text:
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Travel A/V Adapter: 3-in-1 Mini DisplayPort to VGA DVI or HDMI Converter - White
Connect a Mini DisplayPort-equipped PC or Mac® to an HDMI, VGA, or DVI Display
Product ID: MDP2VGDVHDW
- Three-in-one adapter - mDP to: VGA, DVI, HDMI
- Support for video resolution up to 1920x1200/1080p
- Plug-and-play installation
- Compatible with Intel® Thunderbolt™ devices that are capable of outputting a DisplayPort signal
- Small footprint
- Portable, lightweight construction
- Sleek White Design
The MDP2VGDVHDW Mini DisplayPort to VGA, DVI or HDMI converter offers a three-in-one solution for connecting an Mini DP video source (such as any of your MacBook® or Microsoft® Surface™ Pro devices with mDP) to a VGA, DVI, or HDMI Display. Ensuring compatibility with almost any display, television or projector, this compact and lightweight adapter offers the ideal plug-and-play solution for travel, or BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) applications around the office.
You can walk into any boardroom and be ready to connect, even if you don't know what connection ports are available. The MDP2VGDVHDW maximizes the audio/video connectivity of your MacBook® by offering three different output ports, in a single compact adapter.
The three-in-one converter is compatible with Intel® Thunderbolt, when connected directly to a supporting DisplayPort over Thunderbolt I/O port. Plus, because the converter cable supports video resolutions up to 1920x1200/1080p you can convert a Mini DisplayPort video source to VGA, HDMI, or DVI without sacrificing video quality.
The Mini DisplayPort converter requires no power adapter and maximizes portability by easily travelling in your laptop bag with a small footprint and lightweight design.
The MDP2VGDVHDW features a sleek white design that looks great next to your MacBook® Pro or MacBook Air®, and is backed by a 3-year StarTech.com warranty and free lifetime technical support.
- Keep the adapter with you while traveling, to connect to virtually any display you come across
- Connect your BYOD laptop/Ultrabook to a provided HDMI, DVI, or VGA display at work
- Connect a DVI, VGA, or HDMI display to your Mini DisplayPort laptop, to use as a secondary monitor
The StarTech.com Advantage
- Maximize portability when traveling, or around the office, with a small foot print, and lightweight design
- Ensure compatibility with virtually any display with three-in-one adapter converting Mini DisplayPort to VGA, HDMI, or DVI
Product Numbers
Ingram Micro Netherlands
Tech Data - Netherlands
UPC Code
Technical Specifications
|Warranty Information
|3 Years
|Active or Passive Adapter
|Adapter Style
|AV Input
|Mini DisplayPort - 1.2
|AV Output
|DVI-D - Single-Link
|Audio Specifications
|DVI - No Audio Support
|HDMI - 7.1 Channel Audio
|VGA - No Audio Support
|Maximum Analog Resolutions
|Maximum Cable Distance To Display
|15.2 m [49.9 ft]
|Maximum Digital Resolutions
|Wide Screen Supported
|Connector A
|1 - Mini-DisplayPort (20 pin) Male
|Connector B
|1 - HDMI (19 pin) Female
|1 - VGA (15 pin, High Density D-Sub) Female
|1 - DVI-D (25 pin) Female
|Special Notes / Requirements
|Only one video output is supported on the video adapter at a time. If multiple connections are made, only one of the outputs will function.
|Maximum Cable Distance to Display refers to digital video. VGA distance capabilities are dependent upon the quality of your cabling
|The HDMI port is a passive port.
The DVI-D is a passive port.
The VGA port is an active port.
|Operating Temperature
|0°C to 70°C (32°F to 158°F)
|Storage Temperature
|-10°C to 80°C (14°F to 176°F)
|Physical Characteristics
|Cable Length
|150 mm [5.9 in]
|Product Height
|1.5 cm [0.6 in]
|Product Length
|27 cm [10.6 in]
|Product Width
|45 mm [1.8 in]
|Weight of Product
|57 g [2 oz]
|Packaging Information
|Package Height
|20 mm [0.8 in]
|Package Length
|22 cm [8.7 in]
|Package Width
|20 cm [7.9 in]
|Shipping (Package) Weight
|66 g [2.3 oz]
|What's in the Box
|Included in Package
|1 - Mini DisplayPort to HDMI/VGA/DVI Adapter
|1 - Installation Guide
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Product Support
Data Sheets
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Buy
Unfortunately no, this device has an intended source and an intended destination. Refer to the title of the webpage for this order.
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is a video display interface that can contain different types of signaling, based on the application. DVI cables and ports are created using different connector types to identify what application they are intended to be used in. The connector types are identified by the number of pins on the DVI connector. DVI comes in the following five different connector types:
- DVI-A (17 pin).
- DVI-D Single Link (19 pin).
- DVI-D Dual Link (25 pin).
- DVI-I Single Link (23 pin).
- DVI-I Dual Link (29 pin).
Single and Dual link DVI indicate the maximum resolution capabilities of the video source or video destination. The maximum resolutions are Single Link (1920 x 1080 @ 60Hz) and Dual Link (2560 x 1600 @ 60Hz).
Note: The maximum resolution of your video source and video destination are ultimately determined by the technical specifications of the devices. The connector type is not a definitive indicator of the maximum resolution.
DVI-A carries only analog (for example, VGA) with no digital component. DVI-D carries only digital video (for example, HDMI) with no analog component. DVI-I combines DVI-A and DVI-D connections to include both analog and digital components. A DVI-I port may be on either your video source or display, but whether or not a display carries either or both analog and digital sources depends on the technical specifications of your device.
When you convert video from a source that uses DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort to DVI or HDMI (for example, a computer to a monitor), you will need to consider the difference between passive and active adapters.
If the source supports dual-mode DisplayPort (also known as DP++), then you can use a passive adapter because the source can perform the conversion. If the source does not support DP++, then you need to use an active converter, which includes additional chips to perform the conversion.
Thunderbolt ports support DP++ natively. To run multiple monitors from the same computer, refer to the Active Adapters section below.
Passive Adapters
Passive adapters are less expensive since they do not need to include additional chips. A quick way to check whether you can use a passive adapter is to see if the DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort source has the DP++ symbol above it. The symbol is a D with a P inside of it, with two + signs to the left, one on top of the other.
Active Adapters
Active adapters use additional chips to make the conversion inside the adapter, regardless of whether the source supports DP++. This means that active adapters are more expensive than passive adapters.
If you want to use multiple monitors with the same computer, you should use an active adapter because some video cards cannot run the maximum number of monitors while using DP++. This is especially true if the computer has more than one DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort connection. Check with your video card manufacturer to confirm which type of adapter you need for the setup that you would like to run.
Note: You should use passive adapters with StarTech.com MST hubs, except when you are converting from DisplayPort to VGA, since that type of conversion requires active adapters. For more information on using adapters with StarTech.com MST hubs, refer to the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/mst_hubs_passive_vs_active_adapters.
Surface Dock
If you experience issues when you connect passive video signal adapters to the Surface Dock, Microsoft recommends that you use active video signal converters instead. StarTech.com offers an active video signal converter for DVI monitors (MDP2DVIS) and for HDMI monitors (MDP2HD4KS).
Note: This issue does not apply to the Surface Pro 3 Docking Station.
This device is plug and play. It does not use any drivers, and does not require any setup tasks other than plugging in the source (for example, a computer) and the destination (for example, a monitor).
How to
To arrange extended displays on Windows 10, complete the following.
- Press the Windows key+R, type desk.cpl, and press Enter.
- Under the 'Multiple Displays' selection, select 'Extend Desktop To This Display.'
- Press 'Identify' to determine what number each display is assigned to.
- Drag and drop each display accordingly to the physical layout on your desk.
- Click the Apply button.
To arrange extended displays on macOS, complete the following.
- Navigate to the Apple Menu > System Preferences, click Displays, then click Arrangement.
- Make sure that the 'Mirror Displays' checkbox is not selected.
- Click on each display to determine what number each display is assigned to.
- Drag and drop each display accordingly to the physical layout on your desk.
- If using a display with VGA input, use the On-Screen Display menu to perform an auto-adjust of the image.
- Adjust the resolution to be the exact resolution and refresh rate recommended by the display manufacturer.
Check that the device is not being used in reverse.
The display does not support the resolution set within Display Settings. Adjust the resolution to be the exact resolution and refresh rate recommended by the display manufacturer.
When you troubleshoot issues with a video adapter, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
Video cables
Video adapter
Video source (such as a DVD player or computer)
Video destination (such as a monitor or projector)
To test your setup components, try the following:
Use the cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.
Use a different cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.
When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:
Test each cable individually.
Use short cables when you are testing.
When you test the video source and video destination, it is recommended that you do the following:
Remove the video adapter from your setup and test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together without the video adapter.
Test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together at the resolution that you want to use.
Note: In order for your setup to work properly, the video source, adapter, and destination all need to support the resolution that you are using.
Try the following:
- Check that the monitor's video port works with another source.
- Check that the cables between the source and the destination work with other equipment.
- Check whether the video adapter works with another source and another destination.
The error "Out of Range" normally means that the resolution being output by the computer is not compatible with the display. Try lowering the resolution to see if that helps resolve the issue. You may need to connect another monitor or restart the computer or source to accomplish this.
This is likely a High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) issue. If you are converting a video signal from a device that can play copyright-protected content, HDCP will block the conversion to an analog signal (for example, VGA) or to any video capture cards.
You will likely run into this issue when you use devices like Blu-ray players, DVD players, and certain gaming consoles. For more information on HDCP and gaming consoles, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/video_capture_cards_video_game_console_compatibility.
Some video cards also output an HDCP signal full time. In this case there should be an option for your video card to disable this feature. You might need to contact the manufacturer of your video card for more information.
Adhering to HDCP is required for converting all digital signals to analog signals or to video capture cards. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do in these situations other than convert to a digital display.
If a DisplayPort converter with audio is not passing sound from the source to the destination, complete the following:
- Make sure that the DisplayPort connection on the video card is the default audio playback device.
- Make sure that the video card has the DisplayPort audio codec installed. If not, visit the video card manufacturer's website to find out how to update the video card driver.
Common Issues
Using the On-Screen Display menu for the display, enter the Menu system and go into "Picture Mode" then "Aspect ratio" and change from "16:9" to "Just scan" or "1:1 pixel mapping." The wording may vary depending on the manufacturer of the display.
Compliance and Safety
Compliance Letters
Safety Measures
- If product has an exposed circuit board, do not touch the product under power.
- If Class 1 Laser Product. Laser radiation is present when the system is open.
- Wiring terminations should not be made with the product and/or electric lines under power.
- Product installation and/or mounting should be completed by a certified professional as per the local safety and building code guidelines.
- Cables (including power and charging cables) should be placed and routed to avoid creating electric, tripping or safety hazards.
* Product appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.


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Thanks, ladies! We had a full blown Doctor Who themed wedding as hubby and I are big geeks.
A couple of days later though I lost my grandmother. She was 91 and had been very ill for a couple of months. She couldn't attend the wedding but my family believe that she waited to see me get married and at least she got to see some photographs so she knew how happy I was.

subset: commoncrawl


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The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also blocked a part of the law that allows authorities to charge immigrants who do not carry documents proving their legal status. The three-judge panel let stand a provision that allows police to detain immigrants that are suspected of being in the country illegally.
A final decision on the law won't be made for months to allow time for more arguments.
Linton Joaquin of the National Immigration Law Center called the decision a "partial victory."
"I think that certainly it's a better situation today for the people of Alabama today than it was yesterday," said Omar Jadwat, an attorney for the ACLU, which challenged the law along with the Obama administration. "Obviously we remain concerned about the remainder of the provisions, and we remain confident that we will eventually get the whole scheme blocked."
Since a federal judge upheld much of the law in late September, many frightened Hispanics have been driven away from Alabama, fearing they could be arrested or targeted by police. Construction workers, landscapers and field hands have stopped showing up for work, and large numbers of Hispanic students have been absent from public schools.
To cope with the labor shortage, Alabama agriculture commissioner John McMillan at one point suggested farmers should consider hiring inmates in the state's work-release program.
It's not clear exactly how many Hispanics have fled the state. Earlier this week, many skipped work to protest the law, shuttering or scaling back operations at chicken plants, Mexican restaurants and other businesses.
Immigration has become a hot-button issue in Alabama over the past decade as the Hispanic population has grown by 145 percent to about 185,600 people, most of them of Mexican origin. The Hispanic population represents about 4 percent of the state's 4.7 million people, but some counties in north Alabama have large Spanish-speaking communities and schools where most of the students are Hispanic.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer earlier this year asked the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve the legal fight over her state's tough immigration law.
The Justice Department called the Alabama law a "sweeping new state regime" and urged the appeals court to forbid states from creating a patchwork of immigration policies. The agency also said the law could strain diplomatic relations with Latin American countries, who have warned the law could impact millions of workers, tourists and students in the U.S.
The law, it said, turns illegal immigrants into a "unique class who cannot lawfully obtain housing, enforce a contract, or send their children to school without fear that enrollment will be used as a tool to seek to detain and remove them and their family members."
"Other states and their citizens are poorly served by the Alabama policy, which seeks to drive aliens from Alabama rather than achieve cooperation with the federal government to resolve a national problem," the attorneys have said in court documents.
Thomas Perez, head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, said Friday before the ruling that a team of attorneys is in Alabama trying to determine whether the law was leading to civil rights violations. The school requirement was an area of particular worry, and the federal government is trying to determine how many absentees and withdrawals might be linked to the law, Perez said.
"We're hearing a number of reports about increases in bullying that we're studying," he said after a meeting with leaders and advocates for the Hispanic community.
Alabama Republicans have long sought to clamp down on illegal immigration and passed the law earlier this year after gaining control of the Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley signed the measure, saying it was crucial to protect the jobs of legal residents amid the tough economy and high unemployment.
Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard said the state was forced to act because the federal government ignored its responsibility to enforce immigration law.
"In Alabama we believe in obedience to law because it promotes fairness and protects the rights of everybody," said Hubbard, a Republican. "That's why instead of just talking about it, we took action to ensure nobody is allowed to cheat the system and ignore our laws."
Follow Bluestein at http://www.twitter.com/bluestein. Associated Press reporters Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Alabama and Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this report.


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Yesterday's post highlighted some widget-related links but here's another one worth checking-out: The Value of Google Gadgets, a fascinating dose of metrics from Adam Sah of the Google Gadgets team. Besides noting that developers have created nearly 4000 gadgets created in a year (we have one), Google now shows you alongside each gadget the approximate number of page views each gadget receives in a week. The volume some of these get is well into the millions per week -- see some example stats collected by Brady Forrest over at O'Reilly Radar.
The Value of Google Gadgets
Be sure to read the next Widgets article: Netvibes Universal Widget API
Comments (1)
If you're looking for the most popular Google Gadgets already set up for you on a really funky site? Then check out Funky Homepage (http://www.funkyhomepage.com). It's comprised mainly of the most popular Google gadgets (as well as some great Gadgets from other sources), live news feeds (with your choice of news provider), daily Bushisms, daily jokes, horoscopes, videos, weather (up to 5 locations), interactive calendar, Google calendar viewer (for up to 5 Google calendars), comic strips and lots more besides. It also lets you choose your own search engine, colour scheme, etc.
The whole website is subdivided into tabs and sub-categories, like "News", "Tools" and "Fun Stuff". So you'll find some really useful Google gadgets like currency converters, unit converters, messengers, email tools, maps, etc. already set up for you under "Tools"; and fun stuff like games, videos, jokes, etc, already set up for you under "Fun Stuff". The "Start" tab is fully customisable and lets you choose your own news providers and gadgets from a drop down list of the most popular gadgets available. No more wading through millions of gadgets just to find the ones that work and that are of any use! No more having to create an account and sign in! Start using Funky Homepage and get started using the most popular feeds and gadgets right away. All your settings are remembered with no need to create an account.
It's free to use and you can check it out at http://www.funkyhomepage.com


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Items where Author is "Anderson, R."
|Up a level
Group by: Item Type | Uncontrolled Keywords | No Grouping
Jump to: Article
Number of items: 1.
Tyzack, M., Zhao, M., Anderson, R. and Onoakprovike, E. (2012) Women's contribution to fishing in the South and South West England. Annuaire de droit maritime et océanique, XXX. pp. 229-246. ISSN 1259-4962


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An attempt, and thoughts thereon
So I've spent the last week and a half making a trial run at the game. I don't think I can leverage what I've got into the necessary amount in the remaining three days of the fourteen day trial. On the other hand, I got a very long ways toward the goal. Some lessons I learned to this point:
1) I might be able to do it in 14 days. I can definitely do it in 21 days.
2) I need to time my start to get two Sundays, and even better a holiday that'll see gamers playing.
3) I need to concentrate on the trading. I got tempted to play just a bit with a corp that I thought might help (didn't), and I tried to make some money cleaning complexes while trade was waiting the next action. The only 'downtime' things I should do are missions that improve ratings at my trading station.
4) Speaking of trading station, it's getting fairly simple. I tried Jita. There was a lot of gain due to opportunity. On the other hand I spent a lot of time dealing with undercutters. One of my problems is that I want a life outside the game. Having to get on every half hour or so to adjust my prices was too much work – and the day I couldn't put me way behind the curve.
On top of this I figured out I can't do station trading only. Again I did ok, but it needs a bigger buffer than I had to close the deal — especially at Jita. This means transport. This in turn means I need the largest cargo capacity I can manage. And due to trial restrictions this puts me in one of two ships: the Amarr Augoror and the Gallente Exquror. The latter starts with the largest base cargo, and after development of various skills still has the largest. The Augoror, however, has enough option slots that with basic skills it has a larger effective cargo space. Hitting my other interests, both ships are intended as low level healers – none of which applies to me at this time but worth noting nonetheless.
Bottom line, I'm going into either Amarr or Gallente.
5) I need to pre-load a lot of planning. I need to plan my initial skills progression. I need to plan my ship and gear. And as much as possible I need to research my trade plan.
That last will tell you what you're going to see in a couple of posts. I just have to do the grunt work.


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Monday, October 18, 2010
The downside of nookie in the woods
We'd been hiking a few miles when we came across a lovely and secluded spot along the water's edge. I looked at Pythagoras, who was glistening handsomely with sweat. My bosoms were heaving from the exertion of the hike.
OK, so I had romance writing on the brain. Sue me.
I gazed out at a grassy patch between two forks in the creek. "That would be a nice spot to set a love scene in a book."
Pythagoras turned and stared at me for a few beats. "No."
I gave him my most innocent expression. "What?"
"The trail is just over there. You saw that whole family piling in the car at the trailhead. It'd be our luck they'd all come trooping along, picnic basket in hand, kids racing out in front—"
"I wasn't propositioning you."
He raised an eyebrow.
"OK, fine," I admitted. "I was propositioning you but—"
"There's also the dog. You want her grabbing your underwear and running off into the woods?"
That actually seemed like a great scene for a romantic comedy, but perhaps not the best way to seduce my husband.
Fine, he had a point. Even so, I heaved a dramatic sigh. "OK, but you're missing out."
"On being arrested for indecent exposure? I'm all right with missing that."
We threw sticks in the water for the dog for a few more minutes before we set out hiking again. We hadn't gone more than 30 yards when we saw evidence that someone – presumably someone on horseback or afflicted with severe gastrointestinal issues – had passed by while we were debating the wisdom of getting frisky in the grass.
To my husband's credit, he did not say I told you so.
Nor did he say it 15 minutes later when we passed a happy pack of hikers headed straight for our spot along the creek.
OK, OK…those romantic, outdoorsy trysts in romance novels and movies are seldom very realistic. There are fire ants and poison ivy, foul weather and fellow hikers.
Still, you can't blame a girl for trying.
Do you roll your eyes when you watch a Hollywood love scene with a couple frolicking in a lagoon you're certain would be filled with leeches in real life? Or do you suspend disbelief and just enjoy the fantasy?
Please share. I'll be busy plotting my strategy for that snow-cave rendezvous I've been picturing in my mind.
34 comments :
- lora96 said...
Oh, I always ridicule they movie pairs trysting in what is probably ice-cold, snake-infested water for a photogenic backdrop. Also barns/hay? Itchy. Zillions of aggressive horseflies which sting. Generally stiflingly hot in summer as well. Never in all my years growing up on a farm did I consider that an eligible place to remove one's clothing.
- October 18, 2010 at 3:16 AM
- Sheila Siler said...
I usually go with the flow, having a husband that likes the "risk" (more in our younger years) - I don't think about the improbability of a spot. Except the airplane bathroom - that one just doesn't make sense to me!
- October 18, 2010 at 4:14 AM
- Alastair said...
The spontaneous romantic tryst can work for me in fiction if the writing is consistent enough and the suspension of disbelief remains intact.
As for real life... I think it's appealing precisely because of the discomfort. In that one instant, passion overrules caution, and that intensity can be intoxicating, whether it's a woodland glade, an aeroplane bathroom (though I admit, that's one scenario that's never really worked for me), or the quiet corner of a book store. As far as I'm concerned, the moment should be seized whenever it presents itself.
And there's no harm in going looking for the moment if you haven't seen it for a while... ;)
A great post as always, Tawna!
- October 18, 2010 at 4:38 AM
- Matthew MacNish said...
It's a good thing you didn't go for it, because then your dog might have stolen your underwear and you would have lost the ring that you keep in the crotch pocket.
Seriously though, these kind of encounters do occur in real life, just not for boring people like me. When it comes to reading about them in fiction, well first of all I don't really read romance, but when these kind of scenes happen to come up in other stories, I tend to just suspend my disbelief and enjoy reading. I can't let something as trivial as ants ruin the fun.
- October 18, 2010 at 5:24 AM
- Linda G. said...
While I do enjoy reading about alfresco romantic trysts, I'm a bit leery of them in real life. I blame my fear of poison ivy.
- October 18, 2010 at 5:43 AM
- Shain Brown said...
They always seem to play so romantically in our mind, but when it comes to the implementation there is always sand being eaten, a stick rammed in the wrong places, or a crowd of locals peering over the indecent. So, needless to say it leaves the idea not so romantic anymore.
- October 18, 2010 at 5:58 AM
- Danica Avet said...
I go with the flow. It's the fantasy that most people are after. In our fantasies, sand isn't uncomfortable when it finds body crevices, carpet burn does not exist, insects and animals know when to leave you alone with your lover, and partners have explosive orgasms together every single time they make love.
When I'm reading a book or watching a movie, unless the love scenes are just completely impossible, or confusing, I take it at face value and continue with the story.
- October 18, 2010 at 6:22 AM
- Charity Bradford said...
LOL, unrealistic true, but not impossible. You just have to wait for the right time of day (around sunset) and then find a spot off the trail at the bottom of a small cliff.
*blushes* not that I would know about that kind of thing.
- October 18, 2010 at 6:36 AM
- Renee Pinner said...
I can't suspend disbelief when the reality of tics and mosquito bites on the buttocks come crashing to mind.
- October 18, 2010 at 6:48 AM
- Stephanie said...
Usually I can just ignore and enjoy the fantasy. But it depends....if it's really far-fetched, I have a hard time.
And I do have to admit...I have had some "fun" in the woods before. But it was dark...much easier to stay hidden! :)
- October 18, 2010 at 7:10 AM
- Melissa Gill said...
The fear of discovery, the risk of uncomfortable insect bites or plant based rashes are what make trysting in exposed locations so titillating, whether it be in a movie, a book, or in real life.
- October 18, 2010 at 7:16 AM
- Harley May said...
I enjoy the outdoor tryst in both movies and books. If you can't experience it in real life, you should give your mind permission to live it.
And I would do it somewhere ridiculous if my husband were up for it.
- October 18, 2010 at 7:41 AM
- Harley May said...
p.s. Your dog wouldn't grab your underwear and run into the woods if you weren't wearing any.
- October 18, 2010 at 7:42 AM
- Patty Blount said...
I love trysts in books. In real life, not so much. For example, beach sex? Hello? Sand freakin' hurts! And the water?? Folks, shrinkage is a real malady.
- October 18, 2010 at 7:57 AM
- Patrick Alan said...
This story is very confusing and I find the action in it highly unbelievable.
First of all, I do not believe the heroine wears underwear, so her husband saying the dog might run off with it is completely throwing me out of the story.
- October 18, 2010 at 8:02 AM
- Sandra Cormier said...
I'm not averse to writing about lovemaking in unusual locations, but I like to keep a little bit of reality mixed in. The texture of straw or pine needles against skin shouldn't be ignored.
Sometimes a mosquito bite in the butt or an unexpected guest can add a little levity to the situation.
By the way, has anyone tried it in a canoe? Talk about taking risks!
- October 18, 2010 at 8:03 AM
- Colene Murphy said...
this cracked me up. I could just picture a happy dog romping around with underpants in his mouth. Ahh..classic.
I always thought it would be romantic to get frisky IN a shallow steam or waterfall. But sooooo unrealistic. OH well. Good try though for you haha.
- October 18, 2010 at 8:13 AM
- Sierra said...
Trysts in outdoor or semi-public placed throw me out of the flow of the story a little bit. I'm the antithesis of an exhibitionist. Inhibitionist? I'm not that inhibited, really, but only as long as it's in the privacy of my home. I even worry sometimes that my boyfriend's upstairs neighbors or people passing by might be able to hear us...er, me.
I might try an outdoor tryst if I owned the land and all of it surrounding the spot, and if I knew there were no fire ant piles or cheeky rocks. But mosquitoes love me more than the average person, so it would have to be the right season...way too much planning needed. I'll stick to my bedroom adventures.
- October 18, 2010 at 8:19 AM
- Jessica Lemmon said...
I recently read a book where the happy couple got lucky in the woods, and I *did* have trouble suspending reality. All I could think is - they should have a blanket... it's summer, I bet they're enduring some hellacious mosquito bites... what about ants? every time I sit in our lawn, ants scramble over me... grass isn't that comfortable, it's pokey and leaves little line-like dents on your legs...
So I imagined them on a pristinely clean blanket inside a protective air bubble... and got on with enjoying the scene. :-D
- October 18, 2010 at 9:14 AM
- Unknown said...
LOL! I'm now officially awake and ready for my English class!
I just hope he doesn't give us another pop quiz, because I'll probably start an essay on the merits of properly finding a nice, cosy nook in the middle of the forest and making sure you take all the nessessary precausions to ensure you're not disturbed!!!
- October 18, 2010 at 10:06 AM
- Christina Auret said...
As a solution to all those who mentioned the sand deterrent to making it on the beach.
Shared sleeping bag under the stars. Above the high tide line for preference. :P
- October 18, 2010 at 10:08 AM
- Candyland said...
OMG yes! I hate that in movies. Well, maybe I'm just jealous because I could never pull it off.
- October 18, 2010 at 10:25 AM
- Dr. Goose said...
It always seems unrealistic for the movies but never for me.
- October 18, 2010 at 1:58 PM
- Unknown said...
Your post had me laughing out loud (or LOL, for those in the know. Kidding.) because you know, for certain, as soon as you got your top off, someone would round the corner & put an end to it all.
Personally, when reading (or watching) romantic, outside trysts, I *try* to suspend my disbelief and enjoy but, unfortunately, my pragmatic side wins out and I'm just imagining where the ticks are headed...
- October 18, 2010 at 3:11 PM
- Posey said...
Suspend disbelief and just enjoy the fantasy!
- October 18, 2010 at 3:24 PM
- Patrick Alan said...
I also find it unbelievable that a man said 'no thanks' and interjected wisdom.
Was he ill? Did he break into sudden shivers then fall comatose and have to be airlifted off the mountain only yo discover an alien parasite had taken him as host?
I don't like these weak male characters that want to talk and have things like 'emotions'. Highly unrealistic. I just can't suspend my disbelief for that.
- October 18, 2010 at 3:41 PM
- Patrick Alan said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- October 18, 2010 at 3:41 PM
- adam.purple said...
I must confess, I am an eye-roller.
- October 18, 2010 at 3:49 PM
- Lynne Kelly said...
Hey, I have an underwear-eating bulldog in my WIP! Of course the guy who works at the vet's office is completely hot, and the pair of underwear he helped remove were giant, white, last-pair-in-the-drawer-before-laundry-day granny panties.
I can suspend disbelief a little, but I get distracted and start rolling my eyes if the scene seems too unbelievable, like on a glacier, perhaps.
- October 18, 2010 at 5:28 PM
- Lisa Potts said...
I can suspend disbelief in reading, no problem.
I have tried that romantic, spontaneous thing in the woods and let me tell ya, it's a helluva lot more fun to read about than to actually participate in. I had poison ivy where no one should ever have it.
- October 18, 2010 at 7:35 PM
- demery said...
As I get older it's more difficult to suspend the disbelief... but I've realized that's not so bad b/c now I don't always feel like I'm missing out on something amazing by not frolicking in the leech filled water. The comedy part, however, has great potential here!!
- October 18, 2010 at 7:45 PM
- Jen J. Danna said...
I guess I'm too boringly realistic because stuff like that totally pulls me right out of the story saying Oh, come on! Now if it's something unrealistic and the writer keeps me engaged, then that says something about the skill of the writing.
Besides, for anyone who's... uh... tried it, it's never that romantic in real life with sticks and rock pocking in odds spots etc. ;)
- October 19, 2010 at 4:06 AM
- TAWNA FENSKE said...
lora96, ew, I'm feeling itchy just thinking about the hay!
Sheila, nothing says romance like a toilet and a tiny soap dispenser!
Alastair, a quiet corner of a bookstore? Why do I sense there's a story there?
Matthew, know what's funny? I actually did drop one of my thumb rings on the hike. I eventually found it in the dirt, but I kept thinking about the crotch pocket!
Linda G, and who wants poison ivy THERE?!
Shainer, ouch! I hadn't thought about the pokey stick.
Danica, good point about just enjoying the fantasy in books/movies and not over-analyzing!
Charity, sunset, eh? I'll keep that in mind :)
Renee, ick, I forgot about the ticks!
Stephanie, I take it you don't live in bear country?! Nighttime in the woods would scare the pee out of me.
Melissa, ah yes, I believe the term for that is "discovery fantasies." Very common in women, from what I've read!
Harley May, excellent point about the underwear. Chalk up another point for the panty-free masses.
Patty, shrinkage and sand in body crevices...wow, what a good time!
Patrick, you must suspend your disbelief. You must also seek therapy immediately.
Chumplet, a canoe? Very tippy!
Colene, growing up with icy, glacier-fed streams everywhere, I have to say that's never appealed to me!
Sierra, cheeky rocks, I like that expression!
Jessica, I love that you brought your own blanket to the scene!
Matthew, I feel almost guilty for corrupting you in English class.
Christiana, all I can think now is "so I have to get the sand out of the sleeping bag AND out of my...?"
Candyland, tried it, huh?
Dr. Goose, you are the master! Pardon me while I call your wife and we have a good laugh.
Mary, you're the second person to mention ticks. Sheesh, why didn't I think of that?
Posey, OK, OK...I need to go rent a smutty movie with a good outdoor scene now.
Patrick, you're right, emotions are highly overrated. I should try writing about robot sex from now on.
adam.purple, do you ever LITERALLY roll your eyes when you're reading? I do it all the time.
Lynne Kelly, that sounds like a terrific book!
Lisa, thank you for that visual I will never be able to scour from my brain.
Demery, good point...endless potential for romantic comedy in woodland trysts!
Jen, nice word choice with the "oh, come on!"
Thanks for reading, guys!
- October 19, 2010 at 7:02 AM
- Claire Dawn said...
But you write romantic COMEDY. Horse poop can only make it better ;) lol
PS, I totally did not know Americans used the word nookie. I swore that was a Caribbean thing.
- October 20, 2010 at 1:49 AM


text:
|*September 24 - 30
|The Church at Ephesus
Read for This Week's Study:
|Acts 19, 20:17-38.
Memory Text:
| "So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed"
The Ephesian church was fortunate to have had the ministry of Paul. ImaginePaul as your minister? What a blessing! It needed a Paul too. The church itself had many enemies, some as ferocious as wild beasts (1 Cor. 15:32), and this explains all the more Paul's closeness to the Ephesian congregation. No wonder his ministry there was long and arduous, but when he left, he did so with the satisfaction that would be the envy of any pastor: " 'I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God' " (Acts 20:27, NIV).
Among others associated with the church were Aquila and Priscilla, Apollos, Timothy, and the apostle John. Each of them had a role to play in the building of this church, one of the finest of the first century. What can we learn as we delve into this fascinating and instructive moment in early Christian history?
The Week at a Glance:
|What kind of culture did Paul face in Ephesus? What really motivated much of the opposition against him? Who were Aquila and Priscilla? What was the secret of Apollos's power? What was the essence of Paul's farewell address to the Ephesians?
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 1.
|September 25
Ephesus: Jesus v. Diana
Located at the western edge of Asia Minor, with easy access to the Aegean Sea, Ephesus was at the height of its glory in the first and second centuries A.D. The fourth-largest city of the Roman Empire, the capital of Asia Minor, Ephesus boasted of a rich heritage of wealth, philosophy, and Roman law.
Perhaps the most attractive point about the city was its temple of Diana, the goddess of fertility whom "all Asia and the world" worshiped (Acts 19:27). Known as Artemis to the Greeks and Diana to the Romans, the goddess had a cult of followers who practiced magic and astrology; the worship of this figure also brought to the city a flood of worshipers and tourists. Built of marble and lined with gold, her temple measured 324x164 feet and held in the center of its inner sanctuary the image of Diana. During Paul's time the temple was considered one of the seven wonders of the world, and the city's commerce, industry, and economy depended on the multitudes flocking there to worship Diana.
Into this city, absorbed with the worship of the deity of fertility, entered Paul proclaiming, " 'they are not gods which are made with hands' " (Acts 19:26, NKJV). In other words, his message struck at the heart of all that these people held dear.
Read Acts 19:24-28. What was the real issue that caused the people to react against the truth as they did?
The conflict between Christ and Diana is as old as the conflict between Christ and Satan. The war is not always about what is right and wrong or about who offers the good life and who does not. The conflict is an appeal to the immediate as opposed to the eternal, to the emotional as opposed to the spiritual, to the pleasures of life as opposed to salvation from sin.
At Ephesus the two stood in confrontation. Paul was on one side, Demetrius on the other, and both were appealing in the name of religion. That raises a point we can forget only at our peril: We confront an Ephesus at every corner, and that includes our own hearts.
|Read again the argument made against Paul and his faith. Notice how his opponents justified their opposition so that it appeared their concerns weren't just about their own livelihood but about something greater than themselves. In what ways do we do the same thing, making excuses for what we do on the pretext of some cause greater than ourselves when, in the end, our real and immediate concern is only ourselves?
|September 26
Ephesus: Aquila and Priscilla
Paul's first visit to Ephesus was a brief one, at the close of his second missionary journey, en route from Corinth to Antioch on the way to Jerusalem. While in Corinth, he met Aquila and Priscilla. The three had much in common: They were Jews who had accepted Jesus as the Messiah. They had traveled quite a bit--Paul on mission, the couple on business. They were refugees-the couple driven from Rome and Paul from many cities. And they all were tentmakers.
Forged out of necessity, born out of love for Jesus, and burdened with sharing the gospel, the threesome made an effective team ministry. After witnessing in Corinth, the three went to Ephesus (Acts 18:19). There Paul preached his first sermon (as his custom was) to Jews in the local synagogue. His audience was so impressed that they requested him to stay longer, but he declined, promising, " 'I will return . God willing"' (vs. 21, NKJV). The apostle must have sensed the potential of Ephesus to become a great Christian center, and so he left Aquila and Priscilla behind. The two faithful laypersons became instrumental in the establishment of the early believers at Ephesus. Later, when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians (c. A.D. 57) from Ephesus, he sends the Corinthian church greetings from Priscilla and Aquila and the church that met in their house (1 Cor. 16:19). The lay couple and the church at Ephesus have left us a meaningful role model in lay ministry, particularly that of team ministry.
Read the following passages that refer to Aquila and Priscilla: Acts 18:2, 3, 18, 19; 1 Cor. 16:19; Rom. 16:3, 4. From these texts, what can you learn about the characteristics essential for Christian life and ministry?
Aquila and Priscilla were a blessing, not only to the Ephesus church but also to the early missionary movement in that they brought Apollos to the full knowledge of truth (Acts 18:26). Consequently, the early church gained an eloquent, educated, cultured, and fearless preacher in Apollos.
|Reread Romans 16:3, 4. How many people would you be willing to risk your life for? For what causes would you endanger your life? Mull over your answers. What conclusions can you draw from them about yourself?
|September 27
Apollos at Ephesus (Acts 18:24-28)
In this account, we have a Jew who is named after a Greek god. What's a subtle but important message for us in this fact? See also Dan. 1:7.
Even before Paul began his full-fledged ministry at Ephesus, the church there was exposed to Apollos, a brilliant orator from Alexandria, the second most important city in the Roman Empire. A Jew from that great center of Greek learning, he was highly cultured and learned in philosophy and rhetoric and knew the Scriptures well (Acts 18:24). But what is culture without conviction? And what is conviction without a passion to persuade others toward what one is convinced about?
Read the account of Apollos in Acts 18:24-28. What things are expressed there that reveal why he was so powerful an evangelist?
Despite all that he had going for him, Aquila and Priscilla detected a deficiency in Apollos's message. Evidently "he knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:25, NKJV), not the baptism of Jesus. The Baptist himself knew the difference: One was of water, the other was of the " 'Holy Spirit and fire' " (Matt. 3:11, NKJV). It is not enough to go through the ritual of baptism. A ritual has no saving power. It is only a symbol of something deeper and greater. John spoke of repentance from sin, and this was only the first step. The whole gospel calls us to repent and believe in JesusHis death and resurrectionand be transformed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This Apollos did not know, and Aquila and Priscilla "took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately" (Acts 18:26, NKJV).
The church at Ephesus, thus, early in its beginnings, not only had the benefit of a great scholar expounding the Scriptures but also became the venue of turning this scholar into a true disciple of Christ.
|Apparently, among his other attributes, Apollos was able to receive instruction and correction. Why is being open to correction so important for any Christian? When was the last time someone attempted to correct you on something? How did you respond? How can you learn to accept needed correction better?
|September 28
Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-20)
During Paul's third missionary journey he kept the promise he made to the Ephesians (Acts 18:21) and returned to the great city where he spent about three years preaching and establishing a strong church. "All who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks" (19:10, NKJV). Note the phrase Jews and Greeks. The church at Ephesus was a mixed congregation that provides the backdrop for the joy and celebration of unity and relationships the Epistle to the Ephesians speaks so much about.
Paul's ministry in the city began on the right note: bringing the fullness of truth to some of the believers who were already there. As in the case of Apollos, these believers had the baptism of John but not of Jesus and had not even " 'heard whether there is a Holy Spirit' " (vss. 1-3, NKJV). Paul, great teacher that he was, quickly gave them more light, which they readily accepted.
ministry there, however, did meet with opposition. Thus, even such a great
evangelist couldn't reach all hearts. How did he respond to that opposition?
Why do you think he did what he
Results of Paul's preaching and healing ministry were astounding. Many believed, confessed their sins, and turned from their past ways of magic and sorcery. The world of the occult was shattered, and the city had a bonfire of incantation books worth several million dollars (vss. 18, 19). Most important of all, the "word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed" (vs. 20, NKJV). Even as "the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified" (vs. 17, NKJV), the city was gripped with fear that " 'Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed' " (vs. 27, NKJV).
|Read verses 18 and 19. Look, at what their new faith, cost these people. What has your faith cost you? Look inside your heart. What do you need to put on the bonfire?
|September 29
The Depth of Paul's Ministry (Acts 20:17-38)
After serving in Ephesus for three years, the apostle left on a mission to Macedonia, Greece, and Troas, and then planned his return trip to Jerusalem. The boat's itinerary included a stop in Miletus, some thirty miles from Ephesus. Paul summoned the Ephesian church elders to Miletus for a farewell fellowship. Of all the churches Paul established and visited, Ephesus was very close and special to him. His depth of love and commitment to that church is seen in the farewell address in Acts 20:18-35.
Note the following about Paul's ministry and then give a reason why each is important to ministry:
1. His life was as transparent as his ministry
2. He ministered with heartfelt sincerity (vs. 19).
3. He spoke of the truth both publicly and privately (vs. 20).
4. He had one common message to both Jews and Greeks: faith in Jesus (vs. 21).
5. In his life, service came before self (vss. 24-26).
6. He declared the whole counsel of God (vs. 27).
7. He delegated responsibility for shepherding the flock and warned of the dangers in ministry (vss. 28-31).
8. He believed that the church was purchased by Christ's own blood (vs. 28).
9. He believed in supporting himself (vss. 33-35).
Paul left the Ephesian church under the stewardship of competent elders (vs. 17). The apostle also appointed Timothy to minister there, with a special commission to ensure that the Ephesians "teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith" (1 Tim. 1:3, 4, NKJV).
The Ephesian church also had the privilege of the ministry and counsel of the beloved disciple John (see Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 194). The early church father Irenaeus (ca. A.D. 130-200) wrote of John's residence in Ephesus from where he wrote the Gospel (Against Heresies, 2.22.5; 3.1.1). The elderly disciple's presence itself must have been a source of great strength and joy to the church at Ephesus.
Read prayerfully Paul's farewell address to the Ephesians in Acts 20:18-35. What points touch you the most? Write out "a paragraph on that point or points: what it is, how it touches you, what you have learned from it, and how, if applied, this could better your life and enhance your walk with the Lord.
|September 30
Further Study:
2:1-7. Note God's commendations and warnings to the church at Ephesus.
How relevant are these to you and your local church?
Read The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 281-297[ch. 27, ch. 28]. Note the great challenges Ephesus posed to evangelism.
"Through their [Priscilla's and Aquila's] teachings he [Apollos] obtained a clearer understanding of the Scriptures, and became one of the ablest defenders of the Christian church. Thus a thorough scholar and brilliant orator learned the way of the Lord more perfectly from the teachings of a Christian man and woman whose humble employment was that of tentmaking."Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1063.
"The magicians of heathen times have their counterpart in the spiritualistic mediums, the clairvoyants, and the fortunetellers of today.. . . Could the veil be lifted from before our eyes, we should see evil angels employing all their arts to deceive and to destroy."Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 290.
Discussion Questions:
| Every age and individual faces the same struggle: Diana
or Christ. What kinds of "Diana" are prevalent in your society? How
can you, as a church, help others see clearly the two issues? Also,
how can you, as a class, help others within the church not be slowly swept
into the worship of "Diana," in whatever form she comes?
Have someone in the class read aloud Paul's farewell address to the Ephesians in Acts 20:18-35 and then, as a class, discuss whatever comes to your minds about his words.
Read again about those who burned all their books (see Wednesday's lesson). Wasn't that a little extreme (after all, burning books)? What message can we glean from their actions? Ask people in the class to share their own experiences of having had to "burn" something for the Lord: What was it? Why did they believe they had to do it? Are they sorry or glad they did it?
|I N S I D E Story
|Bedside Evangelistic Series
by NATASHA YUNAK
It was an ordinary day, the kind we seldom remember until something unexpected happens. On Saturday evening as I prepared to bathe my two-month-old son, Florin, I noticed a lump on his body. We called the doctor, who told us to take Florin to the regional hospital in Tula, Russia, an eight-hour train ride away.
"Why Lord?" I prayed over and over as we made our way to the hospital and as we waited anxiously for the doctor to examine our son.
The doctor told us our son's condition was not serious but that he needed surgery, which he had scheduled for two days later. He urged me to remain in the hospital with Florin and complete necessary paperwork while my husband returned home.
I was taken to a ward where other mothers waited with their children for surgery. I unpacked my bag and laid my Bible on the stand near the bed. One woman noticed the Bible and began asking questions. As I answered her questions; I noticed the other mothers were listening too. We talked for two hours about God, the Bible, and life. Then she asked for some Christian books to read. When the other women heard her request, they, too, asked for books. "And bring children's books, too," they added.
The next day my husband brought a box of books, which the women eagerly grabbed. The children's ward became eerily silent as each mother began reading. Suddenly I understood that God had a purpose for our son's unexpected emergency and was turning a crisis into a blessing. Every woman in the ward needed assurance of God's love, and through us God was providing that assurance.
Later I invited the children to come and sing with me. I taught them songs of faith in Jesus. The mothers joined in with us as we sang. The dreary hospital ward was filled with songs of joy. The nurses heard the singing and came to see what was happening. Doctors and nurses from other wards stopped by. Some asked for books.
My son's surgery was successful, and soon he was well enough to return home. I do not know how many people's lives were changed as the result of our bedside evangelistic series, but I am just glad that God could use us in a surprising and unexpected way.
NATASHA YUNAK and her family live in western Russia.
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text:
Q. I just got Linux installed on my system. I'm able to connect to internet via IP address only. I'm not able to find out information about setting up new DNS sever ip under Linux. How do I configure primary and secondary DNS via terminal / shell prompt?
A. Under Linux / UNIX / BSD operating system, you need to edit the /etc/resolv.conf file and add the line:
Continue reading "Linux / UNIX set the DNS from the command line"


text:
LOWER MAINLAND — The day before Kevin LeClair was gunned down in his truck in Langley, he was stopped by police in the same vehicle in Port Moody in the company of Jonathan Bacon, The Vancouver Sun has learned.
Bacon and LeClair, who died Sunday, were seen driving away from Bacon's apartment in the 600-block of Nootka Way, heading for popular Newport Village when they were pulled over.
They told police they were on their way to the shopping area to get a coffee, apparently nonchalant about the threats facing them.
"On Thursday Feb. 5, members of the Port Moody Police Department were in the area of Jonathan Bacon's residence," Insp. Andy Richards confirmed Sunday. "At approximately 12:15 p.m., Bacon was seen exiting his residence and getting into Kevin LeClair's late model Lincoln pickup truck.
"The two were stopped and checked by PMPD members a short distance away and they advised they were heading to Starbucks. They were in the same vehicle in which LeClair was murdered the next day in Langley."
Just two days before the LeClair-Bacon sighting, Port Moody Police issued an extraordinary public warning that Bacon — the eldest of three gangster brothers targeted for death — had moved to town and residents should be aware.
It was the third police warning in Metro Vancouver since last May, when the B.C. Integrated Gang Task Force said the public could be at risk because of the serious nature of the threats against the Bacon brothers and friends, who are linked to the Red Scorpion gang.
LeClair, a 26-year-old Surrey resident, pulled into the Thunderbird Mall parking lot just after 4 p.m. Friday. Some witnesses said he was being chased by another vehicle.
Right in front of a crowded IGA Marketplace, two gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons, shattering the driver's side window and leaving LeClair critically wounded.
RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr said Sunday that the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is now in charge of the LeClair probe and is appealing to the public for information.
"Police have learned that two suspects were seen fleeing the area. They were last seen heading north through the parking lot of the shopping centre toward Colossus Theatre," Carr said. "It is believed that the suspects entered a vehicle to leave the area, and in doing so left the area in an erratic manner thereby drawing attention to themselves."
If anyone saw someone driving recklessly in the area between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., they are asked to call the IHIT tip line at 1-877-543-9217.
LeClair, who had a brief stint as an extreme fighter, was one of the closest comrades of Jonathan, Jarrod and Jamie Bacon, the high-profile siblings well-known to police across Metro Vancouver.
The public warnings by law enforcement agencies have not stopped the public shootings – including two afternoon mall parking lot slayings within four days last week.
Another Bacon associate, Dennis Karbovanec, was shot and wounded in Mission Dec. 31. Jamie Bacon was shot at in a busy Abbotsford intersection Jan. 20 but was not injured.
LeClair was surrounded by his family when life support was disconnected Saturday evening. He was pronounced dead at about 5 a.m. Sunday. His father is a retired member of the RCMP.
The young Bacon pal had run-ins with police starting in 2001, court records show, when he was charged in Surrey with an assault that took place on May 12 and then uttering threats a week later. He had a number of convictions for driving infractions.
LeClair also used to fight with the Revolution Fight Team and lost three matches in 2005 and 2006.
One loss was to Terry Siemon, then with the World Extreme Fighting Club, run by Joe Krantz. Krantz, of the Independent Soldiers, was gunned down in Abbotsford last October.
Police have linked the Red Scorpion gang to the October 2007 Surrey highrise slaughter of six people — including innocent bystanders Ed Schellenberg and Chris Mohan. No one has yet been charged.
The renter of the penthouse in which the slayings took place, Raphael Baldini, was gunned down last Tuesday at Guildford Town Centre in a shooting almost identical to that of LeClair.
Schellenberg's brother-in-law Steve Brown said the latest series of murders just highlights the "epidemic of violence threatening the public."
He thinks Attorney-General Wally Oppal should step up and propose concrete action within a month to deal with the problem.
Brown said a comment by Oppal last week that "our streets are safe" is "simply a bad joke."
"People are absolutely not safe in our streets anywhere and Wally Oppal had better do something about it now."


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Rod Rust Has A Posse
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When/Why did you become a Patriots fan
This may have been done before, but it's a fresh idea to me and, really, that's all that matters.
I first took an interest in them in 1993 and became a fan in '94.
Why? I was living in suburban Boston then, who else would I like?
Made by NSPatsFan
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, choosing to be introduced as a team, here are the American Football Conference Champions..."
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When I was in high school in the early 70s, the cheerleaders included the line 'We could beat the Patriots' in one of their chants. While I thought this a mild exaggeration, I recall being distinctly unimpressed with the franchise at that time.
Grogan, Hannah, Grey, Sam Cunningham and Russ Francis played a decent game of football. I've been to various degrees pleased with the Patriots of that era, and followed them since.
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Yeah, KenJr, at what moment did you realize you really are a closet Patriots fan?
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"Their model is to do whatever it takes to succeed. No matter what they do, its the right thing. Theyve always been the gold standard." - Colts GM Bill Polian
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Early 80's for me.Then watching 'em strip the ball on their way to a serious butt whippin' in SB XX. The following year they couldn't make it past Elway in the playoffs! Some horrible years after that!
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We used to have a pretty good thread on this subject. Unfortunately, I think it got deleted during the dark days.
I was born during the Pats first season. Until the Pats came along, my father was a Packers fan, even though most New Englanders followed the Giants. It was a no-brainer for him to switch his allegiance to the Pats.
Football was the only sport my father cared about. My older brother played HS when I was very young and I was always with my father at his games. We would sit by the radio on Sundays and listen to the Pats. It was inevitable that I had to be a football fan as well as a Pats fan.
I remember crying when he would take my two older brothers to some games and leaving me at home. He felt I was too young. He finally took me to my first game in '67 (I was 6) against Denver at Fenway. I still have very clear memories of the experience. I got to see Namath at Harvard Stadium in '70. As I got older, the visits to Schaeffer/Sullivan/Foxboro Stadium got more frequent. We generally went to 2-3 games a year.
I moved to a town near Foxboro in late '90. Prior to the '92 season, my wife surprised me with a pair of season tickets. I've kept them ever since.
My father would get very serious about Pats games. I would usually talk to him after every game. If they won, he was animated, if they lost, he was angry. With the season tickets, I was able to return the favor to him and take him to a game every year, even though it became very difficult for him (severe athritis). Sadly, he died in the summer of '01. The end of SB36 was very emotional for me because I kept thinking about him. My siblings and I started calling each other and thinking about how happy he would have been.
So, I guess my father instilled my love for the Pats in me. Stronger than anyone else in my family. But being the youngest boy in the family (I'm 6th of 7, I have 4 sisters and 2 brothers), it was my way of connecting with him. And I think that connection made my fandom even stronger.
"There is no future. There is no past. Thank God this moment's not the last.
There's only us, there's only this. Forget regret or life is yours to miss.
No other road, no other way, no day but today!" -Rent
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I'm still waiting to find that out myself.
"the curse of the corn field" est. 2005
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bideau, that is a great story. I only wish your Dad could have seen his dream realized....I'm sure he is watching and loving every minute of this.
I became a fan sometime around there first SuperBowl appearance during the 85 season. My Dad has never been a big sports fan, but my Mom sure is. She lives and dies with the Bruins and Red Sox, but was only a casual Football fan.
During the 85 season, I was a paper boy for the patriot ledger and they used to do these promotions for the kids where if you get a certain number of new customers you could go to a Patriots game. My first game was vs the Raiders on 9/29/85. After that i was hooked. The problem was, there weren't many of my friends that were interested in going to games. I got my license during the '87 season and me and this 1 friend of mine would go to at least 2 or 3 games a year. We'd just drive down and buy tickets at the window or from a scalper.
During 1990 (the 1-15 season) I made a down payment on 3 season tickets. Since I was only 18 at the time, I didn't have alot of cash so I wasn't able to actually buy them for the 1991 season. My first official season as a season ticket holder was 1992 and I have only missed 2 games since then. The first was a Miami game during the 96 season where I was in the hospital with a collapsed lung. The second was Bledsoe's first game back as a Bill where me, my wife, and son had all come down with food poisoning the night before.
I have nothing useful to say....
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I became a Patriots fan on February 3, 2002 after Adam V kicked the game winning field goal.
Well, someone had to say it!!!!!!
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Years ago we got tickets to the Pats' games and went frequently. My mom, who was more of a baseball fan, surprised my dad with the tickets! We saw some lousy teams and some really good teams (the '76 team) and then didn't go to the games as much as life changed. We always kept up with the team, though, so definitely my family and I aren't bandwaggoners. My dad had been a Giants fan as many New Englanders had been and also liked the Packers in the '60s. He became a hardcore Pats fan in the '70s after getting those tickets and we found ourselves enjoying a team that despite the circus follies surrounding it always seemed to give us entertainment. Maybe because of the follies, come to think of it! ;) I always thought of the Pats as the Red Sox of football: sometimes very good and teasing you but never able to win the big one (it was tough watching the Packers' SB game because at least there had been a chance in that one, unlike SB XX which was a sorry blow-out). When Adam kicked that field goal in SB XXXVI after Tom drove the team down the field in less than 2 minutes with no timeouts, this franchise was forever changed. I've never quite felt such sports exultation as in that moment. They proved they could finally do it, and now I feel like they can do anything!
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The Origin of Annihilus (as a Pats fan)
People often wonder (and ask) just why Annihilus is a New England Patriots fan. Most of the time he just says "His Mom was born in Connecticut".
Which is true...but not the reason why he is a Pats fan. It's just a much easier (and shorter) explanation.
So why does a guy who was born in Seattle, raised in Montana and since then lived in SD, KY and MN follow the Pats? This will be a long and rambling answer, and you'll only hear it once. Annihilus hopes it doesn't bore you too much.
First off, Annihilus was the product of a mixed marriage:
Dad is a Yankees fan and Mom is a Red Sox Fan.
Dad is a Celtics fan, Mom is a Knicks fan.
This is the kind of thing that happens when you live hundreds of miles from the nearest outpost of civilization. Living in the country definately has it's advantages - sports loyalty not being one of them.
Are you beginning to see why Annihilus was doomed from the beginning?
Anyhow, Annihilus's parents weren't into football and though he had friends that were, they never talked about it. Basically, when Annihilus was a kid, he saw football as 'something that was on TV that sucked because it wasn't cartoons'.
The first (and only) football game that Annihilus saw prior to the fall of 1983 was Superbowl XV (Eagles V Raiders). That's a pretty sad state of affairs, and a good reason to be involved in your child's life.
Anyhow, in the spring of 1983 Dad got the bright idea of moving back to his hometown of Ovando MT and opening up a 'general store' to cater to the scattered population of the area (50 in town, probably a few hundred in the surrounding area).
Here it is: the store Dad bought was on the right. Model T's not included.
Whether or not this was a good idea will not be discussed here.
At any rate, what this meant for little 15 year old Annihilus is that he would be moving from a school with a graduating class of 395 to a graduating class of 15). Yes, f-i-f-t-e-e-n. Annihilus was despondent about this and a might pissed, as kids are wont to be when forced to move away from their friends they've grown up with all their lives.
But after all the biting, kicking and bitching, everything was packed up and moved and Annihilus was indoctrinated into the country life. His initial days of the summer of 1983 consisted of:
1. Playing Galaga at Trixi's Antler Saloon
2. Riding a dirt bike.
The only kid in town even approximately Annihilus's age was a fellow two years older than Annihilus who had been in an automobile accident two years prior and lost his right arm after grabbing an electrical wire draped across a fence. His name was Jody and he had used to be a real hell raiser before the accident, but had since slowed down in the partying department.
He had been in a burn center for the better part of a year. After much rehabilitation and learning how to do everything all over again with his left hand, he had come back home, did home studies and was set to graduate from high school six months ahead of schedule. He was a unique guy who also 'didn't belong' where he lived.....his parents had done the same 'let's move out to the country' thing as Annihilus.
They were from Boston.
Jody was passionate about his Sox and Pats, and after a few months of listening to his excitement, Annihilus was forever changed. He became a fan of football, and an even bigger fan of the Pats.
Annihilus only lived in Ovando for a year, after which time his parents moved back to his hometown and he was able to finish high-school with his friends from his childhood (one of whom was a Dolphin's fan).
If you could've seen his face: when Annihilus left he was a mere kid without a team, when he returned - he was a full fledged Patriots fan. He finally had someone to spar with, and it was pretty fun. Annihilus probably shouldn't have given too much crap to his friend when the Dolphins lost SB XIX, because payback was a bitch when XX rolled around.
Annihilus hasn't seen Jody for about 15 years and often wonders how he is doing and if he lived through that first Superbowl.
If he only knew what he created. Here's to you buddy!
Last edited by Annihilus; 06-28-2005 at 10:08 AM..
"So you know, in China....you got a lotta shit there in China, OK?" - Bill Belichick
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Sometime in the early-80's--I can't pinpoint the exact date. I was born in Boston and was living in Cambridge at the time. The team was awful, but they were the local team, and I was already hooked on the Sox, Celts, and Broons. When we moved to Virginia in 1985, Boston/NE sports was the way we (specifically my brother and I) dealt with our homesickness. I still miss Boston and hope to move back after I complete my law degree, but without a doubt, our love for the Sox, Pats, Bruins, and Celtics intensified when we left Beantown.
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I started in the early eighties when my father got some tickets from work and we went to a game. The weather was miserable, the team was pretty bad. Our butts were frozen to those damn bleachers. But at least it wasn't a long drive. I grew up in Foxboro.
There wasn't any scoring, but football was much more interesting in person, even trying to view it through near blizzard conditions.
There weren't too many people in the stadium by the time the Patriots got close enough to kick a field goal.
After the field goal, Don Shula was livid.
Patriots win 3-0.
I am sure you all know which game this was. Made me a fan.
Boston Sports Uproar - A new kind of Boston sports forum
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I was Born in to it.
Growing up my Daddy always pulled for the Pats because he's from Maine and my mom the Dolphins because I don't know and they've been my second team becuase I cheered for a pop-warner team named the Dolphins LOL.. Silly ME.. Anyhoo of course, Daddy was alot more into it them my Mom. I was always a Tom boy growing up. But must admit, never really got into football that much at first. I though of the Patriots as MY red white and blue team when I was little... I knew that they lost most of the time, but as a kid, that never really got me down, it was just a game. Then as I got older and realized all dady did during football season was watch football, I HATED it.. Or at least I thought I did lol... I would get mad and go back in my room, slam the door and try to find something else to watch... But secretly, I'd flip to the game. This was in my teenage years. Then I moved out when I was 19 and that's where it REALLY began for me, I knew I already loved the Pats, that's always been a fact, so that is the answer to the original post, I've always rooted for the Pats, but my obsession began when I moved out a lived by myself lol. I found myself with nothing to do sometimes so I would freakin watch football. During offseason, I'd watch old games, as I do now. Then I realized how Daddy could sit there and watch football so much. So that was in 99 when I moved out and then I moved back in in 2001 and haven't skipped a beat since then lol... that's a bit more than what ya asked for but to the OT, like I said, since day one, I've rooted for the Pats

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Thank you DW, you are the best!!
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My uncles watched NFL on Sundays and told me about a guy with my name, Joe Fortunato, who was a linebacker and captained for the Chicago Bears. As a paperboy I tried to read about him but linebackers don't have a lot of stats. Talk was Boston would get a team in the new league (AFL) made up of NFL has-beens. I wondered if we would get Joe Fortunato.
I would always read the remarkable stats for Babe Parilli and Gino Cappaletti. My buddys Dad worked for Harvard and gave us free tix for a game at Harvard Stadium on a cold,rainy,muddy day. I fell in love with going to games right there.
I played football once a weekend with my friends until I was 44 yrs old. Played in a Foxboro Flag league a few years where we actually played games at Sullivan Stadium (teams hopped the fence, I was league photographer also) several times when the Pats were on the road. I wasn't that good and I got clobbered most weekends but I loved it. My joints will be bothering me for quite awhile.
I had Pats season tix from 78-91 off and on. Many years I'd be booked half the game dates (wedding photog) so I wouldn't re-up. I bought back in spring of 93 the day Parcells signed.
The Pats have had a lot of great guys playing for them, Nance, Burton, Grogan, Pete Brock. A lot of funny guys too like Steve Kiner,Irving Fryer, and Harpo Gladieux. I find them so entertaining. Like you guys are.
Can't wait for TC.
Last edited by joephoto; 06-28-2005 at 10:28 AM..
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I've mentioned this before, but I guess I could throw it in this thread too.
January 1986. I loathed the friggin Bears. McMahon was an arrogant jerk. The Super Bowl shuffle was played every friggin 15 minutes on every friggin radio station. I was so friggin sick of the Bears. So naturally I rooted for the Pats. And man did I get crap from all my friends after the SB. :(
Up till that time I really didn't have an NFL team. I was addicted to baseball, but really hadn't gotten into FB yet. Dad was/is a Vikes fan, but I was never got into them much. In the 70s, my first favorite FB player was Roger Staubach, but I never liked the Boys as a team. So following SB XX I kind of stuck with the Pats. Unfortunately, as Anni can attest to, it was very difficult to follow the Pats, out this way, before the internet and NFL Sunday Ticket. But I had the FB bug by that time, and since I couldn't catch any Pats games, or find any of their merchandise, I simply followed them in the boxscores and what little ESPN had on them and started following the Niners.
In 97 I finally got internet which made it sooooo much easier to follow the Pats, since I could check out their website, and I could read the Globe and Herald. So starting in 97 I started following them religiously.
And yes, I still do follow the Niners, which I can pretty much do without it interferring with my loyalty to the Pats, seeing as how the teams only play each other every 4 yrs now. But when they do play each other, like last year, I root for the Pats to win, but for the Niners to at least look good losing. :p
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Subjectivity is truth, subjectivity is reality. - Soren Kierkegaard
Truths are illusions which we have forgotten are illusions. - Friedrich Nietzsche
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A few weeks ago I attended the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meeting to voice my opposition to Estelle Fennell's latest proposal to criminalize Humboldt County's impoverished underclass. She wanted County Council to explore the feasibility of imposing a countywide overnight parking ban. This is just Estelle's latest cruel attempt to criminalize human need. First, she pushed through an ordinance to prohibit people from asking for help. Then she made it illegal to sleep outside. Now she wants to make it illegal to park overnight anywhere in the county.
Not that long ago, at Shop Smart in Redway, around 11pm, on our way home from somewhere, a woman stopped us to ask our advice. She had just driven all day with her six-year-old son to get to Redway. In the morning, she planned to attend an event at the Heartwood Institute. She'd been to Heartwood before, but it had been some time ago, and she didn't feel confident about driving the remaining thirty miles or so of steep, narrow, twisted, poorly maintained, roads at night, in the rain. She asked us if we knew of a safe place she could park her mini-van overnight, so that she and her son could get a few hours of sleep before they drove the rest of the way in the morning.
We understood her situation completely. We've been to Heartwood, once. I wouldn't try to drive those roads, at night, in the rain, if I could possibly avoid it. Hell, I wouldn't try to drive to my place in the dark and rain if I didn't know the way so well. I also wouldn't drop thirty dollars on a campsite just so we could turn the engine off, climb in the back and get a few hours sleep before we drove the rest of the way in the morning. If we made $106,000+ a year, like Estelle Fennell, and had political motivation to patronize local businesses, we'd probably get a hotel room, but we survive because we don't blow money on shit we don't want or need, and we sure don't need to be woken up and given a ticket.
We didn't have a good answer for this poor woman and her son. We warned her that Locals on Patrol had a reputation for harassing people who try to sleep in their vehicles, and that a Sheriff's Deputy or CHP officer might pay them a visit as well. We discussed the general lay of the land, and wished her luck. It was the best we could do for her.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Fennell showed pictures of the terrible fire that burned the Presbyterian Church in Garberville about a month ago. A fire in an RV parked next to the church, spread, and burned a portion of the church before being extinguished by firefighters. Estelle complained that the RV had been parked there for an extended period of time, and proposed that if we just ban overnight parking all over the county, we can prevent fires in campers from spreading to churches in the future.
Estelle also reminded us of one of her first ordinances that made life harder for people in Southern Humboldt, the one that banned overnight parking on the Sprowell Creek Rd. Overpass Bridge. That overpass was an ideal location for people who needed to get off the road for a little shut-eye. It has easy access to the highway, and all of the gas stations in Garberville, but it's quiet, has very little traffic, and minimal impact on residential neighborhoods. Almost all of the RVs in town used to park there. If Estelle Fennell hadn't pressed for that overnight parking ban on the Sprowell Creek Overpass Bridge years ago, the camper that caught fire probably would have been safely parked on that bridge, far from any structures. The Presbyterian Church would still be intact, and firefighters would have had a much easier fire to fight.
Further, the fire that started in the camper may well have been an act of arson. We have had a rash of such attacks recently. Arsonists in SoHum have torched numerous vehicles, including many campers and Rvs, on county roads in the last several years. You can still see the remains of a recently torched RV on Briceland Rd west of Redway. In February of 2015 Ron Machado and his belongings were set on fire in broad daylight in downtown Garberville. Additionally, Weston Coen, Joe Turner, and James Wallace, among others were all severely beaten on the streets of Garberville, in a wave of violence against the poor and homeless, and no one has been held accountable in any of these crimes. If Supervisor Fennell had done anything at all about the wave of vigilante violence and arson in Southern Humboldt, not only could she have saved lives, she might have saved the Garberville Presbyterian Church too.
Not only that, but if Estelle Fennell, and the rest of our Board of Supervisors had just listened to the Humboldt County Human Rights Commission, last Summer, when the Human Right Commission advised the Board of Supervisors to declare a shelter crisis in Humboldt County, most of the violence we've seen in Southern Humboldt, recently, could have been prevented. The HRC looked extensively at the facts on the ground, and determined that Humboldt County faces a real shelter crisis, and advised the Board of Supervisors to declare it.
Declaring a shelter crisis would make some public land available for camping and emergency housing, and relax certain housing regulations to make more structures available for habitation. Declaring a shelter crisis could have relieved a lot of pressure on downtown Garberville, and prevented numerous assaults on homeless people. Declaring a shelter crisis could have gotten all of the campers off of Garberville's residential side streets, and onto a designated lot, preventing the fire at the Presbyterian Church, and declaring a shelter crisis would have saved people's lives. Instead, because the Board of Supervisors ignored the recommendations of the Human Rights Commission, several people are dead, others were violently assaulted, many more lost their homes, and the Garberville Presbyterian Church burned.
Time was, the Federal prohibition on marijuana was the only law you needed to bust poor people, and push them around. Now that marijuana is legal, Estelle Fennell has risen to the occasion with a whole slew of new laws designed to keep cops busy harassing people who are just trying to survive, instead of investigating real crimes, like the ones her supporters commit. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors has a responsibility to protect and serve the inadequately housed residents of Humboldt County, as well as the well-housed, and we have enough stupid laws already, more than we have resources to enforce.
I remember when Estelle campaigned against her predecessor, Cliff Clendennon, who had just voted in favor of an unpopular resolution to prohibit camping around the courthouse, because of the "Occupy" protests going on there at the time. Estelle said that she didn't think she would support a law that limited people's rights that much. Instead, once elected, she passed laws that violate people's rights all over the county. These draconian new ordinances Estelle and her colleagues have dreamed up are exactly the kinds of laws that the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva condemns the US for, calling them "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment." That's what I call them too, and we've had more than enough of them from Second District Supervisor Estelle Fennell, already.