text:
The snow fell quietly along the edge of the tall pines, the soft wind propelling the snowflakes around like miniature dancers. Yet, this beautiful display was but camouflage. Fore also among the trees were highly trained and efficient soldiers, mercenaries to be precise. Wearing a mixture of snow camo and ghillie suits, the men were invisible in this winter wonderland. But this wonderland was about to be a battlefield. These men were not here to throw snowballs, but hand grenades. Not build Frosty, but melt him. It was the calm before the snow, a firestorm.
The first man to make a move was the leader, Hawk. Hawk sported a G36C with a thermal A.C.O.G. scope, so as to spot his targets much easier, and to call them out for execution. However, right now he was using a pair of high powered binoculars to survey the area. The contract that they had been employed for was to cripple a fortress of Russian militants, steal or destroy the weapon caches, and free any prisoners they may have captive.
The fortress was newer than some of the previous sites Hawk had visited during other jobs. This was one was made from newer building materials and of a more modern design, which also meant it had modern security and weaponry safeguarding it. Hawk withdrew his binoculars and stared curiously at the structure. As large and well guarded the fortress may be, it was also very open. Now, this would be a problem for infantry, but not for airstrikes. Hawk chuckled to himself, then motioned for a nearby soldier to approach.
The soldier caught immediate sight of his superiors signal, and he began to carefully make his way to him. "Hawk?" the soldier asked through his white balaclava. "Spoof," Hawk replied in his British accent, recognizing the soldiers code name. "Radio Cowboy. Give him the best approach and strike method for penetrating and rattling this fortress." Spoof stared bewildered at Hawk for a moment, but before he could speak, another soldier broke the silence. "Hawk?" a large soldier positioned nearby asked. "Is this going to be another 'Hornets Nest?' The large soldier awaited for his superiors answer curiously. Hawk chuckled again. "Yes, Moo, it is," Hawk replied with an amused tone. Spoof stared at the two men amazed at what he was hearing.
Sitting at the dash of a transport chopper, listening to band called "Dragonforce," with his legs propped up, sat the pilot known as "Cowboy." He was actually jokingly referred to as "the Asian Cowboy" but only when the guys were poking fun at him. Dressed in heavy warm, yet militant clothing, the pilot did not wear a traditional helmet but an actual cowboy hat. The radio clicked in, ruining his awesome air rift. "Cowboy! This is Spoof, do you read?" the soldiers voice clicked through. Cowboy leaned forward, boots still propped up on the dash, clicking on the respond function. "This is Cowboy, Spoof. And, like I told you last mission, we can't leave until ALL the bad guys are dead." -click- "Well, then you best start that stallion, and the party! Hornet's Nest is a go! I repeat, Hornet's Nest is a go!" -click- Cowboy stared at the dash, puzzled for a moment. Then, with a yeehaw, he kicked on the engines and readied his bird, or unicorn.
The soldiers still lurked at the edge of the forest like reapers awaiting a plague to strike a town. As soon as the men heard the whirl of the Unicorn, Hawk signaled Spoof for another transmission. "Spoof," Hawk said urgently. "Make sure Lancer knows the situation, and tell him to be ready on my signal." Spoof nodded, while leaning on his M249, relaying the message to the soldier called Lancer. By the time Spoof ended transmission, the chopper cleared the edge of the tree line, heading towards the enemy fortress. The men watched, their adrenaline beginning to pump, while their grips tightened and their muscles tensed.
The soldier began to shift and uncover hidden equipment and vehicles, snowmobiles to be precise. The men waited to begin the engines until the first volley hit the fortified base, so as not to alert the enemy to their position. Cowboys job was simply to breach the defense for the infantry, as well as cause a distraction. And so, he did just that. The men could hear the guns begin to spin and missiles begin to fly, while they simultaneously started their own engines of war. Still, they waited. They knew that the first volley always had a delayed reaction. Then, they started to hear the pops of the small arms, then the heavier weapons began to fire.
Like a wave of metal, snow, and fury these soldiers raced out from their hiding place, tired of waiting and ready for battle. They had to hurry, Cowboy could only draw the enemy fire for so long before he might be brought down. They could see Cowboy piloting Unicorn nimbly, on the opposite side of the fortress. This would delay the notice of the fast attack approaching the enemy, or so they hoped. However, the men began to hear hisses of bullets coming their way, but it was few and far between. Then, they spotted the watch tower on the eastern border of the fortress, harboring a pair of snipers.
The scope intently watched the traveling soldiers swiftly maneuvering towards the enemy stronghold. It zoomed in closer and closer, flowing over each snowmobile. Just when the scope began to steady, it shifted towards a new target. A sniper tower in the eastern part of the stronghold. With a few corrections and calculations, the sniper readied his white L96. Then, with a squeeze, he let the round loose upon his target. And it found the target, and his comrade. Leaky's spotter and guardian stared in bewilderment at him, his balaclava with a painted smile on it showing the amusement. "Did you seriously just kill both of them in one shot!?" the smiling soldier asked. Leaky smirked in response. "It's not my fault they were standing in a line, Jolly!" he replied sarcastically. Jolly shook his head, then radioed the assaulting troops. "The snipers are down! I repeat, the snipers are eliminated!"
The mobile infantry were now nearing the fortress, with more haste now that the snipers were taken care of. They could see a large gouge in the exterior wall that would allow them to enter swiftly, but what awaited them they weren't sure. They could not worry though, Cowboy was beginning to run out of time. As soon as that realization popped, so did an rpg towards Cowboy. As dodgy as he was, Unicorn was struck in side, knocking the chopped out of control.
"Bail, Cowboy! Eject!" Moo yelled fiercely over the com. "Not yet!" Cowboy yelled. "I have an idea. Pick me up inside!" Moo was about to reply, but was stopped by the sight of the chopper recovering, then careening into the enemy fortress, explosions rocking both interior and exterior. "Shit!" an angry voice replied. "There goes our ride! And our only ethnic!" Hawk heard this and knew Redneck was trying to lighten the mood, but matters were beginning to turn grave. "Let's focus on the mission," Hawk shouted. "We can worry about exfil when the job is done!" With this said, the group gunned it through the gap in the walls, entering enemy territory.
They knew the layout. They knew that the exterior wall was a giant circle, with an interior loop being left open for trucks and the like. This also allowed them to travel effectively and efficiently around the complex. The idea was to breach the wall, split into two groups (Hawk and Rage would deal with the weapon caches while Moo and Spoof would be to search for POW's and HVT's). Unfortunately, their first priority was to rescue Cowboy, or so Moo thought. "Moo!" Hawk popped in on the com. "Continue the mission. We will secure Cowboy AFTER the job is completed." Spoof popped over the com before Moo could respond. "Sir, don't you think we should find Cowboy first?" Spoof questioned his superior in a cautious tone. "He knew the risks when he signed on," Hawk replied as cold as the snow around him. "Besides, even if we can't get out of here, we can at least complete the mission...for Cowboy's sake."
The two squads split up once inside the compound, both groups focused on their objectives. Moo and Spoof headed to the eastern side of the compound, while Hawk and Redneck took the western side. However, Hawk was torn as they entered the western side, where the carnage of the Unicorn lay, and the enemy had gathered. "Redneck," Hawk sparked over the com sharply. "Are you feeling particularly angry today?" Redneck smirked. "Yes, sir! Ready to rage!" "Good," Hawk replied. "We are going to need it if we are going to save Cowboy." Hawk could only hear excited laughter over the com as the two plowed into the enemies that had gathered, each dropping a grenade into the crowds they passed through.
Moo and Spoof slowed as they reached the entry point to the interior compound. As their engines went quiet, they could hear two explosions from the other side of the compound. Moments later, Hawk and Redneck raced past them, followed by two trucks with soldiers in it. "Keep going!" Hawk yelled as he weaved between the shots spamming the area. Before the two trucks could pass, Moo and Spoof knelt down. Moo threw a satchel into the road ahead of the trucks and Spoof braced his LMG. The first truck hurriedly chased the two original targets, but exploded as it drove over the det pack. Part of the truck went up, as the other half went backwards, no enemies emerging from the carnage. The second truck came to a halt just a few meters from where the other had exploded, but they did not have enough time exit before Spoof's gun chewed through the vehicle, terminating all the Russians inside.
Hawk and Redneck were now bogey-less and ready for round two. This time, they would fight on foot. Hawk let his snowmobile charge into a group of enemies as he bailed of, his German engineered weapon snatching the life from each target quickly. Redneck placed a charge pack on his steering column, then bailed off. Redneck raged at the sight of the snowmobile stopping short of his targets, that is, until they decided to take cover behind it. With a smirk, and a click, the other group was eliminated with a puff of fire and metal. Hawk walked over to Redneck and slapped him on the back of his head. "We are going to need those charges," he exclaimed. "Yeah," Redneck replied. "But it was cool." The two gathered themselves, then approached the wrecked chopper. Neither of them sure of what they might find.
After Moo and Spoof cleared out the aggressors, the two breached the door with excessive force. So excessive that the breached door was found stuck into the wall at the end of the corridor, having crushed four soldiers in its path. "Holy shit!" Spoof explained. "Yes," Moo replied. "I guess Hawk would say that this door is...smashing!" The two laughed momentarily but were surprised when a few soldiers rounded the corner at the end of the hall and began opening fire. "Damn!" Spoof yelled. "It's too bad we don't have another door to throw at them." Moo laughed, then shouted. "True, but I did bring this!" Moo pointed at the LAW on his back. "Be my guest!" Spoof yelled, spraying his machine gun down the corridor for suppression. Moo flipped out the weapon, readied, and fired. It seemed almost as if the moment he fired, the rocket was already at the end of the hall, or what used to be the end. "Let's move!" Moo yelled in a commanding tone. The two entered the building, beginning their search.
Hawk tried hard to move the twisted pieces of what used to be a helicopter, but he was struggling due to the fire and weight of the metal. Redneck however was throwing pieces to and fro, creating a whole separate pile of scrap on his own. They weren't finding anything. This angered Redneck, but gave Hawk hope. They searched while trying to keep watch, but they could not do both effectively. A voice broke their concentration . It was a Russian voice, one Hawk thought he heard yell "Over here!" As the two soldiers turned around, they faced ten armed Russian soldiers, who had apparently flanked them by some alternate route they had overlooked. "Hawk," Redneck asked calmly. "You sure we need all of our explosives?" Hawk eyed Redneck without moving. "What's you have in mind?" Hawk asked in his British tone. "Thermite, for the chopper wreckage," the big, angry man replied. Hawk laughed a little. He knew it was crazy, but it might work. "Alright," Hawk said coolly. "Let's do this."
Moo and Spoof moved from room to room, eliminating every hostile in sight. So far, they had found no HVT's, but they thought they were close to finding POW's. Each section was different from the last, and this one seemed familiar. Large empty rooms with fans and gas vents, rooms with tables and cutlery for human rending, and now cells. The men were pleased to have possible found something worthwhile. However, it seemed to the lock down controls for the cells were located in a central hub that each row was connected to. The hub was behind bullet proof glass and had at least five armed soldiers inside. Breaching was possible, but if the glass didn't give then the back blast could kill the two of them. The two stared down the hallway at the awaiting guards, whom had also spotted the two. Each group was plotting against the other. The two started to devise their plan.
"Wait!" Hawk signaled to Redneck. "Lancer." Redneck seemed puzzled by this response. "What about him?" Redneck asked. "Let's call it in," Hawk replied as if it was obvious. "Are you crazy? He could kill us if he misses!" Redneck exclaimed. "Well, we are probably dead either way. So let's show these bastards a good time." Hawk said with a smile. Hawk twitched to click his com, which was met by many angry Russian voices but luckily no gunfire. "Lancer..."Hawk waited. "Now!" Hawk and Redneck waited for a response, but there was nothing. The Russian soldiers were beginning to get restless with them, yelling and pointing their weapons. "Hurry up, Lancer!" Hawk shouted.
"Paper beats Rock!" Spoof said with a mocking tone. "I win. You go." Moo smirked in response. "Actually, grenade beats paper! You go!" Spoofs jaw dropped behind his balaclava. "Fine," he said in an irritated tone. "But next time, you are up no matter what." Spoof and Moo had been playing this game in plain sight of the now bewildered enemy troops. Spoof began to stroll towards the glass, as Moo crept behind the wall. Spoof reached the glass, where he began to rummage through his pack. He pulled out a detonator, a small brick of C-4, another brick of C-4, a detonator, and some duct tape. The troops behind the glass were frozen in place at the sight of this. Suddenly, they opened fire on the glass, bullets impacting on the glass hurriedly but to no effect. This made Spoof work even faster, but he maintained his creative spirit. He tape the C-4 a foot apart from each other, and put a crescent strip below it, each brick held by two crossed pieces of tape. From Spoof's eyes, it looked like a smiley face. To the enemy, a bad day at the office. Spoof jogged away from the glass, while he readied the detonator. He nodded to Moo, who nodded back. CLICK!
Hawk and Redneck stood in place, frozen more from the cold than from fear. "You know, he better hurry up," Redneck said with an agitated voice. "Or I may very well let these guys kill me from boredom." The two didn't have to wait any longer though. A whirring noise startled the enemies, but not nearly as much as the outer wall exploding in on them, knocking the two soldiers down as well. As the two recovered from rubble and smoke, a tank crunched into view. The mounted machine gun on top manned by Jolly, who waved excitedly as he sprayed the remaining enemies with rounds. "WHAT THE HELL TOOK YOU SO LONG!!!" Redneck yelled at them. "Sorry about that, Red," Lancer's voice crackled through. "Had to give these boys a lift." Hawk dusted off his gun and shook his head. "Next time, a simple response will do," Hawk said staring at the tank. "Now, we have a mission to do. Lancer, Leaky, and Jolly will patrol the grounds for hostiles and Cowboy. We will continue as planned. Move out!"
Moo and Spoof once again stared at the devastation they had created. "Did you know people could liquefy?" Spoof asked Moo in disbelief. "I guess he couldn't handle the pressure," Moo said with a chuckle. The two laughed their way into the hub, trying to make sense of what was left. "I hope we didn't kill EVERYONE," Spoof said in alarmed tone as he surveyed the damage. Moo fumbled with the control panel, or what was left of it. "I can only get one cell block open," he stated. "Let's hope there are only people there." The two moved into the now unlocked cell block, where it was very quiet. "Now!" an American voice yelled, just as two men from either side sprang out of their cells on the two soldiers.
Moo struck at the first man with the butt of his gun, but missed. The man ducked down, but threw his fist high, stunning Moo. Spoof managed to grapple with the other man, who was wearing what seemed to be prison clothes. As they locked up, Spoof caught a glimpse of a tattoo on the man's arm, AC DF. It was probably his number for the prison. This concentration left Spoof forgetful of the situation, and he quickly tossed over the man's back and disarmed. The man who stunned Moo was caught by surprise as Moo ducked down as well, then tackled him. As Moo wrestled with the man, he noticed his clothes. "Wait!" Moo yelled. "We are here to rescue you!" The man paused in his struggle, as if reluctant to hear another American voice. Moo had the man's arms in his grips and noticed an odd tattoo, P1L9R1M. It must be his prisoner number.
"So, let me get this straight," Spoof replied. "You guys are both Americans, from separate mercenary organizations, and you both were contracted to clean out this place? That's suicide! We have at least eight men, and A LOT of toys." The two tired, American prisoners laughed together. "Actually," the one tattooed P1L9R1M replied in a deep voice. "We weren't supposed to survive. It was a suicide mission, but the pay was huge if we pulled it off. He and I are the only ones left from our original groups." The one tattooed AC DF smiled and said, "At least we wouldn't have to split much of the pay if we survived!" Moo and Spoof stared at the suicidal men, then shook their heads with laughter. An explosion shook them to their senses, as well as a sudden transmission. "Rendezvous at the LZ," Hawk barked over the com. "Things are heating up out here. Finish your sweep and meet us outside." As soon as the transmission ended, the former prisoners got dressed, and followed the other two men out.
Outside, the area was indeed heating up. Reinforcements were beginning to emerge from the snow capped forest. Infantry, trucks, and...tanks. "Tanks!" Leaky exclaimed, pointing out their location to Lancer, who was maneuvering their tank in response. "We can take them," Lancer replied calmly. 'Just keep the rpg's off of me!" He relayed this over the com so all could be aware of the situation. Each soldier began to post up on whatever cover and high ground they could find. Leaky exited the tank and took a post up in a spider hole created by the earlier bombardment. "Alright, men," Hawk sparked over the com. "Since our bird is down, let's try and eliminate drivers without compromising the vehicles. Understood?" Each of the men clicked responded in unison, "Understood, sir!"
Each soldier sported a "T" on their shoulders. These men were "Talon," the weapons of birds or prey. These birds were hungry, and their prey was approaching. Each man ruffled their feathers and readied their beaks to strike. Fast, furious, and frightening, these soldiers would crush these reinforcements with lightning speed and deadly accuracy. "Talon!" Hawk yelled out. "Strike!" Each soldier swooped on the wall and struck their claws deep in the enemy, piercing their bodies with force and ferocity.
Lancer lurked behind the walls, trying to feel out his enemy. The outer wall ahead of him exploded, but the damage was nil to the heavily armored beast. However, he knew that the other soldiers wouldn't be so lucky. He punched the controls and busted out into the open, immediately targeting the first tank in sight. This one had fired it's shot at the wall, which gave Lancer the advantage. He fired a shell, rocking the tank but still advancing. The shell crushed the barrel of the opposing tank, practically taking it out of the fight. Lancer continued on, maneuvering as Jolly reloaded the chamber. The next tank lie in between them and the advancing forces, an uphill battle as well. Lancer decided to carve a vertical path through the group, and punch the other tank in the face as well. "Jolly!" Lancer shouted. "Get your happy ass up there and clear me a path!" Jolly's mask smiled happily as he climbed up to man the gun.
The hatch opened atop of the tank, with Jolly shuffling up to ready the machine gun. Bullets began to spray his way, but his reply soon silenced the sender. A few shots spanged toward him from a few snowmobiles. As he turned to execute them, the closest one was thrown from his snowmobile by a sniper round, as were the next three. Leaky, he thought to himself. Just as many fell, many replaced them. Jolly happily cleared a swath through the crowd of angry Russians, laughing all the way.
Leaky peered through his scope, covering the happy gunner as he plowed toward another target. Soon, Leaky started to receive fire. This, was sniper fire though. Leaky shifted into cover better, but did not run. He peered through the scope, searching for his target. Another shot, close than the last, whisked by. Still, he searched. Pay off! He spotted the other sniper, knelt by a tree, next to a tank. Leaky risked being fired upon by the tank, even if he got the sniper. This was the same tank Jolly was paving towards though. Provide overwatch until they destroy the tank, then kill the sniper. It was a crazy plan, but Leaky felt confident. Another shot whisked by, still Leaky braced. "Push, Jolly!" Leaky yelled over the com.
Any of the troops getting past Jolly were immediately cut down by his fellow mates on the wall. He was cutting through a sea of metal and snow, and leaving behind blood and fire. He laughed in a jolly manner, but was cut short by a bullet biting through his shoulder. He slumped hard but continued to spray the machine gun on his enemies.
Leaky saw the sniper shoot Jolly. Leaky knew it could have been avoided, and realized it could have been avoided. And so, he steadied his aim, found his target, and shot him...in the groin. Leaky smiled as he watched the bastard squirm, but Leaky frowned when he saw the tank begin to shift in his direction. Leaky watched through the scope as it halted its barrel pointing at him. An explosion rocked his vision, but he was not dead. Lancer had finally made it. He had blasted the enemy tank in the side of the barrel, exploding its own shell and destroying the mobile armor. "I got the sniper, Jolly," Leaky said only half excited. "I'm sorry it wasn't sooner." The com crackled in response, "Me too! The son of a bitch shot my canteen! Scared the hell out of me." Leaky gasped in relief and laughed heavily, then resumed his long range terror with a smile.
A tank shot startled everyone, especially Lancer whose tank was struck by it. The shot cleaved the treads and most of the wheels, crippling their mobility. Lancer frantically searched for the tank that shot him, then spotted it in disbelief. It was sitting outside of the western wall! "Tank on western wall!" Lancer yelled over the com as he positioned the turret to return fire. Lancer caught site of Jolly's mask for a moment and laughed. That damn smile never fails to lighten the mood. Lancer fired the shell, and missed.
Hawk watched as the wall closest to him tore away from where it stood, nearly knocking him over. Lancer had missed, and what's worse, the tank could see Hawk. "Balls!" Hawk muttered as he scrambled to get clear of the tank. He could hear the tank whirring as it began to climb into the inner portion of the wall. It was chasing him, and he had nothing to take it out with. The others began to see the armored menace squeak into view, which meant it could see them. "Moo!" Hawk yelled over the com. "Get that bloody thing the hell off of me!"
Moo peered back as he reloaded his SCAR, his eyes widening. Before he could reach for his LAW, P1L9R1M snatched it and leapt down towards it, running towards its hind. Moo laughed in amazement, especially because he had indeed made it behind the tank without it noticing. "Nimble fucker," Moo said with a smirk. P1L9R1M readied the weapon as he watched the tank's rear begin to move away. He thought to himself "ROCKET BE TRUE!" and fired. P1L9R1M's eyes immediately shot to Moo. "You forgot to reload it!?" he yelled angrily. The tank now gaining on Hawk even more. Suddenly, the tank was struck from above, stopping the vehicle in its tracks with and explosive thud.
All of the Talon soldiers stopped and stared, trying to make sense of what just happened. Moo looked at P1L9R1M and asked, "Ghost rocket?" Then, they all saw the culprit. A solider stood at the edge of one of the balcony's near the roof. It was Cowboy! "Hey!" he yelled, covered in ash and blood. "Did you know you missed some Javelins!?" All of the soldiers cheered for the return of their fellow soldier. Hawk shook his head at the sight of the soldier. "You sure gave us one hell of a scare," he said harshly. "But I'm bloody glad to see you!" Hawk saluted Cowboy, who in return nodded. "Let's finish this up and go home, boys!" Hawk echoed on everyone's radios.
The Talon soldiers began to move out from the walls, clearing out the remaining enemies, as well as securing Jolly and Lancer. "Well, the tank is screwed," Lancer said with a disappointed tone. "Hey, don't worry, man," Moo said with a laugh. "We all fire prematurely now and again!" Lancer laughed at the big man. The men left the ruined tank and began to scout for working vehicles as well as stragglers and supplies. They managed to recover one, half intact troop transport truck. As they began to load up, Cowboy stared out at the fortress. Hawk stood next to him, both surveying the battlefield. "Oh! I almost forgot!" Cowboy excitedly said. He fumbled through his pack and pulled out a detonator, then handed to Hawk. Hawk looked at Cowboy, confused. "It's a gift," Cowboy said with smile. "You didn't leave me, and I am grateful for that. However, I did leave them a gift." Hawk looked down at the detonator and smiled warmly.
AC DF walked up and snatched the detonator from Hawk's hands, eyeing him hard. "It's only right that a prisoner have the honor," AC said bluntly. "After all, we aren't getting paid for this seeing as you rescued us." Hawk eyed him back, but with light in his eyes. "If you join us," he stated. "Then pay wouldn't be a problem." AC smiled at the unfamiliar British mercenary leader. "Shake on it?" AC asked. Hawk and AC confirmed the agreement, with an explosion. They had shook on the detonator, the fortress now collapsing in on itself as high explosives ate it from the inside out. "I think you're going to fit in alright," Hawk said with a chuckle. "Saddle up! We are going home, men!"
The birds of prey gathered and migrated back to their nest, with new additions to the flock. The Talon mercenaries were once again the dominate hunters in a world full of prey, bait, and predators.


text:
I am quite happy and busy over here >> http://kentarosaurus.tumblr.com. Do stop by some time 🙂
Creating a monster
I wish the Twilight trilogy had come out when I was a kid. That way, I could have read about vampires and scoffed at these pale pathetic beings. I could have gone to bed to dream of sugar, spice and rainbow-shitting unicorns.
But no. My childhood was pre-Twilight; before Stephenie Meyers managed to dig deep into the recesses of her lack of imagination to create characters that would forever shred all vampiric street cred and turn them into immortal objects of derision.
Before Meyers, there were real writers who didn't shame the horror genre. They were called Anne Rice and Stephen King. I read their books and watched a young Kiefer Sutherland in Lost Boys and my innocent little brain kept all the images to unleash them before my eyes at night. My imagination, as with most children, was overactive, and gorging it on terrifying books and movies certainly did not help.
Remember in Science class when they told us plants and people compete for oxygen at night and that's why you shouldn't sleep with a potted plant in the room? I used to imagine waking up a shriveled gray mass of skin and bone, while a fat grinning cactus sat on my windowsill, thriving off of my oxygen and singing songs from Little Shop of Horrors.
My mind was capable of taking harmless facts and, from them, spinning gruesome horrors, covered in blood and gore and more blood. After reading Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles, our pet dog became a radioactive bear-wolf-demon and, if I dared to peer over the covers, I'd be sure to find him poised at the foot of my bed, ready to attack me and take over my body. And no one would ever know that I was missing because my soul would hover in space, unseen for all eternity.
When I read A Christmas Carol, my heart wasn't filled with yuletide warmth at Scrooge's conversion into a good guy. No; at Christmas that year, I was convinced that the ghost of Jacob Marley had somehow found its way from the Dickensian world into my Mbarara village – and it was headed towards my bedroom. In the night's quiet, I heard the infernal rattling of chains and waited for a ghostly face to appear inches from mine, to judge me for whatever sins I might have racked up at that age, and condemn me to an eternity of incessant torture.
I would glance over at where my siblings slept soundly, insulted by their unaffected sleep and swear, swear to never read a book or watch a movie again. I figured that if I stopped feeding my brain with information, it would have nothing to stew into festering terrors to keep me up at night. I resolved to be an ignoramus who could curl up and sleep peacefully.
Inexplicably I'd eventually dose off and wake up to another day, the night's horrors forgotten. I'd find myself bored and pick up a book about a schizophrenic doctor with an evil alter ego and convince myself that this time, I wouldn't let it get to my head.
Africa Reading Challenge 2012
I like the "2012" at the end. Gives it a rather auspicious feel. Like the World Cup or something. Well, if you're a book lover like myself, you'll agree that this is sort of an event.
First though, let's get a confession out of the way: I have never really done a reading challenge before, besides the Orange January/July (which requires you to read one book by a previous Orange prize winner). I'm really hoping the ARC won't fall victim to my commitment issues.
That said, I'm really excited about this! The guidelines for the ARC are over on kinnareads' blog, but I'll just re-state them here for your ease:
You have to read at least 5 books – about Africa, obviously; preferably written by African authors.
The genre is up to you: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children's books…
Reviews are not necessary, but if you have a blog, they'd be welcome! And if you're from the APWIC group, feel free to briefly review or update me/us on your reads over on that page!
I have tweaked some of the rules for myself. I will do one book from each region of Africa. I decided to do this because I realize that I tend to favour the West Africans over others. This way, I can finally pick up some North African writers – suggestions, please?
Also, I have chosen younger authors, because as much as I adore Achebe, wa Thiong'o and the other heavyweights, I'd like to see what the young'uns are bringing.
Without further ado, my picks:
East Africa – One day I will write about this place by Binyavanga Wainaina
West Africa – Open City by Teju Cole
Southern Africa – Coconut by Kopano Matlwa
Central Africa – African Psycho by Alain Mabanckou
North Africa – ?? [suggestions, s'il vous plait?]
That's it from me for now. Good luck with your picks and looking forward to great discussions and recommendations around Africa's literature!
This Is Proudly African
In the space of two days, thousands of Africans have risen up and made their voices heard. In Dakar, Senegal, crowds successfully protested against President Wade's proposal to amend the constitution to create a monarchy.
In the tiny kingdom of Swaziland, a "fundraising" concert which was supposed to be given by Jadakiss for the royal family was boycotted. Not surprising given the fact that pretty much all the revenue in Swaziland goes to supporting the king's outrageous lifestyle.
Buoyed by this impressive show of solidarity, I embarked on a Googling frenzy. Here's links to a couple of inspiring stories I found:
In Malawi, an ambitious project is underway to turn the country's oldest ship into a floating clinic. This is going to save a lot of lives and wages for the 25% population who live along Lake Malawi and currently have to make a 16-hour trip to get to the nearest hospital. They are giving the clinic the unfortunate name Chauncy Maples, but that's nitpicking.
The Sierra Leone Refugee AllStars are a group of musicians who came together during their years living in a refugee camp in Guinea. Out of two old guitars, a microphone and a shared love of music, their powerful sound was born. They've done world tours, put out two albums and appeared on Oprah. They also feature on a cover of the Rolling Stone classic Gimme Shelter as part of the Playing for Change campaign and World Refugee Day. Tragedy to triumph, non?
You're in hell… but America will save you!
This short post is a largely-unresearched (as yet) kneejerk reaction to Foreign Policy's 2011 list of the world's failed states.
In a photo essay titled Postcards from Hell, journalist Elizabeth Dickinson portrays heart-tugging scenes from Iraq, Iran, Haiti, parts of Asia and (surprise!) much of sub-Saharan Africa – all of which have made FP's list of failed states. How did these 60 countries get chosen? Well, the folks at FP chose from "130,000 publicly available sources… 12 indicators including refugee flows, poverty, public services, security threats".
According to wiki, the Fund for Peace (which ironically sponsored FP'S little show-and-tell) describes a failed state as one which has:
- lost control of its territory
- erosion of legitimate authority to make decisions
- inability to provide public services
- inability to interact fully with other members of the international community
On these criteria, can we rank Liberia as a failed state? Nigeria? Kenya? How about Uganda? Iran? Bhutan?
Now, I am not condoning abuse of human rights or grave failures to provide public services by governments.The situations of Somalia and Haiti can certainly not be overstated.
It just seems to me that this American finger-wagging was a result of some biased research. The superlative-filled captions that go along with these pictures are just-so to portray exactly what I think the FP is trying to say : If your brand of government is not modelled after the US, if you're a Jihad-preaching crazy Ay-rab muslim, we're gonna put you on the list.
If I took pictures of SouthEast DC or the Bronx and slapped some shocking (but true) stats on the US' immigration policies or incarceration rates, you might think The Mighty Nation was a failed state too.
I'm Cheating on Zadie Smith
I was some place in the midst of Tea Obreht's novel The Tiger's Wife when it was announced winner of the Orange Prize for Best Fiction. I was hardly surprised, given the unexceptionally rave entrance she has enjoyed into the literary fold – she made The New Yorker's 20 under 40 list with no published work to her name; and the youngest on that list at 25. Yugoslavian by birth, her family left the country when she was 7; Obreht taught herself English by watching Disney films.
The awesome thing about it all is that she deserves it. The Tiger's Wife is a mesmerizing feat of work that combines elements of Magical Realism and Fabulism to tell the war-time stories of a Yugoslavian doctor Natalia's unique relationship with her recently-deceased grandfather.
Everything in Obreht's book has character; everything! The guns, the dogs, the peasants, the deathless man and of course, the tiger. Each has an incredible back-story, little anecdotes that are as exquisitely wrought and entertaining as they are imperative to the main story. Obreht is not a writer. She is a masterful crafter of stories.
Another contender for the Orange Prize this year was Aminatta Forna's The Memory of Love, which I read after it took the Commonwealth Writer's honor in May. The Memory of Love is an incredible book in its own right.
Incidentally, much like The Tiger's Wife, it goes between two stories of war – this time, in Sierra Leone: in the 1960s and the 1990s. The 90s are represented by a young surgeon Kai Mansaray who is haunted by memories of the war, and torn over his decision to leave Sierra Leone for a better life elsewhere. He forms a friendship with a British psychiatrist Adrian Lockheart, through which we eventually learn of the terrible things he saw and did in the war.
It is also through Adrian's work at the asylum that we learn of the psychological effects of war on ordinary people like Agnes and Adecali, witnesses to unspeakable horrors. Literally unspeakable. Adrian slowly coaxes stories out of them, which would otherwise have gone untold. And this is the crux of Forna's book –
"It was almost as though they were afraid of being implicated in the circumstance of their own lives. Questions discomfit them. Remembering, talking … it's as though the entire nation is sworn to some terrible secret."
It is only Elias Cole, a professor on his deathbed, who willingly narrates to us a compelling story of betrayal and injustice set in the Sierra Leone of the 60s. Elias Cole is despicable – I haven't met such an amoral character since Nabokov's Humbert-Humbert. While spewing my disgust on Twitter, Forna actually replied to say she was "glad. It means [my] moral compass is in good working order." 🙂
And yet both Cole and Adrian's asylum patients suffer what Forna calls the 'fragmentation of conscience' – he is tortured by the omissions of his history; they are tortured by the acts they are forced to commit.
The Memory of Love struggles a little to get off the ground, but on the whole, Forna has a very important message about post-war effects on the psyche of a nation. The Tiger's Wife, on the other hand, is a thrill from start to finish which will leave you questioning superstition and science, and what it means to be an outcast.
I heartily recommend both books!
Come soon, June! (books)
I haven't read a non-academic book in months! Okay, since March, but it feels like eons ago.
In that time, I have accumulated a handsome list of recommended reads and rave reviews and as a result I am this close to building a time machine that will take me straight to June,* when tests are done and winter break is here and I can curl up with a cup of coffee that I will ignore while I devour a healthy stack of books.
Presenting my Winter Booklist:
1. The Tiger's Wife – Tea Obreht, a literary prodigy whose first book – a mythological telling of the Yugoslavian war – has been gushed over by critics. I sneak-peeked it and must say I'm super-excited to read the rest of it.
2. The Brothers Karamazov – Dostoevsky. Apparently I shouldn't die without having read this book.
3. The Element: How finding your passion changes everything – Sir Ken Robinson. I love the humor with which he speaks about creativity development and education reform. I've only watched his TED talks so far, but I think this read will be worth it.
4. On Black Sisters' Street – Chika Unigwe.
5. The Masque of Africa: glimpses of African belief – VS Naipaul. I have been meaning to buy this book for a year now, because I like Naipaul's writing and the exploration of religions is almost always interesting. But after reviews like these, I'm not sure I'll get it.
In other news, Jane Eyre has been adapted into a movie (again). I have never seen the 1983 version, so I'll be heading to the cinema for this with a curious anxiety. Fingers crossed Hollywood does not ruin that classic story for us.
*not accounting for all the wild apocalypse theories being flung about lately.
LITTLE UPDATE: I added Aminatta Forna's The Memory of Love to this list. I am 7 chapters in and I can already see why it got nods from both the Commonwealth and Orange Prizes.
I also added Unburnable – Marie-Elena Jones because I haven't read a good Caribbean story since…. since the biography of Bob Marley 🙂

subset: commoncrawl


text:
iPad 3 Features and Specifications – "Could Siri Figure on iPad 3 Features?"
The iPad 3 release date, the cyberspace is uniformly assuming, is about early summer next year. A March or April 2012 release for the iPad 3 might in fact be a reality. But with all that, what is it that makes people go for iPad, despite having bought iPad and iPad 2? Here's a list of top-hyped iPad 3 features that are sure to lure the market around it.
iPad has been one of the top-performing tablets in the Tablet market – and has brought about a big revolution in the tablet PC industry. The iPad 3, the 3rd gen iPad from Apple, would be expected to bring some more revolution into the industry and with the success of the iPhone 4S, the expectations are real high. At the moment, we are somewhat sure of certain iPad 3 features – and with iPad 3 references found in iOS 5.1 Beta code, the iPad 3 release date is also being confirmed through various sources and channels – mostly in the supply chain segment (because that's where the components are made and leaks are aplenty!).
Top 3 iPad 3 Specs & Features:
1). iPad 3 Display – Retina Display Probably?: The iPad 3 specification seems to have one startling feature on the charts – an unimaginably strong display with a resolution reaching up to 2048x1536px – twice that of what you see on iPad 2. The iPad 3 display was first rumored to have a dual LED light – which inflated the size making it thicker than iPad 2, but some work-around had been achieved for that, making iPad 3 as thin as its predecessor.
2). The A6 Processor on iPad 3: The iPad 3 would most certainly feature the A6 processor chip (still rumored but more likely than not). This is because with display resolutions of such intensity (Retina Display), and with so many new apps running on the iPad 3, it would require something more powerful than the A5 which runs on the latest iPhones and iPads. Another aspect that has been touched upon is the battery-life of iPads. If the recent iOS 5.0 battery fiasco is a lesson, Apple would strongly be working on this issue too, as the iPad 3 would be featuring a somewhat closer version to that of iOS 5.
3). Siri on iPad 3: Could Siri feature on iPad specifications? A silent debate – almost unheard of – is being held in some places regarding this. Siri, which made its debut on iPhone 4S and stays there unported as yet, could be a prominent feature on iPad 3! After all, Siri was the selling-point for iPhone 4S in most cases!
The iPad 3 release date is being currently held at summer 2012 or earlier. Let's wait and watch the proceedings!


text:
Home » Hair Styling » High End Hair Stylist Salary
Hair Styling
Think hair cut Cosmetology is a draw for many 9 to 5ers NY
High End Hair Stylist Salary Pictures
High End Hair Stylist Salary would be very suitable if you can notice some like face shape and hair thickness. The idea of this hairstyle has been recommended by admin on July 25, 2014. You can make your hair like in the example image above Hairstyle. You can save the image of the hair style by right clicking your mouse right on the image and select save as an image that is stored in your desktop. Moreover admin also has other recommendations Hairstyle on this website, please see the related post below.


text:
Perhaps not the most thrilling of races this weekend, nonetheless impressive form from Lewis Hamilton who dominated the event. LOTS of correct entries this race and for those of you who picked Lewis Hamilton for both pole and win, you are ALL entered into the prize draw at the end of the year for a trip to Monaco. For this round we have a winner in the name of Mr Peter Rowcroft, well done Peter, please PM me your address and a bottle of GPA champagne will be in its way to you
Copyright © 2020 Grand Prix Adventures. All rights reserved.


text:
Veverka is the Bremervoord miller's daughter and one of the young women who attends the wedding banquet of Dalia and Gaspard. She requests one of Dandelion's ballads about the Queen Marienn and the Raven. She is described as one of the least attractive young women at the event, but Dandelion seemed to have eyes only for her and sang the ballad as if only for her.
Geralt was later surprised to find that Veverka was not the object of the bard's affections, but rather being used to make the more beautiful Akeretta jealous.
She appears in "A Little Sacrifice" a short story in the Sword of Destiny collection by Andrzej Sapkowski.


text: Detroit natives Kristen Calverley and Nate Peck first started dreaming of opening MICHIGAN&TRUMBULL upon moving to Pittsburgh in 2012. Peck's devotion to the culinary industry began during his time at Cafe Via in Birmingham, Michigan where he learned French culinary technique under two talented chefs. Calverley was similarly inspired working alongside Jennifer Gerasole at Girasole Restaurant in Shadyside. After trying every pizza in Pittsburgh, they set their sights on creating their very own Detroit-style pizza to take their new city by storm. For Nate, perfecting the dough became a passion à la Nancy Silverton. The result is a pizza that is airy, yet has a crispy and caramelized crust, cooked in the same blue steel pans from the assembly lines of the old auto plants. MICHIGAN&TRUMBULL takes it name from the cross streets of the original Tiger Stadium, a Detroit institution, and home to so many memories for both of their families.


text:
» you better get yours 'cause I'm gettin' mine
» shira
English teacher in Japan. ♥ KAT-TUN, NewS, TOKIO, Arashi, Tackey & Tsubasa, Johnny's Juniors, L'Arc~en~Ciel, Miyavi, Koda Kumi, Lee Hyori, 2NE1, Wonder Girls, Big Bang, Bi (Rain), Dong Bang Shin Ki, SS501, YG Entertainment, Jdramas, Kdramas ...
hyde_icons jrock_banners crazy_mermaid kpophumor paday
layout made by me featuring Koda Kumi. Akame mood theme by ijitensha. All icons used are made by me and are for personal use only unless mentioned otherwise.
This journal is 90% open to the public. I won't be adding anyone new unless we know each other from somewhere else. Feel free to add, just don't except me to add you back.
|Bye-Byecycle.Net » Graphics Journal » Dramas List » profile


text:
Greenpeace Lays Out 5-Step Plan for Facebook to Ditch Coal Power
Greenpeace Lays Out 5-Step Plan for Facebook to Ditch Coal Power
With just over three weeks until Earth Day 2011, Greenpeace today continued its efforts to convince Facebook to adopt a policy of clean energy to power its data centers.
The latest moves in Greenpeace's "Unfriend Coal" campaign, which we've been covering for more than a year -- see here, here, and here for some of our coverage -- is hoping to pressure the social network to switch from coal and nuclear power for its data centers and embrace renewable energy technologies like so many of its IT industry peers.
As the world's largest social network, with 600 million members, Facebook is a prime target for the environmental group's campaigns. Although it's far from the most powerful player in IT, Facebook has the dual distinction of having such a large profile while also not committing to green power for its data centers, unlike most of its peers.
I profiled Facebook's green efforts last November, finding that the company is focused on energy efficiency and helping to shift the industry, as well as providing links to green news through its Green on Facebook page, but is building and leasing data center space that's largely powered by coal and nuclear energy.
Prior to this week's news, Greenpeace had focused on coal as the primary dirty energy source, but in the wake of the tragic earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan, nuclear power has also made an appearance in the Unfriend Coal campaign.
Greenpeace is urging Facebook to pledge to wean itself off of dirty energy by Earth day, and today has posted its latest video in the campaign, which you can watch at the end of this post.
But more helpful is a seven-page media briefing that Greenpeace has created that lays out the scope of Facebook's impacts, as well as five steps the company can take to meet Greenpeace's call to action.
Greenpeace has cobbled together a first-ever look at Facebook's computing footprint, as well as its estimated energy use and the sources of that energy; as you can see in the chart below (click the image or this link for a full-sized version), the greenest of Facebook's compute facilities is the still-under-construction Prineville, Ore., data center, with 12 percent renewable generation. The company also leases some fairly green space from Digital Realty Trust in Silicon Valley, which is 44 percent powered by renewables.
In order to help Facebook meet Greenpeace's demands, the nonprofit has published a five-step process to unfriend coal. From the report:
1) Come clean: Disclosure of energy and carbon footprint. Facebook ... has yet to provide any data on its energy consumption or related GHG emissions at either a corporate or facility level, but instead wants to focus attention on the anticipated PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of the Prineville and Forest City data centres. Unfortunately, PUE is a broad efficiency metric for comparing total power consumption to computing power consumption, and does not provide any indication of the type of energy consumed, or measure the amount of carbon associated with its operations.
2) Infrastructure siting policy. Given that Facebook has recently made what are likely the first two major investments in a series of large data centre infrastructure builds to support its rapid growth, the adoption of an investment and siting policy that factors in available renewable energy resources is critically important to achieving a coal-free Facebook.
3) Increase the supply of clean energy.
a) Clean energy procurement
b) Clean energy investment
c) Renewable/clean energy self-generation
4) Clean energy advocacy. Ultimately, we need Facebook to work with Greenpeace and other corporate and public sector advocates to engage decision-makers in Oregon, North Carolina and elsewhere and push for policy changes that will rapidly move us off of coal and onto renewable energy.... Facebook and other large IT companies, such as Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft, have the power to make real changes to the grid mix at a much faster rate than the present. If Facebook and other cloud services want to provide a truly green and renewable Internet, they must use their power and influence, not to only drive investments near renewable energy sources, but also to help set the policies that will rapidly deploy renewable electricity economy-wide.
5) Educate and engage Facebook members on clean energy. With its tremendous user base, Facebook can play a unique role in creating broad awareness and discussion about the need for a clean energy transformation.
The video is below, and more details are online at Greenpeace.org.


text:
Cork Fish Placemats and Coasters
Simple yet stylish, our Cork Fish Placemat and Coaster are delightful dining accessories. Produced from natural sustainable cork, these eco-friendly pieces capture the splendour of the ocean.
- Placemat (LWA1006): Ø25cm.
- Coaster (LWA1000): Ø9.5cm.
- Made of sustainable cork.
- Environmentally friendly.
- Cork is a natural product harvested from tree bark every seven years, without harming the cork tree.
- Easy to wipe clean and heat resistant.
- Sold individually.
If you aren't totally satisfied with your purchase, you can return it to us in its original condition within 14 days for a full refund, excluding original delivery charges.
If you'd like to return an unwanted item ordered online or over the phone please complete the returns form in your parcel and return items to:
- Graham & Green Returns, Unit 1 Bumpers Way, Bumpers Farm, Chippenham, SN14 6LH
You are responsible for covering the cost of returning items to us. We are happy to arrange a collection for unwanted items at a charge of £10.00 per box for a standard delivery order, £15.00 per box for an extra-large parcel and £48.00 for furniture and fragile items. To organise this, please contact our customer services team on 01225 418 200.
For more information on exchanges, returning items bought in store, returning faulty items, returning bespoke items, and returning Outlet store items please visit our Returns information page here.


text:
Trouble locating your Active Directory? Give ADAM a call
Learn about Active Directory Application Mode, or ADAM, a Microsoft tool with Windows Server 2003 designed to make modifing Active Directory simpler.
Many applications can make good use of Microsoft's Active Directory service. Up until recently Microsoft required the Active Directory to be installed on a domain server, and this most often was not the server that the application ran on. Locating AD on another system both imposed a performance penalty, and restricted the ability of developers to modify AD for specific application use.
The Active Directory Application Mode or ADAM was developed to address these issues. ADAM is a component of Windows Server 2003 that also can be installed on Windows XP Professional. There are versions of ADAM for Windows Server 2003 Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter Edition. That includes both the 32-bit versions of Enterprise and Datacenter server, and both versions of XP Professional SP 1. ADAM runs as a separate service apart from the Windows OS. Each instance of ADAM supports a single application, but you can run multiple instances on the same server if you need to.
From a developers' point of view, ADAM supports APIs such as LDAP, ADSI (Active Directory Interface), and the DSML (Directory Services Markup Language), all transparently interoperable with a full implementation of AD. This allows any application built on ADAM to be transferred to AD at a later date. ADAM can be installed on a domain controller, domain member or a workgroup member, and doesn't require you to create a domain or forest to support it.
Download instructions may be found here; which depending upon the version you download runs from 8.5 to 34.7 MB.
Barrie Sosinsky is president of consulting company Sosinsky and Associates (Medfield MA). He has written extensively on a variety of computer topics. His company specializes in custom software (database and Web related), training and technical documentation.


text:
First order of business: Thank you all who have had so many nice things to say about the new website, LakeCam and blogs. I really appreciate it. For those of you that have had to endure through my chatty (historical!) newsletters, the new internet connections have allowed me to express my creative side now to the world at large. Hmmmm...I think I need to rethink this.... Nahhhh.
Well, we are open now for 2009 reservations. We opened to a handful of customers and right now I'm exhausted! I really need to build up my stamina! It was a fun day though - a beautifully warm day - and we had many "looky-loos" drop by to say HI and check us out. By the end of the day I knew that I was busy all day, but don't know exactly what I did all day long....
A word or two about reservations: I'm taking a different approach to reservations this year and am nearly complete with filling all the openings for summer requests. Confirmation letters are going out soon. If you have a request pending and do not receive a confirmation letter soon, you are welcome to call to get an update on your request. We welcome new requests through out the season, and there are still nice sites available in the off-season months. You'll find our contact info on our website (see the link in the right hand column----->.)
Now I'm officially exhausted. Have a great weekend everyone.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Vote for Sharon Martin to Win a 5 Night Paris Stay from Paris Perfect
We met shopping in Woolworths 27 years ago....our trollies ran into each other...we checked what was in each others trolly, liked what we saw, and decided we should have a dinner date.... marriage 7 children later...still shoppimg at woolworths..the rest is history !!
Read the Next Story
Back to All Stories
Love this Story? Leave a Comment Below
About the competition
Paris is the city of romance, and this February Paris Perfect is sharing the love by giving away a free 5 night stay in a beautiful vacation rental to the most popular love story! Read more and enter here.


text:
Your online store needs to be available to customers wherever they are, and whenever they choose to shop. CoreCommerce hosts stores on outsourced servers belonging to another company, so when problems strike (and they do— frequently) the fix is out of their hands. You're at the mercy of another company that you have no contact with, just to get your store back online.
3dcart, however, handles all our own hosting, and if an issue arises we jump on it immediately, no matter what day of the week. We don't have to contact a third party and hope they address the problem in a timely manner. And with 99.99% uptime, downtime is incredibly rare to begin with. We take our customers' success seriously, so we never hand off responsibility to anyone. 3dcart has your back!
CoreCommerce lacks a content delivery network (CDN), a crucial feature that helps websites load quickly regardless of the visitor's location. Slow-loading sites drive customers away and experience SEO penalties. 3dcart's reliable CDN ensures fast loading for your store for shoppers everywhere.
CoreCommerce's store admin is frequently described as clunky, clumsy, and hard to navigate. When you're trying to run your business, you don't need a confusing interface that takes extra time to figure out. With 3dcart, we've built our admin interface to be as smooth and intuitive as possible, so you can get everything done quickly.
"I tried CoreCommerce but there were just too many problems. Not to mention they advertise as having over 200 themes, but only 17 are responsive. You HAVE to use a responsive theme or get penalties from Google, so technically they only have 17 themes, not 200. I see this as deceptive advertising."
– Former CoreCommerce Customer
CoreCommerce allows you unlimited product images, but what's the point when it's constrained by limiting your disk space? You'll have to keep a constant eye on your storage to ensure you don't go over the limit. Or use 3dcart, and have unlimited space and bandwidth for all your products.
3dcart's entire platform is built by a single, competent team with your store's success a top priority. Developers work closely together to bring you all the best features and fix any issues.
CoreCommerce doesn't just outsource their servers, they outsource much of their development as well. This causes significant delays when problems crop up— and they commonly do.
Edit your store's theme with our WYSIWYG drag-and drop editor, and see the changes applied right in front of you. Know immediately whether you want to keep or revert your changes— you'll have an updated preview in real time, so you always know how your edits look.
Customize your theme in the admin panel only, with no preview available. Changes take a few minutes to take effect, forcing you to repeatedly refresh your storefront in another tab until they appear. You'll have to repeat this process every time you want to see your changes, even if you decide to change them back.


text:
Conversation with Sarah while I was brushing her hair before school yesterday morning (picture taken on the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway)...
Sarah: Mama, is tomorrow a school day?
Mama: Nope, tomorrow's Saturday. Weekend's here!
Sarah: Livvie! Tomorrow's Saturday! We have two days off school!
Livvie: I wish the weekend was three days.
Mama: Me too.
Sarah: Me three. No! I wish the weekend was FOUR days. I wish "wish spray" worked on that.
Mama: Indeed.


text:
Dell: The First Name in Enterprise-Grade Server Solutions
When it comes to servers, most companies try to offer their customers a multitude of possible choices in order to optimize their chances of making the sale. CTS takes a different approach: Just offer the best.
That's why we offer Dell. Independent experts and our in-house analysts agree: When it comes to quality, reliability, and value, nobody beats Dell server products.
Dell PowerEdge servers have received industry-wide recognition for technological leadership, build quality, and outstanding performance. PowerEdge products have received "Server of the Year" and "Technology of the Year" awards from major industry publications – positive proof of the broad esteem that the most critical voices in technology today have for this proven industry leader.
Flexible, scalable Dell servers are available in a wide variety of configurations suited to almost any possible purpose for both growing and established businesses. PowerEdge tower systems pack outstanding specs, capacity, and speed into easily-extensible and custom-configurable self-contained units. Larger enterprises often opt for PowerEdge rack systems – the backbone of outstanding data centers around the world.
Switch on a Dell server and you open up a world of business possibilities: virtualization, collaboration, multimedia, and intensive processing power to make your network – and your company – operate more smoothly and efficiently than ever before.


text:
Skip to navigation
Skip to content
Blame it on the Moon... produced by WALT WILKINS
The Station (released 2011; Awarded Vocal Duo & Producer 2012 TMA)
Water Over Stones (Released 2007-nominated 2008 Texas Music Awards)
In Memory of Wanda Nell Carroll
ShAnnie Shindig Posters!
US Embassy in Bern, Switzerland
Friends and Places in Europe!
Friends and Places in the USA!
ShAnnie Shindigs!!!
News / Videos
Reviews for "Blame it on the Moon"
Reviews for "The Station"
Reviews for "Water Over Stones"
The Station (released 2011; Aw...
The Station
The Station
Annie Acton & Shan Kowert
I was watching tv one day, searching for inspiration. I desperately wanted to put words to a melody that I had running through my mind for days. I paused the tv and focused on the guitar... but... nothing was happening. I looked up at the tv and realized that it had been paused for 3 minutes, which is how the song started... but it was after seeing an old classic black and white movie about a couple that fall in love at a train station only to end up leaving each other behind, that the song wrote itself. God Bless those old classics... the sad thing is... I cannot remember the name of the movie. Finally, Shan came home and helped put the finishing touches... the final edits, if you will. _________________________
THE STATION It's been 3 minutes since the last call And your voice still echoes in my ear The sound of your goodbye And I can't even seem to shed a tear We knew we couldn't be strong We knew we couldn't last that long If only time stood still for a moment And the train never left the station We met on rainy Sunday All departures were suddenly delayed One table left in the café Words were shared and time it felt like years We knew we couldn't be strong We knew we couldn't last that long If only time stood still for a moment And the train never left the station Bridge: All aboard for the next train Grab your bags the sun has dried the rain Take a seat at the window He traces a heart and spells our my name It's been 10 minutes since the last call And your voice still echoes in my ear The sound of your goodbye And here come the tears
ShAnnie Shindigs
ShAnnie Shindigs
ShAnnie CDs!
Socialize with ShAnnie
Support Independent Music
Luckenbach, Fredericksburg, TX
Hangar Hotel, Fredericksburg, TX
78624 The Bar, Fredericksburg, TX


text:
History of the Atlantic Cable & Undersea Communications
Atlantic Telegraph Company Stock
These shares were owned by Anne Isabella Noel Byron, widow of poet Lord Byron and mother of Augusta Ada Byron, assistant to Charles Babbage. Lady Byron must have regretted buying the shares in May 1858 for £100, as the transfer certificate to Charles Follen in Boston (below) shows a selling price of £35 in November 1858, two months after the cable failed. Not that he got a great deal, either, since the shares became worthless in the period between the failure of the 1858 cable and the formation of the new companies which laid the 1865 and 1866 cables.
Images courtesy of Jim Kreuzer
Last revised: 24 November, 2010


text:
Towie's Gemma Collins, Amber Turner and Lauren Pope look dramatically different as they transform themselves for Halloween
Towie's ladies transformed themselves into spooky stunners to film the reality show's Halloween bash with coloured contact lenses, dramatic make-up and extravagant costumes
GEMMA Collins, Amber Turner and Lauren Pope were among the Towie gals transforming themselves into sizzling sirens to film a Halloween party tonight.
Amber stunned as a dark angel complete with a strapless corset and black feathered wings.
Over-the-knee black boots and some dramatic make-up completed the look.
Gemma, meanwhile, went all out with the glitter, covering her hair and decolletage with shimmering gold.
She wore a black maxi-dress complete with black glittering cape and spider necklace.
She captioned one shot: "Tuning into the spirits at this haunted house."
Her co-star Lauren Pope looked even creepier with some spooky contact lenses and a black and white wig.
She showed off her stunning figure in a clinging black dress and matching dangling earrings.
SHUUUT UP! You won't believe how much the Towie girls have changed since the reality show first hit our TV screens
She captioned the snap: "Grey hair...who dis?! Towie does Halloween."
Chloe Sims also went all out with the make-up, sporting an impressive spider's web headband and freaky green contacts.
Yazmin Oukhellou plumped for a Dracula-style ensemble - complete with fake blood and red contacts.
She posed in one Instagram shot by perching on a throne with a high collar and choker.


text:
After worshipping during sacrament meeting each Sunday in her LDS ward, Danielle Spangler heads for her classroom.
There, she finds 20 or more toddlers running around, playing with toys, begging for food and/or crying for Mom. Spangler and three other adults begin to play dolls, choo-choo train and other games with the kids to keep them calm until it's time for the singing, lesson and snacks.
They are nursery leaders who are serving in the North Lake 1st Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a newly developed area on the north end of Utah Lake in Lehi, Utah. And there are two other nurseries just like this in the same ward.


text:
I will not ship until I have confirmation of a person getting property to obtain the package. Crested geckos will consume crickets, waxworms, mealworms, child meals, Repashy Superfoods, and fruit. 1 way to remain on the great side of other breeders is to stay away from pricing your geckos substantially below industry worth. I wouldn't count on increasing wealthy from selling the babies, but in a year or two (geckos generally generate a pair of eggs at a time, a number of occasions a year), you will probably make far more income they spent on the geckos, and your hobby will end up becoming cost neutral. Crested Geckos come from an island off the coast of Australia called New Caledonia. Crested geckos are extremely nice and won't bite, and they are cute to appear at. It depends on what you want from your pet. Reptile shows are the best way to sell a quantity of geckos at as soon as because most individuals who attend are there for the express objective of buying one thing. All our geckos for sale are the ideal top quality, and come with live arrival guarantee.
The humane and correct care of these geckos is of really higher importance to us, and this philosophy will advantage you significantly so you can have an outstanding, healthy pet and addition to your family, or to have as an addition to your own breeding system, establishing our animals as breeders with outstanding temperament, colour, size, and wellness aspects.
Quarantine: All new geckos added to a collection need to go via a quarantine period to guarantee that they are wholesome and thriving before they are brought in speak to, or even close proximity, to your current geckos. Her incredible red and yellow blends, brilliant dorsal stripe, and classic enigma tail, as nicely as outstanding conformation, make her 1 of our most highly regarded geckos.
Soon after all, the average leopard gecko lifespan See what the average and max lifespan of leopard geckos is. is 20+ years old and you don't want to get a leopard gecko that could potentially have health issues (unless you're rescuing a gecko and are ready for the responsibility needed to care for sick geckos). My fondest memories of florida are watching anoles carrying out their head bobbing and dewlap displays. Occasionally, owners do not feed the geckos adequate nutrients in their diets such as calcium. I have just launched a website devoted to supplying cost-free classified ads of a variety of exotic pets for sale. In the United States, check out for great shipping rates, supplies and detailed guidelines about how to ship.
The Florida Red-belly is frequently seen basking with Florida Cooters and River Cooters on logs or floating mats of vegetation. We have some remarkable new projects we are operating on with him so watch for some spectacular new geckos later this year from this beautiful boy. Consider not only the quantity of geckos sold but also the expenses of their care, how significantly time you want to invest taking care of them and how much energy you want to expend in promoting them for the duration of the new season.


text:
Songs of a Dead Dreamer
by Thomas Ligotti
Published by Subterranean Press, 2010
Thomas Ligotti is widely regarded as one of the most important writers currently working in the horror genre. His work is the subject of intense debate by fans and scholars alike. His often complex stories have conspired to bring him almost mythic status and this has been intensified by the difficulties of finding his earlier work, much of which is now out of print.
This collection by Subterranean Press is a reissue of a collection originally published in 1985 and is the first in a planned series which will allow readers to get their hands on this, till now, hard to find material. These editions are also the definitive versions with many changes by the author ranging from single words to additions of whole paragraphs. Consider this the directors cut.
We start with The Frolic, one of Ligotti's more straightforward plots but also one which perfectly demonstrates his idea that the "the greatest horrors are not works of the imagination but are found in reality". Whilst the protagonists are busy being optimistic about the future, the reader is filled with an increasing sense of dread as we see the reality of their situation.
Les Fleurs is another magnificent tale which hints at darker, broken worlds beyond our own. Alice's Last Adventure tells of a children's author and her inspiration. Dream Of A Manikin is one of the more complex stories on offer and really requires repeated readings to bring it's nightmarish visions to life.
The Nyctalops Trilogy of The Chymist, Drink To Me Only With Labyrinthine Eyes and Eye of the Lynx were originally published in Nyclatops magazine. All touch on the baser human desires and the use of manipulation in an attempt to fulfill them.
Notes on the Writing of Horror is a superb piece which dissects the possible styles of the horror short story before presenting us with the authors own unique style. The next three stories, The Christmas Eves of Aunt Elise, The Lost Art of Twilight and The Troubles of Dr.Thoss deal with family betrayal, vampires and an insomniac artist. Masquerade of a Dead Sword is a less successful piece of dark fantasy complete with Gormenghast like crumbling castles.
Dr. Voke and Mr Veech is the epitome of Ligotti's craft. Full of madness, paranoia and screaming dummies it's a hellish and quite brilliant nightmare. Professor Nobody's Little Lectures on Supernatural Horrors is another exploration into the mind of "the morbid man who seeks the shadows behind the scenes of life".
Dr Locrian's Asylum and The Sect of The Idiot both owe a debt to the writing of H.P. Lovecraft and particularly his earlier pieces such as The Festival. The Greater Festival of Masks deals with what lies behind the mask and The Music of the Moon explores a strange part of town and the mysterious music to be found there.
The Journal of J.P Drapeau is a bleak, visionary exploration of what lies at the end of everything "…everything gone forever. Everything perhaps, except the sound of those bells haunting an empty mist through an eternal twilight". Finally Vastarien and we meet Victor Keirion who's dreams bring him a "promised flight to emaciated landscapes" but the reality is much different.
Often challenging, frequently grotesque and never less than bleak, this is the work of a modern horror master. Reflecting the authors almost nihilistic view that "life is a journey of disillusionment" these stories have no happy endings but ultimately the emotions they invoke reflect back on the reader in a fantastically engaging way. Thomas Ligotti is one of the few people able to captivate the reader in such a raw, visceral manner. Ultimately his genius is that he can do this whilst at the same time fulfilling his key criteria that "literature is entertainment or it is nothing." Enjoy these stories, if you can.
Rating 5 out of 5
This review is also available at http://www.bookgeeks.co.uk


text:
Skip to Main Content
Explore Manhattan
I Want To…
You Are Here:
City Commission
Advisory Boards & Committees
Code Appeals Board
Code Appeals Board
Code Appeals Board
The purpose of the Code Appeals Board is to provide for determination of the suitability of alternate materials and methods of construction or installation and in order to provide for reasonable interpretations of the city's building, electrical, plumbing, sign, abatement of dangerous buildings, mechanical, and gas fitting codes.
The Code Appeals Board consists of nine members, each of whom are qualified by experience, licensed through Code Services, and trained on matters contained in the city's technical codes.
Staff Liaison
Brad Claussen, Building Official, Code Services
Email Brad Claussen
Additional Information
Interested in being a member of the Code Appeals Board?
Fill out an interest form
Sign up for updates from the board
Daniel Barr (Master Electrician)
Steve Kirby (Journeyman Plumber)
George Lauppe (Builder)
Todd Olson (Electrician)
Tony Reid (Master Plumber)
Thaniel Monaco (Engineer-CHAIR)
Patrick Schutter (Builder)
David Stevenson (Journeyman Mechanic)
Brad Swanson (Master Mechanic)
@(Model.BulletStyle == CivicPlus.Entities.Modules.Layout.Enums.BulletStyle.Decimal ? "ol" : "ul")>
The board meets on an on-call basis, usually two to three times per year.
Agenda Archive
@(Model.BulletStyle == CivicPlus.Entities.Modules.Layout.Enums.BulletStyle.Decimal ? "ol" : "ul")>
Aggieville Business Improvement District
Airport Advisory Board
Arts and Humanities Advisory Board
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Board of Zoning Appeals
Cemetery Board
City/University Special Project Fund Committee
Code Appeals Board
Douglass Center Advisory Board
Downtown Business Improvement District
Flint Hills Discovery Center Advisory Board
Food and Farm Council
Historic Resources Board
Housing Appeals Board
Human Rights and Services Board
Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board
Municipal Audit Committee
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
Partner City Advisory Committee
Social Services Advisory Board
Special Alcohol Funds Advisory Committee
Advisory Board & Committee Interest Form
Arrow Left
Arrow Right
Slideshow Left Arrow
Slideshow Right Arrow


text:
The Treatment Room
Offering a mobile make-up service on the day of your wedding, as well as any pre-wedding preparations including spray tan, manicure, pedicure, tinting, eyelash extensions etc.
You can also check out Melanie's work at www.instagram.com/the_treatment_room_mua
Guest comments
Guest Comments
No comments have been added yet. Be the first to add your review!


text:
Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson is a dynamic, 100% employee-owned consulting firm of more than 1,600 professionals that provides a full range of multi-disciplined engineering, architecture, information technology, and related services to public agencies and private clients throughout the United States. JMT, currently ranked #54 on Engineering News-Record's list of the Top 500 Design Firms.
JMT's Virginia Beach office is seeking a Senior Transportation Engineer in our Transportation Section to be responsible for a variety of engineering needs for Municipality work throughout Hampton Roads.
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
Required Skills
Required Experience
JMT is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Vet/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity, and we are proud to be building an inclusive and diverse workforce.


text:
The project teams are guided and supported by the Executive Board, consisting of the president and vice-president, the head of community, the head of finance and the head of marketing. The Executive Board itself is supported by developers in the respective fields who thus help to push oikos further forward.
The Advisory Board consists of professionels in the field of sustainabiltiy and has an advising and coaching role for the project teams and the executive board.


text:
Atlas Pizza - Foster
Coupon Preview 1
$5 off any large pizza.Exp. 06/30/2020Not valid for redemption
$5 off any large pizza.Exp. 06/30/2020Not valid for redemption
Get this and hundreds more with a FREE 30-day trial
Start trial
Already have a Chinook Book subscription?
Tap here to find this coupon in your app.
Address6535 Southeast Foster Road Portland, OR 97206
3 other locations see all
Why We Love Them
- Gluten-free options
- Pizza by the slice or full pie, dine-in or delivery
- Pinball and a full bar
How They Meet Our Criteria
- Self-certification - Dining - Sustainable Suppliers
Learn about Chinook Book criteria


text:
Wir haben Ihre Anfrage erhalten und unsere Mitarbeiter werden Sie so schnell wie möglich kontaktieren.
Sie werden eine Benachrichtigung auf Ihre Email-Adresse erhalten.
Falls Sie noch weitere Fragen haben, zögern Sie bitte nicht uns zu kontaktieren.
In cooperation with Platou Sport, Rogaland Aktiv as arranges a very special randonee weekend in Sirdal. This will be a great off pist weekend with top instructors and skiers.
The motto this weekend: If you fall a lot, you will be best
What is randonee?
The word randonee is French and means "going on a hike". And that's exactly what it's all about. You go skiing and then go back for dinner. In Norway, we have been doing this for years already, on our feets, on snowshoes, ski made of wood, cross country skiing, mountain skiing, telemark skiing, and now, randonee.
This is a weekend for those who want to get started with randonee, or just want to learn about downhill skiing in the mountain. You do not need to have experience from the summit, but you must have some experience from offpist skiing.
Tuesday (2-3 hours)
In front of the weekend we meet in the Platou shop for a few hours with theoretical lessons. The contents will be about avalanche, equipment, snow and snowprofiles and much more.
Friday evening
Platou sport have a skidemo in Ålsheia. The shop bring a lot of randoski, find your dreamski or try several types. Can you feel the difference?
We will meet outside the Sirdal høyfjellshotell at 09.00. There will be some basic instruction before we enter the mountain. While entering the mountain, there will be practical exercises, and of course, some heavy skiing off piste.
Are you ready, hang on! Today it is it, you are professional randoskiers. The guide, who will be world champion in Telemark 2007 and winner of Stavanger freeride in 2013 will show you the best leg. Again, if you fall a lot, you will be best!
Participant must bring:


text:
City: Cusco, Mountains // Activities: Visit of Pisac, Moray, Salt Mines of Maras, Chicheria & Ollantaytambo //
Why you'll love this experience:
Revolutionary itinerary nobody else offers - 5 sites in one day!
Avoid touristy groups and enjoy the sites with your partner in small group instead of being with the masses!
Visit perfect spots for couple pictures!
|This Experience
|Touristic Sacred Valley
|Group Size
|Option to get train to
Aguas Calientes
|Yes, but you miss Pisac.
|Time on sites
|1 hour
|30 minutes
|Sites visited
|5: Pisac + Moray
+ Maras + Chicheria (beer tasting) + Ollantaytambo
|2-3: Chinchero + Moray + Maras or Ollantaytambo + Pisac
|6:30 am - 6:30 pm
|7:00 am - 6:30 pm
During this Sacred Valley day tour, you will get to know all the must visit spots in one day, an itinerary that no other agency offers. You will find out more about the Inca's history and why the Sacred Valley was such an important political, agricultural and spiritual hotspot for them. In comparison to the conventional tours that are characterized by large groups, few time spent at the sites and visiting only some sites, our small-group tour of 2-8 people guarantees a personal experience.
We cover all the important sites of the Sacred Valley, such as Pisac, the archaeological site of Moray, the salt mines of Maras and Ollantaytambo and stay around 1 hour at each site. This gives you enough time to discover the most important stories and to take stunning photos with your partner. Additionally, we visit a local Chicheria where you can taste the original beer of the Incas.
At the end, you get the option to stay in Ollantaytambo to take the train to Aguas Calientes afterwards or to return to Cusco with your guide.
6:30 am: Pick-up at your hotel in Cusco
7:30 am: Sacred Valley viewpoint
8:00 am: Pisac
10:45 am: Visit of the Salt Mines of Maras (we'll only go to the viewpoint, it's forbidden to enter the salt mines)
12:30 am: Visit of Moray
1:30 pm: Lunch in Urubamba
2:15 pm: Chicha beer tasting
3:15 pm: Ollantaytambo
5:30 pm: Drop-off at main square in Ollantaytambo
6:30 pm: Arrival at your hotel in Cusco
Note: All times are approximations.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Fluent English speaking local guide
- Chicha beer tasting in a local Chicheria
- Small group tour with 2-8 people
- Sacred Valley day tour
- Lunch buffet (vegetarian and vegan food options available)
Not Included:
- Breakfast
- Cusco tourist ticket (partial ticket valid for 2 days S/ 70, general ticket valid for 10 days S/ 130 per person). It gives you entrance to the sights and can be bought directly at the sites we visit so don't worry about purchasing it in advance.
- Entrance to Maras Salt Mines (S/ 10 per person)
- Tips for the Guide
- 6:30 am - 6:00 pm
- Please let us know if you are planning to take a train to Aguas Calientes after the Sacred Valley day tour.
- Bring a raincape and adequate clothes according to the weather
- Use sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
- Don't forget your camera and binoculars
- Bring sufficient water and some extra money
Terms of Reservation:
- If you want to book for 3 people or more please use the discount code "3SVA" during checkout and you'll get $4 off per person.
- We accept all reservations until 2:00 pm on the day before the tour (only if you send us the required information asked by us in our confirmation mail until 2:00 pm).
- After the booking has been made, please respond to our automatic email asking about necessary information for the tour, such as pickup spot, food preferences and more.
- Minimum 2 people
If you buy the group tour and there are not minimum 2 people in total you have the option to:
- postpone the date of the tour
- receive a refund
- pay the difference to the private tour and do the private tour
Terms of Cancellation:
- If you cancel less than 3 days before the start of your tour, there won't be any refunds.
- If you cancel between 3-7 days before the start of your tour, we will refund 50%.
- If you cancel more than 7 days before the start of the tour, we will refund 100%.
- Changing the date of your tour costs $20 per traveler and is subject to availability.
- We offer 100% flexibility for private tours.
- We don't issue refunds in case of delayed flights, inconveniences with train schedules, bad weather or sudden strikes that affect the tour.


text:
Journal entry:
This poem combines the prompts from NaPoWriMo and Poetic Asides. You might visit those sites for inspiration, though I do not recommend you combine them as I have…
The Show Of Shows
The grandest stage of them all, where champs are made and losers fall.
A night of nights for fans who cheer and stars who shine.
We witness greatness and sore defeat, where some play fair, others cheat.
80,676 there live to cheer their favorites on to victory.
Countless fans tuning in around the world, like Mom and I here at home.
The show was great, some matches almost too close to call.
Did you by chance tune in to see WrestleMania Twenty-Nine's pageantry?
Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Sunday, April 7, 2013
I am grateful:
1. Mom was okay with staying home this morning.
2. I tried to sleep away the pain, and caught up a little sleep.
3. I ordered WrestleMania 29 on Friday, so I did not run into the problems some fans did tonight.
4. I talked to Alex overnight.
5. WrestleMania was impressive and Mom and I were able to watch it together.
I did not quite accomplish all I wished this Sunday, because I was too uncomfortable to go to church. I hope your day was a complete success. I encourage you to take time to unleash your imagination and engage your creativity. You bring so much to the world if you only make an effort.
As a prompt, write about an event you enjoy watching or participating in. This could be anything about which you are passionate. Write a poem, story, or journal entry and leave a link to your work in the comments below.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Please excuse the lateness of this post. The telecast kept me occupied this evening. I am so glad I wrote the journal entry early. Time got away from me though. I hope that you enjoyed your visit here and that you will subscribe to Chronicles for future updates. I usually don't dwell on wrestling like this, but I suppose I have become a fan. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or criticism to share, please leave a comment.
Jo Ann


text:
This Job Listing has Expired
In 2003, Rod, Eric, and Alan decided to leave the rainy Northwest and head to Las Vegas, the land of sunshine, fast times and great food. Friends and family told them they were crazy to try a new restaurant concept in another city; they told them it was madness!
But the three Vegas-bound boys knew their secret recipe, that had proven itself for years in the teriyaki houses in Seattle, would be a mad success. And they knew that if they could make it in Vegas, with its celebrity chefs and gourmet food, they could make it anywhere. Not to mention, it was Vegas!
And so, Teriyaki Madness was born! The first restaurant opened to long lines that stretched around the block. Word spread quickly that the food was delicious, big enough to fill any appetite, healthy, and full of bold flavors. Soon, the beautiful people of Las Vegas were flocking to the new restaurant. And the boys from the Northwest were quickly on their way to success!
Our food is addictive and our concept is fresh! We, along with our customers, crave our mouth-watering dishes so much that a state of "Teriyaki Madness" occurs. Teriyaki Madness is the frenzy experienced by our raving fans who desire to have our dishes daily. Some even dine at our restaurants two to three times a day. Now that's madness and we love it!
Teriyaki Madness positions available
Food Prep:
Madness team members working food preparation will:
• Prepare Madness sauces to recipe standards
•Review prep chart for daily requirements, cuts meats and vegetables for cooking
• Cooks sufficient amounts of rice throughout the day
• Prepares all food products utilizing established standards for hood handling safety, storage and personal hygiene
• Assist in ordering food products and other kitchen necessities
• Assists point cook when needed
Range/Grill Cooks:
Madness team members working as a range / grill cook will:
• Follow established recipes to prepare customer's orders to specification to include cooking meats, vegetables, rice and sauces/marinades
• Prepare food products utilizing established standards for food handling safety, storage and personal
• Maintain a sufficient inventory of prepped ingredients to fill customer demands
• Be able to multi-task and/or manage several orders simultaneously
• Lead and direct the work of others on occasion
• Clean equipment and work area and the end of shift
Point Cook:
Madness team members working as a point cook will:
• Be competent in all requirements of the range / grill cook
• Finalize all menu items and orders to established Madness standards before presentation to customers
• Lead and direct the work of others in the food preparation area
• Be responsible for weekly and monthly cleaning tasks
The preferred Teriyaki Madness team member will:
• Possess a high school diploma
• Present a friendly, outgoing, positive and customer-oriented attitude and service orientation at all times
• Facilitate teamwork and a helpful approach to getting all tasks and assignments handled in a timely, efficient and effective manner
• Communicate effectively with customers, service providers or vendors and other team members at all times.
• Attentive listening, speaking clearly using appropriate language, terminology, tone and volume while maintaining a respectful and courteous demeanor is required
• Present a clean and professional appearance at all times
• Work well – or best! – under pressure
For more information about Teriyaki Madness, click here.
Please submit resumes to: firstname.lastname@example.com
Teriyaki Madness
Santa Clarita Jobs / Teriyaki Madness / Santa Clarita Restaurants / Asian Cuisine / Employment


text:
Written by Suman Bhattarai
I want to share my experience of living abroad as an international student. Currently, I am doing my Master in Accounting and Finance in University of Economics in Katowice.
Katowice is one of the vast developed city of Poland, which is in silesia region border connected with Czech Republic. This city also known as industrial cities because here we can see different multinational companies. Being located between Krakow and Wroclaw which are the third and fourth biggest and beautiful city katowice take advantages of that. Transport infrastructure, city, streets are well developed. Huge number of buses and trams make public transport easiest and fastest way of travel. Trains are also quite good and connected with all city within country and neighbour countries.
In Katowice, there are two big university; University of Silesia and University of Economics. University of Economics focus in course related to economics, finance, insurance, accounting, business studies, commerce and information technologies etc. while University of Silesia focus on other than this faculty like; science, math and arts etc. There are two library; the extensive one in center near to university of silesia and and next one in university of economics. We can go and read books and take books from both of the library. Atmosphere of library is really awesome, I usually spend time on both of them.
Usually in weekend we used to go to the parks during the day and bar or clubs at night. City is full of huge parks; there are more than 10 huge parks which are really beautiful as well. We arrange meeting with friends for gathering. Near to the university there is a place called 3 Lakes,which is famous in katowice and this is the best place to chill in edge of the 3 beautiful and giant lakes. Mariacka street is famous for bar, lots of peoples go there for the symposium. Wednesday to saturday night is weekend here, sounds long and funny but it's fact. I usually go just for a glass of beer on wednesday and go for a club on friday night. Cinema is also one the good way to spend time, here you can have monthly pass for cinema with no limits so you don't need to pay every time. You can watch movie in English or Polish, there will be different time for each language. Cycling is popular in poland, you can rent a cycle and ride around city or parks. There is separate lane for cycle.
The best part of katowice is; it is in south west part so that make easy to travel in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary. Obviously travelling is one of the most interesting way of living. Within Poland, train is best mode of transport for students because student get 51% of discount in fare that is less than fare of bus. Students also get discounts in public transport tickets.
Finally, I am really happy to be here. I'm spending best days of my student life. Traveling, adventure, study and fun makes my everyday better. I would like to suggest this city for further studies.


text:
First thing's first, you need to figure out why you want an internship, and if it's even the right thing for you.
An internship vs. a part-time job – the great debate, but not really
I must confess, I will champion the internship cause until the day I die. It's a mutually beneficial agreement – employers get free or low-cost work, and you learn invaluable skills that will set you on the right path to achieve your desired career goals.
Yet, while internships are a fantastic way to get hands-on experience and to learn skills that you can't when sitting in a lecture theatre, the sad reality of the communications industry is that a lot of them are unpaid. A casual internship may turn into a paid job, but who has the luxury to work for free when the average smashed avo costs $10?
The fact remains – an internship will get you a career. You learn on the job, you network, and when your internship finishes, you have a shiny new line on your resume. Not only that, but it's a fantastic opportunity to figure out if you actually want to work in the field that you've chosen; and if not, when your internship finishes, you're free to try something completely new.
Although a part-time job ticks the networking and resume-building boxes and then some ($), in order to actually get one, you need experience. Employers are less likely to put an undergraduate student with no experience on their payroll than someone who has the skills needed for the job; they don't have the time to teach you what you should already know.
How do you gain these skills? With an internship. We've come full circle.
So how do we get around the money-conundrum? Aside from positive thoughts and lots of wine, you can't really.
There are paid internships out there, and the key to getting an interview is applying early. With the end of semester and summer break approaching, the coming few months are an absolute field-day for employers, and a bloodbath for wannabe-employees. Start scouring sites like pedestrian.tv, indeed or even our own UTSoC Careers page on the daily for all the latest and greatest internship opportunities, and then once you know which internships to apply for, go for it.
The next step is standing out amongst the vast and ever-expanding sea of applicants. Check out Resume Now and My Perfect Resume for some bangin' CV templates, and then get started on your cover letter. It's a good idea to have a few general cover letters in your back pocket that you can pull out at the drop of a hat. Yet, keep in mind that a lot of companies ask specific questions, and for my fellow journalism students, a lot of media companies ask you for story pitches. So, you have to be prepared to get creative, and show that you want the job. Don't be afraid get a little cheeky – if there's a mistake in the job advertisement, point it out. Make some (tasteful) jokes, throw in some puns. Make them want to hire you.
If all else fails, remember this: any cover letter is better than no cover letter, and both are better than not applying at all.
When it comes to unpaid internships, be on the lookout for ones that are sustainable. The best ones are one or two days a week, for up to three months. You're there for long enough to get into the swing of things, but you also have enough time for uni work, and paid work.
And if there's a job available at the company when your internship finishes? Apply. You've got the experience.
Still unconvinced? Learn about UTS Careers and how they can help you.
Article: Bronte Gossling
This article originally appeared in The Comma.
UTS is a strong supporter of fair work agreements. Before applying for an unpaid internship, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman to find out if it meets the criteria for a lawful internship. All internships on UTS CareerHub have been verified.


text:
Baja 24/7 Real Estate Professionals in San Felipe, Baja Ca.
Please use this link to find my office in San Felipe, Baja California, Mx
You can pan out all the way to the border crossings.
See how easy it is to cross the border in Calexico and drive south through Mexicali. Just stay in the middle or right lanes and do not take any right or left turns. Go "south" through each traffic circle.
See you soon.


text:
Compliance Services
Broker Dealers
Investment Advisers
Professional Education
Background Checks
Tools and Resources
About David McClean
Contact Us
Ethics Course Sign-Up
Course Portal
Since 1992, Framing Compliance as Enterprise Risk
Compliance Services
We've been helping firms to stay in compliance for over twenty-five years.
Outsourced CCO Services
We are ready to discuss the possibility of outsourcing this requirement to us - whereby we serve as your external chief compliance officer. This may be a reasonable and cost-effective alternative for smaller organizations who are not prepared to pay the high levels of compensation demanded in today's market for such professionals. Outsourcing is the way that many investment advisers solve their obligations to employ experienced chief compliance officers.
General Compliance Consulting Services
We also assist firms with their compliance programs, whether or not we serve in this capacity. We parepare and update firm compliance manuals, codes of ethics, and operational procedures documents, and assist with company formations, background checks, regulatory examinations, books and records preparation and review, and general consulting on a wide variety of compliance matters.