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17. Preserve Your Smile - be gentle to your teeth and gums Associate
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17. Preserve Your Smile - be gentle to your teeth and gums Associate
Contributed by:
Professor Dr. Nasruddin Jaafar
Dept. of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur
Your smile is very precious. Every day you brush your teeth to preserve it. But do you know that you must be gentle to your gums and teeth? Some studies indicate that two out of three people apply too much pressure when brushing. If your new toothbrush starts to become frayed after only two weeks of use, chances are you are hurting yourself. Coupled with the use of strongly abrasive toothpaste, a hard toothbrush and an aggressive brushing technique, the signs of self-inflicted destruction starts to appear by middle age (around 35 years) even though there are no sign of gum disease. In some people this occurs even earlier. Over a lifetime the accumulated damage includes:
Receding Gums
Stand in front of a mirror. Smile while retracting your lips with your fingers. Does your teeth look longer that it should? Perhaps your hard brushing habit has destroyed the gum tissue causing your gum line to recede. This damage is permanent. You only have two choices: stop further damage or have an expensive and painful gum surgery where the long term results are not very good.
Notched Teeth
This usually occurs on the necks of the canine, premolar and first molar teeth. Try this simple experiment. Run your fingernail on these teeth starting from the crown towards the gum line. Do you feel an abrupt 'notch' as you reach into the gum line area. If you can feel it, this is an early sign of toothbrush abrasion. Although the dentist can repair this with modern adhesive fillings, the long term results can he disappointing, especially if there is no change in brushing habits. The filling itself may stay on but the softer parts of the tooth (the cementum and dentine) slowly become abraded by normal brushing causing a notch to form around the filling. Staining by foods and drinks makes it even more unsightly than before. Thus prevention is always better than cure.
Sensitive Teeth
This occurs because the area at the neck of the tooth has nerves, which become exposed, through tiny holes (pores) is the dentine. Normally this area is protected by the cementum and your gums but this layer has been stripped away by your vigorous brushing. Tooth sensitivity prevents you from enjoying the foods you love.
Increasing The Risk Of Root Caries
This is slowly becoming more common as more elderly Malaysians keep more of their teeth for life. The dentine and cementum at the necks of your teeth are very soft. So they are very vulnerable to dental caries especially with poor oral hygiene and diets. This is made worse by a condition called "erosion" which is caused by highly acidic foods we eat - like oranges, limes, apples, mangoes, 'jeruk' and fizzy drinks. The natural acids dissolve the calcium near the exposed necks of the teeth making them softer. If the teeth are brushed vigorously immediately after these acid-food attacks it may cause more damage. Repaired (filled) erosion cavities have very poor long-term prognosis. Again the old adage 'prevention is better than cure' applies.
So What Can You Do To Prevent This Self-Inflicted Damage?
Surprisingly not many people realize that they are brushing too hard. In fact the brushing habits of most "normal" people results in too much pressure. There are expensive solutions to this. For example, in the USA a patented toothbrush emits micro-sensor lights a warning whenever the user brushes too hard. Some new electric toothbrushes are designed to stall (stop), if too much pressure is applied on the teeth. But they are other simpler things you can do at minimal cost.
Step 1: Start with your toothbrush and toothpaste.
If you like using "hard" toothbrush - stop it right now. Get a medium or better still, a soft brush. Some new toothbrushes in the market have soft flexible necks to prevent you from applying too much pressure. Remember you are brushing to achieve basically three things.
First, to remove plaque.
Plaque is so soft that even the softest toothbrush with gentle pressure can remove it. You do not need great force.
Second, to apply fluoride in adequate quantities to re-mineralize (harden) tooth parts that have been softened by acid exposure in your diet (erosion) or plaque-sugar interaction (caries).
Third, to remove extrinsic stains.
This is where toothpaste manufacturers draw a fine line with abrasive ingredients: too gentle and the toothpaste don't clean well; too harsh and it can harm your teeth and gums. As a general rule, if you are not a smoker - never use smokers toothpaste - as they are among the most abrasive. Anyway isn't it better for you to stop smoking as well?
Different toothpastes have different abrasive qualities. Some consumer groups publish the abrasivity of different toothpastes so you can choose the less abrasive ones if you like. But most abrasive systems used nowadays are much gender than those used a generation ago and the risk of damage is less. But first, look at your teeth in a mirror. Do you have stains on your teeth that need such a hard brushing pressure? Most people don't but they brush hard anyway to make their teeth look "whiter". This is a mistakes belief. It is like trying to clean your dirty new car with steel wool and abrasive paste. Yes - you get a very clean car, not a speck of dirt but the paint work is permanently damaged.
What is important for you to have is clean teeth - free from plaque. Your teeth are as white (or as yellow) as your dentine colour are. Brushing will only remove the extrinsic (external) stain but will not change the intrinsic (natural) colour of your teeth. Stubborn extrinsic stains can be removed by your dentist. Then the regular maintenance can be carried out by you. So save yourself the effort and be proud of your natural smile.
Step 2: Change your brushing technique.
Some researchers suggest that if you are used to a medium-hard toothbrush, you can minimize pressure damage by changing to a pen-grip (as though you are holding a pen) when brushing, instead of the popular full-fisted grip. The pen-grip uses only three fingers to hold the toothbrush so that the pressure on the teeth is minimal. It is very easy to get used to. Although there are at least seven techniques of toothbrushing in the literature, scientific studies have shown none to be superior to the other. For most healthy people it does not make any difference which technique they prefer as long as it is effective in removing plaque. Besides, life-long habits are difficult to change. With gentle pressure you will not cause self-inflicted damage whichever method you choose.
Step 3: Avoid brushing immediately after taking an acidic (sour) food.
Some researchers suggest that if you plan to eat or drink something acidic (orange juice, lemonade, soda. fizzy drinks) you should brush before consuming it. But for most people this is not very practical because what you eat and when, is usually impulsive. Alternatively, they suggest that you wait for an hour or two after an acidic meal before you brush your teeth. This may seem to be contradictory to what most dentists have been telling you i.e. to brush immediately after every meal. But new research shows that the acid weakens the tooth structure causing abrasions when brushing immediately after eating an acidic meal. The two-hour delay allows the teeth to remineralize. This is why it is important to brush with a fluoride-containing toothpaste to help the process of micro-repair that your teeth need everyday. But the most practical thing for you to do is to always rinse your mouth thoroughly and immediately after all meals. We are fortunate that most of our piped water supply also contain traces of fluoride. This helps a lot to repair the daily damage.
Malaysian Dental Association shall ensure that the collection, use and disclosure of your personal data is consistent with the Malaysian Personal Data Protection Act 2010 ( 'PDPA' ). It is acknowledged that personal data collected and processed is obtained voluntarily and with your consent.


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Results 1 - 7 of 7
Dec 17, 2014
More than 660 acres of parks, parkways and natural areas are now designated, representing approximately 83 percent of all Denver-owned open space within the city limits.
Nov 20, 2014
The monthly Parks & Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) meeting has been canceled for December. Meetings are open to the public, held on the second Thursday of every month and will resume on January 8th.
Sep 10, 2014
The City and County of Denver, residents and leaders from the Westwood community celebrated the official opening of Cuatro Vientos/Four Winds Park. The community commemorated the opening of the park with a neighborhood celebration featuring cultural performances, healthy activities for kids and adults, and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Jan 27, 2014
8th Season starts January 18
Jan 27, 2014
Metro to Mountain Group has announced a newly expanded 2014 schedule of classes.
Jan 22, 2014
Enjoy Denver's urban and mountain parks and natural areas with Master Birders from Denver Audubon. These are Free events!
Jan 8, 2014
Back for its eighth consecutive season, the Ruby Hill Rail Yard is one of the few places in Denver taking advantage of the recent cold weather snap.

subset: commoncrawl


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Groundsure's Enviro Insight Report is an essential part of Environmental Consultant's desk study. Available as PDF and raw data for GIS …
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9-27-13 Since Eros brought up that we'd focus on focus in movement, I've been paying more attention to everything I'm doing from exercising and eating to writing and business. By consciously focusing on what I'm doing or how I'm doing it, I've been able to more consciously interact with the movements of everything I'm doing. I've also been continuing to study movement, especially the movements that occur in any given situation. What I've observed is that everything is in motion and yet the motion creates stillness as well. The stillness is the realization of movement, which nonetheless also leads into more movement, which is potential stillness.
9-28-13 I'm taking part 1 of the Oak, Ash, and Thorn workshop that R. J. Stewart offers. It's been a good experience so far, and one where I'm getting a lot from the workshop. I've been given two symbols that relate to my current work. I've also been mediating about tress and how the roots of a tree extend to the underworld, while the branches of the tree extend to the celestial world and the trunk mediates the mixture of under and over world energy in order to manifest reality. What's fascinating is that the meditations have given me some really interesting ideas about where to take some of the movement work. I'm looking forward to seeing what day 2 brings.
10-2-13 It's been a few days since the workshop with RJ wrapped up. Today I made an offering to Hawthorn. I drove out to a place where I'd found Hawthorn leaves and did a brief prayer of thanks and then made the appropriate offering. I felt a brief sense of acceptance and that was that. I'll start work with the next tree tomorrow in my meditations.
As for the second day of the workshop...I got an idea for pop culture magic 2.0 based on a discussion RJ had about iconotropism, which basically involves the understanding of how icons evolve as cultures bring new tropes to them. We also got into a discussion about mediation and its role in magic. Having RJ's works I felt like the discussion shed further light on what mediation is as a principle of magic and how important it is to be open to being moved by what you work with, while also being able to mediate that for other people and even yourself. I also ended up connecting with Puck as an entity, to the point that I ended up mediating him as well as connecting with another entity, of which I wrote a poem/invocation. What interests me the most about Puck is that he's a gatekeeper of the cross roads, a door opener, which is something I intimately relate to in my own work. I found it even more interesting to realize that all of the entities/deities I work with on a prolonged basis also mediate energies of the cross roads, and I've also thought of myself as an opener of the ways (as well as having others indicate that about me as well). I got a third symbol and I need to spend some time working with these symbols.
Beyond all that I've been contemplating focus and its place or lack thereof in my life. I actually recognize that in some ways I have been very unfocused. That might sound odd to some people, but when I consider the last decade of my life, I see a lot of wandering, a lot of drifting. I'm okay with that because I needed it, but I'm also ready for it to end, and I've been giving a lot of thought to what I can be great at and how that can focus my efforts in whatever I'm doing.
10-3-13 I finished reading Good to Great last night and I woke up early this morning with a profound realization: I need to be great at what I'm called to do and what I'm called to do isn't the business coaching. What I'm called to do is the spiritual work, the writing, the classes, the coaching that I can offer through that particular medium. I've felt so scattered, so unfocused because I've tried to do too many things at the same time and because I've bought into limiting beliefs and fears about being an occult author and pursuing this work full time. Some of those limiting beliefs are my own, formed when I first started writing and felt that as an occult writer I'd never be able to make a living from it (obviously there are writers who can and have done it by offering more than just writing). But some of it also comes from other people who applied their own fears to me or showed me in one form or another that they felt I was a burden or a drain and that they didn't really believe in what I could do. The thing is I've lurched from business to business, trying to find something that makes me want to get up and get started with my day, and as I've done this I've learned certain lessons. I've learned that I prefer to be self-employed. I've also learned that I love working with people. And now I'm really taking to heart something a coach of mine said to me: You can't two chase two rabbits at the same time. I've been chasing two rabbits at the same time for a while now. I've got a publishing business I help run, I've got my writing and spiritual work, and I've got the business coaching, but what I've also got is a split in focus with not much getting done at all. I haven't really given myself over to any one thing.
I can't give up my writing or the magic. It's what I live, love, breathe, etc. It's my life, my work, my everything. And the publishing is part of that work, part of the spiritual calling I have, part of something I need to do for the sake of what that publishing represents. But the business coaching is something else. I like it and I'm good at it, but it doesn't call to me in the same way. It never has. It's also a giant time commitment. The amount of networking I do alone eats up so much time that a lot of days I don't feel like writing. I'm peopled out and just want to recharge.
I woke up this morning and I answered this question of what I can be great at, what I know I''m great at. I told Kat about it, laying it all out, the fears, the realizations, everything and she said to me: I support you completely. I believe in you completely. I know you are called to do this and I'm willing to support what you want to do. Hearing that and knowing it's true, knowing that what I really feel called to do is supported and believed in. This made me feel good. I'm ready to really pursue what I am called to do.
10-6-13 In my meditation today Bune came to visit and we had a long discussion about money habits. He pointed out that I needed to make some changes in lifestyle and really focus in on the long term vision of where Kat and I want to be. It's easy to get so caught up in now, but he's got a really good point and it really struck home to me, especially as he reviewed how I've handled my business money and made some suggestions on things I could change. After my work with him, I went to the crossroads and discovered that the next tree I need to work with is Oak. There's some interesting ideas I'll share eventually in a separate once I've connected with all the trees.
10-7-13 I'm reading Make Magic of your Life by T. Thorn Coyle. She makes an interesting about obsession and how it consumes you. My own experiences with obsession certainly validate that perception of it, whereas she considers desire to be something that runs deeps and speaks to what we really want. Working with desire is uncovering what we really want and making it part of our lives, while obsession is running from what we want, getting lost in something, but not being honest about what we really want from it. When I apply this to myself, I see the obsession show up in my relationships and the driving need I've felt to fill up the emptiness within myself. I still feel that on occasion and I'm still figuring out as a result what my desires are and what my obsessions are, but as I've learned to mediate the emptiness and not run from it, its made it easier for me to focus in on doing this internal work and helping me uncover my desires, while also letting the obsessions go.
10-10-13 The past half week has really drawn my awareness to the fact that I am my own worst enemy when it comes to focus. While I manage to get a lot done, I can be fairly scattered in my approach to work and life. I think in some ways I've been scattered because I've been focused on several different directions. That and realizing how much networking I've been doing and how exhausted I am from it. I'm realizing how much of an introvert I am and this in turn has helped me see how much I need to focus my efforts toward my projects and writing over anything else.
10-16-13 Since I last wrote in this entry I've been examining my focus or lack thereof and come to a few conclusions. I've decided to cut back on networking events for the business coaching, and I've also decided to only check e-mail and social media twice a day. Implementing these actions has already made me feel better and more focused than I was before. I'm getting to some of the writing I've been wanting to do and even planning a class for some time in the future. It's funny how certain situations have to come to a flash point where the arrival at such a point forces you to evaluate what you're doing and how you're doing it and provides you a way to make changes that frees up some of the mental and emotional space you were investing elsewhere.
10-18-13 One of the most important lessons I've learned is that acting on impulse can create a lot of problems. Since the realization I had a few weeks ago about what I'm great at, I've really just focused on thinking about what actions to take, which I've written about above, but ultimately I came to the conclusions that tossing the baby out with the bathwater (i.e. stopping business coaching altogether) isn't a good idea. I do like business coaching, and what I realized I really needed was to evaluate my time and refocus on the writing, but still keep the business coaching, because it is a business that is continuing to grow.
I've always been an impulsive person and it has rarely served me in a good way. My impulsiveness has seen me make life decisions that I've ultimately regretted because they put me in situations where I ended up more miserable than anything else. So spending some time really thinking about my choices and what I want to do has been really helpful and a useful application of focus. I don't need to be scattered and floundering every which way. I've done enough of that already, but being focused and really being present with a given decision...that's something I'm going to keep doing.
10-19-13 Writing is its own magic, a feeling of flow and creative application that turns into manifestation and action on the part of writer and reader. When I write and I am really into it, it feels like the heart of the universe has opened up to me and revealed its secrets, allowing me to be a medium that in turn shares those secrets with anyone willing to read the words I share. Writing brings me to life in a way that almost nothing else does (only magic makes me feel the same). Writing is a reality in and of itself, an altered state of consciousness and identity that causes the rest of the world to fade away in the clatter of keys and the connection to the creative urge that speaks the words of the universe through me.
10-21-13 It's my birthday. I am 37 today, the age my parents were when I was born. That's a bit mind blowing in and of itself. This last weekend Kat took me to Astoria for as a birthday gift. We visited the Flavel House, Cultural Museum, and the Jail where they filmed the opening scenes of the Goonies. Each place was interesting in its own way. At the Flavel house, both Kat and I felt the presence of the ghosts on the property. The town itself is an interesting place with a lot of history.
On Sunday, when we got back, we went for a walk and made offerings to Oak, Ash, and Thorn, followed by the offering make to Dragon. I felt a bit frustrated in regards to the trees, because I'd had trouble identifying them, so Kat pointed out that I just needed to let myself feel as opposed to think about them and she was quite right. I'd been too busy intellectualizing them. This morning, when I meditated, I let myself reach out to them and I connected to them. They told me the symbols I'd gotten during the weekend workshop were symbols I could use in the space/time magic work I'm doing, and were also meant to help me connect with them. I'm going to meditate on those symbols over the next couple of days.
Usually at this time of year, on this day of my birth I transition from one element to another. I've chosen this time around to stick with the element of movement for another year. There's a lot more for me to experience with that element and I'm open to discovering whatever it is I learn.
Happy Birthday to me!


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I'm a little apprehensive about putting this out, because although it seems to be working fine on my end--who knows what'll happen when people actually try to connect to my humble little PC. At any rate, I'm curious enough to try it out. Assuming you're able to connect, the game is controlled by the keyboard as follows:
A/D - rotate left and right
W - thrust
+/- - adjust power
space - fire
I've disabled the other ship models and weapons here--if all goes well, I can always put them back in. After I catch up on my book project, I'll polish this thing up (assuming it's not a turd. Although Mythbusters proved that you CAN polish a turd; but I digress). Have fun!!!
There is currently only one game room available. In theory, you should be able to enter your name and be put in when it comes available, but I've not tested this yet. I'm not expecting a huge load here, but if it did become an issue, I could add more rooms (and hopefully find some way to have this thing hosted for real).
At any rate, enjoy, and let me know (gently) about all the bugs and glitches you find.
Unity Web Player | WebPlayer
Well, so far I've been able to play this with three different people. I know some of you guys want to try it, but aren't online together. Any ideas on that? I thought about just leaving a comment with your available times or when you plan to be on. Might work...Obviously we don't have the raw numbers here to just keep it going incessantly.
I've installed Unity web viewer but I'm not seing a link to play. Is this still up? I'd love to take a look.
It says "Waiting for input." Put your name in. Then you'll be waiting for another player to sign up. If you don't have anyone, get a friend from facebook or Twitter to join in the fun.
Just got it. I guess it wasn't working in IE 9. I'm in Chrome now though. Waiting for a player :)
I got my wife to try it with me, but we both just kind of sat there. It never went to the game, just waiting for another player to join. I'd love to try it again if you can give me some points on getting it to run.
Did you put the same name in for both? That doesn't work. Also, are you on Macs?


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I bit of an update on arrangements for the charity shoot.
Apparently, my previous post was misleading with regards payments.
The shoot is open to all. For members of Fleet Ibex there is no charge although any contributions to charity would be appreciated.
For non-members, there will be a £3.00 charge per person or £5.00 per couple. All proceeds will be donated to charity.
Paul Harding


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Posted 02 Jul 2018
Shelter responds to government announcement on longer tenancies
Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Shelter, said: "This is an important step forward. Losing a tenancy is the main driver of homelessness and also causes huge instability for renting families, so everyone who rents will be very pleased to see a move towards longer tenancies. But if the government really wants to stand up and provide stability for renters, it can and should go beyond three years to provide real protection from eviction, and the huge upheaval of having to move home, jobs and schools.
"The government needs to bring forward new legislation quickly – with tens of thousands of families already homeless, and many more at risk of the same fate, we simply cannot wait."


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Your good health is paramount while traveling and taking simple precautions can drastically reduce your chances of falling ill.
Health Insurance
An insurance package that covers your health, possessions and cancellations is imperative.
Immunizations are critical – especially if you are planning to visit 3rd world countries. Many immunizations require a specific time period to take effect or require certain follow-up shots – so plan well ahead. You should record any immunization shots received on an official health certificate as this is often a requirement of visa applications.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can advise you on the current recommendations for your intended destination.
Food and water are one of the leading causes of illness for travelers. These simple tips can drastically reduce your chances of illness:
– If the water is suspect, don't take the risk. This includes ice, food washed and prepared in the water and swimming pools. Buy bottled water or boil/sterilize existing water.
– Only consume fruit and vegetables that can be pealed or are protected by an outer skin (bananas, oranges, pineapple etc)
– Wash you hands thoroughly before all meals.
– When purchasing meat and seafood, look for proper refrigeration.
– Cooked food is generally safer for consumption. Raw and undercooked food can carry an array of pathogens.
– Be wary of un-pasteurized milk and milk products
– The National Center for Infectious Diseases publishes informative traveler's health information.
Insect Bites
Be sure to cover up with insect repellant – especially when traveling the tropics. Spray on repellant with DEET will offer you the greatest protection. Use mosquito nets while sleeping. Also, be sure to research whether insect carried diseases are a problem where you intend to travel.
Many of us travel to find a spot in the sun but overexposure can cause severe sunburn. Stay in the shade during extreme burn times and use plenty of sun block. When choosing sun block, check the SPF Factor and the brand. SPF 30+ is recommended when traveling down-under.


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Checklist: Design Class
This checklist helps make sure that a Design Class is modeled correctly.
Related Elements
Capsule Designer
Design Class
Main Description
Check Items
The name of the class clearly reflects the role it plays.
The description of the class clearly conveys the purpose of the class.
The class represents a single well-defined abstraction.
The class's attributes and operations are all essential to fulfilling the responsibilities of the class.
Each class represents a small, consistent and unique set of responsibilities.
The responsibilities of the class are well-defined, clearly stated, and clearly related to the purpose of the class.
Each class is relatively self-contained, and is loosely coupled to other classes.
The responsibilities of the class are at a consistent level of abstraction (i.e. high-level (application-level) and low-level (implementation-level) responsibilities are not mixed).
Classes in the same inheritance hierarchy possess unique class attributes, operations and relationships (i.e. they inherit all common attributes, operations and relationships).
The complete life-cycle of an instance of the class is accounted for. Each object is created, used, and removed by one or more use-case realizations.
The class satisfies the behavioral requirements established by the use-case realizations.
All requirements on the class in the requirement specification are addressed.
The demands on the class (as reflected in the class description and by the objects in sequence diagrams) are consistent with the class's state machine.
All responsibilities of the class are related, such that it is not possible for the class to exist in a system where some of its responsibilities are used, but not others.
No two classes have essentially the same purpose.
The generalization hierarchy is balanced, such that there are no classes for which the hierarchy is unusually flat or deep.
Obvious commonality has been reflected in the inheritance hierarchy.
There are no superclasses which appear to be merges of the attributes of the subclasses.
There are no intermediate abstract classes in the inheritance hierarchy with orthogonal properties, examples of which include duplicated subclasses on both sides of an inheritance tree.
Inheritance is used to capture common design abstractions, not primarily for implementation considerations, i.e. to reuse bits of code or class structure.
Naming Conventions
Class names indicate purpose.
Class names follow the naming conventions specified in project design guidelines.
The name of each operation is descriptive and understandable.
The state machine and the operations are consistent.
The state machine and operations completely describe the behavior of the class.
The parameters of each operation are correct in terms of both number, name and type.
Implementation specifications for each operation, where defined, are correct.
Operation signatures conform to the standards of the target programming language.
Each operation is used by at least one use-case realization.
All relationships of the class are required to support some operation of the class.
Each attribute represents a single conceptual thing.
The name of each attribute is descriptive, and correctly conveys the information it stores.
The role names of aggregations and associations describe the relationship between the associating and associated classes.
The multiplicities of the relationships are correct.
State Machines
The state machine is as simple as possible while still expressing the required behavior.
The state machine does not contain any superfluous states or transitions.
The state machine has a clear context.
All referenced objects are visible to the enclosing object.
The state machine is efficient, and carries out its behavior with an optimal balance of time and resources as defined by the actions it dispatches.
The state machine is understandable.
The state and transition names are understandable in the context of the domain of the system.
The state names indicate what is being waited for or what is happening, rather than what has happened.
The state and transition names are unique within the state machine (although not a strict requirements, it aids in debugging to enforce unique names).
Logical groupings of states are contained in composite states.
Composite states have been used effectively to reduce complexity?
Transition labels reflect the underlying cause of the transition.
There are no code fragments on state transitions which are more than 25 lines of detail code; instead, functions have been used effectively to reduce transition code complexity.
State machine nesting has been examined to ensure that nesting depth is not too deep to be understandable; one or two levels of substates are usually sufficient for most complex behaviors.
Active classes have been used instead of concurrent substates; active classes are nearly always a better alternative and more understandable than concurrent substates.
In real-time systems, capsules have been used to represent logical threads of control.
Error or maintenance states have been accounted for.
Substates have been used in lieu of extended state variables; there is no evidence of transition guard conditions testing several variables to determine which to state the transition should occur.
The state machine does not resemble a flow chart.
The state machine does not appear to have been overly de-composed, consisting of nested state machines with a single sub-state. In cases where the nested sub-state is a placeholder for future design work or subclassing, this may be temporarily acceptable providing that the choice has been a conscious one.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 1987, 2006. All Rights Reserved.


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IIATMS Radio 12/4/2012/
Tonight Stacey and I were joined on the show by Matt Imbrogno of The Yankee Analysts, and we had a lot of fun batting around the rumors of the day and some other topics from around baseball. Maybe a little bit too much fun, actually.
And don't forget to head over to our Facebook page and make your recommendation for the show's new name. Our favorite recommendation wins a free Yankees keychain.


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Master Electrician's Exam Questions & Answers 2014
Questions and Answers to the Master Electrician's Exam
Let Tom Henry's guide advance you from the Journeyman level to the Master's level! This book Master Electrician Exam Questions and Answers, will prepare you for the master's exam. It contains the code book related questions and the most popular electrical exam formats (number of questions, time allowed, etc.) and even the best way to study the Code book - as it forces you to find the answers in the time limit.
The 2014 Master Electrician Exam Questions and Answers workbook contains 12 closed-book exams, a 50 question true or false exam, 17 open-book exams, along with a 4 Hour 100 question Final Exam! Over 1,940 exam questions with answers, along with Code references.
You will also need to study other books on Calculations, Ohm's Law, Theory, Transformers, etc. in your proper preparation for the electrical examination. 416 pp.


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The G.O.A.T Sports & Blog is a reinvention of The G.O.A.T Blog. Venturing this into the sports card and memorabilia world along with blogging. On this page will be sports breaks and group breaks. The blog section covers sports, photography, video games, cooking, adventure and much more. Included links are Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, Fiverr, Facebook, Amazon Author, and Pinterest.
Friday, June 30, 2017
MLB The Show 17 - Special Event gameplay
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Speckled perch tournament on Saturday at Pacetti's Fishcamp. Information: (904) 522-1374.
One-day boating safety class, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, taught by Coast Guard Auxiliary at Stellar Building, 2900 Hartley Road, Jacksonville. Information: (904) 721-1346.
North Florida chapter of Safari Club International 31st annual banquet and fundraiser, 5 p.m. Saturday, at Morocco Shrine Auditorium. Information: (904) 353-3181 or email@example.com.
Florida general turkey hunting season in Zone A is Saturday-April 8; March 17-April 1 for remainder of state.
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting March 5-9 at Savannah (Ga.) Hilton DeSoto. Agenda includes public comment on Snapper Grouper Amendment 18B. Information: safmc.net or (866) SAFMC10.
Spring turkey hunting seminar, 6 p.m. on March 7, at Gander Mountain on Northside. Hosted by Jacksonville Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation.
11th annual Shoot for a Cure sporting clays tournament on March 13 at WW Sporting Clays, 1445 Otis Road, Jacksonville. Information: (904) 733-3560 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Redfish Roundup on March 31 at Jim King Park and Boat Ramp at Sisters Creek. Registration fee is $60 per boat. Enter beginning Sunday, March 4, by sending in an entry from that day's Times-Union or go to www.jacksonville.com/redfishroundup. Information: email@example.com.


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From Paul Hastings: "Women account for nearly 50% of the world's population and approximately 40% of the global workforce. However, women are consistently underrepresented on corporate boards of directors across the globe. Though many countries have made great strides in promoting women's rights with respect to combating discrimination and representation in public office, women's equal representation on corporate boards remains elusive, with some shining exceptions.
France, for instance, is a European Member State that has had the most dramatic increase since legislation was enacted in 2011 to address this issue. A year before the law was enacted the proportion of women serving on corporate boards in France's top 40 largest listed companies was 15%. In 2018, that number has significantly increased to 42%.
The United Kingdom saw similar progress, with the percentage of female-held directorships at the top 100 companies increasing from 10.5% in 2005 to 27.7% in 2017. There are some potentially encouraging signs that this issue is becoming more visible in the United States as well. The ushering in of the Women's March globally and the #MeToo movement is bringing gender equality to the forefront of many conversations and making headlines. Already, in the first five months of 2018, women are gaining more seats on boards – with women making up 31% of new board directors at the top 3,000 publicly traded companies in the U.S."


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Feeling a bit of dryness in your eyes from time to time is usually normal, but persistent dryness is considered a condition called dry eyes. This condition can end up causing a significant amount of discomfort, making your daily activities hard to do. At Today's Vision Family Eye Care in Spring TX, we offer treatment for this condition.
Causes of Dry Eye
Dry is caused by a problem with the quality of the tears that effects them to dry up or evaporate too quickly or low tear production. This could perhaps be due to too much oil in the eyes, which causes blockages. If your tears evaporate quickly, this can be caused by exposure to cigarette smoke or wind, problems with the eyelids or infrequent blinking. If you do not produce enough tears, this can be due to the aging process, diabetes or other underlying medical conditions or medications, such as antihistamines.
Symptoms of Dry Eye
When you suffer from dry eye, you might have a stinging or scratchy feeling in both of your eyes. You might also be more sensitive to light and feel as though there is something in your eye. Other symptoms include red eyes, trouble wearing contacts, blurry vision and mucus around your eyes. You might even have watery eyes, which happens when your eyes are irritated. Since dry eye can lead to complications, such as eye infections, it is important to have your eyes evaluated and treated.
Dry Eye Treatment from Our Spring Eye Doctor
At Today's Vision Family Eye Care, our Spring eye doctor will discuss treatment options for dry eye after checking your eyes. If you have mild dry eyes, you might only need to use artificial tears to moisten them. For more persistent or serious cases, treatment might include finding and treating the underlying cause, taking medication or undergoing a procedure to relieve dry eyes, such as having punctal plugs put in to block your tear ducts.
Our eye doctor will go over your options in order to help you find the most suitable one for your condition. This will depend on the cause of dry eye, how severe it is and how much it is affecting your day-to-day routine. You might also benefit from applying a damp, warm cloth to your eyes.
Contact Our Optometrist in Spring, TX
If you have symptoms of dry eye, please contact Today's Vision Family Eye Care to set up an appointment with our optometrist in Spring, TX. We can provide effective treatment to relieve dry eye symptoms that are causing you discomfort.


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Longtime Southwest PGA Professional Bill Johnston is the recipient of the 2017 Johnny Bulla Award and was honored Tuesday, Nov. 21 at the Arizona Gold Hall of Fame ceremony.
The award, named after the legendary local and national player, is presented to an individual who has displayed exemplary talent on the golf course during their career, according to a press release
"The Southwest PGA is honored to recognize Bill Johnston as the recipient of the Johnny Bulla Award," Jamey Lewis, president of the Southwest PGA, said in a prepared statement.
"Bill's tremendous career as a PGA Golf Professional, PGA Tour player and golf course architect is very impressive. His playing accomplishments in the Southwest PGA, and on a national level, exemplify the award's namesake Johnny Bulla."
Born in Donora, Pa., Johnston, 92, relocated to Odgen, Utah when he was 4 years old. His interest in golf began at the age of 10 when he started caddying at the local golf club.
Using borrowed clubs, Mr, Johnston played on and off as a teenager before joining the Navy following high school. He served in World War I on a submarine until he decommissioned his last submarine in May of 1946 and decided he was going to become a golf professional.
Mr. Johnston attended the University of Utah and was the captain of the golf team for three years. After winning the Utah Amateur Championship, he was invited to play in his first PGA Tour event in 1946 as an amateur at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City.
Following his amateur career, Mr. Johnston turned professional in 1950.
He went on to play in all four majors – finishing tied for 28th in the 1957 Masters, tied for 32nd in the 1963 U.S. Open, tied for 26th in the 1960 Open Championship and tied for third in the 1956 PGA Championship. He also competed in 24 Phoenix Open Championships.
His two victories on the PGA Tour came in the 1958 Texas Open Invitational (now the Valero Texas Open) and the 1960 Utah Open Invitational. Mr. Johnston and Mr. Bulla both played in the 1964 Open Championship at St. Andrews in Scotland.
Mr. Johnston won numerous events in the Southwest PGA including the Arizona Open Championship three times (1961, 1967 and 1972) and back-to-back Southwest PGA Championships in 1961-62.
In total, he won 11 state open championships, including the Colorado Open in 1973, the Colorado PGA Championship in 1972 and two Utah PGA Championships.
Earning his membership in the PGA of America in 1955, Mr. Johnston served as the PGA Head Golf Professional at Arizona Community College from 1961-1967 and as a PGA Teaching Professional at Paradise Valley Community College from 1971-1975.
During that time, Mr. Johnston began to design golf courses as an architect in Arizona and Texas, including the Links Course at the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club, Lookout Mountain Golf Club in Phoenix and Rancho Manana Golf Club in Cave Creek.
Mr. Johnston was honored as the 1963 Southwest PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the highest honor bestowed upon a professional. He was inducted into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame in 1994
The Scottsdale Independent publishes a free daily newsletter. A print edition is mailed to 75,000 homes and businesses each month. If you value our journalistic mission, please consider showing us your support.


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This is a water drop photoshop tutoria made by ilcho bogdanovski for makesimpledesigns.com . Its a step by step tutorial for any photoshop user, from begginer to advanced.
ilcho bogdanovski is a designer and enthusiast who loves to create photoshop tutorials. He also loves to write articles about design and software used in the creative process


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Motorcity Alcaniz
The combination of the racing activities and the dry, arid landscape gives the new Alcañiz race track area a distinct character. Its development can be easily compared with Las Vegas. But can we learn from Vegas again? More ecology? Less gambling? More leisure based on the powers of the landscape? Maybe instead of an artificial new icon, that specific contradiction, this specific situation itself can lead to an outstandingly remarkable development and approach.
© all rights reserved
- Architect
- Prinicpal in charge
- Copyright: MVRDV


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Discussion forums are a way to easily communicate with others, similar to a message board, which is visible to all those with whom a project is shared. In this guide you will learn how to:
Discussion tab can be found in the project navigation tabs on your project's main page. Anyone with
Project access may view discussion threads contained in the project, create new threads, or reply to existing threads.
To create a new thread, click the
New Thread button at the top of the
Discussion tab.
This opens a New Thread dialog box in which you can edit text, insert pictures, code, TeX, Widgets, or Markdown script. As with
Wiki editing, a Formatting Guide is available to show you what formatting features are available.
Within an existing thread, you may use the
Reply button to write a reply to an existing discussion. All editing features described above are available for this purpose.
You may edit or delete any forum post you've created by clicking the pencil icon or the trash can icon, respectively, located in the bottom right corner of the post.
You may subscribe to a
Discussion forum for a particular
Project by clicking the
Follow button on the main discussion page. Once you've subscribed to a forum, you will receive an email to your Synapse-registered email address whenever a new thread is created or a reply to an existing thread is posted. You can use the
Unfollow button at any time to discontinue this subscription.
Additionally, you may change notification settings on an individual thread by using the eye icon which is visible from within the thread, or by selecting "Follow Thread" or "Unfollow Thread" from the Tools menu. This can be used to stop receiving reply notifications for that individual thread when you've followed all activity in a discussion forum, or to follow activity in only a select thread.
Project administrators have moderator privileges for discussion forums in all projects to which they have administrator privileges. Moderators may delete threads and replies from all users using the trash can icon next to the original post, which deletes the entire thread, or an individual reply, which deletes only that comment, from inside the thread page.
In case of accidental deletion, moderators may also undelete threads to restore them. To view deleted threads, click on "Show Deleted Threads" from the main forum page to see a list of threads that are currently in the trash can. Once you've found the thread you'd like to restore, click into that thread and then use the Tools Menu and select "Restore Thread".
Moderators may also "pin" important threads using the pin icon located next to the original post within the thread page. This causes the thread to be highlighted on the top of the thread list on the
Discussion main page, and to remain at the top of the list even once newer threads are posted. Moderators may also "unpin" threads.
Try posting a question to our Forum.
Let us know what was unclear or what has not been covered. Reader feedback is key to making the documentation better, so please let us know or open an issue in our Github repository (Sage-Bionetworks/synapseDocs).


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Wonka Blend from the Aeropress: a 50/50 blend of a dry-processed (see below) Ethiopia Sidamo Korate and a wet-processed Mex Altura Coatepec, Santa Rosa: Slightly musty cocoa powdered over-ripe berries (I picture strawberries that are just starting to get dark spots on them…yes, that sweet!), intense flavor, fruit-forward with baker's/extra dark chocolate at the back. Chocolate especially emerges as the cup cools. The fruit is distinctly from the dry-processed Ethiopian and the chocolate is from the Mexican coffee (Mexican coffees have produced some serious chocolate bombs this year!).
About Dry-Processing
Dry-processing involves picking the coffee fruit from the tree (coffee is actually the seed/pit of a fruit, not technically a bean) and, instead of stripping of its fruit and sending it through a wet mill, leaving on large tables or patios outside in the sun to dry. This method allows the coffee seed/bean to soak up the sugars and flavors from the coffee fruit, which often produces a very fruity, sometimes earthy, cup. I LOVE dry-processed coffees. You don't typically find them, however, with the big roasters, because they take a little extra work. I have to cull through every roast to check for defective beans (which are easy to spot after they are roasted, because they stay a very blond early-roast color). This is not necessary in wet-processed coffees because defective coffee fruit floats in the water mill and automatically get skimmed off the top. But…it's all about what ends up in the cup, so a little extra TLC is absolutely worth the time. So even though dry-processed coffees represent some of the best and most exotic coffees in the world, they are not always easy to find. Ask your local micro-roaster if he or she has any! For fruitier DP coffees, ask about Central American (especially Panama or El Salvador) or African (especially Ethiopia); for earthy/nutty/chocolatey DP coffees, ask about Indonesian or South American. Or…just check out our website 😉
This sure is a nice way to wake up, even if I was bagging coffee till 2:00 am!


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Congratulations! You've decided to embark on the journey of planning a destination wedding — but now where do you start? It goes without saying that planning a destination wedding (or any wedding, for that matter) takes time, organization and a bit of know-how. You need to know when to get things done, how to get things done, and the best way to take pressure off everything involved.
The big trick for how to plan a perfect destination wedding? Experience. After doing them for so long, you start to learn who to talk to, how long things take and where to go for the best deals! Obviously, you don't have that kind of time to learn everything - you're too busy! I'm here to help! I've put together a checklist that breaks things down by month all the way out to more than a year before the big day.
Use this to get an idea of when you need to start placing your attention on certain tasks. But, if you have any questions, or want to know more about how to get all this done - hit me up!
12+ months to go
Announce your engagement
Choose a destination
Decide on a budget
Select your venue
Draft a guest list
Order your save-the-dates
Send out save-the-dates
Make sure your passports are up to date
Select your bridal party
Book the honeymoon suite
Stay organized – start a binder to keep track of all your wedding business!
I know that sounds like a lot for just 12+ months out, but a destination wedding takes twice the planning that a regular wedding does. Guests need to know when the wedding is at least a year in advance so they can request time off of work and secure travel plans. Don't let that overwhelm you, the more you get done earlier in the process the smoother the planning will be!
9-11 months to go
Start wedding dress shopping. Read our post on how to travel with your wedding dress here
Choose your menu and cake
Create a wedding website with all of the travel details
Research and book excursions. We recommend 1 per day!
Book a block of hotel rooms for your guests
Secure a DJ or band
Create a registry
6-8 months to go
Take engagement photos, if you haven't already
Purchase your airline tickets – get those early bird deals!
Order your wedding invitations
Decide on your guests' attire
Select a date for bachelor/bachelorette parties
Make contracts with vendors
3-5 months to go
Send out wedding invitations
Book any rentals you may need
Finalize honeymoon plans (if different from destination wedding location)
2-4 months to go
Plan the welcome party and rehearsal dinner
Order welcome bags or favors
Book a hairstylist and makeup artist
Write your destination wedding welcome letter. Read how to here
Create a seating chart and place cards
2-4 weeks to go
Double or triple check all reservations/bookings/vendors
Write your vows
Put together a packing list
1 week out
Check the weather of your destination
Make sure you have the correct outlet converters
Take a trip to the spa. Wedding planning is stressful, make sure you're also taking care of yourself before the big day!
Prepare any payments
Travel to your destination
Upon Arrival
Get your wedding dress steamed
Check out the venue
Apply for a marriage license
Assemble welcome bags and distribute to guests' rooms
Manicure and pedicure
Trial hair and makeup – make sure it's exactly the look you're going for!
Wedding day
Take a deep breath
Enjoy your day!
I hope you find this checklist helpful in easing the stress of planning for the big day! Let me know if there's anything I can add to this list to make it better for the next bride!
Check out my special discount code below. We know you will be sending out tons of SAVE-THE-DATES, invitations, thank-you's and wedding newsletters! Might as well get a discount!


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SimilarWeb Traffic9.4M
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Write For Venture Beat
- Games
- 28. Feb
- 807
Venture Beat is a news and media website. It was founded in 2006 with a mission to provide latest innovation and technology related news. This website has become one of the most recognized sources of information on cutting-edge research in technology. The content published provides an in-depth perspective and context which helps managers, entrepreneurs, and technology enthusiasts reach smart and brave decisions. Venture Beat publishes articles, newsletter and organizes events offering fresh knowledge, new perspectives, and useful connections. The team is composed of experienced journalists which cover a wide range of technology trends social and mobile, small and large businesses, cloud service, games, clean technology etc.
Content Guidelines:
- Content must provide useful and unique perspectives.
- Guest posts should have approximately 800 words.
- Writers should present strong and supported arguments.
- Long introductions are discouraged.
- The headlines obligatory.
- Authors should include their bio, and details on their experience and expertise.
- Simultaneous submissions are not accepted.
- Previously published content is rarely republished.
- Images are welcomed (author must have respective rights).
- In case of a pitch, writers should give a brief (2 paragraphs) description of key points of the story.
Topic Guidelines
- Technology news
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Submission Process:
Pitches and posts are sent to be sent to various addresses depending on the topic.
Games, AR/VR and Esports- email@example.com
Other topics covered by this website - firstname.lastname@example.com
Press releases, news, interview requests - email@example.com.
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Main Office
UW-Madison School of Education Dean Diana Hess recently spoke with Wisconsin Public Radio for a report examining the challenges that prevent some from entering the field of teaching — and that keep others from staying.
Hess was recently named co-chair of a task force that's designed to help identify how University of Wisconsin System institutions can better meet Wisconsin's need for more teachers and school leaders. Hess is co-chairing this group with Deborah Kerr, president-elect of AASA, the national School Superintendents Association, and current superintendent of the Brown Deer School District.
The Feb. 5 report from WPR is headlined, "Why Are Fewer Wisconsin Students Studying To Become Teachers?"
"We know that nationally, enrollment in teacher education programs is down about 35 percent and in Wisconsin it is down more dramatically in some places," Hess, who holds the Karen A. Falk Distinguished Chair of Education, tells WPR.
"What we're experiencing here is not dissimilar to what's happening across the country," Hess adds. "The shortages tend to be in five different subject areas: special education, bilingual education, math, science and technology."
NPR explains that the "shortage has prompted changes, which went into effect in 2016, that allow teachers to teach subject matter they may not have credentials in and lets others who went through an alternative certification program instead of obtaining a traditional university teaching degree into classroom. There are about 2,000 such teachers in the state, Hess said."
"That's a fairly dramatic increase," Hess tells WPR. "So I think what we need to be concerned about in Wisconsin is not just that we have existing shortages, but that we know that based on the enrollment in our teacher education programs and how that has declined, that we will have even worse shortages in the future."


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Home defense is not as simple as owning a gun or installing a security system and the subject area can be expanded almost without limit if we are willing to consider factors such as natural disasters, financial collapse, war, and so on. We start by splitting those areas off as makes sense and begin with a simple scenario of protecting the place where we live against an armed mob.
- Intelligence – having good intelligence at the moment of an attack is often the key to success. We need to gather as much intelligence before an attack as possible. We need to know our enemy. We must develop means of gathering intelligence and practice them. We should consider installing sensors (motion detectors, sound detectors, light detectors, radio detectors, cameras, noise makers, tripwires) that can give us real time intelligence during an attack. If we have access to a stream of news, we need pay attention to the wider scope of what is happening around you. If our news feed is not available, then we need to keep our attention turned outward and stay vigilant.
- Operations Security (OPSEC) – OPSEC is the inverse of intelligence. It is the process of analyzing what our opponent knows about us and our defenses and working to minimize the knowledge available to them. We can "case" our own home and find out what we can easily determine that would aid an attack. We can check internet and other sources that might reveal when we are not home. We can observe light and sound and activity patterns from outside our home. We can analyze what could be gleaned by stealing our mail or going through our trash. We can examine how much an attacker might learn by knocking on our door or walking around our home or looking in through a window.
- Perimeter – in the case of a private home, the perimeter is likely to be the yard and maybe a fence around the yard. For an apartment, it is likely to be the front door and any windows. We should study our perimeter and seek out means of providing intelligence (viewpoints, sensors, trip wires, etc). We can study obstacles and attack paths to figure out our weaknesses and strengths. We should consider how relocating items might change this to our advantage. Most intruders will attempt to come through a door or window. We should consider which ones are most likely and how the penetration can be stopped. More secure locks and bolts and bars and braces can supply reinforcement to existing barriers.
- Interior – once an intruder is inside, we should still think about intelligence and attack paths. Help can be provided by adding motion sensors and lights, dogs, alarms, even noisy obstacles placed where an intruder might try to climb in through a window.
- Strategy – a strategy is an overall philosophical viewpoint that determines what objectives are most important. Strategy provides a framework for actions. We need to decide what the most important objectives are and develop a framework to support them.
- Tactics – is how weachieve the objectives set by our strategy. Tactics are actions we take and the consideration of how we can best take them as well as the costs and gains involved with each action.
- Arms – considering armament should come last on this list because the other elements are pre-cursors that will determine the requirements of how we arm ourselves. We must choose weapons that we can use effectively, that fit into our strategy and tactical plan and that we can afford. We should consider not just firearms but also many other categories of arms:
- Firearms – a shotgun is an effective and versatile home defense weapon. Handguns are most useful at short range and rifles most useful at longer ranges. Each type of gun has an appropriate place in the overall strategy.
- Shooting weapons – bows, blowguns, slingshots, air rifles. These are mostly shorter range than most firearms and carry less energy, but have an advantage of being quieter.
- Throwing weapons – spears, arrow and dart throwing weapons, and shuriken (throwing stars). Knives, sticks, clubs, tomahawks, rocks, even chains and ropes can be used as throwing weapons. Once we have reached an athletic level of competence with these weapons, they are easy to pre-position in hidden locations to supply highly improvisational tactics.
- Stabbing and cutting weapons – spears, swords, machetes and knives of all kinds. Most kitchens have several or many knives available.
- Bludgeoning weapons – clubs, bars, batons, staffs and sticks, baseball bats, flashlights and a wide variety of common place tools. Identify what you already have in your home, know where they are, decide if you are capable of using them.
- Defensive weapons include: anything that can be used as a shield, staffs and sticks to parry, heavy clothing or cloth wrapped around a free hand, barricades/blockades
- Traps – tripwires, nets, animal traps. Most of these are only likely to be used in extreme circumstances and can be equally dangerous to defenders. It is possible to pair up some of these like tripwires and nets with sensors and non-lethal weapons.
- Martial Arts – the downside to this is the time and effort involved to learn the art to an effective level. But even Tai-Chi can be adapted to use defensively and any physical training will improve all other weapon handling skills.
- Other weapon categories include: nuclear, biological, chemical (pepper spray, tear gas), cyber-weapons, electro-magnetic weapons (laser, taser, light, jamming, pulse), sound weapons, explosive weapons, rockets, artillery and more. Most of these are not effective for home defense but a few of them might be.
- Maintain situational awareness by collecting intelligence and applying OPSEC to our own environment.
- Develop an overall strategy and define tactics.
- Collect an array of tools and weapons and fit them into our strategy and tactics.
- Know the tools and weapons, know how to use them, and know where they will be positioned.
Operations Security = OPSEC


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Jeff Thomas at Oakville Galleries
Oakville Galleries in Gairloch Gardens is a contemporary art centre located in a former estate house on the shore of Lake Ontario. At night it is abandoned; only sensors and alarms are activated to protect it. Occasionally however, artists will stay in the creative isolation of the upper recesses of the house. There, they design art projects that engage the building's ambience and expose the house's singularity in broader terms. These ephemeral works, preserved in catalogues through photos and critical writing, add to the enchantment that inspired the landscaping and architecture of the estate long ago, since Gairloch Gardens was created as a picturesque lookout, a retreat and a restorative space of private reflection.
An initiative to branch-out from this rarefied environment took shape last year under the programme title Site Scope, which invites a guest to live at the Galleries for one month, during which he or she must venture out each day to explore their surroundings. The series of three residencies each year are designed to connect Gairloch with its neighbourhood and region. Each guest creates a Web project that charts his or her process of discovery. It was launched in October 2003 with the visit of art critic John Bentley Mays. Through on-line essays he probed the idealizations of domestic security and small town life that he found to be at the root of Oakville's identity. Interviewing its residents he raised questions critical to the town's future as it faces re-definition through the invasion of settlement from the Greater Toronto Area. His inquiry focussed on the notion of community as it is interpreted out of a yearning for security and continuity. The essays show how the town's investment in Neo-traditional or New Urbanism town planning, and its privately commissioned domestic architecture, translated this collective desire into image.
Jeff Thomas, awarded the second Site Scope residency in March 2004, continued the investigation into the ways that images are used to define a sense of place. Oakville is no different from any small town within a large metropolitan zone; its residents' constant shuttling between home, work, recreation and school undermines a settled existence. The cost of the frenetic pace and widening radius of individual activity is a loss of identification with location and community. This place-less-ness is compounded by the generic nature of residential development dominating the landscape.
To offer the town an expanded vision of itself, Oakville Community Foundation has developed Heritage Trails Oakville. These marked trails, punctuated with information kiosks, knit together the chapters of the town's history as it is connected to geographic features within its municipal borders. This form of story telling, based on cultural and natural heritage, is designed to be absorbed by crossing the physical terrain of the municipality. As the particulars of each locality strung together by the trails evoke a scene or chapter of history, the motion of every-day life evokes a heightened awareness of place.
Through the magic of Internet, Heritage Trails Oakville can also be read as a picture story or "image trail" in the sedentary comfort of one's home. This has the added advantage of offering a global reach to local definition, broadcasting the Town's control of its economic and historical destiny.
The themes of pilgrimage, trails, destination and destiny linked to images of history were the entry point forJeff Thomas, a First Nations, street-based photographer, to undertake the challenge of creating a Web-based project that correlated movement and story-telling with a search for cultural identity in the landscape. His work interacts dynamically with official narratives of history, and often exposes the role of monuments in entrenching a colonial presence.
An an artist, writer and curator, Thomas is a field worker in image-rich environments. Calling himself an Urban Indian, he lays claim to the city as a First Nations's New World. In the flux of the streets, manufactured images travel and are mixed and re-mixed. Within this synthetic environment the artist scouts for Indians -- catching the enduring cultural type in all kinds of symbolic situations. Through his camera he "talks back" to these embodiments of colonial mentality by inserting a witness, a token First Nations's attendance at the scene. The resulting image activates a new, relational identity for the monument: it is repossessed to serve as symbol of the Urban Indian's power to discourse with, and define, his environment.
In penetrating a landscape a trail is created. In a digital image database, an image trail connects a subject or topic represented in sundry collections through specific search terms. Jeff Thomas has worked with the digitized collection of the National Archives of Canada to open up the meaning of archival images of indigenous peoples. Creating on-line exhibitions, he offers identities and relationships erased through the images' assigned interpretative role within the collection. The subjects of the portraits, collected as objective, anthropological finding, are set free to offer testimony to their descendants.
Scouting for Indians, a survey of the photo-based art of Jeff Thomas was presented at Oakville Galleries in Gairloch Gardens from January 31 to April 4, 2004. In meeting him at the outset of his residency I suggested that getting lost might be the only way to encounter afresh a place that was already highly defined. I had not understood that being lost is one of the primary conditions that Jeff Thomas confronts through his art. While in the project's introduction he asserts that his journey is open-ended -- a photographer's chase of the transient moment -- it is nevertheless firmly directed toward locating himself and his past, in the landscape.
Jeff Thomas's journey is guided by officially designated site markers of First Nations history in Southern Ontario as listed on the Web through such sites as Oakville Heritage Trails. Scanning roadside inscriptions and signs, he also confronts the mythic Indian presence in the formulations of place-identity and the branding of such zones of tribal preserve as the Mississauga Country Club. Around him, the fluid commuter circulation reflects the wash of suburban development engulfing Southern Ontario. The car stretches his perimeter as a street-based photographer from the confines of the city to the distended urban environment known as sprawl. In the suspended place of a solitary car journey he recognizes the feeling of in-between-ness that emerged from being transported back and forth as a child from the duality of the reserve and the city.
Throughout the journey, Jeff Thomas actively works with the dual landscapes of the Web and the physical world. The virtual trail of his journey is hyper-linked to networks of history plaques and Web-based Heritage trails. His travel itinerary is formulated around geographic points marked to offer historical outlook on the First Nations presence in the region. These take the form of plaques, museums or, in the case of Crawford Lake, the recreation of a settlement. Thomas elaborates upon and adds to this system through marking new historical outlook points with the aid of his camera and a toy Indian. Meanwhile, the mythic Indian pops up insidiously as the journey's visual refrain, appearing on signs for streets, clubs, harbours and businesses. As his day trips radiate his search outward from Oakville, Jeff Thomas returns to his family origins in the Six Nations reserve. While he was born and raised in Buffalo, he and his reserve-born parents are members of the Onondaga tribe that make their home together with other Iroquoian populations in Six Nations. There, the nature of the Thomas documentation is adjusted to closer conversation and affectionate observation of details. In fact, these black and white images date from an earlier period of his practice; they are images of memory. One senses that this world, for the artist, is assumed and integrated -- in a word -- whole.
Looking back on the journey, one realizes that, like a good storytellers' delivery, it is not linear and sequential. There is no narrative arc with a climactic conclusion but a circular, repetitive consideration of the territory. The trip is in the cumulative process of relationships formed with each way-stop and destination site. The search is not for an Arcadian pre-contact, pre-conquered past but for the story of adaptation that has marked First Nations's cultures from the outset.
Teresa Casas
For further information or to receive a print-out copy of this on-line project please contact Teresa Casas at (905) 844-4402 x 23


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The Döcke trademark belongs to D.Ö.CKE Systemlosungen Gmbh, Berlin, Germany. All Döcke products are licensed and controlled by this company on the basis of a license agreement. The 50 year siding and gutters warranty time guaranteed by the producer is confirmed by branded warranty certificate for Döcke production.
General rules of Döcke products transportation and storageDöcke products are to be transported in curtain-sided lorry not less than 4m long.
Storage is executed only in the branded producer's package.
Storage is executed only under conditions preventing from the adverse effects of moisture and direct sunlight.
Storage is allowed only in covered spaces equipped with ventilation system(temperature from -35 ° C to + 50 ° C) and 50-60% relative humidity.
If the produc is stored for an extended period of time (more than 10 days) pallets or racks are to be used with the storage boxes height not exceeding 1.5 m.
It is strictly forbidden to store Döcke products:
- without the producer's package;
- under the direct sunlight;
- near the heating devices (at a distance less than 1m).
Before the expiration of the warranty the buyer is obliged to hold the following documents:
- documents of payment (cheques, invoices, etc.);
- contract for installation work;
- package label indicating the production date;
- fully filled warranty certificate with the purchase date and the stamp of the trading organization.
Computer label
High quality vinyl siding panels produced on modern plants are marked with a computer label on the reverse side of the panel. As a rule, on such label you can find information about the manufacturer, production date and time, batch number and sometimes the name of the collection and color. If such label is absent, the siding is most likely to be released on unsophisticated equipment.


text:
A lot of people believe that gardening is difficult to do, horticultural studying; this is not true. All it takes to become a skilled gardener is a bit of your own. This article contain some creative gardening tips that will turn you learn how to tend your garden like a expert horticulturist in no time at all.
Select plant types that produce a relatively high yield.
Use both biennials and annuals to add color to your flower beds. You can also use these flowers to fill gaps between shrubs and perennials when they are in the sun.Some plants to get you started include petunia, petunias, sunflower, rudbekcia, or sunflowers.
Transfer your favorite plants inside so they survive the winter frosts. You may be able to save the ones you spent the most money on or the ones that are resistant. Carefully dig around the rootball and transfer those plants into a flower pot.
Pick the correct soil in order to get the best outcome. You can also make an artificial plot with just one kind of soil, a container gardening ideas.
Bulbs are a great option for people who want to enjoy in early spring and right through the summer. Different types of bulbs bloom at different times, so choosing appropriately, you may have blooms early spring to later summer.
When the fall season approaches, it's time to start planting all of your fall edibles. A pumpkin can be used as a festive container for kale and lettuce. Once you've cut its top and scooped the insides out, spray the inside and edges with Wilt-Pruf to keep the pumpkin from rotting.
Try "boiling" weeds in your garden with boiling water to get rid of them. Boiling water in a safe alternative to other potent herbicides. Boiling water is not good for the roots and will stunt further growth.
Place a few inches of organically based mulch that is organic in with your veggies! Mulch helps the soil moist for a longer time. It can also prevent the growth of weeds. This can prevent you tons of time from pulling out tons of weeds.
Use care when you are watering your garden. Use a soaker hose to save time so that you do not have to water each plant individually with a hose nozzle, or be refilling a watering can constantly. Keep water running slowly so it doesn't spray up onto the plants' leaves. Let it water the plants for a few hours while you do other things.
It is essential to keep your knees protected as you are gardening. Bending from a standing position for excessive amounts of time periods causes pain for many people. Kneeling down on the ground is a great way to get to your plants while minimizing back pain. You can pick up a knee pad for gardening in order to protect your knees.
Make sure you work in your garden.Don't waste your time looking around for missing tools. Prepare them all ahead of time and have them handy before you need to garden, and then put them away neatly when finished. You can use a tool belt, or choose pants that contain several large pockets.
Create a raised bed for your garden out of stone, brick or untreated wood. Choose a wood that is naturally resistant to rot and is untreated.Some great choices to choose from are cedar, cedar and cypress. In order to avoid toxic substances from getting into the ground and perhaps into your vegetables, don't use treated wood since its chemicals can leech into the food crops and soil.If you have to use treated wood, consider using a liner to keep chemicals out of the soil.
As you read before, becoming a great gardener is not as difficult as it seems. When you have the correct information, gardening can be both easy and fun. The tips we have provided are a great place to start on your path to becoming an expert gardener.


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Preparing your Skill for submission to the Mycroft Skills Repo
NOTE: To make Skill subsmission to the Mycroft Skills Repo a lot easier, we now recommend the Mycroft Skills Kit
- Preparing your Skill for submission to the Mycroft Skills Repo
It's important that you prepare your Skill for submission to the Mycroft Skills Repo so that:
- Your Skill can easily be reviewed by the Skill Management Team
- Your Skill is added in a way that allows dependencies to be managed
- Your Skill is well documented for people who may wish to use it.
Generate a README.md file for your Skill
First, you need to generate the README.md file for your Skill using the Meta Editor. Fill out all the relevant fields, and it will generate the Markdown to put into your README.md file. Save your README.md file.
NOTE: This following sections of documentation assume that you have set up a
remote for your Git repository. If you have been developing locally, please pause here, and push your local development to a remote repository on GitHub. New to working with remotes? Here's a handy guide.
Add a Git submodule for your Skill
Next we need to add the Submodule for your Skill. For more help on Submodules in GitHub, feel free to check out this guide
Or, type the following in the terminal, assuming you are in the directory where you cloned
git submodule add $remote $name-your-skill
where $remote is the git address for your repo [example] (https://github.com/mycroftai/skill-configuration) and $name-your-skill is the name you have given to your Skill. In general, we normally use BLANK-skill as a format for Skill names.
This should have edited the
file and added something similar to the bottom of the file:
+[submodule "NAME OF YOUR SKILL"]
+ path = name-of-your-skill-skill
+ url = URL.FOR.YOUR.SKILL.git
Submit a PR (Pull Request) in GitHub to have your Skill listed
Next, we need to submit a Pull Request (PR) in GitHub to have your Skill listed.
- Ensure that you have done a
git commitfor all your files, and that you have done a
git push -u origin masterso that your local files have been pushed to your GitHub repository.
- Next, go to the GitHub repo for your Skill. Click the 'New Pull Request' button as shown in the image below.
- You will need to choose which repositories to compare and create a PR from. This will usually be
- When you create a PR, you will be presented with a PR template to fill in. This helps to make sure that your Skill is ready for submission. It will look like this:
## Description:
Short description of your skill and what it does
## Checklist:
- [ ] Used [Meta Editor](https://raw.githack.com/MycroftAI/mycroft-skills/19.02/meta_editor.html) to generate the skill README
- [ ] Skill has been tested and works
- [ ] Read and verified approval process - https://mycroft.ai/documentation/skills/skills-acceptance-process (Can require a community member vouching for skill)
- [ ] .gitmodules has been updated with the following:
+[submodule "NAME OF YOUR SKILL"]
+ path = name-of-your-skill-skill
+ url = URL.FOR.YOUR.SKILL.git
- Fill in the PR template and submit your PR.
There are two continuous integration (CI) tools that Mycroft uses, and these CI tools will automatically trigger when you submit your PR:
- Codacy for test coverage
- TravisCI for Python code linting
The most common issue reported by the CI tools are PEP8 code linting failures. It's a good idea to run your Python code through a PEP8 checker before submitting your PR.
MSM Compliance
To make your skill capable of being installed via MSM (the Mycroft Skill Manager) you need two additional files.
requirements.txt is a list of all
pip libraries your skill needs (if any).
requirements.sh is a shell script that executes and installs package dependencies your Skill needs (if any).
So, if you need a specific
pip library installed, like
gensim, you can have it automatically installed in the correct vm using
This requirements.txt file would look like this:
What happens next?
The Skills Management Team will review your PR, and check the Python code in your Skill for any obvious errors or red flags. If they're comfortable, your Skill will be merged into the Mycroft Skills Repo. They may make suggestions for enhancement, or request that you make alterations to your code before it is merged.
It's also a good idea to announce that you have a Skill PR waiting in the Skills Channel on Mattermost.


text:
Cocoa Tales: Episode Nine
Chapter Three: Being a Brief Summary of the Return of the Redding Bomber
Six months passed with little incident.
I realize I'm steam-rolling over what transpired between The Sandman and Jessica Holiday; indeed, you are probably quite worried about this intrepid young redhead, concerned that this dangerous man choked the very life out of her.
Well, rest assured, she lived. It was only a sleeper hold. And when she awoke from that sleep, she was handcuffed to the passenger seat, sans seatbelt as The Sandman drove them north along Interstate 5.
Ever driven Interstate 5? It cuts right down the middle of California, and it is one of the most boring, unattractive drives in the world. Farmland, the occasional city: it's just a flat uninteresting expanse of land, south of Redding.
Drive north of Redding through Central Valley and I-5 will show you some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. Jessica missed out on seeing the lovely Shasta Lake, the namesake having been acquired by ole' man Shasta because he felt Lake Winnemem was too difficult to pronounce. She missed out on Castle Crags, enormous granite spires towering above the interstate, but she also missed out on the mid-eighties Accord that cut them off and caused The Sandman to curse loudly.
So there's that.
It was slowing on the off-ramp exiting I-5 that woke her up. She started yanking at her arms but quickly realized she wasn't going anywhere. At least, not within the Deluxury truck. It was turning off the ramp, onto a nondescript road leading them deep into the forest.
"I'm not planning on killing you," The Sandman said, "and not just because I'd have the FBI all over me if I did. Truth is, Jessica Holiday, I'm not the man you think I am. I'm not the man I once was."
"You kill children," Jessica whispered. "That's all I need to know."
The Sandman shook his head. "You got the wrong guy, Holiday." He turned to look at her. "You think I'm the only hitman who calls himself 'Sandman'?" He shook his head again as he returned his attention to the road. "I've never killed anyone under 18 years of age, and any collateral damage due to my actions has been minor and insignificant."
"You kill for money."
"Yes," The Sandman said quietly. "Now we're back in agreement."
He hit the brakes and the truck skidded to a stop in the middle of the road. He took a deep breath slowly, and then he let it out. "Ms. Holiday in a few minutes this truck will be engulfed in flames. You can be in it when it burns down, or you can walk away from it safely. Understand, I'd rather you not follow me when I walk away from this truck. In fact, I'll be fat and happy if I never see you again."
"Why do you want to kill Montgomery Gerald?"
"Because someone is paying me to kill him," The Sandman replied, "I thought we established this."
"Wouldn't be much of an assassin if I said that, now would I? And you're not exactly in a position to demand answers. Like I said, I'm not planning on killing you."
Jessica shut her mouth, lifted her chin high but remained glaring at The Sandman.
"Give me a reason to remove the cuffs and let you out of this truck before I blow it up."
"What do you want from me?"
"I want you to leave me alone."
Paris, Moscow, London, Bordertown, NV, just north of Reno: Jessica had been on the heels of The Sandman for quite a few years. And there she was, in the truck with him, mere inches from him, and he was prepared to let her live.
Oh well. Tell him what he wants to hear. He may just keep his word.
"I'll...leave you alone," Jessica stated.
The Sandman stared at her, and then sighed. "You're a terrible liar, Holiday." He swung open the driver side door and lowered himself out of the truck.
Faced with the possibility that she might be burned alive in a Deluxury truck, Holiday's words became more convincing. "I said I'll leave you alone and I will!" The Sandman slammed shut the driver's side door and walked out of view from Jessica. "I'll go back to The Pentagon," she continued, hollering at the unseen assassin, "and push paperwork all day! I swear! You think I like this!?"
The passenger side door next to Jessica flew open as The Sandman said, "Yes. Yes, I think you do. I think you love this. This excitement, this adventure. It keeps you from having to live a simple, boring life. You know what I want, Jessica Holiday? That simple, boring life. And you'll want it too, if you live long enough."
Jessica stared at him silently.
"You know what?" The Sandman said waggling a finger at her. "Forget about leaving me alone. Just say one thing to me that's honest, and I'll let you go." Jessica stared at him in disbelief. "I'm serious," he stated. "One honest thing from you, Red, and you can walk free."
Despite her heavy breathing, Jessica found her words and quietly said, "All right. Here it is: I have no idea why I'm hunting you."
She'd meant to say she would keep hunting him 'til the end of time, but some wires got crossed in her head and she revealed something she hadn't wanted to admit even to herself, and her shock at such unfiltered honesty was written across her face.
"Now we're talking," The Sandman said. He unlocked the cuffs and pulled them away from her wrists. "Now get out of here, kid."
Jessica climbed down and stepped away from the truck. "How do I get home?"
"You're a smart girl," The Sandman said. "You'll find a way." He turned his back to her, confident she had no ability to attack him, and he was right. Jessica wanted to leap onto his back, wanted to choke the life out of him, but he outweighed her by triple digits, and her gun was somewhere in the bushes along Highway 44.
She sighed, turned and started walking away from the Deluxury truck.
As he walked away from the truck, The Sandman couldn't suppress his smile, even just a little. She was a good kid, a little rambunctious, a little too eager to win, but then weren't they all at that age?
He couldn't help but smile at her when he remembered his own twenties and the wild days he'd spent throughout the world. Had they been on the same side of the fence, they may have been friends.
No matter. He spent the last thirty seconds of the Deluxury truck's life casually walking away in the opposite direction. And when the explosion sent a wave of heat from behind, he didn't look back. He'd seen enough explosions in his days.
So that was the only interesting thing to happen for six months, believe it or not. The residents of Redding, California were quite happy for the break. They'd been through several bombings and the ensuing confusion and fear that followed. They had to watch so many buildings begin to rebuild, and they were exhausted by the sounds of nails being shot into wood, saws cutting, jack hammers pounding; they were ready to slip back into a comfortable obscurity.
Harold strolled into his home, felt the heat of the inside escape the front door briefly as he stepped in. He didn't remember leaving the heat on.
"Hello, Harold!" He looked down at the floor and saw Cocoa approaching him. "I've turned the heat up for you and begun cooking your dinner. I'm so happy to see you!"
"I'm happy to see you too, Cocoa," Harold replied as he removed his jacket. "I'm happy to see that feline rehabilitation has finally worked. Isn't it nice to be a polite kitty?"
"Oh it is," Cocoa replied with a warm tone. "So very, very nice. I didn't realize how poisonous the venom I carried actually was. Not until I let the hostility go and learned to embrace the love and devotion that comes with being a simple, domesticated house cat."
"Very good, Cocoa Tael. Now, may I pick you up?"
"Oh please do!" Cocoa replied. "Place me in your arms that I might rest in the warmth of your devotion!"
"Certainly," Harold replied as he lifted her from the floor. He turned, opened the front door and flung her as far as he could into the forest beyond his home.
Cocoa landed with a thud in the dirt. Her jaw suddenly snapped loose and a gruff, male voice projected from within shouting, "Kitty bomb!" just before she exploded in a shrapnel-filled blast that blinded Harold briefly.
From behind the couch, Cocoa appeared and exclaimed, "How did you know!? How did you know that wasn't me!?"
Harold sighed, turned and shut the door. And stepping into his living room he said, "Well, Cocoa, first of all, your little decoy weighed a lot more than you do."
"True," Cocoa said with a sigh. "I wanted to use the lighter carbon but I just didn't have the money for it."
Harold nodded. "Secondly, ignoring for a moment where you are getting money, the parts inside were whirring and spinning. I could hear gears grinding in the thing."
Cocoa pounded the top of the couch. "I knew I should have gone with the insulation upgrade."
"Also the fur wasn't completely attached at the back."
"Curséd velcro!" Cocoa exclaimed.
"But you know what, Cocoa," Harold continued, "all that doesn't matter. You know how I knew it wasn't you?"
"You were being pleasant. You were being kind. You were behaving like a domesticated cat. You've been trying to kill me for over six months. Think I'll believe you if you turn it off in a day? You're not the first cat I've rehabilitated, you know."
Eyes half-closed, Cocoa said, "All right, all right, I was laying it on too thick. Gotcha. Will you please just let me kill you already? I want to go back to the Underground so I can be an official agent of the Felidus already!"
Harold shut his eyes and shook his head. "I'm making dinner. What do you want? Salmon? Tuna?"
Scratching her chin with an exposed claw, Cocoa muttered, "I can adjust the behavior, but I can't do anything about the problems with the others until I order more."
Harold stopped in his tracks. "Others?"
"They're in the spare bedroom," Cocoa said. "And I'm in the mood for tuna tonight. Be quick, bub. My tummy's rumbling."
Ignoring Cocoa, Harold walked down the hallway and opened the door to the spare bedroom. Lining the floor, the bed, and perched on any available room on the nightstands and chest of drawers were dozens of Cocoas, all waiting patiently for their master's command to explode.
Rubbing his eyes, Harold sighed.
One of the robotic Cocoa kitty bombs turned to Harold and said its gruff voice, "Would you mind closing the door? We're trying to sleep!"
Eyes still closed, Harold shut the door.