving him a good scratch. The warhorse grunted, appearing to enjoy the attention. He listened for Xin’s response. The silence stretched, broken only by the nickering of the horses. “None of your business.” Xin said. Tier glanced around in time to see her walking back across the yard to the house. He frowned. It started sprinkling as they were coming up the hill, yet her clothes were dry. He stared. He wasn’t exactly soaked, but was a bit more moist than he liked. Xin’s clothes weren’t even wet. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I was just trying to be friendly.” Rale said, interrupting his thoughts. “After insulting her in the dunarch? Not a wise move, Rale.” Rale opened his mouth then closed it. Tier shot him a dark look and pointed towards the other horse, still saddled. “It’s your turn to take care of your horse.” They set their packs on shelves in the entry and stepped into the main room. It was cozy, a table set against a window, and a couple of wicker chairs. Against the back wall was a steep set of stairs going up to the upper level. Over near the stove were two simple narrow cots with coarse wool blankets folded neatly beside thin pillows. Matau took a seat at the table and motioned them over. Sitting in front of him was a large sand tray which he tapped. Tier smiled, he’d seen these in other out-laying regions of the empire, a tray about a finger deep that was used to draw out maps. Parchment, paper, those things were for the elite, the rich. Far too expensive for the commoners. “This is the path up the mountain,” Matau used a gnarled finger to draw in the sand. “It gets steep and winds through trees and by cliffs.” “And the bandits?” Rale was asking. “Some say they live in caves near the Vourn road that takes you to Delebeg.” Matau said. “They avoid the Keep itself, but will attack anyone who looks like they’d be carrying anything of value.” He peered at Rale. “The keep is haunted, and they usually avoid it.” “That’s what you said.” Rale looked doubtful. “Aye, and it’s true! The spirits are not friendly, not happy.” Matau sniffed. “Most men disbelieve until they’re faced with the vengeful souls of the keep.” “Some say the ghosts get hungry at night.” Xin added in a dramatic voice, passing by with a couple travel bags. She tossed them into the entryway and wiped her hands. “They say at night, you can hear the screams the murdered souls.” “Murdered?” Tier asked. “When Nekar took the Keep.” Matau pinned an unfriendly look at him. “Many innocents died that day.” “Pshaw, superstition.” Rale snorted. “They probably just heard the wind in their sleep.” “There are far too many accounts of the ghosts, my lord, for it to be just superstition.” Xin said with a sniff. “I was taught that Dhaul was the seat of power for the Water Elementals back before the Elemental war.” Tier said. “That was generations ago.” “True. But their legacy lives on, your highness. In the descendants of the survivors.” Matau stabbed a finger in the direction of the mountain. “They ruled from up there. They say that in the valley and along the coast, there were never floods nor droughts. Always enough rain, not too much, not too little. And they joined the other elementals in battling against the Seeress. That’s why the Nekarian Emperor attacked. The elementals were far too dangerous and conspiring against the Seeress. So they came and wiped out the elementals.” He sniffed. “They’re all gone now, no more elementals. Funny, last year a couple men came from Nekar asking about the fortress and the Elementals.” He peered at them, brows pulling together. “You aren’t looking for any, are you?” “They’re extinct. You could look your whole life and not find any. Right?” Tier asked sitting back. “Mostly.” The old man leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspirators whisper. “But every few generations one will crop up. Oh we find them, eventually. They can never hide for long. When we do, we dispatch them.” He leaned back nodding. “Dispatch?” Rale frowned. “Kill them, you mean.” “Nekarian law.” Xin said softly. “No elementals are allowed to live. Surely you of all people are aware of this.” Rale opened his mouth and closed it again. He looked baffled. Tier almost felt sorry for him. “Rules are the rules. In fact,” Matau gave a bark of humorless laughter, pointing in Xin’s direction. “Her mother was one.” Tier looked at her startled. She scowled but met his gaze. The rain hadn’t touched her. Could she be a water elemental? “They chased her out of town with rocks.” She said blandly. “Swift justice, though they couldn’t catch her.” “What happened to her?” Tier asked. “She went into the sea and never came back out.” Matau sniffed again. “They say there are other elementals. That they crop up in the old regions their ancestors were from.” “Interesting.” Tier tried to feign indifference. Xin was staring at him with narrowed eyes. “So you are just going to look at the Keep?” She asked. “Imperial business.” Rale said quickly. “No need to worry.” “Imperials? On the road with no guards? I’m still finding that hard to understand” She said. “Isn’t it a bit dangerous for imperials, especially the royal household, to travel without a guard?” “Have you ever heard of the Youskin Charge?” Rale asked, a touch of aggravation in his voice. He pointed at Tier. “He doesn’t need a guard.” Xin’s eyebrows arched as she looked at him. “Impressive.” “You don’t seem that impressed.” Rale said petulantly. Tier chuckled, he couldn’t help it. “Rale,” Tier began. “Should I be milord?” Xin leaned forward. “Aside from traveling like poor peasants…” “Xin.” Matau barked. “Yes Matau?” She asked sweetly, wide eyed. They locked gazes in what Tier guessed was a frequent contest. Matau glared. “Are the provisions ready?” “I think so.” She leaned against the counter and addressed them, looking at Tier as she spoke. “It’s a day and a half up the mountain to the Fortress, I could walk it in my sleep. But if you don’t know the way, you’ll never find it. The old roads have been overgrown, the new ones aren’t well traversed in this area, and the bandit issue is very real. They usually stay on the other side of the keep, but they have been known to come closer to the village. I hope you know how to use the swords you wield, you’re going to need them.” Tier kicked Rale before he could jump on the comment. She was being serious. “How do you manage?” He asked. “They’ve never bothered me.” She shrugged. “They’re still afraid of her mother.” Matau added. Xin rolled her eyes. “At least they look the part of the seasoned travelers, unlike the last two. Well at least he does.” she nodded towards Tier. She looked at Rale. “He’d be dragon fodder…” “Xin.” the warning tone from Matau. She flashed a smile at them. “I suggest you get some sleep gentlemen. It’s a steep walk. Goodnight Matau, gentlemen.” She turned and made her way towards the stairs. Tier watched her and looked back at the sand tray, barely hearing Rale and Matau. When they finished Tier excused himself, to check on the horses and to think. The rain had stopped, and the clouds thinned. Down the hill the village was quiet and dark. In the distance waves crashed onto an unseen beach. The rising moon cast dark shadows, giving the place an eerie, abandoned air. Towering above him, a great dark shadow against the velvet sky, was the ancient Fortress of Dhaul, hereditary home of the Water Elementals. Except for the odd phenomena of no water on Xin, nothing he’d seen indicated the presence of any elementals in this region. Not in the other villages they’d passed through, not in this one. Why had the Seeress pointed him in this direction? He rubbed the bridge of his nose. This was crazy. He’d been taught from childhood that there were no more elementals, he’d never given the rumors he’d heard a second thought. It wasn’t possible, everyone knew that. Yet the Seeress said there were hidden elementals. Hiding and waiting to strike. If there were, why hadn’t his tutors told him about it? They taught what the Seeress taught them. It didn’t make sense, none of it did. If he hadn’t given his word he’d walk away from it. But he had, and it was far different thinking back of the meeting with the Seeress than it was being there. He was about to go back to the house when he heard a sound. A door opening, perhaps? A figure darted from behind the house and down the narrow pathway towards the bluff. He followed at a distance, silently. It was Xin, and she made her way down the path as one who had done so many times. He hesitated following her as she went towards the beach. A rendezvous perhaps? Secret lover? He shook his head. None of his business. He was about to go back to the house when he felt something, a pressure pressing against his head, a ripple through his mind. Similar to what he’d felt in the Seeress’s presence. He halted, trying to pin point where it came from. He felt it again, coming from the direction of the beach. He crouched, edging toward the bluff, looking down at the beach. She had dropped the cloak, her long skirt and pale shirt glowing in the moonlight. She reached up and fiddled with her hair, which fell loose. Tier felt the sensation again and for a brief moment it looked like a wave surged upwards towards her, hesitated a heartbeat, then crashed against the sand. Tier scooted closer shaking his head. “Impossible.” He startled himself saying it aloud. His heart pounded and he half expected her to turn around and see him, though he was certain he hadn’t been heard over the crashing waves. The water did it again. And again, each time accompanied by the pressure in his head. He didn’t know how, but he was certain Xin was controlling the water. The realization crashed over him. She was a water elemental. His mind went numb. By law he should have her put to death. By the Seeress’s command he needed to convince her to go with him and Rale. He watched her as she lifted her arms over her head again, a large circular blob of water lifted and then floated through the air, matching the movements of her hands. He should be repulsed, put off, angered but instead he watched fascinated. He shook himself, crept back to the house. He hesitated in the entry, gathering himself, trying to sort his thoughts. When he joined Rale at the table, his cousin frowned at him. Asking him where he’d been. Tier just shook his head, Matau’s unfriendly gaze on them. Their guide was a water elemental, and he had no idea how to convince her to accompany them. The next chapter will be posted Thursday, June 12th. If you’re enjoying it, please share, spread the word, I’d appreciate it. Thanks for reading. The old fortress road snaked back and forth up the side of the mountain, doubling back on itself several times. It was overgrown with pines, conifers, and an assortment of underbrush Tier was unfamiliar with. The road leveled out for about a quarter of a league before coming to a large pillar with carvings in a language he’d never seen before. The road they were on continued, disappearing over a rise. A smaller road, little more than a game trail shot off from the main one, twisting up the steep rise. “What do those markings mean?” Rale asked Xin. She glanced toward the pillar and shrugged. “I have no idea.” She pointed towards the game trail. “We go that way.” Rale groaned. The trees were so close together and the branches so low they’d have to dismount and lead their horses through. “Why?” He asked. Tier shook his head. Xin half turned. “You want to get to the fortress, correct?” She pointed. “It’s at the top of the mountain. This is the only road to it.” “The other road…” “Takes you to Delebeg, past the path of the bandits.” The old man said, his voice impatient. “Xin, Slow down.” Tier choked back a chuckle when the woman increased her pace. “What was that Matau? I can’t hear you.” She paused by a tree and leaned against it. She inclined her head as Tier got closer. “Enjoying yourself?” he asked. She shrugged. “When he starts complaining, you’ll want to put as much distance between your ears and his mouth as you can.” she said, glancing towards Rale and Matau. “You might want to give them a hand. That horse isn’t going to cooperate.” Tier sighed, looking back. The old man and Rale were unsuccessfully trying to move the horse past a tree leaning over the trail. The beast was having none of it, jerking his head and pulling back. Tier handed the reins of his horse to Xin and picked his way back down the trail, removing his cloak as he went. When he reached the horse, he gently slid it over the frightened beast’s eyes from behind. The horse stiffened, body trembling and Tier spoke to it, taking the reins from Rale and urging the beast forward. It took a hesitant step forward, then another. Once they were past the tree stump he removed the cloak and handed the reins back to Rale. “Show off.” Rale grumbled. Tier barely cast a glance his way, climbing back up the path. Xin was staring, wide eyed at his horse who was nuzzling at her. “Is it going to bite me?” she whispered hoarsely. Tier took the reins and shook his head. “No. He’s just being friendly.” He took a couple steps up the trail, glancing down at her. Her eyes were still wide. “Are you coming?” Her eyes narrowed, jaw clenched. She pushed from the tree, moving past him and his horse, shooting him a dark look. He waited till she passed him to smile. She wasn’t joking about Matau’s complaining. Everything was subject to being bitched about. From the weather, to the village to Nekar, and even the Seeress, the man was both a drain on the ears and well of information. Though most of it was twenty years old and the subjects were long dead and buried. His voice echoed off the trees and rocks as they neared the sheer cliffs at the base of the mountain, the shadows growing long and the sky turning a pale orange. Against the base of the cliff was a small cabin facing the narrow stream. Tall pines blocked out much of the sky on the sharp slope, far too thick to see through. Tier took over taking care of the horses as his guides prepared the dinner. Rale hovered by the food, as if unsure of what to do next. Tier paused in his ministrations of the horses to watch Xin hand Rale a deep pan and told him to get some water. The silence was telling. Rale stared at her, glancing down at the pan in his hands and looked back up at her. “What?” She rested her hands on her knees, crouched and balancing on the balls of her feet. “The stream is right over there, go fill that.” “Me?” His voice spoke volumes. Xin narrowed her eyes, shooting a look at Tier. “Is he kidding?” Tier shook his head, pulling the saddle and sweat soaked saddle blanket from Rale’s mount. “You should have seen the look on his face the first night we had to sleep on the ground.” She looked back at Rale. “You walk over to the stream, dip the pan in it then bring it back here, full of water.” Rale turned stiffly, shooting some very ugly looks Tier’s way, and did so. Tier finished with Rale’s horse, moved on to his, only half listening to the endless complaining of the old man. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a pale mist, drifting between the trees just beyond the treeline. His horse and Rale’s stilled, nickering softly, ears flicking back and forth. Tier ignored it, focusing on his horse, a fine war-bred beast that had taken him through many a battle. He couldn’t avoid seeing it when he returned to the cabin with the saddles. Up the path they were to take in the morning, tendrils of mist crept down, towards the clearing. He hesitated on the porch. On either side of the path were old stones, carved in a similar fashion to the crossroads pillar. The mist kept distance from the stones. Deeper in the forest, as the shadows grew even longer, he saw the silvery shapes forming, and more mist crept down the path. He forced himself to look towards the stream, to ignore the tendrils of mist creeping into the clearing. “Tier can I have a word with you?” Rale asked, he looked a touch disgruntled. “Having fun?” Rale snorted. “Why do we need guides?” he hissed. “You’re more than capable of getting us to the Fortress.” Tier glanced towards the fire where Matau crouched, setting the tri-legged spider over the crackling flames. Xin handed him things to put into the pot. Her braided hair hung over one shoulder the end just above the dirt and she fiddled with it absently, staring back the way they’d come. “The Seeress wanted us to start our search here, for a reason.” Tier said slowly. He looked back at Rale. “I think she knew something.” Rale shook his head. “You think she’s an elemental?” He hissed. “You do, don’t you?” Tier hesitated. “I think there’s a chance she is. You heard what the old man said, her mother was a water elemental.” Rale nodded, glancing back at their guides. “How do we…” he trailed off and looked at Tier. “What do we do next?” “I don’t know. Wait and see.” Tier shrugged and pushed into the cabin, setting the saddles on the floor just inside the door. “What else can we do?” If you’re enjoying it, please share, spread the word, I’d appreciate it. Thanks for reading. 🙂 Tagged Elemental Truth, elemental wars, serials \| Leave a comment \| Disclaimer; Elemental Truth, the first of the Elemental Wars books, is in the final stages of editing. Hope you all enjoy it. Thunder shook the small cabin, jolting Tier from an uneasy dream. He pushed himself up, glancing around the one room. The fire had burned down, leaving long shadows. He could make out the forms of Rale and the old man, and from the sound of it, neither were aware that there was a storm outside. Xin’s sleeping mat was empty. Thunder rumbled again and he got to his feet taking another glance around before ducking out the door, onto the porch. Xin was leaning against one of the posts, and glanced at him as he shut the door. “The horses are still there,” she said motioning towards the shelter. “They don’t look too pleased.” “They’re out of the rain, at least.” Tier said. Lightning flashed, and he could make out the shapes of the horses under the shelter. “The road’s on the other side of the stream, isn’t it?” “Yes. The water runs off quickly, though. We’ll be alright.” She leaned on the railing. “This cabin has been here for a long time and has weathered many a nasty storm.” “How often do you come up here?” Another flash of lightning illuminated the area and his skin prickled, hair was standing on end as icy fingers clawed up his spine. In the light of the flickering lightning, gathered on the edge of the clearing were the ghosts. Substantial, mostly formed. They were just staring at him with dark hollows for eyes. He ran an impatient hand through his hair, trying to look anywhere but at them, aware of Xin’s close scrutiny. “When I can get away. It’s far more pleasant on the mountain than down in the village.” She turned towards him. “The next stretch is rough going, you might want to get back to sleep, your highness.” He nodded looking back towards the stream. As the lightning flickered, he could see the stream, brim full of rushing water, and the insubstantial shapes drifting closer. He forced himself to breathe slowly. “Shouldn’t you? Seeing as you are the guide?” She laughed. “I could walk this trail with my eyes closed, your highness.” “Drop the highness, please. It wears on the ears. I’m just Tier.” He leaned on the railing, staring towards the shapes. They’d rarely been this clear, it worried him. Was he going insane? Or did the Seeress do something to his head? He glanced at Xin. She’d tipped her head to one side. “The other nobles we brought up here, reminded us all the time that they were ‘Lord’ whatever it was.” She looked towards the stream. “As if they’d break if they weren’t reminded that they were nobility.” “Titles are an empty comfort.” Tier shrugged. “I’m not my title.” She nodded slowly. “Goodnight, Tier.” She turned and went back inside. He was about to follow her but hesitated, staring out at the wispy spirits drifting closer and wavering in the wind. When he finally did get back to his mat it took some time to get back to sleep and his dreams were dark and confusing, fading away rapidly when he woke. Outside birds sang, the horses nickered, and the old man complained bitterly about his sore joints. Tier stared up at the rafters, listening. Xin snapped at the old man, though he couldn’t make out what she said, Matau snarled something back which was followed by a clattering of dishes. “I wish that old man would lose his voice.” Rale groaned from his bedroll. Tier glanced over at him. “Just another day, maybe two.” Tier pushed himself up, head feeling stuffed full of straw. “How do we find out if she’s an elemental?” Rale asked in a low voice. “The old man…” Tier shrugged. “I have no idea.” He was at a loss. How was he supposed to convince the young woman to leave everything and everyone she knew? He didn’t want to think about what might happen to her once he delivered her and any other elementals he might find, to the Seeress. Pressure against his mind, Xin was doing it again. He scrambled from beneath his blanket but the pressure stopped before he managed to get to the door. He needed to catch her using her powers. It was the only way he could think of to broach the subject. With a sigh he resigned himself to pack things up. It took little time to repack the night gear and grab the saddles. Rale followed him, tousled and looking blearily around. “Gods, the sun isn’t even properly up.” he groaned. Running a hand through his hair. “Bad night?” Tier asked as he made his way over to the horses. Rale followed, hesitantly taking one of the saddles from Tier. Tier watched his cousin fumble with the saddle blanket, pleased. At least he was trying to help instead of complaining. Perhaps there was hope for the nobleman after all. “Dreams. We were back in the Oracle and the Seeress clawing through my head.” Rale grunted as he lifted the saddle to the horse’s back. “Every time I tried to sleep, it was the same thing. I can still feel it.” He pulled on the girth strap and stepped back with a satisfied grin. The grin turned to a frown as the saddle slid around the barrel of the horse, hanging upside-down. The horse grunted, swinging his head to look at Rale. Tier swallowed a chuckle, patting his cousin’s shoulder. “Good, for a first try.” Tier moved over to the horse, showing Rale how to fix it. Laughter from the cooking fire startled him. Tier glanced at Xin, who crouched by the fire, grinning at them. “Do you realize how backwards that is?” She asked standing up with two plates in hand. “The prince teaching someone how to saddle a horse.” She handed Rale one of the plates. “Hey, I’ve never done this before, I’ve always had…” Rale halted, blinking several times. Staring at the plate she handed him. “Eggs? Where’d you get eggs?” Xin handed Tier the other plate. “Bird nest, kind of lucky, I thought all the birds had already hatched their eggs.” Rale looked down at the eggs, prodding them with one finger. “These were going to hatch?” “If I hadn’t gotten to them? Yes, most likely.” She smiled at him. “Enjoy.” Tier hastily made his way to the porch, snickering at the horrified look on Rale’s face. “He would be helpless if he were out here by himself.” Xin commented as she went back to the fire. Tier watched her. Water user, cook, guide, smartass. For a brief moment he wondered what she would look like in finery befitting a Lady of the court and squashed that thought. With her large blue-gray eyes, pale complexion, and dark hair, he had no doubts she would catch the attention of most of the nobles. Just the idea made him uneasy. He ate his food silently, forcing himself to look at anything, anywhere but their guide and her grandfather who scowled at him from his seat across the fire. “Knowing that a little bird was going to hatch from this…” Rale said as he came over perching himself on one side. “Rale, eat it, and be glad it isn’t boot leather.” Tier advised. The road twisted around old washouts, downed trees, and boulders that had been carried from higher up the mountain by flash floods. Matau and Xin led them up to a steep gully gashed into the mountain. The road ran along the side of it. “Come on.” Matau growled limping down the bank and into the gully itself. He half turned scowling at them. “What are you waiting for?” Tier glanced towards Xin. She was rooted on the bank, looking up the gully. “Matau, let’s go to the bridge up further. It’d be safer.” She pointed at the dark clouds higher up the mountain. “I don’t like the look of those clouds.” “It would take longer, Xin. I’m tired, that road is rockier than this stream bed. Come on.” Matau was almost to the middle of the gully. Rale stepped into it. Tier glanced back at Xin. “He’s right. It is faster.” She looked up the gully. “I hate it when he’s right. Come on.” “You don’t look like you believe he’s right.” Tier said. She looked at him, nibbling her lower lip. “Just be cautious.” She shrugged and picked her way down the bank into the gully. Tier glanced towards the clouds and followed. They’d almost reached the point Matau said they’d need to climb to get back to the road when he heard a low rumble. Xin swore. “Get out of the stream, now!” She stood in the center of the gully, staring up the stream. Tier was aware of the others scrambling up the bank. Water rushing downstream made the ground rumble beneath his feet. Tier grabbed the young woman’s arm intending to haul her up the river bank, but she batted his hand away. “It won’t hurt me.” She mumbled, barely audible over the roar of the water. Tier stared at the water, mind numb. Xin lifted a hand, palm facing the wall of water. “Stop.” The water paused, rippling. Tier blinked several times, aware of Rale yelling from the bank. “Go around.” Tier barely heard her say it, but the water lurched to their right, pouring around them, taking the rocks, trees and other debris with it. Tier backed towards the bank, tugging at Xin’s arm. She stepped backward, hand still out, not looking away from the water. “You’re a water elemental!” Rale said in a hushed voice when they joined him and Matau on the road. Xin lowered her hand, her face pale as she looked at the old man. “You…” Matau’s voice wavered. “You’re just like your mother.” Tier rested his hand on the Xin’s shoulder. He didn’t need her running off now, they’d never be able to find her, she knew the area too well. “Are you going to dispense justice then?” Matau, glared openly at Tier. “You should! She’s an elemental!” “She’s your grandaughter!” Rale exclaimed, stepping towards the old man. “That didn’t stop him when he went after my mother.” Xin looked up at Tier. Matau swore. “You’re no kin of mine!” He threw the bag of coins to the ground at her feet. “Matau,” Xin’s voice tugged at Tier. “She just saved our lives, old man.” He snapped. Matau raised his walking stick, using it to point at Tier. “The laws you enforce, that your people laid upon us, must be kept! How long before she does something to kill one of us? They’re inhuman, possessed!” He turned, waving his cane. “Get you gone, your highness, and take the demon with you. I have no granddaughter. I had no granddaughter!” Tier dropped his hand. “Are you going to kill me then?” She turned, looking at him. She crossed her arms. “We actually,” Rale faltered, looking back and forth between them. “Uhm…” “I need your help.” Tier said cautiously. She was glancing toward the trees, planning to make a run for it. He didn’t want to frighten her into running off. A crazy part of him wanted her to willingly go with them. She frowned at him. “What kind of help?” “I’ve been ordered by the Seeress to locate elementals.” The silence was broken only by the horses and the distant voice of the old man cursing them all. “She didn’t say.” Tier glanced towards stream. “You don’t question the Seeress. You do as she says.” Rale said quickly. “We’re supposed to find one of each, and bring them back to her.” “And then what? What happens to them?” Xin looked back and forth between them. “I don’t know.” Tier admitted. She looked away. “If I go with you…” “Just a traveling companion.” He watched her expression flicker from wary to angry, concerned, frightened. “I still need to get to the fortress.” “Orders.” He said it before he thought, but he felt a twinge in his mind. Had his mind been tampered with? The Seeress was crawling around in his head back at the oracle. Had she left orders? He inwardly shuddered at the thought. Xin frowned at him. Tier didn’t flinch, didn’t look away. A loose strand of her hair had come loose from the bun, and fell across her face. It was distracting. He resisted the urge to push it behind her ear. “I’ll go with you, as far as the fortress.” She said. She turned, pushing the offensive strand back behind her ear, and glanced back at him. “We keep following the road, gentlemen.” Rale handed him the bag of coins Matau dropped. “That didn’t quite go as planned.” Tier glanced at his cousin. “We had a plan?” Rale scowled. “Figuratively speaking.” He led his horse past Tier. Tier watched Xin for a moment, fascinated by the way she moved; the sunlight on her hair. He smothered a sigh. He was distracted. He couldn’t afford to be distracted. Not with the Seeress breathing down his neck, not with an impossible mission to complete. He took a few steps, still watching her, his horse butting his shoulder impatient to get moving. “I’m an idiot.” he muttered under his breath. If you’re enjoying it, please comment bats eyes, share, spread the word, I’d appreciate it. The great Fortress of Dhaul loomed overhead, intimidating and dreary, casting a shadow and a chill over the road coiling towards its gate. Ancient towers spiraled up, their tips hidden in ever present dark and ominous clouds. Like the cracked, carved stones lining the road, they were silent sentinels of another time. An eerie testament of a long gone era. “Matau told me that it was shaped out of the cliff, not carved nor built.” Xin said, her voice hushed. She nodded towards the fortress. “It was a trade, you see, the water users ended a drought in a northern kingdom, so in return the rock shapers came south and created the fortress for them. The entire summit is a palace.” “I wonder why Nekar let the fortress fall into ruin. Especially after going to the trouble of aquiring it.” Rale murmured. Tier shrugged. “General Dyrnos, or one of the history teachers in Lorn could tell you. I never paid that much attention.” Tier pointed at the moss covered stone pillars lining either side of the road, like soldiers ready to march into battle. “Would you want to have those things staring at you every day?” Rale shook his head. “I don’t like to think our people would be superstitious enough to let that sort of thing bother them.” He patted one of the stones. “They’re just stone, after all.” Tier shrugged. Every now and then, beneath the underbrush and twining around the pillars, he’d catch sight of wisps, clinging to the broken stones. Things watching them. Perhaps there was a connection between the ghosts and the stones? Part of him wanted to linger and inspect them, another part of him wanted to run as fast as he could. “What are those stones, anyways?” Rale asked Xin, pointing to a nearby pillar. An ugly face was carved into its surface. “I’ve never seen anything like them before.” “Matau called them Standing Stones, and said they were here before people came to Dhaul. No one knows what the language is, or who or what put them there. Come on, it’s getting late. I’d rather not be on the road at night.” “Why not? Worries about ghosts?” Rale asked her. “There are things that move around in the forest.” She motioned towards the trees. “Some say ghosts, or demons. I’ve never seen anything, but I’ve heard things.” She shuddered. “I prefer not to travel here at night.” “What do you think, Tier? Think we’ll see anything?” Rale asked. Tier tried to ignore his cousin’s jabbering. “Tier sees ghosts.” Rale said. Tier glared at him. It wasn’t something to laugh or joke about. In the wrong company it could get him killed. He never talked about it and wished Rale wouldn’t. “When we were children he swore he saw bodies in the river near the Seeress’s Oracle.” “Overactive imagination.” Tier said quickly. Xin was looking at him with a frown. “I was a child.” “So,” she drawled. “You don’t see ghosts?” “No.” He turned from her. “The ghosts here are real, not imaginary. They get restless when people come up here.” “Any idea why?” Rale asked. Xin was quiet before answering. “The Nekarian army slaughtered everyone inside the palace, once the wall was breached. No one was spared. Elemental, non-elemental. Young, old, male female. It didn’t matter. Everyone died.” Tier nodded. “That is what happens in war.” “Their souls are still here.” She turned and continued up the path. “We’d better hurry before it starts raining again.” Neither of the horses wanted to go anywhere near the front gates that towered over the trees. It took Rale and Tier quite some time to get them on the wide yard in front of the fortress. Xin perched herself on a rock, her knees drawn up under her. When they finally convinced the beasts that it wouldn’t hurt them the light was dimming in the sky. Tier couldn’t see any way to open the gates. He turned to Xin. “How do we get in?” He asked. Before she could answer, Rale was pushing the reins in Tier’s hand, half stumbling toward the gate. “Are you seeing this?” He turned, eyes wide. “It’s huge!” “You, prince, are a horrible liar.” Xin said in a low voice. Tier blinked, looking down at her. “Why do you say that?” He asked warily. She flashed a grin at him. “Your eyes. The way you look in the forest, and at the Standing stones… you see the spirits here, don’t you?” He gritted his teeth, saying nothing. She laughed. “There are lots of ghosts here. Lots of things here. I don’t envy you.” “How do we get inside?” He repeated the question. She eyed him, her eyes twinkling. She was laughing at him, he was certain of it. She pointed towards the wall. “Along that wall is the breach that the Nekarian army used to take the castle.” “Lets go then.” Rale hurried over, taking the reins back, rambling about the fortress. The breach appeared to have some minor repair work, but it was never completed. It was wide, high, and both horses were convinced that there was an ogre on the other side, just waiting to eat them. Tier glanced over at Xin. “Lead the way?” She stepped through the breach, Rale on her heels. Tier swore under his breath, trying to get the horses through. Once on the other side, they calmed down, though their eyes were wide and their ears pricked forward. They would bolt the minuet he let his guard down. He barely got a glimpse around, before Xin was directing him to an old stableyard. Once secured inside the horses calmed down and Tier rejoined Xin and Rale near a gaping doorway. The wind picked up as they stepped inside. The room, an ancient hall, whispered of time. In the torchlight, Tier could make out broken swords, straw, and leaves blown in, littering the floor. The room was empty except for the large fireplace that dominated it. Tier made his way over, frowning at the remnants of a fire. It wasn’t very old. He glanced over at Xin. “I thought you said people avoided this area.” “They do.” She moved over and frowned, crouching by the fireplace. “Odd.” “When you led the other lords up here,” Tier began. “They wouldn’t come inside.” Xin said. She stood, setting her torch in a stone holder on one side of the fireplace. “Then they insisted on taking the road towards Delebeg.” she stared at the char. “It may have been bandits.” “I thought you said bandits wouldn’t,” A loud crash drowned out the rest of Rale’s statement. He stared towards the back of the hall. “What was that?” Tier stood, taking a visual survey of the lower room. Shapes were forming, hazy and indistinct, some were detailed most just the vague outlines of what they used to be. But all of them had the dark shadows for eyes. “Tier, did you hear that?” A rumble of thunder shook the palace. Tier almost jumped when he felt the touch to his arm. He looked down at Xin who was staring towards the way they’d come in, her hand rested on his arm. Warmth wiggled through him and he smothered it. Couldn’t read too much into it. “Wind probably knocked something down my lord.” Xin said, looking sharply at Rale. She sounded as if she were trying to be cheerful. “Over by the entry is fire wood, why don’t you grab it so we can get a fire started.” Rale nodded and Tier swallowed when his cousin turned and walked through several ghosts to get to the firewood. “What do you see?” Xin whispered looking up at him. “Be glad you don’t know.” Tier replied. It didn’t take long to get the fire going. Xin enlisted Rale as her helper, ordering him to get things and cut up vegetables much to Tier’s amusement. It was, he thought, good for Rale to be away from the comforts of home. Maybe he might do more for himself. “Why do I have to go get the water?” Rale asked belligerently. Xin looked up at him and his shoulders sagged. Tier was glad that he was not the only one affected by those large, innocent looking eyes. Xin was dangerous and knew it. “My lord, have you ever cooked a meal before in your life?” “Then you go get the water.” “You’re mean to him.” Tier said as his cousin stalked off. Xin glanced his way then back down to the makeshift cooking preparation area. “I don’t have patience for a spoiled royal.” She didn’t meet his eyes. When Rale got back she was far less sharp with him, showing him how to add things to the small flat pot. They ate in silence, setting up sleeping rolls on the floor near the fire. The storm raged outside. The thunder boomed, lightning lit up the room, shone through windows high up. With each flash he saw the pale figures, standing, staring. He swallowed. One in particular, a noblewoman or an ancient queen, got closer with each flash. He was certain the ancient spirit wasn’t moving. The ghost’s eyes glowed a bright silver, locked on him. He forced himself to lay back, to close his eyes and listen to the sounds of Rale and Xin talking in low voices. You are not what you seem to be. The voice, hollow and wispy echoed inside his skull. His eyes shot open and saw the ghost floating above his feet. An unearthly wind blew her hair. Her face one minute was narrow, gaunt, with a timeless beauty to her, the next nothing more than a skull. These halls are not for you, Nekarian. “Hey Tier, where do we go from here?” Rale asked from his sleeping bedroll. “Hmm?” Tier blinked several times looking over at him. The ghost drifted between them. “You were insistent on coming here, to Dhaul, now where to?” “I’m not sure.” Tier shrugged, meeting the gaze of the ghost. “Seeress specified here but gave no suggestions about where we should go after here.” The haunt stared at him, lips pursed. For a moment, in the flickering lightning he thought a twitch of a smile tugged at her ghostly lips. Then she was gone. He stared towards the back wall, letting the icy tingles fade away. In the lightning strikes he realized there was a painting on the wall above the old dais. He half sat up frowning, waiting for the next lighting to strike. “What is it?” Rale asked. “There’s something painted on that wall.” “It’s a mural.” Xin said. He looked over at her. She sat cross-legged, her hair down and over one shoulder. “In the light, when there aren’t storms you can get a better view.” She braided her hair quickly and then sat staring at the fireplace. Rale harrumphed and rolled over. “Gotta sleep.” he muttered. Tier laid back down half closing his eyes. They were in an unknown place, possibly dangerous. He would doze, but not be fully asleep. Years of training, habit and experience wouldn’t let him. Either way, when he dozed he dreamed; odd, disturbing dreams of both the Seeress and Xin. When he woke, his heart was pounding loudly in his ears and he felt as if something had made a loud sound. He stared towards the doorway, listening to the rain pouring down outside. It took time before his body had unclenched enough for him to roll over to his other side. Xin was facing him, her eyelashes dark against her pale cheek. Tier bit back a curse and sat up staring into the darkness. The ghosts were gone, except for the queen hovering near the stairs. He glanced back down at Xin and then to Rale, neither one had moved. He stood and carefully took the torch from its holder and crept over to the regal looking ghost. She smiled, half beauty half skull, turned and drifted up the stairs. He took one last glance towards Xin and Rale before following her up the old wide steps. She led him through the upper levels of the palace, down long ago forgotten passages finally ending up in what was once a wine cellar. She stopped over a black patch on the floor, staring at him. What is it you seek here? Her voice echoed hollowly in his mind. He felt the presence of other spirits gathering in the room. Many, far more than he could actually see. The air grew chilled and he had to grit his teeth to keep them from chattering. “Information.” He gritted out. A murmur went through the room, a ghostly whisper tinged with mockery. They didn’t believe him. Liar. You seek other Elementals. “Why ask me if you knew already?” No elementals, besides your water girl, have come here in years. Perhaps they’re all dead. “Perhaps they are just hiding. Where did the other old fortresses stand? Dhaul is the last I know of.” The specter became harder even for him to see. Then she was gone. Tier swore under his breath. All the other spirits departed with a howl. “Just like a ghost. Afraid.” The air in the room went chilly but the Queen did not reappear. Tier stared at the blackened spot on the floor. He looked around the room. Empty except for bits of blackened char and rocks. There was a great battle here. The queen’s voice echoed in his mind again. For a moment he could hear the sounds of swords clashing, men yelling, the groans and screams of the dying and the relentless and endless clang of two great swords. Briefly he saw the two, fighting over the blackened flagstone. No one remembers who they were, only that they hated each other, they fought each other and they killed each other right here. Tier squinted and knelt beside the blackened stone, running his hand over the scorched block. There was a crack. He debated and pulled his belt knife out using it to slide between the flagstones and carefully pry it up. There was a large cache beneath the flagstone with a single small wooden chest. Tire lifted it, and felt a tingling, a release of an ancient ward. The chest was simple, a basic latch with no lock kept it closed. Dark stains covered the lid and Tier was certain it was blood that had leaked down through the cracks. He replaced the flagstone and stood, finding himself face to face with the queen. These are the only records left of that time. The queen moved through him and led him back up to the corridor at the top of the stairs. Be careful with them. The next chapter will be posted Thurs, June 26th. If you’re enjoying it, please share, spread the word, I’d appreciate it. Want more to read? Check out J.A. Marlow’s Summer Crash serial! Xin watched from her bedroll as the prince returned to his, a small wooden box in his hands. He pulled out several small old looking scrolls and skimmed over their contents before pulling out a thin chain with a strange amulet on it. He stared at it with that deep frown, his thumb brushing over its face before tucking it into his belt pouch. “Where did you find those?” Xin asked. He didn’t look her way, though his eyebrow quirked. He unrolled another scroll. “Upstairs, hidden under a stone.” He shook his head. “Did a ghost show you where it was?” Xin asked, half teasing. She hesitated. He paled and glanced at her, his dark eyes unreadable. She swallowed, heart hammering in her ears and scanned the large hall. “Are there any floating around right now?” “No.” He looked back down at the pile of scrolls, brows pulling together, and lifted a small black scroll. “Interesting.” He murmured, unrolling it. “What is it?” Xin scooted over to get a better look. It was, she told herself, to avoid waking up Rale. “This is a summons scroll.” Tier said, frowning as he scanned over the contents. “It’s a request to go to meet with the Seeress.” “Don’t the Nekarians worship her?” Xin asked. “Some do.” He rolled the scroll tightly and set it in the bottom of the box before returning the other scrolls atop it. “They say she has guided and protected Nekar for a thousand years.” “Killing any who oppose her.” Xin snorted. “No.” Tier shook his head. “Her visions have guided our people, sometimes sacrifices must be made.” “It seems tyrannical to me. What happens if her orders are ignored? Perhaps peace would break out?” “The Empire could be diminished.” He closed the box, tucking it into his travel pack. He rummaging through the bag, frowning. “She gives orders for the betterment of the Empire. We are just tools.” “Do you really believe that?” Xin asked. He looked at her, surprised. Xin frowned. “If it wasn’t your duty to locate and return living elementals to her, would you kill me?” Xin asked in a low voice. Tier stilled, eyes darting back to his travel sack. “I would do my duty.” He said slowly. “But if she hadn’t ordered me here, I would not have needed a guide, nor been in this part of the world.” He lifted an unlit torch, stood and went to the torch in the wall, lighting the new one off the old. “Is that all there is?” Xin swallowed, scrambling to her feet. “Hmm?” He strode across the room, lifting the torch above his head. Xin followed at a distance. She didn’t want to wake up Rale. “Duty, is that all there is to you?” “Mostly.” He glanced down at her then pointed to the mural and set the fresh torch in the empty holder beside the mural. He stepped back, staring up at the wall. “Mostly?” Xin shook her head. “I would’ve expected to hear tales of court gossip and exploits of the nobility.” He looked at her and laughed “From Rale, from my brother or sister, yes you’d get an earful. I avoid it personally.” “Court is a den of backbiting vipers. I don’t have the temperament for it.” He glanced her way. “As you pointed out, I’m a bad liar.” He tipped his head to one side and muttered an oath under his breath, going back to his travel packs. He returned with a folded and travel worn parchment. He lifted it up, eyes flickering back and forth between parchment and mural. Xin looked at the mural, she’d always loved it. It was of woman holding her multicolored skirts in each hand in what may have been a curtsy. Her face was lost in the shadows and the plaster where her feet were had long ago crumbled. The skirt, though, was brightly colored, dotted with jewels, whispering of another time. Xin glanced at the parchment Tier was holding up and gasped, involuntarily stepping closer. “You see it too?” “It’s a map.” She looked up at him. “The mural’s a map!” “It is, roughly. It’s missing some cities.” He pointed. “Lorn, Hagish, and the capital, and nothing is named. But look up there, those could be cities, they’re not on my map though. How old do you think this is?” “I’m not sure. Matau had nothing to say about it.” Xin shrugged. “Probably wasn’t exciting enough.” He said dryly. Xin nodded, frowning. The colors on the skirt nibbled at her, reminding her of an old rhyme she’d been told long ago. She rubbed her forehead, trying to remember the words. “Tier, that there,” she pointed to the parchment then to the equivalent on the mural. “That is Dhaul, right?” “It’s in blue, see? Delebeg is in brown…” “There was a song we used to sing as children, each elemental had a color assigned to them.” Xin said softly. “Earth was brown, air was white, water blue, fire,” “Red.” He blinked looking at the map in his hands. “It shows what regions the elementals occupied.” Xin looked up at him. “Might give you an idea of where you’re going to go next.” Tier looked at her. “And where will you go?” She shrugged. “I don’t know.” She stared towards the mural. “I haven’t given it much thought yet.” “Come with us.” Xin swallowed, unable to meet his eyes. “And eventually meet the Seeress?” She forced herself to look at him. “Who is responsible, ultimately, for my mother being run out, for me being in exile?” He looked away and shook his head. “I don’t know what to say.” He looked back at her. “My mission, my life depends on me being able to locate elementals, and take them back to her. I can’t change the rules.” She looked up towards the mural. “What does she want with us?” “She claimed it was to heal damage from the Elemental War.” “Claimed?” She frowned. “You doubt it?” He scowled. “Questioning her can be fatal.” “I have to think about it.” “We’d have to go to Delebeg,” Rale’s voice made her jump. “It’s a straight shot from here.” “I hate the desert.” Tier said folding the parchment and moving back towards their bedrolls. “Chiron is governor of Delebeg isn’t he?” Rale’s asked. “He was last I heard. I don’t hear much from that area though. I know he had some sort of uprising near his northern borders.” “And after Delebeg?” “Depends on if we locate an Earth Elemental. There are a couple small towns north of Delebeg we can check. After that, I don’t know.” Xin barely heard Rale’s reply, she studied the mural. There were other colors edging the skirt and then there was the odd blot in the south/bottom part of the dress. Nekar, home of the Seeress. Xin shuddered glancing towards the fire. The men were deep in conversation, discussing other possible places to go, neither seemed to notice her. She drifted towards the entry, glanced back at the fire one last time before ducking into the now soggy courtyard. She felt the call of the water and struggled to resist it. Everything that had happened, the flash flood, the rocks, crashed down on her. She forced herself to breathe. She wasn’t going to cry, she wouldn’t let herself cry. What was the point? Matau tried to kill her. She shouldn’t have been surprised, he was one of the first to run her mother out, but Xin was still having a hard time believing it. He would have killed her if Tier hadn’t stepped in the way. She owed him her life. That didn’t sit well with her. Was that any better a fate than being stoned? It was Tier’s duty to find people like her and turn them over to the Seeress. And if he didn’t… Xin sighed. The seeress was not known for being understanding. Tier intrigued her. He was the Seeress’s chosen seeker, like the stories whispered in the dunurch late at night. He would do her bidding, and according to the old ones, eventually die in her service. None survived for long, the old men had said, few could stand being in the Seeress’s presence for long. Fewer still able to walk away from a mission unscathed. She leaned back against a large block that faced the front gates, and stared up at the stars peeking from the clouds. What in the world was she going to do? She pulled her legs up on the rock, wrapping her arms around her legs and propping her chin on her knees. She felt the tears, the sobs, the reality of her awful situation and pressed her forehead against her knees crying. The storm of tears passed, and she shivered in the chill air. She needed to get back to her bedroll, get some sleep and try to decide in the morning where she was going to go. Something was draped over her shoulders, she looked up blinking in surprise. Tier was standing just an arm’s length away. “It’s kind of cold out here.” He said adjusting the blanket he’d draped over her shoulders. “Are you alright?” She shrugged staring up at the moon. “He tried to kill me. He would have too if you and Rale hadn’t…” She gripped the blanket tightening it around her shoulders. She could almost feel how awkward he must be feeling. She pressed her forehead against her knees again fighting sobs. She felt his hand resting on her shoulder, attempted comfort from a man who would kill her in a heartbeat? “Rale is asleep again.” He said, the tone of his voice had an odd timbre to it. “Come back inside where it is warmer.” he was gently rubbing her back, the soothing caress was making her drowsy. “If I go with you, after all this is over, where will I go?” she whispered. She looked at him, barely a shadowy outline in the darkness. “We’ll figure that out later. Right now you ought to get to sleep.” “You too.” She said sharply, but she slid off the rock gripping the blanket. “Possibly.” he said. He followed her back inside and Xin wondered what he saw that she didn’t. When she turned to ask she found herself spun back around to face the fire, his hands steel on her shoulders. “You don’t want to know what I see, Xin.” The next chapter will be posted Thurs, July 3rd. They left in the predawn light, following the trail back down to the crossroads. When they reached it, Xin stared at the path that wound it’s way back down to the village she’d grown up in. She couldn’t go back. Ever. Her stomach twisted. She turned, looking up at Tier. “I’ll accompany you, for now.” She sighed. Tier inclined his head. Rale extended his hand. “Ride behind me. Save your feet.” Xin snorted but stepped over. “I’ve never ridden a horse before.” “We’ll go slow.” Rale assured her as she clumsily got up behind him. She gripped his belt, hoping her shaking wouldn’t be obvious. “The next town, we’ll see about getting you a horse.” Rale craned his neck, looking at her over his shoulder. Xin nodded, belatedly realizing he couldn’t see her. “All right.” They followed the twisting road, farther than Xin had been. Passing between steep cliffs and down into a narrow, eerily silent valley. Trees with ruddy red trunks towered over them and mist clung to the ground. The men were tense and Xin watched Tier closely. Several times he looked off into the forest, brows pulled together, staring at something. Rale said nothing about it, Xin hesitated to ask. They reached a wide, shallow stream, and Tier pulled his horse to a halt. “Let’s stop here, water the horses and eat.” He said, his voice low. “It feels heavy here.” Rale said. His horse stopped, ears flickering back and forth. Xin slid off, and limped back from the horse. Her legs trembled. She made her way towards the stream, picking her way around several boulders trying to walk out the odd feel to her legs. The water whispered to her, dancing along her mind. She crouched, glancing back at the men. They were looking at a parchment, talking in low voices. She sighed and dipped her fingers in the water. It was cold, soothing. She closed her eyes listening. The road followed along side the stream for quite a distance, almost to the lake, she knew that from the map, and could feel it in her mind. She frowned. She heard, no she felt percussions rippling through the water. She straightened, staring upstream. The sound of horses moving through the water was carried on the current. She swallowed. Bandits. “Bandits, upriver.” She called to the men. “Four maybe five. I think there might be more in the forest.” Tier was on his feet, sword drawn before she finished. Rale drew his slender sword and they both moved toward the stream bank. Xin crept towards the large boulders beside the stream, the sounds of splashing reaching her. Around the bend, their armor ragged and mismatched, came bandits that appeared to have had far better days. Their horses appeared underfed and scraggly. Tier lowered his sword. They halted, exchanging startled looks, their horses sidestepping, ears flat on their heads. “Your money and the woman and you may pass.” One of the men called. “Or you’ll do what?” Tier scoffed. “Bat at us with those toy blades?” The bandits hissed back and forth, and Xin stared at the water around the horses hooves. “We’ll kill you.” “You can try, won’t get very far.” Rale called. Xin shot him a startled look, he didn’t look the type. Tier chuckled and shook his head. “You won’t succeed. Go back where you came from, you won’t get anything from us.” “Noblemen from Nekar, all alone, in the middle of nowhere.” One of the men with finer clothing than the others leaned forward. “Put your toy swords away and hand over your money. We might even share the woman….Oww.” Xin directed a large chunk of half frozen ice at the man, hitting him in the chest and knocking him off the A blob of ice shot from the water slamming into the man’s chest. He fell back and hit the iced over stream, his horse spooked, darting from the stream, circles of ice around his hooves. The other horses followed their fellow, dashing onto the shore, leaving their startled riders behind in the stream. The panicked horses tangled with bandits trying to run out from the forest in an ambush. Xin turned her attention back to the bandits who had been dumped by their terrified mounts. She focused, freezing the surface of the water around them and muttered one of Matau’s favorite oaths. The man she’d hit with the ice got to his feet, just out of range of her ice. She stepped forward and focused on the water around his legs, freezing it as fast as she could. He yowled, struggling to yank his legs free. Xin tossed a few ice balls at the other men trying to keep them from the fray onshore. The leader yowled in frustration. The others were working themselves loose. Xin couldn’t keep the water frozen. Her head was pounding and she could feel sweat beading on her face. She’d never used her ability like this, though she’d heard stories and tried small ice balls late at night when no one was looking. With a yell the bandits broke and fled back into the forest. Xin sank to the ground shaking, her head heavy. The leader was dragging himself out of the water, his legs encased in ice chunks. He yelled something she didn’t catch and half ran, half limped into the safety of the forest. Xin forced herself to her feet. They might be just out of sight, watching and regrouping. She made her way back over to the men. Several of the bodies lay on the ground, blood seeping around them. Xin gritted her teeth, her stomach doing a dangerous flop. Tier touched her shoulder. “You okay?” Xin blinked and looked up at him, nodding mutely. “We’ll get going here in a moment.” He grimaced, rubbing his thumb. It looked odd. “You hurt?” He shrugged. “I’ll live.” “Dislocated your thumb again?” Rale shook his head. “The healers in Lorn could have fixed that.” Tier scowled at him. “Let those crazies cut my hand open. No.” “One of the horses got tangled in the underbrush.” Rale pointed. “Payment for the inconvenience.” Tier looked at Xin. Looks like you have a horse now, my lady.” Xin snorted, looking at the ragged beast. “Let’s hope it lives.” “It,” Tier half bent, looking under the beast’s belly. “She, will probably live longer in our care than with those incompetent fools.” Rale helped Xin get to know her new mount while Tier wrapped his hand, securing his thumb with a rarely used brace, swearing under his breath. The bandit’s sword hit his at just the right angle. It wasn’t the first time it had happened. It probably wouldn’t be the last. Once it was secure he gathered the weapons that looked usable and watched Rale going over some basic riding skills. The poor woman was pale. “You think you can ride solo, or do you want to give it some time?” Tier asked. “I’ll be fine. Thank you.” Her voice didn’t sound like she’d be fine at all but he wasn’t about to push her. His head was ringing from the power she’d been using. It troubled him. He shouldn’t be able to feel it, should he? She shook the thought off, it led to other, dangerous questions. Questions he wasn’t sure he wanted the answers to. They rode on, going slow at first, then a bit faster as they neared the foothills of the mountains separating Dhaul from the desert province of Delebeg. They reached the bottom of the pass and found a small abandoned town. The thatch roofs had fallen into rickety shells of houses whose owners abandoned them. They found what might have once been an inn, and a stable yard able to secure the horses. They left early to reach the peak of the pass. The passage up the pass was narrow and clogged with rocks and at the peak Rale and Xin both suggested they rest before going back down the other way. A stone hut provided them with shelter, and a view of the valley stretching out below. Tier took the first shift, though they hadn’t seen any more bandits, they were out there, resentful and angry. He didn’t want to give them any chance to do anything. He’d settled against the outside wall when Xin approached him. She looked as if she were about to say something but instead she sighed, moving as though to go back inside. “Something on your mind?” He asked. She half turned, looking up at him. “How much further to Delebeg?” He peered into the dark valley below. “Do you see those lights in the distance?” She was quiet. He wished the moon was out so he could get a better glimpse of her face. Her hair was brushing his face, and arm and he was tempted catch it and braid it or something. He gripped his sword belt instead. It was safer. “That’s Delebeg?” She sounded forlorn. Tier inwardly sighed. He wasn’t sure what to do, how he might help her feel better. “It’s about four days, possibly five depending on how the horses do.” “It’s dry down there. I can feel it.” she shuffled her feet. “What’s it like?” He asked. He should send her back to bed, but he didn’t want her to leave just yet. “What? Water using?” “Yeah.” He hesitated. He almost mentioned being able to feel when she used her powers, but the words stuck in his throat. Now wasn’t the time. “It’s an irresistible pull.” She said after a long silence. “It’s a whisper in the back of my mind that never quite goes away. If I’m not careful I could end up going under.” She shuddered. “Going under?” “Getting lost in the call of the water. There were stories Matau told me about, stories of water users who were unable to resist the call of the water. They either disappeared or drowned.” Tier wasn’t sure what to say. “I think if there wasn’t such a harsh punishment for just being what we are, it wouldn’t have consumed them.” Her voice was almost inaudible. “The law,” Tier began but she interrupted. “What if the law is wrong?” She asked softly. “Have you ever considered that? Not all laws are right, just because they’re laws.” She touched his arm, a feather touch that sent shock waves through him. “It means that the people in power want it done that way.” He considered that. “Good night, Tier.” She went silently and he couldn’t think of anything to say to bring her back. He stared out into the darkness considering what she had said, and what she hadn’t. He’d never worried about it, never even thought about it. The law was the law. But that law dictated that he should put her to death. The law determined she was not a person, just an evil being. The Seeress had ordered him to seek out the elementals. Would she also order him to kill them? And if she did, could he really do it? He’d never questioned his orders. Never doubted that the Seeress knew what was right for Nekar, for their people. And yet she gave him chills, nightmares, and there were times he could almost feel her near him. Her fingernail dragging slowly down his chest, her voice whispering in his head. It left an oily, grimy feel that he hadn’t been able to wash away. If she suspected he was doubting her, doubting the laws he’d enforced his entire adult life, his life wouldn’t be worth living. She’d make sure of it. The question Xin asked earlier hung in his mind, nagging at him. If he was ordered to, could he kill her? For the first time in his life, he didn’t know the answer. Confused, troubled he stayed long past when he was supposed to wake Rale. When he finally went inside he was no closer to an answer. The next chapter will be posted Tues, July 15th. Elemental Truth ~ Chapter 9 pt 1 Chapter 9 pt 1 The city of Delebeg dominated the desert valley, the towering walls of the city a ruddy red matching the local rock. It straddled a dry riverbed that was dotted with old, long unused docks. The road leading to the tall gates was wide and lined with tall stones. The guards at the gate straightened and nodded in Tier’s direction as they passed through. Within the walls, the buildings were the same mud brick as the walls, and the dry dusty air made Xin feel like she was about to sneeze. Xin trailed behind the men. People stopped, staring as they went by. Many of them were dressed in loose robes that billowed in the lightest breeze. In the center of the city, glowing white beneath the unforgiving sun, was a palace. The closer they got to it, the more Xin noticed greenery. She frowned, glancing back. The people were following them from a distance. Xin swallowed, and urged her horse to move faster, closer to Rale and Tier. These people were unnerving. The road changed as they neared the palace. From brick to carefully laid cobblestones, and those following them stopped at the line where it changed. Neither men seemed to notice. Xin forced her attention on the arched gate. Beyond the gate was a courtyard and on the far end was a set of steps leading up to double doors. At the top of the steps stood a man. Tall, thin and gaunt, his eyes glittered as they neared. Tier raised his hand in greeting and dismounted. “No fanfare, no announcements nor chalets, just riding up the road. Gods of the great high one, you haven’t changed a bit.” The man’s voice was deep and though he was smiling, it failed to reach his eyes. Xin’s stomach twisted. There was something off about this man, but she wasn’t sure what. “Hello Lord Chiron, I don’t suppose we could impose on your hospitality?” Tier asked, meeting him half way down the steps. “We’ve been on the old road for a while, and could use a rest.” “My household would be honored to have you here, your highness.” Chiron said, bowing. “Lord Rale? Is that you under all that dust?” “It is.” Rale slid off his horse and limped over to Xin’s horse. “It’s a hell of a trek down the mountain.” “It is.” Chiron laughed. “Why did you take the old road.” “Scenery!” Xin dismounted stepping back as several youths with shaved heads arrived, bowed to them and took the reins from their hands, guiding the horses towards a side archway. Xin watched bemused. She couldn’t tell if they were male or female and their simple clothes didn’t give any hints When she looked back towards the men, Lord Chiron was staring at her, his heavy brows pulled together. His false smile faded. “I do not recognize you, my lady.” Chiron’s voice was odd. Xin glanced over at Tier, unsure of what to say. “This is Xin.” Tier motioned her over, resting a hand on her shoulder, he squeezed gently. “A road companion headed for Sandau.” Xin gave what she hoped was a proper curtsy. The way Chiron was staring at her made her wonder if she’d sprouted horns and hadn’t noticed. “Still picking up strays along the way, eh?” Chiron looked back at Tier and sneered. He motioned them to follow him up the stairs. “You haven’t changed at all.” “I believe you said that already.” Rale muttered as he touched Xin’s shoulder. “Come on, this will be unpleasant. Chiron hogs the water for the palace grounds so we might as well take advantage of it.” “Is that why the people were following us?” “Chiron isn’t exactly liked. The people here are always short on water.” Rale glanced behind him. “That’s how Chiron keeps them docile.” “Awful.” “It is. He is.” “It is going to be a long few days.” Xin murmured. “Yep.” Rale grimaced and allowed her to go ahead of him into the palace. They followed Chiron through large open halls and corridors, a maze that Xin feared she’d get lost in if left behind. The forest and finding her way in the mountains were easy. The mere idea of trying to manage these passages by herself made her gut twist. They were nearing another set of doors when Xin felt the heavy pull of water. She hesitated, glancing around. When the doors opened from without, the moisture hit her. Chiron had led them to an inner courtyard that flaunted his ownership of the water. It was dominated by a large fountain and pool, and around the base was a pond with water lilies. Along the edge of the courtyard, in huge buckets, were fruit laden trees. The moisture tugged at her, calling to her. She wanted to dive into the fountain, to rid herself of the dust and dry air. She hesitated at the entry, glancing at Tier. He was listening to whatever Chiron was saying. “We have a situation to the northeast. I must meet with my officials.” Chiron was saying. He clapped twice and two young women with dark skin and draped in loose, light yellow wraps, hurried over. Behind them, her steps slow and deliberate, her hands clasped in front of her, was an older woman. Her skin not quite as dark, and her wraps though similar style, were a rich orange with embroidery along the edges. One of the robes was pulled halfway over her head, covering her hair from view. She halted and bowed at Chiron. “You called, my lord?” “Take care of my guests.” HE turned towards Tier. “Is there anything else, your highness?” “No. Thank you. We will see you at dinner then.” Tier said, his tone had a touch of steel that Xin hadn’t heard before. She glanced at Rale whose eyebrows arched in surprise though he said nothing. Lord Chiron spun around and hurried off, his robes swishing as he went. Xin breathed a sigh of relief. The man had an oily aura about him that she didn’t care for. She turned her attention to the women. The two younger women half knelt, heads lowered. The older woman smiled at them, holding out her hands. Tier bowed, much to Xin’s surprise, and stepped forward, catching the woman in a tight embrace. “You have been away for far too long, Tier.” she spoke slowly, her accent heavy. “They usually have me on the other side of the nation.” Tier said turning towards Xin and Rale. “Vieno, these are my traveling companions, you remember Rale?” “It has been years.” Rale said bowing also. “Silly boys, you don’t bow to me, my lords.” She looked at Xin. “And who is this lady who travels with you?” “This is Xin, from the Dhaul region.” Tier hesitated. “She’s traveling with us till we reach Sandau.” “I’m no lady.” Xin said quickly. Vieno’s eyebrows arched and she smiled before turning towards Rale. “Fatira will take you to your quarters to clean up and rest. Dinner is at sunset.” One of the younger women stood, curtsied, and strode off towards a side door in the courtyard. After a moment’s hesitation, Rale followed. As the door closed behind him, a youth burst through running towards them, sliding to a stop, his eyes wide. “Your highness,” he bowed, gasping for breath. “Lord Chiron request your presence in the meeting hall.” He looked up. “The officials insisted.” “Chiron is always impatient.” Vieno said. Tier turned towards Xin, eying her for a long moment. “Vieno,” “Go on, highness, before Chiron loses his temper. I’ll make sure Lady Xin is comfortable.” Vieno gave a bow and then a shooing motion. Xin watched him walk away with the servant and turned to face Vieno. “You look very tired, young woman. Come with me.” Vieno smiled warmly, turned and walked back the way she’d come. Xin took a deep breath and followed the elegant woman. “He does not usually travel with others.” Vieno was saying as she made a final adjustment to the dress she’d insisted Xin wear. “So I have gathered.” Xin shifted, uncomfortable. The dress was a set of loose pieces of fabric, secured by just a few stitches here and there. They flowed around her with each step, yet were so light weight she felt as though she wore nothing. Secured at her shoulders, the dress left her arms bare, gathered at her waist the skirts covered her legs to her ankles which Vieno had insisted be decorated with thin golden chains. “He is an awful lair.” Vieno said directly. “You were not planning to go to Sandau.” “He is an awful liar.” Xin agreed laughing. “But yes, I have family in Sandau.” She resisted the urge to twirl in the dress and met Vieno’s gaze. The older woman’s eyes narrowed. “I will believe you, if you insist.” She said finally. “Come, sit, your hair needs fixing.” Xin slowly reached up, clasping both hands over her bun. “I won’t cut it, girl. Pull out the hair stick and let’s see it.” Vieno moved the chair closer. Xin swallowed and did so. Her hair fell out of the bun and Vieno nodded. “You take good care of it. Good. Now sit.” “Lady Vieno, this dress, the anklets, it’s all much too fine for me.” “You are a guest, and you travel with an Imperial Prince. You need to look the part. Besides, I saw the way he looked at you, I know you aren’t blind, you saw it too.” “He is an Imperial Prince. I am nothing.” Xin said as she sat. “It wouldn’t be,” she floundered her cheeks heating up. “He does not think you are nothing.” Vieno began to carefully comb through Xin’s hair. “Things could happen.” She chuckled. “He is not a bad looking man.” “No, he’s not.” Xin agreed, annoyed when the woman chuckled. “Still, what would be the point? When we get to Sandau we will go our separate ways.” She couldn’t think about returning to Nekar. Despite what he said, she couldn’t trust Seeress. “He is a lonely man.” Vieno said and set the comb to one side and began to do something with Xin’s hair that involved pulling, lifting and twisting. “He came to Delebeg as a young boy, left a man and in all that time he was alone. Even now, second in command of the Imperial Army in the East, he is alone. Few friends,” “What about Rale?” Xin asked. “They are cousins and happen to get along.” Vieno did something and Xin cringed, pain shooting through her scalp. “Sorry. Tier does his duty and that’s it. You are good for him.” “That’s all he lives for, he said as much.” Xin said softly. “You have given him something else to think of besides duty.” Vieno stepped back and nodded with a smile. “Look in the mirror girl.” Xin hesitated and stepped in front of the body length piece of metal and stared. The woman standing in the mirror couldn’t be her, could it? She smoothed the skirt over her front and blinked when the reflection did the same. Vieno had twisted her hair into a myriad of braids that looped and draped, working in a string of pearls which stood out against her dark hair. “Would it be so awful to be with him? Even for a short period of time?” Vieno asked gently. Xin couldn’t answer. She stared at the mirror, not really seeing her reflection. Tier had been in her thoughts, invading her sleep. It was stupid. What if the Seeress decided to have her put to death? He would be the one to do it. “He does his duty. He serves the Empire, the Seeress,” “He is on a mission for the Seeress.” Xin looked at the older woman. Vieno frowned. “I did not know that.” She shook her head. “That is a death sentence.” “So I’ve heard.” Xin looked down. “It wouldn’t,” she couldn’t continue. “This is not good.” Vieno tightened something on the dress. “It is a death sentence to be asked to do her work. Especially outside the Empire.” “Surely some have survived, I would think if anyone could, he would!” “Indeed.” But Vieno was still frowning. “What has she asked him to do? No, I’ll ask him myself.” “If it’s a death sentence, and everyone is afraid of her, why,” “Do we still follow her?” Vieno took a deep breath. “Because the alternative is much worse.” “Is it?” Xin shook her head. “Hush.” Vieno lowered her voice. “There are some things one doesn’t discuss, she can find things out at a great distance, and there are many mice within the palace walls.” Xin turned meeting the woman’s dark eyes. They studied each other. “Be careful what you say, and to whom. Dhaul is relaxed, less a part of the empire than a tributary. Words, the wrong ones, in front of the wrong person, can get you killed. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.” Xin murmured. “There are some things you should be aware of, customs you must adhere to.” Vieno said. “All eyes will be on you.” “Oh lovely.” The rest of chapter 9 will be posted Tues, July 22th. Sorry y’all, it was just way too long. Tagged Elemental Truth, elemental wars, self pubbing, serials \| Leave a comment \| With Vieno’s warnings in mind, and her head feeling like her scalp was going to rip off, Xin followed the matronly woman to the waiting chamber. Though she’d felt almost dazzled by the dress Vieno had draped on her, the other women’s gowns, edged in gold and silver, made hers look far simpler. Vieno smiled at her, turned and left. The other women eyed her, like a cat would eye a mouse. They were all taller than she was, darker complicated and heavily adorned with beads and things in their hair and dangling from their earlobes. They took her in, whispering amongst themselves and then dismissed her as a loud gong echoed. There were several low tables, men sitting on cushions on the marble floor and a crescent shaped table up on a dais. Lord Chiron sat at the center, to his left was a space that, as she hesitated, was filled by one of the elegant women. To his right sat Tier and Rale, a space between them. When they saw her they exchanged a look she couldn’t read before Tier motioned her to join them. To the space beside him. In front of all those people who watched her every move. She made her way quickly, praying she wouldn’t trip on the skirts or the cushions that were lining either side of the tables. When she reached the dais she was shaking and she sank to the cushion between the men, locking her eyes on the plate before her. “You all right?” Tier asked in a low voice. She glanced up at him trying not to see the people watching her. Both he and Rale had changed into more appropriate dinner wear, tunic and robes similar in style to the Delebeg people. It was odd seeing Tier without armor or weapons. Clothing change or not, he looked like a soldier in finery, which was oddly comforting. “There are a lot of people here.” She whispered. Tier nodded and rested his hand on her knee, leaning over towards her. “Pretend they aren’t there. You’ll be fine.” His voice was the barest whisper. “Easy for you to say.” She glanced up at him when he squeezed her knee in a manner she guessed meant to be reassuring. “They’re too worried with my title to see the people around them.” he squeezed her knee again and then removed his hand. Xin bit her lip looking back down at her plate feeling slightly bereft. She rubbed her forehead, what was she thinking? “Just ignore them.” Rale murmured at her other side. “They’re too worried about impressing Tier at the moment.” “I know, but it’s kind of hard to ignore them.” Xin did a quick glance around the room her stomach did a flop. Chiron watched her, his expression cold, emotionless. His eyes revealed nothing, Xin fought the urge to shiver and run, instead forcing a courteous smile. “Is everything acceptable?” he hesitated. “My lady?” He said the last slowly, as if in doubt his gaze flickering past her. An attempted insult, she was certain of it. His expression gave nothing away but she could feel the tension in both Tier and Rale. “Yes, my lord.” She forced her own smile, blinking several times vapidly. He wanted to play games? She’d played games with Matau aplenty. “It is unexpected to find such revelry so far from the Empire.” She smiled again, this time pleased to see the tension in his shoulders. “Delebeg is the Empire, my lady.” he replied through gritted teeth. “On the outskirts of, I suppose.” she said sweetly. Tier’s hand was back on her knee, gentle warning pressure. “It is a beautiful dining hall.” she hesitated before adding “My Lord.” Tier’s fingers dug into her knee almost painfully. Rale jabbed her in the side. “Be nice.” Rale hissed at her. Lord Chiron smiled coldly at her then looked towards the back of the room, clapping twice, loudly. Servants filed in, scantily clad men and women with trays of all sorts of food. Meats, roasts, fruits, jugs of liquids with fine goblets adorned huge silver trays, and with them wafted the rich smells that made her mouth water. Though she felt a bit braver for crossing subtle insults with Chiron, as the noise in the room grew Xin longed for the little cove in Dhaul, for her small attic. Even the fortress chambers, anything but this hall with all its noise and so many people. Everyone from her village could have fit in this room. Rale handed her a small glass of water. “Whatever you do don’t drink the wine.” he whispered. “Why?” Xin glanced up and down the table, neither Rale nor Tier had any of it though Chiron’s clear glass was full of the pale purple liquid. “The wine’s strong and I don’t trust Chiron.” Rale tapped the plate with his knife. “That red stuff is spicy, it burns. The meat should be pretty good, but anything that is red, steer clear of.” Xin looked at him and nodded. “Anything else I should know?” she whispered. “Chiron hates Tier. I think the feeling might be mutual.” Rale ate a bit, motioning her to do the same. Tier and Chiron were talking about some military issue. “Chiron will try to goad you or I into being rude. If we slip he can complain to the Emperor, which might give Tier some trouble.” Xin nodded. She stared at the food her stomach doing flops. “There’s too many people here.” “This is nothing.” Rale touched her hand. “The hall of the Imperial Palace is twice this size, so is the hall in Lorn. This,” he gestured to the hall. “Is small.” Chiron slammed his hand down, startling everyone. Tier looked at him. “A bit extreme, don’t you think?” Tier’s voice was bland. “Whose hall is this, your highness?” “T’was merely a suggestion, at the insistence of your general, Chiron. Nothing more. Nothing personal.” Tier sipped his water and made a motion with his free hand. “You’ve brought back some old traditions, I’ve only read about. Why?” Chiron lifted his wine glass and sneered. “There are certain things we’ve let go of since the campaigns to expand began. Did you know,” he paused downing his wine. Xin glanced at Rale who was slowly shaking his head. “That in the days of our Great Grandfather women wouldn’t dine in the same room as the leaders?” “Indeed.” Tier’s hand rested again on Xin’s knee. She considered batting it off, but restrained herself. “Women are unclean, they say.” Chiron looked directly at Xin. “In the days of our glorious ancestors women wouldn’t even live in the same house as the men.” “I’m sure the Seeress would find that truly enlightening, seeing as she is, after all, a woman.” Xin said sweetly, batting at Tier’s hand. The mention of the Seeress had an instant effect on both men. The blood drained from Chiron’s face, even Tier glared at her. “The Seeress changed those traditions, and for reason.” Tier said. Xin batted at his hand again glaring. The gong sounded again. “That’s the cue for the unclean women to leave.” A woman’s voice broke the strained silence. Chiron’s woman stood, tipping the plate of food in her hand over Chiron’s head, and let the platter fall to the ground with a loud, echoing clatter. “Perhaps you should ask the Seeress for clarification on this, tradition.” She snarled. She stormed down from the dais as Chiron spluttered. Tier released Xin’s knee, but gripped her arm as she prepared to stand. “Go straight to the rooms they assigned you. We’ll talk once this mess is cleared up.” The cold tone in his voice sent chills up her spine. She nodded and he released her. “And keep quiet. Please?” She took a deep breath. “Only because you said please.” She murmured. As she stood she caught the hint of amusement in Tier’s eyes and Rale had both hands covering his face, his shoulders shaking. As she left she felt almost lighthearted. Almost. She felt the weight of Chiron’s dark glare at her back as she left, and she wished Tier could have gone with her. “You’re lucky we’re guests.” Tier said as he entered. Xin half turned in the chair, heart pounding. How did the man, large as he was move so quietly? Vieno chuckled behind her. “She’s got fire. I don’t think there was a person in there who disagreed with her. Many of the nobles, men and women alike are getting tired of Chiron’s ways.” Vieno said. The woman was removing the string of pearls and undoing the twisting braids in Xin’s hair. “Chiron’s fuming. Serves the bastard right.” Tier set a tray down on the low table and made his way over. Xin looked back at the mirror watching his reflection. He grinned. “I think Rale cracked a rib laughing.” “Chiron’s woman has created many public scandals.” Vieno set the pearls to one side, smiling at Xin in the mirror. “She embarrasses him constantly.” “He’s an embarrassment to the Empire. That’s why he’s in Delebeg.” Vieno paused. “True. Delebeg suffers for it though.” Xin looked down in her lap, at her hands. “I’m sorry he was, aggravating me.” “No need to apologize.” Tier said with a chuckle. Xin glanced up at the mirror as he sat in one of the low chairs. “Bastard deserved it.” He said. “Tier.” Vieno admonished. “Vieno, he was goading her, if she hadn’t snapped Rale would have or I. She can get away with it, we can’t.” “Still.” Vieno finished and ran a comb through Xin’s hair. “He’s still your blood.” “Vieno,” “He and Maen are alike. And they know how to get under your skin.” “Maen was never this aggravating.” Tier snorted. “I’m sure he would find that interesting.” Vieno stepped back. “You finish your meal, I’ll see you in the morning.” “Thank you Vieno.” Xin said quickly running her hands through her hair. Her head still felt tight and achy from having her hair twisted so tightly. “Won’t you stay?” Tier asked smoothly. “There’s enough for all, including Rale if he decides to stop ogling Fatira.” “No, I ate already.” She gave him a slight bow. “Goodnight children.” “Children?” Tier asked archly. “When I look at you, Tier, I still see the twelve year old boy trying to wield a battle axe larger than he was!” Vieno patted his shoulder as she passed by. “That ended badly.” He snorted again. “And that boy grew up a long time ago.” “You’re still alone though.” Vieno gave him a long look before curtsying and leaving. “She cares a lot for you.” Xin observed. Tier looked at her nodding. “She’s an amazing woman.” Tier motioned her over. “You can’t eat halfway across the room, Xin.” Xin stood, made her way to the low chair across from where Tier sat and seated herself looking at Tier for a moment her stomach doing wild flops. “I’m sorry Tier.” He leaned forward shaking his head as he pulled the cover off the tray. “And I said not to apologize.” “Chiron is drunk.” He lifted a plate and handed it to her. “He started drinking around the same time we arrived and, according to his servants, hasn’t stopped.” Xin took the plate and sat back, crossing her legs under her. “Because of you being here?” “More than likely. Chiron and I don’t care for each other.” He leaned back with a chuckle. “Like my brother, Chiron seeks recognition for deeds others have done.” “And you don’t?” Xin asked after quickly swallowing a piece of meat. “I have my reputation.” He shrugged. “It is enough to know my advice and experience is sought after, even if I am, officially, on vacation.” They ate in comfortable silence, far more peaceful than the dining hall, though Tier did comment several times about Rale’s absence. Long after Tier left, Xin sat staring at the seat he’d occupied. The next chapter will be posted Thurs, July 24th. Elemental Truth ~ Chapter 10 “I behaved poorly, your highness, I beg your forgiveness.” Lord Chiron said. “You were drunk.” Tier shrugged, not looking up from the stack of maps he was going through. He had little patience for the man. “It happens.” “I trust your traveling companion is not too upset?” Tier lifted an old, worn parchment. “If your wife hadn’t dropped her food on you, Xin would’ve.” He glanced up at Chiron, smiling. “You deserved it cousin.” “Indeed.” Chiron gritted out. Tier ignored his glare, shuffling through the collection of maps and scrolls. “I’m not entirely sure I understand what you are looking for. You’ve never been an academic type.” Tier leaned back, drumming his fingers on the table. “The Seeress,” He hesitated. Chiron didn’t need the details. “Asked me to look into something for her, however she was vague on some of the details. Sandau was our next planned stop, but if your military advisers were correct,” “They are.” Chiron snapped. “The Emperor is aware of the situation and told us to take the fort anyways!” “Then Sandau is out of the question.” Tier ignored Chiron’s grumbling. “I saw a map in the south, showing cities I’ve never seen before.” “There were northern territories, once we traded with them, if history is to be believed. There has not been trade or any kind of communication with those territories in generations.” Chiron pulled a map from the stack of parchments Tier hadn’t gotten to. “Look,” he set the map in front of Tier. “Some say they were elemental run cities. Others say they were fortresses of the great dragons. I think they’re naught but ruin.” Tier peered at the map, beyond the canyons to the north, several large marks, the names faded and worn. “Absolutely infuriating. What we need is a good assassin to take out that damned Corrin and the others that are keeping our forces from taking the fort.” Chiron was pacing. “I don’t know that a commander from a backwater country like Sandau would be, in father’s eyes, worth sending an assassin.” Tier pointed out. “That’s what you said yesterday.” Chiron paused by the window looking out. “I hardly think Sandau a backwater country, and I think that the Emperor should rethink our position. It is a dangerous nation, waiting for a moment of weakness. Delebeg is not the strongest territory of the Empire. If Sandau decided to move in our direction,” he held out his hands. “Then the might of the Empire would be brought down on their asses.” Tier shrugged it off. He’d sat in Chiron’s war meeting, his suggestions, based off of his own experiences were ignored. “On three separate occasions I was ordered to take the damn fort. Each time Corrin managed a minor miracle and we find ourselves slinking back, tail tucked between our legs.” Chiron sipped at a glass of the purple wine he favored. “I received several letters, from the Emperor and one from the Seeress herself, telling me to take the damned fort.” He glared at Tier. “Each time that bitch out-thinks Delebeg’s finest.” Tier bit the inside of his lip, restraining himself. He wanted to get out of Delebeg, out of the heat and the acid atmosphere, away from his damnable cousin. “I gave my advice, yesterday. It’s not my problem.” He tapped the map, tired of talk of the fort. We’ll go through the canyons and make for one of those old cities.” He murmured, gut twisting. “What city is this?” “The locals called it Hyrfett.” Chiron went back to the arched window, staring down at the gardens through the white lattice work. “Once Delebeg was the capital of the Earth Elementals. Air Weavers, or floaters, had a city suspended above the canyon.” “I’ve never heard of it.” Tier regarded Chiron in surprise. He’d never thought that Chiron would have been well versed in any kind of folklore. “Neither had I till we chased a band of ruffians into the canyons in the early days of my being sentenced here. We found a village at the base of a massive rubble pile. The villagers said the last stand of the Air Weavers was made there. Said the Nekarian army took out the rock supports with false fire in the middle of the night and collapsed the whole damn thing.” He sipped from his wineglass and shook his head. “I think taking a look at that rubble is worth it.” “I’m not really one for architecture.” Tier stood and joined Chiron by the window, glancing down at the private gardens below. He tensed, following Chiron’s gaze. Xin sat beside one of the fountains, elbow on the marble staring at the water looking bored. She was surrounded by the other ladies of the household, with Vieno hovering nearby. She wore a dress similar to the one at dinner, though this was a pale blue. Her hair hung loose, the light shining off it gave a hint of blue. She straightened and stood, responding to something Vieno said. “She is exquisite, cousin. I dare say she held the dining hall captivated last night.” Chiron’s voice was admiring. Tier forced a smile, unable to tear his eyes from her as she edged away from the other women. “Dhaulain I am guessing?” “Yes.” Tier went to the liquor board, pouring a small glass of brandy. He didn’t drink often, too easy to drink too much, but he had to do something. He rejoined Chiron at the window. “Whose bed does she grace?” Chiron asked archly. “Yours? Or Rale’s?” “Neither.” Tier gritted his teeth, setting the brandy down on the windowsill untouched. “Why do you ask, you’re married.” “That hasn’t stopped me before.” Chiron sipped again from his wineglass. “She should be taught the respect of her betters, you know.” Tier took a deep breath fighting the urge to shove Chiron’s wineglass down his throat, or up his ass. “The only one to be teaching her that lesson would be me.” He forced his voice to be cold, as an Imperial should be. Chiron looked at him startled, a mocking smile flickered at his lips. “Can I consider this a claim, cousin?” “Consider it whatever you want to, Lord Chiron. I will not restrain myself from taking off your hand if you touch her.” Tier stepped forward, shamelessly using his heavier frame to crowd Chiron, forcing the other man to step back. Chiron’s eyes widened, jaw clenched. “Fancy you finding interest in a slip of a peasant slut.” he spat the last and Tier struggled with a sudden surge of rage. He forced himself to take a deep breath. “You have presumed much, in this short time, and have tried my patience.” Tier gritted out. “Even in the Imperial War College in Lorn, the complaints of the women of your household have been heard. We’re guests, passing through on a mission that is none of your business. If you want to pursue something, pursue reconciliation with your wife. It might make your bedroom life better. You go near Xin, I won’t stop myself. Got it?” Blood drained from Chiron’s face and he swallowed several times. “Yes, your highness.” he finally croaked out. Tier studied him before turning back to the table and its stack of letters and things. “We’ll dine in my quarters this eve, to save you the hassle.” Tier locked eyes on his cousin. “Is that acceptable?” “Of course, your Highness.” Chiron spoke through gritted teeth. “Whatever you desire.” Tier tucked the map into his vest and left. He needed to move, get some fresh, non-dry air. And to get space between him and that sniveling worm. The women of Chiron’s household had long decided she was not interesting. Their talk, consisting of court and household gossip and clothing styles, bored Xin to the core. She considered flicking some water at them, but there were too many eyes and she couldn’t risk exposure. Instead she half listened to their talk, watching the ripples in the water and the small flying insects that came to drink. She looked up when they fell silent and smiled. Tier barely acknowledged them, nodding at Vieno. “We need to talk.” He motioned the walking path that wound through the garden. Xin was relieved to see him. He was a rock in a sea of uncertainty. “Problems?” She peered up at him. She nodded tensing slightly when he rested his hand on her lower back guiding her past whispering women and down the tree lined walkway. The heat from his palm, his arm brushing her side and shoulder made her heart pound. It annoyed her to have such reactions to him. Rale didn’t send her heart pounding, nor did he grace her dreams at night. Tier was an imperial prince, for all she knew he was married or betrothed to some fine noblewoman. She had to keep that in mind. But it was hard to remember when the slightest touch sent her thoughts into a tailspin. “Something wrong?” She asked, glancing up at him. She could see the tension in his face, feel it through his touch. Once they got a distance from the fountain he stepped away, pacing in the small clearing. Fear filled her. “Did my outburst cause you trouble?” “No.” He said quickly, staring at her. “Not at all.” His dark eyes intense, several times he looked as if her were about to speak before he sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose. Xin bit her cheek to keep from smiling, he looked almost flustered. “We’ll be leaving in the morning. I gave Chiron orders to allow our to dine in my quarters. Less formal, fewer eyes.” “Fewer food fights?” Xin asked, snickering. He chuckled. “Will we be heading to Sandau then?” “We’ll discuss it at dinner.” He sank onto the bench. “There are to many mice here.” Xin blinked and nodded, of course, spies. “Things aren’t what they seem here, are they?” “Nothing is. No matter where you go.” He shrugged. “I want to get back to south.” Xin swallowed. “Homesick?” A shudder ran through him and he shook his head. “Not exactly. I left mid siege and have been on the road. I have no idea how that’s going, no word from the south has reached Chiron either.” “Duty. Of course.” She looked away. “The women here were talking about the trouble Chiron’s in.” “He wanted no assistance, nor did his people want to hear my suggestions.” There was a touch of annoyance, injured pride perhaps? “Tough to get a no, eh?” She asked without thinking. His eyebrows shot up but he gave a rueful grin. “Not used to hearing it.” “Of course not. Who says no to the Imperial prince?” Xin stepped back when he stood, though he just seemed amused. “I really hate my titles.” “You wear them very well though, Tier. Even if you pretend you don’t.” “I will have to remember not to try to mince words with you, woman. You have a mean tongue.” He said. “Come on. There is enough gossip in this pit of vipers, I’d rather not add to it.” “The women giving you trouble?” Tier asked. Xin shrugged. “No. I’m not highborn enough for them. Not to mention all they talk about is clothes and who is sleeping with whom.” she fluttered her hand. “I got my fill of that from Matau.” “Which is why I tend to avoid court.” He pointed towards the complex of buildings. “There’s a library to hide in over this way, if you want to get away.” “A library? You read for leisure?” She asked archly. He shook his head. “On occasion.” he laughed. “More often I’ll sleep. It’s very peaceful, even the most tiresome old windbags shut up in the library.” “She said you’re on a mission for the Seeress.” Vieno said, her voice low. Tier glanced towards her then back to his bags. “I am.” He closed his travel bag, meeting her eyes. “There wasn’t an option to turn her down.” “Why you?” Vieno clasped her hands together, shaking her head. “No, what goes on in the mind of the Seeress is known only to her. What has she sent you for?” “Tier.” Tier glanced around the room. It looked secure, but Chiron’s home was riddled with old passages and hidden niches. There could be any number of listeners. He held out his hands, Vieno nodded, moving over to the wall, pressing her palm against the stucco. “There are old secrets, some that should never be overheard.” Vieno met his eyes. Light flared up under her palm, streaking out on either side, bathing the room in a soft red glow. She looked up at him, her lip twitching. “How did you do that?” He asked. She shook her head. “It would take too long to explain. What has the Seeress asked you to do?” “She ordered me to locate elementals.” “And bring them back to her to help mend the world.” Tier ran a hand through his hair. “Mend the world?” “That’s what she said.” Tier felt his stomach twist. Now, miles away from the seeress it felt a very thin explanation. Vieno paced slowly not meeting his eyes. “She wiped out the elementals, generations ago.” She said. “There’s another reason she wants you to bring them to her. It’s impossible, there are no more.” “That’s what I thought.” Tier said slowly. Vieno halted and looked at him. Her eyes widened as it struck her. She nodded. “I see.” Vieno pressed her fingers together in front of her. “I can’t figure out what I’m missing.” He admitted. “She sent you to Dhaul?” Vieno scowled. “Aye. But gave us no indication as to where we needed to go next. We figured that the earth shapers were originally from this area, so we came here. Not sure where to go from here though.” “It’s futile, Tier. There have not been reports of Earth Shapers since I was a child. And as far as I know there are no more air weavers.” Vieno’s eyes narrowed. “The fire wielders were all in the Sandau and plains region, as far as I know there are none.” “There were rumors in Jacktor that the Lord of Sandau is a fire lord.” Vieno waved her hand, shaking her head. “No, we would have heard such news here. There’s something she didn’t tell you.” “I worry that this isn’t,” he hesitated. “The honorable path.” “You question her?” Vieno asked softly. Tier swallowed. “Not exactly.” “One can be loyal to Nekar, but not to her, you know.” She said it softly. Tier stared at her, the words echoing in his head. “She is Nekar.” He murmured. “I don’t believe that. And neither do you.” “Just saying that can get me killed, Vieno.” “Serving her, will get you killed.” She touched his hand. “Perhaps. I doubt that she’d call on the Imperial household just to kill me off though.” Tier pointed out. Vieno inclined her head. “This is true.” She pressed her hand against the wall again and the color faded. “Sleep well, dear one.” She was gone before he could say goodnight. Vieno hurried through the old city, stepping gingerly over sprawled drunks and piles of rubbish, her mind whirring. She barely glanced at the archway she ducked beneath, though she paused, looking around once before sliding behind the ragged cloth that hung over the doorway. Two men inside stood, startled and hastily bowed. “Lady Vieno, we weren’t expecting,” “Do you have a runner available?” She asked. She didn’t have much time, her absence couldn’t be noticed. “Yes my lady, but,” “I need you to send this to Lorn.” She held out a small black feather. Both men frowned. “A feather?” “The recipient will know its meaning.” She pierced the men with a cold look. “Can your runner leave now?” “Of course I can!” A slender man stepped into the room from the hall, bowing deeply. He took the feather from her staring at it with narrow eyes before looking at her. “It cracks?” “Slightly. You have a name?” “Anil, my lady. At your service.” He bowed again. Vieno smiled. Yes, this one would do nicely. “This must be delivered to,” He held out his hand. “Ambassador Xeresel.” Vieno clasped her hands in front of her. “It is vital you get this to him, as quickly as possible.” He tucked the feather into a bag which he hung on his belt. “When you return, report to me directly at the palace.” “Yes my lady.” He gave his fellows a salute, bowed again to Vieno, and ducked out the door. Vieno nodded, glancing at the two startled men. “You didn’t see me.” “Of course not, my lady.” They sat, backs to the doorway. She slipped from the room, glancing around. Anil was nowhere to be seen. She took a deep breath and began to make her way back to the palace. The next chapter will be posted Tues, July 31st. To Xin’s relief, Lord Chiron was absent from the courtyard when they gathered in the cool pre-dawn. Lady Vieno stood serenely at the base of the steps. Her eyes sad, though she smiled at Xin. “There are rumors from the south, that there are tribal people gathering near the canyons.” She said, turning to Tier. He nodded, tightening the girth of one of the horse’s saddles. “There were whispers about an Earth Elemental.” Vieno shook her head. “I don’t believe it though. More likely there is some tribal skirmish.” “Elementals are extinct, right?” Rale grinned at her. “Perhaps.” Vieno’s smile faded. “When I was a child I saw an Earth Elemental lift a wall of rock between her and some attackers.” “She was executed.” Vieno said shortly. She handed him several water skins. “Stay on the main roads, avoid the tribal people. They have gotten very aggressive in recent years.” “Just visit more often.” Vieno gave a low bow and smiled again at Xin before turning and making her way up the wide steps. They filed out of the courtyard in silence, walking through the dingy city streets towards the tall gates. Once they left the city, making their way along the well-worn dusty path Rale called a halt. He eyed Tier. “You’re planning on going to the old town, aren’t you?” “Do you want to go back to the Seeress and tell her that we heard a rumor of an Earth Elemental but didn’t look into it?” The silence stretched. Rale stared off towards the distant cliffs and swore under his breath. “I didn’t think so.” Tier turned his horse back around and led them down another narrower path. Xin and Rale exchanged dubious looks but followed. Scrub-brush and priest-trees dotted the sandy landscape, the branches of the priest trees reached up towards the clear blue sky, a plea perhaps for water? She felt no moisture, no call of water. They picked their way along the old path, making their way cautiously through old gullys and a dried up river bed. Distance was tricky. What looked like it should have only taken a few hours at most to reach the mountains, by nightfall the mountains loomed in the distance, and Tier called a halt. “We should reach it by midday tomorrow.” He dismounted. “How does anyone survive in this place?” Xin asked, following his lead. They talked as they prepared the small camp; a small clearing with some deadwood around the edges. “How? Hells with how, why? What’s here?” Rale indicated the dried scraggly brush. “The only water controlled by Chiron, or whoever sits as Governor. Can’t grow food, why would anyone bother?” “Gold.” Tier pointed towards the mountains. “There’s gold and other rare minerals in the mountains. It costs to keep the Empire running. Delebeg has some of the richest mines in the world.” Xin shook her head. “The pursuit of gold, what a waste. Personally I’d like a nice dip in a stream.” “The river used to wind all the way to the northwest canyons.” Tier said. “When I was here as a youth, we went up to the dried out lake. I remember Vieno talking about how the lake dried up during the war of the Elementals.” “I heard her say that once the whole Delebeg region was a forest too. Ages ago.” Rale looked at Xin. “In the center of the city is a huge tree stump, as big as a house.” “Old legends say that when the tree sprouts again, Delebeg will be freed of the empire.” Tier snorted. “One hears all sorts of odd things when one is creeping through hidden passages.” “I thought those passageways were just rumor!” Rale whistled. “Wish I’d known that before we left.” “I’m sure you do. I found them after arriving here.” Tier grinned. “I was a bit troublesome when I got here, I was trying to find a ways out of the palace.” “Why were you sent up here?” Xin asked. “Maen and I wouldn’t stop fighting, and father got tired of having to separate us.” Tier rubbed the bridge of his nose, sheepishly. “It got a little bit violent.” “I heard there was some sort of knife fight.” Rale commented. “There was that too.” Tier shrugged. “I told you, we never got along.” It took her a long time to finally fall asleep, the heat of the day had turned to a bone chilling night. She dreamed of a river winding through the Delebeg valley. It was not the dry and dead desert, instead it was a lush forest. In the center of the valley towered a tree, taller than any she’d seen before. There was a loud, steady pounding, like a heartbeat. And with each strike the land changed. From green to brown, and the tree whithered. She half sat up, blinking blearily towards the fire. The pounding didn’t cease with her waking. She heard it, in the distance. “What is that?” She startled herself asking it aloud. “They’re a long ways away, Xin.” Tier said. He stood on the edge of the circle of firelight, facing the dark. The firelight glinted off his sword. “You might as well go back to sleep.” She could hear yelling in the distance, almost yipping like wild dogs. “I don’t know that I can with that. Do you know what they are saying? “No.” He looked her way, the shadows hiding his features, giving him a far older look. “They resist most interaction with the Empire, except for the Seeress and her priests.” “So they adhere to her laws.” She frowned. “Usually.” He looked back into the dark. “There hasn’t been an uprising in recent years, that I’ve heard about, though Chiron complained about them.” “I don’t like Chiron. He’s greasy.” Xin admitted. Tier chuckled. “He is.” The drums pounded on. “Try to get back to sleep.” The village was a collection of mud huts, divided by the road that led to the cliffs. Blocking the road, garbed in an assortment of rags and leather, were villagers in a circle around something huddled on the ground. The villagers parted, allowing them to pass, though they glared at them. Xin swallowed, eyes locked on the small figure on the ground. A child. They’d encircled a child. A thin, wiry man carrying a spear decorated with bones and feathers, stepped between Tier and the child. He pointed the spear at Tier, rattling something off in in a language she couldn’t understand. She looked sharply at Tier who pointed at the man then towards the scrub brush. The man shook his spear, feathers and bones rattling loudly, yelling. “Tier this isn’t a good situation.” Rale hissed. “He’s a child, Rale.” Tier pointed at the huddled form. “We can’t let them kill him, elemental or not.” The child pushed up, crouching low, dark eyes staring at them. He flung his arm up. Solid rock shot up from the ground, leaving a crater, and flew through the air towards the assembled. The crowd scattered, screaming. Xin’s horse jerked and she hit the ground, the air in her lungs whooshing out. She gasped rolling to one side as the boy ran down the old street towards the narrow opening in the cliffs that led to the canyons. The tribal people were yelling around her and Xin was hauled to her feet. “You hurt?” Tier’s voice was loud against her ear. “I’m fine. He ducked into the canyons.” She looked around, Rale had her horse and Tier’s and was still mounted. Tier had drawn his sword and jerked his head towards her horse. “Get ready to ride.” She nodded, shaking as she pulled herself back up on her horse. Tier backed up slowly. “Your interference has cost us dearly.” The old man hobbled towards them. Tier towered over the man, pointing his sword at him. “From this point on this is an Imperial matter.” Tier’s voice was low but the man in front blinked several times, his body weaving back and forth. “The road is Imperial territory and you and your people are trespassing. Be gone.” The last two words were accompanied by a rolling power, a low whisper that skittered across Xin’s senses. It wasn’t directed at her, rather the group watching them, but it made her tremble. Imperials weren’t supposed to have that kind of power. The tribesmen’s eyes glazed and they turned and stumbled out into the brush. Xin’s horse sidestepped uneasily and she glanced at Rale who was slowly shaking his head, eyes wide. “How the hell?” Rale stared at Tier. “Let’s go.” Tier said curtly, remounting. He turned his horse and took off at a rolling canter, following the child’s path. Xin and Rale exchanged stunned looks. “How did he do that?” She whispered. The next chapter will be posted Tues, Aug 5th. The canyons were a maze of narrow passages winding through rock. Etched out by rivers, ages past, they’d always unnerved him as a youth. Tier followed the footprints in the dirt, trying not to think too hard about what he did. If he gave it too much thought, he’d make himself go insane. The boy’s trail led them along a narrow path that led down into a steep ravine. Tier halted, considering. The boy’s abilities might have killed someone. Tier dismounted, staring towards the edge of the ledge. They’d need to be careful. Tier didn’t look at Rale and Xin when they caught up. They were full of questions and he had no answers. “What did you just do?” Rale demanded, dismounting. “That,” “We don’t have time to discuss it.” Tier crouched near the edge of the ledge, staring down at the river winding between pillars of stone far below. The path down was a paler rock than the surrounding stones, and crisscrossed, back and forth down to the ravine floor. He frowned, stood and stepped back. Power rippled across his mind. A loud crack echoed through the canyons and the path broke from the cliff wall, tumbling to the ravine floor below. “I glad you weren’t on that!” Xin said, touching his arm. She glanced down into the ravine. “Me too.” Tier frowned. “He’s right by the river.” She looked back at Tier. “Is there another way down?” “I don’t know.” Tier scanned the area. There were other high canyon passages. “This place is a maze.” Xin nodded and stretched her hands out, palms down. Tier watched, trickling power, a whisper in his head, accompanied her hand gestures. She raised her hands up over her head, rotating her hands till they were palm up. A thin stream of water lifted crept upwards. She spread her fingers and the water gained a flat mushroom-like top. Xin nodded, glancing at him. “What are you doing?” Rale asked, his voice hushed. She grinned and clenched her hands into fists. There was an odd crackling sound and Tier realized the water hardened into thick ice that glistened under the sun. “Watch my horse will you?” She didn’t wait for an answer, instead stepping onto the flat ice and lowered her hands. The water platform sank back down to the ravine. Tier swore. “Did you know she could do that?” Rale whispered. “No.” Tier shook his head. “No I didn’t.” Xin’s heart pounded as she stepped from the ice platform onto the narrow sandy bank. The boy backed up, his mouth open in a perfect ‘o’. His ebony skin glistened under the sunlight, his tight, curly hair filthy and twig ridden. Xin eyed him, noting the blood dripping from a split lip and his left eye so swollen she doubted he could see out of it. He crouched, baring his teeth like an animal and growling. “Can you speak Dhaul? Or Common Nekar?” Xin asked. She stayed near the water, feeling the current. The boy held out his hand, a large rock wobbled and lifted. He made a fist and the rock shot towards her. She pulled water from the river, knocking it aside before it hit her face. The water and rock hit the cliff, the rock clattering to the sand. Xin directed another stream of water towards the child, knocking him into the water. She raised her hands, the water lifted him out of the river and set him back on the river bank. She pulled all the water from his ragged clothes, removing dirt, blood, and debris. When she stepped back, she struggled to catch her breath. The boy lifted his hands, turning them back and forth, his eyes wide “I don’t want to hurt you. Do you understand?” Xin tried again, hoping he wouldn’t try to fight anymore. She was tired, she’d never used her abilities in this way. The boy sneered and crouched, fists in front of him. He said something, his words unfamiliar to her. “I don’t understand.” She spread her hands out in front of her, hoping it wasn’t threatening to him. He pointed to the water and said something else, punctuating each word with a stomp that sent ripples through the ground. “That man up there just saved your life.” Xin said. “He also saved mine. The least you can do is thank him.” Pebbles lifted from the ground, wobbling, and the boy snarled. Xin shook her head, walking away from the boy, along the river. “He’s on a mission for the Seeress of Nekar.” She said glancing over her shoulder. “She wants him to find elementals.” A pebble was flung her way. She directed water between her and it, freezing and dragging the pebble back to the river. She turned and looked at the boy. “Nice try.” Pebbles began flying in her direction and she moved a wall of water between her and the boy, freezing it as the pebbles hit it. A larger rock smashed through the ice and Xin leapt out of the way, landing hard on the sand. She stood up, lifted her hands, and directed the water to coil around the boy. A stone flew her way and she didn’t move fast enough. It glanced off her forehead and she stumbled, stunned and dizzy, the water splashing. She touched her temple, and looked at her fingers. Crimson. She wiped her fingers on her tunic. Water erupted from the river, wound around the kid and froze. She stomped over to him glaring. “I’m done being nice.” She snapped. “Are you gonna kill me now?” He spoke common Nekarian, his voice cracked and low. Xin blinked several times. Her anger faded and her heart twisting. This was just a child after all. “You can speak a language I understand.” He said nothing, but two large tears dripped down his cheek. “Can you make another walkway come down from the cliffs up there?” He closed his one good eye. “No one is going to kill you.” She lowered him down and pushed the water back to the river. He looked up blinking. “My people,” “Tier ran them off.” Xin glanced up the cliff side, far above Tier and Rale waited. She swallowed looking back at the boy. “The big man?” Xin nodded and wiped her face with her hand, staring at the smear of red on her fingers. “I’m sorry.” the child crept backwards. Xin eyed him, tired. He looked down, using his long toes to make paths in the dirt. “I can’t just call you boy.” “Geb.” He said glancing up at her. “I have no family name.” “Earth shaper Geb, I am Xin.” She held out her hand. The boy looked at her hand then looked up at her. She lowered it. “Okay. The man who stopped your people, he was sent on a mission to find elementals.” “He wasn’t told.” The boy sneered at her. “And you want me to join you?” She studied him. He was older than she first thought he was, though small and thin. Twelve maybe? Ten? “How old are you?” He said nothing but held out his hand. Xin took a step back, fighting her aching head. She wasn’t sure she could do another battle. Around them the small rocks began to shift and bounce on the ground. From the cliff face a wide pathway shot out, winding back and forth. Xin stared at it and looked down at Geb. “Thank you. I owe them my life. That is why I go with them. They haven’t harmed me in any way.” Geb swallowed, running a boney hand over his face. Xin wanted to hand him her rations, but they were in her pack, on her horse. It was criminal how thin he was. “I don’t believe you.” “Then stay.” Xin turned and stepped on the stone, glancing over her shoulder. “You’ll be lonely down here, but if that’s what you prefer, then good day.” She picked her way up the steep slope, aware that Geb was following her a discrete distance behind. She didn’t look behind her until she stepped onto the ledge, but she couldn’t see the boy. Tier gripped her arm pulling her from the ledge edge. “Next time warn us before you do something like that.” His voice odd. He pressed a cloth against her temple. “That looks nasty.” “I didn’t have time to warn you.” She glanced at the boy who was creeping up the path poking over the cliff, but Tier put his hand under her chin making her look back at him as he dabbed at the wound. She scowled. “It’s not deep!” “It’s still bleeding bad.” Rale handed Tier another bandage. Xin batted at them both, scowling. “I’m fine.” She met Tier’s narrow gaze. “The boy?” “His name is Geb. He was panicking.” She glanced back towards the ledge. She couldn’t see him, though she felt he was there. “How badly was he injured?” Tier asked gruffly, stepping back. “Busted lip, one eye looks swollen shut, and thin. Tier, he looked almost skeletal.” She looked back towards the ledge. “He didn’t seem interested in coming with us.” “We can leave some of the rations and water,” Rale said, shuffling through the bags. “Good idea.” Tier went to his own pack and pulled out a spare tunic. “Didn’t look like he had many clothes either. It gets cold out here at night.” Xin turned towards the ledge, hoping to see the boy. “The canyons are no place to stay.” Tier called. “There are hiding places.” The boy growled back, though he was still hidden. “Aside from what we’ll leave behind, there’s no food, very little water,” Tier crouched, setting the folded tunic on the ground and taking the water skin and rations from Rale. “We have more, are traveling on to other safer places. You’d have a better chance with us than without.” “You have a great gift!” Rale added. “I’d like to see more of what you can do.” A hiss drifted from the rocks, but the boy didn’t show himself. Tier turned, expression thoughtful. “Let’s give him space. The water and food won’t last long. If we backtrack we’ll find the old road. If Chiron’s maps were right, it should lead straight to Hyrfett.” He looked at Xin. “Do you need to sit down before we continue?” “I’m fine Tier, just tired. Hey!” Hands on her waist, he lifted her up. She swung her leg over her horse’s back, grabbing at its mane, getting herself settled. When she looked back, Tier was walking back to where his horse waited patiently. The next chapter will be posted Thurs, Aug 14th. Tagged Elemental Truth, elemental wars, serials \| 1 Comment \| Twisted pillars of metal stuck out of a mound of huge boulders. At its base, shadowed by debris, was a collection of blackened and burned buildings, surrounded by a broken wooden fence. The old gate lay on the ground, half covered by dust and dirt. An old and tattered Nekarian flag fluttered in the mild breeze, hanging from a leaning pole stabbed into a pile of blackened bones just inside the gate. Tier pulled his horse to a stop, staring at the bones. “It looks like Chiron forgot a few details.” He murmured. He looked at Xin. She was shaking her head. “He said nothing about this.” “They flattened the village, didn’t they?” Xin asked softly. Tier looked away, unable to meet her eyes, and dismounted. He needed to take a closer look. He went cautiously around the bones, not wanting to disturb them. He didn’t see any wisps, but he felt them, watching. Waiting. “Tier, why would Chiron do this?” Rale’s voice was loud in the eerie silence. “Why does Chiron do anything?” He glanced back. Rale and Xin were leading the horses through the gate, following Tier’s path. Tier saw a movement in the rocks beyond them. The boy was still following them. He chuckled and turned back to the village, carefully moving through the single street. At the far end of the street was the local small temple. A shrine to the gods, and the only building untouched by fire. A parchment was nailed to the door. The sound of gravel beneath his feet was loud in his ears. He hesitated, when he reached it, glancing around. No wisps. No ghosts. He shook off his unease and straightened out the faded and partially rolling parchment. He frowned, scanning over the old edict. “What does it say?” Xin asked at his elbow. He glanced down at her, she was facing the street. “Just a decree that the Seeress ordered this village closed.” He stumbled over the last word and looked around at the burned out huts and finally at the distant pile of bones. “I don’t understand it. The canyon folk are poor, though their work in the mines made many a merchant rich.” “Perhaps there was an uprising.” Rale suggested. Tier shrugged. “I don’t recall hearing anything. According to Chiron they were descendants of the Air elementals. That rubble is what’s left of Hyrfett.” “That’s why.” Xin said looking up at him. “She wanted to get rid of anyone who might be an air elemental.” “And then send him to go locate one?” Rale asked. “Doesn’t make sense.” Tier moved down the steps of the small temple and made his way towards the pile of bones. He felt a whisper of power being used. He turned scanning the buildings. It wasn’t the earth boy when he’d used his ability, it felt solid. This barely brushed against his mind. He felt it again, further away, then it faded. “Tier?” Xin touched his arm. “What is it?” He shook his head. “Thought I,” he stopped. In the doorway of one of the burned out huts stood the pale outline of a child. Tier swallowed. The outline got thicker, the form more solid. It was a little girl, watching him. Her ghostly hair moving in the wind. “Thought I heard something.” Xin narrowed her eyes and glanced towards the house. “Do you,” “No.” he said curtly and strode back towards the horses. He needed to get out of this place. The longer they were there, the greater chance for him to see the souls of those massacred. Neither Rale nor Xin argued with him about heading towards the crossroads further south. “You can travel openly with us and get a share of our provisions or creep behind us like a wild animal taking our scraps. It’s your choice.” He called to the boy hiding in the ruins. There was no reply, no sound and Tier shrugged, pulling himself up on his horse. He led them back south towards the distant crossroads and away from the little ghost girl who still watched him from the door of the house. The crossroads was a dry dusty square with old iron cages hanging from a set of large, man-made wooden frames. There were remains of people still in the cages and Xin would have preferred to keep going but Tier called a halt, voice sharp. Rale said a few choice words in Nekarian as he dismounted and for a moment Xin’s breath caught. Tier glared at him but said nothing. Xin went about helping them set up camp listening as they snapped back and forth. Rale finally snarled something and went towards the cages, muttering under his breath. Xin took a deep breath and went over to Tier who was glaring after his cousin. “You are being a total ass, you know that?” She said. He looked at her. “I am, am I?” “You’ve been short with him,” she jerked her head towards Rale. “Since we left the burned out village.” he snorted and turned to leave but she grabbed his arm. “Oh no, don’t go walking away. You saw something, what?” “It has no bearing with right now.” She shook her head. “You are an awful liar.” He ran his hand through his hair not meeting her eyes. “There was a ghost child just watching us. Those people were poor, there was no uprising, they were murdered in their sleep.” Xin let her hand drop. “It wasn’t your doing, Tier, it’s not your fault.” His lips pressed together. “No, but it was men like me who did it. I don’t think any of them questioned it. Not a single one.” He met her gaze before turning and walking away. Xin watched him for a moment, then went to the small simple fire and sat, staring at the flames. Tier stirred the fire, glancing over at his companions. Rale was facing away from the fire and snoring. Xin was facing the fire, sleeping. He stood, glancing out at the darkness that was pressed against the firelight. He didn’t see any spirits, for once, but he did see the huddled shape just beyond the ring of firelight. He lifted the water skin shaking it lightly, the water sloshed loud in the still silence. “You must be thirsty.” He said softly, not wanting to wake the others. No sound though he was certain the boy was listening. “We won’t hurt you. I’d like to talk to you.” Movement, the child crept closer. “Why?” the voice was rough, cracked. Tier set the water down and moved closer to the fire where he sat, legs crossed staring at the shadows beyond the wall of darkness. “I have never met an Earth Elemental before.” Tier admitted. “I was told there were none.” The boy crept into the light, picking up the water skin with trembling hands. He drank quickly, throat moving with each swallow. Water dribbled from the corner of his mouth. When he lowered it Tier got a good look at the boy’s face. Swollen, dark bruises under his skin. One eye was swollen shut and his nose looked broken and he was studying Tier as much as Tier was studying him. “We have to hide.” The boy said, dropping to a crouch. “How’d they discover you?” “Rocks falling.” The boy looked down, trailing his fingers in the dirt. “Don’t wanna talk about it.” He glanced to Tier’s right then back. “Where are you going?” “Not sure.” Tier admitted. “Trying to decide. I’m supposed to find an Air Elemental and a Fire Elemental.” “The Air Elementals fled to Sandau.” Tier blinked several times. “What?” “Legends. Nekar marched against Hyrfett and those who survived, fled to Sandau. At least that’s what the elders said, when the priests weren’t around. They say the Fire Lords of Sandau protected them.” Tier stared, dumbfounded. “So outside of Nekar, this is common knowledge?” he wasn’t directing the question at the boy, but Geb nodded. “The elders believe the power to move the rocks comes from evil spirits.” Geb leaned forward. “They believe it will destroy the world if it is used, that it will release the ancient demons from slumber.” “The spirits have nothing to do with those powers.” Tier said, his mind running in circles. What the hell was he going to do? “It’s like breathing.” The boy held out his hand and a group of small pebbles floated up, a solid rumble of power rippled across Tier’s mind as the pebbles spun in a slow circle. The pebbles dropped with a clatter and the boy looked at him startled. “Just pebbles…” “And I have to actually reach down and pick them up.” He did so, scooping a small handful of little rocks. The boy shrugged glancing away. Tier followed his gaze and smiled. Xin. “She can do amazing things with water.” The boy said, voice hushed. He looked at Tier guiltily. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.” “She harbors no ill will against you.” Tier said. Geb nodded, yawning. Tier stood and went to his pack. He turned towards the boy, handing him his cloak. “Go lay down, get some rest. It’s been a long day.” The boy looked at the cloak then back up at Tier. “Thank you.” Tier shrugged settling on his sleeping roll. It was a long time before he was able to get to sleep. The next chapter will be posted Tues, Aug 19th.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1469
__label__wiki	0.654736	0.654736	Northeast Kingdom - page 4 Gov. Scott keynote speaker at annual chamber meeting in Newport Published on April 14, 2018 in Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Governor Phil Scott will be the featured keynote speaker at the Newport based Vermont’s North Country Chamber of Commerce annual meeting and luncheon. The event will take place at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 25, at the Eastside Restaurant in Newport. Governor Scott will speak on the north country’s economy and its future. Luncheon tickets should be purchased in advance and are available on the chamber’s website at www.vtnorthcountry.org/annual-luncheon. Tickets are $20 per person or a table of 10 for $200. The luncheon is open to both chamber members and interested community members. At the annual meeting, the chamber will elect members for its Board of Directors, updates on this year’s Aquafest will be shared, new area businesses will be recognized, and community involvement awards will be presented to area businesses. Vermont’s North Country Chamber of Commerce operates the Welcome Center on the Causeway in Newport plus promotes events and activities designed to improve business and lifestyle in its membership area. The chamber membership is open to all businesses, organizations, and individuals interested in promoting the economic well-being of the greater Newport area, including Orleans County, eastern Franklin County, and northern Essex County. Amphibians begin migration, drivers asked to slow down Published on April 13, 2018 April 13, 2018 in News/Northeast Kingdom/Outdoors by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — One of the great wildlife migrations is happening right now, and it’s taking place right at our feet. You may have already heard the spring peepers or wood frogs calling in your backyard. Or perhaps you’ve noticed salamanders crawling over rocks in a nearby stream. Amphibians are on the move, but their spring breeding migration can too often become deadly. Amphibians migrate by the thousands each spring in search of breeding pools. This migration frequently takes them across roads and highways where they are killed by cars, which contributes to species’ decline in Vermont, according to biologist Jens Hilke with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. “Frogs and salamanders become active on rainy spring nights,” said Hilke. “On these nights, drivers should slow down on roads near ponds and wetlands or try to use an alternate route. These amphibian ‘hotspots’ can lead to the death of thousands of animals on a single night.” Hilke is asking drivers to report these hotspots, or areas with large numbers of frogs and salamanders that cross the road all at once. You can contact the Vermont Reptile & Amphibian Atlas by emailing Jim Andrews at jandrews@vtherpatlas.org “We work hard to identify these hotspots and to mitigate the problem whenever possible to help give these animals a better chance of survival,” said Hilke. The Fish & Wildlife Department is working with the Vermont Agency of Transportation to include culverts and wildlife barriers in road construction plans to allow wildlife, from frogs to moose, to more safely cross the road. The town of Monkton has completed a highway project that is aimed at providing amphibians with a safe way to cross under the road. Conservation officials and volunteers also work together on rainy spring nights to slow traffic and manually move amphibians across the road. Trout season opens this Saturday Published on April 9, 2018 in Northeast Kingdom/Outdoors by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Vermont’s traditional trout fishing season is set to open on Saturday, April 14, and despite recent cold weather and lingering snow cover across the state, officials from Vermont Fish and Wildlife say anglers can be successful early in the season by following a few basic tips. “Just like any other time of year, anglers fishing early in the spring should adjust their tactics based on the conditions,” said Bret Ladago, state fisheries biologist. “Given the cold weather and runoff from recent storms and snow melt, water levels will be high, flows will be faster than normal and water temperatures will be cold. Ladago says anglers may want to target small to medium low-elevation rivers and streams where flows are slow and waters will warm more quickly. Finding water that isn’t too muddy can be key, and slowing your lure or bait retrieval will help tempt sluggish trout into biting. Trout will often hold close to the bottom in the deeper areas of streams during high flow conditions to conserve energy. Choose locations and tactics that allow for fishing bait or lures right along the bottom. Ladago says that fishing slowly with worms or spinners through deep holes behind current breaks created by big boulders, downed trees or log-jams can be productive for early season trout. Vermont is known for its excellent and diverse fishing opportunities for wild trout. Trout stocking in streams and rivers generally occurs in May, following spring runoff, so most early season fishing is entirely supported by wild trout. “Angling success may be improved by focusing on waters known to hold wild fish,” Mr. Ladago said. “Despite unpredictable weather during early spring, each year anglers report catching impressive trout during opening weekend.” Folk music stars Natalie Haas and Yann Falquet to perform at Irasburg Town Hall Published on April 4, 2018 in Arts and Entertainment/Irasburg/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media IRASBURG — The Artemis Concert Series will be presenting their inaugural concert, featuring renowned Celtic musicians Natalie Haas and Yann Falquet, on Friday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be held at the Irasburg Town Hall, and will include a potluck buffet. Tickets are $10 for adults, and kids under 12 are free. They are available at: http:// www.natalieandyann.bpt.me Natalie and Yann’s duo draws on the rich folk music of Quebec, Scandinavia, and Western Europe, and they’ve performed to sold-out crowds throughout Europe and the U.S. Natalie Haas is one of the most sought-after cellists in Celtic music today. She has appeared on over 50 albums, including those of Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster, Irish greats Altan, Solas, Liz Carroll, and Mark O’Connor. Montrealer Yann Falquet is one of the most creative acoustic guitarists in today’s Québécois music scene, and has recorded five albums and toured the world with French Canadian power trio Genticorum. The Artemis Concert Series is the creation of NJ Symphony violinists and Brownington residents JoAnna Farrer and Darryl Kubian. The Series aims to celebrate the rich traditions of both the folk and classical music worlds, bringing local and international artists together for exciting performances in the Northeast Kingdom. The Series is proudly sponsored by Cindy Sanville, of Sanville Real Estate, LLC., based in Irasburg. Troy couple find purpose and spirit in restorative justice Published on April 3, 2018 in News/North Troy/Northeast Kingdom/Troy by Dispatch Media TROY — Annie and Irv Fellows of Troy have long sought to make a difference in the world. For more than 30 years, Irv and Annie worked for the government, attempting to bring their passion for helping people through that venue. “When I retired, Annie and I made a commitment that we would seek other ways to help people in need,” Irv said. Then, about 4 years ago, Irv met Orleans County Restorative Justice Center’s Executive Director, Barbara Morrow during an effort to set up a Newport area warming shelter. “She asked me if I would like to be on a ‘Circles of Support and Accountability’, called CoSA for short,” he said. “I initially had no idea what that was, but I found the concept challenging and well aligned with my spiritual principles. At first, I had little confidence that I could contribute anything, but, as time went by, I realized my perspective and life experiences could be supportive. Annie saw that I was finding CoSAs rewarding, and she decided to do volunteer as well.” A CoSA is a team of usually three volunteers who, with a trained facilitator, work with someone called a “core member,” a person reentering the community from incarceration, for a year. The team works with the person to figure out what problems they face and how they might address those problems. The team and the core member come up with a plan for the future and identify skills the core member has or could develop that will help them overcome present or future barriers. The CoSA group also acts as a source of accountability and a sounding board. The Fellows said there are many rewards and frustrations to volunteering as a CoSA team member, but that the rewards are worth it. “I’ve become aware of many bureaucratic barriers a person faces when they are trying to successfully reenter the local work environment,” Irv said. “For instance, a person needs to have their social security card to get a job. Seems like a simple thing, unless their card has been lost and they have no transportation. Obtaining a new copy of that card often involves seeking a copy of a long-misplaced birth certificate and a long bus ride to Montpelier. The lack of a driver’s license can also be a barrier. Without public transportation in the area, a person trying to get back on his or her feet often has to settle for a minimum wage job within walking distance. They often end up living on a financial knife’s edge, and even a small unexpected expense can make them vulnerable to frustration and depression, and the temptation to return to old ways.” With that said, Irv Fellows said there are beautiful successes, often helped along by a core member with a good attitude about the process and support their receiving. It can happen, the Fellows say, that amazing things take place in a person’s life through the process. “My first CoSA involved a person who had alcohol and anger issues. When he started, he was adrift. He did not know how to handle money, he was isolated and he had very few prospects for employment. He worked very hard to avoid alcohol and completed training to control his anger. We taught him how to handle his money, and he listened to our advice. Soon, he began to bloom. He gained confidence in himself and his ability to control his own life. We sought people willing to give him a chance as an employee, and his work ethic soon convinced them he was a valuable worker. It has been more than a year since his CoSA ended, and his hard work continues to bring him success.” Irv and Annie have served on a number of CoSA teams, and they say each one is a very different experience. What isn’t different, they said, is the caliber of volunteers they share this work with. “There is a real reward in getting to know other CoSA volunteers,” Irv Fellows said. “I find them to be remarkable people.” The Orleans County Restorative Justice Center’s Executive Director, Barbara Morrow, shares Fellow’s outlook on the volunteers, and welcomes interested people to find out how they can take part too. “We will have a Circles of Support and Accountability training in Lyndonville May 3rd and 4th,” Morrow said. This is required of all CoSA volunteers, has received rave reviews, and is a great orientation to work with our clients. We invite people to attend even if they’re not sure yet that they would volunteer, but are thinking about it.” To learn more about OCRJC services, visit their website at www.kingdomjustice.org, email bmorrow@kingdomjustice.org or call 802-487-9327. Photo by Tanya Mueller. Old Stone House prepares for May opening Published on March 23, 2018 in Brownington/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media BROWNINGTON — A fresh energy is driving the Old Stone House Museum in Brownington towards opening day on May 16. Community outreach classes will be intermingled with an updated listing of events. Outreach classes for adults will include tile mosaics, plein air drawing, yeast-bread baking, canine obedience, and more. The museum will also be appealing more to children and young families by offering a weekly kids’ day each Friday from June 15 through August 24. Kids’ day will begin at 11 a.m. with special activities planned on-site, followed by outdoor picnicking. Children under 18 can enjoy tours those Fridays for a reduced rate. Time Travelers Camp for kids ages 8 to 12 will run from July 23 through 27. This year the camp will focus on heritage arts and will include pit-fired pottery, slate paintings, sap bucket lanterns, along with other popular activities to choose from in the afternoons. New and old favorite events will pique interest for museum visitors. The season starts with the volunteer orientation carousel and tea on Thursday, April 26. Things take off in May with the popular Spring Field Days for schoolchildren on May 15 and 22, engines show on June 16, the gala fund-raiser on July 19, and Old Stone House Day on August 12. The new stars party fund-raiser happens on September 1, which will include live music, Fairbanks Museum-led star gazing on Prospect Hill using high-powered telescopes, food truck vendors, and more. Open season will draw to a close with a “boo!” at the new “Haunted Old Hallways” and trick-or-treating event for kids and families on October 28. RuralEdge appoints interim CEO Published on March 21, 2018 in Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media LYNDONVILLE — The Board of RuralEdge (RE) announced the appointment of Patrick Flood as interim CEO, effective April 3, 2018, following the resignation of Trisha Ingalls, in February. Louise Bonvechio, chair of the RuralEdge Board of Directors, announced the transition plans. “I am happy to announce that Patrick Flood has been hired as an interim CEO to provide leadership during the executive transition period,” Bonvechio said. “The RE board is enthusiastic about choosing Patrick for his adept abilities to work with rural communities, his confident leadership style, and his demonstrated skills to lead an organization through challenging times.” Flood, who lives in East Calais, VT, worked for 29 years in state government, in the VT Agency of Human Services (AHS). He was the Commissioner of the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living, the commissioner of the Department of Mental Health following tropical storm Irene, and the Deputy Secretary of AHS for four years. After leaving state government in 2013, he was CEO of Northern Counties Health Care, based in St. Johnsbury, until retiring in 2016. He has also served as a trustee of Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital. “I am looking forward to this opportunity,” Flood said. “Housing that is affordable is critical to our communities, and I hope, with the help of all the staff, to strengthen Rural Edge’s capacity to meet that need.” A CEO search committee, comprised of board directors, stakeholders, and staff, has been formed. The process is expected to take six to nine months. Brianna Maitland still missing after 14 years Published on March 16, 2018 in Montgomery/News/Northeast Kingdom/Vermont by Dispatch Media MONTGOMERY — Monday marks the 14 year anniversary of the disappearance of Brianna Maitland, and detectives say they continue to investigate active leads in this case. Brianna Maitland, 17 years old at the time of her disappearance, was last seen at her place of employment at the Black Lantern Inn, located in Montgomery. Maitland reportedly left work on March 19, 2004, at approximately 11:20 p.m. Her car was discovered the next day adjacent to an abandoned farmhouse, located on VT Route 118 in the town of Montgomery, a short distance from work. The Vermont State Police, along with the Maitland family, strongly emphasize the importance of anyone coming forward with information. Police say they continue to be vigilant in their efforts to investigate all tips provided by the public. The Vermont State Police is offering a reward of up to $5,000.00 for information leading to the resolution of this case and/or information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible. The Vermont State Police offers rewards on specific major cases with an emphasis on unsolved homicides and missing persons where foul play is suspected. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (802) 524-5993. Public meeting to be held on conserved lands in Norton and Holland Published on March 13, 2018 in Holland/Northeast Kingdom/Norton by Dispatch Media HOLLAND — The Vermont departments of Fish & Wildlife, and Forests, Parks, & Recreation are holding a public meeting to discuss future management and use of a group of conserved lands in the Northeast Kingdom. The meeting will discuss the Bill Sladyk Wildlife Management Area, Black Turn Brook State Forest, and Averill Mountain Wildlife Management Area, primarily in the towns of Norton and Holland. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 20 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Town of Brighton Elementary School. “These lands occupy a special place in Vermont, with vast areas of both softwood and hardwood forest, numerous ponds and streams, and many opportunities for remote experiences,” said Doug Morin, a biologist for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. This is part of the routine management planning process for state lands owned by the Agency of Natural Resources. The meeting will provide an opportunity for members of the public to provide input on how the lands may best be used for sustainable forestry, fish and wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation. “Large areas of interconnected conserved lands with healthy forests and waters such as these are essential in Vermont,” Morin said. “They form the foundation of the state’s working landscape, providing areas for outdoor recreation, tourism, and sustainable forestry practices.” The public may also submit comments directly until April 20, 2018. For more information about the meeting or the planning process, or to submit a comment, contact Doug Morin at doug.morin@vermont.gov. Brownington woman arrested for 2016 homicide Published on March 3, 2018 in Brownington/Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media BROWNINGTON — A Brownington woman is facing charges relating to the death of a 38-year-old man back in March of 2016. Today, the Orleans County State’s Attorney Office and the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit, announced the arrest and indictment of Jennifer Simard, 46, of Brownington, for murder, 2nd degree, and manslaughter, in the death of Kevin Smith in Brownington. In June of 2016, authorities ruled the manner of Smith’s death as a homicide, the cause of death being a stab wound to the chest. Authorities say the indictment is the result of an on-going investigation. Simard was processed and lodged at the Northern State Correctional Facility. She is due to appear in court on Monday. North Country Hospital CEO Claudio Fort leaving Published on March 2, 2018 in Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Today the North Country Hospital Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of President & CEO, Claudio Fort. Fort is leaving to fill the position of long-time CEO of Rutland Regional Medical Center, Thomas Huebner, who is retiring at the end of March. Chairman of the North Country Hospital Board of Trustees, Frank Knoll, expressed appreciation for Fort’s nine years of service at the helm of North Country Hospital. “Claudio has left the organization well positioned for the future and we wish him continued success in his new position,” Knoll said. The North Country Hospital Board of Trustees is working with Fort to develop a transition plan and begin the search process for Fort’s successor. “I am and will forever be grateful to have had the opportunity to advance the mission of North Country Hospital,” Fort said. “With a committed board, talented medical staff, and engaged employees, I know that the organization’s best days lie ahead.” North Country Hospital and VASA team up to teach ATV safety Published on March 1, 2018 March 1, 2018 in Health/Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — For kids who like to ride ATVs, North Country Hospital will be hosting a free ½ day classroom training course sponsored by VASA on Saturday, March 24 from 9 a.m. – noon in the downstairs Meeting Room. This free course which teaches safe and responsible ATV operation is a requirement for all Vermont kids aged 12-17. North Country Hospital says they understand the importance of this required training especially since nationwide, children under the age of 16 accounts for 40 percent of ATV accidents and fatalities. There were 25 off-highway vehicle-related deaths in Vermont from 2013-2017. ATVs are included in the category of off-highway vehicles. In an effort to keep these numbers from rising, North Country Hospital, Safe Kids Vermont, and VASA are urging Northeast Kingdom youth to attend this free event. “Your child’s ATV is a machine, so it’s not only important to match them with a size appropriate ATV, it’s equally important that they understand the rules, regulations and ways in which to safely operate them,” says Dani Luke, Operations Director for VASA. The ATV safety course will provide children with the state-approved, required safety certificate. To register for the training, please contact Dani Luce at dluce@vtvasa.org or call 802-477-5075. Space is limited and the deadline to register is March 10, 2018. Lunch and snacks are provided for youth and parents, grandparents or other adults are welcome to stay too. Once your child is registered by March 10 they will receive the appropriate course materials. Kidder Hill Community Wind stops project activities Published on February 28, 2018 in Lowell/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media LOWELL — Kidder Hill Community Wind announced today the suspension of project planning activities for the proposed two-turbine wind installation in Lowell. Citing a turbulent climate for renewable wind energy in Vermont and the urgent need for more renewables to be built, the project explained that resources will be reprioritized toward building renewable energy elsewhere. “The Phil Scott administration has made clear that it will do whatever it can to stop renewable wind energy from being built here in Vermont,” explained project spokesperson Nick Charyk. “Our resources will be devoted to deploying cost-effective, renewable wind projects in states committed to cutting fossil fuel emissions.” David Blittersdorf, a lifelong Vermonter and renewable energy advocate, says that Kidder Hill Community Wind is part of his vision for combatting our CO2 crisis. Within the past seven years, Blittersdorf has led three separate partnerships in building two 2.2 MW community-scale solar farms in South Burlington, as well as Georgia Mountain Community Wind, a 10 MW wind farm that helps the city of Burlington source 100 percent of its power from renewable generation. Blittersdorf is also a project partner for Dairy Air Wind, a single turbine project proposed in a cornfield on a 450-acre dairy farm in Holland. Dairy Air Wind was awarded a state Standard Offer contract to sell electricity in Vermont, and is in the process of being permitted. Dairy Air Wind is moving forward, and plans to earn a certificate of public good and begin construction later this year. “By not confronting our own energy challenges we will continue to rely on other states for our energy solutions and continue to write IOUs to our children and grandchildren for the effects of our addiction to spewing carbon,” Blittersdorf said. “As long as Vermont continues to make the unfortunate decision of relying on our neighbors for energy solutions, we will focus our efforts on developing renewables in places where it is possible to actually get projects built.” Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival draws international crowd Published on February 27, 2018 in Arts and Entertainment/Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom/Outdoors by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Winter swimmers gathered in Newport for a weekend of swimming in a 25-meter, two-lane pool cut in the ice of Lake Memphremagog. They swam in a Hat Competition, 25 Meter freestyle, breaststroke, and butterfly, as well as the 50, 100, and 200-meter freestyle. The ice was two feet thick, with water temperatures 30.8 F. Air temps were in the 30’s on Saturday and in the 20’s on Sunday. Many were new to the sport and had been training and acclimating to cold water swimming for months. Conor Turner of Dublin, Ireland, set records in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle. Craig Ross, of Guelph, Ontario, set pool records in the 25 freestyle, 25 butterfly, and 50-meter freestyle. Perennial speedsters, Daina Bouquin, of Melrose, Mass, and Martha Woos, of Manchester, Mass, set records in the 25-meter butterfly and the 200-meter freestyle respectively. Winners received Beef Jerky from Brault’s Market and maple syrup from Couture’s Maple Shop and B & B. Winning the highly contested Best Hat Competition was Edwin Greenfield of Richmond Hil, Ontario, and, new this year, best team Hats, the New Mexico Dream Team, led by Erin Churchill, including, Amber Zimmerman, Terry Casey, and RuthAnn Goradia, all from Albuquerque. The “most mature” winter swimmer was Ginny Peck, 72, from North Woodstock, NH. The youngest winter swimmer was Vera Rivard, 14, of Springfield, NH. Northeast Kingdom Collaborative announces regional priority areas Published on February 25, 2018 in News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media HARDWICK — The Northeast Kingdom Collaborative is taking new steps for the future of the region. The organization, which works to build strong and vibrant communities in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, has worked over the last year to set a new path forward to strengthen the organization’s reach and impact including reformatting its governing board, hiring staff, and developing strategies for collaboration with funders. A central part of the organization’s new strategy, initiated earlier this year, is to identify a focused set of issues for the region to align partners, leverage funding, and drive desired impacts. “This collective impact model has been moving closer and closer for some time,” explained Collaborative chair, Sarah Waring. “The opportunity here is to align clear needs in the region with funding capacities for maximum impact. I’m very excited to watch this large-scale effort help the region move forward and improve the quality of life for all residents.” For its initial round, from a field of a dozen pressing issues, the NEK Collaborative identified two key priority areas for the coming year: Advancing Economic Development through the Creative, Recreation, and Food Sectors: The Northeast Kingdom’s natural assets, along with its creative culture and farms, offer top-notch experiences for everyone from wilderness adventurers, to foodies looking for a farm to table experience, to artists seeking a creative community. Given these strengths, a tri-sector task force will develop a comprehensive strategy to leverage existing assets to form new partnerships that will create jobs and retain and grow the region’s skilled workforce. Strategies could include identifying opportunities and resources to energize downtown development efforts via sector engagement, promoting the sectors in industry recruitment and marketing efforts, and marketing the region as a hub for sector collaborations that will be attractive to both residents and visitors. The task force could also help to foster growth in these sectors by connecting owners and entrepreneurs with the startup and growth capital and technical assistance they need to succeed as well as facilitate potential partnerships. Expanding Leadership Development: Local leadership is vital to the success of our state’s rural areas, but there is a need to strengthen the region’s pipeline of emerging leaders and to encourage young people to take leadership roles in their communities. Expanding youth development and leadership programs will help more people become engaged with the civic life of their communities and provide opportunities for citizen empowerment. A leadership task force will advance programs for emerging and seasoned leaders that help participants build knowledge, strengthen skill sets, and cultivate a leadership network with shared goals and plans. These programs could include increasing access to higher education and career training for youth, as well as assistance for adults looking for new opportunities or career growth and building a career development network. The group will identify and dismantle barriers to access including transportation, funding, and availability. The NEK Collaborative will advance work in these priority areas by launching a task force made up of key thought leaders for each priority area, identify potential high-impact collaborative projects, and producing a priority area action plan. After the development of the action plan, the organization will identify and leverage funding to support priority area projects, support partner implementation of priority area projects, and host an annual stakeholder convening to promote networking, resource sharing, communicate progress, and update the action plan. This work will bring near-term benefits to people, communities, and the environment and improve the quality of life for residents of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, including an increase in proposals that address critical issues, funding for high-impact projects in the region, capacity at partner organizations, and jobs in priority area sectors. “We are confident that by working together with multiple federal, state, local, private, and nonprofit partners we can strengthen communities and achieve social change in the Northeast Kingdom,” says NEK Collaborative Director, Katherine Sims. Stannard recognized for outstanding service Published on February 22, 2018 in Derby/Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media DERBY — Community National Bank’s (CNB) Marketing Assistant Anne Quirion recently had the honor of presenting Ann Stannard with the bank’s Community Service Award. This award was created to recognize remarkable people who give back to our communities making them better places to live, work and grow. Ann has been a volunteer “Advocate” with Orleans County Citizen Advocacy (OCCA) for 30 years. OCCA is a non-profit organization that brings people with developmental disabilities “Partners” and unpaid community volunteers together. OCCA’s mission is to build and support one-to-one, long-term, independent relationships so all are heard, respected, included and empowered. Ann’s dedication to OCCA and their mission is remarkable. Over the years, Ann has served as an OCCA Board member and as a one-to-one Advocate. As an Advocate, Ann goes the extra mile to provide her Partner with guidance and friendship. She has helped him to be successful by overcoming obstacles which continues to help him thrive in the community. Ann has spent countless hours coordinating interactive community activities and workshops. These events are designed to integrate OCCA Partners into the community, so they are not isolated in their homes. Ann’s longstanding service to OCCA has contributed greatly to the organization’s success. Her spirit to help those with developmental disabilities in Orleans County is immeasurable. To celebrate Ann’s commitment and dedication to her community, the bank says they are proud to present her with this award for the fourth quarter of 2017. The bank honors and recognizes our recipients by making a $500.00 contribution to a local, non-profit organization of the recipient’s choice. Ann has requested that her donation be made to Orleans County Citizen Advocacy. To learn more about OCCA, please visit occavt.org. For more information about Community National Bank’s Community Service Award and to nominate a deserving recipient visit communtiynationalbank.com. Community National Bank, Vermont’s Community Bank, is an independent bank that has been serving Vermont communities since 1851. CNB has offices located in Derby, Barre, Barton, Derby Line, Enosburg Falls, Island Pond, Lyndonville, Montpelier, Morrisville, Newport, St. Johnsbury and Troy. Guests of last year's Taste of the Kingdom enjoy the array of food, drinks, and fun at Jay Peak Resort. Green Mountain Farm-to-School hosts 10th Annual Taste of the Kingdom Published on February 14, 2018 in Arts and Entertainment/Jay Peak/Newport/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — The 10th Annual Taste of the Kingdom, a fundraising event held by Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS), will take place on February 28th from 6 to 8 p.m. at Jay Peak Resort’s Foeger Ballroom. Tickets are on sale now and are available for purchase online at bit.ly/TOKTickets. The annual event draws a crowd of over 200 guests who gather to celebrate local food and drink producers in the Northeast Kingdom. This year, guests can enjoy products from some of the regions most notable farmers, chefs and brewers including Butterworks Farm, Craftsbury General Store, Jasper Hill Farm and St. Johnsbury Distillery. “This is an opportunity for us to gather with our neighbors and celebrate all of the amazing local producers in the region,” says James Hafferman, Executive Director of GMFTS. “We love connecting with people over local food and drink and providing a platform for businesses to showcase their products.” Along with a silent auction and live music, this year’s event includes a raffle where anyone, regardless if they attend the event or not, can enter to win an exclusive Jay Peak Resort getaway for four people – lift tickets, water park access and climb time included. Tickets are $5 each and directions on how to purchase them can be found at bit.ly/RaffleGMFTS All proceeds from the event and raffle will go to benefit Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS) and its programming. Support from the community will ensure the Newport-based non-profit can continue providing quality programing to over half of the students in the Northeast Kingdom – planting school gardens, offering nutrition education, and serving free meals in the summer months from its Lunchbox food truck. The event will also ensure GMFTS can continue its work connecting local farms with area schools, restaurants, and institutions through its regional food-hub, Green Mountain Farm Direct – increasing economic viability and opening new markets. “You get to support Green Mountain Farm-to-School and the work they’re doing to connect communities through food and education all while enjoying some great local food and drinks from some of the region’s top producers,” says Caroline Paige, who has attended the Taste of the Kingdom the past two years. “What more could you ask for?” For more information on the 10th Annual Taste of the Kingdom, to enter the raffle, or purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/TOK18. Orleans Essex VNA Hospice receives $25,000 donation from Walmart Published on February 12, 2018 in Essex County/Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Walmart’s 2018 Vermont State House Day Event was held on February 1, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier. At the event, a $25,000 donation was awarded to Orleans Essex VNA & Hospice Inc. (OEVNA&H) under the Walmart Foundation. The donation was presented to OEVNA&H Board of Directors, Robert Starr, Michael Marcotte, and Paul Lefebvre. “On behalf of Orleans Essex VNA & Hospice, we are honored to be selected to receive this generous donation from the Walmart Corporation,” Lyne B. Limoges, Executive Director for OEVNA&H, said. “These types of funds enable us to continue our mission in serving the community members of Orleans and northern Essex counties.” Funding for programs the Agency provides is often difficult to obtain. Since 1969 Orleans Essex VNA & Hospice, Inc. has been a major community-based healthcare service provider in the Northeast Kingdom, serving both Orleans and northern Essex counties. They offer skilled nursing, therapies, assistance with personal care, long-term care case management, and hospice care in the home. For more information about the programs of the Agency, please contact 802-334-5213. Northeast Kingdom Learning Services named one of 2018 Best Places to Work in Vermont Published on February 1, 2018 February 1, 2018 in Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Northeast Kingdom Learning Services was recently named one of the 2018 Best Places to Work in Vermont. This statewide survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Vermont, benefiting the state’s economy, its workforce and businesses. The 2018 Best Places to Work in Vermont list includes 50 companies. NEKLS is a non-profit, educational organization that has served Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom for nearly 50 years. Over that time it grew to employ an average of 60 people full and part-time. “Words cannot express how much this award means to me, the NEKLS Board and our staff,” NEKLS Executive Director, Michelle Tarryk said. “In 2011, our organization set out to improve our work culture. It has been a long and winding road with lessons learned along the way, but we were committed to our goal of a healthy and happy organization and to one day earning the recognition of being one of the best places to work in Vermont.” Companies from across the state, including NEKLS, took a two-part survey to determine the Best Places to Work in Vermont. The first leg of the process evaluated each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. This was worth approximately 25 percent. The second part consisted of an employee experience survey. This was worth approximately 75 percent. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Vermont and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings. The final rankings for each category will be announced at a special awards presentation in early spring 2018. “No matter what the final standings, we all know NEKLS IS the best place to work! It’s made up of the most honest, caring hard-working people I know. I’m So proud to be a tiny part of that,” NEKLS staff member, Deborah Shumski said. Kingdom Games return in February to Newport Published on January 22, 2018 in Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom/Outdoors by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — The Kingdom Games, a series of competitive athletic events for all ages and skill levels, returns on February 10 to Newport. The event marks the fifth consecutive year of the Games, which take place on the ice and in the water of beautiful Lake Memphremagog. This year’s winter Kingdom Games include: Memphremagog Women’s Pond Hockey Tournament on Feb. 10-11 Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival on Feb. 24-25 Memphremagog Ice Skating Festival on March 3-4 “Kingdom Games are high-level athletic events, challenging to the very best endurance athletes and accessible to all, young and old, experienced or novice,” said director Phil White. In addition to hockey, swimming, and skating during the winter months, Kingdom Games also offers acclaimed running, cycling and open-water swimming competitions during the warmer months. All events take place in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, on its roads and legendary lakes, drawing participants from the United States, Canada, Europe, and India. “The Games take advantage of some spectacular venues in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont,” White added. “Our community of staff and volunteers bring a sense of joy and celebration of these sports to our participants, and their friends and family who come with them.” For more information, visit http://kingdomgames.co/ MAC Center Special Edition Exhibition thru January 5 Published on December 14, 2017 in Arts and Entertainment/Newport/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Just when you thought all the excitement from MAC’s Tenth Anniversary was over, there is a Special Edition Exhibition that will run through January 5, 2018. The exhibition spans two full rooms in the Lower Gallery of the MAC Center building. The front room chronicles the journey of MAC from inception to fruition, highlighting the major milestones along the way. From ribbon cutting with the Governor to traveling exhibitions to unique vernissages and performances that have built the Memphremagog Arts Collaborative into the flagship venue that it is today. Curated by MAC Founder, Jim McKimm, this archive was nurtured by Victoria Mathiesen and is a delightful diary of preserving the Arts in the Northeast Kingdom. In the second room, the fashion-forward collection of QNEK Productions costumes is on exhibition. The works of costume designers, Linda Bussiere, Carol Woodard, Lisa Foster, Susan-Lynn Johns, Carol Castle, Judy Castonguay, and Delia Leimer line the room with color, fabric, whimsey, imagination, and brilliance for the company that has become a local legend in the NEK. After 25 years of stellar stagecraft, QNEK retired and while the costume exhibition is a mere thumbnail of the shows, many are unaware that a flood in August 2017 destroyed the entire 50 years of inventory amassed by Lynn Leimer’s company. The few remaining items in the exhibition are all that is left. So be sure to take time through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season to stop in and enjoy the history, the creativity and the significant landmarks in our community that herald the positivity of all that surrounds the ARTS. This exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit www.maccenterforthearts.com or call 802-334-1966. Newport orchestra to play annual fall concert this Sunday Published on December 7, 2017 in Arts and Entertainment/Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — This Sunday, the Newport Area Community Orchestra is presenting its 7th Annual Fall Concert at the United Church in Newport. Daniel Johnstone will be featured as soloist opening the concert with “Il Meo Tesoro” from Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni.” The program will continue with “Nimrod” from the Enigma Variations by Sir Edward Elgar, “For the Beauty of the Earth” by John Rutter and Symphony No. 6 by Franz Schubert. Admission for the concert will be a suggested donation of $5. The Newport Area Community Orchestra is a community-based orchestra serving the Northeast Kingdom and surrounding communities. The orchestra was founded by Ken Michelli in February of 2011. Newport woman qualifies for the Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival NEWPORT — Pam Ladds, 69, of Newport, qualified for the Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival today by spending 2 minutes and swimming 25 meters in water that was 38 F. Air temp was in the high 40s. Ladds had to break through some thin ice to get to open water for her qualifying swim. Seventy Swimmers and 25 Volunteers are heading to Newport in February for the 25, 50, 100, and 200 meter Winter Swim Festival in a two-lane, 25-meter pool to be cut in the ice on Lake Memphremagog. Organizers remind everyone that the event is not a “plunge.” It is a swim competition and festival with experienced, trained, and qualified swimmers from around North America and Europe. The Swim is hosted by Kingdom Games and Newport City Inn & Suites, who are also hosting the Memphremagog Women’s Pond Hockey Tournament earlier in February. Police search for driver in fatal hit-and-run in Lyndonville Published on December 2, 2017 December 2, 2017 in Lyndonville/Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media UPDATE: The victim has been identified as Mattie Lynn Hale, age 46, of Lyndon. LYNDONVILLE — Police are looking for the driver in a fatal hit-and-run that took place in Lyndonville this morning. Police say that at around 7:48 a.m. they were notified that a middle-aged woman was found deceased off the east side of US Route 5, just north of Vermont Route 114. According to police, the investigation is in the preliminary stages and notifications to the next of kin are pending at this time. The driver involved in the incident has not been located. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Vermont State Police at 802-748-3111. US Route 5 in this location is closed as the investigation continues, and alternate routes should be taken. Newport’s Columbia Forest Products gets relief from illegal Chinese imports Published on December 1, 2017 in Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Columbia Forest Products, which maintains a manufacturing facility in Newport, has been struggling for years to compete with illegal Chinese imports. Following four years of advocacy, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today provided long overdue relief to the company. In a unanimous ruling, the ITC voted 4-0 to impose significant tariffs on dumped and subsidized imports of Chinese hardwood plywood. In 2012, Columbia Forest Products, a hardwood veneer and plywood manufacturer, filed a petition with the ITC protesting the dumping of cheap and illegal Chinese hardwood and veneer products that undercut its business in Vermont and around the country. The vote is seen as a win for the local economy, as Columbia Forest Products is recognized as a key employer in the Northeast Kingdom. “Today’s decision is great news for the employees of Columbia Forest Products,” said Rep. Peter Welch. “The company and its employees have been reeling from subsidized and illegal competition from China. This important decision will level the playing field for the company, preserve jobs, and ensure its continued contributions to the regional economy.” According to the trade group Coalition for the Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, nationally, 42 mills have closed, many more have had to reduce capacity, with a loss of 52,000 jobs in the U.S. and $2 billion in wages. In 2013, Rep. Welch personally testified before the Commission on the company’s behalf. In addition, Welch helped lead two Congressional letters of support for the industry to the Commission, one in 2013 and one this year. Orleans County snowmobile clubs contribute thousands to local economy Published on November 28, 2017 in News/Northeast Kingdom/Outdoors by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Six snowmobile clubs in Orleans County have received grant money from the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) for the purpose of maintaining and relocating snowmobile trails. Multiple construction projects were completed throughout the county this summer in order to maintain Orleans County’s connection to the states 4,700-mile statewide trail system. The projects were completed in the towns of Derby, Holland, Morgan, Newport City, Coventry, Jay, Troy, Westfield, Lowell, Albany, Glover, Barton, Orleans, Evansville, and Westmore. Projects consisted of bridge rebuilds and rehabilitation, trail surface repair and re-ditching, debrushing, and maintenance of existing town trails and class 4 roads. In total, over $70,000 dollars were spent throughout Orleans County to hire local construction companies and purchase lumber and hardware through local merchants. A majority of the work completed was done by local hard-working volunteers in order to complete it the most cost-effective way possible. The Orleans County Snowmobile Association is made up of the Country Riders Snowmobile Club in Jay, Craftsbury Snowmobile Club, Drift Dusters Snowmobile Club in Derby, Glover Trail Winders, Hazen’s Notch Snowmobile Club in Lowell, North Country Mountaineers in Coventry, and Orleans Snowstormers. The members of the Orleans County Snowmobile Association are also members of the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers. Snowmobiling contributes 500 million dollars to Vermont’s economy each year with much of that ending up in the Northeast Kingdom. Snowmobile safety course taking place at North Country Hospital Published on November 22, 2017 in Newport/Northeast Kingdom/Outdoors by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — On Saturday, December 9, a snowmobile safety course will be offered at North Country Hospital. For anyone born after July 1, 1983, this course is required to ride on VAST trails. Vermont State Police certified instructor Roger Gosselin will lead the course. The cost is two food items to be donated to the local food shelf, and lunch will be provided to students. The course will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the conference room at the hospital. If you are interested, organizers say to be sure to register by December 4. You can register by calling (802) 274-4502, or send an e-mail to orleanscountysnowmobilers@gmail.com, or kdicarlo@nchsi.org. Dan Kilborn to receive George Buzzell Forest Stewardship Award Published on November 6, 2017 November 6, 2017 in Charleston/Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom/Outdoors by Dispatch Media CHARLESTON — NorthWoods Stewardship Center recently announced Vermont Land Trust forester Dan Kilborn as the recipient of the fifth annual George Buzzell Forest Stewardship Award. In honor of the esteemed county forester for which it is named, this award recognizes an individual who is making a positive impact on NEK forests. As the VLT forester for the Northeast Kingdom, Kilborn is a gifted communicator who understands that good management comes from a strong connection to the land and works daily to educate landowners and the public in the latest forestry ideas and best practices. An award ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the NorthWoods Stewardship Center on Wednesday, November 15. During his 44 years as Orleans County Forester, George Buzzell exemplified the best practice of his trade, including research that helped to re-define sugarbush management in Vermont. Buzzell also cast a welcoming, encouraging education and inviting the widest community into the conversation and practice of forestry. With this award, NorthWoods honors the outstanding contributions of George Buzzell and recognizes others who are carrying the torch of forest stewardship in the Northeast Kingdom. High wind warning in effect for Orleans county Published on October 29, 2017 October 29, 2017 in Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — The National Weather Service in Burlington has issued a high wind warning from 8 p.m. this evening to 11 a.m. Monday for Orleans county. Winds are expected to reach 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 70 mph. Wind gusts of this strength are almost hurricane-like in nature. The strongest winds will most likely take place between 11 p.m. tonight, lasting through 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. The strong winds will likely lead to downed trees, tree limbs, and power lines, causing scattered to widespread power outages. Go to www.weather.gov/Burlington for further updates on this weather situation. Trapping season starts tomorrow, keep pets safe Published on October 27, 2017 in Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Trapping season starts on the 4th Saturday of October each year in Vermont and runs through March 31st. Each trapping season there are dogs, cats, and other non-targeted animals, including endangered and protected species, who are injured or even killed in traps. Just two weeks after the official start of trapping season last year, a black lab from Orleans county was injured in a trap that had been set to kill beavers. Luckily, the dog was found and recovered from her injuries. “I am a veterinarian who has treated dogs and cats caught in traps,” Dr. Peggy Larson, retired Vermont veterinarian, said. “The injuries they suffer were horrendous and most lost their legs.” Traps may be set on private and public land, including National Wildlife Refuges that are home to federally protected species, including Canada lynx. Trappers are not required to erect signage as to where they’re trapping, nor are they required to set their traps away from trails. Baits and lures are used with traps, so a trap set for a coyote can just as likely trap a curious dog or cat. Trappers are not required to report if they catch a non-targeted animal, even if it’s someone’s pet. The two trap types that are used in Vermont that pose the greatest risk to pets are leghold and Conibear™ (“kill”) traps. Cats are at the greatest risk since they are often left outside unsupervised. Know when trapping season is, but remember that traps set out of season, as allowed per Vermont’s “wild animals doing damage” statute, or traps left behind after the season ends, still present a threat. Remember that traps can be set in water, in rivers and streams — especially on banks, so always check the area before allowing your dog to swim. Keep cats indoors or create a cat-proofed fenced-in yard. Medication lock boxes distributed locally to help keep kids safe Published on October 27, 2017 October 27, 2017 in Health/Northeast Kingdom by Dispatch Media NEWPORT — Over 59,000 children visit an emergency room for medicine poisoning every year. That’s one child every nine minutes. Sales for over-the-counter medications went from $5.5 billion in 1980 to $30.8 billion in 2014. As these numbers explode this means that children are increasingly exposed to prescription drugs and equally dangerous over-the-counter medications. Beth Barnes, Community Outreach Specialist at North Country Hospital, was recently asked if the hospital could supply lock boxes where medications and other potentially hazardous items could be safely stored. “The same night this request was made I was watching PBS and saw Stephen Ubl being interviewed by Judy Woodruff,” Beth said. “Since I had no grant money for medication lock boxes I wrote to Mr. Ubl, president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and asked if he could help.” Less than a week later, one of Mr. Ubl’s Directors responded to say that PhRMA would donate enough money to buy almost 400 boxes that could help local families. Working with the Vermont Department of Health’s Newport office, the boxes will be given to local pediatric practices and NEK Human Services to distribute as needed. These boxes will help to prevent the risk of overdoses or poisonings. Here are some of the ways families can also safeguard their homes against accidental poisonings, overdoses, and medication mishaps: Put all medicine and vitamins out of sight and out of reach of children of all ages. Close medicine caps tightly after every use and choose child-resistant caps for medicine bottles when you can. Remember that child-resistant doesn’t always mean childproof. Be alert to visitor’s medicines. Offer to put purses, bags, and coats out of reach of children. Remember to ask people where your child visits to also store their medications safely even if it seems socially awkward. Put medications up and away after every use even if it is tempting to leave it out in preparation for the next dose. Keep close track of when doses are given so they are not repeated prematurely. Write detailed instructions to caregivers and babysitters and remind them to store the medications out of sight and out of reach. Get rid of unused or expired medications. Locally, the Newport Police Department will take back medications 24/7. This is not a complete list of how people can protect their homes but it is a great place to start. “The most important phone number any adult can have programmed into their phone is the National Poison Control number,” Beth said. That number is 1-800-222-1222. Bahamas chamber representatives visit NEK Published on October 24, 2017 in Northeast Kingdom/St. Johnsbury by Dispatch Media ST. JOHNSBURY – Representatives from two chambers in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas visited with the Northeast Kingdom Chamber executive director on Oct. 20 as part of a mutual initiative with the Vermont Council on World Affairs and the United States Department of State. According to Executive Director Darcie McCann, the intent of the trip was to discuss the role of the Northeast Kingdom Chamber in supporting small businesses, economic development and tourism in the region. However, the visit took on a different turn as the representatives from the Bahamas and Northeast Kingdom each discussed the challenges and opportunities their respective organizations face in these challenging times. “I was very pleasantly surprised at how similar our chambers were in our missions and reach,” McCann said. “They face many of the same issues we encounter, although the Commonwealth is more than 1,300 miles away.” The 700 islands that comprise the Bahamas are north of Cuba. McCann admitted that although she has attended thousands of meetings in her 22 ½ years as chamber director, she was actually quite nervous and excited to be introduced to chamber colleagues from another country. She noted this particular gathering will go down as one of the highlights of her time at the chamber. “I have met with travel reporters from all corners of the globe, but I had never had such an encounter with fellow chamber colleagues. I cannot tell you how thrilled I was to sit down with them and hear what it was like to be part of a chamber in another part of the world,” she said. The guests included Ruth Saunders and Brenda Jenoure, from the Abaco Chamber of Commerce; Charles Pratt, Grand Bahama Port Authority and Bahamas Chamber of Commerce; and Dawnea Brown and Nadia Williams, from the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation. The chamber representatives met for more than two hours over homemade chocolate chip cookies and coffee before the group departed for a meeting with another chamber in Vermont. The Bahamas delegation had already met with five chambers in New York and will leave for meetings in Arizona in the coming days. McCann was encouraged to hear feedback from the group that they were quite impressed with the scope and volume of work that the Northeast Kingdom Chamber does, despite its small staff. “It made my month to hear one of the women say this was their best meeting yet and another saying that our time together felt more like home than a meeting. It, sincerely, touched me, and I will keep in touch with this delegation,” she said. “I would love to go down and visit them and hope I can at some point in the future.” At the end, as is customary, the two groups exchanged gifts. The Northeast Kingdom Chamber presented the chamber representatives with fountain pens, a personal gift from the director, and the Bahamas delegation gave the NEK Chamber a large map of the commonwealth, Bahamian chocolates, literature on their regions and a special presentation on the Grand Bahama Port Authority. “We started with handshakes and departed as friends, hugging,” said McCann. “Isn’t that the way the world is supposed to be?” Community raises reward money to help solve Westmore moose poaching case Published on October 19, 2017 in Newport/News/Northeast Kingdom/Westmore by Dispatch Media WESTMORE — A Go Fund Me campaign has been started to raise reward money for an unsolved moose poaching case that took place in Westmore. The campaign was started by Craftsbury Common resident Cindi Bollettieri. Bollettieri has personally donated $2,000 to the effort, both through the Go Fund Me campaign and to Operation Game Thief, a program that pays rewards to citizens who identify poachers by calling a toll-free number or submitting information online. A cow moose was shot from the road out of season at night on Saturday, September 23. Vermont’s regulated moose hunting seasons are in October, and are limited to a small number of hunting permits that are allocated through a lottery system. After the moose was shot, it was attached to a vehicle and dragged on the road more than 11 miles to the town of Orleans. The animal was left by the side of Hollow Road off Route 58 in Orleans. Officials say the cow moose was lactating, indicating that she likely had a calf with her. “This action was particularly heinous, so I can understand why people are outraged,” said Col. Jason Batchelder, Vermont’s chief game warden. “The fact that people are giving to this campaign shows that Vermonters will not stand for poaching in our state.” The fundraising campaign is available at www.gofundme.com/moose-poacher-reward. “These poachers demonstrated tremendous disrespect for the law and for this moose,” said Col. Batchelder. “We’re asking for anyone with information about this incident to come forward so that we can hold the people who did this accountable.” Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next »	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1475
__label__wiki	0.749343	0.749343	Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin to voice Disney’s Zootopia Mike Vago Zootopia concept art. (Image by: Disney) Jason Bateman and Once Upon A Time‘s Ginnifer Goodwin have signed on to star in Disney’s upcoming animated feature Zootopia. Not to be confused with the Zoolander sequel, Zootopia takes place in a city populated entirely by anthropomorphic animals, with neighborhoods standing in for different ecosystems. Goodwin will voice a bunny who works as a meter maid but aspires to be a cop. With the help of a con artist fox (Bateman), she tries to solve a mystery that could unravel the fabric of the city’s multi-species society. It may or may not be a good sign that the film has three directors, but it probably bodes well that two of them are Byron Howard (Tangled) and Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph). The third is co-director Jared Bush, who also wrote the screenplay. Zootopia is set to hit theaters March 4, 2016, as part of a busy spring that will also see the studio release Alice In Wonderland 2 and Marvel’s Captain America 3. Recent from Mike Vago Dorothy Gibson starred in a film about the Titanic only a month after surviving its sinking Sunday 12:00pm China once had such a monopoly on porcelain we just call it “china” The ironclad rule of Russian politics? Every other leader goes bald	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1476
__label__wiki	0.54104	0.54104	Octavia Spencer and Scarlett Johansson to host SNL in March (Photo: Getty Images/FilmMagic, Jason LaVeris) / (Photo: Getty Images/WireImage, Bennett Raglin) Today, the Saturday Night Live Twitter account announced the hosts and musical guests for two of its upcoming shows. On March 4, Octavia Spencer will host with Father John Misty as the musical guest, and on March 11, Scarlett Johansson will host alongside musical guest Lorde. That’s literally all we know at the moment, but it seems like it’ll be a wasted opportunity if SNL doesn’t resurrect “The Californians” for Father John Misty. Or, since most of the performers from “The Californians” aren’t on the show anymore, they could just have Father John Misty and whatever backup break dancers or robots he brings along wear blonde wigs and big sunglasses. It probably wouldn’t be very funny, but “The Californians” rarely was anyway. This will be the first SNL for Spencer, Father John Misty, and Lorde, but the fifth for Scarlett Johansson.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1477
__label__cc	0.606335	0.393665	Trump fans and critics are respectfully connecting on Reddit, of all places Alex McLevy Filed to: AUXFiled to: AUX Ask Trump Supporters Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images When most people think of Reddit, “civilized dialogue” isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. “Screaming hordes of racist 15-year-olds shit-posting Pepe memes and doxing women who dare express an opinion on the internet,” maybe, but not respectful communication. Despite the improved moderation, tons of useful threads, and popular AMAs that have helped the site shed some of its negative connotations, there’s a ways to go before the wider world doesn’t see posting there as throwing chum into swirling waters of hungry troll-sharks. And yet, one of the only places for thoughtful discussion between Trump supporters and critics has sprung up in a subreddit, and it is actually managing to flourish. The r/AskTrumpSupporters site defines itself as a place for people who don’t support the president to ask questions of those who do, in a civil manner. For anyone who’s ever looked at President Trump’s latest childish tweet-storm or inane babbling on some topic about which he clearly knows nothing and thought, “What the hell are his supporters thinking?” this is the place to find out. As The Daily Dot discovered in a recent exploration of the subreddit, Ask Trump Supporters has eight moderators—one of whom is a non-supporter of Trump—dedicated to guaranteeing a “neutral ground” in which their mission can unfold, based in an effort of mutual understanding. “How do you get to know someone better? Ask questions. Ask yourself why you hold that view of Trump supporters or non-supporters. Respectfully ask the other person how they came to those conclusions.” Each commenter is asked to self-identify as either a non-supporter or a Trump voter, and the moderators rigorously enforce an environment geared toward discouraging the stereotypes on both sides. (Read: No “cuck” or “libtard” accusations from the pro-Trump folks, no “bigoted racist” arrows fired from critics.) Questions deemed leading or intentionally argumentative, rather than polite and curious, are removed. As opposed to the provocative and deeply depressing pro-Trump advocacy of subreddits like r/The_Donald, Ask Trump Supporters is a place for anti-Trump types of all political leanings to get some answers without the instantaneous flame wars that occur anytime these two groups engage elsewhere on social media. For example, recent discussions have included, “Do you think the Washington Post’s analysis of Trump speech patterns is fair?” and “Are foreign media outlets part of the mainstream media?” There’s also the newly timely “How do you view colleges and universities?” helping to combat the profound anti-intellectualism sweeping the right at present. Commenters can ask for clarification and refinement of various points, and all without the instant “Racist!”/”Snowflake!” that has made caring about politics in America such a post-apocalyptic hellscape for the average person. It’s almost enough to make you briefly forget the 99 percent of other political debates currently happening on the internet. Well, whiskey helps, too. Recent from Alex McLevy The Russo brothers talk Marvel, Magic: The Gathering, and 21 Bridges at Comic-Con Avengers: Infinity War lost a scene where Thanos was found cosmically guilty MST3K's Jonah Ray is releasing an EP of "Weird Al" Yankovic covers	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1478
__label__cc	0.628977	0.371023	M:2:I Design Build Fly team prepares for national competition March 14, 2019 • Lily Gray Aerospace Engineering CoE News M:2:I’s Design Build Fly (DBF) team is gearing up for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) design competition where they will demonstrate their originally made aircraft. Nearly 110 teams from around the world will compete in this annual student event. The DBF Contest Flyoff will be held April 11-14 in Tucson, Arizona. The team is tasked with designing, building and flying an aircraft that will meet specific requirements and complete challenging missions. These requirements and missions change with each annual competition. The aircrafts are required to be unmanned, electrically powered and remote controlled. The goal is to create a balanced design processing, good demonstrated flight handling qualities and practical and affordable manufacturing requirements while providing a high vehicle performance. This year’s Iowa State team is led by Koltyn Voth, the DBF project lead. This is Voth’s third year participating in Design Build Fly and his first year managing it as the project lead. “This is a great project,” Voth said. “As aerospace engineering students we don’t get to see a lot of our stuff in action. We can read all of the books, we can do all of the simulations, but here we literally design, build and fly our own aircraft.” The Design Build Fly team is currently hosting a fundraiser through the ISU Foundation to make their trip to Tucson, Arizona, as affordable as possible. The team is hoping to raise $5,000 by March 29. For more information on this team’s fundraising effort, visit here. This year’s competition has three in-flight missions as well as a ground mission. The requirements for the design of the plane are as follows: Each plane must have a minimum of a 4 ft. wing span Aircraft must fold and fit inside of a 3 ft. x 2 ft. box Aircraft must transition from the stowed configuration to the flight configuration remotely and lock without any assistance Aircraft must launch from a 10 ft. ramp Aircraft must have a tail hook The ground mission is the first mission that each team will complete. The mission will be carried out as follows: Design Build Fly 2019 aircraft design The aircraft starts in the box; only one assembly crew member and pilot can touch the plane The aircraft will remotely transition to flight configuration Crew will manually install a 12 in. radome and demonstrate its rotation, then uninstall the radome Crew will install at least four attack stores in the form of foam missiles, demonstrate props and controls, then uninstall the attack stores Each mission gets more challenging as the competition moves forward. The first mission requires that each team takes off from the ramp with no payloads. Each plane will have to complete three laps around the track within five minutes and successfully land. For the second mission the radome will be tested. Each aircraft will take off from the ramp. The radome will have to rotate on command within each lap and its rotation must be clearly visible from the ground. The mission will be completed with three laps in five minutes, with a successful landing. Finally, the third mission involves the attack stores. The Iowa State team plans on flying with seven attack stores. Each aircraft must take off from the ramp, and drop one attack store by remote control per lap. This mission must be completed within 10 minutes and must have a successful landing. Design Build Fly Team – 2019 This year’s mission requirements are some of the toughest DBF challenges yet, and the Iowa State team is prepared to successfully complete these missions, especially with the help of DBF adviser and aerodynamics specialist, Dr. Anupam Sharma. “I felt that the students got the idea of the importance of preliminary design,” Dr. Sharma said. “I think the execution this time was better, learning from last time. I think it’s a continual improvement for me and it’s good to see us getting better with each competition.”	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1479
__label__cc	0.690702	0.309298	Greece Aims to Stand Out as Yachting and Marine Tourism Destination Tag: Antonis Stelliatos, c245c, c82010c, Catamarans, George Vernicos, Greek news, Greek Professional Yacht Owners Bareboat Association (SITESAP), Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies (HATTA), Hellenic Professional Yacht Owners Association (EPEST), Hellenic Yacht Brokers Association (HYBA), highspeed boats, leisure boats, mega yachts, Panagiotis Kouroublis, pleasure boats, sailing yachts, sea tourism, SETE, traditional boats, Trinity Events, Trinity Travel, yachting, yachting Greece, yachting shows Europe, yachting shows Greece, Yiannis Moralis, Zea marina Home > Events > Event News > Greece Aims to Stand Out as Yachting and Marine Tourism Destination Highlighting the importance of yachting and marine tourism for Greece, as well as paving the way for new collaborations to further the competitiveness of the country, were the focus of the 17th East Med Yacht Show held at the Zea Marina in Piraeus, last week. Hellenic Professional Yacht Owners Association (EPEST) President Antonis Stelliatos. Addressing the four-day event, Hellenic Professional Yacht Owners Association (EPEST) President Antonis Stelliatos noted the increase in the number of charters of Greek professional boats this year, which he attributes to Greece’s exemplary safety record and to efforts being made to tackle illegal chartering practices. “I want to clarify that EPEST and I personally want all vessels from across the globe to visit Greece, but on one condition: legally and on equal terms with Greek vessels,” Stelliatos said, referring to the efforts being made to establish a legal framework that will ensure viability and fair terms for all parties. Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroublis. Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroublis referred to the industry’s role as a driver of the economy, adding that the ministry’s priorities include improving naval training in order to curb unemployment, identifying and tapping into the resources available on remote islands in order to strengthen local communities, as well as further developing other areas such as shipbuilding. On her part Attica Regional Governor Rena Dourou referred to the importance of establishing the wider Attica region into a leading international marine tourism destination, which she said is already “overdue”. “The yachting industry can prove to be a strong trump card… despite missing out on great opportunities in the past years compared to rival neighboring countries. Today we are moving ahead to cover lost ground… upgrading infrastructure, marinas and shelters for the secure mooring, docking and supply of all types of boats with the aim of promoting the comparative advantages of Attica,” Dourou said. Meanwhile, the President of the Economic and Social Council of Greece, and Secretary General of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) George Vernicos expressed his optimism that the Greece is on the brink of a “technological revolution in the field of marine tourism… it’s not by chance that there is growing interest in Greece by professionals wishing to benefit from the increasing tourist flows and from the country’s sea tourism”. In its third year at the Zea Marina, the 17th East Med Yacht Show aims to contribute to the upgrade of services provided in the industry, foster collaborations with foreign operators as well as with Greek professionals active internationally, improve Greece’s standing as a yachting destination, spur maritime tourism, establish Greece as a leading tourist destination, and boost competitiveness. It is attended by more than 5,000 visitors each year. The Greek Travel Pages (GTP) was a communication sponsor of the 17th East Med Yacht Show. Crete’s Spinalonga Site Secures EU Funding for Restoration Works Three Greek Ports Set for Development, Says Minister	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1480
__label__cc	0.619414	0.380586	iLASIK Laser Eye Services Hyperopia – Farsightedness Implantable Contact Lenses Commitment Program Suitability Quiz In accordance with legislative requirements, Privacy Commissioner requires that all health care facilities implement procedures to protect the privacy, confidentiality and the rights of our patients. This facility implements procedures to protect the privacy of our patients. We do not release any information regarding our patients without the written consent of our patients. This privacy policy explains what kind of information we collect from our patients, what we do with the information, and how patients may access the information in their medical record. Please read this information and the Consent to Use Personal Information given to you carefully. If you do not understand any of this information, please discuss it with our staff. Do not sign the consent to use information unless you have had all of your questions addressed to your satisfaction. We may hold the following information about our patients: Name, Date of Birth, Address, Telephone Numbers, Email Address, Occupation Health Fund Membership Medicare and other identification numbers provided by the patient Details of family, next of kin and emergency contact details Details of any physical examination of the patient Details of previous treatments and operations Relevant family medical history Details of allergies, sensitivities and adverse reactions to drugs Other Health Information Details of investigations and results Details of previous operations General Practitioners name Referring Doctors name The names of other doctors past or present involved in your care Returned Service Organisations Financial details and transaction details associated with services the Centre has provided Additional information provided to us by the patient Information provided through patient questionnaires and survey What we do with the personal information of our patients: We use our patient’s personal information to: Provide appropriate medical treatment and care Provide your general practitioner with a summary of the admission and recommendations for ongoing treatment if required Assist other medical, nursing and allied health professionals in providing care and treatment to you now and in the future. This includes providing necessary information that they may need for follow up and ongoing care Assist us with any calls from our patients For our internal administrative requirements Process private Health Fund Claims To Third Party Bodies bound by us in agreement to the Privacy Principles. These bodies audit our facility for compliance to Australian Standards, Codes and Legislation for the purposes of accreditation Specialist Sub Contractors and Consultants bound by the Privacy Principles who assist us in the management of our facility For benchmarking and clinical indicator reporting in a de-identified form To provide data in both an identified and de-identified form to government agencies in compliance with numerous legislative requirements For purchasing purposes in a de-identified form. Perfect Vision offers you a unique lifetime commitment plan for your treatment. Contact us to find out more. Storage of your personal information The personal information about patients is contained in both paper based documents stored and protected within the facility and, in electronic records on our computer system that are maintained in a secure environment. These records are only accessible by those persons employed by us who require restricted access to the personal information for the purpose of carrying out their employment. All personnel sign Privacy and Confidentiality Agreements binding them to comply with the Privacy Principles outlined in the Privacy Act. Access to your records Patients may request access to personal information with a written request. Patients do not have to provide a reason for requesting access. Where we hold information that patients are entitled to access, we will endeavour to provide a suitable range of choices as to how you may access it. All requests must be referred to the Practice Manager and the doctor should be notified of the request. The Centre must respond within 30 days unless the record is very large and/or very old. The Australian Privacy Principles oblige health care providers to take reasonable steps to ensure that individuals requesting information are in fact the individuals to whom the information relates or a ‘person responsible, so proof of identification is required. Information will be checked prior to release for accuracy and completeness and to ascertain whether any information should be withheld. The treating medical practitioner is to be informed of any request prior to the information being released. Reasons for withholding information include: Access would pose a serious threat to the life or health of any individual, The information contains information about another person, The request is frivolous or vexatious (for example, there has been repeated requests by the same person), The information is relevant to existing or anticipated legal proceedings and the individual would not be able to access the information in the course of those proceedings, The law requires that access be denied, Law enforcement or national security authorities have an interest in the information requested. Information, that is required to be withheld, should be removed from the record provided to the patient and to the patient notified that information has been withheld and the reasons. All requests received and records of the outcome must be retained in the patient’s medical record. Access to Medical Records by the Person Responsible If the patient is incapable of giving or communicating their consent, request for access to personal information can be made by a person responsible which includes: A partner A family member A carer A guardian A close friend A person exercising power under an enduring power of attorney. Personal information disclosed to a ‘person responsible’ is limited to that which is reasonable and necessary to the care and treatment of the individual to whom the information relates and proof of identity of the person, and their relationship to the patient are required. Child Patients who are between 16-18 years of age may give consent. Patients aged 14-16 may be assessed by the Medical Officer to give consent or have a parent or legal guardian give consent on their behalf. Amendment of information If the patient believes that personal information we hold about them is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, they may request amendment of it in writing. This request will be reviewed by the attending doctor and the request and the outcome will be documented in the medical record. Medico-Legal Request form Information Confidential information from medical records are only released to solicitors or other third parties upon receipt of a current written consent by the patient, or where appropriate, their legal representative who has the power of attorney. The request should specify the dates of treatment pertinent to the information being sought and must be the original signed version, not a copy. All medico-legal requests for information are handled by the Practice Manager who may, as appropriate, involve the treating health practitioner in the preparation of reports for solicitors. All written requests for information (with consents) are filed in the patient’s medical record. The subpoena should be given directly to the Practice Manager who will contact the medical indemnity insurer and/or solicitor for advice in relation to the proper conduct to be followed in accordance with legal requirements and who else should be notified e.g. VMO. The Board and Medical Advisory Committee will be advised of any cases that may involve the Centre and/or the treating health professional. Subpoenas are to be acted upon within the stated timeframe. The organisation is under an obligation to produce only those documents covered by the description set out in the subpoena. A copy of the requested sections of the patient’s medical record is to be provided promptly to the court. The original record is retained at the Centre. Information regarded as sensitive, correspondence and any notes that are not relevant to the case should be removed from the medical record before it is copied. The subpoena and a record of the release of the medical record is added to the patient’s medical record. Any questions about this policy, or any complaint regarding treatment of a patient’s privacy by this facility should be made in writing by the patient to the Practice Manager. If a patient’s complaint cannot be resolved directly with the Practice Manager or other appropriate internal personnel, it should be referred to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Internet Advertising and Data collection By visiting the site users should be aware: That by visiting our site third parties may place cookies on users’ browsers for targeted advertising purposes. Cookies are small data files that are served by our platform and stored on your device. Our site uses cookies dropped by us or third parties for a variety of purposes including to operate and personalize the website. Also, cookies may also be used to track how you use the site to target ads to you on other websites. That certain data can be tracked by analytics code and that this data can be collected for targeted advertising. That this data may be used by third parties to target advertising on other sites based on our users’ online activity. Data collected via the website is covered by the conditions of the privacy policy. Instructions on how users can opt out of receiving targeted advertising vary according to the device and browser being used by the user. To opt out of Chrome for instance, click on the Settings tab, then the Show Advanced Settings tab. Next, select Content settings and check the box for Block third-party cookies and site data. info@perfectvision.com.au	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1483
__label__wiki	0.500352	0.500352	Two Notable Successes The News Journal \| Eric Ruth Delaware business: NCCo office space market stabilizes Vacancy rates steady in Wilmington; renting picks up in suburbs The market for office leasing in northern New Castle County is starting to stabilize after a dismal 2009, and likely will continue to strengthen through the last half of the year, an industry veteran said Wednesday in his annual midyear market report. With local companies seeing better earnings and slowly increasing staffs, some vigor has returned to the commercial real estate sector, but sustained momentum will depend on the economic rebound’s strength, said Pete Davisson, partner at Jackson Cross Partners in Wilmington. Over the past six months, vacancy rates have been steady in the city’s central business district and rose only slightly in suburban office markets. Rental rates remain steady, but leasing activity is still below 10- and 20-year averages, Davisson said. “The office market follows the economy—for example, the end of a recession—by 18 months,” so it will probably be mid- to late 2011 before the market has pulled completely out of its slide, Davisson said. In Wilmington, vacancy rates for top-quality Class A office space now stand at 14.8 percent, down from 15.8 percent at the end of 2009. Combined with Class B vacancy rates, which rose in the first half of 2010 to 33.3 percent, the combined central business district vacancy rate is 20.5 percent. At the same time, rents for Class B space dipped 3.5 percent to an average of $20.45 per square foot as the market tightened. Class A asking rates were unchanged at $26.35. In the suburbs, leasing activity has picked up, and now stands at 65 percent of the total activity in 2009. Davisson said vacancy rates in the suburbs remain high, at 23.4 percent of Class A space and 22 percent of Class B space. Davisson sees some troubling signs in the rise of subleasing activity, which he considers a strong indicator that business are trying to shed excess space as they rein in expenses. The city enjoyed two notable successes as the market sought stability—the Pettinaro Co, recently completed its 163,000-square foot Star Building on the Riverfront, and is refitting the historic Rodney Square courthouse for a major law firm. In the suburbs, Morgan Stanley signed a new 24,947-square-foot lease at the Delaware Corporate Center II during the second quarter, according to Brandywine Realty Trust. “The first quarter was a little flat in 2010, but I’m seeing some good uptick in the second quarter and the beginning of the third quarter,” said Chuck White, president of White Realty Associates in Greenville. Some of that strength has been generated by efforts from Gov. Jack Markell and the Delaware Economic Development Office to retain firms and attract others to the state, he said. The county also has a big occupancy in the pipeline—student lender Sallie Mae is currently hunting for room to expand after deciding to move its headquarters to Delaware from Virginia. Local commercial real estate insiders said Wednesday that a decision on a property to supplement the facility the lender owns in Christiana has apparently not yet been made. As Sallie Mae looks for space, there’s some concern that Wilmington soon could be looking for tenants. More city firms have been considering a relocation to the suburbs, Davisson said, especially law firms facing a new city tax. Inside the city and outside, real estate financing lingers as a drag on the market, he said. Investors have the cash to buy, but are finding it harder to put together a feasible deal as banks have started demanding 30 percent to 40 percent down payment instead of 10-20 percent. That tight credit market will also continue to complicate existing mortgages, he said. “Refinancing is the most imminent problem, because in 2010, ‘11 and ‘12 there’s a trillion dollars in commercial mortgages that will be ‘rolling,’ that will be coming due,” but borrowers won’t be able to come up with the cash they will need to compensate for lower property values. And by one key measure—absorption, the net increase or decrease in occupied space—the market’s recovery “has a way to go,” Davisson said.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1484
__label__cc	0.56121	0.43879	National > March 24, 2016 - Obama Gets Split Approval Rating, Highest In 3 Years, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Senate Should Vote On Supreme Court Pick, Voters Say 2-1 Additional Trend Information American voters give President Barack Obama a split 49 - 48 percent job approval rating, his best net score in almost three years, according to a Quinnipiac University National poll released today. President Obama hasn't been above water on his job approval rating since a 48 - 45 percent score in a May 1, 2013, survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll. There are large gender, racial, age and partisan gaps in today's score: Men disapprove 53 - 43 percent while women approve 54 - 43 percent; White voters disapprove 57 - 40 percent while non-white voters approve 75 - 21 percent; Voters 18 to 34 years old approve 62 - 35 percent. Approval drops to 51 - 44 percent among voters 35 to 49 years old, to a negative 44 - 53 percent among voters 50 to 64 years old, to a negative 37 - 61 percent among voters over 65 years old; Democrats approve 92 - 7 percent while Republicans disapprove 89 - 8 percent. Independent voters disapprove 50 to 44 percent. In this election year, American voters dislike Democrats in Congress a lot less than they dislike Republicans. Democrats get a negative 32 - 62 percent job approval rating, their best rating since a negative 32 - 60 percent score October 1, 2013. Republicans get a negative 15 - 81 percent job approval rating, virtually unchanged since December. "Let's face it: Both parties are deeply unpopular, but the Democrats are the least reviled," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. "And for President Barack Obama, some end-of-term numbers that may warm the heart in this ugly political season." American voters say 62 - 33 percent that the U.S. Senate should consider the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court rather than wait until there is a new president. Supporting action are Democrats 87 - 8 percent and independent voters 63 - 31 percent, with Republicans opposed 62 - 33 percent. There is support for Senate consideration of Garland among men and women and among all age and racial groups listed. Voters approve 48 - 27 percent of the nomination of Judge Garland. Again, Republicans are the only listed group opposed. "He may never get the job or even get a chance to tell his story, but Americans think Judge Merrick Garland is the right person for the Supreme Court," Malloy said. Only 29 percent of American voters are "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with the way things are going in the nation today, while 70 percent are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied." From March 16 - 21, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,451 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. Visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll Call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll. 17. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Approve 49% 8% 92% 44% 43% 54% 56% 45% Disapprove 48 89 7 50 53 43 41 51 DK/NA 4 4 1 7 4 3 2 4 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht NonWht Approve 62% 51% 44% 37% 37% 44% 40% 75% Disapprove 35 44 53 61 60 53 57 21 18. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job? Approve 15% 26% 8% 9% 14% 15% 9% 17% 19. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job? DK/NA 9 4 5 6 4 10 7 4 20. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in the nation today; are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? Very satisfied 3% 1% 7% 2% 2% 4% 5% 2% Smwht satisfied 26 10 47 20 28 25 30 24 Smwht dissatisfied 33 31 33 36 34 32 34 33 Very dissatisfied 37 58 13 42 36 38 31 40 DK/NA - - 1 - - 1 1 - DK/NA - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 25. Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court? DK/NA 25 27 21 28 24 27 21 28 26. Do you think the Senate should consider the nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, or do you think the Senate should not consider any Supreme Court nomination until there is a new President? Consider Garland 62% 33% 87% 63% 61% 62% 77% 54% Do not consider 33 62 8 31 33 33 21 39 Do not consider 28 28 34 44 37 37 37 22 © 2017 Quinnipiac University. All rights reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1487
__label__cc	0.72206	0.27794	Your browser is out of date and the portal may not function correctly. Please upgrade to the latest version of Chrome or Firefox for best results. What are the requirements to use the Stretch Internet portal? If you're on a desktop or laptop computer, we suggest using the latest version of Chrome or Firefox. If you're using an alternate browser, please ensure you're using the most updated version of that browser. To access live or on-demand video, you will need a download speed of at least 1.0 Mbps (1,000 Kbps) for standard definition broadcasts and 3.0 Mbps (3,000 Kbps) for high definition broadcasts. You can measure your download speed atwww.speedtest.net. Our broadcasts are also compatible on any Apple mobile devices running iOS 7 or later and on Android devices running OS 4.4.4 or later. 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If the portal is set up on a pay-per-view or pay-per-listen basis, you will be required to register or sign-in, and you'll be guided through the steps after clicking on the icon for any event. Why am I experiencing low-quality audio or video? If you're experiencing video or audio playback that skips, freezes or buffers, please ensure you have sufficient bandwidth and computer resources available. Buffering can also occur if there are connection issues on-site. If you're not experiencing video or audio playback issues, but encountering other issues, such as pixellated video or distorted audio, there are very likely issues at the originating site. We work proactively with our partners to address these issues and are generally able to resolve them in a timely manner, but certain conditions are outside our control. Please click the "Submit Support Request" link inside the "Help" tab if you need assistance addressing issues. Why do I not see any events listed on my iPad or iPhone? 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If you don't have any issues with the audio or video playback, but have a complaint about an element of the production, you can use the "Submit Support Request" link inside the "Help" tab. While Stretch Internet does NOT produce the broadcasts and makes no warranties about the content of any broadcast, we can relay your comments or concerns to the school producing the event. Examples of production-related complaints include poor camera operation, mispronunciations, factual inaccuracies, etc. Why are live stats not available for every game? Our live stats modules utilize XML code generated by the software used by the majority of colleges and universities. However, the only sports that include live stats output are soccer, field hockey, volleyball, basketball, ice hockey, baseball, softball and lacrosse. Additionally, some schools choose not to utilize our live stats service, while others only provide live stats for home games, and that can also be contingent on the availability of a high-speed Internet connection. Why are the live stats frozen or not synced up with the audio or video? Streaming traffic uses a different protocol and transfer mechanism than live stats, so it's virtually impossible to guarantee a perfect sync between the two. Also keep in mind that the stats might not be entered immediately on site, which can result in delays in the live stats. If the on-site stats computer is experiencing technical difficulties, the live stats will not update. We contact our schools when the stats have not been updated for 5 or more minutes, but you're also welcome to contact us using the support link if you think there might be an issue. How do I purchase an passport to access an event? You can follow these steps to purchase a passport: 1) On the portal landing page, click on the appropriate watch or listen icon next to the broadcast you're interested in 2) Select the passport you'd like to purchase and click "NEXT" 3) Login with your username and password or register a new account by clicking "REGISTER" 4) Enter your personal and billing information (this information MUST match exactly the info on record with your credit card issuing bank) and click "NEXT" 5) Enter your credit card information and click "NEXT" 6) Review the details of your order and click "NEXT" 7) If your order is successful, you will receive a confirmation e-mail and you can access your event with15 minutes of the scheduled start time by clicking on the corresponding watch or listen icon and clicking the "Sign In" link if you're not already signed in. If you are a paying subscriber and are unsatisfied with the quality of the product or services we provided, we will refund single-event passport fees for live or on-demand audio or video subscriptions in full if, a) there are confirmed, authenticated issues originating solely with the Stretch Internet services, including network downtime and/or latency, or, b) the broadcasting partner experiences technical difficulties which result in transmission quality deemed as low or unacceptable by the Stretch Internet support staff, and/or c) the broadcast is canceled or postponed before the completion of the event. If you have purchased a season or all-access pass that includes the event in question, a pro-rated refund will be issued upon request. You should always ensure your systems are compatible with the minimum requirements outlined in the Stretch Internet FAQ section on the portal. If you experience difficulties during a live event, you should contact us immediately so as to allow our support staff a chance to remedy any issues in a timely fashion. What do I do if I'm still experiencing issues? You can open a support ticket by clicking on the "Submit Support Request" link inside of the "Help" tab. Please complete all of the form fields and provide as much information as possible before submitting the ticket. You can expect to promptly hear back from a member of our support team. Submit Form Request Need support with: Choose One... Live Audio Live Video On-Demand Audio On-Demand Video Live Stats Live Chat Registration/Sign-in Purchasing an event eScores/Megaphone Messaging Other What event or station are you trying to access? Type of Internet Service: Choose One... Dial-up Residential DSL/Cable Residential Satellite Office Network Hotel or Public Network Other Please describe the problem: LIVE EVENTS> ON DEMAND> CONFERENCE> UMass Boston Women's Soccer vs Castleton UMass Boston vs. Castleton Watch/Listen to Event Change Events Audio commentary will not be available for this broadcast. This event is not yet available. Please check back within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time. Unable to view at your location. Streaming for this event has been restricted for your location.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1491
__label__cc	0.591775	0.408225	Category Archive for: Creating Project 2000 Macros Opening a Project File That Contains Macros Creating Project 2000 Macros, 26 Nov, 2015 If you can add code to a Project 2000 file, so can the people who write viruses. Viruses are self-replicating programs. ~en you open a file.that contains a virus, the virus copies its code into the application default template, effectively becoming a global virus. From that point forward, every project you save in the application will be infected,… Storing a Macro In the Store Macro In drop-down list, select the document you want the macro stored in. A macro’s storage location determines how you’ll be able to access and.run It later If you select the current project, the macro will be available only in this project. If you want the same macro somewhere else, you have to copy it… project 2000 is more than just the application and templates you install from a CD. In earlier chapters, you saw some of the flexibility built into Project 2000. You can customize reports, views, and the application interface, This chapter . is an introduction to the most powerful Project 2000 custom tool of all-its profitability. As with the Office 2000…	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1493
__label__wiki	0.819056	0.819056	Buckeye Blues LORAIN, OHIO -- The Steelworkers hall here is a musty monument to American labor's glorious past. On the walls are photos of Franklin Roosevelt signing the Wagner Act in 1935, and of Philip Murray, president of the United Steelworkers of America from its inception in 1937 until his death in 1952. Newer images are nowhere to be found, and the hall itself, while functional, is cheerless and stark. And what's to cheer? In this corner of northern Ohio, about 40 miles west of Cleveland, the factories that once employed thousands of workers are almost entirely gone. On an August afternoon, I'm meeting with union leaders from across Lorain County, each with his own mournful numbers. Tim Donovan, president of the United Auto Workers local that represents the local Ford plants, says that they now employ 2,100 workers, down from 10,000 a decade ago. The Steelworkers local represented the workers at a United States Steel plant that employed 20,000 in the 1970s; today, that workforce has shrunk to 1,400. The meeting itself is not downhearted. The two dozen leaders talk about the unions' political program in Ohio, the most extensive labor has ever mounted. The program in Cleveland, everyone agrees, has never had so many union activists reaching so many of their fellow members so early or often in the Democratic cause. Still, the leaders' is a tempered enthusiasm. “Is [John] Kerry getting his message out?” one worries. “Every time he opens his mouth, the Republicans call it a lie.” “They're really hitting hard on this whole gay-marriage, homosexual thing,” says another. Their unanimous recommendation is that Kerry stick to bread and butter. “He really needs to stress health care,” says one. “They say, ‘How do we fund this?' I say, ‘How did we fund this war that nobody wants?'” Polling shows that Ohioans, whatever their initial position on the Iraq War, now see it as a drain on resources that could be used in Ohio -- a state that has 4 percent of the United States' population but, notes Lorain-area Representative and progressive Democrat Sherrod Brown, 19 percent of the nation's jobs lost during the presidency of George W. Bush. This is the kind of point that union political programs are good at hammering home. Since the birth of exit polling in the 1960s, union households have invariably been found to vote between 9 percent and 12 percent more Democratic than nonunion households. That margin has always been wider among white males, among whom union members have been roughly 20 percent more likely than their nonunion counterparts to vote for Democratic presidential nominees. Which is why the decline in union membership makes much of the industrial Midwest such a challenge for Kerry in a year when Bush's indifferent economic stewardship should make those states easy pickings. “People think we're a big union state, but we're not anymore,” says Paul Ryder, a senior staffer for Ohio Citizen Action, from his office in downtown Cleveland that looks out over what seems like miles of abandoned steel mills. Just 18 percent of the Ohio workforce is unionized, and its four largest unions are in the service and retail sectors, not manufacturing. And yet Ohio has not made the transition to a postindustrial economy. The percentage of college-educated Ohioans lags behind the national average; white working-class voters still constitute slightly more than 60 percent of the total electorate in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Indeed, the two fundamental transitions -- one socioeconomic, one demographic -- that are turning some states more Democratic are nowhere to be found in the heart of the Rust Belt. The socioeconomic transition is the rise of vibrant, postindustrial metropolitan areas whose populations tend to be socially liberal; the demographic one, the explosive growth of the economically liberal Hispanic population. Such transitions are behind the conversion of California from Nixon-and-Reagan Land to the most Democratic of states. They are the reason why the Southwest is in play this November. They are why Florida is trending Democratic: The state's Hispanic population increased from 12 percent to 17 percent of the state during the ‘90s. Not so in Ohio. Because the state is not creating postindustrial jobs, its brighter and more ambitious young people tend to leave. And because the state is not creating any jobs, virtually no new immigrants end up there. Hispanics constituted just 1.9 percent of the Ohio population in the 2000 census; they were 12.5 percent nationwide. Ohio was 84-percent white in that census; the United States was just 69-percent white. (Indeed, one can imagine a long-term transition in which Florida and even Texas become increasingly nonwhite Democratic strongholds, while Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia become more Republican.) When Republican strategists look to Ohio, then, they see an economically and educationally lagging, increasingly nonunion white working class. In short, they see the South. Ohio whites may not be as conservative as their southern counterparts, but they don't have to be, because the (heavily Democratic) black share of the population is correspondingly smaller than it is in Dixie. The small towns of southern Ohio are close to southern to begin with, an extension of Appalachia north of the Ohio River. The Bush campaign is organizing heavily there and throughout rural Ohio. It has managed to depict Kerry as an untrustworthy cultural alien, and, after a month of “Swift”-boat and Republican-convention mendacity, Bush has taken a narrow statewide lead. Against this onslaught the Democrats have erected a phenomenal organization, and are hoping that Kerry is able to reach voters with the right message. Into the void created by the demise of industrial unions and the decade-long collapse of the state Democratic Party, America Coming Together (ACT) -- the largest of the Democratic “527s” -- is spending a breathtaking $15 million for its statewide voter-mobilization effort. On the day after my meeting in Lorain, I spend the afternoon walking the sidewalks of Canton, where the old Republic Steel mill is long gone, and where newer layoffs at Timkin, Rubbermaid, and Diebold are convulsing the economy. I'm with Canton ACT's two lead organizers, Dave Leasure, who used to work at Republic, and Sean McDonald, who worked at a local carpet store until it went under. By mid-August, they and their co-workers had contacted 18,000 Canton voters; statewide, ACT had reached more than half a million. “A highly effective field program,” says Ohio ACT Executive Director Steve Bouchard, “can probably deliver 3 points on election day.” On the doorsteps, Leasure and McDonald ask their neighbors which issues concern them most, then hand them a Palm Pilot, which shows one of six 20-second films on, presumably, their neighbor's designated issue. The videos say how many jobs Ohio has lost, how many Ohioans go without health care, how much money that could be going to Ohio is routed instead to Iraq. Leasure and McDonald persuade a number of sympathetic voters to fill out absentee-ballot applications, and some even to help out as volunteers. But among more conflicted voters, Kerry himself will have to close the deal. Certainly, he will need to use the debates to convey the image of a capable commander in chief. Beyond that, with Republicans proclaiming a bond between Bush and white working-class voters on cultural issues, Kerry needs to create his own bond on economic issues. “I always want to see a more populist message,” says Brown, who notes that he carried 81 percent of the vote in heavily Catholic Lorain during the 2002 congressional election, despite his pro-abortion-rights positions. Brown opposed NAFTA and is leading the charge for affordable prescription drugs -- an economic populism to which he attributes his success. I'm sitting with Brown in Donna's Diner in downtown Elryia, one town over from Lorain. On his last visit, he says, one of the waitresses shied away from a discussion of politics. “She probably makes $18,000 a year,” says Brown, “and the Democrats don't know how to talk to her. Democrats assume that workers know we're better on the economic issues than the Republicans. I don't think that many of them do. We have to talk about all those issues to her, to make crystal clear which side we're on. If we don't, she'll vote on abortion and the guys in the plants will vote their guns.” Harold Meyerson is the Prospect's editor-at-large. The Fight for 15’s Long, Winding, and Brandeisian Road The progression of the Fight for 15 from a left-wing community organization and a left-wing union to left-wing cities to left-wing states to the Democratic mainstream is representative of the broader transformation of the Democratic Party in recent years. How Centrists Misread Scandinavia When Attacking Bernie and Elizabeth Commentators like David Brooks love Scandinavian economics—except the part about unions. Handicapping the Democratic Field After the First Debates Harold Meyerson is editor at large of The American Prospect. His email is hmeyerson@prospect.org. Follow @HaroldMeyerson Articles By Harold Meyerson RSS feed of articles by Harold Meyerson Where Are the Rational Greedy Bastards? Now for Some Bad News Good Medicine 2000, The Sequel Health Care's Big Choice Idiot Boxed Who Killed Camp David? Can't Swallow It Anymore Vexations of the Heartland Film: Ernesto Goes to the Movies Prospects: George W. and Human Rights What We Expect From America Shame in Our Own House Economic Security: A Human Right International Holdout From the Front Lines On America's Double Standard Holding America Accountable Inalienable Rights Criminal Justice and the Erosion of Rights The Partial Rule of Law A Lawless State Rights in an Insecure World Into the Bright Sunshine The Road to Abu Ghraib Iraq the Vote	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1495
__label__wiki	0.676926	0.676926	US20040010794A1 - Method and system automatic control of graphical computer application appearance and execution - Google Patents Method and system automatic control of graphical computer application appearance and execution Download PDF operand programming element state table Troy Acott Joanna Mason Larry Westerman Esw Holdings Inc Ensequence Inc 2003-04-30 Application filed by Ensequence Inc filed Critical Ensequence Inc 2003-07-14 Assigned to ENSEQUENCE INC. reassignment ENSEQUENCE INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ACOTT, TROY STEVEN, MASON, JOANNA, WALLACE, MICHAEL W., WESTERMAN, LARRY ALAN 2006-06-30 Assigned to FOX VENTURES 06 LLC reassignment FOX VENTURES 06 LLC SECURITY AGREEMENT Assignors: ENSEQUENCE, INC. 2007-05-14 Assigned to ENSEQUENCE, INC. reassignment ENSEQUENCE, INC. RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Assignors: FOX VENTURES 06 LLC 2009-04-15 Assigned to CYMI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC reassignment CYMI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC SECURITY AGREEMENT Assignors: ENSEQUENCE, INC. 2009-10-07 Assigned to ENSEQUENCE, INC. reassignment ENSEQUENCE, INC. ASSIGNMENT AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Assignors: CYMI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC 2012-06-06 Assigned to MYRIAN CAPITAL FUND, LLC (SERIES C) reassignment MYRIAN CAPITAL FUND, LLC (SERIES C) ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST Assignors: CYMI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC 2018-09-25 Assigned to ESW HOLDINGS, INC. reassignment ESW HOLDINGS, INC. MERGER (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ENSEQUENCE, INC. 2018-11-05 Assigned to ENSEQUENCE, INC. reassignment ENSEQUENCE, INC. RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MYRIAN CAPITAL FUND, LLC (SERIES C) G06F8/00—Arrangements for software engineering G06F8/30—Creation or generation of source code G06F8/31—Programming languages or programming paradigms A method and system are provided for controlling a computer, data, or media system in response to state changes in the computer system. At least one state table having a first dimension and a second dimension is created. At least one programming element is listed along the first dimension and a plurality of states of the computer system are listed along the second dimension. At each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension is a cell in which an operand is specified for the programming element at each state. For each state change of the computer system, each programming element listed along the first dimension is executed according to the operand listed for a current state. PRIORITY CLAIM This invention claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/395,653, entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF GRAPHICAL COMPUTER APPLICATION APPEARANCE AND EXECUTION,” filed Jul. 12, 2002. [0001] This patent application is related to concurrently-filed patent applications entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FLEXIBLE TIME-BASED CONTROL OF APPLICATION APPEARANCE AND BEHAVIOR,” bearing attorney docket number ENSE-1-1004, “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING FLEXIBLE TIME-BASED CONTROL OF APPLICATION APPEARANCE AND BEHAVIOR,” bearing attorney docket number ENSE-1-1009, and “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING FLEXIBLE TIME-BASED CONTROL OF APPLICATION APPEARANCE AND BEHAVIOR,” bearing attorney docket number ENSE-1-1010, all of which are incorporated by reference. [0002] This invention relates generally to computer software applications and, more specifically, to programming and execution of graphical user interface programs. [0003] Many positive consequences have resulted from the continual improvements in the price performance of microcomputer technologies. For example, graphical user interface driven applications have displaced less user-friendly command driven applications. Also, microcomputers have proliferated from the desktop computer to the laptop computer, personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, set-top boxes for televisions, and myriad other devices. [0004] On the other hand, the improvements in microcomputer technologies have also resulted in some issues. With improvements in microprocessor systems, data transfer to and from the microprocessor presents more of a concern in processing throughput. Similarly, with the proliferation of microcomputer devices, demand on both wired and wireless networking bandwidth is constantly increasing. At the same time, the luxury of fast microprocessors and inexpensive large capacity memory systems has led to software engineers and programmers tending to generate less efficient code. The cost of the human capital to develop efficient code cannot be justified in the face of cheaper processing power that in many cases allows relatively inefficient code to run sufficiently quickly. [0005] Within this context, there are challenges faced in creating an interactive computer application in today's environment. First, there is a conflict between the proliferation of computing devices on one hand and the tendency to create less efficient code because of the improved price performance of hardware. To take one example, a ubiquitous yet often overlooked home computer is the digital set-top box (STB) present in households receiving digital cable or digital satellite television signals. Most applications evident to the user are simple, such as changing channels; displaying a program guide; identifying the program; name; specifying the start time and run time of a program; and perhaps a short synopsis of the program. At the same time, the STB has to undertake many functions which may not be apparent to the user. For example, the STB has to coordinate which “channel” chosen by the user is represented by which data stream, and has to receive and decode the mass of video and audio data blocks which contain the program content. [0006] Improved price performance of hardware has made the proliferation of these devices affordable and, therefore, practical. However, the computer hardware within the STB is very rudimentary by today's standards. A typical STB is operated by a relatively slow microprocessor, has very little random access memory, and little or no program storage. Because of this last reason, the STB frequently has to update the application code or data it stores, and cannot store large quantities of data at any time. Further, even though the STB necessarily has access to broadband data input, even if more memory were available to the STB, loading large quantities of non-video and non-audio data is not readily possible because the data stream is largely filled by video and audio data blocks for all the channels made available to the user through the cable or satellite feed. [0007] Overcoming such concerns would allow STBs to be more fully exploited and thereby enhance the television production and viewing experience. For example, the addition of graphical information in a television program conventionally is performed in show postproduction by an editor, and the information actually becomes embedded as part of the visual data transmitted by the program. This same information could be received as data and superimposed on the video images of the telecast. Moreover, STBs could be used to allow user interaction with a program, such as by playing along with game shows or purchasing items displayed during a telecast. Currently, while it is possible to offer a telephone number, a web address, a vendor name, and similar information to allow an interested viewer to purchase an item indirectly, there are not opportunities to interactively purchase via the STB. [0008] Second, when creating an application to be interactively engaged by a user, the designer of the application considers the application's behaviors in response to the user's actions as well as other changing circumstances. These circumstances may include the passage of time, direct user interaction with the input interface of the computer, or alterations in internal or external control signals. The challenge of creating a computer application to encapsulate the desired behavior is to accurately define these behaviors, then incorporate the behavior into a series of algorithmic statements. Typically, a designer or implementer of an interactive application will create explicit algorithmic statements in the coding language which implement the desired behavior. Control statement constructs, such as IF-THEN-ELSE or DO-WHILE logical constructions, are used to test for various conditions, the result of which can initiate simple operations. The sequential testing of these multiple control statements and the combination of the simple operations keyed thereby can then be combined into more complex behavior to create the appearance of a sophisticated application. [0009] These first and second challenges may, however, conflict with each other. Capturing desired application behavior in a series of testing statements can require extensive code. Further, in the STB environment, both storing and securing the bandwidth to obtain necessary conditional coding sections present problems. [0010] In order to try to effectuate desired conditional programming behavior in a compact data size, some program logic can be converted into equivalent data content. The data content, with the desired behavioral aspects of the application embedded therein, can interact with the control logic to execute the desired behavior without downloading all new application code for each desired set of functions. [0011] One example of how this is done is a data-driven control mechanism such as that described by Watanabe et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,347, “DATA DISPLAY CONTROL APPARATUS” (“Watanabe”). Watanabe discloses a system which uses pre-encoded data to specify changing the appearance of an application according to predetermined behaviors which are instituted by the receipt of user actions, or by the passage of time. For each of a set of display screens, modifications of properties of elements of the screen can be made by invoking a “handler.” A handler is a small byte code sequence which accomplishes some change in the system properties, such as making a button visible or invisible, or displaying an alternative screen. FIG. 1, which represents FIG. 6 from Watanabe, shows a pre-encoded data element [0012] 100 as disclosed by Watanabe for controlling the appearance of a single display screen. Viewed practically, Watanabe's data element [0013] 100 is a code fragment which dictates the response of the application in response to changing conditions. The data element 100 manifests an IF-THEN construct keyed by whether a user selects a VIDEO button 106 or a STEREO button 110. Moreover, the data element only encapsulates one aspect of the behavior for one single, conditional choice. To create a complex behavioral response to the user input, a series of stacked data elements like data element 100 would have to be created. In addition, the system of Watanabe has a drawback which is shared by other similar systems such as web browsers. The Watanabe solution employs discrete code fragments which are executed in response to particular behavior, in just the same way that a web page is encoded to activate a link when the user clicks on a button or block to which the link is associated. As such, just as in a web browser the navigation available to the user is limited to the pre-defined URL links embedded in the source code for the page, under Watanabe the programming logic is fixed at design time to handlers pre-coded in the application. Also like a web browser, in which the transition to a new page represented by the link is automatic in response to the link being chosen, under Watanabe's system the behavior is responsive to the last conditional branch taken by the system in response to a user selection. Watanabe cannot take account of previous states from which the user selection was made or based on a combination of variables. The user's experience is based solely on the application's response to the last individual selection made by the user. [0014] One alternative to the simple selection/pre-encoded direct response system of Watanabe is to create an executable application which implements behavior based on conditional testing of multiple application variables or inputs. However, an inefficiency inherent in constructing application behavior from conditional program logic is that each potential alternative condition must continually be tested for and operated upon. Some reuse of code is always possible, but generally the code has to be modified to manifest all the variables and the consequences of their values to handle each new special case of behavior. In other words, with reference to the example from Watanabe, the same byte code specified in the Bytecode_Part [0015] 150 would have to be incorporated into the conditional program logic, but would be surrounded by code to test for which subset of byte code should be executed. This conditional code must be executed before the ‘operational’ effect can be realized from the core byte code, which leads to inefficiency. Adding or updating code also presents concerns from the standpoint of program storage, loading time, and data communications bandwidth. FIG. 2A shows a computer system [0016] 200 and a typical application 202 residing within the system 200. The system 200 presents a hardware layer 204 which is controlled by a low-level hardware operating system 206, such as the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) residing on a typical personal computer. An operating system or middleware 208 typically runs above the hardware operating system 206. Ultimately, the application 202 then resides on top of the operating system. If the application 202 has to be swapped out, updated, or otherwise changed, entire modules of code, or perhaps the entire application are changed. As shown in FIG. 2B, loading a new, different, revised, or updated application 202 would consume appreciable bandwidth of a data path 250. Moreover, if the pathway is a relatively slow network line rather than a relatively fast local bus, the time and bandwidth required to communicate the application would be appreciable for one such transmission. The aggregate bandwidth consumed for a number of changes or updates can becomes a tremendous bandwidth concern. Thus, there is an unmet need in the art for controlling appearance and execution of computer applications without having to create, load, and store code instruction segments to control desired computer behavior in response to changing variables and conditions in which the application operates. [0017] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, a computer readable medium, a data system for controlling operation of a computer system, or an interactive media control system for efficient control of the operation of a computer, data, or media control system. Desired behaviors in response to changes in state of a system using the present invention are coded in data form, and the data is processed in response to state changes. Accordingly, the present invention advantageously allows for application behaviors to be coded without writing new code. Moreover, behaviorial functions of the system can be controlled or changed by changing the data without changing or loading an entire application. The data suitably takes the form of a state table which governs the operation of programming elements, such as function calls or values being set, in response to state changes without having to create and load conditional code for monitoring every behavior. [0018] More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for controlling computer system operation in response to state changes in the computer system. At least one state table is created, and the state table has a first dimension and a second dimension. At least one programming element is listed along the first dimension and a plurality of states of the computer system are listed along the second dimension. At each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension is a cell in which an operand is specified for the programming element at each state. For each state change of the computer system, each programming element listed along the first dimension is executed according to the operand listed for a current state. [0019] In accordance with further aspects of the invention, non-null operands are pushed onto a stack from which they are retrieved for processing. In one embodiment, the non-null operands suitably are pushed onto the stack by an execution model, and retrieved and processed by a byte-code interpreter. The programming elements may represent function calls, for which the function is specified as an operand, automatic function calls, or value setting functions to set a value for a program variable. The programming element also can be a code segment of its own, as the state table can be of variable or fixed length. Further, the state table can be subdivided into a state table structure, specifying the programming elements, and a state table file, specifying the operands such that the state table structure and state table file can be changed and loaded separately. Forms of transitions between states for programming elements can be specified with the operands, such as transition types, final states, or transition durations, or a default transition can be used.[0020] The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. [0021] FIG. 1 is a prior art navigation data construction used to drive a program based on user input; [0022] FIG. 2A is an operational hierarchy map of a computer system using a prior art application; [0023] FIG. 2B is a graphical depiction of a data stream using a prior art application in which application code has to be loaded in response to operational run-time changes; [0024] FIG. 3 is a state table according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0025] FIGS. [0026] 4A-4F are screens from an interactive computer program displayed to a user using an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a state table controlling the run-time operation of the interactive computer program displayed to the user in FIGS. [0027] 6A-6F; FIG. 6 is a structural map of a graphical user interface button into which new image data can be inserted during run-time according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0028] FIG. 7 is a structural map of a state table and state table file according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0029] FIG. 8A is operational hierarchy map of a computer system using an application making use of a state table according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0030] FIG. 8B is a graphical depiction of a data stream using an application in which state table files according to an embodiment of the present invention are loaded in response to operational run-time changes; [0031] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the steps used to create a state table according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0032] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the steps used in executing a state table according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0033] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a system using an embodiment of the present invention; and, [0034] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a data processing/media control system using an embodiment of the present invention.[0035] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for controlling computer system operation in response to state changes in the computer system. At least one state table is created, and the state table has a first dimension and a second dimension. At least one programming element is listed along the first dimension and a plurality of states of the computer system are listed along the second dimension. At each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension is a cell in which an operand is specified for the programming element at each state. For each state change of the computer system, each programming element listed along the first dimension is executed according to the operand listed for a current state. [0036] FIG. 3 shows a state table [0037] 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The state table 300 has five rows 302 and n+2 columns 304. The first column 306 is a list of operations or programming elements 308. As a result, it will be appreciated that any number of the rows 302 may be used as desired for a particular application as determined by the number of operations or programming elements 308 listed in the first column 306. The remaining columns 310 correspond with each of n+1 states 312 of operation that are contemplated for the behavior of the system using the state table (not shown). It will be appreciated that there are n+1 states because the first state is State 0 314. Thus, if the last state is State n 318, there are a total of n+1 states. There are n+2 columns because there are n+1 states and the additional first column for the list of programming elements. At intersections of each of the rows [0038] 302 and each of the columns 308 after the first column 306 are cells 320 containing operands 322. In each cell 322 is listed an operand for the programming element specified in the first column 306 for that row. Thus, there are n+1 operands 322 specified for each programming element 308 listed in the first column 306 of each row 302, one for each contemplated state, State 0 314 through State n 318. The operands 322 specify an argument needed for the programming element at each of the states 312. Operation of a system can begin at a non-state (not shown) or with State 0 [0039] 314. Upon initiating State 0 314 and upon progressing to each state 312, the programming element 308 in each row is executed according to the operand 322 specified in the cell 320 for that programming element 308 at that state 312. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the programming elements each are executed sequentially, from top to bottom, although another order could be selected as desired for a particular application. Depending upon the system being controlled by the state table 300, the states 312 can be stepped through sequentially from State 0 314 through State n 318, or can be randomly accessed. Initiation of state changes suitably results from the passage of time, in response to system or user initiated directives, or based on other changing conditions. The state table 300 thus can be adapted to a variety of applications and contexts. Given by way of non-limiting example, the first programming element [0040] 308 listed in the first row 330 of the first column 306 is “Store in Button1.Visible” 324. For the sake of this non-limiting example, a button represents a displayed icon, having a particular position, size, and appearance, which a user of the system, such as a computer or an interactive media control system, can select to direct the system according to his or her desires. The programming element 308 suitably represents an automatic function call, one of a number of suitable programming element types. The “Store in Button1.Visible” programming element accepts two operands 322: “True” 326, as specified at State 0 314 and “False” 328, as specified at State 1 316. As will be appreciated, while the operands “True” 326 and “False” 328 are spelled out, they could be represented by numerical codes, one-byte symbols, and other forms. In response to the True operand 326 and the False operand 328, the programming element 324 causes Button 1 to become visible at State 0 314, but become invisible at State 1 316, respectively. A transition from State 0 314 to State 1 316 may be indicated by expiration of a set time interval, receipt of a state change signal by the system running the state table, a user initiating a state change by pressing a button or otherwise issuing a command, or in other ways. The data table manifested in the state table 300 thus dictates program behavior in response to state changes. The state table [0041] 300, however, need not execute only one row and thus one programming element at a time. The state table 300 suitably causes to be executed each programming element listed for each operand specified for each state. By way of this non-limiting example, for this state table 300 with five rows 302 of programming elements 308, up to five programming elements are executed for each state change, as will be further described. At State 0 314, the first programming element “Store in Button1.Visible” 324 first is executed with the operand “True” 326. Second, the programming element “Integer Value” 330, a value-setting programming element, sets the value to 43. Third, the programming element “Store in Button1.Left” 334, another automatic function call, sets the left-hand position of Button 1 to 100. Fourth, the “Call Math Func( ) with argument” programming element 338 specifies that function Math( ) is executed with the argument 12. Finally, the “Call given function” programming element 340 initiates the function specified by data element 336 at State 0 314, namely “Func12,” which will then be executed. It will be noted that this programming element is a function call that is not an automatic function call as are programming elements 324 and 334. Instead of the programming element 308 specifying the function to be executed, the function to be executed is specified by the operand 336. Using a non-automatic function call advantageously allows for different functions to be executed by the state table for different applications by changing only operands in the state table, without changing the programming elements. As will be described further below, this allows the state table structure to be reused between different applications while changing only the state table data. Upon the transition to the next state that is State 1 [0042] 316, the programming elements 308 are executed according to the operand specified for each programming element at this state, with one exception noted in the example. First, “Store in Button1.Visible” 324 is executed with the operand “False” 328, thereby making the button invisible. Second, the programming element “Integer Value” 330 sets the value to 26. This value can be read by program code. Third, the programming element “Store in Button1.Left” 334, this time, is not executed. This is because there is a null operand “NO_CHANGE” specified for the programming element 334 for the current state. When a null operand is specified for a programming element, the programming element is skipped. Therefore, a vast number of programming elements could be specified, even if some of them are seldom used, and the programming elements are merely skipped until transitioning to a state where a non-null operand is specified. Fourth, the “Call Func( ) with argument” programming element 338 calls the function Func( ) with argument 14. Finally, the “Call given function” programming element 340 initiates the function Func2 specified for the programming element 338 at State 1 316. It will be appreciated that, as the programming elements [0043] 308 are executed (or not executed, if a null operand is associated with the programming elements 308 for a current state change), no conditions need to be tested, let alone coded. The desired behaviors are encapsulated in the state table 300 to manifest and control the execution of the system based on the operands coded for each of the programming elements. It also will be appreciated that transitions between the states can be controlled in a number of ways known to those ordinarily skilled in the art. For example, arguments could be supplied with the operands specifying whether the transition is to be made abruptly, faded in, wiped from one side or the other, or another way. Similarly, the speed of transitions or a duration during which the state change remains in effect could be specified by an argument. Default transition types and durations could be supplied if such arguments are not specified. [0044] For clarity, an extended non-limiting example of the operation of such a state, table-driven system is provided in FIGS. [0045] 4A-4F and 5, which depict an example of a cooking show overlaid with information and interaction opportunities for users. In FIG. 4A, a host 400 appears at a countertop 402, as such programs typically begin. In FIG. 4B, the visual component of the show is overlaid by a computer or media control program presenting a recipe 404 for a dish being prepared, listing the ingredients that will be used to prepare the dish. In FIG. 4C, the host 400 is working with a first of the ingredients in a bowl 408, and that first 410 ingredient is highlighted on the recipe 404 displayed to clarify what the host is doing at this point in the program. In a next frame shown at FIG. 4D, the recipe is removed, to remove objects from the display for clarity or for another reason, while a special symbol 412 is appended over the bowl containing the ingredient at issue. The insertion of this special symbol 412 gives the user a chance to purchase the bowl 408 interactively. In FIG. 4E, the special symbol 412 has been removed, the recipe 404 reappears, a second ingredient in a container 414 is being used, and the second ingredient in the recipe 416 is highlighted. This time, again as a choice perhaps for visual clarity as the host 400 works with a second ingredient 414 on a right side of the screen, the recipe 404 is moved to the left side of the screen. Finally, in FIG. 4F, all the graphical objects overlaying the program have been removed. An embodiment of the present invention allows this graphical information to be transmitted to a device displaying the program. The changes in information can be keyed to triggers in the program, and interactive opportunities similarly can be created. It will be appreciated that these advantages can be accomplished by modifying a state table, such as the state table [0046] 500 shown in FIG. 5, without having to use conventional video editing and/or create or edit instruction code. Referring now to FIG. 5, a state table [0047] 500 lists programming elements 502 in a first column 504 at left, and operands 506 relating to each of the programming elements 502 for each of the succeeding states 508 are inserted in cells 510 at intersections of programming element rows and state columns. It will be appreciated that the operands 506 inserted in the state table 500 assume that execution of a system processing the program controlled by the state table commenced operation before execution of the state table began. As is explained in the concurrently-filed patent application entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FLEXIBLE TIME-BASED CONTROL OF APPLICATION APPEARANCE AND BEHAVIOR,” bearing attorney docket number ENSE-1-1004 and previously incorporated by reference, depending on how the state changes are triggered can affect the nature of the operands used. At State 0 [0048] 520, the programming elements 502 for position of a series of buttons are established to present graphics shown in FIGS. 4B-4E. It will be appreciated that objects used to present a recipe, which is not interactive in this example, are suitably the same as a button object that will be used to represent a special symbol. A difference is that the special symbol is set, as will be explained, to respond to user input, while the recipe is not. Having only one object to present such graphical materials, interactive or not, advantageously simplifies code to execute the state table, as will be further explained below. Operands in the column for State 0 520 establish initial left and top positions of the recipe buttons, buttons 1, 2, and 3, 410, 416, and 418 (FIG. 4E), respectively, as well as the special symbol 412, button 4. Subsequent programming elements also set all the buttons to visible=False at State 0 520, because the buttons are not displayed at an initial state, as depicted in FIG. 4A. The colors for text and background are set, and a function call which will later be used for the special symbol/purchase opportunity is set to a NO_CHANGE null-operand. In this case 580, the NO_CHANGE operand signals that no function call is to be made. The parameters are now set for the beginning of the program. At State 1 [0049] 530, it will be appreciated that all but three of the operands specified for the programming elements are NO_CHANGE null operands. As a result, advantageously these programming elements can be skipped without processing or conditional programming, and thus dealt with very efficiently. More accurately, these programming elements with null operands are not dealt with at all. Accordingly, while great flexibility for adjusting the parameters controlled by these programming values exists in the state table 500, the application need not process them at each step. Therefore, there is great flexibility without continual complexity. On the other hand, at State 1 [0050] 530, the values for the “Store in Button1.Visible,” “Store in Button2.Visible,” and “Store in Button1.Visible,” which represent the recipe are changed from “False” to “True,” thereby causing the recipe 404 (FIG. 4B) to be displayed at State 1 530. Again, as previously mentioned, the state change from State 0 520 to State 1 530 could be brought about as desired, such as by a coded signal, expiration of a set time interval, or another form of trigger. At State 2 [0051] 540, once again most of the operands for the programming elements are set to NO_CHANGE as the display changes from FIG. 4B to FIG. 4C. It will be appreciated that the only change between FIGS. 4B and 4C is that the first ingredient 410 (FIG. 4C) in the recipe 404 is highlighted by placing the text in reverse-video with regard to the background. This is accomplished once more through the button object by reversing the operands for the “Button1.Text” and “Button1.Color” programming elements at State 2 540. Again, without conditional programming or additional coding, most of the programming elements advantageously can be skipped while the desired behavior is manifested by changing the data associated with the programming elements of interest for the state at issue. At State 3 [0052] 550, once more most of the operands are NO_CHANGE. The salient changes in the displayed image of FIG. 4D are that the recipe 404 disappears and the special symbol 412 signifying the purchase opportunity appears, triggering the interactive opportunity for the user. This is all accomplished by changing only five operands. The first four operands change the visibility for each of the four buttons. Specifically, for the visibility programming elements for buttons 1 through 3 the operand is changed to “False,” and for the visibility programming element for button 4 the operand is changed to “True.” Finally, the “Call given function” programming element 580, a function call programming element, is changed from NO_CHANGE to “Func4,” which is a pre-coded function call which will initiate the purchase opportunity. With regard to the “Call given function” programming element, it will be appreciated that instead of a pre-coded function the actual function code could be inserted here so that such features need not be pre-coded. The cells of the state table can be variable in length, including even programming segments that original programmers wanted to leave open or did not foresee. [0053] At State 4 [0054] 560, more things change on the display than at any other time, thus more programming elements have non-null operands than for any other state since the initial parameters were set at State 0 520. First, to move the recipe 404 (FIG. 4E) from the right-hand side of the screen to the left-hand side of the screen, the left position of the three recipe buttons is set to a new value. Because the vertical position of the buttons is not changed, the top attribute is still set to NO_CHANGE. Because the recipe 404 now reappears at State 4, the three recipe buttons' visibility attribute is reset to “True.” At the same time, because the interactive shopping opportunity ends, the special symbol button 412 disappears with its visibility attribute reset to False. Also, because now, as shown in FIG. 4E, the recipe button 2 416 is highlighted while the recipe button 1 410 is returned to normal video, the text and button color operands are changed. It will be appreciated that this step could have taken place at State 3 550 when the buttons were invisible, if desired. Finally, the “Call given function” programming element is reset to NO-CHANGE, foreclosing the user interaction opportunity. Finally, at State 5 [0055] 570, the only change to be manifested is that the recipe 404 once again disappears as shown in FIG. 4F. Accordingly, the visibility attribute operands for each of the three recipe buttons 410, 416, and 418 is set to False. Because nothing else changes, once again the remaining operands are all NO_CHANGE operands which can be skipped by the system. FIGS. 6 and 7 further illustrate the efficiency of a table-driven system with reference to the button manipulated by the state table [0056] 300 of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 shows attributes of a button 600 which, for sake of example, suitably has five properties: left position 602, top position 604, size 606, visibility (yes or no) 608, and image content 610. Presumably, every button of every application which will be created has those same five declarative properties. As previously described in connection with FIG. 3, variables concerning the position or appearance of a button can be dictated by programming element 324 for “Store in Button1.Left.” Advantageously, nothing new needs to be coded into application code executing the table to position or format a button. Instead, according to the invention only new data such as values for left position 620, top position 622, size 624, visibility 626, and image content dictated by an image file 628 need be provided. This data is provided as operands in the data table, as previously described. Numeric values for left position, 620, top position 622, size 624, and visibility 626 can be entered into state table fields. In addition, new image appearances in the form of an image file 628, such as, without limitation, icons, can be entered a state table field as well. State table fields can have variable size to accommodate such blocks of graphical data FIG. 7 further shows how efficient data communications result from the state table structure. Referring back to FIG. 3, in the state table [0057] 300 the first column 306 lists the programming elements 308, and the remaining columns 310 specify operands for those functions at successive states 312. For example, the application might be a game show with which a user can play along. The underlying game show is a telecast of video and audio data. Overlaying that telecast are suitably buttons which the user can select to choose answers, and a computer or media control system can track the user's score. For a game show repeated nightly or weekly, all the programming elements might be the same in terms of buttons being displayed, answers being scored, etc., from show to show, but the precise values and appearances of those buttons might change. Similarly, a game show with multiple rounds may use the same programming elements for each round, but different operands and a different number of states are needed for different rounds. To specify the user's interaction with the game, including the answers displayed, which answers are correct, how many questions are presented (and therefore states), and other information, behavior of the application can be recast by changing only the operands in the state table. Therefore, because the programming elements do not change, but only the operands to control the same might be encoded, changing the application advantageously does not require the creation and/or transmission of an entirely new state table. Instead, according to the invention the programming elements [0058] 308 (FIG. 3) listed in the first column 306 may remain the same, while only the operands in succeeding columns 310 are changed. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, a state table 700 can have a separate state table structure 710 which includes the programming elements, and a separate state table file 720, which contains operands for tailoring the function of the application. Dividing the state table 700 into different components yields smaller blocks of data to be transmitted at one time. Moreover, a reusable state table structure 710, which could be reused from week-to-week, day-to-day, or at least round-to-round would not have to be retransmitted each time. Instead, only a new data table file 720 would have to be retransmitted, thereby saving data transmission bandwidth. FIGS. 8A and 8B show benefits of a state-table driven system [0059] 800 in contrast to those of a conventional system 200 depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Some elements shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B are the same as those shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B; these elements bear the same reference numerals, and a description of the operation of these common elements will not be repeated. In the state-table driven system [0060] 800 shown in FIG. 8A, the application 801 includes two parts. First, a general application code module 802 resides above the operating system/middleware 208. The general application code module 802 includes support for processing functions that may be initiated by programming elements in the state table 804, as well the functions referenced by the programming elements and operands in the state table. This is a reusable module whose functionality will actually be driven by data encoded in the state table 804, as previously described in connection with FIG. 4. The general application code module is responsible for executing the behaviors encoded in the state table 804. Second, the state table 804, a data construct, directs operation of the general application code 802, creating a data-driven system. As will be appreciated from FIG. 8A, the state table [0061] 804 is not as large as the general application code module 802. Consequently, to modify the application run by the general application code module 802 and the state table 804, instead of modifying the entire application 202 (FIG. 2A) as required by conventional systems, only the state table 804 has to be modified. Moreover, because the general application code module 804 provides support for processing a state table 804 and executing general functions that may be initiated by a state table 804, entire new applications can be created by creating a new state table 804 without having to write or debug new code, or load or otherwise communicate new code to the system 800 running the application. Moreover, as previously described in connection with FIG. 7, application behavior can be changed merely by loading or transmitting a new state table file (not shown) without sending an entire new state table, further reducing bandwidth requirements. Bandwidth benefits of using the state table driven system [0062] 800 can be seen by examining the contrast between FIGS. 2B and 8B. FIG. 2B shows a conventional system as previously described in which the loading of a new, revised, or updated application requires the bandwidth and the loading time to load an entirely new application. By contrast, FIG. 8B shows that, in a state table driven system 800 (FIG. 8A), revised, updated or entirely new applications can be made available by communicating only a new state table 804. Assuming equal bandwidth across a data bus or a network communications link, communicating new state tables 804 requires far less bandwidth to change current applications or distribute new applications. FIGS. 9 and 10 depict in flowchart form methods of preparing and executing state tables. FIG. 9, specifically, depicts a method [0063] 900 for creating a state table. Beginning with a first row of the state table at a block 902, the method 900 iteratively determines what programming element is to be used. At a decision block 904, it is determined if the programming element is a function call. If so, for each state, the operand for the function call, whether an automatic function call or an ordinary function call, is provided at a block 906. Alternatively, if it is determined that a value setting programming element is invoked at a decision block 908, at a block 910 each state column is filled in with the value appropriate to the value setting programming element at each state. As a further alternative, if it is determined that a non-precoded function code segment is entailed at a decision block 912, the function code segment for each state is provided in the appropriate column at a block 914. As a still further alternative, it is is determined at a decision block 913 that a function call with argument is needed, at a block 915 the function is entered as the programming element and the arguments needed are entered in the appropriate state table column. If it is determined at a decision block 916 that not all of the desired functions have been captured in the state table, the next function is encapsulated moving to the next row in the table at a block 918. Alternatively, once it is determined at the block 916 that all the behaviors have been encapsulated in the table, the table is complete and the method ends at a block 920. FIG. 10 depicts a method [0064] 1000 for execution of a state table. If it is determined at a decision block 1002 that a state change has occurred, at a decision block 1004 it is determined if the programming element is a function call and, if so, at a block 1006 the operand designating the function call is pushed onto an execution stack, and the function is executed appropriately. Alternatively, if the programming element is determined at a decision block 1008 to be a value setting programming element, the value is set to the value supplied in the current state column at a block 1010. Also alternatively, if it is determined at a decision block 1012 that the current entry in the state table column is a function code, that code is executed at a block 1014. As a still further alternative, if it is determined at a decision block 1013 that a function call with argument has been made, at a block 1015 the function is executed with the argument listed in the current state table column. If it is determined at a decision block 1016 that not all the rows of the state table for the current state have been executed, at a block 1018 the system goes to the next row of the state table in the current state column and executes that programming element at a block 1018. On the other hand, once it is determined at the decision block 1016 that all the rows for the current state have been executed, the system waits for the next state change at the block 1002. It will be appreciated that if a null operand is encountered, that operand does not trigger any of the operations at blocks 1006, 1010, or 1014, and the method simply passes to the next row in the state table or, if the null operand is the last row, the system waits for the next state change at a decision block 1002. FIG. 11 shows a block diagram of a system [0065] 1100 for executing an application using a state table according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 1100 is keyed by a state change driver 1102. As previously described, the state change driver can be a timer, a signal receiver for acting on a manual signal, or another device that initiates a transition to a next state. More specifically, the state change driver 1102 keys an execution model 1104 which engages the state table 1106. The execution model 1104, in accordance with the method described in connection with FIG. 10 above, evaluates each programming element and associated operand for the current state. Appropriate to the programming elements and operand combinations encountered, the execution model pushes onto an execution stack 1108 data and function code to be executed according to the programming elements. A byte code interpreter 1110 takes the entries from the execution stack and processes the programming elements. It will be appreciated that changing the state table 1106 advantageously controls application behavior without having to change the state change driver 1102, the execution model 1104, the execution stack 1108, or the byte code interpreter 1110. FIG. 12 shows a computer system [0066] 1200, which could be in the form of a media controller or a set-top box (STB) operable for using embodiments of the present invention. The computer system 1200 is operable for controlling a display 1202, such as a television, and an audio subsystem 1204, such as a stereo or a loudspeaker system. The computer system 1200 receives input from a network 1206, such as a broadband data network. The computer system 1200 also receives user input from a wired or wireless user keypad 1208, which may be in the nature of a STB remote. The computer system [0067] 1200 receives input from the network 1206 via an input/output controller 1210, which directs signals to and from a video controller 1212, an audio controller 1214, and a central processing unit (CPU) 1216. In the case of a STB, the input/output controller 1210 suitably is a multiplexer for routing video data blocks received from the network 1206 to a video controller 1212 in the nature of a video decoder, audio data blocks to an audio controller 1214 in the nature of an audio decoder, and for routing other data blocks to a CPU 1216 for processing. In turn, the CPU 1216 communicates through a system controller 1218 with input and storage devices such as read only memory (ROM) 1220, system memory 1222, system storage 1224, and input device controller 1226. The computer system [0068] 1200 shown in FIG. 12 thus can receive state tables or state table files, pass them through the input/output controller 1210 to the CPU 1216 where it will be processed through the system controller 1218, suitably in response to user input gathered through the user keypad 1208 and the input device controller 1226. The state table can then be executed as previously described in connection with the foregoing examples, method flowcharts, and block diagrams. While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow. [0069] 1. A method for controlling computer system operation in response to state changes in the computer system, the method comprising: creating at least one state table having a first dimension and a second dimension, at least one programming element being listed along the first dimension and a plurality of states of the computer system being listed along the second dimension; storing an operand in a cell at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension, the operand further being specified for the programming element at each state; and processing each programming element listed along the first dimension according to the operand listed for a current state for each state change of the computer system. 2. The method of claim 1, further placing a non-null operand onto an execution stack from which the non-null operand can be processed according to the programming element associated with the cell. 3. The method of claim 2, further retrieving the non-null operand from the execution stack and processing the operand according to the programming element associated with the cell. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the non-null operand includes a byte-code, the byte-code representing a predetermined action to a byte-code interpreter being executed by the programming element. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming element includes a function call. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the function call includes an automatic function call. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the operand includes data used by the automatic function call, such that when the automatic function call is initiated by a state change of the computer system, the programming element performs its programmed function using the data specified as the operand. 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the operand includes a function specifier, the function specifier indicating what function should be executed by the function call programming element. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming element includes a value setting function, wherein the operand includes a value to which a variable named in the programming element is set. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the operand includes a null operand such that no action is taken in processing the programming element. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming element includes a code segment specifier and the operand includes a code segment to be executed. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the operands in the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension of the state table are of a fixed length. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the operands in the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension of the state table are of a variable length. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the state table includes a state table structure and a state table data file, such that the state table data file contains the operands stored in the cells at the intersections of the first and second dimensions and the values of the operands can be changed by specifying a new state table data file to be used in the state table structure without having to load a new state table structure. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the state changes are triggered by one of preprogramming, user input, or an external event. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the execution of programming elements in response to state changes of the computer system is implemented according to a default transition or according to a specified transition. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the default transition is an instantaneous transition. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the specified transition to be applied in response to the state changes is specified by transition parameters included in the cells at intersections of the first dimension and the second dimension of the state table. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the transition parameters include at least one of a final state, a transition type, and a transition duration. 20. A method for controlling computer system operation in response to state changes in the computer system, the method comprising: creating a reusable execution model for executing a plurality of programming elements responsive to an operand specified for executing each programming element during a current state of the computer system such that the reusable execution model does not need to be modified when a programming element or an operand is changed; and creating at least one run-specific state table having a first dimension and a second dimension, at least one programming element being listed along the first dimension and a plurality of states of the computer system being listed along the second dimension, the operand in each cell at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension being specified for the programming element at each state of the computer system for a current operation of the computer system. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising processing the state table such that as a non-null operand is presented in a cell, the execution model places the non-null operand onto an execution stack from which the non-null operand can be processed according to the programming element associated with the cell. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising retrieving the non-null operand from the execution stack and processing the operand according to the programming element associated with the cell. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the non-null operand includes a byte-code, the byte-code representing a predetermined action to a byte-code interpreter and being executed by the programming element. 24. The method of claim 20, wherein the programming element includes a function call. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the function call includes an automatic function call. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the operand includes data used by the automatic function call, such that when the automatic function call is initiated by a state change of the computer system, the programming element performs its programmed function using the data specified as the operand. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the operand includes a function specifier, the function specifier indicating what function should be executed by the function call programming element. 28. The method of claim 20, wherein the programming element includes a value setting function, wherein the operand includes a value to which a variable named in the programming element is set. 29. The method of claim 20, wherein the operand includes a null operand such that no action is taken in processing the programming element. 30. The method of claim 20, wherein the programming element includes a code segment specifier, wherein the operand includes a code segment to be executed. 31. The method of claim 20, wherein the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension are of a fixed length. 32. The method of claim 20, wherein the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension are of a variable length. 33. The method of claim 20, wherein the state table comprises a state table structure and a state table file, such that the state table file contains the operands stored in the cells at the intersections of the first and second dimensions and the values of the operands can be changed by specifying a new state table file to be used in the state table structure without having to load a new state table structure. 34. The method of claim 20, wherein the state changes are triggered by one of preprogramming, user input, or an external event. 35. The method of claim 20, wherein the execution of programming elements in response to state changes of the computer system is implemented according to a default transition or according to a specified transition. 39. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for controlling operations of a computer in responses to state changes, the computer readable medium comprising: first computer program code means for creating at least one state table having a first dimension and a second dimension, at least one programming element being listed along the first dimension and a plurality of states of the computer operations being listed along the second dimension; an operand being stored in a cell at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension, the operand being specified for the programming element at each state; and second computer program means for processing each programming element listed along the first dimension according to the operand listed in the cell for a current state for each state change of the computer system. 40. The computer readable medium of claim 39, further comprising third computer code means for creating an execution model placing a non-null operand onto an execution stack from which the non-null operand can be processed according to the programming element associated with the cell. 41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, further comprising fourth computer code means for retrieving the non-null operand from the execution stack and processing the operand according to the programming element associated with the cell. 42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the non-null operand includes a byte-code, the byte-code representing a predetermined action to the byte-code interpreter to be executed by the programming element. 43. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the programming element includes a function call. 44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein the function call includes an automatic function call. 45. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein the operand includes data used by the automatic function call, such that when the automatic function call is initiated by a state change of the computer operations, the programming element performs its programmed function using the data specified as the operand. 46. The computer readable medium of claim 45, wherein the operand includes a function specifier, the function specifier indicating what function should be executed by the function call programming element. 47. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the programming element includes a value setting function, wherein the operand includes a value to which a variable named in the programming element is set. 48. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the operand includes a null operand such that no action is taken in processing the programming element. 49. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the programming element includes a code segment specifier, wherein the operand includes a code segment to be executed. 50. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension are of a fixed length. 51. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension are of a variable length. 52. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the state table includes a state table structure and a state table data file, such that the state table data file contains the operands stored in the cells at the intersections of the first and second dimensions and the values of the operands can be changed by specifying a new state table data file to be used in the state table structure without having to load a new state table structure. 53. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the state changes are triggered by one of preprogramming, user input, or an external event. 54. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the execution of programming elements in response to state changes of the computer system is implemented according to a default transition or according to a specified transition. 55. The computer readable medium of claim 54, wherein the default transition is an instantaneous transition. 56. The computer readable medium of claim 54, wherein the specified transition to be applied in response to the state changes is specified by transition parameters included in the cells at intersections of the first dimension and the second dimension of the state table. 57. The computer readable medium of claim 56, wherein the transition parameters include at least one of a final state, a transition type, and a transition duration. 58. A data system for controlling operation of a computer system in response to state changes in the computer system, the system comprising: at least one state table having a first dimension and a second dimension, at least one programming element being listed along the first dimension and a plurality of states of the computer system being listed along the second dimension; an operand processor processing each programming element listed along the first dimension according to the operand listed in the cell for a current state for each state change. 59. The system of claim 58, further comprising an execution model for placing a non-mull operand onto an execution stack from which the non-null operand can be processed according to the programming element associated with the cell. 60. The system of claim 59, further comprising a byte-code interpreter for retrieving the non-null operand from the execution stack and processing the operand according to the programming element associated with the cell. 61. The system of claim 60, wherein the non-null operand includes a byte-code, the byte-code representing a predetermined action to the byte-code interpreter to be executed by the programming element. 62. The system of claim 58, wherein the programming element is a function call. 63. The system of claim 62, wherein the function call includes an automatic function call. 64. The system of claim 63, wherein the operand includes data used by the automatic function call, such that when the automatic function call is initiated by a state change of the computer system, the programming element performs is programmed function using the data specified as the operand. 65. The system of claim 64, wherein the operand includes a function specifier, the function specifier indicating what function should be executed by the function call programming element. 66. The system of claim 58, wherein the programming element includes a value setting function, wherein the operand includes a value to which a variable named in the programming element is set. 67. The system of claim 58, wherein the operand includes a null operand such that no action is taken in processing the programming element. 68. The system of claim 58, wherein the programming element includes a code segment specifier, wherein the operand includes a code segment to be executed. 69. The system of claim 58, wherein the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension are of a fixed length. 70. The system of claim 58, wherein the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension are of a variable length. 71. The system of claim 58, wherein the state table includes a state table structure and a state table data file, such that the state table data file contains the operands stored in the cells at the intersections of the first and second dimensions and the values of the operands can be changed by specifying a new state table data file to be used in the state table structure without having to load a new state table structure. 72. The system of claim 58, wherein the state changes are triggered by one of preprogramming, user input, or an external event. 73. The system of claim 58, wherein the execution of programming elements in response to state changes of the computer system is implemented according to a default transition or according to a specified transition. 74. The system of claim 73, wherein the default transition is an instantaneous transition. 75. The system of claim 73, wherein the specified transition to be applied in response to the state changes is specified by transition parameters included in the cells at intersections of the first dimension and the second dimension of the state table. 76. The system of claim 75, wherein the transition parameters include at least one of a final state, a transition type, and a transition duration. 77. An interactive media control system for controlling operation of a media program in response to state changes in the interactive media control system, the interactive media control system comprising: at least one state table having a first dimension and a second dimension, at least one programming element being listed along the first dimension and a plurality of states of the interactive media control system being listed along the second dimension; an operand processor configured to process each programming element listed along the first dimension according to the operand listed in the cell for a current state for each state change. 78. The interactive media control system of claim 77, further comprising an execution model for placing a non-null operand onto an execution stack from which the non-null operand can be processed according to the programming element associated with the cell. 79. The interactive media control system of claim 78, further comprising a byte-code interpreter for retrieving the non-null operand from the execution stack and processing the operand according to the programming element associated with the cell. 80. The interactive media control system of claim 79, wherein the non-null operand includes a byte-code, the byte-code representing a predetermined action to the byte-code interpreter to be executed by the programming element. 81. The interactive media control system of claim 79, wherein the programming element is a function call. 82. The interactive media control system of claim 81, wherein the function call includes an automatic function call. 83. The interactive media control system of claim 82, wherein the operand includes data used by the automatic function call, such that when the automatic function call is initiated by a state change of the interactive media control system, the programming element performs its programmed function using the data specified as the operand. 84. The interactive media control system of claim 83, wherein the operand includes a function specifier, the function specifier indicating what function should be executed by the function call programming element. 85. The interactive media control system of claim 77, wherein the programming element includes a value setting function, wherein the operand includes a value to which a variable named in the programming element is set. 86. The interactive media control system of claim 77, wherein the operand includes a null operand such that no action is taken in processing the programming element. 87. The interactive media control system of claim 77, wherein the programming element includes a code segment specifier, wherein the operand includes a code segment to be executed. 88. The interactive media control system of claim 77, wherein the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension are of a fixed length. 89. The interactive media control system of claim 77, wherein the cells at each intersection of the first dimension and the second dimension are of a variable length. 90. The interactive media control system of claim 77, wherein the state table includes a state table structure and a state table file, such that the state table file contains the operands stored in the cells at the intersections of the first and second dimensions and the values of the operands can be changed by specifying a new state table file to be used in the state table structure without having to load a new state table structure. 91. The interactive media control system of claim 77, wherein the state changes are triggered by one of preprogramming, user input, or an external event. 92. The interactive media control system of claim 77, wherein the execution of programming elements in response to state changes of the interactive media control system is implemented according to a default transition or according to a specified transition. 93. The interactive media control system of claim 92, wherein the default transition is an instantaneous transition. 94. The interactive media control system of claim 92, wherein the specified transition to be applied in response to the state changes is specified by transition parameters included in the cells at intersections of the first dimension and the second dimension of the state table. 95. The interactive media control system of claim 94, wherein the transition parameters include at least one of a final state, a transition type, and a transition duration. 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__label__cc	0.628335	0.371665	Event – screening of Ill Met by Moonlight in Melbourne, Australia Great to see that the inestimable Brent McCunn and the Cretan community in Melbourne have been able to arrange a screening of the film to mark the 75th anniversary of the kidnap. I’m sure it will be a great success. All are welcome but maybe best to add a comment here for numbers if you are in town and can make it. Date – 12 May. Location – Melbourne Cultural Centre, Lonsdale St Melbourne. Further details will follow. The event has the full backing the of the cultural events coordinator and the Cretan Community committee. Brent tells me that “as with all things Greek, final details are still being out into place. This is all organised by volunteers within the Greek community. Hopefully we will have a display of original era posters that promoted the original release of the movie. Efforts are being made too arrange some Cretan Music … this will be a free public event. We will also highlight the Moss Family Scholarship provided to Cretan Students from the royalties derived form the movie rights.” Have a wonderful time and we look forward to the report! This entry was posted in Ill Met by Moonlight and tagged Ill Met by Moonlight, Melbourne on March 28, 2019 by proverbs6to10. Faraway Greek fun in the third largest Greek city It appears that the most fun is to be had in Melbourne these days. A report by Brent McCunn of some highlights of the recent Greek Week which included talks about Paddy and his Cretan links. Be like Brent; send in your thoughts and articles (no matter how obscure) to share with fellow Paddy enthusiasts in our community. by Brent McCunn. Further despatches from the Hellenic outpost of Melbourne-iniki! What a week of Greek! I remind readers that Melbourne is the third largest Greek city! Our Grecian week started with the inaugural Rebetiko Music Festival at the Melbourne Recital Centre, a prestigious venue! After recovery, Friday night offered a performance of Cretan music from the visiting Xylouris brothers from Crete. Saturday afternoon saw a lecture by Chris White at the Greek Culture Centre in Melbourne – the topic being, ‘The Resistance of Grete’ during WW2 and in particular the history of Patrick Leigh Fermor, Billy Moss and the SOE. Of particular interest to the audience were the unique collection of ‘then and now photographs’, collated, researched and photographed by Chris White and his brother. At this point it is important to illustrate the global reach of the PLF Blog. As a result of this correspondent’s earlier post (to this blog), advertising the above lecture, Melbourne subscribers did indeed turn up! Chris enthralled all with his unique collection of images and has been invited back to present again to a wider audience drawn together by the cultural centres head of lectures – watch this space! I, Brent McCunn then presented details related to the main books on the Subject – Ill Met by Moonlight and Abducting a General – and how to purchase copies. We then attended the Messines Community’s Greek Independence dinner and dance (Once they found about the lecture it was compulsory for us to attend this event – how Greek!) – Messines is the region where Paddy and Joan’s house was located. Whilst at the Messiness dinner your correspondent spent quite a few minutes on Google maps, with locals, being shown the family village and its relationship to Kardamyli! One for the road in Greece means an impromptu music session at a local Greek restaurant! Katerina Douka, a well known Rebetiko singer from Thessaloniki, who appeared at the Rebetiko festival with her band, was still in town and gathered some local musicians and presented an enthralling session of northern Greek music. Food, wine and beer flowed of course. Chris’s lecture became a feature story (by Jim Clavens) in the local Greek newspaper which is published in both English and Greek. A main thrust was to seek out decedents of the villages featured in the Kreipe kidnap and SOE operations. They have been asked to make contact and add their histories. Your Philhellene correspondent in Melbourne, Brent (alpopolous) McCunn from Passport Travel. Chrysoula K & Purpura at Festival: Innovative Rebetiko band from Athens offering a classical infusion with flute and cello. Chris White with some interesting guests. Middle – Shane Maloney; Australia’s most successful Crime author – some have been made into a TV series. He went to Crete, rented a house in the village of Episkopi and wrote one of his best selling novels. Right – Bruce Mildenhall, former MP and Parliamentary Secretary and son of an Australian WW2 Middle East veteran. He has spent many months hiking the trails of Crete. MessinesDance: Traditional dance troupe at independence day dinner. 500 Australian Greeks, a Greek Pop band and dancing starts from the first tune! Rebetiko Dancers: A local Greek dance group performed 1920’s style rebetiko dance in the venue foyer. The Xylouris brothers: Traditional music from the mountains of Crete. TisonisMusic_Katerina Douka: Taverna jam session of northern Greek music. Article published in Australian Greek Community newspaper The article is in English and Greek. Chris White presenting his lecture The ANZAC Cretan theme continues in Melbourne in the month of April with a lecture by Professor Peter Monteath. Entry is free. When: 19 April 2018 at 19:00 Where: The Ithacan Philanthropic Society, Level 2, 329 Elizabeth Street Synopsis: In the Second World War many thousands of ANZAC’s were sent to mainland Greece and then Crete in the hope of preventing German invasion and occupation – but to no avail. After the Battle of Crete hundreds of ANZAC’s were stranded on the island and spent weeks, months and even years trying to get off it. This presentation looks at the experiences of those ANZAC’s who found themselves trapped, but who also discovered the extraordinary hospitality of Cretans, who offered the ANZAC’s shelter even when they themselves were enduring great hardship and danger. Beyond that, the presentation looks at the collaborative efforts made to evacuate these ‘stragglers’ from the island, and how those efforts evolved into a series of ‘special operations’ to resist a brutal German regime of occupation. The person who occupies the centre of attention here is the Tasmanian Tom Dunbabin, an important and influential figure in the resistance in Crete through to the last weeks of the war. Peter Monteath was born in Brisbane and educated in Queensland and in Germany. He has taught previously at The University of Queensland, Griffith University, Deakin University, The University of Western Australia and The University of Adelaide. He has also been Adjunct Professor at The University of St. Louis Missouri and the Technical University of Berlin, where he was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow. At Flinders University he is Professor of Modern European history. His research interests span modern European and Australian history. His latest book, Escape Artist: The Incredible Second World War of Johnny Peck (New South 2017), is about an Australian who spent time in Greece and Crete in World War II. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Chris White, Crete, Melbourne on April 5, 2018 by proverbs6to10.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1502
__label__cc	0.548005	0.451995	info@procorde.de Concepts for novel therapeutic antibodies and peptides Inverse vaccination for auto-immune diseases Platelets Therapeutical Principles Project ProCorde The members of the team look back on several decades of experience in cardiovascular research. In 2000, the foundation of Procorde laid a common basis to advance research projects, and to develop nature-based antibodies, fusion proteins and peptides. Subsequent financing rounds enabled further clinical development of the most promising peptides and antibodies, which had been identified by using these technologies. Prof. Dr. Martin Lohse, Max Delbrueck Centre for Molecular Medicine at Berlin Buch, former head of the Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg. Vice president of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina Prof. Dr. Meinrad Gawaz, Cardiologist, Director, Medical Clinic III, University of Tübingen, Germany Prof. Dr. Martin Ungerer, Cardiologist (co-head of the Martinsried research site) member of the Translational Research Group of the German Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prof. Dr. Götz Münch, Cardiologist (co-head of the Martinsried research site) Dr. Hans-Peter Holthoff, Chemist The team has initiated most of the current projects in the first years after founding Procorde, which started in 2000. During this period, cooperations with large enterprises (e.g. Sanofi-Aventis) were carried out successfully. From 2007 on, relevant funding of the successor company Corimmun allowed further clinical development of the most promising drugs. In June 2012, Corimmun GmbH was sold to Janssen-CILAG GmbH, Neuss, a subsidiary of Johnson + Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. A price of 100 million USD was paid subsequently, and further milestone-dependent payments and royalties were agreed. ©2017 Webdesign Berlin \| Content ©2019 ProCorde Please select an option. You can find more information about the consequences of your choice at Help. Datenschutzerklärung \| Impressum Reject all cookies Reject all cookies: No cookies except for those necessary for technical reasons are set. Borlabs Cookie already set a necessary cookie. You can change your cookie setting here anytime: Datenschutzerklärung. Impressum	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1508
__label__wiki	0.659679	0.659679	In Russia came under the... 28-year-old boy raped hi... In Austria, sworn in, th... Elizabeth II met with tr... In Lviv, two people were poisoned by carbon monoxide magictr \| June 2, 2019 \| News \| No Comments The victims, 22 and 28 years. June 1 at 4:32 a.m., M. Orel, on the street Nekrasov, 42, was poisoned by carbon monoxide 2 people (1991 and 1997), which are in a state of moderate severity was hospitalized in the Bureau, reports the Chronicle.info with reference to Politico. The apartment has gas boiler. Employees of JSC “lvovgaz” shut off the gas supply to the apartment. We will remind, in Lviv massively poisoned by carbon monoxide. Lviv city Council once again urges residents to follow the rules of safe use of gas and furnace heating, and not to neglect their health and life. This was announced on Wednesday, may 15, the press service of the Lviv city Council, which also said: “On may 14 at about 23.55 in the apartment of the house №16 on street Meblarskie to Sihovsky district were poisoned with carbon monoxide five residents, including two children. Victims in a state of moderate severity delivered in medical institutions of Lviv.” “In particular, a woman, 1936, and men born in 1982, was taken to regional clinical hospital. A woman in 1982, a girl born in 2008 and boy, 2018 birth, taken to the city children’s clinical hospital “, — reported in the city Council. “The apartment is equipped with PG-4 and the gas column. Emergency team “lvovgaz” temporarily stopped gas supplies in the apartment, ” — told in the city Council. “Since the beginning of the year in Lviv occurred 35 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning, which injured 78 people (including 24 children), eight of whom died”, — reported in the city Council. Named the worst year for the number of air crashes Residents of the Czech Republic demanding the resignation suspected of corruption, Prime Minister From Kiev stabbed “companion” for the slap in the face The UN has lowered the forecast on oil prices magictr ByteDance (TikTok) said to raise $1.45 billion for AI and content © 2019 The Quebec Telegram.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1510
__label__cc	0.577831	0.422169	Gem Diamonds Ltd. GEMD (U.K.: London) 4:35 PM BST 07/19/19 52 Week Range 72.00 - 124.10 (07/18/19 - 09/19/18) GEMD 7.50% Clifford Thomas Elphick, 54 Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director, Gem Diamonds Ltd. Mr. Clifford T. Elphick is Non-Executive Chairman at Zanaga Iron Ore Co. Ltd. He is on the Board of Directors at Gem Diamonds Ltd. Mr. Elphick was previously employed as a Managing Director by E. Oppenheimer & Son International Ltd., Director-Central Holdings by Anglo American Corp. of South Africa Ltd., and Director-Central Holdings by DB Investments Ltd. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Cape Town and an undergraduate degree from the University of South Africa. News Gem Diamonds Ltd.GEMD Huge diamond found in ‘remarkable’ Lesotho mine, but what’s it worth? All Company Executives Gem Diamonds Ltd. Clifford Thomas Elphick, 58 Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director Michael Michael, 48 Chief Financial Officer & Executive Director Brandon de Bruin Chief Business Transformation Officer Mazvi Maharasoa Non-Executive Director Jonathan Andrew Velloza, 48 Non-Executive Director Glenn E. Turner, 58 Secretary & Chief Legal Officer Harry Kenyon-Slaney, 57 Non-Executive Chairman Michael David Lynch-Bell, 66 Senior Independent Non-Executive Director Michael M. Brown, 58 Independent Non-Executive Director	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1512
__label__wiki	0.73098	0.73098	RAK NATIONAL HOTELS HILTON GARDEN INN RAS AL KHAIMAH HILTON RESORT & SPA RAS AL KHAIMAH THE RITZ-CARLTON RAS AL KHAIMAH, AL WADI DESERT RIXOS BAB AL BAHR RAK HOSPITALITY LOGISTICS HOSPITALITY ADVISORY PARTNERS HAKAYA COLLECTION We invite you to read our latest press releases about RAK Hospitality Holding and our subsidiaries. RAK Hospitality Holding Signs MoU with Beit Al Khair Society Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, December 17, 2018: RAK Hospitality Holding (RAKHH), represented by its chairman HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Beit Al Khair Society, represented by HE Abdeen Taher Al Awadhi, General Manager of Beit Al Khair Society. A ‘Metropolitan Oasis,’ Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah Opens On The Creek RAS AL KHAIMAH, 15 May 2017 – Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton’s (NYSE: HLT) award-winning midscale brand, and RAK National Hotels LLC (“RAKNH”), a subsidiary of RAK Hospitality Holding LLC (“RAKHH”), owner of hotels and resorts in Ras Al Khaimah, today announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah, marking the brand’s entry into the northernmost Emirate of the United Arab Emirates. New Luxury Destination Management Company Officially Launched In Ras Al Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah: The region’s fastest growing tourism destination, Ras Al Khaimah, has a new, premier excursion transport and destination management company, Safarak. Ras Al Khaimah’s First Hilton Garden Inn On Course For 2017 Opening Perfect Replica replica omega watch Perfectreplica.Me omega replicas for sale RAK National Hotels (“RAKNH”), a subsidiary of RAK Hospitality Holding (“RAKHH”), an integrated hospitality asset owner and manager, and Hilton Worldwide today announced that Hilton’s first mid-market hotel in Ras Al Khaimah is scheduled to open by Q2 2017. RAK National Hotels And Al Hamra Real Estate Development Welcome The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company To Ras Al Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, 17 October 2016 – RAK National Hotels (“RAKNH”), a subsidiary of RAK Hospitality Holding (“RAKHH”), an owner of hotels and resorts in Ras Al Khaimah, together with Al Hamra Real Estate Development (“AHRED”), today announced that they signed an agreement with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Portfolio of Hotels under RAK Hospitality Asset Management Posts 16.4% REVPAR Growth in Q1 2016 Ras Al Khaimah, April 27, 2016 – RAK Hospitality Asset Management, the hotel asset management and advisory arm of RAK Hospitality Holding (“RAKHH”), an owner of a diverse portfolio of government owned hotels, hospitality and leisure assets in Ras Al Khaimah, today announced that its hotels under management, posted a record growth of 16.4% in RevPAR in Q1 2016. RAK Hospitality Holding Concludes AED 880 Million Debt Transaction with Mashreq and Arab Bank Ras Al Khaimah, May 3, 2015 – RAK Hospitality Holding (“RAKHH”), an asset owner and manager of a diverse portfolio of government owned hotels, hospitality and leisure assets in Ras Al Khaimah, today announced that it concluded an AED 880 million debt transaction in respect of its four internationally branded hotels, which are held by its subsidiary, RAK National Hotels (“RAKNH”). PO Box 86000, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE T +971 7 2036000 E info@rakhospitality.com	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1518
__label__cc	0.591683	0.408317	Tag Archives: Ryan Reynolds The Passion of the Christ That’s right, I watched it. After having watched the South Park episode, “The Passion of the Jew”, I had to check this out to see why I was laughing. And it wasn’t far off. Amid the screams and oddly modern Middle Eastern music, what Kyle Broflovski witnessed is what I witnessed, with the same face of horror and awe. Mel Gibson may be a crazy person who runs around in his underwear with guns and hates Jewish people A handsome lookin’ Jesus. excessively, but I’m going to try to be unbiased and non-sacrilegious at this juncture. I’m going to rate this as a movie, not as a representation of religion. So let’s try to be P.C. here, folks. This is Jesus after all. So, most people, religious or not, know the story of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Just the title of it says it all. Jesus (played by Jim Caviezel) is betrayed by Judas (played by Luca Lionello) and beaten and crucified. This movie ties in all the trials and tribulations of Jesus in his last 12 hours before death, including a supernatural earthquake at the end. Insert Easter reference and you have what has been coined as “a two hour and six minute snuff film”. That’s not far off. Okay, movie standpoint. It is entertaining, like one of those public executions you can’t look away from. Like a schoolyard brawl. Like a car accident. It’s so horrific and brutal that you want to avert your eyes, but it is Jesus after all. The costumes seem to be taken straight from a nativity scene (or straight from the artwork that depicts Jesus’ death) and everyone Brutal cont… in this movie just can’t deny Jesus. He reattaches a man’s ear with just his hand for God’s sake! But this movie starts to drag. In getting your point across, sure, you have to be accurate to an extent. But Jim Caviezel spent literally 2 … You know what, this was 90% of the film. hours of the film writhing in agony and wanting to speak (as I’m sure he did at length in the Gospels) but not being able to make words through the gurgling blood. I’m about to throw out an obscure reference here. Has anyone seen the movie Waiting with Ryan Reynolds? Does anyone remember the new waiter that comes in (from Freaks and Geeks) who is always constantly interrupted until he erupts at the end of the film? That kind of epic speech is what I expected at the end of this film. Maybe that didn’t happen. But the biggest part I was looking forward to was the Roman soldier stabbing Jesus with the spear. This is due to my like of the movie Constantine. (Figure that one out.) But yes, there could have been more of a focus on dialogue and deliverance of the emotions rather than a 2 hour visual narration of a man being beaten and tortured to death. I know that Mel Gibson said that Jesus had it worse than this movie depicted, but at some point it becomes the inspiration for a Saw film. I got chills at this scene with the veil. Coincidentally, the first Saw film came out in 2004 around the time of The Passion. Coincidence? It is. But what about the other 6 films? Hmm… Pain fest and a half. Jim Caviezel is praised for his performance in this film. Now, it’s a big role to take on that a lot of people wouldn’t do (is it sacrilegious, is it an homage? Iffy…) and I wouldn’t do it myself. But, I think the more powerful performances in the film came from Luca Lionello as Judas. His tortured character, as well as all the accompanying horrific images, really adds a damning element to the movie. You know he did the wrong thing, and he was to blame. It sent chills seeing him hung on that tree by the decaying horse. Other strange performances came from Jesus’s mother, Mary. Maia Morgenstern, the Romanian actress really added an element of what appeared to be more a love interest than a motherly figure. (I know Jesus wasn’t romantically involved with Monica Bellucci. Sexy since 33 A.D. anyone, but if you kiss someone’s bloodstained feet, that’s pretty committed, I’d say.) She wept and stared throughout the whole film, saying maybe 3 lines. Visual film indeed. Speaking of visual, get a look at Monica Bellucci in this one as Mary Magdalene. You know after The Matrix series and Shoot ‘Em Up that this woman is packing a hot body underneath that shawl. She was the eye candy in this one, although Jesus was almost nude through the whole film. If I have to say something really good, I was impressed highly with the make-up effects. So you get all the iconic religious images and the Bible basically comes to life. Meanwhile, Judas is wiping his nose on wall and everyone is falling to their knees in despair. Even the head Jewish rabbi had the strength to rip two layers of woven clothing. That’s pretty redonk. But what was strange was all these representations of emotion are uncommon in the range of human emotions since the dawn of man. Showing emotions in these ways came off as too archaic to me, when the movie is trying to transmit emotion across the chasm to us modern viewers (at least, I felt that way…). And now we get to the torture. The movie literally only focuses on this. One reviewer said it best when (along these lines) they said something about how watching this movie is not uplifting spiritually, it is more downtrodden and guilt ridden than You wanna pass me some of my body? anything else. I tend to agree. I just felt bad that people did this to Jesus (agnostically speaking, if this happened). Him falling over every 10 minutes made the movie drag almost to a comic degree. A ten minute flogging scene? I’ve already seen torture films that have more decency than this one. This movie takes violence to a degree that, although tame in comparison to films I’ve seen, it feels all the more real and uncomfortable because we’ve heard stories about this … Aaanddd top it all off with Satan and the man baby. gruesome affair. Add in a creepy Satan and man baby, and you have a film that is just too real and gritty, without much substance. From a movie stand point. I’m not gonna take a huge stance on this from either side. I’m just gonna say it was weak for a movie from a movie enthusiast’s point of view. All visual, no grounded plot or substance of character. Jesus is spoken for and his story is taken for granted that the world already knows and doesn’t need cues. But, from a 2004 view, it did. Just an average film about the last hours of Jesus. Sorry if that offends… 5 out of 10. Leave a comment \| tags: 2 hour visual narration, 2004, agnostic, agony, anti-Semitic, archaic, artwork style, average film, Bible, big role, boringly drags on, coincidence, comid degree, Constantine, constantly interrupted, costumes, crazy person, crucifixion, damned, decaying horse, despair, downtrodden, earthquake, Easter, extreme violence, eye candy, flogging scene, Freaks and Geeks, Gospels, gruesome affair, guilt ridden, hanging, hates Jewish people, homage, horrific and brutal, horrific images, horror and awe, hot body, iconic religious images, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus's Mother, Jewish rabbi, Jim Caviezel, Judas, Kyle Broflovski, last 12 hours, love interest, Luca Lionello, Maia Morgenstern, man baby, man's ear, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mel Gibson, Middle Eastern music, modern viewers, Monica Bellucci, motherly figure, movie standpoint, nativity scene, new waiter, no epic speech, no grounded plot, not much substance, obscure reference, public execution, real and gritty, representation of religion, Roman soldiers, Romanian actress, Ryan Reynolds, sacriligeous, Satan, Saw films, severe beatings, Shoot 'Em Up, South Park episode, stabbed by spear, strange displays of emotion, strange performances, taken for granted, The Matrix series, The Passion, The Passion of the Christ, The Passion of the Jew, torture, tortured character, trials and tribulations, two hour snuff film, unbiased view, uncomfortable, very little dialogue, waiting, weak for a movie, weeping \| posted in Movies The Change-Up: Surprisingly Heartwarming From the producers and directors of The Hangover and Wedding Crashers, I expected something a bit different from this movie. I expected the ridiculous situations and grossout comedy duo that has been spewing out of Hollywood since Judd Apatow took up The 40 Year Old Virgin. Something a bit different was sent my way. An outrageous comedy… with a sentimental side. As shocking as that may sound, this 2 hour film had the time to flesh out a relationship to the characters and the concern for the well being of their lives. And coming from a pair of true gold comedy actors (that have the capacity for more than comedy), this movie does deliver well. More so on plot and acting than lines and delivery. So Dave Lockwood (Jason Bateman) is a married man. He married young and Two men. Two varying lives. has a beautiful young daughter and a strange pair of infant twins. Meanwhile, Dave’s friend Mitch Planko (Ryan Reynolds) is a single man, banging all he sees and loving living in his own filth and depravity. Although the two remain friends, they have grown apart somewhat since their lifestyles have taken them away from each other. Dave is a successful lawyer at a major corporation and Mitch is a semi-successful actor. The two’s lives aren’t close to perfect, but they enjoy their situations. Until one day. So who's who? Dave and Mitch get together, breaking their routines to catch up on old times and catch a baseball game at a local bar. While there, the two get a little more wasted than ususal. Things are talked about and emotions run high. And then, BAM. Freaky Friday hits like a storm as the two piss into a fountain. By the plot Gods, this seems all too familiar. And yet, it’s the male perspective on the idea of taking a walk in another’s shoes. Word, I can dig that. With the fountain moved (classic Big situation), the two have to live each other’s lives for a while, and re-discover themselves through each other’s eyes. What really stood out to me about this film was how well Jason Bateman They play each other. To a tee. played Ryan Reynolds and how well Ryan Reynolds played Jason Bateman. It’s more the generational issue in Freaky Friday, but in this one it’s more of a body swap of men of the same age. Different habits and personalities are mirrored in this comedy down to, what I would say, is a tee. The anal-retentiveness of Bateman pairs off with the ridiculously callous antics of Reynolds. Having to talk to yourself as the other person was pretty key in this movie, and it was pulled off with a-bomb. (Niceeee.) In classic fashion, this movie starts off with some poop jokes and some strange combinations of swear words. (F-knuckles? Are you kidding me?) I’ve started to dislike the invention of swear-catch-phrases as I’ll call them, and this needs to be remedied with some great pop culture references and such, a-la Workaholics (can’t wait to rave about that shizz). The movie moves along with some classic situations and works along with quite a few nudie shots for the guy audience. I watched the unrated version. And yet, I was surprised that, despite not being directed by Judd Apatow, his wife, Leslie Mann, played a part in this movie anddd showed off the goods. It was as strange as it was comical. And then you get hit with the friend moving along in life montage, followed by, BAM. 45 minutes of touching connection. Did you see this coming? Nope. Could you imagine Ryan Reynolds in Jason Bateman’s body pulling off This movie will get touching. pretending to be a lawyer by watching Law & Order? Not at all. But this all happens. And, in the realm of strange, quirky fantasy, it works. For the first time ever, I connected with Leslie Mann as a decent actress. Coming from a woman who always plays the comical stuck up bitch, this was refeshing. Some “true” tears were shed and the perfect balance of drama and comedy was achieved. From a movie made by The Hangover and Wedding Crasher guys. Weird… Sorry guys, just for the eye candy. Don't know about that substance... I gotta say, if this is in the original version and not the edited, there are some great comedy scenes in this movie. Watch out for the twins, that’s a great bit. And Ryan Reynolds’ acting career as it were? That’s what I’m talking about. Every time he pops up, whether it be Cinderella Man or Scary Movie 4, Craig Bierko delivers. This time as a Russian porn star director. What’s good. There are some great lines from Jason Bateman (while being possessed by Ryan Reynolds) and quite a few attractive women in this movie. Not a big fan of Olivia Wilde’s acting though… she’s just an eye candy actress… (Sorry if that offends…) So, if you’re into dramatic movies, this one will surprise you. If you’re into comedies of the outlandish sort, this movie will please and appease you. With such a satisfying mix with only a few big name actors putting their names on the bill, this really delivers. And yes, this is the Year of the Bateman. Jason Bateman. Solid 8.6 out of 10. Can you handle the Bateman? 1 Comment \| tags: actor, amazing job playing each other, anal retentive, attractive women, banging, bar, baseball game, Big, body swap, callous antics, Cinderella Man, classic fashion, comical stuck up bitch, Craig Bierko, daughter and twins, Dave Lockwood, different personalities, drama and comedy, drinking, F-knuckles, filth and depravity, fountain, Freaky Friday, golden comedy actors, great comedy scenes, grossout comedy, growing apart, Jason Bateman, Judd Apatow, just eye candy, Law and Order, lawyer, Leslie Mann, male perspective, married man, mirrored, Mitch Planko, montages, nude shots, Olivia Wilde, outlandish, outrageous comedy, perfect balance, poop jokes, pop culture refences, producers and directors, quirky fantasy, relationship with characters, ridiculous situations, Russian porn star director, Ryan Reynolds, satisfying mix, Scary Movie 4, sentimental side, single man, straightening up acts, strange and comical, surprisingly heartwarming, swearing invention, The 40 Year Old Virgin, The Change Up, The Hangover, the year of Jason Bateman, touching connections, unrated version, walk a mile in another person's shoes, wasted, Wedding Crashers, wife, Workaholics \| posted in Movies	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1520
__label__cc	0.582731	0.417269	Tag Archives: unemotional Audition: Let’s Have a Call for All Killers I was in a state of shock and awe after this film. I thought I had found my favorite horror films, but Audition really blew those out of the water. This perfect balance of horror and troubling thriller really sets the bar high for any films after 1999. Takashi Miike has made a masterpiece of a mindf@#$k with Audition. And the fact that Rob Zombie, John Landis, and Eli Roth said this film was difficult to watch, it has to be golden. Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) is a recently widowed movie producer. He’s been quite distant and lonely lately, and his son, Shigehiko (Tetsu Sawaki) has noticed it. Encouraging his dad to at the very least start dating again, Shigeharu turns to his The audition begins. This is one of those other shots they held really long so you couldn’t see her face. Chilling. friend, Yasuhisa Yoshikawa (Jun Kunimura), a fellow movie maker for ideas. This is where he has a stroke of genius. In proposing a new movie idea, these two scoundrels will have an audition (hey, there’s the movie title!) for the leading lady. Shigeharu can choose his top 30 and narrow it down from there, giving the lead to the best actress, but he can claim his favorite choice for his wife. Ballin’ disturbing images. Feeling slightly uneasy about this, Shigeharu goes into it half-assed. He dawdles around until he finds a young woman who stops his heart still. Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina) is a former ballerina with a very high guard and a delicate personality. He tragic past and broken dreams intoxicate Shigeharu and he must have her at all costs. After a few dates, Shigeharu starts to notice something different about her. And once she disappears, he digs up a past he never wanted to find. I have to say it, this is a dope ass film. It’s such a twisted film with a plot that leaves you with no idea what’s going on. What people talk about is the torture scene at the end. Needles, dismemberment, blood, this scene houses the entire NR rating for the A feeling of unsettling fear… whole film. People have left disgusted and sickened, but that’s what would have kept me in the film. I’ll admit it, I love torture and horror. Anything that makes people, as an audience, feel unclean is wonderful. For someone to go into a movie like this and realize something about their sensibilities by the time they leave is an experience worth having. It taps into our minds and shows us just how terrible the world can be. But shouldn’t be. I was impressed with a lot of things about this movie. Eihi Shiina’s performance in this film was chilling and horrific. She seems to be such a nice little girl, but her unemotional, uncaring side is what frightens people. It makes people feel uncomfortable with how relentless and completely honest she is as a character. She hypnotizes the bugs into her web and leaves them there to die by her fangs. You’ll never wanna guess what happens… A lot of the film has these extremely long held camera shots in it. The action will stay on one angle and deliver a whole piece of dialogue without moving. You’re anticipating some movement (like you would with most films) but it doesn’t come yet. It waits, and waits, and waits until you feel uncomfortable. The whole movie is made to feel unsettling. It’s a tortuous waiting game of when will the knife fall, until it does (and only in the last 15 minutes). The surreal quality at the end of the film also really spoke to me. You fade in and out of the torture scene, you see past events as Shigeharu couldn’t have seen them. The past is rewritten. You lose all sense of control and awareness as the drugs settle into Shigeharu. You completely give your control over to Asami, something that is unsettling for people to do, even in real life. You lose yourself to this poisonous flower and have no feeling of waking up. There is a bit of a jarring from this final scene that didn’t need to happen. No happy ending was necessary, and yet Takashi Miike allowed it to happen. It would’ve had such a sweetly unsatisfying ending if it had the villain succeeds ending… But, all in all, this movie delivers on a horror lovers level and a thriller/psychological level. You feel off either way after you’ve watched this. And that’s what horror movies like this set out to do from the start. No wonder this has a cult WHAT’S IN THE BAG?!?!? following. It should have. Asian filmmakers know how to do the horror genre right, and this is no exception. This is the movie that made the rule. 9.4 out of 10. Leave a comment \| tags: 1999, amazing performance, Asami Yamazaki, Asian filmmakers, Audition, awareness, ballerina, best actress, blew out of the water, blood, broken dreams, bugs, call for all killers, chilling, completely honest, cult following, dad, dating, delicate personality, difficult to watch, disappearance, disgusted, dismemberment, distant and lonely, dope ass film, drugs, Eihi Shiina, Eli Roth, experience of a lifetime, fangs, favorite horror films, final scene, frightening, golden, happy ending though, horrific, horror, horror genre right, horror lovers, hypnotizing, impressive, jarring, John Landis, Jun Kunimura, knife fall, leadiny lady, long held camera shots, lose all sense of control, lose yourself, masterpiece, mindfuck, minds, movie makers, movie producer, needles, new movie idea, nice little girl, not much movement, NR rating, one angle, past events, perfect balance, poisonous flower, psyhcological thriller, realization about oneself, relentless, rewritten past, Rob Zombie, Ryo Ishibashi, set the bar high, Shigeharu Aoyama, Shigehiko Aoyama, sickened, son, spider, state of shock, stops his heart, stroke of genius, surreal quality, Takashi Miike, Tetsu Sawaki, torture scene, tragic past, troubling thriller, twisted, uncaring, unclean, uneasy, unemotional, unsettling, villain should've succeeded, waiting, waiting game, web, what's going on, widower, wife, wonderful, Yasuhisa Yoshikawa, young woman \| posted in Movies	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1521
__label__cc	0.500496	0.499504	09-08-2017 \| ANCA-associated vasculitis \| News ‘No clear evidence’ for extending azathioprine maintenance therapy in ANCA-associated vasculitis medwireNews: A post-hoc analysis of combined trial data suggests that extending azathioprine maintenance therapy beyond 18 months is not necessary for preventing relapses among patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. In an analysis of 380 patients with newly diagnosed disease who participated in six European multicenter studies and were followed up for a mean of 65.4 months after diagnosis, Anoek de Joode (University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands) and colleagues found that 84 participants experienced a first relapse during azathioprine maintenance therapy, while 71 relapsed after discontinuation. When participants were grouped according to the duration of maintenance therapy after remission induction, which varied from less than 12 to 42 months, 65.3% of 301 patients receiving azathioprine for longer than 18 months after diagnosis were relapse-free at 60 months, compared with 55.0% of 51 who discontinued the drug at or before 18 months, a nonsignificant difference. And when comparing azathioprine treatment duration of longer than versus up to 24, 36, and 48 months, there was a “numerically small and not statistically significant increase” in relapse-free survival rates. “[O]n the basis of our findings, we think there is no clear evidence that extension of maintenance therapy with [azathioprine] beyond 18 months after diagnosis in general is effective in relapse prevention,” write the researchers in Rheumatology. The team did, however, find that relapse-free survival was significantly associated with mode of induction therapy, with higher rates of relapse seen among patients treated with intravenous cyclophosphamide versus oral treatment (hazard ratio [HR]=1.21), and with ANCA specificity, in that participants with PR3-ANCA antibodies were more likely to experience relapses than those without (HR=1.32). de Joode and colleagues note that their study was limited by its retrospective nature, and that participants’ clinical data were only collected at baseline. Furthermore, the findings “may not be applicable to certain groups of patients who may have higher risk of relapse or other specific characteristics,” they caution. And the team concludes that the results of an ongoing “large multicentre maintenance of remission study comparing short- and long-term courses of [azathioprine] maintenance therapy,” should “enable clinicians in daily practice to decide what maintenance agent to choose and for how long.” By Claire Barnard medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2017 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature group Azathioprine rotated-square Cyclophosphamide rotated-square Pills in blister pack/© Pixabay	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1522
__label__cc	0.715324	0.284676	Archives for posts with tag: extra judicial murders Complaint to the International Criminal Court This post should not be confused with my complaint to the ICC in July 2018 titled ‘Intelligence Agencies and the International Criminal Court’ you can find HERE Anyone who would like to write to the German parliament about my case can find updates and members of parliament email addresses towards the bottom of this page- Dear Madame or Sir, of the International Criminal Court I thought you might find my story interesting. The USA came after me initially using the FISA law, employed as cover to snuff me for anti-corruption work. This was initiated under Bush and carried on under Obama. It didn’t stack up and I reversed the circumstance while on the run in Europe, but now it’s like a Mexican stand-off. I regret to inform you the Bush era crimes did not cease with the Obama administration, but have rather been shell gamed. My own case in point, for your information. I am a fugitive anti-corruption investigator with a serious problem. Over the past 5+ years I had allowed myself, in informal arrangement set up via 3rd party, to be used as live bait to document an international murder ring connected to intelligence agencies, for both German and Spanish (and then German again) authorities. The problem is, despite the fact the authorities should long since have ample evidence to issue arrest warrants, pursue extraditions and prosecutions, they sit on their hands. Probably this has to do with the explosive nature of my case and I will hazard a guess of political interference and/or inertia. That I am a real person and have delved deeply into past intermingled corporate/government corruption, is easily confirmed via Mueller Law of Austin, Texas, USA. Ronald West Dear Mr. West, Thank you for your message. Please note that the International Criminal Court has a very limited jurisdiction. The Court may only address the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes as defined by Articles 6 to 8 of the Rome Statute that have occurred after 2002, and can only exercise jurisdiction in the countries that have ratified it. For more information on the Court’s jurisdiction and the full text of the Rome Statute, please refer to page 2 of the attached document and our website, www.icc-cpi.int. We encourage you to carefully review this information. If, after your careful review, you believe this is the correct place for your case and would like to submit a claim to the Court, then please follow the directions for how to do so on page 1 of the attached document. OTP Information Desk Dear adjudicators of the International Criminal Court Thank you for your response and invitation to review the requirements of the Rome Statute and submit a claim if relevant. I believe the ICC has jurisdiction in my cause for the following reasons; 1) The effort to silence my work (multiple attempts at assassination of myself) can be tied to politicians, military officers and intelligence personnel covering up crimes against humanity 2) These attempts and my work have occurred in nations party to the Rome Statute (Germany, Spain) and pursued since 2002 (October 2007-November 2012, perhaps ongoing to present) 3) Germany and Spain are or have been in joint NATO military endeavor with the alleged perpetrators, as well Germany provides logistical support to alleged criminal parties in the overall or greater endeavor by provision of facilities hosted on sovereign German soil, and as well has taken no proactive, reasonable or responsible action to confront the alleged crimes they must be aware of on account of monitoring (but taking no action to rectify) my case 4) My work has or might have identified, (un)covered or documented organized, deliberate, multiple extra-judicial murders by security forces under the supervision of, or liaised with NATO commanders well aware of and/or systematically promoting alleged murders, in Afghanistan particularly, as well crimes on German and Spanish soil in attempted silencing of myself and stopping my open source analysis of crimes against humanity. 5) Alleged multiple extra-judicial murders are covert but demonstrable, deliberate policy of parties embedded in instruments of state, largely but not limited to, military and intelligence agencies in joint endeavor with NATO members Germany and Spain My complaint names Germany, host of American military and NATO facilities, as a compliant, complicit party to crimes against humanity, German Interior Minister Dr. Hans-Peter Friedrich as accountable for allowing myself to be pursued for purpose of silencing an investigator, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle for engaging policy promoting the material support on German sovereign territory of persons, agencies and states (Germany, NATO, USA) for purposes of multiple extra-judicial murders, and Angela Merkel as responsible, supervisory authority. The magistrates and investigators and any unknown to myself pertinent authorities of Spain familiar with my case are named as material witnesses to attempted silencing (attempted murder) of this investigator, and any shared intelligence by/with Germany germane to alleged attempts on my life and are further alleged for purposes of frustrating justice relevant to this complaint. Evidence referred to the court is the work of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (an American 501(c)3 non-profit corporation) documenting the American military are become widely infected with anti-Islam criminal officers devoted to the extra-judicial killings of Muslims as a ‘Christian Dominion’ religious duty and this institutional infection is controlling the Pentagon and military special operations in Afghanistan particularly, compromising NATO and is furthermore endeavor Germany is providing material and logistical support to, with joint NATO operations and hosting involved American military facilities on sovereign German soil. In the event the immediate preceding is adequately disclaimed by Germany in association with NATO, on account of American military special operations command in Afghanistan having been held separately and away from NATO command structures (a ‘denial’ construct), then preceding paragraph is amended to reflect solely the German hosting complicit American military persons and facilities supporting/promoting extra-judicial killings of Muslims for extreme ideological purpose, outside the constraints of the rules of engagement in war as determined in international law. Further evidence referred to the court is the work of Jeff Sharlet: “C Street: The Fundamentalist Threat to American Democracy”, documenting extreme ‘Christian Dominion’ organization having penetrated every institution of the United States government, the USA military inclusive, backing evidence developed by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, documenting ideological criminal motivation and associated criminals supported materially by Germany in association with the American military, NATO and the military endeavor in Afghanistan. Named specifically as example of alleged numerous ideological/religious criminally motivated acts for which the parties named to this complaint provide material support to is, the so-called “Narang Night Raid” or the attack on a household in the village of Ghazi Khan, Afghanistan, in the early morning hours of December 27, 2009. A second named example is the so-called “Wech Baghtu” or “wedding party” air strike, referring to the killing of 37 civilians, mostly women and children, by an air strike on November 3, 2008. A third named example is the so-called “Khataba raid” an incident which five civilians, including two pregnant women and a teenage girl, were killed by U.S. forces on February 12, 2010. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation should be able to attest it is the Pentagon, the American officer corps, the United States Air Force, and the United States special operations forces particularly, where you will find the highest concentration of ideologically/religiously motivated criminal leadership, and specific to this, there have been reports of American soldiers seeking counseling in Afghanistan have been advised all will be well if they only would ‘be saved’ and ‘kill Muslims for Christ’, all materially and logistically supported by Germany. Tangential, but relevant nonetheless to the preceding, is evidence which should be in the hands of German or Spanish authorities: 1) One probable poison glass pellet captured intact by my knit cap, turned in via 3rd party, (name-edited-out), I was to be informed if the stated item were harmless only, no notification was forthcoming (2008.) 2) One set of documents inclusive of a report to the United States Department of Agriculture Inspector General dated 1991 exposing a criminal ring working the inside of government counterfeiting environmental impact statements for CHEVRON corporation. The relevance of this documentation is the clearly damning levels of information I am capable of developing and motivation to silence this investigator now moved on to investigating related criminal apparatus engaged in ideological/religious extra-judicial murders. This documentation had been sent in via the same 3rd party in the paragraph preceding (2009.) Incidental to this, two young attorneys, John Yoo and Jay Bybee, had been writing legal opinions on behalf of the 1991 criminal acts and it was after Condoleezza Rice went from CHEVRON board director to the Bush II administration, I began to experience problems eventually leading to my present circumstance. 3) Persons positively identified in efforts to permanently silence this investigator include then active CIA officer Sabrina DeSousa at Weisbaden, Germany (2008), and former CIA chief of station (private contractor) Gary Berntsen at Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain (2010.) This is information that should have been developed further by both German and Spanish authorities and should be requested. Again, thank you for this opportunity to submit a complaint relating to crimes against humanity. Office of the Prosecutor, The Hague Dear Mr West The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court acknowledges receipt of your documents/letter. This communication has been duly entered in the Communications Register of the Office. We will give consideration to this communication, as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. As soon as a decision is reached, we will inform you, in writing, and provide you with reasons for this decision. Yours sincerely, M.P. Dillon Head of Information & Evidence Unit, Office of The Prosecutor The Office of the Prosecutor The Hague, Friday, 26 April 2013 On behalf of the Prosecutor, I thank you for your communication received 3/11/2013, as well as any subsequent related information. As you may know, the International Criminal Court (“the ICC” or “the Court”) is governed by the Rome Statute, which entrusts the Court with a very specific and carefully defined jurisdiction and mandate. A fundamental feature of the Rome Statute is that the Court may only exercise jurisdiction over persons for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, as defined in the Rome Statute (Articles 6 to 8). The Court may only exercise jurisdiction over crimes committed on or after 1 July 2002 (Article 11). In addition, the Court may only exercise jurisdiction over crimes committed on the territory of a State that has accepted the jurisdiction of the Court or by a national of such a State (Article 12), or where the Security Council refers the situation to the Court (Article 13). The Office of the Prosecutor has examined your communication and has determined that more detailed information would be required in order to proceed with an analysis of whether the allegations could fall within the jurisdiction of the Court. The Prosecutor has determined that, in the absence of such information, there is not a basis at this time to proceed with further analysis. We welcome you to submit additional information to enable us to conduct a further analysis. The information you have submitted will be maintained in our archives and the decision not to proceed may be reconsidered if new facts or evidence provide a reasonable basis to believe that a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court has been committed. I am grateful for your interest in the ICC. If you would like to learn more about the work of the ICC, I invite you to visit our website at www.icc-cpi.int. Office of The Prosecutor To: Hans Christian Stroebel, MP, German Parliament Dear Mr Stroebel The International Criminal Court has asked for more information concerning the case I have submitted against Germany, previous information linked here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/129746151/Complaint-to-the-International-Criminal-Court If Germany will prosecute using Völkerstrafgesetzbuch, I will refrain from filing an amended complaint against Germany and providing additional information to the ICC including indisputable crimes in Iraq with this (and other) additional information http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/mar/06/james-steele-america-iraq-video Following developments in Germany related to the issues I’d raised with the International Criminal Court, it would seem the Germans are playing a political game of ‘cover your ass’ by claiming the statute (law) governing the American military presence in Germany makes it difficult to pursue any course of justice. What a crock of shit. It’s like claiming you cannot arrest someone for crimes while out of doors because they have immunity while in the house. In fact there is another statute (law) that allows for universal jurisdiction, meaning if there were political will (rather than cowardice) warrants for arrests could be issued for the guilty culprits (up to and including Obama) based on actions exterior to the jurisdiction over American facilities in Germany per se. If you would like to email the German Parliament and demand action, the emails of the members this letter had been sent to, are listed below. Simply choose one (or as many as you like) and write to Germany demanding to know how the German government can sit on its hands while crimes are perpetrated using facilities situated on sovereign German territory and intelligence agency murder rings are allowed to run free in Germany. On 20 May 2013 I began sending this following letter to (now 50) members of the German Federal Parliament. It has been my hope, and continues to be my hope, some responsible German politician will press the Merkel administration on why there have been no arrests and prosecutions for crimes committed on German soil or crimes facilitated on German soil. I have not yet so much as the courtesy of any acknowledgement from any party these communications have been mailed to. I will be happy to send on my original correspondence with the International Criminal Court, including the most recent letter asking for more information: Subject: International Criminal Court Dear Member of Parliament This initiated under Bush and carried on under Obama. I regret to inform you the Bush era crimes did not cease with the Obama administration, but have rather been shell gamed. Related to this, I had initiated a complaint with the International Criminal Court naming Germany as accessory to criminal acts: https://ronaldthomaswest.com/2013/03/11/complaint-to-the-international-criminal-court/ The International Criminal Court has asked for more detailed information prior to any decision taken to prosecute. In the meanwhile, it had been my hope Germany would take responsible action, rather than my filing an amended case. To this end, I have been forwarding much information to the office of Hans Christian Stroebel, but there is no acknowledgement of my communications. I understand Mr Stroebel has been ill, or perhaps my mails are routed to a junk mail folder. In any case, I will now be expanding my communications with members of the German Parliament. That I am a real person and have delved deeply into past intermingled corporate/government corruption, is easily confirmed via Mueller Law of Austin, Texas, USA. Also you may find my personal story link at my website. http://ronaldthomaswest.com “The history of the great events of this world are scarcely more than the history of crime” -Voltaire Members of Parliament mailed on 20 May 2013 jan.vanaken@wk.bundestag.de agnes.alpers@bundestag.de dietmar.bartsch@bundestag.de marieluise.beck@bundestag.de berlin@volkerbeck.de cornelia.behm@bundestag.de biggi.bender@bundestag.de karin.binder@bundestag.de gregor@karin-binder.de matthias-w.birkwald@wk.bundestag.de steffen.bockhahn@wk.bundestag.de agnieszka.brugger@wk.bundestag.de christine.buchholz@wk.bundestag.de eva.bulling-schroeter@bundestag.de martina.bunge.ma02@bundestag.de roland.claus@bundestag.de sevim.dagdelen@bundestag.de diether.dehm@bundestag.de ekin.deligoez@bundestag.de heidrun.dittrich.ma01@bundestag.de katja.doerner@bundestag.de werner.dreibus@bundestag.de harald.ebner@bundestag.de dagmar.enkelmann@wk.bundestag.de klaus.ernst@bundestag.de hans-josef.fell@wk.bundestag.de thomas.gambke@bundestag.de wolfgang.gehrcke@bundestag.de kai.gehring@bundestag.de diana.golze@bundestag.de annette.groth.ma02@bundestag.de gregor.gysi@bundestag.de Mailed on 2 June baerbel.kofler@bundestag.de elke.ferner.ma01@bundestag.de edgar.franke@bundestag.de dagmar.freitag@bundestag.de ulrike.gottschalck@bundestag.de barbara.hendricks@bundestag.de iris.gleicke@bundestag.de petra.hinz@bundestag.de christel.humme@bundestag.de Members mailed on 16 June ute.koczy@bundestag.de maria.klein-schmeink@bundestag.de katja.kipping@bundestag.de kilic@memet-kilic.de memet.kilic@bundestag.de susanne.kieckbusch@bundestag.de katja.keul@bundestag.de uwe.kekeritz@bundestag.de jacqueline.michaelis@bundestag.de lukrezia.jochimsen@bundestag.de ulla.jelpke@bundestag.de New (expanded) letter sent 17 June 2013 I thought you might find my story interesting. I am a fugitive anti-corruption investigator with a serious problem. Over the past 5+ years I had allowed myself, in informal arrangement set up via 3rd party, to be used as live bait to document an international murder ring connected to intelligence agencies, for both German and Spanish (and then German again) authorities. The problem is, despite the fact the authorities should long since have ample evidence to issue arrest warrants, pursue extraditions and prosecutions, they sit on their hands. Probably this has to do with the explosive nature of my case and I will hazard a guess of political interference and/or inertia. That I am a real person and have delved deeply into past intermingled corporate/government corruption, is easily confirmed via Mueller Law of Austin, Texas, USA. My webpage commemorating six years exile is fairly well pulled together: www.ronaldthomaswest.com Site sample: Employing open source method, the ‘Deep State’ series explores the inter-relationships of corporate boards to politics, corrupt law enforcement, organized crime in intelligence agencies, military and military contracting. Here you will find threads between powerful corporations and associated personalities to the bottom line (profit) and death squads, international organized crime, arms & narcotics trafficking, connecting the dots from the CIA special activities division to heroin and cocaine funding the Tea Party (and much more) America’s Deep State Foundation article America’s Deep State II FBI complicity Heroin, Bags of Cash & The CIA Deep State III Link to my personal story HERE. Please feel free to share this mail as you please My kindest greetings Members mailed: katrin.kunert@wk.bundestag.de ute.kumpf@bundestag.de agnes.krumwiede@wk.bundestag.de angelika.krueger-leissner@bundestag.de anette.kramme@wk.bundestag.de sylvia.kotting-uhl@bundestag.de New message sent to all members of Parliament on 18 June 2013: That I am a real person and have delved deeply into past intermingled corporate/government corruption, is easily confirmed via Mueller Law of Austin, Texas, USA. My webpage commemorating six years exile: Example of work skills for which I have been hunted by corrupt elements of German allied (American particularly) security services, employing open source method, the ‘Deep State’ series explores the inter-relationships of corporate boards to politics, corrupt law enforcement, organized crime in intelligence agencies, military and military contracting. Here you will find threads between powerful corporations and associated personalities to the bottom line (profit) and death squads, international organized crime, arms & narcotics trafficking, connecting the dots from the CIA special activities division to heroin and cocaine funding the Tea Party (and much more) The incumbent German administration refusing to act on, and concealing this from Parliament, is inexcusable. Ron West https://ronaldthomaswest.com/about/ “The history of the great events of this world are scarcely more than a history of crime” -Voltaire Related: Crusaders and Complicity About Ronald Thomas West ^ click on letter to enlarge Tags Afghanistan, Angela Merkel, assassination, CIA, complaint, Condoleezza Rice, crimes against humanity, extra judicial murders, Gary Berntsen, Germany, Guido Westerwelle, Hans Peter Friedrich, ICC, International Criminal Court, NATO, Ronald Thomas West, Sabrina DeSousa, war crimes Categories social responsibility	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1539
__label__cc	0.719113	0.280887	Category: IPOs The Business Lifecycle: Know the Journey So You Can Plan Ahead What do you see in the road ahead in 2019? Does it appear more uncertain than sure? Is it paved with growth opportunities or a pullback? For companies large and small, the path forward can take awhile to become clear. At R… 4 companies make the right moves along the business lifecycle Every company is at a different stage along the business lifecycle. Some companies have just started out, some are surging forward, some are growing organically and others are fighting against fierce competition. Where is … IPO, M&A: Big changes ahead require smart moves at every step Companies that have made it past the startup stage and are growing like gangbusters have beaten the odds. They’re not only surviving but making it. They’ve branched out their customer base and perhaps their geographic … View the finance work around the IPO as a marathon, not a sprint Going public takes endurance. The whole process—from the decision to go IPO, to the S-1 filing and the roadshow, to the first day of trading and then the post-IPO phase—usually takes longer than expected and puts a maj… On the road to IPO? 6 obstacles to avoid at all costs All eyes are on you when your company goes IPO. Everyone, it seems, wants to know the company’s every move—its past results, its risks, its future projections. Working at a newly public company can make employees feel … Can you handle the IPO tsunami? Executives who take on an IPO ride a long and sometimes unpredictable wave from start to finish. There’s all the debate over whether going public is part of the company’s grand plan, when to make the move, how the busi… Hot deals, talent wars and ‘winning’ entrepreneurs: Just another day in Menlo Park Optimism in the air—that was the first thing you would have noticed at an EY Entrepreneur of the Year® reception at the Rosewood Sand Hill last week. As I walked through the hotel’s reception area, I couldn’t miss … The 4 stages of the business lifecycle and how to recognize what you need next Many companies tend to follow similar patterns as they adapt and change over time. The trajectory is known as the business lifecycle, and we’ve identified four particular stages that companies typically move through from… Full steam ahead for 2015 and beyond Halfway through the decade, with the Great Recession slipping farther and farther into the rearview mirror, corporate leaders are pushing onward and upward. Nowhere is this more evident than in the San Francisco Bay Area w… Why getting the right finance team in place is essential after your IPO Look at that new public company over there with its carefully chosen ticker symbol, brand-new source of capital and sense of relief among its senior leaders. They have finally achieved the milestone of going public that th…	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1543
__label__wiki	0.731489	0.731489	ITFederal EDA in Focus Town Notices Crime/Court Interesting Things You Need to Know Warren Heritage Society What Matters Warren Jenspiration The Food Dude The Cracked Acorn Punditry & Prose Faces of Our Valley LifeSavor Fly Fishing with Bruce Sample Ad Formats Royal Examiner A change of location and ownership at the Postal Business Center Roger Bianchini Diana Settle greets a customer, and the media, to the Postal Business Center’s new location at 524 N. Royal Ave. Photos/Roger Bianchini When Robert Bachelor decided to get out of his shipping business established in November 1997 and put the Postal Business Center (PBC) building adjacent to his Melting Pot Pizza restaurant on 14th Street on Front Royal’s northside to other uses, a move and change of ownership was set in motion. The move was made Saturday, January 19, to 524 North Royal Avenue, between The Subway Restaurant at the intersection of North Royal Avenue and Sixth Street and the Shenks building; and the new owner is Diana Settle. Settle explains the transfer as stemming from her long-time business and personal relationship to Bachelor: “I started working at Melting Pot in 2002, so I go back 17 years with Robert and Westy. He even allowed Boogie and I to get married and have the reception in the restaurant in 2004 on New Year’s Eve. I started working at PBC in 2010. We’ve moved – the old location adjacent to The Melting Pot on 14th Street on Front Royal’s northside. “Last September, Robert called me in his office and told me that they were ready to get out of the shipping business and asked if I would like to purchase it. But they wanted the building to do other things with, so I would have to relocate the business. I said ‘heck yea’ and purchased the business in November. The transition went very smoothly thanks to all the great people that I had backing me and who helped with the move! I have owned my own business before, one where I worked out of my house, so having things like rent, inventory, etc. are fairly new and a little scary, but I’m getting the hang of it.” The move went smoothly, with only a four-hour, half-day Saturday shift being missed the day of the move, January 19. The PBC reopened for regular hours at the new location Monday, January 21, with Settle and her mom, Ollie Sessions, another PBC veteran holding down the fort. “There were a few changes in staff before I started, but me, mom and Susan Rabold were all there long term. Mom is working with me now, but Susan has taken a new position at the Melting Pot. The intersection of N. Royal Ave. and Sixth St. near the physical center of the Town of Front Royal from the new PBC parking lot “I think one of the more positive aspects of the move is being more centrally located in town, also there’s more parking and it’s easier to get in and out of the parking lot. The majority of our ‘regulars’ were forewarned, as were the mailbox renters. There is a sign on the door of the old building letting everyone know we moved and the new location. So I think yes, the customer base has adjusted well; there have been nothing but positive comments so far.” Settle notes that in addition to the parking lot access off North Royal Avenue, there is parking behind the building off the alley running the length of the block – “The back door is okay to use,” she added. When Royal Examiner first visited Settle at the new dead-center of town location business was booming. The parking lot was about half full, a Fed Ex truck was making pick ups and deliveries, and we were sandwiched in our entry by a lady carrying in a parcel for shipment and a man checking for an incoming shipment. Two perspectives of the new location – above from the Shenk’s side of the PBC parking lot; below from its boundary with The Subway sandwich shop. “Our services include mailbox rental, faxing, notary, copies, packing and shipping, some office supplies. We ship for FedEx, UPS, and USPS, and we also accept drop offs for all three. Also, we offer color copies and hopefully within a week, we will be offering scanning,” Settle said. The Postal Business Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at its new location in the heart of mid-town Front Royal. While still tidying up, it has been business as usual with customers and carriers FedEx, UPS and the US Postal Service at the new PBC location – and there is rear access and parking off the alley. Share the News: Related Topics:FedExmailboxMelting Pot PizzaPostal Business CenterUPS Thermal Shelter – open extra hours during the cold snap EDA revisits costs surrounding Main Street Market site in old Stokes Mart Budget funding, UPS lot permitting, tax deadline and street closure concerns Town Council to reconsider UPS special use permit UPS want to expand parking – needs special use permit Chief District Judge Albertson poised to hear Henry bond arguments Michelle ‘Missy’ Henry continues to wear jailhouse garb pending a third date for her bond hearing this Tuesday, July 23. However, she will remain housed at RSW Jail until that hearing, rather than be returned to the Manassas jail she was transferred to on June 25. Photo RSW website Former Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Director Michelle “Missy” Henry had a second bond hearing continued Friday, July 19. Henry appeared with co-counsel Ryan Nuzzo and David Hensley near the end of the 9 a.m. morning docket at 12:07 p.m. The hearing was over at 12:10 p.m. Judge William W. Sharp reaffirmed his recusal from all EDA matters, then continued Henry’s bond hearing to Tuesday, July 23, on the morning docket. Sharp indicated that 26th Judicial District Chief Judge Bruce D. Albertson would be present to hear arguments at that time. As chief presiding district judge Albertson is responsible for naming a substitute judge to hear EDA civil and criminal cases in the wake of Judge Sharp’s recusal and Judge Clifford L. Athey’s move away from circuit court duties as he prepares to take a seat on the Virginia State Appeals Court on September 1. Sharp submitted a written recusal on July 12, citing what might be called “small-town syndrome” – a personal or professional familiarity with many involved parties either named as defendants or potential witnesses in EDA matters. Albertson is based out of Harrisonburg. Discussing their client’s situation outside the courtroom Friday afternoon, Henry’s attorneys said it was their understanding that not only would Albertson be present to hear and make a ruling on bond arguments Tuesday, but was poised to name a substitute judge on the criminal and civil matters arising from the EDA fraud investigation. They said it was also their understanding that appointment could be a self-appointment. “Missy” Henry became the second person indicted criminally by the Special Grand Jury empanelled to investigate potential criminality tied to the EDA financial fraud investigation begun in mid-September 2018. The first criminal indictments handed down were against Henry’s former boss, former EDA Executive Director Jennifer McDonald. McDonald was arrested by Virginia State Police on special grand jury sealed indictments May 24, Henry on June 24. It appeared that at least five Henry family members were present to see Tuesday’s developments unfold. In arguing for bond at Henry’s first hearing on June 25, the day after her arrest, Nuzzo pointed to Henry’s long and deep community ties. He also noted that the events named in her two embezzlement indictments surrounding the EDA’s B&G Goods small business loan and asset dispersal on the old Stokes Mart property dated to 2014 to 2016. For Michelle Henry’s family the wheels of justice must seem to be spinning in neutral. Royal Examiner File Photos/Roger Bianchini “These are very old actions …If she was a flight risk she would have fled by now,” Nuzzo told substitute Judge Thomas D. Horne. Horne deferred a ruling on bond arguments due to his unfamiliarity with the case, continuing the matter to July 19. Jail transfer sought In a related matter, Henrys’ counsel filed a motion Thursday, July 18, to have their client moved out of the Prince William Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center some 44 miles out of this community and away from her family’s home base. Of that move over an hour’s drive away following her first bond hearing on June 25, Henry’s “Motion To Compel Jail To Cancel Courtesy Hold” observes, “Without agreement of the parties or Order of this Court, the RSW Regional Jail, which is the holding facility for inmates and Defendants held without bond for Warren County, arranged for the transportation of Your Defendant … to the Prince William Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center, located at 9320 Lee Ave., Manassas, VA 20110 … This holding facility has an incredibly limited visitation schedule, including for legal visits, and has no direct phone line from which Counsel may contact their client.” The defense motion included an attachment with the Manassas jail’s visitation schedule and rules. It showed two, 2-1/2-hour visitation blocks (8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and one 3-hour block (noon to 3 p.m.) per day; and a notation that “general population inmates” are allowed one 20 to 30-minute visit per week. At the time of the transfer RSW Jail Superintendent Russ Gilkison indicated Henry was moved due to the high-profile nature of the EDA investigation locally and personal safety concerns. McDonald was transferred to the Fairfax Adult Detention Center for similar reasons on June 11. “While RSW may have had good motives in being concerned for Your Defendant due to Your Defendant’s son being an employee of the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, the location they have chosen is unduly unfair to her access to Counsel and her family,” the defense motion for a jail transfer observes. Contacted Friday afternoon, Gilkison said Henry was being transported directly back to the Manassas jail from the Warren County Courthouse when a notice from the court to keep her housed at RSW pending Tuesday’s bond hearing was received. So that transport will be redirected to RSW, Gilkison indicated. Henry attorney Nuzzo said that were bond to be denied Tuesday, it is likely the court would hear arguments on the change of jail location motion submitted last Thursday. As an alternative to either the Prince William-Manassas Jail or RSW, the defense motion suggests the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center in Frederick County, a 27 mile, approximate half-hour drive. 6601 Winchester Rd – ‘Missy’ Henry will remain closer to home pending her Tuesday bond hearing. Her family hopes she will return home following that hearing which will come one month after her June 24 arrest. Meet EDA Board members Jeff Browne and Greg Harold – into the firestorm Greg Harold, Jeff Browne and Roger Bianchini in the Royal Examiner's studio. Photo and Video by Mark Williams, Royal Examiner. In this July 18 video interview, Royal Examiner introduces two of the three newest Economic Development Authority Board of Directors members. Jeff Browne and Greg Harold were appointed by a unanimous vote of the Warren County Board of Supervisors on June 18. They were selected from an interview pool of 19, according to County staff. They replaced two of the board’s longest-serving members, Greg Drescher and Ron Llewellyn, who jointly announced their resignations at the March 22 EDA board meeting, effective the following day. Browne and Harold will join the EDA board’s newest member, Marjorie Martin, in their second, Martin’s first, EDA board meeting the morning of July 26. Martin, whom Royal Examiner hopes to soon interview, was appointed Tuesday, July 16, following the unexpected resignation of EDA Board Vice-Chairman Bruce Drummond last week. Drummond’s resignation continues turnover within the EDA board and staff as the investigation into financial fraud in EDA operations and consequent civil litigation and related criminal charges have proceeded. Related or coincidental, that turnover includes the retirement or resignation of the entire three-person EDA staff: Marketing Director Marla Jones (retired) late 2017; Executive Director Jennifer McDonald and Administrative Assistant Michelle “Missy” Henry, resigned in December and March respectively; as well as three-decade Board Treasurer William “Billy” Biggs and long-time EDA bookkeeper Josie Rickard who both retired last October; as well as the above-mentioned Drescher, Llewellyn and now Drummond board resignations. McDonald and Henry are the only two people thus far charged in criminal indictments related to the EDA fraud investigation. Both are currently jailed out of county, McDonald without bond on 12 felony embezzlement or fraud charges, Henry on two embezzlement counts. Henry is scheduled for a once-delayed (June 25) bond hearing tomorrow, Friday, July 19. Why jump into the EDA firestorm now, we asked Browne and Harold to open our interview: Virginia State Police investigating Fauquier County crash involving train Virginia State Police Trooper T.D. Greene is investigating two separate crashes that occurred at a railroad crossing in the Delaplane community of Fauquier County. The crashes occurred shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday (July 18). A Hyundai Tiburon was traveling south on Winchester Road and approaching the railroad crossing near the intersection of Rokeby Road. The crossing’s safety arm began lowering and warning lights were activated to indicate a train was coming. Witnesses say that as the Hyundai began stopping prior to the tracks, it was rear-ended by a Toyota pickup truck. The impact of the crash pushed the Hyundai across the railroad tracks to the other side, but the pickup ended up on the tracks and became disabled. With the train approaching, the Toyota’s 58-year-old female driver and her three juvenile passengers – a 14-year-old male, 12-year-old male and 8-year-old female – safely escaped the pickup truck on the tracks. But the train was not able to avoid striking the pickup truck. When it hit the pickup, the pickup truck was shoved off the tracks and struck the 58-year-old female. The woman was transported to Winchester Medical Center for treatment of life-threatening injuries. The children were transported to Fauquier Health Hospital to be checked out. The 8-year-old was treated for a minor injury. The 24-year-old male driver of the Hyundai was not injured. The train conductor was not injured. The Norfolk-Southern train remained on the tracks. Charges are pending as the investigation remains ongoing. Former RSW Corrections Officer arrested; held without bond Chasity R. Sherfey. Photo courtesy RSW Jail. On July 9, 2019, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office was requested to respond and investigate an incident at RSW Regional Jail. RSW Regional Jail staff reported that they received information that a former Corrections Officer at their facility, identified as Chasity R. Sherfey, may have been involved in delivering items to an inmate and having a sexual relationship with an inmate. During the course of the investigation, interviews were conducted along with reviewing video footage and collecting other evidence. On July 18, 2019, Chasity R. Sherfey, 39 of Stanley, was arrested and taken before a magistrate on the following charges. § 18.2-474. Delivery of articles to prisoners or committed person (5 counts) § 18.2-64.2. Carnal knowledge of an inmate, parolee, probationer, detainee, or pretrial or post trial offender (2 counts) Sherfey was held without bond at RSW Regional Jail. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Investigator Baker at (540) 635-7100 or invbaker@warrencountysheriff.org. Shenandoah community leaders receive Unsung Hero Award Seated left to right – Mercedes Abbet Martinez, Quality Assurance Manager, Shenandoah Community Health Clinic (SCHC); Clare Matthews, Behavioral Health Team Leader, SCHC; Pam Murphy, Executive Director, SCHC. Standing left to right – Dr. Mark Johnston, Superintendent, Shenandoah County Public Schools (SCPS); Erika Richman, former Assistant Principal at Ashby Lee Elementary. SCPS; Debbie Litten, Student Services Supervisor, SCPS; Richard Koontz, Jr., School Board member, SCPS; Karen Whetzel, Chairperson of the School Board, SCPS. Woodstock, VA – The Shenandoah Community Health Clinic (Shenandoah County Free Clinic and Shenandoah Dental Clinic) and Shenandoah County Public Schools (SCPS) have received a 2019 Unsung Heroes Award from the Virginia Health Care Foundation. They were recognized for their teamwork in increasing the availability of medical, dental, and counseling services to the students and families of Shenandoah County. Implementing a satellite clinic on the Quicksburg school campus in 2017, Shenandoah South Wellness Center, the effort expanded the following year to supporting professional counselors from Shenandoah Community Health Clinic to provide services at all of the area schools. Individual nominees from SCPS include Dr. Mark Johnston, Superintendent; Debbie Litten, Student Services Supervisor; Erika Richman, former Assistant Principal at Ashby Lee Elementary; Karen Whetzel, Chairperson of the School Board; and Richard Koontz, Jr., School Board member. Nominees from the Shenandoah Community Health Clinic include Mercedes Abbet Martinez, Quality Assurance Manager; and Clare Matthews, Behavioral Health Team Leader. “As I hear story after story of the children being helped, I’m so grateful for this partnership that is making such a difference for these kids – and for the adults they will become.” said Pam Murphy executive director, Shenandoah Community Health Clinic. Shenandoah County has been declared “underserved” by the federal government for dental, medical, and mental health services, meaning that there aren’t enough health providers for the population here. Programs like these are working to fill in those gaps in healthcare services for neighbors in need. Shenandoah Community Health Clinic provides medical, dental and counseling services to families with Medicaid and other insurances. Sliding scale fees based on family income are available to residents of Shenandoah County. Please call (540) 459-1700 for questions about medical or counseling services, (540) 459-9333 for dental questions. I-66 Outside the Beltway Project: Lane closures and traffic changes Week of July 21, 2019 Project construction continues throughout the corridor during daytime and overnight hours as weather conditions allow. Current activities include: • Constructing bridge foundations at I-495, Route 28, and Route 234 Business interchanges, and Bull Run Drive overpass • Constructing retaining walls along I-66 and Route 28 • Demolishing of structures • Small charge blasting operations at the Route 28 interchange • Clearing trees and brush, grading, and installing drainage throughout the corridor • Demolishing closed ramps at Route 123 Interchange • Grading and installing drainage at the future park and ride lots at University Boulevard (Gainesville) and Balls Ford Road (Manassas) • Grading and excavating for the new E.C. Lawrence Park Access Road • Paving of temporary realignment of Braddock Road • Relocating underground and overhead utilities along I-66 and Route 28 • Corridor-wide roadway maintenance as needed The Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project will add express lanes stretching 22.5 miles from the Capital Beltway to Route 29 in Gainesville, rebuild major interchanges along the I-66 corridor, create thousands of new park and ride spaces, and expand trail options for cyclists and pedestrians. Learn more at Transform66.org. Upcoming Lane Closures and Traffic Changes The following planned lane closures are expected to have significant traffic impacts. All work is subject to change based on weather and schedule. Find the latest information on travel conditions and work zones by visiting 511virginia.org or downloading the Virginia511 app. ROUTE 29 / GAINESVILLE No significant traffic impacts scheduled. ROUTE 234 BUSINESS (SUDLEY ROAD) / MANASSAS I-66 West from Compton Road to Bull Run Rest Area Friday, July 26, and Saturday, July 27: 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. Three right lanes will be closed for crews to mobilize a crane for upcoming bridge work at Bull Run Drive. Drivers should expect occasional 20-minute stoppages and slowdowns along westbound I-66. ROUTE 28 (SULLY ROAD) / CENTREVILLE Route 28 North at ramp to I-66 East Route 28 South at Braddock Road Ramps from I-66 West to Route 28 North and South Turn lanes from Route 28 North and South to Braddock Road Braddock Road at Newton Patent Drive Monday, July 22, through Friday, July 26: 11 a.m. to noon Temporary stoppages of up to 15 minutes between 11 a.m. and noon on Route 28 North and South at the I-66 interchange, and on Braddock Road at Newton Patent Drive for small charge blasting at the I-66/Route 28 Interchange. Additionally, the ramps from I-66 West to Route 28 North and South will be temporarily closed for up to 15 minutes beginning at 11 a.m. Route 28 North from Route 29 to north of Braddock Road Route 28 South from E.C. Lawrence Park to I-66 Braddock Road from Newton Patent Drive to Route 28 Thursday, July 25: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Two lanes will be closed on Route 28 North and South with a flagging operation on Braddock Road to implement a traffic shift for the temporary alignment of Braddock Road. Drivers should expect occasional 20-minute stoppages and slowdowns along Route 28 and Braddock Road. ROUTE 286 (FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY) ROUTE 50 / FAIRFAX ROUTE 123 (CHAIN BRIDGE ROAD) / OAKTON – CITY OF FAIRFAX ROUTE 243 (NUTLEY STREET) / VIENNA I-495 (CAPITAL BELTWAY) Commuter Alternatives VDOT and the project team have invested in a broad range of programs to help commuters and others stay mobile and safe during construction. Learn more about carpool, vanpool, telework, and commuter bus alternatives. Post Your Promotions Here For Free Sky High End of Summer Blast For SVERN by Fleming Design and Sound - 1 day ago Lose Weight for Free and get Healthy by Keto in Virginia - 3 days ago Lot with River Access For Sale $5k by National Media Services - 4 days ago Danny Mulvena Exhibit Opening King Cartoons Wind: 7mph SSW 5:30 pm PAVAN Showcase Performances @ Sherando High School PAVAN Showcase Performances @ Sherando High School You are cordially invited to PAVAN Showcase Performances: 5:30 pm – Solo Recitals 5:30 pm – Art Gallery Open House: Browse art works at your leisure 7:00 pm – Concert performances by Guitar, Theatre, and[...] 10:00 am Design a chair for the SPCA CHAI... @ SPCA of Winchester, Frederick, and Clarke Counties Design a chair for the SPCA CHAI... @ SPCA of Winchester, Frederick, and Clarke Counties Calling all artists!! Design a chair for the SPCA CHAIR-ity Brunch and save homeless animals. Pick up a chair from the SPCA Thrift Shop, build a chair, up-cycle a chair, paint a chair, or upholster[...] 1:30 pm Botanical Drawing 1 @ Art in the Valley Botanical Drawing 1 @ Art in the Valley Learn and practice the art of botanical drawing in pencil with local artist and instructor Elena Maza. Tuesdays: 1:30pm – 4:00pm, July 9th – 30th. Classes will be held in our upstairs studio at 205[...] 6:30 pm Pour Me Another Fluid Art @ Strokes of Creativity Pour Me Another Fluid Art @ Strokes of Creativity Two classes in July – the 18th and 26th at 6:30pm. Pre-Registration is a must! Pour Me Another is an actual class. You will learn the ins and outs of paint pouring and go home[...] 10:00 am Build a Whimsical Clay House @ Explore Art & Clay Build a Whimsical Clay House @ Explore Art & Clay In this clay workshop you will make a whimsical house, using several decorating techniques to achieve textures, that you can later highlight with color. Perfect for beginners and potters alike. Choose to make it a[...] 3:00 pm Teacher Classroom Door Hanger @ Strokes of Creativity Teacher Classroom Door Hanger @ Strokes of Creativity Welcome in the new school year with a Personalized Classroom Door Hanger! Make your choice of a pencil, bus, apple or cloud sign. Must preregister with deposit of $10 and the choice of shape by[...] 12:00 pm Crop With Us @ Strokes of Creativity Crop With Us @ Strokes of Creativity Come Crop With Us Sunday, July 28, 12 noon to 5:00 pm. Receive a gift for pre-registering and attending. $15 No refunds. Feel free to bring your own snacks or drinks! 10:00 am Let’s Explore Art @ Strokes of Creativity Let’s Explore Art @ Strokes of Creativity Monday July 29th – Wednesday July 31st – Friday August 2nd 10:00 AM -12:30 PM Ages: 6-9 $100 per student: Includes an art supply kit and snack & drink Day One: Lines, lines, they go[...] Copyright © 2016-2019 Royal Examiner. All Rights Reserved \| Design by National Media Services, Inc.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1544
__label__cc	0.536321	0.463679	Google Allo for PC and Mac OS: Web version is in the works By Chris Barraclough Google Allo, the relatively new mobile messenger app from the creator of Android OS, will soon be available to users on a desktop computer or laptop. Here’s everything you need to know about the new web-based release of Google Allo. Looks like Google Allo fans will soon be able to message their mates via a desktop computer or laptop soon, as Google has confirmed that it’s working on a web version of the messaging app. How can I use Google Allo right now? Currently you can message your buds on Google Allo via your Android phone or tablet, or using an iPhone or iPad. Android users need to jump on the Google Play store and search for Allo. Download the app and sign up and you’re good to go. For iOS users, head to the App Store and do the same. So is Google releasing a desktop app version of Allo, for Windows and Mac OS? No, this isn’t going to be a desktop app, designed for Windows and Mac OS. Rather, Google is working on a web-based browser version of Google Allo, as you can see in the sneak peak screenshot below. This image was shared by Google’s VP of Communications Products, Nick Fox. In other words, you shouldn’t need to download anything to your PC or Mac to use this desktop version of Google Allo. All you’ll need to do is browse to the Allo website and login with your Allo credentials, and you’ll be free to message your buddies as usual. This allows for greater freedom – you can access the service from any connected device. When can I use the Google Allo web client? Sorry, no news on a release date yet, and Google says that the Allo web client is ‘still in early development’. We should almost certainly see the release later this year however, hopefully before Google I/O 2017 in summer time. Can I use other messaging apps from my PC or Mac computer? This isn’t the first time a popular mobile messaging service has hit our computers of course. WhatsApp for instance has its own WhatsApp Web client, which allows you to use a Mac or PC instead of your phone. Read next: Hidden WhatsApp features you should really know about Why would I want to use Google Allo instead of Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp or my other favourite messaging app? As well as the usual stickers, emoji, doodles and GIFs, Allo has plenty of great features built in. Smart Reply uses Google’s intelligent AI bot, Google’s Assistant, to monitor your conversation and suggest instant one-tap replies to any messages you get, for instance. You can see when your messages have been delivered and read, as with the likes of WhatsApp, and you getsome decent security features like Google’s incognito mode. Read next: Everything you need to know about Google Allo	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0047.json.gz/line1556

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