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#AzureAutomation #Chef vs #Puppet #DevOps
"Chef is for developers, Puppet is for admins (There, that's settled)…"
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Product Description The Ryobi RAC106 10mm x 2.7mm Easy fit head compatible with the following models: RBC52FSB, RBS52SB, RBS40SB. Ryobi prides itself in producing high quality long lasting accessories, for completing a variety of applications efficiently - without compromising on the performance of your tool. Box Contains 10 x 2.7mm easy fit line trimmer head
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subset: commoncrawl


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I couldn't believe when I searched for a music discussion nothing showed up! I know there have to be some music loving atheists here. Share it with us!
Members: 60
Latest Activity: Nov 17
Started by Gwen. Last reply by Grinning Cat Jul 12. 11 Replies 0 Likes
https://youtu.be/pdN3fM6D774 < Earned ItMy go to song right now to get in the right mood ;)…Continue
Started by Bertold Brautigan. Last reply by Bertold Brautigan Jan 27, 2018. 44 Replies 0 Likes
What are some of your favorite lines in a song?My first offering:Wait a minute, mister, I didn't even kiss her.Continue
Started by Loren Miller. Last reply by Bertold Brautigan Oct 25, 2016. 4 Replies 3 Likes
From the first time I heard "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," I fell in love with the sweet harmonies and rich, warming music made by Crosby, Stills and Nash. Since that time, they celebrated the Summer of…Continue
Tags: Dan Rather, Graham Nash, Steven Stills, David Crosby, CSN
Started by James Yount. Last reply by Chris Oct 23, 2016. 31 Replies 4 Likes
Music is always evolving and so are the instruments that people use. Have you seen any unique performances that you'd like to share?Continue
I love the baritone sax
Yes, I liked it very much.
Both "puppies" are powerful. Thanks Patricia and Loren.
It's WAY past time I posted this puppy:
Make sure you either have (really good!) headphones on or that your speakers can get DOWN ... 'cuz this instrument will go all the way to 20 Hertz and possibly LOWER! Shall we also mention that it's a terrific performance!
Yes, I was quite taken with this performance.
VERY slick, Patricia! Wonderfully well done!
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We're back doing tests. Online. On time. Sublime...So be patient with us. If we aren't listed on the PirateRadio dial then we aren't broadcasting. Once we get our widgets right we'll start regular programming.
Don't expect great stuff for the moment. Great stuff will come in time. So it's back on air again this December 1st..


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When: Wednesday, May 7, 2014 – 3:30 pm ; Location: University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Topic: Harm from Wind Turbines, What has been known for Decades. A review of research on the effects of Low Frequency/Infrasound on people and animals. If you are interested in attending, here is the link to the University of Waterloo event website, a more complete description of the event and more details on the venue. Click the poster to enlarge.
Bio: Carmen Krogh is published in peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals and has presented papers at scientific noise conferences. She is an independent, full time volunteer and for almost 6 years has researched health and other effects associated with industrial wind energy facilities and shares information with individuals, communities, authorities, wind energy developers, industry and others.


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Deed Not Breed Ltd is a 'not for profit' company set up in 2007 to offer free advice and assistance to owners of dogs of all breeds who have fallen foul of 'Dangerous Dog Act' legislation.
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Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Writer (WGA): M. Night Shyamalan (written by)
Release Date:13 June 2008 (USA)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Thriller and Politics/Religion
Tagline:We've Sensed It. We've Seen The Signs. Now… It's Happening.
Plot:A paranoid thriller about a family on the run from a natural crisis that presents a large-scale threat to humanity.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Betty Buckley
A family is on the run from an inexplicable and unstoppable event that threatens not only humankind–but the most basic human instinct of them all: survival.
"The Happening" is a terrible, terrible movie. I mean, it's bad on an epic scale. It's so bad that I can't possibly tell you how bad it is without understating the point or making it sound like I'm picking on the film. But let me stress: this is not pent-up Shyamalan aggression or a desire to see him fail. This is bad in a jaw-dropping "they can't really be serious, can they?" kind of way. The closest comparison I can draw is to Neil LaBute's "Wicker Man" and, like that film, the only consolation I can offer potential theater-goers is that you might want to see it just to be in on the ground floor when the film gets its ass handed back to it.


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By The Beach! The Fleming Villa In Oracabessa, Jamaica
Looking for a little luxury and a lot of fun in the sun? Well why not head to the tropics this Summer for vacation. Today we get a look at a stunning location known as The Fleming Villa In Oracabessa, Jamaica. This impressive and rather lavish spot is a great place to break away from reality for a few days. The Fleming Villa In Oracabessa, Jamaica features room for 10, rocking 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms as well as beachfront access and a beautiful pool and patio area. The home is host to a stunning location with beautiful views of the sea, while a host of unique features makes it inviting and original.
You can enjoy a lovely alfresco dining set for twelve, a charcoal barbeque and plenty of sun loungers on the terrace and at the beach. Inside you will find a media room, cable TV, Apple TV, a sound system and Wi-Fi, as well as amenities at GoldenEye including swimming pools, spa, tennis, yoga and water sports. Bamboo furnishings and artistic accent pieces fill the interior, while an open plan bungalow layout creates a seamless indoor/outdoor living experience. The unique, high ceilings, overhead fans and large windows throughout keep the feelings airy and breezy, while offering plenty to do outdoors as well. The home features three original bedrooms in the main house and two stand- alone guest cottages that together accommodate up to ten guests. Check out the stunning destination in the images below and speak your thoughts on it after the jump. Stay tuned for many more great places to stay this Summer!


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MBA – Georgia Southern University
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Last updated: 12/14/2018


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After two years of hearings into healthcare competition the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division have suggested abolishing certificate-of-need laws, abandoning institutional subsidies for indigent care, and eliminating health benefits mandates.
The report released today, Improving Health Care: A Dose of Competition, also recommends eliminating other barriers to competition. They start with state certificate of need programs:
Reconsider whether Certificate of Need Programs best serve their citizens' health-care needs. On balance, the FTC and DOJ believe that such programs are not successful in containing health care costs, and they pose serious anticompetitive risks that usually outweigh their purported economic benefits
New York's program which was the first in the country and may still be the strongest, has become increasingly politicized and of questionable program relevance. It's also out of synch with reimbursement policy. I've got mixed feelings about what we should do. My inclination is toward loosening up, but not abandoning the field entirely.
The federal agencies also point out the inefficiencies of institutional subsidies for care of the indigent and uninsured:
Governments should reexamine the role of subsidies in health-care markets in light of their inefficiencies and the potential to distort competition. Health-care markets have numerous cross subsidies and indirect subsidies. Competitive markets compete away the higher prices and profits needed to sustain such subsidies. Competition cannot provide resources to those who lack them, and it does not work well when providers are expected - 2 - to use higher profits in certain areas to cross-subsidize uncompensated care. In general, it is more efficient to provide subsidies directly to those who should receive them to ensure transparency.
Boy, they got that one right. As a banker once said in response to my explaining that the issues of the uninsured and hospital "bad debt/charity care" are not identical, "Oh, I get it. Hospital subsidies for the indigent are like giving millions to grocery stores in the hopes that they'll give out free groceries to people who are actually poor rather than using a Food Stamp program to determine who is really poor and then allowing them to shop where and for what they choose."
Of course, when the AHA sent out a release on the report, they conveniently emphasized the CON proposal and never mentioned their proposal on indigent care subsidies.
The federal agencies continue to oppose collective bargaining by independent physicians. And with respect to licensure, they also suggest that states should
Consider broadening the membership of state licensing boards, as boards with broader membership could be less likely to limit competition
The Feds also talk about states being in the way of using new information technologies, an issue that I testified on in a NYS Assembly hearing a couple of years ago. This is a big deal. Regulation, such as licensure restrictions, while necessary is clearly getting in the way of productive innovation.
Consider implementing uniform licensing standards to reduce barriers to telemedicine and competition from out-of-state providers.
I suppose given the ideological bent of the Bush Administration, this is to be expected and who knows what leverage the Feds have on states in this area. So all this may come to nothing.


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DC Entertainment may not have planned it this way -- "planning" being something with which DC may be only tangentially familiar -- but I doubt its high-ups wanted to release these December solicitations the Monday after what had to be a pretty rough weekend. When you've just had to deal with a celebrated creative team walking off a fairly successful book -- citing "editorial interference," and reminding people that the character's original writer also left after increasing frustration with DC -- you might not want to follow that up by calling attention to all the other changes coming before the end of the year.
And don't worry, there'll be plenty of Batwoman and "sucky personal life" talk before we're done. Solicits first, though ...
If the first week of Villains Month is any indication, a good bit of the decimal-point issues will feature stories set in the early stages of the Crime Syndicate's takeover. This wasn't that apparent from the September solicits, and subsequent months also appeared light on explicit crossovers. December is about the same, with Teen Titans dropping out of the crossover lineup, and Pandora and Phantom Stranger joining the three Justice League books, the three Forever Evil [Colon] miniseries, and Suicide Squad.
Naturally, the solicits offer some clues to the story itself. "March through darkness," blah blah blah, Wonder Woman's lasso may rescue the Justice League, yadda yadda yadda, Vandal Savage wants revenge, etc. It's not really news to note that Batman survived the Syndicate's assault -- presumably, all the marketable Leaguers survived -- but here I will go out on a limb and say that this Batman is really Dick Grayson, donning the pointy-eared cowl (Once again? Who can say?) now that his Nightwing identity is useless. Hey, Geoff Johns played around with Batman's identity in another "world in the toilet" crossover, and that turned out to be a highlight.
And speaking of DC's chief creative officer, he's down to two credits in these solicitations: the main Forever Evil miniseries, and Justice League. It wasn't too long ago that he was also writing Aquaman and Justice League of America and helping out on Vibe, and before that he was wrapping up a significant run on Green Lantern. I haven't liked everything Johns has written, and so far I'm not a fan of Forever Evil. Still, when he's good (as he was for a long time on GL), he's pretty darn good, and he does have a genuine evangelical enthusiasm and affection for these characters and their histories.
Anyway, Matt Kindt is solicited as the writer of Justice League of America from October through December, and Jeff Lemire will be the book's writer once it moves north of the border. Jeff Parker (!) is your new Aquaman writer, which is pretty cool, because I was a huuuge fan of Agents of Atlas and am a huuuge fan of Batman '66.
Obviously I am not complaining about either of those moves; but at the same time I'd hate to see Johns leave behind the comics side of DC Entertainment. Strange as it sounds, I have a feeling he may be one of the few "traditionalists" left in any position of actual power.
Because DC dumped original artist Kevin Maguire at the last minute, Justice League 3000 #1 has been resolicited for December, this time with, one hopes, more-permanent artist Howard Porter. I may be among the few people who didn't mind Porter's pencils on Grant Morrison's JLA scripts -- I thought they were quirky enough to complement what Morrison was trying to do -- so I'm still looking forward to this series, just not as much as I was with Maguire penciling.
Christos N. Gage and Neil Googe write and draw a fill-in issue while DC readies a new creative team for The Flash. At least the outgoing creative team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato will apparently get to finish their story on their own terms, but boy will they be a hard act to follow. (Yes, even if Geoff Johns comes back to the character.) Manapul and Buccellato's keen sense of storytelling married design with narrative in a way that made Flash one of the New 52's most distinctive series -- perhaps second only to, ahem, Batwoman.
Supergirl and Superboy also get a new creative teams in December. Frank Hannah and Marv Wolfman are the Boy of Steel's new co-writers, with Andres Guinaldo drawing; and Tony Bedard and Yildray Cinar are the new Supergirl writer and penciler. The Supergirl creative-team change seems more significant to me, not just because Superboy left behind its original creative team (writer Scott Lobdell and penciller R.B. Silva) a while back. Supergirl started out as a fairly unconventional take on Kara Zor-El, eschewing the "innocent younger cousin" angle for a more cynical stranger-in-a-strange-land perspective. The December solicitation's promise of "a new mission and a clearer understanding of her place in the universe" sounds somewhat ominous in that respect, like DC is taking advantage of the opportunity to make her a little less complicated. Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but it seems like there's a lot of that going around.
If Jason Fabok has to leave Detective Comics, I am glad to see Aaron Lopresti come aboard. His work is a little bright and superhero-y, but every now and then a Batman book needs some of that. Same goes for Cully Hamner drawing December's Animal Man (although that looks more like a fill-in issue).
I haven't been reading Green Arrow, but a storyline called "The Outsiders War" makes me wonder if the post-Forever Evil Justice League reorganization won't include a new Outsiders team. Green Arrow and Katana would be ex-JLAers, Black Lightning had that co-starring run with Blue Devil in DC Universe Presents, and I'm sure DC could come up with some ironic, post-modern take on Halo and an Aquaman-like "everyone hates Geo-Force" storyline.
The solicit for Superman/Wonder Woman #3 threatens "the end of Superman and Wonder Woman together!" Oh, DC, that's sweet of you, but I know you don't really mean it.
With Astro City #7 focusing on the "trinity" of Winged Victory, Samaritan and the Confessor, I can't help but wonder whether writer Kurt Busiek was originally going to use the idea somewhere else.
Injustice: Gods Among Us and Smallville Season 11 both enter "new phases" in December. Injustice appears to be going on hiatus, while Smallville is becoming a series of miniseries. The Smallville move may be merely a cosmetic format change, and I don't know how much more Injustice has to do to set up its "parent" video game; but both moves may end up making the series more collection-friendly. I wouldn't be surprised if all of DC's digital-first series eventually skipped the monthly-hard-copy phase entirely, and went straight from download to print collection.
The third Green Lantern: Sector 2814 collection isn't just one of the better GL arcs, it's also one of the better Crisis On Infinite Earths companion storylines. While it weaves in and out of the events of Crisis, it explains where the Green Lantern Corps was during the seminal maxi-series, and it fills in some background on the Guardians' relationship to the Monitors and the Anti-Matter Universe. It also features some pretty dramatic moments (to that point, at least) in the series' mythology. If you've read the third Tales of the Green Lantern Corps paperback, which collects the issues immediately after Sector 2814 Vol. 3, you can guess what those are; but if not, you're in for a treat.
Now that DC is embracing the Adam West/Burt Ward Batman TV show again, a collection like Batman '66: The TV Stories seems only natural. I wouldn't call these "so bad they're good" comics, but since the show tried to adapt them pretty faithfully, in order to present them as comedy, it is a little hard to parse the level of mockery. Regardless, this is probably a decent collection of non-grim Batman stories, and hey, they entertained at least one TV producer....
In '80s-reprint news, DC is collecting Matt Wagner's Demon miniseries, and is offering Vol. 8 of the John Byrne-led Superman relaunch. I've never read Wagner's miniseries, but from what I understand it's always been sort of an outlier where Demon lore is concerned. It was published after Alan Moore's take on the character from Swamp Thing, but it didn't follow Moore's lead. As for the latest Man of Steel collection, frankly I'm surprised it's gotten this far. If the goal is to reprint the Byrne issues, there should only be one more collection, because he left with Superman #22 and this goes through Issue 18. I wouldn't mind if it went further, although if DC started reprinting the Action Comics Weekly stories, I'd wonder who beyond me was the target audience.
Speaking of target audiences, I heartily endorse Superman Family Adventures and will be waiting eagerly for Volume 2. My five-year-old daughter can't get enough of Vol. 1. If DC Collectibles ever wanted to make a plush Fuzzy the Krypto Mouse, I know one family which would give it a very happy home.
It began in earnest late last week, when Batwoman's J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman announced they were leaving the book due to editorial interference. Because said interference involved the marriage of Kate Kane and Maggie Sawyer, DC was quick to clarify that it didn't have an anti-gay-marriage position. Instead, as Co-Publisher Dan DiDio explained at the Baltimore Comic-Con, DC didn't want them getting married because its Bat-characters shouldn't have happy personal lives. This is sort of like Homer Simpson explaining he wasn't buying beer, he was buying pornography, but everyone seems to agree on that detail. Besides, it re-focused attention on various other DC characters who had seen their own marriages undone by the New 52 relaunch.
For his part, DiDio was emphatic in his support for Batwoman as both a gay character and a valued part of the Batman family. Here's what he said (starting at about 1:27):
And when we went out with the New 52, and even before the New 52, we had one very clear idea in [our] minds with the Batman group: they shouldn't have happy personal lives. They shouldn't. They put on a cape and a cowl for a reason. They're committed to being that person. They're committed to defending others at the sacrifice of all their own personal interests, instincts. And for me, that's a very important statement to make. And that's something we reinforce, because if you look at every one of the characters in the Batman family, their personal lives kinda suck. Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson [...], Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon, and Kathy Kane. It's wonderful that they try to establish personal lives, but it's also just as equally important that they put them aside because they know what they're accomplishing as the hero takes precedence over everything else. That is our mandate, that is our edict, that is our stand with our characters. We reinforce this with every single one of our books, with every single one of our writers. You want to know what editors do? That's their job. I stand behind that 100 percent, I stand behind our choices 100 percent, and I stand behind Batwoman and Kathy Kane 100 percent. Name one other publisher that committed to a character with that kind of [passion] out there. Name one! There isn't.
Now, while DiDio was talking specifically about Batwoman and the Bat-group, the reference to "every single one of our books [and] writers" could easily be taken as a blanket statement for the superhero line generally. That would be understandable, particularly in light of all those newly-single characters, and the general tone of DC superhero comics these days. I personally am not convinced that DiDio meant to be that broad -- and believe me, I have a lot of material ready to go if he ever does get direct about wanting the whole superhero line to be super-grim -- but I'm not ready to say this attitude stops with the Bat-books.
As for one of those books, though, Batgirl writer Gail Simone remarked on her blog that:
Batgirl was ALWAYS going to have a hard slog at first, [since] part of the concept was that things shouldn't suddenly be rainbows and light just because she's younger and back in the cowl.
But yes, I absolutely want to show her happier side and very soon. Should have happened by now.
(At this point I wonder if wanting to "show her happier side" was what prompted DC to fire Simone in December. That episode convinced me that DC wouldn't risk anything so drastic with her a second time; but I suppose it's never good to underestimate DC's capacity for risky behavior.)
Indeed, I would argue that what distinguishes most of the Bat-family from the Darknight Detective is that they're not Bruce Wayne. Sure, they've each endured tragedies, but they each tend to deal with those tragedies in more well-adjusted ways. Exhibit A is Dick Grayson (who Dan DiDio wanted to kill off back in 2006, and who's not looking so good these days), orphaned at a fairly young age but evidently raised in such a way as to have a relatively cheerier attitude. Moreover, neither Barbara Gordon nor Tim Drake were originally driven by personal losses; but each was inspired by Batman and Robin, as was The Dark Knight Returns' Carrie Kelley (whose unseen parents apparently led happy lives as aimless stoners).
And on one level, who wouldn't be inspired? It's fun to be Batman! It's fun to imagine living in a huge mansion (or a swanky penthouse) that not only overlooks an anything-goes city, but comes with its own subterranean lair full of high-tech gizmos and vehicles. It's fun to imagine leaping out into the night sky, summoned by that mile-wide symbol lighting up the ever-present cloud cover, and scaring the poo out of everyone from muggers to super-criminals. Grant Morrison made just this observation, especially when Dick could play off Damian's no-nonsense attitude.
It's just not fun to be Bruce Wayne ... which is the rule DiDio apparently wants to reinforce with all the Bat-folk, if not the superhero line generally.
Look, I understand DiDio's point. In a world which has become ever more mindful of its police, firefighters, and military personnel, superheroes serve an awfully similar function. DC's superheroes have a long history of being "married to the job," even if that was mostly a convenient excuse for keeping characters' romances (or lack thereof) unchanged. However, there's an equally-long escapist tradition, especially at DC. Superman and Wonder Woman were each conceived as inspirational figures. The Flash and Green Lantern each spoke to simple, primal power fantasies (super-speed! magic rings!). Even crosstown rival Spider-Man, historically the saddest sack of the spandex set, was often Peter Parker's emotional release.
And yes, with great X must also come great Y. I get that. Nevertheless, too many reminders of the real world may well make our fantasy worlds a lot less desirable. It may comfort readers, may help "legitimize" their chosen hobby, or may make suspending disbelief easier if DC's shared universe is just as crappy -- if not more so -- than our own Earth-Prime; but is that really what we want? Don't we want Gotham to be a city-sized haunted house, and Metropolis to be the ultimate urban destination? Don't we want to imagine satellite headquarters orbiting overhead and lost civilizations in the middle of the oceans? Isn't it better to create places we genuinely want to visit, and characters for whom we can actually feel good? Wouldn't subsequent nihilistic storylines hurt that much more, knowing what was at stake?
DC's high sheriffs may think that the road to creative and financial success leads through the darkest part of the woods, but it's also a lot easier to get lost in there. Batwoman, Flash and Supergirl (among others) each began the New 52 with idiosyncratic approaches guided by distinct creative voices. As the New 52 ages, those voices are being replaced. There are still some creative teams who have been with their books since the relaunch (including Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo on Batman, Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang et al. on Wonder Woman, and Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Moritat on All Star Western), and some series have benefitted from their creative changes.
However, the more turnover there is, the greater the possibility that DC will merely replace those distinctive voices with ones more comfortable with company policy. I'm not saying that to judge anyone in particular, just that given DC's history, it's certainly not out of the question. DC was built not on the ideas of a small bullpen, but on the disparate contributions of many unique creators. Attempts to homogenize its shared universe neither honor those creators nor advance their creations -- and making a group of them uniformly mopey is a bad idea, even if it's just the Bat-clan.


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Spectacular Penthouse City Center
Property Description
Amazing penthouse few minutes from Anglican and Frenzh school as well as close distance to the American School
Air conditioning for the entire Apartment,
Cupboards in the all bedrooms, All bathrooms and the kitchen.
Complete kitchen including stoves, oven, refrigerator & dishwasher.
Electric shutters all over the apartment.
Functioning Jacuzzi, water heating system , alarm .
Washing machine & dryer.
Patio and patio planters


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So if you are interested in it we propose you to read and find out a few facts about getting a scholarship to study abroad.
Lack of money is a problem for students
However, for most people the biggest restrictive agent in studying abroad is finance. Many people cannot afford to simply up and leave to go to another country to attend school. One solution to this problem is to get a scholarship.
You should also consider the fact that if you are already studying out of state that studying abroad may actually work out cheaper than studying out of state. Taking a year in a country may actually save you quite a bit of money. It is especially advisable if you are learning a foreign language and the country you're going to have that foreign language as their native tongue.
A scholarship is an award of money
A scholarship is an award of money, which a student does not have to pay back. You are supposed to use the money for travel, lodging, textbooks, software and study tuition. For this reason in many cases, the scholarship fund manager will pay for many of your needs directly, such as paying for your tuition directly to the educational institution.
First step – a research
The first thing you need to do his research into all of the different types of scholarships you can get at them find out who is giving them away. You need to research into the application method, and try to figure out what exactly we are looking for in an ideal student but.
You can get a scholarship in many cases based upon merit. This may be academic merit, athletic merits, artistic merit and a few others, or it may simply be because of something such as an exemplary community service record.
Scholarships for students of specific categories
There are foreign scholarships for students of specific categories, but these are mostly for the people of a very specific minority criteria: for students from the low-developed countries, needy families, for orphans and so on.
A scholarship as an incentive to study
Some scholarships are given as an incentive to study in one over another. In many cases you will find these types of scholarships side by side with the other mainstream scholarship offers. The only difference with these scholarships is that you are asked to study a country that is perceived by some as less desirable. However, this does not fundamentally mean that the location country is undesirable on its own - for example, many German students are given a scholarship to study in Japan because it is seen as a good cultural exchange for the wellbeing of both countries.
No other scholarships that are either subject specific our program specific. Please tend to be the ones that you have to research deeply to find, but in many cases you will find that your college professors and school counsellors will note you towards these program or subject specific scholarships.


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I'm heading for Nottingham to play Warmaster Ancients at the Historical Wargames Weekend being held at Games Workshop's HQ on the Lenton Industrial Estate.
It's always a good weekend but numbers are apparently down this time. So which army (armies) do I take? Not that it matters as none of my dice have a 6 on them when it comes to competitions so I'm unlikely to win! Mind you a matching loser's trophy would balance out the mantleplace!
There was much talk last weekend about entries, armies and possibilities. I think we may have a Punic Wars theme going so for me it must be Republican Romans.
I'm hoping to get a visit in to Warlord Games and Foundry Miniatures too - if I leave here early enough.


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Boost calorie burn and satiety while preserving lean muscle mass.
One basic way to build lean muscle and lose weight is to drink Coffee Protein Shake. They are a fast and easy meal replacement that can provide everything you need in one glass in terms of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and protein.
There's nothing better then waking up ready to tackle the day, iced coffee protein shake not only delivers a extra jolt of energy, but too packs in protein, healthy fats and fiber to keep you satisfied all morning long!
Iced Coffee Protein Shake Recipe:
You will need:
2 Cups Ice
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Cup Cold Brewed Coffee (unsweetened)
1 Frozen Banana
2 Scoop of Protein Powder Chocolate or Vanilla
What You Have To Do:
Combine all of the constituents and blend until smooth. If it's too thick, add a little more almond milk or coffee until you get the right consistency. If it's too runny, add more ice or frozen banana. (about 115 calories )
Add some of your own favorite ingredients (unsweetened cocoa powder, greek yogurt, flax meal, coconut milk, oatmeal, chia seeds, peanut butter, etc…)
Make sure to use a protein powder that you love. Whenever you find the protein powder taste to be a little overwhelming, try using just 1/2 a scoop, and add a little plain greek yogurt.
Apply approximately banana depending on how sweet you'd like your drink, the frozen banana as well makes them a good deal creamier closer to a shake than an smoothie.


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A new comedy web series created by Marilyn Anne Michaels and Allie Smith.
Have you ever felt like you were merely an extra in someone else's movie?
The Best Friend web series explores what it would look like to watch a romantic comedy through the POV of the best friend character rather than the ingenue.
The series will attempt to answer the question – What happens to a friendship when life, love, relationships and romance are lived vicariously by one friend through the other.
The pilot episode introduces Millie and all of her neuroses. While her best friend Sooze is MIA because of a "new love", Millie makes what she feels is a life altering discovery about their relationship.
Marilyn Anne Michaels (Millie)
Allie Smith (Sooze)
Eric Loya (Dr. Joey Thompson)
Jeanette O'Connor (Betsy)
Charlie Farrell (Rick)
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Location: Vietnam
In this position, you will have an overview about the inbound industry which focus on Inbound market, what Inbound travelers expect from us and how can we provide them an unforgettable experience in Vietnam.
This job description is not intended to be all inclusive. You may perform other duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organisation.
Please send CV to [email protected] including cover letter.


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The Living Room Concept
This image gallery named as Andover Mills Callanan 2 Piece Living Room Set Reviews Wayfair might be ideal solution for your decoration. As the author has insert this image into 2 Sofas In Living Room post section, would ease you to find the perfect match of you decor desire.
Consider lighting. Many living rooms do not find ordinary lights and use synthetic light. So next time you shop living room paints, then ask the team to give you paint cards or samples you may bring back home. Assess these paint samples or cards on your living room with your lighting turn on. Afterward you can see how a paint colors will shift under artificial lighting.
That's all about that. I hope this guide will definitely open your mind and begin to utilize it for your living room. But bear in mind, you must do a little bit of nursing of one's pine wall cupboards regularly. The pine content is extremely sensitive and painful. It may get moldy if the living room temperature become moist. So, simply begin to decide on it and always take care your andover mills callanan 2 piece living room set reviews wayfair.
3 Effortless Roads to andover mills callanan 2 piece living room set reviews wayfair
Are tired together with your living room countertop, but there is no need sufficient budget to shift it? Why don't you living room? Many people are doing this since not merely does it save your self more budgets, however additionally, it makes your living room appears gorgeous. For the explanation, the first matter to accomplish just before you start painting the counter-top is always choosing along with. The absolute most essential thing will be to decide on the one that timeless also to coordinate the colour with all the color of their walls accessories, along with the ground. Quite simply, you want to match every colour with the countertop.


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Hi, I'm Jenia. I'm a Ukrainian-Austrian linguisticz student. After a very long dry spell, hurhurhur, I found r/fantasy and started reading fantasy books again. And now I guess I'm going the full hog and reviewing them too!
I like character-driven books, and honestly mostly enjoy not-very-epic, not-very-magical fantasy.
Don't kill me guys, it takes all sorts! My all-time favourite author is Terry Pratchett. As I just got back into reading Spring 2017, my second, third, fourth etc. faves fluctuate rapidly, so no comment on those yet. In general though, anything with a revolution (and political and social issues more generally) gets me going.
I also like to crochet and get very fired up about multilingualism and qualitative analyses of chatspeak.


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Détroit Is The New Black. Woodward T-Shirt
Earn 10% back 20% back in Reward Dollars* with your West Elm Credit Card.Learn More Apply Now
- Overview
Inspired by the pride the residents of Detroit take in their city, Roslyn Karamoko, founder of Détroit Is The New Black., designed this clean-cut and cosmopolitan t-shirt as a stylish voice that speaks for city. Each t-shirt is made using eco-friendly organic cotton with custom, hand-printed logos.
- Designed and produced by Détroit Is The New Black. Learn more.
- 100% organic cotton sourced in the United States.
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- Unisex t-shirt; sizes run larger; loose fit.
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- Meet The Maker
After receiving her B.A. in fashion merchandising from Howard University, Rosa Karamoko, founder and CEO of Détroit Is The New Black., went on to work in the fashion worlds of New York and Singapore—with each city's unique cultures having an important impact on her designs. In 2013 she moved to Detroit and, inspired by the city's creative community, designed her iconic t-shirt line as a pride-filled voice and "uniform" that lets the city speak for itself.
Maker: Détroit Is The New Black.
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We use: Organic fabrics, local materials
Based in: Detroit, Michigan
Favorite local hangout: Belle Isle
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Lately, I've been inspired by: I'm always inspired by Parisian culture, urban living and sensibility
The most important things in my workspace are: My MacBook and incense
See more of what they make: www.detroitisthenewblack.com or @detroitisthenewblack on Instagram
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This special order item ships from the vendor to your home, arriving within 1-3 weeks of order receipt.
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This item ships directly from the vendor and is designated as special order (SPO)—i.e. custom ordered just for you. Any special order items will be flagged as 'special order' in your shopping cart. Special order items may not be returned and are exchangeable against manufacturer's defects ONLY. Prior purchases are not eligible for price adjustments. Please familiarize yourself with our returns policy before placing your order.
For further assistance please call our customer service department at 1.888.922.4119 or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Care
Machine wash cold; lay flat to dry or tumble dry low; do not iron over printed logo directly; use cotton setting when ironing.


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Here is a map from the world of Retrotropia, as sketched out by John Michael Greer, in his online series of 2015. Click on the map for a larger version.
A larger map, including Canada, is below (to show the full extent of the Republic of New England and the Maritimes). Again, click on the map for a larger version.
There are some folks who have ideas on what the other parts of Canada are doing (as well as Hawaii and Alaska), but that isn't part of the 'canon' (as of yet!).


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A moral case for zero emission electricity for all
If emissions are your thing, here's how to reduce them drastically.
If emissions are your thing, here's how to reduce them drastically.
BY STEVE GOREHAM: Burning wood for electricity is just one more foolish policy in the "fight" against global warming.
Why is the US EPA still determined to control plant food and drive up electricity prices? By Dr. Tim Ball and Tom Harris
The Northeast pays 56 percent more for its energy than the national average and has little to show for it.
Trump's move to remove California's ability to set its own standards will likely result in a protracted lawsuit battle.
Politifact justified its ruling that EPA is telling a half-falsehood in stating emissions are down under President Trump by stating emissions – under the booming Trump economy – are not falling quite as quickly as they did under the stagnant Obama economy. The fact is U.S. emissions continued to decline -- just as EPA reported.
The United States and Western democracies as a whole are increasingly minor players among global carbon dioxide emitters, U.S. EPA data show. Without dramatic emissions reductions in China, India, and other developing nations, dramatic reductions in the United States, Western Europe, and Japan will have little impact on global carbon dioxide emissions. According to EPA data (https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data), the United States, Western Europe, and Japan account for a cumulative 28% of global carbon dioxide emissions. China alone accounts for 30%, India accounts for 7%, and the rest of the world cumulatively accounts for 35%. The share of global emissions from the United [...]
China's Paris accord pledge was to "peak" emissions by 2030, meaning they could increase in the years leading up to then. China's 4-percent uptick in emissions in the first quarter of 2018 is still in line with its Paris pledge.
Will new cars be exclusively the toys of the elite?
The second shoe has dropped in EPA's wondering about how to regulate CO2 emissions from power plants. As the shoe dropping metaphor suggests, EPA can now go to sleep for awhile. Everyone else is going to be very busy commenting on this complex issue. The first shoe dropped in October when EPA proposed repeal of the Obama Clean Power Plan. The Agency correctly cited the well known legal arguments against the CPP, especially that it illegally required States to regulate their entire electric power systems, not just their power plants. This meant changing (that is, restricting) people's use of electricity, a favorite [...]
As CFACT Senior Policy Analyst Paul Driessen explains, the EPA became bloated, incompetent, and derelict in its fundamental duties largely because it became ideological, politicized, and determined to control what it was never intended to regulate. When states, industries, or experts raised questions about the EPA's "CO2 endangerment" decision, its biased and dishonest "social cost of carbon" analysis, or its use of "secret science" and highly suspect computer models to justify "climate chaos" claims – the agency railed about "intimidation" and "interference" with its mandate to "protect public health and welfare."
The Court served notice today that the Executive branch cannot unilaterally write its own laws. This is an important principle. However, the United States still remains fated to suffer most of the economic damage EPA's regulations will cause.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CFACT to Supreme Court -- EPA emissions rules violate Constitution's separation of powers They are harmful, arbitrary, capricious and fraudulent. Read the brief.
Will the Supreme Court apply the constitutional brakes to EPA's emissions regulations while there's still an economy left to regulate?
"Fictitious trades, fictitious companies, bogus addresses" The Süddeutschen Zeitung reports that German fraud investigators have found that €850 million fell off the table when shady companies swarmed into the carbon trading, emissions and energy business. The criminal companies rake in tens to hundreds of millions, fend off regulators with delaying tactics and then announce bankruptcy or disappear. Düsseldorf tax investigators found that in less than a quarter of an hour emissions certificates might change hands five times. The same CO2 allowance would trade up to 18 times. A perverse form of recycling as the Süddeutschen Zeitung makes clear. Elements [...]


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Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Weed Control During the Drought
Having trouble managing weeds? This is just a reminder as to why that may be:
Why is it??? Crabgrass grows fine but my shrubs and lawn are drying up!
In a drought like this it seems that the only things that are growing -- are the weeds. But, now is not the time to apply herbicides to kill weeds. Herbicides don't work very well on wilting weeds. Post-emergence herbicides work better if applied about 2 days after rain -- BUT, that is not all. If it goes dry after that single rain event you may need to irrigate the weeds about 2 days after treatment to get them to die to the best of their ability.
Bottom line, post-emergence herbicides work better on actively growing weeds. If you do have to treat drought stricken weeds with herbicides, be prepared for a re-treatment after we get some rain because the weeds will likely come back.
from- Dr. Joseph C. Neal
Professor and Extension Specialist -- Weed Science
Two notes- Irrigated crops may have actively growing weeds that are sensitive to the herbicides and respond accordingly. Container nurseries may also want to consider an application of pre-emergent herbicides to control winter annuals.
For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.
Posted by Unknown at 10:17 AM


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MattyB net worth is
$17 Million
More in Richest Rappers
Who is MattyB? What is MattyB net worth, salary and assets in 2018? What was MattyB childhood and career archievments? You will find all these plus MattyB age, ethnicity, nationality, height and weight information too! Does MattyB married? Find MattyB wife/husband or boyfriend/girlfriend, children and parents names as well. Not sure if MattyB is gay/lesbian? Complete MattyB biography (wiki) updated in 2018.
More in Richest Rappers
Given birth to Matt David Morris, his G-rated, yet composite and personal hip hop lyrics inspire children to follow their dreams. He's made an appearance alongside Dwayne Johnson on tv as well. He provides gained over 8 million clients and even more than 3 billion sights to his MattyBRaps YouTube funnel. Phil Present, and EXTRA. He performed peewee football and was starting college before getting an internet feeling across multiple public mass media systems, including YouTube. He provides another 2 million clients on his MattyBVlogs YouTube funnel. He provides his very own record label, submitting firm, and conjunction and traveling firm. Billboard Newspaper chosen him as a Best 21 Under 21 in 2013 and he provides been observed by A-list superstars such as Katy Perry, Ryan Seacrest, and Ashton Kutcher. He is normally one of five kids and loves spending period with his close friends and family members. He is normally an aspiring professional who provides been highlighted in advertisements that possess made an appearance on nationwide tv. His music provides been highlighted on displays such as The TODAY Present, The Wendy Williams Present, the Dr.


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Classification of Accounts (Study Notes) Difference between Transaction and Event Page Is Sponsored By The Wisdom Post download free ebooks ON various educational topics Success!
Many companies have opted to use voucher codes for the last few years but with a massive incline in use towards late 2008 and early 2009.You can mark an existing voucher (for example, a payment voucher or a receipt voucher) as Optional.In fact, an optional sales invoice is printed as a Proforma Invoice.Service providers collect them to return to the tour operator or travel agent that has sent that customer, to prove they have given the service.Unlike a Memo voucher, this is not a separate voucher type.Vouchers are the prevalent form of recharge for prepaid mobile phones in many countries such as Italy and Spain where well over 90 of consumers use vouchers, and the UK where over 60 buy korting op apple met cjp pas vouchers at retail.Optional Vouchers can be used to forecast future sales.
Voucher is a tourist guide for using services with a guarantee of payment by the agency.Examples beefeater vouchers december 2018 of non-cash vouchers are: Goods sold on Credit; Sale of Fixed Assets or Investment on Credit; Writing-off depreciation or Bad Debts, Returns Inward, etc.So, the life of a voucher is as below: Customer receives vouchers from tour operator or travel agent for the services purchased.For example, payment of Wages and Salaries, purchase of Plant by cash; Purchase of goods for cash, etc.Many companies have started their business around coupons.Go to Gateway of Tally Accounts Info Voucher Types select a Voucher Type Set Make Optional as default.Up vote 1 down vote, yesterday I had to do something similar to your requirement.They are of two types: (i) External Supporting Vouchers; and (ii) Internal Supporting Vouchers.A voucher is produced usually after receiving a vendor invoice, after the invoice is successfully matched to a purchase order. Once the transaction is complete, modify the voucher and post it as a Regular Voucher.Order' _columns Order 'purchase_type lection( order Purchase Order job Job Order, 'Purchase Type requiredTrue, states 'confirmed readonly True 'approved readonly True, selectTrue, help"Define type of purchase order.
When a reservation is made through the internet, customers are often provided a voucher through email or a web site that can be printed.


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Yes, it's the 'Crying Sumo' contest: Japanese wrestlers compete to see who can make a baby bawl first
By MAIL FOREIGN SERVICE
Last updated at 10:12 AM on 26th April 2010
So much for the argument that leaving a baby to cry can result in brain damage.
These Japanese sumo wrestlers believe the exact opposite: That a good long wail can be healthy for babies.
That, at least, is the theory behind the bizarre 'crying sumo' or Nakizumo festival held at the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo earlier this month.
Because it's GOOD for them: A sumo wrestler holds aloft a bawling baby during the Japanese Nakizumo festival in Tokyo yesterday
Evil spirits: Japanese belief holds that the tears can ensure good health for the children
University club sumo wrestlers hold babies aloft in the contest and try to make them cry. Whichever baby cries first, is the winner.
If both babies cry at the same time, the one bawling loudest is declared victor.
The babies are persuaded to tears by a sumo judge, who orders them to 'nake, nake' ('cry, cry') as the wrestlers growl and make faces.
Best laid plans: When the babies refuse to cry - some laughing instead - the judge is forced to bring out ogre masks, which usually do the trick
The competition is 400 years old and takes place across Japan
Of course, even the best laid plans sometimes go awry, and the babies end up laughing instead. At that point the wrestlers don ferocious masks, which usually finishes the job.
The babies are held aloft so that their cries are closer to heaven. During the 400-year-old competition, their parents pray for the good health of their children.
Evil spirits are supposedly driven away during the festival, which takes place across Japan.
Childcare expert Dr Penelope Leach made headlines last week when she claimed that fresh research proves that long periods of crying can damage developing brains, leading to learning difficulties later in life.
Mothers wait in line to enter their babies in the bizarre competition on Sunday
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1268867/The-crying-sumo-contest-Japanese-wrestlers-compete-make-baby-first.html#ixzz0mFebPWlZ
You might be interested to read these:
Now available for sale: JAPAN Lights and Shadows


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Flights to Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei is the capital of the sweet potato shaped island of Taiwan, located in the northern part of the island in a basin between the Yangming and Central Mountains. The weather is cool and perfect for sightseeing, which is ideal, because there are plenty of things to do in this bustling city.
The first thing to note is that the Taiwanese speak Mandarin, and signs and road names will mostly be in the Chinese language. However there is no reason to panic, Taiwanese are basically a helpful bunch and are more than willing to help when approached.
One of the first things to check out are Taipei's legendary night markets which sell an assortment of street foods. With influences from China and Japan, the food in Taipei is both mouthwatering and inexpensive. Be sure to try the oyster omelet – juicy oysters fried in an egg and flour batter and oyster mee sua, savoury slivers of noodles topped off by a few plump oysters. For the more adventurous, try stinky tofu or chou dou fu in Mandarin.
For the shopaholics, make sure you head down to Wufenpu market. There are many markets and department stores for shopping, but none as cheap and extensive as Wufenpu. A bewildering labyrinth of stores, it is easy to get lost in this huge market. Shop till you drop and pick up souvenirs for your loved ones back home. One tip, don't forget to bargain for the best prices and take care of your belongings – it's a really crowded place!
After a tiring day of shopping, relax your stiff and sore muscles with a trip to one of the many hot springs. There are two options when it comes to hot springs, either private or public. Private hot springs can be found in some hotels and are either in your room, or limited to hotel guests. Though not any less fun, public hot springs are of course a little more crowded, especially during the weekends.
To see fantastic views of Taipei, visit Taipei 101, one of the tallest buildings in the world. Pick a clear, sunny day and go up the super-fast lift to either the 89th (indoor observatory) or 91st (outdoor observatory) floors for sprawling views of the city. There are also many luxury stores in the mall of Taipei 101 so definitely check those out if you're thinking of getting the latest branded items.
Finally, don't leave Taipei without acquainting yourself with the history of the beautiful city. Visit either the Chiang Kai Shek or Sun Yat Sen memorial halls (or both) to give you an insight into Taiwan's history. Often, there are also dance or musical performances taking place in the square outside the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, so be sure to stop and see the traditional dances and listen to the music of Taipei.
How to get there
Search Skyscanner to find a flight from New Zealand to Taipei's Taoyuan Airport. Once there, the best way to get around is by MRT or Mass Rapid Transit system. Buy an Easy Card, which is a stored value card, and simply wave it over the card reading device before boarding the MRT or the bus.
Taxis are also relatively affordable in Taipei. Buses and Trams are slightly more difficult to navigate because there are significantly more lines, but there will be signs in English, so the trip is not so daunting.
Cheapest flights to Taipei from New Zealand
Flexible where you fly? Search nearby airports for bigger savings.
Airports near Taipei
- Taipei Taiwan Taoyuan
34 km from Taipei
- Taipei Sung Shan
6 km from Taipei
- Hualien
119 km from Taipei
- Taichung
133 km from Taipei
- Kaohsiung
306 km from Taipei
- Nangan
201 km from Taipei
Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.


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Our Activities
- Partnership Projects
- Core Competitiveness
- News
- How to Apply
- Funding
- Our Projects
- Partners
The project objectives are to define and evaluate various scenarios for QoS support in future integrated satellite/terrestrial networks. New networking and access equipment architectures shall be proposed, including support for new functions and protocols allowing enhanced QoS management. These architectures shall be defined as stepwise evolutions from the current DVB-RCS systems for operation over transparent or regenerative satellite access networks.
The major QoS enhancements considered in the project are:
The proposed architecture allows an evolutionary deployment of QoS features in DVB-RCS systems.
The project addresses several scenarios of integrated terrestrial/satellite networks, considering:
The project is divided into four tasks:
The project was kicked-off in May 2003. Final Review was held on May 26th 2004.


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They get the hag's book
They rise and fall many times
The hag steals it back
Running from the trolls, the Brigade flees through the broken crevasse, an uneven cave-like structure of rough cut stone—clearly a result of the cave-in that had occurred when Black moon fell to earth destroying the people that had lived in the heart of darkness rather than the work of any deliberate construction. Throughout rubble litters the floor, making footing precarious and movement treacherous.
As they move deeper into the tunnel, it becomes apparent that some construction has taken place beyond providing a possible escape up ahead where they spy light filtering into the passage in the direction they were traveling. Several broken walls and sharp corners suggest that the cave-in reshaped what was once a part of the temple. and the faint glimmer of light, almost invisible, shines from the east.
Behind them, clearly the group can still hear the deep sonorous voices of the trolls as they discuss pursuing the heroes.
"Am I wrong in thinking we just got our asses handed to us? And I don't know about you all but I don't have too much ass left!" says Bairdyn.
"I've plenty left and I want the two-headed troll, he's mine." answers Shaden.
"We could make a stand here in this crevasse." points out Bhenedict.
Not paying attention to the others Bingus buzzes through the tunnel astride his ebony fly stopping when the tunnel end engulfed in light, a chamber opening up overhead prompting him to rise twenty feet to the point of the egress.
Rising up from the crevice, Bingus has a brief instant to look around. He finds himself in a cathedral or religious sanctuary, far smaller than the main one they had left behind, and the hall boasts a dais at the far end, behind which looms a great relief of Moradin at his forge. A line of columns runs down both sides of the room; and two of the great pillars have fallen, apparently toppled in the same cataclysm that created the crevice. And then as the gnome's brief moment of observation has passes, as a cadre of one-eyed giants, axes held high, converges upon him!
Having no coverage Bingus dodges as giant blades sweep at him from either side of the crevice. Even so he spies a handful of gnome-sized fey skulk in the shadows and around the various pillars just before he blacks out tumbling back into the tunnel.
Unseen an old man, ancient beyond belief, sits atop the dais, almost blending in to the relief beyond and not far from him, another of the insectoid fey crouches at the base of the dais stairs.
As Bingus falls his friends rush to climb out of the fissure. Shaden attacks a pair of cyclops in the center of the sanctum while Bhenedict makes a move on the west side of the chamber; alone Notaku rises south of the fissure, and Maxyzne bringing up the rear and Bairdyn rushing to Bingus's aid.
The cyclops guards tower over Shaden and the swing their axes with deadly skill and power but they can't match Shaden's sheer speed and skill, all-in-all their battle starts as a bloody draw but end with Shaden standing over two dead giants. Bhenedict finds his progress halted in a collision with first one than two of the fey gully dwarves.
In the southern end of the chamber Wolf and a cyclops trade blows, the cyclops gaining the early advantage and then the fey, a banshrae projects a challenge in Shaden's mind,
"Come my way my nimble prey, or run and run you're still undone"
Traveling fast the creature crosses the sanctum in the blink of an eye just missing the half-orc. Shaden shouts back, "Is that it, let me show you how a warrior fights!" Spinning fast he cripples a leg, spinning again, he takes an arm … then dropping low and striking high Shaden takes the banshrae's head and the creature falls dead.
Behind Shaden, Maxyzne slays a third cyclops but their victories are short lived as the old man cracks open an even more ancient tome, The Incunabulum Primeval … his voice rise filling the chamber like a rogue god shaking the very stonework of the sanctum as the man gives voice to curses written in a forgotten language freezing Bhenedict and Shaden where they stood.
Having aided the gnome wizard, Bairdyn climbs out of the fissure in time to see Bhenedict flying backwards through the air, having been batted into the air by one of his opponents. Looking to the sprawling battle Bairdyn thinks quickly and shouts out, "Hey aren't these the guys the trolls want to help us kill!"
Both Maxyzne and Bairdyn launch attacks at the man reading from the book but as the shots go astray, missing wide on either side of the old man as he utters yet another curse causing ancient parchments to appear in a cyclone around the pair buffeting them with the circling parchments in tightening circles trapping and befuddling the heroes.
In the rear of the chamber, the remaining cyclops pauses in his pursuit of the shifter Notaku long enough to grab and shake one of the chamber's pillars breaking it free from its mooring and causing the ceiling of the chamber, a mix of large rocks and blocks of stone, to fall upon Notaku burying him in debris.
Turning his attention back to Shaden the old man uses the Incunabulum's curses upon the half-orc, the books irresistible power worming its magic into Shaden's very thoughts causing him to lose himself momentary, forgetting even where we was; Shaden staggers forward with meaningless steps as a second hurled curse brings a wave of depth and blackness … Shaden collapses to his knees and then falls forward his face meeting the stone floor of the chamber. As the old man is distracted Maxyzne loads a magical sling bullet, the bullet crafted with an enchantment of transit … firing she strikes the man and the magic of the bullet's enchantment takes hold teleporting Maxyzne adjacent to her enemy.
Bhenedict regains his feet and shouting a challenge he pulls his foes, a pair of the gully dwarves to him.
The cyclops hunches looking through the large rocks admiring his handiwork glancing with his solitary eye at his fallen foe when suddenly Notaku rises skewers the cyclops on the sharp metal spike topping the shifter's axe. Without additional utterance the last cyclops falls and Notaku rises.
In the front of the sanctum, the old man turns toward Maxyzne shifting form as he spins, his face melting and shifting revealing the face of a hag. The hag howls, her voice thundering with enough power to cause Maxyzne to stagger backward, the power of her shout hastening the demise of the chamber and causing more of the ceiling to crumble. Using the space created by her howl the hag closes the large tome and vanishes only to reappear across the chamber near the door on the west wall as another pair of gully dwarves charge into the sanctum.
Forgotten in the fray, Bairdyn rushes to Shaden's aid as the spinning parchments disappear, he turns back to the crevasse and hollers, "Wow, the trolls aren't going to know what hit them, they aren't going to expect to be ambushed by all of us!" giving the trolls reason to pause as the move through the crevice.
Bhenedict swings his hammer in a wide arc crushing his foes, both dwarves falling at his feet. Notaku dusts himself off quickly then runs and leaps the crevasse racing to assist the others. Maxyzne races towards the hag, who reacts with shriek of pure pain which causes Maxyzne's ears to bleed as more of the ceiling crumbles in her path causing the half-orc to veer away to avoid being crushed under tons of stone. Even as the ceiling falls, new groans and fresh cracks spread making clear that the entire chamber was endanger of caving-in. The fresh dwarven combatants join the melee one attacking Shaden and the other intercepted by Wolf, freeing Bhenedict to chase after the hag.
The hag howls forcing Maxyzne back and causing the ceiling to crumble over Bhenedict. having broken away, the hag races through the door with the half-orc Maxyzne on her heels. In the backside of the sanctum Shaden and Bairdyn work together quickly slaying one gully dwarf while Wolf battles the second which is suddenly engulfed by a conjuration of tome bound ooze, a jellied acidic mass summoned by Bingus. Having taken cover beneath his shield Benny digs out of the rumble as more of the ceiling comes down elsewhere in the chamber burying the final gully dwarf still engulfed in the corrosive mass.
Together Benny, Wolf, Bairdyn, Shaden and Bingus leave the chamber moving west through the door. A low groan reverberates through the sanctum, sending new dust raining down from above. And then the rain is far more than dust, as bits of rock begin to shake loose throughout the chamber. As they leave the sanctum they find themselves within a small chamber that has clearly seen better days. Whatever furniture was once here has long since either been removed or crumbled to dust, and the walls are webbed with cracks. Directly west of the doorway Maxyzne has made up the distance between herself and the hag, beyond them there is more wreckage and ruin. Clearly, old cave-ins have reduced what was once a series of carved chambers to broken rooms, twisted passages, and the occasional freestanding wall. There are thick heaps of rubble standing here and there on the floor. Seeing the other approaching the hag drops to knees hold the large tome out towards Maxyzne announcing, "Enough, I surrender … spare me if you will, my life is yours."
Turning to Shaden, Notaku whispers, "Watch Maxyzne."
Racing in front of Maxyzne, Notaku says, "We'll hear you out, but its up to you to make it worth our while. We are not fools, and we've no reason to trust you."
"I can help you."
"Will you fight the trolls?"
"Better, I can stop them."
Handing the Incunabulum to Bhenedict, Notaku answers, "Do it, but we are watching you and we won't hesitate to slay you at the first sign of deceit."
Walking past the Brigade the hag heads back toward the sanctum closing half the distance she screeches burying the doorway in tons of rock with the thunderous power of her voice completing the collapse of the sanctum's ceiling.
Her voice somewhat weakened and parched, power still evident, she says, "We must leave quickly, I can lead you past the trolls but we must go now!"
"Why are the trolls here?"
"They are with 'the others' … we can talk later, we must leave now."
"Who are you?"
"More questions? … Hethralga, follow now!"
Seeing the urgency in her demeanour the Brigade does follow and the hag leads them west and south until they come to a break in the wall leading back into the crevasse.
"We must pass through the crevice before the trolls return. We will pass through the cathedral back to the chambers of doors … We will find shelter there in the broken halls … Keep your tongues still. Now follow!"
Hethralga words prove true bypassing the troll she leads the Brigade back to the entry chamber and into the broken passages on the east side of the chamber. Passes through the chamber of doors she takes note of the dead fey dwarves and harpies bemoaning the loss and waste while bearing no specific grudge and acknowledging that they had been her servants.
"A pity, such a waste … at least they could have been gathered. Would of fetched a pretty coin."
Once settled Bhenedict passes The Incunabulum Primeval over to Bingus who examining the book draws the hag's attention. He finds the book is written in Dwarven, but also in a sort of cipher; blocking the gnome's attempt to translate or understand the tome's functions.
"That is a book of curses older than man's place in this world … Older than men if not dwarf nor I. I. Knowledge carries its own curse. Ever mind the Rule of Three. Three times what thou givest returns to thee This lesson well, thou must learn. Thee only gets what thou dost earn!"
"Speak plainly hag, who are you and who are the others" asks Notaku.
"They call me their lady, the lady of the deathly song. I was sent to this foul place by Cachlain, the Stone-Skinned King. (Bingus recognizes, Cachlain as an infamous fomorian king of the Feywild.) The King sent me in search of a valued prize, the parchment voice you call Incunabulum Primeval, a tome of great power that he has sought for some time. Only recently, its retrieval has become urgent. Divinations revealed that the parchment would be located and the new counselor—someone named Sovacles, spoke against this but the King would not be dissuaded or deterred and remained desperate to get the book. Alas, when the book was finally ours we could not leave because "the Others"—a band consisting mostly of trolls—appeared and took the Caretaker prisoner, thus cutting off any exit. They are organized and serve some higher master, but I know not who. Perhaps they are the reason Cachlain felt we must retrieve the parchment voice so swiftly."
The Reliquary
After some necessary rest the Brigade makes ready to take on General Z's forces directly.
"So what do you know of these 'others' and their leader?" asks Wolf.
"Not but what I have already said. They have the look of mercenaries, mostly trolls, but there are dwarves, and a dragon-man among them, their leader also is man-like but tall (for a human) and thin; he wears a hooded cloak, and the combination armor and harness that hide his features."
"As you have said yourself, your life is forfeit but you may yet survive but for now you must serve us. We also came here seeking the book and pursuing someone called General Z, what of you?"
"Now? Now I seek only to escape the temple, just as you should. The others are too many … There is a portal to the Feywild standing at the base of the mountain, where the waters flow from above to reach the plains. I would return home—with the Incunabulum if possible, but at least with my life, I will do as you ask."
"The book is forfeit, it is ours now but we will return to you your life if you aid our escape. Tell us about this book."
"The Incunabulum indeed has great powers, but the parchment voice is scribed in curses and bears a cipher beyond the knowledge of man … printed in a time of greatness when the world was young. It tells stories of men in their infancy at the time of all beginnings such that there is power in its voice, the power to brings all back to which they were …
The first age of ages, time primeval
Details last days of the King's evil
Medieval, upheaval
Of scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witch's mummy, guts and gullet.
Of Yggdrasill,
Rooted in death, dug in dark,
Felled in the moon's eclipse,
Nose of beast and fairy's lips,
Finger of birth-strangled lord,
Ditch-delivered by a whore:
And dost with a god's entrails.
The voice will create what in entails."
Handing the enormous book, nearly 2 feet tall by 18 inches wide, and at least foot thick, its pages an incredibly heavy parchment, its cover consisting of thin planks of wood bound and hinged in iron, "Bingus, can you read the book?"
"I can barely lift it, but yea, with time, I think a could."
"Look at him jump, hark wolf's howl!
Pinch your elbow and still your bowel!
Cover your eyes and pull your hair,
Then out again in the musty air!
Flutter canaries in their sheltered nests,
Plucked down from evils breast,
Steal the eggs from the clucking hen,
Ride the pigs round and round their pen!
Mischief enough to share for all —
Come hither and hear its call!"
"Well, regardless … We don't have time now." answers Notaku. "I will keep the book for now."
Looking diminished – withered Hethralga agrees reluctantly to lead the Brigade to 'the others' even agreeing to fight at their side.
Moving out of the broken passages, back through the wide hall and into the cathedral, the hag leads the heroes slowing towards what she calls the reliquary. With her every step a squeal of discontent, a whisper of pain; the hag limps along with a faltering gate, crippled by age and wretchedness.
"Oh, I knew not the price of reading the cursed parchment … its voice bears a price 'pon both body and soul. I fear I am not that which I was before, my bones have grown brittle and joints bristle with complaint at every step; low my vision fogs, my own voice feels tremulous and weak … Yet I will fight … as best I am able though you should not expect me last long, nor that I might long survive any battle."
"And so I expect you think we should just hand you the book, do you suppose?" asks Bhenedict.
"I'm Born a hag, a bitch's daughter.
Fatherless, I'm led to the slaughter.
Black arts taught me when I was young.
Promises so darkly sung.
Now I've no spells to bind or hold.
No hope 'gainst enemies, I'm too old.
To damnation I march, my memory to fade.
As I cast myself deep into the shades."
Beyond the broken doors at the height of the cathedral the Brigade finds themselves at the entrance of a wide corridor. Ahead there waits two flights of stairs, separated by a long landing, leading to a platform high above. Two figures stand atop that platform, apparently conversing. One is a green-hued dragon-man clad in heavy armor. The other is a slender figure, features hidden by a hooded cloak. He is clad in a sort of leather-and-steel harness that looks less like armor than like the creation of a maddened surgeon—a full-bodysuit version of a brace designed to hold a broken limbs in place. The heroes see the hooded figure only for a split second, for before the door tumbles falling free of the broken hinges even before it is fully opened the gaunt man steps away and out of sight while the dragon-man steps up front and center upon the platform.
Rising into the air upon the ebony fly Bingus gains an overview of the vast chamber, and beyond the dragon-man he spies that four stone stairs come together at the center of the chamber, forming a small platform about 20 feet above a much larger, circular surface. That surface appears to be made of glass or crystal and it allows a full view of the various chambers below. Some of these chambers extend out from beneath the crystal roof standing open-roofed. These rooms beneath the crystal top and those that extend beyond the central structure are built in such a way that the gnome can see within them from his overhead position. The stairs in the enormous chamber extend to the north rising upward, rather than down, culminating in a large set of double doors several dozen feet above the level of the center platform level, and in both of the north most corners of the chamber stand massive statues of Moradin. In the chamber southwest corner stands a pair of small buildings—the only structures in the entire cavern that appear to have a roofs. Throughout the enormous room there is an array of humanoid creatures standing scattered about the chamber, both on the platform or stairs, and down on the ground level, some beneath the crystal ceiling. Not a one of them looks especially thrilled by the Brigade's intrusion within this 'reliquary'.
Throughout the chamber the creatures race, here and there, dwarves in abundance, below on the chamber's floor huge cave trolls, and other things, a fearsome minotaur warrior among them, and at the back of the crystal landing, great glowing statue, a giant dwarf of bronze riddled with runes carved everywhere on its body. Seeing the numerous for Bingus yells "Give the hag the book!"
Seeing concern bordering on terror scrawled on Bingus's features, Wolf complies with minimal hesitation, handing the hag the Incunabulum Primeval and instantly she open the tome, expanding her form, towering above the other members the party, taller and more massive than even Wolf. She immerses herself within a mystic power of the great tome setting parchments a fly about her. Then she begins to chant, speaking in an ancient tongue giving voice to the curses upon the parchments they fly one after another towards the dragonborn giving voice to written words slaying the stunned warrior where he stands in short order.
The Brigade surges forward, Shaden leading the way, followed by Maxyzne, Bhenedict, Wolf, and Bairdyn in that order but before they can reach the first landing, the living statue appears on the center platform, an eidolon. It climbs from the steps on the far side of the platform rising like a bronze dwarven god, and in its hand it carries a rod topped with a brilliant star-burst. Once arrived the statue taking an assertive stance in the center of the platform lifting the rod high above it, and fixing its position, the statue holds firm.
Stepping backward through the entry door, Hethralga cast curses at the eidolon but upon the great statue the curses fizzle having no effect other than draw out the divine wrath of the eidolon as holy fire erupts from the rod arcing back unerringly at the hag. Similarly Bingus own spell strike the eidolon, equally ineffectively, and again divine radiance bursts from rod striking the gnome in mid-flight nearly causing him to crash to the ground with the force of its blast.
As the balance of the Brigade drawing nearer to the center platform still other foes precede them, a spitting troll and a pair of dwarves, with many more enemies close behind them. Immediately they attack, their weapons taking on an odd glow, mimicking the radiance of the eidolon's star-burst rod. They aim without fault, the dwarves targeting the approaching party members and the troll hurling a javelin at the gnome's fly which is banished as the javelin strikes home. Bingus falls, floating feather-like buffered by a spell. Shaden is the first to arrive leaping the final steps and attacking the eidolon in a fury of blows, each striking true, and after several such blows land in rapid succession the stoic guardian in destroyed but the dwarves having withdrawn, take aim with their fellows dropping the half-orc before he can celebrate. Shaden falls pierced by four dwarven crossbow bolts.
Coming up on either side of the platform two giant cave trolls take to the platform before charging down the steps pushing down towards the Brigade, the first ripping Maxyzne right off her feet and lifting her high into the air. Quickly curling her body she slices at the troll's hand and the half-orc, she-warrior springs from the monsters grip landing cat-like from the hulking troll. Undeterred the troll scramble forward scoping her up again in another meaty fist. While the second troll tries to work its way around the first but is stymied in the congested corridor.
Frantic at the sight of Shaden fall, and fearfully that he might bleeding to death … Bairdyn employs the magic of his armor, the armor he'd gained of the mines of Karak, taking on a form like rippling water which he uses to whip past the enemies. The enemies strike at the halfling within the crowded hall but graceful he moves past in a steady surge racing to the half-orc's aid. There amid a sea of enemies Bairdyn administers the last of his healing potions on the fallen warrior while pulling the bolts from Shaden's body. The potion wakes Shaden from his forced decline sealing his wounds. As the power of his armor fades, Bairdyn stands with Shaden surrounded by foes, bravely preparing to meet his maker when suddenly a fireball explodes encompassing everyone on and near the center platform. Bingus, also having used the last of his own healing potions to recover, had unleashed a devastating fireball in the center of the great chamber. Bairdyn reacts instantly taking what cover he can behind the fallen eidolon but Shaden takes the spell full on blasting backward with its force falling again into an unconscious stupor, his skin roasted and peeling, dead foes lying in a smoky circle around the half-orc warrior.
The rear troll roars his discontent, his backside blistered by the flames. In front of him the lead troll dies a victim of the combined attacks of Bhenedict's hammer and Notaku's huge axe. Seeing an opening Notaku charges ripping past the remaining troll and pushing forward screening Bairdyn from the rush of the charging minotaur. With the minotaur bearing down, Wolf uses his remaining potions on Shaden, saving the half-orc again, then braces himself just in time to meet the rampaging minotaur. They collide like titans, but as strong and fast as Notaku is he immediately on the defensive, find his skill to be no match alone against the the man-bulls skill and raw power but then appearing at either side, the shifter is joined by his half-orc allies.
Still in the corridor Benny lays mightily into the surviving cave troll. And on the crystal platform Bingus duals with both the spitting troll trading spell for javelins and a single surviving dwarven opponent. As he fights, Bingus notices the disappearance of the hag, as she vanishes with the Incunabulum Primeval, sparing the gnome only a cold glance as her farewell. Engaged by foes, Bingus is helpless to stop her flight.
The battle with the minotaur is difficult but eventually the warriors three, stand bloodied and bruised but victorious over the slain minotaur. In the corridor and on the platform Bhenedict and Bingus combine their efforts to slay the remaining trolls; Bingus summoning both a cyclone and a creature of flame; using the magic cyclone to trap the spitting troll within a swirling wind, and using the elemental to incinerate both troll's once Bhenedict has broken the monsters in combat.
After the battle is won, the heroes are finally free to search the vast chamber. Taking stock of their resources they find their potions are used, and their body's weary and their morale having lost The Incunabulum to the hag.
At the top of the high stairs in the farthest north wall Bhenedict moves to check the double doors finding them covered in all manner of abstract carvings and flowing runes. Opening them for an eternal instant, the world fades away from his thoughts as Benny stands taken upon the precipice of infinity. An ocean of pearlescent silver stretches ever onward, its tides and crests all but invisible as they slowly traverse a great expanse. Beneath those waters, stars and constellations twinkle with almost blinding clarity, and far in the distance, the great peaks of an unknown isle protrude from the endless waters. The sense of vertigo over takes the dwarf, standing at the edge of the world, is overwhelming, striking not merely at the body but at the mind and soul. Falling forward he is caught, coming to his sense … Like the portals within the chamber of doors, Benedict finds the way is blocked as if by an invisible wall.
Searching the various rooms beneath the crystal platform. In one they see pedestals and podiums scattered across the room, as well as hooks and shelves along the walls, suggesting that this first room was once a display chamber or gallery. Though the room most hooks are empty,a few still boast old tapestries and paintings, while the occasional podium displaying a small sculpture but it looks as though the vast majority of the artwork has been gone for a long time.
In another room alcoves lie along the walls and great stone sarcophagi scattered across the chamber indicate rather dramatically that this area was once a sepulcher, likely for particularly holy members of the temple. Most of the sarcophagi appear to have been broken into, ransacked, and desecrated. The air here smelling stale and dusty, but any scent of decay has long faded away.
There is also what looks like a sitting or study room, this chamber containing little but old, decaying chairs and a few small tables barely wide enough for a large tome. A nearby room has specially carved racks and concave shelves suggesting that this was once a repository for scrolls of various sizes.
They also find a rather sizable room boasting a smattering of large statues, idols, and carved pillars. Their random placement around the chamber indicates that they've been moved, and the great empty spaces suggest that this room once held many more such relics than it currently does.
Finally they search a room that was obviously a library at some point. The shelves are mostly empty now, but they are large enough to have held several hundred books. A few heaps of molding parchment and leather are all that remain of those books that were dropped and left behind when the temple was abandoned. One of the piles of books has recently been disturbed. It looks much like something was removed from the bottom, allowing the rest of the heap to crumple inward.
Eventually the Brigade turns their attention to the southwest corner of the vast chamber. There a building and its attachment, are the only two structures in this cavernous chamber that have full roofs, and they are clearly of far more recent construction than most everything else within the chamber. The walls are made of thin stone and they do not match the surroundings, and the floor is covered haphazardly with a thin rugs. Several tables and chairs sit scattered about, and a cooking cauldron occupies one corner. Further along what was once a bedroom has been transformed into a chamber of horrors. Old blood has matted the carpet into a thin film that crunches beneath the party's feet. Dull blades and needles protrude from the surface of a desk, where they were apparently stuck for safekeeping. A wooden bed frame leans against the wall at an angle; chained to it, dangling by his chafed and bloody wrists, is what appears to be a dwarf with hair and beard of writhing flame! Despite its touch, the wood of the frame shows no evidence of burning.
Cast: Bingus (PC/Josh), Bairdyn (PC/Tom), Bhenedict (NPC/Josh), Wolf (PC/Mart), Shaden (PC/Van), Maxyzne (NPC/Van), Hethralga – the hag (NPC/Mart)
Summary/Goals: Having discovered the doppleganger infestation of the priests of Overlook (lead by General Zithiruun) the heroes freed the dwarven high priest Durkik before he was killed. Durkik tasks the party with retrieving the tome–Incunabulum Primeval–and discovering and preventing whatever the goals of General Z are, who has preceeded the party into the temple.