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The sugar rush of the cake — which someone noted was a bit out of step with Palo Alto's PC image of healthy, "green" eating — gave the reception some juice, but mostly it was quiet chatting in small groups.
The calm reflected many of the discussions at the City Council meetings in the past year under the chairmanship of Mayor Pat Burt.
The new mayor, Sid Espinosa, was vice mayor under Burt, who is recognized as an experienced council member due to many years on the Planning and Transportation Commission — credentials shared by Councilwoman Karen Holman.
Longtime on-again, off-again Councilman Larry Klein still holds the senior-in-experience title on the nine-member council.
Both Burt and Espinosa have said there will be a smooth continuum between their mayorships.
Perhaps it will be as quiet as the election and reception, reflecting Espinosa's characteristic soft-spoken style. But one thing I've learned over many years in journalism, interviewing and observing scores of community officials and leaders, is that softness of speech does not mean softness inside. A velvet-glove voice can cover a steel fist, or at least a firm hand.
One suspects that may be the case with Espinosa in terms of his style of leadership in pushing the agenda and priorities for the council and city staff, and in helping set the tone for community dialogue — and perhaps moving meetings along efficiently.
Ages aside, a valid concern about the Espinosa/Yeh combination is that they have only served on the council since January 2008.
The big danger of relatively short-timers in leadership positions is that they may be unaware of potential land-mine issues that could blow up in their faces on one hand or of dangling strings, vines and ropes that could hang them up.
But those who have spent time with either Espinosa or Yeh say they are impressed with how much they know about the community and broader Midpeninsula, Bay Area and statewide issues. They seem to be quick studies of Palo Alto-ology.
In terms of their ages, Espinosa and Yeh are the youngest leadership team at 38 and 32 respectively in Palo Alto's history.
Espinosa is virtually tied for being the second youngest mayor, with Gary Fazzino. The youngest is someone virtually no one remembers: Byrl Salsman, who was 33 when he was elected mayor back in 1937, serving for two years. He was later elected to the state Assembly and still later appointed to a judgeship. He died in 1977.
Fazzino, who maintains detailed records on Palo Alto, was first elected mayor when he was 38, after serving on the council several years in the early 1970s. He earlier was the host of the KZSU Stanford student radio station broadcasts of City Council meetings for three years — the Vince Larkin of his time.
From a fairly regular observer of council meetings, covering them for the former Palo Alto Times for 13 years and following local issues since, my overall observation of the existing council is one of intelligent, caring individuals sincerely trying to do a good job of providing guidance to the city staff.
There seems to be no "bloc voting" split on the council as in past decades. The members state their thoughts or positions (some at greater length than others), listen politely to each other and then vote, aligning green or red lights on a board to the left of and above the council dais. The vertical green-and-red lights line up differently on different issues.
This was not always the case.
There was a bitter split on the council, then at 15 members, reduced to 13 in 1965 and ultimately to the present nine members. The split began in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It grew into a divisive and deeply personal all-council election in 1967 and finally tapered off in the mid-1970s. Scars of that 1967 campaign remained on both sides for years — still do for some persons.
The split, mostly over growth and traffic issues, divided the community and resulted in the creation of a virtual two-party system of the slow-growth "residentialists" vs. development-minded "establishment" supporters.
At one point, on Halloween night 1966, the split became so personal that two council members, Bob Debs and Bob Cooley, started outside the council chambers to engage in fisticuffs. They were stopped by City Manager George Morgan and his assistant, Cecil Riley, as I scribbled notes a few feet away. I have always wondered who might have come out ahead, the hefty fighter Debs or compact, pugnacious Cooley.
A truce in the two-party division was declared in 1975, following several years of a "polite 5-4 split" on the council. An actual written agreement was signed in 1975.
The council went through significant turmoil in the early 2000s when former Councilwoman Nancy Lytle began building a bloc of votes. For several years that made meetings pretty interesting, with significant hidden agendas and strategies. The Weekly covered one elect-the-mayor meeting by running a cover story showing overripe tomatoes smushed against a wall bearing the city seal, reflecting an attack by Lytle on new Mayor Dena Mossar at the meeting.
Having observed both bloc-voting councils and individual-voting councils, I will offer two observations.
The first is that bloc voting makes for very interesting meetings, and politics. The give and take and back-and-forth voting becomes almost like watching a sporting event. But it's destructive to good leadership and management, leaving staff confused, overly cautious and burned out beyond the point of being effective — creating a cover-your-backside culture rather than being one that fosters open, creative problem-solving.
The second is that councils of individual voters seem to have a greater challenge in defining courses of action, a situation perhaps akin to herding cats, or living in a democracy. Smart, thoughtful cats.
And that situation puts greater importance on clear, transparent, professional management by city administrators.
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subset: commoncrawl


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PITTSBURGH—This is where we are in our moment-by-moment world. Never slowing down, never pausing for reflection.
React and regurgitate.
"Everyone's a tough guy," said Pittsburgh safety Andrew Taglianetti, "when they have a Twitter account."
Pitt has underachieved. The Panthers can't win important games and can't make critical plays. They can't hold leads and can't find a way to win the easiest BCS conference of all while playing with the most talent of any team in the Big East.
"We've heard it all before," Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri said.
Here's what you haven't heard: Sunseri will play for his sixth offensive coordinator this fall. That's because last December, Pitt introduced its third new coach in less than a year.
When the Panthers open the season this fall against Youngstown State, Paul Chryst will be their fourth coach in two years. They'll run out of the tunnel at Heinz Field that day, more than half of the current roster of 100 beginning yet another season of transition in a sport that thrives on consistency.
There's no other way to say it: no group of players has ever been screwed over like these Pitt players.
From Dave Wannstedt to Mike Haywood to Todd Graham to Chryst. Meet your new coach, fellas.
Now go out and make it work in crunch time, play like it's second nature and don't—for the love of pigskin—underachieve.
"We had great coaches with (Wannstedt), we respected them and they were let go," said Pitt guard Chris Jacobson. "Then Graham gets here and we buy into what he's saying, he leaves and it's here we go again. Then (Chryst) gets here, and now everyone is buying into what he's saying."
Jacobson is then reminded he missed a coach in Haywood.
"Just a handshake," Jacobson said, "and he was gone."
The next time you hop on Twitter and scream about Sunseri making a bad throw, or the defense failing to make a stop or how all those elite recruiting classes have never panned out, understand that this group has gone above and beyond what should and could be expected.
In the last two seasons, Pitt has been a handful of plays away from winning the Big East and playing in a BCS bowl. A handful of plays from winning big and never dealing with the distractions of new coaches and new philosophies and hearing about same old Pitt.
In his five years at Pitt, Sunseri has yet to have back-to-back spring practices where he has played in the same offensive system. At one point in his career, Sunseri was playing in a different offense for a bowl game—with an interim coordinator.
"At other places, they're honing their skills," Sunseri said. "Those were 15 wasted practices for us."
Before you talk about Pitt missing an extra point against Cincinnati in 2009 to lose the Big East title, or the failed opportunities in the red zone last year in a one-point loss to West Virginia that cost the Panthers another conference title, walk a few steps—about 300 of them in—in Jacobson's feet.
Twice in his career at Pitt, the 300-pound starter has had what team doctors call "basketball injuries"—where the articular cartilage tears away from the back of the kneecap and must be replaced with microfracture surgery. That's right, an orthopedic surgeon drilled holes in the back of Jacobson's kneecaps—"Like a pothole in the back of your kneecap," Jacobson says—to allow scar tissue to form and replace the damaged cartilage.
The injury is a non-load bearing injury for the first eight weeks of recovery, and during the first injury, Jacobson was rehabbing at home and living up a hill on campus behind the Petersen Events Center. The escalators weren't working that winter, and Jacobson had to walk up 300 steps— "I counted them every time," he says—to get to his home after school or therapy.
"Imagine lugging 300 pounds up and down those stairs—without your foot touching the ground," he says.
Before you talk about all those NFL draft picks and the talent squandered by Wannstedt, take a look into the world of Taglianetti—another in a long line of players at Pitt who deserved more than they've received the last two years.
Taglianetti helped organize a trip of students and student-athletes to Haiti this offseason, spending a week in the earthquake-torn country. He says he wanted to give more of himself; to put in perspective the obstacles he's facing with yet another coach and see the world in a life-defining light.
Here's a hard-hitting safety, a special teams demon, who already understands the value of his place in college sports. He says he's fortunate to be playing at Pitt; honored to be given a scholarship to go to school in exchange for playing football.
He doesn't think student-athletes should be paid, nor is he complaining about another coach and another system and another transition. He's more concerned about children in Haiti who must climb a mango tree for dinner.
He's not letting the excuse of yet another coaching change detract from what could be this fall—just like every other Pitt player hoping for one last chance to make it all right.
"For me to be in the position I'm on, there's no way it could ever be worse than what those kids experience," Taglianetti said. "It's life and death down there. I think about where I'm going out at night, and people down there are worrying about where they're going get food."
Last December, after Graham left to accept the job at Arizona State and threw the program into more turmoil, Pitt hired Chryst—a longtime, respected assistant who had developed into one of the nation's top offensive minds.
Chryst also had played for three coaches in four years at Wisconsin in the late 1980s. Maybe Pitt finally has found the perfect match.
When he was hired, Chryst said, "I just want to help these players be the best they can be."
Meet your new coach, fellas.
Hopefully this one sticks around for a while.


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bimsebasse wrote:^^ Didn't think too much about it before but Advanced Settings sure has a nicer layout than Cinnamon Settings. A merge suggestion between the two settings tools has been approved on github, I hope the merge means that Advanced Settings absorbs Cinnamon Settings and not the other way round
Thinking about it I agree. As many more options get added the bar down the side of Advanced Settings, things will look and be functional and normal. With Cinnamon Settings, The top bar-thing were you select the category will fill up much to quickly.


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You are here
Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic
The Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic intensively immerses students in an environmental law practice representing public interest groups, primarily the Riverkeeper, Inc. The Riverkeeper's mission is to protect the waters of the Hudson River system from the Adirondacks to Long Island Sound. The Clinic represents Riverkeeper in federal and state courts, federal and state administrative proceedings and occasionally in local proceedings. Clinic students represent Riverkeeper in all of these proceedings. Their efforts have led to precedent setting decisions by federal courts under both the Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.


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A pet monkey wreaked havoc on a Miami-Dade neighborhood Tuesday night, biting one person and leading authorities on a rooftop chase after it got loose from its Kendall home.
The incident happened near Southwest 134th Avenue and 52nd Street when the monkey escaped and went after a neighbor inside a nearby house, biting him in the ear.
After the monkey fled the neighbor's house, it made its way onto a roof, where wildlife officials and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue worked to coax it down.
The monkey, a capuchin, was eventually captured and taken to a rehabilitation center in Homestead.
Resident Antonio Nunez said he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the monkey running around the neighborhood.
"We realized there was a monkey in front of the house, you could see it perfectly," Nunez said.
The monkey's owners were not home at the time of his escape and it's unknown whether they'll face charges.


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Student Loan Bankrutpcy Discharge Bill Reintroduced in Senate
A Senate bill introduced Jan. 23 would allow privately issued student loans to be discharged along with other bankruptcy debt.
S. 114, the Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2013, is sponsored by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and is cosponsored by Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
In a release from Durbin's office, private student loans were described as involving only "private profit" and resembling "credit cards rather than financial aid with uncapped variable interest rates, hefty origination fees and few, if any, consumer protections." According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the average student owes $24,301 in student loan debt, with private student loans representing $150 billion worth of student debt of a total of $1 trillion borrowed.
"Too many Americans are carrying around mortgage-sized student loan debt that forces them to put off major life decisions like buying a home or starting a family," Durbin said.
"It's not only young people facing this crisis, it is parents, siblings and even grandparents who co-signed private loans long ago and are still making payments decades later," the Illinois Democrat said. "It's time for action. We can no longer sit by while this student debt bomb keeps ticking."
Harkin called student loan debt "the next mortgage crisis" and lauded a second bill reintroduced by Durbin and Franken that he co-sponsored, the Know Before You Owe Act of 2013.
That bill would require schools to counsel students before they take on private student loan debt and inform them if they have any untapped federal student aid eligibility. It would also require the prospective borrower's school to confirm the student's enrollment status, cost of attendance and estimated federal financial aid assistance before the private student loan is approved.
"By empowering students with clear guidance about their federal financial aid options before they turn to more expensive private loans and restoring the option to discharge private loan debt through bankruptcy, the Know Before You Owe Act and the Fairness for Struggling Students Act will go a long way to help students make smart choices and provide relief to borrowers," Harkin said.
"Students need to know how to avoid the higher interest rates and less favorable terms of private loans, so they can be on more stable financial footing when they graduate," the Iowa Democrat said.
Both bills died in the Senate last year after being referred to committee; House versions didn't advance any further.
CUNA said it estimates around 300 credit unions currently offer student loans to their members. Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs Ryan Donovan said the trade hasn't yet taken a position on the bankruptcy bill, but said CUNA is "generally concerned" with any legislation that proposes changes to bankruptcy laws.


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Game 6 plans for Pettitte clear; weather isn't
Girardi will not turn to Sabathia if Saturday's game is postponed
By Mark Newman / MLB.com
As of Friday night, Weather.com's forecast called for 80 percent chance of rain/thunder from 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, increasing to 90 percent from 10 p.m. through midnight. Expect periods of rain throughout the day in the Bronx, with temperatures in the mid-60s -- warmer than it was here last weekend.
"We plan on Andy starting our next game for us," Girardi said. "I've heard reports that we're going to get tomorrow's game in. And I've heard other reports. It seems like we were just doing this about five or six days ago. So we're planning on playing tomorrow, and Andy is pitching."
Girardi said there has been no discussion about switching Pettitte and CC Sabathia, who probably would start if a Game 7 is necessitated. The Yankees left unopened champagne on ice in Anaheim and will have it in the clubhouse again as they lead the series, 3-2.
Games 1 and 2 were played in frosty conditions requiring earflap caps and the Ninja Cano look. But rain held off -- until the bitter end, when the extra innings were played in between raindrops. Sabathia started Games 1 and 4.
"The last two games we played here were supposed to be canceled, and they were saying how we would be playing them three days later, and we didn't get a drop of rain," Pettitte said in the Yankees' clubhouse before throwing on a sweatshirt for batting practice. "I saw that it was supposed to rain, my wife called me, but there was 100 percent chance the last two times, so ...
"I started a game here [against Baltimore in September], one of my starts, and it was coming down sideways. I couldn't even see home plate. So I figure we're going to play it."
Dandy Andy
|1st (tie)
Then Pettitte, who made a quality start in the Game 3 loss at Anaheim, added somewhat facetiously: "It's rained every start this year that I've pitched in. The guys are kind of making fun of me about it now."
So far, there has been one postponement this postseason, the Game 3 pushback of the Phillies-Rockies National League Division Series due to snow in Denver. If this game is played and the Angels win, then a seventh and deciding game would be Sunday night at Yankee Stadium. If this game is played and the Yankees win, then the Bronx Bombers stay put and will play host to the Phillies on Wednesday in Game 1 of the 105th World Series.
If Game 6 is postponed, then fans who have tickets for that game would be able to use them at the rescheduled Game 6 on Sunday. The Yankees invite their fans to stay abreast of any weather updates by going to Yankees.com/weather and following @YankeesWeather on Twitter.
"We want to close this thing out," Pettitte said. "We know [the Angels] are a good team, and it's going to be a battle.
"I don't think anybody really feels like were pinned up against the wall. We're back here, we love playing here, everything is extremely comfortable and confident with where this club is. I can't say it enough how that's a very good team. This was not going to be an easy series. I was saying all along it was going to be a battle, and that's what we've got on our hands. They could have just folded up when we scored those six runs yesterday. But they battled back. That's a sign of a good team, and the sign of a team that we knew we were gonna have to play and beat.
"We still have a lot of work left to do. Everything feels extremely confident about this club and what we've done all year. So we're just going to go out there and try to get where we want to be, which is the World Series. ... I'll be prepared to hopefully give us a great start tomorrow and a chance to win the ballgame."
Derek Jeter said of Pettitte: "We've got as much confidence in Andy as in anyone here. He's been outstanding for us this whole year, he's been big in situations his whole career, he's pitched in big games like this before, so he's not going to be surprised by anything that goes on there."
Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said he isn't sure about the weather, but he is sure what the Bombers will get out of their battle-tested veteran starter.
"I think Andy's here for a reason [in Game 6]," Posada said. "He loves playing in the postseason and you know Andy's been so good for us throughout the years, a big-game pitcher, and I know he's going to be ready for the game tomorrow."
Mark Newman is enterprise editor of MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. - A Canton Public Safety officer is credited with saving the life of a suicidal man on Sunday.
At about 7:30 p.m. an officer was dispatched to the area of Joy Road and Interstate 275 after a report of a man leaning over the overpass rail. The officer arrived to find a man standing on the bridge over northbound I-275.
The man had one leg up on the rail and was looking at his cellphone. When he noticed the officer, the man put his cellphone in his pocket and stepped onto the rail with both legs.
Watch: Dash cam of Canton officer grabbing jumper
The officer slowly approached the man and attempted to talk with him, but the man ignored him.
When the officer was close enough, he lunged forward and grabbed the man by his coat, pulling him off the rail.
The man told the officer he planned on committing suicide by jumping off the bridge.
More: Headlines from Canton Township, Mich.
He was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Canton Public Safety says the officer's quick reaction saved the man's life.
More Headlines:
- Trial begins for W. Bloomfield grandma charged with murder
- Man dies after airboat capsizes on Lake Huron
- Dear Rhonda: Don't mess with Ashlee's Wolverines
- Group says 'no' to a bigger Fermi plant
- Demolition starts at Florida sinkhole site
- Companies refuse to pay Flint false alarm bills
- Batman: Fighting crime, finding felons
- Military vet fights back against would-be robber
Copyright 2013 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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"How To Get To Heaven" with Lee Weaver is the topic for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Lee Weaver will speak about "crossing over to the other side," suggesting the process is like that of a child crossing at a busy intersection.
Lee is a retired United Methodist clergyman who says, his thoughts and beliefs have necessarily changed over the many years since his ordination. "Paul," he says, "taught that we should put aside our childish ways and strive for a more mature understanding of the Salvation journey." He describes himself as an RCA , which he will explain Sunday.
Weaver speaks at about 30 churches a year. He says it is a tightrope kind of presentation, not offending the traditional church attenders, while at the same time trying to reach the more theologically adventurous who are "reading between the lines."
Lee is also a playwright and an actor. His most recent work is "The Secret — The Spanish Inquisition in Old St. Augustine." You may have seen him as Don Quixote in "Man of La Mancha" at The Limelight Theatre, or in his original one-person shows, "Piercing the Darkness" and "Three Men of the Bible." Weaver resides in St. Augustine with his wife, Nanette.
Fellowship meetings, religious education for children and child care are provided on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. at 2487 A1A South and Florida Avenue, 3/4 miles south of State Road 312. Refreshments are served For information go to www.uufsa.org.


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Reflections in the Dark by Thundera Tiger
[Reviews - 1]
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Reflections in the Dark
Reflections in the Dark
The soft but distinct sound of clattering rocks echoed back and forth, their quiet noises seeming to grow rather than diminish as they filled the tiny space between the cave's walls. Covered in dust and feeling very much as though he had just downed an entire cask of Mirkwood's strongest wine, a stunned dwarf blinked his eyes slowly and tried to raise his head. He stopped as soon as he began the movement. Pain flashed through his mind, creating a kaleidoscope of colors that was disorienting at best and nauseating at worst.
What had happened? And why couldn't he see? His eyes were open, he was fairly certain of that, but he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. Although, that could be because I cannot get my hand in front of my face, he noted despairingly as he tried moving first one arm and then the other. His left shoulder felt as though it was dislocated, and he was fairly certain that his right wrist was broken. Something had happened to his right leg, too, but he was completely unable to say what. And unless he regained his sight in the near future, he would probably never be able to tell what had happened to his right leg since he couldn't seem to reach it. But fuzzy memories were returning to him, and he could now piece together some of the events that had led to his current situation.
He'd been visiting Legolas in Southern Ithilien. After a time, the two had set out northward with the intention of spending a week in Faramir's company, and on their way they had stopped at Henneth Annûn to visit with Bergil and Beregond, who were temporarily stationed there. Bergil, with his typically endless supply of enthusiasm, had informed them of a newly discovered cave system about a mile or so to the west that they were now using as a storage facility and offered to give them a tour. Such eagerness was not to be disappointed—at least in Gimli's opinion—and much to the dismay of the elf, they had followed Bergil to this new cavern. Legolas had naturally been reluctant, but a few low blows to the prince's pride on the part of the dwarf had ensured his presence for the tour, though certainly not his excitement.
And it had all been going so well! Gimli had been interested to note that the cave system seemed to extend back into the bedrock for several miles, though Faramir's men had not ventured quite that far yet. The dwarf had then started convincing Bergil that they should take it upon themselves to discover the endless depths of the caverns—Legolas had contributed several arguments as to why they should leave altogether—and then…and then what? Gimli groaned slightly as he attempted to remember. After that part, things became fuzzy. He remembered a sudden trembling in the ground, and he remembered feeling the rocks shift underfoot. He remembered sensing the imminent cave-in moments before it struck, and he remembered realizing that Legolas was directly beneath the weakest point in the tunnel's structure. He'd launched himself at the elf, hoping to push him out of the way, but after that…after that there was nothing but a blur of jumbled images. Bergil had yelled something, rocks had begun to fall, torches went out, and then all was darkness. Gimli almost remembered something striking his head, but he wasn't certain about that part. In fact, he really wasn't certain about much of anything.
"Legolas?" he called out, wincing with the effort that it took to utter the elf's name. His ribs were also screaming at him, and he suspected that one or two might be cracked. "Legolas?" he called again, having received no response the first time.
Yet the dwarf's only answer was the echo of his own voice. Frowning, Gimli once again tried to lift his head, hoping that something about this movement would miraculously restore light and sight, but as before, a throbbing headache made certain that he wasn't going anywhere. But he had to know if the elf had made it out! Had he pushed Legolas hard enough? Or had the cave-in been too extensive? Was the elf trapped as he was? Or was he…was he…
Gimli stopped himself before he could finish that thought. He was unable to even consider the possibility that Legolas had perished. An elf did not belong underground—something Legolas had pointed out several times before entering the caves—and to die far below the earth, buried in a tomb… That was no fate for an elf. Gimli would never forgive himself if Legolas had…if that stupid elf had…
"Legolas?!" Gimli tried once more, but as before, the elf did not respond. "Bergil?" Gimli called, changing tactics and hoping that someone else was out there so that they might tell him of the fate of his friend. But silence reigned supreme in the darkness, and Gimli was alone.
Calm, the dwarf told himself firmly, feeling adrenaline begin to creep into his system. Focus and remember what your father taught you. Remember your survival training. Where are you? Do you sense any other cave-ins? Are any with you and unconscious? Can you find a way out?
Unfortunately, answering these queries was far easier said than done. The last question, in particular, was rather difficult, since Gimli didn't think that he could move himself, preventing him from finding a way out. But he could answer the other three questions. He knew exactly where he was. He was about a mile away from the cavern's main entrance. At the moment he could sense no more imminent cave-ins, and so was safe from that threat for the moment. And as for companions, Gimli was coming to the conclusion that he didn't have any. It had taken a while for his scattered thoughts to settle, but now that he was thinking clearly—or rather, as clearly as circumstances would permit—he had realized that he could hear no one else in the cave with him. And had anyone else been present, he should have heard them breathing. Even Legolas could not completely silence the whispers of his breath when deep underground, for the echoes amplified all noise. Thus, if there were others in the room, then they were dead.
That thought didn't exactly sit well with Gimli.
Patience, he ordered silently. Jumping to conclusions shall accomplish nothing. Take what facts are known and work from them.
Forcing himself to stay calm, the dwarf started to go over what he did know about his situation. He was the only living being in the cavern. It was pitch black and he could not see. He was injured and could not move. Seriously injured, Gimli amended. There was a distinct fuzziness about his thoughts that did not stem entirely from the head wound, and he was beginning to detect something warm and sticky on his injured right leg. Blood. And probably quite a bit of blood if I am already feeling so poorly. This could become interesting, the dwarf thought wearily.
Attempting to focus on something other than his injuries for a moment, Gimli let out a breathy but rather substantial shout in an effort to determine what was left of the cavern, using the echoes as a means of judging distances. The results were not reassuring. His echoes came back almost immediately. The collapse of the ceiling had apparently done much damage and the tunnel in which he'd been traveling was now a very small cave. Which means that air shall become a problem, Gimli sighed. Although there is still the possibility of ventilation near the top of the pile. And that shall have to be my hope, I suppose.
The dwarf shifted uncomfortably, attempting to find a position that did not pain his leg so much, but the effort was fruitless and cost him far more in energy than it should have. So Gimli opted for lying still and doing nothing, clearing his mind and slowing his breathing. Unfortunately, after a few minutes of this, the dwarf decided that if nothing caught his attention soon, he was going to go mad. He could almost hear Legolas arguing that he was already mad for insisting that they enter the cave in the first place, but Gimli could think of no rejoinder for the elf's argument. In fact, he was beginning to believe that his friend was right. Never before had the dwarf felt quite so…alone. Gimli was certainly not unused to caves, and this was not the first cave-in he'd endured, but for some reason, the rock walls seemed to be pressing in upon him and he was finding the situation very uncomfortable.
Perhaps Glóin had been right. His father had warned that association with an elf could very well ruin Gimli, especially if that elf happened to be one of Thranduil's sons. Glóin had warned of shifting values, of changing perceptions, and, ultimately, of betrayal. Gimli had brushed off the counsel at the time, knowing them to be the voice of outdated prejudices, but maybe his father had been right in a way. Legolas had certainly been affected by his friendship with Gimli. He was slightly more impatient, better at understanding the whims and fancies of mortals, and he endured the stone walls of Minas Tirith better than any other elf in Southern Ithilien. And if Gimli could change his friend, why could not Legolas change Gimli?
Deciding to follow this train of thought since it kept him from focusing on his pain—which was starting to grow—Gimli began examining more of his own behavior and mannerisms. To his great astonishment, he found quite a few traits that might be construed as elvish. In his private quarters back in Aglarond, Gimli had obtained a few potted plants and had set them next to the gaping windows that looked out upon Helm's Deep. While there were certainly other windows in the colony, none were quite as spacious as his, and none of the other dwarves had plants growing in their quarters. Beyond that, Gimli was far more at home in a forest than others of his kin, and he seemed to have developed a strange amount of patience, particularly when compared with the fiery temper he'd possessed in his youth. And in addition to this, Otin, his second-in-command, had once asked Gimli to refrain from looking at him for long periods of time. Confused by this strange request, Gimli had requested an explanation. Otin really couldn't give him one except to say that Gimli's gaze was…disconcerting. Eomer had once remarked that he could sometimes see Legolas's gaze in Gimli's eyes. Gimli had immediately slugged the man for such an insult and was then forced to deal with the incensed guards who wished to execute the dwarf for striking the king. Eomer had laughed uproariously on the floor in the meantime, considering this a just reward, but all the same, these events pointed to the same unfathomable conclusion. Gimli was becoming…well…elvish.
If dwarves had giggled, Gimli would have done so rather hysterically. The very thought of a dwarf becoming like an elf was a concept so absurd as to be hilarious. But dwarves didn't giggle, and so Gimli made no sound. In this, at least, he was standing fast in his proud dwarven heritage, for giggling was definitely the prerogative of the elves. Curiously enough, the elves would fiercely contest this point, as Gimli discovered once after he had laughingly accused Legolas of giggling. The prince of Mirkwood had taken great offense and coldly informed the dwarf that elven warriors did not giggle. In the end, Gimli had decided that it really depended upon how one defined the term. To his ears, Legolas's mischievous, high-pitched laugh—which he usually uttered when the dwarf fell for a particularly vile prank—was a giggle. Legolas preferred the term "snicker," but the dwarf decided that "snicker" better applied to Eomer's laugh. Eomer snickered, Aragorn chuckled, Faramir chortled, Imrahil had a strange, breathy laugh that was usually preceded by a snort and could almost be classified as a giggle, and as for Legolas…well, Legolas giggled. So did Arwen, come to think of it. Gimli wondered what the queen of Gondor would say if she was told that she giggled…
In any case, regardless of what elves actually did when they found something amusing, Gimli had come to learn that one of the fastest ways to make Legolas stop laughing was to tell the prince that he was giggling. Of course, then he had to deal with an indignant, sulking elf for the next hour or so. Gimli had yet to decide which was worse. At the moment, though, he would have welcomed the elf in any form, giggly or sullen, so long as he could learn that Legolas was safe.
And now the dark mood from before was back as Gimli remembered that he still did not know what had happened to either Legolas or Bergil. Or any of the men in the tunnels, for that matter. There was no guarantee that this cave-in had been limited to a single area. Gimli could dimly remember a disastrous day when he was very young during which over half of the mines in the Blue Mountains collapsed, all because of a cave-in that started in one of the newly excavated tunnels. None of the surviving dwarves ever talked about it anymore, but Gimli seemed to remember hearing that the death toll had been well over two hundred. If such a disaster had struck fair Ithilien…
The dwarf quickly stopped his thoughts yet again and tried to console himself. The bedrock here was different than the rock in the Blue Mountains. The damage should be limited to a confined area. Most of the men in the caves should be safe. Of course, those who happened to be in the confined area would not be so safe. I should have listened to the elf, Gimli sighed wearily, wondering if it was just him or if the cavern was becoming colder. I know not if I shall ever be able to tell you this, my friend, but I am sorry. If you are hurt, I am sorry. If you were frightened, I am sorry. I know what it takes for you to enter caves, and I should not have forced you to follow me into this one.
Gimli wondered what Legolas would say if he ever heard such an apology. The dwarf did not openly admit faults because he really had no need to do so with Legolas. Through a quiet look, he and the elf could communicate volumes of information, and it was in these looks that they shared grief, joy, humor, and the occasional apology. Speech had become something of an outdated tool as far as their friendship was concerned, and they only used it to voice insults when situations turned awkward.
But mayhap this particular offense will warrant a verbal apology, Gimli reflected, especially if that foolish elf is injured. Why did he not turn back? Why did he follow me down here in the first place?! He was under no obligation to enter this cave. He could have ignored my jibes. He could have remained safe and content in the outside world under those trees that apparently talk to him. He should have said something. He should have complained. Why did he not?!
But even as he mentally shouted his questions to the silent darkness, Gimli knew the answer. It was his own fault, really. If he hadn't insulted the elf's pride in front of Bergil and some of Gondor's men, then Legolas would have probably stayed outside. But even pride had not been enough to force the elf underground, and here again, Gimli felt the sting of guilt. He had insulted the elf's pride, yes, but more than that, he had begun to irritate his friend. And it was this annoyance, coupled with a stinging pride, that had ultimately forced Legolas to follow where no elf should ever go. If I had kept the banter on a lighter scale, it would not have come to this! Gimli moaned to himself. He would have stayed outside, pride wounded but intact, and I would not now be worrying about his safety! Why did I persist in annoying him!?
There were some that said elves were too flighty and scatter-brained for things to annoy them. Gimli liked to laugh at these simpletons, for he had learned to read the subtle clues that gave him a far more complete picture of an elf's temperament, particularly Legolas. The prince of Mirkwood might appear to be an unflappable being for whom life passed by without leaving a trace or a ripple, but in truth, Legolas could be offended. If one knew the trick, then it was actually quite easy to burrow beneath the elf's thick skin. And if one knew what to look for, it was very amusing to watch the outraged expressions, subtle though they were, fly across his face. It was a joy Gimli would have never learned had he not befriended an elf, and here was an intriguing paradox. To enjoy an elf's discomfort, one had to first enjoy an elf's friendship.
But then, I suppose that is true of dwarves as well, for I have also heard it said of us that we have no emotion other than greed for jewels and thirst for battle. Gimli sighed. In facing these misunderstandings, he and the elves faced a common enemy. To an ordinary man, dwarves were gold-grubbing, axe-wielding savages who took no thought for the welfare of others while elves were arrogant, pretentious fools who could not keep their minds on a single thought and had a dangerous penchant for mischief. Gimli would admit that there was some truth in this belief for both races, but the actual facts went far deeper. But simple people would be simple, and as both elves and dwarves were slowly vanishing from the world of men, there was little chance that these misconceptions would ever be corrected. And as time went on, eventually elves and dwarves would—
The dwarf's thoughts came to a screeching halt as reality suddenly turned on its head. Gimli stiffened and his hands grabbed at the ground as the world began to go into a spin. Sight was still a lost cause and so he could not focus his eyes upon anything to counteract the spinning. Thus, he was forced to endure as his mind filled with turmoil and his stomach began to voice its own protests. Around and around he went, knowing this was a product of faulty equilibrium but unable to convince his body of this. For a good minute or so, Gimli was certain that he was going to lose his morning's breakfast, and as wonderful as it had tasted going down, the dwarf knew it would not be so wonderful coming back up. But he tried to tighten his control over his body, and at length, his efforts were rewarded. The spinning slowed, his stomach quieted, and Gimli relaxed slightly. He was still feeling dizzy and light-headed, but that really couldn't be helped. He could do nothing for himself, and there was no one else—at least no one living—around to aid him.
But it would be a great tragedy to die here, Gimli thought mournfully. Aragorn would certainly disapprove, as would the hobbits if they heard of it. After all, I am the one who preached to them concerning the safety of caves. It would not do for me to go against my own lessons. Aragorn might enjoy the irony, but he would still not approve. And Legolas…Legolas would certainly have a few choice words to say. But then, Legolas always has a few choice words to say.
The dwarf sighed and decided that the cavern was indeed growing colder. It should have been impossible since he was underground and temperature variations were rare, especially when ventilation was limited. But nevertheless, Gimli felt a definite chill in the air. And he didn't think that the cave was causing it.
Although, some caves can seem quite cool, he reflected, his meandering brain taking him onto a new path. The deeper places of Aglarond tend to be colder than my own quarters. This was a phenomenon that Gimli was working to change. He had a rather far-fetched plan to heat all of Aglarond through an elaborate networking system of complex water troughs. When he had first mentioned this plan, the other dwarves had all looked at him askance—askance in a respectful way, for he was their lord, after all—and wondered if perhaps he had not gone mad. But it could work. Possibly. If a series of water conduits was positioned above the torches that were always burning anyway, then the flames would heat the water and the water could detour into various rooms and provide heat before being diverted back out to be warmed above flames again. Gimli wasn't exactly sure where the water would be coming from or what they would do with it when it reached the end of the downhill conduits, but something could surely be arranged. The dwarves were nothing if not inventive. But now it appeared that he would never be able to see this plan come to life, and Gimli felt a pang of regret.
This feeling sparked a series of other thoughts, and soon the dwarf was gathering together all the things that he regretted, a rather morbid endeavor but one that at least served to pass the time. The resulting list was not excessively long, but there were several very important regrets on it that troubled Gimli greatly. First of all, he regretted forcing Legolas to enter the cave. Had he not been so insistent, none of this would have happened. Next, he regretted having not bid Arwen farewell when he left Minas Tirith several weeks ago. He would never get the chance now. And he regretted that he would be unable to give Eowyn news of her brother in Rohan. Gimli also regretted never finding a truly fitting case for the three strands of hair that Galadriel had given him. He regretted not knowing whether or not his friends had lived through this cave-in. He regretted that his last words to Legolas had been upon the themes of claustrophobia and achluophobia. And last but not least, Gimli had a rather odd but pressing regret concerning the fact that he would never again hear Legolas sing.
With his thoughts turning yet again to his best friend, Gimli wondered what Legolas regretted in his life. The elf usually avoided speaking of the past save for a few vague references and casual remarks that might slip out in the course of a conversation. As a general rule, these brief glimpses into years long gone were informative and positive, but sometimes, Gimli though he caught something more. There was much he did not know about his friend, and occasionally, the dwarf saw pieces of this missing information in faraway looks that spoke of hidden longing and regret. The sea seemed to be the usual trigger point, but sometimes the mention of Mirkwood and Thranduil would also send Legolas into a land of thoughts that were tinged with sorrow.
Gimli also wondered if Legolas ever regretted granting the title of elvellon to a dwarf. Elvellon was usually reserved for those of the Edain who had proven themselves time and again to be loyal friends and faithful allies. No dwarf had been called elvellon since the Second Age. There was too much blood and grief between elves and dwarves to allow for that. But Legolas had brazenly set aside tradition and proclaimed Gimli's title to all the ministers and counselors of Mirkwood, despite his father's pleas to abandon such a rash act. The result was that Gimli, by order of Mirkwood's youngest prince, had been granted leave to pass through the elven homeland and request hospitality from the palace, an honor that no dwarf in the history of Mirkwood had ever been given. Legolas himself had become estranged from his father's court for the deed. He still retained all the rights and privileges of a younger prince, but there was now a feeling of tension whenever Legolas paid a visit to his home.
I suppose it is something akin to what I face in the Lonely Mountain, Gimli reflected wearily. After several petitions to Dáin's son, Thorin Stonehelm, who now held the title of King under the Mountain, Gimli had obtained permission for Legolas to pass through dwarven realms without escort and to enjoy the usual comforts that dwarves granted friendly travelers. Glóin had been outraged, as had most of the survivors from the time of Smaug. They remembered all too well the initial interference of the wood elves—while conveniently forgetting their assistance in the Battle of Five Armies—and granting free access to Thranduil's son grated heavily upon them. Gimli's perseverance had paid off in the end, but it had come with consequences.
With a tired sigh, Gimli noted that his head was spinning again. He wondered if the room was spinning, too, but since he couldn't see, he supposed that it didn't really matter. He was also feeling extremely light-headed and ascribed that to blood loss, for he seriously doubted that the wound on his leg had stopped bleeding. It felt deep, and without the ability to staunch or sear the wound, the dwarf was more or less at the mercy of his body's ability to stem the bleeding. And judging from the way his body was acting, he had very little faith in it. I wonder if I shall die first from lack of air or lack of blood, Gimli idly speculated. At least I shall not have to endure the pains of an infected wound.
The dwarf then stopped and thought about that, his mind going back over what had been considered. What a strange idea! Of course I cannot die first from one of those things, for that would I imply that the next cause would also kill me. It would be quite a feat for blood loss to kill me first and then for suffocation to kill me second. It would have to bring me back from the dead to do that.
A strange type of darkness was now creeping over Gimli, and he realized with some alarm that he was about to fall unconscious. This was certainly not a good thing. How he could fight off death if he was not awake? But the darkness was moving quickly now, and his dazed mind was in no condition to resist it. For a minute or two longer he struggled to stay conscious, but it was a losing battle. The pounding of his head became a distant thing, his aching ribs were no longer a concern, and his throbbing shoulder and wrist seemed to detach themselves and float away on the tides of dreams. And so it ends, the dwarf thought bitterly as he tumbled into dark silence. It is strange, though, Gimli mused as he considered this silence into which he fell. Of all the things that I regret, I think what I regret most is the fact that I will never again hear Legolas sing. But perhaps, my friend, you shall sing when my body is found, if that is accomplished. And maybe then I can hear your singing, somehow. Maybe you will break this silence. But until then, farewell, Legolas. I am sorry, and I will miss you.
And with this last thought, the dwarf felt his hold on consciousness slip and he dropped away into shadows.
Slowly returning to awareness, Gimli wondered how the noonday sun had managed to fit itself into the caves, because its light was now blinding him even though his eyes were closed.
"Gimli! Gimli, open your eyes. You will not do this to me, dwarf! Come! Show me the endurance of the children of Aulë. You boast of it often enough. Gimli!"
Apparently this voice was intent on calling him until he either answered it or his ears fell off from abuse, whichever came first. Or last, Gimli reflected, hearing a very familiar note of persistence. Perhaps I should say something.
"Gimli! Master Dwarf, if you do no open your eyes by the time I reach the count of five, I will shave off your precious beard and scatter it to the four winds!"
Odd, Gimli mused, thinking that he should know this voice but unable to place it in his foggy mind. He calls me his friend and yet he threatens to destroy my beard.
I wonder if he is serious.
I wonder if he is serious.
It is probably best to humor him, though…
It is probably best to humor him, though…
He sounds as though his mind is slightly addled.
He sounds as though his mind is slightly addled.
Pooling all his energy into the massive task of raising his heavy eyelids, Gimli moaned slightly and eventually managed to open his eyes. His sight was very blurred and the sudden onslaught of daylight did nothing positive for his headache, but he had done it. His eyes were open. Now if only the fog that seemed to have fallen over the world would clear…
"Welcome back, Gimli," someone said quietly, the voice rough with emotion and relief. "When first we found you, we feared the worst."
"Legolas?" Gimli questioned, squinting his eyes as he finally made out the figure of the elf hovering over him. His mind was starting to sweep out his hazy mental cobwebs, but it was a slow process and the dwarf was rather confused. His last memory was of his struggle to stay awake and stave off death. Apparently he had not managed the first objective, but somehow he had held death at bay. Yet what had happened after that?
"Gimli, if ever you push me out of the way again and then fail to see to your own safety, I shall string you up by this fine beard of yours in such a way that you will be forced to cut it off yourself in order to get down."
The dwarf's mind was not quite up to processing this rather complicated sentence, but instinct and long association with Legolas told him that it was probably an insult. The elf also sounded angry and upset, which meant he had been frightened and was only now starting to recover the fragments of his pride and dignity. "What happened?" Gimli murmured, still trying to account for the fact that he now seemed to be outside. His eyes were clearing now, and there was definitely a blue sky overhead. With a few clouds, his dazed mind helpfully informed him.
"What do you remember?" the elf asked, his hands probing Gimli's head gently.
The question was a test, and the dwarf had asked it of others enough times to know what Legolas feared. But he was fairly certain that he'd suffered no permanent damage to his mind, and so the spark of fear in his heart began to die away. "The cave-in," he answered, hissing as the elf's hands finished with his head and began to travel down his body. They had reached the shoulder that had been dislocated, and though Gimli realized it had been set at some point, it was still quite tender.
"My apologies," Legolas said quietly, his face unreadable but his eyes burning with distress and fear. "We cared for your injuries as best we could when we cleared a path to you, but I fear we may have missed something in the darkened cave. I can give you something that will—"
"Keep your medicines," Gimli grunted, wincing again when Legolas started running his hands over the dwarf's ribs. "I would rather know how I came to be outside."
"Would you rather be lying in a pool of your own blood?" Legolas asked, his voice turning harsh as he probed the dwarf's ribs again. "I judged the open air would be a far safer place to recover, and Bergil readily agreed with me. There are those who recognize my wisdom when it is offered, and Bergil is one of them. Other beings, however…" The elf trailed off and sent Gimli a scathing glare.
The dwarf sighed with the realization that Legolas was still fuming over the fright he'd been given. At this point, anything Gimli did or said would undoubtedly rile the elf's temper in one way or another and so the dwarf opted to stay silent. He had seen Legolas like this once or twice, and until the elf calmed down, talking to him held the same dangers one would find if one were to provoke a dragon.
"Your have four broken ribs," Legolas informed the dwarf after an awkward silence, drawing his knife and cutting open Gimli's tunic. "They will need to be bound. It is a wonder that none of them have pierced your lungs. Bergil!" Gimli squeezed his eyes shut and tried to silence his hearing as Legolas turned his head and began to shout. "Bergil, your aid is required."
"A little louder, if you don't mind," the dwarf muttered sourly, deciding that two could play the ill-temper game as he opened his eyes and glared at the elf "I do not think my head is pounding hard enough."
"Be thankful you were not buried beneath the cave-in," Legolas said angrily, ripping away Gimli's tunic and exposing an ugly black bruise over the dwarf's left side. "If that had happened, a pounding head would be the least of your worries."
"My lord, is everything well?" a new voice asked, and Bergil's face soon appeared over Legolas's shoulder. "Ah, Lord Gimli is awake. How do you feel, sir?"
"If you could convince this foolish elf to—"
"He has four broken ribs and I think two more may be cracked," Legolas interrupted. "I need something with which to bind them, and you will have to hold him up as I do so."
"One moment, then, my lords," Bergil promised, quickly disappearing.
"What of the other men in the caves?" Gimli asked, speaking before Legolas could continue his tirade.
"All have been found, but none were injured so grievously as you," the elf answered. "It took us well over an hour to find an alternate route by which to remove you, for we could not clear away the rubble in the main cavern and you would not answer our calls."
"I heard no calls," Gimli muttered. "Are you certain you were not struck in the head and imagined things?"
"Of all of us here, I think that you, Master Dwarf, should be most concerned with—"
"I have returned, my lords," Bergil suddenly interrupted, giving Gimli a conspiring wink before turning his attention to the elf. "How may I best be of aid, Lord Legolas?"
"We must raise Gimli off his back so that I may bind his ribs, and you must hold him for me while I do this," Legolas instructed, moving to the side of the dwarf.
"I can sit on my own," Gimli protested, even as he tried to keep his irritation back. He had to be careful in how much he protested, for if he fought against the elf too much, then Legolas would clamp down even harder on the dwarf's activities.
"No, you cannot sit on your own," Legolas informed him curtly, carefully sliding his hands under Gimli's back. "And now I will ask you to brace yourself, Master Dwarf, for this may be uncomfortable."
That turned out to be quite the understatement, and despite his own pride, Gimli heard himself cry out as his ribs shifted with the movement. The motion stopped immediately and he felt Bergil alter his position so as to better support the dwarf. One of Legolas's hands then gently touched Gimli's injured side while the other hand fell upon his forehead.
"Gimli? Gimli, are you—"
"Still here," Gimli whispered, his breath coming in painful hitches.
"I will not be long," the elf promised, the anger in his voice now replaced yet again with fear and concern. Then Gimli felt a wide strip of cloth begin to wind itself about his chest and he gritted his teeth as Legolas pulled it tight.
"You worried us greatly, Lord Gimli," Bergil said after a moment of silence. "When we first found you, we were uncertain if you lived. The loss of blood frightened us most, I believe, though we were also concerned for your head. You have a concussion, my lord, as well as a deep wound in your right leg."
"What else?" Gimli asked, hissing as Legolas wrapped several more layers of cloth around the dwarf's chest.
"Broken ribs, as Lord Legolas has told you, a broken wrist, your shoulder was dislocated but we reset it, various knocks and bruises, and possibly a sprained ankle," Bergil answered. "All things considered, you are quite fortunate, my lord."
Gimli rolled his eyes at this. There were times when he did not understand Bergil's eternally optimistic nature. The man could be cheerful while standing in the middle of a mûmakil stampede, Gimli decided.
"Lay him down, Bergil," Legolas spoke up, tying off the last of his bindings. "And my thanks for your assistance."
"It was my honor, my lord. Shall you be requiring anything else?"
"Nay, but if you would send to Lord Faramir and tell him that our coming will be slightly delayed, I will thank you again."
"It shall be so, my lord," Bergil said, lowering the dwarf to the ground and moving off, leaving Legolas and Gimli alone again. Another awkward silence fell and Gimli wondered if he should say anything. The elf was still upset, but Gimli could sense that much of the anger had subsided. It would probably be safe to speak, but then again…
"If you wish for that medicine, I will give it to you now," Legolas said, taking the initiative and breaking the stillness. "But I cannot give you much, for you must be kept awake yet a while longer. I am concerned about your head."
"I do not feel much pain," Gimli murmured, staring up at the sky. His mind was straying to the thoughts he had entertained while still trapped in the darkness, and nagging voices were telling him that some of these thoughts should be acted upon. "Legolas…Legolas, I am sorry I made you enter the cave."
A short, surprised silence followed this announcement, and then the elf's hand came to rest on Gimli's brow. "You do not feel feverish."
The dwarf scowled, and if he'd had the strength, he would have slapped the hand away. "Legolas, I do not jest. I truly am—"
"Peace, Gimli," Legolas interrupted, his quiet voice taking on a soothing tone. "I know that you do not jest, but you need not apologize. I suffered no hurt. I have you to thank for that, though it grieves me to think that you may have been injured because you saw first to me. In truth, I should apologize to you, and also to thank you for it. And I should not have spoken to you so when you woke. For that, I also apologize."
"But had I listened to you outside the cave, then perhaps—"
"Gimli, at that time I was speaking from my own fears, not from any foreknowledge of what was to come," the elf answered, shushing the dwarf once more. "There was no reason for us to avoid the cave save for the fact that I was uncomfortable. Think of it no more, my friend. I am merely relieved that none were killed in this accident."
Gimli grunted slightly and closed his eyes, realizing that Legolas was not going to let him apologize. And it seemed that the elf was feeling a measure of guilt, too, though why that would be, Gimli didn't know. But Legolas usually felt slightly guilty when things went wrong. He was not nearly as bad as Aragorn was, but the elf did have a touch of what had been named the Ranger Responsibility Syndrome. But mayhap I can alleviate some of that guilt, Gimli thought. He will wish to aid me in some way, and while I am at it, I can satisfy that last regret of mine. Firmly controlling his pride, which protested violently against what the dwarf was going to do, Gimli opened his eyes again and found the elf watching him closely.
"Gimli?" Legolas questioned, apparently sensing that the dwarf was struggling with something. "Is aught wrong?"
"Would you…" Gimli hesitated, but having been in Legolas's situation several times before, he knew just how much the elf needed something to do at this point. He needed to be helpful and feel as though his presence was required. "Legolas, would you sing?" the dwarf blurted out.
The open surprise in the elf's normally placid expression was almost comical, but after a moment of shock, a smile spread across Legolas's face and he nodded. It seemed to Gimli that Legolas understood what the dwarf was doing, and the elf's eyes shone with gratitude. "Of course, elvellon. It would be my pleasure to sing for you."
"Thank you," Gimli murmured, closing his eyes and relaxing. There was a moment of silence during which Legolas selected a song, and then it began, soft and low at first but gradually building in volume.
Listening contentedly, Gimli soon realized that he recognized the song, and it caused him to smile. It was a song that he'd heard Lindir sing eleven years ago in Minas Tirith when the hosts of Rivendell had tarried for several weeks after escorting Arwen to her wedding. It was an old song from the First Age about a friendship between two elven warriors, bound so closely they might have been brothers, who had passed into darkness together and then emerged, changed but ultimately victorious. Gimli was rather amazed that he still remembered this song, but as he thought about it, he decided that it was truly no surprise. At the time when Lindir sang it, the dwarf had remembered the Paths of the Dead and the cursed gulls. He had remembered the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the desperate stand before the Morannon. And he had thought of how he and Legolas had stood side by side for each of these trials. Perhaps that was why he had felt so forlorn in the blackness of the caves. He was no longer used to being alone when darkness pressed close. And as he continued to listen to the song, Gimli realized that his fears in the cave had been empty. Even though they had been separated, the elf had been with him. The dwarf's reflections in the dark had laid bare the deepest thoughts of his heart, and they had taken him back to Legolas. And eventually, Legolas had been brought to him.
Thank you, Gimli sighed as his mind began to drift. He had not the energy to vocally express his gratitude, nor did he dare interrupt the haunting melody as Legolas's clear tenor soared through the notes. But he hoped that the elf knew just how much this song was appreciated, and somewhere inside him, a voice assured Gimli that Legolas did. Thank you, Gimli repeated, feeling his ties to the waking world dissolve and float away as fine gossamer cast to a summer's breeze.
When Legolas finished his song and found the dwarf asleep, he did not wake him, for he sensed somehow that the wound to Gimli's head was no longer a concern. And nestled in the embrace of an elven melody, Gimli fell into a deep, healing sleep, protected by a friendship that endured all darkness.
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text: In the year 2010 we had a little look att Russia and Randel wrote a ride report: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=614915 In 2010 we saw that Russia is a varied, huge and interesting country, it is never boring and we liked it a lot. We (Raul, Anton, Kurisookaru and me) decided to visit it again. This time directly from Estonia to the east ca 2500km over the Ural mountains. Our plan was to visit and to see a small villages in the mountains, have a little chat with the locals, ride small or hard enduro roads, to see a different building culture, to enjoy a different terrain (Estonia is a level/flat) and nature, to do all this very economically and come back all together on this time In short - we got all this! We started our trip in the morning of 2nd of August at ca 5:30 AM. Our initial plan was to start at 7AM but my BMW r1200gs made some strange tricks and I had to repair it with Raul all night long (gear indicator didn't show a neutral gear and motor wouldn't start!!). So we start our tirp a little earlier and with no sleep whatsoever that night. Great start!!! After some hours (200km ride + border crossing) the sun found us already in Russia. There was a lot of bridge repairs, seems that 1/3 of bridges were in complete overhaul. A little before sunset we stopped to buy a provisions and some beer of course Visiting a village shop near the road: There was enough alcohol, canned food and pasta but the shelf for meat was almost empty. After buying some stuff we took some kilometers away from the main road to rest and to celebrate the start of our Russian trip By virtue of the limited holiday and desire to see grand old Ural mountains we started moving early and just sitting on the roads. Intresting thing is that there was a lot of locals just sitting beside the road and selling something. There was mushrooms, bilberries, apples, gherkins, tomatoes and so on and so on... Regularily we took gasoline from Lukoil and truth is that gasoline in Russia is very good! But there was some strange gas stations too. In some places there wasn`t any gasoline 95 and we had to use 92 it was not so good and our single-cylinder (bmw 650gs) coughed a little. Even Kurisookaru (Tenere) didn`t like it. Motorcycle ride in Russia is a real joy, because gasoline is so cheap, only 27-29,50 RBL liter. It makes about 0,7-0,75 eur for one litre! And that`s not all. In Estonia (our gasoline is a real shit) I can drive with my r1200gs ca 300-320km with one tank fill, but with Russian gasoline I made 400-410km. It`s a huge difference!!! Russian roads are varied. Everything is fine or almost fine until suddenly there is no more asphalt, it`s just gone for 300 meters or 3km! Car drivers try to find better ground and thus they drive in zigzags. Trucks move ca 5km/h and trailers jump from right to left. No one cares about his machine and goes as quickly as possible - and it`s funny to watch. Here you can see the difference. Exactly in the middle of the road there's gravel mound and the height of this is more than half of trucks wheel!!! Ca 50cm!!! Would you like to ride there with your motorcycle in the dark? OK, there wasn`t so much of these asphalt-gravel roads. It was much more intresting and yet uneasy to drive along deep ruts in the asphalt, kind of like sailing, sweeping from side to side. Height difference was a little more than a pack of cigarettes. Can you see a pack of Camel's on (or, actually, IN) the road? Beside the road there were interesting lables and signs. This one means GRANDMOTHER REGION cool! It was sad to see one serious accident. Looks like at least one person left this world. On the evening we visited local market again. This time, while half of us were buying stuff, Raul kept up friendship with locals. It was Friday and locals were celebrating something. We were interesting group and they came to talk with us. Friendly people! They can`t believe that we drove there from Estonia with motorcycles (ca 1300km). On the evening when we found a place where to camp, my gessu had a jubilee. I belive an old motorcycle like my gessu can already take a little vodka On the morning, after quickly packing the camp and taking gasoline we hit the road again. There was a interesting bike on the road. Finally the monutains start and the road goes up and down. On the label: ATTENTION!! Dangerous curves, reduce speed. In the city of Perm we stopped to buy some fishing equipment, batteries and memory cards for the cameras. There was one little sweet girl who looked us for a long time. What could she've been thinking? After Perm we moved a little south, to the city of Kungur. There is an ICE CAVE. It`s an old mine and today tourists can go down into the tunnels. Guide told us that air is so clean there that human can live even 200 years old under there. There was absolutely no dust and the temperature was ca +4. The water was very fresh and clean. In the parking lot was a label: It means ECOLOGICAL ZONE. Parking with the engine running is prohibited. Penalty 2000 RBL (ca 50eur). In the evening we found a greatest camp place ever! There was a warm river, trees and a little gravel under our feet (it`s good when it's raining during the night - and it was, almost every night). I sayd to others that this is so cool camping place, it just can't be true! Balance is everywhere in the world, thats why I was afraid that there has to happen something unpleasant. After about 12 minutes we got a unprecedented rain with thunder and hail. For ca 20 minutes it was like a war, thunders were 7-8 seconds long and sitting in such a storm was absolutely surreal. After a while thunder and hail moved on and a left us with just a little rain. Peace of cake Now we can wash hands and start cooking Carrot and potatoes take a long time and while waiting, we could wash ourselves ggggggreat!!


text:
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text:
Policy Statement Addressing Counselors
As a result of the negotiated rulemaking process which followed the signing into law, the 1998 amendments to 20 U.S.C. Section 1092 (f), clarification was given to those considered to be campus security authorities. Campus "Pastoral Counselors" and Campus "Professional Counselors," when acting as such, are not considered to be a campus security authority and are not required to report crimes for inclusion into the annual disclosure of crime statistics. As a matter of policy, they are encouraged, if and when they deem it appropriate, to inform persons being counseled of the procedures to report crimes on a voluntary basis for inclusion into the annual crime statistics. All personal information is strictly confidential.
The rulemaking committee defines counselors as:
Pastoral Counselor
An employee of an institution who is associated with a religious order or denomination, recognized by that religious order or denomination as someone who provides confidential counseling and who is functioning within the scope of that recognition as a pastoral counselor.
Professional Counselor
An employee of an institution whose official responsibilities include providing psychological counseling to members of the institution's community and who is functioning within the scope of his or her license or certification.


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First off, nice to be here. A really good place for starters and advance users alike. I have begun to refresh my C++ skills after 6 years of electronics study at college. Here is the problem:
This program takes a text in the char array "test" and stores alternate characters in two different char arrays a and b (even and odd positions). (this may not be clear, im really tired) but the code explains in detail.
I am having trouble in getting the output after the 'for' loop. The 'for' loop that supposedly does the main work and also displays the content of two arrays.
The next time I try to display the arrays, its a different output.
Code:#include <iostream> #include <string> using namespace std; //Initializing two empty (?) char arrays to store the alternate chars from //the test string. char a[]=""; char b[]=""; int main() { // Initialization of the test srting. using no space to make it simple for now, // but spaces also work char test[]="HelloWorldHowAreYou"; cout << "The string is " << test << " of size " << sizeof(test) << endl; // Loop test to output the string "test" using loop. // Used unsigned int to avoid any warnings in comparisson. cout << "\nLoop Test: \n"; for (unsigned int j=0;j<sizeof(test);j++) { cout << test[j] << " "; } cout << "\n\n\n"; // The main program to store alternate chars in two different char arrays. // Loop using unsigned int. The output of this process is correct! for (unsigned int i=0;i<sizeof(test);i++) { a[i]=test[(2*i)]; b[i]=test[(2*i)+1]; cout << "a " << i << " is: " << a[i] << endl; cout << "b " << i << " is: " << b[i] << endl; } cout << "\n\n\n"; // This is where it gets really annoying, I dont get a meaningful output. // Even if the previous 'for' loop correctly places the chars alternatively // The output given here is completely incorrect. Example: a[3] is supposed to be // "o" and b[3] = "r", but the output is mixed up. // I do realize it could be because of the way arrays work, but please // explain. I would like to understand this better. cout << "The output after the storing of alternate chars in a,b. \n\n"; for (unsigned int k=0;k<sizeof(test);k++) { cout << "a " << k << " is: " << a[k] << endl; cout << "b " << k << " is: " << b[k] << endl; } //cout << "\n" << a << b << endl; return 0; }


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NRF Appeals Credit Interchange Settlement
As expected, the National Retail Federation appealed the U.S. District Court decision that locked in a settlement of long-standing retailer complaints about credit card interchange.
The court-approved agreement came at the end of multi-year litigation over allegations the major card brands' credit card interchange system violated U.S. anti-trust law. Even though the negotiating parties included representatives from retailers, card issuers and card brands, settlement proved controversial with some retailers, including the NRF.
"NRF is filing the appeal to overturn the flawed credit card swipe fee settlement," said General Counsel Mallory Duncan in litigation documents. 'The settlement does nothing to reform the price-fixing payments system that has let credit card swipe fees skyrocket over the past decade and nothing to keep them from continuing to soar in the future. Instead of lowering fees, the card industry's settlement proposes that merchants pass them along to consumers in the form of surcharges. That is absolutely the opposite of what retailers sought, and major retailers have soundly rejected surcharging."
Duncan took particular issue with the retailers who participated in the settlement, arguing that they did not represent enough retailers.
"There has been no agreement to this settlement by the retail industry. Instead, there's a settlement with nine individual retailers whose views are not representative of the collective industry," Duncan argued. "A majority of the original plaintiffs in the case repudiated the settlement as soon as they saw its terms. The nation's largest retailers have spoken out against it, and close to 8,000 retailers and merchants have formally rejected the proposal. This is an abuse of the class action system and should never have been approved.
"The only people pleased with this settlement are Visa and MasterCard, because it means they can continue collecting tens of billions of dollars in hidden fees, the class action lawyers who stand to collect half a billion dollars in fees without fixing the problem, and a lower court, which has cleared a time-consuming case off its docket, but has done a serious disservice to merchants and the public in the process."
For its part, the Electronic Payments Coalition took a cool view of the appeal notice, arguing that the firms bringing the appeal are the ones who do not represent most retailers.
"After nearly a decade of negotiations, the court has determined that this settlement is in the best interest of all parties involved," Coalition Spokesman Sam Fabens said in a statement. "This is simply a political ploy by a few big box retailers – for whom enough is never enough – that disregards the millions of retailers who are supportive of the settlement. These same tired arguments were raised over and over during the negotiations and would have been included in the final terms if they had any merit."


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Oswalt Goes The Distance For A Shut-Out
After yesterday's disheartening 4-3 loss to the Mets, the Phillies were hoping for a different result today. The Braves won yesterday, which put the Phillies into a tie for first place in the NL East. But with Roy Oswalt starting the game today, taking 2 of 3 from the Mets looked likely.
However, the Phillies offense has begun to stutter again. They were unable to score until the 8th inning last night, which wound up being too little, too late. Today, Chase Utley drove a run in during the 1st inning; that seemed like a good start. Ryan Howard singled in another run in the 3rd, but after that, the offense went back to sleep.
Raul Ibanez finally woke up the Phillies for a short time in the 7th when he belted a solo homer to bolster the Phillies lead to 3-0. The Phillies then loaded the bases with no outs but failed to score again. Oswalt grounded out and Placido Polanco hit into a double play. They did not score in the 9th either so the game would rest on the pitching of Oswalt.
After yesterday's bullpen disaster with 2 runs allowed in the 7th, manager Charlie Manuel was probably hoping he could give the pen a day off. Oswalt started today and was mowing down Mets hitters one by one. With just over 100 pitches going into the 9th inning, Oswalt had held the Mets scoreless.
Despite getting hit in the ankle with a ground ball in the 9th, Oswalt kept pitching and induced a double play for the first two outs. He struck out the next batter and gave the Phillies a 3-0 win. It was his 20th complete and 8th shut-out of his career.
The Phillies will now travel to Miami to face the Marlins for a 3-game series. Both the offense and the bullpen are still major concerns for the Phillies. Hopefully, the Florida sunshine will get the bats heated up again. Game time is 7:10pm.
Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*