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Senate study pushes for school funding equity
SPRINGFIELD — A new report by a state Senate education committee says that streamlining Illinois' school funding formula would provide better equity to all districts.
According to the document released Friday evening, putting the vast majority of state funds into one pot, then dividing up resources based on need, would serve as a fairer distribution method than the current system, which factors in a district's poverty for some types of state aid but not others and also treats funding for Chicago schools differently.
As the state grapples with an estimated loss of $1.5 billion in revenue if lawmakers allow the temporary income tax increase to expire as scheduled next January, committee members say it's an ideal time to have a conversation about changes.
"Whatever money we have, we'd like for schools to be funded fairly," state Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, an Okawville Republican and co-chair of the eight-member committee, said.
Overspending and a $100 billion pension shortfall put Illinois in dire financial shape in recent years, with crucial money being stripped away from schools as a backlog of bills piled up.
Since 2009, Illinois schools have seen over $800 million in cuts, according to the state Board of Education.
Democratic State Sen. Andy Manar, the education committee's other co-chair, said he became more aware of the impact of such cuts when his son's elementary school art class was moved to a janitor's closet to save the Bunker Hill School District money.
As it stands now, Illinois schools get their money from the state in a variety of ways. In addition to "general state aid" — money distributed to districts to help offset the basic cost of educating students— schools get separate grant money to fund specific programs, including transportation, special education and vocational training.
While general state aid is divvied up based on districts' respective poverty levels and various aspects to determine need, much of the other grant funding is not.
In addition, Chicago school funding is entirely different than the rest of the state. Since the mid-1990s, the city's schools have gotten a block, or overall percentage, of available state funds based on their enrollment and need. The city can spend the money as it sees fit.
Manar argues that as times get lean, wealthier districts that have more property tax dollars going toward their schools have an advantage over the poorer districts and can more easily offset cuts in state aid.
"We're saying that local ability to pay should be considered when grants are given," Manar said.
The committee report — which comes after members spent six months hearing testimony from educators around the state — suggests that the vast majority of specialized programs as well as general state aid be funded through the same formula and equalized based on districts' respective wealth. It also wants districts to detail how they are spending their state dollars in each of their schools. And the report suggests that Chicago funding should be integrated into the single-funding formula.
Manar, who will detail the report on Monday at the state Capitol, said he hopes to have school funding reform legislation filed by March.
That goal, Luechtefeld said, might be lofty, as regional and partisan interests will be fleshed out as the issue is debated, among other tax-and-spend issues this legislative session.
Education board officials say that after years of cuts they're grateful the issue is getting attention.
"We hope that it will lead to more equitable funding for our districts," board spokeswoman Mary Fergus said.
Online: Read the report at www.isbe.state.il.us


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Get an overview of this hotelBeachfront resort with spa near downtown Cancún
Popular property highlights
Luxury beachfront resort located on quiet Beach
This beachfront resort is a 30-minute drive from the airport. This luxury beachfront resort is located on a quiet beach, next to Playa Mujeres Golf Club and the Mayan ruins at the El Meco archaeological site. A quick 5 minutes from the ferry dock, enjoy day trips to Isla Mujeres' North Beach, which features swiming with whale sharks and dolphins. Only 15 minutes from malls and tourist attractions such as the aquarium, Museo Maya, as well as bars and restaurants.
5 pools, spa services
Villa del Palmar Cancun Beach Resort & Spa has 5 pools for guests to enjoy, including a splash pool for kids, plus hot and cold lagoon pools where the adults can unwind. There's also an onsite fitness center, and the resort's 6 restaurants, 5 bars, and coffee shop/café offer a wealth of dining options.
Kitchenette plus balcony
Guestrooms feature kitchenettes, plus balconies for enjoying sea or garden views. WiFi is available for a surcharge, and guests can unwind while enjoying their favorite premium cable shows on the flat-screen TV.
Languages Spoken
- English
Villa del Palmar Cancun Luxury Beach Resort & Spa
Hotel Amenities
All-Inclusive Details
All-inclusive room rates at Villa del Palmar Cancun Luxury Beach Resort & Spa are available. These rates are higher because they include onsite food and beverages in the room rate (some restrictions may apply).
Gratuities and taxes
Gratuities and taxes are included.
Activities and facilities/equipment
Water activities
- Kayaking
- Snorkeling
Not included
- Airport transfers
- Laundry/dry cleaning services
- Spa/beauty facilities and services
- Wireless Internet access
Hotel Amenities
Villa del Palmar Cancun Beach Resort & Spa offers both all-inclusive room rates and room-only rates. All-inclusive rates include onsite meals and beverages, and may include taxes and gratuities. Additional charges may apply for meals at some restaurants, special dinners and dishes, certain beverages, and other amenities. 24-hour airport shuttle is available on request for a fee.
Enjoy the umbrellas and sun loungers for a relaxing day at the beach. At Villa del Palmar Cancun Beach Resort & Spa you can cool off in one of the 5 outdoor swimming pools and indulge in a pampering afternoon at the full-service spa.
Dining is available at one of the resort's 6 restaurants and coffee shop/café. The property also offers a grocery/convenience store. A beach bar is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. This beach resort also offers a children's club with supervised activities, a children's pool, and a health club. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
- Beach bar
- Number of outdoor pools - 5
- Elevator/lift
- Number of bars/lounges - 5
- Fitness facilities
- Full-service spa
- 24-hour front desk
- Beach umbrellas
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Porter/bellhop
- Grocery/convenience store
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Year Built 2010
- Coffee shop or café
- Beach sun loungers
- Free self parking
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Free valet parking
- Sauna
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Children's club (free)
- Wired Internet access - surcharge
- Smoke-free property
- Supervised childcare/activities (free)
- Children's pool
- Spa services on site
- Terrace
- Luggage storage
- ATM/banking
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Number of restaurants - 6
- Concierge services
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Shopping on site
- Pool umbrellas
- Laundry facilities
- Beach towels
- Total number of rooms - 415
- Number of floors - 9
- Number of buildings/towers - 3
- Wedding services
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Garden
- Multilingual staff
- Free newspapers in lobby
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pools
- Children's pool
- Supervised childcare/activities (free)
- Children's club (free)
- Grocery/convenience store
- Laundry facilities
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Playground on site
- Microwave
Available in all rooms: Wired high-speed internet ( USD 10 per day )
Available in some public areas: Wired high-speed internet ( USD 10 per 24-hour period ), Wired high-speed internet ( USD 10 per 24-hour period )
Languages Spoken
- English
- Italian
- Spanish
Free self parking, Free valet parking
Room Amenities
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Premium TV channels
- Pay movies
- Balcony
- Ceiling fan
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Air conditioning
- Access via exterior corridors
- Phone
- Microwave
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower only
- Iron/ironing board
- In-room safe
- Cable TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Number of bathrooms -
- Room service (24 hours)
Where to Eat
La Casona - This steakhouse with an ocean view specializes in international cuisine. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.
Zama - This restaurant specializes in Mexican cuisine and serves lunch and dinner.
Hiroshi - This restaurant specializes in Japanese cuisine and serves dinner only.
Davinos - This restaurant specializes in Mediterranean cuisine and serves dinner only.
Capricho's - This restaurant serves international cuisine buffet-style for dinner.
Caprichos - This buffet restaurant offers international dishes for breakfast and dinner, with views of the ocean.
24-hour room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
5 outdoor swimming pools are on site along with a children's pool. Other recreational amenities include a health club and a sauna.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Playground on site
- Ecotours nearby
- Golfing nearby
- Parasailing nearby
- Scuba diving on site
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Volleyball on site
- Kayaking on site
- Golf lessons available nearby
- Sailing nearby
Spa Services
The Village Spa has 8 treatment rooms including rooms for couples. Services include facials, body wraps, body scrubs, and body treatments. The spa is equipped with a sauna. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including hydrotherapy.
- Sauna in spa
- Number of treatment rooms 8
- Couples treatment rooms
- Massages on beach
- Manicures and pedicures
- Body wraps
- Body treatments
- Body scrubs
- Facial treatments
- Hydrotherapy treatments
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-in time starts at 4 PM
Minimum check-in age is 18
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 25.0 per night.
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
- Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property. The policies listed are provided by the property.
- Resort fee
Optional extras
- Breakfast fee: between USD 30 and USD 50 per person (approximately)
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: USD 10 per day (rates may vary)
- Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: USD 10 per 24-hour period (rates may vary)
- Fee for wired Internet in public areas: USD 10 per 24-hour period (rates may vary)
- Airport shuttle fee: USD 50 per vehicle (one way)
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 25.0 per night
Hotel Name
- Cancun Palmar
- Palmar Cancun
- Palmar Resort Cancun
- Villa del Palmar Cancun Beach
- Villa del Palmar Cancun Beach Playa Mujeres
- Villa del Palmar Cancun Beach Resort
- Villa del Palmar Cancun Beach Resort Playa Mujeres
- Villa Palmar
- Villa Palmar Cancun
- Villa Palmar Resort Cancun
- Villa Palmar Cancun Luxury Beach Resort Playa Mujeres
- Villa Palmar Cancun Luxury Beach Playa Mujeres
- Villa Palmar Cancun Luxury Beach
- Villa Palmar Cancun Luxury Beach Resort
- Villa del Palmar Cancun Beach Resort Spa
We should mention
This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the resort prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. A resort fee is included in the total price displayed. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
Special Offer
Book a stay in a "1 Bedroom Residence Ocean View" room category and receive free WiFi access for 2 devices, per stay, in room espresso coffee, fully stocked refrigerator with an assortment of premium waters, juices, and beers, 1 signature basket with assorted snacks and refreshments upon arrival, nightly turn down service and evening specialty amenity, 350 ml bottles of premium liquores and wine once per stay, and bathrobes and slippers.
Must book a "1 Bedroom Residence Ocean View" room category to receive benefits. Full details at check-in. Guests must contact the hotel directly with their flight details to arrange pick up; contact information is provided on the booking confirmation email. Offer subject to availability. Offer is not valid with groups/conventions and may not be combined with other promotional offers. Other restrictions and blackout dates may apply.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pets, Pets, Pets
"It's amazing what a bond you can get with a dog when you spend so much time with it. It's just like being brothers."… Bruce Wel lington, USMC dog handler during World War II
Pearl Harbor ushered in an unfamiliar battleground. U.S. Pacific commanders were not prepared for jungle warfare. On Guam, alone, 20,000 "invisible" Japanese were waiting to ambush our soldiers. American casualties were high. The Marine Corps tried an initially ridiculed experiment, employing new weapons- dog platoons, borrowed from patriotic citizens and superbly trained by novice Marines.
Memorial Day honors all who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Oral histories are crucial—lest we forget. Each day, about 1,000 veterans of America's "greatest generation" die. Marking a date on the calendar is not enough; we need eloquent reminders.
A moving documentary-"War Dogs of the Pacific" by Harris Done - captures the courage and devotion shared by these US Marines and their canine cohorts, dogs truly deserving the title-"man's best friend."
"They saved hundreds of lives- including mine," said Captain William W. Putney, DVM, commanding officer of the US Marine Corps 3rd War Dog Platoon. The late Capt. Putney, author of the book Always Faithful, was also responsible for bringing the surviving dogs home and creating a monument on Guam for those who perished. Done was so touched when he heard Dr. Putney recall his experiences as a young lieutenant with the dog platoons that he knew he had to make this film.
In "War Dogs" Done's interviews with the dog handlers (many who have since passed away) combined masterfully with rare historical footage and photos preserve these incredible canine combat stories for all time.
I met Harris Done in February at the AKC Open House. He was in New York City because "War Dogs" won an award from the Alliance of Purebred Dog Writers. Harris, cinematographer of "Trekkies", "Running the Sahara," and the '99 Oscar winning documentary "The Last Days," made his directing debut with "War Dogs." After I told him about my husband's time with the USMC tunnel dogs in Viet Nam, I offered to review his DVD. I hadn't seen it yet. To be honest, the review has taken so long because nothing I write can do justice to his magnificent work. You must see "War Dogs" for yourself. Thenyou need to pass it on to every dog lover, history buff, and student you know. To order DVDs or for more information, visit: www. wardogsmovie.com.
In typical style, the Marines rose to the challenge. No one was a K-9 expert. Recruits were assigned because of a remote connectionthey owned a Cocker Spaniel or lived on a farm. "Devil Dog" school, set up at Camp Lejeune in N. Carolina had donated dog trainees. The Doberman Club of America helped provide about 75 percent of the dogs. Most others were Shepherd types. Some were rejected by the Army as incorrigible, which proved to be so untrue. Marine and dog became an inseparable team. Bonds were cemented. Besides basic obedience and hand signals the dogs learned to suppress barks so they'd be undetected in combat.
Dogs would later master specialized skills as scouts, messengers, and explosive detectors. They'd do sentry duty, explore caves, and capture prisoners. A Marine's life depended on knowing how to read his dog. The dog duos were expected to go on the most dangerous "point" missions. In 1944, the War Dogs first fought alongside their Marines in Guam, often guarding the foxhole so their exhausted partner could sleep. The dogs became the confidants of these young men, so far from home in such a brutal land. As the late handler Richard Reinauer stated, "My Shepherd was my psychiatrist." (Reinauer became a spokesperson for Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom" after the war.)
One night "Skipper" a black Lab alerted the company to approaching enemy and was shot in the crossfire. "How do you tell a 13-year-old girl that her dog was killed in battle?" lamented Pfc. Dale Fetzer who had corresponded with Skipper's owner in Montana. Skipper was one of 25 Marine dogs to die liberating Guam. In all, 29 dogs died in action during the USMC Pacific campaign.
"Tippy" a Malamute cross was one of the "unruly" Army rejects. He became Pfc. Al Tesch's guardian angel, actually a guardian to the whole company. When Tesch was wounded, Tippy wouldn't let the Corpsman near him. Later when reunited stateside, Tippy and Tesch visited prisons and church youth rallies.
Marines are always expected to do more with less. Scenes in "War Dogs" show servicemen using their helmets as dog dishes as they give most of their C-rations to their dogs. TheAmericans captured a Japanese war dog. In merely two weeks, they taught the dog English and the Shepherd was working for our side. Guam established the Devil Dogs' reputation. Success was repeated in Saipan, Okinawa and Iwo Jima.
After the Japanese surrender, unlike the Army, the Marines brought their dogs home. Dr. Putney made sure the promise was kept. Of the 549 dogs de-programmed for civilian life, most were returned to owners, some went to live with handlers, and only 4 were put down for aggression.
In 2008, at their centennial, the Doberman Club of America hosted a screening of "War Dogs." The club flew ten former handlers to Topeka to present them with medals. Last month, Harris Done's film was warmly received by the Marines at Camp Lejeune. Now many dog handlers trained for Iraq and Afghanistan are women with dog/human teams interchangeable because of rotating tours of duty. Belgian Malinois have replaced Dobies as the preferred breed. Two weeks ago at the Newport Film Festival, handlers from Camp Pendleton were supposed to meet two WWII veterans, but it wasn't to be.
Glance at the quote on top. One of the best messenger dogs, "Prince" a Shepherd mix, was like a brother to Pfc. Bruce Wellington who turned down Corporal stripes when it meant giving up his dog. He adopted "Prince" after the war. He didn't need any retraining. The dog fit right in with his wife and children. Wellington recently passed away at age 84 in California. Harris Done did his eulogy on Saturday. Semper Fi, Pfc. Wellington; may Prince be waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge.
For Adoption at Baby lon Town Shelter (643-9270): "Princess Isabella" a 1 yr. Terrier mix in Cage 40 and "Doubles" a sweet 2 yr. cat in the lobby are waiting for the right someone to come along at 51 Lamar St. W. Babylon.
•Males: Chihuahua; Beagle Cage 13.
•Females: "Katie" the lobby calico; "Hallie"- friendly Pit- Cage 38- longest shelter resident.
•Pet Events: *Last Hope Dog Walk & Microchip Clinic- Sat. May 30-Wantagh Park- 1 to 5 - (631) 946-9528
•Suffolk Co. Bar Animal Law Pet Fair- Sun. May 31- Doggie "U"-Saxon Ave. Bay Shore-10 to 4- (631)265-0155.


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Reader Kuri helped me out by doing a purchase for me over in Japan for this latest Eyelash Curler from Panasonic:
The model is EH-SE50p and it comes in white too. I have tons and tons of eyelash curlers (I am always losing them) and I have about 4 heated curlers. Generally speaking, they are pretty pants.
My lashes are very straight as it is and they do not often obey…
I figured these Panasonic Heated Curlers are made for Asian lashes like mine that are tough to tame..
This one has an unusual wide head – the grey plastic cover protects you from the hot springs inside.
As with all eyelash curlers this has a colour change indicator to let you know when its ready and takes one AA battery.
The head shape gets some getting used too.
The other heated curlers I have, usually have a longer and narrower head. This one will cover almost all of the eyelash as you hold it against your eye so its a little bit scary to begin with…
Because it also gets very very hot! I guess this is how we tame lashes like mine but it does get a bit scary sometimes.
Even though the plastic part should protect your eye it got a little bit too close for comfort a few times….eek!
The best way to do it is to hold the brush vertically, and sweet your own lashes upwards, then hold it for 10 seconds or so. (I can't read the instructions but this is how long I did it for).
Also another trick is to comb the lashes so that the hair goes in between the grooves, rather than just randomly pressing it against your lashes. This DOES mean that your eyeball feels closer to the heat!
Remember to apply mascara first.
With NO mascara, there was no curl at ALL for me even when I baked my eyeball.
With mascara – hurrah! It worked. I didn't use the best mascara, just a random one lying around but with a waterproof, curling mascara, I think we'd have a winner.
Here is my first attempt. I played with it for 30 minutes, it was not really happening:
I tried again, and wiggled the lashes between the grooves, held it tight next to the lash and at the end of the curl pressed the ends a little bit back them themselves.
Sorry, I am so tired in this photo.
But you know, the curl is gorgeous and light, without any kinks in it.
Brilliant eyelash curler, but make no mistake – you need to be brave and you need to practise with this baby.
*UPDATE* – This curler works best with fibre rich waterproof mascaras.
I used this with a normal mascara from L'oreal and it just melted and came off. A waterproof mascara copes better, but a fibre rich mascara works the best.
– Imju Fiberwig
– Marilyn Fiber Long Mascara
– SANA Super Quick Mascara
– MAJOLICA MAJORCA Lash Enamel Glamour Mascara Volume on
– Most Fasio mascara's I find are iron tight


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The Story of Berlin opened its doors in 1999 and offers visiting student groups an insight into 800 years of history of the city of Berlin. Visitors are guided around the museum with hi-tech headsets, which give audio commentaries in English or German. Underneath the museum is an enormous nuclear shelter, designed and built during the Cold War to hold nearly 4000 people. Guided tours are possible.
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Call us to find out more about Berlin trips on:
01279 658221
Or email us
The Cathedral of Berlin is the largest church in the city, and it serves as a vital centre for the Protestant church of Germany. Reaching out well beyond the borders of the parish and of Berlin, the cathedral attracts thousands of visitors, year after year, from Germany and abroad.
If you are looking for great views of the city and a measure of history and educational value this is a great option for student groups and with price from read more ...
Choose from a wide range of restaurants and packages for you and your students to dine at during your time in Berlin.
With delicious food and drink available at The Hard Rock Cafe or if you prefer a low key meal at a local restaurant you'll be sure to find something to suit everyone!
Call the Further & Higher Travel team today to book your evening meal for your next trip to Berlin!
Let your students sit back and relax as they take in the sights on a Berlin bus tour.
A fantastic tour to do if it's your first time to the city and a great way to travel. Many bus tours let you jump on and off so you can visit attractions, have lunch and go shopping.
If you're interested in arranging a bus tour for your next educational trip to Berlin contact the FHT student team today for the best prices!
A great way to see Berlin and learn at the same!
Our bespoke walking tours will allow students to experience the city as well as find all the interesting spots Berlin has to offer related to their studies. From Art & Design students looking at local graffiti for inspiration to History students visting historical monuments we have something to suit everyone.
And as your tour is completely tailor made we can arrange it to suit your e read more ...
Berlin Zoo is the most visited zoo in Europe with about 3.0 million visitors per year from all over the world and a fun day for any group looking for a diversion. It is open all year long and can easily be reached by public transportation. Please contact us for prices.
Checkpoint Charlie was the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War and is now an iconic visit for History groups, symbolising as it does the division created by communism.
Please contact the student travel team at FHT group Tours for further details on 01279 658221 and we will incorporate this educational visit into a great itinerary for you read more ...
The Fernsehturm or TV Tower offers a wonderful panoramic view over Berlin. The tower reaches a high of 350 m and as well as a restaurant there is a viewing platform at over 200m up. Ascent is via rapid lifts offering commentary and the viewing area details the history of the buildings on view.
Please get in touch with us at FHT Group Tours for full details and we will arrange this study visit as part of any educational read more ...
One of the fastest lifts in Europe will take your student group to the Panoramapunkt viewing platform at Potsdamer Platz 1, atop the Kollhoff Tower. Here excellent views await you over both east and the west part of Berlin at a height of over 100m.
Contact our Berlin student trips team at FHT Group Tours on 01279 658221 or email us on firstname.lastname@example.com and we will arrange this as part of any school or college trip read more ...
A guided tour of the Reichstag building is one of the most popular visits in Berlin. It will explain the functions, working methods and composition of parliament whilst also covering the history and architecture of the building. The highlight at the end is the opportunity to visit the famous dome, which has become an iconic image in Berlin and gives a great view of the city.
The Brandenburg Gate has in recent times beena symbol of both the partition of the city of Berlin and a symbol of the reunification of the city and as such is an iconic visit for any History group study tour to Berlin.
Originally built over 200 years ago, it survived the onslaught of the final days of the Second World War damaged but still standing to find itself behind Russian lines in the partiton of the City. For nearly thirty yea read more ...
The Story of Berlin opened its doors in 1999 and offers visiting student groups an insight into 800 years of history of the city of Berlin. Visitors are guided around the museum with hi-tech headsets, which give audio commentaries in English or German. Underneath the museum is an enormous nuclear shelter, designed and built during the Cold War to hold nearly 4000 people. Guided tours are possible.
Located right at the centre of Berlin, the One80 Hostel is a fantastic option for groups aged over 16yrs. It has a chic interior, modern and well-maintained bathroom facilities, offering comfortable dorms for students and double or single rooms for group leaders, all kept in a stylish, unique design. Make sure to get in touch with our Berlin student travel team today for the best advice and prices on your next study trip to Berlin.
Student groups travelling to Berlin have a wide choice of superb value, purpose-built accommodation. One such example is the A&O Berlin Friedrichshain which is located right in the middle of the trendy district of the same name. Just five minutes walk to the Ostkreuz train station, the hostel offers simple and quick access to all of Berlin's many highlights. Students are accommodated in multi bedded rooms and single and read more ...
The MEININGER Hotel Berlin Mitte Humboldthaus is located in the lively Berlin Mitte district on Oranienburger Straße, close to the S bahn stop of the same name and has many sights close by.
Offering 118 rooms over six floors served by two lifts, the hotel has free WiFi in every room and has internet terminals on hand as well. A lounge with a small bar and a terrace in the courtyard offers outdoor relaxing in read more ...
The Hotel Transit is an international student hotel located in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin. This trendy area has developed its own cultural scene with fringe theatre, galleries and caberets and of course numerous bars and restaurants. This colourful mix is extremely popular with student groups from all over Europe and beyond.
Offering a mix of single double and multi bedded rooms ( no bunk beds ) and private facilities read more ...
The Transit Loft Hotel offers a convenient location in the trendy Prenzlauer Berg area of the city in what was the former East Berlin. Now a Hotel with five storeys this Victorian era building was originally a factory but was completely refurbished in 2001. It offers comfortable accommodation based on multi bedded rooms (max 5 per room but no bunk beds) with private facilities and twins and singles as well if required. &nbs read more ...
If your student group prefers single or twin / double rooms only but still want to travel on a budget then they will love the 2-star Ibis Berlin Mitte. The hotel is located in the centre of the German capital and is ideal for sightseeing or clubbing. Alexanderplatz with its iconic TV Tower is only 10 minutes' walk away and from there you can catch a bus or train 24 hours a day. Student groups travelling to this hotel stay in one read more ...
If your student group is looking for central and modern, high standard accommodation then there really couldn't be many better locations than that offered by the MEININGER Hotel Hauptbahnhof. Immediately adjacent to Berlin's central railway station, no fewer than eight bus routes, U Bahns and city trains meet here, and the hotel overlooks the Bundeskanzleramt and the Reichstag. The panorama roof terrace also read more ...
The MEININGER Hotel Berlin Prenzlauer Berg offers a convenient location for student groups to visit all that Berlin offers. Located immediately adjacent to the Senefelderplatz U-Bahn station which offers rapid transit throughout the city, the hotel has a wealth of bars and cafes and entertainment on offer in the increasingly trendy Prenzlauer Berg area.
The hotel offers 90 modern well equipped rooms over 7 floors served by two lifts. In ad read more ...
Tour Day 1
Daytime flight and transfer to your accommodation with free time to explore the city.
Evening meal at a hotel.
Tour Day 2
Daytime   read more ...
Tour Day 1
Morning flight and transfer to your accommodation.
Guided tour of central Berlin covering key historical sites in Berlin, including the Berlin Wall.
Evening meal read more ...
Tour Day 1
Flight and transfer to your accommodation
Evening meal at hotel
Tour Day 2
Half day walking tour of the key historical sites of central Berlin to include the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate area and Kaiser read more ...
Tour Day 1
Daytime flight and transfer to your accommodation
Time permitting take a guided tour of Central Berlin covering key historical sites of the city centre
Eve read more ...
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The Department of Homeland Security has released another batch of documents in response to Truthout's wide-ranging Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request pertaining to the agency's role in monitoring the Occupy Wall Street protest movement.
The materials show that DHS and other federal law enforcement agencies under DHS's control received and disseminated numerous internal intelligence reports and threat bulletins about OWS's activities and monitoring of the group was widespread.
The heavily redacted documents total 335 pages (28 pages were released in full). The letter DHS sent to Truthout detailing the exemptions the agency applied in justifying the redactions can be read here.
Truthout was the first news organization to file a FOIA request with DHS for OWS-related documents. In March, the agency released to Truthout nearly 400 pages of redacted documents that showed DHS officials (and in several cases, the Secret Service) closely monitored the eight-month old Occupy Movement, gathered intelligence on the group and had disseminated internal threat assessments on OWS--actions which one DHS official characterized as possibly unconstitutional, according to the documents.
The new batch of records show additional warnings leveled by DHS officials about unconstitutional surveillance pertaining to internal activities aimed at monitoring the protest group's movements. The documents DHS previously released to Truthout did not contain smoking guns proving DHS worked with local law enforcement and local government officials "in any wholesale manner," as noted by one DHS official, on the coordinated crackdown of Occupy encampments throughout the country last October.
However, DHS, as well as its sub-agencies, such as Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE), and officials stationed at fusion centers throughout the country, spent a considerable amount of time monitoring the protest movement, exchanging emails and "bulletins" about OWS, and discussing the group's plans with local law enforcment, according to the new documents.
For example, ICE sent a "special agent" on New Years Day to assist law enforcement authorities, if necessary, during an international meeting between members of Occupy Buffalo and Occupy Toronto and other regional Occupies on the famous Rainbow Bridge, where tourists can walk to each side of the Niagara Falls, according to a "significant incident report" issued by ICE.
The special agent's name was redacted, but that individual worked with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations unit, which investigates serious border crimes, such as human and drug smuggling. About 30 people showed up for the meeting, which remained peaceful and did not interrupt any border patrol procedures. ICE issued similar "significant incident reports" on actions at ports in Oakland and Portland and a rally in El Paso, Texas.
On November 11, 2011 a "watch officer" issued an email to dozens of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials and other DHS employees alerting them to be aware of a November 18 Occupy DC event called "occupy the evening commute," where protesters were expected to engage commuters in the DC subway near the Occupy camp to tell them about the Occupy movement. The "watch officer," who's name was redacted from the document, works for FEMA's National Watch Center, which appears to spend a bulk of its time keeping an eye out for extreme weather, earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Moreover, ICE spokespeople disseminated an email advising that Occupy Atlanta would be heading towards the Stewart Detention Center, a privately run federal immigration prison in Stewart, Georgia, for a planned action.
"Just a head's up that local OPA/ERO tn ATL received word that a few bus loads of 'Occupy Atlanta' protestors will be taking their show on the road and heading down to Stewart for an 'Occupy Stewart' demonstration at some point tomorrow," says a November 17, 2011 email written by Gillian M. Christensen, an ICE public affairs officer, that was sent to ICE press secretary Barbara Gonzalez among other ICE media representatives.
Emails also show considerable coordination between various agencies regarding the December 12, 2011, West Coast-wide OWS protest aimed at shutting down seaports in Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, Portland, Houston, Seattle and Tacoma. A request from DHS's Network Operations Center (NOC) went out on December 6 to Customs and Border Patrol (CPB), the US Coast Guard and ICE.
In preparation for these protests, a December 8, 2011 memo details DHS field offices in Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle were "actively engaged with local law enforcement and trade partners to establish contingency plans" in case the protests affected CPB locations in those cities. Coordinated agencies included local police departments, the Coast Guard, the TSA (including Federal Air Marshals), US Marshals, the US Attorneys Office, and potentially others - the memo contains significant redactions.
It is not clear what ICE's response to the request to "provide what actions they will be taking to prepare" for the shutdown contained or why it was thought necessary to have ICE detail its plans. The same RFI mentions placing San Francisco's Special Response Team (SRT) on notice. The SRT is a group of elite deputies with heavy training in special weapons and tactics. The Coast Guard provided a "general battle rhythm" and a list of its assets on patrol including boats and weaponry, though "In general," the memo stipulates, "no overt weapons will be displayed."
The previous port shutdown, which Occupy Oakland organized on November 2, had support from the air. An email contained in the documents assures DHS that "Air Station San Francisco has a B-0 aircraft ready to respond as well." Other emails show that the decision to enforce curfews or evict Occupy protesters has been issued from different federal agencies and there is confusion among local law enforcement agencies as to which federal agency is responsible for giving these orders.
Indeed, on November 1, 2011 Portland protesters were removed from the federal Terry Shrunk Plaza by Federal Protective Services (FPS) and the Portland Police Bureau. But less than a week later it was unclear whether FPS or the General Services Administration (GSA), the agency that approves permits for protests on federal property, would be handling arrests. FPS is part of DHS. It is a "federal law enforcement agency [that] provides integrated security and law enforcement services to federally owned and leased buildings, facilities, properties and other assets," DHS's website says.
On November 6, 2011 Occupy protesters chained themselves to a 50-gallon drum at the plaza. An email from DHS spokesman Chris Ortman says that reporters from an unnamed agency "are asking if FPS will be arresting folks as they did last week." The Portland Police Department is also "telling reporters it's FPS' decision," the email states.
But, Ortman said, "GSA controls the permits and has asked FPS not to enforce the curfew at the park and the prohibition on overnight encampments."
At the same time, Ortman's email says that FPS is waiting for direction from DHS on whether they should initiate arrests. "I've spoken to the FPS CRD on the ground and he says they are standing down and following GSA's request to only intervene if there is a threat to public safety until they here otherwise from DHS," Ortman wrote.
Another email shows the White House approved talking points for DHS in which the agency denied to reporters that it had participated in a coordinated crackdown on Occupy encampments last year.
"Any decisions on how to handle specifics situations are dealt with by local authorities in that location," states a November 16, 2011 email, which contained an on-the-record comment DHS spokesman Matthew Chandler said was apparently approved by the White House and later provided to CBS News. "If a protest area is located on Federal property and has been deemed unsanitary or unsafe by the General Services Administration (GSA) or city officials, and they make a decision to evacuate participants, the Federal Protective Service (FPS) will work with those officials to develop a plan to ensure the security and safety of everyone involved."
OWS Documents Sought From Other Law Enforcement Agencies
In January, Truthout also filed, under New York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), a request for OWS documents, including video, audio, photographs, emails, and threat assessments, with the New York Police Department (NYPD) and its Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). In a February 13 letter sent to Truthout, Lt. Richard Mantellino, a records access officer in NYPD's legal bureau, said, "Before a determination can be rendered, further review is necessary to assess the potential applicability of exemptions set forth in FOIL, and whether the records can be located."
NYPD would not say when the department expects to complete its "review."
Last October, Truthout also filed a FOIA request with the FBI for OWS-related documents. But the bureau responded to our FOIA request by stating the agency was "unable to identify main file records responsive to the FOIA."
We immediately appealed the decision to the Justice Department's Office of Information Policy (OIP) and requested the FBI conduct a broader search for documents given that a report published last October by Gawker noted that Jordan T. Lloyd, a member of the FBI's cybersecurity team in New York, received dozens of emails about Occupy Wall Street and that Loyd responded to at least one of the messages. On February 7, Justice Department attorney Sean R. O'Neill, denied our appeal and said the FBI conducted an "adequate" search.
"After carefully considering your appeal, I am affirming the FBI's action on your request," O'Neill wrote in a letter to Truthout. "I have determined that the FBI's action was correct and that it conducted an adequate, reasonable search for responsive records."
The documents DHS released Thursday show that the FBI's Strategic Information and Operations (SIOC) division had notified all of its field offices about a plan by Occupy protesters to shut down West Coast ports on December 12, 2011. The December 6, 2011 email was sent out by a "senior watch offier" from DHS's National Operations Center. It is addressed to "All."
"FBI SIOC advised us that they are also sharing this information with their field offices tonight," the email says. "The FBI does not currently intend to release a bulletin but they did say that this would be discussed further in the morning."
SIOC "was created in 1989 to monitor all major events held in conjunction with the inauguration of President George H.W. Bush. It replaced an ad hoc emergency operations center that was created for specific crisis situations," according to a fact sheet posted on the FBI's website.
The FBI's discussion of the ports shutdown took place about a month after we filed our FOIA request with the bureau, which sought documents covering the August through October 31 timeframe. We've filed another FOIA request with FBI seeking documents from November 1, 2011 through the present.
Truthout also filed a separate FOIA request with the FBI for "processing notes" to determine how the agency handled our initial FOIA request for OWS documents. Furthermore, we also requested a copy of the administrative file from OIP related to the denial of our appeal.
Last week, the FBI sent the processing notes--two pages, including a search slip--which were heavily redacted and fails to provide any additional insight into the integrity of the search for responsive records by the bureau.
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Jerome C. Harste and Gunther Kress talk about the role of new literacies, critical literacy, and aesthetics in literacy education.
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The grandparents, paternal aunts, and uncle Gili got in yesterday. There are 22 inches of snow on our back deck. It's STILL COMING DOWN, heavily. There are huge tree limbs down all over. No vehicles can get in or out, not even the jacked-up 4x4. We are on generator power, but the internet is working. I got "Clone Wars Lightsaber duel" for the Wii. We are well stocked with Celebration Ale and Christmas cookies. I ask you: could this possibly be the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER?
I think you all know the answer to that. Hope yours is as great!
25 December 2008
Christmas Excitement
Posted by shadowfax at 11:15 AM
4 comments:
- Anonymous12/25/2008 3:04 PM
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!ReplyDelete
Just want you to know how much I enjoy your blog...
I'm visiting Seattle from LA and I am absolutely loving it! I've never had a white Christmas before, and now I'm drowning in snow. I'm so glad I got this time off from my rotations to come here and enjoy Celebration Ale, Guitar Hero 4 and sledding. Merry Christmas!!ReplyDelete
So you have a Shadow, too. Ours is a fluffy-not-fat (ok; pretty fat) cat who singed his tail on candles one night.ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas to all.
- Anonymous12/27/2008 8:38 AM
Baaaaaa--humbug! But I do love your blogReplyDelete
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Thank you for your interest in La Leche League. Volunteering to provide information and support to breastfeeding mothers can be a rewarding way to give back in your local community.
Thinking About LLL Leadership?
Please take a look at our Thinking About LLL Leadership? Web pages, which contains a page of frequently asked questions (FAQs), to see if La Leche League Leadership is something you might be interested in.
For a more concise version, Thinking About LLL Leadership? (TaLLL) (compact pdf version) is just four pages and can be printed out easily.
Other Local Volunteer Opportunities
Please also consider talking to your local La Leche League Group to see if there are local volunteer opportunities.
Information about La Leche League Leadership in other languages
- "Becoming a La Leche League Leader" information in other languages. (We hope to translate "Thinking About LLL Leadership?" soon.)
- Comment devenir Animatrice de La Leche League (French version of Becoming a La Leche League Leader)
- Eine La Leche Liga-Stillberaterin werden (German version of Becoming a La Leche League Leader)
- Diventare consulente de La Leche League (Italian version of Becoming a La Leche League Leader)
- Solicitando el liderazgo (Spanish version of the Becoming a La Leche League Leader)
- Also,
- Résumé de la formation pour devenir animatrice LLL (French version of Overview of Training Curriculum for Leader Accreditation)
Ask the Leader Accreditation Department (LAD):
Do you have a question about applying for LLL leadership? Send it to email@example.com.


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Cherokee XJ Rear BDS Suspension Lift - Shoehorn XJPosted in How To: Suspension Brakes on April 1, 2010
In the March '10 issue, we squeezed some Dick Cepek 35s on the front of our XJ with a BDS 41/2-inch long-arm lift. Of course, this wouldn't have been possible without our budget bumpstop tricks and the front wheelwell trimming tips. In this issue, we'll show you details of the rear BDS suspension and how we trimmed up the back end of our XJ.
The best way to fit bigger tires and to open up the small rear wheelwells of an XJ is to use the cut-and-fold method. You not only free up more space, but the rounded edge of the wheelwell will keep your tire from getting shredded if it rubs.
How's It Work
After pounding our Patriot Blue XJ both on- and off-road over the past few thousand miles, it's clear that the BDS 41/2-inch long-arm kit with our addition of large bump stops and sheetmetal trimming is just about perfect for 35-inch tires. The Jeep is very stable on- and off-road, even while flat-towing another Jeep. The Prothane coil inserts and long-arm front suspension make blasting down Arizona desert trails enjoyable. Both the front and rear BDS springs are on the firmer side in our experience, and together with the BDS gas-charged shocks the ride unloaded is a touch on the harsh side. We have also never really had the front or rear sway bar connected and the Jeep does not seem to need them. We have noticed very minimal tire rubbing while totally crossed up off-road, but not enough to worry about damaging the tires or body. We originally swapped out the longer BDS greaseable shackles for some stock-length shackles just because the Jeep looked a bit too rear-high for our liking. Now that the suspension has broken in and settled, we may return to the BDS shackles in hopes that they will help smooth out the ride a little. Other things that we would like to play with are some larger bypass shocks that would better help the BDS suspension soak up the bumps when going fast. We may also shorten the front Prothane coil inserts an inch or so now that the suspension is broken in. The Dick Cepek tires have proven to be a good all around tire with good on-road wear and decent traction off-road, although we have noticed some minor chunking after creeping over sharp rocky Arizona trails.


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I'm guilty.
I go to my local bookstore, drink a coffee and
browse the shelves. When I get home, I rush to the computer and buy the books I
fancied - online! If it's a business
book, I download a copy on my digital reader, and if it's a literary
work, I buy the physical book at a discounted price.
As a way to assuage my guilt, I've thought of some ways to help my local bookstore survive - because, like so many of us, I love the physical bookstore experience - nothing beats the Zen practice of disinterested info-grazing - and I'd like to continue to enjoy it.
However, I notice at my local Barnes & Noble that
they're busy selling Nook ereaders in every cranny. [Do they really think they
can compete with the iPad or even Kindle?] Is this really going to save the
physical store? Nope.
Most likely, it's an idea dreamt up by the financial types at headquarters who've been "missioned" to tap into the digital value-stream. After all, why should B&N just stand there and watch their profits drift lazily down a South American river? It's important to note that despite B&N saying the Nook is a "success," they still rely on brick and mortar stores (retail and college bookstores) for over 75% of their revenue and the competition is going to become even more intense with dozens of new tablet and reader devices being introduced this year.
And how does B&N take a trip down the Nile? Apparently, the secret sauce is that they allow Nook owners to take their devices into any B&N physical store and read any e-book for free. Nooktalk tells us that in reality, it's not exactly a seamless reading experience. And now that Amazon allows Kindle owners to "lend" books to each other, the Nook may find itself in the, ahem, corner.
So what can your local bookstore do to take advantage of its strengths?
Here are three suggestions to shake up the physical bookstore business model:
Daily Book Rental
Why can't the bookstore become a pay-as-you-read library? As a kid growing up in India, I remember borrowing books (alright, some these were Asterix and Tintin comics) from the bookstore for a daily fee. This business model shows some reverse innovation promise. Can you imagine "tiered pricing" linked to free coffee rewards? Sign up for the all-you-can-read buffet. And of course, we get to pay fines if we return our books late.
Publish and
Distribute Local Books
What if a physical copy of your book gets published in-store and sold in your town's bookstore? Can you visualize a "Newbie Authors" section where one copy of your book gets to sit on the shelf for a week? If it doesn't sell in a week, you can either pay for shelf space or you can buy your books back. The minute you or your mother buys your Great American Novel, a new one is printed and placed on the shelf. The top 5 bestsellers in each town get national distribution and placement for a week. Book fest!
Nurture Communities
of Interest
Some book
- Healthy Living
- Relationships
- Entrepreneurship
- Food + Wine
- Storytelling/Writing
- Music
- Art History
- Travel
How does a bookstore do this? If you're Barnes and Noble, you could hire retired teachers to do this; pick people who are enthusiastic and spread their love of the subject. If you're a small bookstore, you can still find enthusiastic community leaders to do the same - in fact you can specialize, and create a niche around the main clientele in your store.
Does all of this sound a bit off the wall? Good, then it's worth a try. The Nook, I'm sorry to say, isn't going to save Barnes & Noble.
P.S. Over at HBR, Sarah Green gives us another suggestion: Amazon should partner with Independent Bookstores!


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Jasmine wrote:I called the NHL offices in New York today to call for Mike Milbury to be fired. Last night he called for Ottawa or ANY team to hurt Matt Cooke. This is both unacceptable and embarrassing to the league! There is no other league that would put with one of their announcers calling for someone to be hurt. The number in NY is (212)789-2000.
Milbury isn't going anywhere. People can complain about him all they want, and the more they complain, the more his employers feel justified in keeping him on the payroll. He's controversial and draws a ton of attention because of it. That fits right into NBC's goals and objectives.


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The month of February
The month of February
Pre-school Storytime
Cedar Key Public Library 2014 Events & Programs (through April)
The Fiction Book Bunch meets on the second Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. at the Cedar Key Library. At the December meeting, the Bunch decided upon the following selections:
The Month of January
Ernie Evans and The Florida State Bluegrass Band, and Minnesota's "premier bluegrass & gospel quintet," Monroe Crossing, will be performing a benefit concert for Cedar Key Schools at the Cedar Key High School Auditorium on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve will sponsor a free, guided hike on New Years Day as part of America's State Parks First Day Hikes initiative in all 50 states.
January 4
Copyright © 2019
The Cedar Key Beacon is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Levy County and Cedar Key Florida, and the surrounding area.


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As in the past four days, a heavy haze hung over Beijing Sunday, cutting visibility to a quarter mile.
Eleven days before the Games open, pollution levels exceeding China's official standards are continuing to cause Olympic organizers concern. With Beijing's air quality expected to be a key element in the Games' success, time is running short.
Conditions are "not good," the deputy head of Beijing's Environmental Protection Bureau, Du Shaozhong, said Friday. To ensure progress "we will have to keep taking the measures that have been put into place." Weather factors in, too, he added.
Tough steps implemented since June are bearing fruit, and "we are confident of fulfilling the commitments we have made to the international community," the deputy head of Beijing's municipal government, Li Wei, told reporters Friday.
Doubts persist, however. "The reality is that the air is still awful," says Steven Andrews, an environmental consultant who has studied Beijing's pollution statistics over several years. The official records include "manipulated data" to show progress, he charges.
For the past four days, according to figures from the national environmental protection bureau, the capital's air pollution index (API) has been above the ceiling of 100 that China sets as acceptable.
Still, officials prefer to point to what they say are improvements. So far this month, Mr. Du said, the API has been 20 percent lower than it was in July 2007. He attributed this to a 25 percent reduction in the number of cars on Beijing's congested main roads since July 20, among other factors.
Shutting down the smokestacks ...
The authorities have decreed a wide range of measures that have taken effect this month. Cars are allowed on the roads on alternate days only, depending on the last digit of their license plates; heavily polluting trucks have been banned from the city unless they are carrying fresh produce, and 70 percent of official cars have been garaged.
Two million vehicles have thus been taken off Beijing's streets at peak hours, according to Du.
At the same time, three new metro lines have opened recently, and 2,000 buses been added to the municipal fleet. Some 3.9 million more passengers used public transport last Monday, the first working day of traffic restrictions, than a week earlier, Mr. Li said.
In Beijing and in four neighboring provinces, hundreds of factories have been ordered to close or cut back production until the end of the Paralympics on September 20th, to reduce the amount of wind-borne pollutants in the capital's air.
... but pollutants still fill the air
Though the immediate impact was encouraging earlier last week, more recent API reports show that pollutants, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and breathable particulate matter are currently higher than the World Health Organization standards that Beijing pledged to respect in its bid for the Olympic Games.
Du blamed the weather, pointing out that "in the last few days there have not been significant rainfall or winds. The weather conditions in the last few days were not conducive to the diffusion of airborne pollutants.
"Given the geographical location of Beijing and so on, it is rather difficult to improve air quality and cut emissions," he added.
International Olympic officials have said that Beijing's air quality is one of their major concerns. IOC president Jacques Rogge warned last year that some endurance events, such as the marathon and road bicycle races might have to be postponed if the air quality is not satisfactory on race day.
Earlier this year, Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the IOC medical commission, told reporters that he feared athletes "may not perform at the best level" in polluted conditions. "We may not see much of world records" he said.
Competitors have begun to arrive in Beijing, with large numbers more expected this week. The Athletes Village, where many will be housed, had its opening ceremony Sunday.
Some Olympic teams, including the US one, are being issued face masks to protect them during training and daily life while in China. Du scoffed at such plans, saying athletes' masks "would only end up an extra item in their luggage, and make their luggage heavier."
Questionable data
Chinese officials' insistence that Beijing's air quality has been improving steadily since the city declared war on pollution in 1998 belies the facts and has contributed to the problem, according to Mr. Andrews.
"These positive messages take away from the message of enforcement," he says. "Because they say it's getting better, they lack the incentive to take the steps they really need to."
The improving figures do not reflect reality, says Andrews, who has scrutinized official air quality statistics and finds them wanting.
In 2000, he points out, the government relaxed the standard for permissible levels of nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere, which instantly improved the statistical quality of the air but did not reduce actual levels of the pollutant.
At the same time, the authorities stopped public reporting of ozone levels (popularly known as smog). In many countries, high ozone levels are reported and regularly used to alert citizens of a public health hazard. But in China, no ozone reports means, "it can be a 'blue sky day' in official terminology, but it can be awful outside," Andrews says.
In 2006, the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau removed two monitoring stations in high-traffic zones from the sample from which it derives a city-wide average, and replaced them in 2008 with three stations outside the city limits, according to Andrews' study.
Further doubt over official figures was cast by a paper published this year in the scientific journal Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health by a group of researchers at the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences.
Testing Beijing's air during the "Olympic period" last year, from August 7 to September 30, the researchers found that although sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide levels met Chinese standards, they were as much as 33 percent higher than the officially reported figures.
They found that particulate levels were 50 percent higher than officially reported, and that ozone levels were above the Chinese standard (which is twice as high as the WHO standard) on more than half the days measured.
If pollution does not ease in the next week, officials are reportedly considering even harsher restrictions on vehicle use in Beijing. In the end, however, air quality during the Games will depend greatly on the weather. "All they can do," says one official with the organizing committee "is to pray for wind and rain."


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This Le Coq Sportif Tour De France Cycling Cap is no longer available although you may find similar or newer versions below:
A useful addition to any cyclists wardrobe, this Tour De France Cycling Cap is perfect for those of you who love the annual cycling festival that is Le Tour.
We will happily refund any item purchased on Wiggle if returned to us within 365 days; excluding Wiggle gift vouchers, nutrition and customised products, except when faulty.
Please note: Bikes and other bulky items cannot be returned using our local returns service (where applicable). Please contact us and we can arrange to collect these from you using our discounted courier rates. There is a fee for all collections, except for faulty products.Returned goods must be unused and supplied with their original packaging, unless the goods are faulty. Wiggle will pay the return postage costs for any faulty items.


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Optimism on Wall Street? A Shutdown Glimmer of Hope
Polya Lesova takes a look at today's market action, including three stocks to watch. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the the ... good morning welcome the New Saab on Michael Casey ... blog of the shutdown drags on there's a glimmer of hope that we could be a tough quarter resolution ... GOP leaders prepare for meeting with President Obama at the White House today ... consider Republicans have warmed to the idea of a short-term increase in the country's borrowing limit ... Congressman Paul Ryan outlined a plan to extend the nation's borrowing limit of four to six weeks ... and this is getting market somewhat there than their big boy this one at that point with seven ... bonus joins us ... to gives an update of how markets looking like this yes actually yes the futures are up ... pretty sharply this morning Dow futures up more than a hundred points that I watched sex ... and and don't tell my thank you Test site that guarantee getting investors' optimism that this standoff will they sell and will will not see any kind of ... I even technical and all ... that we have had some jobless numbers and just come out just as his priesthood and seventy four thousand that's a significant economists expected and that seems to be ... something that could be the countervailing this this is the ... yet what what's interesting is that when getting sold fewer economic be there right now because of the government's I've found so ... high as is the sum of the stuff they can to help me get a little bit more tension in the market ... but it is only ... one piece of tough week he noted that it is it ... really could be affected by things that thrill owners insist that they did because the people putting claims in advance so when it is probably some portions of it and what it what it was actually and I think and feel of the budget standoff is set to sell most of last last week's focus is fair to attack ... so done ... the is has really sold off that not a mean we really a mean ... it's it receives and down days this week in a crisis the dances the shutdown began believing in same-store row ... yet we haven't seen any kind of banks and I think that ... the debate that expectation of investors is that ... in TN Republicans and Democrats will have to agree on raising the debt ceiling to somebody all eyes ... on their detestable consequences of not doing so Brian and I think they think is being entities and will fail ... write to me anyway was cited by the fact that not doing so would be such an enormous calamity that they will do it's absolutely and that's because the second phase on Capitol Hill I know the people on this enmity pointing them ... to not wait until the very last minute


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Last night's snow was beautiful! We grabbed the camera, tripod and a flashlight and trudged into the storm, capturing a few cool images of our front yard and farmhouse in the falling snow. (The night photos were achieved by simply using a long exposure and painting the house with a flashlight.)
Buona domenica - Have a great Sunday!


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Nimbuzz Messenger combines the power of internet and smart phone messenger into one, and lets you make free video calls, voice calls, send chat messages, make new friends in chat rooms and share files on any PC/mobile device across popular messengers.
Connect your address book and share unlimited photos, make unlimited audio calls & video calls, share files, music and videos with other friends of yours on Nimbuzz, Facebook, Yahoo Messenger, Live Messenger (MSN) and Gtalk. You can also connect with your friends on Twitter using our popular chat buddy.
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Updates : Nimbuzz Messenger Updates


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The Americas IBM Exceptional Web Experience Conference 2011 will be held on May 15 -19th at the Buena Vista Palace, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The Call for Abstracts is now open and we invite you to submit conference breakout session and hands-on-lab abstracts for consideration to one of six tracks in either the Business Impact or Technology Program.
Examples of session topics are listed to provide guidance in alignment of solution areas to conference tracks. Actual sessions and labs selected for presentation at the conference will vary, and be based on submissions received through the conference Call for Abstracts process.
Business Impact Program
Track 1: Customer Case Studies and Industry Solutions
Detailed presentations of client solutions,including Project Goals and Analysis,Industry Specific Approaches,Implementation and Governance Techniques, Best Practices.
Track 2: Accelerating Solution Time to Value and ROI
Proven Strategies to Build the Vision and Value of an Exceptional Web Experience; Building a Portal Delivery Roadmap: Paths to Success; How to Successfully Justify and Deploy Portal and Social
Software in Your Organization; The Real Scoop on Understanding the Portal Competitive Landscape.
Track 3: Optimize Customer Experiences to Build Brand and Generate Revenue
You are What You Market: Leveraging New Rules of Marketing; Getting Smart with Retail Portals to Address the Accelerated Shift in Buyer Behavior; Delivering Your Portal Solutions to Mobile Audiences: Best Practices; User Experience Optimization Initiative: Understanding and Applying Web Analytics.
Technology Program
Track 4: Web Experience Platforms and Solutions
Getting Started with IBM WebSphere® Portal and IBM Web Content Management; WebSphere Portal 7
Technical Overview and Strategy; Leveraging Portal NOW to Deliver Exceptional Web Experiences; IBM
Forms Technical Deep Dive; What's New in Lotus® Quickr™?; Extending your Portal to Mobile Devices; IBM Mashup Center Overview; Exceptional Web Experience in the Cloud – How to Use IBM WebSphere Portal; IBM Web Content Management; Forms and Mashups in the Cloud.
Track 5: Developing Exceptional Web Experiences
Improving the Online Experience: Building Next Generation Web sites;Using Adobe FLEX to Deliver IBM
WebSphere Portal and Collaboration Services; Developing Web Applications using IBM WebSphere Portlet Factory, IBM Rational® Application Developer and IBM Lotus Widget Factory; Powering Exceptional Web Experiences Using Industry Toolboxes; Leveraging WebSphere Commerce and IBM Web Content Management; Deliver Operational and Real-time Business Intelligence with Cognos® Business Intelligence; IBM Forms Technical Deep Dive.
Track 6: Best Practices and Implementation
Managing the Portal Deployment Project: Best Practices, Effective Portal Governance; High Availability Designs and Implementation with WebSphere Portal, Virtualizing Portals, Successfully Managing Your WebSphere Portal, Virtualizing Portals; Successfully Managing Your IBM Web Content Management Solution; Hands On Lab; Administrating WebSphere Portal.
To submit an abstract to be considered for presentation at this event click here or visit:
Note: You must be a registered user of Lotus Greenhouse to access the form. To register, access this link. https://greenhouse.lotus.com/home/login.jsp and select Join Now !
Hurry! Deadline for submissions is Friday, March 4th, 2011.
Submission Types
Lectures: 60 minutes (including Q&A)
Hands-on labs: 75 minutes
If you have any questions about your submission, please feel free to contact the IBM Exceptional Web Experience Conference content team:
Lauren Wendel - email@example.com
Sonia Malik - firstname.lastname@example.com
Sean Flanagan - firstname.lastname@example.com (Partner/Business Development Day)
We hope to see you there!
-- Brian Chaput
Hurry! Call for Abstracts for IBM Exceptional Web Experience Conference 2011 ends March 4th
bchaput 060001JFPJ Tags:  portal websphere_portal web_exprience 9,724 Views


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Over the next 36 hours, many players will learn that their time with the New England Patriots has come to an end. The Patriots must trim their roster from its current 75 players down to 53 by 4:00 p.m. ET Saturday.
Not all 22 players will be cut; some could go to injured reserve, and 10 will end up on the practice squad. That being said, let's not assume that all 53 players will be players who are currently on the roster. With 31 other teams each making at least 22 roster transactions apiece over the next two days, the Patriots could make a late addition or two to the roster.
One name in particular cropped up on the timeline that will draw the interest of Patriots fans: running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who was released by the Cincinnati Bengals. Could the Patriots reunite with The Law Firm?
We'll get to that question and a bunch more in this week's mailbag, so let's get right to it.
@ErikFrenz feels like Mallett's roster spot could be of more value at another position for depth - has Jimmy G shown enough?— Jan Bergmann (@jpbergmann) August 29, 2014
Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Mallett each had their moments this preseason, but it was an up-and-down ride for both of them. That being said, I don't think Garoppolo proved he deserves to be ahead of Mallett.
The Patriots are better off carrying three quarterbacks. They afforded Mallett the same luxury when he was a rookie, allowing him a full, pressure-free season to learn the offense before he would become Tom Brady's backup.
The quarterback position is the most valuable in football. Mallett has three full years of experience in the Patriots offense, and will only count for $937,945 against the salary cap this season. They can still carry nine or 10 offensive linemen even if they carry Mallett; that's actually exactly what happened in my previous 53-man roster projection.
@ErikFrenz @BostonDotCom Why do you think Mallet hasn't played? #WordsWithFrenz— Sidney Torres (@sidneyvt) August 29, 2014
Sidney, one benefit of Mallett's limited action is that Garoppolo got a lot of game experience against NFL defenses as a result. The jump from Eastern Illinois to the NFL is pretty significant; the coverages get more complicated, the windows get tighter, and the pass rush gets quicker.
Garoppolo likely wasn't seeing the very best of what each defense had to offer from a schematic standpoint defenses classically go very vanilla with their schemes in preseason. Even still, the experience was valuable, as the Patriots certainly hope that it is the last time Garoppolo gets any game experience for awhile.
@ErikFrenz @BostonDotCom chances Pats add another DE before long?— Kelduckten (@Keltenkoehler) August 29, 2014
It's possible, but it would mostly depend on the health of Michael Buchanan. He wasn't a lock for the roster, anyway, but if he is out for a significant amount of time, the Patriots have a real shortage of depth on their hands.
Jake Bequette has looked better in this training camp than in years past, but the third-year pro may find himself a proverbial "loser" in the Patriots' switch to a 3-4 defense, where he is not a fit.
Zach Moore has improved this summer, and had a strong outing against the New York Giants to close out the preseason, but he is still a work in progress and it might be dangerous to ask him to do too much as a rookie. His length and get-off are impressive marks in his favor, but while he has improved his technique, there is still room to grow.
Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich played more snaps than any other defensive linemen in the league last season, and the Patriots still don't have any great options to take the load off their two workhorses. Dont'a Hightower lined up as an outside linebacker in the 3-4 during training camp, and could play some "rush" outside linebacker this season to help give Jones and Ninkovich a break.
But if the right player becomes available, and Bill Belichick thinks the team needs more depth, they could certainly make a move.
@ErikFrenz Do you believe Hoodie brings back The Law Firm when the Bengals cut him to have an inside runner with ball security??— Chuck Anderson (@anderchuckinc) August 29, 2014
The Cincinnati Bengals released (well, they say they "terminated") former Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis. "The Law Firm" played 53 games with the Patriots from 2007-2011, and had 510 carries for 2,064 yards and 29 touchdowns. Largely, he earned his reputation by holding onto the football, with no fumbles to his name with the Patriots. He lost four fumbles in two seasons with the Bengals, and was largely used as a goal line and short-yardage running back.
I didn't have Brandon Bolden on my 53-man roster before the Giants game, and that obviously didn't change with him not playing. However, it would make sense if the Patriots were to sign Green-Ellis to fill Bolden's role as a short-yardage and rotational back.
It's worth mentioning that Green-Ellis' teams have drafted a running back in the second round in three of the past four years. He may still be an effective back in his role, but expectations should be kept low if he is to re-sign with the team.
Thanks for the questions, guys! As always, feel free to send me more on Twitter.


text:
|2011-01-30, 22:54
|Link #1
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Age: 27
EMDAS 2011 - February (Origins) Competition Page
Welcome to the February EMDAS Writing Competition!(Rules - READ FIRST!)
Theme: Origin!
"In the beginning was the Word..."
(The Holy Bible, John 1:1-3)
This month's theme is "Origin"! To commemorate the origin and birth of this new competition, write an entry about origin. This can apply to anything like birth, creation, beginnings, etc. The exempt above is a good example, as it refers to the "origin" of the world/life.
Phase 1: Entries! (February 1-14)
For the first two weeks of the competition, all entrants may post their draft entries on this page and receive suggestions and criticism without any consequences. Nothing posted during this entry period will be taken as your final entry. Constant posting of small edits and similar drafts are frowned against, as it clutters up the pages and gets in the way of other entries.
Phase 2: Voting! (February 15-24)
After the final entries have been submitted, all non-entrants may read over and vote on their favourite entry. Entrants may not vote, especially with the one vote/person rule in place. Anybody who votes more than once will have all of their votes removed.
Phase 3: Tallying and Evaluation (February 24-25)
This phase is for the users who are involved with the management of the competition. In this timespan, the votes will be tallied, entries double-checked, and violations will be sorted.
Final Phase: Results (February 25)
Final results for the month's competition will be posted at the stroke of midnight - 3 nights before the end of the month. The winner then has the next few days to decide on the next theme. (Results Counter), (End of Month Counter)
Good luck to everyone, and good luck in the first EMDAS competition!
The Entries! (Direct links posted to stay within word count limit.)
Spoiler for shelter - Run With Me:
Spoiler for papermario13689 - Genesis II:
Spoiler for felix - Emperor of One:
Spoiler for wassupimviet - Playing at Purpose:
Spoiler for lordshadowisle - Origin Story:
Spoiler for "The_Seth - Teddy" (Sent via PM):
Last edited by Hiroi Sekai; 2011-02-17 at 17:49.
|2011-01-31, 05:31
|Link #2
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: event horizon
Emperor of One
Origins, File 1
"The year is 39 PA (Post Apocalypse), current time 11:32 AM. My name is Kouta Kurou, I am a student here at very average and plain Kyu Kyoto North Highschool (KKN). There's not much to brag about this shabby place other then delinquents, rumors and its age. To be perfectly honest, I'm surprised it's even standing after the great war. The architect must have been some sort of paranoid maniac—"
As he glanced back down at the newspaper the rest of the class directed their attention back at the assignment. All but one Mao Manami, who continued to give Kou the cold stare as he took his seat.
Kouta was left with a depressed look on his face, took his pen and continued writing: "And this is another glorious day in the life of me. Yet again I've been scolded by the teacher for asking a perfectly legitimate question; I just have no luck." Kou sighed "Before coming to this place I was a student at... another school which shall remain secret. Because of unforeseen circumstances beyond my control I've ended dropping three years in a row. It was sad leaving the few friends I still had there behind but I couldn't bear the looks and rumors anymore, so I transfered to KKN in the hopes of starting anew. It's been one month since I transfered here and I've somehow managed to fit in. It was good fortune my super crappy attempt at kansai-ben earned me some humor points with everyone, otherwise things would have been bleak." Kou sighed again, looking towards the rest of class 0-N.
Mao kicks Koutas chair, planting Kouta face first onto his desk. As Kouta pulls himself up he takes a short glance over his shoulders at Mao and continues writing. "My seat is in the left furthers most corner of the class, near the window. The classroom is towards the sun and there are no trees nearby so the rest of the row is empty. The hole building is like a tower I'm trapped in, literally. Most of of the class has positioned themselves on the left side in the shade. The teachers don't seem to mind. Basically, I'm isolated… well, almost" Kouta frowns as he looks at a reflection of Mao in the window "behind me is Mao, our class— nono, our schools! eccentric, egoistic, self centered PE maniac! For whatever reason she insists she must stay near the window. Her record of arguing with teachers is even worse then mine." Kouta writes quickly as he leans towards his desk and paper "Every day since I came here she's given me the same look. Like its my fault the teachers told me to sit in front of her. To make it worse she has this voice problem. She apparently is too lazy or cool to speak with anything more then a calm voice or whisper. She even has some kind of medical nonsense to make the teachers accept it. Because of that I have to repeat everything she says each time one of the geezers asks her something. Probably why those bastards put me near her to begin with—"
The time is 1:49 PM. Kou arrives at Mr. Rei Katashis office. The scent of tobacco greets him at the door; the inside a big mess of papers, flour pots and cigarettes. Even though called a office there's just a chair and a table and mountains of various student papers everywhere.
Kou frowns and pretends he didn't hear.
While looking at the arrangement of the teachers desk Kouta spots a particularity.
A deep silence covers the room.
Kou seems to want to reply, but keeps silent.
As Kou glances down at the newspaper the title reads: "Kanibal on a Rampage!", The article seems to be a interview with Col. Bearwolf, leading Arm forces. On the right a big picture of the monster, Kou can't help but stare. Blindfolded skull for a head, teeth of a demon, horns of a goat, purple cloak with ominous eyes drawn on it, sleeves ripped off, arms made of what looks like muscle and steel with no skin attached, chains for braces, claws for nails, and skull boots up to his knees. And to top that a tail. Kou is a little intrigued but adverts his eye from it after a moment.
Kou gives him a strange look but doesn't respond back.
Kou leaves the office.
1,498 words, according to this site.
I couldn't fit more then the prolog in the limit. Fail. I'll continue next contest…
Status Final Draft.
1.0.0 — initial draft
1.1.0 — title update (given the word limit might as well use it to hint as much as possible)
1.2.1 — edit 1 + title tweak + lots of rephrasing
1.2.2 — edit 2 + zebra's corrections + setting for Rei's office
1.2.3 — typos
Last edited by felix; 2011-02-14 at 06:40. Reason: v1.2.3
|2011-01-31, 19:45
|Link #7
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Age: 27
*ahem* Ah yes, thank you. It doesn't really start until tomorrow, so I've been keeping myself stupidly busy today with other things to keep my mind from thinking up an entry.
|2011-01-31, 19:54
|Link #8
Disabled By Request
Join Date: Jan 2011
I've got my eye on you and your assassin puns. Your puns are too deadly to let control you, hold together man!
I look forward to reading and voting on everyones entries. We used to do something like that in my school, but the teachers put an end to it because it was "too distracting."
|2011-02-01, 01:34
|Link #9
Call me MK! :)
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: The top of the world.
Age: 29
@papermario13689 that's very good theme, trough I want be participating in this one (but I'll try to enter the next one )
Btv I created two banners (1,2). You can use them if you want to, that's it if you want banner at all
|2011-02-01, 01:38
|Link #10
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Age: 27
I look forward to reading the creative entries as well. It's a shame that your teachers put an end to that, it'd be an excellent method of improving one's confidence and composition skills; I would have loved to have had that at my school.
Thanks again for these, they're great! And looking forward to hearing from you next month then
Last edited by Hiroi Sekai; 2011-02-01 at 02:16.
|2011-02-01, 02:27
|Link #11
Disabled By Request
Join Date: Jan 2011
It's okay insanity has it's perks *pat pat*
It was really encouraging, though I didn't take part in it. The teachers argued people were reading the entries rather than focusing on their class work. It was a helpful competition I was sorry to see it go.
|2011-02-01, 03:11
|Link #12
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Age: 27
Hmm, to be honest, I think things like those would have been more beneficial than the by-the-book schoolwork. It's things like this that cause imagination to get lost within the bookwork.
EDIT: Okay, it's struck midnight here, so I officially announce the start of the first EMDAS Competition! Post away, for I shall be working on my own entry.
|2011-02-01, 04:18
|Link #13
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: event horizon
Mario you should use skyscraper banners. As in ones that have height much greater then their width.
You can use the [wl][/wl] or [wr][/wr] tags to place them on the right or left of your text.
|2011-02-01, 04:49
|Link #14
Disabled By Request
Join Date: Jan 2011
You are right, and many took it that way. The teachers in my school didn't want the chaos of it all. Thought their efforts to stop the students disrupted the class more.
|2011-02-01, 05:06
|Link #15
Call me MK! :)
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: The top of the world.
Age: 29
|2011-02-01, 06:53
|Link #16
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Age: 27
Genesis II
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth."
Laughing a sick and somewhat desperate laugh, the man crumpled the sacred pages with both of his hands. He looked up to the heavens and exclaimed:
"Created the Earth?! Well then God, you tell me where the hell everybody disappeared to. Is this a sick joke, God? I'm telling you...I'M NOT LAUGHING!"
It had been 7 days now. The worst cycle of monophobia was beginning to rise from within the man, and he had finally broken down on the day of the Sabbath. He had no memories except for the fact that mankind had left him in this cruel world.
"Heh. Hehehehe. HAHAHA!" the man was literally almost in tears at this point.
"You know, it IS somewhat funny! Destroy all of humanity but physically leave the Earth behind...SICK, but funny."
With no options left, the man began to circle the mysterious garden where he had awoke. Lush trees with colourful fruits rose up from every inch, and it was all perfectly edible. The man had been feasting off of the fruit since awakening, but for an unexplainable reason, he would not eat the fruit from the center tree. There was nothing holding him back, but a sharp pain came to him whenever he even considered tasting the oddly shaped delectable.
"Another day of the same food. I can't stand this for much longer, but at least I'm not starving." the man took a bite of one of the fruits, looked at the skies and yelled:
"You hear me, God? I will defeat you and your sick world! You can't bring me down THAT easily!"
And the instant the last word escaped his mouth, the man fell into a state of deep sleep. He slept and he slept, and several hours passed before he awoke again.
"Ah, good. You're awake!"
The man heard it. The voice of a human, but to him, it was the voice of an angel. Turning around, he caught a glimpse of a young woman, standing nude without shame. Within a few seconds, the man cried heavy tears. The woman hunched over and consoled him without a second thought.
"O' great Lord, I thank thee!" he exclaimed.
The woman had no memories of her own, as the man quickly found out. Conversation was almost impossible as there was nothing to reminisce upon and nothing they had in common. Yet they lived in the magical garden, living off of the fruits that seemed to be infinite. But they never dared to touch the fruit from the center tree. It seemed that the woman shared his fear of the middle tree.
Living off of one source of food, nude and not knowing. This continued for several days; the same repetitive thing. The man was sick of it all, and his faith was almost on the brink of destruction. All he wished was to go back to his old lifestyle with his two sons and wife. While alone and deep in thought, the man heard a sinister voice.
"Ssssooo, you want to know what'sssss happened to your world?" slithered the slippery voice.
It was already too late, the man was beyond intrigued. Something about this voice wasn't right, but the seduction of knowledge rendered the man useless.
"Yes, yes! What had happened? How can I return?" he desperately asked.
"The fruitssssss on the tree in the middle. They hold the anssswer you sseeeek. Eat one, and you will know all."
"I don't know...there is something wrong with eating the fruit from that tree." said the man, not having a reason behind his claim.
"It'sssss fine...It'ssssss just sssssome fruit, ssssame as the otherssssss. It'ssssss the only way."
And with that said, the man was convinced. The woman was nowhere in sight, but that didn't matter. Slowly, he made his way to the center tree, and despite the sharp pain he felt, he plucked one of the fruits and took a large bite.
In an instant, it all came back.
"Where have you gone? It's time to eat!" shouted the woman.
With a booming voice, the man yelled: "EVE!"
"E-Eve? Is that...my name?" she shuddered.
"One bite of this fruit and you shall know all."
And without hesitation, she took a bite.
The only word she could tearfully speak a second later was: "ADAM!"
Their memories had returned. Adam and Eve patched together coverings from fig leaves, now ashamed of their nude skin. It was odd, but Adam thought he could hear a sinister laugh slithering away.
"Eve, you remember! You truly...re..mem.."
And with that, the man dropped. Comatose, but not dead.
In shock, the woman began to scream for her husband. "ADAM! A...DA..."
And the woman immediately joined him.
A strong jolt awoke the man and he was in the garden, alone. There was nobody in sight, and all he clutched in his hand were the sacred pages of God's word.
"W-where is everyone? Am I the only one?!" he cried.
The wind carried a declaration from the Almighty, and Adam swore he heard it.
"Thou shalt not eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil."
Last edited by Hiroi Sekai; 2011-02-14 at 04:42. Reason: Editing my entry:)
|2011-02-01, 13:17
|Link #18
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Age: 27
*Yawn* Good morning, everyone
Yeah, I plan to re-make the entire thing. NEVER write at 3:30 AM...well, if you're sleepy at the time.
Thanks for the the C&C though, it'll help me with my next one.
EDIT: Oh, and I saw your entry - it's quite good but if you're wanting to edit it later on, I would seriously suggest not writing Final Entry on it. You should usually write that when you're completely finished editing and proofreading. Actually, I just read the description at the top and it does seem a little vague...will edit.
Last edited by Hiroi Sekai; 2011-02-01 at 13:28.
|2011-02-01, 14:24
|Link #19
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: event horizon
My schedule is hectic, as strange as it may sound I easily forget things like this. So writing final entry or having my last entry final (unless otherwise specified) is kind of the only way that works. [edit] I've read the opening. Can you elaborate on the reasons for not allowing edits after writing final entry, I'm not really following.
Last edited by felix; 2011-02-01 at 14:36.
|2011-02-01, 14:58
|Link #20
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Age: 27
To elaborate, simply post your drafts here without the Final Entry words on your entry. Doing so will allow you to receive C&C on it and also allows editing/proofreading. Once you are 100% certain that it is what you want to submit, add the Final Entry to it. The instant I see it, it is copied word for word as a submission and cannot be further edited. The reason for doing this is so the readers aren't taking an unedited product as "final". The bold Final Entry should only be used to imply that you proofread and actually went back to edit it. Hmm...a good comparison: Imagine an author of a novel. They inform the proofreader/publishers that they are sending them something as a "final, finished project", but hasn't edited or proofread it yet. While they certainly have the ability to change what they wish with this addendum in place, it simply confuses the others who are involved. In this case, the readers/voters. Hopefully that makes sense, sorry if I've confused you.
I noticed a changelog, that is a good idea and is allowed.
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