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A Rough Ride is now available on Amazon to order – release date set for the 18th September 2014. Hooray!! It's been a long time coming… but my fingers are crossed that the wait was worth it!!
Who will have the pleasure of training Petal? By rights, the honour should go to Mark Matthews, but the cowboy has other plans. The matter is not settled until the stable owner is brought into the fray.
It is to be a monumental first week for Albrecht's newest trainee. The pony girl will have two days to find a way of coping with her new latex bodysuit and the rigorous buzzing and pumping of the never-ending 'device' which torments her every waking moment. She will then find herself shipped off as a sex-slave, chained and caged, to the mysterious high-bidder from the auction.
It doesn't take Petal long to realise that her chances of escaping from Albrecht are slim at best, but her defiant nature won't let her give up hope just yet. There is a way out for her, but she may have to give up more than her sanity in order to achieve it.
Here's the extended preview, if you'd like something to wet your appetite:
Fight It Out
Mark had already begun to saunter towards his prize. She had directed her delicious gaze into his eyes long enough for him to be called out the winner and he was in a hurry to claim her. Thoughts of her body under his ignited a whole array of brain cells and made his mouth water. At last he could work on getting the little minx out of his system; over a period of several months, of course, or perhaps years if his luck held. The main thing was that he would be getting his hands on the goodies. He had a very potent itch that required immediate scratching.
Holding his stare in place as he moved forward, he noticed her lips twitch. What was the damn fool trying to do now, he wondered? Was she trying to speak? He hoped not, for she'd pay dearly for that folly in front of all these people. Another twitch, a shake of her head and then she dropped a bombshell:
"I want the blond one with the boots."
Mark had to work to make sure his jaw stayed firmly closed. If he'd heard correctly, and he prayed he hadn't, the chit had just chosen a complete bastard to complete her training with. She'd already had a taste of pain with the guy, what on earth was she thinking? The woman was nuts. What she'd endured in the training room was small fry for Levison. It would be a matter of hours before he'd decide to try bigger and better things with her body and he would put money on the fact that she wouldn't like it. So, why choose him? Had he got her all wrong? Was she a die-hard masochist through and through? He didn't think so. Perhaps she was blinded by pretty-boy's good looks? There must be another reason. Surely she could not be that shallow. No matter. Thinking fast, he decided to call the auctioneer's bluff. The rules stated 'no talking,' so in his mind, her secondary choice was null and void.
"If you'd be so kind as to hand over her reins," he politely asked one of the thick-set men behind her, whose eyes were still goggling from the outburst. His comment fell on deaf ears because the giant had just managed to gather his wits about him and grab the vicious looking bamboo cane which was propped up against the corner of the magnolia wall behind him. His meaty wrist swung in a wide arc before Mark's tensioned fist caught it sharply in mid-air.
"Her reins, gentlemen. I'll see to her chastisement in just a minute. He released the hand of the monster and eyeballed the guy, who was at least a foot taller than himself, to make sure that his message was correctly received. The cane wavered in big-boy's hand before he grimaced and reluctantly backed down.
"Not so fast, Matthews," drawled a voice from behind him. "I don't think the little pony likes you. No, I don't think she likes you at all. This must be a first, Matthews. Maybe you're getting a little too old for this business? A few too many grey hairs?" Kyle laid on his Deep South accent, thick and syrupy. He didn't want Petal to connect him in any way with the events of yesterday.
Mark turned slowly on his heel and stared at the smug face a couple of metres away from him. He noted that the nose he had smashed his fist through a couple of days ago looked none the worse for wear, unfortunately. If he got the opportunity to break it again, he'd make sure he did the job properly.
"Kyle. Pleasure is all mine. Shouldn't you be out somewhere herding cattle? Oh yes, that's right. You're the only cowboy in the history of the US who doesn't know how to use a bullwhip." Ignoring Kyle's slack jaw, Mark approached the auctioneer and asked for the matter at hand to be clarified.
Matthius was clearly perplexed as to the outcome of the proceedings but not completely stupid. He had money riding on Mark as the victor, but so as not to appear as though he was backing the obvious favourite, he made a show of considering the matter, before bending down over his stand to murmur softly in Mark's ear.
"Can I just announce you the winner?" The whisper was a conspiratorial one.
"No, you can't," said Mark, gritting his teeth, whilst wondering where on earth Albrecht managed to get these people from. "You need to consult the rule book."
Matthius pursed his lips. He then chewed upon a knuckle and fiddled with his red, silk tie before finally asking, "We have a rule book?"
"Of course we have a rule book. How can you not know that?" Mark resisted the urge to slap his hand across his forehead.
"Well, I've been here five years and I've never had to use a rule book!"
"Good for you," said Mark, his dark stare indicating that he was unamused by this knowledge. "Now you do." He propped both of his elbows upon the ledge of the auctioneer's podium and tapped his fingers together impatiently.
Matthius scanned the immediate area for any sign of a book. There were a couple of silver ballpoint pens, several sheets of paper with the details of the ponies to be auctioned and his rather crumpled copy of the Daily Mail, from which he had managed to complete approximately half of the 'quick' crossword. There was little else underneath the podium bar his feet and he was at a complete loss as to where a book might be stashed. "Assuming there really is a rule book, where might it be hidden?"
"It's in the drawer directly under your newspaper. Incidentally, 2 across is dive, 10 across is halcyon, 12 down is renegade and 18 across is ether."
Matthius, who had been working the whole morning to try and discover those words with the aid of an internet connection, was not impressed to have his fun curtailed so abruptly. His eyebrows furling in irritation, he fumbled for the drawer in front of him. Pulling out the slim, red vellum tome, he perused its contents in a brisk fashion. He was beginning to wonder if he should have backed Levison. What on earth was he supposed to be looking for anyway? Noticing that the stares of many of the room's occupants were now upon him and his ultimate decision, he began flipping through the pages with increased vigour.
"Page 32, 'if there is a dispute with the outcome of the auction…' added Mark, after Matthius had been through the book from cover to cover three times.
"Ah, yes, here we are," said Matthius and clearing his throat delicately with the air of one who knew what he speaking about, even though he didn't, he began:
"Rule 2.3 states that there will be no speech allowed by any of the auctions 'equine' participants and,' Matthius ran his finger down the page until he came to the next item he was looking for, 'Rule 3.4 states that the novice shall pick his/her trainer of choice by eye contact alone." Leaving a delicate pause, he cleared his throat and smiled before announcing, "So I declare that Mark Matthews is indeed the winner." There was a small smattering of applause.
"I object." Kyle had his hands on his hips and his voice rang out loudly around the room. His aggressive stance did not go unnoticed by the auctioneer who gave a worried look in Mark's direction.
"Can he do that?" Matthius' eyes looked askance at Matthews and all of his previous bluster quickly left him as he scanned the rule book yet again.
"No, he can't," said Mark loudly and moved to take Jenny's reins for the second time. His pony was quivering with rage at having being overruled so abruptly, but it was nothing compared to the anger he felt at her for having nearly jeopardized the outcome of the auction. She was shortly going to feel his displeasure via the bite of his crop and learn the meaning of obedience, so help him God. All his feelings of malice towards his new pet evaporated, however, when her big, blue eyes turned upwards to meet his and he caught sight of the malevolence there, displayed for the world to see. It made him want to get down on his knees and kiss her. So much for having been serviced by the two blondes this morning, he thought. His hormones were once again swimming to the parts that vanilla sex couldn't reach.
"Yes, he can." Kyle watched as Mark's grip descended on the thin leather reins. He winked at Petal and turned to face his opponent.
Mark raised his eyebrow in a bored fashion and waited for whatever rot Kyle was about to spew forth. His annoyance at the delay was more due to the fact that his time with Miss Redcliff would be cut short, rather than any lingering grudge towards Kyle's previous behaviour. He just wanted to get out of here and… into something tight, wet and juicy.
"Rule 5.6 states that a pony will exercise her own choice with regards to her trainer. She does not want Matthews. She wants me. She chose me and I object to Matthews obtaining her against her will in this one particular decision she is allowed to make." Kyle looked very pleased with himself.
Mark's head had tilted to the side in contemplation and by the narrow look he gave his combatant, it was clear he suspected something was amiss. "Since when did you read the Albrecht Auction Handbook from cover to cover?"
Kyle ignored him and directed his next words at Matthius, "Call the Stable owner. There's a number at the back of the rule book to be used in the case of disputes." A single finger pushed the rim of his Stetson a little higher up his face, so that he could lavish a glower upon the auctioneer. It was abundantly clear that he was going nowhere until the matter was resolved.
"This is utter nonsense. Untie the pony now!" Mark grabbed Jenny's reins and demanded that she be released instantly.
"I am not going anywhere with you! I have chosen my trainer."
Jennifer Redcliff still had an impressive set of lungs, especially when you took into consideration that her lung capacity had been reduced by half due the tight corset she was currently sporting. It took a moment for Mark's eardrums to clear before he could fully witness the carnage she had wreaked with her last outburst.
The two giants behind her, now infuriated beyond reason, had both reached for their canes and began thrashing the backside before them with a great deal of enthusiasm. Only after a good ten strokes had befallen their victim did one of them pause briefly in his administrations, in order to reattach her bridle and bit to ensure no further outbursts were forthcoming. The remaining occupants of the room then became rather boisterous and animated, having been given a grand show of entertainment that not even they had bargained for. It was simply unheard of for a pony in Albrecht Stables to break the rules in this manner. Excited jeers and clapping began in earnest from the few remaining bystanders. Spirited ponies were a rare beast in Albrecht and when one did make an appearance, the occupants of the stables almost held their breath in glee. Jennifer Redcliff would be the talk of the stables before the day was over.
Mark watched the proceedings with acute disbelief. It was official: the girl was certifiable. He could not help but watch, along with everyone else, as she was given a sound thrashing with the canes. The giants were not particularly gentle with their instruments of torture. They were not used to being thwarted in any shape or form. Biceps rippled, fingers flexed and loud grunts of exertion could be heard as their rods flew everywhere, reflected a thousand times over in the array of ornate mirrors that decorated the room. It was a wonder the Murano chandeliers hadn't started to sway. Mark felt an urgent need to halt the pair, although he couldn't exactly put his finger on why.
"Call the owner now, Matthius. Let's put an end to this dispute." Mark had to raise his voice to be heard above the din of the zealous spanking and it was something he did very rarely. Things were not going quite as planned and it didn't happen too often in his world. He was not at all pleased. Watching Miss Redcliff get a good dressing down from the burly black-coverall crew should have had him aroused, but all he wanted to do was stop them in their tracks. He had no problem with her ass getting a sound flogging, but he wanted to be the one to administer it. Watching her face as she tried to slice her teeth through the rubber of her bit, he could only be impressed at the way she held herself taught against her bonds and refused to utter a single sound. How did she have such a high tolerance for pain? Had her earlier sentence in the barn been more than a mere flippant remark? I've had worse. She hadn't answered his question at the time and now he was more than curious about the answer. Had she experienced pain before? She was tightly in control of herself under the pounding canes and while they weren't hard enough to induce tears, she should have been venting some rather nasty noises about now. She would remain an enigma for the time being, but he intended to get to the bottom of it.
"Enough, gentleman, either myself or Mr Levison might want to admire her ass later and I, for one, don't want it to be a bruised mess." Mark regretted his outburst as soon as it had left his lips. Watching Kyle's smile widen, he hoped to hell that whoever the owner of this stable was, he was prepared to be reasonable.
"Getting squeamish in your old age, Matthews?"
Mark didn't grace Kyle's question with a reply. Instead, he watched intently as Matthius picked up his cell and began dialling. There was an anxious look upon the man's face as his thick-set fingers punched in the numbers and awaited an answer. As he began to apprise the owner of the situation, his brow creased in concentration before finally the cell was removed from his ear and placed gently upon the podium in front of him. The room had become silent once more as the spanking had stopped. Miss Redcliff could be heard panting for breath in the corner, but all eyes were now on Matthius and the outcome of the telephone call. There was an awkward pause as he cleared his throat.
"We are shortly to receive an answer via the intercom so that all present may hear the verdict. Meanwhile, the owner has suggested that the remaining participants amuse themselves by accompanying the pony to the veterinary surgery where she will be given a physical examination and, due to her recent disobedient behaviour, she will be fitted with the 'device.' I have it on good authority that it is a spectacle well worth witnessing," and with that Matthius led the way out of the glittering mirror mass, causing dozens of prisms to refract themselves around the pristine white walls as the crystal face of his watch caught a dazzling ray of sunlight.
Jenny watched the proceedings in miserable silence. Her breathing had now slowed and her head had cleared from the fury of having been expected to fall at Mark Matthews' feet. Whoever the owner of this godforsaken place was, they had better not give her to him. A fountain pen would be the least of his worries. As one of the incredible hulks behind her began unfastening the ropes and spreader bar which held her legs taught, she could only think of the humiliation that would follow being awarded as Mark's prize pet, to be trotted around and made to do tricks. Although her backside stung and a fierce wave of heat emanated from the tender flesh, the sensation did little but fuel her ardour and it was all down to that one infernal man. The sooner he was out of the equation the better. At least she'd be able to think clearly and form a sensible escape plan.
The ogres were rough but worked with a speed and agility that belied their size. In no time at all she was free of the rope that had been coiled around her wrists, knees, calves and ankles, but the effects of the rope burn that she had managed to achieve during her orgasm dance would stay with her for a few days to come. Her armbinder, which had been roughly ripped off just before the auction began, was beyond repair and as there didn't appear to be another in sight, Jenny supposed she could be thankful for small mercies. At this precise moment in time there wasn't a lot she felt thankful for. Her limbs ached and her jaw felt like someone had driven a transit truck through it. Both mouth and pussy were filled with an unpleasant heat that simmered uncomfortably and the heavy saddle she wore buckled on her back made breathing through her corset even more difficult, if that were possible. When a heavy hand landed on her backside with a smack, she mewled pitifully through her gag.
"Move!" It was apparent that the beefy twins were men of little words. The command was grunted loudly and accompanied by a boot in her sex, so Jenny had little choice but to obey. Stumbling forwards, a stout hand slapped her rump again and squealing loudly, Jenny raced across the room.
Fighting her way through a jungle of meandering legs, she had plenty of time to admire the opulent dress and footwear of her audience. These were people from her world; the world of the rich and famous which housed the powerful, compelling forces of the upper echelons of society. A Gucci stiletto whizzed past her nose followed by a Dolce and Gabbana shoe which took a more leisurely path. From her vantage point of only a few inches above the floor, she watched glossy gold buckles fly past her nose and highly polished leather brogues flirt with leopard-skin Jimmy Choo's. Was this to be her life from now on? Examining the footwear of the high and mighty? The swish of a long silk skirt brushed over the highly sensitised skin of her back and she shuddered with longing.
"Oh, what a delightful wiggle those ass cheeks have and just look at that tiny tail. Lots of room for improvement, don't you think? I wonder if she'll be worth buying after she's finished her training?" The voice was female and her English was tinged with an Italian accent. Her comment was met with a mumbled reply from her male companion. Walking slowly behind the errant pony, the woman was now examining her attempt to tackle the concrete corridor.
Jenny could feel the eyes of the pair boring into her back. Having forgotten how brutal crawling was on her hands and knees, she was now going as slowly as possible in order to lessen the abrasive impact against her skin. Falling behind the main group quickly, Jenny struggled to keep her hands and knees moving against the cold and unforgiving floor.
"I think Petal needs some encouragement, darling," said Miss Italy and there was another mumbled reply. The next thing Jenny knew, a pointed heel was being firmly pressed into her left buttock and Miss Italy was putting some considerable weight behind it. Jenny shrieked loudly and darted off up the corridor, uncaring of the rubble underneath her. A few minor scratches were nothing when compared with a five inch heel trying to stab for entrance into an already very tender backside.
"Hmm, pity," said Miss Italy, her lips forming a delicate moue as Petal raced off ahead. "I was just thinking that the little horsie would make an amazing footstool installed permanently in the centre of our lounge, darling."
Jenny raced on ahead, not wanting to hear the rest of that particular conversation, and bemoaned the new throbbing pain in her ass cheek. It was obvious who wore the trousers in their relationship, she thought sourly. Darting in between legs once more as she caught up with the main group, she gave no thought to anything bar escaping the pair behind her. Her lungs burned for air but she paid them little attention. She was too intent on trying to listen to Matthius, who was giving his captive audience a taste of what was to come.
"The device is quite possibly one of the worst punishments that can be awarded to a novice pony," said the auctioneer, turning around to give his spectators a wide smile. "It is a suit of perfectly tailored, form-fitting latex which will hug every curve and contour of the pony-girl's body. It provides sensory deprivation in many different ways. Her ears can be filled with wax, to ensure she cannot hear a thing. While two small slits will be provided for her eyes to enable walking, an additional black-out blindfold is provided if her trainer wishes to deny her the pleasure of sight. Her mouth will be plugged with a small ball gag, but this can be removed should there be any additional requirements for her mouth.
"And there will be," drawled a now familiar voice. Laughter bounced off the narrow walls and Jenny felt her throat go dry. Would the cowboy be as demanding as Mark? Would he treat her gently? She cursed herself a thousand times over for thinking such thoughts. She would be rescued. She would! If it took her rescue team a few more days to find her, she'd cope. These people only had her body to amuse themselves with. She still had firm control of her mind; except when she was anywhere near Mark, that was. Please, anyone but him, she begged silently and could only hope that someone somewhere was listening.
"Tiny wires are situated all over the insides of her new catsuit and will pulse electrical current through her body in order to keep her aroused and stimulated. The suit features a special 'chastity belt' which will be locked in place automatically and a timer will be set for the duration of forty-eight hours, whereupon the locking mechanism will be released automatically. The chastity belt itself features two dildos which, although initially quite small and comfortable in size, can be inflated, elongated and pulsed within her body. There is a clitoral stimulator which will be fitted with precision around either side of her clitoris and a tiny pincer-like contraption will reside above it. If the internal computer contained within her suit decides she is becoming too aroused, she will received a sharp nip for her troubles and all titillating sensations will cease abruptly. The suit will then decide when to restart its devious ministrations. There might be as much as thirty minutes between near orgasms, or there could be less than five. As you can imagine, little sleep will be achieved in a suit that turns its victim's body into an orgasmic ticking time-bomb. More laughter echoed around the corridor.
"Can such a suit be purchased from Albrecht? For the use of our own slaves, perhaps?" The gentleman who asked the question was tall, obviously French judging by his accent, and his face was screwed up in fierce concentration.
"I'm not sure," replied Matthius, who had little to do with the inner dealings of Albrecht, "but for a price, pretty much everything is for sale around here." He turned his head back over his shoulder and gave an exaggerated, cheeky wink to the spellbound participants.
"Could the suit be worn for extended periods of time? Perhaps five, six or even seven days, Monsieur?"
"That I cannot tell you. But hold on to your questions, ladies and gentlemen, because the vet will probably be able to answer them very shortly."
Jenny veered well away from Mr France and his unsettling inquiries. She did note that the rather disturbing gentlemen wore a pair of Berluti loafers, easily costing over £400 for the pair and that if he could afford shoes such as those, along with the suspected Valentino suit he wore; a latex catsuit wouldn't prove too big a problem for his budget. All this talk of restrictive clothing and denied orgasms was making her hungry again and it wasn't for food. The menu at Albrecht had already put her off fruit and vegetables for life…
"Our little pony is lagging behind again, Giles. I think she's heard a little too much. Perhaps we should give her an added incentive to get her ass moving?" Jenny's head swung around awkwardly to discover the whereabouts of the new voice, this time of thoroughbred English descent. A gentleman in his late fifties smiled lecherously back at her. "I think your right, Crawford," said his purring companion who was also male, but of much younger years, "or we may have to wait until Christmas to see this 'device.' After a few seconds of high-pitched laughter, Jenny discovered something slim, smooth and made of leather being run up her inner thigh. It didn't take a brain surgeon to guess what the man was waving around and she surged forward to avoid its exploratory path.
Unfortunately, the crop appeared to move with her and it quickly reached higher, probing for entry at her slippery sex. Jenny swung left to avoid its path and was rewarded with more laughter. She did not manage to avoid its path a second time. A loud smacking sound could be heard as the tip of the crop caught her left buttock. Jenny wailed as best she was able through her thick rubber bit. Although it had been little more than a light tap, the pain was maddening after her buttocks had been cruelly ravaged by the canes. Thinking it wise not to allow the crop another attempt to rest upon her poor ass cheeks, she fled through the ranks and was somewhat surprised when Matthius left the confines of the building and continued walking out into the open. Where on earth were they going?
When her knees hit grass, Jenny contemplated the thought of getting up on all fours and making a run for it. The idea soon manifested itself as ridiculous in her brain. She knew without a doubt that Mark, Kyle and possibly Matthius would be fast enough to catch her and the electrified fence was still in place. All she would be doing would be inviting further punishments upon her body and it looked like she already had enough to cope with in that department. Erasing the thought of escape from her mind for now, she appreciated the cool dirt beneath her hands and knees. Never in her life had she thought she might enjoy the rigors of crawling through mud and muck, but oh how times had changed. Right now, she would love to immerse her steaming backside in a pile of gooey mud and wiggle about in it to the best of her ability. She burned and she hungered; next she'd be begging to stay. Trying to oust the annoying thought from her head, she became increasingly annoyed when it refused to budge.
"And here we are ladies and gentlemen," said Matthius, stopping outside a rather unremarkable outbuilding built of red brick with corresponding red slate tiles. As per nearly all the buildings in Albrecht, its entrance was through a double set of brightly painted, white timber doors. When they opened they revealed a man in a white coat and various surgical contraptions that did not look welcoming. She would have immediately retreated backwards, but the spectators had all formed a semi-circle around her, effectively blocking any departure.
"If you'd like to file around either side of the 'breeding station,' which we will use for her preliminary examination, I think all of you will manage to achieve quite a good view from that perspective." Those were Matthius' ominous last words as she was driven forwards by a dozen or so pairs of moving feet.
The first thing Jenny noticed upon entering the new building was that the floors were made of sparkling white marble, a thin vein of grey running through each impressively sized slab. It was amazing what you noticed when your head was only inches from the floor. The smell of antiseptic and bleach was fresh upon the tiles and it was obvious that they had been recently cleaned. Her face was reluctant to stretch itself to examine higher objects, but in the end she decided it was better to have some idea of what might be about to happen to her.
Finally, lifting her eyes off the floor and straining to look upwards in her tight leather collar she immediately wished she had kept her nose down. Directly in front of her was the young man she had spied earlier. Dressed in a lab coat, which revealed a neatly ironed blue shirt beneath, she placed him somewhere in his thirties. He sported a stethoscope around his neck and a pair of silver, stainless steel forceps hung over the single pocket upon his breast. Of slim build, he wore rimless glasses delicately balanced upon his roman nose and generated a somewhat bookish and geeky look. Looking down at her in a detached manner, he beckoned her forward.
Jenny did not move an inch. She had spotted a T-shaped, wooden contraption in the middle of the room and if that wasn't frightening enough, there were an array of microscopes and buzzing machines stowed in the far corner, along with a table that was filled with scalpels, syringes and all other manner of paraphernalia that she was unable to put a name to. Spying clamps, pins, needles, thermometers and electric trimmers, her heart rate pounded into emergency mode. She wanted to run out of the door as fast as her legs would carry her but Mark, as usual, was one step ahead of her.
"You can't run when someone is holding your bridle." He spoke gently, but firmly and his fist gripped the thin leather of her reins tightly.
The scrabble of her back legs against the marble stopped, but her whole body rebelled at the thought of being forced to play their naughty games in such a way. This was too much. They had crossed the line. Hell, no, they had crossed the line about three seconds after she'd entered the tack room two days ago, but it wasn't as if she could voice her complaints. Mark lowered his head to whisper in her ear, "You'll give them exactly what they want if you kick and scream now. Two days with the device and a trip to the dungeon would probably be more than most trained submissives could manage. If I were you, I'd go up to the Vet and offer your body for his inspection. Do the exact opposite of what they're expecting, Princess, and keep them on their toes." Winking at her, he used the rough ends of her leather bridle to caress her cheek before stepping back to the outer circle of gathered guests, but his penetrating eyes remained trained on her face.
The vet, who had been moving some instruments about on his table and preparing for his examination whilst Mark had given his brief pep-talk, now appeared satisfied with his work. Turning around to face his new patient once more, he repeated the action of beckoning her forward with the crook of his finger. "Just wait on your knees beside the breeding station. I'll be with you in a moment."
His words did not decrease Jenny's anxiety in the least, but knowing there was little hope of escape with so many people watching her, she decided that Mark's advice was the only sensible course of action. Crawling slowly up to the 'breeding station,' the words alone causing a shudder to ripple through her body, she awaited the attentions of the vet meekly, her heart banging painfully inside her rib cage.
Quickly unbuckling the heavy leather saddle from her midriff, the vet patted her head and muttered, 'Good girl.' Then he produced a pair of thick, black leather cuffs for her wrists and elbows, and folded her arms up her back towards her neck, fastening the cuffs closed as he did so. There was a metal chain that linked each cuff together and this was attached to the rear D-ring in her white collar by means of a large karabiner. It was even more uncomfortable than the arm-binder had been, and Jenny noted ruefully that she was once again an object to be toyed and played with. "Stand up," said the vet, hoisting her up by the waist so she had little choice in the matter. He led her over to the wooden frame and began to feed her head and upper body through a small rectangular opening in the top. Her stomach now rested on a square plate and her upper body was tipped forward over the fame whilst her backside was pushed up and outwards. Her knees were forced down towards the ground and a spreader bar was once again quickly fastened around her ankles, leaving her sex wide open and on display for the amusement of the many bystanders. Then, a long rectangular panel positioned directly above was drawn down upon her back and she felt the pressure of the wood graze the tips of her elbows. The clamp held her body tightly in place. It appeared that he didn't want much patient participation, Jenny thought, growling around her bit. The sound drew amused laughter from the crowd.
"They said she was feisty," sneered Miss Italy, "but I wonder how feisty she'll remain in this 'device.'" Her comment drew a few sniggers from the people around her, who were avidly looking around the room to discern the methods of torture and torment that might soon be doled out to the hapless pony-girl. Jenny noticed, with some trepidation, that there was not a kind or sympathetic glance amongst them, with the exception of Matthews perhaps, and she did not want to look in his direction to find out.
The vet simply raised his eyebrows in reply, before clapping his hands together to gather the attention of the group. "OK, ladies and gentlemen. I'm going to talk you through what you are about to witness in our surgery. The frame that Petal is currently restrained upon is called a 'breeding frame' because that is how our mares are restrained before we have one of the stallions cover them. It's an effective piece of equipment, because the mare cannot collapse her body against it or stand up. She can stay in this position, reasonably comfortably, until such time as you are confident that your stallion has performed his duty." He looked around to ascertain that there were a few nods being directed his way before he continued, "Today, the frame is just a convenient way to secure her body whilst we do a dental exam and brief physical. She will also be fitted with a RFID tag, to enable us to accurately track her whereabouts at all times within a position of several hundred metres. We will end our session by securing her in a very special latex catsuit that will test Petal's endurance, over the next few days, to the absolute limit. Are there any questions before we start?"
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text:
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
|Mentoring Beginning Teachers in Secondary Schools: an analysis of practice
|Harrison, Jennifer K.
Dymoke, S.
Pell, Anthony
|First Published:
|Teaching and Teacher Education, 2006, 22 (8), pp.1055-1067
|The conditions that promote best practice in the mentoring of beginning teachers in secondary schools are explored in this paper in relation to the experiential model of learning put forward by Kolb [(1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. New York: Prentice-Hall]. The underpinning processes of this learning cycle include the experience, the reflection, the learning that results and (further) experimentation. We present some empirical research from a two-year funded project on The Professional Development of Subject Induction Tutors and data derived from questionnaires completed by beginning teachers in three education authorities at the start and end of induction year and from semi-structured interviews with sub-samples of beginning teachers. The questionnaire data allowed us to distinguish three broad teacher 'types' in terms of their experiences of induction and the associated mentoring. In relation to these types we explored differences and similarities in the extent to which mentoring functions are distributed in schools, the extent to which different mentoring relationships allow beginning teachers to be empowered in their work, and the particular uses made of review and target setting and the value placed on these processes by beginning teachers and their mentors. Overall we found that best practice for 'developmental mentoring' involves elements of challenge and risk-taking within supportive school environments with clear induction systems in place and strong school ethos in relation to professional development.
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|Published Articles, School of Education
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2011 Travel Roundup
My travel calendar was pretty full this year! Though I only made one trip out of the country, I spent roughly 100 days on the road this year, which isn't bad for someone who is juggling three part time jobs! Though this is mostly for my own record, here is a list of all the trips that I, or Marc and I, took this year!
January was one of the only months that I didn't really travel much. I had one or two days in Texas at the beginning of the month that were the tail end of a much longer trip home for the holidays, but that was about it. I almost went to Fort Indiantown Gap, PA for the east coast's largest WWII reenactment, but decided not to at the last minute.
January marked the start of my work as a substitute teacher and it's a pretty miserable time to travel regardless, so I didn't leave the apartment all that much. However, the rest of the year made up for that.
February saw Marc and I go up to Newville, PA for an Italian Front WWII reenactment. We were there for the entire weekend portraying refugees and had a great time – we even got to slaughter and cook two delicious Bantam chickens! Newville is a very familiar place to us due to the number of reenactments we go to at that site every year, but I still enjoy getting to hang out in rural Pennsylvania.
In February I also went into the city several times. I may live only 15 minutes away from DC by metro, but I go into town far less than you might expect.
March also had mostly reenacting-related travel, but this time around I was only an observer. Marc had recently joined up with a group that portrays Russian Czarist troops during WWI but I didn't have much interest in the impression (though I have recently decided to join myself). However, when it turned out that Marc would be attending one of my favourite living history events – Military Through the Ages in Jamestown, VA – with the group, I decided to go along just as a photographer.
In addition to our trip to Jamestown, Marc and I went to Richmond, VA to say farewell to our first Ural sidecar motorcycle, Smutyanka. We sold her to a dealer in Virginia's capitol partially in exchange for a significantly newer model of the same bike and we had to go down to sign the paperwork despite the fact that they had been keeping Smutyanka in their shop for a few weeks already.
It takes about 2.5 hours to get there, so after dealing with the paperwork we took a stroll down Richmond's famous Cary Street and had some lunch. While Richmond definitely did not do well in the post-industrial era, I think it is really making a comeback and it has a lot of great architecture and potential.
My mom came to stay with us for a week in April, which was really nice. I don't see my parents that often (they live in Texas) so it's always good when I can get to see them. While she was in town Marc and I attended our other "timeline" reenactment of the year, Marching Through Time, with our French Foreign Legion group. It was the first reenactment my mom had attended in almost ten years, and I think she really enjoyed it. While she was visiting we also visited many other places in the DC area including Claude Moore Farm. Later in the month we also went down to Fredericksburg to attend a Passover dinner at a friend's house.
Marc and I didn't go anywhere in May, not even to a reenactment, but we did finally get our new Ural sidecar bike, named Nadezda. We plan on doing quite a bit of traveling with her as we both become more confident riders (and once her engine gets back from its current location at the factory in Washington!). The only other tangentially travel-related thing that happened in May was that I finally met the famous travel blogger Roni Weiss, who came to one of DC's monthly travel meetups.
June was a very jam-packed month, activity-wise. We went down to Fredericksburg, VA to visit our friends Sarah and John and got to see a vintage car show while we were there that we didn't even know about. We went down there again a week later to participate in an 18th century picnic that was being held in conjunction with a theatre production. Ironically, Marc and I go down to Fredericksburg fairly often (5-6 times a year) but have never gone just to see the town itself!
However, June also marked my departure for France. I started off WWOOFing on a chestnut farm in southern Ardeche. While the first day or two went well, I quickly realized that the woman who ran the farm viewed me as little more than free labor. She was really nasty and impatient and called me stupid and slow on more than one occasion. It was pretty miserable, to be honest.
Though the region was beautiful, I decided that after a week, I would find another farm. Well, I didn't even make it a week and left after 6 days to go to another farm in northern Ardeche. After a day in transit, I finally made it to the second farm in northern Ardeche. It was a general farm with vegetables, chestnuts, raspberries, and cows, but I spent my first few days mostly working in the raspberry field. The second farm was a family farm and both the farmer and his wife were extremely nice.
July was my busiest month of the year, travel-wise, seeing me trek all over France. For roughly the first two weeks, I worked on the farm in northern Ardeche. I planted and pruned vegetables, fed calves, and even learned to herd cattle by hand. Towards the end of my time there, the farmer's son and his girlfriend showed up, which helped me immensely as the girlfriend, Clemence, spoke fluent English. I had been struggling along in French before then and while I can hold my own in French conversation, it was nice to be able to speak naturally after three weeks of French immersion.
After my time on the farm, Marc's parents came to pick me up and we drove to Auvergne, where his family is from. Marc arrived the following day, and though the weather started off cold and dreary, his parents took us around to see many of the natural sights in the region. After a few days at a gîte in Les Balayes, we went to his family reunion, which was the origin of this whole trip. I had never met any of Marc's family except his parents, and in one afternoon I met four generations! There were more than 25 people there, and it was really interesting to get to meet and talk with them all.
A few days later, Marc and I went down to Le Puy En Velay, a medieval town near the village where Marc's family is from, and spent about a day and a half wandering through its streets. After Le Puy, we went to Lyon for two days before his return flight was scheduled to depart. Lyon was one of the best places I visited in France. It's big, but not too big, touristy, but not too touristy, has a great older area and a great newer area, and in general was very clean, pretty, and pleasant. Marc and I did a lot of eating in Lyon since it is known as the gastronomic capitol of France, and I was only disappointed once. We also went to see Fourvieres, quite possibly the most beautiful and decorated church I've ever seen. We didn't have much time in Lyon before Marc's flight was scheduled to depart, but we had a great time in the couple days that we were there together.
After Lyon, I headed down to the Languedoc region of France, to a tiny, tiny (112 person) village called Lagamas, where a friend of the family lives. Rosemary, the friend, generously put me up in her adorable 400 year old house for two weeks and showed me around much of the region. We went to St. Guilhem de Desert, St. Jean de Fos, Clermont l'Herault, Beziers, Montpellier, Gignac, and many other places. We went swimming in the Herault river several times, and I took many, many walks. While I was there I even got to experience something quite unique: a dinner with the entire village in attendance! I had a great time.
August was also a busy month for travel. After leaving Lagamas, I spent two days in Montpellier, then three days in Toulouse (my least favourite place in France on the trip), then went to Bordeaux to stay with some of Marc's cousins for a week. While I was in Bordeaux I did and saw a lot! I went to the beach three times, took my first surfing lesson (never again!), visited the largest sand dune in Europe, saw several beautiful cathedrals, and had a lot of fun just hanging out with Marc's cousins Remi and Estelle and their little girl Maelle.
After staying in Bordeaux for a week, I made my way to Paris. Unfortunately, due to some banking confusion, I found myself with no money in my bank account and no place to stay. I got everything worked out, but it soured my experience just as much as the hordes of obnoxious tourists did. I was in Paris for four days, and after a generous rescue by a fellow travel blogger, I changed my flight and flew home early.
The day after I got home, I was already on the road again! Marc and I had a reenactment in Manassas, VA with our French Foreign Legion group. Since I was still getting over jet lag, I didn't participate, but I tagged along as a photographer and got some particularly amusing shots. Though it was very hot and one of our members got seriously dehydrated, we all had a good time, and since a thunderstorm was rolling in toward the end, our camp got put away quickly!
September brought two more weekends of reenacting-related travel. The first was a Scottish festival in Reston, VA. Once again, I didn't participate, but I tagged along to take photos. Though it was pretty tacky, it was also kind of fun to see, and Marc had fun portraying a Celt with his Roman group. Marc ended up getting horribly sunburned with only his woad tattoos remaining un-burned, resulting in a hilarious tan-tattoo that is still there, 4 months later! This event was one of the closest events we did all year, only requiring us to drive about 30 minutes outside of town!
The following weekend was a major trip. It was our first outing with the Queen's Own Loyal Virginia Regiment, a unit Marc and I had recently joined that portrays loyalists during the American Revolution. Marc, two other members, and I all packed into a small SUV and drove 12 hours from DC all the way up to Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York, arriving around 6am. We were there all weekend for the fort's Struggle for Liberty event which was a blast and was my first 18th century reenactment in 10 years. It was a great event and well worth the time. It was also Marc's first time in upstate NY and the Adirondacks and he really liked getting to see the area.
Also in September we went to both Harper's Ferry, WV and Shepherdstown, WV for a day one weekend. We had nothing to do and both locations make for a great day trip out into the Shenandoahs and eastern West Virginia, and we will definitely go back there next year.
In October there were two major events: a WWI air show in Virginia Beach, VA that Marc participated in as a reenactor and that I photographed, and the travel event known as Meet, Plan, Go which I was on the planning committee for. Meet Plan Go went off without a hitch and was a great evening and I think it inspired many of those who were in the audience. I was in France during much of the event organizing phase, so I went to help out and photographed the event.
The WWI show definitely had one major hitch: a plane crash! The weekend was great and I got some of the best shots of my career (in my opinion) while there, but on the last day, one of their WWI replica planes crashed during its landing. The pilot came out okay, but I think the plane will need quite a bit of work. It was a great event and since I had never been to Virginia Beach I got to explore a new part of Virginia that I had been unfamiliar with before.
After a crazily hectic summer and early fall, November marked the point where my travel started to drop off a bit before one final last hurrah during the holidays. I only went out of town once in November, when I went out into the Shenandoahs with my friend Kate Connolly, a painter, to photograph the fall foliage. We both got some great shots, and it was nice to be able to geek out over photography stuff with someone.
I traveled three times in December: to New England with Marc, to New Jersey for a reenactment, and home to Texas for the holidays. The first trip was to Massachusetts and Vermont to show Marc what the area is like. I went to college in western MA and we have talked informally about moving to Vermont, so I felt that it was time to show Marc both of those places. We took a long weekend and spent two days in each state – not enough time for a thorough tour, but enough to give Marc a feel for the areas, which was my intention in the first place.
The following weekend we went up to Fort Mott, NJ for a "soldier's Christmas" event. We were there with several of our friends and since the event had an unusual structure involving candle-light tours, we had a blast getting to talk to the many hardy souls who braved the cold to come out and see us. It was a good end to the reenacting year.
The next week I left for Houston, TX to spend two weeks with my parents for the holidays. I head home in two days and have had a great time while I've been here. We've seen many friends, taken a trip to Brenham in our small family plane (piloted by my dad), eaten a lot of amazing food, and I've had fun playing with Lola, our Australian Shepherd. Marc was sadly not able to join me and so he and I will likely come back for a couple days sometime this spring, as he hasn't been to Texas with me since I got back from South Korea in 2009.
So, that was my year in travel! If you made it to the bottom of this post, I salute you!


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Advanced Massage Techniques is an approved provider in the state of Alabama. All courses are valid for meeting Alabama's continuing education requirements.
It is my current understanding that Alabama massage therapists are required to complete 16 CE hours every 2 years for license renewal.
From the Alabama Board of Massage Therapy:
Section 34-43-21
(a) Every massage therapist licensed pursuant to this chapter shall be required to complete 16 hours of continuing education as a condition for renewing his or her license. The continuing education courses shall be offered by providers approved by the board. The courses shall have been completed within the 24 months preceding the date renewal is due.
You may visit the Alabama Board of Massage Therapy to verify this information, or to learn more regarding Alabama massage laws and regulations.
Advanced Massage Techniques, Inc. is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider. Approved Provider #451043-09


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Likutei Halachos on Parshas Behar/Bechukosiye
Translated by Dov Grant
Possuk 25:14 "When you sell something to your fellow Jew"
Possuk 25:14 "When you sell something to your fellow Jew"
It's known in the mystical writings that extracting the "holy sparks" is the entire purpose of all the worldly occupations, creative activity and business involvement, that are subsumed within the thirty-nine melachos (categories of act involved in the Sanctuary). The main way to effect the extraction is by remembering Hashem when we're involved in business. And so it states (Devarim 8:18): "You shall remember Hashem, your G-d, for [or when] He is the One that gives you strength to produce wealth".
This is why we should have business dealings specifically with our fellow Jews. Thus Rashi cites our Sages, that "when you sell something to one of your people" tells us that we ought to sell only to a Jew and that "[when] you buy something from one of your people" tells us that we ought to buy only from a Jew. Therefore it would be appropriate to try, as much as possible, to be in the company of fitting and fair people when traveling or engaging in business at home. Then, we should regularly speak with them in words of Torah and fear of Heaven in a fashion that will remind them – and they will remind us – every day, about the final purpose. Thus, the Zohar mentions that it is forbidden to travel unless one has a companion with whom he can engage in Torah discussion.
Even if we don't find such people when involved in our business, nevertheless we must be careful with our thoughts, not to forget Hashem at the time of our transactions. We must greatly desire that we and our clients and suppliers will be drawn towards Hashem and His Torah. This was Hashem's intent in circulating business activity and melachos in the world; everything is for the purpose of extracting the "holy sparks".
The main thing is that through bargaining and business dealings people join together to the point that, at last, truth will gain sway in the hearts of all Jews and every one will draw his fellow until all will return to Hashem and His Torah.
Orach Chaim Hilchos Beis Ha'Knesses 6:24


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In this fast-paced world, technology has offered us what it was impossible prior to a couple of years. That being said, people are generally acquainted with those official sources such as Google Play Store and iTunes. But there are only some folks who are aware of the recently launched app stores that come with a great deal of service. Having said that, let us now come closer to what our guide here consists of, and that is TuTuApp for Android. The Chinese app store comes with delightful features, that being said, it also offers you to download the full version of certain games like Pokemon GO. Keep reading our guide in order to know everything about TuTuApp for Android.
TuTuApp for Android: Everything You Need to Know about the Latest Version of TuTuApp
Before discussing the features that come with TuTuApp for Android, one may view the most recent version of the app store and the necessary things to keep in mind. Check the point-wise info mentioned below.
- Name of the Application: TutuApp.
- Last Update: April 9, 2017.
- Size of the File: 6.63MB
- Version name: 2.2.32.
- Fixes: Fixed bugs concerning the crashing of the app store, it comes with fewer technical glitches.
TuTuApp for Android: Steps You Need to Follow
TuTuApp, being an app store, offers some of the most recent gaming apps. Not only that, the toolbar provided in the store is quite convenient for users to keep a track on specific things such as calendar, contacts, events and so on. Though you cannot get TuTuApp absolutely for free, it's a very convenient app store in terms of cost. With just a few bucks, you will receive every great feature of TuTuApp for Android.
Also read: The Best MovieBox Alternatives You Can Use
- STEP 1: First and foremost, you must visit the Settings of your Android device after which tap on the Security option. Once you enter it, go for the Unknown Sources section and thereby clicking on it to enable.
- STEP 2: Now you must download the TutuApp Apk file which is available on any of those trusted sources. Get hold of one, and immediately download the Apk file of TuTuApp.
- STEP 3: Now you need to visit the downloaded folder which is feasible for you. Then click on it in order to install the app store.
- STEP 4: You are all ready to use TuTuApp for Android. Utilize the features provided with utter convenience.
Wrap Up
We hope you enjoyed our guide to TuTuApp for Android. Download the app and enjoy hasslefree gaming and other features with the help of this app


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Tidal lagoon review head visits Swansea
Charles Hendry, former UK energy minister who was appointed by DECC to lead the tidal lagoons review, has visited Swansea last Friday to explore options and opportunities of tidal lagoon energy in the region.
Hendry had meetings arranged with the representatives of Tidal Lagoon Power, the company behind the proposed Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project, as well as with the members of local councils, businesses and the potential lagoon supply chain, according to South Wales Evening Post.
As reported earlier, the tidal lagoons review includes considering the cost-effectiveness of tidal lagoon energy as part of the UK energy system, as well as the potential opportunities in the UK and internationally that could arise from tidal lagoon energy.
"We all recognise that tidal power is an expensive technology. It has got to be done in a way which is cost effective," South Wales Evening Post has quoted Hendry as saying.
Hendry also said that the competition in building tidal energy lagoons in the UK would be good, but it was unlikely that a competitor for the construction of Swansea Bay tidal lagoon would arise, South Wales Evening Post reports.
Hendry was appointed as head of the tidal lagoon energy review in May. The findings from the review are expected to be revealed in autumn.
The review will also include exploring a range of possible structures for tidal lagoons financing, different sizes of projects as the first of a kind, and whether a competitive framework could be put in place for the delivery of tidal lagoon projects.
To remind, the 320 MW Swansea Bay tidal lagoon was granted a planning consent on June 9, 2015, by the UK Secretary of State, Amber Rudd.
Once constructed, the £1 billion Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project is expected to cover annual electricity requirements of over 155,000 homes, or over 90% of homes in the Swansea Bay area.


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Because, fabric does it all; from looking cheery to feeling comfortable in skin, and from brighten the room to easy in laundry. Surely armchairs made of fabric is one for you to consider whenever you are about to furnish your spot with armchairs…
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Since American Sniper became the highest grossing film of 2014, conservatives have rallied behind the family of Chris Kyle like never before. Over the last few months, the endorsement of Kyle's widow, Taya, has been highly coveted among the GOP candidate.
Taya, however, has remained silent about who she will be supporting in the next election: until now.
The widow of Chris Kyle has just announced that she will be supporting former Texas Governor Rick Perry in the 2016 presidential race. She endorsed Perry in an email she sent to the press:
"One of the greatest things my husband, Chris Kyle, ever did was move our family to Texas. […] I got to know Rick and Anita Perry outside of the public eye, where I've had an up-close view of their humility and commitment to doing the right thing for people regardless of who gets the credit. Believe me, they are a breath of fresh air in a political system full of people playing games and twisting the truth."
"I'm tired of the smoke and mirrors, I'm tired of the high glossy prints and everything that people want you to see, I want to know from a leader who they really are as a person, and that's why I'm here talking about [Perry]," she added.
Taya's endorsement will be a huge boost for Perry, as millions of Americans respect her opinion since she is the widow of an American hero. Taya also made it clear that Perry is a true man of God.
"I like somebody who feels like they answer to a higher power," she concluded.
Do you think Taya picked the right candidate to support? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.


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Welcome to the new Holiday Inn Express & Suites Shawnee - Kansas City West hotel.
Happy Hour and food Monday Through Thursday 5pm to 7pm
We strive to provide our guests with a clean and comfortable room with friendly attentive service while you are away from home.
We are conveniently located off I 435 which allows travelers a gateway to any part of Kansas City within 30 minutes including the Kansas City International Airport (MCI) .
Enjoy area attractions such as the Village West retail, dining & entertainment district, Kansas Speedway, Sporting Park and Schlitterbahn Water Park. Other attractions include the historic Country Club Plaza, Arrowhead Stadium, Kauffman Stadium Sprint Center, Power & Light District and the Kansas City Zoo . Be sure to try the local BBQ Kansas City is famous for! Whether your travels bring you here for business or pleasure our team is wholeheartedly committed to make your experience truly enjoyable. Our friendly staff is pleased to be of service and offer recommendations on restaurants, lounges, nightlife activities, and shopping. Start your day with our complimentary Express Start breakfast. Our many amenities include a heated indoor pool, 24-hour fitness center, meeting space, business center, free wireless and wired internet access. The hotel is also located near Bayer Corp, Biomune, Deluxe Check, FedEx, Grundfos, and Terracon. Our team is committed to making your stay an enjoyable one, welcome to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Shawnee!
Katy Perry
Oct 27 - 7:30 PM Sprint Center
Lady Gaga
Nov 15 Sprint Center
De Soto Days FestivalAug 31 - Sep 3, 2017De Soto, KS
Kansas City Juggling FestivalSep 2017 Dates UnconfirmedKansas City, MO
Jesse James FestivalSep 8-17, 2017Kearney, MO
Longview Tour of BrewsFestival may no longer be runningLee's Summit, MO
Jackson County Carnival for CASASep 9, 2017Lee's Summit, MO
Prairie Village Jazz FestivalSep 2017 Dates UnconfirmedPrairie Village, KS
CCKC Fall Car ShowSep 2017 Dates UnconfirmedKansas City, MO
Lenexa Spinach FestivalSep 9, 2017Lenexa, KS
Midwest Tea FestivalSep 9-10, 2017Kansas City, MO
Big Shoal Country FairSep 2017 Dates UnconfirmedKansas City, MO
Kansas City Cigar FestivalSep 9, 2017Kansas City, MO
North Kansas City Swift Mile Street FestivalSep 9, 2017North Kansas City, MO
Brush Creek Art Walk Sep 15-17, 2017Kansas City, MO
Blue Springs Fall Fun Festival Sep 15-17, 2017Blue Springs, MO
De Soto Sunflower Art FestSep 15-17, 2017De Soto, KS
Happy Hour Monday through Thursday 5pm to 7pm
Free Hot Breakfast Buffet
Complimentary Parking and Free WiFi
Indoor Heated Pool SALTWATER
Large Patio with Grills for Guest Use
Modern Fitness Center and Business Center
Cable TV with Premium Channels
Fridge, Microwave and In room safes
Hair Dryer and Coffee Maker
Flat Screen TVs
Family Suites available
NO Pets Allowed
Activities : The Parks and Recreation Department oversees more than 563 acres of city parks, Shawnee Town, the Civic Centre and the City's two state of the art aquatic facilities. They also offer over 500 classes, programs and special events for youth, adults and seniors.
Airport : The Kansas City Aviation Department owns and operates Kansas City International Airport and Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport. The Aviation Department's mission is to provide outstanding airport services in a safe and cost-effective manner for the benefit of citizens, visitors, airlines and customers. The department is an enterprise fund department of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, and is supported wholly by airport user charges.
Attractions : Kansas City attractions offer an endless variety of things to see and do. Explore the only nationally-recognized museum dedicated to World War I. Let curiosity guide you at Union Station. Or, walk in the steps of America's 33rd President in Independence.
Casinos : Experience Las Vegas style gaming located just minutes from the Kansas City International Airport and downtown Kansas City.
Dining : Great dining and restaurants are located by the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Shawnee Kansas City
Downtown : The Kauffman Center's overriding vision is to enrich the lives of everyone in the community through extraordinary and diverse performing arts experiences. The Kauffman Center, home to resident organizations as the Kansas City Ballet , Lyric Opera , Kansas City Symphony , and other innovative programming , embraces a variety of audiences with different tastes, interests and passions.
Golf : Designed in 1934 by legendary architect A.W. Tillinghast, Swope Memorial Golf Course was once the home of the PGA Tour's Kansas City Open (1949), making it the only public course in the area to have hosted a PGA Tour event. Carved out of the wooded land in Swope Park, this tight layout, along with its undulated fairways and multi-tiered greens, provides a true test of golf; one that legends Ben Hogan and Sam Snead have been challenged by. Skyline views of downtown, accompanied by the roars of lions from the K.C. Zoo below, give this course character that is unmatched anywhere in the city. Come out and experience what people consider the best value in K.C.!
Government : From the days of wagon trains pushing west to an entrepreneur pushing to open a new business. From settlers searching for their own land to college graduates looking to land a first job. People have always looked for a place in which to start fresh — an open territory where limitless ideas are embraced. Shawnee has always been just such a place.
Hospitals : Shawnee Mission Health (SMH) is one of the most preferred networks in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Our dedication to improving the health of patients' bodies, minds and spirits is the cornerstone of our existence and the fuel that has carried us forth on a healing journey that spans more than four decades.
Shopping : Shopping close to home not only sustains natural resources by reducing the amount of miles and emissions involved in travel; it also helps sustain the local economy. Visit some of the links below to find ways to shop and eat local.
Sports : Experience Major League action at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals.
University :University of Missouri Whether you are finishing high school, transferring schools, pursuing a second degree or living an ocean away, we are excited that you've taken the first step in the admission process.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kansas City West Shawnee Kansas KS Hotels Lodging Accommodations Budget Affordable Motels Cheap Vacation Packages Specials Pet Friendly Weddings Business Travelers Business Meetings Extended Stay Cerner Corporation Hotels by Hallcon Corporation Lenexa, KS ,Hotels by Community America Credit Union Corporate Office Lenexa, KS, Hotels by Genesh Inc. Lenexa, KS.
Translation of Website


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R.J. Cardin, Director of the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department
Mr. Cardin's full biography can be found here.
Joe Impecoven, Phoenix Outdoor Prorams and Outreach Market Coordinator, REI.
NEW VENUE! Our May Lunch and Learn will be held at Macayo's on Central at Indian School. The rate of $18 includes your choice of anything on the extensive Macayo's lunch menu as well as a soft drink.
Getting involved in the Green Chamber: Greater Phoenix is as easy as 1-2-3! Each month we bring you 3 great, green events - Mark your calendar for the following dates:
1st Tuesday - Green Drinks
2nd Wednesday - Lunch & Learn
3rd Thursday - Coffee with the Board
Our members believe Arizona is the perfect place to build "green" industries that create broad-based prosperity while preserving our quality of life for future generations. The Green Chamber provides access to the tools networking connections and education necessary to help Arizonans become successful while shaping a more just society.
Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce
70 S. Val Vista Drive
Suite A3-186
Gilbert, AZ 85296


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To view all of the prepared databases for a business category, select from among 371 SIC categories below.
Still not sure? We understand -- it can feel a little risky buying data on the internet.
Many of our satisfied customers have told us how they have been "burned" in the past with companies and lists far more expensive than ours.
That is why we offer a no risk, "no questions asked," satisfaction guarantee. We guarantee our lists to be 95% accurate.
If your marketing campaign, whether by direct mail, phone, fax, or email is more than 5% undeliverable, we will provide a prorated refund by issuing an immediate credit to your credit card.
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If you need to talk to someone to answer any final questions before completing your purchase, please call our toll-free number at 877-485-5044.


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Photo of Olivia Wilde at 2009 Emmy Awards
2009 Primetime Emmy Awards: Olivia Wilde
Let the Emmy Awards fun begin! What better way to start the red-carpet festivities than with the beauteous Olivia Wilde. The actress emotes major Hollywood glamour in a light-blue, floral embellished gown by Marchesa. Peep the mesh and cutout detail — sexy. Simple drop earrings and a silver clutch complete her ensemble. Do you love it or hate it?
Vote on all of my Primetime Emmy Awards polls here!
Image Source: WireImage


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Around The Jazz Internet: May 14, 2010
Some items we didn't really mention this week:
- The Jazz Journalists Association has relaunched its quarterly newsletter as an online news hub. JJA News is the site.
- Nate Chinen on 16-year-old jazz-pop sensation Nikki Yanofsky. Be sure to read his blog addendum, 'cause there's an complicated point buried in there worth reinforcing.
- Destination: Out features one of the rare Sun Ra sideman appearances, this one with vibraphonist Walt Dickerson. No, not Impressions of a Patch of Blue; the other one. Yes, there's another one.
- The annotated version of the new Fight The Big Bull record, All Is Gladness In The Kingdom.
- Jason Marsalis on bad modern jazz: accurate diagnosis, questionable prescription.
- Trumpeter Ian Carey replies to my reply to his reply to my ... oh, just read this. Also, Howard Reich on jazz institutions.
- Christopher Guest on jazz and music mockumentaries. H/T JazzTimes online.
- Teddy Bunn! At Jazz Lives.
- Jon Wikan: percussionist, home brewer.
- The Jazz Session this week interviews Dana Hall and Paul Pines.
- The Checkout this week features interviews and performances from recent music school graduates.
Some things we did mention:
- The American Routes archives have lots about New Orleans music and culture.
- Marc Myers on jazz greats' widows.
- The Colbert Report on Shimon, jazz robot.
- RIP Lena Horne and Francisco Aguabella.
And finally, other stuff on NPR Music:
- Hear the new Claudia Quintet album in full while you still can!
- Take Five this week features post-war R&B, in that period between jazz and rock 'n' roll.
- Lena Horne's daughter on her mother, on Fresh Air.
- Kurt Elling on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz, originally from 2002.
- Jazz Goes To College on JazzSet this week.
- Kevin Whitehead on the new Chick Corea solo piano collection.
- A third book on Kind Of Blue.


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Glade Street
The youngest, a great aficionado of what he insists on calling Ancient Roman numerals (surprise!), sputtered in outrage when he saw this great building with MCMXLI on the portico and a For Sale sign on the lawn, because he cannot imagine why anyone would part with a property that not only has clear historical value but also a Sam The Dot Man original work in the front yard. I have to agree with him; it's very sad.


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People who are technologically inclined and have great interest in innovations and developments being made in the field of technology and science are often hard put to get authoritative and credible sites to browse. The problem is that any upgrades or inventions or technological advancements get quickly outdated as newer products or services take over. The point then is to keep a constant tab on breaking news and bring it quickly to the interested.
This is what we at tipsinfopark.net have set out to do. We are a blog site dedicated exclusively to bringing the latest tech info to our readers. However, we do admit that it is a herculean task. Technological developments are not limited to any geographical location; they are constantly evolving in every corner of the globe. This is why we seek write-ups from bloggers who are experts and have in-depth knowledge to contribute to our blog site so that our readers can be made aware of the happenings around the world.
It is not necessary that the blogs be highly technical in nature. What we are looking for in fact is technology broken down in simple layman terms so that those who are not technologically disposed can also enjoy the fruits of science.
Even though the scope of our blog site is wide and large with many areas that can be explored, we give a few examples to get you started off in contributing to our site. You can focus on the latest gadgets that are being introduced and their specifications. You can review the products and give your opinion. As an expert, this will be of immense help to our readers.
You can also emphasise on the changes being introduced on popular networking sites. For example, Facebook will soon be launching their paid subscription News Feed and readers will be interested in knowing about it.
Send in your write-ups to us. Any topic is acceptable so long as it is related to the tech info niche.


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Public debt indexation and denomination, the case of Brazil: a comment
In this work I analyse the model proposed by Goldfajn to study the choice of the denomination of the public debt. The main purpose of the analysis is to point out possible reasons why new empirical evidence provided by Bevilacqua et al., regarding a more recent time period, gives less empirical support to the model. I also provide a measure of the overestimation of welfare gains from hedging the debt caused by the simplified time frame of Goldfajn's model. Assuming a time-preference parameter of 0.9, for instance, consumption gains associated with a hedge to the debt that reduces by half a one-time 20%-of-GDP shock to government spending run around 1.43% under the no-tax-smoothing structure of the model. Under a Ramsey allocation, though, consumption increases by just 0.05%. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Volume (Year): 12 (2007)
Issue (Month): 4 ()
Pages: 417-425
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References listed on IDEAS
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- Goldfajn, Ilan, 2000.
"Public Debt Indexation and Denomination: The Case of Brazil,"
International Journal of Finance & Economics,
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 5(1), pages 43-56, February.
- Ilan Goldfajn, 1998. "Public Debt Indexation and Denomination: The Case of Brazil," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 27, Central Bank of Chile.
- Ilan Goldfajn, 1998. "Public Debt Indexation and Denomination; The Case of Brazil," IMF Working Papers 98/18, International Monetary Fund.
- Lucas, Robert Jr. & Stokey, Nancy L., 1983. "Optimal fiscal and monetary policy in an economy without capital," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 55-93.
- Robert E. Lucas Jr. & Nancy L. Stokey, 1982. "Optimal Fiscal and Monetary Policy in an Economy Without Capital," Discussion Papers 532, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science.
- Calvo, Guillermo A, 1978. "On the Time Consistency of Optimal Policy in a Monetary Economy," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 46(6), pages 1411-1428, November.
- Robert Barro, 2003. "Optimal Management of Indexed and Nominal Debt," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 4(1), pages 1-15, May.
- Robert J. Barro, 2002. "Optimal Management of Indexed and Nominal Debt," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series,in: Fernando Lefort & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Serie (ed.), Indexation, Inflation and Monetary Policy, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 5, pages 135-150 Central Bank of Chile.
- Robert J. Barro, 1997. "Optimal Management of Indexed and Nominal Debt," NBER Working Papers 6197, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Robert Barro, 1998. "Optimal Management of Indexed and Nominal Debt," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 26, Central Bank of Chile.
- Robert Barro, 2003. "Optimal Management of Indexed and Nominal Debt," CEMA Working Papers 496, China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics.
- Zame, William R, 1993. "Efficiency and the Role of Default When Security Markets Are Incomplete," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(5), pages 1142-1164, December.
- William R. Zame, 1990. "Efficiency and the Role of Default When Security Markets are Incomplete," UCLA Economics Working Papers 585, UCLA Department of Economics.
- William R. Zame, 1992. "Efficiency and the Role of Default When Security Markets are Incomplete," UCLA Economics Working Papers 673, UCLA Department of Economics.
- Barro, Robert J, 1979. "On the Determination of the Public Debt," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 87(5), pages 940-971, October.
- Barro, Robert J., 1979. "On the Determination of the Public Debt," Scholarly Articles 3451400, Harvard University Department of Economics.
- David M. G. Newbery & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 1984. "Pareto Inferior Trade," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 51(1), pages 1-12.
- Bohn, Henning, 1990. "Tax Smoothing with Financial Instruments," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(5), pages 1217-1230, December.
- Bohn, Henning, 1988. "Why do we have nominal government debt?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 127-140, January.
- Ilan Goldfajn & Áureo Nilo de Paula, 1999. "Uma nota sobre a composição ótima da dívida pública - reflexões para o caso brasileiro," Textos para discussão 411, Department of Economics PUC-Rio (Brazil).
- Bohn, Henning, 1990. "A positive theory of foreign currency debt," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3-4), pages 273-292, November.
- Henning Bohn, "undated". "A Positive Theory of Foreign Currency Debt," Rodney L. White Center for Financial Research Working Papers 19-88, Wharton School Rodney L. White Center for Financial Research.
- Missale, Alessandro, 1999. "Public Debt Management," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198290858.
- David Cass & Alessandro Citanna, 1998. "Pareto improving financial innovation in incomplete markets," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 11(3), pages 467-494.Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
- David Cass & Alessandro Citanna, 1998. "Pareto Improving Financial Innovation in Incomplete Markets," Post-Print hal-00479286, HAL.
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As I explained last week, after my most recent Aol News piece on the Tea Party and racism went live, I got the typical flooding of my inbox from conservatives who swear I was going to lead the Black revolution to the sounds of a President Obama speech over a Nitti beat.
But, tucked away in my junk mail folder was an invitation from a conservative radio host by the name of Rusty Humphries who read my column and invited me to speak about my piece on his show. He swore that it was not a "gotcha" interview, but given the record of some of his colleagues, I was suspicious.
Thankfully, the incredibly wonderful and talented author, Mitzi Miller, encouraged me to do the interview. I'm glad I listened to her. Though we didn't agree on much, Rusty was kind and allowed me to speak my piece in peace. I didn't know it would be five million people (who likely won't agree with me) were listening, but it beats screaming at the raggedy (when I was there) CVS on Georgia Avenue.
In the past some opportunities for me to do press about my work were suggested, but never came to fruition. So this is me breaking my virginity. I don't think I sound like a babbling idiot so I consider this a win. Now, if you think at any point I sound like Soulja Boy raps, let me know and I'll strip for a speech coach by next Friday.
In the meantime, if you want to hear me you can check out the link below:
Michael Arceneaux Interview, The Rusty Humphries Show by youngsinick
So yeah, that's that. A producer of the show said Rusty was impressed by what I said and my view of things in the political realm. Go me, I didn't sound like I was high on Four Loko.
Here's to hoping I get to do more of this (and TV) and not just with politics (not at all a subtle hint, I know). I know my voice matters. It's about damn time more people hear it.


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Separate names with a comma.
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Feel free to sign up today.
Discussion in 'Legend of Zelda' started by racer-gus, Jan 2, 2007.
how do i melt the ice in zora's domain?
go to the big rock that landed when the volcano erupted.
Midna will warp you to Death mountain to get the molten rock that will melt the ice.
Hope this helps.
Go (warp) to the huge pillar thing in the ground at death mountain and warp it back to zoras domain.
midna will tell you that the portal should work, then warp to death mountain and check that big rock that almost made a hole on link's head. warp with the rock to zora's domain.
Did it really need four people to say exactly the same thing here?
cool i needed help wiv this part too thnx ppl
At least he knows that the answer is reliable.:lol:
Well... Seems That Everyone Else Beat Me To It!:lol:


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Comparative Criminal Procedure
Edited by Jacqueline E. Ross and Stephen C. Thaman
Chapter 2: Ensuring the factual reliability of criminal convictions: reasoned judgments or a return to formal rules of evidence?
Stephen C. Thaman
Since 1989 in the United States (US), at least 337 innocent persons have been exonerated based on DNA tests after having been convicted, nearly always by juries,1 in trials which were otherwise 'fair' in the sense that the judgments were not overturned on any legal grounds, nor due to insufficiency of the evidence (Innocence Project, 2016). Since 1976, more than 150 persons sentenced to death for murder have been exonerated through DNA testing and other means (Death Penalty Information Center, 2016). The greatest percentage of wrongful convictions are due to erroneous eyewitness identification, but some 25–30 percent are due in part to false confessions or admissions and 15 percent of the wrongful convictions involved false testimony of an informant. Bad lawyering and negligent or outright dishonest practices of police, prosecutors, and forensic experts were also significant causes of these miscarriages of justice (Illinois, 2002; Innocence Project, 2016).In relation to all of these convictions of the innocent, we can presume the trial judge denied a motion for a directed verdict of acquittal based on insufficiency of the evidence,2 and that appellate panels implicitly found sufficient incriminating evidence for a reasonable jury to convict. In other words, the American rules of evidence allowed juries to decide the fates of people charged with capital and other serious felonies based on either weak or fabricated evidence in each of these cases.
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Palm/Passion Sunday (C)
A sermon preached by Intern Pastor Bob Schaefer
Fir-Conway Lutheran Church
Palm/Passion Sunday - April 8, 2001
Text: Philippians 2:5-11
Paul writes:
5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
There is tension in the air this Sunday. Can you feel it? Look at the palm fronds all around our sanctuary, waving uneasily in the breeze. Fifteen, twenty minutes ago, we waved them and cheered, "Hosanna! Hosanna, Jesus! What a blessing you are-you come in God's own name! Hosanna!" Such were the cries that welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem; such are the cries that welcome him into our worship, as well. It is an ancient shout of jubilation, of gladness and celebration…but there are dark undertones here. Hosanna means, "Save us, we beg you!" That dark undercurrent in our shouts of acclaim is brought out now as our readings point us toward the cross, the place where our cries of Hosanna were answered in blood and bone, sweat and passion. Today we celebrate Palm Sunday: Jesus is exalted. Today we also observe Passion Sunday: Jesus is humiliated. And the Apostle Paul captures the tension in the air and brings it into sharp focus.
"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus," he asks us, and then goes on to tell us just what sort of mind he's talking about. He quotes a hymn to the Philippians, one of the very oldest portions of the New Testament. The song is about the Incarnation of Jesus, his humiliation and death, and his exaltation to glory by the Father. It catches all the basic strands of faith and weaves them together into a dense, beautiful poetry. It is a creed, a statement of faith set to music. It tells us a story about Jesus, one that helps us make sense of the palms and the Passion.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Apostle John began his gospel with those words, reminding us of the creation story--of Adam and Eve and the Garden--and placing Jesus Christ, the Word of God at the very center of everything. The Philippians hymn echoes John's thoughts: "He was in the form of God." The form of God. Don't be fooled by the awkward English phrase here. To us, being "in the form of" something implies copying, ripping off, deception, or an outward appearance. Paul certainly doesn't propose that Jesus merely appeared to be God, but was really something else! In fact, the word that ends up being "form" in our Bibles is only used when the outward appearance matches up with the inner reality. If Jesus is "in the form of God," very simply, Jesus is God.
But notice the humility! All the rights and privileges owed to God, Jesus shuns. In order to carry out the divine plan of salvation, Jesus empties himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. Jesus--who was inside and out, top to bottom, 100% pure God--now puts on the very essence of humiliation, becoming--inside and out, top to bottom, 100%--a slave. Someone whose only purpose is to serve.
What about this "emptying" business, though? What did Jesus empty himself of, exactly? Not surprisingly, the church has been puzzling over this question ever since Paul put pen to paper and recorded this hymn for us. Some have suggested that Jesus actually emptied out his divine nature. This is obviously not the case, though; the gospels make it clear that Jesus did not cease being God when he became a man. Many other possibilities have been proposed, but the answer the Philippians hymn gives us is so obvious that we read right past it: he "emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness." His emptying comes from taking on our nature, not abandoning his own nature. One scholar observes "[Jesus] had every right not to choose the path of servanthood rather than claim His rightful status." But he does choose the humility of servanthood, "and as a result of this one act His whole earthly life became the life of a bond-servant, in which he does nothing, speaks nothing, knows nothing by himself; but all is under the power and direction of the Father through the Holy Spirit."
Even when that power and direction point him straight toward the place that is called The Skull.
The hymn does not end at the Place of the Skull, though…nor does the story of Jesus. In that moment of utter humiliation, God exalts Jesus--he lifts him up. Now, he does not exalt Jesus from the humiliation of the cross, but in that humiliation. Jesus is not spared one iota of the consequences of "taking the form of a servant," but that moment of supreme humility on the cross is lifted up by the Father as the moment of supreme glory!
Humility. Humiliation. Humbleness. They're words we try to avoid whenever we can. Who seeks out humiliation, after all? A sense of humility may get you somewhere in this life, but a healthy ego will probably get you farther. We may respect someone who is humble, but the idea of humbling ourselves is contrary to human nature. Or is it? All three words--humility, humiliation, humbleness--are kissing cousins to the word we use to name ourselves: human. It's not too much to say that when we are most humble, when our humility is the greatest, that is also when we are at our most human.
Jesus, at his moment of supreme humiliation--at his moment of supreme humanity--was lifted up by God. The God who creates from nothing took that moment of greatest emptiness, and through it brought forth the salvation of the world. The tension between palm and Passion, between glory and humility, is finally resolved in the cross. God is glorified in the lives of his servants, and he lifts them up in their humility--not out of it. When we share in the perfectly human himiliation of Jesus, God also gives us the strange glory of Christ's cross.
It is with all of this in mind that Paul encourages us to be of one mind with Jesus. He seems to hold two men before us, each one the image of God. One of them, Adam, considered that equality with God was not only something to be exploited, but something to be forcefully taken like an apple from a tree. That man's grasping after glory is the downfall of us all. On the other hand, there is Jesus, our new Adam. His likeness to God was even greater than Adam's, and yet, he didn't exploit his equality to God or cling to vain glory. This man's self-emptying and servanthood are the salvation of us all.
When Christ's mind is in us, we begin to understand what it means to love our neighbors the way we love ourselves. We begin to see that "humility is not thinking meanly of ourselves; it is not thinking of ourselves at all." No one but Jesus is called to bear the weight of the world on a cross--no one but Jesus could. What he asks of us is that we join our own palms and passions to his, that we become more fully human through sharing his humiliation, that we serve each other even as he has served us. Palms, passion, humiliation and service will come to us whether or not we join the to Jesus…he offers us a chance to be lifted by God beyond them.
"Hosanna!" we cry. "Save us!" And Jesus the Servant does. Thanks be to God. Amen.


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Today want to share with you an awesome proposal from a Ring Stash client in Las Vegas. Tim wanted to propose to his girlfriend Nicole while they were on vacation in Las Vegas. So to do this, he wanted to make sure that he created a surprise for her when she least expected it. He did this by taking out on the town and after they returned to the Linq Hotel, Nicole was shocked at what she saw. The room was completely redone to be a very romantic atmosphere.
The room had lots of candles, picture frames of them, champagne, and tons of rose petals that almost made a carpet! The bed even had a rose petal heart! Tim brought his ukelele in order to serenade Nicole once they were in the room. Tim played a romantic song for her and afterwards, he pulled out a Ring Stash that he had been hiding easily from her. Tim proposed to her and of course she said yes! Congrats to Tim and Nicole!
Check out the photos below. All photos courtesy of M Place Productions
As always if you want to have a smooth marriage proposal where you are not worried about your partner finding the ring before you propose, then Ring Stash is your answer. It is a slim ring box that can hide easily on your clothing so that you can focus and your big moment. Get yours today!
Proposal Planning by The Heart Bandits0


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|Professional Automotive Repair Technical Discussions for January 24, 2010
International Automotive Technicians' Network (iATN) - Members Only
|(Also Available: All, Asian, Chrysler, European, Ford, GM.)
|Vehicle Owners: If you are seeking an automotive repair professional to service your vehicle, visit the iATN Repair Shop Finder.
Open Help Requests for Chrysler
|Help Request
|2007 Chrysler 300 C 5.7L abs, esp VIN: 2C3KA53GY7
Hi all, I need some advanced help in this C300, the car came with ABS,ESP warning lights on , checked DTC found "U140E Implausible vehicle configration data recevied" cant clear this DTC, I have a OEM star scan , I have no idea about this DTC and this fast tim...
|2007 Jeep Compass 2.4L abs VIN: 1J8FF47W37
hi folks, i have a customer with a 07 4wd jeep compass, a car with 4x4. I am not sure if this is the problem. when compared to other cars and trucks during a road test this car has 4-5 times the stopping distance in slight snow on the street that other cars ...
Fixes & Summaries for Chrysler
|1992 Dodge Grand Caravan SE 3.3L cabin heat VIN: 1B4GH44R5N
hey guys i want to thank everybody who helped with my request,after waiting for some time due to holidays & customer on vacation .when he got back we replaced radiator because it was all rotted & finally decided to inspect water pump & found impellers also rot...


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August Chat
View Single Post
August 19th, 2013, 12:10 PM
Platinum Supermommy
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12,034
Kelsey - I hope you all adjust soon to the new school schedule.
AFM, traffic will be screwy for about 3 weeks until people get used to school being back in and settle down into a pattern. Next fall, we plan to have Mark start pre-school. That is bittersweet, and I'm sure I'll be crying that day.
As for this past weekend, we had a busy one planned, but I also managed to get some scrappy time in for me too. Yay! I hope to get some more pages done this month too, and add to my yearly total. I am determined to reach that 100 page goal this year.
Also this weekend, on Sunday we took Mark to the movies for this first time. We went to see Planes and he LOVED it. And was so good too, sat either in his seat or snuggled up on my lap but watched the entire movie and munched on his popcorn. I wish the other kids around us were as well behaved, the one behind me (probably age 9) kept kicking my seat, talking loudly and coughing every few minutes without even trying to cover his mouth. The Mom was busy on her phone the entire time and didn't even pay attention to him at all. Grrrr! Other then that though, it was a great time.
Thanks Jaidynsmum for another perfect siggy!!
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Find all posts by Sasix


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Okay, so I'm 18 and a freshman at U. of Buffalo. I longboard around campus quite a bit and my friend said that it's off putting to guys cause it makes me too masculine and like dominant or something. Guys, is that true?
Other than that, I've always been told I'm cute and girly. I don't look masculine, I dress like zooey deschanel (shes my style idol) and I do have...well lets just say I don't have small boobs.


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Sochi Olympics Mascots are Bunny, Leopard and White Polar Bear
Mascots of the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 were elected bunny, leopard and white polar bear. The unusual decision of having three mascots was announced by Dmitry Chernyshenko, head of Sochi organizing committee, at the end of a nationally televised show on Russia's Channel One TV evening of February 26. For the three candidates were given a total of 62 percent of the vote.
Originally there were 10 candidates Ded Moroz the Russian Santa Claus. Santa Claus, who, according to opinion polls, was one of the favorites, was eliminated from the voting.
As recalled by the radio station Ekho Moskvy , shortly before the vote, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin named his favorite. He said that he likes the leopard, who eventually scored and the most votes – 28 percent.
More than 1 million votes were cast, according to the , according to Channel One program.
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