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Power broking
The use of the Core i3 processor also helps to eke out pretty good battery life. The Envy 4 managed a robust 3hrs and 20mins with the PowerMark 11 benchmark software, and hit a full five hours when using Wi-Fi to stream the Beeb's recent Shakespeare marathon on the iPlayer. You'll probably get close to a full day's work out of it if you're just doing a bit of casual web browsing or running an Office suite of apps.
Slim enough for Ultrabook standards
Build quality is quite good too, even if the Envy 4 lacks the Gorilla Glass armour plating of the Spectre. It's plastic all over, but the matt black-and-red casing is solid enough, and looks quite smart and businesslike – although it does pick up finger smudges the moment you touch it.
Like all Ultrabooks, the Envy 4 lacks an optical drive, but it has a large, comfortable keyboard and mouse, and I was pleased to see that it includes Gigabit Ethernet in addition to the 802.11n Wi-Fi. There's also a pair of USB 3 ports, one plain old USB 2, a memory card slot and ports for headphones and microphone.
PCMark 7 Results
Longer bars are better
So far, so shiny – but here's the odd thing. Like the Spectre, the Envy 4 has opted for a 14in screen, rather than the 13in displays found on most Ultrabooks. Now, to be fair, it's a very nice screen – bright and colourful, and the 1366 x 768 resolution worked perfectly well when watching the BBC iPlayer. It's a shame, though, that HP's much-touted Beats Audio speakers sound just as thin and tinny as any other laptop speakers.
However, the 14in screen automatically means that it's less portable than the 13in Ultrabooks that seem to be the norm at the moment. Despite foregoing the Spectre's chunky glass accoutrements (and its 1600 x 900 display) the Envy 4 has the same 1.8kg weight – whereas most 13in Ultrabooks come in at less than 1.5kg. It's virtually the same thickness as the Spectre too at just under 20mm. Yet the Envy 4 is about 13mm wider and deeper than the Spectre, which means that it's really stretching the definition of 'ultraportable' to its limits.
A 14in screen, but alas, not full-HD resolution
This is one of those 'glass half full' situations. If you consider portability to be the be-all and end-all of an Ultrabook then the Envy 4 – like the Spectre – falls short when compared to its slimmer, lighter 13in rivals. On the other hand, it's cheaper than most Ultrabooks, whilst also being a lot lighter than most conventional 15.6in notebooks. So if you're looking for a lightweight, affordable laptop with a decent screen and performance, and impressive battery life then the HP Envy 4 may well satisfy. ®
More Ultrabook Reviews
|HP Envy 14


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Learn more about Adventure Bound Camping Resort Gatlinburg.
Welcome to Adventure Bound Gatlinburg, our family-owned Gatlinburg, Tennessee campground. Camping in the Smokies has never been more enjoyable than this; a secluded mountain hideaway that is only a short trip from the hustle-bustle of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge attractions, shopping, and restaurants. Here, we like to stretch the traditional idea of a Gatlinburg campground to put our guests in a true resort that will have you coming back, season after season. We know that there is a camping style for everyone and we have made it our goal to cater to your different needs. Whether you choose to swim in our large pool, zoom down our 500-foot waterslide, hike, fish, relax by a campfire, or participate in planned activities and special events, we have something to offer every kind of camper. Our Gatlinburg cabin rentals, RV sites, and tent sites are among the very best Tennessee campgrounds and RV parks. You supply the adventure; let our Gatlinburg Campground take care of the rest.
4609 East Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738

subset: commoncrawl


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CDC Reports On Pediatric Swine Flu Deaths
A new report emphasizes quick treatment for children who get swine flu.
Sept. 4, 2009 -- Juggling three sick children at once can be a handful, but Kristin Davis, 43, handled three children sick with swine flu cases while battling the same virus herself.
Davis, from Phoenix, Ariz., and her family came down with the infection in April, just as public awareness about the disease began to grow.
"My oldest daughter brought it home from her junior high school," Davis said. "It gradually spread through the family... It was scary because this was when we first got news about [swine flu]."
Despite her initial fears about swine flu -- seeing her youngest daughter's school close because of an outbreak of the virus, not knowing very much about the disease -- Davis said the virus only moderately affected her and her children.
"We had all the standard symptoms -- headache, fever, chills," Davis said. "But I've had flus in past winters where I was much sicker... This time, it was just about trying to keep the kids and myself comfortable."
Davis and her family fully recovered from their bout with swine flu, but others have not been so lucky.
A report released Thursday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed children, especially those with chronic medical conditions, can have a severe illness or even die from swine flu.
CDC Report Highlights Children With Chronic Conditions
As of August 8, 36 children under age 18 have died from the H1N1 swine flu virus of 477 total deaths, according to the CDC report. Children younger than 5 years or those with chronic or neurological conditions, including asthma, cardiac problems and cerebral palsy were more likely to be severely affected or die from the infection. Of those children who died, 67 percent did have at least one such condition.
"Most of the children who had fatal H1N1 this past spring had an underlying condition," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, in a press conference yesterday. "There were some children who didn't have an underlying condition and became ill, generally infected also by bacteria."
Frieden added that the data emphasized that certain groups of people, for example, children with special needs or conditions, should be "promptly treated if they develop fever in flu season and are at the front of the line for flu vaccination when it becomes available."
Masks and One-Dose Vaccines Part of New Swine Flu Developments
With increased national attention on the H1N1 virus, the Institute of Medicine released recommendations Thursday that all health care workers wear N95 respirators, which are more protective than standard paper masks, to help prevent contracting swine flu.
"The N95 mask screens out small particles," said Dr. John Bartlett, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution. "These are better protection than the familiar surgical mask and are advocated for health care workers for two reasons: [Workers] are expected to have risk exposure and they can't get sick because that risks influenza in the patients."
But some question the viability of these masks.
"They are uncomfortable over prolonged use and should only be worn one at a time," said Laurie Garrett, senior fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations. "Numerous studies indicate the efficacy of the masks decreases with frequent reuse, and they become smelly and intolerable to the user."
In addition, Garrett pointed out that N95 respirators are no longer manufactured in the U.S. and that importing them from China, India and other Asian countries could prove challenging if those countries feel the masks are essential to their own populations.
One-Dose Vaccine Could Improve Compliance
Meanwhile, a one-dose H1N1 vaccine has emerged from Swiss drug manufacturer Novartis and a domestic variety from China has been publicized as well.
Although the potential efficacy and side effects of these vaccines remains to be determined, experts say the advantages of a one-dose vaccine would be the ability to vaccinate twice the number of people and decrease the time it takes until a patient develops immunity.
"Compliance is a critical factor in vaccine success rates," said Dr. Harley Rotbart, professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Denver. "If we need a single dose for seasonal flu and two doses for H1N1, all within a few weeks of each other, poor compliance is a risk. Hence, a single dose H1N1 vaccine would be a major advantage."
CDC Attempts to Balance Swine Flu Severity
Despite experiencing swine flu first hand, Davis said she does not plan to vaccinate her children or get vaccinated herself against seasonal influenza or the H1N1 virus.
"To me that just seems a little extreme. I worry about side effects from the vaccine," Davis said. "My kids are just perfectly healthy. I'm going to handle [their illnesses] as I would any other flu."
Since Davis's children have no underlying chronic medical conditions, they are at a significantly lower risk for developing complications from swine flu even if the do become infected a second time.
Although the CDC recommends that all those who are eligible receive the seasonal and H1N1 vaccines, Frieden said that most people who get swine flu will not need treatment.
Too Early to Predict Flu Patterns for Fall and Winter
Although the number of deaths due to swine flu has climbed into the hundreds, it is well within the range of the average number of annual influenza-related deaths, which the CDC estimates is about 36,000.
But Frieden said it was unusual for flu cases and deaths to carry over into the summer months the way it has this year. And while the typical population for which influenza is fatal is very old or very young, H1N1 fatalities seem to be occurring across age groups. And they are still unsure as to the relative severity of the H1N1 virus compared to the seasonal influenza virus.
"It is clear that H1N1, at this time, is far less lethal, although quite contagious," said Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.
The CDC has not made predictions about what the impact of the H1N1 virus will be into the fall and winter but they continue to recommend vaccination, hand washing, proper cough and sneeze etiquette, and staying home to recover from illness to prevent infections.
"On the one hand, the majority of people are going to do fine, they don't need testing, don't need treatment," Frieden said about those who do not have underlying conditions that might complicate an H1N1 infection. "That's a complicated message but getting it right is important for helping people stay healthy and for hospitals and ERs to be available to the community and to the people who need the treatment."


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Today I'm serving breakfast for dessert... or is it dessert for breakfast? My play on boiled eggs and soldiers is a sweet combo of boiled vanilla custard and mango puree poured into sterilized egg shells. Like the original savory toast version, the shortbread soldiers are used for dipping into the faux yolk.
Morning coffee has been made extra sweet in the form of a lollipop. It can be enjoyed as is or you can use it in a brewed cup to stir in strength and sweetness.
|Come on t'my house. I'm gonna give you caaaandy. For breakfast.
The custard eggs make a nice special occasion dessert, and they'd be really cute for the Easter table. The original idea for these eggshell desserts was found at The British Larder (they use panna cotta), but it appears that Martha Stewart has a version too!
The coffee lollipops will probably be made bi-monthly at our house. Like-minded coffee fiends, you must give them a try!
8 Jumbo Eggs or 10 Large eggs
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place a cooling rack over a baking tray.
Crack the eggs by tapping them with a spoon on the most pointed end. Don't even think about trying to crack them on the sides - I tried repeatedly -this does not work. Once egg tip is cracked, pinch away just enough of the egg shell top for the egg white and yolk to pour out. Reserve 2 eggs for custard and save the rest of the eggs for other use. Wash the shells in warm water. Rub your finger on the inside to remove any bits of the membrane.
Place the cleaned egg shells onto the cooling rack and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let the sterilized egg shells cool completely before you fill them with the custard.
Make the custard:
1 cup milk -can use heavy cream for richer custard
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Note: Have your eggshells ready. Place them in an egg carton standing upright.
In a small saucepan whisk together milk and sugar and place over medium heat. Heat until milk is very hot but not boiling. Remove from heat. Gradually pour in eggs, whisking constantly and taking care to temper the mixture slowly (you don't want scrambled eggs in your custard). Return to heat and whisk constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Pour the custard into the eggshells and refrigerate until firm. Meanwhile...
Prepare the mango "yolk":


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Ask many people what they think homeopathy is and you'll be told "it's herbal medicine" or "it's all-natural". Actually, it is neither of these.
Few people realise that homeopathy involves diluting substances so much that there's literally nothing left in them.
Homeopathy is an absurd pseudoscience, which survives today as a "complementary" or "alternative" medicine, despite there being no reliable scientific evidence that it works.
The 10:23 Campaign aims to raise awareness about the reality of homeopathy. This site will tell you how we know there is nothing in it, why the claims made by homeopaths are impossible, and why you should care.
The campaign is organised by the Merseyside Skeptics Society, a non-profit organisation for the promotion of scientific skepticism. More information about Merseyside Skeptics is available on their website.
If there is nothing in it, it can't do any harm, right? Wrong! Journalist and science writer Simon Singh MBE explains how homeopathy harms.
Boiron, the French manufacturer of many homeopathic products, is facing a $30m class action law suit in Canada. The suit alleges sales of Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic product marketed for flu-like symptoms, violate consumer protection laws.
We here at the 10:23 Campaign will be following the law suit with interest.
Not everyone uses the internet, so if you can't send them a link, download and print our flyer. Give it to family, friends - whoever you think may be interested. We're sure you will come up with some more creative uses too!


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Interpretation of the Bible
- Details
To understand the Bible adequately as the Word of God, we must coordinate all of the concerns that continue to be fruitful about the words that were written, how our own claims to know the truth can be supported or not, God's acts in history and the centrality of Jesus Christ.
This is the conclusion of Carl Trueman (Associate Professor of Church History and Historical Theology, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia PA, USA) in a short paper titled, "The status of Scripture in Theology since the Enlightenment: the rise of biblical criticism."
The paper is available in PDF (Portable Document Format) through Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software) by clicking here


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Of all the aspects of libary automation that I follow, I can think of none more important than the efforts underway to create new library interfaces to supplement or replace the OPACs that have been much reviled of late.
One of my major writing projects his year was the July / August 2007 issue of Library Technology Reports on "Next Generation Library Catalogs." In this 40-page report, I attempt to present a general picture of this emerging genre of products that aim to provide libraries with better tools for delivering their content and services to their users. These new products have a lot in common such as relevancy ranked results, faceted navigation, and improved visual appeal. More importantly, many of them expand the scope of search to include content outside of the ILS and are beginning to incorporate features to more seamlessly deliver content to library users.
A description of this LTR issue is available at ALA TechSource with information on how to get a copy.
The report covers the major products available commercially, including AquaBrowser Library created by Medialab Solutions and marketed by The Library Corporation, Encore from Innovative Interfaces, Primo from Ex Libris, catalogs based on Endeca search products, and WorldCat Local. I also describe how The LibraryThing for Libraries brings in tagging features in to an existing library catalog. A few of the ILS online catalogs include some of the features associated with next-gen catalogs, including Polaris, Evergreen, and Koha.
At the time that I was doing the research for this issue, neither Encore or Primo were in general release. These chapters were based on preview versions. To be sure that I wasn't writing about vaporware, I was careful to base my observations on live, fully-populated systems running in libraries.
I fully expect more options to emerge over time beyond those covered in this LTR issue. I wasn't able able to include VUfind, a next-generation interface developed by Villanova University, since it was not available before the issue went to press.
The treatment of each of the products wasn't meant to be a detailed critical review, but rather a descriptive presentation of their general features and capabilities. I hope to spark the interest of readers and show that there are options available now that libraries can implement to give their users a much better way to access library content and services than was possible with the previous generation of OPACs.
Sarah Houghton-Jan offers some kind words about the report on her LibrarianInBlack blog.
Michael Stephens mentions the report, along with a photo, on Tame The Web.
This marks the sixth issue that I've written for Library Technology Reports. Other topics I've covered include Web Services and the Service-Oriented Architecture (May/June 2006), Wireless Networks in Libraries (September / October 2005), Integrated library software: a guide to multiuser, multifunction systems (February 2004), Strategies for Measuring and Implementing E-Use (May / June 2002), and Security Strategies for Library Networks (Spring 2001).
Marshall Breeding Sep 14, 2007 14:34:11
Link to Posting: Next Generation Library Catalogs


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Choose Hindu Boys Names from our unique and huge collection of Hindu Baby Names. Our categorized list of baby names helps you to find the delightful name for your baby boy. Also find Hindu Baby Boys Names by rashi, alphabets and other categories from our easy filtering option.
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Mom Season 7 Episode 15 () - Watch Online
Mom is an American situation comedy that premiered on September 23, 2013 on CBS. The series was created by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky, and Gemma Baker and directed by Pamela Fryman with Eddie Gorodetsky and Gemma Baker serving as screenwriters for Warner Bros. Television.
Mom Season 7 Episode 15 () Links
Do not miss the latest episodes of all the hottest TV shows you enjoy watching. They are waiting for you here at Watchseriestv.tv. You can watch the episodes that have been updated the most recently, but you can also go back to some older episodes that you missed or want to see again. There is a grand collection of popular TV shows and all their seasons are included, with all the episodes they contain that are neatly arranged so you can find everything you want to see with a lot of ease.


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Sunday, September 20, 2009
Punching the Clock
Well, it's been a quiet week in Spring, Texas, my home town, out on the edge of the Megalopolis.
Mother Nature cannot decide if she will show us some mercy and allow fall to begin, or whether she intends to strangle us like a woman scorned -- which I assume you have heard has furies of which hell hath never conceived.
The other day, I literally experienced July and October all in the same run. A mass of cooler air had entered the Megalopolis, and I thought I was in for a pleasant, pre-dawn run. But out on the bayou, pockets of stale, stagnant July still festered in the thickets and oozed up from the fetid water. One minute, you'd feel a fresh breath of football weather, and the next you ran into a movable sauna that tries to strangle you.
Whatever Mother Nature decides to do, I'm laying odds she switches course a dozen times, because changing the mind is a woman's prerogative.
But training waits for no man--or woman. The show must go on. Punch the clock and get it done.
This week was pretty solid. The speed and pace were nothing to write home about, but the time-in-saddle and overall volume is getting solid enough that I feel like there's an Ironman afoot.
This week involved 17 hours 15 minutes of total training. Involved in that was an 89 mile long bike with a 15 minute run off, an 11 mile long run, and 10 thousand meters of swimming.
Oh, and there was the small matter of a court appearance and about 50+ hours of "day job" to do.
Nothing to exceed what every age grouper out there does, but solid nonetheless.
Speaking of day job, tomorrow I have to report for jury duty--me with my suit and bow tie and "board certified appellate lawyer" persona. Yeah, I'm really popular with lawyers. I've been struck every time.
And that's the News from Spring, Texas, where all the schools are exemplary, all the food is fast, and all the commutes are below average.
4 comments:
- Tammy said...
"furies of which hell hath never conceived". LOVE it! You are a brilliant writer, my friend. Nice work on the training as well. Wish I could report the same, but the leg is cooperating, and will be good to go on Nov. 22nd.
- SWTrigal said...
Them are some great mile totals Kendall!!
- Nat said...
I read your blog from time to time. I love the Garrison Keillor line....so great!
- CoachLiz said...
You should have been in South Dakota with me for the cooler temps.
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Rally support and advocacy for a family member or friend who has a disease, illness or a cancer diagnosis with our colorful I Wear A Ribbon For My Hero t-shirts and apparel collection. Our line features bright, beautiful ribbons with butterfly art to represent an array of awareness colors for AIDS, ALS, Autism, Brain Cancer, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Childhood Cancer, Colon Cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Fibromyalgia, Heart Disease, Leukemia, Lung Cancer, Lymphoma, Ovarian Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Prostate Cancer and more. Our designs are featured on t-shirts, raglans, hoodies, buttons, binders, stickers, bags, hats and other unique gifts. Awareness ribbons are ideal to wear to show your support to a person who needs encouragement during a difficult journey and for advocacy purposes. Visit Giftsforawareness.com for an assortment of striking awareness apparel designed to get you noticed. Here's a preview of our I Wear A Ribbon For My Hero designs on products.
I Wear a Ribbon For My HERO ALS by Giftsforawareness.com
Filed under: I Wear A Ribbon For My Hero | Tagged: AIDS gifts, AIDS shirts, ALS awareness, ALS gifts, ALS shirts, Autism Awareness, autism gifts, autism shirts, Brain Cancer Awareness, brain cancer gifts, brain cancer shirts, Breast Cancer Awareness, breast cancer gifts, breast cancer shirts, butterfly ribbon, cancer butterfly art ribbon, cancer butterfly ribbon, Cervical Cancer Awareness, Cervical Cancer gifts, cervical cancer shirts, childhood cancer awareness, childhood cancer gifts, childhood cancer shirts, Colon Cancer Awareness, colon cancer gifts, colon cancer shirts, Esophageal Cancer awareness, Esophageal Cancer gifts, esophageal cancer shirts, Fibromyalgia awareness, Fibromyalgia gifts, Fibromyalgia shirts, Heart Disease Awareness, heart disease gifts, heart disease shirts, I Wear A Ribbon For My Hero, Leukemia awareness, Leukemia gifts, leukemia shirts, Lung Cancer Awareness, Lung Cancer gifts, lung cancer shirts, Lymphoma awareness, Lymphoma gifts, Lymphoma shirts, Ovarian Cancer Awareness, ovarian cancer gifts, ovarian cancer shirts, Prostate Cancer awareness, Prostate Cancer gifts, prostate cancer shirts | Leave a comment »


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Family House Diaries: A Thanksgiving to Remember
A double-lung transplant gives a Lincoln County, N.C., woman a second chance at life, allowing her to witness the birth of her first granddaughter, attend her son's wedding and meet the lung donor's family to thank them face-to-face for their selfless generosity.
Media contact: Stephanie Crayton, (919) 951-4758, email@example.com
Monday, Nov. 22, 2010
Written by Elizabeth Swaringen for UNC Health Care
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A double-lung transplant in March gave Mary Scercy of Denver, N.C., a second chance at life, allowing her to witness the September birth of her first granddaughter and her son's October wedding.
And, in early November, Mary, 52, and husband Ted, 59, met the lung donor's family to thank them for their selfless generosity.
"With 12 percent lung capacity, Mary had no hope in January, and we prayed that donor lungs would become available in time," Ted said. "When the call came, we prayed for the donor's family, knowing they were grieving the loss of their loved one.
"We prayed for God to guide the transplant team's work, and we prayed we would know the right things to say when we met the donor's family. All those prayers were answered. Now, we can't offer enough prayers of thanksgiving."
"We fully rely on God," said Mary. "Always have. Always will."
A smoker for 26 years, Mary had kicked the habit 12 years ago, but the damage was done. Emphysema and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) rendered her disabled although she still managed to substitute teach at East Lincoln High School.
Lung volume reduction surgery in June 2009 bought time.
"Basically, we cut out the bad parts of the lungs to get the better parts to work better," said Benjamin E. Haithcock, MD, assistant professor of surgery at the UNC School of Medicine and lead lung transplant surgeon at the UNC Comprehensive Transplant Center, where 15 to 20 lung transplants are performed annually. "The surgery removed about 25 percent of each lung, and Mary's breathing improved for about six months."
On Jan. 20 – the eve of daughter Kimberlea's birthday – Mary was added to the transplant list where the sickest patients advance to the top. On March 5, the call came.
During an eight-hour surgery, Mary received near-perfect lungs from Gerry Reid, Jr., a 43-year-old software engineer from Raleigh who had sustained fatal injuries in a horrific traffic accident.
Gerry was a son, brother, husband, father of two, and a self-described health nut who'd never met a stranger. By being an organ, tissue and cornea donor, Gerry saved four lives besides Mary's, gave sight to two people and improved 200 other lives.
On March 23, Mary was released to SECU Family House, a 40-bedroom hospital hospitality house minutes from UNC Hospitals that provides comfortable, convenient and affordable housing for seriously ill adult patients and their family member caregivers. Mary returned home to Denver on May 26.
"Family House is beyond anything we could have dreamed of," Ted said. "Sometimes I was so scared and lonely as I left the hospital to come to the house to rest, and someone was always willing to talk with me. We came to know and love the staff and other guests like family. We can say the same about everyone on Mary's team at UNC Hospitals."
On Nov. 5 at SECU Family House – the place of so much respite, hospitality and support – Ted and Mary met Gerry's wife, Mandy, and Gerry's extended family. Over two hours and through many tears, they shared stories of family and faith that will unite them for the rest of their days.
According to Carolina Donor Services, such meetings are rare, but the Scercys and Reids reached out, knowing in their hearts the much-needed healing that could come from their life-changing meeting.
Mary's transplant team attended the reunion, too. "It's difficult to find the words to describe the meeting," said Dr. Haithcock. "What a gift to be able to meet and personally thank a family for an organ donation. It's almost surreal, and it's certainly been an amazing and unique experience for me."
The Scercys pledged to take good care of Gerry's lungs. After all, they were pristine and genetically blessed: Gerry's grandparents lived into their 90s and early 100s.
"We know that following post-transplant instructions is crucial," said Ted, a driver for Estes Express Lines and an advocate for organ donation.
"When he's on the road he's always calling to check in and to make sure I'm taking my medicine," said Mary, offering proof diligence delivers. Her daily medication regimen is 37 pills, from a high of 57, and on Nov. 5 she was cleared for three-month follow-ups rather than once-a-month visits.
As the reunion wound down, Gerry's father, Gerry Sr., asked Ted to offer a prayer of thanksgiving as the families joined hands.
Immediately after the "Amen" Mandy asked Mary what she thought might be an odd request: "Can I listen to your lungs?"
"Of course," said Mary, as Mandy readied the stethoscope she'd brought just in case.
What did she hear?
"Gerry smiling. Life. Breath. Answered prayers," said Mandy.
And what did she see?
A tattoo of a frog across Mary's sacrum: Fully Rely On God.
To learn about becoming an organ donor, contact Carolina Donor Services, the federally designated organ procurement organization serving 6.1 million people in 79 counties in North Carolina and Danville, Va. See www.carolinadonorservices.org or call 919-489-8404.


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My mum's birthday is in August and she is visiting this weekend. I knew when Nathalie swapped me this butterfly fabric a while ago that my mum would love it....I just had to decide what to make with it. Charlotte who blogs over at Displacement Activity has a great tutorial to make a tea bag wallet, very easy and quick to make, but looks very impressive. Well I think so anyway.
This week there has also been some Bramble and Apple jelly making....after picking 3kg on a long walk. Last year I didn't make any until late September, so this is much earlier, but the berries weren't as juicy. I even squeezed the bag to get more juice, as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall suggested, but still not as much as last year.
The first lot of fabric has turned up from Sarah, from the HipBee and so now I have to put my thinking head on and make sure I don't mess up on my first month in the Bee.


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Bradfield Senior College
My artworks are an exploration, stripping away personal control, allowing art to create itself. I draw on ideas of chaos theory and the butterfly effect, where one small intervention can have a great impact in a dynamical system. I, the artist, control where I lay the ink but let it take its own path down the paper, allowing it to have freedom to fall of its own accord, then expose it to wind and rain. The artworks may look freely chaotic and abstract but on closer inspection reveal the beauty and infinite patterns that appear throughout nature and the universe.


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Story highlights
- Florida woman makes donation to school district
- Money will go to pay for deputies to patrol elementary school
- Move follows mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut
A Florida mother concerned about safety has donated more than $11,000 so that armed deputies can patrol the elementary school where her child attends, Flagler County Public Schools said Tuesday.
Laura Lauria made the decision to donate the money to the school district after the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 young students were gunned down, said Principal Nancy Willis of Old Kings Elementary School.
Lauria did not want to be interviewed, Willis said, and she could not be immediately reached by CNN.
"I spoke to her this morning and she may release a statement later today," Willis said. "We were very pleased because of the safety of our children and employees."
The money will help pay for a "rotation of deputies" to patrol the perimeter and hallways of the elementary school through the end of the school year. The program began about a week ago, Willis said.
The school, about 20 miles north of Daytona Beach, has 1,165 students.
The Flagler County school board is looking into "having deputies at all five of [its] elementary schools," Superintendent Janet Valentine told CNN. A plan to have deputies in all schools will be presented to the school board in February, she said.
"There's been some indication from the sheriff that they could assist with the cost," Valentine said.
The district, which has 10 schools, already employs armed guards at its middle schools and high schools, according to Valentine.
"In the meantime, when we have a generous donation like this, I don't think we can refuse that," Valentine said of Lauria's offer to pay the $32 per hour it will cost to keep a deputy at the campus.
Old Kings Elementary briefly "paid for a deputy on campus a few days before Christmas because of what happened in Newtown," Willis said, but this is the first time the school has had a full-time armed sheriff's deputy on patrol.
"The children are not drawing the connection between Newtown and the guard being here, but that's why he's here," according to Willis. "The children have not responded being upset or hyper about it at all."
The school says the decision to put the guard on campus was supported by a committee comprised of parents, teachers and community leaders.
"Everyone has been very receptive," Willis said.
An e-mail requesting comment from the district parental involvement committee was not immediately returned Tuesday.
"I'm really surprised by the attention we're getting because of this. There's never been a reason for concern for safety at our school," Willis said.


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|Required Documentation
Any motor vehicle owned by the state, United States government, or any political subdivision.
|Government registration
Any motor vehicle owned and used for personal or official purposes by an accredited consular or diplomatic officers of foreign governments or their family members and employees who are nationals of the state by which they are appointed and are not citizens of the United States.
|Diplomatic ID
Any motor vehicle normally garaged, stored, or parked in the city or on a United States military base within the geographic boundaries of the city and is registered in this state or any other jurisdiction, and whose sole owner is on full-time active duty in the military service absent from his state of residence or domicile (not a resident or domicile of Virginia).
|State registration, proof of domicile (LES), and photo ID
|Daily Rental
|Any vehicle used as a daily rental passenger vehicle.
|State registration showing registration as a daily rental vehicle


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Title: The Clinic
Jack Smith - 20yo male student
Nurse Vickie Druthers - 21 yo female Regression Therapist
Scene: Walking home from a night class at school
Jack was on his way home from class that day. he was about 5'8", with shoulder length black hair, and fairly thin. He wore a pair of jeans, tennis shoes, a black tee shirt, and his book bag as he walked down the street that late summer evening.
Suddenly, without any sound or warning, 2 very large women in black step out of the bushes next to Jack. He gasps in surprise and no small measure of fear as one of them grabs him in a very powerful grip and the other points a can of something in his face. A huge cloud of white vapor suddenly surrounds his head ... he inhales sharply in a reflex action. His head immediately becomes clouded and begins to buzz like a hive of bees. He is being carried off some where. His very last dim memory ... is being put into the back of a vehicle and his thumb in his mouth ... then ... darkness.
Out cold, Jack is barely aware of the giggles as he's put into the van and set on someone's lap. Weak, he murmurs as his thumb is forced into his mouth and the van drives off. The van drove for a long time before it turned off of the interstate onto a very rural highway. The few lights at the exit gave way to ebony darkness pierced only by the lone headlights of the van and the sparkling of the stars in the sky.
It drove for a long stretch before turning off onto long winding drive that lead up to an Iron gate. The van stopped at the gate and a large woman in a uniform came from the small shack to the window. She checked the 2 Women in front and looked at the one in the rear holding Jack in her lap.
The woman said with a sneer, "I see you're about to recycle another piece of trash."
All the women giggle as the driver says, "Yes, in a few days, this will be a most adorable little baby."
The Woman in the uniform walks back to the shack ... the gate slides quickly open. The van proceeds to a very large and ornate mansion type house. It parks in front. Whimpering as he hears more voices and giggles, Jack squirms a bit, trying to remove his thumb and fight against the drowsiness as the van parks.
Jack sort of feels himself being carried some where. It's a strange feeling ... it's almost like he is in someone's arms and his head is on their shoulder. He gets the vague feeling that he is sucking his thumb. He can hear female voices talking and giggling all around him, but he can't understand what they are saying. He squirms some as he's being held and carried by the woman into the facility. He is far too weak and drowsy to resist, and they know it.
He can barely think straight. His muscles don't respond well, and though he can see, everything is blurred. he almost feels nauseous. Jack feels a very cold and hard surface on his back. He has the strangest sensation he is being undressed. There is something else going on ... he feels really strange sensations all over his skin. He feels several very sharp pricks too, like he's getting injections. He is mostly too groggy to resist as he is turned over onto his tummy, he feels something pushing deeply into his bottom several times, then he is turned back on his back. His bottom feels so warm and wet as he drifts off into a soft darkness where he experiences a dream of being a baby in a crib ... all diapered and smelling sweetly of baby powder.
When he finally wakes up, he is lying on a cold metal floor in a room full of mirrors. He can hear a soft cooing voice he can't quite understand and a very pleasant and soothing music playing. Confused, he looks around, realizing he's wearing only a diaper.
Panicking, he begins yelling. "Hello?! Where am I?! Let me out!"
There are no sounds except for Jack's voice and the soft pleasant sounds there when he awoke. He realizes he is wearing a very cute pair of soft pink panties with large white ruffles and booties ... but nothing else. He pulls open the waist band of the panties and sees he is in a very thick diaper that is locked on with locking diaper pins.
During this time, none answered him. After a few minutes, he quickly got tired of yelling, and began looking for a way out. It didn't take long, however, before he felt the urge to use the bathroom.
So, he banged on the mirrored wall. "Hello? I need to use the bathroom, please! It's an emergency!"
The pressure builds. He is desperate now, so he yells louder. "PLEASE! I have to go really bad!"
He's running out of time and fast. He attempts to undo the diaper pins. What ever and however they are locked, they refuse to open regardless of how hard he tries to open them. He bangs on the mirrored wall even harder, trying to get someone's attention.
Again he yells. "What're you doing to me, please, answer!"
There is an audible click ... a stern female voice replies, "You are being regressed in to a baby again. You will be an adorable little girl named Jackie. If you just relax and allow it to happen, there will be a lot less trauma. You have no choice in this ... you have been chosen."
He blinks in total shock ... A baby again? What kind of sick joke is this?
Again he bangs on the unyielding mirrored wall. "You can't do this to me! I need to use the bathroom, bad, please! Someone take me to the bathroom!"
One of the mirrors slide open and in walks a very pretty young woman dressed in a nurse's outfit.
She says softly, "You're a baby now, babies don't use the bathroom, they go potty. If you just allow it to happen, it will be a lot less stressful for baby."
Seeing the nurse walk in, Jack gasped. He had to use the bathroom, and frankly he almost didn't care. "Whatever, please hurry!"
She giggles as she says softly, "Baby can call me Nana. My name's Vickie. Why don't you be a good girl and just potty in your diaper like you're supposed to? You will very soon anyway and it won't matter."
He shook his head, dancing a bit back and forth from foot to foot. "No, I want to use the toilet! Please Vickie?!"
Vickie walks over to one of the mirrors and presses against it. Out slides a very cute little potty seat. She turns and says softly, "As baby wises. You can use this for now, but I am going to take your potty training so it would be better for you to use your diaper properly instead of trying to postpone it."
Jack stares at the potty, incredulous. He can't believe he's about to do this, but he sighs, fumbling to get the diaper off so he can pee. He still is unable to figure out how to open the pins. If Vickie doesn't hurry, it will all be academic.
Vickie coos softly, "Here baby, you're too young to be able to open those pins. You might hurt yourself."
She then walks slowly over, taking almost forever as far as Jack is concerned, and pulls down Jack's panties and unfastens the pins ... the diaper falls on top of the panties between Jack's legs.
Jack blushed and squirmed some, it was kind of strange to be nude this way and using a baby's potty in front of such a pretty girl ... but he didn't care. Scarlet, he sat down over the potty, just as the urine escaped into it.
"Ahhhh.." Jack sighs as the huge pressure is relieved.
Vickie says softly, "Enjoy it sweetie, you will not have to use a potty ever again ... Nana promises."
Once he was done, Jack nodded, and began getting up. He had something to say about not using the toilet. Vickie bends suddenly and slaps Jackie on his thigh sharply.
She says in a stern voice, "Baby isn't done yet. You sit until Nana tells you to get up."
Surprised more than hurt, he blinks, falling back onto the seat as ordered.
"Huh? But why? I'm done." Jack asks in more of a shy infantile way than he would have liked.
Vickie puts her hands on her hips and says in a stern voice, "Baby isn't done until Nana says so ... is that understood? I think you still have some to do. And since this is the very last time you will ever use a potty ... I think you should finish."
She walks over to another mirror and pushes a button. A drawer of sorts slides out. Jack can't see what's in it from his angle. Confused, he sits there, on the cute little potty. Seeing as he can't get up yet, he pees a trickle more. He is slightly surprised too.
Jack asks in a whiny infant way, "Can I get up now?"
Vickie claps her hands together and exclaims, "See? I told you baby wasn't finished yet."
Blushing, he nods, trying to get up. That's when he realized he had no hair. He gasped. "It's gone! My hair! ... all my body hair is ... gone!"
Vickie giggles, "Of course it is silly baby. A girl and especially a baby aren't hairy things. They have smooth and soft skin ... just like you."
She takes something from the drawer and comes to jack. She helps him to stand up. She bends him over across her knee and holds him firmly under her strong arm ... suddenly ... he feels her pushing something deeply into his bottom before he can react. Jack squeaks as Vickie bends him over and takes his temperature rectally.
He squeaks in a very infantile way, "Eek! What're you doing?!"
He squirms, trying to get out of Vickie's powerful grasp as he turns a bright crimson.
Vickie coos softly, "I'm making sure baby isn't sick."
She removes the thermometer and inserts the tip of a douche tube into his bottom. Jack can feel the sudden filling of his bottom as Vickie unclipped the clip keeping the fluid in the very large bag hanging above his head. His eyes get huge as he gasps in surprise. His bottom begins to feel so wet and full ... at the same time it begins to tingle intensely. He turns totally red with humiliation as Vickie pulls the tube from his bottom, spreads his cheeks as wide as she could get them, and he gushes all the liquid from within him in a huge mess on the floor. Jack does have the presence of mind to notice, there is a huge drain on the hard, metallic floor and sees this dirty brown fluid draining into it.
Jack gasps again as Vickie pushes 2 large suppositories deeply into his bottom. She then lays him on his back on a shelf that had popped out of another mirrored panel, and powders him and rediapers him. She stands him on his feet and pulls his panties back up.
She coos softly, "Now, baby will feel so much better soon and won't have to use that scary ol potty monster no more."
She pushes on the potty and it disappears into a slot in the mirror and vanishes along with the drawer on the other panel and the shelf he was just diapered on. Vickie turns and leaves Jack to his befuddled thoughts.
Jack is more than surprised when she inserted the enema and the the suppositories, the poor boy squirmed and wiggled as he's cleaned, powdered, and diapered and left. Bewildered, he tries to find a way out while she's gone. He can't allow this to continue. He sees a panel slide open, and a strange devise came in the room. It washed, cleaned, and then sterilized the whole area around Jackie.
A very cute and sweet voice says in a soft coo, "No want baby's place to have germs. Baby unable to help themselves."
Jack is beginning to have trouble understanding ... what exactly is going on as his mind slowly regressed. He does realize ... he is beginning to feel so ... strange. His legs feel so ... wobbly and he is having a hard time walking normally. The diaper is so hugely thick and bulky ... and something is wrong with his leg muscles ... he begins to waddle just like the baby he's dressed as.
As Jack desperately pushes on each mirrored panel looking for a way out, he realizes he again needs to use the bathroom ... This time he needs to poop. He bangs on the mirrored panel he thought he saw Vickie leave through. It's hard to tell ... all the panels look exactly the same.
"Hello?", Jack squeaks in a very baby like way, "I need to use the bathroom again. Can somebody help me?" without meaning to he blurts out, "I hafta go poopies."
There is no answer as Jack covers his mouth in total amazement and the need to go poopy builds inside him. He can feel his tummy as it gurgles and the pressure builds. He keeps begging more, but it is futile. After a few minutes, he feels strange waves as something begins to be pushed out into his diaper. He can feel it as a small lump begins to form in the back of his diaper. He can't stop it or help what's happening, and he fills the diaper. He also realizes, he's wetting his diaper too .. and can't help that either. Shocked, he falls back on his padded bottom and began whimpering as he poked out his bottom lip in a definite pout.
The mirrored panel slides open again and Vickie walks in. She picks Jack up to her shoulder just like the baby they want him to be. Jack can feel it as she pulls open his panties and diaper and checks him. She carries him over to the other side of the room and presses on another mirror. It opens and reveals a cute little potty room complete with a changing area and a tub that looks the world like a bassenette for a big baby.
She places Jack on the padded counter and pulls his panties off. She undoes his messy diaper and begins to clean him gently with several large sweet smelling baby wipes. Jack's expression is an adorable wide eyed surprised one. Quite frankly, he's shocked. Had he really messed and wet himself? What was going on here. He kept squirming and wiggling as she laid him down, removed the diaper, and began cleaning him.
Another nurse came in and started the bath. Jack watched as she poured a reddish pink liquid into the water. The sweet smell of strawberries fills the air as many bubble form. Before Vickie picks Jack up and places him in the very nice warm bubbly water, he can feel her pushing 3 more suppositories deeply into his bottom. He realizes, she really is taking his potty training.
Vickie lovingly kisses Jackie on his cheek as she puts him in the bubbly water. Ummmm .. it was so warm and felt so nice. He begins to giggle as he splashed in the water like any baby would.. Jackie comes to his senses when Vickie began rising the soap from his hair. He realized his hair was hanging in his eyes and down below his shoulders as the water ran through his hair.
The thing that snapped him truly back to his mind temporarily, was seeing his male parts as they were sucked back into his crotch some how. It felt ... so strange as a smooth hairless area was all that was left. Jackie put his fingers there gently and explored. He shivers with tingly delight as his fingers touch his new privacy. It is so sensitive, and each gentle touch caused intense waves of pleasure.
Vickie soaps up a very thick wash cloth as she coos, "Now we wash those taters from behind your ears."
She begins to wash Jackie's ears. When she's starting to clean the inside of the ear, she continues, "Oh sweetie ... you have a crop of corn in these ears ... tisk, tisk.
Jackie giggles as Vickie tickles his ear with the warms damp cloth. Vickie bends and blows softly. A wonderful wave of pleasure ran through Jackie as she gasped softly.
Vickie coos gently, "See sweetie? If baby just relaxes and lets it happen. It just does. And it feels so much better."
Jackie is suddenly scared to death. He gasps out in a baby's voice, "No! ... I noa baby!"
Vickie helps Jackie to stand up. She begins to rinse him from his neck down with the soft spray.
Vickie coos, "Well, if you're not a baby sweet heart, why did you have such a wonderful mess in your diaper?"
Jackie stopped whining in horror as he put his hands to his mouth and his eyes got huge again. He realized that it was true. Whether he wanted to or not .... he was going to be the baby they wanted.
Vickie continues in that cute singsong voice, "And look at how much fun baby had taking a bubble bath."
Jackie looks around the potty room. She had splashed sudsy water everywhere. He began to whimper and tears welled up in his eyes. He was going to be a baby ... he already was a baby.
In a whiny baby voice he whimpers, "Bu ...but .. Ia big boy ... people miss me."
Vickie smiles as she brushes Jackie's wet hair from her face and tucks it behind her ears.
Vickie coos reassuringly as she pats Jackie's hinny lovingly, "It's ok baby. No one will ever find you. The Clinic Promises you that your new life is a clean start ... complete with a certified birth certificate and a whole new gender even. No one but the special group within the Clinic even know about your previous life."
Jackie stood and shivered slightly as he kept his hands to his mouth. He could feel the coolness of the room begin to settle on his skin as the warmth of the bath faded. He was so upset ... he realized he was sucking his thumb ... and didn't even remember when he had put it in his mouth. For a few seconds, Jackie struggled to stop sucking his thumb. It made him feel a lot better to keep doing it ... besides ... he couldn't seem to stop.
Jackie thinks about what is happening. He knows beyond a shadow of a doubt, he will never have his old life back. He reaches to his crotch and has his hand between his legs. Large tears begin to run down his cheeks.
He whimpers in a baby voice, "Mommy n daddy come get me ... my friens look for me soon."
He pokes out his bottom lip and stomps his foot in an adorable way as he crosses his arms.
Vickie giggles, "Silly baby. You are so adorable." Vickie hugs Jackie as she helps her from the tub onto a very thick bathmat, "Your ... mother ... is off somewhere in Switzerland isn't she? Supposedly at a business conference? I think the man she went with is ... really enjoying the business ... don't you? I don't think she will even miss you ... she hasn't taken much interest for a long time ... wouldn't you agree?"
Vickie begins to dry Jackie's hair briskly. Jackie tries to keep a pouty face, but having his hair dried felt really good, although what Vickie had said helped keep him riled up and his fading adult hood focused.
When Vickie begins to dry the rest of Jackie, she continues in a cute voice, "Isn't your father ... off on one of his jaunts through South America? He will soon disappear .. and another Company baby girl will be born. Why, sweetheart, it will be at least ... a year before he's even missed ... and then only in passing."
Vickie picks up a large bottle of amber colored gel and pours a large amount into her hand. She begins to massage it into Jackie's skin. Jackie closes his eyes as he lets all Vickie had said sink in. He knew what she said was true ... it was obvious they had been stalking him for some time and did their homework well. He was afraid for his dad .... although he knew there was nothing he could do at this point to prevent the same thing happening to him.
When Vickie began to rub the gel onto Jackie's bottom, he says in a cute infantile voice, "Gots ...friens .. they miss me."
Vickie giggles again as she runs her gel covered hand slowly and wonderfully down Jackie's smooth legs, "Which friends sweet heart? The ones that haven't even bothered to call you ... in 2 weeks? I think not. The school won't even miss you. They will mark you as another drop out. And if anyone even gets curious ... the trail ends where we picked you up ... there were no witnesses. You just walked out of class ... and basically disappeared."
A chill runs down Jackie's spine. There is no way he can think of to get out of this. He knows that soon, whether he fights it or not, he is going to loose his mind and be totally infantile. His face clouds up and tears begin to flow again. He jus .. can't be a baby .. jus .. can't ... not to mention beina girl too. Jackie cries in desperation.
Vickie picks Jackie up and holds him to her breast as she pats his hinny reassuringly.
She coos softly as she carries him to the changing counter and lays him on his back, "It ok sweet heart. I know it can be scary to be changed this quick. You will feel a lot better really soon. You are changing really fast and you're already mostly baby. Your new life is one filled with love and lots of adult attention."
Vickie bends and blows a wonderfully intense tickley raspberry in Jackie's tummy. Her eyes get big as she screeches in helpless delight and kicks her feet and fidgets like any baby under these circumstances. All the thoughts in his mind had suddenly gone away, and the only thing now, was the total infantile glee of Nana tickling her..
Vickie expertly tickles Jackie, knowing full well this causes the regression to work faster by causing the subject to stop fighting it. Vickie bends over the giggling and squirming Jackie and gives her a wonderful kiss on her nose.
Vickie coos softly as she inserts several suppositories in Jackie's tight bottom. Jackie gasps softly as his eyes get big in surprise. Jackie looks down in time to see Vickie take a large amount of pink gel and smear it thickly within her new privacy. Jackie tenses up and arches off the table the action was so wonderfully intense. A small cute gasping squeak escapes her while Vickie completes this operation. Jackie lies back panting softly as her mind regresses rapidly. The feeling was super strong as it washed through Jackie's mind ... taking away much of the foundation he had used to resist.
Vickie coos softly once again as she kisses Jackie gently on her pouty lips, "That will make it all permanent sweet heart. Nana promised, you'll never again have to face that scary ol potty monster."
Jackie couldn't help it. She giggles and claps her hands together. It was wunnerfl news ta kno ... she no gotsa sit on that scary monster thingy no more ... but ... wasn't .... something wrong with that though? Jackie lay and could feel the suppositories melting her her bottom. A warm tingly wetness spread all down there. It was as intense as the warm wet tingly sensations in her privacy too. Jackie just knew something was ... wrong ... but it all seemed so right.
Jackie didn't have time to think about it anymore. Vickie takes her by the ankles and lifts her bottom off the counter. Jackie can feel something being placed underneath. Vickie lowers Jackie's bottom into a super thick cloth diaper. She powders her well and pulls the diaper between Jackie's legs, and fastens it on with locking diaper pins. The sweet smell of baby powder filled the air as Vickie threaded Jackie's feet through the leg openings of a cute pair of white rumba panties. They had large pink ruffles in many rows across the butt.
Vickie stands Jackie up and pulls the panties over the hugely thick diaper. Jackie sucks her thumb contentedly as she watches Vickie make sure they were on properly so baby girl wouldn't leak.
Vickie takes each of Jackie's nipples and gives them a soft tug. There was an intense electric charge run all through Jackie when she did this. Jackie gasps softly and shivers as goosy bumps rose all over her. Jackie looks down and see 2 little pointy boobie bumps. Jackie's eyes get big as she realizes just what is wrong ... No!! I can't be a girl!?
Jackie again didn't have time to think on it long. Vickie lifts him back onto the counter onto her back.
Vickie takes Jackie's big toe between her thumb and index fingers and coos softly, "Ohhh ... baby has piggies! *giggle* This little piggy ...."
Jackie screeches and kicks and squirms as much as she could to get away from this wonderful tickley assault on her toes. Vickie kissed and suckled on each of Jackie's toes as she did piggies, making it a very pleasant experience. Vickie understood very well, the more pleasant the regression, the easier it was for the new baby to make the transition.
Finally, Vickie came to Jackie's little toe. Vickie was so pleased at how well Jackie had regressed and made the transformation. She smiles warmly at the new baby girl that was squirming gleefully at the piggies.
Vickie takes Jackie's little toe between her index and thumb and gives it a soft, licking kiss. Jackie's eyes get huge as she screeches again.
Vickie coos softly, "And this little piggy ... went weee, weee, weee, all the way home!"
Jackie screeches again, then suddenly the screech becomes a loud happy gasp as Vickie blows an enormously loud and wet raspberry right in Jackie's tummy. Jackie could feel a warmness in her diaper at that point. She didn't realize, she had wet her diaper enough to make it slightly damp ... but not in need of changing.
Vickie takes one of Jackie's feet and maneuvers them into a cute pair of white crocheted booties, then the other. She stands Jackie on his feet and escorts him first, to the mirrored wall so he could get his first look.
As Jackie saw this cute little baby girl in just diapers and panties looking back at hi, Vickie began to brush his shoulder length hair. Jackie noticed the girl in the mirror was a bright yellow blond with slightly curly hair. The more Vickie brushed it, the more adorably curly it became. That was when Jackie took his thumb from his mouth and got really big eyed again.
He turns and looks at Vickie and says in a while little girl's voice, "Why ... you take my life? Why .. me? Why comes?"
Vickie kneels down and hugs Jackie lovingly. Jackie was now about 4 feet tall. Vickie was unsure how short she would finally wind up ... that was up to how the mixtures and the subject's Genetics meshed.
Vickie pats Jackie's hinny reassuringly as she explainers, "Well, sweetiekens, There are over 45 billion people in the earth. There are also many more men than women in the earth. Some of these men ... are special ... like you. You have this ... gift, and the only way we can use it for the betterment of mankind's predicament, is to have you as baby girls. Other wise, you don't have the childlike imaginations to use it. You and your dad both have this gift ... and both of you are going to be part of the project. Perhaps ... one day ... we might even let you grow up into the very pretty young woman you are destined to be. That will be a very long time in the future though. You see, you don't ... age anymore .. At least until we give you the proper shot that catalyzes it."
Jackie can feel his mind going. He knows he doesn't have much time.
He says in a cute whiney voice, "Bu ... but Nanaaa. No wanna bea ... girl."
Vickie scoops Jackie up and rubs noses with her as she tickles her in her ribs. Jackie once again screeches in joyful giggles.
Vickie says softly as she carries Jackie form the mirrored transformation area into another place. Jackie looks around all wide eyed with wonder. This was the ultimate nursery play area for a baby. Jackie could see many cute cribs off in another room far in the rear. She saw many other baby girls all giggling and screeching as they played with the many dolls and other toys scattered around.
Vickie places Jackie on her hinny next to another cute little girl and coos softly, "Welcome to the Clinic sweet heart. Soon, you will help mankind solve all its energy, and star flight problems so we can colonize the galaxy."
Vickie turns and leave Jackie sitting all wide eyed and mind blown.
The little girl sitting next to Jackie giggles in a cute manner and says in an adorable baby girl voice, " Hi, my name's Georgina .. Georgina Bush ... lets b friends ... whatcher name?"
Jackie looks at the little girl with incredulity on her face as she realizes who this used to be ... before she no longer cares and giggles.
Jackie replies, "My name Jackie ... Jackie Smifs ... and we b goo frins."
The 2 girls begin to swat each other playfully with the soft plushy animals all around them as they screech and giggle with infantile joy.
Vickie smiles as she sees Jackie take the final step. She is now assured that Jackie would be fully useful in the Mass Mind Meld when the time came and the population would be able to escape the sun's becoming a large red giant.
~~ The End ~~
Title: The Clinic - Revisited
Britney White - 21yo female Regression Therapist – Played by: Miki Yamuri
Samuel Devon, 21 male Regression Patient – Played by: Elledan Kenet
Scene: Crossing a dark part of the local park late one night
Samuel yawned as he made his way through the park. His car had broken down and he was miles away from his apartment. Great. Now how was he going to get back? The thin male reasoned he had to go through the park first, and then he could hail a taxi... hopefully. He sighed, continuing walking. He had shoulder length black hair, wore jeans and a green t-shirt.
Samuel had rounded a corner in a particularly dark section of the park. across the fountain area, he could see the glow of a dim street lamp as it flickered randomly. He had the feeling for a long time someone was watching him. He heard nothing as he felt a sharp sting in the back of his neck, and heard a hissing pop. Almost instantly, his knees felt rubbery and his head began to buzz like he had way too much to drink.
He thought he was hallucinating as 4 large women take hold of him and prevent him from falling to the ground. He feels himself lifted to one of the large woman's breasts and his thumb forced into his mouth. As his hinny was softly patted, he heard a female voice coo in his ear, "It ok baby, Nurse won't hurt you. Just go to sleep like a good girl and when you wake up, things will be a lot clearer to you." He heard the 4 women giggle.
Samuel could do little. Groggy and confused, he wriggled as he was picked up and carried off to a white van. What was going on? Who were these people? He fussed some, trying to remove his thumb from his mouth.
The women carried Sam for what seemed a long time. He tried his best to pay attention to where they took him, but he felt so helpless and strange. He kept forgetting that he was being kidnapped. Finally, they got into a large van. The woman carrying Sam got into the back seat and arranged him comfortably in the crook of her arms.
Sam heard her coo softly, "Be a good girl and drink your bottle." Sam felt something touch his lips. The wonderful taste of Red Berry Hi-C was in his mouth .... he swallowed. It tasted so good. He heard a woman say something about starting the regression formula and gender something or other ... he was way too high to understand.
The boy tried to fuss, but the bottle was pressed into his mouth, forcing him to drink. The van began to drive away as the nurse fed him, before he slowly began to lose consciousness. The drug was just too strong for him.
The van drove for many hours along the interstate before turning off at a very rural exit lit by just one lone street light. They drove again for several hours before turning off onto a dirt road. The ebony darkness ahead of the van was broken only by the stars above and the headlights on the sparsely traveled dirt road. After a while, the van turned again , onto a graveled road. Ahead could be seen lights.
The van came up to a well fenced compound. It stopped in front of a guard shack. A very muscular woman in a police uniform came to the van. She asked for Id as she shown the light in the back. Sam blinked his eyes at the bright light and began whimpering like a baby.
The Muscular woman sneers, "More garbage to recycle ... huh."
The woman in the driver's seat snapped, "Have a little respect. If not for those individuals, all of the earth would parish."
The woman signs a slip and hands it to the driver with another derisive sneer, then turns and returns to the Guard Shack. The large gate opens ponderously with loud squeaking noises. The van proceed into the compound and up to a building that looks the world like Mars base of some kind. Sam finally fell into a deep slumber at this point.
Samuel didn't wake up for another hour. It had to be close to dawn by now. He was in a very bright room, laying down. Squinting, he slowly stood up, realizing he was naked. Or thought he was naked. The room was a huge round and mirrored, and wherever he looked he saw what looked like a baby in a diaper. That's when he realized that person was him! Looking down, he saw himself in a thin, plain white diaper. He frowned. "The hell? What is this? And where am I?" He looked around, confused.
There is a loud click and some minor feed back from a PA system. A very sexy female voice says, "Welcome to the clinic baby. It will be far less traumatic for you if you just accept the fact you are now a baby ... and soon will have your manhood taken from you. You have no choice, no one will ever find you, and ... this is the very last adult conversation you will have for a very long ... long time. If you have anything meaningful or significant to say ... best do it now, because in a very few hours ... it won't matter in the least."
Say what? Some voice was telling him he was a baby now? Well, that was balls. Frowning, he stood up, looking for the source of the voice. 'I don't know about you, ma'am, but I'm no baby. I demand you release me at once. I've been kidnapped, and if you don't let me go, I'll sue."
The voice replies with a bit of mirth in it, "And how ... would a baby go about suing someone? You aren't old enough to sign the required legal documents. Just relax and accept who and what you are .... it will be a lot better for you. One of our nurses are coming in to give baby an enema to clean out all that bad stuff and remove your potty training."
Sam heard a loud hissing noise. Very quickly, a light bluish mist that had a very sickly sweet odor rose up in the chamber in a big cloud. Sam found his knees getting weak and wobbly. Before he knew it, he plopped on his butt, unable to stand any more.
What was this? He couldn't move his leg muscles. Confused, he squirmed, straining to stand. He barely could, before falling back down again. "Oopmh! What the hell are you doing to me?! I'm not a baby! Let me out now!"
One of the mirrored panels opens. A very cute young woman dressed in a very short and sexy nurse's outfit came in the room pushing some kind of table with a rack attached to it. On the rack, was a very large enema bag, and the tube coiled neatly around it. She pushes the table up next to Sam and bends over.
She smiles as she coos softly, "Aww, is baby faww down go boom?" She kisses him on his nose.
She lifts Sam onto the table, and removes his diaper. He is turned onto his tummy. He feels her spread his hinny cheeks and the cold tip of the enema begin to be inserted into his bottom. It pinches and hurts as he feels himself being penetrated deeply.
Oh my god! The boy fussed, eyes wide as he felt the enema penetrate him. The boy wriggling surprised on the table. Within moments, he could feel the soapy liquid. Forcibly entering his bottom "Nooo..."
The nurse coos softly as she opens the valve wide. Sam feels the full impact of it as he feels himself fill. His tummy begins to get very poofy. He squeaks adorably as this is done.
The nurse coos, "It will feel so good for you when you have your first pooie or pee pee in your diaper sweet heart. You will be a baby in no time. Don't fight it ... it only makes it hard on you .... it will make no other difference."
Sam feels the tip as it is removed from his bottom. He also feels the involuntary evacuation as all the liquid rushes out of him, making a huge mess on the table and floor.
The nurse pats his hinny reassuring as she coos, "That's a good baby. Now to damage all those nasty nerves that keep you for enjoying being a baby."
Sam feels the tip again as it is inserted and the sensation as he is filled as full s he can get once again.
Once the evacuation was completed the second time, Sam feels the nurse push 3 objects deeply in his bottom. He can feel them getting warm and melting as he is turned onto his back, and powdered well and re-diapered. While this was going on, Sam noticed a weird machine had entered the room, and cleaned every thing sparkling clean.
It was so humiliating, having his bowels cleaned and flushed, suppositories being inserted and then diapered. Now the baby training could begin in earnest. Blushing and fussing, the boy squirmed as she set him back down on the floor.
E screeches in a very infantile manner, "I don't need diapers! I'm an adult!"
As the nurse laves she coos softly, "Not any more you're not. From now on, you're a very cute little baby girl named Samantha. Toodles." She waves as she exits the mirrored panel and it closes with a soft click.
Sam was alone again. Now his training would start, beginning with what babies should not do: stand. Feeling stronger in his legs, the boy slowly got up to his feet, wobbling and unused to the diaper.
Sam whimpered to himself, "I need to find a way out of this place..."
As Sam toddled around and tested the many mirrored panels, he began to hear a very soft hissing sound. Shortly, he began to smell a familiar sickly sweet odor, except this time, it was very faint and almost not noticeable. As he checked the next panel, his legs began to feel very funny and he began to have serious trouble keeping his balance. The boy struggled, fighting to stand up. He even resorted to leaning against the glass walls for support, keeping himself up as long as possible.
He screeches out in his rapidly changing voice, "Hey, let me out! You can't do this to me!"
There is a loud click. A sweet female voice coos softly, "Don't fight it sweet heart. Just be a good little baby girl and plop on your bottom. Your Nanny will come in and make it all better."
The hissing sound increased in volume slightly as did the sickly sweet smell in the room. He couldn't resist. Fussing and whining, he collapsed to his butt. Standing was impossible, at least in this room. Glowering, he simpered, trying to figure out another way he could get out. Maybe one of the mirrors could open up?
Right beside him, he hears a soft click and a whirring noise. The mirrored panel slides softly back, and in walks the very pretty young woman in the sexy nurses out fit.
She bends over and places her hands on her knees as she coos in a cute voice, "Aww, did baby faww down go boom? Let nursie helps baby."
To Sam's amazement, the girl was a whole lot stronger than he thought she should be ... or ... he was a whole lot smaller than he used to be ... he couldn't tell. His mind was foggy and he was having trouble thinking. The nurse carried Sam on her shoulder to another panel. He saw her put her palm on the glass right in the middle ... which was too high for him to reach is he couldn't stand. The panel slid back revealing a padded rocking chair and what looked like a refrigerator unit. The nurse took a large baby bottle of white liquid from the unit and sat in the chair ... arranging Sam comfortably in the crook of her arm.
She coos softly, "Here sweet heart, something to make baby feel aww betters n stop worrying."
Sam tried to keep his lips squeezed closed, but somehow, the nurse expertly put it in his mouth and gave the bottle a squeeze. He tasted the warm, wonderfully flavored fluid as it entered his mouth. He instinctively swallowed the first mouthful before stopping himself. Too late, he felt the warmth in his tummy as it began to spread through his body.
The poor boy fought it, not wanting to be babied, but he was helpless. Fussing, he nursed the bottle as the woman held him in her lap, rocking and feeding him like the baby they wanted him to be. Sam barely realized the bottle was empty. His eyes popped open just as he felt the nurse patting him gently on his back. His tummy gurgled a bit as a large burp came from him, accompanied by a little spit up that went into the towel she had draped across her shoulder.
The nurse coos, "That has to make baby feel lots better."
She takes him from her shoulder and cleans his face with the cloth before putting him back to her shoulder and began rocking him and patting his hinny softly. Sam could feel something happening inside his head. It was growing in intensity.
The nurse coos softly as she rocks and pats Sam's bottom, "Now, sweetie. You can fight it all you want. But you have to understand the only thing it will accomplish is to make you more miserable. Just relax and be Missy Stephany. You have no choice. After this bottle, your body will begin to make .... changes. It's really pleasant if you just let it happen."
The nurse pulls Sam away from her shoulder just enough to give him a wonderful kiss on his lips.
She says as she places him back and pats his hinny more, "The life you knew is over. No one will ever find you. As far as they are concerned ... you dropped off the face of the planet."
He blushed, fussing as she burped, kissed, and set him back down. "But I don't want to be a baby!" he insisted in a squeaking infantile voice, "This is kidnapping!"
The nurse giggles, "It's legal though sweetheart. We have been observing you for a long time. You have the .... gift. Only little girls like you posses it ... and the world demands we take you." She pats Sam's bottom reassuringly as she rocks him gently.
He only pouted more, sitting on his butt as she pats and rocks him. Sam was beginning to realize resistance was futile.
The nurse gathered Sam into her arms and places him gently on his bottom on the floor. As the panel opens in front of her, she turns and smiles, "Now, be a good little baby girl and just accept what's happening to you. It will regardless, and don't worry your pretty little head ... no one will come looking for you or cause any problems with you being the best baby you can be."
With this, the nurse turns and gracefully glides through the open portal. Sam watches with big eyes as it quickly slides shut behind her locking him into this mirrored place once again. He couldn't believe it. He was really stuck here, being turned into a baby against his will, and no one would help him. The stress of what was happening caught up to him and he began to sob as the training voice recommenced.
Sam's head began to buzz softly with the sweet, undulating Mind Entrainment tones that pleasantly drifted through the chamber. Sam realized a very cute female voice was whispering something in the far background .... he just couldn't quite catch what she was saying. He began to concentrate on the voice, trying to hear the words. Sam realizes with a start as the warm wetness creeps around his bottom, that he had wet his diaper and hadn't even known it. The next shock .... he was sucking his thumb.
It hadn't taken long, and already he was starting to think and act like a toddler. Sam couldn't believe it. How was this even possible? Mere hours ago, he was a grown man, and now he was wetting himself! He just couldn't believe it. And yet he was helpless, and soon he was crawling around, all control of his body gone.
The panel slides open and the cute nurse walks in. She bends over and puts her hands on her knees as she says in a cute airy voice, "There she is ... my cute little baby girl. Nursie brought you something. I know it will feel awfully strange ... but when it's all over .. you will be so cute."
Sam sees her quickly come to him and push a large cigar sized thing to his bare skin. Since he was in just a diaper and panties ... there was a lot of it to choose from. Sam had no clue what this was nor had he the ability to inquire. babbling like a baby, he crawled over and sat before the nurse as she pushed the thing against him. He hears a hissing pop at the same time he feels a very sharp sting. He gasps loudly. He can't help himself ... his eyes fill with tears and he begins to cry. The nurse picks him up once again and pats his hinny.
She coos, "It's ok sweetheart. I'm thinking of a cute name for you ... I was thinking of Samantha. What do you think?" She pulls open the back of his panties and diaper and checks him, "I see you've been a good baby and wet your diaper. Nurse will have you changed in no time."
Sam realized with a shock, that the diaper and panties he was wearing were very much larger on him than before he got the shot. The nurse presses on one of the mirrored panels, it slides open to reveal the changing area once again. The Nurse lays Sam on his back, then pulls down his panties ... she blows a wonderfully intense raspberry in his tummy.
He of course giggled, his body delighting in the attention she was giving him. The shot was working quickly, shrinking his body very fast. It was a special serum that affected the entire body at once. He was soon the size of a five year old, though still proportioned like his old self, the old diaper now far too large for him. He was a true baby now and his body continued to rapidly shrink. The nurse removed Sam's panties and pulled the tapes loose.
As she pulled the wet and soggy diaper from between his legs she says in a delighted gasping voice, "Oh baby! Lookie here." She takes a soft and sweet smelling baby wipe and begins to clean his privates. "They have already shrunk to almost nothing. Only a few more minutes and the nasty birth defect will be all gone."
Sam feels the strange, cool, tingling sensation as he is cleaned there. It felt a whole lot different now than a few hours ago. The boy wriggled a bit, squirming and cooing as his crotch was rubbed and cleaned. It seemed like she was spending a little too long there, but the constant rubbing was increasing the rate of the change. Within moments, he had a cute, babyish womanhood, just perfect for a baby girl.
The nurse giggles softly, "Now ... all done. You will feel kinda of weird in your tummy and places for a while. But that's to be expected as your genes change and are modified."
The nurse lifts Sam by his ankles and places a very thick diaper beneath him. He feels it as his hinny is lowered into the soft caressing embrace. The nurse powders him well, the sweet smell of baby powder fills the air. She pulls the diaper between his legs and fastens the tapes snugly, but comfortably on.
The nurse coos to baby, "This diaper will get to be too big on you soon. Don't be scared ... it's all part of becoming the cute little girl you are destined to be."
Sam watches with big eyes as she threads his feet through another cute pair of plastic lined panties. These were a soft pink and had lots of cute baby characters on them. She lifts him by his feet once more as she pulls them up and makes sure they are on properly before setting him back on his well diapered bottom on the floor.
She pushes on the mirrored panel ... the changing room panel slides closed. She pushes on another panel, it slides open to reveal a play room, complete with a playpen and a crib for sleeping. The nurse picks Sam up, and carefully deposits him in the playpen where lots of soft plushy dolls and other toys awaited him.
The nurse coos, "From now on sweetheart, your name is Samantha." She kisses him softly on his cheek before turning and leaving through yet another mirrored panel he watches quickly close.
Samantha, huh? Well, that was his name he supposed Or her? It was getting hard to think, and concepts like gender didn't seem too important. Babbling, the baby boy-girl crawled over to a stuffed animal and began playing with it. It was only a few short moments before he had shrunken to the size of an infant, the serum having done it's work. his organs and DNA had even altered. He was 100% baby girl.
After a while, Allie began to feel drowsy. She had had a long day. As if on que, a panel opened and in walked the cute nurse with a large bottle. Samantha's tummy growled slightly as she realized she was hungry.
The nurse picks Allie from the playpen and coos softly, "There we go sweetie .. you're a girl now. Told you not to fight it .... was going to happen regardless."
She carries Allie to a panel and presses on it. It slides open to reveal a large padded rocking recliner.
The nurse sits in it and arranges Sam comfortably in the crook of her arm.
She rubs noses with Samantha as she coos softly, "I don't have much milk ... and it sort of a breach of protocol ... but it feels so good for me and is so comforting for baby."
The nurse places the bottle on the table by the chair and unfastens the top of her uniform. She opens a panel in her bra, revealing a very pretty areola and nipple. She squeezes it and causes a large drop of white liquid to form on it. She places the nipple to Sam's lips. The sweet taste of warm breast milk fills her mouth as she nurses eagerly. Then nurse gasps softly as she closes her eyes. It felt so wonderful to breast feed a baby. Sam slowly closes her eyes as she nurses eagerly and her tummy warms.
He, or rather she was lost. Samantha couldn't even think, except for the most primal of urges. She sat there, happily in the nurses arms, nursing the breast, murmuring as she slowly drained it. After a few minutes, the adorable baby began to drift to sleep. Without even realizing it, As Sam was dreaming. She dreamed of flying with her Teddy Bear to far off and magical places filled with many places to play and lots of toys.
The nurse smiled down at Samantha as she fell asleep. She knows yet another of those with the wonderful mind powers had been rescued to aid in the salvation of earth.
~~ The End ~~


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Cats. Those cute little kitties always have a mind of their own and they're not afraid to show it. So if you blow hot air in their face with a hair dryer, they'll try to smack the beejizzle out of the air. So. Damn. Cute. [MoonGrate via The Awesomer]
Update: Welps, it turns out that the cat is blind. Which makes me an insensitive jerk! Sorry. The cat is still cute and the hair dryer is still hot though.


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Looking for players 3 and up We try to play doubles Sunday morning
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Replies to This Discussion
Especialay need a 4th tomorrow at 9 am
Looking for a 4th tennis player tomorrow morning at Hagen Park in Wilton Manors at 8 am. Above 3 preferably.
If you can play please reply to this post.
Thank you
© 2020 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


text: Walk the path to petal-piping perfection! A timeless addition to cakes and treats, piped flowers are a wonderful choice for special occasions or "just because". In this class, you'll make and use royal icing to pipe a collection of classic flowers that could have come straight from the garden: simple rosebuds, sweet peas and carnations. Then you'll graduate to piping advanced flowers like wild roses, apple blossoms and three-dimensional daffodils. Instructor Beth Somers will also share three cake and cookie projects that are sure to build up your design confidence and help inspiration bloom. You'll even learn to create truly one-of-a-kind flowers with two techniques for variegating your petal colors.


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put ideas in(to) (one's) head
put ideas in(to) (one's) head
To suggest something to one; to lead one to start believing (in) something; to make someone want to start doing something. Used of suggestions, ideas, or beliefs that one wouldn't have thought of on one's own, especially those that are foolish or negative. Of course we're not going to sell the house! Who's been putting ideas in your head? I can't believe you were caught smoking marijuana. I bet it's that no-good kid Casey who put ideas like that into your head. I heard John putting ideas into his sister's head that she was adopted.
put ideas into someone's head
Fig. to suggest something-usually something bad-to someone (who would not have thought of it otherwise). Bill keeps getting into trouble. Please don't put ideas into his head. Bob would get along all right if other kids didn't put ideas into his head.
put ideas into someone's head
Also, put an idea in someone's head. Suggest something to someone, as in No, we're not moving-what put that idea in your head? [Mid-1800s]


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A Goldilocks-like intruder broke into Celine Dion's Montreal home, gobbling up a pastry and pouring himself a bath before cops found him.
Police told the Associated Press they nabbed 36-year-old Daniel Bedard when an alarm went off in the singer's Laval mansion Monday afternoon. He was arraigned Tuesday on charges of breaking and entering, auto theft and causing property damage.
Dion, her husband, Rene Angelil, and her children were not around when Bedard made himself very much at home. He was getting ready for a nice warm bath when police arrived with their canine unit, says police spokesman Franco Di Genova.
"He opened the water faucets, was pouring a nice warmish bath [and] he even managed to eat some pastry in the fridge," Di Genova told the AP.
The man also wrote on Post Its in the office and flicked his cigarettes on the floor, Laval police spokesperson Nathalie Laurin told the Montreal Gazette.
Police began searching the basement and confronted the suspect on the main floor. "Hey, guys, what are you doing here?" Bedard, a Laval resident, asked police as he came down the staircase. Police asked him the same question.
Di Genova said the intruder had jumped a fence to get onto Dion's property. He then used a garage door opener he found in an unlocked vehicle to get inside the Canadian songstress' gorgeous abode.
Laurin told the Montreal Gazette nothing was taken from Dion's mansion. "It's rare that you see this, there was no theft, nothing stolen, broken or messed up," she said.
U.S. & World
Dion and her family were believed to be at their Florida residence at the time.
Selected Reading: The Associated Press, The Washington Post, People


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Evangelists were happy for the economic downturn–it drives people to religion! Gee, it's almost like their god makes people miserable so that they can turn to… him for help?
It's nice sometimes, to pray for God
To intervene and save us;
So gather all together and
Sing praises to His name!
It's nice to be reminded by
These troubles that He gave us;
If God did not exist–why, then,
Just who'd there be to blame?
(oh, yeah, that's right… atheists.)
And Pat Boone voiced a public opinion about… really, who cares? It's Pat Boone!
I never, ever liked Pat Boone
The man has evil in his soul;
And not cos he's a whackaloon,
But what he did to Rock and Roll.
Now that South Carolina's license plates will no longer be able to say "I believe", the residents may have to go back to expressing themselves through their cars in other ways.
My grandfather's caddy tells anyone looking
He's chock-full of ignorant hate;
The frame says "what would Jesus do?"
The plate says B- IR8
Our preacher, he told us he once saw a car
With blasphemy there on the tag–
The license plate read I4NIC8,
So he knew it was owned by a fag
All I want is a customized license
To hang from the back of my truck,
Expressing my hatred of science and schooling–
It says "I'm a dumb stupid fuck"
The power went out at Cuttlehouse for about 4 days. What wonderful things battery-powered radios are–why, if god had not given them to us, we'd have had to invent them ourselves!
Stuck in the dark, with the radio on,
I heard the AM preachers;
I never knew that atheists
Were such appalling creatures!
The godless have declared a war
On all of god's creations–
This Christmas, we must all fight back
(Oh, yes… and send donations.)
Rick Warren paints us a beautiful picture of Eden, complete with dinosaurs and humans living together. It's… inspirational.
In the Bible, they'd have you believe
That the serpent taught Man to deceive.
It was no bitten apple
But a dinosaur's grapple–
Leviathan did it with Eve!
Yes, Eve, the original madam
Was cheating on poorly hung Adam
When it comes to good sex,
A Tyrannosaur's Rex
As she found out the moment she had 'im!
Though it cast them from Eden to Earth, it
Made Eve full of unending mirth–It
Spawned giggles and sighs,
And her faraway eyes
Had the look that just said "It was worth it."


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We thought that many people out there battling through the business school application process might benefit from the thoughts and insights of others who went through the experience. To that end, we started On the Record: Q&A with BC Alums. We've heard from Radina Russell and Rhomaro Powell. Let's get the low-down from Gabriel Perez.
Why did you go to business school?
A career change was the real impetus for me to apply to business school. I saw business school as an attractive proposition for several reasons. First, I knew I wanted a career change, but I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to change it to. I felt business school could act as a sort of looking glass, giving me unique insights into a number of different industries and career tracks. Secondly, I felt that by going to business school I could manage to make a career change that wouldn't necessarily force me to take a step down, but allow me to make a lateral move in terms of responsibility and compensation. Perhaps most important though, I saw business school as the best way to develop many of the "hard skills" I would need for long term success in the business world, especially coming from a non-traditional background (i.e. not I-Banking or Consulting)
How has business school impacted your career?
Business school allowed me to make the career change I desired. Summer internships at b-school can be incredible learning opportunities. During my summer internship I was given the freedom to analyze several high-level, critical issues facing the senior leadership of the organization. The summer finished with a presentation of my findings and recommendations to corporate leadership. In just one year, I went from feeling like just another cog in the wheel, to feeling like I was playing a hand in the strategic direction of an organization. My school also provided me the opportunity to join other students on a consulting project based in China. So my summer ended up exposing me to another industry (consulting) and another geography. In today's global economy it's important to have experiences working in markets outside of the US, so it was a great experience and proved to be a great resume builder. In short, yes, business school exposed me to a higher level of responsibility, and new industries and locales, vastly expanding my business acumen and experiences.
What do you want business school applicants to know?
You are competing against an impressive set. Really make sure you put the time into understanding what your story is. Be able to tell where you've been, where you want to go, and why b-school is a necessary part of that process. Take the time to really think this through! If you can find the meaning, flow, and passion in your story, it will come through on your application. Also, don't be bashful: make sure you have people looking at your work throughout the process. If you submit your essays after one draft, good luck getting in. Understand, you are competing against many folks who employ tremendous resources in helping prepare their application (i.e. consultants, affinity groups/professional development programs, etc.).
How many schools did you apply to and get accepted to?
I applied to 4 schools (HBS, Tuck, Duke, Booth) and was accepted at 3 (Tuck, Duke, Booth)
What specific advice would you give those prepping for the GMAT now?
Bell Curves will tell you this, and in my experience it proved to be very true: the GMAT is simply a threshold requirement to get into b-school. It's one of many criteria that are used to evaluate your candidacy, but I think it's one of the only ones that can actually prevent you from even being considered at the top programs. So in my opinion,
if your goal is to get into a top program, you shouldn't walk away from the GMAT until you personally feel you've given it 115% of your effort and focus. The pay-off is worth it. If it means sequestering yourself for a month, do it. If it means telling your significant other that they're going to have to be supportive of you being absent for a month, do it. Just remember that there are other people just as smart as you, with the same grades, and similar leadership/business experience that are going to put the time and effort in if you don't! Don't let the GMAT be the barrier between you and your dreams. Obviously, not everyone is going to score a 700, but you owe it to yourself to try as hard as you can to squeeze as much out of the test as you possibly can.
I personally took three uninterrupted hours every other day to study (I found one day of rest helpful). I would always suggest studying in uninterrupted sessions like that to condition your mind to work for that long. Fight test fatigue, it will kill you. It's like running, you wouldn't expect yourself to run a marathon if you haven't trained and conditioned your body to run one. You would not make it or destroy your body in the process.
Also, focus on your strengths. I knew I had a strong verbal, so I made sure I had that down pat. My performance on the verbal section actually ended up carrying my GMAT score. Verbal is a powerful thing…DON'T UNDERESTIMATE IT!
Is there anything about your experience with the GMAT/application process that was unique or surprising (did you take the test more "too many times", was your score "too low", was your quant score "bad"? did you get rejected from your "safety" but admitted to your "dream", or i spent a year prepping and didn't think it would take that long)?
I guess the one thing that surprised me most was the fact that my math score wasn't more scrutinized. I suppose it depends on the school, but it never came up, only the total score. I ended up scoring in the 50-60th percentile on math, but scored well enough on verbal to get a 690 (don't underestimate verbal!). I was worried about it, not knowing how school would interpret the score. It turns out it didn't matter much. It may have been what kept me out of HBS, but I ended up getting into some great, well-respected programs nonetheless. Another surprise was how long it actually took me to be ready to apply to business school. The first time I took the test, I did not score well. I also did not have strong enough leadership experience to be a solid candidate. It turns out that two years had passed between my first test and my attended my first class at b-school. The truth is, I wasn't ready in year one. Another good point. You need to have an honest dialogue with yourself. You need to evaluate yourself and determine if you have the resume and experience necessary to be considered a strong candidate. If you don't think you are ready, it's okay. Take a year, get involved at work (get promoted!) and in your community, and work on your story.


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Tuesday, February 12
Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway)
9:00am - 5:00pm
See the schedule
Thanks to everyone who participated in our inaugural Author (R)evolution Day. To continue the conversation about the future of authorship, we invite you to check out the TOC blog. And sign up for the TOC Newsletter to be informed about other Author (R)evolution events from O'Reilly Media and Publishers Weekly.
We don't know about you, but we've had our fill of "author" conferences that cover "tips & tricks" without substantial insight into the bigger issues confronting working authors right now.
This one-day conference-within-a-conference from the thought leaders at Tools of Change and Publishers Weekly is designed specifically for professional authors, content creators, agents, and independent author service providers who want to move beyond "Social Media 101" to a more robust dialogue about the opportunities in today's rapidly shifting landscape. From the evolving value propositions of traditional publishing to emerging best practices for entrepreneurial content creators, this out-of-the-box conference tackles the issues head-on. No matter if you want to explore new routes to market, are interested in the latest tools, or need straight talk from some of the most visionary minds in publishing, this event will revolutionize your thinking about the future of authorship and your own business in the digital age.
Join with professional authors, agents, independent publicists, as well as other "alternately published creators" like developers and hybrids at this unique event for everyone exploring new paths to market. Read more about why we created Author (R)evolution Day and why it's important.
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