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Journal of the Chilean Chemical Society
versión On-line ISSN 0717-9707
J. Chil. Chem. Soc. v.51 n.3 Concepción sep. 2006
J. Chil. Chem. Soc., 51, N°.3 (2006), p.957-960
1 Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas. Universidad de Chile. Casilla 233 Santiago1. Chile.
A series of three tetranuclear Cu(II) complexes of general formula [Cu4OCl6L4], where L is a Lewis Base ligand has been characterized through magnetic measurements and determination of antimicrobial activities.
This study include the following species [Cu4OCl6)Cl(PhIm)3](HPhIm)•H2O (1) where PhIm= 4-phenylimidazole, [(Cu4OCl6)(PyNO)4]•1/5(H2O) (2) where PyNO= Pyridine-N-oxide and [(Cu4OCl6)(MeIm)4]•3(CH3OH) (3) where MeIm = 2-methylimidazole.
The polynuclear cluster in the complexes contains a central oxygen atom tetrahedral coordinated to four copper(II) ions, each of which coordinates a monodentate L ligand. Each pair of copper atoms is bridged by on a chlorine ion, resulting a trigonal bipiramidal environment.
The variable temperature magnetic susceptibilities of these complexes were investigated in the temperature range 5-300K.
Satisfactory fits to the observed susceptibility data were obtained only for the complexes (1) and (3), by assuming isotropic magnetic exchange interactions and using the appropriate spin Hamiltonian and susceptibility equation giving the coupling constants J1= 0.148cm-1, J2= -1.707 cm-1 for (1) and J1= 0.522 cm-1, J2= -5.32 cm-1 for (3).
The antimicrobial activities of these complexes have been screened in vitro against Gram positive and negative bacteria.
Keywords: Copper, magnetism, antibacterial activities.
Copper (II) is probably the most extensive studied among the transition metal ions. This is due to their lability, their high affinity with different ligands and the wide variety of ligands geometries that can accommodate.
Due to their importance in biological processes and industrial application, copper(II) complexes synthesis and activity studies have been the focus from different perspectives.
Copper(II) complexes have found possible medical uses in the treatment of many diseases including cancer [1,2]. On the other hand, an increasing number on antibacterial activity studies in copper complexes have been reported [3,5].
Significant research from experimental and theoretical viewpoint have devoted to analyzing the polynuclear Cu(II) complexes with various bridges between the metal centers, matter in connection with their magnetic behaviour and design of new catalysts [6-8].
We report here the synthesis, magnetic properties and antibacterial activity of the [(Cu4OCl6)Cl(PhIm)3]•(HPhIm)•H2O (1), [(Cu4OCl6)(PyNO)4]•1/5(H2O) (2) and [(Cu4OCl6)(MeIm)4]•3(CH3OH) (3), complexes which contains both µ4-bridging oxygen and µ –halogens in their structures.
Experimental section
All chemicals and reagents are commercially available and were used as received without further purification.
The copper (II) complexes were synthesized by the method previously reported [9]. A methanol solution of the organic ligand (1 mmol) was added with constant stirring to a solution containing copper chloride (1 mmol) in the same solvent. The resulting solution was refluxed for 45 min. Single crystals suitable for X-ray analysis were obtained by slow evaporation of the solution of the complexes in methanol.
C, H and N microanalyses were carried out with Fison Carlo Erba EA 1108.
Magnetic Measurement
The magnetic susceptibility of (1), (2) and (3) complexes were determined over the temperature range 5-300K by using a SQUID magnetometer (QUANTUM DESING MODEL MPMS-XL5 instrument) with a field of 0.1 T. The data were corrected to compensate for the diamagnetism of the constituent atoms using the Pascal's constant, and also corrected for the temperature independent paramagnetism 60 x10-6 cm-3mol-1 per copper (II).
Antibacterial activity
Bacterial strains used in this study are property of the Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory collection (Universidad Diego Portales). Staphylococcus aureus AB68 Streprococcus sp. SJD1025, Acinetobacter baumannii PL9060, Bacillus cereus GCA250, Citrobacter sp., Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae RYC492 and Shigella flexnerii strains were isolated from clinical samples while the Escherichia coli BL21 strain was obtained from Novagen Inc. and Escherichia coli DH5a strain was obtained from Gibco BRL.
Bacteria were grown in Mueller Hinton Agar (Difco) as Mueller Hinton broth (Difco) for 16 to 24 h at 37 ºC in an incubator.
The in vitro antibacterial activity of the complexes was tested using the paper disc diffusion method [10] and quantitative antibacterial activity was determined using minimum inhibitory concentration method (MIC) [11].
In the complexes studied here, the copper (II) atoms are configured in a tetrahedron around the µ4-bridging central oxygen. Each one of the four copper atoms is bridged by µ2-halides. In the complexes the Cu4OCl6 nucleus is highly symmetric.
The major differences found in the complexes are due to the external ligands attached to copper: three PhIm ligands and one chloride ion in (1), four PyNO ligands in (2) and four MeIm ligands in (3). Figures 1 to 3 show individual ellipsoid plots of the three compounds.
In all three structures the four copper atoms bound to O1 define an almost perfect tetrahedron while each chlorine atom coordinates to two different Cui,Cuj centers, laying at the bisectors of the corresponding Cui-O1-Cuj angles. The symmetry of this almost tetrahedral arrangement C3v, where the axe 3 is defined by the Cu4 - O1 distance and the vertical plane by the Cu4, O1 and Cu1 atoms in the case of (1). The Cl6 array thus conformed defines a nearly perfect octahedron centered at, though beyond bonding distance to, the central oxygen O1 and interpenetrating the copper tetrahedron. The slight deviation of each core from a regular geometry is responsible of the different magnetic properties of each compound, as we shall try to demonstrate below. The detailed discussion of the X-ray crystal structures, data collection, structure solution, and refinement of these complexes can be found in reference [12].
The coordination geometry around each metal center is a irregular bi-pyramid, where the percentage trigonal distortions from the square pyramidal geometry of the atomic arrangement around the four Cu (II) atoms are t ranging between 74-87 % for (1), 62-85 % for (2) and 69-82 % for (3) [13].
The complexes were characterized on the bases of magnetic measurement. Variable temperature (5-300K) magnetic susceptibility data were collected for a polycrystalline sample of compounds (1), (2) and (3) in a 0.1T field.
The magnetic properties of the tetrameric complexes under the form of the χMT product versus T plots (cM being molar magnetic susceptibility per tetrameric molecule and T the absolute temperature) are shown in Fig. (4).
For the complex [(Cu4OCl6)Cl(PhIm)3]•(HPhIm)H2O (1), the data values in the 40-300K range are indeed well-fitted by a Curie-Weiss law, C= 0.25 and q= -16.94K.
The χMT product remains constant during cooling from room temperature to 150 K and it decreases slowly at lower temperature reaching minimum value of 0.114 cm3 mol-1 K.
At 300K, χMT is 0.235 cm-3 mol-1 K which corresponds to an effective magnetic moment (meff ) of 1.37 MB. This value is smaller than the expected for four independent copper (II) ions (meff= 3.46 MB).
For the complex [(Cu4OCl6)(PyNO)4]• 1/5(H2O) (2) the data obey the Curie –Weiss law and a least-squares calculation of C and q (the Curie Weiss constant ) using measurements in the whole temperature range resulted in C=1.084 cm3 mol-1 and q= 1.20K. The low positive value of q is indicative of a weak ferromagnetic interaction between tetrameric compounds. In this case, the χMT product decreases slowly from 1.078 to 1.066 cm-3 mol-1 K between 300 and 6 K.
For the complex [(Cu4OCl6)(MeIm)4]•3(CH3OH) (3) the magnetic susceptibility data obey the Curie-Weiss law, using measurements in the 45-300 temperature range resulted in C= 0.905 cm3 mol-1 and θ= -44.14 K. The negative value of θ is indicative of an antiferromagnetic interaction between complexes.
The χMT product at 300K is equal to 0.800 cm-3 mol-1 K, this value is lower than the theoretical value for four uncoupled copper (II) ions, and gradually decreases to 0.376 cm-3 mol-1 K at 6 K.
The tetrameric copper complexes have been classified in three classes in relation to the existence of a maximum in the temperature dependence of the effective magnetic moment [14,15]. In class I, the magnetic moments decrease monotonically with decreasing temperature, and in class II and class III, the magnetic moment passes through a maximum and then decreases at lower temperatures. (Class II complexes have a strong maximum, while class III complexes have a slight maximum in the m vs T curve).
In the complexes described in this paper the distortion from the idealized tetrahedral geometry permits us to describe the cluster in the C3v symmetry group.
The Cu-Cu distances can be classified in two groups: a group of short distances, and a second group of the large distance.
For the complex (1) the short distances are Cu(1)-Cu(2)= 3.066 Å, Cu(1)- Cu(3)= 3.094 Å, Cu(2)-Cu(4)= 3.118 Å, and large distances are Cu(1)-Cu(4)= 3.127 Å, Cu(2)-Cu(3)= 3.156 Å, and Cu(3)-Cu(4)= 3.140 Å.
For the complex (3) the short distances are Cu(1)-Cu(2)= 3.114Å, Cu(2)- Cu(4)= 3.094 Å, Cu(1)-Cu(3)= 3.115 Å, and large distances are Cu(1)-Cu(3)= 3.138 Å , Cu(3)-Cu(4)= 3.143 Å, and Cu(1)-Cu(4)= 3.135 Å.
The magnetic susceptibility under C3v symmetry is given by the expression derived from the Heisenberg spin operator , the exchange integral J is negative for antiferromagnetic interaction and positive for ferromagnetic interaction [16].
In this equation J1 and J2 correspond to exchange constants associated to short and long distances respectively. The C3v coupling is shown in scheme 1
The result of this fit, which is displayed as the solid lines in figure 5 yields values of J1= 0.15 cm-1, J2= -1.71 cm-1 for (1) and J1= -0.52 cm-1 and J2= -5.3 cm-1 for (3) with an agreement factor of R= 3.08 Χ 10-4 for (1) and R= 1.10 Χ10-4 for (3) (R=: Σ[(χ m)obs-( χm)calc]2/ Σ [(χ m)obs]2).
The Table 1 shows the antimicrobial activities of tetranuclear copper complexes synthesized in this work.
The complex (1) shows antibacterial activity against all bacteria tested, β. cereus is the most sensitive strain against this complex within Gram positive bacteria studied. The complexes (2) and (3) presented activity against Gram negative bacteria only. From Gram negative bacteria tested, E. coli and K. pneumoniae presented a greater sensitivity to three copper complexes and S. flexnerii presented a smaller sensitivity.
Under the same conditions the free ligands (4-phenilimidazole, 2-methylimidazole and pyridine-N-oxide) and DMSO were inactive.
Although no satisfactory results were obtained for the compound (2), we believe that the model used here provide the appropriate description of the magnetic properties of the copper (II) complexes. This model retains the know structural features and also accurate reproduce the data
In conclusion, we can indicate that the polynuclear copper complexes studied here have weak Cu-Cu magnetic interactions, as seen by the calculated 2J values, and the lack maximum in the curve χT vs T.
The complexes showed antibacterial activity mainly over Gram negative bacteria, with exception of the complex (1) that showed activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The difference in the antibacterial activity of copper complexes studied in this work probably is associated to ligand type and its space distribution around the complex core, since the core of the three complexes has a similar structure.
This research was supported in part by FONDECYT (Project 1020122). We are also greateful to Region de Bretagne. P.C acknowledges to MECESUP UCH-0116 for doctoral scholarship.
[1] J.R.J. Sorenson, Chem. Br. 16 (1984) 1110. [ Links ]
[2] R.K. Gouch, T.W. Kensler, L.W. Oberley, R.J. Sorenson, K.D. Karlin, J. Zubieta (Eds.), Biochemical and Inorganic Copper Chemistry, Vol. 1, Adenine, New York, (1986), p. 139. [ Links ]
[3] J.R.J. Sorenson, Prog. Med. Chem. 26 (1989) 437. [ Links ]
[4] R.N. Patel, Nripendra Singh, K.K. Shukla, U.K. Chauhan, S. Chakraborty, J. Niclos-Gutierrez, A. Castineiras. J. Inorg. Biochem. 98 (2004) 231. [ Links ]
[5] N. Jiménez-Garrido a, L. Perelló, R. Ortiz, G. Alzuet, M. González-Álvarez, E. Cantón, M. Liu-González, S. García-Granda, M. Pérez-Priede. J. Inorg. Biochem. 99 (2005) 677. [ Links ]
[6] A.M. Atria, R. Baggio, M.T. Garland, O. Gonzalez, J. Manzur, O. Peña, E. Spodine. J. of Crystallographic and Spectroscopy Research 23, 12 (1993) 943. [ Links ]
[7] M. Murugesu, R. Clérac, B. Pilawa, A. Mandel, C. E. Anson, A.K. Powell. Inorg. Chim. Acta 337 (2002) 328. [ Links ]
[8] C.N. Kato, M. Hasegawa, T. Sato, A. Yoshizawa, T. Inoue, W. Mori. J. Catal. 230 (2005) 226. [ Links ]
[9] A.M. Atria, A. Vega, M. Contreras, J. Valenzuela, E. Spodine. Inorg. Chem. 38 (1999) 5681. [ Links ]
[10] K.L. Kwaniewska. Bull. Environ. Contam.Toxicol. 27 (1981) 289. [ Links ]
[11] National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Methods for Dilution Antimicrobial Susceptibility Tests for Bacteria That Grow Aerobically-Fifth Edition: Approved Standard M7-A5. NCCLS, Wayne, PA, USA. (2000). [ Links ]
[12] P.Cortés, A. M. Atria, M.T. Garland, R. Baggio. Submitted to Acta Cryst (2006). [ Links ]
[13] A.W. Addison, T.N. Rao, J.Reedojk, J. van Rijn, G.C. Verschoor. J. Chem. Soc. Dalton Trans. (1984) 1349. [ Links ]
[14] R.F. Drake, V.H. Crawford, W. Hatfield. J.Chem.Phys. 60 (1974) 4525. [ Links ]
[15] H.Wong, H.Dieck, C.O'Connors, E. Sinn. J. Chem. Soc. Dalton Trans. (1980) 786. [ Links ]
[16] P. Weinberger, R. Schamschule, K. Mereiter,L. Dlhán, R. Boca, W. Linert. J. M. Struct. 446 (1998) 115. [ Links ]
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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
LEADERS: Azerane Bam BinkyBunny JerseyGirl LBJ10 LittlePuffyTail LongEaredLions RabbitPam
Since I have been posting in various places about my first bonding experience, I figured I"d start a thread that will have it all in a nice concise place.
First off, let's meet the lovely lady looking for her soulbun - Maryann
Ain't she a beauty? She was rescued off of Alameda Beach near the old naval base (hence the name - on a deserted island. Guess it could have been worse, she could have been named Mrs. Howell). She is currently somewhere between 5 and 6 years old, 5 pounds (although she'll tell you 3 and a half) and has lived with just me. I don't have very many visitors but when I do, she comes to greet them, whether she is in her cage or out of it. She spends a good portion of her time in her cage as I have alot of craft projects about and she could easily hurt herself. I should also note that she is ultra clean, never having left a bb outside of her litterbox and she even puts her own toys away (pushes them all into a corner when she's done). He loves to investigate everywhere and does quick laps and binkies all the time.
Luckily, I live less than 10 minutes from the HRS in Richmond, so there's the place to be. I took her in her carrying case and drove over there on 11/11/07 to being her first round of dating. Shall we see the bachelors?
First was Jeremy:
I'm not a fan of the pink eyes but he was so sweet and they mentioned they had a hard time placing such rabbits so I thought I'd give it a try. They were very complacent in the x-pen, Maryann basically stayed in the hay box, Jeremy hopped around a bit, they nosed everyso often without ears back. All and all, unremarkable - which is a good thing.
Next was Conner:
Conner was a bit more of the romatic, hopping into the box with Maryann (much to her surprise). There was only the slightly hint of aggression from her (momentary ears back) but she left the box. Later on, they were next to each other and it looked like they were about to snuggle but then they thought better of it. Again, no major confrontations which was good. It was about this time that I realized that my Maryann was being quite the Man's lady if you will (debutante' I called her).
Now came Buddy (no pic available)
Buddy is an all black mix bunny with a slight scar under his left eye that 'weeps' from time to time (his tear ducts aren't able to handle all of his tears). When he was put down next to Maryann, she turned towards him, groomed his eye and then chinned him! "This is what Love at First Sight is," I thought to myself. But apparently Buddy wasn't on the same wavelength. He kept his distance and thumped from time to time - I guess he didn't like her. Too bad.
Next we tried a couple of girl rabbits, just on the off chance she was partial to the female sex. No such luck. Within seconds, she had charged each one in turn, nipping the second one on the flank (no blood though). We were going to try another male but she was all worked up so it was time to go home.
So far things were looking good.
11/18/07 update
Maryann was in full shedding mode as I brushed off three baby bunnies worth of fur from her and then took her to the HRS, Richmond. We began the usual setup with having her get comfortable and then we introduced her again to the three boys above. I don't know what happened over the week, but she would 'attack' them (charge and/or box) if they moved quickly or tried to sniff her rear. We gave her some more time to try and settle down and tried a new bunny, in case she had had second thoughts about those before her.
Enter Buster
Buster was perhaps the most laid back bunny I had ever met. And yet, Maryann didn't want anything to do with him. I felt bad for him because after her first charge, he just sat up against the cage wall and 'hunkered down' for the rest of the time there.
I couldn't understand what was up. Maybe it was the person doing the bonding process as those there weren't quite sure about a few things. Or maybe Maryann just liked being a bully. We then tried something different and introduced her to Max, who was a large (10+ pounds), albino rabbit. The guy looked like (and acted like) a dog (no pic available).
Well, sure enough, as soon as Max hopped quicker than a crawl, Maryann lunged. I was getting frustrated at my nervous little girl but didn't let it get the better of me. So we tried something different. Leaving Maryann inside the X-pen, we let Max hop around the outside. They came nose to nose more than half a dozen times and Maryann didn't so much as pull an ear back. In fact, they seemed to do binkies to each other (Max first, with Maryann following him) and someone thought they heard Max honk. So next we opened up the X-pen and my darling explorer hopped out to check out the room. Her and Max's paths crossed quite a few times but no aggression was seen.
During this time, one of the volunteers came in with this little guy, Newt:
Newt is EXTREMELY tiny and isn't going to be getting any bigger (his ears show how small he's gonna be). He can easily fit in one of my hands or cupped in two of anyone elses (I have big hands). The only reason he hasn't been swept up yet is that he has a very bad malinclusion(?) and his teeth need trimming every 3 weeks or an operation to remove them that will cost up to $800. To me, money isn't the issue, Maryann's happiness is so if he'd work...
Well since Maryann was already on the outside, we took Max away and put Newt into the cage. Wherever Maryann hopped, Newt followed from within the cage. Because Maryann enjoys roaming more than other buns, we swapped them out, putting Newt on the outside, Maryann on the inside. Well it turns out Newt enjoys exploring as much as Maryann but he did stop by the cage a few times to exchange sniffs with her. So, we let Maryann out of the x-pen after she got used to seeing Newt about. When their paths first crossed, Newt was moving at about half a run speed, which was too quick for Maryann, so she lunged at him. Instead of turning away like the others did though, Newt stood his ground, reared up, batted her head with his tiny front paws and Maryann took off like a shot. The next time they crossed, Newt (already neutered) tried to mount her. She again took off and after that, they peacefully hopped around, crossing paths but without any incident.
That was enough for that day. Now that I think we found a better way of introducing the buns (through the bars), we might have a better experience next time. I am going to once again run Maryann through all the boys thus far (especially Newt - anyone who can put Maryann in her place gets an extra vote from me since I'm so bunny-whipped) and see what happens. This will be happening both Saturday and Sunday (11/24 & 11/25/07).
P.S. - just a funny note about this day. Maryann was wandering away from one of the boys (I don't remember if it was Max or Newt) and someone who was sweeping up Max's poops nearby put the broom in front of her to try and herd her back to the other bunny. Maryann just stopped, looked at her for a second and then THUMPED! - and by her command, the broom was moved and she continued on.
cool! thanks for the write-up. i'm looking forward to hearing how the process goes for you guys...
nice read... thanks! maryanne means business when she thumps huh?
Newt sounds just like what MaryAnn needs. A spunky fella! Thank you for taking the time writing up the report, it's great to hear how things are going! Although I wouldn't rule Max out either.
i hadn't read the second part... i LOVE that Maryann thumped at the sweeping person! that's too FUNNY! HOW DARE YOU!!! lol...
so Maryann has been by herself for 5 or 6 years you said... is it possible that she doesn't necessarily want another bun?
What ending? Please do share!! I didn't watch this year!
Totally off topic haha but yeah the bacholor didnt pick any of the two girls
that were left! it was very upsetting!
I was a little worried about the third set of dates - especially when Maryann hid in her house, ignoring all of my tricks with treats to get her out. She knew where she was going and she wasn't happy. But being a good parent, I did what I thought was best for her and after wrangling her into her carrier, we went to the HRS in Richmond.
When we got there, I met someone I hadn't seen before named Celine. She told me she was an expert bunny-bonder and she was indeed. I believe my last visit's woes came from a group of individuals who really didn't know much about bonding and the rabbits could sense their apprehension.
So, she went back and selected a new bunny for Maryann, Alex.
She set both Maryann and Alex into the hay box and began petting them fast and somewhat roughly. Not overly so but enough that they kept their heads down. They then began to slowly turn their heads towards one another and when she did stop petting, they just laid there next to each other. Eventually, Maryann sat up and began to nibble on some hay while Alex just kept leaning into her, cuddling. Each would present their heads to the other at times but no grooming went on. But even when they were hopping around, Maryann didn't do her usual lunges. Good news!
So, I had her bring Conner out again. She repeated the process and this was even better than the first one. Again, they seemed to snuggle in and at times, Maryann would put her head under Conner's. Conner did nip her rump but it only resulted in her hopping forward a bit. Camile said that it is possible that as a male, Conner is trying to mount her but if it happens, it will probably only happen once since Maryann is definitely the dominate one.
We also tried Buddy again and, although once more there wasn't any hostility, Maryann acted as if he wasn't even in the box - including walking over him. He, on the other hand, just remained hunkered down - which we took to mean he was still scared of her.
So, the end result is that I believe we will be taking Conner home with us soon. I have another date set up for next weekend and Camile is willing to take time out of her own schedule to come in and help with the bonding. So, things are looking good.
Oh, and on a side note, Newt was adopted! I was very happy to hear about this and wish that lil' ball o' fluff the best.
Funny part of the day: I also looked in on another bonding going on with someone's male, neutered rabbit to the females of the shelter. He was on top of her, holding onto her fur with his teeth and, well, doin what male bunnies do. All I could think to myself was "If Conner tries that with Maryann, he'll be missing more than what was lost during his neutering."
yay for Newt! and exciting for Maryann to be having Conner for a bun-mate soon! isn't it interesting how much of a difference it makes when there's a confident / experienced person involved? animals are so intiutive. funny that Maryann walked right over that one bun... had to laugh when i read that. rabbitude!
Yay for Connor and Maryann! he looks alot like Luchi, my foster who just got adopted this weekend. I love those buns with the black and white coloring. Good luck with them!
So last weekend was a two day dating session for Maryann. She really didn't want to go the second day but ol' dad had something else to say about it.
Saturday was more of the same. We saw Buster, Alex and Conner again and while it started off quiet enough, it turned into a nipping/spinning war with each one. Once again, I was a little let down. I decided to try another tactic and suggested we get a bonded pair in there with Maryann. Maybe if it was two against one, she'd be more receptive.
So in came Flopsy and Mopsy
First off, if anyone is in the market for two adorable brothers, get these guys. Not only are they lovable, but they have been at the shelter for so long that they qualify for some sort of 'grandfather' clause that results in discounts for supplies as well as vet visits to Dr. Harvey.
So, the boys meet Maryann and almost immediately, Maryann mounts Flopsy! Well that was different. Nothing else was very different although she seemed to prefer to be with the boys than with the bonder that day. At least the change in action renewed my faith in finding her a friend.
Sunday I returned and my favorite bonder was there (I believe her name is camile but I kept on getting it wrong). She was confused as to what we did Saturday having thought Conner would be a good match for my bun. We put them back in and eventhough they did do the nipping thing, she told me that that is only natural and that they will need to settle the dominance thing sometime. I was worried that the lack of any grooming might be an issue. So she decided to smear maryann's head with some banana babyfood - which Conner took to immediately. It was weird watching Maryann flinch everytime he touched her - as if she didn't know the meaning of grooming like I had starved her of attention. I had her put in with the two boys again and once more she quickly mounted Flopsy then hopped off. However, Camile said that if I wasn't looking for a three bunny home, I should really consider Conner.
What it boiled down to is that Maryann seems basically accepting of all the male bunnies she's seen. It is just that it will take some work bonding them at home - which is to be expected with any bonding. Camile felt (and quite correctly) that I was expecting to find 'love at first sight' and that in all the years she's been doing bonding, she has only seen it happen once. So my expectations were a little high. She told me that any male we've seen would work and that it was now up to me to choose.
Now here comes the hard part of things. Although I do love what HRS has done for me and I think Conner is a real cutie, a stray thought came to mind. If any bunny will do, I wondered if I should look at another shelter - one where buns aren't really taken well care of, and see about rescuing from there. Maryann was such a rescue and whereas I know that Conner will be well taken care of until he finds a home, another bunny may not be so lucky.
I am giving Maryann a couple of weeks off since she was rather stressed this weekend so I'm not going to make my decision soon but was wondering what y'all might think.

subset: commoncrawl


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Thread: Home Defense
5/28/2013 12:41pm, #11Combatives training log.
Gezere: paraphrase from Bas Rutten, Never escalate the level of violence in fight you are losing. :D
Drum thread
Pavel Tsatsouline: kettlebell workouts give you cardio without the dishonour of aerobics.
5/28/2013 1:00pm, #12
I'd rather have an AR or a pistol for home defense.
Spread from a Mossberg Maverick @ 12 feet:
Lessons learned:
1. After doing additional tests, I now feel that this test had a flaw. Having the sheetrock pieces so close together allowed them to stack up and gave a false result. By spreading the sheets out, like in a home, we found that buckshot will penetrate 4 walls (8 sheets of sheetrock)easily.
To see the results, please see, Rifles, Shotguns, And Walls.
The slug penetrated all 12 boards.
2. Once again, please notice the size of the entrance spreads....2 1/2" to 3 1/2". Therefore, anyone that says, "With a shotgun, you don't even have to aim. Just point it in the general area of the bad guy, and you can't miss", does not know what they are talking about.
You can very easily miss with a shotgun. You must aim to hit your target.
3. The slugs were "bad" penetrators. By that, I mean that they will penetrate several interior walls. If you have loved ones in your home, consider this as you select your home defense weapon.
4. I "racked" the shotgun several times during the tests, and no bystanders lost control of their bowels.
Conclusion: Racking a shotgun will not make the bad guy faint.
5/28/2013 1:48pm, #13
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5/28/2013 1:53pm, #14
5/28/2013 1:53pm, #15
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5/28/2013 1:53pm, #16
5/28/2013 1:56pm, #17
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- BJJ, Judo, JJJ
5/28/2013 2:20pm, #18
I've been researching getting one because I missed a gun during the last "OMG GUN VIOLENCE" ban scare. Wanted a cheap one, but now realize for use and longevity, it may be better to build one or buy one for a few hundred dollars more.
Bushmaster Carbon Red Dot:
S&W M&P15 Sport
Olympic Arms A1 Carbine
I am not comparing quality because I have never shot one, just price ranges.
So, there was an entire market of between 630-700 dollars until the shooting. Then the prices quadrupled. No, I am not kidding. These low end guns were going for 2100 or more at one point. All of those companies, many more as well, have different classes.
For example, The M&P 15 has the T, OR, P, X , Sport and a no letter model IIRC. Sounds like you saw one of the higher Bushmasters.
Now, they all appear to be settling at about 100 dollars more than before the mass shooting.
Last edited by It is Fake; 5/28/2013 2:24pm at .
5/28/2013 2:42pm, #19
PDS Rifles
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- Nov 2007
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- Tampa Bay Area
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- Univ. Florida Kickboxing
Mossberg 500 from wally world, 220 bucks. Order a 18.5" barrel from Mossberg. 6 rounds plenty for home defense, and you'll have a very ID software Doom esque gun that you can use for pretty much everything but long-distance shots (200-800 yard shots)
Though, I really recommend a handgun (9mm and up) + training for home defense. Long guns kinda suck for moving around, though they are great for static defense (hiding in wait for intruder)
Unless of course, you can get an SBR. Or a subgun.www.pdsrifles.com Add us on facebook!
Parts and Accessories
Law Enforcement Firearms
5/28/2013 2:45pm, #20
- Join Date
- Jun 2005
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- Sinsinnatti Oh Hi Ho
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- all things in Moderation
I have a gunsmith "friend" who owns a gun shop and he flat out told me he LOVES the whole "OBAMA IS GUNNA TAKE OUR GUNS !!! " bullshit and feeds it to sell guns and modifications to paranoid people. His only complaint is that the manufacturers are making even more bank and playing the same games with him and his peers.
Funny world we live in.
oh ... Remington 870 by the way. Easy to shoot, easy to care for, easy to customize, and very few complaints. My roommate got one a while back for home defense. I love it personally...
and re:shot gun racking sound ... I hate it. The last thing I want when I am investigating a possible break in here is to let the fucker know exactly where I am. A surprise loud authoritative voice once the intruder is in your sights is a much better cue that they need to be still and that they have fucked up.I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out.
Originally Posted by Jean Paula-Satire


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And the winners are ... : Shoo birds, recycle waste take home Caring for the Kenai awards
Bird control and beach bags topped this year's Caring for the Kenai winners list.
Soldotna police eligible for grant: Money slated for defibrillators
President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law for the purpose of providing a stimulus to the U.S. economy, but how about saving lives?
Redoubt volcano remains restless
As of 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, Mount Redoubt remained on watch , according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
Gun owners pack meeting
It should come as no surprise that when guns are on the table in this community, the room doesn't empty, but fills.
'Dynamic' author, speaker to attend central peninsula garden club
Anyone who thinks fishing groups in this area are serious about their favorite pastime, should check out a Central Peninsula Garden Club monthly meeting, which regularly draw an average of 100 people per event.
Alfred T. Clayton Sr.
Kenai Peninsula resident Alfred T. Clayton Sr. died Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008, in Homer. He was 94.
Mary Ann Nicholson
Sterling resident Mary Ann Nicholson died Monday, April 27, 2009, in Soldotna. She was 85.
Kardinals get sweep of Bulldogs
Kenai Central goalkeeper Bryson Lowe has a giant pair of shoes to fill while following in the footsteps of former goalie Justin Wisniewski.
Soldotna sweeps Mariners
The Soldotna girls began the defense of their Northern Lights Conference crown in style.
Vampires live in the 'Twilight': Reviewer finds movie hard to sink his teeth into
A day full of April
A bloody good time for all: Society for Creative Anachronism gathers for Renaissance fair
There will be some medieval merrymaking this weekend as the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) will be hosting its "Day of Blood" event in Kenai, and unlike a Renaissance fair, everyone who attends is welcome to take part in the festivities.
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The DCYF said it was an "unfortunate" incident that a week's worth of pay went down the drain for one child care worker who was wrongly flagged by the DCYF.
Kristin Rankl works two part-time jobs in child care, doesn't have a criminal record and her fingerprints have never been flagged before.
On September 28, she said she went into the DCYF office with two co-workers for routine background checks and was given the all-clear.
A few weeks later, Rankl's boss was contacted by the DCYF saying that there was a hit on her fingerprints and she couldn't work, according to Rankl.
"Basically, the most frustrating part was that I have three children of my own. I'm expecting my fourth in 12 weeks, and I lost a week of work for no reason at all. That's a decent chunk of money," Rankl said.
According to a spokesperson for the DCYF, the agency "made a routine monitoring visit to the child care center and found that three child care staff did not have fingerprints on file." That is against licensing regulations.
After phone calls and emails, Rankl was re-fingerprinted at the Woonsocket Police Department and received the all-clear to go back to work.
She called Call 12 for Action to get an answer as to why the incident happened in the first place. When asked, the DCYF said that such data is not tracked and that their "highest priority is to ensure the safety of children in our care, so our staff always takes all steps necessary to ensure that a child care worker and their center are in compliance with our licensing regulations."


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"Can Assist" provides financial assistance to people in rural and regional communities affected by cancer because we believe every country community, family and individual should have equitable access to cancer care and support.
RESULTS is a movement of passionate, committed, everyday people. Informed by our campaigns, we take action to influence key decision makers. Together we use our voices to influence political decisions that will bring an end to poverty.
Since October 2010 we are supporting UN MDG's, through our effort to fight malnutrition in indigenous communities,proving continuous school feeding programs.We also provided a free daycare center without any cost to our 25 students every year from 2013 to present.We also provides livelihood training to our volunteers and parent recipients. We also started our 0-1000 days stunting prevention program and because of the lack of supports we put it on hold BUT Now we will Refocus to be a part in providing proper nutrition during those windows of opportunity from conception until the child reach 2 years old. With the post-2015 SDG's we will give our full support on #1,#2,#3,#4 and #8 with emphasizing our efforts to continue our works on #2 - Zero Hunger. WE CAN DO IT and WE WILL DO IT NOW. www.meals-to-learn.org
Durante la maternidad la capacidad biológica y psicológica de la madre se ve fuertemente exigida y en el período postnatal enfrenta la mayor dificultad: cuidar a su hijo. Prevenir adecuadamente los problemas de relación psicofisiológica del niño con su madre ha sido reconocido como una estrategia para que los sufrimientos y dificultades de éste no se conviertan en rasgos estables de su personalidad y experiencia de vida. Con el objetivo de implementar estrategias de asesoramiento y contención en madres que concurrieron a una maternidad pública de San Miguel de Tucumán, se implementaron actividades de soporte psicosocial y nutricional en etapas: 1º: Se formó a los voluntarios, con temas referidos a los cambios psíquicos, físicos y bioquímicos que ocurren durante el embarazo, parto y postparto asi como temas de psicoprofilaxis con el fin de aplicarlos durante las entrevistas a las madres; 2º: Las gestantes, fueron invitadas a participar y previo consentimiento informado, respondieron a: Cuestionario de Salud Prenatal (Malaise Inventory), Recordatorio sobre alimentación. Se dialogó sobre sus dudas y temores sobre la experiencia de maternidad; 3º: En el postparto se localizó a las madres en la Maternidad o se visitó su domicilio. Se aplicó Escala de Edimburgo, otras técnicas de screening psicológico y se dialogó sobre temas del posparto como cambios en su estado de ánimo y dieta. Se brindó información sobre alimentación del bebé e importancia de la lactancia materna, y se ofreció interconsulta psicológica e información sobre servicios sociales. Los voluntarios comprometidos en su misión lograron enriquecer sus experiencias con el soporte brindado a la madre y su hijo, motivándolos a continuar con actividades afines. En cada momento se entregó folletos didácticos, elaborados por los voluntarios, con información referida a los temas mas consultados.
We are having a blood drive in our school and the blood drive is credited to a 3-year old who is fighting for his life. He has Pearson's syndrome. His mother is a teacher at our school. The younger students made cards and the older ones are dedicating our blood drive and seeking donors to Bennett. The process for the blood drive is led by our YAC (Youth Acting in the Community), our service club. The Casady School Blood Drive will take place on December 11 from 7:30-12:30.. The picture is from our after school program
EngAyde is a collaborative effort of concerned Sierra Leoneans that volunteer their time brokering information that will influence decisions and actions to end the fight against Ebola in our beloved country.Our work is essentially about connecting, catalysing, influencing decisions and actions in so far that we act as a policy advisory group that applies pressure where necessary.
We work in conjunction with affiliate partners to curate a unique mix of content around what's going on, what's topical, who's doing what, with what resource and how you can get involved in Sierra Leone and abroad.
Our group got together over a series of comments on a FB post in July. After weeks of talking, planning and waiting for something to happen, we decided to take the bull by the horns and respond to the nuanced interests of the Sierra Leonean community at home and abroad. If you happen to be one of those wanting to make a difference in helping Sierra Leone, then you are in the right place. We aim to shine a light on 3 areas of information in the battle against Ebola : 1.Inspiration: we aim to provide news and updates that will get you going "wow, that's amazing, we should do something like that"; 2.Insight: We aim to share commentaries, analysis and ideas that might have you saying: "aha, now I understand" or "OK, I hadn't thought of that angle" or "oh, so that's what's needed; 3.Connections: We look forward to fostering links between Ebola related activities/ groups and concerned citizens or friends of Sierra Leone that lead to a "so that's who we need to speak to/work with". We cannot do this without you, so we welcome all aspiring "EngAyders" to volunteer with us, give tip offs, flag important dates for the diary, cool campaigns, pictures of unsung heroes etc.
VYLH-Philippines is a network of pro-active, service-oriented, empowering and visionary leaders equipped with knowledge and skills in mobilizing the youth for health. It is composed of youth leaders from different community- and university-based youth organizations throughout the Philippines. The formation of VYLH-Philippines is part of an international effort to establish the March of Dimes – Global Network for Maternal and Infant Health (MOD-GNMIH) participated by youth counterparts in China and Lebanon linked by the common interest of volunteerism and public service to improve birth outcomes worldwide through advocacy.
The network was organized with the aim of creating a network of youth leaders who will champion in increasing public awareness on existing health programs, and on the significance of a healthy lifestyle at an early age. Currently, the network is in the forefront of the campaign directed to increase the public's awareness on the significance of folic acid supplementation in the prevention of birth defects, and on the importance of newborn screening in saving babies from death and mental retardation. The network also advocates for the passage of the Rare Disease Act, an act addressing the needs of patients with rare and orphan disorders.
Since 2009, VYLH-Philippines has been organizing health promotion and advocacy activities such as community and school lectures, mothers' classes in hospitals and health centers, symposia, and exhibits. The network also continuously engages in developing print and accessible online resource materials; designing communication tools and strategies; and establishing partnerships with local agencies and professional organizations. The network has also integrated in its calendar of activities some national and international observances related to the advocacy.
At present, the network's volunteer force is a diverse mixture of youth leaders coming from different interests and professions.
VYLH-Philippines has also conducted local, provincial, regional, and island-wide youth camps in order to sustain the membership of the network, and engage youth leaders coming from unrepresented areas of the network's volunteer pool. A national leadership congress of volunteers is also regularly held in order to strengthen the network, recommission volunteers, provide updates about program developments and future plans, as well as discuss relevant and timely health issues. At present, the network's volunteer force is a diverse mixture of youth leaders coming from different interests and professions. In the span of four years, VYLH-Philippines has trained more than 300 volunteer youth leaders coming from more than 200 youth organizations nationwide and has conducted year-round advocacy projects, three national volunteer congresses, three island-wide youth camps, and one national camp. Recently, VYLH-Philippines was invited as the sole Filipino Youth Organization to participate in the 6th International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities in the Developing World. The network's programs were also recognized by the Voice of the Youth Network-Philippines as one of the Outstanding Health Awareness Project of 2013. Taking value to the importance of the youth in nation building, VYLH-Philippines had, and will continue to mold, equip, and engage Filipino youth leaders in the hope of promoting a healthier nation.
Health education is the way to a better world. In Haiti health providers are scarce while the population rises exponentially. One way, some of my colleagues and me have found to counter this situation is by giving the average health care recipient the means to be a part of their own health by providing them with health information in laymen terms and their native language which is creole in presentations and through social media campaigns.
Health education is the way to a better world. Providers are scarce and populations are rising exponentially. So as a physician, with some of my colleagues, we decided that a good way to counter this situation is by giving the usual health care recipients an opportunity to be a part of their own care by giving them proper information in laymen terms and their native language. We did so in the event of the Chikungunya outbreak that hit Haiti in mid 2014 by doing presentations and sharing guidelines through social media. We founded a non profit organization to make sure our volunteering brings about sustainable change for the Haitian population.
I work for Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel which is the fastest growing hospital in Jerusalem and treats over 500,000 patients a year. In an effort to lower the spread of infections, the staff of the hospital put together a Hip Hop rapping clip intended to increase awareness of the importance of washing hands. In honor of Global Washing Hands Day this week we released the video with English subtitles, http://goo.gl/1d2MMX We are proud to be part of the effort to increase awareness that washing hands is very important and can save lives. Please share this video. We post numerous healthy living tips on our Facebook page, @Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Thank you, Shalom from Jerusalem, Dahlia


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Carl Frampton insists he will fire himself into world title contention by beating Steve Molitor in Belfast on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.
Frampton - who is managed by Barry McGuigan - faces undoubtedly the biggest test of his fledgling career when he steps in with two-time IBF champion Molitor.
The Canadian, 32, claims he too has motivation aplenty heading into the fight given that defeat to the emerging Irishman would realistically spell the end of his world-level career.
But Frampton, nicknamed 'The Jackal', is adamant his desire will prove the stronger and believes an impressive victory will catapult him into the consciousness of the world's best super-bantamweights.
"There definitely is a risk, but I'm at the stage in my career where I want to have big fights," Frampton told Sky Sports News HD.
"I want to be propelled to world level and Steve Molitor certainly is world level - he's rated number nine by Ring magazine.
"So if I win this fight everyone's going to know about me, all the world champions are going to have to stand up and take notice."


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BOOKS BY JAMES PATTERSON FOR YOUNG ADULT READERS The Witch & Wizard Novels
Witch & Wizard (with Gabrielle Charbonnet) The Gift (with Ned Rust) The Fire (with Jill Dembowski) The Kiss (with Jill Dembowski)
The Maximum Ride Novels
The Angel Experiment School's Out — Forever Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports The Final Warning MAX FANG ANGEL Nevermore
The Confessions Novels
Confessions of a Murder Suspect (with Maxine Paetro) Confessions: The Private School Murders (with Maxine Paetro)
Med Head (with Hal Friedman)
Illustrated Novels
Maximum Ride: The Manga, Vol. 1–6 (with NaRae Lee) Witch & Wizard: The Manga, Vol. 1–3 (with Svetlana Chmakova) For previews of upcoming books in these series and other information, visit confessionsofamurdersuspect.com, maximumride.com, and witchandwizard.com. For more information about the author, visit jamespatterson.com.
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Little, Brown and Company New York Boston
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Copyright © 2014 by James Patterson Illustrations by Keino Excerpt from Confessions of a Murder Suspect copyright © 2012 by James Patterson All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author's intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at email@example.com. Thank you for your support of the author's rights. Little, Brown and Company Hachette Book Group 237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Visit our website at lb-teens.com Little, Brown and Company is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. The Little, Brown name and logo are trademarks of Hachette Book Group, Inc. The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher. First Edition: July 2014 First International Edition: July 2014 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Patterson, James, 1947– Homeroom diaries / by James Patterson and Lisa Papademetriou ; illustrated by Keino.— First edition. pages cm Summary: Seventeen-year-old Margaret "Cuckoo" Clark keeps a journal detailing the trials and tribulations of high school life as she and her close-knit group of outcast friends try to break down the barriers between their school's "warring nations." ISBN 978-0-316-20762-1 (hardcover)—ISBN 978-0-316-20763-8 (e-book)— ISBN 978-0-316-37863-5 (international) [1. High schools—Fiction. 2. Schools—Fiction. 3. Interpersonal relations—Fiction. 4. Friendship—Fiction. 5. Foster home care—Fiction. 6. Diaries—Fiction.] I. Papademetriou, Lisa. II. Keino, illustrator. III. Title. PZ7.P27653Hom 2014 [Fic]—dc23 2013016061 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 RRD-C Printed in the United States of America
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Prologue LET'S GET HAPPY
I'm starting over. With this diary. With everything. So welcome to it. And if we're going to be friends—and I know we are—then I might as well be completely straight with you. I mean, what kind of person lies in her own diary? There's something I need to get out of the way before we get any further. I started this diary as a patient at "Crazytown." That's what us locals call the psych ward at St. Augustine Community Hospital in Portland, Oregon, where I went for a ten-day "observation period" not too long ago. Look, before you jump on the pity train and start thinking that this is going to be one of those god-awful books where the "big reveal" is that the girl goes nuts and a lot of her quirky, lovable friends in the asylum go berserk and try to kill her, let me just say that It Wasn't That Bad. People were actually really nice to me. In fact, everyone found me fascinating! In other words, they observed me. And I observed me, too. It was all very observational. They were trying to make sure I wasn't going to hurt myself, and I was trying to figure out why
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I had spent the last three months crying absolutely all the time and at the most embarrassing moments possible, like at my friend Katie's house while we were watching Bridesmaids. I mean, I completely lost it when Melissa McCarthy pooped in the sink. Katie started to get really concerned then because that is not like me. At all. Does that sound sane to you? But after ten days in Crazytown, I finally decided that I wasn't too much crazier than most kids I know. I was just furious—mostly at my mom, who disappeared one Tuesday afternoon without a word or even a good-bye kiss.
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For a while, I worried that something horrible had happened to her. Then I worried that nothing had happened and she just decided to leave. I still don't know the answer, which can definitely make someone a certain kind of crazy (we're talking squirrel-stuck-in-a-storm-drain freak-out). But I am feeling a lot better now. I'm working on Getting Happy. My best friend, Katie, has been doing a lot of reading on happiness lately—like, books on how to Get Happy. (Yes, there are instruction manuals.) Some of the books say you should challenge yourself and try new things. Writing in my diary is supposed to help, too. Now that I have been certified "sound of mind," things are really looking up.
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Chapter 1 THE UN-UNITED NATIONS
I'm Cuckoo Clarke. This story mostly takes place in a small town outside Portland called North Plains. There's a gun shop outside town that has an annual Back-to-School Sale. (I'm anti-gun.) Every August, our town hosts the World's Largest Elephant Garlic Festival. (I'm pro-garlic.) Most people around here wear Nikes, Portland's proudest. (I prefer Uggs, but I wouldn't say I'm definitely pro- or anti-footwear.) And now, welcome to the main setting of this show: North Plains High School! It looks the way you're probably picturing it. The hallways are full of the Usual Suspects: Jocks, Nerds, Twinkies, Otaku, Barbies, Goths, Eurotrash, Jailbait, Stoners, Joiners, Glommers, Delusionals, Haters, Wankstas, Thespians, Teachers, Terror Teachers, Zomboids, Robots, Gleeks, United Colors of Benettoners, Libertarians, Activists, Juvies, Baristas, Blahs, and—my best friends—the Freakshow. That's right. We call ourselves the Freakshow. My best friend, Brainzilla (Katie), had this idea that we should give our little group a nickname that's far worse than anything any of the diseased minds in our school could dream up.
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Don't most high schools smell/look/sound the same? Anyway, after the Freakshow was born, we actually took it a step further and gave ourselves insulting individual nicknames, too. I think we did a pretty good job with them: Brainzilla is number one in our class. She's IB (that's International Baccalaureate) and determined to be the first person in her family to go to college. She has set her sights on Yale and has even already scheduled an interview—two years early. She works her butt off constantly and then goes home to take care of her three little brothers. Her parents work weird shifts, so her house is messy and complicated and basically covered in snot. Hana named herself Eggroll ("Eggy" for short) after a couple of racist creeps asked her about her "dumplings." She has about a thousand interests, but sadly for her parents, school isn't one of them. Paul has zits everywhere that I know about, so "Zitsy" was an easy choice. He's deathly afraid he'll end up working in his father's plumbing business. Peter covers us with both the jocks and the Religious Right, so "Tebow" seemed like a good fit. He's also insanely good looking. Flatso, formerly Beverly, is overweight, but also flat breasted, which is rare and borderline tragic. She happens to be strong enough to rip your head off. Not that she would. She's the sweetest person I know. And then there's me, Cuckoo.
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So now you've met the whole gang. You'd think with the zillion other cliques, clubs, and posses in this place that we'd all fit in somewhere, but we don't. The truth is that this school is a mess of warring nations. Jocks hate Nerds. Barbies hate Goths. Blah blah blah. But my friends and I are planning to do something about that. It's Monday, and it's raining, so the hallways are wet as we all drag in droplets on our shoes and clothes. Digger Whitlock gives me a cheerful hello as he passes by my locker. His family owns the local funeral parlor. They specialize in Vegas-glitz coffin interiors, and Digger's dad will—for an extra two hundred bucks—dress up as Elvis and sing "Love Me Tender" at your beloved's interment. So he's allowed to be a little messed up.
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And there's also this: Digger's older brother died in a car crash last year. He had a beautiful coffin. But even so, it gives me the shivers to think about Andy Whitlock. I really hate the idea of being dead. (Although I love sleeping, so I'm not sure what that's about.) I think I just hate endings in general. They're so…final. Maybe that's another reason I'm starting this diary. I'm a big fan of beginnings. Especially beginnings—and second chances. And short chapters, obviously. So, I think you get the picture. Of me. Of my friends. Of North Plains High School. Basically, it's like being back in the asylum. With more homework.
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Chapter 2 HOW TO SURVIVE HOMEROOM (AND THE REST OF THE DAY)
I'm sitting in homeroom scribbling and surviving. I was reading Pride and Prejudice a minute ago, and I'm really into the book. I just love that Janie Austen. Now I'm imagining myself meeting a boy in my personal version of Pride and Prejudice. His name is Laurence Darcy, and he's the younger brother of Fitzwilliam Darcy, better known as Mr. Darcy, and he is just so charming and British and Jane Austen-y that it's like I'm in homeroom heaven!
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We start chatting at a society ball at Netherfield Park. Laurence Darcy is pretty dreamy. I'm just loving all those great nineteenth-century manners!
Hmm. I may be in love. Stay tuned. Laurence Darcy gets me through the rest of homeroom and, let's face it, the rest of my classes, until lunchtime. Hold your fire, Teachers, Barbies, and all Haters, I think as I walk through the cafeteria doors. I'm immediately hit in the face with the greasy, smelly reminder that the caf offers almost nothing that hasn't taken a long and luxurious bath in the FryDaddy. It's sick. The Activists are lobbying for a salad bar, and I say, "Dare to dream, Activists!" I really love their hopeful energy and vision for a brighter tomorrow!
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Today I take my brown bag over to the Freakshow Corner. That's the table where my biffles and I sit every day. It has a good view of the parking lot. When I get there, I see a Hater—Marty Bloom—trying to shove something into Zitsy's face. Zitsy's trying to get away, but his head is pulled way back, and I'm worried that his neck might snap like a rubber band. "Come on! You freaks usually can't keep your pieholes shut!" Marty says. "Get away from him, Marty," I say. Zitsy has been pushed around so much that he doesn't even fight back anymore. He says he's used to it, but I'm not. I really hate it. "Leave him alone!" Marty backs off, surprise curving his straight black eyebrows.
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"I was just fooling around." He punches Zitsy in the arm. Maybe he means it to be playful, but Zitsy winces. "What's the big deal, Maggie?" "I'm Cuckoo, remember?" I tell him. "And Zitsy's my friend. Don't touch." "Compassion and respect, people!" Eggy pipes up as she walks up behind me. "What she said," I agree. "That's what Jesus would do," Tebow puts in, which is a little over the top, but not completely wrong, either. He sits down next to Zitsy so Marty won't try anything again. Marty narrows his eyes. "That right there is what makes people want to mash pie in your face," he snaps, and walks off. "You owe me three bucks for the food," he calls back over his shoulder to Zitsy, then cracks up. Zitsy looks down at the plate that's sitting on the table in front of him. "I hate pie," he says quietly. Eggy hands him a pile of napkins, and he starts wiping gooey peach from his face. Flatso has joined us now, and she wraps her thick arms around Zitsy. Then Eggy does, then Tebow, then me. "Is everything okay?" Brainzilla asks as she walks over to join us. "Why are we all hugging?" She doesn't wait for an answer. She just puts down her tray and joins in. And that is why I love my friends. Because they aren't afraid to create a Human Hug-Blob in the middle of the cafeteria, even if it means getting stared at.
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Chapter 3 DEPRIVED
After what seems like ten years but is still too short to me, we stop hugging and get back to our seats. Fifteen minutes left in lunch. Plenty of time, as long as we skip chewing and go for the direct-food-inhale. "Okay, so that hug gave me a new idea," Eggy announces. "For Operation Happiness?" Brainzilla guesses, and Eggy nods.
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"Okay, so the idea is called Hands Across the Football Field," Eggy says. "I already love it," Flatso gushes. "The whole school would join hands for five minutes," Eggy says, and I look at her like she's the one who's cuckoo. Zitsy seems into it, though, and leans forward. "And then what?" "Maybe pass a squeeze back and forth," Eggy adds. Wow. It's so…over the top. "Um—" I start, but Zitsy interrupts. "I think the key here is snacks." "I wasn't thinking snacks," Eggy admits. "Either way, it definitely has potential," Brainzilla says, but Tebow shakes his head. "Coach Struthers hates having civilians out on 'his' turf," he says. "He'll get the whole team to chase us off." It's true. Coach Struthers is a nut about the turf. Once I went to watch Tebow practice, and when I stepped on one of the chalk lines, I got whistle-blasted loud enough to cause brain damage. Yep. That's just one example of the tragicomedy that is North Plains High. It's kind of like Hamlet meets Bridesmaids. I watch Zitsy push his bag of vinegar chips around, not eating them. That's not like him. Usually he eats so fast and so much that it's like watching a wood chipper. Zitsy not eating is bumming me out.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 13
"You know what? Marty kind of got me down," I say. Then I stand up, give my whole body a shake, and say, "Get off! Get off! GET OFF!" This usually helps me brush away icky, ugly, heebie-jeebie feelings, but it doesn't do much to counteract my reputation as a nut job. "Why does Marty have to be such a Hater, anyway?" Flatso asks, not really expecting an answer. But I surprise Flatso with my response. "Because"—I give her a grin—"he's deprived." "Hellz yeah," says Eggy, and Tebow crows, "It's on!" "Oh, boy." Brainzilla puffs out a breath that lifts her bangs from her forehead. "Here we go." Yeah, that's right—it's time for another round of our favorite game: DEPRIVED! Goal: To be the object of greatest pity. How to Play: State a way in which your life has been hideously deprived. In the end, we declare Zitsy the winner. He spends the last ten seconds of lunch vacuuming chips and high-octane Coke into his digestive system. That's when I know that my friend is all right.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 14
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 15
Chapter 4 LOVE AND BIO
We interrupt this diary for an announcement: There's a new kid in bio! He's just standing at the front of the room scanning the class with his big blue eyes, like maybe he can't decide where to sit. He chews on a fingernail, adorably nervous. I'm still all about Operation Happiness, so I walk right up to him and introduce myself. "Welcome to North Plains High School!" I say. "We're all about helping each other here. Our motto is 'We're in this together!'" (Actually, our motto is "Educating students to succeed in a changing world," but that sounds kind of ominous to me. Mine's better.) "Um, thanks." An awkward laugh stumbles from his lips. "Uh—do you want to take a seat?" "Oh, sure, but I already have a lab partner." I wave my finger at Flatso, who is sitting at our black marble lab table with her notebook open and pen poised. "Helleeeeew!" Flatso calls in an inexplicably English accent. "Okay, well, why don't you go sit down," New Kid says, which strikes me as a little weird. But I assume he thinks maybe we'll have more time to hang out after class, so I head over to my seat.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 16
"He's absolutely darling!" Flatso whispers. "Why are you suddenly British?" I whisper back. "Don't you think it makes me sound more refined?" she asks as the New Kid walks up to the front of the room and starts the class. Yes, that's right—he's not the New Kid. He's the New Teacher! I can feel my science grade drop out from under me. "Um, hello. I'm Winston Quinn." He starts to write it on the board, and the chalk gives off a deafening screech. "Heh," he says, and starts again, but then the chalk breaks. He scrambles underneath his desk to get it, and when he pops back up, his face is pink. He takes a deep breath and says, "Well, anyway, you can all call me Winnie." "What happened to Ms. Donaldson?" Langston Connors shouts from the back of the room. "Uh—I'm not—" Winnie blushes deeper, and sweeps his blond bangs out of his eyes. I swear, he looks like he's sixteen. "I'm not actually at liberty to discuss it." That sets the whole room off. "Um, could everybody…could you all…settle down, please," Winnie says, sort of waving his hands a little bit. He's never going to get anywhere with that, I think. I feel pretty bad for him as he sits down behind his desk and nervously looks at his watch. Then he starts scanning the room again, but I realize he's not just looking at the students. He's studying the
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 17
walls, the desks, even the ceiling, like he's never been inside a regular old classroom before. The room is still going strong with theories, but the main points for now are she's not coming back, Winnie is our new teacher, and the front row no longer needs to worry about Ms. Donaldson's rampant spittle problem. Meanwhile, beside me, I can see Flatso falling madly in love. I'm not the kind of person who gets crushes on teachers, but I can absolutely see where she's coming from. He's definitely working the cute cherub look with his pink cheeks and punk preppy haircut. I try to picture Flatso and Winnie out on a date. Where would they go? The gym first, then the natural science museum? Winnie eventually gets everyone calmed down and calls the roll, and when he says, "Margaret Clarke?" I raise my hand and say, "Everyone calls me Cuckoo." He gives me a dimply smile. "All right, if you insist. Cuckoo it is." "Her friends call her Kooks," Flatso chimes in. Still English. "So noted, Kooks." And he actually writes that down. I'm starting to suspect that Winston Quinn might be extremely cool.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 18
Chapter 5 MRS. MORRIS, THE DOG, AND ME
When I get home, Mrs. Morris is waiting for me with a plate of cookies. I feel like I'm six years old again…except that nobody ever had cookies waiting for me when I was six. But here they are, freshly baked and delicious! Mrs. Morris is my foster mom, and I love her, and she loves me, but we never really get into it like that. I'm really touched that she went to all the trouble of baking me cookies, and when she heads toward the fridge to get me some soy milk, I leap out of my chair. "I'll do it, Mrs. Morris," I tell her. I don't want her to go to any trouble.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 19
Yeah, I call her Mrs. Morris. She once asked me to call her Roberta, but I just…couldn't. I think she was actually kind of relieved. That's just how we roll. Mrs. Morris has a sweet, old, floppy little dog named Morris the Dog. She says there used to be a famous Morris the Cat on TV. Morris looks kind of like a mop, handle removed. Maybe he's got that in his bloodline. Mrs. Morris also has a daughter, Marjorie, who is a total flake blowing around in the LA smog. She's a wannabe actress/singer/songwriter/screenwriter working as a barista/telemarketing trainee.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 20
Marjorie calls just before dinner tonight. I answer the phone, and her voice clues me in right away that something's up. "Oh, uh, I don't think she's available right now," I mutter, but Mrs. Morris's got some kind of Sixth Marjorie Sense ("I hear flaky people!") and says, "Is that my daughter?" so I hand over the phone. "Marjorie!" Mrs. Morris says into the receiver with a smile that practically reaches around to the back of her head. "We can't wait to see you—what's that? Oh. Uh-huh." Mrs. Morris's smile drops right off her face and onto the floor, splattering there. "I see. No, of course I understand. Of course. All right, Marjorie, well, another time, then.…" And she clicks the off button and carefully places the phone back in its cradle. The silence in the kitchen is like something you could swim in. "She's not coming next weekend?" Mrs. Morris takes a deep breath. "Not this time," she says. "She wants to pick up an extra shift or two to cover her rent. Well! When the screenplay sells, she won't have to worry anymore, will she?" Then Mrs. Morris starts whistling, which is how I know she's really, really disappointed. Morris the Dog snorts. I barely know Marjorie…but I know I really hate her for always breaking Mrs. Morris's heart.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 21
Chapter 6 MEET HOLDEN CAULFIELD
Mrs. Morris fries up some eggs and sausage for one of our incredibly early dinners, and I help by making dairy-free pancakes. We pretend we're running a diner, serving up two Number Six Lumberjack Breakfast platters. I even class up the plates by adding some apple slices for a garnish. "Verna—bus Table Eleven!" Mrs. Morris says when we're finished eating. "I'm on it, Trixie!" I load up the dishwasher and wipe down the table with a rag. Then, because I'm in a diner, I place the chairs upside down on the table and sweep the floor. While I'm at it, I mop. Why not? "Well! The health inspector will be mighty glad to see this," Mrs. Morris says, beaming at the shiny floor. It makes me happy to make her happy. I head up to my room to start rereading The Catcher in the Rye for class. Ms. Olsson would probably freak out if I ever told her, but I never study for English. Instead, I just read all the books twice. The first time through, I read in a rush because I'm always dying to find out what happens and make sure everyone's okay in the end. The second time around, I really get to enjoy the book, and I always notice new things.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 22
When I walk through my bedroom door, I see that Holden Caulfield is sitting at my desk. Well, I'm just imagining him, but still. He's watching me, and when I say, "Hi," he says, "Hi. What are you doing in my room?" That's a little disconcerting, but when I look around, I notice the Pencey Prep pennant on the wall instead of my Nicki Minaj poster and the hardwood floors instead of the pink carpeting that runs throughout Mrs. Morris's house. We are in his room!
"How's your sister, Phoebe?" I ask. "She's got the grippe, but I think she'll be fine. How's Mrs. Morris?"
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 23
I'm thrilled that he knows about Mrs. Morris! "She's great!" I say, sitting down on the bed. "Well, more like okay. You know, her MS bothers her. It gives her the shakes sometimes. She has to use a walker, and sometimes a wheelchair. And her heart is a little jumpy." I bite my lip. I really hate talking about Mrs. Morris's health. It freaks me out a little. "Hey—while I have you here—could you help me out with some homework?" I make up something about "coming of age" and "loss of innocence" and scribble it in my notebook. I try to use vocabulary that Ms. Olsson likes. You know: ostracize and liberate and innocuous and blahdeblahblah.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 24
"Are you all right, Cuckoo?" Holden asks after a moment. "I'm worried." Holden has plenty of his own stuff to worry about—he doesn't need to pile my problems on top of his. "Well, to tell the truth, Holden, I'm worried about you, too." Holden sucks in his breath, like I just tossed water on him. He sighs and rubs his hand over the million little short gray hairs on the side of his head. With soft eyes, he asks, "Will I be okay?" I really want to say yes, but I just don't know. It's kind of hard to tell from the way the book ends. So instead I say, "I sure hope so, Holden. You're one of my all-time favorite book characters." I scoot to the edge of my bed and give him a light kiss on the cheek. He smiles a little, but the sadness remains in his eyes. I reach for his hand, and we sit there for a while, not speaking. Finally, I open my (or I guess his) book and start reading, and when I look up, he's gone. I wonder if the ending of The Catcher in the Rye will be different this time. Whenever I reread something, especially if the ending is sad, I always kind of hope that there will be a new, perfectly happy ending on the last page. For instance, I'm currently working on a new way to wrap up the Twilight books. I have to admit, I loved all of them. If that makes me so 2012, then so be it.
HomeroomDiarie_HCtextF1.indd 25
Published on Jun 6, 2014
Published on Jun 6, 2014
Margaret "Cuckoo" Clarke recently had a brief stay in a mental institution following an emotional breakdown, but she's turning over a new le...


text:
It often takes a human tragedy to put an issue on the agenda. The Rana Plaza factory collapse that killed more than 1,100 in Bangladesh was the deadliest disaster in the garment industry's history.
European companies that outsource clothing manufacturing to Bangladeshi factories agreed to a new safety and working conditions code. U.S. companies stayed out, citing liability fears, and came up with an alternative plan.


text:
Douglas House Guest House
419 Amelia Street, Key West, FL, USA
www.douglashouse.com - (305)294-5269 Toll Free (800)833-0372
Check Key West Hotel Deals
Douglas House Guest House Key West Reviews
147 reviews
Gorgeous hotel with a feeling of paradise Nov 03, 2009
We booked this room at the Key West Visitor Center on Overseas Highway (Route 1) the day we were staying here. The lady at the desk asked what we were looking for and recommended this place. She said it would be $99 (plus tax) and since that I had not found anything cheaper online, we went for it. She put in the reservation for us.
We arrived at the hotel 2 hours later. The staff was very friendly and asked if we had already seen pictures of our room (we did) or if we wanted to make sure we liked it first before checking in. That was the first time a place had ever offered that to me. So we looked at our room first.
It was just like the picture the Visitor Center had showed us. On the 2nd floor with a separate staircase leading up to our veranda, two chairs here to sit outside.
The inside was one room, with a double bed, TV, full equipped kitchen, high chairs at the kitchen island to eat at. Bathroom with shower.
Then a steep ladder up toward the loft with the second double bed and two night stands.
The hotel grounds are gorgeous! It reminded me of my hotel in Puerto Rico. Very luscious vegetation, a gorgeous pool and a couple of little hidden spots with a chair or bench to just sit and relax. A few ponds and little fountains, pagoda, two cats, and everything surround by palm trees on this very quiet side street.
I'd stay here again in a heart beat.
Part of the Florida Road Trip November 2009 travel blog
5 / 5 TravBuddies found this review helpful/trustworthy
Join TravBuddy to leave comments, meet new friends and share travel tips!


text:
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"I'm not a woman I'm a force of nature." -Courtney Love
|< 1>|
: You're ugly like me. by CalinajolieBX
Even though I always thought I was a much better person than Bellatrix - after my first kill she smiled at me and said "Your just as ugly as me." This is the story of how the pressure from your celebrated peers becomes to much and leads me to my submission and how it lead me to joining the Dark Lord's army, and falling in love with both Blacks. And having the child of one. Slash warning
Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance Era: Marauders Characters: Lily, Lucius, Lupin, Narcissa, OtherCanon , Regulus, Sirius, Snape Pairings: Sirius/OC, James/Lily, OC/OC
Advisory: Strong Language, Strong Violence, Scenes of a Sexual Nature, Contains Slash (Same-Sex Pairing), Contains Spoilers
Published: 2011.01.05 Latest Chapter: 2011.01.17 Updated: 2011.01.17 Status: WIP (2467 words)


text:
BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- Shares of A. Schulman SHLM, +1.04% jumped 5% in after-hours trading Monday after the plastics manufacturer said that despite reporting lower quarterly earnings, it planned to still support its dividend and share buyback program. The company said it now sees 2012 adjusted earnings per share coming in between $2.03 to $2.07. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had been expecting $2.01 a share. A. Schulman posted third-quarter earnings of $17 million, or 57 cents a share, down from $19 million, or 60 cents a share, for the 2011 quarter. Excluding certain items, earnings per share would have been 69 cents versus 65 cents. Sales came in at $569 million, down from $611 million.
A. Schulman jumps 5% in after-hours trading
Quote References
+0.45 +1.04%


text:
Rick McGowan <email@example.com> wrote:
> A couple of questions for any Unix-heads out there...
> 1. Does anyone have a "freely distributable" regular expression parser and/or
> text finding routine with these characteristics:
> A. It eats Unicode text or UTF-8 on input
> B. It uses the typical Unixoid regular expression syntax
> 2. Has anyone given any serious thought to extensions of said Unixoid regular
> expression syntax to handle non-English alphabets used as "ranges" for pattern
> matching?
> Thanks for any info,
> Rick
Re: 1) Perl 5, the "freely distributable" mother of all regular
expression engines, now has a wide_char module that may suit your needs.
I haven't used it yet, though, so I'm not sure what it's capabilities
are. You can find it at http://www.perl.com/perl in the CPAN archives.
(I think the name is something like widechar.pm). Also, there is a
Japanese Perl, if by some chance that is specifically what you are
looking for.
Re: 2) The Plan 9 Team (now the "Inferno Team") at AT&T were working on
this. Perhaps someone else knows something about it, but I don't.
When I asked James Gosling at Sun about this, he said he was giving
"serious thought" to how to do it "right" in Java. My impression was
that the effort was unlikely to progress beyond "thought" any time soon.
;-) Another charter member of Sun's Java team later confided that they
(the Java team) "didn't have a clue" about how to go about handling all
the "incredibly arcane problems" involved in parsing Unicode, so it was
likely, he believed, that they would concentrate on getting the pure
unicode foundation solid, then letting third-parties build sensible
unicode-based regex libraries.
Also, the Java team members at Symantec said they were going to work on
a Perl-style regex library for (possible) eventual inclusion in Visual
Cafe, but I haven't heard anything about it since last Fall.
In the meantime, there are a handful of Java regex libraries available
at http://www.gamelan.com, most with source code. You could presumably
modify them to do what you want to do specifically.
Hope that helps,
__Glen Perkins__
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jul 10 2001 - 17:20:33 EDT


text:
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Published on al.com 3/6. Updated 3/6.
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Published in The Birmingham News 3/4. Updated 3/4.
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We have 2 models available of the Bavaria 50 Cruiser model. Both 2008 built and offered in excellent condition. The price on both boats has just been reduced!!
6 Rock Lane
United Kingdom
Thank You
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text:
FORMER Yenda Girl Guides leader Glenda O'Toole was sad to hear the hall that held so many fond memories for her was demolished recently.
The Girl Guides branch folded about eight years ago, due to dwindling numbers, two years after Mrs O'Toole handed over the reins as leader.
"It's very sad," Mrs O'Toole said.
"The Girl Guides in Yenda would have been 50 years old in 2009, they didn't quite make their birthday."
Mrs O'Toole said the branch was once thriving, with a second Brownies unit opened to cater for the high number of girls interested in joining.
"When I was leader we had on average about 20 Brownies and eight to 10 Guides," she said.
"However, the numbers just started to drop off, I think the numbers just dropped off in a lot of places."
Mrs O'Toole said a push for children to become more involved in sport may have had something to do with a lack of interest in Brownies or Girl Guides.
She said she was disappointed as those involved learnt a range of skills.
"It covers a lot of areas you don't just do sport or music, they cover lots of different areas and give the kids a tast of different things."
Griffith City Council's executive services manager Shireen Donaldson said the Guide hall was approved for demolition in March and demolition took palce in the past couple of weeks.
The hall had fallen into a state of disrepair after it sat vacant and was also damaged in the Yenda floods.
Meanwhile, council has called for expressions of interest for the licence of the building formerly know as the Yenda Scout Hall.


text:
I will be upgrading the forum software this week and weekend. I am not sure which day I will be doing it but I am shooting for Friday night.
Just a heads up, you will experience no connectivity and errors when coming to the web site when this upgrade is in process.


text:
Nigel Waterson, Tory MP for Eastbourne and shadow minister for Work and Pensions, was arrested yesterday for allegedly assaulting his teenage son and daughter.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said that he could confirm that at around midnight on Sunday night officers attended an address in Bromley following reports of an assault.
The spokesman said: "A 58 year old man was arrested. Detectives from the Child Abuse Investigation Command (SCD5) are investigating.
"The victim did not attend hospital. Following police attendance an allegation was made concerning previous alleged offences on a second victim."
The spokesman stressed that the allegations were not of a sexual nature.
Mr Waterson was later released on bail to return to a south London police station on a date in early March pending further inquiries.


text:
You guys loved Soft Skin English School Little Sexy Girl... a lot (our traffic reports tell us so). So, I bring you Finder Love, Capcom's entry into the PSP naked women scene. The gameplay seems intense: you have to take pictures of the girls when their hearts align, as if it were a music game. But wait! It appears even more gameplay comes in the form of mini-games, including... yes, you guessed it right: rock paper scissors. Awesome!
Because the video isn't really safe for work, it's presented after the cut. Nothing to stop all the fanboy fighting and bring peace and love to everyone like nudity. YAY!!!
(For those interested, you can import the game here. Shh... don't tell your wife!)


text:
New software - yNotes
I'm Simon Haynes.
Welcome to
Spacejock Software
On this site you'll find my free software including favourites like yWriter, yBook, FCharts and more.
• iOS and MacOS update
• yWriter Android released
• Android Update
• Patreon page added
More ...
Site built with
by Spacejock Software


text:
October 17, 2008
Nearly Two-Thirds of Technology Company CFOs Have Seen Increased Credit Costs, Have Found Credit More Difficult to Obtain
In a survey of chief financial officers and senior comptrollers in the technology industry, conducted by Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, nearly two-thirds (62%) of respondents have seen credit costs increase. The same percentage has found that credit is more difficult to come by now than one year ago.
When asked about financial statements, 71 percent of technology company CFOs believe that they are too complex to be usable by the average investor. Almost two-thirds (74%) would support supplementing financial statements with nonfinancial measures that provide more relevant information about their organization.Have you seen credit costs increase?
Yes 62% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 38% ----------------------------------------------------------
Is credit more difficult to come by now than one year ago?
Yes 62% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 38% ----------------------------------------------------------
Do you believe financial statements are too complex to be useable by the average investor?
Yes 71% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 29% ----------------------------------------------------------
Would you support supplementing financial statements with nonfinancial measures that provide more relevant information about your organization and its value drivers?
Yes 74% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 26% ----------------------------------------------------------
About which type(s) of pricing pressure are you most concerned? (Respondents could select more than one option.)
Employee benefits (e.g., health care, pensions) 75% ---------------------------------------------------------- Energy 26% ---------------------------------------------------------- Raw materials (e.g., food, metals) 18% ---------------------------------------------------------- Other 15% ---------------------------------------------------------- Insurance 11% ---------------------------------------------------------- Commercial property 6% ----------------------------------------------------------
Should shareholders have greater access to the proxy in order for them to nominate directors more easily?
Yes 76% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 24% ----------------------------------------------------------
Should shareholders be able to access the proxy online?
Yes 97% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 3% ----------------------------------------------------------
Considering total pay and benefits package, do you feel the average CEO is:
Overpaid 65% ---------------------------------------------------------- Appropriately paid 33% ---------------------------------------------------------- Underpaid 2% ----------------------------------------------------------
Considering total pay and benefits package, do you feel your CEO is:
Overpaid 33% ---------------------------------------------------------- Appropriately paid 56% ---------------------------------------------------------- Underpaid 11% ----------------------------------------------------------
Do you believe the roles of CEO and chairman of the board should be independent of each other?
Yes 89% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 11% ----------------------------------------------------------
Would you like to be CEO of a company one day?
Yes 55% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 45% ----------------------------------------------------------
Do you support the recent Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) proposal to change accounting for contingent liabilities (FAS 5)?
Yes 61% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 39% ----------------------------------------------------------
Do you agree with the FASB's amendment of the definition of "discontinued operations" to include held-for-sale acquisition?
Yes 69% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 31% ----------------------------------------------------------
Do you have experience preparing financial statements according to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)?
Yes 24% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 76% ----------------------------------------------------------
Should all U.S. firms be permitted to use IFRS, instead of U.S. GAAP, in financial statements filed with the SEC?
Yes 66% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 34% ----------------------------------------------------------
Are you familiar with eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL), referred to by the SEC as "Interactive Data"?
Yes 68% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 32% ----------------------------------------------------------
Does your company currently report financial results using XBRL?
Yes 3% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 97% ----------------------------------------------------------
If no, when do you plan to report using XBRL?
No plans at this time 97% ---------------------------------------------------------- Before 2010 2% ---------------------------------------------------------- Before 2009 2% ----------------------------------------------------------
(Note: The SEC has proposed rules and a timetable requiring public companies and mutual funds to file disclosures in XBRL. The plan will phase in companies over a period of three years, starting with the largest 500 public companies reporting their 2008 year end results in XBRL in 2009.)
Should companies issue any type of corporate responsibility or sustainability reports?
Yes 52% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 48% ----------------------------------------------------------
Does your company issue any type of corporate responsibility or sustainability report?
Yes 84% ---------------------------------------------------------- No 16% ----------------------------------------------------------
To receive a copy of the full technology company results, or to receive a copy of the national findings, please contact Kara McFarland at (312) 602-8469 or [email protected]
About the Survey
Grant Thornton LLP conducted the national survey from September 8th through September 19th, 2008 with 66 chief financial officers and senior comptrollers at technology companies.
About Grant Thornton LLP
The people in the independent firms of Grant Thornton International Ltd provide personalized attention and the highest quality service to public and private clients in more than 100 countries. Grant Thornton LLP is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the six global audit, tax and advisory organizations. Grant Thornton International Ltd and its member firms are not a worldwide partnership, as each member firm is a separate and distinct legal entity.
In the U.S., visit Grant Thornton LLP at www.GrantThornton.com.


text:
Moms will have to make do with less extravagant gifts this year if a recent poll proves right.
The National Retail Federation's 2009 Mother's Day survey of consumer actions and intentions found Americans will spend an average of $123.89 per adult, compared to last year's $138.63.
Total Mother's Day spending is expected to reach $14.1 billion. Last year, the trade group's expectation was $15.8 billion.
Of the four in five Americans who will celebrate Mother's Day, the majority will focus on their mother, stepmother or wife while scaling back on gifts for daughters, friends and godmothers in an effort to save money.
Nearly 67 percent of those surveyed said they will buy flowers for mom, spending a total of $1.9 billion on blooms. About 55 percent plan to treat mom to an outing like dinner or brunch, spending a total of $2.7 billion. Consumers also said they will spend $2.3 billion on jewelry, $1.5 billion on gift cards, $1.2 billion on clothing or accessories and $1.1 million on personal services such as a day at the spa.
Nontraditional Mother's Day gifts will be bought, too, the survey said: $857 million will be spent on electronics or computer-related accessories, $587 million on housewares and gardening tools, and $487 million on books or CDs.
Where is everyone shopping? A third say they will save money by buying from discount stores, while 27 percent said they will go to their favorite department store. The rest will head to specialty merchants such as florists, gift stores and electronics stores. About 18 percent of all shoppers said they will shop online.
The poll of 8,667 consumers was conducted from March 31 to April 7.
Contact Donna Kato at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
On Monday, the Denver Broncos placed linebacker Joe Mays on the injured reserve list with a broken leg. It's been a rough season for Mays who was suspended for a week following his hit on Houston Texans quarterback, Matt Schaub. Mays then lost his starting job at middle linebacker following a loss to the New England Patriots. The Broncos gave up over 200 yards rushing to the Patriots and right or wrong, Mays took the brunt of the blame for that performance.
Keith Brooking who replaced Mays in the starting lineup has played very well, and Mays had been regulated to special team's duty and that's where he was injured. Mays is a fan favorite and very popular in the locker room, but the truth is that he probably will not be missed. As mentioned earlier, Brooking is playing well versus the run on the early downs, and the continued emergence of rookie Danny Trevathan makes the loss of Mays a little easier to take.
The player that might benefit the most from the Mays injury is, DJ Williams who comes off of suspension in two weeks. Even without Mays, Williams is going to have a difficult time getting on the field but that's better than being cut. No one knows for sure what the Broncos are thinking but as well as the linebackers are playing; it's not out of the realm of possibility that they could just released the troubled player. However with the loss of Mays, the Broncos need depth at that position and Williams can provide that.
The Denver Broncos will be fine going forward but the future for Mays with the team is now in doubt. It's too bad because Mays is one of the good guys.
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text:
And I'm finally catching up with the April poems. The first one under the theme 'Exile' is from Ranjit Hoskoté's poetry book Vanishing Acts.
– Ranjit Hoskoté
Leaving, he looks out of the window,
skirting the edge of the silver wing;
a tear widens in the quilt of clouds,
through which he sees (or thinks he can)
miles below, traffic lights blinking
their green and amber arrows
as rain smears the windscreens of cars
and soldiers jump down from dented tanks.
He clutches his passport. There is no room
for back numbers in his baggage.
The clouds stitch back the widening tear
but he gropes for a towel,
feeling the cabin temperature rise
as though, miles below,
the city of his birth were burning.
I have never known the state of exile and I think I never will. It only happens to others, you think, until it happens to you.