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Being alone isn't always as lonely as people make it out to be. Sometimes the people who spend the most time alone are nowhere near as sad as the world around them makes them out to be.
Honestly, a lot of people need to realize that being alone is important for growth. As someone who spends a lot of time alone, I feel it is something we all need to learn to embrace. Being alone can be good for you as a person and allow you to really get to know yourself.
Below I am going to go over some of the benefits of spending time alone. Sure, you might still spend some of your time with others but that doesn't mean you should cut your time on your own out. There is nothing wrong with allowing yourself a moment to clear your mind on your own terms.
10 Reasons Why We Should Embrace Being Alone:
1. It teaches us to stand on our own two feet.
When we spend time alone we learn to do things ourselves. This kind of thing fosters independence more than anything else ever could or would. The more we are on our own the more we end up doing on our own.
2. It allows us to clear our minds.
We all need time to clear our minds and being alone is the best time to do that. The more time you spend on your own the more you're able to let go of. I know, this might sound silly but it's very true.
3. It lets us relax and let go of the stress we're facing even if just for a little while.
When we are spending time alone with ourselves we are able to truly unwind. We can let go of the things bringing us down and holding us back. Stress and things of that nature melt away when we put the efforts forth to really find peace.
4. It lets us tune into our truest emotions.
The more time you spend with yourself the more you will also get to know yourself. You will begin to see why you feel the way you do about certain things and understand your emotions more properly. When you're feeling something on your own, it hits differently.
5. It gives us a chance to let our creativity flow more properly.
On your own, you will find that your creativity flows in a more productive manner. You are able to really dive into the rabbit holes before you and work to understand why you're doing the things you're doing. The more you try to figure out the deeper you find yourself digging.
6. It helps us better understand what we like and do not like.
When you're alone you don't do things for the sake of others. You do things for yourself. If you don't want to do something or don't like something chances are you're going to stray away from it. That's just how this kind of thing goes.
7. It allows us time to reflect.
Spending time alone gives you the chance to reflect and learn from past mistakes. While dwelling isn't a good thing reaching back and working to gain insight on the things you've been through is important. This kind of thing is more intense than you might realize at first glance.
8. It shows us that we are stronger than we realize.
The more time you spend on your own the more you will realize that you are capable of a lot more than you initially thought. We as people are able to accomplish so much and the more we believe in ourselves and see our own achievements the more we can grow. Things like this are very important.
9. It gives us the chance to be more productive.
When you're alone you don't have anyone bothering you or holding you back. You can do what you need to do without being bothered. Productivity spikes during moments like this.
10. It shows us who is really important in our lives.
When we are alone we tend to think about people who matter the most to us. Those who do not cross our minds aren't as crucial as we may have thought they were to begin with. If they don't come to mind, they probably aren't going to matter much in the long-run.


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This name, with variant spellings Whithurst, Whiteherst etc., is of English topographical origin from residence by a wood with white barked trees. The component elements of the name are the Old English pre 7th Century "hwit", (Medieval English "whit"), meaning "white", plus, "hyrst", a wood or wooded hill. Several English placenames contain "whit" as a first element including Whitehill in Durham and Whitefield, (Lancashire). The predominance of surname recordings in Church Registers of Newport and Shropshire, from the late 16th Century suggest that there may have been a place in Shropshire called Whit(e)hurst.
On April 29th 1598, John Whitehurst, an infant was christened in Newport. Other families belonged to Shrewsbury and Church Stretton. A Coat of Arms held by one branch of the family has a silver and red shield divided per chevron with two sheaves of corn in chief and a horse in base. The motto is "Je Crains Dieu". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Whithurst, (marriage to Joyce Smart), which was dated November 25th 1594, Newport, Shropshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.© Copyright: Name Origin Research 1980 - 2024
Enjoy this name printed onto our colourful scroll, printed in Olde English script. An ideal gift.

subset: commoncrawl


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Texas Climate Report: July 2006
July 2006 was like two different months for the state. Along the coast temperatures were cooler than normal and precipitation was well above average. However, for the central part of the state, July was very dry and hot. Waco received only 15% of their normal total rainfall and had a 1.1°F departure from the normal mean temperature. Waco also had an average high temperature of 98.1°F, 2.8°F above average. Wichita Falls was the hottest part of the state during July 2006. The average high was 102.0°F, which is 4.8°F above normal and the average mean temperature was 88.4°F, which is 3.6°F above normal. Not only was Wichita Falls hot, but it was also dry. The monthly total of 0.09" was only 6% of the average precipitation. Del Rio was the driest area in that state, receiving only 0.01" for the entire month. The Dallas/Fort Worth area was also very hot with the mean temperature 2.7°F above average, and an average high of 98.4°F, 3.0°F above the normal average high. While the central part of the state was baking in the high temperature, areas east of I-35 were seeing plentiful rainfall and cooler than normal temperatures.
College Station, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Houston, and Port Arthur all reported lower than average mean temperatures and greater than average rainfall totals. College Station and Victoria received over three times their normal July precipitation totals with values of 5.86" and 8.86", respectively. Victoria reported 6.08" over the four day period between 23rd and the 26th. Not only was Victoria wet, but it was also cooler than normal with -1.8°F departure from the normal mean temperature. Port Arthur reported a monthly precipitation total of 14.82", 9.59" above the normal value of 5.23". On the 3rd the station reported a record daily rainfall total of 4.99" and over the first 9 days of the month, 9.41" of rainfall was reported. The coast was not the only part of the state receiving rainfall. El Paso reported 3.17" for the month, over twice its normal rainfall total. Amarillo also reported an above average rainfall total with 4.40", 1.72" above normal.
As for severe weather, the month had a total of 32 severe wind reports, 9 hail reports, and 2 tornado reports. Hopefully, the trend of lower temperatures and high precipitation totals for the coast will move into the central portions of the state to provide some much needed relief. But for now, as the peak of hurricane season arrives, all eyes turn the Gulf and Caribbean to see if the Texas coast will be impacted by any land falling systems.
Monthly Summary for Selected Cities
*Perc. Norm.: Monthly precipitation total divided by 1971-2000 monthly normal, which is provided by the National Climatic Data Center. *Deg. Days: Computed daily as the departure of the daily average temperature from 65°F and aggregated over the entire month. *Heating degree day (HDD): Each unit corresponds to a -1°F departure of a daily average temperature from 65°F. *Cooling degree day (HDD): Each unit corresponds to a +1°F departure of a daily average temperature from 65°F. |


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Little Stars for Little Wars. Players Pack 2
You own a star system. But the evil aliens want to capture it. Your aim is to prevent them from doing it. Bring the captured stars back under your control and destroy alien spaceships on your way. A nice game.
Game Statistics
- Rating
- Rated 139
- Played 23,601


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The Christian Science Monitor comes with a bias against things they call other medication, if that's right or not is still another issue. I believe their bias is based on the simple fact that they're owned. These really are the peculiar bunch, and perhaps not just do they've got an program but they obviously paper on team communication are having issues with health professionals.
It sounds they really have those folks who exercise as well as a true issue with other medicine. That is not surprising since choice medicine is more accurate, less costly, and more powerful but they don't like it and then they go after those practicing alternative medication. You view that the media's"War on Cancer" is their manner of forcing folks to quit going to pure medicine doctors.
I am not indicating they are trying to discredit but it is more concerning these. They need people to carry on togo to the medical practioners that are conventional. They want to attack because they understand these health https://www.capstoneproject.net/ practitioners will produce much less money the people who really do visit the doctors.
I am not in any respect than the use of alternative medicine. In fact, I'd go so far as to mention the more people use it, the much better. Then there's an issue, if people who use alternative medicine are being attacked.
However, let me tell me , all the Christian Science Monitor's bias against alternative medicine and I don't concur. I'd like to register to this publication, and I discovered it to be interesting. I detected and have done a little of investigation about alternative medication. It sounds that they failed to recognize that people who use alternative medicine truly have confidence in God.
Additionally they don't get that the entire evidence that claims alternative medication is effective is controlled and manipulated for the specific intention of denying other medicine's effectiveness. I heard that the perfect way to control the usage of natural drugs would be to tag it and discredit. http://www.cheme.cornell.edu/ That's how a media works.
Truly , this is most of the mainstream press works; nevertheless, it is the exact very same, just on another side. There is not anything wrong with creating and submitting articles for the Christian Science Monitor which is not true. The real issue is that they actually believe that alternative medicine is dangerous and also a scam.
I know that a few of these colleagues are in attacking medicine engaged, that they just make stuff up. They set quotes around the term quackery, and it is okay whenever you are reporting a topic of controversy. However , when they compose articles about some thing that they know almost nothing about, it gives the impression they do not care about the reality.
The fact is the fact that the Christian Science Monitor does not care about the truth and that's the reason they have a prejudice against other medication. Them does damage. I have so much admiration for Christians who are willing to move against the grain and do the suitable thing, such as Ted Haggard.
I am very excited about the alternative medicine, and I am happy that there is finally something which works that will aid in improving the lives of folks. Consequently, in case you read this Christian Science Monitor you understand I am very happy with this news. Why?
As the alternate medication is based on scientific principles. It isn't even another trend. I'm eager to put it to use because it makes me really feel so much better about myself andmy life.
The reason why I'm so enthused regarding the thing that is fantastic that is. I believe you can expect you'll hear more from me about this theme, however before then, continue on keeping on the suitable side of this bias. And I really trust you're successful.


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If you are looking for a supercar driving experience in the Midlands then why not book a date at the Mallory Park race circuit in Leicestershire. Using the Mallory Park driving experience calendar below you can search for dates between 4 months, 4-8 months and 8-12 months. You can also filter between adult and junior experience dates.
8 Upcoming driving experiences available


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Prologue. August 2, Year 707, Cristos Reckoning. Samek'kema.
[Lord of Light, Radiant One, we honor you. Wisest of All, reveal your wisdom to us, we pray...]
Merai gazed intently into the flames before her, letting the words of the ancient prayer wash over her like gentle waves. Raven's chanting was almost hypnotic, rising and falling in regular, rhythmic patterns, as she praised and petitioned the God of Wisdom and Light. Samekkh had been silent toward them for over a year now — a punishment for Raven's arrogance in her early dealings with Rickkter — and the Lightbringers were now waiting with some hesitation to see if he would return his favor to them.
Merai turned her eyes away from the fire, glancing over at Raven. The High Priestess sat to her left in front of the fire, head down, eyes closed as she recited the ceremonial prayer of Samek'kema. On Merai's other side sat Tessa, her dark eyes reflecting the flames like two polished black stones; across from her was Celine, leader of the Metamor acolytes. The lower acolytes sat in concentric circles around the four leaders of the temple, nearly filling the hall. Merai smiled a little at that — the last year had been kind to them, and many new acolytes had entered the ranks of the Order.
Raven finished the prayer, then turned and nodded to Merai. Taking up the little bag of herbs and flower petals they had gathered for this occasion, Merai sprinkled them into the fire. Tendrils of white smoke rose up from the flames, wafting around the seated Lightbringers and filling the temple hall. Merai closed her eyes and breathed deeply, savoring the sweet, spicy aroma. She felt a strange tingle in the back of her mind, saw her vision fade into darkness, and then...
Then she was somewhere else. She stood atop a tall, broad building, looking out over a vast city that was shaped like a wheel, with roads forming rings and spokes around a high and elaborate palace. Looking down, she saw a great plaza filled with people, all of them making a great deal of noise — but whether they were shouting in joy or in anger, she could not be sure. And there, in the middle of the crowd, she saw herself...
Her vision blurred, spun, and shifted, and now she saw Yajiit floating before her, shining like the sun.
"Elenin," she said, smiling.
"Aye ... Elenin," Merai answered, the words coming with difficulty as she struggled to put her thoughts in order. "Starchild. I know ... I know what I am."
"You are more than you think you are, Starchild." A new voice, strong and masculine, spoke up just behind her, as a brilliant white light flashed and flickered. "You are a child of three fathers."
"Nay." Merai turned her head, and there to her right was Kyia, her stone-grey eyes hard and serious as they looked over Merai's shoulder in the direction of the male voice. "Not three fathers," said Kyia, shaking her head. "Four."
"Four?" the masculine voice asked, sounding perturbed.
"You shall see," the nymph answered, and then vanished in a burst of light.
Her vision spun again, and now Merai found herself standing in a small circle of brilliant white light, with nothing but impenetrable darkness beyond it. Nine figures stood all around her, just on the edge between darkness and light. One of them was clearly a dragon, massive and powerful, but the others were humans in robes of white. Their cowls were all pulled over their heads, obscuring their faces.
"Whom do you trust, Merai?"
The cat-woman looked, and there beside her was the Oracle of Samekkh. The Oracle placed her hand gently on Merai's shoulder, wrapping her long serpent tail around the young priestess's legs.
"I don't understand," Merai said.
"Not all of these are your allies, Merai," the Oracle said gravely. "Some will support you, but some will oppose you. Whom do you trust?"
Merai looked anxiously at each of the mysterious, hooded figures around the circle. Though they were dressed in the robes of the Lothanasi, all of them seemed ominous and threatening.
"I ... I don't know whom to trust," she said at last, turning to look back at the Oracle...
But the Oracle was gone.
"What is to be done with the Starchild?" asked one of the cloaked figures, his quiet, cultured voice carrying an air of quiet menace.
"She is a heretic," another voice answered. "She must be destroyed."
"What?" Merai exclaimed. "What do you mean, I'm not a—"
"The accused shall be silent!" the first voice said angrily, cutting her off. Then, more calmly, "Shall the Starchild live or die? Cast your stones."
The dragon raised a claw, tossing a white stone the size of an apple at Merai's feet. "Live," he said.
The cloaked figure to his left tossed in a smaller stone, this one black. "Die."
The third figure. "Die."
The fourth stepped forward, as if to speak, then suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke.
The fifth. "Live," he said, his voice filled with pity.
The sixth. "Die."
The seventh. "Die."
The eighth. "Live." Merai recognized Raven's voice, and for a moment her hopes grew. The vote was now three in her favor, four against. A tie would go in favor of the accused. The verdict would be decided by the last figure...
A black stone fell at Merai's feet.
"Die." The ninth figure stepped out of the shadows, cast off its robe—
And there was Suspira, grinning triumphantly. Taking her whip from her side, she wrapped it around Merai's neck and pulled her forward. Merai was powerless to resist. Taking her head in her clawed hands, the Mistress of Lust held her face inches from her own.
"You're mine now, dearie," she said.
"NO!" Merai sat bolt-upright, her tail straight out behind her, every bit of fur on her body standing on end. She looked about wildly, seeking her accusers, but they were gone. She was back in the Lightbringer temple, Raven and Tessa at her side, the acolytes murmuring worriedly in the background.
"Calm yourself, Merai!" Raven urged her, gripping her shoulder firmly. " 'Tis all right. You're here. You're safe."
Merai closed her eyes and willed herself to calm down, deliberately slowing her breathing. Gradually, her heartbeat slowed, her muscles relaxed, and her fur began to lay flat.
"Gods," she breathed at last, opening her eyes again. "What was that?"
"A vision," Raven said. "A vision of the future."
A cold chill ran down Merai's spine. "A vision of what may happen, or what shall happen?" she asked uneasily.
Raven bowed her head. "That, only the Lord Samekkh knows."
Merai looked back at the fire, eyeing it warily.
A city of rings. A child of four fathers. A trial, with Suspira plotting her destruction. What did it all mean?
"I think I need some time alone," she said.
The Dreamlands. January 11, Year 708 CR
Nocturna walked through the gentle, rolling hills surrounding the Axis, the blades of ankle-high grass glistening a brilliant purple in the noonday light. She passed by a couple of fairies cavorting in a patch of wildflowers, then stopped to pet a large boar-like creature that was drinking from a pool of rose-tinted water. A flock of fae dragons flew overhead, their butterfly-like wings catching the light and shimmering in iridescent red, orange, green, black and gold. The Mistress of Dreams smiled at the sight, her usual somber mood lifted like a great weight from her shoulders. She loved this place, so full of life and light and wonder. So unlike the Hells "beneath" her, further down the Axis. The First Hell was calm and peaceful, but it was always robed in darkness; though they had a moon to shine on them, the souls who dwelt there would never again know daylight, not like this. Not unless Nocturna brought them with her, as she sometimes did, to speak with some loved one left behind in the world of mortals.
Off to her left, the Axis began to hum. Nocturna turned, looking at the glowing white column that stretched into infinity above and below, joining the Heavens and Hells with this in-between realm of the imagination. The Axis flickered, and a being stepped out — a young woman, seemingly, with dusky blue skin, silver hair and glowing blue eyes. One of Nocturna's many children, the offspring of several brief and mostly unhappy pairings with other members of the Pantheon. The hair and eyes marked this girl as one of Samekkh's children, and thus one of Nocturna's most trusted servants.
"What is it, my daughter?" Nocturna asked.
"A summons from Below, Mistress," the young daedra replied, bowing briefly before her. "Our dread Prince has called for a meeting of the council."
Nocturna felt her lip twist in a show of distaste. She hated meeting with Ba'al and the other Daedra Lords. Given how little her opinion mattered on the council, she often wondered why Ba'al insisted on her presence at these gatherings. *Probably precisely because it annoys me,* she thought sourly.
"Very well," she said, nodding once. "I shall come anon." She favored her daughter with a brief smile. "Feel free to remain here for a while, if you like."
The younger woman smiled back at her. "Thank you, Mistress. I have missed the light."
"Enjoy it, then, on my behalf," Nocturna said, striding toward the Axis. "For I myself must descend into the heart of shadow."
She stepped into the Axis, feeling its warm glow surround her. Then, looking downward, she willed herself out of the Dreamlands, past her homeland of the First Hell, and down, down, down, into ever-increasing darkness.
Soon she found herself in a realm of blackest night, where rivers and pools of fierce blue flame provided the only illumination. A vast city spread out before her, the towers and spires of the daedric elite interspersed between prisons and dungeons where the blackest souls that had ever lived writhed and wailed in unending torment. And in the midst of all this darkness, rising above all other structures in the daedra's capital city, was a vast and towering pyramid, its polished, sloping sides gleaming in the faint blue light of hellfire: The Palace of Darkness, the dwelling place of Ba'al himself.
The Axis came to an end at the pinnacle of the pyramid, and Nocturna stepped out into the eternal darkness of the Ninth Hell. Immediately she felt cold, as if all life and energy were being sapped out of her. Even for her, a Daedra Lord and Mistress of the First Hell, this plane was nearly intolerable.
Floating down to the terrace in front of the gates, she turned and walked into the palace, paying no heed to the two balrogs who stood guard at the entrance. The corridors inside shifted to accommodate her haste, and very quickly she found herself at the double iron doors of the council chamber.
Without preamble, she seized the ring on one of the doors and pulled it open. Composing herself for a moment, she then glided in gracefully and nodded to the others who were present.
Prince Ba'al sat at the head of the long table, of course, his avatar-form a mass of pure darkness. His blue eyes burned like the hellfire in the canals outside, cruel and fierce. The remaining Daedra Lords sat along the sides of the table, their proximity to Ba'al indicating their current level of prominence within the council. As usual, Suspira sat at Ba'al's right hand, Revonos at his left. Agemnos and Lilith sat just beyond them, Klepnos and Tallakath further yet. Oblineth sat on the right side at the far end of the table, her expression neutral and distant.
The seat across from her was empty.
"Ah! The Lady Nocturna. So good of you to join us," Ba'al said, his voice deceptively pleasant.
*Bastard,* Nocturna thought. "I come as bidden, my Prince," she replied, nodding toward him.
"And none too soon, either," Suspira sneered. "Come, cousin, take your seat and let's get on with this."
Ignoring the self-proclaimed "Queen of Daedra", Nocturna turned and quietly made her way to her seat.
Ba'al leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "Now that we're all here, I can introduce our guest for the evening." He nodded toward the corner of the room, over Nocturna's shoulder. "You may enter now," he said, raising his voice as though he were addressing someone beyond that wall of stone.
Nocturna turned to see who he was looking at — and abruptly wished she hadn't. There, in the corner of the room, the darkness seemed to grow even deeper, and a presence the likes of which she had never felt before entered the room. It was a presence without form, without eyes or face or hands, without even the energy pattern that composed the daedra's bodies in their "natural" form — but it was there, nonetheless. A being so thoroughly and terrifyingly evil that it made even the likes of Ba'al and Suspira seem innocuous. She shrank back in her seat, trying to put as much distance between herself and that ... thing as possible.
She wasn't alone. "What in the Hells is that?" Agemnos gasped. Nocturna thought it was the first time she'd ever seen him lose his composure.
The being spoke, a cold and malevolent voice that seemed to speak straight into Nocturna's mind. [My name is not important,] it said. [I come in service to the One Below.]
The Daedra Lords looked at each other. "The One Below?" Lilith asked, arching an eyebrow curiously. She was trying to look relaxed, but the tension in her limbs told Nocturna she was anything but.
[The Morningstar,] the creature answered. [The Liberator. He who makes war against the great Tyrant enthroned Above.]
"Or," added Ba'al, "as he is commonly referred to in the mortal realm ... the Adversary."
A pause.
"And your guards let him just traipse on in here?" Klepnos asked. He gave a short, choked laugh. "Good Hells, what's the universe coming to?"
"I agree with my good cousin Klepnos — amazingly enough," said Agemnos. "What's that creature doing here?"
"He is invited," Ba'al said, his voice emphasizing the last word. "Now, if you will all turn your attention back toward me, I shall explain."
With obvious reluctance, the daedra lords turned their eyes away from the apparition in the corner of the room and back toward their prince and master. Nocturna was very uneasy about having that thing behind her back, but she had little choice for the moment.
"As you know, for the last several decades of mortal time, I have made mention of outside help that was willing to assist us in regaining our rightful place as the most honored members of the Pantheon. Our associate in the corner over there is the spokesman for that help. For years now, the Adversary's agents have been assisting us in provoking war between the two factions who most directly threaten our agenda on Earth: the Lothanasi and the Ecclesia."
Suspira scoffed. "Well, if that's the case, then they've been doing a piss-poor job of it," she said. "The corrupted faction of the Followers has fallen into shambles. With Jagoduun destroyed—"
"Elders be praised," Nocturna muttered.
"— the Patriarch will never sanction a war against the Lothanasi. My servants tell me that every pawn the Adversary had in Yesulam has been rooted out." Suspira paused, considering for a moment. "Which, I should point out, was due in no small part to the actions of the Elves, who have somehow still failed to come under the control of this council..."
Lilith gave her rival a disdainful look, then deliberately turned her back. "And if you hadn't failed in bringing the Lightbringer whelp to heel two years ago, my plan would have succeeded," she replied, her smooth voice carrying a quiet air of contempt.
[Enough,] the Fallen said, with a voice that silenced all further argument. [All is not lost. Yesulam is no longer under our influence, but we have many agents among the lower levels of the Ecclesia. We may still accomplish both our objectives, if only we act swiftly.]
"But to do so, we will have to remove the Metamor Lightbringers from the equation," Ba'al said. "Raven has shown that she is too savvy to be used to start a religious war, despite our best efforts to lead her into it with the incident in the Angle last fall."
"Agreed," Agemnos said, scratching at his beard thoughtfully. "She's clever, that one. A worthy heir to her father. I've tried exploit her arrogance, but the Enemy expected that and prepared for it. Between the Necromancer and the bard, her pride has been brought under control."
"My servants have tried to provoke her rage, but there's not enough there to truly corrupt her," Revonos said, grimacing. "She even felt pity for Lilith's Turguroth."
"And I have tried to appeal to her predator instincts, but she remains too close to Artela," Lilith added.
"All quite true," Ba'al agreed, nodding. "Raven has her weaknesses, but none we can use to truly subvert her. She's cautious, and while that has been to our advantage in the past, it's useless for starting a war."
[But that does not mean that she is untouchable,] said the Fallen. [If we wish to neutralize the Metamor Lothanasi, we must do so by attacking them at their weakest link.]
In the center of the conference table, an image appeared: A young feline woman dressed in the white robes of a Lightbringer priestess. At the far end of the table, Suspira showed a sinister smile.
March 4, 708.
The sun had not even risen over the mountains when the Flatlander caravan pulled up before the recently-finished gates of Euper. After a brief chat with their leader, the guard opened the gates, and the traders made their way through the streets of town, headed for the marketplace.
As with everything they did, the Magyars made their entrance in grand fashion. A band of musicians marched and rode at the head of the colorful procession, accompanied by acrobats, jugglers and dancers. The people of Euper awoke to the sound of the sitar, the shenai, the tamboura, and numerous drums, joining together in a haunting chorus that spoke of far-off lands and a strange and mystical culture. Behind them stretched no fewer than two dozen brightly colored wagons — some for sleeping, eating, and cooking, but most of them filled with exotic wares from around the world. News spread like wildfire through the town, the excited voices of the children proclaiming it from house to house: "The Flatlanders are here! The Flatlanders are here!" For the peasant families, it was cause to rush out of bed and hurry to watch the excitement. For the merchants and shopkeepers, it was a call to lock down their wares, lest some enterprising young Magyar make off with them.
A crowd had formed along the sides of the road before they had even come half a mile into town. Children crowded close to see the performers and wagons go by; perhaps they would catch a glimpse of one of the strange and wonderful creatures that sometimes traveled with the caravans. These children were Keepers, of course, and it was not unheard-of for them to see a person wearing the form of a lion, a giraffe, an elephant, or a baboon — but it was quite another thing to see the beasts themselves, alive and untamed. Many a parent would lose a few coppers to a child's pleading if the menagerie were in town.
The caravan came at last to a large open patch of ground — just off the roadside, next to the marketplace and at the foot of Metamor Ridge itself. As the sun's rays began to creep over the mountains, catching the towers of the Keep and bathing them in warm golden light, the traders circled their wagons and began to set up shop for the day's visitors.
In the midst of all this bustle and excitement, then, it was not at all unsurprising that no one took notice of the three men huddled in the darkness of one of the traders' curio wagons. Had anyone bothered to examine them, it would have been quickly obvious that they were not Magyars, for their fairer skin and curly hair clearly showed them to be Pyralian. But even if some observer had noted this, it was highly unlikely that anyone here would recognize them as the once-proud assistants of Patriarch Geshter.
The tallest of the three men peered through the wooden slats of the window, eyeing the gathering crowd outside. All of them were watching the performers, dancing and playing in the midst of the circled wagons as their assistants gathered donations, both voluntary and unwitting, from the spectators. He allowed himself a small smile. No, no one would recognize these shells, these hosts. No one would even know they were here — not until it was far, far too late.
Gently caressing the medallion in his hand, he watched as the sun finally thrust itself fully over the mountains, blanketing everything in the valley with the soft light of morning.
It was going to be a wonderful day.
"Message for Sister Merai hin'Dana!"
Merai emerged from her bedroom and couldn't help but smile as she saw Kee standing there at the temple entrance — fidgeting, arms crossed, foot tapping, his whole body full of nervous energy.
"Good morning, Kee," she said, gliding up and taking the envelope from his hand. "Drinking Pascal's energy elixirs again, I take it?"
"Aye, twice so far this morning," he admitted readily, with an exaggerated nod of his head. "Quiz asked me to take her shift today, so I had to be up early."
"Well, I wouldn't make a habit of it, if I were you," Merai grinned. "You look ready to bounce off the walls. Thank you for the message, though."
"Welcome, Priestess. Good day!" And with that he was off again, his bright orange tail nearly a blur as he dashed out of the temple toward his next delivery. In the process he just barely missed running directly into Raven, who emerged from one of the storerooms the moment he passed the door.
Raven paused in the doorway, steadying herself after the near collision, then turned and looked in the direction the fox had gone. "Well. That was alchemical, or I'm no healer."
Merai chuckled. "Mayhap we should tell Pascal not to give him those elixirs any more," she said, slicing open the envelope with an index claw as she spoke.
"Perhaps not," Raven agreed, walking back into the temple hall and casting a questioning glance at the papers in Merai's hands. "What have you there?"
"I don't know, I just got it myself." As she unfolded the papers and read the first few lines, Merai's face broke into a broad grin. " 'Tis a letter from Brother Calvis!" she said.
"Ahh," Raven said, her eyes sparkling. Though she generally respected her privacy, Merai knew the Lothanasa enjoyed hearing about her growing friendship with the young acolyte. "And how are things in Bozojo?"
"Hmm ... they seem well, from the looks of it," Merai said, scanning through the letter for any key points. "One of their acolytes has just been promoted to junior priest of the temple, to take Brother Lemuel's place when he retires. Calvis seems to think they've chosen well."
"I'm pleased to hear it was one of their own," Raven said soberly. "I would not soon trust anything that came from Kelewair in these days."
Merai made an unpleasant face and nodded. "Nor I. Hmm..." Abruptly her expression changed, going from distaste to surprise and delight. She let out a small gasp. "Oh, my! Listen to this: 'After much pleading on my part, Brother Lemuel has agreed to release me for a time to come and visit with you. Gods willing, I should arrive in Metamor a week after you receive this letter. I eagerly look forward to seeing the wonders of the Keep — though not, I should say, as much as I await the pleasure of your company.' "
"The boy can be quite eloquent when his tongue need not participate," Raven said wryly.
Merai folded the papers and clutched them to her chest, grinning like a school-girl. "This is fantastic news! You will help me prepare for his arrival, will you not?"
"He will be extended every courtesy," Raven assured her, smiling warmly.
"Oh, thank you, Sister Raven!" Merai exclaimed. Impulsively she reached out and hugged the elder Lightbringer, much as she would her own mother.
"You're welcome, Sister Merai," Raven said, returning the embrace with equal affection. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to with the prime minister. I'll be back in a few hours."
"Very well," Merai said, as they parted and Raven headed for the door. "I'm going to finish reading this, and then spend some time in meditation. See you soon!"
Merai returned to her room, flopped down on her bed and read through Calvis's letter in detail. Raven was right — though he stumbled over his words in public, Calvis had the soul of a poet. They had exchanged many letters over the last several months, and he never failed to include some elegant compliment that left Merai blushing all over, or a stirring account of some new experience that had touched his heart. She looked forward to seeing him again, and regretted that the Keep's Curse would prevent him from staying for more than a week. Perhaps she could arrange to depart with him to Midtown for a few days so they could have more time together.
Setting aside the letter, Merai turned her attention to the meditation Circles drawn on the floor of the room. Right now she felt excited enough to go bouncing through the halls alongside Kee — and, while she enjoyed the feeling, she also knew that she would never get any work done today if she did not take the time to center herself first. With mixed emotions, she lit the Circle candles, sat down in the middle of them and closed her eyes. After a few deep breaths, she focused her mind inward and downward, until she could visualize herself standing in the First Circle.
The Circles were an invention that the Lothanasi had developed to focus and direct the mind in meditation. The First Circle was designed to give the Lightbringer an anchor point, a firm grounding in self-identity. It was a place in the mind that was cut off from external perceptions, from light and sound and touch. In the silence that followed, the Lightbringer gained a sense of centered-ness that allowed her to separate her essential self from all of the transient emotions, goals and desires that flitted through her mind. The First Circle was a place of peace and solitude. But it was also only a beginning.
Merai felt herself anchor into the foundation of the First Circle, as the excitement and nervous energy faded into the distance and the solitude of that place filled her with a sense of calm. Once she felt suitably grounded, she began reaching outward to the farther circles. At the Second Circle the sensation of touch returned, and she paused to focus again. The key was to allow herself to acknowledge the sensation without becoming tied in to it. The ultimate goal of the Circles was to move beyond the perceptions of the body, into those things that could only be perceived through the auras and energy fields surrounding her, and letting herself become too attached to any one sensation would keep her from moving forward.
On toward the Third Circle. Now the sensations of smell and hearing returned, and Merai had to steady herself as her heightened senses once again channeled a torrent of information into her brain. She almost lost her focus entirely at that point, but she managed to steady herself and press on.
As she stepped into the Fourth Circle, Merai saw the auras and energy fields around her spring to life in a dazzling array of light and color. By focusing her attention first in one direction and then another, she could "look around" at the patterns surrounding her — the people in the hallways, the birds on the windowsills, the trees in the courtyard below, and above all the vibrant aura of the Keep herself. Merai was used to all of these sights, having seen them many times, but she still marveled at their beauty.
Moving out to the Fifth Circle, Merai now found that she could shift her point of reference, moving her focus out and away from her body to examine distant auras more closely. She passed out of the temple, down the hall, through the shifting passages and corridors of the Keep, looking from side to side at the patterns and energy fields she saw along the way. She went past a room that was entirely opaque to her aura sight — that would be Rickkter's room, she thought with a smile — then passed into the palace section of the Keep and the prime minister's office, where Malisa sat talking with Raven. The Lothanasa flicked an ear as Merai's projected consciousness entered the room, then glanced for a moment in her direction before turning her attention back to Malisa. Merai grinned to herself, then left the room and continued on. She couldn't hear what they were saying — that would not come until Merai mastered the Seventh Circle — but she was having too much fun at the moment to care.
Besides, it was important not to push too far, too fast. Venturing beyond the Fourth Circle was risky, for it distanced the consciousness from the body. Tales were told of some Lightbringers who pushed out to the Ninth Circle before they were ready, only to become separated from their bodies and lost — formless wraiths, drifting aimlessly through the world until the end of time. A meditating Lightbringer could acquire great knowledge through the use of the Circles, but they had to be used carefully and responsibly.
Merai turned her attention beyond the walls of the Keep, venturing out into the bright, clear skies of a chill spring morning. She looked down at the crowds of people bustling through town, the shopkeepers hawking their wares, the guards patrolling the walls — and down below, at the foot of Metamor Ridge, something altogether different from the usual activity of the city.
*The Flatlanders!* she thought. *What wonders have they brought with them this time?* Directing her focus downward, she soon "stood" about ten yards above the circle of wagons, looking down at the musicians, acrobats and dancers who were entertaining the throngs of Keepers. Merai noticed that some of the wagons had bars on their windows, and as she grew closer her aura sight revealed two great cats and a large black bear inside those cars. She made a mental note to find out when the animal trainer would give his performance — it was always an exciting display, and Merai loved to see the huge beasts up close.
Wandering among the brightly painted wagons, Merai sensed the Magyars inside preparing for their next performances, or arranging their wares for sale. She was just about to continue on her way when something caught her attention in one of the merchant wagons.
The sensation was hard for her to define, even for herself. It was a faint presence that seemed to beckon her from the corner of her mind, sparkling and flickering like a firefly. Curious, she "entered" the wagon, casting her mental gaze about the cabin inside. It was dark, and filled with countless odds and ends, many of which glowed with magic of varying degrees. But none of those things resembled what had drawn her attention.
The flicker beckoned her again, this time from somewhere close by — but when she turned, she could see nothing there.
*Hello?* she asked, projecting her mental voice outward so that it filled the room. *Is anyone there?*
Slowly, dimly, a form appeared before her mind — tenuous, fragile, and indistinct. A brief sparkle of light, almost hesitant, flashed before her eyes. Whatever it was, it was alive, or at least conscious to some degree. It seemed almost shy.
*Hello there,* Merai said, smiling broadly. *I'm Merai. Welcome to Metamor.*
The apparition floated a bit closer. Merai could now see it a little better, though it seemed to be more a distortion of the existing light and shadow than something that was tangibly there. It seemed to regard her carefully.
*'Tis all right,* she said reassuringly. *You needn't be afraid of me, I shan't hurt you.*
Gently, Merai sent out a tendril of thought, brushing up against the ghostly presence that floated before her. She couldn't sense much from the brief contact, but the creature seemed to enjoy the sensation. It sent out a tendril of its own, feeling its way toward Merai.
*That's it,* she urged. *Let me get a good sense of you, now...* She sent out another tendril and wrapped it around the one sent out by the creature, letting a connection form between them...
Then, abruptly, a shaft of ice shot through Merai's innards. Her body went rigid, back arching, tail straight out behind her, mouth gaping in a silent scream. The elusive presence before her grabbed hold of her mind with the strength of a giant's fist, and suddenly Merai realized that she had made a terrible, terrible mistake. Her eyes were opened, and her shy visitor now showed itself to be something dark and monstrous. Black tentacles wrapped around her mind, then dragged her back to her own body. She felt herself being pushed down, down, toward the very center of her being, where the brilliant star that burned within her now seemed surrounded by walls of foul darkness. As her mind backed up against that furnace of light, seeking refuge and strength, a prison door rose up before her, sealing her inside. Peering through it, Merai found that she could see through her eyes and hear through her ears, but was powerless to command a single muscle. Filled with sudden terror, Merai pushed against the barrier with all her strength, trying desperately to escape this prison within her own body. A bolt of white-hot light shot out from the star within her, but the walls of darkness did not budge. Fear gave way to panic, and frantically Merai ran over every inch of her prison. There was no way out. She pounded on the walls, scratched them, bit at them, blasted them with fire and lightning, but the darkness gave not the barest hint of weakening.
*What's happening to me?* she sobbed, as her mental avatar collapsed to her knees in exhaustion. *Dear gods, what's happening to me?*
A cold wind ran through the bedroom of Merai hin'Dana, extinguishing the candles and even the lamp in the wall-sconce. The priestess rose to her feet and walked out into the temple hall, a small smirk on her face. There was much work to be done.
Dr. Brian Coe looked up from his paperwork to see Caitlyn, one of his assistant healers, standing at the door to his office with a worried look on her face.
Carefully, Brian put his quill back in its sconce and capped the inkwell. "Aye, Caitlyn, what is it?"
"We have a patient I think you should look at, Brian. Master Feldon. His family just brought him up the hill from Euper."
The raccoon-man frowned, his ears laying back against the sides of his head. "Could you make a diagnosis?" he asked.
"I've not seen the like of it before," she said. "In some ways it seems like flu, but..." She concluded with a shake of her head.
"All right. I'll take a look."
When Brian entered the main sickbay, he saw a young man lying down on one of the beds, accompanied by an equally young feline woman and an elderly goat-morph that Brian suspected was either the man's mother or mother-in-law. He was wrapped in woolen blankets, and a cold sweat ran down his forehead. He seemed to be only partially aware of his surroundings.
"How long has he been like this?" Brian asked, placing a black-furred hand on the patient's forehead. The poor fellow was burning with fever.
"Just a few hours," the cat-woman answered. "It came on him suddenly after breakfast this morning. I made him some tea and had him lie down, but it only seems to have gotten worse."
"I suggested we should take him to see you, doctor," the older woman added. "One can't be too careful about such things, you know."
"Agreed." Brian carefully felt under the man's jaw, eliciting a wince of pain from his patient. "Well, the lymph nodes in his neck are swollen," he said. "That's often the sign of an infection. Help me unwrap him so I can check the others."
Obediently, the three women assisted Brian in peeling back the layers of blankets they had wrapped him in. The young man shivered even more violently as his skin was exposed to the cool air of the sickbay. Brian lifted the patient's arm, gently probed the armpit—
And drew back his hand as if stung. "Gods," he gasped, eyes widening.
"What? What's wrong?" the cat-woman asked, her tail twitching in agitation.
Carefully, Brian pulled up the hem of the man's tunic, exposing the bare skin of his armpit. There, nestled under the arm, was a swelling the size and shape of a hen's egg.
"Ashes!" the mother hissed, her face showing horrified recognition. "Oh, Akkala preserve us!"
"What?" the feline woman asked anxiously, her eyes pleading. "Please, Doctor Coe! What's wrong with Feldon?"
Brian let the hem of the tunic go, a cold chill running down his spine. "It was well that you brought him when you did," he said softly. "I'm afraid this isn't the flu, madam. It is the plague."
Priestess Merai hin'Dana walked unnoticed among the crowds of people in the marketplace, her usual white robes replaced by a traveler's outfit with a dark cape and cowl. Walking past the numerous shoppers crowding around the Flatlander wagons, she came at last to the one that the true Merai hin'Dana had been exploring in her meditations a few hours before. It was a simple curio and antique shop, indistinguishable from several others in the caravan, with the usual assortment of useless junk, forgotten treasure and half-baked magic items. The man behind the counter greeted her with a nod and wordlessly passed her a small parcel wrapped in plain brown cloth. The priestess placed it in the pocket of her jerkin, turned, and began walking back up toward Metamor.
Duke Thomas peered at the map of the Keep and its surrounding fortifications that lay spread out on his desk.
"Nicely done, Jack," he murmured, nodding approvingly. "Nicely done, indeed. From the looks of this, I'd say that Metamor has never been better protected."
"No one's going to be repeating Nasoj's Yule surprise, at any rate," the castellan agreed. "With the extra ring of walls and the new defenses around Euper, any enemy that tries to reach the Inner Keep will have a damn hard time of it. I'll certainly sleep better at night now that this is finished."
"It needs no better recommendation than that, my friend," Thomas said, smiling. "I—"
A knock sounded at the door.
A nervous-looking page stuck his head into the room. "Doctor Coe to see you, milord."
The duke nodded. "Very well. Send him in."
Coe must have heard his words, because he practically forced his way past the page as soon as Thomas had spoken. The physician nodded once to Jack as he approached the desk, then turned to face the horse-king.
"Milord, we have a very serious problem," Coe said.
Thomas motioned for him to continue.
"A patient was brought to the sickbay this morning from Euper. He has the plague."
Jack muttered a curse under his breath. Thomas slowly sank into his chair. "Plague?" he repeated softly, scarcely believing it. "Are you sure?"
"Very. The symptoms were clear, milord."
"The Flatlanders?" Jack asked. His voice was thick with suspicion.
"I don't believe they've been here long enough to have brought it," Coe said, shaking his head. "Plague generally takes a few days to incubate before it becomes visible. Clearly some trader brought it in with him, though. We haven't had a case of plague at Metamor in fifty years."
"How great is the danger, doctor?" Thomas asked.
" 'Tis too soon to tell, milord. Bubonic plague, which Feldon has, is not very contagious, though it is still very deadly once you have caught it. If that is all we face, our greatest concerns are the fleas that carry the germ and the rats that carry the fleas — assuming that Lytherian's theory about the contagion is correct, of course."
"Do you believe it is?"
"Fortunately, I have never before had the opportunity to test it," Coe said dryly. "But I consider Lytherian a reliable source. Be warned, though, milord: Some strains of plague are far more contagious than the bubonic form. If an airborne strain has reached us, the situation is far more dire."
Thomas snorted once. "Bubonic plague is quite bad enough, I think," he said sourly. "What do you advise, doctor?"
"The clothes and linens of those who have contracted the disease will have to be thoroughly cleaned, somewhere far away from the city water supply. Victims will have to be isolated in sickbay, in case a more contagious strain is present. Someone should conduct a survey of the city to make sure that the rat population is under control — though it is probably best that our cat-morphs refrain from hunting them for now, to avoid picking up their fleas." Coe's face twisted into an unpleasant moue. "And, unfortunately, we are going to have to quarantine the city."
The duke leaned back in his chair and nodded wearily. "I was afraid of that," he said. "Very well. Make the necessary arrangements, doctor. And notify the Lightbringers of the situation — perhaps they can be of help."
"Aye, milord."
The coonish doctor sketched a quick bow, then turned and nearly ran out of the duke's office.
"It never ends, does it, Jack?" Thomas asked rhetorically, gazing up at the ceiling.
"Only in death, milord."
Despite himself, Thomas managed a wry smile at that — but only for a moment. "Go on, Jack," he said. "Notify the guard of the quarantine and prepare them to barricade the city gates. And tell Steward Thalberg to raise the yellow flag."
"Mistress Raven!"
Raven was just returning from her meeting with Malisa when she heard her name being called from somewhere in the temple antechamber.
"I am here," she said, stepping inside.
A familiar black-masked face appeared from around the corner of the antechamber's t-shaped intersection. "Ah, good."
"Doctor Coe? What brings you here?" Raven asked, her ears flicking forward in curiosity.
"Grave news, I fear. The plague has come to Metamor."
Raven blinked once in surprise, but quickly hid the expression behind her usual mask of composure. "Please explain, doctor."
Coe quickly outlined the events of that morning and his conversation with the duke.
"Lord Thomas hopes that you might be able to help," he said.
"Of course," Raven agreed, nodding. "I shall consult Akkala on how best to fight the disease. Worry not, doctor — we will do all in our power to put a stop to this."
"Thank you, Lightbringer," Coe said, bowing once to the priestess. "Now, I apologize for having to take my leave of you so abruptly, but I must return to the sickbay at once."
"By all means," Raven agreed, waving off any further apologies with a gesture. "May Akkala be with you, Doctor Coe."
"And you as well, Mistress."
The raccoon quickly departed, and Raven entered the main temple hall. There were a few supplicants praying quietly before the altar, and two acolytes standing near the doors, but other than that the room was empty.
"Please dismiss the laity for now," she whispered to the acolytes. "I have a summons to perform."
"Aye, Sister Raven."
While the acolytes cleared the room, Raven walked over to Merai's room. Finding the door closed, she knocked twice. "Merai?"
"Come in," Merai's voice called.
Raven opened the door. Merai was sitting placidly in the middle of her meditation circles, eyes closed. For a moment Raven thought she caught a trace of a sharp, bitter odor, but it only lasted for an instant before being replaced by the more familiar scent of the beeswax candles. When the smell did not return, Raven dismissed it from her mind, attributing it to her own nerves.
"Merai, I need you to help me prepare the temple for a summoning," she said.
The cat-woman rose to her feet in one fluid motion, extinguished the candles with a wave of her hand, and opened her eyes. "I'll be glad to help," she said. "Who are we summoning?"
"The Lady Akkala. An outbreak of plague has struck the Keep, and I need her advice on how best to combat it."
Merai's eyes went wide in surprise and fear, and her tail shot out straight behind her. "Plague? In Metamor? How is that possible?"
"Dr. Coe suspects that it was brought here by traders." Raven narrowed her eyes. "I have my own suspicions. Akkala will be able to tell us what is truly going on. Come."
By the time they returned to the temple hall, the acolytes had already cleared out the room and shut the doors behind them.
"Milady Kyia, please make sure we're not disturbed," Raven said, walking over to the altar where the remnants of several supplicants' offerings still lay in the central bowl.
*As always, Raven,* Kyia's voice whispered in her mind.
Raven smiled slightly at that. "Merai," she called, looking over her shoulder briefly, "bring me the white, pink and rose powders from the supply closet, if you please."
"Aye, Lothanasa."
Raven turned back to the altar and removed the bowl from its housing, then carried it to one of the adjoining supply rooms and cleaned out the blood, incense and other offerings. After drying it thoroughly and grabbing a basket of small candles from a nearby shelf, she returned the bowl to its place and began setting the candles in place on the altar.
After a few moments she heard Merai's voice behind her. "Here are the powders, Sister Raven."
Raven had turned halfway around when Kyia's voice suddenly shouted in her mind: *Raven, danger! Don't—*
But it was too late. Raven got only a moment's glimpse of the black amulet in Merai's hands before she slipped it around the wolf-woman's neck. The thing glowed bright green, and Raven felt the chain of the necklace contract to size itself to her neck. Then a surge of power shot through her, and all went black.
Priestess Merai hin'Dana smiled tightly as the Lothanasa Raven hin'Elric crumpled to the floor. Picking up the older woman with no more difficulty than one might lift a feather pillow, she carried her into the High Priestess's chambers and shut the door behind her.


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Elementor Pro is the extension Elementor professional which has many high empowered tools that speed up the design and workflow. The main points in Elementor pro are theme builder that lets you customize each part of the theme, seamless integration of visually designed forms, professional blocks, professional templates, technical support team will available 24/7 for clarifying your queries, Key professional features and widgets.
Design solution features available at Elementor pro
Elementor provides you an ultimate WordPress design solution with a pixel-perfect layout and it has many designer tools so that you can design according to your style and need. elementor Pro has a flexible drag and drop editor option so that you can have infinite design possibilities. There are thousands of font options available for you where you can choose the one according to your need or also you can upload or use your own custom fonts. You can combine different colors for creating an everlasting impression on your visitors.
Elementor pro offers you motion effects so that you can add mouse effects and scrolling effects for animating any part of the site which includes parallax and some other interactive animations. Elementor Pro offers you custom positioning where you can experience an ultimate freehand design such as vertical flex alignment, horizontal flex alignment, inline elements, fixed position, and position absolute. Play with the image setting by adding many amazing effects. You can create an eye-catching background by using 26 different shape dividers.
Steps in downloading and installing Elementor pro
Download the Elementor pro plug-in to your computer which is a zipped archive and then go to WordPress dashboard and select 'Add new' on the plugin settings. Choose the file from the Elemetor page that was previously downloaded. Your Elementor plugin will get installed and now you can start using it.


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First solar-powered train station in Norway
Norwegian rail infrastructure manager Bane NOR plans to make the first train station in the country solar-powered. It will install 4,500 square metres of photovoltaic panels on the roof of the Drammen railway station. This pilot project will be finished in 2024.
The installation of the solar panels will be provided within the construction of a new railway station in Drammen. It will have three platform roofs over six tracks. All the solar panels will be deployed on the platform roofs. They will produce renewable energy for lighting and heating the station building and its technical facilities.
"All of our projects are measured as contributing to a cleaner climate, and we are always looking for new ways to reduce emissions when building a new railway," said Håvard Kjerkol, environmental manager at Bane NOR.
Cost savings
Besides the positive impact on the environment, the solar panels will have an economic benefit for Bane NOR. The solar panels will have a lifespan of at least 25 years. According to estimations, they will cover the cost that the Norwegian rail infrastructure manager will spend for their deployment.
In addition, Bane NOR plans to partially use the solar-generated energy from the Drammen facility to power its other stations. "Some of the power can also be used at Gulskogen station or follow the new, continuous power grid we build from here and down in Vestfold. There, we can supply emission-free energy to a number of the railway's technical houses", said Glenn Thomas Johansen, assistant project manager at Bane NOR.
Read also:


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In this document, it will explain how to use wso2 message tracer feature on the carbon-based product. Here we used message tracer feature 1.0.x versions as an example. Also, the document will explain how to install and configure message tracer on your wso2 product.
Message tracing is an identification of each message flow in each transaction which is going through message gateway.
Message tracing is used to debug, audit, logging and debug messages content and it's the direction. This is very useful when you want to track all message and its flow of the same transaction.
Message tracer feature is part of the carbon-analytics and you can find the message tracer source code from here.
Message tracer can be installed into your wso2 product as a feature from feature repo.
You can use available feature repose based on the carbon-kernel platform.
For 4.2.x kernel: http://product-dist.wso2.com/p2/carbon/releases/turing/
For 4.4.x kernel: http://product-dist.wso2.com/p2/carbon/releases/wilkes/
Also, you can build the feature repose by yourself on your local setup and point feature repo location as the file path. Here the git location for the source https://github.com/wso2/carbon-feature-repository
Next, try to install feature on the product. Here i used the wso2 apim 2.0.0
After feature installation done, go to "Configure" -> "Message Tracing" section from the left menu
Check "Enable Message Tracing" option to enable message tracing and click update
Select following option as you desire to configure message tracer
Check "Enable BAM Event Publishing" option to enable DAS data publishing
In order to publish the event to DAS you should configure following configuration on APIM and DAS.
Event stream definition should be configured in DAS in order to receive an event.
Also, event stream should be persistent in order to save event on Tables.
Next APIM should configure for a publisher in order to publish an event to DAS
[2016-06-11 09:48:01,901] INFO - HandlerUtils Massage Info: Transaction id=1401719621988766713213 Message direction=IN Server name=172.16.2.136:9763 Timestamp=1465618681901 Service name=__SynapseService Operation Name=mediate
[2016-06-11 09:48:01,903] INFO - HandlerUtils Massage Info: Transaction id=1401719621988766713213 Message direction=OUT Server name=172.16.2.136:9763 Timestamp=1465618681903 Service name=__SynapseService Operation Name=mediate
[2016-06-11 09:48:01,909] INFO - HandlerUtils Massage Info: Transaction id=140172037238671183803 Message direction=IN Server name=172.16.2.136:9763 Timestamp=1465618681909 Service name=__SynapseService Operation Name=mediate
[2016-06-11 09:48:01,917] INFO - HandlerUtils Massage Info: Transaction id=140172037238671183803 Message direction=OUT Server name=172.16.2.136:9763 Timestamp=1465618681917 Service name=__SynapseService Operation Name=mediate


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Welcome to the Bristol Charities Sponsor Registration Form
All applications for our educational and direct grants programmes need to be supported by a Sponsor.
If you wish to sponsor somebody for one of Bristol Charities grant programmes, you should complete this registration form in the first instance. Please click the "Apply" button underneath the 'Application Login' heading and enter your email address and a password.
If you have already begun a Sponsor registration form, then log in with your user name (email address) and password to continue with your registration.
Once you have submitted your Sponsor details, your registration will be reviewed and approved and you will receive an email containing a link to the online application form.
Click here to view all the questions on the Registration form before logging into the site.


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Gromee feat. Lukas Meijer "Poland is ready for something new and fresh!"
On Thursday, 17 of the class of Eurovision 2018 (along with a host of special guest stars) congregated in Central London to perform at the London Eurovision Party, in a bid to wow the international fans before heading off to Lisbon and the contest itself in May.
Joe managed to catch up with the Polish entrants, Gromee and Lukas Meijer on the lovely sunny balcony and talked collaborations, expectations and 90's jams!
Gromee and Lukas will be competing in the second semi final in Lisbon on May 10th and will be performing 11th. Watch the official video for "Light Me Up" below
What do you think of "Light Me Up"? Will Poland qualify for the Grand Final on May 12th? Let us know in the comments below and keep watching the website for more news and interviews, straight from the bubble!


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Date of Award
Document Type
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Arts and Communication
First Advisor
Dzmitry Yuran
Second Advisor
Keiron Hylton
Third Advisor
Youngju Sohn
Fourth Advisor
Robert Taylor
It is assumed that a valuable political brand directly translates into the ability of a party to gain or sustain electoral votes. However, very little empirical research has been done that investigates whether that is true. The purpose of this study is to further explore the composition of politicians' brands and the relationship between political brands and electoral votes. The following study uses quantitative content analysis to test the relationship between the components of Speed, Butler and Collins' (2015) political human brand model and electoral success for 2016 U.S. Senate candidates. This research is the first to systematically explore the relationship between brand strength and, specifically, the strength of specific brand components (authenticity and authority) and electoral success within the unique context of a political environment. There is no statistically significant support for the hypotheses in this study. However, several observations were made that suggest there may indeed be a relationship between brand strength and electoral success. This research adds to the existing body of knowledge regarding factors that may, or may not, influence electoral success. It should serve as a starting point for further clarifying the definitional components of political brands as well as the process of quantifying them in order to concretely determine how much of an effect branding has in political environments.
Copyright held by author
Recommended Citation
Gangloff, Audrey Anne, "Effect of political branding on electoral success" (2018). Theses and Dissertations. 185.


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We still have a choice. Our choice is to oppose and not accept the demands of those who seek to complete the transformation of the Untied States from a nation where all can exercise the rights and liberties with which we were endowed by our Creator, or we can bend to the indoctrination, propaganda, and intimidation of the collectivist (Marxist, communist, socialist, progressive, Democrat, - all virtually the same). If we choose to not oppose the transformation of the United States, we will shortly be a society where the government dictates how we are to live our lives and how we must think.
The collectivist lives by the axiom, "the ends justify the means". The means have no limits and because there are no limits, the intimidation factor abounds. The demand to adhere to what is deemed to be politically correct, to adhere to what is proclaimed to be inclusive, what is deemed to be accepting, are enforced with excessive methods of demonizing and ostracizing. We see this taking place in every aspect of our society. If you are perceived to be a victim, there is no limit as to what you can do and be excused for it because of the unfair treatment you received by an oppressor, real or imagined. If you are classified as an oppressor, any and all actions and thoughts by you are supremacy of some type. This tactic, one that has been used by collectivists throughout history, has always proven to be effective. That is why they continue to be used. Most people do almost anything not to be criticized. Consequently, they smile and go along to get along, even though they can clearly see that their liberties and rights are being taken from them. Each one of us who wishes to preserve our individual liberties and rights, must have a serious talk with ourselves. We must each decide if criticism for defending what we know to be right is enough of a reason to deter us from taking a stand for liberty and freedom. If our choice is to avoid criticism while surrendering liberties and rights, we must also acknowledge that we never deserved those liberties and rights and that we were never an American. Leave a Reply. |
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February 2024
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made six changes to his starting eleven against Club Brugge in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
The fixture allowed the United boss to rotate his team ahead of the Watford game on Sunday, and Victor Lindelof and Jesse Lingard both returned.
Lindelof had been ruled out of the Chelsea game on Monday through illness and Eric Bailly acted as a more than adequate replacement.
The Swede was not at his best in Belgium last night, but his selection marked his 100th appearance for the club.
He has improved in the three years he has been at Old Trafford, but the jury is still out to whether he can be the long-term partner to captain Harry Maguire.
READ MORE: Loads of Man Utd fans show support for youngster after unwarranted heavy criticism
Lingard, meanwhile, brought up his 200th appearance in a red shirt.
It's a mightily impressive milestone for the academy graduate to have played so many games for his boyhood club.
But once again, Lingard was largely anonymous throughout and we saw the stark contrast in quality when Bruno Fernandes was introduced in the closing stages.
Proud to have made 1⃣0⃣0⃣ appearances for this amazing club pic.twitter.com/nJN4R9kB3e
— Victor Lindelöf (@vlindelof) February 21, 2020
🏅 @JesseLingard joins the #MUFC 2⃣0⃣0⃣ club! 👏#UEL https://t.co/GOKVy5qkap pic.twitter.com/FxxsHvb98E
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 20, 2020


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Google Hangouts for iOS: Google Talk gets pushy
Since switching from Android to iOS, I've been looking for an instant messaging client that works well with Google Talk. Push notifications are essential for the "instant" part of instant messaging.
Unfortunately, most iOS Talk apps only have push capability until the application times out in the background (10 minutes); One client, Verbs IM Pro (App Store link), has server-based push notifications, but it times out after a week, and has some bugs and reliability issues.
[Read More]


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If you are looking to buy a new car and are considering a muscle car as your next purchase, consider purchasing a Dodge Challenger from Village Motors Inc. These cars are the epitome of muscle and speed, but if you're still not sold on a Dodge Challenger, here are five reasons to buy a one as your next car.
Power and acceleration are two big features in the Dodge Challenger, one of the most popular vehicles in the Dodge brand. This car is one of the most powerful on the market today. It can shift gears in seconds and have you enjoying the open road at great speeds in no time.
You might be surprised to hear that Dodge Challenger is known for its comfort. The vehicle has a roof high enough that makes getting in and out of the car easy, and it can fit up to five passengers. The seats are comfortable and there are plenty of soft-touch materials throughout the cabin.
The warranties that come with the Dodge Challenger are second to none. The limited warranty is three years or 36,000 miles, and there is a warranty for the powertrain at five years or 60,000 miles.
The Uconnect® infotainment system included in the Dodge Challenger is very popular with drivers of all Dodge vehicles. The 8.4-inch touchscreen is very responsive and provides drivers and passengers with quite a bit of features. The screen is also very user-friendly, which means even those that aren't as tech savvy can operate this system with ease.
The interior of the vehicle is full of luxury features, including a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, and a power driver seat.
Stop by our lot in Millersburg, OH today to test drive a 2017 Dodge Challenger today!


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If you want to learn how to fight like a man, there's only one place to go: the world famous Lion's Den dojo. The Lion's Den was started by Ultimate Fighting Champion, pro-wrestler, and "world's most dangerous man" Ken Shamrock. The Lion's Den is home to some of the toughest men alive. No matter what you call it – Pankration, Vale Tudo, reality combat, no-holds-barred fighting, Pancrase hybrid wrestling – this is the place to go to learn the fine art of whup-ass.
The Lion's Den doesn't accept just anyone into its ranks. Those wanting to train with Shamrock first have to try out. During this grueling tryout, hopeful fighters are put through a series of bodyweight-only exercises. (Shamrock keeps plastic buckets handy during the tryouts. One guess what they're used for.) Those left standing at the end are put in the ring with the veterans who take turns testing the mettle of the wannabes, i.e., beating the shit out of them. Usually one guy is chosen to join the pride based on this final test.
It may surprise you that the world's leanest and meanest fighters follow a core workout of bodyweight exercises. Sure, Lion's Den fighters do bench presses, weighted squats, and curls (in fact, the clean and press is a favorite), but the majority of their training revolves around bodyweight exercises Shamrock picked up from his own tryout with the Japanese fighting circuit and his stint in the Marines. After several months of Lion's Den training, fighters are expected to be able to perform the following:
500 bodyweight squats
100 push-ups
100 crunches
20 chin-ups
The really advanced warriors can do all these exercises without rest. Ouch. Pass the bucket.
Take It Like A Man
There are several reasons why you may want to incorporate some of these exercises into your current program. First off, this is real-man cardio, not that pussified form of aerobic training you get from treadmills and elliptical riders. You really want to be in there with the rest of the goofballs riding bikes that aren't going anywhere? Instead of the usual stuff, use this type of training as part of your next fat-loss program.
Second, this is the perfect type of training to do if you're stuck in a hotel room or are snowed in and can't make it to the gym. Don't believe us? Try it and see how your legs feel the next day. Lastly, think of this as a test of mental toughness. Can you take the pain? Can you keep going when every fiber in your body is screaming for you to stop? Try it and find out.
Keep in mind, though, that these high-rep bodyweight workouts aren't the best thing for building muscle, if that's your only goal. The intensity is too low and the reps are too high.
The Exercises
The Bodyweight Squat: This is the core of the submission fighter's training. Shamrock says that strong legs are the foundation of fighting and squats are the ultimate test of a man's heart and lungs. While Shamrock never mentions speed of movement in his book Inside the Lion's Den, most tend to use a fairly fast tempo, something like 101. (That's one second to squat down, no pause, and one second to come back up.)
Keep your feet about shoulder width apart, maybe a little wider. Some prefer to keep their hands down at their sides while others prefer to hold their arms out in front of them for balance. Squat down to just below parallel and come back up to near lockout.
The Push-up: You probably don't need much of an explanation here. Go down until your nose or chest brushes the ground and come back up. Again, the tempo is fairly fast, around 101.
The Crunch: Shamrock notes that the abdomen is like the hinge between your upper and lower body. No matter how strong your gate is, if your hinge is weak you won't last long in the octagon. While Shamrock prefers to do these in more of a sit-up fashion with a partner holding his feet, you can do them solo just as easily using crunch form. He has his fighters use a slower tempo here, exhaling every rep. While Shamrock doesn't bother with specific tempo prescriptions, these are probably done to a 201 or 202 tempo.
Progressions and Options
After ten bodyweight squats you may be laughing about how easy this is. After 50, you may be tempted to take a little breather. After 100, you may need to sit down. Most men never make it to 300. Shamrock says you should shoot for 500 if you're a real warrior. Now, before you get discouraged here, he also says that you should start with sets of 25 or 50, then "build, build, build." We'd say a good goal the first time you try this would be:
100 squats
20 push-ups
20 crunches
If you can, try not to rest between exercises. If you have access to a chin-up bar, you may try to knock out 10 chins as well. The next time, try to add numbers to each exercise. If you can eventually hit 500 squats, 100 push-ups, and 100 crunches, then you are an official bad-ass mutha!
Another option is to forget about counting reps and shoot for time. Get an egg timer or a Timex Ironman watch and simply squat for five minutes; then do push-ups for two minutes; and crunches for another two. Then do the whole circuit again if you're up for it. Being an official bad-ass mutha himself (and perhaps their leader), Shamrock sometimes watches the clock and squats for a full 30 minutes without stopping. We say five or ten minutes would be a good place to start for mere mortals.
The last option is to use a variation of the rest/pause method. For example, set yourself a goal of doing 200 bodyweight squats. Do as many as you can, rest for a few seconds, then do some more. Keep this up until you reach your target number. If it takes six sets, fine. The next time try to do it in five.
That's it. No more excuses when you can't make it to the gym. Now go see what you're made of.