text:
Chapter 1
"Do it."
"I don't want to."
"How can I believe you when I can't see it with my own eyes?"
Clara is my best friend. She's me only female friend.
We're sitting on the school's roof after school. Both of us are in no hurry to get home. And today, I have decided to let Clara in on a little secret of mine.
I stare at the empty Hello Kitty lunch bag sitting between us. I think one word: up. I lift my finger slightly, and the lunch bag floats in the air before I let it drop.
"That is awesome," says Clara. "How long have you been able to do that?"
"Not that long," I lie. I've been able to do this for almost a year. I can move and lift things with my mind.
"You can't tell anyone, Clara."
"Like I would," she says. "And besides, who would I tell?" I can imagine all the people Clara and her big mouth could tell.
Who would I tell? The question sticks to the back of my mind like old gum as I walk home. It is pretty impressive on my part that I kept this a secret from my family for so long. I have two little brothers, a little sister, and hyper parents at home. My older brother, Kento, is rarely home so he doesn't really count as part of the chaos at home. I could have horns growing out of my head, and it would take him a week to notice.
He and the other Ronin Warriors are out fighting evil or whatever. I'm not supposed to know that. My family doesn't know. All they know is that Kento received some ceremonial armor as birthday present from Grandpa years ago, but I don't remember much of that. This is mostly a lie too.
No one remembers what happened almost a year ago. The city was overtaken by darkness and an army of evil demons and junk. And no one remembers this but me.
I was at school when it happened. Everyone was taken but me. They left me alone and took everyone else. In the beginning, I felt guilty about my family and the others, but how could I have been any help captured too? Anyways, the Ronin Warriors saved everyone, and everyone returned home like nothing had happened.
I began noticing changes in myself after everyone came back. Changes in what I could do. I could lock doors while still in my bedroom. I could hide the TV remote from my brothers so I could quietly read without ever leaving my room. If I thought it, it would happen. Realistic things, of course, like moving stuff. Not wishes or anything ridiculous. That would be crazy.
I thought nothing of my powers at first. They made life at home tolerable. However, after I began to have nightmares, headaches, and nosebleeds, I began to care about the origin or cause of my powers. I think I read too many comic books.
I throw my current worries aside as I stop on the sidewalk in front of my house. It is going to be more hectic than usual very soon at the Rei Fuan house. The Festival of Fireflies is tomorrow night and luck would have it, our family restaurant will be catering the event. Mom is most likely going over the food options right now for the millionth time in the restaurant's kitchen or trying to find something more ridiculous for me to wear at the event.
And perhaps more importantly, Kento is coming home tomorrow with the rest of the guys. The guys will be staying in our guest rooms for the festival for as long as they want or until summer break is over. They are honorary siblings and children of the family. Everyone believes the guys have been away on a field trip or study abroad program or something. Yeah right. More like fighting evil or something.
Chun Fa is running through the sprinkler in the front yard while Yun and Mei Ryu are wrestle in the yard, arguing over some comic book hero. Mei Ryu is right, by the way. Yun just wants to fight about something. Chun Fa gives me a wet hug before I am able to pull myself through the front door.
There is a letter on the fridge from Mom. Of course. Mom and Dad will be home late. I am to try on my festival dress that is in my room on my bed. And I am to march back outside and keep an eye on my younger siblings. I swear, the woman has eyes everywhere.
I grab a drink from the fridge and "march my ass" back outside. I sit on the porch bench, curled into a ball, and read. In cases like this, I miss Kento. He would be out there playing with them. I prefer to read and watch from afar. I love them, but it is very to have too much of them.
The boys' wresting match is becoming a little too heated. A quick wave of my index finger and the boys are dosed with the sprinkler water. The boys' fight cools off. They agree that rolling on the wet lawn is more fun than fighting on the wet lawn.
I smile at how much control I have gained over my powers. With a flick of my hand or fingers, I could control things quite easily now.
"What are you reading?" asks Chun Fa. She is now standing in front of me. I can see her toes wiggle. She is struggling so hard not to give me another big wet hug.
"A story book," I reply.
"Any princesses?"
"You're such a terrible liar, Rinfi," Chun Fa says. "You're reading one of those not fun science books." At six years old, the kid could read people better than any hard boiled private eye.
"Fine. I'm reading a book about genetics. No princesses. What gave me away?"
"I don't know," she says. "I just know you're lying. You're silly."
"No, you are." I say, showing my maturity.
Chun Fa runs back into the yard to her sprinkler. I continue to read. The book is a collection of case studies on persons with bizarre genetic mutations, gifting these people special attributes and habits. I think most of the cases in the book are bullshit. None are even comparable to what is happening to me. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
I try to keep my sighs of disappointment and embarrassment to myself as I stare at the fat cow in the full length mirror before me. This dress is meant for someone taller and with smaller boobs. Someone like Clara, not her fat sidekick in this story.
The dress is made of red and orange silky fabric and is tied off with a blue belt. It is too tight in my chest and at my hips. A stuffed sausage. A plump little doll. You name it. I look like it. I have the feeling that if I wear this dress tomorrow night, my tombstone will read: Rinfi Rei Fuan. Died too young. Bitch should not have worn that dress.
I manage to maneuver out of the dress without ripping it and fling the accursed thing onto my bed. I quietly curse the thing and slip into a tank top and boxers. The rest of the house is asleep. Mom and Dad finally got home at midnight. It is 1:30am. I am not tired. I have not needed much sleep for the past couple of weeks. I haven't been tired or hyper. I have just been awake and content.
I open my bedroom window and climb out the window and onto the roof. The vines growing on the side of the house supported me when I was nine and still support my fat ass now. God works in mysterious ways.
I sit on the roof, my back against the chimney, and watch the night world. The glow of the city blocks most of the stars overhead but not all. A few birds flap past. A few cats fight. The drunk two doors down finally stumbles home after a night of drinking, self-pity, and complaining about his wife. His wife is waiting for him at the front door. He drunkenly tells her he loves her and that she is the best thing that has ever happened to him. I feel a frying pan to the head is in his future.
I enjoy the show and enjoy gently swaying the tree in the backyard back and fourth with my hand. The flowers from the tree gently fall to the ground. Something is different with me. The powers, I know, duh. But something else is different with me. I feel different. I feel calmer like something missing has been filled in me. Now, I am content with watching flowers fall in the backyard.
I remember when I first used my powers unintentionally. I was taking Chun Fa downtown to get her a new formal dress for the big family get together that happens every five years. Every Rei Fuan in a hundred miles would be there, eating and sharing battle stories.
It was my duty, as the eldest sibling at home, to take Chun Fa. Kento was off fighting evil. Chun Fa ran out into traffic after she let go of the pink balloon she had cried and whined for while we were looking at dresses earlier in the day. I ran to grab her and pull her out of the street. The oncoming car slammed to a stop before us. Not because of breaks but because the car had smashed into something I couldn't see.
I grabbed Chun Fa and ran as far and fast as I could away from the scene. I didn't know what had happened then. I know now. I protected Chun Fa. Somehow, I stopped that car from killing the both of us. The following day, the city was overtaken by an evil army, so no one remembered a thing.
I can't replicate what had happened that day. I can't destroy or stop things, no matter how hard I try or how hard I focus. I tell a glass to shatter, it does nothing. I try to stop moving cars, nothing but angry people honking horns and yelling at me.
I see a shooting star, probably an airplane, before I call it quits for the early morning. I make a wish. Please God or shooting star or fairy godmother, get me out of festival work tonight. I am wishing upon a star. How lame. Damn Disney movies.
I fall asleep a little before 3am and wake at 6am. I feel like I have gotten twelve hours of good sleep.
Mornings are interesting in my house. One bathroom for all the children. One bathroom for the parents, away from the children. That says it all.
I grab a Special K bar for breakfast and am out the door before Mom can ask about the damn dress/torture device.
School is the same as always. Boring. I am waiting for the accelerated program to begin soon. I have already tested out of my current subjects. Clara probably could too, but she sleeps too much in class.
We spend lunch at our usual spot on the roof. Clara pressures me into trying new things with my powers. I am able to set off teachers' cars' alarms down in the parking lot. We enjoy watching the teachers fight with each other on their smoke breaks over who's messing with their cars.
While we are laughing, it dawns on me why I am content. Maybe it is because these powers are mine and only mine. No siblings have stolen them, destroyed them, or lost them. No one besides Clara knows about them. They are mine, not made for someone else like that stupid dress.
"What are you thinking about?" Clara asks.
"Maybe you're right," I say. "Maybe I should stop trying to figure this thing out and just enjoy it. Go with the flow and all that crap."
"Holy crap. I was right," says Clara. I pour a little of my soul out here and that is all she hears. And people wonder why I keep to myself.
The school bell finally rings, dismissing students and teachers for summer break. The teachers beat the students out of the building. Clara can't stay. Something about visiting her Grandmother or something. I stay on the roof, trying to stall the inevitable.
The parking lot is now bare. No students in sight. It is quiet and peaceful. I could fall asleep up here, if I were tired. Still, I close my eyes. I am jolted to my feet by the loud roar.
I peer over the edge of the roof and see Whiteblaze sitting there, waiting for me. The guys are back. I double check. No one in sight.
"I'll be down in a sec!" No point in fighting it. I leap off the building.


text:
Fungal spores, SEM
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text:
Students have been asked to sign up for an account with Remind. It will allow them receieve text messages from me, their English teacher, about important reminders or assignments that pertain to class. It is a one-way system that does not give students nor myself access to phone numbers.
The code needed to sign up for an account for students in Mrs. Earsing's fith bell is: eng3c6
Your student has been assigned a Google Account through the Boone County Board of Education. As a class, we will utilize this account. Google Classroom will be my main source of communication to students. However, the only way to login to Google Classroom is through your student's username and password.
Their username is their email@example.com
Their password is something they decided upon. Please ask your student for their password so you can also login to Google Classroom at your leisure.


text:
The former Destiny's Child singer even managed to outshine Lady Gaga in drag, who picked up two awards and Katy Perry – also known as Mrs Russell Brand – who won three, including video of the year.
The MTV VMAs annually turn up the volume on surprises and outrageous acts by the world's top singers and bands.
Last year it was Lady Gaga's meat dress and the year before the Kanye West and Taylor Swift speech mishap.
But nobody saw the Beyonce's pregnancy coming – except her husband, the rapper Jay-Z.
Beyoncé, whose hits include "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," first appeared on the red carpet, posed for photographers and used her arms to outline the baby bump her long gown.
She later performed her song "Love On Top," telling the audience to stand up and saying, "I want you to feel the love that's growing inside of me." At the end, she took off her jacket, smiled broadly and rubbed her tummy.
In the audience, Jay-Z was congratulated by Kanye West and he gave Beyoncé a big wave.
Lady Gaga opened the VMAs singing her song "You and I" and dressed in drag as her male alter ego, Joe Calderone. She stayed in the fictional character throughout the program and accepted awards for best female video and best message video for her song, "Born This Way."
"I feel so blessed to be here," Lady Gaga said onstage, holding the MTV moonman statuette for best female performer. "It doesn't matter how you are – gay, straight, bi, lesbian, transgendered -- you were born this way."
The other big winner of the night was Perry, who took home video of the year with her triumphant song and video for "Firework."
She also picked up best collaboration for "E.T." featuring Kanye West, and a minor trophy for special effects with "E.T."
Perry, who is known for cute and colourful costumes accepted her award with a cube-shaped hat on her head.
"I'm very proud of the song, she said. "I feel like I am doing something right when I sing (it)."
Other awards went to Justin Bieber for best male video with "U Smile," and Tyler, The Creator took home the MTV moonman for best new artist with "Yonkers."
Britney Spears earned the honour of having the best pop video with "Till the World Ends." She was also given the special honour of the Michael Jackson video vanguard award.
Foo Fighters nabbed best rock video and Nicki Minaj, in a bright dress she said was inspired by Tokyo and its Harajuku district, took best hip-hop video for "Super Bass."
Shut out of the top awards was British singer Adele, who has been topping charts for weeks with her hit album "21" and its singles including "Rolling in the Deep." But "Rolling" did manage to earn awards in minor categories of art direction, cinematography, and editing.
Highlights included a duet by Jay-Z and Kanye West, singing a song from their new album, "Watch the Throne," and Lil Wayne closed the show in advance of his new album's release.
Legendary soul singer Tony Bennett and pop star Bruno Mars took part in a tribute to the late soul singer Amy Winehouse, who recently died. Bennett said some people just have talent and others don't.
"Amy had the whole gift," Bennett said.


text:
- Holiday Search
- Destinations
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Our guide to holiday cottages in Ilfracombe
Holidays in Ilfracombe are the most popular in North Devon, and it's easy to see why! This lively town bubbles with life, and there is always lots going on. Nestled between grassy hills, steep cliffs and the Atlantic coast, Ilfracombe's location has protected it from over development – so it remains as charming as the Victorians found it. Its traditional harbour remains North Devon's largest, and is a fantastic base from which to explore nearby places of interest such as Lundy Island.
Things to do in Ilfracombe
We're very partial to holidays in Ilfracombe – it's a charming place that boasts some real gems. If you're contemplating a trip here, we suggest attending Victorian Week which runs each June. This spectacular celebration of the area's history features a shop window dressing competition, Victorian costumes, parade discos and church services. This family friendly event is well loved by all so make sure you check it out if you're around.
We know being at the beach is what most people dream of. At Gold Coast Oceanfest, you can do just that. From the 19th to 21st of June, this beach festival is bursting with surfing, fun and games. You'll find entertainment for all the family, BMX ramps, trampolines, demonstrations, and more. It's a great way to make the most of the start of summer.
One of the biggest beaches in the area is Wildersmouth Beach. This beautiful beach boasts sand and rugged cliffs to give it an air of mystery. The peaceful setting is perfect for taking time to get acquainted with the sea air but there's also opportunity for a soothing stroll too. We adore the small, rocky bay and as it's close to the heart of Ilfracombe, you're in good company.
If you're up for getting your walking boots on, head to the Exmoor Walking Festival. Taking place in May, over 10 days, the programme has 30 guided walks which will take you between 4 to 11 miles to complete. Each walk is special in its own way and you'll have the chance to peek at some of the most spectacular scenery, including local landmarks and woodlands.
Ilfracombe Attractions
Ilfracombe has so many attractions, you'll be wondering which to tackle first. A trip to Ilfracombe Harbour is always popular with residents and tourists alike. A coastal cruise on the harbour is your chance to spot seals and dolphins. From Easter to October, these cruises take you onto the waters and past some of the most scenic coastal landscapes. If you have a dog, don't worry! Your family pet is allowed on board too.
To find out more about the local culture, we recommend a trip to Burton Art Gallery. The art gallery and museum is one of the most popular cultural attractions in the South West. Boasting exhibitions, craft gallery and art collections, view work by local artists and get inspired to explore your creative side. The regular family events include craft work with little ones – they'll love getting to spend a messy few hours making something you can treasure.


text:
FC: Brenda Knows How To Party!
1: Please add/edit names
2: My mates | Please add/edit names | My mates!!!
3: That's my little man Austen downing champagne & orange juice | Form IVA (1979) Only girls I can remember is: | Form 111A (1978) Mrs Williams Sharon, Yvonne,Debbie,Jeanine,Louise,Janet Rafferty,Judy,Carmen,Sharon,Charlotte,Dirga,Jenny,Carol-lynn,Mandy,Leigh, Denise Jardine,Georgina, Lynda,Rochelle Daugherty, Alsion Shephardson, Gail, Jenny
4: Submarine, what fun, could see all the tropical fish & sea snakes, beautiful coral | Getting into the "Bintang' groove - great beer | Sun, warm water, crystal clear sea....bliss | so hot, only place to eat an ice-cream | Another temple, another dance but the costumes are incredible and all the people are so friendly and proud of their country
5: Can you believe, the last night....... | Closest that Courtney & I would get to these great animals
6: Keith playing with his new lenses | Waiting for the lighting display
7: Closest we'll get to one of those spot lights
8: What an awesome experience
9: If it's the 25th it must be Johannesburg, jetlagged but what an awesome time
10: This was after many Mango Dacquiris (yummy!!!) | Waterfront on Kowloon (after Bali the cooler weather was enjoyed)
11: Getting the hang of relaxing | Doing what a girl does best ... Ordering room-service! | Let the holiday begin
12: We rock!!!
13: Spa day


text:
Calling All MonstersThe choice of the actors lending their voices to the cast of "Monsters vs. Aliens"
(MvA) was anything but spontaneous. Filmmakers put together their wish lists of names
and some initial calls were made. But sometimes, being the right filmmakers in the right
place at the right time proved serendipitous, and a certain leading lady heeded her own
inner call to join the MvA crusade.
Director Letterman relates, "The first time Reese Witherspoon came in and we
actually met her, Jeffrey brought her by the studio and gave her a tour—he was basically
showing her all the movies going on to see what she would respond to. Conrad and I
were waiting and she came in, and we gave her a basic pitch of the idea of the movie and
explained to her that we really wanted to make the female lead the hero character to
balance out the dudes in the film. When she heard that her eyes just lit up."
"Reese connected to the story and character of Susan," adds Vernon. "She emailed
Jeffrey later that day and said she wanted to come onboard!"
For producer Stewart, a big draw to the project was similar to Witherspoon's: "I
love the idea of this ordinary woman thrown into this extraordinary world. The monster
characters are so funny and individual, and this idea of a small-town girl from Modesto,
California suddenly becoming part of this outrageous crew—thrust into this situation in
which she has to fight off an alien invasion—it was inventive and funny."
The Oscar®-winning actress explains, "I like that she is a regular girl who learns
to value herself. She starts the movie where she thinks she has everything going for her
in her life. She's about to be married. She's got this great guy. She's really ready to
start a life that she thinks is the right life for her. In one twist of fate, she has to really
face the fact that she never really wanted much from herself, never really learned to value
what was great about her as an individual. I think that is a journey that a lot of people
can relate to. Susan is a great character, and it's fun to see somebody become a
superhero—to suddenly have that kind of super strength. Don't we all sort of dream
about those things?"
For the filmmakers, Witherspoon's award-winning talent wasn't the only draw—
it was her stature, literally. Director Vernon says, "We thought it would be great and a
nice contrast to have a petite girl play a giant woman—and we had fun with that. Susan
is living vicariously through her fiancé. We liked taking that idea and turning it
around…so when she becomes the most powerful woman in the world, she realizes that
she doesn't really need him to lead the amazing life that she's always wanted."
Stewart adds, "Five feet, one-and-one-half inch Reese Witherspoon playing the
five-story monster was instantly appealing to us. Reese is a great actress, really smart
and game for anything. I think she really enjoyed the idea of the transformation of this
character—she sunk her teeth into it."
For working mom Witherspoon, the other themes present in the material also
resonated: "Through the journey of the film, Susan starts to really value and appreciate
the monster crew for the support that they give her—the love, the companionship—the
understanding that they have of the situation…they're all different. She has to come to
terms with the fact that she can't really go home again in the same way. She'll never be
just Susan Murphy from Modesto. And, at first, that kind of depresses her, but then,
through the help of the Monsters, she realizes it's a little awesome to be different. They
all value each other for their qualities, and they kind of form this offbeat family."
"Offbeat" is one good word to describe the most intelligent of the incarcerated
Monsters that Susan (later named "Ginormica") meets in the secret military facility—Dr.
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text:
In 1950, when the Cold War had started, the West German government planned the building of a new army. This project caused huge protests among the war tired population. The government considered the protesters to be public enemies. About 500.000 men, women and children were affected by political persecution, which often was carried out by police men, public prosecutors and judges, who had already been on duty during the Nazi Time. Many activists were thrown into prison, partly for a very long time. Finally the whole political movement was smashed down by this persecution, which is unprecedented in western democracies. vimeo.com/132691432
Runtime: 54 Minutes, ratio: 16:9, Germany 2013
Director: Daniel Burkholz
Script: Daniel Burkholz, Sybille Fezer
Creative Producer: Sybille Fezer
Camera: Ruzbeh Sadeghi, Daniel Burkholz
Editing and Postproduction: Jan-Malte Enning
Production: Roadside Dokumentarfilm
Copyright © 2013: Roadside Dokumentarfilm / Daniel Burkholz; All Rights Reserved
The film is distributed by Roadside Dokumentarfilm. If you are interested, please be so kind to let us know: contact.
Until now, a veil of silence was drawn over this chapter of German history. Peter Kleinert in "Neue Rheinische Zeitung"
By using original photographies, the film makes the violence, which was exercised by the Federal Republic of Germany in its early years, vivid... . Matthias Reichelt in "Junge Welt"
The strength of the film lies in its renouncing of any heroicization and its showing of the prosecution ´s impact on the social environment of the individuals concerned. Peter Nowak in "der Freitag"
On many places of his film Burkholz makes it very clear, that this prosecution clashed with the official claim as "democratic state governed by the rule of law". Hans Günther-Dicks in "Unsere Zeit"
One should not be astonished that the Federal Ministery of Justice didn´t want to give the director an interview on this topic. Thomas Blum in "Neues Deutschland"
Watch this Film! It contains not a single boring second. Anja Röhl in "Scharf Links"


text:
Canon is one of the leading company in specialised business and
manufacturing customer imaging equipment and
information systems. Canons general product line and digital solutions allow
businesses and customers all over the world to capture - store - and share out
their information. Canon products contain full colour as well as black and white
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machines, camcorders, cameras - lenses, broadcast and optical equipments,
semiconductor, flatbed scanners and other specialised industrial products. Canon DR 400 DC-Coupler allows you
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Canon DR-400 DC-Coupler -
Works with EOS Models D30 - D60 and 10D
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Canon DR-400 Works on
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Manufacturer Code


text: The phrase, "Turn to God," is profoundly suggestive. It conjures, for me, the image of standing or sitting somewhere and not being aware of someone who is close because my attention is focused elsewhere. When a friend draws my attention to the person next to me, or when I become aware of her presence, a turn of my neck is all that is necessary for me to recognize the one who is at my side. In turning, I do not have to bridge a barrier of space since the person is not in another building or room, but next to me. I do not have to look to a future moment, since the person is standing here and now. In order to discover and to see the person, I must simply turn my gaze which is directed elsewhere. The metaphor of turning is very helpful in understanding and describing the human predicament of separation from and finding God. The infinite God, in the understanding of Hinduism, is not to be thought of and imagined as one of the many objects in space. If we imagine God to be like an object in space, even if we locate God spatially higher than we are, we would be conceptually limiting the limitless God, since the space that contains God must be larger than God. From the standpoint of Hinduism, space and time are not naturally and eternally existing realities. God does not start off as a being who exists in one part of space and creates universes in other parts of space. Space and time are part of the created order, coming from God and existing in God. The Bhagavadgita (9:6) teaches that just as everything exists and moves in space, space and all things within it rest in God. God exists in all things and all things are in God. Yet God is not limited or bound by anything. God is not one object in space, but the One in which everything exists. This means that God is not a reality somewhere out there to be known. If we are in God and God is in us, as the Bhagavadgita (6:) puts it, we are never separate from God in space or time. This does not mean, however, that a process of turning is unnecessary. While we are inseparable from God, we are afflicted by a deep ignorance, comparable to a trance-like slumber, because of which we are unaware of the reality of God. The poet-saint Kabir compares us to a washer man standing in the midst of a flowing river and dying of thirst! When we discover God, we discover that God has already found us and has always been with us. In our spiritual blindness we did not recognize God's presence. "I am the same in all beings, " says Krishna in the Bhagavadgita (9:29), "there is none disliked or dear to Me. They who worship me with love are in Me and I am also in them." The Svetasvatara Upanishad (4:6-7) uses an interesting analogy to describe the human separation from and discovery of God. It describes two beautiful birds who are inseparable friends residing on the same tree. One eats the fruits of the tree with relish while the other looks on without eating. Sitting on the same tree, one bird becomes sad, entangled and deluded. But, when he turns and sees the other, the contented Lord and the Lord's majesty, his grief disappears. The two birds are the human being, and God and the tree is the life itself. God's attention is always on the human being, but the human being, absorbed in the world, ignores God. He is unaware of the divine who is close by and patiently waiting. Human ignorance and inattentiveness to God, however, is the fundamental cause of misery which ends only when one turns round and recognizes God at one's side. Ignorance of God is the source of our suffering and from this we must be awake. Awakening to God is consistently associated in the Hindu tradition and texts with freedom from sorrow and the attainment of joy. "Only when people shall roll up the sky like a piece of leather," says the Svetasvatara Upanishad, "will there be an end of misery for them," often used to describe the absolute. "The Infinite Itself is joy. There is no joy in the finite. The Infinite alone is joy," says Sanatkumara to Narada in the Chandogya Upanishad (7.23.1). On a particle of the bliss of God, teaches Yajnavalkya in the Brhadaranyana Upanishad (4.3.32), other beings live. Knowing God and the bliss which is God ought not, in the Hindu tradition, to lead to selfish absorption in oneself. This is where the Assembly theme challenges us as Hindus. One cannot and ought not to turn to God without, at the same time, turning to creation and to all human beings with love and reverence. To turn to God is not to turn away from the world, but to see the world as infused by God. Hinduism has emphasized, perhaps more than any other tradition, God's immanence in the world and in all beings. Paradoxically, however, we have understood and lived our tradition in ways which imply that we can turn to God and ignore the world. Our tradition is loud and consistent in its call for us to turn to God. The Assembly theme may, unfortunately, be read in ways that reinforce the disconnection between spirituality and social reality in Hinduism. The theme of turning to God and rejoicing in hope becomes relevant and radical for us only if it requires us to wrestle with the implications of this for our life in the world. If it does not, it simply becomes a theology of narcissistic escapism and we have enough of these. In Hinduism to know God is to discover God as living in all beings and to be drawn into a life of love and service of others. It is, as the Bhagavadgita puts, to identify with others in their joys and sorrows and to take delight in their well being. It does not mean that one is personally liberated from all encounters with sorrow and tragedy. Turning towards and discovering God provides a perspective and an unfailing source of support and strength which ensures that, as the Bhagavadgita (6:22) puts it, one does not succumb to the heaviest of sorrows.


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Some Good News for Christmas–Reptile and Butterflies Flourishing
How many times have you seen articles in newspapers about global warming causing the extinction of some frog, toad, lizard, butterfly, or you name it, specie? If today's newspaper doesn't contain such an article, Google "Global Warming and Extinction" and enjoy over two million sites. Repeatedly, if you see "Global Warming" and any specie in the title of an article, heaven help members of that specie, right?
What is odd is that literally thousands of professional journal articles show that virtually all plants benefit from elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels with or without any increase in temperature. With all the goodness in the world of flora, why do the fauna of the planetary ecosystem seem so vulnerable? The dirty secret is that the literature is full of articles showing the animal kingdom benefiting from changes that are underway.


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Nowadays Bear Rock is known as Devil's Tower – when white men discovered it, they incorrectly translated the local name as Bad God's rock, which soon changed to Devil's Tower. It had many names amongst the Plains tribe with the Lakota (Sioux) also call it Bear Lodge. They have an ancient, sacred relationship with it.
The rock itself is formed from magma (hot, liquid rock and crystals) which cooled underground. As it cooled, it shrank making columns (mostly hexagonal – 6 sided) which were separated by vertical cracks. The surrounding rocks were sedimentary (laid down by seas over millions of years), and were gradually eroded, leaving the harder magma rock pillars exposed.
Both the land around it and the rock itself are still being eroded – and very, very occasionally a pillar cracks, is weakened by wind, rain and ice and falls to the ground (it is believed that the last one fell about 10,000 years ago). Nowadays the rock is an important tourist site and a favourite with specialist climbers. It is such a striking feature, that it is not surprising that all of the local tribes had legends about its creation.
It is believed that the Sioux Indians, along with other North American peoples, came from Asia about 30,000 years ago. Traditionally the Sioux were nomadic, they never stayed in one place for long. Buffalo were their main source of food and clothing and so the Sioux would follow the herds. In about the 1500s, the Spanish introduced the Sioux to horses, meaning that their nomadic life became much easier.
They lived in in large buffalo-hide tents called tipis ( teepees). Tipis were made to put up and break down quickly. A whole village could pack up and be ready to move within an hour! The women were in charge of the home and domestic arrangements, built the tipis and carried them from place to place. The men were hunters and warriors, defending the family and providing the meat and hides. Both men and women wore their hair long (often in braids) and took part in medicine, art, music and story telling (an important part of a tribes culture).
On special occasions, Sioux would paint their faces and arms with colourful designs. They used different patterns for celebrations than for war paint. Fights between local tribes were often only about proving warriors' courage and skill and usually resulted in little or no bloodshed. Not all the men were great warriors, some were skilled hunters, others medicine men and yet others story tellers and entertainers. The Sioux believed that people should do the job they were good at.
Sioux babies were regarded as blessings and a birth was celebrated for many days. The names the babies were given were like nicknames, based on looks, nature, family or events and could change over time. The 'real' name was often won some way in later in life and known to very few. Sioux children were brought up with loving and respectful care and treasured not only by parents but the whole tribe. Their word for children is wakanyeja meaning sacred. Mothers carried their babies on their backs in cradleboards.
As they grew children played and also learned the customs and beliefs through stories and games as well as the skills they would need as adults. There was no physical punishment if a child did wrong – usually a stern look would be enough. Rarely, a naughty child might be told off in front of the whole village – and earn an embarrassing name that would follow them for a long time … a very great deterrent!
All the children learnt about what plants, nuts and berries were good to eat and what were helpful in medicine. They learnt how to make tools and utensils needed by the tribe. When they were ten, boys were expected to try to make their first buffalo kill – it must have been an exciting but terrifying experience, chasing the huge buffalo and trying to shoot it with a bow and arrow. There was no dishonour in missing, only in not trying. Girls had to learn about tipis, making clothes and baskets and also how to make 'jerky'. This was an important dried food made from buffalo meat. If it was made correctly, it could be safely eaten for up to two years. Hunters could take it with them and it could be carried from camp to camp.
A grizzly bear is the North American name for the brown bear. The name stems from the fur which has greyish (grizzled) tips. Originally, these bears could be found all over North America, but since the arrival of Europeans, their numbers have declined, sometimes because people have deliberately cleared whole areas of the bears, for example to build a railway, and sometimes because their habitats have been destroyed for the building of settlements, industry and growing of crops.
Grizzly bears usually live for more than 20 years and hibernate for between 5 and 7 months each year. To do this, they need to build a den and eat enormous amounts so that they can last that time without food. Female grizzlies give birth during the hibernation period and have to have enough milk to feed their tiny cubs so that they grow big and strong enough for the outside world when they emerge in April or early May.
Although usually solitary creatures, they will feed together if there is a lot of food, for example when the salmon are swimming upstream once a year. They are mainly carnivores (meat and fish) but also eat plants and fruit. As well as hunting for their prey, they will steal birds' eggs, food left by other animals and prey on the young of other creatures. However, they are also capable of preying on large mammals such as moose, bison, deer and even black bears. Attacks on humans are quite rare, despite the mythology surrounding these massive creatures.


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|On April 6, 2016, Prince William and his wife The Duchess of Cambridge attended a reception with young people from India and Bhutan at Kensington Palace before the India and Bhutan royal visit. (The Duchess wore a full-length piece by Indian designer Saloni. The Duchess wore a bespoke version of the Mary Illusion Dot Dress, the navy dress features an illusion plunging neckline with a high ruffled neck, long sleeves and a floor-length column silhouette. The dress retailed for $595.00 at Moda Operandi).
Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William attends a reception
16 comments:
- AnonymousApril 6, 2016 at 10:15 PM
Well.....from the back Kate looks ok, but from the sideways position she looks like a board. This thinness is not nice anymore. LivReplyDelete
Anonymous posting allowed again? I hope it does not let the haters in. I think she looks well and happy and perfectly dressed for the occasion.ReplyDeleteReplies
Yes, now the haters are back. You read the last post of the Spanish Royals and checked.Delete
Hey why are the Anonymous here.ReplyDelete
Kate looks fine. I wish her and William a most successful, productive and enjoyable trip.ReplyDelete
for some reason, this outfit screams Unappropriate for me. its like, she tried to be sexy and all, but needs to be demure, and so on and so on, I'm pretty sure there a whole bunch of selection for her, but then..she picked this. ah, but well maybe its just me.ReplyDelete
i mean, she could have just a knee length dress and that would be ok.ReplyDeleteReplies
I love that she wears a maxi dress. We are on our way into the season of a lot of maxi dresses and why not embrace changes. It's so boring when they use the same thing all the time so yes to mini( not to short though), midi and maxi dresses.Delete
This is a nice color on Catherine, and I like that she is experimenting with different silhouettes and design features. That being said, I don't think the straight vertical lines on the bodice are doing her any favors.ReplyDelete
It is always nice to see her out working and smiling though!
Meeting with young people from the two countries they are going to visit is an excellent and original way of preparing the journey.ReplyDelete
hmm blue is her colorReplyDelete
Kate is groomed perfectly, however there is no smile in the eyes, again the stiff grin, I wonder if she is at ease at all or is anxious and depressed.ReplyDelete
On the outfit, I totally love how the dress color is a great match with her engagement ring 'Big Blue', magnificent.
I do not like this dress at all. Maybe without that central transparent part it would be better. Now it looks kind of untidy.ReplyDelete
She looks good, the dress is not bad but she is soooo skinny! Unfortunatly i dont see her as trendsetter, i see Charlotte Casiraghi or Queen Maxima or CP Mary more influencial, but is my opinionReplyDelete
Love the colour ! Love the design ! Just not too keen on the length ! It might have been a little more effective at knee length. Other wise I think the DOC is looking stunning !ReplyDelete
Happy, beautiful Duchess. A perfect dress for the occasion. Sparkling eyes taking real interest in her guest. Well done, Duchess CambridgeReplyDelete
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Licensed to sell
Products placed in blockbuster movies make millions for the producers and the advertisers.
People barely bat an eyelid when they see Omega watches in James Bond movies, or Mercedes-Benz cars and Tag Heuer watches packing The Bourne Identity series of films. But does product placement - also known as embedded marketing - really work?
Product placement has become increasingly sophisticated over the past few years, and is used in all manner of movies and television series. It does not automatically increase product sales, yet the big brands stick by it.
That's because it develops the brand, Australian Marketing Institute chairman Roger James says, "particularly for products at the high end of the market".
"You enhance the brand by the placement with the hero in the film," he says. "Showing an Omega with Daniel Craig in the Bond movies works because Daniel Craig is not a bad-looking bloke; he is a bit of a hero, and it would have positive associations. But one of the issues of product placement is the extent to which the product blends into the film.''
James says it depends on the type of product as to whether product placement will work. "Sometimes it may be the case the product placement is just not noticed."
The founder of celebrity management and publicity agency Markson Sparks, Max Markson, is an advocate of product placement, which rose in popularity in the 1980s. "Absolutely, absolutely it works," he says. "It works because of the implied credibility it gives to products. The James Bond movies are a classic example."
Markson also notes that, as in the case of Superman and Batman, product placement is a genuine source of income for the movie producers who might get $1 million to $2Â million for each product.
However, it doesn't have to be top-gun luxury brands. The Bourne Identity features products as diverse as The Guardian newspaper and London's BT Tower.Â
Markson says the concept can work for almost anyone. "On a lesser scale, take [clothing brand] Ed Hardy. Globally, their product placement is phenomenal and they don't spend money on advertising.
"When Snoop Dogg gets arrested [on suspicion of illegal drug and gun possession in 2006] he is wearing an Ed Hardy T-shirt," Markson says.
He also likes infomercials as another form of marketing. "The time I was exposed to infomercials was in the early 1990s when I did a deal for Ita Buttrose to endorse a treadmill, and we made a fortune out of it.
"It sells products. With the Ita Buttrose treadmill, we ended up doing a global deal with Linda Evangelista. People often go on about how daggy it is but it is so successful. You try and buy a half-hour infomercial at night; it is impossible, all the channels are full. You can't get in there.''
Marketing consultant David Colley has chosen infomercials to market a new hair-cutting kit costing $149.85. "We chose infomercials because I believe the product requires some explanation. It's not just scissors; it requires some sort of setting up of the story. Plus, we have a clearly defined target audience of female grocery buyers with kids at school.
"We feel we have picked the time of the market where mums are paying $30 for a haircut for their kids. This is a totally user-friendly kit. It's a time for the family to get together. It really can't be stuffed up. It really was an initiative that was an infomercial story.''
Another product selected for infomercials is the natural cleansing program Lemon Detox. Marketing manager Endree Saade says there has been an "amazing response" to the infomercials, which have been running for about two years.
According to Saade, infomercials cost more but, "the call to action on infomercials works - unlike on a normal advertisement of 30Â seconds or 60 seconds - because people may not understand what the product was about".
The AMI, which represents more than 7500 members, is somewhat more circumspect about infomercials. James believes they work only if advertisers are upfront and honest.
"Consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated," he says. "They soon tell if you are trying to pull the wool over their eyes. However, I think there is a role when the communication is honestly portrayed. If you do that you are appealing to the viewer ... and the consumer will have a positive and enhanced view. That is the way it should be done."
Nonetheless, James warns that bad infomercials can harm good marketing plans and make consumers more cynical. "They are not taking us forward," he says.


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"I don't want you to be his next victim," Robert said in a sobering tone. She already was in many ways, but he was seriously afraid that if she crossed him in some serious way, or became useless to him, Finn might kill her, drive her to suicide, or cause an accident to happen.
"Neither do I. That's why I called you," Hope said in a heartbroken voice.
"You know, what you saw in the beginning, when he was so wonderful to you, is called 'mirroring,' when a sociopath will 'mirror' back to you everything you need and want and want them to be. And then later, much later, the truth of who they are comes out," Robert told her. "What do you think you want to do, Hope?" he asked her then gently. He felt deeply sorry for her, and understood better than most people how hard it was to face this kind of thing and take action.
"I don't know what I want to do," she admitted. "I know that sounds crazy. It was so wonderful for nine months, and suddenly all this awful stuff is happening. No one had ever been as nice to me, or as loving. I just want it to go back to the way it was in the beginning." But she was trying to raise the Titanic , and she was beginning to see it. She just didn't want to believe it. Not yet. She wanted Finn to prove all of it wrong. She wished she'd never gotten the report and still believed the dream. She wanted to but didn't. But she felt she had to go back and see for sure. Anyone listening to her would have thought she was insane, except Robert Bartlett. She had been lucky to find him.
"That's not going to happen, Hope," he said gently. "The man you saw in the beginning and fell in love with doesn't exist. The real one is a monster, without a heart or a conscience. I could be wrong, of course, and he could just be a very troubled guy, but I think we both know what we're seeing. That man in the beginning was an act he put on for you. That act is over. This is the third act, where the villain goes in for the kill." It was the theme of everything Finn wrote. "You can go back and take another look to be sure, no one can stop you, but you could be putting yourself at risk. Maybe great risk. If you do go back, you've got to be ready to get out fast, and run like hell if you smell danger. You can't stick around to negotiate with him. I don't usually tell people this, but I've been there. I was married to an Irish girl, the most beautiful woman you've ever seen, and the sweetest. I believed every word she told me, and her story sounds a lot like Finn's. She had a miserable childhood, her parents were both drunks, and she wound up in foster homes where people did awful things to her. She had the face of an angel and the heart of a devil. I defended her on manslaughter charges a few years after I got out of law school. I had absolutely no doubt of her innocence then. She killed her boyfriend and claimed he tried to rape her, and there was evidence to support it. I believed her. I got her off, but today I wouldn't tell you the same thing. Eventually, she left me, took every penny I had, broke my heart, and took our kids with her. I married her right after I defended her.
"Eventually she tried to kill me. She came back during the night and stabbed me, and tried to make it look like an intruder, but I knew it wasn't. I knew it was her. And I still went back to her two more times, trying to make it work, ignoring everything I knew. I loved her, I was addicted to her, and all I wanted to do was save our marriage and keep my kids. She eventually kidnapped them to Ireland seven years ago, and by some miracle they needed someone to head up the Dublin office at the time, so I jumped at it, to be close to my kids. I couldn't force her to come back to the States. She's very clever, and thank God, my kids are okay. The youngest one just left for college in the States two months ago, and I'm going back to the New York office this spring. Nuala has married two men since me, both for money, and one of them died two years ago, from a medication he was violently allergic to, which she administered to him, and convinced the judge at the inquest that she didn't. She inherited all his money. And she's going to do it to the man she's currently married to or some other guy one of these days. She has absolutely no conscience. She belongs in prison, but I don't know if she'll ever get there. She is so profoundly disturbed that she is willing to cross any line and has a deep need to get back at the world for what was done to her. No one is safe from her.
"So I know what you're dealing with here, and I think I know how you feel. It took me years to understand that the good Nuala was only an act she put on for me, but it was so goddamn convincing that I always believed her, no matter what lies she told me or what awful things she did. The kids eventually moved in with me, which didn't bother her. People like that don't make terrific parents. Their children are either accessories to their crimes, or their victims. She doesn't even see my girls now, and I don't think she cares. She's busy spending her late husband's money, the guy she killed by giving him the wrong antibiotic out of the medicine chest. It stopped his heart cold as she knew it would, and she waited an hour to call the paramedics because she 'was so upset' and claimed she was sound asleep and didn't hear him dying. And they believed her. No one has ever cried as hard as she did at the investigation. She was inconsolable. She married her defense attorney, again, and one of these days, she'll do the same thing to him or someone else. But every man she's ever left, except the dead ones, have mourned her. And so did I.
"It took me years to get over her, give up on her, and not give a damn anymore. Until then, I went back a hundred times for more. So, I get it. If you still need to turn the boat around, no matter what the evidence, no one can stop you. You have what you saw for nine months, and felt for him, and then you have that investigator's report and what everyone who knows him, and has experienced him, said. But if you go back, Hope, be smart. With people like that, when he turns on you, all you have time to do is run. That's the best advice I can give you. If you go back to him for another round, wear your track shoes, listen closely, trust your instincts, and if something happens that worries you or scares the shit out of you, trust yourself and get the hell out. Fast. Don't wait to pack a suitcase." It was the best advice he could have given her, based on his own experience, and she was stunned. It was a terrifying story. But so was Finn's.
"He's all I have now," she said sadly, "and he was so good to me for all those months. Paul was the only family member I had left, and now he's gone, and so's my daughter." She was crying as she spoke.
"That's the way these people work. They prey on the naïve, the innocent, the lonely, the vulnerable, and the solitary. They can't work their voodoo in a group with people watching them. They always isolate their victims, like he has you, and they pick them well. He knew that all you had was your ex-husband, who wasn't around anymore and was very sick. So he got you over to Ireland, where you have no family, no friends, no one to look out for you. You're his ideal victim. Just be aware of it when you come back. When are you coming?" He didn't ask her if but when. He knew she would. He had done the same thing, and he could tell she wasn't ready to let go yet. She needed another dose of Finn to shock her, because the evidence of the good Finn, and the memory of it, was so strong. It was a perfect example of cognitive dissonance, two sets of evidence in direct conflict with each other, all the love they lavished on people at first, and from time to time later, and the brutal, unconscionable cruelty when they took off the mask, and then put it back on again, and confused their victims even further, and tried to convince them they were insane. Many sociopaths caused suicides as a result, when perfectly sane victims couldn't figure out what was happening to them, and got pushed over the edge. He didn't want that happening to Hope. His only goal now was to be there for her, keep her alive, and help her get out when she was ready, which he could tell she wasn't yet. He knew only too well that only someone who had been there would understand. And he had been.
Hope was deeply impressed by Robert's story, his willingness to tell it to her, his honesty, and compassion for her dilemma and love for Finn. It was so hard to assimilate the evidence and the extreme contradiction between how he had treated her in the beginning and all she felt for him, and what everyone else said about him, and her own concerns about him now. It was the very definition of confusion and contradiction. And no one could understand it unless they had been in a similar situation themselves, as Robert had. Her willingness to go back and look again was incomprehensible to Mark.
"Thank you for not telling me how stupid I am for going back. I think I keep hoping he'll be the way he was in the beginning."
"We all hope that in matters of the heart. And more than likely, he will be, for a night at a time, or a few hours. He just won't stay that way, because it's all an act, and a way of getting what he wants. But if you get in his way, or don't give it to him, you're going to be in big trouble, and he'll strike like lightning. Hopefully, the worst he'll do is scare the shit out of you. Let's try to keep it at that." That was his only goal now. Hers was still the hope that Finn was what he had seemed, and would straighten up and treat her right. Robert knew there was no chance of that, but Hope had to experience it for herself. Maybe more than once. He hoped not. She was the classic victim of a sociopath. Isolated, confused, incredulous, vulnerable, inordinately hopeful, and not yet ready to believe the evidence at hand. "Why don't you come and see me before you go back? You can stop in at my office on the way back to Russborough when you get to Dublin. I'll give you all my numbers, we can have a cup of coffee, and then you can go back to Jack the Ripper." He was teasing her and she laughed. It was not a pretty picture, and she felt a little foolish, but he was right. "I'd offer to come and see you at the house, but my guess is that that would get you in trouble. Most sociopaths are extremely jealous."
"He is. He's always accusing me of flirting with someone, even waiters in restaurants."
"That's about right. My wife was always accusing me of sleeping with my secretaries, the au pair, women I'd never even met, and eventually she started accusing me of sleeping with guys. I was constantly defending myself and trying to convince her that I wasn't. As it turned out, she was." It was projection at its best.
"I don't think Finn cheats on me," Hope said, sounding certain of it. "But he accuses me of sleeping with just about everyone in the village, including our workmen."
"Try not to get him excited about anything for the moment, if you can help it. I know that's hard. The accusations are never rational or based on fact, or rarely, unless you give him something to worry about." But she didn't sound like the type. She sounded honest, honorable, and straightforward, and she was feeling much better since their conversation, and no longer crazy. "My guess is that you'll get into it with him over the money. That's bound to be his number-one goal, and the wedding, and maybe a baby." He didn't tell her that most sociopaths were extremely sexual. Nuala had been the best thing in bed that had ever hit him. That was one of the many ways they got control of their victims. In his ex-wife's case, she screwed them blind. So blind they didn't know what hit them, and then she killed them. He had narrowly escaped that fate at her hands. A good therapist and his own common sense had saved him. And even though she was still in love with Finn and her illusion of him, Hope sounded sensible to him too. The truth was very hard to swallow and believe, and the dichotomy too extreme to make sense to a sane person, so she was giving him the benefit of the doubt, which their victims often did. It wasn't stupidity on her part, just hope, naïvete, faith, and love, however undeserved.
As Hope thought about it while talking to him, she decided to fly back the next day, on the night flight she liked to take, which would put her in Dublin the following morning. And she liked the idea of seeing Robert Bartlett before she went back to the house. It would ground her. She made an appointment with him for ten o'clock that morning, after she got through immigration and customs, and came in from the airport.
"That's fine. I'll be clear all morning," he assured her. And then he had another thought. "What do you want to do with that house when this is over, when that happens?" This wasn't a divorce where she owed him a settlement to end it.
"I don't know. I've thought about it, and I can't decide." She still hoped it wouldn't come to that but was well aware now that it might, and had to give it some thought. "I could keep it and keep renting it to him, but I'm not sure I'd want to. It could turn out to be a link to him I don't want. But I feel mean just throwing him out." Robert knew it was all Finn deserved, but Hope clearly wasn't there yet. And she still wished that would never happen, but Robert wanted to bring it up.
"You don't need to worry about it now. Enjoy New York, and I'll see you day after tomorrow." She thanked him again and hung up. It was six-thirty in the morning by the time she finally went to bed, feeling calmer than she had in months. At least now she had a support system in Ireland, and Robert Bartlett clearly knew the subject. It sounded as though what he'd been through with his ex-wife was far worse. She was an extreme example of the breed, but with two women dead because of him, and a lifetime of lies, Finn wasn't much better. Hope could see that. The sad thing was that in spite of all she knew about him now, she still loved him. She had believed everything that he had been to her in the beginning, and it was hard to give up that dream. She was deeply attached to him, particularly now with Paul gone. Finn really was the only person she had left in the world, which would make it that much harder to give him up. It would mean she was entirely alone for the first time in her life.
Finn called her twice that morning as she slept. She stirred and saw his number on her cell phone, turned over, and didn't answer. And when she went back to Ireland, because she would see Robert Bartlett on the way, she wasn't going to tell Finn she was coming, and she would surprise him when she got back to the house. But she wanted a few hours alone with Robert Bartlett in Dublin first.
Chapter 19
As it turned out, it snowed the night Hope left New York, and her plane sat on the runway, delayed, for four hours, waiting for the storm to lessen. They eventually took off, but the winds were against them, and it was a long bumpy flight to Dublin. There were delays getting the bags off the plane, and instead of arriving at Robert Bartlett's office at ten in the morning, she arrived at two-thirty in the afternoon, tired and disheveled, dragging her finally retrieved suitcase behind her.
"I'm so sorry!" she apologized as he came out to greet her. He was a tall, slim, distinguished-looking man with graying sandy-blond hair, green eyes, and a cleft in his chin that was more noticeable when he smiled, which he did often. He had a friendly face, and a warm demeanor. He made tea for her while she settled into one of the comfortable chairs in his office. The law firm was in a small historical building in Southeast Dublin, on Merrion Square, near Trinity College. There were lovely Georgian houses and a large park. The floors of his office were crooked, the windows were off center, and the general atmosphere was one of cozy disorder. It was a far cry from their fancy, sterile New York office. Robert liked this much better, and was almost sorry he was going back. And after seven years in Dublin he was very much at home there, and so were his children. But he wanted to be closer to his children, both of whom were in college now at Ivy League schools on the East Coast, although he said that one of them wanted to come back to Ireland after college.
He and Hope talked for hours about the vagaries of Finn, the lies he had told, and her hope that somehow, magically, things would get better. Robert knew not to argue with her, but he kept reminding her of the evidence she did have, and the unlikelihood that Finn would mend his ways now, even if he loved her. Robert knew it was a slow process giving up the dream, and all he hoped was that Finn didn't do something really terrifying to her in the meantime. He reminded her again and again to trust her instincts, and get out if she felt she should. He couldn't say that to her often enough, and wanted to impress her with it. It was essential, and she promised him that she wouldn't stay if she was uncomfortable, but she didn't think Finn would harm her physically. His style these days seemed to be more psychological torture. And she hadn't told him yet that she was coming back, and surely not that she was spending the day in Dublin with an attorney before she did.
By the time they had finished talking, it was five o'clock and Robert told her that he wasn't comfortable with the idea of her going back to Blaxton House in the evening. She had to rent a car, which would take time, and then get there, and she had already said how uncomfortable she was driving in Ireland, particularly at night. Worse than that, she might arrive when Finn was in a black mood or drinking. Winfred and Katherine would have gone back to the village for the night. He just didn't think it was smart. He suggested she stay at a hotel in Dublin that night, and go back in broad daylight the next morning. And as she thought about it, she agreed with him. She was anxious to see Finn, although nervous about it, but getting there late in the evening could mean putting her head in the lion's mouth if he'd been drinking. It just wasn't smart, and she agreed.
Robert suggested a hotel she knew, and his secretary made a reservation for her. It was the best hotel in Dublin. And since he was leaving the office, he offered to drop her off with her suitcase, which she gratefully accepted. It had been a pleasant afternoon talking to him, although the subject was difficult. What was happening in her life was so disappointing and painful. As hard as it was to justify or explain, she was still in love with Finn, the one she had known in the beginning, not the man he was now. It was hard to believe and absorb all the terrible things she'd heard about him, yet she had doubts about him herself. But when she had asked for the investigation, she hadn't expected to get the kind of information she did. Now she had to decide what to do about it. But sadly, it didn't change how attached she was to him, which only made the distressing discoveries hurt more. It seemed like a huge problem. Robert had said to her that afternoon that ultimately the situation would take care of itself. It was the kind of thing her teacher in India would have said, or her favorite monk in Tibet. And for the rest of the way to the hotel, she talked about her travels. Robert was impressed, and they had a very agreeable conversation.
The doorman took her bag when they reached the hotel, and Robert turned to her with a kind expression. He knew this was a hard time for her, and she was anxious about seeing Finn the next morning. She had no idea what to expect, or what kind of mood he'd be in. There was no way to know if she'd be meeting the good Finn or the bad Finn, the old Finn or the new Finn, and she had admitted to Robert that she was feeling very stressed about it, particularly after his many warnings about what potentially lay ahead.
"Would you like to go out for an easy dinner tonight? Pizza? The pub? There's a halfway decent Chinese place not far from here. And a really good Indian one, if you like hot food. I've got a court appearance tomorrow, and I know you want to get on the road early, so if you want to grab a bite, I could pick you up in an hour. I only live a few blocks from here." She actually liked the idea. He was a nice person, and she was feeling jangled by everything she had in her head. She didn't really want to eat alone in her room, or go out on her own in Dublin, it seemed too depressing, and it would be friendlier dining with him. He was just an ordinary decent man, but a smart one, and Mark had said he was an excellent attorney. She appreciated his advice so far, a lot of which wasn't legal, but even more useful to her, given the situation she was in.
"I'd love that," Hope said gratefully, looking tired and worn out.
"Terrific. Put on a pair of jeans, and I'll pick you up in an hour."
She checked into her room, which was small, elegant, and clean. She didn't need anything fancy, and she lay down on the bed for a few minutes, before taking a shower, putting on jeans, and brushing her hair. He was back in exactly an hour, as promised. And as she looked at Robert as they drove to the restaurant in his car, it was hard to imagine him in the clutches of the evil Nuala, or even besotted with her. He looked like an even-tempered, sensible person. He had worn jeans that night too, with a sweater and a pea coat, and he looked younger than he had in a suit. She guessed him to be about Finn's age, and close to hers. He said he was originally from California. San Francisco. And had gone to Stanford, followed by Yale Law School. She told him about her father teaching at Dartmouth, and he laughed and said he loved beating them when he played football for Stanford. He said Dartmouth had a great team. He had played amateur ice hockey too, at Yale, and still looked fit and healthy, although he claimed he wasn't. But he said he loved to go skating with his girls, both of whom were on sports teams in college. He was looking forward to seeing them for Christmas. They were all meeting in New York for the holidays, staying at the Pierre, and he was planning to start looking for an apartment, since he was moving back in March or April.
Hope had no idea where she'd be by then. Either back in New York, heartbroken, or still in Ireland, things having settled down with Finn, maybe even married. She sounded hopeful, and Robert nodded and didn't comment. He had said enough on the phone and that afternoon. Hope had all the information she needed, and he hoped that when she was ready, she'd use it. It was all he could do. There was nothing for him to do for her legally at the moment, except be available to her. She now had his office, home, and cell phone numbers written down on a piece of paper in her bag. And he told her to use them, and not be shy if she needed advice or help at any hour. That's what he was there for, and he was happy to help.
The curry was delicious and they talked about her travels again. He was fascinated by her stories, and her work, and said he had never been anywhere exotic. Just Europe and Scandinavia, mostly on business. He looked like a typical Ivy League suburban husband, with an extra dose of kindness in his eyes.
They finished dinner early and he took her back to the hotel, and wished her luck for the next day, and a good rest that night.
"Remember, you're not alone now. I'm an hour away at any time. If you get in real trouble, call me, and I can get help to you in minutes. Or call the police. Or just get out." She smiled at what he said, it was like preparing for a war, and she didn't think that Finn would ever be violent with her, or dangerous. He would be upsetting, and argue with her, or drink too much and then pass out, but it wouldn't get worse than that. She knew him well and reassured Robert. His wife had been an exceptional case.
Much to her surprise, Hope slept extremely well that night. She felt peaceful and safe, and it was reassuring to know that she had a friend in Dublin. Everything Robert had said had made her feel less isolated, and she called his office before she left the hotel and left a message, thanking him for dinner. She was careful to leave the hotel by nine A.M. for the car rental place. She wanted to be heading for Russborough by nine-thirty. When she flew in, they normally got to the house by eleven, and she was planning to tell Finn that she had arrived on the morning flight to surprise him. She had sent him a loving text message the night before, and he hadn't responded. She hoped he was writing. And she had no intention of telling him that she had spent the night at a hotel in Dublin. That would make him suspicious and inevitably jealous. She looked neat and rested as she drove toward Blessington, and then Russborough, and as though perfectly timed, she arrived at Blaxton House at ten to eleven. There was no one outside, and it was a wintry December day, with a light veil of snow on the ground.
She left her suitcase in the car, bounded up the front steps, and saw Winfred as soon as she walked into the house. He touched his brow in a gesture of respect, smiled broadly, and went out to get her bag, while she rushed up the steps to their bedroom. Suddenly, she was excited to see Finn. It was as though all the terrible things people had said had disappeared. They couldn't be true about Finn. She loved him too much for any of that to be true about him. It was all a mistake. It had to be.
She tiptoed to their room and opened the door. It was dark, he was asleep in bed, and there was an empty scotch bottle on the floor beside him, which explained why he hadn't responded to her text message the night before. He had obviously been drunk.
She slipped onto the bed next to him, looked at his handsome face for a long moment, loving him all over again, and gently kissed him. She was under his spell again the moment she saw him. He didn't stir until she kissed him once more, and then he opened an eye, saw her, and gave a start, and then he beamed at her and pulled her into his arms. He reeked of scotch, but she didn't care as he kissed her. He smelled like an open bar, which worried her for him, but she didn't say anything about it. She wondered how the writing was going, and how close he was to delivering at least one of the two manuscripts he owed them. They were going to uphold the lawsuit if he didn't, and she didn't want that to happen to him.
"Where did you come from?" he asked with a slow, sleepy smile, stretched, and then turned over.
"I came home to see you," she said tenderly as he put his arms around her and pulled her closer, and as he did, all the good advice she'd been given was forgotten, as Robert Bartlett knew it would be. But he also knew she'd have it in her head when she needed it, at the right time.
"Why didn't you call me? I'd have come to pick you up," he said as he pulled her into bed with him, took her clothes off, and she didn't fight him.
"I wanted to surprise you," she said sweetly, and he forgot about what she was saying. He had a much better surprise for her, but it was no surprise. Their sex life had been fantastic from the first, which was part of the excitement of being with him. It was irresistible, even if she knew better than to fall for his seductive charms again. He was hard to resist. And minutes later they were making wild, passionate, insatiable love, as though the world was about to come to an end, and for a moment it always felt as though it might.
It was afternoon when they got up, bathed, dressed, and he looked at her. He was being so sweet to her again. It was hard to believe that he could ever tell a lie, hurt anyone, or make anyone unhappy, even her.
"I missed you so much," he said, and she could see that he meant it. He really did. She had found five empty scotch bottles under the bed. He had drowned his sorrows while she was gone, or his fears. He was like a child sometimes.
"I missed you too," she said gently. And then they went downstairs together and went for a walk before dark. It was snowing lightly, and looked beautiful. They were going to spend Christmas there alone. Michael was going skiing in Aspen with friends. And Hope had no one now. Only Finn.
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that with Paul. It must have been rough." He looked sympathetic and she nodded, as they held hands and walked. She tried not to think about it, or it would have panicked her that Paul was gone. And then he asked her a question that startled her in its bluntness. He wasn't usually that crude. "What's happening with the estate?"
"What do you mean?" She looked at him, shocked.
"You know… what happens now?… do they just give you the money, or do you have to wait until they sell stock or something?"
"That's a strange question. What difference does it make? It takes a while to probate the estate. Months, a year. I don't know. I don't care." And she didn't know why he would. They weren't dependent on Paul's money. Hope had enough, from what he had given her before. More than enough, as Finn knew only too well, since she had told him. "I just miss him," she said sadly, changing the subject. His interest in her money, and now Paul's, unnerved her and brought reality home to her again.
"I know you do," Finn said sympathetically, and put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "You're all alone now," he said, although he didn't need to rub it in. She was well aware of it herself, too much so. "All you have is me." She nodded and said nothing and wondered where he was going with what he was saying. "We have each other. That's all we have." She thought of his old fusion theory. He hadn't mentioned it in a while.
Date: 2016-04-22; view: 539


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Build Guide by LittleAnax
Not Updated For Current Season
This guide has not yet been updated for the current season. Please keep this in mind while reading. You can see the most recently updated guides on the browse guides page.
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creating helpful guides for the League of Legends community.
Fiddlesticks Build
Ability Sequence
Not Updated For Current Season
The masteries shown here are not yet updated for the current season, the guide author needs to set up the new masteries. As such, they will be different than the masteries you see in-game.
Level 1-6
I jungle. This build enables me to jungle without Smite or Ignite. At level 4/5 I usually get first blood if they are pressuring a lane nearby, otherwise, I just keep jungleing untill I hit level 6 by killing the dragon. Then I try for a gank with my ulti.
Level 6-14
I help out laning and later teamfigths. Always try and keep the golem buff up since there is no other way of getting mana back. Fiddle pretty much owns midgame as his abilities does a lot of damage but scales badly with the heavy AP he is getting for late game.
Level 14-18
Fiddle gets a lot of mana - acturally at this point, he doesn't need the golem buff anymore, which is great since he should spend most his time being ready for a team fight.
Summoner Spells
Flash: Many prefer Ghost, but I use flash because I jungle. When jungling as Fiddle, you can get ganked very easily. Flash is great to escape in the jungle - especially when killing the dragon. Used with his ulti, Fiddle can instantly jump into the middle of a teamfight from a great distance.
Teleport: Often ignite, exaust or even Ghost are used in addition to flash, but I prefer teleport for several reasons:
1: Fiddle is slow. I can easily get to a bunch of minions and harvest some xp that would owtherwise be wasted.
2: If a lane is having problems or even if I just want to trick my opponents, I can teleport to a well placed ward and then use my ulti, leaving them with no time to call miss.
3: If the golem buff is taken or is just not safe to take, I can get back for mana without loosing the 30 seconds of xp while running.
4: If I die.
5: If I want to buy items.
6: If a team fight is going down with me out of position.
7: If I want to snipe a bunch of minions at a risky location, I can run there, kill monions for 15-20 sec and then teleport to a safe locations before the enemy gets to me.
8: If I want to defend a tower.
Drain owns. Many prefer Dark Wind early game, but drain is just too effective both offensively and when getting attacked.
I get level 1 dark wind fast in order to support my jungling, but from there on, I just go all out drain/fear.
This prevents me of being a good laner since my Dark Wind will stay level 1 until level 13.
This rune build is somewhat controversial! I have fould it to have some great advantages none the less. Magic penetration is just straight out nice. The armor, the CD reduction and the HP on the other hand all serve a single purpose; jungling. I never drop below 50% hp on the first golem - even without Smite/Ignite. I jungle faster and I have some great early game stats.
The Amplifying Tome and Health Potion is a must when jungling. Use the Health Potion to overcome the first golem easily.
Getting the soulstealer is really a personal choice. You can either sell you Amplifying Tome, make a Deathfire Grasp, make Solestealer or just keep it for AP. I prefer Soulstealer as it gives me extra motivation for not dieing.
Rod of Ages is a totally solid item. You get health which is much needed to survive enamies focusing you in team fights. You get mana which makes you less dependant on the golem buff mid/late game. And you get AP which scales badly with Fiddle's abilities, but is a must none the less.
Zhonya's Ring is amazing. The passive is great late game, but the active is just insane combined with his ulti. While it does prevent you from taking any actions such as dran or running, it does not cancel your ulti. In teamfights, you can jump in, fear/dran a target and when you drop low (and you will drop fast), you activate Zhonya's to bring the extra 2 seconds of pure pwnage upon your opponents and maby force them to switch target.
Last words
I jungle for 2 reasons. First of all, I have a high chance of getting first blood and maby even more kills early game. Secondly, the compined xp my team gets is increased since someone is laning alone and gettign the same xp as the players in mid. It has some potential consequences as well. You might get ganked in the jungle. This is why I use flash. Also, you want to make sure, thay the person laning alone is up for it. Morde is not only able to do this, but acturally often ganking when left alone with 2 opponents. A number of additional champions can do this - just remember that champions that usually go mid is not always able to deal with two opponents.


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Whether it's an office friendship or a workplace romance, HR must tread very carefully when handling chummy employees
The US telco group is aiming to reduce costs by US$10bn through job cuts and transfers
Blended learning has evolved in recent years to become a dominant method of delivering learning. HR Leader looks at some of the latest trends in blended learning and how to get the mix right
Blended learning typically refers to a mix of instructor-led
training with a wide variety of electronic tools and media.
While there was a strong focus on utilising technologies and
tools for e-learning in many companies maybe five or more
years ago, this has changed as organisations came to realise
that most e-learning programs were not fully meeting needs.
Companies then began to view e-learning, not as a replacement for
instructor-led training, but rather as a complement.
As a result, there has been a movement to blended learning over the
past five years, according to David Mallon, principal analyst at Bersin
& Associates, a global consulting firm which specialises in enterprise
learning and talent management. As new technologies became
widespread, from Google and mobile devices to virtual classrooms and
wikis, Mallon says organisations became increasingly interested in
informal and on-demand solutions.
"Today, the most modern learning organisations realise that, in order
to keep up with the needs of the business, they must create holistic
learning environments in which learners can meet their own needs," he
Latest blended learning trends
There are many organisations here and overseas that have implemented
progressive blended learning programs, according to Alison Bickford,
director and principal consultant at Connect Thinking.
Some organisations whose chief asset is the emergent knowledge of
their people are doing some interesting things in online communities
and networks, Bickford explains, while other organisations with field
workers who depend on online performance support tools are
progressing mobile learning technologies.
"Other organisations with good bandwidth are really able to maximise
media rich learning environments with video libraries and game-based
learning. Today's technologies enable employees to work, learn, create and
perform like never before. Our challenge is to deeply understand
workflow to better enable workplace learning and performance," she says.
"What I am also seeing is an increasing polarisation of organisational
capability and capacity to design, develop and deliver blended learning.
Many organisations are still grappling with developing e-learning
courseware with high-quality learning design. Learning management
systems (LMS) appear to stifle some organisations' ability to evolve their
learning designs and offerings for several years while ROI and employee
adaption to learning self management is attained."
Advantages and disadvantages
Blended learning is increasingly being used as
it saves time and can be more efficient,
according to training, learning and
performance consultant Derek Stockley.
The diversity of electronic devices means
that delivery can now be achieved in a much
greater variety of ways, he says. "People and
organisations are time poor. Face-to-face
(classroom or video conferencing) is still the
best for flexibility, where the trainer can
interact and adjust as the training progresses,"
he explains.
A common advantage is that blended
learning methods can be used to bring
participants up to a common starting point (or
level), according to Stockley. Experienced/
knowledgeable participants can quickly review
the material, while others spend the time
absorbing the key learning points so they are
ready for the training.
"The most common disadvantage is people
not doing the preparation required, although
this can be overcome with inbuilt monitoring. In
a face-to-face situation, you can gauge
participant engagement," says Stockley, who
adds that this is harder with e-learning type
Making the most of blended learning
Companies are entering a new era of social,
collaborative and talent-driven learning, and
today's worker still needs formal training that
is built around specific problems and talent
needs, according to Mallon.
"However, today's worker also needs the
availability of a learning environment in which
they can find information, collaborate and
build their own learning plans. The learning
organisation must go beyond the disciplines of
building content for use online. We must
provide context and pathways for people to
learn," he explains.
Research shows that a hallmark practice of
successful learning organisations is the ability to
"formalise" informal training activities, and
Mallon says companies which incorporate
elements of informal learning in their program
design can get orders-of-magnitude greater
returns than those that do not.
"Also, most L&D professionals are well-
schooled in the traditional disciplines of
corporate training (such as instructional design),
but they may not have mastered the new
disciplines required to support new forms of
informal learning," he says.
It is important to keep in mind that building
a successful learning environment requires a
deep understanding of the audiences and
businesses involved, and Mallon says research
shows that effective programs include a clear
understanding of the learner's job needs in
"Rather than simply teaching someone a
new skill, the most effective programs took into
account the company's processes surrounding
their jobs – and built content and a program
that fit into these processes," he says.
Case study: Symantec
Symantec implemented an innovative blended learning program to roll out its new enterprise-wide security management solution. This massive product launch touched all elements of the company, from sales, marketing and support through to service and finance.
To address all of these areas (and the multiple levels of expertise needed in each area), the learning team built a program that included blogs, wikis, emails, courseware and instructor-led training.
The total curriculum was complex and included in-depth instructor-led training. It also included prerequisite e-learning courseware, and a rich set of blogs and email campaigns to help technical people at all levels learn about the new product as well as its impact on existing products and customer environments.
All of these elements were integrated into a total launch and delivery experience. The result of this program was one of Symantec's most successful product launches in the company's history.
Source: Bersin & Associates
Pitfalls of blended learning programs
1. Poorly scoped requirements leading to the purchase of suboptimal technology
2. Inadequate inclusion of the IT department in the decision-making process
3. Insufficient training of the team charged with developing blended learning
4. Poor preparation of employees for change to what they understand learning to be
5. Inadequate experience in blended learning to properly predict both opportunities and consequences of implementation
6. Missed opportunities to work strategically with other HR initiatives, for example, recruitment and retention, talent mapping
7. Poorly designed evaluation of blended learning
8. Inadequate time set aside to refine and improve blended learning
9. Choosing blended learning deliveries that are a mismatch to the current and/or desired culture of the organisation
Source: Alison Bickford, director and principal consultant, Connect Thinking


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Posted on January 12, 2018 at 1:00am 0 Comments 0 Thumbs Up
Like any other 4-year old, my son, David, operates YouTube better than my wife and I do. While him being on busy on the phone helped us run a lot of errands, it was disturbing to see the addiction a 4-year-old had developed, this is was an eye opener for us.
My wife and I are outdoor people and have been one all our lives. We run a website on power tools, so while I was busy using a chainsaw to complete my next wood cutting project, my 4-year-old was busy with subway…Continue


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If there is space than, already landing blocks can move.
Blocks are endlessiy fall down.
You are so busy that you don't have time to take a break.
Know and improve your high score.(with openfeint)
Enjoy 3 mode : beginner, intermediate, master
Damn , So Bad Website For An Awesome GameReplyDelete
I have purchased over $25 in power ups and I never get a response from emails I send. And payments were verified through gmail why can't your purchases be backed up when the game is connected through my Google games like on every other game that links to google games! I want all of my money back! Or my $25+ in creditsReplyDelete
Please create restored purchases option. Spent money so my kids could hit homeruns, game started crashing, reloaded. Lost everything. No restore purchases option. No response to emails.ReplyDelete
I need HELP!! I had this game saved to my SD card and my phone all of a sudden one day wanted to format and I already did that so my phone had a little mess up and the game got deleted even though I did not format the card it took it upon itself to format it the card anyways and the game pretty much got erased well I had spent over $50 on getting the golden bat in the power ups and I was in the major leagues everything on this game I really like this game and I really want my credits or the stuff I bought and I really need help I have sent too many emails with no response and I just really need help please help me with this I've tried to contact Google and they said to contact the developer I have tried several times so if the developer is reading this please help me please my email is email@example.com Thank youReplyDelete


text:
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Please note that due to the unique content of this book, this ebook is designed for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Nook only.
A Kindle version is not available at this time.
Millions of devotees around the world faithfully recite the Hanuman Chalisa. These forty passionate verses give praise to Hanuman, inviting this "knower of all hearts" to live eternally within us. In return, this force of love can fill us with divine energy, remove obstacles on our path, and fulfill our true desires. With Flow of Grace, one of Hanuman's devotees, renowned kirtan legend Krishna Das, introduces you to one of the most revered hymns of the Indian devotional tradition. Flow of Grace contains:Krishna Das' insights on the value to be gained by learning about the life and character of Hanuman Krishna Das' guidance in how to chant the Hanuman Chalisa, including spoken-word tracks with the accurate pronunciation of each Hindi verse (available via download or streaming audio) Guidance on using kirtan (sacred chant) to deal with "the difficult stuff of life"
"As we sing the Hanuman Chalisa, our hearts and minds are purified, and gradually we are freed of our attachment and negativity, allowing us to recognize our Oneness with all," says Krishna Das. With Flow of Grace, he invites you to experience the liberating influence of this great work, and to chant with him the potent verses of one of India's most sacred songs of devotion.
Praise for Flow of Grace
"Krishna Das introduces Hanuman to the West in a personal, heart-to-heart way, a pure transmission of Hanuman. Flow of Grace is an extraordinary devotional book touching on various aspects of Hanuman ranging from who he is through why and how to chant the Hanuman Chalisa, the beautiful 40-verse chant in his honor. Having Hanuman in your life awakens you to loving service as a spiritual path, and this wondrous book provides us with a sweet and compassionate insight into Hanuman, the epitome of love and devotion." —Ram Dass, author of Be Here Now
"Like his chanting, Krishna Das' writing speaks to a place deep within our own hearts. This text is infused with magic, yet it does not seem far out of reach. Through beautiful stories, and with his wonderful sense of humor, Krishna Das gently reminds us of who we truly are." —Sharon Salzberg, author of Faith and The Force of Kindness
"Wherever there is God's name there can be no unhappiness or fear. Wherever we find Krishna Das we will find God's name. When he sings we are reminded of love invincible. By singing with him, eventually but inevitably the Flow of Grace, the power of love, will overwhelm our own hearts." —Sharon Ganon, author of Jivamukti Yoga


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'Cop' risks lives by receiving oral sex while driving car on busy motorway
SHOCKING dashcam footage has caught the moment a man received oral sex while driving his car.
The clip shows a grey car travelling at night while on a busy motorway.
At first it looks like a normal vehicle, but as the camera zooms in further it appears to be a police car.
The recognisable lights are seen on the car's roof and the license plate – which has not been shown – is from the Illinois state police in the US.
Not much is visible in the clip – which was taken from the car behind.
The vehicle swerves left and right and at one point nearly crashes into the central reservation – causing the onlookers to think something fishy is going on.
But halfway through, a darkened figure with long hair suddenly sits upright in the vehicle – as if they had just been lying down.
Screams of "Oh my god" and "Oh damn" ring out from the pursuing vehicle as they realise – what they think – has just happened.
The clip was uploaded to video-sharing site eBaum's World on Tuesday (September 13) and has since gone viral with more than 37,000 views.
Some viewers, however, were not convinced that the footage was of a policeman.
One wrote: "No reds, just blues – not a cop. Security guard or escort vehicle."
Another added: "Not a cop. They would have state tags. From their gov."