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Hon. Edmund Hinkson M.P., Minister of Home Affairs
Hon. Marsha Caddle M.P., Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs
Dame Billie Miller, Ambassador at large and Plenipotentiary
Secretary General of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development – UNCTAD- Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi;
Members of the Diplomatic Core,
Head of the Department of Social Sciences, Dr. Justin Robinson;
Other Deans of the Cave Hill Campus
Other Specially Invited Guests,
Other members of the Campus Community
Members of the Media;
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am certainly honoured to be here amongst you at Cave Hill this evening as we engage on matters which is not only critical for the prosperity of Barbados, but for all other small vulnerable economies on the whole. So I wish to join others in welcoming Dr. Kituyi to Barbados. Secretary General, I look forward to hearing from you and discussion with you with great anticipation the thoughts which you will share with us here today.
It also gives me great pleasure to welcome back, all be it temporarily, Dr. Pamela Coke Hamilton, who is a true daughter of the Caribbean and who now is employed at the United
Nations Conference for Trade and Development. It has been the pleasure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to partner with the University of the West Indies in this venture and we look forward to continued collaboration in the area of international trade.
This evening, I have chosen to share a few thoughts on the challenges being faced by small vulnerable economies in an uncertain trading environment. Trade and development, ladies and gentlemen, are the foundations upon which poverty eradication, social cohesion and long lasting prosperity have their genesis. These are the fundamental goals of all governments, but they elude many developing countries especially the small and vulnerable among them.
There are, however, some international institutions, such as UNCTAD – which stand ready to assist our developing states in a myriad of economic development areas.
It is no small secret that small economies face challenges in the area of climate change. For instance, this region is prone to natural disasters which have increased in capacity over the recent past. We have seen the impact of such disasters which can set back development goals of small economies in the space of twenty-four hours. Climate change must be taken seriously because we are all in danger of becoming climate refugees.
The graduation policies of some countries is also a cause for concern. Access to finance to support development needs is constrained by the policies of some of our development partners. We applaud those who continue to support us without these conditionalities. The
strict reliance on GDP as the main determinant for access to finance must be addressed and we commend UNCTAD for its work in this area. I want to be able to pledge Barbados' support to assisting you in this area in any way possible.
We are living in a world which is constantly being reshaped by decisions taken, more often than not, by a select few. Occasionally, we as small states are party to these decisions. On other occasions, we are mere by-standers. What is clear, however, is that some of these decisions adversely affect the economic development of our small states, Barbados obviously included. It sometimes appears as though we are being penalised for the advances we as countries have made in the face of strenuous global pressures.
This pressure has become even more acute given the advent of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the operations of two of its major doctrines, trade liberalisation and non-discrimination. As a result of these two critical components of international trade, the margins we enjoyed in our preferential export trade are slowly diminishing. This is a matter of concern to small developing states such as Barbados as we strive to become competitive in the global market.
Barbados and other small developing states in the region are also deeply concerned about the challenges to our international financial services sector. We reiterate that our tax system is transparent. We have sought to comply with the demands of our partners who have challenged us on this basis.
When one assesses these global trends over time and marry them with yet another major blow to our economies, the withdrawal of correspondent banking relationships, many may wonder how we as small states will survive. Many of our businesses, both in Barbados and in the region, have been hard hit by the withdrawal of correspondent banking. This action alone by these large commercial banks can certainly destroy the economy of a country in very short order.
So again, I pose the question, how do we as small states survive? This is a question which I am constantly asked and which I choose to answer in this way: "we as small states have no choice but to meet these challenges frontally. We must look for avenues through which we can manoeuvre and we must seek out development partners who understand our challenges as small developing states. We must seek out development partners who are willing to assist us both financially and with technical assistance. We need partners who will make interventions for us in the right fora. We must fully develop the confidence of our people to operate on the world stage. Our citizens expect nothing less of us."
In the multilateral arena we have always sought out like-minded groups to support us in those areas of trade which matter greatly to us. Before I go further, let me state clearly here today that Barbados remains deeply committed to the fundamental principles of the multilateral trading system. We remain confident in the system to regulate all global trade matters and adjudicate all trade disputes in a fair manner, irrespective of the size or wealth of the country. Unfortunately, the multilateral system is at a cross-road and there will therefore be a need for the membership to consult among themselves as to how best their concerns can be resolved.
Let me state that Barbados stands ready through its Mission in Geneva to lend assistance and its voice to any discussions which are being crafted to break the dead-lock in all its forms at the WTO. We believe that this institution and its mandate on trade, especially the Doha Development Agenda, are too important for developing states to be held in abeyance for so long.
There are some who now speak about the irrelevance of the multilateral trading system and have embraced the trend towards bilateral trade. Indeed, quite a large number of bilateral trade agreements are being signed and this can arguably be linked to the slow moving process in the WTO. A solution must be found.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am very concerned about what can befall Barbados and our CARICOM neighbours due to these changing global dynamics. We must be seen as vulnerable small states who are constrained not just by our size but by our resource capabilities as well. Despite the fact that we do not have the resources of large developed countries, rarely would you see us lament over this fact. Many small states simply face the challenges and seek to resolve it in the best way possible. We must make the best with the resources that we have.
The characteristics of small states dictate that we be treated differently. Hence the continued existence of special and differential treatment treatment. Our limited resources, low product differentiation and great susceptibility to natural disasters must be acknowledged.
UNCTAD remains one of the few institutions which appreciates the vulnerabilities of our small states. They have been at the forefront of development in small developing states now for many years. This is where international organisations such as UNCTAD are needed by small developing states such as ours. This is where we need such organisation to champion the cause for our states.
Let me thank the Secretary General for the sterling job he has done so far, not only for Barbados, but for the large number of developing states which need to build capacity in areas such as trade, economic development and climate change.
I also wish to thank UNCTAD for the support which has been provided to Barbados in the areas of the sustainable use of marine resources, E-Trade Readiness and Electronic Commerce Strategy.
Ladies and gentlemen, in closing, I will like to leave you with one thought. The future of Barbados and other small vulnerable economies depends on what we do today. The future must be shaped today. We have institutions such as UNCTAD which are willing to help us shape that future. Let us grab hold of this offer.
I thank you.


text:
Dr. Eugene Heideman, who is a visiting research fellow at the A.C. Van Raalte Institute at Hope College, will present the address "Hendrik Pieter Scholte: Catalyst in the Secession of 1834" on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 4 p.m. in the Fried-Hemenway Auditorium of the Martha Miller Center for Global Communication.
The lecture will be preceded by a reception at 3:30 p.m. in the main floor of the rotunda of the Martha Miller Center for Global Communication.
The public is invited to both the reception and the address. Admission is free.
Heideman is a former faculty member at Western Theological Seminary and retired from the Reformed Church in America (RCA) staff. He will be speaking through the institute's Visiting Research Fellows Lecture Series.
Dominie Hendrik Pieter Scholte is known in the United States as the religious leader of Dutch immigrants who founded the city of Pella, Iowa, in 1847, the same year that Albertus Christiaan Van Raalte led his people to Holland. In his student days at the University of Leiden, he was the leader of the "Scholte Club" in which Van Raalte was also a member, and Heideman explains that Scholte's vision for the renewal of the church was a decisive factor in the movement that is now known as the "Secession of 1834."
The lecture will present Scholte as a driving force and a catalyst in the Secession when he and Van Raalte fought for preservation of the Reformed faith in the church and for constitutional rights and freedom worship in the Dutch nation. Although he never became a member of either the Reformed Church in America or the Christian Reformed Church, Heideman notes that Scholte deserves recognition for his pastoral, theological, and political leadership beginning in 1834 and for his and Van Raalte's vision in leading their followers to Iowa and Michigan.
Heideman was secretary of the General Program Council of the RCA from 1982 to 1994, and was a member of the seminary faculty from 1976 to 1982. He was also a chaplain at Central College from 1970 to 1976, a missionary to India from 1960 to 1970, and pastor of First Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 1957 to 1960. He holds degrees from Central College, Western Theological Seminary and the National University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
Established in 1994, the A.C. Van Raalte Institute is located in the Theil Research Center on the Hope College campus and specializes in scholarly research and writing on immigration and the contributions of the Dutch and their descendants in the United States. The institute is also dedicated to the study of the history of all the people who have comprised the community of Holland throughout its history.
The Martha Miller Center for Global Communication is located at 257 Columbia Ave., on the corner of Columbia Avenue and 10th Street.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Jane is the New York Times bestselling author of Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World (Penguin Press, 2011) — and currently serves as the Creative Director for Social Chocolate, where she is making games powered by the science of positive emotion and social connection. She believes game designers are on a humanitarian mission — and her #1 goal in life is to see a game developer win a Nobel Peace Prize. She has created and deployed award-winning games and secret missions in more than 30 countries on six continents, for partners such as the American Heart Association, the International Olympics Committee, the World Bank Institute, and the New York Public Library. She specializes in games that challenge players to tackle real-world problems, such as poverty, hunger and climate change, through planetary-scale collaboration. Her best-known work includes EVOKE, Superstruct, World Without Oil, Cruel 2 B Kind, and The Lost Ring. These games have been featured in The New York Times, Wired, and The Economist, and on MTV, CNN, and NPR.
Reach business leaders and technology influencers at the Web 2.0 Summit. Call Kristen Nicasio at (415) 947-6283 or email email@example.com
View a complete list of Web 2.0 Summit contacts.


text:
A real estate mogul, a legendary venue and a deal snuffed out in the middle of the night
John Katsilometes
Thu, Jul 19, 2012
Late at night on May 17, the fate of the Stirling Club at Turnberry Place was hanging in cyberspace.
Stephen Siegel had committed to buy the club, but he needed to move quickly. Stirling Club was set to close May 18, a Friday night, hosting its "last dance" at 10:30 p.m. A day earlier, Siegel sent an email to the Turnberry Place Master Homeowners' Association saying he had agreed to buy the Mansion — home to the Stirling Club and all of its amenities — for several million dollars. (Siegel has declined to specify his offer, but those informed about the transaction have tossed around figures between $9 million and $12.5 million.)
The Mansion and Stirling Club is a 3.5-acre recreational oasis just off the Strip that was home for a decade to one of the city's chicest night spots for Turnberry residents and their guests. Entertainment director and singer Kelly Clinton-Holmes and her three-piece band played each Saturday night, and entertainers from around Vegas, headliners like Clint Holmes (Kelly's husband) and performers in production shows up and down the Strip, happened in to sing and jam with the band. Jack Jones, Tom Jones, Frankie Scinta, Frank Sinatra impressionists, Leigh Zimmerman of The Producers and Michelle Johnson of Nunsense — stars of all variety have found their way to late-night hangs at the Stirling Club.
Siegel can afford the sort of scratch it takes to buy a local landmark. He's the founder of the Siegel Group, which owns 15 low-budget Siegel Suites residences in Las Vegas and has vaulted into boutique hotel development with the purchase of Rumor across from the Hard Rock Hotel on Harmon Avenue (the boarded-up St. Tropez when the Siegel Group purchased it in 2009), Artisan, Gold Spike/Oasis and the Resort at Mount Charleston. The Siegel Group's current reclamation project is Atrium Suites, just north of the Hard Rock Hotel on Paradise Road.
Further north, across Paradise from LVH, is the Stirling Club, which for a few hours in May also seemed destined to become a Siegel Group holding.
Siegel certainly pushed for a deal, even while lacking a proper contract to formalize the sale. For a man who has built an empire on making broad-ranging property purchases, the idea of sending several million dollars to a seller without a binding contract seems a bit … unusual.
"All I had was an email agreement," says Siegel, founder of the Siegel Group and a resident of Turnberry Place with two units at the high-end, high-rise development. "I felt like our deal was done. I was wiring money without a signed contract, and this was at 11 p.m."
He needed a majority decision from the homeowners' association to approve the transaction, but that seemed a mere formality and was expected to be delivered as early as the afternoon of May 18, the announced closing date. The plan to announce the impending sale was as grandiose as the Mansion itself: Las Vegas real-estate broker David Atwell, a Turnberry Place resident who has been involved in some of the specifics of the proposed sale, and Stirling Club Manager Mike Saye were going to tell the crowd filling the lounge that a deal had been made between Siegel and the property owners.
Bedlam, or at least robust applause, was expected.
"But after we thought we had the deal, we heard half of the board members were not available to vote on it," Siegel says. "The other half voted not to extend the dues. I was stunned."
By voting not to extend the dues being paid by Turnberry Place residents — $400 monthly from about 700 residents — the deal was effectively snuffed out.
"I don't know of any other place like the Stirling Club," says Atwell, a high-profile Turnberry Place resident who forged the massive real-estate deal that led to the construction of the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and who also negotiated the sale of the New Frontier land to the Israeli corporation El Ad Group for $1.24 billion.
Atwell's 93-year-old mother, Candy, also lives at Turnberry Place and says, "It's a special, old-Vegas place. We're proud of it, and we don't want to see it closed."
But that's what it is, languishing on lockdown since that night in May when Siegel's deal cratered. The owners of Turnberry Place, Jeffrey and Jackie Soffer and their company, Turnberry Associates, have since posted the Mansion on the Sotheby's International realty website. The asking price is $18 million, far higher than the offer Siegel made on the parcel just months ago.
The link to the Sotheby's listing describes in lavish detail a multi-dimensional fortress featuring a spa, pool, fitness center, tennis courts, two kitchens, 10 bedrooms, 20 baths and separate staff quarters in an 80,000-square-foot main building. The hope is that a high roller of extravagant means (one resident keeps talking wistfully of the Sultan of Brunei) will leap into the equation and pay the $18 million asking price for the Mansion and then reopen the club.
To put it mildly, the idea that the aristocratic structure could serve as a private residence for a billionaire is not universally accepted among Turnberry Place homeowners.
"If somebody bought it as a private residence, you would need a 50-foot wall, at least, to be built so residents couldn't see inside the pool and tennis court areas," says Siegel Group Senior VP Michael Crandall, who also happens to live at Turnberry Place. "It is not a private residence."
"It's licensed as a private club," Siegel says. "It has to stay that way."
Siegel still hopes to make a deal directly with the Soffer Group to buy and reopen the club, piece by piece.
"I don't think I ever stop trying," he says. "It's a good asset, still. I think we're all capable of putting a deal back together and making it right."
What doesn't make a lot of sense to Siegel is allowing the club to close and surrendering the monthly dues from residents. Already, between 60 and 90 employees, full- and part-time, have lost their jobs.
"I'm not a fan of closing businesses," he says. "I don't like to kill something that is still alive." Siegel adds that he has "a lot of different ideas to modernize Stirling Club, ideas for upgrading the amenities that everyone will be really, really happy with."
A few nights ago, Siegel says he was with a group of Turnberry residents looking for somewhere to dine and hang out. For the past decade, the go-to hot spot was Stirling Club.
"We were kind of lost," he says. "We were like, 'Where do we go?'"
For now, back to the table, to work on a way to resuscitate the Stirling Club.


text:
Thanks for the update.
Printable View
Thanks for the update.
Sorry for the late update, and thank you to those who are still reading! For the rest of this month I may not update much if at all, but after the semester ends in May I'll be back to my once-a-week schedule. :)
Chapter 11 Continued
He finally relaxed, but clenched his fists even tighter, and said, "Now speak, is that child yours or not?"
Ye Xiang replied, "He's not." He took a long sigh and continued, "But I wish he was; I would be willing to sacrifice everything to be that child's father."
Laobo hissed through his teeth, "That animal, that bastard..."
Ye Xiang asked, "Why do you insult that child? The child has done nothing wrong; he already doesn't have a father and is pitiful enough. The grandfather should exceptionally dote on him."
Laobo asked, "Who's his grandfather?"
Ye Xiang replied, "You, you are his grandfather." He also raised his voice and said loudly, "It won't do even if you don't want to admit it because he's the blood of your blood, flesh of your flesh."
He hadn't finished speaking when Laobo had already pounced over, brandishing his fist and striking his face painfully.
He didn't dodge because he was absolutely incapable of dodging.
Laobo's fist was like lightning, yet was faster than lightning.
Ye Xiang didn't even see his fist; he only saw darkness in front of his eyes, just as if heaven fell and earth cracked.
He hadn't actually fainted, because Laobo's other fist had already struck his abdomen.
Pain made him clear-headed, so clear-headed that it was intolerable.
His body twisted and fell down, his hands covered his abdomen, and he was bent over on the ground in spasms. He choked, blood and sour bile vomited out together, and he felt it was fishy and sour and bitter.
Meng Xinghun felt as if he had split into fragments.
He couldn't bear it, couldn't endure it.
He nearly couldn't help but recklessly take action.
But he had to watch and endure, or else he would also die.
Then all that Ye Xiang had sacrificed for him would become worthless, and he would not be able to even die contently.
He couldn't bear that even more.
Ye Xiang was still in spasms and vomiting; Laobo's fist was like the world's most lethal poison, and made him taste great suffering that no one had ever tasted.
Laobo looked at him, his anger already dissipated; he gradually became tranquil, and was only lightly gasping for breath.
Suddenly, the Ye Xiang who had fallen jumped up again.
The string of bells in his hand suddenly emitted more than ten cold stars, cold stars that were even more rapid than meteors.
His right hand had already taken out a short sword; his body and the sword seemed to have already melded into one.
The flash of the sword was like a flying rainbow, and it flew out amidst the cold stars, even more rapid than the cold stars.
The cold stars and flying rainbow had already blocked all of Laobo's exits.
The power of this strike could not be resisted by anyone, could not be dodged by anyone.
Meng Xinghun certainly knew how formidable of an assassin Ye Xiang was, but he had never seen it with his own eyes before.
Now he saw it.
Recently he had already gradually begun to doubt, to even not believe that so many people had died at Ye Xiang's hands in the past.
Now he believed it.
Ye Xiang had not only chosen the most unexpected opportunity, but he was also fast beyond imagination.
The most unexpected opportunity was also the most proper opportunity.
So long as he took action, he would absolutely not leave his opponent with any way out. Vicious, accurate, and fast.
These were the most fundamental requirements of killing, and were also the most important.
These three requirements combined equaled "death."
People who had recently seen Ye Xiang would never have believed that he could still send out such a frightful strike. It seemed like he had already resumed his former peak of power; for the sake of his friendship towards Meng Xinghun, his love towards Xiao Die, he sent out his final strike.
This was already his last strike.
No one could evade this strike. No one else but Laobo.
The short sword flew out towards the sky; when it fell, it had already split into two.
Ye Xiang's body soared; when he fell, his right wrist had already been snapped.
Laobo was still standing there, standing there unmoving like a god. Although he had used his sleeves to fend off the more than ten cold stars, Meng Xinghun could see that a few cold stars had struck his chest.
At least four or five.
Meng Xinghun saw them very clearly and was positive that he had made no mistake.
He also knew very clearly the formidable power of those concealed weapons, because it was also those concealed weapons that he had prepared to kill Laobo with.
No matter who, once struck with these concealed weapons, he would immediately collapse and then die.
Laobo hadn't collapsed or died.
The concealed weapons that struck his body seemed to have struck an iron man's body, and had even let out a "ding" sound.
Although Laobo could perhaps be considered a superhuman or a giant, no matter what he was not an iron man.
Meng Xinghun finally discovered that on top of the ordinary and old-fashioned cloth robe that Laobo wore, he definitely wore unordinary clothes.
Although he didn't know whether those clothes were made from gold silk, he already knew that there were absolutely no concealed weapons in the world that could penetrate it.
If he tried to use those concealed weapons to kill Laobo, then he would die!
This was the lesson that Meng Xinghun had learned.
Yet this lesson had not been obtained from his own suffering and experience, but rather had been exchanged for Ye Xiang's life.
Ye Xiang struggled to climb up, then heavily fell down, gasping for breath like a dog. Suddenly he laughed heartily and said, "I wasn't wrong, sure enough I wasn't wrong." His laughter was wild and shrill, and he continued, "Sure enough I can't kill you, sure enough no one can kill you."
Laobo said, "But there are many people who can kill you."
After saying this, he suddenly turned around and left.
He didn't glance at Ye Xiang again, but instead looked at Lü Xiangchuan.
Lü Xiangchuan understood his meaning.
Laobo wanted this person to die, yet was unwilling to kill a person who had already fallen.
What Laobo wasn't willing to do, Lü Xiangchuan had to do.
Lü Xiangchuan coldly looked at Ye Xiang struggling on the ground, looked at him for a very long time. His gaze suddenly changed to Meng Xinghun and he asked, "Where is your knife?"
Meng Xinghun replied, "I don't have a knife."
Lü Xiangchuan asked, "When you kill, you don't use a knife?"
Meng Xinghun answered, "I do, I use other people's. I can use all the weapons in other people's hands."
Indeed he could already talk, could already use his voice.
But he felt as if he were listening to someone else talk; this voice sounded unfamiliar and distant.
Lü Xiangchuan looked at him. His eyes showed satisfaction, and he suddenly picked up the short sword on the ground and asked, "Can you use this short sword to kill?"
Meng Xinghun replied, "I can."
Lü Xiangchuan smiled and said, "You still haven't killed for Laobo; this is your opportunity." His smile was very odd, and he continued slowly, "I've said before, you don't need to worry; this kind of opportunity will arrive at any time. Now you ought to believe it."
Meng Xinghun didn't even hear what he said.
The sword was very short to begin with; after breaking, it seemed even more awkward and ugly.
Meng Xinghun received the sword and turned to face Ye Xiang.
He didn't even know what he was doing.
His ears were buzzing, his head was spinning, he couldn't hear anything, and he couldn't see anything.
But he knew Ye Xiang's intention; it wouldn't do even if he pretended not to know.
For this moment, Ye Xiang had prepared for a very long time, waited for a very long time.
When he arrived, he had already not planned on returning alive, because he lived without meaning, without hope. He only hoped for Meng Xinghun to continue living on his behalf.
He had already regarded Meng Xinghun as his shadow, had already transferred his own life and love to Meng Xinghun.
Meng Xinghun was his life's continuation.
Perhaps very few people could understand this kind of feeling, but Meng Xinghun understood very clearly. He knew that by doing this, Ye Xiang was willing to die at his hands. But he couldn't bear to do it.
He would rather die than do it.
The white silk wrapped around the sword hilt was drenched with the cold sweat dripping from his palm.
He suddenly threw down the sword and said, "I cannot kill this person."
Lü Xiangchuan stared at him; only after a very long time did he ask indifferently, "Why? Is he your friend?"
Meng Xinghun replied coldly, "I can kill a friend, but I cannot kill a person who has already fallen down."
Lü Xiangchuan asked, "Even for Laobo you are not willing to make an exception?"
Lü Xiangchuan looked at him, neither angry nor amazed, neither intimidating nor coercing.
He didn't even say another word, only calmly waited as Meng Xinghun left.
Meng Xinghun also didn't turn around.
He hadn't walked far when he already heard Ye Xiang briefly let out a wretched cry.
He hadn't turned around, even hadn't shed tears.
Although it wasn't the middle of the night, there was no one around.
Meng Xinghun lay on his bed, his tears drenching his pillow.
"Xiao Die is Laobo's daughter."
"You can't kill Laobo."
Ye Xiang had sacrificed his life just to tell him these two things.
Ye Xiang wanted him to continue living, wanted him to live well with Xiao Die.
This was what Ye Xiang couldn't accomplish.
"Can I accomplish this?"
Meng Xinghun clenched his fists and vowed to himself that no matter what, he would accomplish it.
This was the only way he could repay Ye Xiang.
Although he still owed Gao Laoda a lot, he could use other methods to repay her in the future.
It was necessary for him to abandon this matter; now he had to leave this place.
Could he leave?
To be continued...
Thanks Xaari.
So sad to see Ye Xiang gone! :(
thank you. very good translation.
poor Ye Xiang(even though he was an assassin)...
Sorry I have not been around to offer encouragement. A lot of overtime and work travel lately. It will take me a long time to catch up on all I have missed, but I am looking forward to it.
Hey guys, here's the rest of Chapter 11! Thanks for the encouragement. It makes me super happy. :D
Chapter 11 Continued
There were many tombs outside the garden; buried in the tombs were all of Laobo's "friends."
"No matter who enters our organization, don't ever think of leaving, dead or alive."
"But no matter if you're dead or alive, Laobo will take care of you well."
This was what Lü Xiangchuan told Meng Xinghun as they passed those tombs.
When he said these words, it seemed as if his heart was very moved.
Meng Xinghun didn't know if Lü Xiangchuan was really moved, or if he was warning him.
He always felt that Lü Xiangchuan's attitude towards him was very unusual. His attitude a moment ago was particularly unusual, as if he already knew his relationship with Ye Xiang, knew his secret.
Yet he didn't force him to do anything.
"Perhaps Lü Xiangchuan may let me go, but what about Lu Mantian?"
Just as the agitation in Meng Xinghun's heart began to calm a little, he began to think of even more.
"If even Ye Xiang knew that Laobo can't be killed, then how could Lu Mantian not know?"
"Lu Mantian's relationship with Laobo is closer than that of anyone else; naturally his understanding of Laobo is greater than that of other people."
"Since he knew that I don't have the ability to kill Laobo, then why did he order me to do that?"
Meng Xinghun's tears ceased, yet his palms were emitting cold sweat.
He suddenly discovered that Lu Mantian's plan was far more frightful than he had imagined.
The objective of the plan was not to have him really kill Laobo, but rather to use him as a ladder. Lu Mantian first needed to step over this ladder in order to reach his goal. The mourning in Meng Xinghun's heart had already turned into anger.
No one is willing to become someone else's ladder and let someone else step over his own head.
Meng Xinghun wiped dry his tears and sat up, waiting.
Waiting for Lu Mantian.
He knew that Lu Mantian would definitely not allow him to leave, would definitely come find him.
Lu Mantian arrived even earlier than Meng Xinghun had anticipated.
Lü Xiangchuan hadn't returned yet and it seemed like no one else was in the house, so it was extremely quiet. Thus, Meng Xinghun heard Lu Mantian's footsteps the moment he opened the door and walked in.
His footsteps were steady and slow, just as if he were returning to his own home. Clearly he was fully confident about everything.
His expression was even calmer; no matter what, he did not seem like a traitor who concealed evil intentions.
Anyone who wanted to betray Laobo would feel a little bit nervous and uneasy, but he didn't at all.
His face actually carried a smile, a smile that would make other people regard him as a fool.
Meng Xinghun forced himself to suppress the anger in his heart and asked coldly, "Why are you here?"
Lu Mantian smiled and replied, "It's nothing; I just wanted to see if you've prepared yourself. It's almost time."
Meng Xinghun said, "I haven't prepared."
Lu Mantian frowned and said, "Haven't prepared? No matter how experienced you are, you still need to prepare before killing."
Meng Xinghun replied, "I haven't prepared to kill."
Lu Mantian said, "But you must kill."
Meng Xinghun suddenly smiled coldly and said, "If I had to kill, I wouldn't kill Laobo, but rather you."
Lu Mantian seemed extremely startled and asked, "Kill me? Why?"
Meng Xinghun replied, "Because I don't like it when someone steps over my head, and I don't like to be treated as a ladder."
Lu Mantian asked, "Ladder? What ladder?"
Meng Xinghun replied, "You wanted me to come not because you wanted me to assassinate Laobo, because you've known long ago that I don't have a chance to succeed."
Lu Mantian's face didn't show any expressions, but his pupils had already begun to shrink. He asked, "Then why would I want you to come?"
Meng Xinghun answered, "Perhaps you already have plans to assassinate Laobo, and moreover you are positive that you will succeed."
Lu Mantian said, "Then I wouldn't need you to come."
Meng Xinghun replied, "But you don't want to undertake the criminal charge of assassinating Laobo because you're afraid that other people will avenge Laobo, and you're even more afraid that other people will be unwilling to let you take over Laobo's position. Thus, you want me to undertake this criminal charge in your place."
Lu Mantian said, "Continue."
Meng Xinghun said, "You wanted me to wait in that burrow to assassinate Laobo, but perhaps I wouldn't even have the chance to take action, and perhaps I would be discovered first."
Lu Mantian said, "And then?"
Meng Xinghun replied, "From the beginning you expressed distrust towards me, so of course Laobo definitely wouldn't suspect that this plan had been arranged by you. You would catch the assassin for him, so of course he would trust you even more."
Lu Mantian said, "And then?"
Meng Xinghun said, "You would then take action at the time when he trusts you the most."
Lu Mantian asked, "Do you think I can kill him?"
Meng Xinghun smiled and replied, "You're his friend of many years, and moreover his best friend. Of course you're more aware of his weaknesses than other people are. Besides, you planned carefully long ago, and yet he is completely unguarded against you."
Lu Mantian said, "So you think that I have a large chance."
Meng Xinghun replied, "If there is only one person on earth who can kill Laobo, that person would be you."
Lu Mantian suddenly smiled, but his smile was very unusual. "Thank you. You seem to regard me very highly."
Meng Xinghun said, "After you kill him, you can announce to other people that you have already caught the assassin who killed Laobo and that you have already avenged Laobo. Naturally other people wouldn't suspect you, so it's only to be expected that you take over Laobo's position." He smiled coldly and continued, "So this is your plan. You plan to not only betray Laobo, but also me."
Lu Mantian said coldly, "But you also have a mouth, and you can also speak."
Meng Xinghun said, "Who would believe me? Besides, perhaps you wouldn't even give me a chance to speak."
After a long time, Lu Mantian suddenly smiled and said, "It's unexpected that you're extremely intelligent. Assassins shouldn't be this intelligent." He smiled, as if he were explaining to Meng Xinghun, and continued, "Because taking risks to kill people is already stupid, and killing people for other people is even more stupid. Intelligent people never do this."
Meng Xinghun's eyes showed pain, because he knew that Lu Mantian hadn't actually said anything wrong. These words had already touched his hidden suffering.
Lu Mantian was enjoying his pain. With a satisfied expression in his eyes, he said leisurely, "But intelligent people usually have one problem: all intelligent people fear death."
Meng Xinghun said, "People who are afraid of death wouldn't do this."
Lu Mantian said, "That's only because you were formerly not intelligent enough. But now you clearly already understand that living is a good thing. No matter what, living is always better than dying." He suddenly smiled again and asked, "Do you know that the person who had come just now is named Ye Xiang?"
Meng Xinghun clenched his teeth.
Lu Mantian said, "Of course you know, because he was your best friend, yet you watched him being killed in front of you, and you didn't even react. Why is that?" He smiled and continued, "That's because you've already become intelligent, and were unwilling to die with him. Even if you have other reasons, you are definitely deceiving yourself."
Meng Xinghun's heart felt a stab of pain.
Indeed he had watched Ye Xiang die. All along he had explained to himself that he did this only because he couldn't bear that Ye Xiang's sacrifice would become worthless, only because Ye Xiang wanted him to continue living.
But now, Lu Mantian's words seemed like a needle.
He suddenly discovered that he wasn't actually as great as he had imagined. Perhaps he had truly done that only because he feared death.
Indeed, he was unwilling to die at present.
Lu Mantian said slowly, "What you said was correct; up until now, still no one suspects me. I can uncover your identity and make you die at any time." He gazed at Meng Xinghun like a cat watching the mouse in its claws. Smiling, he continued, "So if you want to continue living, then you must do as I say, because you have no other path to take."
Meng Xinghun clenched his fists and snorted, "Even if I do it, wouldn't my outcome still be death?"
Lu Mantian said, "If you do it well, perhaps I will let you live. I can find someone else to take your place in death, and I can smash that person's head and make other people believe that he's you. That way you can escape to a faraway place, and continue living in a place where no one recognizes you. As long as you don't trouble me, then no one else will trouble you." He smiled and continued, "I can even give you an extremely large reward and let you live comfortably. If a person can live comfortably, even if he doesn't live gloriously, it's still worth it."
End of Chapter 11.
Please continue! What a great long project!
Great work! Thank You!
Oh, no - another 'dead' end! :(
I watched both Michelle Yeoh's version and Killer Clan (SB).
There are so different from each other. Killer Clan seems to be more in line with the book, at least until this part...
Hope someone can continue this. The intrigues is fantastic - enemies amongst trusted friends!
ok since it seems that it has been a super looooooooong time since anyone has taken up the project of this book....i think that it's time it continued. Ok so just to tell you all, i read minimal chinese :D :D so most of it will be translated via translator. please bear with me and give me lots of advice on my various errors whenever you see fit.:D :D Thanks
ok finally i have some translation. Hopefully my next update will be longer but i'm moving at a snail's pace with all the back to school stuff.
chapter twelve
He smiled beautifully, and said more eloquently.
Meng XinHun hesitated, and said "How can I believe what you just said?"
Lu Mantian said " What you believe is not available because this is your only chance, you have no room for selections. "Lu Mantian walked out of the room. Why dont you prepare properly, dont let them play anymore tricks that will draw attention to you. Of course he didnt trust Meng XinHun, but knows that there is no way that Meng XinHun can escape from his net.
I really have no other choice?
Even if he really had no other choice he would not choose this.
I can not kill Sun YuBo , I cant kill Xiao Dies father.
He knew in any case Lu ManTian would not let him live.
"Well, I can only die?"
Dying, sometimes is a really good release.
A long time ago, Mengxing Hun once thought sooner or later to use this method to escape.
He long ago tired of death, not only for him there is no difficulty, nor pain. But what about now?
Autumns evenings seemed to come very early, very quickly, very soon.
In his garden, chrysanthemums have gradually begun to wither in the twilight, however, they are still so beautiful, but now, his ideas seemed to have gradually changed.
He has gradually found that there is value to another person, that he is not alone in his life.
"Don't tell me this is the mood of the elderly? do I have really have to be old yet? " Lao Bo gently sighed, looked up and can see Meng XingHun came to him, Meng XingHuns face was heavy, but held the vigorous light of soul. In Twilight his eyes are still light. His skin still smooth, close muscles are still full of elasticity, he is remains crisp and young.
Lao Bo looked at the young man. His heart suddenly felt a sense of envy, perhaps more than envy.
Originally only Sun Jian is his only consolation, is only a continuation of his life, but now Sun Jian is dead.
Why do so many old people in the world not die, why does death have to find Sun Jain?
Meng XingHun came and stood in front of him.
Lao Bo suddenly said "Lu XiangChuan didnt tell you? Don't you know it's time to eat?"
Meng XingHun said " I know. "
His is very ugly, and "do you know why I chose this time to come out for a walk?"
Meng XingHun nodded.
Meng XingHun suddenly smiled, and said "where I should have been was back in, you would surprised. "
Lao Bo asked" where were you supposed to be? "
Meng XingHun said "here"
He suddenly put up one of Lao Bos chrysanthemums, exposing the caves under the flowers. Lost in thought Lao Bo stared at this point, and after a long, time said, " What you should have been doing here?"
Meng XingHun said " to kill you"
The Lao Bo suddenly looked up and stared at him, but did not look up with a surprised look on his face,but instead stared coldly at him, like he saw through Meng XingHuns heart.
Meng XingHun says "I came here for this, to kill you. "Lao Bo was silent for a long time, then suddenly laughed, and said" you think I don't know? " Lao Bo went on You arent Qin ZhongTing
Meng XingHun was startled How did you know?
Lao Bo said You have never seen the sunlight, so therefore you could not have come from the sea.
Meng XingHun was pale, and he certainly knew what color his face was.
This plan appeared to have no flaws at all, he was surprised that their ingenious policy formulated with high levels of the boss's planning would go wrong.
He has underestimated Lao Bo.
Lao Bo should not be underestimated by anyone.
Meng Xing Hun couldnt help but to express his admiration and sighed "you know that I have come to kill you, but I am still alive. Lao Bo nodded.
Meng Xing Hun asked Because you know I can not kill you? "
Lao Bo laughed "if that was the only reason you would now be dead . Meng Xing Hun said "what else? "
Lao Bo said "because I need someone like you, others you can kill for me, for me to kill other people, of course. "He smiled, then said " I dare you to kill, what you can't kill, to kill you must have courage, and not many people have genuine courage.
"Meng Xing Hun " Do you want to buy me? "
Lao Bo said "It someone else can buy you then I can, my price was higher than the others ...
Meng Xing Hun said "You know who wanted me to kill you?"
Lao Bo said "I know of him at least more than you think. '
Meng Xing Hun said "Since you know, why do you let the traitor stay alive? "
Lao Bo "He's more useful alive than dead. "
Meng Xing Hun said "What's the use? he betrayed you. "
Lao Bo said If he could betray me, he can also betray others. "
He then said slowly, with a cruel smile "Just about everyone has a value." Meng Xing Hun rose and said " Who do you want him to betray? "
Lao Bo said "He did not dare to do such things, he does not have the skill or the guts. "
Meng Xing Hun said " Do you think he has an accomplice? "
Lao Bo nodded.
Meng Xing Hun Do you want him to say who they are?"
Lao Bo said "No, I have always seen sooner or later who those people are. "
Meng Xing Hun gazed off into the distance he suddenly sighed and said " I now finally believe one thing.
Lao Bo said" What? "
Meng Xing Hun "You do not have luck, for others it might be, but for you to stay alive until today, it's not luck."
Lao Bo smiled "So if you follow me, you will never suffer, at least you can learn a lot of things, and you can at least have a long life, your choice is very clever. "
Meng Xing Hun said" You think that I want to join you? "
Lao Bo was shocked You dont? "
"I dont. " Meng Xing Hun replied.
Lao Bo only felt that he had somehow heard wrong and said, "Then what do you want?"
Meng Xing Hun "I want you to let me go. "
Sun YuBo laughed again, and said "You think so naively, what makes you think I would let you go? If I cannot take advantage of you, why should I let other people take advantage of you?"
Meng Xing Hun said You should let me go because of your daughter"
Sun YuBos smile suddenly condenses, "I had no daughter
Meng Xing Hun said," I don't know why you refuse to admit that she is your daughter, I just know, no matter what you think shes done, she is your daughter and blood is thicker than water. "
He stare at Lao Bo, although Lao Bos scowl is terrible, he is not afraid, and said ," There are some things cannot be changed no matter who you are you cannot change it. "
Lao Bo grabbed Meng Xing Hun with both hands, and said "What do you have to do with her?"
Meng Xing Hun said "I am willing to be her husband. "
The Sun YuBo suddenly shook him, and said with an angry shout "Then you will die here for her!"
Meng Xing Hun said "I don't want to die, because I live for her and she lives for me. If you kill me you will definitely regret it."
Lao Bo became so angry that the vein on the back of his neck became exposed, "Regret? I never regret killing someone!"
Meng Xing Huns eyes are sincere and without fear, maybe it is because he is sincere so he can be so fearless. "Your son has died. She is your only flesh and blood."
Lao Bo raged" How dare you say these things in front of me? "
Meng Xing Hun said "because I know you're a reasonable person, so I am not lying to you. "
Lao Bo said "Have you known her for a long time? "
Meng Xing Hun "No long. "
Lao Bo said Is she the right kind of person?
Meng Xing Hun said Its all the same whatever kind of person she is. "
Lao Bo said she already...... "
Ok I hope my translatings skills start improving soon. That and my pace because the stuff that is spewed out of translators online are getting really odd. at least I can read a bit more chinese than before........so I will work on it. but I won't be very fast.
Thank you:D. We had been waiting for 3 months. Keep translating:clap:.
I'm Sorry but my internet is now broken i don't know when i will be able to continue......sorry but i will try i am currently using a school computer.
finally the internet is fixed. Time to translate more. I'm sorry I'm very slow. I can speak chinese but I cannot read it. so it takes a while. Hopefully my reading skills will improve with this........
This is my next part. Sorry that it's so short and chopped up but I think I will be finnished with chapter twelve by next update. If you want me to be faster all you have to do is ask.
Meng Xing Hun had previously stopped talking but he couldnt bear to hear the next words so he said She has previously suffered misery, this sort of thing is best left in the past.
Lao Bos hands suddenly let go, his anger also disappeared.
Lao Bo seems to hurt a lot, and said sadly "You're right. I had no sons left she is my only flesh and blood...
Meng Xing Hun said , "So you should let them have a good life both her and her child
Lao Bo clenched his teeth, Do you know who the father of the child is? "
Meng Xing Hun said, "I don't know,and I don't care. "
Lao Bo said" You really don't care? "
Meng Xing Hun said "I will be her husband and also her son's father,
He watched Lao Bo very carefully " Even I can forgive her, why can't you? "
Sun YuBo looked down and whispered,"I only want to know who the boys father is, but she will not tell me. Why wont she tell me?"
Meng Xing Hun said "Everyone has a web of difficulties, not to mention, it is her sorrow, perhaps she doesnt even want to think about it. You are her father, why do you want to force her to tell you?"
Lao Bo was silent for a long time, and suddenly said, "How is she now?"
Meng Xing Hun said "she is alive, perhaps because she is your daughter, and thus was able to support herself up to now. "
Lao Bo said" You will help her live? "
Meng Xing Hun "I will do my best to do it. "
After a long sigh,Lao Bo looked up and said sadly "Perhaps I am truly getting old, an old man's heart is always more and more soft. "He looked at Meng Xing Hun and his eyes gradually become warm.
He can see Meng Xing Hun is a trustworthy man, and if he can say it, he can also do it.
He could see in Meng Xing Hun a final glimmer of hope. I still have a daughter and a next generation.
He suddenly took hold of Meng Xing Huns hands and said, "If you really want her, she is yours." Meng Xing Hun could only feel shocked,it was a long time before he could choke out," I won't let you regret it. "
Lao Bo asked him:"Is there anything else that you want? "
Meng Xing Hun said "with her I am satisfied. "
Lao bo said with a warm smile, "Where are you going to take her?" Meng Xing Hun did not have time to speak before he continued "I want both of you to go as far away as possible because.-/he suddenly did not look so happy any more, and continued " it has become increasingly dangerous here, I don't want both of your involved here too. "
Meng Xing Hun looked at the old man with the wrinkles on his face. It was a face full of many worries. His suddenly felt a grattitude that he could not say or express for now he was not alone. Suddenly Meng Xing Hun felt that they had suddenly began to care for each other, to share a mutual interest.
Because Meng Xing Hun was his daughter's husband.
Meng Xing soul can't help but say "Can you manage?"
Lao Bo smiled,and said, "You don't have to worry about me, I have had to deal with this for a long time, and it always ended well." Meng Xing Hun was still worried and said:" This time is different, previously, you have friends now...... " Lao Bo said: I am a gambler, a true gambler, I have never truly lost, even when people think that I have lost everything, I still remain the same and I still want to rise up again.
Meng Xing Hun smiled, and said as long as you do not lose everything, opportunities will come from time to time. "Lao Bo spoke slowly " even if I have gone, there will be the next person, the real gamblers, and at anytime you can find the sort of situation I am in now. "He smiled and patted Meng Xing Huns shoulder and said "But unfortunately you can't gamble with me. " Meng Xing Hun asked " why? "
Lao Bo laughingly answered "because you are my son-in-law, no one is willing to bet his son-in-law." Son-in-law, this word contains such an amazing feeling.
Is there anything else more amazing?
Meng Xing Hun wondered how on earth he could be worthy of being Lao Bos son-in-law.
It was already late in the night, and the wind was very cold. Yet Meng Xing Hun was filled with warmth, life was not as cold as it used to be.
Lao Bo asked Is she waiting for you? "
Meng Xing Hun nodded, "someone is waiting" it felt wonderful, he felt as if his throat was stuck and there was no way that he could talk.
Lao Bo said, "then you should go quickly, I will send you out. "He suddenly smiled, and said, "No matter where you two go, I just want you to promise me one thing. "Meng Xing Hun said" you. " You said. "
Lao Bo grabbed his hand and said, "wait till you have your own son, then take her back to see this place.Lao Bo looking Meng Xing Hun walking away, thinks of his daughter, could not help but sigh softly "they still have such a long way to go. "
He could only hope that they dont lose their way.
Although he had many thoughts and feelings, he did not think too long, because he also has a long way to go, and his road is far more dangerous than their hardship.
When he turned his body had already moved 3 zhang away . Lamps were lit in the distance as he passed over the flowers and then the bridge.
In Lu ManTians room the lights are on, but the window is open.
In the light cast by the yellow paper of the window the figure seems to be waiting for a person.
Was he still waiting for Meng Xing Huns good news?
Lao Bo did not knock.
He was determined and in thirty years he has never given the opponent the advantage of being the first to make a move. He knows that whoever makes the first move has the advantage.
He often likes to go the most direct way.
"Peng", Windows were shattered inward by the force of his blow.
And then he was inside the room..
Lu ManTian was not standing; he was hanging.
The stool he had used to hang himself had been kicked a distance away from him. Lao Bos hand probed his chest, it was completely cold, as if he had been made of iron. there was a piece of paper neatly pinned to the table : You Didnt Die, So I did. There was nothing else, just these 6 simple words.
He would not surrender, because although he planned well, he forgot the feelings that could go between people..
Because he forgot this, he failed.
A persons emotions are unable to be calculated neatly into equations, one decision can change everything. That is why so many plots have gone awry. Lao Bo looked up at Lu ManTians face and sighed, unfortunately he would not be able to tell him anything about the person behind the plot..
Alinda, thanks for the update. YES, WE WANT FASTER AND FASTER UPDATE PLEASE..................................GOGOGOGO..
the above update feel like an appetizer, I am still feeling hungry for more.
i'm an extremely slow translator. but i finally figured out how to get pinyin! which is awesome since i can read pinyin! yay! anyway i will work on it and i hope i'm faster soon
Thank you for your hard work! I really appreciate it. Love this story.
Shaw Bro movie was so bad compared to book.


text:
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The Lamp always sat on top of the Desk and it made the Wardrobe incredibly jealous. The way she oozed heat onto him. The Wardrobe knew it was because the Lamp thought the Desk was "wise". She told him every day. She said the Desk made her shine brighter. Told the Wardrobe he was made of cheap wood. Told him he probably couldn't handle her heat if he wanted to. The Wardrobe was older than the Desk; his skin splintered and his innards were a bit disheveled. He was a bit of a fire waiting to happen. Though, to be fair, the whole room was picking up dust. They all lived in an attic that had been fashioned into a guest bedroom. Apparently, the owners of the home were not too fond of guests.
The group of furniture was not stupid. They knew downstairs they had all sorts of fancy Cutlery hoarded in upper class China Cabinets. China Cabinets were always so arrogant. The Cutlery did nothing. Everybody knew the Tea Cups were a bunch of whores. Tea Cups were always around, but they never got used, at least not here in the States. They often became restless and reliant on social games to feel useful. The Wardrobe always told the Desk and the Lamp that he was beyond glad that he wasn't fashioned into a China Cabinet, but the Desk was usually too busy pending on some conundrum and the Lamp was far too busy clinging to the Desk. The Wardrobe did have a good friend in the Guest Bed, but the Guest Bed was always asleep, or simply too comforting, like a mother. The Wardrobe never could tell if the Guest Bed was just being kind or meant what she said. The Guest Bed was even older than the Wardrobe and hummed old songs a lot. Love songs. She told the other's funny stories about the golden age, how guests in the house used to try to quietly do things to each other. How they whispered, and how they probably wouldn't have been so bold had they known she heard every quiet moan that they tried to hold in.
There was a Window in the room. Positioned at the window a Telescope, but he never spoke a word. He just stared, longingly, at the world outside.
The Guest Bed and the Wardrobe went way back. The Guest Bed was like a mother to him. She saw him through the hard times. The Wardrobe used to have a love, you see. The Candlestick. Ages ago, the Guest Bed and the Wardrobe would tell you. But they were definitely and madly in love with each other. The Candlestick was humble and she had that flicker about her that drove the Wardrobe mad. They talked for countless days without stop. There wasn't much to do, but they were lost in each other and the Guest Bed saw the whole thing. Downstairs, in the master bedroom, they were the envy of the rest of the house. The Wardrobe was filled with the most astonishing of suits beyond organized. They were alphabetized by designer, cross-categorized by stitch and color. Navy blues separated from dark blues. The Candle loved him because he was such a gentleman.
They knew from the start that the Candlestick had a dwindling battle with death. Each day they spent together she grew closer and closer. I love you, the Wardrobe would say, you look so beautiful, especially in the darkness. Do you not see how this flame you adore so much is bringing me closer to the end of my days, said the Candlestick.
She began to drip on him, more and more each day. The scars still remain; puddles of wax like drops of blood that stained his skin.
One day, the Wardrobe awoke to the sound of the Guest Bed screaming. An earthquake. The room filled with trepidation. The tremors scooted the Guest Bed, who was the Master Bed then, around the floor, like a dog on ice. The Windows screamed like a banshee. The Wardrobe called to the Candlestick his love, above his head, but she did not respond. In a flash, the shaking room, began filling with smoke. You're on fire, said the Master Bed. The Wardrobe felt as if he was having a stroke. He called out to the Candle, but he didn't even hear a flicker. Strange red and yellow men rushed in and put out the Wardrobe. The room fell as silent as a wake. The Master Bed said to the Wardrobe, the Candlestick, she's dead.
Wardrobe was beyond shaken. For days he said nothing. His head charred and scarred, remnant wax of his love still remaining. The ceiling received third degree burns all over its skin too, and though the ceiling never spoke, it spoke to the Wardrobe in other ways.
A family came into the Master Bedroom. Stepping on the Carpet, lying down on the entry way they looked around at the Paintings, the Master Bed, the Ottoman and finally they rested their eyes, stared directly at the Wardrobe, and he stared back.
"It's ruined," they said, "It's ugly," the Wardrobe felt as if he could cry.
They put him in isolation. The attic was sparkling then, yes, but he was beyond alone up there. No Ottoman, no Painting, they hadn't even put in the Window at that point yet. The House was new, he hadn't even Rats running through his veins yet. The Wardrobe was separated from the ones he loved, stationary and unwanted. For a night, he cried. The Walls were there, but they could not see him, they could not hear him, they could not tell him that in the end everything would be okay. The blind, deaf, mute Walls might as well have not been there.
It was then the world weighed down on the Wardrobe and its hanger bar buckled and snapped. The suits were gone, his friends were gone, the love of his life, gone. He didn't rest one minute that night alone in the attic.
The next morning, sounds of jilted heavy steps filtered in from the stairway. They brought up a frame and a box spring, a mattress and a comforter, all the pieces and they assembled them. The sun shining through the cracks of the attic, the Wardrobe had been reunited with the Master Bed.
Now, the Guest Bed.
Won't you miss it down there, asked the Wardrobe.
No, you're up here, said the Guest Bed, in that comforting way she did.
Over time, others joined forming the guest bedroom it had become. The Desk, quoting Nietzsche, like no one had ever quoted Nietzsche before. The quiet telescope, staring and staring at the new window. The young Lamp. She reminded the Wardrobe of the Candlestick and the day they set her in the room, he thought maybe, just maybe, she could fill the emptiness within.
She burned bright, yes she was younger, but time is such a fleeting thing, and opportunity even more fleeting. The Wardrobe made her laugh. The Guest Bed saw the way his frame over the years leaned more and more her direction, but the Guest Bed saw the way the Lamp stuck by that Desk's side. The Guest Bed had always been alone. She was gorgeous, yes. The dresses that wrapped her were the most beautiful and detailed you'd ever see but she was a Queen. Men feared her size and knew they would look small beside her. She had nothing to give but comfort, warmth and patience, but sadly it was strange couples who only took her up on her offers.
Someone ascended the stairs. Strange men filtered in. Stared at the Wardrobe, and taller than them both, he stared back.
"That's the one," they said, and they pulled him downstairs, carelessly, his sides scraping, scratching the walls, his charred head bumping the ceiling. A woman followed, grabbed the Lamp like a trophy. The Wardrobe was in pain, but he saw the Lamp, thrown in a bin, with other small items. But they continued outward with him.
The strange men threw him in the street. He shattered into pieces of wood. Bones breaking. They liberally poured kerosene on him like they were drowning something out. The strange man took a Match, those poor short-lived beings, and he scraped its head against the ground. The Wardrobe tried to relax. The man threw the Match, burning bright, into the mess that was the Wardrobe. The Wardrobe tried to relax. He could feel fire. He could feel his memories of the Candlestick, burning inside of him. In his last breath, he could do nothing but burn.
Upstairs, in the attic, the telescope saw it all, but he could not say a word. The Guest Bed and the Desk knew what was happening.
Wardrobe, said the Desk, he's in Hell out there.
No, said the Guest Bed, it is us who are in Hell.


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This recipe comes from the January 2013 edition of Olive magazine. As soon as I saw it I promoted it to the top of the baking order – it uses Lindt balls, pistachios and fondant icing...what's not to love? In my old age, I find all-over fondant icing can be a bit sickly so I liked the idea of drizzling it rather than submerging the cakes in it a la Mr Kipling.
The sponge is a wonderful green thanks to the pistachios; if there's a better coloured nut I've not seen it! They also keep the sponge moist so these cakes will keep for several days (that's the theory, anyway - I won't get to find out with this batch!)
I'd not used fondant icing sugar before and made the glaze how I would a normal icing sugar glaze. I soon realised this was a mistake – the fondant icing stays runny for much longer and is thinner than it looks in the mixing bowl. Make it much thicker than you normally would and then marvel at how it oozes down the cakes – it's like magic!
The white chocolate Lindt ball topping is genius and works really well. Any white chocolate truffle would suffice but the little demi-sphere looks so cute. Both Mr CC and I are a sucker for Lindor so any excuse to buy a box is most welcome!
Well, this is the final post of the year – I'll be honest, it's a year I'll be glad to see the back of so here's hoping 2013 is a good one! Happy New Year to all my lovely readers!
For the sponge:
100g pistachio kernels
150g golden caster sugar
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
150g self raising flour
2 tablespoons milk, you may possibly need more
8 white chocolate Lindt Lindor balls, cut in half
150g golden caster sugar
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
150g self raising flour
2 tablespoons milk, you may possibly need more
8 white chocolate Lindt Lindor balls, cut in half
For the icing:
300g fondant icing sugar
water – the amount will vary but start with 2 teaspoons
water – the amount will vary but start with 2 teaspoons
Preheat the oven to 190°/fan oven 170°C/375°F/gas mark 5.
Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper.
Put the pistachios in a food processor and blitz until you have even, small pieces.
Add the sugar and blitz again.
Add the butter and pulse until you have a thick paste.
Add the eggs and flour and blitz until you have a smooth batter.
If the batter is not at dropping consistency, add the milk and pulse. Test again and add more milk until you have the right consistency.
Spoon into the prepared cake tin and level the surface.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Mine took about 22 minutes.
Leave to cool – in the tin – on a wire rack for 15 minutes then lift out of the tin and leave to cool completely on the wire rack.
When cool trim the edges from the cake – this ensures that each cake cube will look the same.
Cut the cake into 16 squares and place them, a little distance apart, on the wire rack. Make sure there is a large square of foil or baking paper under the wire rack – it should be slightly bigger than the rack in order to catch all spills!
Cut each Lindt ball in half (they have a central join seam and if you use that you will get clean halves).
Place each half on top of a cube of cake.
Now make the icing: place the fondant icing sugar in a bowl and beat in 2 teaspoons of water. Fondant icing sugar is different to ordinary icing sugar and I found it paid to make the glaze much thicker than I normally would –it stayed runny for longer so you need it thicker to hold on to the cake!
Spoon the icing over the cakes ensuring that the Lindt balls are covered. It will run down the sides, which is why it's important to make it a thick glaze – you don't want it all to end up on the foil.
Place each cube of cake into a paper case – at this point I put them in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up the glace. They don't need to be kept in the fridge beyond that.
Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.


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Black-breasted Leaf Turtle
Geoemyda spengleri
About This Animal
SIZE: 5.5 in (14 cm)
RANGE: Southern China and North Vietnam
HABITAT: Woodlands and forests near limestone streams
DIET: Snails, worms, small insects and crustaceans
ON EXHIBIT: Rivers of the World in River Journey
Black-breasted leaf turtles lay clutches of one to two eggs at a time. The eggs take slightly more than two months to hatch. Black-breasted leaf turtles prefer cool temperatures and low light levels. This species is part of the Tennessee Aquarium's Asian Turtle Breeding Program and has successfully reproduced here.
Like most Asian turtle species, the black-breasted leaf turtle is in grave danger of extinction due to over-collection from the wild for the food, medicine and pet trade.


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(midnight hype with ratatat.)
atrophy, apathy and the letters between lovers
disect your very core to try and find the blind
the walk of shame through the halls of college dorms
the parasail that treads too close to water
let's unshelter the shelters, let's unveil the mask of sanity
let the world see our naked scarred unshaven selves
we will sit elevated in a glass box above times square
and frozen in time we will move as fast as traffic
if life is a graph of time versus love versus change
what would happen if you crumpled up the sheet of paper
the equation was written on?
condense your density. make true your individual rhythm.
martyr your dark dark dark dark dark heart
and allow yourself to become as soft as soft symphony
cram your head full of knowledge then let it all go
binge and purge. create then destroy. love then let love.
you have a finite amount of infinite to give the infinite.
your hourglass figure can only be flipped so many times
requiem. become requiem. become undeniable. stand
on the pedestal that you have created
from cracks in the sidewalk you stepped on
when you break your mothers back consider the fact
that maybe you adjusted the lump in her spine
close your history books and listen to the eyes of auschwitz
the scars of pearl harbor, the radiation of hiroshima
take a shot of nagasaki and chase it with karoshi
we're all melting like the wicked witch of the west
we are all bleeding like the eternal tsunami of the east
our stripy socks shrivel up beneath the house hovering over our heads
we rob peter to pay paul and then we use paul's money
to take peter's girl out for a night on the town
but she never calls because she's in love with paul
and we ignore the fall, the mighty fall of the american empire
and the fire, it burns us all the same, we have only ourselves
and a thousand past lives left to blame, we're so brash
do not ask what you can do for your country
once we see the fire it burns us all the same, we're so brash
ash to ash, dust to dust, from first to last lashes
ashes to ashes
02.2013 is a twenty-eight day project chronicling my february of 2013 through poetry. to read the entries from the beginning CLICK HERE


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Last week Los Angeles County health officials announced a porn actress tested positive for HIV, creating a huge panic and public relations nightmare for the adult industry. Since then it has been revealed "at least 16 additional unpublicized cases of HIV have been confirmed in adult film performers" in straight porn. The new cases bring renewed scrutiny to the $12-billion-a-year industry's long history of resisting regulation and condom use.
Popular adult performer Darren James—described as "well-endowed and extremely muscular performer for his slender frame"—tested positive for HIV in April 2004 and found himself "at the center of an HIV outbreak in the San Fernando Valley's multibillion-dollar porn industry", reports the Los Angeles Times. James infected three actresses he had worked with before learning that he was HIV-positive and porn production was shut down for a month. The former porn actor speaks out for the first time some five years later.
By April 2004, he was at the pinnacle of his career, traveling to foreign countries to shoot films, sometimes working six days a week and two or three scenes a day. "You're like Superman. Especially with the amount of work that I had? It was nonstop," James said. "I'm thinking, I'm invincible. . . . That's just the way our mentality was. It was, you get the test, you're clean, not realizing that in between the tests, and after the tests, you know, other people, you don't know what they're doing."
The call that changed his life came as James was getting ready to book tickets to Japan for another international shoot. The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation clinic officials told him he was HIV positive. And, he said, they told him they planned to release his name publicly. He asked them not to—in part out of concern for his parents who did not know how he made his living—but they did anyway. "It was like a hit in the gut," James said. "My whole world stops. . . .Life was pretty much over."
Distraught, James said, he bought a bus ticket to Tijuana, planning to disappear. But the news spread quickly. In Mexico, he saw TV footage with a photo of him smirking as if, he said, he was smirking at the situation. In Tijuana, James said, he tried to kill himself. After the attempt, he woke up days later in a hospital near San Diego. It took him months to recover, he said. He later found out that his mother learned about his diagnosis, and his porn career, on TV at her church.
The former porn actor sued the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation clinic and several of its officials, alleging medical negligence and invasion of privacy. The case was later settled out of court. Darren James is sharing his story now and hopes it will spur "the porn industry to require condoms, rarely used in straight porn films."
Don't see that happening anytime soon. Do you?


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The Pacific Northwest's leading wholesaler of Plumbing, HVAC and Pool & Spa products, Keller Supply Company, features over 70 branch locations to serve your needs. Many of our branches include Keller Kitchen and Bath Showcases providing you with the best in products for all your projects.
Continuing to grow, we now service nine western states, providing inventory from hundreds of suppliers. In addition, Keller's Commercial / Industrial and International divisions happily serve the specific needs of our customer base in those market segments.
One of the great services we provide is the ability to let you remotely check on product and availability, pricing, and to easily place orders via the Internet. Your orders arrive promptly at your job site via our truck fleet and professional delivery personnel.
Great benefits come from choosing Keller Supply
as your wholesaler – here are just a few:
- Drop shipment programs available
- Quotations Departments throughout our branches
- Computer linked branches for pricing and inventory consistency
- Frequent company and manufacturer promotions
- Broad range of product and service offerings


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Kindergarten Content Resources
The Core Foundation feels that reading is the single most important skill taught in early education. To become good readers, students need time spent with quality books. Below is a list of books suggested by the Core Foundation as well as the Cather staff. Each book connects to the classroom and will enhance the students' understanding of the content areas they are studying. You are welcome to read and discuss these resources with your child.


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Every month, we tally our customer reviews from event riders like you to find our customers' favorite products. With 79,000+ reviews, we think it's hard to beat the insight from our own customers. Check out this month's Top-10 Eventing Products to find some great picks for you and your horse.
#1 SmartFlex® Rehab Pellets
What We Say: SmartFlex Rehab is the ideal choice for your horse during rehabilitation. This one-of-a-kind formula supports the healing process by combining ingredients for joint and connective tissues with those involved in the normal inflammatory response. SmartFlex Rehab provides exactly what your horse needs for healthy recovery.
What Eventers Say: "I purchased this product after my horse received a kick injury to his medial extensor tendon above his front left knee. The area, including the knee joint, was swollen and warm and the damage to the connective tissue could be felt with palpation. I bought this product to help promote a healthy, controlled inflammatory response and then support the regeneration and integration of new tissues. I believe this supplement did just that. After the initial injury, there was very little extra heat or swelling. His exercise program has been increased with no ill-effects and the bump over the damaged tendon is still shrinking. So far, very pleased with the progress and the product!" – Shman
#2 Triple Stitch Halter
What We Say: A show quality halter at an everyday halter price. Each halter is handmade by skilled Amish craftsman of the highest quality leather. Triple stitched 1" nose and cheek pieces. Adjustable chin strap, rolled throat piece, convenient snap at throat for easy on and a 1" double buckle crown.
What Eventers Say: "This is a very nice quality halter. I know that it will last a long time and looks great on my chestnut gelding. Can't believe how fast it came, even though it was customized!" – clm257
#3 SmartPak Cool-Tech Show Shirt
What We Say: Made from moisture-wicking performance fabric, this sporty technical shirt will take you from schooling to showing in comfort and style. Complete with a stand-up collar, hidden snap closures and a stock tie loop.
What Eventers Say: "This shirt is perfect for summer eventing! It breaths amazingly and is very easy to keep clean."
– Bluelightspecial
#4 SmartPak Breathable Dressage Girth
What We Say: The SmartPak Breathable Dressage Girth is cushioned and contoured for comfort. The synthetic material offers a non-slip, secure hold. The PVC waffle-weave allows air-flow for your horse and convenient, easy care for you! Double ply elastics on both ends of girth, nylon reinforcements and stainless steel roller buckles.
What Eventers Say: "I have only used this girth a few times so it is hard to rate its durability yet. The material appears to be strong. It seems very breathable and I really like that I can just hose it off after using it. A good value." – eventer14
#5 SmartPak Lined Stirrup Leathers
What We Say: SmartPak Lined Stirrup Leathers are lined with Nylon to prevent stretching. Covered with soft leather, requires no break in time! The SmartPak Lined Stirrup Leathers measure 7/8″ wide. Holes spaced .75″ apart. Stainless steel roller buckle.
What Eventers Say: "Just purchased these stirrup leathers because I couldn't afford another pair of Bates leathers. LOVE the value for the dollar – these are the nicest stirrup leathers you can find at this price point. Very soft leather and strong nylon lining…" – Sirensong4
#6 SmartPak Medium Diamond AP Saddle Pad
What We Say: We thought about what we want, as riders, when we're shopping for saddle pads. Then we brought it to life. Outstanding quality, classic styles and unbeatable prices. A great schooling pad at an unbeatable price. Breathable poly/cotton blend with plenty of cushion to keep your horse cool and comfortable. 22″ spine x 20″ drop.
What Eventers Say: "I purchased this saddle pad at the last minute for a schooling show, and was happy with it. It's a great value for the price, and since I won't be schooling in it, durability wasn't really an issue. It does look like it will hold up well, though. Great buy!" – CobJockey
#7 Bradley Full Seat Breeches by SmartPak
What We Say: Our exclusive Bradley Full Seat Breeches have a traditional look with some great extras. Comfortable 82% Nylon, 12% Coolmax, 6% Lycra wicks moisture away from your skin to keep you nice and cool on those warm days, with all the flexibility you need in the saddle. No velcro at the ankles – just soft, comfortable moisture-wicking fabric! Added details include floral pattern inside the waistband (coordinating with the color of the breeches) and hanging SmartPak horse medallion. Synthetic seat.. Sizes 24-36 have a low rise, and 38-46 have a mid rise. Imported.
What Eventers Say: "They look nice, fit great and feel awesome. These are my new favorite breeches!"
– elizabethanne
#8 Tredstep da Vinci Field Boot
What We Say: Tredstep presents the "rebirth" of beautiful classically designed boots reinterpreted to offer the rider unparalleled performance, comfort, and fit. Incorporating the first ever design of a top class boot which flexes with the rider, enhancing the effectiveness and comfort of the riding experience. This innovation is enveloped in exquisite leather and beautiful lines offering unsurpassed sophisticated luxury.
What Eventers Say: "We tried several boots to find the "right" pair. We went up as high as Ariat Monacos and Sergios which were both nearly $1,000. These are the nicest boots of the bunch for half the price. The leather is soft right out of the box and the construction is nicely detailed. A very high quality pair of boots." – IndianaShowDad
#9 SmartFlex® III Resilience Pellets
What We Say: For joint support, SmartFlex III Resilience Pellets provide 10,000 mg of Glucosamine, 1,000 mg of Chondroitin Sulfate, 100 mg of Hyaluronic Acid, 10,000 mg of MSM and 5,000 mg of Vitamin C. For helping maintain healthy, resilient tendons and ligaments, this formula also includes 500 mg of bioavailable Silica, 1,000 mg of Hydrolyzed Collagen and 400 mg of Grape Seed Extract. An excellent choice to help keep competitive horses at the top of their game.
What Eventers Say: "My horse is a killer eventer with not so killer confirmation. I love this product for what extra it gives my horse…You can see the difference and even feel it just within a short while of starting the supplement. Highly recommend!" – SJean
#10 Bully Sticks
What We Say: Unlike some chews which can be consumed quickly, these chews endure for long lasting enjoyment. All-natural chews are made of steer muscles that are lightly smoked and roasted in their natural juices. They become chewy when wet and help clean your dog's teeth. No additives or preservatives.
What Eventers Say: "My new Blue Heeler loves to chew.
I had to find something other than my shoe. I ordered a bully stick. It arrived very quick. She wishes I had ordered more than two!"
– Eventer723


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HUNTINGTON - Bruno A. Ganino, age 57, passed away peacefully Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008, surrrounded by his loving family at the University of Utah hospital in Salt Lake City following a long battle with lung disease.
He was born in Pittsfield, Mass., on April 28, 1951 to Rosario and Edna Jean (Millius) Ganino.
Bruno was honorably discharged after serving four years in the U.S. Navy and was a Vietnam veteran.
Bruno made his home and raised his family in Huntington, where he retired after 30 years in the coal industry.
His passion in life was loving his family.
He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, Kathy; children Steven, Kelli and Angie, all of Huntington; brothers and sisters, Rosario Ganino, Rawlings, Wyo.; Tony (Norma) Ganino, Moab; Maria (Joe) West, Moab, Utah, Joey Ganino, Round Mountain, Nev., Danny (Eileen) Ganino, Moab, Susan (Ervin) Feichko, Huntington; Blondie Ganino, Moab ; and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, uncles and aunts.
A viewing will be Friday, Nov. 7, at 11:30 a.m. at the Huntington LDS Stake Center. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. at the Huntington City Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell's Funeral Home of Price.


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Challenge: Introduce yourself to Ruby on Rails by creating a simple web application.
Rails is a framework for the Ruby programming language and is focused on MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture for programming. After spending a few months learning and playing with Rails, and then returning to do some C++ programming, I realized how much Rails had affected me. My code was clearer and much more organized. I think we can all benefit by just introducing ourselves to Ruby on Rails. I challenge you to try out Rails and write a simple web application. (maybe use the Twitter API that you looked at in a previous challenge)
- Create a small personal blog (very easy in Rails)
- Create a number guessing game (always fun for learning a new language)
- Create a web application that sends you an email (or anyone who enters an email address)
- Create a user registration/authentication system (little more advanced, but still doable)
One great way to learn Rails is just to start playing with it. Rails tries to take complicated ideas and make them easier with the tools it brings. If you're looking for information or help with your challenge, then I first suggest the Ruby programming forum right here on Dream.In.Code. You can also look at Railscast which has a plethora of screencasts for doing all sorts of cool stuff with Rails. Also, if you plan on doing the blog idea, here's a screencast of how to create one in 15 minutes with Rails. And of course, the Ruby on Rails Documentation.
Getting Rails set up to develop with is fairly easy and only requires downloading one or two things, depending on your OS.
Windows users have InstantRails, which quickly and painlessly gets you going. Here's a simple screencast on setting it up.
Apple ships their latest OS X releases with Ruby set up by default, but may need updating. Try the following commands in a Terminal window:
sudo gem update -system sudo gem install rails
Once you get Ruby on Rails set up, you can create a project with the following command:
rails TestApp
You now have your basic Ruby on Rails application called TestApp set up with folders and everything. Test it out by going into the new TestApp directory and typing:
ruby script/server
This will start an internal web server to host the Rails web application. After it's running, point your browser to localhost:3000 to view the page.
Now let loose and see what Ruby on Rails has to offer you.
Thanks to Skaggles for submitting this challenge.


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G-Money gets life
The 16-year-old who shot Dani Howard, 22, and left her to die on a Gordonsville street in February 2006 was sentenced to life in prison today, the Daily Progress reports. Gary Christopher Johnson, a.k.a. G-Money, was convicted in December of murdering Howard during the course of stealing drugs, money and a gun from his cousin, who was Howard's boyfriend, and fleeing in her minivan.


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Ever wonder how teens in other schools or parts of the country feel about drug abuse? Two teens recently told SBB about their real-life experiences with drugs and high school:
Mila, 16
Think of the two words: weed and cigarettes. What's the first thing that crosses your mind? Maybe it's addiction…but to a lonely teen who feels like an outcast from society, it might be something completely different. Maybe the first thing they think of is fitting in.
In high school there are loads of different cliques, like the manly jocks, the nerds, that group of back-stabbing sassy girls. They're all unique, and so are the stoners. And to a lonely freshman, this is a whole new world, and they may feel left out. Which is probably terrifying, because not fitting in is the worst feeling in the world. Whether it's having no one to eat with at lunch, or not having a partner to do the assignment with in class.
If you take a closer look at the mind of that freshman, the only thing that he's going to be thinking about is having some friends, and how he can fit in with one of those cliques. However, he may not exactly fit anywhere, and now he may be feeling even worse than before. Maybe he'll turn to drugs, not because it's the cool thing to do but because he desperately wants to be part of something, and the stoner group is the easiest one to be a part of! But just because they're easy to be friends with doesn't mean that they are who you should hang with.
As brainless as this may sound, some teens will stop at nothing to be "popular." And this is exactly what happened to one of the kids at my school. He started out innocent and open, but now drugs are the only thing on his mind. He's not the same kid he was, and there's no way I can respect someone who did what he did, no matter how desperate he was. Drugs are never the answer to any of your problems.
Mike, 17
On the last day of the first week of school, my school had a back-to-school dance. Even though this year it seemed like it would be really dumb, some friends and I decided to go. Some other kids we knew decided to go, too, but said they were going to smoke beforehand. That plan seemed way too risky because our school was getting really serious about drugs and threatened to have police at the dance. They decided to do it anyway.
About 10 minutes into the dance, teachers started coming in and looking around, and we saw them pull someone we knew who was in the group that smoked. Then, another one of our friends got pulled out. Eventually, the school contacted all the parents of kids in the group that smoked before the dance.
Although the kids involved were able to avoid any legal charges, they were given a 2-week suspension and forced to go to drug counseling sessions until deemed ready to stop by their respective counselors. The ones on football were also kicked off the team for the season and had to apologize to their coaches. Two of them are still in trouble with their parents and lost their trust because of it. In the end, I really don't think the consequences were worth the 10 minutes they were able to have fun at the dance.
So maybe think about their situation and how it ended up for them the next time you want to do what they did.
Has anyone seen the BBC Horizon documentry Cannabis: The Evil Weed? It spends a lot of time with resaerchers in the UK who are looking into the effects of Cannabis on various age groups and the results were quite interesting. Apparently childeren under 15 are far more likely to suffer severe long term problems but I was amazed to find that the older strains of the plant actualy produces an anti psychotic chemical called Cannabidiol. So you could end up taking Cannabis based medicines to treat the mental health issues caused by smoking too much Cannabis. Talk about ironic. [commercial link removed, per guidelines]
@Mark Yes, the British Journal of Psychiatry published a study in 2008 suggesting that Cannabidiol acts as an anti-psychotic in possibly counteracting the potential effects of THC on individuals with mild symptoms of schizophrenia, or a preexisting tendency to it.
I was a teenager who abused drugs. Not just cannabis, as in this post, but many drugs. A lot of people believed I was doing it in an act of rebel, a way to say '[expletive deleted] you' to my life and society. In some regards it probably was but a bit part of it was I was battling some major inner demons, as this case with a lot of kids.
When you're growing up and you're falling into a chaotic pit of mental health issues, you can often feel alone. You definitely feel like an outcast. You feel like you're the only person in the world who's going through this. "Why me God?" is a common question. Drugs, such as cocaine, induce a sense of euphoria and they allowed me, and probably many others, to forget just for a couple of hours, just to get away. It was bliss.
I am not supporting drug abuse. Drug abuse did more damage to my life than I could possibly imagine. For one, I didn't go to college nor did I finish high school but that might not have happened anyway on account of being hospitalized numerous times over the course of them years.
My point, however, is to make it clear here that drug abuse is often never just the problem itself. It's a nasty side effect and, regardless of a suspension or kicking them off the football team, a teenager going through serious issues will never stop. If you want them to stop, get to the root of the issue. Don't get me started on how wrong it actually is to knock children off their favourite extra-curricular activities because of this. This will do more damage than good.
So yeah, this is my view from a reformed drug addict who is now the lead technical director of a marketing company. I think my opinion counts.
I've just shared something I haven't shared in a good few years.
[commercial link removed, per guidelines]
This story is encouraging. I will try to deliver these to the students in my district. Thanks.
good information provided by this post [commercial link removed, per guidelines]
I remember when I was a kid, I did all this and other crazy stuff.
Thank Goodnesss one of my best friends took me out of this and helped me.
Nowadays, I am happily married and do a full time marketing.
I think a majority of the New York City High Schools need to post something like this in their hallways. I went to a high school where a majority of the students smoked weed and drank alcohol during breaks in front of the school and nothing was done! NYPD would never do anything unless someone complained which was once in a while. Things like this result in low grades and poor school conditions.
Please read an article I post on my blog discussing the poor schools in New York City:
[link removed, per guidelines]
My friends bf does this, and she thought abiut it until I tild her if she did I woould call the police. She din't believe but didn't do it anyway. I was dead seroius. I rather she hate me then end up dead in a well 3 months later. Later in her life she will thank me i hope.


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About Me
Blogs I Follow
Recent Posts
Read me by the day!
Expat Blog
Blog Expat
Some stories just need to be told: healing and wholeness in everyday life
A dog and cat in clothing. Puns. Travel. Bacon. Not necessarily in that order.
A Girl, a Guy and Dos Gatos Living in Panama
Photography, fiction, humor, opinions, and whatever else I feel like posting
Spreading the dirt, which I live close to
Yousuf Bawany's Blog
Explore What's Possible
A silver haired lady traveling solo on two wheels
The Art and Craft of Blogging
Musings of an old guy
The Thoughts And Travels Of A Geezer On A Harley ……………………………………... Looking at the World Through Teenage Eyes, But With The Cunning, Guile and Wisdom That Comes With Age!
Explore ideas worth spreading
My little corner of Panama
"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today."-James Dean
Blog about our adventures as world travelers and expats living in Colombia.
We're retired US expats with a yen for new horizons traveling since 2012 and currently based in Portugal.
Travels Inward and Out
Weight Watchers Recipes, Healthy Recipe Blog, Low Fat Recipes
To Turkey & back; adventures in life, romance, heartbreak & seeing the funny
Practical Tips for Productive Living
Discovering Beauty in the small details of our lives
This WordPress.com site is about our life and experiences after retiring in San Clemente Ecuador
I love going new places, sharing, and encouraging others to travel!
An Artist's Eyes Never Rest
Becky says things about things and other things
Living On A Small Boat
And everyone says, "You're Moving Again??"
This blog is our way of taking you all with us on our awesome adventure! Come on! Let's go!
in the Dominican Republic
Kris's blog, about retirement in Panama, and other various adventures


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The SURFACE Case with kickstand by Seidio is the perfect iPhone 6 hard case; combining a super-slim design, protective outer shell and a magnetic kickstand for convenient viewing.
The exterior of the iPhone 6 SURFACE Case features a custom soft coating that provides additional grip to help prevent accidental drops. The interior also has a soft padding that ensures the back of your device stays safe from rubbing.
Notably the most unique feature of this iPhone 6 hard case is the magnetic kickstand on the back. This retractable stand comes in handy when watching movies, slideshows or displaying your calendar or clock in a landscape position. When you're done using the kickstand, it simply snaps back into the SURFACE Case, retaining its sleek form.
In addition to its low-profile design, the SURFACE Case provides access to the screen, camera, ports and buttons; making it a sure solution for anyone shopping for a casual and convenient iPhone 6 hard case.
- Sleek design
- Magnetic kickstand for landscape viewing
- Unique slide-together design
- Access to screen, camera, ports and buttons
- Soft exterior for added grip
- Soft padded interior prevents rubbing
Please Note: Product images, including color, may differ from actual product appearance.
Works with: iPhone 6