text:
It's funny I'm having trouble loading pictures tonight--this very last day in May. I kept my word and posted each day in May. We laughed, we cried, but mostly we yawned.
It has been a busy month and truthfully I am glad to welcome June. A whole brand new month just waiting to be filled up with fun.
I shall start a list of simple June things:
shaved ice
bike riding around the local lake
staying up late and looking at the stars
seeing "Night at the Museum 2"
What will you do in June?
Sunday, May 31, 2009
That's all she wrote
It's funny I'm having trouble loading pictures tonight--this very last day in May. I kept my word and posted each day in May. We laughed, we cried, but mostly we yawned.
Posted by Freckled Hen at 6:44 PM 5 comments
Labels: household
Saturday, May 30, 2009
The Dancing Bear
Does it make you uncomfortable to see him dance like this? He is a funny/great dancer. He will swoop up anyone within reach and hug you until your spine is adjusted. These pictures are from March.
Hopefully I've embarrassed him enough.
Posted by Freckled Hen at 7:57 PM 2 comments
Labels: love
Friday, May 29, 2009
how time flies
I am in awe at how quickly. I blinked and she grew up and graduated.
She has made this family proud, embracing each part of her education with dignity and grace.
Her years of education are as colorful as the box of crayons she first started with. From being
homeschooled to attending international schools she looked at each new experience sometimes
with trepidation but ultimately making the best of it.
She will go away to school and not need me to help her cross the street or tell her she needs to
eat more protein. She will meet people and drink coffee. She'll stay up late and wake up early
and not wear a heavy coat when it's twenty degrees out. This is what growing up is all about,
which would be fine if I could stop shedding tears about it.
Posted by Freckled Hen at 8:33 PM 3 comments
Labels: kids
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Shall we go for a walk?
It's a strange last day of school. Instead of the noisy hooting of my children as they wander down the road full of spectacular summer vacation high it's just little Molly...coming off that big bus all alone on her very first last day of school. No singing or running full speed to get the last cherry popsicle out of the freezer. Just little Molls holding my hand and asking me if it's okay if she works on her summer packet of work today. Remember those days? Chances are if your are female and actually reading this blog you will remember those days. The days when your teacher would give out extra worksheets (we called them dittos) and school paraphernalia. All summer I would bribe my brother to be my student (it will be fun, I promise...we'll go on field trips...) and then scold him for messy penmanship and spelling errors. I wasn't always nice but that's because I learned this from our older sisters (they were really, really, really, really, really mean). Their school wasn't always fun...but real school? I loved it. Did you?
But here is the bus with the mean old Mrs bus-driver who is the strictest bus driver ever in the history of mankind. The children have to sit with their backs straight and feet flat on the floor, if they don't they get written up. I know this because Sam once turned around to look out the window and had to sit up front for two weeks. All my kids ride the same bus which is nice especially when their brother gets in trouble. 1 brother in trouble + 3 sisters on bus = lots of fun dinner table talk.
Thanks for coming with me. I couldn't ask for nicer friends!
Posted by Freckled Hen at 10:58 AM 3 comments
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
How do you welcome summer?
This is one of those posts I hope my sweet husband reads from afar. He is able to occasionally read my blog and I know he wishes it was him to bring the boys to the barber. I know they wish it, too. They still come out looking cute and this one is looking more and more like his old man.
We miss you, old man...
Posted by Freckled Hen at 4:32 PM 0 comments
Labels: kids
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Flea Market Baby
Posted by Freckled Hen at 7:29 PM 4 comments
Labels: books
Monday, May 25, 2009
Posted by Freckled Hen at 4:03 PM 3 comments
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Food for Thought
eggs from the girls
Posted by Freckled Hen at 4:22 PM 3 comments
Labels: garden
Saturday, May 23, 2009
board game mojo
Posted by Freckled Hen at 5:07 PM 0 comments
Labels: household
Friday, May 22, 2009
Posted by Freckled Hen at 3:51 PM 2 comments
Labels: kids
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Posted by Freckled Hen at 1:10 PM 6 comments
Labels: kids
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
No title just deep exhaling with somewhat oniony breath
I'm getting kind of tired of my blog. Is it this blogging everyday challenge? It seems childish and pathetic. Wah wah wah are you tired of my stale attempt at humor and woes of missing him? Maybe it is like running a marathon. Running, running as each mile ticks away until somewhere in the middle you think you're crazy and want to stop and visualize yourself sitting poolside with an enormous lemonade. But then you tell yourself to stick with it and persevere... repeating to yourself you can do it and even though you are running kind of skippy-sideways and have a really strained look on your face you feel self worth that levels out all the uncertainties in your life.
Posted by Freckled Hen at 1:13 PM 6 comments
Labels: sewing
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Posted by Freckled Hen at 7:38 PM 3 comments
Labels: household
Monday, May 18, 2009
Guess what?
My mother is coming tomorrow.
She is sweet and skinny and loves nature-- like birds and flowers and such. When I say she is skinny I mean like she has the skinniest legs you have ever seen but also she has pointy ta-tas. A rare combo if I should say.
This is a picture of her and my sister before I was born. She was a stay at home mom who sewed clothes for herself and her children. She wore dresses and skirts each day. By the time I was born the 70's had taken their grip and she traded in all her dresses for a pottery wheel she would set up in the kitchen. We moved to Hawaii and went to the beach everyday. She would wear a brown bikini with white palm leaves on it. When we moved from there her life really changed. I didn't know this at the time as I was still pretty young. We moved back "home" to Connecticut and soon she was working full time. As soon as she got home she would unhook her bra and put on a big T-shirt and my brother and I would yell at her to put pants on. Is this too much information? But this is my mother. And she is coming here tomorrow.
Posted by Freckled Hen at 7:47 PM 3 comments
Labels: household
Sunday, May 17, 2009
One Month
He's been away for a month now. A whole month. I have lots of thoughts about this. I'm glad the first month is done. I miss him every minute. I worry about him every minute.
I'm grateful for many things...
He is doing fine.
We can email everyday.
We can talk on the phone.
I can mail him stuff and he gets it in a week.
I often think of WWII and how difficult it must have been. Letters received were old, no phone calls...I think all that fear of the unknown would swallow me up.
Posted by Freckled Hen at 6:41 PM 2 comments
Labels: love
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Tasha Book Talk
Today I piled the children in the car and headed to Dallas. The drive is too long.
Posted by Freckled Hen at 7:09 PM 3 comments
Labels: books
Friday, May 15, 2009
Posted by Freckled Hen at 12:03 PM 2 comments
Labels: books
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Posted by Freckled Hen at 6:44 PM 2 comments
Labels: kids
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Hooray for Six
Yeah...I know these pictures are grainy and distorted...how rude of you to point that out!
Posted by Freckled Hen at 12:30 PM 4 comments
Labels: kids


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Categories: FPS > Sauron/Legolas, FPS, FPS > Legolas/Sauron Characters: Legolas, Sauron

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Good Single-player! It's a form of gameplay that is supposedly dead. Or at the very least, there is a subset of people who would have you believe that there's another subset of people very much interested in killing it. Personally, I tend to think single-player is an unfortunate victim of the gaming industry's version of climate change.
But, traditions die only when they stop being practiced. While some traditions are definitely harmful, I should at least hope that some of them are wholesome and worth preserving. I tend to think single-player experience is one of those good, wholesome traditions. These games aren't necessarily single-player exclusive, a lot of them have a solid multiplayer component, but single-player is the thing that is the most important for them. And unfortunately no consoles, so I can't write about God of War, which is a terrible shame (I heard it won an award or something).
Best Single Player PC Games
Listed below
Slay the Spire
|Rogue-like, Card Game
|Release year
Have you tried slaying inanimate objects? Harder than it seems.
Slay the Spire is a pretty inventive little quasi-card game. It eschews multiplayer component of most card games and substitutes for it a rogue-like single-player campaign that is going to be different every time you play it and requires careful planning, but also the willingness to experiment and change your way of thinking during the journey.
There are multiple different characters to choose from, each with very different cards (which work as moves) and lending themselves better or worse to strategies you might know from other card games, like playing "control" or "aggro". Different enemies also have different resistances to any given strategy, so there's an undeniable element of luck to how well you'll be able to fare with each specific run through the titular spire.
|Key features
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
|Action RPG
|Release year
Set in the world of Tolkien's famous fantasy saga, Middle-earth: Shadow of War focuses mostly on the land of Mordor and its prime inhabitants, the orcs, despite what the title says. These orcs come in many different types and sizes and throughout the game, your main goal is to either fight them or mind-control them into joining your army. Basically, collect them like murder-happy, bad-smelling Pokemon, and then use them to do your bidding. It's good to be a half-dead human warrior with the spirit of the ancient Elven lord.
There's, of course, an RPG element to it with a fun story and all that, additionally supplemented with plenty of character customization and a solid combat system complete with stealth mechanics, but for the most part, it's all about orcs. And you'd be surprised, but orc collecting is a serious affair, it's dozens of hours of legit content.
|Key features
BioShock Infinite
|Release year
Does a universe of infinite single-player experiences count as multiplayer?
The culmination to the story which started as a dissection of Randian ideas and now involves quantum physics. It's definitely worth seeing this story to the very end as it does continue the BioShock tradition of managing to ask some very poignant questions.
Functionally, the gameplay is very familiar to those of you who played the first BioShock. You can use a combination of various ranged weapons and special powers depleting your energy reserves to dispatch enemies. You can also solve some light environmental puzzles to obtain hidden rewards. The game doesn't have much replay value beyond the first playthrough, but it's certainly worth visiting once.
|Key features
|Action RPG, Turn-Based Strategy
|Release year
A semiconductor device used to switch or amplify electronic signals
From the creators of Bastion, Transistor tells a somber story about love, power, and democracy. Much like in Bastion, the biggest drive of the game comes from the excellent narration, this time by our mute protagonist's very talkative sword.
There's a small component of replayability in the form of the player having a choice to make the game harder with additional difficulty options which can make enemies stronger, more aggressive etc. These can be changed in real time giving you the joy of flexibility. There's also an RPG component of character progression, so you can approaching the game with a different tactic.
|Key features
Dead Cells
|Roguelike, Metroidvania
|Release year
Very cellular, very dead
Dead Cells has spent a very long time in the Steam Early Access program, but admittedly it was a really, really good game from the get-go. Described as a mixture of roguelike and metroidvania, it's pretty much exactly that: you explore procedurally-generated rooms, gather weapons and fight enemies until you reach a boss.
There isn't much story to Dead Cells, but the tactical depth in this game is undeniable. There're hundreds of different possible combinations of weapons, abilities and perks and all customizable to suit your specific playstyle. Then, of course, there's also the aspect of randomization which, while it doesn't appeal to everyone, will definitely extend the longevity of this game.
|Key features
Darkest Dungeon
|RPG, Survival Horror, Roguelike
|Release year
Slightly more mature cousin of the Edgiest Enclosure
Another roguelike, even harder and more complex than Dead Cells, Darkest Dungeon throws your little group of adventurers into a procedurally-generated dungeon, teeming with monsters, traps and other dangers. And everything steeped in fantastic art-style and accompanied by a chilling narration.
Darkest Dungeon isn't the most inviting of video games. In fact, it takes a lot of time and effort to understand its intricacies and even once you think you do, it tends to surprise you moments later anyway. But that only means there's more content to you to enjoy. While not a game for everybody, those who will appreciate it will find themselves enjoying playing it for a long, long time.
|Key features
Far Cry 5
|Action-Adventure, FPS
|Release year
Keep your rifle by your side
While I have had my issues with Far Cry 5 in the past, I still have to say it's a good game. It desires to be a sandbox of fun and destruction, but I have to say, it certainly realizes that desire right.
There's a lot to like about Far Cry 5, from beautiful and lively geography, through environmental storytelling, to the unparalleled freedom in approaching the game however you want. Far Cry 5's gameplay loop of locate -> explore -> blow up never really gets old. And you can have a cougar companion.
|Key features
Mass Effect: Andromeda
|Release year
Reportedly results in a face being tried
BioWare, while a conflicted studio, holds the prestigious reputation of a developer uniquely equipped to provide nuanced, extensive single-player experiences. Its library of RPGs is legendary and the Mass Effect series occupies a very special place in it.
Andromeda is something of a soft reboot to the series, taking place in an entirely different galaxy, but it certainly keeps the core components of the series, the space fantasy of communicating, finding common ground and possibly even love with alien races, exploration of distant worlds, and a grand-scale, cosmic conflict. There's a great multiplayer component to the game too, but even without it, there's a lot of replay value with character customization and branching story.
|Key features
Divinity: Original Sin 2
|Release year
Simply divine
There's a large degree of correlation between fans of RPGs and those mostly uninterested in a multiplayer experience. And I didn't put Pillars of Eternity here mostly to avoid writing about multiple titles from the same studio. I probably don't have to tell you that this game developer is the one you want to be on the lookout for single-player-centric games.
Divinity is just that: the return to form for old-school isometric RPGs. An epic storyline with multiple choices, interesting characters, great depths of customization to your party, loads of side-quests, and even pets. And at the end of it, a custom scenario creator. Metaphorical buckets of content.
|Key features
Fallout: New Vegas
|Action RPG
|Release year
From the creators of original Fallout
Before Bethesda bought the Fallout brand from what now is Obsidian, these fine folks made a post-apocalyptic RPG that became a pop-cultural staple. Fallout New Vegas is a glorious continuation, with all the heart of the original game, only with Bethesda's infinitely moddable engine.
The sheer nuance of storytelling at display here is staggering and it manages to retain freedom of choosing your own route while having a structured and understandable world. Simply put: majestic.
|Key features
The Witcher 3
|Action RPG
|Release year
For the umpteenth time!
I would stop writing about The Witcher, but it's hard to stop praising a game which reportedly shipped over 33 million copies worldwide. Especially in an article about the best single-player games. The Witcher 3 has been repeatedly called one of the best RPGs of all time, nay, one of the best games of all time. And there's a lot of truth in that, even if criteria are largely subjective.
The Witcher 3 boasts an expansive world which tells you its story completely organically. You walk around, you meet people and get embroiled in their little stories and there are hundreds of those. In addition of course to the epic main storyline which serves as a conclusion to 2 previous games and 5 fantasy books. And manages to do that without losing its audience.
|Key features
NieR: Automata
|Action RPG, Hack & Slash
|Release year
What I like to call "collaborative single-player"
Nier: Automata occupies a very special place on this list because it's a single-player experience, unlike any other game. While I can't describe it in a way that wouldn't contain spoilers, I can say that the playthroughs of other players play an absolutely pivotal role in your ability to finish the game and get to the true ending. While it's a solitary journey for each player, you have no choice but walk in the footsteps of titans that came before you.
Nier: Automata does a lot of things right. it's a very imaginative hack & slash that plays around with many core mechanics in ways that are wholly unique to it, from the perspective to saving the game. It's an exciting journey that requires multiple attempts to see to its true end, but it's truly worth every bit of time. It had to be at the very top of this list because it redefines what a 'single-player experience' even means.
|Key features
Devil May Cry 5
|Release year:
|Action-adventure, hack and slash
Sparda reunion tour
A sequel long time coming turned out to be one of the best games of 2019, and, more importantly, satisfied the dedicated DMC fanbase. Running on the RE Engine and featuring, for the first time, realistic designs of the characters, Devil May Cry 5 is not only an astonishing of a beloved franchise, but also a game that looks as good as it plays.
This time you have three characters to play as: main man Dante himself, Nero coming back from Devil May Cry 4, and a newcomer V, who's fighting style revolves around wrecking enemies with summons and finishing them with a cane. On the story front we're facing the last (?) chapter in the story of descendants of Sparda. It's great fun all around if you love absurdly intense slashers.
|Key features
Disco Elysium
|Release year:
No truce with the furies
An unexpected success of 2019, Disco Elysium is an RPG likely to enter the ranks of cult classics where games like Planescape: Torment and Fallout 2 dwell. Despite being released late in the year, without a large marketing budget it won the critical acclaim and industry awards. A lot of that might be due to Disco Elysium's quite unique premise, which, admittedly, is more suitable for adults.
See, the thing about Disco Elysium is that you, an amnesiac disaster of a detective, are in constant conversation with your stats, and they have their own ideas. Invest too much into an attribute or a skill and they will be a very hard to ignore influence on your available decisions. And there's the whole "thought internalisation" that may turn you towards some ideology or stance.
|Key features
Dishonored (2)
|Release year:
|2012, 2016 (DH2), 2017 (DotO)
|Action-adventure, stealth
|Arkane Studios
Freeform mayhem
Dishonored was Arkane's breakout title, cementing their aptitude for making action games (and action RPGs) which favour finding creative ways to use the tools you've been given by the game. In Dishonored, including the sequels, you play as a well-trained assassin who gets to use both technological marvels and magic powers granted by the mysterious entity called Outsider.
Although the series has a linear progression from one mission to another, within each mission you're given free reign to do where you want, and do as you please. You can use your abilities, gadgets, and the environment in very creative ways. Stopping time to possess a guard and walk him in front of a crossbow bolt he just fired at you is just beginner's stuff in this series.
|Key features
|Release year:
|First-person shooter
|id Software
Demons with no survival instinct
Coming over a decade after the previous Doom game (Doom 3), 2016's DOOM reboots the series, kind of, and turned out to be a rapid-fire dance of death, filled with chunky weapons, well-designed demons, and awesome soundtrack. It also had a surprising amount of lore spread across audiologs and a codex you can access at will.
Of course, the action is the most important, and id Software didn't disappoint. Every so often you end up in a large space surrounded by demons charging at you, flinging fireballs, or being a nuisance in other ways, and you have to bob and weave between attacks, shoot them to pieces, punch them to death to get health, and carve them up with a chainsaw for ammo. It's glorious.
|Key features
Guilty Gear Xrd
|Release year:
|Arc System Works
Deceptive perspective
Arc System Works as a studio gained fame and fortune mainly thanks to their Guilty Gear series. A franchise of 2D highly technical fighting games with excellent character designs and positively brimming with the creators' love of rock and metal music. Xrd is the first 3D instalment of the series (barring Overture), but you couldn't tell it at first glance.
Unless the camera moves during the more intense specials or pre- and post-match minicutscenes, the game is virtually indistinguishable from a 2D traditional animation. And it retains the tight, lightning-fast, technical gameplay the previous entries are known for. If you enjoy anime aesthetic, great music, and excellent fighting games, absolutely give Guilty Gear Xrd a shot.
|Key features
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
|Release year:
|Action-adventure, hack and slash
|Ninja Theory
Headphones recommended
Ninja Theory has been known among action-adventure and hack'n'slash fans ever since their Heavenly Sword, but probably no game of theirs gained as much critical acclaim as Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, with good reason, did. There's probably no other game in the industry to portray mental illness with such respect while also being a really good, interesting game.
Hellblade tells the story of Senua, a Pict warrior, who suffers from psychosis., but she interprets it as a curse. What's unique about Hellblade is that, provided you play on headphones which help the effect, you will hear the same whispers she does, and they'll warn you as often as they'll deceive you. The exploration and combat serve to emphasise the leading theme quite well and adeptly.
|Key features
Monster Hunter World
|Release year:
|Action role-playing
Deviljho is in the details
Monster Hunter: World is a huge game, and with the Iceborne expansion, out on both PC and consoles, it's twice as large as it was before. Capcom pulled out all the stops and delivered a game that has an absurd amount of content, a huge number of weapons arranged into research trees and split between fourteen distinct classes, like Great Swords or Insect Glaives.
MHW is a game one could launch of half an hour solo (or with a team) hunt and for a few hours of hunting huge monsters for a specific resource. But there's also capturing small animals for research and as pets, communicating with native tribes, participating in event quests, or even just putting on a ghillie mantle to explore the maps and watch the wildlife without causing a disturbance.
|Key features
Opus Magnum
|Release year:
|Puzzle, programming
Chemical synthesiser
Puzzle games rarely get much exposure, but Opus Magnum definitely deserves to be singled out. Not only because it forces the players to think creatively AND logically, but also because allows them to show off their designs in a form of neatly looping gifs and a leaderboard. And the gifs of your creation can be extremely satisfying to watch, especially if you found a pretty solution.
Opus Magnum is a game about alchemy by way of machinery. You have an elaborate array of tools like various mechanical arms, transmutation spots, and paths for the arms to travel along, and you have to figure out a way to create a desired arrangement of elements. You can focus on low cost, high efficiency, or even aesthetics of the production cycle, as long as you deliver the product.
|Key features
Red Dead Redemption 2
|Release year:
|Rockstar Studios
Guten Morgen
A sequel to the cut classic from 2010 classic, Red Dead Redemption 2 turned out to be at least as good as its immediate predecessor, despite rocky state immediately after its PC release. Its map is absolutely huge and packed with detail, and there are so many ways to interact with the world that you'll have no problem at all with immersing yourself in the heyday of the Old West.
The story takes place years before RDR1, and Van Der Linde's ganga is still together. However, you don't play as John Marston, this time the playable character is Arthur Morgan, Van Der Linde's right hand. In-between taking in the details of the world you'll take part in heist and robberies, and try to stave off the looming dissolution of the gang over many of its ongoing problems.
|Key features
Total War: Warhammer (2)
|Release year:
|Turn-based strategy, real-time tactics
|Creative Assembly
Real Tzeentch Strategy
Although the Warhammer Fantasy setting is quite popular, for a long tie video games favoured the 40k variant. But when Creative Assembly teamed-up with Games Workshop and made a WH Fantasy game on the framework of their Total War franchise, the balance shifted. Total War: Warhammer 1 & 2 are excellent strategies which really let CA's creativity loose.
Each playable faction is unique, usually suited for some playstyles more than others. If you have both instalments of the series, you can merge them into a massive singleplayer campaign, which is a certifiably great idea. Both games received continuous support, especially Total War: Warhammer 2 saw several batches of additional content, like the Tomb Kings or the Vampire Coast factions.
|Key features
|Release year:
|Tactical role-playing, Turn-based tactics
|Firaxis Games
Against all odds
Firaxis' revival of the X-COM license was warmly received, so the veteran strategy developer went all out on the sequel. As a result XCOM 2 is an excellent turn-based tactics game with a solid overworld strategic layer. The big difference from the first game is that instead of being an Earth defence force, XCOM is a guerrilla resistance trying to help humanity overthrow alien rulers.
XCOM 2 has fantastic soldier customisation, both visual, and mechanical with several available classes. There is a huge War of the Chosen expansion which adds new factions, enemies, and systems such as bonds soldiers can form on the battlefield. There's even a challenge mode, where players from all over the world compete to complete preset scenarios as efficiently as possible.
|Key features
Singles only
Arguably there's a big cross-section between this list and our top DRM-free games, for a simple reason: the requirement to always be online is heavily associated with DRM, but the difference is down to personal preferences.
The triple-A publishers seem to be greatly slacking off when it comes to single player experiences lately and yet when Game Awards rolled in, not only did God of War win the first place, most of the games nominated for different categories were all single-player focused projects. I think it's quite telling.
So with that, I leave you and wish you long and satisfying hours of playtime.


text:
6"x9" 3-Way Speaker with 300 Watts Max. Power
40 Watts Nominal Power
"Open and Smooth" Sound Design
Composite IMPP Cone Woofer Using Interlaced Dual aramid fiber
Experience smooth sound with A-Series. Pioneer's exclusive technology enriches your music by producing clear, open sound. Bring out the details of your music with A-Series speakers.
How can you get better sound for your car, without spending alot? Step up to the new TS-A6972R 6" x 9" 3-ways. They feature upgraded power handling of 300 watts max. (40 watts nominal) to pump out big sound, and an incredible new Laminated Polyester Fiber Midrange that pour out sweet highs. And we're continuing to lead the industry with next-generation technology for improved sound: the cones, magnets, surrounds, the voice coil wire, the basket and more are all high-performance components that make up a great speaker. Lastly, we redesigned the speaker grille to compliment the excellence of our A-Series speaker.
Composite IMPP Cone with Interlaced Dual aramid fiber
One of our major speaker breakthroughs was IMPP (Injection-Molded Polypropylene), which allowed cones to be lighter AND more rigid. Then we added long stands of Aramid fibers into the mix, for extra strength. Now, we've gone even further with the TS-A6972R, adding a second type of Aramid fiber that makes the cone even stronger and tougher, without adding weight. So what does this mean to you? Tighter, more powerful bass. A rich, natural sound character with excellent midrange depth. And the durability to stand up to the high volume levels, humidity, and temperature extremes that thrash other speakers.
New Balanced-Dome Midrange with Laminated Polyester Fiber
Better technology, better performance: instead of conventional materials, we used a laminated polyester fiber in our new balanced-dome midrange, the same material used in the high-end REV-series speakers. The key to this material is that it is 30% lighter than conventional materials. That difference in weight means faster and more accurate response, for exceptionally clean, detailed music.
Heat Resistant Polyester-Imide Resin Voice Coil Wire
Creating mechanical energy is hot work, especially at high volume levels. And as we all know, heat can cause distortion. That's why the TS-A6972R uses a heat-resistant polyester-imide resin voice coil wire. It allows the voice coil to handle more heat, improving input power handling as well as reliability. So go ahead. Turn it up.
- 300 Watts
- 40 Watts
- 28Hz ~ 33kHz
- 93dB
- 4 ohm
- 2-5/6" (72mm)
- 6" x 8-2/3" (151mm x 220 mm)
- Composite IMPP Cone with Interlaced Aramid Fiber
- Foamed Rubber Coated Cloth
- Glass-Imide
- Nomex
- 1-13/16" Lightweight Balanced Dome with Magnet Fluid
- 11/16" Dome Tweeter
- Full Depth Basket for Rich Bass Response
- Included


text:
Corporate Solicitor
- Recruiter
- JMC Legal Recruitment
- Location
- Bath, Somerset, England / Bristol, England / England, Gloucestershire, Cheltenham
- Salary
- £50000 - £200000 per annum + Autonomy + Flexibility
- Posted
- 04 Sep 2019
- Closes
- 02 Oct 2019
- Ref
- Contact
- Charlie Simpkin
- Sector/Practice Area
- Corporate
- Vacancy Type
- Lawyers, Private Practice
- Contract/hours
- Full time
Are Corporate Solicitor? This is the top 100 City style firm, with a conscience and the primary choice for solicitors wanting something different.
With this firm you can work from home and earn up to 90% of your billings, for example; Partners that bill £1million, they receive over £800k, with all back-office support not taken out of billings.
If you are an entrepreneurial thinking solicitor, looking to progress, move away from billings targets, politics and lack of prospects, whilst substantially boosting your income and practice?
The Firm
This firm has many unique selling points that stand them apart from any other firms in the country.
They specialise in offering clients, senior level, heavy hitting Lawyers at reasonable rates and the client knowing what they are going to pay. They have set trends and their unique way of working has set a precedent in the legal market. In the last year alone, they have increased headcount by 30%, all from Senior Level hires. They house Partners who have clientele and personal billings worth more than £1.5million.
The firm have a clear set of objectives, which solely focusses around the client. They are setting their sights on being the law firm of choice for all Senior Lawyers. You will find a one of the best, most innovative marketing and business development support departments. The firm will support you and have proven methods and helping senior Lawyers and Partners to boost their practice. Working in this entrepreneurial environment you will find a constant amount of interesting cross referral work.
You will also receive a level of work life balance and flexibility to choose your own working hours or where you work, giving you the ability to take more control of your life.
Now is an exciting time to join with further growth planned over the next 24 months, they have obtained further high rankings in the legal 500 and chambers.
The Role
The firm are seeking Senior Corporate Lawyers to join their Bristol / South West operation.
You will join a market leading Corporate team whose achievements over the last 24 months have caught for the eye of the industry press, legal 500 and have won a number of awards. Due to the unique way in which they work, you will find the team are very entrepreneurial, forward-thinking and deal with a very interesting quality of work.
If you have perhaps hit a glass ceiling and are looking for a route to Partnership, this could be the role for you.
For an ambitious candidate, wanting to develop their practice, within an entrepreneurial, commercial team who will support you, this role can offer an incredible platform.
- You will be a Corporate Lawyer with at least 5 years PQE (there is no upper limit regarding the amount of experience and I urge even the most experienced of candidates to apply)
- You will be an ambitious candidate
- You will be a commercially minded candidate who has the ability to develop business
- Remuneration is market leading and will depend on your background and level of billings, this will be discussed upon application
This is an excellent opportunity for a Corporate Lawyer to join this totally unique, legal 500 firm based in Bristol.
Apply now for immediate consideration or feel free to give me a call for a confidential conversation.


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XJOSE is a talented, experienced, & proud company that is dedicated to providing premiere services to all clients.
We're dedicated and proud in providing the best Print Marketing service as not only an experienced but a talented and proud Book Talent. And lastly, our hands-on, local team with years in 32208 – learning the in's and out's of 32208's demographics, leading verticals and more! Our insight in Print Marketing has kept and will continue to support us as YOUR leading Book Talent.
Event management is the implementation of essential project management skills to the creation and development of large-scale events such as festivals, conferences, ceremonies, weddings, formal parties, concerts, or conventions.
We take time to target each event and provide exceptional marketing for your business.
With our elite connections, we are able to provide talent bookings to your business. XJOSE books both stand-up comedy and live music, allowing for a packed event in your business.
XJOSE strives to produce exceptional designs so your site is nothing but flawless. We aim to keep websites updated to the most fluid layouts for enhanced usability. Along with the overall design, typography & graphics are picked carefully to match your needs.
SEO experts at XJOSE use customized methods to get your business on the first page of Google. We create content that not only brings consumers in, but puts your business on the top of Google's results page.
With our video experts, we strive to provide an exceptional advertisement that displays what your business does and that gives the consumer a feeling of your business's excellency.
Our graphic designers strive to produce only the greatest graphics for your business. XJOSE uses professional software to bring you the best quality for your business's graphics.
XJOSE has skilled writers that work to promote your business and convey your message to the proper demographic target. We take pride in keeping consistent engagements online & improving businesses' online following.
We will always strive to see your business grow. We use our expert writers to engage consumers online. Our goal is to see your restaurant get more awareness through our marketing strategies.


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ABOUT 8,000 homes were without electricity yesterday morning .
Scottish and Southern Electric (SSE) customers lost power for about an hour from 7.30am to 8.30am because of a possible fault in the underground network.
Homes across East Oxford, Marston, Cowley and Wallingford were hit.
Traffic lights between Headington and Iffley Road failed during the rush hour, causing long tailbacks.
Marsh Baldon Primary School was closed yesterday as it had no electricity and the boiler had failed. It was expected to reopen today.
Investigations were ongoing yesterday but the power cut was not thought to have been caused by the weather.
Spokesman for SSE Neil Anderson said about 100 extra engineers were called in to deal with disruptions as the county braces itself for more bad weather.
He said: "It was a brief interruption to the power network and our engineers rerouted the network and got everybody back on within about an hour.
"It wasn't weather related but we are investigating the cause."
On Sunday, homes supplied by SSE in the Nobles Lane area of Botley were without power for almost two hours because of a problem on an underground cable.


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The Odds of Alien Life Lesson Plan: Drake Equation Game
In this lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades 3-12, students use BrainPOP resources to explore the odds of alien life beyond our solar system. Students will explain the principles of The Drake Equation and use information from the online interactive Drake Equation game to form a hypothesis about life in other galaxies.
Students will:
- Discuss the odds of intelligent life beyond our solar system.
- Explain the principles of The Drake Equation.
- Use information from the online interactive Drake Equation game to form a hypothesis about life in other galaxies.
- Internet access for BrainPOP
- LCD projector and/or interactive whiteboard
- Computers for students to use individually
Preparation:Familiarize your self with the Aliens movie and the Drake Equation Game and plan how they will best fit into your unit of instruction.
Lesson Procedure:
- Pose the following question to students: Is there intelligent life beyond our solar system? Ask students to talk with a partner or group about their thoughts and reasoning.
- Display the Graphic Organizer and use it to frame a class discussion around the topic. Encourage volunteers to share their ideas and type them directly into the form.
- Continue building background knowledge by showing the BrainPOP movie Aliens. You may want to return to the Graphic Organizer afterward and allow students to add to their previous ideas or make corrections.
- Tell students that in the 1960's, a man named Francis Drake created what he called "The Drake Equation" to help us understand the odds of life beyond our galaxy. Explain that they will have the chance to explore his thoughts through an interactive game called The Drake Equation.
- Use the game as a teaching tool and go through each question together with students. Read the first question to students, then give a signal to indicate that they should discuss it with their partner or group until they hear the same signal sound again. Walk around as students talk to facilitate their thinking.
- Give the signal to indicate that students should end their discussion, and click on the "Ask!" button, which provides a short sentence about scientific understandings on the topic. After reading this, have students raise their hands or use interactive whiteboard clickers to indicate their answer choice.
- Select the answer in the game that most students choose. As the graph fills in, compare the class' choice to those of other website visitors.
- Continue with this process through each of the 5 questions in The Drake Equation game.
- Read the final page which comes at the end of the game which tells how many other possible worlds in the Milky Way galaxy that there might be for us to interact with (based on the responses the class chose).
- Then click "See How You Compare" to see how other people similar to your students answered. You can change the gender, age, and location variables on the final screen as many times as you want to see how people from different demographics responded.
- Give students 5-10 minutes to explore the game on their own and experiment with different responses.
- Have students continue their exploration on this topic using more online tools. Challenge students to research the findings of scientists or to explore information about possible life on other planets such as Mars. Encourage students to present their findings to the class and formulate their own hypotheses about the probability of life on other planets and/or in other galaxies.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of a House panel angry over sexual abuse problems in the military are set to vote on a bill that would strip commanding officers of their authority to unilaterally change or dismiss court-martial convictions — a change that lawmakers believe will lead to a cultural shift that encourages more victims to step forward.
The House panel on Wednesday is set to approve the legislation that would also require that service members found guilty of sexual offenses be dismissed or dishonorably discharged.
The moves by the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee come two weeks after a Pentagon report released earlier this month estimated that up to 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted last year and that thousands of victims are still unwilling to come forward despite new oversight and assistance programs aimed at curbing the crimes.
SEE ALSO: Victims of sex assaults in military are mostly men
The report showed the number of sexual assaults actually reported by members of the military rose 6 percent to 3,374 in 2012. But a survey of personnel who were not required to reveal their identities showed the number of service members actually assaulted could be as high as 26,000, but they never reported the incidents. That figure is an increase above the 19,000 estimated assaults in 2011.
Congress repeatedly has challenged the military to take more aggressive steps to curb sexual assault, but the new figures convinced lawmakers that military leaders have not done enough and that swift legislative action is needed to tackle the problem. President Obama has weighed in as well, declaring he wants to eliminate the "scourge" of sexual assault.
"I think the leadership of the military is confused," said Rep. Michael R. Turner, Ohio Republican, who along with Rep. Niki Tsongas, Massachusetts Democrat, wrote several of the provisions before the subcommittee. "They believe as long as they have programs where they say sexual assault is wrong that they've done enough. No, they have to support the victim, and they have to support vigorous prosecution."
SEE ALSO: Military sex abuse has long-term impact for veterans
The proposed changes are backed by Republicans and Democrats. Once approved by the military personnel panel, the measures will be folded into the Armed Services Committee's broader defense policy bill for the 2014 fiscal year, which the full House will consider in the coming weeks. Separately, the Senate Armed Services Committee is taking up a series of sexual assault prevention measures next month. A final plan eventually will be produced after any differences between the House and Senate are resolved.
Mr. Turner and Mrs. Tsongas are co-chairs of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus.
The push to eliminate a commander's ability to reverse criminal convictions of service members is rooted in a case that stoked widespread outrage on Capitol Hill. Lt. Col. James Wilkerson, a former inspector general at Aviano Air Base in Italy, was found guilty by a military panel in November 2012 of charges of abusive sexual contact and aggravated sexual assault. Col. Wilkerson was sentenced to a year in prison and dismissal from the service, but Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin, commander of the 3rd Air Force at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, reviewed the case and overturned the jury's verdict of guilty.
Gen. Franklin explained in a six-page letter to the Air Force secretary that he found Col. Wilkerson and his wife, who both denied the charges, more believable than the alleged victim.
The authority wielded senior commanders who are responsible for establishing courts-martial leaves victims of sexual assault wary of coming forward because they fear no one will believe them, according to lawmakers advocating the change.
But that clout has been embedded in the military justice system for decades and stems from the longstanding belief that military commanders must be directly responsible for good order and discipline in their units. Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said it's a mistake to strip commanders of their authority.
"For Congress to reach down and change 200 years of tradition because people don't like what the commander did in Aviano, I think sends a terrible signal to the military justice system," Mr. Graham told reporters earlier this month. "The issue here is why are there so many assaults and why is it so hard to get people to come forward."
Sen. Claire McCaskill, Misscouri Democrat, is holding up the nomination of Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan Helms, tapped to serve as vice commander of the U.S. Space Command, until Mrs. McCaskill gets more information about Gen. Helms' decision to overturn a jury conviction in a separate sexual assault case.
According to a draft version of the military personnel subcommittee's plan released Tuesday, commanders no longer would have the discretion to reverse a court-martial ruling, except in cases involving minor offenses. Commanders also are barred from reducing a guilty finding by a court-martial to guilty of a lesser offense.
The subcommittee's draft proposal also requires an individual found guilty of rape, sexual assault, forcible sodomy or an attempt to commit any of those offenses receive a punishment that includes a dismissal from military service or a dishonorable discharge.
The subcommittee's legislation eliminates the five-year statute of limitations on trial by court-martial for sexual assault and sexual assault of a child. It also establishes the authority for military legal counsel to provide legal assistance to victims of sex-related offenses and requires enhanced training for all military and civilian attorneys involved in sex-related cases.
The panel's bill also contains a provision that extends federal whistle-blower protections to victims to ensure they don't face reprisal for reporting incidents of sexual assault.
As the defense policy bills move forward, there will be pressure to go further than the subcommittee's proposal. Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, New York Democrat, has introduced legislation that would take top commanders out of the process of deciding whether a sexual misconduct case goes to trial.
Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC.


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Posted on June 12, 2018 by Sundowner Travel
We are James, Tammy and Ray. We are embarking on an adventure of a lifetime. One sailor and one newbie, and our son, we have just purchased a C&C 37R. She needs a lot of work and I need a lot of training, lol. Will we be ready to set sail?


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SCDA- Thompson Speedway- Track Event- August 15th
Sports Car Driving Association-SCDA
Registration closed August 15, 2020 8:59 AM on August 15, 2020 8:59 AM EDT Registration ends August 15, 2020 8:59 AM on August 15, 2020 8:59 AM EDT Registration opens December 4, 2019 12:00 AM on December 4, 2019 12:00 AM EST Registration runs from December 4, 2019 12:00 AM to August 15, 2020 8:59 AM
SCDA Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park High Performance Driving & Track Events (HPDE)
SATURDAY, August 15th
The Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park Driving Experience
Save 10% if you drive a LOTUS at this event!
The SCDA will host FOUR dates at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park this 2020 season! This 1.7 mile road course has a nice mix of straights, challenging corners and some elevation changes. The pavement is brand new and the run off areas are very forgiving. Located in Thompson Connecticut, this beautiful motorsports facility is a track that you must plan to drive.
Some of the features on this exciting venue include:
- Repaving of the historic 1950's 1.7 mile road course to 38'wide, new curbing
- Upgrade to modern safety standards, adequate run off areas and modified turn design to accommodate modern racing and driving needs.
- A110' span bridge that will accommodate hauler traffic in and out of the paddock area
- Thirty stall garage building
- New classrooms, offices, restrooms, timing and scoring tower, concessions stands
- New entrance and registrations building
- Upgraded safety fencing and barriers
- Upgraded New England Race Fuels/ Sunoco fuel station.
Participants can expect:
- Four on track driving sessions,
- Personalized Instruction for Novice Drivers- small lead follow groups
- eClassroom Sessions
In an effort to provide maximum levels of safety, quality, and fun at our events, the SCDA will provide trained and certified flaggers at the corner stations. This ensures that our drivers can focus on one thing- improving their driving skills. This event is geared towards all skill level drivers, from Novice to Advanced.
We would like to remind you that Spec Miatas are available for rent at this event.
- We will be utilizing the challenging 1.7 mile Thompson Speedway track configuration at this event.
- The sound limit at Thompson Speedway is 103dB
- SCDA Data and Video Coaching- SCDA is offering professional data and video coaching at our events. This is an affordable and individualized program that will help you take your driving to the next level. Our coaches are accomplished racers and industry experts that are able to pinpoint areas for improvement. Together you'll come up with an action plan to help you achieve your goals.
- A limited number of Garage Bays are available for rent.
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park Track Days & Schedule:
2020 Thompson Speedway events will include 5/2, 7/20, 8/15 and 9/26
- Download the THOMPSON Daily Schedule (subject to change)
Event Price
All Thompson Speedway Motorsport Park track events are $399 ($599 for novice group, includes instructor for lead/shadow and corner observation). $25 Early Bird Discount if you register 2 months prior to the event.
Save 10% if you drive a LOTUS at this event!
Please continue to Register:


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Zero-calorie beverages may seem appealing – but a new paper argues that artificially sweetened drinks could actually throw off your metabolism, affecting the way your body processes regular sugars.
Published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, the report argues that artificially sweetened beverages are not only linked with ill health effects similar to those associated with consuming regular soda – but they may even cause worse long term health outcomes.
"In lots of ways, (artificial sweeteners) have been given the benefit of the doubt just because they don't have any calories," lead author Susan Swithers, of the department of psychological sciences and ingestive behavior research center at Purdue University, told FoxNews.com.
Researchers have noted a correlation between diet soda consumption and poor health for years, but Swithers maintained that the link has never been thoroughly examined.
"The typical response has been to dismiss this from the perspective of, 'It's only people who are unhealthy or heavy who drink diet soda in the first place,'" Swithers said.
However, Swithers and her colleagues hypothesize that behavioral explanations aren't fully to blame. In fact, based on an analysis of research, they predict that artificial sweeteners may actually train people's brains and bodies to react differently when they taste something sweet.
"When the body responds normally to sugar, it signals that an intake of both calories and sugar has occurred so the body can release the hormones needed to prepare," Swithers said. "(This) prevents big spikes in blood sugar, and those same hormones are thought to have direct effects on satiety," Swithers said.
Yet, when people eat something that tastes sweet – but introduces no real sugar into the blood system – it may throw off the body's response mechanism, Swithers noted.
"What happens when you have a sweetener is you get that sweet taste – but calories and sugar don't show up," Swithers said. "Your body says, 'Wait, this isn't what I was expecting to happen,' and over time you may not produce those same anticipatory responses."
Blunting those responses could cause people to overeat and experience consistently higher blood sugar levels, which could potentially lead to the onset of Type 2 diabetes, according to Swithers.
Overall, Swithers is calling for more research to be done into the connection between artificial sweeteners and poor health.
"Until we can recognize that these risks exist, we won't be able to figure out what is causing them and how to avoid them," Swithers said.
In a statement regarding the paper, the American Beverage Association said, "This is an opinion piece not a scientific study. Low-calorie sweeteners are some of the most studied and reviewed ingredients in the food supply today. They are safe and an effective tool in weight loss and weight management, according to decades of scientific research and regulatory agencies around the globe."


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India may have to draw about $9 billion from its foreign exchange reserves to finance current account deficit this year, Prime Ministry's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) Chairman C Rangarajan said on Friday, while pitching for promoting foreign investment and exports to deal with problem in the long run.
He further said fiscal deficit is a concern too and suggested raising domestic oil prices to restrict it to the budget target of 4.8 per cent of the GDP in this fiscal year.
"Controlling current account deficit remains the main concern at present. On the assumption that total current account deficit will be $70 billion and the net capital inflows that we have estimated (about $61 billion), there will be a drawdown on the reserves of about $9 billion," Mr Rangarajan said.
He also expressed the hope that current account deficit will even fall below $70 billion if the capital inflows picks up.
"Additional focussed steps to increase net capital inflows can result in up to $10-15 billion more inflows during the year, ramping it up to over $75 billion, which, in combination with a restrained current account deficit, would enable some reserve rebuilding," the PMEAC chief said.
The current account deficit was not fully financed in 2011-12 and the country had to run down reserves by $12.8 billion.
India, however, had fully financed its record current account deficit of $88.2 billion last fiscal year and even added $3.8 billion to the foreign exchange reserves.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram had been maintaining that India would be able to fully finance current account deficit this year as well.
"This year we will contain the current account deficit to $70 billion or below and we will fully finance it," he said in the Lok Sabha on August 27.
The economic outlook report for the fiscal prepared by PMEAC stressed a focused strategy to improve export competitiveness to take advantage of rupee depreciation to bring down the current account deficit.
While releasing the report, Mr Rangarajan pitched for simplifying export-related procedures and boost domestic coal production.
Other steps suggested by the council, include reduction in oil subsidies to make them more price elastic and pro-active implementation of modified gold deposit scheme.
With regards to foreign investment, Mr Rangarajan stressed on stable, non-reversible policy regime besides early resolution of transfer pricing issues.
PMEAC also suggested additional steps to increase net capital inflows.


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Reinvention: New "rugged" Badu abandons poetics
Erykah Badu
World Wide Underground
Motown (2003)
In 1997 when Erykah Badu released her first album, Baduizm, there was quite a bit of debate about the state of soul and R&B music. Many believed practitioners of the art forms had sold out to commercial success. Badu's entrance to the music scene was a welcome change from the cookie-cutter soul format of synthesized drums and hip-hop flavors.
Baduism employed the stripped-down live sound of drums, bass, guitar, percussion and horns which– along with her undeniable charisma and afro-centric image (think large ethnic head wrappings)– made her an instant standout and propelled her into the spotlight.
Never being one to follow trends, and constantly staying a step ahead of imitators, she reinvented her sound and image on her follow-up album, Mama's Gun, which built off her existing style but added long thematic transitions between the songs. The hip-hop soul that she was once known for fused with rock and reggae for what would be one of the best albums of that year.
This year Badu has returned with a full-length titled World Wide Underground. Again Badu has indulged in reinvention. This time she sports an unkempt 12-inch Afro, t-shirt, and jeans. Her music– well, her music displays a much more rugged aspect of her persona.
World Wide Underground very well may be one of the most underrated albums of 2003, chiefly because it boasts only one marketable single, the horn-heavy track "Danger." That single epitomizes her new direction through its lyrical representation of Badu as an incarcerated drug dealer's girlfriend running his operation while he's in jail.
This is a far cry away from the hyper-intellectual poetics of her first record.
The album is well scripted, with songs blending seamlessly into each other. Unlike Mama's Gun, this time the transitions are eerie and ethereal, more like an Eric Dolphy jazz record than a five-piece jam ensemble. World Wide Underground delivers through and through. Tracks like "Back in the Day" and "The Grind" maintain the singalong quality of previous works but are more blunt in their descriptions of love and life experience.
Her boldness on this record is also its weakness. At times it feels as if Badu is being artsy for the sake of being artsy and not because that's what the song lends itself to. Still, the artiness doesn't take too much away from genius of her music and the talent she employs in her band.
If you haven't picked up World Wide Underground, I suggest you do. It's a hell of a trip you probably won't want to miss.


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Promotional desk clocks provide a tangible and highly visible means of ensuring that your company's name gets remembered. Unlike a product like a mug, which might get tucked away inside of a cupboard for most of its time, a gift like a customized desk clock will be given a place of noticeable prominence, like the surface of a desk or table or on a shelf. It will be referenced often, viewed perhaps even several times each day, so the opportunities for your logo to be seen and remembered will likely be in the hundreds in a given year.
How to use a promotional desk clock: This wonderful branding tool is one that is ideal for sharing with those who are closest to your company. This may include valued employees, loyal customers, business partners and associates or commercial vendors. If you're looking for unique ways to use them to make a positive impact on your bottom line, consider:
ArtPromos.com's logo custom desk clocks come in a wide selection of artistic, classic and contemporary designs, and include both analog and digital clocks. Each design can be imprinted with your business name, logo and/or a personalized message. Some models also offer engraving as an alternative imprinting. No matter what you choose, our state-of-the-art equipment and software ensures that your message will be clear, precise and unforgettable.


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The Membership Relations Committee is happy to showcase some ArkGeo Geocachers through the "Geocacher Profile". The committee thought Chris Knox aka Captain Cooder should be the next cacher to be in the spotlight.
01. What is your geocaching name?
Captain Cooder
02. How did you choose your handle?
It was a silly nickname given to me by my brothers when I was a teenager.
03. How long have you been geocaching?
Since February 2003
04. How did you find your first Geocache, and which one was it?
My first geocache was "Lake Harrison Trail Cache" GCBC60. I DNF'd it the first two times I looked for it. I e-mailed the owner for help and he gave me hints. When I found it, I was embarrassed because it was so obvious and rather large.
05. Who usually goes with you when you go caching?
I usually go alone, but hot-rod and I have cached together a lot.
06. How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up?
I have never given up on a puzzle cache... at least one that is local. I have failed to solve some puzzle caches in distant areas, and I have some solved that I may never hunt. Captain Atoms Sudoku haunts me because the icon remains on my radar. I solved the puzzle, but DNFd the ammo can. Arrgh.
07. What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in?
I especially enjoy anything involving a hike in the woods, night caches and watercaches. I will seek them out. Cardinal's Lake Wilson Series was my all time favorite, and I have especially fond memories of hunting AR-Hick's caches in Conway County; they were clever, well-hidden and humorous, and I hunted a lot of them at night in the wee hours of the morning.
08. Do you do paperless caching?
Of course. I fully recall the days of paper caching and the first primitive paperless systems. We've still got a way to go with digital transfer of information, but it's come a long way.
09. What kind of geocaching rig do you use?
I have pretty much always used DeLorme GPSrs. I visited their HQ in Maine in 1999 and I was very impressed. They have the best tech support of any company I know. They were first to introduce a geocaching-specific GPSr and the only company that manufactures a personal locator beacon (PLB) with SMS capability, the InReach. I currently have dual DeLorme PN-60Ws and two Magellan GCs in reserve. I use my iPhone now for getting close to GZ, then the real GPSrs for the fine tuning. Amazingly, out of a dozen or so GPSrs that I have owned, none of them have been a Garmin. Garmin now owns DeLorme.
10. Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching?
It's cerebral and fun. If you are into geography, maps, exploration, treasure hunting, puzzle solving, it is quite fun. The "secret society" aspect with code names is also a blast.
11. Where are you originally from?
Born and raised in L.A. That's Lower ArkansasUnion County, El Dorado.
12. In what states have you geocached?
I've cached in 19 states, mostly in the central area, as well as Mexico and the Cayman Islands. I visited 9 more states before geocaching was possible, as well as Canada and Honduras.
13. What was your first event ever attended?
GC1N6QR "A Half-Century Celebration." It was hosted by bluesybreeze and was edieo's 50th birthday. I felt right at home, and Edie and I became quick friends.
14. How many caches have you found?
4,660. I was coasting on my way to 5K before my divorce 5 years ago, then hit a severe slump. I got busy with other time-consuming activities and remarried, and my geocaching activity has picked up but is slow. Since my divorce, Ive only averaged about 13 caches per month. Not shabby, but before I was cruising at about 100 per month.
15. Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest?
The most memorable ones are the small or micros that are incredibly clever or humorous. I would vote to ban nanos.
16. What was the most famous cache that you have found?
Probably Mingo. Next would be Kittiewake, off the coast of Grand Cayman, my only SCUBA cache.
17. Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries?
Both. I use rechargeables when they are recharged, but always keep regular alkaline available. Lithium lasts longer, but is prohibitively expensive.
18. Do you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby?
They are both equally enjoyable to me.
19. Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide?
Unless it's just a routine cache to pad your numbers, the caches I'm most proud of are the ones that make you smile or laugh at something creative or an inside joke, or as a reward for solving a puzzle. I never want anyone to leave GZ frustrated or angry with a DNF.
20. What is your favorite type of cache hide?
The most memorable ones are the clever mechanical ones where you have to operate some mysterious contraption or put clues together to solve a puzzle to crack it. As everyone probably knows, I have an obsession with projection caches. I also love getting all suited up for a nice hike in the woods on a fall day and climbing a hill, visiting a waterfall, etc... especially with hot-rod; any outdoor adventure, woods or water.
21. Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in?
The one that amuses me the most is GC2TNEP "Ho-hum Hydrant." It's a cruel pleasure, but has more favorite points than any of my others. I suffered more than anyone who has hunted the cache in hiding it, so I feel justified. I like GC2GK83 "Russellville Geocacher's Bemusement" because it's a clever container combined with a clever puzzle that I stole from Nicodemus3 and improved upon, and GC3M359 "Transmission Intercepted" because of the original puzzle. My "It's All About the Numbers" series that Kevin Cackler helped guide me with has a cool punchline. My Starlight 365 nightcache series is archived now, but that was unique. A couple from Springfield, MO came down the day the cache was published, just to hunt the series. Talk about an ego boost.
22. What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh?
Im not concerned about the ratio, really. Currently, mine is about 17:1. I think what is more important is that one should not be allowed to hide a cache until one has about 100 finds under his belt. I dont think at this point there should be a cap on how many caches one can hide, but now that I have 275 hides, its quite a chore keeping up on maintenance.
23. How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby?
I invented it, independently, of course! Ha! I got a Lowrance Eagle GPSr for my 25th birthday in 1996, four years before Geocaching was possible. At that time, navigating to within 200 yards was great. When Selective Activation (SA) was turned off in May, 2000, I thought it was dubious. I went home and pulled out a topo quad map and determined exact coords to the middle of a bridge over a creek in the woods. I plugged in the coords and let my GPSr guide me to the spot to test the new accuracy. I ended up 8 feet from my target. You should have seen the joy on my face; I was absolutely giddy! I thought, What if I hid a secret code at certain locations in the woods? One could navigate to the location, retrieve the code and I could verify it. Or maybe the information at one location could lead to another location, like going from flag to flag in orienteering. Well call it GPS Orienteering. However, I had no friends with GPS receivers, and the internet was non-existent at the time. I didnt hear of Geocaching for another three years. Shucks, I could have been an Ulmer or an Irish.
24. What's your favorite geocache?
I have to say, the very last one I found, Night Hikers Heads Up GC30NTJ, is one I would love to show someone to introduce them to the game. The single best day I ever had caching was chasing Cardinals Lake Wilson Series in NWA. It was a perfect day, I put miles on my boots and took in some great autumn scenery. It took a lot of thinking and calculations and was just the perfect level of difficulty. I felt like a boss for smashing the previous time record for finding all the caches, especially intuiting one cache deep in the woods where a major landmark that was needed to find the cache was missing.
25. If money was no object, where would you like to go geocaching?
I would seek out every SCUBA cache and become a diving bum. A close second would be the Pacific Northwest, for the scenery and history.
26. Do you like geocaching by yourself or in a group?
Groups/teams are always more fun in general. But I have had many memorable solo caching adventures.
27. How many First to Finds do you have?
401. I just went over the 400 mark with Hot-Rod this week.
28. Are you a First to Find person who is always set on go and if so, how many miles out do you have your settings on to get notifications?
Yes, no doubt I am a Hound. FTFs were as elusive as unicorns early on, but when I mastered the new technology, I had a slight edge over those who hadnt quite figured it out, and I was exceedingly good at getting there first. I have also found several before they were published. Hot-Rod is a hound as well, and we both have many hides. We had to be careful not to give each other secret inside information on our hides, to allow others to have a chance. My first FTF was found around 1 am, and from then on, I was hooked. I have found many, many, many FTFs in the wee morning hours traipsing around in the dark, enough to be called crazy. Nowadays I usually wait for a more reasonable hour to hunt. My radius is 50 miles, but I wont take off at any time for a cache more than about 20 miles away.
29. Do you have any other hobbies besides geocaching?
I love most outdoor activities: camping, hiking/backpacking, ATV riding, hunting, fishing, cycling, photography. Fitness activities have become a way of life more than a hobby. Im always up for a party, and I dig live music. I love craft beer and seek out microbreweries wherever I travel.


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I was asked to photograph oysters. Typically I photograph food that I eagerly speed through the photo making process so I can eat my subject. This shoot was different.
I'm not much of an oyster fan. I've tried and am continuing to try – although I give myself a free pass when I'm pregnant. I stay clear from foods that tend to make my stomach curl. I will resume trying to enjoy the likes of oysters, salmon – pretty much all seafood in general – after baby comes. I know I'm crazy, I live in Seattle and don't eat seafood. I can't believe I just admitted this. Can we still be friends?
Being an oyster novice I called for back up. Jon Rowley came to my rescue and gave me a personal shucking lesson. Three oysters later I was a pro – well, don't sign me up for any competitions but I had it figured out.
Since most of you don't have the luxury of getting a private lesson from Mr. Oyster himself, my husband and I made a video we like to call, How to Shuck an Oyster.
While you're there check out the recipe for Champagne Mignonette Granita.
In more fun news – I am now the proud owner of a food photography site. I'd love for you to check it out.
One final announcement. If you live in the Seattle area you probably like coffee and if you like coffee you probably like cookies to dunk in said coffee and I think it's also safe to assume that you want to end slavery. On June 4 you can do all those things (drink great coffee, eat/dunk some sweets and help to end slavery) while listening to the musical talents of Kate Campbell.
If you are interested in joining us for this event check out the invitation and purchase your ticket soon! It's going to be an amazing night.
Want to know more about the coffee? It's called Storyville. Sound familiar?


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Pig Tale
And Other
Close Encounters
"Why is it called the Shady Dell?" I recently
asked my mother, the world's oldest living Dell rat. "Since a dell is defined as 'a small secluded valley', why is a house on a hill called by that name?" I wondered. As we left after the last visit to her childhood home before it changed owners, Mother answered, "It was named for the real Shady Dell right down the road. I'll show you where it is."
What a revelation! I didn't know that the house's namesake existed so close by. Mother pointed to a long narrow valley on both sides of the road, mere yards away from the Dell property, covered with tall wild grasses and guarded by a large metal gate. "The Sittler family raised pigs on a farm there", she said. "One day when I was a little girl playing in the woods across from my house, the pigs somehow got loose and came running up the road and chased me back home. I was scared of pigs for a long time after that!"
We laughed picturing her, now a very old lady, as
a startled youngster suddenly jumping up from her fun, screaming and running as fast as her little legs could carry her, away from those grunting and squealing pigs - who were probably more scared than she!
I explored the site of this porcine mayhem, the place so rich with my family's history, on the morning that I returned alone for a last visit
to Mother's childhood home. Before I helplessly witnessed the ghastly smoldering remains of my grandparents' demolished barn and the Ettline's famous dance hall, I made a solitary pilgrimage
to the storied glen nearby.
Finding the spot Mother showed me earlier, I
parked the car and climbed over the guardrail to
enter the first Shady Dell. A steep embankment slopes downward, covered by a sun-dappled tangle
of lush green forest and underbrush. In some places this diminutive ravine widens into quiet golden meadows, carpeted with wildflowers. Threading its way through the middle, a sparkling stream tumbles over rocks. Here and there, small inlets dug into its mossy banks by local muskrats form small placid pools.
This truly beautiful and ancient place is the only Shady Dell my mother and her family knew a century ago, and is the one after which John and Helen Ettline undoubtedly named their restaurant many years later.
It doesn't show on this old photo of the house and barn that my grandfather built in 1912 because it is located at the bottom of the hill beyond and below my grandmother Allie's large vegetable gar-
den and past the orchard where my mother and her brothers and sisters played.
Sparrows were chirping and flitting among the branches overhead as I walked a few feet into the brush. Looking up through the morning mist at an opening in the foliage of now-towering trees that cover the hillside of Mother's time, the house appeared ghost like in the distance. There was Mother's old bedroom and beneath it, one of her favorite childhood spots - the porch where she loved to spend time swinging and roller-skating.
A small sound interrupted my thoughts. The large brown eyes of a young doe stepping gracefully out of the woods met mine, but unlike Mother and the pigs in her story, neither the deer nor I was afraid. After nonchalantly nibbling on a tuft
of grass she disappeared into the underbrush.
I smiled, for she seemed like a gentle messenger from the past. I wondered if her ancestors also wandered these woods, first wary of the Native Americans who depended on them for survival, and later of my grandfather, George Andrew Brown - an accomplished hunter with noisy dogs and a butcher by trade.
So many kindred spirits were with me that morning: prehistoric inhabitants, animals, and most of all - my grandparents and their large family. I imagined a slender Allie looking up from her garden, wiping her brow with her apron. She laughs as she waves a handful of green beans at her husband. He salutes her loudly with the large bulb horn on his new
REO automobile as he chugs past on Starcross Road. Sounds of their children's laughter rise from the wooded valley below as they wade in the stream catching crawfish and salamanders to cool off from the summer's heat.
They have all disappeared, but surely not their spirits now enshrined in these woods. I am profoundly grateful that their house remains and their stories are entrusted to me by their last living child, my 100-year-old mother. This is truly hallowed ground!
As we slowly drove by after the story telling weeks before, Mother silently looked out the car window with wise old eyes, not only seeing the late-summer Shady Dell now overgrown and abandoned, but also remembering sounds and images from another time in her long life.
I heard that the original Shady Dell was used as an overflow parking lot and I wondered aloud how many teenagers never knew or cared where their hangout got its name. I bet many others are still unaware of its beauty and magic as they speed past. Mother is used to knowing myriad things that most people around her, including me, never heard about or experienced. Still looking out the window as the sun set below the trees she quietly said, "Probably a lot."
Please join us for:
Chapter 4: Allie's Rats, Pt 1: Hill and Dell
Chapter 3: The House on the Hill
Chapter 2: Margaret is Born...and So Is the Dell
Chapter 1: The Beauty and the Butcher
Introduction: My Shady Dell "Roots"
Margaret's Birthday


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Do you live in Charnwood? Or perhaps you are interested in working in Charnwood? Either way, if you're seeking rewarding temporary or permanent jobs in the NHS or private sector, you're in the right place.
Regardless of your profession, specialty or grade, ID Medical has a wide range of healthcare jobs in Charnwood available daily that need to be filled. Plus, with our industry-leading support, you can feel confident that we'll help you find your ideal role.


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For nearly two decades, Bill O'Reilly has been Fox News's top asset, building the No. 1 program in cable news for a network that has pulled in billions of dollars in revenues for its parent company, 21st Century Fox.
Behind the scenes, the company has repeatedly stood by Mr. O'Reilly as he faced a series of allegations of sexual harassment or other inappropriate behavior.
An investigation by The New York Times has found a total of five women who have received payouts from either Mr. O'Reilly or the company in exchange for agreeing to not pursue litigation or speak about their accusations against him. The agreements totaled about $13 million.
Two settlements came after the network's former chairman, Roger Ailes, was dismissed last summer in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal, when the company said it did not tolerate behavior that "disrespects women or contributes to an uncomfortable work environment."
The women who made allegations against Mr. O'Reilly either worked for him or appeared on his show. They have complained about a wide range of behavior, including verbal abuse, lewd comments, unwanted advances and phone calls in which it sounded as if Mr. O'Reilly was masturbating, according to documents and interviews.
The reporting suggests a pattern: As an influential figure in the newsroom, Mr. O'Reilly would create a bond with some women by offering advice and promising to help them professionally. He then would pursue sexual relationships with them, causing some to fear that if they rebuffed him, their careers would stall.
Of the five settlements, two were previously known — one for about $9 million in 2004 with a producer, and another struck last year with a former on-air personality, which The Times reported on in January. The Times has learned new details related to those cases.
The three other settlements were uncovered by The Times. Two involved sexual harassment claims against Mr. O'Reilly, and the other was for verbal abuse related to an episode in which he berated a young producer in front of newsroom colleagues.
Besides the women who reached settlements, two other women have spoken of inappropriate behavior by the host. A former regular guest on his show, Wendy Walsh, told The Times that after she rebuffed an advance from him he didn't follow through on a verbal offer to secure her a lucrative position at the network. And a former Fox News host named Andrea Tantaros said Mr. O'Reilly sexually harassed her in a lawsuit she filed last summer against the network and Mr. Ailes.
Representatives for 21st Century Fox would not discuss specific accusations against Mr. O'Reilly, but in a written statement to The Times the company acknowledged it had addressed the issue with him.
"21st Century Fox takes matters of workplace behavior very seriously," the statement said. "Notwithstanding the fact that no current or former Fox News employee ever took advantage of the 21st Century Fox hotline to raise a concern about Bill O'Reilly, even anonymously, we have looked into these matters over the last few months and discussed them with Mr. O'Reilly. While he denies the merits of these claims, Mr. O'Reilly has resolved those he regarded as his personal responsibility. Mr. O'Reilly is fully committed to supporting our efforts to improve the environment for all our employees at Fox News."
According to legal experts, companies occasionally settle disputes that they believe have little merit because it is less risky than taking the matters to trial, which can be costly and create a string of embarrassing headlines.
The revelations about Mr. O'Reilly, 67, come after sexual harassment accusations against Mr. Ailes led to an internal investigation that found women at Fox News faced harassment. Current and former Fox News employees told The Times that they feared making complaints to network executives or the human resources department.
Mr. Ailes, who has denied the allegations against him, received $40 million as part of his exit package. The company has reached settlements with at least six women who accused Mr. Ailes of sexual harassment, according to a person briefed on the agreements.
At the time of Mr. Ailes's departure, 21st Century Fox's top executives, James and Lachlan Murdoch, the sons of the executive chairman, Rupert Murdoch, said the company was committed to "maintaining a work environment based on trust and respect."
Since then, the company has struck two settlements involving Mr. O'Reilly, and learned of one Mr. O'Reilly reached secretly in 2011.
The company declined to answer questions about whether Mr. O'Reilly had ever been disciplined.
Mr. O'Reilly has thrived since joining Fox News in 1996. He earns an annual salary of about $18 million as the host of "The O'Reilly Factor." Every weeknight at 8 p.m., he presents a pugnacious, anti-political-correctness viewpoint and a fervent strain of patriotism that appeals to conservative viewers.
His value to the company is enormous. From 2014 through 2016, the show generated more than $446 million in advertising revenues, according to the research firm Kantar Media.
This is a sensitive time for Fox News as it continues to deal with the fallout of the Ailes scandal. The network is facing an investigation by the United States attorney's office in Manhattan, which is looking into how the company structured settlements. Fox News has said that neither it nor 21st Century Fox has received a subpoena but that they have "been in communication with the U.S. attorney's office for months."
Details on the allegations against Mr. O'Reilly and the company's handling of them are based on more than five dozen interviews with current and former employees of Fox News and its former and current parent companies, News Corporation and 21st Century Fox; representatives for the network; and people close to Mr. O'Reilly and the women. Most spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing confidentiality agreements and fear of retaliation. The Times also examined more than 100 pages of documents and court filings related to the complaints.
Ms. Walsh, the former guest on Mr. O'Reilly's show, said his offer to make her a contributor never materialized after she declined an invitation to go to his hotel suite after a dinner in 2013. "I feel bad that some of these old guys are using mating strategies that were acceptable in the 1950s and are not acceptable now," she said. "I hope young men can learn from this."
She said romantic relationships at the workplace "should never happen when there is an imbalance of power and colleagues shouldn't unwittingly be manipulated into obtaining sex for somebody."
Just over a week ago, Mr. O'Reilly hired the crisis communications expert Mark Fabiani — who worked in the Clinton White House — to respond to The Times. In a statement, Mr. O'Reilly suggested that his prominence made him a target.
"Just like other prominent and controversial people," the statement read, "I'm vulnerable to lawsuits from individuals who want me to pay them to avoid negative publicity. In my more than 20 years at Fox News Channel, no one has ever filed a complaint about me with the Human Resources Department, even on the anonymous hotline.
"But most importantly, I'm a father who cares deeply for my children and who would do anything to avoid hurting them in any way. And so I have put to rest any controversies to spare my children.
"The worst part of my job is being a target for those who would harm me and my employer, the Fox News Channel. Those of us in the arena are constantly at risk, as are our families and children. My primary efforts will continue to be to put forth an honest TV program and to protect those close to me."
Fredric S. Newman, a lawyer for Mr. O'Reilly, said in a statement Friday evening, "We are now seriously considering legal action to defend Mr. O'Reilly's reputation."
Lurid Claims Burst Into View
Fox News has been aware of complaints about inappropriate behavior by Mr. O'Reilly since at least 2002, when Mr. O'Reilly stormed into the newsroom and screamed at a young producer, according to current and former employees, some of whom witnessed the incident.
Shortly thereafter, the woman, Rachel Witlieb Bernstein, left the network with a payout and bound by a confidentiality agreement, people familiar with the deal said. The exact amount she was paid is not known, but it was far less than the other settlements. The case did not involve sexual harassment.
Two years later, allegations about Mr. O'Reilly entered the public arena in lurid fashion when a producer on his show, Andrea Mackris, then 33, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him. In the suit, she said he had told her to buy a vibrator, called her at times when it sounded as if he was masturbating and described sexual fantasies involving her. Ms. Mackris had recorded some of the conversations, people familiar with the case said.
Ms. Mackris also said in the suit that Mr. O'Reilly, who was married at the time (he and his wife divorced in 2011), threatened her, saying he would make any woman who complained about his behavior "pay so dearly that she'll wish she'd never been born."
Fox News and Mr. O'Reilly adopted an aggressive strategy that served as a stark warning of what could happen to women if they came forward with complaints, current and former employees told The Times.
Before Ms. Mackris even filed suit, Fox News and Mr. O'Reilly surprised her with a pre-emptive suit of their own, asserting she was seeking to extort $60 million in return for not going public with "scandalous and scurrilous" claims about him.
"This is the single most evil thing I have ever experienced, and I have seen a lot," he said on his show the day both suits were filed. "But these people picked the wrong guy."
A public relations firm was hired to help shape the narrative in Mr. O'Reilly's favor, and the private investigator Bo Dietl was retained to dig up information on Ms. Mackris. The goal was to depict her as a promiscuous woman, deeply in debt, who was trying to shake down Mr. O'Reilly, according to people briefed on the strategy. Several unflattering stories about her appeared in the tabloids.
After two weeks of sensational headlines, the two sides settled, and Mr. O'Reilly agreed to pay Ms. Mackris about $9 million, according to people briefed on the agreement. The parties agreed to issue a public statement that "no wrongdoing whatsoever" had occurred.
Settling Behind Closed Doors
In the years that followed, Mr. O'Reilly and Fox News dealt with sexual harassment allegations in private, striking agreements with three more women.
In 2011, Rebecca Gomez Diamond, who had hosted a show on the Fox Business Network — also supervised by Mr. Ailes — was told the network was not renewing her contract. Similar to Ms. Mackris, she had recorded conversations with Mr. O'Reilly, according to people familiar with the case. Armed with the recordings, her lawyers went to the company and outlined her complaints against him.
Ms. Diamond left the network, bound by a confidentiality agreement, and Mr. O'Reilly paid the settlement, two of the people said. The exact amount of the payout is not known.
Although that deal was made nearly six years ago, Fox News's parent company, 21st Century Fox, learned of it only in late 2016 when it conducted an investigation into Fox News under Mr. Ailes's tenure, according to another person familiar with the matter.
In the aftermath of Mr. Ailes's ouster last summer, as 21st Century Fox was completing settlements and trying to put the scandal behind it, it reached deals with two women who had complained about sexual harassment by Mr. O'Reilly.
One was Laurie Dhue, a Fox News anchor from 2000 to 2008. Though Ms. Dhue had not raised sexual harassment issues during her tenure or upon her departure, her lawyers went to the company to outline her harassment claims against Mr. O'Reilly and Mr. Ailes, according to people briefed on the complaints. In response, 21st Century Fox reached a settlement with her for over $1 million, according to a person briefed on the agreement.
In September, 21st Century Fox reached a settlement worth $1.6 million with Juliet Huddy, who had made regular appearances on Mr. O'Reilly's show, according to people familiar with the matter. Ms. Huddy's lawyers had told the company that Mr. O'Reilly pursued a sexual relationship in 2011, at a time he exerted significant influence over her airtime.
Among Ms. Huddy's complaints was that he made inappropriate phone calls, the lawyers said in correspondence obtained by The Times. The letter said that when he tried to kiss her, she pulled away and fell to the ground and he didn't help her up.
When she rebuffed him, he tried to blunt her career prospects, the letter said.
Ms. Huddy was eventually moved to an early morning show on WNYW, an affiliate station, where she worked until she left the company in September.
Before Ms. Huddy reached an agreement with 21st Century Fox, Mr. Newman, Mr. O'Reilly's lawyer, sent a letter to her lawyer outlining some embarrassing personal issues he said Ms. Huddy had. He stated that she would "face significant credibility concerns if she tries to pursue a claim against Mr. O'Reilly." The letter, which was obtained by The Times, said that if she were to follow through with a claim against Mr. O'Reilly, he would pursue legal action "to hold Ms. Huddy, and all who have assisted her, personally liable for any damage suffered by him or his family."
In January, when The Times and others reported on Ms. Huddy's settlement, representatives for Fox News and Mr. O'Reilly dismissed the allegations.
Fox News is now in a legal battle with Ms. Tantaros, the former on-air personality who is suing the network and Mr. Ailes after turning down a settlement offer of nearly $1 million. Mr. O'Reilly is not a defendant, but in the suit Ms. Tantaros said that in early 2016 Mr. O'Reilly had asked "her to come to stay with him on Long Island where it would be 'very private,'" and told her "on more than one occasion that he could 'see [her] as a wild girl,'" according to court documents.
In an affidavit filed under oath, Ms. Tantaros's psychologist, Michele Berdy, who treated her from 2013 to 2016, said she recalled "a number of occasions when Andrea complained to me about recurring unwanted advances from Bill O'Reilly."
Fox News said it investigated Ms. Tantaros's claims and found them baseless. The company explained her departure by saying she published a book that violated company policy. In court papers, the network said that she "is not a victim; she is an opportunist" and that her allegations bore "all the hallmarks of the wannabe."
Ms. Walsh, the former guest on "The O'Reilly Factor," told The Times she was propositioned by Mr. O'Reilly in 2013 but did not lodge a complaint because she did not want to harm her career prospects.
Ms. Walsh said that she met Mr. O'Reilly for a dinner, arranged by his secretary, at the restaurant in the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. During the dinner, she said, he told her he was friends with Mr. Ailes, and promised to make her a network contributor — a job that can pay several hundred thousand dollars a year.
After dinner, she said, Mr. O'Reilly invited her to his hotel suite. Ms. Walsh said she declined. Trying to remain cordial, she suggested that they go to the hotel bar instead. Once there, she said, he became hostile, telling her that she could forget any career advice he had given her and that she was on her own. He also told her that her black leather purse was ugly.
Ms. Walsh continued to appear on his show for about four months, but she said she sensed that he had become cold toward her on camera. Then, a producer for "The O'Reilly Factor" told Ms. Walsh that she would no longer appear on the show. She was never made a contributor.
"I knew my hopes of a career at Fox News were in jeopardy after that evening," said Ms. Walsh, now an adjunct professor of psychology at California State University, Channel Islands, and a radio host at KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles.
A person briefed on the network's decision said that Ms. Walsh was removed from the broadcast because the program's ratings declined during her segments.
Shadowing Another's Exile
Ms. Mackris, the producer who sued Mr. O'Reilly in 2004, never worked in television news again.
In the years after the dispute, she suffered from post-traumatic stress and spent years seeing a therapist, struggling to figure out how to create a new life, according to interviews with people close to her at the time.
Ms. Mackris's settlement prevents her from talking about Fox News and her dispute with Mr. O'Reilly, according to people briefed on the deal. But she is allowed to talk about her life now.
Today, Ms. Mackris lives with her cats in an art-filled condo in her hometown, St. Louis, where she keeps bowls of colorful gumballs on tabletops. Her family is close by. She has traveled the world, volunteered, returned to school, discovered prayer and meditation, and started writing.
She is working on a book she researched and wrote over the past four years about a woman who fled Romania during World War II.
"A few years ago, I heard about a pair of natural pearl earrings forgotten in a drawer for 35 years that had just sold for millions at auction," Ms. Mackris said. "They'd been given to a woman named Elena Lupescu by the king of Romania who ruled up until World War II, and I was immediately and completely taken by her story."
"She lived in exile," Ms. Mackris continued. "She lived in silence. And I got really curious about three things: How did she live with it all? Did she forgive them? And was she free?"
At Fox News, Mr. O'Reilly has continued his dominance. In the months since the presidential election, as the network has pulled in record ratings, his show has averaged 3.9 million viewers a night, according to Nielsen. Since September, he has released three books, including one for children, adding to his growing publishing empire. And in February, Mr. O'Reilly landed a coveted interview with President Trump before the Super Bowl.
Mr. O'Reilly was an early defender of Mr. Ailes and Fox News during that sexual harassment scandal last summer. His support remained resolute into the fall, after the company had reached agreements to settle the harassment claims from Ms. Huddy and Ms. Dhue. In November, he chided Megyn Kelly, his colleague at the time, after she described being sexually harassed by Mr. Ailes in her memoir.
"If somebody is paying you a wage, you owe that person or company allegiance," he said on his nightly show, without mentioning Ms. Kelly by name. "You don't like what's happening in the workplace, go to human resources or leave."