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I went hiking several months ago with some friends up Yellow Mountain in North Carolina, and let me just say that hike is one I will never forget. We hiked over 3 smaller mountains in our approach to the summit. Through valleys and switchbacks we hiked. It started lightly snowing a couple miles miles in and then shortly after lunch the snow and clouds became so thick we couldn't see the mountains in the distant. It soon stopped and we were left to hike the rest of the way in the bitter cold and 20mph+ winds.
When we arrived at the top we were met with a barren summit save for an old fire tower, now a historical landmark. We had originally planned to stake our tent in the open, but with the gusting wind and the forbidding clouds to the west we set the tent inside the base of the tower and covered the entrance with the rain cover.
As you can tell from the pictures we made the right call. The winds never let up and several inches of snow blew in during the night. A brief trip to the north face of the mountain sent us hurriedly seeking shelter from the icy cold wind. The night was long and cold and the flapping of the rain cover in the wind sounded like someone was constantly trying to get in. We also realized that we don't know very many card games, and didn't bring nearly enough food.
The morning after greeted us with a gorgeous sunrise that looked like something out of a movie, and we were all extremely glad we'd made the trip and lived an adventure.


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The wonderful, yet often hairpulling life story of a stay-at-home mom of five cuties (Hailey, Shelby, Dylan, Ashley & Logan) and the journey through life raising our family with the best hubby around (love you, Kevin), and enjoying the blessings God provides to us daily while trying to keep it all in perspective when bumps in the road arise!
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Star Wars and a New-Old Violin!
Well, another eventful day of winter break! We woke up bright and early (at least for vacation!)...and off we went to the movies! Not sure I have ever been to a 10am showing of any movie...much less one I am not sure I care enough to lose sleep over....but.....the kids wanted to see it...and I wanted to be a part of it. So we all went...minus Loggy who stayed home with Nina Stegs and played hide-n-seek :)
The theater was fairly empty when we got there, but I think it was about 3/4 full when it started. People were cheering at certain parts in the movie. It was funny. Crazy SW nerds! But we had fun. The movie was pretty good for a sci-fi-ish movie. I figured out the "who dies" yesterday during our at-home-marathon. I like to spoil things for myself and I have gotten pretty good at guessing SW outcomes. Should I be proud or ashamed of this? At any rate, we had a good time. Oddly enough no one wanted popcorn (and we had free coupons!)...but they did feast on candy from Sue Sue!
Afterwards we ran errands while Hailey shopped with Nina Stegs. Our last stop was to pick up the coveted old-new violin from the repair shop. Someone was pretty excited!
Doesn't it look beautiful?! I think so. The violin repair guy did a great job....
...and he found this inside when he repaired the crack. Very cool to know a little bit of its history. We think it was repaired by an Otto Martin after a fire. I wish we could make out the name of the fire...and wish it had a year too. But we know it was a well made violin from Germany from the 19th or 20th century. We were so thankful it could be repaired!
One more day of our Hays home. I know it will be a busy NYE as we pack and as she preps for auditions (taking pics with her ballet friends at the studios---she saw them all tonight for dinner). This break has been great...and it was been a blessing having her home so much and having so much down time.
Posted by crazystegmamaof4 at 11:16 PM No comments:
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
A jolly holiday with SueSue!
Well, it was a lovely day in the Steg household...everyone was well...and we could finally have our wonderful Christmas celebration with Sue Sue! It surely was a jolly holiday with Auntie Susie! We love her and she always makes celebrations extra special with her thoughtfulness and yummy food prep!
It was a great day....a wonderful day celebrating with our Sue Sue...and lots of fun family time. Feeling blessed!
Posted by crazystegmamaof4 at 10:56 PM No comments:
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Kids are always welcome—as long as there are adults around too! At least one occupant of each Aloft room must be 21 years or older. Be sure to bring ID in case we need to confirm.
Room rates include the accommodation of children (17 years old or younger) who sleep in the existing bedding of a guest room. Rollaway beds and cribs may incur extra charges.
In the state of Texas, alcohol is for adults-only—so we only serve and sell to guests 21 and over. (Remember your ID!)
Animals are family, too! That's why Aloft San Antonio Airport welcomes dogs up to 40 pounds.* Our pet-friendly arf(SM) program offers a special bed, bowl, and a doggie bag of woof-alicious treats and toys, all complimentary to use during your stay. Please make sure they're on their best behavior—we don't want to charge you extra for housekeeping!
Aaahhh…breathe easy! We're a 100% smoke-free environment. So please follow our no-smoking rules—there's a 500 USD fine for anyone lighting up inside the hotel.
We accept checks for pre-payment, as long as they are received at least 14 days prior to arrival.
Sorry—we don't offer check-cashing services at the hotel. (But we're happy to help you find a local bank if you need it.). An ATM is located on-site.
Please be aware this hotel is EMV/Chip & PIN ready and your credit card's PIN may be necessary for you to check-in to the hotel. If you are not aware of the PIN for your chip credit card, or you are unsure if your card requires a PIN, please contact the financial institution that issued your credit card for clarity and to secure your PIN.
We accept all major credit cards. Credit card authorization forms are accepted and can be obtained through the front desk.
Debit and Credit cards will be authorized at check-in for the amount of your stay, plus an amount to cover incidentals. The authorization will hold the funds until check out, at which time the amount actually incurred during the stay will be charged. Authorized amounts may take up to 30 days after departure to be released by your bank or financial institution and the hotel will not be responsible for any resulting fees or charges.
For the cardholder's protection, the credit card used for pre-paid reservations must be presented at check-in. If the cardholder is not present, full payment will be taken on the presented card and the pre-payment will be credited back to the original card. Additional authorizations for incidental charges can be processed on separate card.
Cash may be used upon departure, but not as a deposit.
© 2018 Marriott International, Inc.,
All rights reserved. |


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Library and Archives Canada (LAC) released a new version of the 1871 Canadian census. The 1871 Census marked the second regularly scheduled collection of national statistics. It officially began April 2, 1871. It covered the four provinces that were then part of Confederation: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The census included information on 3,485,761 individuals. Access to the census is free. There were nine schedules that comprised the census. Most of all 9 schedules have been preserved. However, only Schedule 1, Nominal Return of the Living, is searchable in the database. The collection can be searched by name, age, province and keyword. I put in the search field the names Goldberg and Cohen for Ontario and each query had results returned.
The other schedules can be viewed through LAC's Microform Digitization tool http://tinyurl.com/d8s6jj2 This requires the reader to scroll through the microfilms which are searchable by title only.
This revision incorporates corrections submitted buy users and as well as revised/improved district and sub-district information. To read more about the census go to:
The original url may be accessed at:
To search the 1871 Canadian Census go to: http://tinyurl.com/cgxfwc8
The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) announced that they also released a new version of the 1901 Canadian Census. This new version includes revisions to the database that were recently sent in by users as well as revised district and sub-district information. The 1901 Canada census was the fourth general census of Canada (1871, 1881, 1891 and then 1901). It covered the provinces and territories then part of the Confederation: B.C., Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Northwest Territories (current day Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Nunavut, etc.) The database can be searched by province, name and keyword. Access is free.
To search the 1901 revised Canadian Census go to:
Jan Meisels Allen
IAJGS Vice President
Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee


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Aster is Kotsuban-P's 3rd album and 3rd collaboration with Yasuo-P. The album was released for The Voc@loid M@ster 16. It contains 8 tracks and features Hatsune Miku and GUMI. The instrumentals were provided by Yasuo-P.
The crossfade can be heard on Nico Nico Douga. The album's official listing is on Kotsuban-P's website. The album can be bought on iTunes, Amazon MP3, kkbox, orToranoana.


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old vintage wrapping paper, via Jenny from cutxpaste
Jenny gave this to me years ago, along with other pretty papers...I only use them for special occasions, and never use tape. NEVER! :)
Mar 20, 2009
2 comments:
- cutxpaste said...
ooohhhh!!! i am so happy you kept this!!!
- March 23, 2009 at 5:33 PM
- RO.MA. said...
HELLO!!! UH>>> YEAH! :[) I have a lot of little things of yours still...nice lil kwok touches all over the pad :) thanks!! xoxo
- March 23, 2009 at 5:40 PM


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One of my very good friends is releasing his own album! And I had the pleasure of doing the album artwork!
Conor is a very talented guitarist who I've known since.... Well a long dammed time! He also really likes wolves hence the artwork.
I had great fun doing this for him , mainly because he didn't really know what he wanted , and do this idea immediately popped into my head!
I'm a huge fan of the self release of albums, I think it's a great way for musicians to get their music heard. Speaking of which if you'd like to have a little listen to the rough drafts of his SELF WRITTEN (oh yeah, he writes himself, even one direction don't do that) songs then you can find them here : https://soundcloud.com/conor-thackray
Although if you want the super duper spiffy versions you'll need to buy the album at a very reasonably priced £3!
And you can also find him on Facebook Conor 1N Thackray
Can't really put into words how proud of him I am
Much love


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For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A Quick Thought
It begs the question(s), do we really believe that God is real, and that He actually is Holy? Do we believe He expects US to be Holy? Do we REALLY believe Jesus is coming back (and SOON)? And do we even CARE how He will find us? Are our actions and words building other believers up in the faith or are thy causing them to stumble?
Some would say "What is sin to you, may not be sin to someone else"....I beg to differ! The Bible explains sin to us pretty clearly, and I think it's safe to say if there is a question, it is always better to err on the side of caution. In other words, if what you are doing could ruin your witness or cause a Christian brother or sister to sin, it's best not to do it.
Before you accuse me of being "holier than thou", let me just say that I'm not claiming to be perfect, as a matter of fact, I hate to think of the times in my life that I have been a poor witness for Jesus.......
I feel as though sin holds no more shame for the believer than it does for the unbeliever anymore.........I suppose it's a sign of the last days when even the church will fall away and you guys know I am all about prophecy, but shameless promotion of sin on the part of believers is troubling to me. I hope it troubles you too.
12 comments:
- Lisa said...
I've noticed the same thing. People who are stradling both sides of the fence. If you didn't know they were believers, you still wouldn't know.
It's time that we hold each other accountable.
Blessings - Lisa
- May 19, 2009 at 11:07 AM
- beyond this moment said...
It's very disturbing to see people glorifying sin - especially Christians - but thankfully I'm not seeing it among my Christian friends on facebook.
Do you leave a comment when one of your Christian friends posts something objectionable?
- May 19, 2009 at 11:34 AM
- BethAnne said...
It depends on what they are talking about......sometimes I might say something but most of the time I dont say anything because no matter what I would say, it would sound as though I think I am superior or preaching....know what I mean?
- May 19, 2009 at 12:22 PM
- Tony C said...
Funny timing. I just posted on Tony C Today about how Christians can use Facebook for God's glory.
It deeply troubles me that Christians would project such a negative side. Don't feel like you're judging Beth Anne...wrong is wrong and people should be called out on it...excuse me...those claiming to be Christians should be called out on it.
- May 19, 2009 at 3:02 PM
- beyond this moment said...
I do know what you mean. I struggle with the same thing... I don't know that I'd say anything either. No one likes to be seen as self-righteous.
And yet... I think back to those times when someone has cared enough about me to say "ENOUGH! Look what you're doing to your witness. Look what you're doing to our Lord!" Who else would say it, if not us? Who else would remind our brothers and sisters of who they are and Who claims them?
It's something for me to think about.
- May 19, 2009 at 6:36 PM
PREACH IT BETHANNE!!! God's word is not a suggestion, it is a MANDATE!! He does not say, "I know it is hard, but could you be holy because I am holy?" No, he says, "BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY". People take for granted the fear of God, he is a loving God but he is also a powerful and just God. Even in the old test. a rope had to be tied around the priest before he could even go into the holy of holies because the high priest could be killed by God in Holy of Holies if not properly prepared according to God's instructions. Bethanne this blog is so true, many Christians are comitting adultery with the world. The claim to be married to Christ and his word but the still "flirt" with the things of this world. I am really praying, God makes it so clear in Rev 3:16, "because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." My Lord..we better get right Church..soon..
- May 20, 2009 at 2:16 PM
- Steve said...
Well said! In 2nd Timothy,3:1-7 it talks about this very thing. Man shall become lovers of them own selves,proud,lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:(from such turn away) Good post.
- May 22, 2009 at 2:05 AM
I think even if people think you might be Holier than thou..Preaching or Superior, let'em think it...There's nothing wrong with being a witness...and there is nothing wrong standing up for our Lord...
I would hope you would do that for me, and let me tell ya, there have been many people let me know, when my little lite has not been shining..it's very humbling..to say the most..
Great Post...
- May 24, 2009 at 9:28 AM
- Alana said...
You are very right. I try to be thoughtful about what I post, but I'm sure there have been times that I have spoken when I should have kept quiet. Thought provoking post.
- May 24, 2009 at 9:42 PM
- Warren Baldwin said...
Hi, I linked here from Greg's blog. Hope you don't mind pop-in visitors! I read this post and had to respond. I think you are right-on, and I don't think you are being judgmental. We have to make some value judgments, don't we? The Bible teaches us to do that, and we can do so without being condescending or judgmental.
As a minister I'm concerned when kids from my church graduate, go to college, and then post some of their party pics on FB for everyone to see. They have no idea how they are damaging their Christian witness. College can be such a great opportunity for them to serve Christ on campus, and yet they cave. The pressure is great, I know, but the one who is within us is greater than the one who is without. I have two college age kids so I know some of the pressures they face. That is why we send them to Christian colleges. No, they aren't perfect, but they do find many peers there to support them.
FB is a great means of staying in touch. It is a shame, as you state here, that it is also used to promote sin.
Great post and well written.
- June 16, 2009 at 11:25 AM
- chop said...
Hi i am just a visitor here and if you dont mind to put my thoughts about your post.
In my church, we continue to develop children from kings kid to next gen.We have special pastors that teaches them as they mature older and these pastors always follow up with the kids social and spiritual development.
Even when they graduate to working adults these dedicated pastors will call them, have a tea or coffee with them and even help them in their adult hood. 90% of our children in church always comes back to the Lord even their are far in other countries to studies or work. Our pastors embedded them the Christ like characters in their own language,their style or even their thoughts.
I must say that there is no 100% guarantee but it helps to deter them to sin conveniently. I think the pastors have done a good job in discipleship from young age to adults.
By the way God didn't said the last day the church will fall but God will establish and rise his church.
God Bless
- July 15, 2009 at 11:24 PM
- Alana said...
Hey girl, just thinking about you and taking a trip through my bloglines. Looks like you have abandoned yours? Mine is mostly abandoned, but I show up once in awhile just to surprise myself :-)
- March 11, 2010 at 4:01 PM


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Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Birth of a Feminist Journal
(CALYX editorial staff Rebecca and Beverly, pictured left)
The CALYX Journal editorial staff is knee-deep in the production of the upcoming Winter 2010 journal. As the associate editor, I work with our senior editor Beverly, to copyedit, organize and arrange the journal's content.
One question that we have struggled with this week is what is the best way to open a feminist journal? The opening piece often sets the tone to how the journal is read, and it is important to have a strong start. Much of our prose and poetry content for this issue focuses around birth and mothers, themes in many previous CALYX Journals, and so we are tempted to open with a piece on birth. As women, we are intimately and deeply connected with the complicated feelings related to birth and raising children. But is that all that women are connected with?
While women's bodies and lives are often uniquely tied to children and child birth, woman's experience is not defined by birth (unless it is, perhaps, the birth of her own identity). The journal will open with "How to Become the Oracle" by Linda Strever, winner of the 2009 Lois Cranston Poetry Prize. Immediately following, will be the lush and moving prose piece by Christine Simokaitis, "Waiting for Elijah," focused around a woman's harrowing experiences with the birth of her son. We hope that our feminist readers recognize that stories and poems related to birth examine only a piece of the many experiences, dreams, curiosities and challenges that women face in their lives. At CALYX, we will do our best to represent all of the many faucets of woman's experiences and imagination; this includes, but is not limited to, birth.
-Rebecca Olson, Associate Editor
1 comment:
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|over night flat (2 flats) and thirsties duo size 2 cover
I thought the challenge would be harder with a younger baby (3.5 mo, vs. 8mo, 20 mo, and 4 yrs) It was harder in that there were more diapers per day but easier because this little guy holds still for diaper changes. The challenge has gotten easier every year, this year it seemed to take a leap in the direction of helpful, and better than my normal routine. Hand washing diapers cut down on the amount of time i spent on laundry this week significantly - It also cut hours and hours of running time off my washer and dryer, with a family of 6 and several loads of laundry a day, that really adds up!
I should also add, there are things about my normal diapering routine that are a direct result of past flats & handwashing challenges. I was already using flats on my new little man while at home. I donated ALL of my microfiber inserts to a cloth diaper bank before this baby was born. When I do use pockets, I stuff them with homemade hemp flats or hemp 'prefolds' (2 pieces of hemp sewn together. Though i am seriously considering switching over to exclusively using flour sac towel flats in my pockets, at least for the summer. Honestly, I don't know if I'll use many pockets at all. I prefer them for the diaper bag, but I also have 3 all -in-ones that are nice for the diaper bag, So i might just use those. I will admit I forgot to pack a wetbag for my flats several times while we were out this week and having a self contained all-in-one is easier in that situation. Though i would have wanted NO PART of hand washing even those 3 diapers.
Well, I am trying to get all this out with a sleeping baby on my chest, and i'm already a day late. I must say that blogging about the challenge every day was SO much harder than actually doing the challenge! time to type, on a computer?! no. my kids (I have 4 - ages 3.5 mo-7yrs) will hardly allow that. I did at least one blog entry from my phone. So, with that said, I give up. Not on the challenge, but on blogging every day -- I'm going back to posting recipes so that i can easily remember them and share them with friends. I'll think about this blogging thing again when i don't have a baby who sleeps on my chest every night.


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We're very excited to bring you a fabulous night of Michael David's epic wines! Most well known for their 7 Deadly Zins, this Lodi winery produces an array of high end zinfandels, each gaining it's namesake from a cardinal sin. Rage was first released last fall and we've been lucky enough to get the last of it! In addition to multiple zins, we'll be highlighting some of the other varietals Michael David Winery excels at producing, like a new full Tannat from their Ink Blot Series! If you've never heard about the winery or had the wines, this is a great chance to find out why Michael David has a true cult following. Each wine will be paired with its own dinner course. Expect a fabulous evening of wine, food, great stories and Zins of Sin!
Wine & Dinner Menu:
2012 Michael David Chardonnay
Risotto Fritter | Triple Cream Brie | Roasted Red Pepper | Artichoke | Fresh Tarragon | Topped With Homemade Pesto Rubbed Shrimp
2010 Micahel Davied Incognito Rouge Blend
Israeli Couscous | Grilled Eggplant | Zucchini | Shitake | Fresh Spinach | Sun Dried Tomato | Blackened Chicken
2011 Michael David 6th Sense Syrah
Sage Roasted Pork Shoulder | Shaved Brussels Sprouts | Gorgonzola Cream | Grilled Portobello | Scallion + Tarragon Gremolata
2011 Michael David Ink Blot Series Tannat
Wine Braised Lamb Shank |Roasted Tomato + Rosemary Reduction | Soft Polenta | Shallot | Romano | Fresh Herbed Creme Fraiche
2010 Michael David Rage Dry Creek Zinfandel
Spice Rubbed Brisket | Cream Cheese + Chive Mashed Red Skins | Cabernet Pan Jus
2010 Michael David Lust Lodi Zinfandel
Dark Chocolate Soft Brittle | Maple Bacon | Nutmeg | Salted Butterscotch Caramel | Black Pepper | Sea Salt | Dried Bing Cherry | Rosemary
6-Course Wine Dinner $50/person
RSVPs are required for all events. We kindly appreciate credit card reservations to reserve seats. Please use the link below to register or contact Erin at firstname.lastname@example.com or 619.823.3541.
Though we cannot guarantee special requests for menu changes, please contact us (email/phone above) if you have any food allergies or special considerations and we'll do our best to accommodate!
There is a 24-hour full-refund policy. We apologize that cancellations after 24 hours of the event cannot be refunded and cards will be charged for the full amount of the reservation.


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Kilmore marriage
Congratulations to Ethel Geelan and Ross who got married in Aughrim Church on Saturday. Reception took place in Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin.
Death of Mike Joe Mahon
Deepest sympathy is extended to the Mahon family on the death of Mike Joe Mahon, Drumsna and Luton, England. Removal took place to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Drumsna with burial in Kiltoghert Cemetery. May he rest in Peace.
Congratulations to Denise Lee, Foxborough, Drumsna, daughter of Marie and Brian Lee on her marriage to Darragh Gibbons, Drumsnanbo. The chief celebrant was Fr. Peter Burke. Reception took place in Lough Rynn Castle Hotel. We wish them many years of happiness.
Bingo in Drumsna Community Centre every Thursday at 9pm.
Dynamo Rooskey
Good to see Dynamo Rooskey reformed and back in the League again. Dynamo's proud tradition lives on.
Wednesday 27/8/14 - Minor Championship: Annaduff v St. Francis in Annaduff at 7pm.
Parish/G.A.A Lotto
At the draw held in Duignan's, Drumsna, there was no Jackpot winner. The numbers drawn were 12, 15, 16, 21. The 50 euro winner was Maureen Moran. The 25 euro winners were Paddy Kiernan, Nadine Dolan, Marion Sheehy, Carmel Conlon. The next draw takes place in Cox's on Sunday night next. Annual tickets, please check if you are up to date.
Best wishes to Emer Guckian, daughter of Myra and Des Guckian, Derrywillow on her engagement to Connie Shiel, Galway.
Deepest sympathy is extended to Helen McDermott, Roosky Village on the death of her sister, Maura McDermott, Legan. May she rest in Peace.
Roosky Active Age
Our next outing is to two nearby locations in Dublin on Tueday, September 16th. Bus leaves Roosky at 9pm. Booking 10 euro. Contact Sean Sherwin at 0872361982 or Anna Egan at 0863596630.


text:
|By AvatarRokusGhost
|More from AvatarRokusGhost
| Drama/Romance/Action/
|Updates page
|First chapter - start reading
|Book 1 - Dragon
|Book 2 - Siege
|Book 3 - Volcano
|Chapter information
|Written by
|Release date
October 28, 2015
|Last chapter
|Next chapter
Ratana was indoors in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by red. It was not possible to tell for sure without knowing what the building that she was currently inside looked like, but it seemed like a luxurious suite fit for a castle or palace. There was a miniature bench - comfy, by the looks of it - and a spa and tub in the corner opposite her. She was sitting on a stool in front of a table in the side of the opposite wall. The table, or miniature desk, or whatever, was brown wood and had nothing atop its flat surface save for a handheld mirror, facing downward.
Gently, Ratana lifted one of her arms up, clothed by an ornate dressing robe fit for a queen or princess, and turned the mirror upright, looking her reflection in the place. She was indeed wearing a royal crimson robe and flame-shaped headpiece. So she was back in the Fire Nation. Apparently she was in disguise again, for she appeared to be wearing a hair dye, as several of her strands were gray in coloring. Then, there were her tired eyes and tiny lines tracing along her cheeks. Ratana felt up and touched one. Wrinkles.
"They look very realistic," Ratana said to herself, wondering whomever sent her here had managed that part of her disguise. There was no wax or other surface on her face to peel off, and her hands were slightly wrinkled as well. Her fingernails were painted dark read and were carved into a sharp shape, like miniature knives.
Getting to her feet, she stared around the room, hardly noticing that the door which had been closed moments before was now ajar. "Excuse me," a feeble-voiced man hunched over and dressed like a servant addressed her. "Forgive me milady, but it's time." As he beckoned her forward, she followed the white-robed man and marched out of the room and down the hall leading from the dressing room to a vast courtyard. It appeared similar to the one where she had seen a rally with June and Heidze long ago on her way to find evidence of the last dragon. So she really was back in the Fire Nation, and in the capital no less.
Ratana let out a faint gasp as she saw a crowd of hundreds, if not thousands, of uniformed soldiers and youths standing in the area in front of her. On top of the stage where she stood, meanwhile, there was a miniature pavilion with a pyre in the center. On top of it lay the rounded bulk of Iroh, the Dragon of the West, his body motionless. He had many more wrinkles on his face than were on Ratana's own, and his son Lu Ten stood over his body, more mature in appearance than Ratana had ever seen him but still maintaining the charm and charisma of a younger man. A Fire Sage, in his ceremonial robe, approached the pyre from behind and nodded to Lu Ten, who took a step back, after stealing one last look at his father's body before looking out at the crowd before him.
Then, the Fire Sage cleared his throat and began to address everyone who was present. "Iroh, Fire Lord of our nation for thirty-four years, you were our glorious to leader, our great general, conqueror of Ba Sing Se, conqueror of Omashu, conqueror of the Northern Water Tribe, vanquisher of the world's last remaining dragon. You were husband to Sula, now passed, father to Lu Ten, and father of a world empire. We, your humble subjects and loyal citizens of the nation you ruled, gather here to day to pay our final respects. Now, we lay you to rest."
As the Fire Sage concluded his words, two cadet Fire Sages of lesser rank approached the pyre from either side and ignited it with respective blasts of firebending. Accordingly, everyone in the uniformed crowd before them hung their heads in a brief moment of silence. Not knowing fully what compelled her to do so, Ratana let her own head hang as their did and she whispered a brief word of respect under her own breath. "Farewell, Dragon of the West..."
The primary Fire Sage then stepped forth, a head piece that had stood atop Iroh's head not long before between his two palms. As he did so, Lu Ten stood before him and kneeled down, holding his head forth. "As was your dying wish, you are succeeded by your son and heir," the Fire Sage spoke again as he placed the headpiece into Lu Ten's corresponding top knot. "Hail Fire Lord Lu Ten!"
With this, Lu Ten stood up once more and faced the crowd that had begun bowing, one row at a time. Ratana, meanwhile, felt compelled to fall to her own knees as well. "Thank you," Lu Ten said aside to the Fire Sage. "My friends," the new Fire Lord held his arms out as he addressed the crowd. "My comrades, my countrymen, I undertake this rank, station and burden with the firmest resolve, and the greatest respect of my forebears. In my reign, I will lead our troops to crush the last pockets of resistance within the Earth Kingdom's traditional boundaries, still resisting to this day after one hundred and twenty-five years of warfare. Then, and only then, will we have a united world. Then, we shall claim final victory and the vision of my father, and my father's father, and my grandfather's father will finally be realized, twelve and a half decades later!"
In a deafening roar, the crowd of uniformed men, women and children in the yard before the stage erupted in cheers. Ratana smiled herself as she clapped in the corner, not leaping or thrusting her arms about so as not to stretch her royal robe out too much. As the cheering continued, the now-Fire Lord Lu Ten trotted over to Ratana and bent down slightly to kiss her outstretched hand.
"That was brilliant, oh Fire Lord," Ratana felt her lips move, as though the words were being spoken for her and not spoken by her. Even now, in this setting, they felt hideously unnatural emerging from her mouth.
"Why thank you," Lu Ten curled his own lips into a charming, but sinister grin. "Fire Lady Ratana."
"Ahhhh!" Ratana promptly sat up in her bunk and stretched her eyes open in an instant. She traced her hands over her face and the silky green night garments that she wore to bed in the underground Terra Team compound beneath the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se.
Promptly, she rose to her feet and rushed down her hall toward the washroom at the opposite end of it. She struck a match and lit the oil lamp, splashed some water over her face and peered into the mirror above the sink. Sure enough, she saw her reflection with all-black hair, her face smooth and her nice, dark green night clothes. She let out a deep sigh of relief at the sight, but she still shuddered under her breath.
"Ratana?" came a concerned, but sleepy voice behind her. "Is everything okay?"
"Tooru!" Ratana jumped at the sight of her earthbending partner before subsequently throwing her arms out him.
"What's going on?" he asked, startled, as Ratana sobbed onto his shoulder, dampening his night garments which were identical to her own. His hair was messy, as it always was when he was not wearing his conical hat, but moreso when he had just been sleeping moments before.
"I had a horrible, horrible dream."
"Really?" Tooru was not used to finding his partner so fragile, still leaning into his arms. "I've never known you to have nightmares. It's not like you."
"I-I know," Ratana stuttered. "Sorry for waking you, by the way."
"I'm surprised that nobody else is awake with how loud you screamed just now," Tooru rubbed her back with his strong, earthbending hand. "What was your dream about? It wasn't about firebenders, was it? Because you've never had a problem facing them in reality, let alone a dream."
"No, it wasn't that," Ratana slowly but surely recovered the air in her lungs. "W-we had already lost the Siege of Ba Sing Se, and then....I can't even repeat it. Oh, Tooru, it was so awful!"
"Relax, Ratana," said Tooru. "It's okay. We're not going to lose Ba Sing Se to the Fire Nation. It's us. Here, would you like me to walk you back to the room."
Still shaking, Ratana nodded and let Tooru loop one arm around her shoulders and escort her back to her bunk. As she sat down, Tooru climbed onto the top bunk above hers. She heard him lie back down again, but she did not feel compelled to do the same just yet, and sat on her bunk with her feet resting and her arms wrapped around her knee-caps.
"I'm going to go see General Sung tomorrow morning," said Ratana. "And I'll ask him to reassign me away from guarding the prince."
"Do you really think he'll allow for that?" Ratana's tired-sounding partner asked from above.
"He won't be happy about it," said Ratana. "But I'll make my case before him, even if he'll get angry or threaten to demote me again. The prisoner is an enemy, and we've probably made him too comfortable so far. It's too distracting, guarding Lu Ten, and I need to be back in the field again." Yes, distracting, that was what it was, Ratana told herself.
"Okay," Tooru whispered sleepily from his top bunk. "Do what you think you have to do, but it's getting late now. Try to get some sleep and not have any more dreams like that one you just did. You'll be thinking clearer in the morning."
"It's these distractions that are causing these dreams," Ratana continued. "Yes, that's it. It has to be. There can't be any other plausible reason for it, can there? I can't actually be developing...those kind of feelings for a mortal enemy, and a Fire Nation Prince for that matter. I mean-"
The sound of snoring from Tooru's bunk above Ratana's head indicated that her audience of one was no longer with her, and Ratana closed her mouth at once. Under ordinary circumstances, she would be offended by someone falling asleep as she was having a conversation with them, but for now, she was actually relieved. Chills spread all over her body from top to bottom, and that was enough discomfort for now without having to bear the embarrassment of what she was felt now. Her body, mind, spirit, heart and passion seemed like they were engaged in a five-way battle for domination right now, and Ratana squirmed in her bunk, feeling a pain in her stomach as though she might vomit. She recalled feeling this timid air and conflicted tension with her to some extent the night before she left Lu Ten back in Gangkouz, when she had still thought him to be called "Lu Tong". Tonight, though, the feeling was much more intense and shook her far worse.
- The dream sequence was inspired by the episode Zuko Alone. It's an old favorite of mine, and I've been paying homage to it a lot lately.
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Created on 09-07-2014 at 14:50 PM
It all feels a little incongruous at the moment, because at the same time as Germany's headline-grabbing demolition of the hosts at the World Cup in faraway Brazil, all 18 Bundesliga clubs are already deep into preparations for the new domestic campaign. And on Wednesday pre-season officially began at FC Bayern.
The Säbener Strasse media centre was full to capacity for the unveiling of new signings Robert Lewandowski and Sebastian Rode, so it was basically business as usual at Germany's biggest club, where everyone is familiar with the problem of a majority of the squad resuming training late due to commitments at major tournaments.
"There's no reason to be concerned," stated Matthias Sammer. There are a little over six weeks to go until the first league fixture against Wolfsburg, "so there's every reason to do a good job every day from now on. And there's no reason to say to ourselves: We'll take it easy at the start!"
The board director for sport recalled the seasons after the last two World Cups when FCB struggled and ended up fourth (2006/07) and third (2010/11) respectively. "We can't afford a repeat. We don't want to be off the pace at the start, we want to set the pace again," Sammer declared.
At the midday press conference Sammer also took questions about certain players. fcbayern.de listened in to the key statements:
What's the situation with Franck Ribéry?
"His back is looking much better. He had a personal fitness trainer and physio on holiday with him and he'll resume training here on 15 July. He might be fit enough for the full programme straightaway."
When will Thiago be fit?
"His operation went extremely well, but it'll still be a while before he's match fit. From our point of view he has all the time in the world because we need the ligament to heal completely. He's working hard at the moment on stamina and power. We need him fit."
Why has the club brought in Juan Bernat?
"He's a very interesting young player who made a terrific breakthrough last season with Valencia. He's very, very skilful, versatile, quick, aggressive and agile, and he knows where the goal is. But he has his feet on the ground, so is a great fit to this football club."


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by Donnie DinklageI read my heaviest and most powerful poem to date for the first time at a writer's group last week. I'd been saving it up for six months. My hands were shaking. My voice was weak. But I got it out. It's entitled Masterstroke. It's about the feeling of no feelings, and the memory of no memories.
While I was reading it, I could hear verbal abuse from outside the library. They voiced awful lies and racial hatred. Because I'm the kinda guy to let things fly by (even unprovoked hate crimes), I almost felt guilty for not doing anything. It was a torrent of public embarrassment. Still, I read on, because names will never hurt me.
Upon leaving, there was a police car on the door. Since when was the last time you saw a police car at a library? I mean come on.
I got the biggest compliment of my life though, when one member of the group said to another, after I finished, "You don't write poems like that without making enemies."
Despite the sickly feeling in my stomach over the reality of gang-stalking, I fist-pumped my arm on the way home.


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Day 133, el Sabado 24 de Noviembre 10:22
Isla Tortuga!
I can proudly say that I have been in of the paradise places our lovely earth has, Isla Tortuga. There aren´t turtles on this island though, its name comes from its shape, it looks like a turtle.
The trip to paradise started on Thursday, a normal school day. I made math exam and then take a bus to Esparza. I met up with Henry, who is leaving back to New-Zealand in 2 weeks.. So we need to chill a lot these days. We went to Puntarenas, and just chilled at the beach drinking smoothies and stuff. I went to my IEC's house back in Esparza for dinner and to sleep. I'm very happy with my new IEC; she's really nice and cool.
The next morning we went back to the park to meet with the others, we went with one of those over popular mini-busses, honestly Costa Ricans are addicted to those. We drove to the harbor of Puntarenas and got on our boat. We had to wait 45 minutes for some other people to arrive, a group of middle aged beer and Smirnoff drinking Costa Rican women. The boat trip itself was beautiful as well, we saw dolphins within 5 minutes and they were jumping on front of our boat, we were pretty lucky! We came past all of these beautiful islands with abandoned beaches; I will buy one of these islands one day, maybe when we're old. The boat was supplied with some nice party music including Gan nmam style and Party Rock that made the trip even cooler. We stopped after 1 hour to do some snorkeling; there were beautiful fish in all colors and sizes, too bad that I got stung by a jellyfish after 15 minutes…
Then we arrived at the island, a small beach with a lot of palms, white sand, blue clear water and some cabins. We got some tables under some trees with a mini kitchen included. The staff made the fruits ready while we explored our little beach. After some photos and a bit of swimming we rested with the fruits, while eating the fruits we got a better fruity idea: Banana boat! Some guy took is with the banana boat, and to be honest: he is the worst banana boat driver ever. Because he was so bad we decided to make the fun ourselves and started jumping of the banana boat, doing Gan Nmam style on the banana boat and wrestling on the banana boat, the banana boat guy didn't like that though, but: Pura Vida!
After the banana boat it was lunch time, we had some delicious fish with a salad. There were marshmallows with 'leche condensada'; they eat so much leche condensada here that it's horrible. It practically is just syrup like milk with a lot of sugar. We heard to there was a snake on the island which you could put around your neck and stuff, we couldn't find it but we did find the souvenir ship which sold nice and way to expensive souvenirs. Also there were a few tropical birds, we just chilled with them a while. We spent the last 2 hours sunning on the beach and swimming a bit. At 3 o'clock it unfortunately already was time to leave the island, but the good part was that we had the beautiful boat ride again.
I took the bus from Puntarenas to Orotina together with Yukari, the Japanese girl who lives her as well. I never really talked with here so this bus ride was a good thing; I asked here a lot of questions about Japan, got to go there some day. The bus ride itself was relativity long and to full. There was an old guy screaming at the bus driver all to time to hurry up and stuff, that was pretty funny.
I did go to Taekwondo in the evening, just because I love it so much. It was a big change though, from lying and the beach to kicking around.
This morning I learned some cooking things, I learned how to make Gallo Pinto and I made a delicious soup for lunch.
Day 134, el Domingo 25 de noviembre 2012 20:31
Relaxing & partying
It was such a chill day yesterday, I loved it. I woke up around 9 ate some breakfast and then just lied and my bed and chilled. After lunch I made the tour for my parents for when they come here, that'll be awesome as well! Then in the afternoon I slept deliciously in the hammock for a few hours, Pura Vida.
I went to Ruth's birthday party in the evening; it actually wasn't really a party but more like a dinner. It was Ruth, Sarah, Lea, Jadeli, Ruth's host parents and me. We ate delicious and just chatted, in Spanish of course, it is so cool that we now speak Spanish between exchange students as well. We went to the park for a bit to pick up some more people. When we returned Ruth's parents put up the piñata I bought and the cake was ready. Piñata are so much fun! Everybody just goes back to their little kid's time, (well actually just the boys but still) we were all crawling over the floor grabbing candy, lovely part of the culture. Then we ate the cake, with of course Coca-Cola, people here are addicted to cola, they'll buy a bottle for every little thing; it is always like: 'coca coca! Yo amo el coca!' We went back to the park after all these birthday thingies, just to chill. We waited there till 12 to sing 'happy birthday' to Ruth. Some idiot threw a ¼ dynamite pretty close to us; crazy homeless guy spends his begged money on fireworks, stupid. They sell fireworks here during the whole year and people really don't know how to handle it.
Today was a bit busier day, I went to Ruth's house in the morning to pick up my bike, but she wasn't there, or still sleeping. This country really misses the phenomenon called a doorbell, the people here just scream somebody's name at the door, but I don't really feel like doing that, just because. A read somebody's blog about an exchange student in The Netherlands, she wrote the next: 'The Dutch always say: 'het is gewoon zo' (it just is that way)' and that is so true, I really live by these words. About living by words, the magical words 'Pura 'Vida' -the slogan of Costa Rica- didn't really get me yet. If I say them it always is a bit forced. But Pura Vida isn't just saying the words, it is a lifestyle. And this is one of the reasons I choose Costa Rica, so I should learn more about and from this life style, to complete my goals.
Anyways, I liked the walking though. I walked through a regular Costa Rican neighborhood, colored houses, some corner stores and chickens walking on the unpaved street. Seeing that, always remembers me of being in a third world country, along with the poor people, the infinite happiness and the way people think of me. A got picked up by my host dad halfway while walking back. We went to the farm of an uncle with 2 other uncles. We fed the cows, picked mangos, lemons, oranges and star fruit and went back, I love getting a bit of this love here during my exchange. I quickly ate back home and I took a bus to Desmonte, to my uncle. I am so happy that I besides having a really nice host family also have really nice relatives. We just eat, laugh, and watch movies over there. These moments there are really important to me, I'm always so happy when I'm there, I'm always happy actually, but when being there I am extra happy. I forgot my camera, but sometimes it is good not to take pictures, if you spend all your time taking pictures then you don't enjoy the moment. Sometimes it is better to just take a memory; memories are way more precious as pictures, just a memory for yourself, a story to be told one day.
Day 135, el Lunes 26 de Noviembre 2012 21:58
The River!
Yes! I finally went to the cool river I wrote about. I started the day being very bored, I feeling kind of down because of that. But then I called Daniela to go to the river, so we went. The river is at 4 esquinas, my old neighborhood. Her we met up, and from there we went to Daniela's house. The river is practically in her backyard, we just had to walk like 400 meters down. I saw a beautiful bird while walking down; to bad I didn't bring my camera.
The river was in one word amazing, in the middle of a forest there was this small river with rocks and trees on both sides softly flowing through the forest. There was a rope hanging from one of the trees, and something which could be called a pebble beach. We first made a fire on this pebble beach to make some food, I loved it to make fire again. After this little pick nick it was time to swim! I climbed up into this tree, grabbed the rope and swung like Tarzan into the river. After a few times we started doing tricks and stuff from this rope, it was awesome. We spotted one nasty and huge spider on one of the rocks, again to bad I didn't bring my camera.
I got my Taekwondo suit in the evening, now I feel like an epic Korean warrior dude, only I black belt is missing, but I'll have it one day.


text: Scrub Your Google Rep —for a Hefty Price Those who can afford it can wipe out embarrassing Internet histories By Mark Russell, Newser Staff Posted Apr 4, 2011 3:22 AM CDT 4 comments Comments Internet reputation companies say they can clean up your online image—for a price. (Shutterstock) (Newser) – Call it the "Google Gap." The true dividing line between the haves and have-nots in the Internet age is between those who can afford to "clean up" their online pasts, and the rest of us who are saddled with embarrassing pictures and inappropriate comments for all eternity. For those who can afford it, online "reputation managers" offer to scrub your Internet footprint —for a hefty price, reveals Gawker. Online image fixers have been around for a while, but they used to be dominated by large corporations. Now, more and more companies like Reputation.com are offering those services to individuals—but it's pricey. Just how pricey, though, neither Gawker nor the New York Times will say. Nor do they describe techniques. "Their methods are kept rather ominously under wraps—like, maybe they've kidnapped a Google engineer's kid to use for leverage," guesses Gawker. My Take on This Story Report a story error Show results without voting | 5% Annoying 10% Hilarious 65% Intriguing 7% Depressing 5% Brilliant 8% Scary


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- Font:
In the early hush of Friday morning, the manager and his young employee had finished another long shift, shuttered their Bronx bodega and headed home. But the young assistant had forgotten to grab a bar of soap that he needed. They went back, and when they unlocked the door, the thing so feared by those who work in neighborhoods contaminated by crime followed them in.
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Before the criminals could finish, an arriving customer saw what was happening through the window and called the police.
In one of those chilling split-second dramas that become tragedy, the manager got out unharmed but his assistant was killed by a police bullet. The authorities said it was the result of an accidental discharge when the young man collided with a police officer in his frightened haste to escape the criminals.
Father was killed by muggers The dead man was identified as Reynaldo Cuevas, 20, a nephew of the store's owner. He had worked in the bodega for six months and was helping to support a 3-year-old daughter in the Dominican Republic. Two years ago, his own father was shot to death in the Dominican Republic trying to ward off muggers wanting to steal his jewelry.
Mr. Cuevas's killing was the third high-profile fatal police shooting in four weeks, although the circumstances on Friday were quite different from the previous two deaths, of a knife-carrying man near Times Square and of a man who killed a former co-worker outside the Empire State Building.
Empire State shooting: Bystanders hit by police rounds
The episode Friday began shortly before 2 a.m. at the Aneurys Deli on Franklin Avenue at East 169th Street in Morrisania. Felix Mora, 43, the store's manager for nine years, and Mr. Cuevas had barely opened the door to fetch the soap when the three men descended on them, one of them holding a gun.
"He pointed the gun at us and was saying, 'Get on the ground!' " Mr. Mora said. "We got on the ground."
The gunman hit Mr. Mora in the head with the butt of the gun. Mistaking the relationship between the workers, he shouted at Mr. Mora, "If you move, we're going to kill your son."
The gunman began rooting through Mr. Mora's pockets, while the two other men went behind the counter to fill the backpack with lottery tickets and the money Mr. Mora kept in a cigar box.
Officers arrive Within minutes of the customer's 911 call, the authorities said, two officers from the local precinct house and two housing officers converged on the scene.
One of the housing officers peeked through the bodega's window to assess the situation.
The gunman saw him, Mr. Mora said, and leapt behind the counter with his accomplices and shouted, "Policía, policía, policía!"
Two of the robbers retreated to the rear of the store.
Mr. Mora said that sensing an opportunity, he ran out the front door with his hands up and confirmed that a robbery was in progress. A moment later, he said, Mr. Cuevas sprinted past him on the sidewalk.
"He came out scared," Mr. Mora said. "Running."
A gunshot sounded. Mr. Mora looked and saw Mr. Cuevas crumpled on the ground, his right hand pressed against a bleeding wound. A policeman dragged Mr. Cuevas away by the arm. Mr. Mora met Mr. Cuevas's eyes.
"He said, 'Ah!' He put his hand to his chest, and he just looked at me," Mr. Mora said.
Raymond W. Kelly, the police commissioner, said an officer with his gun drawn was waiting outside the door when the two workers came out. He said Mr. Cuevas "ran full speed into the officer; the two became entangled, at which point we believe the officer accidentally discharged his weapon."
The bullet struck Mr. Cuevas in the back of his left shoulder. He was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, where he was pronounced dead. The single bullet had traced a harsh trajectory: it managed to damage the left lung, heart and major blood vessels, the medical examiner's office said.
Suspects arrested The arrests of the three suspects took an additional four hours.
The authorities said that Christopher Dorsey, 17, trailed the two employees out of the store and surrendered. The other men — Orlando Ramos, 32, who the police said was the gunman, and Ernesto Delgado, 28 — remained holed up inside.
About 5:30 in the morning, Mr. Delgado emerged and claimed he had been held hostage, but the police did not believe him and arrested him.
According to the authorities, officers from the emergency services unit then went into the store and found Mr. Ramos tied to a pole with yellow rope, also pretending to be a hostage.
Mr. Kelly would not identify the officer who shot Mr. Cuevas but said that he had been on the force for seven years and had never before fired his gun. The officer was placed on administrative duty, Mr. Kelly said, pending an internal investigation.
"The tragedy here, of course, is that Mr. Cuevas was shot," Mr. Kelly said, "but I see nothing wrong with the procedure."
At a news briefing at Police Headquarters, Mr. Kelly played videos from the bodega's security cameras. They showed the workers being held inside at gunpoint, their flight from the store and the collision between Mr. Cuevas and the officer.
Later in the afternoon, Mr. Kelly met with Ana Cuevas, Mr. Cuevas's mother, to express his condolences.
The police charged the three suspects with robbery and with second-degree murder, because the crime led to a death. All three have criminal records, and the police said that Mr. Ramos had a prior robbery arrest.
In a related event, a police officer responding alone to the robbery crashed into a car stopped at a red light not far from the store. The authorities said he sustained a broken left femur and a possible fractured nose and underwent surgery; the civilians in the other car had minor injuries.
Once Mr. Ramos, the accused gunman, was unmasked, Mr. Mora said he recognized him as someone who worked for a while at a neighboring bodega. At 2 o'clock Thursday morning, he said, Mr. Ramos came by as Mr. Mora was leaving his deli.
Mr. Mora said Mr. Ramos told him, "I'll get you tomorrow."
Reporting was contributed by Daniel Krieger, Colin Moynihan, Wendy Ruderman and Nate Schweber.
This article, headlined "Just After Closing Time, a Fatal Split Second," first appeared in The New York Times.
Copyright © 2012 The New York Times
This is *EXACTLY* why gun bans don't make any sense. These men would have likely been better off defending themselves with their own weapons rather than waiting on the cops to "rescue" them.


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Featured Post
1000 Playwright Interviews The first interview I posted was on June 3, 2009. It was Jimmy Comtois. I decided I would start interview...
Apr 22, 2011
I Interview Playwrights Part 342: Rachel Jendrzejewski
photo credit: Rafal Nowak
Rachel Jendrzejewski
Hometown: Vincennes, Indiana
Current Town: Providence, Rhode Island
Q: Tell me about Theater Masters National MFA Playwrights Festival.
A: Theater Masters is a splendid non-profit organization based in Aspen that (among other things) supports emerging playwrights, especially in the transition from grad school into Next, through this annual festival. It's pretty extraordinary. In January, they flew us out to Aspen to see workshop productions of our short plays and meet all kinds of wonderful generous people; and then we went home and made revisions to our plays, if we wanted; and soon we'll reconvene in NYC for full productions of those pieces, plus meetings with folks in the field, gallivanting, festivity, etc. The whole experience has been quite a gift.
Q: What else are you working on?
A: Most immediately, I'm helping Erik Ehn throw some lunches and dinners centered on art and peace-building, aka the sixth annual Arts in the One World anti-conference (open to all: http://brown.edu/Departments/Theatre_Speech_Dance/grad/aow2011.html)! I'm also revising my most recent full-length play, MERONYMY, for a reading at Playwrights' Horizons in May, directed by the wonderful Kristin Marting. It's a highly visual piece, developed in collaboration with installation artists Megan & Murray McMillan and composer Peter Bussigel -- hence I'm trying to figure out how it might properly function as a 'reading' at all -- but I think it can! And I'm preparing to finish my MFA. Binding documents, ordering regalia, packing up to move.
Q: Tell me about your time in Poland.
A: oh I never know how to answer this question... it was wild and wonderful. I'd always been curious about Poland, both personally (family history) and artistically (Grotowski et al); and then a string of star alignments brought me to Wroclaw from 2008-2009, assisting the illustrious Joanna Klass on worldwide events for The Grotowski Year 2009. I worked long hours at the Grotowski Institute editing English texts, writing grant proposals, coordinating logistics for guests, producing all kinds of events; but I also collaborated on some independent performance projects at Galeria Entropia and Art Cafe Kalambur, as well as took part in some phenomenal workshops. And made some lifelong friends. And wandered. Saw buckets upon buckets of stunning art and performance. Dug into the country's history. Studied the language. People-watched. Had a glorious reunion with long-lost relatives. Did voiceover work and sold valentines to make ends meet. Danced like crazy. Bopped over to neighboring countries. Got lost on trains. Wrote, wrote, wrote.
Q: Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as a writer or as a person.
A: When I was little, I was super shy in public but made all kinds of plays, movies, and radio shows at home with my sister, Ingrid. She's six years older than me, so obviously she was always in charge. When I was 6 and she was 12, she decided we should make our own filmed version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, casting herself as Scrooge and me as everybody else. When it came time to shoot the scene from Scrooge's past in which Belle breaks their engagement, I was so moved by the situation that I started to cry and couldn't stop. I was in kindergarten, but I remember feeling so desperately sorry for both characters that I couldn't do the scene. My mom had to intervene and we almost didn't finish the project - but eventually Ingrid made me laugh so we pushed through. Later in the film, there's a classic shot of me running through our living room with a scarf tied over my eyes, as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, gleefully yelling "woobawoobawoobawoobawooba!" and slamming straight into a chair. So I guess this story reveals that I've forever been very empathetic and very clumsy.
Q: Who are or were your theatrical heroes?
A: Too many to list! but a smattering of highlights (who may or may not identify as theatrical): Maria Abramovic, Robert Ashley, Pina Bausch, Beckett, Brook, John Cage, Laurie Carlos, Anne Carson, Caryl Churchill, Cornerstone Theater Co, E. E. Cummings, Dah, Lisa D'Amour, Derevo, Elevator Repair Service, Erik Ehn, Thalia Field, Grotowski, Uta Hagen, Coleman Hough, Ruth Margraff, Ariane Mnouchkine, Cindy Sherman, Gertrude Stein, Robert Wilson, Teatr Zar, Zeami, Guy Zimmerman... plus of course my family!
Q: What kind of theater excites you?
A: Theater that promotes divergent thinking and compassion through an ongoing becoming of itself -- work that's ever-pushing to get at something ineffable. Intimate immensity. Process as performance and vice versa; theater as gathering and evolution. Work that is startling and weird and hysterically funny. Work that reflects the diversity and surreality of our world.
Q: What advice do you have for playwrights just starting out?
A: Take time to figure out how you like to write and pursue that, without worrying over any seeming Shoulds! Find your people and make things happen, at whatever pace works for you. Be gracious to yourself. Invest in friendships outside of the theatre/arts world. Take walks and explore. Avoid debt. Exercise. Sleep.
Q: Plugs, please:
A: If you can get to Providence this weekend, come enjoy free food and good conversation at Arts in the One World! full schedule and info at http://brown.edu/Departments/Theatre_Speech_Dance/grad/aow2011.html. Otherwise, forthcoming in NYC: BACTERIA at the Theater Masters National MFA Playwrights Festival, dir. Adam Immerwahr, May 3-7, Wild Project (http://www.theatermasters.org) + a reading of MERONYMY, presented by Brown University at Playwrights' Horizons, dir. Kristin Marting, May 13, 3pm.
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I am enchanted using this tremendous opportunity to converse with you in
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Inspection of Bank records. I discovered a floating and dormant account with
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customer Engr. Martin Jones from the United States (now deceased) Engr.
Martin Jones Died in a plane crash with his wife and two daughters.
Since his original next of kin, being his immediate family, died alongside
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presented as the next of kin to Engr. Martin Jones to enable my bank
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I intend to resign my position as a banker and relocate to your Country in
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join you for the investment purpose
Kindly reply with the information below.
Full Name: __________________
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You can kindly give me a call on this number Country code is
+60-162581557.It will be a great pleasure to have you call me so that I can
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I am looking forward to hear from you as soon as possible.
Best Regards
Mr.Richard Azan
-----Original Message-----
From: Mr.Richard Azan [mailto:email@example.com]
Sent: 13 January 2012 14:23
Subject: Greetings From Mr. Richard Azan in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
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text:
Thursday Thirteen
Sorry everyone - I'm going to have to make this a Friday Fourteen because I'm busy prepping for a garage sale on Saturday. I heard there are going to be over 100 other garage sales going on that day in this area so I want to be ready for the crowds. Hopefully I'll make lots of dough, but more importantly I hope to make more room.
Stay tuned - it might end up being a Saturday Sixteen or even a Sunday Seventeen.


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This car's fully loaded
I've done a lot of automotive work during my career.
Ford, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Renault and Nissan.
And it get's harder and harder to come up with new and interesting ways to get people to buy a car.
Maybe I should just follow the example of Max Motors and throw in a nice hand gun* with purchase.
So much more tempting than a free set of car mats. Don't you think?
*Offer expires June 1st.


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2 Bdrm condos $ 235,000 STACATH 04
Santa Catarina Palopo, best area of appreciation around lake Atitlan. A turn key real estate property with great amenities. The Villas has been designed to sit perfectly in the natural beauty of the park surrounding them and the landscape of Lake Atitlan. Designed to take advantage of the ever changing sceneries that offer sunset and volcanos views...
Each villas has two main bedrooms, with private bathroom and walk-in closet, kitchen, living room and dining area all in facing volcanos and sunset views. Parking space for two cars.
Part of the shared areas is a large terrace, swimming pool, jacuzzi.
All this guarded 24/24
Offered at $ 235,000
Property ID # STACATH 04
Price may change at any moments.
Photos of this property show only certaines parts of it and rooms of the house at the time when the photographs were taken. Certain parts of the house may have changed and it can't be assumed that the photographs are the actual representation of the house. No assumptions should be made in respect of parts of the property or the house which are not showed.


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Sunday, March 9, 2008
Illegal downloading, etc.
I am not here to condemn all internet downloads. It is ridiculous to ask teenagers, and many adults alike, to pay twenty dollars for the remastered Thriller album, when they can easily access it at an online site for free. Why would a broke college student want to pay $8 to see Juno in the theater when they can find it online and watch it without even having to download harmful software?
iTunes had the right idea, allowing consumers to purchase just a few songs off of a CD at a reasonable price in a guilt-free manner. However, if a Milli Vanilli album is only $5 at a retail store and a Justin Timberlake CD is $15, why should each song be worth the same 99 cents? (This point doesn't have much to do with the grand idea, but its still interesting)
Anyway, piracy only causes the industry to lose more money, which causes the prices to go up, leading to a vicious cycle of loss for industries. According to the law of demand, however, if the demand for movie tickets decreases, the price and quantity of movie tickets will also decrease. Does this mean there will be less movie showings available, but they will cost less?
Does anyone have any ideas as to how this cycle can be diminished or any predicted effects of continued internet piracy?
7 comments:
- savannahc said...
i've been waiting all evening for your post missy. and strange that you wrote about this, because i almost did too!
Although illegal downloading does, obviously, take money away from the industry and the artist, in certain cases it can serve to help them. There are many times when a person downloads music that they wouldn't buy or steals some from a friends ipod that they would normally never listen to. Then these people become fans and pay to go to the concerts of this artist, which is where the artist themselves tend to make the most money (because they don't get very much of the cd profits).
- March 9, 2008 at 8:07 PM
- JoelleBender said...
Your point about the laws of demand is really interesting, thought provoking almost. :)
I know that if movie tickets were cheaper I would definitely go and see more movies, and I think a lot of teens with little money to throw into things like movies would think the same way. I know that one rule can't work for everything, but is there some way to determine what it will and won't for sure work for?
And to play devil's advocate....maybe the law of demand is true because if tickets are cheaper (assuming the amount of people who actually see the movie in theaters as opposed to illegally online stays the same)then the entertainment industry won't be getting as much money. This means that they won't have as much to put into making movies, resulting in lower quality movies (like that wonderful Australian one with the blow-up doll for a dead body) which will then deter people from wanting to see new movies, thus the decrease in quantity. There you go, that's obviously how simple it is.
- March 9, 2008 at 9:19 PM
- Tanvirkamal said...
I agree more with savannah on the subject, the artists are the talented ones, they should be making a little more money. I do buy some cd from retail outlets once in a while, but its nothing like the service iTunes offers which is absolutely wonderful.
From my eyes I see it that if the downloading stops and uploading stops, won't the industry just jack up prices to rape the consumer of as much money as they can? I mean thats what is happening with gas correct? if there is no other alternative, the result is a vertical line, good luck trying to get the record companies out of that one.
- March 9, 2008 at 11:13 PM
- Abby W said...
The extra say 35 cents that you are paying for the crappy song is probably worth the convenience of buying the song at home, without postage or other costs. Plus, you don't have to hunt through the cd selection at multiple stores and/or waste gas money trying to find it. It also may be tricky trying to assign individual values for each song. consistent prices are comforting and save someone's time.
- March 13, 2008 at 11:16 AM
- melody. said...
the problem is, tony, that jacking up the price on music will only go so far. Americans are so dependent on gas, that we pretty much take whatever gas price is handed to us. Music, on the other hand, doesn't have such an inelastic demand. If worse comes to worse, everyone can deal with their old 80's tapes.
- March 16, 2008 at 11:49 PM
- magila said...
I have no idea how to fix this cycle. I think until the government finds some way to control all forms of illegal downloading, people are going to do it.
I actually think CD prices have kind of gone down or stayed the same in the past ten years or so due in part to illegal downloading. When I first started buying CD's, I remember they cost me about 12 dollars, and I could probably buy most for the price today. The music industry knows people have easy access to free music, so if they jack up the prices, people will be more likely to go the illegal route.
- March 17, 2008 at 5:20 AM
- KM said...
okay...okay...I have to. You know I do. It's killing me.
It's not costing them a penny. It's DWL. No money flew out of their pockets for downloaded songs. It's lost revenue - lost producer surplus. Deadweight loss.
Whew. I feel so much better now.
- May 4, 2008 at 7:32 PM


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Cheongju International Craft Biennale:
Unity & Diversity
A Juried National Exhibition of
Works by Canada's Craft Community
Canadian Pavilion
The Canadian Crafts Federation/Fédération canadienne des métiers d'art is proud to announce that Canada has been named the official guest country of the 2009 Cheongju International Craft Biennale in Cheongju, South Korea.
Celebrating its 6th anniversary in 2009, the Cheongju International Craft Biennale is the largest and most outstanding fine craft-based biennale in the world. Over 1000 artists from more than 40 countries participate each year, with over half a million visitors in attendance during the month-long event. With a focus on high-quality functional and sculptural craft, the Biennale attracts attention from collectors, curators, academics, craftspeople and, of course, the public. It is a terrific opportunity to showcase the talent of Canadian craftspeople to the world.
Each piece included in the Unity & Diversity exhibition will be entered into a second review, and may be selected to exhibit as part of a second project - an exhibition of Canadian and Korean work to be shown in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics.
National Call: Unity and Diversity
Intentionally broad in scope, the exhibition theme "Unity and Diversity" seeks responses from craftspeople on how they see their work in the context of the Canadian craft scene. Does Canadian craft have a unified identity, or do our vast physical and cultural geographies make the question of identity much more complicated and diverse?
Exhibition Structure
The CCF/FCMA has partnered with provincial and territorial craft councils to form six regions. Each region will feature local expertise in the jurying proccess. Entries will be directed to the specified region depending on the artist's place of residence.
Conditions of Entry
Please note that we will be using an on-line application process for Unity & Diversity which will be accessible two months prior to the call deadline.
The following information outlines the rules of entry and provides guidelines about the future application process:
- A maximum of 2 entries per person or collaborative partnership.
- The competition is open to all Canadian craft professionals.
- Works in all craft media is encouraged.
- Each entry must be of original design. The jurors will assess works based on excellence of design, technique, originality, and craftsmanship.
- All works must be available for the duration of both the Cheongju International Craft Biennale National Exhibition and the 2010 Canada/Korean Exhibition (Vancouver)—up to a maximum of 2 years. Please clearly indicate if works are intended for sale.
- Each entry must have been executed within the 2 years preceding the date of submission.
- Set of multiples (such as a sculptural group or tea service) will be considered as one object.
- Copyright: submission of entry grants the CCF, and partners, with the permission to use accepted works for all promotional purposes.
- Late or incomplete entries will not be accepted.
Entry Fees
A maximum of two entries per person is allowed. Each entry can include two objects.
Fees are non-refundable.
$50 / per entry - Applies to applicants who hold an active membership with a provincial craft council.
$85 / per entry - Applies to applicants without an active membership with a provincial craft council.
2010 Canada/Korea Exhibition (Vancouver)
A portion of the National Exhibition will be chosen to return to Vancouver following the Biennale as part of a Canada/Korea cultural exchange. This work will be exhibited at the Vancouver Museum January-April 2010 and will be displayed throughout the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. This Canada/Korea Exhibition may then travel to other Canadian venues, to be determined.
Visit the website for complete details: canadiancraftsfederation.ca
Download the Call for Entry.


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Hurricanes' 2012-13 Regular-Season Schedule Releasedby Ken Preston / Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes will play just two home games in October before beginning the season's second month against the New York Islanders at PNC Arena on Friday, Nov. 2. Seven of the team's 15 games in November will be played at home, including a Southeast Division match up against Tampa Bay on Wednesday, Nov. 21, the day before Thanksgiving.
On Sunday, Dec. 2, the Hurricanes will welcome the 2012 Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils to PNC Arena. Carolina's seven home games in December include Saturday night meetings against Anaheim (12/22) and Florida (12/29), as well as a Wednesday, Dec. 26 showdown with the Detroit Red Wings following the NHL's two-day holiday break. The Hurricanes wrap up 2012 with the return of their New Year's Eve game, this year against the Montreal Canadiens.
Following the All-Star break in late January, the Hurricanes will play 20 of their final 33 games at PNC Arena, including a seven-game home stand from Feb. 15 to March 2. The seven-game home stand matches the second-longest home stand in franchise history (franchise record is nine games: 10/30/02-11/19/02). Carolina will play six games in April, with the regular-season finale coming on Friday, April 12 at PNC Arena against Montreal.
In all, the Hurricanes will play 13 sets of back-to-back games during the 2012-13 season, 12 of which involve travel. Of Carolina's 41 games at PNC Arena, 21 fall on Fridays (7), Saturdays (8) and Sundays (6).
Click here to download the schedule in PDF list form. Click here to download the schedule in PDF calendar form.


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Unboxing: Bandua Wargames' Far West Shop #1
July 1, 2015 by Justin
We have more from Bandua Wargames western range, this time around its the Far West Shop #1. A place for your minis to pick a new six shooter or spurs for their boots.
As with the Sheriff Office this kit is available prepainted and untouched. Not only that there are two signs included so you can have the building as either a gun or boot shop. The kit also has horse troughs for extra detail.
Boot or Gun shop, which shop would you use?
Supported by
Supported by


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Launch of a military Atlas rocket.
From late September to mid October in 1961, there continued a number of tests from the Atlantic Missile Range at Cape Canaveral as the US Air Force worked to improve our strategic missiles. What an exciting time it must have been for the citizens living along the Florida Coast as launch after launch lifted off from the beaches out over the Atlantic Ocean. Besides the notable large rocket launches, there were also small sounding rockets and scientific payloads being tested.
On October 5, 1961 the USAF fired an Atlas ICBM with a dummy warhead over the Atlantic. Flying over 9,000 miles from its launch pad, a data capsule also loaded on top of the rocket safely landed in the waters and was recovered. Although this was a military launch, every use of an Atlas rocket was carefully analyzed for the impact it might have on the upcoming launch of an astronaut into orbit. Remember, the Atlas did not have too stellar a reputation among the Mercury 7 astronauts who had seen a number of these rockets explode.
On October 6, 1961, the USAF launched a Titan I rocket with the mission to test the Titan II guidance system.
Titan 1a.
This early testing of the Titan ICBM was primarily for development of our strategic rocket forces, but once again, the data gained by these tests would have their impact on the manned space program later in the Gemini Program.
Argo D4. Sounds like a Star Wars Droid to me.
Launches didn't only blast off from Cape Canaveral. From NASA's Wallops island facility, sounding rockets like the Argo lifted scientific experiments to learn the effect that electricity plays in the upper atmosphere.
On October 13th, The USAF launched another in its series of Discoverer secret missions. Discoverer 32 lifted off carrying the Agena stage (used as a satellite or stage to carry experiments). Its mission was to improve the space maneuvering capabilities of the Agena craft, test new materials for radiation shielding, and perform some surveillance experiments.
Agena stage.
Discoverer 32 lifted off from Vandenberg AF Base in California. After placing the Agena craft in space, controllers went through their tests and experiments without mishap. On this trip, the Thor rocket made its 100th successful launch!
Thor-Agena rocket at Vandenberg AF Base.
After one day of orbiting, the Agena spacecraft ejected a 300-pound capsule which re-entered the atmosphere, and was recovered off the coast of Hawaii. As it parachuted to the ground, a specially-prepared cargo plane snatched it in mid-air for a secret trip back to base.
Once safely back at the USAF base, the data from the launch stored in the capsule was carefully examined. Only one thing went wrong on this flight. When the technicians examined the large roll of film used to picture our enemies' secret locations, they discovered that 96% of the pictures had been taken out of focus. And you thought YOU've taken bad pictures before...


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Several area physicians are scheduled to speak at a program designed to help families of asthma patients understand the disorder and its treatment.
The Family Asthma Education program will be held 7 to 9 p.m. on Mondays, April 28 through May 19 at South Seminole Community Hospital, 555 State Road 434, Longwood.
The program will allow parents of children with asthma to attend sessions while children participate in activities such as breath control exercises.
To register call 898-3401.


text: Adam Greenman Afterschool Alliance Encourages Students to Sign up for Summer Programs By Elisabeth Harrison • Jun 25, 2013 The Rhode Island Afterschool Alliance is urging parents to sign their children up for summer programs so they will have some organized activity to do over the summer months. Studies show that students who do not engage in organized activities are more likely to lose knowledge gained during the school year. Rhode Island Afterschool Alliance Director Adam Greenman said there are more than 100 summer camps and other programs available across the state.


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For those who have grown up in a country like Canada, it's difficult to imagine what things must be like in Mumbai at the moment. For the families of the victims, there is anguish and anger - at the loss of their loved ones, at the perpetrators, and at the politics of terrorism which punishes the innocent. Unlike 9/11 in the US, terrorism in India is an ongoing phenomenon, yet because the terrorists struck Mumbai - where western influence is in evidence everywhere - this is big news. Mainstream media are doing their usual comprehensive coverage, with step-by-step explanations of the timeline of events, human interest first-hand accounts, and the local connection (any Canadians who were victims).
As we ponder the tragedy of death under these circumstances, there is an unrelated story which is buried under the Mumbai headlines. In Nassau County, NY, a temporary worker was trampled to death at a Wal-Mart, when hundreds of impatient shoppers literally broke down the doors to take advantage of the 5:00 AM start to "Black Friday" sales. There was no malice in this death, no anger. No one intended for anyone to get hurt. People simply wanted bargains.
I've been in life-threatening crowd situations a few times. It is a terrible feeling to realize that a crowd is out of control, frightening to see the potential for disaster and death so close. When a large crowd of people presses forward and those at the front have nowhere to go, either the barrier containing the crowd will collapse, or people will get crushed. I've experienced tightness of breathing from the pressure, and had that flash of memory from news reports of similar incidents when people described how the deaths occurred. If you fall, you're not getting up again. There's no space to manoeuver, and those behind you are being pushed forward, trampling anything underfoot because the crowd is so dense and tight that no one can see their feet or the ground.
However my life ends, please - if it's not a natural death, at least let it not be inconsequential. We hope our lives will have value, that we can make a difference in this world. It would be nice to leave this world in a similar manner. Most of us will die of old age, or perhaps of illness. But we don't tend to imagine dying a senseless, meaningless death. I'm not talking about accidents; I'm referring to the "Darwin Awards" stuff, or the flukes that sometimes end up on the internet "news of the bizarre" sites - like getting a piano dropped on your head. I don't need to be eaten by lions while helping starving children in Africa. But could my death have some purpose?
The Mumbai terrorism victims were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their deaths weren't exactly accidental, but their loved ones might see it that way. At the moment, it may be hard to attach meaning to these deaths. But when, one day, the terrorism ends, the Mumbai incident will have played a part - if only in increasing the desire to end strife and achieve peace. These deaths, then, may one day have purpose, even if they seem not to right now.
The Wal-Mart death has no such meaning. A man is dead, and for what? So that a few people could get a 50" plasma for $800? How much of a saving is that? How many people saved money on xmas gifts? I wonder if the people who saved money at Wal-Mart today will stop to think about the part they played in this incident.
Not that the Wal-Mart shoppers should take the blame alone. In learning all about "Black Friday", I am amazed at the stories of people pushing, elbowing, and grabbing merchandise out of the hands of others. What have we become? We may think we are motivated by the need to save money, especially in these hard times, but that is just an excuse - and a cop out. In capitalist society, our number one motive is greed. Would you rather be nice to a fellow citizen, or save a couple of bucks?
In the Wal-Mart death, there is potential for meaning. Just as the deaths of 11 people at The Who concert in Cincinnati led to the demise of "general admission" seating ("festival seating" in US dialects), so perhaps this death will result in significant changes to "Black Friday" sales. (Canadian Boxing-Day sales are similar, but the savings are not as good, so the sales don't create the same frenzy. It's a kinder, gentler madness. But the concept and the greed are still there.)
We live in the age of the internet; don't tell me a substantial portion of this can't be done online. I don't even care what the solutions are, but when we are reaching the point of fist-fights - and deaths - over sales merchandise, it's time to put a stop to it. Let's not let one more person die because of our greed for a bargain. If we can prevent that, this year's Wal-Mart death will not have been completely meaningless.
2 days ago


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Miley Cyrus celebrated her 19th birthday recently with a cake--supposedly a Bob Marley cake. When she saw it, the singer/actress said, "You know you're a stoner when your friends make you a Bob Marley cake. You know you smoke way too much [expletive] weed."
And therein lies the latest video-spawned drug-related controversy about Cyrus, who last year appeared on grainy video smoking what she later said was salvia. She has since admitted the incident was a mistake, but the latest video has people wondering if the birthday quips suggest where there's smoke, there's marijuana.
If Cyrus is going down the pot path (and we have no indication she is, for the record), she may want to be aware of some recent studies on the health effects of marijuana.
Cyrus may be part of a trend, one reported on in 2010 by Monitoring the Future, an annual national survey looking at attitudes, behavior and values of teens. The group reported that marijuana use is up among adolescents after declining in the previous decade.


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This weeks challenge is finding a visual interpretation for the word, "EXOTIC".
So what is exotic anyway? In searching through a plethora of archives on my hard drive, looking for and not finding the illustration I originally wanted, I found this drawing instead.
Since people always ask if you could go back in time, what time would I pick, I have always first thought of dinosaurs. This is a drawing I did back in the days when I worked at a company whose primary product was rubber stamping and yes, they had a line of dinosaur stamps. When I drew this they were going through some difficult times and I don't believe this was ever made into a stamp, however I did like the feeling the drawing emitted, which is the moment of birth of a baby dinosaur.
Dinosaurs were exotic creatures, never photographed and so never really understood by the visual eye. The colors and textures are lost to modern man because there are no records of their true coloration's. So in my world of wanting to know the most exotic thing I could think of, it would be this, my baby dinosaur drawing. The drawing is much older than the copyright states because when I was looking for something "exotic", this was the date on the image in my archive - it really was drawn back in the late 1990's. So be it.
Imagination is a wonderful thing, as is drawing. My challenge to myself this year is to always do more than last year. Hopefully I will continue to bring the wealth of drawings I have in my archives each week and broaden my base of followers to "The Art of JP" blog site. I feel I have a lot of good things to share this year and this illustration (as well as the others I have posted before it) will be just a part of a really good visual trip for all who come visit and read my blog.
As always, thank you for stopping by, reading my blog and spending a bit of time in my world of imaginative creativity.


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As the relationship develops, for active couples to start to take each other for granted it is common.
For most of US, during the period that is dating both individuals are on their best behaviors, and disagreements and arguments are kept at the very least. A lot of individuals believe that after they 'got' the man, they needed, they are not any longer dating. This generally makes both or one of the people who live in the relationship complacent.
Beginning a date
When you begin a date you need to choose a day of the week that is not bad for both parties, where there will likely be few opportunities for missing the date. Sit down and buttocks both programs, and really look at and decide the date that is best for both. It is great to additionally consider the planned beginning and perhaps finish of date night. For many people, a couple hours is good, for others, date night means all night. Sit and determined what is the greatest day and time that both individuals will soon have the ability to openly and actively take part in date. When you choose a day and time for date, it is also great to set the ground rules for date night needs to be up. These rules should contain reasons why and in what conditions what the penalties for breaking the date would be, and a date night might be broken. You may also decide an alternate night for date night when inevitable scenarios may appear when the times come.
It takes keep and two faithful individuals working on the relationship to make the relationship. Select actions that both parties can participate in and love doing. Be creative and be distinct. Do not settle for routine when it is your turn to plan for date. Do not be scared to attempt something new and/or pick something that both parties have been interested in attempting, but haven't done.
In the event you would like to plan for speaking, be sure to maintain the conversation positive and be brooding in your feelings, the good times you had, as well as the amazing times yet to come. Date night isn't the time, nor the place to discuss grievances or to drop on the opposite party. Keep in mind the reason that keep and you want to plan is because you need to carry on to ensure that neither party loses interest in keeping a date and to build on the familiarity that is already created.
Night keeping the date
The main reason to begin and plan is ensuring you keep the date going. You need to try your best to ensure that nothing keeps or stops you from appreciating many nights of date nights during your relationship. Necessarily through time, scenario, and profession, date night cancelled or will probably be missed. Among the most effective methods to maintain a date night would be to create SPP's (Sexual Penalty Points) for the man that breaks a date night betrothal. It is a benign and fun means that both individuals win, when a date night is missed. Sit together and make a listing of postcards with various sexual actions that an individual can decide from when an SPP was evaluated.
One other great method to maintain date night would be to give hints and favorable reminders about what might be anticipated during the next date. Many times contemplation or the tease of what might be anticipated on date is sufficient to intrigue the other party to ensure they do not miss it. Obviously, you need to be ready to fit the anticipation! Giving hints about what you've planned for date night, and leaving reminder words is an effective solution to keep both parties interest in needing to keep the date night living peaked.
Date night is the duty of both individuals in the relationship. These represent your relationship going in the correct path as well as just a couple of things you could do to keep your date night busy.