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It isn't made like the Briggs and Stratton OEM ring. I don't know how to install it two thin ones and a spacer.
Aftermarket Oil Control Ring Install Problem
Posted March 06, 2016 - 03:51 PM
Posted March 06, 2016 - 03:58 PM
Install the spacer first and be sure the ends of it aren't overlapping. If the ring has a mark on it that side goes up. No mark makes no difference. (Same for all rings)
Then install the bottom oil ring below the spacer. Make sure the end gap is at least 90° away from the spacer.
Then the top oil ring goes above he spacer ring.. Make sure the end gap is at least 90° away from the other ring / spacer.
Putting those things together can be a PITA but with patience it can be done..
Edited by WNYTractorTinkerer, March 06, 2016 - 04:00 PM.
- DougT, limebuzz, Alc and 3 others have said thanks
Posted March 06, 2016 - 05:29 PM
Been using that type of oil rings for years. Dave is correct with his advice!
- boyscout862 and bbuckler have said thanks


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Project Portfolios and Agile
Portfolio perspective. Continue reading Project Portfolios and Agile
Portfolio perspective. Continue reading Project Portfolios and Agile
A way to track estimates. Continue reading Using Actuals with Estimates
How do you plan the overall shape of a project in XP? This article summarizes planning with little reference to the programming aspects of XP. Continue reading Agile Project Management, XP Style
Agile Estimating and Planning, Mike Cohn. Pearson Education, 2006.My back-cover review was "Mike Cohn explains his approach to Agile planning, and shows how 'critical chain' thinking can be used to effectively buffer both schedule and features. As with User Stories Continue reading Review – Agile Estimating and Planning
There are a number of dimensions along which you can split stories. Continue reading Twenty Ways to Split Stories
Software by Numbers, Mark Denne and Jane Cleland-Huang. Prentice-Hall, 2004. An MMF – "minimal marketable feature" – represents a unit of functionality that has value. This book shows how incremental delivery and incremental funding of MMFs can work together to Continue reading Review – Software by Numbers
Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change, 2/e, by Kent Beck and Cynthia Andres. Addison-Wesley Professional, 2004. ISBN 0321278658.Kent Beck's new introduction to the practices and philosophy of XP. See an extended summary.(Reviewed Feb., '05)
A review of the new version of Extreme Programming Explained. Continue reading Overview of "Extreme Programming Explained, 2/e"
Working story by story lets you create value in independent pieces. You can bundle or unbundle these to meet your needs. Continue reading Customer Value – Unbundling
Agile Project Management with Scrum, Ken Schwaber. Microsoft Press, 2004.This book presents stories from several software teams adopting Scrum. It takes stories from several perspectives such as "The Product Owner" or "Scaling Projects using Scrum." What I like best is Continue reading Review – Agile Project Management with Scrum

subset: commoncrawl


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Published in News
WD announces new VelociRaptor for servers
by Slobodan Simic on24 July 2008
- font size decrease font size increase font size
2.5-inch of an enterprise class
Western Digital announced a new version of its 10,000RPM VelociRaptor SATA hard drive. Unlike the previously announced 2.5-inch hard drive packed in a desktop friendly 3.5-inch cooling enclosure, we are now looking at a 300GB 2.5-inch enterprise class SATA hard drive spinning at the same 10,000RPM.
The new VelociRaptor is built for business applications and comes with enterprise class mechanics and an MTBF of 1.4 million hours. Other noted specs are basically the same as on the desktop version but without the IcePack, which turns it to a 3.5-inch hard drive.
The new 300GB VelociRaptor should be available soon. The price is still unknown, but we expect it to sell at around US $300.


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Federal authorities have charged Jared Loughner with two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder for Saturday's shooting rampage, which left Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in critical but stable condition and six others dead. Arizona Republic>>>
Almost immediately after news of the shooting broke, commentators began playing the blame game, with many pointing the finger at overheated political rhetoric. LA Times>>>
The alleged gunman used a semi-automatic handgun purchased legally at a sports supply shop. Will the shooting bring about stricter gun laws? Republican lawmakers say no. Wall Street Journal>>>
College football's bowl system has a new foes and this one might actually be able to do something about it. Playoff PAC, a Washington-based political action committee, wants to make football playoffs more like those in college basketball. NY Times>>>


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[Note: Friends of Justice is a personal blog. I speak only for myself.]
Joseph called me yesterday. They were putting him in the infirmary because of his blood pressure. He was agitated; he felt that they hadn't been giving him the proper medication.
He wasn't sure how long he would be there. It might have been just overnight.
If you'd like to drop him a card or letter, here is his address:
Joseph Lee Allen #A293-486
Belmont Correctional Institution
P. O. Box 540
68518 Bannock Road
St. Clairsville, Ohio 43950
Joseph mentioned that it has been a bit difficult for him to write letters because he has so little privacy. But there is a system for corresponding with him by email. He encourages people to use it.
Go to jpay.com and open a free account.
Do an inmate search for Ohio, using his prison number: A293486.
Once you select him, you will be able to correspond by email.
The service isn't quite free you have to buy electronic "stamps." The cost is 20 to 30 cents per stamp, depending how many you buy.
When you send an email, you should use two stamps so that Joseph will have a pre-paid reply.
Let me know if you have any problems.


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Bay Area's Brian Sabean and Billy Beane avoid the same bargaining table
It's almost unfathomable that two baseball general managers, both restless and daring, can share a region for almost 14 years without once conducting a mutual trade of players.
Athletics GM Billy Beane and Giants GM Brian Sabean have been the chief architects of roughly 200 swaps, dating back to 1996, yet none was with each other.
Insofar as there is occasional polite dialogue, the barrier between Billy and Brian isn't exactly a cold war. But these gamblers have carefully avoided working the same table.
It's natural they do so now.
Mark Ellis, the longest-tenured member of the A's and a team leader, has become a part-time player in Oakland. His heir apparent at second base, Jemile Weeks, summoned June 7 when Ellis was disabled by a hamstring injury, needed about a week to become the team's most captivating player.
After all Ellis has done for the A's, they can't ask him to earn his $6 mil by sitting and watching his replacement. Nor can they rationally consider demoting Weeks, 24, to the bench or back to the minor leagues. Ellis conceded this much when he returned from the disabled list the other day.
Fortunately for the A's, there is a convenient alternative. They can give Ellis, 34, a ride across the bay, where the Giants are seeking a second baseman with a reliable glove.
The Giants also are shopping for a catcher with some pop. Oakland has one in burly backup Landon Powell. The Giants surely remember Powell, for his homer beat them the last time they saw the A's.
Suddenly, Oakland has something San Francisco needs _ which brings us back to Billy and Brian. If they continue to ignore each other now, it looks personal.
Sabean, who was promoted after the 1996 season, has made at least one deal with every major league team except Oakland and Cincinnati. Beane, promoted a year later, has made at least one deal with every team except San Francisco.
Inactivity between the two can't be attributed to fear of failure - or projected fan reaction - because neither GM gives a whit about that. Both have made trades fantastic and awful. Both have sparkled and both have gotten played. They've been praised and criticized locally with enough volume and regularity to grow scar tissue.
Yet, between them, not one player deal. Only that 2004 transaction in which the A's gave the Giants a few dollars for a minor league pitcher named Adam Pettyjohn.
The last swap between the local teams was on Dec. 4, 1990, when the Giants sent veteran infielder Ernest Riles to the A's for young outfielder Darren Lewis and a player to be named later, who became minor leaguer Pedro Pena. The Giants won the deal by a wide margin, as D-Lew became a Gold Glove center fielder of such personal integrity he was the inspiration for former Giants manager Dusty Baker naming his son.
That deal, though, was consummated by former Giants GM Al Rosen and former A's GM Sandy Alderson. Their successors have since closed off the border. The Bay Bridge, for Sabean and Beane, may as well be 4,000 miles long.
Supply and demand, however, are reminding both GMs the span is about 4 { miles.
Moving Ellis and/or Powell wouldn't suggest the A's are in sell mode but, rather, that they are in a numbers game that works to their advantage. Ellis is a veteran who has become gratuitous, and Powell is a reserve 19 months older than starter Kurt Suzuki.
This is an opportunity for Beane to shed salary while adding a young player or two to a core that certainly would seem to include Suzuki and Weeks. And remember, in every minor league system, there is someone Billy likes.
For the Giants, it would address the losses of catcher Buster Posey, who is out for the season, and second baseman Freddy Sanchez, whose 2011 return is uncertain.
Acquiring Ellis would instantly patch their infield defense, which is a priority when you rely on pitching. Bill Hall, an emergency pickup released by Houston, has power but comes with a low on-base percentage and a mediocre glove.
As for Powell, it's not likely the Giants are going to get much more on the market. Quality catchers are an exceedingly valuable commodity and seldom get traded. The Nationals would part with Pudge Rodriguez, but the Giants reportedly haven't shown much interest in adding a 39-year-old wheezing toward retirement.
Giants fans can look down their noses at Ellis and/or Powell. They can cling to fantasies about Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who might be unattainable. They can dream about Johnny Bench, who is 63.
But Sabean is in no position to dismiss a reasonable option.
The phones are warm, a deal table-ready. All the GMs have to do is dust off the seats, look each other in the eye and play.


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And then the Monkeys Descended
It was late morning and I was sitting on the front porch enjoying my coffee and about to peel the banana to complement my sticky rice as the heat of the day was slowly setting in. Kyle was in the room organizing some things when all of a sudden I realize that Paasook Resort has visitors. I start to see tails, lots and lots of tails silently working their way from the trees onto a neighboring bungalow's roof. The communal trash can is right in front of our place and I see a big female rhesus monkey bound over and start digging through it. She is only 20 feet away from me, obviously hungry and here I am about to peel a banana to put in my breakfast. I learned my lesson about monkeys when I was in India. They are faster than you, smarter than you and don't scare away easily.
I slowly get up and start putting our breakfast food back into the bungalow. I tell Kyle that there is a pack of monkeys outside and he quickly helps me clear the table. We retreat to our room and are sitting staring out of the open door. We were about to dig into our banana sticky rice when the alpha male comes to stare us down. This guy is big, burly, has testicles the size of tennis balls and obviously means business. He is literally on the path to our door and turns to stare at us. We lasted about 3 seconds in that staring competition before we freaked out and shut the door. Peering out the window we could see that he had passed. That's when the real attack started.
There were three girls staying in the bungalow just in front of ours and they were still sleeping when the monkeys came by. All of the bungalows (or the cheap ones at least) have a little space between the walls and the roof that is just big enough for a determined monkey to squeeze into. So there they are, sleeping away, when all of a sudden 6 or 8 monkeys start jumping on their tin roof and sticking their heads in from the tops of the walls. From our vantage point it was pretty hilarious. We heard booming and laughing and screaming for a good 15 minutes as the girls tried unsuccessfully to scare the monkeys away by banging their big water bottles together. Finally they gave up and escaped from the hut. No real harm done.
The pack bounded through the bungalows a bit more then slowly made their way. There had to have been at least 25 of them. Our friend Ben Hanna later told us that last time he was in Ton Sai he was out climbing for the day and the monkeys came in, drank all of his orange juice and pooped all over all of his clothes. Needless to say we have started storing all of our food in a big plastic container and are keeping our clothes zipped in our bags when we are out for the day.
Unfortunately, it's not just at the hut that monkeys can be a problem, its' also at the crag. A few evenings ago we were coming back from Eagle Wall passing by Fire Wall and the infamous Groove Tube. It is a very popular 6a route that always has a wait. We hop up to the belay station, rack up and squeeze on just before dusk. Kyle starts leading the route and I am belaying. Since it is almost dusk all the rest of the climbers are heading back to the beach. As they are packing up a little monkey appears and they scare it away but hitting a big stick against the rock. "Careful" they tell me, "that little guy will steal your stuff right out from under you." Here I am trying to belay, hands are tied, attention needs to be on keeping Kyle safe and I realize that we have strewn all of our shoes, sunglasses, snacks, etc. all over the place in easy reach of the monkeys. The other climbers leave me the stick so I can belay and whack if necessary. Luckily that doesn't happen, though I continue to glance worriedly in the monkey's direction for the remainder of Kyle's lead. As soon as I am on the climb and I am a few feet above my clip Kyle calls out "hold on a second, there is a monkey on the route, you may want to stay there." Great, I am going to get freaked out by a monkey and take a nasty lead fall, that's just what I want. Again, luckily the little guy was well above me at the anchor station and was nowhere to be found by the time I ascended.
Moral of the story—monkeys are cute in theory, frightening in practice. Never look them in the eyes!


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Hey guys, it's me again. I need some help with some stuff. I love taking screenshots of Halo3 and I was hoping if you guys can rate the Video Game/Screen Shots! If I'm doing something illegal please warn me so I don't go to jail... =3
First of all, tell how you like/dislike Halo3? Is it over-rated? Great?
You can do whatever you like with these pictures I took.


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Mingers, John (2005) Exploring the Dynamics of Journal Citations: Modelling with S-Curves. Working paper. University of Kent Canterbury, Canterbury https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602428. (doi:https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602428) (Full text available)
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This paper reports on an exploratory analysis of the behaviour of citations for management science papers over a fourteen year period. Citations often display s-curve type behaviour: beginning slowly, rising in response to previous citations, and then declining as the material becomes obsolete. Within the context of citation research such functions are known as obsolescence functions. The paper addresses three specific questions: i) can collections of papers from the same journal all be modelled using the same obsolescence function? ii) Can we identify specific patterns of behaviour such as "sleeping beauties" or "shooting stars"? iii) Can we predict the number of future citations from the pattern of behaviour in the first few years? Over 600 papers published in six leading management science journals are analysed using a variety of s-curves.
|Item Type:
|Monograph (Working paper)
|Additional information:
|Working Paper Number 102
|H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
|Faculties > Social Sciences > Kent Business School > Management Science
|Depositing User:
|John Mingers
|Date Deposited:
|03 Sep 2010 13:41 UTC
|Last Modified:
|18 Mar 2016 09:29 UTC
|Resource URI:
|https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/25461 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)
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These are some great new choices.
thanks for the introduction.
I'm stoked about the chairs going in a new installation that we've been working on.
A modern styled Reitveld chair for the outdoors.
The client is an interior designer and she found them .
It's those finishing details that really pull it all together.
Do you have a pic of those chairs? I have some plans for Wave Hill's version sitting on my desk…not built yet!
Oh, yes, chairs. Are we going to see a molded stackable garden version of the Eames bent plywood chairs next? (Bring it on!) I had to check back on this post, because I was certain I'd seen the chairs Deborah Silver/Dirt Simple posted about today on your post first. Not the case but just vaguely remembering I'd seen very cool chairs here.


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This time, we have a solid block of styrofoam with voids carved into it for individual pieces of equipment, some of which are further wrapped in aluminized mylar for additional insulation; some of which have active heating internally in the form of a power resistor across a 9V battery.
We're optimistic.
Similarly exciting, although we're flying the same APRS tracker as last time, we also have new APRS softmodem code for the Android, meaning that it will alternate transmitting position updates from its internal GPS with the known-working tracker.
That's assuming that we can make it work together sensibly by 10am tomorrow, of course.
Other than that, we have extra cameras, including an IR experiment, and random updated bits and pieces. We may even manage to charge the batteries this time.


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Here's the order of service outline for the Good Friday Tenebrae service I arranged for Good Friday 2017 at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Greene, Iowa. It's modified from the Tenebrae format we used at my internship congregation, St. Peter Lutheran Church in Dubuque, Iowa.
This Lutheran Tenebrae service walks through Jesus' Passion according to John's gospel, with responses from Psalm 22. A version of the bidding prayers from the Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) Good Friday service and hymns and special music is interspersed throughout the Passion narrative.
In the bulletin, each person also received a "Sin" card (Printable Sheets – Word file ) to nail to the cross after the fifth reading.
Good Friday
Our worship this evening tells the story of God's love for us revealed in the self-giving sacrifice of Jesus Christ's death on the cross for our sake. The altar has been stripped at the conclusion of last night's Maundy Thursday service, representing the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples and the consequences of betrayal and sin.
We begin by hearing the prophecy of the "Suffering Servant" from Isaiah, a prophecy which looks forward to God humbling Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Then we enter into a version of the Tenebrae service, where as we hear John's account of our Lord's passion and death, we respond with words from Psalm 22, the Psalm from which Jesus quoted while in agony on the cross.
During the Tenebrae service, candles are extinguished and the sanctuary is progressively darkened as we approach the darkness caused by our sin, a darkness which will be overcome on Sunday in the light of our risen Savior.
Welcome & Announcements
Greeting and Prayer of the Day
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
P: Let us pray. Almighty God, look with loving mercy on your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given over to the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
C: Amen
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (responsive format split between Pastor, men, and women)
The Passion of Our Lord, According to St. John
Responses are from Psalm 22
First Reading: John 18:1-12 (Jesus is betrayed in Gethsemane and arrested)
Assisting Minister: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
Congregation: My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer; by night, but I find no rest.
A: Yet you are the Holy One, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
C: Our ancestors put their trust in you, they trusted, and you rescued them.
A: They cried out to you and were delivered; they trusted in you and were not put to shame.
A: Let us pray for those who do not believe in God.
Silent prayer.
P: Almighty and eternal God, you created humanity so that all may long to know you and find peace in you. Grant that all may recognize the signs of your love and grace in the world and in the lives of Christians, and gladly acknowledge you as the one true God. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Hymn #309 – Lord Jesus, Think on Me v. 1-2
+ The first candle is extinguished +
Second Reading: John 18:13-24 (Jesus is brought to trial and questioned)
A: But as for me, I am a worm and not human, scorned by all and despised by the people.
C: All who see me laugh me to scorn; they curl their lips; they shake their heads.
A: "Trust in the LORD; let the LORD deliver; let God rescue him if God so delights in him."
C: Yet you are the one who drew me forth from the womb, and kept me safe on my mother's breast.
A: I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; you were my God when I was still in my mother's womb.
A: Let us pray for God's creation.
Silent prayer.
P: Almighty and eternal God, you are the creator of a magnificent universe. Hold all the worlds in the arms of your care and bring all things to fulfillment in you. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Hymn #309 – Lord Jesus, Think on Me v. 3-4
+ The second candle is extinguished +
Third Reading: John 18:25-40 (Peter denies Jesus; Jesus is questioned in Pilate's court)
A: Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is no one to help.
C: Many young bulls encircle me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me.
A: They open wide their jaws at me, like a slashing and roaring lion.
C: I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint; my heart within my breast is melting wax.
A: My strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; and you have laid me in the dust of death.
C: Packs of dogs close me in, a band of evildoers circles round me; they pierce my hands and my feet.
A: I can count all my bones while they stare at me and gloat.
A: Let us pray for those who serve in public office.
Silent prayer.
P: Almighty and eternal God, you are the champion of the poor and oppressed. In your goodness, give wisdom to those in authority, so that all people may enjoy justice, peace, freedom, and a share in the goodness of your creation. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Special Music – "The Hammer"
+ The third candle is extinguished. +
Fourth Reading: John 19:1-16 (Jesus is mocked, condemned, and taken away to be crucified)
A: They divide my garments among them; for my clothing, they cast lots.
C: But you, O LORD, be not far away; O my help, hasten to my aid.
A: Deliver me from the sword, my life from the power of the dog.
C: Save me from the lion's mouth! From the horns of wild bulls you have rescued me.
A: I will declare your name to my people; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.
A: Let us pray for those in need.
Silent prayer.
P: Almighty and eternal God, you give strength to the weary and new courage to those who have lost heart. Heal the sick, comfort the dying, give safety to travelers, free those unjustly deprived of liberty, and deliver your world from falsehood, hunger, and disease. Hear the prayers of all who call on you in any trouble, that they may have the joy of receiving your help in their need. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Hymn #107 – Beneath the Cross of Jesus
+ The fourth candle is extinguished +
Fifth Reading: John 19:16b-25 (Jesus is nailed to the cross)
A: You who fear the LORD, give praise! All you of Jacob's line, give glory. Stand in awe of the LORD, all you offspring of Israel.
C: For the LORD does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither is the LORD's face hidden from them; but when they cry out, the LORD hears them.
A: From you comes my praise in the great assembly; I will perform my vows in the sight of those who fear the LORD.
C: The poor shall eat and be satisfied, Let those who seek the LORD give praise! May your hearts live forever!
Nailing Sins to the Cross
You are invited to come to the cross, bringing your nail and the paper representing your sins. On the cross, Jesus takes our sins and the sins of the whole world into himself, bearing the punishment of death, the consequence we could not bear. You are invited to reflect in the silence on the suffering and death our Savior willingly endured for you.
P: Let us pray.
C: Lord Jesus, you carried our sins in your own body on the tree so that we might have life. May we and all who remember this day find new life in you now and in the world to come, where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
+ The fifth candle is extinguished +
Sixth Reading: John 19:25b-30 (The witnesses at the cross; Jesus' death)
A: All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; all the families of nations shall bow before God.
C: For dominion belongs to the LORD, who rules over the nations.
A: Indeed, all who sleep in the earth shall bow down in worship;
C: all who go down to the dust, though they be dead, shall kneel before the LORD.
A: Let us pray for our sisters and brothers who share our faith in Jesus Christ.
Silent prayer.
P: Almighty and eternal God, you give your church unity. Look with favor on all who follow Jesus your Son. Make all the baptized one in the fullness of faith, and keep us united in the fellowship of love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Special Music – "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"
+ The sixth candle is extinguished +
Seventh Reading: John 19:31-42 (The soldiers pierce Jesus' side; his burial)
A: Their descendants shall serve the LORD, whom they shall proclaim to generations to come.
C: They shall proclaim God's deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying to them, "The LORD has acted!"
A: Let us pray for Steven and Elizabeth, our bishops; for Daniel, our pastor; for those on staff, on council, and in leadership positions at St. Peter Lutheran Church; for all servants of the church; and for all the people of God.
Silent prayer.
P: Almighty and eternal God, your Spirit guides the church and makes it holy. Strengthen and uphold our bishops, pastors, other ministers, and lay leaders. Keep them in health and safety for the good of the church, and help each of us in our various vocations to do faithfully the work to which you have called us. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Hymn #123 – Ah, Holy Jesus v. 1-3
+ The seventh candle is extinguished +
A: Let us pray for those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ.
Silent prayer.
P: Almighty and eternal God, you became incarnate in the person of Jesus your Son, coming to dwell in our sinful world. Gather into the light of Jesus Christ all those who long unknowingly to know your love. Bring an end to inter-religious strife, and make us more faithful witnesses of the love made known to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
Hymn #123 – Ah, Holy Jesus v. 4-5
A: Finally, let us pray for all those things for which our Lord would have us ask.
The Lord's Prayer (Whispered)
As we depart in silence, the congregation is invited to solemn reflection on the love of God shown in Jesus Christ, who as God in the flesh, humbled himself to death for our sake.
The story of God's love continues as we gather for Easter worship on Saturday at 6:00, Sunday sunrise service at 7:00 am, and Sunday at 8:30. You are also invited to breakfast hosted by the Luther League on Sunday between services.
May the Holy Spirit guide your reflection and draw you ever closer to our crucified and risen Lord.
Go in peace.


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Master i Margarita - Saint-Petersburg
English > Adaptations > Music > Operas and musicals > Musical Saint-Petersburg
In 2006, the British composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, known from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and many other popular musicals, kept us in suspense for a while with what he considered to be the most ambitious project of his career: a musical based on The Master and Margarita. Incidentally, this news item was the very first article ever published on this website on August 15, 2006. Only one year later, it would become clear that this project would never be realised.
In the spring of 2014, the Russian production company Makers Lab and the Music Hall theatre in Saint-Petersburg announced with barely concealed pride in a press release that they had joined forces to realize what Andrew Lloyd Webber never had achieved: the creation of a musical based on The Master and Margarita. It was presented as «an international project which unites the best creative resources of Russia and Europe», and was premiered at the Music Hall in Saint-Petersburg on September 18, 2014.
Attentive readers who may suspect some megalomania behind it, are totally right. According to the announcement, the audience could expect «a magical extravagant three-dimensional scenery, fantastic costumes and modern dance». The production company Triiks Media from Saint Petersburg developed a new technology of three-dimensional viewing for the musical, by which the public would no longer need stereo glasses.
The purists of Russian literature were reassured though, because they would not be overwhelmed by technology only. Also in terms of content they would be generously served, since the musical would guide the spectators «through the maze of human passions and unveil the hidden meaning of the great novel».
6, 6, 66, 66, 666
The musical director of the project was the Italian pianist and conductor Fabio Mastrangelo, who has been working in Russia for many years. The director was Timofey Zhalnin, assisted by Andrey Noskov and Sofya Sirakanyan. For the rest, the organisors used the sequence 6, 6, 66, 66, 666 to characterise the musical - a diabolical series of numbers which stood for 6 composers, 6 librettists, 66 actors, 66 sets and 666 costumes. To complete the list, we should mention one illusionist - Maksim Kretov and one choreographer - Dmitry Pimonov.
Originally, the leading actors of the musical would have been Anton Avdeev and Nicholas Timokhin (both for the role of the master), Ivan Ozhogin (as Woland), Vera Sveshnikova (Margarita) and Larisa Lusta (Hella). However, on August 22, less than a month before the premiere, Svesjnikova announced that, «for various reasons and circumstances», sha would no longer be part of the project. She was replaced by Natalya Martynov. And two weeks before the premiere, Larisa Lusta also said that she stopped her cooperation. She was replaced by Maria Lagatskaya and actress Anna Kovalchuk. Yes, the same Anna Kovalchuk who played the role of Margarita in the television series Master i Margarita, directed by Vladimir Bortko, of which you can find an English subtitled version in our webshop.
Literary talent in the wake of his «grandfather»
Among the list of the contributors to this production, we also find the name of Sergey Shilovsky, someone who is known by the regular visitors of this website as the man who cashes the copyright money for all adaptations and translations of the works of Bulgakov. Many publishers and translators have very bad experiences with Shilovsky and some big foreign publishing houses even refuse to further negotiate with him. In addition to the high tariffs he is asking, he annoys many adaptors with his attempts to get involved in the creative processes of the productions, without being bothered by his lack of talent. Sometimes he tries to have an influence in the selection of the actors or simply to get his name on the credits as a «consultant». He pretends doing this from his «concern to maintain the integrity of the cultural heritage of Bulgakov». This concern, however, often disappears like snow in the sun when the amount of money offered is high enough. Shilovsky is responsible for the fact that Yuri Kara's film from 1994 could only be watched in the Russian cinemas after 17 years.
Shilovsky is the grandson of Elena Sergeevna and Yevgeny Shilovsky, the high military to whom Elena Sergeevna was married when she met Bulgakov. So he's far from a blood relative of the author, yet he continues to call himself invariably and unabashedly внук Михаила Булгакова (vnuk Mikhaila Bulgakova) or the grandson of Mikhail Bulgakov. Many people are offended by this, but now, with this musical, he goes even one step further. In the press texts his name has suddenly been changed into Sergey Bulgakov-Shilovsky. This was one bridge too far some Russian press people, so he was soon nicknamed the «son of Lieutenant Schmidt». [1]
With this musical, Shilovsky finally succeeded to get his name on the credits of a prestigious adaptation of The Master and Margarita, and not just as a consultant. No, Bulgakov verily appeared to have descended his literary talent over his self-proclaimed grandson, since he is mentioned as one of the six librettists of the musical. So, the lovers of Bulgakov shalt not fear, for «the integrity of the cultural heritage of Bulgakov» is maintained. Incidentally, it may be questioned if Shilovsky even wrote one word of the libretto himself, because, in an interview published on the day of the premiere on the news portal Nevskie Novosti, he toned down his own role quite severely. He said that the other five librettists had sent him their texts and that he had «corrected» them.
A «royal» composer
On some Russian internet forums we could read hilarious reactions on how the musical was presented. Especially the gaudy pictures on the posters were mocked and taunted, but also Andrey Noskov, one of the directors, Irina Afanasieva, one of the librettists, and Olga Tomaz, one of the composers were frequently mangled by bloggers and forum members. People doubted whether Noskov had got enough body to lead a project of this size, while Afanasieva was mainly commented because of «her remarkable biography». Many bloggers also doubted whether she had sufficient intellectual capacity to read The Master and Margarita, let alone to understand it, let alone to write a libretto for it.
The third object of ridicule from bloggers was composer Olga Tomaz. In the press documents of the musical she was rather pompously presented as «the composer of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain». Unfortunately for her though, the members of MDNP.ru, a Russian internet forum for musical lovers, had scoured the internet to find more informaton about her and reported cheerfully: «Google does not know Olga Tomaz».
So we did some further searching for royal connections by ourselves and we found that Tomaz works as a resident composer for a British charity organisation called Cruse Bereavement Care, an institution which guides people through grieving processes. Tomaz has dedicated some of her compositions to the royal house. In 2009, she had the opportunity to shake the British Queen's hand for a second and to offer her a CD with her compositions at a reception to mark the 50th anniversary of Cruse. That's how far the royal connections of Olga Tomaz go.
And... did «the hidden meaning of the great novel» get «unveiled»?
Needless to say that, after the above, the musical has not really unveiled «the hidden meaning of a great novel». But I guess no one would have expected this. The link between the musical and the novel lies in the names of the characters, not in the story. Or have you read somewhere in the novel that «Woland loved Hella. But then he fell in love with Margarita», as actress Maria Lagatskaya explained after the premiere?
The story of the musical did not begin at the Patriarch's Ponds, but in hell, against a background of a 3D landscape with fiery flames. It's the place where Woland gathers his entourage to go to Moscow to raise hell. According to the Rosisskaya Gazeta, Woland looks like «a traditional villain from a Disney movie» in his black leather outfit and with his long hair tied in a ponytail. The local TV station Piter TV talked about «a mixture of a Disney movie and a lingerie store», and concluded that «Bulgakov must have turned in his grave». A nice idea, admittedly, was to make chervontsi fluttering down from the ceiling of the theatre, and to invite the audience to exchange them during the break for a sturgeon of first freshness. Overall, the reviewers agreed that there were quite some spectacular effects, but that the artists, the sets, the music and the effects did not form a whole.
About the music we really can not tell you anything good. Anton Avdeev, who plays the role of the master, claims that the music is so good that every song could be a hit, but it seemed as if the composers wanted to bring only boring and predictable vocals on stage. The only song with a little soul in it, was the short tune Варьете (Variété). But that was just a remake of the song La Matchiche - also known as La Sorella - which was already presented in 1905 in the Parisian music-hall La Scala by the then very popular singer Félix Mayol.
One of the indications of the level of the show is the fact that, the day after the premiere, the media were timidly silent about anything which matters in a musical - the music, the singing and acting, the choreography -, and that they paid more attention to the ugly statue of The Master and Margarita, made by sculptor Gregory Pototsky, which was unveiled on the occasion of the premiere by the notorious grandson of Elena Sergeevna and Yevgeny Shilovsky.
Producer Irina Afanasjeva said that the lyrics of the musical have already been translated into English, and that the first songs have already been recorded in English with the purpose of an international breakthrough. The question is whether, apart from the visual effects, this spectacle has got the qualities for it. In St. Petersburg, all performances were sold out, but according to the portal Fontanka.ru this was only the result of a cleverly inflated hype. «Go and have a look», they wrote, «but forget about Bulgakov», and they might just be right. It's like watching an entire evening to the Eurovision Song Contest, but all the time seeing the same (Finnish) group and hearing the same (Moldovan) song. Some people like to do that, but I'm not one of them.
In 2006, the British composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber announced that he would stop trying to make a musical of The Master and Margarita. By doing so, he has shown more respect for the integrity of the cultural heritage of Bulgakov than the grandson of Elena Sergeevna and Yevgeny Shilovsky.
[1] The Children of Lieutenant Schmidt is a fictional society of swindlers which appeared in the 1931 satirical novel The Golden Calf written by Ilya Ilf (1897-1937) and Yevgeny Petrov (1903-1942).
The members of this organisation pose as children of Lieutenant Schmidt, a hero of the Russian Revolution of 1905. The Golden Calf is set in Russia in the 1920s, and its premise is that at the time, numerous fake relatives of Karl Marx, Prince Kropotkin and other revolutionary figures roamed the country, tricking gullible Soviet officials into giving them money. Their numbers grow, and to prevent any unlucky chance of spoiling each other's attempts, they «unionized», with Schmidt's Children being the most difficult to organize. When the latter finally convene, «it turned out that Lieutenant Schmidt had thirty sons, from 18 to 52 years in age, and four daughters, unattractive, and no longer young».
Since then, the expression Children of Lieutenant Schmidt has become a Russian cliché for various fraudulent enterprises and people who use false pretenses to get money, such as claiming to be a war veteran or a «Chernobyl liquidator».
Operas and musicals
- Introduction
- Konstantin Glazunov - 2015
- Music Hall Saint-Petersburg - 2014
- Teatr Muzyczny Capitol Wrocław - 2013
- Rukopis Mastera - 2010
- Grupa Teatralna Verde - 2009
- The Moscow Childrens' Theatre - 2009
- Aleksander Gradsky - 2009
- Gamma Skupinsky - 2008
- Burn Me Dead - 2006
- Yuri Kouznetsoff - 2006
- Valentin Dubovskoy - 2004
- Rumen Balyozov - 1997
- Eugene Glebov - 1992
- York Höller - 1991
- Rainer Kunad - 1983
- Sergei Slonimsky - 1972
- Andrey Pashchenko - 1971
All musical genres
Bouquet of Sadness
Moment of Happiness
Technical details
Musical director
Fabio Mastrangelo
Irina Afanasieva
Maria Oshmyanskaya
Sergey Shilovsky
Andrey Pastushenko
Igor Shevchuk
Chris Hancock
Anton Tanonov
Olga Tomaz
Sergey Rubalsky
Irina Dolgova
Oleg Popkov
Alexander Maev
Anna Kovalchuk (Hella)
Ivan Ozhogin (Woland)
Anton Avdeev (the master)
Nicholas Timokhin (the master)
Vera Sveshnikova
Maria Lagatskaya
Vyatsheslav Shtyps
Music Hall
Aleksandrovsky Park 4
197198 Saint-Petersburg
Russian Federation
18, 19, 20 September 2014 - 19:00
20 September 2014 - 13:00
26 till 31 October 2014 - 19:00


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I really like Information Dissemination's coverage of the USN's awesome Mercy Class Hospital Ships, but I also thought this quote by Galrahn from last September was telling.
Think about it. In the ongoing dispute between China and Japan - it is Japan who can afford to keep pushing China - because China's reaction of stirring up nationalism is a double edged sword. Over time, only China suffers from diminishing returns of escalation with a regional neighbor.
So true, only a hopelessly insecure government or nation would feel compelled to incessantly stir up a jingoistic strain of nationalism to no clear purpose.


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has anybody tried using gas vapors to run a motor
been watching "the vaporkid" on youtube - looks like he has something to look into
here is the link for "the vaporkid" on youtube
I have been thinking about building a unit for one of my Deere 214 that I have.
it is one I brought to rebuild - took it all taken apart, checked over and part back together.
I was planning on selling it next spring, but it would be a good test unit to try to run it on gas vapors
what do you all think about the idea of running on gas vapors?
would like to hear your thoughts about it


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The command version, equipped with a powerful set of radios, complete electrical equipment and corresponding wiring. These tanks were used to coordinate artillery support, infantry as well as air support with Panzer divisions. Roomy and dependable, it was probably the best German command tank of the war.
Anybody got any thoughts on that ability being added?
http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/n ... zer_IV.php
http://preservedtanks.com/Types.aspx?Ty ... 5&Select=1


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Spanking Time
Kore Goddess wearing her leather and chain spanking outfit deserves to have her nice plump ass spanked and as an extra her nipples and clitoris receive some pleasureable attention
More magic as this time Kore Goddess is tied up ready for some tricks with her mouth and pussy. Mister Magic warms up her mouth with his cock and fucks and fists her pussy ready for it to swallow and spit out various items of fruit and ping pong balls. It culminates in a perverse ping pong balls from pussy to mouth then they are coated in cum for her to place in her mouth one at a time to clean them. Dirty cow yes but you will enjoy every second of this act till you shoot your own tribute.
The Face sitter
Kore Goddess has returned to the circus and teams up again with the horny magician Mister Magic. He pretends to be a magician but really he just wants to fuck with Kore. For a change he wants to make his face disappear and his assistant make sure the trick works by smothing his face with her big fat ass. We loved the show we are sure you will.
The Invitation
Kore has received an invitation from one of her fans to call round his home and use her huge tits, big ass and hot wet pussy to entertain his cock. He certainly does not let her down and gives her ass and pussy a good reaming and by does he adore those massive hangers. Join and watch him go about this anal cumslut.
The Anal Interview
Kore Goddess goes for a job in the sex industry and her interviewer tells her he wants her to try on three hot outfits and then he would like to fuck her.....Sorry you got that wrong yes I will try the outfits on and you can jack while you watch and when i am finished if that cock of yours is nice and hard you can fuck me in my ass. Seems like a fair deal!
The Squirting Nurse
Kinky as always our total slut Nurse Kore Goddess is intent on creaming herself. She turns her normal bra into a nursing one so she can squeeze and pucker her huge udders while fucking her pussy with two huge rubber dongs. The result of this extreme pussy attention is squirt and piss flies all over the place and a willing patient arrives and jerks his meat off all over her big mammaries. Join now and jerk off for yourself.
The Magicians Assistant
Kore Goddess takes up a new job looking pretty as a magicians assistant. Little did she know that this magician loves to perform bondage tricks on huge breasted ladies. Whats more he loves to fuck them in the ass and pussy and little did he know that Kore Goddess had exactly the same tricks in her mind. Nearly forgot she also shows him her pissing fountain trick made for two!!
The Cat is back
Kore Goddess returns as the cat who got the cream for another mouth pussy and ass full of hard cock followed by copious amounts of cream.
The Mask
Kore Goddess in probably her most extreme kinkiest as she appears in a mask with her massive boobs bondaged in tight cable ties. Add to the pleasure with a glass butt plug and her pussy lips fastened open. With her mask on she does not realise the approach of a hard cock that fucks her and empties its seed in her zipped open mouth. Watch the big titted bitch get it all!
Taming Your Slut
Kore Goddess runs around on the beach out of control like a wild slut. Her man soon reins in this bad behaviour and sets about taming her nothing more than a few ropes and a hard fucking in her ass won't fix.
Diamonds are a Butts best friend
Kore Goddess with Diamonds or in this case a Diamond butt plug deep in her well used ass. Join the website and enjoy every second watching Kore having her ass, pussy and mouth used for her mans pleasure.
More Bondage
Another scene with Red Haired Kore Goddess having her magnificent boobs tied in rope. Her mouth is going to get filled with cum and allowed to run out all of these tied up beauties.
Lifes a beach
Kore Goddess on the beach playing as the Pacifics waves crash on the sands. Its the perfect place to fuck her own pussy and then suck on a nice hard cock before taking a nice face full of cum.
The Punishment Girls
Poor Dr Art while out enjoying his hobby he spies two plump big boobed babes in the hot tub. His second most favourite pastime after bird watching is stroking himself as he looks at naked BBW. Unfortunately for him they spot the naughty peeping tom and take him indoors to punish him by squirting all over his face as he uses his face dildo on their hot pussies. A must watch video worth the membership fee on its own
Lady Kore Goddess
Kore Goddess turns Domina to punish a nasty little sissy man. She uses her huge tits to squash his face and pleasures herself while denying him the right to stroke his cock. Join the website members who are enjoying the full movie
Anal School Teacher
Did your French teacher take it up her ass? Well heres a teacher that does and she has massive tits as well to hang on to while your banging her ass with your stiff manhood
Bikini Audition
Kore Goddess enters the best big tits in a small bikini competion in California. With tits like hers exploding out of her almost not there bikini she should pass the initial audition but just to be sure she deep throats the judge.
Nurse Sabina Leigh
Horny Nurse Sabina Leigh has been waiting for some time to get her hands on Kore Goddess. Kore is the perfect patient ready and willing to follow instructions for a full on lesbian experience with Nurse Sabina
The Stewardess
Kore returns from another long day as a stewardess on Melonjuggler Airways. A round trip of six thousand miles has left her worn out. Thats until she spreads her pussy for some pleasure and a knock on the door sees the arrival of Flight Captain Art with his cock hard and ready to give his favourite stewardess a good dicking
Walk in the Rain
A cool walk in the rain sets Kores juices flowing and all she has in mind is to return home as quickly as possible and let the rain squirt all over her man from her gushing squirting pussy.
The Diet Plan
Kore decides she will put some weight on and try and make those huge tits of hers even bigger. So she is stuffing her face with all sorts of fattening goodies when a friend arrives and fills her mouth and pussy with his hard cock. And to finish he blows his load on her cake which she quickly devours. The pounds are packing on now
Cash for Gas
Kore Goddess cannot afford a tank of gas and sits by the road begging for cash. She is dead lucky because a little known porn producer was passing by and does her a deal. He pays for a tank of gas and she appears in a POV porn movie with him. Seems like the perfect transaction
Paid For Sex
Kore just loves spending money and she comes up with a plan .....Hubby now has to pay for sex. It seems to work for them both as he gets hot sex with his massive titted wife and she has loads of money to go shopping with. What she does not know is we get a hard cock watching her get her money.
The XXX Nurse
Kore Goddess is the XXX Nurse
guaranteed to revive the most ill of patients with her personal charms. One thing is certain Florence Nightingale did not have a pair of tits that will match the size of Kores guaranteed to have you up and about like a new man.
Big Tits Big Pussy
Kore Goddess hits the bottle or should we say it hits on her. That big pussy needs filling and in this scene she picks up anything handing and stuffs it into her gaping hole. Does your wife allow you to watch her filling her pussy?
Shower and Toy
Time to take these two huge boobs in the shower but oh no the water running across them and down into her pussy causes Kore to get very horny and it's not long before she satisfies her needs
Double Fuck
Kore Goddess has enormous tits but also a big pussy that is hungry for cock 24/7 and when there is no real cock to be had then her large collection of toys are brought into play. In this scene nothing short of two huge dongs at the same time will satisfy her hunger.
Tit Fuck
Kore Goddess has such enormous big full tits perfect for giving the best tit fucks in town. Just watch our lucky customer it's so good he dumps a load of cum on them.
Paying the Doctor
Just had no money and the Doctor is demanding payment. When Miss Kore explains to the Doctor she has no money he provides an alternative method of payment. Superb role play a real must see.
Traffic Violation
Kore Goddess is arrested for a traffic violation because she was driving around undressed like a slut. In California that violates state laws. The arresting Police officer immediately violates Kores ass first with his night stick then his hard cock. Join the members who are enjoying this hot video.
18 U.S.C. 2257 Record-Keeping Requirements Compliance Statement
All models were over the age of 18 at time of photography.
© Copyright 2018 Kore Goddess- All Rights Reserved


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Spoiler: All New Mutants (original series), X-Force, Young X-Men, The Initiative, etc. AU starting from issue 4 of the New Mutants series launched 2009.
Disclaimer: Marvel owns New Mutants and all X-Men characters. I'm just borrowing.
Relationship: Danielle M./Robert D.
Author's note – To all the Power Ranger readers that have me on their Author Alert, please disregard this story notice. I'm just working through some non-PR related fic thoughts. But if you happen to be a comics fan, know the New Mutants series and stay, please let me know what you think. Ms. J.
Summary: Dani and Robert have always been close friends, going to the wall for one another. But is it anything more than that?
Sun and Moon
By JTrevizo
The somewhat impromptu re-established New Mutant team had returned to the Marin headlands headquarters of the X-Men from its near debacle mission to investigate a mutant in Colorado where Danielle "Mirage" Moonstar and Shan "Karma" Coy Manh had been hunted by David Heller and his personalities. Shan had been saved by Illyana "Magik" Rasputin while Amara "Magma" Aquila and Magik had rescued Dani from Heller after Samuel "Cannonball" Guthrie and Roberto "Sunspot" da Costa had left her behind in the jail cell for her "own protection".
If Magma and Magik hadn't shown up, Dani would probably be dead.
That fact had been a bone of contention between Sam and Dani the whole ride back. Now with the team debriefed and scattered across the campus, Dani and Robert had ended up in one of the smaller residential kitchens, the two of them sitting across from one another, beers in hand.
Dani scowled across the small circular table at Robert. He'd been expecting Sam to let her out of the jail cell, but he'd never verified it, and his failure to make sure Sam had done so had nearly gotten her killed. She'd already vented her frustration at Sam with a right hook to his jaw. Roberto had yet to get his.
"You could have just opened the damn door for me you know," she complained bitterly as she took a long sip of her Budweiser, looking across the small table at him.
"I didn't realize that Sam wasn't going to let you out. As it was, I didn't find out what he'd done until we were in the field and it was already too late," he argued, but without any real conviction in what he was saying.
"What the hell was he thinking 'Berto? He left me in that cell knowing Heller was out there hunting me. How did he think that was a good idea?"
"He thought you'd be safe… I mean, without your powers…" Robert started, and then trailed off.
Since Dani had lost her powers, along with so many mutants following the House of M incident, he and the others had been trying to be supportive. She'd worked with the Initiative and then the Young X-men as a teacher along side him, providing guidance in using mutant powers that she no longer had. But in the field, without those powers… it was a dangerous place to be.
"You know I've been okay in the field since then. As it is I can still fight, and I can kick his ass or even yours da Costa, with or without them," she growled half heartedly, and he grinned slightly, making her sigh as her anger faded and she grinned back. "I just hate being thought of as a liability."
"You're not. You're still a valued member of the team. Sam just wanted to make sure you stayed alive, just like I did. It was a mistake."
"Yeah, you're lucky the girls showed up or…"
Robert took a long swallow of his own drink before he looked away. He didn't want to think about that. The team had lost a lot of people over the years. He'd lost people. He knew that losing Dani would have been beyond painful. He'd already dodged that bullet more than once, much to his and the team's relief.
"We were coming back. Once we realized what was going on, I would have done whatever it took to get back to save you."
Dani gave a smirk and took another sip of her beer. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Just you – planning on swooping in and saving the day. How many times have you ridden to the rescue?" He frowned, his mind pondering the question as Dani continued. "The Demon Bear, that attack after the dance in Westchester, Hel, Donald Pierce…"
Memories of those incidents, times when he and the team were there for her, doing their best, his best to help or rescue her flooded his mind. Images of her tormented, beaten, bloodied, fighting for her life flashed through his mind. He paled slightly under his dark complexion as he thought of them all.
"I seem to recall the same thing about you," he answered, turning the tables on her as he put down his beer as he ticked off the incidents one by one on one hand, "Selene in the Amazon, Asgard… Reignfire…"
At the mention of the clone that had taken control of the Mutant Liberation Front under Roberto's guise, his mind link making the true Sunspot evil for a period of time, Dani looked down, staring intently into her beer bottle.
Robert reached over and grabbed her hand, his warm skin nearly burning her as his touch startled her into looking up.
"I never thanked you for what you did, thinking it was me. I know you'd just gotten exiled from Asgard and only reason you agreed to work for SHIELD was because you thought I was Reignfire and you had to rescue me somehow."
"Like I said, you would have done the same for me. You have…"
"It's not really the same… all those times the others were with me too. But you went undercover *alone* with the MLF to help *me*," Robert pointed out, and Dani shrugged.
"We've been good friends for a long time 'berto. What else could I do?"
"I'm lucky to have such a good friend then."
It was quiet for a bit, and Dani noticed Robert hadn't moved his hand. She looked at him and thought about everything they'd been through; years of pain and joy, sacrifice and acceptance. And somewhere during those years, she'd realized that she would do anything for him; go anywhere, say anything… kill anybody.
Her eyes widened just a little bit in the semi-darkened kitchen as she realized something she'd never understood until just this moment. She'd fallen in love with him.
She wanted to mentally smack herself in the forehead as she acknowledged the feelings, deep, intense feelings that he'd instilled up in her. How his well being meant more to her than anything. How she'd been willing to go out on a limb time after time for him, more often than any of her other friends, even Rahne Sinclair.
Thinking of Rahne, she mentally kicked herself again for misjudging their relationship. They had always been friends – nothing more. But 'berto….
She'd always been there for him, as long as she'd been in the same dimension. She trusted him more than any of the team, had been through more with him, hell, if she had to be honest with herself, she'd fantasized about him more than any other man she'd known. She just hadn't accepted that it was because she loved him rather than he was a guy who was pretty good looking and happened to be around 24/7.
And deep down, she had somehow known that the reason she hadn't ever acknowledged her feelings for him was because she knew if she ever let herself truly feel that for him, ever expressed it to him, that she could ruin everything that they did have, as friends, forever.
Across from her, Robert studied her quizzically. She seemed to be staring at him, and it was making him feel… odd.
"Dani? You okay?"
His voice cut through her thoughts, and she felt her pulse speed up as she watched his eyes, his lips, her mind wandering down a path that led her to wonder just what being in love with him would be like… and suddenly she had to know. She had to say something, because if she didn't, she'd regret it for the rest of her life; A life that had nearly gotten cut short again. But how could she explain herself, tell him what she'd only now admitted? How could she be sure to keep his friendship if that was all she could have?
"Have we always been friends?" she asked quietly, her eyes finding his as he looked at her, curious about her comment and tone of voice, which sounded so strange to him.
"Of course," he insisted, and then conceded, "Except when you were being a pig headed leader and told me the truth about myself."
Dani had to smile lightly at that. She could remember more than a few moments when she would point her finger in his direction and tell him he was being stupid, foolish, arrogant, elitist or even sexist. They both had tempers that could run hot, yet he always listened to her. Always.
"But I was usually right."
"Yeah, you were."
"I just… maybe things would be different now if I had been a better friend to you."
Again, Robert's eyebrow rose in disbelief and he looked at her to continue. He watched as she took a deep breath before she spoke.
"I should have told you before that I've always known that you're just hiding behind your ladies man, playboy image, hitting on every girl in the world when you were just afraid of actually meeting and dating a girl who wasn't your type and you could actually be happy settling down with…"
"What? Where the hell did that come from?" Robert interrupted, stunned by her words as he pulled his hand back. Dani held it for a second before easing up her hold, allowing him to escape.
The look of shock and anger on his face tore at her heart. He hadn't let her finish, and now she knew she'd made a mistake.
"I… damn it 'berto, I shouldn't have said anything," she said thickly, her throat suddenly tight as she berated herself mentally for giving in to her base desire to say something to him.
At that, she rapidly got up from her seat, beer bottle nearly spinning on the table as she headed for the door. Robert quickly launched from his chair, catching her upper arm in his grasp before she could get more than two feet from the table. She turned her head to look at him, and he realized that the dark brown eyes that he knew so well were watery as they caught is own gaze. He gulped visibly and moved closer to her before he knew he was moving, his other hand moving to grasp her other shoulder, turning her towards him.
"I'm sorry. Don't leave. You know you can tell me anything. Even if it's that I'm an insensitive moron," he commented self-depreciatingly as he gave her a tentative smile, and then said, "And hey, what exactly do you think my type is that I shouldn't be dating?"
Dani blinked, breaking the connection as she felt the tension in the air shift slightly. He'd given her an opening to joke it off. But did she really want to walk away from this, knowing she might never get another chance?
Her Cheyenne heritage pushed at her heart and she somehow found the courage to tell him the truth, as she saw it.
"You keep picking blondes."
He took a double take at that, his mouth dropping open. She laughed lightly and stared at him intently as his hands nearly fell free of her arms before he caught himself. He re-established his hold of her arms in a lighter grip as he stared at her, surprised still by her words.
"I do?"
"Tabitha, Gosamyr, sort of, Amara… Juliana," she listed slowly, watching him closely as he digested her words.
"I guess I have," he admitted, slightly dazed. Then he looked at her again and suddenly felt his heart lurch in his chest.
He saw something there in her eyes that he'd never seen before. Or perhaps it had always been there and he'd just never noticed. He could feel the emotion pouring off her, how her skin nearly burned him where he gripped her arms. Her chest barely moved, as if she was holding her breath yet he could feel her pulse pounding beneath her skin. And he suddenly became aware that her hands had somehow ended up against his chest, her fingers and palms splayed out across his shirt.
Was what he was seeing, feeling… love?
That was crazy… It couldn't be that. They'd know each other for so long, and they'd never… He'd always known she was attractive. But he'd always been swayed by the pretty blondes she was pointing out to him or teasing Illyana, Rahne or even Theresa.
They had never been more than friends. Sure they could fight like cats and dogs, but when it came down to it, he trusted her more than anyone he knew, even Sam. She'd put herself on the line for him more times than he could count, and she still was willing to come back for more. In seconds, every touch, kind word or smile she'd graced him with over the years suddenly replayed itself in his head, and he found himself realizing that it had always been there.
After all these years, everything they'd been through, everything he'd done, how could she feel that way about him? And if it was true, if she really did love him, did he feel the same?
Looking into her eyes he let himself acknowledge that he did. And suddenly, he had to see if he was dreaming or if this was real. If Dani really loved him like he loved her.
"So who should I be dating? Redheads? Brunettes?" he began softly, watching her face closely, looking again for what he was certain he'd seen there. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly at his suggestion. "How about raven haired beauties then?"
He watched as Danielle Moonstar, the woman he knew who had taken on death itself, went stock still in his grasp, her breath catching at his words. And his heart began to beat wildly at the implications.
"Okay – a black haired girl. Any specific kind? Maybe a fiery raven haired woman who has always been able to both kick and save my ass?"
Her mouth dropped open then, and her eyes blinked before they locked with his with a stunned look to them.
"You were right. I've been picking the wrong women, when the right one has been standing next to me all these years," Robert said softly, pulling Dani closer.
"You… I… 'berto…" Dani mumbled helplessly as she realized that he'd read her face, her feelings without her actually saying a word.
Smiling as he realized he'd stunned her into silence, he took a deep, steadying breath and decided to take a leap of faith that she wouldn't punch his lights out for what he was about to do. With a slight effort, he pulled her to him until her hands were trapped between their bodies and leaned down to capture her lips with his.
The spark that flared at the first touch of her lips against his made him lightheaded, and as he kept kissing her, he suddenly felt her kissing him back. For Dani, once the shock at realizing Roberto Da Costa was actually kissing her, she let her eyes close and fell into the kiss, letting the locked up passion for him out. Robert answered her gratefully, intensely, their feelings erupting in this one act after so long. Dani's hands curled in his shirt and Robert let go of one of her arms to cradle her head as the kiss deepened.
Finally the fire of passion began to pale beneath the fire spreading through their lungs as they felt the need to breathe overcome them, and they broke apart to dual deep breaths, their eyes opening and locking instead.
Dani licked her lips suddenly and Robert tried not to shudder at the sight. Now that they'd crossed this line, she was worried about what came next, and she wondered if she was up to the happiness or the heartache, depending on Roberto's intentions
"This… this isn't just a… a fling for you, is it?" Dani asked quietly, sudden fears about his motives trying to override the torrent of feelings surging through her.
"No, it's the real thing Danielle," he replied, using her full name. "I…I never realized what was happening between us all this time. I chocked it up to just being friends, and chased all those blondes you accused me of hiding behind rather than face up to the fact that I'd fallen for you somewhere along the way."
"You… "
"Love you. Yeah… I was a surprise to me too."
At that, she smiled at him, a truly beautiful smile that he couldn't help but be warmed by the sight of, his heart filling even more with the show of her emotions on her face. Her right hand eased up from his shirt to lie softly against his cheek, feeling the late day stubble brush against her palm. He slightly leaned into her hand; his eyes still latched to hers as he relish the feeling of her flesh on his.
"I love you Roberto Da Costa. Even though I probably shouldn't, I do…" she said breathlessly.
"I'm glad. It would majorly suck if you didn't want this too."
Dani laughed at that, and he had to join her. His arms wrapped around her waist and he pulled her to him again as her arms fell around his neck. As their laughter died, their lips crashed together again as they let themselves explore their newly found feelings. They kissed for what seemed like forever before the lights flicked on in the kitchen, shocking the two into breaking apart and turning to see Cyclops standing there.
"Uh… we're…" Robert began to say before Cyclops held up a hand.
"Relax. You're consenting adults. It's none of my business," he said as he quickly moved to the refrigerator and pulled out the remains of the six pack of Budweiser that Dani and Robert had been drinking earlier. Beer in hand, he turned to leave, but before he got through the door, he added, "besides, it's about time you two got together,"
With that, Cyclops flipped off the lights again, leaving the two of them in the dark and stunned at his words. After a few moments, they started laughing again.