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Big thanks for all those who read & reviewed "Thinking About You" and "Noble Commitment" and those who just read the stories. Either way, I thank you for your support. :)
My thanks go to RedWingnut and Spectre666 for beta reading this story! Thanks for helping out, gentlemen!
Disclaimer: All Kim Possible characters are the copyright of Walt Disney Corporation. I'm just
borrowing them to write up a story with no intention of making any money. This is for fun. All other characters in my stories, that Disney doesn't own, are mine. :)
A/N: Ever since I've written "To Help A Friend", the idea for this story has always been on my mind, for it's part of the saga in revealing more on Debra's past. I've given hints in some stories regarding how Debra felt; now not only her story is told but also Kim's as well.
Sentences, that begins and ends with a slash (/), means the person is speaking in Japanese.
Just to let everyone know, I've only posted one half of the story for now. I know I made a personal commitment to not ever post a story until I first finish it. Yet this story took me more than a month to reach the half-way point that I'd decided to post the first half up and post the second half when I complete it, which may take another month to do.
Story rating: Rated T (aka PG-13)
Written: March/April/May 2006
Summery: Kim and Debra exchange stories on events, which changed their lives.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Kim Possible: The University Years
Comparing Notes
By JuPMod (aka JPMod)
Partly cloudy. That was what the weather forecasters had said the day was going to be. It was really another way to say slightly overcast - another cold winter day with occasional clouds blocking the sun.
The sun was peeking around a group of clouds when a 2005, red Toyota Corolla rolled into the driveway of a typical Middleton house sometime past 1:25 PM. The occupants came out of the car, and momentarily looked at the house, before the redheaded driver, in a purple winter parka, started to stroll up the curved sidewalk to the front door. The blonde passenger, in a blue winter parka, took another minute before he followed
For Kim Possible, this was the third time she had visited the Tsuda residence. The first time had been to drop her friend, Debra Oxford Tsuda, off at the start of the Thanksgiving weekend. The second time was to pick her up after the Drakken War Memorial. Yet both times she didn't see much of the house. This time she has a feeling she will know a lot more by the end of her visit.
For Ron Stoppable, this was his first visit ever to Debra's home, thus he had stared at the house for a moment longer than his girlfriend.
As the blonde man speed walked a bit to catch up, his redheaded sweetheart turned to give a small smug grin at him as she continued walking forward. "Expecting Deb's house to look Japanese, Ron?"
Giving a small sheepish grin, Ron shrugged a bit. "Well, yeah. Deb's 'rents are Japanese after all."
Turning around as she ascended the front steps, Kim grinned. "From what Deb told me, their dojo in the backyard has Japanese architecture. Maybe we'll see it today."
Ron only nodded and grinned as he followed her up the steps and faced the front door with her. He knew they weren't here for a tour but to help a friend, who was still suffering from the ordeal at Upperton University.
A few moments after Kim rang the doorbell, the front door opened to reveal a middle-aged Japanese man with some gray in his black hair. He grinned upon seeing the two young adults. "Possible-san, Stoppable-san," he nodded at them out of respect, "it's good to see you again."
"Hello, Mr. Tsuda," Kim replied, grinning as she also nodded back. "It's good to see you as well."
/"Mr. Tsuda,"/ Ron began, bowing his head/"It's good to see you."/
Mr. Tsuda gave a small snort of a laugh. /"As I do you, Stoppable-san. Your mastering of Japanese does you credit."/ He stepped to side as his hand gestured for the two to enter. "Please, come in, both of you."
Kim and Ron entered into the front foyer, and just when Mr. Tsuda closed the door, a Japanese woman, shoulder-length raven hair with a few gray strands, came out of the living room to greet the two guests. "Possible-san, Stoppable-san, welcome to our home," she grinned.
"Thank you, Mrs. Tsuda, for both of us" Kim returned the greeting with a grin as her hand gestured to herself and her boyfriend. Ron only grinned and bobbed his head.
Mr. Tsuda gentlemanly offered to take their coats. Kim gave her parka, but Ron took a moment for he tapped his coat's front pocket. "Rufus, wake up. We're here."
A pink, naked mole rat popped his head out of the pocket and yawned. He gave his owner a tweaked face for waking him up. Ron chuckled. "Sorry, buddy, but I don't think you will like being inside the coat closet during our visit here." He pointed to the hallway closet which Mr. Tsuda had just hung Kim's coat. Seeing what Ron was indicating, Rufus hopped out of the pocket onto Kim's shoulder, only then did Ron gave his coat to Mr. Tsuda to hang in the closet.
Wearing a green blouse and black jeans, Kim locked her eyes with Mrs. Tsuda's dark ones. "Where's Debra?" Ron, wearing a red flannel shirt with tan cargo pants, also looked at Mrs. Tsuda upon hearing Kim's question.
With a small grin, Akina Tsuda gestured with her head up the staircase to the second floor. "In her room. She was very happy to have been given the gift Felix-kun gave her last night. She had thought her musical keyboard was forever lost, yet she was thrilled to have been given a new one with all her beloved music intact. Today, she has been in her room all day testing out her new instrument."
Takai Tsuda continued his wife's conversation. "Debra-chan is most honored to have friends like you." His kind eyes held both Kim's and Ron's. "She will need your strength to help her out of the pit of despair she is in."
"She's waiting for you," Mrs. Tsuda indicated the floor above with a hand.
Eyeing the front stairs, Kim took a breath for this would be the first time she would see Debra since the university. She wondered whether she could help the younger woman in any way.
Feeling a tap on her cheek, the junior-year university student turned her head to face her smallest friend, who stood on her shoulder. "Debra needs Kim," Rufus simply said, and his words made Kim grin, knowing he was right.
As Kim started to climb the stairs, Ron pointed up as he eyed the Tsudas. "Uh, which room is Debra's?"
Both Tsudas gave a knowing grin. "It will be hard to miss it, Stoppable-san," Mr. Tsuda answered. After raising an eyebrow on those words, Ron followed his beloved up the stairs.
Reaching the second floor, Kim paused a moment until Ron was beside her, and both walked to the left down the hallway, which had a few pieces of Japanese art on the walls. It was after they passed a bathroom on the right that they both heard it. Soft music was coming from a room on the left, which had a door slightly opened. There was no doubt that the music was from an electronic keyboard synthesizer.
Kim knocked on the door, and immediately the music stopped. "Deb? It's Kim and Ron. Can we come in?"
"Hai," came the familiar female voice. "Come in, please."
Pushing open the door, Upperton U's head female cheerleader gazed into the room and right away saw Debra sitting cross-legged on her single bed. The gymnast, giving a small welcoming grin, was wearing a cozy, warm, white, knitted sweater over gray slacks with her feet in white socks. Her long blonde/brown hair was loosely held up on the back of her head by a hair claw-clip.
As Kim entered the room, she kept her eyes on her friend, while Ron entered with his eyes examining the room out of curiosity.
"I see you received the present from Felix," Kim mused with a small grin as she approached the bed that had its' headboard against the wall between two windows. The keyboard synthesizer was in front of Debra on the bed.
A small chuckle escaped Debra's lips knowing Kim knew she was given the present when Kim had called last night. "Hai," she grinned up at Kim. "I thank you and Ron again for chipping in for it."
Kim smiled down at the younger woman. "Again, you're welcome, Deb." Her green eyes saw a 3D holographic display radiating from the keyboard and her curiosity was piqued. "What is that?" Her question even made Ron turn to take notice of the display.
Debra raised an eyebrow out of amusement and surprise. "You didn't know? I thought you knew what Wade did."
Shaking her head as she examined the holographic display, which looks like musical sheet notes, Kim gave a small lopsided grin. "Well, Ron and I knew Wade would insert the memory chips from your old keyboard to this one, but we weren't informed he added new features."
Giving a snort of a laugh, Debra grinned. "I presume that means Wade only told Felix of the new features, because Felix was the one going to give it to me."
"You presume right, Deb," Kim said, grinning as she turned her head slightly to lock onto the other girl's blue eyes. "Given he's your boyfriend, we all thought it would be best he presented you the gift."
"Yeah," Ron chimed in, his eyes still on the holographic display as he walked around Kim to face the foot of the bed. "He cares for you, Deb, so it was appropriate for him to give it to you."
Her face became soft in gratitude. "Thank you. I appreciate it."
Sitting down on the left edge of the bed in front of Debra, Kim pointed to the display. "So, what is it?" Her eyes turned to look at the display.
Debra giggled. "It's obvious. It's a holographic musical notes sheet board. I can load up any of my musical notes sheets as well as musical notes sheets from any song or music out there. Wade even has the board able to log onto the Net for me to download music and notes. It's a very handy feature to have for someone like me."
"I'll say," Kim agreed with a grin. "You no longer have to write on paper sheets anymore. You can do so on the display."
"Hai!" Debra smiled. "It's very helpful." Her sapphire gems moved to eye the small, pink mole rat on Kim's shoulder. "Rufus, hello!" Rufus in turn hopped off Kim's shoulder, onto the bed, before climbing up Debra's right arm to her shoulder where he hugged her face. Debra rubbed her cheek against the little guy's hug and brought up a hand to pet him on the head. "I miss you too, Rufus." Kim and Ron smiled at the exchange of affection.
After Rufus and Debra broke the affectionate hug, Rufus stayed on her shoulder, Ron returned to gazing around the room. "So this is your room, Deb." His words made Kim's eyes also wander around the bedroom.
On the left side of the room, a large closet extended from the windows to near the entrance door. It was obviously meant for clothes and other things; much like Kim knew she had in her bedroom. A dresser with a large mirror on top was on the right side of the room next to a bookcase, which reached nearly to the ceiling. There were some books on the shelves, but most of the space was taken by trophies, award ribbons, and framed photos. A desk stood to the left of the entrance door, which was at the far right corner of the room. The desk contained a few framed photos and a notebook computer.
Kim pointed to the notebook computer. "You have a new computer, Deb. Your 'rents gave it to you?"
Chuckling, Debra shook her head. "No. Wade did."
"Wade?" both Kim and Ron spoke in surprise as they turned to face the freshman student.
Nodding, Debra grinned. "Hai. Wade."
Kim's astonished face turned into a kind one. "That's Wade - Very generous when it comes to his friends. Giving you the computer showed he cares."
"I know," Debra replied, still grinning. "When I ever meet him in person, I'm going to give him a huge hug."
Ron chuckled as he walked toward the bookcase. "You may be waiting for some time, Deb. Wade very rarely leaves his room." Kim giggled on this simple truth. Looking at the bookcase's contents, the blonde man gave an approving, low whistle. "Quite a collection of awards here. First place in many gymnastic tournaments."
Debra gave a snort and a smirk. "Of course. I did lead Middleton High to the state championship." She saw Ron pick up a framed photo of a girl's gymnastics team, two rows of girls in purple/gold leotards, flanked by two adults in coach's uniforms. "That's my Middleton High gymnastics team. I'm in the front right corner." Ron saw the Debra in the picture had her hair up in a tight bun, much like she did at Upperton U.
Putting back the framed high school picture, Ron picked up another photo. It was a teenaged Debra at some outdoor event and she was side hugging two Japanese teens – one girl and one boy.
Seeing which photo he was holding, Debra explained its significance. "Those are my Cousins Hoshi and Akane, my father's brother's children." Her expression became warm and tender. "They were my dearest friends when I was growing up in Japan." Kim and Ron grinned at this bit of info.
Returning the framed family picture to its place, Ron noticed something among the books and grinned. His hand reached over and pulled out a large, thin book with the title 'Middleton High School 2007' with an embossed Mad Dog symbol on the cover. "Your high school yearbook," Ron simply stated, making Kim's curiosity again pique.
"Hai," Debra replied, saying nothing more.
Turning the pages of the yearbook, Ron grinned upon seeing familiar sights and faces, like Mr. Barkin or the cafeteria lunch lady. His grin widened upon seeing Debra's senior photo - her hair beautifully loose and flowing around her shoulders as she wore a black gown, which bared her shoulders. As he expected, the same girl's gymnastics team photo Debra has on her shelf was in the yearbook along with individual shots of Debra performing. One shot was Debra giving a radiant smile after winning the state championship.
Flipping through the pages, Ron smirked. "I have a feeling you were voted 'Most Athletic' in your class, Deb." Debra only grinned in response. Stopping at a page, he pointed to a photo in triumph. "Ha! I was right!" A photo, on the top left corner, showed a smiling Debra wearing jeans, a blouse, and hair in a ponytail as she stood leaning on the right side of gymnastic horse used for the vault event. On the other side of the gymnastic equipment, leaning on it, was a smiling raven-haired boy, wearing jeans and a T-shirt as he held a baseball bat against his right shoulder.
Once again Debra smiled as she clarified what Ron was looking at. "Hai. I was voted the 'Most Athletic' in my class in the girls' category. The boy there is Alex Hudson, and he was the pitcher for the boy's baseball team. He held the state record for the year in the number of strikeouts and helped the team win the state championship. He was voted 'Most Athletic' in the boys' category."
Turning to face Kim, Debra gave a smirk. "I bet you and Ron were voted 'Best Couple' in your class."
Giving a snort as she grinned, Kim rolled her eyes. "Was it obvious?"
Still grinning, Ron closed the yearbook. "I was surprised. We've only been together as boyfriend & girlfriend for a few months before graduation, and the class voted us as 'Best Couple'!"
"Ron," Kim spoke in a slight berating tone as she watched her man put the yearbook back on the shelf, "the entire class saw us as a couple for years, despite that we saw each other as 'just friends' before prom night." She smirked as Ron turned to face her and Debra. "Monique was right that if we hadn't gotten together before graduation, we wouldn't have been voted 'Best Couple'."
Shrugging, the blonde man gave his goofy Ron grin. "Well, it was great to be chosen in one category." He pointed to his girlfriend. "Kim on the other hand was voted in another category as well."
Eying the older woman, Debra gave a mock thoughtful expression. "Really? Another category? I wonder which one?" Her lips became crafty as she snapped her fingers before pointing to Kim. "'Most Likely to Succeed.'"
"You got it, Deb," Kim grinned widely in acknowledgement.
Debra giggled. "I'm not surprised. Given your world-saving reputation and your honor-roll status in high school, from what you've told me, there shouldn't be any doubt by anyone in your class you should be voted 'Most Likely to Succeed' in the girls' category."
Kim merely shrugged her shoulders. "No big." Debra giggled again, while Ron looked fondly at the woman he had cared for so long.
Giving a small grin, Kim took a good look at Debra before releasing a small sigh. "Deb… I think it's time for me to tell you a story." The other girl blinked as her face showed confusion and curiosity, while Ron tensed a bit, knowing what his girlfriend was about to do. "You remember the Michigan/Upperton football game back in November?" After Debra nodded, the redhead continued. "Well, you didn't like the way the university TV station used you as a means to promote propaganda that every university sports team should be following your example. Ron told me that he and my mom had told you that Ron and I had a much worse experience than that during the summer after our high school graduation."
"Kim," Debra began as she sensed where her friend was leading, "you don't have to tell your story. It's all right." With a hand, the 18-year-old gently placed Rufus off her shoulder onto the bed between her and Kim next to the keyboard synthesizer.
Placing a hand on her friend's arm, Kim gave a sympathetic grin. "I believe I do, Debra. Maybe you'll understand afterward that what you've endured wasn't as bad compared to what Ron and I went through."
While Ron strolled over and sat on the bed's right-side corner opposite of Kim, the captain of the girls' half of Upperton University's cheerleading squad began her tale to a captivated Debra.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Time: Two years ago, Spring 2005
For Kim Possible, worldwide heroine, Middleton High honor-roll student, and quite a popular girl all around, felt like she was floating on air. The Senior Prom last Friday night has been a night to remember. It was a turning point in a special relationship she has shared with a certain blonde boy since pre-k.
That night has been quite an emotional roller coaster ride for her. She has first gone to the prom with a hottie boy, who she thought was perfect, only to have Drakken launch his Diablo robots on an unsuspecting world. Eric had been kidnapped, and when she went to rescue him, she found out he was a nothing but a fake – a synthodrone made to fool her. Defeated and in despair, she almost gave up the win to Drakken, but her blonde partner wouldn't let her. He boosted her spirits and confessed his feelings with four simple words, "Out there… In here." She realized then he cared for her as more than 'just a friend', and together they stopped Drakken and his evil plot. Afterward, she went back home, changed back into her prom dress, and with Ron as her new prom date, returned to the prom, hand-in-hand.
She had been nervous at first when she and Ron entered the gym together, but all of that had faded when they danced together magically to the tune of "Could It Be" and shared their first real kiss. That kiss was the clincher for them. They both felt it, and they both knew it. No longer were they 'best friends', for they were in love with each other and were boyfriend/girlfriend. It was the start of a new life for them.
Giving a dreamy smile as she opened her locker to begin her school day, she felt like the world was going right for her for a change. So high was she in the clouds that she didn't notice when her best female friend strolled up to the right side of her locker with sparkling eyes and smirk.
"Kim!" Monique Williams nearly shouted, startling the redhead out of her trance. Giggling, the African-American girl patted her friend's shoulder. "Girlfriend, your head has to be way out there to have me sneak up on you like this." Her smirk went wider. "Where were you? Pluto's orbit?"
Sheepishly grinning, Kim retrieved her books for the morning classes. "Well… Yeah, you can say that."
Monique smiled with twinkling eyes. "Kim girl, the whole school is talking about you two! That kiss you and Ron gave at the prom." She pretended to fan her face. "Woo! You two were smokin'!" Both girls giggled. "As I told you Saturday when I called you, it's about time you two got together."
Kim gave a dreamy smile. "Yeah," she said before she gave a slight frown. "I can't believe I was so blind to what was in front of me. Ron was hurting when I was with…" Her voice trailed off as she scrunched her face in disgust. Saying his name felt so wrong.
"Hey, Kim," Monique gave a reassuring grin. "Syntho-fake is no more. No need to get yourself worked-up over a guy who wasn't real." She placed a hand on her friend's arm. "You have yourself a real man now."
"So the truth, Mon," Kim replied with a warm grin.
Leaning up against the locker next to Kim's, Monique crossed her arms. "Speaking of your new BF, where is he?"
The redhead snorted a laugh. "It's Monday, and you know Ron tends to be a little late on Mondays."
Rolling her eyes as she chuckled, Monique waved a hand. "Oh, how could I have forgotten about that?" Her lips became sly. "Maybe your Ron will shape up now that he has himself a girlfriend."
Kim grinned. "Maybe. It would be good if he improves himself, Monique, but I don't want him to ever change in personality. I love him for who he is."
Dark eyes went wide as Monique gasped. "Kim! You're using the 'L' word so soon!" She gave full smile, looking like a little schoolgirl. "You're way beyond mere crushing, girl!"
Kim blinked, realizing her slip. "I said it?"
Giving the 'I'm not a fool!' look, Kim's best friend slapped her shoulder. "Yes, you did. You said the 'L' word. L – O – V – E." With merry eyes, Monique stabbed a finger into Kim's chest. "You two are in love."
Unable to deny the truth, Kim slightly nodded with a grin. "Yeah, I know we love each other, Monique. We didn't say it yet in words though, but I sensed it since we first kissed at the prom."
Monique was about to say something until her eyes caught something, which made her lips quirk. "Speaking of your new BF…" She pointed past Kim, and the redhead turned around and gave a full warm smile at the approaching figure.
Ron Stoppable returned his girlfriend's warm, loving look with his own. "Morning, KP," he said as he stopped by her side and slipped his left arm around her waist to draw her in. In turn, she placed her arm around his waist. His head turned to smile at Monique. "Morning, Mon."
"Morning, Ron," Monique said with a lopsided grin.
"Watch it, Ron," Kim said with grin and her freed left hand on his chest. "Remember Mr. Barkin's rules on PDA's."
Giving that goofy grin, Ron only hugged her tighter to him. "Well, you know the Ronster loves to a take a chance, especially when he wants to kiss the hottest, bon-diggity girl in all of Middleton."
Narrowing her emerald eyes at his chocolate ones, Kim gave sly grin. "And who may I ask is this hottest, bon-diggity girl in all of Middleton?"
"Right here," Ron smugly answered before pulling her into a full kiss, and for a moment, the two kissed with eyes closed with nothing else in mind.
Breaking off the kiss with a smooch, Kim devilishly grinned at him before pushing away from his embrace. "That was nice, Ronnie, but no more for now. I don't want us getting detention on our first day in school as a couple."
Nodding in agreement, Monique pointed to the pair. "That'll put a crimp in your day." She giggled as she lowered her hand. "You two are the talk of the town, country, and the world!"
"Of course," Ron grandly said with a smug grin. "We did save the world as we always do."
"It's not just saving the world you know, right?" the pretty African-American said with a smirk.
"Huh?" Kim looked at her friend, bewildered. "Of course, it is. What else could it be?" Even Ron looked confused.
Monique looked between her two friends in amused disbelief, "You two didn't read the papers on Saturday?" Seeing the couple shake their heads, Monique chuckled. "A picture of you two kissing at the prom has been printed in papers across the country!" The news made Kim and Ron widen their eyes. "You two becoming a couple has become quite hot gossip for everyone."
"Monique," Kim began, her face still in a stupor. "You're not pulling our tails, right?"
"Of course not!" Monique huffed before giving a small grin as she thumbed to the computer in Kim's locker. "If you don't believe me, ask Wade. Knowing him, he'll able to show you what I'm talking about."
Kim immediately pressed a button on her locker computer, and a moment later, the screen blipped on to show the 12-year-old face of Wade Load. "Kim," he greeted with a grin, "what's happening?" He slyly grinned. "Other than you and Ron being together that is."
"Wade," she said, ignoring Wade's teasing remark, "was a picture of Ron and I kissing at the prom printed in newspapers around the country?"
The young super genius blinked in surprised. "You didn't know?" He nodded. "Yeah, that picture was sent through the Associated Press and was printed in papers not only across the country, but across the world." His hands began typing on his keyboard, and the computer screen began showing newspaper clips from various American papers. "America," Wade said. The screen changed to show European papers with the picture. "Europe." The screen changed again to show Far East papers this time. "Japan and other Far East nations." Wade appeared on the screen again. "The picture of you two kissing has been printed everywhere."
Groaning, Kim closed her eyes. "We didn't ask for this kind of attention."
Feeling for his new girlfriend, Ron placed a hand on her shoulder. "No big, KP." She opened her eyes to turn to face him. "This will pass," he said before giving a small soothing grin, which made her grin in turn. "Like everything in the news, within a few days or so, we'll be old news, and we'll able to be back to normal."
"Yeah, I guess you're right, Ron," Kim mentioned, still grinning. "We faced super villains, so it shouldn't be hard to face the news media on this." Her right hand reached to hold his left hand in a warm, loving grip, and after a moment looking into those brown eyes she had come to love since Friday, Kim turned back to her young tech man on the computer monitor. "Thanks, Wade, for the info. I'll talk to you later."
With a friendly grin, Wade nodded his head. "Will do, Kim." After he pressed a button, his image blipped off the screen.
After closing the locker, Kim, with a gentle pull on his hand, led Ron away from the locker. Ron walked on her right side and Monique on the other.
"Well," Monique began, eying her friends, "you two better brace yourselves. Since you two didn't have a news conference with the news media regarding defeating Drakken and they didn't bother you over the weekend, it's only a matter of time before a horde of reporters will be knocking at your doorsteps."
"We'll be ready, Mon," Kim said with a confident grin. "Ron's right. It'll pass once the excitement on us dies down. We just have to endure it for a while." Facing forward, Middleton High's cheerleading squad captain and one of the best students around prepared herself for the rest of the day. "Now come on, let's get to our homerooms and face our day."
With those words, Ron and Kim went to their homeroom, which was next door to Monique's homeroom. The trio prepared for the day that lies ahead.
Eventually the press conference was held the next day after school at Middleton's City Hall. Scores of photographers, TV cameras, and reporters came to hear the words of Team Possible on their victory over Dr. Drakken and his henchmen. Questions were asked, and Kim and Ron answered them as best as they could.
It came to no surprise that the questions started heading toward private territory, especially regarding Kim and Ron's new relationship as a couple. Some queries Kim and Ron have no problems replying, while others made them somewhat blushed and they kindly refused to say anything.
After the long press conference was over, the couple headed back to their homes to rest, eat, do their homework, and just go to sleep early for a change. They felt now that the news media had what they wanted; they would not bother them again.
And so Kim and Ron focused on school and the preparations for whatever plans they had in mind after graduation in June, not knowing that some people had their own plans in mind for the couple.
"Come on, Ron," Kim, her red tresses in a ponytail, exclaimed as she hiked up the hill among the trees. She heard a grunt and turned around to see her blonde beau almost struggling to catch up with her.
"What's your rush, KP?" Ron complained as he came up the hill toward her. "We have all day, so why are you in a hurry?"
Wearing hiking shirt, shorts, shoes, and a backpack, Kim smirked at Ron, who also was wearing hiking attire similar to hers. "Oh, nothing. I'm hoping we can make it to a nice spot near the top with a scenic view so we can spend most of the day gazing at the wonderful sights."
Hearing the emphasis, Ron knew what she really had in mind. "Oh, well, I certainly don't mind the scenic views, especially if they give me quite a show," he said with his smartass grin.
"Uh-huh," Kim replied, still giving a sly grin. "I'm sure you'll find plenty for your eyes to feast, Ronnie. Now come on." She turned around and continued the trek up the trail.
Brown eyes leered at that swaying shapely butt of hers in the tight hiking shorts. Ron knew she has chosen to wear those shorts just for him, and the way she was swaying as she walked, there was no doubt she was putting on a scenic view for him all right. Encouraged by the beautiful sight before him, the blonde young man followed after her.
In the past month since the prom, the couple has slowly begun testing the boundaries of their new relationship. At first, they had thought being a couple meant changes like really going out on dates, etc., yet they realized that they really didn't have to change the routine they had when they were friends. They were already comfortable with each other and knew each other for so long, that they found out that they were way past the typical awkward phase most adult couples have during the first date. The only thing that had changed was the addition of their romantic intimacy.
Of course, like most new couples with deep intense feelings, Kim and Ron found that they couldn't get enough of each other at times. They would find times to kiss at school, at their homes, or other places, and when they found they were really alone at home, their hands would roam during make-out sessions, touching each other as much as possible without removing their clothing.
The benefit side affect of their intimacy was they found they really came to enjoy teasing each other in sly and sexy ways. Kim really loved feeling crafty in sensual ways as she teased and showed off at times to Ron, and Ron in turn loved the flirty banter they exchanged occasionally. They knew if they really were comfortable this way with each other, it was only a matter of time before they were to go all the way, yet they knew they weren't ready to take that plunge. It was way too soon for them to even consider it.
So the two teenagers hiked up the hill until they eventually found the ideal spot they were looking for – a cliff-side buff overlooking the vast valley below. In the far distance, they could barely make out the cityscape of the Tri-City area. Kim and Ron had opted for some time alone on this weekend, thus they had borrowed her father's car and come to a wilderness park well outside the Tri-City limits to the east. They'd planned to spend the night and return to Middleton on Sunday afternoon.
After they set up camp with a single tent, Ron walked over to the edge of the cliff and gazed at the surrounding landscape before him. Trees, as far as he could see, were in all directions. It was a beautiful sight, and he intended to savor it, unlike during the many missions in the past years. They rarely had the time for site seeing at whatever places they were sent on those.
When she was setting up the bug zapper, a handy Wade Load device that guarantee a bug-free zone of 15 feet radius, Kim saw Ron had walked up to gaze at the scenery again. However, knowing him well, she knew he sometimes brooded like this when something was on his mind. She was particularly aware of his brooding many times in the past month, and it was always mostly on things that were important not just with him but also with her as well. Their loving relationship has made him realize the significant things when it concerned them as a couple.
For example, within a week after the prom, Kim had told him that she was changing her university enrollment from Harvard to Upperton U, so they would be together. Ron was surprised and said she shouldn't sacrifice her plans, but she convinced him that she just couldn't stand living on the other side of the country away from him for so long. Her confession made him think regarding his future, and with a serious expression, he mentioned perhaps he could find a way to enroll into Upperton U, maybe through a scholarship.
A fond grin came to Kim's face as she thought of that day weeks ago. It was touching that Ron really wanted to be by her side enough to go through the rigorous enrollment process. They both had set up an interview appointment with Upperton U on the first Saturday of June – Kim aiming for a cheerleading scholarship and Ron a cooking scholarship to help pay for school expenses.
After finding the zapper was working okay, she strolled over to stand beside her man and gazed at the site before them. "Penny for your thoughts?" she asked a few minutes later, not taking her green eyes off the scenery.
Ron chuckled. "Maybe we should upgrade that to a quarter to adjust for inflation."
Kim softly laughed. "A dollar then?" She turned her head to look at his face, seeing that goofy grin.
His left arm came up to wrap around her shoulders, making her loop her right arm around his waist. As he gently rubbed her left shoulder, Ron sighed before speaking. "KP, do you remember our conversation in the tree house before the prom?"
Closing her eyes, she nodded. "Like I could forget that, Ron." She opened her eyes to see that he was looking at her. "You were hurting, and I was so blinded by…" She gave a small snarl. "Eric…" Her lungs exhaled and her face returned to normal. "That I just didn't see what was in front of me."
Squeezing her shoulder, the blonde man smiled in reassurance. "No big, KP. That's part of our past now." Her smile warmed him. "It's the future I'm concerned about." Seeing her curious face, he continued. "You remember what you said about growing up?"
"Yeah," Kim replied, "I said 'We're not in pre-k anymore, time to grow-up.'"
Giving a small smirk, he nodded. "Well, I've been thinking that it is time for me to grow-up, KP. For the first time in my life, I have to be serious about my future, and I really want you to be part of it." Kim felt her heart constricting on his words. "Besides trying to get into Upperton U, I know I have to change somewhat if I'm going to take our relationship seriously."
"Oh, Ron," she whispered before placing her freed left hand on his chest. "I don't want you to change too drastically."
Leaning over he kissed her forehead before his trademark Ron grin came to the fore. "Don't worry, Kim. I'm not aiming to change big time like when you gave me that haircut or when I received that 99 million dollars." They chuckled together at the memories. "I'm going to be serious about school from now on. I'm going to aim for a future."
He paused and gave a warm, loving expression. "Since the prom, I've been wondering whether I really do feel what I felt that night when we kissed for the first time, and I realized recently that the answer is yes." His chocolate eyes locked with her emerald ones, he placed his freed right hand over her left hand on his chest. "Kim, I love you, and I mean it, I truly deeply love you."
Kim gasped, and the warm feeling in her chest contracted so strongly that it made her lips widened into a smile and her eyes watering. In the past month, they had not said the 'L' word to each other. She knew she loved him and she felt he loved her, but this was the first time either of them ever said it. Clasping his hand, the redheaded beauty knew what to say in response. "Ron, I love you too, very deeply."
Ron's lips broadened into a smile to match hers. That loving expression on her face was all he needed to know that she had spoken the truth from her heart. He lowered his head to touch his forehead to hers while keeping his eyes locked with those shining emeralds of hers. "Booyah," he murmured warmly, making her giggle, a single tear escaping her eye to roll down her cheek.
Taking the initiative, Ron moved to cover her lips with his in a soft, warm kiss, their eyes closing, but before long, the kiss strengthened passionately, causing the couple to fling their arms around each other tightly, each melting into the kiss with a moan.
Even as her mind registered nothing but his sweet, soft lips, Kim knew this kiss was a turning point. It was their first true kiss where they both knew outright they loved each other, and she just couldn't get enough of him.
For Ron, he knew there was no going back. He loved her, and the way she was melting into him, he knew this was a kiss to remember next to the prom kiss. He would not ever love another woman like he was feeling for the one in his arms now.
Breaking apart their lips, but not their embrace, they opened their eyes before each smiled lovingly at the other. Ron gave her a quick smooch. "Now you know why I'm serious now, KP."
"Yes, I know," Kim responded, still smiling warmly up at him. "Just don't change much as I said. I love you just the way you are, you big goofball." They chuckled together, and after giving another quick smooch, they parted their bodies.
Kim walked back to their camp with Ron just behind her. "So I take it that's all you have to say for now?" she asked as she knelt down to rummage through her backpack.
"Yeah, pretty much," Ron agreed, grinning. "Although I'm thinking that maybe I should strengthen my mad Monkey Kung Fu skills a bit."
Taking out an energy bar, Kim stood up before turning to face him. "Really?" She gave a crafty grin, guessing where he was going. "Are you planning for someone to help you?"
The blonde young man pretended to give it some thought. "Oh, I know a really hot girl, who knows 16 styles of Kung Fu." His brown eyes narrowed as he leered at his redhead girl. "Do you think she can help me?"
"Oh, I'm definitely sure she'll help you, Ronnie," Kim teased, eyes narrowing sultrily. Ron's only response was a widening grin.
After ripping opened the wrapping of the energy bar, Kim eyed her man appraisingly as she ate. She gently scolded herself for not have taken their relationship up the next step sooner. If all it took was her love to make Ron improve himself slightly for the better, Ron would have far better high school grades than the average norm by now if they had gotten together sooner. She promised herself from now on to offer loving encouragement to him when he needed it.
As Kim and Ron continued to enjoy their camping trip, they were unaware of a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of the trees nearby. The figure placed a camera, with long-range zoom lens, into a bag before quietly departing the area. She figured she has taken enough pictures to satisfy her customers.
Entering the school's front entrance, Kim felt like another day would go great for her. Her grades were great, she felt confident she would able to get into Upperton U, and most important, she was in love. Nothing could go wrong today.
Reaching her locker, she opened it, and immediately, her locker's computer screen blinked on to reveal Wade. "Kim!" he said excitedly. "I only just found out this morning, but you and Ron are not going to like what is happening!"
Her good mood fled her. Something major must had happened for Wade to be this worry. "Calm down, Wade. What has happened?"
His face turned grim as he pressed a button, and the next thing Kim saw on the screen was the front page of a tabloid paper. Her jaw hit the floor upon seeing a picture of her and Ron kissing from their camping trip, and the headline over the picture slowly began boiling her blood. "How?" was all she could say as her mind tried to form words.
Wade reappeared on the screen. "The photos are in every tabloid paper in the country. I've –"
"KP!" Ron's holler interrupted the 12-year-old boy genius. Kim turned to her left to watch her boyfriend rushed toward her holding up the front of a tabloid paper to her. "Someone paparazzied us!"
"I know, Ron!" she exclaimed with scorn.
"Man!" the blonde man cried as he turned the paper around to look at the front page. "Mom showed this to me this morning! She's freaked! Dad is trying to calm her down!" Rufus, from Ron's pants pocket, bobbed his head in agreement.
"You think you have problems?" the redhead said. "My Dad will be major freaked if he reads this!"
"Guys!" a voice to Kim's right turned their attention to Monique approaching with wide eyes as she held up another tabloid. "Have you seen –?"
"We know!" both Kim and Ron interrupted with Ron holding up his paper to show Kim's best female friend.
"Ron!" another voice entered the fray, and they all turned to the left to watch as Felix, in his wheelchair, rolled over to the group, holding up yet another tabloid. "Have you seen –?"
"We know!" Ron and Kim nearly yelled with Ron again holding up his paper to show his best male friend.
A tweaked Kim faced her computer screen and her tech man. "Wade!" she began. "Who took those photos?" Even Ron, Rufus, Monique, and Felix eyed the computer screen, waiting for an answer.
"That's the problem," Wade explained, clearly vexed. "Credits are 'anonymous', and all information I can find through every tabloid's computer systems don't reveal a clue."
Monique huffed. "You really think they will leave any evidence for anyone?"
Felix looked down at the headline of his paper, and reading it, made everyone paid attention to him. "'Teen World Heroes Go Wild in the Wild'." His blue eyes rose to look at Kim and Ron. "You two didn't do it, did ya?"
Ron shook his head. "No, we didn't, Felix."
"Anyway," Wade continued, making everyone again focus him. "I'm going to see whether I can find any information in the Associated Press and the newspapers."
Kim nodded, knowing she could always trust her friend to pull through. "Thanks, Wade. We appreciate it."
The young super genius nodded, his face firmed. "Will do, Kim." He was about to sign off when he again turned to face his friends. "Oh, Kim, Ron?" Seeing he has their attention, he resumed. "You don't need to be warned. You know the paparazzi as well as anyone. Be on your guard."
Kim reached out to hold Ron's left hand with her right. "We will, Wade", she kindly grinned.
With a kind grin matching Kim's, Wade signed off, making the computer screen go dark.
Letting go of her love's hand, Kim sorted through her books while Felix spoke up. "I hate to point this out to you two, but you are aware this story," he pointed to the tabloid in his lap, "will not reflect well on your upcoming interview at Upperton University this Saturday."
A sigh escaped Kim's lips. "Yes, it certainly does put a negative spin on us." Seeing she has all her books for her morning classes, she closed the locker. "Ron and I will just have to tell them the truth if they ask us."
Both Felix and Monique gave skeptical expressions. "Girlfriend," Monique started, "you really think they will believe you after seeing this photo?" Her index finger aimed at the photo in her paper of Kim and Ron kissing passionately.
"Maybe," Kim said, eying her African-American friend, before her lips curved up slightly. "After all we are Team Possible." Her right hand snaked out to captured Ron's left hand while still keeping eye contact with Monique. "If they will not believe two people who constantly saved the world and do good, who would they believe?"
Felix chuckled, his eyes on Monique. "They do have a point," he gestured with his head to the handholding couple. Even Monique grinned at this.
"Well," Monique said with a finger pointing at her best girlfriend, "I hope you two do get in. Felix and I are already in, and it will be good to have you aboard."
"Yeah," Felix grinned. "We'll be able to continue going to school together for the next four years." Kim and Ron smiled at that thought.
All four high school seniors soon departed to their respective homerooms, hoping for best would come out of this sitch with the tabloids.
Continue in Chapter 2


text:
Tomorrow is the first day of EuroBasket 2013 - this has been what the past months have been building up for!
This summer has seen me travel with various National basketball teams around Europe, and the map has been dotted with places like Pitesti in Romania, Albena in Bulgaria, Helsinki in Finland, Pau in France, Zaragoza in Spain, Vilnius in Lithuania....
It has all been with teams preparing for this autumn's EuroBasket - there have been some good games, there have been some poor games where the two teams looked to be from different planets in terms of quality on the court.
For myself, it has been yet another summer when I have been privileged to learn the fine art of photographing basketball - and tomorrow is when the REAL DEAL starts for myself.. as well as the teams. When the ball rises at 2.30pm local time in Koper in the game between Finland and Turkey..
Image-wise, there have been many great captures during these games.. some rare moments that I had thought never to see certain player perform.
Now, after two days in Koper, Slovenia - shooting practise sessions, media meets.. it's GAME TIME!
January (2) February (2) March April (3) May (3) (7) June (7) (11) July (11) (18) August (18) (3) September (3) October (9) November (9) (3) December (3)
(6) January (6) (3) February (3) (2) March (2) (1) April (1) (4) May (4) (3) June (3) (3) July (3) August (4) September (4) October (6) November (6) December
(2) January (2) (1) February (1) (2) March (2) (5) April (5) (1) May (1) June (3) July (3) (2) August (2) September (1) October (1) (1) November (1) (3) December (3)
January February March April May June July August September October (4) November (4) December
January February March April (1) May (1) June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November (1) December (1)
January February March April May June July August September October November December

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A Bitter Pill
Reads: 227 | Likes: 0 | Shelves: 0 | Comments: 3
Poem by: celeron22
Alone in the dark,
No reason to go on,
I look back at my life,
And where I came from.
A broken down home,
Love never existed,
Is it any wonder,
I'm so bitter and twisted?
A shell of the person,
That I could have been,
Is all that I am now,
So unfair, it seems.
A life never to live,
A love never to know,
An unenviable jealousy,
Is all I have to show.
" Life is what you make it ",
I've often been told,
That's a hard pill to swallow,
When you've been dealt a hand so cold.
© Copyright 2018 celeron22. All rights reserved.
Add Your Comments:
Honest and heartfelt.
I can relate to this, as well.
All the best to you.
I really like the way this was written, though I am very sorry you had to grow up like that. I hope you can find a way to see life through different vision.
since your a writer I'm sure you see many visions of the world yet the one hard vision ever keeps returning
until we see it in a different light. there are many things we except yet we do not have to. so many times we are touched and do not feel, spoken to and do not here, then all of a sudden one day: BOOM! ok now I get it. my best to you-katie :) :)
Terrifically well written. Most genuine. Sure this speaks most clearly and painfully for many.
If you have not done so already, read my "Love Intended #1 & #2." Expresses similar sentiments. About a different life experience which can produce the same unhappy results.
Some of us, sometimes, have to get away from our biological families. At times we are only "channeling", by way of osmosis, the negative emotions of others who have 1st directed these same destructive emotions at us.
Often we are never aware that this is happening because we have misplaced our trust and affection in them. All because of the family or kinship tie. It just seems unthinkable to many that they would be so mistreated by someone they were raised to trust and love.
Happens all the time though.
Happier trails,
Ed Bradley.
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text:
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1931 was a year of hard times for farmers in San José, California. Two years of drought and crop failures plus the Great Depression brought plenty of economic woe. Thirty farmers, mostly prune growers, considered buying their farm supplies as a cooperative. Each farmer put up $30 and Orchard Supply was born.
On March 1, 1931 a rented warehouse on Bassett Street served as the first location for Orchard. It was stocked with picking pails, orchard ladders, sprays, fertilizers and other farming supplies. Non-farmers recognized Orchard Supply as a good place to shop and get helpful advice.
Business grew and Orchard Supply moved to a larger location on 44 Vine Street. In addition to farm supplies, the new store location brought in hardware, gardening supplies, housewares and homewares. Again, business flourished and in 1946, a new store was built at 720 West San Carlos Street. The newest location featured a rail-served warehouse and 26,000 square feet of retail space. By this time the purchasing cooperative had almost 2,000 members and Orchard Supply was recognized as a leading hardware store in San José.
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text: Did you know that 93 percent of paints and paintbrushes are made by prison inmates being paid cents per hour? I had no idea, personally, because where I was incarcerated the only jobs inmates did were things that were necessary for continuing to run the facility. They cleaned, made food, and did maintenance work — and the only manufacturing that occurred was the manufacturing of items for prisoners — lockers, clothes, shoes, etc. Here is a fascinating infographic from blog.arrestrecords.com that details a number of shocking prison-related statistics.


text:
Jobs in TRB Tamilnadu, Tamilnadu Teachers Recruitment Board have announced to hire various vacancies of B.T Assistant in different departments for permanent positions under TRB Tamilnadu Recruitment 2017. Applicants who wish to apply for TRB Tamilnadu Jobs are advised to see the full details like education, vacancies, salaries, fees, recruitment mode, date of submission, way to submit application and others. You can also make application for TRB Tamilnadu Vacancy via using format of application and come to given venue with all set of documents by 10-05-2017. Kindly note that you have be available as per said timings.
Name of Organization: Tamilnadu Teachers Recruitment Board
No. of Position: 1114
TRB Tamilnadu Vacancies:
- T Assistant
- Tamil Nadu School Educational Subordinate Services: 881
- Tamil Nadu Elementary Educational Subordinate Services: 28
- Social Defence Department: 03
- T Assistants (IEDSS): 202
Criteria of Education: Under TRB Tamilnadu Openings just need to be passed in Graduation or Post Graduation with specialization defined as per board recruitment processing authority, while should have cleared TNTET Paper II.
Age Limit: Applicants will be having Max. 57 years for General and OBC Category, which will be referred from last date of application submission.
BPSGMC Khanpur Recruitment for 107 Staff Nurse Vacancy
Salary Structure: Applicants for said vacancies in TRB Tamilnadu will be offered with Rs. 9,300 -34,800 + G.P 4600 with others perks defined.
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RUSVS Recruitment for 444 Public Relation Assistant, Office Assistants Vacancy
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Check here about TRB Tamilnadu Official Notification
Download here for TRB Tamilnadu Application Form
Application forms will be received by : 10-05-2017


text:
IRONY: Israel Critic Jimmy Carter Has Cancer Cured By DRUG MADE IN ISRAEL
Former President Jimmy Carter has never been a big fan of Israel, but he should be thanking his lucky stars today.
The Washington Free Beacon reports:
Former president Jimmy Carter, who in the past has been supportive of boycotts against Israel, is having his cancer treated by a "breakthrough" drug created in the Jewish state, according to reports.
Carter, who is being treated for cancer in his liver and brain, said he has been making a recovery since taking a cancer drug known as Keytruda, which was created by Israeli doctors.
Carter has been a vocal critic of Israel.
The drug is believed to be the next generation of treatment for cancer.
Carter has not commented on the fact that this drug was made by Israeli doctors.
It's a good thing that Carter is OK but isn't this all a little ironic?
Image: (CNN)
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text:
The picture was 'obviously' light blue and gold - to me. I assumed the people who saw black and blue were somehow processing the white balance in their heads, which is pretty damned clever. It's as though they weren't seeing what color the picture was, but estimating what color the real dress is and reading it back without realizing that's not what was on the monitor. The real dress is, equally obviously, blue and black.
So this morning I checked in Photoshop. (Yes, I'm still wasting time on it.)
The original picture, slightly ensmallened:
What the picture looks like in a Photoshop window (you can see Photoshop just says, 'open', i.e. it's done nothing to it):
Taking a sample of "white" or "blue" in the dress with the eyedropper:
The little circle in the color palette shows what color Photoshop thinks the blue or white area is. It's not white, is it? It's a light blue.
Taking a sample of "black" or "gold" with the eyedropper:
The little circle shows what color Photoshop thinks the area behind her right shoulder is. It's not black, is it? The original picture has gold (or orange or brown) on the lace strips, depending on where you sample.
White balancing the picture by hand (taking the color cast off using adjustments):
Once you adjust the picture for the overexposure, it's blue and black. I adjusted the color under
White balancing the picture under adjustments using the eyedropper to set white, black and mid-range in the areas outside the dress:
Instead of using my eye to take off the color cast, I used Photoshop's eyedropper tool on the areas outside the dress - white, by her right elbow, black by her left hip and grey at the far right past her elbow. It's actually quite a pretty-colored dress when it's color balanced!
(I think I've got some clipping going on there, but that's enough on the dress for me today.)
Edit to add: scrolling the small pictures up my monitor on the finished post shows all of them gradually changing from bluish-goldish to blue-black as they ascend. It's freaky.
Edit to add on 02/28 - they now all look blue and black to me, all the time.
Edit to add on 4/12/17 - Science has apparently come to the same conclusion as I did.


text:
The Human Abstract Calm In The Chaos tab
The Human Abstract "calm in the chaos" Midheaven now all i have is the intro, and the song isnt very long, but i dont have my amp here, so, ill learn the rest of it later its just basic chords Bm You've come to save the world? D G Em What do you believe? What do you believe? play 2x Bm A D Em So you've been chosen, So you've been chosen


text:
Alyssa Faith!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
"I never exactly made a book. It's rather like taking dictation. I was given things to say."
Your next novel looks so interesting. I am curious, as a fellow writer and believer, how did you find out about their story?ReplyDelete
I read a historical fiction about the French resistance during WWII which led me into researching more about resistance movements all over Europe. I then looked on Pinterest for things about the resistance movement in Nazi Germany. That's where I found out about Sophie and Hans Scholl. Their story fascinated me, so I got all the books about them I could get my hands on! There's a movie about them called, "Sophie Scholl: The Final Days." I highly recommended it! Thanks for commenting!Delete
I envy you your desk setup! It's lovely!ReplyDelete
Aww thank you! It looks better than it did yesterday...I actually cleaned it, so that's amazing. =) hahahaDelete


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text:
- 0
Two Energies That Fight For Your Time
Have you ever felt a silent struggle inside yourself? It wasn't a struggle between good or bad, it was just this tug of debate inside you.
- 2
The Silent Killer of Your Life and Relationships
It's frightening the lengths we'll go to stop ourselves from feeling. As soon as things get rough we want to run away from ourselves.
- 2
Channeling Your Anger into Passion
The breaking point where your mind goes slightly numb and you feel your soul is going to explode at the last trigger or word spoken at that moment. Somewhere you lost track of all compassion and love.
- 4
7 Ways to Handle Emotional Distress and Avoid Self-Harm
It's extremely difficult to get yourself out of that emotionally painful state of mind. The place where your darkest monster reigns havoc to do as it pleases and you're left terrified and frustrated.


text:
So Manhunt.com decided to do a poll where they break down male penis length sizes by state. According to their poll, men in Washington D.C. are more endowed than any other state. Here are the top states and sizes below:
District of Columbia – 7.59
District of Columbia – 7.59
New York - 7.50
California - 7.45
Florida - 7.44
Kentucky - 7.42
Georgia - 7.41
North Carolina - 7.39
Pennsylvania - 7.39
Rhode Island - 7.38
Minnesota - 7.34
As soon as this get's out can you imagine the overwhelming amount of arrogance we will be dealing with...I mean honesty men from the DMV area are already cocky (pun intended) LOL!


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Domestic Consumers
Power is precious - use it judiciously
One unit saved = Two units generated
Switch off lights, fans and other electrical gadgets when not required
A 7-watt LED bulb produces the same amount of light as a 15-watt compact fluorescent bulb or 60 watt incandescent bulb.
Dirty tube lights and bulbs reflect less light and can absorb 50 percent of the light, dust your tube lights and lamps regularly.
Slim tube lights give better light and consume less electricity than the filament lamps
You can reduce air-conditioning energy use by as much as 40 percent by shading your homes windows and walls. Plant trees and shrubs to keep the days hottest sun off your house.
A good air conditioner will cool and dehumidify a room in about 30 minutes, so use a timer and leave the unit off for some time.
Keep doors to air-conditioned rooms closed as often as possible.
Clean the air-conditioner filter every month. A dirty air filter reduces airflow and may damage the unit. Clean filters enable the unit to cool down quickly and use less energy.
Refrigerator motors and compressors generate heat, so allow enough space for continuous airflow around refrigerator. If the heat can not escape, the refrigerators cooling system will work harder and use more energy.
A full refrigerator is a fine thing, but be sure to allow adequate air circulation inside.
Make sure that refrigerators rubber door seals are clean and tight.
Microwaves save energy by reducing cooking times. In fact, one can save up to 50 percent on your cooking energy costs by using a microwave oven instead of a regular oven, especially for small quantities of food.
Use an electric kettle to heat water. It is more energy efficient than using an electric cook top element.
Setting computers, monitors, and copiers to use sleep-mode when not in use helps cut energy costs by approximately 40%.
Battery chargers, such as those for laptops, cell phones and digital cameras, draw power whenever they are plugged in and are very inefficient. Pull the plug and save.
Dry your clothes in the sun instead of using the dryer in the washing machine.
The electricity consumption by your geyser can be considerably reduced if the members of your family bathe in quick succession and switch it off as soon as it is no longer required.
Avoid switching on of heavy duty appliances during peak hours, i.e., 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m..
Rural Consumers
Use foot valves of low resistance to save upto 10% power
Use RPVC suction pipes to save upto 10% power
Motor and pump should be at same level. Pump should be within 3 meters from the water level
Shut down spare, idling, or unneeded equipment.
Industrial Consumers
Keep the motors clean and cool
Use capacitors near motor terminals to avoid damage to motors and to reduce demand charges
Tighten belts and pulleys at regular intervals to avoid energy losses due to drag
Match motor size to actual requirements.
Lubricate your machines at regular intervals. Replace the damaged bearings promptly.
Place your motor as close to the load as possible.
Provide shunt capacitors across the motor terminals.
Tighten drive belts at regular intervals
Use natural lights and air to the maximum extent, and avoid switching on lights and fans.
Make out optimal production schedules to ensure the least period of operation of each individual machine.
Switch off the machines promptly when they are not being used.
Switch off all the unused lights and fans, so also all the machines during the lunch hours and shift changeover periods.
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Quiz Question (fill in the blanks)
Filed Under News
Cervical Cancer
Stages of Cervical Cancer: Stage 0 describes cancer cells found only on the surface of the cervix. More invasive cancers are separated into four stages. Stage I is when the cancer has not spread beyond the cervix. Stage II means the tumor has spread to the upper part of the vagina. A Stage III tumor extends to the lower part of the vagina and may block urine flow. In Stage IV, the tumor has reached the bladder or rectum, or cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body and formed new tumors.
Worldwide, cervical cancer is second most common and the fifth deadliest cancer in women. It affects about 16 per 100,000 women per year and kills about 9 per 100,000 per year. Approximately 80% of cervical cancers occur in developing countries Worldwide, in 2008, it was estimated that there were 473,000 cases of cervical cancer, and 253,500 1) ___ per year.
Young people should be given the HPV vaccine before they become sexually active. Regular PAP smears will reveal pre-cancerous changes in plenty of time to prevent cancer.
Cervical cancer is a malignant neoplasm arising from cells originating in the cervix uteri. One of the most common symptoms of cervical cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious 2) ___ until the cancer has progressed to an advanced stage. Treatment usually consists of surgery (including local excision) in early stages, and chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in more advanced stages of the disease. Cancer screening using the Pap 3) ___can identify precancerous and potentially precancerous changes in cervical cells and tissue. Treatment of high-grade changes can prevent the development of cancer in many victims. In developed countries, the widespread use of cervical screening programs has dramatically reduced the incidence of invasive cervical cancer.
HPV or 4) ___ ___ ___ infection appears to be a necessary factor in the development of almost all cases (90+%) of cervical cancer. HPV vaccines effective against the two strains of this large family of viruses that currently cause approximately 70% of cases of cervical cancer have been licensed in the U.S, Canada, Australia, and the EU. Since the vaccines only cover some of the cancer-causing ("high-risk") types of HPV, women should seek regular Pap smear screening, even after vaccination.
The cervix is the narrow portion of the 5) ___. Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, arising in the squamous (flattened) epithelial cells that line the cervix. Adenocarcinoma, arising in glandular epithelial cells is the second most common type. Very rarely, cancer can arise in other types of cells in the cervix. The early stages of cervical cancer may be completely asymptomatic. Vaginal 6) ___, contact bleeding, or (rarely) a vaginal mass may indicate the presence of malignancy. Also, moderate pain during intercourse and vaginal discharge are symptoms of cervical cancer. In advanced disease, metastases may be present in the abdomen, lungs or elsewhere. Symptoms of advanced cervical cancer may include: loss of 7) ___, weight loss, fatigue, pelvic pain, back pain, leg pain, swollen legs, heavy bleeding, bone fractures, and/or (rarely) leakage of urine or feces (rarely). Infection with some types of human papilloma virus (HPV) is the greatest risk factor for cervical 8) ___, followed by smoking. Other risk factors include human immunodeficiency virus. Not all of the causes of cervical cancer are known, however, and several other contributing factors have been implicated.
Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal 9) ___ on the cervix grow out of control. Cervical cancer can often be successfully treated when it's found early. It is usually found at a very early stage through a Pap test. Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. You can get HPV by having sexual contact with someone who has it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital 10) ___, but other types may not cause any symptoms. Human papillomavirus is the cause of 70% of cervical cancer globally.
You can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in your 11) ___ and can lead to cervical cancer years after you were infected. This is why it is important for you to have regular Pap tests. A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer. Abnormal cervical cell changes rarely cause symptoms. But you may have symptoms if those cell changes grow into cervical cancer. Symptoms of cervical cancer may include:
- Bleeding from the vagina that is not normal, or a change in your menstrual cycle that you can't explain.
- Bleeding when something comes in contact with your cervix, such as during sex or when you put in a diaphragm.
- Pain during intercourse.
- Vaginal discharge that is tinged with blood.
As part of a regular pelvic 12) ___, one should have a Pap test. During a Pap test, the doctor scrapes a small sample of cells from the surface of the cervix to look for cell changes. If a Pap test shows abnormal cell changes, your doctor may do other tests to look for precancerous or cancer cells on your cervix. Your doctor may also do a Pap test and take a sample of tissue (biopsy) if you have symptoms of cervical cancer, such as bleeding after intercourse. While the pap smear is an effective screening test, confirmation of the diagnosis of cervical cancer or pre-cancer requires a biopsy of the cervix.
The widespread introduction of 13) ___ screening by the Pap test or Pap smear for cervical cancer has been credited with dramatically reducing the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in developed countries. Pap smear screening every 3-5 years with appropriate follow-up can reduce cervical cancer incidence by up to 80%. Abnormal results may suggest the presence of pre-cancerous changes allowing examination and possible preventive treatment. If precancerous disease or cervical cancer is detected early, it can be monitored or treated relatively noninvasively, with little impairment of fertility.
Cervical cancer screening is typically recommended starting at age 21. Recommendations for how often a Pap smear should be done vary from once a year to once every five years, in the absence of abnormal results. Guidelines vary on how long to continue screening, but well screened women who have not had abnormal smears can stop screening about age 60 to 70. The treatment for most stages of cervical cancer includes:
- Surgery, such as a hysterectomy and removal of pelvic lymph nodes with or without removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes.
- Chemotherapy.
- Radiation therapy.
Depending on how much the cancer has grown, you may have one or more treatments. And you may have a combination of treatments. If you have a hysterectomy, you won't be able to have children. But a 14) ___ isn't always needed, especially when cancer is found very early.
The Pap test is the best way to find cervical cell changes that can lead to cervical cancer. Regular Pap tests almost always show these cell changes before they turn into cancer. It's important to follow up with your doctor after any abnormal 15) ___ test result so you can treat abnormal cell changes. This may help prevent cervical cancer. If you are age 26 or younger, you can get the HPV vaccine, which protects against two types of HPV that cause cervical cancer. There are two HPV vaccines (Gardasil and Cervarix) which reduce the risk of cancerous or precancerous changes of the cervix and perineum by about 93%. HPV vaccines are typically given to women age 9 to 26 as the vaccine is only effective if given before infection occurs. The vaccines have been shown to be effective for at least 4 to 6 years, and it is believed they will be effective for longer; however, the duration of effectiveness and whether a booster will be needed is unknown. The high cost of this vaccine has been a cause for concern. Several countries have considered (or are considering) programs to fund HPV vaccination.
ANSWERS: 1) deaths; 2) symptoms; 3) smear; 4) Human papilloma virus; 5) uterus; 6) bleeding; 7) appetite; 8) cancer; 9) cells; 10) warts; 11) body; 12) exam; 13) cervical; 14) hysterectomy; 15) Pap
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Welcome to the cloud computing revolution currently sweeping through the IT landscape. It might be slightly confusing as to why we are starting a book on PC management with an introduction to cloud computing, however, the management service you are signing up for is a cloud based solution, with benefits and challenges that need to be addressed and planned for.
Through this chapter we will understand what cloud computing is and how it compares to the traditional on-premise computing models of today. We will then discuss what this means to us when relying on the Windows Intune Service and highlight other cloud computing services that we might want to use, or perhaps already be using from the cloud.
The one word ...
No credit card required


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Index Falls in Thin Trading
LONDON -- The main index closed lower Thursday amid extremely light volumes as traders opted not to commit to large positions ahead of the four-day Easter holiday.
The FTSE 100 closed down 21.5 points to 5766.6 on low provisional market volume of 1.415 billion shares.
Baltimore Technologies slumped 18 pence, or 20%, to 74 pence after it warned...


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June 15, 2009 (Lausanne, SWITZERLAND) --It's down to the wire for Chicago's Olympic bid. Mayor Daley travels to Switzerland this week with the city's 2016 Olympic bid team for one final pitch.
Members of an International Olympic Committee inspection team visited Chicago in April. Now, Chicago organizers will meet with IOC members on Wednesday and Thursday in Switzerland.
On October 2nd the IOC will announce which city will host the 2016 games.
Madrid, Tokyo and Rio are also making pitches to the IOC this week.


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Robert highlights some facts:
Portugal is almost self-sufficient in renewable energy and manages a few days on renewables only.
UK manages without coal power stations for a number of hours.
Germany has so much capacity that electricity suppliers had to give money back to customers.
Robert does a better job of explaining it though...


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Gambling is mostly done for fun, but in the end everyone dreams of big winnings. So the question that many players ask themselves is: How possible and how positive is it to make a living by gambling professionally?
It's definitely possible. You can not only make a living, and but also earn quite a lot, up to $100k per year or more. You can do it without cheating, as long as you choose the right game, start with a relatively big bankroll, and have a lot of initiative, smarts and talent.
Games with negative expectations are impossible to use for making a living. They include slot machines, craps, baccarat, keno, roulette, blackjack (except if you count cards) and video poker (except when you have a perfect payout chart and play perfectly). It isn't a full list of those games, but it includes all of the most popular ones.
The only games in which it's possible to actually earn money regularly are the ones where you can get an edge. They include betting sports, betting horses and poker, as well as blackjack (with card counting) and video poker (with a perfect payout chart and perfect skills).
You need to be very smart and hardworking to get anywhere. In order to get an edge and positive expectations you absolutely have to to understand probability and odds, and you need to have enough discipline to always follow what you know.
There's another emotional factor too – you need to be able to handle huge losses, even five-digit ones. It's a part of the job and and if you cannot keep your cool in such a situation then this job is not for you.


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Como's safety record recognised | Como
Safety is the number one priority at Como. Our main focus is ensuring our staff and our supply chain go home safe at the end of the day and procedures are always being reviewed to ensure that our sites are as safe as possible.
The industry has recognised Como's commitment to safety as Como celebrates a recent string of safety accolades.
Como's work at 160 Great Portland Street received a Bronze at the National Considerate Constructors Site Awards. The Considerate Constructors scheme rewards the UK's most considerate sites for the contribution they have made towards improving the image of construction. It looks at measures a site has put in place to be more considerate towards local neighbourhoods and the public, the workforce and the environment.
As a company, Como was also awarded a merit at the International Safety Awards held by the British Safety Council for demonstrating a strong commitment to good health and safety management.
In 2013 the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) awarded Como a gold award. This award is presented to those who have achieved a very high level of performance, demonstrating well developed occupational health and safety management systems and culture, outstanding control of risk and very low levels of error, harm and loss.
The awards reinforce Como's commitment to its 'Safety First. Second Nature' programme which aims to build a safety culture based on five essential attributes: standards, leadership, engagement, behaviour and the work environment.
Brian Donnachie, Como's senior safety manager said: "We are constantly striving to make our sites as safe as possible. While we can never rest on our laurels, it is always great to be recognised for our efforts – these awards are a credit to the hard work of the Como team."