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Full Summary: (AU setting) Meet Alfred F. Jones, a twenty-six-year-old cokehead socialite that's still living off of Daddy's trust fund. This man knows how to party, can speak seven languages, and is one amazing criminal prosecutor - when he doesn't have a hang-over from that equally amazing party in Bangkok last weekend. He's the kind of guy whose people have people. He's also the kind of guy that needs a reality check via a swift kick to the balls. And there are a few people that would love to give it to him.
And then there's Matthew. Poor, pathetic, pitiable Matthew Williams. Twenty-one, living in a one-room apartment he can barely afford, in the worst end of town nonetheless, and struggling with two and a half jobs to try and make ends meet. He's barely succeeding; hot water is a gift from his landlord four times a week, for half an hour at a time, and he doesn't remember the last time he watched television other than the news or CBC. Needless to say, he's depressed. Very depressed. Hell, the kid doesn't even have the time to fit suicide into his schedule (not to say he hasn't tried, though, cause he has. 82 times, actually).
What he needs, in short, is a miracle. Not some arrogant, coked-up lawyer worming his way into an already stressful life that has already ran smack into a brick wall, going at 120km/h. What Alfred needs, as already stated, is a swift kick to the scrotum to make him see that, "Oh, hey, Yankee! You're not the only one that needs oxygen this side of the South Pole!" And he doesn't realize that the one to give him this reality check will be a young man, living an obscure life well below the poverty line. Alfred is full of himself, Matthew doesn't have a shred of self-esteem to his name these days. Things can only go uphill from here, right? Things will get better, right?
Not a chance; Murphy's Law exists for a reason, after all.
Warnings: Language. Language. Language. Language. And more language. Oh, also drugs, alcoholism, occasional violence, more drugs (including prescription drug abuse), 10,000 different ways to commit suicide, and a little bit of sex. Excessive amounts of nosebleed-inducing fluff every now and again, too. Did I mention there's going to be language?
Hey there, my lovelies! Just a little side-project while I'm working on Civil Unrest; I've had this idea in mind for a month or two now, but I started work on the other one first - my child, kolkolkol - and this plot took the backseat, really. But I haven't been able to get rid of the idea, and well, I think I'll explode if I don't get this down and out for reading anytime soon. Now, this story is not priority. It will be finished, but it might take a while until I get Civil Unrest finished. Updates will be kind of random and sporadic, but it will be finished. And now, on with the show, eh?
In which we meet Matthew, a young man that just really needs a hug.
There were not very many things that he was certain of anymore these days. Nothing was definite anymore, and he did not know which way to turn when seeking a firm reason. Whether that be his reason for living - or, as his only relative liked to say, in that stupidly charming voice of his: his raison d'être - or it be his reason for at least making the life-changing pilgrimage of getting out of the damn bed first thing in the morning.
He didn't know shit these days, that was what it was coming out to be.
Life sucked, and that was the one thing the young man was completely certain of. The only thing he cared to be certain of.
Deep blue eyes, rimmed red with sheer exhaustion, slowly opened and he grumbled, immediately pulling his thick quilt up over his head of messy, curly blonde hair, wanting only to bury himself further into the stiff mattress he slept on (most of the time). It was too damn cold to be functioning at this hour, he surmised darkly. Curling in further upon himself, eyes fluttering shut, he gave a soft snuffing sound through his nose, felt his body begin to relax pleasantly and, right as he found that perfectly comfortable spot on the mattress-
The alarm clock started ringing.
Flinging the blankets down over his head, a prolonged groan escaped thin, worry-bitten lips as he glowered at the clock that was shifting ever-so-slightly on the wooden surface of his bedside table. That ringing was ear-piercing, especially when it was only seven in the morning and he had slept for no more than three hours, if he was lucky.
It should be known that he is not a lucky man.
Matthew Williams, age twenty-one - and going on twenty-two in seven months, nineteen days, four hours, fifty-one minutes and sixteen seconds - did not know the definition of the word luck. It had never been applied to him in his entire life, either. Except for when he got to play the lead in a preschool play, but that's a different kind of luck.
There's luck, there's dumb luck, and then there's survival.
He didn't fit into any of those previously mentioned categories, anyways.
Reaching out, squirming against the heavy blankets that pooled at his thin hips, he slammed his hand down on the ringing clock, silencing it rather effectively. Indigo eyes fluttered shut and he heaved a sigh. Sunday. The proverbial day of rest. And he had, as of nine am in the glorious goddamn morning, fourteen hours of work lying ahead of him. Even the mere thought of it made him want to cry, amputate his feet and see if he could apply for worker's compensation.
"So, Sir, what happened here?" the government official would ask him, absolutely horrified at the bloody stumps in the place of what were once size eight feet.
"Well, you see, Sir, it's like this: I got in a fight with a shopping cart at the grocery store, and well, I lost pretty badly. Do you think you might be able to help me out?" Matthew would inquire in that soft, whispery, barely-there voice of his.
The government official would think about it for a moment or two, frown thoughtfully, then stamp a big fat REJECTED on the sheet before turning him towards the door with a smile, not even bothering to help him hobble all the way to elevator (which would be, conveniently, out of service).
And then he would have to spend the rest of his days living in a gutter and doing heroin with the hobos that could be doctors but simply chose to say, 'Fuck society, I live for anarchy!'
Matthew scowled at his bitter thoughts, bringing himself up slowly into a hunched sitting position, rubbing his face with shaking hands. His room was as cold as hell, colder even. Picking the blanket up off the bed, he wrapped it around his shoulders as he slid from the mattress, various joints in his body making loud, sharp popping noises of protest as joints and cartilage cracked and slid back into their proper place. God, did he ever hate the process of first waking up in the morning: the grogginess that overtook him, the dizziness of going upright for the first time in a few hours - even if he had barely slept in the first place, it always affected him (low blood pressure or something shitty and ridiculous like that) - and then the coldness that he was slowly getting accustomed to.
Oh, and being practically blind until he managed to find his glasses and slip them on, but that was the only thing that was so easy to remedy.
Finding said pair of ocular lenses, he placed them upon the bridge of a delicate nose before pushing them up with the pad of his thumb, running a hand through his hair to get the tangles out of the gentle curls that cascaded downwards to frame around a pale, narrow face. Once it was heart-shaped, his cheeks soft with a slight round shape to them, but now it was gaunt, and he appeared sickly with exhaustion, with illness, shadows around brilliant indigo eyes that screamed he needed to have a mild coma for himself, and to hurry up and just do it to get it over with. Comas were nice. Very nice. Nice, nice, nice. But he wasn't sick, he mentally reasoned with the lamp on his bedside. Just tired; he didn't consider needing Valium for major anxiety problems a sickness. It just made him … want to sleep. For a long time.
Padding silently out of his bedroom and into the living room, he yawned, paused, and tightened the blanket around his body, not wanting it to slip down; it was just too cold yet, and it was far too early in the year to consider turning the heat on - then again, there probably wasn't any oil left in the tank outside, not that he could afford to replace it. So he would make due with the bitter cold of his apartment, because he had his blanket, and as long he had his blanket, he would be just fine. Walking around in a ratty pair of boxers would suck, and would make him feel awkward, even if he was the only person to have ever set foot inside his apartment, beside the occasional repair man, since he had started to rent the place.
A sudden chugging sound, squealing pipes in the background, rang out through the previously dead-silent apartment. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he blinked once, twice, and then made a dash for the kitchen as if hell was nipping at his heels.
He had hot water for the next half an hour, and he needed to take advantage of it while he could - which meant filling up the sink with scalding hot water so he could do the dishes, and then while those dishes were soaking, doing his best to get a full shower before the water either ran out, the pipes clogged or the water itself was turned off on him. Needless to say, he had to move fast if he wanted to get anything done before he went to work for the day … and the evening.
Yawning as he shuffled over to the sink, letting the blanket fall to the floor with a whimper as ice-cold air hit his pale, bare skin, he started quickly piling dishes from the day before and the day before that into the sink, stacking them as neatly as he possibly could. Mind now, there wasn't very much there in terms of what needed to be washed - two plates, three glasses and a mug, two pans and one pot - but still, just because he had become the definition of a welfare case before he was even legal age in America, it didn't mean he was going to allow himself to rot away in a dirty home, not like some of the individuals he knew in what was more or less a slum area in the American state he lived in.
Water coming out of the pipes was, as it started to heat up, dark in colour from the rust in the pipes. A grimace crossed Matthew's young face, but he said nothing - speaking to yourself was ridiculous, anyways - as he let the water pour from the tap, watching it turn clear, watching steam slowly begin to rise from it. He poured a dollop of soap in, plugged the drain and let it fill up, bringing the water all the way up to the brim before shutting it off, suds spilling down over the side of the counter as he did so, nearly slipping on the puddle forming on the floor and landing face-first into the water-filled sink. Catching himself on the edge, he bit back a startled, and what would be decidedly girly, shriek.
Five minutes later, he was in the shower, huddling under a rain if scalding hot water, blessedly hot water, scrubbing furiously at his hair and trying to wash his body all at the same time so he could have a few minutes to just stand there under the water, letting the strained muscles in his body relax and turn to the proverbial sacks of useless goop they usually were when he slept. Sometimes. If he slept in his bed, they probably weren't. When he slept on the sofa or the floor (given the fact that it left him with a fucked neck for a day or two), he usually got a better sleep - and he didn't wake up with a bad back, which was the main thing
Ten minutes left of water, and Matthew's legs more or less gave out from beneath him, and he simply slumped down in the shell of the bathtub, enamel having been long-since stripped from the white porcelain tub, rust pooling down around the drain and faucet, mould curling around the bottom of the tub. He sighed contentedly, eyes fluttering shut as he inhaled the steam that came from it and, despite the uncomfortable position, his body was growing relaxed. So relaxed, in fact, that he could feel his eyelids growing heavier and heavier, getting closer and closer to falling back to sleep. A small part of his brain, the one that was ruined by Valium and life in general, wondered if sleeping in the tub would be a better spot than his bed, floor and sofa combined. Maybe it would; anything was better than a mattress that was five-years-old with springs sticking out of it and promoted a bad night's sleep. Maybe Sears or Wal-Mart could use that for a slogan one of these days, he could get royalties for it and buy himself his own, two-room apartment, get himself a pet dog, and a motorcycle. And a bathtub that wasn't falling apart, a 'fridge that didn't cut out, and a mattress he could actually sleep on and not wake up, feeling like an arthritic, ninety-year-old man that had it in every single joint of his body.
When the water started to fade away, the ebbing pulse turning into a pathetic trickle of water, Matthew sighed and hoisted himself up, pushing back his soaked hair, blinking the sleep that had reformed in his eyes back out. Legs trembled as he moved to sit down on the toilet before he gave a long yawn as his stomach growled viciously, demanding to be fed before it had to resort to eating itself - something that was bound to get ugly.
Hauling the blanket over his naked, still-wet body, Matthew padded from the bathroom back to the living room where he glanced at the clock on the wall. Seven-thirty am. He still had half an hour before he needed to get the bus to work in order to be there for nine, for the start of his shift at the local grocery store where he worked the occasional cash shift, but for the most part where he worked as a stock boy, putting new groceries on the shelves for eight hours a day. Then, from there, he would change into a pair of jeans and a sweater, to go to work for six until twelve that night at a local restaurant as a dish washer that didn't even make minimum wage.
But he got free food, so he had to keep the job.
Then there was that other half-job, where he went and worked the night shift at a bakery once a week, cleaning the building from top to bottom in a twelve hour shift, every Friday night after he got off work from the diner. Saturdays were the only day he would take off in the run of the week, the only time he got more than three hours sleep - because he could get seven or eight if he tried hard enough.
Like, really goddamn hard.
That usually meant taking an extra Valium, but if that was what it took, then so be it.
He could feel tears welling up in his eyes as he scrubbed the dishes, blanket knotted at his slim, bony hips so he wasn't totally exposed. A soft, watery sigh escaped him, and he swiped at his eyes, curses quickly falling from his lips as dish detergent stung his eyes. "Oh, fucking fuck for the love of God," Matthew yelped, squinting and lunging for a hand towel - nearly crashing into the cupboard doors as he did so. Roughly wiping his face, the soap from his eyes, the young Canadian living in America sighed, sitting cross-legged on the floor. His eyes were burning now, just lovely. He'd go into work, looking like he had been up all night - which wasn't that far from the truth in all actuality - and had been either watching movies like The Notebook, or had been smoking joint after joint after mother loving joint.
When he thought about it, lips dipping downwards, he kind of wished that's what it was.
Getting dish soap in your eyes was for pussies.
Standing, leaving the warm water standing as a testament, as if to say, "Hey, fuckface, there actually IS hot water in this house! HAH!", all despite the fact that, when he would return at one am after a shift from hell at the diner (thank heaven he was allowed to listen to his mp3 player while he was working, based on the fact that he simply did dishes and ate the leftovers he was given) the water in the sink would be tepid and cold from the dishes he had cleaned earlier.
Hands dried and quilt back up over his shoulders and clinging tightly to his pin thin frame, he plodded back to his bedroom to don his uniform for the day, and to stuff a change of clothes in his backpack for when he got off of work. Black jeans, a light green t-shirt and his name tag that read nothing more than: "MATTIE" in stupid, ugly-ass block letters that he hated and wanted to burn like cheap lumber in a methane-filled basement.
Then, expression going blank yet a pensive look in his bloodshot (fucking soap!) indigo eyes, he thought, 'Hmmm, methane. Sounds like it could be worth a try.'
He mulled it over for a brief moment as he hauled his pants on, considered it as he tucked his shirt and brushed his wavy hair out with his fingers, and then decided against it as he shouldered his black fleece jacket, sneezing as he did so.
Methane might take too long, and it would probably be a little too hard to come across.
Well, the neighbours kids were little shit-filled brats, so maybe it wouldn't be that hard, really…
He shook his head tiredly, the room tilting slightly as he did so and then quickly glanced at his watch, and realized, with a startled curse, that if he dawdled any longer, he was going to miss the bus. Something like that meant he wouldn't be able to get to work until a good four hours into his assigned shift, and he could not afford to lose out on a day of work, even if he made no more than minimum wage. Every penny counted, despite having no idea what it was he was saving up for - only knowing the fact that it seemed like, every time he turned around, he was having to dip into his 'rainy day' fund in order to pay bills or go out and get something to eat when the hunger pains or sheer boredom got to be a little too much for him to handle.
Bouncing through his rather spartanly furnished apartment, slightly-damp hair bopping along with his every step, Matthew hopped over the sofa, slung his backpack across his shoulders and kicked on a broken down pair of sneakers that should have been retired when he was nineteen, not still in circulation when he was twenty-one.
Before leaving, he took one quick glance-about the apartment. Everything was in its place - high school graduation photo still hung on the wall, some of his paintings - paintings he longed to have put in a gallery, but just never had the time to even try - a few more pictures of his family. An old sofa set, well a mixed-and-matched sofa set he had bought at two separate garage sales, were placed in a comfortable fashion, a small television perched on a small table, and that was more or less it for his living room. A sigh escaped him. What he wouldn't give to be able to-
Ah, fuck it.
He turned on his heel, slammed the door shut so hard he heard the windows rattle in their frames, and quickly flipped all four locks into place before trotting down over the three flights of stairs attached to the fire escape that it usually took for him to get down from the top floor of the apartment building he lived in to ground level. He jumped the last six and landed on the concrete with a light thud, his barely-there weight making virtually no noise on impact. What he didn't like, though, was being able to count almost every rib. Well, it was either he paid his bills, or he had food to eat. He couldn't exactly pick the two of them and have both of them at the same time. Buying groceries had set him back nearly a month on his light bill, and he still hadn't even come close to catching up on it…
'Oh, the benefits of malnourishment,' Matthew thought dryly as he scooted across the street, dodging being nailed by a yellow taxi that came, inconveniently enough, tearing down the road the moment he set foot on the blacktop. 'I'd make an excellent thief if I ever wanted to go down that road of delinquency.'
Because popping extra Valium pills because it was fun didn't count for juvenile delinquency in his books. Only because he didn't have his priorities set straight, according to some of his co-workers.
Matthew Williams just liked to think that he was a little more scatter-brained than most.
Deftly stepping around puddles, avoiding the water that was running down from the overhang of a store, the young man slipped mutely into a bus shelter, glanced at his watch, and heaved a heavy, long sigh of relief. Indigo eyes relaxed around the edges, and a hardened mouth turned upwards in the smallest of smiles. He got there, and with five minutes to spare. Shifting the backpack on his shoulders, he sat down on the bench, crossed his legs, and brought his bag to his front, wrapping skinny arms around it as tightly as he possibly could - his life was more or less inside that bag: his wallet and bankcard, his bus pass, change of clothing, and a few of his books, including the university text book he had on accounting, the one his cousin had given him when he thought he would be going to a college in order to get a degree.
Funny how life turned itself around and kicked him in the teeth.
In no time the bus was there (almost driving past him, not having noticed him all bundled up at the bus stop, only slowing down when the driver saw that there was a young man sprinting after the bus and screeching for it to stop), and the young man flopped down in the back of the bus, panting heavily, drenched once more and shivering as he hauled his knees up to his chest. Oh, he could already see what this day was going to turn out to be like. He buried his nose into the crook between his two knees, biting on his lower lip and flickering his eyes about the practically empty city transport.
If anything, it was going to be a long day.
One that made him want to cry because it was just so damn long and brutal.
And he really had no idea, at the moment of realization on the bus, that rainy-day epiphany that made him want to come up with suicide option 91, how long of a day it really was going to be for him. Cleaning up some kid's puke down isle three, the women's washroom after something … gross … happened in there. Those were all incidents that were very capable of ruining someone's day. Especially when that goddamn lawyer from Manhattan showed up, standing in the center of the spice isle with that usual 'I'm a dumbass, help me, please!' look on his face that made sweet-tempered (for the most part) Matthew spit and snarl on the inside with the utmost rage.
Of course, he was the only employee in the isle at the time, and it wasn't like he could just turn around and walk away when the tall blonde smiled that dopey smile at him and waved him over with a drawling, southern 'hey!' to catch his attention.
While what Matthew really wanted to do was go down isle seven, the kitchen ware isle, and get himself one of those lovely cast iron frying pans to whack him senseless, that little intelligent part of him told him that was a bad idea and if he wanted to keep his job, he might as well go over and help this poor, defenceless, hopeless, stupid, arrogant, bastardizing American lawyer that was probably one of the most regular customers they had in the entire establishment.
He said it was something to do with the fact that they had one of the best sections of organically grown and mass-produced organic cereals, cookies, ketchup and noodles.
Matthew figured it was because he was a pretentious ignoramus that wanted to support a good cause, despite the food cost what it would take him two hours or more to make, when there were far better causes around that needed supporting. Not some mass-producing, money-leeching 'organic' food company that claimed to be working towards a better future…
Not that he was bitter about it.
Not at all.
Forcing a smile to his lips, he looked just above the lawyer's eyes, not wanting to actually look him in the eye (really now, that was just awkward to do), Matthew sighed, "May I help you, Sir?"
"Ah, thanks for asking, kid!" the lawyer exclaimed, delighted, wearing a face-splitting grin. The Canadian kind of wanted to die a little on the inside, and not to mention his stomach was just growling viciously at him for having skipped breakfast and dinner the day before. "Y'see, I'm tryin' to find these steak spices. Real organic and good for you. So, I was wondering, do you have them?"
Giving him a once over and, with a wry smile, Matthew turned his indigo eyes to the rack of various spices and flavourings. "I'm sorry sir, but if there's none here on the shelves, than we're more than likely out of stock," he said, voice soft and just above a whisper, the way it usually was, "if you want, I can page the head of the grocery department to see if he can order it in for you?"
The lawyer tapped his foot a few times. "Well, I need it for tonight. No, no, tomorrow. Anyways, don't you guys have stock, like, out back that you can check for things?" the man asked, golden brow arched expectantly, "So can't you call someone to find out for me?"
"Oh, you mean that magical land of overstock beyond those big swinging doors where you can find basically whatever the hell you want because it's logical to find everything there because it's out back? Yeah, because we totally have everything, even the things we don't carry ever, back there, cause that's just what we do. It's magical, right?" Matthew rhetoricized sarcastically, the words just bubbling and spilling out of him before he even had a chance to register the fact that he was speaking out loud to this customer, this so-called important customer that could have his ass fired faster than God knew what else, not saying everything within the safe(r) confines of his head? He bit down hard on his lip, to the point that he tasted blood, as his face went white while the man, his exact height, started and stared at him with wide, astonished eyes.
Then he started to laugh, grinning that same, boyish grin, blue eyes dancing with delight. "Yeah, that place!" he chuckled, appearing absolutely thrilled, "Do you guys have any out there? Can someone go out and check there for me?"
Matthew blinked, expression going flat.
The guy had believed him.
Oh sweet mother of Jesus, the man had actually believed what he had said.
The urge to throttle him was suddenly rising, very dangerously and very, very quickly.
"No, we don't. Have a nice day," Matthew snapped, his patience fraying at the edges, turning sharply on his heel as he did his best not to stray to isle seven for that cast iron frying pan he so desperately wanted to slug that idiot that probably made a hundred grand a year with. He didn't turn around if he exited the isle, hands clenched tightly at his sides as he made his way to go to the 'magical warehouse of wonder and endless groceries, perishables included'. You know, the place where underage employees gathered around to smoke by the trash compactor and shoot up by the cardboard disposal. Very few men out there, in the magical warehouse, actually did their job, or at least did it properly.
Had Matthew turned around, he would have seen the lawyer watching him go, hands tucked into his pocket as he plucked a regular steak spice up off the rack - the one he had actually been looking for in the first place - with a soft smile on his face, an amused and somewhat admiring look upon his face as the younger, petit blonde man stalked away.
This was brought back full force again, this 'holy shit why is the day so long?' feeling, once ten pm hit, Matthew decided that it was a very long day, and he just wanted to throw himself under the path of an oncoming Soviet war tank filled with overfed American warmongers - suicide option number 93 - than have to deal with dishes from a party of twenty-three truckers.
Men were pigs, and that was his final answer, good-fucking-bye. The plates on the counter were stacked up to his shoulders, they were an utter mess, and because the kitchen's dishwasher was out of service (it had been for the past three years now, actually, and the owner was just too damn cheap to actually go about replacing it, the bastard), he had to wash every single plate, fork, knife, spoon, cup, pot, pan, obsessively, three times as directed by his employer, to make sure they were properly cleaned, and all with his bare hands because the rubber gloves they had had somehow gone missing.
Honestly, dish-washing was something that didn't bother the quiet Canadian boy; it was relaxing, he had his music, and it was something that wasn't very taxing. Six hours of standing at a sink washing dishes over and over until his shoulders ached from the steady, repetitive motions. But he liked it. The only thing he didn't like was getting paid only five dollars to do it, a whole $2.25 less than what the actual minimum wage was for the state of New York.
But he could live with that much, though; money was better than nothing, and every little bit counted.
Humming to himself, swaying his thin hips in time to the music blasting from the headphones attached to his mp3 player, Matthew tapped his feet and bobbed his head as he scrubbed one of the platters the waitresses used. The man nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand was settled down upon his shoulder, a strangled yelp leaving his chapped lips as a wet hand came to cling at the front of his sweater.
Katyusha stood there, eyes soft and smiling around the edges. "Matvey," the Ukrainian immigrant murmured softly, shifting her weight awkwardly, obviously feeling apologetic over startling the younger man so badly, "Would you be able to run out and get a plate that I forgot to get from table seventeen? I'm a little behind on the other orders an-"
"Say no more, Kat," Matthew said with a small smile and blush of his own, drying off his hands and pulling the headset off of his ears and letting it hand around his neck. "I'll go out and get it for you." The dish-washing grocery store clerk quickly turned the taps off as he flung the hand cloth over his shoulder, navigating his way through the large back-area of the diner, stepping around the two Russian men bickering at the stove and deep fryer. They were gesturing rather wildly with their spoons, so it couldn't have been that bad of an argument… hopefully.
Walking out through the doors, Matthew glanced around, noticed for the first time that evening that the place was finally close to dying off from the late evening rush hour, and headed over to table seventeen, a slight bounce in his step despite the ache in his lower back, in his thighs, shins and ankles. "Sorry 'bout that, Sir," he said quietly as he approached the table, leaning over and plucking the ceramic plates up off of the white cloth-covered surface. "I'll get these dishes out of your way for you, eh?"
"Oh, you're that kid from the grocery store!"
Matthew's body went rigid at the sound of the voice speaking to him, the same one belonging to the very same idiot he had pseudo-helped that morning, and he turned deep indigo eyes on the speaker.
It was the lawyer, alright. The man was dressed a little more causally than earlier, having ditched the Armani suit in favour for a pair of black denim pants, Italian loafers and a simple gray dress shirt. He wore a bright, friendly smile, blue eyes sparkling and white teeth flashing against lightly tanned skin. He looked rather charming, the young man hated to admit. But, then again, pricks were always nice on the outside.
Resisting the urge to take the man's beer and dump it all over his clothing, he gave a stiff smile and nodded. "Yes," he said crisply, still speaking softly. "I think I remember you from this morning. The gentleman looking for the steak spice?"
"Yeah, that was me, a'ight!" He seemed proud to admit this, and Matthew couldn't even imagine why he possibly was. Must be some lawyer things. Then, he extended his hand, "I'm Alfred Jones, and it's a pleasure to meet you."
"I could care less," Matthew Williams said in a cold voice, eyes narrowing as he pivoted on his heel, sauntering back over in the direction of the kitchen, to go back to the place from whence he came. A hand, however, latched onto the back of his sweater, tugging him backwards, causing him to almost drop the two plates and fall backwards onto the lawyer named Alfred Jones.
"Well, the funny thing is, I could probably care more, so I'd like to have a name to call you by, instead of kid. Cause calling you 'Kid' is just rude, ammirite?" he asked with a playful grin, peering at the younger man over the frames of his glasses.
Squirming and pushing his way out of the lawyer's lap (which was where he had landed, unfortunately), Matthew staggered to his feet, giving him a scathing look. "Matthew," he spat before turning once more, this time walking towards the kitchen with a little more purpose than the first time around.
This guy was a creep.
'Alfred' leaned back in his chair, watching the young man, 'Matthew' head back towards the kitchen, a soft smile on his face, one similar to the expression he wore earlier on in the day. It was always nice to have a name to go along with a pretty face like that kid's.
Names were always a nice way to start.
And as Matthew returned to the kitchen, fighting back the urge to throw himself in the deep fryer and turn it on the highest setting (94), he slammed the plates down in the sink, praying for the night to be over, so he could go home and get back into bed and just sleep. This day just needed to be over with, and as soon as possible. Even though he knew that tomorrow would more than likely be the exact same as the day before, and the day before that…
Oh God, life was shit.
And he had to do this for the rest of his life?
So not fair.
At all.
Hurrhurrhurr, this is going to be a fun story to write, I think. There aren't going to be too many characters from APH included in this, but you'll definitely know who they are when they get involved! Hopefully this story isn't too stupid for you guys. xD Please leave a review to tell me what you think, and thanks for reading!


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Music, poetry and art are going to resound in the high-octane political drama to be played out for the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in the 2009 elections.
Kabir Suman, the singing phenomenon of Kolkata in the nineties, is set to become the Trinamool Congress (TC) candidate in the prestigious Jadavpur constituency against the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI(M)).
Suman's entry assumes significance because this was the constituency from which Mamata Banerjee began her parliamentary career in 1984, defeating the CPI(M) heavyweight Somnath Chatterjee, the present Lok Sabha Speaker.
If Kabir Suman is the face of Trinamool, a noted painter is the backroom boy: Suvaprasanna. Known for his portrayal of crows, Trinamool initially offered him a nomination for the election. "I received the offer from a responsible person. But it is not my job to contest elections," he told Business Standard in a telephone interview.
The painter, however, has opted for another key role: as advisor to the maverick Trinamool chief, known for her volatile temper and politically creative moves. Top sources in the party say he has secured "a few good" corporate contacts for Banerjee. His bungalow at Kolkata's Salt Lake suburb is the venue for most of Bannerjee's strategy meetings. "I don't have an ego. If somebody wants advice from me, I'll definitely give advice. If I am in need of some advice and come to you, will you turn me away?" he said.
He added that "Bengal is stalled at a strange junction, engulfed in false political ideas" and needed to "discard this false communism."
"Many great leaders from this state had planted the seeds of socialism here years ago. We don't need the CPI(M) to teach us socialism," Suvaprasanna said.
Film maker Aparna Sen was also approached by Trinamool leaders to contest the Lok Sabha election. The national award winner has, however, refused the offer. Meanwhile, top-ranking actress Shatabdi Roy will be the Trinamool candidate in the coming election. Roy's political potential is untested but the party leadership is confident she will be able to win a Lok Sabha seat. But has not yet finalised which seat she'll contest from.
If Suvaprasanna and Kabir Suman are in the Trinamool camp, the CPI(M) has the support of artists like Wasim Riyaz Kapoor, another painter, who has been approached by the party's candidate for the North Kolkata seat, Md Salim to redesign his banners and posters.
Kapoor said he was ready to join Salim's rallies and campaign for him. The CPI(M) leadership said it is going to leverage the ambiguity around the use of paintings – party rules debar the use of pictures in the election campaign but are silent about paintings – and get Kapoor to make portraits of Md Salim.
Left forces have always enjoyed the patronage of top artistes throughout its history. The Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) was a reservoir of talent with the likes of Salil Chowdhury, Sachin Dev Burman, Shambhu Mitra, Safdar Hashmi and Habib Tanveer, to name a few. Theatre and film personalities like Utpal Dutt and A K Hangal also contributed significantly to the Left movement in the state.
West Bengal Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty had once termed Usha Uthup's performance as "uncultured". The way Trinamool is roping in art stalwarts, this might come as a bigger cultural shock for the Left.

subset: commoncrawl


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|Project by GusG
|posted 04-24-2013 02:59 PM
|2896 views
|6 times favorited
|7 comments
7 comments so far
#1 posted 04-24-2013 04:15 PM
Looks good to me. Very nice table. Good job.
-- "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The point is to bring them the real facts." - Abraham Lincoln
#2 posted 04-24-2013 08:32 PM
Very nice sofa table! The ray fleck really pops!
Would you mind sharing your finish recipe from Rodney H.?
Thanks in advance!
-- Dean -- "Don't give up the ship -- fight her 'till she sinks!" Capt James Lawrence USN
#3 posted 04-24-2013 08:44 PM
Here you go Dean,
1) I used the Tobacco Brown dye, which was purchased from Stewmac.com. The equivalent color dye from Transtint is Dark Mission brown
2) Then apply a sealer over the dye. I used the Minwax Pre-stain wood conditioner. You can also use the General Finishes Pre-stain wood conditioner or Seal-A-cell.
3) Followed by General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain
4) Your choice of finish; I used Satin Wipe-On poly from Minwax. I may also decide to apply a coat of dark oak wax.
If you do a search for 'Mission Oak Finish – Homestead Finishing Products'. You will find a pdf file that will provide more detail on completing all these steps.
You can also achieve a pop using a Watco oil stain but you won't get this depth of brown color. To achieve this dark brown color (Centennial Stickley finish), I had to perform the dye-seal- gel stain steps and use the exact color dye and gel stain color used by Rodney.
#4 posted 04-24-2013 10:02 PM
Looks great, I love the stain-over-dye look.
Great job, well done.
-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush
#5 posted 04-25-2013 12:20 AM
Nice looking table : )
-- I'm absolutely positive that I couldn't be more uncertain!
#6 posted 04-25-2013 01:51 AM
Fantastic grain and great execution. Thanks for posting.
-- Art
#7 posted 04-26-2013 10:45 AM
Awesome work.A beautiful sofa table creates an elegant and comfortable atmosphere in any room of your home with its stylish looks.A beautiful sofa table can also provide a great way to dress up the back of your sofa when you need to place it in the center of the room.
Have your say...
You must be signed in to post the comments.


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Divine CBD Oil
Divine CBD Oil5 (100%) 1 vote Divine CBD Oil:- There are more voices within scientific community that claim enormous medical potential of cannabis. That substance is changing traditional view on marijuana is CBD, a cannabinoid exist in some types of marijuana that neutralizes psychoactive effects of THC and, in addition, has numerous therapeutic properties. Together… Read More »


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Inspired by Aideshita PV, I take an order from my friend to make this jacket :D
"YS" letter,
from back,
I use interface for the letter and the helmet to keep them in shape. Usually I use foam but not this time, it's a bit wedge when using it so I try other way.
Actually the helmet colour is more dark blue from the jacket but I can't catch the right angle (^ ^;)a. Still no button there *didn't have a tool to stick them*.
this is the buttons :)
And several months ago she's make other jacket with her own design :)
the helmet is a pocket *she calls it 'Doraemon Pocket'
from back,
wing in the hoodie,
That's it, sorry for all-tangled picture *the blue one*, haven't laundering and ironing it *is half finished* ^^v. I'm all excited because ai deshita song is keep playing in my head when I make Yasuhara one
- Current Location:sunny days
- Current Mood: amused
- Current Music:Norah Jones - Love me tender
( 8 comments — Leave a comment )
( 8 comments — Leave a comment )


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Connoisseur Package $155
The Connoisseur Package is a next level experience for devoted Devour guests and novice food fans alike. Enjoy exclusive access to new event features while sampling and strolling your way through the beautiful Desert Botanical Garden. Read more
- One Hour Early Admission for One Day to the Devour Culinary Classic
- Access to Hensley/Quench Beverage Garden
- Access to Chef Demos
- Commemorative Passport
- Reusable Wine Glass and Yoke
- Lyft discount PLUS
- Admission to Heritage Foods Experience featuring select Arizona chefs
- Admission to Arizona Beverage Experience featuring interactive tasting sessions


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It seems that Lady Gaga has finally found the man she will let beneath her meat dress.
RadarOnline is reporting that the lucky boy is "Vampire Diaries" hottie Taylor Kinney, who just so happens to be the co-star of her new "You and I" video. Sources tell RadarOnline that the couple was seen engaging in a little PDA at The Sneak Joint, a beachside bar in Mission Viejo, CA on Sunday (Sep. 4).
"It just looked like some hot couple making out, but then I realized it was Lady Gaga…she even signed some autographs."
The couple was spotted around Mission Viejo for the next few days holding hands and cavorting in general. We hope Taylor can handle being alone when Gaga needs to retreat to her egg and incubate for days at a time.


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Treatments available for Fuchs' dystrophy include eye medication, wearing soft contact lenses and, for advanced cases, surgery, according to Mayo Clinic. Some patients find relief from home remedies such as drying the eyes with a hair dryer or using an over-the-counter salt solution and wraparound sunglasses.
Advanced Fuchs' dystrophy usually requires surgery to improve vision, Mayo Clinic explains. The most common surgery is an outpatient procedure in which the back of the cornea is replaced with healthy tissue. Occasionally the entire cornea may be replaced.
Wearing soft contact lenses helps some patients, Mayo Clinic reports. The lenses help alleviate symptoms by reducing swelling of the cornea.
Prescription eye drops or ointments may help reduce the fluid buildup in the cornea, Mayo Clinic says. Sometimes patients find that an over-the-counter salt solution lessens symptoms.
Drying the eyes with a hair dryer several times a day can help dry up blisters and swelling on the cornea's surface and reduce fluid buildup, Mayo Clinic states. Patients are instructed to hold the hair dryer at arm's length and to only use warm, not hot, air.
Wearing wraparound sunglasses with UV protection helps prevent glare caused by Fuchs' dystrophy, Mayo Clinic says. Keeping the eyes protected can make them feel better.


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December 4, 2015
Here are my favorite tips to market your pop-up:
Throw it in their faces
… so shoppers "throw it in their bags." Stick with clear, concise branded signage and verbiage that will provoke emotions or incentivize the customer to step into your store.
Remind shoppers that the store is limited time only by highlighting the start and end the dates on door, windows, and prominently displayed throughout the store. This tells shoppers to "buy now, because we won't be here later," and shoppers tend to enter and/ or because they don't want to miss out on the opportunity.
Go out on the streets…
Literally. Whether it's an A-board grabbing attention or a street team cheerfully inviting customers in, you should be grabbing the attention of who is passing by. With an abundance of door-busters and digital information easily accessible, many people now have holiday shopping plans and already know what they want by researching online prior to stepping out. A-boards and cheerful brand ambassadors can cut through their plans and prompt them to enter your store.
Give them a break
Invite exhausted shoppers to come into your shop with a lounge, offering complimentary coffee, hot chocolate, tea and cookies. Make the most out of your "pit-stop" by placing a representative or beautifully designed A-board at the entrance, and reel in sales with small impulse purchases or "stocking stuffers" strategically placed around the area.
Reach out to bloggers and Local influencers
The Nude House pop-up in NYC partnered with fashion and blog, Taste the Style, for a mini-pop up party called Hot Toddies x Hot Lips, inviting their followers to "come shop for the holidays a la TTS." The Taste the Style team curated their own "mini-shops" to showcase their favorite brands and their own limited edition holiday tee.
It's a win-win relationship:
This arrangement works in favor of bloggers because:
- It promotes the bloggers' projects and gives them additional shelf space
- It introduces shoppers to their platform
This arrangement works in favor for retailers because:
- The "stamp of approval" from bloggers could result in increased purchase size for existing customers
- It is a great promotional tactic to bring new shoppers to the store
This content is from Creative CNTRL's Twelve Days of Pop-Ups: An Insider's Guide to Popping-Up for the Holidays e-book. Every day from December 1st-12th, I will unlock a new chapter of this e-book, but you can download the full e-book here.


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Gone_4Good Veteran Friday 18/01/2013, 18:49
Be Warned! This town is located north of Clint City and only Tough soldiers who dare to risk their lives come here.
Many tournaments free Forum for our members to hang out and challenge each other and get Advice on how to improve your Play!, A Special Forum for Trading Cards and you can also make a trading agreement with our Members.
Love Challenge and plan to become one of the Elite in this game? then join Us, We Want to see you rise to the Top and Help You to get there
~No Discrimination or Racism Allowed
~~Must at least be Level 25 and above if you are under Level:25 and still want to join then do so but it would depend on your Fair play and your drive to improve
~Must Speak English or be Able to use Google-Translate, We want to connect people
~You have to Introduce yourself after you join in the Guild Message Section
~You Must as Active as Possible (3days max)
~No Begging for Trading Cards only agreements
~And most of all Must always be Up for A challenge(When Online)
All Clan Users Welcome
Level Requirement 25 and up under than that will be given a chance if they are up for the Challenger
If Your Interested Then What You Waiting For!
edited by -Wicer- friday 18/01/2013, 18:49
Gone_4Good Veteran Friday 18/01/2013, 22:28
Lol sorry guys the title is a bit misleading its suppose to be Total Carnage hehe
Gone_4Good Veteran Tuesday 22/01/2013, 14:12
We are due to do an event very soon so don't miss out join now to be part of this fun and active guild
Gone_4Good Veteran Thursday 24/01/2013, 22:35
So far so good guys and we are still growing don't miss your chance to be part of this active and fun Guil


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THE DIMESTORE HALOES Revolt into style 1998/99 Pelado records 320 kbps
Come bomb with me / Strung out on you / Born to late / Everybody's loves you when you're dead / Plastic doll / Dead end days / Heaven or Hollywood / Wrecked & divine / Heart of thorns /Hopelessly in hate .
The Dimestores Haloes : Chaz Matthews : vocals , lead & accoustic guitars / Marcus Arvan : bass , backing vocals / Jimmy Reject : drums (R.I.P.) /Barry Bang : rhythm guitar , backin' vocals .
Here we have a band of complete social miscreants who barely were able to play a single live show without immense emotional and personal consequences. They were however, brilliant at fusing the best elements of Glam rock (T.Rex, Hanoi Rocks, NY Dolls) with it's bastard son, Punk (Buzzcocks, Heartbreakers) and coming up with something oddly original. They were reviled by the 'punk" elite of their day but loved by the geeks and pseudo-hipsters destined to become the "emo" crowd. Influences like The Replacements and obscure rockabilly only further confused the hipsters and further endeared them to the geeks. I've seen them live, and yes, I miss them. Rock 'n' roll just ain't the same.
Pelado Records signed them. They had about ten different line ups, but they always seemed to have kinda weird people in the band who were interesting. they never chose the standard hipster types to be in their band.
They had records out and for a year or two ('98-'99) it seemed every magazine about punk rock that you'd pick up had an interview with them.I've seen them play in front of ten people and i've seem them play in front of like three hundred. They were never any different. You know how people say "they played every show like it was sold out?" Well the Haloes played like there was three people there, every gig, whether there were 20 people or 300. they just did not give a crap. Never looked at the audience, never asked them if they were having a good time. They seemed to want people to be uncomfortable and somewhat threatened. They liked to play really loud and out of tune and annoy you and see what you would do. Their final line up was the best in the "rocknroll" sense. They finally learned how to play and how to play TO the crowd. That last line up could have really gone places and done some big business. But it didn't matter. They cut their last album and broke up.That last album has come out, finally on Fullbreach Kicks/Pelado Records(2005).In August of 2006, Haloes drummer Jimmy Reject took his own life. Rest In Peace Jimmy Reject. Jimmy has two books available, try eBay or amazon.com.
Lorne Behrman is playing with various NYC soul/rock bands.Marcus Arvan is in the Arizona band Year Of Acceleration. Chaz Matthews has released a great solo album called "Amazing Graceless" on Full Breach Kicks . He is currently working on more of the same.


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Friday, 20 May 2016
It was COLD!!!
12 comments:
Hari OMReplyDelete
this makes me think I ought to give my old wetsuit an airing - though it may not quite cover all the parts nowadays! They are not the easiest to don and doff, even in optimum and private conditions, so I commend you on the courage for this alone!!! Well done for sticking with it my friend. YAM xxReplies
Well, you can say that again: they are hard!! But, once they are on, surprisingly comfortable.Delete
You did it. Yet again! Good for you. You have incredible determination!ReplyDeleteReplies
It doesn't feel like it yet. Right now it feels like I am going with the flow and doing what I am told. As of next week though, I will be doing a lot more training and doing it on my own as well!Delete
I used to love riding a bike. Unfortunately Raleigh, pop.ReplyDelete
451,000 is just too dangerous for bike riding. When I was working at the University we had lots of students from The Netherlands they always wanted to buy a bike the first day there were in Raleigh. I had to convince many of them to get the lay of the land first. Scary unfriendly bike city
Hugs Cecilia
Not a fun swim at those temps.ReplyDeleteReplies
It was actually okay once I was in. Mind you, it wasn't warm by any stretch of the imagination, but it was okay for the short time I was in.Delete
Wow, that is REALLY cold! Did the wet suit warm you up much? We heard of people wearing pantyhose under them for warmth.ReplyDelete
Your Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
Crikey Mara ....... you deserve 87 out of 87 for effort, aye?? The biking and the running is hard enough but the SWIMMING???? If you lived here where I live it would be ok but OMD!! It's COLD, even freezing, over there. AND those wet suits are IMPOSSIBLE to get on. You'll lose weight just getting in and out of it, aye?? Crikey Mara ..... you're great. Mum and I are with you all the way. Mum says to tell you she's doing and extra 15 minutes on the exercise bike every day. See you are inspiring others. AND you have noticed a difference already??? How good is that??ReplyDeleteReplies
I must admit I am most worried about the swimming. Mainly because I am not very good at it. And that wet suit is so difficult to get on! I don't know how some people manage it in like three minutes! I need closer to the 87!!!Delete
We only swam for a little while though and then I got changed. Don't want to overdo it on the first day...
Oh my, you are amazing. I would have run in the other direction and said forget it!!!ReplyDelete
What a great experience you are having. Different but good in its own way.ReplyDelete


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Santa Fe locomotive goes through wall
Jan. 25, 1948: A Santa Fe diesel passenger locomotive hangs over Aliso St. after running off the end of its track at Union Station. The locomotive had just been unhooked from the El Capitan passenger train from Chicago at 8:45 a.m. when the accident occurred.
This image of the unlucky locomotive became the lead art on the front page of the next morning's Los Angeles Times. A non-byline story accompanying the photo reported:
A gleaming 600,000-pound four-unit Santa Fe Diesel passenger train locomotive "overshot the field" at Union Station yesterday and stopped just short of making a crash landing in Aliso St. 20 feet below.
It halted with a third of the 150,000-pound leading power unit hanging in the air, leaning on a Pacific Electric pole it pushed to a drunken angle. …
No one was hurt, but an Army motor pool car driver for McCornack General Hospital, Pasadena, escaped probable death only by a bit of quick driving action. Pfc. Wayne A. Schmidt, 19, … of East Los Angeles, the Army man, had driven to the station to pick up some patients.
Schmidt was directly in front of the locomotive when it ran out of track, ran over the steel bumper and started for him. The locomotive, moving at what trainmen said was "two or three miles an hour," struck the light car in the side. Schmidt jammed it into low gear and, as hie said, "gunned her out of there."
A moment later the ponderous engine had rumbled across the 12-foot-wide concrete roadway and ground throughout the foot-wide concrete barrier. …
Five hours later, with the help of a 250-ton crane, the locomotive had pulled itself back on the tracks and was taken to the roundhouse for inspection and repairs.
The cause of the accident was unknown. A search of the L.A. Times in the following two weeks failed turn up any additional information.
- Tags: From the Archives :: Los Angeles :: Black & White :: News
4 Comments
November 14, 2011, 9:14 am
My father was a cab driver and saw the commotion on Aliso Street as he was getting off work. He came home and bundled us all up and we drove down to see the locomotive hanging over the wall. I was only four uears old but it made such an impression on me I can remember it, as the old saying goes, 'as though it was yesterday'!
November 14, 2011, 10:07 am
There was a story in one of the railfan magazines (Trains, I believe) that gave the details on how the brakes slowly released and the engine was able to move forward unmanned.
February 4, 2012, 5:29 pm
The story accompanying this dramatic photo identifies the locomotive as being from the El Capitan. However, the "19" on the F-unit's number board suggests that it is from the Chief. The numbers from the El Capitan would have been 21 and 22.
February 20, 2013, 11:15 am
While 19 was indeed the number of the westward Chief, Santa Fe did not use train numbers like Southern Pacific did. 19 in the number board of the locomotive simply indicates the unit's road number (actually 19L or 19C, part of the fourth 16-class F3 ABBA set numbered 19LABC).
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Volunteer LeadershipTrail Guides
The goal of the Trail Guide Program is to build relationships between congregations and Cross Trails Ministry through the following:
What does a Cross Trails Ministry Trail Guide do?
Will Cross Trails train me? Yes! We train and equip our Trail Guides at one of three half-day workshops throughout the synod beginning January 2012. All promotional materials will be provided. We will cross-train both Trail Guides in each area so a working partnership is formed.
Click here for the Trail Guide Information Page
Click here for the Trail Guide Application Form
Contact Jessica Pina, Outreach Director at email@example.com to become a Trail Guide for your congregation, or for more information.


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I thought this little meme that Liz recently posted was kinda fun so I'd thought I'd give you a little taste of the A-Z's of me! Things you'll learn: I play a few instruments but not all that well, my childhood dream job, a really lame embarrassing high school accident that made me end up in the ER on Senior Ball night (Liz...you know the story I'm talking about), & a few other things too...
A. Age: 25
B. Bed size: Full
C. Chore that you hate: Like Liz, I HATE putting away laundry.
D. Dogs: I love them but can't afford any pets right now.
E. Essential start to your day: peanut butter on anything: apples, waffles, toast, bananas...
F. Favorite color: Gold
G. Gold or Silver: Oh woops, well you can tell I am a jewelry designer when my fav color is a metal? See above.
H. Height: 5'9"
I. Instruments you play: Guitar, mountain dulcimer, a few songs on piano, a few songs on mandolin,
J. Job title: Jewelry Designer, Blog Designer, Illustrator.
K. Kids: I has none. But one day I want to be a momma.
L. Live: in Seattle, WA.
M. Mother's name: Gae (I know a lot of older women her age who were named Gae as babies in the 50s but changed their name to Gale in later years. Rock your name Momma!)
N. Nicknames: Moo, Moomoo, Moomie, Mrala, Mrals, Moos, Girlfriend, Zai, Shista,
O. Overnight hospital stays: Tonsillitis when I was six. I thought my parents were leaving me at an orphanage! At that age, I was obsessed with becoming a orphanage owner when I grew up so I could save all of the lonely babies and kids of the world. My first dream job. aw.
P. Pet peeves: The sound of people chewing with their mouth open. AAAAH it kills me! Ask my Dad, I go crazy whenever he eats apples haha.
Q. Quote from a movie: Anything from The Emperor's New Groove.
R. Right or left handed: Lefty
S. Siblings: 2 little sisters. And my dad has mentored a lot of guys so I have about 50 brothers who are not technically related to me but have lived at my house at one time or another.
U. Underwear: how am I supposed to answer this? Yes, I am a normal human and have underwear.
V. Vegetable you hate: none. I LOVE vegetables!
W. What makes you run late: I'm always a little bit late. Sorry friends, and thanks for your patience! :)
X. X-Rays you've had: Teeth, some other times I can't remember what for. I've never broken anything though. Oh, X-ray when I sprained my meniscus in my knee while dancing at Senior Prom in high school! EMBARRASSING! I'll tell you that story later.
Y. Yummy food that you make: I'm not the best cook. That's why I date one ;)
Z. Zoo animal: Bears bears beeeears! I love them. Favorite animal ever.
Tell me a little about yourself! And if you decided to join in, link back to my blog so I can find you and read about your A-Zs!


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Boys Basketball
Otselic Valley 72, Lafayette 71
SOUTH OTSELIC On an evening when the senior basketball players were honored for their contributions to the OV program, senior David Cerasani had a game for the ages.
Cerasani led his team back from a 20-point second-half deficit, and his buzzer-beating three-pointer finished off a career-high 42-point evening. Cerasani had 25 points in the fourth quarter, 35 in the second half, and he connected on 8-for-12 from behind the three-point arc. We just kind of shifted gears and played with more intensity and focus in the fourth quarter, said OV coach Dave Loomis. David had probably the best half of basketball that Ive ever seen a kid play. We kept clawing back and they missed some free throws.
Lafayette, who beat OV 79-63 at the start of the season, took a 62-42 lead after starting the fourth on a 10-0 run. Cerasani hit six of his trifectas in the last quarter, and with 3.9 seconds left, Lafayette missed the front end of a foul shot attempt. Cerasani brought the ball up the floor, but had his shot attempt deflected out of bounds with 0.7 seconds remaining. Cerasani came off a screen from the top of the key on the ensuing play, and caught and shot the ball fading away as the buzzer sounded. It was an off-balance shot, Loomis said, but it looked good all the way from where I was standing.
They were definitely on their way to beating us again. We just didnt play like we have to against good teams. In the second half we did a few things differently...it was as good a win as weve had in a long time.
Brad Wentworth added 16 points for OV (17-3), who will likely earn a home game in the first round of the Section III, Class D playoffs.


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Humans have been eating potatoes since at least 500 B.C., according to What's Cooking America. In recent years, potatoes have been deemed a "fattening" food because of their color, grouped with foods like white bread and white pasta. This may be because most Americans eat their potatoes in its french-fried form. But a potato in its natural state is highly nutritious and a healthy addition to your diet.
Source of Energy
The potato is an important source of energy. Most of the calories in the potato come from its carbohydrate content, nearly 90 percent. While you may be avoiding carbs because you associate them with weight gain, they are your body's preferred source of energy. In fact, healthy diet guidelines recommend 45 to 65 percent of your calories come from carbohydrates to support your daily energy needs.
Source of Fiber
Including potatoes in your diet can also help you meet your fiber needs. While most of the fiber in the potato is found in the flesh, eating the skin can help increase your overall intake. A 1-cup serving of a baked potato with the skin contains 2.6 g of fiber, and without the skin, contains 1.8 g. The fiber in the potato helps control hunger, improves bowel function and promotes heart health. Women need 21 to 25 g of fiber a day, and men, 30 to 38 g a day.
Good Source of Potassium
Potatoes are a good source of potassium. A 1-cup serving of baked potato with the flesh contains 652 mg of potassium, meeting 18 percent of your daily value. Potassium is a mineral that aids in fluid and electrolyte balance. It may also help improve blood pressure. The American Heart Association says including more potassium-rich foods in your diet counteracts the effects of sodium, helping to lower blood pressure, and recommends healthy people aim for 4,700 mg of potassium a day. It is important to note that high potassium foods are not recommended if you have a history of kidney disease or high blood levels of potassium. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about potassium in your diet.
High in Vitamin C
Potatoes are high in vitamin C. A 1-cup serving of a baked potato with the skin contains 11.8 mg of vitamin C, meeting 20 percent of your daily value. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient you need for good health. It is required for the synthesis of collagen, a protein that is necessary for wound healing. Vitamin C is also an important antioxidant, protecting your cells from oxidation and reducing your risk of heart disease and cancer. Adequate intakes of vitamin C also support growth and development and immune health.


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The Jews In Sicily
Genealogia Dieli Genealogy, is the Sicilian-Jewish Genealogy site maintained by webmaster Arthur Dieli who has traced the Dieli surname back to 1648. The site contains several photo's, links and a page specific to Jewish surnames in Sicily complete with lists of names used prior to 1492.
It's interesting to read some of the surnames on these lists and compare them to more recent names. I can see how some *may* have evolved into their current spelling. Calabrisi, Lu Presti, Marino, Romano and Spangnolo are all on the lists, some of which have been extracted from Professor Martino's paper on The Jews of Messina.
This entry was posted on Friday, March 18, 2011 and is filed under Jewish Genealogy , Jewish Surnames , Sicily . You can leave a response and follow any responses to this entry through the Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom ) .


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Policy Driven Adoption for Accessibility (PDAA). Jeff Kline Texas Statewide IT Accessibility Coordinator Jeff .k firstname.lastname@example.com. 1. Accessibility is about all of us. People with Disabilities: Statistics.
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
Jeff Kline
Texas Statewide IT Accessibility Coordinator
People with Disabilities: Statistics
However, disabilities are no longer confined to traditional People with Disabilities
There are IT accessibility laws and regulations in
Most cite accessibility technical standards
Texas statutes and rules
Recent US government reports…
The situation in Europe and the rest of the world isn't any better…
Technical challenges
Organizational Challenges
IT accessibility today is a governance problem
more than a technical one
Touches many areas of an organization in different ways
Organizational Enablement is required to effectively, successfully, and holistically address the complexities IT accessibility within an organization.
The integration of IT accessibility governance into organization policies in a way that enables them to drive themselves to improve accessibility adoption.
How does PDAA implementation help vendors?
Benefits for organizations with fully implemented PDAA
Competitive advantage in public sector or other solicitations
Improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Increased market share thru expansion of customer base
Increased brand equity through social responsibility
Improved ability to hire and retain people with disabilities
Risk mitigation if ADA complaints / litigation arises
In ICT accessibility, E for Effort counts!
President's Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Strategic Plan for Improving Management of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act – Jan. 2013
ICT vendor accessibility policy criteria:
Form to be included in procurement solicitations with a completed version submitted as part of vendor responses
Assistance for vendor organizations in implementing PDAA
Techcheck – Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) On Line Assessment Tool (in Beta)
Sponsored by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor
W3C – Web Accessibility Initiative:
Planning and Implementing Web Accessibility
State Participant ICT Accessibility Websites (TBD)
British standard BS-8878 Web Accessibility Code of Practice
Accessibility business process integration
Strategic EIR Accessibility: Enabling the Organization
Organizational accessibility enablement and strategy
Other? (TBD)


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AAPS Office Hours at VGH
We are delighted to announce that AAPS will be hosting regular monthly Office Hours at Vancouver General Hospital!
Member Services Officer Ashkon Hashemi will be at VGH the first Thursday of each month from 8:30am–4:30pm in room DHCC 4115.
Make an appointment to discuss a workplace issue, drop by to ask a quick question about AAPS, or provide some feedback. Remember, your conservations with AAPS are confidential, we offer professional workplace advice that is in your best interest, and no question is too small.
Our hope is that monthly Office Hours will give you a chance to have your questions resolved promptly, learn more about your professional association, and get to know the AAPS staff.
Don't DIY Workplace Issues: Talk to Us First
You can confidentially discuss a variety of workplace questions with Ashkon and get clarity on how articles in the Collective Agreement should apply to you.
For example:
· The Investigatory Processes
· Disciplinary Meetings
· Conflicts in the Workplace
· Bullying/Harassment Issues
· Salary Progression and the Salary Grid
· Hours of Work/Workload
· Negotiated Benefits
· Taking a Leave of Absence
· Performance Reviews / Job Classification
· University policies such as Conflict of Interest / Whistleblower
· Before signing termination, appointment, or disciplinary letters
Our Door is Open
If the door is open, come on in! We encourage you to drop by, and if the door is open, come in for a chat. We would like to get to know all of our members and learn more about your UBC experience. If you have any questions about projects that the AAPS Board has been working on or program suggestions, we'd love to hear them. Even if you do not have an issue, please come by and say hello.
Make an Appointment
If you would like to schedule an appointment in advance, please contact the AAPS Office at firstname.lastname@example.com or 604-822-9025 and let us know about the nature your issue. We'll secure the appropriate time for you.
Currently Scheduled Dates
Thursday February 2, 2017
8:30am–4:00pm (please note the earlier end time)
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Our goal is to create convenience and consistency at VGH by offering regular office hours. Naturally, if the dates and times do not work for you, please contact the AAPS Office the schedule an appointment.


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Blogger: Craig Roth
At the 2008 SharePoint Conference Bill Gates said that the SharePoint business has now surpassed $1B in sales and 100M licenses sold. While I believe those numbers are overstated (Michael Sampson does a good job of explaining the difference between sold seats and bundled licenses and a platform play), my own ongoing conversations with our clients confirms great interest in SharePoint, even among those who are already dedicated to other platforms. Why such interest? Is it, as Mr. Gates says, "the result of the great combination of collaboration and information management capabilities it delivers"?
I've been digging a bit deeper into why people at these clients are so interested in SharePoint. Mr. Gates is partially right, as many users I talked to like its Office integration and quick improvement over shared drives and emailing files around. Still, I find it interesting how many of them already have products in house that do what they want Sharepoint to do. This includes collaboration products like Lotus Notes or eRoom, content management products like EMC Documentum or Interwoven TeamSite, or portal products like IBM WebSphere Portal Server or BEA Aqualogic Interaction. So why do they still want SharePoint?
The general answer these clients give me is that the products they currently use are overly complex (often limiting the departments that can use them to those with budgets for IT support) or so expensive to license that only users with high levels of need get access and training for them.
To a certain extent, the excitement about SharePoint has really been a reflection of disillusionment with existing collaboration, content management, and portal products. The people that are interested in SharePoint - despite already having incumbent alternatives - see at first glance a product that may finally provide easy-to-use, inexpensive, web-based collaborative solutions. But that doesn't guarantee they won't be just as disillusioned with SharePoint once they get into it. SharePoint is still new and it will take another year or more before we start collecting enough data points on enterprise-class installations to tell if SharePoint is the real deal. "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence", and there are often more consultants, developers, support staff, and 3rd party add-on vendors grazing on the SharePoint side of the fence than expected.


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Google balloon crashes in Bragg City field
Daily Dunklin Democrat
A mysterious balloon that crashed into a field Thursday afternoon outside Bragg City is what is known as a Google Loon. It's a project Google started in June 2013 in New Zealand in an attempt to fill in gaps in Internet coverage, especially for people with limited or no access in rural areas. Hovering at 70,000 feet Thursday, the balloon lost its signal and crashed in the middle of the field just off Route A. The balloon originated from southern Nevada, and it had been in the air for 14 months. Pemiscot County sheriff's deputy Anthony Dale spoke to a Google program manager from Mountain View, California, Eric Gore.
He says the Loon sometimes develops steering issues after being in the air that long. The programmer sends a code to the device so it will descend. At that point it deploys a parachute. On Friday, a Google team picked up the crashed Loon in Caruthersville and Dale said they were extremely pleased it was in such good condition, as Loons have been damaged during other rough landings. This was the first Missouri landing for a Google Loon.


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by Nino Leitner | 23rd November 2016
Indie-pop band OK Go probably spend as much time coming up with their music videos as they do with writing and recording their songs, and they have proven before several times, be it in zero gravity or high up from the air looking down. Now, they have done it again with their new video "The One Moment", but spending only 4.2 seconds in the process – and it's another fireworks of colours splashing and things going boom, people flying through the air and things getting thrown at them. Although it certainly took a long time in preparation and planning, the actual recording was done in just 4.2 seconds. How? Simple (yet not simple) – super slow motion, likely shot with a PhantomFlex camera (the same one we used on my documentary Through The Thick earlier this year). Watch for yourself and see the behind-the-scenes reel at the bottom! OK Go – The One Moment – Official VideoLadies and gentlemen, please enjoy our new video for "The One Moment." A million thanks to our partners at Morton Salt #WalkHerWalk. Posted by OK Go on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 The total length of the video is 4:02 minutes, which means roughly that every second in realtime ended up being a minute in the music video. If our math is correct (and I hope OK Go will release more details about it soon), they shot the video at around 1,500 frames per second. (The PhantomFlex4K is capable of 1,000 frames per second in 4K, but more if you drop the resolution lower.) Despite looking like a one-shot, they did actually do different takes because, as the lead singer says, "there are no robots currently fast enough to shoot the entire action in one go". If you look at how fast that Bolt motion control arm moves across in the behind-the-scenes, you will understand that he is most certainly right. OK Go – The One Moment BTSWatch the making of our new video for "The One Moment." Posted by OK Go on Wednesday, November 23, 2016Read more
by Graham Sheldon | 26th October 2016
The Chronos 1.4 camera is the result of the efforts of a single engineer, David Kronstein, who is working diligently to bring slow motion to a wider group of filmmakers. The device – now "production ready" and headed to Kickstarter in the "next few months" for funding – is capable of 1050fps at a resolution of 1280×1024. Read on for all the details, including footage samples: Shooting great-looking slow motion is really, really expensive and usually requires renting a Phantom high-speed camera for the best shots at 300 fps+, or an equally pricey RED Epic Dragon or Weapon for anything below 300 fps. Slow motion, however, is almost always worth it. Don't take my word for it – just look at the trailer for Planet Earth II here, which includes some epic slow motion moments. The YouTubers over at the "TAOFLEDERMAUS" channel have gotten their hands on a prototype production model of the Chronos 1.4 and have in-camera footage to show as well: As you can see from the video, there are still a few kinks to work out: there is a 30 second boot up time from the moment the power button is pressed, and saving to SD card takes a considerable amount of time as well, but hopefully we'll see improvements as the project progresses. This is very much a speciality tool, especially given the lack of full 1080p resolution, but it is cheap and shows promise at being a no-fuss slow motion solution in the future. Once fully funded through Kickstarter, the 8GB base model of the Chronos 1.4 is expected to cost a (comparatively speaking) very affordable $2,500. Chronos 1.4 Tech Highlights: 1280×1024 at 1050fps 21,650fps at its lowest resolution of 640×96 Aluminium Frame C-Mount Lens Compatible Weight: 3.3lbs Media Type: SD Cards, or save footage to USB or eSATA drive File Type: MPEG-4 Shoots RAW Touchscreen Pre-Record Mode Available with 8GB or 16GB of RAM Power: AC Adapter, Nikon EN-EL4A Battery, or internal chargeable battery. The below video was created by the engineer behind the design, who shows off some in-camera video while going into more detail on external ports, internal mechanics, as well as a ring near the sensor that adjusts back focus. Skip ahead to 9:27 for in-camera footage: The Chronos 1.4 project is ambitious, and though I'm hopeful this camera will one day be available for the mass market, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that crowd funding has a dubious history and caution is recommended with products like this. Still, we'll keep an eye on the project and update as more information comes our way.Read more
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UTV Motion Pictures has won the battle over Purampokku title issue. The movie directed by SP Jhananathan landed in trouble over the movie name issue when a cameraman claimed the ownership of the title. However, this battle was taken to the trader bodies and the verdict has come in the favour of UTV.
Happy man G Dhananjayan, the chief-south of Disney UTV, said that they have retained the title. He claims, "There were speculations about whether the title Purampokku belong to us or not. We wish to clarify that the title is retained by us and the same was confirmed by South Indian Film Chamber, Tamil Film Producers Council and Film & Television Producers' Guild."
"Hence, no more confusion and we retain the title for the film from writer-director SP Jhananathan as Purampokku- No Man's Land starring Arya and Vijay Sethupathi," G Dhananjayan adds.
Cinematographer Natraj Subramaniam had earlier claimed that he had already registered the title Purampokku for his future film, and he did not give permission to anyone to use the title. He had also threatened to take legal action against anyone who tried to use the title.
Talking about the other crew, he claimed, "A few more top artistes are going to join the team and shall keep you updated along with the entire technicians list soon." Purampokku, which is in the pre-production stage, has Ekambaram's cinematography and VT Vijayan's editing.


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If you're a fan of Chit Chat City and would like to find out the latest news, tips, guides and helpful information, here is a list of fan websites and blogs that you can check out.
Chit Chat City Swag
Chit Chat City Swag will give you access to some of the best parts of Chit Chat City. You can see all of the most popular shops, where you can go buy everything that you need. You can also go through the tutorials to learn something important or entertaining that could improve your gameplay.
Chit Chat City Review
Chit Chat City Review will give you some interesting looks into the game Chit Chat City. Anyone who plays and likes the game should follow this blog as it offers tutorials, information, and photos. It is a great way to see everything going on with the game as well as stay on top of great parts of the community.
ExclusiveCCCTimes has all of the information you could need about Chit Chat City. If you play this game and would like to stay up to date on news, or want interesting information you cannot find elsewhere, this is the site to follow. It will give you everything you need to know about the game.
Wolf Heart's CCC Blog
For a look at the community of Chit Chat City, Wolf's Heart CCC Blog is where you want to go. It has interviews with all types of players, talking to them about their outfits and their life in the game. It also has some information about the game if you are considering jumping in as a player.
For more fan blogs about your favorite virtual worlds, see Fan Websites and Blogs category.


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Pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks! While I adore these sweet seasonal treats my wallet doesn't. Rachelle's Starbucks latte habit cost her $2,971 a year…and I just don't have that kind of cash to spend on coffee. These pumpkin spice coffee recipes are a great way to give your coffee that delicious pumpkin flavor without breaking the bank. Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer This easy pumpkin
6 Unusual S'mores Recipes That Will Make Your Summer Complete
We're getting no relief from the heat this summer and I always think of scorching temperatures as an excuse to indulge in s'mores. So I've rounded up 6 unusual s'mores recipes to help us all appreciate the dog days of summer. Dark Chocolate Fresh Berry S'mores Sometime the simplest ideas are the tastiest. These Dark Chocolate Fresh Berry S'mores from Joy Food Sunshine take advantage of summer
7 Healthy Ice Cream Recipes You Can Make in Your Blender
It's May, which means hot summer days are just around the corner. One sure-fire way to cool down is with a frozen treat. High-end ice creams and sorbets can be a little pricey, not to mention sugary and fattening. So we've put together a list of easy, affordable DIY ice cream recipes featuring healthy, low-cal ingredients like real fruit and coconut milk. Good for you
A Week of Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes: Start Your Day Off Right!
Yes, I use my instant pot for breakfasts, lunches and dinner. In fact, if my kids ask for a snack after school I break out the Instant Pot for some cookies and milk. Just kidding, but really, there is basically no end to the meals you can create in this workhorse appliance and breakfast is no exception. During the busiest morning rush, you can still
Black Bean Avocado Brownies: A Healthy Lunchbox Treat!
It's officially fall: the leaves are turning and the kids have been back in school for several weeks now. That means I've resumed possibly my least favorite parenting task ever: packing lunches. (This post was sponsored by S&W Beans and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.) I like to think I pack pretty tasty lunches for my kids, but they have different
Aloha! How to Host a Fun and Frugal Luau
Thinking of throwing a luau or "tiki party" on a budget? Look no further! How to luau for less. Hit your dollar store first. Before you head to the party store, stop at the dollar store first. The Dollar Tree currently has a huge selection of luau party supplies with nothing over a dollar. These items include: leis, "grass" skirts, tiki garlands, inflatable luau characters,
Your Unicorn Dreams Come True: Unicorn Themed Projects & Products
Are you a fan of the mystical, mythical, magical creatures known as unicorns? We've assembled the most rainbow-riffic, DIY unicorn-themed recipes and merchandise to make all your unicorn dreams come true. Read and you will believe. Unicorn marshmallow pops. Make the world more magical with this recipe from The Decorated Cookie. What you need: marshmallows, lollipop sticks, white candy melts, EZ Thins candy melts, white fondant, gold pearl
6 Easy Homemade Popsicle Recipes to Beat the Heat
As the weather heats up, what better treat to reach for than a homemade popsicle? Whether you prefer healthy or dessert-sweet, we've got a recipe for you. Easy DIY popsicles you can make with the kids. 1. Watermelon popsicles. These refreshing treats are the creative idea of the Cooking Classy blog. They are made with fresh watermelon and kiwi, a few chocolate chips and coconut milk
Has the Fidget Spinner Craze Gone Too Far?
Fidget spinners are all the rage – we've got a half dozen in our house alone. Online people are posting pictures of their disinterested pets staring at spinning fidget toys. And on the news today, there was an entire feature dedicated to fidget spinners. But how much is too much? Proof that fidget spinners are inescapable. 1. Fidget spinner nail art. Yes, this is a real
Turmeric Tea: Recipes for this Magical Healing Elixir
Turmeric is an ancient spice that is also an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. It is even touted as decreasing the risk for cancer and for alleviating symptoms of arthritis. Here are some easy turmeric tea recipes. I went in search of turmeric tea recipes that are easy and affordable to make, as well as palatable. I made changes, tweaking the recipes to my own tastebud preferences.
6 Easy Mother's Day DIY Gifts Even Kids Can Make
Mother's Day is the perfect time for kids to show their love for Mom or Grandma with easy-to-make homemade gifts that will be treasured for years. Thoughtful DIY Mother's Day Gifts. 1. Marshmallow Mother's Day Flowers. My friend Robyn made these pretty edible flowers. What you need: lollipop sticks, marshmallows, Easter grass (on sale now!), colored sugar, floral foam and drinking glasses. Says Robyn, "I dipped
DIY Unicorn Frappachino (That Actually Tastes Good)!
If you didn't hear the internet buzzing about Starbucks' limited edition Unicorn Frappachino….well, I don't know where you have been this past week. Maybe somewhere where folks have more important things to do than debate franchised media gimmicks among total strangers? Although I can understand the appeal of the pink and blue bright color-changing drink (at least for preteen girls) the consensus seems that the
How to Make Your Own Marshmallow Peeps and Bunnies for Easter!
Marshmallow Peeps and Bunnies are best-sellers this time of year, but as cute and iconic as they are, they're also gritty and tasteless. The good news is that if you make your own, they are amazing. They will melt in your mouth with a sweet vanilla yumminess that you have never before tasted in a Peep. Here's how to make your own Peeps. 1. Buy a
DIY LUSH Inspired Bath Bombs are the Bomb!
Whenever we pass by LUSH in the mall, my 11 year-old daughter and her friends are instantly pulled in as if by a strong magnet. The chain's bath bombs seem to be the biggest crowd pleaser. Sure, they're colorful, often glittery, and they smell intensely fragrant, but these bath treats do not come cheap! How to make your own bath bombs for less. Put that DIY slime
DIY Easter Egg Decorating Ideas – Frugal, Fun or Fail?
Instead of using the usual Paas Egg Dye kit this year, I thought it might be fun to try some creative and inexpensive Pinterest egg dyeing recipes. I got the kids involved and we tried 5 different ways to decorate eggs. Are Pinterest Egg Decorating Recipes all they're cracked up to be? 1. Shaving cream egg dye. This idea looked great to me – shaving cream
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I believe that pearl necklaces, like life, are beautiful. Each individual event, each day lived, strung together to create something even more beautiful than one pearl by itself. My grandpa, Selmer C. Uhr, who died of cancer during the summer of 2006, is my hero. He lived the best life I have ever seen, allowing God to shape each day. His life is like the pearl necklace that my grandmother wore when she married him. She gave me that necklace for my twelfth birthday. When I wear it I think of my grandpa's life and how he touched so many others.
My grandpa was raised on a farm in a small town in Iowa by his very strict mother and Norwegian father. After three years at Iowa State, he was drafted into the army. While stationed in Texas, he met my grandma. While he was still in school, he worked a summer as a forester; his closest friend was the mouse who ate his cereal. After he married, he achieved his masters in forest economics from Yale. While living in Florida, he built a house with his two sons.
He has led many house churches and Bible studies, never compromising what he believed. He put an old rice plantation under government protection and took his kids camping and backpacking. His loving relationship with his wife taught and inspired many people to cherish and care for loved ones in their lives. He continued to work as a tree consultant until two weeks before he died. Even now he inspires me to be my best.
I could go on all day about the things that he did for me. He gave me a love for the outdoors, taught me to search for the heart of God and gave me hope that someday I will find a man who will love me as much as he loved my grandma. I hope that like him, I can use knowledge to love and care for others. I hope that someday I will look back on my life and see, like his, a life that was complete, just like my string of pearls.
If you enjoyed this essay, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to This I Believe, Inc.


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Celebrations made memorable with Online Cake Delivery
Cakes are universally acclaimed food items with a long history tracing back centuries. There are many varieties of cakes and amongst them chocolate cakes are the most popular ones. You can get an Online Cake Delivery in Delhi or any destination of your choice with a simple click of the mouse. Traditionally homemade, they are now readily available in online stores too and people can buy chocolate cakes online or send them to their loved ones.
Cakes have always been one of the world's most popular food type which has major social and cultural significance. The tradition of making cakes for celebrations or ceremonies has been long present in many civilizations and cultures all around the world. Cakes were originally were used in religious rites as an offering for the gods and spirits. Sometimes they were purposely fashioned into specific shapes in accordance to the particular occasion or to signify certain ideas such as the round and circular shapes which were symbolic of the cyclical nature of life or of natural phenomenon. The ancient Chinese made round cakes in honor of the lunar god at the occasion of the Harvest moon Festival.
People started making cakes ever since they discovered flour. The earliest instances of cakes can be traced back to Neolithic times. Their cakes were made from crushed grains and heated on a stone fire. The first culture with significantly advanced baking skill are the ancient Egyptians.
Delhi is a city where all the celebrations and festivals are celebrated with pomp and show but because of shortage of time and heavy traffic people find it difficult to buy gifts for their loved ones. But attending an occasion without a perfect gift seems highly uninteresting, therefore there is a boom of Online Cake Delivery in Delhi. Traditionally chocolate cakes were made at home but now they can be found in bakeries, restaurants and even at online stores. The chocolate cakes are available in various shape, sizes and fillings such as chocolate cherry cupcakes, chocolate walnut truffles, chocolate venom and chocolate orange cakes from the Best Cake Shops in Delhi. You can add a personal touch on the occasion by placing a message plaque which makes it much more personalized.


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As Bob Dylan sung, "Times, they are a changin'." Everything is collapsing around on Obama, and that's something to be thankful for. The more people distrust him, then the less likely he is to get new policies passed, meaning the Republic gets a little more breathing room.
Just recently, Forbes magazine published an open editorial on their website explaining why Obama's rejection and constant violation should lead to his impeachment and removal from office. It went viral.
Many patriots are tired of "just talk", but this talk is absolutely vital: movements begin with words, and right now, we have to give as much attention to those pushing for impeachment as possible.
Since President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, he has changed it five times. Most notably, he suspended the employer mandate last summer. This is widely known, but almost no one seems to have grasped its significance.
The Constitution authorizes the President to propose and veto legislation. It does not authorize him to change existing laws. The changes Mr. Obama ordered in Obamacare, therefore, are unconstitutional. This means that he does not accept some of the limitations that the Constitution places on his actions. We cannot know at this point what limitations, if any, he does accept…
The main responsibility the Constitution assigns to the President is to faithfully execute the Laws.
The next few paragraphs are potent. It's completely true. How Americans respond to this attack on the fabric of the constitution will dictate the future of the country.
Surely, rejection of the Constitution is grounds for impeachment and charges should be filed. In addition, there are many other actions that Congressmen can and should take—actions that will tell Mr. Obama that we have seen where he is going and we will not let our country go without a fight.
At the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked what form of government had been created. "A republic," he replied, "if you can keep it."
We are losing it. If Mr. Obama's reach for unprecedented power is not stopped, that will be the end.
Help keep the momentum going and please spread this on Facebook and Twitter. This editorial needs to be read by as many people as possible. Don't give up — keep pushing back.
Full Editorial:
Since President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, he has changed it five times. Most notably, he suspended the employer mandate last summer. This is widely known, but almost no one seems to have grasped its significance.
By changing the law based solely on his wish, Mr. Obama acted on the principle that the President can rewrite laws and—since this is a principle—not just this law, but any law. After the crash of Obamacare, many Congressmen have implored the President to change the individual mandate the same way he had changed the employer mandate, that is, to violate the Constitution again.
The main responsibility the Constitution assigns to the President is to faithfully execute the Laws. If the President rejects this job, if instead he decides he can change or ignore laws he does not like, then what?
The time will come when Congress passes a law and the President ignores it. Or he may choose to enforce some parts and ignore others (as Mr. Obama is doing now). Or he may not wait for Congress and issue a decree (something Mr. Obama has done and has threatened to do again).
Mr. Obama has not been shy about pointing out his path. He has repeatedly made clear that he intends to act on his own authority. "I have the power and I will use it in defense of the middle class," he has said. "We're going to do everything we can, wherever we can, with or without Congress." There are a number of names for the system Mr. Obama envisions, but representative government is not one of them.
If the President can ignore the laws passed by Congress, of what use is Congress? The President can do whatever he chooses. Congress can stand by and observe. Perhaps they might applaud or jeer. But in terms of political power, Congress will be irrelevant. Probably, it will become a kind of rubber-stamp or debating society. There are many such faux congresses in tyrannies throughout history and around the globe.
Mr. Obama has equal contempt for the Supreme Court. In an act of overbearing hubris, he excoriated Supreme Court Justices sitting helplessly before him during the 2010 State of the Union address—Justices who had not expected to be denounced and who were prevented by the occasion from defending themselves. Mr. Obama condemned them for restoring freedom of speech to corporations and unions.


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Have any of u had this happen to u??????? Has any 1 got there tamagotchi wet??? It was yesterday I had my Tamagotchi's (version 1&2) and it started to down poor and I mean terrential down poor. All of my tamagotchi's got soaked. My newest tamagotchi version 2 got damaged or somthing. I was kind of like there was a secret charter because I read about them on other peoples things with the secret charters. The reson I thought it was a secret charter is because when I went to the time I would hit botton. "A" and it would let me set the time. Also if I hit botton "A" again when it wasn't on the clock it would go to the sound.Have any of your down that??? I tried to "Download" it but it wouldn't let me, it would go back to the sound. Does any 1 know WHY??? P.M. me or reply if u know why or if it ever happened to u!!! I would really appreate that.
Please reply if u know!!!
What happened to my Tamagotchi v.2
Started by valster , Aug 09 2005 06:23 PM
Started09 Aug 2005
Last Post09 Aug 2005
Posted 09 August 2005 - 06:53 PM ( #2 )
Humm... That's odd.
I asume that the wet weather messed with the tamagotchi.
I asume that the wet weather messed with the tamagotchi.