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Chapter 11 : Irony
|Rating: Mature
|Chapter Reviews: 26
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I've had this chapter idea since the start– it was actually the first thought that popped into my head when I created the idea of Ella Finster. Not sure about this chapter as it's sort of the end of the last one and is meant to be more heart-warming than humorous.
Anyways, hope you enjoy :)
Something warm was tickling my ear.
Assuming it was Magic my cat, I shifted my head to the side and threw an arm behind me to dissuade him from waking me up.
I opened one eye.
Since when did cats go 'ouch'? Or had I merely heard wrong? Or was this all a strange dream where animals could talk. It wasn't as if I'd never dreamed that before. I remember the whole pink elephant dressed as Professor Dumbledore dream quite vividly-
The pillow beneath my head moved, jolting my head to the left suddenly, causing me to bite my cheek. Absently massaging the pain, I wrinkled my nose and attempted to ignore all the disruptions and get back to my well earned rest. The week had been a stressful one, I thought drifting slowly into the land of nod, so I deserved a well earned rest.
De dum, de dum, de dum.
I opened my eyes.
What was that?
De dum de dum…
Why was my pillow making strange noises? Since when did pillows have a heartbeat?
Or move up and down as though breathing?
Or have a rib cage?
Or smell of….aftershave?
My eyes flew open.
What had I done last night?
Trying to draw in as many calming breaths as possible, I scanned my mind through the thoughts of 'bugger', 'damn' and 'hobnob' to find some coherent logic that would explain the situation. But then again this was I and coherence and logic had never been my strongest points.
They say stress and traumatic experiences can lead to repressed memory or forgetfulness and that, I reasoned, was most likely the reason I was unable to think straight. Either that or Indy and I had been at the firewhisky again. Yet judging from the firm muscular chest that was providing my head with a nice pillow, I narrowed my options down to the idea that my companion was of the male variety, unless I'd cosied up to that manlike fourth year Slytherin by accident. This meant it had not been a night time adventure with Indy and that I'd done something much much worse…
Oh no had I ended up with Billy again? Had that idiot managed to charm me back? Had I been knocked on the head and lured back into his arms?
Please god…no one could be that cruel.
A nice smell reached my nose, causing me to sniff cautiously without attracting too much attention. It had a tangy smell of sweat, earth, aftershave and hard work….the essence of a true man.
But Billy didn't smell like this – he smelt like an over hair sprayed idiot, who'd enjoyed the pleasures of too many women and their perfumes and then jumped into a vat of slimeball. Billy smelt more feminine than I did sometimes.
No, this was a manly smell, a quite nice manly smell actually…mmm…
No. No. No. That is not the point right now, I poked myself in the arm to bring myself back down to earth. It was more important to try and remember what the hell had happened last night.
I was walking to charms club….met George….got kidnapped….
Oh sugary turnips and sprouts.
It all came flashing back to me in a hideous collection of things you'd rather were left hidden. Those memories you keep stored in the shoebox at the back of your wardrobe with pictures of you with an afro that seemed like a good idea at the time or the three inch platforms you swore you'd wear forever. Yep, some memories were better kept hidden…and this was definitely one of them.
Silently cursing whatever divine lord had inflicted this terrible fate upon my poor unsuspecting soul, I tried to keep calm and rational when all I wanted to do was get up and run from there as fast as possible. But, I thought sourly as I stared at the shiny metal handcuff, that really wasn't an option right now. Escape plan thwarted I realised with a sinking heart that the only option left to me was waking up the giant himself.
Without compromising myself any further.
Plucking up the courage to turn round and try and prod him awake, I took another cautious sniff to make sure that it was indeed Wood and that my life had officially ended.
"Why are you sniffing me?" came the confused reply from behind me, causing much loss of breath and eye popping shock.
Dreading what I was about to see, I slowly looked over my shoulder and met the brown sparkled eyes of a certain Quidditch captain. Eyebrows raised, mouth hanging open in shock I attempt before I did what any other self respecting teenage girl would do in this situation-
Scream. Very very loudly….
Causing him to suddenly loose his balance, falling back onto his back onto the hard wooden floor….
And dragging me with him.
Before I knew what was happening, my wrist was jerked through the air, following Wood's progress and pulling me along for the ride. As Wood lay haphazardly across the floor, I lay sprawled inelegantly across him.
Eyes wide, I opened and closed my mouth repeatedly like a demented fish before attempting to sit up and look at Wood in shocked disgust as he stared at me in wide eyed wonderment.
"Why is it you are always falling on top of me?" he asked curiously.
"What?" I bit out, wanting to move from the position but unable to do so because of the handcuff problem.
"This is the second time in two weeks that we've ended up in this position," he looked bemused and cocky as he attempted a pun. "Anyone would think you were falling for me."
"Only people who were deaf, mad, blind and stupid would assume that and even then the chances of them making such a mistake would be doubtful," I snapped, attempting to remove myself from the sprawled position.
"Then why were we in such a position?" he asked, ignoring my attempts to move.
"That was your fault!" I cried.
"I doubt that," he looked smug. "You were quite content in using me as your sleeping companion and drool pillow."
"I do not drool and anyway what was your arm doing around my waist?" I shook my finger in his face threateningly.
"What was your head doing on my chest," he countered accusingly.
"It's your fault," I shoved him hard in the chest. "If you weren't such a baboon-"
"If you weren't such a shrew," he retorted pinning my hands.
"Then we wouldn't be in this mess!" We shouted together.
Frustrated, annoyed, angry and any other synonym of these the English language possessed, I pushed at his chest again to move myself from the position I was in.
However, Wood felt it would be a good idea to push at the same time and soon we were engaged in a breathy battle of push and shoving each other on the floor. I would twist one way and would end up pulling the ninny with me, he would twist another and I'd go sprawling again. Before I knew what was happening our wrestling match had descended into chaos and I was pinned to the floor…
Out of breath, all I could do was pant and stare angrily at him as his body loomed above me.
"This is not helping," he bowed his head slightly, causing his breath to tickle my face.
"Can you get off me please," I shuddered, uncomfortable with the close proximity. Far more dutifully than I've ever seen him before, he hastened to remove himself from atop me and shuffled into a sitting position.
An awkward silence filled the air.
"Um…." I gulped, looking in the opposite direction from him whilst inwardly squirming.
"Er…." He scratched his head and focussed on a spot in the other direction.
"Ew…." We both muttered under our breaths, causing us to look at each other in surprise.
"Look….nothing happened," I nodded trying to make myself believe that. "We just woke up in an awkward position that was no way intended to signify a change in our relationship," damn that wasn't the right word. "I mean…er…acquaintance."
"Yeah," Wood was happy to jump on this bandwagon. "It was merely that the room was freezing and that our bodies realised we needed to preserve body heat."
"Yeah….that was why we were…um…" I gestured between us. "Perfectly understandable."
"Yeah especially as it's us," Wood said distractedly.
"What?" I blinked.
"I mean…er….because…you…know," he scratched his head as he looked uncomfortable. "You're my girl friend's sister….er…."
"Step sister," I hissed.
"Yeah…that," he agreed, failing to follow this with the point of his comment. Not wishing to dig into murky waters, I let the comment slide and we slipped into an awkward silence.
What was with us and these awkward silences? You could cut the tension in here with a knife.
Well, I reasoned, essentially 'sleeping' together and then sprawling across each other didn't really leave sensible, tense free situations. It led to bloody awkward hide under the pillow moments….unfortunately my pillow at the moment was the person I was wishing to hide from.
Ready to twiddle my thumbs, I realised the best thing to distract us from that moment a few minutes ago was to begin an argument.
"It's still your fault," I sniffed, scratching my chin. "You overgrown numpty."
"Shrew," he seemed happy to join in the argument.
"Trout nosed dung beetle!"
Ten minutes later…..argument still in full flow….
"You're barmy," he muttered. "Definitely got some stuffing missing from your pillow." He yawned widely and scratched his chest.
"Says you," I snorted as I felt movement beside me. What was he doing? Hopefully not more scratching.
"Says me," he agreed. "If you shake your head enough can you hear the loose screws rattling around?"
Scowling and turning round to utter a mean rebuke, I instead let out an undignified squeak when I found myself staring at the muscles of his bare chest.
Eyes widening I continued to stare open mouthed, doing a fish impression before some logical leaver in my head was pulled and my hand flew up to cover my eyes. Thankful I could now gather my thoughts without staring at the…er…'chiselledness' of Wood's body, I tried to force my face into righteous indignation and disgust.
"Can you please not do that," I gestured vaguely in the direction of his now bare chest.
Or I hope I was gesturing in that direction; it was a bit hard to see with your eyes covered up.
"What?" he asked.
"Cover yourself up please, I do not wish to be treated to a strip show before I've had my breakfast," I shuddered with disgust, trying to ignore whatever thoughts my head was having.
"I pity the poor bugger who's going to be married to you then," I heard him mutter, followed by the rustling of clothing that I assumed meant he was buttoning his shirt back up again.
"What were you doing that for anyway?" I asked, feeling it was safe to open my eyes again.
"I just wanted to change my shirt," he shrugged. "What's wrong with that?"
"The fact this," I rattled the handcuffs, "means that clothes cannot by removed."
"Why the hell do people use handcuffs in their kinky shenanigans then?" he seemed perplexed. "If you can't take off your clothes when your wearing them."
"I think the whole point is clothes are removed prior to the…er…tying up," I blushed brilliantly, resembling an overripe tomato.
"Okay…." Wood seemed to grow uncomfortable about the conversation
Right….this was definitely one conversation I never pictured having, especially not with Wood. Hands up for the awkward situation.
"Perhaps we should think about getting these removed," Wood cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension once again.
"How can we do that?" I asked. "The stupid door is locked."
"Really?" Wood seemed shocked by this piece of news.
"Yes….why else do you think we had to spend the night here….?" I was thoroughly confused by his reaction.
"No reason," he avoided eye contact, deciding it would be better to try and move towards the door and test the lock. ]
"But-" I followed reluctantly in his wake still trying to process his comment. If he thought we weren't locked in they why hadn't he tried to leave and find a teacher….?
"It's open," he stated, turning the handle and so saying he dragged me through it.
"I'm bored now," I muttered as Wood pulled me along corridor after corridor.
For thirty minutes we'd been walking to school and the grounds trying to find a teacher to remove the cuffs. Having decided it would be more practical to take a more discreet route – which also happened to be the long route – to the school so no one saw our predicament, we had returned to the main hall and found it completely empty.
So was the rest of the school it appeared.
"Yeah well I wouldn't exactly call this the highlight of my life," he scowled, looking down one corridor before continuing along the one we were already on.
"Where is everybody in this damn school," I complained. "Why is it so hard to find someone to remove these damn things?"
"Quit complaining," he opened a classroom door, peered in and then moved on when he found it was empty.
"I'm sorry, am I meant to be skipping in joy at this predicament," I said fakely bright, doing a quick skip in sarcasm.
"No, you are meant to be keeping quiet while I try and solve this problem," he hissed, pulling me through an arch and into yet another hall.
"Oh great, here comes the stereotypical andocentric demonstration that is so typical of your sex," I hissed bitterly. "The whole 'saviour' routine that is so annoying and so anti-feminist! Why is it all men assume that women can't take care of themselves? Why is it-"
"Just shut up!" Wood cried turning round and placing his hand over my mouth, unable to cope with my rant any longer.
I narrowed my gaze at him, trying to decide whether or not I should be mean and bite his hand.
"Please can you just let me deal with the situation?" He implored. "It may have escaped your notice but I have a Quidditch game to play in in around twenty minutes and I need both hands to do that. Can you please just be quiet so I can get us out of this mess?"
Okay….when he put it like that.
Shrugging slightly and rolling my eyes, I agreed to his statement, deciding against biting his hand which he promptly removed from my mouth.
"Thank you," he sighed in relief.
"I just wish we could find someone," I sighed, leaning back against the wall and wishing with all my might some saviour would come round the corner.
"Mr Wood! Miss Finster!"
Oh double damn with knobs on.
I didn't meant that particular saviour….
Gulping so deeply I feared that bobbly thing at the back of my throat was swallowed and then I would choke on it (cue life flashing before your eyes type moment), I turned round slowly on the ball of my foot.
"Hi professor," I attempted a weak wave as Wood and I hid the handcuffs behind out backs. "I love the hat….is it new?" I tried a fake smile.
"Miss Finster please cut the chit chat," she turned her narrowed gaze on me, causing my lips to seal quickly. "I'm not in the mood for pleasantries."
"What are you two doing here?" she looked back and forth between the two of us. "Why aren't you at the Quidditch match? Why are you wandering around an empty school?"
"We-" I began.
"Ella was just giving me some early morning tutoring before practice," Wood interrupted, sending McGonagall a dazzling smile. "Fulfilling the duties you asked us to perform."
She looked cynical at this suggestion, so we inched closer together and smiled widely at her, hoping beyond hope she would believe this and move on.
"Good…." She still sounded doubtful.
We heaved sighs of relief and moved away from each other again.
"Wait...what are you hiding behind your backs?" She took a step forward.
We took a step back.
"Um…" I bit my lip. "Nothing."
"Let me see what you are hiding. Is it dungbombs, fake wands?" She got angrier with each suggestion.
"It's nothing," we began but it was all in vain.
McGonagall pushed us apart and blinked widely at our joined wrists.
"Mr Wood!" McGonagall shrieked. "What is the meaning of this?"
"I'm sorry Professor I can explain-" He seemed to cower in fear at the very sight of her, something that you didn't expect a six foot bulk of a boy to do. His eyes held a look of fear, his body seemed to shake with nerves and there was a slight tremor in his voice.
I'll admit McGonagall was a pretty intimidating sight; the stick like posture, the pursed lips and narrowed eyes. Even at just over five foot she could easily kill a man with a look, but really apart from that what was the worst she could do?
"You are twenty minutes late to the Quidditch match; you have missed your team briefing and the coin toss!" She shook with barely contained anger. "You are the captain of the Quidditch team Mr Wood! Do you truly think this inexcusable behaviour is appropriate for a captain?"
"No professor," he bowed his head and directed his last statement to his shoes.
"After your recent behaviour at Quidditch practice and the terrorising of Miss Finster here over the past week your immaturity seems to be taking control!" McGonagall was on a role, directing punches and hits here and there. I half expected someone to jump out of the side waving a flag and yelling, 'You go girl!'…..but um….that didn't happen.
"You are no longer the conscientious student that I once knew Mr Wood," she began her final attack. "This year you have become lazy, disinterested and too obnoxious for your own good. The number of complaints I have received about your actions is astounding," yeah….I may have left her a few notes over the past week….but um I never expected she'd read them or use them in her attack. "And now I find you have attached yourself to Miss Finster and are dragging her around the school on one of your mad ideas! How dare you treat a young lady this way just to have some hanky panky! Mr Wood never in all my years have I seen such drastic display," she shook with anger at the violation of me.
"Mr Wood I believe that the only course of action I can take," she drew in breath deeply and sharply, "is to remove you as captain of Gryffindor Quidditch Team."
Okay….I didn't expect that to happen.
Neither did Wood, if his wide-eyed-heart-stopped-beating-I'm-dying-look was anything to go by.
"But how am I meant to get my scholarship without being on the team?" he finally gulped, shaking his head in confusion. "I need the captaincy for my future….what am I meant to do?"
"I think after your recent behaviour you can forget about any scholarship," she sniffed primly. "This behaviour is not the sort any self respecting Quidditch team would want brought into their ranks. You will also serve a months suspension from Quidditch."
"But what about today's match?"
"I'm sure your substitute will come up to muster," McGonagall dismissed this argument.
"Mr Wood I am not to be argued with!" she bristled with anger. "Anymore of your back talk and we'll be talking banning you from playing Quidditch as well!"
That shut him up.
Wood, swallowed deeply from next to me as full shock began to sink in. Pinning his gaze to the floor, I sensed he was battling an inner turmoil of emotions and willing them not to spill out.
"Now I would suggest you both return to the common room and think over what mischief has been caused," she sniffed. "Please try and not murder each other on the way."
With a decisive nod in our direction and a withering glance at our shocked stance, she stalked off up the stairs, black robes billowing around her.
"Er…professor?" I called timidly, breaking the silence that had engulfed the hall. Wood was still sullenly refuse to speak or move.
"What Miss Finster," she turned coldly towards me on the third step.
"Could you remove the handcuffs please?" I raised the aforementioned offending objects.
With a wave of her wand the handcuffs disappeared.
"Please do not let yourself get tangled up in such a situation again Miss Finster," she said. "Do not trust young hormonal boys with metal objects."
"Rightio," I attempted a salute, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.
McGonagall merely sniffed, gave me a cynical glance and turned to walk away again.
Leaving me with the heartbroken Wood.
"Are you alright?" I asked. Wood hadn't moved for several minutes.
"It's ok…." Wood sighed deeply and continued looking at the floor. "It's not your fault, it's mine."
"But it takes two people to argue, so I kind of am the reason you ended up in this mess," I felt so bad seeing his this way. It was like all the light had gone out of his life, life the stuffing had gone from his pillow, like his-
You get the picture.
"If we tell her Fred and George-" I began.
"There's nothing you can do….just leave it," he sighed again, fisted his hands in his pockets and began to walk away.
Seeing him so despondent would normally have made me feel great, but he looked like his heart had broken and someone had kicked it around like a football. I wanted him to be sorry for all he'd put me through this last week but….I'd had a part in all this too. I was the reason he had to show me around the year, thus arguing with me and causing this whole situation. It took two to tango….and I'd done the wrong dance and trod on his toes. He didn't deserve this….
"Wait Professor!"
Professor McGonagall halted at the top of the stairs, turning slowly round to glare at Wood and me again.
Oh…wait…did that come out of my mouth?
"Yes Miss Finster?"
I guess it did…stupid mouth.
Not quite certain what was propelling me at that moment or why I had called back the Professor, I stood dumbly for a few seconds.
"Miss Finster is what you have to say important or can I continue my journey to the Quidditch pitch?" McGonagall said sharply.
I could feel this strange thing called compassion engulf my body, followed by that equally hideous thing called a conscience and finally a sense of resignation over what my mouth was going to do and my brain couldn't control.
Don't do it.
Do it.
Don't do it.
Do it….
"It wasn't Oliver's fault," I screwed my eyes up in disgust at what I was about to do…
Don't do it, don't do it, I urged myself silently, really wishing it hadn't come down to this.
"Then whose fault was it?" McGonagall stared at me over the tops of her glasses.
Oh don't ask me that question….it would involve the reply one side of my brain really didn't want me to give…
"It was…" deep breaths, I told myself, you can do this – just bite the bullet. "It was my fault."
I cannot believe I just said that.
No, I really really really really cannot believe I just did that.
Neither it seemed, could Wood or McGonagall. The former was doing an Oscar worthy impression of a stunned fish, opening and closing his mouth in shock at what I'd just done. It was after all surprisingly noble of me (why use modesty when we all know it isn't my style) and he had every right to be flabbergasted at this uncharacteristic show of kindness and good deeds. Although looking as though I'd just killed his mother and then danced around naked was perhaps not reaction I'd expected; shock yes, stunned heart attack look was not.
McGonagall was equally stunned….but not fooled.
"It was your fault?" She repeated sceptically, trying to stare me down.
"Um…yeah…" I gulped, wishing she'd stop narrowing her gaze at me.
"Would you care to explain then how you came to be in a predicament where you were handcuffed to Mr Wood?" She pursed her lips. "And please don't be too crude."
Explanation? Wasn't the sacrificing of myself for Wood good enough? Couldn't we just skim past an explanation and punishment and just accept it was my fault, even if it wasn't?
"Miss Finster I'm waiting," McGonagall said.
"I was…" I took a deep breath and cast around for the most likely excuse anyone could have when using handcuffs that didn't involve kinky scenarios liable to put me in more trouble. "I was trying out a muggle magic trick I'd seen. My friend Indy is a muggle and she bought me a muggle magic kit for my last birthday. She was a bit annoyed when she found out I hadn't used it and I, not wanting to hurt her feelings, said I had. She then challenged me to perform a spell and after rooting around in the kit I found these handcuffs. Needing a volunteer, Wood here, upstanding citizen that he is,' oh that really hurt to say, 'volunteered, not wanting to leave a damsel in distress. Only problem was, never having performed the trick before I didn't know how to get out of the handcuffs. This led to Wood and I being trapped together and unable to get out the handcuffs. Not wanting to spark any more humiliation, we trundled off to the Quidditch pitch to avoid everyone and deal with the mess, only to accidentally get locked in the locker room. So you see it's all very logical really."
Yeah…the latter part not so much, I thought finishing in one long breath, panting heavily as I tried to gulp in oxygen after such a long speech.
McGonagall merely blinked at me.
"You are expecting me to believe that you, the girl who fought off thirty Dementors on her own, was incapable of performing a simple muggle trick, or failing that a vanishing spell?" She said incredulously.
"Er…" well, when she put it like that. "Yes?"
"I still don't thoroughly believe your excuse Miss Finster," she glared at me. "I do not believe for a second you would be stupid enough not to come to find a teacher the moment this 'predicament' happened."
Oh shucks….there went my rescue plan.
"However…." She raised an eyebrow. "Such an elaborate and detailed lie to save a friend must be awarded some credit."
Yes, thank goodness!
"Mr Wood, in light of Miss Finster's recent confession I feel it necessary to reinstate you as captain of Gryffindor Quidditch team."
Wood let out a long expulsion of breath next to me and I could feel him visibly jumping up and down in excitement.
"You won't regret this Professor," the word's rushed from Wood's mouth and rushed forward with his arms open. "I promise I will win us the cup this year even if it means extra practices, more hexing of Slytherins-"
"Yes, yes," McGonagall waved off his gratitude and sidestepped the hug he was about to give her. "I need someone to let us win the cup this year and you seem to be the best hope, however much you seem to be lax in your behaviour. For the time being you are to be placed under monitoring. If I do not see a marked improvement in your behaviour both in school and out, then I will have no second thoughts about banning you from Quidditch."
"Thanks you so much Professor," Wood looked ready to bow down to her and worship her. I really hoped he wouldn't, the sissy.
"And Miss Finster," she moved from Wood to acknowledge me once again. Damn – I'd hoped she'd forgotten about me.
She turned to me with that look on her face.
I hated it went she got that look on her face – it meant bad news.
For me.
"Miss Finster…" she said lightly, with a gleam in her eye. "You have detention."
Noble deeds were all very well and good, I thought as I kicked a stone, except when they turned round to bite you in the behind.
McGonagall had delivered the news of my detention with a sardonic smile, almost savouring the deliverance of the fact I would be forced to spend the entire afternoon cleaning bedpans under the shrewd gaze of Madam Pomfrey. Now Pomfrey was a good old bean when it suited her, but with the Quidditch match in full flow you could bet she'd be ranting on about blitches and snudgers or whatever those things were. If I was lucky she'd get so distracted by her ranting I'd be able to sneak off to the library for a while and hide out but the woman was so shrewd I was never usually that lucky.
Sighing deeply at my misfortune, I scowled at the sight of the Quidditch pitch towering in the distance. Damn fool game was the reason I was in this predicament in the first place, I thought bitterly as I shoved my hands in my pockets against the cold wind. From here on out anyone who would tell me the game was all that was holy and should be worshipped would get a wand in the eye.
Around us students swarmed towards the Quidditch stands, all in high anticipation for the match that was about to commence….
And still we stood awkwardly together, looking anywhere but at each other as the silence grew longer and longer and my thoughts got madder and madder.
"Don't you have a Quidditch match to go to?" I asked finally breaking and gesturing towards the students elbowing past us. We were stuck right in the middle of the crowd coming down the hill, so being bashed around wasn't that unrealistic and the shouts of 'move,' became common.
"Yeah," he looked distracted. "I guess I do."
"Shouldn't you get going then," I gestured in the direction of the pitch. "You are captain after all and I didn't just get myself detention for you to lose that position again."
I turned on my heel, ready to make my long and arduous journey back to the castle and my detention with Madam Pomfrey when a voice stopped me.
"Wait Ella!"
I turned round slowly to see Wood looking a little embarrassed by his outburst and the attraction it was warranting from the students around us. Leaning my head to the side, I thought perhaps it was best not to say anything, instead waiting to see what he had to say.
"Um…perhaps you could….I dunno…" Wood looked uncomfortable, shrugging his shoulders as he glanced down at his shoes. "Perhaps you could come and watch the match? Show your house pride and all."
"I don't think so," I wrapped my arms around myself to protect myself from the cold wind. "I'm not really a cheering for my house kind of girl."
"It's not really that hard," he looked faintly annoyed at my response. "All you have to do is clap at the right moments."
"But considering I don't understand Quidditch and I absolutely hate it, I might be a little out of place," I smiled faintly at him. "Anyway, I have that detention to go to. An hour cleaning bedpans with Madam Pomfrey should be fun," I mimed enthusiasm with a weak punch to the air.
Wood attempted a weak laugh and shook his head whilst looking at the ground. Due to this position it was hard to hear his next words; they were so quiet I didn't believe he'd said them at first.
Woah, woah….let's pause for a second here.
Did he just thank me? Did this overgrown baboon actually know the word 'thanks' and more importantly what was I meant to say in return. I couldn't stand here looking like a gaping fish any longer than necessary – a reply was needed of the verbal variety.
"It's ok," I decided trying to look unfazed by it all. I was debating whether a friendly punch on the arm was needed when a loud horn sounded in the distance, signifying the match would start soon.
"Well, see you around then," Wood nodded as he began backing down the hill. "It was interesting…" With a final wave he turned and began jogging to the pitch.
With my heart a little lighter, I trudged back up the hill to detention as the screams of excitement from the crowd echoed all around me.
Perhaps detention wouldn't be so bad this time…
A/N: Wella overload or what - the last part was the first convo I imagined them haing! I know the chapter is terrible/rubbish and I can't write anymore so I apologise.
Sorry it's taken so long to come out by the way, my laptop decided to contract a virus and I couldn't access a computer for weeks. The chapter got deleted on my laptop so I'e completely rewritten this in two days. I apologise if it's terrible and for making you wait so long.
Pretty please review, I love to read your opinions on my story.
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Finster, Ella: Irony
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|Reviews for The Rabbit Hole
| ReflectionsOfNevermore chapter 1 . 1/2/2012
I've recently gotten away from writing poetry and such. Thank you for bringing me back to it
| allyburner chapter 1 . 10/6/2008
Very dark, I like it. The structure is beautiful and the repetition of 'storm' is really well done. I really liked the rhythm of the first few lines, and for me, I would have liked it to have continued all the way, but it's a great poem nonetheless. Oh, and 'as I lay' should be 'as I lie', cos the rest of it's all present tense, right? )
Great job!
~Ally B.

subset: commoncrawl


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University Research Council
February 15, 2012
Meeting Summary
Internal Audit Department
John Elliot, Director of Internal Audit, discussed his office's operations. The Internal Audit Department's mission is to provide independent, objective, assurance, and consulting services designed to add value and improve the University's operations. Internal Audit helps the University to accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. Internal Audit assists University management and the Board of Trustees' Audit Committee in identifying, avoiding, and mitigating risks.
The University must maintain the confidence of its Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, the public, elected officials and various other constituencies if it is to accomplish its threefold mission of teaching, research and public service. The Internal Audit Department provides valuable support in maintaining its constituencies' confidence by performing independent and objective reviews, and reporting to the Audit Committee and responsible administrative and academic officers on their findings so that corrective actions or enhancements can be initiated.
Brainstorming Sessions
The Provost's Office sponsored two sessions, during which humanities and social sciences faculty members discussed how to apply for funding in related fields. The session on humanities funding took place on January 31 and the session on social sciences funding took place on February 8.
Multidisciplinary Projects
The Provost's Office is continuing to explore three multidisciplinary topics: quantum information science, synthetic biology, and engineered materials. Teams meet regularly to work on the projects. Each team will prepare a white paper as a plan for future research.
Office of Research
Allen DiPalma, Director of the Office of Research, discussed a number of items that are related to the Office's operations:
· An Office of Research portal is now located on my.pitt.edu. It provides links to information that researchers and research administrators regularly use.
· OMB's A-21 task force is discussing how to reduce the administrative burden associated with completing the form.
· Those ARRA grants that had been scheduled to go beyond September 30, 2013, must be completed prior to that date.
· The salaries of secretaries and clerks are usually treated as indirect costs, not charged as direct costs, except under special circumstances.
Council members also discussed:
· Conflict of Interest forms
· The research internship


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86 KB | 2 files | DOC, PDF
The ideal candidate will have previous Big Data experience using Hadoop/Storm and machine learning to solve large-scale problems. .
If you are an exceptional developer with an aptitude for new technologies who loves to push the boundaries to solve real business problems, then we would like to talk with you. Our Big Data development team is growing and we are looking for software engineers to help us use a variety of Big Data technologies to create exceptional personalized customer experiences and solve difficult business problems.
The ideal candidate will have previous Big Data experience using Hadoop/Storm and machine learning to solve large-scale problems. A strong understanding of distributed systems and strong experience in using open source framework to build applications is strongly desired. Some technologies we are using include Scala, Gradle, Github, Hadoop, and Storm.
Required Qualifications:
The attached document is a typical job description for a Senior Software Engineer/Big Data and was provided by Glassdoor.com.
The attached zip file includes:
This table outlines the top needs of each stakeholder group that can help guide your conversations on priorities and needs for the GRC program. ... More >>
Whether you're looking to hire one or looking for a position yourself, use this detailed job description to find out what the role of a Technology Project Manager entails. ... More >>
Chapter 1 delves into the first four stages of systematic strategic planning, including clarifying current conditions, identifying competitive advantages, defining opportunities and developing strategies. ... More >>


text:
Add a birdhouse to your yard
Installing a birdhouse is an easy way to attract more birds to your yard, since over 50 different species of birds in North America will make their nests in birdhouses. Birdhouses also encourage the continuation of bird populations in heavily developed areas where natural nesting places are scarce.
Birdhouse Basics
Different species of birds prefer different types of birdhouses, but most birds like to occupy a birdhouse with a single compartment and one entrance. A wood birdhouse is the most common type, but to coordinate with landscaping materials, you may prefer a decorative birdhouse made from ceramic, concrete or plastic materials. Metal is a poor choice for a birdhouse, as it becomes so hot in the summertime that the temperature inside can actually kill the birds. A good birdhouse design will include:
- A slanted roof for protection from the elements
- An entrance hole of the proper size for the intended species of bird
- Ventilation, which can be as simple as a few holes drilled under the eaves
- Drainage, such as a small hole in the floor of the house
- A way to open the birdhouse for monitoring and cleaning
Build Your Own Birdhouse
A basic wooden birdhouse or bird feeder is fairly easy to build. Birdhouse plans are readily available from pet and bird stores; free birdhouse plans can be found online at a large number of websites. Cedar, redwood and exterior plywood are all good choices for birdhouse materials; you should make sure the inside surfaces have not been treated with preservatives or wood stains. Follow the birdhouse blueprints carefully to ensure that your birdhouse will withstand the seasonal elements year after year.
A simpler variation of building a homemade birdhouse is to use birdhouse kits, which can be found at hobby and bird stores as well as through online suppliers. A kit should contain both a birdhouse plan and the materials necessary to assemble the birdhouse. Natural gourds can also make attractive and functional birdhouses.
Although it might be tempting to paint the exterior of the birdhouse in bright colors, green or gray are better color choices as they don't attract predators. Another good choice for the exterior is to use natural linseed oil, which is completely bird-safe.
Birdhouse Location
Smaller birdhouses are best erected using free-standing PVC or metal poles; these allow you to control the height and are difficult for predators to climb. Birdhouses should be spaced at least 25 feet apart, since most bird species are territorial.


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A Social Network for Navy Veterans of the United States of America
May 4, 2017 to May 7, 2017 – Marriott Chesapeake May 4-7 2017. Chesapeake, Va - USSJOHNPAULJONES.ORG. email@example.com. 619-417-3978 Organized by John J. McKechnie | Type: dd932, ddg32, ddg53
May 6, 2017 at 4pm to May 13, 2017 at 8am – Carnival Magic If you are a crew member from 1943 to 2002, you definitely don't want to miss this reunion with fellow shipmates with a common bond to "The Busy Lady"> Organized by William Krug | Type: reunion, cruise
© 2018 Navy Vets, Inc. Created by Douglas Karr in accordance with regulations covering all websites which are not government websites, neither the United States Navy or the Department of Defense has approved, endorsed, or authorized this web site. Powered by


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The Hall Players of Preston start the year with their presentation of Perfect Murder by Hugh Janes, a thriller based on a short story by Jeffrey Archer.
Carla Moorland has been murdered and accountant John Hoskins – who has been having an extra-marital affair with her – is certain he knows who did it – himself. John's wife Elizabeth, rather than calling for the police, is determined to keep John out of prison, even if it means an innocent man will be punished for the crime.
The Perfect Murder combines elements of the traditional whodunnit with tense courtroom drama to breath-taking effect.
The play runs from Thurs Jan 23 to Sat Jan 25 at 7.30pm each evening at St John's Parish Hall, Broadway, Fulwood, Preston. Tickets are £7, £6 for concessions. Box Office 01772 863801.
Coming to the ROYAL COURT THEATRE, LIVERPOOL from Wed Jan 22 to Sat Feb 8 is Mary O'Malley's classic play ONCE A CATHOLIC a dark comedy, set in a convent girls' school in the mid-1950s days of O-Levels, sex and rock'n'roll.
The nuns at Our Lady of Fatima preach chastity and diligence as the Swinging Sixties approach. Final exams loom. The day of reckoning is nigh. For the girls in class 5A, their last year in uniform is set to be one of discovery of the less holy kind.
A brilliant play which has been variously described as shocking, disturbing and hilarious, it ran for two successful years in the West End. Directed by Kathy Burke (Nil By Mouth, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Harry Enfield).
Tickets range from £13 to £22 and, for an extra £10, you can dine at your table with a delicious meal before the show for an extra £10
The last of this season's pantos is THE WEST END PLAYERS' production of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES at the LORD STREET WEST HALL in DUKE STREET, SOUTHPORT which is staged on Fri-Sat, Jan 24-25 and Fri-Sat Jan31-Feb 1 at 7.30pm each evening with matinees 2.15pm each Saturday.
The West End Players is the last church hall drama group in the town and every year offers a traditional family pantomime with colourful costumes, lots of favourite songs and lively dance routines featuring The West End Players' Juniors.
Tickets are £4, £2 for children, including refreshments. Family Tickets (2 adults, 2 children) are £10.


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Watching this on Channel 4 The idea of outdoor sex with complete strangers has always made me gag. Watching these guys that do it actually being interviewed is even more disgusting. The armchair psychologist in me has seen that all the women that have been interviewed have got severe self-esteem issues. (As obvious as it sounds).
And the men? They are not right either.
One scene that almost made me gag is where Wife and Hubby are talking and the wife confesses how she was cheating on her man, but loved him so much, that she suggested they go dogging. He went along and watches his misus get shagged by strangers. His wife then says that they are looking for a woman to get involved, so that hubby can get the full enjoyment of dogging. Cue "Two weeks later on screen"
Wife on left. Hubby in middle. Dogging partner of two weeks on right.
It's like a bizarre live-action BioShock 1.
(It's on C4+1 at 00:05. Like, in 3 minutes)
Dogging Tales
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FWB 54,354 posts
Seen 3 days ago
Registered 16 years ago
Haha. Is that pic real?
neilka 21,121 posts
Seen 22 minutes ago
Registered 12 years ago
For some reason we already have a thread about this.
ILoveThrashMetal 1,066 posts
Seen 3 months ago
Registered 7 years ago
Lol are that last lot for real!? 'yes terry's cock is a bit small'.
Anything would look small sitting next to you two fat cunts.
Oh. I have produced a duplicate thread. Oops. Well. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. One thing I don't get really, have sex with multiple people, etc. But why outdoors? I get there is a thrill element, but I'd rather be comfortable, if I was that way inclined. Cheap bastards. If you don't want to do it at home, head off into Travelodge. That's what it's there for, innit?
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Sometimes posts may contain links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. For more information, go here.


text: Home > Entertainment Mom's last word to Gretchen: 'God be with you' ABS-CBN News Posted at May 03 2013 11:06 AM | Updated as of May 03 2013 07:06 PM Share Save Facebook Twitter GPlus LinkedIn MANILA, Philippines - Estrella "Inday" Barretto gave her last words to daughter Gretchen Barretto. In a statement sent to entertainment journalist Ricky Lo published on Philippine Star on Friday, Inday said that she just wishes Gretchen will be happy. But Inday still answered all the statements made by son Joaquin "Jay Jay" Barretto and Tanya Montenegro, who both defended Gretchen. Inday stressed that her first statement given to Lo was actually an appeal to Gretchen to stop attacking her youngest daughter Claduine and not to start a word war. "This is to respectfully inform anyone curious and concerned that the first statement to Ricky Lo was supposed to put a stop, a plea in fact, to the allegations maligning my daughter Claudine in social media. It was never my intention to prolong it into the World War III level." "I am back for the last time, now the target of vicious lies and allegations, a leading lady to a teleserye of made-up stories. I was warned that it is hard to win a war against those evil unless one is evil, too. I should be afraid having no money and power to get legal assistance. Many offered to talk on my behalf, people not related but have been part of and witness to our family life. And so having no need for a Limping Cockroach to come out from a hole for a glimpse of light, I stand up unafraid to correct these vicious lies." Inday also questioned the credibility of Tanya who said that she witnessed how Gretchen went to school with bruises, and didn't have money to pay for food and tuition. "To Tanya, you say you respect me. Please don't — keep it— you need that for yourself. I don't need respect from someone like you. I have plenty of it from where I come from. I know who you are, what you are, but you shocked the world at how you could face the camera so professionally comfortable in lying to tell a story of more than 30 years ago as if you were there when it happened, as if you were part and parcel of our household when not even our cats and dogs know you — tsk, tsk, tsk! — lying to the hilt without batting an eyelash. Unless you were coached to read a prepared story." "No. 1: No, Tanya, it is never true that Gretchen's tuition was not paid. School is top priority of our payables. No. 2: No money for recess and lunch? I don't even want to dignify you on that since you are not a dignified one. No. 3: So you saw Gretchen with a bruise of black and blue? Do you want to insinuate that we did that to her? We have no history of violence. Don't be dramatic. People might ask you to convince them some more and all these events of 30 years ago, huh?" On Mother Lily Monteverde's claim that she was the one who always got Gretchen's checks: "To Mother Lily: Yes, Mother Dearest, it is true that I was the one who used to pick up Gretchen's checks because she was a minor, remember? But it is not true what you said that you know that not a cent went to her. The cents went to pay for, 1) car, 2) driver, 3) yaya, 4) gasoline, 5) food, 6) clothes, 7) and others (kulang pa). I hope you understand being a mother, too. And by the way, we still have the contract we signed with you." On Robbie Tan's statement that Gretchen worked for him when she was 18 to support her family: "To Robbie Tan: Thank you, Robbie, for having given Gretchen more work because you thought she needed money for the family. But for your information and correction, at age 18 she was no longer with us because she was already living-in with Joey Loyzaga and our family was already in Iloilo. We did not use her money, period, same way you made good business from the projects you made for her. More power to you." "For the last time on Gretchen being the bread winner, this much I can say: How can she be when her father and I were alive and still are?" Also Inday insisted that Gretchen never sent her other siblings to school. "Gretchen sent her siblings to school? Three of them were already out of school when she joined show business at age 14. The projects she had when she was still under my care were never enough to pay for our, 1) rent, 2) electricity, 3) food on the table and 4) pay for the schooling…all of them on that meager income?" Contrary to Jay-Jay's statement that Gretchen paid for the hospital bill when their father had a heart attack twice, Inday said health insurance paid for the first hospitalization. The second one was paid by Tonyboy Cojuangco and not by Gretchen. "The bill for Mr. Barretto's first heart attack was paid for from a health insurance. The second heart attack that required a bypass, yes, was paid by Tonyboy Cojuangco, something which Gretchen never made us forget. I went to the billing section to settle the bill. I was told that it had already been paid from a PLDT account. We are eternally grateful to Tony for that sincere generosity." In the end, Inday reiterated her statement that she is now letting go of Gretchen to be happy. "Gretchen, yes, I am letting you go to set you free from the burden of being a part of our family. Whatever else you want to exact from us to buoy up your portrayal of a damsel in distress that got you the sympathy and brought you to where you are now? Be happy." "At least from this squabble, the truth has finally come out from the talks that have been going on behind our backs about you being an abused child admitted by you when you made sumbat through what you made Jayjay sign. Thank you that we are able to correct the lies before dad and I close our eyes and give back to your father the dignity he deserves for he really is an honest and principled person." "Again, for your sake, to remind you with no apologies for the lack of classy cars, bodyguards and bling-blings, our house, our home was what gave you these: A roof over your head, food in your stomach, clothes on your back and the love and care that you think is lacking when you were a nobody and had nothing. God be with you, as He is with us, now that the truth has set us free." The latest controversy involving the Barretto family stemmed partly from comments on the image-sharing service Instagram, supposedly made by Gretchen, saying that her sister Claudine is not happy that their niece, Julia, is starting to make a name for herself in showbiz. Julia, the second daughter of Marjorie Barretto, was recently introduced as an artist of Star Magic, the ABS-CBN talent management firm that launched Claudine to stardom until her transfer to another network in 2009. In response to reports on the alleged exchange on Instagram, Inday had released a statement denying Claudine's supposed plans to "block" Julia's road to stardom. In the same statement, Inday announced she has disowned Gretchen "in order to save one who has always been there for all, and with all of her love…Claudine." Subsequent statements made by Joaquin and Gia addressed the issue. The latter sided with her mother and youngest sister, while Joaquin sided with Gretchen, saying Claudine's "condition" should be addressed. Share Save Facebook Share on Twitter GPlus LinkedIn Read More: Gretchen Barretto inday barretto /sports/03/25/18/simmons-leads-sixers-past-wolves-120-108/sports/03/25/18/tolliver-carries-pistons-to-rout-of-bulls/sports/03/25/18/gordon-magic-send-suns-to-11th-straight-loss/sports/03/25/18/wozniacki-says-she-her-family-verbally-abused-at-miami-match/business/03/25/18/musk-deletes-facebook-pages-of-tesla-spacex-after-challenged-on-twitter


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post117079953694329428..comments2017-05-05T11:07:08.728-07:00Comments on Dirt Diva: Catrahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1171263344563313792007-02-11T22:55:00.000-08:002007-02-11T22:55:00.000-08:00hey arbit thanks for stopping by ;)Catrahey arbit thanks for stopping by ;)
CatraCatrahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1171244714386368162007-02-11T17:45:00.000-08:002007-02-11T17:45:00.000-08:00long time reader.. Great post.. keep up the good w...long time reader.. Great post.. keep up the good workArbithttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1171179417553463022007-02-10T23:36:00.000-08:002007-02-10T23:36:00.000-08:00Hey Mel-Thanks for stopping by. I'm so glad you f...Hey Mel-

Thanks for stopping by. I'm so glad you found my blog. I'm glad I can help :)

We should all enjoy life to the fullest.

CatraCatrahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1171179312606185932007-02-10T23:35:00.000-08:002007-02-10T23:35:00.000-08:00Hey Steve from NJ-I would love to run with you. P...Hey Steve from NJ-

I would love to run with you. Please let me know when your out this way.

CatraCatrahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1171179255025676092007-02-10T23:34:00.000-08:002007-02-10T23:34:00.000-08:00Hey Melissa-Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you ...Hey Melissa-
Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you enjoy the blog.

Have an awesome night!
CatraCatrahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1171179183213351172007-02-10T23:33:00.000-08:002007-02-10T23:33:00.000-08:00Hey Ryan thanks!I won't be at Vermont. I will be ...Hey Ryan thanks!

I won't be at Vermont. I will be on the PCT starting May 23rd-August ?

CatraCatrahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1171122878823157602007-02-10T07:54:00.000-08:002007-02-10T07:54:00.000-08:00Catra: "be immune to other's opinion" is a great ...Catra: "be immune to other's opinion" is a great way to look at things. So often this world is just flat out MEAN! You, on the other hand, show how to live "just being ME." Rock on!SimplyStuhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1171111843364275572007-02-10T04:50:00.000-08:002007-02-10T04:50:00.000-08:00Be immune to other's opinions - that just what I n...Be immune to other's opinions - that just what I needed to hear this week! Boy oh boy did I let someone get to me with their opinion and it ate me up! I really need to apply that one!Karrunhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1171110991058277132007-02-10T04:36:00.000-08:002007-02-10T04:36:00.000-08:00Hi Catra - I'm Mel in the UK. I have just discover...Hi Catra - I'm Mel in the UK. I have just discovered your fabulous blog and read through the entire archives last night - WOW, what a lady. You are a total inspiration to me - I'm single, 37 with kids but wondering where my life may be going lately - reading your blog has given me a kick up the backside to jump start my life again - thanks. I was left feeling on a total high after reading it and looking at your fab pics. Your 42???????? NEVER, I thought you were in your early twenties until I read your birthday post. You GO GIRL!! I shall be an avid reader now, MelMelhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170970960382383172007-02-08T13:42:00.000-08:002007-02-08T13:42:00.000-08:00Great picture! What a cutie pie of a dog!Great picture! What a cutie pie of a dog!GBhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170965084990564892007-02-08T12:04:00.000-08:002007-02-08T12:04:00.000-08:00Geoff, I Jeff. I'm running again after a stress fr...Geoff, I Jeff. I'm running again after a stress fracture last November. Broke clean in two. Swelling went down in 2-3 days because I stayed off it, iced it, and took ibuprofen. 1st xrays showed nothing.
DON'T TRUST your doctor!!! I had a great podiatrist who told me the 1st xray often doesn't show anything. It wasn't until two months later that unmistakeable signs of healing showed on xray.
Without a cast, wear hiking boots, ice-climbing boots, bicycle shoes, etc. Anything that's real stiff. If you don't have anything like that, maybe cut some thin plywood shoe inserts. You have to stablize.

Sorry if I hijacked your comments, Catra. I feel Geoff's pain.
You inspire me, but I have to remind myself that you built up to your current level and I have to pay my dues.
Congrats on Rocky Raccoon and with Rocky the Dog.JeffOhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170960834609955112007-02-08T10:53:00.000-08:002007-02-08T10:53:00.000-08:00Catra,Your site is truely inspiring! If I ever ge...Catra,

Your site is truely inspiring! If I ever get to Northern Cal, I'd love to do a 10 mile run with you (don't worry, I'm not a stalker :)

Steve from NJ
http://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170889090240774542007-02-07T14:58:00.000-08:002007-02-07T14:58:00.000-08:00Just wanted say, "you rock"! I read your blog for ...Just wanted say, "you rock"! I read your blog for positive motivation! I read your quotes and the whole time think, "That's right! Yeh! I don't have to absorb all the negative crap!" And running is such a great way to shed negative energy-keep up the positive thinking, it's contagious!

Melissa
Mom & ultra firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170878639795516852007-02-07T12:03:00.000-08:002007-02-07T12:03:00.000-08:00He is a cool doggy! Congratulations on your finis...He is a cool doggy! Congratulations on your finish at Rocky Raccoon, I heard it was a tuff day out there, way to push onward and finish strong! That's unfortunate about Xy but like you said she made a wise decision especially with the Grand Slam down the road. Will you be running VT100 this year or will you be on your PCT adventure? I hope to finally catch-up with Xy at VT100. Take care..Ryanhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170830777503973642007-02-06T22:46:00.000-08:002007-02-06T22:46:00.000-08:00Hey Anon-Thanks so much.Ahh..Your story is so cute...Hey Anon-
Thanks so much.
Ahh..Your story is so cute :)
CatraCatrahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170830725113064342007-02-06T22:45:00.000-08:002007-02-06T22:45:00.000-08:00Hey SR thanks!Hey SR thanks!Catrahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170830697806130742007-02-06T22:44:00.000-08:002007-02-06T22:44:00.000-08:00Hey Geoff-knock on wood I've never been side line ...Hey Geoff-

knock on wood I've never been side line due to a running related injury.
I'm just lucky so far.
If I were you I would take a few more day off and try and run than. If it feels ok. Don't run more than 5 miles per day for a few days.
Just rest up so you can run the hundred.

It doesn't sound like a stress fracture. From what I hear those are very painful.
Do self massage and run Arnica gel on it.
Good luck and just rest up.
CatraCatrahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170824487310198752007-02-06T21:01:00.000-08:002007-02-06T21:01:00.000-08:00Hey there Cat. Glad to hear that you are feeling ...Hey there Cat. Glad to hear that you are feeling fully recovered :-)

I have a raw food question...I have been trying to find what percent of green leafy veggies is average for a raw foodist. Mainly it seems that the high concentration is of fruit over 50 and greens are in the teens. Being an elite athlete...do you juice or blend a higher percent of greens or take them in a powder form of any kind?

Seems like a crazy question, but I just can't find a solid answer in my research. Thanks! Enjoy the California sun! ~jjgirlhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170817850823871622007-02-06T19:10:00.000-08:002007-02-06T19:10:00.000-08:00catra,first of all congrats on the RR100. another...catra,
first of all congrats on the RR100. another amazing accomplishment.

i have an unrelated question though:
i'm curious to know if in all the running you've done over the last several years you've ever had any stress fracture(s) in your feet?

i'm supposed be running my first 100 in 10 days but have not been able to run since last friday because of pain/swelling in my foot. This occured just after my longest mileage stretch of training that included runs of 50, 30, 20, and 20 miles within a 15 day span with 8-12 miles per day on the days between these runs. i worked fairly gradual up to this level but this was certainly my highest mileage in any 2 week span. everything i've read online indicates to me that it is likely a metatarsal stress fracture but i saw a podiatrist today who didn't seem to think this was too likely because the pain and swelling has gone away almost completely after 4 days without running. the problem is that he also told me that it wasn't a stress fracture because it didn't show up on an x ray even though everything i have read indicates that metatarsal stress fractures almost never show up on x rays for the first couple weeks. to make a long story short i don't trust this doctor's assumptions but he's the only foot doctor in town and i really can't afford to see another doctor or to pay for an MRI. i was hoping maybe you or any of your readers have been through something similar and might have some knowledge about this that might be helpful. my plan for now is to start running a few miles in a day or two and go a little further each day provided that i feel no return to pain and swelling. i'm assuming that if i can do this for 4 or 5 straight days and get up to about 15 miles then it's pretty certainly not a stress fracture and i may still be able to give this race a go. if anyone has any knowledge that either goes against this plan or supports it i would greatly appreciate it. you can email me at: firstname.lastname@example.com
geoffGeoffhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170814207958409582007-02-06T18:10:00.000-08:002007-02-06T18:10:00.000-08:00he is so cute, I have 2 standard poodles and a sch...he is so cute, I have 2 standard poodles and a schneiwzer (spelling just does not look right) they are great friends, this morning I caught ms. ebony sharing the chair with a little girl 19 months living with us, ms ebony was drinking her milk and Bella was having her cereal, out of the same bowl, it ws so sweet, we do teach sharing! congrats on email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-15115012.post-1170812178789238902007-02-06T17:36:00.000-08:002007-02-06T17:36:00.000-08:00Well said. What a wonderful way to live life.Cong...Well said. What a wonderful way to live life.

Congrats at RR100!

sr in email@example.com


text:
Changes in ORANGE
I made this team since my friends and I are making mono-type teams for a tournament we made, just for fun and just to do it. What would be some better replacements, if any, to the Pokémon I currently have?
Note:No legendaries, please.
Ambipom @ Normal Gem -- Anti-Lead/Fast physical attacker
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~ Fake Out
~ Return
~ Low Kick
~ Acrobatics
Ambipomb is one of the most annoying anti-leads in the game thanks to his high Attack and Speed, great ability in Technician, and Fake Out. He also boasts solid coverage and utility moves such as Low Kick and U-Turn, which lets him keep momentum on his user's side.
Kangaskan @ Silk Scarf -- Physical sweeper
252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
~ Double-Edge
~ Drain Punch
~ Fake Out
~ Sucker Punch
Kangaskhan is probably the best pure-normal Physical Sweeper. She has great stats, a good Physical moveset, and most importantly a very exclusive ability in Scrappy. This lets her forego a coverage move just for Ghosts since she can pound them with a mighty STAB Return. She also has access to a good priority move in Sucker Punch.
Chansey @ Eviolite -- Special wall/support
Natural Cure
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
~ Softboiled
~ Stealth Rock
~ Seismic Toss
~ Toxic
Chansey is probably the most notable Normal type, and it serves a great purpose. Its massive Special bulk makes it one of the best walls in the game, and it provides incredible team support thanks to Wish and Stealth Rocks. Chansey has better overall bulk than Blissey, but both are fine choices for any team.
Porygon-Z @ Choice Scarf -- Special attacker/sweeper
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
~ Tri Attack
~ Dark Pulse
~ Hidden Power Fighting
~ Trick
Porygon-Z boasts some of the most powerful moves in the game thanks to his ridiculous Special Attack and amazing abilities in Adaptability and Download. He's easily the best special sweeper and wall breaker among the normals.
Sawsbuck @ Life Orb -- Physical Attacker
Sap Sipper
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~ Return
~ Horn Leech
~ Nature Power
~ Wild Charge
My strategy here is to just be an all-out attacker with Sawsbuck, but I'm unsure of DE/Return & WC/Megahorn. Sawsbuck is the only dual-typed Normals (besides Normal/Flying) that's actually usable. Thanks to two stellar abilities in Sap Sipper and Chlorophyll, he can potentially become a potent weapon against opposing weather. His grass typing gives him a resistance to Water, Sun teams must be weary of Chlorophyll, and Tyranitar fears his mighty Jump Kick.
Smeargle @ Focus Sash -- Smash Passer
Own Tempo
4 HP / 252 Def / 252 Spe
~ Shell Smash
~ Baton Pass
~ Spore
~ Ingrain
Smeargle is very strange and has horrible stats, but is notable because he learns basically every move in the game. This can lead to some awesome set ups, such as passing, Status spreading, or spiking. He is also the only Normal with access to Spikes or Toxic Spikes, making him a valuable asset to teams that require multiple hazards, although, this set is to use Shell Smash on my first turn, then Spore, then Ingrain. After that, I'll pass to either Kangaskhan or Sawsbuck.


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WASHINGTON—Every 14 minutes, about 32 times a day, 363 days a year, in the shadow of the Washington monument, a woman slowly intones her version of history: "Christianity emerged from Judaism. Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew," she begins. "The early Christian Church condemned Jews as agents of the devil, and blamed them for killing Jesus. This accusation was not renounced until the 1960s with the Second Vatican Council."
She continues, "Christian crusaders slaughtered tens of thousands of Jews…. The Protestant Reformation brought no end to the anti-Jewish tradition of Christianity."
After quoting Martin Luther that Jewish homes should be burned, she gets to the present century: "Enter Hitler, Austrian-born and baptized a Catholic." Her voice goes deep as she imitates Hitler: "In defending myself against the Jews I am acting for the Lord. The difference between the Church and me is that I am finishing the job."
Finally, she warns, "This is where prejudice can lead," clearly meaning that Christian prejudice against Jews led to their murder under Nazism.
Every 14 minutes, a clutch of sober visitors listen to this explanation of the Holocaust, but this woman is not just another individual with a cause, wearing a hand-stenciled placard, a common sight on the Washington mall.
She is the voice-over for a film underwritten with federal money produced by the Holocaust Memorial Museum, which has been prominently featured in the museum's permanent exhibit for several years.
Until last December, there was no organized protest against the film AntiSemitism, but on Dec. 5, 1997, five prominent Jewish leaders led by Michael Horowitz (see "InPerson" page 1) wrote to the director of the United States Holocaust Museum protesting what they viewed as "libels of Christianity" in the film's "profoundly inaccurate thesis: that Christianity and Christian leaders were the initial causes of anti-Semitism and have at all times been its major proponents."
The letter was signed by policy analysts Michael Horowitz and Chester Finn of the Hudson Institute; Elliott Abrams, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center; Jewish historian David Dalin; film critic Michael Medved; and scholar Michael Ledeen. Horowitz, Finn, Abrams, and Ledeen all served as Reagan Administration officials.
The five-page letter is a detailed challenge to the film. The authors point out that by blaming Christianity for the Holocaust, the producers ignore numerous other historical sources of antiSemitism including the fact that AntiSemitism pre-dates Christianity. They cite the Old Testament itself as a record of pre-Christian persecution and enslavement of the Jews.
More important, the authors write, Christianity has been a civilizing and democratizing force throughout history despite sins committed in its name. By using a quote from Adolf Hitler that creates the false impression that Hitler saw himself as acting on behalf of the Church — when there is even more evidence that he saw religion and religious organizations as rival forces that should be destroyed — the film's producers conflate Nazism and Christianity, promoting the idea that religion and intolerance are synonymous.
The museum did not officially reply to the group until last month when exhibition curator Steven Luckert wrote to Horowitz alone explaining that an extensive review of the film is underway. According to a museum spokes-woman there is no deadline for the conclusion of this review.
Michael Horowitz, for one, is not satisfied with the museum's response to date.
"It's a classic, 'Don't call us, we'll call you' pro forma response," he complained. In an interview with the Register, Horowitz explained that he and other conservative Jews have taken up this cause for two reasons.
First, he said, Christians themselves are often intimidated about defending their own religion especially when it comes to the Holocaust. Second, by blaming the Holocaust on the existence of Christianity, it's just a short step to condemning all religions as intolerant and all believers as superstitious at best, potential murderers at worse.
"Aggressive Christianity certainly didn't cause the Holocaust," explained Horowitz. "Aggressive Christians saved many Jews during the war as we all should know, but the attitude represented by the film could be read as meaning, 'if we get rid of religion, we'd have a perfect world.'Well the communists tried that and guess what? Stalin was one of the biggest anti-Semites of the century."
Horowitz continued, "As a religious person, I am offended. Jews should defend Christianity as a sister religion, but sometimes it's hard for Christians to defend Christianity. So we got the ball rolling and I hope Catholics and evangelicals, all people of faith, challenge it too."
So far, though, the most vocal response to the Dec. 5 protest has come from another Jewish figure, Leon Wieseltier, an editor of The New Republic.
In a sarcastic article titled "Epistle to the Hebrews" (The New Republic, Feb. 9, 1998), Wieseltier declared, "The letter (of protest from Horowitz, et al.) is an ignorant and indecent document." He called the authors "fools" for making their case.
For Wieseltier, only one thing matters: "The brutal and incontrovertible truth is that Auschwitz was created in the heart of Christian civilization [and] Auschwitz was not the first time that Christian civilization inspired, supported, or countenanced an attempt to destroy the Jews physically."
Wieseltier's attitude echoes the response of some in the Jewish community who expressed disappointment in the Vatican's statement on the Holocaust, We Remember: Reflections on the Shoah, released March 16. The Vatican document makes a distinction between religious prejudice against the Jews, termed anti-Judaism, of which Christians have been guilty, and AntiSemitism as a racial theory that guided Nazism.
Pope John Paul II first made this distinction last October at a Vatican seminar on anti-Jewish currents in Christian theology. At that event, the Pope explained his view that wrong interpretations of the New Testament had created hostility toward the Jews among Christians, but he made clear that he was not attributing blame to the Church as an institution.
As Elliott Abrams made clear in his reply to the Wieseltier article, there is a growing academic consensus that Nazi ideology is significantly different from earlier anti-Jewish prejudice in its racially based, pseudo-scientific condemnation of Jews.
Has any Catholic organization weighed in on the matter of the film Anti-Semitism? The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights has received several complaints about the film during the last few months, but the League has not taken a position on it because, according to communications director Rick Hinshaw, no one there has seen it yet. Hinshaw did note a trend toward blaming Christianity for the Holocaust, though.
Sources close to Holocaust Museum deliberations said it's unlikely that the museum will change the film especially because Catholic members of the museum's Church relations council have been supportive, including council chairman Father John Pawlikowski, professor of social ethics at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.
Another member of the museum's Church relations council, Eugene Fisher, director of Catholic-Jewish relations for the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, reviewed the film while it was still in production: "I think Michael Horowitz is straining at gnats to pull it this way," he said. "I viewed it along with the rest of the Church relations committee. I offered a few corrections but you can't take it out of context. The museum has a whole section honoring Catholics who saved Jews. Alone, the film is inadequate. That's why it isn't shown outside the museum. Within the context of the museum, I don't think it is anti-Christian."
Whether or not it's adequate, the film has not attracted much criticism from Christians. Why not? Robert Royal, vice president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center thinks we're used to it: "As far as criticism of Christianity, we're not as sensitive because, maybe, we tend to feel, Christianity has lasted for centuries and will last for centuries, so why bother. There isn't much burning interest on our side to go see this thing. We don't have as much investment in the whole question of the Holocaust as the Jewish community does."
Eleanor Kennelly and Victor Gaetan write from Washington.


text:
This Boomerang H2 lock kit will add security and peace of mind. Designed to work exclusively with Boomerang Rigid and Xtreme Tire Covers for the 2005+ Hummer H2*, this lock kit will secure your tire cover and spare wheel to the spare tire mount discreetly out of view.
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Xtreme Tire Cover - Hummer H2 ('05-'10) (SKU# H2X-XX)


text:
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text:
Pavlik should mark return with an easy win
The enigmatic Kelly Pavlik returns after a ten month absence during which he's had deal with injury, infection and scheduling issues which ruled out a fascinating match up with Paul Williams, and sadly left us rounding off the year with this rather less competitive contest
Kelly Pavlik vs. Miguel Angel Espino. WBC and WBO middleweight titles.
Saturday December 19, Beeghly Center, Youngstown, Ohio, United States.
Pavlik 1/16, Espino 7/1.
Who or what was to blame for the Williams fight failing to materialise is, as you'd expect, a topic of contention depending on who you ask, but the notion that Pavlik simply did not want any part of the tricky former welterweight has been used in some quarters as a stick to beat the current WBC/WBO middleweight king, who was arguably THE boxing success story of 2007.
Getting off the floor to stop the undefeated Jermain Taylor, having also knocked out the ferocious puncher Edison Miranda thrust Pavlik into boxing's upper echelons and made for a great story; a young blue collar knockout artist rising up from the streets of Youngstown to claim the world championship.
Cue Bernard Hopkins.
The wily veteran was widely expected to have little chance against the younger, quicker, more powerful Pavlik when they fought in October 2008, but he rolled back the years and made his doubters look stupid when he won almost every single round with a brilliant display of tactical boxing.
The defeat was indeed a surprise, but the manner in which Pavlik was so spectacularly dominated left many wondering if he would ever be the same.
I found it slightly reminiscent of the beating Joe Calzaghe dealt out to Jeff Lacy, when the young undefeated hot prospect was so soundly thrashed that he went from superstar of the future to overhyped slugger overnight. His career has never recovered.
The fact of the matter however is that if Pavlik has anything left at all he should win this fight at a canter.
Having iced 31 opponents from 35 wins his power is not in dispute, and you'd have to consider Espino at a similar level to Gary Lockett at best, who Pavlik simply ran over in three one-sided rounds.
A former star of 'The Contender' series (during which he was beaten by one-time Calzaghe opponent Peter Manfredo Jr), Espino hasn't been particularly active of late; this will be his first fight since March with his previous fight to that being in March 2008.
If Pavlik is anywhere near full fitness Espino could get the shock of his life. He has quite simply never been in with anyone close to his class.
Pavlik holds all the aces in this fight. He's younger, taller, has a greater reach and hits a lot harder.
He's beaten fighters who'd be huge favourites to beat Espino themselves, and his only loss is to a boxing legend.
A Pavlik stoppage win is a very obvious pick, although there is still a certain something in the back of my mind that wonders if the real Kelly Pavlik will ever be seen again.
We may find out when he faces a top class opponent down the line, and Espino might have enough ring savvy to keep himself out of harms way for a while, but 'the ghost' should get him eventually.
I'll suggest a mid-rounds stoppage, and keep my fingers crossed for a better 2010 for Pavlik.


text:
The sacrifice of our military veterans makes it possible for us to live in a free and open society, to choose the home of our dreams, drive the car we want, pursue our passions, and build a life and career surrounded by family and friends. The USA is a special country, and Saratoga County has a proud tradition of supporting the US military ever since the inception of our country. Our little piece of real estate became special in 1777 due to the events on a nearby battlefield. Whereas soldiers once traversed our landscape lining up for action against the enemy in epic battles, today we live far, far away from any fighting, thanks to more than two centuries of sacrifice by our fighting men and women. Even though the fighting is distant we are surrounded by Air, Army, Navy, and National Guard bases, laboratories, and other sites. C-130s fly overhead daily, providing a constant reminder of those who keep vigil over us.
Given this strong relationship with the military, communities find many ways to honor and serve those who put their lives on the line, displaying a measure of their gratitude and appreciation. The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County, working with the Saratoga County Veterans Service Agency, several local radio stations and publications including this Times Union blog, is conducting a drive to raise money for the Saratoga County Veterans' Trust and Agency Fund between Veterans' Day (Nov. 11) and Pearl Harbor Day (Dec. 7). Your contribution will help provide job training, education, health care and housing for veterans who need assistance.
Anyone can contribute directly to the fund. Donations are suggested in the following contribution levels, each given a military title related to the 1777 Battle of Saratoga: Fife and Drum, $5.00; Enlisted Soldier, $10.00; Officer, $25.00; Senior Officer $50.00; Col. Kosciuszko, $100.00; General Lincoln, $250.00; General Schuyler $500.00; General Gates $1000.00 . Please make payable and mail all donations to the Saratoga County Veterans Trust and Agency Fund, c/o Saratoga County Treasurer, 40 McMaster St., Ballston Spa, NY 12020.
The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County also administers the Veterans Entrepreneurial Training Program, sponsored by SEFCU, to assist military veterans who are starting their own businesses. Thanks to the credit union's generosity, any Tech Valley veteran who is starting or has started a business within the last 12 months is eligible to have their first year's chamber dues waived and also get 7 free sessions of a series called Start-Up Smart, which provides needed tools and tips to help a new business thrive. For more information, call us at (518) 371-7748 or visit www.southernsaratoga.org .


text:
OAKLAND (AP) — The Oakland Athletics drafted Florida high school infielder Addison Russell with the 11th pick of the first-year player draft on Monday.
This was the first time the A's picked a high school player in the first round since drafting Jeremy Bonderman in 2001. Eric Chavez (1996) and Ben Grieve (1994) are the only other high school players taken in the first round by Oakland since 1991.
Russell batted .358 with eight homers and 33 RBIs in 32 games for Pace High School this year. He added 30 walks for a .532 on-base percentage and scored 40 runs. Russell hit .460 in his high school career with 37 homers.
Russell has a scholarship offer from Auburn and says he will talk with his family about his whether to sign professionally. A's scouting director Eric Kubota says the team is confident Russell will sign.
Oakland also used its two compensatory picks on high school hitters, taking shortstop of Upland High School in Southern California 34th overall and first baseman Matt Olson of Parkview High School in Georgia with the 47th pick.


text:
Boston The Celtics and Pacers found themselves in a playoff atmosphere on Friday night.
It was a much more comfortable situation for Indiana.
"There gets to be a point in the game where the playoff experience, or the veteran leadership takes over," said Austin Croshere, who hit the game-winning three-pointer with 38 seconds left to lead the Pacers to a 92-87 victory over Boston.
Croshere scored a career-high 32 points, adding 10 rebounds to help pull the Pacers even with the Celtics in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Each team has 10 games remaining, including a head-to-head matchup on April 13 in Indianapolis.
"We blew a golden opportunity to go up two games," said Boston forward Paul Pierce, who had 23 points and nine rebounds. "But we're still tied for the eighth spot. There's no need to panic."
The Celtics have won an NBA-record 16 championships, but they haven't made the playoffs since 1995 their last year in the Boston Garden. The Pacers are the defending conference champions, and they haven't missed the postseason since 1997.
"There's absolutely no doubt that tonight was huge," Croshere said. "It was a playoff game, undoubtedly."
The Celtics jumped to a 16-point lead in the first quarter before squandering most of it by halftime. Boston fell behind 79-74 with 6:55 left in the game before mounting a 9-0 run to retake the lead.
Indiana scored seven consecutive points to take an 86-83 lead. Pierce made two free throws and Boston briefly went ahead when Antoine Walker followed Pierce's airball, but Croshere hit a three-pointer to give the Pacers the lead for good.
Pierce missed an ill-chosen three-point attempt that could have won it. The Celtics got the rebound, but Walker missed on Boston's last chance.
Indiana coach Isiah Thomas said that even though his team has its share of veterans, it also has young players like Jermaine O'Neal and Al Harrington who haven't seen the pressure the playoffs can bring.
Kings 110, Timberwolves 98
Sacramento, Calif. Chris Webber scored 22 points and Scot Pollard had 18 points and 13 rebounds as Sacramento clinched a playoff berth. Sacramento (49-22) won its third game in four days while remaining in front of the Los Angeles Lakers for the Pacific Division lead.
Jazz 95, Cavaliers 88
Salt Lake City Karl Malone scored 33 points as Utah beat Cleveland, snapping a three-game losing streak. Malone shot 11-for-19 from the field and 11-for-16 from the line.
Trail Blazers 96, Knicks 79
Portland, Ore. Rasheed Wallace scored 30 points as Portland handed New York its third straight defeat. Bonzi Wells added 16 points.
SuperSonics 94, Clippers 84
Seattle Gary Payton scored 28 points as Seattle beat Los Angeles. The Sonics have won 10 of their last 11 games, including a 94-93 victory over Minnesota on Wednesday night.
Nuggets 103, Hornets 96
Charlotte, N.C. Nick Van Exel returned from a two-game absence to score 41 points and lead Denver over Charlotte. Van Exel, who was sidelined by a back injury, stepped up after forward Antonio McDyess left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury..
76ers 102, Warriors 89
Philadelphia Allen Iverson had 35 points and a career-high 11 rebounds to lead Philadelphia over Golden State while Charles Barkley had his jersey retired in the city where he became a star.
Raptors 110, Nets 99
Toronto Vince Carter scored 27 points and Alvin Williams added a career-high 23 as Toronto beat New Jersey, extending its winning streak to four games. Tracy Murray scored 20 for Toronto.
Pistons 100, Magic 97
Auburn Hills, Mich. Jerry Stackhouse scored 31 points and Ben Wallace added 14 points and 21 rebounds as Detroit beat Orlando. Detroit snapped its five-game losing streak and ended its string of 29 straight losses when trailing at halftime.
Lakers 98, Mavericks 89
Los Angeles Shaquille O'Neal went 13-of-17 from the line and scored 35 points as Los Angeles made up for Kobe Bryant's absence with well-balanced scoring. Bryant, his left ankle still sore, has missed five games.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. We strive to uphold our values for every story published.


text:
In Law, harassment is defined as unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of:
a) violating dignity or
b) creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment
Aston University is committed to the continuing development of a positive and productive working environment that encourages good working relationships for staff and students. All members of the University community and visitors to the University are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect and the University is committed to promoting a culture that supports and encourages this.
It recognises that the work and study environment needs to be free from discrimination, harassment and bullying. Harassment of one member of the University community by another is unacceptable behaviour. All members of staff and students are responsible for helping to ensure that individuals do not suffer any form of harassment.
Any incidents of harassment may be regarded as grounds for disciplinary action which may result in dismissal or expulsion from the University. Victimisation of any individual who makes a complaint of harassment or bullying is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.
This policy also recognises the particular relationship of trust and authority between staff and students. If a student feels that they are being subjected to harassment by a member of staff or vice versa they may use the steps outlined in the guidelines for dealing with personal harassment.
Personal harassment
Takes many forms, and can range from subtle, derisory remarks to violent behaviour. The behaviour may be persistent or may be by its nature or severity, e.g. violence, be unacceptable even on a single occasion. Differences in culture, attitudes and experience, or the misinterpretation of social signals can mean that what is perceived as harassment by one person may not seem so to another.
Sexual harassment
Always involves unwanted sexual attention which emphasises sexual status over status as an individual or colleague. It can be physical, ranging from suggestive looks to indecent assault or rape, or verbal, ranging from belittling or suggestive remarks and compromising invitations to aggressively foul language or unwanted demands for sex. Sexual harassment occurs when any such behaviour creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for employment or for social life. Any behaviour that makes the recipient feel themselves viewed as a sexual object is liable to cause offence even if offence is not intended.
Racial harassment
May be defined as any hostile or offensive act or expression by a person of one racial group or ethnic origin against a person of another, or incitement to commit such an act. Such behaviour includes derogatory name-calling, insults and racist jokes, racist graffiti, verbal abuse and threats, physical attack, and ridicule of an individual for cultural differences. Racial harassment occurs when any such behaviour creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for employment or for social life.
Harassment of disabled people
May be defined as conscious or unconscious conduct towards people with disabilities which undermines their dignity, self-confidence and career opportunities. Such behaviour includes offensive language, derogatory name-calling, 'jokes' and mockery, uninvited, patronising or unnecessary assistance with duties, unfair or impractical work expectations.
Harassment on the grounds of Sexual Orientation
May be defined as any behaviour, conscious or unconscious, pertaining to sexual orientation, which is found to be offensive or objectionable to recipients and which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. Such behaviour includes homophobic remarks or jokes, innuendo or gossip, threats of disclosing sexuality, exclusion from School/Departmental activities.
Harassment on the grounds of age
Is based on attitudes or assumptions and stereotyping which are prejudicial to older or younger people. Some examples of ageist harassment are derogatory remarks or behaviour, expressing prejudicial assumptions about abilities or excluding people from social activities. Forthcoming legislation will prohibit all types of Age Discrimination by the end of 2006.
Religious Harassment
Includes the use of embarrassing or derogatory remarks, drawing unwelcome attention to an individual's religious beliefs, exclusion from social activities, ridicule or religious jokes.
Is threatening, abusive, intimidating or insulting behaviour, which may be an abuse of power, position or knowledge. Bullying can happen in public or in private and attacks are often irrational and unpredictable and serve to undermine an individual's self-confidence and ability. Such behaviour includes instantaneous rages, often over 'trivial' matters, derogatory or belittling remarks, constant criticism, shouting or sarcasm, setting impossible deadlines or workloads and making threats associated with failure to achieve, public humiliation, removing areas of responsibility without consultation.
Other Forms of Harassment
The University wishes to discourage all forms of harassment and therefore harassment of any kind and on any basis will not be tolerated. The University also regards the inappropriate use of modern technology as a form of harassment such as offensive e-mail, messages or faxes, or inappropriate screen savers.
If you feel that you are being subjected to harassment in any form, do not feel that it is your fault or that you have to tolerate it. Nor should you be deterred from making a complaint because of embarrassment or fear of intimidation or publicity. The University will treat all complaints sensitively and appropriately and take all reasonable action to protect you. There are various steps that you or the University can take to deal with harassment, both on an informal or formal level.
Guidance on this can be found in the Prevention of Harassment Policy or by talking through the options with a Harassment Adviser.
Leaflet giving information for staff and students - Promoting Dignity at Aston
Ring the Confidential hotline on 5454. You will be put through to a voicemail. Please leave a message and someone will get back to you with an offer of an appointment.
This really depends on your relationship with the person concerned. If you can talk to them about it then do so and try to find out how they perceive the behaviour you have noticed. You may wish to encourage them to talk to a Harassment Adviser. If you are the person's manager or tutor, then you have a particular responsibility to try to address the problem. You may wish to get advice from the Equal Opportunities Unit about the best way to address this issue.
For staff:
Contact the appropriate HR Business Partner for your School or Department.
Numbers can be found at: www.aston.ac.uk/staff/hr/contacts/
Contact the Advice and Representation Centre (ARC) in the Students' Guild on 4848.
Staff or Students may also wish to contact the University Counselling
Service on 4711 or by email email@example.com
In an emergency Contact Security on the following numbers
- 222 Internal
- 2222 from Residences
- 0121 359 2922 from a mobile or other outside number
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text: On Fri, Sep 08, 2000 at 01:52:37AM -0400, Jacob Kuntz wrote: > package: www.debian.org > severity: wishlist > > packages.debian.org has a description for contrib that states: > > Contrib > Packages in this area are free themselves but depend on other software > or hardware that is not free. > ^^^^^^^^ > > non-free hardware suggests the existance of free hardware. is this a typo, > or have i been ripped off? > There was a reason I added that bit, but I can't remember what it was. :) Looking through the packages in contrib, the only thing that resembles a dependence on non-free hardware is the emulators, which need ROM images. Since the images can be considered software with a non-free license and many people find the phrase confusing, I have removed it. If there are no objections, I'll close the bug in a few days. -- James (Jay) Treacy firstname.lastname@example.com


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matthew sporleder wrote: [---] >> - I feel that the kernel solution is much more "natural" (to the end >> user). You just set the root device to cgd0 in the kernel config, set up >> the appropriate parameters for cgd0, and boot the kernel off a memory >> stick or cd. >> - Adding root-on-cgd-support to sysinstall would be trivial. >> - No special memory disk kernel is required. Even the GENERIC one >> would suffice. You only need to be able to specify the root device and >> cgd parameters in boot.cfg. > > I don't know if I requiring a netboot/cdrom is really "natural" as it > limits your flexibility a fair amount. Remember the context: Typically a laptop, or a server which only you should be able to access all files on, but where you're not the only one with physical access. The goal is to ensure that an attacker can't boot off a cd, and change/replace files on your file system. To accomplish this, you need to boot it from a secondary medium (for instance, usb memory stick or cd, which you keep to yourself) for both the kernelized and the init.root method. Booting from a secondary media is not a "limitation". It's design. [---] >> Arguments for the init.root solution: >> - There's a nifty shell you drop out to if you shut down to single >> user mode, which can be used for maintenance. > > Does this open the door for any other really great features? Live > kernel updates or something? No. -- Kind regards, Jan Danielsson
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