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A/N: Alright! so this is what happens when my buddies and I Decide to have a little fun. Just to get an idea of how the concept started we were watching Sailor Moon and talking about what would happen if you were to place Senshi into not normal pairings. What would happen? well we are about to find out. I was ordered to write this fiction into a chapter 1 and if enough people like it I will work on it as a Side series for people Who think TSK is just too in depth.
She's With Who?
I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON! ...if i did... DIC would have NEVER EVER EVERRRRRRRR gotten to dub it!
Chapter 1: Teenage Confusion: Not quite a Fairytale kiss!
The sun was shining brightly as Setsuna spent the afternoon reading a letter she had received from Saeko early that morning. They had been sending confidential letters back and forth for quite some time now regarding Senshi matters. Ami's mother had found out quite recently when an EKG machine had an accident when a youma possessed it. Over time Setsuna had become a constant contact for Saeko as far as Senshi matters. Recently however, topics were headed into a far different direction, The two of them had decided to send a diary back and forth regarding the thoughts hey had about Senshi matters and the people it happen to involve. Most noteworthy their respective children.
Setsuna took a sip of her decaffeinated coffee as she read the page of questions and concerns. It seemed odd that this type of thing was exchanged between them in such a manner, yet it still held value. Setsuna had been doing the same with Rei's grandfather for over a year, yet he played dumb when it came to Rei's Senshi powers. In reality, all of the parents of the inner's were involved in this diary book. It was an outlet many needed and a source of support that their parent would not have had otherwise. Setsuna was happy to be apart of it, she being the eldest of Senshi had the most experience, and also the most fear for her far younger comrades in arms.
It stood to reason, once a child sneaks out so many times, once she use the same excuse to leave the dinner table day after day, and once she wakes up with more injuries than a football player having gone to bed with not even a scratch, something was being hidden. Magic and powers were well and good, it kept the general public from seeing into who was behind the transformation. Family and people who raised you, these were people who often saw through the magic quite easily, after that, it would only be a matter of time until the equations of the questions were solved.
The topics had quickly gone from beast slaying, into aging and what to expect as far as the future went. Even if everything under the sun was voiced over again and again, one thing was left clearly unspoken until a few weeks back when Hotaru started to gain a sort of a crush on another Senshi. Now in a matter of weeks Setsuna had been writing a flurry of diary entries to keep up with all of the parents. Phone calls and even a few meetings at the Outer's home had been arranged because of the new complexity that had risen.
Setsuna closed her eyes momentarily as she thought of how to respond. There weren't any good ways to start, so instead of writing a carefully thought out response, she replied as one would in her position. A worried and loving parent who knew that being a Senshi held a few difficult realities. This issue, if one could call it that, being one of them. Though it was stated by many of the parents that they had long suspected their child to have interest in the same gender, none had really heavily assumed that it was cause for worry. After all, once you get over the shock of what a Senshi is, the gender of the person they decide to have relations with seems to be a trivial matter. After finding a clean page in the diary, Setsuna began to write.
It starts simply enough. A small graze of the hand. The flicker in another persons eyes, and the smile that you want to show the world when your near them. Then it continues into complexity. Do you like them as more than a friend? Could they possibly like you back. As logic states, hormones don't seem to help in this fact and often times one has to wonder the many questions teenage life offers. Who am I? What will I become? Will I have a large family? Will I be alone? These are all simple questions time will answer for today's youth.
Now while all of this is well and good I am a time mage of roughly six thousand years. I may not be middle aged yet, since for my bloodline I am still quite young. Yet time has ways of reminding me that although I have seen a lot in my years, I have not seen it all. This was proven a few weeks ago, when a child whom I have looked after with my friends came too us with quite a few odd questions.
These question were not out of normalcy for a normal child mind you. However when your family and friends are anything but normalcy these questions can end up being quite problematic. We are Senshi, defenders of the Moon Kingdom, can live for well over a thousand years, and can blast away youma in the blink of an eye, yet we are still humans capable of love and in effect, emotions that often cloud the minds of most hormone ridden youth.
Now back to the child in question, no longer quite the child I used too know, she has caught up in age nicely. Soon she will no longer require guidance as far as having parents go. However it seems the ways of the heart are another matter entirely. Hotaru is now seventeen years old, and fully capable of knowing what it is that's going on with the changes in both body and mind. What she lacks is a sense of comfort within herself.
Hotaru is the Senshi of death and destruction, our Sailor Saturn. Most would view her as a person to be feared, yet she is far from what her reputation states. She would never harm a soul out of vengeance, actually quite the opposite. Most would cause harm on her before she would ever want to harm them. She smiles her simple smile and acts as if everything is perfect within the world. She pretends that even the news on the television does not exist, if only to lessen the truth of how cruel life can be.
This is the way our daughter, if one could even call her that, lives her life for the time of peace we have been given. I for one know that even if all is right with Senshi matters, a new monster approaches quickly. This one I fear cannot be beaten away with my time staff, nor can I shoo it away as if it were a shadow playing on the wall, or a monster under the bed. Haruka, the child's paternal figure thus far, hates the fact that we can not seem to fix this matter so simply. Michiru, like myself knew this foe would come one day. This is the monster known as adolescence and early adulthood.
All of the Senshi are growing older, and while they have all toyed with the idea of romance, very few have thought about it in a matter of seriousness. A few flings were as far as it had ever gone, and at the time it was as far as it had ever needed to go. Now the issue in why no one ever thought seriously on the matter at hand was simple. Truth of Senshi life had not taken over, now that the glamor has subsided in what being a Senshi is and we have no real battles to fight currently, real fear has taken hold. Unlike normal youth, there is a well and true fear of being alone as a Senshi. We life for well over a normal human lifespan, because of this common logic states that you would find solace with people who also bore your curse.
Now in all of this we have one final issue. One that should be easily looked past bar the fact that it is a physical blockade only. All of the Senshi among us on earth currently, are in fact female. The only acceptation to this rule is Mamoru, and he is already happily spoken for. Now, for some like our friend Minako, this poses little issue. For others such as Ami or dare I say Hotaru herself, the subject matter on how to deal with this fact become far more discrete and thus, more difficult to handle.
Setsuna had paused in her writing when she noted Hotaru slamming the front door and muttered a few curses as she walked up too her room. Setsuna sighed as she placed her eyes back too the paper, This was becoming a common occurrence lightly and sadly, no one could ease the youngest Senshi.
"This totally sucks! Talk about a day from hell! First I wake up with my period, then I forget my math work at home. I forgot to pack a lunch, and had no money on me to buy one. Then I find out I have a test in my home economics class next week and I have no idea what I can bake as a desert!" Hotaru ranted on as she plopped down into her bed. The stress of the day replayed as she placed her face into her pillow and cursed a few more times before Michiru came to the room to try and console the overly stressed out teenager.
"Hotaru, are you alright?" Michiru said knocking on the door. Michiru received no answer, so she attempted a second time. "Hotaru? May I come in?" The muffled voice came through the wooden door yet again pleading to be allowed to offer help, or at the very least a shoulder.
Hotaru relented and allowed her motherly figure entrance into the dark room. The blinds were closed and the only light came from the computer monitor and a very small lamp. Even in the dim light Michiru noticed the blotted makeup, proof of the crying that must have taken place earlier. Hotaru told her of the day she had to deal with and her over all stress dealing with her who her ride home happened to be with, it was also the Senshi that her emotions seemed to deal heavily with, Makoto.
The thunder Senshi had not noticed the tension that built within Hotaru as of late, and for the most part busied herself with her own inner thoughts. It was clear to everyone that while Hotaru was the youngest Senshi among them, she was not omitted from the emotional havoc that was taking place. Michiru's advice was always the same. "Just tell her how you feel, I know it can be difficult, but you stewing in here doesn't solve anything." she said as she was brushing away a few strands of hair that seemed to want to hang in Hotaru's eyes.
"Oh yeah, that'll really work mom!" Hotaru retaliated as she paced in frustration. "I just go right up too her and say 'Makoto I love you.. Or at least I think I do.' Mom she's been hurt the most out of all of us as far as relationships go!" Hotaru stressed that point time and time again. No one knew that as a child she had paid such close attention to detail, apparently they were wrong.
"Alright, so you don't say that. What will you do, wait for her to come to you?" Michiru said as she stood in front of Hotaru to make her stop in her tracks. She placed her hands on her daughters shoulders in a calm demand that noted she wanted Hotaru to listen closely. "I may not know what will happen between the two of you. I don't even think Setsuna has an answer for you. If you want her, then go and get her! If I would have waited for Haruka lord knows it would have never happened." Michiru said forgoing words like Papa and Mama to make a point.
"You know what, why don't you go impart that wisdom on Minako and leave me to stew in peace! Lord knows she's wanted to get her hands on a particular blue haired Senshi for a while now." Hotaru said as she backed away shaking her head in protest. She felt bad for Minako, she really did. For as much as the blond spoke about being a Senshi goddess of love, she sure as hell was fearful of it. If it was a game then all would be fine, but heaven forbid the woman go for the real love of her life.
"What does Minako being in love with Ami have to do with you?" Michiru sighed as she sat down on the bed, she knew exactly where this rant was going. Settling in for the long haul she only half listened as Hotaru stated the obvious.
"You mean besides the fact she's sharing a two bedroom apartment with Makoto!" Hotaru half yelled in general annoyance. It wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, just her method of releasing her bottled up frustration. "The two of them are really good friends. In fact I've bet they passed that border, I'll go as far as to say they are in a closeted relationship no one knows about having sex every night!" The Senshi of destruction finished annoyed.
Michiru scratched her eyebrow and sighed when she heard that wonderful call out. She didn't know what was more outrageous, the fact that Hotaru thought Makoto was being intimate with her best friend, or the fact that it was being closeted when no one really cared anyway. "Alright, calm down." Michiru said sighing at the continually bogus ideas stemming from her daughters' mouth. "If I prove too you that the two are in no way, shape, or form, sleeping with each other will you at the very least take into consideration the fact that Makoto might not reject you?" the Senshi of the Sea tried to use logic.
"They'll deny it!" Hotaru tried again with ridiculous ideas that was only spurred further by the fact she was already stressed out from the day. "Think on it, they have a good thing going! No one will point and laugh, no one will hate them! Face it we already hide enough why not hide the fact they get a good lay too!" Hotaru said before she heard a loud band followed by a very confused Haruka sticking her head into the room from an above ceiling panel. Covered in dust and what looked to be cobwebs, clearly she had been cleaning the attic when she had heard that admission.
"What in the hell? Who's getting laid?" Haruka asked only hearing part of the conversation. Getting only an eye roll in response as Hotaru plopped down onto the bed again and this time let herself fall onto her back so she faced a corner of the ceiling. Michiru mouthed the two names for the sake of simplicity and Haruka immediately omitted herself from the conversation. She knew better than to say anything if Makoto was in the topic at the current moment.
"Alright, I have proposition for you." Michiru said gaining the interest of both parties as Haruka shoved her head back into the room before the woman in aqua threw a book in the general direction of the blond. A good sign that she was not to be in on this portion of the conversation. After they heard Haruka resume her work Michiru continued. "If I get Minako to confess her love to Ami, then you must do the same to Makoto. However if I turn out to be right, then you have to clean my art studio every three days, top to bottom for a month!" Michiru suggested on a bet. This was something that had seemed to become a common occurrence within the outers household. Betting on things turned the more stressful things in life into a sort of game of chance. Some time it worked, others it didn't.
"Hmm alright, but if I end up being right, then you owe me that shed that you said I couldn't have to build my lamps in!" Hotaru wagered sure she would be correct. As Hotaru grew older, her enjoyment in building things grew. Haruka naturally had a fondness for tinkering with different things and with the help of Makoto who worked as an apprentice electrician a continuous hobby became building custom lamps. Space in the garage had become hard to come by with the many cars, and when Makoto brought up the idea of a separate shed Hotaru had her mind set on finding a way to get it.
Michiru knew that would be the most likely wager and she agreed to the bet. That night resumed as it normally would. Setsuna cooked dinner, Haruka made a oil track leading from the garage into the bathroom that had been installed for that primary reason. Then it was homework, and television before bed. Setsuna was the last to go to her room as she spent her time reading from the large textbook in front of her, a highlighter dangling from her mouth as she recounted some old records and highlighted the important ones.
The dreams of childhood had long past the Senshi, and instead most pursued careers that not only were they well versed in, but also had the abilities already at their disposal. Setsuna had become a history teacher in light of having lived through the events that actually took place. The history she taught was not only well within her lifetime, it was very recent compared to the more outlandish occurrences of the Senshi that she happily could omit. Her late night reading would prove to be useful in the class the following week when the class would discuss World War II.
While the outers house became quiet for sleep, the apartment Makoto and Ami shared was waking up as the sun was setting. Makoto became an apprentice electrician, she had not completed her training but she had bypassed any written testing easily since her element also happened to be her job. For the first time she was actually top of her class, and studying wasn't even needed. There was one downside too her job. A fear that she constantly had to face down, and she was not the most pleased about it. Much of her work had to be done in a cherry picker. This wasn't the most ideal of situations, but as she quickly learned by accident, she was not easily harmed by the electric current in the wires unless she was dealing with power lines, and even then, her own attack were far stronger than the current with in the lines, so even if it hurt, it was never fatal.
Going into the shower Makoto did a mental check of the locations she would be surveying that night, thankful that this particular night she would be able to remain on the ground. There was a new apartment building being built and she was to aid in attaching the breakers and grounds to the proper locations. This would be her task for the next week at least. Night shifts were harder to deal with, but on big projects such as this it was a necessity. As she rinsed the lather from her hair one final time, she turned the water to a far cooler temperature as she exited and placed on her towels on and made a beeline for her bedroom. In the midst of this she passed a sleepy eyed Ami who was on her way to her nighttime wakeup call.
Ami for her part took a route no one would have guessed. A doctor, an nurse, hell even a rocket scientist would have been a better guess than what she was actually studying to be. The ever intuitive Ami, the one who was by far the smartest and most resourceful logically had her heart set on being in the field of law enforcement and had been taking classes at the local police academy. She planned her classes so that she would pull a back too back coarse session every three days while still having her morning and afternoon ones every day. As she entered the shower the utterance of a few choice words signaled she was being woken up by the rather freezing water.
Makoto laughed at her friend's rather crass terminology. It was one thing she had learned very quickly when she and Ami got a larger space so that rent was cheaper. Ami didn't curse very often, and never in public, but in the morning or when she was waking up she could possibly be far more crass than Makoto herself. As she placed some coffee on the table Ami stumbled in dressed and a towel on her head as she lay face down on the table. Makoto couldn't resist the temptation to jokingly harass her friend. "Ya know, when you lay like that you look like Usagi." She said taking a sip of her own coffee.
Ami wordlessly responded with her middle finger earning a laugh from tall brunette. "Perhaps another time I have to get to work." Makoto said she ran too the door as Ami shot up from her seat to chase after her highly annoyed. "EW! That's the most- Dammit! get back here!" That was the life of the two friends. Idiocy in the down time of being a Senshi had become a good stress relief, or in Ami's case a good way to unleash a different side of her self that normally her mother had only seen in early mornings before she went to school.
Even if they were all out of school now for the most part, it didn't stop them from running into each other. Rei was on her way back to the shrine when she noted Ami chasing Makoto down the street. In a way it was liberating to see the most down to earth person running half way down the block with a hair towel still on her head and only one shoe on. The other had fallen off a few paces back. The best part was the fact that even if Ami used to be the most studious, she was also now the most laid back as far as what people saw of her. It was not uncommon to walk into the apartment and see the blue haired young woman her housecoat all day long when she had a day off. Though in her defense, days off came few and very far between, she had every right to be that lax considering how rare the occurrence was.
Rei had found herself a rather off job after she decided running the shrine would be too much for her once her grandfather passed on. She was currently working for an antique artist. Often taking fine metals and melting them down, they would make the small silver cups and fine china for the people who collected the small trinkets. Some people wanted them for doll houses, others sought to have items repaired or to have them engraved. A great many tasks kept Rei busy all the time. The need for finer details often gave Rei the ability to go into a state of pure concentration, often focusing on one small piece of metal through a spectacle. The extreme heat of the flames that she had to keep constantly burning only aided in her ability to remain calm. When she returned to the shrine her night came to a close as she ate the dinner her grandfather had left her to heat up.
She ate her meal quietly, though she helped the shrine out when ever she had the time, she was not the one who would inherit the shrine. It was unclear what would happen too it afterwards but Rei would do the best she could. She finished her meal before showering and looking to up too the stars from the small wooden deck outside of her room. As she looked to the sky, and then down in front of her, she noted Minako was on her way home from the pub she worked at part time. She was actually taking morning classes to become a Physical Education teacher, in the early evening she focused of bartending just to make some extra money.
Rei smiled a soft smile. She could sense a joyful feeling in the depth of her heart and laughed. It was basic knowledge to Rei that Minako liked Ami and had deep feelings for the bluenette. It was also of basic knowledge due to the fire Hotaru had an interest in one of the inners, though Rei was not sure of what one. The miko on the other hand had a far different attraction. Although it was not one she would voice openly, no not by a long shot. The person she held feelings for was spoken for by a blond that would tear her to shreds if she even tried, not that she would ever attempt it mind you. Yet as she drifted to sleep her mind wandered to the very person of her desires, a small smile on her lips.
The next day, the Senshi morning rush ensued. Hotaru overslept as she panicked running full speed to school effectively almost mowing down a dead tired Ami, who still had her earplugs in from firearms training, and a Makoto who's work belt was slumped over and her clothes smelt of drywall. Screaming an apology Hotaru ran faster so she would at least make the second bell. Haruka was driving to her morning class that she took every Friday. It was for air gliding, her new favorite extreme sport.
Michiru was walking briskly quite a few feet behind Hotaru carrying text books and her own lesson plan. She had recently got her degree for performing arts and taught third hour band and fifth and sixth hour art classes. This was the most common morning rout for the Senshi as they greeted each other in passing by. Setsuna rolled her eyes as Hotaru barely hit the door to first hour history by the third bell. Hotaru simply knew off the bat she was in trouble as she left the room standing outside the door.
"It's a good thing I just happen to be your teacher, you do realize this right?" Setsuna sighed taking in Hotaru's appearance before taking a closer look. "You look like hell, what happened, another dream?" When all she got was a silent nod and a somber expression Setsuna ordered Hotaru to return home for the day. Hotaru lived a fairly normal life, however on her menstrual cycle she often became victim to very graphic dreams of her past. Normally when that occurred they allowed her stay home for the day, It wasn't right her Senshi duties should make her suffer into her day to day life as well.
When she turned around to exit Michiru was just coming down the hall. She knew Setsuna would send her home looking the way she did when she had darted out the door prior to Michiru trailing behind. Setsuna just sighed as noted the class had taken too the normal twenty minuets of bell work. She used a moment of the free time to talk quietly in the hall with Michiru. "Why did she even come today? She looked as if she had the childhood dream again, judging by her face." Setsuna sighed as she leaned on the wall.
"She did." Michiru nodded as she stood nearby. "That's why I didn't wake her up. When she came flying out the door I wasn't going to go running after her. You should have seen it, she was like a bat out of hell who's tail was on fire." Michiru said as she sighed quietly at the turn of events. Last night wasn't at all helpful. Setsuna nodded and returned her gaze too her classroom for a moment.
"Should I call someone to pick her up and see her home?" Michiru inquired as she scanned her cell phone for a possible candidate when Setsuna pulled the phone from her friends hands and closed the lid.
"Leave her be, something is going to happen, although after it happens I don't know what will result. Best to just leave it in Hotaru's hands." Setsuna said as she went back into her classroom and Michiru continued down the hall, pocketing her cell in the process.
Back outside Hotaru was starting her departure back home and continually looked too the pavement. She was very tired and not in just one way either. As her pace slowed down, so did her ability to stay awake and soon she had blacked out. Makoto who was going back to work to retrieve a lost tool noted the body on the sidewalk only a moment later. When she saw it was Hotaru all her thoughts went blank as picked up her friend and sped back to the apartment.
"Ami! Get out here!" she called franticly as she placed the Smaller Senshi on the Sofa. "Ami! Hotaru passed out! I need your help now!" She called again this time earning a pajama clad Ami running out of her room and skating to a stop in the front room where she noted the sight.
"Does she have a fever?" Ami said rushing past the kitchen and into the bathroom for the first aid kit and some smelling salts. Grabbing a washcloth she ran back into the living room handing the salts and kit to Makoto before running to the kitchen for her cell phone and clean water and a few ice cubes.
"She doesn't feel like it." Makoto replied as she fished out the thermometer just in case she was incorrect. Ami had her Ice Nine already out and doing scans for injury by the time Makoto had the thermometer in place.
"She's not hurt, looks as if it's over all body fatigue." Ami said as she closed the computer and called Michiru instead of an ambulance. Makoto could only hear one side of the conversation but Ami's cryptic wording suggested that there was more going on than she had first thought.
"Ah I understand." Ami said in a slightly quieter voice as she went into her room and shut the door for privacy. "So she had the dream again?" Ami said now that she was in the privacy of her own bedroom. "Really, that's the third night this week." Ami responded too a statement from Michiru who then must have asked a rather odd question if Makoto wasn't mistaken. The replay Ami gave was a very loud "SHE THINK'S WE'VE DONE WHAT?" Ami shouted in surprise followed by a long amount of whispering. When they were done over the phone, Makoto was pulled into the kitchen by Ami.
"Alright, Makoto I need you to do me and Michiru a very large favor," The bluenette spoke softly. "and, before I tell you what it is, Promise me you'll trust me and not ask questions. Just go with what I'm going to tell you… Alright?" Ami asked praying to god Makoto didn't decide to pry too deeply into the request.
She noticed the pleading eyes. Ami and Michiru wanted this, meaning that it had to do with the passed out Senshi currently sleeping on the sofa. Makoto looked into the living room only for a moment before agreeing. "Ok, what is this very large favor?" She asked very simply.
Ami smiled a only gave a very cryptic answer. "We are switching homes, We need Hotaru to stay with you for a while." Ami said as she lead Makoto into her bedroom while she packed a few changes of clothes and continued "Haruka said to be good, what ever that means. From what I gather Michiru has a bet going on. You and I just happen to be part of that bet. I'm not sure what else is going on entirely but we have to prove Hotaru wrong." Ami said picking out a few extra items and then packing a smaller bag with her toiletries and a few of her more cosmetic items. "I'm not sure why they want us to do this so badly, but if it'll help Hotaru to stop fainting in the middle of the sidewalk, I'll do anything."
Makoto nodded in confusion as Ami gave her the finalization of what she knew, which was very basic at best, craziness at worst. When Ami walked out of the door Hotaru was the only thing on Makoto's mind as she sat and waited for her to wake up. Calling into work sick gave Makoto the excuse to take at least one night off to deal with what ever it was that was going on.
Minuets turned into over an hour, and Hotaru was still out cold. Her faint breath was the only thing letting Makoto know she was alright. Makoto grew worried about her friend and sat closely by the girl waiting for her to wake up. A few low murmurs gave the brunette hope the smaller girl would wake up shortly and when she adjusted her position she was meet with quite the odd verbalizations.
Finally after six hours of being passed out Hotaru had woken up. Makoto was quietly reading a book and drinking a soda. Her eyes that were once downcast focused on the book in front of her rose to greet a very disorientated teenager trying to mentally place together pieces from the missing puzzle. Taking her time to stand Makoto edged over, nearer to her guest as she began a conversation.
"Are you alright?" Makoto asked genuinely concerned as she placed her hands at her sides in a tense posture. She took in the sight of what Hotaru was actually dressed in that day. A pair of baggy blue jeans and skate shoes were complimented with a tight fitting black shirt that had a band name on it. Makoto wasn't a fan of heavy metal so she had no idea what the band sounded like, mentally she filed the information for liter as Hotaru finally spoke softly.
"I'm alright, just tired, and really confused." Hotaru looked to see the sun was setting, meaning she had slept the day away. Her foggy mind instantly cleared when she remembered a more pressing need. Instantly she also feared standing up as her breath hitched in her through. "I am a little thirsty though, can I have a glass of water?" It was a lie right off the bat, but Makoto rushed into the kitchen allowing Hotaru to check the area around her. She was thankful to have a light period this month and with a sigh of relief sat back down just when her host came back.
When Makoto sat back down, there were many things she wanted to ask, yet she was unable to ask them. Sitting quietly there were many ways to voice things, and none of them seemed to be the proper one. Never being one to have tact Makoto used the rather direct explanation approach. "You'll be stay here for the time being according to Ami. She said you'll will be switching homes for a while." Makoto spoke softly before taking a sip of her own soda and adjusting her body to better face Hotaru. "She didn't go into detail so I didn't bother to question it." Makoto dismissed simply as she slouched back al little bit. "did something happen at home? You were stressed out when you were running to school, then I find you on the pavement later." Makoto spoke casually, as if she was always picking people who randomly faints as a hobby or something.
"I was on my way home. Mama told me to go home, so I was going to. I was thinking on something and then I got tired and I sort of blacked out." Hotaru explained in broken fragments omitting her extremely grotesque dream the night before. It had been happening for years so most of the Senshi had grasped the basic concept of why Hotaru became slightly angst ridden with age.
"What were you thinking about to cause you to just pass out in the middle of nowhere?" Makoto somewhat gawked at that explanation, yes she had heard of a lot of randomized things, even did a few of them herself, if catching the kitchen drapes on fire was anything to remember. However Hotaru was never known for fainting until recently, very recently in fact now that Makoto thought carefully on it. "I would expect that from Usagi, Rei or even Ami when the situation called for it, not you. That had to be a hell of a thought process." she said taking a large swig of her soda as the girl next too her remained frozen in place.
Quickly she made an excuse, anything at all would be better than telling Makoto the truth right now. "I just was thinking about the dream I had last night. It kinda got a little over the top and I didn't go back to sleep." It wasn't a total lie, surely she had a dream that had upset her, yet it wasn't the gore content that had her so highly upset as what would be per usual. Her dream was more of an emotional breakdown of sorts, it was something that Hotaru feared, and lived through once before, only this time it ended differently. "I guess I just over exerted myself, but I'll be alright."
Makoto nodded before taking the final swig of her soda and stood. "I'm going to make dinner, would you like something to eat?" She said taking the now empty water glass from Hotaru. The girls eyes were downcast as she only shook her head uttering a very quiet but polite decline. "Feel free to make yourself at home around here, if you want anything you don't need to worry about intrusion." The tall brunette said as she walked into the kitchen.
Hotaru went too the door and picked up her overnight bag that had been dropped off earlier that day. Her schoolbooks sat neatly on top and she went to retrieve the homework she knew would be there. Taking the math and history books and placing them on the coffee table she completely ignored her cooking and parenting workbooks as she left them still sitting on her bag. When Makoto came back with food she took a seat and resumed her book so she wouldn't bother Hotaru diligent working. When she finally passed out into her reading of world history Makoto removed her younger comrade from the coffee table and over to the sofa.
She noticed that the girls' grip had tightened around her and one arm became laced at the back of her neck. Makoto paused at the movements momentarily before she dismissed it and moved again. As those very hands began to embrace her again, within moments all normal logic flew out the window as a pair of lips meet her own. As the sleeper awoke into the kiss only one thought came too her mind, ironically it was also the first word she spoke. "Crap."
It was then she knew.. it was going to be a very odd night.
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! Tell me if you want me to continue this! I'll do it gladly! I intend this to be far more amusing as far as humorous goes than the TSK story lining that is now going to be getting deeper as time goes on! Tell me if you think i should continue this or not! your votes count!


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The Air Jordan XI's. Pictured above, the Concords. The XI's are said to be the best Jordans of all time by many standards and opinions alike. Design-wise, at the time they came out in the mid-nineties, they were unfuckwitable. And in a couple months, around November/December, you will have the Space Jams colorway of the XI's coming out at Jordan Brand retailers nationwide. And if you're willing to spend about $100 more than retail to get them earlier, you can get the Space Jams at VMV for $250 (plus shipping).
Photo & Info via NiceKicks

subset: commoncrawl


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With a true freshman quarterback starting in Athens for the first time in a decade, the Bulldogs are doing all they can to make things as difficult as possible on Jacob Eason, who is learning how to play under center for the first time in his life. But if the current trend of struggling on first down continues, Eason might not be under center as often as UGA coaches would like.
While it appeared UGA's run game was not going to be a problem after the win over North Carolina, one of the worst run defense teams in America, that problem has shown up over and over the other three games of the season.
Once thought to be a strength of the program, the run game is becoming a major problem for Georgia. If UGA can't correct its first-down run game, they will have a real challenge defeating the likes of Tennessee, Florida and Auburn - all with physical defensive fronts. It also makes Georgia susceptible to losing games it shouldn't like the Nichols State contest earlier this month. It also means that offensive coordinator Jim Chaney will have to continue to adjust the Bulldogs' offense - perhaps with noticeable changes we've only seen small glimpses of so far.
Read More here:
UGA-Tennessee: Updated Visitor List
Dawg Post Monday Recruiting Update
Vols 3.5-Point Favorites over UGA
Blown Out West: Legge's Thoughts
Against North Carolina, UGA faced 30 1st-and-10 situations. It passed seven times. Twice Greyson Lambert was sacked. Twice Jacob Eason thew incomplete passes. The other three passing 1st down plays resulted in 35 yards and a touchdown. So in passing downs against Carolina, UGA was +31 while passing on first down, or about +4 yards per passing down (even with Lambert's negative plays) with a TD and no picks.
The run game, however, was totally oiled up and moving - slicing Carolina for 8.5 yards per rushing attempt. Passing on first down wasn't a necessity. One might wonder why UGA ever threw the ball against Carolina at all on first down. A separate question is if the Tar Heels can stop any Power 5 Team on the ground, but that's irreverent to this discussion.
A week later the trouble started as UGA struggled on first down. Against Carolina, the Bulldogs averaged 7.6 yards on all first and ten plays. Against lowly Nichols State, the Dawgs managed only 5.9.
Against the Tar Heels, UGA had seven ten-yard-or-more plays on first down - two of which were TDs. The Bulldogs did a lot of damage on first down against the Heels. That wasn't the case against NSU - particularly as the game moved on.
Ten times against Nichols, the Bulldogs faced second and nine or worse. UGA stayed ahead of the sticks against the Tar Heels thanks to the run game. But as the season has progress, the run game has produced fewer explosive plays on first down.
Georgia was much less effective on the ground against NSU than UNC. Again, UGA managed 8.5 yards a rush on first down runs against the Heels. Against NSU, UGA managed only 4.4… so the Bulldogs got half of the production from the week before on first-down runs.
Against Nichols State, UGA had six 1st down plays over ten yards, and four of them were passes (36, 24, 12 and 12 yards). A running back only had one gain more than ten yards on first down against Nichols State. By contrast, UGA had five 10-plus-yard runs against Carolina with running backs.
The problem for UGA, too, is that production on first down has lowered as the season has gone on. Against Carolina, UGA averaged 7.6 yards in 1st-and-ten situations. Then 5.9 against Nichols. Then 5.5 against Missouri. But the worst was the horrid 4.4 against Ole Miss. That, too, was unsurprisingly the worst game of the season so far for Georgia - a 45-14 humiliation in Oxford.
Six times in the first half alone, Eason and the Dawgs faced at 2nd and 9 against the Rebels. That's not an easy thing to overcome when you combine a pick six, a missed FG and three dropped passes… two of which were in the end zone.
Four games into the season its clear that UGA is falling behind the chains too often after first-down plays. That's why we saw a shift in Chaney's strategy - fewer run plays; more pass plays.
Example: On first-down plays, UGA ran the ball 77% of the time vs. UNC and 74% vs. NSU. The second two games of the season shifted more towards the pass - 50% pass vs. MIZ and 41% pass vs. OM.
The week before, against Missouri, UGA threw the ball 50% of the time on first down - a marked outlier from the rest of the season, but also Jacob Eason's best overall performance. UGA didn't look like the Georgia offense that we've known, but it may be a sneak peak at what the future will be under Chaney as Eason grows up.
During the Mizzou game, particularly on first down, UGA asked Jacob Eason to win the game. And he did.
The difference in that game and the Ole Miss game was striking not just in the difference in its lopsided result, but by the lack of conversions by the UGA offense in critical situations. UGA continued to throw on first down (41% of the time), but the result of throwing on first down wasn't always ideal.
14 times (37% of all second downs) UGA faced 2nd and long against the Tigers (2nd and 9 or more), and yet, UGA won the game thanks to Eason and the offense converting 42% of 3rd downs, and one critically important 4th down - the game winner.
So UGA was behind the chains, but Eason figured out how to get the job done one way or the other.
By contrast, UGA was in 2nd and long 13 times (41% of all second downs; around the same as the Mizzou game) against Ole Miss, but managed to convert only 25% of them. Georgia was trying to do the same thing - pass on first down and keep the Rebels guessing, but they couldn't overcome their problems. Eason and UGA converted only one third down in the first half of the Ole Miss game. By then the game was over.
Production on 1st down always effects second and third down. In the first half against the Rebs, UGA was in 3rd and long in 60% of its 3rd down situations. Against Missouri UGA found itself in third and long in 54% of its third down situations… "about" the same in terms of being in that situation.
The difference? Eason. He converted 3rd and 10, 7, 7, 4, 6, 1 and 2 into first downs against Missouri in the first half and only converted 3rd and 4 against the Rebs. UGA also performed much better against Missouri, 5.5 yards per 1st and 10, than against Ole Miss, 4.4 yards per 1st and ten. All that added up to slightly easier conversions on third down. It does without saying that what happens on first down effects third down.
That might not seem like much, but that's a difference of 25% on first half first downs in those two games. That made a major difference of UGA scoring 21 points against Missouri in the first half and being shutout by the Rebels.
What could change?
We will likely see Eason more active on first down. There's a couple of reasons why. Clearly Nick Chubb being banged up heading into the Tennessee game is a major problem - he might not play. We won't know if he can play probably until the team dresses out. UGA doesn't have to travel, so they can delay the decision pretty well up to Saturday morning.
But don't forget that Chubb is a downhill runner most used to the I formation. Meanwhile, Jacob Eason is a spread signal caller learning the I formation. Chubb is getting used to some spread principles; Eason getting used to the I. That's causing problems.
With that said, expect to see the Bulldogs in the spread more often with more runs given to the likes of Sony Michel, Elijah Holyfield and Brian Herrien - perhaps to the perimeter. Those three players are used to playing in a spread from their high school days. Chubb appears to be less effective in the spread. I don't have the numbers to back that up, but I remember UGA in the I a lot against Carolina with Chubb back there. They've been in the spread more and more as this month has grown longer. That's one reason why Eason has to continue to develop into a transitional pro-style signal caller.
This might be a matter of time. UGA won't be a well-oiled offensive machine like it was against Carolina often this season, but it will happened again - it always does.
Moving to more spread sets should hurt the production of Chubb - no doubt - but Eason is the person with the steepest learning curve right now, and that's likely the reason for this adjustment.
UGA will only truly take off when Eason gets under center - as that will allow for so many more play-action pass situations than the spread allows - but (again) that's taking some time. In the meantime, as Eason is learning to play in this brutal conference, Tennessee might get more of a spread look from the Dawgs than UGA has shown in the past. That will allow Eason more time to process the field - no need to drop back from center if you are already in the shotgun - but it will also mean the more of the game will be on Eason's shoulders, which might not be the ideal outcome going up against the No. 11 team in the country.
It must be said as well that UGA is going to have to effectively run the ball - spread or I - to win in this league.
We've seen that Eason can make game-winning plays and drives - the North Carolina and Mizzou game prove that. But what we might see more over the rest of 2016 is a shift in focus from a power run game to a mixed offense with as much spread as power game. After all, when the power game isn't working something else needs to be tried.


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Accommodations fill up fast, so book your room for June 8 to 11, 2017, as soon as possible!
Reunion 2017 participants and their guests will stay in air-conditioned Johnson, Riggs halls. These halls are within walking distance of many Reunion events. Each room has two twin beds. Unless you list a roommate, you will be assigned a single room. A maximum of two adults allowed per room. Linen, towels and blankets provided.
IMPORTANT REUNION HOUSING UPDATE: Due to the high number of on-campus housing reservations, we have filled both Johnson and Riggs Halls, and are now booking rooms in Waterbury Hall -- which is also located along the lakeside, directly West of Riggs Hall. Waterbury is not air-conditioned, but is newly renovated with an updated SMART HVAC system - which will keep the building cooler in the summer.
2017 Housing Costs
Cost per room, per night: $77 by May 19/$82 after May 19
Refrigerator rental: $15 (for the entire weekend)
Extra mattress (for children only): $10
The halls have "community" (dormitory-style) bathrooms on each floor. SORRY, NO PETS ALLOWED. Special arrangements can be made to house early arrivals. Members of the same class year and/or Reunion group will be housed near each other, space permitting. Refrigerator rentals are available for an additional charge. Please indicate on your reservation if you want to be housed near someone.
To take advantage of on-campus Reunion Weekend housing, EACH person MUST be registered for at least one of the following events – the Friday "Come As You Were" BBQ at Fallbrook or BOTH the Saturday Reunion Tailgate and Saturday "Oswego State of Mind" Concert.
Guests staying on campus must accept financial responsibility for any damages to the room during the weekend. Guests will be invoiced for any damages.
Beacon Hotel — 75 West Bridge Street, Oswego, N.Y. 315-343-3300
Captain's Quarters/Best Western — 26 East First Street, Oswego, N.Y. 315-342-4040
Fairfield Inn — 3979 Route 31, Liverpool, N.Y. (Clay) 315-622-2576
Fairfield Inn & Suites Syracuse Carrier Circle — 6593 Weighlock Drive East Syracuse, N.Y. 315-433-2777
Hampton Inn — 3948 State Route 31, Liverpool, N.Y 315-622-3443
Knight's Inn East — 101 State Route 104 East, Oswego, N.Y. 800-329-3136 or 315-343-3136
Knight's Inn West — 309 West Seneca Street, Oswego, N.Y. 315-343-4900 or 800-418-8977
Oswego Inn Ltd. — 180 East 10th Street, Oswego, N.Y. 800-721-7341 or 315-342-6200
Premier Living Suites — 247 West Utica Street, Oswego, N.Y. 315-773-6437
Quality Inn & Suites — 70 East First Street, Oswego, N.Y. 315-343-1600 or 800-424-6423
The Red Mill Inn — 4 Syracuse Street, Baldwinsville, N.Y. 315-635-4871
Red Roof Inn — 930 S. First Street, Fulton, N.Y. 315-593-2444
Holiday Inn Express — 140 E. 13th St., Oswego, N.Y. (Must call for reservations) 315-207-0100
Persons with disabilities, needing accommodations to attend any event, should contact the Reunion Reservationist at 315-312-5559 no later than May 19.


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Hotel Priyadarshani
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June 7, 2016
…Iain Marjoribanks just finished a study on Airbnb for the B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association to find out how many people are just renting out an extra bed here and there, and how many are de facto commercial operators. "What I found in my research was about 77 per cent of Airbnb's revenues come from hosts that don't appear to live in the units they list on Airbnb — what I call commercial hosts as opposed to casual hosts, which is how Airbnb tends to portray itself," Marjoribanks told All Points West host Robyn Burns….
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-airbnb-research-1.3621539
CBC News – UBC researcher says most Vancouver Airbnb hosts de facto commercial operators
June 7, 2016


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View Photos from the Spring 2017 NCCADV Spring Membership Meeting
Join NCCADV
Membership in NCCADV is important. Member dues help support the vital systems advocacy, prevention, and public policy work that assists survivors of domestic violence in North Carolina and the programs that serve them.
As a member of NCCADV you have access to a wide range of training, technical assistance and other resources at no cost. More importantly, you are a part of (and your dues support) a larger movement working to change how North Carolina responds to domestic violence, sexual assault in intimate relationships, teen dating violence and stalking. Without the support of your dues, this work could not continue.
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text:
Trade-induced Learning and Industrial Catch-up
This article develops a model of trade-induced learning whereby both domestic and cross-border learning externalities could drive long-run growth. This framework is used to synthesise the emerging empirical evidence, revealing how trade-induced learning could underpin the mechanics behind trade and growth in at least three important ways: first, trading matters, as firms might be able to increase their productivity due to export and import linkages with buyers and suppliers; second, whom you trade with matters, as richer and more technologically advanced trading partners offer more scope for trade-induced learning; and third, what products you trade matters. Copyright © The Author(s). Journal compilation © Royal Economic Society 2010.
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Volume (Year): 120 (2010)
Issue (Month): 546 (08)
Pages: 313-350
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4th Annual BERC Alumni Gala
Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative (BERC)
Thursday, April 24, 2014 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM (PDT)
Who's Going
San Francisco, California
London, United Kingdom
Florence, Italy
Event Details
BERC cordially invites you to the
4th Annual BERC Alumni Gala
Please join us in San Francisco with colleagues and friends from BERC years past. This annual reunion celebrates the diverse paths that our former BERC leaders and partners have pursued, and brings them together to reconnect with the growing BERC network. We invite you to come enjoy excellent company, hors d'oeuvres, and cocktails.
When & Where
Sens Restaurant
4 Embarcadero Center
#Promenade Level
San Francisco,
Thursday, April 24, 2014 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM (PDT)
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Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative (BERC)
The Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative (BERC) is a multidisciplinary network of UC Berkeley students, alumni, faculty, industry professionals, and advisors who seek to turn world-leading research into world-changing solutions by tackling tough and timely energy and environmental challenges. For more information, please see our website: http://berc.berkeley.edu


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text: Two men were shot - one fatally - early Wednesday morning at 2024 Starring Lane, according to the Baton Rouge Police Department. Police officers responded to the shooting at 12:27 a.m. and found a 23-year-old man who had been shot. He was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. In addition, police found another 22-year-old man inside a vehicle in the parking lot who had also been fatally shot. There is no known motive for the shooting and anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Division at 389-4869 or Crime Stopper at 344-STOP.


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Fred Ruffy says he will be watching the XLF select sector fund, which holds all financial-related stocks of the S&P 500, as we move into the second quarter. He says of all the exchange traded funds, the largest open interest positions are in the XLF April 16 and April 17 put options.
Fred Ruffy points out that trading volume has for the most part been below normal levels recently. Even though implied volatility has generally been low, there are some IV skews that traders can take advantage of with options.
Fred Ruffy says we are seeing an increase in implied volatility across the entire market. He notes some defensive, or hedging, activity in terms of individual options contracts, reflecting a rise in bearish sentiment among traders.


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Skip to comments.Wen Jiabao's £1.68bn family wealth: China furious at US exposé
Posted on 10/28/2012 6:57:29 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Wen Jiabao's £1.68bn family wealth: China furious at US exposé
New York Times website blocked after disclosing web of assets in new embarrassment for Communist party
Tania Branigan in Beijing
The Guardian, Friday 26 October 2012 22.00 BST
China has lashed out at a US newspaper report that premier Wen Jiabao's family has amassed vast wealth worth at least $2.7bn (£1.68bn), censoring the New York Times website and questioning the paper's motivations.
The story said Wen, widely seen as the humane face of China's top leadership, was not directly linked to the holdings. But the association with such a fortune was in stark contrast to the man-of-the-people image he has cultivated.
A foreign ministry spokesman said the report "blackens China's name and has ulterior motives". Censors blocked the paper's Chinese language website, at least partially obstructed access to its main site, and banned microblog searches for New York Times in English and Chinese.
"China manages the internet in accordance with laws and rules," spokesman Hong Lei told reporters when asked why the sites were inaccessible.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
No travel to China for you
China is a prime example of socialism via the parasitical, predatory State.
The economist Ludwig von Mises showed in 1920 [1,2] that since a socialist economy destroys price information via government intrusion, the myriad of participants in the economy are unable to make a fully rational calculation about true profit and loss. Any economic activity that operates at a loss cannot be sustainable, a concept the left loves to scold us about, yet cannot really grasp.
Taking another approach, the Nobel economist F.A. Hayek showed that a national economy had such an immense myriad of dynamic economic relationships that no single committee or bureaucracy, no matter how smart or how well staffed, could possibly know enough to direct prices or production levels. His Nobel Lecture [3] was entitled The Pretence of Knowledge. Hayek had previously used this idea as the basis for a very thorough article [4] on the subject, The Use of Knowledge in Society.
At some point, the fact that their Marxist economy could not sufficiently feed, clothe and house their growing population, caused the Chinese Communist Party to became fearful that economic discontent could allow them to be overthrown. Above all, the commies are paranoid about keeping power at any price (and they killed 50 million people once to retain power).
So, they decided to allow people to have economic freedom as long as it did not threaten the power of the Party. The way things have turned out, the Party from the lowest official to the very top are parasites on the private sector. The local official makes his $500 a month, but gets $2500 a month in bribes. Up the chain, the pickings get better.
The downside for the Party is that the more prosperous people become, the more they expect to have a say in how government spends their money. At some point the Party will have to give in or push back. Because of this dynamic and the corruption that has only gotten worse over the years, I think China is very brittle. If the Party cannot maintain full control, there will be very nasty and bloody tensions come out in public. This could get bloody. It will not be pretty, but then again, the wreckage from socialism is always ugly.
[1] Economic Calculation in the Socialist Commonwealth by Ludwig von Mises
[2] Why a Socialist Economy is "Impossible" by Joseph T. Salerno
[3] The Pretense of Knowledge
[4] The Use of Knowledge in Society, American Economic Review, XXXV, No. 4; September, 1945, pp. 51930.
Thanks, excellent info.
See The Return of Authoritarian Great Powers (Foreign Affairs)
China demands Obama arrest the journalists who published this!
When reading the article "Pretense of Knowledge" - his comments about "unorganized and organized complexity" made me immediately think of climate-change modeling.
The huge number of variables and their interaction is impossible to model, except in the most general of ways. It is fraudulently claiming there is a scientific method, when in fact, there is none at all.
I think rather that China is practicing mercantilism, which wiki defines as:
"Mercantilism is the economic doctrine that government control of foreign trade is of paramount importance for ensuring the military security of the state."
In this case the security of the State is the security of the position of the Communist Party in control of the State, where the Party is the State and the State is the Party.
We see leadership of the Party saying they must create jobs in order to absorb the peasants who are coming off the farm and out of the hinterlands. This is why they are willing to buy our paper money and conspire with debt-mongers in the US to recycle that money into internal Chinese wages through which they pay for jobs and export goods no matter how little money they make on the exports.
In the process of course, they are also building the infrastructure and industrial capacity to built arms and to be far better positioned than at any time in Chinese history to prevail against any foe. This becomes more and more true the longer the one child policy induces couples to perform sex selection abortion so the only child that government allows them to have is a male.
What is a government inclined to do with massive industrial capacity to build arms, a pile of money and tens of millions of excess young men? If history is any guide, that government will find it easy to gin up a war to wage.
"War is the health of the State" —Randolph Bourne
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In5d conception
When Gregg Prescott, M.S. created In5d in 2009, he knew that he was on the right path. The name In5d was even downloaded to his thoughts. Being a former child and family therapist, he had grown unhappy with the corporate, medical, and pharmaceutical regulations and restrictions. He was guided to create a database of spiritual, metaphysical, and esoteric information for those who were on an "awakening" path.
In5d Radio
Gregg hosted his own live Blogtalk Radio show on Monday nights on In5d radio. In5d radio rapidly grew with the addition of Helane Lipson, CJ Miller, Michelle Walling, and Candace Craw Goldman. Check out the current shows as well as archives on In5d's radio page HERE. Check out the Blogtalk Radio Show page HERE. All shows are also archived on I tunes HERE. All episodes are also archived on In5d's YouTube page HERE.
In5d Events
In 2013, In5d held its first event- The Return to Atlantis Conference in Sarasota, FL. The next big conference was in 2014- with the City Of Angels Cosmic Awakening Conference in Los Angeles, CA. The first In5d meetup was held on November 7, 2015 in Tarpon Springs, FL, which is a Q&A and meet and greet event. The third In5d conference is being planned for February of 2016.
In5d Network
In5d Network is a collection of video blogs and interviews. With the Network, you can put the face with the name. The goal of In5d Network is to expand your mind! Check out the most recent archives HERE.


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Ed Sheeran fans likely to get wet warn Met Eireann
ED Sheeran fans are being warned to take a raincoat to Croker tonight to watch their action play his second gig at the home of GAA.
Despite this morning's clear weather Met Éireann say rain will spread to all parts of the country tonight.
And a jumper might be a good plan as well with temperatures expected to drop to between 9 C and 12 C.
Sheeran played to a sell-out crowd last night in a show he described as "mental."


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by Samantha Field cross posted from her blog Defeating The Dragons When I was writing my post "'God is Done with You': Pensacola Christian College and Sexual Violence", I tried contacting four different departments at the school. All refused to speak with me, citing policy, and referred me to Amy Glenn, the Chief Communications Officer. It took me several days to reach her (she was out sick and very busy when she got back), but when I did eventually get in touch with her I asked her to confirm some very basic facts about the administration and their policies. When she got back with me, she stated that she could not answer most of my questions and that PCC did not comment on "blog-t … [Read more...]
PCC Has Released a Statement
by Samantha Field cross posted from her blog Defeating The Dragons I've never named the college I attended for undergrad– not here, not anywhere else online. I have never brought it up here on my blog because I didn't want it to become about the specific place I went to college. The problems that exist there exist at most other fundamentalist colleges, and I didn't want anyone pigeonholing me. I was also trying to avoid the harassment I personally know comes with critiquing this college in public. … [Read more...]
Church Statistics and Abuse
by Samantha Field cross posted from her blog Defeating The Dragons [trigger warning for child sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence] I'm not entirely sure when it happened, but from the reading I've been doing, sometime in the last 30 or so years there's been a subtle shift in how churches talk about growth. What my reading tells me is that this is at least somewhat connected to the rise of the "mega church," with it becoming impossible for pastoral staffs to simply look around their churches and understand who their congregation is. … [Read more...]
Fascinating Womanhood Review: Happiness
by Samantha Fields cross posted from her blog Defeating The Dragons So, it's been a little while since we've delved into Helen Andelin's world. We're about halfway through the book, and we've reached the point where we're going to start seeing a lot more ridiculous statements. On one hand, it makes it easier for me to demonstrate the absurdity of her beliefs– at times, all I'd have to do is quote what she says and even the most die-hard Vision Forum devotee would roll their eyes– but on the other hand, that makes it seem that what Helen's promoting is so outdated that no one accepts it anymore. That is, unfortunately, not true. … [Read more...]
Why I am a Christian Feminist
by Samantha cross posted from her blog Defeating the DragonsSo, I got an interesting question on twitter this morning. "John" asked me "how does modern day feminism and Christianity complement each other?" and it occurred to me that while I've talked a lot about how I became a feminist, and why I'm a feminist, and why I think Christianity desperately needs feminism . . . I don't think I've talked about why I specifically identify as an egalitarian and Christian feminist, even though I've spent quite a bit of time talking about why I disagree with complementarianism. … [Read more...]
False Dichotomies: "Homeschooled Girls vs. Feminists"
by Samantha Fields cross posted from her blog Defeating the Dragons So, Robert Knight, an extremely conservative writer for Townhall and whose articles occasionally appear in publications like the Washington Times, wrote an article last Tuesday called "Homeschooled Girls vs. Feminists." Since the article spends most of its time talking about grown women, I have to admit to some mild annoyance to the persistent infantilization of women in conservative circles. College-aged females are women, thank you. … [Read more...]
It's Been a Good Year
by Samantha cross posted from her blog Defeating the Dragons I started blogging in the early part of this year mostly because I was bored to tears. I was working on getting editing jobs, but they were few and far between, and my health just doesn't allow for outside-the-house employment. I also started writing here because I wanted to finally say out loud a lot of the things that had been slowly germinating over the past four or five years but had never been in a place where I felt capable of expressing them. … [Read more...]
An Average Homeschooler: Introduction
by Samantha cross posted from her blog Defeating the Dragons [me, the first year I was homeschooled] I've been avoiding writing about this. Even once I started planning out the series, I debated with myself for weeks over whether or not I wanted to write it out– and then post it. I've talked a lot about some of the other aspects of growing up in fundamentalism, but I've avoided talking about my experience with homeschooling for a few reasons. I've touched on it a few times, and I've even written posts for Homeschoolers Anonymous and for Leaving Fundamentalism. Even as I wrote those posts, I was hesitant about sharing them here, although I did eventually. … [Read more...]
Dude, Seriously? – Answering Kevin Swanson
by Calulu cross posted from her blog True Love Doesn't RapeRecently Kevin Swanson, radio babbler and righteous rabblerouser against all things not homeschooling fundamentalist Biblical patriarchy has been making more of an ass out of himself than usual. It's not merely due to the fact that he has a new book to flog about and promote by calling everyone that doesn't agree with him an 'Apostate', a title that is also a big part of the title of his new book. Oh no, Kevin seems to be off the internet deep end this week. … [Read more...]
Victims and Abusers and Why Church is Not Safe
by Samantha cross posted from her blog Defeating the Dragons[trigger warning for abuse] If you follow me on twitter, you might have noticed that I watched My Fair Lady this past weekend, one of my favorite movies from when I was younger, but a movie I haven't seen in years. And while I enjoyed the nostalgia and singing all the songs again, it was not an entirely pleasant experience and I probably won't watch it again. Watching Professor Higgins, listening to him sing "Let a Woman in Your Life," realizing that he never uses Eliza's name and instead prefers to call her wretch, insect, and baggage, and understanding for the first time that Professor Higgins is an abuser . . . … [Read more...]


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Camille Hansen Model
cicamica styleWardrobe Stylist Female Oakland, California, US
My Website: www.cicamica.comMy MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/cicamica
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When not styling others she creates one of a kind hats and costumes and performs with the vonstilt family. www.cicamica.etsy.com & http://www.vonstilt.com
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Overwhelmed by the sheer number of TV shows available on Netflix? Here are the top ten to get you started.
Stop all your plans, cut off your telephone: Netflix Australia has launched, and all you need is a laptop, an internet connection, and hours of uninterrupted Netflix viewing time.
Want all the TV shows and movies? You can get a free trial with each of the streaming internet tv providers below:
1. House of Cards
All the hype you've heard about House of Cards is true. The Primetime Emmy Award winning, Netflix-produced show about the devious machinations of US politics is television at it's best. It's conniving, it's clever, and it will change the way you watch the news. Oh, and Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is the anti-hero you've been waiting for since Walter White left our screens.
2. Orange is the New Black
C'mon, you knew this would be number two, right? OITNB, as it's affectionately called, is loosely based on the real-life prison experiences of Piper Kerman. Basically can be surmised by: WASP goes to prison, thinks it will be fine because she's white and middle class, turns out she was very much mistaken. The exceptional ensemble cast is what really drives this show, and it's attracted equal praise for telling the stories of African-American and Hispanic women, while at the same time criticism for needing a white woman leading the show to do it.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll vaguely wonder about committing a minor crime so you too can go to prison and write about it.
Catch up on seasons one and two, ahead of the launch of season three's global premier on June 12.
3. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Whoever let Adam Sandberg produce and star in a TV show is a genius. He's the hard working but verging on ADHD Detective Jake Peralta at the Brooklyn Nine-Nine police precinct, and everybody who works with him is either a) badass, b) tragic, or c) a functioning hot mess. Just. Watch. It. If you don't like it, that's 20 minutes of your life you won't get back, but trust me – it ain't likely.
4. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Tina Fey's new show follows the tale of titular character Kimmy (Ellie Kemper), who spent 15 years in an underground bunker thanks to a doomsday cult, and is now living in New York City. Her mission? To pursue a normal life. Tina Fey's mission? To turn the tables on what we can mine for humour: cults, racism, the displacement of Vietnamese refugees in America...
Hey, it's the show everyone's talking about. If you want in on the conversation, better start watching.
5. Bloodline
Another Netflix original – this time produced in a partnership with Sony Pictures Television – Bloodline is the gripping drama following a family of "four adult siblings whose secrets and scars are revealed when their black sheep brother returns home."
It's gritty and mesmerising, and the entirety of season one was released on March 20 this year. Go forth and binge.
6. Goosebumps
You Must Be A 90s Kid If You Loved Goosebumps
Sorry, we won't subject you to that. Suffice to say Goosebumps is hot nostalgic property these guys (there's a Goosebumps movie being released later this year), so use this chance to catch up on all the old classics. Night of the Living Dummy, I'm looking at you.
7. Pretty Little Liars
Confession: I've never seen a single episode of this. Not one. But currently the internet is losing it's collective shit over some big reveal (WHO IS A? No really, I have no idea) so if you want to get in on the conversation, you better start watching.
The premise surrounds four high school girls after their queen bee Alison goes missing. It's one of those shows that everyone who's seen it insists it's fantastic viewing, so maybe get off those high-school-drama prejudices and give it a go? It's already on my list.
8. The IT Crowd
This is a fact, and is Non Negotiable. Watch it, and you will finally understand why the phrase "Have you tried turning it off and on again?" makes everyone around you burst into laughter. Stars Chris O'Dowd and Richard Ayoade have since gone on to bigger and better things (Bridesmaids and Girls for O'Dowd, directing Submarine and others for Ayoade), but for four too-short seasons they graced us with their characters of Roy and Moss, socially awkward but loveable IT-nerds.
And seriously, this show gave us friend face:
9. David Attenborough's Wildlife Specials
Is there anything more soothing than Sir David Attenborough's voice, as he takes you along the majesty and wonder of the great outdoors, all from the comfort of your couch? No, there is not. Rekindle your love for nature with his Wildlife Specials, and pay particular attention to a certain ex-Time Lord David Tennant narrating Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice (2010), Penguins: Spy in the Huddle (2013) and Dolphins: Spy in the Pod (2014).
10. Grace and Frankie
Mark this one in your calendars for May 8 this year. The comedy follows two former rivals – Grace and Frankie – who are brought together after their husbands decide to run off with one another. Starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. It's one of the key pieces of content Netflix is pushing for their Australian library, so we reckon they're on to a winner. Clear your weekend, and commence the Netflix binge.
- Read this: Top 30 movies to watch on Netflix
- Read this: Complete list of Netflix TV Shows
- Read this: Complete list of Netflix Movies
- Read this: Netflix Australia vs Netflix US content libraries
- Read this: Netflix vs Stan vs Presto vs Quickflix
- Read this: How to set up Netflix


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by Charlene Mannila
(Denver, CO )
They said they could hear my screaming from the street… "Oh my God NO!! Please, God, NO!!" I screamed… It was August 21st, 1994, the first day of school my Sophomore year of high school. I had just gotten home, about 2 hours prior, and was waiting for my big brother to call me from Chicago, so I could tell him all about it. You see, my brother and I were best friends. I loved having my big brother around, we were just getting out of that sibling rivalry phase, the constant tattling on each other, and fighting when the parents weren't home. We had common friends, and started hanging out more. You'd have to know my brother, to know what a truly great person he was. Michael was that "carrot top", red head, that old ladies loved to stop in the store and gawk over his hair, but our peers always came up with some new clever name to call him, "Carrot Top, Copper Head, Penny" etc. But Michael never let it get to him. He'd just smile and walk away. Michael was a very protective guy. Having grown up with an abusive father, he was the type who always looked out for females. You didn't dare treat a girl bad when Michael was around, because he was not scared to fight. Well, now my big brother was gone, and I was left to face my battles alone.
Michael had moved home to Chicago, from Las Vegas, the end of my Freshman year. I snitched on him one time by mistake, and an argument at home with the parents, resulted in him moving out. So back to Chicago he went, to live with friends. Never did I think I'd regret that tiny mistake.
I was sitting in my bedroom, on my daybed, my shades drawn, just resting from the walk home, in the hot Las Vegas sun. I had my parents cordless out of their bedroom, laying on my bed. Normally, this would be no big deal, but I wasn't allowed to have a phone in my room, so I took their cordless everyday when I got home from school. I patiently waited for my brother to call. I couldn't wait to tell him all about the teachers I had, friends we'd ditched school with last year, and all the new things that were going on at school, when the phone rang. On the other end of the phone was my Uncle Joe, who my brother was living with at the time. "Hello" I answered the phone. "Char?" I could hear someone faintly on the other end, "he's gone." Huh? He's gone? I thought to myself, "Hello?" I repeated again. "Char, he's gone. It's Joe". He said. I was trying to figure out what he was saying? Gone, as in ran away? It sounded like Uncle Joe was crying. "What do you mean GONE?" I asked him. "He's dead Char, I came home…" Joe tried to talk to me as I started to scream, "No!! NO!!! OH MY GOD NO!!! PLEASE GOD!! NOOOOO!!" I could feel the tears coming down my face, a lump forming in my throat. "Not my brother, NO! This is NOT happening." I cried. He's got to be lying to me, I thought. "I came home from work, and he was gone Char. I'm so sorry." Joe cried into the phone. I didn't know what to say, I fell to the ground, tears running down my face, just screaming "No" over and over. Not my brother, my only brother. "Why God? WHY?" I kept asking in my head over and over. My neighbors came running in the house to check on me. Not sure what was going on, knowing that neither of my parents were home. I just laid there in on my bedroom floor, crying hysterically, repeating "No", I attempted to get up and go out to my living room, when our best friend Eddie walked in the house. I was in the hallway just off the living room that leads to my bedroom, when I fell into Eddie's arms just crying. It was all such a blur, I felt Eddie's arms around me, but I never saw his face. I can hear Jen and Ashley crying, but I cannot grasp their image. I can just hear the repeating words "I'm sorry Char… I'm sorry… " But now I had to figure out how I was going to call my mom, and tell her my brother was dead.
The phone rang "Thank you for calling Smith's Rancho and Charleston, how may I direct your call?" the voice on the other line said "May I have your Service Deli please?" and I was transferred "Service Deli, this is Betty" I heard. "Betty" I got out, through the tears "What's the matter Char?" I sobbed, trying to tell her what was going on, as I felt a ball start back up in my throat. "Betty, I need my mom, Mike's dead", "What?" She asked in an unbelievable tone, "Hold on baby" and she put me back on hold. My mom came on the line, "This is Denise" my mom said "Mom, Mike's dead, Joe just called me, something happened, Please come home!" I cried, begging my mom to get home quick. I could hear the phone drop on the other line, and from there, my day was a black moment in life.
The days came and went all to quick, my mom went home for his funeral, and I stayed in Las Vegas. I had so much hate in my heart, that mom wouldn't have been able to handle me at the time. I found myself asking God, "Why? Why him God? Why would you take my brother so young? What did he do wrong?" over and over. I couldn't understand how this could happen, and I placed a lot of blame on certain people.
But now today, 16 years later, I don't miss him any less, the pain still hurts, and I still break down and cry. I look at my own children and see them doing the same things my brother and I did at the same ages. I can sit and look at them playing and see us. But even more so, I sit and look at them playing, and think of what an amazing Uncle he would have been. Not to forget his child that was born not even two months after his death, he would have been an awesome dad. Brother, I'll see you on the other side.
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|"Yonik Seeley (JIRA)" <j...@apache.org>
|[jira] Commented: (LUCENE-584) Decouple Filter from BitSet
|Sat, 24 Mar 2007 19:40:32 GMT
[ https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LUCENE-584?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:comment-tabpanel#action_12483868 ] Yonik Seeley commented on LUCENE-584: ------------------------------------- > BitsMatcher could also work without the "exhausted" flag, but then an infinite loop > might occur when trying to continue after the first time next() or skipTo() returned false. > Continuing after false was returned in these cases is a bug, however an infinite loop > can be difficult to debug. I'd rather be on the safe side of that with the exhausted flag and wait for an actual > profile to show the performance problem. We know that matchers will be inner-loop stuff. It seems like any scorers that call next() after false was returned should be fixed. > Decouple Filter from BitSet > --------------------------- > > Key: LUCENE-584 > URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LUCENE-584 > Project: Lucene - Java > Issue Type: Improvement > Components: Search > Affects Versions: 2.0.1 > Reporter: Peter Schäfer > Priority: Minor > Attachments: BitsMatcher.java, Filter-20060628.patch, HitCollector-20060628.patch, IndexSearcher-20060628.patch, MatchCollector.java, Matcher.java, Matcher20070226.patch, Scorer-20060628.patch, Searchable-20060628.patch, Searcher-20060628.patch, Some Matchers.zip, SortedVIntList.java, TestSortedVIntList.java > > > {code} > package org.apache.lucene.search; > public abstract class Filter implements java.io.Serializable > { > public abstract AbstractBitSet bits(IndexReader reader) throws IOException; > } > public interface AbstractBitSet > { > public boolean get(int index); > } > {code} > It would be useful if the method =Filter.bits()= returned an abstract interface, instead of =java.util.BitSet=. > Use case: there is a very large index, and, depending on the user's privileges, only a small portion of the index is actually visible. > Sparsely populated =java.util.BitSet=s are not efficient and waste lots of memory. It would be desirable to have an alternative BitSet implementation with smaller memory footprint. > Though it _is_ possibly to derive classes from =java.util.BitSet=, it was obviously not designed for that purpose. > That's why I propose to use an interface instead. The default implementation could still delegate to =java.util.BitSet=. -- This message is automatically generated by JIRA. - You can reply to this email to add a comment to the issue online. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: email@example.com For additional commands, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Residents of Oak Lawn East subdivision in Lacombe filled the St. Tammany Parish Council chamber Thursday night seeking denial of a zoning change that would allow manufactured housing on a 3.5-acre tract in their neighborhood, but the council sided with the Zoning Commission, which had unanimously approved the change April 1.
Residents of the neighborhood, represented by attorney Paul Tabary, argued that allowing manufactured housing in the subdivision would result in a devaluation of property values and open the door to more mobile homes.
Tabary said that while there are mobile homes in the subdivision, they were put there without Zoning Commission approval and in violation of restrictive covenants that were put in place when the subdivision was created in 1960. Of the 98 homes in the subdivision, 65 percent are brick or wooden and 35 percent are mobile homes, he said.
The lack of enforcement of the covenants makes judicial enforcement impossible, he said. But the area is still zoned single-family residential without any mobile home overlays, and that zoning should remain in place, he said.
The owner, Michael Fridge, had also sought the rezoning in 2011, when the Parish Council overrode the Zoning Commission and denied the change unanimously.
The only difference now, Tabary said, is that Fridge wanted one mobile home in 2011 and now he wants two. He said Fridge's plans to rent the land out will create what Tabary said will look like a trailer park.
"We've already gone through this process,'' said Jason Kahl, whose property abuts Fridge's. "We've already done this before. And y'all agreed with us that it should be denied. We're asking you to deny this one more time."
Attorney Jeff Schoen, representing Fridge, said his client should be granted the zoning change because of the mixed character of the neighborhood. There was a mobile home on the property when Fridge bought it in 2007, Schoen said. Fridge evicted the tenant and removed the mobile home, but he has been unable to find a buyer or builder for the land, Schoen said.
Both times Fridge sought this change, the parish planning staff recommended approval because of the heavy presence of mobile homes in the area, and both times the Zoning Commission voted in favor of the change, Schoen said.
"It would be unfair to deny my client to do the same thing that many of his neighbors have done,'' he said.
Councilman Jake Groby asked his colleagues to override the Zoning Commission, saying that residents in the subdivision didn't know they had the right to enforce restrictive covenants. He also said the proximity of Timberland Mobile Home Park should not be a factor, noting that other nearby subdivisions have predominantly built homes.
Councilman Steve Stefancik said he turned down a similar request in his district because there was no previous mobile home overlay in a subdivision. "Once you put one in there, the precedent is set,'' Stefancik said. "I'm a little concerned when a precedent is set.''
Several council members asked how many lots are still undeveloped in the subdivision. Resident James Cousin said there are 12 to 15 acres of green space and predicted that the zoning change would ultimately lead to the creation of a trailer park.
But the vote to override the Zoning Commission decision failed, with only Groby, Stefancik, Reid Falcolner and Maureen O'Brien voting for the motion.
Councilmen Marty Dean, Dennis Sharp, James "Red'' Thompson, Richard Tanner, Chris Canulette, Gene Bellisario, Jerry Binder, Richard Artique and T.J. Smith voted against the override, with Councilman Marty Gould abstaining.
Opponents left the chambers grumbling and promising to remember the votes at election time.
Follow Sara Pagones on Twitter at @spagonesadvocat.


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These last five days have been a complete whirlwind consisting of a trip to the hospital, bus rides, plane rides, quick connections in Delhi with even slower security, taxi rides, tuk-tuk rides amidst a full out water-war, a train ride, a ferry ride and finally relief on the beaches of Ko Tao. I think I have finally caught up to all the crazy, but really when I think about it, I can't think about it, if you know what I mean.
The night of my last post, Rob caught a bad case of food poisoning. After staying up for most the night, thinking it was just a small thing that might pass, we decided that we needed to get to the hospital since he wasn't capable of keeping even water down. It was 3:30 in the morning and no one was out. We had to wake the staff at the hostel we were staying at and he managed to hail some random passerby and convince them to take us to the hospital for 400 rupees. When we got there, no one was awake. I woke the nurse, the pharmacist, the lab technician and the accounts payable person. The nurse sent me to the pharmacy to pick up the syringes, the IV bag, and all the medication. It was perhaps the strangest thing ever. I was running samples to the lab and results back to the nurse. I suppose it was something to do besides sit there and worry. In the end, Rob heroically (Rob's words, not mine) pulled through barely scathed, but out about $40. Yup, that was the total bill. And I think I may even be over-estimating that.
We were exhausted on our bus ride to Kathmandu to make our flight out the next morning (where I was frisked about 6 times before boarding the plane). The flight was nothing to write home about, but the security at our connection in Delhi was a nightmare. It resulted in us running to our gate, which proved futile because the plane was delayed coming in. Sigh.
Once we made it to Bangkok, it was pouring rain, and it was Thai New Years. Which essentially means that everyone was out with white paint and water guns. I can't think of anything I didn't want more in my life. We escaped the insanity the first night, but the party raged on to the next day. As we were taking a tuk-tuk around the city, we got full blast of water. We arrived at our destination completely soaked. My camera was a little more wet than I would have liked and my brand new dumb phone that I just purchased that morning broke. Yet we persevered, bought some snacks, and boarded a night train to Chumphon. The early morning ferry to Ko Tao signaled the end of our travels (for now) and I have currently planted myself on the beach and am demanding to have coconuts delivered to me hourly.


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We work together on projects and we enjoy each others' company, not only at our Clubs' meetings but also in those projects and activities that we undertake. We have bowling teams and special fellowships of Rotarians with like minds, interests, and hobbies.
These links will help you find out more about some of these projects and activities. Click on any heading to learn more.


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Advertisement [CLICK THE BUTTON ON THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE]
Author | Preeti Hoon | Thursday, Aug 12,2010 8:25 AM
Diageo India Pvt Ltd, maker of well-known alcoholic drinks brands, has called for a BTL (below the line) pitch for its vodka brand, Smirnoff, in India. The pitch, which was called in the first week of July 2010, aims to choose a BTL agency that can carry activation tasks for the brand on a pan India basis, according to senior sources in the industry.
The activities will be limited to pubs in India and the business is on 'pick and drop' terms, wherein the agency pitching for the business has to present the rate card to the client.
Smirnoff officials were not available for comments at the time of filing this report.
Trading in approximately 180 markets, Diageo has brands like Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Guinness, and Baileys liquor, among others. The company has offices in 80 countries, including Great Britain, Ireland, the US, Canada, Spain, Italy, Africa, Latin America, Australia, India and the Caribbean.