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Or you can: Mandolin Players in Boulder Creek, CA 44 Mandolin players found in Boulder Creek, CA Show all profiles Users in: 25 mi radius Has profile image: Browse other profiles in Boulder Creek, CA by instrument: Background Singer Steel guitar Vocalist - Alto Vocalist - Baritone Vocalist - Bass Vocalist - Soprano Vocalist - Tenor Palo Alto, California, 94306 Alternative, Blues, Classic Rock, Funk Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Ukulele, Mandolin Active over 1 month ago ViewMusician Todd Joseph San Jose, California, 95125 Alternative, Acoustic, Country, Rock Vocalist, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Background Singer, Harmonica, Other, Mandolin tom1205916 Blues, Jazz, Classic Rock, Americana Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Background Singer, Vocalist, Keyboard, Piano, Clarinet, Bass Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin ericpcb Los Altos, California, 94024 Alternative, Acoustic, Classic Rock, Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Vocalist, Lead Guitar, Drums, Violin, Keyboard, Background Singer, Harmonica, Banjo, Mandolin, Cello, Ukulele, DJ JeremySantaCruz Santa Cruz, California, 95062 Alternative, Funk, Hip Hop/Rap, Rock Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Mandolin, Saxophone, Vocalist tlev Los Gatos, California, 95033 Acoustic, Country, Bluegrass, Rock Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Background Singer, Mandolin, Upright bass kevansmedt Blues, Jazz, Classic Rock, Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Steel guitar, Mandolin maxyG Acoustic, Blues, Classic Rock, Rock Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocalist, Lead Guitar, Harmonica, Steel guitar, Mandolin ericstidger Alternative, Acoustic, Punk, Bluegrass Vocalist, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Other Percussion, Violin, Keyboard, Piano, Background Singer, Harmonica, Other, Banjo, Mandolin, Cello, Accordion, Ukulele, DJ abe1240956 Menlo Park, California, 94025 Acoustic, Bluegrass, Folk, Rock Vocalist, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Background Singer, Lead Guitar, Harmonica, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Piano, Mandolin, Ukulele BardOfBoston Sunnyvale, California, 94086 Alternative, Folk, Celtic Acoustic Guitar, Vocalist, Other Percussion, Other, Harmonica, Mandolin zac1149739 Bonny Doon, California, 95060 Blues, Jazz, Bluegrass, Rock Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocalist, Mandolin kingdr1 Alternative, Cover/Tribute, Pop, Rock Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Bass Guitar, Vocalist, Drums, Mandolin, Piano dayankai Freedom, California, 95076 Bluegrass, Jazz, Acoustic Dobro, Trombone, Steel guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Other, Flute, Harmonica, Background Singer, Piano, Keyboard, Saxophone, Trumpet, Violin, Other Percussion, Drums, Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Vocalist - Tenor, Vocalist, Fiddle Disaster Soup Alternative, Acoustic, Other, Rock Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Other Percussion, Background Singer, Mandolin J.R.13 Bluegrass, Country, Alternative, Rock Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Mandolin nomadicbliss Alternative, Classic Rock, Rock, Americana Acoustic Guitar, Background Singer, Rhythm Guitar, Vocalist, Bass Guitar, Lead Guitar, Mandolin Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Ukulele, Mandol... Musician \| Palo Alto, California, 94306 Alternative, Blues, Classic Rock, F... Vocalist, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass ... Musician \| San Jose, California, 95125 Alternative, Acoustic, Country, Roc... Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Background Sing... Blues, Jazz, Classic Rock, American... Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Vocalist, Lead ... Musician \| Los Altos, California, 94024 Alternative, Acoustic, Classic Rock... Musician \| Santa Cruz, California, 95062 Alternative, Funk, Hip Hop/Rap, Roc... Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Background Singer, Mandolin, U... Musician \| Los Gatos, California, 95033 Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Steel guitar, M... Blues, Jazz, Classic Rock, Bluegras... Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocalist, Lead Guitar, Harmo... Alternative, Acoustic, Punk, Bluegr... Vocalist, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Background Singer,... Musician \| Menlo Park, California, 94025 Acoustic Guitar, Vocalist, Other Percussion, Other, Harmonic... Musician \| Sunnyvale, California, 94086 Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocalist, Mando... Musician \| Bonny Doon, California, 95060 Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Bass Guitar, Vocalist, Drums, Ma... Alternative, Cover/Tribute, Pop, Ro... Dobro, Trombone, Steel guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Other, Flute... Musician \| Freedom, California, 95076 Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Other Percussio... Bluegrass, Country, Alternative, Ro... Acoustic Guitar, Background Singer, Rhythm Guitar, Vocalist,... Alternative, Classic Rock, Rock, Am... Rich78 Emerald Hills, California, 94062 Acoustic, Blues, Jazz, Classic Rock Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Ukulele Active within 1 month View Featured Musician Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Ukule... Musician \| Emerald Hills, California, 94062 BandMix.com Band articles www.bandmix.co.uk www.bandmix.ca www.bandmix.de www.bandmix.es www.bandmix.fr www.bandmix.ie www.bandmix.jp www.bandmix.com.br www.bandmix.com.au www.bandvista.com Copyright © 2020 BandMix.com™. All rights reserved. Processing your transaction Upgrade Successful Thank You! Your transaction was successful.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416551
__label__wiki	0.548175	0.548175	Bang to the Beat Love the Music All the Tme Live Music Bars In San Francisco Book now at 1412 Live Music restaurants near Downtown / Union Square on OpenTable. Explore reviews, menus & photos and find the perfect spot for any occasion. Best Live Music Restaurants in Downtown / Union Square. It is a hidden gem in San Francisco and a must-go-to place. The Crab Louis salad was the best that I have had. Nightlife Guide 2015: Where to Hear Live Music in San Francisco By. Joe Starkey. Jun 05, 2015. Not all find bliss on the dance floor. For many of us, a solid night out involves catching our favorite band live or a hearing a jazz act throw down some choice beats. For more excellent nightlife, from wine bars to dance clubs, don’t miss our. These 9 classic bars are why we love old San Francisco. Old-time Asian paddle fans cool the air, and comfy oversize booths line the wall. Live music emanates from a hidden mezzanine beginning at around 7:30 p.m. Try a Blood and Sand (Scotch, sweet vermouth, orange, and cherry liqueur) or the Cherry Bounce (Bourbon, cherry brandy, lemon. In 2000, working with his friend and fellow brewer Shaun O’Sullivan, he launched 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco, Chabot College Orchestra Auditorium The music of Mingus, Mozart, Mitchell, and many more will be center stage during three upcoming free winter concerts by Mercer County Community College (MCCC) orchestra, chorus and jazz students. The. PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio — The Parma Symphony Orchestra returns to Parma Heights for its next concert, scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday (March 10) in 7/17/2018 · San Francisco has its fair share of bars serving microbrews, and the Richmond/Presidio neighborhood—home of the Fort Point Brewing Company—features two of the best. Sessions at the Presidio is a great place for some early nightlife, since its latest closing is. Armando's at 707 Marina Vista Ave in downtown Martinez, about 35 minutes northeast of S.F., features live music including C/W, blues, jazz, bluegrass and folk. But while longtime queer-friendly spaces may be disappearing in San Francisco. One of the oldest bars in the Castro, Midnight Sun is what they used to call a “video bar,” and it is still known as a. In what can only be construed as the "literally, no one” meme brought to life, next month San Francisco is getting a pop-up called the Rat Bar where “rats run free. Included in the purchase is a 60. San Francisco is the. There is often live music, and there is always a robust selection of rum-based drinks that come complete with a little umbrella. Only the bravest patrons dare to visit the bar. Since forming in 1988, Tempest has delivered a globally-renowned hybrid of high-energy Folk Rock fusing Irish reels, Scottish ballads, Norwegian influences and other world music elements. The last 30 plus years have seen the San Francisco Bay Area based act release seventeen critically acclaimed CDs. 8/8/2018 · San Francisco’s Union Square is a bustling destination for shopping, hotels, and theaters, but scratch below the surface and you’ll find hidden bars where you’ll feel like an insider. The Green Room is located on the second floor of August Hall, a historic theater that hosts live music and DJ’s. While the venue has plenty of bars, this. One Saturday evening last month, dozens of people hovered around a horseshoe-shaped bar. San Francisco in 1969, said he was surprised to find racism in the gay scene to be more pronounced than in. Transgender Night Clubs in San Francisco on YP.com. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for the best Gay & Lesbian Bars in San Francisco, CA. If you love live music, there’s no time like the present when it comes to getting out and about in San Francisco. From blues to trance, here are the local shows worth checking out this week. Hoodline. If you love live music, there’s no time like the present when it. keyboardist whose career began in the rough and tumble world of East San Francisco Bay nightclubs and bars in the early 1970s. Cafe Claude Bistro – close to Union Square, closest to Paris! A virtual European vacation tucked in the heart of San Francisco’s financial district near Union Square, this charming French restaurant provides a Paris fix via “très délicieux” cuisine, exquisite service and lovely Left Bank atmosphere. Apr 27, 2018. Rachel Kushner on the San Francisco Dives of Her Youth, and That. old-school San Francisco live-music venues where I tended bar in my. San Francisco’s only mechanical. could hook locals on the Marina’s new country music bar. The 6,000-square-foot bar, live music, set the room apart from the front dining room. Michael Truxton, a former Silicon Valley startup worker turned. You probably have no reason to be on the corner of Harrison and Fremont streets, at the edge of the San Francisco neighborhood. who owns Bar Agricole, Trou Normand and Obispo. But if you’re one of. Agt Talent Pizza Singer Second Ang And look out for cameos by the likes of singer Paul Williams, Red Hot Chili Pepper Flea and a voice cameo (in the court scene) from director Walter Hill — the story here being Hill’s 1978 The Driver, CONTRIBUTIONS BY EMPLOYER ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT, INC. 585 COMMERCIAL ST. BOSTON, Massachusetts 02109 FEC Committee ID #: The Chapel hasn’t been open as long as some of San Francisco’s other premier music venues (it opened in fall 2012), but the club, which is housed in a former mortuary built in 1914 (The Chapel was its funeral chapel), is without a doubt one of the best places to see a show in the city. It’s also one of the most beautiful: Many of the building’s original historical details, including. Between 1967 and 1971 this self-described "original all-girls band of the San Francisco rock scene" was a fixture on the live circuit, appearing at venues like Filmore West, Avalon, and Winterland. Although they did some studio recording, no singles or albums were released during the band’s existence. Cameras For Live Music Venues, festivals, and even artists are putting restrictions on the kinds of cameras allowed into live music events. And let's not forget about the "three songs and. Jun 28, 2015 · Videomaker – Learn video production and editing, camera reviews › Forums › General › Live Music recording This topic contains 1 reply, has 3 voices, In May, Progress, a gay bar in Chicago, was broadly criticized for racism after it banned rap music as part of its. New. The San Francisco Pop Festival was held here on Saturday October 26 &… Santa Venetia Armory – Former Venue in San Rafael The Santa Venetia Armory, Culture and cocktails, a DJ twin spin or a jazz solo — nighttime is the right time to discover that there’s a fresh approach to everything here when it comes to new ways to have fun. Jul 19, 2013. Known for its cheap shows and small indie acts, Bottom of the Hill is Potrero's answer to the dive-y venue. With live music most nights, The power of live music to make folks feel good is on full display at a host of San Francisco night clubs. If listening to bands and vocalists show off their skills is how you like to spend an. Mocktails for younger rat-lovers will also be available. The bar is hosted by the San Francisco Dungeon, a tourist attraction that hosts live-action exercises in learning about the city’s "weird, In 1998, I had the rare experience of seeing bossa nova pioneer João Gilberto live in concert in San Francisco. and. That’s one of the qualities that makes Flower Piano, an annual outdoor piano celebration held amid the bucolic trees, lawns. Song Title Only The Blues Despite being together only five years, and with no major song on the radio yet, LANY, whose music blends elements of alt-pop. The Hal Leonard Blues Guitar Method is your complete guide to learning blues guitar. This book uses real blues songs – no corny arrangments of nursery rhymes here! (well, except “Mary Had a #Stookeys #SFJazz #livemusic #NobHill #FrederickHodges #SanFrancisco # cocktails #bar #jazzpiano #cocktailbar #Gershwin #StookeysClubModerne # drinks. San Francisco is a city of many pleasures. Museums can stimulate the mind and offer fascinating knowledge to bring back home. There are more restaurants per capita in San Francisco than any other. He’s a surfer and a Newport Beach native who returns to Orange County after working at top -notch dining rooms in San Francisco. He’s determined. along with new menu items and happy hour with live. San Francisco, CA concerts, live music, dance clubs, and shows. Find the best concert tickets for April 2019 at Thrillcall. Mar 15, 2018. No matter what the occasion or who you are with, we have compiled a list of the best live music bars in all of San Fran to make your night one to. Two nonprofits — the New Community Leadership Foundation, an African American organization, and the San Francisco Housing Development Corp., an affordable housing developer — plan to bring live music. The Abbey Tavern, a San Francisco Richmond district neighborhood favorite. The Abbey Tavern is a conversationalist's bar, where great live music can be. Sep 13, 2018. San Francisco has a great assortment of live music venues that feature local talent and world-renowned names alike. From dueling piano. Jul 9, 2018. How much would you pay to hop into a time machine and visit San Francisco's long-gone Winterland Ballroom on Jan. 14, 1978, the night of. as in real live rodents. The Rat Cafe made its debut in 2017 at the San Francisco Dungeon, an attraction that takes tourists and locals through 200 years of the city’s colorful and off-color history. Come on a Tuesday night for the added bonus of live music! 1000 Great Hwy. San Francisco, Ca 415-386-8439 Online: parkchalet.com. Thee Parkside This intimate bar/restaurant/music venue has a secret—out back is a luscious patio that’s great for families looking for a stiff drink with a side of punk. 7/20/2017 · Find the best music venues and how to plan awesome nights out in SF in our latest guide to San Francisco’s best live music venues. Owner Sean Heaney, who is from Newry in County Down, and took over the Plough from its previous owner in 1981, ran some pubs. Burlingame’s live music clubs feature live acts playing on a regular basis. From jazz to reggae to rock, find the right spot to kick back and relax or to get up and get your groove on. These Burlingame live music venues can help narrow down the search with live music club reviews, descriptions, contact information, maps and more. Author adminPosted on July 7, 2019 July 7, 2019 Categories The Beats Previous Previous post: Song Title Only The Blues Next Next post: Latest Naija Gospel Music Videos Faleceu Pall Cantor De Blues Wood Clapper Musical Instrument Russian Opera Female Singer Conwy Classical Music Festival Citara Musical Instrument Dancing Rainbow Butte Mt Hours Dancing On A Cloud Watch Me Now West Side G Funk Running Pop Music Rupaul Drag Race Dancing White Mans Overbite Dance School Blues Brian Katz Monster Hunter Katty Singer School Holiday Dance Classes Sydney Arizona Opera Book Club House Of Funk Hemp Celtic Knot Design Music Wc Handy St Louis Blues Lyrics Lyrics To Radioactive No Singing Quotes About American Folk Music Love the Music The Beats The Melody Bang to the Beat Proudly powered by WordPress	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416552
__label__cc	0.589964	0.410036	Which savings bonds should I cash out? Dr. Don Taylor Ph.D., CFA, CFP, CASL February 1, 2013 in Savings Dear Dr. Don, In April 1983 we purchased Series EE savings bonds in $100, $200, $500 and $1,000 denominations. We also own 30 Series I savings bonds issued in August 2003. Finally, we have $1,000 face-value Series EE savings bonds issued in October 2001, 2008 and 2009. Do you have any suggestions on which bonds we should redeem first? More On Savings: How safe is my $20K in savings bonds? What to do with Series EE savings bonds? Set your investing goals Create a news alert for "savings" — Clyde Cache Dear Clyde, How much money do you need? The savings bonds you bought in 1983 are maturing this year, and they’re an easy choice to cash in when they mature for two reasons. First, the bonds stop earning interest when they mature. Second, the interest earnings are taxable in the year that the savings bonds mature. If you’ve been deferring paying income taxes on the bonds, you’ll owe taxes on all the interest earnings. If you’ve been paying income tax on the interest earnings all along, you’ll only owe income tax on this year’s interest earnings. This presumes you’re not cashing in savings bonds issued after 1989 to fund qualified higher education expenses. The two most recent investments are still within five years of their purchase. If you cash in these bonds, you’ll be hit with an early redemption penalty of the last three months’ interest. That’s the bad news. The good news is that for the 2009 savings bond, the last three months’ interest doesn’t amount to much. It’s currently earning 0.7 percent. The 2008 purchase is earning 1.4 percent. If you hold these bonds for 20 years, the government will adjust the yield up to approximately 3.53 percent. That’s because the government will need to fulfill its guarantee that the Series EE bonds will double in value over 20 years. If you don’t have that kind of investment horizon for these bonds, then think about redeeming them. Your 2001 Series EE savings bond is currently only earning 0.81 percent. But that bond is much closer to its shorter, 17-year guarantee it will double its value, so I’d hang on to it. Those Series I savings bonds you purchased in August 2003 are earning a fixed yield of 1.1 percent plus an inflation yield based on changes in the consumer price index. I’d recommend that you hold on to these bonds for the long haul. Get more news, money-saving tips and expert advice by signing up for a free Bankrate newsletter. To ask a question of Dr. Don, go to the “Ask the Experts” page and select one of these topics: “Financing a home,” “Saving & Investing” or “Money.” Read more Dr. Don columns for additional personal finance advice. Best savings accounts for different age brackets 2013 money market accounts rates forecast Opening a foreign currency account Beef up your savings Savings bonds: Still safe? Investing for grandkids Dump savings bonds for greater return? Can I recover money from 1976 bond scam? How to cash late relative’s savings bond? Why wait to cash in savings bonds? Making the most of Patriot Bonds What to do with Series E savings bonds?	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416554
__label__wiki	0.720579	0.720579	Barbour EHS is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC Barbour EHS is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726. Health and Safety Jobs Why Barbour? Barbour for You: Executives and Directors Estates and Facilities Management Supplementary Modules CPD Downloads £502k fine after two airport incidents March 2, 2018 \| rabate Swissport GB Limited, the airport baggage and cargo handler, has been fined following two accidents at Luton Airport in 2015. Moving vehicle On the 23 June 2015, a ramp agent and team leader for Swissport GB Limited was working at Luton Airport. Using a flatbed lorry and a belt loader the team leader and his team unloaded the bags from an aircraft onto a flatbed lorry. Whilst standing on the back of the flatbed, the worker directed a colleague to take the bags to the airport inbound terminal. The colleague climbed into the cab of the flatbed, checked his mirrors and drove away not realising the team leader was still on the vehicle when it drove away. The worker fell off the moving vehicle onto the ground sustaining bruising and damage to his spine. He was off work for eight weeks. High-loader On 9 September 2015 a second team leader employed by Swissport was working at Luton Airport on a night shift loading cargo onto an aircraft using a high-loader. A high-loader has a platform that raises cargo from the ground up to the aircraft hold and extends to approximately 9 metres. The high-loader had been partially raised when the team leader began climbing the access ladder. As he was climbing the ladder, one of his feet slipped and he fell backwards to the ground suffering an impact injury to his right foot. Luton Crown Court heard that Swissport GB Limited had not adequately assessed the risk or implemented a safe system of work to address the risk of employees falling from the rear of flatbed vehicles being driven away with workers still on the flatbed. The court heard that Swissport had failed to ensure that work at height on high-loaders was properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner. Swissport GB Ltd of Swissport House Hampton Court, Manor Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2 (1) and 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work1974 and Regulation 4 (1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £502,000 and ordered to pay costs of £44,444. Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Emma Page said: “Employers should be aware of their legal duty to protect the health and safety of their employees and those not in their employment. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.” « Recycling company fined after explosion Brexit Bill Causes Four Key Concerns for Environmental Policy Experts » Brexit Bill Causes Four Key Concerns for Environmental Policy Experts Recycling company fined after explosion Substitution of dangerous substances in the workplace Welcome to Barbour	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416555
__label__cc	0.712226	0.287774	PC Games > Hidden Object Games > Agency 33 Play Free Download the game You're a new recruit for a secret organization known only as Agency 33. The clock is ticking – is there time to save the world? Explore the mystery for: NEW! TOOLS FOR STATUES DAILY QUEST FEATURES HELP THE AGENCY! Game Club Members SAVE 30% on in-game items OS: Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 Hard Drive: 1728 MB Agency 33 is rated 3.4 out of 5 by 46. Rated 5 out of 5 by Vidi444 from Story/Play ends Very sad that there are no more updates for this game - I reached the highest level a couple years ago and decided to download recently again and start from the beginning...too bad the content doesn't go further - graphics, scenes and story are amazing - I've been playing Midnight Castle but doesn't compare. Rated 5 out of 5 by mh2907 from Love it but need to be updated Super fun to play when you are in the story... but without an update soon, will delete it from my menu, as it started to be very repetive. Rated 5 out of 5 by jules20 from Brilliant but ended half way Totally brilliant absorbing, fascinating game. Gorgeous graphics and gameplay - makes you think as well as just do hidden object. Building a storyline. Yes free to download and to a certain extent play. Sadly not being updated after level 50 half way through the story. Great shame as I was really loving it. My recommendation for this is based on ending half way. Rated 5 out of 5 by scotireus from Riveting!!!! Fabulous scenery with amazing lifelike graphics. Hours upon hours of fun and neat little tricks to utilize if pay attention to prompts and peruse. Still playing. New items to search as increase levels keeping it interesting and challenging. Rated 5 out of 5 by travelang3l from Stick with it... Definitely a grower It starts of slow, and doesn't seem to make sense at first. I was going to delete it but don't have the money to buy a game so continued and I'm really glad I did. Others have described the storyline so I won't repeat it, but I encourage you to stick at it until at least level 10. Enjoy! Rated 5 out of 5 by pennmom36 from Play The Role Of An Agent With Amnesia! You are an agent working for Agency 33 driving along on the freeway when the Curator of the agency, Iris calls you, "get off the freeway and return to the agency, NOW, you're not safe"! Too late, whomever was after you runs you off the freeway and into the river, you're trapped and about to drown! Luckily you have a hammer in the glovebox and you're able to break the windshield and swim safely back to shore, Iris is helping you out but who's Iris? Even worse, who are you? Iris explains that you have been working for Agency 33 for over a year, the bad news is that you have amnesia, the good news, everyone thinks you are dead so the agency burned your file. You no longer exist, but you're school loans are wiped out. (I thought that part was hilarious) You are given the Orpheus Cube, which allows you to instantly travel to any of the safehouses. The safehouses are actually Hidden Object Scenes. You have learned that before the accident you were on route to see the Keeper whose mission is to "keep" very important secrets. Every Keeper must sacrifice himself, he must enter Hades in a ritual which happens every 33 years and sometimes they try to escape, which is exactly what this Keeper was trying to do. This is your mission, to find the Keeper and find out what secrets he posses. If the Keeper doesn't fulfil the ritual, Titan and other creatures will enter our world and destroy everything. There is a character board in the main office (Agency 33) and this is helpful because it shows a picture of every character you come across in the game, with a brief description of that person. There is also a room there where you will "learn" to create objects from the Inventor, that you will need to progress. Every creation needs instructions first and then the materials or elements, which you will find along the road to the safehouses, in order to create that item such as a fleur-de-lis. First you click on the Formula tab and choose which item you want to create. After you find all the elements shown by visiting different HOS, you click on create item, if you still need an element then you choose which hidden object scene to visit and then return to the Inventor room. There will be an option to Boost the amount of time it takes to create this item as shown on the timer, at first it's a free boost and eventually it will cost you gems, energy or coins. You start out as a Recruit on level one, and as you progress levels, you will eventually increase your ranks, at the present time there are 150 levels. There are achievements to earn as well. Some items you need to create are locked and only available on higher levels so some items may take a while to achieve a mission. A mission is given in the form of an icon with the picture of the person requesting your service, you click on the mission icon and the mission tab shows you what the mission is about, the requirements needed and the amount and types of rewards that you will receive, click accept. You then click on the Orpheus Cube (which is a map) and decide which available locations to travel to in order to complete the mission. This scene is a HOS with 6 items to locate, you will earn more points for finding items back to back before the green meter bar drains. There is an available magnifying glass but I didn't find any of the items too small to identify. You may need to buy an item from the shop to give you energy such as coffee, cake or fruit but most of the time your energy is refilled each time you level up. There are bonus items to buy at the shop as well. The mission icons will show you if the mission is still in progress and if the mission has been fulfilled then you click on the reward button to get rewarded for your services with gems, energy and tokens. This is one of the best F2P (free to play) games I have played in a while, there are a ton of things to do and it doesn't seem to get boring if you manage the time well, enjoy! Rated 5 out of 5 by judyjude from If you hang in at the beginning you will like this This is a confusing game at first and requires you to explore and read to find out how things work. It is challenging. I like the HOP's. They change at times and I find that fun and makes you stay on your toes. I play several FTP games and I know how frustrating they can be. I know others have complained about the short play time at the beginning but as with most of these types of games the more you play the more time you earn. Once I figured out how to find and use the tools you receive for playing HOP's you will level up fairly fast. Yes creating some items takes time. If you find where the time increments you can cut down that time considerably. If I know I'm going to have to wait awhile I either play before bed or switch games. Since I'm trying to spend less money for these type of games I have figured out how to earn diamonds and cash fairly well. I know we are in an instant, I want it now kind of world now but learning patience can save you money. Rated 5 out of 5 by MyXeBu4yS from The best game of its kind! I myself certainly do not play, but my children love the game, they asked me to leave the nicest review, the game is great! With love from Serbia Rated 5 out of 5 by JenMargaret from Love it! I look forward to this game every morning when I wake up and every evening after I get home from work (when my energy is refilled). There were some glitches that they fixed and now my favorite game is back! Rated 5 out of 5 by struthers003 from Awesome!!! Just love the game. Play every day. Agency 33 Reviews - page 2 Are you game to unravel the mystery behind Agency 33?	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416561
__label__cc	0.625895	0.374105	Millennial Money: Why you need a midyear budget check-in by: COURTNEY JESPERSEN of NerdWallet, Associated Press Posted: Jul 23, 2019 / 12:07 PM UTC / Updated: Jul 23, 2019 / 03:21 PM UTC FILE – In this June 15, 2018, file photo, cash is fanned out from a wallet in North Andover, Mass. Halfway through the year is an ideal time to check on your finances and prepare for year-end expenses. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) A typical July includes vacations, travel, shopping, weddings and beaches. Budgets? Not really. But the year’s halfway point provides a great opportunity to take a close look at your financial health and goals. Now’s a good time to “check yourself before you wreck yourself,” says Nora Yousif,certified financial planner and vice president at RBC Wealth Management in the Boston area. Here are three important reasons to check your budget right now — and easy things you can do to ensure you reach your money goals for the rest of the year. YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE PAST School’s out, but summer budgeting calls for a grading exercise. Judging your budgeting behavior is a productive way to see where you stand, according to Andrew Almeida, CFP, founder of Almeida Investment Management in New York. Here’s how to do it: If you haven’t already, separate your monthly budget into categories, such as groceries, rent, entertainment and so forth. Then see if you were over or under budget for each line item. If you have 10 categories, overshot three last month and stayed on budget for seven, you’d be at 70%. So give yourself a C for June. Almeida recommends doing this each month. With six months of the year behind you, you’re in a good position to evaluate if you’re passing more months than you’re failing. But don’t get discouraged; you shouldn’t expect straight A’s. “No one’s going to hit it 100% of the time,” Almeida says. “Life is fluid.” One easy and effective way to monitor how you’re doing is by logging in to your financial accounts, according to Brandon Renfro, an assistant professor of finance at East Texas Baptist University. “You can kind of see where your money went, and that will start to give you a better idea of problem areas or focus areas,” says Renfro, who is also a financial planner. Lean on your credit card and bank account apps to help you track your cash flow. Some of these apps may even categorize the transactions for you. YOU CAN PREPARE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND TAXES Once you’ve looked back, take a moment to think ahead. After all, the holiday season is only a few months away. And whether you like it or not, tax season will come shortly after that. Get ready now for these potential costly times of the year. Start by setting a holiday season budget. “A lot of people don’t consider that, but it’s a big year-end expense, which I think you should account for,” Almeida says. “And if you haven’t by midyear, I think you should.” If you’re not sure where to start, use the amount you spent last year on holiday gifts and festivities as a baseline. Next, focus on taxes. That means reviewing your income, advises Helen Ngo, CFP, CEO of Capital Benchmark Partners in Georgia. “When we do midyear budgeting, we don’t necessarily look at your spending,” Ngo says. “The first thing we look at is what money is coming in.” She says to pay attention to things like your pay stubs and discretionary income. For example, are you withholding enough in taxes to break even in April? Did you pay off a debt in the first half of the year and now have more income you can contribute to your 401(k)? Make adjustments where necessary. YOU CAN CORRECT YOUR COURSE By the time you finish these steps, you’ll likely have identified areas where your budget has room for improvement. “If you’re way off your projected saving or spending goals, you can modify your habits for the rest of the year before it’s too late,” Yousif, of RBC Wealth Management, said in an email. That may include eliminating small things from your budget, such as a subscription or membership you no longer need. And when you do remove something, redirect that money somewhere it can be more useful. “For instance, maybe instead of just canceling the gym membership and letting the $20 fall wherever it goes, go ahead and direct that to savings,” Renfro says. That can help build your holiday fund, for example. But what if you don’t even have a budget to check up on? It’s not too late. The midpoint of the year can give you a much-needed nudge to create one. This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Courtney Jespersen is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: courtney@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @courtneynerd. NerdWallet: Budgeting 101: How to create a budget http://bit.ly/nerdwallet-how-to-budget DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Rising income inequality is undermining confidence in capitalism around the world, according to a survey conducted by public relations firm Edelman ahead of the gathering of the elites in the Swiss ski resort of Davos. Among those surveyed in the report published Monday, 56% thought that capitalism was doing more harm than good despite another year of solid economic growth and near-full employment in many developed countries. by YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press / Jan 20, 2020 TOKYO (AP) — Stock markets were trading in narrow ranges Monday as investors awaited central bank decisions and earnings reports due out in coming weeks. U.S. stock markets will be closed in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. In Europe, France's CAC 40 declined 0.2% to 6,089, while Germany's DAX edged up 0.1% to 13,541. Britain's FTSE 100 dropped 0.3% to 7,654.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416563
__label__wiki	0.86984	0.86984	'Massively impressed' England teammate heaps praise on Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings Aston Villa news \| With international football now taking centre stage, Villa fans will have a very close eye on two members of Gareth Southgate's squad Tom Heaton has claimed that his Aston Villa teammate Tyrone Mings has thoroughly earned his chance within the England set-up. The former Bournemouth defender will join Heaton, as Gareth Southgate's squad assemble for two Euro 2020 qualifiers. Many were surprised by Mings' inclusion, but Heaton, who admitted he hadn't seen much of him prior to his B6 switch, has said his early performances have warranted his inclusion. “I have been massively impressed with Tyrone, seeing him at close quarters. I have come to the club and seen some of him," he said. “I am not sure how much he actually played at Bournemouth, and I knew he was at Ipswich growing up. But I didn’t know too much about him other than he came for a big fee. “However I have to say day in and day out he has been magnificent. There are a lot good centre halves in the Premier League. “I could name seven or eight English ones that are knocking on the door – but I think he warrants his chance. To be honest, he has been absolutely outstanding. Big, strong, quick and good on the ball. 'Scandalous' - Fuming Alan Shearer wades into Aston Villa referee row Revealed: What Kevin Friend told furious Aston Villa players during 'dive' row “Gareth has shown in his selections over the last couple of years that if you are performing in the Premier League you will get your chance (no matter who you play for) and this is another marker for that, definitely.” The two, along with Belgian Bjorn Engels, have built a promising early relationship and Villa's number one has said he he will be helping Mings to settle in with his new international colleagues. “I have thoroughly enjoyed playing with him and Bjorn too," he added. "We are starting to get a good understanding which is key in any defence, making sure you get that. He thoroughly warrants it and I'm really pleased for him. “We have had a few discussions about it. He is obviously over the moon and rightly so, it is a big moment for anyone so I'm absolutely delighted for him. “I've said to him if he needs any info on next week or anything he needs to bring, it is always difficult on your first trip on what to bring along or what is going on, so I've told him to give me a bell.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416566
__label__wiki	0.920213	0.920213	Yelp for bad bosses: New manager rating site launched January 30, 2019, 1:54 a.m. EST Supervisors make or break an employee’s experience with a company. Great ones foster happy, loyal employees; the terrible ones have workers firing up their resumes. Unfortunately, job seekers usually don’t know which manager they’ll get until they’re already employed. A new website wants to change that. Launched in December, Completed.com allows employees to rate their experience with direct supervisors. Other websites, such as Glassdoor.com, only have ratings for company CEOs and culture. “Most people don’t work with, or even meet, their company’s CEO,” says Mike Zammuto, founder and CEO of Completed.com. “People quit managers, not companies. Your direct supervisor determines how happy or successful you are at your job.” Tens of thousands of users created free profiles on Completed.com since its launch, according to Zammuto. He is waiting until the site garners 50 million users before investing in advertising or marketing, he said. “We want to focus on creating great content and seeing how our users react to the experience,” Zammuto says. Zammuto partnered with a marketing agency to gather supervisor profiles for Completed.com. Currently there are 25 million professionals listed on the site, but the number is expected to jump to 50 million by the end of the first quarter, Zammuto says. Professionals can claim their profile and add the information typically seen on a LinkedIn profile — photos, biography, education and work history. But the reviews are what separate his site from LinkedIn, he says. “LinkedIn is great for networking and connecting with people, but all the reviews are done by people who like you,” Zammuto says. “We’re looking to provide a fuller picture of what it’s like to work with this person.” On Completed.com, employees rate their supervisors out of five stars — five being a perfect score — and have the option to write a detailed description of what it’s like to work with this person. Users have the option of posting reviews anonymously. Multiple reviews of a single manager accumulate into an average score. The site also picks up on key words in reviews to help determine an individual’s strengths and weaknesses. “We’re holding people and companies accountable. If people know their actions are being monitored, maybe they’ll behave better,” Zammuto says. Colleen Kitchen, an Oregon-based musician, signed up on Completed.com to help promote her music sales. Kitchen said her page hasn’t received any engagement from other users, and she’s not sure the site is designed for her needs. “I got really fired up and did some stuff, but nothing happened,” Kitchen says. Kitchen didn’t realize Completed.com is meant for rating supervisors, she thought it was a social media site for connecting professionals — like LinkedIn. She said she could see value after learning the website’s true purpose. “It would be totally awesome for job seekers to get some honest [feedback] on potential supervisors,” Kitchen says. “I’ve had some doozies in my day.” While the site is helpful for potential employees deciding on a job offer, Zammuto says HR departments can use the same information to monitor workplace conditions within their company. “Getting negative feedback can be uncomfortable, but I think we provide the tools to help facilitate constructive conversations,” Zammuto says. With any review site, making sure contributions are legitimate is a concern. An investigation by the Wall Street Journal revealed companies were telling employees to leave positive reviews on Glassdoor.com to boost their organization’s average score. Yelp users have the opposite problem with competitors leaving nasty reviews to lower the scores of other companies. Zammuto says he assembled a team of technical professionals skilled with website design and security to combat these problems on Completed.com. “We use security technology to determine if someone is who they say they are, and we have actual people take a look at flagged profiles,” he says. “We don’t look at every review necessarily, but the site is aided by machine learning curve tools to figure out which ones need a second look.” Companies and individuals can’t remove negative reviews from Completed.com, but there is a process for removing malicious reviews, Zammuto says. After the website gains more users, Zammuto plans to structure it so supervisors can rate employee performance. The idea is to help keep employees honest, while connecting companies with reputable talent during the hiring process. “We want this to be a site that holds people accountable and encourages them to be better,” Zammuto says. Zammuto has certifications from Harvard’s business and law schools. Over the course of his career, he’s held various CEO and COO positions at computer and consulting companies. In addition to managing Completed.com, he’s the current CEO of Claims Verification Inc., an investigative firm serving the insurance industry, according to LinkedIn. Workplace cultureWorkforce managementEmployee engagementEmployee retentionEmployee relationsHR Technology	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416568
__label__cc	0.645639	0.354361	2016-03-31 2016-03-31 Being aware that your business is never safe from a cyber threat or data breach can keep your company safe. Best Lawyers « Go Back to Article List Cyber School Elizabeth S. Fitch and Theodore M. Schaer / Spring "Women in the Law" Business Edition 2016 March 31, 2016 12:00 AM According to the 2015 McAfee Security Paradox Report, 63 percent of midsize U.S. companies have experienced a data breach. Lack of proper cyber education makes them easy targets for hackers. According to the 2015 NetDiligence Study, the average payout was $1.2 million with average legal costs of $434,000 and crisis services cost of $539,000. THE TAKEAWAY? All businesses are targets. When it comes to a cyber breach, it’s not “if;” rather, it’s “when.” WHAT IS THE GREATEST CYBER THREAT? Ignorance. When thinking of cyber exposures, what comes to mind are systems failures, and the human element is often overlooked, but according to the Poneman Institute, 35 percent of cyber breaches are due to human failings. Eighty-five percent of office workers, for example, have been duped by social engineering. Employee ignorance is one risk factor, but ignorance at the executive level is even more disconcerting. Most executives are under the misimpression that cyber risk is an IT problem. Yet, system glitches account for only 29 percent of data breaches, so relegating the responsibility of mitigating cyber risk to the IT department fails to address 70 percent of a company’s vulnerabilities. “DATA SECURITY IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS." Executives and insurance brokers alike have assumed that traditional insurance policies, such as comprehensive general liability policies (CGL), provide protection for damages flowing from a cyber breach. This is not necessarily true. For instance, in Zurich American Insurance Company v. Sony Corporation of America, Sony sought coverage under its Zurich’s CGL policy for theft of customer personal information by online hackers. Zurich filed a declaratory relief action requesting a ruling that the data breach did not qualify as bodily injury or property damage. Sony countered that the breach fell within the purview of the personal and advertising injury provision of the policy. The New York Supreme Court rejected Sony’s position and found that coverage was not afforded. Despite court rulings favoring insurance companies, the insurance industry has responded to cyber breach claims with sweeping policy exclusions that limit or eliminate coverage under traditional policies. The lesson learned is that executives and insurance brokers need to better understand the cyber threats, company vulnerabilities, and insurance coverages available. Although the insurance industry has developed new cyber products, market confusion over the scope of coverage exists. Standalone cyber insurance policies are a complex hybrid of first- and third-party coverage. Because risk is ever-evolving, there are gaps in coverage. This is further complicated by statutes and regulations, inconsistent case law, and procedural peculiarities throughout the United States. Business executives, insurance brokers, underwriters, and claims professionals need to understand technology and the risks it presents, need to know coverage forms and how to analyze cyber applications, and know how regulatory actions and third-party claims trigger coverages. WHY IS THE LEARNING CURVE SO STEEP? Technology is rapidly changing, hackers are becoming more sophisticated, and the laws are constantly evolving. Every day hundreds of new apps hit the market. The pending technology patent applications alone evidence the ongoing technology revolution. Real-time client/customer data compounds the problem. While most executives and risk managers profess to understand technological basics, most acknowledge that they have no understanding of the complex security controls used to protect information security systems. Conversely, hackers have embraced the technology revolution and continue to develop more sophisticated tactics to prey upon people’s trusting nature. Spoofed emails lead users to visit infected websites designed to appear legitimate. Secretly installed spyware then tricks users into divulging personal information such as credit card numbers, passwords, and social security numbers. Hackers are leveraging social media to learn personal details about targeted individuals and then carefully crafting emails to trick employees to turn over valuable data and give access to bank accounts. Federal and state governments have enacted privacy laws to protect personal information. Congress has passed privacy legislation that governs virtually every industry, from health care to education to the financial sector, but they are complex and difficult to understand. Similarly, federal agencies that have regulatory authority over particular business sectors have promulgated rules and regulations and have increased their regulatory enforcement, seeking fines and penalties. The Federal Trade Commission has been emboldened by a recent Third Circuit opinion in FTC v. Wyndham World Wide Corporation, in which the FTC sued the hospitality company and three subsidiaries, alleging that data security failures led to three data breaches at Wyndham hotels in less than two years. The Third Circuit held that the FTC has the authority to regulate cybersecurity, opening the floodgates to regulatory actions. For example, on February 3, 2016, an administrative law judge ruled in favor of the Office of Civil Rights and levied $239,800 in sanctions against a health care provider for HIPAA violations, showing that data security is at the forefront of federal enforcement actions. Currently, 47 states have enacted breach notification laws and all 47 mandate notification to individuals whose personal information may be compromised—but key differences do exist. Fifteen states require notification to governmental agencies and 27 states require notification to national credit reporting agencies. Couple this with complex third party litigation, and executives, risk managers, and claims professionals are experiencing information overload. RIGOROUS TRAINING AND EDUCATION IS MISSION CRITICAL TO MITIGATING THE COST OF CYBER BREACHES. Cyber risk mitigation poses unique challenges, from adopting best practices in proactive defense against breaches to maintaining appropriate cyber insurance and the management of cyber breach claims. Cyber risk education has typically been segmented and general. What is missing in the cyber education arena is an integrated program. The Claims and Litigation Management Alliance’s School of Cyber Claims is the first of its kind in that the three-year program has a rigorous curriculum integrating technical, legal, and insurance courses with real world scenarios. The school was specifically designed to provide participants with technical and practical knowledge to proactively and effectively manage cyber claims arising under traditional insurance policies and stand-alone cyber insurance policies. The program will cover the unique security risks associated with mobile computing, teleworking, and cloud and website technologies. Students will learn about authentication, intrusion, detection, and prevention techniques such as biometric encoding, security socket layers, firewalls, virus protection, and cryptography. With this solid technical foundation, the program provides an in-depth analysis of costs and damages arising out of first-party claims and third-party claims, coverage litigation of insurance policies, and the practical implications for cyber claims handling and coverage analysis. The school’s faculty comprises cyber insurance and risk management industry leaders, whose experience and innovative curriculum arm the students with the tools necessary to evaluate, interpret, and apply traditional insurance policies, cyber insurance policies to claim scenarios, along with the skills to proactively and cost-effectively manage those claims. What Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Means for Indiana The Future of German Technology Understanding the Affirmative Defense of Duress in Arizona Why It's a Bad Idea to Admit Fault After an Accident in Georgia How This Firm Is Shaping the Economic Future of Ukraine Claims And Litigation Management Alliance School Of Cyber Claims Theodore M. Schaer A Startup Accelerator Program Sets Cuatrecasas Apart Opening Pandora's Box in Portuguese Tax Law Targeted Cyber Attacks are Rapidly Increasing in 2019 FTC Files Complaint Against Manufacturer of IoT Devices for Deficient Security Measures Copyright in Cyberspace: Read the Fine Print The Payment Services Act and how it affects FinTech in Singapore Why Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos Developed Its Own Legal Tech Technology and the Changing IP Climate in Mexico How AEQUO Is Embracing Legal Tech Thomas Thalhofer of Noerr on the Future of German IT Law A Global Approach to Settlement Patent (Win) Pending Fighting for Justice In the News: Tampa Medical Negligence - The new legal test in Singapore to determine the standard of a doctor's duty in advising his patient Costs recovery in the SICC: A different regime Are Guarantors penalised more heavily than the Borrower in case of the Borrower's Default? Need for Speed: Get your Anti-Suit Injunction Fast! Far East Square Pte Ltd v Yau Lee Construction (Singapore) Pte Ltd [2019] SGCA 36: Inroad into Dual-Track Regime for Construction Claims? Delaware Bankruptcy Court Confirms Robust Protection for Delaware Officers and Directors Pursuant to the Business Judgment Rule Despite Company Demise Lecher Pays Maintaining a Legacy The Growing Need for Expert Witnesses Across All Kinds of Litigation Rebuilding Faith in the Legal System 3 Strategies to Frame Your Medical Malpractice Case Education by Trial: Cultivating Legal Expertise in the Courtroom The Relationship Isn’t about You For Gillin, Jacobson, Ellis, Larsen & Lucey, the Focus Is on Quality over Quantity Dedicated to Its Clients The Importance of Trial Preparation Expanding Foreign Investment through Treaty Investor (E-2) Visa Reform New Legislation and Court Judgments Impact of the U.S. Presidential Election on Business Immigration Issues Russia's Evolving Legal Environment and the Next Economic Upswing What is in a Name? Benjamin J. Trichilo The Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016: A New Federal Civil Cause of Action for Trade Secret Theft Women First Chairs Responsive Initiative Driven, Obsessed, and Loving Every Minute Panama Papers: Evasion and Avoidance Insurance for Small Businesses: Prudent Management of Risk A Better Bottom Line Biometric Data in the Workplace Dennis M. Campbell Protect Two of Your Most Valuable Business Assets: Your Company Name and Important Brand Names STOLI Law Developing Across the Country As Courts Continue Deciding Cases Understaffed Nursing Homes Jeopardize Patient Safety Fiery Advocates Honored—For Work Inside and Outside the Courtroom Giving 100% for Injury Victims The views and opinions expressed in the above article(s) are those of the attorney/firm and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Best Lawyers, LLC. If you would like this attorney to contact you directly in regards to a legal matter, please fill in the relative information below. The attorney will then be sent your inquiry. Message Sent Successfully! Error Sending Message! Legal Disclaimer: Contact with an attorney does not constitute an attorney/client relationship. This copy needs to be replaced if a legal disclaimer is needed, if not, we can remove these sentences	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416572
__label__wiki	0.799378	0.799378	Serenade: Romantic Music for Romantic Guitars A short history of the guitar in the 19th century performed on original instruments, Serenade rediscovers a host of authentic compositions and arrangements from an era that is now considered a turning point in the guitars developmental history. As well as original works by Francisco Tárrega and Niccolo Paganini, the disc includes two fascinating authentic arrangements of Schubert Lieder by players of the era – Tárrega and Johann Kaspar Mertz. View pdf of cd booklet SKU: BGS102 Categories: Cds, Tom Kerstens “A Truly Wonderful Performance…” Guitar Review “A Unique Recording.” Gramophone “It offers a rare opportunity to experience Tárrega’s own compositions alongside those of two premier league names – a stern test from which Tárrega emerges virtually unscathed. This is due in no small measure to the performance, which is tidy, sensitive, and schmaltz-free.” Classical Guitar Magazine Release date: 5th Jun 2001 Order code: BGS102 1. Six Songs: I. Ständchen (serenade) Franz Schubert 3:57 2. Six Songs: II. Die Post Franz Schubert 2:49 3. Six Songs: III. Aufenthalt Franz Schubert 3:20 4. Six Songs: IV. Das Fischermädchen Franz Schubert 2:16 5. Six Songs: V. Lob der Thränen Franz Schubert 2:48 6. Six Songs: VI. Liebesbotschaft Franz Schubert 3:02 7. Grand Sonata: II. Romance Niccolò Paganini 3:42 8. Grand Sonata: III. Andantino variato Niccolò Paganini 5:28 9. Ghiribizzi: No. 37. Adagietto (after Rossini) Niccolò Paganini 1:29 10. Ghiribizzi: No. 20. Là ci darem la mano (after Mozart) Niccolò Paganini 2:27 11. Sonatina No. 1 Niccolò Paganini 2:17 12. Introduction and Caprile Op. 23 Franz Schubert 10:02 13. Menuetto, from Sonata in G Op. 78 Franz Schubert 4:53 14. Moment Musical Op. 94 No. 3 Frédéric Chopin 1:38 15. Preludes, Op. 28: No. 7 in A Frédéric Chopin 0.51 16. Preludes, Op. 28: No. 20 in C Minor Frédéric Chopin 1:42 17. Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 in D-Flat Frédéric Chopin 5:39 18. Five Preludes: I. Endecha Francisco Tárrega 0:56 19. Five Preludes: II. Oremus Francisco Tárrega 0:50 20. Five Preludes: III. Allegro Francisco Tárrega 0:54 21. Five Preludes: IV. Andante sostenuto Francisco Tárrega 0:53 22. Five Preludes: V. Lágrima Francisco Tárrega 1:30 23. Three Mazurcas: ¡Adelita! Francisco Tárrega 5:18 24. Three Mazurcas: ¡Marieta! Francisco Tárrega 1:41 25. Three Mazurcas: Sueño Francisco Tárrega 2:09 26. Pavana Francisco Tárrega 1:32 27. Capricho árabe (serenade) Francisco Tárrega 1:43 28. La alborada, la cajita de m£sica (The Musical Box) Francisco Tárrega 1:21 The Heart Trembles with Pleasure: Music for lute by Sylvius Leopold Weiss (Vol.1) Goya: The Music of Enrique Granados Triston: Guitar Music from Argentina and Venezuela The Leaves Be Green	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416577
__label__cc	0.607536	0.392464	Home > Community > Jewish Community Resources Linking to the Jewish World Jewish Federation of San Francisco, Marin, Peninsula, and Sonoma The Jewish Federation is an agency of the community which serves as a planning, fundraising, and Israel related resource. https://jewishfed.org/ Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, Marin, Peninsula, and Sonoma JFCS is the social service agency of the Jewish community, offering counseling, family support, parenting programs and services geared to seniors. The Sonoma County office is located in Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa office 707-571-8131 www.jfcs.org Jewish LearningWorks Jewish LearningWorks advances Jewish learning that enriches lives, and that enables the learner to flourish as a human being and as a Jew. We do that by empowering educators and parents and by operating the Jewish Community Library. https://www.jewishlearningworks.org/ Jewish Community Center of Sonoma County Based in Santa Rosa, this J.C.C. without walls offers cultural events, educational, and spiritual opportunities for the Jewish residents of Sonoma County. www.jccsoco.org Consulate General of Israel of the Pacific Northwest This link takes you to the official site of the government of Israel as represented by the consulate in San Francisco. www.israeliconsulate.org Jewish Community Relations Council This San Francisco based agency is one of the "official" arms of the Jewish community representing Jews in areas of social justice, intergroup relations, and in matters relating to Israel. www.jcrc.org Shalom Bayit Domestic violence happens in Jewish families. Shalom Bayit is a resource for Bay area women. A hotline is available as an immediate resource. www.shalom-bayit.org News straight from Israel ... a view of happenings, events, and a range of opinions from Israel. www.jpost.com One of Israel's primary newspapers and a great source of information about news and analysis of Israel's government. www.haaretz.com Links to Jewish Living and Learning This link provides a resource for the Jewish calendar, weekly Torah readings, converting English dates to Hebrew dates, etc. www.hebcal.com Siddur Eit Ratzon BIJC adopted a new prayerbook a few years back that provides a modern translation, complete transliteration, commentary, and meditations. The new book has offered access to many for whom the Siddur - prayerbook - was a "closed book." This website will tell you all about it. www.newsiddur.org Jewish Learning Resources www.myjewishlearning.com https://www.jewbelong.com/	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416579
__label__wiki	0.511482	0.511482	Home / Book Search / Fiction / Historical / Vladimir’s Diary Vladimir’s Diary Author Name: Martin M McShane Vladimir’s Diary quantity Categories: Fiction, Historical, Thrillers Tags: Dystopian, history, Politics, Thriller With the Nazis finally defeated the world heaves a sigh and takes its first breath of freedom in over five years. Seizing his opportunity, Stalin turns on his Allies and orders his Red Army to invade Europe. Country after country falls to the mighty forces of the Soviet Union while America’s attempts to find a diplomatic solution leave behind bleak consequences for the peoples of the conquered nations. Now at the beginning of the 21st century, the super-sized Soviet Union is falling apart, creating much unrest among its two billion inhabitants. The economy crashes, causing the Red state to slip back toward the dark ages. To restore order, the Central Committee bring Terror to all the peoples of the Soviet Union. An unlikely group of young freedom fighters risk everything to save their beloved country. But can they succeed when personal ambition, lust for power and greed take hold over ideals and serving the greater good? Martin M. McShane lives in Wembley, London. Before his career in international finance, he lived and worked in New Zealand and Australia. While working for the Royal Australian Navy he was in charge of secure communications for warships at anchor in Sydney harbour. When he returned to the UK, he got a job with a firm in the City dealing in international asset management. He now works as a programme manager, specialising in new country entry for business development. Martin says, “I wrote this story to explore what probably would’ve happened had Stalin held his nerve at Potsdam in 1945 and invaded Europe. It was only for the fact that President Truman revealed to Stalin the existence of the atom bomb during the Potsdam Peace Conference that stopped him from carrying out his plan.” Be the first to review “Vladimir’s Diary” Cancel reply Abdication: The Rise and Fall of Edward VIII Striking Similarities The Mule in Military Service Unto the Skies: A Biography of Amy Johnson Tails You Win	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416580
__label__wiki	0.627267	0.627267	Happy 4th of July from Burn In Designs IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends. We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. Posted by Diehard2501 at 1:34 PM	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416585
__label__wiki	0.856449	0.856449	In India, gender gap narrows in scientific research BI India BureauFeb 26, 2019, 08:12 IST According to a recent study by Indian and UK researchers, the number of women participating in scientific research has grown. UNESCO says the gender gap has witnessed a decline in terms of enrollment in tertiary education — after school. According to the conclusions drawn, every one in three research papers published, was written by a female author. While India lags in the world’s list of highly-cited researchers in science and innovation with only 10 Indian scientists featuring in the list, it has significantly boosted women participation in research in dominant field including science, mathematics, gynaecology and economics among others. A recent study published in ‘Journal of Informetrics’ has highlighted the changing scenario. Women participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Economics and Mathematics) research. According to the conclusions drawn, every one in three research papers published, was written by a female author — in over 186 fields as per the scopus database. In fact, in subjects such as dentistry, psychology and humanities, women were almost at par with men with one female author for every 1.5 male authors. India’s gender ratio exceeds that of the US in fields such as microbiology, economics and mathematics, said the report. The study, undertaken by Indian and UK researchers, examined over 27,000 scientific and research papers published in 2017. More women are also taking up science during higher studies. A report by UNESCO pointed out that the gender gap has shrunk considerably in higher education in India, with nearly equal participation from both genders. Given the feat, India can serve as an example to other countries for gender balance and women participation, according to the current scenario, Mike Thelwall, the author of study told Indian Science Wire. Indian scientists embarrassed after academics at a national science event made bizarre claims like ancient Hindus invented stem cell research Only 10 scientists from India featured in the world’s ‘highly-cited’ researchers list compared to 482 from China Next StoryAirtel and Cisco are teaming up to build India’s largest 5G-ready network — spectrum auction pending Airtel and Cisco are teaming up to build India’s largest 5G-ready network — spectrum auction pending 5G vendors claim India’s next-gen network rollout will still happen as scheduled India decides to opt-out of WTO e-commerce talks over digital tax concerns: Report	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416587
__label__wiki	0.951438	0.951438	10 Best Designed Buildings in the World From Top Architects From undulating skyscrapers to marvelous museums, discover some of the most exciting recent building designs to pop up in skylines across the globe ©VIEW Pictures Building design at its visionary best engages, exhilarates, and inspires. It possesses a quality—almost indescribable—that embodies design ingenuity, connection to place, and, above all, imagination. But today’s architectural monuments aren’t meant only to be admired from afar. “It’s not about creating an icon, but shaping public space,” says Steven Holl, referring to the Linked Hybrid, the eight-tower residential-office-retail complex his firm designed in Beijing. “You can’t understand it unless you’re over, under, and around it.” The Linked Hybrid is also “ultragreen,” Holl notes, pointing to the 655 geothermal wells beneath the buildings that provide heating and cooling. Like the best architects of his generation, Holl marries social and environmental responsibility to aesthetic ambition. Just as captivating is Reykjavík’s Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center, a collaboration between the architecture firms Henning Larsen and Batteríið and artist Olafur Eliasson. Together they conceived an asymmetrical structure clad in a skin of LED-illuminated glass-and-steel “bricks,” which every evening gives Icelanders a show as dazzling as the northern lights. It’s the kind of boundary crossing that can make architecture a force for activating cities and reenergizing cultures. In Seville, Spain, officials didn’t have a clear concept in mind when they sought proposals to improve the city’s central market square. The winning project, conceived by Jürgen Mayer H., is a cloudlike latticework canopy known as the Metropol Parasol, which stretches nearly 500 feet across and incorporates restaurants, overlooks, and meeting places. “They use it for everything from religious processions during Holy Week to gay-pride events,” says Mayer H. “It has become the pulsating heart of the city.” Proof that architecture in the 21st century has come a long way from requiring Corinthian columns and stately walls—or any walls at all—to announce its importance. Read on to learn more about these buzzworthy structures and discover other buildings around the world that are turning heads and transforming skylines. ReykjavÍk, Iceland Henning Larsen Architects and Batteríið Architects, 2011 Even before its official opening, this gemlike venue breathed new life into the Icelandic capital’s once-sleepy harbor, captivating locals and luring visitors with its kaleidoscopic façade of multicolor glass. The crystalline shell, conceived by artist Olafur Eliasson, wonderfully complements the structure’s aggregate of jagged, geometric volumes. At night, exterior LED strips activate, transforming the waterfront landmark into a shimmering beacon of beauty.Photo: Nic Lehoux/View Pictures 1. HARPA Concert Hall and Conference Center Henning Larsen Architects and Batteríið Architects Even before its official opening, this gemlike venue breathed new life into the Icelandic capital’s once-sleepy harbor, captivating locals and luring visitors with its kaleidoscopic façade of multicolor glass. The crystalline shell, conceived by artist Olafur Eliasson, wonderfully complements the structure’s aggregate of jagged, geometric volumes. At night, exterior LED strips activate, transforming the waterfront landmark into a shimmering beacon of beauty. Dubai, United Arab Emirates Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 2010 Rising a dizzying 2,717 feet above the desert, this spectacular supertower reigns as the tallest structure in the world. Its 162 floors contain offices, residences, restaurants, an Armani hotel, and an observation deck, 124 stories up. The strength of its design stems not only from its awe-inspiring verticality but also from its sleek silhouette. Wrapped in a glass curtain wall with steel mullions that catch the Arabian sun, the building tapers gradually from its Y-shaped base, with setbacks culminating in a 700-foot spire.Photo: Iwan Baan 2. Burj Khalifa Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Rising a dizzying 2,717 feet above the desert, this spectacular supertower reigns as the tallest structure in the world. Its 162 floors contain offices, residences, restaurants, an Armani hotel, and an observation deck, 124 stories up. The strength of its design stems not only from its awe-inspiring verticality but also from its sleek silhouette. Wrapped in a glass curtain wall with steel mullions that catch the Arabian sun, the building tapers gradually from its Y-shaped base, with setbacks culminating in a 700-foot spire. Singapore Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Grant Associates, 2012 Side-by-side parabolic conservatories of glass and steel anchor this cutting-edge botanical garden in Singapore’s booming Marina Bay district. Named the 2012 building of the year by the World Architecture Festival, the Wilkinson Eyre–designed structures replicate distinct climates—one dry, the other humid—allowing for diverse attractions like a flower meadow and a misty mountain forest.Photo: Craig Sheppard 3. Gardens by the Bay Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Grant Associates Side-by-side parabolic conservatories of glass and steel anchor this cutting-edge botanical garden in Singapore’s booming Marina Bay district. Named the 2012 building of the year by the World Architecture Festival, the Wilkinson Eyre–designed structures replicate distinct climates—one dry, the other humid—allowing for diverse attractions like a flower meadow and a misty mountain forest. No less extraordinary is the adjoining grove of vertical gardens by Grant Associates. Visitors can stroll an elevated walkway connecting the “supertrees,” some of which are fitted with photovoltaic cells to harness solar energy.Photo: Craig Sheppard No less extraordinary is the adjoining grove of vertical gardens by Grant Associates. Visitors can stroll an elevated walkway connecting the “supertrees,” some of which are fitted with photovoltaic cells to harness solar energy. Beijing Steven Holl Architects, 2009 Composed of eight connected towers, this mixed-use complex represents a compelling vision for 21st-century urban development. To combat the isolation often associated with luxury residential buildings and gated communities, the architects placed wide, open passages at ground level, ushering pedestrians into a series of public spaces that include gardens, shops, restaurants, and schools.Photo: Shu He 4. Linked Hybrid Steven Holl Architects Composed of eight connected towers, this mixed-use complex represents a compelling vision for 21st-century urban development. To combat the isolation often associated with luxury residential buildings and gated communities, the architects placed wide, open passages at ground level, ushering pedestrians into a series of public spaces that include gardens, shops, restaurants, and schools. High overhead, glass-and-steel bridges also contain retail spaces and a café, providing another sphere for community-fostering encounters between visitors and neighbors.Photo: Shu He High overhead, glass-and-steel bridges also contain retail spaces and a café, providing another sphere for community-fostering encounters between visitors and neighbors. London Renzo Piano Building Workshop, 2012 Familiar to watchers of last summer’s Olympic Games, this 72-story skyscraper—the tallest in Western Europe—has transformed the British capital’s skyline, rising arrestingly on the southern banks of the Thames. Inspired by church steeples, the structure comprises eight angled glass façades that variously reflect the surrounding city and sky and offer crystal-clear glimpses inside. Intended by Piano to act as a vertical village, the multifunctional building includes offices, apartments, restaurants, and a hotel—all crowned by a recently opened observation platform, which affords stunning views up to 40 miles in every direction.Photo courtesy of Sellar Property Group 5. The Shard Renzo Piano Building Workshop Familiar to watchers of last summer’s Olympic Games, this 72-story skyscraper—the tallest in Western Europe—has transformed the British capital’s skyline, rising arrestingly on the southern banks of the Thames. Inspired by church steeples, the structure comprises eight angled glass façades that variously reflect the surrounding city and sky and offer crystal-clear glimpses inside. Intended by Piano to act as a vertical village, the multifunctional building includes offices, apartments, restaurants, and a hotel—all crowned by a recently opened observation platform, which affords stunning views up to 40 miles in every direction. Dallas Morphosis Architects, 2012 Architect Thom Mayne, the Pritzker Prize–winning founder of Morphosis, is famous for breaking the mold, and his latest building is no exception. Sheathed in panels of textured concrete, it consists of a five-story cube, fractured at one corner and set atop a sweeping plinth planted with Texas grasses. Slashed across the cube’s exterior is a dramatic glass-enclosed escalator, which whisks visitors to the top-floor entrance to the exhibits.Photo: Roland Halbe 6. Perot Museum of Nature and Science Morphosis Architects Architect Thom Mayne, the Pritzker Prize–winning founder of Morphosis, is famous for breaking the mold, and his latest building is no exception. Sheathed in panels of textured concrete, it consists of a five-story cube, fractured at one corner and set atop a sweeping plinth planted with Texas grasses. Slashed across the cube’s exterior is a dramatic glass-enclosed escalator, which whisks visitors to the top-floor entrance to the exhibits. Water Mill, New York Herzog & de Meuron, 2012 Topped by a double-gable roof of white corrugated metal, the Parrish’s strikingly horizontal new home melds brilliantly with its setting, nodding in form to both the traditional barns and the cottagelike artist studios that have long been associated with Long Island’s East End.Photo: Roland Halbe 7. Parrish Art Museum Topped by a double-gable roof of white corrugated metal, the Parrish’s strikingly horizontal new home melds brilliantly with its setting, nodding in form to both the traditional barns and the cottagelike artist studios that have long been associated with Long Island’s East End. Inside the poured-concrete structure—devised by architect Ascan Mergenthaler, a senior partner at the Swiss firm—inviting galleries joined by a central spine are warmed by natural-wood ceilings and abundant skylights.Photo: Iwan Baan Inside the poured-concrete structure—devised by architect Ascan Mergenthaler, a senior partner at the Swiss firm—inviting galleries joined by a central spine are warmed by natural-wood ceilings and abundant skylights. Guangzhou, China Zaha Hadid Architects, 2010 China’s building boom has produced some audacious projects, and few are as eye-popping as Hadid’s performance center for the southern industrial city of Guangzhou. The venue consists of two dynamic fluid-form structures, the larger housing an undulating, gilded 1,800-seat hall and the smaller home to a more intimate 400-seat space.Photo: Hufton + Crow/View/Artur Images 8. Guangzhou Opera House China’s building boom has produced some audacious projects, and few are as eye-popping as Zaha Hadid’s performance center for the southern industrial city of Guangzhou. The venue consists of two dynamic fluid-form structures, the larger housing an undulating, gilded 1,800-seat hall and the smaller home to a more intimate 400-seat space. Both buildings are clad in great expanses of steel-framed glass and granite panels—the complexity of which led to challenges during construction and in ongoing maintenance. But the futuristic complex is an emphatic statement on the ambitions of 21st-century China.Photo: Christian Richters/View/Artur Images Both buildings are clad in great expanses of steel-framed glass and granite panels—the complexity of which led to challenges during construction and in ongoing maintenance. But the futuristic complex is an emphatic statement on the ambitions of 21st-century China. Seville, Spain J. Mayer H. Architects, 2011 When excavation for a parking garage unearthed Roman artifacts in Seville’s Plaza de la Encarnación, city officials opted to commission this welcoming landmark instead.Photo: Inigo Bujedo Aguirre/View/Artur Images 9. Metropol Parasol J. Mayer H. Architects When excavation for a parking garage unearthed Roman artifacts in Seville’s Plaza de la Encarnación, city officials opted to commission this welcoming landmark instead. Some 90 feet high and nearly 500 feet long, the billowing timber pavilion is part pergola, part urban parlor. Viewing platforms are perched atop the organic forms, which also shelter restaurants and an archaeological museum.Photo: Fernando Alda Some 90 feet high and nearly 500 feet long, the billowing timber pavilion is part pergola, part urban parlor. Viewing platforms are perched atop the organic forms, which also shelter restaurants and an archaeological museum. Mississauga, Ontario MAD Architects, 2012 These residential high-rises strike a voluptuous profile in Toronto’s largest suburb. With continuous balconies and elliptical floor plans, the 50- and 56-story skyscrapers appear to shimmy and twist, each around its own axis.Photo: Roland Shainidze 10. Absolute World These residential high-rises strike a voluptuous profile in Toronto’s largest suburb. With continuous balconies and elliptical floor plans, the 50- and 56-story skyscrapers appear to shimmy and twist, each around its own axis. Such creative formmaking is the focus of the young Beijing firm, whose design was executed in coordination with Burka Architects. Founded by Yansong Ma in 2004, MAD has earned a reputation for innovative edifices such as Inner Mongolia’s Ordos Museum. Like that project, the Absolute towers offer a refreshing take on a familiar building type.Photo: Tom Arban Such creative formmaking is the focus of the young Beijing firm, whose design was executed in coordination with Burka Architects. Founded by Yansong Ma in 2004, MAD has earned a reputation for innovative edifices such as Inner Mongolia’s Ordos Museum. Like that project, the Absolute towers offer a refreshing take on a familiar building type. Explore2013ArchitecturemagazineFebruary 2013new buildingsbuzz worthy designarchitects designersbuzzworthy	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416589
__label__wiki	0.861241	0.861241	<a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/20190661"><strong>I'll Just Hold Onto That For You (Your Heart)</strong></a> (47766 words) by <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/maxxrose"><strong>maxxrose</strong></a><br />Chapters: 13/?<br />Fandom: <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/tags/The%20Avengers%20(Marvel%20Movies)">The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</a>, <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/tags/Marvel%20Cinematic%20Universe">Marvel Cinematic Universe</a>, <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/tags/The%20Avengers%20(Marvel)%20-%20All%20Media%20Types">The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</a>, <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/tags/The%20Avengers%20-%20Ambiguous%20Fandom">The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom</a><br />Rating: Teen And Up Audiences<br />Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence<br />Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark<br />Characters: Tony Stark, James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, The Avengers - Character, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Thor Odinson, James Rhodes, Sharon Carter (Marvel), Peggy Carter, Maria Stark, Howard Stark<br />Additional Tags: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Humor, Angst, Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship/Love, Male Friendship, Male Homosexuality, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Steve Rogers is Not a Virgin, Artist Steve Rogers, Assassin Bucky Barnes, Bucky Barnes Feels, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Adorable Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has Issues, Hurt Tony Stark, steve has no idea why he's being shot at, Oh wait he does, he's the head of a crime family, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, bucky is a hitman/second in command, tony's just trying to stay alive, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, he also makes Tony coffee, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Mutual Pining, Worldbuilding, Alternate Universe - Mob, Italian Mafia, Established Relationship, Pre-Relationship<br />Summary: <p>One fateful Saturday morning, Tony makes the choice to eat breakfast at his favorite cafe, surprisingly mundane in his MIT hoodie and harboring an insatiable need for a mug of black coffee. Next thing he knows, he gets a face full of window glass and one Bucky Barnes quite literally crashing into his life, clad in heavy black body gear and armed with a devilishly sly smirk that has a 110% chance of being exactly Tony's type. </p><p>Bucky's completely charmed by Tony.</p><p>Steve's not far behind.</p><p>Tony's just trying to stay alive at this point. </p><p>To no one's surprise...<br />Tony's world is casually flipped upside down, and chaos ensues.</p> Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies) The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers & Tony Stark James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes The Avengers - Character Sharon Carter (Marvel) Male Homosexuality Steve Rogers is Not a Virgin Artist Steve Rogers Assassin Bucky Barnes Protective Bucky Barnes Protective Steve Rogers Adorable Tony Stark Hurt Tony Stark steve has no idea why he's being shot at Oh wait he does he's the head of a crime family bucky is a hitman/second in command tony's just trying to stay alive Clint Barton Is a Good Bro he also makes Tony coffee Alternate Universe - Mob Pre-Relationship I'll Just Hold Onto That For You (Your Heart) maxxrose One fateful Saturday morning, Tony makes the choice to eat breakfast at his favorite cafe, surprisingly mundane in his MIT hoodie and harboring an insatiable need for a mug of black coffee. Next thing he knows, he gets a face full of window glass and one Bucky Barnes quite literally crashing into his life, clad in heavy black body gear and armed with a devilishly sly smirk that has a 110% chance of being exactly Tony's type. Bucky's completely charmed by Tony. Steve's not far behind. Tony's just trying to stay alive at this point. To no one's surprise... Tony's world is casually flipped upside down, and chaos ensues. Tony parks his bike out front, laying it gently on the bike rack. The sky is blue, the wind's on his face, his laptop's charged, Tony's in a good mood. It's Spring Break, and he's just been dying for a cozy, peaceful morning at his favorite cafe, the Lionsgate. The cafe's his favorite for a reason — "Hey, Tony!" Clint calls as soon as Tony steps inside. The bells jingle softly above him, and he turns to the fellow brown-haired man with a smile on his face. "Sup, Clint. How you doing?" Tony greets, nodding at the other waiters and walking over to the counter. Clint shoots him a friendly grin and cocks an eyebrow. "Same order?" Clint asks, taking a pen and flipping it, catching it deftly with one hand as Tony nods. Clint moves behind the counter, lithe and agile in his brown Lionsgate apron. "Your hoodie looks cute," he adds, pouring Tony a mug filled to the brim with his favorite, black, black coffee. Black like scorched earth is how he likes it. He hands the mug over to Tony, who takes it and sips the liquid, closes his eyes like he's having a religious experience, and sighs in contentment. Clint snorts. "Jesus, Tones, at least try to hide the boner." Pauses, then tells Tony, "You're burning your tastebuds right off." Tony takes another long sip and feels the magic happening. "Sorry. I sometimes forget how distracting I can be for you." Clint scoffs, rolls his eyes, ignores the suggestive comment with practiced ease. "I forget you've probably burned the nerves off your poor tongue since you were around four." "Aw thanks," Tony replies with a teasing smirk. "Might wanna reign in the crush you obviously have going for me there. Why are you so concerned about my tongue, Barton?" He asks, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Clint holds a hand to his heart, looking offended. "Excuse you, you'd be lucky to have me. And kindly fuck off about the tongue. I don't need any more nightmares featuring you." "I've already got you, sweetcheeks." Tony stares back for a moment, then turns on his heel and sways his hips, glancing back and being absolutely smug as fuck about it when Clint's dark eyes go predatory. "You make me coffee. I've dated for less," he says, smiling with his teeth. "You dream about me, snuggle muffin?" Clint laughs, flips him off, and turns to serve another customer who's currently eyeing them with a lot of uncomfortable confusion. Tony notices it right away, of course, the spark of interest in the eyes as the stranger clears his throat and turns his body away to the counter, shoulders stiff. Well. Someone needs to release some sexual tension. The cafe's almost empty this early in the morning, and Tony loves it that way. All he needs is some AC/DC blasting through the speakers but Clint will probably asphyxiate him for that, so he refrains from upsetting the man who makes him coffee. Clint's been his friend ever since he started the semester at MIT, and found the gem that is the Lionsgate cafe. On the first day, Tony accidentally ordered a latte, tasted absolutely no coffee, demanded coffee, Clint argued there in fact was coffee, and no he was not about to give Tony a refund, and Tony declaring he would not leave the premises without coffee, and that resulted in Clint making a furious bet with Tony that if the security cameras were to show Clint pouring him the fucking coffee Tony would have buy Clint's pizzas for eight consecutive days. They became friends right away. As soon as Tony finished buying eight pizzas, lectured Clint about the dangers of eating so many pizzas and Clint threatened to poison every cup of coffee he would ever make for Tony in the future. Tony makes himself comfortable in his favorite corner, at the back of the cafe, surrounds himself with large windows that let through rays of soft sunshine. He takes out his laptop, fires it up and immediately starts working on the prototype for body armor that's light, compact, thick enough to endure multiple bullets but without restricting mobility or speed. While making it look good as hell. Which, Tony thinks with a satisfied smile, is definitely one of his fortes. His professor's gonna lose his mind when he launches the prototype. Tony's been aching to finally get through the droning seminars and pass over to the part where he actually gets to build things. He takes another long gulp of the sweet, black coffee, actually feels the neurons and synapses in his brain firing (yeah, he learned some shit from Bio class) and the mitochondria powering up for his cells. Tony takes the mug, tells it in a soft whisper that he'll remember it forever, and downs the rest of it. A disgusted noise from across the room makes him look up. Clint rolls his eyes (the guy does it so much Tony's worried it'll roll right back into his skull one day) and holds up a freshly brewed coffee pot. "Come get your fucking refill," he yells. "I can see the empty cup from here." Tony jumps to his feet, joy in his heart and grins wide and happy. "You're a goddamn national treasure," he tells Clint, greedily pouring the black liquid into his now empty mug. Clint sighs, loud and exaggerated. "I know. The plan is to have you die in two years when the caffeine spreads to your heart," Clint says with a shrug and takes the pot. Tony makes a low, mournful noise in his throat, gazes up at Clint through his thick eyelashes and makes grabby hands at the pot. Clint pauses, narrows his eyes like he doesn't trust Tony to touch the coffee pot with a ten-foot pole. "Fuck," Clint grumbles and glares at him. There's no real heat in it though, so Tony doesn't worry and instead takes the pot, blowing a kiss and a wink in response and carefully makes his way back to his table with the pot in one hand, and the refilled mug in the other. "At least take a muffin so your stomach doesn't commit suicide." Clint says grudgingly. Tony turns, beams. "I never knew you cared," He saunters over to the counter, gets himself a boxfull of muffins thrown at his chest for his trouble. "Asshole." Clint mutters after him. Tony flips him off without looking and plops himself down on his favorite plushie chair, slinging the laptop towards his knees and hunching down to do some work. He's in the middle of explaining how long strands of fiber made of a super mindblowing metal shit can interlace to form a thick net that's enough to stop a bullet from a game rifle when in his peripheral vision, a low, steady thrum of energy tingles in the back of his neck. Tony glances up, barely in time to leap out of the way when a motorcycle crashes through the window, shattering glass with the kind of noise that should be illegal this early in the morning, and tumbles across the cafe's previously white tiles, ending up near the door in a whir of spinning tires and machinery that Tony's hands itches to fix. Clint stands, uncertain and lost in the middle of the destruction, apron untangled and towel in hand, mouth agape. The previous occupant of the motorcycle lies a meter away from Tony, clad in black combat gear and Tony can see the sleek outline of a Ruger poking out from a sheath on the guy's hip. Then, the guy shifts, and Tony's about halfway there to fainting and screaming because he has a metal fucking arm, glinting and looking all kinds of badass. Tony can't look away from the absolute beast. The guy looks up, dazed, blood trickling down the side of his face. He looks out of it, and completely wrecked and when the guy sees his motorcycle strewn on its side with half the gears hanging out, he looks fucking pissed about it and Tony decides then and there he's got a thing for angry, pretty brunets with blood on their faces, a metal goddamn arm, and molten fire in their blue eyes. "Fuck," Tony says, casually, like this is an absolutely mundane sight to see on a Saturday morning. A/N: Next chapter will be up soon Tony wobbles to his feet, and then his legs do some unnecessary bullshit where they collapse beneath him and he's left down on one knee. He looks at what used to be his favorite table and chair, and sees shattered wood and what looks like the remains of his laptop. And his coffee. Someone's gonna pay for that. This is officially the worst morning of his life, and apparently he must have said all of it out loud because motorcycle asshole turns to look at him, a little bit dazed and a lot flabbergasted. Once Tony gets to his feet and stays on them, he half stumbles half hops to where Clint is still standing, shocked. "Dude, snap out of it," he tells Clint and reaches behind the counter to grab the kitchen torch that Clint likes to use to decorate cups of fancy Starbucksian coffee. "Call the cops, and find something to defend yourself with." Clint looks at him, mute, and nods. He ambles to the phone-box, and Tony doesn't have the time to call him out on those fucking bambi-steps of his because motorcycle asshole clears his throat from behind. Tony whirls, holds the torch and points it at the incredibly attractive brunet. God. Tony's already getting a hard-on for that metal arm of his. "Hold the fuck right there, murder muffin," because Tony's got no filter when it comes to his mouth and he'll be damned if he starts now. "What's going on?" Motorcycle asshole looks like he's trying to swallow a grin, and instead plasters on a pathetic serious face. "Sorry, didn't mean to drop by like this. But it's about to get pretty dangerous in a few minutes, so you better tell that boy with the apron on he'd better find somewhere to hide, and somewhere real good." Then he pauses, gets to a crouch, and starts dusting himself off. Tony's staring at him, incredulous, and ready to start blasting off some flames when the guy adds like an afterthought, "You too, if you wanna keep your head." "Aw, thanks," Tony says, voice sharp and flat. "Real considerate of you." Like Tony's the kind of person to listen to an asshole who destroyed his favorite coffee shop, and just trashed weeks of research on his computer. He's about to hold motorcycle asshole responsible, and he has no qualms about using the torch to do it. Tony glares at motorcycle asshole right in the eye as the torch comes on with a hiss and a pop. He may have a gun, and an arm that can probably crush Tony's throat in four seconds but Tony's got coffee in his system and no fucks left to give. The guy winces, holds up both hands placatingly. "I'm Bucky. Bucky Barnes. Please, listen to me. Get behind the counter, now." There must be something he knows that Tony doesn't, because a note of urgency rises in his voice as motorcycle asshole gets to his feet, looking a little wild around the eyes. He takes the Ruger out in a smooth motion, handling it expertly, and Tony makes a noise of distress. "Put that gun down," he says, a little scared, mostly pissed, and absolutely not about to back down. He steps closer, and is in arm-length's distance to motorcyle asshole, who watches the whole thing with a bit of confused admiration in his eyes, like he doesn't know what to do with Tony. "Clint! Did you call the cops yet?" Tony yells, not taking his eyes off the brunet. There's a bit of shuffling behind the counter, and the pitched sound of something small and metal hitting the tile floor. Clint audibly gulps, and Tony tenses up. Motorcycle asshole is still holding the damn gun and acts like a cornered animal, eyes flicking from left to right. "Yes, yes," Clint says, slowly. Tony waits for him to continue. "Um, I'm not an expert or anything, but I think Bucky's right on the getting the hell out of dodge, because I think, I think I'm looking at a grenade." "Don't give him the honor of his name," Tony snaps. He looks down at motorcycle asshole, motions with the torch to get in front. "Names are reserved for humans who don't destroy coffee shops." Barnes returns his hard stare, but moves forward anyway in light, quick steps that completely undermine the broad shoulders and bulky muscles. He peers over the counter, hisses, grabs Clint by the front of his shirt and shoves him towards the entrance door of the cafe. "They're already here, and you're fucked," he tells them, and Tony gapes at the audacity. The brunet ignores that, grabs Tony with his metal hand and pushes them both behind him. Tony takes a second to lower the torch and glance outside, and the street's quiet. A little too quiet. No cars, no pedestrians, and Tony exchanges an uneasy look with Clint, who's been a little quieter than usual. Understandable, Tony thinks with a mind-shrug. Then returns to glaring balefully at Barnes. "Then get us unfucked, murder muffin." Tony says sweetly, blinking with faux-innocence when Barnes turns to narrow his eyes. Clint chokes. "How'd I miss the nickname phase, already?" Clint asks, loud and interested. Barnes opens his mouth, probably to promptly tell Tony to kindly shut up, but doesn't get the chance to, because a second later there's a fucking explosion inside the cafe and Barnes is ducking, going low and yanking Tony and Clint to the ground with him. Smoke billows, tendrils snaking to the ceiling and clouding the air with thick, grey mist. It's hard to breathe or even blink now, and the air feels hotter, like the whole world is collapsing on itself and trying to envelope them all in it Tony drops, heart hammering in his chest and bile suddenly in this throat, because Barnes was telling the truth, and Tony's never been face to face with the kind of life-threatening bullshit Barnes probably goes hand in hand with. Tony crawls behind the counter, pressing his spine against the cool stellate. His breaths are coming out too fast, too quick and Clint isn't in a much better state, fear tight around the corners of his mouth and eyes. Tony closes his eyes and tries to calm his heart before it fucking explodes because bullets are burying themselves into the cafe walls, deafening gunfire is in the background, and the screech of tires outside on the street signals new arrivals. Barnes grits his teeth, and Tony watches as the brunet vaults over the counter, making a run for a big black bag crumpled in the center of the cafe. Tony peeks over the counter, sees two black cars parked on the street, and spots two men inching their way closer to the shop, guns drawn and in similar black combat gear that Barnes is in. Then movement from the second car, and Tony realizes there are two more men, and with a sinking feeling in his gut he knows Barnes is outnumbered. The men are clearly tracking Barnes, who fires off warning shots that hit on the hoods of the cars and close enough that the two men decide to wait them out, and settle in position near their cars. A hand tugs on his shirt, and Tony glances back. Clint shakes his head, frowning. "You're not going out there. I know you, that's your productive face, and you're not fucking going out." Clint sounds stressed, calmer than before, but looks intent in a way Tony's not really used to seeing. Tony conjures up a half-assed grin. "My productive face looks a lot like my bedroom face. How do you know I'm not planning to have a wild fuck in the broom closet right now?" Clint rolls his eyes, and Tony stares back, gentle and firm. "Hey, I'm gonna be fine. Stay here." Without waiting for a reply, Tony makes a scrambling sprint right past Barnes who looks like he can't believe his own eyes and ends up behind a pillar, away from the line of sight, with the bag clutched tight in his hands. Barnes laughs something a little high-pitched, amazed and relieved. "What's wrong with you?" Tony lets himself breathe, then winks back, shameless. "People have said I'm an actual human nightmare." "Not compared to me you're not," Barnes throws back just as easily. "I'd make you look like a fucking daydream. Not that you need any help." he shrugs and Tony's absolutely delighted. Barnes is a regular Shakespearean goddamn tragedy, and wears it like a badge of honor. "Stop flirting and please focus," Clint says beseechingly from behind the counter. "Lives are at stake." That seems to sober them up, and Barnes tells Tony what to do in a low voice that they can only hear. Barnes keeps an eye on the men outside, while Tony rifles through the contents of the bag. He slides an assault rifle over to Barnes, who takes it and asks for some ammo which Tony quickly provides. Barnes aims the rifle, shoots through a car door and Tony kicks the black bag to him, trying his best to push down the coil of panic that abruptly grows every time he hears a gunshot. The car sets off a shrieking alarm, and while Barnes arms himself with all terrors in the bag, Tony sits with his legs curled up and eyes fixed right on the brunet. He doesn't want Barnes to die, he realizes. He hopes they all get away safely, and he wants to get to know Barnes a little better, maybe make fun of his murder strut, and kiss the hell out of him. Yeah. He wants to kiss Barnes. And maybe get some time alone with that gorgeous arm of his. A garbled shout outside draws Tony out of his thoughts, as a body falls behind an open car door. He whips his head to stare at Barnes, who cocks the gun again and aims, firing clear, precise headshots that have the men clambering to find adequate cover. Tony tries not to be completely charmed, when Barnes crosses the entire cafe and steps over broken glass to single-handedly take down another man with the handgun in his metal hand. Barnes shoves the handgun into his waistband and goes to town with the assault rifle instead. The men try to return fire, but Barnes moves too quick for that. One man shoulders to the front of the group and lunges at Barnes, and Tony feels his heart jump a little when Barnes pulls out a glistening knife from nowhere and goes for his opponent, knocking the man back with his metal fist and shoving the man to his knees, and in a swift motion draws the blade across his throat. Barnes pulls the body up and uses it as an armor, plunging forward like a death machine. He's beautiful, dancing on a deserted street in all his black geared glory, muscles rippling underneath the body armor and blue eyes focused with a sharp glint in his eye as he takes one well-aimed shot after another, throws the gun on the ground and goes hand-to-hand with the two remaining men. Tony tears his eyes away from the fight to look for Clint. "Clint, come here, it's okay. I think." A head of tousled brown hair pops over the counter, and once Clint reassures himself Barnes is definitely taking care of any and all dangers, he unsteadily walks over to where Tony is crouching. Clint drops to the floor, eyes a little too bright and glassy, and Tony leans over to take one of his grime-covered hands. He holds it close, and squeezes. "It's okay," Tony says softly, the way he talks to Clint after a night of too many whiskey shots and too many beers, a night when Clint needs someone to ground him so he doesn't drown at sea. Tony smiles fondly, and Clint returns a small smile gratefully but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Barnes is a regular Florence fucking Nightingale at taking care of people." Boots crunch over glass behind him and Tony whips around, immediately shielding Clint with his own body. Barnes looks back at him, a smug smirk on his devilishly handsome face, unwinded and head high. That face is doing all kinds of things to Tony, and he's not proud of it. Tony clears his throat, reaches behind and pulls Clint up with him. He eyes Barnes cautiously, and makes a throaty noise of approval. "You uh, what exactly are you?" Tony asks, peering around Barnes to see four crumpled bodies on the ground. The pavement has splatters of blood on it and Tony swallows, and actually feels a little sick. He's never seen a dead body before. It's oddly unsettling, the way their heads look wrong on their shoulders and their bodies are a little too flat, lifeless and strewn carelessly the way children leave their toys on the ground. Barnes is watching him with the kind of wariness you have when you approach a lion's cage, like he doesn't know how Tony will react. "It's not important," Barnes says and Tony believes him. The brunet takes Tony by the wrist and leads him out onto the street, ducking out of the ruined coffee shop. Clint trails behind them uncertainly, assessing the damage with calculating eyes. Tony's glad to see that look back on his face, because it means Clint is coming back. Tony shakes his wrist free of the brunet, not that he wouldn't love to stay in contact with the totally hot assassin, but there's (unfortunately) more pressing matters at hand. Tony blinks, and after a moment's pause, heaves a theatrical sigh. "How the fuck am I gonna go about my life now?" "It's not over," Barnes says, glancing around the empty street quickly. "They'll have called for backup the second the first man went down. They're coming, and we need to get out of here." Barnes doesn't wait for Tony's reply and calls Clint over, who went from looking displeased to full-on furious. "I've already sent a comm to my own team, they're on their way now. In the meantime—" Barnes doesn't even get to finish his sentence when two more SUV cars round the corner, tires skidding on the road and Barnes bites out a curse, manhandles Tony and Clint back towards the two black cars behind them. "Fuck, fuck, go. Go and hide, and don't come out." Barnes snaps, already moving to cover them, guns cocked and ready in his hands. Tony's panicking now, can feel the fucking high blood pressure chasing after him so Clint takes charge and bundles Tony towards the nearest car and Tony makes a sound in his throat that sounds a lot like Bucky, and then they're enveloped in a cloud of smoke and red sparks and he barely registers Clint yelling grenade, but they're thrown hard to the pavement and Tony rolls onto his back, eyes stinging, chest constricting because he can't get any damn air inside his lungs and there's a throbbing in his skull, dull and loud, and becoming louder and louder and the edges of his vision swim black and stars dance across his eyes and Tony lets the crushing black tide envelope him until the whole world's silent, and Tony knows nothing anymore. Next chapter is soon. Hey guys, if you like it, leave a kudos and a comment! Would be greatly appreciated. Bucky woke up this morning and expected the plan to go along smoothly. He woke up at 6am, with a clear goal and mission in mind. He woke up with Steve, the big oaf, wrapped around him in a tangle of limbs. He woke up, got dressed, told the punk he'd be back in time for a late lunch, and set off to work. Bucky, however, made a fatal mistake. He hadn't factored Tony Stark into the equation, and got fucked in the ass for it. And now, with frightening clarity, he knows he won't make it back in time for that late lunch. Bucky leaps onto the black car, muscles tense. He tells himself not to panic, and it's hard not to, when you're staring at a group of trained soldiers who are pointing guns at your face like you're a thin, innocent blonde who's walking alone in the middle of the night and the creeps start paying attention with bloodthirsty grins on their faces. But they threw a fucking grenade at him, and Bucky hasn't seen Clint and Tony yet after he sent them behind a car but he knows they could be hurt. Mercy is out of the question for these fuckers. Tony and Clint are civilians, who don't deserve to catch bullets with their faces, and Bucky can't let them become another unfortunate set of collateral damage that is seen all too often in his line of work. And, if Bucky's being honest, the thought of Tony in danger makes his heart climb a little higher in his throat. It would just be a shame if Steve didn't get a chance to meet the destructive whirlwind that is composed of Tony, and so Bucky makes a promise to himself, that Steve will. And Bucky never breaks his promises. "Come get me, you fucks," Bucky mutters, low and dangerous, aiming the gun directly at the driver. The air is sharp with smoke, blood and death and it's instinctive, the way Bucky eyes the men inside the oncoming cars, checks to see how many rounds of ammo he has left, and calculates if by the time he takes down three, whether the other three will be met with his knives or his fists. The world settles to a still calm all around him, and Bucky shuts it all out, until all he's left with are the men he's going to kill. A monster awakens in the pits of his belly, hungry and dark, and Bucky isn't about to chain it back. Until a familiar Jeep flies into the side of the first black car, sending it crashing into an electrical pole with a sickening thud. The second black car skids to an unruly stop, tires screeching as it tries to reverse, and the Jeep's doors are thrown open. And then the four people he knows best in the world leap out, weapons drawn and crackling energy fills the air. Bucky laughs, loud and relieved, because his team is here. Steve gets out, all suited up and starts ordering the team in position. He pauses, looks across the street, and his eyes locks with Bucky. Bucky, who's making his way to his team, fast and light, and comes to a stop beside Steve and wants nothing more than to kiss him. But he knows he can't, not yet, so he's all business when he talks to Steve. "Hey," Bucky says and claps a hand onto Steve's shoulder. "About fucking time you got here." Steve smiles back, and Bucky can't take his eyes away from the brilliant blue. "Sorry, we were preoccupied." Steve looks over Bucky's shoulder and snorts, unsurprised. "Looks like you gave 'em hell, sweetheart." Bucky doesn't need to look back at the bodies behind him to know what Steve's talking about. "I have no idea what you mean by that," he says brightly, and Steve laughs, fond and amused. It's a surprise, and a good one, when Steve reels him in by his black jacket to kiss him, deep and dirty and absolutely perfect. Then he pulls back, pats Bucky's jacket down with composed vigor, and smiles. "Goddamn. You have too much influence over me," Bucky says with a pointed look at Steve's lips. Steve grins, bright and warm and repeats, "I have no idea what you mean by that." Bucky leans forward, presses his forehead to his best friend and lover. "Now who's the one talking bullshit." Bucky rasps, dark and promising, notes how Steve shivers with a curling satisfaction in his stomach and then straightens to gaze past him and see Wanda, who waves after taking down a man twice her size with a series of vicious high kicks and upper cuts. Pietro, her brother, beats back another goon with accurate strikes and the goon soon ends up with a slit throat and a broken jaw. Nat, the most experienced of them all, is locked in a fight with three, a menacing whirlwind. She throws a dagger at the nearest one, leaps and wraps her thighs around another's neck and swings them both down. She jumps back to her feet, diving for the last man whose face is the embodiment of regret. Bucky whistles appreciatively, and Nat flashes him a quick smirk. But Bucky doesn't have time to join the fray. "I've got two civilians back there," Bucky says and takes Steve's hand and pulls him away, falling into a jog back to where he left Clint and Tony. His palms are a little clammy, Bucky realizes with a start. He's nervous. Doesn't want to find Clint dead, and moreso Tony. Steve shoots him an anxious look but stays silent. Bucky finds them sprawled on the road behind the black car he pushed them behind, and makes a noise of distress when he sees Tony, on his back and dark hair flat across his face. Bucky rushes to his side, presses two fingers on Tony's neck and hopes for a pulse. He finds one, and sags in relief, but it's not as strong as it's supposed to be. Bucky gazes at the boy's face for a moment, and lets himself appreciate the fact that Tony is alive. He looks to side, and Steve is crouched over Clint, brows furrowed. "Anything?" Bucky asks, nervous. He cradles Tony's face with his hands, and pushes the dark curls back from Tony's forehead. Tony is pale, body lax and Bucky bites his lip, worried when he finds blood, warm and sticky at the back of Tony's head. Steve nods, rocking back on his heels. "This one's fine, unconscious, but fine. What happened?" He asks, edged with concern. Bucky shakes his head. "I was doing some recon at the warehouse, where the weapons drop was supposed to be happening, but there was a shoot-out, and they saw me. Must've mistaken me for somebody important because next thing I know I'm being chased on my motorcycle by two black cars, and then they shoot out a tire and I crash into that coffee shop," Bucky says, jerking his head backwards to the abandoned cafe. "and I met these two." Steve clears his throat, reaches out to touch Bucky's hand gently. "Are you okay?" Bucky turns to stare down at Tony and says to Steve quietly, "He saved me." Steve's eyebrows tickles upwards. "That pretty boy? He looks too cute to be brave," Steve comments with a chuckle. "Well, he is." Bucky shrugs, and slides his metal hand under Tony's back, and hefts him up, bridal-style. "Braver than a lot of people I've ever known." Tony is light, suspiciously light and warm in his MIT hoodie and Bucky holds him close, cradling him to his chest with cautious care. It's strange, Bucky thinks with a wry chuckle. Because if Tony ever found out Bucky held him bridal-style, Bucky has a feeling Tony would let him know exactly how undignified it was in spirited, sharp words. "Must be special," Steve tilts his head and regards Tony with an inquisitive look. "to have piqued this much of your attention." Steve leans down, takes Clint and slings the boy over his shoulder, grunting with the weight. Bucky stares. Steve rolls his eyes. "What?" "Handle that one with care, punk. I know my ass is a distraction but looking at it for more than thirty seconds can cause irreparable damage to your eyes," Bucky teases and turns, tightening his hold on Tony and striding back to the jeep. Steve sighs behind him. "Your ass isn't the sun, Buck, and you can't just say that," tagging along after Bucky grudgingly, right hand curled around Clint's waist to keep him on his shoulder. Bucky risks a glance back, and is pleased to see Steve's cheeks are rosy. Being with Bucky since they were kids, you would've thought Steve would make his peace with Bucky's brazenness by now. "It is 'cause you can't live without it." Bucky calls back, wiggling his hips to cement his point and walks over to meet the rest of his team, who all peer at Tony with curiosity in their eyes. Natasha approaches first, unwinded and calm, and takes a good look at Tony. "Bucky," Natasha says, measured and even. He lets her look him over, because he knows she needs it. Once Nat is satisfied, she reaches forward to touch his shoulder with a hand. Bucky returns the touch, and they both breathe in silent unison for a moment. Natasha's breath is warm, and Bucky tells her with his eyes, we'll talk later. She dips her head in acknowledgement, gives him an easy smile, asks, "Hospital?" Bucky shakes his head, ducks inside the open Jeep and lays Tony down on the backseat delicately. "Nope." Steve catches up a moment later, and sees Tony inside. "We gotta get both of them to the hospital," he declares, tone serious. Wanda slides into the passenger seat, smirking smugly at her brother's crestfallen expression. "Bucky said no." She tells Steve, who raises his eyebrows even higher to look expectantly at Bucky. Pietro sidesteps Bucky to take the brunt of Clint's weight, and stands off the side, waiting. Steve must see something in Bucky's face because he hurriedly says, "We're not taking them to base." and makes a face at Bucky like he's waiting for an agreement. Bucky wrinkles his nose, because of course Steve knows him so well he can guess what Bucky plans to do. "Yeah we are. I'm not leaving without Tony." A pause, "and Clint, of course." Bucky looks at his team, each in the eye. "We've got doctors back there. Good ones." "They're civilians," Steve tells him, and Bucky rolls his eyes and tries to swallow the no shit, Sherlock on the tip of his tongue and instead settles for an impatient sigh. "Yep, and I'll take care of Tony myself. Promise," Bucky says with a drawl, and squares his shoulders, daring any of them to argue back. No one does, and Wanda and Pietro exchange confused looks. Natasha's eyes are narrowed, trained on Tony, and Steve is standing with his arms crossed. "C'mon. Tony's bleeding from his head, Clint's knocked out, and I'm not risking their lives for another moment arguing a moot point." Without waiting for an answer, Bucky climbs into the backseat, taking Tony's head and shifting his body until he's half in Bucky's lap, half on the seat itself. Steve is staring hard at Bucky, and after a moment, seems to come to a conclusion. "I'm your commander, Buck." He says softly. Bucky stares back, resolute. "I know, Stevie." Steve rests a hand against the car door, and Bucky's a little worried at what the look on his face means. He doesn't want to go over Steve's head, knows usually Steve's word is final, but their team's never been anything if not honest with each other. And Bucky knows he made the right call. Right now, Tony's the concern. "He saved your life?" Steve asks, eyes searching. Bucky nods, a little tighter. Steve pinches the bridge of his nose, looking like he wants to give Bucky a swat on the head, and gestures at Nat. "Alright. Let's go, Nat, we've gotta get out of here before the cops show up." Steve finally says, waits for Pietro to sit next to Bucky before getting in. Nat opens the driver's seat, revs the engine and the car jolts, a low hum starting. The car moves, and Bucky settles back against the leather seats, and glances down at Tony's sleeping face. "You're gonna be okay." He whispers gently, touching Tony's soft cheek with the pad of his thumb. He doesn't miss the curiosity in Steve's eye as the blond sneaks careful glances at them. Bucky sits, a cup of coffee in his metal hand, oblivious to the heat. His eyes are on Tony, whose head is bandaged and sleeping peacefully, tucked into white sheets. The color's coming back to Tony's face gradually, and Bucky finds himself staring at Tony's soft, pretty face more often than not. The nurses have changed Tony into a white hospital gown. With growing insist and with Steve's help, they even had Bucky checked over for injuries and changed into something comfortable; sweatpants and a hoodie. Tony's going to be alright, the usual doctor at base had said, but he needs a couple days of rest and take it easy. The doctor, Felix Werner, was definitely surprised at having a civilian to treat. Bucky had not provided an explanation, but one glare from him sent the doctor running along. Bucky had listened attentively to the doctor's diagnosis, hand on the foot of Tony's bed. Steve lingered in the doorway, a little hesitant to come in, arms crossed across his chest. The rest of the team had dispersed, probably to clean up and head to a briefing. Thirty minutes later, and Bucky decides to sit with Tony for a while. Steve is still in the doorway, face looking like someone's kicked his puppy and Bucky can't deal with another second of Steve's little sighs. "Just come in, Stevie," Bucky says, impatiently. "I know you're curious." "I put Clint in the adjoining room so they don't freak out, and Nat's with him." Steve tells him offhandedly, still not looking at Bucky's face. He might have to take some personal offence to that soon, but he knows Steve, so he just listens. "Um. I can go." Steve offers, eyes downcast. "Jesus fucking Christ," Bucky groans and leans over to pull Steve down. "I want you here." Bucky says, softly, tips Steve's chin up and draws him in for a sweet, simple kiss. Steve makes a small happy noise that has Bucky feeling all warm and tingly, and wastes no time in sliding his hands down to grab at Steve's waist, down to his ass. Steve coughs, embarrassed, and Bucky throws him a sly smirk. "Stop sulking. I'm sorry I went over you back there," he says, honestly. Steve shrugs a little, gives him an indulgent look. "It's okay. It must have been important, and I trust you." Bucky grins, running his fingers through Steve's blond hair. "Kind of, you'll see why soon." "Hurt me a little bit, though," Steve murmurs and pushes back, capturing Bucky in another deep, open-mouthed kiss. "The way you cradled Tony like that." "Mhm, shoulda asked you to join in, my bad." Bucky rumbles back, nosing down Steve's neck and drawing in the familiar musky, alpine-woods with a hint of strawberry scent. God. Steve is warm, sparking passion down his spine, and Bucky arches into Steve's touch on his shoulders. "He's pretty, isn't he?" Steve pulls back, a smile hooking up the corners of his mouth and hums in agreement. "He is." "You gonna warm me up, darlin'?" Bucky breathes into Steve's ear, and tracks an eye to the door. It's closed, and the curtains are drawn. Not that he'd give a single fuck about someone seeing him kiss Steve. He can't help himself when he's around Steve. He's never been good at hiding himself from the people he loves and who loves him back, and Steve knows it. "I'm feelin' a little bit cold in this room." "Well maybe that's 'cause you're on that chair on not on my lap," Steve teases back, eyes hooded, dark with desire. "Stevie," Bucky gasps, and pretends to be shocked. "How fucking dare you. Buy a fella dinner first, would 'ya? Steve rolls his eyes, and leans in for another kiss when someone clears their throat. Bucky sits up, already grinning, and Tony stares back at him, accusing and scandalized. "Fuck's sake, murder muffin," Tony says, alive and annoyed and all kinds of tangles in his voice, "Have some fucking decency for the guy who's literally three feet from you in a hospital bed, will you?" Steve shoots to his feet, blushing, shuffling his feet and Tony's eyes snap to Steve, and his eyes widen even further. "Who's this? What the hell is a fine specimen like you doing knocking boots with a ragdoll like Barnes?" Bucky shakes his head. "You had a concussion, doll, so I'm gonna forgive that last word because you're obviously delusional and still recovering." he tells Tony and steps closer to the bed. Tony, for his part, is working his jaw up a furious storm and seems like he's about to bust out an eyeball. "I got your ass back to a doctor. No thanks needed." Bucky smirks and tilts his head. Steve coughs in his throat, looking like all he wants is to be somewhere else but Bucky's got a pretty firm hold on the front of Steve's shirt. "Where's Clint?" Tony asks, narrowing his large dark brown eyes. "This doesn't look like a hospital." Tony scans the room, quick and calculating. "Your, um, friend is in the next room. He's okay," Steve assures Tony hesitantly, and smiles uncertainly. Bucky tries not to roll his eyes. Steve is always so polite. Tony is squinting at Steve suspiciously, like he thinks Steve is somehow responsible for all the bullfuckery of this day. Bucky snorts. "Tony, this is Steve Rogers. My boyfriend, and the up-and-coming head of the Carter crime family. I'm sure you've heard of it from the news." Bucky tells Tony bluntly, because he's not the kind of person to talk around important matters. Steve makes a sound of horror and stares at Bucky incredulously, and Tony's eyes gets a little bigger, face paling. "And the next time you plan on interrupting a fantastic make out session, it's actually mandatory to join in. Twenty-first century rule," Bucky explains with a dismissive hand. "Millennials, and all that. It's as normal as having threesomes." Steve looks constipated, and Bucky holds back a laugh when he sees an eye start to twitch. Tony gulps, and blinks. "So. The blond hunk named Steve is a fucking mobster, you're a horny, out-of-control assassin." Tony looks at him for that and Bucky beams, with the kind of toothy smile that can clear a bar full of soldiers in thirty seconds. "And I'm not in the hospital," Tony says faintly, with a realization. "I'm not in the fucking hospital." It sounds like Tony's come to a conclusion. Tony looks a little wild around the eyes, and Steve winces in sympathy, shuffling about like he wants to appease Tony personally. "No," Bucky says, chipper and bright. "I guess not. We're somewhere much bigger, better, deadlier, and a hell of a lot more fun than your frat boy and alcohol-infested dorm room at MIT. So buckle up, doll. It's gonna be a bumpy ride." Next chapter, we go a little deeper into the story. Again, please leave a kudos and a comment if you like it! Thank you all so much. And yeah. I made Steve related to the Carters. And by that, I mean Peggy Carter, and Sharon Carter. His mother always told Tony, to always give them the benefit of the doubt. His mother's usually right. And Tony listens to her. But in this case, Tony will absolutely fucking not give them the benefit of the doubt. He wakes up, and it's like a thirty-pound safe box dropped square onto his face. His whole skull throbs, Tony can't even string a chain of thoughts together and from the waist up, his whole body aches like a bitch. Tony blinks, tries to focus on the ceiling. It's hard, but after a while, Tony reaches up and tentatively touches the back of his head, only to find it wrapped with white gauze. Concussion, Tony recalls vaguely. Clint. Grenade. Barnes. Panic shoots up his throat, heavy and high and Tony tries to move his head, looking for Clint, or Barnes, or anybody familiar. But no one's there. Tony sniffs at the air, and it doesn't smell quite like the hospital. Maybe it's a private room. He still can't hear all that well, the sounds are a little muffled, so he waits. Tony inhales a breath, long and deep, forces his heartbeat to slow. Fear paralyzes you, Tony tells himself, stretching his fingertips experimentally. Don't let fear cloud your judgement. Be calm and observe your surroundings. Tony blinks in relief when the sounds begin to come back slowly, little by little, and then voices at the end of his bed snag his attention. He elbows himself up, and can't believe his damn eyes. It's Barnes. Barnes and a wide-shouldered, muscular man, making out, the air taut with uncharted sexual energy and broken occasionally by conversation between the two men. Tony's about to have a fucking heart attack, and he looks around wildly, knows it's not a hospital. Clint's not with him, and two objectively handsome men are going at it like bunnies at the foot of his bed. Oh, hell no. Tony's not going to take anymore of Barnes' psychotic bullshit. So he clears his throat loudly, glaring daggers into Barnes' broad back. He waits till Barnes finished playing tango with the blond's tongue and sits up, a grin spreading on his face. The blond in question darts to his feet, blushing red, and Tony doesn't bother spare him either. "Fuck's sake, murder muffin," Tony says, alive and annoyed and with all kinds of tangles in his voice, "Have some fucking decency for the guy who's literally three feet from you in a hospital bed, will you?" "You fucking kidnapped me." Tony says, deadpan and flat. He stares at Barnes unflinchingly. "Well, technically," Barnes tries to argue his case with a Cheshire shit-eating cat grin on his stupid face. "Technically, I brought you here to save you. Doctors, they were here to keep your brains inside your pretty little head." "If you have to get technical about it," Tony replies scathingly, arms crossed from his sitting position on the hospital bed. "Then you've got a pretty strong case going against you." Then, as an afterthought, because Tony feels like being an ass today, "Well then, Barnes, if the doctors are here to keep brains inside heads, then what happened to you? Botched medical experiment?" The blond, Steve, who instantly becomes Rogers in his head makes a strangled noise, like he's trying to choke in a guffaw. Tony eyes him for a moment, and Rogers immediately composes himself again, spine ramrod straight. The guy's probably military trained, Tony thinks, watches the way Rogers is standing, stiff and guarded. Barnes is entirely different. Barnes, for his part, is sitting on the floor by Tony's left side, metal arm propped against the bed, relaxed and completely at ease. "C'mon doll," Barnes says with pleading eyes. "Don't be like that. Doctor says you gotta eat somethin', rest up, and you'll be back on your feet in three days, tops." Barnes turns to Rogers for help, who keeps lingering behind the brunet uncertainly, looking a little like a lost puppy. Tony thinks it's kind of adorable, and banishes the thought immediately. Right now, Tony doesn't know what to make of the whole situation. And it's not helping, have two incredibly attractive men by his bedside, eyes wide and hopeful. No. Tony refuses to think they're adorable. "All I know is," Tony decides to say, softening his tone. No need to be harsh and get on their bad sides. "that I wake up in a place that is obviously not a hospital, with a horny assassin and an infamous mobster, and my friend's gone. How do you explain this bullshit?" Barnes makes a thoughtful face, like he's finally seeing how when things, spelled out like that, can look a little questionable. "Okay, Tony. You got me." He stands up, stretches languidly like a cat, and Tony swallows, looking away and coughing. "I'm going. Enjoy yourself." Barnes starts out the door, leaving Tony and Rogers staring after him in confusion and surprise. Rogers looks alarmed, and pauses to say apologetically to Tony, "Your friend's just in the next room, I promise. We can go see him soon. My friend's taking care of him. I'm sorry, but I'll be right back," and rushes after Barnes. Rogers is definitely the sane one. Tony sighs, and decides it's time to play a little desperate. "Okay, Barnes. Come back. I am not going to wander around this deathtrap alone." Barnes pokes his head in the doorway, eyebrows raised. "I'm sorry, Barnes?" "Bucky," Tony grits out, teeth clenched. The guy is definitely testing his limits. "Bucky." He says it again, letting the name roll of his tongue. It's kind of nice. And sort of worth it, just to see the expression of happiness spread over Barnes'—no, Bucky's face. "Aw, look, Stevie, we're already bonding." Bucky says with a self-fulfilled smirk, and winks shamelessly at Tony. "First-name basis. What a fucking day," Bucky comments, plopping down on the seat opposite to Tony, and smiles. Tony closes his eyes, pinches the bridge of his nose. God, the guy is a human nightmare. An attractive, horny, out-of-control assassin with a dirty smirk. It's like the heavens are having a hell of a time, screwing with his life in ways unimaginable. Rogers starts up, looking like he's forgotten something. "Tony," he says, hesitantly. "Can I call you that?" At Tony's mystified nod, he continues. "I completely forgot to ask. Are you thirsty, or hungry? I can get you something," he offers with a small smile. Tony's mouth drops open. "What the fuck," he says. "What the fuck, Bucky. This guy has manners that would make my grandmother swoon, what the hell happened to yours?" "I've got a lot of other things that could make your grandmother swoon," Bucky replies, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Stevie there can vouch for me." Tony laughs, short and wry. "Somehow, both of your credibility points are a little low." Then remembers, and smiles sheepishly at Rogers. "Thank you," he says awkwardly. "And yeah. A glass of water would be nice." Rogers looks relieved now that he's been given something to do, and bolts out the door like a deer from oncoming headlights. Tony watches him leave hastily, and looks back at Bucky. "So, you guys boning or dating?" Tony's never been one to dance around important matters. And he knows, the easiest way to find out what exactly is going on, is through Bucky. Bucky, who's a little loose with his tongue and easy to talk to. But Tony also genuinely wants to know more about him. After all, the guy did save his life. In the cafe, and in whatever this place is, Bucky has saved his life more than once. And Tony owes a debt. A Stark always pays his debts. Bucky holds his hand over his heart in a gesture of mock betrayal, and squints at him. "Wow. I call it making 'love'," he says pointedly. "Because I'm a delicate person, and there are many, many other ways to describe Stevie's and I's relationship, but boning is not one of them." Tony's familiar with deflection, and it's a tactic he himself employs often when he gives an answer that's not an answer. It's a welcome challenge, that Bucky isn't an open book. "Okay," Tony says, playing along. "Who'd have thought you were a gentleman when it comes to love?" Bucky chuckles, shoots Tony an amused smile. "When it comes to love, Tony, I'm your Albert Einstein. Your regular Stephen Hawkings. Show me a man I cannot win over, and I'll give you my damn arm." He wiggles his metal fingers at Tony, making his point. "Your confidence is swaggering," Tony tells him. "And that's disgusting," Tony shoots back, pretending to gag. "The fuck would I do with your arm?" Bucky's eyes brighten instantly, and Tony realizes with a gut-sinking feeling he's just stepped on a bomb. "Well, Tony, remember when I was talking about twenty-first century millennial customs and—" "Hey, asshole, I don't want to know about your disturbing, murder-muffin fucking fetishes—" Rogers strides in, pauses, Tony's drink in hand, and closes his eyes. "I can't believe there's two of them." Rogers takes a pillow from Tony's bed, and chucks it at Bucky's face, and Tony breaks off mid sentence to laugh at the expression of shock on Bucky's face. It's hilarious, the way Bucky stares at Rogers in personal offence like someone kissed his mother and spat in her face. Tony admires the challenging glint in Bucky's eye, the kind of challenge that kittens have when they swipe at shadows with soft claws and mewls. It's painfully obvious that the brunet assassin has a weakness for Rogers, and for once in his life, Tony sort of wishes he has a bond like that in his life. Tony's not the type of person to lay his heart on his sleeve for everyone to see, but when he loves, he loves hard. Tiberius Stone is a name that swims in the back of Tony's mind, in the dark pool he never dares to venture into. Every moment with Ty was like walking on hot coals in a trance. Tony had loved him, bared his heart and soul open, and Ty had crushed it underfoot without a second glance. It was bliss, for a short while, but Tony still ended up with burns on his feet and thorns jagged in his heart. It's a sorry sight, to see a man left behind by a loved one, and an even harsher sight, to see them build walls up so high their own mother can't see through sometimes. But Tony doesn't mind. No, he doesn't mind at all. He protects himself with flippant words and the kind of smile that lights people up from the inside, and is more full of life than anyone he's ever met. "Tony?" Rogers draws him sharply from his thoughts, pulls him back in, and Tony blinks and stares right into Rogers' cornflower blue eyes. From the corner of his eye, Tony sees Bucky watching him quietly, intent and observing. It's times like these he can totally see why Bucky can be eerie, and such a successful assassin. "Yeah, thank you. Thanks." Tony says awkwardly, taking the glass of water Rogers offers and taking a long, slow sip. It's delicious, and Tony gulps the liquid in, downing the cup in seconds. Rogers is looking down at him with curious eyes, and Tony raises an eyebrow. "Yes?" "Oh, sorry," Rogers says bashfully, averting his gaze. "Didn't mean to stare. It's just, you seem pretty calm with the fact that Bucky's an assassin and I'm a," he trails off, searching for a word. "A mobster, like you said. I'm a Carter." It's cute. Rogers is agonizingly polite, says sorry like a child says mama, but the truth to Rogers' inquiry is that Tony doesn't let himself dwell too long on that particular fact, because once he does, Tony's brain is going to explode from the bullfuckery of the statement. So Tony puts a smile on his face, and blinks innocently at Rogers. "I thought you were a Rogers, Rogers." "No, I am," Rogers intones with a nod. "I took my mother's name. The Carter crime family used to be lead by my aunt Peggy, but when her daughter didn't want the position," Rogers lifts a shoulder in a shrug. "I was volunteered." Rogers' voice goes a little hard, mouth a little thinner, and Tony doesn't think it was by Rogers' choice. "We're not," he continues, faltering a little bit. Bucky stands, and Tony watches inquisitively as Bucky touches Rogers' shoulder with his own, like standing support in camaraderie. "We're not bad people, Tony. I'm sorry if you're afraid of us, but we're not going to hurt you. I know what the news say," Rogers hurriedly adds, like he's worried Tony will start shouting obscenities and accusations. "And some of it's true, but some of it is completely not. But honest, I'm trying to make the family better. Trying to do better, hurt less people." Then Rogers twiddles his thumbs. "Call me Steve." "I don't think you're going to hurt me," Tony says carefully, folding his hands into his lap. He's not scared. "And you don't have to prove anything to me." he holds his palms open, and takes a breath. "From what I've seen, Bucky is a good person, and he saved my life," he charges on, points a finger at Bucky, who's smirking like the president just kissed his feet. "Don't make me regret saying that. And you're an obscenely polite crimelord. I'm not in any position to judge whether your organization or your family is evil or whatever. I'm not going to narc on you guys to the cops, either. I owe Bucky there my life. I'm just a kid," now his voice is soft, and Tony struggles to say the rest. "I'm just a College freshman with a serious coffee addiction. I'm just grateful you haven't killed me yet." And for that, Tony looks Rogers right in the eye. Rogers makes a noise of horror and shakes his head vehemently. "I would never harm an innocent." And Tony believes him, because no one says anything with that much conviction without believing it with their whole mind and body. "He's right. Sounds cliche, but we only deal with the bad guys." Bucky shoots him a flirty smile, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. "And occasionally, with mouthy, pretty, floppy-haired college freshmen, but that's just an occasional side thing." "I will have to object to be being referred to as a 'side thing'," he tells Bucky, and slowly moves into a sitting position with his legs dangling off the bed. "I have taken the Carter family situation completely in stride, and the assassin as well, but I've got to ask," Tony says with a questioning look at both of them. "Am I going to have to tick 'kidnapped and held prisoner' off my bucket list? And, you better let me see Clint." Ends that with a statement, because it's non-negotiable. Rogers says that Clint is right in the next room with a friend watching over him, but Tony will relax when he's got his friend back at arms length. "Of course, Tony," Rogers assures him immediately, and that's the moment Tony's brain makes the transition from Rogers to Steve, and it never quite goes back. Steve shares a meanginful look with Bucky, who turns to Tony, a smile curled on his lips. "Nope," he says, popping the 'p'. "You can leave. Say the word, and we'll have someone drop you off at your boring, lonely dorm room, and back to your droning college lectures. But you sure you want to? Doctor's orders dictate at least three days of rest..." Bucky trails off, sashays to the door, hips rolling. Tony can't help but look, because Bucky does have a fantastic backside. Steve looks like he's trying to hold back a laugh, and watches Bucky with an amused smile. "And I promise, I fucking promise, that you won't regret it. You might learn something new in that pretty head of yours." It's an enticing offer. And Tony loves to tempt fate, taunt at it with both hands tied behind his back, a sword tipped down his throat. And honestly, he knows whatever this is, he's not done with it yet. There's nothing pressing back home, nothing that requires his urgent attention, and Tony's never been one to shy away from an adventure that's likely to leave him facedown in the mud, destroyed and absolutely craving for more. And Bucky's eyes are wide and hopeful, and Steve is studying Tony like he's something he doesn't quite understand yet. So he meets their eyes, head-on, and shows off a toothy grin. "Then I'm down for it. Three days, till this shitty head wound stops hurting." They let him go to Clint. Clint's awake, squinting suspiciously at everyone who takes one step into his room. Tony settles on the bed, scans him for injuries. "Hey," Tony says, quietly. "You alright?" "Yeah," Clint grumbles, reaches up to part Tony's hair away from his head. "You look like shit." "I know," Tony says. He thinks he might need to lie down soon. He definitely feels like shit. "You're not so pretty yourself." Clint looks past Tony's shoulder, sees Steve and Bucky locked in a quiet conversation by the door with a redhead Tony remembers seeing in the room with Clint. He assumes it's the friend Steve had mentioned. "What the hell was in that coffee, Tones?" Clint asks, softly. It's a loaded question, Tony thinks. One he doesn't know how to answer. "What did the redhead tell you?" "No reason we should believe any of it," Clint says. "But her name's Natasha, and she said that the blond over there is Steve Rogers, head of the Carter crime family. And the man with him is Bucky Barnes, second-in-command and assassin." He gives Tony a long look. "Are we captives, Tony?" He shakes his head, rubs at his face. "No, we're not. They told me I could leave, just say the word." Tony feels uncomfortable, anxious now, because he doesn't know how he's going to get Clint to agree to any of it. Or even understand, without sounding batshit crazy. "But I've decided to stay here for three days, doctor's orders. At least I know they'll treat me here, and if I go back... Clint, I'm in college. Money's tight." "Doctor's orders?" Clint echoes incredulously. "Are you fucking with me? Did they drug you?" Clint moves, and Tony puts a hand on his chest, and gently pushes back. "You can't stay, Tony, this is serious. It's not about your head injury, goddamn, I'll give you the money to get it treated. No, actually, maybe we'll make them, because it's because of them you've got a head injury. Fucking ridiculous. We saw Bucky kill at least four guys, who knows what they could be capable of." He can't think of a thing to say to Clint, doesn't know how to say what he feels because it probably will come out garbled and a fucking mess. "Clint, listen. I'm staying," and doesn't bother trying to explain. "Just give me three days. And then we'll get back to our normal lives." Clint's face folds up, and Tony winces. "Do you want to stay here because our lives back home are normal?" Tony doesn't expect Clint to pick up on that. But it's not a shock, barely anything gets past Clint. "Well, are we really needed back there?" he asks, throwing his hands up. This is making him question his own decisions. "I mean, I want to know what kind of life Bucky and Steve has, and it's just for three days..." he trails off helplessly, risks a glance over his shoulder and finds Bucky and Steve watching them, patiently. The redhead, Natasha, is gone. Bucky decides to step in, and calls out helpfully, "You know, you don't have to stay, Clint. Tony's right. We'll drop you back at your place if that's what you want." Tony looks back at Clint, and hopes with both fingers crossed that Clint says no. Clint heaves a sigh, glares at Tony. "Fuck. Fine. I'm not letting you stay here alone. You're not a cat, and curiosity is not going to kill you. Not while I'm here watching your back." Steve flinches, and it's subtle and Tony nearly doesn't catch it, but he mouths sorry to Steve anyway. Clint seems resolute in his opinion, shoulders tense. The air is taut with tension, but Steve has his head high and isn't about to back down. "Are you guys hungry?" Bucky asks, cutting in smoothly and Tony nearly crumples in relief. He shoots Bucky a grateful smile. "Come on, Clint, we're not that bad. I saved your ass, remember? Give us a chance." Bucky steps forward, face open and relaxed. He's trying to make Clint feel more comfortable, and it's sweet. It is. Steve hangs back, but still offers Clint a smile. "We do have a pretty good canteen, and today's menu is roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed carrots." "It's smart," Clint tells them after a beat, "Trying to lure me in with food. And it's working. But I've still got my eye on you two, so don't start fucking with me and Tony." Bucky rolls his eyes, offers a hand to Tony, and he takes it, sliding to his feet. "I'll gladly take up that option with Tony," he says and winks. Clint looks faintly baffled, and opts to narrow his eyes. Tony groans, and shakes his head. "Bucky, I'm not going to—" then he sighs, exasperated and loud, a little dramatically. "Is he always this horny?" Clint asks, squinting at Bucky, who smiles winningly. Tony gives Clint a hand in standing up, not that it's needed. "Yes," Steve informs them in a brisk tone, and moves towards the door. "It's like a disease. Tony, I'm glad you're staying for a while. Clint, we're not going to hurt you. I'm in charge here, and you're safe, I promise. Like Buck said, give us a chance and we just might prove you wrong. Now let's move, everyone. The canteen fills up quick, and well, there a few people I want you to meet." There's a lot riding on Tony's head now, he thinks. Clint's involved, and he hopes to God that he's made the right decision. Because if there's one thing Tony's promised to himself, is that if there's gonna be blood on his hands, it will only be his own. Okay guys, please leave a comment and a kudos if you liked it. Any thoughts, any suggestions, please share it! It's easy to see why Bucky is so enamored by the spirited, lively brunet. It's because they match each other so well, word or word, insult for insult, like puzzle pieces. Tony's all soft curves fitting in Bucky's hard edges. And it should make him a little bit jealous, Steve reflects, the way the two brunets walk alongside the other, teasing each other good-naturedly. It should set off some predatory instinct inside him, seeing Bucky brush his shoulder against Tony, to see the soft smile Tony tries to hide whenever he looks off to the side. Clint walks by Tony, a little stiffly, scanning their surroundings with suspicious eyes. All it does, though, seeing them together, is make him curious. It's completely unprecedented. Tony wakes up, flustered and confused and Steve can see the fear in those doe brown eyes, and yet Tony agrees to stay. Steve doesn't need anyone to tell him it's a bad, shitpoor idea, but he also doesn't let anyone tell him what to do. If Tony's a mistake, then he's Steve and Bucky's mistake. Every agent, every employee in the hallway stares at them when they walk by. They shoot dubious, confused glances at Steve and Bucky, because it must be as clear as day that Tony and Clint are civilians. Who are not supposed to be roaming free in the hallways. Steve chases them all away with one hard look. They go scuttling, heads ducked, and Steve's stressed again, because he wishes it could all be that easy. He feels a headache coming on. It's going to be an absolute nightmare, dealing with his siblings, Sharon, and Peggy herself, and explaining what the hell they were thinking, bringing civilians into their operations. The thought of the many long, emotionally exhausting conversations he will invetiably have because of this decision makes him a little tenser, and Bucky notices. His best friend hangs back to match his pace, looking halfway between concerned and worried. "Stevie, it'll be okay," Buck says, reaching out with his metal hand and gently grasping Steve's shoulder. It's familiar and a comfort, so Steve leans into the touch. "Yeah," he says. "You're right. I can deal with Peggy. And once she's on board, the rest will back down." "Definitely," Bucky agrees. "No one's ballsy enough to challenge you about it upfront. And," he says, shrugging. "The place is big. Tony's only here for three days. Maybe they won't even find out." "Sure," Steve snorts, rolling his eyes. "Our luck, though, that this place is filled with super spies." They round the corner to the canteen, and Tony and Clint stop short. Tony looks nervous, shifting about. "Stop acting suspicious," Bucky tells him. "You shuffle your feet one more time and one paranoid super spy inside might decide to blow your brains out." Steve sighs, and Bucky's eyes widen, like he's just now realizing how winding someone up like Tony and Clint might go horribly, with no prior experience to dealing with things Steve and Bucky has to on a daily basis. A civilian like Tony might just decide to have a panic breakdown. Bucky holds his breath, and so does Steve. Tony takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a second. "Is this a good idea?" then immediately follows that with, "It's a good idea. Shut it, everyone." Clint rolls his eyes. ''This is Tony talk for 'Reflecting Regretfully on Decisions' and reassuring himself." "It's just food, Tony," Bucky interrupts quickly. "You know, the thing that our bodies need to survive?" "My body doesn't need food," Tony says, petulant. "It needs coffee, something I've gone too long without. One more hour without it, I'll fucking combust." "At least some things don't change," Clint chuckles, pats Tony on the shoulder and moves past him into the canteen. Bucky follows him, telling Steve in an undertone he'll watch out for Clint. Tony stares after them, then looks at Steve for advice. Which he really shouldn't do, because Steve's brain is too cluttered to be able to help. But he's a leader here, he's in charge, so he's gotta start acting like it. "Come on, Tony. I'll guide you." Steve says, and leads Tony inside. Curious looks follow them, but it's definitely admirable to see that Tony pays them no mind, striding past with his head high and eyes fixed on Steve. He does it with more cool grace than Steve would admit to expecting, but he's already come to the conclusion Tony's full of unexpected surprises. They make their way to the coffee machine, and Steve tells him, "This is a brand new machine my friend Sam ordered. It's great, and we imported South American coffee beans too. There's also fresh milk, cream, and sugars, if you take it that way," and he gestures to the small station beside it. "Wow. Not one sexual innuendo in that whole sentence," Tony observes, amused, pressing buttons on the machine expertly, and one second later, pure black coffee drains into the mug. Steve watches the entire thing with wide eyes. The way Tony takes his coffee violates his entire presumption on the legal limit of caffeine intake an adult can consume. "Were you born with perfect manners or was it a life skill you saw Bucky lacked and decided to pick up along the way?" Tony downs the rest of the mug, refills it, stares Steve right in the eye. Steve laughs. It's startling how quick of an accurate impression Tony has formed of them. "In my position, I'm expected to be able to talk deals and have a calm head. Manners just come with the territory," he shrugs. "Sometimes, being extremely polite to crime lords have a way of intimidating them." "Really," Tony says, mystified. "So if I ever get kidnapped by a mobster boss all I have to do is rough him up with some manners and talk nice to him, and he'll let me go?" Steve shakes his head, a smile curling on his lips. He wonders, for the first time, if Tony has a boyfriend who's anxiously awaiting his return. Then abruptly, realizes it's something he'd rather not think about. "If you ever get kidnapped by a mobster," Steve decides to say instead, "Which I highly unrecommend, then—" "Oh yeah," Tony's nose crinkles in a smile and it's adorable. "I'll be sure to give it one star on Yelp reviews and leave a scorned comment." "If you're looking for ways to die," Steve tells him, "There are many easier ways than that." "Yelp, really? I thought mobsters were supposed to be hip and in trend." Tony looks up at him, dark brown eyes warm, and it pulls Steve in like a moth to a flame. He should really ask Tony if he knows how magnetic he is. Here, it might not be a good thing, and he's already receiving a lot of attention. It won't be long till Steve's family gets word of Tony's stay, "Well, what can I say," Steve says in a hushed whisper. "Mobsters are extremely sensitive to social criticism on websites like Yelp." He nudges Tony's shoulder, and directs him to the growing lunch line. "Go stand for a plate before the food runs out," he teases. Tony gives him an indulgent look, smiles cheerfully, and saunters away, grabbing a plate and waiting his turn. Steve leans against the coffee station table, keeps an eye on Tony, distractedly, and tries to strategize. Peggy is going to be appalled if the family discovers a civilian in their midst under Steve's nose, and the end of he story is: and then I had to ship Tony out in a body bag to avoid a public scandal, again. Peggy might even deem him unfit to become her replacement, and choose, God forbid, someone like Damien to take Steve's place. He would be less worried if Sharon, Peggy's own daughter, would accept the holy mantle, but like him, Sharon's more interested in making her own way in the world, without the weight of belonging to a notorious crime family on her back. "Hey, Steve," Natasha says from behind him, and Steve turns around, smiling at the sight of his old friend. "Nat," he says, and offers her a mug. "Coffee?" "I would," she replies, taking the offered mug. "But you're blocking it." Steve huffs in embarrassment, and steps aside. Nat smiles fondly, dumps two creams and one sugar in her coffee. She gives him a long, assessing look and then says, casually, "So, I take it that you've allowed the civilians to stay?" It's her way of asking, what the heck are you doing, Steve, and he knows her well enough to answer honestly. "Maybe I'm looking to expand into the beds and breakfast business," he answers with an easy shrug of his shoulders. "You were with us on the rescue. Bucky wouldn't leave them behind." "That's hardly an excuse," she says, sipping her coffee. "Barnes has a thing for cute strays. But yeah, they're definitely something." "How do you figure?" Steve asks, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't spend any time with him." Nat gives him a look of pure disappointment, and Steve winces. She's always been good at reading people, knows how they are before they even open their mouths. Nat's always been one of those people who can disquiet someone with just a stare, and not for the first time, he's so relieved that she's on their side. His side. "Don't think I haven't noticed Tony's exactly Bucky's type, and..." she tilts her head at him wordlessly, teasing, and chuckles softly when Steve makes a face, but feels his cheeks warming anyway. And he absolutely does not mention it, because that would be incriminating himself. "Nat," he protests. "It's not like that. Tony's.... Tony. He's only here for three days." She lets out a breath, stares off into the distance. "Sure, Steve." Then her tone drops, becomes serious. "But make sure you win the game you're playing." "I will." He says, sure and clear. Steve knows that Nat's with him and Bucky on this, no matter what. He's not alone. "Come join us," Steve invites, and decides to head to Bucky, who's sitting with Clint and Tony on the far side of the canteen. The canteen is quieter than usual, tension lacing the air subtly. After all, Clint and Tony are outsiders. And the Carter family has no business with outsiders. Steve makes a mental note to meet his Aunt Peggy directly after he gets Clint and Tony settled in for the evening, and make sure every member of his team is accounted and cared for. Nat pads silently behind him, green eyes scanning each table full of agents. She's a solid presence, and Steve feels more at ease, knowing her and Bucky are with him on this one. Bucky grins as soon as they near the table, and Tony and Clint glance up. Steve waits till Nat slides into a seat next to Clint, who shuffles to make room, and then he takes a seat next to Tony, who gives him an endearing smile and picks up his spoon to continue . "Damn, punk, you forgot your plate." Bucky says, gesturing to the empty space in front of him. "C'mon. You're 220 pounds, you burn through calories like a sex addict burns through porn." "Buck, we're eating," he scolds. Tony smothers a laugh, and Bucky smirks, satisfied. "S'okay, I'm not hungry anyway," Steve waves a hand, flippantly. He is. But he wants to stay here, talk to his friends a little more. Lunch is nearly over, and after this, it's about to get busy. "Lies," Tony says, and smiles, lazy and crooked. "I'll get one for you. You didn't exaggerate about the roast chicken." Steve opens his mouth to refuse, because he can tell Tony's famished and not even half way done with his own plate. He watches as the smaller brunet stands up and walks to the lunch line, and then turns to look at Clint, who looks blissfully unaware that he's alone in the midst with three very dangerous people. "So," Clint says, placing his cutlery on the plate. "I have questions." He glances to Nat, and it's strange, because Nat's also focusing on Clint. With people who aren't them, the family, Nat's not the type to give just anyone her full attention. Steve wonders, for a moment, if when he assigned Nat to guard Clint's room that they got to talking, and it's why Nat hasn't gone against him on the decision to bring in civilians yet. Nat cocks her head, takes another sip from her mug. "Ask away." "Who were those guys that shot at me, Tony and Bucky this morning? And what exactly do you all do, just enough details for plausible deniability, please." Clint says, folds his hands on the table and waits. Steve raises his eyebrows at the last bit, and it's not wrong. Clint and Tony do deserve an explanation to what happened to them. "The men that shot you, was from a rival family. They work for Alex McCullough, who's been giving us some trouble." He's purposefully vague, and Clint nods along, listening intently. "Bucky was there to do recon, and spotted him. Thus the chase. You were unfortunately in the crossfire." "This is why the people have negative views on us, Steve," Nat says. "Sometimes civilians get caught in the crossfire. And there are casualties." "It's something I've been trying to prevent." Steve says ruefully. The guilt's always been heavy on his chest, target on his back, the moment he was forced to take the mantle after Sharon disavowed it. If you get technical about it, a crime family is a crime family. They do illegal things. They hurt people, kill people. Steve's never been able to sleep soundly a week without at least a few nightmares, and sometimes he wishes he had less of a conscience. Just so things would be easier. But he has responsibilities, a duty to his family, the people he works with, and the people who's been with him since he was a child. Steve was raised a leader, trusted to be a leader, and he'll damn well do his best. "Steve is our leader," Nat tells Clint evenly. "Bucky and I work with him, sort of his second-in-commands. We have a bigger team, but you haven't met them. We do all kinds of things." "Steve's a good leader," Bucky says softly, and looks grim, a shadow on his face. "He's always tried his best for us, for his family. But in our line of work, I can't deny we've hurt people. But unless we can fucking help it," Bucky's jaw tightens a notch. "never innocents." "Mobsters with a conscience and moral fortitude," Clint says, perplexed. And it gains a unanimous nod around the table. Tony clears his throat, and shuffles into his vacant seat. "What did I miss?" he asks, promptly sensing the atmosphere with raised eyebrows. He gently slides the plate across and Steve takes it, smiling gratefully. He begins to cut into the chicken, suddenly ravenous once he gets a whiff of the roast chicken. "Just some explanations I wanted to know." Clint says simply. "Nothing that concerns you, airhead." Tony gasps, feigns betrayal. "Why, Birdbrain, you're being rude. Gotta show our dear Captain we normal folks also have manners." It looks like Tony has an unhealthy obsession with his manners, Steve thinks, charmed, and slightly concerned with Tony's priorities in life. He leans over, mouth open to tell Tony what they've been discussing when a heavy hand grasps his shoulder, and Steve looks up to see his close friend Sam Wilson. Sam's brows are furrowed, which usually means something is wrong. "Everyone, this is Sam. He works with us." Steve says quickly, glancing expectantly up at his friend. "Steve," Sam says, voice low. "Someone ratted you out to Erik. The family knows you've brought them in. Peggy's asked to see you." It's not a surprise but it's enough to send his shoulders snapping into a stiff line. He meets Bucky's gaze across the table, and mouths, Erik. "Tell him to get fucked," Bucky suggests, while Steve sighs and rubs his temples. "Tell him I said to get—" "Bucky," Steve says. Bucky looks away, jaw clenched, eyes narrowing. Erik is a sore subject for all of them, and Steve directs his eyes heavenward, feeling exhausted already. If Peggy's asked to see him, then either she's already waiting for him to argue his case or she already has her decision made, and Tony and Clint could be in danger. "Bucky, too," Sam adds, a small frown on his face. "Apparently she wants a personal briefing on the recon mission you did, and what went wrong. She thinks McCullough is involved." Bucky rolls his eyes, and his metal fingers twitch, like he wants to wrap his hands around something and twist hard. "That's bullshit. It had nothing to do with us." Steve works his jaw, tries to plan another approach. He knew Erik would find out, but not this soon. "Buck, you're coming with me," he decides. Bucky nods grudgingly, fingers flexing harder. "Nat, find Wanda and the three of you take care of Clint and Tony." he says, eyes trained on Tony. The brunet looks worried, dark brown eyes wide and eyebrows crinkled. Steve wants to make it disappear. Bucky looks at him, sends him a sidelong glance. "Stevie, you sure?" He's asking if Steve thinks Tony and Clint will be safe. "Bucky," Nat cuts in gently, places a soft hand on Bucky's metal one. "I've got them." If anyone can protect them here, it's Natasha. "I'll find a safe place for them," Sam agrees, crossing his muscled arms across his chest. "To make sure it's a good fit, Clint why don't you come with me? I can answer any questions you have." Tony frowns. "Is it a good idea to split me and Clint up?" "Yeah, I'm here to watch Tones' back. He's absolute shit at it." Clint says, eyes Sam warily. "We'll get you back to each other within an hour or two. This will give us a chance to know you better." Nat promises, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear. "That's a good idea," Steve says, standing up. The rest of the group straightens. "Sam, Nat, we'll meet up later once Buck and I gets things sorted out." Bucky blows out a breath, and Steve looks right back. The group disperses, Sam leading a cautious Clint away who tousles Tony's hair affectionately before following, and Nat getting up to lead Tony away. Steve reaches across and snags his shirt back, and Tony yelps softly in surprise, stumbling back. Steve chuckles, tries to hold back a smile at the show of adorable clumsiness. Nat looks back, eyes glinting in understanding and steps away, waiting to the side. "Hey, it'll be alright. Nat will keep you safe." Steve says, towering over the smaller brunet. For his part, he tries to make himself smaller for the sake of looking un-threatening, and Bucky snorts behind him. Tony blinks slowly, and then heaves a little sigh. "If it's this much trouble, I'd be happy to leave," Tony says uncertainly. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all." "Doll," Bucky says, sauntering up. "Now what was our deal? Remember, three days? Can't ditch us before then." a smile hooks up the corner of his lips. Steve laughs. "That's true. Now you wouldn't want us to think you weren't a man of your word, right?" The unease falls away from Tony's face and he smiles up at them, and Steve's heart skips a beat. "I did say that," he teases back. "And I am a man of my word. Can you guys really handle this? I don't want to be a trouble. I won't be." Tony says fiercely, eyes bright, expectant. "We can handle it." Steve says, confident and wonders if Tony really trusts them with his life, because that's exactly what he's doing. Then he wonders if Tony even knows it. "Right, Buck?" "Till the end of the line." Bucky says, and gives Steve an absolutely predatory grin. As usual, please leave a kudos and a comment (I'd really love it). Any thoughts or suggestions, let me know! Is the story too slow, too fast, am I butchering the characters? They've marched Steve and Bucky down to Peggy's private office, and Bucky almost takes it personally that there are only three guards positioned inside the room, and two outside, eyeing Steve and him with distaste and suspicion. They stand tall, chest puffed, like they think they can take Steve and Bucky down if it really comes to it. So, just to be a little shit, Bucky flexes his metal arm, letting the machinery whir and stares at them in the eye. They look away quickly at that, or an eye twitch betrays their discomfort because there's something fundamentally wrong with hearing metal where flesh should be. It used to bother him, the skittery looks and incredulous expressions, or whispered gossips and taunts at his missing limb replaced with metal. How it was so damn unnatural. He tried to hide with long sleeves and jackets, but then Steve happened, and Steve told him to stop being scared and face up to the bullies. Steve put his hands on Bucky's shoulders, said it right to his face, honest and sure. Steve had always hated bullies. The guard standing by Peggy's desk is definitely a bully, Bucky thinks, twirling his favorite knife absentmindedly. There's that mean glint in his eye, the type that likes to lord their own power over others. The knife slips smoothly between his fingertips, blade glimmering. The guard seems personally offended by the sight, and Bucky smirks. "Stop antagonizing the guards, Buck." Steve whispers with a tense sideways glance. "I'm not," Bucky hisses back, but puts the knife back in his holster anyway. The guard seems placated, and turns to stare at another bright spot on the wall. Peggy clears her throat. She's a formidable woman, with dark brown hair pulled into a neat bun and clever, shrewd eyes, and a wicked mouth. She's what Bucky's mom would have been like if she'd lived. "Gentlemen," she says. "If you would focus." Bucky sniffs, looks down. "Sorry," he mutters. "What are we here for, ma'am?" Peggy's eyes flicks up, trains on his face. It takes another long moment before she says, "Why don't you brief me on what happened this morning, Sergeant Barnes?" He wonders if he should lie, just to save face that he was outed by a couple of rookie agents. But then he remembers the last poor fella who lied to Peggy Carter, and ended up in a ditch with two black eyes and a broken arm so it's an easy decision. "Well," he begins, clears his throat a bit. "For the past month we've been working up detailed accounts of McCollough's breach of territory. Reports say he's been crossing into our territory, trying to hoard supplies, contracting new suppliers and discouraging others from buying." Steve tries to help, bless him, "We were gathering—" and shuts up the second Peggy shoots him her signature really look. "Anyways," Bucky continues, digging inside his mind. He's always been shitpoor at remembering stuff, like what he had for breakfast, but Peggy's staring at him, unimpressed, and it's a little stressful. "I received intel yesterday evening that a weapons transaction was occurring this morning, in our jurisdiction. So I went for recon, maybe to get some names and faces, just to observe." "Observe," Peggy repeats wryly, thumbing through a stack of paperwork on her desk. "You normally get near-riddled with bullets when you observe something?" Steve's jaw is jumping, and he knows it's a sign Steve's worried. Bucky's going to have to draw the conversation out so Steve can get whatever it is that's in his head all sorted out. Ah, he thinks, the things you do for love. "Not usually," Bucky admits, running a finger down the side of the leather handle of his knife. "Standard recon. No monkey business. All the guys there were normal rookies, though, none of McCullough's typical henchmen. Not pro, but not amateur. Four guys were selling the merch, y'know, guns, grenades, whatnot. There were only three on the buyer's side, wearing some kind of weird black-get up gear, looks kinda high-tech. " he says, and Peggy's got this weird look on her face that flits across but vanishes a second later. "The three men who were buying, you said?" Peggy asks sharply, snagging a pen and jotting something down on a notebook. "Did they have a red crest of an eagle on their shoulder?" Bucky thinks, then nods. "Yeah, yeah I think I remember seeing that. Why, is it important??" He looks to Steve, whose face is intrigued. "Red crest of an eagle?" Steve muses. "I've never seen it before." Peggy drops the pen, jaw notched a little tighter. Bucky shifts on the edge of his seat, mystified. It must mean something, if it's got Peggy all wound tight and hard. "How did they find you?" she asks, intently focusing on him. It's disconcerting, but he shrugs it off. "I was up on a beam near the ceiling of the warehouse," Bucky says slowly, unsure. He hasn't thought about his recon mission at all. Not since Tony and Clint happened. "I don't know exactly what happened but someone pulled a gun, shot one of the suppliers, and I was about to get out when someone saw me." It's replaying in his head, the man in black pulling a Glock and shooting point-blank at a supplier. The supplier crumples, panic spreads, and Bucky's already moving, out the skylight he came in. Then he hears a whiz, and a thunk, and the same man wearing black is crouched opposite to him, guns drawn. "It wasn't messy. I got away, but they chased me." Steve frowns, looks at him. "You were on a beam and the buyer's goon was good enough to get the drop on you?" "He got up fast," Bucky says and lifts one shoulder in a shrug. "I fought him off. I don't know. I didn't get to see the aftermath below." "Did you identify any faces?" Peggy asks. "We need names. If they're not with McCullough, I need to know if there's a new player in the game, and if it means trouble." "None," Bucky says, taps the metal of the blade. "But I remember seeing the man in black, the one who caught up. I knocked the gear off his head, and I can probably produce a sketch if you really need it. McCullough knows better than to fuck with us," he adds solemnly. "But if he's partnered with a new player and is making a move, we need to shut it up before word gets out." Bucky is, after all, very good at shutting things up. "We need to approach this diplomatically," Peggy says, with emphasis. "No violence, no black ops. Not yet. This is new intel, it will take a few hours or a day to verify, and until then, I don't want any squabbles." She glances to Steve, raises an eyebrow expectantly. It's disappointing, Bucky thinks. He would've liked to show them just how much they shouldn't be fucked with. But it's not his decision, and ultimately, it's Steve and Peggy who has the final word. Bucky's just along for the ride. Steve looks aggravated, and Bucky shuffles to press his shoulder against his for a moment of silent support. Steve shoots him a grateful smile, and Bucky's glad to see the tension bleed out of his shoulders, even if it's just a tad. He worries about Steve sometimes. The guy stresses about anything and everything he can't fix, piles on the troubles of the world on his back, but Bucky doesn't have the heart to tell his best friend and boyfriend that he can't be everywhere all at once. And that he can't save everyone. He doesn't see that kind of optimism in the world anymore, so he thinks he should just let it be. Steve's a better leader for it. "And if it is McCullough?" Steve asks, apprehensive. "We can't afford to let him off easy. We've already got the Zola and his boys on our back. If they come looking for allies to push us out, McCullough would be a prime one." "Zola's an asshole," Bucky says simply and Steve hums in agreement. "And he won't go after us, because the Carters don't do dirty business. He has no chips to play at our table." Zola's been a thorn in their side for years, greedy and a slimy bastard who benefits from the poor, and from filthy money. It's everything Steve hates about their side of the world. Bucky's always dreamed of putting at least three knives in Zola's back, after his botched money deal with the latest street scum that cost the lives of some neighborhood kids, who just happened to be at the wrong place in the wrong time. Steve had been furious, and wanted Zola to pay retribution to the kids' families. Peggy, on the other hand, had also shared Steve's hatred for the man but insisted Steve stand down, as they had no right to overstep into Zola's boundaries without sparking a war between the two groups. "If Zola's involved," Steve says slowly, and leans forward, elbows on knees. "You can't stop me this time." "We don't know that." Peggy replies, and softens her tone. "I know he's done enough damage. But remember, Steve, don't be reckless. I taught you better than that." "Don't worry, Ms. Carter," Bucky decides to jump in, and grins. "I'll watch out for Steve. Meanwhile, what do you want us to do?" Peggy nods in answer, her eyes resting on Bucky's face. "Good. Right now, I'm going to get this intel verified, and we'll reconvene to discuss the next measures that should be taken. I want your team to run up on any leads you may have at this point, or train." Steve's already on his way to standing up, but Bucky knows better. Peggy clears her throat, and fixes them both with a knowing stare. "I know about the two civilians you brought in." she says, almost inquisitively. "Erik informed me." Steve plops back down on his seat. Bucky looks away, fidgeting. He can't tell what Peggy wants to hear, or what she's thinking. Her face is calm and blank, waiting on their response. It must be a good sign she hasn't told Steve off, though, so Bucky's got his hopes. "Yes," Steve answers evenly. "They're here for a few days, and once we make sure they're safe and cared for, they'll return to their homes." Then he frowns, and tells her with an edge to his voice, "Erik has no business in the civilians." Peggy entwines her hands on the table silently. "I'm not going to reprimand you like a child," she says. "You know better than that. And you know how Erik is. As next-in-line for my position," She pauses, then continues quietly, but not any less sure. "You need to be able to handle the family. And if those civilians are a mistake, then it's on your head, Steve." It's exactly what Bucky was expecting. Peggy won't tell you what you're doing is a shitpoor, absolute clusterfuck of an idea, but she'll warn you, and she'll be happy watching on the sidelines if it blows up in your face. She's charming that way. "I know." Steve says. "I can handle it, I promise." Sometimes Steve is so sincere Bucky kind of wants to whup him upside the head. Bucky's been silent for a while now, so he says, to lighten the mood, "It's been a rough day," and pats Steve consolingly on the shoulder. "Steve finding out he's a brand-new mother to a pair of pesky boys. It's hard, being a single mom in today's world." He tells Peggy conspiratorially. "You've got your hands full with this one," Peggy tells Steve dryly, but she's got a smile hooked on her lips. She stands, straightens her blouse. "By the way, what are the names of these two civilians? They must be special." Bucky laughs, smiles. It's a fair question. He and Steve aren't known to bring in strays. "Tony Stark and Clint Barton." Steve's eyebrows shoot up, and Bucky tells him smoothly, "I pulled their files when they were in the hospital." Steve does not look surprised. "Tony Stark?" Peggy echoes, distantly. A strange expression flits across her face, caught off guard in a way Peggy never is. "I see." She says, softer, and her gaze drops to the desk, corner of her mouth pulled tight. It's a tiny detail, a change in her posture that would be completely unnoticeable to someone that's not Bucky or Steve. "Peggy?" Steve ventures, cautious. "Well." She pats down her pencil skirt, gives them an easy smile Bucky knows is a diversion. "Steve, I'll be expecting you tomorrow morning. Good day, gentlemen." Bucky wonders if there's more Peggy's not telling them. He wants to ask, of course, but he also wants to leave with his eyeballs in his sockets. However, it's a clear dismissal from Peggy, and Steve says, "Of course." prim and proper as ever. "Have a good day, Ms. Carter." Bucky says, mock salutes, and together he and Steve head for the door. Once the door to Peggy's office clicks shut, Steve turns to him and gives a little sigh. "Well that went better than expected," he says and carts his fingers through his blond hair. "No reprimands whatsoever." "Erik, though," Bucky says, glances back at the shut door. "Was Peggy being weird?" "Nope," Steve answers, clearly distracted. It's no use trying to make use of him when he's like this. "We should check up on Sam and Nat and how they're doing. I'll deal with Erik tonight." He leans against the wall, crosses his muscled arms. Bucky smirks, steps closer, just to see Steve's eyes track from his eyes to his lips. "I'm sure they're fine. Nat can handle all three.'" He's nose to nose with Steve, and there's a hitch in Steve's breath. Even after all these years, it's adorable how Steve can still get so flustered. "But what about Tony, and Clint?" Steve protests, straightening. He's not much bigger than Bucky, but he's got broader shoulder. But Bucky's got more muscles, so he counts it as his win. "We really should..." he trails off as soon as Bucky gets right in his face, and presses his lips to Steve's cheek. "You were sayin'?" Bucky murmurs, nosing down Steve's neck. Steve shifts, hot breath on Bucky's chin. Bucky continues his way down Steve's throat, leaves slow, gentle kisses that have Steve making small, satisfied noises. "Buck," Steve breathes, low and guttural and catches Bucky in an open mouthed kiss. It's deep and dirty, makes Bucky's chest coil in all the right ways, and Bucky slides a hand down Steve's broad chest, palming over Steve's pants and eliciting a soft moan. Then, just because he's a dick, he abruptly leans back and puts a full foot between them. "Yeah." Bucky says. Steve pulls back, eyes wide. "You're right," Bucky beams and turns around, back to the blond. "We really should check on our precious cargo." "You're a fucking tease," Steve growls, shoulders Bucky into the wall and takes a bite at his throat. His hands are gentle, but fierce, and lights every part of Bucky's skin on fire. It's so damn nice, Bucky almost gives up, but then he remembers they're making out four feet away from Peggy fucking Carter and he dodges the next kiss and dances away, back towards the way they came from. "Don't swear, Stevie," he calls and waggles his hips seductively. "It's unbecoming on a blond American dream like you." Bucky's chased Steve away, to deal with Erik, because it's a problem that they cannot afford to let fester. Erik is a shithead, no doubt, and Bucky knows trouble is the guy's middle name. They cannot afford having a loose canon in the family right now, and much to Steve's dismay, he's stuck on Erik-watching duty. Bucky made sure to promise Steve he's going to have all the fun. Steve had narrowed his eyes, promised retribution, and Bucky had made a completely inappropriate comment about BDSM punishment that got Steve blushing and hurrying on his way. So right now, Bucky is perched in a secret room above the training center Natasha and Tony are in. It's not stalking, Bucky tells himself, it's observing. He needs to know if Nat's already traumatized Tony, or it's a work-in-progress. He half hopes to see Tony running to him, arms stretched, grateful and happy to see Bucky return. It'd do wonders for his ego. If Nat could hear his thoughts, she'd tell him to go get a damn golden retriever. But Nat seems taken with Tony, because she barely shows anyone how she throws her knives. From his vantage point, Tony seems carefree and relaxed, and Bucky can't stop looking at the way the brunet smiles and laughs. It's intoxicating. Bucky considers dropping from his perch and scaring the shit out of Tony, just to see the cute brunet gasp and perhaps, hopefully, tumble to the ground. Nat says something, gives Tony one of her small smiles that are only reserved for people like Steve, Bucky and their whole team. Tony laughs, squeezes Nat's shoulder, and Bucky almost falls out of his fucking seat because Nat doesn't even try and break Tony's finger. It's unfair, Bucky thinks. Tony is worming his way into everyone's heart. He makes a mental note to plant some kind of skunk perfume on Tony so everyone knows to back off. But Steve would probably give him some righteous speech about boundaries and Bucky absolutely does not feel like a Steve-lecture mood right now. Nat tosses Tony some boxing gloves, steps out onto a soft mat. Bucky tenses, but he watches with interest. To his knowledge, Tony's not practiced in combat anyway, but Nat's got a good idea, giving Tony some basic skills. She's going easy on him, leaving her face unguarded and body relaxed, posture open. Tony looks nervous, but slips on the gloves anyway. Then he sees Tony's right hook, and it's a national disaster. He throws a right hook exactly the way someone who's never thrown a punch in their life would throw a right hook, and Bucky almost goes down there to show him. Nat rolls her eyes, teaches Tony, and they're in a friendly discussion where Tony undoubtedly says something charming and Nat chuckles, when the gym doors clang open, and in walk three very familiar men. Bucky stiffens, prepares to slide down to Nat's side. Nat turns, shoulders snap into a straight line, and Tony watches, inquisitive. It's Erik, the slimy bastard, and two of his loyal minions. Where the hell is Steve? Knowing Steve, Erik would never get off scottfree in just twenty minutes. Bucky smiles to himself, hand going to the knife by his belt. Erik stops a few meters away from Nat, which is probably a sane decision, and cocks his head in that special way Bucky knows means he's about to piss someone off. And he strides out of his super secret room, and makes his way down to the gym, already itching to knock Erik's teeth in because there's no way he's about to let Nat have all the fun by herself. She's already getting all the lucky breaks in life, Bucky will not give her the satisfaction of one more. He made a promise to Steve about fun, and he's damn well going to keep it. PLEASE COMMENT AND KUDOS, IT WILL MEAN THE WORLLLDDDDDD TO ME:) I'm so busy with IB sighhh and well got his chap written as fast as I could. Let me know whatever you guys think OKAY and also, shit's about to go down soon, NO WORRIES GUYS (action comin) Okay," Tony says, places his hands on his hips, assesses the guy who looks like he's been sucking on a lemon. "Who invited the tragedy rendition of Napoleon Bonaparte without the funny hat?" "Tony," Nat says under her breath, but there's a small smile on her lips. "Leave it to me." She moves forward, lithe, but there's some tension in her shoulders that Tony notices. She stops a couple meters away from the men. Tony doesn't follow, instead peers over her shoulder in order to unashamedly observe. The guy in the front is solid, angry-looking, the way you'd expect someone to look after they found out their mother got them baseball gloves instead of porn magazines for their thirteenth, malicious birthday. He looks remarkably like Steve, but shorter and significantly more squat and I'm-going-to-bash-your-face-in-er. Tony quietly assumes Blond Potato is Steve's brother. Tony tip toes, catches sight of two more men behind the hunky alpha, looking bored and distant. "I presume that's the little stray Steve picked up." Blond Potato drawls lazily, watches Tony like prey. It makes Tony's skin crawl. It reminds him of Tiberius. "What are you doing here, Erik?" Nat says evenly, tips her head. "Steve's been looking for you." "My brother may be in line for the 'throne'," Blond Potato--excuse him, Erik, says, and flashes his teeth in a horrible parody of a smile. "But he's not suited to actually doing the dirty work necessary." He shrugs. "I'm here because I'm curious." Nat scoffs, shakes her head a little. "We've all heard that line before. Back off before you do something you regret." "What," Erik frowns, hand to his heart. "I'm hurt. Is this how you treat family? I just wanted to say hello," he says and strides over to Tony, taking a wide berth around Nat. His bodyguards follow quickly, putting themselves between Blond Potato and Nat. Nat, who's obviously trying to suppress the pleased smile Tony has no doubt means she wants to punch him in the throat. Nat backsteps, stands right by Tony. It's sweet, and Tony doesn't need the support, but he's grateful for it anyway. Erik comes to a stop in front of Tony. "Well you're definitely prettier than I imagined," he muses and his hand comes up, hovering a few inches away from Tony's cheek. It's nauseating and Nat looks ready to come to his defense, hand already going to her knife but Tony touches her hand with his. He shakes his head, and Nat doesn't look happy about it but she retreats. Tony raises an eyebrow. "I try not to be so direct with these things, but fuck you. I don't know who you are, but I'm not looking for trouble." Erik chuckles. "Feisty, too." The edge of the blond's fingertip brush over his skin. "Steve always did like mouthy brunets." Tony mentally gags, because that's a disgusting thing to say about your own brother. "Are you from Alabama?" He asks sweetly. Erik's brows knot together in brief confusion, but then a pair of familiar black combat boots thump to the floor and Tony smiles wide. "Put your fucking hand down," Bucky says from behind them, voice calm, but all kinds of dark. "Or I'm going to tear it off and shove it in your throat." "Already coming as the knight in shining armor, Bucky?" Erik tuts, but lowers his hand and slowly steps back. "I didn't know your hero complex was this severe." "The only thing that's going to be severe is your amount of blood loss that's going to happen in thirty seconds if you don't clear out." Bucky tells Erik, and places a protective arm around Tony's shoulders to gently pull him back. Tony tries to hide his surprise, and he'll be mortified if he finds out later that he blushed, but Bucky's arm is a welcome, warm weight on his shoulders and Tony relaxes into the touch. Nat exchanges a glance with Bucky, eyes asking a question. "Buckaroo," Tony says happily and makes grabby hands at the master assassin. "I missed you." Erik's dark blue eyes glimmer, mouth hooking into a thoughtful and majorly creepy smile. "Well. Tony, aren't you the charmer." "I'll teach you for free. Call it charity for the needy." Tony tells him, and relishes in the surprise that crosses his face for a second. "How's tonight, my room?" Erik purrs. "I'll mind your head injury." Tony opens his mouth to deliver a retort, when Bucky audibly snarls, metal arm whirring. "I'm not going to fucking warn you again, asshole." Erik's bodyguards immediately react to the threat, one of them drawing his handgun. Tony swallows nervously, because after going most of his adult life without seeing a gun, the sight of the weapon being drawn still makes his heart jump a little. Nat tenses, but before she does anything Erik sighs and waves his hands. "Gentlemen," he declares, annoyed. "Calm down. We're here to talk, not to fight." Erik shoots a cold stare at both Bucky and Nat, and Tony narrows his eyes, irritated. This guy has a lot of nerve, he decides. He'll have to ask Steve later about what role Erik plays in the family. "Talk, huh?" Bucky says with an indulgent look at Nat. "Erik's full of surprises." Nat agrees, starts unwrapping the cotton from her hands. Tony looks down, realizes he still has his boxing gloves on, and pulls them off quickly, embarrassed. Bucky chuckles softly next to him, tells him it's a good look, and Tony meets his soft gaze to smirk proudly. "You all know what I want." Erik says, cuts through any sort of gentle moment between them. "I want Steve out." "That's not going to happen." Nat says, looking affronted. Tony wonders if Erik is on a suicide mission, provoking Nat and Bucky like that. Bucky's metal arm drops to his side. "You're still on about that bullshit?" He rolls his eyes. "Give it up, fuckface. The decision was made years ago." Erik's face twitches, like he's about ready to start swinging. "You hold a lot of sway over my brother," his eyes rest on Tony, a predatory glint in his eye. "We both know it's not what he wants." "Don't pretend like you're being selfless for Steve," Bucky snaps, moves forward a step. The bodyguards crowd around Erik immediately, and Nat watches with a disquieting, displeased expression on her face. "You're a psychopath, and even Peggy sees it. She'll hand it down to anyone but you." Erik's blue eyes flash, rage hardening the lines of his face. "I am better than Steve." Tony's eyes drop to the blond, and he can't help but be innately horrified at the prospect of Erik assuming leadership of a crime family. He knows enough to recognize that this is a long, bloody issue in the family that strangers really shouldn't be privy to know. Not for the first time, Tony wonders if he made a mistake staying. Nat says, quietly, "No, you're not. And you're not going to make us turn on Steve." And it's loyalty, in her voice, in Bucky's solemn eyes that Tony sees that they really are Steve's family, with him to the end. It's heart-rending, and absolutely sweet, the bond between all of them. A small pang of jealousy nags in his chest, and Tony looks away, down to the floor. A family is all he ever wanted. "No one will back you." Bucky adds, and presses closer to Tony, as if sensing distress. Bucky looks at him for a second, and asks quietly, "Are you okay?" and Tony nods, smiles, softens a little bit at Bucky's warmth. And for a moment, Tony's nothing but charmed by that, the sheer unmitigated sweetness of Bucky Barnes, but then he remembers this whole mess could easily blow up in his face and he winces, ignores the concern in Bucky's blue eyes. "Steve's people are few, and far between." Erik replies smugly. "The perks of growing up in the crime underworld, Tony," he says, circling closer like a lion cornering its prey. "instead of having a doll to play with, you have a gun." He pauses, comes to a stop dangerously close to Tony, and Bucky's muscles shift, hiding Tony behind his bulk. "And you learn, quickly, that loyalty is nothing. Anyone can betray you, and anytime. The trick," he says, and Tony's blood runs cold. "Is to make sure you do it first." And he makes a gesture with his hands, that go poof. Tony's not staying silent. "Well excuse me if I don't take life lessons from an angsty David fucking Copperfield." Bucky laughs at that, and leans in to whisper in Tony's ear, "Careful there. You're cute when you're snarky." Tony shoots him an exasperated look, but chuckles anyway. "Loyalty isn't nothing, Erik." Nat says, and she sounds bored. Like she's explaining how B comes after A in the alphabet to a two-year-old toddler. "It's how our family thrives. It's how we survive. If you can't recognize that, then you'll never be a leader." "Don't waste your breath, Nat." Bucky says. "The guy must be deaf if he doesn't get it yet." "Your family?" Erik scoffs, taps the side of his face with a finger. "Don't kid yourself, Romanov. You're nothing but a goddamn licensed contractor, and you'll turn on us the second you have the chance and someone pays better. You, and every other shithead we employ, will never be one of us. Another thing you learn, Tony," Erik swivels to smile amicably at him. The candor of his psychopathic openness knows no bounds, Tony thinks. "Money buys. People will do anything for a drop of that golden blood." Nat's nose crinkles, like Erik's personally offended her. "This is over," she says, an edge to her voice. "If you're not leaving, we will." She takes Tony by the hand, starts walking towards the door, and Tony follows hurriedly. "It was a delight to meet you, Tony!" Erik calls after them, and when Tony looks back, the man is wearing a smile and waving. "I'll be seeing you real soon." "Come near him," Bucky stops on their way out and turns. "and you're a dead man." He doesn't wait for an answer before nudging Tony out the door, flesh hand resting securely on the small of Tony's back. Something warm and happy pools in his stomach at that, and Tony struggles not to like the feeling. "That was Steve's brother?" Tony asks, almost incredulously. He has a whole new respect for Steve now, and whoever raised him. Nat hums in agreement. "Erik's...been through some things. But he's a brat, for sure." She keeps her tone level, but doesn't say anything more. "It's fine," Bucky says and waves his hand flippantly. "Forget about him. He's not our problem." It doesn't take Tony more than a few seconds to argue that Erik indeed is their problem, but he doesn't want to push. So they leave Erik behind, and immediately the tension dissipates. While the encounter wasn't completely forgotten, Nat and Bucky try their best to retain the normalcy. Nat tells him about some of their team while they walk through hallways, and not for the first time, Tony marvels at the size of the compound. Bucky notices, and steers the conversation away from the team and instead tells him about the compound itself, and how it's the main building where the operations of the crime family are organized, planned, and where the highest-ranking members reside. After a while, they take him to a spacious room, and Tony suspects it's a coffee lounge. So he makes himself a cup of black, and sips it religiously. Bucky's already sprawled on a lush leather couch, changed into a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. He looks incredibly comfortable and cozy, and Tony tries not to think about how cuddle-able Bucky looks. Nat hovers in the doorway, an amused smile on her face. "Tony," she says and takes one of his hands. He chuckles when he hears Bucky's indignant squawk behind them, and Nat ignores it with practiced ease. "I was called to train some new recruits. You'll be safe here with Bucky." Tony frowns, makes a protesting noise. "Don't go. You're a badass spy master and you're so pretty you make me swoon. And you're equipped to deal with Bucky, don't leave me defenseless with him." "I'll leave him with strict instructions to leave you in one piece," Nat says with a soft huff and her eyes crinkle in a smile. "I'll see you tonight for dinner, and don't worry about your friend Clint and Sam. They're having fun, and Sam will probably bring him in here before dinner." "Fine," Tony says, a little more dramatically than he planned. "Thank you, for today." He adds, sincerely, and gives Nat his best grin. "Of course." Nat says with a fond look, lets his hands drop, and moves out the door. "What, no farewell for your favorite assassin?" Bucky yells, throws a pillow at her retreating form. Lightning fast, Nat catches it single-handedly, without looking. She smirks, chucks it back, and disappears out into the hallway. Bucky groans, falling back into the plethora of fluffy pillows still on the couch. Tony laughs in surprise, impressed and utterly in awe of the normalcy of the situation. What would his parents say if they knew their son was getting friendly with the mafia? "Doll," Bucky whines, and pats the seat next to him and blinks adoringly. "C'mere." Tony rolls his eyes, and says, "I'm tired." Fuck. He really is. "Then come be tired with me." Bucky replies, with more feeling. And what the hell, things could be worse than snuggling up to one of the most dangerous men in Manhattan, decked out in casual attire and sporting handsome smiles. All the days' events kind of hit him in one blow, nearly buckle his knees, and Tony finds it in himself that there's not much resistance left. So he pads to Bucky, legs aching, and flops onto the seat next to the muscular brunet. "Mhm," Tony mumbles and curls up, head in the crook of Bucky's shoulder. Personal space has never been a concept Tony's given two shits about when it comes to people he likes. The soft fabric of Bucky's sweater mush against his cheek and Tony sighs, melting in the comfort and feeling of another person around him. Bucky smells like alpine woods, and the crisp smell of fresh cookies in the oven. Bucky shifts, and Tony burrows in closer, feeling lighter and peers up at the assassin. Bucky looks back at him, eyes soft and curls a hand around Tony's waist. It's not as strange as he thought it would be, cuddling up to a complete stranger. But Bucky doesn't feel much of a stranger anymore. He yawns, and suddenly finds himself exhausted, body pleading to sleep. "How's your head, doll?" Bucky murmurs, careful to give the wound some space and places a pillow under Tony's chin. "S'alright," Tony slurs, eyes drooping. God, what he'd give to sleep right now. "Won't Steve be mad?" he says into Bucky's shoulder, registering the soothing movements of Bucky petting his hair gently. Steve, who's obviously Bucky's boyfriend or partner and best friend, and under normal circumstances Tony would back the hell off but Bucky's so warm. He faintly hears Bucky's snort. "Oh, trust me, sweetheart. You're completely fine." "Wha's 'at supposed t'mean," Tony grumbles and rolls onto his back, squints at Bucky. "I'm not being mushed into a Stark ham special 'cause your blond polite hunk of a boyfriend gets pissed." "Will you just go to sleep?" Bucky says, and rolls his eyes good-naturedly. "I can drug you." He offers playfully when Tony makes a face. "I really should be alarmed by the amount of threats you make per day," Tony says, closing his eyes. Fuck it. If Bucky's going to murder him in his sleep, so be it. He whole-heartedly deserves that shit by letting himself be vulnerable in such a compromising position. "But I'm going to pass out now." Bucky laughs again, and says something Tony doesn't hear, because he's already drifting off to sleep. "Is that Tony?" Steve says, a smile in his voice. Bucky shifts a little, and it nudges him slowly awake. "Yeah. He's adorable like this." Then pauses, and whispers. "Don't ever let him know I said that." Steve laughs, and Tony lets out a soft groan, scrunching his eyes. "He is. And he'd hold it over your head forever." Tony wakes a little more, opens his eyes to the sound of the leather couch dipping with the addition of a new weight. He cracks open an eyelid, and it's Steve, lowering his full weight slowly onto the couch. Bucky's head is turned, and opens his free arm to the blond. Tony prepares to sit up, when Steve says, "Is he asleep?" "Yeah," Bucky says, checks Tony's face with a gentle touch and glances knowingly at the blond. "What's wrong?" Tony decides to stay still, closes his eyes for extra measures and relaxes into Bucky's comforting hold. "I've just gotten reports of two unidentified, blank plated cars sitting outside Tony's and Clint's apartments." Steve says quietly, voice grave. Tony tries not to stiffen, listens harder. "They were tracked an hour ago." Bucky makes a displeased noise, tightens his hold on Tony's side. "Son of a bitch. Already? How would anyone know?" "I've been trying to figure that one out, too." Steve tells Bucky. It's clearly serious enough to have them both worried, and Tony holds his breath, calculates the odds. Even if someone had escaped from the soldiers who had attacked them in the morning from Bucky, all they would have had to go on would be glimpses of Tony and Clint's faces. Even then, it's highly unlikely they would have been outed this fast. "McCullough might have found out through his men." Bucky ventures, carding his fingers through Tony's hair. "I didn't kill them, just knocked them out or injured them. Some of them may have fatal wounds," Bucky says as an afterthought. Steve lets out a breath, clasps his hands together. "No, it's good you didn't kill all of them. We don't need a war. Honestly, I don't know how they found out it was you, because you always wear that mask when on the field." He taps his fingers on the table, and Tony silently agrees when Steve mutters, "Something doesn't add up here." "But McCullough doesn't have eyes in our territory, and even if he did, because I don't trust that fucker, there's no way he could identify Tony and Clint this fast and put people on them." Bucky says, and a quick peek tells him the brunet is frowning. "The only way he could've known this fast is..." "Someone in our circle leaked the information." Steve sighs, sits back. He doesn't sound surprised. "Fuck," Bucky breathes. "A traitor?" Now he doesn't know much about the mafia or crime families, most of his surface knowledge is definitely from the Sopranos or from TV shows. But Tony knows with absolute certainty, that having a traitor in the equation-- never ends well for anybody. ACTION IS COMING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! Also, more stuckony development- AND clint and tony broship next chapter too, for those of you who like it. PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS AND KUDOS, I fucking love them, and thank you all for reading!!! Let me know what y'all think. NEXT CHAP IS SOON. "Steve, wake up!" Hands grab him by the shoulders, and acting on instinct, he strikes out hard and fast, hits flesh and someone grunts and the grip loosens. He slips to his feet, throwing the blanket from the bed and rolling to his feet, fists already up. "Steve," Bucky groans, and Steve blinks in the dark, squinting to see his boyfriend. Bucky is crouching a few feet away, a hand pressed to his jaw. "Calm the fuck down." Steve winces, drops his hands and crosses over to his boyfriend, and gently takes his face in his hands. "Sorry," he mutters and tilts Bucky's jaw to see the forming bruise. "You know I get startled." Trying to convey as much regret as he can, he presses a soft kiss to Bucky's cheek. "Listen here, you spooky little shit." Bucky says, noses Steve's face back. "I was working all night, and--" "You didn't come to bed," Steve agrees, voice tilting on a whine. After the day they'd had, all he wanted was just to curl around Bucky in bed and fall asleep to the scent of alpine woods and sharp mint, wrapping in comforting duvets. "I missed you, sweetheart." "No, listen." Bucky says, with more force and feeling in his voice. Steve stills, looks into Bucky's dark blue eyes. "I cashed in a few favors and I know who the buyers were. Or, at least one of them." Steve pulls back, blinks. "What? Who is it?" Bucky looks tired, bags under his eyes. Steve extends a hand, settling his palm on Bucky's shoulder and tries to push all his calming energy into the touch. If Bucky, who values his sleep more than Steve values his morning runs, the information must be damn important. "The men I saw, buying the gear at the warehouse. That's where I thought I should start," Bucky says, sitting heavily on the crumpled bed. "I couldn't get any face ID, so I started thinking... what if those men weren't actually the owners? I thought, what would run-of-the-mill soldiers be doing wearing such high-tech tactical gear?" Steve frowns, thinks along. It's a valid question. "They were loaned the gear? Or stole it. But why go through that trouble for a couple of weapons?" "Right," Bucky says and a smile curls on his lips. "I think they were borrowed. And in our world, who are the people we go to when we want others to do our dirty jobs?" "Mercenaries." Steve says slowly, glances up at Bucky, eyes wide. "How could we not see this?" "Because I'm a fucking genius, babe." Bucky purrs, leans over to kiss him softly. Steve sighs into the kiss, hand trailing down Bucky's muscled, solid back. "But it's not over," Bucky says and his eyes are bright, but Steve groans. Bucky rolls his eyes. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but focus, Steve." "Buck," Steve grumbles. "Such a tease. Now that you've figured it out, can we just go to bed for a remaining three hours?" He asks with a mournful stare at the alarm clock. "If," Bucky says, ignoring him and grabbing his hands. 'If those men were mercenaries, then they'd have to belong to a pretty good one to get that kind of tech loaned. You know, with histories and confirmed kills and everything. So, I cross-referenced with the mercenaries we've employed over the years..." "Did you find them?" Steve asks, narrowing his eyes. The mercenaries they employ are efficient, good at what they do. Peggy's always told Steve, if he wants something done fast and dirty, they're the people you go to. But Steve's been trying to steer the family away from that. He thinks of Erik for a second, how hard it is to make any goddamn change when your own brother is actively fighting back. "No, there's no way of knowing exactly which. I contacted Carlston. He's agreed to meet me tomorrow for lunch, tell me what's the word on ." Bucky says, grinning. "Really," Steve says and raises his eyebrows. "Carlston replied at two in the morning?" "He's either fucking someone," Bucky shrugs and smirks. "Or killing someone. You know Carlston." "Most likely he's just cleaning up after his four-year-old daughter's coloring books." Steve rolls his eyes, and climbs back into bed, stuffs his feet into the duvets. "Come on. Let's go to sleep. I'll let Peggy know in the morning, and you have a meeting in six hours," Steve says and swallows back a sigh of sadness at the time ticking away on the clock. "The clock is taunting me." Steve mutters, shoving his head into his pillow. Bucky laughs, and the bed dips when he clambers beside Steve. "Sorry, babe. Want me to give you an apology blowjob?" He teases, nuzzling into the back of Steve's neck and Steve leans into the warm touch, and breathes out a little quick at Bucky's hand sliding down. "Buck," Steve chuckles, takes the pillow and softly whups Bucky with it. "The only boner I have right now is for REM sleep." He takes the blanket, and brings it up to his chin. "Stevie," Bucky snorts. "That's very indecent of you to say, you American poster boy for decency." "Mhm," Steve hums non commitedly as Bucky burrows under the blankets. They lie in bed together, breathing in each other's scents. Steve closes his eyes, then blinks up at the ceiling. Bucky 's weight is familiar and warm at his back, breathing softly through his nose. It's crazy, Steve thinks. The day they've had. Yesterday, he went to sleep like this, and woke up this morning like it was every other day. He had a plan, meetings with the family, maybe talk Peggy into taking a relaxing spa day, push forward legitimate business deals and attend a few meetings overseeing the whole Carter operation. Perhaps find a way to keep Erik occupied and out of his deals. And then Bucky went on a recon mission, and everything changed. Steve turns to his side, nudges Bucky gently in the back. "Hey," he says softly. "What are we doing?" Bucky snuffles, shifts to crack open an eye to glare at him. "What do you mean, what are we doing? We're doing sleep. I thought we were doing sleep." "No," Steve murmurs, and stares into an empty spot on the wall. "I mean with Tony. Tony and Clint. What are we doing?" "Where did that come from?" Bucky asks, turns on his side to face Steve, eyes glinting in curiosity. "We're not doing them. Clint, I'm glad. But Tony," he says and lets out a low whistle. "Not doing him makes me sad." "I'm sure he's sad too." Steve says dryly, and goes silent. He hasn't truly thought about it, how absolutely preposterous the whole thing is. Turns out, his brain doesn't want to think about it either. His brain is stating a disclaimer that it's not responsible for most of Steve's idiotic decisions, and Steve relates to that on a spiritual level. "Stop thinking," Bucky advises around a yawn. "Fucks your shit up. It's scientifically proven." "Oh yeah?" Steve gives a soft laugh at that, blinks slowly at his drowsy boyfriend. "Those sketchy medical trials your friends do aren't scientific, Buck." "No," Bucky says and sniffs haughtily. Well, as haughtily as he can manage with bags under his eyes and tangled hair with a blanket snuggled up to his nose, leaving only his dark blue eyes blinking incomprehensibly at him. "No, what I'm saying, Steve," Bucky emphasizes dramatically. "Is that our line of work isn't really suited to thinking. Once you think about it, it all sorts of unravels. Our whole operation. It's a shitshow." He tells Steve, says it like he's telling Steve nutella doesn't go well with mustard. "You're a proven intellectual marvel." Steve tells him, and discovers that when he gets real close to Bucky, he kind of smells like unwashed sweat. Bucky nods, eyes already closed. But hey, love is love. So he wraps his arms around the brunet and pulls him close, and tries to close his eyes to get two or three hours worth of shut-eye. He gets about five minutes of silence before Bucky grumbles, and squints at him in the dark with the kind of offense people get when they've just gotten a thinly veiled insult. "You're a fucking furnace, Stevie, I love you but unfold from my physical body." "You broke your record of four minutes," Steve says and laughs. "I love you too." And that's how the remaining early morning goes, with Bucky plastered to the wall because it's cool, and Steve ending half on his side and half splayed on his boyfriend and completely suffocating Bucky in heat. Tony ends up staring at him, blurry and half-awake. "What the fuck," he says, doesn't even look conscious enough to look mad about it. "I have so much planned for you," Steve says and leans against the doorway. "Bucky told me you're a mechanic, a talented one. You're from MIT so you must be that good. And we have a few labs downstairs for some research development..." He trails off, looks at Tony for an answer and smiles, bright and happy. "Come on." There's a silence that stretches on unnecessarily long, and Tony regards Steve with a special blend of confused and mad but not knowing why. "What?" Tony finally says, and squints hard at Steve like he's a bug splashed on his windshield. It's getting increasingly hard to not find Tony's rumpled spare pajamas and a bed-hair intoxicatingly cute. Steve crosses his arms across his chest, stares at the smaller brunet fondly. "The fuck is this horseshit," Clint yells, muffled from his face in the pillow. "Tones, tell your blond jacked up boyfriend to get the fuck out or I'm gonna start throwing lamps because that's the only weapon in here they left us with." "He's not my boyfriend," Tony blusters, immediately whipping his head so fast Steve winces and immediately feels bad about admiring how Tony's eyes get wide and big, shakes his head quickly. "He's not, he's not even," and then increasingly panicky, "What are you—" "I'm not," Steve adds and steps inside the still dark room. "And I'll calmly ask you not to throw that lamp, thank you very much, it was a limited edition from IKEA—" Clint swears, takes his spare pillow and throws it at the general direction of nowhere. "Fuck IKEA, I'm going to shove it up Sweden's ass and once I'm done it's going up yours, so get out! I need to sleep. Tones, I am withholding caffeine from you if you do not get blond barbie out of this room right the fuck now." Steve closes his eyes, breathes out and tries not to smile. Bucky would have loved to be here. Bucky would have had a field day. "Clint, you little shit," Tony hisses and turns bodily to face the general direction of a Clint-shaped lump under the covers. "That's actually not up to you because you're not a goddamn barista anymore, you evil birdbrain—" Clint's head pops up, and Steve braces himself for the rage. Instead, Clint glares at Tony, and then at him with bloodshot eyes, brown hair sticking up all over the place. He narrows his eyes, and tells Tony in a level voice, "I'm going to call MIT, and I'm going to report a fucking out-of-school harassment and a restraining order—" "Your word against mine, shitface, I'll see you in court—" "Up we go." Steve says and strides inside, to the foot of Tony's bed just in time to stop Tony's sleep-muddled failed scramble off the bed to lunge at Clint. He wraps his arms under Tony's arms, and bodily heaves him out of the bed and out the door. Clint shouts something after them, and Tony shouts right back, and Steve's starting to regret his decision in ever opening the dreaded 7th gateway to hell that is Tony and Clint's room. He closes the door shut behind him, and they stand in the empty hallway and plops Tony back on his feet. Tony, who's lighter than a feather and is staring up at him with huge, long-lashed eyes and a pouty scowl on his face. Steve really wishes Bucky was here. Bucky wouldn't have been able to contain himself from gushing at the smaller brunet. Then, on second thought, it's a good thing Bucky's not here. Tony places his hands on his hips, glowers at Steve. It's like a fluffy kitten flashing tiny claws, and Steve tries not to melt. Be strong, he tells himself. "What the hell was that?" Tony asks, and eyes him suspiciously. "I'm sorry," Steve says honestly. "But its almost eight, and I knocked a few times...and then there was this guttural noise and I was worried something was wrong and no one was answering so I forced the door in. I should've waited till you were awake to start telling you the plans for you today," Steve says as an afterthought and shakes his head regretfully. "Sorry." Tony's silent for a moment, and then glances up at Steve and sighs. "I can't even be mad at you for waking us up. Not when you're so polite about it. Sorry for Clint's yelling, and mine, and that guttural sound is Clint's moan, which completely sounds like a goddamn donkey so it's understandable, but that only happens when he wakes up before ten AM." "How does he keep his job, then?" Steve asks with a long, impressed glance at the closed door. "I ask myself that everyday. I think he does too." Tony tells him with a long-suffering eye roll. Steve shrugs, and purely on impulse, leans over to pat down the adorable cowlick tufting out from Tony's rumpled bed hair. Tony blinks up at him, surprised and a hint of a blush on his cheeks. Steve gulps, and moves his hand away. "It's a pretty big cowlick." He says helplessly, because there's nothing else to say without sounding like an absolute idiot. Bucky would have died laughing. Tony smiles, soft and sweet, and Steve feels something hook in his belly and tug. He drops his hands to his side, because he's not used to feeling nervous, and then says, "Well, do you want to hear about the plan for your day?" "Yes, yes, of course," Tony says and laughs a little. "You said something about labs? Mechanic, right?" Steve shrugs and nods, delighted when Tony's smile becomes bigger. "Yeah, we have a few. Mostly weapons testing and stuff, but definitely room for mechanic. A very talented engineer who operates the lab downstairs would be happy to have you work with him for the time being," Steve says and chuckles at the size of Tony's joyful expression. "His name's Happy." "I would love to," Tony says and grins. "But is it allowed? I mean I'm just here for like three days... I don't want to bother your engineer or anything. I'm happy to just stay out of the way. Give me some Jenga. Yeah, I'll go nuts. I'll do things with Jenga you've never seen before. I can get Clint in on it too. Give Clint a Rubik's cube, it'll take him years." Steve feels almost obligated to stop Tony's rambling, and so he decides to make a placating gesture with his hands, a move that Bucky always scoffs at. "Jenga? Tony, what are you on about?" And because he can't help it, he smiles back at Tony. "I'm not giving you Jenga. You'd be bored in five seconds." Tony looks briefly surprised, and then laughs. It's a sweet sound, makes Steve's hands go all lax and his chest all warm and soft. Tony's face lights up when he smiles. "I've known you for like a day, and you already know me better than my parents," he teases. He shrugs, and gazes at Tony for a moment, marveling how well Tony can pull off messy hair and pajamas. "It doesn't take a genius to see how smart you are." "Aw, shit." Tony says, and shakes his head, tousling his dark brown hair even more and grins up at Steve. "Careful there Captain Underpants, you're gonna make me swoon." "You make it sound like a threat," Steve says and pauses, shoves his hands into his pockets. "You need to make better threats." He really hopes Tony doesn't find this conversation mortifying. He clears his throat. "I can, uh," He nods over his shoulder. "Go. I can go. Wait for you to get ready." Tony doesn't seem to notice how sweaty his palms are getting. "Yeah, you could go." he says, with a smile and a shrug. "Or you could stay." Steve chokes a little, because he can't believe Tony hasn't run away yet. "Stay? Stay. I could wait. I'll wait right here and take you and Clint to breakfast." "Stay," Tony says again and nods matter-of-factly. "I am painfully aware how civilian-esque Clint and I are, and we are two potentially insane emotionally immature adults in an illegal crime family base, so yes. I'd like you to stay." Oh. Of course Tony wants you to stay. He needs you. It's a little pinprick to his heart, that Tony doesn't want him to stay. "Sure," he says, and is horrified it comes out a little squeaky so he tries again. "Sure. I'll be here." "Thanks." Tony says, shoots him a sweet smile. "We'll be right out." Then he takes a step towards the door, and pauses. "So about Jenga?" "No Jenga." "Fuck. I'm being a good person and not being selfish. I'm happy to stay out of the way." Steve raises his eyebrows. "I appreciate it. I do. But you don't seem like the type of person to like 'staying out of the way'," Steve echoes, and waves a hand when Tony tries to interject. "I already talked to Happy, and he'd appreciate a little help. I've already talked to Nat about Clint, so don't worry about him. And Tony," he says a little lower. "I haven't said anything to you and Clint, because I don't want to worry anyone but it might be dangerous for you anywhere but here right now." It's a risky move, he thinks. Telling Tony that McCullough's men have been running surveillance on his and Clint's home might be terrifying, the prospect of your home, a safe haven, has been compromised and invaded. It might make the fact that they're civilians seem even more daunting. And he doesn't want Tony, or Clint, to be scared for their lives. It's not fair, Steve tells himself. Tony tilts his head, eyebrows furrowed. "Oh, dangerous? What do you mean by that?" He asks, tentatively, and shuffles his feet a little, eyes dropping for a brief second. "Do Clint and I have to stay here longer?" It's cute, Steve thinks, amused. He learned how to lie at the age of four, and how to detect it after the age of six. As a Carter, it's really not a shock. So he finds it adorable, how Tony actually tries to bluster his way through and act innocent about it. "But you know that already, don't you." Steve says with a small smile. He expects Tony to start blundering, to try and reassure Steve in a slightly panicked tone that he doesn't know what Steve's talking about, but no. He should really stop being surprised about it, when Tony does the exact opposite. "Alright," Tony says, sounding cautious. "You got me. I heard when I was taking a nap with your murder muffin. The bad guys totally know who Clint and I are, which shouldn't be possible this fast, but since they know, we can't go home." Steve lets that settle for a few seconds. Tony's more observant than both he and Bucky thought, and whether or not it can become a problem, he'll have to keep an eye on this. "You're right. But we can talk more about this during breakfast, because the hallway is completely expository and you're in your pajamas." Tony looks down at himself, eyes widen a little like he's just realized it, and then looks back up at Steve. "Absolutely, Steven. Of course. I will return in ten minutes." "No one calls me Steven except Peggy when she's mad." "Tough fucking luck, snookums. But fine. When I'm done with your name, you'll be wishing for Steven." Am so, so sorry for how late this is. IB, guys. Fucking IB. Leave a comment please, and a kudos, they're the food that keeps this story (somewhat) alive!!! Love you guys. Thank you. Bucky doesn't expect the huge six-foot-four guy to crumple to the floor. A guy his size should be able to withstand a good, solid right hook. But then again, Bucky thinks as he retracts his metal fist and shakes it, the gears whirring back. Maybe not a solid right hook out of metal. The plan is simple: drive to Carlston's personal cafe and work shit out until he leaves with a definite answer of the whole situation, and then head back to the base to hopefully make out with Steve and annoy Tony to the point of no return. When Bucky's plans fail, it's usually because of some circumstantial bullshit that is no way under his control or because someone let him leave the base without double-checking his plans. But this time, it's because of the simple, bland idiocy of some people. He really tries not to get mad when two more guys come at him from behind, but Bucky figures if they have enough sense to come from behind, they're at least better than the six-foot-four redneck squirming on the floor. The soldiers coming at him aren't stupid or careless or poorly-trained, but Bucky's better, and his guns are better. It becomes a matter of knocking all the stragglers out and not getting himself shot anywhere inconvenient in the process. "I'm telling you," Bucky says, kindly, as he takes the but of his gun and slams it into one soldier's neck, letting the body slide to the floor. "Carlston knows I'm coming. Just call him." He rolls his eyes when another one yells out something in garbled Slovenian and charges, whipping out a gun and aiming. Bucky takes two steps forward, ducks, swipes his leg under the soldier, barrels up and forward and into the soldier, driving them both back a full meter. The soldier hisses, Bucky sighs, and then in two quick moves has the soldier in a chokehold and Bucky's letting down another body. Plenty of time to react when another goon tries to take him by surprise, and Bucky whirls around and delivers a vicious uppercut, a couple pulled punches to the guy's ribs and then kick him to the curb. The two soldiers are groaning, blood on their faces, and Bucky stands above them, smiling grimly. "Gentlemen!" Bucky turns. Carlston, the bastard, is standing behind him, and he's holding a gun with a displeased frown on his face. "What," Bucky says. "the fuck. Carlston. Nice of you to show up fifteen minutes late." "Those were my five personal guards, Mr. Barnes." Carlston says, aggrieved. "This is not what I had in mind when you called me asking for a peaceful meeting. Now I need a new team, and you almost got yourself shot." "Not what I had in mind, either," Bucky tells him, makes his way over to the smug son of a bitch and kicks one groaning soldier in the guts for good measure. "Next time tell your guard dogs to back down. And I would get a new team, for the exact reason I didn't get shot." Carlston cocks an eyebrow, and brings the gun up and points it at Bucky, clicking the safety off. "I could finish the job right now." "I wouldn't do that." Bucky says, flashes a little teeth. "We both know I'm your favorite representative of the Carters." He's a nice guy, ask anybody, but business is business and right now all he is, is a notorious assassin mafia second-in-command with a fancy metal arm. "That's because the standard is low," Carlston sniffs but tucks the gun into his waistband anyway. He didn't click the safety off, and Bucky stores that little tidbit into his mind just in case. "Most of the Carters are either insane, or close to it." "Real cute," Bucky gives a little shrug. "I'm offended you think I'm sane." "How is Peggy Carter?" Carlston asks, gestures to an empty seat in the 90s themed cafe. "She hasn't been by in a while." Bucky takes the offer, slides into the seat and thinks for a moment. "She's peachy. Been giving off more work to Steve." Carlston's a sneaky shit, so Bucky should probably think about the things he says during this meeting. If one questionable thing gets back to Peggy, he knows it's absolutely not above her to take away to new set of tactical knives they've introduced into the armory. And it'd be a damn shame if that happened. "Ah, Steve Rogers." Carlston settles on the opposite seat, seems to mull it over for a moment. "He's the blond, decent one? I've heard he's been trying to turn the family upside down." He holds up a hand, making some sort of gesture, and Bucky glances around to see the barista, cowering behind the counter, looking petrified. "Two Scotches. On the rocks, please." The barista immediately scrambles to the liquor cabinet, hands shaking, and Bucky almost feels bad for him, so he calls, "Thank you." but only succeeds in making the poor kid tremble even more. "So, Mr. Barnes." Carlston says, examines Bucky carefully. "What can I do for you?" "You're a smart man, Carlston," Bucky muses and leans back on the seat. "You must be up to date to what's been going on." Carlston gives him a little bit of a flat look, reassessing him. "As vague as usual, Mr. Barnes. Carters keeping you on a tight leash?" Says it in a pitying voice, like he's some kind of charity case with no mind of his own and Bucky could take the butter knife lying on the napkin and bury the damn thing in Carlston's throat, or his wrist, and be done with this whole mess, but he thinks that would definitely be one hell of a waste for the whole trip over here. "Tight enough that I don't increase the fatality rates from last year." Bucky says, smiles wide and dark enough Carlston gets the message to stop fucking around. The Winter Soldier's fatality rates are well-known in the underworld, and Bucky's never been one to discourage vicious rumors about the efficiency of his work. "I take it you want to know about the mercenaries who were sent to pick up a load, am I right?" Carlston asks, looks at him with a blank expression. "They tailed you, almost killed you, and you left with two brand-new playthings right off the street." "Yeah," Bucky says, with a sharp nod. "Exactly. I went to the drop for recon, saw a couple of new guys I've never seen. Red eagle insignia. High-tech gear." "Red eagles?" Carlston repeats, and it's only then that Bucky reads something off Carlston's face, can tell he knows. "Rogues. I took them in, gave them a chance, but they thought they could do better." Carlston grits his jaw, mouth a little tighter. "So they left. Decided to make their own group, and now they're backed by Zola." "You're shitting me," Bucky says, falls back and tries to hide his surprise. "Zola?" "Zola," Carlston shakes his head. The barista scurries over, places the glasses on the table and at Carlston's nod, hauls ass out the door. Bucky watches him go, and still feels a little bad. "Goddamned asshole. But I've been hearing things, and they tell me the rogues have been getting plump on Zola's feeder." "What's his play in this?" Bucky asks, levels a stare at Carlston. "Zola's always been a piece of shit, but a weapons transaction in Carter territory? No way he'd be that confident to take us on." "Maybe he knows something you don't," Carlston counters and takes a thoughtful gulp of his scotch. "Zola may be an asshole, but he's a smart one. I'd be careful." "I need solid intel," Bucky says and leans forward, expectantly. Some part of Bucky is reeling, at the knowledge Zola has resurfaced after a year of being underground, and that he's making a move just when Steve is about to assume power. "I need names." Carlston blinks, looks past Bucky's shoulder briefly. "Of course you do," he says and laughs about it a little and takes a piece of paper out from his suit, slides it across the table and tilts his head. Bucky raises an eyebrow, takes the paper and flips it over. Niki Rosten is scrawled in messy handwriting on the paper. "Who's this?" Bucky says, takes his untouched drink and downs it in one swig. "She's in charge of the rogues. Find her, you find them. You find why they were there, and what Zola paid them to do," Carlston pauses and when he smiles, the hairs on Bucky's neck stand up. "But one thing you should know." "What's that?" Bucky says. He's curious, about this Niki person. Who's important and dangerous enough for even Carlston to know about. "She's McCullough's daughter." Bucky's mouth screws up into something ugly. He shakes his head, thinks a little about what exactly that means, and shakes his head again. This just got a whole lot fucking harder, says the little rational voice in the back of his head. Peggy is going to hate this, and Steve is going to hate this even more. "Fuck." "Fuck," Carlston agrees with a wry smile. "Indeed. I wish you best of luck." "Thanks," Bucky says and slides out the booth, takes the piece of paper and stuffs it into his jacket and pats down his jeans, tucking the hilt of his favorite gun into his waistband. "I appreciate this." "Did you really take in two civilians?" Carlston suddenly asks, with the kind of tone that's designed to piss people off. Bucky decides to flip him off. "Shut your fucking mouth." Bucky says, and starts walking to the door. "Tell them to swing by if they're pretty!" Carlston yells at his retreating back, and Bucky shakes his head, laughs. "Over my dead fucking body, Carlston, and you have a daughter." "I could get a babysitter." Carlston replies, and Bucky turns to see him shrug innocently. "You're a goddamn menace." Bucky says, and walks out the door. From one mess to another, it looks like this day is just fucking messy. Bucky strolls right into the gym, because that's where the first newbie recruit squeaked out where Steve was after Bucky waved a knife in front of his face. Steve and Natasha are in the middle of the empty room, on padded mats, with Clint and a strangely grime-covered Tony standing a few meters away. When Bucky steps inside, Tony whirls around with grime in his tufty, curly hair and a smile that makes his heart skip a little beat. "Murder muffin! Buckaroo! You're finally back." Steve and Natasha turn as one, and Bucky raises an eyebrow at the group. "Fighting without me? I'm betrayed." He says and chuckles at Tony's feigned gasp, and Steve's laugh and Nat's eyeroll. Clint just sort of squints at him, and Bucky squints right back. Steve breaks off, walks right over in long strides and presses a quick kiss to his lips. "Hey, sweetheart," Steve says lowly, blue eyes glowing and earnest. Bucky's always been in danger of getting lost in those blue eyes. "How was the trip?" Bucky kisses back briefly, and leans in to whisper in Steve's ear, "Good. I've got a name." "Great," Steve smiles and runs a hand through his tousled blond hair. "That's great, Buck. We'll go through it later. Come on, join us." And because Bucky can't ever resist it when his boyfriend asks him anything, he follows Steve back to the group. "Bucky," Nat says in greetings and nods. "Good to see you. Got what you needed?" "Nat," Bucky smiles. "I always do. Finished with the recruits already? Seven came in and four went straight home?" Nat rolls her eyes, crosses her arms over her chest. "Five went home. Not even with any broken bones," she adds with an incredulous little toss of her red hair. "Just some bruises. Steve gives a low whistle, shakes his head. "Must've been one hell of a bruise." "Must've been one hell of an internal injury." Clint mutters under his breath. Nat shrugs, steps forward and snaps her fingers in front of Tony. "In my day," she tells him. "We used to work to get where we are. We didn't quit. Not even when it got tough, not when we broke a few bones, we still got up." "This pep-talk isn't making me feel better," Tony says with a little bit of whine in his voice as he reluctantly takes up stance. "Please let me go back to Happy, the man's a fucking wizard. I'm helping him with this energy circuit that's supposed to power a really cool blue-energized weapon, and—" Nat throws a punch, a really soft one, at Tony's face and Bucky almost tries and stops it because Tony's still talking like the idiot he is but is completely shocked when the brunet sidesteps, ducks and puts his fists up to his face and throws a right hook which is infinitely better than the first one Bucky's seen him throw. Nat blocks the hook, responds with a low jab to Tony's underbelly and Bucky watches earnestly as Tony jumps right back, curls falling into his face and eyes bright with focus. Goddamn, if Tony looks this focused when he's fighting, Bucky could think of a hell lot more to occupy Tony with to get that look in his eye. Clint makes an approving noise, and says, "Go for her throat or her knees, Tony!" then a second's pause, and says, "Maybe just her knees." Tony gives a short laugh, dodges another flurry of blows from Nat and gets at least two of his own in. Bucky shares a look with Steve, who has a secret smile on his face that completely acknowledges how Bucky's internal organs are screaming at him to take Tony back to their room. "Good," Nat says as Tony does this adorable high kick thing with his left foot and she blocks it expertly. "But never take your eyes off the enemy." Tony gives a startled squeak as Nat pulls back on his extended left foot, uses it to turn Tony's weight and momentum against him and gives Tony a little push backwards. Tony yelps from his place on the mat, stares up at Nat with a shit-eating grin on his face. "That is such a Bruce-Lee thing to say," he announces with a smug wink. "You guys have the same nose and punch and everything. Are you guys related?" Nat gives him an unimpressed look, but pulls Tony up anyway and says flatly, "Bruce Lee is a distant relative. My mom's side." Tony stares back, wide-eyed. "No." Nat continues to stare right back unflinchingly, and Tony's mid freakout is interrupted by Clint's guffaw from the side. "Oh, you fucking gullible bastard. You're smart enough to build a goddamn rocket into space but you believe this shit? Tones," Clint says and grabs Tony by the back of his neck and shakes him. "You're like Bambi. You'll just cease to exist on your own." "Excuse you, asshole," Tony shoots back and turns in Clint's grasp. "I'll have you know I am nowhere as thick as orphaned Bambi and I do not have a white fluffy butt with a tiny brown tail." "No, your ass is all grey hairs because of all the—" Clint starts to say, and is cut off mid sentence when Tony launches himself at his friend and they both go down in a tangle of limbs and garbled shrieks, and Clint yells from behind a mop of Tony's grimy brown hair, "Hey there are at least three master assassins in this room will one of you get this maggot ass off my back?" "No," Bucky calls back down gleefully. "I fully support Tony. Tony, try and sound a little manlier when he grabs you like that." "I'll make sure to grunt like a caveman whenever I am physically touched." Tony agrees and disappears underneath Clint's flailing arms. Steve sighs, shoots Bucky a fond look. "Come on, guys, break it off. Bucky's had a busy morning, Tony, tell him about your time with Happy," Steve tells the smaller brunet as he climbs to his feet. "Happy?" Bucky asks, swiveling to look at his boyfriend. "You got Happy to take an apprentice?" Tony blows his hair away from his face, frowns at them. It's supposed to come off as threatening, Bucky faintly registers, but the only thing Tony's achieving is coming off as precious. "I'm not an apprentice. Just a helper. He's so nice, he lets me work with him and I actually get to work with metals and fires and gears..." he trails off, looking a little lost. "It's great. The kind of raw work I never got to do at MIT." Nat nods, pats Tony on the back with a small smile. "I sometimes forget how sharp you are, kotenok." Bucky raises his eyebrows at that, glances at Nat curiously, and looks away before he gets caught staring at the master Russian spy who can kill with her thighs. Tony smiles at her, wide and happy. "And once I finished working with Happy on his new electrical circuit, Steve came and got me and we visited Clint and Nat. Clint was shooting arrows, and he's fucking good at it. Right, Nat?" Clint clears his throat, shifts on his feet a little and Bucky chuckles at the subtle display of shyness. "I knew it. Saw you had a thing for arrows the second I caught you staring at the armory in the gym yesterday like a horny bird, trying to hide your fucking boner." Bucky says, and claps Clint on the shoulder heartily. "That's great." "Buck," Steve scolds lightly. "We don't call people horny birds." "If the shoe fits," Tony says, and then he starts laughing. "Dick." Clint says, makes an aggravated noise in the back of his throat, but he's smiling anyways. "He's not bad." Nat says with an exasperated smile. "Better than some recruits." "From you, I'm going to take that as a fucking compliment." Clint tells her with a proud tone. "Well you should, she meant it as one." Bucky agrees with a hum and puts his hands on Steve's broad shoulders just because he can. "I'm confused as how to respond," Clint admits and stares beseechingly at Steve, who downright laughs about it. "There's no Wikihow on accepting compliments from mobsters." Tony sniffs, still laughing, tries to hide a smile behind his hand. "You know they let anyone edit those articles, right? You could just be one of those unnamed bald divorced guys hunting for a weakness. You were born for it." he adds with a convincing nod. It's dangerous, Bucky thinks distantly. How comfortable they're all getting, to the point where they can just all kind of laugh and poke around with each other. How comfortable Nat is, to give Tony endearing nicknames in Russian and for Steve to let himself go and open in a way he never really is when they're at the compound. It's scary how well Tony and Clint fits into their little merry band of miscreants, how well they click. It shouldn't be happening, he knows, it should be over in less than four days. It really fucking should. He, Nat, and goddamn Steve, most of all, shouldn't be getting used to this. They all know that. But the longer he spends with them, the less reason he sees not to enjoy having them around, while they're still here. Steve pulls him out of his thoughts with a hard tug on his sleeve, and Bucky snaps back to attention. Steve has his phone in his hand, and he's looking worried about it. "Buck, she just landed two hours ago. Here, in New York." "Who?" Bucky asks, searching Steve's blue eyes. His boyfriend's face is tight, mouth pulled in a line. "Sharon. She wasn't supposed to be back for another week, which means it was Peggy. Peggy called her to come back." PLEASE LEAVE A KUDOS AND A COMMENT IF YOU ENJOYED IT! I worked hard to get this to you guys by the end of the week. "Shit," Tony says, crashing onto the ground, wind knocked out of his chest from the mini blast that rolled out of the compressed detonator. "That was fun, huh? We're having fun?" "Yeah," Happy says and looks down at the smaller brunet on the grime-covered floor. "Yeah, your arm is probably broken in about two places." Tony shrugs, grins up at the larger man. "Definition of fun, cheeseballs." "Steve's gonna rip me a new one if you don't get back to him in one piece," Happy mutters and leans down to pull him up. Tony takes the offered hand, jumps to his feet and brushes the dirt off. It does nothing for the smudged white tank top he's wearing, and Tony frowns down at it, because honestly if he has to do his own laundry here he'll just have to wear it inside-out. Lazy shit, some inner voice in his head whispers accusingly and Tony internally scowls back. "So," Tony says and reaches across the workbench to heft the gun in his hands. The gun is heavy, metal cool against his skin and he shifts it around to examine it more closely. There's some kind of energy in the metal, thrumming against his hands. "What'd you make this with?" Happy takes the dirty rag from his apron and wipes it across his face, squints at Tony. "Trade secrets, kid. If I tell you I'll have to kill you." "Don't have to oversell it, Happy." Tony says, peering inside the glass vial lodged inside the gun. "I'm already sold. This is beautiful." Happy snorts, opens up a large meaty palm expectantly. "You like weapons, kid?" "Not particularly," Tony tells him, shrugs and places the gun into Happy's outstretched hand. It's a beautiful piece of metal, he thinks, but he knows better than to pry about that glass vial inside and the energy coursing through it. "I like electronics. Softwares, gadgets, power systems. I built an energy circuit for MIT once, put it inside a car and powered it without fuel." "MIT, huh?" Happy asks, tosses a welding mask to him and gestures to the electrical board and circuit system they were working on in the morning. "You one of those pretty polished up kids with a trust fund?" Tony snaps the welding mask on, blinks at the larger man through the smeared visors. "No," he says, softer. "Worked my ass off for it. Got a scholarship, been doing jobs on the side as an electrical engineer. Had to lie about my age and my experience but hey," and shrugs, "I get the job done so they don't complain." The welding torch comes on with a hiss and a pop, and he hunkers over the workbench in order to get a closer look at the thin sheets of metal. "Didn't think boys like you came any other way other than pretty 'n polished." Happy observes, a tint of approval in his voice. "You're good with metal, I'll give you that." "How'd you end up working for the Carters?" Tony asks, keeping his eyes on the soldering metal. Sparks are flying, bright and red off his mask. The torch feels comfortable in his hand, and he knows exactly how to use it. Happy laughs a little, leans against the bench and watches him. "You ask a lot of questions, kid." Tony smiles grimly underneath the mask, shakes away the drop of sweat trickling down his forehead. "Don't learn nothing new unless you ask questions. What seventh grade teaches you, hm." He briefly glances up, and Happy's staring off to the side, looking a little distant. It's not hard to see that the man doesn't talk a lot, is the kind to keep things to himself. It reminds Tony of his own father, those little snippets of a tall, silent Howard in a crisply pressed suit floating in the back of his head. But he doesn't like to think of Howard, so Tony forces himself to focus on the piece of metal and mess of wire smoldering in his fingers. "Ten years ago, I was in a pretty bad patch." Happy says, and his face is open, folds his hands together loosely. "Ran with the wrong crowd, got screwed over. They left me with a gut wound and a dislocated shoulder." "They helped you, didn't they." Tony murmurs, lets the welding torch fade and sets it down on the bench and snaps up the welding mask onto his forehead, hair sticking up. He compiles the metal and wires absently, and glances up at Happy. "They did," Happy says with a chuckle. "Steve was barely a man, a kid just like you. Probably even younger. Stumbled upon me in that dark alley, and did what his mother told him never to do in these parts. He helped a bleeding man in an alley." Tony takes a stool, slides onto the seat and wipes his hands on his pants. "Sounds like Steve." Steve, who's always too good for his own good. It's not a surprise he started young. "I got fixed up, was about to go on my way. Thank the golden prince of the Carter family, try and leave with my head on my shoulders," and Happy shakes his head at that, a small smile on his lips. "Steve insisted on seeing me out, pissed his family off. It wasn't so good back then, a rough time for the Carters. Steve had a target on his back." Tony's eyes widen, and he can't ignore the little prick in his heart when he hears it. "Did someone hurt Steve?" Happy tilts his head, shows his neck, and there's a pale scar outlined on the slope of his collarbones. "Bomb went off. A small one, and I covered Steve. After that, I don't know how, but they offered me a job here. I became part of the family." And then he gestures to the workshop around them, and there's a glint in his eye Tony recognizes as a man who loves his work. Tony's quiet for a moment, and then he says almost thoughtfully, "Your life changed when you met them." His sure as hell did. Happy moves towards him, and places his hand gently on Tony's shoulder. "Don't be scared, kid. They're good people." And Happy means it, every word he says, and Tony blinks at him. Happy's face holds, earnest and open, and he can't find it within himself to argue otherwise. "I think I can handle it," Tony says, offers Happy a smile that shows more confidence than he's feeling. "Yeah. I've got this." "Sounds like bullshit to me," Happy tells him and sounds almost affectionate. "You know me so well," Tony says and places a hand to his heart, sniffles dramatically. "Papa, can I use that testing chamber over there?" He asks, and gestures behind him to the series of cubes that stand off to the side. They look like glass, but probably high quality polyester. "I tweaked some of your microelectronic explosives this morning, want to test it out." "You be real fucking careful, Stark," Happy tells him and moves off to the side, heading towards a series of switches on a panel of complicated looking buttons. "If you get blown into bits I'm not cleaning up the pieces." "Get Clint to do it," Tony calls over his shoulder and busies himself with locating one of the chips inside the small, metallic explosive. "He's not expensive and looks good in a maid outfit. Two dollars an hour should do it for him." He goes, stands outside the farthest glass cube and touches the panel, the polyester warm against his skin. It smells chemical, feels a little hot where the panels are bonded. That's expensive, he thinks, but everything about this place says expensive. "Your friend looks accident-prone. I'd hate to depose two bodies in one day." Happy says, hits a switch, and Tony watches as one panel of the testing chamber slides back into the wall. Clean, neat and precisely engineered. Some kind of mechanical plaything back there, Tony thinks, and his fingers itch to examine it. "I'm going to do an impact test first, then maybe a thermal sensitivity test. I wanna know how it reacts to at what range the explosive is capable of detonating under a stressful thermal confinement." Tony says, squints around the room for something to test the impact of the explosive against. "Impact machines are around somewhere at the back," Happy replies and stands at Tony and peers down at him. "You know a lot about weapons for an average civilian, kid." It's kind of undignified, being at least a foot shorter than the other man, because Happy completely takes advantage of the height difference to treat him like he's a kid. "Not my first time tinkering," Tony says and shrugs, makes an unflattering face. "My dad and I used to go at it in a makeshift work garage." "Your dad?" Happy asks, slow and a little wary, like he doesn't know if he should. Tony gets a little tense, then, and gets up to look for the impact machine, because talking about his father always gets on his nerves. "Yeah. Howard Stark, original asshole since 1917." "Shitty father?" Happy nods, and doesn't ask about it any further. He can't ignore the relief that spreads in his chest. "I'm going to the bathroom," Tony says and snaps off the welding mask and places it gently on the table, wincing at the sight of his grime-covered hands and at the bed of his nails. "Need to clean this up before we do the test." Happy takes the explosive from him, flicks it into a line of metal explosives on a prepared metal plate, and clicks it into place. "Go ahead, it's out the door to the right down the hallway. I'll find the impact machine." Tony slides over the workbench, pokes Happy on the shoulder because he's brave like that, and on on his way out blows Happy an air kiss, grinning. "Toodles, Papa." "Yeah, yeah," Happy says gruffly and tosses a rag at his retreating figure. Tony laughs, because the older man's mouth is twitching like he's trying not to smile. "Out." Tony leaves the workshop, through a series of steps and a door that checks his palm, retina and voice before it lets him out. When Happy first brought him down to the lab, he had stared at Happy, incredulous, and Happy had shrugged, looking cagey and persecuted. "Security against brats," Happy had said shortly, like that was a completely reasonable justification for locking down your basement like it's hiding nuclear launch codes and a truly life-ruining porn collection. He goes down an empty hallway, and since it's near ground level of the entire compound he knows the silence and sheer inactivity is normal. Tony wanders for a moment, looking like an idiot, and then finds the bathroom when it's nestled close to the elevator at the end of the hall. Tony opens into the bathroom, and spends a second just staring around. "Holy shit," he says, dumbfounded, because the bathroom is palatial in its own right. Marbled floors, fancy sinks, and a truly expensive-looking roll of velvet toilet paper. "Man, gotta be Happy someday." He turns on the tap and crystal clear water comes rushing out, and he rubs his fingernails under the water, trying to get the dirt and grime out. The door clicks open behind him. "I'm almost done, Happy." Tony says and scrubs a little faster, eyes fixed on the running grime in the sink. "You go ahead with the tests if you want." It's cute, that the older man came to find him. Tony opens his mouth to make a joke about them really being father-and-son, but there's silence, instead of Happy's gruff retorts, and Tony slowly raises his eyes up to the mirror. A man, clad in a black mask and attire looms behind him, and Tony only has a split second to think when he sees the flash of metal and the man draws a knife. Tony glances around, wildly, and reaches behind him to grab the handrail holding the small towel behind and yank it off as a makeshift weapon, and holds it out shakily. His heart thrums hard and heavy against his chest, like it's trying to fly out if his ribcage, and Tony swallows back the lump of terror growing in his throat. The man smiles, sharp and wild, and Tony narrows his eyes, trying to gauge whether he can make a break for the door. "Back off," Tony says and hates himself for sounding scared, for having that little tremor in his voice. His hands feel cold, and the metal stark against his skin. "Who the hell are you?" The man stares at him, silent. Then he moves, and is on him in a heartbeat, and Tony yells out something garbled, throws hard punches the way Nat taught him and for a moment the man looks surprised like he didn't expect Tony to fight back and Tony takes that precious second to bring down the metal rail, flimsy and weak in his hands onto the man's back but his assailant just grabs it out of his hands like a piece of paper and flings it to the side. Shit, Tony thinks, panicked and loud in his mind. He backs himself up against the counters, fear coiled in his gut. "Hey, asshole," Tony says, out of breath and holds his hands up and takes a trembling breath. He will not give this man the satisfaction of seeing him scared. "Let's talk this out." He eyes the metal container of soap on the sink, and grabs it, hoping he can get close enough to get at least one hit. The man shakes his head a little, eyes Tony with a lazy disregard that suggests he'll enjoy tearing out Tony's throat, and that he'll be yawning with boredom while he does it. Faintly, Tony thinks it reminds him of the kind of look Howard used to give him. Tony kicks out at the man, wild and uncoordinated, just as the stranger stalks forward. It's too quick, the whole thing, and the blood is rushing in his ears, because his kick is easily blocked and Tony can't fucking breathe for a moment when the man responds with three vicious jabs to the gut, almost enough to bring Tony down to his knees. God, he wants to get down on his knees. The masked assailant throws him against the sink, and he slams back into the marble and groans from the stabbing pain that just explodes in his lower back, and tries to struggle up, but his legs are failing him. His legs tremble with the effort of keeping up, and Tony glares weakly at the man, and tries to regain his balance with a trembling hand grasping the counter. "You don't fucking belong here," The man hisses in his ear and yanks him forward by his torn up shirt and knees him in the gut, and then slams Tony's head down on the bathroom floor. Tony makes a sound in his throat, pained and shocked, his vision spotting for a moment at the blunt contact with the cold marble. Blood, somewhere in his head registers, there's blood in his mouth. He grits his teeth, tries to blink against the seering agony that slices across his back and his head, tries to get back up. "Go back to where you came from, you and your fucking friend. You're nothing but civilians, and you shouldn't be here. It's not right. Steve's grown soft," and the man spits, snarls in rage. "He's grown weak. I didn't believe it at first. I thought he was a good leader." "Steve..." Tony splutters from the metallic tang of blood trickling from his lips. It's in his throat, heavy and thick and Tony decides he hates blood. "Steve's good." "No," the man growls, voice dark and furious. "He's not. Not anymore. I'm not the only one who thinks so," he says, and there's a little laughter in his tone. It's sick. "Hey," Tony tips his chin and tries to draw in a breath. It's not getting into his lungs, and he gapes for another. "Does the Geneva Convention know about this?" It's stupid, he thinks in hindsight, goading on men like that. He gets a kick in his ribs for his trouble and tries not to moan from the pain. "Steve's weak. You're proof it's true." The man snaps, pointing at him and whirling around towards the door. "Your ribs are probably broken, that's why you can't breathe." Damn. Tony tries to glare at the man, but only succeeds in squinting. "W-well, Florence fucking Nightingale, why don't you tend to me?" The stranger snorts, hand on the doorknob. What's he waiting for? Tony decides to stop making the effort to talk, because honestly his neurons are probably fried from all the pain and he can do nothing but lay there, on his back, his head spinning out of control and blinks up at the man lingering above him, trying to remember the lines of his face. And he hates it, hates this helplessness taking over his body, that he can't even find the strength to life his arms. Tony's eyes roll to the back of his head, and the ceiling is suddenly so fucking bright. So bright it hurts, and then the ceiling is gone, and he freaks out, but then his vision flashes back and the white is blinding. Tony stretches his fingers, wants to get up. Needs to get up. He knows he has to. Happy. Where's Happy? "Hey asshole," Tony croaks, lids drooping as black creeps in at the edge of his vision. "At least...'least turn off the fucking light." It's so goddamn bright, he thinks. The least this guy could do. He turns his head to the side, and there's a dull, throbbing pain in the back of his head he ignores. The man becomes nothing but a shadow, silhouette blinking in and out. The man tips his head back to smile at him, teeth flashing as he flicks his fingers in a mocking wave. "Night night, baby Stark." The last thing Tony sees, is the door clicking shut. They're sitting in a board room, all of them. Sharon is seated opposite of him, staring him down with her arms crossed. Bucky is sharpening his knife, languid and slow, eyeing the guards behind Sharon with distrust. Nat's jaw is tight, her eyes intent and focused on all three. Steve sighs. The tension in the room is palpable, rigid and coursing throughout the room. He knew it wasn't a good idea, bringing up Zola, and his impending leadership. He's about to open his mouth, calm everyone down, when the doors to the board room burst open and an agent, looking panicked and scared rushes inside, and it sets off a chain reaction. Sharon scowls, whipping around. "This is a classified meeting, agent, what's your—" The agent, who Steve recognizes as Tom Jensen, a seasoned officer, ignores Sharon and turns to face him, eyes wide. "Mr Carter, sir, there's been an incident, involving the young Stark, Mr. Hogan sent me to tell you—" Jensen says more, mouth moving, but Steve is already standing up, his heart stopping in his chest. The sharpening of Bucky's knife grinds to a jarring stop. Nat jumps to her feet, fires off questions, "What? What happened?" "You better come quick, Mr. Carter," Jensen says quickly, eyes swinging from Nat to him. "Mr. Hogan says it's pretty bad." "What the fuck happened?" Bucky snaps, voice taut, and grabs Steve by the neck, pushing him out the door. Nat follows behind, working her jaw, and Sharon is moving around behind them. He stumbles, mind racing, and all he can hear is Tony is hurt. Tony is hurt. Tony is hurt. "Steve!" Nat says, sharp and cuts through his thoughts. "Pull yourself together. We have to get Tony." "Steve," Sharon says, eyes narrowed, but falls silent at Nat's harsh glance. Bucky's shoulders are quivering, a sign he knows means that the brunet is worried and angry. It's something he doesn't see often, and Steve blinks back to focus, and his heart roars in his ears. Do something. Take charge. "How badly is he hurt?" Steve says, forcing the whirlwind to the back of his mind and staring straight ahead. He's needed, Tony needs him, and he will not fail Tony. They're moving fast, almost running, and attracting concerned glances along the way. Down the hallway, to the next, he vaguely registers Bucky telling him to turn left. They're headed to the medical wing. Jensen is brisk, ahead of them, and answers curtly. "I haven't seen him, sir, but Mr. Hogan seems to be very furious." Bucky snarls next to him. "Fucking hell, what happened? Who the fuck dared?" Nat looks between the both of them, green eyes glinting. "We'll find that out later," and there's something dark in her voice, promising pain. Tony's hurt, and Steve wasn't there. He wasn't there to stop it, and he wasn't there to help. The guilt weighs, massive and unbearable, in his gut. It's going to bring all of him down with it. Nat touches him softly on his shoulder, and Steve turns to her, saying everything with his eyes. She nods. They're at the medical wing, and Steve locks eyes on the first doctor he finds. "Tony Stark, Happy Hogan, where are they?" And the nurses and the doctors must see something in him, in all of them, because there's fear in the air and no one says anything for a split second. Bucky twitches beside him. He's about to explode. A man in a white coat steps forward, gestures them to follow him. "Mr. Stark? He's in room 204. They're stabilizing him." The doctor, wise man, knows exactly who they are and leads them down the corridor, points to the room 204. The door swings open, and Happy strides forward, blood dappled across his shirt. "Steve, Bucky, thank God you're here. Tony was attacked in the bathroom—" But Steve's not listening, because when he catches sight of Tony, that's where he goes. He reaches the brunet's bedside, sees the tubes, the breathing mask settled on Tony's face, and the bandages wrapped around his head. And there's so many things he wants to do, but he slowly falls to his knees, eyes fixed on the brunet's lax face. Tony's pale, eyes shut, eyelashes resting against his cheeks. Steve reaches forward, heart breaking, and runs his fingers through Tony's forehead and his hair. "Tony?" He says, softly, and rests his fingers against the brunet's cold cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You'll be okay. I promise." Tony doesn't reply. He doesn't even open his eyes. Bucky crouches next to him, eyes dark with fury. "Tony," he says, voice cracking. "Fuck, Steve, fuck. How, how the fuck did this happen? Can anyone tell me anything?" and he turns, on his feet, favorite knife in his hands. Steve blinks, gazes at Bucky distantly. "Buck," he says, flatly. "Talk to Happy. See what he knows." Happy's in the corner, arms crossed, mouth pulled tight. "We were working down in the lab. Everything was fine, and then Tony went to go to the bathroom, while I looked for something to complete our experiment. He took a while," and Happy grits his teeth, eyes straying to Tony's prone form in the hospital bed. "He took a while, so I went to look for him. I found him on the floor, blood around his head, and I wrapped it with my shirt and called for help." Bucky's staring at Happy, eyes narrowed. "You let him go alone?" and there's misplaced anger in his voice, and Nat notices it too because she steps in front of Bucky, stares right into his eyes. "Buck," she says, a warning in her voice. "It's not his fault." Happy blinks, glances up at the ceiling and down again, fists clenched. "No, it is. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I should've been there." "No, she's right," Steve says, voice dry. He feels small, and he feels helpless. How can he protect anyone, his family, when he can't even protect Tony? "It's not Happy's fault. It's mine. I asked him to stay. I let him stay, when I fucking knew it was stupid, and now he's hurt, because of me." Bucky glances at him, eyes hollow, then back to Tony. The muscled brunet's shoulders sag a little. "Steve," Nat says, voice hard. "We are not playing the blame game. Tony's hurt, and it's our job to figure out who is responsible, and it is our job to fix this." She moves, lithe and smooth, over to the door and waves in the doctor who's been lingering outside the entire time. "We need to know everything. So get your head on straight, Carter." She takes Steve's chin in her hand, looks right into him. "Alright?" Steve stands, facing the cautious doctor. He breathes in, settling his heart, his frantic mind, and focuses on one razor sharp thought. How to help Tony now. "Doctor, how is he?" The doctor introduces himself as Jerry, and holds out a clipboard. "He's stable, which is very good, considering his state when he came in had us worried about internal bleeding. But he doesn't," the doctor says hurriedly, when Bucky's head snaps up sharply. "We have him on a drip, sleeping meds, a breathing incubator until we know for sure the condition of his ribs and lungs. He's sustained a minor concussion, could have been worse if there was a second impact but there wasn't, so that's very good news. We've treated his head wound, and waiting on X-Rays to determine whether the damage to his ribs are severe." Nat nods. "Thank you, doctor. Please make sure he's in no pain and comfortable." The doctor dips his head, and takes that as his cue to leave. With every passing second, there's more rage coiling up in his gut, tight and raring to break free. His shoulders are tight, and Steve takes another deep breath in order to resist losing control. He can't. This is his mess, and he will fix it. Bucky's knife is out again, twirling in his hands, fast and dangerous. "I'm going to flay the person who did this," he says, fury barely concealed in his voice. "I'm going to rip their throats out." Nat lets out a breath, and there's a sadness in her gaze. "We have to make this right." She moves to Tony's bedside, leans down and brushes her fingers against the brunet's hair. "Kotenok," she murmurs softly. "We will get you justice." "This was someone from the inside," Bucky says, voice low. "Just like how McCullough put men on Tony and Clint's apartments. This was someone we know." "They're trying to send us a message," Steve says, stares at Tony's sleeping face. "Sending me a message." The realization is sudden, hits him like a wave of cold water, and he reels from it. "This is for me." Nat squints at him, and a spark of understanding dawns in her eyes. "It's because Tony's connected to you. Everyone's been talking about it, about us bringing in civilians. Many are unhappy." "This is a protest on your leadership?" Bucky asks, blue eyes like ice. There's nothing soft or calm about the way he stands, shoulders squared, metal arm glinting, the Winter Soldier bleeding through the cracks. "I'm taking over soon. They all know it." Steve says, and eyes his two most loyal friends in the world. "I think it's someone closer than we know. Someone who has the power, and the pull." A growl rumbles in Bucky's throat, and his metal fingers flex, machinery whirring. "I think I know who he is. It doesn't surprise me, that fucking coward," he spits. "Using an innocent civilian to make his point instead of directly to our faces. Fucking cunt." "We can't let him think we suspect him," Nat tells him quietly. "We need to let him think we're going after someone else." "Maybe some random agent who thought he knew better, felt like Tony is a threat." Steve says, and shakes his head. He shouldn't have to pretend, pretend like he doesn't know whose fault it is Tony's lying in a hospital bed, in pain. He shouldn't have to pretend like he doesn't know who put the terror in Tony's eyes, the terror he must've felt when they came for him. "Let's tell him to get fucked," Bucky suggests, and Nat rolls her eyes in good humor. "Let's tell him that, only without words, and with the tip of my very handy knives." "Plan B," Steve agrees and his mouth twitches. "Alright. We play this slow. No one else comes to harm. Just between the three of us, yeah?" They nod. "Sharon," Nat says, reminding him. "What are you going to do?" Steve grits his teeth, looking away. "She can wait. I'll ask Peggy to field any questions for now. This is a priority. I'm going to find Tony's attacker." "Steve, be careful," Nat warns, her green eyes searching. "We have to proceed cautiously. Whoever did this, they're expecting you to retaliate. You don't want to play right into their hand. People don't expect you to fight tooth and claw for Tony. If you do—" Bucky whirls on her, then, teeth flashing, and snaps, "What are you saying? You don't think we should find who did this?" Nat faces him, calmly. She's always been the more rational one, out of the three of them. "I want to find the attacker as much as you do, Buck," Nat says steadily. "But there are deeper and darker things at play here." Steve raises his head, suddenly feeling a wave of exhaustion threatening to sweep over his bones. He wants to sit down, next to Tony's bed, and shut everything away. But he can't do that, and the heavy weight of his duty burdens on his shoulders. "She's right, Buck." Steve says, voice quiet. "But if I let this go unpunished, I'll look weak. Tony was clearly and officially under my protection, so is Clint. They're both in danger now, and if I do not respond, it'll seem like I have no control, or authority over them or anyone else. Then they'll stop listening to me." Bucky jams his knife back, into his belt, and glares balefully at him. "So what? Are you going to do something about it?" Steve clears his throat, tries to tamp down the feelings of anger, anger for himself, for Tony, and horror, because what kind of monster would attack an innocent civilian? What kind of monster, would leave Tony, sweet, smart, kind Tony, lying on the floor in his own blood? Bucky is looking at him, expectant, like when Steve gives the command, he'll unleash the Winter Soldier. Nat is standing next to him, silent and trustworthy, at his side. He is the leader. There will be no mercy for the one who hurt Tony. He turns, kicks open the door, stalks into the hallway. Jensen is standing with a group of agents, all under his command. They're part of an elite group, and Steve himself trains with them, so he knows they can be trusted. "Jensen," Steve says, and everyone turns to face him. Expectant. "I want two guards. Posted by Tony's door, day and night. Find ones you trust. Send two more to me, and I want them with the other civilian, Clint Barton, at all times. The rest of you, I want you looking at security footage, anywhere near the lab, I want to know who the hell did this." Bucky steps forward, flashes his teeth in the parody of a smile. "I hope I don't have to convince anyone to work very hard." Nat touches him on the shoulder, and tells him softly, "I'm going to find Clint. Make sure he's alright and tell him about Tony." Steve nods, and then turns to face the people in the halls. "This will not go unpunished," Steve says, raising his voice. He feels the eyes of his agents on him, and hope anyone involved is also listening. "This was an attack against my leadership, my authority, and I will not let this happen again. That young man was under my protection. And I know some people here question my decisions, and your concerns are valid, but I will not have innocents harmed in order to make a point. If you have a problem," Steve rakes his gaze around the room, and not one person meets his eyes. "You have it with me. Only me." "This was the work of a coward. Make no mistake," Steve says, voice dropping into a snarl. "I will find the person responsible." He hopes, that this will reach whoever orchestrated the attack. He hopes it's enough, that this shows the world that Tony is theirs. Theirs to protect, and theirs to defend. The agents disperse, quickly, expressions nervous. Jensen turns and gestures two men behind him, and at Steve's permitting nod, they move to stand sentry outside Tony's door. It's not the first time Steve has shown this much anger, because the last time he did, things went south real fast. "Steve," Bucky says, and Steve turns to see his best friend's face tightened and creased in a scowl. "I need to do something. I need to get my hands on someone," he explains, tense. Bucky's metal arm is whirring again, restless, and there's a certain wildness in the back of his eyes Steve knows too well. Steve frowns, motions Bucky to the hallway, out of sight from any prying eyes. "Is the Winter Soldier close?" Bucky lets out a forced breath, blinks up at him. "Yeah," and there's an apology in his voice. "Just, seeing Tony..." and he trails off, looking distant. "I understand, sweetheart." Steve says softly, leaning in close. He needs the comfort, the closeness only Bucky can bring. "You don't need to be sorry." "Sometimes he's right there, at the back of my mind. Just waiting to come out." Bucky breathes, fingers flexing. Steve watches his best friend carefully, trying to find markings of the Winter Soldier. He had learned to, after years of being by Bucky's side during the intense therapy sessions that left Bucky shaking and sweating, needing to be helped out before he went through an episode, after the night terrors that had left Bucky in terrified tears more than once. He had been through it all, endured the suffering with his best friend without batting an eye. "He's a part of you, Buck," Steve tells him, presses a kiss on his forehead. "You're in control. Okay? You're in control." Bucky sighs, hand going to the strap that holds his knife. "I need to distract myself. If I stay here I'm going to go insane." They all need something to distract themselves when things goes sideways. With Nat, she always goes to her room, for about an hour, turns off the lights, and doesn't come out for at least an hour. To keep his own cool, Steve always heads to the gym and stays there until the rage is burned out. With Bucky, he needs a physical distraction, needs the adrenaline of a thrill, a hunt. Steve racks his brain, trying to think of something. Bucky's blue eyes are shadowed and his shoulders hunched, and he knows how close the Winter Soldier might be if Bucky's this wound up. "You came to me yesterday with a name from Carlston, something about the Rogues, and it could be connected to Zola." Steve says, taking a hold of Bucky's shoulder and staring into his eyes. "You remember? You said you had a name, a lead." Bucky looks up sharply and nods, blue eyes flashing. "Niki Rosten." "Will you be okay by yourself?" Steve asks, fretting. He doesn't want Bucky to lose control out there. "Maybe I can send a team with you. Or Wanda, Pietro." But Bucky shakes his head, and says, "No, Stevie. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll be back in a few hours." Then, his eyes straying past Steve's shoulder, he murmurs, "Look after Tony for me." "Call if you need help," Steve says and touches Bucky's cheek before the muscular brunet leaves, shoulders a little less tight. Steve watches Bucky go, chest feeling hollow, unable to ignore the fear wrapping around his gut and the sense of foreboding crawling on his skin, raking shivers down the back of his spine. He swallows back his feelings of unease, and runs a hand through his unruly hair. He watches till he loses sight of his best friend, and wonders if he made the right choice. It doesn't take him long to get what he needs from the mechanic flailing gracelessly in his grasp. Bucky doesn't want to kill him, really, he doesn't. But the Winter Soldier is close, his icy fingers gripped around Bucky's throat and he's telling him to snap, snap that neck. It'll feel good, the Soldier whispers in his ear, fingertips trailing over the hollow in his collarbones. Bucky quivers ever so slightly, desperately drawing for a breath but it seems like the air is trapped in his lungs, convulsing and writhing. It's unattainable, and Bucky's throat closes, vision flashing white. Do it, soldat. A smile, ruthlessly cold, stretches in a tragic imitation of the Cheshire Cat grin on the Soldier's face. "Pl-ease," the mechanic chokes, words coming out spluttered with drops of blood on the floor. "D-don't kill me, I'll tell you a-anything—" Bucky shudders again, clawing himself back into the present. He looks down, briefly, and his chest is heaving, knuckles turning white from where they're gripping the mechanic's head. The mechanic, suspended between Bucky's legs like a fallen fawn whimpers, eyes wide and glittering with unshed tears and the struggle resumes again. The Soldier curls his lip at that. Pathetic. Clinging to a life not worth living, and the Soldier tuts. Why even bother, hmm? All life is precious, Bucky replies tartly, and the Soldier snorts. Bucky tilts the mechanic's chin up, and forces his voice to work. "You're sure this is where she lives?" He rasps, raking his eyes over the address written on a small piece of paper the mechanic had quickly scrawled on when Bucky's hands first wrapped around his neck. The mechanic nods frantically, saliva dripping off his lips. "Yes, yes, I wouldn't lie, I fucking promise, I swear to God—" God means nothing to me, the Soldier murmurs, blue eyes growing paler in the darkness. Bucky breathes out shakily, blinks, and the Soldier's closer now, silhouette so close to him he feels the glint and the sharp cold of metal touching his skin. The Soldier's calm, measured breaths, rising and falling beneath him, behind him, in him. "I know who you are," the mechanic says, voice shattering in pieces. "The Winter Soldier, I wouldn't lie. That is where Niki Rosten lives. I swear it." He's lying, and the Soldier makes a noise in his throat, a pleased purr. Why not just kill him and get it over with? Steve would be delighted at finding a corpse you left behind. Imagine Tony's face. He'd be fascinated. Steve won't let me get away with cold-blooded murder, Bucky retorts, angry at the suggestion. No, he wouldn't, would he? Maybe it's time to— "No," Bucky snaps, and lets go. His metal fingers loosen around the mechanic's throat, and the poor man scrambles away so quickly he's surprised he doesn't twist his ankle. The mechanic is still on the floor, watching him with terrorized eyes and paralyzed limbs. He can smell the fear radiating from the hunched figure. The silence is deafening, and Bucky straightens, and the Soldier fades away in a drumming heartbeat to nestle somewhere in the shadows. "Please," the mechanic says again, eyes wavering from side to side. No doubt looking for something to defend himself with. There's a wench, lying to the side, forgotten in the struggle next to the hood of an expensive Ferrari, clearly stolen since the plates are tossed to the side. But the mechanic doesn't risk it, thankfully, and so Bucky doesn't have to kill anyone today. Yet. "Don't tell anyone I was here." Bucky rasps, and forces himself to move, move towards the glaring garage door. He doesn't have to look back to know the mechanic will listen. Bucky stumbles out of the washed out garage, pulls down the metal sheet behind him and it drops to the floor with a resounding screech. The sunlight is suddenly blinding, and Bucky shakes his head, trying to focus despite its glare. He takes out the piece of paper and squints at the address, wildly scrawled. He glances up, peers around, and the street is eerily empty. There's no one around, which is mildly suspicious given it's still daylight. There's a few cranking noises from inside the garage, and Bucky eyes the door from his peripheral vision. It didn't take him long to find the mechanic, after working through all known records of Niki Rosten, he'd come to the conclusion that in her free time, she dallied among car dealers. A car thief, and a talented one at that. And there'd been records of her purchasing several vintage classics, and only one referral listed as the dealership. The mechanic had blabbed almost immediately, that she was a frequent customer, and after a few minutes Bucky had gotten her address. Briefly, Bucky entertains the thought of remarking to Rosten, once he's found her, that she should really get a reputable dealer. Because if the majority of the people she's worked with is as boneless as the mechanic, he really does wonder exactly how she's managed to stay alive until now. The address is only a few blocks from the mechanic's dealer garage. That's good. That means she's sloppy, because everyone knows living near anyone who knows where you are, who you are and especially someone who works for you is a mistake, a mistake that can get you killed. So Bucky gets on his motorcycle, swings right up, and suddenly Tony flashes into his mind, Tony who when he first saw Bucky's motorcycle grinned the biggest grin and told him that he'd love to show that motorcycle a good time, in his workshop, and winked. Bucky had flirted back, asked if the motorcycle's owner could have a good time too, and reveled when Tony's eyes grew a little bigger and smile a little delighted. He breathes out sharply, and can't stop himself from seeing Tony's bruised, swollen face, pale and unmoving against white, empty sheets. The parting of Tony's lips, blood trickling from the edges of ghostly pink. Unseeing eyes, cloudy and grey, staring up at nothing. He has to physically ground himself, in order to convince himself Tony isn't dead, that he's alright, back at the compound with Steve. Ah, death is all around you isn't it? The Soldier murmurs gleefully in his ear, and it's so soft, Bucky nearly loses it to the wind. Bucky shivers, heart thudding against his chest and he knows that if he stays there for a moment longer, it's another moment the Soldier grows a little larger and a little more there in his mind so he revs the engine and as the vehicle springs to life underneath him, he loses himself in the stream of gas and pure, unadulterated noise. And he's almost there before he knows it, zooming through the streets, the wind whipping at his hair, and nearly runs over an unassuming pedestrian walking on the sidewalk who yells out an outraged "hey!" and then, "I'm walking over here!" Bucky shoots a quick look back and an apologetic smile, in partnership with a held up hand in the universal gesture of 'I'm sorry' and chuckles to himself at the thought of Steve having to explain to Peggy how Bucky directly caused the death of some poor bastard on his way to the local bagelshop during one of his excursions. Yes, Peggy, I know Bucky's supposed to be under my supervision but I don't know, he just left, yes, went up and fucked right off, and yes, I know he's had a troublesome history but really, what can we do? Return him to the shelter? Peggy's resounding gasp of horror loops in his mind. He absolutely pictures himself replying in a neat, sincere little tone, I just made a guy's bank debts and mortgages disappear. I saved him from an ugly divorce that would've left him with only his shoes 'cos his wife is a bitch and she took the TV and his goddamn Playboy magazines. Honestly, I saved him from a soulless life. Steve, the self-sacrificing moron, would offer himself up on a stick the second Peggy's eyebrows furrowed in the middle in blatant rejection of Bucky's reply. I'd never hear the end of it, Bucky thinks fondly, imagining Steve's disgruntled but soft look he's so used to being on the receiving end of. He ends up on the corner of Niki Rosten's street in a minute and a half, and the apartment building is tall, solitary-looking, grey and washed out but not as half bad as he would've expected. But then again, she is McCullough's daughter. It's more of a surprise she isn't living in a lavish penthouse instead. Knowing McCullough, he'd even have a statue of himself (sucking dick) doing a preposterously offensive pose of himself stationed somewhere, in full view of tragic visitors. No wonder Rosten chose this bourgeoisie bullshit. Bucky moves quickly, parks his motorcycle somewhere that won't be seen, and only takes the essentials with him; his favorite Walther handgun, two rounds of ammo tucked in his waistband, and the FNX-45 flashy golden gun Natasha gave him for last Christmas as an inside joke. He's got a grenade clipped to his belt, and at least two of his most practical tactical knives resting comfortable in the small of his back. Then he strides to the building, debates whether to just shoot the lock on the damn thing if he puts a silencer on his gun but then the door clicks open, and a woman with frazzled red hair stumbles out, looking disarrayed. She glances at him, aggravated and expectant. "Oi, you goin' in?" The woman asks in a harsh British accent, and it sounds like Mary Poppins gone all 50 shades of wrong. Her hand goes to the scruffy handbag hanging off her thin, scrawny shoulder and the other hand bracing the door open. Bucky watches her eyes flicker from side to side in the scared, jittery way animals do when they sense a predator is near, and feels a stab of pity. Bucky regards her slowly, wondering whether to tell her not to be scared. No, ma'am, I'm wearing the type of black gear hitmen do on TV but I'm really not dangerous, and these bulges in my jackets are really packets of Sour Patches and not guns. Really, ma'am. Swear it. Scout's honor. He never joined the Scouts. He can see her skeptical raised eyebrows already. "Yes, thanks," he says at last, and and shoulders his way through the open door, ignoring the weight of the woman's stare on his back. At least she can always say plausible deniability, Bucky tells himself. There's only two stories, and Bucky checks the paper with the address again, and it says, Mail: 2B. He makes it up the stairs in doubles, quiet and fast, in under a minute. 300 calories gone just like that, Bucky thinks in satisfaction. Denial is a powerful tool. The door to 2B looks much, much older than its neighbors, the wood cracked and sporting at least two patches of mould, or whatever else it is. He has to suppress a shiver at the thought of the contents inside the apartment. Leaning against the door, he presses his ear against the cold wood and listens for any signs of movement inside. Alright, he grew up on CSI. In one single breath, Bucky whirls on his feet and kicks the door down in one powerful sweep of his leg, and that crackpoor shit of a door slams onto the ground, splintering and Bucky strides inside, the Walther gripped firmly in his hands and eyes tracking each corner. The apartment is empty, and Bucky surveys the place. The curtains are drawn, and the only light comes in from a tiny kitchen window on his right, and literally the entire room is a mess. Magazines, files, documents piled on the floor, clothes strewn on the couch, and since the living room is tiny Bucky peers into the bathroom, and wrinkles his nose at the smell. "What a fucking slob," Bucky says out loud to no one in particular, and nudges a small pot of cactus away from a bowl of unfinished cereal. On the floor. Cactus and Cereal? This Rosten character is odd. This is a whole new level of messy, kinda unhealthy, and obviously it's not only McCullough's crime business he can't raise properly. "Hey!" A man shouts, slamming open the bedroom door. "Who's there?" There's a gun in his hand, and Bucky vaults over the couch and strikes heavy and hard at his knee, wrenches the man's gun away with his metal hand and with a pained screech the man falls to his hands, and Bucky knocks him unconscious with the butt of his own gun. "Ricky? What's going—" A tall, broad-shouldered Australian with a buzzcut stomps out, and sees the body hanging limply from Bucky's arms. Expression contorting, he raises the gun and fires, three rounds, and Bucky's already pushing the unconscious man in front of him, and hisses in displeasure when the bullets bury themselves in his heavy charge. Blood splatters onto his boots and Bucky makes a noise of displeasure, and drops the now dead man to the floor. "You just killed your friend," Bucky comments, and the Australian drops his gun, brandishes a silver knife. Bucky pockets his own gun and takes an upright boxing stance, tac knife held in his right hand. The Australian strikes first, expertly driving the knife in vicious twirls in the space between them that Bucky has to consciously side-step, and Bucky dodges in time to punch, with his left hand, straight into the Australian's chest. Right in the center, between the ribcages, a weak spot that when pushed collapses and at the same time d his drives his knife across the Australian's abdomen. The blood wells, black and tinged with metal from the wound but really, Bucky's made sure it's missed all his vital organs. In a swift motion he swipes with his leg and the Australian topples to the floor, knife clattering to the side, hand to the wound in his belly, groaning in pain. The Soldier smiles at that. Bucky drops to a couch, metal hand around the Australian's throat. "Let her go," he intones, and glances up towards the open bedroom door, where another man stands uncertainly, his back to the wall, clutching a gun pressed to the side of a woman's head. "What do you want with her?" The man holding Niki Rosten snaps, and Bucky notes the tremor in which he holds the hand that decidedly means these aren't professionals. He motions to the Australian struggling beneath him. "I won't kill your friend, if you let her go," he says again, lazily. There's indecision in the remaining goon's eyes but already Bucky can tell what he'll do. So when the man reacts, takes the gun from Rosten's head to point at him, Bucky's already made peace with another death. The Australian's eyes are bulging from the metal hand choking him out, saliva frothing at the edges of his mouth. Rosten reacts, driving her elbow into her captor's gut, and launches herself out of sight in the identical moment Bucky whips out his Walther, closes one eye in persistent aim, and presses the trigger. The man topples to the floor, dead, and his shot goes wry, into the drywall instead of in Bucky's skull. Then there's a click of a safety going off behind him, and Bucky turns around, slowly (theatrically if he's being honest) and right into the barrel of a gun. Niki Rosten is attractive, wavy dark brown hair pulled up in a high ponytail, auburn eyes sharp and bright. In spite of the bruises on her wrists and superficial cuts on her face, he can immediately see she's not an amateur, the way she holds her gun, it's sure and calm. He'll have to move slowly, maybe talk her down. She's also...tall, and Bucky's eyebrows tickle upwards at that. "I thought you'd be taller," he says, because it's the first thing that runs through his mind. Nice, the Soldier snarks in his mind, slow-clapping. Bucky scowls. Rosten narrows her eyes and gestures to the broken door strewn around her feet, and the three—no, two dead bodies on the floor. "I thought you'd be more polite." "I feel like we're already bonding." Bucky says, truthfully, and grins a little. "You need better friendships then," Rosten shoots back, deadpan, and motions with a small tip of her head. "Put the gun down." "I'll show you mine if you show me yours," Bucky returns calmly, and raises his pinky finger in an effort to show his intentions of peace. Really, the UN would be proud. Steve would be proud. It must be effective, because Rosten follows the movement and lowers her gun slowly, and Bucky does the same until the guns are both hanging by their sides. I like how we're just ignoring the very dead men in your apartment, Bucky thinks dryly. Rosten arches an inquisitive eyebrow. "Bucky Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier, and Steve Carter's little right-hand man. Fitting," she adds, eyes trailing to the left metal one. "It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. And just in time, too." "A sense of humor," Bucky acknowledges with a tip of his head. "Did not learn that from your father." It's nice, to see Rosten's mouth quirk up in something that resembles a smile. She takes a wary step back, and Bucky commits the small details to memory; the way her finger's flexing on the gun, firing it is in the forefront of her mind. Bags under her eyes, she hasn't slept and there's a little fidgety stance in her left leg that implies a loss of focus and perfect form, and he can use that. "Pissed a couple people off, have you?" "Just the normal amount," Rosten murmurs in response. She touches her bruised wrists, wincing slightly. "I won't ask if you know who I am, because there's no other reason you would be here," Rosten says, brushing it off, and Bucky shrugs in agreement. I like her. She gets right to the point. "Are you here to talk or to make a point?" And by that, she's asking if they're negotiating a deal or if he's going to kill her. "To talk," Bucky says honestly, and blinks. "I'm here for information. About your father, about the Rogues, and well, I've gotten reports of demonic activity in the city increasing by the name of Zola." "He really is a piece of shit," Rosten surmises with a dry smile. "Which one, your father or Zola?" "Yes." Rosten replies, and Bucky lets out a bark of laughter. "Can't argue with that," Bucky tells her and draws his long finger against the base of his gun, trailing on the cool metal. "Listen. I really don't want to hurt you, or anyone today. But my friend's hurt, and we think this goes a shitload deeper than we thought. I would like to leave here today with...substantial news." "We," Rosten repeats and leans back against the wall. Her hold on the gun is a little tighter, and Bucky shifts his position a little, so he can duck for cover if they start shooting. He hopes not. "You and your blond boyfriend, and that posse of an assassin and two civilians?" He doesn't ask how she knows. "Yeah." Her body will be a bitch to hide, if it comes to that. "What do I get from this?" Rosten asks, sounding relatively bored. But he can tell she's a bit flustered, her stance becoming slightly more fidgety. Your life, Bucky thinks silently, and just blinks at her. She understands. Rosten stays quiet for a second, and when she talks, it's slow and measured. "I'm assuming you want to know about the Rogues, which is how you found me." She takes a breath, like it's physically painful, and Bucky frowns in faux-sympathy in honor of their newly forged bond. "My father and I aren't on the best of terms," she begins carefully. "I joined the Rogues a few months ago. Mostly ex-military, never escaped the battlefield. I became their, well, leader. We were backed by Carlston, and we worked for him. Pay was good, job was easy, we went in and out on standard mercenary jobs. But then the jobs started getting botched," and Rosten's auburn eyes flash dark for a moment, as if reliving some particularly horrifying past. "And we lost two. Two good men. I left, after that, with my team, and Zola was waiting in hand with a check, bigger and better than what we had with Carlston." It's always the same story with these mercenaries. Erik's been saying the same for years, how fragile the bond is between mercenary and hire. They go where the money goes, and Erik referred to them simply as blood hounds. Bucky waits patiently for Rosten to finish. "So we started working for Zola, and a few days ago, some of my team went on a drop-off, important stuff, Zola neglected to give us the details but it was clear, transport it safely." She cocks her head at that. "You were there. One of mine nearly got you." "One nearly did," Bucky concedes. "I really must meet them. Fantastic skills." "What a compliment," Rosten chuckles softly. "Straight from the Winter Soldier himself." "You were alone here. Where's your team?" "I've been on my own for a while," Rosten says and there's something off about the way she says it, razor-sharp beneath a calm tone. Bucky itches to ask. "Does Zola know you're McCullough's daughter?" He wonders if Rosten really is telling him the truth. It's not uncommon for mercenaries to talk, since their loyalty is mostly unbounded, but in Rosten's case he suspects the opposite. "He must have." Rosten rolls her eyes, theatrically in response. "Of course. But I don't make it a point to run around telling everyone that. My father's not," and she hesitates. "Beloved in this city. He's passionate like that," and there's a tremor of bitterness in her voice. "Never does anything half-assed." "In our line of work, half-assed gets you killed," Bucky tells her solemnly. "Thank you for cooperating." It sounds hard in his mouth, rocky and chipped, cutting his tongue in different places. Rosten eyes him delicately, and finally says, "You're going to kill them, aren't you? Or you're going to stop them somehow. My father's long been an enemy of the Carters, and Zola's resurfaced after years of inactivity. I've read the reports, I know Peggy Carter will take the opportunity." "Two birds with one stone," Bucky says carefully, because he is talking about the girl's father, after all. "And if you still work for Zola, I'm sure we'll cross paths again on the field." One of us will probably end up dead. "Do you have a father?" Rosten suddenly says, and then laughs sharply, "That was a stupid question." It throws him off, though, just for a second and Rosten immediately catches on to it like a moth to a flame. He regains his footing, and then lifts his shoulders in a shrug. Interesting tactic. "I did," he says, quietly. "I don't remember much, but he was there at one point." "Then at another point," Rosten continues, and takes a step forward. She's a meter apart from him, and they're staring at each other, blue eyes meeting auburn. "He wasn't." "Asking questions like that, you must've been in therapy at one point." Bucky remarks, and she obviously takes his silence to her question as a 'yes', because she looks satisfied. He flexes his metal fingers. He really should wrap this up, and get back to the compound, to see Steve and Nat, to see Tony. God. He really wants to see Tony. "I want to help," Rosten says, sure and firm and just like that she's flipped the table on him again. The amount of people to do that in a timeframe of just five minutes is very rare, and he regards her with a lot more than interest. "What," Bucky echoes, dumbly. Really. What. "I want to help," Rosten repeats and stares at him earnestly. "Take my father down." "Yeah, bullshit," Bucky says in faint wonder and moves towards the door—okay, hole in the wall that used to be a door. I'm going to have to send a check to the landlord for that, he thinks grimly. "Barnes." Rosten says, voice steely. She takes ahold of his shoulder and it's enough to stop his way out the door—excuse him, hole. "I'm serious. You can trust me. I want to help." "I absolutely can't," Bucky protests, and really looks at her. Fuck. She's serious, she really is. "Why?" he asks, right into those auburn eyes. They don't waver. "He killed my mother," and it's so simple, that phrase, coined into their world like a brand of vengeance and honor and Bucky stops in his tracks. Rosten stares at him calmly, like she's already expecting a cheerful 'yes' and they'll be on their way. "I'm afraid I won't let you leave without bringing me to your compound." "Alright," Bucky complains and leans on his heels. "That's just page one out of the Double-Agent Spy Manipulating Tactics handbook. I've studied that handbook." I made templates out of that handbook. "I'm going to kill my father," Rosten repeats again, and marches in front of him like a petulant child. "With your help. And your team's. Here," she says and holds her wrists out behind her like a trophy. "You can even cuff me." "That will do absolutely nothing." "It will. Just let me talk to your team. I can convince them, to let me help, and I've got information you guys don't have and no, I won't tell you, and trust me, I can contribute to whatever you've got going on. Zola, my father, the Rogues. I'm your way in." "You're also their way in," Bucky retorts and his hackles are flaring, and the Soldier paces in the back of his head, a low growl thrumming in his chest. She's lying, the Soldier hisses, and a white flash of fangs. You can't bring her. "I may be," Rosten accepts his venomous protest with ease. "And it's understandable why you're suspicious. But once you, and your team, hear what I have to say—you'll believe me." She turns fully, and with the gun still in her hand, she takes my metal one and slips the gun into my fingers. "I want to take him down." Bucky chooses that moment to wipe the blood off his tac knife on his pants. "Why should I believe you?" "These men," Rosten says after a pause. "Were here because Zola thinks I'm a threat. Because my father thinks I'm a threat." "You expect me to believe you want to kill your own father?" Bucky challenges, plays with his knife a bit more. It doesn't faze her, and he's not surprised. "No, I expect you to believe a girl wants to avenge her mother's death." Bucky narrows his eyes, and really, he already knows what he's going to do and the Soldier grunts in displeasure. "Well. We've already bonded over daddy issues. Maybe it's time for the whole dysfunctional family group therapy." Rosten's mouth curls up into a pleased smile, and it looks eerily similar to the way Nat smirks after a neat little headshot. "Then lead the way, Barnes." Please oh my, please kudos and comment. But really, comment. Can't wait to see what you guys think, and I PROMISE, Stuckony is really really fucking near. Sorry for the late update :( Tony is on his side, arms curled under his head and his knees pulled up to his chest, in a fetal position. It says something, he thinks, that even in his nightmares he's trying to protect himself, from whatever unknown danger is lurking in the dark. He's not shivering, which is strange, because it feels like he's lying in cold, icy water. It's an inch to his elbow, freezing and oppressive in its silence, but it's water and Tony tries to convince himself it's just water. And no one's afraid of water, right? If this is somehow a twisted version of a wet dream, he really needs to evaluate his sexual desires. Because hey, don't they say that dreams are your body's way of expressing some subconscious thought or want? Maybe it's sleep paralysis. But that would involve actually being awake. And he doesn't know if he's awake, or in some trippy version of Inception. The floor feels hard beneath his skin, slate and metal like the kind they put cadavers on in the hospital, which is not that great of a comparison to make when you're alone and everything is pitch black, and the only sound you can hear is the drip drip drip of water. Where's it even dripping from? There are so many glitches in this dream. If I'm going to have a nightmare, he thinks with increasing anxiety, at least make it a good show. He can't move, which he finds out the hard way in the beginning, so all he can do is lay there, telling himself to keep breathing, trying not to swallow his own tongue from the terror of being paralyzed. Which is really easy to do, by the way, swallowing one's own tongue in a fit of terror is probably America's third leading cause of death. It really isn't good for him, alone in the dark like this, because when Tony's left with his brain alone for too long, it starts to make horrible decisions. Like imagining how the Middle Ages invented so much torture they probably had a torture guy—Torture Master—and probably, in a race to create the most agonizing, fear-inducing torture technique for street creds, must have created something like 'The One Where Your Tongue is Pulled Out by Metal (wood? Because Middle Ages?) Tweezers' when really they could have just stuck their poor prisoners in a room similar to the one where Tony is currently passing away in and hope they swallow their own tongues which he kind of, God forbid, feels himself doing— God, please let me wake up. I promise I'll never step on ants again. I'll start recycling. Save the turtles. I'll save all of them. I'll stop jaywalking. I'll eat all my fucking vegetables. Just, just please let me wake up. I can't stand this. Tony bites the inside of his mouth, willing his throat to work so at least he can scream his frustrations. A truly healthy coping mechanism, his brain supplies dryly. Then he closes his eyes, opens them, and his mouth opens in a shriek that catches in his throat, does something scared and twisted in his chest that leaves his heart in ropes because Tony's staring right into his mother's face. His mother is laying right opposite, and looking straight back at him. "Ciao, piccola." His mother whispers, smiling. And Tony's transported back to when he was three years old, playing with his toys on the lavish Prussian carpet on the wooden floors, next to the crackling fireplace. His mother sits in the corner, on her favorite leather armchair, alone (because Howard never bothered to show his face and was probably drinking somewhere) sipping a white martini with three olives, exuding the sophisticated air Tony had become so accustomed to from even such a young age. On her graceful, porcelain neck rests opaque, irregularly large pearls that on many occasions Tony has sneaked out to play with. The room is dimly lit, classical music trailing the air to the scent of roasted pinewood, and Tony remembers a row of pictures on the fireplace, of his mother and father together, smiling in a way he hasn't seen in so long with their arms entangled and hands entwined. Of his father, posturing in the same confident, neat, stiff way he does in front of cameras and baring his teeth in the glimmer of a handsome smile. He has his arm around a woman, and she looks almost military in her strong, sharp stance. She's almost the same age as his mother, and she has sleek dark brown hair (just like his mother), brilliant hazel eyes that seem to pierce into the photo (it looks familiar). Her ruby red lips are upturned into a small, knowing smirk, like she's enjoying some private joke with the camera in some parody of breaking into the fifth wall that Tony has never been privy to. His mother never, ever, speaks of that picture. In fact, most of the pictures on the fireplace are layered in a fine coat of dust, proof that no one has touched them for months—or maybe even years. Maria Stark would bake at night, when most of the house (by that he means the house staff, because that's who lived there. Not him, not his mother, and definitely not Howard. It wasn't home.) was sound asleep. She would be boiling a pot of hot chocolate, Tony's favorite, as if she knew that soon her son would creep downstairs in exhaustion, unable to sleep but unable to stay still in his bed. Chronic insomnia's a bitch, Tony thinks to himself. It crippled him then and it crippled him now. Then his mother would give him a gentle smile over the counter, hand over the mug of hot chocolate (before it turned into whisky somewhere before his seventeenth birthday) placing her martini on the table and beginning to hum an Italian lullaby, reaching forward for her son. Tony remembers stumbling to his mother with unsure, clambering steps, and her hands are always outstretched, always there to catch him. "Mamma? Mi sei mancato," Tony whispers back, flashing back to the present, and he can feel his eyes welling with unshed tears and he can't stop shaking. So he looks to his mother, listens to her soft breathing, tries to yearn for some comfort that this is, in fact, real. "Mom," he says again, panicked. He knows it's a dream, he knows it. But his eyes are tricking him, deluding himself to the image of Maria Stark and everything he's pined for in a decade, and he can't bring himself to stop. His brain is lying to himself, dastardly convincing, and he can't stop it. Fuck. "Mom, I miss you so much," Tony gasps, like he can't get enough breath in his lungs to make it one more second. "Mom—why'd you...why'd you leave me? Why'd—" And he chokes on his own words and his breath shudders along with his whole body, fracturing his heart into a million shards because his mother's there, and the last time he was this close to Maria Stark was on her deathbed when she was frail and sick, and he was barely seventeen, young and terrified of going on in a world without his mother (she'd been his anchor), and she couldn't breathe without coughing, and when she took her last, agonized breath, some part of him had died. He reaches for her, blindly in the darkness as his fingertips tremble with the ache to touch, and feel the presence of his mother, and that phantom piece of himself he had lost alongside Maria Stark. Maria Stark looks lovely as she has ever been in her prime. Her silky dark brown locks are reminiscent of Tony, and her large doe-eyes are mirrored in the face of her son. She smells of freshly minted peonies blooming in the summertime, and it's been years since Tony's smelled that scent. Mamma always did love summer, Tony thinks in wonder and he smiles a smile full of heartbreak, of love, as her hand folds into his outstretched one and Tony nearly chokes from the wave of emotions that seem to well in his throat. He's crying now, the tears rushing down his cheeks, leaving sticky, hot trails that burn with shame and burn with fear. Don't let this end, he pleads to whatever gracious entity is watching over him and his mother. Please don't take her away from me again. "My son," and her breath is long, cool and soft as it winds over his shoulders, trailing itself around his neck and encasing him in a comforting warmth that seems to calm his bursting heart. It's unreal. Please let this be real. Tony stares unblinkingly at his mother as her smile turns bittersweet and she says, "Tony, be careful, il mio bambino." She reaches out and the moment her fingertips touch his cheek, caressing his skin in the loving, tender ways mothers hold their newborn babes, a swirling cloud made of black rears directly behind her, looming in its awful entity and Tony shouts, tries to warn her but it envelopes itself rapidly over her prone body, enfolding her in a wave of inky blackness that swarms from her feet until it's up to her neck and Tony screams, and this time he can hear himself and it's loud and it's raw. "Tony!" and it's the worst sound he's ever heard, because she screams for him. Maria Stark's brown eyes are wide, and her mouth is opened frantically as the waves of blackness crawl their way up her chin, her cheek, and Tony screams again in desperation of no, no, no, not this again, wildly scrabbling to get closer to his mother. But he can't move. Tony can only watch, numb to the point where he can't even feel his feet, as the blackness fills Maria Stark's mouth and floods over her face, until he can't see his mother anymore and she disappears from him for the second time, and he's too late to save her. And then he wakes up. It's a rude awakening, one that leaves him in a trembling, stupefied mess. Tony gasps, eyes snapping open, blinking wildly as he tries to regain his footing as the hazy impressions around him begin to fit into focus, and the world that's spinning out of control around him fades away to the corners of his whitening vision. He's left staring up at the white hospital ceiling, and the loss of his mother all over again is still so heavy it clings to him like a shadow, like something he won't ever shake off. His heart is beating chaotically in his chest, and it's just now Tony realizes how much he's been sweating, as he stares desperately around the room, searching, searching for something already long gone. The panic that had seemed so overwhelming before ebbs down reluctantly, as if its his body's way of apologizing to him. "Tony?" Clint says in amazement, and his voice sounds faraway and faint but his hold on Tony's hand tightens, and that's what brings him back. "Tony? Buddy? You with me?" I'm awake. I could be dead. He gasps at the thought, stark and deadpan as the memories come into focus. The attempt on his life—or violent assault—in the bathroom. The cruel laughter that suffocated the air as the man who attacked him drove fists into his body, into his ribs. His head slamming into the marble floors with a sickening thud. Happy's desperate struggle to revive him, staunch the bleeding, his pale face. Tony hesitantly reaches up to the back of his head, fingers shaking, and feels nothing but tender skin, nothing at all compared to the damage he had felt there before, thick blood pooling underneath his head. No blood, his brain reassures him as his hands trail to his ribs, and he winces at how tender the bruises are, contusions of black and blue splotching over his skin. "Tony," Clint says, regaining his attention. His friend sounds wrecked, and he's not looking much better. There's rings of lilac around his eyes, proof of sleepless nights, and his hair mussed as Tony's ever seen it. "God, you're okay." And then Clint barrels forward and envelopes him in a hug that rattles his bones, and Tony tenses for a split second before relaxing into the hold. "I was so scared," Clint mumbles, hazel eyes cloudy with exhaustion. "They said you'd be okay but—" and he chokes off, shaking his head. "I-I'm okay," Tony manages to force out, and Clint just blinks at him sadly, his hold on Tony's hand turning tight. It's a testament to just how worried he was for Tony. Tony's blurred all over, struggling to make sense of now. His heart in his throat, Tony can't seem to stop trembling all over. Mamma, he thinks desperately, and then tries not to let Clint see the tears in his eyes as he remembers his dream, which seems like an awful, miserable eternity ago. "Y-yeah, yeah, I'm—" God. His throat feels parched, quenched dry, and Tony arches his back to sit up, trying to find some semblance of comfort in this hospital bed. It's okay, he consoles himself, scrunching his shaking hand into a fist. It's just a nightmare. You've had tons of those. You're okay. Just a nightmare. "It's been three days," Clint remarks softly, eyes pinched in wariness like he thinks Tony will throw a fit or panic at how long it's been. How they've stayed for a week now, with Steve and Bucky, and how dangerously innocent the 'adventure' had begun, and now it's different. Tony sucks in a breath, and tries to soothe his distressed mind. The dream, no matter how gripping it is, is forced to the back of his mind. Because Tony's had more than enough practice with keeping what's killing him on the inside, far far away inside. Clint shuffles closer, concerned, waiting for Tony to get his shit together. Then Clint squints at him with faint disdain and hands him a cup of water, changing tactics to exclaim airily, "You smell like shit, y'know." And he smiles a watery smile, like he's trying to offer Tony some comfort to ignore or mask the fact their little 'adventure' is now irreversibly fucked. Tony laughs, and the dream fades away to lurk at the back of his mind and he blinks thankfully at his friend. The two identical Clint faces he's been seeing merges into one, and Tony uses it to distract himself.Thank God. No one wants to see that. He takes the cup of water from Clint and sips it gingerly, blinking blearily at him, who makes a face to cement his point. "I smell like shit?" Tony says, downs the rest of the cup with a slight wince as the cool water works its way down his sore throat and into his bruised lungs. "Well you look how I feel, birdbrain." Clint conjures up a laugh that's a little strangled, but that's okay. They're both recovering. "You need a shower. Like, seriously. You stink to the high heavens." "Hey asshole, been too unconscious to shower, sorry." Tony rasps indignantly, and tries to raise a hand, only to find there are tubes connected to it. Ew. There in the flesh of his forearm is an IV, feeding him a constant supply of liquid, which is running from a bag hooked on a steel hanger. Bravely, he grasps the tube, feeling the adhesive pull on his skin, and as he tugs harder, the whole thing pulls free with a bit of blood and a spurt of a clear, sticky fluid. "I don't know if you're supposed to do that," Clint tells him in a mildly judgmental tone, eyeing the fallen tube with something akin to disapproval and takes the empty cup of water, setting it on the floor. Tony wrinkles his nose, rubs the puncture on his forearm. "I hate hospitals," he grumbles, shooting a suspicious glance at the door. "Three days, huh." "Three days." Then he properly notices his friend. "Clinton, did you grow a beard while I was down?" Tony says after a long, careful pause, eyes wide as he takes in his friend's comical appearance. Clint reels back like he's been slapped, and promptly turns a little bit red and Tony guffaws, staring at Clint because this is wild. "Everytime I walked into the cafe with something even remotely resembling a beard, you give me shit for it. And now you grow one? Clint!" Tony takes another look at Clint, laughs because he can't help himself, then instantly regrets it. He splutters at the stab of sharp pain in his ribs and presses a hand to it, raising his eyebrows expectantly. Clint's left eye twitches, betraying his stress. "It's not a fucking beard, Tony, it's...stubbles." "Stubbles." Tony repeats, dumbfounded. "Yeah, Tony, stubbles," Clint complains, voice pitching in a whine. Tony laughs some more, then coughs as his lungs heave painfully. "Like hell it is. Let it grow a couple more millimeters, and they could be in the Museum of Wolverine's Totally-Not-Sideburns Sideburns." "They're stubbles. I haven't had time to shave." "Honeybuns, you don't have anything but time." "God, you're such a bitch after your beauty sleep." Tony gasps in mock despair, eyes twinkling. "That would imply I need it, Legolas." Clint scoffs, takes the fallen tube and pokes him with it, and Tony yelps as a little more sticky fluid trickles out. "Beauty sleep wouldn't work. You would need Plastic Surgery to even come close to fixing," and Clint makes an especially offensive open-handed gesture at Tony that translates to that. "I'm a sick man, and I'll be filing a complaint of harassment." Tony declares, making a theatrical show of looking for a nurse button that'll call one in. Clint snorts, leans in extra close and whispers, "Harassment would actually require me putting in the effort to pay attention to you." "You would know your fair share about harassment complaints, wouldn't you?" Tony says deftly, smirking in victory as Clint's eyes narrow (a sure sign he's winning) and then breathes out slowly, because damn, his body's starting to hurt. He doesn't have to look at himself to know that there are bruises mostly around his ribs and chest, and bandages wrapped around the worst parts. There's gauze wrapped around his head, but miraculously it doesn't hurt. His back is sore, and his chest is sore, and Tony wants to curl up and revert back to a fetus if it means it'll get rid of all of these uncomfortable pricks his body keeps making in protest anytime he moves. Clint quiets down too, and they just end up staring at each other in the midst of some awkward yet comfortable silence that Tony will feel the need to end soon. "I'm glad you're okay," Clint says softly and there's a spark of guilt in his hazel eyes. "You really had me worried there, Tones. Thought you weren't gonna make it out in one piece." Clint never lets himself be vulnerable, and it completely melts Tony's heart to see his friend this way, so he takes one of Clint's hands and at first it hovers in mid-air, and Tony's right eye twitches. Fuck me. Not good with this feelings shit, Tony thinks rapidly, and decides to say, "Parts of me don't feel too good, but I am decidedly whole. Which is nice, considering I failed second grade math. I'm alright. Who's gonna keep you busy and making your life hell if I'm not there, right? You're my coffee-machine. I'll always come back." And because it's all he can do, and for a second he hates this feeling of helplessness, Tony squeezes Clint's hand firmly in comfort. "Beaten up, nearly died, only you can not freak out about that." Clint cracks a smile and clears his throat, and tries to brush the sentimentality off. He offhandedly comments, "And you do have an unhealthy attachment to all things coffee." "I really do. One could call it an addiction." Tony admits, shooting Clint a sheepish glance. "Tony, that's exactly what it's called, you cocky little shit." They grin at each other, big, stupid smiles and Tony tips his head, tries to lure the conversation away to something that's been bothering him since the moment he woke up. "So..." he begins, clicking his jaw uncomfortably. Clint watches him, apprehensive, as Tony continues, "Where's Bucky, and Steve? I know they're—" and he flushes, at how he must sound like, and it's the one thing he hates most about himself. Tony closes his eyes, can almost hear his father breathing, the tang of smoke and cigar heavy on his breath. Howard always said, Starks were lone wolves. Independent creatures, made of steel and iron and destined to roam alone. So why does he feel like an abandoned pup? He's only a troublesome, weak civilian Bucky had the bad luck to encounter and be saddled with. He's a burden, and Steve and Bucky have no duty whatsoever to remain by his side, and so Tony tells himself that from now on he'll stay out of the way, try to stay alive with Clint, and then go home. If they make it that far. The guilt weighs in his throat, heavy and prickly. "I know they must be busy...but—" "What's going on?" Clint fills in for him, eyes knowing. Tony falls silent, nodding, eyes falling to the white duvets wrapped around his torso. "What's the last thing you remember?" Tony breathes out, and says as neutrally as he can, "I remember some dickhead beating the shit out of me, and I literally don't know what happened next. Passed out? And then, I assume, was brought here to recover?" "Basically the gist of it," Clint surmises with a helpless shrug. "Yeah. I was called down as soon as you were admitted, Nat—I mean Natasha," he fumbles, eyes flashing. "Natasha got me down here, and well, it was really bad...Like I said. I was worried you wouldn't make it out in one piece." "Just some bruised ribs," Tony supplies weakly, and coughs. "Nothing too much," he finishes and tries to grin. Clint returns the grin hesitantly, but Tony can see the weight of the situation in the back of his friend's eyes. "You know," Clint begins slowly, the way he does whenever he's about to make a point. "It was weird. Steve was here the whole time. He sat in that chair," and he motions to an uncomfortable, small-looking visitor's chair that's in every hospital room. "For hours. Natasha had to drag him away to get showers, and food... and sometimes, he wouldn't go." And at Tony's wide eyes, Clint cracks a rueful smile. "Bucky was here too. He looked stressed, worried, and he stayed here for as long as he could, but he disappeared sometimes. The guy scares me sometimes. Really fucking awkward when I was here, too." Jesus. Tony can't believe his ears. At the knowledge that Steve and Bucky had stayed, had been with him when he had been unconscious, Tony can't seem to stop the smile spreading across his face. There's some hard ridden, unfathomable sense of relief that floods through his body, crashes through his chest, makes his shoulders sag, and it's a little pathetic, he thinks in disgust, that just knowing they had stayed with him could make him so happy. He's never wanted anyone to suffer on his account, but hearing that they care, that they worried... the feeling is almost addictive in its warmth and curls of bliss. "Tones," Clint begins uncertainly, his voice low, like he's worried someone will overhear them. "I don't know if you've noticed but," and he gives a little sigh that gets Tony's nerves pulsing with nervous energy. "Fuck. I'm just going to be blunt. Do Steve and Bucky," and then he looks lost, searching for words. "I don't know, like you somehow?" Tony stammers out a breathy laugh, hopes it's enough to conceal his shock at the question, and has to gather himself to answer. "What? No, Clint," and he's shaking his head firmly, please believe me, trying to convince himself at the very same time. "No, of course not. Jesus. No way." "Come on, Tones," Clint offers a small smile. "You can't tell me you don't notice the way they act around you." And then he rolls his eyes heavenward, with excessive drama (or so Tony thinks) and sighs again. "Bucky flirts with you, outrageously, any time you're in a span of two centimeters around him. Steve, that polite, perfect bastard, he blushes like a schoolboy around you, and honestly he cares a lot. Even I can tell." Am I that obvious? The question causes a pang in his chest at the thought of how obvious his affections for Steve and Bucky must be, those little smiles he sends them whenever they say anything, the nicknames he calls them affectionately and when they ask if he does it to all his friends (no) he tells them yes as flippantly as he can. He wonders if it's so obvious that Clint's mentioning it, and then the horror that dawns on him when he wonders if Steve and Bucky can tell the tiny, tiny, non-existent, really minuscule crush Tony's developing for them. "Bucky," Tony says, and winces at the way his voice comes out a little higher and stressed out than usual. Not great for building a strong case, Tony. "Bucky flirts with anyone and anything. He'll flirt with a trash can and ask for its number. He'll flirt with a rock, and probably also get a reaction out of it." Clint mumbles something that sounds like 'he doesn't flirt with me' and Tony ignores him, stumbling over his words to say, "Steve, Steve's just," perfect. "you know, Steve. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He's funny, sweet, and—" "Oh my god," Clint interrupts, breaking into a wide beam. "You have it so bad for them." Tony's jaw drops in outrage, and he glowers at his friend. "I don't. It's not possible. Fuck off. You started this, asshole." "Alright," Clint relents, holding his hands up in the universal signal of 'I give up'. "Alright. Well, Steve's out getting a coffee right now, and Bucky is... God knows where, so I can't ask them directly." and then at Tony's distressed blabbering of no you can't, Clint grunts in defeat. "Fine, I won't. Jeez." "Just," Tony waves his hand, takes deep breaths to get his heart rate back to normal. "Just forget it. You are poisonous to newly recovered patients." Tony adds, shooting his friend a salty look. "Anyways, you were telling me what's going on?" Clint gives him an irritating, shit-eating smile, which is his way of saying 'no way in hell I'm going to forget this' in response to Tony's weak attempt at diverting the conversation away from Steve and Bucky's completely platonic feelings towards him. "Well according to the doc, you had a minor concussion, some fucked up ribs, and bruises. We couldn't find the bastard who did it, or maybe they did and they're just not telling me, but basically this room," and Clint waves his hand to the door. "And this whole floor is under real-tight security. They're really pulling out all the stops in order to keep us safe. Like I couldn't even get a cup of coffee without feeling the gaze of at least four guards on my back with their rifles aimed at me. Like it's air tight. Like Katy-Perry's-plastic-bag-wouldn't-make-it-drifting-through-here tight." Tony, in a fit of generosity, decides to look past Clint's scandalous accusation and chuckles. "How eloquent you are with words, Mr. Poe." "Oh, sarcasm," Clint sighs. He seems to do it a lot now. "I see your brain's already recovering from that mini concussion. Shame." "You should've told the guy who beat me up," Tony jokes lightly, settling back onto the pillows with a huff of breath. "He didn't finish the job. Shit mercenary if I ever saw one." Clint frowns, like Tony's said something particularly offensive. "Don't say that, you idiot," he tells him tightly. "Don't even joke about it." "It's how I deal with the shit that happens to me," Tony replies stubbornly. He can say whatever he wants about what's happened to him. "You know that." And Clint, bless him, knows him well enough not to argue. "Do you remember anything from the attack?" Tony licks his dry lips, his irritation bleeding away. "Not really. I remember it was a guy," he says unhelpfully. "He was dressed in all black. Nothing to mark him with, no tattoos, nothing. But he had," and Tony squints, trying to chase a snag of a memory that flits around in his head. He thinks back to the attack, to the sound the guy made when Tony tried to defend himself with the bathroom handrail. "He made this sound when I got in one hit on the back of his knee. I didn't hit him that hard," he continues, thinking intensely. "But he made this noise, pained." "Like he'd been hurt there before?" Clint asks, hazel eyes sharp. "Yeah," Tony nods, suppressing the slight shiver that courses through his body at the re-living of his memories. "Exactly. I'll tell Steve when he comes back." "Mhm," Clint finally says after a long pause, and he sounds distracted. "I didn't think we'd get hurt in this," and there's a horrible sadness to his eyes that Tony can't stand looking at, mainly because he also detects pity in there. Sadness and pity, like it's their shared fault and Clint is silently apologizing to him. "I thought we'd be okay. Three days, and done. We'd go home, go back to our shitty, hourly wage lives. And now, we've been here around a week. It's fucking crazy," he says, and shakes his head in disbelief. "It's crazy." Tony lifts his shoulders in a half-hearted shrug. "It is," he agrees. "Two college boys, just trying to get through life in one piece, and we end up here, of all places." And he barks out a laugh, because it's fucking crazy, some kind of cosmic joke where they could end up dead, or in the news, for God's sake, because Peggy Carter and her crime family is in the FBI's most wanted list. They could end up in jail. And yet he wouldn't change a thing. No matter good or bad, Bucky and Steve completely changed his life. "This is going to be one hell of a story when it's over." Clint says, and the look on his face suggests he's going to have a hell of a time telling it. "I pity your grandkids. I'll establish a refugee camp for them." "Tony, you have DUM-E and U for kids. You have no standing in this argument." Then the door to the hospital room clicks open, and both swivel around to stare at the same time. It's Steve, whose mouth completely falls open (he'll deny this) and spreads into a positively radiant beam. "Tony!" And he sounds ecstatic, really, way more happy than he should be. Tony swallows stiffly, and the heat in his cheeks and chest grows, and a surge of shaky, uncertain desire going straight to places where it shouldn't, because Steve shouldn't be looking at him like that. With so much relief and admiration in his gaze, like Tony's just hung the stars and the moon for him. Steve rushes in and places the coffee haphazardly on the edge of a waiting seat where it balances itself precariously, and then to Tony's bedside, babbling ten different things at the same time. "Are you okay? I'm so happy you're awake, I was so worried, Tony, are you in pain?" Clint lets out a startled squawk as the 240lb man clambers to Tony's side, and throws Steve a malevolent side-eye. "You're like a big, happy-go-lucky but gun-carrying golden retriever," he tells Steve dryly with faux malice and hurries off Tony's bed before Steve can get a swipe at him. "I'm getting a coffee." He announces, winking at Tony who gasps because what is Clint doing, leaving him alone with Steve in this state. Clint waves cheerfully, mouthing 'you owe me' and vanishes out the door. What a dick. The blood rushes to his ears, tinged with hysteria and a whole lot of panic and suddenly Tony's paranoid if he's blushing. Steve is right next to him, holding one of his hands, and Tony can't deal with that dumb, stupid smile on his stupid, pretty face. He can't defend himself from it. Something inside him is blazing with glee at having the blond so close. "Tony? How are you feeling? The doctor told me he had you on some pain meds, a little morphine, so that should keep the pain away for a little while. Honestly, wasn't expecting you to wake up this soon but I'm so glad you did—" God, he hopes he's not blushing. Steve is, as usual, perfect. Blue eyes earnest with worry, hands soft, brushing Tony's outstretched hands while his mouth moves a mile a minute, like there's not enough time and air in the world to sustain what he needs to say and Tony decides he cares too damn much. Tony gazes at the blond, and he can't ignore the fluttery feeling he gets inside his chest when Steve finally pauses and stares at him expectantly. "Hey," Tony finally makes out. Wow. Yes, Tony. Yes. Be more speechless. That'll help. It's like every single cell of his body is frozen in place, body locked down in paralysis. Why can't I catch a break? Tony thinks ruefully, and smiles weakly at Steve. Steve grins, leans closer as if to inspect Tony carefully and once satisfied, replies gently, "Hey. How're you feeling?" "I'm, uh, feeling okay. I'm a little stiff. A little watery. I mean I'm thirsty. Not for water, for coffee. I would like some watery coffee—Damn. No, yeah I'm fine and you don't have to worry." And Tony's flushing again, wants the ground to swallow him whole at how literally pathetic and schoolboy-with-a-crush he's being. He really hopes he's at least doing it well. Steve's lips are twitching like he wants to smile, and Tony's guts drop a little more in a brief moment of panic. "I was so worried," Steve murmurs, with a real smile on his face, born with excitement and delight at having found Tony's functioning well, like he was afraid the beating would have turned him into a vegetable. "But you must have so many questions. I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up," he says, disappointed and sincere and Tony's gawking at how caring and polite the guy is. It's quite unreal. With a whole planet of Steve's, he bets global warming wouldn't even be a problem. "But I, well, had a job to do." "Well, of course," Tony says quickly, and shrugs to show how nonchalant he is. Or tries to be. "You're a mafia boss." Steve seems to pause at the choice of words, but nods in assent anyway. "Yeah. Had some things to oversee, some people to keep in line," and he sounds meaningful laced with an ominous threat that sends a shadow over his beautiful face for a moment. "Whoever did this is going to be punished. We're in the process of tracking them down." and he continues, sounding lighter and more cheerful, blue eyes twinkling. "You must have so many questions." "I did," Tony says, still enthralled by the blue of Steve's eyes. "But Clint answered them. He said, uh—" and he blushes, and Steve's looking at him like he can see everything he's trying to hide, how hard his heart is pounding. It's not, anymore, though. Tony's got it all under control. "He said," Tony repeats, treading carefully. "You were here? Like you, and Bucky visited me. You, you guys talked to me." and Steve looks relieved as Tony shoots him a crooked smile. "I was here," Steve answers, and then thankfully looks completely unaware of how lost Tony feels. "Bucky, too. We watched over you." And then adds hurriedly, "Not in a creepy way, of course, just a protective way, I guess. Bucky's not here now, he's out, but he'll be back soon." "Yeah," Tony nods, and there's a pang in his heart that goes off at Bucky's mention. "Okay. Well. I'm going to confess. I lied. Didn't hear a damn thing you said, if you talked to me when I was sleeping. I'm sorry. Also, sorry to Happy if I like, messed up his bathroom floors because honestly they're pretty fucking great and I know blood can be a hassle to get off some marbles, and jeez, I remember his face, I hope he's not mad—" Tony's rambling now, and the words flood out of his mouth like they're unfiltered (which they are) like the link from his brain to his mouth is direct and there's no stopping him. Except there is. Because Steve leans forward in Tony's mid-ramble, and kisses him. On the lips. Tony feels the hands around his neck, soft and bracing, he tastes the hint of chocolate on Steve's lips and senses the heat that comes off both of them in waves. It's...everything Tony could have ever thought he would ever feel, rolled in one tight ball and fighting for space in his chest with his heart. A single kiss for a single second, and with Steve, it's gentle, slow, and soft. He smells like sandalwood, like crisp mint, and Tony breathes it all in, flooding his chest with a caveful of butterflies but the warmth is unmistakable, curling around Tony and enticing him to come closer. Steve is comforting, his lips are tender, achingly tender on his and it feels lovely and Tony's heart has actually stopped right in his chest and— "Oh my god," Tony gasps out, yanks himself away and the full weight of it comes crashing down, his body protesting in pain as he moves too fast and too far. His ribs send a new wave of pain down his body and Tony grits his teeth against the awfulness. Steve pulls away, blue eyes huge with concern. "Tony," he says in a voice dripping with want and need and husky from their kiss, and fuck, their kiss. "Did I hurt you? Are you okay?" And he's so caring, so focused on Tony that it pisses him off, and it sends a new blaze of anger that Steve just doesn't see what's wrong. "Fuck, Steve, Bucky." Tony says, and the name feels venomous on his tongue, all shades of ugly torment and despair at having kissed another man's boyfriend. Bucky's. "Bucky. I can't. Not to him, fuck, Steve, I can't do this to him, why did you? Oh God—" Bucky, sweet, brave and wonderful Bucky, who saved his life numerous times over and is Steve's boyfriend and best friend and Tony will die first before he's even touched the precious, rare love they have for each other. He won't ruin it. He can't. Until now, he's never allowed himself to even entertain the thought of touching either of them, he ignores the warm feeling in his chest that explodes whenever one of them are near him, and he definitely tries to shut off his brain when the two make an appearance in his dreams. All of this must show on his face, because Steve's face softens in understanding. He reaches for Tony, and Tony would love nothing more than to fall into his arms but he's already pulling away, gathering the blankets up, like it's some sort of protection against what he's irrefutably done. The horrible, horrible thing he's done, and his heart clenches in pain, and it's become such a constant, familiar feeling that throbs but doesn't hurt and he feels numb to it now. He won't ever be able to face Bucky. I deserve this. Steve looks appalled, and vehemently shakes his head. "Tony, it's okay, he knows, Tony, he knows. He wants it too." Steve is saying, desperate to convince Tony, still so careful like he's a newborn foal that will skitter at any loud noise. Steve inches closer, and his face is so open and honest Tony, for a split second, lets himself dare to believe those words. "Tony, he wants it too. He wants you, too." It's quiet. Tony stares into Steve's eyes, and Steve stares right back. There's nothing in there, in his face, but sincerity, the same bold, blue sincerity that has always been there throughout Tony's stay. When he'd promised Tony he didn't regret taking him and Clint in, when he vowed he'd protect them. When he'd been unconscious, he'd heard Steve's low whispers, comforting and a presence he'd been somewhat aware of, but it was enough. Because Steve is here now, and he doesn't have to be. But all this logic, that Steve could be telling the truth is swept to the side with the leaps Tony's brain makes. Because even if Steve cares even just a little bit, there's no way that's true, it doesn't even make sense, and Tony's mind is in full blown fix-this-shit autopilot. He doesn't want this to end, doesn't want to go back home where he can't wink at Bucky and say stupid, stupid shit that gets him Bucky's beautiful, delighted lopsided smirk that does a million things to his heart, or away from Steve's cornflower blue eyes, that crinkle when he smiles and the way Steve can't stand anything happening to anyone he loves, ever, even if it means he'll have to be there to stand behind them at all times. God. I don't want to go back. Steve frowns now, searching Tony's face for an answer he can't give. Bucky knows? He wants what? What does Steve want? Tony thinks about the kiss, because really, it's all he can think about. He wants to do it again, explore Steve's lips a little more, run his hands over—fuck, no. His head is spinning, literally, and Tony has to hold himself still with one hand trembling on a pillow. Steve is watching him like a hawk, worry all over his kicked puppy-dog face. "Goddammit Steve," he croaks and rubs a hand over his face. If this is a dream, he'd better wake up now. "A man's gotta recover from his previous injuries before you drop a shrapnel bomb on him like that." Steve's face crumples sharply, and then folds over in a rushing mask of neutrality and wavering calm that Tony would have believed if Steve's hands hadn't been wavering. "You don't? Oh, Tony—" and he swallows, thickly, pulling away. "I made a mistake, didn't I," and he laughs to himself, and the sound crushes Tony's heart. "I'm sorry," Steve says, and he sounds so sorry that Tony nearly reels. Steve's blue eyes are shroud in guilt and sadness, and he tells Tony in a quiet voice that just aches with despair, "I shouldn't have done that, of course not. I'm sorry, Tony, that was a total overstep of boundaries. I'll leave now if you want." Steve's already turning away, ready to walk out, and Tony doesn't know if his heart can handle that, too. "No, wait," Tony says, barely a whisper, and hates himself for sounding so weak in that moment. It curdles his blood, makes his ears go hot, and it's everything Howard Stark would be repulsed by. "Stay. Please." Steve freezes, and immediately edges himself closer to Tony, till they're in breathing distance of each other. It's not close enough. "Tony?" Steve ventures, posture hunched. It's not a stance that is usually associated with Steve, connotes vulnerability and for him Tony's sure it's like laying down on a battlefield, weapons buried, like he trusts Tony not to carve him open. Tony pulls his knees up to his chest, in a flimsy gesture that makes him feel small. "Why'd you kiss me?" He asks, voice trembling. He violently tells his voice to stop shaking. "Because I've wanted to, for as long as I've met you," Steve answers honestly and spreads his palms open, face-up. "You have no idea what you do to me. When Bucky and I heard you were hurt, we..." and he shakes his head, his emotions are clear for Tony to see. The blond looks up again, blue eyes swimming with distress. "We were so scared. Tony," he shakes his head. "We've never felt like that for anyone else before." Tony's hands are shaking ever so slightly, and he scrunches them into fists. "What do you mean, we? You and Bucky?" Steve cracks a smile, watery and tentatively. "Yeah, Tony, me and Bucky. He's been smitten with you ever since you two met. The first sentence out from your mouth, you weren't scared. You called him 'murder muffin', and that was it for him. You should have seen him that night, the first night you were here. He said, 'this is going to be something'." He glances at Tony, and whatever he sees must appease him, because he barrels on. "And you know what? He was right. For me, it was when you woke up, and you didn't waste a second in letting us know you were not dealing with any bullshit we might throw your way." "If what you're telling me is bullshit, I don't think I can survive that." Tony warns, nausea churning in his gut, and Tony has no doubt that if he doesn't resist it he'll drown in it. So he tries to relax. He really, really tries, but it's like every sense in his body is dialed up to eleven and turned specifically to Steve, who chuckles. "Definitely not bullshit," Steve reassures with utter fondness. "I mean it. I wish Bucky were here," Steve murmurs with a pleading glance to the door. "He could explain this much better than I could." "So, what, you like me?" Tony asks, suddenly feeling a sharp prick of something akin to anger. It happens sometimes, when he doesn't understand something important. So he stares at Steve, deadpan. "You don't even know me but you want to have one passion filled threesome night with me, is that it? You want, what, a fucking easy booty-call, or something? And I'm an easy target?" Steve's eyes go wide like Tony's just slapped him. "No. No, Tony, Christ, no." Steve rushes to say, shaking his head vehemently. "That's not it at all," and the hurt in his blue eyes is enough to make Tony lower his guard. "You're not that at all to us, you're so much more. I know how crazy it sounds, and how unconventional. But we know you enough to really, really like you, and enough to know we want to know you more. We want to...keep you." And he blushes. Tony tries not to let the absolutely adorable blush deter him from finding out what exactly is going on. "Keep me?" He says, and doesn't mean to sound so incredulous. Steve winces, and lets out a little pained sigh that Tony completely relates to. "Ah, no. Bad choice of words. But Bucky and I, we want to see if you, ah, I don't know," and there's so many tangles in his voice Tony second-hand feels the struggle. "See if you're interested? If you like us, too?" then after a frantic search for words, Steve blurts out, "We want to ask you out." What the fuck is happening. This can't be his life. "You're telling me, that two mobsters who are leaders of America's most wanted crime organization, want to ask me, a stray civilian you picked up, out? On a date?" Steve shrugs, giving him an abashed smile. "If the shoe fits," he says mildly. "I'll take that shoe and beat you with it, Rogers, because I... this is crazy." Tony's going for aloof, which is extremely hard to pull off whilst his heart is in the throes of seizing, but he gives it his best shot. Because no way he's going to let Mr. Perfect Blond see him have a heart attack because of his completely absurd date proposal. Steve gestures at the space between them. "This is really not the way I wanted you to know," and he winces, although this time in good nature. "But it's true, Tony, every word. Swear it to God. Boy Scout's honor." "Well," Tony sniffs and shuffles his hands with mild irritation. "I believe you joined the Scouts. You're lucky I believe you, because Bucky, who I know for a fact must have been kicked out of the Boy Scouts, would not have pulled that off." "So," Steve says and shoots Tony a sly little side glance. "You're okay with the kiss?" "You kissed me." Steve has more self-control than he does, and merely gives a little sigh. "You kissed me back," he reminds Tony, voice playful but a little high-and-mighty. It annoys him, when Steve uses that tone—it's the kind of tone parents use with their petulant, tantrum-throwing kid, who doesn't know left from right. "This is crazy," Tony says again, resolving to cross his arms in a completely non-petulant way. Steve brushes a hand through his hair, lips twitching, but he stays silent, almost thoughtfully, and the paranoia creeps up every second because Tony keeps waiting for him to say something. What's he thinking? What is he thinking, asking me out? That's just... "I can tell you don't believe me just yet," Steve says finally, blue eyes resolute. "But I'll show you. Bucky and I will show you, just how much we want you." Tony clears his throat, draws up the blankets with forced-to-be-still hands, and draws in a breath. Time to be brave, he tells himself. "Steve, you have no idea how you and Bucky make me feel." Steve looks delighted. Tony rushes on, because if he doesn't he'll never say it aloud. "When I see you and Bucky, my palms get all warm and sweaty. I feel nervous, in ways I haven't ever felt before, and God knows how often I've come close to the idea of kissing either of you. But I can't. Because you two," and his voice cracks a little bit, and Tony raises his eyes to the ceiling because he can't trust himself to look at Steve. "Because you two, what you have is so good. It's precious, it's rare, it's so fucking special, and... "I would ruin it." Tony says, raw and unhinged. And there it is. It's years of his self-loathing, deprecation, and hate all piled into one basket. He holds his breath, not daring to look at Steve because now Steve knows the truth. It's true. Tony is a mess, he's a mess in his relationships. He's always fucked it up, one after another. Steve and Bucky don't deserve that from him. God, they deserve the best. Each other. They... they're too good for him. He tries to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut, the shame burning in his cheeks at having admitted it, and the yawning emptiness that has suddenly engorged itself in his chest and is trying to swallow Tony whole. He feels like he's lost something, which is stupid. Because it's not like he ever had it to begin with, right? Steve's fingers are soft, and they smell like rose petals (which really should be illegal for men like Steve) when they touch Tony's face. "Tony," Steve says, and he sounds slightly amazed. "There is more chance of my Aunt Peggy dressing up with those poor women in that infernal show 'Dance Moms' in a slutty, leopard-printed leotard that they like to terrify their viewers with than you ruining a relationship. Especially a relationship between Bucky and I." And he's smiling, blond hair falling over into his face. "You haven't the slightest idea how far my destructive tendencies go," Tony says, rushing to convince Steve why dating him is a really bad idea. "The 'T' in my name stands for toxic. I can't sleep at night. I work on my robots and will probably forget you even exist, I drink their poisonous smoothies where DUMM-E pretends fruits are only suggestions, and I play AC/DC to the point where my neighbors move out. I'm unbearable before my morning coffee, and I don't share it, you're gonna have to wrestle for your coffee. "I'll forget what you're allergic to, and then attempt to feed it to you. I break things, almost fanatically, and I'm just a terrible boyfriend in general. I'll forget your birthday, you can't hand me things, and I really can't stand it when people leave me because of abandonment issues and I'm scared I'll die alone—" And for the second time in that afternoon, Steve kisses him. "I'm beginning to think this is the only way to shut that genius brain of yours up," Steve murmurs against his mouth, and snakes his hands up into Tony's hair, and the kiss is messy, open-mouthed and desperate. Tony falls back into the pillow and Steve follows, kissing his lips, then his neck, then brushing his lips over Tony's stubbled cheek. Tony can't catch his breath by the end of it. "That's cheating," he says, breathily. "Tony," Steve says, taking his hands like a sap. "I know you've probably already closed your mind off to what could be. But I haven't, and I know Bucky won't either. Please, if there's even a chance it could work, don't you want to try?" Tony narrows his eyes, trying to clamp down on the happiness in his chest that just explodes from having Steve in such close proximity, right after their kiss. Steve's kiss. "Your puppy-eyes are manipulative." "You're deflecting." Steve replies, smiling cornily. "It won't work, Steve." Tony says, as firmly as he can, because he won't give in. It's the best for everyone, even if it means he'll end up back in his tiny MIT dorm room, spending the rest of his days trying to forget Steve and Bucky. "I can't see why you think it'll work." There's a little sparkle in Steve's blue eyes. "Because I'm a romantic at heart, old-fashioned that way, you see, and I'm a firm believer in if you like it, put a ring on it." "A marriage proposal in the same day? Aww, snookums, I'm swooning." "I want you to give us a chance, Tony." Steve announces, his shoulders snapping in a straight line that translates to 'mission mode: I must complete.' "You don't have to say yes. Just say you'll give us a chance. There's no harm in trying, right? " And against his better judgement, and his whole brain screaming no, Tony makes a bad decision. "Alright," he says thoughtfully. "Destructive tendencies be damned. I'll give you a chance." Steve's whole face breaks into an overjoyed grin. He really is just a giant, trigger-happy golden retriever, Tony thinks in realization. "This is serious, right? Because if this is some shitty joke, I fear I might die a brokenhearted man." Tony says, because he needs Steve to reassure him that this isn't, in fact, some massive cosmic joke the universe is playing on him. "Tony. Will you stop with that? Do I look like the kind of man who jokes about datin' a fella?" Steve intones with a raise of his eyebrows. "No, but then you don't look like the kind of man who goes around kissing men who aren't his boyfriend." Tony grimaces the second the words leave his mouth, and he raises his eyes to glance at Steve, dread thudding in his chest, and opens his mouth to apologize. Wow, Tony, at it again huh! Only three minutes into this, and already destroying it. But, miraculously, Steve just laughs. "Then I guess you're just extraordinarily special, Tony. Because when my boyfriend hears about the amazing, wonderful man I kissed today, he's going to keel over. From jealousy. Because I got there first." Okay well I'm amping up the stuckony! Fluff, angst, incoming. I hope you guys enjoyed this and as you well know, comments and kudos are what keep this fic alive! I'd love to hear what you guys think. 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(collapse) Adri on Chapter 1 Sat 10 Aug 2019 11:14AM EDT Ooh I rly like how this is turning out. Good job, can't wait for more!! maxxrose on Chapter 1 Fri 16 Aug 2019 08:15AM EDT awhh, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Shurideicacyxx on Chapter 1 Sat 10 Aug 2019 11:21AM EDT Hey, nice story. Hope to see more :) Thanks! Thank you for reading :) Krys on Chapter 1 Sat 10 Aug 2019 11:43AM EDT Your Tony is a disaster and I love him so, so much. Thanks for sharing. Tony is a disaster, I agree. But we all love him to bits anyway. Thank you for reading! svociva on Chapter 1 Mon 12 Aug 2019 11:24AM EDT w o w Bucky knows how to make an e n t r a n c e Ahahah Bucky knows how to do a lot of things ;) thank you for reading! nandascorps on Chapter 1 Fri 23 Aug 2019 05:22AM EDT maxxrose on Chapter 1 Sat 04 Jan 2020 01:59AM EST Haha thank you :) AppleOfEden on Chapter 1 Mon 26 Aug 2019 09:54PM EDT AHHH TONY IS THE CUTEST BEAN!! Also the funniest with his constant boner for coffee and tech :P can’t wait to see how this story goes or see how tony reacts to Steven aka 200 pounds of blonde beefcake that’s also cute Af!! Haha Tony is the cutest, word. Love your comment, thank you so much!! asphxdels on Chapter 1 Tue 19 Nov 2019 03:09PM EST i absolutely have no idea how i forgot to subscribe when i first stated to read this story but well, i'll just start again. it's so good it'll be an absolute delight to reread tbh maxxrose on Chapter 1 Wed 20 Nov 2019 06:28AM EST Hi, that's so nice to hear and I'm really happy you like the story! Isthatawalrus on Chapter 1 Tue 17 Dec 2019 05:05PM EST Thank you, so glad you liked it! <3 AmandaJo on Chapter 2 Sun 11 Aug 2019 06:35AM EDT Lovely look forward to more!!!! Thank you! Your wishes have been answered :) Krys on Chapter 2 Sun 11 Aug 2019 06:54AM EDT Love this chapter, all the action. Wondering with Tony what the heck is going on while admiring the sass master he is and the vision Bucky must make throughout this chapter. Thanks for sharing. Thank you! Thank you for being a consistent reader and a commenter, hahah I really appreciate it. Tony is a sass master, and he lets everyone know it. Hope you liked it, thanks :) guest on Chapter 2 Sun 11 Aug 2019 01:56PM EDT So excited to read more !!!! Loving it :> Thank you for reading and commenting! Appreciate it. gramcrackercrumbs on Chapter 2 Sun 11 Aug 2019 04:42PM EDT Bruh this fic got me hookedddd That's great to hear, haha, I've posted another chapter :) Trevaaa on Chapter 2 Sun 11 Aug 2019 06:13PM EDT awmawgawd soooooooo great just fdhsejntyjdhfghgxnmfyutjyfuuuuuuuuuuuuurgh. amaze much very. so good. s'like tea. and chocolate cookies. and mate. whennnnnn are you updating next. cause this is like crack and im addicted. and as my supplier you're like.... illegally(?) required to give me more i haven't had any coffee if you want to kno why this mess of a comment exists double thumbs up Haha I suggest you get some coffee, or like Tony, you'll suffer withdrawals :) and your wishes have been answered! Another chapter has been updated. Thank you very much for reading and commenting, hope to see more! Delluna on Chapter 2 Sun 11 Aug 2019 07:49PM EDT Yesssss! This is starting brilliantly and im dying to know more!! loving the banter between bucky and tony also the clint-tony dynamic is so sweet Awh thank you! Really appreciate you commenting and reading. Haha yes, I'm trying to highlight the growing bond between each of them. Hope you liked it! crazykittens on Chapter 2 Sun 11 Aug 2019 09:49PM EDT WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW I CAN FEEL THE tENsiOn Thank you for commenting and reading! That's great to hear that I'm invoking emotions by my writing. Appreciate it :) Gaybee on Chapter 2 Mon 12 Aug 2019 02:58AM EDT Oooh my god I’m so hooked on this fuckin fic! This is so good so far Well thank you! Appreciate it, thanks for commenting too! And I've posted another chapter :) Hope you like it! brucewaynv on Chapter 2 Mon 12 Aug 2019 02:19PM EDT "Hold the fuck right there, murder muffin," thats a perfect nickname for bucky. bet he started to fall in love at this point poor clint. grenades are flying and he's trapped between these two flirts. Hahah he damn well did. Bucky's always been a sucker for cute brunets :) and thank you for reading and commenting, really appreciate it! hope you liked it! new chap too :P <3 <3 <3 thank you love! NemesisToMyself on Chapter 3 Tue 13 Aug 2019 06:12AM EDT ....for fuck’s sake, Bucky Adri on Chapter 3 Tue 13 Aug 2019 06:33AM EDT I love Bucky Same, same. Thank you for commenting! Indeed :) thank you for reading and commenting! Hope you liked it. Krys on Chapter 3 Tue 13 Aug 2019 06:27AM EDT Bucky is a disaster and I feel like Tony would be justified for kicking him in the shin or something for taking so much enjoyment out of this 😂 thanks for sharing. I really love reading your comments! Thank you for reading :) and he would, wouldn't he? Bucky's being a little shit and loving it :p	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416590
__label__cc	0.684318	0.315682	ideaspot_brandroot_blog_post [[currentCategory]] [[currentPersonality]] [[personality.simplified_name]] Name Sets [[nameSetCount]] /images/namesets/animal.png [[nameSet.brands]] [[nameSet.title]] [[nameSet.description]] Sunday, 17 November 2013 9:24 Processing Fluency and Its Role in Your Business Name By - Michael Rader Bayerische Motoren Werke sells millions of products every day, yet few people recognize the German car manufacturer without the familiar “BMW” attached. The fact is, when it comes to business names, simplicity wins over complexity every time as people respond better to concepts that are easier to understand and remember. Processing fluency, or the ease with which something is processed, plays a critical role in how consumers understand, recall and use your business name. Here’s why optimizing fluency with a unique brandable name for your business is always a good strategy. Complexity Alienates Users The human brain naturally prefers the path of least resistance. Not that we’re lazy, but when it comes to processing information, comprehension is generally more successful when concepts are simple and easy to digest. Whether we realize it or not, complexity alienates users. And that’s true if you’re talking about a new software program, a book or something as common as a business name. Even highly trained experts with vast technical knowledge look for the lowest common denominator when trying to grasp information. It just makes sense. Modern consumers experience information overload on a daily basis and complexity creates distance. Processing Fluency Affects Value Perception There is research to suggest that those things that are familiar to us are perceived as more valuable than those that are unfamiliar or more difficult to grasp. For example, when given the choice, most people place a higher value on brandable, unique and meaningless names over those that are descriptive and overly complicated. The simple truth is, BMW is easy to remember, easy to understand and quite frankly, brilliant. It’s clear that Bayerische Motoren Werke makes a fantastic product, but the higher value is given to BMW, essentially meaningless letters without knowledge of the car company. Word Retrieval Fluency and Building Your Brand: Why it’s Important For consumers, being able to process a business name easily is a critical step in interacting with a product or service. But even more important is having the ability to recall that name quickly, also known as retrieval fluency. Easy retrieval is a compelling argument for employing a unique, brandable business name over one that is more complex and descriptive. In fact, names with fewer syllables and letters are the easiest to retrieve and build better name recognition and loyalty. The bottom line? The faster your name can be recalled, the more likely it is your products or services will be sought after - and that impacts your bottom line. Towards Super Brand Status Short, brandable names also have the added benefit of potentially taking on “super-brand” status, which are names that become adopted by the public as common terms for certain products. For example, when you think about a heated pool of massaging water perfect for relieving aches and pains, you may think “Jacuzzi”. In reality, Jacuzzi is a brand of hot tub and not the generic name for the product. Nevertheless, folks rely on retrieval fluency, which turns up Jacuzzi. Good for Jacuzzi? You bet. Why do some names move on to become household names? Because it’s easier for folks to retrieve snappy, short names that are unique. Brandable names with just a few syllables are memorable and easy short cuts for the products and services they need. While not every business enjoys the benefit of having its name elevated to household status, the odds of that happening with a unique, brandable name are much better than with a long, descriptive name. In some cases, trade-marked names have gone on to become so popular that the brand was forced to resign its trademark status. “Aspirin” was originally trademarked by Bayer until it was forced after World War I as part of the Treaty of Versailles to forego trademark status. “Yo-yo” was trademarked by Duncan until 1965 when it too was deemed generic. Other examples like these are Popsicle, Dumpster, Chapstick and Velcro. The point is, sometimes, the right brandable name can be so perfect (easy to process, retrieve and associate with) that it’s no longer a brand, but a term used to describe something of value to consumers. This illustrates the incredible power of an invented name for a product or service. Top performing brands have high processing and retrieval fluency, making them easy to understand and recall. Choosing a brandable business name that resonates, is familiar and can be recalled easily is a better strategy than trying to dazzle consumers with an overly descriptive or complex name. After all, marketing experts agree, when it comes to your business name, “It’s always better to have customers nodding their heads instead of scratching them”. Last modified on Monday, 18 November 2013 3:53 Michael Rader With over ten years in web development and design, Michael Rader has expertise and technical know-how. But more than a skilled technician, he is an entrepreneur and innovator who helps startup’s and new businesses identify and define their future with a unique, brandable business name. Michael Rader is the founder and CEO of Brandroot®, a leading .com domain name marketplace. He currently lives in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii where he operates the business and authors a blog dedicated to naming and brand name establishment. Latest from Michael Rader How to Increase Brand Engagement What Is the Purpose of Your Brand? The Story Behind Every Successful Brand The Name of The Game \| An Approach To Naming Your Business How to Avoid Being Irrelevant in Your Ever-Changing Market as a Brand Frustrations of Buying a Domain Name Ambiguity Sound Symbolism and Your Business Name 5 Reasons to Change the Name of Your Business Business Naming Mistakes: How to Destroy Your Business Before Opening the Doors Naming A Business (30) Name Studies (8) Name Strategy (20) Brandroot (4) Domaining (3) Starting Up (37) Recently Added Name Names In The Spotlight Browse 20,404 available business names! Recently Sold Names	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416599
__label__cc	0.71992	0.28008	← For Your Consideration Light Cotton → “It’s Up To Him To Clarify His Intentions” Bodger at 9:41 am November 13, 2019 Independent TD Noel Grealish; remittance figures, from the Central Statistics Office, provided to Mr Grealish last month This morning. On Morning Ireland, RTÉ journalist Rachel English asked Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe about Galway West Independent TD Noel Grealish’s comments about remittances sent out of Ireland. Yesterday, during Leaders’ Questions, Mr Grealish said: “I bring to the Taoiseach’s attention the amount of money being transferred out of Ireland in personal remittances. Over the past eight years alone over €10 billion has left the country by way of personal transfers. That is a staggering amount of money. The top five countries to which money was transferred in the past eight year include €843 million to Lithuania and €1 billion to France. The top three countries were: €1.54 billion to Poland, €2.7 billion to the United Kingdom and €3.54 billion to Nigeria. These figures have been published by the World Bank which defines “personal remittances” as the sum of personal transfers and the compensation of employees. It includes all current transfers in cash or in kind between resident and non-resident individuals independent of the source of income of the sender.” “…Taoiseach, €3.4 billion transferred to one non-EU country is astronomical. Have Revenue or the Department of Finance any way of tracking this money or where it is coming from? “Are mechanisms in place to ensure the money that leaves this country in personal remittances has been fully accounted for within the Irish revenue and tax system and is not the proceeds of crime or fraud?” However, Mr Grealish was provided with significantly lower figures by Fine Gael TD Sean Kyne last month (see table above). Further to this… Mr Donohoe told Ms English this morning: “The figures provided to me today by the Central Statistics Office are some way short of this. It is difficult to accurately estimate this but it can be modelled and the Central Statistics Office indicates that, across many years, that figure has been around €17million per year.” The minister went on to say that, given the disparity between Mr Grealish’s figures and those of the CSO, it’s important for Mr Grealish to “make clear exactly where these figures are coming from” and “why he’s singling out particular country outside the European Union”. Ms English and Mr Donohoe also had this exchange… Rachel English: “It seems that the figure you quoted this figure of an average of €17million a year going to Nigeria and that contrasts, it should be said, with in 2017, €342million going back to Poland, €92million to Lithuania, €43million to India, €50million to Latvia, it seems that these figures were provided to Noel Grealish. Why do you think then that he used the other figure yesterday?” Paschal Donohoe: “It’s up to him to clarify his intentions and up to him to clarify his use of figures. I’m very happy to clarify my view on these issues here which is that there has been much change in our economy, much change in our society as a result from people from elsewhere in Europe and outside of Europe coming to our country. “It’s the kind of experience that Ireland visited to many other countries at other points in our history. We should have a degree of generosity and focus on the facts when we are debating this.” In September, Mr Grealish referred to asylum seekers as “economic migrants from Africa who are coming here to sponge off us”. H/T: Gavan Reilly. The Bee’s Knees “You Told A Lie” How Many? Busted Posted in Misc and tagged figures, Noel Grealish, Paschal Donohoe, remittances at 9:41 am on November 13, 2019 by Bodger. 37 thoughts on ““It’s Up To Him To Clarify His Intentions”” dav November 13, 2019 at 9:54 am ignorant racist displays ignorance, shocker Col November 13, 2019 at 10:13 am I wonder where he got that number. No doubt people will accept it as fact. class wario November 13, 2019 at 10:49 am This is the political climate we live in now: just throw some madcap madey-uppy incendiary ‘stat’ out there and hope for the best. You’ll always have a core group of people who will believe it and a further group within that group that refuses to believe any actual stats to the contrary some old queen November 13, 2019 at 10:57 am If an immigrant can simultaneously scrounge of the state AND send money home then I say fair play to them- they are a hell of a lot better at managing their money than most of us. If they are working and sending money home then that is their own business- unless he is suggesting that there is something illegal going on? ReproBertie November 13, 2019 at 11:06 am I believe he was asking an Taoiseach to check that none of the money is the proceeds of crime or fraud. The usual “just asking questions” dog whistling. Otis Blue November 13, 2019 at 11:25 am A man of few words, it seems. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/miriam-lord-rare-outing-from-the-lesser-spotted-grealish-captures-d%C3%A1il-attention-1.4081070 some old queen November 13, 2019 at 12:08 pm I think the figures are coming from the world bank, are over a 8 year period and propionate to the recorded number of Nigerians living in Ireland, appears very high. Varadkar said that he doesn’t doubt Grealish’s figures btw so make of that what you will. He is inferring there is something illegal going on so it is up to the government to investigate. It does look like some sort of money laundering thing mind. Let’s see what V has to say. This article is from 2013. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nigerians-send-nearly-500m-a-year-home-from-ireland-29278045.html ReproBertie November 13, 2019 at 2:19 pm World bank figures are estimates based on number of citizens in a country and the GDP of that country. The 2013 article is using the same groundless calculations as its starting point. Janet, I ate my avatar November 13, 2019 at 11:43 am exactly SOQ, if you earned it you can roll around naked in it at home if you want to, or send it to your Mammy garrett November 13, 2019 at 12:14 pm 3.54 billion to Nigeria. There are 18,000 Nigerians in Ireland, each has sent over 200,000 out of Ireland. That’s some saving, they must live in tents and never eat I picked this from comments on another site. There are an estimated 20,000 Nigerians residing in Ireland. If Grealish’s figures are correct (and Varadkar says he does not dispute them) that is an average of €170,000 for each person sent back over the past 8 years, or a little over €400 each per week. Those figures are astounding when compared with the roughly 120,000 Polish residents who have on average sent back €12,800 over the past 8 year, or €30 each per week. Cian November 13, 2019 at 1:28 pm The numbers are bunk. The actual number provided by the CSO is €17m per year to Nigeria = 850 per person per year (or €17 per week). Varadkar was giving him the benefit of the doubt in the Dáil – he should be able to trust that a deputy would have their facts straight before asking such a question. GiggidyGoo November 13, 2019 at 1:38 pm Where does the CSO get its figures Cian? Are they, like employment/unemployment estimated based on asking 1000 or so respondents? Link? I dunno how they get them. Ask the CSO. Ask broadsheet – they published them at the top of this article. Are you suggesting that CSO publish employment figures based on a survey of 1000? Link please. Did you see a disclaimer in the CSO figures Cian? For someone that readily can produce links to such stats, I’m amazed you haven’t done so here. Quotes from CSO “It should be understood that most of the elements in the compilation of the national accounts are estimates subject to margins of error.” In fact have a read. https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-nie/nie2017/methodology/ You haven’t provided evidence that the CSO employment figures are based on asking 1000 people. Cian – in fact the valid number of ‘households’ is 14323 Q4 2018So the figures are still not real and accurate. So, did you see the disclaimers on the CSO website or not (in relation to this particular thread). You haven’t provided evidence that the CSO employment figures are based on asking 1000 people. Or even 14000. some old queen November 13, 2019 at 1:45 pm Why such a discrepancy between the world bank and government then? They both can’t be right. The methodologies are significantly different. https://www.knomad.org/data/remittances Oh. Do they not use estimates? Do they get the raw data from all the banks and financial institutions worldwide? GiggidyGoo November 14, 2019 at 4:57 am As distinct from the CSO estimates, based on what? Figures plucked out of some Irish bankers butt? (you know, stalwarts like the Anglo boyos) GiggidyGoo November 13, 2019 at 12:38 pm Donohue quoting CSO figures is the funny part max November 13, 2019 at 1:26 pm With all the Nigerian Prices out there of course the number is going to be high. The figures Noel Grealish was quoting come from the IMF and World Bank but these are 100% estimates. Countries work them out based on the total remittance a country receives from its overseas citizens, the number of their citizens living in a given country and the GDP per person in that country. In 2018 Nigeria had a total remittance from overseas of $24.3bn which it then allocates to various countries based on the citizens and GDP. Ireland’s GDP is, of course, a lie. Ireland’s GDP is over $75K per personas this is inflated by the FDI flowing through our little tax dodge facilitating state. This bogus calculation resulted in Nigeria allocating Ireland a remittance of $539 million for 2018. 30 seconds research would have shown Noel the figures are nonsense but that wouldn’t have given him the grounds for his dog whistle JAQing off moment. So it is our inflated GDP which is skewing the figures then- tnx Bertie. And the CSO are also estimates. Notably, Varadkar said he didn’t disagree with Grealish’s figures yesterday. Vardaker didn’t dispute the numbers given to him in an open session of the Dail. He didn’t agree with them. Your quote is selective as it relates only to the National Accounts. (Apologies of the remittances are compiles as part of these). Then Vardaker should explain the discrepancy between the two figures presented. The definition of remittances, by the way. Remittances include cash and noncash items that flow through formal channels such as electronic wire, or through informal channels, such as money or goods carried across borders. Just for clarity Cian – he said he ‘didn’t doubt’ the figures. Not he ‘didn’t dispute’ them. Big difference. italia'90 November 13, 2019 at 10:05 pm If my Aunty had boo boos she’d be my Uncle Which is why she’s your Auntie. italia'90 November 14, 2019 at 8:47 am Which is why the cso figures are probably much closer to the real number than the World Banks, as you can google the methodology used to see for yourself how wildly innacurate they are Do you honestly expect Kylies#1fan to know the personal remittances from Ireland to every country in the world off the top of his head? ReproBertie November 14, 2019 at 7:19 am So we are in agreement that the figures are inaccurate and Grealish should be called on using wildly inaccurate figures to accuse the Nigerian community in Ireland of engaging in fraud and criminality. The WB estimates include the ‘informal’ channels. the CSO doesn’t. Plus if you look at the CSO chart, it has put the same yearly figure in each year for many years. The WB figures change year on year. Why is that? Methodology of the WB – bulloligy of the CSO. So we are agreed that both can’t be exactly accurate – however the WB seems to take a more professional methodology in their calculations (not copy-and-paste as the CSO are doing) and for that reason I’d be more leaning to WB figures. You know the WB figures are garbage figures based on estimates and a false GDP but you’d be more leaning towards them. In the face of facts you accept lies. Good to know. The point, of course, is that Grealish was wrong to use the bogus figures to single out the Nigerian community for accusations of fraud and criminality with zero evidence to back up his accusation. Dan FitzGerald on Dan Boyle: Divinity, Definity And Doctrine V on Thursday’s Papers GiggidyGoo on Thursday’s Papers Tea And Brexits on The Scattering pixel_pimp on Dark Side Of The Moon Car Spaghetti Hoop on The Scattering Pray Away - 58 comments Male Boffins Need Not Apply - 50 comments Seeking 'Financial Independence' - 44 comments Thursday's Papers - 40 comments Sunday's Papers - 39 comments Hijack At Terminal 2 Eamonn Kelly: Spinning History And Fine Gael’s Disingenuous Call For Compassion Seeking 'Financial Independence' Thursday's Papers Krugman's Thursday Buzzkill Number One With A Bullet Dan Boyle: Divinity, Definity And Doctrine Where He Fell	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416604
__label__wiki	0.61555	0.61555	Last gig of 2013 is over Tonight was the last gig for 2013, in Birmingham. It’s been a cool tour. I saw it myself last summer, but I’m here to ask you. If you saw the tour, what did you think? Leave a comment below! Other than Andrew WK who sucked, it also appears that the opening bands were good, too! Filed Under: Black Sabbath Ralph Bocchino says Toronto 8/14 – with my wife (also her birthday) and my daughter The show was amazing. Looking forward to seeing them in Hamilton Ontario in 2014! Murillo Mathias says Saw two Birmingham gigs (prices in my hometown Sao Paulo made me do this). Uncle Acid was great. Sabbath was great, Ozzy was in good shape, especially on the 22nd – but frankly, the `no surprises` set list is making me lose interest in seeing them live again. But these were my 6th and 7th show… Maybe it’s time to retire… Dave Eastwood says Saw Sabbath at LG Arena on 20/11/2013. Awesome show, whole band were a class act. Audience interaction was brilliant. Loved every minute & hopefully catch up again next time they play in Brum! Taylor Hunt says September 1st in Las Vegas. Great show. Ozzy and the band sounded great. Would have loved to heard Methademic but just being able to go to the show was enough. I got the chance to meet Ozzy before the show and he was very professional. Highlight of the show was Children of the Grave. It positively smoked. Chris Alexander says Mountain View, San Francisco Bay Area, Aug. 26th. After watching the initial youtube footage, I was concerned with Ozzy’s performance on the new material. He seemed uncomfortable & less than enthused. This concern was backed up by the inevitable negative comments that rain down on any internet parade. I didn’t want to believe it. I thought “maybe by the time I see them, he’ll have it ironed out, and it shall be awesome.” I was right!! 9th row, VIP Tour Package. Ozzy was confident, in tune & genuinely sincere through all the material. Up close seeing the looks on the guys’ faces, I got a real sense that they were up there absolutely loving & never tiring of their mission. No complaints here! Sure I would rather have seen Bill Ward, or even Brad Wilk for that matter, but Clufetos did justice. They wouldn’t hire any hack. I would have rather seen a real opening band, (local boys Orchid would have been cool), but all in all- I’m way good. m/ James Woods says I also went to the Mountain View show on that date. Like you, I was worried that Ozzy wasn’t gonna cut the mustard live, but boy, I was surprised. I’ve seen video footage of him over the last few years, and honestly… this is the best he’s sounded in a decade. I’m really happy for him. Glad he cleaned up his act because he rocked! Anyway, about the concert. Andrew WK was there. He played some classic heavy metal songs (Iron Maiden was noticeably missing, but they DID play Dio) with VERY annoying overlaying sounds over them, be it a reverb effect or a machine gun going off. Also, who the hell plays Deep Purple at a Sabbath concert? I love “Burn,” and it’s one of my favorite songs of all-time, but it doesn’t belong with the likes of Metallica or Priest. Neither did Big Balls or Communication Breakdown, but I digress. WK was surprisingly well-received, which was shocking because he really felt out-of-place. I mean, it’s not like they couldn’t get Saxon or UFO to open. When the sun sat, and I like to believe this was intentional, the air-raid sirens came on. War Pigs started playing, and it was such a surreal experience. EVERYONE in the audience started singing along, and that’s when it hit me: I was seeing Black Sabbath. From there on out, it got better and better. As I said, Ozzy sounded great, but apparently he went deaf over the years because “he couldn’t f**ing hear” us. Tony, god bless him, looked to be in good shape despite what he was going through. He was smiling the entire concert, which really warmed my heart. Geezer’s a beast as always. Had a great solo before N.I.B., as expected. Tommy was great too, but Ozzy must have needed to use the restroom or something because he played those drums for 15 minutes. The show ended with Paranoid, and a pit started up in the lawn section, which pissed me off because we were standing on a slope, and one wrong move could get someone seriously hurt. I mean, it’s Paranoid, not something from Overkill, come on! Anyway, it was a great concert. My only complaint is that they didn’t do Sweet Leaf, which sucked considering how strong it smelled that night! fishtowner says Philadelphia on Aug 10 2013. It was great. It was something that I have been waiting for for 30 something years. Yeah they came by years earlier on the Oz fest but that was just a rehash of the same old material. This had a new album and new tunes to support the show. It was dream come true. I will always remember it…..Mike Al DeGaetano says July 31st in West Palm Beach, FL with my 13 year old son (I am 47). Great show. Ozzy was in good form. Tony and Geezer are always in good form. I really thought Tommy did a great job on drums. He injects a youthfulness into the band that only a drummer can bring. Have to travel to NYC for business in March. Will see them in Brooklyn, NY on 3/31. SVB2002 says I was there at the West Palm show as well. Great show. I was also impressed with Tommy’s drumming, even though I was yelling, “We want Bill”! Nothing personal Tommy. It’s just the way a lot of us fans think. Ozzy sounded great, I don’t care how he sounded at other shows, he kicked ass at Cruzan! Geezer was his usual superb self, and Tony was being the GOD OF METAL on guitar that he is!!! Plus he was having a lot of fun interacting with Ozzy a lot. Laughing his ass off many times. Not bad for a guy who thought he was given a death sentence just a year ago. Well, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all Black Sabbath fans everywhere. Joe, keep up the great work! Guy says Paris, December 2nd, 2013 Return of the original-minus-one Sabbath in Paris, after a 43 years hiatus… Uncle Acid and the Deadbits was the opener – totally boring, if you ask me. Man, I paid 75 euros to see a show, so I expect high quality stuff for the whole evening. Fortunately enough, they didn’t play that long. The audience looked quite weird – many people coming with their relatives (grand-parents or grand-son/daughter), some others wearing ties, shirt and suit. Not really the kind of mob you’d expect for a r’n’r show. I remembered those Ozzy solo videos (Bark at the Moon tour), with many bourgeoisie-born people attending – thought it would never cross the Atlantic – yet it did. There were anyway many young metallers, and that was great. Now, back to the show… what could I say: a perfect sound, very heavy and clear. A dream-like set list (only God is Dead? was a bit below, they could have replaced it by some tunes from Never Say Dide, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or Sabotage, which were not represented that evening – except the intro of Bloody…). I expected to be disappointed by Clufetos, but that guy has been really great – of course I still regret Bill but I think that he fitted that repertoire much better than did and would Appice (yet you can’t beat the latter on Dio’s stuff!). The light show was great, yet the videos are too much distracting, and really prevent you of focusing on the band – yet it’s the price to pay for all screen-and-TV-addicts, I suppose). Nearly two hours of great music, in front of nearly 17,000 people. Of course, a pitty that Ozzy refuses to consider material he didn’t record – or that they didn’t play some solo Ozzy classic… Ozzy sang very well (maybe not on War Pigs), Butler seemed to be totally bored, and Iommi was in top shape – crafting what is to me his best solo to date on Black Sabbath… still happy to be a fan since 1981! DJE says for me a very great show i like it very much tommy did a great job he is not bill but i like his show -who could replace bill? noone i think bill have a very special touch !ozzy voice was good and geezer was amazing this man is incredible! tony he is iron man!!! adam did a good job but we could not see him!the audience was incredible evry age since little child to age of reason! ozzy said that preahps a new album and tour i hope !!!! jerome un fan comble! 43 YEAR HIATUS??? I’m not very impressed with all this “back together again after blah blah blah years” … Black sabbath has never had a hiatus except the year 1985!!! I saw Black Sabbath in Paris 2nd of December and they were awesome, specially Ozzy, after seeing his solo band in 2008 and his pathetic shape at that point, it was a pleasant surprise. Clufetos did a great job IMO (which was the other big surprise for me) and Tony & Geezer were outstanding. My first time finally to see BS was more than worthy! I saw Sabbath in Helsinki, Finland on November 20th. The gig was brilliant, one of the best gigs I’ve ever seen. If this was the last time they were here, then: Thank You Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Tommy for the awesome experience! marcelo vieira paulo says Rio de Janeiro. Claes Olsson says Stockholm 22 november with my 2 boys (22 and 20). Uncle Acid didn´t do much for me but Sabbath was really good that night. Haven´t seen Ossy so good in many years, the diffrence agains last years show in Malmö was BIG!. Hope that they come to Wacken next year. Tiago Camargo says I saw them in Toronto last August. This was my first Black Sabbath concert with Ozzy. I enjoyed every minute of the show. People complain about Ozzy, but I just think he was great. By the way, Tommy is an amazing drummer and he should have recorded the album. I although I love Cozy Powell, Vinny Appice and Bob Rondinelli, I believe that Tommy is the drummer that best fits the band style after Bill Ward. I am looking forward to seeing them again in Hamilton in 2014. PTC says I was at the Glasgow gig last week with my six year old daughter, who greeted War Pigs with a raised peace sign and plugs in her ears. It’s hard to be objective about Sabbath, Bill’s not there and they’ve been my favourite band for, well, forever. I’ve seen them many times since the ’97 reunion and they’ve never been so good again as they were on those two nights in Birmingham. But, they started strong, sounding excellent, my eyes misted up and Ozzy hit every note. I’ve stood in front of Iommi dozens of times in the last 30 odd years and I’ve never seen him play as well and simply sound as good as he did that night. Geezer bobbed and rumbled as well always, maybe seeming a little less keen on being there as he might? Hard to say, but he’s always seemed a little less enthusiastic that I’d have hoped over the past couple of years. Tommy did his best, you couldn’t ask any more from him in a difficult position. Good lad. Ozzy’s voice went on NIB, badly too. He pulled back at times towards the end, but he’s the weak link and that’s something I never thought I’d see. He’s always been the firework blazing centre stage, but Iommi was the rock that the band were tied to in Glasgow. It was still more than I’d hoped for, but Ozzy’s singing was hard to ignore at times while the band played perfectly behind him. Maybe Bill’s looser feel might have helped here, Tommy’s rock solid timing seemed to catch Ozzy out on Black Sabbath. I’m not being negative at all, I loved the gig, more than a few others since the 97 reunion. The set could do with a wee shake up, I’ve never really liked Fairies Wear Boots, Dirty Women could swap with Gypsy or even Never Say Die since the cover of that album is all over the merchandise. Loved hearing Rat Salad, but how about giving Ozzy some helium and playing Killing Yourself to Live instead of Snowblind? But then again, the’re must be folks fed up with War Pigs or Children of the Grave and I’ll never tire of them. If it’s the last time I see them, it was enough to leave me with happy memories. Seeing Iommi playing so well and looking strong was the best thing about the night. The two t-shirts I went home with weren’t bad either. Uncle Acid – I’d been looking forward to seeing them, the albums are great. The struggled a bit to fill the big stage and project themselves, but the songs are great and the sound was excellent, I think they caught a few new ears on the night. Brett Billedeau says Saw them in Tinley Park, IL (Chicago) on August 16, 2013. What an amazing experience! My 4th time seeing them with Ozzy and it was honestly the best yet. Ozzy’s voice was at its peak, the band was tight, and the performances were spectacular. Mark Findlay says Glasgow Hydro December 16th 2013. My first time in the Hydro, it only opened in October 2013. Sitting in the gods, an apt place to be while in the presence of greatness. The show was stunning. Ozzy was in fine voice and Geeezer and Tommy also shone brightly. But for me the star will always be Tony. After the rough time he has had will his illness to be able to perform to such a high level is truly impressive. This man knows how to rock the world and should be held up high as an example to todays up and coming performers. The new classics blend well with the old classics to give the audience a night they will never forget. The solo on Black Sabbath was exceptional, my head nearly fell off. Age of Reason should be hailed as one of the greatest Sabbath songs ever. To Tony, Ozzy, Geezer and Tommy thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my black hearted soul. Love and peace to you all. Mike Becker says I saw them at Tinley Park in Chicago August 16th, and they kicked royal ass! Ozzy sounded spot on to my amazement, the overall sound was perfect. I know the complaints about Ozzy’s voice on certain shows, this surely was not one of them. If they would have filmed Tinley Park for the DVD rest assured it would have smoked the Australia footage, but I am not complaining, the DVD is awesome. Long live Sabbath, hope this is not the last time to see them live, but if it was I will die happy!! Note: Andrew W.K. was complete crap on a stick!! Why??? should have someone solid like UFO or Uriah Heep open up, that would have been a strong double bill. Ben Gonzales says Phoenix AZ 08/30 My friend Sam came from CA just for the show. We parked a couple towns over and took the metro train to the show, people were piling in at every stop wearing Sabbath, Ozzy and yes,Dio shirts too (god bless Ronnie). The excitement built up as we got closer to US Airways Center. We met people from Australia, Spain and these very very excited guys from a small island off of Greece (don’t remember the name). We entered the arena as AWK was on, the T-shirt line was the longest I have ever seen. We got our “beverages” and found our seats just as AWK was finishing. Sabbath came on in no time at all. It is pretty blurry from that point because as soon as War Pigs kicked up, I lost it, I really lost it. I sang every song (yes, even the new ones). Ozzy was not bad at all, I was so pleasantly surprised. Snowblind always my favorite and Age of Reason, my new favorite. The place was packed to the rafters and the crowd was as loud as the amps, the band was impressed or so it appeared. I totally wonderful night with my favorite band of all time, well worth the wait. Better than Ozzfest 97, and 05. Better than the LA forum in 99 and that one is tough to beat. didier says I saw the boys in Amsterdam ,very good performance,Ozzy was in shape,Tommy clufetos was the suprise of the evening for me with his solo. Hoped for a major guitarsolo by Tony,which wasn”t to be. Furthermore i enjoyed it. RedZero says I saw them in the Republic of Texas (Houston) and it was the best show ever no matter what anyone says about Ozzy’s singing. 17,000 fans going crazy. It was the first time playing Age of Reason and Rat Salad. That was the best gig of the 2013 tour and I was honored to see my heroes. I am also very confident it was the hottest gig they played all year with temperatures well into the 90’s late at night. Ozzy was making fun of the oppressive heat and Geezer was sweating like a pig. The heat didn’t bother Tony at all. He looked so strong. The gig was electrifying. Brian Fowler says It’s not even that Andrew W.K. sucked as it that it was… you know… pointless? I mean, it was no different than just playing music through the soundsystem without someone on stage. Otherwise, saw the Detroit show, it was fantastic, hometown boy on the drum set doing an epic 10+ minute drum solo lead-in to Iron Man, Ozzy sounding much better than I expected, and Tony and Geez being TONY AND GEEZ! Eric Chiasson says I saw them last August in Mansfield, MA. I drove about 10 hours from New-Brunswick, Canada to the States for this show & it was totally worth it! Didn’t really care for Andrew W.K.; It was actually weird, At one point he played a Slayer song &, right after he was done, Slayer was playing yet again through the speakers while they were getting the stage for the main attraction. Black Sabbath, however was on fire!!! I thought Ozzy did an awesome job on vocals. He did struggle a times during “Under the Sun”, “Age of Reason” & “Dirty Women” but it thought it was very minor & didn’t effect the band`s performance at all. It was a great show! I was happy to finally here my favorite Black Sabbath song, “Behind the Wall of Sleep”, & can`t wait to see them again live in April when they stop in Halifax, NS. James Myles says Saw them December 20th 2013 at Birmingham’s LG Arena. Travelled up from Swansea so stayed overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, a few minutes walk from the arena. My wife came too, and probably the best measure of how enjoyable the show was is to say she loved every minute of it. She’s not a Black Sabbath maniac like me, but she totally got it, so did everyone else for that matter. It’s the fourth time I’ve seen them and they’ve been great each time, twice with Ozzy, once with Ronnie and once with Ray Gillen. Loved the new songs in particular, not because they”re better than the old stuff, but they’re off a really good, massive selling album and that makes me happy. It’s a shame about Bill, but Tommy filled in beautifully, and the crowd really appreciated his solo. One more tour! One more tour! Metal Mark says Second album I ever bought was sabbath. Been hooked since in all forms. Vancouver was the second time I had seen the Ozzy version (prior in Seatte), and although Ozzy wasn’t his best that night the crowd was right into it and Iommi rocked. It was pure rock heaven and I look forward to seeing them in Calgary in the New Year. Tony says Tinley Park, IL on August 16th and then two days later in Noblesville, IN. I believe I posted on each of these nights previously, so I will keep it short. I have seen Ozzy and/or Black Sabbath at least once on every US Tour since Ozzy’s Bark at the Moon Tour of 83/84, and these two shows are definitely in the top 5. This includes BS fronted by Ray Gillan, Tony Martin, and Dio. When I consider the strength of the new songs from 13, along with the inclusion of Under the Sun (worth the price of admission) and Rat Salad in the set list, I cannot emphasize how much I was pleased, literally to the point of tears at both shows. Hell, even now typing this my eyes are filling up. If this album and tour is their swan song, then they have gone out on top, in my opinion. Jeff Downing says It’s great to read so many positive experiences and general comments. For a time it seemed all I read was a about some bad shows (mostly the first US dates) and mostly dead ( thank god) Bill Ward issue. I think I speak for many when I say I’m really glad they are going out with a bang. , in the public arena anyway, and they are doing shows pretty much as good as any ( often better) in the last decade or two even. But I hope they don’t draw things out too long and let the business people make decisions for them. One thing that would be really fantastic would be if the could release just a bit of material, even just a song, or even do a show with Bill Ward, that would bring everything full circle. And let things end the way they deserve to, which rarely happens in life. And it’s actually in their reach I think if they wanted it. Happy holidays to all my fellow Sab fanatics! Anthony St James says August 4th @PNC in NJ. For whatever reason, for the most part Ozzy’s vocals were so good they were almost scary that night. On the long “Yeahhh…” near the end of “Fairies Wear Boots,” he actually surpassed the one on the Paranoid album! Tony, Geezer & Mark were excellent – of course. These days, I’m enjoying the ‘Gathered’ DVD and looking ahead to the 3/31/14 concert @Barclays here in Brooklyn! Happy New Year, everybody! I meant Tommy! lol Sheffield, great support band, great set list, Sabbath on top form, great sound system, only thing I could complain about is the traffic jam on the way in. Saw Sabbath in London, Sheffield, Manchester and Birmingham on this tour which was FANTASTIC….hope to see more in the future…… wolfiejm says Une qualité de son exceptionnelle pour le concert de Bercy a Paris, merci Rick Schock says Tampa, Florida July 29th. Fantastic show. Loved the set list. Played a full 2 hours. Geezer absolutely amazing. Tony brilliant in everything he did. Only wish he would show a bit more emotion but that is not who he is. His performance was even more amazing given his health issues. Ozzy in good voice and loved the enthusiastic crowd. Only missed Bill from a “purist” standpoint. In reality, Tommy a better drummer at this point and his energy and solo were inspiring. Hope to see them again in 2014! Simply stated – brilliant and a heck of a lot of fun. Saw them 8/4 in NJ and 8/10 in Philly. Both high energy great shows. Ozzy held his own vocally and the rest of the band just kicked ass with him. I actually felt a little down in Philly just thinking that could be the last time I see those guys live. Anyway..best album of the year and damn it one ballsy helluva show! Ricardo Hamann says I saw they in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. I was in tears… It was one of the most espetacular experiences of my life. Hope they comeback to Brazil. Andres Posso says I saw Sabbath in Bogota (Colombia) October 19. Was my dream come true. For the first time i saw the “Beatles” of heavy rock or heavy metal or wathever. 48 years waiting for this moment…. at the end. Matt Dennett says I was at Manchester Arena UK 18/12/2013. I did not plan to go but my older brother persuaded me to attend saying it may be the last chance to see this. Thank god I listened. Like many people i was worried about Ozzy cutting it live. I need’nt have been. The whole band were absolutely incredible. My brother and I were in the thick of it at the front of the venue, pogoing and moshing, screaming every last lyric. Tony Iommi was on fire, his lead solo’s during Black Sabbath and Dirty Women were so intense even Ozzy was watching dumbfounded as if wondering when he would end. Geezer was beaming whilst viewing the pogoing masses during Children of the Grave. He was a monster of bass excellence. Even Tommy Clufetos played a blinder, he pummeled his kit throughout the set and played an amazing drum solo – as much as I wished Bill Ward was behind the kit I doubt he could have matched Tommys performance. The whole crowd was rocking out and the crowd noise was deafening, sometimes drowning out the sound system. Ozzy seemed to be note and timing perfect throughout the whole set, I think this was the best performance I have seen him do, he was also beaming from ear to ear when not singing or screaming at us. By the time Paranoid’s last notes rang out we were totally wiped out, soaked in sweat, throats corse, physically drained. I hugged my brother thanking him for persuading me to go, it was very emotional. I have seen Sabbath/Ozzy/Tony/Geezer many times over the years in various incarnations of the Sabbath and Ozzy bands, but i have to say this topped them all by far. It was electric. I could come up with a minor quibble – such as no tracks from Sabotage of Never Say Die but the way they played Under the Sun, Into the Void and Behind the Wall of Sleep more than made up for this. These tracks were devastating. The three new tracks played also slotted in perfectly and were much heavier than the album versions. Age of Reason, End of the Beginning and God is Dead? were sung along to by the crowd as much as the classics were. Every person at the show we spoke to was blown away. Long live Black Sabbath. INCREDIBLE!!! Waited 30 years to see black sabbath in Birmingham. At the NIA . The seats where in row pp 112.which was ok. Apart from we couldnt see the video screen as a speaker ? Hanging from the ceiling was in the way . Should of gone to the LG instead . Still a once in a lifetime experience .best xmas present ever BUT we should not forget all the other triumphs whilst Tony Iommi has flown the Sabbath flag through thick and thin. I love all the different line ups and albums created by Tony and co over the years. Even the outsiders have great things to offer if people take the time to check them out. Never Say Die is a personal favourite, as is Born Again (one of THE heaviest Sabs albums ever), Seventh Star contains some stellar guitar work from Iommi, pure class. And of course Heavan and Hell and Mob Rules with the much missed Ronnie James Dio (RIP) brought the band back from the dead after most “fans” had written them off. Tony Martin also played his part in keeping the flame alive and created some class tracks along the way. Eternal Idol and Headless Cross deserve more praise then is usually given. PLEASE lets not brush away all this history in the excitement. Without a lot of this history the band may not be at the stage it is at now, blowing us all away yet again after all these years. Open your heart and ears to the quality rock and metal that these works offer. God bless Tony Iommi. Matt, if you’ve been a fan of my site, you should know I care about all eras. However, as much as I’m a fan of the Tony Martin era, I debated clearing this post, as I didn’t feel it belonged. In the end, I let it go, though. Richard Leach says I made it to shows at The Gorge (8/24), Mountain View (8/26), Irvine (8/28), Las Vegas (9/1), and Los Angeles (9/4). The whole endeavor seems a bit much, even to me. My initial goal didn’t remotely envision attending five shows, but things slowly unfolded in such a way that one thing led to another and I eventually wound up with tickets to five concerts and the time off to attend. (On the other hand, I did the same thing for the Reunion tour in ‘99, so the precedent was there.) Three of the five I attended by myself (which, with a few exceptions, is what I prefer). Performances varied significantly, though thankfully none were a total washout this time (as happened in ‘99). I’m very glad I did make it to all five, because I would’ve missed by far the best one otherwise, and wouldn’t have had the perspective to know. Four of the five shows had their ups and downs, but they differed enough from each other that overall I got the OMFG!! performance experience I sought. For the most part it hinged on how functional Ozzy was on any given night. The Vegas show was a cut above; an OMFG!! performance experience all by itself. The first show, at The Gorge, I felt that Ozzy was off key ~80% of the time and for much of the show the sound wasn’t quite dialed in enough. Yet, a few songs were as good as I’ve heard. “Dirty Women” was a standout, as was “Fairies Wear Boots.” Mountain View — my impression was that Ozzy was _in_ tune ~80% of the time, though his timing was still a bit sloppy. The band was a little tighter, sound a bit more dialed in, and the crowd was much more into it. A very good show. Irvine — Ozzy had difficulty with his voice at times, which he admitted at least once. Given the general reaction to the overall performance, the crowd didn’t seem to mind. However, sometimes he pulled it off: When they lit into their first new song, “Age of Reason,” Ozzy was surprisingly on key, the sound very loud, and the band really tight. Noticeably so, given up to that point. Then, “Black Sabbath” — Ozzy was _dead-on_, the band flawless, the sound perfect, the volume overpowering. Even Ozzy knew he’d nailed it, and I think by the general crowd reaction, we all did too; after a verse he’d go “yeah!,” the next verse, “I did it!,” and on. I thought it was one of the best renditions I’ve experienced. Absolutely chilling, perhaps because it was so unexpected. The next couple songs fell flat. But they pulled it off again during the next new tune; in fact, I thought all three of their new songs were stellar performances that night. So, at least four songs out of the set were keepers. I was disappointed that “Dirty Women” was dropped (due to Ozzy’s vocal troubles), but given the preceding, went away from the show satisfied enough. Las Vegas — The sound was perfect; the crowd _very_ intense; Ozzy’s presence at times almost sinister, vocals close to spot-on virtually the entire show; Tony strutting, smooth and effortless leads; Geezer smiling; drummer Tommy in top form; the band as close to flawless as is possible in a real world setting. I left in a dazed ecstasy that slowly dissipated over the next few hours… L.A. Sports Arena — The show itself had the potential to be as close to perfect as any they’ve done: The sound was phenomenal, right from the start — not a bad seat in the house in that respect. And the band seemed ON! from the first bomb-blast riff of War Pigs. Even Ozzy’s voice was as good as could ever be expected (though not on par with Vegas). But the venue gets a D minus — for ventilation. It was ~90 degrees outside; very warm but otherwise comfortable. Step inside the arena and the temperature went up at least 10 degrees, with an equal increase in humidity. That didn’t change the entire show (though I did feel an occasional breeze to swirl the sweltering sauna around). It sapped (or otherwise altered) the energy of the entire experience for everyone present. That said, it _was_ a stellar performance. Which was good — my brother who, as far as I know, is familiar with The Hits but otherwise not a Sabbath fan, and his two late-teen sons attended their first Black Sabbath concert. The general consensus is that they were totally blown away. As it should be. re: the drummer(s) So, Brad Wilk played on the new album; Tommy Clufetos did the tour. I would’ve much preferred Bill on both accounts. That said, Tommy was as close to jaw-dropping amazing as I could’ve hoped for. Highly competent, blazing speed (when appropriate), and really really enjoyed himself. The set list was such that it highlighted his playing, and allowed an extended drum solo in the middle of the show so the old guys could take a break. The only criticism I have is that his playing lacked the subtlety of Ward, but I do think more than made up for that with everything else. I went into this with the conviction that this album and tour is their “swan song.” I could be wrong. If I am, I’d do it all again if the opportunity arises. If I’m right, I die happy… :-) MacGregor says I will say it again, I am very relieved that Brad Wilk is drumming on the 13 album. Tommy Clufetos is boring as a drummer! So what, he powered through a drum solo, heaps of drummers do that! He is the least interesting drummer Sabbath have ever had! He has no ‘feel’ on the classic Sabbath songs, that says it all! I enjoyed the Brisbane gig last April, good sound, great to see the original 3 playing those timeless classic songs (except Dirty Women) with so much energy. As usual Iommi & Butler stole the show! MacG — To each their own. Personally, I was never particularly impressed with Cozy Powell (whom I saw twice with Sabbath). Great drummer in his own right, but IMO his style did not fit Sabbath’s sound at all. Go figure… Richard, yes I can’t imagine Powell playing the Ozzy era material, I have never heard it. You were lucky to see Powell with Sabbath, we never had that pleasure here in Oz as the Headless Cross tour was cancelled for some reason in ’89, after it was being advertised. But to me Cozy is a ‘feel’ drummer big time, I don’t hear anything from Clufetos to make me think that at all. He is very robotic, like so many modern drummers, all power & stamina & that is fine & exactly what this latest tour requires no doubt. But he just doesn’t have the ‘swing’ thing going at all & is too one dimensional for me! The ‘old school’ drummers usually had a jazz influenced background & it can always be heard in their playing! Cheers. Robert Cam says Nice album, nice tour… I’m so happy Tony could manage to play so well despite undergoing cancer treatment. I wish them the very best when it comes to 2014…. God bless Tony, Terry and Ozzy and all of Sabbath fans all around the World. Plus, many thanks to Joe, who has been doing such a fantastic job on informing us everything about Sabbath…. Happy New Year…!!! Peace and Love…!!! God bless Us all…!!! Diego Piazza says I saw the last show at Birmingham NIA with my friends Claudio e Paolo , WE CAME FROM NORTH ITALY TO SEE THE SHOW AND WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO SEE TONY ‘S PERFORMANCE !!! The RiffMaster was amazing during all the gig. Ozzy surprised me, very professional performance, like off course Geezer. Tommy is a very phisycal drummer, hard touch, Bill was more technical and jazz style but the Cluvetos’ drums solo was amazing. Next year I’ll see Black Sabbath in my country, in Bologna and maybe in others places like Berlin ! Chad Hallman says Geezer saying no real plans for another album? Well we all heard a while back a Geezer with a raised voice saying ” There will be no reunion and no new album with sabbath” and look what we all got! With your talents Geezer and Tony’s and Ozzy’s , you have PLENTY in you yet for another album! I wouldn’t call “13” an official reunion album. BILL WARD ISN’T ON IT! But I would call it a good album and hardly not an album to OFFICIALLY go out on because it didn’t have the original 4 on it! Guys if you are gonna go out, then do an album with Bill Ward! That’s what it should be! WE FANS made you guys with our support, our love, and dedication and our money. Don’t you think we should have one last , real album? An OFFICIAL REUNION ALBUM with BILL WARD? From my memory of Geezer’s comments in relation to a reunion, he stated not that long after Dio’s passing, that there would never be the original 4 members of Sabbath back together again. Or words to that effect & they may have been in response at that time to the insensitive comments from certain sections of the press, so soon after RJDio unfortunately passed from this world into the next! He officially released a press statement in response to the comments “when will the original Sabbath get back together again”? In hindsight he was actually correct, wasn’t he? And it will probably stay that way, it would seem! In response to the comment, ‘WE Fans made you guys” that is unbelievably untrue! We Fans had nothing to with those guys creating their music, they did it without us involved on any level! We Fans have supported them financially of course, but we didn’t make them at all! They created music that we liked & then purchased as with concert tickets, full stop. Without their music, we wouldn’t be here at all! I saw Sabbath in Austin, second night of the tour. Although I was bummed that the tour was without Bill Ward, it was pretty solid concert. I know the reviews of the first night were pretty rough, but they seemed to iron out any kinks for this show. Decent set list although I’d love to hear more Vol. 4 material (Supernaut). Tony and Geezer were excellent, and Ozzy was….Ozzy. He shuffled about and did his thing. Vocally, he was not brilliant, but he didn’t suck. Tommy was awesome on the drums. Of course, Andrew W.K. was a bad choice for an opener. I could listen to half the tunes he spun on my phone! I am assuming it was budgetary choice to have a DJ open the show. Not sure where Sabbath goes from here, but this was my third time to see the band w/ Ozzy and it was a satisfying experience. MIKE FERREIRA says I EAT, LIVE AND SLEEP ,BLACK SABBATH FOR THE BEST SHOWS I HAVE SEEN TONY OZZY AND GEZZER AND TOMMY KEEP ROCKIN UNREAL AT MANSFEILD MASS MY HEROS ALWAYS SO IF YOU GUYS ARE READING THIS LETS DO SOME MORE AND NEVER SAY DIE BEST WISHES HAPPY HOLIDAYS SABBATH , Hello Chad, I utterly agree with you. A new album and another tour with Bill Ward. It would be awesome….!!! Sabbath lives Foverer…!!! God Bless You and Happy New Year….!!!! Phones 4u Arena Manchester, England. Was the wait worth it? Oh yer! Sabbath were brilliant. It’s a pity they didn’t throw in a few surprise tunes, but the new songs blended well with the old ones. It also would have been nice to hear ‘Spiral Architect’ or ‘Killing Yourself To Live’ but we know why. For three guys in their 60’s they rocked and were awesome. The support act for the British shows was a very heavy rock outfit called ‘Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats’, well worth checking out. Thanks Black Sabbath. dave s says I’ve seen original Sabbath six times from 98 to 05, twice without Bill, 97 and 13, Iommi in 86, Ozzy three times, 92, 07, 10, Dio two times, 00, 03 and I have to say more more more!!! Sabbath were great in 2013. Same set list, yes and no. I saw six tunes for the first time!!! the four new ones, which kicked ass, and behind and under!!! Love it, I want more, with Bill would be the best but without would still be great! Sabbath! Sabbath! Sabbath! Saw the concerts at Sheffield on 14th and Brum 20th both were fantastic the sound was better in Sheffield absolutely incredible, I have been watching Sabbath since 1975 Sabotage tour and these concerts were brilliant. Saw them in Birminham o2 last year and Clufetos was better this time his drumming on black sabbath was really good, if this is the last tour they do it is fitting end Joaquim Pedro Viana says I was in Birmingham at the last show and it was my birthday present to myself. Loved being able to see the best band in the world, playing in his hometown. Congratulations to the whole band, you are an inspiration. . Bye and greetings here from Portugal marc says Saw the at the O2…and they were great, had a fantastic sound and totally nailed songs like NIB. Ozzy sang well but had little to say between songs which was a bit disappointing really…but 9/10. Jonathan callaway says Saw the show in philadelphia on august 10 2013 my first time seeing sabbath but not the last on my website you can find the entire show that i put together Steve Dee says Saw the show twice…in Chicago (fantastic) in 2013. Classy presentation, sounded and looked GREAT! Loved it soooo much in fact, that I saw their final NA show at the Hollywood Bowl in April 2014. I now must say that Black Sabbath is the greatest living band. They sound damn near the same as they did 40 years ago…they look GREAT, they are the essence of Classic. Who’s left that’s better? Paul McCartney? The Rolling Stones? Fleetwood Mac? The Eagles? NOT. Matbe we can have a conversation if Zeppelin returns…but it sounds like that will never happen. God I LOVE Black Sabbath…and I have since I was 12. I’m now 55. Leave a Reply to SVB2002 Cancel reply	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416608
__label__cc	0.560149	0.439851	International Money transfer comparison \| The Money Cloud Blog Your site for international money transfer comparison news and views for individuals and businesses BUSINESS MONEY TRANSFERS PRIVATE MONEY TRANSFERS MONEY TRANSFER CORRIDORS HOW TO USE THE SERVICE Bank Branch Closures Risk Leaving People Behind 30th November 2019 30th November 2019 The Fintech Times The Worldamp39s Fintech Newspaper digital currencies, Doing Business Overseas, Trade & Industry https://thefintechtimes.com/bank-branch-closures/ By Ian Bradbury, CTO for Financial Services at Fujitsu Although we are moving towards a cashless society, and card spending is overtaking cash spending, a rapid move towards digital banking risks leaving people behind. The latest report from Which? highlights this problem, and it’s now businesses’ and financial institutions’ turn to work together to ensure millions of people are not left struggling to access everyday banking tasks. We need to think about how digital and traditional banking can coexist, rather than compete, as both are becoming critical in maintaining a healthy financial life for Britons across the country. In fact, our recent research found that while access to reliable digital services is a high priority for almost half (47%) of consumers, two-thirds (67%) are more likely to do business with a bank if it has a high street branch. “We need to think about how digital and traditional banking can coexist” Banks need to find a balance between their physical and digital offerings. As consumers look at technology to improve their overall banking service, it is hugely important that banks are able to manage their expectations by providing convenient, efficient and even an exciting experience. Further transformation of the sector looks inevitable, but it is vital that banks consider how new technologies can shape their future while ensuring no one is left behind. The Block vs Binance intersection of niche media implosion and Crypto Fintech cambrian explosion 30th November 2019 30th November 2019 Daily Fintech Fintech Trends amp Analysis digital currencies, Doing Business Overseas, Trade & Industry https://dailyfintech.com/2019/11/30/the-block-vs-binance-intersection-of-niche-media-implosion-and-crypto-fintech-cambrian-explosion/ Daily Fintech lives at this intersection. Thankfully we avoided the temptation to monetize via advertising and as we are self funded we have no pressure to meet external growth expectations (which is the sort of pressure that leads to sacrificing editorial independence). So the media implosion does not worry us and we can focus on creating useful content related to the cambrian explosion in the world of Crypto Fintech. Digging below the headlines and gory battles, this post looks at the trends behind The Block vs Binance saga and what these trends reveal about the state of media, of Crypto Fintech and of the intersection between the two. Bernard Lunn is a Fintech deal-maker, investor, entrepreneur and advisor. He is CEO of Daily Fintech and author of The Blockchain Economy. The Block vs Binance saga explained On November 21, The Block released a report stating that “Binance offices in Shanghai shut down following police raid”. This had a negative impact on Binance, who responded quickly with “No police, no raid, no office. Hope you didn’t pay to read that FUD block.” Binance then sued The Block claiming inaccurate reporting. The Block later changed the headline taking out the bit about police raid, but that does not seem to be the full extent of the inaccurate reporting. More cock-up than conspiracy There are lots of conspiracy theories floating around, that The Block was paid by competitors of Binance or that they shorted Binance. I tend to believe cock-up more than conspiracy, that this was simply shoddy journalism under pressure to create an exciting clickbait headline. That pressure, which leads to editorial integrity being challenged, happens when revenue is declining. In ye olden days, a journalist would have spotted a potential story taken it to the Editor who said that they should investigate on the ground in Shanghai and, without factual backup from multiple sources, would have binned the post. Hmm, where is the revenue to fund that sort of hard work? Integrity is challenged when revenue is declining High quality journalism and editorial independence was easy when the revenue was pouring in. Imagine All The Presidents Men with Woodward & Bernstein under pressure to crank out posts, clicks and page views each and every day. Those days are gone. When bits of destruction first hit media, the oft repeated line was that “$1 of print advertising revenue would return in the digital realm as 10c.” This decimation of revenue was brutal, but once media firms went digital it got worse! Whether you call it Adpocalypse or less alarmingly, Adlergy, there are some alarming trend lines: – rise of fake bot traffic (around 50% by many accounts). – adblockers and ad-blindness (people “tuning out” ads even when the ads are shown) leading to decline in engagement as evidenced by click through rates. – increasing resistance to privacy invasion among wealthy early adopters (prized by advertisers); this is accentuated by regulation in many markets. With revenues declining, journalists are told to a) write more articles b) increase traffic. That is not conducive to thoughtful articles with lots of primary research and fact checking. The Block also has a paid subscription model. They clearly aim to do quality work. This was no fly by night content scraping site. So them getting it wrong took more people by surprise and that is why we need to dig below the surface to look at the underlying trends. An unregulated market needs a well compensated journalists In Legacy Finance, there is some protection from the most egregious behaviour thanks to the regulation watch dog. An unregulated market needs some other watch dog. How it works today with lots of fake news and an occasional legal battle is not a healthy market. A media business under pressure to crank out posts, clicks and page views and accept payments from interested parties is clearly not that kind of watch dog. It does not matter how many times we say that journalists must do xy&z, if there is not a good way to compensate journalists well for doing that kind of work. It is unrealistic to say journalists must do very high quality work but also use Adblockers and tricks to get past Paywalls. The money is there. Crypto Fintech is in a cambrian explosion phase, with money pouring into the space. There are also plenty of journalists who would like to exercise their skills to do a good job digging out the truth. Both parties want a solution. What is needed is a business model that connects the two. Shameless plug: Daily Fintech is working on that, please get in touch if you are interested on working on this with us. Daily Fintech provides daily original insight from a select team of market practitioners. Subscribe to get your insights fresh from the knowledge bakery. Yes, we have a Paid Membership model. In case you don’t already have your own Membership, if you subscribe by 30 November 2019 (yes, TODAY) you get a 50% discount off your first year. Simply use the coupon code: Thanksgiving in the payment field of the Subscription page, and you’re on your way to being that well informed Crypto Fintech person at the next Thanksgiving table. Inaugural SFF x SWITCH sees over 60,000 participants from 140 countries https://thefintechtimes.com/inaugural-sff-x-switch/ The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) and the Singapore Week of Innovation and TeCHnology (SWITCH) concluded its combined week-long event on 15 November 2019, which attracted more than 60,000 participants from 140 countries. The event also saw a record 569 speakers, close to 1,000 exhibitors and 41 international pavilions. SFF x SWITCH will return next year from 9 to 13 November 2020. It will build on the energy, ideas and partnerships established this year, to further strengthen the ecosystem for FinTech and deep tech in Singapore and the region. Key Announcements In line with the theme of Sustainability and Climate Change, Minister Ong Ye Kung unveiled the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)’s green finance action plan to strengthen green financing capabilities in Singapore and announced the launch of a US$2 billion Green Investments Programme, among other initiatives under the action plan. DPM Heng Swee Keat unveiled Singapore’s National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy in his keynote speech, and highlighted a new framework, Veritas, introduced by MAS to promote the responsible adoption of AI in the financial sector. He also announced the expansion of the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) network to include London, and the launch of the Open Innovation Network (OIN)2 by Enterprise Singapore and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to promote open innovation across sectors. Under the GIA, Enterprise Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UK-based accelerator IoT Tribe, to facilitate two-way innovation and business partnerships. It also inked MOUs with three new partners – DayDayUp (Beijing), Plug and Play Asia Pacific (Jakarta) and Leave a Nest (Tokyo) – to run GIA programmes in their respective markets. MAS and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) jointly launched the BIS Innovation Hub Centre in Singapore, to foster innovation and greater collaboration among the central banking community globally. The opening of the BIS Innovation Hub Centre in Singapore marks BIS’ first expansion of its global footprint in 17 years. MAS also established partnerships with financial authorities in Canada and France, to strengthen cooperation in FinTech and cybersecurity respectively, and welcomed Banque de France (BDF)’s opening of an overseas office in Singapore in early 2020. Copper Covers 96% of the Crypto Market After Walled Garden Expansion https://thefintechtimes.com/copper-crypto/ Copper, the London-based custodian for digital assets, has expanded its Walled Garden infrastructure and is now connected to the top 15 exchanges – including: Coinbase, Deribit, OKEx, Bitstamp, Bitfinex, Huobi, Binance, Bitmex, Kraken, Bittrex and HitBTC. This gives Copper’s institutional customers access to a larger liquidity pool as the company’s trade and settlement volumes continue to increase 50% month-on-month. Copper’s infrastructure creates a unique Walled Garden for each client, connecting crypto funds and major liquidity providers directly to their exchange accounts. Copper’s platform provides a single view of a client’s portfolio, while the inter-exchange custody eliminates the risk of internal fraud. Using APIs, client assets are transferred seamlessly inside the secure environment, supported by Copper’s multi-key cold storage, providing a safe off-exchange depository. Exchanges must meet a threshold of security conditions before being eligible for integration, including permission-based API keys and whitelisting of wallet addresses, among others. The news follows Copper announcing it has processed $500m in transactions in the three months following its launch in June. The company already provides digital asset safeguarding for multiple funds and investors operating a full range of investment strategies. Dmitry Tokarev, Founder & CEO of Copper, has commented: “We have first-hand knowledge of the needs of institutions. Our custody, trade and settlement infrastructure creates a Walled Garden environment tailored to each client, allowing serious investors to fully-engage with crypto markets in T0 time without having to worry about security or bad players. As our institutional customers have increasingly seen the benefits of using our trading and settlement infrastructure, we are very happy to be able to offer them access to the top 15 exchanges which allows them to engage with 96% of the crypto market. We pride ourselves on being able to offer funds and sophisticated investors market-leading security, as well as market-leading investment tools so they may work their capital harder and have peace of mind their assets are safe from bad actors.” £1.7 Billion Paid in Travel Expenses Due to Inefficient Processes – How Can Businesses Work Smarter? https://thefintechtimes.com/travel-expenses/ By Thore Vestergaard, MD of Commercial Cards, Allstar Business Solutions Travelling overseas for business matters is expensive and can be frustrating. Even with huge advances in technology that is making conducting business overseas much easier, there will always be the need for face-to-face meetings. Thore Vestergaard In Europe there are around 44 million business trips made between countries within EU borders. In the United Kingdom, around £30 billion on business travel annually with more than £450 spent on average for each trip. With such high costs, it is imperative that companies find efficient ways of paying for business travel, particularly important when companies factor in the administration cost, loss of efficiency and charges for using cash and some debit, credit and fuel cards abroad. It also raises the question that when travelling abroad, do businesses adequately equip their workers with the right tools and policies? This article will look at the latest insight from Allstar Business Solutions for how businesses can more effectively address the issues of paying for foreign travel and managing expenses. How to put in place a robust payment system for employees who travel According to research from treasury and international payments specialist Centtrip, half of businesses ask employees to pick up the cost of booking travel before claiming the money back. And when these expenses are made abroad, there are additional fees that can be levied against purchases and exchange rate fluctuations to be considered. This adds up to a £1.7 billion bill that is footed by employees every year. In Europe there are around 44 million business trips made between countries within EU borders. With workers reliant on pay-and-reclaim systems that depend on paper receipts, they can’t afford to lose their proof of purchases. But losing receipts is easy to do, meaning they risk being refused an expense claim on top of the inconvenience and financial pressure of using personal cards to pay for expenses. This can be bad for businesses as employees lose productivity and engagement with the company. We’ve outlined the following five steps that will help streamline your payment processes, ease the burden on employees, increase efficiency and gain greater control and insight into expenses. Dealing with foreign transactions and exchange fees One of the problems with expenses paid abroad by employees and claimed back later is exchange rate fluctuations. Exchange rates can increase by the time employees make a claim. The claim which could be made days or weeks later, might use an entirely different exchange rate and could cost your business unnecessarily. Another way it can cost a business is through Dynamic Currency Conversion, where the merchant offers to process a card payment in either GBP or in the local currency. If you opt for GBP, the exchange rate will be set by the merchant and their provider. Therefore, employees should always opt for paying in the local currency wherever possible. Paying on a card typically makes it easier to consolidate and submit expenses, as well as being more transparent for the business and employee. Understanding conversion A core problem with exchange rate fluctuations is that it is awkward for employee and employer to manage and verify that the right amount is reimbursed. With a card-based solution, each purchase automatically has the relevant exchange rate applied for that day and time. It also avoids the employee needing to include the exchange rate commission costs as part of their expense claim, making reimbursement far simpler through being able to match receipts with the card statement. half of businesses ask employees to pick up the cost of booking travel before claiming the money back. Using a fuel card abroad In the UK, some businesses may have chosen a particular fuel card provider because the network suits their operational purposes. But that’s not to say that in other countries the same situation applies. Instead, it pays to be using a card that has universal acceptance from a trusted issuer such as Visa, which makes journeys less stressful, transactions will be reported back in real time, as well as converted at a transparent and competitive exchange rate. The power of control Foreign travel can open up businesses to abuse. Some employees spend more freely with the assumption that because they are travelling on the company’s behalf, there are more relaxed spending rules. Therefore, having a clear expense policy in place means less stress for employees when conducting business abroad and can improve the convenience and speed of getting things done. A good expense management system ensures electronic uploading of receipts that can be matched to transactions. It also allows businesses to put in place suitable controls on each card that allows businesses to correct any issues as they arise rather than for the problem to be noticed weeks later when receipts are submitted manually. Building a clear picture By using an expense management system, companies can monitor spending in real-time to ensure policies are enforced, as well as utilising pre-transaction controls on categories of spend and spending limits. Businesses can also see what employees are spending abroad through digital receipts – the result is complete transparency. Businesses can then own that data, using it to create insight reports to analyse expenses which allows them to see if employees or departments are overspending on hotel rooms or entertaining, and the data can be extracted and uploaded into accounting systems quickly and easily. This means that businesses are now on the front foot when it comes to keeping in control of business travel. Some employees spend more freely with the assumption that because they are travelling on the company’s behalf, there are more relaxed spending rules. Don’t let your employees pay an emotional toll Travelling abroad can be stressful. From working in a foreign environment, often under time or schedule pressure and negotiating travel in unusual conditions. The International SOS Foundation looked at the impact of international business trips on employees and found that 45% experience an increase in stress levels while travelling for work. As a result, it can hit a business’s bottom line when employees become less productive and disengaged if they feel stressed and unsupported. But, through effective expense management technology, businesses can put in place the supporting payment and expense claim solutions to ensure employees remain productive. SmartStream Partners with Union Systems to Meet Demand for East and West Africa https://thefintechtimes.com/smartstream-union-systems/ SmartStream Technologies, the financial Transaction Lifecycle Management (TLM®) solutions provider, today announced its partnership with Union Systems Limited, a key provider of financial software solutions and professional services to major banks in East and West Africa. The two companies together will support organisations in their digitisation strategies of post–trade environments – whether it is liquidity transparency, reducing operational risk or moving to the processing of digital payments. Union Systems supports customers in 19 African countries and helps to effectively scale processes, improve compliance and drive operational efficiencies for some of the leading banks in the region. Under the new agreement, SmartStream’s TLM solutions will help organisations make the journey towards digital transformation by providing a range of solutions for the transaction lifecycle. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain technologies are being embedded throughout the solutions, which are also available in a variety of deployment models. Commenting on the partnership, Chuks Onyebuchi, CEO, Union Systems said: “The partnership with SmartStream to deliver its suite of Transaction Lifecycle Management (TLM) solutions to the region complements our existing product offering. We are particularly excited about SmartStream Air, which is a game changer for reconciliations through its use of AI”. Guenther Ruf, Director Partners and Alliances, SmartStream, states: “Union Systems is a very reputable organisation in the region that has the knowledge we require in order to help banks strengthen their back-office functions. SmartStream’s TLM solutions increases automation levels to help drive up STP rates, bringing down the overall cost of processing, whilst at the same time improving customer service through the reduction of errors, and in addition protecting and enhancing a firm’s reputation”. Has Softbank’s Vision fund lost sight as it invests in PayTM $1 Bn raise despite mounting losses? https://dailyfintech.com/2019/11/29/softbank-tops-up-paytm-investment-despite-mounting-losses/ They lost $4.6 Billion with the WeWork deal. They have struggled to raise fund-2. They are now focused on profitability rather than growth. Yet, Softbank fund joined by Alibaba’s Ant Financial pooled in $600 Million for PayTM’s recent $1 Billion fund raise. PayTM is valued at $16 Billion at the end of this funding round. They were valued at $10 Billion just last year when Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway invested in them. The recent IPO fiascos that Softbank’s portfolio firms have been involved in, have forced their hand to take a profitability focused investment strategy. Softbank’s Masayoshi Son has mandated that his portfolio companies need to demonstrate a few years of profits before they can plan for IPOs. However, the new investment into PayTM is in stark contrast to their new position on profitability. The India payments market has been a fairy tale ride since 2016. I have discussed this several times in the past, and perhaps the biggest contributor and beneficiary of this boom has been PayTM, and its Chinese investors. However, the market is no longer completely dominated by PayTM. Their payments growth has slowed down. Walmart’s PhonePe have grown from 26% market share to 47% in about a year, and at the same time PayTM only grew from 51% to 52%. Their losses have doubled in this time. In the financial year ending March 2019, they reported a loss of $549 Million, which is more than double their previous FY loss of $206 Million. PayTM claim that they have cut down their costs by more than 33% in the last six months, with a view to doing an IPO in 2-3 years. The payments market is still growing in India, and it is expected to be $1 Trillion by 2023. But there are more takers now than there were a couple of years ago. Google pay has also upped its game, and have about 67 Million daily users. Whatsapp is planning to roll out its payments app to its 400 Million users in India. PayTM really needs to find new revenue lines, with good margins – before they start trailing in the payments game. The new funding round is primarily to grow their base of merchants from its current 15 Million to 35 Million. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the CEO, mentioned that they would be spending $2.7 Billion in the next couple of years to grow their merchant base further. It looks like atleast another 24 months of further growth and loss making lies ahead. PayTM have started to focus on improving their margins. They are moving from Peer to Peer payments to online and offline merchant transactions. Vikas Garg, the firm’s CFO, mentioned that in Q2 and Q3 2019, PayTM have reduced costs by 10%. Vijay wants to take back 66% of the payments market, and improve cashflows before any IPO plans. From a Softbank perspective, they have got a stake of over 20% in the firm, and as per the deal, they can’t sell their stake in the firm for another 5 years, except when its via an IPO. The way forward is a bit murky to me. On the one hand, they want to grow, invest $2.7 Billion into tier 2 and 3 cities in India. On the other hand they are cutting costs with a view to going public. With Google Pay, Phonepe and Whatsapp payments breathing fire, Vijay may need to grow some extra hands and heads to tackle the next few months. The question still remains though, growth or profitability? The Next Year in Payments – listen now to the full podcast series 28th November 2019 28th November 2019 FintechLinks Fintech blog digital currencies, Doing Business Overseas, Trade & Industry http://www.linklaters.com/en/insights/blogs/fintechlinks/2019/november/the-next-year-in-payments-listen-now-to-the-full-podcast-series The Next Year in Payments – listen now to the full podcast series \| Fintech \| Blogs \| Linklaters Our lawyers are enthusiastic, committed people who relish the challenges and opportunities that they encounter every day. Search for a lawyer by name or use one of the filters. Our business team members are enthusiastic, committed people who relish the challenges and opportunities that they encounter every day. Search for a business team member by name or use one of the filters. Sign up for the FintechLinks blog Receive regular fintech insights from leading lawyers to your inbox Fintech News Issue #245 28th November 2019 28th November 2019 FinTech Weekly - News amp Articles on fintech and finance digital currencies, Doing Business Overseas, Trade & Industry https://www.fintechweekly.com/fintech-news/fintech-news-issue-245 FinTech Weekly is © 2019 and published by the Railslove GmbH An der Bottmühle 5 Registergericht: Amtsgericht Köln, HRB 70843 Geschäftsführer: Jan Kus, Tim Schneider Inhaltlich Verantwortlich gemäß TMG und Paragraph 55 Abs. 2 RStV: Railslove GmbH (Anschrift wie oben) UK Retailers Targeting China Need to Focus on Culture, Censorship and Local Competition https://thefintechtimes.com/china-culture-censorship/ JGOO, the next generation mobile payments platform, says many UK retailers are failing to break into the Chinese market because they don’t acknowledge its huge scale and localise their propositions accordingly. Further, it says that many companies don’t understand the country’s strict censorship arrangements or adapt to the unique shopping habits of Chinese consumers. Richard Morecroft, Director and Co-Founder of JGOO said: “Western retailers continue to look toward new opportunities in China, but this is not Australia, America, Europe, or even Hong Kong. Many international brands don’t make the grade in China because they fail to recognise they are dealing with a very different market and need to localise their offering.” “There is a reluctance among smaller retailers to enter China as they watch on in despair as hugely successful Western brands such as Amazon, Google and Uber slink away in defeat when it comes to conquering the East. However, they shouldn’t be intimidated by China.” In developing a strategy for China, JGOO says retailers need to focus on culture, censorship and local competition. It’s crucial for Western brands to do their research and avoid the ‘copy and paste’ approach when it comes to thinking about their China strategy. The key to succeeding in China is to recognise that it’s not one homogenous market but a diverse one. The country has an enormous culture behind it with 14 major cities, 23 provinces, 56 ethnic groups and 7 major dialects. Western brands often fail to alter their strategies, adapt to the unique culture and appropriately target the technology savvy consumers. There is simply no culture like China’s and when it comes to cracking this market, one size does not fit all. It’s crucial for Western brands to do their research and avoid the ‘copy and paste’ approach when it comes to thinking about their China strategy. With the correct strategy executed, China is an almost unlimited opportunity for Western brands to get on the map. The Chinese government will go to extreme measures to maintain the country’s reputation and support local businesses in upholding their market share amongst a sea of Western brands. This has led to extreme censorship in China with Google, Facebook and WhatsApp being blocked due to China’s lack of control of these Western platforms. This had led to the rise of China’s super-app – WeChat, which combines all the most pertinent Western apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Uber and Tinder and many more. In order to avoid censorship issues in China, it is important for brands to do their research and adjust their strategies accordingly. When it comes to the Chinese consumer, they have unique shopping habits, notoriously low levels of brand loyalty and they often refuse to pay with anything other than WeChat Pay or Alipay. For Western brands who seem to map these traits to an alien consumer, it can be difficult to compete with local Chinese brands who inherently understand consumer traits such as the above. Richard Morecroft concluded: “Western brand are not doomed to fail in China. To succeed, they need to play to consumer preferences, and do their research before attempting to tap into China’s digital generation.” Why a Poker-Playing AI is Changing the Game https://thefintechtimes.com/poker-playing-ai/ AI has reached a milestone in the strategising department. Just last July, a poker bot developed by researchers from Facebook’s AI lab and Carnegie Mellon University beat some of the world’s top players in a series of no-limit Texas Hold‘em poker games. In a 12-day session with over 10,000 hands played, the AI system, called Pluribus, emerged victorious against 12 professional poker players in two different settings. First, Pluribus played alongside five human players; and in the other, five AI bots played against one human player. Take note that the bots were not able to collaborate with each other in this scenario. In the end, Pluribus won an average of $5 (£4) per hand, winning around $1,000 (£803) every hour. In total, the bot won a virtual $48,000 (£38,500). Pluribus’ achievements are significant as it is the first to beat not just top professionals, but win in a multiplayer setting no-limit Texas Hold‘em game, which is considered the elite form of poker. Aside from five copies beating top players such as Darren Elias and Chris Ferguson in a 5,000 hand game, a paper published in Science describes how a single copy of Pluribus took on five human professionals for 10,000 hands, and won. Pluribus learned how to play poker (and play well) by playing against copies of itself, a common technique in AI training known as self-play. It only took 8 days on a single powerful server with 64 processor cores equipped with less than 512GB of RAM for Pluribus to master the game. In fact, the AI bot has developed a “blueprint strategy” that it uses for the first round of betting. The bot projects the potential outcomes from particular points in the game, looking only a few moves ahead at a time instead of all the infinite possibilities, as it may take a more powerful computer to determine all the outcomes of a six-player game. Winning against multiple humans counts as a milestone for AI, as no computer program has ever achieved this — something that the two researchers, Noam Brown and Tuomas Sandholm, can gladly take pride in. Pluribus’ forerunner, Libratus, was able to win against poker players, but only in a one-on-one situation. AI systems have already been developed in other games; The Guardian’s report on AlphaZero reveals that game-playing AI has beaten the world’s best chess player after teaching itself how to play in just under four hours, while another Google-invented system can play against Go players. These, however, are just 2-player games, and given that all the information is available to the players on the board, it’s easier to see the possibilities and risks, in order to act accordingly. In poker, however, players are only given partial information, with the possibility of others bluffing — making it a much tougher challenge for both human and AI players. So, given all this, what does a successful poker-playing AI mean for greater society? Well, poker has many similarities with real-world situations, which is why it has taken so long for researchers to pull off such an achievement. Unlike chess, PartyPoker’s guide to Texas Hold’em explains that players must play without knowing what kind of cards their opponents hold, as is the case in politics, business, and even war. And given that the system uses less computing power than one that tries to compute every single possible outcome at different points in time, Pluribus is cheaper and more efficient to run, without losing its accuracy or how effective it is. In fact, Brown says that the AI can be developed on a cloud computing service for just $150 (£122), making it easily applicable to other domains. This proves something that we’ve outlined on how ‘AI-Based Finance is the Future We Should All be Prepared For’: AI’s primary benefits involve an affordable business model, eliminating the need for thousands of employees for a task AI can complete in seconds. In the long term, Brown and Sandholm are hoping that the methods they’ve demonstrated with Pluribus can be applied in domains such as cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and financial negotiations. “Even something like helping navigate traffic with self-driving cars,” says Brown, will be a great application. First Cohort of Firms Unveiled at Launch of Birmingham Fintech Hub https://thefintechtimes.com/birmingham-fintech-hub/ The first eight firms and tech communities chosen to take part in Velocity Birmingham, a new state-of-the-art FinTech hub, have been unveiled by the Investment Association (IA). Velocity Birmingham will provide a valuable hub for FinTech innovation and development, supporting FinTechs based in the West Midlands. The chosen innovators will have access to a network of existing investment management firms and 5000sqft of co-working space, to develop technology to help Britain’s savers and investors. The facility is a collaboration between the IA’s FinTech hub and accelerator, Velocity, along with IA member firm, Wesleyan, a specialist financial services mutual. The eight chosen firms include: Delta Financial Systems, the market-leading FinTech provider of pensions and retirement administration software for the SIPP and pension drawdown markets. eXate, which enables firms to share data securely, by means of a digital Ink Bomb that allows those firms to destroy or revoke access to the shared data. Fregnan, which use advanced machine learning techniques to support unbiased, high-quality equity research for investors and fund managers. GFA Exchange, which use AI to benchmark and monitor business performance, to help B2B lenders discover new opportunities, whilst reducing financial risk. METCloud is a multi-award winning cyber security platform, harnessing sophisticated cyber defence, surveillance, AI and Machine learning technologies to protect organisations operating in the financial services sector. moneyinfo, a private FinTech firm specialising in account aggregation client portals and mobile apps for the wealth management industry. Silicon Canal, a Birmingham tech community to connect, promote and support the tech ecosystem in the West Midlands region. VendEx Solutions, Inc., the centralised hub for the financial services market data industry. The first cohort was announced at the official launch of Velocity Birmingham on Wednesday evening (27th November) at Wesleyan’s Birmingham head office, and was attended by senior executives from the investment management industry and local FinTech innovators. Firms for Velocity Birmingham were chosen by the Velocity Advisory Panel of industry experts, overseen by Graham Kellen, Chief Digital Officer of Schroders and Chair of the Panel. Chris Cummings, Chief Executive of the Investment Association, said: “Just over a year after the launch of our FinTech innovation hub and accelerator, Velocity is going from strength to strength with the launch of Velocity Birmingham today. Birmingham has one of the UK’s largest tech clusters outside of London and a hub of professional and financial services, and through Velocity Birmingham investment managers can embrace the technologies of the future to the benefit of customers and the wider economy.” Innovate from the customer backwards- but caveat innovator! https://dailyfintech.com/2019/11/28/innovate-from-the-customer-backwards-but-caveat-innovator/ The insurance industry is in large part past the hysteria of disruption, innovation and entrants solving the issues of the insurance world, and is moving into the stage of implementation, collaboration and iteration. Startups that have gained traction are now broadening their markets, and in some cases, their offerings. And, the industry is recognizing that innovation is good, prevention is better, and combination of the two is best. But is prevention without issues? Can a large gray beast show the way? Patrick Kelahan is a CX, engineering & insurance professional, working with Insurers, Attorneys & Owners. He also serves the insurance and Fintech world as the ‘Insurance Elephant’. It’s Thanksgiving Day holiday in the U.S., having a sumptuous feast with families and friends is de rigueur so this column may serve as an appetizer. For those many readers outside of the feasting zone- perhaps serve as a substitute for your almond Khari tea biscuit, scone, pastelito, kuchen or kaya. Prevention in P&C insurance has to date been a tech/device driven effort- telematic plug-ins like State Farm’s Drive Safe and Save developed by Cambridge Mobile Telematics, home moisture sensors, or driving habits observed by DriveWise or Snapshot. Getting customer buy-in has been a barrier to general adoption, as has been how to manage the cost of a program and how regulators might see programs where carriers provide equipment or premium reductions. Some jurisdictions do not allow rebates or inducements, or activity that seems as such, however, the U.S. state of Florida recently announced passed legislation where the Department of Insurance is exempting certain prevention devices (read as IoT) from the insurance laws regarding inducements. The state sees there is technology available that will serve to reduce frequency and severity of claims, and with some oversight will not act as policy inducements. The Iot Observatory championed by Matteo Carbone has chronicled successes with IoT/prevention activities, particularly in the Italian motor insurance industry and positive steps taken by American Family Insurance (as reported by Coverager) in the US. Additionally, German plumbing fixture company Grohe and Finnish insurer LähiTapiola recently announced and implemented a water sensing device initiative, with an estimated 100K installations planned by 2026. Good efforts in these initiatives, but all typically emanate from the company to the customer. Can value-addition for preventive insurance claim measures be a reasonable expectation? Can customer engagement in prevention be an answer? Perhaps yes, with the efforts of an active insurance startup, Hippo Insurance (already a forward-thinking carrier) in conjunction with the firm’s recent acquisition, Sheltr, a home maintenance and inspection service. An apt case study of considering the customer as a focus of innovation and adopting operating strategy from that perspective. The premise of the Hippo/Sheltr partnership is that a combination of periodic, comprehensive dwelling inspections will not only identify potential repair issues, but will through time and attention gain the involvement of homeowners in the prevention business, and be extension reduction in the frequency and severity of claims. It’s not a new concept- auto owners conduct preventive measures programs now without considering the action to be anything other than part of auto ownership. Of course, knowing that failing to have oil changed would lead to mechanical failure that would probably not be an auto insurance covered peril makes moral hazard is not an issue in that instance as dwelling maintenance and having homeowners’ insurance might produce. Hippo Insurance has since its founders, Assaf Wand and Eyal Navon conceived and rolled out the company felt responsible for end to end positive customer experience. In discussion with Hippo’s VP of Growth Initiatives, Daniel Blanaru, the company’s concept of service was referenced as, “The Hippo Way.” How has that manifested within the customers’ true experience? NPS scores that significantly exceed the industry’s. As the company’s geographic growth reached multiple US states the firm strategically vetted multiple potential partners to help build the vision of not just an insurance company, but an end to end service company that included proactive/prevention options as well. Sheltr was identified as the option best able to synch with Hippo’s service concepts- excellent team caliber, apt tech leverage, ease of onboarding into Hippo’s culture, and a proven culture of customer communication. Seemingly a very good choice. But here comes I, veteran of property insurance, property claims, and obsessive customer experience person. I read the announcement and thought, “Here comes another effort to mate insurance service, indemnification, and repair options!” Realizing the homeowners’ insurance claim experience has been littered with the worn failures of contractor partnerships, flooring programs, TPAs (although some remain very successful to this date), and inspection services, speaking with Hippo might find a different take on that aspect of claim handling. As much as Hippo had shown a proactive, ‘NPS is the True North of service’ approach, efforts to canonize the firm are surely premature. Concerns that came to mind with the addition of an inspection and preventive maintenance company to the CX path on which Hippo’s customers are led included: Will inclusion of the inspection/maintenance services to the insurance PIF portfolio be seen by regulators as a form of rebates or inducements? Would customers be denied coverage if they fail to take action on an identified problem and a claim ensues? How will CX perceptions be affected if a referred repair vendor performs inadequately? Customer survey results are affected in a linear fashion as providers are added to the service chain, so even if each participant rates service as 98% effective, having four equal providers (insurer, adjuster, inspection co., and repair service provider) produces a net service effect result of 92%, not what the firm’s expectations are. Having an inspection that identifies an issue may not reduce the effects of moral hazard for the customer since they know insurance will respond to any claim issues. Can the inspection service and network of repair contractors be adequately grown to keep up with growth of insurance PIF? These are not concerns that relate solely to the Hippo/Sheltr service partnership but can be in any prevention service environment. How to engage the customers is the key, driving adoption of a preventive actions approach for the customers. Hippo had found that a majority of cases that had a prior preventive aspect resulted in significantly mitigated effects of damage when claims occurred. Having the added service provided by Sheltr’s 30 item semi-annual inspection and repair regimen is expected to result in lower frequency and severity of claims, but as the relationship is new and the concept is just that, the firm is in ‘observation and adapt’ mode as of the writing of this article. It’s really a behavioral economics experiment, not a charitable giveback approach for claim mitigation as with Lemonade, but a participative, preventive approach encouraging customer participation through early identification and remedying of concerns. How many, how much, how scalable, not known at this early juncture per Mr. Blanaru. But it’s an effort taken to innovate from customer involvement backwards to insurance operations (and surely underwriting). The bulleted points noted above did elicit a response from Hippo but those will remain outside of this article as in all fairness the relationship between the firms is too new to call. However- having awareness of past industry failures surely helps with not repeating history. Prevention innovation does have its tech aspects but Hippo may find its customer focus on prevention, end-to-end service through claim concierge principles, and careful growth without sacrificing service standards will make the Hippo/Sheltr approach successful. It’s not just Hippo’s customers who will benefit from service ‘innovation from the customer backwards’, but any company in the industry who remains an observer of this iteration of the vendor partner experiment. Thanks to Courtney Klosterman, MyHippo PR maven, for background info. FIS Integrates with IBM to Help Clients Counter Fraud 27th November 2019 27th November 2019 Finovate digital currencies, Doing Business Overseas, Trade & Industry https://finovate.com/fis-integrates-with-ibm-to-help-clients-counter-fraud/ Financial services vendor FIS has announced that it has integrated IBM’s Safer Payments solution within its peer-to-peer (P2P) services to aid in the prevention of fraud, reports Alex Hamilton of Fintech Futures, Finovate’ sister publication. With the IBM solution integrated, FIS believes its P2P services will be able to monitor high volumes of transactions and provide “real-time detection and decisioning” using artificial intelligence. The vendor claims that since it first installed IBM’s solution it has seen a “significant” reduction in attempted and completed fraudulent transactions. “Criminals are growing ever-more sophisticated in their methods for conducting payments fraud and they are increasingly targeting P2P services due to the growth in this market,” said Jim Johnson, head of Americas payments and wealth at FIS. “FIS is excited to incorporate IBM Safer Payments to provide the highest level of fraud protection to our U.S. clients and their customers who rely on P2P services for fast, convenient payments.” According to a 2018 PwC report, 53% of US companies were hit by fraud between 2016 and 2018, while 37% of companies reported losing more than $1 million as a result of it. “FIS is taking aggressive steps to protect its clients against new and evolving threats in the industry,” said Michael Curry, vice president at IBM RegTech. “IBM Safer Payments uses artificial intelligence designed to deliver insights and to quickly adapt to a changing threat landscape. This technology is yielding successful results for FIS and some of the world’s largest and most complex payment portfolios.” FIS most recently demoed at FinovateFall 2016. The company debuted its Cardless Cash solution that provides fast, secure options for sending and picking up cash at any ATM. Headquartered in Florida, FIS’ solutions move $9 trillion each year for 20,000 clients in 130 countries. IBM’s IBM Trusteer demoed its new account fraud solution at FinovateEurope 2018. RBS officially launches digital bank to challenge UK competitors 27th November 2019 27th November 2019 Mobile Payments Today Technology Trends amp Insights digital currencies, Doing Business Overseas, Trade & Industry https://www.mobilepaymentstoday.com/news/rbs-officially-launches-digital-bank-bo-to-challenge-uk-challengers/ Royal Bank of Scotland officially launched its digital bank Bo´, creating its own challenger bank that will be in direct competition with Revolut, Monzo, N26 and other digital banks. Bo´, which operates as a cloud-based bank under RBS’s NatWest brand, will provide customers with a mobile banking app and bright yellow Visa card, and is designed to help users better manage their spending. “In this digital contactless age, people need support managing their money more than ever,” Mark Bailie, chief executive officer of Bo´, said in a release from the bank. “It’s all too easy to lose control.” “Our data suggests that three quarters of people in the U.K. are living financially unsustainable lives,” he said. “We want to help change this.” The bank cited anonymized data from 2.6 million NatWest customers that was analyzed in July. The data showed that half of those customers spend everything they earn, while one fourth of them spend more than their income. The data also showed that for people earning less than 100,000 pounds ($128,900) there is no link between income levels and the amount of money they save, meaning the issue regarding the lack of savings is behavioral. A spokesperson said the digital bank has about 3,500 current users and growing. The mobile app is available for download on Google Play and the App Store. Cover image: Bo´. Topics: Mobile Apps, Mobile Banking, Region: EMEA Companies: Royal Bank of Scotland Alipay says mutual aid healthcare platform attracts 100M in first year https://www.mobilepaymentstoday.com/news/alipay-says-mutual-aid-healthcare-platform-attracts-100m-in-first-year/ Alipay said its Xiang Hu Bao mutual aid healthcare platform has attracted more than 100 million participants in its first year of operation. The service allows lower income and rural consumers to use the platform to cover the cost of healthcare for major illnesses. More than 10,000 people in China used the platform to get financial aid to help cover specific treatments as of Nov. 22, with the funds contributed by other members on the platform. “Xiang Hu Bao was designed with inclusiveness in mind,” Ming Yin, vice president of Ant Financial, the parent of Alipay, said in a company release. “We hope Xiang Hu Bao can support participants to help one another by providing a trustworthy platform in addition to the medical care protection provided by China’s social security and premium health insurance companies.” More than two thirds of consumers using the platform earn less than RMB 100,000 ($14,000) per year and about one third of users are from rural China. The platform was launched in October 2018 and provides basic protection against 100 types of critical illnesses, including thyroid cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, critical brain injury and other health problems. Cover image: Alipay. Topics: Mobile Apps, Mobile/Digital Wallet, Region: APAC, Regulatory Issues Companies: Ant Financial, Alipay Alipay, Finablr launch cross-border remittance partnership https://www.mobilepaymentstoday.com/news/alipay-finablr-launch-cross-border-remittance-partnership/ Finablr, the parent firm of remittance and currency exchange brands ranging from Travelex to Xpress Money and others, announced a global partnership with Alipay to enable cross-border money transfer services, according to a company release. Alipay, which has 1.2 billion users when combined with its local digital wallet partners, will have access to Finablr’s multiple remittance brands, which also include Unimoni and UAE Exchange. Finablr will become one of the first cross-border remittance partners that Alipay has ever worked with. “We are delighted to welcome Alipay to our growing portfolio of partners,” Promoth Manghat, group CEO of Finablr, said in the release. “Together we seek to empower the financial aspirations of billions of consumers with enhanced access and convenience for their cross-border payment needs.” He said the companies would build on their complementary capabilities and plan to work on additional opportunities. “We are excited to partner with Finablr for global remittances, as we continue to explore new ways to apply our technology in order to benefit more people around the world,” Clara Shi, head of Alipay’s global remittance service, said in the release. She noted a separate blockchain remittance partnership that AlipayHK created with GCash allows real-time transfers between Hong Kong and the Philippines. Alipay and Finablr will also be working on digital gifting and driving efficiencies through the Alipay Blockchain Information System. Topics: Blockchain, In-App Payments, Mobile Payments, Money Transfer / P2P, Region: APAC, Region: EMEA Companies: Alipay Weekly Wrap: MoneyLion prepares for growth, as fintechs focus on holiday promotions 27th November 2019 27th November 2019 Bank Innovation The Future of Fintech digital currencies, Doing Business Overseas, Trade & Industry https://bankinnovation.net/allposts/biz-lines/payments/weekly-wrap-moneylion-prepares-for-growth-as-fintechs-focus-on-holiday-promotions/ Welcome to the latest episode of our weekly wrap video series, for the week ending Friday, November 29, 2019. In this episode, Suman Bhattacharyya, deputy editor, and Angely Mercado, associate editor, discuss the following news developments: How MoneyLion’s appointment of a chief operating officer will help fuel its growth plans; The debate among banks and …Read More Start Your Free Week Trial Today! Subscribe now to start your free trial and continue reading. Just $5 per week after.* *Option to choose between monthly and annual billing. Already subscribed? Log in below. Japan cashless incentives could be extended as part of stimulus https://bankinnovation.net/allposts/biz-lines/payments/japan-cashless-incentives-could-be-extended-as-part-of-stimulus/ Japan’s measures for encouraging the spread of cashless payments will likely need more funding beyond the end of March and could be extended as part of a planned government stimulus package. The International Monetary Fund recommended Monday that Japan consider lengthening the time frame of its measures to support consumption after an October sales tax increase to support the economy, citing the cashless-payment reward program among the measures. The program is aimed at supporting consumption in the wake of the tax hike and increasing efficiency at small- and medium-sized retailers. It provides subsidies for installing cashless-payment equipment and 5% rebates for consumers making cashless purchases at registered businesses through the end of June. Japanese consumers still lag far behind their international counterparts in using cashless methods such as mobile phone-based payment platforms, credit cards or e-money. Under the program, daily rebates to consumers from Oct. 1 through Nov. 4, averaged 1.2 billion yen, according to the economy ministry. The government has budgeted 280 billion yen for the year ending in March for the rebates and installing cashless-payment equipment at businesses. If the pace of daily outlays continues, the portion of the budget initially allocated for rebates would run out in February, according to a Bloomberg calculation. The ministry could draw on funds not used for equipment subsidies to make up a shortfall should one arise. The ministry is still monitoring the situation and no decision has been made about how to deal with a possible shortage of funding, according to Yoshiko Tsuwaki, the economy ministry’s official in charge of the program. Seasonal factors may influence the pace of consumption and rebates, she added. More money could be provided for the cashless measures and their duration could be extended in the stimulus package ordered by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this month. The package is aimed at supporting the economy as it recovers from typhoon damage and deals with the impact of the sales tax and a global slowdown. Lagging Trend Cash is still king in Japan partly because the nation’s low crime rate makes it safe to carry and use bank notes. Promoting cashless transactions is one way for the country to boost productivity and deal with its chronic labor shortage as its population grays and declines. The government’s cashless incentives are part of a wider set of measures aimed at smoothing out consumer demand before and after the sales tax increase. A previous hike in 2014 triggered a 7.3% contraction of the economy as spending dived after the increase. “The cashless initiative is having an impact,” said Takashi Miwa, chief economist at Nomura Securities Co. “It spread widely among small and medium-size stores during the final period before the tax hike. They are also showing greater interest since the program started in October. This is likely to limit the drop in consumption.” The IMF also said the measures were helping lower the economic impact of the tax this time round. Under the program about 770,000 small and medium-sized companies have installed cashless payment terminals using the government subsidies, according to a Nov. 21 tally by the economy ministry. That represents 39% of about 2 million businesses eligible under the program. The tally is expected to grow to about 860,000 by Dec. 1, the ministry said. There are also signs that consumers are losing their reluctance to use cashless payment methods. Nearly 49% of multiple-member households are now making cashless payments, according to a Bloomberg calculation based on data from the Central Council for Financial Services Information at the Bank of Japan. Still, the proportion of spending covered by cashless transactions is much lower. The government wants cashless transactions to cover 40% of consumption by 2025, compared with 21% in 2017. — Yoshiaki Nohara and Emi Urabe (Bloomberg) eShopWorld Partners with APEXX Global to Streamline Payments https://thefintechtimes.com/eshopworld-partners/ APEXX Global, the first single marketplace for global payments, is today announcing that it has partnered with international cross-border e-commerce giant, eShopWorld, to transform the payments process for its clients, whilst reducing associated costs. eShopWorld is Ireland’s fastest growing technology business, working with some of the world’s leading fashion e-commerce businesses and a presence in over 100 markets and dozens of currencies. The partnership kicked off with APEXX Global processing payments for eShopWorld’s clients in Russia. APEXX Global is one of the first platforms to process payments through the national MIR payment system. It is connected to the three largest banks in Russia – Sberbank, VTB, and Alpha Bank – making it possible to route all transactions back to the issuing bank and guaranteeing On-Us processing of 80% of all transactions. With On-Us processing, businesses typically see a 5-10% increase in local transaction approval ratios, and a 25-30% increase in cross-border transaction approval ratios. Implemented to mitigate against political risk between Russia and the US, the MIR payment scheme was mandated for issuers by the Central Bank of Russia. It is fast becoming one of the biggest card schemes in Russia, with over 37 million MIR cards issued to date. Partnership will allow some of the world’s largest fashion brands to see savings of up to 15% With 35% of Russians regularly shopping online and two thirds choosing to specifically buy from international retailers, eShopWorld’s clients are able to tap into this growing economy without the worry of possible regulatory action affecting international payment schemes. All brands using eShopWorld’s platform will benefit from APEXX Global’s Russian presence and will soon be able to use the platform in additional markets across Europe and Asia. Through the APEXX Global platform, they will see savings of at least 15% on payment acceptance fees thanks to features including card acceptance, analytics, transactional reporting and advanced routing capabilities. Commenting on the partnership, APEXX Global’s co-founder and Managing Director, Rodney Bain, says “We are very excited to be working with eShopWorld and its network of clients, some of the biggest fashion brands in the world. The addition of APEXX Global’s platform will allow them to improve their offering in Russia’s growing market, whilst also saving money on the costs of processing payments. We now look forward to working even more closely with them as we roll this out across new markets.” Tommy Kelly, CEO of eShopWorld says “As the global leader in cross-border ecommerce sales we at eShopWorld are always looking at ways to improve the customer offer through our localised checkout. APEXX Global is a true innovator in the payments space and we are delighted to be using its routing capability to significantly improve our payment performance in the Russian market.” Multi Currency Debit Cards - Should You Have One? Singapore’s Digital Bank License Space Race Accelerates Bitcoin Bears vs Bulls Travelex CEO issues video apology after cyber attack, says some systems back online It’s a bird… it’s a plane, it’s Bitcoin! Radpay completes $1.2M seed funding round for blockchain based payments technology FinovateFall Sneak Peek: Revest Compeat launches automated vendor payment, virtual card system for restaurants Finix raises $17.5 million led by Bain to expand payments infrastructure platform Visa-Western Union Deal And Alexa’s Roommate Potential Top The Week’s News Doing Business Overseas The Money Cloud News Sign up for The Money Cloud Cookie Policy Terms & ConditionsPrivacy Policy 2017 © The Money Cloud Ltd.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416610
__label__cc	0.640967	0.359033	Blue Dart Aviation wins award for Best Airline Ramp Operations from HAL Bangalore : December 07, 2002 Blue Dart Aviation, the 100% subsidiary of South Asia's leading express company, Blue Dart Express Limited, has won an award for its ramp operations at Bangalore Airport from HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited). The award is in recognition of the best ramp discipline and ramp maintenance. Blue Dart is the only operating cargo airline in India with a fleet of three Boeing 737 aircraft, and one of its aircraft is based at Bangalore Airport. The award, arrived at by a joint working group of HAL and Air India from among all airlines operating into Bangalore, was received by Deepak Anand, Station Manager of Blue Dart Aviation at Bangalore. Commenting on the award, Niteen Gupte, Chief Operating Officer, Blue Dart Aviation, said, "Blue Dart has always strived to set quality benchmarks, and this award is another recognition of our quality systems. We continuously raise the bar to improve our output, keeping in mind that our ultimate beneficiary is always the customer". Blue Dart, South Asia's leading courier and integrated air express package distribution company with dedicated aviation infrastructure, offers secure and reliable delivery of consignments to over 13,000 locations in the region. Through its sales alliance with world #1, DHL Worldwide Express, Blue Dart offers its customers the DHL advantage of global reach, unmatched cross-border specialization and greater network flexibility. Blue Dart has been re-certified recently as one of a handful of Indian companies to the new global ISO9001-2000 standards. The Blue Dart team drives marketplace leadership through its unique aviation system, cutting-edge technology, innovation and value-added services to deliver unmatched standards of service quality to its customers.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416613
__label__cc	0.567894	0.432106	REPORT TITLE: Along with housekeeping and other amendments, amends the Hawaii Limited Liability Company Act, Chapter 428, HRS, to conform with amendments made to the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. (SB1139 HD2) THE SENATE S.B. NO. S.D. 1 TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999 H.D. 2 RELATING TO LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES. 2 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to 3 read as follows: 4 "§428- Amended and restated articles of organization. 5 (a) A limited liability company at any time may amend and 6 restate its articles of organization by complying with the 7 procedures and requirements of section 428-204. 8 (b) Upon its adoption, the amended and restated articles of 9 organization shall set forth: 10 (1) All of the operative provisions of the articles of 11 organization as therefore amended; 12 (2) The information required by section 428-204; and 13 (3) A statement that the amended and restated articles of 14 organization supersede the original articles of 15 organization and all amendments thereto. 16 (c) The amended and restated articles of organization shall 17 be delivered to the director for filing. The director may 18 certify the amended and restated articles of organization as the 19 articles of organization currently in effect, without including S.B. NO. S.D. 1 H.D. 2 1 the information required to be filed by subsection (b)(2) and 2 (3)." 3 SECTION 2. Section 428-103, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is 4 amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: 5 "(b) The operating agreement may not: 6 (1) Unreasonably restrict a right to information or access 7 to records under section 428-408; 8 (2) Eliminate the duty of loyalty under section 428-409(b) 9 or 428-603(b)(3), but the agreement may: 10 (A) Identify specific types or categories of 11 activities that do not violate the duty of 12 loyalty, if not manifestly unreasonable; and 13 (B) Specify the number or percentage of members or 14 disinterested managers that may authorize or 15 ratify, after full disclosure of all material 16 facts, a specific act or transaction that 17 otherwise would violate the duty of loyalty; 18 (3) Unreasonably reduce the duty of care under section 19 428-409(c) or 428-603(b)(3); 20 (4) Eliminate the obligation of good faith and fair dealing 21 under section 428-409(d), but the operating agreement 22 may determine the standards by which the performance of 23 the obligation is to be measured, if the standards are 24 not manifestly unreasonable; 1 (5) Vary the right to expel a member in an event specified 2 in section 428-601(5); 3 (6) Vary the requirement to wind up the limited liability 4 company's business in a case specified in section 5 428-801(3) or 428-801(4) [or 428-801(5)]; or 6 (7) Restrict rights of third parties under this chapter, 7 other than managers, members, or their transferees." 8 SECTION 3. Section 428-111, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is 9 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: 10 "(a) A limited liability company may be organized under 11 this chapter for any lawful purpose[; provided that the following 12 purposes are prohibited: 13 (1) Activities of a financial institution under chapter 14 412; 15 (2) Activities under chapter 431; or 16 (3) Activities under chapter 442, 448, 453, 455, 459, 460, 17 461, 463E, 465, 466, 471, or 605, or section 554-2. 18 A limited liability company shall be], subject to any law of this 19 State governing or regulating business. [If the purpose for which 20 a limited liability company is organized or its form makes it 21 subject to a special provision of law, the limited liability 22 company shall also comply with that provision.]" 2 amended by amending subsections (a), (b), and (c) to read as 3 follows: 4 "(a) In a member-managed limited liability company: 5 (1) Each member has equal rights in the management and 6 conduct of the company's business; and 7 (2) Except as specified in subsection (c) [or in section 8 428-801(3)(A)], any matter relating to the business of 9 the company may be decided by a majority of the 10 members[; and 11 (3) Each member who is not an individual must be qualified 12 to transact business in this State]. 13 (b) In a manager-managed limited liability company: 14 (1) The manager or managers have the exclusive authority to 15 manage and conduct the company's business; 16 (2) Except as specified in subsection (c) [or in section 17 428-801(3)(A)], any matter relating to the business of 18 the company may be exclusively decided by the manager 19 or, if there is more than one manager, by a majority of 20 the managers; and 21 (3) A manager shall: 22 (A) Be designated, appointed, elected, removed, or 23 replaced by a vote, approval, or consent of a 24 majority of the members; and 1 [(B) Be qualified to transact business in this State if 2 the manager is an entity; and 3 (C)] (B) Remain in office until a successor has been 4 elected [and qualified], unless the manager 5 resigns or is removed sooner. 6 (c) The [following] only matters [require] of a limited 7 liability company's business that require the consent of all the 8 members [of the limited liability company:] are: 9 (1) Amendments to the operating agreement under section 10 428-103; 11 (2) Authorization or ratification of acts or transactions 12 under section 428-103(b)(2)(B) which would otherwise 13 violate the duty of loyalty; 14 (3) Amendments to the articles of organization under 15 section 428-204; 16 (4) Compromising an obligation to make a contribution under 17 section 428-402(b); 18 (5) Compromising among members, of an obligation of a 19 member to make a contribution or return money or other 20 property paid or distributed in violation of this 21 chapter; 22 (6) Making interim distributions under section 428-405(a); 23 (7) Admission of a new member; 1 (8) Use of the company's property to redeem an interest 2 subject to a charging order; 3 (9) Consent to dissolve the company under section 4 428-801(2); 5 (10) Waiving of the right to have the company's business 6 wound up and the company terminated under section 7 428-802(b); 8 (11) Merging the company with another entity under section 9 428-904(c)(1); and 10 (12) Selling, leasing, exchanging, or otherwise disposing of 11 all, or substantially all, of the company's property 12 with or without goodwill." 13 SECTION 5. Section 428-503, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is 14 amended by amending subsection (e) to read as follows: 15 "(e) A transferee who does not become a member is entitled 16 to: 17 (1) Receive, in accordance with the transfer, distributions 18 to which the transferor would otherwise be entitled; 19 (2) Receive, upon dissolution and winding up of the limited 20 liability company's business: 21 (A) In accordance with the transfer, the net amount 22 otherwise distributable to the transferor; and 1 (B) A statement of account only from the date of the 2 latest statement of account agreed to by all the 3 members; and 4 (3) Seek under section [428-801(6),] 428-801(5), a judicial 5 determination that it is equitable to dissolve and wind 6 up the company's business." 9 "(a) [If under section 428-801] Upon a member's 10 dissociation from a limited liability company [results in a 11 dissolution and winding up of the company's business, part VIII 12 shall apply. If a member's dissociation from the company does 13 not result in a dissolution and winding up of the company's 14 business under section 428-801]: 15 (1) In an at-will company, the company shall cause the 16 dissociated member's company interest to be purchased 17 under part VII; and 18 (2) In a company having a specified term: 19 (A) If the company dissolves and winds up its business 20 on or before the expiration of its specified term, 21 part VIII applies to determine the dissociated 22 member's rights to distributions; and 1 (B) If the company does not dissolve and wind up its 2 business on or before the expiration of its 3 specified term, the company must cause the 4 dissociated member's distributional interest to be 5 purchased under part VII on the date of the 6 expiration of the term specified at the time of 7 the member's dissociation." 9 amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: 10 "(c) If the price and other terms of a purchase of a 11 distributional interest are fixed or are to be determined by the 12 operating agreement, the price and terms so fixed or determined 13 govern the purchase unless the purchaser defaults. In that case 14 the dissociated member is entitled to commence a proceeding to 15 have the company dissolved under section [428-801(5).] 428- 16 801(4)." 18 amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: 19 "(d) If the purchase is not completed in accordance with 20 the specified terms, the company is to be dissolved upon 21 application under section [428-801(5)(D).] 428-801(4)(D). If a 22 limited liability company is so dissolved, the dissociated member 23 shall have the same rights and priorities in the company's assets 24 as if the sale had not been ordered." 2 amended to read as follows: 3 "[[]§428-801[]] Events causing dissolution and winding up 4 of company's business. A limited liability company is dissolved, 5 and its business shall be wound up, upon the occurrence of any of 6 the following events: 7 (1) An event specified in the operating agreement; 8 (2) Consent of the number or percentage of members 9 specified in the operating agreement; 10 [(3) Dissociation of a member-manager or, if none, a member 11 of an at-will company, and dissociation of a 12 member-manager or, if none, a member of a company 13 having a specified term but only if the dissociation 14 was for a reason provided in section 428-601(6) to (10) 15 and occurred before the expiration of the specified 16 term, provided that the company is not dissolved and 17 required to be wound up by reason of the dissociation: 18 (A) If, within ninety days after the dissociation, a 19 majority of the remaining members agree to 20 continue the business of the company; or 21 (B) The business of the company is continued under a 22 right to continue stated in the operating 23 agreement; Page 10 1139 1 (4)] (3) An event that makes it unlawful for all or 2 substantially all of the business of the company to be 3 continued[,]; provided that any cure of illegality 4 within ninety days after notice to the company of the 5 event shall be effective retroactively to the date of 6 the event for purposes of this section; 7 [(5)] (4) On application by a member or a dissociated 8 member, upon entry of a judicial decree that: 9 (A) The economic purpose of the company is likely to 10 be unreasonably frustrated; 11 (B) Another member has engaged in conduct relating to 12 the company's business that makes it not 13 reasonably practicable to carry on the company's 14 business with that member; 15 (C) It is not otherwise reasonably practicable to 16 carry on the company's business in conformity with 17 the articles of organization and the operating 19 (D) The company failed to purchase the petitioner's 20 distributional interest as required by section 21 428-701; or 22 (E) The managers or members in control of the company 23 have acted, are acting, or will act in a manner 1 that is illegal, oppressive, fraudulent, or 2 unfairly prejudicial to the petitioner; or 3 [(6)] (5) On application by a transferee of a member's 4 interest, a judicial determination that it is equitable 5 to wind up the company's business: 6 (A) After the expiration of the specified term, if the 7 company was for a specified term at the time the 8 applicant became a transferee by member 9 dissociation, transfer, or entry of a charging 10 order that gave rise to the transfer; or 11 (B) At any time, if the company was at-will at the 12 time the applicant became a transferee by member 13 dissociation, transfer, or entry of a charging 14 order that gave rise to the transfer[; or 15 (7) The expiration of a specified term]." 16 SECTION 10. Section 428-811, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is 17 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: 18 "(a) A limited liability company administratively 19 terminated may apply to the director for reinstatement within 20 [ninety days] two years after the effective date of termination. 21 The application shall: 1 (1) Recite the name of the company and the effective date 2 of its administrative termination; 3 (2) State that all delinquent annual reports have been 4 filed and that all delinquent fees, penalties, 5 assessments, and costs have been paid; and 6 (3) Contain a certificate from the director of taxation 7 reciting that all taxes owed by the company have been 8 paid." 9 SECTION 11. Section 428-1202, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is 10 repealed. 11 ["[§428-1202] Application of corporation case law to set 12 aside limited liability. In any case in which a party seeks to 13 hold the members of a limited liability company personally 14 responsible for the liabilities or alleged improper actions of 15 the limited liability company, the court shall apply the case law 16 which interprets the conditions and circumstances under which the 17 corporate veil of a corporation may be pierced under the law of 18 this State."] 19 SECTION 12. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed. 20 New statutory material is underscored. 21 SECTION 13. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999; 22 provided that any limited liability company administratively 23 terminated before July 1, 1999, may apply to the director for 24 reinstatement within ninety days after the effective date of 25 termination.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416630
__label__wiki	0.957035	0.957035	Health Canada to start testing cannabis vape emissions from products already on market The federal government says it's preparing to test the health effects of inhaling substances emitted from cannabis vaping products already legally for sale in Canada. Agency tells CBC News it's 'expanding' its 'laboratory capability' Adam Miller · CBC News · Posted: Dec 19, 2019 4:00 AM ET \| Last Updated: December 19, 2019 Cannabis vapes are among a series of new products — including edibles, extracts and topicals such as lotions — that can be legally sold in Canada as of Tuesday. Their availability comes amid an international outbreak of vaping-related illness. (Steve Helber/The Associated Press) Health Canada says it's preparing to test the health effects of inhaling substances emitted from cannabis vaping products that are already legally for sale in Canada. Agency spokesperson Eric Morrissette said in a statement this week it has "research underway" on the emissions of nicotine e-cigarettes and is now "expanding" its "laboratory capability" to include the testing of cannabis vapes as well. The statement comes after CBC News reported the federal health agency does not conduct emissions testing on cannabis vapes and one company pre-emptively pulled its product over health and safety concerns. Cannabis vapes are among a series of new products — including edibles, extracts and topicals such as lotions — that can be legally sold in Canada as of Tuesday. Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec have outright banned the sale of cannabis vapes, and Nova Scotia will not allow flavoured versions. The products have not yet appeared in legal cannabis stores or websites in Canada, but Health Minister Patty Hajdu said Tuesday they can now be legally sold by authorized retailers under "strict rules." Cannabis vaping products have legally hit the market in most provinces despite the fact Health Canada hasn’t tested how safe they are. 2:55 "Licensed processors are responsible for ensuring that all their products meet safety requirements, and that none of their products contain anything that may cause injury to the health of the user," Hajdu said in a separate statement. "Given the recent cases of vaping-associated lung illnesses, Health Canada requested additional information from licensed processors on the ingredients and product formulation of certain vaping products they intend to sell in Canada's legal market." As of Dec. 10, 2,409 cases, including 52 deaths, have been reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in all 50 states this year. New vaping advertising limits coming, but no further restrictions on nicotine yet Health Canada says it hasn't tested health effects of cannabis vaping but will release new products anyway As cannabis vaping set to become legal, public health experts urge strict control There have been 14 cases of vaping-associated lung illness reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada, as of Dec. 10. Three occurred in British Columbia, two in New Brunswick, four in Ontario and five in Quebec. The majority of the cases of vaping illness are linked to illicit cannabis vapes. The CDC has not singled out any one brand but recommends that people not use the devices at all. On Nov. 28, Health Canada sent out a request for "further information" on the 359 notices of intent to sell that it received from 34 licence holders or processors that had requested to sell the products and found two that may have already violated regulatory requirements. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people not use cannabis vaping devices at all. (The Associated Press) That information request was not emissions-related, but instead asked for detailed measurements of each individual ingredient, their classification and composition and the name of the supplier. "The department has had subsequent communications with two licence holders, where examination of the additional information identified potential non-compliance with regulatory requirements," Morrissette said in the statement. "In all these instances, the licensed processor in question has stated that they have chosen to voluntarily not introduce these products to the market at this time." Vaping-related illnesses rise in Canada and U.S. No cannabis vaping products, bigger cut of sales for retailers: N.L. government Nova Scotia extends flavoured vape ban to cannabis products Morrissette said ethyl alcohol and medium chain triglycerides (MCT oil), a common extract from coconut oil, may have been found in the products but did not identify the licence holders in question. Canadian cannabis companies Canopy Growth, Aphria, Aurora Cannabis and Organigram said that they do not test the emissions of their devices, as it is not required by the federal government. HEXO, a Canadian cannabis company that made headlines after it announced in October it would sell cannabis cheaper for $4.49 a gram, said last week it will not yet release cannabis vapes because of concerns about their safety. A Hexo employee examines cannabis plants in one of the company's greenhouses in Masson-Angers, Que. The firm said it's holding off releasing its cannabis vapes because of safety concerns. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Similar to the rules for nicotine e-cigarettes, banned ingredients for cannabis vape oils include added vitamins or minerals, nicotine or alcohol, caffeine and added sugars, sweeteners or colours. That includes vitamin E acetate, which has been identified as a "chemical of concern" by the CDC in the vaping-related illness outbreak across North America but has not officially been confirmed as the culprit. But Health Canada will allow flavours, the use of which has been discouraged by the Canadian Paediatric Society in nicotine-based vaping products because of a fear that they will make the products more attractive to young users. Vape product concerns weigh on Canadian cannabis companies looking for sales boost U.S. officials identify 'strong culprit' in vaping illnesses These THC vape brands were most commonly linked to hospitalizations, CDC says Flavouring chemicals, such as diacetyl (found in buttery flavours), are also associated with conditions, such as "popcorn lung," and pulegone (found in menthol) can have toxic effects when vaped at high levels. Health Canada said it requires those licensed to sell cannabis vaping products to test vaping liquids for contaminants and to maintain records of the test results, which it can verify during inspections. The agency can also take samples for independent testing, it said. In a previous statement, Morrissette said that diacetyl and vitamin E acetate have not been found in the ingredients of licensed processors to date, but did not provide details on other flavouring chemicals that may be present. He added that providing legal access to regulated cannabis products "is one of the best ways to protect Canadians from the risks posed by products from the illegal market," and Health Canada is in close contact with the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration "to better understand their investigations into the cause or causes of the illnesses." Adam Miller is senior digital writer with CBC News. He's covered health, politics and breaking news extensively in Canada, in addition to several years reporting on news and current affairs throughout Asia.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416633
__label__cc	0.700939	0.299061	cdnhorseshoes Posted on May 11, 2019 by Shannon Miles Tapas, vegan pasta bars: College menus are on-trend, customizable college campus dining halls. Gone are the days of gummy stews, carb-packed casseroles and tasteless soups that had students craving the prospect of home cooking during Thanksgiving break. Universities now cater to a wide variety of diets, such as vegan and locavore, and today’s college “cafs” resemble fast-casual chain restaurants with a focus on healthy, protein- and vegetable-centric, customizable dishes. The emphasis on BLTs as well as Ph.D.s has made higher-education food service an estimated $18 billion industry, according to Technomic. That’s up from $12.4 billion a decade ago and close to $1.89 billion in 1972, when the Chicago-based food industry research firm started tracking it. In 2019, the industry is expected to approach $18.7 billion. “Food is a differentiator,” Technomic senior principal David Henkes said. “It’s a recruitment tool. It’s table stakes now. It’s an expectation, as every university raises its game across the board.” In an era when colleges are using everything from their fitness facilities to luxury dorms to lure students, high schoolers can turn to a variety of online sources to scan college food ratings as they make their application choices. Food is “part of decision for a lot of people,” said Katy Wahlke, the University of Cincinnati’s food services program director. “It’s part of their experience every day. It’s part of what they look forward to. It can make it or break it if they’re lining up two schools and all things being equal.” For some students, it’s a concern about allergies, such as nuts, dairy or soy. Others are committed to eating only local foods. Another group has religious dietary restrictions, such as halal and kosher. All want to be sure their food regimens, whether it’s vegetarian or keto, are addressed. One out of 3 Americans follows a specific lifestyle diet, according to the International Food Information Council Foundation, which found that the number is even higher among those ages 18 to 34. “There’s not as much variety like there is for normal students, but for me, having celiac disease, a lot of people don’t know what it is or it’s not taken seriously,” Trackim said. “Having food cooked on a separate line meant more to me than having variety.” The 19-year-old Syracuse student said the school, which runs all of its own dining halls, does a great job of keeping gluten-free safe for those who need it. The menu is designed to parallel what unrestricted students are served, and signs explain that diners must use a new plate if they want a gluten-free side dish or entrée to avoid cross-contamination via serving utensils. This generation of students, used to international flavors and dining out with their parents or friends, have more sophisticated palettes than their predecessors. Universities use Korean barbecue, vegan pasta bars and mezze platters to compete for students the same way they boast to prospective students about instructor-to-student ratios, semesters abroad options and fitness centers. At most schools, freshmen are required to live on campus in kitchen-less dorms and pay for a dining plan, but upperclassmen are free agents. Those first-years’ average cost of food – the “board” in the classic “room and board” term – was $4,650 during the 2015-2016 academic year versus $3,190 in 1986-1987, according to the U.S Department of Education. Dining plans don’t cover meals during the summer or school breaks. Compare that to $3,829, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found was the average annual spending on food by one American in 2016. While snazzy menu extras may explain some of the difference between what students and nonstudents pay, university meal plans must cover extras that nonstudents don’t have to deal with, like cafeteria workers’ salaries and dining hall utility bills. At the University of Cincinnati, 6,500 students out of 40,000 are on the meal plan, which is serviced by Aramark, one of the three food-service giants with contracts on U.S. college campuses. The menu includes ramen bowls, tapas and a custom cherry-chocolate bear claw pastry – an homage to the school colors of red and black and the mascot, the Bearcat. Food may not be as big as football at Texas Christian University, but campus dining, run by another big food service player, Sodexo, is still important. It’s mentioned in both digital and hard copy recruitment brochures and on the virtual and in-person campus tours, according to spokeswoman Holly Ellman. “The food is so good many faculty and staff members purchase a (meal) plan,” she said. @ZlatiMeyer Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2OMPtpM Published by Shannon Miles View all posts by Shannon Miles Prev A Week In Foot-Shaped Shoes Made Me A Convert Next Miley Cyrus Tells Met Gala Reporters Vegan Fashion Can Still Be Fabulous (And No Animals Need Harmed) Why is Gwyneth Paltrow selling a candle light that smells like her vaginal area?\|Fashion\|The Guardian The Hottest New Winter Pattern is … Ankle Joint Scarves? Please God No 4-year-old girl with Down syndrome can’t stop smiling as she strolls in vogue program Labour’s Diane Abbott appears to have actually rushed out in ODD footwear\|Daily Mail Online The Hottest New Piece of Winter Functional Fashion? 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__label__wiki	0.559067	0.559067	Home » Hollywood » Pierce Brosnan now wants to see Lady James Bond Pierce Brosnan now wants to see Lady James Bond Irish actor Brosnan says, it is time to introduce the woman as James Bond. Regarding the possibility of woman James Bond, Pierce said, “Yes, it should be. According to ‘hollywoodreporter’ Brosnan, who played the role of famous detective James Bond in total 4 films said, “I believe we have seen men playing this character from the last 40 years, now we should bring women in to it. It will be exciting and exciting.” There are reports that Lashana Lynch may be the next James Bond in ‘No Time to Die’ in place of Daniel Craig. Brosnan doubted this, saying that current producer Barbara Brockley might not do this. He said that I do not think this will happen in a film made under him. Brosnan described working in the James Bond franchise as the highlight of his career. Tanhaji The Unsung Warrior: The first look of Ajay Devgn and Kajol’s new film will release tomorrow Rajinikanth’s New Film Darbar Poster Out, Directed by AR Murugadoss Get ready to laugh, First Look and Trailer of ‘Ujda Chaman’ released First poster of film ‘No Time To Die’ released, Daniel Craig returns as James Bond 007 Topics: Hollywood, News, Pierce Brosnan	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416635
__label__cc	0.723333	0.276667	MNH: Swift and Refreshingly Explicit reply Our query about the removal of antiquities to other institutions prior to the establishment of the Manx Museum in 1922 has brought a swift and refreshingly explicit (interim) response from Museum Director Edmund Southworth. We had asked about an item removed at Treasure Trove in the 19th Century and asked if this and other items were subsequently recovered. We had assumed that the practice would have ceased in 1922 but as Mr Southworth points out ‘the position is actually worse’ than we had suspected. The law in relation to Treasure Trove in fact did not change until 1970 (when a series of constitutional changes occurred). Mr Southworth says (as far as he is aware) there has been no audit on such items as may have been removed. His (interim) response is set out in full below: “Dear Mr Moffatt, This email is simply to acknowledge your letter about antiquities from the Isle of Man. My curator of archaeology is on leave at the moment and I’ll need to check some things with her before I respond in detail. You raise some interesting issues. The position is actually worse in some ways than you suggest. Whilst the Manx Museum had premises from 1922 onward – it was not until the 1970’s that the pre-emptive position of the British Museum over Treasure Trove was altered to allow the Manx Museum to acquire such items. Of course Treasure Trove only applies to particular gold and silver items and because these are high profile finds the records tend to be quite good. As far as I am aware it has never been felt necessary to hold an audit. Of course many museums across the world legitimately hold things that either originated from the Island or are associated with it. With the advent of computerised databases and online access it is a great deal easier to find things. Websites such as www.culturegrid.org.uk allow us to search across many collections and trace things that relate to the Island. There is an argument for collecting such information into one place. MNH meets international standards for the care and preservation of collections. This makes it easy to borrow material for exhibition. We work closely with the British Museum and other UK museums and our priority in recent years has been to seek loans as and when we need them rather than repatriating material. For example the first fossilised Great Deer found on the Island was presented by the Duke of Athol to the forerunner of the National Museum in Scotland. This inspired local antiquarians to look for another skeleton – which has been on display on the Island since the end of the 19th century. Would we need two? I’ll be in touch again in due course. Edmund Southworth BA, M Phil, AMA, FSA, MIoD Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin” The Celtic League is grateful to Mr Southworth for responding so promptly and directly. BERNARD MOFFATT Issued by: The Celtic News THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416636
__label__wiki	0.6372	0.6372	Russians, Americans, British? Mystery Deepens Over Activity in Cornish Airspace Last weeks Russian incursion around western Ireland and towards Cornwall seems to have generated a wave of unusual air activity over the country – this report update from Michael Chappell: “Following on from publicity generated by Celtic News release number 4187 dated 21st February, 2015 which reported that the Cornwall Branch of the Celtic League had written to the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP, requesting further information on the Russian Federation Tupolev Tu 95 incident over or near Cornwall during Wednesday 18th February, 2015, the Branch has been in receipt of three communications from unrelated members of the public. One of these reports came via the Celtic League website, one by email to the Branch and the other via the Branch Facebook account. All contained new witness reports of low flying United States F15 fighter aircraft over various parts of Cornwall at the same time as the Tupolev Tu95 incident and two of an RAF Voyager tanker refuelling aircraft operating at low level over Cornwall in conjunction with U.S. aircraft. It would appear that there may be far more to these reports than immediately apparent and with one of the roles of the Celtic League being the monitoring of military activity in as much as it affects the Celtic Nations which form its membership, and bearing in mind the dangers of low flying by military aircraft and the high levels of accidents arising from it, the Branch has again written to the Secretary of State seeking clarification. The Director of Information of the Celtic League has also written to the Russian Federation Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Alexander Yakovenko, urging compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s guidance on such matters and asking that the Russian Federation (and others) respect the Celtic Nation’s belief in peaceful and non militarised co existence. The Kernow Branch thanks those who have taken the time and trouble to report their sightings. The Branch’s latest letter is below: “Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP, Secretary of State for Defence, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA 23rd February, 2015 Dear Secretary of State Incident involving Russian Federation military aircraft off the coast of Cornwall during Wednesday 18th February, 2015 a. letter Cornwall Branch Celtic League dd. 21st February, 2015 b. letter Director of Information Celtic League to Russian Federation Ambassador to the United Kingdom dd. 19thFebruary, 2015 I write to you further to our earlier letter of 21stInst. with further enquiries arising from the above mentioned military incident and following the receipt by our NGO of three further communications from unrelated members of the public in Cornwall. All contained witness reports of various numbers of low flying United States F15 fighter aircraft over Cornwall at the time of the Tupolev Tu95 incident and two of an RAF Voyager tanker refuelling aircraft operating at low level over Cornwall in conjunction with U.S. aircraft. Low flying operations over populated areas are dangerous and with witnesses describing an RAF Voyager refuelling aircraft operating at very low level, our concerns are raised. We are already aware of an accident involving an RAF Voyager and others involving various military aircraft. We seek your confirmation or denial of these military flying operations and with the well reported fact that Russian Federation aircraft being pursued by RAF Typhoon fighters appears concurrent and indeed in the same locale as these latest sightings, we ask for your assurances that Cornwall’s busy skies and crossing international air routes as well as the population below are safe. Cllr. Michael J Chappell Caderyor – An Kesunyans Keltek Scoren Gernewek Convener – The Cornish Branch of the Celtic League (e) kernow@celticleague.net (w) https://www.celticleague.net/“ References: Celtic League News Items https://www.celticleague.net/news/russia-urged-to-use-icao-to-resolve-military-flights-safety-issues/ https://www.celticleague.net/news/mod-quizzed-on-reports-russians-overflew-cornwall/” J B Moffatt (Mr) (Please note that replies to correspondence received by the League and posted on CL News are usually scanned hard copies. Obviously every effort is made to ensure the scanning process is accurate but sometimes errors do occur). ISSUED BY THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues Internet site at: https://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416637
__label__wiki	0.87942	0.87942	NEWMAC Field Hockey Alumni Games Fish Named Capital One First-Team Academic All-District Worcester, Mass. – Field hockey senior star Talia Fish (Philadelphia, Pa.) has been named to the Capital One Academic All-District At-Large Team it was announced on Thursday afternoon following a vote of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Earlier this month Fish was named the recipient of the Alice Higgins Award, given annually to the female student-athlete who makes a significant contribution to the athletics program and enrich the tradition of Clark Athletics. She was also named the John and Kay Bassett Scholar Athlete Award honoree which goes to the graduating four-year senior participant with the highest grade-point average. A three-time NEWMAC academic all-conference selection who is also a two-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Scholar of Distinction, Fish majored in sociology with a self-designed minor in public health and boasts a 3.92 overall GPA. Already accepted into the University's accelerated fifth-year master's program in Public Administration, she started all 68 games of her career, finishing with 66 points. Twice she finished second on the team in scoring – including during her senior season when she earned second-team all-conference honors after finishing with 24 points (nine goals, six assists). In order to qualify for CoSIDA All-Academic status, the nominated student-athlete must be of sophomore academic standing with a GPA of 3.30 or above. Academic All-District teams are comprised of student-athletes who are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada. 91 student-athletes from Division III were named to First-Team Academic All-District teams. They all advance to the Capital One Academic All-America Team ballot where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected early next month. Since the Academic All-America program began back in 1952, Clark has only had three student-athletes achieve that status. Women's swimmer Liz Rosen was a second-team selection in 2011, joining men's soccer's Matthew Maranz (1987, third-team) and women's basketball standout Michele Maxwell (1993, second team). January 22, 2015 Milford Town Crier: Manguso, Two Charges Make Jump To Clark January 21, 2015 Telegram & Gazette: Clark Student-Athletes Pitch In On Service Trip December 24, 2014 Take 2: CAST Headed To Dominican Republic December 7, 2014 Boston Globe: Campus Angle, Brooke Brennan December 3, 2014 Soccer Squads Honored For Academics December 1, 2014 Brennan Named NEWMAC Player Of The Week November 18, 2014 Murphy Named Second-Team All-New England By NFHCA November 18, 2014 2014-15 Men's Basketball Season Preview November 15, 2014 2014-15 Women's Basketball Season Preview November 14, 2014 I Know What You Did Last Summer: On The Diamond November 12, 2014 Murphy Named NEWMAC Second-Team All-Conference November 12, 2014 Boston Globe: Baker Picks Former Hoops Star Ash For Cabinet Post November 12, 2014 Zapata Named NEWMAC First-Team All-Conference November 12, 2014 Ramos Named NEWMAC Rookie Of The Year November 9, 2014 Telegram & Gazette: O'Gara, Sullivan Reunite At Home For Clark November 5, 2014 Ramos, Zapata Named Cougars Of The Month November 5, 2014 2014 NEWMAC Fall Academic All-Conference November 4, 2014 No. 7 Cougars Blocked At The Net By No. 2 Beavers, 3-0 November 1, 2014 Cougars 7th At NEWMAC Championships November 1, 2014 Cougars 10th At NEWMAC Championships October 25, 2014 2014-15 Men's Swimming Season Preview October 25, 2014 2014-15 Women's Swimming & Diving Preview October 22, 2014 Kravetz Named NEWMAC Academic All-Conference October 20, 2014 Ramos Named League's Co-Player Of The Week October 17, 2014 30 Seconds On The Clock: Alex Jeannotte, Cross Country September 29, 2014 Maguire Named League's Defensive Player Of The Week September 24, 2014 Telegram & Gazette: Mother Provides Inspiration For DaPrato September 19, 2014 30 Seconds On The Clock: Liz Gomes, Women's Soccer September 12, 2014 30 Seconds On The Clock: James Conway, Baseball September 5, 2014 Telegram & Gazette: Rosen Making A Difference With Fresh Produce September 3, 2014 Hart Named NEWMAC Field Hockey Offensive Player Of The Week August 18, 2014 O'Dell Named Assistant Women's Basketball Coach August 15, 2014 Zapata Named Men's Soccer Captain For 2014 August 13, 2014 Metz Named Men's Soccer Assistant Coach August 12, 2014 Clark Athletics Announces 'Front Row' Mobile App August 6, 2014 Former Star O’Rourke Named Assistant Coach August 5, 2014 Volleyball Receives AVCA Team Academic Award July 17, 2014 Men's & Women's Swimming Rank In Top Ten In Nation In GPA July 17, 2014 Orzechowski Named Honorable Mention Scholar All-America May 27, 2014 Duffy Selected To Play In NEILA East-West All-Star Game May 21, 2014 Ten Rowers Named To ECAC All-Academic Team May 19, 2014 Student-Athletes Star At 110th Commencement May 15, 2014 Fish Named Capital One First-Team Academic All-District May 13, 2014 Dubois Named To All-Worcester First-Team May 13, 2014 Duffy Named Academic All-Region By NEILA May 13, 2014 Where Are They Now?: Lauren Blake, Field Hockey/Softball May 8, 2014 Brady Steps Away From Coaching, Promoted To Associate AD May 6, 2014 Dubois Named NEWMAC First-Team All-Conference May 6, 2014 O'Brien Named NEWMAC Academic All-Conference May 6, 2014 Turgeon Named NEWMAC Academic All-Conference May 6, 2014 Clark Duo Named Second-Team All-Conference May 6, 2014 Brightman Named NEWMAC Academic All-Conference May 6, 2014 Wright Named NEWMAC Second-Team All-Conference May 6, 2014 Allen Named NEWMAC Academic All-Conference April 30, 2014 Athletic Department Hands Out Awards At Annual 'Night Of Honors' April 30, 2014 Clark Student-Athletes Host Fundraiser For Jeremiah’s Inn April 30, 2014 Telegram & Gazette: Cohen Rights Ship At Clark April 30, 2014 Stein Named NEWMAC First-Team All-Conference April 30, 2014 Cross Country Teams Take Part In “Working For Worcester" April 26, 2014 Hampshire Gazette: Amherst's Johnson Excels At Clark April 23, 2014 Student-Athletes Take Part In Academic Spree Day April 19, 2014 Cougars Secure First-Ever Postseason Berth On Senior Day April 19, 2014 Cougars Sew Up No. 3 Seed After 6-3 Win Over Wheaton April 19, 2014 Cougars Finish Seventh At NEWMAC Championships April 14, 2014 Dubois, O'Brien Sweep Weekly Awards April 14, 2014 Johnson Named NEWMAC Offensive Player of the Week April 7, 2014 Cronin Named Director of Athletics And Recreation April 3, 2014 Clark Set To Celebrate Division III Week April 1, 2014 30 Seconds On The Clock: Derek Dubois, Baseball April 1, 2014 I Know What You Are Doing This Semester: Nate Lapides, Men's Soccer April 1, 2014 Swimming & Diving Hosts Annual Youth Clinic March 25, 2014 Dubois Named League Pitcher Of The Week March 21, 2014 Fish Earns Second Straight NFHCA Scholar Of Distinction Honor March 21, 2014 12 Named To NFHCA Division III National Academic Squad March 12, 2014 Academic Awards Roll In For Clark Swimming & Diving March 10, 2014 Lima Named NEWMAC Baseball Player Of The Week March 10, 2014 Ranta Named NEWMAC Defensive Player Of The Week March 10, 2014 Allen Named NEWMAC Softball Player Of The Week February 28, 2014 2014 Baseball Season Preview February 27, 2014 2014 Softball Season Preview February 26, 2014 2014 Lacrosse Season Preview February 25, 2014 19 Named NEWMAC Academic All-Conference February 23, 2014 Cougars Finish Seventh At NEWMAC Championships February 23, 2014 Orzechowski's B-Cut Helps Cougars Finish Eighth At NEWMAC's February 22, 2014 Records Fall On Day Three Of NEWMAC Championships February 22, 2014 Relay Record Tumbles On Day Three Of Campionships February 21, 2014 Green Shines As Cougars Stay In Seventh At Championships February 21, 2014 More Records Fall On Second Day Of NEWMAC Championships February 20, 2014 Cougars Seventh After First Session Of NEWMAC Championships February 20, 2014 Record Falls On Day One Of NEWMAC Championships February 19, 2014 Student-Athletes Raise Funds For Opportunities for Communities January 30, 2014 DaPrato Named Capital One Academic All-District By CoSIDA January 29, 2014 400 Club: Phillips Gets Historic Win In Thrilling Fashion January 28, 2014 SAAC Donates No-Sew Blankets To Worcester Non-Profits January 24, 2014 30 Seconds On The Clock: Arjuna Shenoy, Men's Swimming January 23, 2014 Reiner Named To Israel’s National Lacrosse Team Practice Squad January 16, 2014 Boston Globe: Student-Athletes Give Lending Hand In Guatemala January 14, 2014 Clark Mourns Sudden Passing Of George LeGacy January 10, 2014 Inside The Huddle: Matt O'Toole, Men's Soccer January 6, 2014 Student-Athletes Embark On Service Trip In Guatemala January 6, 2014 Pasternack Named All-New England By NEWISA December 16, 2013 Graham Named Assistant Baseball Coach December 16, 2013 DaPrato Picks Up Second Weekly NEWMAC Honor December 8, 2013 Boston Globe: DaPrato Carrying The Load For Clark December 2, 2013 DaPrato Named NEWMAC Player Of The Week November 21, 2013 Shirzadi To Be Inducted Into New England Soccer Hall Of Fame November 20, 2013 Telegram & Gazette: Phillips, Manguso Team Up At Clark November 18, 2013 League And Regional Honors Roll In For Musler November 16, 2013 Cougars Wrap Up Season With Near Historic Performance November 16, 2013 Cougars Wrap Up Season At NCAA Regionals November 11, 2013 Fish, Mackey Named Second-Team All-Conference November 11, 2013 Zapata Named First-Team All-Conference November 11, 2013 Pasternack Named NEWMAC First-Team All-Conference November 10, 2013 24 Fall Student-Athletes Named Academic All-Conference November 10, 2013 2013-14 Women’s Basketball Season Preview November 10, 2013 Cougars Picked Third In NEWMAC Preseason Poll November 10, 2013 30 Seconds On The Clock: Brooke Tasse, Women's Swimming November 9, 2013 Cougars 36th At ECAC Championships November 4, 2013 Where Are They Now?: Lorna Lunney, Women's Soccer November 3, 2013 Buck-Led Cougars Finish 5th At NEWMAC Championships November 3, 2013 Cougars Finish 10th At NEWMAC Championships November 1, 2013 2013-14 Men's Swimming & Diving Season Preview October 30, 2013 30 Seconds On The Clock: Megan Grondin, Women’s Basketball October 30, 2013 I Know What You Did Last Semester: Jenna Zarou, Women’s Soccer October 11, 2013 SAAC Names Executive Board For 2013-14 October 11, 2013 Karas Named Women's Hoops Assistant Coach October 9, 2013 Telegram & Gazette: Moulton Set To Be Honored By NACWAA October 7, 2013 Pasternack Collects Weekly Honor October 3, 2013 Where Are They Now: Dave McNamara, Men’s Basketball October 3, 2013 Spielberg Named Assistant Varsity Rowing Coach September 29, 2013 Cougars Will Host Autism Awareness Night On October 1 September 26, 2013 Telegram & Gazette: Sullivan Says Goodbye To Clark September 25, 2013 Sullivan Named Associate VP/Director of Athletics At Catholic University September 23, 2013 I Know What You Did Last Summer: Max Nyquist, Lacrosse September 23, 2013 I Know What You Did Last Summer: Tatiana Chunis, Softball September 23, 2013 30 Seconds On The Clock: Sarah Sachs, Women's Tennis September 18, 2013 Telegram & Gazette: Cougars Will Never Forget Amanda Mundt September 16, 2013 Mackey Named Cougar Of The Week September 13, 2013 Athletics Announces Video Streaming Schedule September 11, 2013 Powell To Receive ECAC Award Of Valor September 11, 2013 NCAA.org: 40-For-40: Trant's Legacy Lives On September 10, 2013 30 Seconds On The Clock: Breanna Tucker, Women's Diving September 5, 2013 President Angel's Statement On Fitness Center August 28, 2013 30 Seconds On The Clock: Erin O'Neil, Field Hockey August 28, 2013 Inside The Huddle: Jeff Cohen, Lacrosse August 28, 2013 I Know What You Did Last Summer: Jenn O'Rourke, Women's Soccer August 19, 2013 Moulton Honored By NACWAA With Lifetime Achievement Award	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416648
__label__wiki	0.610754	0.610754	OTHER AUTHORS A - J (suspense, a little bit of romance, and no language) AUTHOR DAVID BALDACCI THE FINISHER (BOOK 1) Vega Jane was always told no one could leave the town of Wormwood. She was told there was nothing outside but a forest filled with danger and death. And she always believed it -- until the night she saw Quentin Herms run away. Vega knows Quentin didn't just leave -- he was chased. And he left behind a trail of clues that point to a dark conspiracy at the heart of Wormwood. To follow the clues will attract the attention of influential people willing to kill to keep their secrets. If Vega wants to stay safe, she just needs to keep her head down and her mouth shut. There's only one problem -- Vega Jane never walks away from a fight. The #1 New York Times bestseller by David Baldacci now includes a never-before-seen chapter, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Finisher, and a special world guide -- for e-readers only! He introduces an unforgettable heroine who must think fast, hit hard, and defy all odds to uncover the truth. (no cursing or explicit sex) AUTHOR AMY A. BARTOL SECONDBORN (BOOK 1) Firstborns rule society. Secondborns are the property of the government. Thirdborns are not tolerated. Long live the Fates Republic. On Transition Day, the second child in every family is taken by the government and forced into servitude. Roselle St. Sismode’s eighteenth birthday arrives with harsh realizations: she’s to become a soldier for the Fate of Swords military arm of the Republic during the bloodiest rebellion in history, and her elite firstborn mother is happy to see her go. Televised since her early childhood, Roselle’s privileged upbringing has earned her the resentment of her secondborn peers. Now her decision to spare an enemy on the battlefield marks her as a traitor to the state. But Roselle finds an ally—and more—in fellow secondborn conscript Hawthorne Trugrave. As the consequences of her actions ripple throughout the Fates Republic, can Roselle create a destiny of her own? Or will her Fate override everything she fights for—even love? AUTHOR TEYLA BRANTON FIRST TOUCH (BOOK 0-PREQUEL NOVELLA) Detective Shannon Martin believes Autumn Rain’s gift is a hoax. But he is desperate to find the missing little girl. Can they put aside their differences and find her before it’s too late? Autumn Rain didn’t always possess the ability to read emotions imprinted on objects. If you’ve enjoyed the Imprints series or are just beginning the adventure, you don’t want to miss this new prequel about Autumn's first case as a consultant to the Portland Police Bureau. See how she came into her ability, and how Detective Shannon Martin reacts when he realizes this crazy so-called psychic might just be telling the truth. (moderate violence/horror, non-graphic sexual reference) AUTHOR ANGELA CARLING THE SECRET KEEPER (BOOK 1) There is a street or house in every town that holds secrets that the outside world would never understand. However in Heber, Arizona, a cursed being holds all those secrets closely. After the disappearance of her brother, Winter’s family was never the same, and now she’d done something terrible that would bring her to the door where such secrets were locked, and the deal she would make with the mysterious Secret Keeper would forever alter her life and threaten to destroy Liam, the only boy she ever loved. (edgy darkness, swearing, and violence) AUTHOR CATHRINA CONSTANSTINE WICKEDLY THEY COME (BOOK 1) A gripping dark fantasy! A Destined Prophecy: “The White Warrior will be one with Lucifer and God will weep.” Haunting visions and supernatural talents are the norm for the sixteen-year-old warrior, Jordan and her mother Seeley. Together with their formidable angels they find themselves in peril when a wicked sorcerer is determined to fulfill the prophecy to his lord, Lucifer. After an ominous vision of spirits inhabiting teenagers in a local school, Jordan enrolls in the social culture of teendom at Elma High to combat soulless demons. She encounters Mark, a mysterious new classmate, who is hell bent on keeping her unscathed from the forces of evil. The battle between Heaven and Hell is escalating—and Earth is their battleground. (intense scenes, sensual kissing, and main characters sleeping in the same bed, but with no sex) AUTHOR SHELLY CRANE SIGNIFICANCE (A SIGNIFICANCE SERIES NOVEL) Maggie is a seventeen year old girl who's had a bad year. She was smart and on track, but her mom left, her dad is depressed, she's graduating, barely, and her boyfriend of almost three years dumped her for a college football scholarship. Lately she thinks life is all about hanging on by a thread and is gripping tight with everything she has. Then she meets Caleb. She saves his life and instantly knows there's something about him that's intriguing, but she's supposed to be on her way to a date with his cousin. Things change when they touch, sparks ignite. Literally. They imprint with each other and she sees their future life together flash before her eyes. She learns that not only is she his soul mate, and can feel his heartbeat in her chest, but there is a whole other world of people with gifts and abilities that she never knew existed. She herself is experiencing supernatural changes unlike anything she's ever felt before and she needs the touch of his skin to survive. Now, not only has her dad come out of his depression to be a father again, and a pain as well, but Caleb's enemies know he's imprinted and are after Maggie to stop them both from gaining their abilities and take her from him. Can Caleb save her or will they be forced to live without each other after just finding one another? The TV Series coming soon! AUTHOR BRENDA DRAKE THIEF OF LIES (BOOK 1) Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels-magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books-rescue them from a demonic hound. Jumping into some of the world's most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren't busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik's world and her own, before both are destroyed. AUTHOR DEBRA ERFERT WINDOW OF TIME The difference between a gift and a curse is only a matter of perspective." "CIA courier Lucy James never gets used to seeing innocent people killed, but she copes with it—every day. Cursed with the ability to glimpse into the future when a death is about to happen, she has a short window of time to interfere—risking her life in order to change it. No one knows about her curse, until she saves a handsome Los Angeles firefighter trapped between her and foreign operatives hell-bent on intercepting her current assignment. LA firefighter Johnny Cartwright’s life changes the moment he meets Lucy. His uncomplicated days flip to dangerously unpredictable after he’s drawn deeper into her secretive world of premonitions. His attraction to Lucy grows as he helps her stop a terroristic plot against the U.S., putting his life between her and certain death." (some violence, intense kissing with some groping, and profanity) AUTHOR LILA FELIX LIGHTNING KISSED (BOOK 1 IN THE LUCENT SERIES) Colby Evans can leap from one country to the next in a heartbeat. She can see every sunset in every time zone in the same day. She can travel across the world in a flash. She defies gravity and physics with every breath she takes. She’s tested her abilities and found them limitless. She is the lightning. She is Lucent. And nothing can stop her. Except him. Theodore Ramsey isn’t supposed to be able to flash like Colby. The power of travel is passed on from mother to daughter in their people. Except once in every hundred generations. Theo is the one. He can flash like Colby. And it makes him a target to their enemies and to himself. His abilities change everything he knows about life and throws his future into an uncertain tangent. In fact, the only thing certain in his life is the love he feels for Colby. Their love defies time and space and has been the only constant thing in their lives since childhood. But even their infallible love will be stretched to its limits. She will risk her life to protect him. But he will risk everything to protect them all. (appropriate for all ages) AUTHOR K. E. GANSHERT THE GIFTING (BOOK 1) "If science is right, then I am crazy. And crazy is dangerous." In a world where nothing supernatural exists, Tess Eckhart is positive she’s going crazy. After her complete freakout at a high school party, her family is too. So much that they pack their bags and move across the country, next to a nationally-renowned facility for the mentally ill. Tess is determined to fit in at her new school, despite the whispers and stares. But when it comes to Luka Williams, a reluctantly popular boy in her class, she’s unused to a stare that intense. Then the headaches start, and the seemingly prophetic dreams that haunt her at night. As Tess tries harder to hide them, she becomes increasingly convinced that Luka knows something—that he might somehow be responsible. But what if she’s wrong? What if Luka Williams is the only thing separating her from a madness too terrifying to fathom? AUTHOR MELISSA HAAG Home before sunset. Sleep before dark. Never go outside at night. According to the family curse, Tessa needs to find “the right boy” before her next birthday or she’ll be living by those rules forever. It should be easy. After all, with a touch, she can see her future with a boy...a future where he dies young. She would do anything to get rid of her curse, except follow in her ancestors’ footsteps. Then, she meets Morik. He's a demon and the reason behind the visions and the rules. He long ago brokered a deal with Tessa's ancestors, and he's come to collect. Tessa has a choice to make. Stand before Morik as her ancestors failed to do or continue to hide from what waits in the dark. Her time to decide is running out. (abuse, and drug use) AUTHOR LIA HABEL DEARLY, DEPARTED CAN A PROPER YOUNG VICTORIAN LADY FIND TRUE LOVE IN THE ARMS OF A DASHING ZOMBIE? The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the mores of an antique era. Sixteen-year-old Nora Dearly is far more interested in her country’s political unrest than in silly debutante balls. But the death of her beloved parents leaves Nora at the mercy of a social-climbing aunt who plans to marry off her niece for money. To Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses. Now she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting a fatal virus that raises the dead. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and thoroughly deceased. But like the rest of his special undead unit, Bram has been enabled by luck and modern science to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire. AUTHOR M.K. HARKINS Hunted, shot, and without her memory, eighteen-year-old Ann Baker wakes in shallow water on a deserted Pacific Northwest island. She is soon approached by two young men claiming to be her friends. Something isn’t right, but when gunshots sound, Ann is left with little choice but to allow Devon and Archer to help her escape. Soon she finds herself in their North Bend mountain compound, where the higher evolved humans claim to be mind-readers. While Ann heals, she realizes they believe her to be one of the last and most powerful of all – The Lost One. She’s welcomed by most with opened arms, but not everyone is happy about her arrival. A jealous adversary has plans for Ann, which spirals the entire Reader community into chaos. As lies, murder, and betrayal threaten to rip apart the once harmonious mountain dwellers, Ann is thrust into making a decision that could save or devastate not only The Readers, but all of mankind. But there’s just one glitch: by doing so it may require her to make the ultimate sacrifice. AUTHOR TAMARA HART HEINER LAY ME DOWN Life is more than just breathing. Kylee Mansfield knows what it is to be alone. Her dad left when she was seven, and her mother remarried an abusive alcoholic. Kylee finds ways to escape reality, usually by substituting one pain for another. Things take a deadly turn when a jagged cut shows up on her arm, and she doesn't know where it came from. She enlists her neighbor, Price Hudson, to help her uncover the truth. But Price shows her much more than just her past--he shows her what it is to be alive. A heartbreakingly beautiful teen/young adult paranormal romance that will touch your heart. AUTHOR SUSAN HATLER High school junior, Kylie Bates, can suddenly read minds. When she touches people’s hands, she’s able to see their deepest thoughts. As if that’s not freaky enough, her dad sends her to help hottie detective, Sam Williams, track down a missing girl. Way too much pressure, especially for a girl who can’t watch Scream without getting nightmares. Then, finding the missing girl leads to much more than Kylie’s prepared for. Like discovering that her dad has been lying to her. That she has a family she never knew about. That the girls have powers similar to hers. Oh yeah, and that someone is out to get her. When the detective’s teenage wanna-be-cop cousin, Trip Williams, approaches Kylie at school insisting she help him solve the case, she discovers Trip might be the only one she can trust, and the only one to help her unravel the secrets behind her mysterious gift. AUTHOR HEIDI HEILIG THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE Heidi Heilig's debut teen fantasy sweeps from modern-day New York City, to nineteenth-century Hawaii, to places of myth and legend. Sixteen-year-old Nix has sailed across the globe and through centuries aboard her time-traveling father's ship. But when he gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility. Its witty, fast-paced dialogue, breathless adventure, multicultural cast, and enchanting romance will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman. Nix's life began in Honolulu in 1868. Since then she has traveled to mythic Scandinavia, a land from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, modern-day New York City, and many more places both real and imagined. As long as he has a map, Nix's father can sail his ship, The Temptation, to any place, any time. But now he's uncovered the one map he's always sought—1868 Honolulu, before Nix's mother died in childbirth. Nix's life—her entire existence—is at stake. No one knows what will happen if her father changes the past. It could erase Nix's future, her dreams, her adventures . . . her connection with the charming Persian thief, Kash, who's been part of their crew for two years. If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own. (a clean young adult read) AUTHOR CHARLIE N. HOLMBERG FOLLOWED BY FROST “Charlie is a vibrant writer with an excellent voice and great world building.” —Brandon Sanderson, author of Mistborn and The Way of Kings Seventeen-year-old Smitha's wealth, status, and beauty make her the envy of her town—until she rejects a strange man’s marriage proposal and disastrous consequences follow. Smitha becomes cursed, and frost begins to encompass everything she touches. Banished to the hills, hunted by villagers, and chilled to the very core of her soul, she finds companionship with Death, who longs to coax her into his isolated world. But Smitha's desire for life proves stronger than despair, and a newfound purpose gives her hope. Will regrets over the past and an unexpected desire for a man she cannot touch be enough to warm Smitha’s heart, or will Death forever still it? One innocent human girl. Twenty-five supernatural bachelors. Six weeks to choose The One. When struggling actress Kimmie-Jayne Starr discovers she’s snagged the starring role on the next huge reality TV show, Hitched, she thinks all her dreams have finally come true. But as soon as she lands on the beautiful island of Mystic Cove, something feels wrong. As a string of strange accidents on set grow deadlier, Kimmie realizes there’s much more to this dating show than she ever could’ve imagined.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416650
__label__wiki	0.695429	0.695429	Download high resolution versions Copenhagen Diagnosis Published: November 23rd, 2009 Each of these images is available to media for free download and use after registration at the media membership level, and subject to Climate Central’s content licensing policy. For these images, editing image label language and units of measurement is permitted as described inside the downloadable documents. Here is the explanation behind each graphic, and how it relates to the Copenhagen Diagnosis (full report available as of November 24, 2009). Trends Accelerating Rate of global temperature warming New observations included in the Copenhagen Diagnosis update the recent global average temperature rate of increase from 0.177 to 0.187 degrees Celsius per decade. This is considered a negligible shift. The 0.177 value was reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report (IPCC AR4) in 2007. Rate of sea level rising The Copenhagen Diagnosis reports our current best estimate of global average sea level rise rate, based on new precise satellite measurements: 3.4 mm per year over the last fifteen years, about 80% higher than the model projections from the IPCC (1.9 mm). Rate of land ice shrinking Land ice includes glaciers, ice caps, and the ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica. Disappearing land ice contributes to sea level rise. IPCC AR4 reported that glaciers and ice caps were melting fast enough to contribute 0.8 mm per year to sea level rise, and Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets were contributing 0.4 mm per year. Measurements show these rates have accelerated significantly in recent years. The Copenhagen Diagnosis reports glaciers and ice caps are now contributing about 1.2 mm per year to sea level rise, and ice sheets roughly the same amount. (Revised ice sheet total confirmed by chapter co-author Ian Allison.) Rate of Arctic sea ice melting The Copenhagen Diagnosis reports a recent 11.1% decline per decade in the extent of Arctic sea ice in September, as compared to a decline of 4.48% per decade over the same period from IPCC AR4 models (as shown in Fig. 13 of the Copenhagen Diagnosis). Higher Seas This Century The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report projected that global average sea level would increase 18-59 cm from 1990 to 2100—or, equivalently, 12-53 cm from 2009 to 2100, because of the 6 cm increase since 1990. IPCC’s average sea level rise projection from 2009 is thus 32.5 cm, or about 13 inches. The matching projection from the Copenhagen Diagnosis, averaging from both sources used by the report, is 33 inches, a 2.5-fold increase.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416652
__label__cc	0.717682	0.282318	Skip to main content Skip to choc.org search About CHOC CHOC Docs / Providers Residency / Training Programs CHOC Foundation Main Campus in Orange CHOC at Mission Hospital List ALL CHOC Locations PRIMARY SERVICES Wellness and Primary Care OUR INSTITUTES List of ALL CHOC Services Access CHOC Link Explore Career Opportunities Research Health Topics Follow CHOC on Social Media Read the CHOC Blog Donate Toys Find More Ways to Help Home » Providers » General Surgery » Curcio, Lisa D. MD Dr. Lisa D. Curcio, General Surgery Dr. Lisa Curcio offers the latest medical treatments in breast care, she understands the emotional issues of a breast disease or cancer diagnosis. Patients can seek personal consultations, support groups or second opinions through her practice. Dr. Curcio fought her own battle with breast cancer at age 37, so she offers her own unique perspective of experiencing the disease first hand. Her practice is focused on treating the woman as a whole person. Dr. Curcio graduated summa cum laude from the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Biology. She then earned her medical degree from the George Washington University Medical School, Washington, D.C., where she also completed her medical Internship and Residency in General Surgery. She received her advanced training in breast cancer treatment from the City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, where she completed a fellowship in Surgical Oncology. Prior to joining Advanced Breast Care Specialists, Dr. Lisa Curcio was a general and oncologic surgeon at Mission Hospital and was Chief of Surgical Oncology at Keesler Medical Center. She is a current member of the National Board of Medical Examiners and American Board of Surgery. As an active member of the breast cancer advocacy community, Dr. Curcio has served as cancer liaison at both Mission Hospital Medical Center and Keesler Medical Center. She was an active member of both hospitals’ cancer committee. She has also served as the tumor board chairperson at both facilities. Dr. Curcio belongs to numerous professional societies and has written dozens of articles and research projects on a variety of cancer and breast care issues. Dr. Curcio is a dynamic speaker and she has addressed a variety of professional and community groups over her 25 year career. Breastlink Laguna Hills 23961 Calle de la Magdalena 130 Surgical oncology at the City of Hope National Medical Center In Surgery at George Washington University Hospital George Washington University Medical School Lisa D Curcio MD Specialty: General Surgery Board Certified: Surgery On Staff at: CHOC Children's at Mission Hospital CHOC Children's is affiliated with the UC Irvine School of Medicine CHOC LINKS Language Assistance: Español \| 繁體中文 \| Tiếng Việt \| Tagalog \| 한국어 \| Հայերեն \| فارسی \| Русский \| 日本語 \| العربية \| ਪੰਜਾਬੀ \| ខ្មែរ \| Hmoob \| हिंदी \| ภาษาไทย ©2020 CHOC Children's 1201 W La Veta Ave, Orange, CA. Phone: 714-997-3000. www.choc.org. \| A 501(c)(3) Organization	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416654
__label__wiki	0.849592	0.849592	Protest leader dies in detention Olivia Ward As the United Nations Security Council wrangled yesterday behind closed doors over how to deal with Burma's brutal military junta, a protest leader died under interrogation during ongoing reprisals against government opponents. According to a Thai-based dissident group, 42-year-old Win Shwe died in custody yesterday in the central district of Sagaing. He was arrested two weeks ago with six colleagues. Amnesty International, meanwhile, said former student leader Hla Myo Naung was seized while seeking medical treatment for a serious eye condition. The news came as the council debated tougher sanctions on Burma, and UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari prepared for a new round...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416656
__label__cc	0.693545	0.306455	Buying or selling property is a huge life event. Whether you’re a new home buyer or an established investor, you need a conveyancing team who can help you through the ins and outs of the tough Sydney property market. Purchase or sell property faster and ensure your investment is safer. Click the links to learn more. Transferring a Property Refinancing a Property Off the Plan Purchase Company Title Commercial and Retail Leases Buying and Selling a Business 11 Common First Time Home Buyer Mistakes Get the right family lawyers for your child custody, property settlement or divorce settlement. Our family law solicitors provide experienced legal representation in everything from mediation to court appearance. You can also get expert legal advice on domestic violence orders, same sex marriage and parenting, de facto relationships and separations, and grandparent’s rights. How to Get a Divorce De-Facto Agreements Court Attendances Parenting Arrangements Same Sex Relationships Family Law FAQS Because we’re Sydney’s specialist construction lawyers, we can help you with a sweep of residential, commercial or civil development issues including: contract advice, security of payment claims, development applications, risk management, construction litigation, debt recovery, insolvency, and legal representation in all court litigation. Building & Construction Contracts Home Building Act & Home Warranty Insurance Security of Payment Delay, Variation & Defect Claims Get effective advice on wills and estates from a leading Sydney law firm. Our solicitors help with everything from simple matters, like making a will, to more complicated cases, like challenging a will in court. Find more information about our services in the administration of an estate, the preparation of caveats and power of attorney documents by clicking the links. Challenging a Will in Court Making a Power of Attorney Making an Enduring Guardian Document Administration of an Estate Probate of an Estate Preparation of Caveats Our Sydney criminal lawyers provide local, state or federal court representation in a wide range of criminal law offences. Because we’re a small firm and only take a limited amount of cases, you’re always promised our complete dedication. Find out more about traffic charges, drug matters, assaults and property offences by clicking the links. Drink Driving Offences Traffic Charges Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs) Drug Matters Property Offences Bail Applications Start moving forward. Let's resolve your legal issues. Hire a lawyer with the experience to help and the knowledge to understand. Whether you need a criminal lawyer, a family lawyer or a conveyancing expert our team of Sydney solicitors are here to help. Our principal solicitor, Christine Manolakos, is a woman with over 20 years of experience in the fields of family, property, criminal and construction law. Christine and her legal team bring both knowledge of the NSW legal landscape and an understanding of Sydney’s legal firms and courts to every case — from divorce mediation proceedings to court appearances. We’re a small firm, so you can be confident you have dedicated professionals who are always available to answer your questions. But size doesn’t limit us. With years of experience in large and small firms, our solicitors know how the big guys operate. So we always come prepared with a game plan and a strategy. Get Your Fair Share Divorce Settlement Advice Now Securing title over your family residence, investment property or business requires determination and an attentive lawyer to assist with the transaction. At CM Lawyers, our aim is to always protect your interests. We have years of experience with assisting first home buyers and commercial buyers/sellers and lessors/lessees, across Sydney, and are well equipped to to investigate a developer's reputation, caveats, conditions and all other factors that may impact upon your property purchasing or selling decision. As a specialist conveyancer, we apply our extensive property law experience to ensure a smooth conveyancing process from beginning to end. At CM Lawyers we understand that making a will can be a fearful process. At our firm we endeavour to provide you with the advice and the information that will make the process much easier and more pleasant. We also provide a notarial service for clients in Sydney. In New South Wales, a public notary (otherwise known as a notary or notary public) is a public officer who is appointed for life by the New South Wales Supreme Court. They are given statutory powers to witness documents, administer oaths and perform a range of other administrative functions, both of a national and international nature. CM Lawyers is dedicated to the efficient clearance of your police-related/ criminal law matters. As an advocate of law, CM Lawyers will apply our extensive legal experience to defend your rights within the area of criminal law. We are committed to resolving your legal issues in a professional and time effective manner. We can assist you with Legal Aid matters on the basis that you have been approved by the Legal Aid NSW for a grant of Legal Aid Assistance. You can do this by completing an Application and nominating CM Lawyers as your preferred legal representative. There are no two ways about it. No matter who you are and what your circumstances, separation is both difficult and disruptive. That’s why our legal team always works to prioritise settlement over argument. We’ll help you avoid court while you focus with moving on. Our experienced legal team comes to you with a different approach to Sydney’s bigger law firms. Intimate, personalised and involved—the CM Lawyers family law team is a supportive force during trying times. You’ll never receive blanket service. Instead, we provide dedicated case workers and tailored advice about your legal rights, entitlements and obligations. The lines of communication are always open. So you’re always kept in the loop. Building and Construction law is one of CM Lawyers’ primary specialties, with a team of Sydney-based solicitors and engineers who are experienced and well-versed in construction law and contract administration to confidently advise on construction and engineering contracts, as well as dealing with major infrastructure, construction and engineering disputes. Our building and construction team at CM Lawyers understands the complex legal and technical issues that can affect the success of a construction project, and are dedicated to making the process as smooth as possible for all parties involved. Main Phone: 02 9199 2590 After Hours: 0400 315 550 Appointments available on Saturday on request. Address: 138 Marrickville Road Marrickville, NSW, 2204 We’re a Sydney law firm located in Marrickville - the heart of the inner-west. A general legal practice, we cover a large spectrum of legal sectors including family law, criminal law, construction law, property law, probates and wills and estates. We’re also a specialist conveyancing team. So you can get help with buying or selling your property, company title and off the plan purchases. With over 20 years’ of business under the CM Lawyers name, our team has the experience to give you quality legal advice and representation. And because we're a smaller firm, you always know exactly who is handling your case and how to contact them in times of need. If you need fast criminal defence, a divorce solicitor who'll always work in your best interests, or a construction law specialist you can continually rely on, speak to us today. Experienced legal professionals you can trust. Principal Family Lawyer Christine Manolakos Christine gives all her clients a dynamic and feminine perspective on the family law and criminal law landscape in Australia. Of Greek background, Christine has excelled herself in legal practice to single-handedly build a thriving suburban firm with a diverse client base. In this time, Christine has built strong links with the Marrickville community through her participation in worthwhile organisations such as Rotary International. Christine obtained her qualifications of Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Economics at Macquarie University, Sydney. She has been licensed since 1993, opened her own firm in 1996, and has appeared on behalf of hundreds of clients. Certified Practising Conveyancer Alex Sapounas J.P Alex is our Certified Practicing Conveyancer; bringing a dedicated property focus to the legal services offered by CM Lawyers. Alex has a Masters degree in Finance and Accounting from UTS and substantial experience in major financial institutions including Perpetual, Coopers & Lybrand (which has since merged successfully to form Pricewaterhousecoopers), and Hambros Investment Bank. Alex therefore has impressive insight and knowledge of the property market and can tailor client-specific strategies. 4.8 out of 5 based on 49 reviews Garth I - August 10, 2018 Alex and Al were great throughout the process, even despite extension from the vendor. For two first home buyers, they took the time to explain and make sure we understood each step of the way. Thanks guys. We will be back. 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__label__wiki	0.800727	0.800727	Vegan Restaurant Opens in Former Angry Baker Spot ‘Twas the Week Before Christmas in Theaters Photo still from "Mary Poppins Returns," via IMDb. Decrease Font Size Increase Font Size Text Size Print This PageSend by Email The holiday onslaught is here! It’s not the greatest pre-Christmas haul we’ve seen, but it is far from the worst. Here’s a quick what’s-what. by Matt Weiner A movie that brings together Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman, Julie Andrews and Dolph Lundgren is inevitably going to have a lot going on. That’s certainly the case for James Wan’s Aquaman, a weird mix of origin story, Arthurian myth and anti-racist appeal to coexistence. If that sounds like a lot for the frat bro character from 2017’s Justice League, well… it is. But thankfully it’s also never boring. The new movie takes place after the events of Justice League, allowing half-man/half-Atlantean Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) to resume his day job of serving as a one-man Coast Guard and drinking. Flashbacks piece together Curry’s life story: his father (Temuera Morrison) fell in love with the queen (Kidman) of the underwater kingdom Atlantis, who later had to choose between endangering her taboo love child or returning to the kingdom. A series of tragedies pushes Curry on his hero’s journey, with enough family strife between him and his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) to fill a Greek play. Together with the Atlantean princess Mera (Amber Heard), Curry strikes out in search of a golden MacGuffin along with his destiny, even finding time to pick up an archenemy for good measure (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta). How much of a comfort it is that Aquaman is one of the better recent superhero movies depends on where you fall on the debate over whether distinctive directors should get picked for more of these big comic book projects (and given a long leash) — or if you wish we lived in a universe where they could pursue these visions without yoking themselves to Disney/Marvel or DC. It is to the film’s benefit that Wan, veteran of horror franchises Saw, The Conjuring and Insidious, manages to tie Curry’s predictable Arthurian ascent to the most disturbing Lovecraftian horror this side of Hellboy. And it’s almost shocking to see the cotton candy brightness of Atlantis after the pummeling color palettes of Batman v. Superman and Justice League. With his nonstop pace, steady stream of exotic settings and action that never gets bogged down in its own seriousness, Wan’s entry in the genre hits the mark as his loving homage to vintage Spielberg and Lucas — plus tentacles. Best of all, it’s a refreshing reminder that you shouldn’t need a flowchart and multi-phase corporate synergy to make a good popcorn movie. Which is good, because it doesn’t look like these franchises are going anywhere anytime soon, so if any other directors are looking to wed their creative vision to the corporate motherships, then maybe I can learn to be more tolerant of the products they give birth to. It’s a message that sounds oddly familiar. by Christie Robb Recreating the magic of a classic film like Mary Poppins seems like it should be impossible. Thankfully, with the sequel Disney proves that truly everything is possible, even the impossible. Set 20 years after the original, Jane and Michael Banks are grown and eking out a living during the “Great Slump” (the term for the Great Depression in the United Kingdom). Michael (Ben Wishaw) has been recently widowed and is struggling to raise his three children alone when the bank sends some agents to inform him that his family home on Cherry Tree Lane is in foreclosure. He’s got until Friday at midnight to cough up the cash. Enter Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt), who returns to take care of the Banks children. This time, the stakes are clearly a bit higher. Instead of the children and nanny dealing with neglectful and boring parents, they have to negotiate grief over their dead mother, probable homelessness, and some light animated kidnapping. It’s a more Lemony Snicket approach that keeps the plot moving at a good pace, but may be intense for the more sensitive kiddos. The drama is balanced with some exhilarating song and dance numbers that mirror, but update, those in the original film. Remember Uncle Albert? Now we have a song with Cousin Topsy (Meryl Streep). The live action/animated number occurs inside the pattern of a Royal Doulton china bowl instead of a chalk drawing. And instead of chimney sweeps elevating the kids to the London rooftops for a jig, lamplighters led by Mary’s friend Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) wind the kids through the sewers and engage in some stunt biking and parkour. Throughout, director Rob Marshall is faithful to the tone of the original film. There’s a continuity established from the opening credit sequence that continues through the choices in musical score, sets and costuming. However, Marshall’s experience directing movie musicals (for example, Into the Woods and Chicago) makes for more dynamic camera work and the occasional vaudevillian set piece. This charming bit of nostalgia makes for an excellent holiday movie that celebrates the joys of childhood, imagination and family. Grade: B+ by Hope Madden Family can be a nightmare during the holidays, eh? Well, if you think your Fox-News-spouting uncle is a problem, you need to meet Ben. Yes, Ben is Back, the damaged teen at Christmas drama from writer/director Peter Hedges, is clear Oscar bait. It is, after all, a family drama starring two of the Academy’s favorite thespians, Julia Roberts and the filmmaker’s own son, Lucas Hedges. Lucas Hedges plays Ben, the eldest son of Holly (Roberts), who surprises his family — mom, sister Ivy (Kathryn Newton), half siblings Lacey and Liam (Mia Fowler and Jakari Fraser, respectively) and stepdad Neal (Courtney B. Vance) — on Christmas Eve. Ben’s been away in rehab, and not everyone is as thrilled at the prospect of reliving Christmas Horrors Past as Holly seems to be. Though filmmaker Hedges’s script has a few rough edges, one of its great strengths is its limits. Ben is Back chooses not to spell out every aspect of Ben’s addiction, his descent, or his likely court-determined recovery program. These are wise omissions, as they make the slow reveals more powerful and leave you feeling less manipulated. What unspools as a tense family drama takes a wild left turn by act three, when Ben’s shaky present and dark past come crashing into Holly’s living room only to make off with the family’s beloved mutt. The balance of the film sees mother and son drive deeper into an ugly abyss of sexual predators, junkies and criminals to have poor Ponce back for the siblings by Christmas morn. Once the borderline thriller storyline takes flight, Hedges Senior flails a bit with pacing and tone. Hedges Junior and Roberts, however, lose nothing. The voyage into the underbelly of Holly’s lovely suburbia offers not only some insight into the realities of drug addiction and our current opioid crisis, but allows these two talents the chance to mine their characters’ psyches. Hedges never overstates the emotions roiling barely beneath the surface. He is almost simultaneously overjoyed, anxious, guilty, dishonest, tender, vulnerable, loyal, broken and resilient. There is nothing showy in his performance as he conveys with clarity the confusing mix of emotions and motives that surface from moment to moment. Roberts, who has solidified her status as a formidable character actor in the second act, takes command of this film and never gives an inch. She owns every scene, and equals Hedges in her own ability to swing — sometimes gently, sometimes seismically — from one emotion to the next. Again, there is nothing inauthentic or overly dramatic in this performance. The film itself dips too often into maudlin traps. And though the third act is far from awful, the filmmaker’s insights for family dynamics and dysfunction are stronger. He can cast the shit out of a movie, though. by Rachel Willis From a technical perspective, everything about director Josie Rourke’s film, Mary Queen of Scots is nearly perfectly realized. Saoirse Ronan is resplendent as Mary, the rightful queen of Scotland and contested heir to the throne of England. Margot Robbie is equally enlivening as Mary’s cousin, better known as Elizabeth I. The film begins with Mary’s return to Scotland at the age of 18, following the death of her husband, the Dauphin of France. As she assumes her rightful throne from her half-brother, she is quickly met with opposition. John Knox (David Tennant), a Protestant minister – and also one of the leader’s of Scotland’s Reformation – immediately dismisses her rule as she is both Catholic and a woman. From Knox’s initial dissent, more threats emerge, primarily from the English queen, Elizabeth I. Dual narratives tell the story of Mary and Elizabeth’s rivalry. Through letters, the queens express solidarity, but behind the scenes, Elizabeth worries. Her most loyal advisor, William Cecil (Guy Pearce) stokes those fears. But his genuine affection for Elizabeth is a glaring contrast to Mary, who frequently stands alone. Much history is condensed in the two hour running time. Because of this, the movie flows smoothly, but history is glossed over, changed, or omitted entirely. While this works, it’s also misleading. Mary’s trusted advisor, David Rizzio, is reduced to a minstrel who is more handmaiden than advisor. It’s not unusual for a fictional film to mold history to fit a story, but the most disappointing aspect is the portrayal of Mary. The film asserts that Mary was a good queen with a good heart who was an innocent victim of the people around her. This begs the question: was Mary truly an innocent – a pawn at the mercy of scheming men? Or was she a ruler like any other? One who made mistakes, bad choices, and whose ambition was outmatched by another’s power? The history surrounding Mary has always been controversial, and it’s impossible to know exactly what she knew and what she plotted. But by portraying Mary as a victim, the film reduces her to a caricature rather than a woman, or a queen, with agency. It’s a disappointing decision in an otherwise stunning film. Grade: B- Also opening in Columbus: Antariksham 9000 KMPH (NR) Bumblebee (PG13) Second Act (PG13) Welcome to Marwen (PG13) Zero (NR) Read more from Hope and team at MADDWOLF, and listen to a weekly roundup of film reviews on the podcast, SCREENING ROOM. Hope Madden is a freelance contributor on Columbus Underground who covers the independent film scene, writes film reviews and previews film events. Connect with Hope Christie Robb , entertainment , Film , Film Reviews , Hope Madden , Matt Weiner , movie reviews , movies , new in theaters , Rachel Willis SOOHAN with special guests Tingari, Tangled Branches, and S. MOSS – a night of music and art presented by What? Productions Songs of Struggle: The music and images of the civil rights movement 1960-65 Wild Nights: The Greatest Hits of 2019 Ryan Smith – Singer / Acoustic Guitarist fo/mo/deep – Jam Natalie’s Grandview View All entertainment Events	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416668
__label__wiki	0.532451	0.532451	Community Care Social Work News & Social Care Jobs Ofsted news and ratings Social work leaders Jobs Live Inform Do these objects tell the story of social work? Mark Doel is trying to tell the story of social work in 40 objects February 26, 2016 in Honesty, Inspiration, Stand Up For Social Work This child's model of a Postman Pat was what one social worker submitted to Mark Doel's project. by Mark Doel One of the challenges for social work is that many people don’t have a picture of what it is. Everyone has experienced teachers, nurses, doctors and a host of other professionals, but social workers are not particularly known. Even our soap opera presence is relatively limited. How, then, to paint a picture of social work that reflects its diversity and make it more available to a wider public? This article is part of Community Care’s Stand up for Social Work campaign. We’re standing up for social work by being honest, offering support and providing inspiration. I’m trying to tell the story of social work in 40 objects. If you could think of an object that evokes social work, what would it be? This exercise, to turn an abstract notion like ‘social work’ into a tangible substantial thing like an object, gets us thinking at a quite different level about what social work means. Your object might be one that speaks to your personal relationship with social work; one that can stand for social work in a metaphorical sense; one that tells a part of social work’s history and its wider connection to society – all of these, or none of them. Here are some that have been submitted so far: An A-Z street finder An A-Z finder. Photo courtesy of Mark Doel A chandelier Chandelier. Photo courtesy of Mark Doel A french horn French horn. Photo courtesy of Mark Doel ‘Mind the gap’ Mind the gap. Photo courtesy of Mark Doel Postman Pat. Photo courtesy of Mark Doel I was torn between something personal that I’ve used in my own social work practice (a ball of wool, which has featured in much of my group work); or something that spoke to the historical development of social work (like the Seebohm Report, which was put into effect just as I started my social work and I think was the best shot we had at holistic, community-based practice). I went for something conceptual: Mind the Gap, the mantra on the London Underground. I think the idea of a gap is a powerful metaphor for social work and society: the gaps in expectations between ideal and organisational practice, between public expectations and available resources; and social workers as so often the people trying to bridge gaps between different groups in society. Relationship to social work Judging by the objects so far, this process really brings out the personal aspects of people’s relationship to social work. Sheila Slesser’s child’s model of Postman Pat, that has sat on her work desks since her early days of practice, is a reminder of the need to create a reasonable life/work balance in a profession where we are focused on the interests of others. Simon Cauvain’s mouthpiece of a french horn is a tremendously uplifting account of his own life experience and its relationship to social work. Objects are being proposed from around the world. A student in South Africa proposes a Fluffy cushion and a director of a Family Guidance Centre in New York proposes a Chandelier. There are objects from Malaysia (Kembang) and Senegal (Esculape) and some wonderfully ordinary objects like a baby monitor and an A-Z street finder. No object is too exotic or too every day. Just recently the first object from a social work service user – a real life library. Please consider proposing your own object for the collection. Each object that is proposed is a gift to social work. socialworkin40objects.com Mark Doel is Emeritus Professor of Social Work at Sheffield Hallam University You can join our Stand up for Social Work campaign by: • Taking one action and telling us what it is • Sharing this article • Sharing what you’ve done to make a difference today • Writing a letter to your MP • Changing your profile picture More from Community Care Children’s social work vacancies soared 27% in past year, government reports ‘We face huge cuts but protecting this support for vulnerable adults is a no-brainer’ One Response to Do these objects tell the story of social work? Fozzy 1 February 28, 2016 at 12:20 am # Can anyone please explaim how this wooliness acutually helps or assists anyone in practice?! Executive Director of Children’s Services – Salary £133,707 plus relocation Harnessing the benefits of flexible working through West Sussex’s casual bank service Fostering better relationships with social workers Fostering a culture of learning and development that supports your social work journey How a flexible working culture has transformed the lives of social workers in Hampshire Encouraging a better work-life balance in a rural setting Building strong communities to promote independence ‘We have permission from our senior leadership team to do things differently’ Employer zone – showcasing a selection of the sector’s top recruiters Community Care Inform How the law on authorising deprivation of liberty will change Podcast: Child to parent violence and abuse The importance of autonomy when managing social workers Care Act analysis: what must be considered when setting personal budgets Council breached Care Act by setting arbitrary upper limit for woman’s live-in care Children’s minister’s call for directors to prioritise adoption lambasted by sector heads Find out how to develop your emotional resilience with our free downloadable guide Develop your social work career with Community Care’s Careers and Training Guide How writing great job adverts can be your first step to solving staff retention in the care sector Recruiting care workers: 4 tips for hiring the right people How to keep care staff happy: investment, involvement and keeping an eye on morale How we can help your organisation The best social work and social care jobs The online resource for social care professionals The biggest and best social care event © MA Education 2018. St Jude's Church, Dulwich Road, Herne Hill, London SE24 0PB, a company registered in England and Wales no. 04002826. MA Education is part of the Mark Allen Group. All Rights Reserved Our website uses cookies, which are small text files that are widely used in order to make websites work more effectively. To continue using our website and consent to the use of cookies, click click 'Continue'. Find out more.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416669
__label__cc	0.661662	0.338338	Fresh food logistics requires speed, flexibility and precision Arla Foods produces and distributes fresh foods to clients with constantly growing demands on precision, flexibility and speed in the delivery of milk, cheese and butter. To meet these requirements, Arla Foods has chosen to install the Astro WMS (Warehouse Management System) from Consafe Logistics in all Group fresh food terminals within the Nordic countries. For Arla Foods, customer demands for precision, flexibility and fast deliveries are continually increasing. At the same time, energy and wage costs continue to rise, while the group is constantly experiencing price pressure.It’s a complex mix of different forces acting in opposite directions that continually requires active optimization of Arla Foods’ entire value chain.In 2009, Arla Foods signed a five-year contract with Consafe Logistics to introduce or upgrade the IT system with Astro WMS at all Arla’s 14 distribution centres in the Nordics. Astro WMS is a Warehouse Management System that automates and streamlines inventory management. The agreement between Arla Foods and Consafe Logistics is an extension of the collaboration that started in 1994.The agreement is part of Arla Foods’ strategy to merge all the different IT systems that exist within the group. The first plant to introduce the system was fresh food terminal in Hobro in northern Denmark. Arla Foods in Hobro produces about 100 million kg of raw milk and about 33 million kg of organic milk a year, which is distributed to both retail stores and wholesalers in the catering industry throughout the north of Jutland. The terminal also handles some transit goods such as vegetables that are repackaged in the warehouse and distributed to customers together with Arla Foods products. The dairy centre in Hobro employs around 405 co-workers, approximately 150 of which are employed in the warehouse working with received goods, stock picking, loading, packing and dispatching goods. Stock picking and delivery normally takes place in the evenings and at night, so that fresh produce can be supplied ready for sales to the stores the morning after. 100 % production from day one or two “In January, we installed Astro WMS in the pilot warehouse. When we install new IT tools, we require 100% production from day 1, or day 2 at the latest. We have to do this because we are working with fresh foods. After a first attempt in November 2009, we succeeded with Astro WMS in January 2010. We still develop some details in the system to match our processes and requirements 100%,” said Plant Manager Rudi Petersen. “It has been, and still is, a learning process where we gather a lot of experience, which means that implementing Astro WMS has been much quicker and easier in the Christiansfeld and Slagelse terminals,” he says. Arla Foods has created an implementation team consisting of leading and proactive users. In cooperation with the Consafe Logistics team they travel around and support implementation and training of Astro WMS at the various terminals. “Basically, we install the same Astro WMS solution on all terminals, but there are small local differences from terminal to terminal,” said Rudi Petersen. Testing, resources and training Rudi emphasizes three important aspects in the implementation of WMS. They are: End-to-end test the system on real life data before implementation so pitfalls and errors are detected in time Make sure there are enough resources from both Arla’s organization and the provider organization User training is crucial for successful implementation and operation. Both Rudi Petersen and Consafe Logistics understand that it is especially important to focus on need-to-know, and not on nice-to-know, and to schedule training as close to implementation as possible. “If you train staff in systems use long before they actually start working with the system, there is a risk that much of the learning is lost and needs to be redone,” says Michael Barding, Sales Manager from Consafe Logistics. Efficient use of trucks Astro WMS includes box calculation, which means that the system for adapting picking orders and picking routes take into consideration the size, shape and weight of goods. “Box calculations mean we can pack trucks closer to each other, and that we use fewer trucks during the course of a workday. It is difficult to give precise figures about how much that saves on shipping, and in turn on transportation costs and CO2 emissions, but we are likely to see a positive impact here,” says Rudi Petersen. Pick-by-Voice improves quality In collaboration with Consafe Logistics, Arla Foods has implemented voice picking at its fresh food terminals since 2005. This has resulted in significant improvements, both in terms of quality and safety, and some improvement in productivity. “The advantage of voice picking is increased productivity, better balance control and hands free and clear vision. The latter advantage helps create a safer working environment as voice control through speakers produces fewer body twists,” says Rudi Petersen and adds, “Our main reason for implementing the new technology was to significantly improve quality. Picking faults add many extra kilometers on the roads when our vans have to correct all errors. If we can reduce the number picking faults this will result in much less kilometers on the roads. We have experienced that voice picking reduces errors by 30-50%” New technology providing better quality means fewer possibilities for error, as warehouse staff need to concentrate on fewer factors, and as the new system has check digits that warehouse staff input into the computer. This latter feature greatly improves correct picking. WMS improves quality Implementing Astro WMS has yet to lead to further improvements in efficiency and productivity at the Hobro terminal. “We have seen some improvement in productivity with Voice Technology in 2005. The WMS has not changed that, but we can notice an improvement in quality since January”. “Wastage is less because picking orders are almost always correct and there are very few picking errors. Customers have fewer goods with a short “shelf life” – this is important both for our costs to correct errors, and for customer satisfaction,” says Rudi Petersen. He adds that he expects the WMS will create more effective goods receipt and replenishment in the long run. Arla Foods fresh foods terminal in Hobro 0.5 million pallets 775-850 orders daily 21,000-34,000 order lines daily 450 goods numbers approx. Introduced voice picking 2005. One of the first in Denmark Manual equipment including trucks and electric cranes for lifting 150 co-workers approx. About Arla Foods Arla Foods is a global dairy company and a co-operative owned by dairy farmers. They have production facilities in 13 countries and sales offices in a further 30, with a total of more than 18,000 employees. Their core markets are Denmark, Sweden, The UK, Finland, Germany and The Netherlands. Johan Lorén2018-10-21T14:21:12+02:00December 7th, 2012\| Elektroskandia – Real-world knowledge meets digital expertise Are you shipping unnecessary air? International Programmers’ Day DGS – OTIF raised to 99,47% Consafe Logistics is praised for a successful change journey Whitepaper – Empower your warehouse R F Q	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416675
__label__cc	0.681811	0.318189	iPollute and the Grow games iPollute is a stop motion game from the grow genre, inspired by the the Grow Cube and Grow RPG games.It is animated in a hand crafted environment and then combined with Corona SDK to create a dynamic playing valley. Stop motion games? Stop motion is a technique for creating animations, but unlike most graphic techniques, most of the process is done without a computer. We plan the script, storyboard and then move on to building props, sets, and puppets. Any range of materials can be used, from wool, balsa wood, old toys and of course, clay. Aluminum wire is especially useful for creating the armatures, which are necessary for control over movements. The characters and props are then arranged on a set, with a proper lighting, and camera. We then plug the camera into the computer, where we can see and control the shooting in detail. And then the animation process begins - move a puppet a little, shoot, move again and so on. As you probably guessed, this is a very tedious process, and therefore the production time is relatively long. So why do we use stop motion? We love how the feel of real, physical objects can feel to the player, espacially on a tablet when you can touch it and it reacts! There's a unique quality to it which leaves an impression quite difficult to replicate in other graphical techniques. We can provide a personal style to our games, hopefully unforgettable. What is iPollute? iPollute is a stop motion puzzle game for the iOS and Android. As you play, you will pollute a small green valley to various kinds of amusing apocalypses. There's more than one solution to the puzzle, but only one of which will cause the valley to rejuvenate and bloom. What is stop motion? Stop motion is a technique for creating graphics using hand-made items for the set, puppets and props, then shooting all of those together with a real camera, and later editing it to be usable game graphics. What platforms will the game is available on? The game is availble on iPad 2 and above, iPhone 4 and above, iPod Touch 4+, Android tablets and phones, and Kindle Fire. This is too hard... What do I do? Collect coins by playing and buy hints! They will give you a better chance of guessing right. Also read the journal and find the how to play in it. How many people worked on this? The core team is of two, but along the way we had help with game design, story, animation, code and soundtrack from Eytan Majar, Daniel Sasson, Omri Lahav, Yarron Katz and Shahar Zrihan. What if I don't want to pollute? Then try to discover how to save the valley!	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416677
__label__cc	0.537766	0.462234	Sing Aloud Harmonious Spheres: Renaissance Conceptions of Cosmic Harmony Jacomien Prins, Maude Vanhaelen Series: Warwick Series in the Humanities September 5, 2017 by Routledge Select Format: Hardback eBook - VitalSource eBook - VitalSource 6 Month Rental eBook - VitalSource 12 Month Rental Quantity: Editor(s) Bio This is the first volume to explore the reception of the Pythagorean doctrine of cosmic harmony within a variety of contexts, ranging chronologically from Plato to 18th-century England. This original collection of essays engages with contemporary debates concerning the relationship between music, philosophy, and science, and challenges the view that Renaissance discussions on cosmic harmony are either mere repetitions of ancient music theory or pre-figurations of the ‘Scientific Revolution’. Utilizing this interdisciplinary approach, Renaissance Conceptions of Cosmic Harmony offers a new perspective on the reception of an important classical theme in various cultural, sequential and geographical contexts, underlying the continuities and changes between Antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. This project will be of particular interest within these emerging disciplines as they continue to explore the ideological significance of the various ways in which we appropriate the past. Jacomien Prins and Maude Vanhaelen Part I: Ancient and Medieval sources 1. Eight Singing Sirens: Heavenly Harmonies in Plato and the Neoplatonists Francesco Pelosi 2. Latin and Arabic Ideas of Sympathetic Vibration as the Causes of Effects between Heaven and Earth 3. Theory of Cosmic Harmony in Jewish and Muslim Sources Amnon Shiloah 4. Medieval Variations on a Cosmic Theme Gabriela Currie 5. "Therout com so gret a noyse": The Harmony of the Spheres and Chaucerian Poetics Wolfram Keller Part II: The Revival of the Doctrine of the Pythagorean Harmony of the Universe in Fifteenth- and Sixteenth-century Italy and Germany 6. Cosmic Harmony, Demons, and the Mnemonic Power of Music in Renaissance Florence: The Case of Marsilio Ficino Maude Vanhaelen 7. Francesco Giorgi on the Harmony of the Creation and the Catholic Censorship of His Views 8. Francesco Patrizi and the ‘Weakest Echo of the Harmony of the Spheres’ Jacomien Prins 9. The Reception of Ficino’s Theory of World Harmony in Germany Grantley McDonald Part III: The Tradition of the Harmony of the Spheres in Seventeenth- and Early Eighteenth-centuries Europe and New Spain 10. Cosmic Play in a Symbolic Harmonic Universe: The Reception of Cusanus and Kircher in Seventeenth-century New Spain Linda Baez-Rubi 11. Andrea Torelli and His Orphic Lyre Concetta Pennuto 12. The Harmony of the Spheres in English Musical Mathematics, 1650–1750 Benjamin Wardhaugh 13. William Stukeley’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ Manuscript: Ancient Wisdom and Modern Newtonianism, c. 1720 Bibliography and Further Reading Assistant Professor, Ca' Foscari University of Venice Venice, Veneto, Italy Learn more about Jacomien Prins » Jacomien Prins is a Global Research Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) and the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance (CSR) of the University of Warwick. She has worked extensively on the interaction between music theory and philosophy in the Renaissance. Her work includes Harmonisch labyrint (Hilversum: Verloren, 2007), Echoes of an Invisible World: Marsilio Ficino and Francesco Patrizi on Cosmic Order and Music Theory (Leiden: Brill, 2014), and Marsilio Ficino: Commentary on the Timaeus (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, forthcoming). She is currently working on a book, titled A well-tempered Life: Music, Health and Happiness in Renaissance Learning. Maude Vanhaelen is Associate Professor in the Departments of Classics and Italian at the University of Warwick. She has published articles on the reception of Platonism in 15th and 16th century Italy. she is the author of Marsilio Ficino: Commentary on the Parmenides (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012).	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416680
__label__wiki	0.804823	0.804823	Ladies: Cheal hails character as Ladies progress in FA Women's Cup CTFCofficial Cheltenham Town Ladies enjoyed even more cup success on Sunday after beating Exeter City 4-3 to reach the first round of the SSE Women’s FA Cup. Abby Bevan’s opener and a hat-trick from captain Annie Martin was enough to see the Robins through the final qualifying stages of the competition. While manager Alex Cheal wasn’t wholly impressed with his side’s performance, he was relieved they were still able to progress. He said: “I’m not under any illusion that we’ve got away with one again today. “I think Exeter played the better football but we’re in the next round. We’ll take that as the ultimate goal from today’s game. “At 2-2 we could’ve seen the game slip away from us, but we showed great character to drag it back to 4-2.” After Sunday’s win, the Ladies will now face Leyton Orient in the opening round at the DN Fire Stadium next weekend. “I’ve been asked about cup draws and who we want to get, and I’d take that (Leyton Orient) – I’d take a different team that we don’t know,” said Cheal. “We know about Exeter; we know we were lucky against them last season. We now know we’re lucky against them today. “We know nothing about Leyton Orient. We will do our research on them and have done a little bit already, but it’s just another 90 minutes where the players can look to enjoy themselves.” Bevan didn’t open the scoring until mid-way through the first half when she pounced on a loose ball to curve a first-time strike over the stranded visiting goalkeeper. Martin then doubled their lead heading into the break as she latched onto Lauren Ellis’ through ball before cutting inside and beating the keeper at her near post. Exeter found a route back into the game early in the second half as they managed to scramble the ball beyond Bec Pannier’s reach from a corner. They were level soon after as another delivery into the box was headed past the Robins’ goalkeeper. Martin settled her team’s nerves and put them in front once again, breaking free of the defence and lobbing the keeper from just inside the box. She then made space for herself and found the bottom left corner from outside the area to restore their two-goal cushion. A late consolation from the visitors ensured there was a nervy ending, but the hosts were able to see the game out. They will face Leyton Orient on Sunday at 1pm.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416693
__label__cc	0.713846	0.286154	1708 Reisterstown Road Baltimore, MD 21208 Buy an eligible Front Load Washer and LG SideKick™ and save $150 after rebate* Get an LG Visa® Prepaid Card worth $150 by mail-in rebate or online at www.lgrebatecenter.com when you bundle eligible LG Laundry models from participating retailers 1/2 through 4/1/20. When Small Loads Are a Big Deal Wash small loads that can't wait in a compact washer below while doing a big load up top. 4.5 cu. ft. Ultra Large Smart wi-fi Enabled Front Load Washer Model #: WM3700HVA 4.5 cu.ft. Smart wi-fi Enabled Front Load Washer with TurboWash 360 Technology Model #: WM3900HWA 5.2 cu. ft. Mega Capacity TurboWash® Washer with Steam Technology Model #: WD200CV Contact us for more details about this offer! End-user consumer purchasers who purchase a bundle of qualifying new LG Laundry Major Appliance models at participating retailers in the 50 U.S. states, D.C., or P.R. during the Program Period (defined below) will be eligible to receive the specified LG Visa Prepaid Card by mail-in rebate or online subject to the terms and conditions below. For the purposes of this promotional offer, "bundle of qualifying new LG Laundry Major Appliance models" includes the models outlined above in the bundles described on page one. Except as otherwise required by law, this promotional offer is limited to one LG Visa Prepaid Card per household on each qualifying new LG Laundry Major Appliance bundle purchased between January 2, 2020 and April 1, 2020 (the "Program Period"). Purchase date is determined by receipt. Purchase of qualifying new LG Laundry Major Appliance models during the Program Period must appear on the same sales receipt. 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Card is issued by MetaBank®, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. No cash access or recurring payments. Can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Card valid for up to 6 months from the issue date; unused funds will forfeit after the valid thru date. Card terms and conditions apply. Please see the privacy policy located at http://www.lg.com/us/general/privacy.jsp for details of LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc.'s policy regarding the use of personal information collected in connection with this promotional offer. LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. reserves the right at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual (and all of his or her claims) who tampers with the claim submission process. Use of fictitious names or addresses could result in federal prosecution for U.S. mail fraud. Visa prepaid cards are paid in U.S. funds. ©2020 LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc. All rights reserved. "LG Life's Good" is a registered trademark of LG Corp. All other product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Design, features and specifications are subject to change without notice. Cummins Appliance 1708 Reisterstown Road CumminsAppl@juno.com	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416695
__label__cc	0.643284	0.356716	Liège–Bastogne–Liège 2019 Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2019: Jakob Fuglsang solos to victory Liège-Bastogne-Liège serves a chilly and wet edition. The riders venture into the Ardennes and at the end of the race Jakob Fuglsang raises his arms in glory in the city centre of Liège. Davide Formolo and Maximilian Schachmann round out the podium. Liège–Bastogne–Liège 2019: route, profiles, more climbs map last 55kms interactive Côte de la Roche aux Faucons streetview Redoute Redoute at strava Redoute interactive Côte de la Redoute streetview Haute Levée Haute Levée at strava Haute Levée interactive Côte de la Haute Levée streetview Rosier Rosier at strava Rosier interactive streetview Wanne Wanne at strava Wanne interactive #liegebastogneliege Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2019: The Route Sunday 28 April - At 256 kilometres, Liège-Bastogne-Liège is a ceaseless onslaught in the Ardennes. Following a race with eleven sharp climbs the finale takes place on the wide Boulevard d’Avroy in the centre of Liège. Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2019: Riders A stellar field lines up at the start of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Cyclingstage.com brings you the start list of 'La Doyenne'. Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2019: Favourites Liège-Bastogne-Liège is a war of attrition in the Ardennes. How brutal it exactly turns out to be depends on the weather, but at 256 kilometres it will be brutal anyway. Expect the toughest puncheur to come out on top. Who are the favourites to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2019? Liège-Bastogne-Liège: Winners and records Liège-Bastogne-Liège is the oldest of all the cycling Classics. 'La Doyenne' is situated in the heart of the Belgian Ardennes with riders tackling numerous steep climbs on the way back from Bastogne like 'La Redoute' and the 'Côte de Saint-Nicolas'. It is therefore a race in which climbers and puncheurs have the most success. Cyclingstage.com takes a look at the recent winners of the race that closes the Classics season.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416698
__label__cc	0.731485	0.268515	Euro Starts to Slip Under Weight of Falling Inflation Expectations Fundamental Forecast for Euro: Neutral - The daily sell signals seen in EURJPY and EURUSD on July 11 started to play out bearishly. - EURUSD faces significant trendline support from the July 2012 and July 2013 lows. - Have a bullish (or bearish) bias on the Euro, but don’t know which pair to use? Use a Euro currency basket. The Euro’s price movement this past week by no means screams ‘the period of low volatility has ended!’ but there are definitely signs of markets coming unstuck. The 18-member currency was broadly under pressure over the past five days, losing ground to all of the majors but for the CHF (+0.08%) and NZD (+0.78%); against the five other majors, the Euro’s losses ranged from -0.46% (GBP) to -0.63% (CAD). Still, there hasn’t been one definitive event to kick off the latest round of Euro weakness. The outside pressures that may be dragging down the Euro by proxy – vis-à-vis the Euro’s pairings with the British Pound and the US Dollar – are still the most prevalent influences on the EUR-complex. The Bank of England’s low interest rate policy may start to come under more pressure now that inflation readings have started to pick back up, while the Federal Reserve may be closing in on the end of QE3 sooner than market participants have priced in. The influence of the Euro’s own central bank is very much in flux. One perspective dictates that the European Central Bank has opened up the floodgates for monetary easing, by lowering the interest rate corridor into negative territory and promising targeted liquidity measures (TLTROs) to ease credit conditions for small- and medium-sized enterprises. Another perspective says that the ECB has already reached the end of its easing capabilities so long as debt crisis fears stay capped during the banking system stress test period (through the end of October). While we feel that any chance of a full-blown, Fed-styled QE program is unlikely in the near-term (hence the only limited downside in the EUR-complex after the ECB’s June and July meetings), we must be acutely in tune with the inflation environment. The ECB has made it clear, through its official policy transmissions and various policy speeches from Governing Council members, that only further erosion in the region’s price environment would warrant additional easing action over the coming months. Given recent developments along the inflation expectation front, a softened outlook for price pressures may be setting in, which in turn could be providing the fuel for the Euro’s recent move to the downside. Indeed, a look at inflation expectations for the Euro-Zone’s largest economy, Germany, are revealing. The 2014 CPI forecast fell to +1.00% the week ended July 18 from +1.30% three-months earlier; the 2015 CPI forecast fell to +1.65% the week ended July 18 from +1.80% three-months earlier; and the 2016 CPI forecast fell to +1.90% the week ended July 18 from +2.00% three-months earlier. Now that inflation expectations are falling, additional evidence of slowed growth can compound the issues facing the Euro in the near-term. This coming week, preliminary July PMI surveys out of France, Germany, Italy, and the broader Euro-Zone are expected to show a slowed pace of growth from the prior month, perhaps supporting the developing trend seen in German inflation expectations for 2014, 2015, and 2016. While we anticipate exogenous influences maintaining their clout with respect to the Euro, we shouldn’t be dazed by the low volatility state persisting in spot FX markets, as more local influences are starting to exert themselves on the Euro once again. –CV To receive reports from this analyst, sign up for Christopher’s distribution list. Dow Jones, Nasdaq 100, DAX 30 Forecasts for the Week Ahead var disqus_config = function () { this.page.url = 'https://www.dailyfx.com/forex/fundamental/forecast/weekly/eur/2014/07/20/Euro-Starts-to-Slip-Under-Weight-of-Falling-Inflation-Expectations.html'; this.page.identifier = 'https://www.dailyfx.com/forex/fundamental/forecast/weekly/eur/2014/07/20/Euro-Starts-to-Slip-Under-Weight-of-Falling-Inflation-Expectations.html'; }; (function() { var d = document, s = d.createElement('script'); s.src = '//dailyfx-com.disqus.com/embed.js'; s.setAttribute('data-timestamp', new Date()); (d.head \|\| d.body).appendChild(s); })();	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416701
__label__wiki	0.951814	0.951814	'Enough is enough' Theresa May warns of worrying 'new trend' of terrorism Seven people were slaughtered last night by three knife-wielding terrorists who ploughed a van into pedestrians on London Bridge. Dan Bloom Theresa May has warned that a "new trend" of terrorism as she unveiled a new tough crackdown following the London Bridge terror attack. The Prime Minister declared "enough is enough" today in a damning speech - her second response to a terror attack outside Downing Street in less than two weeks. She said "difficult and often embarrassing conversations" were needed at home, warning: "There is to be frank far too much tolerance of extremism in our country." "Many" of the 48 injured have life-threatening conditions, the Prime Minister said. May said last night's massacre of was not directly connected to the Manchester Arena bombing. But she added: "We believe we are experiencing a new trend in the threat we face as terrorism breeds terrorism." She said attacks are now inspired "by copying one another and often using the crudest of means of attack". And she declared: "We cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are." (Image: Getty Images Europe) (Image: REUTERS) Mrs May outlined a four-pronged strategy, including better detection of extremism within British communities and tougher jail sentences. And she signalled a fresh crackdown against internet giants, accusing large firms of allowing Islamist ideology "the safe space to breed". It was not immediately clear how much of the proposed policy was new. The Prime Minister said security and intelligence services have disrupted "five credible plots" since the Westminster attack in March. She said the recent attacks, while not directly linked, "are bound together by the single evil ideology of Islamist extremism." She added: "It is an ideology that is a perversion of Islam and a perversion of the truth. Defeating this ideology is one of the great challenges of our time." Confirming police accounts of the attack, Mrs May said: "Three terrorists left the van and attacked innocent and unarmed civilians with blades and knives." They wore supposed suicide vests but the "clothing was fake and worn only to spread panic and fear." She praised police for shooting the three suspects dead within eight minutes of the first alert. "As so often in such serious situations, the police responded with great courage and great speed," she said. Mrs May confirmed general election campaigns "will resume in full tomorrow", adding: "Violence can never be allowed to disrupt the democratic process." She finished her statement by saying: "United, we will take on and defeat our enemies." Seven people died and 48 were injured last night when a van ploughed into pedestrians on London Bridge and three knife-wielding men jumped out, stabbing people at random around nearby Borough Market. Earlier government minister David Davis warned the terror attacks in London and Manchester "may well be" timed to disrupt the general election - which would go ahead as planned this Thursday. Mr Davis also insisted it was not the wrong decision to downgrade Britain's terror threat from critical to severe just days ago and said "lone packs of wolves" attacks may be "impossible" to stop. He told the BBC: "The people doing this are doing this because they despise the freedoms we have. Those freedoms can be the freedom to go out on Saturday night, or the freedom to cast a vote. "It may be, we don't know - at least I don't know, I'm not briefed this morning on this - but I don't know whether or not they are deliberately trying to disrupt the general election or whether this is a coincidence of timing. "It may well be, in which case, all the more reason not to defer, not to deflect, to as far as possible within the grounds of propriety not let this put us off course." Paisley Sheriff CourtWeapons menace jailed for carrying eight-inch knife on his false legDrunken yob Barry McInally told cops he didn't know there was a blade at the prosthetic limb	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416702
__label__wiki	0.804309	0.804309	Would You Buy Art from a Vending Machine? Matthew Brinston Hopes So Dallas artist Matthew Brinston hopes to democratize art with a traveling vending machine. Matthew Brinston Chelsey Norris \| August 22, 2019 \| 4:00am The mighty vending machine holds many of life’s greatest wonders. It’s always there whenever you desperately need a bag of Doritos, a pack of gum or simply a solid object to lean on while you gossip with your co-workers in the office break room. Yet we so often take it for granted. Earlier this year, one particular vending machine got even more wonderful when Dallas-based multimedia artist Matthew Brinston came along. “A lot of young people wanted to buy my work but couldn’t afford what I typically make in my studio,” Brinston tells us. “I was also fed up with rude galleries coat-tailing and creating a point of access to my work to people that wouldn’t normally show up to a gallery exhibit.” The artist in his studio The artist bought one of the humble machines and transformed it into a gallery. “It’s a fun concept, an in-the-moment romance that this machine provides,” he said. “We filled it up with small drawings I make at breakfast every morning on leftover canvas and small reproductions of my large-scale paintings.” The artist has also teamed up with local clothing brand IDKIDC who added some “Texas shit” to the machine. The brand specializes in hats, patches and shirts embroidered with fun phrases like “the north Dallas,” “Dallas high life,” “Dirk,” “Texxan,” etc. Brinston says these items are among his favorite pieces for sale in the machines. “I was also fed up with rude galleries coat-tailing and creating a point of access to my work to people that wouldn’t normally show up to a gallery exhibit.” — Matthew Brinston In 2013, Brinston was involved in a motorcycle accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury, and he technically died for several minutes during an operation after the accident. Since then, Brinston has become well-known for finding creative ways to share his art with the world as a way to give back. In past years, he used to leave his work in random spots around Dallas, disclosing their location to his social media followers so that anyone interested could go find them and take them home. Since its inception in March 2019, Brinston’s art-dispensing vending machine, which has been dubbed the Vending Vessel, has continued to expand. The artist tells us that sales are “BOOMING.” The first Vessel was placed in a clothing shop in the Bishop Arts District, and then moved to Good Records on Greenville Avenue. Once Good Records moved to Garland Road, the Vessel made its way to Dibs on Victory in Victory Park. Today, there are seven Vending Vessels, some of which are located around town, from Oak Cliff to Fort Worth. Brinston took to social media earlier this week teasing a possible new location for the delightful dispensaries. ive been collaborating with @idkidc.world on our Vending Vessel project accessing IDKIDC merch and my small reproductions and original sketches to a wider public...we are preparing to release some new work soon in the Vending Vessel...which town should it go to? #BRINSTON #idkidcworldwide #art #fineart #contemporaryart A post shared by BRINSTON (@matthewbrinston) on Aug 13, 2019 at 7:27pm PDT He plans to expand this concept beyond DFW — the Vessel has gotten inquiries from cities including Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo. “I want to incorporate other artists I like in this project too,” Brinston says. “Ironically I see this performance taking place in a white-walled gallery with seven Vending Vessels that sell all the work in the show ...” Art just doesn't get more accessible than this.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416704
__label__wiki	0.792257	0.792257	Search dips.com Operating theatre management for 110 operating theatres The surgeons at the biggest hospital in the Nordic countries can now register patients for surgery electronically rather than on paper. The roll-out of DIPS Operating theatre management at 110 operating theatres at Oslo University Hospital (OUS) has gone exactly according to plan! 'Without a hitch,' summarises theatre nurse Sleshe Tolesa Habte and nurse anesthetist Marie Klogh about the new program they use before, during and after surgical procedures. They feel a sense of relief, not surprisingly, about switching to using electronic forms for registering surgical procedures rather than trying to decipher the more or less illegible handwriting of the different surgeons. Better than feared Sub-project manager of the Operating theatre management program Liv-Marie Eilertsen Loraas at Oslo University Hospital is clearly very pleased as she runs around Ullevål Hospital, which has just started using DIPS Operating theatre management when d:mag pays a visit. 'This has gone much better than we feared. The project has had broad support, and there has been surprisingly little resistance,' she states. During 2015, DIPS Operating theatre management has been rolled out at all operating theatres at OUS. This means that it is available at all 110 operating theatres. An impressive number, and more operating theatres are set for inclusion, but are yet to be equipped for it. Training 'their own' 'A clear criteria for success has been to let the instructors train their own profession and discipline environments, e.g. having surgeons train surgeons. Conducting the training using their own jargon makes it more effective. Nonetheless, the day we switch on the system is very intense. It feels like a wave comes and swallows you up, and you have to remember everything you've learned. We dressed in green and went out to the different operating theatres to help the end users when they were stuck,' says Loraas. Oslo University Hospital is a giant with respect to the size of its staff. Around 1,800 end users were given a two-hour course prior to start-up. In order to ensure the shortest possible period between the training and the system being taken into use, intensive training went on over a period of three weeks prior to the solution being introduced. Support during the period just after start-up has proved to be important, as Klogh and Habte confirms. 'The follow-up period with the instructor has been very important. On Fridays, we have adjusted our schedule to allow time for some extra training. This has worked well. The only problem so far has been that surgeons who are in a rush have written their surgery reports using our logon, and haven't logged on as themselves. This is problematic in relation to liability issues, so this is something we must establish clearer procedures for,' the two nurses explain. Full activity all the time The project itself got off the ground in 2014, with a broadly composed working group consisting of 16 persons from different surgical environments and different locations at OUS. They agreed on what the electronic registration form was to look like, and developed the basis for the user manual and procedures. They also prepared a plan for the roll-out itself. The project has also prepared its own quality procedures for the operating theatre managers who are key personnel, you could say the very hub of this system. In OUS, the operating theatre managers, less than 100 in total, have been established as a technical unit. They started work on putting the project into production before everyone else, and had transferred data from paper and other computer programs so that all locations had normal surgical schedules on the day the solution was switched on. 'We hadn’t planned a reduction in activity and haven’t registered lower activity in the operating theatres as a result of the new work procedures,' Loraas says. DIPS Operating theatre management provides a number of benefits to end users, including, not least, enabling the staff on the wards to give patients and next-of-kin better information. Given that the operating theatre schedule is updated in real time, all the users can follow the progress of the work in the different theatres, and are therefore in a better position to calculate how long it will be until the next operation can start. 'The programme does not mean, however, that the users no longer need to confer, they have to follow the control procedures as before. But you can now ask more precise questions,' says project manager Liv-Marie Eilertsen Loraas. Theatre nurse Sleshe Tolesa Habte and nurse anesthetist Marie Klogh work at the surgical department at Ullevål Hospital, and began using DIPS Operating theatre management this autumn. Liv-Marie Eilertsen Loraas has led the roll-out of DIPS Operating theatre management at all Oslo University Hospital's locations. DIPS Operating theatre management at OUS The roll-out started at Aker Hospital in April 2015. The program had already been in use there, but this version contains new procedures and a new solution. The project was able to garner experience and solve any problems during this phase. The Norwegian Radium Hospital started using the system in June, Ullevål followed on 22 September, and Rikshospital University Hospital on 10 November. About DIPS Dips Partners	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416709
__label__cc	0.749623	0.250377	Romantic Restaurants at Walt Disney World The quiet company of your true love can be the perfect complement to a savory culinary delight, or step away from the ordinary and into a themed wonderland of the most extravagantly cultural fare. One moment you can be clutching that special someone while falling 13 stories in a runaway elevator, the next moment you can sip an aromatic Merlot during a romantic, candlelit dinner for two. Here are my suggestions for the most romantic restaurants that Walt Disney World has to offer: 10. Flying Fish Cafe, Disney's Boardwalk 9. Le Cellier, Epcot 8. Restaurant Marrakesh, Epcot 7. The Hollywood Brown Derby, Disney's Hollywood Studios 6. Artist Point, Disney's Wilderness Lodge 5. Bistro de Paris, Epcot 4. Jiko-The Cooking Place, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge 3. California Grill, Disney's Contemporary Resort 2. Narcoossee's, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa 1. Victoria & Albert's, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa There are over 100 restaurants from which to choose at Walt Disney World. Reservations for most restaurants can be made in advance, so be sure to call 407-WDW-DINE to discuss different options and to make reservations. Book now to look forward to the romantic atmosphere and delectable delights that are waiting for you! CATEGORIES: Disneyland Resort, Food & Beverage, For the Groom e production h e6b38640568c	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416710
__label__wiki	0.853741	0.853741	Warner Bros. // PG-13 // $19.98 // May 8, 2018 Review by Adam Tyner \| posted May 10, 2018 At one point early in Batman Ninja, Lord Joker's ancient Japanese castle sprouts robot arms that chuck oversized shuriken at the Batmobile, for all the good it does. Cornered moments later, Lord Joker gives the Dark Knight a choice: capture him or rescue a mother and child from being crushed by one of those gigantic cyber-hands. Batman blasts off in the Batcycle (we're, like, three Bat-vehicles deep in the space of a single sequence), racing the rapidly plummeting hand to ground level. Once those tires do touch down, the movie sets aside the whole rescue angle for a moment, forgetting about mommy and daughter in favor of a brawl with Sumo-Bane. Sure, this morbidly obese take on Bane may have a few hundred pounds on ol' Bats, but the odds are quickly evened as the Batcycle transforms into mech armor. Pretty much every scene in Batman Ninja is as gloriously unhinged as that. I mean, before we're even two minutes in, the Dark Knight has already been flung through time back to feudal Japan by a talking gorilla. [click on the thumbnail to enlarge] Not that a coherent narrative is perched atop Batman Ninja's list of priorities, but the story goes something like this: Gorilla Grodd is tired of all the lesser criminals in Gotham City throwing a spanner into his machinations, so he decides to quite literally get rid of the competition. I mean, he could just snap their necks or feed them to feral pigs or something, but Grodd would rather send Arkham's inmates as far away as he possibly can. ...and, y'know, things don't get a whole lot further away from modern-day Gotham than feudal Japan. As plans go, it's...a plan, I guess, but here comes Batman to muck it all up. Don't sweat it, though. Batman is tossed through time as well; it's just that he lands two years after half his rogue's gallery and the entire Bat-family. This army of supervillains has spent the intervening years overthrowing feudal lords and battling each other for control over the entirety of Japan. It's a page out of history, just with more hyperintelligent gorillas and giant robots. The good news...? The Caped Crusader is not at a loss for allies, with Catwoman, Robin, Nightwing, Red Robin, and...why not?...even Alfred joining him all these centuries in the past on the other side of the world. Even a good bit of Batman's tech found its way back to feudal Japan. He also makes some new pals since his coming had long since been prophecized. The bad news...? Not only is Batman literally a stranger in a strange land, but many of the crutches he's come to rely on are quickly stripped away. Without all those wonderful toys, what chance does he possibly have of taking down Gorilla Grodd, The Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, The Penguin, and Deathstroke? I mean, a pretty good chance, what with all his friends, a ninja clan that worships him, and a Monchichi sidekick for whatever reason, but don't try to make sense of any of this. There's so much I'm aching to tell you about Batman Ninja. It's just that a key part of the fun is that jaw-agape sense of "I can't believe that just happened...!", and if I spell too much out for you, then you'll believe it, I guess. At its core, that's what Batman Ninja is. We're not talking about style over substance because that suggests there's some degree of substance in the first place. You have a group of immeasurably talented artists and filmmakers from Japan indulging every wild idea and embracing every conceivable anime trope under the sun. Not a moment goes by without something strange, wonderful, and enthralling on the screen. Every "what if?" and "how about?" that the team in Japan brainstormed is unleashed at such dizzying speeds that the movie is completely incoherent. Beyond that, it has style to spare. Hey, why even bother settling for one style when there's so much out there to choose from? [click on any of these thumbnails to enlarge] Thrill to "wait, what?" dialogue like this: "All for one, and one for all! Their combined spirit has formed this giant samurai! Now, witness the awesome power of the monkeys! Together, they will deliver a devastating blow!" This is an action spectacle like little else I've ever witnessed. In with all the Howl's Moving Castle-dom, Voltron-ity, and Bat-emblem-head-shaving is perhaps the most astonishingly choreographed, unflinchingly brutal battles between the Joker and Batman in any medium. Infectiously fun. Indescribably gorgeous. Incoherently frenetic. Highly Recommended. In a perfect world, Batman Ninja would've arrived on a dual-layer disc so it could really stretch its legs. As things stand, right at three hours of high definition video have been crammed onto a single layer. The banding and heavy macroblocking I sometimes see in DC's animated titles thankfully aren't present, but some degree of artifacting can't help but creep in given the low bitrate. Open the screenshot below up to full size, and note the faint blocking in parts of the background and especially the noise peppering Gorilla Grodd's face and chest: It's not ruinous, and you may not even notice any of this, depending on the screen size and/or viewing distance in your particular setup. Still, since you're apparently the type of person who reads the technical sections of Blu-ray reviews, chances are that you'll notice that something doesn't look quite right. I'm not disappointed by this presentation, but at the same time, this isn't the best that Batman Ninja could've looked either. On a frame-by-frame basis, the striking visuals are otherwise reproduced beautifully on Blu-ray: richly detailed, generally crisp, and stylish as hell. The low framerate of Batman Ninja does result in some extremely choppy animation, although that's obviously not an issue specific to this disc. Part of me can't help but wonder how much more impressive the film would've been with less overtly CG imagery and with more fluid animation, but I'm still very much in awe of Batman Ninja's visual flair. I can only assume that a lossless Japanese soundtrack is one casualty of this already overstuffed disc. In fact, the Japanese audio isn't even available from the 'Setup' submenu; it's instead listed alongside the bonus features. Even the flipside of the case refers to it as "the original Japanese version", so it's a shame that it's saddled with plain-jane Dolby Digital 5.1 audio (640kbps) rather than getting the 24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio treatment that the English adaptation enjoys. We really should've been treated to both. Strictly on the technical end of things, though, the lossless English track is outstanding. The audio is immersive throughout and astonishingly cinematic. The heavy machinery – from the Batmobile all the way up to a skyscraper-sized Mechajoker – summon a hellish amount of bass and attack from every available direction. I can't get over how frequently the surrounds are utilized: swarms of bats, a badnik being spun around 360 degrees on a Bat-cable like a human centrifuge, barrages of more rockets than I could count, the flurry of hooves as the Bat-clan storms down a mountain on horseback, or a bomb spewing smoke to make for a quick escape, just to rattle off a few. This isn't a stereo track with some light reinforcement from behind; the rear channels are an inherent part of Batman Ninja's sonic vocabulary, and it makes for a rewarding listen on a proper home theater setup. There are a couple of scattered moments when I'd brace myself for a thunderous low-frequency assault only to hear what might as well have been a damp firework fizzling out, but by and large, the LFE snarls with nearly the same ferocity as a summer tentpole action flick. Basically, the scale and spectacle of Batman Ninja are colossal, and it has the soundtrack to match. The Japanese track boasts many of those strengths but, being lossy, isn't able to reach quite those same heights. It's a definite trade-off. The English script is a completely separate beast – an adaptation rather than a translation. It's more verbose than the comparatively succinct Japanese dialogue, and the two soundtracks are often conveying very different things. For instance: "This penguin moves as swiftly on land as it does at sea! And it's got one hell of a bite!" "Hmmm, watch it, you bloated bird 'cause this plant bites back. And I'm gonna catch you in this flytrap!" "Don't underestimate the mobility of this Birdman Castle. As fast as the birds!" "You think you'll defeat me with that stomach bloated by greed?" The English adaptation often feels clunkier to me than the Japanese dialogue – I may also be more forgiving of what I read rather than what I hear – and I'm not quite as fond of the voice acting either. To be fair, most of the English language cast does a marvelous job, having played these characters in some form for years: Tara Strong as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, Roger Craig Smith as Batman, Grey Griffin as Catwoman, and Fred Tatasciore as Deathstroke (and also voicing Gorilla Grodd for the first time). Part of it's just my ears expecting to hear Japanese voices over such distinctively Japanese imagery, and part of it's because of Tony Hale taking the reins as the Joker. Hale's performance grew on me as Batman Ninja went along, but particularly early on, it struck me as excessively screechy and...I dunno, Peculiar Purple Pie Man of Porcupine Peak-esque. His Joker is grating enough to sour everything around it. Yuri Lowenthal is the other weak link as Robin. tl;dr: even though the Japanese audio is lossy, I prefer it to the lossless English track. Kudos to Warner for translating the Japanese dialogue rather than stoppping at transcribing the English script. (...although that's an option too, if you want it.) The sprawling list of other audio options includes Dolby Digital 5.1 (640kbps) dubs in French, German, Spanish (Castilian and Latin American), and Portuguese. Subtitles are offered in English (SDH for the English adaptation as well as a proper translation of the Japanese audio), Japanese (also x2), French, German (traditional and SDH), Spanish (Castilian and Latin American), Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish. Original Japanese Audio: Um, see above. New York Comic Con Presents Batman Ninja (49 min.; HD): Screenwriter Kazuki Nakashima, character designer Takashi Okazaki, and director Junpei Mizusaki are joined by English screenwriters Leo Chu and Eric Garcia for this NYCC panel. Among the topics of discussion here are the genesis of Batman Ninja, the perception of Batman in Japan, how the filmmakers honored these characters while still giving them a unique spin very much their own, what the most difficult character was to direct, the score by Yûgo Kanno, and how the fight choreography draws in part from live-action reference footage. Chu and Garcia delve into the challenges of adapting Batman Ninja into English, especially given that animation can sometimes be underway before even the Japanese dialogue is written. The English language voice actors weren't ready to be announced as this panel was underway, which does put a damper on the conversation. The panel discussion is followed by a Q&A session. Batman: Made in Japan (14 min.; HD): The first of Batman Ninja's featurettes focuses primarily on character design, and I particularly enjoyed hearing what elements – whether it's from history or from your favorite Batman comics – helped to shape the look of these characters. For example, Lord Joker draws in part from Dutch colonialists, while Robin's hairstyle mirrors that of Daigoro in Lone Wolf and Cub. East/West Batman (17 min.; HD): While "Made in Japan" concentrates on character design, "East/West Batman" delves into most everything else: how key elements of the Dark Knight translate so wonderfully to Japanese storytelling, how deeply the premise draws from history, the exploration of what Batman is when stripped of his arsenal and technology, cross-cultural influences, how the sound design extends to the thoughtful use of silence, the film being driven more by its visuals than by its narrative, and...hey, video game boss intros and colossal robot battles! Batman Ninja comes packaged in a slipcover, and a digital copy code and DVD are along for the ride as well. There's also a steelbook release, and it's more widely available than usual to boot. Don't make the mistake of walking into Batman Ninja expecting a traditional Batman story brought to life with anime flair. There's nothing the least bit traditional about this unapologetically ridiculous, deliriously over-the-top spin on the Dark Knight. There's barely even a story, with just enough of a narrative to loosely string together 85 minutes' worth of gonzo setpieces. This is destined to be the the most polarizing animated title that DC has released yet. Maybe you'll be entranced by its hyperkinetic visuals and batshit insanity. Maybe you'll be dumbfounded, wondering what the hell it is you just watched. Very possibly both. For my money, it's the sort of thing I'd excuse as being an experience rather than a movie. I'm floored that something this bold, this brazen, this...go-for-broke in every conceivable way even exists. I love the hell out of Batman Ninja. It's a challenging recommendation because the movie is so far out there, but any Batman fanatic with even a little bit of a taste for the adventurous really ought to seek it out. I fully expect to get some blowback in the comments for this, but if Batman Ninja is willing to take so many risks, I might as well follow suit and say that this disc comes Highly Recommended.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416726
__label__wiki	0.961335	0.961335	“Massive manhunt” underway for Florida woman… “Massive manhunt” underway for Florida woman “infatuated with Columbine” now armed with shotgun in Colorado Sol Pais, 18, purchased a shotgun and ammunition in Colorado after arriving from Miami, officials say By Jackson Barnett \| jbarnett@denverpost.com, Saja Hindi \| shindi@denverpost.com and Kieran Nicholson \| knicholson@denverpost.com \| The Denver Post PUBLISHED: April 16, 2019 at 11:40 pm \| UPDATED: April 17, 2019 at 2:44 am Michael Ciaglo, Special to the Denver Post Police officers stand outside Columbine High School Tuesday, April 16, 2019, in Littleton. Officials secured schools across the Denver area Tuesday as the FBI and local police hunted for a woman “infatuated with (the) Columbine school shooting” who had traveled to Colorado the night before, made threats and was considered armed and “extremely dangerous.” Sol Pais, 18, who traveled to Colorado from Miami, was believed to be in the Denver-Littleton area after purchasing a pump-action shotgun as well as ammunition after leaving Denver International Airport, said Dean Phillips, special agent in charge of the Denver FBI office, during a Tuesday night news conference. “This has become a massive manhunt,” Phillips said. Authorities confirmed it was her presence that triggered lockouts — outer doors are bolted, but classes continue as normal — first at Columbine High School and more than 20 other Jefferson County institutions, then dozens of other schools across the wider metro area. Late Tuesday night, Cherry Creek Schools announced that “all schools will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, April 17 due to safety concerns related to a credible threat against schools in the area.” The district, on Twitter, said all activities and athletics are also canceled. Employees were told not to report for work. A short time later, the Douglas County School District also announced that it will be closed on Wednesday and that “no employees are to report.” Most other school districts also announced they would be closed on Wednesday, with before- and after-school activities also canceled. RELATED: Denver metro schools closed due to ongoing threat Wednesday, April 17, 2019 Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Shrader, who was with the sheriff’s office when Columbine happened, said the incident has opened wounds. “We take these threats seriously; it’s certainly not the first threat that we’ve had involving Columbine High School,” Shrader said at the Tuesday night news conference. “This opens a wound, especially on anniversary week for those families who are most deeply impacted by this.” Those impacted includes people across the country, Shrader said. The threats came just four days before the 20th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, during which two students shot and killed 12 of their classmates and a teacher. Officials said there has been no decision made yet about whether to cancel classes at Columbine or other Denver-area schools Wednesday, but they said they plan to be in contact with school superintendents overnight. Stan Hilkey, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Education, said federal, state and local authorities are working together, including multiple school districts. “It’s a dynamic situation; it can change rapidly,” Hilkey said. Columbine, an agent of change, “produced this type of cooperation” being carried out between law enforcement and schools, Hilkey said. On Tuesday, following the initial precautions at Columbine and elsewhere in Jefferson County, the Colorado Department of Education recommended all Denver-metro schools immediately conduct lockouts Tuesday afternoon and perform controlled releases of students. Districts in Denver, Douglas County, Adams County and elsewhere placed some or all of their schools on lockout for the remainder of the afternoon. Schools across the metro area had additional police on hand when students were released, and some, such as those in Adams County School District 14, did not allow students who normally walk home to do so. Pais was last seen in the Jefferson County foothills Monday night — and not Tuesday morning, as authorities initially had reported. “Last night, Sol Pais traveled to Colorado and made threats in the Denver metropolitan area,” Jefferson County sheriff’s officials wrote on Facebook. “She is armed and considered to be extremely dangerous.” A call to Pais’s parents in Surfside, Fla., on Tuesday afternoon was interrupted by a man who identified himself as an FBI agent who said he was interviewing them. The Miami Herald reported that Pais lives in Surfside and that she was reported missing Monday night by her parents. A man who identified himself as Pais’s father told the Miami newspaper that he lost contact with his daughter on Sunday. “I think maybe she’s got a mental problem,” he told the Herald. “I think she’s gonna be OK.” Pais is described as a white female, approximately 5-feet, 5-inches tall, with brown hair. Sheriff’s officials said she was last seen wearing a black T-shirt, camouflage pants and black boots. Anyone who sees her is asked to call 911, or call an FBI tip line at 303 630-6227. Tips can also be sent by email to denverfbitips@fbi.gov. A bulletin sent to local police said authorities do not have probable cause to arrest Pais, but that she should be detained for a mental-health evaluation. BOLO Sol PAIS, 18 yo, white/female, 5'5" brown hair. Considered ARMED & DANGEROUS. Wanted by @jeffcosheriffco and @FBIDenver for possible threat against #Columbine, other schools. DO NOT APPROACH. Call FBI: 303-630-6227. Please RT. pic.twitter.com/ejYNQHVlcZ — CSP Public Affairs (@CSP_News) April 16, 2019 “Really makes you think” Mike Taplin, a spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said about two dozen schools, including Columbine, were placed on lockout around 11 a.m. after the FBI notified Jeffco officials of their investigation into Pais. The lockout — less serious than a lockdown, when teachers and students barricade themselves — was requested by law enforcement while police searched for a “suspicious person” in the area, Jeffco Public Schools spokeswoman Diana Wilson said. Sheriff’s officials initially said only that they were investigating “what appears to be a credible threat possibly involving the schools.” There was “no threat to a specific school,” Taplin said. Jefferson County schools and those across the Denver area let their students out as planned, but with additional security and police on-site. Ysenia Contreras has four kids at Beach Court Elementary School in Sunnyside. “I’m worried,” she said while picking them up from school Tuesday. “It really makes you think about school safety.” In Jeffco, after-school activities were canceled at Columbine, but not other schools. Out of an abundance of caution, the @coemergency Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) today issued an alert to Denver-metro schools about a credible threat being investigated by the @FBIDenver . Please follow your local school, the FBI, and @jeffcosheriffco for more info. — CO Public Safety (@COPublicSafety) April 16, 2019 Schools will determine whether they need increased security Wednesday, Taplin said. “Nothing different” At Columbine, junior David Eaton said he was sitting in math class when the principal announced over the loudspeaker that the school was going to be going on lockout. “My concern was I was in my math class for the second time during a lockout,” he said, referring to a threat in December that prompted Columbine to go on a more serious lockdown. Teachers told students the lockout was due to police activity in the area, Eaton said. He didn’t think it was an immediate threat. “I feel like if it was a shooting, I would have heard about it sooner,” he said. “Everyone’s OK — that’s a good thing.” Since Columbine, Colorado schools see increase in lockdowns as students report more possible threats Columbine athletics helped carry the weight of a community’s healing during 1999 “redemptive” season 20 years after Columbine shooting, little has been accomplished on gun control PHOTOS: The Columbine High School shooting and the community that came together in its wake Stevie Spahn, a freshman at Columbine, said “it really was just another normal day, nothing different.” In December, an anonymous caller claimed bombs had been planted inside Columbine High School. The threat, which was found to be a hoax, triggered an aggressive police response to ensure there was no danger to students at the school and more than 20 other Jeffco schools that were placed on lockout. Denver Post Staff Writer Sam Tabachnik contributed to this report. Sol Pais Jackson Barnett Jackson Barnett is a former Denver Post intern. Saja Hindi Saja Hindi is a breaking news reporter for The Denver Post. She previously worked at the Fort Collins Coloradoan and the Loveland Reporter-Herald, and before that in print and radio in North Carolina. During that time, she's covered politics, social issues, law enforcement and public safety, with a focus on accountability. Follow Saja Hindi @bysajahindi Kieran Nicholson Kieran Nicholson covers breaking news for The Denver Post. He started at the Post in 1986, at the old building on 15th and California streets. Nicholson has covered a variety of beats including suburbs, courts, crime and general assignment. Follow Kieran Nicholson @kierannicholson Confused by school choice? Here’s your guide to Denver-area districts In most Denver-area districts, if you do nothing beyond enrolling your child in the district for kindergarten, you’ll be assigned to whatever school serves your neighborhood. However, Colorado allows parents to send their children outside of their neighborhoods for school, or even across district lines. UCCS to graduate first class in special needs program Ashley Mabry is one of three in the first cohort to graduate from an inclusion program that enables intellectually disabled students to become fully matriculated at three schools: UCCS, the University of Northern Colorado and Arapahoe Community College. Colorado K-12 education news in brief: Graduation rates rise, poll finds half think education underfunded, and more About 81.1% of students who were supposed to graduate last spring got their diplomas, which was the highest four-year graduation rate in nine years, according to the Colorado Department of Education. Aspiring vet students learn how to manage animals, humans at National Western Stock Show camp A group of aspiring veterinarians got a lesson about the uncertainties of working with animals at the National Western Stock Show on Thursday when a horse they were going to examine was too restless to cooperate and a bull on its way to the arena escaped and ran by.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416730
__label__wiki	0.911527	0.911527	'Brazil is back in business,' Temer tells Davos forum Brazilian President Michel Temer encouraged elite group to invest in his country despite its problems. 'Brazil is back in business,' Temer tells Davos forum Brazilian President Michel Temer encouraged elite group to invest in his country despite its problems. Check out this story on desmoinesregister.com: https://usat.ly/2DHpP3F Donna Leinwand Leger, USA TODAY Published 6:06 p.m. CT Jan. 24, 2018 \| Updated 7:45 a.m. CT Jan. 25, 2018 Brazilian President Michel Temer speaks at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 24, 2018.(Photo: GIAN EHRENZELLER, EPA-EFE) DAVOS, Switzerland — Brazilian President Michel Temer urged the industry giants at the World Economic Forum to invest in his country despite its falling credit rating, by promising tax reform, efficient bureaucracy and fiscal responsibility. “Brazil is back in business,” Temer said Wednesday. “Do invest in Brazil and you shall not regret it.” Brazil’s fiscal crisis began in 2015 and the country has suffered from a high unemployment rate and a deep budget deficit. Two weeks ago, the ratings agency S&P downgraded Brazil’s credit rating from BB to BB-. Latin America's largest nation has been roiled in recent years by a corruption scandal that has taken down top politicians and business executives. Temer said he would push forward on his fiscal overhaul plan, including major changes to the country’s underfunded social security system, even as his party faces a tough election battle. Brazil's presidential election is in October. “Yes, we shall complete our agenda,” he said. “The potential for a setback is virtually non-existent. We will battle day and night to pass social security reform.” Temer said Brazil has its inflation under control, and state-run enterprises are now turning a profit. “Brazil has come out of the crisis in a stronger position,” he said. Temer's speech came the same day a Brazilian appellate court unanimously upheld the graft conviction against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 72. More: Treasury Secretary Mnuchin to global elites: Trump's 'America First' is not America alone More: Macron drops climate change joke about Trump at Davos More: Davos 2018: Why do 3,000 of the world's most powerful people flock to a Swiss town? More: Canada's Trudeau pokes Trump on NAFTA deal Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2DHpP3F	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416731
__label__wiki	0.986104	0.986104	Bryce Miller: NFL legend Terry Bradshaw remembers his time in Iowa The way NFL hall of famer Terry Bradshaw rattles off the stories, it a good thing that his family bolted from Iowa af... Bryce Miller: NFL legend Terry Bradshaw remembers his time in Iowa The way NFL hall of famer Terry Bradshaw rattles off the stories, it a good thing that his family bolted from Iowa af... Check out this story on desmoinesregister.com: http://dmreg.co/1coVY6B Bryce Miller, DES Published 11:40 a.m. CT Jan. 2, 2014 \| Updated 9:18 a.m. CT Jan. 3, 2014 Terry Bradshaw recalls plenty of stories about his time in Camanche, a town of about 4,500 nestled next to Clinton along the banks of the Mississippi River. (Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images ) The way NFL hall of famer Terry Bradshaw rattles off the stories, it a good thing that his family bolted from Iowa after five years in Camanche. Otherwise, the 65-year-old quarterback might have been reduced to rubble before he could guide the Terrible Towel-waving Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowls wins in the 1970s. There were routine fist-fights, stitches from a hockey slapshot — and another hospital visit after an ill timed run-in with a boomerang. Bradshaw, the energetic, animated analyst on FOX NFL Sunday, remembers the bloody and bruised chapter of his life … uhm … fondly? "I really enjoyed it up there," he said. That's the thing about the rugged and resilient Bradshaw, an NFL MVP who piled up nearly 28,000 yards with his talented, durable arm. The aches and obstacles just add color to his life and stories, which anchor the show "America's Favorite Dumb Blonde — A Life in Four Quarters" set for Friday at Prairie Meadows in Altoona. The 90-minute variety show that debuted last June at The Mirage in Las Vegas includes a mix of singing, comedy and storytelling. Bradshaw recalls plenty of stories about his time in Camanche, a town of about 4,500 nestled next to Clinton along the banks of the Mississippi River. When his father transferred from the family's native Shreveport, La., for a production job related to butane tanks, things started less than smoothly. "The first year, we always fought," Bradshaw said in a telephone interview. "My brother and I were picked on constantly by kids, because we weren't very well liked." There were other first impressions. "Well, I'd never seen snow. I remember the first time I felt snowflakes," Bradshaw said. "And I learned how to ice skate and play hockey there. I got seven stitches on my eyebrow playing goalie, on a slapshot. "It was a bloody mess." The memories unlock a flood of others. "I realized how cold it gets there," Bradshaw said. "I remember my first paper route, I remember fishing, I remember squirrel hunting in the swamp area along the Mississippi. Actually, my mother didn't want to leave. She loved it." The Bradshaws did leave, though, and Terry grew into a star at Louisiana Tech. The No. 1 choice in the NFL draft became a Steelers icon as No. 12, playing in 168 games while twice being named Super Bowl MVP. The new show, however, provided a challenge that stretched beyond foot speed and arm strength. Bradshaw said the idea came from an acquaintance who is a comedy writer who worked for "The Tonight Show." A producer in Las Vegas and music writer from New York came aboard as the show began to take shape over the course of a year before the Vegas roll-out. "We kind of did the show and waited to get the reaction," he said. "It's kind of hard to start in Vegas, at the top of the entertainment world. But when it turned out positive we said, 'Let's take it on the road and see what happens.' So we booked eight or nine shows around the country." The show revolves around the man behind it. "Each song represents a stage of my life," Bradshaw said. "There are things about The Immaculate Reception (legendary playoff pass against Oakland scooped up by teammate Franco Harris), getting drafted, those sorts of things. The entire 90 minutes is high energy." There's little doubt, Bradshaw said, about which endeavor caused palms to sweat most. "I was real nervous when we did the first show," he said. "I come out on the floor with smoke going off and think, 'What the heck am I doing?' Walking out on stage is tougher, because in football, I've grown up with my hands under another guy's butt since I was 7 years old." The line is delivered, in true Bradshaw style, with a trademark cackle. Even when there's pressure — in football or on stage — Bradshaw finds a way to deliver. "It's a blast," he said. Bryce Miller can be reached at 515-284-8288 or brmiller@dmreg.com. Follow on Twitter: @Bryce_A_Miller Tonight: Bradshaw variety show at Prairie Meadows A variety show featuring NFL hall of fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw is scheduled for Friday night at Prairie Meadows in Altoona. The 90-minute show, called "America's Favorite Dumb Blonde — A Life in Four Quarters," features stories and songs about Bradshaw's football life. FOR TICKETS: Prices range from $20 to $45 for tickets, at Prairie Meadows or through Ticketmaster outlets. Massive layoffs at KXnO, sports shows canceled Mailbag: Will high-majors regret not offering Bowen Born? LOOK: Drake saluting Des Moines with city-themed jerseys Bill Fennelly criticizes Big 12 officiating in defense of star Peterson: ISU needs toughness after another Big 12 loss	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416732
__label__cc	0.722296	0.277704	Anonymous Hotline Entry Level Permittee Logbook Holder Program Joining as a Full Member Upgrade Information for Members Executive Board Training Policy Rate Sheets Availability Lists Search DGC BC Alexis Hinde Alexis Hinde is an Assistant Business Agent with the Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia. She publishes a bi-weekly column entitled Debunking Collective Agreement Myths with Alexis Hinde for the DGC BC's Newsletter to Members and can be seen out on set visits. If you see her, make sure to say hello! Debunking Collective Agreement Myths: Permit Requests Fun fact: this week we're at record levels of production with 50 productions on the go, compared to 46 the same week last year, and 49 in 2016. (For context: in 2011, at our lowest since we began tracking stats in 2005, there were 16 for this week of the year.) With these levels of production, it's understandably difficult to find crew. At the Guild office, we get that. However, the Collective Agreement always applies. It's really important that our Members support each other, considering fellow Members first for any positions you need to fill. If a Member can't be found, it's imperative to submit permit requests prior to hiring a non-member in a Member category. But why though? I'm glad you asked! Every time the union allows a non-member to work in a category without a permit, we're setting a precedent of sorts. If the Guild were to make a habit of looking the other way when non-members work in our categories, how do we in future prevent that from happening? If we allow non-members to work in DGC categories without the permission of the union now, then we won't be able to prevent non-members from working in DGC categories when things get slower out there. Legally speaking, it can be tricky to enforce a contract if there's a history of not enforcing it in the past. And yes, it's busy now. But it won't always be. And we don't have one Collective Agreement for when it's busy and another one for when it's not. So permit requests are important. Yes, for a Key PA, yes, for one day when you're scrambling to replace a Member who called in sick. If you absolutely cannot find a Member for the position, permit requests are crucial. Send us the name of the production, the name and resume of the person you need to permit, and details as to why production is unable to hire each Member on the current avails list in that category. As an organization we're stronger when we all work together to uphold the terms of our contract. Even when it's not convenient! Any Collective Agreement myths you'd like to see addressed in future notes from me? Email me! ahinde@dgcbc.com Posted in Debunking Collective Agreement Myths; Tagged Collective Agreement; Posted 15 months ago by Alexis Hinde 2985 Virtual Way, Suite 278 V5M 4X7 / View Map info@dgcbc.com	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416733
__label__wiki	0.731179	0.731179	TikTok Sets Up Shop in Silicon Valley, Poaches Facebook Employees Zia Muhammad apps, news, Social-Media, Technology, TikTok TikTok has seen a pretty rapid rise to fame over the course of its still brief lifespan. All of this success has allowed the social media platform to expand its operations quite a bit, so much so that they are now getting office space in Silicon Valley. The specific office space that they are getting was previously used by WhatsApp, and it is right in Facebook’s backyard. Not only is TikTok aggressively moving into their competitors own turf, they have started to poach employees from Facebook as well. The company is doing this by offering salaries that are competitive with those that Facebook is offering, and what’s more is that in some cases the salaries that they are offering are even higher than what Facebook is currently giving its employees. Certain poached employees have gotten a 20% pay bump, a hefty sum that would make anyone want to switch sides. The total number of employees that it has poached from Facebook comes to around two dozen, and it shows that TikTok, and by extension its parent company ByteDance, are taking their competition with Facebook very seriously indeed. The main competition is over the younger demographic of users, an area where Snapchat was once a contender before being summarily defeated by the behemoth that is Facebook. Also read: TikTok is no longer an app just for teens seeking fame on its platform TikTok seems like more of a match for Facebook however, with the reason for this being that ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, has about 700 million users across the various apps that it currently offers. Facebook, by comparison, has 2.1 billion users across its platforms. This means that ByteDance does have quite a long way to go, but it’s really not as far as you might have thought it was given the amount of time that Facebook has been active. Photo: Thomas Trutschel / Photothek / Getty Images Read next: Scandal Hits TikTok as Creators Appeared in Ads Without Their Permission Labels: apps news Social-Media Technology TikTok	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416734
__label__wiki	0.96425	0.96425	UEFA and La Liga prepare for seismic shift from pay TV to OTT Written by Andy Fry Media reports this week suggest that European football’s heavyweights are bracing themselves for a seismic shift in the way they generate revenue for their live rights, with OTT becoming an increasingly important alternative to pay TV. Theodore Theodoridis Over the weekend, the FT reported that European football’s governing body UEFA is planning to show Champions League matches via its own OTT service in some territories when the next rights cycle commences in 2021. While UEFA will still conduct rights auctions in its major revenue-generating territories, the FT reports that general secretary Theodore Theodoridis may abandon selling rights to TV networks in some markets and provide matches via a streaming service instead. “For now, we have lots of [broadcast] partners and are looking forward to continuing our partnerships,” Theodoridis told the FT. “We just want to have alternative options.” UEFA has been evolving its OTT strategy for much of this year. In June, the governing body launch its own over-the-top (OTT) streaming platform UEFA.tv and started by offering live women’s, youth and futsal content. As such, it will be a relatively straightforward move technically to add Champion’s League. Separately, José Carlos Franco, technology director of Spain’s La Liga, has told Spanish news agency EFE that his organisation is also anticipating a big shift towards OTT. Currently, OTT accounts for 8% of the league’s audiovisual revenues. But Franco told EFE that this could rise to 20% for the 2020/22 contract period and 50% by 2026: “We are comfortable with the model we have, but we do not know where the market is going. If conditions change, we cannot improvise a platform like this in a day. It takes years to be operational and have an important database.” As part of its preparation for OTT, the governing body launched its LaLigaSportsTV platform eight months ago. LaLigaSportsTV currently has 410,000 registered users and streams content from over 30 sports, including football, handball and basketball. Tags: La Liga, UEFA Twitch still top for game streaming, but Mixer starts to make a dent Twitch in clear as Rambler drops €2.55 billion EPL lawsuit Nicky Morgan to stay on as DCMS secretary European Tour announces world’s first golf esports series	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416735
__label__wiki	0.777418	0.777418	The Youth Champion Award recognizes local leaders in Massachusetts whose words and deeds prove their commitment to lifting up the youth of the community. Past honorees include the late Boston Mayor Tom Menino and former Gov. Deval Patrick. Dr. Williams spoke about ‘Finding Your Inner Super Hero’ and said that she “created Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo to be a powerful girl superhero who models for girls that they can crash through the glass ceilings and believe that ‘Not Even the Sky is the Limit’. By engaging children in fun and exciting adventures, Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo breaks stereotypes about what a scientist looks like and promotes the importance of reading.” “I was deeply humbled to have received the Youth Champion Award. This incredibly impactful organization is dedicated to empowering young people from Boston’s inner city with the skills and confidence to succeed in school and in life through an after-school tutoring program and summer camp.” Visit the EVKids website for more information about this recognition. Sign up for our newsletter to receive your free “Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo’s Mission to Pluto” eBook today!	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416744
__label__wiki	0.548051	0.548051	International Support services available to seafarers anywhere in the world SeafarerHelp Free, confidential, multilingual helpline for seafarers and their families available 24 hours a day, 365 days per year facilitated by the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN). Available via telephone; email, Facebook, Skype, Vyber and via callback (see website above). Direct dial +44 20 7323 2737 or email help@seafarerhelp.org Directory of seafarers' centres worldwide ISWAN has also compiled this useful directory of all seafarer centres worldwide (also available using the Shore Leave app - see below). Includes details of the facilities and services on offer at each centre, opening times, plus contact details for chaplains/ship visitors. International maritime charity Apostleship of the Sea offers confidential advice and support via this link. Alternatively, a list of its chaplains' contact details can be found here. ISWAN Seafarers' Health Information Programme ISWAN has produced numerous free guides on many different aspects of mental wellness. ISWAN's 'Steps to Positive Mental Health' document is of particular interest and is available in Arabic, Chinese, Filipino, Hindi, Russian and Spanish, as well as English. Wellness at Sea The Sailors' Society's Wellness at Sea app is broken down into five key elements of all-round well-being: social, emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual wellness. The app allows the seafarer to track their progress whilst onboard ship and provides information on ports and countries along with contact details for chaplains. The ITF Seafarers' Trust's Shore Leave app aims to help crew members to make the most of their limited free time in port. The free app includes contact details for seafarers’ centres worldwide, which are accessible while offline. It also includes all the contact details for the 24/7 ISWAN Seafarers Help service. Seafarer charities Sailors Society Seafarers UK	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416745
__label__wiki	0.76389	0.76389	EdgeProp.my March 19, 2019 CapitaLand REIT is reportedly eyeing office tower owned jointly by Malaysia and Singapore state funds KUALA LUMPUR (March 19): CapitaLand Commercial Trust, Singapore’s biggest office landlord, is among suitors pursuing a potential acquisition of the Duo office and retail development in the lion city, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. Negotiations for the 39-storey Duo Tower, along with the linked Duo Galleria Mall, have already started with the real estate investment trust, quoted the source in Bloomberg today. The property could be valued at more than S$1.5 billion (RM4.53 billion), one of the sources divulged, seeking anonymity due to the confidentiality of the information. Other parties are also eyeing the asset, located in Bugis, adjacent to Singapore’s central business district. The development’s owner is separately seeking a purchaser for its hotel portion, which could be worth up to S$500 million, added the source. The project belongs to M+S Pte, a joint venture established in 2011 between Malaysian sovereign fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Singapore state investment firm Temasek Holdings Pte. No conclusive deal has been inked, and there’s no certainty a transaction will materialise. Duo Tower has 568,000 sq ft of Grade-A office space. Major tenants include Abbott Laboratories Inc, Chevron Corp and Mastercard Inc. The linked 56,000 sq ft plaza houses retail shops and restaurants. CapitaLand Commercial Trust “continually evaluates opportunities” that have a strategic fit with the REIT and can create value, said a representative for the manager of the REIT. Meanwhile, M+S’ representative did not want to comment. The DUO project was officially opened in January 2018 by the prime ministers of the two neighbouring countries, and hailed as symbolic of their close relationship. It was designed by renowned German Ole Scheeren, who was also the architect behind Beijing’s CCTV headquarters building. CapitaLand REIT Duo Tower Duo Galleria Mall Khazanah Nasional Temasek Holdings Kota Kemuning, Selangor Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan Jalan Terasek Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur Pudu, Kuala Lumpur Jalan Anggerik Oncidium 31/70 Tiffani Kiara JALAN BANTING MORIB Banting, Selangor RM 16,000,000 by WENDA TEE JALAN KLANG - BANTING Long Branch Residences USJ Heights USJ Heights, Selangor VIVO Residential Suites Jalan Klang Lama (Old Klang Road), Kuala Lumpur Studio \| 1 bath \| 527 sqft Wisteria @ Bandar Rimbayu E-Tunai Rakyat programme: Personal data kept confidential by Khazanah Nasional, says Lim PLUS remaining with current owners is 'best decision' — Dr Mahathir	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416746
__label__cc	0.749255	0.250745	« Visit fantasticpestcontrol.co.uk S.T.O.P the Pest Did You Crawl? Pest Peeves Fun with Bugs Be the first to get fantastic pest control tips! Curious bug facts, best ways to deal with pests and even special deals. No, Thanks Home » Horrifying Zombie Ants – It’s a Real Thing Horrifying Zombie Ants – It’s a Real Thing October 24th, 2016 Fantastic Team Did You Crawl? The morning dew drips slowly outside your window. As the sun rises you wake up, yawn, and stretch your legs. The overtime you had yesterday at work pins you down to your bed, with a bit of headache on the side, but you make the effort to sit up, since all your sisters are already trudging outside. You join the column along the well-known forest path, but you suddenly slow your pace down, scratching your head. While looking for another way to catch up with them, you wander off to a tall and beautiful plant stalk. Something in it makes you want to climb on top. You reach a pretty-looking leaf. The uncontrolled desire to bite your teeth in it slowly arises. As your teeth go deeper into the leaf, a sudden shock travels down your spine – you are no longer the one who controls your body. You can’t pull away from the grip of the invisible pliers that hold your mouth and limbs. Your body stops moving – a paralysing fear runs through your veins. Your muscles cringe and stop shivering, your vision becomes hazy. A dwindling sensation, like a worm wriggling and growing inside your brain, is the last thing you will feel as your grip on life loosens. You pass out. Forever. What the Fungi Was That? The Zombie Ant Life Cycle The Host Species Contained Development No, that’s not just another horror film, although it will probably top the charts of the ant cinemas in formicaries throughout the world. In this article, we will explore the world of Ophiocordyceps fungus – a special kind of evil in the ant-verse. It’s a parasite that absorbs an insect’s body and uses it as a host to grow and spread its spores around a large area, which spores can then latch on to other hosts and continue the cycle. Pretty terrifying life choices. The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is an entomopathogen, which means a fungus that attacks insects. Alfred Russel Wallace, a British scientist, found it in 1859. The fungus’ natural habitat is tropical rainforests, but it can be seen in other territories as well, such as the US. The fungus starts its life as a spore that lands on the ant’s body or attaches itself to it with its sticky surface, waiting patiently on one of the many ant trails throughout the forest. Then, the spore fuses with the ant’s body and exercises an amount of pressure, equal to that inside a Boing jet tire, to make its way through the exoskeleton of the insect. There, the spore reaches the ant’s brain, causing its host to act weird. That’s easily spotted by the other workers and warriors that drag the infected ant away and dump it into their “ant graves”. In many cases, the ant itself goes to a tall plant stalk near a trail and climbs until it gets to a well-positioned leaf on top of that trail. There, the insect bites into the main vein of the leaf and firmly attaches itself there where it stays until its death, which usually takes between 4 to 10 days. At this point, the fearsome zombie puppet master starts growing inside the victim’s head and kills the ant. For the second time, the cordyceps applies enormous pressure to erupt from the ant’s head and form a stalk, which will drop its spores onto its next victims. But why this weird zombie-like behaviour? Does the ant still control a bit of its body so that it can escape away from the nest and save its sisters while there’s still time? A recent scientific research shows that this is certainly not the case. In order to determine the reason, the team of scientists set up several ant nests with infected ants inside them. The results show that spores could never fully develop inside the nest as the infected ants either died out or were carried away by other workers. Only by finding the perfect leaf with the optimal conditions can the cordyceps be able to grow undisturbed. The most popular cordyceps pawns are the carpenter ants – species that are widespread in the rainforests and active during the night. In order to protect its population alongside discovering the infected individuals, the ant society spreads its daily tasks amongst older and younger workers so that the older ones undertake riskier jobs, such as exploring and maintaining the trails. This way, if an ant got infected, it would have died of old age soon anyway. However, it turns out that the cordyceps’ appetite is by far not restricted to carpenter ants. There are different spore species, and each of them specialises in a particular insect, expanding its victim scope way beyond the ant kingdom. Well, there’s also a tiny exception here, namely the US cordyceps, which is able to attack two different ant types. So, are ants on their own when it comes to controlling the spread of fungus inside their nests? Of course, the answer is no – if it wasn’t already bizarre enough, O. unilateralis is also often infected by another type of fungus, which numbs its reproductive functions. Thus, the ways for an ant colony to be completely devastated go down by one more. Spread this knowledge with your friends! Sign Me Up for Fresh Updates I want to have fantastic stories delivered straight to my inbox for free. How to Get Rid of Ants Invasion in Your Home? Ants are amazing little creatures. Through the power of a hive mind, they are able ... How to Get Rid of Horseflies Around the Swimming Pool So, you've built a pool just in time for summer. But when you try to ... How To Avoid Cockroaches When Moving Moving out of a cockroach-infested home and wanting to leave the past behind? Roaches can ... Stop the Woodworm Infestation in Your Furniture Image by: allispossible.org.uk / License: BY 2.0 Although more rare than cockroaches or rodents, woodworms are amongst ... How to Get Rid of Rats in the Attic You hear the scratching and scurrying at night. The munching, clawing, and quiet chirping keeps ... Did You Crawl? Fun with Bugs Local Buzz Pest Peeves S.T.O.P the Pest ants bed bugs bees cockroaches comics dust mites fleas flies FPC team guide holidays how to infestation infographic list mice mosquitoes pets quiz rats spiders squirrels wasps woodworm Copyright © 2016 - 2020 Fantastic Pest Control. All rights reserved. You have a very specific pest question? Let us give you a pro answear. All fields marked with an asterisk () need to be filled. Where should we send the response to? on site only e-mail and on site You can upload images and files up to 10MB each and 1 video up to 10 seconds. 0/10 uploaded Drag files to upload or All your files have been successfully uploaded Upload is in progress please wait ... I have read and agree with Fantastic Services' Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.* I wish to receive information about promotions, coupons, and news via: Subscribe to receive offers and news via email Subscribe to receive offers and news via SMS https://www.facebook.com/FantasticServicesUK/ https://twitter.com/FanPestControl https://www.pinterest.com/GoFantastic/	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416758
__label__wiki	0.513926	0.513926	Timber and Building Materials Browse All Cloud Platforms Epicor Tropos Epicor BisTrack Browse All Platforms Browse All Business Needs The Benefits of Cloud Deployment EpicCare Support Portal Login Alliance ISV Partners Become an ISV Partner ISV Partner Login Browse Our ISV Partners Compliance/Legal / IT Service Management (ITSM) Epicor ITSM A well-functioning IT infrastructure is essential for the quality and continuity of business processes within an organization. This places demands on the IT department to answer questions quickly, fix problems immediately and find ways to prevent issues in the future. Using Epicor UK IT Service Management (ITSM) you can provide your IT team with accurate, complete and clear information. You can easily create, trace, summarize and close incidents, problems and change requests. Epicor UK IT Service Management (ITSM) enables you to set and monitor varying service levels based on specific agreements and offers your service desk a powerful structured solution for IT management processes. Epicor UK IT Service Management (ITSM) provides a robust set of service management features that support key IT processes outlined by ITIL version 2 and ITIL version 3 and has been certified by Pink Elephant as ITIL Compatible in five key service management areas incident management, problem management, change management, configuration management, and service level management. When an incident occurs, the goal of the service desk is to restore normal operation as quickly as possible. At the service desk, all incoming incidents are registered in Epicor UK IT Service Management (ITSM) and prioritized and incidents that require a specialist can be immediately escalated to the correct people. Incidents received by e-mail or the Web are registered automatically. 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__label__cc	0.545394	0.454606	Category Archives: Educational Products Audio Learning, Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Educational Products, eLearning, Faculty, Lecturer, Lessons, Student, Teacher, Teaching Soundtrap for Education and Listenwise Partner to Offer Professional Development for Podcasting to all Teachers June 24, 2019 EPR Education News Leave a comment End-to-end Listening and Podcast Creation Tools for the Classroom are Easily Accessible to Teachers through Personalized Professional Development ISTE Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 2019-Jun-25 — /EPR EDUCATION NEWS/ — Soundtrap, a Spotify company, and Listenwise, a listening skills-building company, are partnering to combine Soundtrap’s easy-to-use audio and podcast creation platform with Listenwise’s audio news resources and step-by-step teaching pedagogy to give teachers the Professional Development tools they need to help students create thought-provoking podcasts. Listenwise curates the best of NPR programming and podcasts for the classroom, providing teachers with content that exposes students to stories and current events that can be applied across disciplines. Soundtrap, known for its ease of use and cross-platform compatibility, is an ideal vehicle to enable students to take what they learned and collaborate to create podcasts. Combining the strengths of both companies, the Podcasting Professional Development module will provide expert guidance to teachers in designing and integrating podcasting projects in their classrooms. Soundtrap and Listenwise are offering a unique Professional Development module to teachers using the combined solution. It offers personal hand-holding throughout the entire process of creating podcasts. Teachers will get 1:1 coaching, project templates, instructional materials and assessment rubrics. Professional Development will be delivered by experts in podcasting and includes three months of free access to Soundtrap and Listenwise. “Listening is a skill that gets overlooked in today’s classrooms, but it’s essential for a building a productive, responsive 21st century workforce,” said Monica Brady-Myerov, Listenwise CEO and host of the Listenwise podcast The Student Podcast PODCAST. “Offering both Soundtrap and Listenwise together gives teachers a way to extend the student learning process further beyond a news item and give voice to their ideas by creating podcasts around any subject they want to talk about.” “Joining forces brings a holistic approach to finding out about the world around us. Together, we provide simple tools that support STEAM (Science, Math, Engineering, Arts and Math) education initiatives while amplifying student voices and developing essential skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration,” said Per Emanuelsson, Managing Director of Soundtrap at Spotify. “We hear from teachers that they sometimes feel daunted by new technology. Now, with Professional Development it’s as if there was someone there in the classroom to guide them through the whole process.” The project-based podcasting Professional Development is being offered for $3,500 for a cohort of six educators. Additional participants $575/each. With the purchase of the professional development package, there is an option to buy discounted annual subscriptions to Soundtrap and Listenwise. With a minimum purchase of fifty seats/licenses the one-year discounted rate is $4 MSRP (vs. $4.98) per Soundtrap user, and $4 MSRP (vs. $5.70) per Listenwise user. To request more information visit: https://bit.ly/2QLt5PK. Visit Soundtrap at ISTE booth #2153, Listenwise at The Startup Pavillion or online to find out more. Soundtrap began bundling subscriptions as a way to offer the most comprehensive platforms possible. In April, Soundtrap for Education and Noteflight Learn, a music notation solution, began offering a discounted package that allows for easy MIDI file export between programs. Soundtrap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytTAbP0Denc Storytellers video:https://press.soundtrap.com/media/55577/video Lesson Plans: https://edublog.soundtrap.com/lesson-plans/ Photos: https://press.soundtrap.com/presskits Listenwise video: https://listenwise.com About Soundtrap Soundtrap is the first cloud-based audio recording platform to work across all operating systems, enabling users to co-create music and podcasts anywhere in the world. There are three Soundtrap products; Soundtrap for Storytellers, a podcasting solution, Soundtrap for Music Maker, a music creation tool and Soundtrap for Education used by the K-12 through higher-education markets. Soundtrap provides an easy-to-use, powerful and collaborative music and audio creation platform for all levels of musical interest and abilities. Soundtrap is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. In December 2017, it was acquired by Spotify. For more information, visit https://www.soundtrap.com/. About Listenwise Listenwise is an award-winning listening comprehension platform that harnesses the power of listening to advance literacy and learning in all students. Our collection of podcasts and public radio keeps teaching connected to the real world and builds student listening skills at the same time. Listenwise also elevates student voice with the Student Podcast PODCAST. Find more information at: listenwise.com PR for Soundtrap Aoife Kimber akimber@kimberpr.com PR for Listenwise Karen Gage karen@listenwise.com ListenwiseMonica Brady-MyerovNPR programmingpedagogyPer EmanuelssonPodcast Creation ToolspodcastsSoundtrapSpotifyteachers Audio Learning, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Software, Education Solutions, Educational Products, eLearning, Student, Teacher, Teaching A New Podcast Creation Tool Launches Called Soundtrap for Storytellers May 15, 2019 EPR Education News Leave a comment Stockholm, Sweden, 2019-May-16 — /EPR EDUCATION NEWS/ — Soundtrap, a Spotify company, announced that an education version of its new Soundtrap for Storytellers podcast creation tool will be available to teachers and students for use in the classroom. It will be equipped with a wide range of intuitive features, allowing podcasters to focus on the art of storytelling by significantly reducing the time and investment typically needed to make podcasts sound professional. It can be accessed via desktop, and a select set of recording and editing features are available on iOS and Android. Tools available include: Interactive Transcripts/Editing Studio: Soundtrap for Storytellers saves hours of time by enabling users to transcribe and edit the spoken-word audio file as you would in a text document, eliminating the need to listen to the podcast over and over again. Automatic transcripts, at the click of a button, will differentiate instruction for all ages, abilities and individualized education plans. This tool allows learners to see their spoken word, easily edit the text and tell the story of their learning. Communication and Collaboration: While this education version is compliant with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) there is the ability for older learners, outside the COPPA environment, to invite family and friends to remotely join a podcast without requiring the invitees to sign up for Soundtrap. They can also upload a podcast and English transcript directly to Spotify. Creativity: Soundtrap for Education schools now have access to Soundtrap for Storytellers added features which let students tell their story, create their personal jingles and complete the audio production process using Soundtrap’s built-in instruments and loops. Students will have access to 1,100+ classroom-appropriate sounds from freesound.org that could be used to punctuate their story and adds atmospheric sound to the podcast project. According to Per Emanuelsson, CEO of Soundtrap, “This educational tool helps teachers differentiate instruction for students of all abilities within one classroom, giving students a compelling way to channel their thoughts and perspectives. While students will be utterly engaged, teachers get an inspiring vehicle for meeting core curriculum requirements.” Soundtrap for Storytellers was built around solving some of the biggest pain points for podcasters — editing, transcribing, remote interviewing and adding sound effects — and providing one, streamlined platform that contains every part of the podcast creation process. Equipped with a wide range of intuitive features, the education version of Soundtrap for Storytellers allows students to focus on the art of storytelling by significantly reducing the time and investment typically needed to make podcasts sound professional. The full suite of services can be accessed via desktop and a select set of recording and editing features is available on iOS and Android. Access to the education version of Soundtrap for Storytellers will be available June 2019 without any additional subscription cost. Annual subscription pricing for Soundtrap for Education begins at $249 USD for 50 users Soundtrap is the first cloud-based audio recording platform to work across all operating systems, enabling users to co-create music and podcasts anywhere in the world. The company is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Soundtrap provides an easy-to-use music and audio creation platform for all levels of musical interest and abilities and is being used by the K-12 through higher-education markets. On December 2017, Soundtrap was acquired by Spotify. For more information, visit https://www.soundtrap.com/. Education Video:https://wetransfer.com/downloads/f1ac1402f229e86c1e2e70aeeb2202a920190503194340/903c3668b4d251a66a5444dc7f57a68e20190503194340/2ca550 Photos and promo video: https://we.tl/t-4TqPqaXRRO Ida Ståhlnacke idas@spotify.com EducationPer EmanuelssonPodcastSoundtrapSpotifyStorytellers Dictionary, Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Software, Education Solutions, Educational Products, Science, Teaching Lingvo dictionaries with new open API November 17, 2016 EPR Education News Leave a comment Moscow, Russia, 17-Nov-2016 — /EPR EDUCATION NEWS/ — ABBYY launches Lingvo API, an open API for its trademark Lingvo dictionaries. The new ABBYY Lingvo API gives developers an opportunity to integrate translation, definition, suggested spelling and other features into their services using high-quality bilingual Russian dictionaries by ABBYY Lingvo. Lingvo API gives access to 140 general and specialised dictionaries in 15 European and Asian languages. It’s open for integration into educational services for individuals, organizations and corporations, travel applications, readers and a variety of other products and solutions. In 2012 ABBYY launched an API for Lingvo Android which has been integrated into a range of popular applications: YotaReader, Moon+ Reader, Moon+ Reader Pro and others. The key difference of the new API is that it is compatible with iOS, Android and web. Besides, now there’s no need for the end user to install the Lingvo applications on their device for the API features to work. Using Lingvo API, developers can add a variety of features to their applications: full or short translation, definition, suggested spelling, word forms, pronunciation, a part of the word list, a specific dictionary entry, full-text search across all the dictionaries and more. With the integrated translation API, after tapping or clicking on the word or phrase, the user will see a pop-up card with its translation within the chosen language pairing, morphology, examples and can listen to the pronunciation. Lingvo API works online, an Internet connection is required. “What’s the unique value of Lingvo API? It gives access to the exceptional collection of bilingual Russian dictionaries ABBYY is known for. That’s why it is a useful tool for a lot of services in education, travel, reading and more”, comments ABBYY’s Head of Mobile Artem Kumpel. In the future, ABBYY is planning to use the new API to develop adaptable AI algorithms which will be able to create personalized learning models depending on the user’s progress, characteristics and needs. SOURCE: EuropaWire ABBYYAIAPIappArtem KumpelAsian languagesbilingual Russian dictionariesdefinitiondictionariesedtechEDUEuropean languageslanguagesLingvoLingvo APIsuggested spellingtranslation Education, Education Software, Education Solutions, Educational Products, eLearning, K 12, Math, Science, Student, Tests, Training PreK12 Plaza Launches Math Fluency App Mad Minute Plaza September 29, 2016 EPR Education News Leave a comment Clifton Park, New York, September 29, 2016 — /EPR EDUCATION NEWS/ — PreK12 Plaza, a social impact enterprise working to ignite the genius in every child, today announced the launch of an updated bilingual math game app, Mad Minute Plaza for ages 6 and up. “PreK12 Plaza is a comprehensive education platform and Mad Minute Plaza is one of multiple app offerings created by our outstanding team of developers and certified teachers to help students achieve their potential while making minute math fun,” said Ana Roca Castro, Founder and CEO of PreK12 Plaza. Mad Minute Plaza works to improve math fluency. Research has demonstrated that the ability for students to respond automatically frees up cognitive resources that can be applied to more complex computation and concepts. Mad Minute Plaza is a free app, available in English and Spanish, that provides students with the opportunity to respond to different level math quizzes for one minute – zapping as many space germs in the process. The game includes addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and more than 400 calculations. The app is available for free at iTunes; Google Play and Amazon Marketplace. Additional information is available at www.prek12plaza.com/madminute. About PreK12 Plaza PreK12 Plaza is a digital education platform created to ignite the genius in every child. It is the first multicultural education platform that provides culturally relevant Math and Language Arts resources combined with research-based didactic approach and state of the art parent engagement tools in eight languages. Monica Talan mtalan@prek12plaza.com Phone: 518-280-9550 Ext. 24 additionAna Roca Castrobilingual math game appcalculationsdigital education platformdivisionfree appMad Minute PlazaMathmath fluencymath gamemath game appmath quizzesMonica Talanmulticultural education platformmultiplicationPreK12 Plazastudentssubtraction Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Products, Educational System, Lessons, Student, Teacher, Teaching, Tutorials The Exciting Launch of a New Online Teaching Platform Concept February 10, 2014 EPR Education News Leave a comment The Freasyway concept is simple, yet complete. Countless High Schools, universities, superior technical schools or independent teachers can share paid or free lessons on the Freasyway platform. The content is made accessible to all students or interested individuals. By posting online paid lessons, leads to certain commission fees.. In addition, various complementary services are available as following: Small national and international announcements referring to the educational field and generally anything related to areas of interest for students and educators. “Teach in real time” thanks to the advantages brought by the Freasyway virtual class, a complex system that allows teachers to connect with their students in real time. The virtual class module enables educational institutions, represented by a teacher or an administrator, to plan and set the details of the educational content, including title, the date and hour, duration, the language used for a specific class’ interface, and, when needed, to record the lessons. Due to the implementation of functionalities such as video-conferencing for maximum 10 persons, a whiteboard, screen sharing and content sharing, the educational institutions take advantage of advanced collaboration tools in real time; such tools enable them to teach courses online in real time.. Besides the possibility to exchange documents and videos, Freasyway also provides a virtual educational library called “Box reader” that grants users full access to various and numerous resources: manuals, homework sets, graduation tests, encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.. We have already reached success with no less than 300 educational institutions, associations and independent teachers spread across 9 countries and 3 continents (France, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, The United States, Canada, China, Germany, Russia) that currently use Freasyway. The system clearly responds to the needs of educational institutions by offering an alternative and complementary solution to the traditional system, as initially was intended and created by its conceptor. Due to a collaboration with the MEET Organization, which promotes accessible education for every European, Freasyway was developed for offering a real and complete solution for current needs in terms of education at a national/international level. With the support of SPECo Vaud Region of Leman, Freasyway will equally benefit from the expertise generously provided by MJ Media and Thot Cursus, gained in their field of expertise. Surpassing the physical boundaries of Europe and the United States, the goal ofFreasyway is also to develop educational systems in the disadvantaged countries, such as Africa or certain countries of South America or Asia, via new technologies. In order to achieve that, 40% from all profits generated by our system will be used for the creation of Learning Centers and a scholarship support fund. Website access : For students, professionals and communities: www.freasyway.com Intranet educational institutions and independent teachers: http://edu.freasyway.com For all national and international ambassadors :https://freasyway.com/public/pages/become-partner For investor relations : https://freasyway.com/public/pages/investors More Education press releases annoncesapprentissage en ligneappui scolaireCours d\'appuicours en lignecours par correspondancecourse onlinee-learningeasy wayecole virtuelleenseignement a distanceenseignement en ligneformationformation ? distanceformation a distanceformation en lignefree coursefree online lessonshigher educationlearning & Societylearning platformonline courseonline learningpedagogic platformreseau professionnelreseau socialreseau social ?ducatifreseau social professionnelSchoolssite de rencontresSoutien Scolaireteaching Platformteaching technologytraining & Workvirtual learningVirtual libraryvirtual school Education, Education Resources, Education Solutions, Educational Products, eLearning, Knowledge, Lessons, Math, Science Comedy As A Catalyst For Science Education September 9, 2013 EPR Education News Leave a comment The Emmy Award Winning Team at Page Turner Adventures is moving full STEAM ahead with a three-part project (videos, live shows, and web portal) that uses comedy to get kids excited about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Founded by Riley Roam and Kenny Mikey, Page Turner Adventures has always used the double whammy of comedy and story to educate and entertain. Their videos, live touring shows, and workshops have been inspiring kids across the country for over a decade. Now they’re turning their attention to STEAM with a Transmedia Storytelling project called THE STEAM TRUNK CIRCUS. It’s the story of a mysterious circus performer who incorporates the work of Edison, Einstein, Curie, and Picasso, into his act. A project that combines juggling, unicycling, and comedy with science is sure to be fun. But to ensure that the program is also effective, the team enlisted the help of Georgette Yakman, founding researcher for STEAM and 2009 NCTC STEM Educator of the Year. The STEAM Trunk Circus will be told through short videos that schools can also air on their morning announcements, a live multi-media touring show, and an interactive web portal with games, experiments, crafts, and activities. Each piece of the puzzle unlocks a different element of the story world. “Comedy and transmedia storytelling are great ways to interest kids in STEAM,” says Mikey. “This project is also about encouraging creativity, thinking,” agrees Roam, “using humor plus transmedia seemed like the perfect fit.” “We also knew we had to figure out a creative way to fund it,” adds Mikey. “We’re doing an Indiegogo campaign, so people can help us develop the project as we go. In exchange, they can get all different kinds of perks including videos, tickets, shows for their school, even a starring role in the video series!” For more information about The STEAM Trunk Circus, go to http://bit.ly/15fsn3n. For more info about Page Turner Adventures, please visit www.PageTurnerAdventures.com. Contact Riley Roam at PTAdventures@msn.com or 561-352-0418. Education, Education Resources, Education Software, Education Solutions, Educational Products, Training, Tutorials New iPad App Gets Children School-Ready January 2, 2013 EPR Education News Leave a comment Parents are preparing to send their children off to school for the first time. An Australian Mother of two has developed a way to give children entering school in this technological age a head start by creating an educational iPad app. Rebecca Monument said that she, like most parents were aware that basic literacy skills developed in the home long before a child starts school. “I created the app because I wanted to give my children the best of every possible opportunity,” said Ms Monument. “I was worried as my kids weren’t learning the correct way to write the alphabet, that they would have to re-learn it when they started school.” After the application was released in October this year Ms Monument approached a local teacher for feedback. Ms Tanya Burton from Whitehouse Primary School in Australia agrees that Writeforschool is a resourceful learning tool for young children, and that the app that will complement the introduction of iPads into the prep classrooms in 2013. “The application combines many features that other similar writing applications fail to deliver, like a variety of accents and a choice of the writing fonts taught in Australian schools” Ms Burton notes. “The large number of fonts back up what is taught in the school curriculum; it not only includes letters and numbers but blends of letters.” The idea came to Ms Monument and she began developing the iPad application Writeforschool after her children, aged five and six began taking great interest in playing the games on her iPad. “I thought if I could make educational game for my children, they could begin to learn to write in the cursive they are taught at their school the correct way,” Ms Monument explained. “My children love the app and its exciting graphics that can be completely personalised.” Ms Monument hopes that her application is able to help as many young children as possible get a head start for this school year. AlphabetAppleApplicationsAppsChildrencursiveDadEducationFontipadLearningMomparentingparentsschoolwriting Academy, Education, Educational Products, Educational System, eLearning, High School, Schools, Society “UNDROPPABLE” High School Tour MA, CT, NYC, PA, MI, IL, IA, KS, OH October 25, 2012 EPR Education News Leave a comment ‘Undroppable’ Announces High School Election Tour The ‘Undroppable’ producing team of Scooter Braun, Adam McKay, Jason Pollock, and Sharon Chang today announced their upcoming Undroppable Election Tour, beginning in Los Angeles on October 24 and going through Election Day. Filmmaker Jason Pollock, the creator of ‘Undroppable,’ will be touring 14 high schools in 10 states for the final two weeks leading up to Election Day. His hour- long presentation to students in auditoriums and gymnasiums across the country is comprised of a speech, ‘Undroppable’ videos clips, as well as a panel discussion with local and state leaders. “The main message of this tour is that education is important,” said Pollock. “Most high school students can’t vote this year, but they need to know what’s going on just as much as everyone else.” The ‘Undroppable’ team will continue their social media campaign on Youtube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook throughout the upcoming tour. The campaign has already been featured in Time Magazine and USA Today. ‘Undroppable’ has also received tweets from pop star Justin Bieber, as well as U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. “Our team is very proud of how quickly ‘Undroppable’ has grown. Regardless of who is in office, education is vitally important” said Scooter Braun, who represents pop stars including Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Wanted, Cody Simpson, and Gangnam Style creator, Psy. The ‘Undroppable’ Election Tour is a non-partisan event and will be filmed for an upcoming feature documentary that Pollock is currently directing and writing. The film is scheduled to be completed mid-2013. “Education is such an important issue in this election cycle. This tour is a perfect way to keep this topic in the public eye as much as possible. Pollock’s energy and devotion to this project have been incredible,” said Adam McKay, writer and director of such hit films as Anchorman, Step Brothers, and The Other Guys. ‘Undroppable’ has also partnered with the Get Schooled Foundation in order to film in five high schools that are a part of the Get Schooled network. Get Schooled is affiliated with MTV-Viacom and the Gates Foundation. This month, Get Schooled launched their attendance challenge in 200+ schools nationwide. UNDROPPABLE TOUR SCHEDULE Oct 24th – La Causa Youthbuild Charter School, Los Angeles, CA October 26th – New Bedford High School, New Bedford, MA October 27th – Bridgeport High Schools, Bridgeport, CT October 28th – NYC PRESS DAY October 29th – Palumbo Academy, Philadelphia, PA October 30th – Edsel Ford High School, Dearborn, MI Dearborn Magnet High School Truman High School, Taylor, MI October 31st – Starr Commonwealth School, Albion, MI Bloomingdale High School, Bloomingdale, MI November 1st – Collins Academy. Chicago, IL November 2nd – East High School, Des Moines, IA November 3rd – Highland Park High School,Topeka, KS November 5th – Dohn Community High School, Cincinnati, OH November 6th – ELECTION DAY, Cincinnati, OH Drop-OutEducationHigh SchoolJason PollockScooter BraunTwitterUndroppable Coaching, Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Fundraising, Educational Products, Educational System, Lessons, Society The Learning Genome Project unveils a new solution to personalized education through crowd sourcing September 26, 2012 EPR Education News Educator Kelly Tenkely invites educators, parents and investors around the world to join in personalizing education. Due to an increased disenfranchisement with the education system, Colorado educator, Kelly Tenkely, recognized the need for a product that would honor the uniqueness of children by personalizing learning. Kelly created the Learning Genome Project to fulfill this need. “Every child deserves to be met right where they are in learning, rather than expected to fit a one-size-fits-all solution. In our society, we have managed to customize everything from ringtones to coffee, why should learning be different?” Said the Learning Genome Project creator, Kelly Tenkely. The Learning Genome makes personalized learning available to children around the world by: * Gathering information about an individual child including: their unique interests/passions, learning style preferences, multiple intelligence strengths, brain dominance, and maturation level. * Crowdsourcing the tagging of both free, as well as premium, education resources and curriculum with hundreds of learning attributes (the ‘genes’ of learning). * Matching resources and curriculum to students, recommending the materials that best meet their needs and creating a custom learning map for each child. * Utilizing an open API so that schools, parents, and districts can build additional functionality to meet their specific needs. This is the Learning Genome Project’s free “hub” that makes personalized learning available to every child. Said Kelly, “Every child, regardless of their economic situation, deserves an education that is tailored to them. Society benefits when we help kids learn how to best utilize their unique gifts and passions.” Premium features of the Learning Genome Project will include: * A student information system * An e-portfolio * A teacher and student planner * Blogging tools * An e-learning center * An individual learning map for each child The premium features will work seamlessly with the Learning Genome hub giving students, teachers, and parents a complete solution to personalized learning. The Learning Genome Project is seeking crowd-sourced funding through Indiegogo and will use the $85,000 raised to begin programming. The project has 45 days to raise the funds and can be found here: http://www.indiegogo.com/thelearninggenomeproject?c=home&a=1232629 In addition to her work on the Learning Genome Project, Kelly Tenkely is an educator, a prolific education blogger, and created a new educational model. This model is put into practice at Anastasis Academy, a school that Kelly co-founded that is just beginning its 2nd year in operation. classroomcrowd sourcecustomizededtechEducationindiegogoindividualizedLearninglearning genomepersonalized learningschoolTeachertechnology Audio Learning, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Software, Education Solutions, Educational Products, eLearning, Tutorials, Webinars Glogster EDU is a part of App packs for Google Chromebooks for Education June 29, 2012 EPR Education News GlogsterEDU has been announced as one of the applications found on the Google Chromebook’s Education App Pack: a set of apps recommended by the schools, teachers and users for a richer educational experience, at ITSE 2012! At ITSE, new features have been introduced to make Chromebook easier to manage in all aspects (including finding, managing, installing and using apps in your school). So what features are included? Grade-level application packs which are groups of Chrome Web Store apps which are organized by grade level and are connected to Google’s suite of Apps for Education. These packs can be installed from the Chromebook management console. Many are free and for those that aren’t, discounts are often offered for bulk purchases. Organization-specific web app collections in the Chrome Web Store allow administrators the ability to propose apps to teachers as well as students and other staff members. The collection is can be seen only by the school, and admins are able to pull together apps from the Chrome Web Store, application packs and web apps bought elsewhere or private apps developed by the school. (This feature is also available to Chromebook for Business customers from the control panel.) Here are some + about Glogster EDU. + Proven Creative Technology : Used by more than 500 000 teachers. + Easy District Management : Manage multiple schools via one Dashboard. + Affordable 50% discount: $1 USD per seat/year (if you get at least 1001). + Trusted : Reviewed, Recommended, Ranked. + Approved : Meets national educational technology standards. Do you want to adopt Creative Learning to your District or School? Contact us for a huge discount offer. chromebookcreative learningEducationglogsterglogster EDUgoogleweb 2.0 Education, Education Resources, Education Solutions, Educational Products, Educational System Himalayan Education Systems is in talks with top publishers in various countries to sell its first product Himalayan Education Systems Pvt. Ltd. a pioneer company, whose aim is to revolutionize the current educational system, is on target to surpass the US dollar 100 billion revenue in the first year of operations, says CEO Prashant Kangutkar. As per the business plan of Himalayan Education Systems it has already completed their first step. In less than one week their first product ‘Learning Alphabets’ has attracted interest from several top publishers and educational products distributors for its copyrights. Himalayan Education Systems’ CEO Prashant Kangutkar says “The company is in negotiations to sell the copyrights with several market leading publishers and the top educational products distributors from various countries”. ‘Learning Alphabets’ in English Language is the first product, it has been developed using “Permanent Impact Method”. This method also developed by Himalayan Education Systems Pvt. Ltd. is based on scientific principles of psychology and the way our mind learns. The “Permanent Impact Method” uses the four basic principles of learning and memorizing; Visualization, Association, Repetition and Effective Listening. Like all Himalayan Education Systems Pvt. Ltd.’s products ‘Learning Alphabets’ also has a global application. Himalayan Education Systems Pvt. Ltd. is offering worldwide rights in 164 countries for this product at 100 billion US Dollars. Copyrights can also be purchased on a country-wise basis, where price negotiations can be considered. Following their successful launch of ‘Learning Alphabets’ Himalayan Education Systems is also ready to launch its community welfare site: www.homesinmumbai.com. ‘Learning Rhymes’ is the second product Himalayan Education Systems is developing. It is generally seen that almost all the news in newspapers or news channels are reporting negative and destructive happenings. Even in the movies, films which are like Titanic and Jurassic Park, which picturise destructive scenes are the most popular. This may be because of the fact that the rhymes that we are learning generations on generations are destructive or creating negative emotions. E.g. Jack& Jill, London Bridge is falling down, Humpty Dumpty – destructive, Johnny, Johnny – learning to say lies. If we change the rhymes from negative emotions to positive emotions, there will be marked changes and transformations in our lives. Himalayan Education Systems Pvt. Ltd. have developed optimistic rhymes, that take into account factors to create a positive impact in the minds of kids. This is done, without compromising on the ‘fun’ of learning. These rhymes will transform the attitude of mankind. Last but not least, Himalayan Education Systems has prepared another product called“Success Formula” which has been developed by a Himalayan master. This product will help people in knowing how to achieve success or how to achieve goals. The product will also be marketed as all other Himalayan Education Systems products; the company will be selling the copyrights of the ‘Success Formula”. Contact Details: Himalayan Education Systems Pvt. Ltd., 119, Narayan Udyog Bhavan, Lalbaug Industrial Estate, Mumbai, 400012, India. www.himalayansys.com www.homesinmumbai.com better learningbook publisherscopyrightsEducationeducational product distributorsEducational Productseducational publishersEducational SystemHimalayan education systemshimalayansyshomesinmumbai.comhow to achieve goalshow to achieve successhow to achieve targetslearning alphabetslearning systemsmemory impactoptimistic rhymespermanent impact methodprashant kangutkarrhymessuccess formulaujwala bhandariUSD 100 billionvoice of people Books, Education Resources, Education Services, Educational Products, Elementary School, Homework, Pre School Children’s Book Series Combines Substance With Fun April 23, 2012 EPR Education News Leave a comment Growing up, author and illustrator Setria James did not make the best grades, but she discovered a strong artistic ability through coloring and began excelling in art classes. She subsequently followed this passion through her college education, studying fine arts and graphic design. Setria recently tapped into her love of coloring and interest in child development by single-handedly authoring and illustrating the Doodles Coloring Fun book line under her Doodles Avenue brand. Setria published the coloring book collection to encourage children’s artistic expression, provide a fun platform for learning, and aid in their overall development. The series delves into a variety of interesting and educational subjects, such as animals, insects, flowers, food, safety, travel destinations, and United States history. Each book is filled with Setria’s original drawings, themed facts, and activities, which address some of the biggest concerns parents face, including education, health, safety, and cultural awareness. Ten coloring books have now been released under the Doodles Avenue brand, including the award-winning first edition of “Doodles Alphabet Coloring Fun.” According to Setria, “Coloring helped cultivate my creativity as a child and inspire my career in graphic design, which is why I wanted to produce Doodles Coloring Fun. If my books can inspire other kids to be creative and help them learn about their world in the process, then I’ve accomplished my goal. Doodles Coloring Fun has a level of substance I wish my childhood coloring books contained, with imaginative sketches and educational facts.” Setria attended Texas Woman’s University, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Masters of Art degree with an emphasis in Graphic Design. Says Setria, “Coloring stimulated my career path and my passion for the arts. My lifelong love of coloring continues through the Doodles Coloring Fun collection, but now I’m paying it forward.” The Doodles Coloring Fun series is available exclusively on Amazon.com. If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Setria James, please email doodlesave@aol.com. High-res photos are available to the media upon request. Coloring BooksColoring FunCustom Coloring BookDoodles AveDoodles Coloring Fun Book SeriesEducational Coloring BooksSetriaSetria James Audio Learning, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Software, Education Solutions, Educational Institution, Educational Outsourcing, Educational Products, Educational System, eLearning, Homework, Knowledge, Lessons, Seminars, Society, Student, Webinars Huge Demand Inspires Edulabs to Reschedule Critical Webinar Series on Tablet Buying for Education Edulabs Learning Solutions Ltd., a leading Thai-based innovator of 21st Century electronic teaching systems (www.edulabsglobal.com), has received overwhelmingly positive daily responses and a higher-than-anticipated demand for its “must attend” Webinar series. The Webinar www.edulabsglobal.com/webinar) cover CRUCIAL considerations that buyers of tablets for educational institutions MUST understand before buying. The Webinars became immediately over-subscribed at launch, and so Edulabs Global has decided to re-launch the Webinar series with new times and dates in order to accommodate the increased interest and demand for registered seats. Gregory Pommerenk, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Edulabs Learning Solutions, Ltd., explains, “There is no doubt that the world-wide demand and excitement for Tablet computers and Smartphones in education is growing stronger and stronger each and every day, and has fueled this increased interest in Edulabs’ Webinar series. With this also comes the need for knowledge and information that will assist the educational communities around the world to make sure that the money they are about to collectively spend is invested wisely, effectively and accurately.” The digital learning revolution Schools around the world are starting to proactively adopt mobile learning programs and initiatives, establish or upgrade their broadband infrastructures and also replace traditional textbooks with digital textbooks at an unprecedented rate. Top online learning institutions such as www.learning.com and www.epals.com have created eLearning material which has revolutionized the global education industry. It is estimated by respected research organizations that in the K-12 (Primary and Secondary) educational sector alone, there will be a need for in excess of 200 million Tablet computers and over 400 million Smartphones within the next 3-5 years. This is not including the huge need and demand in developing countries and underdeveloped areas of countries such as China, India and Brazil, which affects hundreds of millions of school-aged children and teens. Explosion in educational demand for eLearning solutions. In today’s interconnected and inter-dependent globalized world, the global community at large has finally awoken to the fact that having billions of uneducated and unskilled people, especially youth, affects the entire world, and is subsequently striving more proactively than ever to improve the state of education amongst youths. Edulabs Global feels that all of these additional areas are poised to soon explode in terms of demand. The countries of Africa, China, India, Brazil and many ASEAN countries have combined populations in excess of 3 billion people, of which hundreds of millions of youth desperately need much improved and affordable educational solutions. Subsequently, more digital educational content and applications are becoming available at affordable prices and more and more verifiable studies are proving the value of digital web-based education. This in turn prompts more countries, especially developing counties, to get wired with hi-speed infrastructures that are finally including even the most remote and previously unwired areas of these countries. New times and dates for Edulabs Webinar Series The new Webinar times and dates will be announced via our website and a formal press release during the week of February 20th, 2012. In addition to the impressive list of guest presenters and speakers that are already confirmed to attend, Edulabs is also in the process of adding several additional Tablet and Smartphone, Cyber-safety, Edu-tech and Digital Contents and Applications (including Digital Textbooks) companies that wish to participate in the Webinar series. Please stay tuned to the Edulabs web site and news wires for upcoming announcements regarding the new times and dates of the Webinar series, and take part in these“cannot miss” exciting events! EducationTablets Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Educational Products, Schools Back To School Discounts From Asda, Debenhams And Staples The coupon and discount vouchers site, OfferMyOffer.com, presents back to school sales from over 1000 online stores, spanning more than 30 categories, including Education, fashion, beauty and eye care, home and garden and many more. We feature the likes of Asda back to school discounts; Debenhams discount vouchers and Staple back to school offers. It’s the time of year again that all students dread, but all parents love: the start of term. After a long summer of holidays and fun in the sun, we welcome the Autumn with a rush of pupils who cannot wait to get back to their friends. Lessons replace gaming consoles, and weeks of boredom and laziness evaporate as everyone gets back into the swing of things. The beginning of the academic year is an exciting time for everyone, and even if you have been through it many times before, there is always a certain thrill associated with going back to school. Whether you are a student, teacher, or parent, it can be a stressful and busy period, but one that will pave the way for new beginnings. The summer holidays can easily make people lazy, so it’s important for students to be prepared to embark upon the journey of a new school year. It is not that simple; however, as everyone knows the rate at which students go through clothes, stationery and a whole lot more. It is not only the academic tasks that lie ahead, but also the challenge of finding the best bargains for new gear. Whether it is a set of new folders to take to University, or new uniforms for primary school children, help is at hand from Offermyoffer.com to find the cheapest deals available. Debenhams offers a fantastic range of discounted rucksacks, like the highly sought after black Back-to-school Mini Backpack that has an astonishing 50% savings available. The backpack is also available in navy and pink. George at ASDA also has a grand offer on their back to school wear: spend £20 and get £5 off your purchase. They also have free home delivery on the same range of clothes. For the tech-savvy students, eBooks.com is offering a 5% discount on all ebooks as their Back-to-school discount. If it is software is what you’re after, then Adobe’s Back-to-school promotion enables you a sensational saving of up to 80% on Adobe Student and Teacher Editions. Plus, they are throwing in free shipping! back to schoolcouponDiscount vouchersoffermyoffersale Books, Education, Education Resources, Educational Products, Homework, Knowledge, Pre School, Society Back to School Made Easy by the Book People Specialist online book shop the Book People has created a blog post which gives its readers their top five recommended resources when it comes to getting the children back to school. As well as providing a huge selection of the best children’s books and reference books for kids, the Book People aims to be a useful resource for parents, teachers, children and avid readers alike. The latest blog post, which went live this morning, includes a snippet about each website included in the list so that the reader is given a taster of why it has been chosen and why they might find it useful to read before the new term begins, and afterwards. The blog post includes websites that offer useful reading tips, fun ways to get reluctant readers interested, shopping guides to ensure the kids are prepared and how to prepare for the first days of school or nursery. Previous blog posts from the Book People have included Top 10 travel advice blogs and Top 10 book review sites, and those sites that are included often receive an eye-catching winner’s badge to put on their homepage. The Book People offers affordable books to buy online and organises its range into age groups, genres and much more to make it easy for customers to find and order the books they want. children's booksreference booksthe Book People Colleges, Education, Education Services, Education Software, Education Solutions, Educational Products, K 12, Schools, Student, Universities Farmers Insurance Group Federal Credit Union Launches Private Student Loan Program, Partners with Education Loan Source, Inc. August 8, 2011 EPR Education News Leave a comment Farmers Insurance Group Federal Credit Union (FIGFCU) is proud to announce the launch of their private student loan program for families and students looking to pay for undergraduate and graduate school. To customize their program specifically to meet the needs of its members, FIGFCU has chosen to partner with Education Loan Source, Inc. (ELS), a leading provider of education financial solutions. “We are happy to add Student Loans to our lending platform, making our portfolio of products and services even more robust. Our members benefit by having educational funding options with competitive rates and terms in difficult economic times.” said Brian Leonard, Chief Lending Officer of FIGFCU. The Custom Loan SourceSM (CLS) program offered by ELS, provides credit unions with the opportunity to develop their own customized student loan products without the need for additional staffing or resources. CLS is a turn-key student loan solution which includes every aspect of the student loan process from program design through portfolio management. Credit unions working with ELS benefit by gaining an in-depth knowledge of the student loan industry, while attracting a more diverse membership base and the ability to design a custom product to specifically meet their goals. Long-time ELS business partner Cology, Inc. was selected to originate and service loans for the FIGFCU program. With its industry-leading loan platform, Volta™ , Cology offers FIGFCU expert origination, disbursement, and servicing technology. “Since FIGFCU has 18 branches, in 12 different states, it’s especially gratifying to launch this new program for their members. CLS is a perfect fit for FIGFCU, as it allows the Credit Union to bring their existing corporate lending standards and philosophies to an education loan program. FIGFCU was able to set their own rates and fees, and define their own school list.” said Jacklyn Schneider, Director of Client Services for ELS. “FIGFCU can increase its portfolio and member base with a student loan program that is highly in demand, while families receive the financial assistance they need.” For more information on the Custom Loan Source Program offered by ELS, call Jacklyn Schneider at (858) 720-6809. Education Loan SourceFarmers Insurance Group Federal Credit Unionstudent loan program Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Software, Education Solutions, Educational Products, Educational System, eLearning, Exams, Student, Teacher, Tests Mimi Jett Joins Avant Assessment as VP Business Development for K-12 Education Avant Assessment, pioneer in web-based proficiency assessment, announces the appointment of Mimi Jett as Vice President of Business Development for K-12 Education. Avant Assessment is pleased to announce the addition of Mimi Jett as Vice President of Business Development for K-12 Education to its leadership team. Ms. Jett brings more than 25 years of educational technology and corporate leadership experience to Avant as it expands its efforts in the personalized learning arena with new, authentic-evidence, competency-based learning support systems. As VP of Business Development, Ms. Jett will focus on building channel partners, strategic partnerships, and alliances that promote Avant’s products and services in the K-12 market. As a member of the Executive Team, she will collaborate with product, marketing, sales, and technology teams on strategy and operational implementation of initiatives to bring competency focused solutions to the education market. Prior to joining Avant, Ms. Jett was the General Manager of netTrekker, a leading provider in the organization and delivery of digital K-12 educational content and tools, where she led the development of new products and services. Her record of success also includes strategic management positions with Renaissance Learning and IBM Research, where she was appointed to the elite Institute for Advanced Learning leadership council. As an entrepreneur, Mimi Jett was the founder and CEO of Electronic Technical Publishing, leading delivery of advanced technology solutions to higher education publishers in the fields of mathematics and engineering. Ms. Jett was an elected delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business and served as the Technology Advisory Committee Chair for the U.S. Small Business Administration. Ms. Jett serves on the Software & Information Industry Association’s Education Division Board of Directors, is co-chair of the Global Strategies working group, and a member of the Open Educational Resources working group. In addition, she sits on several industry advisory boards and acts as a mentor for innovative entrepreneurs. “Ms. Jett has an extraordinary talent of expanding the impact of a company’s work through development of key partnerships”, said Mike Patterson, CEO, “and we at Avant are excited to apply that talent to our efforts in bringing a more personalized learning environment to every student.” AssessmentAvant Assessmentcompetency based learningdigital toolsEducationeducation technologyMimi Jettpersonalized learningproficiencySIIAvirtual learningweb based Books, Coaching, Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Products, Elementary School, Homework, Knowledge, Lessons, Pre School, Society Creative child awards ‘Wizarday- when our stuff went away’ 2011 game of the year July 22, 2011 EPR Education News Leave a comment Over 100 moms, educators and child psychologists reviewed new products, on behalf of Creative Child Magazine, to judge one product to be the best product of the year. They chose Wizarday to be the best product of 2011 at the“kid`s board game & social skills/self discovery” category. This award comes after a prestige book review by Jim Cox of Midwest Book Review: ‘‘Scheduled around a ghostly holiday (Halloween), the events of Wizarday lead to fun-filled games and routine -related deals that somehow lead to smooth operations of daily routines and increased family harmony. How does all this work? It really is best to read the book, besides, it‘s more fun that way!……Parents of preadolescents will love Wizarday but they may have to wait their turn to read it‘‘. Filled with fun characters and silly names, Wizarday consists of a hilarious fiction storybook with 3 corresponding board and card games. Game 1 follows the story as players race around the board in search of their lost routine. In game 2 each player finds a proper room for his opinion. And game 3? A quick card game to play on the go. Reading and playing helps families facilitate their understanding of routines, preparing tweens for responsible adolescence. Old family values with 21st century skills – communication, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving. Age 8+ ● $37.5 Since its debut, Wizarday was awarded “The Toy Man Editor Choice Award” and “The Toy Man Seal of Approval”, for high value of potential cognitive/critical skill growth and overall improvement in an individual or group. In addition, Wizarday book received a 5 star rating in the “American Chronicle” children book review by Rhonda Fischer. Toys N Tayls was founded by Dr. Sarah Itzhaki and Steven Tobias, Psyc. Its goal is to bring health awareness to the home through fun experiences. Each product has a book and corresponding game or toy, which targets a different kind of personal challenge. Through humorous stories and games, children ages 5 and up learn how to face daily challenges and discover ways than can conquer their fears, doubts and problems. Visit the award-winning ToysNTayls at toysntayls.com for more information. Educational bookKid`s Board gamekid`s social skillsParenting & familyParents and children Avant Assessment leaders’ experience on national language standards and assessment committees will support U.S. interests at the international level June 9, 2011 EPR Education News Leave a comment Avant Assessment CEO Mike Patterson has been appointed to lead U.S. delegates to the International Standards Organization TC232/WG2 (learning services for non-formal education and training technical committee workgroup focused on language learning services) meetings in Beijing, China this week. Workgroup delegates to ISO TC232/WG2 represent over a dozen countries and have the task of ensuring that the views and positions of their country are known and understood by the committee. The goal of the international committee is to develop consensus and an international standard for providers of language learning services in the non-formal sector (outside the mainstream school and higher education curriculum). Mike and Avant Vice President of Research and Assessment, Paul Tucker, have participated in three previous international meetings and have been delegates to the workgroup since its inception. Both bring critical experience to the U.S. delegation having served on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Testing Committee which is a network of Federal, academic, private business and NGO language specialists and managers who share a common goal of improving the nation’s capacity to learn, teach and effectively use foreign languages in the national interests. Additionally, Paul Tucker served as the Lead Writer for the ASTM Standards of Practice for language education and now chairs the testing subcommittee (F43.04) which is looking at differentiating standards per testing purpose. Mike Patterson served as a committee member at the U.S. Department of Education National Educational Technology Planning Sessions in 2003 and 2004, and has been actively involved with SIIA, CoSN, SIF, Software Association of Oregon and other industry organizations where he has served as a presenter and panelist at national and regional conferences. “It is an honor to represent the interests of our country in the field of language acquisition” says Mike Patterson, Avant’s CEO. “As a country, we are a leader in developing thorough and rigorous standards on language training. It is important to the future of global communication that international standards meet or exceed those same standards. I look forward to these experiences working with colleagues from around the world on common goals. They are as rewarding as they are educational and challenging.” AssessmentAvant AssessmentEducationforeign languageISOlanguageLearningstandardsworkplaceworld language Education Loan Source Expands TuitionFlex Financing Program for San Francisco School of Massage Education Loan Source, Inc. (ELS), the nation’s leader in education financing administration and services, is proud to announce the expansion of their partnership with San Francisco School of Massage (SFSM). SFSM originally launched the TuitionFlexSM program in March, 2010 and the school is now expanding the program to include a choice of longer payment plan terms. TuitionFlexSM provides students with the option to extend tuition payments over a specified period of time instead of paying cash up-front for an academic program. “With new state regulations slated to take effect at the end of this year, increasing the number of required course hours in the fields of massage and bodywork, SFSM wants to be in position to assist students with affordability,” said Gary Witt, Chief Executive Officer of SFSM. “Expanding the TuitionFlex program furthers SFSM’s commitment to make education accessible to students who are already managing a variety of personal and professional responsibilities.” As program administrator, ELS offers comprehensive support for the program and, as a result, the program requires very little involvement from school officials. From the point of online application all the way through servicing, ELS provides a seamless flow for both students and school. ELS programs are in compliance with federal and state Truth-in-Lending disclosures and are of particular assistance to schools looking to meet 90/10 regulations. “We are excited about expanding our partnership with ELS,” said Rocky Hall, Director of Operations. “We appreciate the expertise that ELS has earned in the educational finance arena and have benefited by their commitment to enhance TuitionFlex and bring innovation to the space.” “Given the dynamic nature of the higher education industry, it is a pleasure to deliver financing solutions that can be easily tailored as requirements change,” said Jacklyn Garcia-Schneider, Director, Client Services for ELS. “Knowing that the expanded program will enable more students to get their education at SFSM – one of the most respected massage and bodywork schools in the nation – is especially rewarding .” For more information about the TuitionFlexSM program, call ELS at (888) 335-6261. education financingEducation Loan SourceTuitionFlex Shincheonji Church of Jesus Graduates 100,000 People From paper textbooks to electronic scripts of lessons: the rapid path of Russian education to high technologies Noche Bohemia de Salinas Spain wipes out the competition and is named as the ideal country to study abroad Four-year qualitative study addressing the social impacts of hate speech, racism and bigotry on social media platforms Centres With A Difference Children Gain Edge with Investment Program Selectec Support Foldr at Bett 2018 Popular science magazine Scientific European brings cutting edge relevant scientific advances to general audience Special education: Wuhan City School for the Blind helped over 500 children pursue their dreams Preply: Identifiez le professeur de votre choix grâce à un site dédié Academy Audio Learning Bachelor Books business school Colleges Courses Curriculum Diplomas Education Educational Institution Educational Products Educational System Education Loan Source Education Resources Education Services Education Software Education Solutions Educators eLearning executive education Henley Business School home learning homeschool interactive whiteboard Interactive whiteboards K 12 Knowledge Learning Lessons Math MBA NCC Home Learning school Schools Science Society Special Education Student students Teacher teachers Teaching Training Universities Academy (44) Audio Learning (42) Bachelor (28) College Sports (2) Colleges (77) Diplomas (18) Education Law (1) Education Resources (153) Education Services (292) Education Software (32) Education Solutions (137) Educational Fundraising (8) Educational Institution (62) Educational Outsourcing (19) Educational Products (64) Educational System (82) eLearning (138) Elementary School (29) Exams (21) Graduate School (23) Institute (23) K 12 (29) Learning Disability (2) Lessons (193) Masteral (24) Pre School (33) Prep School (4) School Leaders (9) School Safety (7) Vocational School (2) A Constrained Vision a schoolyard blog Alliance for Excellent Education American Educator American School Directory Barack Obama and Joe Biden on Education Barnett Berry BBC – Schools BBC NEWS \| Education Bill Jackson’s Education Blog Brian’s Education Blog Campaign for Real Education (UK) Center on Education Policy Chez Dormont Class Context CNN \| Education College Ready Blog Colleges.com Core Knowledge Blog CourseCompass Dems for Education Reform Early Ed Watch EdPol Educated Nation Educating One Mind Education News \| New York Times Education News \| Topix Education Next Education Policy Blog Education \| guardian.co.uk EducationBug EducationNews.org Elementary School @ About.com EPR Education News @ Feedburner EPR Education News @ MyBlogLog EPR Education News @ Technorati EPR Human Resources News EPR Management News EPR Network’s Education Press Releases EPR Non Profit News eSchoolNews European Commission \| Education News European Education News and Press Releases Free Education Press Releases Great Schools Happy Homeschooler Highered Intelligence Home School Blog Homeschool & Other Education Stuff Hotcourses K-12 Hotlinks Knowledge Alliance Linda’s Homeschool Weblog Los Angeles Times – Education Open Education News Rational Parenting Real Time Education Press Release Distribution School Wise Pres SchoolMatters Search for Public Schools Special Education Law Blog Special Education News Taking Children Seriously (.ie) Teacher Magazine Teacher Voices Teachers At Risk Teaching Ideas (UK) The Cranky Professor The Education Gadfly The Homeschooling Revolution The Independent \| Education News The Teaching Commission U.S. Census Bureau’s Education Data UNESCO \| Education USATODAY \| Education Worldbank.org \| Education Yahoo! Directory \| Education Yahoo! Education Yahoo! News \| Education EPR Education News and all content & imagery © 2008 - 2020 unless otherwise noted. A division of EPR Network - Press Release Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Proudly powered by WordPress	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416762
__label__cc	0.537676	0.462324	Home » Featured » Special Issues » The Postnational Condition The Postnational Condition South Asia? West Asia? Pakistan: Location, Identity S Akbar Zaidi While Pakistan's geographical location has not shifted in the last 38 years, there has been a marked shift in terms of its identity and associations. In the past, what is now Pakistan was closer to, and more part of, the larger south Asian or "Indian subcontinental" identity, but it has now "corrected its direction" (apna qibla durust kar liya hai). In some ways, the Pakistani identities of the Muslim and the south Asian/Indian are competing identities, often mutually exclusive. A secular India with a Muslim minority would not wish for a stronger Muslim south Asian identity while a Muslim Pakistan may not want to belong to an idea or union, in which it would be marginalised and subservient to a power which it sees as its nemesis. Read more about South Asia? West Asia? Pakistan: Location, Identity Reframing Globalisation: Perspectives from the Women's Movement Mary E John This is a feminist invitation to rethink the nation-to-globalisation narrative that structures prominent approaches to India's post-independence history. Exploring the question from different vantage points, it argues that the long history of the women's movement in India from the 19th century onwards has been fundamentally international in scope within which the "nation" occupied a troubled position. The more recent challenges of caste and sexuality are further reasons to question a unidimensional conceptualisation of the present. The very pressing uncertainties besetting the future of the women's movement in India - and elsewhere - would be better appreciated within a "post-national" as against a "global" conjunctural analysis. Read more about Reframing Globalisation: Perspectives from the Women's Movement The Postnational, Inhabitation and the Work of Melancholia Pradeep Jeganathan Sri Lanka today is a postnational location, the uncomfortable home of a nation that never was, and never will be. If anthropology has been concerned with the particularity of "other" cultures defined as a "moral elsewhere" beyond the comprehension of universal reason, then anti-colonial nationalism has sought to claim a universality for the particularities of national culture. This essay sketches a preliminary description of the double loss imposed by the impossibility of the nationalist project, a loss that cannot be mourned in an ordinary way. Read more about The Postnational, Inhabitation and the Work of Melancholia Nation Impossible M S S Pandian Given the impossibility of the nation-form as an enabling political arrangement of our times - after all, we have experimented with it for over two centuries - the work of imagination and the work of politics need to seek newer, pluralistic and enabling forms of politics beyond the nation-form. The thought of Tagore and Periyar offers us at least two premises to re-imagine politics beyond the nation-form. First, politics has to be a perennial contestation of different forms of power by acknowledging and addressing difference as the fundamental reality of the social. Second, a politics beyond the nation has to be based on a de-territorialised imagination that surpasses the territorial parochialism of the nation-form and embraces the world as a terrain of possibilities, alliances, and constraints. Read more about Nation Impossible Thinking through the Postnation Nivedita Menon A well-known opposition in globalisation debates is "the national versus the postnational" in which the static nation, defined forever by symbols of identity produced in the now-irrelevant era of nation states, is counterposed to the dynamic postnational corporation, located everywhere and nowhere, resisting the parochialism of national pride and national symbols. The term "postnational" is developed here in a sense different from that promoted by corporations and the self-defined "global civil society", which conceives of it simply as spaces above and beyond the nation state. Moreover, in a world in which dominant discourses valorise "flows", "fluidity" and "translatability", the term postnational may offer us a vantage point that insists on location in the face of translatability, while simultaneously insisting that "location" is autonomous of the nation state. Read more about Thinking through the Postnation Malathi de Alwis, Mary John, Nivedita Menon, Others, Pradeep Jeganathan, Satish Deshpande This brief note introduces the reader to the set of essays in this special issue. Read more about The Postnational Condition The Practice of Social Theory and the Politics of Location Satish Deshpande Concerned with the ways in which "globalisation" seems to be undermining "the politics of location", this essay argues that the latter is both possible and necessary. However, a contemporary politics of location must be articulated from a "postnational" standpoint that opposes the essentialisms of yesterday without being indifferent to place. Locations matter not because some places are superior or inferior to others but because places differ. These differences do not need to be celebrated, museumised or protected from contamination, but they must be allowed to survive. If social theory is partly shaped by its contexts, then "we" - no matter who we are or where we are located - are better off with a multiplicity of such contexts. Read more about The Practice of Social Theory and the Politics of Location Postnational Location as Political Practice Malathi de Alwis Taking postnational location to be a form of political practice, this essay is a response to the emancipatory promise of a postcolonial nationalism turned grotesque and a postcolonial feminism gone awry. It outlines the complexities and tensions that transformed early feminist interventions against militarism and ethnic chauvinism in Sri Lanka, turning them into fragmented projects and programmes on "women's empowerment", "gender sensitisation" and the like. Read more about Postnational Location as Political Practice Empire, Nation and Minority Cultures: The Postnational Moment Aditya Nigam A closer look at many contemporary movements and struggles will show that they operate without the luxury of the Manichean imaginary of a world divided into two camps. These struggles respond to a world that is messy; where the oppressor could be on any side of the Left/Right divide. In a manner of speaking, such contemporary struggles operate under the unstated assumption that there is no "outside" to power - either of the state or of Empire. If that be the case, as these movements appear to be telling us, then all struggle is about operating in the interstices of power. Read more about Empire, Nation and Minority Cultures: The Postnational Moment	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416763
__label__wiki	0.550988	0.550988	M-ERA.NET From materials science and engineering to innovation for Europe. Joint Calls 4 M-ERA.NET is an EU funded project which has been established to support and increase the coordination of international funding and research programmes in materials science and engineering. Between 2012 and 2016, the M-ERA.NET consortium, which comprises 37 funding organisations from 25 European countries, will replace a number of smaller ERANETs with a single innovative and flexible ERA-NET. This will provide the European RTD community with access to world leading knowledge and funding programmes across a number of EU member states. The consortium will provide a central forum where substantial pan-European funding and research programmes can be aligned. M-ERA.NET will complement existing instruments and contribute to EU policies whilst supporting the exploitation of knowledge along the whole innovation chain from basic research to applied research and innovation. The M-ERA.NET consortium aims to address societal and technological needs with an interdisciplinary approach, creating an umbrella structure to allow flexible coverage of topics in materials science and engineering. By stimulating the scientific excellence and creation of a new innovation oriented economy, M-ERA.NET will provide a network which delivers lasting impact and significant breakthroughs. Research fields covered by the network Nanosciences and nanotechnologies Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) Public Research Organisations (PROs) Private and Semi-private Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) SME (Small and Medium Enterprises) Large Corporations Is connected with M-ERA.NET 2 MATERA+ MNT-ERA.NET MNT-ERA.NET II NETWORK DETAILS (Data received by the network) Inactive Network ERA-NET Funding Framework Focus Description A focus on a specific scientific or technological domain e.g. nanotechnology, chemistry, etc. Visit network website Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) Austrian Science Fund (FWF) Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT) Public Service of Wallonia (SPW) Research Promotion Foundation (RPF/IPE) Estonian Science Foundation (ETAG) Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (TEKES) CR Midi-Pyrénées (CRMP) National Research Agency (ANR) German Research Foundation (DFG) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Project Management Juelich / Research Centre Juelich (PTJ/FZJ) Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA) Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS) MATIMOP Israeli Industry Centre for R&D (OLD) (MATIMOP) Finpiemonte (Finpiemonte) Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) Piemonte Region (RP) Latvian National Academy of Sciences (LAS/LZA) Research Council of Lithuania (LSC/LMT/RCL) National Fund for Research (FNR) Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) Research Council of Norway (RCN) National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) Slovak Academy of Science (SAS/SAV) Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport (MESCS/MIZS) Agency for Innovation and Development of Andalucia (IDEA) Basque Innovation Agency (Innobasque) Economic Development Agency of the Principality of Asturias (IDEPA) Foundation for knowledge MADRIMASD (madri+d) Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA) The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS) Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH (VDI TZ) Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Korea Institute for the Advancement of Technology (KIAT) Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE) Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET) National Program on Nano Technology (NPNT) Joint Call Title Pre-Proposal Full-Proposal M-ERA.NET Joint Call 2015 two-stages 03/02/2015 09/06/2015 Submitted: 156 Submitted: 93 Successful: 54 Funded: 22	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416766
__label__wiki	0.935783	0.935783	College SportsNCAA NCAA ChampionshipsNCAA Championships Capital One CupCapital One Cup RN FootballRN Football RN BasketballRN Basketball Graduation rates up for black Power 5 players 2yAdam Rittenberg Florida's Thomas balances two different gymnastics worlds 10dD'Arcy Maine Stanford's core four caps remarkable run with third NCAA title Stanford volleyball wins ninth NCAA championship Hoyas edge UVa, secure NCAA men's soccer title Stanford beats UNC in shootout to take College Cup Macario headlines espnW All-America soccer team 42dGraham Hays 10 should-go-viral floor routines for the 2020 NCAA gymnastics season 3dD'Arcy Maine and Amy Van Deusen Salo to retire as USC swim coach after 14 years Holy Cross crew member killed in car crash MLB vet Hudson joins Auburn as pitching coach Report: Strides in women's sports, but gaps exist 5dCharlotte Gibson Midseason college hockey takeaways: Cornell, North Dakota legit national title contenders 5dChris Peters Williams, late former Vandy AD, wins Summitt Joe Roberson, former Michigan AD, dies at 84 Barkley donates $1M to Miles College in Alabama USWNT assistant Abel takes on top job at Oregon Longtime St. John's coach takes job with Mets Graduation rates up for black players at Power 5 schools Adam RittenbergESPN Senior Writer College football reporter. Joined ESPN.com in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University. Graduation rates for black athletes in football and men's basketball at Power 5 conference schools are increasing on average, but 40 percent of schools showed declines in such rates during the past two years, according to a new report on racial inequality in college sports. The report, released Sunday by the University of Southern California's Race and Equity Center, shows Power 5 graduation rates for black football and men's basketball players have increased by an average of 2.5 percent since 2016. Thirty-six schools in Power 5 conferences had increases -- by an average of 6.5 percent -- led by Kansas State (18 percent), Louisville (18 percent) and Vanderbilt (17 percent). But 40 percent of Power 5 schools have had a decrease in graduation rates among black football and men's basketball players, with the biggest drops in the past two years occurring at Georgia (15 percent), LSU (11 percent) and Ohio State (11 percent). "We should be going in the other direction, given the attention that the topic has gotten in recent years," Shaun Harper, a USC professor who authored the report, told ESPN. "I was really shocked that it was 40 percent." Black male athletes, who make up just 2.4 percent of the undergraduate population at Power 5 schools but 55 percent of the football teams and 56 percent of the men's basketball teams, are still graduating at lower rates than the other groups Harper studied. Of black male athletes in football and basketball, 55.2 percent graduated within six years, compared to 69.3 percent of all athletes at Power 5 schools, 60.1 percent of all black undergraduate men and 76.3 percent of all undergraduate students. Only Miami, Georgia Tech and Arizona had equal or higher graduation rates for black male athletes than all athletes, and only Louisville, Mississippi State and Utah graduated black male athletes at an equal or higher rate than the overall undergraduate population. Eight Power 5 schools -- Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Stanford, Duke, Georgia Tech, Michigan and Wake Forest -- are graduating more than 65 percent of their black male football and basketball players. Although Kansas State, Michigan State and Ole Miss had some of the biggest graduation rate increases in the report, all three schools remain in a group graduating less than half of their black football and basketball players. Several schools among the lowest graduation rates for black football and basketball players -- Ohio State, California, Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina -- have graduation rates for all athletes that are 25 to 35 percentage points higher. Louisville not only had a major increase but also now ranks in the top 10 for highest graduation rate among black football and men's basketball players (65 percent). The school's graduation rate for black male athletes is 18 percentage points higher than its number for all black undergraduates and 12 percentage points higher than its number for all undergraduate students. "When we look at the list of places that are really high performers, I don't think it would surprise a lot of people that Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech are on the list," Harper said. "But Louisville might be a surprise to folks. They hadn't been on the list before." Harper, who produced similar reports in 2012 and 2016 while working at the University of Pennsylvania, compiled his data using the NCAA's federal graduation rates database for schools from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC. Harper's 2018 report includes scholarship athletes and does not account for athletes who transfer. The NCAA's Graduation Success Rate metric accounts for transfers but cannot be applied to other groups Harper uses for comparisons, such as undergraduate non-athletes. But the graduation rate gaps between black male athletes and overall athlete populations is similar for both the federal rates and the GSR. The federal numbers show black male athletes' graduation rate at 14.1 percentage points lower, while the GSR shows a 13.6 percentage point disparity. Harper's report notes that despite strong representation from black male athletes in Power 5 football and basketball, black men represent 11.9 percent of Power 5 football and men's basketball coaches and 15.2 percent of Power 5 athletic directors. Harper recommends that the NCAA create a commission on racial equity that would raise "consciousness within and beyond the association about the persistence and pervasiveness of racial inequities." He also calls for the NCAA to separate data reports by race, gender, sport, division and other areas, noting that the NCAA often says black athletes graduate at higher rates than black non-athletes, even though that number doesn't apply when examining the five highest-profile conferences. Another recommendation calls for conferences to pay for their members to set up programming and other initiatives that "aim to improve racial equity within and beyond sports." Harper plans to send the report to every Power 5 football coach, men's basketball coach and athletic director. He hopes the report can have greater impact now that he's at a Power 5 institution at USC. "I absolutely welcome conversations with coaches and athletics directors and provosts and presidents of these 65 universities," Harper said, "to strategize about what we can do to move forward."	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416767
__label__wiki	0.896288	0.896288	Love Island 2019: ITV show to pay tribute to Mike Thalassitis during opening episode tonight Mike tragically killed himself earlier this year after a battle with depression Ruth McKee Tommy WathenMultimedia Journalist Mike Thalassitis has tragically died at the age of 26 (Image: Joe Maher/Getty Images) Love Island will pay tribute to Mike Thalassitis during the opening episode of the new 2019 series tonight (Monday, June 3). Mike, 26, tragically took his own life at a park near his childhood home in Edmonton, North London in March this year. Following his death, ITV had reportedly decided against mentioning Mike's death after the show faced a fierce backlash. However, it now appears that the broadcaster has decided that it is the "right thing" to acknowledge it. Love Island are selling their famous water bottles - and now sunglasses too As reported by the Mirror Online , ITV have also introduced new measures to ensure the safety of the new group of contestants. A Love Island insider revealed: “Producers wanted to pay their respects to Mike and show his friends, family and fans that he was a part of the Love Island family and is missed deeply by everyone. Mike Thalassitis (Image: Mike Thalassitis Instagram) “It is a really difficult subject but they wanted to address it rather than sweep it under the carpet or pretend it hasn’t happened.” During the 2018 series, Love Island producers ran a short tribute to Sophie Gradon - another ex-contestant who sadly committed suicide. Both deaths sparked a debate about how Love Island stars are looked after by TV bosses following their time on the show. Celebs Go Dating line-up is revealed with Essex's Megan Barton-Hanson and Lauren Goodger taking part Some suggested that Mike had been left to battle depression alone. Instead, Love Island bosses insisted that islanders are well supported and have bought in new plans for 2019 that will offer contestants social media training and financial management advice. Amy and Amber are the first arrivals at the villa on 2019 Love Island (Image: ITV) All contestants' GPs will also be contacted for mental health checks ahead of any filming. Each islander will be given a minimum of eight therapy sessions when they finish the show, with bosses staying in touch for 14 months at least 14 months. Essex reality television fans are eager for the start of the new series, which finally begins on ITV at 9pm.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416769
__label__wiki	0.940821	0.940821	Home / News / New Version of Valve Steam Controller Comes With Analogue Stick New Version of Valve Steam Controller Comes With Analogue Stick Gabriel Roşu / 5 years ago Valve is going forward with its Steam controller, making changes and releasing new and improved versions. Its latest sneak peek of the new Steam controller version which is currently in development shows that the controller comes with an analogue stick for the very first time, as seen in the pic below. This new version is said to represent the third major design change shown to the public so far. The original prototype of the Steam controller revealed in September had fewer buttons and two large trackpads, along with a touchscreen. The second one show in January had its touchscreen removed and received two symmetrical sets of ABXY face buttons. Valve is said to have avoided the analogue stick in previous versions because it wanted to replicate the controller experience using haptic feedback infused trackpads in the form of weighted electro-magnets. Either way, it is not currently certain if this will be the final version of the Steam controller or more changes are to be made before its release. Thank you Eurogamer for providing us with this information Image courtesy of Eurogamer Topics: analogue, change, Controller, experience, feedback, modification, Steam, stick, touchscreen, trackpad, valve, version	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416770
__label__cc	0.514518	0.485482	FAQs for Interview Travel Preparing for Interviews Working at EUMETSAT Employment Conditions & Policy Here you will find details of our recruitment and selection process, where each of the stages combine to ensure a process that is as rigorous and as fair as possible. Initial CV Screening What happens: The selection panel will assess your application against the requirements listed in the vacancy you applied for. It is in your interest to provide as much relevant information as possible to demonstrate that you are a good match for the vacancy, and to explain clearly in your cover letter why you are applying. Following the initial CV screening, the interview board will create a short list of candidates to invite for interview. When: This process begins on the vacancy closing day and generally lasts 2-3 weeks. What happens: Invitations to interview will be sent to candidates at the latest 1 week before the interview day. Interviews are structured, based on technical skills and behavioural competencies of the job, conducted by a board usually consisting of 4-5 people, including a representative from the recruitment team. Sometimes telephone or videoconference facilities are used to verify and/or better understand a candidate's experience. When: Interviews are usually scheduled 4-5 weeks after the vacancy closing date. What happens: Interviews may be accompanied by testing. You will be advised about this in your invitation. Tests mostly involve work-related exercises or scenarios, but other assessments (ability, work-style preference) are also used on occasion. When: Tests usually take place directly after the interview at the EUMETSAT headquarters but in some cases can also take place online before the interviews. What happens: Once all interviews and tests have been completed, the interview board will come to a decision on which candidate to recommend for selection. The ultimate selection decision is taken by the Director General. When: The decision process usually takes 2-3 weeks. Appointment and Medical Examination What happens: Once the selection decision is approved by the Director General, a conditional job offer is made to the successful candidate. If the successful candidate accepts the job offer, they are invited to Darmstadt to undergo a medical examination with the EUMETSAT Medical Advisor who issues a certificate. It is a requirement that the candidate passes the medical examination before they receive their contract. When: The medical certificate is sent to EUMETSAT within a week to two after which the contract is issued to the selected candidate. The contract will need to be returned within 2 weeks. Feedback to non-selected candidates What happens: Candidates who are not selected for the position will receive notification via email. When: When the selected candidate has returned the signed contract. Also available in: English - Français - Deutsch	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416772
__label__wiki	0.888806	0.888806	About: Lisbon VideoPromoted content Health 14-04-2017 How the off-patent medicines industry contributes to the sustainability of healthcare systems The Joint 23rd Medicines for Europe and 20th IGBA Annual Conference will bring together over 300 experts from the generic and biosimilar sector to provide market trends, innovative commercial strategies, new updates and opportunities for growth for affordable medicines. Road safety 23-02-2017 Lisbon, Malmö and Skopje announced as sustainable mobility city finalists Cities from Portugal, Sweden and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia have made it through to become finalists for the European Mobility Award 2016. Innovation & Industry 02-11-2016 Lisbon dreams of ‘Europe’s Silicon Valley’ tag Lisbon is betting that hosting the Web Summit, Europe's largest tech event, will spur the growth of startups and draw foreign investors, helping it compete with the continent's main innovation hubs. EU Priorities 2020 18-12-2014 Open minded politicians redefine liberalism in Lisbon At the 2014 Congress in Lisbon, Portugal, delegates from across Europe, from ALDE Party member parties and individual members, looked outward and explored the ideological maps of Liberalism to find new ways of taking forward our ideas and values. Digital 30-06-2014 What is MyNeighborhood? Research shows that cities across the world have lost the sense of neighbourhood and community living that used to make people feel more connected to each other and urban environments happier places to live. Public Affairs 03-12-2009 PA chief: Scope for top-job ‘turf struggles’ under Lisbon The Lisbon Treaty leaves scope for 'turf struggles' to take place over the division of power between the new EU president and High Representative for Foreign Affairs but this is less likely given the personalities currently in place, Georg Danell, managing partner at the Brussels office of public affairs firm Kreab Gavin Anderson, told EURACTIV in an interview. PA director: National parliaments must ‘work hard’ under Lisbon National parliaments will need to work hard to get to grips with EU legislative proposals quickly and join forces with their counterparts elsewhere in the EU if they are to make the most of the additional scrutiny powers granted to them under the Lisbon Treaty, Caroline Wunnerlich, managing director of Fleishman-Hillard Europe, told EURACTIV in an interview. Consultant: ‘Top job’ roles to be defined by personalities The division of power between the new EU president and High Representative for Foreign Affairs "will be defined by their personalities," Julia Harrison, managing partner at public affairs consultancy Blueprint Partners, told EURACTIV in an interview. Lisbon to make EU ‘real entity on global stage’ Today's entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty should help the European Union to become "a real entity on the global stage," Elaine Cruikshanks, CEO of the Brussels arm of public affairs firm Hill & Knowlton, told EURACTIV in an interview. PA boss: Lisbon to make EU ‘real entity on global stage’ Future EU 06-04-2009 Can an Irish protocol be added to Croatia’s Accession Agreement? "There is unlikely to be anyone with locus standi who would challenge non-compliance with Community law [in the European Court of Justice]" on the Irish protocol issue, writes Stanley Crossick, the founder of the European Policy Centre and a commentator on EU policies, on his blog. Ireland’s future after Lisbon Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty this summer "endangers the national interest as defined for the past half century," according to a November paper from the Dublin-based Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA). Reflecting on a second Irish Lisbon referendum The only viable option for the Irish government to resolve the Lisbon Treaty crisis is "to hold a second referendum on the substantive question of whether or not Ireland remains a member state of the EU," writes John O'Brennan, a lecturer on European politics and society at the National University of Ireland, in an October paper for the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS). Growth and Jobs: Relaunch of the Lisbon strategy On 22-23 March 2005, the Spring Council discussed the Commission's mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy for economic, social and environmental renewal. More focus on growth and employment, simplification and national ownership via national action plans are the key elements to relaunch the Lisbon reforms agenda. ‘Le Monde’ goes Europe, the UK goes chicken National communication plans on Europe tend to see the EU as a problem, implying that "how to communicate" dominates "what to communicate," write Judith Merkies and Marcel Canoy of the European Commission. Instead, we'd better accept Europe as a fact of life, they argue. Treaty of Lisbon: A sustainable answer to constitutional questions? The Treaty of Lisbon represents "another milestone" towards further EU integration in a journey which started over 20 years ago with the Single European Act, write Andreas Hofmann and Wolfgang Wessels of the University of Cologne in an article for 'Integration' magazine. Romania ratifies EU Treaty as France moves to follow Romania has ratified the Treaty of Lisbon by parliamentary vote after a huge majority of MPs approved the text yesterday (4 February). Meanwhile, France's parliament approved a constitutional amendment necessary to begin the ratification process of the treaty itself. Slovenia and Malta ratify EU treaty Slovenia and Malta have become the latest countries to ratify the new EU Treaty agreed upon by EU leaders in December last year. Agrifood 19-12-2007 Murray: Emerging challenges in consumer policy Changing demographics will have a wide-ranging impact on income, pensions and healthcare in years to come, former BEUC director Jim Murray told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview. Reflecting upon almost twenty years as head of the European consumers' organisation, Murray highlighted digital rights, nanotechnology and GM technology as the predominant issues to emerge during his tenure. Treaty of Lisbon ‘must not fail’ The Treaty of Lisbon represents the abandonment of the "constitutional concept" whereby the current EU treaties would have been replaced by a single text, writes Marianne Dony for the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). EU overtakes US in productivity growth For the first time since 2001, the EU has outstripped the US in productivity growth, according to a recent competitiveness report from the European Commission that sees Europe 'on a growth path'. The Lisbon Strategy: the European route to globalisation The Lisbon Strategy is a challenge for both France and Europe. In France, new presidential and parliamentary cycles are favourable to economic and social reform, argue Yves Bertoncini and Vanessa Wisnia-Weill in this publication from the Robert Schuman Foundation, released in September 2007. Social Europe & Jobs 04-01-2007 UK split on costs and benefits of immigration A recent study by a migration NGO has stirred up the debate on the economic effects of labour migration from eastern Europe suggesting that gains were only marginal. But the UK government and industry federations disagree with the finding. Barroso defends EU record vis-à-vis US business The first Economist Business Roundtable brought four Commissioners together with American companies for a discussion on trade policy, protectionism and IPR protection. RSS - Lisbon	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416774
__label__cc	0.553671	0.446329	Public Release: 1-Oct-2017 Win-win strategies for climate and food security International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis IMAGE: This is the relative price impact of a carbon tax (0 - 150 $/tCO2eq) on emissions from agriculture on global commodity prices (a) and regional food price index. view more Credit: Frank et al., 2017 Climate policies that target agriculture and forests could lead to increased food prices, but reducing deforestation and increasing soil carbon sequestration in agriculture could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while avoiding risk to food security, according to new research published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. As countries look to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, many see potential in their forests and farms. The land-use sector, which includes agriculture and forestry, contributes approximately 25% of the human-caused greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change. At the same time, vegetation, including natural as well as agricultural lands, take up CO2 from the atmosphere and can store it in biomass and the soil. "The land-use sector is key for successful climate change mitigation," explains IIASA researcher Stefan Frank, who led the study. "But providing an increasing amount of biomass for energy production to substitute fossil fuels while at the same time reducing emissions from the land use sector, for example through a carbon tax, could also have the effect of raising food prices and reducing food availability." In the study, Frank and colleagues explored the impacts of climate mitigation policies on food prices. They examined the potential impacts of both global action, represented by a carbon tax, and regional and national policies. The study showed that a stringent mitigation target for the agriculture and forestry sectors could lead to increased food prices and reduced food production. Though globally coordinated mitigation policies outperform regional or national policies both with respect to emission abatement and food security, adverse impacts on food security remain. The study presents two strategies that could bring benefits for climate while simultaneously maintaining food security: reducing deforestation and increasing soil carbon sequestration. Reducing deforestation is not a one-size-fits-all solution The study found that in countries with a lot of land and a high proportion of emissions from land-use change, such as Brazil or Congo Basin countries, there is a large potential for forest restoration and preventing deforestation. However, in more densely populated countries with emission intensive agriculture such as China and India, strict efforts to reduce agricultural emissions could lead to substantial impacts on food security, while not providing big climate benefits due to emission leakage. Emission leakage means that emissions that are saved due to a policy within one country would be replaced by additional emissions outside the country. "In some countries, stopping deforestation could provide a big reduction in emissions with only a marginal effect on food availability," says Frank. "But a one-size-fits-all approach will not work. In places like China and India, the focus should be on soil organic carbon sequestration and other win-win options that decrease the emission intensity of agriculture." Increasing soil carbon sequestration Certain farming practices, such as crop rotation, cover cropping, and residue management, can preserve greater amounts of carbon stored in soils. It turns out that these practices also generally lead to greater crop yields. "You keep the soil healthy, you offset greenhouse gas emissions, and you preserve crop yields at the same time," says Frank. In fact, under a carbon price policy, soil carbon sequestration measures could even provide additional revenue for farmers as they get paid for the carbon sink they provide. Depending on the climate policy design, the researchers found that soil carbon sequestration on agricultural land could either deliver the same levels of greenhouse gas abatement in the land use sector at considerably lower calorie costs compared to a policy that does not consider the potential of soil carbon sequestration, or even higher greenhouse gas abatement and less pronounced benefits for food security. The study estimated that increased soil carbon sequestration could offset up to 3.5 GtCO2 (7% of the total 2010 emissions) in 2050, and could reduce the food security impacts of a carbon tax by as much as 65% compared to a scenario without soil carbon sequestration incentives. "This study shows the major role of soil organic carbon sequestration for ensuring food security under climate stabilization scenarios," says Jean-Francois Soussana, a study coauthor from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA). "Agricultural soils could provide a key solution for climate change mitigation and adaptation and for food security, but changing land management to store carbon in soil organic matter will require large efforts that could be facilitated by multi-stakeholder platforms like the 4 per 1000 initiative." This study shows how including an existing but largely ignored mitigation option in policy planning could substantially improve the climate policy performance with respect to food security. "Given the challenge of stabilizing climate change below 2 degrees, all options need to be carefully considered to minimize trade-offs, and potentially achieve complementarity, with other Sustainable Development Goals," concludes IIASA researcher Petr Havlík, another study coauthor. Frank S, Havlík P, Soussana JF, Levesque A, Valin H, et al. (2017) Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture without compromising food security? Environmental Research Letters. 2 October 2017. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa8c83 IIASA Press Office press@iiasa.ac.at @IIASAVienna http://www.iiasa.ac.at Environmental Research Letters AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION/ECONOMICS GEOLOGY/SOIL Carbon Tax Impacts on Food Price (IMAGE) Land Sector Climate Mitigation Vs. Dietary Consumption (IMAGE) Related Journal Article http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa8c83 More in Agriculture Want to know what climate change will do in your back yard? There's a dataset for that International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Local water availability is permanently reduced after planting forests University of Cambridge New model shows how crop rotation helps combat plant pests PLOS The carbon footprint of dinner: How 'green' are fish sticks? University of California - Santa Cruz View all in Agriculture	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416775
__label__wiki	0.734497	0.734497	MUSIC & TINGS FLABBA HOLT / ERROL CARTER Flabba Holt / Errol Carter / Errol Flabba Holt In a world of sampled music, manufactured foods, fake news and dubious sources, people yearn for authenticity. In the reggae music world, few are as authentic as Flabba Holt: singer, bass player and founder of the immensely influential Roots Radics, one of Jamaican reggae’s premier studio and touring bands. From Roots Radics’ first hits in 1979 with Barrington Levy, the band redefined Jamaican reggae music, applying their distinctive bass heavy sound to reggae dancehall, dub and roots music. They provided the music for hundreds of singers and DJs and an amazing number of dub albums. Since the 1980s, Flabba has continued to be in demand as a producer and musician. Roots Radics has toured with Israel Vibration for close to 30 years. Their impact remains today and their sound is as relevant as ever. Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1954, many know Flabba as the bassist and foundation of Roots Radics. Also known as Errol Carter, Flabba was already an established solo singer and well regarded bass guitar player by the time Radics came together. More recently, Flabba has begun to perform his own songs as a singer in his own solo show. Most of his catalog as a singer has been reissued in recent years – original copies from the 1970’s command hefty sums on EBay. He also played bass with Prince Far I And The Arabs and with The Morwells. In both of those groups he worked with Eric “Binghi Bunny” Lamont; the two of them eventually formed the Roots Radics as a means to manifest their distinct style. As the Roots Radics, Flabba and Binghi Bunny provided the music for countless Jamaican hits of the 1980s. Many artists broke out on music produced by Roots Radics – Yellowman, Triston Palmer, Barrington Levy, Don Carlos, Eek-A-Mouse, - and others such as Gregory Isaacs, Johnny Osbourne, John Holt, Freddie McGregor and Bunny Wailer, came to Radics to give their careers a boost. In the past few years, various younger artists have used Roots Radics sound – Damian Marley has used samples, Jah 9 took an original Radics riddim from the 1980s and made a new hit of it, Chronixx has remade Prison Oval Rock as Spanishtown???? and even international pop star Bruno Mars has a song that is straight ahead Radics style. And there is a regular stream of reissues of Roots Radics dub albums. Flabba Holt continues to perform with Roots Radics on tour with Israel Vibration and as well as solo and as Roots Radics. His session playing is in continued high demand – he has recorded with Beres Hammond for a number of years, playing on many of his hits. After more than 40 years in the music business, Flabba continues to innovate, motivate and inspire. Roots Radics / 125 Orange Street / Kingston, Jamaica / RootsRadicsHQ@gmail.com © 2019 ERROL CARTER All Rights Reserved	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416776
__label__wiki	0.956392	0.956392	Netflix cancels Marvel’s Luke Cage after two seasons October 20, 2018 by Amie Cranswick 1 Comment Sweet Christmas! Less than a week after swinging the axe on Iron Fist, Netflix has announced that it has cancelled a second Marvel series in Luke Cage. Variety reports that talks had taken place about a possible third season of the Harlem Hero’s solo show, but ultimately the streaming service decided it was not feasible. “Unfortunately, Marvel’s Luke Cage will not return for a third season,” reads a statement from Marvel and Netflix. “Everyone at Marvel Television and Netflix is grateful to the dedicated showrunner, writers, cast and crew who brought Harlem’s Hero to life for the past two seasons, and to all the fans who have supported the series.” Luke Cage and Iron Fist were two of the original five-show deal between Marvel and Netflix along with Daredevil, Jessica Jones and The Defenders, with a Punisher spinoff following later. SEE ALSO: Ranking Every Netflix Marvel Season from Worst to Best Daredevil’s third season hit Netflix yesterday, while filming on a third season of Jessica Jones is currently taking place and a second season of The Punisher has already wrapped. Although it hasn’t officially been cancelled, it’s been said on several occasions that there are currently no plans for a second season of The Defenders. During the news of the Iron Fist cancellation, it was said that Finn Jones’ Danny Rand would continue to appear in other Marvel Netflix shows, so one would assume that could also be the case with Mike Colter’s Luke Cage. Unless of course there’s plans to bring Danny and Luke together for a Heroes for Hire show? Are you disappointed that Netflix has cancelled Luke Cage? Would you be interested in Heroes for Hire? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below… After clearing his name, Luke Cage has become a celebrity on the streets of Harlem with a reputation as bulletproof as his skin. But being so visible has only increased his need to protect the community and find the limits of who he can and can’t save. With the rise of a formidable new foe, Luke is forced to confront the fine line that separates a hero from a villain. Luke Cage season 2 features a cast that includes Mike Colter (Luke Cage), Simone Missick (Misty Knight), Rosario Dawson (Claire Temple), Alfre Woodard (Mariah Dillard), Theo Rossi (Shades), Finn Jones (Iron Fist), Jessica Henwick (Colleen Wing), Thomas Q. Jones (Comanche), Gabrielle Dennis (Tilda Johnson), Mustafa Shakir (John McIver/Bushmaster), Reg E. Cathey (James Lucas) and Anabella Sciorra (Rosalie Carbone). Filed Under: Gary Collinson, News, Television Tagged With: Luke Cage, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe Adrian Bold says That’s a shame. Bushmaster in Season 2 was terrible though. Batman: Arkham Knight Batman Beyond Movie Masterpiece Series figure revealed Batwoman Season 1 Episode 10 Review – ‘How Queer Everything is Today!’ Countdown to No Time To Die: Ranking the James Bond Theme Songs from Worst to Best What Do The Pub Names in The World’s End Mean? 2019 BFI London Film Festival Review – The Personal History of David Copperfield There’s just one blockbuster to get excited for in 2020: The year of Tenet Robert Downey Jr.’s Dolittle bombs at the domestic box office	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416779
__label__cc	0.586841	0.413159	Source: Fliegerfaust Airbus Mobile, Alabama Another Airbus A220 Factory"Again" For Mobile, Alabama? Three Total? Just One In Mirabel, Canada So Far "This could mean more FAL (final assembly lines) are on the way to Mobile". 11:26 (15:26 UCT) - September 12, 2019 - by Sylvain Faust for fliegerfaust.com Again: Another A220 FAL for Mobile, Alabama? Something that somehow went "under the radar" about Airbus Canada in Mirabel, Quebec is the visit of Mobile, Alabama city and state officials last week. Why would this matter? Well, here is what council member C.J. Small (District 3 of Mobile City Council) said: "This could mean more FAL (final assembly lines) are on the way to Mobile". This Mirabel tour by a Mobile delegation was organized by Airbus. Also present and invited by Airbus Mirabel facility to share the occasion, along with other state representatives, was a delegation from Baldwin County. Baldwin country is located just across the bay from the present Airbus facility in Mobile (see map below) Location of Airbus A320 & A220 Final Assembly Lines Is Airbus currently paving the way for yet more incentives to build a third FAL in Mobile dedicated to the assembly of the A220 aircraft far away from Mirabel? As I previously wrote a while ago, Airbus planned to expand around Mirabel airport by taking an option on a vast quantity of land (read: AIRBUS: 800% Bigger Installations at Mirabel Airport in Quebec - Taking Options For More Land). At the time, you will recall, Airbus was offering its Eurofighter dual-engine Typhoon to the Canadian government as a replacement of old CF-18 fighter jets. Since then, one must say, things have changed quite a lot. Also last week, after previously complaining to the Canadian federal government about the manipulation of the selection process to allow the F-35 aircraft an easy win over competition, Airbus Defence officially slapped Ottawa in the face when it bluntly decided not to waste any more time or effort/money to participate in this gross masquerade. Airbus had proposed, if selected, to have the Typhoon jet completely assembled in Canada, implying a bold impact to the Canadian economy and its aerospace industry leader status. Mirabel would certainly have been the perfect spot on the map for this worthwhile endeavour, offering two 12,000 ft runways and vast expanses of land to build up any required facility. The Mirabel airport is located 35 km (22 miles) north-west of Montreal, at an ideal location, --with its busy cargo facility, currently thriving aerospace industry, and its power of attraction for would-be employees wishing to escape the aggravations of congested Montreal. Airbus acquired just over 50% of the A220 aircraft program co-owned Bombardier and the Government of Quebec for the amount of $0 (This is not a typo!) tied with US$1 billion in further expenditures assumed by Bombardier. In exchange, Bombardier received options in the company owning the A220 (Airbus+Bombardier+Quebec Government) while the government of Quebec share in ownership diminished further. The A220 was the new name given by Airbus to the Bombardier CSeries aircraft. In return, the first action Airbus confirmed was the creation of new A220 jobs in Mobile, Alabama with the decision to build a totally new assembly facility (FAL) to tag along Airbus current investment in Mobile. Incentives were received including cash, tax abatements, fee waivers, speedy processing of permit applications, waiving all administrative, licensing and permitting fees or charges, etc. (ref1) In Mobile, Airbus must now show proof that it is meeting its employment target of 432 new A220 related jobs by June 30, 2021 else its incentive will have to be reimbursed; prorated accordingly. Combine this with Airbus needing to create a specific number of new jobs related to the A220 in Mobile, Alabama (not in Mirabel, Quebec), along with Ottawa current heavily pro F-35 bias selection process excluding Airbus Eurofighter Typhoon ($20 billion value), what else could we expect Airbus to do in Canada? Yet, Airbus couldn't have imagined a better timing for its resounding display of discontent, passing along the subtle message it would certainly be at ease re-opening the discussion with a less stubborn and more "business minded" state, i.e. a federal cabinet of a brand new flavor, since the federal election campaign was launched this Wednesday in Canada. Could this help? Fingers crossed. AIRBUS: 800% Bigger Installations at Mirabel Airport in Quebec ... › Airbus Investing - Increasing A220 Production - Thank You Airbus ... › Airbus - latest news, breaking stories and comment - The Independent › The Boeing Co. New CEO - David Calhoun Boeing CEO Challenge: Fixing Boeing’s Product Strategy January 20, 2020 - by Scott Hamilton for leehamnews.com David Calhoun has been CEO of The Boeing Co. for a week. A couple of new problems arose. Late last week, the US Air Force weighed in that it's unhappy, again, with Boeing over the KC-46A program. The Air Force was previously open about its dissatisfaction with Boeing's performance. But top officials were quick to contact the new CEO with its unhappiness. A new software problem was found on the 737 MAX which may add some time to the recertification timeline. The problem involves booting up two computers on start up and isn't considered a big issue... Read more https://leehamnews.com/2020/01/20/pontifications-another-calhoun-challenge-fixing-boeings-product-strategy/ airBaltic Replaced 50 Airbus A220 Pratt & Whitney Engines In The ... › Boeing is open to changing the name of the 737 Max - CNN ›	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416780
__label__wiki	0.561512	0.561512	FMG opens new Providence, Rhode Island, office Atlanta, GA: Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP, a leading nationwide specialty litigation law firm, is pleased to announce the opening of its Providence, Rhode Island office. FMG’s newest office expands the firm to over 160 attorneys nationally in 19 offices in 10 states. The new Providence office initially will be staffed by five Attorneys — Neil Hartzell, Jennifer Markowski, Warren Hutchison, Marc Finkel and Catherine Scott. Ben Mathis, FMG’s Managing Partner, said, “Our expansion into Rhode Island further strengthens our presence in the Northeast. We also are expanding our office in Boston, which now has over 20 lawyers. The Providence office will complement our existing lawyers and provide even more convenient service to our clients.” The Providence office is located at 10 Dorrance Street, Suite 700, Providence, RI 02903. (401) 519-3724.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416783
__label__wiki	0.641957	0.641957	TRENDS & REMARKABLE WATCHES 0 \| 20 \| 40 \| 60 \| 80 \| 100 \| 120 \| 140 \| 160 \| 180 GENEVA WEEK / OUTSIDE THE SIHH - Flotilla in Geneva Harbour The SIHH, which this year celebrated its twentieth anniversary, is a victim of its own success, attracting an increasing fleet of hangers-on around the (...) MB&F’s HM3 Megawind Final Edition With Megawind Final Edition, the closing model in the HM3 series, MB&F present what may well be the ultimate in contrast: light and dark. The darkness (...) Saint Honoré’s Tour Eiffel Timepiece To mark its 130th anniversary, Saint Honoré has designed a collector’s timepiece: the first ever to be made from a piece of metal girder from the world’s (...) SIHH 2015 - The Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Orbital by Jaeger-LeCoultre In tribute to the heavens, the Manufacture has equipped it with an orbital tourbillon whose slow and fascinating movements create constantly surprising (...) RJ-Romain Jerome Introduces an Exclusive New Design RJ-Romain Jerome has enriched its existing Steampunk collection with a totally new, refreshing and contemporary design, featuring a smaller case and a (...) The New Oktopus Double Date Carbon Green by Linde Werdelin Linde Werdelin is kicking off 2015 with a bang! Introducing a sporty and refreshing take on the Oktopus, the Oktopus Double Date Carbon – Green. Featuring (...) The Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Flying Tourbillon by Corum To celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2015 Corum has distilled its founding principles and brought all its expertise to create a timepiece that reimagines (...) Jaeger-LeCoultre Pays Tribute to Astronomy in 2015 with a New Master Calendar The new Master Calendar from Jaeger-LeCoultre is distinguished by the virtues and indeed the very face of astronomy. Endowed with all the attributes that (...) PRE-SIHH 2015 - Audemars Piguet’s Acoustic Research Engineering and the power of sound merge in one of the most innovative concept watches created by the haute horlogerie watchmaking house. The result of an (...) Jaquet Droz Celebrates the Year of the Goat with Two New Ateliers d’Art Models The tradition is now established: every Chinese New Year Jaquet Droz observes the change in the zodiac cycle with a model celebrating a rare technique or (...) GALLERY - MECHANICAL WONDERS There are no limits to the imagination of a watchmaker’s technical ambitions, as these timepieces show. Each advances the art of watchmaking in its own (...) Cinema Paradiso: watches and cinema Time. It’s one of life’s most elusive things. For their entire history, watchmakers have been trying to control and regulate time, while the art of film (...) Greubel Forsey – Microscopic art Willard Wigan is a well-known artist, honoured by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 as a “Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” for his services (...) Girard-Perregaux – Paying tribute to Le Corbusier Before taking over Girard-Perregaux, the late Gino Macaluso studied architecture. Obsessed his entire life by an art that had always inspired him, Macaluso (...) Hermès – Imaginary time “The dialogue between contemporary creativity and our artistic craft professions is vital for us. It is a source of invention, new challenges and discovery, (...) Vacheron Constantin: Creating a dialogue between art and artisanal Born in 1755, well before the era of industrialization, in Geneva, a city well known for the excellence of its precious jewellery artisans, Vacheron (...) The cultural track – a discussion with Franco Cologni on the relationship between art and watchmaking “Guru of Haute Horlogerie”, “Cardinal of the Richemont Group”—the description of the role(s) played by Franco Cologni in the vast reorganisation of Swiss (...) Breguet – Cultural patronage: miraculous manna It was a cold wintry day in 2005, in Bienne, a medium-sized, protestant town at the foot of the Swiss Jura mountains. A chilly fog coming off the lake (...) Is watchmaking an art? A special Art & Watchmaking section Is watchmaking an art? Is it the 12th Art, as was ceremoniously proclaimed during the last Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix? MB&F – “In watchmaking, there are not enough egoists” [Video] Art or design? Art or artisanal? What differentiates a work of art from a design object? Where is the boundary? To find answers to these questions, we (...)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416788
__label__cc	0.510586	0.489414	National Geographic and MCI Presents City of Innovation: Singapore Wed, 11 Dec 2019, 12:00 PM – Sun, 15 Dec 2019, 8:00 PM Singapore Standard Time Singapore Time Housing & Development Board 480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh National Geographic, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), presents the City of Innovation: Singapore This month, National Geographic, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), presents the City of Innovation: Singapore exhibition. The exciting event will showcase the various innovative technologies in Singapore, which contribute to the city-state’s growth and bring benefits to every Singaporean’s daily life. Visitors to the exhibition can expect immersive elements such as a projection mapping booth for a firsthand experience of the innovative technologies, and interact with Augmented Reality (AR) elements, which will bring exhibits to life via a special brochure. Additionally, booths by partner agencies including the National Environment Agency and the Singapore University of Technology and Design, will be on display, where visitors will get a chance to see male Wolbachia-carrying Aedes mosquitoes and try out 3D printing. Taking place over four weeks, the City of Innovation exhibition will first be at Marina Bay Sands on 15 November, before it moves to Our Tampines Hub, Festive Walk, and the Toa Payoh HDB Hub. More information on the campaign can be found on www.whatmakessg.com. Singapore Events Central Singapore Events Things to do in Singapore Singapore Science & Tech Events National Geographic and MCI Presents City of Innovation: Singapore at Housing & Development Board 480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, Singapore, 310480, Singapore Fri, 27 Mar 9:30 AM 5th ICSTR Singapore – International Conference on Science & Technology Research, 27-28 March 2020 The National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) The Graduate Club, Suntec City Guild House, 3 Temasek Boulevard (Tower 5), #02- 401/402 Suntec City Mall, Singapore, Singapore #ScienceTech #Conference Sat, 28 Mar 9:30 AM 2020 – 3rd International Conference on Research in Life-Sciences & Healthcare (ICRLSH), 28-29 March, Singapore Fri, 12 Jun 9:30 AM 2020 – 10th International Conference on Research in Life-Sciences & Healthcare (ICRLSH), 12-13 June, Singapore Thu, 30 Jan 4:00 PM [Industry Roundtable Series] Workplace 4.0 – Hacking Productivity NUS Enterprise@Singapore Science Park #Business #Networking Thu, 23 Apr 5:00 PM The Mapletree Challenge: Grand Final Meeting Room 1 & 2, Mapletree Business City, Singapore Fri, 14 Feb 6:00 PM UNDP: Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture #ScienceTech #Game Thu, 19 Mar 6:15 PM The Mapletree Challenge: Semi-Final University Service Centre, LT1A, Singapore #ScienceTech #Seminar Sat, 15 Feb 11:30 AM Mandarin Community Tours at URA's Singapore City Gallery The URA Centre #FamilyEducation #Tour Tue, 21 Jan 11:00 AM Explore URA's Singapore City Gallery Fri, 13 Mar 7:00 PM The Lesson: A Workshop National Gallery Singapore, Singapore	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416790
__label__wiki	0.58269	0.58269	New dimensions at Weerg: What Rigamonti did after pixartprinting by Simon Eccles \| 14/02/2019 Simon Eccles speaks to Matteo Rigamonti, the founder of Pixartprinting and founder of Weerg who specialise in 3D printing and CNC parts machining. To build up one successful online printing company with huge international sales is commendable, but then to launch into a completely different sector and do the same again is truly remarkable. Yet this is what Matteo Rigamonti has done in Italy. He founded the company that became known as pixartprinting, building it up for 20 years and pioneering web2print sales of commercial and large format printed signage, then sold it between 2014 and 2016. Two years ago he set up a brand new company, Weerg, to offer 3D printing and CNC parts machining. Rigamonti says: ‘I wanted to be sure that the first time was not down to luck!’ Caption: Matteo Rigamonti with a banner announcing Weerg. Weerg has invested heavily in HP’s 3D inkjet based Multi Jet Fusion printers, initially in three of the 4200 print systems. Three of the uprated 4210 models were soon added and the original 4200s were upgraded, in an order worth €3 million. This is the largest installation of the Jet Fusion 4210 printers in Southern Europe. Even so, they only represent 25% of Weerg’s turnover: the majority comes from the CNC side, with a battery of 10 Hermle C42Us with five continuous axes for machining, fitted with high end Wenzel LH co-ordinate measurement systems. Weerg’s business has grown so much that in March it will move to a new factory in Gardigiano, near Venice. Another 11 operators have been hired to take Weerg into 24/7 operations. Rigamonti’s pixartprinting was one of the first companies to successfully sell print online internationally, with the offer to deliver almost anywhere in Europe within 48 hours. Weerg likewise offers online ordering with fast delivery across Europe. Caption: Weerg samples: 3D printing can handle shapes that would be difficult tp produce by other methods, certainly not so quickly. Crossover Experience Rigamonti often exhibited at FESPA events, seeking trade customers for pixartprinting. In 2014 he and his partner company Alcedo sold 97% of pixartprinting to Cimpress, the Dutch owner of the online print provider Vistaprint, for €127 million. The remaining 3% was sold two years later. Rather than enjoying a well-funded early retirement, Rigamonti soon missed having the challenge of business building, which led to Weerg and 3D. Given that FESPA association members are often involved in large format signage and there’s a growing interest in industrial printing applications, does Rigamonti think there is a natural crossover between flat 2D inkjet printing, and solid 3D print? Not directly, on a technical level, he feels. “The only thing in common between 2D and 3D printing is the word printing,” he says. “There’s nothing in common with the technology.” Instead, there is a crossover in the workflow and sales techniques he already developed at pixartprinting, he feels. “When you know marketing you can use the same means, because communication now is just no longer just press. We use AdWords, Facebook, e-mail and our usual marketing. Facebook is a very powerful way to communicate, even stronger than AdWords. “In this case the market is B2B, so I'm not interested in consumers as final customers. We are only interested in business-to-business customers, because they spend more, they order more often, and they are more reliable in terms of technical skills.” The production workflow of customer files for 3D is also similar to 2D, he says. Weerg uses software for process automation that includes a constantly updated ERP system that allows daily management of the processing of thousands of pieces, with nesting software to optimise the loads during processing. CNC machining and 3D printing are used for broadly similar applications, certainly in engineering. CNC is a subtractive process, in that it starts with a block of material and carves away at it to create the final shape. 3D printing is additive, in that it builds up layers of material from nothing. There are pros and cons for both: in particular CNC is well established and can work very well with metals, as well as other materials. 3D printing on the other hand is less precise or repeatable and can’t be relied on for precision threads and fits. However it can create shapes with voids, ie hollows with internal structures and reinforcements that are impossible by any other manufacturing method, whether machining, casting or injection moulding. Caption: The Hemle CNC machines still bring in 75% of revenues. CNC For Precision Originally Weerg concentrated on CNC services, mainly because Rigamonti wasn’t happy with the productivity of 3D printing system available at that time. “I started with the CNC machine because I thought that it was more profitable,” he says. “The 3D printing machines were not ready to be industrial. When I founded Weerg at the beginning I wanted it to be a 3D printing company. But the technology was really behind my expectations. “I found that FDM (ie filament extrusion printing) is absolutely unusable to do anything, because it takes a very long time to produce parts. For every single part you have to think about how to put in the supports and it's very complicated.” Supports are temporary structures that are printed to hold the main object together while it is gradually built up in layers. These are needed by low end filament extrusion (FDM) 3D printers and also by 3D Stereolithography (STL), that uses lasers to harden liquid photopolymer. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), uses a high powered laser to fuse layers or resin powder and does not need supports because the powder is self-supporting, but it’s slower than HP’s Multi Jet Fusion system, which also uses powder. Pixartprinting grew into a major user of HP’s 2D Indigo digital production presses, where Rigamonti built up a relationship with HP that was also to carry over to Weerg. “I decided to move into 3D printing when HP made the Multi Jet machine,” says Rigamonti. “There is no need for supports and the skill requirement for the operator is really low. You can teach anyone in ten minutes how to work with this 3D printer because there is no experience needed in any way – it's fantastic!” However, there are still limitations to 3D, he says. “In CNC or injection moulding, every part is the same, precise and repeatable. With 3D printing, every part may be slightly different, and the metal characteristics may vary. The plastic parts from the HP printers are all similar – we test them sometimes to be sure. But engineers do not yet trust them, though that will come.” CNC still dominates the market in any case, he points out. “The engineering market worldwide is worth €15,000 bn. 3D printing is only currently €10 bn. But the traditional market is so big that even a 0.1% switch to 3D is worth having. We could fill 100 machines!” Caption: Three of the HP Jet Fusion 4210 print units at Weerg. Pic by Marco Lanza, Tecniche Nuove. How Multi Jet Fusion Works Ricardo Rubio Garcia is EMEA Regional Marketing Manager at HP 3D. He explains how the technology works: “The HP Multi Jet Fusion technology is powder-based and does not use lasers. During the Multi Jet Fusion printing process, a layer of powder is evenly distributed on the powder bed, which is housed in a large chamber, and is then uniformly preheated. A fusing agent is jetted where particles need to be selectively molten, and a detailing agent is jetted around the contours to improve part resolution. This detailing agent prevents sintering and also ensures that the part’s sharp edges are printed.” After each layer of liquid is complete, it is cured by heat lamps. “Since the powder bed is already heated and melting is not based on laser movement, each printing layer takes the same time, leading to foreseeable build times,” says Garcia. Once one layer is finished, powder is distributed on top of the previous layer and the process is repeated until the part is complete. The loose powder supports the part until it is complete, then needs to be removed. There are separate hardware units for printing and post-processing. After printing and fusing in the first unit, the container of parts and unused powder is removed to a separate post-processor, which recovers the powder for re-use. Meanwhile the printer unit can start on the next set of items. “Additionally, the part can be bead-blasted and dyed black to achieve an aesthetically pleasing surface,” says Garcia. So far HP has produced two models. The original HP Jet Fusion 4200 is intended for industrial prototyping and final part production environments producing, 130-599 parts per week. Compared with FDM or STL methods, HP claims that the 4200 “can deliver quality output, at up to 10 times faster at half the cost.” The second model, HP Jet Fusion 4210, is intended for 600-1,000 parts per week. HP claims that compared with the other 3D methods it “can produce engineering-grade parts at up to 65% lower cost.” Some 3D printers made by 3D Systems (3DS) use a similar inkjet and powder method, but they are slower than the HP technology. HP won’t say publicly what its machine costs are, but compares the 4200 to FDM and SLS solutions in the €90,000 to €270,000 range, and the faster 4210 to SLS printers in the €270,000 to €400,000 range. Rigamonti says that it was the speed of the HP system combined with not needing supports that convinced him to buy them. “This is the advantage, that you are not limited to prototypes but your marketing or even final products can be also a short run. With HP we realised almost immediately that it was a really killer application because after one month the first machine was completely full of jobs, so we bought two more machines. after six months we bought another three machines.” Caption: Powder removal and finishing are handled in a separate unit. Materials Choice There’s a choice of resin powders available for the HP printers, but Weerg only uses one, the. 3D High Reusability PA 12. This is a robust thermoplastic for producing strong, high-density parts. Other powders offer more flexibility or resilience. “We are working well with the PA 12 and we don't feel like trying different materials because we don't want to be a test site,” says Rigamonti. “The reliability and on time delivery is very important. PA 12 is versatile and we want to stay with it.” Caption: Parts can be smoothed and dyed black during finishing: spray painting is possible too. Who Makes What? So, what are Weerg’s customers ordering to be made by 3D print? “I see that many customers are starting to do short runs with our machines because it's more convenient and we are faster than previous 3D services,” Rigamonti says. “Recently we did 5,000 parts of something that could have been made with injection moulding, but the customer was running late. “So the demand is moving from prototypes to short runs. I think that it is the same with 3D printing as with 2D digital printing. For both of these, customers understand that the quality of digital is about the same as analogue, but they can do something that was impossible to do before. So short runs are getting more and more important.” So, printing is still in Rigamonti’s blood even if it’s a different type of printing nowadays. “I'm in love with 3D printing. At home I got three different 3D printers before founding Weerg. I'm so fascinated by the fact that you get an object inside the computer that it's something that is totally virtual, but you can make it. I'm so happy to live in that period of history when I can see something like this!” by Simon Eccles Back to News	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416796
__label__wiki	0.616115	0.616115	FFOYA House October 2016: Domestic Violence Awareness Month Art Eight artists had work on display at FFOYA House in October as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The show opened for the Oct. 14 BG Gallery Hop at FFOYA House and was curated for the Oct. 15 DVAM Benefit Show for Barren River Area Safe Space, the regional domestic violence shelter. Artists were asked to submit work that speaks to the themes of domestic violence awareness month – “mourning those who have died because of domestic violence, celebrating those who have survived, and connecting those who work to end violence” – and related ideas such as empowerment, healing, recovery, self-reliance, independence and healthy families. The FFOYA House art gallery committee, including a representative from BRASS, chose the work to display as part of the show. The selected artists displayed work in a range of mediums and represented a wide cross section of ages and experience levels from throughout the Bowling Green area. The display featured four paintings by Lora Gill, three by Brooke Hume, one by Courtney Davis and one by Theresa Christmas; drawings by Alison Taylor and Ariana Michaela; and collages by Christine Travis and Emily Lobb Hendricksen. Work in the show was on display to the public for all FFOYA House events in October and early November. Read more here. Click on images in the gallery below for artist name and description of the work. For information on how to reach any of the artists or purchase work, email ffoyahouse at gmail.com. Artist: Lora Gill. From left to right: "Tomorrow" represents hope and the welcoming of a new beginning. "Rebirth" speaks to the theme of celebration and revival. "Crush" represents the extent and damage of pain caused by abuse. "STOP" is about what it means to be a victim & wanting abuse desperately to stop. Artist: Christine Travis. “Division to Unification” reveals separation and the working to unite. Artist: Courtney Davis. "Amour" show the often-overlooked signs of emotional abuse and neglect that victims of domestic experience. Artist: Teresa Christmas. "The Last Time He Hit Her" focuses on children and how domestic violence can affect them. Artist: Ariana Michaela. The "Not Sorry" series This series represents the victim cycle and was drawn in the wake of physical abuse. Artist: Emily Lobb Hendricksen. “Too Much To Forget” Artist: Brooke Hume. "Poppy" is a visual representation of rebirth. Artist: Alison Taylor. In this untitled work, the sparrow in the girl's chest represents the fact that in many ways, despite moving forward, a survivor may carry the remnants of an abusive relationship with her. FFOYA House Art Get an inside look at current and past exhibits in the FFOYA House art gallery. 1035 Kentucky Street * Bowling Green, KY * 42101 * PH: (602) 643-5511	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416797
__label__wiki	0.54247	0.54247	Startup India LoginRadius: Customer identities made simple and secure By: Sudhir Chowdhary \| New Delhi \| Published: April 22, 2019 1:48:51 AM This is a cloud-based SaaS customer identity management platform that has Conde Nast, Viacom, Weather Network, 21st Century Fox and more as its customers Rakesh Soni LoginRadius started with the mission to ‘simplify’ the way in which businesses and their customers, from around the world, can effectively and efficiently connect in this age of globalisation. In order to achieve the task it was essential to make it easy for the end user. Hence, the two co-founders—Rakesh Soni and Deepak Gupta—decided to let users log in via their existing accounts like Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, etc., and integrated this feature on their new project. “While developing a traditional login system for a new web application, Deepak and I realised what a hassle it would be for the users to register. They have to follow a trail of process between filling out long forms and memorising an additional set of username and password; we needed a better bridge to connect them with the brands,” says Rakesh Soni, CEO and co-founder of LoginRadius. Also, these logins needed an enterprise grade cybersecurity with a modern cloud-based identity as strong foundation to the platform. Housing.com enters co-living listing biz; partners OYO, Zolo Modi's Startup India report card: Recognised startups more than triple; these many got funded in 4 years “Customer identity is at the intersection of security, digital business, and compliance. This requires significant expertise to build and maintain in-house, resulting in an extended go-to market time,” said Deepak Gupta, CTO and co-founder. “LoginRadius provides the answer to this critical challenge with its out-of-the-box solution.” The concept of LoginRadius was born and launched in the year 2012. Today, the brand’s cloud-hosted service provides the most secure platform to manage and transact with billions of customer identities while keeping privacy and compliance regulations in mind. In the past five years, the brand has come a long way and has become an Enterprise level B2B and B2C CIAM platform. The startup has tested the application with over 1,50,000 requests per second and are operating with over 3,000 enterprise level businesses. The Loginradius platform is currently managing 750 million logins and over 6.5 billion API calls every month. The brand has also optimised and automated its processes to minimise large data deployments within 3 weeks. Some of the market leaders working on the platform are Conde Nast, Viacom, Vogue India, Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC), Weather Network and 21st Century Fox. LoginRadius has raised $17 million in Series A funding led by ForgePoint Capital and Microsoft’s venture fund, M12. It has raised the capital to accelerate growth, primarily investing in the areas of customer acquisition and product innovation. It is also targeting to increase the current headcount by 300% in the next 18 months. “With increasing customer experience expectations and growing cybersecurity threats, enterprises need a modern cloud-based identity platform that can be the foundation for digital transformation and provide peace of mind when it comes to security,” said Soni. “This funding is a testament to LoginRadius’ ability to deliver on this promise to our customers and sets the foundation for our future growth.” In terms of profits, LoginRadius achieved profitability in 2017 but with the heavy investment, it is expecting to have a runway for 24 months and hit profitability again in 18 months. LoginRadius Customer identities made simple and&nbspsecure 1How Ola is ‘self-driving’ its way from just cab booking service to mobility giant 2BSE to boost Kazakhstan’s startup ecosystem as latter seeks support for listing, incubation platforms 3Amazon is asking for selfies from delivery drivers; here’s why	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416799
__label__wiki	0.528293	0.528293	Antimicrobial Stewardship in... 0:14Skip to 0 minutes and 14 secondsThe diagnostic uncertainty at the front door of the hospital remains. And we haven't been able to tackle that. There's a real need for good, rapid diagnostic tests to help us differentiate between infective and noninfective causes of symptoms, and then viral and bacterial causes of symptoms. So that's a sort of evolving field, and we are very closely watching that to see what diagnostics we can incorporate into alternative pathways for patients to try and help us with that diagnostic uncertainty. But that remains a challenge. And as such, patients are exposed to broad-spectrum antibiotics when they come into the hospital. Where we have seen more success is around switching patients from IV antibiotics to oral antibiotics once they have improved. 1:02Skip to 1 minute and 2 secondsAnd we've been successful here with that, because the data to support that, the research that's being done to show that's an effective and a safe intervention to make, is now what is widely acknowledged. And we're able to use that data to sort of motivate and empower clinicians to do that. And then there are many, many benefits to doing that, and it's well received. So we've been successful and prompt by these oral antibiotic switching because of the evidence. The other challenge around stopping antibiotics when you've ruled infections out-- so about 10% of antibiotics that are started in our hospital, and it's the same across the land, about 10% are stopped within 72 hours, because infection is ruled out. 1:52Skip to 1 minute and 52 secondsBut we know there's much more opportunity to stop antibiotics than that. And there's been a multi-centre study come out of Brighton called the Antimicrobial Review Case study, the ARC study, which is a decision tool for clinicians to try and facilitate early antibiotic stopping once you've ruled infections out. And so we've increased our antibiotic stop rate from 10% to 17%. And other hospitals that enrolled in that study have increased their antibiotic stop rates from 10% up to 30%. So there have been some sort of movement there. As far as using shorter antibiotic courses, we know that you can use shorter antibiotic courses than we do for many of the common infections we see. 2:33Skip to 2 minutes and 33 secondsAnd there is evidence from randomised controlled studies that back that up, and demonstrate that shorter courses are as effective and actually better in terms of reducing future resistance and side effects. But the barriers to bringing the evidence into shorter course lengths really are around historical practise and changing historical practise. So we've always used 7 days or 10 days for antibiotic course lengths. And to try and now change our ideas to convince clinicians that actually five days is enough for many infections requires a bit of behaviour change, and a bit of understanding of what motivates clinicians around the longer course length. So it's a piece of work we're doing here to try and embed shorter antibiotic courses. 3:22Skip to 3 minutes and 22 secondsThat's been more of a challenge. 3:26Skip to 3 minutes and 26 secondsSo when we talked about that diagnostic uncertainty at the front door of the hospital, if you get admitted to hospital with symptoms such as shortness of breath that could be caused by many different pathologies, there's a wide differential. We say it could be a pulmonary embolus. It could be heart failure. It could be pneumonia. And sometimes, although the differential is wide, it could be many different things, kind of-- you might-- infection might be low on your suspicions. But we would cover that empirically, currently. But procalcitonin is a very good biomarker specific for bacterial infection. 4:05Skip to 4 minutes and 5 secondsSo patients, where you are not really that convinced the patient has an infection, but you need to cover infection because a patient is so unwell, you can use procalcitonin just sort of to help with your decision-making. So if the procalcitonin is negative or low in a patient like that, you can then confidently stop the antibiotic. And there's been a few small studies that have done that. In patients with diagnostic uncertainty and low procalcitonins, they withheld antibiotics. And those patients have done OK, and not suffered as a consequence. 4:41Skip to 4 minutes and 41 secondsSo in primary care, there's a target toolkit hosted by the Royal College of General Practitioners that was developed by PHE. And that is a one side piece of A4 paper with the common upper respiratory tracts infections on it, with information about expected duration of illness, how to self-manage without antibiotics. So a lot of these infections, upper respiratory tract infections are viral. So as we get that point across that they're viral, self-care is the best option, and antibiotics have a limited role. And there's also safety netting parts. So a bit on that leaflet that says, if you have these symptoms, which may be indicative of sepsis or more severe infections, then to seek help. 5:29Skip to 5 minutes and 29 secondsAnd that's a very quick leaflet that the GP can go through with the patient, and just reassure the patient that antibiotics are not the best option, and to get-- to work with the patient, really, to work to sort of-- to decide how best to self-manage. And that's a pretty powerful tool, I think, in helping GPs reduce antibiotic prescribing. But we know in Cornwall, for example, and we hear around the rest of the country that there aren't many GPs using this toolkit. So there's a real behaviour change element to this to try and embed that toolkit into sort of routine general practice and consultations. 6:07Skip to 6 minutes and 7 secondsAnd there's a lot of work going on trying to reinforce the message of self-care for patients who are suffering with flus and cold symptoms, or severe infections, to sort of self-manage those. So to not then go and see a GP, and try and get it managed by the community pharmacies-- take pressure off the GP. Because there's a real a perceived-- a perception from GPs that the patients are coming to see them for antibiotics. So we need to also undo that. And although, there's a perception from GPs that the patient's expecting antibiotics, actually the research that's been done with patients would indicate that the patients aren't after antibiotics, often. They're after reassurance. 6:48Skip to 6 minutes and 48 secondsAnd again, that's where the target toolkit can really help. So we've got some work to do there with some pretty powerful interventions, potentially. There are some decision support tools out there. And one that comes to my mind immediately is a fever pain scoring for patients who present with sore throat. And you can, based on certain criteria, decide whether they've got a high score or low score, so more severe and more likely go on to develop complications, or a low score, less severe, and unlikely to develop complications. And the advisement is if they score lowly, and they have a low fever pain score with the sore throat, to not give antibiotics. Often, these sore throats are minor anyway. 7:35Skip to 7 minutes and 35 secondsAnd if they have a high score to give antibiotics. And then the NICE guidance on sore throat really supports that and promotes that toolkit, or decision support aid, should I say. And there are many other NICE guidances out there now for upper respiratory tract infections that promote an antibiotic sparing approach, and to only give antibiotics to people with upper respiratory tract infections, severe infections, and sinusitis, for example, if they meet certain criteria to certain comorbidities or other more concerning symptoms. Otherwise, to withhold antibiotics and offer self-care. So decision support aids is really the best thing we have in lieu of point of care rapid diagnostics for GPs. Practical approaches to AMS in human medical practice In this video, Neil Powell describes how antimicrobial stewardship has been implemented in his local context as a human medical practitioner in the Royal Cornwall NHS Trust. He is asked the following questions: What measures have you introduced to improve antimicrobial stewardship in the hospital setting? What role can diagnostics play in improving antimicrobial stewardship? Do you have any tips for primary care practitioners on responsible prescribing? Are there any decision support tools for primary care practitioners? In the video, Neil reflects on the challenges he previously mentioned in step 1.17, and provides some potential solutions that have been used in human medicine. Use the comments section to discuss what is different between what Neil has said, and what you know about veterinary medicine. © BSAC Antimicrobial Stewardship in Veterinary Practice Delayed prescribing and de-escalating treatment Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences What is Genetic Counselling? Learn about genetic counselling and what genetic counsellors do with this online course for healthcare professionals. Free digital upgrade Taipei Medical University Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare: Opportunities and Challenges The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is increasing, explore the challenges and opportunities AI presents. 1 hr per week Big Data Analytics: Opportunities, Challenges and the Future We produce more data than ever before. Find out how ‘big data analytics’ can help you make use of it. Browse more in Healthcare & Medicine and Nature & Environment	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416806
__label__cc	0.609542	0.390458	Watershed CD Send $15 check to : MarinLink For Gallinas Watershed Council 5800 Northgate Mall, Suite 250 (includes S/H for USA) Pay by Credit Card or Paypal (includes S/H for USA plus $1 processing fee) Top 10 Albums of Marin 2014 Press Release Watershed Music CD Marin IJ: CD Review by Paul Liberatore Bay Nature Magazine: Singing the Praises of our Local Creeks Common Ground Magazine: Review by Lloyd Barde This unique album is sure to inspire and delight you with its water- and watershed-themed music. All proceeds from this album support our group’s efforts to protect Gallinas Creek watershed and other Marin County watersheds. GWC thanks the creators of this CD: artists who donated songs individuals who contributed time and expertise supporters and fans Who’s On the CD? Darol Anger & The Republic of Strings – Fiver Brown & The Good Sinners – Amber Cross – Alice DiMicele – Robin Flower & Libby McLaren – Kurt Huget – Evie Ladin – Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands – The Littlest Birds – Jeff Norman – Steep Ravine – Forest Sun WATERSHED CD review in Common Ground Magazine by Lloyd Barde About the Watershed CD This collection of mostly original songs by folk, pop and bluegrass musicians all celebrate water and watersheds. Some tunes convey the movement and energy of a stream in the music itself, while others address the impacts of human activity and development on our valuable and often threatened waterways and wetlands. Some compositions range into the realm of memory, testifying to the special place that creeks and rivers can hold in our lives as places of work, play, and spiritual replenishment. Finally, some artists offer water as a metaphor for important life experiences. Along with being a fantastic collection of music by supremely talented musicians, this album affirms the centrality of water in our lives, and the urgency of protecting healthy and vital watersheds. We titled this album Watershed: Music Inspired by the Place that Connects Us in the hope that the connections created by this album nurture a network that nourishes both our social “ecology” and the watersheds that sustain us, wherever we live. With global warming and the very real changes it is bringing to our global ecosystem, strong, vital and caring human communities that model the very principles of watersheds offer our best hope for the future. Many thanks to those who donated their time and expertise to this project: Thomas A. Cohen – Kurt Huget – Evie Ladin – Sue Mace – Jeffrey A. Moss, Esq. – Don Murphy – Jeff Norman – Bob Seeman – Stefan Thuilot – Don Zimmer, Floating Records Las Gallinas Creek with Mount Tamalpais in the background Artist Statements Kurt Huget – Glory Day Home watershed: Gallinas Creek I am fortunate to live near Las Gallinas Creek, so I get to see it every day. Its beauty has been a great source of inspiration to me for many years, and that’s why I wrote my song Glory Day. Laurie Lewis – Val’s Cabin Home watershed: Potter Creek/San Pablo Bay I was inspired to write my song about the Stanislaus River after my first rafting trip down the Tuolumne. That was twenty-plus years ago, and I repeat that trip every year. In 2013 it was cancelled due to the Rim Fire. Here’s a video of a this song: Amber Cross – San Joaquin Home watershed: Morro Creek I wrote this song when I was living in the Sierra foothills in the town of Prather, CA. One of my favorite places to hike there was the Squaw Leap Recreational Area, which is along the San Joaquin River, a ways above the Friant Dam. At that time there was talk about putting in another dam there, which would drown miles of trail and this historic site. I began researching the San Joaquin River and found out that due to overuse and poor agricultural practices, 60 miles of the river had gone underground. What used to be a river exploding with wildlife and wide lush and green banks, even a source of transportation for people living in the San Joaquin River valley, now was unrecognizable. The thought of further exploiting this valuable resource, the San Joaquin River, sparked me to write the song, as I think awareness needs to be brought to such issues. Forest Sun – Drops in the Ocean Home Watershed: Arroyo Corte Madera del Presidio This song was written in Austin, Texas, the day after South by Southwest. The line “I need a jump in the springs” refers to Barton Springs, a beautiful sanctuary and swimming hole in the middle of Austin. The title can be taken many ways. Emotionally. Spiritually. Physically. We are all made of water and there is no life here on earth without it. So let’s take care of our water! I’m glad that this music can help support awareness of our watersheds and honored to be a part of this project. Temescal Creek-near San Pablo 1970 Jeff Norman – Old Creek Home Watershed: Temescal Creek The inspiration behind my song is Temescal Creek, which passes—now in an underground culvert—not far from my home in Oakland, California. Over the years, I have heard stories from long-time residents about having grown up playing in the creek, when it still meandered in its natural stream bed through the various neighborhoods of north Oakland, and of their disbelief when the local flood control agency began to straighten and bury stretches of the creek in the 1960s. Despite what is now a massive concrete infrastructure—mostly invisible to us in Oakland’s flatlands—Temescal Creek still flows from high up in the Oakland hills to San Francisco Bay, carrying not only runoff when it rains but the potential to elicit in us the same deep connection to life and nature’s mystery that it has aroused in those living here throughout the millennia. Evie Ladin – Float Downstream I was walking through the woods in the eastern US, feeling nostalgic amongst long-familiar trees and smells we do not have on the west coast. The way the sunlight filtered through the leaves made me feel as if I were floating, and the song Float Downstream came to me all at once. I started singing it as I walked, then brought it to my banjo when I got back inside. It was a summer of swimming holes in rivers and natural spaces, scenes I cherish so much. Robin Flower & Libby McLaren – Mouth of Dillon Creek Home Watershed: Sausal Creek Dillon Creek runs into the Klamath River, a wonderful, long coastal river that runs through Oregon and Northern California. It is the second largest river in California. There has been a push for years to take down the dams to allow the salmon to return all the way up to the Klamath Lakes. Cerrito Creek above Stannage, June 2006 Don Murphy – Daylight My Culverted Soul Home Watershed: Cerrito Creek The sight of the beautifully restored Cerrito Creek never ceases to illuminate my notoriously culverted soul. This is especially so when I observe migrating warblers, kinglets or vireos along the pretty little stream, that had at one time deteriorated into a neglected drainage ditch at the southern end of the El Cerrito Plaza parking lot. I am very grateful to Friends of Five Creeks for its vision and persistence in the transformation of this historically important waterway that in the early 19th century marked the border between the Peralta family’s Rancho San Antonio to the south, and the Castro family’s Rancho San Pablo. Cerrito Creek still serves as the border between Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Walker River, Walker River Watershed David Huebner – Walkin’ River Home Watershed: Owens River In the summer I live not far from a river that runs out into the Great Basin. At the time I wrote this song, I was working up in the town of Coleville, Nevada, and camping along the Walker River. The river and its terminal lake used to support an incredible Lahontan cutthroat trout fishery, but due to the dramatically dropping lake level and overfishing of the river, the big Lahontan cutthroat trout are gone. Congress approved a bill appropriating $200 million to restore the Walker Basin and other desert lakes in Nevada several years ago, and hopefully someday there will once again be Lahontan trout in Walker Lake. The Littlest Birds Watershed CD producer Carla Koop with Sharon Martinson and David Huebner of The Littlest Birds Watershed CD producer Carla Koop was thrilled to enjoy a live performance by Sharon Martinson and David Huebner of The Littlest Birds at the SF Free Folk Festival on June 21st, 2014. At the festival, listeners were treated to a beautiful rendition of their song, “Elk River Blues,” and many others. Littlest Birds’ song “Walkin’ River is featured on our GWC WATERSHED CD. Alice DiMicele Alice’s song TAKE ME OUT ON THE WATER is featured on our WATERSHED CD. For more water-inspired music you can also pre-order Alice’s album “Swim” which comes out in 2015. David Kessler on June 10, 2014 at 4:15 pm It takes time to get familiar with an album, especially with an anthology in which unless one pays attention one doesn’t always follow which song is which. Right off the bat, however, Amber Cross’s keen voice and piercing lyrics stood out in the crowd. I went to her website and ordered her CD, which I think is outstanding. I’m sure I will enjoy many of the other cuts on the CD very much as well. Thanks for the work of putting this together!!! Judy Schriebman on February 20, 2017 at 12:20 pm It’s so hard to choose a favorite on this album! I love Daylight My Culverted Soul as we seek to restore our own culverted Gallinas Creek. I played this CD in my car over and over in the summer; fit the mood perfectly.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416808
__label__wiki	0.886852	0.886852	Nicaragua: Anti- and pro-government marches in Managua August 18 /update 40 18 Aug 2018 \| 08:04 PM UTC Anti- and pro-government marches planned in Managua August 18; heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions expected near demonstrations TIMEFRAME expected from 8/18/2018, 12:00 AM until 8/18/2018, 11:59 PM (America/Managua). COUNTRY/REGION Managua Warning Health Security Transportation Nicaragua Anti- and pro-government marches are planned in Managua on the afternoon of Saturday, August 18 (local time), some four months after anti-government unrest broke out on April 18. Anti-government protesters are expected to march from Rotonda Jean Paul Genie to Rotonda Santo Domingo, denouncing government claims that "normalcy" has largely returned to the country following months of protests and deadly clashes between pro-government forces and anti-government protesters; a government-sanctioned "countermarch" is expected to take place nearby, in downtown Managua. Further details regarding the planned marches are still emerging. A heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions are to be anticipated near the march routes. Clashes between pro- and anti-government demonstrators, as well as between anti-government protesters and security forces, cannot be ruled out. The current unrest, which began with small student protests in Managua, rapidly expanded. Regular protests have repeatedly led to deadly clashes, looting, and other violence. Human rights groups estimate that at least 317 people have been killed in relation to the protests since April, with thousands more wounded. Around 23,000 people have fled the country. Activists accuse the government and pro-government militias of committing serious human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, using weapons of war against protesters, arbitrary detentions, torture, excessive use of force, raiding homes without a warrant, and attacking the press. The World Medical Association (WMA) has also warned that the country's health system has collapsed amid the crisis, with hospitals reportedly turning away injured protesters and doctors pressured by the government to refuse care. The ongoing violence has also prevented health workers from carrying out mosquito-eradication efforts, increasing the risk of large-scale outbreaks of diseases such as dengue fever and malaria. Individuals in Nicaragua, particularly in Managua, are advised to closely monitor the situation, strictly avoid all protests due to the risk of violence and arrest, and adhere to any advice issued by their home governments. Some countries, including the US, the UK, and France continue to advise their citizens to postpone nonessential travel to the country until further notice. 19 Nov 03:19 PM UTC Nicaragua: Heightened security reported in Masaya November 18 26 Oct 03:01 PM UTC Nicaragua: Protests planned in and near Managua October 26 /update 2 25 Sep 11:17 AM UTC Nicaragua: Constant calls for anti-government protests despite bans /update 1 Nicaragua: Opposition group claims September 21 bridge explosion 19 Sep 01:00 PM UTC Nicaragua: Nationwide anti-government protests planned September 21 Central America: Massive power outage reported across four countries September 16 Nicaragua: Independence Day celebrations September 14-15 19 Aug 08:42 AM UTC Nicaragua: Opposition calls for nationwide vehicle stoppage August 20 Nicaragua: Nationwide general strike scheduled August 22-24 25 Jul 03:22 PM UTC Nicaragua: Students to stage protest in Managua July 25 19 Jul 09:33 AM UTC Nicaragua: Nationwide celebrations for revolution 40th anniversary 24 May 02:23 PM UTC Nicaragua: Nationwide anti-government protests expected May 24 /update 8 23 May 03:15 AM UTC Nicaragua: Opposition group calls for nationwide strike May 23 El Salvador/Nicaragua: 5.7-magnitude earthquake strikes offshore May 16 27 Apr 12:58 AM UTC Nicaragua: Demonstrations possible in Managua April 27 /update 7 Nicaragua: Police prevent protest in Managua April 17 /update 5 15 Apr 09:10 PM UTC Nicaragua: Opposition demonstration planned in Managua April 17 /update 4 Latin America: Disruptions expected surrounding Semana Santa April 14-21 Nicaragua: Rallies take place in Managua on April 6 despite postponed march /update 3 Nicaragua: Opposition demonstration planned in Managua April 6 /update 2 Nicaragua: Opposition coalition calls for new protests April 2-3 /update 1 29 Mar 03:52 PM UTC Nicaragua: Nationwide opposition protests planned March 30 23 Mar 05:11 AM UTC Nicaragua: Further opposition protests planned in Managua March 23 /update 2 Nicaragua Country Report Services Available for Nicaragua	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416809
__label__wiki	0.947891	0.947891	Genesis News Com [it] Live At Wembley Stadium (2003) Choose artist Simon Collins Armando Gallo Richard Macphail Daryl Stuermer Chester Thompson Who Dunnit? A History - 20 years of 'it' Genesis - Live At Wembley Stadium Four Nights At Wembley 1987 The record-breaking concerts are released as an almost perfect DVD On Monday, November 17, 2003 the third official Genesis DVD hit the stores. It is a compilation of four concerts Genesis played at London’s Wembley Stadium at the end of their Invisible Touch tour. Even before the DVD was released fans were divided about it. Some were happy that the film will finally be available on a digital medium, others were shocked that the In The Cage medley, which had already been missing from the video, will be missing from the DVD, too. The DVD therefore has the same track list as the video, plus an animated menu, an interactive tour program, a photo gallery and a tour documentary. When the DVD was released on the above-mentioned date it was immediately available at all good music highstreet and online shops. You may not be too impressed with the cover artwork because it’s carelessly designed. But when you unpack and open the DVD case the impression changes. There is a ten page booklet that includes credits and photos – just the thing the reviewer missed so much about the Way We Walk DVD. The plastic bit of the case is clear so that one can see the inside cover, too, on which there is a big live shot. You start the DVD and you are taken immediately into a lovingly designed animated menu that uses Do The Neurotic as a background music. The menu divides into four options: Concert (begins the show) Songs (select individual songs) Audio (choose between Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 and stereo) Extras (for the extra bits and photos) For the purposes of this review the dts 5.1 sound was selected, and it’s a very positive surprise. From the rear speakers you can hear the helicopter hovering over Wembley Stadium taking the aerial view. Then Mama begins, an acoustic triumph! After a moment of drum machine sound the band take the stage, the fans applaud and cheer on every speaker as Phil shows up. The images are very good. Compared to the VHS video it is very clear and free from the “milky” impression that was present on the video. After some four minutes Chester comes in on the drums and the subwoofer has some serious work to do. The sound is crisp, strong, dynamic. Mama is followed by Abacab and a first brief drum duel between Chester and Phil. Then Phil welcomes the audience and it becomes clear that this DVD is a clone of the video version. Domino and That’s All are performed and they sound better than ever thanks to the dts and the 5.1 sound. Sometimes a song presents whole new dimensions in the digital multi-channel sound, e.g. progressive Brazilian, pop Land of Confusion, a depressive Tonight Tonight Tonight and a wonderfully light Throwing It All Away. Home By The Sea includes the legendary Audience Participation Time, and it’s a pity that that was left off the Way We Walk. A brilliant Home By The Sea is followed by the title song of their then current album Invisible Touch. The fans cheer and applaud when the first chords of the song ring out, and that’s just the beginning: There’s the Drum Duet followed by Los Endos. The drums always come through the front speakers, the cheering audience mostly from the rear speakers. Los Endos is a very strong performance, it’s ending in particular is one of the highlights of this recording. After that there is the Turn It On Again medley and the final credits. The documentary is a mini film about the making of the Invisible Touch tour. Several members of the band are interviewed and they talk about the tour. There are also a couple of snippets from concerts earlier in the tour, including a very brief bit of the In The Cage medley (incl. Apocalypse in 9/8) that the band played on the American leg of their tour. The insightful documentary runs for some fifteen minutes. It should have been longer, though, but it is the same documentary that was on the 1988 Visible Touch video. The tour programme is a digital version of the 1987 tour programme. It contains photos, a list of the equipment the band members use and a text about [Genesis former manager] Tony Stratton-Smith who passed away in 1987. The photo gallery features a selection of fine photos of the stage show and a couple of hilarious group photos. TO SUM IT ALL UP All in all, this DVD is worth buying despite the missing In The Cage medley. There is little to criticize about technical aspects of the DVD. The images are clear and anamorphic, the sound is available in stereo, dts and Dolby Digital. As with most music DVDs, the dts sound is just a tad more dynamic and louder, and that’s why the reviewer prefers it. The extras are a bit meagre, but that’s acceptable since the DVD is brimful. The Genesis camp have learned to make full use of the DVD medium. While the Way We Walk DVD was suffering from a couple of technical flaws, the Live At Wembley Stadium DVD is a quantum leap in quality. It cannot be called “perfect”, however, because the In The Cage medley was left off. by Daniel Schwarz translated by Martin Klinkhardt Genesis - Trespass (CD) The 1970 studio album - remastered 2008. Review available Genesis - A Trick Of The Tail (CD) Remaster CD from 2007 with the new Stereo-Mix. New Italian Lamb book out soon New Genesis content 50 Years Ago: The first Genesis concert (26th October 1969) Tour dates: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Tour 1974-75 Jon Kirkman - …And The Lamb, Lies Down, On Broadway - book review ...And Then There Were Three - 40 years later: A reassessment The Waiting Room - TWR100: The Jubilee Magazine Edition - A review © 1991-2019 Genesis News Com [it] AllMyWeb SEO CMS	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416812
__label__cc	0.721084	0.278916	Matthew Raimundo Participate in the Genesys PureCloud Product Roadmap At Genesys, customer input is paramount to our feature planning and portfolio management processes. Constantly reviewing user feedback and product requests are critical to ensuring our product roadmap delivers maximum value to our customers. That’s why we’re so excited to announce the long-awaited Genesys PureCloud Ideas Lab. The PureCloud Ideas Lab is a great way for customers to interact with PureCloud product management and development teams. By submitting product suggestions and voting on ideas submitted by other PureCloud customers, you play a key role in deciding which product updates we build on the platform. As other PureCloud customers and partners vote and comment on newly submitted ideas, we’re better able to gauge the desirability of future product updates. Once an idea has enough community interest, the PureCloud product management team evaluates the request and determines its viability against the current product roadmap. While it’s not possible to implement every idea that is submitted, community involvement will play a key role in determining what is implemented. And if you want to see what cool PureCloud features are already planned for development or in the works, you can do that too. The PureCloud Ideas Lab lets you filter by status so you can see exactly what features and enhancements we plan to add, in addition to improvements we’ve already delivered. There are also quick filters that let you check out what’s trending and what’s popular. If you see that an idea you’re interested in is already on our roadmap, it’s still very valuable to our team for you to vote and comment on that idea. Voting on ideas that are currently planned or in progress lets us know those features are still in demand and should remain on our roadmap. Discussions within the community and newly submitted ideas that are similar in nature often lead to the discovery of better ideas or new use cases that ultimately help us deliver the best solution possible. When you submit your own idea, or when you vote on an idea that was proposed by someone else in the community, you automatically receive email notifications when there are updates. This includes state transition through the ideas lifecycle, new comments from the community and direct responses from the PureCloud product management team. If you’re a PureCloud customer, we invite you to participate in the Ideas Lab. First, make sure you have My Support access by sending a request by email to [email protected] or use this link: https://genesyspartner.force.com/customercare/RequestAccount. Next, go to the Genesys Knowledge Network, click on the “It looks like you own PureCloud” button at the top of the screen and then press the “Create Idea” button to enter the PureCloud Ideas Lab. Happy voting! CloudContact CenterPureCloud Matt Raimundo leads global release management for the PureCloud platform, ensuring new features are fully tested, documented, communicated, and ready for customer use. He plays an active role in portfolio management, providing processes and services to help product management and development teams manage and deploy releases into our production environment. How to Prepare Your Contact Center for 2020 Paige Mummert In the contact center business, you know how important it is to pay attention — and listen — to your customers. At Genesys,... The Secrets to Customer Experience Success in 2020 and Beyond Nancy Kirwan Welcome to the new year and the new decade. This is a milestone to make sure your experience is on track and resolve to fix the... How to Create an Omnichannel Customer Service Strategy Charlie Godfrey The key to creating a successful omnichannel customer service strategy is to continually focus on one keyword in that phrase —...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416813
__label__wiki	0.755777	0.755777	Stalin’s Cult in Georgia Stalin became a cult figure for those who had returned safe from the Second World War and their delighted families. Stalin was a winner. He was a generalissimo. Stalinism was born in Georgia in 1941 and was completely formed into a rigid ideology by 1945. Professor Simon Maskharashvili has more. GJ – How can you then explain the fact that the Soviet citizens committed amazing acts of heroism and self-sacrifice in the War, and they did all that in the name of Stain and Motherland? SM – The Second World War acts and episodes are abundantly described by writers and media. And answering your question, I would like to touch upon a couple of global issues. To cut a long story short, the strongest point of the Soviet regime was an utterly perfected and very subtle propaganda machine. As long as Georgians are concerned in particular, they really found themselves faced with genocide. And the situation still needs improvement after more than six and a half decades since the end of World War II. The reproduction process dramatically slowed down as a result of the War. If not for that immense human sacrifice, Georgia should have at least 15 million people today. The second worst thing that had happened was that Stalin became a real idol for those who had returned from war and for the bereft families too. As the saying goes, the winners would never be judged. Stalin was a winner and he was a generalissimo. An overwhelming psychological approach was formed about Stalin’s figure. The word went around that he actually was a great leader, especially in the eyes and hearts of those who for four years fought shoulder to shoulder with him against fascism. Stalinism was born in Georgia in 1941 and was completely molded into a rigid ideology by 1945. GJ – Had people forgotten so quickly the 1937 purges and atrocities? SM – Everything was overshadowed by the victory. Nobody wanted to remember the terrible years of 1921, 1924 and 1937. At the first glance, it was not too long between those years and the end of the War. The impression was that Georgians got afflicted with overwhelming amnesia. Even the families who had lost their dear ones in those years of the Stalinist depression had no desire to remember neither the past nor the relatives. Actually, the surviving members of those families were treated with such mistrust on part of the Soviet government that they were not even recruited to fight in the War. The parental memory was substituted by Stalin’s invincible and glorious image. The victory over fascism had put Stalin and Russia next to America and Britain and gave them the face of a progressive power. From psychological and moral stand, this was even more destructive than the physical sacrifice itself which the Georgian society had suffered not only in the War but also between the years of 1921 and 1945. The nation was left without scientists, artists, writers, public figures – they were just shot and gone. But the nation kept their memory forever. Ironically, Stalin became their mother, father and son, their writer, their scientist, public figure and all. Writing Stalin’s name like Jugashvili (his family name) was commonplace. Saying that Stalin was Georgian was a matter of pride. GJ – Georgians somehow stayed proud of Stalin for quite long, didn’t they? SM – Yes, there definitely was sense of identification with Stalin – the guy together with whom you fought the War and won something very significant... GJ – Shall we describe the feeling like an enchantment with the fact of participation in the process? SM – Maybe! When nothing is left, when all is taken away – the motherland, the progeny, the gene-pool, and when the nation’s fathers have long been dead, the only real thing that was left for Georgians to be proud of was the victorious generalissimo – an ethnic Georgian. This psychological turnaround had completely ruined the Georgian national cause. And this had continued all the way until the 9th of March of 1956. That was the day when the young defenders of Stalin’s name in Georgia were slaughtered by the death machine created by Stalin and shored up by the Soviet Army. In the years between 1945 and 1956 the Georgian national idea and cause was hopelessly defunct. Author: Madona Siharulidze What makes Georgian fashion distinctive? Georgian fashion and designers is becoming more and more recognizable, but what makes them unique? NDI: Majority of Georgians support EU, NATO membership Recent poll results released by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and CRRC Georgia revealed that the majority of respondents approve of the Government’s goal for Georgia to become a member of the European Union (EU) and NATO. NDI: Majority of Georgians say no political party is “closest to them” The U.S. National Democratic Institute (NDI) has today released the results of its public opinion survey. According to the survey, majority of the respondents say “no political party” is “closest to them”. Human Rights Watch: Impunity for abuse by law enforcement officials remaines a persistent problem in Georgia Impunity for abuse by law enforcement officials remained a persistent problem, - reads the Human Rights Watch Report 2020. HRW 2020 report: media landscape shaken, labour law still not sufficiently regulated in Georgia Human Rights Watch has published its 2020 report. The report includes information about media, judicial and political environment in Georgia. British Ambassador congratulates Georgian people on Kalanda British Ambassador to Georgia Justin McKenzie Smith congratulates Georgian people on Kalanda - Old style New Year. Civil Aviation Agency calls on airlines registered in Georgia to refrain from using the airspace of Iran and Iraq Georgia's Civil Aviation Agency calls on airlines registered in Georgia to refrain from using the airspace of Iran and Iraq Georgia celebrates orthodox Christmas Christmas in Georgia and in the Orthodox Christian countries is celebrated on the 7th of January. Part of the celebration is traditional Alilo March. Mayor Kakha Kaladze switches on Christmas Tree in Tbilisi Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze opened main Christmas tree in Tbilisi on the 25th of December. The tree was made in Milan and costs 304 848 Euros. Pope Francis invites Georgian Patriarch Ilia II to Vatican Pope Francis has sent a letter to Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II and commemorated the Patriarch's hospitality during his visit to Georgia three years ago. Death of 15 years old Luka Siradze sparks controversies in Georgia Opposition parties have issued a joint statement expressing their condolences over the death of 15 years old Luka Siradze. Premiere of the film “And then we danced” to be held amid possible unrest The premiere of the 2019 Swedish-Georgian drama film - And Then We Danced, directed by Levan Akin, is scheduled to be held at Tbilisi and Batumi cinemas today. Explosion after Possible gas leak in Tbilisi A natural gas leak is the suspected cause of an explosion that destroyed the part of a multi-storey residential building on Guramishvili Avenue in Tbilisi. Exclusive interview with Gail Elliott The name of Gail Elliott is known to anyone. She was among supermodels Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen and Claudia Schiffer in the 1990s. Mountaineer and pioneer: Nick Erkomaishvili In 1989 Nick Erkomaishvili and some friends agreed to guide a group of Swiss climbers to Mount Kazbek. This encounter led them to become the first Georgian tour operators. And they founded the one and only Georgian Mountain Guide School. Police in Tbilisi detain 11 for child pornography(Video) The Ministry of Internal Affairs has arrested 11 members of a criminal group on the charges of child trafficking and pornography. “She had schizophrenia” – Mother of the perpetrator of the 3-year-old boy speaks out On the 27th of August in Tbilisi an unknown woman suddenly approached to a three-year-old boy, walking with his parents and sister, and harmed his face with sharp instrument and escaped. Dead woman found in Tbilisi In Tbilisi suburb called Temka dead woman is found. According to unofficial information, the fire brigade was called by the neighbors. Nik West and Niko Kandelaki publish their wedding video Famous American singer Nik West and Georgian Niko Kandelaki got married on the 11th of May but have only just published pictures and video about their wedding. 16-year-old dies due to reanimobile technical problems 16-year-old boy, Luka Popkhadze, whose health condition worsened due to reanimobile ambulance vehicle technical problems, has died. He was in a coma for 41 days. Crashes and explosions heard on the Rustaveli Avenue(Video) Crashes and explosions heard on the Rustaveli Avenue, 3 year old child, stabbed by passer-by in Tbilisi, to be discharged from clinic today(Video) The 3 years old child, who was stabbed by a passer-by, will be discharged from Zhvania Clinic today, After ten days of filming Fast&Furious, Tbilisi citizens have something to joke about(Video) Filming of The Fast and the Furious 10 was started on the 18th of August in Georgia (It will take part in two cities – Tbilisi and Rustavi) and will last until the 20th of September. Guram Sudadze’s Georgian hand made cars There are people who make cars in their garages all around the world and Georgia is no exception. Georgian wine company “20%” against Russian occupation Ana Gabriadze and Nika Markozashvili are Georgian entrepreneurs living in the village of Ditsi near the occupation line. British singer Jessie J wearing Anouki Areshidze’s total look World famous British singer Jessie J has decided to wear clothes made by Anouki Areshidze, Georgian designer and wife of the mayor of Tbilisi. Georgia’s techno club Bassiani opens after being locked by police for 11 days Bassiani, one of the most popular underground clubs not only in Georgia but throughout Europe as well, has opened today Tourists from Philippines perform joyful dance at Georgia's popular sites An amazing video made in Georgia by tourists from the Philippines have gone viral on the internet. The first protest expressed through massive rave to electronic music in Tbilisi Over the recent two days May 12-13 Tbilisi city saw a peaceful protest rally in the center of the city. Citizens protest special operations conducted in Bassiani and Café Gallery clubs Hundreds of people took to the main street Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi to protest the raid in Tbilisi’s popular night clubs. Endangered bear cubs found in Tsageri handed over to Tbilisi Zoo Two bear cubs listed as endangered on the red list were handed over to Tbilisi Zoo, Tbilisi City Hall gifts food stand to a teenager street vendor with cerebral palsy Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and Deputy Tbilisi Mayor Ms. Sophio Khuntsaria have gifted a food stand Pamela Anderson rolling around in chair in Georgian designer’s cat sunglasses Pamela Anderson, famous Canadian American actress and model has appeared in the chic sunglasses by internationally acclaimed Georgian designer George Keburia. Shocking footage from accident site in Gudauri - Ropeway breakdown A ski lift accident in Georgia’s eastern Gudauri resort,in particular at Sadzele 5 lift, has left 8 people with injuries. Ski lift in Gudauri goes out of control The ski lift in Gudauri winter resort in Georgia has broke down in the aftermath of which several people have been injured.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416816
__label__cc	0.685767	0.314233	The family enterprise Getzner, Mutter & Cie. – a leading manufacturer of high-quality African apparel brocade and fashion fabrics – was founded in 1818 by Christian Getzner, Franz Xaver Mutter and Andreas Gassner. In 1980, the textile segment of Getzner, Mutter & Cie. was spun off as an independent company, taking the legal form of an incorporated company. This established Getzner Textil AG as one of the largest colour weaving mills in the world. Getzner Textile’s success is a direct result of unrivalled technological know-how and continuous product improvement. This ensures unsurpassed flare and fashionable designs in Getzner’s Fashion Fabrics. In 2013, Getzner became much closer to the customer through the acquisition of Ernex – an Austrian embroidery company, which has been operating in the African market since 1963. The first Getzner boutique turned out to be a great success, outgrowing its premises after only three years. Two further acquisitions were made in Lustenau, the first was Albert Bösch, an embroidery company and pioneer in the African market, which led to expansion of the sales floor and the range of African textiles. The second was Christex, which saw the integration of a successful and young team into the boutique’s management and sales teams. The new Getzner Boutique opened for customers following one year of construction, and offers more than 1,000 square metres of retail and storage space for a wide range of African textiles. Getzner Textil Handel GmbH – Boutique Am Böhler 12 A-6890 Lustenau boutique@getzner.at T: +43-5577-84641-0 F: +43-5577-84641-7	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416817
__label__cc	0.685465	0.314535	Franklin at night (photo essay) Friday was a good day to take a walk in the dark and check out the lights on the Town Common and along Main St/West Central St. The Town Common just before the lights turned on The Civil War single soldier monument The World War I doughboy before the tree lights came on and then there were lights (just after 5:00 PM) downtown near the main cross walk by the PO,Dean, Rockland and FSPA while the lights look good, Dean's clock is "out for repair"? Labels: dean bank, lighting, town common Franklin Cultural Council to Partner With Spring 2018 ArtWeek Festival The Franklin Cultural Council (FCC) announced today that it has been named a collaborator for the upcoming ArtWeek festival happening April 27 – May 6, 2018. Applications for the festival are now available at artweekma.org. The early bird deadline to submit an ArtWeek event is January 8, 2018 and the final deadline is February 28, 2018. ArtWeek is an award-winning innovative festival featuring hundreds of unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, interactive or offer behind-the-scenes access to arts, culture, and the creative process. Now an annual statewide festival, ArtWeek was born in Boston in 2013 and recently expanded its footprint across the Commonwealth. "Franklin has one of the most vibrant arts scenes in MetroWest," says FCC Chair Stacey David. "Our role as a collaborator is to help artists, performers and venues partner together to create a really memorable ArtWeek festival showcasing their amazing talent and resources to the rest of the region. We are pleased to announce that the Franklin Public Library, Rec Department, Franklin Arts Academy at the high school, and many more organizations will be offering unique ArtWeek programs." Presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek offers new ways to experience art, culture, and creativity. This year, Mass Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism have joined ArtWeek as Lead Champions in this unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on the state’s creative economy. “We are thrilled to have organizations like the Franklin Cultural Council partnering with ArtWeek this season,” said Josiah A. Spaulding, Jr., President & CEO of the Boch Center. “ArtWeek is an innovative festival that works to spotlight how the creative economy is thriving in Massachusetts. Each year ArtWeek showcases unique experiences spanning dance, fashion, media arts, spoken-word, poetry, writing, culinary, visual arts, music, opera, theater, design, film, and more. And the best part is that many of the events are free, making it affordable and accessible to everyone!” The Franklin Cultural Council is offering ArtWeek grants of up to $250 each for programs that are offered free of charge to the public. Grant applications are open now, and close Jan. 9, 2018. If you are an interested artist, educator, performer or venue that would like help creating an ArtWeek event, or for information on ArtWeek grants, please email FCC Chair Stacey David at franklinculturalcouncil02038@gmail.com. For more information on ArtWeek, visit www.artweekma.org. About the Franklin Cultural Council — The mission of the Franklin Cultural Council (FCC) is to encourage participation and enhance opportunities for enrichment in the cultural arts and sciences throughout our community. Comprised of committed residents, the FCC meets monthly with the purpose of supporting events and programs through grants from the Town of Franklin, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Labels: ArtWeek, cultural council 2017 FHS Hockomock League Volleyball and Golf All Stars HockomockSports has published the 2017 Hockomock League Volleyball and Golf All Stars selected by the coaches in the league. The FHS student athletes selected are shown here. Links to the complete listing are also provided. HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE MVP = Sydney Phillips, King Philip HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE ALL STARS Meaghan Maguire, Franklin Lauren McGrath, Franklin HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE MVP = Jack Goyetch, Canton Bryan Woelfel, Franklin The complete Volleyball All Star listing https://hockomocksports.com/the-2017-hockomock-league-volleyball-all-stars/ The complete Golf All Star listing https://hockomocksports.com/the-2017-hockomock-league-golf-all-stars/ FHS Panthers Labels: all-stars, FHS, golf, Hockomock, Panthers, volleyball Tri-County: The TC Insider Hello Tri-County Community, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We have a great deal to be thankful for at TC. We recently inducted 18 members into our National Honor Society. This year's inductees bring some outstanding academic and career accomplishments to the Chapter. Congratulations to all the parents and students inducted. We look forward to recognizing our Fall athletes in the next couple weeks. There were several league and divisional all-stars in various sports. We'll have more on that in our next issue. First term has now ended. We begin the second quarter and our Winter sports season this week. Hockey, wrestling, and basketball are all underway with hundreds of students participating in these activities. Tonight, November 30th at 7PM we will hold parent teacher conferences. We have implemented an online reservation system that we hope has made the process of speaking to the faculty easier and more efficient. I look forward to seeing many of you here tonight. Our annual Showcase Spectacular is scheduled for this coming Saturday, December 2nd. Tri-County will be open to the public and we have a bunch of great activities happening throughout the school. This is our third Showcase and we look forward to welcoming all of you into the school for a visit. Thanks for your support, Mr. Procaccini Tri-County Showcase Spectacular is Fast Approaching: Our annual Showcase Spectacular will be on Saturday, December 2nd, from 10 AM to 1 PM. This is a great opportunity for your family and friends to learn more about the career-focused vocational technical education your child is receiving here at Tri-County. This free community event includes a variety of activities, interactive demonstrations, food prepared by our Culinary Arts program, and great door prizes. We hope you can join us and would appreciate your help in spreading the word! First Cuts @ Tri-County Grand Opening Showcase Spectacular December 2 @ 10 AM National Honor Society Food and Clothing Drive Gerry's Place International Buffet Winter Holiday Vacation AAA Driver Training 40 Year Celebration Dinner Golf Tourmament About The TC Insider The TC Insider is a biweekly newsletter for the families of Tri-County students. View Email In Browser Tri-County RVTHS 147 Pond Street www.tri-county.us Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District · 147 Pond Street · Franklin, Ma 02038 · USA Note: this newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full set of contents View this link in your Browser Labels: newsletter, tri-county In the News: fire fighter health issues; coyote population on rise; Cape Wind ceases operation "For firefighters across the country, there is a growing realization that a major danger they face lies not just in the flames they battle, but in the fumes they breathe and the toxic soot they touch. “I can’t think of a fire department or firefighter who doesn’t know someone who’s gone through battling cancer or been touched by cancer or sadly had a death too close to home,” said Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey. “We’re really trying to sound the alarm on this and make sure people are conscious of this.” In Massachusetts, the issue of cancer rates for firefighters resurfaced earlier this fall, when Arlington Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Porciello and Watertown Fire Chief Mario Orangio died within a month of each other due to cancers likely related to their work." http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171201/firefighters-battle-hidden-risk-of-cancer Franklin's West Central St fire station at night "Once completely foreign to Massachusetts, coyotes have become increasingly common throughout the state, turning up in rural, suburban, and even, urban areas. “We’re now pretty well saturated with coyotes in this state,” said Dave Wattles, a biologist with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. “They started to colonize this state in the 1950s, and we’re now seeing the far end of that colonization. We now have coyotes in every mainland town in the state, and in relatively high densities. All available habitat is occupied by coyotes. While physical encounters with people are uncommon, the topic of coyote attacks in Massachusetts gained new attention in November after a rabid coyote attacked two people in North Attleboro. The Nov. 20 incident represents the eighth and ninth coyote attacks on humans since the 1950s." http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171201/coyote-population-saturates-massachusetts "Cape Wind is ceasing development of its wind farm and giving up its federal lease, according to the Cape Cod Times. Once well positioned to become the nation’s first off-shore wind farm, the project has been buffeted by legal challenges and trapped in financial doldrums. “Cape Wind has confirmed to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that it has ceased development of its proposed offshore wind farm project in Nantucket Sound and has filed to terminate its offshore wind development lease that was issued in 2010,” Cape Wind vice president Dennis Duffy told the Times." http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171201/cape-wind-gives-up-on-plan-for-nantucket-sound-wind-farm Labels: fire fighter, health, Milford Daily News, Wind power, wind turbine Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 12/1/17 - THU 12/7/17 FRIDAY 12/1/17 2pm Tech Help with Horace Mann Students @ Senior Center 8pm Black Box Jazz: Mark White Octet CD Release Party @ The Black Box SATURDAY 12/2/17 9am-12pm 2017 Holiday Extravaganza @ Franklin YMCA 9am-2pm Christmas Fair @ St. John’s Episcopal Church 10am-1pm Showcase Spectacular Open House @ Tri-County RVTHS 10:30am Fairy Tale Event! @ Franklin Public Library 1pm Tinkergarten Free Trial Class @ Fairmount Fruit Farm 2pm Bubbles and Bark @ Pour Richard’s Wine and Spirits 7:30pm The Nutcracker @ Franklin High School SUNDAY 12/3/17 12pm Autism Eats and Dell Lunch with Santa @ Restaurant 45 in Medway 2pm The Nutcracker @ Franklin High School MONDAY 12/4/17 11am Book Discussion Group @ Franklin Senior Center TUESDAY 12/5/17 10am-1pm Busy Bees Holiday Craft Fair @ Senior Center 6-9pm Franklin Garden Club Holiday Auction (open to public) @ Senior Center 6pm ASMS Winter Concert @ ASMS WEDNESDAY 12/6/17 5:30-7:30pm Annual Holiday Shop @ Parmenter Elementary School 6:30pm YA DystopiaBook Club @ Franklin Public Library 7pm Franklin Art Association Meeting @ Franklin Senior Center 7pm FHS Winter Concert @ FHS THURSDAY 12/7/17 9:30am Baby Tummy Time! (ages 0-18 months) @ Franklin Public Library 10:30am Story and Craft (ages 3 to 6) @ Franklin Public Library 4-7pm Downtown Partnership Holiday Stroll @ Downtown Franklin 6pm RMS Winter Concert @ Remington MS 7pm Decoding European Wine Labels @ Franklin Liquors Guide to Holiday Lights and Events (includes Franklin, MA) click HERE. MYFM 101.3/WMRC-First Class Radio Receives Two Prestigious Awards From Massachusetts Broadcasters Association MyFM 101.3 announced today that it, and its staff, are the recipients of two prestigious awards from the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association. The radio station, which serves the market between Boston, Worcester, and Providence, received the Station of the Year merit award. Also, station on-air personality and MyFM's "Mr. Everything," Ray Auger, was honored with the "Above and Beyond" award. The Station of the Year award is presented annually by the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association to the most outstanding radio station in the Commonwealth, and is open to all of the more than 180 radio stations in the Commonwealth. The merit "Station of the Year" is awarded to a Massachusetts radio station that exemplifies overall excellence in all phases of operation. This year's judges, members of the Alaska Broadcasters Association, cited MyFM 101.3's extraordinary growth of audience and client base. But most importantly, stating that MyFM was the epitome of localism in broadcasting, and providing exceptional service to their listeners, community officials and local organizations. Jordan Walton, President of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association said, "MyFM is a shining example of what a radio station, hyper-focused on their local community, can accomplish." This is the 6th time that MyFM 101.3/WMRC-First Class Radio has won Station of the Year. "We are humbled and honored to be recognized again by the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association," says MyFM President Tom McAuliffe. "I've been part of this community for more than 27 years and look forward to serving it for many more." The second accolade bestowed upon MyFM, the Above and Beyond award, was granted to My FM's "Mr. Everything" Ray Auger. The Association noted Auger's combined involvement in the local music scene and his status at MyFM/WMRC to help deliver new forms of artistic culture and fundraising support to the area. By becoming involved with local organizations, he uses his relationships and broadcasting skills to serve his community in an effective and entertaining fashion. In addition to his regular duties as a radio host, producer and promotions director, and so much more, Auger serves on the board of directors for Milford TV and Milford Performing Arts Center. He also hosted numerous community fundraising events, and weekly and monthly open mics and socials. Walton added, "Ray Auger is the driving force behind much of the local content that MyFM provides listeners in the Greater Milford area. His tireless efforts to make a difference are why his station is thriving and why he deserved to be named our "Above and Beyond" award winner in 2017." MyFM 101.3 is the sister station of WMRC-First Class Radio, which is one of the oldest locally owned and operated broadcast stations in Massachusetts. The company was purchased in 1990 by Tom McAuliffe, Sr. who was committed to the philosophy that a strong local radio station makes a strong connection to the community. His son, Tom McAuliffe II, took over as President in 2008 making the radio station the area's first choice for local news, weather, sports, traffic and community events. MYFM 101.3/WMRC-First Class Radio Receives Two Prestigious Awards Labels: awards, Milford, MyFM, radio, WMRC 2017 FHS Hockomock League Cross Country All Stars HockomockSports has published the 2017 Hockomock League Boys and Girls Cross Country All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league. The FHS student athletes selected are shown here. Links to the complete listing are also provided. Considering that the varsity team is 7 members for Franklin to get 4 girls and 6 boys listed is quite an accomplishment! HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE MVP = Abby Hassman, Foxboro Katrina Albert, Franklin Nicole Clermont, Franklin Kate Hartnett, Franklin Sydney Hawkins, Franklin HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE MVP = Kalin Petrov, Mansfield Tyler Brogan, Franklin Hayden Goldsmith, Franklin Camden Harrington, Franklin Dylan Kehoe, Franklin Paul Linehan, Franklin Mitchell Regan, Franklin The complete Girls All Star listing https://hockomocksports.com/2017-hockomock-league-girls-cross-country-all-stars/ The complete Boys All Star listing https://hockomocksports.com/2017-hockomock-league-boys-cross-country-all-stars/ Posted by Steve Sherlock 1 comment: at 12/01/2017 05:40:00 AM Labels: all-stars, cross country, FHS, Hockomock, Panthers “We keep our eye on these matters all the time” "A recent investigation into potential mold at the Horace Mann Middle School came up negative for any mold spore. AcuHealth Inc. conducted the inspection and testing on Nov. 9. They conducted visual, air, and wall cavity tests all of which indicated there was no mold in the building. The report, released earlier this week, also says there’s no water damage, visible mold growth, or discernable odor. Air quality numbers were normal, and no action was recommended from AcuHealth. The concerns arose from members of the Horace Mann Middle School community that became suspicious of mold development. The suspicions partially stem from a period of time where the structure was openly exposed to the elements." http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171130/inspection-negative-for-mold-at-horace-mann-middle-school Horace Mann-Oak St Complex entrance Labels: Horace Mann, Milford Daily News, Superintendent FPAC: Thank you for your support on #GivingTuesday! Thank you for your support of FPAC on Giving Tuesday! We are happy to announce that we exceeded our goal and raised $3099.00 for equipment to help us light the stage at THE BLACK BOX!! We are excited that with your support, we are able to purchase a follow spot and several lighting instruments to enhance our theatrical lighting system. To our FPAC village - we are exceedingly grateful and look forward to seeing you at one of the holiday productions still to come in 2017. We wish you happy holidays filled with wonderful music and great live entertainment! Click to view this email in a browser 15 West Central Street Franklin, Massachusetts 02038 Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy. Labels: #givingTuesday, FPAC, thank you Franklin Cultural Council to Partner With Spring 2... 2017 FHS Hockomock League Volleyball and Golf All ... In the News: fire fighter health issues; coyote po... Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 12/1/17 ... MYFM 101.3/WMRC-First Class Radio Receives Two Pre... FPAC: Thank you for your support on #GivingTuesday... Bubbles & Bark - Dec 2 - 2 to 5 PM - A Fundraiser... Circle of Friends Coffeehouse: Winterbloom Holiday... Lifelong Learning: Brunch Workshop - Idea-Filled &... Southern Rail Bluegrass Christmas Concert - Dec 9 In the News: FHS Class of 1968; "paper-palooza" dr... Timeless Women's FIT Boxing - new session starting... Live reporting: Snow-Ice presentation Live reporting: Legislation for action Franklin Newcomers and Friends annual Yankee Swap ... Fashions of The WW II Era - Dec 10 Cub Scouts Annual Pancake Breakfast - Dec 2 Franklin SEPAC: Movie Night - Thursday, Nov 30 Request for Proposal - Computer Aided Dispatch Sof... In the News: school start times discussion; Hopkin... Live reporting: Discussion Only Items Tri-County RVTHS Invites the Community to Annual S... #GivingTuesday options In the News: veterans walkway bricks for sale; mun... IR-2017-193, National Tax Security Awareness Week,... Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - 6:00 PM,... In the News: home heating assistance; 12 days of d... Norfolk County Registry of Deeds: Register O'Donne... Turkey Trot 5K results - #givingTuesday - Franklin... “We’ve developed a pretty unique model to make sur...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416820
__label__wiki	0.789074	0.789074	Hard Rubber Orchestra - Kenny Wheeler: Suite for Hard Rubber Orchestra featuring Norma Winstone (JTR, 2018) *½ Thursday, February 28, 2019 Big band 2 comments By Kian Banihashemi Kenny Wheeler's output as an artist is one that should be greatly admired. He collaborated with nearly everyone; from members of the jazz avant-garde to artists like David Sylvian. He remained busy playing and composing until the last year of his life, and even then his legacy remains forever in works such as this. The Vancouver based Hard Rubber Orchestra is a jazz orchestra that mostly tours Canada, playing original compositions a few times per year. This recording from 2016 is material that Wheeler composed for the group along with singer, and longtime Wheeler collaborator, Norma Winstone. My experience with Wheeler's music has been mostly centered around his ECM recordings, a label in which his music has served to support and expand its aesthetic. The 1976 album Gnu High served as my entry point into the ECM and Wheeler catalogs; it's an important record that showcases Wheeler's improvisational ability in a small setting. When I got around to the nearly two hour long Music for Large & Small Ensembles, I was blown away by the sheer composing power and intimacy Wheeler was able to produce in a "big band" environment. I see that same composing capability on this album, performed by some of Canada's finest and most dedicated jazz musicians. The suite is made up of five sections with three improvisational duos in between. Lasting for about half an hour, this album seems to go by in the blink of an eye. The whole recording has a rich bombastic sound that transports the listener to the the dynamic atmosphere of a concert. "Movement I" leads with a swaying saxophone that is eventually joined with the array of horns, piano, and drums. Norma Winstone joins the conversation; her wordless vocals stimulate a back-and-forth that the other musicians eagerly respond to. Winstone's airy siren song builds in intensity until broken by a soulful, moody saxophone. This theme continues until the high energy finally, finishing up the longest movement on the album. One could mistake this as the finale, but the following bass and trumpet improvisation helps trigger a mysterious and anxious setting. The next two movements breath even more life into the music, Winstone and the trumpet solo on "Movement II" seem to be reaching up into sky beyond this terrestrial performance. There's quite a bit of swing going on here especially throughout "Movement III", as the music takes on an almost prideful summer feel. Winstone basks in this warm sunshine and leads the orchestra to rejoice in this same aura and comfort. By this point I felt thoroughly surprised and ecstatic about this suite as a whole. I expected this to be a horn or trumpet heavy album, but in reality it's quite well rounded and eclectic in soloing and style. While all three of the improvisation sections do contain a trumpet, the duos are diverse in their approach and form. My favorite of these has to be "Improvisation II", as the piano and trumpet players seem to be on two totally different streams of thought. Normally I wouldn't find this to be preferable, yet they both find common ground and finish off as almost one entity. In those three minutes, these two talented musicians provide a narrative that is cinematic and engaging. "Improvisation II" is representative of the whole suite; while this album may take uncertain twists and turns, it always reaches the ideal destination. "Movement IV" expands upon that idea with smooth horn sections leading directly to a lamenting piano and mournful trumpet. The rhythm section adapts well too, as they're not as limited as they initially appear from the first few movements. There's a deeper dynamic going on that isn't readily heard on the first listen. "Improvisation III" focuses more on the trumpet and is probably the closest this record gets to achieving the atmospheric mood of ECM. The last movement sums up the performance in a very fulfilling manner, making some connections to the first movement along the way. The ending moments are respectfully grand without being pushy or excessive. In many ways I wish this record was longer and that even more dynamic experimentation was displayed. Yet the short length allows multiple, relaxed listening sessions within a manageable period of time. Even after all these listens the music remains fresh, as if just plucked ripe from the tree of Wheeler compositions. While there isn't a clear focus on any certain musician or section, my ears gravitate towards the trumpet solos and Norma Winstone's voice. I'm sure there's some bias in there, but I also believe that without the necessary reinforcement their efforts would not be successful as they are. Thankfully those elements are present and serve as an integral support system for the risks that Winstone and the soloists are allowed to take. With all these creative excursions, one also discovers the captivating melodies that pitch their tents in the listener's ears. I often found myself humming some of the themes and musical phrases days after listening to this, without any sort of prompting. This suite is an excellent culmination of Wheeler's musical experience throughout his life, resulting in music that is exploratory while appealing to a broad audience. I'm not a huge fan of "big band" or jazz orchestras, but I trusted Kenny Wheeler to deliver and he surely did. This is not niche music, it's music for those who love to feel and are willing to take some risks along the way. Wheeler's music deserves to be played by talented devotees who translate his ideas into every note they put out. Hard Rubber Orchestra does exactly that. The Way Ahead - Bells, Ghosts, and Other Saints (Clean Feed, 2019) ½ Wednesday, February 27, 2019 1 comment By Derek Stone The Way Ahead: André Roligheten tenor saxophone and clarinet \| Kristoffer Alberts alto and baritone saxophone \| Niklas Barnö trumpet \| Mats Äleklint trombone \| Mattias Ståhl vibraphone \| Ola Høyer double bass \| Tollef Østvang drums There has been no shortage of projects influenced either directly or indirectly by visionary saxophonist Albert Ayler; from guitarist Noël Akchoté’s spare, captivating interpretations to the raucous redesigns that Healing Force give to Ayler’s late period, such projects give testament to the immense power that pulses in every syllable of Ayler’s ecstatic musical language. On Bells, Ghosts, and Other Saints, Scandinavian septet The Way Ahead draw on this language for inspiration; they borrow certain syntactical elements seen time and time again in Ayler’s music, “Aylerisms” if you will, but shape those elements into distinctly their own. One of the aforementioned Aylerisms that makes itself felt throughout the record is an exploration of melodies that, while compositionally quite simple, lurch to-and-fro with a barely-contained sense of exultation and frenzy. The closer “Bells, Ghosts and Other Saints” is perhaps most explicit in its homage to Ayler; its central theme swaggers by like a drunkard at a victory march, with all of the celebratory swaying and shouted hurrahs that entails. In many of the compositions, there’s a sense of things hanging together by the merest of threads. Opener “Eclipse” illustrates this well: throughout the piece, each player seems to be locked into their own frenetic monologue - on first listen, it’s not entirely clear how the different voices relate to each other, or if they do at all. Nevertheless, close attention (and the the way that the composition itself stumbles into coherence) reveals the mad logic underlying everything; like a Cubist painting that’s been cut up into pieces, scattered about, and reconstituted from memory - there’s a structure here, but one would be hard-pressed to abstract from it an easily parsable blueprint. Not all of the pieces are so hectic. “Lakenskrekk” moves at an unhurried pace, its central theme more romantic than rowdy. After evocative solos from tenor saxophonist Roligheten and bassist Høyer, trombonist Äleklint engages in a fluid, almost comic soliloquy that serves to undercut the otherwise somber atmosphere. “Tåkefyrste” is a brief foray into darkness, and is perhaps more downtrodden and sinister than anything Ayler ever recorded - nevertheless, it serves as a palette-cleanser, preparing the listener for the rollicking big-band explosion of “Skremmerud.” Here, after a recitation of the central melody, it’s off to the races - with Høyer and Østvang providing the foundation (which is probably better likened to a ship’s swaying deck), the players engage in feverish repartee. Tributes to Ayler may be somewhat common, but ones that make an attempt to grapple with the underlying spirit of his music (while simultaneously saying something new) are not so easy to find. On Bells, Ghosts and Other Saints, the Way Ahead show that “tribute” need not be shorthand for rote repetition and a fixation on the monumental figures of the past - here, these seven formidable players from Norway and Sweden take Ayler’s unabashedly American music and imbue it with their own idiosyncratic touch, creating something fresh and incredibly enjoyable to listen to. Jessica Pavone - In the Action (Relative Pitch, 2019) Tuesday, February 26, 2019 No comments By Eyal Hareuveni In the Action is the third solo viola album of New York-based experimental composer-improviser Jessica Pavone following Knuckle Under (Taiga records, 2014) and Silent Spills (Relative Pitch, 2016). She is also known from her singer-songwriter duo with guitarist Mary Halvorson, her work with Anthony Braxton's Tri-Centric Orchestra, the art-rock group JOBS, and her own String Ensemble. Pavone describes her intimate relationship with the viola as "larger-than comfortable”, and indeed, this short album (only 27-minutes long) emphasizes her idiosyncratic aesthetics. You may find yourself drawn into a minimalist universe characterized by its very own senses of time, space - the tangible, physical space between Pavone and the viola - and her belief that cultivating a strong physical body is a core part of her creative process - as well as the space of the recording studio, and the strange but engaging sounds and noises. Pavone composed four distinct pieces for In the Action, all employing extended bowing techniques, and focusing on in repetition, song form, and sympathetic vibration, with clever usage of effects. The first one "Oscillatory Salt Transport" suggests a series of gentle, resonating waves that somehow bridge between the strict, highly disciplined minimalism of New York and sensual, folk melodies of the British isles. This piece actually refers to the waves of the ocean and how they are essentially pushing salt around the world, as mirroring cycles that occur in nature. On "And Maybe in the End" Pavone morphs a series of chords produced by strumming the viola strings through a chain of effects, suggesting a delicate and quite emotional ripples of electronic haze. "Look Out - Look Out - Look Out" changes the atmosphere drastically and the acoustic sounds of the viola are processed and mutated so heavily that only repetitive, buzzing patterns of beating industrial noises are left, but as a kind of hypnotic spells from a friendly planet. The last title-piece was performed in a single take and here the acoustic viola of Pavone corresponds with a prepared electronic drone, patiently disciplines the noisy drone into evocative, song-based texture. In the Action by Jessica Pavone Canadian Composers Series Part II (Another Timbre, 2018) * Monday, February 25, 2019 No comments By Nick Ostrum “Canada is so vast, with so much distance between cities, and it is so far from most other countries; we are largely unexamined by the world, for the most part, left alone to explore and experiment. Maybe it means we have a harder time having our work appear on the stages of Europe or the US, but I have a sense that I can work unfettered, without having to fit into any particular aesthetic frame.” – Linda Catlin Smith With the Canadian Composers Series, Another Timbre has taken on a mammoth project: introducing the world (read: people such as myself) to a sophisticated and vibrant creative music scene that is consistently overshadowed by larger, more established (or maybe just more famous) ones in the United States, Britain, and continental Europe. When one thinks of avant-garde music, one tends not to think of Canada first. This series challenges such biases. In fact, rather than taking Canada’s liminality as a weakness, these discs highlight how the resultant lack of a hegemonic national style - whether endogenous or exogenously imposed - is an important defining feature of contemporary Canadian composition. As Nick Storring’s illuminative liner notes point out, the power of Canada’s contemporary music scene resides in its positionality between Europe and the United States, alternately an affinity with and “sense of detachment from the competitive hubbub” of these poles. It is “stereotypically Canadian: peripheral and observational, with a tendency to quietly gather these various competing ideas and try to synthesize them.” It has “fortified the nation’s inward focus” and produced a unique “plurality of unconventional directions” both a part of and apart from the wider western musical world. Indeed, this second installment of the Canadian Composers Series lends veracity to this assessment. Although there are personal ties and even stylistic similarities among some of these composers (Rudolf Komorous and Christopher Butterfield, neither of whom is featured on these releases, are noted mentors to the majority of the artists featured here), there is no “school” represented. But, there are trends. There is a tendency toward quiet and minimalism that reflects a vastness reminiscent of the mid-century New York School vanguard. There are echoes of Steve Reich-styled phasing and an insistent focus on the melodic and tonal fragments that ultimately and sometimes surreptitiously make up the whole. The music is unquestionably contemporary and avant-garde, but somehow less gratingly or intentionally so than some other contemporary music that seems to push boundaries for the sake of pushing boundaries rather than in pursuit of a desired aesthetic effect. Cassandra Miller – O Zomer! (Another Timbre, 2018) Cassandra Miller – About Bach (Another Timbre, 2018) Cassandra Miller offers two single-disc contributions (performed by Quatuor Bozzini , Apartment House, Mira Benjamin, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra) to this collection which, in their diversity and overall effect, may serve as a case-in-point. The title piece to her first, “O Zomer!,” begins with a soft, simple, repeating series that fades in and out. As instruments slowly join over the next four minutes, a rhythm emerges. Then, at around 4 and a half minutes, cacophony breaks out and continues until a retreat to the pulsing of the first few minutes at the piece’s conclusion. The second track involves gradually developing melancholic piano and whistling. The third, an engrossing solo violin deconstruction and contorted reinterpretation of Kurt Cobain’s vocals on “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” The fourth, a forceful, but, again, phasing statement of cello and orchestral wandering and fanfare. Miller’s other contribution, Just So is performed by the chamber quartet Quatuor Bozzini and consists of similar types of explorations of incremental building and phased repetition. “Warblework,” one of the most impactful tracks on this disc, is a meandering exploration of ebbs and flows, upper and lower tonal registers, and (surprise, surprise) instrumental warbling. “About Bach,” another standout piece that is a rearrangement/reinterpretation of the chorale from JS Bach’s Chaconne, consists of a theremin-like whistling and repeating viola that builds a theme around which the rest of the quartet harmonizes and prances. Linda Catlin Smith – Wanderer (Another Timbre, 2018) Linda Catlin Smith’s recording, Wanderer, is similarly minimalist and entrancing. Compositions are performed by different configurations of the ensemble Apartment House. On tracks such as “Morning Glory,” one hears echoes of Philip Glass and Stravinsky. On others, such as the second, John Cage seems the clear inspiration. Common to these tracks are a tenderness and softness, sometimes broken by stunted piano chords or fanfare. Melodies often fall in and out of unison. Many display a meandering, Feldman-esque circuity. Pieces such as “Sarabande” make consist of an ethereal harpsicord around which the ensemble wends a billowing, eerie path. (This track in particular brings to mind Magnus Granberg’s work.) “Velvet” is a dramatic conversation of two pianos conducted through sweeping, spacious fragments of scalar melody. The final track, “Light and Water,” consists simply of percussion and cello, and, as the other pieces, derives its power and beauty from its simplicity and aesthetic wistfulness. Alex Jang – momentary encounters (Another Timbre, 2018) The youngest of the composers featured in this collection, Alex Jang contributes a selection of intriguingly bare pieces performed by Apartment House. The first, “Momentary Encounters,” consists of field recordings (presumably of a park) and a humming solo clarinet. As field recordings do at their aleatory best, the blare of a horn on a barge passing outside my window briefly merged into the recorded soundscape almost unnoticed before it blended into the song’s underlying ambiance and disappeared altogether. I like this piece, though, at 15 minutes, the recordings of muffled voices and other background sounds lose some of their effect. The next two pieces accompany each other well. The first, “any three players,” consists of melodica, vibraphone, and cello playing elongated tones. Between the notes and their resonance, this song evoked the slow mapping of the tortuous staircases of MC Escher or the blueprints of detritus in William Monghan canvas: it flows in untraceable patterns in all directions. The following piece, seems a stripped-down version of the previous, consisting of sparse short metallic bursts from a guitar and evoking Wandelweiser-style minimalissimus. The final track has the largest configuration of instruments (five!) and is the most active and melodic. It is reminiscent of the work of Smith and is no less effective. Lance Austin Olsen – Dark Heart (Another Timbre, 2018) Lance Austin Olsen is the only composer in this collection whom I had previously listened to. A visual artist first, over the last decade or so Olsen has come around to electro-acoustic composition and performance and has released numerous albums on Another Timbre, Caduc, Infrequency Editions, and Suppedaneum. A survey of recent composition, this stands beside his other work with aplomb. Olsen focuses on soundscapes. The first track, “Theseus’ Breath,” is an abstracted reinterpretation of the mythic founder of Athens and slayer of the Minotaur. Performed by Apartment House, it consists of rumbles, high buzzes, screeches, plucked strings, and, at times, violent grinding amidst an otherwise steadily burgeoning, ominous ambiance. Its subtleties are quiet and disorienting. The next track, “Dark Heart,” is a collaboration with Terje Paulsen that layers sounds of static, guitar, voices, and crackling circuitry accumulated over several decades. As with the previous track, this piece hints at a narrative that is alternately foreboding and inscrutable. The next piece is a second realization of “Theseus’ Breath” with less conventional instrumentation (Ryoko Akama on turntable and melodica, Patrick Farmer on paper and cards, Isaiah Ceccarelli on reed organ and percussion and Katelyn Clark on organetto). The driving drone is more pronounced than the various rumblings on the first realization. The pace is also quicker, adding a degree of levity that somehow retains the mystery of the piece, if not necessarily in its more portentous expression. The final track, a realization of a score by Gil Sansón, resembles “Dark Heart” in its abstract ambient textures. It is filled with ocean sounds, chimes, wind, and other augmented, distant clangor interwoven with strikingly elongated undulating guitar tones. The effect is an odd combination of disorientation and calm. In its abstraction and instrumentation, this disc stands out in the series. At the same time, in its relentless experimentation and its manipulation of sound dynamics, space, and scale, it is absolutely fitting. NB: There is also a first installment to this collection from 2017 that is not reviewed here. It is, however, covered in a 113-page companion booklet. Although much of its contents are available on the Another Timbre website, it is well worth the expense to obtain the physical copy of the music and the booklet. The artwork, much of which by Lance Austin Olsen, is beautiful. The writing, engaging and informative. Cheers to Another Timbre as well as all the artists involved for pulling together such an aesthetically beautiful introduction to a hitherto underappreciated group of Canadian composers. Solo percussion - Da Capo Sunday, February 24, 2019 Solo Percussion No comments By Martin Schray 2018 really was a year for solo percussions albums. Stef presented an extensive twelve-album-overview on Christmas, Eric reviewed Chad Taylor’s extraordinary Myths and Morals and Lucas Niggli’s Alchemia Garden . However, there was another important release in 2018 and there’s already another one in 2019, both representing two very different approaches. Rudi Fischerlehner - 15 8 Slum (Not Applicable, 2019) Rudi Fischerlehner’s first solo album is a solo drum album in the true sense of the word. It’s just the man and his kit. In general, Fischerlehner’s music covers avant-garde, improv and advanced post-rock, he’s able to improvise freely and to use preconceived ideas. Projects like his duo Xenofox , Willing Suspension of Disbelief (his collaboration with Frank Paul Schubert), and Gorilla Mask prove that he’s one of the most interesting drummers in the German-speaking area at the moment (he’s from Austria). Asked about his musical development to date, Fischerlehner says that at its core there’s hardly “a concrete style, but rather a certain sound aesthetic. Above all, it’s a certain way of finding one's own role in various projects and contexts. Ears open, hear the whole thing, listening to each other“. Fischerlehner considers playing solo as a big challenge, for him the music is differently coloured compared to playing with others, it’s more extreme. What is more, he’s always been a big fan of solo percussion, his interests range from Iannis Xenakis to Milford Graves to Terry Bozzio. On 15 8 Slum he excluded the use of mallets, because he thought that the focus on what timbre and rhythm can express might be interesting. The album title refers to a note about a rhythm in 15/8 lying side by side with German dramatist René Pollesch´s book “www-slums“ next to Fischerlehner’s drum kit. On 15 8 Slums the drummer’s music is full of harsh contrasts: complex polyrhythmic, dark constructions on the one hand (like in “Stasia“), sound colours completely freed from time on the other hand, e.g. in “Semta“. The eponymous word of this track comes from a science fiction novel by German writer Dietmar Dath and means something like “pure possibility“ in the language of a completely different people (compared to people on earth). Fischerlehner compares this idea to Rashied Ali’s "multidirectional playing“, it’s like offering something that can be heard in different ways, a statement that opens up possibilities. And the track offers different directions indeed, as if there were two drummers at work. Cymbals and bass drum seem to drift apart, a very abstract “groove“ on the hi-hat tries to hold the piece together. However, my favourite track is “Ghost“, a piece which suddenly mutates from a hypnotic jungle beat which is mercilessly propelled by dark rhythms on the toms and the bass drum to a hailstorm with whip-like blows on snare and cymbals. 15 8 Slum is a journey into sound. Highly enjoyable. Not only for drummers. The album is available as a CD. You can buy and listen to it here: http://www.rudifischerlehner.net/158slum.html Eli Keszler - Stadium (Shelter Press, 2018) Eli Keszler is one of the percussionists who have released solo albums from the very beginning of their career. Untitled and Tilt (both on R.E.L. records; 2006 and 2009) follow very different approaches. While Tilt concentrates on pure, acoustic percussion, Untitled also includes electric piano and guitars played by him. On his last two albums, Last Signs of Speed and Stadium, Keszler follows the philosophy of adding different instruments like Farfisa organ, mellotron and piano (among other stuff) to his drum set in order to find out what an album which is filed under solo drumming can be and how it should sound. For Last Signs of Speed he put together a whole collection of sounds - hits, taps, scratches, rattles, creaks, clinks, thuds - created by his drum kit and the result sounded like a weird mixture of electronic music, drum’n’bass and ambient. Purists however, would rightfully claim that this has neither to do with jazz nor with a real solo drummer album. Stadium continues the tradition of its predecessor, it’s an album that rather reminds me of the instrumental parts of Flying Lotus’s Until the Quiet Comes, especially the opening track “Measurement Doesn’t Change the System At All”, in which a cool breakbeat meets spherical soundscapes. Tracks like this contrast bumpier ones like “Lotus Awnings“ and “Flying for U.S. Airways“, which are more abstract and display complex shifts in structure and instrumentation. Especially the subtle hidden sounds in the background, the glockenspiel in the latter and the mellotron in the first, add a certain liveliness and tension to the pieces. The album’s biggest quality is its relaxed, yet dark nature and how all the tiny sound make up a greater whole. Especially the last track, “Bell Underpinnings”, in which vibraphones dance over a dark electronic bass beat, is spooky and beautiful at the same time. Stadium is available on vinyl, CD and as a download. You can order and listen to the album here: https://shelterpress.bandcamp.com/album/stadium Joëlle Léandre ‎– Strings Garden (Fundacja Słuchaj!, 2018) Saturday, February 23, 2019 String Ensemble 2 comments “Flowers are recognisably ourselves elsewhere” (Alice Oswald) This 3-CD set is a collection of duos between double bassist Joëlle Léandre, an enthusiastic gardener, and other members of the string family. The recitals ascend through the registers and bear horticultural titles. She plays with Bernard Santacruz (double bass) on ‘Trees’, Gaspar Claus (cello) on ‘Leaves’ – performances from Paris and its environs in 2016 – and Théo Ceccaldi (viola and violin) on ‘Flowers’, from Warsaw in 2017. The duo is her favoured format, although she considers it the most demanding: like a mirror but also a duel, a place in which conversation finds its best balance and where the subtlest and richest relationships exist, yet always on hot coals. As with any drama, without conflict or variance, echo and opposition, there is no interest. For Léandre, live performance also matters, “The public is touched by this fragility, this energy, these bodies giving themselves to each other, this force.” The complex array of such risks and responses is heard right across these three encounters, criss-crossing the ambiguous line between divergence and shared expression, with each partnership inhabiting its own particular domain. All the performances are unamplified so that we hear the full range of natural timbres and overtones the instruments deliver. The elegant cover design, typical of Fundacja Słuchaj! releases, merges the ƒ-hole of a string instrument with the stem of a budding plant, placed beside the names of the four musicians each above a string, four being the number on their respective fiddles of which there are four in kind. String instruments are made from trees and analogies with cultivation and the natural world – its abundant diversity, cycles of growth and decay, organic structures, etc. – are fruitful ways of considering the medium and processes of free improvisation, but it’s doubtful such thoughts were directly in the minds of the musicians while playing, and the improvisations on each date probably weren’t inspired by trees, leaves, then flowers. These are retrospective associations in respect of music which is essentially about itself, though potentially redolent of so much more as only something as abstract as music can be. Perhaps improvisation, when contemplated through the prism of nature, allows us to ruminate on things deep-rooted and eternal, free of artifice, like in a Zen Buddhist temple garden where the latent meanings of natural elements are disengaged and become reflections of ourselves. As Léandre has said, sometimes the music is stronger than the music. On the first disc, a concert given at 22, rue Victor Massé, she and Bernard Santacruz survey the lowest registers of the string group. The double bass is the largest instrument and its deep resonances can be felt by player and audience alike, giving its assortment of slow-moving vibrations a very tactile appeal, the archetype of woody sound. This is why Charlie Haden played with his head next to the bass, so he could feel the instrument. And not just him: one night at the Five Spot, playing with Ornette, Don Cherry, and Billy Higgins with his eyes closed, he opened them to see a man onstage crouching with his ear next to the ƒ-hole – “Ornette was like, “That’s Leonard Bernstein!” And I was like, “Okay . . .” There are no audible signs of such audience participation here, but the air seems to move visibly with the weight of two double basses as the duo become acquainted in ‘Tree No. 1’ (Santacruz left, Léandre right) moving from open strings into a gritty dialogue. During the performance, Santacruz utilises vibrations of all degrees: picks, snaps, slaps, buzzing on the fingerboard, taps and knocks on the body. He plays primarily pizzicato while Léandre mostly bows, a sort of contrast and compare of the two principal ways the instrument can be sounded as well as intensifying individual character. During ‘No. 2’, they work in reciprocal motion as Santacruz assembles tight note clusters in relief while Léandre carves out edgy splinters, and on ‘No. 3’ her declamatory, recitative-like line is set against his prickly cross-rhythms, distinct but each reinforcing the other. The bass is not just a mighty cedar; it can be transformed into a something having the scale of a bonsai tree, as on ‘No. 5’, in which both commence by playing arco, exposing the multiple oscillations of bow hair drawn across tensile wire, before dividing and exploring a mysterious realm populated by insect murmurs and unstable rhythms. ‘No. 6’ leads with Léandre’s wandering tune, now languid, now agitated, shadowed by Santacruz’ solid, reverberant plucks; a duologue in two tongues. Strings Garden (3CD Boxset) by Joelle Leandre with Bernard Santacruz, Gaspar Claus, Theo Ceccaldi The set with Gaspar Claus on cello was recorded at Le Triton in Les Lilas, whose website has a video of the performance. From that we can hear how the duo’s rapport became more adventurous as they progressed, beginning with pieces in empathetic twining that underline the kinship of their instruments. Interestingly, the sequencing differs on the album – for example: the second improvisation is moved to the penultimate position – a presentation of the duo’s relationships which is less a curve, more a series of balancing contrasts. (It’s a pity their final number has been omitted, that concludes with a dreamy, quasi-Baroque chaconne, impassioned then slowly ebbing away to the accompaniment of Léandre’s soft humming.) A number of the pieces are dominated by rolling, overlapping arpeggios and impasto chords, closely spaced layers thick with string sonority, from which there emerge snatches of Andalusian melody on the cello as if caught in the wind. Elsewhere, there are rustling creaks and twittering high notes, filmy textures and percussive exchanges as the pair jointly explore the available ground. Claus even resorts to playing the end pin of his cello. At times, Léandre is inspired to sing while she plays. There’s something significant about the voice, which quite literally gives voice to something different in kind from the sound produced by external instruments. The human body, using its principal means of expression, is itself the instrument and that seems to give singing a special expressive status when it bursts forth above purely instrumental activity. With Léandre, it introduces a new emotional pitch and adds an extra dimension though quite often it’s not really singing, more chanting and incantations: words without meaning that make a different sort of sense, recited like spells, and moans and cries that have a theatrical presence as if the stage were converted into a ritual circle drawing on the magic of the spirit world. Part of its power is that it defies explanation, but we hear the effect in ‘Leaf No. 7’ as her whispers grow to throaty exhortations sounding out over the duo’s gutsy bowing, injecting a soulful urgency. And so to the DZiK venue in Warsaw, where Léandre is joined by Théo Ceccaldi, switching between viola and violin, another step in their journey after the wonderful Elastic (Cipsela, 2016). With its use of folk-like material, this performance occupies a more homogenous world than the others in the set, having the warm intimacy of chamber music. The viola’s velvety tone has appealed to many, from Mozart to Mat Maneri, often in music of a melancholic nature. Certainly, some of these pieces sound as if they spring from a deep sense of mourning. Throbbing, melismatic figures on the bass are repeated without resolution or respite, a setting over which Ceccaldi unfurls dark lamentations, drawn out in long arcs, in a ceremony that seems to offer some solace. On ‘No. 5’, Léandre creates a tracery of harmonics and lightly grazed strings to support his sorrowful phrases, piercing more fiercely as they climb. Such tracks are interspersed with different kinds of string work. ‘Flower No. 1’ is a web of shimmers and refractions; ‘No. 3’ an exercise in plucked cross-pollination; ‘No. 7’ consists of a patchwork of swelling notes, scuffles and taut staccato interjections; and in ‘No. 8’ the pair set up an antiphonal exchange of biting double stops, pushing at one another until they move into a region of quieter intensity. On the final track, Léandre’s bouncing, scratchy bow provides a rhythmic counterpoint to the violin’s serene melody, blooming and becoming more florid as it moves higher. The piece ends with a diminuendo in which the strings merge and gently dissolve into air – it might be said, like cherry blossom – in an amalgam of sound, sight and feeling. A poignant conclusion to this recital and the collection as a whole, deserving a place alongside the best of Léandre’s duo recordings The set can be ordered, and is available as a download from Bandcamp. Part of another performance by Léandre and Santacruz from Le Triton in September last year, presumably to mark the release of this album: James Brandon Lewis - An Unruly Manifesto (Relative Pitch, 2019) ½ Friday, February 22, 2019 No comments During Winter Jazz Fest 2018, I caught a whiff of saxophonist James Brandon Lewis' group that recorded An UnRuly Manifesto. At the time, I thought it was one of the best set that I caught at the festival and the recording does not dispel the notion. Last year Lewis released a duo recording called 'Radiant Imprints' (see review below), that demonstrates his big, fiery, but never unruly, tenor sound with only the spare backing of Chad Lewis’ drums. On An UnRuly Manifesto he fronts a quintet, featuring his trio members (heard on No Filter from 2017) Luke Stewart on bass (check out Stewart’s own solo recording), Warren Trae Crudup III on drums, and augmented by trumpeter Jaimie Branch and guitarist Anthony Pirog. In the spirit of the aforementioned recordings, the music here is a well considered blast of energy generously comprised of free, funk, and fact-finding parts. The first track, "Year 59 Insurgent Imagination", really just an intro, begins the album with an appeggiated figure from the guitar and a slow melody from the two horns, it then settles into a deep ostinato, with a repetitive chord pattern and moving bass line on the title track. Branch delivers the first salvo here, a tuneful introduction of the melody, to which Lewis then replies. However, the restraint is palpable, and the first bit of tension is released when Lewis and Branch deliver a tandem melody. Finally, Lewis is let go. He begins building a ever fiercer solo statement over the rumble of Crudup's drumming and Stewart's bass. The 10 minute track is reminiscent of the modal 'spiritual' jazz, and is a wonderful gateway into the music of An UnRuly Manifesto. Following this is another short introductory track, "Pillar 1 A Joyful Acceptance", a melodically soothing ride on the Love Boat for a few seconds before "Sir Real Denard"'s. tight funk groove. Stewart gives an abstract electric bass solo, tweaked with effects, that segues into a sensory guitar solo, then into a squishy trumpet passage. However, the whole time the action is with the drummer whose taught pulse and precise hits and rolls, is in ... umm ... harmolodicism with the others. "The Eleventh Hour", a slow burner, provides, at first at least, some relief from the intensity of the previous track. However, by mid-point, concentric guitar and bass riffs, raise the pressure quite a bit, pushing and pulling and playing with dynamics, and giving Lewis the space to stretch out with one of his earthy, funky, and simultaneously out there excursions. Later, "Escape Nostalgic Prisons" is a fierce freely improvised piece where the group goes for broke, but something in the interactions still keeps it grounded. Perhaps that is what I like about this album the most - it stays rooted in fecund soil even as it stretches out, sprouting ideas and new lush greenery as it goes. The core trio of Lewis, Stewart, and Crudup, are pretty unbeatable team and adding the other instruments is a masterstroke. Pirog's guitar work is formidable but always serves to better the whole organism, Branch's trumpet work adds color and light. Final assessment: totally worth your precious pennies! An UnRuly Manifesto by James Brandon Lewis James Brandon Lewis and Chad Taylor - Radiant Imprints (Off Record Label, 2018) Drummer Chad Taylor is no stranger to the duo format. As one half of the ever engagging Chicago Underground Duo with Rob Mazurek, he has perfected the art of making the drums sound like a whole band. Saxophonist James Brandon Lewis' playing has a similar impact. Thus, on the duo outing Radiant Imprints, there is hardly a moment where you notice that it's only two musicians. The album starts with the track "Twenty Four", where Taylor kicks off the track alone on the floor tom-toms. Then Lewis joins with an upbeat melody that had me thinking of his contemporary Jon Irabagon just a bit. Lewis delivers a seamless stream of musical thoughts and motives until he hands the spotlight over to Taylor who builds on the momentum further. The track "Loved One" follows with Lewis performing in the opening moments alone. The melody is defiant, but a little sad, which is to say there is a yearning embodies in its trip through the octaves. The track "Imprints" had me scrambling to see if it was an Impressions-period John Coltrane tune - it has a similar logic to it's construction, but at the same time is something all its own. Over Taylor's taught support, Lewis spirals outwards from this core, spinning a truly engaging and fiery tune. For a contrasting example, the Mbiri dominated "First Born" is an unusual and gentle duet - presumably lullaby - that exudes a different type of musical warmth. Radiant Imprints is a fantastic and absorbing drum and sax duo that strikes a great balance between accessibility and adventurousness. Evelyn Davis, Fred Frith, Phillip Greenlief – Lantskap Logic (Clean Feed, 2018) * Thursday, February 21, 2019 * 1 comment I imagine guitarist Fred Frith needs little introduction on these pages. Pipe organist Evelyn Davis and saxophonist Phillip Greenlief, however, may. At least, they were unfamiliar to me before I picked up this fine album. The result of this collaboration is grand and refined. It displays a patience, complexity, unity of purpose, and responsiveness that is quite impressive. And, it is deep. There are myriad threads and twists to follow, tangles to untie. If not careful or if otherwise preoccupied, it can be easy for the listener to get engrossed and lost in Lantskap Logic. The first track, “Your ever loving arms,” begins with an organ, a swoosh, and a punctured saxophone drone. Greenlief weaves around the steady and welling low-tones as they repeatedly glissando and crescendo. The layers become denser and Davis’s organ comes to provide the steady, though subtly changing thread that provides the base around which Frith and Greenlief meander to powerful effect. Over the course of this track, it opens. The tones elevate. Rather than evoking gloom as some of the albums I recently reviewed have, this one evokes light and elevation. Rather than congestion, one feels space, motion, and, at the end, elation. Listening to this track is like travelling a path towards some abstract state of elation. The textures are deep, varied, and changing. “With us or without us” begins with a gurgling and whistling, soon accompanied by a distant, repeating bass thump and augmented, metallic sounds. (I am not sure if Frith or Davis is responsible, but Davis is known for playing the interior of the organ as well as the keys.) Frith’s screeching guitar soon enters the picture as Greenlief’s saxophone settles into more idiomatic, elongated notes. These three musicians are conjuring something unique, here. This piece is heavier and more menacing than the first. The background bubbling and thudding lend a layer of portent to the otherwise industrial soundscape. About halfway through, the song approaches a brightness, but a persistent siren halts the progress. A droning hum and pulsing wisps and scrapes steer the track away from dawn, beyond twilight, and towards gloam. The sounds are still dense, however, and I wonder if I this is not also unsettling because of its luridness. This track in particular brings to mind a Utech records aesthetic, albeit not quite as metallic and despairing. Indeed, as the track turns with Frith’s broken trill and a Greenlief’s cavernous horn, Davis introduces a lighter progression of chords that, together, cut the tension. This track does not reach the level of ecstasy of “Your ever loving arms.” Still, it offers a glimmer of reconciliation, whether hope or acceptance, at its end. Absolutely stunning. New Monuments – New Earth (Pleasure Of The Text Records, 2018) ½ Wednesday, February 20, 2019 No comments By Fotis Nikolakopoulos Following you own path is, most probably, the shortest way to become unpopular. It happens in real life and also in the music business. The three musicians that have just released the fourth statement as The New Monuments (Don Dietrich on tenor sax and electronics, Ben Hall on drums and C. Spencer Yeh on violin and electronics) seem to achieve exactly the opposite: making a career by just following their path. I first listened to Ben Hall through the small rotation of musicians then called The Graveyards. The Graveyards had their moments of brilliance but they seemed determined to record and put out trillions of CDRs, cassettes and some vinyl. I might be a bit picky here, but if only their discography had been minimized to a third or even half, we would now be talking about one of the most important groups in experimental music for the 00’s. There isn’t much to say about Don Dietrich that hasn’t been said or written. Even though I’m not a big fan, Borbetomagus radicalized free jazz, combined elements of noise with jazz before even the former term existed musically. Altogether they broke all boundaries. I really enjoy C. Spencer Yeh’s denial of letting himself being confined to one genre or sound. First listened to him through his work will the mighty Flaherty-Corsano duo, but since then he has easily defied any categorization. Call it noise, jazz, electronic experimentalism, whatever you want. All the above have delved deep into the New Monuments’ all-is-possible sound approach. This time, through Nate Wooley’s Pleasure Of The Text label, they put their electronic side up front and leave not so much to all of us sax aficionados. Do not get me wrong though. New Earth is, first and foremost, a free jazz blowout of high energy and pathos. Ben Hall struggles to follow the pace of the other two. His work on the trap set seems amazing to my untrained ears, a barrage of polyrhythmic mayhem equal (and that is something) to the saxophone of Dietrich. Maybe judging more from my jazz perspective I enjoyed all his gestures. His playing is certainly jazzy but in the loose way the free jazz tradition managed to liberate all percussionists. It sometimes seemed that there wasn’t enough room for him to breathe musically, so he constantly tried to make something of his own. Knowing that this is an antithesis to their collective playing, I must comment that Yeh and Dietrich seemed to be the leaders in New Earth. They tend to dominate the trio’s sound with great use of electronics, which, to be totally frank, is to me the only disadvantage of this excellent recording. Sometimes the sound of New Earth is all electronics and drums, losing the organic unity they have achieved in previous recordings. Maybe it’s a new path they try to experiment with. We’ll just have to wait and see. Until then I really enjoyed New Earth, especially the parts were they seem totally loose, free and aggressive with their instruments and less with electronics. The parts, like most of the sixteen minutes of the opening track Old Monuments (now that it think of it, is this track a way to wave goodbye to their old sound?), were Hall’s percussion is matched with Dietrich’s tenor sax and the struggling screeches and noises of Yeh’s violin, are utterly satisfying. New Earth by New Monuments @koultouranafigo Don Cherry Trio - Studio 105, Paris 1967 (Hi Hat Records, 2018) * Tuesday, February 19, 2019 1 comment By Kat Whatley I dare you to listen to this record and not smile at least once. This record is light, enjoyable and full of Don Cherry. Just like Cherry at his best, it is fun, doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is wonderfully free. This record showcases Cherry at a point of change. He’s transitioning from the US to Europe—from the free jazz element to something approximating free, improvised world music. Spiritual jazz as some people have called it. His cornet playing is spot on, but so are his other more eccentric musical instrument choices. (Though I’m always cautious of the gong, its use in 'Infant Happiness', followed by a killer coronet performance is spot on). This record is a veritable time capsule. It’s Paris in 1967 and Cherry and his trio are performing on French radio. A young Karl Berger, who would later become well known for his role in starting the Creative Music Studio, is playing vibes, marimba among other percussion instruments. Drums are performed by Jacques Thollet, known more for his work with the Palm record label, based in France, founded by Jef Gilson and active in the 1970’s. They are all at the peak of their game, laying the groundwork for the spiritual, otherworldly jazz that is to come a few years later. The pieces sometimes have an unfinished feeling, probably because it is a radio recording, but also because this is just the start of the inventive music to come in the years to follow. The record is classic Don Cherry—fast, eclectic, with hardly any moment of rest. This performance’s music is bright, vibrant and full of fast paced texture. Though at times the coronet provides moments of solemnity, it’s invariably followed by a joyful explosion of colorful sound. And if there’s anything to criticize about the music, it’s that. The record could have had a few more moments of silence, quiet in amidst the frantic rhythms. But perhaps that betrays the music’s origins as a radio broadcast; it might have been easier for audiences via radio to have listened to a fast-paced piece, instead of a more contemplative textural drone, as some of Cherry’s later music is. And, the performance is a laboratory of sorts—the musicians are trying to get out everything they can. Though I normally only listen to music at home, this time I happened to start listening to this record while wandering around the city, taking the train and walking around. Without even noticing, I had a kind of bounce, a skip in my step. It was the perfect music for a bright and sunny day, full of potential. It’s enjoyable and approachable and doesn't take itself too seriously. A wonderfully Cherry album. Don Cherry: Cornet, piano, bamboo flute, gong Karl berger: Vibes, marimba, paiano, cleste, percussion Jacques Thollet: drums, bell, timbales Three (more) from Christopher Hoffman By Keith Prosk Christopher Hoffman had a productive 2018. The cellist recorded on Henry Threadgill’s Double Up, Plays Double Up Plus and Dirt… And More Dirt as well as his own Multifariam and Arrow Of Light and Josh Sinton’s making bones..., the latter three of which are covered here. He’s already back at it in 2019, appearing on Anna Webber’s Clockwise. Christopher Hoffman - Multifariam (Asclepius Records, 2018) * Multifariam is 16 vignettes across 37 minutes featuring the large cast of Aaron Kruziki (flute, bass, clarinet, loops), Tony Malaby (tenor sax), Christina Courtin (voice, violin, loops), Michael Bailey (synths, loops), Michael Pitt (voice), Frank Locrasto (Rhodes, Juno, Arp, Panther), Jeremiah Cymerman (clarinet, loops), Ari Chersky (guitar, loops), Craig Weinrib (Drums), and Gerald Cleaver (drums) alongside Christopher Hoffman (cello, loops, bass, keys). Explicitly influenced by MF Doom, Miles Davis, Terry Riley, and John Carpenter, these electroacoustic sketches utilize loops and tone rows to approach a result that in turns resembles hip hop beat tapes and action film scores, or sometimes a jazz-rock that reminds me of Face Ditch and Caveman Shoestore. It’s a fun collage. But its glossy production aesthetic that sometimes sounds like bad blockbuster narratives read might be too cheesy for some listeners. I’m a sucker for the stereotypical cathartic end of films - that feel-good moment after the storm - and tracks like “A Ghost,” “Frontier Surgeon,” and “In Higher Frequencies,” with their delicate, lullaby-like melodies and minor-key drones and bowed strings, fit that mood perfectly. Another standout is “The Upper Chambers,” where a flute drowned in delay and chorus effects is met with Hoffman’s bowing, like an espionage flick in the near east. Given that Hoffman is an aspiring film-maker and making headway into the realm of film (touting relationships with Martin Scorsese and Michael Pitt, whose voice appears on “Quieting”), this is an interesting and worthwhile step towards what will undoubtedly be an increased emphasis on film scoring when he’s not playing premier jazz ensembles. Multifariam is a digital-only release available here. Christopher Hoffman - Arrow Of Light (Asclepius Records, 2018) * Arrow of Light is a short (4 tracks, 18 minutes) acoustic trio with Adam Hopkins (bass) and Craig Weinrib (drums) accompanying Hoffman (cello). It almost feels staid. Hoffman’s often soloing over a fairly static rhythm section. “The Purge” and “The Election” are nearly head-improvisation-head structures. And the latter is an improvisation on “Oh! Susanna” teetering on the edge of feeling like a sterile Ayler take. However, the recording is nearly all bowed cello - pretty satisfyingly emotive bowed cello at that - which is a treat considering Hoffman more often plucks the instrument on most other recordings. And, despite my reservations previously stated, I find myself enjoying the “The Election” and “The Purge” most. The latter begins with Hoffman and Hopkins plucking a harmony and then some almost-eastern cello soloing over the rhythm section before moving to Hoffman and Hopkins bowing a harmony that transitions to bowed counterpoint before closing out with the plucked head. Arrow Of Light is a digital-only release available here. Purchasing Multifariam from Hoffman’s site gets you a free copy of Arrow Of Light. Josh Sinton’s Predicate Trio - making bones... (Iluso Records, 2018) Josh Sinton’s Predicate Trio features the multi-reedist (on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet here) alongside Hoffmann on cello and Tom Rainey on drums, and it debuts on making bones, taking draughts, bearing unstable millstones pridefully, idiotically, prosaically . It’s 47 minutes across 9 tracks, recorded in single takes on a single day at Buckminster Forest. Sinton and Hoffman have recorded together before, on at least Yoni Kretzmer’s Months, Weeks and Days and The Tri-Centric Orchestra’s Agora, Questions of Transfiguration, Vogelfrei, and the synergy shows, with Hoffman often complimenting Sinton’s space when he’s not harmonizing with him. That harmonizing, like on “bell-ell-ell-ell-ells,” “unreliable mirrors,” or “propulse,” recalls the way harmony was used in the music of Steve Lacy, of whom Sinton is a disciple, except it will fluidly transform from and to counterpoint. Though it often seems Hoffman is playing with Sinton more than Rainey, rhythmic interludes on “bell-ell-ell-ell-ells” and “propulse” cast away any doubt that Hoffman/Rainey are a powerful rhythmic unit by the time Sinton returns to the fold. But the stand-out moments, of which there are several, most often come when the trio is playing all together or alone. Like the syncopated sax, punctuating bass drum, and bowed cello vamp recalling “Dogon A.D.” on “taiga” and hissed air notes and gurgling, bass rumbling, and plucked cello sounding like an insect crawling on “unreliable mirrors.” Or the sultry, multiphonic Sinton solos bookending the album - “mersible” on clarinet and “plumbum” on sax - and the fragile, plucked Hoffman solo beginning “a dance.” And, though complex compositions and bravura are present, the emphasis is always on emotivity. A very solid recording for each musician and the trio. Here’s to hoping the collaboration continues. making bones is available digitally and on CD. making bones by Josh Sinton's Predicate Trio Universal Eyes/Wolf Eyes – Two Civilized Centers (Lower Floor, 2018) ½ Sunday, February 17, 2019 No comments What can one say about Nate Young and John Olson, the binding elements of this split recording? Readers of these pages might recognize their duo (formerly a trio with Aaron Dilloway) Wolf Eyes through their 2006 collaboration with Anthony Braxton Black Vomit or their devasting 2004 breakthrough Burned Mind. Others who are more hardcore or just more informed than I might even recognize Olson and Dilloway’s work with Gretchen Gonzales Davidson in Universal Indians from the late 1990s. Two Civilized Centers is less aggressive than those releases, but, I think, nearly as potent. It begins with a steady pulsing beat. Electrified sax and synth effects slowly build around the baseline palpitations and gradually layer into a surprisingly rhythmic piece of music reminiscent of early Krautrock a la early Sprung aus den Wolken or, in the periodic muted vocals, some of the more minimalist Sonic Youth side-projects. As has been customary with more recent Wolf Eyes output, the tension bubbles just under the surface. The overall effect is entrancing, until it disintegrates into a demented circus of fragmented techno beats at its end. Solid, compelling Wolf Eyes all the way. The other side to this cassette and digital release is occupied by Universal Eyes. Two parts Wolf Eyes (Young and Olson), one part Dilloway, and one part Davidson. One can hear the similarity between this configuration and Wolf Eyes. Indeed, both sound as if they are writing a soundtrack for some desolate, postindustrial landscape. That said, the aesthetic effect is quite different. The first Universal Eyes track, “Civilized Two,” has no traceable rhythm or recurring beat. Rather, the backbone of the piece is a stream of interlacing hums. Partial melodies, electronic hisses, pumping gears, and electro-metallic echoes fade in and out of perception. “Civilized Three” consists of similar elements and evokes similarly bleak environs. The music is somewhat softer, but just as disturbing. One hears howls and fog-horns, metal clanks and various other drips, hums, and clangor. It is difficult for the listener to find consistent threads to latch onto. But, maybe that is the purpose. One must wander in search of something familiar on which to fixate. In this soundscape, however, one only finds the whisper of a melody, the remnant or premature abandonment of a steady beat, and the ghosts of a freshly departed (or at least unrecognizable) civilization. Then again, one also gets the sense that all of this is also a celebration not necessarily of that barrenness, but of the those who stayed behind to revel in the newly open musical space. In other words, this is not just noise. It has real nuance and vision, as one might expect from this seasoned group of musicians. TWO CIVILIZED CENTERS by Universal Eyes & Wolf Eyes Universal Eyes – Four Variations On Artificial Society (Lower Floor Music, 2018) * When you look up on discogs for Four Variations On Artificial Society, you find it categorized as noise, industrial, free improvisation, free jazz and ambient. By immediately discarding the latter two musical styles, you definitely get an idea of what you are about to listen. A few months back I attended the three day Wolf Eyes/Universal Indians and friends residency at London’s Café Oto and I must remind to all of you (like me) suffering from reviews overdose, that most of it was a blast. The line-up of Nate Young, John Olson, Aaron Dilloway and Gretchen Gonzales-Davidson (the same on this recording as well) put on a performance of industrial beauty more than once. I found Young’s surrealistic poetry a key element to all this, an element truly missing from Four Variations On Artificial Society. I have to be honest and admit that since I’m a fan of Eyes’ music, it’s difficult to make truly subjective thoughts about their music and its impact and aesthetics. But, by watching them live for the first time, I realized that their lyrics play an integral part to what they do, a part missing from this recording. So, in case you missed it, I was being ironic and skeptical when I mentioned, in the beginning of this piece, that the music on this recording can be easily categorized. Thankfully it’s not that simple and this recording, after repeated listening, has a lot more to offer. The cd contains of five tracks (unlike vinyl which has four side-long tracks), all of them named after their length. The first track, the longest one, marks a lazy start for the album. Its noisy atmosphere sounds like an aggressive power electronics group trying to imitate the Wolf Eyes sound. Sixteen minutes of atmospheric murk made by all sorts of electronic devises. As the tracks progress, the quartet seems more focused and relaxed. John Olson’s sax presents itself as a key element of their current sound. I hear harmony and melody in reverse. Another attack on normality maybe or even on categorizations. A lot of feedback consists their current mood, while rhythmic machinery constitutes one of their most industrial releases in their entire career. On track three reverb takes over to alienate the listener from the warmth (i must remind you that I’m a fan) of their music. On track four rhythms coming from the early days of industrial music dominate over some distant dystopian voices and a sax struggling to be heard. But on track five the saxophone takes over completely, followed by reminisces of their early cheap electronic equipment (and they sound it produced) days. I started this review by implying that this album sounded like a summary of their sound. Those were my early thoughts when I first listened to it. I felt disappointed. By the time I started to listen over and over I found myself in a position of realizing that their vision has not yet waned. It has just simply mutated into something else, a new vocabulary that consists more aesthetic choices than noise even though back then noise was urgently needed. Just put on more Young’s cut-up like lyrics please guys. Four Variations on ‘Artificial Society’ by Universal Eyes Steph Richards – Take the Neon Lights (Birdwatcher Records, 2019) ½ Friday, February 15, 2019 1 comment By Troy Dostert Fullmoon , last year’s formidable debut release from trumpeter Steph Richards, turned a lot of heads with its audacious concept and Richards’s stunning technique. Though barely over 30 minutes in length, that album, which featured Dino J.A. Deane in electronic dialogue with Richards in making sonic landscapes both transfixing and forbidding, put Richards on the map alongside some of the superior trumpet innovators of our day—musicians like Susana Santos Silva, Peter Evans, and Nate Wooley. As good as Fullmoon is, it is perhaps an easier album to respect and to appreciate than it is to love; it has a very experimental aspect, and although it’s well-crafted and impressive in its execution, and even offers some fleeting moments of beauty, the overall mood of the record is rather cold and austere. All of which makes Richards’s sophomore release, Take the Neon Lights, so astonishing. For this music exudes a warmth that makes it a much more inviting record, even on the first listen. But the fact that it’s a more accessible recording takes nothing away from Richard’s artistry; indeed, what’s notable about this album is the way in which her creativity and imagination as a composer complement her fearsome instrumental technique so effectively, making music that is both virtuosic and beautiful in equal measure. Richards draws deeply from her love of poetry here, and she’s taken inspiration from Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and Allen Ginsberg among others for each of the album’s eight pieces. The title of the album and its opening track, for example, is taken from Langston Hughes’s “Juke Box Love Song.” Richards decided to use a quartet for this record, with conventional “jazz” instrumentation: pianist James Carney, bassist Sam Minaie, and drummer Andrew Munsey. Although Carney uses a bit of prepared piano on a couple of the tracks and Richards employs a prepared trumpet on “Brooklyn Machine”—really effectively, I might add, as you will listen to this track at least two or three times in disbelief that there’s no overdubbing on it—that’s about the extent of the technical curveballs here. The bulk of the album is simply superb, top-shelf improvising around Richards’s fluid, open-ended compositions. Some of the tracks jump right out at you: “Take the Neon Lights” and “Brooklyn Machine” at times possess an irresistible rhythmic momentum. But even these pieces don’t rest on melodic foundations as much as fragments and structures that can remain as malleable as possible: ostinato figures and thematic motifs come and go, rhythm and tempo contract and expand, and the result is music that is continually in motion, continually evolving. You won’t find yourself humming along to these pieces, but you will go back to them again and again to appreciate new dimensions of their engaging complexity. Other tracks are just as riveting, albeit using a less direct approach to make their presence known. “Time and Grime” stays at a low simmer, with Minaie and Munsey keeping a loose pulse going as Richards and Carney exchange ideas back and forth, while the haunting “Rumor of War” is much more abstract, with Richards’s emotive trumpet floating ominously above the rest of the quartet’s elusive surface. But the lengthiest pieces, “Skull of Theatres” and “Stalked by Tall Buildings” are especially captivating, each at over ten minutes, giving the four musicians plenty of room to explore Richards’s capacious creations. They both have the feel of a long, winding journey, taking the listener through a range of emotional and rhythmic registers that never fail to sustain interest, and in which the four players work wonderfully together as a finely-honed unit. Making quite clear that she is not merely to be regarded as an “experimental” musician, Richards’s Take the Neon Lights is sure to garner wider interest and visibility, and that’s all to the good, as her music has so much to offer. freejazzblog on air: One World, Many Visions. Jazz als Global Music Thursday, February 14, 2019 No comments freejazzblog on air, the creation of Martin Schray and Julia Neupert is on air again - on SWR2 in southern Germany, broadcasting 11 p.m. CET on Friday the 15th, and online for the following week. "One world, many visions. Jazz as global music". It includes music by Don Cherry, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Joshua Abrams' Natural Information Society, Karkhana, Konstrukt, Gato Libre (feat. Satoko Fuji), Okkyung Lee and Switchback. Listen now online here: Heaven - IAPOE (Clean Feed, 2018) ½ Heaven is the duo of Danish tenor sax player Henrik Pultz Melbye, known from the avant-rock group SVIN, his experimental solo projects, and his free jazz trio, and Norwegian powerhouse drummer Ole Mofjell, member of the Scandinavian supergroup The Big Yes and a collaborator of Danish pianist Jacob Anderskov, Dutch sax player Tobias Delius, American guitarist Thurston Moore and various projects of vocalist-partner Natalie Sandtorv. Heaven's debut album, IAPOE, titled as an abbreviation of the first letters of the five pieces - Is-A-Place-On-Earth (a title that echoes Laurie Anderson’s opening lines of her iconic song “Language is a Virus”: Paradise / Is exactly like / Where you are right now / Only much much / Better”), was recorded in Copenhagen’s district Vanløse in September 2017. IAPOE presents the first phase of this working duo while the duo is preparing its next one, a Scandinavian tour with trumpeter Nate Wooley in the beginning of 2019. Heaven's music, as you may expect, is fast, dense and super-energetic, rooted in old and newer schools of free-jazz and free-improv from both sides of the Atlantic. But Heaven adds an interesting twist to the sax-drums format, introducing a sensual, playful Ethiopian vein to its muscular and urgent interplay, and intertwines fierce, powerful attacks with melodic call-and-answer themes. This kind of Ethiopian singing vibe sneaks naturally into Heaven’s explosive energy and spin the restless, in-your-face Albert Ayler-ian love cries back to Eastern Africa and back again to Northern Europe. Pultz Melbye sets the tone of all the pieces with an authoritative and articulate flow of ideas and gestures, while Mofjell plays all over, often sounding like he's tapping into the infinite energy fountain of fellow Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love. The two best pieces here are the quiet and lyrical “Place”, which sounds like a humble homage to to the irresistible, big and warm singing sound of late Ethiopian sax player Gétatchèw Mèkurya, and the 15-minutes free-jazz piece “On”. The latter piece has uncompromising Brötzmann-ian manic qualities, pushing tougher and wilder and then some, as this duo proves again and again that it is well-versed with the fast lane to the earthly heaven. IAPOE by Heaven And some more here. Joe McPhee & Hamid Drake - Keep Going (Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2018) * Wednesday, February 13, 2019 Sax-drums duo, Trumpet-drums duo 4 comments If you’re tired, keep going. If you’re scared, keep going. If you’re hungry, keep going. If you wanna taste freedom, keep going. Quoting these words by legendary political activist Harriet Tubman, Joe McPhee introduces this album and announces the direction of the music. This is a political statement. He quotes these words in a quiet but firm voice and then his saxophone sings a lament, a heart-felt blues, that emanates black history. In his typical way McPhee raises the level of anger and frustration with torn lines, then he literally shouts “Keep going“ three times, as if he wanted to encourage his brothers and sisters not to lose hope. But Tubman’s words are not just a political statement, they also describe McPhee’s music. Whenever he seemed to be stuck, he tried something new, he has believed in the idea that there are musical areas that still have to be explored, that the boundaries have to be expanded. This has to do with a memorable incident in the past: John Coltrane’s funeral. McPhee was there, it was a horribly sad moment, but the service was also a glorious affirmation of everything Coltrane was - for McPhee the funeral was a celebration of life, in which Ornette Coleman’s classic trio of the Golden Circle period and Albert Ayler's band played. This experience - that even if something wonderful has ended, something new will arise - has influenced his music to this day. In November Joe McPhee is going to celebrate his 80th birthday. If you see him, you think he’s just 65. The man is full of energy, mentally and physically. I will never forget a scene from a gig in Weikersheim two years ago, when he took a short run and jumped onto the stage. These days he's making more music than ever before, he seems to be on a never ending tour and he releases new albums constantly. One of his preferred contexts is the sax/drum duo, for example with Paal Nilsson-Love, Chris Corsano and Eli Keszler. That’s why it's strange that he has only worked once with Hamid Drake, obviously an ideal comrade-in-arms - on Emancipation Proclamation: A Real Statement Of Freedom (Okka Disk, 2000) -, although the two have played in Peter Brötzmann’s Chicago Tentet. In February 2018 they finally found some time to record something new, and the new collaboration shows what we have missed. Keep Going combines the drummer's warm approach and unique sense of free swing with the saxophonist’s/ trumpeter's musicality and quest for social justice again. Five of the eight tracks directly refer to prominent figures of African-American history, social rights activists and politicians: the pieces are dedicated to Fannie Lou Hamer, Medgar Evers, Malcom X, Martin Luther King, Lucy Stone, John Robert Lewis and Barack Obama. Keep Going displays everything which makes Joe McPhee’s music so great. “Keep Going“, the title track, is the only one that highlights McPhee’s roots in blues and gospel so prominently. Pieces like “For Don't Let 'Em Drop Them Goddam Nukes On Us Lord“ and “Morning Star (for Lucy Stone)“ reach back to a 1960s- and 70s-tradition of free jazz, to musicians like Albert Ayler, Frank Lowe and Noah Howard. In these pieces McPhee hurls out angry, convulsive riffs, blurred, overblown messages, which are propelled by Drake’s nervous drum rolls. On three tracks, “Medgar / Malcolm / Martin“, “Makes Me Wanna Holler (For Representative John Lewis)“ and “Time Was (for Barack Hussein Obama)“ McPhee is on pocket trumpet. At one point in the latter piece he plays into an open gong, which adds otherworldly overtones to his music. This is the other side of his music, the introspective and meditative one, which is rather interested in sound excursion. All this is accompanied by Hamid Drake’s subtle and emphatic percussion, as usual deeply rooted in a black jazz tradition. On the one hand it perfectly supports McPhee’s traditional side, on the other hand it contrasts the experimental approach telling a very old story from a different angle. Keep Going presents an attitude, it shows that free jazz can still be a political comment. It evokes the days of Sonny Rollins’s “Freedom Suite“, Charles Mingus “Fables of Faubus“ and John Coltrane’s “Alabama“. In these days, in which the situation of African Americans in the US seems to have become worse, it’s necessary. Keep Going is available as a CD. You can buy the album here. Hard Rubber Orchestra - Kenny Wheeler: Suite for H... The Way Ahead - Bells, Ghosts, and Other Saints (C... Jessica Pavone - In the Action (Relative Pitch, 20... Canadian Composers Series Part II (Another Timbre,... Joëlle Léandre ‎– Strings Garden (Fundacja Słuchaj... James Brandon Lewis - An Unruly Manifesto (Relativ... Evelyn Davis, Fred Frith, Phillip Greenlief – Lant... New Monuments – New Earth (Pleasure Of The Text Re... Don Cherry Trio - Studio 105, Paris 1967 (Hi Hat R... Universal Eyes/Wolf Eyes – Two Civilized Centers (... Universal Eyes – Four Variations On Artificial Soc... Steph Richards – Take the Neon Lights (Birdwatcher... freejazzblog on air: One World, Many Visions. Jazz... Joe McPhee & Hamid Drake - Keep Going (Corbett vs.... Zack Clarke - Mesophase (Clean Feed, 2018) ½ Roman Nose –s/t ( Singing Knives, 2018) ½ David S. Ware Trio - The Balance (Vision Festival ... Two or Three Views of Laura Cole Joëlle Léandre & Marc Ducret - Chez Hélène (Ayler,... Larry Ochs & Gerald Cleaver - The Cave (RogueArt, ... New Sounds from Argentina Escape Lane - Escape Lane (Vent du Sud, 2018) **... Eric Dolphy - Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 N... Guitar Roundup William Hooker Trio (feat. Ava Mendoza & Damon Smi... Wolfgang Muthspiel - Where The River Goes (ECM, 20... Goh Lee Kwang & Christian Meaas Svendsen - Gibberi... Maurice Louca - Elephantine (Sub Rosa/Northern Spy... Catching Up with Luís Lopes Jo David Meyer Lysne - Henger i luften (Hubro Musi...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416824
__label__wiki	0.57469	0.57469	Stevie Nicks Confirms New Fleetwood Mac Music On The Way \| Frenz Forum Stevie Nicks Confirms New Fleetwood Mac Music On The Way Sugar MouseAddicted Steve ShealyAddicted Will be interesting to hear Neil's contributions, and see the overall reception this ablum gets. The one with Dave Mason is not highly regarded, but Stevie wasn't on that one, and of course Lindsey wasn't. c.houserAddicted Great news. And I imagine they're all champing at the bit to get back to work! RomerSecret God Interesting, as from a story from three days ago quoting Mick Fleetwood: . . . but I have to say that we have two brilliant new members of Fleetwood Mac who are now part of our story, and I truly hope that we will be able to make some [new] music with both of them. https://www.independent.co.uk/...-nicks-a8887971.html slowpogoAddicted Is there more to this than that tweet? They were saying they would write new songs back in September. Did they already make something new? The tweet implies that hearing new music & the tour continuing are concurrent events. In Love With It AllSecret God Last edited by In Love With It All 4/30/1910:59 PM In that tweet about 'new music' Stevie Nicks was talking about the new compilation album of her solo material called 'Stand Back' that's just been released. The tweet even included a link to purchase the album. She does not appear to be referring to any new material from Fleetwood Mac. There's a lot of scepticism on the Fleetwood Mac fan site (the Ledge) on whether the band will ever record any new music. Apparently Mike Campbell has indicated he will be devoting next year to touring with his own band. Certainly I am not aware of Neil indicating that he has written any new music for Fleetwood Mac. He did mention that Mick Fleetwood occassionally sends him snippets of experimental bits of music which he said may one day emerge in some form - but that's about it. The online discussion universe for frenz.com and (what was) the Frenz of the Enz fan club. We're not a non-profit (we're out of Deb's pocket), so you can't write it off. But we are REALLY grateful for every dollar you send our way. All money goes into the running and improvement of this forum, from 1998 when it started through the future. Thanks! Non-Members See Ads Current Visitors: 227 (1 member, 226 guests) Mike Chunn's new book Finn Brothers - Belvoir CD Complete Kufala 2007 Crowdies Live collection for sale Complete Fan Club CD Collection For Sale Elroy finn cd WTB: Newcastle Jam, Foreplay Interview with Stuart Ellison - Periscope studio engineer (part 2) Rare Split Enz, Crowded House Tim Finn Vinyl For sale 1996, 2007, 2010, 2016, Album, amsterdam, Auckland, band, box, Brisbane, Bristol, buy, CD, CDr, CH, Collection, concert, Crowded House, Crowdies, Dream, Dublin, fan, Finn, Finn Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, live, london, Mark Hart, Neil, Neil and Liam, neil finn, Nick Seymour, Pajama Club, Phil Judd, rarities, release, sale, Setlist, singles, Solo, song, Split Ends, Split Enz, Tickets, Tim, Tim Finn, Time on Earth, UK, vinyl, Woodface	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416827
__label__cc	0.740742	0.259258	Crete in a Nutshell tourRebecca2019-10-27T17:45:49+00:00 CRETE IN A NUTSHELL March-October Endlessly scenic beaches, Venetian old cities, castles and palm trees, wild canyons and unique archaeological sites, cosmopolitan resorts and traditional boutique hotels and one of the world’s healthiest diets, the Mediterranean diet. Crete, the largest island in the country, is not by chance one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. Even though some say that you need a lifetime to explore the island and all its treasures, follow us on a 7 days journey from turquoise beaches to mountaintop villages and participate in activities such as wine and olive oil tastings, ceramic workshops and trekking. Chania: Taste the flavors of Crete, on a culinary walking tour of the old Venetian Port and city. Chania: We will visit the workshop of a well-known local ceramist, and see him create. Chania: Dip your toes at one of the most famous beaches worldwide Chania: Enjoy an organic from farm to table slow food lunch Rethymnon: Get a hands-on experience at a ceramic workshop Rethymnon: Trace the heroic history of the island at The Holy Monastery of Arkadi Rethymnon: Travel through time and discover what rural life was like on Crete back in the late 19th century Rethymnon: Experience a Shepherds working day high up in the mountains, followed by a traditional lunch outdoors Rethymnon: Dive deeper into the town’s history through its flavors. Rethymnon: Explore the cave where Zeus, the father of the Ancient Greek Gods grew up Heraklion: With a knowledgeable guide, we explore Knossos the largest Bronze Age Archaeological site on Crete and which is considered Europe’s oldest city. Heraklion: Visit a traditional oil press, and taste the excellent produce of the area. Heraklion: Learn about the wine varieties at traditional family winery (wine tasting) Elounda: Indulge into a private sailing trip to historic Spinalonga island Agios Nikolaos: Stroll around this charismatic port town Heraklion: Enjoy a mouth-watering dinner with traditional Cretan music and learn traditional dances. Breakfast daily, all lunch and dinners as outlined in the itinerary. Private sightseeing (including all entrance fees) as outlined in the itinerary. All the activities as outlined in the itinerary. Comfortable private transportation with driver. Other modes of transportation include 4 WD vehicle . Snacks and refreshments along the way. Tipping & porterage taken care of . Airport meet and greet service. Departure transfer. Airport taxes Day 1 Arrive in Chania/Crete Start / End Points After exiting the customs please look out for your English speaking driver. He will be holding a sign with your last name. Transfer to your accommodation. At your hotel, you will be met by one of our group members with a “welcome package” and last minute arrangements. Our team member will give you suggestions of things to do in Crete during your free time. Free time to rest. Pick up at 19:30 for an evening walking tour of the old harbor and dinner. ( Dinner is at Tamam restaurant). Chania is the second largest city in Crete, a place where different civilizations have flourished throughout the centuries. Wandering around the Old Town’s maze-like alleys with the beautiful Venetian mansions, the fountains and the elaborate churches will help you discover well-preserved historical monuments. The city of Chania is built – according to the archaeological research – on the ruins of ancient Kydonia, which according to the mythology was founded by king Kydon and was one of the most important cities Of Crete, as Homer mentioned, whereas Kydonians are supposed to be a pre-Hellenic tribe. Chania is a wonderful mixture result of Eastern and Western civilizations. Overnight Chania Included Meals: Dinner Day 2 Chania Hotel pick up at 9:00 and drive to Elafonisi beach. Driving through small traditional villages and crossing the Topolia gorge longwise we reach our first stop… the cave of Agia Sofia, a cave with stalactites, stalagmites and a small chapel at its entrance. Our next stop will be Crete’s most exotic beach. Elafonisi is a long peninsula which is separated and creates a long beach and an islet opposite it. It has been included in the protected areas Natura, as it is full of dunes with sand lilies and cedars. Also, Elafonisi is visited by the endangered turtles caretta caretta and many species of rare animals. The island was once occupied by pirates, but now it attracts thousands of visitors. This is reflected in the name of the island. Elafonisi means “Treasure Island” in Greek, named after the treasures that pirates stored here. Who knows, maybe you’ll be lucky to find a hidden treasure when you come here. Late lunch at a hidden gem, a once-abandoned village but now an eco-retreat before driving back to the city. Free evening for shopping etc. Included Meals: Breakfast /Lunch Day 3 Rethymno Our day starts at 8:30 as we drive to Rethymno city for a 2 hours city tour. Conquer the historical city of Rethymnon (just like many, many others before you). Hear tales of previous conquerors like the Byzantines, Venetians, Ottomans, and pirates, and trace the footsteps of aristocrats, sultans, and warriors as you walk the winding streets of this fascinating city. After the Fall of Rethymno by the Ottomans, Gazi Deli Huseyin Pasha, the commander-in-chief of the Ottoman army in Crete and the conqueror of Rethymno, founded in the area many buildings which still exist today, such as a mosque, a poor-house, a library and a school. See the colors and taste the flavors that only locals know in this amazing city walk. Next, we will drive to the picturesque village of Margarites. After lunch, you will have an olive oil tasting inside an olive grove and make your own flavored olive oil (with herbs) to take back home. Following we will explore this ancient village packed with old monasteries and archaeological sites. Surrounded by two parallel gorges with rich flora, aromatic plants, trees, herbs, and flowers. You will learn about the local herbs and have the opportunity to collect your own mountain tea. Pottery is one of the oldest arts developed in Crete from 3000 BC first Minoan times and is associated with the creation of products based on the four elements of nature: earth, water, air, and fire. Especially, the village of Margarites is the most important and well-known pottery center of Crete. In the area, there are plenty of clay deposits which explain the long occupation of the residents with this art. We will visit a ceramic workshop for a hands-on experience before we drive back to the city of Rethymno. Overnight Rethymnon Hotel pick up at 9 to spend a day with the shepherd’s up on the island’s highest peak Psiloritis. We will drive to the village of Anogia. Now we’re getting into Crete’s mountains, 740 meters up on the north face of Mount Psiloritis to be precise. It’s a short hop from here to the stunning Nida Plateau, the Ideon Cave (mythology: Zeus grew up here), the observatory at the top of the Skinaka as well as the ancient settlement of Zominthos. Among others, Anogia is the birthplace of the famous Greek singers Nikos Xylouris and Psarantonis. After a short walk through the traditional village, we will drive to the cave where Zeus was born and spend the day with the shepherds tasting homemade cheese and raki and having a traditional lunch which consists of lamb on the spit. Day 5 Heraklion Pick up at 9:00 and drive to Heraklion. Check into your hotel. Next, we follow in the footsteps of long-ago Minoan kings on a 2-hour Knossos tour. With your licensed guide, tour the remains dating to the 2nd century BC. Explore what were the royal quarters, storerooms and central court of the palace, the power base of Europe’s first civilization; and hear about the mythical Minotaur that roamed a labyrinth here. Our next stop is a picturesque village built on the slopes of mount Giouhtas, 15 km. south of the city of Heraklion. Situated in the center of the most important wine-producing region of Crete, it has a 5000 years old history, while excavations conducted in the last 50 years have brought to light a lot of sites dating back to the Minoan period. The village is also very famous for its typical Cretan architecture. Most of the houses have been restored recently and it has won the second award as “the best-restored village in Europe”. After a stroll around the village, we will drive to the abandoned village of Vathypetro, where there is a Minoan villa with a wine press, one of the most important monuments of the Minoan era. This is considered the most ancient installation for treading grapes in the world (3.500 years old), and a great proof of the exceptionally longstanding winemaking tradition of the region. Here, among the most beautiful agricultural landscapes of Crete, we will enjoy lunch at a unique farm that serves only organic products. Next, we will learn all about the local wine varieties at a traditional family winery, with specialized knowledge of winemaking and fresh ideas for modern processes of farming and wine production. We will walk between the vineyards, smelling the blossoms, diving deep into the nature’s miracle, tasting awarded local ‘’Vidiano’’, ‘’Muscat of Spinas’’, and some international varieties like ‘’Grenache Rouge’’, ‘’Syrah’’, ‘’Mouverde’’, that earn a special taste because of the local Terroir. The tour will end with a drop off at your hotel in Heraklion. Overnight Heraklio Day 6 Lasithi We start our day with a pick up at 9:00 Today we will visit the area region of Lasithi, and travel to the seaside town of Aghios Nikolaos. Admire the pretty harbor and Lake Voulismeni — said to be bottomless — and enjoy lunch here before you venture onwards to Elounda. Here, ride a speedboat to nearby Spinalonga Island, home to a ruined 17th-century Venetian fortress and one-time leper colony. Step ashore on the rocky island and enjoy a guided tour of the fortifications and citadel. We will enter through the gate in the walls and explore the preserved houses, buildings and lanes from the Ottoman era. Hear how the village was used to quarantine lepers between 1903 and 1957, and how they lived here isolated from the outside world. Afterward, enjoy time to swim in the turquoise waters before we head back to Heraklion. Included Meals: Breakfast Day 7 End of our Tour Free morning for shopping or to visit the much worthy Archaeological museum of Heraklion. Pick up and drop off at Heraklion airport. Customized servises and itineraries for smart travelers Meetings, incetives, conferences and exihbitions in Greece. Athens 10680 12 Arachovis Street GR Number: +30698 067 9166 US Number: +1 734 335 8610 E.O.T & SSL Ministry of Tourism \| Travel Tour Operator License: 0206E70000614301 CITY TOURS & DAY TOURS Copyright © 2016 - 2019 Grecianlux.com \| All Rights Reserved \| Privacy Policy	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416832
__label__wiki	0.684648	0.684648	How Automakers Can Meet the New 54.5 MPG Standards Tilde Herrera President Barack Obama on Friday announced a deal struck with 13 automakers that will double the fuel efficiency of today's cars by 2025. News of the deal began leaking a few days earlier, inspiring several industry experts and news organizations to speculate on the billion-barrel-of-oil question: What are the technologies automakers will use to meet the new standard of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025? We can see ample evidence of the different elements automakers will utilize to meet the new goal. Ford, for example, is currently selling and developing a mix of electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Nissan is touting its all-electric Leaf, which it is calling the nation's first mass-marketed all-electric vehicle. General Motors is using turbochargers from Honeywell to help achieve a 42 mpg of its Chevy Cruze, which Honeywell described as June's best-selling vehicle in the U.S. The turbochargers can improve fuel economy up to 20 percent on standard gasoline engines, Honeywell said Friday, and up to 40 percent in diesel vehicles. From an engineering perspective, automakers can currently pull off 40 mpg, but the new standard is "a gas station too far," wrote Alexander Wolfe, an engineering and technology journalist who serves as content director of Design News, a technical publication aimed at design engineers and engineering managers. "Still, if we attack the challenge on multiple fronts, we can get close." Wolfe listed several target areas, including what he called the single most important component: materials. Making cars lighter by using advanced plastics or fiber-reinforced components will go a long way toward making vehicles more efficient, but they often carry a heftier price tag than the materials they would be replacing. UPS is venturing down this road by testing a prototype delivery truck made with lightweight plastic in place of aluminum sheet body panels that uses about 40 percent less fuel. UPS hasn't revealed the price tag but described the upfront cost of the redesign as very affordable. The types of vehicles consumers want to drive, Wolfe noted, along with the tires that will carry them will all play a role in pushing automakers toward that 54.5 mark. In contrast, Roland Hwang, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council's transportation programs, believes the automakers' arsenal is already well-equipped with affordable, existing technologies that can achieve the 54.5 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) without giving up performance. In a blog post, Hwang outlined four key technologies that will play a role during the transition to 54.5 mpg, including several that overlapped with Wolfe's list: 1. Improved conventional gasoline engine vehicles through such technologies as direct fuel injection, turbocharging, cooling and boosting the exhaust gas, and adding stop/start systems that shuts the engine off at idle. 2. Improved, lower-cost hybrids technologies called “parallel 2-clutch” systems that Hyundai, VW, Nissan are introducing now into the marketplace. 3. Plug-in hybrids and battery electrics with lower cost, advanced lithium batteries. 4. Lightweight, high strength materials to reduce mass 10 percent from 2016 levels, consistent with auto industry trends. Michael Kanellos of Greentech Media offered a few off-the-beaten-path solutions to the 54.5 mpg dilemma, some of which fall into the categories already mentioned. Hemp, he wrote last week, could maybe be used as a substitute for other materials. Companies are also developing "wacky transmissions" that could one day play a role in improving fuel economy, such as Fallbrook Technologies' transmission system that uses balls instead of gears to improve mileage by up to 15 percent. Waste heat may also become a fuel source to power vehicle systems, such as air conditioning. "Tempronics, Phononic Devices and Alphabet Energy are also working on devices for converting waste heat into electricity," Kanellos wrote. "(Tempronics -- like tempura with electronics -- is particularly focused on cooling, as well.)" Photo courtesy of Ford. @greenbizTilde Hyundai Shoots for 50 MPG Fleetwide Fuel Economy by 2025 Hyundai Heating Up Competition for Fuel Efficiency ByLuke Tonachel, NRDC 3 Reasons Why the Auto Industry Can Meet the 56 MPG Challenge ByRoland Hwang NY Auto Show: Cleaner, high MPG cars have staying power ByAdam Happel Green Car Makers Travel Different Roads to Sustainability	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416833
__label__cc	0.539397	0.460603	Home Transportation Electric Vehicles Chinese EV Maker NIO Wants to Be More Customer-Focused Than Tesla Janina Lazo-Cruz “I believe NIO will make a car that is not only good in terms of performance but also in software. But [sales] quantity will not be the driving force behind the electric vehicle industry, it’s the user experience. No matter the product hardware, nor the software, the user experience must be the focus.” This is the business concept of Izzy Zhu, the vice president of NIO, a three-year-old Chinese electric car manufacturer previously known as NextEv. Zhu explained that the conventional sales model in the automotive industry focuses rather on the distributor itself as the automakers have lesser or no direct relationship with its customers. Years of working with BMW, Lexus, and Amazon, he was able to understand the business model that these traditional automakers follow and how they operate. Defying the traditional approach, NIO took the lead in almost all functions of a distributor – encompassing sales and long-term maintenance of the vehicles. NIO’s user-experience focused strategy allows its staffs to be not just salespeople, but your companions or “fellows.” The company operates worldwide with its headquarters located in Shanghai, product design team comes from Munich, Germany, and its autonomous driving research and development staffs come from San Jose, United States. “It’s definitely capital intensive. But we think that is a worthwhile investment,” Zhu admitted during an interview on stage with Wang Ping of TechNode. Receiving large funds from Tencent, Baidu, and IDG, accruing more than $2 billion as venture capital, NIO does have a lot of money to consume. However, this huge investment only has NIO’s racing arm as the outcome, as the company participates in the Federacion Internationale de l’Autmobile or FIA Formula E, which is the international championship for electric vehicles. NIO boasts of its sleek, high-performance silver car, EP9 (shown in the above photo), which known as the fastest electric vehicle in the world. Although EP9 is an exciting product of NIO, its significance can’t be found in customers’ everyday lives. NIO thus targets to include in their market electric cars for practical use with their ES8, its first electric SUV model to be mass produced. Offering a lower price, ES8 is intended to be sold to the same customers of Tesla’s Model X. [via FlipBoard] Previous articleSolar Supercapacitor Generates Both Electricity and Hydrogen Next articleEco-friendly Businesses Growing Fast in Asia Electric Cars Alone Not Enough to Save Us, Study Claims From The Netherlands to Australia in an Electric Car Paris Fights Smog with 800 All-Electric Buses Elon Musk Tweet: Your Tesla Might Soon Make you Money if You Don’t Use It Model Y Officially Joins Tesla Family Hydrogen’s Recent Ascension as Fuel for Future Electric Cars Nissan Leaf Owners Complain About Start Issues	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416834
__label__cc	0.57298	0.42702	HomeLecture BooksEmotion and Peace of Mind PART IV: From Stoic Agitations to Christian Temptations 24: First Movements in Augustine: Adaptation and Misunderstanding Augustine knew about the idea of first movements from many sources. We saw in Chapter 22 that Jerome recorded the Stoic idea of a prepassion and that Plotinus had supplied not only talk of a shock but of a shock without hurt which Augustine borrowed. We shall see that Augustine knew Aulus Gellius’ discussion of prepassion and Gellius’ citation of Epictetus on the subject. Latin translations by Rufinus were available of both Origen and Evagrius. Augustine also] knew of the Life of the desert Father Antony which contributed to his conversion to Christianity.1 Augustine discusses the early stages of temptation in ways which relate to discussions of prepassion or first movements. In an early treatise On the Sermon on the Mount of 394 he explains Christ's saying that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.2 As noticed in Chapter 22 he says that Christ was criticizing someone who looked at a woman precisely in order to arouse his lust where it did not necessarily exist before. By contrast the person who is merely titillated (titillari) is not being criticized but only the person who assents (consentire) in such a way that he would take the opportunity to act if it were granted. Four years later Jerome gave the same explanation in his Commentary on Matthew adding that titillari is an example of mere Stoic prepassion. Augustine's discussion in the following paragraphs looks un-Stoic in two ways. First Origen's notion of suggestio is used for the earliest stage of temptation. Secondly it does not on the face of it seem to fit with Stoicism that appetite and pleasure (appetitus delectatio) are allowed to occur before assent (consentire) that is apparently at least before assent to the pleasure. The last issue is cleared up later in On the Trinity 12 in AD 414. It is now only the pleasure of thinking about a sin that precedes assent to action. There are elements in this discussion that could easily have come from Evagrius. There is sin already if the mind is pleased by illicit things in mere thought not indeed deciding that they are to be done but retaining and willingly (libenter) revolving things that ought to be spat out as soon as they touch the mind.3 Evagrius had already said that it is up to us not whether bad thoughts come to disturb us but whether they linger (khronizein) and that sin (hamartia) is assent (sunkatathesis) to the pleasure of the thought.4 Augustine makes a point of distinguishing different degrees of sin: assent to the pleasure of thought and assent to action. Augustine's view about the lesser sin the mere pleasure of thinking (sola cogitationis delectatio) was that it could be absolved by the recitation of the Lord's Prayer and in particular by the use of the sentence ‘Forgive us our debts’. But he insisted that this sentence should be accompanied by beating of the breast and linked with the immediately following clause ‘as we forgive our debtors’.5 So forgiveness of others was required. Moreover Augustine insisted that the Lord's Prayer should be recited every day6 and he connected the prayer's preceding request ‘Give us this day our daily bread’ with the bread distributed at the daily celebration of the Eucharist.7 Many of us if asked how often we do wrong might be complacent enough to suppose it was only from time to time. The existence of sin at the level of initial thoughts helps to show that it is many times a day. Hence the necessity for saying the Lord's Prayer every day. And it explains Augustine's revulsion from Pelagians like Julian who will be the subject of Chapter 26 since they are alleged to hold that people can by their own efforts reach the point where they have no debts for which they need to ask forgiveness.8 On Augustine's view this overlooks how sin permeates down to the level of our initial thoughts. Jerome agreed that no human can avoid this prepassion and so none can be free of sin.9 Elsewhere in the same book Augustine makes further distinctions among degrees of sin: there is silent anger an uttered expletive and actually saying ‘Thou fool’.10 Again sin can exist in the heart in an action or as a habit.11 I shall now quote some of the passages from Augustine. For present purposes I shall ignore the male perspective in which Adam represents reason and Eve pleasure or appetite although more will come up about that later. Indeed we must reflect that [Christ] did not say ‘anyone who lusts after a woman’ but ‘anyone who looks at a woman in order to lust after her’ that is who attends to her with the purpose and intention of lusting after her. That is not being titillated (titillari) by the pleasure of the flesh but openly consenting (consentire) in such a way that the illicit appetite would not be bridled but if an opportunity were granted would be indulged. There are three things by which sin is brought to completion suggestion pleasure and assent (suggestio delectatio consensio).… As when we are fasting and the appetite (appetitus) of the palate arises at the sight of food this does not happen except through pleasure (nisi delectatione) but we do not assent (consentire) to the latter but restrain it by the authority of its master reason. But if consent should be given it will be a complete sin in our heart known to God even if it does not become known through any deed to men.… It is as if the suggestion is made along with a kind of persuasion by the serpent whereas the pleasure resides in our carnal appetite as if in Eve while consent resides in reason as if in the man.12 So it is like the serpent speaking to the woman when that carnal or animal sense offers some enticement to enjoy itself as a personal and private good not as a public and communal good which is the unchangeable kind and offers it to the mental attention (intentio) which in its active function revolves with the vivacity of thought upon temporal and corporeal things. But to assent (consentire) to that enticement is to eat of the forbidden tree. However if that assent (consensus) is content with the mere pleasure of thinking (sola cogitationis delectatione) whereas the limbs are restrained by the authority of higher counsels so they are not ‘offered to sin as the instruments of wickedness’ then I think it must be taken as if the woman alone ate the forbidden food. But if in assenting (consensio) to the bad use of things that are sensed through the bodily senses any sin is decided on in such a way that it will be physically carried out if there is a possibility the woman must be understood to have given the forbidden food to her husband to eat together with her. For if sin is decided on by the mind not only as to be thought of with pleasure but also as to be perpetrated in actuality this cannot happen without the mind's attention yielding to the bad act and becoming its servant and it is that attention which has the supreme power of moving the limbs to or keeping them from the deed. Nor indeed is it to be denied that it is a sin when the mind is pleased by illicit things in mere thought (sola cogitatione) not indeed deciding that they are to be done but retaining and willingly (libenter) revolving things which ought to be spat out as soon as they touch the mind. None the less it is a far lesser sin than if the thing were decided on as to be implemented in practice. And so forgiveness is to be sought for thoughts even of this kind. We must strike our breast and say ‘Forgive us our debts’. And we must do what follows and link in our prayer the words ‘as we too forgive our debtors’.13 Panic and pallor: the history of a mistake So far there has been nothing more than a legitimate if distorting adaptation of the Stoic idea of first movements. But it is time now to tell the history of a mistake. We saw in Chapter 22 that Augustine's predecessors did not always distinguish first movements in Seneca's sharp way from emotions. In Augustine's case the conflation of the two was confirmed through his using Aulus Gellius rather than Seneca as his authority for Stoic ideas. In Gellius’ report of Stoicism there is a change of one single letter of the alphabet. This change was enough to mislead Augustine and so to play a role if only a small one in shaping Western views on sexuality. Aulus Gellius the Roman philosophical journalist illustrated the idea of initial shock by telling how he was a fellow passenger with a Stoic philosopher on board ship in a storm.14 The Stoic became jittery (pavidus) and so when the storm subsided a rich Asiatic Greek asked him why he a Stoic was afraid (timere) and grew pale (pallere) when the Asiatic Greek did not. At first the Stoic gave the answer which the Cyrenaic philosopher Aristippus had offered in similar circumstances. Aristippus not being a Stoic had been free to acknowledge that he was afraid (timere) but responded that he was naturally more afraid for the life of Aristippus than his questioner could be for the life of a paltry fellow like himself.15 The idea behind this reply is found still earlier in Aristotle.16 Gellius not satisfied with this answer waited till the ship approached port and then asked him for an explanation again. The Stoic replied that the brief but necessary and natural jitters (pavor) were explained in the fifth book of Epictetus’ Discourses which he drew from his bag. Gellius continues by paraphrasing the extract into Latin: In that book we read the following view written of course in Greek. The appearances (visa) entertained by the mind which the Greeks call phantasiai and by which (quibus) the human mind is jolted (pellitur) right away at the first appearance (prima specie) of a thing impinging on the mind do not belong to the will (voluntas) and are not chosen (arbitrariae). Rather they infiltrate themselves by a certain force of their own as things for people to acknowledge (noscere). The approvals (probationes) however which the Greeks call sunkatatheseis by which these same appearances are acknowledged are voluntary (voluntariae) and happen by human choice (arbitratus). Consequently when some frightening sound occurs from the sky or from a ruin falling or as a sudden announcement of I know not what danger or whatever else of that kind the mind even of the wise person has to be moved (moveri) and to shrink (contrahi) for a little and to grow pale (pallescere) not through recommending a belief (opinio) that there is something bad but because of certain rapid and unsolicited movements (motus) which pre-empt the functions of the mind and reason. Soon however the wise person denies approval (non adprobat) to those same phantasiai of that kind that is to those frightening appearances in his mind; in other words he does not assent (sunkatatithetai) nor lend belief (prosepidoxazei) but he rejects them and spits them out [the metaphor borrowed by Augustine]. Nor does he see (videri) anything in them to be feared (metuendum). And they say that this is the difference between the mind of the wise and unwise. The unwise person thinks that things which seem to him dangerous and desperate at the first jolt (primō pulsu) of his mind really are like that and when they have begun as if they were genuinely to be feared he further gives approval (adprobare) by his assent (adsensio) and lends belief (prosepidoxazei)—for this is the word the Stoics use to discuss that phenomenon. But the wise person after being moved (motus) briefly and slightly in his colour and countenance does not assent (sunkatatithetai) but retains his stance and the vigour of the belief which he has always had about such appearances that they are not in the least to be feared but cause terror by putting on a false front with empty alarms. We read in the book I mentioned that the philosopher Epictetus thought and uttered these doctrines of the Stoics. And I thought that they ought to be noted down so that we should think it not a sign of being unwise or cowardly if when things happen to arise of the kind I have mentioned we grow slightly jittery (sensim pavescere) and as it were go white and so that we should think that we are yielding (cedere) to natural weakness in that so brief movement rather than that we are judging (censere) those things to be as they appear (visa).17 Gellius’ paraphrase of Epictetus is absolutely unexceptionable. It speaks of the wise person's mind being moved (moveri) shrinking (contrahi) and [metaphorically] growing pale (pallescere). The danger begins in Gellius’ statement of his motive for offering the paraphrase where instead of pallescere ‘to grow pale’ he changes one letter of the alphabet to produce pavescere ‘to grow jittery’. Indeed he twice describes the Stoic sailor in the storm as experiencing jitters (pavor) and once as being jittery (pavidus). I have translated pavescere in terms of ‘jitters’ because it emphasizes the ambiguity of the word between actual fear and mere trembling. From a literary point of view this ambiguity makes it an excellent word to use. But from a philosophical point of view it is disastrous. For the ambiguity obscures Seneca's point five times repeated in On Anger 2. 2. 5 to 2. 3. 5 (translated in Chapter 2) and implied again in the passage translated next below that initial shocks like trembling are not yet the emotion of fear. This point is very important to Seneca because it is part of the method of control to be able to reassure yourself that at the stage of initial shock you have not yet indulged in emotion. Admittedly at one point Seneca himself uses the verb expavescere for the jitters experienced by animals. But he does not rely on the word alone to make the point that the jitters of animals involve no fear (metus). He makes the point explicitly in the adjacent sentence: As a result their charging and commotion is violent. Fear (metus) however anxiety (sollicitudo) sadness (tristitia) and anger (ira) are not found but only certain things like them. Thus they quickly subside and change into the opposite state and after becoming intensely frantic (saevire) or jittery (expavescere) they start feeding and quiet or sleep immediately follows on their mad bellowing and rushing about.18 The trouble with Gellius’ comment on Epictetus and his account of the Stoic sailor is that he gives no warning that the jitters in his story are unaccompanied by fear even of the briefest kind. This was to have significant consequences for Augustine was to draw important conclusions from Gellius’ version. Augustine's claim that the Stoics’ dispute with other schools is merely verbal was discussed in Chapter 14. He thinks that when the Stoics allow initial shocks they are really allowing emotions and that in conceding that some indifferent things are preferred they are really conceding that they are good. In City of God 9. 5–6 written between 415 and 417 Augustine summarises the account of Aulus Gellius telling it as he thinks more plainly (ut puto planius). But his ‘plainer’ version makes some vital changes. He twice uses Gellius’ word pavescere ‘to grow jittery’ but once he resolves any possible ambiguity in the wrong direction by adding ‘with fear’ (pavescere metu). He adds that the wise person may shrink with sadness (tristitia contrahi) and describes these reactions three times as passions (passiones). In the following chapter he refers back and uses the other main word for fear timor. He concludes from Gellius’ story that passions (passiones) do befall the Stoic wise person. He says that this is because the things the Stoics claim to see as indifferent but acknowledge to be preferred or dispreferred (commoda incommoda) are really seen as good or bad not as indifferent. For example the Stoic philosopher in the storm did not succeed in giving no weight (nihili pendere) to his own life. The notions of Pavor and Pallor would have been connected in Augustine's mind because he tells us that they had been made into two gods.19 But the equation of pavor with metus and timor is his own. The following is his main account: Aulus Gellius says he read in that book that this is the Stoic doctrine. Appearances (visa) are entertained by the mind which they call phantasiai and it is not in our power whether or when they will fall on the mind. When they come from terrifying and frightening things it is necessary that they will move (movere) the mind even of the wise person so that for a little he either grows jittery with fear (pavescere metu) or shrinks with sadness (tristitia contrahi) as if these emotions (passiones) pre-empt the functions of the mind and reason. But no belief is formed on that account in his mind that there is something bad nor are those [appearances] approved nor assent given. For they [the Stoics] mean this [assent] to be in our power and they judge that the difference between the mind of the wise person and of the fool is that the mind of the fool yields to these same emotions (passiones) and allows assent of the mind. But the mind of the wise person although it is necessarily subject to those [emotions] yet retains a true and stable opinion with mind unshaken (inconcussa) about the things which rationally ought to be chosen or avoided.… And perhaps the reason why the Stoics say those [emotions (passiones perturbationes)] do not fall upon the wise person is that they do not cloud with any error or trip with any fall the wisdom that makes him wise in the first place. But they befall the mind of the wise person while leaving his serenity intact because of the things which they [the Stoics] call preferred or dispreferred (commoda incommoda) although they are not willing to call them good or bad. For surely if that philosopher had attached no weight (nihili pendere) to those things which he felt he was going to lose in the shipwreck such as his life and the safety of his person he would not have shuddered (perhorrescere) at that danger in such a way as to be betrayed by the evidence of his very pallor.20 Augustine's misunderstanding is brought out further when he says in this passage that the mind of the wise person is unshaken (inconcussa). Seneca had made the opposite point. Our minds can never be unshaken (the same word: inconcussi) despite our hopes. This is because of first movements. But they can be unconquered (invicti).21 Augustine refers to the story again in another work written a few-years later in AD 419 and he correctly records Epictetus’ view that we do not have a genuine case of emotion (perturbatio) if reason does not yield to the initial movements. But Augustine still treats this as a merely verbal manoeuvre which after all concedes that in the ordinary sense perturbatio does befall the Stoic sage: On the text ‘Around the setting of the sun panic (pavor) invaded Abraham and behold a great fear (timor) fell on him.’ On account of those who contend that those emotions (perturbationes) do not fall on the mind of a wise man we must discuss the question whether there is such a thing as Aulus Gellius mentions in his Attic Nights. He mentions a certain philosopher disturbed (turbatus) in a great storm at sea while he was on board ship and accosted by a wealthy young man. When the latter taunted him after the danger was past on the grounds that though a philosopher he had quickly been emotionally upset (perturbatus) the philosopher replied that his interlocutor had not been emotionally upset because it would have been wrong to have any fear for his own worthless life since his life did not deserve to be the subject of any fear. But when others who had been on board were eager and expectant he drew out a book by the Stoic Epictetus. What was read there was that the Stoic view was not that no such emotion (perturbatio) would fall on the mind of the wise man as if no such thing would be found in their feelings (adfectus). Rather emotion (perturbatio) was defined by the Stoics as occurring when reason yielded to such movements and when it did not yield nothing was to be called an emotion.22 Augustine's misunderstanding is exploited in more than one way in the City of God book 14 written between 418 and 420. Not only does he refer back to the supposed acceptance of emotions by Epictetus to justify his advocacy for Christians of moderate emotion23 but he also makes an exception of lust as undesirable in an argument that trades further on his misunderstanding.24 The attack on lust comes in City of God 14. 16–24. Lust is not good in moderation as many other emotions are (14. 8–9). At 14. 19 Augustine asks why lust differs from anger and other emotions in that we are ashamed to be seen indulging it even in the lawful marriage bed. In his answer he appeals to the point which we shall see in 26 is the centrepiece of his attack on lust. It is bad because it is not under the control of the will as it would have been but for the fall and punishment of man. Augustine is writing from a male perspective and the particular thing that is most commonly said and said here not to be under the control of the will is the male bodily movements. Augustine contrasts anger because there at least the fisticuffs or other bodily movements are under control. It is the disobedience to the will of male bodily movements that explains our embarrassment: For whoever utters a word in anger or actually hits someone could not do this if his tongue and hand were not moved in some way at the command of the will. These members are moved by that same will even when there is no anger. But lust has so delivered the genitals as it were to its own jurisdiction that they are not capable of being moved if it is missing and if it has not arisen of itself or by being aroused. This is what causes shame. This is what avoids the eyes of onlookers with blushes. A person tolerates a crowd of spectators when he is unjustly angry with someone more than the gaze of a single person even when he is legitimately having intercourse with his wife.25 I think the wording conceals an a fortiori argument: the male movements fail to occur when summoned by the will. A fortiori when they do occur they are not subject to the will. Augustine's male perspective leaves us wondering if women should experience less embarrassment. If Augustine had at this stage taken in the exposition of Seneca rather than of Gellius he would have realized that he was not comparing like with like. Irritation by seminal fluid is explicitly cited by Seneca On Anger in the passage translated in Chapter 4 above (2. 3. 2) as an example of a first movement which is not yet an emotion. What it should be compared with therefore is the involuntary reactions that precede anger and that is just what it is compared with by Seneca. In that same passage he cites first movements in connection with all three of the examples discussed by Augustine. Male movements are explicitly cited as first movements but so are the flashing eyes and quickening breath that precede anger not to mention the pallor that characterizes the sailor in the storm.26 Augustine should have compared the male movements with the flashing eyes. The fisticuffs by contrast which are under the control of the will should be compared with the wilful pursuit of the object of lust. Lust is no different from anger in this regard and the movements which the will fails to control are on Seneca's analysis neither culpable nor a proof of emotion. The same applies to Augustine's explanation of sexual shame. The male's unruly movements will not on their own explain it given that first movements in anger too disobey the will but without causing shame. There is admittedly one difference from anger that the involuntary male movements are needed for the sexual act. But whatever may be true of anger the involuntary salivation in hunger is needed for the act of eating as we shall see in Chapter 26 and yet is no cause of shame. I shall suggest in Chapter 26 that Augustine's misunderstanding impairs his argument in a roughly contemporary work The Literal Interpretation of Genesis written between 401 and 418. Augustine sets out to explain why consent (consensio) given in dreams to illicit sex is not a sin. But he finishes by explaining only why the male movements in dreams are not a sin.27 Seneca would have complained that the phase of first movements is entirely distinct from the phase of consent. Thomas Aquinas by contrast is clear that the male nocturnal emission is only a first movement.28 Augustine's unpreparedness to take in the Stoic picture is further illustrated in our present chapter by his treating lust as an emotion (affectio) which unlike other emotions bypasses the will. The Stoics would insist that every emotion is an act of will and Augustine agrees a little earlier in the same book of City of God.29 The Confessions would allow him to say that lust is an act of carnal will bypassing the spiritual will.30 But here in City of God 14. 19 he concedes only that the will gives assent to other emotions (eis consenserit). He thinks that in lust the will is bypassed and that it is the emotion itself not the will (a distinction that hardly makes sense on the Stoic view he had so recently acknowledged) that moves the male member: What is the reason why shame does not conceal in every word and deed the actions of anger and of other emotions (affectiones) as it conceals the actions of lust which are performed by the sexual members? It is simply that with the other emotions it is not the emotions (affectiones) themselves that move the bodily members but rather the will once it has assented to the emotions (eis consenserit) and the will is in complete control of the use of those members.31 Why is Augustine so blind to the Stoic distinction between involuntary first movements and willed emotion? There is more than one reason. First by turning first movements into thoughts and suggestions Origen obscured the distinction between them and emotions which the Stoics saw as thoughts. Consequently the description of first movements as the preliminaries (principia) of emotion which had left the distinction quite clear in Seneca leaves it unclear in Origen and subsequent Church Fathers. A different point that has been made to me is Augustine's reliance in these passages on a Platonic rather than a Stoic view of the soul. In City of God 9. 4 and On the Trinity 12. 12 he divides the mind between reason and the emotions or irrational parts which it should control.32 In City of God 14. 19 he explicitly says that he is taking a Platonist view of the soul. For Plato unlike the Stoics the rational part which curbs or permits (refrenare permittere) actions based on emotion is quite distinct from the two irrational parts which experience lust or anger respectively. Consequently emotions are not seen in the Stoic way as necessarily having the permission of reason. This can help to explain how in City of God 9. 4 Augustine can so ignore the Stoic position as to claim that the wise man has emotions even though he does not judge anything to be bad nor give his assent but retains a correct opinion about what should be pursued and avoided.33 I think this Platonism is an important factor and the point can be developed to explain why lust is differently treated from anger in City of God 14. 19. For Plato himself says in the Republic that anger is the ally of reason and never sides with the lower appetites (like lust) against reason.34 Still the appeal to Plato does not explain everything. For one thing Plato does not hold that all anger is approved by reason. For another he allows that lust may be approved by the lowest part of the soul even when not approved by reason.35 Augustine elsewhere recognizes an analogous point transposed in terms of the will when he allows the carnal will to approve what the spiritual will does not.36 But the appeal to will is closer to Stoicism than to Platonism as becomes clearer still when Augustine acknowledges that all emotions are acts of will.37 There is a further difference from Plato in that the Platonic passages are not concerned as Augustine is with merely physical reactions so they do not explain why Augustine notices the involuntary physical reactions in lust but not in anger. Despite the other powerful reasons for Augustine to misinterpret the Stoics I think the linguistic misunderstanding will have contributed. Indeed a different linguistic misunderstanding has been postulated by others as contributing to his attack on lust. When the Wisdom of Solomon says that we cannot get control of (enkratēs continens) wisdom unless God grants it Augustine takes the words to mean instead that we cannot be continent unless God so grants.38 What I am saying is that Gellius’ use of the ambiguous word pavescere must have fortified Augustine in his belief that there is no real difference between the first movements which the Stoics exonerate and the emotions which they condemn. In City of God 14. 19 the failure to distinguish first movements from emotions enables him to treat lust as an exception reprehensible in a way that most other emotions are not. The disobedience of male movements to the will is only one manifestation of lust's disobedience to the will but it is by far the most commonly stressed manifestation and so forms a centrepiece of Augustine's attack on lust. Thus Gellius’ change of the double l in pallescere to the v of pavescere played at least a small role in Augustine's denunciation of lust a denunciation which has so affected attitudes to sexual feeling in the West. Here we have an example of how important good philology can be to good philosophy. Emotion and Peace of Mind	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416838
__label__wiki	0.657088	0.657088	Global-Regulation Global Laws ▾ Curated Case Studies Analytics ▾ PenaltyAI Global Complexity New Laws ▾ Database Coverage British Caribbean Shipping (Agreement) Act Subscribe to a Global-Regulation Premium Membership Today! Access to 1,823,663 Global Laws from 95 Countries View the Original Law Side-by-Side with the Translation Subscribe Now for only USD$20 per month, or Get a Day Pass for only USD$4.99. British Caribbean Shipping (CAP. 57 1 (Agreement) THE BRITISH CARIBBEAN SHIPPING (AGREEMENT) ACT Arrangement of Sections 1. Short title. 2. Interpretation. 3 . Fulfilment of Agreement. 4. Contribution to subsidy. 5. Duration of Agreement for purposes of Act. BRITISH CARIBBEAN SHIPPING (AGREEMENT) (15th November, 1955.) 1211955. 1811989. S . I . 3911989. WHEREAS the Governments of Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica, Antigua, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis- Anguilla, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent (hereinafter called "the Govern- ments'') have agreed with the West Indian Navigation Com- pany Limited, a company incorporated in Trinidad under the provisions of the Companies Ordinance, Chapter 31 No. 1 of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago that the Com- pany shall provide a regular inter-island shipping service to serve the territories of the Governments in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement set out in the LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA Short title. Interpretation. Fulfilment of Contribution to subsidy. Agreement for purposes of Act. CAP. 57) British Caribbean Shipping AND WHEREAS the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Trinidad and Tobago was by a Power of Attorney dated the 1st day of November, 1954, nominated and constituted and appointed the lawful attorney of the Government of Antigua for it and on its behalf to execute the said Agreement: AND WHEREAS the said Governor and Commander-in Chief of Trinidad and Tobago has by virtue of the powers conferred on and vested in him by the said Power of Attorney executed the said Agreement for and on behalf of the Govern- ment of Antigua: AND WHEREAS the Government of Antigua having agreed and undertaken to ratify and confirm the said Agree- ment as executed for it and on its behalf it is expedient to make provision in Antigua and Barbuda to ratify and give effect to the said Agreement. 1. This Act may be cited as the British Caribbean Shipping (Agreement) Act. 2. In this Act- "the Agreement" means the Agreement set out in the Schedule; "the Company" means the West Indies Navigation Company Limited referred to in the Agreement. 3. With a view to the fulfilment of the Agreement in and by Antigua and Barbuda the terms and conditions of the Agreement are hereby ratified and the provisions thereof insofar as they relate to Antigua and Barbuda shall have the force of law as if enacted in this Act. 4. The Accountant-General shall, on the warrant of the Minister of Finance, pay out of the revenue and other funds of Antigua and Barbuda, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement, the proportion of the annual sum specified in the Third Schedule to the Agreement as being payable by the Government to the Company. 5 . (1) For the purposes of this Act the agreement shall be deemed to be in force unless and until the Cabinet by order declares that the Agreement has ceased or is for the purposes of this Act to be deemed to have ceased, to be in (2) An Order may be made under this section declar- ing that the Agreement has ceased to be in force if the Cabinet is satisfied that the Agreement has been determined in accordance with the terms thereof. Approved on behalf of the Governments. (Sgd.) C. DE. L. INNIS Attorney-General. (Sgd.) STANLEY S. STONE Conveyancer. An AGREEMENT made the First day of November 1954 between His Excellency Major-General Sir HUBERT ELVIN RANCE, G.C .M.G., G.B.E., C .B., Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Trinidad and Tobago acting herein for and on behalf of the Governments of Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica, Antigua, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent (hereinafter called "the Governments") having been duly authorized for the pur- pose by the Governments of the one part and WEST INDIES NAVIGATION COMPANY LIMITED a company incorporated in Trinidad under the provisions of the Companies Ordinance Chapter 31 No. 1, of the Laws of the Colony of Trinidad and Tobago and having its registered office at 72/74, South Quay, in the City of Port-of-Spain in the Island of Trinidad (hereinafter called "the Company") of the other part. 4 CAP. 57) British Caribbean Shipping (A,yreemnt) WHEREAS it is desirable to improve the communications between the territories of the British West Indies within the jurisdiction of the Governments for the benefit of the citizens thereof and their mutual trade and in particular to establish a regular shipping service in addition to the sea communica- tions already in existence: AND WHEREAS the Governments have agreed between themselves to contribute with the assistance for the time being of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom in the proportions specified in the Third Schedule hereto towards the annual sum payable as hereinafter provided by the Governments to the Company: NOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows- . This Agreement may be terminated by either party giving to the other six months' notice in writing expiring on or at any time after the third anniversary of a date fifteen days prior to the first sailing from Port-of-Spain in accord- ance with the First Schedule to this Agreement (hereinafter called "the commencement date"). 2. This Agreement shall not be assigned or sub-let to any person or company without the previous consent in writing of the Governments which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. 3. (1) The Company shall introduce provide and maintain a regular service between the scheduled ports for passengers and cargo (hereinafter called "the said services") and shall prosecute the voyages with despatch and shall use its best endeavours to complete fifteen and one half round voyages per annum between the scheduled ports in accor- dance with the time schedule prescribed by the First Schedule hereto: Provided that- (i) The Company may at its discretion but sub- ject to the said services being substantially maintained route the ship or ships engaged thereon (hereinafter called "the said ships") to call at any unscheduled ports en route to embark or disembark passengers and/or to take on or unload cargo; (ii) for the purpose of dry docking or other necessary measures to maintain the efficiency of the said ships they may be diverted to any unscheduled port; (iii) the Company shall in an emergency or if the best interests of the service as a whole so require have full power as a temporary measure to vary the route of the said ships and to order or forbid them to enter any port. In the event of any such variation of the said services the Company shall inform the Governments forthwith and shall so far as is reasonably practicable operate feeder ser- vices so as to mitigate any inconvenience to users of the service caused by such variation and shall use its best endeavours to restore the normal service with the minimum delay; (iv) in the event of the facilities of .any port of call not enabling the said ships to be turned round in accordance with the normal custom of the port having regard to the nature of the service, the Company while those cir- cumstances continue may omit, interrupt or modify the service to that port and the Com- pany shall forthwith inform the Governments of the circumstances. (2) The Company shall be entitled, subject to the pro- visions of Clause 9, to charge such passenger fares, freight rates and other charges as may from time to time be prescribed by the Company. In fixing such fares, rates and charges the Company shall pay due regard to any represen- tations from time to time made by the Governments with respect thereto: Provided that the Company shall be under no obliga- tion to grant any special or concessionary rates for the transport of passengers or cargo. (A,?reement) 4. (1) The Company shall provide for the said ser- vices s.s. "Wingsang" the specification of which is set out in the Second Schedule hereto and shall take all practicable measure to ensure that she and any ship or ships provided by the Company in substitution for her for the purpose of the said services are kept in the condition necessary for the efficient performance thereof: Provided that subject to the provisions of this Agree- ment if for any reason other than marine casualty (howsoever caused) or the consequences of any hostilities or warlike operations s.s. "Wingsang" shall not be available for the said services the Company shall substitute therefor to the satisfaction of the Governments another ship or ships to pro- vide as nearly as possible similar services and facilities. (2) In the event of any suspension of the said services arising from the failure to provide or delay in providing for the said services s.s. "Wingsang" or another ship or ships as provided by subclause (1) of this clause, the liability of the Governments for payment of the annual sum payable under the provisions of Clause 6 hereof shall be suspended during the period of such suspension and the amount of such annual sum shall abate pro rata. Suspension or abatement of the annual payment in such circumstances shall not prejudice the question whether the suspension of the said services constitutes a contravention of this Agreement but the amount by which the said annual payment shall have been abated in pursuance of the foregoing provision of this subclause shall be set off against any damages accruing to the Governments by reason of such suspension. (3) In the event of any of the said ships suffering a marine casualty (howsoever caused) or being damaged in consequence of any hostilities or warlike operations the Com- pany shall use its best endeavours to procure her restoration to such condition as aforesaid with the minimum delay. (4) If in consequence of any such marine casualty or of hostilities, warlike operations, revolution or civil commo- tion the said services are interrupted or suspended the liability of the Governments for payment of the annual sum payable during the period of such interruption or suspension and (A 1932 Foreign Merchant Shipping (Agreements) Act Moravian Church Incorporation and Vesting Act 1939 Land Settlement Act 1957 Emergency Powers (Hurricane, Earthquake, Fire or Flood) Act 1961 Poor Relief Act 1989 Business Names Act Guardianship of Infants Act Libel and Slander Act 1956 Crown Proceedings Act 1988 Consumer Protection and Safety Act Read the Terms of Use Agreement to see the terms that apply to your use of our products (including this website). Our service is entirely run by computer algorithms. Translations are not human-vetted. There may be inaccuracies in information due to our algorithmic extraction of information. 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__label__wiki	0.701794	0.701794	March 6th, 2018 \| Written by Peter Buxbaum Port Truck Reservation System Launches at Norfolk International Terminals TRUCK RESERVATION SYSTEM: It helps Port of Virginia manage flow at the gates. Goal of Port of Virginia truck reservation system is to create consistency and efficiency in delivery of service. VPA CEO: “This is a twenty-first century tool.” Reservation system holds benefits for truckers, shippers, and logistics companies. Following more than two years of collaborative development with local truckers, The Port of Virginia launched its trucker reservation system (TRS) last week. The event marks the beginning of an effort to manage the flow of truck volume at the port. The port announced phased roll-out of TRS. In this initial phase, motor carriers calling Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., Monday through Friday, must have a reservation. Mandatory reservations will also be required between 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. on Saturday. Additional mandatory hours are planned as the TRS gains a firm footing in the trucking community. “This is a twenty-first century tool that holds benefits for motor carriers, cargo owners, logistics companies and our terminal operations team,” said John F. Reinhart, the CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. “This system allows us to manage flow at the gates, it creates efficiency for our terminal operations teams and for drivers, it provides greater visibility to cargo owners and it is a planning tool for us and everyone that moves their cargo by truck.” To register and create a reservation, motor carriers must go to the port’s website for all trucking-related information, and follow the steps. The system will migrate to Virginia International Gateway (VIG) this summer. “Container volumes at the Port of Virginia are growing and it’s a trend that will continue. So as we begin to bring more capacity online, we must ensure flow at our gates throughout the entire day,” Reinhart said. “Rush hour is not efficient, but spreading out the truck volume across the day is, and we’ve developed an innovative, fair, easy and useful way of accomplishing that.” By 2020, the annual container throughput capacity at NIT will have increased by 46 percent, or 400,000 containers. The added capacity comes as the result of a $375 million expansion of the terminal’s south berth, where 60 new rail-mounted gantry cranes are the centerpieces of a completely renovated container handling operation. The first of 30 new container stacks at south NIT is scheduled to go into service in September. “Creating consistency and efficiency in our delivery of service from hour-to-hour is the goal,” Reinhart said. “We must prepare now for what is to come.” Among other rules applicable to TRS, trucks arriving during mandatory hours without reservations will be turned away and will not be permitted to queue on terminal property. No truck queueing will be permitted prior to 4:30 a.m. Monday – Friday and 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Reservations are made within a one-hour block and with a 30-minute grace period on either side. Drivers arriving early or late for confirmed reservations will be turned away. Need a Logistics Provider? Compare over 100 Instantly Industry Aerospace Agriculture Apparel/Textile Automotive Chemicals Consumer Package Goods Electronics Energy Food & Beverage Furniture Healthcare Industrial Pharmaceuticals Retail Coverage Area Regional Domestic North America Global Services Air Ocean Rail Trucking Intermodal Parcel PCC Reaches Vancouver Destination	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416844
__label__cc	0.515917	0.484083	Gear: Holsters The Wright Holster J. Scott Rupp - February 14, 2018 Ruger's GP 100 .44 Special is right at home in the Predator Pancake from Wright Leather Works. A stiffening strap at the top ensures the holster stays open. Like most of you, I've got my fair share of holsters. None of them is fancy. The Predator Pancake that Wright Leatherworks sent me for review isn't fancy, either, but man is it one good-looking rig. Wright is a five-year-old company, started, as Brandon Wright told me, because the founders had a "do-it- yourself" mentality and wanted to make what they thought was a good holster. Today those efforts have culminated in a line that includes nine styles encompassing inside-the-waistband, outside-the-waistband, shoulder and pocket holstersâ€”plus belts, magazine pouches and more. All are made at Wright's Fremont, Ohio, facility, and the company carries its "made in America" ethos to include its raw materials: All Wright holsters are constructed from 100- percent domestic steer hide that's tanned here in the U.S. The Predator Pancake is the company's most popular model. I've been wearing it for a few weeks and found it be a really comfortable holster that holds the gun tight to the body. The company suggests this holster is best worn at the four or five o'clock position, and after experimenting a bit, I ended up carrying at four o'clock. This particular model, Wright's most popular, does an excellent job of keeping the gun tight to the body. The 15-degree cant angle makes for an easy and sure draw, and it was a pleasure to work with at the range. The Ruger GP 100 .44 came out smoothly and went back smoothly, the latter thanks in part to a stiffening strip of leather at the front that ensures the mouth stays fully open. A custom-cut body shield adds comfort and protects your gun from sweat The slots are cut for belts up to 1.75 inches. I tried the Predator on a 1.25-inch belt, and it slopped around a little. However, it was fine on a 1.5-inch belt. As for the number of gun fits for this holster model...well, I can't count that high. If for some reason your gun doesn't show up on the list, Wright will work with you. Color options include black, coffee, mahogany, saddle tan and, my choice, walnut. The Predator Pancake sells for $98, and you can upgrade the leather by ordering the Master Collection version for an additional $60. The company currently has a four- to six-week turnaround time. Check them out at WrightLeatherWorks.com. Mossberg MC1sc 9mm Pistol Review Brad Fitzpatrick Mossberg dives into the CCW market with the MC1sc 9mm pistol (#89001), their first... Kimber Micro 9 Nightfall Review Jeff Chudwin - January 29, 2019 One of the newest in the Micro 9 series, the Kimber Micro 9 Nightfall is a serious pistol... Running and Gunning: The Junk Drawer and Marathon GunPack Two products to carry your gun when you're really on the go. 12 Quality Concealed Carry Holsters 2015 saw the introduction of a wide range of concealed carry holsters, duty holsters and other... First Look: Galco Blakguard Belt Holster Handguns Online Staff - January 28, 2016 The new Galco Blakguard belt holster is a hybrid holster made from premium center-cut... See More Holsters	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416848
__label__cc	0.580163	0.419837	Tag: heavens basement Heaven’s Basement, release Nothing Left To Lose, from their eagerly anticipated debut album ‘Filthy Empire’ January 23, 2013 admin No Comments NEW SINGLE NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE FROM FORTHCOMING DEBUT ALBUM ‘FILTHY EMPIRE’ RELEASED ON 1st FEBRUARY 2013 Heaven’s Basement, release Nothing Left To Lose, from their eagerly anticipated debut album ‘Filthy Empire’, on the 1st February 2013 via Red Bull Records. Nothing Left To Lose is brimming with energy and the neck snap dynamics of great rock’n’roll accompanied with an irrepressible chorus. To see the video go to http://youtu.be/kP1u79wSdDY ‘Filthy Empire’ recorded in LA by producer John Feldmann (Black Veil Brides), is steeped in energy and the resulting slab of rock sees a healthy dose of contemporary freshness added to the bands sound. The album, features 12 tracks including the singles ‘Fire,Fire’ and ‘Nothing Left To Lose‘ and conjures the greats – the high-wire swagger of Led Zeppelin, the outlaw chaos of Guns’n’Roses – without ever copying their moves. Don’t be like your heroes, be as good as them, seems to be Heaven’s Basement’s game. “We wanted to take the ambition of all the great rock’n’roll that came before us, the essence, but make it sound completely modern and relevant,” explains Sid Glover. “I want people to say , ‘Fuck man, I haven’t heard an album that’s made me feel this pumped up in ages, I haven’t seen a band with this much energy and ‘Go fuck yourself’ attitude…’” It’s hard to imagine the album stirring any other kind of reaction, to be honest, and for Heaven’s Basement, this is clearly only the beginning. Link to album artwork and promo shot: http://wtrns.fr/jFrLEcYg4K87WVA Track listing for the album is as follows: 1. Welcome Home 2. Fire, Fire 3. Nothing Left to Lose 4. When The Lights Go Out In London 5. I Am Electric 6. The Long Goodbye 7. Heartbreaking Son of a Bitch 8. Be Somebody 9. Can’t Let Go 10.The Price We Pay 11.Jump Back 12.Executioner’s Day Pre-order the album now from http://heavensbasement.sandbaghq.com/ and get ‘I Am Electric’ as an instant grat (as used on Need For Speed game). Heavens Basement is Aaron Buchanan – Lead Vocals. Sid Glover – Lead Guitar; Backing Vocals. Rob ‘Bones’ Ellershaw – Bass Guitar; Backing Vocals. Chris Rivers – Drums. www.facebook.com/heavensbasement / www.heavensbasement.com / www.redbullrecords.com Tags: Filthy Empire, heavens basement, nothing left to lose New music video for ‘Heavens Basement’ Single Nothing left To Lose Here is the official Music Video for Heaven’s Basement new single!! Nothing left To Lose! + Exclusive news!! HEAVEN’S BASEMENT TO TOUR EUROPE WITH BLACK VEIL BRIDES Heaven’s Basement are confirmed as the sole support on Black Veiled Bride’s tour throughout continental Europe in April 2013. The band have had a monumental 2012, touring Europe numerous times, most recently extensive tours with both Halestorm and Seether, as well as recording their debut album ‘Filthy Empire’ with John Feldmann in LA (Papa Roach, Black Veil Brides! The album, featuring 12 tracks includes the singles ‘Fire,Fire’ and ‘Nothing Left To Lose‘ and conjures the greats; the high-wire swagger of Led Zeppelin, the outlaw chaos of Guns’n’Roses – without ever copying their moves. Don’t be like your heroes, be as good as them, seems to be Heaven’s Basement’s game. “We wanted to take the ambition of all the great rock’n’roll that came before us, the essence, but make it sound completely modern and relevant,” explains Sid Glover. “I want people to say , ‘Fuck man, I haven’t heard an album that’s made me feel this pumped up in ages, I haven’t seen a band with this much energy and ‘Go fuck yourself’ attitude…’” It’s hard to imagine the album stirring any other kind of reaction, to be honest, and for Heaven’s Basement, this is clearly only the beginning. The band bring the storm to Europe in April 2013 at the following shows: 05/04/13 Paris Le Trabendo 06/04/13 Toulouse La Dynamo 07/04/13 Madrid Caracol / Sala Arena 08/04/13 Barcelona Music Hall 10/04/13 Zurich Komplex 11/04/13 Milan Factory 12/04/13 Rome Init Club 13/04/13 Cesena Vidia Club 14/04/13 Vienna Arena 16/04/13 Munchen Backstage Halle 17/04/13 Poznan Eskulap 18/04/13 Berlin Lido 19/04/13 Copenhagen Vega 20/04/13 Stockholm Klubben 22/04/13 Helsinki Nosturi 24/04/13 Gothenburg Sticky Fingers 25/04/13 Hamburg Grunspan 26/04/13 Amsterdam Melkveg Max 27/04/13 Antwerp Trix 28/04/13 Koln Live Music Hall The band currently have ‘I Am Electric’ featuring in the major EA release ‘Need For Speed: Most Wanted’ – the trailer featuring the track is on youtube and has been viewed over 380,000 times – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEmRkNnCvLU&feature=share&list=PL3C50C26F99B52DAF Tags: heavens basement, new music, nothing left to lose	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416850
__label__cc	0.505718	0.494282	History / The Deities of the Sacred Axe By Margaret Waites Previous productThe Dates of the Philosophi... Next productThe Descent of Christ in th... In this paper Margaret Waits offers an explanation for the pervasive and enigmatic symbol of the double-axe in Mycenaean culture with special reference to the religions of Greece and Asia Minor Publisher: Gorgias Press LLC SKU (ISBN): 978-1-60724-453-0 Formats * Publication Status: In Print Series: Analecta Gorgiana 224 Publication Date: Aug 4,2009 Trim Size: 6 x 9 The double-axe motif is central to Mycenaean iconography, nearly omnipresent and enigmatic in meaning, even modern art-historians and archaeologists. In this paper Margaret Waits offers an explanation for the symbol of the double-axe with special reference to the religions of Greece and Asia Minor. After examining the origin, meaning, and application of the symbol, she proceeds to point out its possible utility in the interpretation of the complicated mysteries of the Cabiri. The paper is interesting as much for its illustration of just how little information is available to explain even basic facets of Mycenaean culture as it is for its interesting and still popular conclusion. Students of Mycenaean archeology and culture will find this an illuminating companion to a study of this early stage in the development of Greek culture. Margaret Waites THE DEITIES OF THE SACRED AXE (page 5) A New Fragment of the Babylonian Etana Legend By Morris Jastrow This fragment of the Babylonian Etana legend was first published in this brief paper by Morris Jastrow. The fragment is presented here in transliteration and translation along with the able textual commentary of an acknowledged leader among philologists. Following the presentation of the text, Jastrow also offers an interpretation of the text, suggesting where within the Etana legend the fragment fits. Line drawings and photographs of this singular fragment accompany the text of the article. Also included in this volume is a brief piece by Friedrich Delitzsch on Neo-Babylonian contract tablets. Mesopotamian Myths and Epics Religion of Babylonia and Assyria By Robert William Rogers Originally the fifth in a series of five lectures delivered at Harvard University, this extract is an early attempt to tackle a formidable subject: the religion of ancient Iraq, or Mesopotamia. In this last essay of the set, Rogers focus on the mythic tradition of Mesopotamia, discussing the myths of Adapa, Ishtar’s descent to the netherworld, and the Gilgamesh epic, especially concentrating on the deluge account. Engaging and informative, Rogers’ narrative is accessible to the specialist and general reader alike. Medusa, Apollo, and the Great Mother By Arthur Frothingham Arthur Frothingham, one of the founding fathers of Art History, here discusses the problem of the Gorgon in ancient Greek art by arguing that Medusa represents a lost prehistoric goddess. Babylonian Origin of Hermes the Snake-God, and of the Caduceus Arthur Frothingham, one of the founding fathers of Art History, here discusses the origins of Hermes, and suggests that the prototype of Hermes was an Eastern deity of Babylonian extraction.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416851
__label__cc	0.611338	0.388662	GUFRAM @ ARTISSIMA Turin, 11 / 2019 Gufram confirms its interest in the Art world by renewing again this year its collaboration with Artissima, furnishing the Publisher’s Lounge, the space adjacent to the area of the fair dedicated to information and publishing. Its presence at the fair confirms once again its connection with Turin, the city from which Gufram's entrepreneurial adventure started in the Sixties, and a place that renews its association with the world of design with this international event. Oasis of style, Gufram's Publisher’s Lounge keeps the irreverent spirit of Radical Design and welcomes visitors for a moment of relax in the heart of the fair. Gufram's Publisher’s Lounge was imagined as an island, inhabited by THE END BLACK, the most recent edition of the ironic epitaph, created in 2014 by Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari to establish the "end" of the Gufram brand, but also to suggest a new beginning. The new version is a Limited Edition 1/500 version in "real-fake" Marquina marble with gold writing: a noir and irreverent look that gives elegance to this tombstone that can be used as a seat with grotesque irony. The funereal look of this furniture-sculpture is tempered by the softness of the polyurethane that makes it: in perfect Gufram tradition nothing is as it seems. THE END is born just like a stone from a stone, thanks to a process of sculpting and roughing out the single elements in polyurethane foam done by artisans. The "real-fake" marble finish is made with Guflac, the special Gufram patented paint that allows the polyurethane to be made look like leather while maintaining its elasticity and softness; for this reason each tombstone is different from another. Via Alba 26, 12060 Barolo CN, Italy \| +39 0173 56102 \| info@gufram.it Legal notices \| Privacy \| Cookie	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416855
__label__wiki	0.857105	0.857105	Home > Opinion Modi and the Mahatma: How India's Hindu Nationalists Hijacked Gandhi Last year, as India celebrated Gandhi's 150th anniversary, Modi reinvented Gandhi as the guru of toilets and solar energy. He didn't mention the Mahatma's non-violence: it would have been ridiculous Khinvraj Jangid Send me email alerts for new articles by Khinvraj Jangid Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks about Mahatma Gandhi at the United Nations during the 150th anniversary year of Gandhi's birth. 25 Sept 2019Twitter In 2019, India, and the world, celebrated the 150th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi eulogized him in countless speeches, recruiting every Indian mission abroad to organize events in the Mahatma’s honor. But what was striking in all these government-led celebrations was the absence of Gandhi’s most famous and foundational ideological stance – his complete commitment to non-violence. Gandhi was presented as a pioneering champion of sustainable development, cleanliness and even solar energy – but his embrace of non-violence and civil disobedience was rendered invisible. That was perhaps unsurprising in light of the constant incitement, hate and violence emanating from the Modi government and the compliant officials of the ruling Bharatiya Janatiya Party. Add to that the current government’s Hindu nationalism, to which Gandhi was utterly opposed, and – perhaps most grievous of all – the prime minister’s political mentoring of a militant Hindu nationalist who exalts not Gandhi, but his assassin. Even for Modi, it seems, there are still limits to how far he can peddle outright hypocrisy. Gandhi was everywhere in India last year, and many Indians marked his anniversary with genuine enthusiasm and reverence. Indeed, the last five years were dedicated to Gandhi by Modi, who launched an ambitious nation-wide mission entitled "Clean-India" for which Modi won the coveted "Global Goalkeeper" award from Bill Gates. Cleanliness was indeed one of Gandhi’s essential values: he considered it a step towards spirituality and self-realization. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to iconic independence leader Mahatma Gandhi on the 150th anniversary of his birth at Rajghat, the Gandhi memorial in New Delhi. Oct. 2, 2019Manish Swarup,AP Not to be left out, the United Nations celebrated its 74th year replete with Gandhi symbolism and a high-level dialogue, attended by Modi, dedicated to examining Gandhi’s relevance in the contemporary world. Gandhi was apparently so attuned to sustainable development, alternative energy sources and climate change that his example was consistently evoked during the inauguration of the solar energy park at UN headquarters last September. But it is a gross misrepresentation and flattening of Gandhi’s legacy to style him solely as a clean energy guru. Even worse is the Modi government’s appropriation of Gandhi as a like-minded proto-BJP supporting activist, not least when another feature of last year was the institutionalization of arrogance, violence and sacralization of weaponry, anathema to Gandhi’s believes which revolved around ahimsa (non-violence) and humility. India under Modi is becoming a brutal authoritarian state Israel isn’t a fascist state. Nor is India under Modi Modi's malignant anti-Muslim vision for India is becoming reality Indian police ban protests amid citizenship law outrage One of Gandhi’s most non-negotiable principles regarded non-violence - ideational as well as physical. To him no violence was legitimate, even if it was sanctioned by the state. His stance brooked no exceptions: Indeed, he courted considerable controversy when he called for the exercise of non-violence and civil disobedience against the Nazi party in Germany. He didn’t reply to a letter from the famous Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, who managed to flee Nazi Germany in 1938, who wrote a letter to him asking how could Jews could really fight their extermination in the Holocaust with non-violence. Gandhi’s deep commitment to non-violence, in all situations, became an international cause celebre during his leadership of the Indian independence movement. His non-violence was based in humanism, and not nationalism; he was even willing for the British to rule India for another decade if the alternative was acquiescing to violent resistance or armed struggle against them. For the same reasons, he firmly opposed the partition of India because it would trigger enormous violence and division – which is exactly what happened. Police beat a protester against India's new citizenship law with a wooden 'lathi,' long batons used to whack, thwack and quell dissent since British colonial times. Varanasi, Dec 20, 2019AFP It is this Gandhian non-violence and humility that have been so publicly abandoned by the very leaders who claimed him as their own in 2019. Modi is best known for his commanding and autocratic way of conducting politics. He is also notably vain and self-important. He once wore a suit decorated with thousands of iterations of his own name when he hosted Barak Obama for an official visit in 2015. He prefers to concentrate power in his own hands, and he knows how to be ruthless. He refused to express any remorse after the violent deaths of more than a thousand Muslims in Gujarat while he was state governor, and mandated to protect them. He once abruptly ended an interview with a renowned TV anchor because he didn’t want to be asked if he felt sorry at all about the riots whose ferocity and bigotry led them to being termed "pogroms." It is no wonder, then, that Modi reinvented Gandhi as the patron of cleanliness, and dedicated five years to revering hygiene and toilets or, even better, for solar energy. Modi chose not to evangelize about Gandhi’s non-violence: it would have been ridiculous. Modi stands for a hyper-masculine, militant nationalism that justifies lots of violence. Imagine how the fragile, modest figure of Gandhi would have looked like next to a leader who actually boasts about his 56-inch chest. Modi’s whole ideological maturation occurred within the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the hard right political grouping with the least respect (actually open disdain) for Gandhi’s non-violence. Each October, the RSS celebrates the festival day of Dussehara by putting lethal weapons on display and worshipping them. Modi has participated in this Hindu ritual - the Shashtra Puja - too. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh performs the Shashtra Puja ritual on a Rafale jet fighter during an handover ceremony at the Dassault Aviation plant in Merignac, France. Oct. 8, 2019Bob Edme,AP That ritual was glamorized as well as officially legitimized when Rajnath Singh, India’s defense minister from the BJP, conducted the Shashtra Puja ritual on the newly commissioned Rafale fighter jets during his official visit to France last year. It is no small irony that in the year dedicated to Gandhi, one of the Indian government’s most senior ministers adopted as standard practice a ritual of worshipping weapons. But the irony reaches its height in Modi’s adoption of Pragya Singh Thakur as a (successful) candidate for the BJP in the 2019 elections. Thakur, still on trial on terrorism charges relating to plotting a 2008 bomb blast in the town of Malegaon which targeted Muslim pilgrims coming out of Friday prayers and killed six people, including a ten year-old girl. Modi was evidently attracted by Pragya's uncompromising attachment to Hindutva politics and an aggressive and militant form of nationalism. She calls herself a saint, and wears her holiness on her sleeve, literally: she wears only saffron robes, the color associated with Hinduism. But there is more to her ideology. Pragya Singh Thakur considers Nathuram Godse, the militant Hindu who assassinated Gandhi in 1950, a patriot. She declared this view in May 2019 while she was campaigning for the national elections, and again when she was already ensconced in Parliament in November. skip - Pragya Thakur tweet Lead story on https://t.co/Fbzw6mR9Q5: BJP's Pragya Thakur added to her list of controversial statements today when she said Nathuram Godse, the man who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, "was a deshbhakt (patriot), is a deshbhakt and will remain one" https://t.co/IQaZS9bxEs pic.twitter.com/NbEUpVakre — NDTV (@ndtv) May 16, 2019 Godse, it should be remembered, killed Gandhi precisely because of his preaching of non-violence and entreaties to end Hindu-Muslim riots. For Godse, Gandhi betrayed Hindus, favored Muslims after partition and sought a fair post-Partition financial settlement with Pakistan. Godse thought Gandhi’s path of non-violence would turn India’s Hindus into a weak, vulnerable and impotent population. Pragya Singh is not the only BJP activist and official who abhors Gandhi’s non-violence. Many even commemorate the anniversary of Gandhi’s assassination as a "Day of Sacrifice," in memory of what they see as Godse’s holy heroism, killing Gandhi for the sake of a strong Hindu-only nation. Gandhi’s relevance for contemporary India is more desperate than ever, in a political environment led by the government that normalizes hate, violence and bigotry. Gandhi’s statue, which stands outside India’s Parliament, is a forlorn witness to the death of his core ideas. That Modi led the official celebration of Gandhi’s 150th year is a sad facade. Neither "Clean India Gandhi" and "Sustainable Development Gandhi" capture the real Gandhi. He cared, first and foremost, for human compassion, empathy and self-reflectivity. He refused violence for the sake of a state or a Hindu nation - and put his own body in the line of fire against it. skip - Caravan tweet JNU's Night of Terror: Delhi Police unmoved as mobs run amok@shahidtantray and @shaheen_ahmed1 report. #JNUViolence pic.twitter.com/aYtrTRyaS0 — The Caravan (@thecaravanindia) January 7, 2020 It is the people of India who need to reach out to and reclaim Gandhi. University students are leading the way, rising up – at the cost of their own safety - to protest discriminatory laws, unrestrained violence and incitement against minorities and attacks on the fundamental right to dissent. They, and other principled protestors, are the truly worthy heirs of Gandhi, and the last line of defense today against India’s ruling political class, which will not be satisfied until they have re-engineered the Mahatma into a Muslim-baiting, brutalizing Hindu nationalist. A protester dressed as Mahatma Gandhi stands on a footpath during a demonstration held against India's new citizenship law in Bangalore on December 20, 2019AFP Khinvraj Jangid is Assistant Professor and Co-Director at the Jindal Center for Israel Studies at the OP Jindal Global University in Delhi	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416858
__label__cc	0.534481	0.465519	Morven Museum & Garden: 2019 Festival of Trees Merxwire 25 Nov 2019, 23:49 GMT+10 Morven Museum & Garden will host the Festival of Trees Holiday from November 27, 2019 to January 5, 2020, with beautiful trees and mantles on each floor of the Museum. Princeton, NJ (Merxwire) - Morven Museum & Garden will host the 14th Festival of Trees this year, an annual highlight featuring a collection of trees and mantles collected by the jury, displayed on various floors of the museum. Morven invites everyone to participate in the Festival of Trees with local designers, artists, garden clubs, businesses and non-profit organizations to enjoy the holiday in a beautifully decorated and design-filled environment. The Festival of Trees is a favorite traditional festival. Everyone enjoys the beautiful tree decorations in this festival, enjoy the snacks together, and enjoy this grateful season. Celebrating this season with beautiful decorations, it is very happy and warm. "This year we have expanded the activities during the Festival to include two Thursday evenings with Beth Allan giving specialMorven After Darktours, tea with the Governor's Girls, and after last year's successful gingerbread house-making, adults have their very own session, complete with adult refreshments," says the Executive Director of Morven Museum & Garden Jill Barry. "We are thrilled to once again invite families to come dressed in their pajamas for our evening with Mrs. Claus. There is something for everyone to enjoy here throughout the season." Festival of Treesdecorators include: 1. Contemporary Garden Club (Tree) 2. The Garden Club of Princeton (Tree) 3. Green Haven Garden Center (Tree)\| 4. Keris Tree Farm & Christmas Shop (Tree) 5. Morven Museum & Garden (Tree) 6. Mount Laurel Garden Club (Tree) 7. Stony Brook Garden Club (Tree) 8. West Trenton Garden Club (Tree) 9. Allies Inc. (Tree) 10. Historical Society of Princeton (Mantel) 11. Princeton University Press (Mantel) 12. Hiltonia Inc. (Mantel) The co-chairs of Morven's Festival of Trees are Colleen Goggins, Carolyn & John Healey, Rachel & Mark Herr, and Lisa & Michael Ullmann. All visitors are invited to vote on their favorite tree or mantel during regular Museum hours or at our special holiday programs. No reservations are required. Museum tickets must be purchased to visit the museum or attend programs. Docents will be on hand to share information, however, no formal tours are given during the Festival. December programming around this year's Festival includes a Holiday Wreath Workshop,Family Gingerbread House Workshops,Holiday Tea, anAdult Gingerbread House Workshop, andPajama Storytime with Mrs. Clausand renowned Princeton illustrator Gennady Spirin. Photos are encouraged with Mrs. Claus and each registrant will receive a free autographed copy of Mr. Spirin'sThe Night Before Christmas. Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton St, Princeton, NJ. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Additional hours include Thursday, December 12 and 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m to coincide with Morven After Darkand Tuesday, December 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to coincide with theDrumthwacket Holiday Open House. TheFestival of Treesis included with Morven admission of $10.00; $8.00 for Seniors; Free for Friends of Morven and Children 6 years and under. About Morven Museum & Garden For more than 200 years Morven has played a role in the history of New Jersey and the nation. Originally part of a 5,500-acre tract purchased from William Penn in 1701 by the Stockton family, it is the home of Richard Stockton, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence. As well as serving as a Stockton homestead for several generations into the 20th century, Morven was home to the families of Robert Wood "The General" Johnson Jr., and eventually five New Jersey governors, three generations of enslaved families, respective domestic workers, and staff. Morven Museum & Garden showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Garden State through regular exhibitions, educational programs, and special events. More information please visit: https://morvenmuseum.squarespace.com/ SOURCE Morven Museum & Garden Media Contact Information: Company Name: Morven Museum & Garden Contact Person: Debi Lampert-Rudman, Curator of Education Email: dlampertrudman@morven.org Website: https://morvenmuseum.squarespace.com/	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416861
__label__cc	0.558112	0.441888	Heritage Data Linked Data Vocabularies for Cultural Heritage About Heritage Data FISH – The Forum on Information Standards in Heritage Vocabulary Providers Historic Environment Scotland Royal Commission on Ancient & Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW) Historic Environment Scotland (https://www.historicenvironment.scot/) is the national body of record for the historic environment in Scotland. Identifies, surveys and analyses the historic and built environment of Scotland. Preserves, cares for and adds to the information and items in its national collection. Promotes understanding, education and enjoyment through interpretation of the information it collects and the items it looks after Canmore provides a public window to over 320,000 sites and nearly 1,200,000 associated collections items. Standards play a key part in ensuring records are consistently described and indexed so that the public can quickly search and retrieve the information they are looking for. Standards ensure good service in: Benefiting people: Provide a 21st century Inventory of Scotland’s built, historic and marine environment for the people of Scotland and those wider afield. Provide a fully accessible catalogue to the National Record of the Historic Environment and systems for the sharing of built, historic and marine environment information across a wide range of government, professional bodies and other groups. Creating quality records: Be the place of deposit for all information about Scotland’s built, historic and marine environment. Work with depositors to enhance quality. Meet and help to develop national and international data standards. Undertake continuous improvement to enhance the quality and accuracy of existing data holdings. Enhancing knowledge, skills and expertise: Share skills and expertise in data collection and information management through training and guidance to professional and non-professional users. Open up and manage access to the Inventory to external contributors (Specialist and Trained Users and explore methods for further incorporation of User Generated Content, wikis and social networks). Attracting resources and improving efficiency: Provide efficient and sustainable resources for use across the sector. Provide links to other data sources to prevent duplication, and to continue to develop the Specialist User Recording Environment. Gaelic translation of terms in the Scottish Monuments Thesaurus was originally undertaken on behalf of Historic Scotland and RCAHMS by Michael Bauer (www.akerbeltz.org) with funding provided by Bòrd na Gàidhlig. Inclusion of Gaelic terms provides an illustration of the usefulness of the SKOS approach. As an example the term ‘SCHOOL HOUSE’ is concept 447 in the Scottish Monument thesaurus. The concept can be expressed in Scots Gaelic as TAIGH-SGOILE [gd] (preferred term) with any number of alternate labels also documented. Historic Environment Scotland contact: heritagedata@hes.scot	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416862
__label__cc	0.557234	0.442766	WHY HEURITECH? PRODUCT INTELLIGENCE ABOUT HEURITECH How to adjust your buy to avoid overstock on a declining trend? < See all case studies Fev. 2, 2019 Avoiding overstock on declining trends: a case study in retail The context: forecasting future demand to prepare product assortments The plaid coat had been a best-selling trend last winter. Plaid was one of the hit trends of the last year, and had spread over the mass market. Our client was a regional merchandiser for a fast-fashion brand, he had to decide on the product assortment for his region during showroom buying, and he was not confident in investing as much in plaid coats as last year. He was wondering what would be the level of demand in the market he was in charge of in 6 months, in order to adapt the depth & the width of the offer for this style. The challenge: find the right level of stock The methodology: advanced trend forecasting Analyze 3 million images on social media Apply our image recognition technology Classify results into trend patterns Forecast trends How did we help our client build the relevant offer on a budding trend? All, FASHION & RETAIL, FORECAST Before launching its collection, a brand worked with Heuritech to valide trendy products for its assortment and audience. https://www.heuritech.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Zebra-print2-1.jpg 1056 800 romain https://www.heuritech.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Logo-Heuritech-black-3.svg romain2019-12-13 12:06:352019-12-17 13:03:08How did we help our client build the relevant offer on a budding trend? How to achieve +9% in sales in the skirts category? To design its new dress collection, a brand worked with Heuritech to identify the next big trends and increased sales by 9%. https://www.heuritech.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Skirts3.jpg 1186 900 Diane https://www.heuritech.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Logo-Heuritech-black-3.svg Diane2019-10-24 06:55:592019-12-13 16:30:12How to achieve +9% in sales in the skirts category? How to build the relevant offer on a popular trend? All, FASHION & RETAIL, FORECAST, STYLING The leopard print had been a hit trend for already 2 seasons and still a must-have. Our client was wondering if this trend would last until its next collection. https://www.heuritech.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/leopard-print-2-1.jpg 671 480 Diane https://www.heuritech.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Logo-Heuritech-black-3.svg Diane2019-09-28 09:23:232019-12-20 17:46:16How to build the relevant offer on a popular trend? Get contacted by one of our consultant LAB – RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT info@heuritech.com 1460 Broadway, New York 134 rue Legendre 75017 Paris 51 Goldhill Plaza, #21-02, Singapore 308900 Heuritech is a cutting-edge artificial intelligence fashion company that provides brands with the vision they need to stay ahead of today’s dynamic market and trends. PRIVACY – TERMS & CONDITIONS	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1416864

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