text:
China is a large country with more than a billion people, but as Ross Terrill observed, when we ask what China wants, we are really attempting to discern the goals of the nine male engineers that make up the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party.[1] This clarification makes the answer straightforward, like any bureaucracy or interest group, the CCP wants to ensure their own survival. However, despite the authoritarian nature of the CCP, they depend on legitimacy to maintain control over the Chinese state. The CCP currently derives much of their legitimacy on economic performance, but as the economy is starting to slow down, maintaining a strong foreign policy is increasingly important. The CCP bases their foreign policy around the two concepts of "core interests" and building a "new type of great power relations" with the United States. Both of these goals involve China taking a more assertive stance in Asia to ensure that other states are unable to interfere with China's domestic policies, including their relationship with Taiwan and other territorial claims, as well as playing a more authoritative regional role. In order to meet these goals, the CCP will increase their political strength through economic ties and their role in multi-lateral organizations as well as a military buildup designed to provide a credible deterrence to any other power seeking to interfere. In order to deter a stronger or more sophisticated military, such as the United States, China will develop asymmetrical capabilities that will allow it to deny access to strategic areas long enough to complete its goals and present the international community with a fait accompli.
China's Long Term Goals
The CCP considers foreign policy directly related to maintaining domestic stability and regime survival. Throughout Chinese history, external invasions have often overthrown ruling regimes during times of internal unrest.[2] As the Chinese people become more vocally nationalistic, the CCP's foreign policy choices will become more constrained, and will need to take on more hard-line stances to maintain their legitimacy with the public. Collective memories of China's role at the top of the hierarchy of Asian states under China's tributary system fuel Chinese nationalists. Chinese Scholar Ye Zicheng expresses this nationalist sentiment by writing "If China does not become a world power, the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will be incomplete. Only when it becomes a world power can we say that the total rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been achieved."[3] As China continues to rise economically and militarily, this viewpoint has become widely accepted among both common and elite Chinese citizens.[4] In order to maintain control of nationalism, and to channel it as a source of legitimacy for the regime, the CCP has established the two concepts of 'core interests' and a 'new type of great power relationship' with the United States.
The 2011 Chinese White Paper "China's Peaceful Development," lists the six core Chinese interests as 1) state sovereignty; 2) national security; 3) territorial integrity; 4) national reunification; 5) China's political system established by the Constitution and overall social stability; 6) basic safeguards for ensuring sustainable economic and social development.[5] The concept of core interests is how the CCP defines its priorities, and signals issues it is willing to go to war over.[6] In the past, Chinese spokespeople have referred to both contested South and East China Sea territorial claims as core interests, but officially, the CCP has maintained ambiguity about their status.[7] However, despite the ambiguity, the CCP has been clear that it considers its territorial claims to be sovereign Chinese territory, so maintaining these claims would fall under the core interests of state sovereignty and territorial integrity. In addition, unlike the strategic ambiguity of its maritime claims, the CCP has been clear that Taiwan is a core interest, and that the CCP is unwilling to rule out the use of force to reunify China.[8]
Despite being included in a document about peaceful development, China's pursuit of its core interests has the potential for great power rivalry or conflict with the United States and other regional powers. This is why in 2010 Chinese president Hu Jintao told U.S. president Obama "China and the United States should respect each other's core interests and major concerns. This is key to the healthy and stable development of bilateral ties."[9] Current Chinese president Xi Jinping has articulated a similar concept in his vision for a "new type of great-power relations" between China and the United States. As part of this vision, Xi insists that respect for each other's 'core interests' was a vital part of this new relationship. This slogan has now become commonplace in Chinese official speeches and media when describing the U.S-Chinese relationship.[10] Together, the concepts of 'core interests' and a 'new type of great power relationships,' demonstrate the CCP's vision of China's future. In this vision, China and the United States will enjoy an equal relationship with clearly defined core interests that the other will not interfere with. This will result in China assuming a preeminent place in Asia, with a large sphere of influence encompassing much of the South and East China Seas, and a reunification with Taiwan.
Chinese Grand Strategy
In order for China to achieve its world power vision, it needs to change the balance of power with the United States. The United States, through maintaining bases and alliances along China's periphery and through extending its nuclear umbrella and weapons sells to Taiwan, stands in the way of China reunifying or consolidating its maritime claims. In addition, the United States has demonstrated its ability to interfere in what China considers its domestic affairs, such as applying economic sanctions in 1989 after the Tiananmen incident or sending in 1996 sending two aircraft carrier battle groups through the Taiwan Straits. In order to prevent more humiliating U.S. interference, and to balance the U.S.-China relationship, the CCP has developed a grand strategy that focuses on strengthening Chinese political power as well as developing an effective military deterrent.
Chinese political scientist Yan Xuetong has developed a formula to measure a country's strength based on the concept of comprehensive national power. This formula is derived from the sum of a country's military, economic, and soft power multiplied by its political power (CP=(M+E+C)xP).[11] This concept demonstrates the importance of a countries political power as compared to economics or military might, for example if political power is zero it does not matter how high any of the other inputs to the formula are. Yan's conception of political power relates to humane authority, or the ability of a country to win friends and allies through moral leadership.[12] This idea of the attractive power of moral leadership has a long history in Chinese thought, for example, Confucius wrote, "If distant people do not submit, then cultivate benevolent virtue so as to attract them."[13]
Currently the United States and other western powers run the international order and benefit by creating the rules. The United State's manifests this control through its powerful global alliance networks and through its influence over international institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO. The United States also uses ideas like human rights to interfere in other states internal affairs, such as its many humanitarian interventions in places like Yugoslavia and Libya. China is currently a rule-taker in this international system, but has developed a new ideal for international relations based on non-interference in other state's affairs. President Xi has articulated this new vision of international relations as part of China's peaceful development strategy, saying China should "abide by the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, respect the independent choice of development path and social system by people of other countries, promote peaceful resolution of differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, and oppose the willful use or threat of force."[14]
This strategy of non-interference has the benefit of attracting developing countries that are wary of western interference in their domestic affairs. For example, China, unlike the United States, is often willing to give aid to countries without attaching political conditions such as human rights or anti-corruption requirements. A recent example of this is President Xi's trip to Pakistan and his pledge of $46 billion dollars in aid, more than the United States has ever given to Pakistan during decades of a troubled alliance.[15] Despite Yan and Xi's rhetoric about peace and moral authority, Xi also articulated the strategic intent behind the aid and the visit, saying "China appreciates Pakistan's consistent support on issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and South China Sea," and "China will continue to staunchly support Pakistan for its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity."[16] Xi's diplomatic aid is not limited to Pakistan, but within the same week, China extended a $5 billion loan to the United State's main irritant in Latin America, Venezuela. This new loan comes on top of an already existing $70 billion worth of risky Chinese loans, but ensures that China will have a foothold in Latin America.[17] Currently China is far behind the United States in terms of friends and allies, as Yan notes, the United States has more than 50 formal military allies, whereas China has none, and counts among its friends unstable states like North Korea, Pakistan, and Venezuela. However, President Xi seems determined to change this calculus and expand his vision of a new form of international relations.
Problems with this grand strategy- America has more than 50 formal military allies, while China has none. North Korea and Pakistan are only quasi-allies of China. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/opinion/how-china-can-defeat-america.html
Luttwaks theory and the current balancing against China
[1] Ross Terrill, "What Does China Want?," The Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 2005, http://archive.wilsonquarterly.com/essays/what-does-china-want
[2] Wang Jisi, "China's Search for a Grand Strategy: A Rising Power Finds Its Way," Foreign Affairs, March/April 2011, 69.
[3] Ye Zicheng, Inside China's Grand Strategy: The Perspective from the People's Republic (Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 2011), 74.
[4] Swaine, Michael D. and Ashley J. Tellis. Interpreting China's Grand Strategy: Past, Present, and Future. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2000, 14. http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1121
[5] Feng Zhaokui, "What Are China's Core Interests?," China-US Focus, October 21, 2014, http://www.chinausfocus.com/foreign-policy/what-are-chinas-core-interests-2/
[6] "China's Evolving 'Core Interests'," The New York Times, May 11, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/12/opinion/sunday/chinas-evolving-core-interests.html
[7] Caitlin Campbell, Ethan Meick, Kimberly Hsu, and Craig Murray, "China's "Core Interests" and the East China Sea," U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, May 10, 2013, http://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/Research/China%27s%20Core%20Interests%20and%20the%20East%20China%20Sea.pdf
[8] Wang Jisi, 70.
[9] Wu Xinbo, "China and the United States: Core Interests, Common Interests, and Partnership," United States Institute of Peace, June 2011, http://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/SR277.pdf
[10] Andrew S. Erickson and Adam P. Liff, "Not-So-Empty Talk
The Danger of China's "New Type of Great-Power Relations" Slogan," Foreign Affairs, October 1, 2014, http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/142178/andrew-s-erickson-and-adam-p-liff/not-so-empty-talk
[11] Yan Xuetong, Ancient Chinese Thought, Modern Chinese Power (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011), 101.
[12] Yan Xuetong, "How China Can Defeat America," New York Times, November 20, 2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/opinion/how-china-can-defeat-america.html.
[13] Yan Xuetong, 37.
[14] "Xi eyes more enabling int'l environment for China's peaceful development," Xinhuanet, November 30, 2014, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-11/30/c_133822694.htm
[15] Jane Perlez, "Xi Jinping Heads to Pakistan, Bearing Billions in Infrastructure Aid," New York Times, April 19, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/20/world/asia/chinas-president-heads-to-pakistan-with-billions-in-infrastructure-aid.html
[16] "China, Pakistan elevate relations, commit to long-lasting friendship," Xinhuanet, April 21, 2015, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-04/21/c_134167525.htm
[17] Shannon Tiezzi, "Maduro: China Gives $5 Billion Loan to Venezuela," The Diplomat, April 21, 2015, http://thediplomat.com/2015/04/maduro-china-gives-5-billion-loan-to-venezuela/


text:
By: 6th April 2019 at 23:15-
I have never heard of this till now: From the GISBORNE HERALD, 9 September 1947
LONDON. Aug. 12.
Supersonic "sickness," a mysterious jet age malady, has claimed its first victim, 26-year-old Battle of Britain pilot Philip Stanbury, D.F.C., one of the country's best-known test pilots. The sickness has caused him to give up flying jet planes. He told the Daily Mail's aviation correspondent that a doctor had ordered him to fly only lightweight aircraft, which explains his surprise resignation from the Gloster Aircraft Company, whose twin-jet Meteor fighters he flew as chief test pilot.
The strange sickness is caused by the effect on a man's body of engine noises pitched at such high frequency that they cannot be heard by the human ear.
The correspondent says Vickers Armstrong test pilot, Jeffrey Quill, who was given an O.B.E. for testing Spitfires, is also believed to be affected by the malady.
Urgent Attention to Problem
The Ministry of Supply and Air Ministry medical experts are giving urgent attention to the problem. Test pilots suspected of showing signs of "jet sickness" are receiving the most rigorous examination. "Investigation of supersonic sickness by the Medical Research Council, the National Physical Laboratory, and other bodies, began after turbo-jet factory workers' complaints that they had contracted strange illnesses, says the correspondent.
"The possible effects of supersonic vibrations on airline passengers sitting in a 'cone of sound' behind jet engines is also being considered.
"Scientists have been for years trying to harness high frequency sound waves. Research workers claim they killed a rabbit at 100 yards range with a sound gun which concentrated supersonic waves into a fatal beam."
By: 6th April 2019 at 23:23 Permalink-
Not unlike the effects on ground and air crew of the XF-84 Thunderscreech which had a propeller revolving with supersonic tip speeds. Nausea, headaches etc.
By: 7th April 2019 at 01:44 Permalink-
They're talking about ultrasound, surely, i.e. sound waves at frequencies above normal human hearing http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_pdf/2001/crr01343.pdf
By: 7th April 2019 at 05:19 Permalink - Edited 7th April 2019 at 05:22-
More to the point, is the "malady" still out there, if so does anyone suffer from it?
No doubt Stanbury was suffering from something, but perhaps not what was assumed in 1947.
Perhaps his work with new and noisy jets led the doctors to make a false assumption?
After all, Quill continued to fly and the health and safety crowd didn't legislate jets out of existence.
By: 7th April 2019 at 07:01 Permalink-
Were they flying these early jets with the normal leather helmets? Did this problem lead to the rigid helmets with far better ear protection perhaps?
Also did the German and US pilots who had been flying jets also suffer from this at the time?
By: 7th April 2019 at 11:55 Permalink-
It was not just a jet thing - quite a few pilots at the end of WW2 ended up with various problems,years of high altitudes in unpressurised cockpits,with fairly basic oxygen regulators and also having to do many rapid descents could lead to a variety of ills.
Jeff Quill - in his autobio 'Spitfire' he describes passing out whilst climbing the E10/44 to circa 40,000 ft and he put it down to a mixture of being extremely tired after 16 years of hard continuous flying and flying high in unpressurised aircraft,he was run down and unwell.He voluntarily gave up test flying but eventually returned to normal flying.
Some pilots ended up with variations of (or similar to ) chronic sinusitus which also curtailed jet and or test flying.
2 pilots that come to mind on that score would be Derek Piggot and David Ince - both of whom became well known glider pilots but had set their sights on test flying.
By: 7th April 2019 at 22:41 Permalink-
I have a strange malady that affects me every time I see an F-4 Phantom.
Although I don't fly them nor am I flying when I see it, there are no medical issues. It's just the wobbly knees that could be a problem when trying to walk afterwards.
I suppose you could call it a sickness, but the after effects are not too serious to require medical intervention.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Zombie Hunter
Year: 2013
Duration: 1h 33min
IMDb: 3.5
Country: USA
Actors: Danny Trejo, Martin Copping, Clare Niederpruem, Jade Regier, Jason K. Wixom, Terry Guthrie, Jake Suazo, Jeff Kirkham, Michael Monasterio, Marianne Smith, Shona Kay, Jarrod Phillips, Ashley Halbash, Cali Gonzalez, Adam Judd
Zombie Hunter is set in a post-apocalyptic Zombie wasteland caused by the mysterious street drug "Natas". We follow one man who has nothing left other than a beat up Camaro and a trunk full of guns and booze. He runs down Flesh Eaters, hunting for sport and redemption, while also running from his past. After crashing into a small group of survivors, who are running low on resources, he decides to lend a hand. But a surprise attack by the Flesh Eaters forces them on the run and puts the Hunter's skills to the test.


text:
Product Search
Blog Posts by Chaotic Fibres
- Chaotic Fibres Retirement Sale! June 1, 2020
- Chaotic Fibres Open Again May 9, 2020
- Store closure for winter break! December 12, 2019
Tag Archives: spin in
Season's Greetings from Chaotic Fibres
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season! The recent snow and cold here on Vancouver Island reminds us of our years living in climates where a real Canadian winter brought days of crystal gleaming snow before slush and banks of melting … Continue reading
Posted in Fibre festival on Vancouver Island, New fibres for felting and spinning, New product from Chaotic Fibres, VHWSG's Spin In Tagged acid dyes, cashmere top, Chaotic Fibres, Cloverdale, felters, felting, fibres, Fibres West, merino, online store, Saanich Fairgrounds, silk, silk cocoons, silk hankies, spin in, spinners, spinning, studio sale, superfine cashmere, Vancouver Island, VHWSG, Victoria, viscose, viscose crepe voile, viscose fibre Leave a comment
Chaotic Fibres at VHWSG's Spin In, February 27th
Chaotic Fibres will be selling all kinds of fibre at the Victoria Handweavers and Spinners Guild 'Spin In' on Saturday, February 27th from 10am until 3:30. This event will be held at the Saanich Fairgrounds, a spacious and perfect location … Continue reading
Posted in Fibres West, Fleece and Fibre Festival, News from Chaotic Fibres, Victoria, BC, VHWSG's Spin In Tagged basketry, baskets, chaotic batts, felted, felted bags, felters, fibre, fibre festival, fibre packs, Fibres West, knitting, lace, Laurie Steffler, rug hooking, scarves, shawls, silk, specialty fibre, spin in, Spin In 2016, spinners, spinning, Tsawwassen Ferry, Vancouver Island, VHWSG, Victoria Handweavers and Spinners Guild, weaving, wool Leave a comment
Spin In 2015 Tomorrow!
Come and see our spinning and felting fibres at Spin In tomorrow! We will be one of six vendors in the Spin In Marketplace at the Saanich Fairgrounds. Admission to the marketplace is free. Chaotic Fibres will have many of … Continue reading
Posted in Spin In 2015, Victoria Tagged baby camel fibre, batts, Bergschaf, carded silk lap, chaotic batts, cloud, de haired yak, eri silk, felting, finnish, gotland, jacob, massam, mulberry sliver, online store, pulled sari silk, pulled sari silk sliver, Rose Fibre, Saanich Fairgrounds, shetland, silk, spin in, spinning, wool tops batts Leave a comment


text:
Feedback is really important to us, as are your testimonials. Please take a minute to share your organic experiences with us. Your testimonial will be shown on our site once we have moderated it.
If you want to remain anonymous, that's just fine, enter whatever you like in the Name field.


text:
Morning Siren Activation in Maple Grove, Hennepin County Reportedly Software Malfunction
Apr 12, 2016 07:41AM
By Wendy Erlien
Updated 9 a.m. April 12, 2016 - The following statement was release from Hennepin County / Hennepin County Sheriff's Office:
at 6:10 am, outdoor warning sirens were inadvertently sounded in Hennepin
County. The outdoor warning siren system is tested daily to ensure
functionality. The system experienced a momentary computer hardware malfunction
during the daily test. The system has
since been repaired and all systems are operating normally."
7:41 a.m. - Maple Grove residents, along with many community members throughout Hennepin County, woke up to the sounds of severe weather sirens around 6:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 12.
The National Weather Service – Twin Cities confirmed there were "no weather concerns at this time."
Later that morning, it was announced by Hennepin County Emergency Management the warning point siren was activated due to a software malfunction. The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is investigating the reason for the malfunction.
Unrelated to the Tuesday siren, April 11-15 is considered Severe Weather Week in Minnesota.
According to the National Weather Service-Twin Cities, there will be several simulated tornado watches and warnings on Thursday, April 14 to test statewide warning and communications systems.
The schedule for the Thursday, April 14 is as follows:
1 p.m. A simulated tornado watch for Minnesota and Wisconsin will be issued by the National Weather Service.
1:45 p.m. A simulated tornado warning for Minnesota and Wisconsin will be issued by the National Weather Service. Most cities and counties are anticipated to activate the outdoor warning sirens.
Siren activity and the simulation will reportedly end by 2 p.m.
Another simulated tornado warning will be issued again at 6:55 p.m. for Minnesota and Wisconsin "as a test of family preparedness in the home and for second shift workers," according to the National Weather Service – Twin Cities.


text: Devyani International Ltd. Company Profile Devyani International Limited (DIL) is an associate company of RKJ Group, a large multi-business, multi location corporate conglomerate, with interest in PEPSI bottling (India & Nepal), edible oil (Srilanka) Beer (Mauritius), Real Estate , Education. DIL runs Pizza Hut, KFC brands in north and east India at more than 55 locations. DIL has entered into an agreement with Walt Disney Group to own and operate Disney Artist stores pan India. To fuel this expansion plan we are looking for: Designation Vice President Operations- Disney Artist Experience 12 - 20 years Industry Type Retailing Functional Area Sales / BD Keyword Archies, Woodland, Nike, Adidas, Pantaloons, Tanishq Location Delhi/NCR Remuneration Attractive with excellent growth prospect to head SBU. Education UG - Any Graduate - Any Specialization PG - Any PG Course - Any Specialization Job Description* Drive all functions relating to planning and execution of opening of Disney Artist outlets as per business plan across India; * Build and lead human talent team for smooth operations; * Develop SOP for amazing customer experience; * Achieve top line and bottom line targets. Desired Profile* Ideal candidate will be a qualified professional (e.g. MBA) with 12 -20 years of experience in retail or customer centric service industry. Proven skill in leading start up operations to maturity in a multi location, challenging and complex environment; * Ability to leverage world class brands and create magical experience for customers; * Financially savvy with keen insights on top lines and bottom lines. Reference DIL/GM/DISNEY/010207/ Contact Information Name Subhadra Jha. Telephone 011 - 41706727 Website http://www.rkjgroup.com Address Devyani International Pvt Ltd Email firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com


text:
Watch diameter: approx.46mm
155 pieces of subassembly module and 18 jewels
Frequency: 28,800 Oscillation/Hour
The tourbillon located at 6 o'clock rotates at a speed of 60s for one circle
Flying Tourbillon
40 hours power reserve
Black Skeletal dial
Stainless Steel Case (Rose gold plated bezel)
Sliver plated rod index
Rose gold plated arrow shaped hands
Black rubber strap with red alligator skin surface
Both sides sapphire crystal
The estimated delivery date usually takes 3 months. We will contact you if there is a different expected delivery date.
Tags: Dynamic Series - Red


text:
Club Bailiff Rob Leather proves that there is more than one way to catch the Wye's beautiful barbel. Rather than sitting behind two rods pointing skyward with two feeders in the middle of the River Rob chose to fish in faster water with centrepin and float tackle. This fine fish weighing 7lb came from the Club's water at Benhall. With the colder weather on the way float fishing with stick float or waggler will bring some good fish to those prepared to give it a go.
301 total views, 2 views today


text:
This week was….CRAZY, but in a good way, so many new things and what I am thrilled about the most : We have a new crew member and format captain for our benztown NT Library, Adam Kecskemeti, who by the way is also an awesome VO talent – just saying :)…
Posts Tagged 'traveling'
Andy's Fiver Friday #170 – New Crew Members, FUN TIMES and CRSPosted: 8th February 2019 by benztownbranding in Fiver Friday
Tags: Adam Kecskemeti, benztown, benztownbranding, benztownimaging, benztownradio, Brad Paisley, compressor, country, Country Radio Seminar 2019, CRS, CRS 2019, de-esser, Hypersonic, Hypersonic Jet, imaging, Japan, Jet, k3, Kelly Kelly Kelly, Library, n/t, Nashville, news, News Talk, Radio, radio imaging, soundcloud, travel, traveling, US, USA, VO, VO Talent, voice over, Waves, waves sibliance
Comments Off on Andy's Fiver Friday #170 – New Crew Members, FUN TIMES and CRS
Andy's Fiver Friday #151 – Traveling to dangerous countries and what do you know about gipsy music?Posted: 14th September 2018 by benztownbranding in Fiver Friday
Tags: 1176, andreas sannemann, benztown, benztownbranding, benztownimaging, CHR, compressor, demo, Gipsy Music, High Risk Traveling, History On Fire, imaging, limiter, podcast, Radio, radioimaging, RDUB, slow jams, soundcloud, Summer 2018, traveling, UAD, universal audio
Weekend is here!!! YEAH!!! What a week. Gipsy music – what a tease!!!!
A Producer's guide for traveling – How to prepare your sessions for taking them to another studio.Posted: 28th July 2013 by benztownbranding in General
Tags: moving sessions, traveling
Comments Off on A Producer's guide for traveling – How to prepare your sessions for taking them to another studio.
Hi guys, it's Andre. For a lot of producers, traveling is a part of their job. Not everyone is bound to one specific studio, especially when you're recording, mixing and mastering jingles and radio imaging for clients all over the world. Sometimes you need to leave your own beloved studio and move to another for […]


text:
EMI : Starts at Rs. 119.57 K
Rs. 16500 / sq ft. onwards
Project Area 0.2 acre
Possession Jun 2017
Starting Price Rs. 1.81 Crs
Buildings 1
Units 2 BHK Flat/Apartment
Last Updated Nov 2016
Super Area
Price Per Unit Area
Base Unit Price
Super Area
Price Per Unit Area
Base Unit Price
Super Area
Price Per Unit Area
Base Unit Price
Payment Plan Available
Construction Linked Payment Plan
2 BHK [1098.00 sq ft]
Rs. 2.07 Crs to 2.07 Crs *
2 BHK [1132.00 sq ft]
Rs. 2.13 Crs to 2.13 Crs *
2 BHK [1150.00 sq ft]
Rs. 2.17 Crs to 2.17 Crs *
Besant Nagar is a locality in Chennai, named after the famous theosophist Annie Besant. Besant Nagar is well-connected to other major locations via road, rail and public transport. Many buses originating from Central and Broadway Bus Terminal pass through Besant Nagar. The Pazhavanthangal Railway Station is 10.8 kilometers whereas the Central Railway Station is 13.3 kilometers from Besanat Nagar. The International Airport is located at a distance of 13.1 kilometers via the Tiruchi Highway. L V R Matric Sr. Sec. School, Vidya Vinaya Vinoda Higher Secondary School, Little Millennium, Anna High School, Maharaji College of Pharmacy and Besant Theosophical Higher Secondary School are some of the famous educational institutions in Besant Nagar. The locality houses many good hospitals such as Santhosh Hospital, Elite Asian Hospital, M. N. Eye Hospital, Balaji Nursing Home, Impcops Hospital and Sivasundar Hospital. Several major banks have set up their branches in this area. These include HDFC Bank, Andhra Bank, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Canara Bank, Overseas Bank, Corporation Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank.
via Drive
via Drive
-- kms
travel time
-- mins
Kgeyes Residency presents residential project 7th Avenue, located at Besant Nagar, Chennai. It offers 2 BHK residential apartments sizes ranging from 1098 sq.ft. to 1150 sq.ft. The community is spread over 0.16 acres and the flats are in different stages of construction. Essential facilities such as landscaped gardens, power backup, round the clock security services and children's play zone are located in the vicinity. Bestowed with the finest infrastructure, the place provides for interiors that will magnify your everyday happiness. Satisfy your desire of owning a perfect habitat with this miracle structure, equipped with all amenities required for a healthy living.
KGEYES Residency Private Limited is today one of the leading and reputed real estate companies in Chennai. It was started in the year 1993 when organized construction companies were yet to take shape in Chennai. The company has gone on to develop a total of 2.5 million sq.ft. in just 19 years of business.Having a strong belief in 'CUSTOMER IS THE KING', the company went from strength to strength, launching various projects across the city. What followed was a happy and satisfied customer base. Each and every one of them has enjoyed tremendous return on investment. No wonder, those who do not compromise on quality, like Mrs. Indra Nooyi of PEPSICO, have chosen KGEYES Residency.It was the first builder to sell a single high value flat at USD 1million at Boat Club, Chennai in 2006, igniting the Real Estate boom in Chennai. KGEYES Philosophy is "To Redefine Comfort" by building quality homes in Chennai City and its immediate surroundings for your luxurious living. By being transparent, open, committed and yet friendly to the customer we strive to build a long-term relationship with the society at large. In about 2 decades of being in business we are already considered a trust-worthy builder in Chennai. KGEYES Residency has already delivered many premium and hi-end residential apartments in Chennai City. To become a premier, value based, acclaimed pan india developer with world class professionalism and, with our reputation certified by our associates, maximize the customers' investment value by quality apartments with the confidence reposed by our employees and establish sustained growth through generations.
0Selected Projects for Comparison


text:
Per another thread ( https://emby.media/c...ry/#entry484965 ) video files that do not have an external ID (eg, TheMovieDB, IMDB) associated with them in Emby will lose their Watched status if you ever move the files to another location. This is because currently the only way to determine the uniqueness of the file (if it does not have an external ID) is to use the full path to the file.
Now, most items will have an external ID, but the big exception can be Movie Extras and TV Specials. Some TV Specials will have an external ID. And some Movie Extras do exist in the IMDB and TheMovieDB, but currently there is no metadata lookup available for Movie Extras ( https://emby.media/c...kup-for-extras/ ). So if a Movie and it's associated Extras is ever moved, the Watched status for those extras will be lost.
This feature request is for there to be some better method of identifying files such that those files which do not have external ID's can still be correctly identified (and thus Watched status preserved) even if they are moved. I am most interested in this for Movie Extras.
I'm not sure what the best route for achieving this would be, but wanted to put the idea out here for consideration.


text:
Originally Posted by TheONe
Damn...in all of the recent pictures that i have seen of her she looks ALOT more soft in the face....alot less tranny and dare I say...CUTE! What's up?
Well, after being called old, tranny, fug-muppet etc. etc. I guess she took the hint
Her nails are horrendous.
When your daughter plays "House," she pretends to be an annoying doctor with a pill-addiction and a limp.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Forum Rules


text:
The JFNA Board and Delegate Assembly closed the GA with an almost unanimous, if not unanimous, approval of the Global Planning Table "structure" yesterday evening. Even though only 80 federations were present when that meeting began, it's safe to say that had all 157 been there, the results would surely have been the same.
The discussion began with a passionate presentation by the Board Chair on the value the GPT would have, hearkening back to conclusions that included "...the old ways aren't working" and in what proved to be an entirely unnecessary confabulation leading to "...the GPT will move our system forward" and a recitation of the "historic values" to which JFNA remains committed.
Our leaders were careful: they separated any discussion of or vote on the Second Membership Criterion, leaving that dog on the table for consideration at the January 2012 Owners Retreat.
The newly engaged Senior Vice-President for the GPT and other things was left to describe the structure, and in her articulate remarks she observed that "times have changed" as JFNA "writes a new chapter in Jewish history" with language straight out of the GPT Plan. I began to envision, for those who remember, Gabby Hayes in an old black and white Western selling "sarsaparilla" to cure all that ails you.
Yes, "times they are a'changin"...indeed. Kal ha'kavod. Onward.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Self-Made Cosmetics: Crystal-Infused Body Scrubs, Face Masks, Serums & More!
Now more than ever, as we live in toxic times, it's important to "naturalize" your beauty routine as much as possible. I recently discovered a skin care company that does exactly that but in a very unique way…
Introducing Self-Made Cosmetics, an all-natural, hand-made skin care company that focuses on making products to make women feel more confident in themselves. Being self-made is more than just hand-making the product ourselves but making sure that as people and as a company, they are staying true to themselves and making something of what they have within them. Says Founder Kristen Zaldana, "Through our face & body care, we offer products that contain crystals for energy healing benefits, as well as products with ingredients that nourish for maximum skincare benefits."
Why Crystal Infusion?
Crystals have been of aide of healing dating back to our ancestors nearly 6,000 years ago! At Self-Made Cosmetics, they just love to incorporate crystals into many of their products to provide the utmost healing for their customers. By carefully choosing which crystal gem to charge with its corresponding ingredient, they strive to offer products that will bring positive energy to enhance your everyday life!
Why Natural Ingredients?
Self-Made Cosmetics prides itself on what goes into their products. Ensuring that there are NO harsh chemicals that will damage your skin over time is extremely important to them. They use pure and plant-based ingredients to make sure you are not exposed to anything that could potentially harm you. Using natural ingredients and naturally-derived preservatives is a sure way to ensure a strong foundation for healthy skin.
No Parabens
No Sulfates
Cruelty Free
There are specifically two products that I am really excited about that I want to share with you today. Let's take a look…
Make your skin feel soft & pure with this deep facial scrub! Made with sugar to exfoliate, BLACK OBSIDIAN + CHARCOAL will assist in cleansing toxins from your pores, leaving you with fresh feeling skin. Babassu Oil & Tea Tree Essential Oil are charged with a Black Obsidian crystal to help extract any negative energy while visibly fighting acne naturally. Aside from using this as a scrub, I also like to leave it on for 10-15 minutes as a mask, then rinse it off with warm water.
Formed from molten lava, Black Obsidian solidifies as a glossy crystal. Known to be one of the most powerful crystals, this warrior of truth crystal is believed to help remove negativity & to re-balance energy.
2 oz / 56.7 g
CHARCOAL: visibly reduces pores, removes excess oil from skin, deep cleans skin
BABASSU OIL: fights acne, helps relieve dry/itchy skin, visibly reduces inflammation
TEA TREE ESSENTIAL OIL: fights acne, helps reduce inflammation, relieves dry/itchy skin
This product is preservative free!
This is something for you to indulge in and enjoy at night, and it's perfect for a nourishing sleep! With Sweet Almond Oil charged with Kyanite, their vitamin A & E rich KYANITE + LOTUS EXTRACT SERUM helps promote tissue repair as it hydrates your skin. This floral serum soothes your skin with chamomile and jasmine essential oils to gently soothe and calm your skin for a relaxing night's rest.
Kyanite is known to be an exceptional manifesting stone. This beautiful opaque blue crystal transfers energy very quickly. It removes blockages and negativity, allowing the good vibes to flow within your energy.
1.7 fl oz/ 50 ml
LOTUS FLOWER EXTRACT: Relaxes the nerves and promotes sleep
SWEET ALMOND OIL: Moisturizes and hydrates your skin
ROSEHIP OIL: Anti-aging and skin-rejuvenating
CHAMOMILE OIL: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
JASMINE OIL: Soothes and calms your skin
*This product is preservative free!
Final Thoughts
I believe that Self-Made Cosmetics is on the right track—this green indie company is on to a good thing, using only natural ingredients and buzz-worthy crystals in their skin care products with a medium price point. I feel absolutely wonderful using this cosmetic line from an earth-conscious standpoint and I love how it makes me feel.
To order, visit their website at www.self-madecosmetics.com.
Are you using all-natural skincare products? How do you feel about crystals? Would you try Self-Made Cosmetics? Please leave your comments below and you'll be entered to win cool prizes from The Bad Ass Writer Fun & Games Department!
Thanks for hanging out with me! Coming up on The Badass Writer: A Revolution Mint Palette review, details on the Ultimate California Road Trip and a book review on the 7 Steps to Personal Power. Stay tuned…
I receive samples of products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.


text:
The Road She Left Behind by Christine Nolfi – Three women. Two families torn apart by secrets.
Crushed by guilt over the car accident that killed her father and sister, and torn apart by her mother's resentment, Darcy Goodridge fled her family estate eight years ago and hasn't looked back. Now an unexpected phone call threatens to upend what little serenity she's found. Her nephew, Emerson, who was just a baby when his mother died, has gone missing. Darcy must return home and face her past in order to save him. Continue reading


text:
Nutritional Content: Eggplant
Eggplant is a food that contains small concentrations of minerals important in human nutrition such as Phosphorus, Magnesium and Potassium, it also contains Vitamin B9, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. Due to the varied but low concentration of nutrients it has, it is recommended to consume it accompanied by other foods
To choose them in the market we recommend you check the fruits very well to make sure they do not have holes; which are usually caused by agricultural pests that lay their eggs in the fruit.
The nutritional table that we present below is based on the concentration of nutrients in 100 grams of raw Eggplant; take into account that depending on the way you prepare it (cooked, steamed, roasted, etc.) the concentration of vitamins and minerals will decrease to a lesser or greater extent.
Nutritional Content of Eggplant per 100 g of edible portion:
|Quantity in 100 g
|Recommended Daily Allowance
|25 Kcal
|1500 - 2000 Kcal♀
|2000 - 2500 Kcal♂
|0.98 g
|1 - 1.18 g/Kg♀
|1 - 2.5 g /Kg♂
|5.88 g
|190 - 260 g♀
|250 - 350 g♂
|3,53 g
|50 g
|Dietary Fiber
|3 g
|40 g
|0.18 g
|44 - 66 g♀
|66 - 80 g♂
|Vitamin A
|1 mcg
14 mcg
|800 mcg♀
|1000 mcg♂
|Vitamin B1
|0.039 mg
|1,2 mg
|Vitamin B2
|0.037 mg
|1,4 mg
|Vitamin B3
|0.649 mg
|16 mg
|Vitamin B6
|0.084 mg
|1,4 mg
|Vitamin B9
|22 mcg
|200 mcg
|Vitamin C
|2.2 mg
|80 mg
|Vitamin E
|0.30 mg
|12 mg
|Vitamin K
|3.5 mcg
|75 mcg
|9 mg
0.081 mg
|800 mg
1 mg
|24 mg
|700 mg
|0.23 mg
|14 mg
|14 mg
|375 mg
|229 mg
|2000 mg
|0.3 mcg
2 mg
|55 mcg
1500 - 2000 mg
|0.16 mg
|10 mg
Recommended Daily Amount: The values that appear in this Nutritional Table as "Recommended Daily Allowance" are values to guide people a little about what amounts to consume of each nutrient. It should also be taken into account that these recommendations are only valid for adults and healthy people.
We also want to emphasize that the organism of each individual is different and that the most accurate way to know how much of each nutrient each person requires is through an extensive evaluation carried out by a Nutritional Area Professional.
Energy: The exact amount of calories (Kcal) a person should consume daily varies according to their weight, sex, age and physical activities. The standard measure used by the World Health Organization (WHO) to guide consumption of Kcal is 2000 Kcal per day.
Proteins: Determining the daily amount of Proteins that is recommended for Women and Men depends on the amount of daily calories consumed and the physical activities performed. 1 gram of Protein per kilogram of weight is a measure that can be taken as a standard for sedentary people.
Glucids (Carbohydrates): The daily amount of carbohydrates is usually determined according to the calorie intake, metabolism and physical activities that are performed. The range of values we offer here as "Recommended Daily Allowance" is to provide some guidance on the consumption of Glucids (Carbohydrates). In this sense, if you consume about 2000 Kcal per day, it is recommended to consume about 250 g of Carbohydrates.
Sugars: When we talk about Sugars we mean the monosaccharides and disaccharides that are the sugars naturally present in food and those that are present in the Sucrose (Common Sugar).
Lipids (Fats): Total Lipids represent the total amount of all fats in food. The Recommended Daily Allowance to consume for healthy adults varies according to their caloric intake.
Sodium: Take into account that when we talk about Sodium we do not refer to Salt. 1 gram of Salt contains 400 milligrams of Sodium.
-For the Values and Nutritional content of this food was taken as a reference USDA


text:
The advent of blockchain comes with a plethora of use cases, many of which benefit constituencies previously marginalized. With this in mind, the African Digital Asset Framework?(ADAF) launches to push the blockchain agenda across the continent. In particular, the body seeks unified standards for blockchain in Africa as well creating awareness among the people.
Further, the project ?aims to build a compliance-focused, cross-border blockchain that will link together both African nations and Africans living abroad, easing everything from international payments to investment.?
Emerging technologies
This is the first such project with an exclusive focus on blockchain and on continental scale. Most of the existing emerging technology initiatives are national and focus on both AI and blockchain. In particular, Kenya created the Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence Taskforce which will publish the roadmap for the emerging technologies. The roadmap would guide the country?s exploitation of emerging tech for the next 15 years.
?In the ICT field, one year is almost equivalent to five years in the real world so we are breaking it into five-year periods so that we are able to take bite-sized chunks,? said Kenya?s ICT Minister in comments accompanying the official statement on the launch of the taskforce.
Many economies in Africa have ?limited financial infrastructure or fragile currencies.? For this reason, blockchain advocates argue that blockchain is the right technology to breach these gaps. In particular, the advocates argue that the continent ?can use cryptocurrency and other blockchain tools to leapfrog beyond the current state of infrastructure in the developed world.?
Unified standards for blockchain in Africa to encourage blockchain adoption
In this light, ADAF launches to set unified standards for blockchain in Africa for a streamlined adoption of the technology. According to an official statement, the organization will encourage strong legal and technical standards to support blockchain technology.
The statement further says: ?ADAF works together with ecosystem partners across the continent and its diaspora to create standards that can be adopted and customised by companies and regulators.?
Interestingly, the organization enjoys high-ranking support from both national and continental leaders. Further, it complements ?the African Union?s Single African Digital Market initiative, which seeks to leverage technology to stimulate digitised Pan-African economic integration.?


text:
Leslie Green asks:
In a popular type of train, a Diesel engine drives an electric generator, which in turns powers the electric motors that drive the wheels.
Given that every step in this chain loses power, why is such an apparently complicated system used?
Hint: If you drive or have been frequently driven in a 'stick-shift' (manual gearbox) car you will have a distinct advantage in answering this question.


text:
Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to take photos for some of my extended family, as the Harris celebrated the birthday (July 14th) of Tameka "Tiny" Cottle Harris.
Over 100 of Tiny's close family friends came out to support her as she celebrated her big day.
I had a great time….
Tiny and Tip's mama's were in the building to support their baby girl.
Just so yall know in case yall ever wonder she acquired the nickname "Tiny" due to her small stature of 4'11" but there's nothing small about her or loven she got over the weekend.
Loook at Little Major, Zonnique, & Tiny's God-Daughter QT JAZZ was in the building… TI's 2 oldest sons Domani and Messiah were there but King (the heartthrob) and TI's other daughter Deyjah didn't get to make it out.
One of Tiny's longtime ATL friends, the lovely Mimi Faust was in the building along with model Summer Walker to show support. Mimi wanted everyone to know she is so thankful for all the love and support people have been giving her these past few weeks. Mimi is getting ready for the reunion show for Love and Hip Hop Atlanta and has some things she need people to know and can't wait to find out…
The lovely Shakana, Tiny's hairstylist was there making sure Tiny's hair stayed flawless. Look at Shakana mama who is pictured above…
Big Kuntry Kane was representing in the building.
Will "Power" Packer and his love of his life were there. Will was fresh off the director's seat and he told me to let you know that bigger things are about to happen so get ready!
Jazze Phae "Oh Boi" was in the building.
Eboni Elecktra, radio personality/host came out to show Tiny love!
Don't think Tiny just hang out with industry people because her childhood friends were in the building as well!
TI has been keeping low these days as he prepares to drop his upcoming eighth studio album, "Trouble Man."
Before speaking on the album, Tip premiered the T-Minus-produced, first single, "Go Get It,†on Sense's Atlanta radio show.
Tip recently did a interview with DJ Sense spoke about the album: "Man, we coming in September, but we still cooking though. I still got something else up my sleeve coming real soon.†Moments later he dropped the news that he has recorded over 100 songs for Trouble Man. "I got 125 records, man,†he told DJ Sense. "I'm sitting on it.â€
Related Posts
Tagged with: Big Kuntry Kane • Eboni Elecktra • Jazze Phae • Mimi Faust • Shakana and TINY • Summer Walker • The OMG Girlz • ti • Tip • Tip & Tiny's Love • Trouble Man • Will Packer
Filed under: Breaking News • Celebrity Events • Celebrity Gossip • Entertainment • FreddyO Videos • Photos


text:
Sapphire Angel – Beginnings (Chapters 2-4)
Written by CJS :: [Tuesday, 14 May 2019 21:52] Last updated by :: [Friday, 17 May 2019 21:17]
Chapter 2
Beth's jaw dropped, and she looked up at John.
"Woah," he said.
Beth stared at the box but didn't move to open it.
"Aren't you going to open it?" John asked.
She bit her lip. "I dunno. I've wanted to get in there for what feels like forever. Now that I can, it almost feels like I shouldn't."
"I don't know. Maybe I'm afraid the mystery of the box will turn out to be greater than the contents."
"There's only one way to find out."
Beth nodded, put a hand to the box, and lifted the lid. Her movements were slow and tentative, but the lid finally opened.
The interior of the box was lined with black velvet. In the middle sat a diamond necklace that gleamed in the dim light of her living room. She inhaled sharply before reaching down to touch it.
She grabbed it tentatively, as if she were afraid it would burn her hand. She held it up to examine it. The diamond was large, but not obnoxiously so, and was secured in a sturdy setting. She slipped it around her neck and fastened the clasp.
"It looks great with the costume," John said.
"You think I should wear this to the party?"
"It's destiny," he replied with a laugh. "You've been trying to get into that box forever."
He had a point, but what if she lost the necklace before she could learn about it? Of course, she probably wasn't going to learn about it. Her mother was the only person who knew about the box, and she knew nothing about the contents. Beth nodded.
"I guess I'll keep it on. We should get going," she said.
"I'm parked right out front," he answered, never taking his eyes off of her.
Before walking out the front door, she grabbed her long coat out of the closet. It was a cool fall night and there was no way her skimpy costume would keep her warm. She slipped into the coat, stepped to the door, and gave two hard tugs. After it didn't budge, John stepped around her, took the handle with both hands, and pulled it open with a grunt.
"Sorry. I'll get that thing fixed," he said as they stepped outside.
They walked down the front sidewalk to his Mazda 3. John, in his costume, gave off an air of death and decay, while Beth radiated life and radiance. It was as if an aura surrounded her, trying to snuff out the drabness of his attire.
John opened the passenger door for her when they arrived at the car, and she climbed in. Moments later John was behind the wheel, and they were on their way to the party.
As they drove through the streets of Harrisburg, Beth caught John's eyes glancing at her slender leg that slipped out between the front of the coat. She bit back a grin.
Looking out the window, she was amazed at how festive the town had become. Even more revelers filled the main roads, spilling out of the handful of bars on the main drag. Their excitement rubbed off on her, making her impatient to get to the party.
As they drove, she glanced down at the cup holder between the two front seats. A white plastic card sat in the holder.
"What's this?" she said, picking up with a gloved hand and examining it. It was devoid of any markings.
"I found it in the parking lot at work. I think it is a swipe card for some of the keypads in the building."
"The keypads that give access to areas that lowly starting employees like you don't have?"
John glanced at her and frowned. "Yes, that kind of keypad."
"Like the basement?"
John's eye roll was obvious. "Are you still hung up on that? I'm not poking around at work."
"You said yourself that you had a bad feeling about what your company was up to down there. Don't you want to know?"
"Not at the cost of my job," John replied, with an edge of irritation in his voice.
Beth sank back into her seat, chastened by his response. She sat in silence until they came upon a billboard further down the road.
The billboard showed the face of a young man about her age, with the words, "Thomas Darcy, Missing Since October 1," above the face. Below it was a phone number to call with any information about him, and the promise of a reward.
"Don't say it," John said, cautioning her not to revisit a past argument. She ignored his warning.
"But what if your company really does have something to do with those missing people?"
"Beth, we've been through this a million times already. My bad feeling was just that the company might be bending some regulatory rules in its research. That's a far cry from thinking they've been kidnapping people. Holy shit."
"Don't swear. And the only way to find out would be to take a look."
"No. For the hundredth time, no. We're not going to hunt down some kidnapped people in the basement of my company, just because I had a bad feeling about something."
"It can't hurt," she shrugged.
"It can't hurt? If we get caught, I'd lose my job. Or worse."
"John, come on. It's after hours on a Friday night. Nobody will even be there. What if this really is something? We could really be helping people."
"And when it turns out to be nothing, like it will?"
"Then we leave, and nobody will ever know."
"Leave the detective work to the police," John said. "They'll find them, but not at Fizzure Technology."
Beth gave a snort and shook her head. "Those people have been missing for weeks. Five people, with families and friends. I'd be surprised if any of them are alive."
"That means we can't help them. You can't let it bother you, Beth."
"Yes, I can. You should think about what they may have gone through. Think of what their families are going through."
"You don't always need to butt in when you see someone being victimized."
"Butt in?" she asked, her voice quivering.
"You know what I mean."
"Caring doesn't mean butting in."
"Beth, come on. Whenever a friend talks to you about a problem, and it looks like somebody is taking advantage of them, you think it is your job to get involved. You don't always have to have this huge chip on your shoulder."
She glared at him but didn't speak.
The car was quiet for several moments. When John spoke his words were slow and there was caution in his voice.
"You don't even know these people."
Beth sighed and looked down at her white-clad hands in her lap. "Maybe it's because the missing people are all close to our age. It makes it hit home even more."
"Maybe. But something tells me you'd be feeling the same way, regardless of age. You can't help everyone."
Their ride was quiet for several more minutes as she stewed over his words. Yes, she did feel a compulsion to get involved when she saw people being victimized, but John of all people should understand. He alone knew about her past. About the time she had been drugged by a prior boyfriend, who had decided to take matters into his own hands after she had told him she was waiting to have sex.
"John, even if this is just my imagination running wild, aren't you curious what they do down there? It could be exciting."
John shook his head.
"I just want to go to the party," he said.
"We can be quick, sweetie. You can wait in the car if you want, and I'll go in."
He didn't answer and just shook his head slowly. She reached over and put a gloved hand on his leg.
"Please," she said, with the sweetest voice she could muster. "After our last argument, you said that you owed me," she said, her voice trailing off.
With a sigh and soft curse, John put on his turn signal and turned right at the next intersection.
"Fine, but I'm not parking behind the building," he murmured. "And if I lose this job…"
Three blocks later he pulled his vehicle into an empty spot at the curb. She noticed him scanning the area nervously.
"Relax," she said. "It's going to be fine."
Beth bounded out of the car, the thick heels of her boots clunking on the sidewalk. With a resigned sigh and shake of the head, John opened his door and followed as she headed off in the direction of the Fissure Technology building. She shivered in the cool night air and pulled her coat tighter over her costume. She knew the way, having visited John many times. She took a left turn, leading John down the sidewalk.
These streets were empty and quiet, even on Halloween. This was a business district, and all the local merchants had closed a few hours earlier.
After crossing one street, she saw a large brick building looming a block ahead of them with the words Fizzure Technology glowing in red on the side. She hurried toward it with John in tow, and went straight to a door at the back corner of the building. She held up the credit card-sized piece of plastic she had found in John's car, and placed it near a pad to the left of the door. She heard a click and pulled the door open.
Two stairwells awaited them inside the building. One went up and the other down. John used the flashlight on his iPhone to light the entrance, revealing sterile beige tiles on the floor, and concrete cinderblock walls. They chose the stairway to the left and headed down into darkness. The door closed behind them.
At the bottom of the stairs, they found a long hallway with metal doors lining either side. The hall ended with another door, this one twice as large as the others.
"What's in there?" she asked, pointing to the smaller doors.
"I don't know. I don't know what's at the end, either."
"Let's check that out first," she said, her voice rising in excitement as she pointed to the large door. She moved straight down the hall, the thick heels of her boots thudding softly on the concrete floor. She shivered. She was still wearing her coat, so the shiver had to be due to the excitement and nervousness coursing through her.
"Beth, let's stop here and go back," John said as they reached the door. He put a hand on her shoulder.
She turned to face him with a grin. "We need to make use of this card before they realize it's gone. We might not have another chance."
John rolled his eyes as she turned to the door and swiped the card. She heard another click, and opened the door far enough to slip into the room. With a curse, John followed her.
As John closed the door, Beth expected to be enveloped in darkness. She was surprised to find the room was lit, albeit very dimly, by a device in the center of the room. A giant glass cylinder, about twenty feet tall and ten feet in diameter, rose from the center of the room. Another door sat in the wall on the opposite side of the room.
Her eyes rose up the height of the cylinder. A metal lid covered the top, with an identical object forming the base. The lid and the base were each about three feet thick. Various hoses and switches adorned two panels attached to the base. Intermixed among the hoses and switches were banks of blinking blue and yellow lights, casting an eerie glow around the room. A door, also made of glass, rested within the glass on the side of the cylinder just in front of them.
"What is that?" she asked as John stepped toward the device. Despite his apprehension, she could see the curiosity on his face.
"I have no idea," John murmured as he studied the cylinder. "I've never been allowed in this room."
Beth moved next to him, and noticed a gap in the metal base. She knelt next to it, and saw that a metal panel had been pulled away from the base and had been slid to the slide. The opening was at almost three feet high, and just as wide.
"There's something here," she said.
John kneeled next to her.
"It looks like they were working on it," he said.
He shined his light into the opening. It appeared mostly hollow, aside from some wiring and metal support struts.
Before they could further ponder their discovery, they heard a click come from the door on the opposite side of the room. Someone was about to enter.
Chapter 3
They both glanced back at the door through which they'd entered. They would never cross the distance in time, let along be able to open it and exit.
"Get in there!" John hissed as he pointed to the opening in the base of the cylinder.
Beth didn't need any urging. She dropped to her hands and knees and scrambled into the opening. John dove in directly behind her. As they heard the door of the room open and footsteps enter, they eased themselves as far back into the opening as they could.
The footsteps drew closer. Beth was sure the pounding of her heart would give them away. She could feel John's presence near her, but couldn't see him in the dark.
"Let's give this another try," a nasally male voice said from outside their hiding spot. "This one is heavy."
A shadow fell across the opening, and a set of hands came into view. Beth clamped her mouth closed, afraid she would let out a squeal or scream. A scraping noise came next, and Beth realized someone was sliding the metal panel into place. The dim light surrounding the opening disappeared completely, and she heard a click as magnets caught the metal and held the panel in place. She heard the sound of screws as the panel was tightened into place. She and John sat in darkness.
The air felt colder now and Beth started to shiver even with her jacket on. John must have sensed her trembling, because he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
The footsteps moved away from their hiding place, and moments later they heard the door open momentarily, before closing again. Beth strained to hear any indication that someone was nearby, but the room was silent.
The silence only lasted for a few seconds. Around them, in the base of the cylinder, a buzzing noise started. The sound reminded Beth of an alarm clock she used back in high school, but much louder. And unlike her alarm clock, she felt this one, to her very core. She covered her ears and winced, but the sound stopped as quickly as it had started.
No sooner had the buzzing stopped than a deep rumble sounded above them, as if it was coming from the cylinder. Beth's every instinct told her to kick the metal panel open and run, but she fought the urge. Someone could still be out there, watching.
John had been right. They shouldn't have come.
As the rumble intensified, the floor beneath them started to shake. Beth grabbed John's arm, and he put a hand over hers.
The rumbling reached a crescendo, and a burst of golden light filled the space below the cylinder. Beth felt a tingling sensation rush across her body, as if every nerve ending in her body was on fire. She looked down at herself and saw a golden glow surrounding her body. She glanced at John, and saw a glow around him, too. If a glow could be dirty, the one around him was. The glow appeared closer to a murky cloud surrounding his body than to any sort of halo of light.
The tingling in Beth's body intensified, and she gasped. It grew more and more intense as the rumbling strengthened, to the point she felt as if energy was going to burst from her body. The glow brightened, until the sound of a large crack, like a bolt of lightning, echoed around her. The glow dimmed, growing smaller until it only surrounded the diamond in her necklace, before flashing out entirely.
As the light disappeared so did the tingling in Beth's body. She and John were left in the darkness of their hiding place, with Beth gasping and John groaning. She fought back her own voice, trying not give away their hiding place.
Sitting in the darkness, she took stock of herself. Something was different. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt… changed. She felt alive and full of energy, and wanted nothing more than to burst from their hiding place and let out a scream of joy. But she didn't, instead remaining quiet and straining to hear what was transpiring out in the room.
After a few moments, the sound of footsteps returned. The footsteps approached their position, until Beth heard movement directly above them, inside the cylinder. Moments later the footsteps receded again, and she heard the door open and close. Silence surrounded them.
"We need to get out of here," John said with a groan. His voice trembled, as if he were struggling to marshal his words.
"Shhh!" Beth hissed and immediately regretted her tone. She reached out and touched John gently with a gloved hand. He moaned. What was wrong with him?
"Are you okay?" she asked, keeping her voice low.
"I don't know," he said, his voice cracking. "Something isn't right. I need to get out of here."
John scrabbled away from her toward the panel blocking their exit. He fumbled around its edges, but couldn't find a way to move it aside. He raised a foot and kicked it. It didn't budge, but the sound of his kick reverberated like a hammer on an anvil in their tight quarters.
"Shhhh!" she hissed.
"Help me do this," he said.
"No!" she snapped.
He gave another kick, and the sound again echoed around them.
She gritted her teeth and shook her head. If he was going to give away their hiding space, they needed to get out of here fast. She shook her head, muttering, before moving up next to him and sitting with her legs facing the panel.
"On the count of three, kick with me," he said.
She sighed in resignation.
"One… Two…"
Beth's timing was off. A split second before John said "Three," and a split second before John kicked out with his legs, Beth lashed out with her own legs. The heels and soles of her boots struck the metal panel, ripping it from its screws and sending it across the room. Light spilled into their hiding place.
John looked over at her. His face was twisted in either pain or confusion, but there was something else there. Almost a lack of recognition, like he didn't know her.
"Adrenaline, I guess," she said with a shrug. "Let's get moving."
Beth peered out into the room and found it empty. She scrambled out of the opening and jumped to her feet. She reached a hand down to help John crawl out and to his feet. It was then that she saw his face. He was in agony.
"John, what's wrong?"
"I don't know. Maybe something I ate. Maybe my gall bladder or something. Let's get going."
Beth nodded. She took John by the hand and led him to the door through which they had entered the room. Opening it, they were greeted by the sight of three men at the opposite end of the hall, walking toward them. Beth froze.
"Hey!" the man in front yelled. All three men rushed forward.
John tugged Beth's hand and led her back into the room.
"Run!" John said, his voice tight with urgency or pain, or both.
Beth's first instinct was to stop, but she remembered John's worries about losing his job. She turned and followed him. He sprinted around the cylinder to the door on the opposite side of the room. She rushed to his side and swiped the card to the keypad, and flung the door open. John rushed through with Beth on his heels.
"Where are we going to go?" she asked. They were moving away from the back exit.
"We'll try to lose them in the building," John said, leading her down another long hall lined with doorways.
Beth sprinted behind him, glad she was able to run in the heels of her boots. She kept pace with ease, chalking it up to whatever ailment was affecting John. An intersection lay just ahead of them, and beyond it, the hall continued until it ended at a T junction. From the junction, two men wearing grey uniforms and badges appeared, guns in front of them.
"Halt!" the shorter of the two men shouted, and raised his weapon. The tall bearded man behind him raised his weapon as well.
John darted down the hall to the right. Beth followed, but not without protest. Another intersection approached.
"John, they have guns! This is serious. We need to stop."
"I can't get caught here. They won't shoot at - " he started to say, but his words were cut off by the sound of gunshots ripping through the air.
Beth shrieked as they turned the corner. Unbidden, thoughts rushed into her head of a cousin who had been shot and killed by a jealous boyfriend. She had sworn off guns after her cousin's death. Now, like her, Beth was going to be shot dead.
"Are you hit?" John asked, turning to her with a horrified look on his zombie face.
"No," she said. Or at least she didn't think so. With the adrenaline coursing through her body, she couldn't be sure.
"Good, then keep running."
Beth stayed alongside John, handing him the keycard as they ran. He was the one who knew where they were going.
The hall ended in another door, with a swipe pad next to it. John lifted the key card but dropped it. She saw his hands shaking. The two guards came around the corner as John bent to retrieve the card. Their guns were drawn, and they were too close to miss this time. Their eyes focused on Beth, who stood in front of John.
She couldn't imagine the two men would actually shoot them if they gave up now. Beth started to raise her hands. She thought she saw a look of wonder, or perhaps lust, in one of the guard's eyes. With her life at risk, she found it odd that she took time to consider how he was looking at her.
John was still behind her, fumbling with the key card.
"John!" she hissed, hoping the urgency in her voice would cause him to stop his efforts and surrender with her. There was no way the would get through the door in time.
Before she could get her hands all the way up, the guns flashed as loud cracks reverberated through the hall.
Beth winced and waited for the searing pain of the bullets striking home. Time seemed to slow and thoughts rushed through her head, such as how their deaths would be explained.
But the pain never came. She opened her eyes to find the guards starting at her, confusion written across their faces.
The break in the shooting spurred John into action. He had finally opened the door. He tugged at her arm and pulled her through the doorway. The door clanged shut behind them. He led her to the stairwell, which ascended above them. He slung her in front of him and gave her a push.
"Run!" he yelled. She ran, flying up the stairs two at a time. As the stairs spiraled up, she heard the sound of footsteps entering the stairwell below. She glanced down and saw the heads of the guards below them. At the same time, she noticed John falling behind. She paused to wait as she came to a landing with a door.
"Keep going up!" John urged, finally catching up. He was breathing heavy, and his face was twisted in pain. Had he been hit? Or was his the illness getting worse? The sound of gunshots sounded again, below them this time. These people didn't mean to take them prisoner. They meant to kill them. She turned and ran up the stairs again.
When they reached the next landing, she had to wait for John again. When he caught up, he hissed, "Here!" and nodded toward a door on the landing.
She sprinted for the door, but it flung open toward her before she could reach it. Two more guards rushed into the stairwell. Beth had a full head of steam and couldn't stop in time, slamming into the guard in front. She got an arm up just in time to absorb the force of the collision. But she did more than just absorb the collision. Upon impact, the man flew backward as if shot from a cannon and barreled into the guard behind him. They both spun into the wall of the stairwell, hitting it with a thud.
Beth's instincts took over, and she ran through the open door, with John lurching behind her. They were in a hallway that ran to their left and right. Both directions were lined with doors every few yards.
"Left!" John called.
She started in that direction, slower this time so John could keep pace. When they passed the second doorway, he put a hand on her shoulder and guided her through it. They entered, closed the door behind them, and found themselves in a dimly lit office. John raised a finger to his lips. Moments later, footsteps passed by the door, out in the hall, before receding into the distance.
"Were you shot?" she asked him, scanning his body. With his zombie costume, it was hard to tell if he had been injured.
He shook his head.
"Just feeling sicker. Are you okay?" he asked, his concern evident even through the makeup and pain on his face. "I thought you were the one that was shot."
His voice cracked as he spoke, and his eyes scanned her up and down.
"I guess they missed," she replied. "A miracle."
She waited for him to speak, but she saw his eyes focusing on her torso. His face was twisted in horror. She looked down and saw what caught his attention. Six holes peppered the front of her coat. John ripped at the front of the garment, fumbling with the buttons and opening it.
Three flattened bullet slugs had been trapped within the jacket and fell to the ground, clinking off the tile floor. Beth's jaw dropped and she looked down at the front of her costume, expecting to see blood. But the blue material was pristine and unblemished.
John looked up at her, his face contorted in confusion. She met his eyes, raised her eyebrows, and shrugged. She was just as stunned as he was.
"What the…" he muttered.
"John, we can talk about this later. We have to get out of here first."
She said the words with confidence, taking charge of the situation in a way that surprised even her. It was as if overcoming the killing power of a gun had given her inner strength. She moved to the door and opened it slowly. She looked left and right, but the hall looked empty.
"What's the quickest way out of here?" she asked over her shoulder.
"To the left, past the stairwell we came up, toward the end of the hall. There's a spiral staircase going down to the lobby, where there are a few exits. The stairs are being worked on, but we can duck under the yellow tape."
"Stay behind me," she said.
"Let me -" he began, but she cut him off.
"John, you're in no shape. Let me take the lead from here on out."
He didn't argue. She stalked down the hall, listening and watching for any visitors. Her slow pace allowed John to stay with her. They passed the door to the stairwell and continued. After a few more steps she saw the top of the spiral staircase, ahead and to their left. Yellow caution tape stretched across the top of it.
Just as they stepped toward it, the stairwell door opened behind them. Two different guards stepped out, saw them, and ran at them.
"Go!" Beth shouted to John. She grabbed his arm and yanked him past her toward the spiral staircase. She hurried behind him as he ducked under the caution tape.
Then she saw it. Three steps down, several treads of the stairs were missing, leaving a gap of five feet. It would be easy to jump in normal circumstances, but they had two hostile men in pursuit.
John hurried to the gap, leaped, and made it across. Just as Beth readied to jump, she felt a hand grab her from behind. She spun to see one of the guards with a handful of her jacket, trying to pull her back toward him. She struggled and twisted, but his grip was too tight. As she fought to break free, her writhing caused her to spin so she saw John headed back up toward the gap. He was coming for her. She couldn't let him.
Beth twisted and turned, trying to slip out of her jacket. It came free just as she gave a mighty tug. Her momentum carried her backward toward the gap. She fell through it.
Chapter 4
She fell through the opening face first. As Beth dropped through the air, she heard John's scream.
In the air, instinct took over. She twisted her body, and a split second later her feet hit the floor. Beth flexed her knees, absorbing the impact, before standing to her full height. She waited for pain to come. Like with the gunshots, it never did.
John's footsteps pounded down the stairwell. As she looked up, the guard's face peered at her through the gap, thirty feet above her. He froze as he took in the sight of her. The dim light of the room shimmered off her blond hair and the stretchy material of her costume, radiating an almost mesmerizing aura around her. The blue and white outfit hugged her slender form, revealing her toned arms and flat stomach. The short skirt only accentuated her long legs.
Beth looked ahead as John rushed to her. His mouth hung open, but no words came out. The footsteps sounded on the stairs above them. Beth whipped her head to the right and spotted a glass door. A dark city street waited on the other side.
"Move!" she yelled to John. When he didn't move, she pushed him toward the door.
He lumbered toward the exit, reaching it as the two guards turned the corner at the bottom of the stairwell. John leaned against the push bar and stumbled outside when the door opened. Beth turned back toward their pursuers.
The first guard was upon her. As her icy blue eyes locked with his, she tried to call up memories of a few martial arts courses from college. She wished she had taken them seriously.
The man reached for her and she pivoted, grabbing his arm and using his momentum to slam him into the wall next to the door. He hit it with a crunch, and blood flew from his face as he hit the floor.
She spun, acting on instinct, and lashed out with a kick. Her foot connected with the ribs of the second guard, driving him backward. He landed on his back and his head whipped into the floor. He lay unmoving.
Beth tensed for another attack, but none came. No other guards had found them yet. She rushed through the doorway, not noticing the cold air of the autumn night. John looked at her with his mouth still hanging open, and confusion in his eyes.
"Let's go," she said.
Beth drove John's car as they left the Fizzure building behind them. She needed to get medical care for John.
"What the hell was that?" he asked.
"That was the consequence of going somewhere we shouldn't have," she replied. "I should have listened to you."
"That's not what I mean. Beth, you just fell from thirty or forty feet up. They shot you multiple times. You got into fights with men much bigger than you. Yet you don't have a scratch on you. What is going on?"
"I have no idea, but I'm driving you to the hospital." Thoughts of the gunshots and her fall edged into her consciousness, but she forced them back.
"I feel better already," John said. "It must have been something I ate."
She glanced at him. "Really?" she asked with a frown. "You were in agony back there."
"I just have a minor ache in my stomach. I don't want to deal with a hospital tonight. It will be a zoo. And you can't go wearing that. The men there will love it. You might not."
She glanced down at herself, remembering she still wore her superheroine costume.
"Oh, yeah," she said with a murmur. "Okay, but promise me if you don't feel better in an hour, we're going."
"I promise."
"Where to, then? The police?"
John shook his head. "I don't want anyone to know we were there."
"You're kidding, right?" she asked, her voice dropping with disbelief. "They shot at us. We have to report this."
"No harm, no foul, right? Let's just go home. I'm not in the mood for the party now."
"We can't just let this go."
"If we report this, then they find out I was there, and I can kiss my job goodbye."
"Oh my gosh," she muttered. "I can't believe you're worried about that job. They just shot at you."
"Beth, just take me home, please."
She wanted to argue the point further, but she had gone against his wishes once already, and it had almost gotten them killed. No matter how deplorable the company, it wasn't her call.
"Fine, we'll go home."
They drove in silence for several moments. Beth felt John's eyes on her the entire time.
"Enjoying the view?" she asked with a smirk.
"Yes, but that's not why I'm staring."
"This will sound weird, but if I didn't know it was you, I don't think I'd recognize you."
"So now your head hurts, too?"
"Very funny. It's not that. When we were hiding under the cylinder, and you kicked out the metal panel from our hiding place and let light in, I looked over at you. It took me a few seconds to remember it was you. You looked… different. I almost asked you who you were. I can't explain it, or even put my finger on it, but you were different."
"Probably the side effect of whatever you were feeling."
"I guess."
A few minutes later they arrived at his apartment building. Once inside, he lowered himself onto the sofa. She studied him, looking for signs of pain or injury.
"You're okay?" she asked.
He nodded. "Now can we talk about what happened?"
"I guess so," she said with a shrug. "But I have no clue what happened."
"Did you feel those bullets hit you?"
"I didn't feel a thing. And I didn't feel any pain when I landed after falling from the stairs, either."
"And you tossed the guys around like they were nothing. And you kicked that metal panel halfway across the room. It was almost like you were - "
"A real superhero," she finished his thought.
John stared at her, chewing the inside of his cheek.
"Do you think the cylinder we hid under did this?" he asked. "Maybe that's why they shot at us. It was their big secret."
"Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound? How is that even possible?"
"I don't know," he replied. "But everything you did shouldn't be possible, either."
"You were under the cylinder, too. Shouldn't it have affected you?"
He shrugged. "Maybe it did. I didn't get shot or fall off a stairwell, so I didn't get a chance to see if it affected me."
Beth tapped a finger to her lips and scanned the room. She walked to a large easy chair, and bent to grab it from the bottom. She lifted one end, and it titled up in the air. After lowering it to the floor she turned back to John.
"That was easy for me," she said. "Now you try."
John rose from the sofa with a wince and walked to the chair. He bent and tried to lift it. He grunted and only moved it an inch or two off the ground.
"Holy shit, I forgot how heavy that thing is," he growled between breaths. He walked back to the sofa, rubbing his back.
"This is really weird," he said.
She nodded slowly.
"I need to process this," she replied. "I'm getting a shower. Do you want to go first? You probably can't wait to get that makeup off."
"No, you go. Although I'm tempted to go first to keep you in that costume longer."
Beth grinned, before turning and heading for the bedroom. She closed the door behind her and started stripping off the costume. She slid the gloves from her hands first. After unzipping and stepping out of the boots, she unclasped her necklace. Upon removing the necklace a slight tingle, almost a shiver, coursed across her body. It was barely noticeable, and if she hadn't been paying attention she wouldn't have noticed it.
Beth furrowed her brow and eyed the dresser a few feet away. She stepped to it, bent, and tried to lift it. Nothing. She moved back to the bed and dressed herself in the rest of her costume again, except the necklace. Once dressed she tried lifting the dresser again, with no luck. She retrieved the necklace, fastened it around her neck, and tried again. This time she lifted the dresser with ease.
"Woah," she said to herself as she stepped back from the dresser.
So many thoughts flooded her mind that she felt as if a haze had enveloped her brain. She removed the necklace and stared at it, dumbfounded, for several minutes. Finally, she tucked it into her suitcase.
John was dressed as a zombie, but she was the one who moved slowly and mindlessly as she stripped out of the rest of her costume again. Her body movements were robotic, as if it was only her years of dressing and undressing that allowed her to remove the costume. Her brain was not operating.
Forgetting she wanted to get a shower, she slipped into a pair of jeans and a sweater, stuffed her costume into her suitcase, and headed back to the living room to reveal her discovery to John. What she saw when she stepped from the bedroom froze her in her tracks. John was sprawled back on the sofa, with green bile oozing from his mouth.


text:
Transaction-Safe Extended FAT File System
Other versions of this page are also available for the following:
A transaction-safe Extended FAT (TexFAT) file system is a file system designed specifically to provide transaction-safety for data stored on a disk. TexFAT requires a hardware-specific driver designed for the type of media on which the TexFAT volume resides.
TexFAT replaces TFAT (Transaction-Safe FAT File System) in Windows Embedded CE 6.0.
In This Section
- TexFAT Overview
Describes how transaction safety is implemented with TexFAT.
- TexFAT Programming Considerations
Provides guidelines for programming with TexFAT.
- TexFAT File Naming Limitations Discusses limitations in file name conventions for TexFAT file systems.
Related Sections
- FAT File System Registry Settings
Provides detailed reference information about registry settings for all FAT file system implementations.


text:
Is Spidey REALLY doing anything we haven't seen before?
Everything from Marvel movies to the next J.K. Rowling adaptation accrues a suitable amount of hype. Fan theories, trailers, interview snippets hinting at major plot twists or character arcs - but nothing even remotely compares to video game hype.
Yes, film has Cannes but it's overlooked by mainstream audiences, whereas gaming has E3: A ludicrously expensive, mass-appeal showcase of everything including during-the-event releases, what's coming later in a given year, and what to expect in the future.
For E3 2018 it was a TON of fancy trailers and gameplay reveals... only for "Coming in 2019" to be the most common ending card. There's nothing inherently wrong with profiling a title way ahead of time - providing you don't lie about upcoming features like No Man's Sky, or build a marketing campaign around a lie, like Halo 5 - but there's precedent to be cautious as hell.
Those two examples are literally the tip of the iceberg, too. Whether it be downgraded graphics, buggy launch states, dropped features or story elements completely reworked, gaming's hype cycle can be a disastrous double-edged sword.
What I'm saying is tread carefully, because it'll be a miracle if this lot actually live up to expectations.
World Of Warcraft Classic: 10 Reasons Why J. Allen Brack Was Right
WWE 2K22: 10 Ways To Successfully Reboot The Series
Assassin's Creed: Ranking All The Assassins From Worst To Best
Gaming Editor at WhatCulture. Wields shovels, rests at bonfires, fights evil clones, brews decoctions. Will have your lunch on Rocket League.


text:
Serving Junction City and the Surrounding Areas
Call us for all your computer needs!
Don't spend your money on a new laptop when NetQuest Computer Sales & Repair is able fix a wide range of problem that could be affecting your laptop.
Broken or missing screens
Hard drives - OS Upgrades
Motherboards - CPUs, heating Issues
DVD ROM drive replacements
RAM and memory upgrades
iPad and iPod screen replacements and minor repairs
As a locally owned and operated business, NetQuest Computer Sales & Repair strives to provide you with high-quality customer service.
We use quality parts and offer affordable rates to give you the best value for your dollar. Trust in our 20 years of experience to get your computer repairs done right – the very first time.
90-day warranty on refurbished laptops. Call:


text:
Dear Friends,
It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you Ryan Todd, a friend, customer and fellow local business owner.
Dr. Todd earned his bachelor of science degree in bio-medical engineering from the University of Iowa in May of 2000 with an intense focus on biomechanics of human movement. Dr. Todd earned his doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Puget Sound in May of 2003. He then graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in June of 2006 with a degree of holistic health and nutrition counselor. He is board-certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. He holds a current physical therapy license in the state of Illinois.
In addition, Dr. Todd holds advanced certification in Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (SASTM) and is formally trained to perform Functional Capacities Evaluations by the Matheson protocol.
Happy reading!
Vitamin O
In a series of two blogs written this past July (The ABC's of VOC's parts I & II), authors Michael Fallarino and Andy Pace (of Safe Building Solutions) effectively outline what VOC's andHAP's are, how the use of building materials/products which contain ingredients that qualify as VOC's and/or HAP's can effect the quality of the indoor air we breathe, and what this means to the consumer who is conscious of the potential health hazards related to regular exposure in their work and living environments. If it has been some time since you read their blogs, or if you are unfamiliar with VOC's, I encourage you to read/review as the content they offer is very informative.
I whole-heartedly agree with the idea of being as well-informed as possible regarding currently available building products and coatings and how they can best be used to reduce the emission of toxic chemicals that can otherwise become concentrated in indoor air. This is especially true of new construction or remodeling efforts. In living situations where making significant changes to the interior building products and furniture is cost-prohibitive, efforts to filter the air to improve it's quality would seem to make good sense and there are a myriad of products on the market that claim to do so.
What about the end-user? What about the individual who breathes the air into their lungs with the hopes of effectively utilizing the oxygen for it's life-sustaining qualities? To that end, I would like to expand on how you the reader can make the most of what I call one of nature's most important 'vitamins,' namely Vitamin O.
It has been said that you can live for 4 weeks without food and even 4 days without water. Yet after only 4 minutes without oxygen your chances of survival are extremely slight. It is safe to say that each of these elements is essential to human survival however most people don't see themselves running low oxygen any time soon. Interestingly enough most people breathe as if that is just the case. Why do I say this?
First let me explain the two basic types of breathing…diaphragmatic/abdominal and chest/clavicular. In diaphragmatic/abdominal breathing the diaphragm (an umbrella-shaped muscle located at the base of the lungs) contracts during inspiration (breathing in). When it contracts it flattens out and pushes down on the abdominal cavity creating a protrusion of the abdomen. As it does this, the lower ribcage expands causing an increase in the thoracic space where the lungs are housed. This causes oxygen-rich air to move primarily into the lower lobes of the lungs. During exhalation natural elastic recoil of the ribcage and diaphragm pushes the oxygen-poor air out of the lungs with help from the abdominal muscles, which can be engaged to expel as much oxygen-poor air from the lungs as possible. In chest/clavicular breathing (the method most often practiced by people in our society) the intercostal (between the rib) muscles and the muslces in the front of the neck that attach to the top of the collarbones vertically lift the ribcage/chest cavity in order to create space for the lungs to expand. This causes oxygen-rich air to move primarily into the upper and middle lobes of the lungs. Exhalation of oxygen-poor air is pushed out during elastic recoil of the intercostal and neck musculature to complete the cycle. So which type of breathing is better during sports and why?
The upper lobes of the lungs house a concentration of sympathetic nervous system receptors that are activated when we breathe air into these regions consistently as in chest/clavicular breathing. This triggers a typical sympathetic fight or flight stress response in the body. This is exactly what should happen when we are faced with an emergency situation like being pursued by a hungry mountain lion because the body is then ready to deal with such a serious threat to it's survival. However in our day-to-day lives this response is unnecessary and actually detrimental to our health and well-being in many ways. The lower lobes of the lungs house a concentration of parasympathetic nervous system receptors that are activated when we breathe air into these regions consistently. When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated the body and mind are calm and composed;an ideal state for most daily activities.
In addition to this there is a significant difference between the middle/upper lobes of the lungs and the lower lobes with respect to each region's ability to transfer oxygen to the bloodstream. The middle and upper lobes of the lungs are not nearly as well vascularized as the lower lobes of the lungs. This means that, when we regularly breathe air into the middle and upper lobes (which many people habitually do), the amount of oxygen getting to the bloodstream and ultimately to our cells is much less than when we breathe air into the highly vascularized lower lobes of the lungs.
Proper diaphragmatic breathing techniques drive air primarily into the lower lobes of the lungs, which benefits you greatly. I train my patients to breathe in such a way that allows them to maximize their lung capacity for optimum blood oxygenation. Their breathing becomes much more efficient.
So here's to making the most of vitamin O and to making the most of your body's ability to utilize such an important fuel.
Ryan Todd, DPT
Functional Health and Wellness, LLC


text:
Dear Fellow Believers In Christ,
Greetings from Zimbabwe to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Please allow us to share with you the faithfulness of God in our lives as we continue serving Him under the ministry of Teen Missions International in Zimbabwe. And may our great God be glorified.
It has been 14 years and seven months now since we returned from Zambia to come and coordinate the base in Zimbabwe. The Lord has been faithful to sustain us as a family and provide all our needs so we can continue serving Him well. He has given us the gift of of good health, strength, knowledge and wisdom in doing the work of God. He has also given us ability to work in difficult situations, of which at first it was hard to comprehend the reason, but later on and the more we face challenges, the more we receive courage to serve God, and confidence in doing the Lord's job. The Lord's protection is always there even when we fall down from problems and challenges. But, God miraculously spares our lives from harm. The abundant grace is sufficient for us as a family.
It is so encouraging to see people getting changed and transformed into the likeness of God. In 2014, with the proceeds of the annual AIDS Orphans Mud Run that took place in Florida, we have been able to start helping grandparents, widows and orphans. We have had opportunities to help so many through this ministry. Praise the Lord, even today these people are getting help and they are so excited and as we help them we are able to share the Word of God!
On December 4th, we began our Boot Camp. We were blessed so much through this time with having 80 team members and 12 leaders. We were challenged to see young kids who are eager to serve the Lord during Christmas. While some enjoyed being with their families, these kids chose to come and spread the Word of God with Teen Missions.
This year our daughter, Hope, led a team. We could see the Lord's hand at work because her team filled with team members first. They went to help plaster a classroom and it challenged the community to see young kids working the way they worked.
We had another team that was led by Nkosilathi. They went with 10 bags of cement to a church where they poured concrete and finished in it one day. The people then brought more plaster for the toilet and the church building. They finished the job. Praise the Lord for the accomplishments of this team!
Our team was putting a floor in the House of Goodness, doing door-to-door evangelism and orphan, grandparent and widow ministry. The team did a great job, We used the ten bags of cement we had in one day and started moving around giving Christmas gifts to the orphans, grandparents, and widows. We also gave out medications. One grandmother was so happy that she prayed for the team and danced for them.
All in all we saw the Lord's hand at work. It was a great and wonderful experience to lead these kids. We had two young boys who were very brilliant. One shared the Word of God at a home where the man of the house was with his friends drinking. He accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Please pray with us that the man may not go back to the world.
Prayer Requests:
• Knowledge and wisdom as we are serving the Lord.
• Perseverance and willingness to learn for the BMW students.
• The Lord may use us mightily in reaching out to the unreached people .
May our good Lord, Jesus Christ, continually point out His bountiful blessing upon us who serve Him faithfully.
We are asking for men and women who love the Lord to help with school fees for our daughters, Hope and Delight. Hope will need $50 three times a year and Delight will need $30 three times a year. Thank you.
Yours in Christ,
Claimet, Sipho, Hope & Delight Sibanda