text:
The Thief Comes
On a violent, black winter evening, Baron Ferdinand Harsanyi in Paris received a telegram from his wife in Vienna. It was delivered to his lodging on the Rue de Saint-Simon, and by candlelight at his desk he read its three words, I AM ILL.
"Will there be a reply, monsieur?"
The messenger, an old man, shuddered from the cold and stood close to the fire. The heavy coat of his uniform seemed to do little to warm him. Outside, hard gusts of the tempest outside assailed the window. It rattled and shook in its casing and the wind whistled through it. These were the only sounds inside as the man stood shivering and the Baron Ferdinand sat, uneasy as the storm.
Finally, the baron took the form and touched his pen to the ink bottle. "Today is Monday?"
"Yes, monsieur."
He scribbled, WILL LEAVE TOMORROW ARRIVE THURSDAY. "There, take that."
The messenger returned reluctantly to the night, and Ferdinand stood and began to pace the room. His steps were silent on the thick carpet, a slow tread that soon became quicker and more troubled. His path was wall to wall beneath two portraits, one behind his desk, of the Austrian emperor, and the other opposite, of a woman. At last, he stopped beneath it. The woman, in her youth, with long black hair and striking features, was wearing the fashions of an earlier time. The baron faced her, looking up; he was two hard decades at least past his own youth.
His valet appeared.
"Yes, master."
"We'll depart tomorrow for Vienna. I'll call on the ambassador at his residence this evening to ask his leave."
"Yes, master."
The cold gale had swept the Rue de Saint-Simon clear of men and light. Above the wind's howl, shutters creaked and half-loose things beat against hard walls.
Yet even against the hurricane blackness, curtained light crept from the buildings, side against side, lining the lane. No shaft of it touched the stones of the street. The glimmering windows were only pictures framed in night of the rooms and the lives hidden like jewels from the thieving storm.
It was upon this wailing sheet of shadow that Baron Harsanyi opened his door, its light spilling even onto the pavement, capturing an island from the blackness. He stepped onto the small square. Then he closed the door and the light surrendered back to the dark.
But the baron did not surrender himself to night. He wrapped his thick cape about him and advanced into it.
In a warmer season it would have been a short, pleasant stroll to the Rue de Grenelle. In the cold, he still chose to walk. A few carriages passed, and no one on two legs. For most of the way he was invisible in the shadows, the only witness of the war between the powers of the air and the strongholds of earth. He reached the Austrian Embassy and pulled the bell; it was a short but chilling wait for the front gate to be opened.
Prince Richard von Metternich, ambassador of Franz Joseph, the emperor of Austria, to Louis Napoleon, emperor of France, stood by the mantel in his private apartments, a goblet in his hand and a hot fire dancing at his side.
"Your Excellency." Ferdinand Harsanyi bowed.
The room was warm and close and fitfully bright. Flames roared in hearths at either end, and candle flames floated in their silver holders.
"Baron. What brings you out on a wretched night?" The prince's careless posture was in contrast to the baron's military straightness. His youth and finery were, as well; he was barely forty, and his emerald satin jacket shimmered like cat eyes.
"I must request your leave to return to Vienna."
"As you wish, of course." He set aside the formality with a gesture. "A personal matter?"
"My wife is ill." The baron's attention was pulled aside, toward the far hearth and the two chairs beside it. All the light made the shadows blacker, and the shadows leaped with the fire.
"How unfortunate," Prince von Metternich said. "My wife just visited her a few weeks ago when she was in Vienna. Did your wife tell you? Possibly not." The prince glanced toward the far fireplace, indecisive, but then shrugged. "They are such good friends. I'll not delay you. Please give my regards to the charming baroness, and my hopes for a speedy recovery." He gestured again in dismissal.
"Thank you, Your Excellency." Baron Harsanyi paused. His hair was gray iron and close-cropped. He would have been handsome as a young man; now he was hidden. "Do you have any instructions for me?"
The ambassador pretended surprise. "Instructions?" His head seemed to always be in motion, tilting, swaying, nodding.
"I'll be in the capital. Do you want me to convey any messages?"
"You would take precious hours from your poor, ill wife for a tedious visit to the Foreign Ministry?"
It would have been easier to see without such light. And over the growling flames, there had been another slight sound coming from the opposite fireplace.
"I would have the opportunity. If you wish." Ferdinand spoke slowly and carefully. "I would be expected to call on the foreign minister. It would be an affront to him on your behalf if I do not."
"And he would deserve it!" The ambassador's own fires flared. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. "But if I wish to insult the foreign minister, I should do it myself." His demeanor changed again, to give the baron his full attention. The mocking tone was gone. "Be innocuous, be bland, and say nothing. Tell him the usual, that relations between France and Prussia are as difficult as ever, and we have fears the current crisis may make them even worse."
"Which particular crisis do you mean, Your Excellency?"
"Pick one, any of them. Make one up if nothing new has happened by the time you get to Vienna. There's always a crisis between France and Prussia." He lifted his hands in annoyance. "The Spanish throne if you need a particular one. But ..." The ambassador became more forceful. "Stress that this embassy is diligently working to calm the French government. Because the greatest harm would be that the ministry gives us instructions. You know as well as I, Baron Harsanyi, it is very delicate at the moment, and I think it is best for us to manage it ourselves. There will be war between Paris and Berlin within the next twelve months, I'm sure of it, but it's far better for the Austrian government in Vienna to not meddle. Be careful what you say."
The baron was satisfied. "I understand, Your Excellency."
He stared more closely at the chair facing the far fireplace, but the shadows were too deep. Prince von Metternich drew his attention away. "And will you also visit the office of the Army General Staff?"
"If possible. Again, it would be an affront not to. An affront on my behalf."
"I have no instructions to you about that. What will you say to them?"
"As the military attaché to the embassy in Paris, I will report to them on the state of the French army. That will be all that is necessary."
"Armies are useful, in wars and for other purposes, but they do not interest me." Prince von Metternich shrugged and his careless manner returned. "Perhaps this will be one war that Austria will avoid losing."
"I hope, Your Excellency, that if a war does come between France and Prussia, that Austria would not participate in it."
"Quite, Baron. That is the only way Austria ever avoids losing. We had our own defeat by Prussia four years ago and that is enough."
But now Baron Ferdinand was sure. Of the two heavy chairs that were set by the far fireplace, one was not empty. Prince Richard saw that Baron Harsanyi had seen. He smiled, as if he'd just remembered the two of them weren't alone. "Monsieur Sarroche?" he laughed. "You have been discovered."
The man stood and displayed himself in the tricking light. He was needle-like, short and very thin. Even his nose was long and pointed and unpleasant. His hair was the only feature about him that was abundant, brown and longer than was fashionable. "Monsieur." He bowed slightly and briefly. Baron Harsanyi stiffened, even more.
"Baron Harsanyi is the military attaché assigned to the embassy," the ambassador said. "And Monsieur Sarroche is an official of the French government in their Bureau of Armaments."
"I already know the pleasure of the baron's acquaintance," Monsieur Sarroche said. His voice was also unpleasant.
The baron remained silent.
"Of course you would know him," Prince von Metternich said. "I should have realized. The baron makes it his business to know everything admirable about the French army. Perhaps, Baron, you can guess the reason for the monsieur's visit."
Baron Harsanyi broke his stiff silence. "I wouldn't guess."
"Then perhaps you actually know. Monsieur Sarroche is here to discuss the French government's desire to make purchases from Austria."
"Military materials," Sarroche said. "As Your Excellency suggests, we may have great needs very soon."
"And we were just getting started," Prince von Metternich said, "when you were announced; I had even thought I should ask your assistance. But of course you are in a hurry to prepare for your travels."
"We particularly want mercury." The Frenchman spoke abruptly. He was watching Baron Harsanyi very closely.
"I really do feel as if I'm the one who's stumbled into the conversation," Prince von Metternich said, now pretending amusement. "Do you know something about, um, mercury, Baron?"
"The baron knows a great deal about mercury," Sarroche answered for him. "Austria's largest cinnabar mines are at Idria, in Slovenia, on the baron's estate."
"Cinnabar?" Prince von Metternich asked. "Not mercury?"
"Cinnabar is the ore; the mercury is produced from it," Baron Ferdinand said. "And mercury is used to manufacture mercury fulminate, which is an explosive. But the mines are on my wife's estate, not mine."
"Oh, that's what those mines are? We've known your wife for years, but I never could remember what exactly it was they dug out of the ground there."
"Yes, your wife's estates," Sarroche said to the baron. And then, slowly, "I am so greatly sorry to hear that she is ill." He let the silence hang, then added, "But not entirely surprised."
The baron inhaled sharply.
"Yes, it is unfortunate," the ambassador said, not taking notice of Sarroche's last comment. His always mocking smile was sympathetic for a moment. "And how long will we be without you? A week? Two?"
"A week, I hope."
"A week then." The lights in the prince's eyes narrowed, and his head, moving like an adder, turned straight toward him. "That would be only two days at her side? Will it be enough?"
"Three days. I hope it will be enough."
"Take what time you need."
"And when you return," Sarroche said, "we will continue our discussion."
On the return to his apartment, the wind had decreased and a heavy snow fell. Where the lights of windows and streetlamps had before not penetrated the black, now their radiance had the slow white flakes to illuminate. Every light became a floating globe of falling grains.
With even greater speed, the baron retraced his steps. Inside the front hall of the building, he knocked on the concierge's door.
"A carriage," he said. "Fifteen minutes."
"Zoltan," the baron said at the door of his apartment. "We're leaving tonight. Quickly. We'll catch the last train." He looked out the window. "I hope the snow doesn't block the tracks."
"Ten minutes," Zoltan answered. He had black hair, straight down over his heavy brow, and a similar mustache over his mouth, and he wore a clerk's short coat over his loose white shirt and burly shoulders. He bowed and left the room.
Ferdinand's motions were fast and urgent. He opened a drawer of his desk and quickly removed papers and sorted them into a portfolio. In only eight minutes Zoltan had pulled a trunk from the bedroom and a smaller portmanteau from his own room. Baron Harsanyi searched the room with his eyes, looking for anything else to be taken.
A knock sounded on the door, its echo smothered in the drapery and carpet.
"The carriage, master," Zoltan said. A boy, the concierge's grandson, had brought the driver to the apartment.
The baron gave the boy a few sous, and Zoltan and the driver lifted the trunk and the portmanteau through the hall and down the stairs.
The baron blew out the last lamp, took his portfolio, and locked the door of his dark apartment behind him.
For the final time that evening, Baron Harsanyi ventured out. The snow was not yet deep and the carriage wheels cut through it without resistance. The first corner was the Quai d'Orsay, and they rode for a time along the left bank of the Seine. The road was well lit, and even the gaslights on the far bank were visible. The carriage turned onto the Pont de la Concorde and crossed the Seine; then they were on the other bank, beneath its lights, and the d'Orsay side was faint beyond the snow and fog. The whole river smoked and curled and cloaked itself and its banks in vapor.
On the right bank they still followed the water, on the Quai des Tuileries. The gardens were on their left, and then the bulk of the Louvre, and then on their right, the Ile, and barely, the blunt spires of Notre Dame ghostly in the snow. They turned on the Boulevard de Sebastopol and the river was lost behind them.
The new boulevard was as straight as a cannon shot, which was part of its purpose, to break up the nests and warrens of neighborhoods that had always bred uprisings and unrest.
But the boulevard's other purpose was to make Paris wondrous, and the long lines of lights and endless lines of gray stone mansions and bright windows and the sinuous lines of pedestrians on the sidewalks, and carriages on the paving stones, were beautiful and glittering, a street of light.
Then Boulevard de Strasbourg continued Sebastopol's line, and soon the grand front of the Gare de l'Est train station was in sight. But before they reached it, the baron spoke to the driver, "Turn here."
They turned onto the Boulevard de Magenta and then a second time onto a small side street; the sign said Rue de Valenciennes. They stopped at the third building, once but no longer a house. Now a small brass plaque was set beside the door that read, Partington and Manchester, Ltd.
One light glowed in the uppermost window. Despite the late, dark hour, the baron rang the bell and knocked, as well. There was no answer, but he was undeterred. He continued to knock, and finally the door creaked open. A wide, pasty face looked out.
"What is it?" the face asked in English-accented French.
The baron's English had only a slight accent. "Mr. Henry Whistler. Where is he?"
"Not here!" The clerk changed to English. "Not now."
"Is he in Paris?"
"No, sir. He's away."
"I'm not to say, sir."
"Is he in Vienna?"
The white face hadn't nearly the guile to deny that the baron's guess was the truth.
"I thought as much," the baron said, and turned away.
In an even greater hurry, the baron rushed into the station, leaving behind Zoltan and a porter with the trunk. Though the night had long been dark, it was still before nine thirty and the last trains were standing at the platforms.
"Two first class to Strasbourg," he said at the window.
"Yes, monsieur." The agent eyed him with suspicion. "You are Prussian, monsieur?"
"That isn't your business."
"It is the business of the police," the ticket agent answered. "I am required to ask. Travel by Prussians must be reported."
"I am Hungarian and I am a diplomat of the Austrian Empire."
"Very well, sir! Your tickets!"
The baron turned to go, but then he paused.
"Perhaps I should ask for an apology, for being mistaken for Prussian."
The agent scowled, but caught a gleam of humor in the dark eyes, and smiled. "I will apologize to an Austrian. To be called Prussian, it is a terrible insult, is it not?"
The suburbs of Paris fell behind and the moon rose over the train's eastward course. The farms and villages of the valley of the Seine crowded the track, and the train and the fields each sped past the other in the night, very close but different worlds.
The falling snow was left behind. The fields were silver white from the train's windows; the windows were gaslit yellow from the snowy fields.
At midnight the train stopped at Chalons, and at four in the morning in Nancy. Finally, the winter day dawned as the track rounded the heights of the Vosges Mountains and came to rest at the platform in Strasbourg.
Baron Harsanyi waited in the first-class lounge, wrapped in his heavy coat and unnoticed by his fellow passengers.
"What did you think?" he asked Zoltan, beside him.
"The rails are single track. Every kilometer from Paris."
"When the war begins, how long would it take Marshall Frossard to bring his first fifty divisions from Paris to the Rhine?"
"The first five, one week," Zoltan said. "After that the trains get too confused and the mobilization is a swamp. The trains can't run both ways on the same track."
"The Prussians have four double-track lines from Berlin. Trains both ways at the same time."
"They would move twenty divisions in ten days."
"But their army is conscripts. They'll have to be called up from their farms and villages. Their mobilization would take longer." He looked out at the night. "And the French would have the Vosges Mountains as a defense, and the fortresses in Froeschwiller and Forbach. It won't be easy for either side."
"It will be murder," Zoltan growled.
The train that departed Strasbourg en route to Munich wound slowly at first through the half French and half German spires and villages of Alsace. Then gathering speed it launched onto the Rhine Bridge, a kilometer of iron trusses and spans. The sharp lines were blurred by the mists and fogs rising from the river.
"One company of dragoons would take the French side," Zoltan said. "Then the Rhine is nothing to stop the Prussians."
"That's not Prussia," the baron said, nodding to the approaching bank. "It's the Grand Duchy of Baden. Baden isn't allied to Prussia yet."
"It's all German."
Halfway across, the train began to slow, and well onto the eastern bank in the village of Kehl it stopped. The passengers waited as officials of the Grand Duchy passed the length of the cars, verifying passports. Outside the baron's window, two young guards stood on the platform of the station with rifles.
"Your papers, please?" The compartment door had opened, and a white-haired guard waited politely. "Austrian, yes, they are all in order. Thank you." He laid his hand on the compartment door.
"A moment," Baron Harsanyi said. "You're an old man to have to work hard, and in the cold."
"The young ones are drilling. It is the training."
"Like those?" He pointed out the window at the guards.
"Those two, yes. All those young ones are drilling and practicing."
When the door was closed, Zoltan shook his head.
"The rifles they have? Zundnadelgewehr." He spoke the German contemptuously. Then he returned to Hungarian. "Needle guns. They are trash."
"The Dreyse factories are supporters of Prime Minister Bismarck. He won't let the army change to a new rifle. Even here in the south, they haven't changed. The French rifles are far better. Quite accurate."
"The Chassepots rifles," Zoltan said. "I hit a target at a thousand meters. The needle guns only four hundred."
The train started and they began their journey through the south of Germany. After two hours they'd crossed the narrow waist of Baden and entered Württemberg. The black shadows of the German forest enclosed them.
"The forest of the Grimm tales," Baron Harsanyi said. "Did you know, in English, grim means austere and frightening? To see the place, that name is fitting."
"I don't know English."
Before noon they had passed Stuttgart and in the early afternoon they crossed the next frontier, into the Kingdom of Bavaria, and in the evening they came to the capital, Munich.
"Baden, Württemberg, and Bavaria," the baron said. "Von Bismarck and his Prussia have all Northern Germany in their hands, but these three Southern German states are still on the fence. The question is whether they will join a war with France. They have an alliance, but it only comes into effect if France declares war first."
"France would be foolish to attack," Zoltan said.
"Von Bismarck is a genius at making other countries do foolish things. That's why he's been so successful as Prussia's prime minister."
"If France attacks, all Germany will fight against her."
"There is no Germany," Ferdinand said. "They are all separate countries. Bavaria has its own kings, the Wittelsbachs, and they don't like the Prussian Hohenzollerns."
"So far, they have their king, and the Prussians have their king, and Hanover and Brunswick and Baden and all these little places," Zoltan said. "The people, they want one Germany. They always have. Where Germans are, that is Germany."
"The French will never allow Germany to unite."
"Unless they are forced."
"So, war is inevitable?"
"Only God could stop it."
They ate dinner in the station restaurant in Munich. At nearly midnight, they boarded the overnight train from Frankfurt. Zoltan slept, but the baron was lost in remorseless thought, staring out the windows at something beyond the Danube valley.
The day was well begun as they reached the outskirts of Vienna.
Beneath high, steam-shrouded arches of steel he stepped from the train onto the Vienna Westbahnhof platform. The station was crowded with passengers.
"A carriage?" Zoltan asked.
Ferdinand shook his head. "It's too early to arrive."
"The household will be awake."
But the baron was looking out the front doors of the station, toward an opulent marble building. He turned back to Zoltan. "I want to wait until the children have left the house. Check the bags here at the station. Then take a cab to the house. Don't go in, though. Wait at the corner where you can see who goes in and out, and don't let them see you. Wait for me. I'll be at least an hour."
"Yes, master."
Once Zoltan had left him, Ferdinand stood for a moment on the front steps of the station. Other people passed by, aiming for the imposing building directly across the street. Gold letters set above the second row of windows read Imperial Hotel.
He walked up the steps and the door was opened for him by a doorman. Inside, wealthy travelers ambled between the door, the front counter, the stairs, the dining room, and among the chairs and tables of the lobby.
At the desk he paused, and then asked, "Is Mr. Henry Whistler in this morning?"
"Just a moment, sir." The clerk studied the hundreds of squares in the wall behind him. Some of the pigeonholes had keys in them, some letters and notes, and some were empty. "Yes, he is in," the clerk said.
"Please have a message delivered to him."
"Yes, sir?" The man slid a sheet of paper forward, but the baron shook his head.
"Inform him that Baron Harsanyi would like to speak with him in the lobby."
The clerk nodded and rang a bell on the counter. A young man in hotel uniform sprang forward.
"Inform Mr. Whistler in room 225 that Baron Harsanyi wishes to speak with him in the lobby."
Ferdinand took a seat in a leather armchair in a far corner, and waited.
"My good baron!" The language and deep musical voice were English. The man was in a gray wool suit and bowler hat, with an ivory-handled ebony walking stick in his hand. His clothing was simply quiet and affluent, but his face was conspicuous. His cheeks were ruddy and his nose rounded above a bushy white mustache, and his eyes were very sharp. "Good morning! What an absolute surprise."
"Good morning to you," the baron answered.
Mr. Whistler sat beside him. "Quite a shrewd guess to find me here." Most of his smile was hidden behind the mustache. "But you're a shrewd man. And you're in Vienna to see the baroness?"
"I am here to see her."
"It was a guess that you'd find me here, wasn't it? Or did she tell you I was here? No, I doubt that." He smiled again, and for a moment the eyes were wickedly amused. "She's ill, you know."
"I do know."
"She was unable to see me yesterday," Whistler said. "I met with her three days ago, and she didn't seem well."
"She won't sell you any cinnabar," Baron Ferdinand said. "You've wasted your trip."
"I hope I haven't. But it seems to be a slim hope."
"Why did you even try?"
"We'll just say I'd heard a bit of a rumor that the wind might have changed."
"What rumor?"
But Whistler just smiled even more broadly. "And besides, you refuse to talk to me in Paris. It was worth a try to come here. And when she did talk to me, three days ago, she was as unfriendly to me as you have been." The sneering look reappeared in his eyes. "It must be the one thing in which the two of you are in agreement."
Ferdinand met his look with one just as sharp. But he responded calmly.
"Tell me what you proposed to her."
Whistler stared into Ferdinand's eyes for a moment, and his smile faded. "Why do you want to know?" He waited, and then said, "Perhaps I should have stayed in Paris after all. Was that where the new wind was blowing from?"
"I still don't know which wind you mean."
"I heard through one of my agents that Austrian cinnabar might soon be coming on the market. Are you the seller, Baron? I had assumed that it would be your wife."
"The cinnabar mines are part of my wife's estate," Ferdinand said. "She would have to agree to any sale."
"But you are her husband, and women have no legal rights to sign contracts. You have to sign it for her."
"I wouldn't accept anything against her wishes."
"You accepted your posting to Paris. But I suppose that wasn't against her wishes." Whistler tapped his fingers together, considering the baron's blank stare. "If your wife is ill and can't speak for herself, you might presume to speak for her." The sneer disappeared as he studied Ferdinand's face. "The French government has an urgent, desperate need for mercury fulminate and I would like to sell them some."
"The French have their own facilities. They can produce fulminate without buying it from you."
"But our good friend Monsieur Sarroche has no mercury to produce it with. There are only two sources in Europe large enough and developed enough to supply enough cinnabar ore: the Spanish mines at Almaden, and your Idria in Slovenia. Spain is even more unfriendly at the moment. Partington and Manchester will buy the cinnabar from you, produce the mercury fulminate in our own factories, and sell it to the French. You and I will both make a comfortable profit." He allowed another smile. "Herr Bismarck and Louis Napoleon are creating fortunes right now with this war they're trying to start against each other. Why not take our share?"
"The war may not happen."
"What could possibly stop it?" He paused. "Nothing. There is nothing more certain than war."
"You would sell the fulminate only to the French?" the baron asked.
"Not to the Prussians, if that's what you mean."
"That is what I mean."
"I would not sell it to Prussia. I can't," Whistler said. "Unfortunately, von Stieff has the whole German market all to himself. And the Austrian government would never allow the cinnabar ore to be exported to their greatest enemy anyway." He frowned in thought. "But I could find a way. War and greed are the two constants of human nature. For the right price, I'm sure I could find a way."
Baron Ferdinand ignored him. "So, again, tell me what you proposed to my wife."
"Here we get to it, don't we?" Whistler shook his head. "But I think I'll keep my cards to myself. First let me know if you can convince your wife to sell cinnabar to me. Or"—Whistler was back to smiling—"if you simply decide to sell it over her objections."
"I wouldn't do that."
"Don't tell me that your tender regard toward her prevents you from acting against her wishes. I wouldn't believe you."
"Austrian law doesn't give me complete freedom to act," Ferdinand said. "My wife does have some rights concerning her property."
"Then you'll have to start convincing her."
"That is my concern."
"It is, and you'd best get at it." Whistler frowned, and the mocking had returned. "The war won't wait, and the French are impatient." He stood to leave. "Sarroche has sent his own agent after her, you know, here in Vienna at the moment."
"That's another card I'll keep to myself."
"Tell me."
"You'll know where to find me, Baron," Whistler said, not answering. "I'll leave for Paris tomorrow. In the meantime, I wish your wife a speedy recovery." He leaned forward. "Or at least a speedy resolution. That would make things easier, wouldn't it?"
"What have you seen?"
Zoltan stepped back from the corner. "No one has entered."
"Have the children left?"
"Your son left as I arrived. On a horse."
"He's riding. And Therese?"
"She left ten minutes ago in a carriage. It came to get her."
"Who was in it?"
"I couldn't see."
"Most likely a friend. Then I am ready to arrive."
They both got into the cab that Ferdinand had brought from the train station. "On to the front door," Ferdinand said to the driver. Then he spoke to Zoltan. "I may go back out after the children have returned. Go to the stable and reintroduce yourself to the grays."
"Yes, master."
And then they had covered the last thirty meters to the front door. The house was stone and brick, as elegant and quiet as the street. With his cloak billowing unheeded about his shoulders, Baron Harsanyi stepped into the snow and mud and then onto the wide steps and up to the oak doors.
He opened them, and the sound echoed through the empty hall before him. He stood only a moment on the threshold and then walked slowly to the stairway and even more slowly upward. Doors above him opened.
"Master!" A servant woman met him at the top.
"Where is she, Maria?"
"In the bed. We expected you tomorrow. Today is only Wednesday!"
"Where is Rudolph?"
"He is out, and Therese, also. They would have been here if we had known you were coming."
"How is my wife?" he said, starting toward her bedroom.
"Sleeping. She is better than yesterday, less shaking."
The baron stopped. "Shaking?"
"Yes. Trembling."
"When was she awake?"
"Two days ago when we sent the telegram, and a little yesterday. She's breathing better than yesterday, too. The doctor says it is influenza. He says another week—"
But he passed her and came to the closed door.
"When will Rudolph return?"
"By noon, master. He's riding."
"And Therese?"
"She was with ... with a friend. She's buying a hat."
His hand was on the door and he drew himself straight to open it. When he gently had, he stepped into the room, slowly and hushed but with no hesitation.
It was dim in the bedroom. Only a thin line of light entered through the drawn curtains. The shaft fell on the bed, on a heavy white coverlet that was like the snow outside, formed it seemed by the wind into a drift from foot to head, and at the end another mound of pillow blown against the headboard.
On the pillow her head lay still, and beside it a braid of dark hair. Her face was as white as the sheets. Her eyes were closed and only slow gasping breath showed that any life still coursed within.
He stood over her.
There was a sound behind him. "Master?"
He didn't turn. "Leave me, Maria. Close the door."
The echoes quickly died and he was alone with his wife. He knelt close and studied the pale complexion and listened to her fragile breathing. She was still very much the same as the portrait in his apartment in Paris; age hadn't changed her.
"Irene," he said, but there was no motion.
A ticking clock on the mantel was the only sound in the room. He glanced at it, then looked more carefully around the room. The walls were papered satin white with delicate gold-flowered columns. The furniture was heavy and old-fashioned, also painted white with gilded ornaments. Four red candles, two on each side of the bed, burned brightly. Their red was the only strong color in the room.
The fire in the fireplace was well kept; he crossed the room to the hearth and shoveled as much coal into the box as would fit.
He returned to the bed. He caressed his wife's cheek, feeling the dry parchment skin and measuring the heat of her blood and feeling it pulse. He even touched her eyelid and drew it open. He stared into her eye, and she stared back at nothing.
He drew back the cover from her shoulder and arm. He knelt, found her hand and grasped it in his.
Still holding it, with his other hand he took a handkerchief from his pocket and laid it out on the white cover. The cloth was dark red like a stain on snow, the same color as the candles. He folded it twice, into quarters, all with his one hand as his other held hers.
He took a deep, weary, sorrowful breath.
Then he cupped the handkerchief in his free hand and gently, firmly, held it down over his wife's still mouth and nostrils.
A tremor shook the bed as her frail body unconsciously struggled. He maintained his pressure; no air could pass into the lungs. Her hand in his quivered.
Her eyes fluttered open.
Then they closed. The struggle hadn't been long. There was a final shuddering and she was still.
Even so, he kept his palm in place for moments longer. Then he released her and now there was no breath at all, and no pulse in her veins.
He stood for several long minutes watching her, his own face hard and still as hers. Then he pulled the cover back over her arm and stepped away.
"I will be in my study," he said as he closed the door behind himself.
Maria was waiting in the hall. "Did she know you?"
"No. She didn't wake." He started slowly down the stairs. "And I tended the fire. There will be no need to disturb her. When the children return, send them to me."
The baron's study was small and sparsely furnished. One wall was shelves of books and one held only the door. In the corner of the other two walls, beneath a window, was an old, worn desk. Its antique character and archaic carving matched its owner.
The baron was seated at the desk. The portfolio he'd brought from Paris was unopened on it. The only other objects on the desk were an ink bottle and a blotter. Unmoving hours had gone by and it was noon.
A knock sounded on the door. He opened the portfolio, took out a paper, and held the pen over it.
The door opened. "Father?"
He stood from his desk and moved to embrace the young man standing uncertainly in the doorway, briefly and formally. They matched eye to eye in height and in width of shoulders, but the son was still in his first clean strength of manhood. His hair was jet-black and curling; he was square-jawed and dark-eyed and unweathered.
Rudolph stepped back. "I didn't know you were coming today. I would have been here."
"I changed plans."
"Have you seen Mother?"
"Of course, at the very first moment I arrived. She didn't wake."
"She'll recover. She's strong."
"Yes, I know. She will. You've grown, Rudolph."
The son's eyes glowed. "Yes, sir."
"And your schooling? She writes that you still plan to attend University in the fall."
"Yes, Father. At the Institute, here in Vienna. Mother has made all the arrangements."
The baron's eyes were unreadable. "And to what end?"
"There will be a position in the foreign office."
"A good Austrian, Rudolph. Like all your mother's family."
Rudolph's uncertainty, which had never entirely been absent, returned. "Yes, Father."
"And not the army?"
"Mother insists on the foreign office."
"And your wishes?"
"A career as a diplomat seems honorable. I would be following your footsteps."
"I'm not a diplomat. I'm a soldier."
"Well, yes, Father, of course, but—"
"I'm serving the ambassador as a military advisor."
Rudolph was silent, a silence that lasted very long, until another voice broke it.
"Therese! Come."
Rudolph stepped away to make room. Baron Harsanyi embraced his daughter in a true fatherly embrace.
"What are you doing?" she said. "You came early."
"I have business with the ministry."
"And have you seen her? She's in bed."
"Yes, I have. She didn't wake."
"I want to ask her about hats." She was like her mother, with a rounded face and gentle features betrayed by sharp eyes. Her hair was like her brother's, black and curling, even though it was very long.
"Maria said you were getting a new hat," Ferdinand said.
"Yes, it's being made. What are they wearing in Paris, Father?"
He paused. "Soon you'll come and see for yourself."
"Come to see? Paris? Oh, Father! I couldn't! Mother wouldn't let me."
"We'll ask her when she wakes."
"I can't leave until she's well."
"Of course."
Rudolph had stood still through their entire conversation.
"If you don't need me, I'll be at my studies."
"Yes, go ahead. And I'll be going out."
"Through the evening?" Therese asked.
"Through the evening, yes."
"Go," he said to Zoltan. "Get moving."
"Yes, master."
The baron leaned back in his seat. The paving stones were well placed and flat, and the landau with its springs cushioned the ride, but even so, the speed was jolting. Yet he was too deep in his colorless thoughts to brace himself, or to notice as he was thrown against the side.
"To where?" Zoltan asked.
"Just drive."
"Yes, master." The whip cracked, lightly, and the matched gray pair of horses lunged forward.
Baron Harsanyi suddenly realized their speed. "Slow down!"
The reins were pulled and the carriage slowed.
"Take time," the baron said. "Take all the time you can. Anything to delay our return." Then he thought. "The Foreign Ministry."
The horses slowed further and with them the city passing. Now they were part of the streaming multitude. They passed the Belvedere Gardens and Palace, and the Schwarzenberg Palace, then swerved smoothly onto the wide promenade of the RingStrasse. The grand façades of the ministries and mansions, brick and marble gray, added to but did not surpass the majesty of the broad boulevard itself. Each straight segment was flanked by its own great edifice: the Opernring and the Opera; the Burgring and the Kunsthistoriches Museum on one side and on the other the Hofburg, the Imperial Palace itself, gleaming white and gold in the white snow and whiter sunlight. Behind it the gardens slept beneath their blanket of snow.
Then the Parliament on the left, then the Burgtheater on the right, and then the University. And Baron Ferdinand Harsanyi returned to his fog of restless agitation. He shifted from side to side on his seat until he forced himself to be still. Even then, nothing in him was still. And finally they reached the Foreign Ministry building.
"Baron Harsanyi." Count Friedrich von Buest slowly raised his head and eyes from his desk. A fringe of white hair circled the head and dove down into extravagant sideburns. When his eyes finally reached the baron's, they were large and watery light blue in a wrinkled face.
"Your Excellency."
"What brings you to Vienna?" His voice was reedy and lethargic, like an old organ that leaked air.
"My wife is ill." By force of will, he kept his eyes straight forward.
"My greatest sympathy," he said with no sympathy at all. "It is fortunate that you are here. I wish you to take instructions back to Prince von Metternich in Paris."
"I am the military attaché," the baron said. "I may not be qualified to—"
"I know who you are. I don't want this to be connected with any official channels in the Foreign Ministry."
"Yes, sir."
"Next month the Archduke Albrecht will visit Paris."
"The emperor's uncle?"
"He must be kept from any communication with Louis Napoleon."
"We will make every effort."
"The archduke is an old, foolish man. He has no understanding of the political realities. He hates the Prussians, and ever since the battle of Koniggratz, he has called for an alliance against them between Austria and France. He may make any outlandish statement or promise to the French government." He looked sharply at Ferdinand. "Are you paying attention?"
Ferdinand tried to. "Yes, sir. The ambassador can make it plain that the archduke does not speak for the Austrian government."
"It must not be plain. The archduke will be insulted and call on Emperor Franz Joseph to intervene here in the Foreign Ministry. That would create a crisis, which we cannot afford. I can't send this message through normal Foreign Ministry dispatches, or the archduke may hear of it."
"I understand, sir."
"And do you have any messages from Prince von Metternich?"
"Concerning the Spanish throne—"
"I don't want to hear it. Whatever he says is just as likely a lie or a trick, coming from him. And he wouldn't listen to anything I said to him, either. But he'll know what to do with Albrecht. In that, he and I will be in complete agreement. And I'll tell you yourself, Baron, don't trust von Metternich. But you know him. You know his wiles."
The baron didn't answer.
"You are dismissed," the foreign minister said.
"Now where?" Zoltan asked.
Ferdinand had just left the office of the General Staff of the Army. It was still only late afternoon.
"Around the Ring. Just keep going. Anywhere."
They returned to the RingStrasse and Zoltan set the gray horses at an easy pace.
The streets and the day passed.
It was dark and had long been, the dark of a crystal Vienna winter night, not the dark of a Paris snowstorm. The streets were still full despite the bone-snapping cold.
"Enough," the baron said finally. "Home."
It was the first that Ferdinand had spoken in all the past hours, and it had taken a burst of strength to say it. As they traversed the wider streets his agitation increased, just as it had in the apartment in Paris, and though there was no place in the carriage to pace, still his unease was apparent. As finally they reached the corner of his own Hegergasse, he spoke out.
"Stop, Zoltan."
Without a word, his servant stopped the carriage and waited.
"I do not want to arrive at my door this evening."
"To a hotel then, master?"
"No. Not that. It has to be done. Go on. I just dread it."
Submitting to his master's mood, Zoltan stirred the horses to walk slowly toward the building halfway down the block. But they did approach, and the house was blazing in light with every window bright, even as they were draped in heavy black curtains.
"The house is in mourning," Zoltan said.
"My wife is dead. Go ahead, go forward."


text:
Three Things You Need to Know About Social Recruiting, Part 3 – Social Job Distribution
September 23, 2014 3:32 pm
I get it, you've got a vacancy and you need to fill it fast. But spray 'n' pray on social media won't work! In fact, it'll undo all the good work you've done building a following. In part one we discussed how to get the best response when you find...Continue Reading

subset: commoncrawl


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- "Is that right? Lord, is it? Well, I don't think much of your manners, "My Lord". Turn 'round and face me like a man, why don't you?"
- —Frank Bryce confronts Lord Voldemort.[src]
Frank Bryce (August, 1917—16 August[2], 1994) was a Muggle who lived in the village of Little Hangleton, England. After serving in the Second World War, he returned to Little Hangleton and became the gardener for the Riddle family. He was the prime suspect of the Riddle murders, a crime he did not commit. Two unidentified families lived at the house, but neither stayed long. A wealthy man owned the Riddle house during Frank's last days, although he didn't live at the house, being said to keep it "for tax reasons." Shortly before his seventy-seventh birthday, Bryce was murdered by Lord Voldemort after Nagini told Voldemort Bryce was overhearing him discussing his plans to murder Harry Potter with Peter Pettigrew.
Early life
Frank was born in 1917 to a Muggle family. The fact that he lived in Little Hangleton along with Dot in his childhood supports the fact that he was born in the village.[1]
Second World War
- "He had a hard war, Frank."
- —A woman at The Hanged Man.[src]
In 1939 the Second World War started. Frank Bryce, a twenty-two year old man at the time, was called to military service. During the war, his leg was wounded and remained very stiff until his death. He left the service prior to the end of the war, presumably because of his leg. Bryce was already back in Little Hangleton by 1943, sometime prior to the deaths of the Riddle family.[1]
Gardener for the Riddles
- "He likes the quiet life."
- —A woman at The Hanged Man[src]
Frank returned to Little Hangleton with a stiff leg and a great dislike of crowds and loud noises. Frank started working for the snobbish Riddle family, as a gardener. He worked full-time; he was given a small cottage in the Riddle's property.[1]
The Riddle murders
- "Who else had a key to the back door, then? There's been a spare key hanging in the gardener's cottage far back as I can remember! Nobody forced the door last night! No broken windows! All Frank had to do was creep up to the big house while we was all sleeping..."
- —Riddles' cook[src]
In the summer of 1943, sixteen-year-old Tom Marvolo Riddle, came to Little Hangleton in search of his family. Upon learning of his father's actions toward his mother and himself from his uncle, he decided to murder his father. That same evening, Frank Bryce, a twenty-six year old man, saw Tom Marvolo Riddle climbing the hill towards the Riddle House.[1] The next morning, a maid found Thomas Riddle, Mary Riddle and Tom Riddle dead in the Riddle House's drawing room. The local villagers suspected Bryce, and he was taken by the police in the neighbouring Great Hangleton to be questioned, given that he had the only key to the mansion. Though Bryce explained that the last person he saw near the Riddle House was the dark-haired boy, nobody else had seen him and was sure that Bryce invented him. However, the report on the Riddles' bodies was unable to determine the cause of their death, and Frank was released due to lack of evidence, although he was still widely suspected by his neighbours.[1]
After the murders
Frank had no family, and continued to live a solitary, disconnected life in his small cottage on the Riddle House grounds. He continued to be paid as the gardener by the house's succession of owners. As he aged, he was plagued by the pain in his leg, and by the vandalism of local boys, which he suspected was motivated by the belief that he was a murderer. The boys would usually throw rocks into the Riddle House and trample or ride their bicycles on the flowerbeds that Frank worked hard to keep smooth, then flee when Frank tried to pursue them unsuccessfully due to his injured leg.[1]
- Voldemort: "Nagini has interesting news, Wormtail."
- Wormtail: "In-indeed, my Lord?"
- Voldemort: "Indeed, yes. According to Nagini, there is an old Muggle standing right outside this room, listening to every word we say."
- — Lord Voldemort and Wormtail discover Frank's presence in the Riddle House[src]
In the early hours of 23 August, in the summer of 1994, Frank Bryce, now nearing his seventy-seventh birthday, woke up from the pain in his leg, and saw a light in the Riddle House, and he assumed the local boys had broken in and set fire to it. Not having a telephone or trusting the police since his arrest, Frank went to investigate and was surprised to see not vandals, but Lord Voldemort, hidden from view, and his servant Wormtail, discussing on taking Harry Potter's life. Going very deaf from old age, he listened with his better right ear, and though confused with terms such as "Muggles" and "Quidditch," he thought they must be code, and he figured enough to learn that the master had killed a woman with amusement, and plotting more. Frank thought he must report this to the police at once, but encountered with Nagini before he could flee.[1]
- "He was screaming so loudly that he never heard the words the thing in the chair spoke as it raised a wand. There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumbled. He was dead before he hit the floor."
- —Description of the murder for Frank Bryce.[src]
When Nagini discovered Frank and reported to Voldemort, the Dark Lord welcomed the gardener into the room. In a failed attempt to bluff his way out, Frank's deception saying that his wife would notice his disappearance was seen through by Voldemort, and that nobody knew he was there. After challenging Voldemort to show his face "like a man," Frank was horrified to see a mutilated body in the chair, and was screaming so loud that he never heard the incantation of the Killing Curse that took his life.[1]
- "He was a real wizard, then? Killed me, that one did... You fight him, boy..."
- —Frank Bryce's echo on Voldemort, encouraging Harry.[src]
Roughly a year later, after Voldemort's rebirth, Frank's shadow reappeared in the Priori Incantatem caused by the duel between Harry Potter and Voldemort.[3] Frank then realised that Voldemort was indeed a wizard, and supported Harry to defeat the Dark Lord in revenge for his demise. He, and the other echoes, helped Harry escape by distracting Voldemort.[3]
Personality and traits
- "Always thought he was odd. Unfriendly, like. I'm sure if I've offered him a cuppa once, I've offered it a hundred times. Never wanted to mix, he didn't."
- —The Riddles' cook on Frank Bryce.[src]
Frank is described to have a "horrible temper" since he was a child. He was not very sociable; according to the Riddles' cook he "never wanted to mix". After his experiences during the War, he developed a great dislike of crowds and loud noises. When the time finally comes to take action, he manages his fear much easier; in 1994, despite being terrified of the murderer who is standing besides a door in the Riddle House, he confronts him, when he was caught eavesdropping.[1] Upon his temporary return to Earth during the duel between Harry and Voldemort he seemed to have a dry acceptance of his death. Bryce supported the former despite never meeting him before, while distracting the latter in revenge for killing him.
- His cottage - This cottage was Frank's permanent residence and was located not very far from the graveyard.
- Frank Bryce's walking stick - Frank also possessed a walking stick and kept it whenever he would go anywhere. He drops it when he see's Voldemort's shriveled and shrunken body.
Behind the scenes
- Frank was portrayed by Eric Sykes in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
- Frank is one of only five characters in the Harry Potter book series whose thoughts have been disclosed by the narrator, the others being Harry Potter, Vernon Dursley, Narcissa Malfoy, and the British Prime Minister. However, Tom Riddle's viewpoint is shown via Potter. Other scenes depict Severus Snape, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, and Albus Dumbledore, but these scenes do not appear to be told from anyone's point of view in particular.
- Albus Dumbledore incorrectly suspected that Frank's death was used by Voldemort to turn Nagini into his final Horcrux, but it was officially stated that Bertha Jorkins's death was used instead. However, as Jorkins was omitted from the films (and she did not appear in the stream of people who appeared in the Priori Incantatem), Frank's death might have been used instead in the film timeline. However, this still leaves in question how Voldemort knew about the Triwizard Tournament. So Bertha may have been present offscreen, but not killed with Voldemort's wand, perhaps by Nagini instead.
- Frank Bryce's role in the story is replaced by a milkman in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4.
The name "Frank" comes from a Germanic name which referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They derived their tribal name from the name of a type of throwing axe that they used. The name was brought to England by the Normans. Notable bearers include author L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) and architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959).
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) (Appears in vision(s))
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned as "old Muggle man")
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapter 1 (The Riddle House)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Harry left for the Weasleys' fourteen days (two weeks) before 1 September; this was 17 August. However, Bryce was murdered the day before Harry left - the 16th.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapter 34 (Priori Incantatem)


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The Rokinon 500mm f/6.3 Multi-Coated ED Mirror Lens is incredibly powerful. This lens is designed and constructed with ED Glass for enhanced dispersion. It's an excellent addition to any photographer's collection. This lens is a high-quality, computer designed product that incorporates the merits of both reflex optics and refraction optics. This combination provides the user with an extremely sharp picture with minimum color aberration. With its tremendous power, this lens is ideally suited for wildlife and sports photography. Multi-coated high definition optics and an integrated lens hood combine to maintain maximum contrast with reduced glare and reflections. It produces sharper, more intense pictures. Take incredibly close shots from long range distances. While this lens is designed for high definition telephoto photography, it is also one of the most affordable precision optics available, which allows anyone on any budget to enjoy shooting crisp, clear pictures. Comes in a beautiful Diamond Black body finish.
Product Specifications:


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Whoopie pies aren't really pies at all, but tasty cookies with a cream filling sandwiched in between two cake-like layers. The cookie's origins are debatable. Some say they have an Amish heritage while others say they are from New England—Maine, to be precise—and according to Wikipedia there is probably some truth in both claims. A traditional whoopie pie has chocolate cookie layers with cream filling, but you can make other tasty versions as well, and a company in Maine does just that. Wicked Whoopies in Gardiner, Maine sells 11 different flavors of whoopie pies. You can even purchase a Jumbo Whoopie Pie which feeds 7 to 10 people.
As an autumn treat, I experimented with different pumpkin whoopie pie recipes and I have two that I like. This one is adapted from a recipe in The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion, a bold version with plenty of spices and molasses. These are sticky, gooey, and delicious. The flavors in the other recipe are more subtle, but very enjoyable (recipe coming soon). I actually prefer the filling in the other recipe, so I modified it to go with these pies, but you can check out the Variations below for the original filling recipe if you want to try it. (hint: Fans of crystallized ginger will want to try the original.)
Whoopie pies are usually large, about 4 inches in diameter, but they tend to pack a calorie punch and these are no exception at 633 calories each. So I use a #40 cookie scoop which makes about 2 dozen 2-inch pies. If you want the larger size cookies, use a #20 scoop and you'll get about a dozen.
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion.
Makes 1 to 2 dozen , depending on size.
2 baking sheets, greased or lined with parchment paper coated with butter on top
stand mixer with paddle attachment
#20 or #40 cookie scoop
1-1/2 cups (15-ounce can) pumpkin
2 large eggs
1 pound brown sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons molasses or dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups (12-3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-1/4 cups (9 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. MAKE THE COOKIES: With the stand mixer, beat together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and molasses. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, then beat in the salt, spices, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. Add the flour to the wet ingredients and beat on low for about 1 minute, until all of the flour is wet. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then beat on medium for a short time until the batter looks smooth. Scoop and drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
4. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they feel firm to the touch. To test, gently press your finger in the center, and a slight indentation should remain. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to sit on the pans for another 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before adding the filling.
5. MAKE THE FILLING: Put the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in the mixer bowl and beat on medium-low speed for about 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined. Decrease the speed to low and add the confectioners sugar a little at a time. Beat on medium until the frosting is smooth, about 1 minute.
6. ASSEMBLE: Spread the flat side of half the cookies with the filling. Top with the remaining cookies. Because these cookies tend to be sticky, wrap each pie individually in plastic wrap for storing. Keep the cookies in the refrigerator.
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) cool water
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat)
2-1/4 cups (9 ounces) confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1. In a small heatproof bowl, combine the gelatin and water and set aside for the gelatin to soften. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Heat the gelatin and water very gently (in a larger bowl of hot water, or at low power in the microwave), stirring to dissolve the gelatin. Set it aside.
2. Add half the confectioners' sugar to the butter/cream cheese mixture, beating well. Add the gelatin and mix to combine. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar, mixing until blended, then stir in the ginger.[Disclosure: This blog earns a small commission through affiliate links.]


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You do You {Stainless Steel} Diffuser Bracelet
Just add a drop of your essential oil onto the palms of your hands, and rub into the bracelet's porous wood and/or lava beads. All our bracelets come with some instructions, so put away the notepad :o)
You can expect high-quality essential oils typically last beyond a day or two.
- Made with 100% high-quality, professional grade materials.
- Lava stone, gemstones and wood.
- Want us to know something about the recipient? Add a little note in the 'note section' at check out and we will be in touch xo
- Made to order. We make every piece as the orders come in.
* Note * Because of the made to order handmade nature of the bracelet, and the natural stones we use, the exact beads may vary from piece to piece. The pattern, composition, and look of the bracelet will be as close to the listing photos as possible. Any drastic alterations due to supply will be communicated to you in photo and written form prior to shipping.


text:
Owing to the rather large amount of attempted spamming of this forum, I have adopted a policy of regularly deleting any user who has been a member for at least three months but has made zero posts.
I don't imagine that will affect any real users, but if perchance you once signed up a while back but never got round to making a post, you may find that you are no longer a member. The solution is simple: just sign up again. But for your ease and mine, don't sign up till you plan to make a post.
Thank you.


text:
The company's comprehensive product line includes more than 18,000 line items and covers a full variety of products and services to help keep your equipment or facility in tip-top condition. And if your local Centre doesn't have what you need in stock, they each have the expertise, experience and equipment required to manufacture a bespoke solution.
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|Site Closure - this site will be closing down soon. Updates will be turned off on September 30th and the site will be turned off completely on or around October 8th. Thank you for visiting the site over the 16 years that it has been in operation in its current form. It has been a privilege and an honour to provide statistics for the distributed computing community, but this site hasn't been actively maintained for some time and it is now time to move on.
Welcome to Team OcUK
Site News Archive
A faulty disk has been detected in the server. While no downtime is currently expected, automatic updates have been temporarily paused to ensure that there are no issues should an unplanned restart take place when the engineers attend to the problem.
Predictor@home hasn't exported any statistics (or had any work) for about 11 months now, and appears to have finally disappeared off the internet on June 10th.
With this in mind, Predictor@home statistics will be shut down on 28th June. The statistics will be archived should they be needed again in future.
Looking at the Predictor@home project, no credit has been granted in over six months and stats have been turned off for a similar length of time. Other than confirming that they've turned things off there has been barely a single word from the project administrators, so it can only be assumed that Predictor@home has popped off this mortal coil with barely a whimper.
As a result, unless this situation changes, monitoring of Predictor@home will likely be discontinued and the stats removed from this site some time during the first half of January 2009. If you'd like to retain any of the information held here for this project, please save it now.
Two weeks ago, due to lack of server monitoring, Team OcUK suffered from an out of disk space condition. The update software used on the server isn't particularly resillient to unexpected failures of this sort, and as a result was unable to recover once the error was cleared.
The only way to recover at this point was to restore from database backups. For much the same reason as the disk space problem, these were nine months old, so a lot of time and effort was required to recover.
The site is now sufficiently recovered to allow it to re-open. However, it will be noted that some projects are very out-of-date. These projects will be recovered over the next few days and during this time may be slow and/or temporarily unavailable.
Unfortunately the damage caused to the database server when it ran out of disk space has proved fatal. This wasn't spotted until an attempt to update the database failed and zeroed all points scores. Also, unfortunately, the last backup is incredibly old.
It is believed that no data has been permanently lost, but the restore process will likely require 7-10 days. The old backup is currently being restored and I'm working on a script to automate the reload.
Apologies for any inconvenience.
The Team OcUK data server ran out of disk space and crashed on Friday 3rd October. Due to other committments this wasn't spotted for several days.
The missing data will be restored over this weekend.
Please check back Monday for news regarding the future of this site.
A change in configuration at LHC@home has prevented the stats from updating. This has been fixed. Predictor@home stats appear to be unavailable at this time.
An additional project is being added to the site. This may cause pages to load a little slower than normal while the new database is built.
Team OcUK has resumed normal operation following the recent disk issues. Thank you for your patience, and also to 2host for their help in resolving the problems.
You can see the history of the recent problems in site news.
The statistics updates are going well and the new disk is not showing any of the problems encountered with the old one. Work has now been suspended for the night, and should resume and be completed sometime Thursday. Thankyou for your continued patience.
If you're looking for a server hosting provider in the UK, you might consider 2host. Thanks to a speedy response on their part the disk that has been causing the recent problems has been replaced and the old data transferred. Tests are ongoing but the results so far look promising.
PS - I also highly recommend Vidahost for web hosting, particularly if your needs aren't as big as leasing a server.


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I'll take that bet, you see that guy on the niner's sideline with the laminated play sheet? The guy that has held down over 6 assistant offensive coaching positions for the Saints, Jets, and other teams. The guy that is named Jim Hostler, you see him? Thats the guy that is calling the plays.sfsfsfgiants wrote:I bet you that Nolan calls every single play. He wont let anyone do it, or there would be different calls. They dont trust the offense enough to let them do anything.
I cant believe I am even arguing about this! It's so dumb! You see Nolan with anything but a stupid suite and a headset!? No you don't, so how is he calling the plays? Oh that's right, he just remembers a play book with like 300+ plays! Come on, where is your logic? What makes you believe Nolan is the offensive play caller? Really, I want to know how someone can get so confused.
You know what also helps? Actually blocking the guy across from you, I'm not sure but I've heard that is an effective technique. And we are a man blocking scheme do to the size of our line, it would make no sense switching to a zone scheme. And if your talking about pulling our guards...Well then, now I know your crazy. Justin Smiley doesn't know his A-hole from a hole in the ground.sfsfsfgiants wrote:I think that it goes both ways regarding the playcalling and the O-Line. If we ran the right play, with the right blocking schemes, it might work.
Yup, we made the right calls in the right situations - horrible execution and protection will usually negate good play calling.sfsfsfgiants wrote:Did you just say that you like our play calling?
sfsfsfgiants wrote:Holy crap, man. I can tell you our design.
1st down) run up the middle
2nd down) run up the middle
3rd down) play action, broken up
4th down) punt for 65 yards.
Our play calling sucks.
That's funny, and I was under the impression that we passed the ball more than we ran it...Oh yeah, thats because WE DID! 33 pass plays to 19 runs! But according to you we had a 2-1 run to pass play selection, we were watching the same game right?
Just don't try to argue with me on this sfsfsf, your not going to win by just making stuff up. Your a smart kid, smarter than I was at your age, hell maybe smarter than me now. But I know football and back my points up with stats.


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Closing in on Venus
Starting this week, spacecraft controllers have been executing a series of manoeuvres to gradually bring Venus Express closer to its host planet. In its modified orbit, the spacecraft will be able to observe unexplored regions and investigate phenomena that were not within its reach before.
The operational manoeuvres to bring the spacecraft closer will be executed through the month of July, settling it into its new orbit by 4 August.
Until now, Venus Express has occupied a highly eccentric polar orbit: at its closest point (pericentre), the spacecraft is between 250 km and 400 km from the planet, and at its farthest (apocentre), it is about 66 000 km away. The pericentre is located at 84° north.
This eccentric orbit was designed to facilitate observation of the southern hemisphere for extended periods, and of the northern hemisphere and the northern polar region at closer distances.
The altitude of the pericentre will now be lowered to between 185 and 300 km. This modification will enable the following science advantages:
Study of the magnetic field in the northern polar region
Study of the plasma environment deeper in the ionosphere
To indirectly deduce the density of the planet's atmosphere by measuring the force, or drag, exerted by the planet's atmosphere on the body of the spacecraft as it moves closer to the planet
The lowering of the Venus Express orbit is the first step in a more ambitious strategy, yet to be confirmed in its entirety. The intention is to lower the spacecraft's orbit further into the atmosphere, such that the drag on the spacecraft's body can be measured by the on-board accelerometers.
As the next step, Venus Express may test aerobraking, a technique where a spacecraft uses the force exerted by the planet's atmosphere to decelerate and so significantly change its orbit in a controlled manner.
For more information:
Håkan Svedhem, ESA Venus Express Project Scientist
Email: Håkan.Svedhem @ esa.int
Octavio Camino, ESA Venus Express Spacecraft Operations Manager
Email: Octavio.Camino @ esa.int


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Frequently Asked Questions - Transfer
- Try ask.missioncollege.edu
- Visit the Welcome Center
- Welcome Center (General FAQs)
- Articulation (course credit transferability)
- Associated Student Government (student government)
- Child Development
- Community Education
- Counseling (services offered)
- Dreamers (undocumented students)
- Honors Program (program advantages)
- Hospitality Management (restaurant and hotel industry)
- International Student (visas, work permits, eligibility)
- Outreach (future students)
- Online Classes
- Transfer Center (transferring to a 4-year college)
- Statway (2 semester math alternative)
- Student Health Services (appointments and services provided)
General Transfer Questions
- What does "transfer" mean?
- What do I need to do to transfer?
- How many units do I need to transfer?
- Can I transfer as a sophomore?
- What is the relationship between the community colleges and the university?
- How long will it take to transfer to a four-year university?
- How long will it take for me to graduate from a four-year university once I transfer?
The Application Process
- When do I apply for transfer?
- What if I missed the application deadline?
- Can I apply year-round or only for the fall semester/quarter?
- What is the difference between a quarter and a semester?
- Do all of my required courses have to be completed before I submit my application?
- Do I need to complete tests such as the SAT or ACT in order to apply to a university?
- I got bad grades at another college; do I have to tell the school I am applying to?
- What happens if I don't report all previous institutions that I have attended?
General Education
- What is General Education (GE)?
- What is the IGETC?
- What is general education certification?
- Why is GE Certification important for transferring students?
- Can I transfer after completing only the General Education requirements, without the lower-division major requirements?
- Can I transfer to the UC/CSU and continue taking general education courses at the community college?
- Can I transfer without completing the mathematics requirement?
Course and Major Selection
- What courses should I take before I transfer?
- When should I take the required courses?
- What is the difference between lower-division and upper-division courses?
- What is a major?
- Where can I find out what classes I need to take for my major?
- What is the best school for my major? How can I find the best schools?
- What is an impacted major?
- Do I have to declare a major before transferring? Can I change my major after I transfer?
Getting Accepted To The University
- How can I improve my chances of being accepted to the university of my choice?
- What is a competitive GPA for transfer?
- What is the minimum GPA for transfer?
- Do I need an AA degree to transfer?
- What is the difference between an associate degree and a bachelor's degree?
Researching Schools
- How do I find out about 4-year schools?
- What is the difference between the CSU and UC?
- Can I transfer to an out-of-state school from Mission College?
Transferring Units To The University
- How can I determine if my credits will transfer?
- Are there a maximum number of units I can transfer to a university for credit toward my 4-year degree?
- What if I take more than 70 units?
- Is it possible to take too many units, then not be able to transfer?
- Do "D" grades transfer?
- Do Credit/No Credit grades transfer?
- Are the freshman and sophomore courses that students take at Mission College the same as those at the four-year universities?
Frequently Asked Questions Below
General Transfer Questions
What does "transfer" mean? In general, "transfer" indicates moving from one educational institution to another. However, this web site uses the term "transfer" to describe advancement from a community college to a four-year college or university. It means that you begin working on your bachelor's degree at the community college and finish it at a four-year college or university.
What do I need to do to transfer? Start by planning a program of study with your counselor. The program will include courses to satisfy the university's lower division general education and major requirements. Your counselor will be able to advise you as to the best-suited combination of courses to reach your educational objective. Throughout your program touch base with your counselor to stay on track.
Work hard and do well in your program of study. Get to know your teachers. Ask questions. Get involved in campus life to whatever extent possible. Develop your leadership skills. Volunteer and pursue causes you believe in. Distinguish yourself, particularly if you intend to be accepted into highly selective, competitive, or impacted programs.
Complete the English Communication and Mathematics requirements early in your program of study. Putting this off can delay your transfer to the university by at least a semester or, in some cases, an entire year.
Visit the Transfer Center for an appointment with the representatives from the universities you are considering. The representatives are a great source for information. If at all possible, you will also want to visit the universities to which you may want to transfer. Taking a campus tour will help you get a sense of the universities academic and campus life.
Know the application filing deadlines and plan accordingly. The Transfer Center can supply you with access to applications, deadline dates and answer quick questions. Counseling appointments with the Transfer Center Director, Transfer Counselor, Articulation Officer and general counselors are available for more in-depth advising.
Toward the completion of your program of study be sure to get your General Education (GE) Certification. Do this before you transfer to save yourself the possibility of an additional unit requirement at the university.
Complete the admissions application, providing all information requested in the instruction packet. You will receive notification directly from the university as to your acceptance, provisional acceptance, or denial.
How many units do I need to transfer? CSU and UC campuses require students to complete 60 transferable units in order to be eligible for upper-division transfer. Many private universities and out-of-state colleges will accept transfer students with fewer units, typically 24 - 30 transfer units. Please check the catalog or website for the specific college you are interested in for transfer requirements or schedule an appointment to meet with a counselor for more information.
Can I transfer as a sophomore? Yes, many private and out-of-state universities will accept lower-division transfers. At this time, UC and CSU campuses do not.
What is the relationship between the community colleges and the university? Universities offer both lower-division (freshman and sophomore) and upper-division (junior and senior) coursework. Community colleges offer lower-division courses only. The university accepts certain community college courses as comparable to courses that are required for freshman and sophomore students at the university through a process called articulation. In that way, community college courses become transferable and counted toward the requirements to graduate from the university with a bachelor's degree.
How long will it take to transfer to a four-year university? Many students generally take 2 - 3 years to transfer to a four-year university. However, there are many factors that will have an impact on the length of time you are here at Mission such as your English and math eligibility at the time you enter Mission, the major you have selected and the amount of preparation courses needed to fulfill your transfer requirements, the number of courses you take each semester, and your academic progress. Meet with a counselor regularly to ensure you remain on track toward your transfer goal.
How long will it take for me to graduate from a four-year university once I transfer? Think of your community college education as your halfway point in the process of obtaining your bachelor's degree. Still, it is difficult to predict. Many factors will impact the amount of time you spend at the university such as the number of classes you take each term, the number of units required for your major, and the number of required courses you completed prior to transfer.
The Application Process
When do I apply for transfer? Most UCs and CSUs require students to apply one year in advance. The deadlines stay fairly constant from year to year. Still be sure to check with a counselor for any changes in dates or deadlines.
What if I missed the application deadline? Applications past the filing deadline are accepted on a campus-by-campus basis. For updates or changes to UC campuses deadlines check University of California Admissions. For CSU campuses check the CSU Mentor filing status page.
Can I apply year-round or only for the fall semester/quarter? Most universities allow you to apply for terms year-round (see filing periods listed above. However, acceptance of mid-year transfer applications in the winter and spring terms can vary year to year. Be sure to check with a counselor or a university representative regarding year-round admission for your chosen campus and major.
What is the difference between a quarter and a semester? Each college has an academic year with terms marking the beginning and end of classes. Universities and colleges will either be on a quarter or semester system. A quarter is 10 weeks in length and there are usually four quarters (fall, winter, spring, and summer) in an academic year. A semester is 16 to 18 weeks in length, and there are two semesters (fall and spring) with a shorter summer session, and sometimes a winter session, in an academic year.
Do all of my required courses have to be completed before I submit my application? No. On the application you will be able to include courses in progress and courses planned. For example, if you are applying to a CSU campus for Fall 2018 transfer, you apply between October 1 – November 30, 2017. The courses you will be taking in Fall 2017 would be considered in progress and the courses you will be taking in Spring 2018 would be considered planned. There are some cases where a university will ask for certain courses to be completed during specific semesters. This mostly occurs for impacted majors or universities.
Do I need to complete tests such as the SAT or ACT in order to apply to a university? For the CSU and UC systems, if you are transferring as an upper-division student (will have completed at least 60 transferable units), you will not be required to take the SAT or ACT exams. Requirements for Private/Independent and Out of State universities vary from campus to campus; please check with the university's admissions office or consult a Mission College counselor.
I got bad grades at another college; do I have to tell the school I am applying to? Yes, you are required to report all previous institutions that you have attended.
What happens if I don't report all previous institutions that I have attended? A student that provides false information on the application could potentially have his or her admissions or degree revoked.
General Education
What is General Education (GE)? General Education is a set of courses through which you will become broadly educated by taking classes that cover a wide range of disciplines. GE courses are usually introductory in nature and provide you with fundamental knowledge in English, mathematics, the arts and humanities, social sciences, and physical and biological sciences. You will complete the majority of GE coursework needed to receive a bachelor's degree while you are a lower division (freshman/sophomore) student at a community college. After transfer to the upper division (junior/senior) at a university, you will be required to take only a few GE courses, so you can focus on your major. Each institution has its own GE (sometimes called breadth or core) pattern.
Students who are undecided on transfer schools should follow the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) which can be used to satisfy lower division general education requirements for any CSU or UC and some private colleges. The IGETC General Education pattern may not be right for all UC campuses. Most UC campuses do not recommend IGETC for students majoring in engineering or science. For more information come to the Transfer Center or see a counselor.
What is the IGETC? IGETC, Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum, is a general education program which community college transfer students can use to fulfill lower-division general education requirements for either the CSU or UC system. You must complete the entire IGETC and have it certified at Mission College in order to have it accepted as meeting the lower-division general education requirements at the transfer institution. The IGETC General Education pattern may not be right for all UC campuses. Most UC campuses do not recommend IGETC for students majoring in engineering or science. For more information come to the Transfer Center or see a counselor.
What is general education certification? All California State Universities accept a common pattern of general education. If you complete the entire pattern prior to transferring to one of the 23 state universities, you should request that the GE Certification be sent along with your final official transcript. All 23 state universities will honor this certification, that is, you will not be required to take additional lower division general education courses in those areas certified as already completed at Mission College. The IGETC general education pattern can also be certified and is honored by both the CSU and UC systems.
Why is GE Certification important for transferring students? Certification of CSU GE or IGETC is an important step in the transfer process. The certification of GE is the official notice verifying that a transfer student has completed courses satisfying lower-division general education requirements.
The certification is separate from a student transcript. The request for certification of CSU GE or IGETC is best done at the time you request final transcripts be sent to the transfer school. To be certified for IGETC courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. GE certification can include partial certification when only a specific area is completed or full certification by completing an entire pattern.
Can I transfer to UC/CSU after completing only the General Education requirements, without the lower-division major requirements? Yes, however, completing only general education requirements usually does not bring a student to the 60 units needed for junior-level transfer status. In addition, the UC places emphasis on the completion of lower-division major classes when selecting students for admission.
Can I transfer to the UC/CSU and continue taking general education courses at the community college? Students can attend the university and the community college simultaneously. Transfer students who do not complete their GE coursework and certification at the community college prior to transferring run the risk of additional university GE unit requirements.
Can I transfer without completing the mathematics requirement? Generally speaking, the answer is no. Prior to transferring all students must complete at least one transferable math course. Some majors and programs require more than one math class.
Courses and Major Selection
What courses should I take before I transfer? For most students who intend to transfer as juniors it is important to take basic general education courses. In many cases you must complete course work that includes general education courses that meet requirements in Written Communication, Critical Thinking, Oral Communication and Quantitative Analysis (mathematics). Students are also encouraged to complete lower-division major courses as well. Consult a counselor to determine which lower-division general education and major courses are most suitable to your transfer goal.
When should I take the required courses? It is best to complete transferable courses in written communication, oral communication, critical thinking and quantitative reasoning during the first year of community college. We recommend that you complete remaining units in general education breadth by the end of the second year of community college enrollment. Many students will enroll in lower-division major courses while also working on completion of GE.
What is the difference between lower-division and upper-division courses? Lower-division courses are offered for freshman and sophomore level credit. All courses offered at a community college are lower-division courses. Upper-division courses are offered for junior and senior level credit. These courses are not offered by community colleges.
What is a major? A major is a program of study which leads to a degree. It is the primary area of study in which the greatest depth of knowledge will be developed.
Where can I find out what classes I need to take for my major? Preparation for a major is an important step. Information as to which classes are required for a specific major at a specific university can be obtained from the university catalog and from articulation agreements. These articulation agreements can be found at the Counseling Office or the Transfer Center or online at ASSIST.
What is the best school for my major? How can I find the best schools? Resources exist in the Transfer Center and Library which rank colleges and universities by major (i.e., U.S. News and World Report publishes an annual ranking, Rugg and Peterson separately publish many inventories and guides which rank programs). Be sure to know the particular factors used in generating the rankings because they define "best" and their definition may not be yours.
Talk with faculty here who teach courses related to your selected major to get their ideas about the best schools. Visit universities and talk with the faculty and teaching assistants from the department offering your major of choice.
What is an impacted major? An impacted major is one that is popular and more applications for admissions are received than the campus can accommodate during the application filing period. If you are applying to a major that is impacted, the GPA for admissions may be higher and you may have to complete lower- division courses for the major prior to transfer to allow you to be competitive. For a list of impacted CSU programs go to the CSU page on Impacted Undergraduate Majors.
Do I have to declare a major before transferring? Can I change my major after I transfer? For the UC system you will need to declare a major. Each campus and each major has its own policy regarding changing majors so you will need to check with a university representative. For impacted programs, most campuses will not let you switch to the impacted program after transferring.
For the CSU system you may transfer without declaring a major. To be admitted to impacted programs, however, you must apply to the program. The CSU system strongly encourages students to declare a major by the time they have 75 (semester) units earned.
Getting Accepted To The University
How can I improve my chances of being accepted to the university of my choice? It is important to be as academically well prepared as possible. Work with a counselor to develop an educational plan that will include completion of your lower-division general education and major preparation. At universities where the admissions process is more competitive, having a strong grade point average is also important. In addition, some universities are looking for students who cannot only excel academically but who are also involved in campus or community activities.
What is a competitive GPA for transfer? To be accepted to an impacted program or a very popular campus, the GPA for admission will need to be considerably higher than the minimum allowed. A GPA of 3.0 and higher may be required to be competitive for transfer admission. The GPA will vary each year according to the specific campus and applicant pool at that time.
What is the minimum GPA for transfer? This varies greatly from campus to campus. The minimum GPA for the CSU system is a 2.0, and the minimum GPA for the UC system is a 2.4 for California residents and 2.8 for non-residents. However, obtaining the minimum GPA does not necessarily mean that you will be able to transfer into the major and/or campus of your choice. Several campuses are considered impacted, meaning the student application pool far exceeds the number of admission slots available. Therefore, the impacted universities/majors will accept only highly qualified students into their campus and major. In these cases students who only meet the minimum GPA may not be selected for admission. The higher the GPA the more options you will have when considering transfer institutions.
For Private/Independent and Out of State Universities, please check with individual campuses admissions requirements, since requirements vary from campus to campus.
For help calculating your GPA try using this GPA calculator.
Do I need an AA degree to transfer? No, the AA degree is generally not required or considered by the university as an admissions requirement. Many students choose to obtain an AA degree prior to transferring for personal or professional reasons. The program of study for the AA degree can overlap with the lower division preparation for transfer. If your objective is to transfer, however, be sure to seek the advice of your counselor for the appropriate program of study for the Associate Degree.
What is the difference between an associate degree and a bachelor's degree? An associate degree is a two-year degree granted by a community college to students who complete a specified program of study, usually totaling 60 units. A bachelor's degree or baccalaureate is a four-year degree granted by a college or university upon completion of at least 120 semester units or 180 quarter units. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees are offered by the California State Universities, the University of California and private four-year colleges and universities.
Researching Schools
How do I find out about 4-year schools? There are probably as many ways to find out about 4-year schools as there are schools. Mission College's Transfer Center houses a collection of resources for anyone who is able to travel to the campus. Local libraries often carry college resources as well. Websites such as Peterson's and CaliforniaColleges.edu can provide a wealth of general information on colleges throughout the country and within California. Most colleges have their own Web page with a myriad of specific information. For anyone interested in campuses of the University of California system, connect to www.ucop.edu/pathways. Those who are interested in the California State University System can connect to CSU Mentor.
What is the difference between the CSU and UC? The California State University (CSU) began as a system of teacher's colleges and evolved into a broader system of higher education. It is one of the three segments of California public higher education, the others being the University of California (UC), and the California Community Colleges. The CSU grants bachelor's and master's degrees that have a practical, career orientation. There are now 23 CSU campuses. The UC was established as the focal point for academic and scientific research within the higher education system. In addition to bachelor's and master's degrees, the UC grants doctorates and professional degrees. The emphasis at the bachelor's level is on theoretical learning. There are ten UC campuses, though one is a professional school only.
Can I transfer to an out-of-state school from Mission College? Yes. Students at Mission College can transfer to any university in any state, even internationally. There are countless transfer options and we encourage students to explore the possibilities. The path to out-of-state transfer may be different than for students transferring to a California university, however, Mission College is an accredited institution making its courses recognized by other institutions. Depending on the individual institution's requirements, there should be no reason why an equivalent class taken at Mission could not be considered for transfer.
Transferring Units To The University
How can I determine if my credits will transfer? This is an important issue that requires your careful attention. All California community colleges have lists of their courses that will transfer to the CSU or UC campuses. This is indicated in Mission College's catalog by a CSU/UC designation next to the course name. This information can also be found online at ASSIST. If you are transferring it is important that you consult with a counselor to gain assistance with identifying the specific course necessary to meet the transfer requirements and to determine which courses will be accepted for transfer credit. The institution to which you will be applying will make the final decision on what will count toward your 4-year degree.
Are there a maximum number of units I can transfer to a university for credit toward my 4-year degree? As a general rule, the maximum number of units accepted for transfer will be 70 semester units. However, this number will vary so please see a counselor to discuss your specific situation. Some institutions review units differently once a student has attended a four-year institution.
What if I take more than 70 units? Most colleges and universities will accept 70 semester units towards the total number of units needed to complete you bachelor's degree. However, if you have taken more units than that, the content of the courses will be used to satisfy needed subject area requirements.
Is it possible to take too many units, then not be able to transfer? If a student has only attended a community college, no. However, if you have attended a university or four-year college, either within the United States or outside the United States, there could be limitations. This policy differs campus by campus, thus, it is advised that you consult with a counselor as well as with a university representative.
Do "D" grades transfer? Acceptance of "D" grades is based upon individual campus decisions. Sometimes distinctions are made between "D" grades for general education classes and "D" grades for major classes. Check with a counselor to determine if a "D" grade will transfer to your university of choice. Mission College will not certify "D" grades for inclusion in the IGETC.
Do Credit/No Credit grades transfer? The 4-year institution will sometimes accept Credit/No Credit grades. However, required courses for the general education or major should not be taken in this manner. Check with a counselor for more information.
Are the freshman and sophomore courses that students take at Mission College the same as those at the four-year universities? Yes. Most students complete their general education courses during their first two years. Mission College has articulated general education course patterns that are considered equivalent to those at California State Universities and the University of California.