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Raekwon: Q&A
Raekwon The Chef may have gained notoriety as a member of hip-hop's legendary Wu-Tang Clan, but it was his solo works, specifically his Only Built 4 Cuban Linx records that not only solidified him as one of the top MCs of our time, but also saw him pioneer Mafioso rap. Raekwon has a busy 2013 lined up, he recently released a mixtape, Lost Jewlry, has a record on the way this summer, F.I.L.A, is at work with Wu-Tang on a 20th anniversary release and has tour dates sprinkled across the continent over the year, including a stop at Toronto's Sound Academy on March 20th. MSN caught up with Wu-Tang's resident chef via phone from New York to chat about Wu, his next solo disc and songwriting.
You just put out a new EP, Lost Jewlry, an appetizer mixtape as you've called it. The precursor to your next album, F.I.L.A.
Yeah man. It's a masterpiece. It's me giving you twenty years of veteran status lyrics, and great continuity with the storylines. It's just another hit for me in my career of being a great MC and artist. We had some joints that we had in the stash box that we were like, "Let's finish this off and let them hear it. This is hot." Certain songs that could have probably escalated into the mainstream world as well as still having that solid, hardcore fanbase that I treasure. We wanted to mix it up and give them a little bit of everything. We decided to call it Lost Jewlry, which is basically jewels given from Raekwon and given from the perspective of, "They were over here, and we had to go pick them back up and given them to you because they were good gems."
When is the F.I.L.A. [Fly International Luxurious Art] gem coming out?
F.I.L.A is coming out within the June perspective of things. June is like the time when the music has to elevate itself. I felt that that was a good spot for it to be at.
There must be some good summer jams on there then.
Yeah. I'm hoping that they respect it enough to know there's a good music on there, but you never know. At the end of the day, it's a quality piece of work. This project is very different from a lot of projects I did because this one is more lifestyle. This one is more international for all the listeners that love Raekwon. I have listeners that listen to different things for different reasons. This album is going to be more fly. This is going to be more international. It's going to be more luxury, meaning it feels fly, and still deliver that great art that I deliver. I'm giving you a painting. It has to be art. All those acronyms in one. When you think of fly, you always know that, "Sh*t, that's what he's going to do. He's going to say fly. He's going to flow. He's going to do what he's supposed to do." International, it shows that it's making the music more worldwide. More ground where I could say, "I gave him something. I gave her something. I gave her something." Nothing should be ever the same all of the time.
How do you make it more international? Are you talking about things lyrically to draw more people in? Or, is it something you look for in the production of songs?
Exactly. You nailed it in the head. As an MC you always want to have great production because it opens your mind to want to create other avenues of music. That's what I wanted to do. I wanted to have something that I know I could satisfy a dude that loves storytelling. Just make sure that you hit everybody's world. One thing that people, when they look at my music, they looked at it as, "He's an underground artist. He's a person that may not be able to jump out of the box, but I know if he did, it would be interesting to see him do it." As artists, we always try to recreate. We don't want to get stuck too much with the same format. Then it becomes repetition and you don't see the growth. You don't see the challenge within that MC. That's something I refuse to do. I can't stay in one box. I want my music to be able to surface in London. I want people to say, "He had an international artist involved and the creativity was just excellent." That's my goal. To make music for the world as well that typical Hip Hopper.
What about rhymes. Are you someone who agonizes over words, and the cadence, and phrasing? Are you someone that scratches out words with a pen and paper? Or, are you someone who spits what you spit, and go with it because that's what comes out.
I feel the music. The music talks to me. I don't come in conventional. I come in to listen to the sound. The sound is going to direct me in the direction of where the rhymes are going to come out. It's like sometimes you can come in the room and just hear music and it just sounds like you already know what's going to come out. This is how I like to sit down when I create. I've never been a dude that wants to come in and rhyme over just anything that doesn't fit over the music. The music is important. The music is the language. I have to make sure that I come in with an open mind. If I feel like rhyming something that I feel is hardcore and talking crazy, I'll talk crazy. If it's something that I feel I have to be intelligent, and be more of a narrator. Now as an MC, my mind is limber. It's about being different. Be credible but be artistic. That's what is missing from the game.
Why is that missing?
They love glorifying what we created. I don't mean just me. Hip-Hop has created a platform where we took care of everybody mentally, financially, and spiritually. Right now, it's more about the grammar, the lifestyle and the image. Maybe, ten years ago, it was about the skill and the integrity. The position of being a real artist. Now, it's more commercialized. It's more about whoever makes the most money is the most respected artist. At one point, it wasn't about that. Even when you look at music in general, whether it's soul music, country music, you see people who grow and continue to be different but still make great music. Everything now just sounds pretty much the same.
Except for F.I.L.A.
Oh F.I.L.A. is incredible. It's another barrier of great sound, right there. You'll hear this and you'll know at the end of the day that this is an album that's created. This is not somebody who comes in with just three songs, and says, "This is an album." I'm known for making albums. I'm not know for making great singles. This time, you will be able to say he's known for making great singles.
Talking about great albums, The Only Built 4 Cuban Linx records, you're working on a third one, a third chapter. What keeps bringing you back to that story and where does the story go?
The story goes to the final chapter when I do it. There's been speculations that I've been working on it. I'm working on it, but I'm not. That's not the project at bay right now. The project at bay right now is F.I.L.A. I'm always sitting there knowing that people want the trilogy. They want it bad. For me, I have to do it at a time that makes sense. It has to be crafted in a way like you're designing a new watch. Everybody looks at a watch and thinks it's the most easiest thing to make. When in all reality, you're going crazy and you need the littlest screws and the biggest nails to put it in the right perspective. For me, when it comes, it's going to come organically. Then I'll announce when it's going to come. Right now, that's not the topic. I know the fans want it, but at the same time, I might not give it you at this moment. I never want to rush greatness when it comes to doing sequel albums. Sequels, you have to be careful. You have to really make it go there. I have to make sure one, two, and three add up right. I have to make sure I have all the knowledge that I know what I'm doing. It has to play it out so beautiful that I know it's time. Right now, it's not time. It's time for me to present another world for you.
Is it something about getting into a character like Lex Diamond? Is it about creating rap differently when you're creating that persona?
Absolutely. It's about going back into that drug world and that crime world. That's what they want when they hear that. They want me to go back into being a mobster. They want me to go back into being the most flashiest persona alive and talk about the most craziest sh*t. Yeah, now I have to be an actor. Before, it was part of my life. Being now that I'm ten times more smarter, and faster and better at creating, they still want that world. Don't get me wrong, that's like me saying I don't want Al Pacino doing another Scarface one day. I don't give a f*ck how old he gets. I want Scarface. He can be 70 and he can come out with a new Scarface, I'm going to the movies. This is how the fans looks at you. They look at things they idolize, but they also have to respect your growth. Where they say, "He's creating. He's in the zone. He's going to give it to us because he knows that's what he wants." It's matter of time when I give that you. I can't give it just right now. It's still being created.
You're talking about being ten times faster, ten times smarter, ten times better. I assume everyone in the Wu-Tang Clan would probably be similar, working on a record with those guys again, what's the experience been like so far?
All I have to see is we've all grown. We've all grown to the next level. The thing I can say is that I love those guys, and love what they stand for. When it's time for us to position ourselves again, it's going to happen in a blissful way. I believe in every one of them. At the end of the day it's about integrity with the brand and the artists. When it comes, it's just supposed to be right. That's what I want you to think about when you think about Wu. You think about a few good men that believe in something strong. When it's time for us to go back out on the battlefield, we got to go right. I believe that we have the power to still conquer in a great way, which is being the black Beatles that we are. It's always little things that get caught in the way of greatness. We have to make sure that we push that to the side and stand for something tall.
How does it work with that many MCs on a track? How do you decide who comes in where, and what themes you talk about?
You know what it is, it's called being natural and having a gift. We come in the studio, and whoever's there, he's the painter at the time. We come and finish the painting off with him. We play our roles. We grab the brushes and the paints, and we colour. We make sure at the end of the day it sounds right. There's never been an order. You got a lot of songs that may have started with Meth, or Deck, or started with Ghost. We flip it. We flip it every now and then. It's about who sounds right from the beginning. Whoever sounds right from the beginning, the second person has to be just as impressive as who set it off. You follow suit. We can tell when a song is boring right away. You catch where it starts to get boring and you fix it. That's what we always did. We challenged each other in the studio in a great way. If Meth came on the track and blew a hole in it, and I knew that I was up next, because ni**as felt I was next, then I had to make sure that I gave it to Meth but still stand next to Meth proudly. We worked together collectively and RZA would piece together some things. Some things didn't work, and we would pull it out. You compose. This is what artists are suppose to do. We compose.
Six quick questions. One word answers.
Road or Studio?
Lennon or McCartney?
2-Pac or Biggie?
When you hear a song, what usually hits you first: lyrics, melody or rhythm?
Song you've written that you're the most proud of.
My Mom's Song.
And in one word, Raekwon the Chef.
Raekwon's Lost Jewlry is available now, F.I.L.A. is to be released this summer.
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I'm giving away this hella cool, tie dye, POKEMON tee (size small)
To enter,
That's it. I will check back in a couple weeks and draw a winner
Good luck!
as requested….
my favourite sleep playlist is downloadable here:
goodnight <3
i'm not the biggest fan of christmas music.
so instead i listen to these songs.
happy holidays followers!
brand new mix for you
a new mix of a lot of my favourite songs.
so much goodness.
first song mix
listen the whole way through and you could learn a little about me.
downloadable here:
everything i am secretly obsessed with is now available in mixtape form…
download: http://www.mediafire.com/?7y2g0sv5uujanvm
hopefully i'm not alone on some of these songs.
I feel like I have been neglecting you musically.
So here is a mixtape full of the music that currently owns my heart.
Download here:
Party - K. Flay
… And The Forest Began To Sing - Röyksopp
Hand Me, Please, A City - Noah Georgeson
VHS Dream - Deerhunter
The Warmth of The Sun - The Beach Boys
Believe In Magic - Girl Talk
Heart Medley - Nice Purse
Ghost Train - Summer Camp
Mojo So Dope - Kid Cudi
Killer Tofu Remix - The Beets
Next Summer - Choir Of Young Believers
Narc - Interpol
Second Chance - Peter, Bjorn, and John
1901 Remix - Phoenix
Everlong Remix - Foo Fighters
Why Must It Always Be This Way - Choir of Young Believers
Touchy - Siktransit
Baby Say Goodbye - Wavves
Jeremy's Storm - Tame Impala
Be Here Now - Ray LaMontagne
Another Chance - Roger Sanchez
go have some fun with them!
and if you click them, you can download awesome mixtapes filled with wonderful bundles of musical joy!
Lovely music for all your lovely ears.
Here is my twelfth mixtape for you:
It's all the music you need to hear right now.
I made this for Cobra to enjoy.
Since this music is so amazing, I wanted to share it with everyone too.
Be prepared to go crazy
Download it's loveliness here:
It's gonna have songs like this
Baroque Face - The Focus Group
T.O.R.N.A.D.O - The Go! Team
Dollar Sign (These New Puritans Remix) - Gucci Mane
Ancestors - Gonjasufi
Should Have Taken Acid With You - Oberhofer
Window - PVT
Icarus (GhostWaves Remix) - White HInderland
Eyes Wide (Fools Gold Remix) - Local Natives
Surfing On A Rocket - Air
Knot Comes Loose - My Morning Jacket
Vampire - Pink Mountaintops
Nikki (I Am Not The-Dream) - GOBBLE GOBBLE
To Kingdom Come - Passion Pit
As The World Turned Out - Parlour Steps
When I Light Your Darkened Door - J. Tillman
Sister - She Wants Revenge
Thanks For Nothing - Danton Eeprom
Roll The Credits - Peter Bjorn & John
No One In Control (EP Version) - Snowden
Now go get all the wonderfulness!
You can also tell all the friends that you truly love, for they will appreciate this.
Thank you all


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Ginger Pear Martini
Mixed drinks are a tricky one for me. I love to try new cocktails, but they can't be too sweet, too strong, include anything coconut flavored….or blue in color. A good martini is hard to find. Especially when you have a husband who is a master mixologist. Kevin pours a good martini.
Each holiday season we make a new martini. With many tweaks and adjustments (which requires multiple nights of taste testing) Kevin gets it just right. Then we hope we remember the exact proportions and have our friends sample it.
The martini of 2011 was a good one, one that has some staying power: the Ginger Pear Martini. It is smooth, crisp and refreshing. It starts with pear flavored vodka, a little ginger liqueur, some fresh squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake it up with ice, pour in a martini glass, add a garnish of lemon and enjoy.
I'm not sure what this holiday season will bring, but I'm looking forward to testing the options.
- Ice
- 2 oz Absolut Pears Vodka
- ½ oz Domaine De Canton French Ginger Liqueur
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- 1 oz lemon juice
- Lemon twist for garnish
- Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously to mix.
- Strain into martini glass and add a lemon twist garnish.
4 Comments
This was a wonderful drink that I will never forget – except that I served myself too many that wonderful night in 2011 and may have forgotten a few things. Yet, I was able to remember to keep making myself another… and another… and another. This is truly a winner!! You have a lot to live up to in 2012 – better get started. Let me know if you need any help.
I am so excited to try this! I have been looking up a lot of martinis and this one definitely stands out. Thanks for posting!
- Pomegranate Tequini | Garnish with Lemon - [...] and I search for a new drink of the season, typically a martini. And we have had some good …
- Grilled Beef Tenderloin - Garnish with Lemon | Garnish with Lemon - […] a great evening, full of laughter and catching up with friends over a few cocktails (like these: Ginger Pear …
- Elderflower Martini - Garnish with Lemon | Garnish with Lemon - […] know we love our cocktails, right? We have some great ones on here, like the Ginger Pear Martini and the …


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This little piece of fluff was written for my daughter when she was in high school. She encountered the plastics and took an instant dislike to them. This was written to entertain not to hurt.
Submitted:Sep 21, 2009 Reads: 204 Comments: 22 Likes: 44
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Other writing by Mistress of Word Play Tread Softly Eternal Lovers An Evenings Wandering Billy-The Season of the Crepe Myrtle Come Swiftly Love The Garden - Memories
Humor, Funny, Poem, Poetry, Humour, Fun, Comedy, Life, Food, Silly, Death, School, Limerick, Love, Laugh, Random, Short, Joke, Friends, Sad, Song, You, Cat


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Fines for driving on closed winter road rescinded
By Ian Graham
Thompson Citizen
Residents of Tataskweyak Cree Nation, War Lake First Nation and York Factory First Nation who were ticketed for driving on a closed winter road early last week have had those fines rescinded by the RCMP in deference to "the needs and common practices of the community."
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), a political advocacy organization that has represented 30 Northern Manitoba First Nations since 1981, held a press conference to complain about the tickets on Jan. 24 and issued a press release later the same day.
According to MKO, 30 tickets were issued, but Tara Seel of RCMP media relations told the Nickel Belt News that the number of tickets issued for driving on the closed winter road was actually 14 and that Insp. John Duff, officer-in-charge of the Thompson RCMP detachment confirmed that these tickets should not have been issued.
"Part of being a responsible and accountable policing organization is ensuring we uphold the law while at the same time respecting the needs and common practices of the community," wrote Seel in an e-mail. "That is why the RCMP has communicated with leaders of York Factory First Nation, and consulted with the Crown to get tickets issued on the winter road invalidated."
RCMP officers regularly patrol winter roads as part of regular detachment duties and for Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI)-funded initiatives.
"The MPI RoadWatch Program, focusing on the Winter Road Enforcement Program, is for the enforcement of traffic violations, impaired driving and liquor transport violations," said Seel. "In this case, if there had been any impaired drivers or liquor transport violations, those tickets would have stood."
MKO Grand Chief David Harper said the issuing of the tickets demonstrated the need for all-weather road access to remote Northern Manitoba communities.
"The time has come for Manitoba and Canada to meet with the MKO leadership to address the need for a network of all-weather roads servicing all northern First Nations in Manitoba, to ensure all communities have access to the provincial road network," said Harper in a press release. "Recent incidents involving northern citizens being issued fines by the RCMP for travelling on a closed winter road did not sit right with the MKO leadership. This situation is an example of the complications encountered by our communities in accessing the goods and services they require. Our northern residents need a permanent year-round highway system linking all communities in Manitoba."
Chief Louisa Constant of the York Factory First Nation said infrastructure improvements like all-weather roads are among the benefits First Nations should be receiving as compensation for developments on their traditional territories.
"As we proceed with the proposed Keeyask and Conawapa hydro development projects, the leadership of York Factory First Nation is mandated to ensure, on behalf of our people and future generations, that the promise of prosperity and economic benefits goes far beyond the project-specific training, education, business opportunities and jobs," said Constant. "The proposed hydro projects are expected to generate economic growth and social development benefits to all Manitobans. York Factory First Nation equally wishes to receive our fair share of the benefits for the full life of the hydro dams beyond the construction phases. One of those benefits is an all-weather road that links our communities to the provincial highway network."
Most winter roads in northern Manitoba, with the exception of Highway 800 from Flin Flon to Pukatawagan and the section of Hiighway 700 from St. Theresa Point to Garden Hill were open as of Jan. 28.


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Ridge Pine Beadboard Paneling provides the classic, timeless look of Beaded paneling, with a rustic motif. The panels are grooved with a double beaded groove 2 inches apart.
Sold here in 4' x 8' panels, in your choice of two thicknesses
Also available in wainscot height Beaded Ridge Pine paneling - 32"H x 48"W


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Your home for health and wellness. Rochet Family Chiropractic is a subluxation correction focused chiropractic office. We believe that the body is a self healing organism; that the body has an innate intelligence that is capable of keeping it coordinated in optimum function and performance; and that our nervous system is how this innate intelligence coordinates our function.
We receive all cases regardless of age, condition, or financial ability to pay.
Our office mission is:
- to direct people to the realization that they are activated from within,
- that all life and healing come from within and
- that the maintenance of health is far superior to the treatment of disease.
New Patient Forms
Please complete and bring these forms with you prior to your first appointment.


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Semâ Bekirovic (b.1977) is a young Dutch artist whose work in installation,sculpture, photography and video explores probability and chance, and the way the human world attempts to shape and understand scientific processes.
Working in the enquiring, polymath spirit of an Enlightenment-era 'natural philosopher', Bekirovic presents a new body of work for her exhibition at the Hayward Gallery Project Space – her debut London show.
Wednesday 23 June - Sunday 25 July
Monday - Sunday 10am - 6pm, Fridays 10am - 10pm


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September – December 2014
Once a year we gather a small number of outstanding human beings to share their story with you in a barn, in a rustic farming community 90 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Our hope is that the stories and conversations allow you to observe and reflect in a way that invites new possibility.
Doing starts with being. We firmly believe this. We also believe that trust breeds magic and curiosity trumps judgement. DO USA is about embracing uncertainty, quieting your cleverness, supporting vulnerability and living empathy.
You'll laugh hard and you'll probably shed a tear. You'll hug, you'll dance, you'll gaze at the stars and promise yourself you'll do this more often.
You'll dream big, you'll walk barefoot in the grass. You'll breath deeply and you'll sit still and wonder. You'll need to zip your sleeping bag all the way to the top and you'll need coffee, because there are moments you don't want to miss…they could change your life forever.
It's a small event, we'll be romancing 100 amazing individuals. There are no name tags, everyone is equal. You'll eat and drink fresh local organic food and wine grown on site, your senses won't know what hit them.
Early Bird Savings! Until January 15th, 2014 we have lowered the cost of the cruise for each cabin category. Please do not wait if you know you want to go!!
The cruise will be on Norwegian Cruise Line on the Pearl from October 25 through 30, 2014. With 16 delicious dining options, 13 bars and lounges, casino, spa, pools, fitness center, and so much more, the Pearl is a destination of her own.
Included again in our program is a complimentary bottle of wine per cabin each evening to be enjoyed. This year we have partnered with KENDALL-JACKSONand their family of wines. Included will be Kendall-Jackson, Byron Santa Barbara, Avant, Edmeades and Murphy-Goode.
Joining us from KENDALL-JACKSON is the Executive Chef at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates, chef Justin Wangler. KENDALL-JACKSON will be sending along winemakers and sommelier's to delight and educate you on wine and food and wine pairing.
And back by popular demand is internationally recognized chef, educator, and author, chef John Ash.
Last year, World Classic Rockers blew the pool deck up with their repertoire of original hits from Boston, Journey, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Santana and Steppenwolf. They are coming back!! They will be joined by the legendary 70′s rock band America, performing their Grammy winning hits "A Horse With No Name" and "Ventura Highway." Also joining us will be Chris Mann, who boasts a wildly eclectic assortment of songs, ranging from Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind" and Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" to "Ave Maria" and Damien Rice's "The Blowers' Daughter," with the latter featuring a special guest appearance from Christina Aguilera. Just added The Music of ABBA – ARRIVAL from Sweden tribute band.
At this time, we are still busy putting together our onboard program that will consist of Wine and Food hosted dinners, Culinary School classes, Wine and Art classes, Mixology classes, which will feature the newest "it thing." … craft beer cocktails and so much more! Wine tasting for small groups will also be offered.
We hope that you will be able to join us again in 2014! Book now as this offer is only good until January 15th, 2014. Sign up today!
The Ranch provides a setting for change and renewal, and we hand the keys to you. The day's choices are all yours to make…and many are wonderful to behold. Be sure to consider them all as equally important: food, nutrition, exercise, rest and relaxation, education, expression… and above all, taking in the beauty of our untrammeled natural world that welcomes you "home again" to your true, rested, and reenergized self. – See more at: http://www.rancholapuerta.com/come-to-the-ranch/first-time-visitors/#sthash.vpij3OiL.dpuf


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Loved the texture and the nutty flavor this added. I used cod, as that is what we had on hand. The sauce was a nice added bonus, but waaaay too much for a few fillets. Will make again.
Dijon Cream Sauce
Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Fonda Shaia
This creamy Dijon sauce goes particularly well with fried or baked fish. All you need are four simple ingredients to make a sauce that will impress your guests and become a fast favorite.
This recipe goes with Pecan-crusted Halibut with Dijon Cream Sauce
Yield: Makes 1 1/2 cups
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup coarse grained Dijon mustard
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Combine cream and Dijon mustard in a medium saucepan. Whisk constantly over low heat 3 minutes or until heated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
My Notes
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Dijon Cream Sauce Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Sauces/Condiments
- CONVENIENCE: Entertaining, Quick/Easy, 5 Ingredients or Less
- MAIN INGREDIENT: Dairy
- OCCASION: Summer
- PUBLICATION: Coastal Living
More Recipes Like This
Pecan-crusted Halibut with Dijon Cream SauceCoastal Living
Walnut Chicken with Dijon Cream SauceOxmoor House
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Philip Francis Black, at the age of 83, quietly drew his last breath at 8 a.m. on Jan. 3, and is now in a better place. While we love and miss him, we are thankful for the perfect will of the Lord. He became a Christian at a young age, and lived a full and productive life. Phil is survived by his wife of 60 years, Patricia Ann (Wallace) Black; by seven children, 25 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, and his older brother, Paul, of Walla Walla. His children now reside in Arkansas, California, Nevada and Washington.
Harold L. Oliveira, ŌĆ£HalŌĆØ passed away on Tuesday, Dec.22, 2011 at the age of 71.
He was born on March 21, 1940, the son of Jacintho and Helena (Phillips) Oliveira in Hilo, Hawaii.
Harold, a 24-year resident of Colville, is survived by his wife Betty Jean of 52 years, at the home; two daughters, Jenny and Shirleen; grandsons John and Jason Biscarro; and soon would have been a great-grandfather. Harold is also survived by his brothers, Rogers and Robert Allan Oliveira.
Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory was entrusted with the arrangements.
Eugene Ray Lantzy passed away peacefully at his home in Chewelah on Jan. 5, 2012 at the age of 89. Eugene was one of six children born to the late John and Clara (Denison) Lantzy.
Eugene was born on June 3, 1922 in St. Maries, Idaho and shortly thereafter relocated to Miles. In 1929, Eugene's family relocated to a farm on the Columbia River near Hunters, where he attended school at Fruitland and completed high school at Hunters.
Dorotha F. Knapp, a 37-year resident of Colville, passed away in Colville on Dec. 23, 2011 at the age of 91. She was born Feb. 29, 1920 in Milner, North Dakota, one of 12 children of Ed and Myrtle Wisbey.
She grew up in Ethel and graduated in 1938 from the Auburn Adventist Academy. She lived and worked in the Seattle area for the following four years.
George Kelly, age 75, passed away in Spokane Dec. 22, 2011. He was born on Jan. 6, 1936 in Ontario, Canada, the son of George and Lucy (Tye) Kelly. George attended school in Canada and completed school in River Rouge, Michigan.
Mr. Kelly married Mary Belman in 1975 in Canada, and the couple moved to Colville in 1991. He was employed by Hewes Marine until his retirement.
In GeorgeŌĆÖs spare time, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, riding his four-wheeler and motorcycle. He thoroughly enjoyed living in the country and spending time with his wife of 36 years.
Robert Joseph Graham, 80, a lifelong resident of Stevens County, passed away Dec. 23, 2011 at his home in Northport, surrounded by his wife of 57 years, Gailene, four sons and three daughters. Death came after a courageous five-month battle with cancer. He was born April 12, 1931, in Spokane. His father, Patrick H. Graham, was born in Ireland and came to Stevens County in 1878. His mother, Grace Hoffman Graham, came to Ferry County in the 1890's. Robert grew up in Boundary, nine miles north of Northport, where his father operated a pole yard.
Edward N. Gilson, 68, passed away, Dec.22, 2011 in Colville. He was born in Chewelah on Dec. 13, 1943, the son of Maynard and Lillian (Staff) Gilson.
Edward was raised and attended school in Chewelah. He graduated from Jenkins High School in 1962 and in January of 1963 decided to serve his country by joining the United States Navy.
Our dear sweet mother, Dorothy Barrett, passed away on Dec. 18, 2011 at the age of 95. She was born Nov. 19, 1916 in Douglas.. In 1933, she graduated from Waterville High School, and in June 1935, she graduated from Morse Beauty School in Spokane.
Donald Johnston passed quietly at age 85, on Dec. 8, 2011. He joined his beloved wife of 62 years, Stella Johnston.
He served this country in World War II as an army medic and worked and later retired as a diesel mechanic.
On DonaldŌĆÖs behalf, we thank the Spokane VA Hospital staff for the respectful care and support given him and the family during his final days.


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The biggest point with making emblems BOA is the "insta-geared alt" effect where people who simply don't know how to play that class/role combo end up in dungeons and cause wipes. Look at the net effect - liberty to one player to play how they see fit, but the direct consequence of doing that is wiping and runing the fun of 4 others. If the other 4 are doing the same the overall effect is a horrendous mess. Players still need to run through the normal > heroic > raid > heroic raid course to properly learn their class and allowing them to skip any part of that cycle is ultimately detrimental to the game. Granted a skilled player will progress rapidly through said cycle but AT LEAST THEY'RE DOING THE CYCLE.
I personally think the emblems system, although beneficial to casuals and hardcore alike, is flawed. Personally it has cheapened the game - I have gear comparable to the top end guilds on my realm and haven't even cleared TOC or Ulduar. I'm in full tier 9 and I've not cleared the raids yet. This, in my opinion, is too far - I'd LOVE to see Ulduar and clear it but because people dont get gear from there, they dont do Uld. Gear is still the benchmark of success and people would rather chain-run piss easy heroics so they have "of Conquest" gear than actually see and do challenging content. I think a simple fix for this would be for the current tier of dungeon emblems to trail raid content by two tiers - for example right now we're accruing Triumph, meaning Naxx, Uld and TOC are all pointless as activities now. Instead, if we were collecting Conquest from heroics it would still be meaningful to run Uld for the odd item you couldn't get from emblems, but TOC would still be worthwhile to run because it would still provide upgrades. Maybe it's a specific symptom of my specific realm but overnight, all raid pugging for anything but ICC has stopped and chain-heroics is the new big thing. But although people are in T9 gear, because they dont need to step foot in a raid they, to all intents and purposes, dont know how to play and then pugs suffer even more. I'm decked out in full T9 gear and I've not really needed to work for it - I'll be in the same gear come cataclysm, so I'm at the "well, what now?" stage with nothing realistic left to achieve that is worth spending time and effort to get. If I ran heroics on my main to get emblems for an alt that's not fun, its grinding and I'm not learning to play my alt to boot.
If emblems were still conquest then hardcore raiders can pug run uld/toc on alts, get some benefit and share their knowledge with more casual players. But by making emblems triumph, everyone pugs, gears up and then the hardcore are running ICC on their mains AND alts, meaning the casuals are left with nothing to do.
So IMO keep heirlooms/BOA as GENTLE aids to levelling, as they currently are, but keep endgame as is with a subtle tweak to emblems.
I wholeheartedly disagree with making pets, mounts etc. BOA as not only does it make a mockery of the efforts people currently go to for achievments but cheapens the actual act of getting the item itself. If everything a player has achieved on one character is aggregated across all characters, we might as well aggregated all possible roles/classes/abilities into one player then they can truly choose to play how they want and we'll all be mini-deities ><
The balance of making the game more casual-friendly has improved - if we're honest it WAS too far in favour of the hardcore - but now is tipping the other way. Right now, casuals have nothing to play for, no goals. The hardcore have new content and hardmodes. The casuals have the prospect of chainrunning heroics to gear up for raids they'll never get to go because no one sees the point. And that's sad.
The present system will take some tweaking to balance better rather than making everything available to all - doing the latter will, as I've discussed, ultimately be a detriment to all.


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By Brian Dooley, 20 Oct 2011
Standing up for human rights in Bahrain is difficult and dangerous. Dozens of medics who helped treat injured protestors Bahrain in February and March and who told international media what was happening are back in court in the coming days. Some have already had unfair trials in the military court and their appeal is set for Sunday, October 23. They were sentenced — 20 of them — to terms of between five and 15 years in prison. The trial of dozens of other medics starts the following day.
Although much of the media attention has been focused on the medics, hundreds of others have been abused in detention and given unfair trials. The Bahraini regime has detained around 1500 people since it cracked down on democracy protests in February, and I have met many people who give credible reports of having been mistreated or tortured in detention.
Not all the human rights violations are committed in courts, police stations or prison cells. Those who join the almost daily demonstrations for democracy continue to be shot at by security forces that target them with tear gas, sound bombs, rubber bullets and birds shot. Several protesters have been killed in recent weeks.
Others defy the obvious danger and continue to expose the truth about the violent crackdown in Bahrain. Bahrainis who stand up publicly to promote human rights risk harassment and arrest. Human rights defenders remain in constant jeopardy from the Bahraini dictatorship. Despite those threats, they continue to document human rights abuses and work for political freedom. Below are some of their stories:
Al-Durazi has also paid a price professionally. Until this year, he taught English at the University of Bahrain. This past summer, he told Human Rights First that he and 18 other academics were suspended in April and ultimately dismissed in August. The University ignored all the normal disciplinary procedures as it carried out their dismissal. The school subsequently turned in al-Durazi and his colleagues to the public prosecutor, who then accused them of taking part in peaceful protests. In addition to al-Durazi and his colleagues, the university has dismissed hundreds of students in recent months. Across the country, an estimated 2,700 people have been dismissed or suspended from their jobs during the crackdown.
Fakhrawi's stepdaughter also says that when his body was returned to the family they were warned not to take pictures of it. Despite that threat, dozens of pictures were taken and appeared on the internet. His body shows cuts and severe bruises on his arms and legs. His death certificate says he died at 1 p.m. on April 11 from kidney failure arising from heart problems, a claim strongly denied by his family.
Mansoor Al-Jamri, the Al-Wasat's editor, as well as managing editor Walid Nouihid and local news editor Aqil Mirza, have been prosecuted on charges of disseminating false information and undermining the country's image. All three were forced to resign in April when the newspaper was temporarily banned.
Al-Jamri Al-Jamri, a respected journalist in the region and beyond, has been awarded an International Press Freedom Award this year by the Committee to Protect Journalists. He admits that several news articles that appeared in the paper contained false information, but he notes that all of this information was thought to be credible and was sent from the same IP address. Al-Jamri suspects that the newspaper was set up, especially as it has been target of a major smear campaign in the government media in recent months.
Al-Jamri told me, "We presented our case to the court and provided all the information that showed how Al Wasat was targeted and how it was set up during the critical period which Bahrain underwent after the declaration of National Safety Law (martial law) on 15 March 2011. It was on 15 March 2011 that the Al Wasat printing press was attacked and damaged, and the staff of Al Wasat had to stay at home and work outside their offices. At this time, some pieces of news were planted in the newspaper system and got published as part of a set up. … The government forced me out of my position on 3 April 2011 but the majority of the investors voted to reinstate me on 4 August 2011."
Many Bahrainis — celebrated and unknown — face constant harassment from the government. They assume their phones are tapped and their emails read by security force agents. They endure abuse and work despite the threats. They continue to show enormous courage in calling for democracy and human rights, in asserting their freedoms of expression and association, and in doing many of the things people in the United States take for granted.


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From Cole and Mason comes this 'Novara' electronic chrome mill which is suitable for sea salt and pepper. The fully adjustable ceramic mechanism offers fine to coarse grinding and has a lifetime guarantee.
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Portland police are looking for two men they say are connected to a fire that was started at a strip club on May 7.
The fire happened in the early morning hours at The Wild Orchid on Southeast Division Street.
Police say it started after club security broke up a fight. Two men are connected to the fire.
That fire did some damage to the outside of the club and fortunately no one was hurt.
Crimestoppers is offering up a to $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Copyright 2013 KPTV-KPDX Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.


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September 20, 2014
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- A Greenup County man plans to use an insanity defense in answering charges he threatened to kill the federal judge and attorneys involved in a child pornography case that landed his father in federal prison.
The attorney for 18-year-old Michael A. Collins filed the notice of defense Tuesday in federal court.
U.S. Marshals in Lexington arrested Collins of Greenup County on Friday.
Deputy Marshal Rick Kelley wrote in an affidavit that Collins plotted to shoot judge David Bunning and others because they handled the case of his father, who pleaded guilty to a charge of receiving child pornography.
Kelley wrote that Collins never carried out an attack, which he discussed with people at the Appalachian Challenge Academy in Harlan.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Hanley Ingram ordered Collins involuntarily committed for treatment.
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[four images: the first is a blue bowl filled with a stew made up of onions, carrots, peas, celery, potatoes, and golf ball sized biscuit-like dumplings. The second is of onions, carrots, celery, and spices in a large white pot. The third is of those same vegetables now in a bron broth with potatoes added. The last picture is of all of that with a layer of dumplings on top.]
So tonight I tried my hand at vegetable stew with dumplings and it was GREAT! I've been wanting to try out making a stew with dumplings forever and figured I'd give it a go tonight and I'm super glad I did.
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This is Gonzalo Hernandez, Multiple Hammers in one day. Enjoy ! #NeuroSkate #Gonzalo #SlapOneInAMillion #ToyMachine #Ambig
Photo: @TrentMcClung with the @LRGSkate guys at their demo @ "The Garage" in Dana Point this past weekend. #NeuroSkate
Frankie showing up to the final stop of the 2011 Scion RAT Tour. Doing what he does best, killing the rail withe flips into front nose and Back lip, he came out with a 2nd place finish.


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This apartment is in the Downtown neighborhood in Las Vegas. Nearby parks include Huntridge Circle Park, Mark Dutton Park and Hadland Park.
1500 E Fremont Street Las Vegas NV 89101 has a Walk Score of 63 out of 100. This location is Somewhat Walkable so some errands can be accomplished on foot.
Nearby schools include St Joseph School, Howard Hollingsworth Elementary School and First Good Shepherd Lutheran School.
The closest grocery stores are Sister's Oriental Market, Family Food Mart and La Calandria.
Nearby coffee shops include Bronze Cafe at The Center, Eat and Eat. Nearby restaurants include Sicilian Pizza, PublicUs and Ajuua Mexican Restaurant.
1500 E Fremont Street Las Vegas NV 89101 is near Las Vegas Sands Headquarters, Caesars Entertainment Headquarters and MGM Resorts International Headquarters.
There are excellent bike lanes and the terrain is flat as a pancake. 1500 E Fremont Street Las Vegas NV 89101 is very bikeable, biking is convenient for most trips.
For a convenient lifestyle come to Sunflower Apartments. Just a hop, skip & jump from the excitement of downtown Las Vegas. We offer studio apartments for rent with amenities including covered parking, elevator service in select buildings, pools, on-site laundry facilities, fully equipped kitchens, FREE utilities, FREE local calls, and Direct TV! Please contact us today to set up a time to visit our wonderful community. We look forward to meeting you.


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2012 Election
Analyst: Romney Will Choose 'Extreme Opposite Of Palin' As Running Mate
How do the words and actions of former Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin affect politics in 2012?
Opinion: The Rebirth Of The Birthers Aborted By Romney
There have been several controversies surrounding President Barack Obama in recent days that should have given "the right" and Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential candidate, opportunities to put Obama in a negative light. Yet, […]
President Expands Social Media Platforms to Spread Message
President Obama is using social media once again in hopes to keep the White House.


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I was having the shittiest of shitty days, and then I found these on my desk. I got two arrt books focusing on Japanese contemporary art, which is some pretty cool shit. I am 4 realzzzz so excited about these books.
I'm going to study these and draw until my hands fall off.
K Bye.
20 Mar 2013 / 3 notes / personal me japanese contemporary art


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FARMERVILLE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - A Union Parish man is free on bail after being arrested on drug and weapons charges. Deputies say 42-year-old Monorego Watson was taken to jail Thursday after a traffic stop near Bernice. The sheriff's office says Watson had 31 grams of Marijuana, 10 Xanax tablets and three hydrocodone pills along with a firearm. Deputies say Watson is a convicted felon and should not have been carrying a gun. Watson was released from jail on a $26,000 bond.
His passenger, deputies say, 17-year-old Courtney Davis, was booked for simple possession of Marijuana and has a $1,500 bond.
According to the sheriff's office, some of the drugs and a pistol were recovered along a stretch of roadway. Law enforcement said those items were tossed out the car window before the initial traffic stop.


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Bunny Mack
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Links & Information
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- MusicBrainz entry on Bunny Mack
Links & information come from MusicBrainz. You can add or edit information about Bunny Mack at musicbrainz.org. Find out more about our use of this data. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.


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Bel Air , CA 90077
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Glenn Healy has been named the new Director of Player Affairs for the National Hockey League Players' Association.
Healy will fulfill a wide range of responsibilities for the Players' Association. In his role, he will focus on player relations, coordinating his efforts with the NHLPA's Ombudsman and Divisional Representatives, along with working closely with the NHL Alumni office.
''I am very excited to embark on this new and exciting challenge with the NHLPA,'' said Glenn Healy. ''During my playing career, I was an active member of the Association and I look forward to working with current and future members.''
Healy will serve on the NHLPA / NHL Competition Committee as a non-voting member where he will oversee the Association's efforts regarding rule and equipment issues and player safety matters. Healy will also act as an ambassador for the Goals & Dreams fund, the charitable arm of the NHLPA.
''Through his experience as a player and his continued involvement in the game, there is no doubt Glenn will be a great addition to the NHLPA's staff,'' said Paul Kelly, NHLPA Executive Director. ''In his role, Glenn will bring a great deal of enthusiasm and knowledge to the Association.''
As a player, Glenn Healy played in 437 games, in a career that spanned from 1985-86 to 2000-01, for the Kings, Islanders, Rangers and Maple Leafs. Following his playing career, he has continued to serve as pension trustee on behalf of the NHLPA.
Healy is leaving a successful broadcasting position at TSN where he has spent the past three years working in a broadcast tandem with Chris Cuthbert.


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Categories > Anime/Manga > Pokemon > Don't Give Me Diamonds
Diamond 640 Reviews
Diamond 64: Give me Radiance
Don't Give Me Diamonds
Diamond 64: Give me Radiance
The gentle breeze of the night blew at the world's edge. From the cliff, the ocean could be seen. On its side it had a deep indentation. The area looked to some like a giant mouth with stalagmites and stalactite teeth. It was as if those who fell from the world's back would be swallowed up by it.
In one swift motion, Bollux reached for his gun, its smooth surface reflecting the moon. At the same time, Giovanni and Proton made the same movements. All three weapons were revealed, two pointed at Bollux and one at Giovanni.
Bollux's right index finger slipped from the trigger to the base of his gun before he hesitated to lower it. "Give it up," Proton taunted, "even if you shoot one of us, the other will kill you. The boss doesn't fear risking his life. Do you fear losing yours?" Proton's expression was dark and fearless, as if he was above death itself.
Giovanni saw the doubt and fear in Bollux's pale green eyes. The so called leader of Tempest trembled; he was not a true leader. The scene made him think about the other person that he expected would show up, Poisona. Proton's investigation revealed that she was supposedly Tempest's second in command, but sometimes acted as the leader. Where was she? What was she planning? "I'm still interested in having a battle," Giovanni reminded, his face was full of confidence even beyond that of Proton. The full moon shone brightly in the skies, large and unreachable, as if shining upon him alone.
"You leave me no choice," Bollux tossed the gun a few feet away, where Proton picked it up. He reached for one of the pokeballs on his belt. Though trainers often preferred pokemon native to their homes, interregional trading had become more frequent in the recent years. In Bollux's case, he thought an 'unknown' pokemon would be a shortcut to power. What was from his perspective new and rare, seemed powerful in his eyes. "Gliscor!" Watching the pokemon emerge from the red beam of his pokeball, Bollux regained a little of his confidence. He still remained slightly doubtful, though that changed when he saw Giovanni's pokemon.
"Golem!" The red beam from Giovanni's pokeball revealed his long time pokemon. Even Proton seemed surprised. Giovanni had been switching his pokemon more often. He had not used his original team in a long time. He always seemed to be dissatisfied with his pokemon, searching for something they didn't have. Giovanni himself wasn't sure what he was looking for. All his pokemon were powerful, but something was missing.
Giovanni wanted to feel the guarantee of a victory. He didn't want to simply know the outcome of a battle because he knew of the difference in power. He wanted to sense that he would win; he wanted to believe it beyond logic. It was a sensation he had not had in a long time as he became more disconnected from his pokemon. Persian was an exception, but Giovanni never sent Persian out to battle, instead treating him as a spoiled pet. After watching his original pokemon battle at Cerulean, he began to rediscover that feeling of certain victory.
"A Golem? That's such a common pokemon!" Bollux made the mistake of underestimating Golem. His expression was flooded with undue relief. He almost threw his head back in laughter.
Golem observed the situation. He was angry at the opposing trainer who underestimated him. He didn't want to be seen as weak, though in the past he had times when he lost the will to fight. Delia returned; she was the one who truly took care of him and his companions. Plus the situation felt different. There was one other ally besides his trainer, wearing the uniform of Team Rocket. Golem didn't perceive the presence of other agents hiding anywhere. Giovanni didn't look like he had been pushed to a corner, he stood confident. It felt like the past had returned. It was as if once more Giovanni was willing to rely on him. The feeling was bittersweet to Golem. It reminded him of the day he evolved.
"Boss?" Proton couldn't help it but to give Giovanni a curious and somewhat puzzled look. Why Golem? He paid no mind to Bollux's foolish assumption that pokemon from other regions were strong simply because they were rare in Kanto. Even so, this was not the pokemon Proton expected Giovanni to choose.
"These pokemon fought strongly last time," Giovanni referred not only to Golem, but also Rhydon and Machamp, whom he also brought for the battle. 'I guess they just needed a break from battle,' the thought made little sense to Giovanni. From his perspective, training pokemon hard was the only way to make them stronger. 'All that matters is that they're strong again,' he told himself not to look too deeply into it. They were pokemon, they had power; there was little else to know.
"Such a common pokemon can never be strong!" Bollux argued. He glared at Giovanni's confident look. Bollux wasn't as brave as Poisona, but he wouldn't be underestimated. "Gliscor, poison jab!" Bollux felt as if he was standing face to face with his worse nightmare, then suddenly he found hope.
Gliscor went on the attack, but Golem didn't move. He was in no danger and he knew it. Giovanni was aware of that as well. The power difference between the two pokemon was very noticeable, especially to an experienced trainer. Bollux had spent too much time locked up and bitter. He was out of practice, not that he was too skilled to begin with. During his time with Venom in the past, he relied on the illegal power ups the Tempest Gang was known to use. Gliscor's tail collided against Golem's hard rock body with no effect what so ever. Gliscor barely brushed the surface of the solid stone, not being able to inject any poison.
Bollux stared in disbelief, disturbed by what he witnessed. A mere Kanto pokemon was standing up to his 'super rare' pokemon very easily. Without Poisona to guide him, Bollux was foolish. It was apparent why she never left his side despite her wish for her leadership of Tempest to be kept relatively quiet. Bollux was a leader in name only. "What is this, some kind of trick? I see, you've done something to power up your pokemon." Bollux glared bitterly, "how ironic, it was Tempest who used to do that in the past. We've lost our interest in such things lately. How ironic indeed. You saw that our way was the best and are using it against me now," Bollux's words were full of frustration. Poisona didn't want to bring too much attention to their group too soon. She decided that using power ups like Venom used to do would make them stand out too much, thus she forbade it.
Bollux had obeyed Poisona, believing Venom's sister to be the rightful new leader of Tempest and the best guide to follow. He had helped her organize Tempest with the few previous members who were willing to participate, plus new ones. He thought of nothing more than vengeance while he was in jail. He and his comrades had taken the blame for the crimes of both the Tempest Gang and Team Rocket.
"You fool!" Giovanni snapped, "your pokemon isn't as rare as you think. Besides, even if it was, you can't just get a rare pokemon and expect it to fight at its best. You have to train it." Giovanni's definition of training was different from what many would consider proper. None the less, the Rocket leader felt that there was a hidden irony in his words. Perhaps he should be taking his own advice. He disregarded the thought. Pokemon needed training, that was true, but they had to be strong to begin with, that was what he believed.
xoxox xox xoxox
While Giovanni and Bollux battled atop the cliff, Ariana and Delia approached their location on the road. The people and pokemon on the cliff were still little dots in the distance. None the less, they could tell that there was a battle going on judging by the rapid movement of those remote dots. The occasional flash of red light came and went when a defeated pokemon was called back and another was sent out to replace it.
Looking out the car's window, Delia noticed someone flying high above, riding on a pokemon. The pokemon lost altitude as it approached the cliff, as if wanting to sneak up on the people there. The flying pokemon aimed to land on the large cavern on the cliff's side. "What's that?" Delia searched through the equipment Ariana had in her car for a pair of binoculars.
"Friend, foe or a random passerby?" Ariana inquired, "my guess is on the second." She had not been informed of any reinforcements.
The electronic binoculars zoomed in on the target. It was a person with long lavender hair. The pokemon was something Delia was not familiar with. It was from a far away region that she had not visited in years, "is that a Mandibuzz? They can't be found in the wild in Kanto."
"Let's investigate," Ariana took a sharp turn and sped down a connecting road. It was narrow and not in great conditions in comparison to the main road. She stopped where they road ended, the trench ahead could not be crossed in a car, "go Honchkrow!" The flying pokemon stood with his wings slightly spread, searching for a battle target. He looked at Delia with distrust, "she's on our side," Ariana assured. "Let's go," she climbed on the pokemon followed by Delia.
The two women headed for the bottom of the cliff were the flying pokemon landed within the large indentation. They were hidden from being seen from the cliff above. The person riding the pokemon noticed the two others and stood ready to face them.
Ariana and Delia got off Honchkrow after landing in the cliff cavern. Giovanni, Proton and Bollux didn't realize they where there. It would be beneficial to take out Team Rocket, though that was not Poisona's true plan. The new Tempest was needed because she needed minions to do her bidding. The alliance with Neo Rocket also proved to be useful in Poisona's real plan.
Madame Boss and who she was in the past had been all but forgotten by most. She was a nameless shadow that commanded a modest portion of power in the underworld, but was not too involved. She was a shadow with no true alliances, a strategist who used those around her. Poisona was aware of that. She knew that Tempest and Neo Rocket were being used. It made no difference.
Poisona had made Tempest's situation look better than it was. Her plans were not to take over Team Rocket, Kanto or the world. It was something else entirely. She really wanted to kill Giovanni, but it didn't matter. When her plan was realized everything would end.
"I've seen you before," it was a long time ago, but Delia still had the recollection of that time among the chaos.
On that day, Delia had been rushing back to the original Team Rocket hideout with Giovanni. They had recently visited Pallet Town and received an urgent call on their way back. Their haste led to a chase through the Viridian Forest. Finally, they made it to the mountains between Pewter and Cerulean. A column of smoke could be seen, the hideout and the warehouse were on fire. The Tempest Gang was still fighting Team Rocket. Delia only looked at the flames for a short moment before she watched the battle. Tempest's pokemon were furious, yet lost. Everything happened rapidly from that point on, but Delia remembered it all.
"You were there when Tempest burned down Team Rocket's hideout and warehouse all those years ago," Delia realized. "You were there during the battles; you were there at the Viridian gym." Delia could almost feel the strength of Poisona's grudge.
"That's right, I'm Poisona, I'm sure you must remember my brother, Venom, since you and Giovanni murdered him," Poisona glared with unparallel anger.
"That's not true!" Delia desperately argued. "Venom experimented on himself. He mutated into a strange creature. The pokemon he tortured in his experiments attacked him," the memories were very unpleasant for Delia. Even if sad events came to mind when she thought about Team Rocket, she tried to stay optimistic when she remembered the past. She had many precious memories, even if she had long since awakened from her dream.
"Those creatures," Poisona looked at her own pokemon with disgust. "Humans should be the only living beings in the world. These creatures have no use for power. It's only natural a human would desire such power; it is only humans who can use it." Her red eyes seemed lost and empty, "That day, burning everything was my idea. Venom wanted to take the loot; he wanted to take every pokeball in the warehouse. I burned them all along with the pokemon in them. They all burned to ashes!" She screamed with a pained and psychotic expression. The breeze blew her lavender hair, it flew in front of her face, but she didn't seem to notice. Her eerie red eyes glared from behind the waves of lavender.
"How terrible!" Delia felt that she was reliving all the sorrow of that day. That time she had been caught in the moment and driven by the adrenaline of battle. Afterwards she tried not to think about it too much. There was a lot on her mind at the time; she had other things to focus on.
Ariana searched for a hint of purpose in Poisona's words. She felt as if there was a lot that remained hidden. "Is that your reason for causing trouble for Team Rocket again? You blame us for your brother's foolishness?"
"If pokemon didn't exist to tempt us with their power..." Poisona's mind went back to a time long ago.
xoxox xox xoxox
In Poisona's memories, she was at her house with her parents and brother. It was a cozy little house on the outskirts of Lavender Town. The white picked fence had been freshly painted and the garden was taken good care of. The area was a little lonely and some would call it solemn. The charming little house stood out in the unfitting atmosphere. From its light yellow walls to its pale brown triangular roof, everything about it was soothing.
The white front door was opened and two children stepped outside. The boy was the oldest; he had cyan hair and red eyes. His younger sister had identical eyes and lavender hair. The front yard was filled with flowers that some would think were impossible to grow in that area. The boy threw a pokeball and from its red beam emerged a little Charmander. The children played together with the small pokemon until the sun started to set and they were called inside for dinner.
Those were happy times from long ago. It was on that fateful night that everything changed. There was a fire in the house, flames consumed it all. Only the two children made it out alive. The girl's faded memories contained images of standing in front of a burning house, watching the flames consume it. She felt helpless and weak. She couldn't save her brother or parents.
Help arrived and in the end the boy made it out alive. He was hospitalized for a long time having inhaled too much smoke. After the boy was released from the hospital, his sister was all he had in the world. His Charmander had died on the night of the fire.
The girl would always blame her brother's Charmander for the catastrophe, though no proof of the accusation was ever found. The official police records remained a mystery to most. She hated pokemon. She considered them to be dangerous and stronger than they deserved. She followed her brother in his quest for power. If he obtained the power of those creatures, he would keep her and their new friends safe.
She took on the name Poisona. She always found pleasure in watching her brother's experiments. Her purpose was different from Venom's. What she wanted was something far more sinister.
xoxox xox xoxox
"Confuse ray!" Poisona snapped into reality at Ariana's voice. Honchkrow attacked Mandibuzz with a powerful confuse ray. Mandibuzz tried to resist it but could not.
The bits and pieces of faded memories were thrown into the back of Poisona's mind and buried there. She fell silent for a moment before her expression turned psychotic, "goodbye," she took what at first glance looked like a pokeball from the belt over her Tempest uniform. She pressed the button on the red and white circular item. Instead of opening it and releasing a pokemon, she quickly threw it. The pokeball shaped grenade collided with the cave wall near Ariana and Delia. It exploded on impact with a bright light and a loud noise.
The explosion caused the entire cliff to shake. The noise and vibrations alerted those atop the cliff of the danger, but they couldn't see what was happening in the cavern below. The avalanche of falling rocks rained on Delia and Ariana. Surprisingly, Mandibuzz protected them along with Honchkrow in her confusion. The impact left Mandibuzz terribly injured after taking the worse part of the avalanche. Honchkrow made it out with only minor bruises and scratches. "You useless creature!" Poisona yelled in fury at Mandibuzz's actions. "It doesn't matter, I have no time for this," she released an Ariados from a pokeball. "Get me up that cliff," she climbed on the Ariados back. Ariados began to climb the cavern walls. He carefully made it to the side of the cliff and prepared to pull himself up with his web.
Delia and Ariana struggled to get out from under Mandibuzz, Honchkrow and the rocks. "Why did you protect us?" Delia reached to try to comfort her, but quickly retreated when Mandibuzz tried to peck her.
"Be careful, we can't trust her," Ariana cautioned. "She only helped us because she didn't know the difference between her own trainer and the enemy."
"She's hurt, we have to help her and stop Poisona," Delia didn't want any more sacrifices to be made.
Ariana was about to reply but stopped, something in the distance caught her attention. It was a man riding on a Braviary, "there's no time for that. Hurry up and stop Poisona. Giovanni must know something's going on after all this noise, but you could still help out. I'm going to stop that guy." Ariana jumped on Honchkrow's back and took off in pursuit of the Braviary.
"We can't just leave Mandibuzz!" Delia called after Ariana, who didn't stop. A loud bang pierced the air. It came from somewhere beyond her view. "Go Kingler!" Delia quickly released one of her pokemon. "I'll be back for you," she assured the injured Mandibuzz. She then looked at Kingler intensely, "this is going to be a challenge, but I know you can do it. Help me climb up the cliff, if you can grab on with your pincers, I know we can make it up."
Kingler started to climb up the cliff as Delia instructed. She held on to him and they progressed up the cavern towards the cliff side. Kingler buried his pincers into the rocks with a strong grip and climbed.
Poisona and her Ariados came into view on the cliff. "You should have stayed under those rocks!" She tried to shoot Ariana and Honchkrow, but missed. She wasn't paying attention to Delia and Kingler, who made their way up, hiding behind the protuberant rocks on the cliff side.
"Be careful Kingler," Delia whispered, "now aim carefully at Poisona's weapon and use bubble!" Kingler released a multitude of bubbles that effectively knocked the gun out of the enraged Poisona's hand.
In the night sky above, Honchkrow and Braviary performed all sorts of aerial maneuvers to try to gain the advantage. The man riding on the Braviary was Solo, who came armed with a bag full of grenades. He threw one of the explosives at Ariana and Honchkrow, but they quickly dodged it.
"Weavile!" Ariana released another of her pokemon. Weavile emerged from her pokeball, riding on Honchkrow along with her trainer. "Get ready Weavile. Honchkrow, get as close as you can. Weavile, jump on Braviary as soon as you get the chance."
The two flying pokemon circled each other in the air. Unfortunately, Braviary was faster than Honchkrow. Because of that, Weavile was having trouble following Ariana's plan. To make matters worse, Solo kept throwing grenades at them.
Delia and Poisona were still hidden from view from the top of the cliff. Giovanni and Proton saw Ariana fly up to battle the man with the grenades on the Braviary. "That Braviary is too fast," Proton realized, "go Crobat, flight right into that Braviary face!" Crobat hurried to do what his trainer commanded. He skillfully avoided the incoming grenades and lashed on to the larger pokemon's face. Braviary flew wildly, in discomfort.
Solo fought to get rid of the pokemon that prevented Braviary from seeing were he was going, while trying not to fall off. By the time he managed to pull Crobat off, he saw a Weavile standing right behind him on Braviary's back. Braviary continued flying wildly, trying to throw Weavile off his back. "Weavile, night slash!" Ariana called out.
Weavile didn't hesitate to attack Solo. She slashed with her sharp claws ripping the green T on his shirt in half. The attack knocked him off Braviary and he fell to the ocean below. Before he could hit the water, Braviary dove after him. The flying pokemon caught the back of Solo's belt with his claws and held him in mid air.
Weavile threw the sack of remaining grenades over her shoulder and jumped off Braviary onto Honchkrow, who flew near by. Ariana received the sack of grenades with a mischievous grin. Solo was still dangling from Braviary's paw by his belt. He looked at Ariana fearfully.
Ariana threw a grenade at Solo. Simultaneously, Braviary's claws cut through the leather of his belt as the pokemon gripped it too tightly. As a result, Solo was sent falling into the ocean again. Braviary gained altitude to dodge the grenade, which passed between the flying pokemon and his falling trainer.
Below, the cliff was shaken by a violent earthquake courtesy of Golem. Giovanni knew there was someone hidden behind the curve of the cliff but he didn't know who. "Hold on Kingler!" Kingler's strong grip proved to be effective.
Up on the cliff Giovanni heard Delia and recognized her voice. If Ariana was there, he should have guessed Delia wouldn't be too far away. Ariana's mission was to keep her out of trouble, though the executive gave it her own interpretation. The Rocket leader looked at Bollux. He was down to his last pokemon, Linoone. "This battle has already been decided," Giovanni declared, "I'm going to get Delia, keep an eye on him, Proton." Giovanni released Machamp from his pokeball, "let's climb down, don't fall." Machamp looked surprised, but nodded slowly, shocked but happy to be trusted. He used his multiple arms and strong grip to climb down the cliff with Giovanni on his back. It was too slippery for a human to make it down without the proper equipment.
Bollux felt defeated and afraid, "don't talk about me as if I'm not listening," he choked out the words as he fell to his knees. "Linoone do... something!"
"You really are pathetic, you know that?" Proton laughed. He couldn't help it but to think they were completely missing something. Then again, maybe without Ariana and Delia things would have been a little different. Then the grenade throwing little cheat and whoever else was hidden in the cliff might have taken them by surprise. "It seems the boss left me in charge of your fate. What should I do with you?" Needless to say, restraining Bollux and taking away all his pokemon was easy.
Machamp and Giovanni made it to the side of the cliff on time to witness the end of Delia and Poisona's fight. Kingler had one pincer wrapped up in string. He had blocked the attack to protect Delia. He held on to the cliff with his other pincer.
"It's over!" Poisona prepared to throw the last grenade she carried.
"You've caused enough damage with those!" Delia jumped from Kingler to Ariados, fighting Poisona for the grenade.
The explosive slipped out of Poisona's hand and fell into the ocean below. It was time to retreat. Poisona let go of Ariados and fell to the ocean where Solo was struggling to stay afloat against the waves. Ariana had not allowed Braviary to get him out of the water.
"Delia!" Giovanni extended his hand to Delia, pulling her onto Machamp. Ariados screeched and looked as if he would attack. But Machamp was faster, "mega kick!" Ariados was kicked right off the cliff. As he fell, Ariados shot a string to attach himself to the lower portion of the cliff below where he stayed unsure of what to do.
The weakened Braviary was having trouble staying in the air. He flapped his wings tiredly and made an emergency landing on the cliff side cavern. The injured Mandibuzz was still there and Ariados heading towards them. It seemed that was the only relatively safe area from their point of view.
Delia recalled Kingler into his pokeball. Machamp returned to the top of the cliff with Delia and Giovanni. Proton had Bollux tied up, while Persian sat regally, supervising everything. Solo and Poisona made it to the cliff, they held on to the rocks there to avoid being pushed underwater by the waves. The cliff was too slippery to climb. Ariana flew above them on Honchkrow with Weavile at her side. Proton's Crobat flew near by.
Delia breathed in relief that the battle was over. "Now we just need to get them out of the water. We also need to tend to the injured pokemon in the cavern."
"You need to tell me why you're here," Giovanni added. He didn't expect Delia to show up and join the fight, especially not in a Team Rocket uniform.
"Don't blame Ariana, it was my idea," Delia wasn't sure how to begin to explain things. "I wanted to make sure everything turned out alright. Ariana wanted to help too." Delia's version of alright' might be different from Giovanni's and they were both aware of that detail, but didn't bring it up. "Anyway, like it or not, I ended up involved with Team Rocket again." She walked to the edge of the cliff remembering the first time she stood there long ago. "With all that's happening and all that we need to talk about, I think I'll be around for a while." She looked at the glowing moon and endless horizon. She looked back at Giovanni and made herself smile, trying to remain positive amidst the complicated situation.
Giovanni watched Delia standing at the edge of the world. The breeze blew her long brown hair and the moonlight shone on her. She smiled and he saw something he had not seen in a long time. She was radiant.
To be Continued
Disclaimer, I don't own Pokemon. This chapter has pokemon from all the different regions up to generation five. I said it wasn't the end of the diamondshipping! It's only the beginning. There will also be pokeshipping in the future of this story. Diamond 65 has an extra dose of rocketshipping for all the JessiexJames fans.


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Backtolife said...
I have to say I'm finding it hard to run Kara because people want a quick run and well geared players. I have done heroics and geared myself up outside the raid arena. I have some season 1 gear but most are the better blues to increase hit rating and such.
I am a but frustrated at not being able to get in Kara as I'm continually overlooked for better geared players and every guild I try join want experience. Everyone started somewhere without experience and it doesn't help the newer players of the game when they can't get in.
Hopefully when everyone is back at square 1 with the WotLK I might get a look in so until then I might aswell bring an alt up to lvl 70 so I can have a different angle to try and get accepted into raids. Healers seem in short supply on our server so I've started one of those.


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I have the ip address for my router, but when I put it in I go to a verizon page that asks for my sign in name and password. How can I find out what those are?
10-13-2011 04:17 AM - edited 10-13-2011 04:18 AM
Should default to userid admin and password (serial number on sticker of router). Typical installs used the original default of admin and password "password" or chaned the password to "password1", but should have changed at some time to the serial number.
Note, e.g. my case, they must have something wrong as the password of the serial number does not work. So in that case you can do a modem reset (hold recessed button on back of router about 10 seconds until all the lights blink and it reboots). After a reset, depending on firmware, it should either reset to admin/password or ask you when you try and login to select a userid and password.
Tram20 wrote:
I have the ip address for my router, but when I put it in I go to a verizon page that asks for my sign in name and password. How can I find out what those are?
Push and hold for 10 seconds the reset button on the router .
Then when you enter 192.168.1.1 into your broswer the login screen will come up and the userid will be admin and you will be propmted for a new password. Use whatever you like, just remember what you enter.
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Underage, drunk Del. girl demanded her own arrest
She then changed her mind, kicking and spitting at cops
By Stephanie Farr
A Delaware woman who demanded that state troopers take her to jail was later charged with resisting arrest, according to police.
About 6 a.m. Saturday at the Super Lodge Motel, in New Castle, troopers responding to a complaint were approached by Teiera Rider, 20, who cursed at them while "demanding" to be taken to jail, police said.
Full story: ...
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I signed up for audible to receive a free audiobook of Infinite Jest, a $75 dollar value for free! However, I forgot to unsubscribe.
Six months later, I had five credits for audiobooks. Looks like it wasn't such a bad mistake after all!
I signed up for audible to receive a free audiobook of Infinite Jest, a $75 dollar value for free! However, I forgot to unsubscribe.
Six months later, I had five credits for audiobooks. Looks like it wasn't such a bad mistake after all!
They look so amazing. Don't you agree? Let me know if you want to read one of these with me. :3
Yuh, I've read this.
Dostoevsky tackled free will, Tolstoy the meaning of life – but is it still possible to write philosophical novels?
At St Andrews University in the early 1970s, philosophy was still a required subject for entry into an honours course. To leave the way clear for reading modern languages, I decided that the requirement would best be dispatched in my first year. Before I knew it, I was hooked and ended up dropping one of the languages in favour of a joint degree in moral philosophy and Russian. For me it seemed the dream ticket. Russian literature was awash with existential difficulties and moral disorder, from the problem of free will in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov (1880) to the meaning of life itself inTolstoy's War and Peace (1869) – not to mention all the ungovernable passions, suicide, murder and suffering humanity encountered along the way. Philosophy on the other hand, with its categorical imperatives and systematic approach to concepts of right and wrong, would provide a disciplined moral analysis.
It didn't quite work out that way. What I discovered was that while philosophy and philosophers were good at asking questions and setting out arguments, their engagement with truth was often woefully abstract, and a world away from the stuff of novels, or what we might call "fictional truth". The two forms are, of course, very different. A philosophical theory sets out its stall in a particular way: first a, then b, in order to establish c. The analytical style rigidly separates reason from imagination, precision from imprecision.
The novelist and philosopher Iris Murdoch spoke, in a 1978 interview, of "a certain cold clear recognisable voice" necessary to philosophy, one that has "a special unambiguousness and hardness about it". She might have added that it is a voice unsuited to reflecting the actuality of people's lives or "the close connexion of bliss and bale", as Henry James put it in his preface to What Maisie Knew (1897).
The more novels I read at university, the more I felt that fiction was where truth was to be discovered. I seemed to experience Melville's "shock of recognition"; which is to say re-cognition, for it was there already, waiting to be reawakened – the knowledge that some things, not least what it is that makes us human, can never be adequately expressed in conventional philosophical prose.
It is not immediately obvious why this should be. From ancient times, philosophers have addressed the question of how best to live; which is also, quintessentially, the concern of storytellers everywhere, especially those engaged in "serious fiction". The pursuit of knowledge and truth – this too is common ground, and if only Plato had seen it that way, he might not have banned the poets from his Republic. But Plato regarded the poets – the forerunners of novelists – as troublesome and lacking in the right kind of knowledge (not pure enough). They dealt in dangerous emotions – fear, sorrow, pity – all of which weakened the character and led to moral degeneration. Philosophy and literature were set on different paths.
After reading for a degree in both subjects, however, I came to understand two things: that the puzzles and paradoxes of philosophical reflection are not best aired in the narrow, arid corridors of philosophical tracts; and that Plato was wrong to think that literature had nothing to offer philosophy. It is one thing to study John Stuart Mill's defence of utilitarianism in ethics; quite another to read the passage in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment (1866), where Raskolnikov tests utilitarianism to its limits by taking an axe and cleaving an old lady's head in two. Illustrations of this sort might even persuade us that moral philosophy needs the novel for the fullest possible expression of its aims.
(via collinesjaune)
DFW on Commercial Literature and Reading
The young lady. He has pointed out a young lady to you. She is there between two rows of bookshelves in the shop, looking among the Penguin Modern Classics, running a lovely and determined finger over the pale aubergine-colored spines. Huge, swift eyes, complexion of good tone and good pigment, a richly waved haze of hair.
And so the Other Reader makes her happy entrance into your field of vision, Reader, or rather, into the field of your attention; or, rather, you have entered a magnetic field from whose attraction you cannot escape. Don't waste time, then, you have a good excuse to strike up a conversation, a common ground, just think a moment, you can show off your vast and various reading, go ahead, what are you waiting for?
Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Country: United States
Genre: Fiction; Science-Fiction; Satire
Date of Publication: 1963
Vonnegut's 1963 satirical science fiction novel still manages to pack a powerfully subversive punch whose thematic elements—nuclear terror, the complications of science,…
It's amazing how many things I have in common with the writer, Kevin. I also read Slaughterhouse Five, then Cat's Cradle. Great review.
January 5, 1960: Albert Camus is dead.
(via fuckyeahexistentialism)


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NASHVILLE, Ill., Aug. 15 (UPI) — Albert Brown, who survived the Bataan Death March in the Pacific Theater during World War II, has died at 105, his biographer said.
Brown, of Pinckneyville, Ill., the oldest American survivor of the 1942 forced march that claimed the lives of as many as 11,000 Allied soldiers captured by the Japanese in the Philippines, died Sunday in Nashville, Ill., Kevin Moore, the author of a biography about Brown, told The New York Times.
The American War Library in California lists Brown as the oldest American veteran of World War II, though the Times said that could not be confirmed.
Brown was an Army captain when he and about 76,000 captured Americans and Filipinos were made to march 66 miles on the Bataan peninsula under horrendous conditions and brutal treatment by their Japanese captors.
Brown witnessed other prisoners shot to death and was regularly beaten during his three years in captivity. When freed after the Japanese surrender, the 6-footer weighed 90 pounds.
The Nebraska native was later promoted to major and spent two years in an Army hospital after the war. He moved to Los Angeles where he invested in real estate.
In the 1980s, he moved to Illinois to live with one of his children.
He is survived by two children, 12 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and 19 great-great-grandchildren. His wife of 58 years, the former Helen Johnson, died in 1985.


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Adventure #265: Playa Hateron April 21, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Posted In: Comics
Brett talking to people?! People who are girls?! Oh my will the farcities ever end?!
Thank goodness for comics, my only ice-breaker.
smooth moves~
Man, popping your collar on command without touching it would be cool….
You were doing really good too until you POPPED YOUR COLLAR!!! What is this, a John Mayer concert?
Hahahah, I don't quite remember it being this way. This version is more amusing, though.
Also, one goof: Emily doesn't have glasses, only I do.
This strip gives me an odd sense of deja vu…
Wait…since when did you talk to girls?