text: Both Sides Claim Victory In Geographic Indications Dispute15/03/2005 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentShare this Story:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)IP-Watch is a non-profit independent news service and depends on subscriptions. To access all of our content, please subscribe now. You may also offer additional support with your subscription, or donate.Both sides claimed victory Tuesday in a World Trade Organisation dispute brought by Australia and the United States against the European Union's protection of foods with names deriving from specific geographical regions.The WTO panel ruling Tuesday found that the EU system of protection for geographical indications for agricultural products may continue to exist, but said the system discriminates against non-EU products. The two sides disagreed whether the ruling found the EU system to be in violation of WTO rules.The case brought by the United States and Australia challenged a 1992 EU system under which more than 600 European products, such as Roquefort cheese, are registered for protection to ensure "quality." The challenge involves the registering in Europe of foreign agricultural products with place-names such as Florida oranges. It excludes wines and spirits, which fall under another regime.The United States charged that the EU regulation discriminated against U.S. geographic indications, a violation of the "national treatment" rule that all WTO members should treat each other's products the same as their own, and that it failed to protect U.S. trademarks.U.S. officials were pleased with the outcome. "It's a clear win for American farmers and food processors," Peter Allgeier, acting U.S. Trade Representative, said in a statement. "For years, Europe effectively had a 'Do Not Apply' sign directed at foreign producers. We believed that, under WTO rules, U.S. farmers, ranchers, and other food producers should have the same access to protection for geographical indications as European food producers, and that the European system discriminated against us.""Today, the WTO issued a crystal clear ruling that agreed with our view that Europe failed to provide Americans fair access," Allgeier said.The European Union said the ruling confirms the rights of the holders of the nearly 700 geographical indications."By confirming that geographical indications are both legal and compatible with existing trademark systems, this WTO decision will help the EU to ensure wider recognition of geographical indications and protection of regional and local product identities, which is one of our goals in the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations," EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said in a statement.A U.S. trade official said in a telephone press briefing Tuesday that the U.S. concern was that geographic indication holders could use translations of their holdings in a "confusing way" and could interfere with trademark holders' right to use them.The U.S. official also said the ruling could provide guidance to negotiators in the Doha Development Agenda. The U.S. position is that the existing WTO rules are sufficient, he noted.The United States will look for the European Union to issue a legal instrument that eliminates the discrimination in the system, the official added. U.S. geographic indications holders have not had a place to register their status, he said.The EU interpretation of the ruling on the relationship between geographic indications and trademarks was that the panel confirmed that the provision of the EU system allowing for the 'coexistence' of such indications with prior trademarks under certain circumstances is fully justified under the TRIPS Agreement.The European Union added that it has repeatedly sought to dispel charges that its system discriminates against geographic indications relating to geographical areas in third countries in violation of the WTO national treatment rules."In fact, the EU system is open also to applications for registration of [geographic indications] from third countries," it said. "The panel report asks the EU to clarify the rules in this respect, to allow producer groups from third countries to apply directly rather than having to go through their governments."Share this Story:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Related"Both Sides Claim Victory In Geographic Indications Dispute" by Intellectual Property Watch is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


text: On Sat, 30 Nov 1996, Bruce Perens wrote: > These are the 1.1 boot disks from 6 months ago with "initrd" added and a > few bug-fixes like keyboard configuration. It's not like it's a brand-new > program. Has the problem with the nfs module been fixed - the last few boot disks I made wouldn't load that module so I had to do FTP installs. Dermot -- Dermot Bradley Email: email@example.com Communications Director Tel: +44 1232 572003 Genesis Project Ltd Fax: +44 1232 560553 Belfast & Coleraine & Desertmartin, N.I. WWW: http://www.gpl.net/ -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to email@example.com . Trouble? e-mail to email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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Chapter 2 : To get me through this night
|Rating: Mature
|Chapter Reviews: 3
Background: Font color:
The enemy arrives
Escape into the night
everybody run now
everybody run now
"Up" he grunted and she rose, searching for her robes "what is it"? She reached her hand out and he jumped back the look of understanding dawned on her pretty face "Your taking me to him aren't you?"
"Stop talking and get dressed!" he snapped and watched her hands shake as she did what he said "you're better than this" she said almost an afterthought. But he wasn't.
Break into another time
this enemy alive
Divinity defines
everybody run now
Draco awoke in a sweat. It took him a moment to remember where he was. That is, he didn't know where he was or why he was there but he was trapped in a strange room with a strange girl who looked at him like she was looking for his soul, too bad it didn't exist. He was still sitting on the purple chair. He looked around for the Selwyn girl and saw her sleeping soundly on the divan. He reached inside his pocket until he found what he was looking for. He Darted into the bathroom and took the little vial with the purple liquid swirling wildly inside. He reached in his other pocket, pulled out the syringe and sunk to his knees on the cold tile floor. He rolled up his right sleeve and frowned out all the jagged scars and needle marks in his ivory skin. He knew he was weak.
Everybody run
under the burning sun
I take a look around
Imagine if this all came down
I'm waiting for the day to come
But He needed something to get him through this night. He stuck the syringe into the bottle and frowned. He was running low. He needed to get out of here soon or he probably wouldn't make it. Draco had been addicted to Ambrosia since he was sixteen. Since his first assignment as a Death Eater the one he failed and still had to witness his last hope of escape fall from that tower. Using his belt as a tourniquet and feeling the needle prick his skin like a snakebite he felt the familiar lurch of revulsion and self loathing. Soon he would be above it. He saw his blood pour into the needle and slowly he breathed deep as he pushed the drug through his veins. Slowly he felt it all slink away. The voices and faces, the terror and regret Gone. He felt the pleasant sensation of flying and it reminded him of younger days. Days when fathers were still heroes and laughter was part of daily life.
Take a minute to tell you now
Don't have to raise my tone
Take the level and bring it down
I just want you to know
I got no trouble with what you said
I don't even think you're wrong
It's how you say it
You lose your head
Girl I'm standing right in front of you
Standing up and leaving the bathroom he stumbled slightly and cursed himself. He looked over at the Selwyn girl what was your name again? And gazed at her for a second. She was sleeping on her back with a book hugged to her chest and her glasses askance on her face. He took the book and her glasses and put them on the table. Then he covered her with the golden blanket, shocked at this gesture of softness wondering where it came from. In this light she was very pretty. Her long dark lashes lay on soft cheeks like spider webs and she grimaced. He wondered why she looked so sad. His head was spinning faster now and he knew soon he would slip away into oblivion so he lay facedown on the bed, closed his eyes and surrendered.
Throwing out the blame when you know it ain't my fault
Messing with my brain when you want to see me fall
There may come a time when I don't bother you at all
It isn't my call, it isn't my call
Hey, why you keep screaming at the top of your head?
"Frigid little Girl. Like you could ever have pleased me anyway" He said looking at her coldly. She knew Royce Howard and knew he spoke only from pain but it hurt no less.
Child of the wilderness
Born into emptiness
Learn to be lonely
Learn to find your way in darkness
"My Job Royce! My Job! No one has worked on this project harder and longer than me! Don't do this" He sneered at her "It's already done Cel. We'll pay you for what you've done but you've been replaced" With a jolt she awoke. She looked around wildly and realized she couldn't see. "My glasses! She cried out. She searched blindly for a moment before she saw them on the table with the book she was reading when she fell asleep the life and lies of Albus Dumbledore what hogwash." How in the blue devil did they get there?" she pondered and then looked over at the bed and smiled as she saw Draco Malfoy sprawled across it, really sleeping this time.
Who will be there for you
Comfort and care for you
learn to be lonely
Learn to be your one companion
Something she had read recently came back to her. Something from the secret letters of Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. His soul is not yet so tainted. It had been written about the man that was in front of her now. She looked him over. He looked broken, and still beautiful, like a concrete angel weathered with time. You mustn't think like that Cel. He was a Death Eater… The Infamous Seducer. not that he would ever look twice at you anyway. And besides. You're just better alone. Men equal heartbreak.
Never dreamed out in the world
There are arms to hold you
You've always known your heart was on its own
So laugh in your loneliness
Child of the wilderness
Learn to Be lonely
Learn how to love life that is lived alone
She had to go to the bathroom. As she did she noticed a little bottle on the floor. She picked it up and watched the liquid swirl wickedly. She knew at once what it was. Ambrosia she dropped it in horror recalling her sister who died of an overdose. Evil vile stuff that gave you a sense of security until you couldn't do without it. She lifted the vial and threw it into the fire. Storming through the room she walked over to Draco Malfoy and studied the marks on his arms. She'd say he was as addicted as they come. She shook her head. Was this what their imprisonment was all about? A drug deal gone badly?" she hit his arm to wake him and even she couldn't miss the terror on his face. "Don't!" he wailed and she grabbed his hands to stop the flailing. "Yes Miss Selwyn?" he breathed in relief. Come to ask more impertinent questions?"
"Only one. How long have you been using Ambrosia?"
"What?" His mouth hung slack.
"I believe you heard me fine. How long and why?"
His hands searched his person frantically finding his small stash gone.
"It's gone Master Malfoy. I did you a favor and destroyed it."
"What?!" he picked her up in his strong arms and threw her roughly to the ground. She fell on her face and her glasses broke. He saw her nose start to bleed and tried his best to feel pity but he was too terrified of being without it
"You stupid wretched girl, what have you done!" he raised his wand menacingly
"Possibly saved your sorry life" she bit back raising her wand to repair her glasses and siphon the blood off the floor. "No need to thank me". He sunk back into the bed and allowed the tears to come before he could be ashamed. "I can't..." he moaned and she rose up and sat beside him "Yes you can" he was sobbing now "the voices... Oh god the voices." She stroked his back and the touch felt weirdly soothing. He quieted a little and looked into her eyes. "You don't understand"
"No. But I will if you tell me"
"Why so you can write a book about me?" he looked at her with disgust and she withdrew.
"Fuck you"
"Sorry, what?" he sounded a little more like his old self now.
"Fuck you you evil little drug addicted Death eater sex fiend puppet!" she shrieked and he grabbed her throat.
"You don't know me! You can't know all I've see, All I've done so don't you dare judge me!" he tossed her to the ground again this time softer and he saw her cry for the first time. Strangely he wanted to reach for her, but knew she'd pull away so he just buried his face in the pillows and listened to the sound of her storming into the bathroom and slamming the door.
She hit the nail on the head pretty much he thought despairingly and he tried to ignore the shaking but he couldn't. He reached into his pocket and very quickly, looking around to see if she had gone he pulled out his ivory handled pocket knife and raked it quickly across his wrist. As he saw the blood appear the shaking stopped and he covered his hand carefully and closed his eyes again.
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text: TRINITY BASSHURST ELECTRICAL LTD has been working since 3/4/2015. The current status of the business is Active TRINITY BASSHURST ELECTRICAL LTD located on 291 GREEN LANES, LONDON, ENGLAND, N13 4XSElectrician Bass Ian Bill is known as a Director of the company. Electrical Contractor Hurst James Harry is known as a Director of the company. Due date of the next annual return is 4/12/2016 12:00:00 AM."Construction of utility projects for electricity and telecommunications" is a known activity of the company.


text:
Stupid: I've never had any luck. Whatever I've tried fails. Not that I haven't tried hard enough either. Things seem to be working at first but at the end they all go down the drain.
Luck: They say you make your own luck.
Stupid: In my case, I know I've just been unlucky. Look at you, you've always been lucky, not that you don't work hard, but generally you have more luck. You seem to get things without even trying hard!
Luck: [thinks] Have you ever considered you've been stupid all these years, and made many stupid decisions? [/thinks]


text:
Posted by Gay Lyon on 28 SEP 2005 23:11:25
Thanks to all of you who have checked in here. I understand that you have a lot going on right now, and I appreciate you letting us know you're safe and what your situation is, because I've been worried. You're in my thoughts. I hope your lives return to some kind of normalcy as soon as can be.


text:
Judicial District VII CASA Program Judicial District VII CASA Program
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Mission Statement
The Judicial District VII CASA Program, Inc., recruits, trains, screens and supervises community volunteers who serve as Guardians ad Litem, appointed by the court, to foster the best interests of abused and/or neglected children who fall under the purview of the Child Protection Act.
The Judicial District VII CASA Program, Inc., provides community volunteer advocates to abused and neglected children on whose behalf, petitions have been filed with the courts. Judicial District VII covers a ten county area in the Snake River Plaines in Idaho.
This information
Might be out of date
Do you work for this organization?
Request administrator status and update its information!


text:
In June 2006, Marketing Knutsford acquired the 40,000 visitor per
month community website Virtual Knutsford
The site that currently enjoys over 12 million hits a year
with over forty thousand qualified visits per month was seen as
an ideal marketing and promotional tool for both business and community
events in Knutsford.
Now with Marketing Knutsford at the helm
the site will become more engaging featuring rich more entertaining
content that will cover a wider audience
The nature of a community portal is to keep the community informed
up-to-date with information, the most important part is providing
with relevant local events and information whilst providing
good quality content for an inquisitive wider audience.
Virtual Knutsford attracts visitors from across the United Kingdom
and Europe and in June 2007 the site's visitor statistics scaled
to its highest recorded levels with over 50,000 qualified visits.
Sections that attract the highest volume of traffic relate to
lifestyle and eating out.
Virtual Knutsford has already undergone some essential cosmetic
changes and whilst old out dated content and under used sections
are to be removed, new categories and improved content will soon
feature on the online community powerhouse.
(1yr)... click
here to sign up
+VAT (1yr)... click
here to sign up


text:
transportation of mail.
The motormen and conductors
have beeil trying for the past few
months to get the traction company
to consider their demand for higher
wages, shorter hours, recognition of
the union and future arbitration of
differences, but the company refused
to consider they had any differences.
Last August motormen and con
ductors operating out of Indianapolis
went on a strike, but It failed.
there is nothing to arbitrate and evidently intend, with the aid of the state
militia, to carry on the strike until such time as the men weaken. The first
militia companies sent out on strike duty probably will ga to the car barns
and guard the 250 strikebreakers.
Though the interurban trainmen did not respond to the strike order,
the violence that greeted he appearance of interurban cars suspended traf
fic on the most extensive system of interurbans in the world.
Many auto owners have hired out their cars since the street cars
stopped running. They have charged from ten to fifty cents p"er individual
for rides to and from work. Besides
automobiles, every other manner of
vehicle has been pressed into service,
except street cars. Thefts of autos
have increased during the tie-up.
Rumors of a sympathetic strike
among chauffeurs and teamsters are
denied by union officials. However,
a large number of men are tempor
arily out of employment with no
faculties for going to and from work.
Organized labor made a protest to
Gov. Ralston against the militia call,
but it had no effect. Todd, president
of the traction company, says the
company will run its cars as soon
as rioting is quelled and that rioting
must be settled by the militia.
Governor Ralston, fearing riots,
has ordered that not a uniformed
man shall be put on the streets until
a large number of troops are on hand.
Out-of-town companies win remain
on their special trains until all is in
readiness for their invasion.
Many.-Qf the militiamen refused to
report for strike duty, and others
cast about for excuses to avoid it.
Out-of-town companies also reported
similar trouble.
Ethelbert Stewart, special govern
ment investigator sent here by the
Department of Labor, reported there
is no immediate prospect of settle
ment of the strike.
Second Assistant General Stewart
has issued orders from Washington
to the postal authorities here that
they are to inaugurate temporary
mail service and in no case to per
mit the mails to become congested.
A report has been sent to him that
the strike had made impossible the
operation of street cars upon which
the department depends for the
Oskaloosa, la., Nov. 6. A mob of
strike sympathizers stoned street car
last night and passengers were forced
to alight and walk. This is the first
riot in connection with the strike of
fifty street car men in progress for
ten days. No one was injured, and
strikers deny any connection with
the affair. Cars are being run by
Washington, Nov. 6. "Mother"
Mary Jones declared today that a na
tional strike of coal miners will be
called "unless the mining interests of
Colorado stop the gatling-gun rule
and the ruthless slaughter of men,
women and children." She said that
all Colorado is Guilder' the spell of
John D. Rockefeller, and miners must
submit to trial before sewer rats in
the guise of judges."
"Constable, there's a fight soine: on
'round the corner to the right."
"Thank you, sir! I'll do as much for
you some day, sir!" said the police
man gratefully, as he took the turn
ing to the left and disappeared.
UdMJMrta-V,i frhaMfSi'
xml | txt


text:
Wine Tasting with Tom Kobylarz, Wine Expert
Posted on 28. Feb, 2010
Hoboken thrives on a large community of talented experts ranging from the mysterious 14th Street Dancer to the cool dudes of Bustin Boards who make really rad skateboards for a living. My goal is to find the best of Hoboken and that includes the people of this city! As part the first of many HG Spotlights, I'd like to introduce to you Tom Kobylarz, Hoboken's very own wine expert. He has volunteered to be a guest blogger to share his knowledge on the 5 Steps to Tasting Wine. Enjoy!
Continue Reading
Hoboken Crossfit Changed My Life
Posted on 15. Feb, 2010
Before I get into writing this review, let me explain myself for the lack of activity on my blog. Yes, I haven't posted here since September. All I have to say is that life has been a struggle for me the past couple of months. When life is nothing but a train wreck, one must keep their head up and do everything possible to make oneself better. Needless to say, I'm still slowly getting back in the hang of this all. I truly miss writing and exploring Hoboken for you all and I'll be adding posts more regularly from now on. I'm also thinking about a blog redesign pretty soon too, so be on the look out for that this year. But I digress.
Continue Reading
Liberty Housekeeping: The Best Cleaning Service in Hoboken, NJ
Posted on 15. January, 2010
It was a wild weekend. Friends came over for the game: beers were had and chips were spilled. More friends came over. They forgot to take off their shoes. And, well, you know how it goes. The place was a complete mess. It looked like a bomb went off, and after drinking all day the last thing I wanted to do was clean. So I asked around and was referred to Liberty Housekeeping by my sister.
Their Yelp reviews seemed legit, so I scheduled directly online for them to come first thing Monday morning. My doorman let the maids in and the cleaners saw themselves out. It was completely painless for me, and I came home to a spotless and clean apartment.
Remember those chips in the carpet? They were gone from the rug and from under the couch. They vacuumed the floor boards and got the food stain (don't ask) off the walls. They even scrubbed the toilet clean and removed the food bits from the side of my oven. They kitchen has never been cleaner - it looked showroom ready! Fresh and clean! I would absolutely use them again.
Edit: The owner of Liberty Housekeeping read the post and came back with a request. He asked that I include a note explaining that their cleaning system is now mobile friendly and automatically sends text message and email reminders.
Give them a call: (201) 984-3512
The Back's Mac & Chez is to Die For
Posted on 25. Oct, 2009
It's known for its bright cheesy shades of yellowish-orange and its classic elbows of macaroni. And it's the official #1 comfort food in my book, especially during times when you gotta cure that hangover. Seriously. What isn't more comforting than a big bowl of pasta and loads of melted cheese? Yes, I'm talking about that good, old fashioned mac and cheese. And so far, when it comes to finding the best place to enjoy this classic American dish, no place in Hoboken has come close to Backyard's Bistro Mac & Chez. Simply stated – it is to DIE for.
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Warhol Soup Fundraiser Tonight for Typhoon Ketsana Victims at Bar Saints and Sinners
Posted on 08. Oct, 2009
Filipino-American funky pop/rock band Warhol Soup is making an effort to aid the victims of typhoon Ketsana that recently brought up to 20-feet deep floods, 248 deaths, $100,000,000 in damages to their homeland of the Philippines. The September 26th typhoon brought 455mm rainfall in 24 hours, compared to hurricane Katrina's rainfall of 310mm. The fundraiser gig will take place TONIGHT (October 9th) at their new regular gig at Bar Saints and Sinners in Hoboken. They will be donating all the money they make from their cut at the door tonight and from t-shirt sales to their charity. Continue reading for event details!
Continue Reading
Hoboken's Best Sandwich: Fiore's Roast Beef, Mozz & Gravy Hero
Posted on 08. Sep, 2009
When you're looking for the best mozzarella in Hoboken, it's a mandatory requirement to buy from Fiore's Deli. Fiore's has been making fresh mozz for more than 96 years, perfecting the timing when the curd is ready to be stretch and shaped into those fancy thick braids. But this review is not just about their famous mozzarella. This is about Thursdays and Saturdays. This is about double-parked cars and long lines of hungry Hobokenites and outsiders who travel by and far to get a bite of one of the best sandwiches of all the mile square. It's about an insanely addicting sandwich that has even landed a guest appearance in a scene from the popular TV show, 30 Rock. Yes, my friends. I'm talking about Fiore's famous Roast Beef, Fresh Mozzarella and Gravy Hero. Just saying the name of the sandwich brings back that amazing taste. Yum!


text:
In the past, blackouts have led us to focus on preventing systemwide single component failures. But August's blackout increased nationwide awareness for the need for backup power systems.
During the blackout, people were trapped in the heat of the subways, water was unavailable to certain locations and cell phones became inoperative. As we soon discovered, the critical need during a crisis such as a blackout is maintaining public services.
The blackout also affected wastewater and communication services. According to New York City's Department of Environmental Protection, which manages the wastewater treatment system, backup power for the North River and Red Hook plants was intermittent, and one large station pumping sewage from Manhattan to the Newtown Creek plant had no backup power.
How do we control our vulnerability? While the electric power industry focuses on prevention, New York can reduce adverse effects by drawing upon decentralized approaches: small, dispersed generation systems, some of which are already in place for backup to provide power for essential services.
The causes of blackouts often lie in small events whose widespread ramifications are rarely understood, appreciated or communicated, especially in light of the growing interconnectedness of electric power with essential services. Because they will not stop happening, we must to continue to find ways to manage the spread and severity of the consequences and to keep essentials operating despite a power failure.
With recent major disasters ranging from earthquakes and storms to serious electrical outages and rolling blackouts, the need to be prepared in these emergency situations has sharply increased over the past few years. While for some, a power outage is merely an inconvenience, for others, it can be a true disaster. Without power during a blackout, batteries can't be recharged, cordless phones cannot operate and life-sustaining equipment cannot function. The effects of a disaster highlight the need for a strong disaster response system. These outages can create uncertainty, anxiety and even panic for some. However, there are several ways to prepare for these situations.
"We manufacture portable standby power transfer switches for residential and light commercial applications. Our units range from single-circuit furnace controls to multicircuit transfer switches to main-breaker load centers with manual transfer capability," said Jeff Flegel, executive vice president for Reliance Controls. "Our units range from residential for whole-house manual transfer panels to anything that someone wants to run on a portable generator like community wells, an irrigation system, etc. When the blackout occurred on Aug. 14, it increased the awareness that if the same power outage had occurred on Jan. 14, it would have been an absolute disaster. After the blackout, reports said large businesses were able to make up for the product losses easily, whereas the smaller businesses were sensitive to being out of business for that time."
During the blackout, some power systems such as fuel cells that weren't connected to the grid were used.
"By the mid '80s, articles began to appear on the deterioration of the power grid and the increased demand for power," Flegel added. "People today are becoming more and more worried about the power grid. When Y2K came about, it did a great deal to increase awareness of small standby generating systems. It caused a glut in the marketplace and an increased awareness for portable generators and standby units."
American Power Conversion recently introduced a 1U Smart-UPS RM, which maintains computer-grade power even if the nominal voltage drops by 30 percent without having the UPS utilize battery power. The UPS is space-optimized to take up only 1U of rack space and is available in 750VA and 1,000VA.
The 1U rack-mount uninterruptible power supply features USB and serial connectivity to APC's PowerChute Business Edition software, which enables IT administrators to provide safe system shutdown and UPS management for servers and workstations.
"Our rack-mount Smart-UPS has long been an industry benchmark for reliable, manageable power protection for networking applications," said Ed Bednarcik, vice president of APC's Business Networks Group. "By decreasing the U size of the units without decreasing VA levels or functionality, we are able to provide users with a high-performance, power-dense unit that requires less space in the rack."
The Smart-UPS rack mount system provides a wider input voltage range that can maintain computer-grade power even if the nominal voltage drops by 30 percent without the UPS utilizing battery power. When the battery is being disconnected for replacement, the testing feature is automatically disabled in the unit and notifications are broadcast via in and out of band notifications.
When bad weather or other conditions interrupt power service, homeowners can find themselves unable to heat or cool their homes or run necessary appliances and lights. While fireplaces may provide substantial heat and flashlights or lanterns can provide light, many appliances will remain unusable until power from the grid is restored. This situation becomes serious if applications such as medical devices, telephone, home office computers or refrigerators are threatened. Emergency backup systems currently available on the market make it possible for homeowners to have continued access to electrical service during power outages. These systems are typically based either on fossil fuel-powered generators or on battery-based storage systems.
While the goal of both approaches is the same—to produce backup power—they each have advantages and disadvantages. For emergency backup power during typical power outages, battery-based systems represent a fairly simple and silent alternative.
The length of time a battery-based storage system can provide emergency power to the home depends on its overall capacity and the type and number of appliances connected to the backup system. Battery-based systems are not designed to provide power over an extended length of time. For example, a typically configured 2,000 to 4,000W system can provide household appliance loads up to 12 hours. However, power conservation can extend operating time considerably longer. Fossil fuel-fired generators can be integrated into some systems to supplement the batteries when power is not available from the grid, or to help the batteries support the home's load.
"We also have a 2U Smart-UPS unit, which is more compact and powerful and is easier to install," said Ron Seredian of American Power Conversion's media relations department. "In the information technology industry, one of the most important things is being able to power up a system with smaller units that take up less space and we have done just that with the 2U.
"With the recent power outages in New York and California, people are reminded that we live in a digital economy and we don't want to be without power for long periods of time," he continued. "Larger UPSs can stay operational for several hours, which is important to hospitals, grocery stores and large companies. There used to be an issue with redundancy as there used to be two UPSs running parallel, but now it has become cost prohibitive. Backup power systems are now offering longer run times, smaller units and cost-effective solutions."
"We have a 2,800kW, 60Hz unit powered by an 1,800 rpm diesel engine, which can be used in a variety of applications," said Mark Repp, director of marketing for Kohler. "We have been working on the unit for the past nine months and we are able to offer it in a variety of configurations. The backup power industry continues to grow and was really built up in 1999 and the Y2K years but we have seen a small decline since then. With the blackout in New York in August and the threat of hurricanes, we are seeing the market coming back. More and more companies are now realizing the necessity of backup power support for almost every application."
GenTran's new PowerStay Manual Transfer Switch line is expandable in the field to up to 16 circuits, making it easier for contractors to simply upgrade instead of replacing the units. The enclosure can also be flush or surface-mounted so contractors can stock one unit that suits most applications.
"In the past, only one item could be run off a generator," said Beth Johnson, vice president of marketing of GenTran Corporation in Atlanta. "Then there were four to six circuit units so in the event of a power outage, you could hook up a well pump for water, utilities, a TV, garage door opener, etc. Our focus now is on creating, designing and manufacturing transfer switches making portable generators safe and more convenient. We have recently redesigned our entire product line for four, six, eight, 10 and 12 circuit units in varying wattages. We now offer four standard models up to 15,000W, which were previously limited to 7,500W, that are now expandable."
Backup power systems can provide immediate electrical power to critical loads during natural or other disasters. Because there is no noise, maintenance or pollution normally associated with backup generators, oftentimes costs of these backup systems vary, depending on size and options selected.
The systems are well suited to maintaining service to furnaces, entertainment and home office electronics, lighting, microwave ovens and refrigerators. Other appliances, such as electric heaters, electric water heaters, stoves and air conditioners would place a large demand on the system, and quickly deplete the batteries. Therefore, they are not good candidates for battery-based backup power.
Potential owners need to identify which appliances will be supported by backup power and determine the load needed to accommodate them. The capacity of the system can then be sized to fit the needs identified by the owner. EC
SPEED is a freelance writer based in Weymouth, Mass. She can be reached at 617.529.2676 or email@example.com.


text: Hey all, I am looking for a good freeware that I can use with my scanner. I would like to scan directly to pdf. Hopefully something small and free that I can use for this one time. maybe even if there is a freeware plugin for office2003 that I can install for the same function. Thanks, Heeter


text:
Central Pierce Fire & Rescue crews quickly got the upper hand on a fire that broke out at a vacant home in Parkland today, Assistant Chief Randy Stephens said.
The blaze was reported about 12:45 p.m. in the 500 block of Violet Meadows Street South. Flames were under control within 10 minutes.
A cause has not been determined. Crews are still on scene.


text:
Before i used to be able to save all my tabs for my next session by selecting the Save and Quit option when exiting firefox, now i cannot do this.
↓ Show more ↑ Show less
- All posts
- Helpful Solutions
- post
- post
m-wynn 6 years ago
This mozilla support article should guide you through saving your tabs when you quit.
cor-el 6 years ago
Please update Firefox to the latest version via "Help > Check for Updates or Help > About Firefox" The Firefox 3.5.8 version that you use is no longer maintained with security and stability updates.
Using unsupported Firefox versions is at your own risk and makes you vulnerable to attacks.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerability_(computing)
- http://www.mozilla.org/security/known-vulnerabilities/
- https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Installing+a+previous+version+of+Firefox
- Firefox 6.0.x: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html
- Firefox 3.6.x: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html
Your above posted system details show outdated plugin(s) with known security and stability risks that you should update.
- Shockwave Flash 10.0 r42
Update the Flash plugin to the latest version.
- https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+the+Flash+plugin
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Flash
- http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
Update the Java plugin to the latest version.


text:
A Life
The author of over 100 novels and short story collections, 1,600 citations in the Oxford English Dictionary, and 14 Broadway musicals, Penham Grenville Wodehouse possessed a rare and brilliant literary talent. Shuttled off to Dulwich College by indifferent parents, "Plummy" Wodehouse (1881-1975) flourished in academics as well as on the sports field, and he retained his schoolboy demeanor throughout his life. Captured by the Nazis, Wodehouse was cajoled to record a series of broadcasts, ostensibly to keep America out of the war. Ever the humorist—and probably afraid for his life—he stumbled into a bad situation that eclipsed his literary reputation for a quarter century. McCrum wipes away that taint and delivers a serious, authoritative look at one of the 20th century's most beloved writers.
Norton. 530 pages. $27.95. ISBN: 0393051595
National Review
"I suppose there's no such thing as a definitive biography, but I can't see how this one could be bettered." Terry Teachout
Los Angeles Times
"Unlike his near contemporary Oscar Wilde ... Wodehouse put his genius into his art, not his life. Thank heavens. We are the richer for it." Christopher Buckley
New Criterion
"[McCrum] treats Wodehouse's wartime experiences to an intense scrutiny that further exonerates the writer from moral culpability in broadcasting innocuous, stiff-upper-lip statements ..." James Panero
NY Times Book Review
"McCrum takes Wodehouse seriously and resists the temptation to add any light touches of his own, or even to dwell on the ways in which the life occasionally resembles the stories. … He's a discerning and reliable guide to the fiction and he also gives us a very full account of Wodehouse's other career, as a lyricist for Broadway shows." Charles McGrath
Wall Street Journal
"Mr. McCrum is astute in assessing why Wodehouse's stuff was so good—why, in other words, it was worth every penny of the prodigious amounts it brought in and why even today, the large majority of his nearly 100 novels are still in print." Andrew Ferguson
Critical Summary
When reviewer Christopher Buckley respectfully restrains his frenetic pen, it's clear we're in the presence of a master. Acclaim for Wodehouse as a prose stylist, a humorist, a writerly model of Davidian proportions is effusive. The critics extend that praise to his biographer as well. McCrum wisely and dramatically scrutinizes Wodehouse's international embarrassment while captive to the Nazis. This retelling also allows the author to clean off history's grime and present a sympathetic picture of a man out of touch with his times. McCrum's lucid writing even keeps the details of a rather unbothered life from becoming tedious. In the end, writers rush, as they always have, to quote P. G. Even the reviews of Wodehouse will send a reader darting to the bookshelf to get a fix of Jeeves, Psmith, Bertie, and the like.
Wodehouse: Where to Start
Life with Jeeves (1983 reprint): The perfect place to start with Wodehouse is a Jeeves/Wooster story—and there are stellar examples in this collection.
Blandings Castle (1935): Only half of the 12 short stories in this collection are Emsworth/Blandings stories; the other six are hit or miss. However, "Lord Emsworth and the Girlfriend" is included here, hailed by Rudyard Kipling as "one of the most perfect short stories ever written."


text:
2 storey 3 bedroom house accessible just 15 min away from Uniwide..move in while paying your dp for only 7%..only at LNC ,school ,mall,bus terminal.all within ure reach..pls call for more info ,total of 12 houses to choose from
Flr Area: 60 sqm.
Lot Area: 60 sqm.
Sample Computation Bank Financing
Total Contract Price 1,534,400
Reservation Fee 10,000
Net DP 143,440.00
DP Term 15mos
Monthly DP 11,953.33
Loan Amt 1,380,960.00
Monthly Amortization
20 yrs 11,984.00
Dambana Ng Pambasang Watawat, Benedictine Institute Of Learning
Get the freshest property listings, latest news, and top real estate tips delivered straight to your inbox!


text:
Uzbek Police Detain Rights Activists
(RFE/RL) November 28, 2006 -- Six activists have been detained in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, as they prepared to picket the country's Foreign Ministry building to demand more official dialogue with rights campaigners.
The uznews.net website today reports that the six campaigners -- Yelena Urlaeva, Viktoria Vinogradova, Rasul Tojiboev, Valentina Talipova, Jahongir Shosalimov, and Abdullo Tojiboi -- were seeking an interview with Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov.
Police detained them as they were approaching the ministry's headquarters on November 27 and drove them to an undisclosed location.
All six had rallied in front of the ministry on November 25 to demand that authorities follow through on a pledge made in Brussels on November 8.
Norov reportedly said during talks with EU officials ahead of a sanctions debate that Uzbek authorities would hold a dialogue with rights campaigners and organizations.
The EU on November 13 expanded for six months a travel ban imposed a year ago on 12 Uzbek officials it holds responsible for a bloody military crackdown in Andijon in May 2005.
The bloc also voted to maintain an arms embargo on Uzbekistan for another year.
Most Popular
Most-Read Articles
Most-Viewed Multimedia


text:
Last updated: Fri, 8 Jan 2010 15:05:05
It is now Sun, 18 Mar 2018 10:00:14
On 2 November 2009, the U.S. FDA published a warning to veterinarians about a problem with the insulin named Vetsulin, an insulin commonly used for diabetic dogs, and perhaps some cats.
Quoting from the warning, the insulin: ".... may have varying amounts of crystalline zinc insulin in the formulation."
This means the person injecting the dog (or cat) has no way of knowing just how the insulin will behave - what its duration will be in the body. A potential exists, then, for hyperglycemia (too-high blood glucose levels), or hypoglycemia (too-low blood glucose levels), if you happen to have a vial with unknown quantities of the crystalline portion of the insulin.
Human caretakers of diabetic animals who are receiving Vetsulin should check with their veterinarians for further instructions.
Hi! I am VekToria, VekToriAna for short, call name Vekkie. I joined Kwali and Kumbi and Carol on 8 February, 2008, right in the middle of a dog-walk past Parrot-Lady's home. I've become part of the family. All welcomed me very warmly, as indeed, they should. I have been working hard - well, playing! - with talking about diabetic dogs, and what can be done to keep them in glowing good health, so that you'd never know they were diabetic.
Carol has given me lots of latitude and longitude to play here on Coherent Dog, and I am using it.
Expect changes here! If ever you start feeling too unstable, I will ask Skyhook to deliver progeny to you, so you can anchor yourself as needed.
Return to Finding your way around Coherent Dog
Many of the pages here are in a particular order, where one page adds information to previous stuff. These pages have buttons above the main picture on the page, which say PREV, UP, and NEXT, in that order.
YOu can use the NEXT button on each page to go to the next page. Use the PREV button to go back in the reverse direction. If you get lost, use the UP button to go to lists of pages in the section. If you don't get the list you want, try the UP button on that page for the next higher list!
Main pages have vertical lists of links down their right sides; these can help you locate the main areas of the Playground. If the main picture on the page is very big, these links sometimes drop down to the bottom of the page, so just scroll down to see them.
The Merry Measure area has Fast-Track links to take you through the highlights of measurement and dosing with insulin, for those who want a quick tour without studying all the details. You can jump in and out of the Fast-Track areas, by using your browser's Back button, or by using the PREV, UP and NEXT buttons..
And now that Vekkie's Site Map is finally in order, you can always go there to find your trail again. Or call for a Trailing Vine to guide you.
Here I am, with my Skyhook. She is as trustworthy as are well-cared-for dogs, and I stake my life on her help, as you will see.
Now I open the rest of this page to Carol, to let her deliver a few notes.
Do use your browser's Back button to return here from the maelstrom of links in the next paragraphs.
For humans who are part-dog, I suggest exploring Vekkie's Diabetes Playground in considerable detail, because Vekkie herself seems clearly to be part-dog, at least in temperament and predilection, and her stories appear to bear this out. Furthermore, her companions, SkyHook, SkyLightOutside, SkyLightInside, Carlova and the CarSisters, and above all, Little Novie and Big Vetsie, into whom Vekkie herself breathed life, are very obviously part-dog.
Therefore, the entire Playground is chock-full (of course, not a shock in sight, apart from that one Lightning Strike), of Stories, both Invented and Real, that dogs themselves might have told.
You will probably need Vekkie's Site Map to help you locate the variety of stories, amazing and mundane (that is, very worldly) to help you track your paths through Vekkie's Forests.
If ever you get lost, though, the TrailVine will willingly guide you, especially with SkyLightOutside to light your way.
On 1 September, 2006, just as we had come through in fine fettle after knee surgery for Kumbi, and a year later, for Kwali, Kumbi was diagnosed with diabetes.
Diabetes changed our lives. Talk about regulation! With diabetes, food, exercise and insulin are all crucial factors. Food and insulin is best delivered on a strict schedule. I haven't met strict schedules for many years, since retiring, but I set up my computer calendar program, CalendarScope, to set off daily alarms to keep me on-track, feeding and shooting Kumbi on time.
It took us more than a year to get the insulin dose finely tuned so that Kumbi is in glowing health once again. Meantime, he went almost completely blind from diabetic cataracts. We cannot afford surgery, and if we could, the stress would be more than Kwali and Kumbi could take, as we would have to travel and stay in hotels. Kumbi enjoys his life and finds his way around despite his very severely impaired vision. Let nobody tell you a blind dog can't have fun!


text:
Outside Groups Target Close Ohio Races
Ohio is getting more than its share of the money being spent in the midterm elections, a huge chunk of it from groups not connected to the campaigns themselves.
The state is the scene of races for the U.S. Senate, the governor's mansion and several congressional seats held by Democrats but where Republicans, and their backers, are looking for victory. One of those congressional races is in Cincinnati; the other a sprawling district in the state's southeast.
It is crunch time for campaigns and for those spending money to influence hotly contested races. And it's time for some candidates to get bad news — among them Rep. Steve Driehaus, a freshman Democrat from Cincinnati.
"This week, we found out that the Democratic Congressional Campaign committee, the DCCC, has pulled funding for TV in the 1st Congressional District in Ohio," he said in a video message to his supporters.
'Hard-Nosed' Decisions
Driehaus is in a rematch with former Republican Rep. Steve Chabot. The incumbent says the DCCC is walking away from someone who cast tough votes on behalf of President Obama's agenda.
But Ohio State University political scientist Paul Beck says it's simply the party trying to make the most of its available cash. "They begin doing triage. And it requires some really hard-nosed, cold decisions to maybe back away from investments in candidates whom they like, but who they think probably aren't going to win," Beck said.
As money is taken away from the race in Cincinnati, it's being poured into the 18th Congressional District to the east, where two-term Democrat Zack Space is trying to hold back a challenge by Republican State Sen. Bob Gibbs.
The two men attended a candidates forum at the public library in Nelsonville, Ohio, on Wednesday where the rhetoric was familiar.
Space warned of a return to Bush-era economic policies. "The alternative is to go back to watching out for the people that put us into this crisis," he said. "Now do we want to go back?"
Gibbs said the nation is on the wrong track. "If you want bigger government, higher taxes, more regulation, don't vote for me," he said.
Outside Groups
But much of the battle is taking place on the airwaves. Some of that Democratic Party money not being spent in Cincinnati will now help Space instead.
Space is still considered the favorite in his contest, but it's close, and some of the nonparty groups backing Republicans have jumped in. "Somewhere in the halls of Congress, Zach Space lost his way," says one ad being aired on local radio. "He pledged allegiance to Nancy Pelosi and forgot the folks back home.
"Zach supported Pelosi's wasteful stimulus bill and bailouts for Wall Street big shots."
The ad was paid for by American Crossroads, an outside group with ties to Republican strategist Karl Rove. It's one of several nonparty ads being run in the district.
Ohio's 18th District shows how Republicans and their backers have expanded the playing field this year, with nearly all the fighting taking place on Democratic turf. A new study by the Wesleyan Media Project shows that groups favoring Republicans are outspending Democrats by a margin of nearly 9-1.
At the candidate forum in Nelsonville, Democrat Space reacted to the outside money, much of it from anonymous donors. "We have to have full disclosure," he said. "Without it, it's a perversion of the democratic process. And what I worry about is that, again, this could be the beginning and not the apex of this problem."
Gibbs wouldn't say how much these ads may be helping him, stressing that campaigns are not allowed to coordinate with nonparty groups. When pressed, he added: "Hey, I'm not turning it down! You know, we're just doing some polling right now and things are looking pretty good.
"And that's all I'm going to say on that. But I think you're going to see a wave coming here in 20 days."
But the wave of cash has already arrived. It's actual total and influence to be tallied up after Election Day.


text:
Naveed Akram
Naveed Akram (15 December 1973 / London, England)
Poems by Naveed Akram : 5 / 5644
A Banshee Has Arrived - Poem by Naveed Akram
A banshee required my assistance
For our sort of play with combat,
It carried a strain of germ, an acceptance
To the church of danger, the church for the acrobat.
We carry out our danger for all the eyes
In this fearful world, over the edge
Is a monumental lesson that true allies
Converse with the banshee as a pledge.
With the straightedge, or ruler,
I measure its gaze and make a weapon
This day is like a magic item - an abductor
Of a right called real life, it required absolution.
Listen to this poem:
Poems by Naveed Akram : 5 / 5644
Comments about A Banshee Has Arrived by Naveed Akram
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Poem Submitted: Saturday, July 19, 2008
Naveed Akram's Other Poems
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If You Forget Me
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Caged Bird
Maya Angelou
Rudyard Kipling
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Robert Frost
I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You
Pablo Neruda


text: Hello everyone, This patchset is an incremental patch to patchset created by Sumit Semwal [1]. The patches are dedicated to help find a better solution for support of buffer sharing by V4L2 API. It is expected to start discussion on final installment for dma-buf in vb2-dma-contig allocator. Current version of the patches contain little documentation. It is going to be fixed after achieving consensus about design for buffer exporting. Moreover the API between vb2-core and the allocator should be revised. The amount of changes to vb2-dma-contig.c was significant making the difference patch very difficult to read. Therefore the patch was split into two parts. One removes old file, the next patch creates the version of the file. The patchset contains extension for DMA API and its implementation for ARM architecture. Therefore the patchset should be applied on the top of: http://git.infradead.org/users/kmpark/linux-2.6-samsung/shortlog/refs/heads/3.2-dma-v5 After applying patches from [2] and [1]. v1: List of changes since [1]. - support for DMA api extension dma_get_pages, the function is used to retrieve pages used to create DMA mapping. - small fixes/code cleanup to videobuf2 - added prepare and finish callbacks to vb2 allocators, it is used keep consistency between dma-cpu acess to the memory (by Marek Szyprowski) - support for exporting of DMABUF buffer in V4L2 and Videobuf2, originated from [3]. - support for dma-buf exporting in vb2-dma-contig allocator - support for DMABUF for s5p-tv and s5p-fimc (capture interface) drivers, originated from [3] - changed handling for userptr buffers (by Marek Szyprowski, Andrzej Pietrasiewicz) - let mmap method to use dma_mmap_writecombine call (by Marek Szyprowski) [1] http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.drivers.video-input-infrastructure/42966/focus=42968 [2] https://lkml.org/lkml/2011/12/26/29 [3] http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.drivers.video-input-infrastructure/36354/focus=36355 Marek Szyprowski (2): [media] media: vb2: remove plane argument from call_memop and cleanup mempriv usage media: vb2: add prepare/finish callbacks to allocators Tomasz Stanislawski (8): arm: dma: support for dma_get_pages v4l: vb2: fixes for DMABUF support v4l: add buffer exporting via dmabuf v4l: vb2: add buffer exporting via dmabuf v4l: vb2: remove dma-contig allocator v4l: vb2-dma-contig: code refactoring, support for DMABUF exporting v4l: fimc: integrate capture i-face with dmabuf v4l: s5p-tv: mixer: integrate with dmabuf arch/arm/include/asm/dma-mapping.h | 8 + arch/arm/mm/dma-mapping.c | 44 ++ drivers/media/video/s5p-fimc/fimc-capture.c | 11 +- drivers/media/video/s5p-tv/mixer_video.c | 11 +- drivers/media/video/v4l2-compat-ioctl32.c | 1 + drivers/media/video/v4l2-ioctl.c | 11 + drivers/media/video/videobuf2-core.c | 114 ++++- drivers/media/video/videobuf2-dma-contig.c | 754 +++++++++++++++++++++------ include/linux/dma-mapping.h | 2 + include/linux/videodev2.h | 1 + include/media/v4l2-ioctl.h | 1 + include/media/videobuf2-core.h | 10 +- 12 files changed, 789 insertions(+), 179 deletions(-) -- 184.108.40.206


text:
On March 1, an
Administrative Law Judge
found that Mr. Scarano
knowingly made false and
misleading statements to
the Department of
Buildings on documents
relating to buildings at
145 Snediker Avenue, 158
Freeman Street and 1037
Manhattan Avenue in
Brooklyn. Based on the
Commissioner LiMandri
issued an order on March
3 prohibiting Mr.
Scarano from submitting
any document with the
Department of Buildings.
Under Chapter 542 of
the Laws of 2007 for
New York State, the
Department of
Buildings has
brought false filing
cases against eight
architects and
engineers, including
Mr. Scarano. Learn more.
On Tuesday, March 9, Buildings Department experts participated in a
seminar on the new
NYC Construction Codes
hosted by the
American Institute
of Architects Queens
At the event,
DOB Assistant
There were 130 attendees
at the event which was
held at Terrace on the Park,
located at 52-11 111th
Street in Flushing, NY.
HPD Owners' Forum
March 23
Buildings Department experts will be
available at the Department of Housing
Preservation and Development's Owners' Forum
on Tuesday, March 23 in Williamsburg to answer any questions
you may have regarding construction in your
home or around your neighborhood. Details
are below.
Se habla español.
Send your comments & suggestions on Buildings News
To unsubscribe please go to this link:
March 12, 2010


text:
|Welcome to THE WOLF TEAM.
A home is not a home because of its room dimensions or the color of the walls. It is about how you feel when you walk through the front door. And the way you can instantly envision your life unfolding there.
This is about more than real estate. It is about your life and your dreams.
Bob and Teresa Wolf and the entire WOLF TEAM utilize the latest technologies, market research and business strategies to exceed your expectations. More importantly, we listen and that means we find solutions that are tailored to you.
Thanks for entrusting THE WOLF TEAM to assist you with your real estate search. This website is full of information for you whether you are looking to buy or sell.We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business.


text:
Quantum Leaps Lodge and Retreats
Quantum Leaps Lodge and Retreats is a unique, peaceful, scenic, and spiritual Retreat and Lodge right on the Blaeberry River in the Blaeberry Valley just 15 minutes northwest (17km) of Golden, BC. Brian and Annette have 11 acres of land that over the last 30 years, they have built and created their dream of a healing spiritual Retreat. We welcome people on our land who are seeking a place of Retreat and high vibration; for peace, reflection, quiet, and rejuvenation. And are also seeking a beautiful way to be together to connect with Nature and with each other. Maybe you just need a space to unplug and unwind? An unique place from which to explore the beauty of the Golden, BC area and the National Parks surrounding us? Maybe you wish to deepen your Yoga or Meditation practice? Maybe you wish to explore Shamanic Drumming or Breathwork as a way to move deeper on your spiritual path? Or maybe you are ready to walk our quartzite Labyrinth or our Transformational Labyrinth?
**PLEASE if you wish to tour our property; to inquire for a future stay or retreat, then please call us 250-344-2114 to book an appointment.
We encourage people to leave their technology behind, come and re-calibrate your energy away from EMF's and re-tune back to Mother Earth. There are many reasons to arrive at Quantum Leaps! We hold the opportunity for you to experience SOUL Tourism; to be inspired and empowered. We are sure your spirit will be rejuvenated!
You are welcome to come and stay with us on your Personal Retreat or join one of our organized Retreats for your "inner and outer explorations".
We call our accommodations; personal retreats, offering beautiful lodge, cottage, river room, and teepee accommodations. Our Retreat is an ideal gathering place for looking for a quiet, spiritual, and unique way to be together. Available lodging and accommodations include our main lodge, cottage accommodations, cliff house, river room, meditation house, or our two 26′ diameter teepees. We have a minimum 2 night stay all year round with a minimum 3 nights stay during high season long weekends!
ImportantBefore reserving space in a Retreat or booking an accommodation, please familiarize yourself with our Terms and Conditions, especially our No Smoking/No Smokers and no hard Alcohol/parties policies. Thank you
We offer many healing options, such as massage, sweat lodges, fire-walking ceremonies, labyrinth walks, the transformational labyrinth, and space for personal inner explorations. There is a 8 sided straw bale meditation house down by the River you can use at any time for Meditation, journalling, and quiet contemplation. Immerse yourself in the peace and beauty of our Retreat for a truly relaxing, healing, and rejuvenating stay.
The land is sacred with our Labyrinth, Sweat Lodge, and Medicine Wheel creating a beautiful vibration. We have a large vegetable garden which in the summer you are welcome to come and gather fresh produce (by donation). Our compost pile feeds the garden and our "wild mountain" chickens run free during the day which people enjoy so much. And wild creatures such as Deer and Bears are not uncommon in our beautiful valley.
Scheduled retreats and workshops, are available during the Spring and Fall. See our retreat schedule. With an incredibly diverse line up of teachers and topics, there will be something for you, to come and expand, grow, and learn. All retreats take place in our beautiful Rumi room. Retreats are all inclusive: all organic meals, accommodations, and the teachings are provided for your journey with us.
Retreats in 2018
May 11-13th – Journey of the Goddess; Wild Woman Retreat with Dianne Doyle Lynch (SOLD OUT)
May 18-21st – Buddhist Centre of Calgary Silent Meditation Retreat
May 25-27th – Silent Meditation and Yoga Retreat with Stephanie Nosco
June 15-17th Forest Bathing Retreat with Ronna Schneberger
September 7-11th – Harvesting Happiness: A Silent Retreat to Expand the Heart with Stephanie Nosco and Adam Stonebraker
October 12-14th – Awaken the Soul; A Couples Retreat with Dianne Doyle Lynch
There are so many Golden opportunities for you. There are a variety of activities and outdoor explorations that can be experienced in the Golden, BC area in all seasons but especially in Summer and Winter.
All you have to do now, is to take a deep breath and expand in the energy of Mother Earth – our Retreat is a place where you can reconnect: with the Earth, yourself, your family, and/or your friends! Stay with us for we are a "Safe Sanctuary for your Inner and Outer Explorations". We know you will be Inspired and Empowered!
… had a wonderful time. Your place is beautiful and was everything I hoped it would be and more. The views are breathtaking. I look forward to returning in the future.Andrew, Burlington, Ont.
I also wanted to talk with you both at some point later about the Labyrinth, as it has always been my dream to build one.
I adore yours. I have walked many Labyrinths in the world and yours is the most magnificent and powerful I have ever experienced!Catherine Harvey, Peru
Thank you Annette and Brian for all of your hard work to create such a lovely sanctuary. And thanks for your healing touch Annette. I reconnected with nature and myself again- what a gift.Janette, Calgary, AB


text:
The OUR COMMUNITY Photo Campaign, now in its third iteration, captures and creates a visual record of the vibrant Queer community in Eugene, Oregon. Produced by The Wayward Lamb and captured by photography superstar Athena Delene, the campaign was designed to give a voice and an identity to a community that lacked a dedicated space for almost ten years.
Over the course of the months leading up to Pride weekend, daily online posts will feature photos of Queer people, businesses, friends, families and allies in Eugene, as well as their stories. At the end of the campaign, the digital presence will be translated into a physical form as a rotating gallery in our pub space, connecting the community into our space and creating a cohesive relationship.
Honoring history and documenting are important to our space and the community. It is our hope to continue the campaign yearly, featuring new participants willing to share their story.
Registration to participate in the 2017/2018 campaign is now closed.


text:
Suitable for framing
Is this a good idea? Or just more useless red tape?
|For old times' sake
The bojack bumper sticker -- only $1.50!
To order, click here.
Is this a good idea? Or just more useless red tape?
Most lenders require obtaining Certificates of Occupancy as a condition of the construction loan.
I can't believe pdx did not already do that. most small town I know of do it
Probably a good idea, unless you think Bill Sizemore's initiative to allow up to $35,000 worth of work on your own home without any permits is also a good idea.
If the fee is high enough it is a good idea.
This requirement would make me feel more secure when remodeled home/duplex in PDX--good idea.
If they had required this in PDX back in 1990 when our last home was built, they might have observed that we had a 3250 sq ft house instead of the 2100 sq ft the builder had listed on the building permit. We bought the house while it was under construction and for a very small price premium, we had the builder completely finish the basement, adding 1100 sq ft of living area to the house. At no time while we lived there (we sold the house in 2006) did the city ever tumble to the higher square footage, the higher value, and the higher revenue that would be received in property taxes. Not once during our residence did we have a physical reappraisal despite multiple permitted remodels of various parts of the house. If PDX actually uses this to take the full measure of a completed house, they might just find considerable additional property tax revenue, not to mention the revenue from the final inspection.
CoP has been providing Certificate of Occupancies already - I got one last year on a building. The usual motivation is the lender requiring it on a condo conversion.
So you have to go back to when the building was built, which is OK for a 2000+ vintage, but on a 1920-something will be hard to do.
I think there's some confusion here. A CofC is issued when construction is complete to verify that all permit activities have been inspected and any corrections made (primarily to insure that life-safety criteria have been met). There is no tie-in to assess the square footage of the house, etc. It's usually only required on a new or significantly altered structure.
My home (in unincorporated Clackamas County) was completed in 2004 and I had to give a copy of the CoC to the lender to enable conversion of the loan from a construction loan to a mortgage.
Certificate of Occupancy is already issued by the city-why duplicate? More fees? Why yes.
When the city certifies an occupancy it should be required that they warranty their inspections/sign off-especially in light of the fact that an average $300,000 dollar house costs close to $35,000 in total fees- not including all the special inspections fees now required on a house if slightly unusual.
I can give numerous examples where the city inspections have failed to note non-compliance with codes (like an exhaust fan and furnace flue venting into an attic and not through the roof causing major dry rot, and it was inspected). CoP wouldn't take responsibility, even with extensive paper work proving the city's failures.
Since CoP charges big time, they should stand behind their inspections.
Those "temporary occupancy" permits are mighty expensive. Consider a condo development with multiple buildings. The "certificate of occupancy" wont be given until the entire project is done so the developer will have to buy temporary occupancy permits for the other units. Will the lender close with a temporary occupancy? Will developers have to sit on hundreds of complete units waiting for the last one to be finished? This is just another reason housing will get more and more expensive.
Mystery Solved
The State Legislature writes the building code.
The State building code requires Certificates of Occupancy on all "commercial" buildings. It does not on "houses".
The State building code used to require a final inspection on all "houses". It doesn't anymore. (Go figure.)
So many builders stopped calling for them.
So many houses got built without the permits ever getting finaled out.
So people got mad and banks got nervous.
So after trying to get the State legislature to fix this, the City of Portland gave up and decided to require a C of O for all houses in the City.
(The speculation is that many builders liked the idea of being able to sell a new house without having to fix all the things the City wanted fixed (like all those pesky eco plantings) and blocked legislation to fix this at the State level.)
Greg C
"If they had required this in PDX back in 1990 when our last home was built, they might have observed that we had a 3250 sq ft house instead of the 2100 sq ft the builder had listed on the building permit."
Mr. Mrf.
The County Assessment & Taxation folks get the original square footage from the "original" building permit at time of construction. The A & T folks typically don't bother with the remodeling permits. I was told this because once the house is built Measure 5 controls the taxes not whatever the house is actually worth. I suspect the A & T folks know they are missing this type of construction but don't figure it's worth the cost of the labor to look it up.
Greg C


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GLEN BURNIE, Md. (WJZ)—A violent domestic assault leads to an arrest in Anne Arundel County.
Jim Nichols, 32, faces a number of charges, including kidnapping and assault.
Police say he dragged his girlfriend by her hair and forced her into her car.
At one point, she was able to escape, but Nichols forcibly dragged her back into the car.
He eventually released her at a relative's home in Glen Burnie.
Nichols was tracked down by the K-9 unit as he hid in a storm drain near that relative's house.
He was arrested on the scene.
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When Universal cancelled their plans to adapt Ouija boards into a movie, it seemed like a bad sign for a lot of the projects the studio had agreed to make with Hasbro. The toy manufacturer struck gold with G.I. Joe and Transformers movies at Paramount, but when Universal struck a deal with the company, they managed to put Battleship into production but languished with a lot of other ideas, including Ouija, Candy Land and a Clue remake, which also got dropped by the studio.
It seemed like they might wait for Battleship's May 18 premiere to decide the future of more board game and toy movies, but Universal has officially backed away from another Hasbro project, leaving Relativity Media to pick it up instead. According to a press release, the company is now teaming up with Hasbro to make Stretch Armstrong, a "live-action tent-pole film" based on the toy you all remember from your childhood. The movie is set for an April 11, 2014 release date, and though at one point Taylor Lautner was attached to star, there's no mention of the Twilight hunk in the press release. Whether that's because of the failure of Abduction or because they're renegotiating his deal, we're not sure.
The funny thing is Relativity Media and Universal used to be closely linked-- before it ventured into self-distribution in 2010 and 2011, Universal distributed a lot of Relativity-produced films, including the Oscar-winning The Fighter and huge hits like Hop and Couples Retreat. Relativity is now self-distributing many of its films, including the recent Haywire and Immortals, and Stretch Armstrong appears to be their attempt to establish themselves as big-budget producers on the level of Universal themselves. Whether or not they can do that by picking up a project that Universal seemed unwilling to make remains to be seen.
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Beautiful Trash
By Charles Rushton
24 Feb 2008
Despite our best efforts to control litter—fines, public work crews, civic volunteers and recycling programs—we find plastic bags, fast food containers, bottles and cans everywhere from our city streets to the remote desert. Now, I don't condone littering, but I have discovered that I can find beauty in trash. I think of my search for this beauty as my own personal recycling program. I am not interested in litter per se, but in how nature acts on litter. In particular, I document, with my camera, ways in which the water that collects in ditches, streams and lakes transforms trash into objects of elegance and beauty. I have a few preferred haunts, "my favorite ditch," "the ditch near our house," and "the stream in back of our house." Water-filled, dried-up or iced-over, I can always find the stuff of wonderful photographs in these locations. This photo-essay looks at just a few of the many images that I have complied into my Trash Series.
VOTE: Do you like this story?
18 responses
RUGGERI Etienne (Deleted) gave props (10 Nov 2008):
Wonderfull !!
Maria Kappatou said (8 Dec 2008):
As a painter I find it enormously provocative to my senses...Thank you!!!!!
Maura Wolfson-Foster gave props (21 May 2009):
I love the way you see, Charles.......never a boring moment.
Maura Wolfson-Foster gave props (21 May 2009):
And, your reasoning behind it all is fascinating!
John Linton gave props (28 Jun 2009):
Hell...Yeah! It rocks! I voted a while ago...I have no idea why I didn't leave my dumb comment until now.
Malcolm Lawson gave props (19 Jul 2009):
I really like your essay. It shows that you can find art and beauty anywere.
Voudou ... gave props (14 Aug 2009):
Pascal Fellonneau said (18 Aug 2009):
Excellent series, my vote !
david ong gave props (18 Aug 2009):
♥ Cairenn ♥ said (2 Nov 2009):
Hey JPG..... this story needs to be in print!!!!!!!
Kurt Brennan gave props (4 Jan 2010):
Love it.
Carol Holmes gave props (11 Oct 2010):
Definitely should be in print in JPG! *voted*
The Man Who Isn't There (Deleted) gave props (22 Oct 2011):
Voted! Beautiful trash: How to make good photography out of everything.
MindTheStep gave props (5 Dec 2011):
Great essay! Love it and voted!
Davide Simone (Deleted) said (7 Jun 2012):
Wonderful essay. Thank you!
Michele Wambaugh (Deleted) said (7 Aug 2012):
Brilliant! Loved photos, concept & story!
Rachmad Pratama added a link (9 Feb 2015):
Andrea Petersen gave props (17 Aug 2015):
Your pictures of litter combined with nature is a work of art ... You not only see this with an artist eye but you have presented it beautifully as well...You have my votes~
More Photo Essays
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By George Clapper — 27 Feb 2018
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Berlin After Dark
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Limiting your choice of subject matter can help you find new subjects to photograph.


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Chapter 6 : Chapter Six
|Rating: Mature
|Chapter Reviews: 10
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Breath-taking chapter image by chocolat. @ TDA
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Rowling's work. Also, this story is a work of fantasy, not historical fiction. I have taken many historical liberties while writing this piece and most of it may be considered anachronistic.
Cast List:
Helga Hufflepuff - Leelee Sobieski
Godric Gryffindor - Sean Bean
Salazar Slytherin - Joaquin Phoenix
Rowena Ravenclaw - Lena Headey
Ailbhe, Rowena's handmaiden - Bryce Dallas Howard
Riol - Steven Mackintosh
The Abbott - Max von Sydow
The Captain-General of Alba - Bernard Hill
Chapter Six
Near Hadrian's Wall--between Britannia and Alba
The cold traveled in gusts, poisoning the wind until it shrieked like a demon or some mad, mad spirit from the haunted past. Even beneath his layers of leather and fur and calloused flesh, Godric could feel the unwelcome chill and his heart was frosted with spears of worry and misplaced dread.
Two days ride from Helga's encampment in Northern Britannia, the advance guard was attacked by a force much stronger than the most potent magic; nature.
A mid-winter storm was harassing the borders of Alba and the barren moors themselves provided little protection from the driving snow, which drifted into the old Roman roads and prevented even the draft horses from passing through.
Godric was forced to call off the march until the blizzard passed and his army of nearly one hundred foot soldiers and fifty mounted cavalry hunkered down on the lee side of a stony crag. With canvases stretched against scavenged wooden poles, they were able to construct some meager shelter from the ice and snow, although Godric half-feared they would all freeze to death before the night passed.
He spent most of his time conjuring magical fires to keep the men warm, although the flames themselves were more of a threat than a necessary safeguard. Any curious native of Alba wandering along the borders might spot the dashes of crimson amongst the overwhelming white and so discover the advance guard of Cornish soldiers come to penetrate Rowena's weak underbelly. And Godric wasn't certain his men would be able to fight off an attack right now, huddled and frozen as they were in their mean lean-tos.
It was with an uneasy mind then that he settled down for a night's rest in his own shelter, squatting next to none other than Riol, his second-in-command.
The slight, skinny man was hidden in the folds of his heavy fur cloak, his aquiline features protruding slightly from the hood.
Godric dropped to his knees by the fire he had built and warmed his raw hands. His joints were stiffened with the cold and his very flesh protested the heat it so sorely carved. Sluggishly, his blood began to pump through his limbs until only the very tips of his fingers were numb.
Riol was watching him closely, he sensed and Godric rubbed his flushed cheeks with a rough hand.
Suddenly, Riol laughed. It was a low, fluttering sound. Uneasy.
"Do you despise me too, Gryffindor, because I am no wizard?"
The question caught Godric completely off guard and he sank moodily against the canvas wall behind him.
"What is this?" he grunted.
"Salazar Slytherin thought I was most unworthy," Riol continued, drawing back his hood to reveal a face that might have been noble despite his sycophantic smile. "It did not matter to him that I had been counselor to Helga's father and that she herself trusted me more than any magician. But Slytherin did not understand his role in this game. Do you, Gryffindor?"
There was something of cold manipulation in Riol's manner that did not suit Godric well. He stamped his feet on the cold ground, hearing the frozen grass crunch under his boots. Snow was fast encroaching on their shelter, mingling with the tongues of flame and black smoke.
"Perhaps it is not my place to understand," he said at length. "Do you think all wizards are omnipotent?"
Riol brightened. "Oh yes, I like you much better. Much better than Slytherin. Good riddance, I should say. And Helga must agree. The man was a worm…a snake. And he thought to oust me, all because…all because I was more dear to Helga than he could ever be. But you certainly would not be so rash, Gryffindor? You understand that we all have parts to play…that I am needed, just as you are."
"You wish us to work in tandem?" Godric asked. He didn't fully catch Riol's meaning, although the man clearly hated Slytherin. Did he perhaps feel entitled to Helga's favor and was now soliciting Godric's support?
At once, he understood how dangerous these things could become. How politics could be played even here, now, in the middle of a blinding snow-storm.
And Riol was neither a pawn nor a king.
Godric felt vaguely disturbed.
"I have confused you." Riol sat forward, his hands now thrown about his knees. They were pale and slender--not the meaty hands of a veteran soldier.
A sudden thought occurred to Godric. "Did Helga send you along to watch me?"
Riol recoiled into the shadows. "This is most troubling," he said, speaking swiftly. "You are questioning Helga's trust. Not now, Gryffindor. Do not waver now!"
Godric growled, his irritation growing. Who was this weakling of a man to question his loyalty to Helga?
"I have faith in her," he bit back.
Riol nodded. "That is good, but is it enough?"
"I am no philosopher. What is this game you play?"
The wind picked up, issuing a throaty shriek that chilled Godric to the very bone. He remembered the time he had spent with Helga several days ago, when she had charmed a wild bird to perform tame tricks…and nearly dash its brains out on the frozen ground.
After some consideration, he decided to try another tactic with Riol. Riddles, after all, were painfully frustrating.
"You speak of a long acquaintance with Helga," he said, directing the smoke of their fire away from the shelter with a flick of his wand. "You must know her well."
Riol did not flinch, but grinned into the flames. "I was her father's counselor for a time and I taught Helga to read. Latin. Greek. The languages of the old empires."
"You are learned man. Wise."
"Do you think it wise then, for Helga to trust me so? A strange, clannish wizard from the rotten Hollow?"
Riol showed Godric his teeth when he smiled. "I do not think you strange or clannish. Slytherin was strange. Dark. Wizards from the East often are."
"And the wizards of Britain?"
"I cannot tell."
They sat in uncomfortable silence for a time. Godric squinted into the blinding storm, straining to pick out the hulking forms of his soldiers through the high drifts and dunes of white. Riol, however, only watched him.
And at length, he dared to speak.
"Do you not think it strange, even for a competent tactician such as Helga, to stage a siege in the middle of winter?"
Godric was certain the question was a trick. He decided to answer it only with a shrug.
Riol laughed and the sound was dry, hopeless. "But perhaps there is a reason to this…perhaps time is against our Queen."
Again, Godric did not answer.
This seemed to vex his companion a fair bit. Carefully, Riol drew his feet from underneath his cloak, stamping his boot heels until the ashes from the fire dirtied Godric's trousers.
The wizard felt his own ire raise, slithering into his veins like venom. He dropped his hand over the hilt of the goblin-made sword Helga had given him and immediately felt a rush of power.
Power that he owed only to her.
Because she was as Riol had said, a great tactician. A Caesar. Someone who could turn the world on it's head and convince the masses that it was for the best.
And Godric himself was just as willing to believe her. Had she not, in fact, acted for his good and his good alone?
Riol, however, was as keen and unfriendly as a sharpened sword.
"Take heed, Gryffindor!" he crowed. "I only wish to help you."
Godric wrinkled his nose and stared at the man.
But Riol would not meet his gaze. Instead, he leapt to his feet, leaving the protective light of the fire for storm. His hand, thin and limp as a fishbone, dropped down on Godric's shoulder.
Grudgingly, Godric squinted into the billowing snow. The wind was cold enough to drive icicles through a man's flesh and he wasn't eager to abandoned the little warmth his magical fire had provided. But then he saw it, what had caused Riol to turn pale and tremble and forsake the clarity of his cunning tongue.
Instead, the man stuttered helplessly. "If…if only I…I had not wished in…vain…"
And Godric too rose to his feet, the gale pulling back his hood and leaving his face exposed to the elements. Hail gnawed at his bearded cheeks, freezing in the hair of his eyebrows.
Slowly, he dropped his hand from his sword.
Through the drifts and dunes, coughing and spitting blood, came Salazar Slytherin, his feet bound in cloth and his face blackened with bruises.
Northern England
Helga watched as flames fingered the thatched roofs of the monastery's pitiful barn. Pigs squealed as they were dragged from their sties and into the muddy snow. A horse reared and plunged, balking at the end of its lead. Frantic hooves kicked up slush onto the hem of her grey cloak.
Helga sighed and used her wand to siphon the icy water off her boots. Her lower back was aching and the chaos from the monastery annoyed her to the point of absolute frustration.
"Do you not see," she said to the Abbott, who was laying prostrate at her feet, one hand clamped over scythe-shaped gash that ran from his temple to his jaw, "do you not see how easy things might have been…how painless…if only you had heeded my request and forfeited your grain stores?"
The Abbot spat blood onto the snow, his broken teeth causing him to lisp whenever he spoke. "Your hubris will be your downfall, witch," he panted. "You will make your war with our grains and our livestock and our crosses melted down for swords, but remember, as Christ said, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." [1]
This made Helga smile despite the unworthy aches that had of late settled into her young bones. "And did Christ not also say, my pious Abbot, render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." [2]
As she was speaking, the roof of the barn collapsed in a shower of eager embers and singed straw.
The Abbot moaned and covered his face with his hands. Several of his younger monks were still trying to fight off Helga's soldiers, but to no avail. The Cornish men made their way to and from the refectory with sacks of flour and other, less substantial provisions that would perhaps feed less than a quarter of Helga's army for a week. In truth, the sacking of the monastery was not so much of a necessity as she had made it out to be to her soldiers, most of whom were Muggles and understandably hesitant to pilfer any house of God.
Her army's supply train was healthy, even considering the upcoming expedition into Alba which her beloved Godric was currently spearheading. The months she had spent camped in Northern England had given her ample time to stockpile both food and arms, although of late, the harsh weather had made transporting such goods difficult.
Even so, there was little reason for her current raiding of monasteries…outside of her own immediate concern, of course. These holy men had something she wanted--desperately.
"Where do you bury your dead?" she asked, sweeping her cloak aside and away from the Abbot's grasping fingers.
The man dropped his hand from his face, allowing the blood to pump freely for a moment. It slithered down his cheek in ugly rivulets, clotting in the crevices between his nose and upper lip.
"No, I beg of you!"
Helga rolled her eyes and crossed her hands just over her sword belt. "I have no desire to torture you, Abbott. Please, save yourself the agony and tell me…where do you keep your dead?"
But he only recoiled and spat on her feet. "I know your hellish intentions, witch! I know your dark magic! This…this necromancy!"
"Is that it?" Helga could not believe that she had been misunderstood, although she was slightly impressed at the Abbott's knowledge of magic. "Do you think I meant to raise the dead to swell the ranks of my army? I assure you, my brave fellow, that such unreliable magic is below me. But listen now and perhaps you shall understand. Your predecessor was a man named Wulfric. He founded this house of your order, yes? A great man, a wise man. Did you know, dear Abbott, that he was also a wizard?"
The Abbott choked and scrambled to his knees. "I…I…"
Helga smiled. "Where is he buried?"
"I do not know."
"Abbott, where he is buried?" This time, she removed her wand from her belt and pointed it at the bruised space between his eyes.
The Abbott grimaced and Helga felt truly sorry to see the man so defeated, so hopeless.
But in the end, sympathy had never come easy to her.
Groaning, the Abbott climbed to his feet, his robe hanging disheveled and dusty, splattered with soot and blood along the front. Helga opened her palm and pointed at the refectory, but the man shook his head.
"In the chapel," he grunted, nodding towards the low, stone building that was set apart from the others, a winding, well-trod path leading up its the cross-marked door.
Helga's smiled widened. "I ought to have known."
She followed the limping Abbott to the chapel, stopping only once to rub her bare hand over the heavy beams on either side of the door. The wood was worn smooth and the feel of it on her flesh reminded her vaguely of something, or someone.
Helga dropped her hand back to her side. Behind her, soldiers were lifting sacks of grain into already packed carts. The monks were giving up their battle, slinking off to tend to their wounded brothers and the now smoldering barn.
And Helga herself wished she could put into words the necessary evil of conquest, something her father had never understood, although she had spent many years trying to enlighten him.
Perhaps that was her only failure. Her father, though a wise man, could not reconcile her vision of a united, wizarding Britain. He was a clannish man, more concerned for his coastal kingdom and his scattered correspondents throughout Europe with whom he traded magical secrets.
Wulfric had been one such man and Helga remembered stealing her father's letters, reading of a prized magical artifact the cloistered monk kept. And now, so many years later, she thought she had need of it.
The chapel itself was blessed with an unearthly quiet. Helga tried to ignore the sense of desecration she felt as she crossed the threshold. The Abbott, despite his bleeding head, genuflected before the simple altar on which a solitary cross kept vigil.
Helga gripped her wand tighter. "Where?"
But the Abbott was still on his knees, hands clasped in pray, eyes closed. After a moment, he nodded up the aisle to a patch of grey stone floor.
Helga looked once at him, then back between the rows of benches.
Several paces brought her to the spot and she looked down to see some wording carved into the stone slab.
Wulfric of York
His name was followed by an appropriate, Biblical epitaph, something in Latin that Helga did not bother to read. Instead, she pointed the tip of her wand at the seams around the stone and concentrated.
Cracks appeared, thin at first and then growing until they were as wide as Helga's wrist. The seams split. Dust shrouded Wulfric's name.
She paused at her work and looked back at the Abbott. The man had not moved and his breathing, now slowed, only made her pulse jump. Helga jammed her wand back into her belt and gritted her teeth. The stone was loose enough to pry open with her hands and she dare not disturb the tomb with any other spell.
It seemed…profane.
Helga dug her nails under the slab, groaning as she lifted it. The smell of decay that followed was overwhelming, tempered by moss and rotten water.
She choked, dropping the heavy slab. It fell and shattered.
The noise resounded within the tiny building and Helga shut her eyes.
"My apologies, Wulfric," she muttered. "I did not mean to disrupt your slumber. You know, my father always spoke so highly of you."
Steeling herself, she reached blindly within the dark crypt, groping about until her hand touched bone…then sturdy leather.
At once, she withdrew a heavy, thick book from the vault, its sturdy binding no doubt preserved by crafty charm. Helga dusted off the cover with her palm and read the flowery, embellished title.
Spells of the Roman Auguries
Ah, leave it Wulfric to possess a coveted magical text! Delight made Helga's stomach squirm pleasantly. Books such as these were rare in England and she herself was a collector, hoarding what precious manuscripts she could until the day such knowledge could be dispersed to a new generation of wizards.
The discovery of the tome was a boon indeed….though not exactly what she had been looking for. Placing the book to the side, she dipped her hand once more into the crypt.
Helga's smiled returned once more and her fingers closed around the point of the hat.
Rowena could only think of herself as a mother. A mother of bleeding children, dying children. And she was powerless but not without power. A weakling with strength.
As she sat in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, watching the phantom wind shift the clouds on the enchanted ceiling, she realized her time had come. She must spread her ebony wings to protect Alba and, in order to find victory, she must surrender.
It was an uncomfortable paradox and quite enough to drive her mad.
But ah, she was mad already.
The man standing before her throne was the Captain-General of Alba's army, an army that was not organized but rather summoned in times of crisis, bringing farmers in from the fields to wield rusty swords and don dented armor. And Rowena knew that Helga, who could be cruel, who had been cruel, would make a mockery of her peasant soldiers.
For once, the path the stars showed her was clear.
Rowena found a wistful smile for the Captain-General, a man who had no teeth and a matted beard and was too old to fight a single campaign and survive. But his dignity, still intact, still hanging by a tremulous thread, gave her heart.
"Do you understand what I am asking of you?" she asked him. "And do you accept your duty? This…this is no easy task."
In his eyes, the tired light faded, ceding to pools of milky obedience. "Yes, my queen. I shall send riders in the Highlands and the Lowlands. The people must not resist Helga's armies when they come. They should lay down their arms and join Cornwall…or flee."
Rowena bowed her head. Yes, he understood…as much as he ever could. And perhaps some day, when the seasons had turned, she would see the light in his eyes again, a light that she had kindled.
When she had dismissed her soldier and listened to his uneven footfalls disrupt the sepulcher silence of her stronghold, Rowena turned to her ever-loyal handmaid, her dear Ailbhe who stood by her throne.
"The potion," the Queen said. "Do you still have Salazar's potion?"
Ailbhe, who had never been timid, seemed inclined to remain in the shadows. But her lips moved, softly, slowly.
"Yes, my lady. I have not forgotten."
Author's Note: Oh my. Have I really not updated this story since March? I feel very, very ashamed and I want to extend my most sincere apologies to everyone who has reviewed/favorited/read this story so far. You all have been exceedingly supportive and I am entirely grateful for your patience. I want to assure you, however, that I do not have writer's block. To put it frankly, I sometimes find this story just takes longer to write. I don't know, maybe it's the plot or the somewhat archaic dialogue or the radically A.U. characters. Whatever the reason, I tend to devote more time to chapters and therefore, updates come less frequently.
The next chapter is in the works and, with summer vacation ahead of me, I do hope to have this story updated more regularly. Again, thank you so much for your understanding and patience.
Take care and be well!
A Supplementary Disclaimer: In this chapter, Helga attacks and destroys a Roman Catholic monastery. I want to make it absolutely clear to all my readers that her actions are not influenced by ANY anti-Christian sentiment whatsoever. Historically, monasteries were centers of illumination and learning during the so-called dark ages. In a time of almost universal illiteracy, clergymen transcribed precious works of literature into manuscripts, preserving the writings of previous, supposedly enlightened generations. Helga, therefore, only raids the monastery to find such books, which will later fill the shelves of Hogwarts.
The following quotes may be found in the New Testament of the Bible under…
[1] Luke 14: 11, Matthew 23: 12
[2] Matthew 22: 21, Mark 12: 17, Luke 20: 25
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Legend: Chapter Six
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