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The latest ByDesign Games blog reveals that The Late Call, the company's upcoming 3rd person stealth game, will be upgraded to Version 2 of Over The Edge's Unity game engine. The engine change will provide improvements to both graphics and speed.
Previously, The Late Call utilized the 1.x codebase of Unity, but after discussion with OTEE, it became clear that porting the game to their soon-to-be-released v2 engine is definitely worth the time. The upside is that The Late Call will look better & play faster on many more machines (even many older machines). The downside is that it will take a little longer to wrap it up. We continue to target a Summer release, though the game likely won't be available before the end of August.
Recent Mac Games News
Friday, July 27, 2007Thursday, July 26, 2007Wednesday, July 25, 2007Tuesday, July 24, 2007Monday, July 23, 2007
Search for other Mac games news stories or browse our Mac Games News Archive.

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Microsoft's Surface 3 tablet gets yet another temporary discount again at the Micrososft Store. Buyers can save up to $150 on the 10.8-inch Windows 10 tablet from now until April 2.
The 64GB with 2GB of RAM and with Wi-Fi only is on sale for $100 off, from $499 down to just $399, while the same version with both Wi-Fi and LTE is also $100 off, from $599 to $499. The 128GB model with 4GB of RAM and just Wi-Fi is currently priced for $150 off, from $599 to $449, while and the Wi-Fi + LTE version costs $549, rather than $699.
The Surface 3 still comes with a free one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal, which is usually worth $69.99. Also, Microsoft is cutting the price of the Surface 3 docking station by $30, from $199.99 down to $169.99, if it is bundled and bought with the Surface 3.
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.


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27.2 Toolbar buttons
When we have a menu selection that we use a lot, it's nice to put a button on the toolbar so that you can do this action with one click. Although we can, in principle, have a toolbar button that does not correspond to an existing menu selection, it's considered good practice to always do it both ways. For this reason, even if you really just want a toolbar button for something, you ordinarily implement it first as a menu selection and then add toolbar button functionality for the menu selection.
You will notice that many of the Pop menu controls have toolbar buttons corresponding to them. According to which style of game is active, some of the buttons may be grayed out, or inactive.
Generally you want to put your most commonly used controls onto the toolbar to make the interface easier for the user . Any menu selection that you use more than two or three times during a typical play session should probably be a toolbar button. On the other hand, you don't want too crowded a toolbar as it then becomes confusing. The author makes no claim that the toolbar design for Pop is particularly good, the particular set of buttons on it got there by a slow process of accumulation, and should really be rethought. When you design your own computer game with Pop Framework, take a hard look at the toolbar, and make sure that you only have buttons that the users will need; you will want to remove some of the existing buttons and add others.
Let's look at the steps involved in adding a toolbar button for the Game Play Sound . We open the Resource View window, click on TOOLBAR and double-click on IDR_MAINFRAME . The simplest practice is to use the same toolbar throughout your program; adding a new one yourself is quite a hassle. Rather than adding a new toolbar, we simply add buttons to the existing one.
The Resource Editor will show an image of your toolbar at the top, with an enlarged view of one of the buttons below. You can drag the buttons around on the toolbar as you like. To add a new button, highlight the blank button on the toolbar image. You can use the Resource Editor's graphics tools like a little paint program to draw something onto the button. If you don't see the graphics controls right-click on the Visual Studio menu bar and make sure that the Image Editor toolbar is checked. [In Version 6.0, make sure that the Graphics and Colors toolbars are checked.]
Once you've decorated the button to your liking, you need to connect the control to your program. To do this you need to open the toolbar button Properties dialog, which will look very similar to the menu item Properties dialog from before. Opening the toolbar button Properties dialog is a little harder though, because your mouse is busy acting like a graphics editor. You can't get to the toolbar botton Properties with a double-click or a right-click. The easiest way to open the Properties dialog for a highlighted button is to press Alt+Enter .
Once you've got your toolbar button Properties open, use the arrow on the ID field to scroll to the name of the ID of the menu item you want to imitate, in this case ID_GAME_PLAYSOUNDS . And make sure that the Prompt field ends with something like \nSounds to specify a 'tool tip' for Windows to show when your mouse pauses over the button.
At this point you're done! The OnGamePlaySounds and the OnUpdateGamePlaySounds message handlers we wrote earlier are already in place, and are already linked to all menu items and/or toolbar buttons that happen to have the ID_GAME_PLAYSOUNDS . And the SetCheck function will show the button as either in state 0 (looking normal) or in state 1 (pressed down).
If the message handler for a button lives inside the CView or the CDoc class, Windows knows to SetCheck that toolbar button to the 'indeterminate' state 2 when all the documents are closed. The nice thing about all this is that we the programmers don't need to worry about when to call the control update methods. Windows calls these all by itself; in fact each time your program has nothing else to do (no messages to process), Windows will call your program's control update methods .
By the way if you really did want to have a toolbar button that doesn't correspond to any menu selection, this would be perfectly fine. The only difference is that instead of scrolling through the existing ID_ values, you'd make up a new ID_ name for your toolbar button. And then you'd have to use Class Wizard to add handlers for the corresponding COMMAND and UPDATE_COMMAND_UI messages.


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(Solanum lycopersicum) 25-50 seeds per pack. A very interesting red tomato with subtle orange striping. Fruits grow to 2", with a mildly oval shape, having a slightly pointed tip. Very nice, acidic flavor with good amounts of juicy pulp. Would make a great salad tomato. #3462
Open pollinated. Indeterminate. 75 days.


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I was in process of taking charge of Oracle applications DBA for a new SITE. I thought its a good idea to summarize here on my blog.
1. First thing you should know the passwords for following users
OS passwords:
root (If possible and security team allows )
oracle user (Like oracle,oracle12,orauser) - Owner of oracle database files.
appl user (Like applmgr , appluser,applusr )- Owner of Oracle Application files. (Including iAS + 8.0.6 homes)
DB Passwords
sys/system/sysman/apps users : Security policy says that we must change the password whenever there is change in the DBA team. (Specially if someone if leaving the DBA team)
2. If you have passwors you can login and can check the status of all the instances.
All you need is:
1. Instance details (Dev,Test,UAT ,PROD)
2. Cloning procedure (Non standard tasks like 3rd party integrations and custom steps, e.g you need to update profiles if you have 170 integrated with Oracle applications)
3. Patch strategy : Need to know the maintainance window , Release timeslines (If quarterly,monthly). DST ,Localizations. If HRMS is installed you need to know about data install OTL etc
4. Customization Retrofits : If any customizations to standard oracle objects . As we may need to restore the customizations after the patching/cloning is done.
5. Reguler Maintainance.
6. Users setup , Should make sure the proper approval process if you are also part of System Administrator Tasks (Like USER creation etc).
7. List of 3rd party softwares integrated with Oracle applications. 3rd party product customizations.
8. Important contact informations.
UNIX team
Distribution list for Outage Notifications
Oracle support SDMs.
Network Team.
Infrastructure Team.
9. You should know the Oracle CSI to be used for SR creation (Metalink Login)
10. Try to get the Hardware information as much as you can including storage.
This is not a universal document , But a basic document for APPS DBA handoevr takeover document. This may vary in different cases.
Please feel free to write if additional information is required.
Apps dba checklist for handover / takeover
Posted by Sandeep Panchal at 4:37 AM
Labels: Oracle Applications DBA
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2016 Annual State and Local Program Surveys due March 31
It is once again time for state and local CASA/GAL organizations to complete the National CASA Association annual survey. The surveys for state organizations and local programs will be available beginning February 21. The deadline for completion is March 31, 2017, with no extensions.
Information from state organizations and local programs is essential to understanding the nationwide impact of state and local CASA/GAL members. The survey findings help us track growth, development and trends among state organizations and local programs, which helps National CASA better serve our program members. The results from the annual survey are also critical in making the case to Congress as well as to national foundations and corporations for continued funding. Members may use the final report to assess how your program compares to others across the country. Read more about this year's annual survey process.
It's Not Too Late to Register for the 2017 National CASA/GAL Conference
The 2017 National CASA/GAL Conference is just around the corner, but it's not too late to claim your spot! Attendees at this year's conference in Seattle March 11-14 will hear from an incredible lineup of keynote speakers, including HLN's Michaela Pereira, bestselling author J.D. Vance and founder of the CASA movement, Judge David Soukup. Former foster youth and international speaker Giovan Bazan will share his story, and Andy Goodman will equip members of our network with the skills to tell your own CASA/GAL story.
Choose from more than 100 workshops on everything from organizational management to volunteer skill-building. Register for this year's conference by the online deadline of February 27, and learn how we can build brighter futures for America's abused and neglected children.
Update on 2016 Local Grants Program Awards
National CASA is pleased to announce the state and local programs selected to receive 2016 Local Program Growth and Capacity-Building Grants. This competitive grants process for more than $1.2 million in combined funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and Jewelers for Children (JFC) was open to local CASA/GAL programs and state CASA/GAL organizations directly serving abused and neglected children with volunteer advocates who met eligibility requirements. Applications were each reviewed by a panel, consisting of two external grant reviewers and one National CASA staff person.
There was an overwhelming response to the call for applications. Of the 110 applications received, National CASA awarded funding to 28 applicants to train and activate more than 900 new volunteers and serve 2,200 children this calendar year. Grantees are located in 18 states and the District of Columbia. View the list of recipients.
National CASA Launching Dynamic State Organization Governance Excellence Initiative
Highly effective state organizations that provide strong support to local CASA/GAL programs are essential to expanding the impact of the CASA/GAL network. National CASA continues our commitment to investing in a strong state organization in every state to accomplish our mission.
Governance effectiveness is central to our strategy and is at the foundation of our strategic framework. We are delighted to announce a comprehensive Governance Initiative that will support all state organizations in assessing their governance and developing strategies and plans to strengthen governance effectiveness.
Through this Governance Initiative, National CASA is partnering with BoardSource – the nation's leading organization focusing on leadership and governance in the non-profit sector. There will also be a local CASA/GAL program component to the Initiative, and information about this local program component will be available soon.
Learn more about the pilot program and see the states selected to participate.
2017 Akerman Scholarship Application Open until March 3
Akerman LLP and National CASA are excited to announce the application for the second annual Akerman Academic Excellence Scholarship Award is open until Friday, March 3 at 5 p.m. PT.
As part of Akerman's $1 million pledge to National CASA, an endowment fund was created to support the Akerman Academic Excellence Scholarship. This program is designed to help young adults who have spent time in foster care pursue a post-secondary education through an accredited institution of higher learning such as a university, career college, or technical school.
The deadline for submission is Friday, March 3, 2017, by 5 p.m. (PT). The scholarship recipient will be announced May 5, 2017. Read additional application materials and other guidelines.
Call for Videos to be shown at Approaching National CASA/GAL Conference
Did your program make a new video this year to recruit volunteers or raise awareness about the CASA/GAL mission? Would you like to be featured in a series of National CASA videos highlighting trends, hopes and major themes for 2017? See below for two categories of video submissions.
Share Your Program's Video
If you have a new video that you think makes an effective case for supporting your CASA/GAL program or to recruit new volunteers, submit it for consideration to be shown at the 2017 CASA/GAL Conference. All video submissions must be under five minutes in length.
Be Part of the Conversation
Film your executive director, one of your program's staff members or a volunteer answering one of the following prompts:
Your program may submit responses to all four prompts, but they must be in separate video files. Each video responding to a question must be no longer than 30 seconds total, and the shorter, the better! We are looking for compelling and concise responses to take the "pulse" of the CASA/GAL network on expectations for 2017. Videos shot on smartphones are acceptable.
Those wishing to submit videos in either category should send a link with your downloadable video(s) to email@example.com. All videos must be in compliance with National CASA branding standards and include all necessary permissions for National CASA to showcase the content. Video submissions will be accepted until Friday, February 24.
Congratulations to 2017 National CASA/GAL Conference Scholarship Recipients
Each year, the National CASA Association offers a scholarship program to provide assistance for staff and volunteers planning to attend the annual conference. Recipients serve as volunteers throughout the conference and ambassadors of National CASA. This year, National CASA received 123 applications and awarded 40 scholarships. Congratulations to the 2017 National CASA/GAL Conference scholarship recipients.
Remembering CASA/GAL Friends and Family
As a time-honored tradition of the annual national conference, we will take a moment to recognize members of the network that have passed since our last meeting. If you know someone that should be recognized, please complete the online submission form. Please submit any information you have by Friday, February 24, 2017. If you have any questions, please email firstname.lastname@example.com.
WEBINAR: Go on a Hardware Safari with Idealware, TechSoup, and National CASA
Despite the exciting and amazing advancements of the Internet and cloud computing over the past several years, information technology (IT) still involves a lot of…stuff. Personal computers, laptops, printers, routers, switches, servers, and on and on.
On February 16, 2017 from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. PT, National CASA's Information Technology Officer David Forrester will be joining Idealware's Karen Graham to help you start getting a handle on your technology infrastructure. Learn the first steps in assessing your organization's technology needs and get started on your overall tactical technology plan. In this 60-minute technology audit overview, we will provide you with the information you need to be able to spot, identify, and document what hardware your organization uses. The webinar will provide useful tips on next steps to complete a full assessment of your IT infrastructure.
The session is sponsored by TechSoup and is free to attend. For more information and to register, please visit the webinar signup page.
Toolkit Planned for Child Abuse Prevention Month
Child Abuse Prevention Month—April—is around the corner! To assist with your planning, National CASA will be developing a toolkit akin to the year-end fundraising campaign to help your program raise funds and recruit new volunteers during Child Abuse Prevention Month. The toolkit will include sample outreach materials, marketing collateral and more. Additional details will be available soon.
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Terms | Privacy | Jobs | Press | Notice of Federal Funding and Federal Disclaimer ©2017 National CASA Association. CASA® logo, name, and slogans are trademarks.


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Indoor air quality is an important issue that has been given added attention in recent years. This report from the EPA indicates that "median indoor concentrations are one to five times the median outdoor concentrations of many hazardous air pollutants." Of course, this added attention is not meant to scare the general population, but is intended to spread awareness of the subject.
Mold, mildew, bacteria and viruses may lead to health problems in some inpiduals, especially small children and people with allergies. These may include allergies, asthma, respiratory problems and infection.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be harmful to our health, and may also produce unpleasant odors. VOCs may come from building materials, smoking, air fresheners, cosmetics, cleaning chemicals, moth balls, vehicle exhaust from the garage, and fuel, oil, and/or gasoline. Several other sources may also contribute.
Maintaining a clean home is part of the solution, but there are further steps that homeowners may take as well.
Ultraviolet (UV) filtration devices are effective tools in fighting VOCs, pathogens and other harmful microorganisms. UV light sources may be installed in air conditioning systems to destroy mold, mildew and other harmful elements on the air conditioner's coil, air handler and other surface within the system.
All Year Cooling offers UV light filtration devices that are installed in certain areas of the air conditioner near the coil or air handler, or in the ductwork to kill airborne pathogens. All Year Cooling's technicians are specially trained to install these UV air filtration products for optimal performance.
Ask for an indoor air quality expert for more information about UV filtration and other indoor air quality products and services from All Year Cooling.


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Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.
with Andrew Yates.
This time of year the Christian Church celebrates Christ the King. The model of leadership that Jesus practises is very different from our normal expectations of a leader. The symbols of his monarchy included a wooden cross for a throne and a crown made of thorns - could not be a greater contrast to the recently elected 'leader of the free world' currently on the 65th floor of his tower with golden waterfalls.
As Jesus is dying on the cross one of those executed with him asks to be with Jesus in his Kingdom. What was it that made that man see in Jesus some form of Kingship? As he was being crucified Jesus had said about the soldiers 'Father forgive them'.
I am sure in these words that the other criminal was touched by the vision of a realm where the fundamental value was that of love. It was over this community that Jesus ruled...by example. And this was the kingdom he longed to be part of.


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Years ago, access to information seemed our greatest luxury. Today its freedom from information, the chance to tune out and unplug that is most important for our health and well-being.
Only when you take some time out, can you put into perspective what you have taken in.
If you find that it's difficult to meditate, you will enjoy how effortless it is to unwind by simply viewing the Moving Art.
In our busy lives it's not always easy to quiet the mind, even when we know how good it is for us.
The Art of Relaxation
When we have anxiety, stress or pain, our bodies cannot heal. Our system goes into a fight-or-flight* response that puts our healing process on hold.
One way to break this cycle, is to distract ourselves with something that will help relax us.
Steve Matson's moving paintings have a unique ability to draw you in and capture your attention. Studies have shown that nature scenes and soothing sounds have a profound ability to calm the mind and reduce stress. When patients view them prior to having a medical procedure done, most experience less pain thus requiring less pain medication.
These therapeutic Moving Paintings also benefit those suffering from insomnia, high blood pressure, chronic illnesses, anxiety and hypertension.
Researchers from John Hopkins University in Baltimore Maryland discovered that showing nature pictures and playing relaxing sounds at a patient's bed is enough to reduce the feeling of pain for many patients.1 Dr. Noah Lechtzin, from the department of medicine at JHU, improved his cancer patient's experience, by decreasing their pain level, during a bone marrow aspiration procedure. In his research, he concluded that nature scenes and natural acoustic sounds such as gentle wind, moving water and birds singing had a particularly soothing effect on his patients. His patients experienced a significant lower level of anxiety, pain perception and recovered much faster after their procedure.
The new field of neuroaesthetics—in which brain scans are employed to study neurological reactions to perceived beauty and other aesthetic phenomena—is opening another front.2
Dr. Zeki, of University College London, led a study in neuroimaging designed to investigate the neural correlates of beauty. During the study, when shown beautiful paintings, these participants elicited increased activity in the orbito-frontal cortex which is the area of the brain involved in emotion and reward. The participants experienced a decrease in motor cortex activity demonstrating a reduction in stress hormones and a significant decrease in pulse and heart rate.3
For a comprehensive abstract of literature see Ulrich (2009) and Hathorn and Nanda (2008). And JHU research, Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2003
1.Lechtzin and Diette, 2003.
2.Ridenour, Annette, Transforming The Healthcare Experience Through the Arts, (2009)
3.Costandi, Moheb. "Beauty and the Brain', Seed September (2008)
*A physiological reaction in response to stress, characterized by an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, elevation of glucose levels in the blood, and redistribution of blood from the digestive tract to the muscles. These changes are caused by activation of the sympathetic nervous system by epinephrine (adrenaline), which prepares the body to challenge or flee from a perceived threat.


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It's a weight loss tea. It's called Meridian Herbal Trim tea. I got it at Cost Plus World Market. It has tze-bei and malve verticellata in it. Anyone have any experience with it? please answer.
It's a weight loss tea. It's called Meridian Herbal Trim tea. I got it at Cost Plus World Market. It has tze-bei and malve verticellata in it. Anyone have any experience with it? please answer.
Yeah, it's a laxative tea. It is not supposed to be used continuously. Maybe once in a while after like thanksgiving or christmas wont kill ya, but it could keep your body from creating stools on its own. Be carefull. Though the herb in it is natural, natural doens't mean safe or good. It has been used for menicinal use, and can be good for water retention and renel issues . . . supposedly.
I love meridian herbal trim tea. It is great if you suffer from constipation. You have to know that when it works - you need to be near a bathroom. You may experience some intestinal cramping until everything moves out of your body - but if you feel bloated and backed up frequently - this really works! Best to take it before you go to bed and know you will have access to a bathroom the next day. Do NOT take it if you are going to be traveling!
I have been drinking this tea for a ling time , however recently i bought a new box from Cost Plus in Walnut Creek, ca and after drinking I have been very sick with diharea and vomiting not being able to get out and about and not being able to eat anything for a day; I wish i knew what it is? may be something has changed in the ingredients but this time it has been a very bad experience. Please let me know "anyone" whom have had this kind of experience.
Oh yes. Exact same thing happened to me as well. I live in Oregon and bought this tea for a long time from Cost Plus and it was Okay; But when I bought a box from the same store in Walnut Creek Ca. while visiting relatives there, I got very sick for the next day. i don't know why? Aweful experience; I retried the tea a few days later to be sure it was the tea and not the food I ate that made me so sick, and yes, it sure happened to me again. Since then I have bought the tea here in Oregon from Cost Plus with no problem like the one I encountered from the store in Walnut Creek Ca..
I have heard about that do not exactly know that where are its uses but yeah its necessary to take care of the fact before taking it because anything like that can be inappropriate.You gotta bother it mate.
Did not try it yet, I have good results with Green Tea, is that also green tea ? O.O
BAD EXPERIENCE. DO NOT DRINK THIS TEA. Causes sever cramps, diarrhea, vomit, and flu like symptoms.


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Thames Valley Police is appealing for information after a robbery in Banbury
At around 8.15pm on Tuesday July 19, a 43-year-old man in St Mary's Churchyard, Banbury, was attacked by three women.
The man fell to the ground where he sustained facial injuries and an injury to his arm. He was taken to the Horton General Hospital in Banbury for treatment and has since been discharged.
The attackers left the scene with an unknown amount of cash from the victim.
If you have any information about the incident please call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.
If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.


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David Jeans
The reigns of David and Solomon represent the high point of Israel's history. David reigned from 1011-971 BC (counting backwards). Solomon from 971-931 BC. In that time Israel was at its wealthiest and its territory was at its greatest. David had defeated the enemies of Israel and brought it peace. Solomon had great wisdom and great wealth. He built the Temple. The capital was Jerusalem, the city of Zion, the city that many of the Psalms speak of:-
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of the whole earth (ps 48)
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. (Ps 46)
On the holy mount stands the city he founded; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God (Ps 87)
As we heard last week, God promised David a dynasty that would last for ever. So what happened?
The reading from 1 Kings 9 that we read this morning sets the scene for the rest of the books of the Kings – a period that covers around 350 years. (From the Commonwealth under Cromwell to the present day). That period ends in the exile of the people of Judah (the Jews) to Babylon in 587 BC. While in Babylon they tried to understand what had happened to them. They were God's people – how could they end up defeated, Jerusalem and the temple destroyed?
Look at 1 Kings 9. They are words spoken to Solomon directly by God after Solomon has completed the building of the temple.
First the good news – verses 3-5
BUT – the bad news. Verses 6-9
I don't doubt that God said those words to Solomon in around 950 BC. But they are recorded here by those who brought all this material together perhaps 400 years later. Why because they explain what had happened in those 400 years.
And what happened is that it went from good to bad to worse.
First of all with Solomon himself. For all his God-given wisdom and creativity Solomon moves away from being the sort of king that God wanted. In chapter 9 he uses force labour to build the temple and made the foreigners in the land into slaves. In chapter 10 we read how he married 700 wives and had 300 concubines and he followed their gods instead of following the God of Israel. He became a king like a Pharoah. And when he dies his son Rehoboam is asked by the elders to lighten the burden Solomon had put on the people. Instead he listens to his friends and makes the burden heavier. So there is rebellion and the kingdom splits. Eleven tribes to the north split off as what the rest of Kings calls Israel, while Judah is the kingdom centred around Jerusalem.
So what were the Kings of Israel like? The books of Kings describes the Kings of both kingdoms as good kings following the ways of David, or bad kings doing evil in the eyes of the Lord by worshipping other gods and shedding blood.
Lets pick two or three of the kings of Israel. Omri – bad king; Ahab – bad king; Jehu – bad king. There's no good king, bad king in Israel Over the next 210 years there are 19 Kings of Israel. 17 of them are bad kings. The other 2 are both murdered so early in their reigns that nothing is said about them. Not a single good king. And after 210 years in 722 BC the northern kingdom of Israel (centred around the city of Samaria) is destroyed by Assyria, and its people taken into exile. The land is repopulated by others who worship Yahweh in their own way and become the Samaritans that we read of in the New Testament. The eleven tribes never return (the lost tribes of Israel).
So what about the kings of Judah? A bit better – some good kings like Hezekiah and Josiah. Some like Azariah and Jothan who got some things right but still allowed some idolatry. In all there are 19 kings of Judah in the next 350 years. 4 are good, 4 are mostly OK, and the other 11 are bad. And of the last 9 kings only 2 are good while the rest are bad. And in 587 BC the prophecy of judgment spoken to Solomon in 1 Kings 9 comes true for Judah as well as for Israel as they are taken to exile in Babylon, and the city of Jerusalem and its temple is destroyed.
Through all this time God had sent prophets to warn of coming judgment because of their idolatry but also because of their violence and lack of pursuit of justice. Occasionally they listened, as Hezekiah listened to Isaiah. Mostly they didn't. More of that in a couple of weeks.
But there are signs of hope in all this gloom. During the exile they began to realise the truth of 1 Kings 9. The exile was not a result of God letting them down, but it was a judgment for their own turning away from God .
And through the prophets God begins to speak to them of a better future. First of all the prophets speak of an end to exile and a return to Jerusalem. But secondly the prophets begin to speak of a new covenant. Because the problem was that they had been given the commandments to follow, but were unable to keep them. And the prophets speak of God dealing with this.
Listen to Jeremiah 31:31-34.
The promise is of the law being written on their hearts; the promise of each one knowing God personally; the promise of forgiveness of sins.
A promise also found in the great prophet of the exile Ezekiel. Listen to Ezekiel 36:26-28.
A new heart of flesh to replace the heart of stone; and the promise of the Holy Spirit within them to cause them to walk in God's ways.
The fall of Israel shows us that the old covenant of external laws is not enough. We have to be changed from within to follow God and become more like him. We need God living within us by his Spirit , we need to be changed by God himself.
The other great prophet is Isaiah. And Isaiah speaks in addition of God's salvation being for all peoples.
All of these prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus. All are established in the new covenant of which our service of Holy Communion is the chief symbol. Forgiveness of sins, power by the indwelling God to live it out, knowing God personally, and taking this good news to the whole world. That is the new covenant in which we live.
And there is also hope for Israel itself. Romans 11 speaks of the final redemption of Israel. Revelation ends with the vision of the new Jerusalem to last for all eternity.
As inheritors of this new covenant, as God's people today, let us not give in to the same temptations of taking God for granted and following other gods and idols of money, possessions, sex and power. Let us live for him and live for others. And especially at the moment – let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the return of the Jewish people to follow God in the way that leads to life for them and to life for their enemies.


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Home › Forums › Announcements › GCG flys into Freelancer – Australian Freelancer Server
As most of you know, Star Citizen is light years away. Ascendancy had started training in the year of 2014 to be battle ready by the time it had been released, HOWEVER, We all know its not coming any time soon. Some of the veteran members have been getting jumpy for a new/old game and this is why we will be setting up a PUBLIC Freelancer server hosted in Australia. GhostCap Gaming will be hosting the game on our dedicated Sydney host with a vanilla version of the game. All download links and server address will be available within 48 …
"GCG flys into Freelancer" … well look at you Mister Media Release 🙂
GhostCap Gaming is a multi-gaming community with a goal to bring the Australian Online Community together under one name, whilst allowing other world wide members...Read more


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Product Summary
One of its kind industrial internet of things product developed by Bizician's inhouse pune team. IoT enabled platform to integrate live sensor data from various sources and integrate into live dashboards for various user levels.
This next-generation product bring out your organization to reach Industry 4.0 and make it smart to achieve Real Time Machine & Sensor Data Monitoring & Controlling of your facilities, Shop-Floor and factory


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Scooters: thought I hated them, now not so sure. I rode a hand-change antique years ago, and the twitchy mini-wheeled madness mixed with a lack of substance between my knees (I'm talking scooter-riding here) scared me. Stir in Quadrophenia (watched because - bizarrely- the support film was a Kenny Robert's documentary) and I'd made my mind up.
Goodwood (versus bored looking Rockers who clearly were the original Ace Cafe crowd) and I think I might have missed a trick.


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The Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center, an Arkansas State University Heritage Site, includes a barn studio associated with Ernest Hemingway and the family home of his second wife, Pauline Pfeiffer. Pauline's parents, Paul and Mary Pfeiffer, were prominent citizens of Northeast Arkansas and owned more than 60,000 acres of land. During the 1930s the barn was converted to a studio to give Hemingway privacy for writing while visiting Piggott. Portions of one of his most famous novels, A Farewell to Arms, and several short stories were written in this studio. The properties have been renovated focusing on the 1930s era.
Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center
Read more
Latitude: 36.385264 Longitude: -90.2002 Elevation: 335 ft
the best travel advice comes from the people who live here
Interests and Areas of Expertise
I serve as executive director of Arkansas Delta Byways, the tourism promotion association for the 15 counties in Eastern Arkansas. I am also Director of Arkansas State University Heritage Sites and have a deep passion for the Arkansas Delta region.
Recommended Place
All things Delta!
Recommended Activity
Drive the entire length of the 10-state Great River Road National Scenic Byway.
Hours Open9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday; 1-3 p.m. Saturday
Time Period Represented1930s
Seasons OpenYear Round
Visitor Fees$5 general admission; $3 for seniors and groups of 10 or more
Accessibility Notes
The house and barn have automatic lifts for handicapped access. The second floor of the Pfeiffer home is accessible only by stairs, but a video tour of the second floor is available. The site includes a large, fully accessible restroom in a restored pump house.
Leave a Comment
Contact Information
Dr. Adam Long - Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center
870-598-1037 (Fax)
1021 West Cherry Street
Piggott, AR 72454 US


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At Integrative Medical Specialists, we partner with Midwest Thermography who is dedicated to educating patients and health care providers about the benefits of thermography, its intended use and the correct methods of thermal imaging and interpretation.
In 1982, thermography was approved by the FDA for use as adjunct testing to other clinical diagnostic procedures in the diagnosis, quantifying, and screening of differences in skin surface temperature changes. It is a non-invasive, infrared imaging technology free of ionizing radiation that visualizes and documents temperature variations. This allows for visualization of physiological changes in the body, such as a hormone imbalance and health risks associated with one's lifestyle. Imaging such as x-rays, mammography, ultrasound, and MRI's are utilized to detect abnormal structures within the body. Both are completely different pieces of information that are complementary in the detection process.
Clinical Thermography is used for monitoring treatment progress of many conditions including:
- Breast Health
- Dental Irritation
- Dental Misalignment
- Headache Patterns
- Hormone Imbalance
- Inflammatory Conditions
- Musculoskeletal Pain
- Spider Veins
- Spinal Misalignment
- Sports Injuries
- Thyroid Problems
- Varicose Veins
At Midwest Thermography, we provide thermal imaging services as an assessment tool to be used in addition to standard screening and/or diagnostic examinations. It is not a stand-alone examination and cannot diagnose or rule out the presence of injury or disease. When interpreting these images, we look for unusual patterns of warmth and cooling that can suggest inflammation and circulatory changes that may suggest risk for various types of injury and disease. Since the causes of most of the examination findings cannot be determined by the thermal images alone, additional examinations are always required before a final diagnosis can be made.
At Midwest Thermography, we strive to offer services with integrity, quality and excellent customer service in a safe, comfortable environment.
- No Doctor's Referral Needed
- Certified Female Thermographic Technicians
- FDA Approved as an Adjunct Imaging Study to Other Diagnostic Testing and Exams
- Infrared Imaging Technology that is Non-Invasive and Free of Ionizing Radiation
- Breast Thermogram Reports That Include a Hormonal Grade for Estrogen Activity
- Monitors Effectiveness of Prevention and Treatment Plans
All thermal scans are performed using a high resolution computerized thermal imaging camera in a controlled environment after following strict pre-examination protocols to insure the accuracy of the findings. The impressions noted on the thermal imaging reports are based upon common presentations of typical conditions but should not be interpreted as a definitive diagnosis. Evaluation by your health care provider is necessary to determine their actual cause and significance.
Midwest Thermography stresses the importance of reviewing your thermogram results with a licensed doctor that has experience interpreting thermography reports. Midwest Thermography partners with Integrative Medical Specialists where our doctors specialize in teaching lifestyle medicine to prevent and treat the cause of chronic health conditions. Dr. Diehn and Dr. Guse utilize their combined expertise to direct patients in further clinical and/or diagnostic testing and assessments in order to formulate individualized health care treatment plans. They also monitor patient's progress through additional thermographic imaging comparison studies for further lifestyle modifications.
Thermal Imaging Pricing:
Initial Breast Scan $195 Initial Breast Scan with Head & Neck $270
Return Breast Scan $150 Return Breast Scan with Head & Neck $225
Upper Body Scan $285 Upper Body Scan with Breast Scan $325
Lower Body Scan $285 Lower Body Scan with Head & Neck $360
Full Body Scan $375 Full Body Scan with Breast Scan $400
Head & Neck Scan $125
Sample Full Body Thermogram Report
Sample Breast Thermogram Report
Sample Cranial Thermogram Report


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Geothermal Energy: A Resource Waiting To Be More Fully Tapped
How Cities can reach 100% Renewable Energy.
VOTO - Charging Batteries in a Fire
Is our current approach to energy sustainable?
Using Microbes to Produce Biofuel
Big Data for Solar
Permanent Magnet Alternators for Wind Turbines
How and Where Distributed Energy Resources Will Reduce the Need for Transmission
2013 completions of large solar thermal power plants mark technology gains
Q3 2013 Deal Volume Comparison
Vanderbilt Proposes Building Energy Storage Into Solar Cells
Will You Survive Solar Grid Parity?
The Solar Energy Industry Sizzles, Offshore Wind Dies Down
Investment in Clean Technologies
More Power to You: Marines Boost Energy, Lighten Load
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Using OpenCV with the Raspberry Pi Camera
OpenCV doesn't work natively with the Rasperry Pi Camera as it is not a usb-webcam. That said, the applications such as raspivid or raspistill controls the Raspberry Pi Camera using MMAL Functions. So the one needs to modify the source code of these applications, by using the Buffer Memory of the Raspberry Pi Camera Board to be feed to OpenCV as Image Objects.
Raspberry Pi, Mini PC with a CSI Type Camera Attached.
In order to achieve this we need to follow these 7 Steps:
Install the Raspberry Pi's CSI Camera
Installation and compilation of
Create your own project
Link with OpenCV Libraries
Basic use of OpenCV and Pi camera : display an image from camera
Use many snapshots to emulate a video (slow)
Capture video within OpenCV window !
Face recognition (Magic Mirror release 2)
Raspberry Pi Showing the CSI Type Camera Socket.
It's quite easy to install your new Pi Camera. Installation procedure is described below:
- Open up your Raspberry Pi Camera module. Be aware that the camera can be damaged by static electricity. Before removing the camera from its grey anti-static bag, make sure you have discharged yourself by touching an earthed object (e.g. a radiator or PC Chassis).
- Install the Raspberry Pi Camera module by inserting the cable into the Raspberry Pi. The cable slots into the connector situated between the Ethernet and HDMI ports, with the silver connectors facing the HDMI port.
- Boot up your Raspberry Pi.
From the prompt, run "
sudo raspi-config". If the "camera" option is not listed, you will need to run a few commands to update your Raspberry Pi. Run "
sudo apt-get update" and "
sudo apt-get upgrade".
Run "
sudo raspi-config" again – you should now see the "camera" option.
- Navigate to the "camera" option, and enable it. Select "Finish" and reboot your Raspberry Pi.
Raspberry Pi Showing the CSI Type Camera Attached.
- "
raspistill" is a command line application that allows you to capture images with your camera module. Below is an example of this command in use.
- To capture an image in jpeg format, type "
raspistill -o image.jpg" at the prompt, where "image" is the name of your image
- "
raspivid" is a command line application that allows you to capture video with your camera module. Below is an example of this command in use.
- To capture a 10 second video with your Raspberry Pi camera module, run "
raspivid -o video.h264 -t 10000" at the prompt, where "
video" is the name of your video and "
10000" is the number of milliseconds.
Once your webcam is installed, test it with this command (show pictures till 10 seconds)
raspistill -t 10000
At this stage, you should undertake to make a Full Backup of you Pi's SD-Card just incase of a disaster.
MMAL Library and
raspistill source code are found in the Userland folder (@GitHub, here). First of all, we need to compile the whole package before doing anything else with OpenCV.
install Git & GCC components:
sudo apt-get install git gcc build-essential cmake g++ libx11-dev libxt-dev libxext-dev libgraphicsmagick1-dev libcv-dev libhighgui-dev
get source code here :
git clone https://github.com/raspberrypi/userland.git
mv the directory "userland" to "/opt/vc":
sudo mv /userland /opt/vc
- change to the directory: cd /opt/vc/userland
type :
sed -i 's/if (DEFINED CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE)/if (NOT DEFINED CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE)/g' makefiles/cmake/arm-linux.cmake
- create a build directory and compile (it takes a while)
sudo mkdir build
cd build
sudo cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
sudo make
sudo make install
Binary should be under
Go to
/opt/vc/bin and test one file typing : .
/raspistill -t 3000
At this stage, you should be able to modify this software to include OpenCV calls. Congratulation ! Now, all next steps are piece of cakes….
As an example, we will create
camcv, a soft strongly inspired from
raspistill. It will allow us later to modify source code and play with OpenCV.
Create a new folder in your home directory and copy all
raspicamapps source code.
mkdir camcv
cd camcv
cp /opt/vc/userland/host_applications/linux/apps/raspicam/* .
mv RaspiStill.c camcv.c
rm CMakeLists.txt
Make a New
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
project( camcv )
SET(COMPILE_DEFINITIONS -Werror)
add_executable(camcv RaspiCamControl.c RaspiCLI.c RaspiPreview.c camcv.c)
target_link_libraries(camcv /opt/vc/lib/libmmal_core.so /opt/vc/lib/libmmal_util.so /opt/vc/lib/libmmal_vc_client.so /opt/vc/lib/libvcos.so /opt/vc/lib/libbcm_host.so )
CMakeFilesdirectory if it exits
Compile & test
cmake .
./camcv -t 1000
Clean file. camcv.c is a long file with a lot of useless lines for us. All these following function could be delete (or commented out). Remove of course all call to these functions in the remaining code.
static void dump_status(RASPISTILL_STATE *state)
static int parse_cmdline(int argc, const char **argv, RASPISTILL_STATE *state)
static void display_valid_parameters()
static MMAL_STATUS_T add_exif_tag(RASPISTILL_STATE *state, const char *exif_tag)
static void add_exif_tags(RASPISTILL_STATE *state)
static void store_exif_tag(RASPISTILL_STATE *state, const char *exif_tag)
The existing line
default_status(&state);avoid you to parse command line using defaults parameters. Just add a line after this one :
Recompile and retest.
At this stage you should watch an old good movie with John Wayne.
Of course, OpenCV must be already installed in your Pi. To do this, just follow the third step of my previous post "Magic Mirror"
Modify your CMakeFiles.txt to include OpenCV Library
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8).
project( camcv )
SET(COMPILE_DEFINITIONS -Werror)
find_package( OpenCV REQUIRED )
#except if you're pierre, change the folder where you installed libfacerec
#optional, only if you want to go till step 6 : face recognition
link_directories( /home/pi/pierre/libfacerec-0.04 )
add_executable(camcv RaspiCamControl.c RaspiCLI.c RaspiPreview.c camcv.c)
target_link_libraries(camcv /opt/vc/lib/libmmal_core.so /opt/vc/lib/libmmal_util.so /opt/vc/lib/libmmal_vc_client.so /opt/vc/lib/libvcos.so /opt/vc/lib/libbcm_host.so /home/pi/pierre/libfacerec-0.04/libopencv_facerec.a ${OpenCV_LIBS})
Recompile. Should be ok. No change (of course!) since you didn't modify your source code
Actually, this was a pretty easy step !
In this step, we will modify our camcv code to:
- remove the preview display provided by MMAL layer
- copy the camera buffer to a CvMat object
- link CvMat to a IplImage object and display it
- do some cleaning to remove all useless code (for us)
Lines 61+: add
OpenCV Includes
// *** PR : ADDED for OPENCV
#include <cv.h>
#include <highgui.h>
Line 156: modify
init values for test (size of file)
// *** PR : modif for demo purpose : smaller image
state->timeout = 1000; // 5s delay before take image
state->width = 320;//2592;
state->height = 200; //1944;
Line 230+ : in
static void encoder_buffer_callback function. This is the core of the modification. This function is a callback, call to get the image in the queue. buffer contains the picture from the camera.
// *** PR : OPEN CV Stuff here !
// create a CvMat empty structure, with size of the buffer.
CvMat* buf = cvCreateMat(1,buffer->length,CV_8UC1);
// copy buffer from cam to CvMat
buf->data.ptr = buffer->data;
// decode image (interpret jpg)
IplImage *img = cvDecodeImage(buf, CV_LOAD_IMAGE_COLOR);
// we can save it !
cvSaveImage("foobar.bmp", img,0);
// or display it
cvNamedWindow("camcvWin", CV_WINDOW_AUTOSIZE);
cvShowImage("camcvWin", img );
Line 711/726/823: we remove the native preview window (replaced by opencv window)
// *** PR : we don't want preview
camera_preview_port = NULL;
// PR : we don't want preview
// status = connect_ports(camera_preview_port, preview_input_port, &state.preview_connection);
// mmal_connection_destroy(state.preview_connection);
Download the camcv.c file here and note following comments/change : http://raufast.org/download/camcv.c
compile, run and check if your "foobar.bmp" file is created and if a nice window shows your picture taken by Pi Cam ! (press key to stop)
At this stage you should be very enthusiastic ! You can control your rpi camera with OpenCV! Beautiful are bits, trees and the Pi.
Well, I've tried to use the same code as step 5 (based on
RaspiStill.c) and I've just added a loop to take many pictures as quick as possible (it's called a movie isn't-it ?). Result is not too bad, but we can surely do better starting with
RaspiVid.c (but another story, next step).
This way is quite simple and I get around 8 FPS (still better than my USB-cam and its 2-3 FPS).
Compared to step 5, only lines changes : take a look on main function (around line 743) and in encoder_buffer_callback (around line 235).
The file is here : http://raufast.org/download/camcv2.c
Note: filename changed, update your
CMakeLists.txt file!
In this step, we will learn how to diplay a video from the camera board, using OpenCV display (and not the native preview GPU window).
At the end of this step, you should be able to capture frames from your camera board, and use them directly using OpenCV! Enjoy, creativity will be your only limit (and perhaps CPU a little bit)
This How-to is based on this file (http://raufast.org/download/camcv_vid0.c). Download it and read explanations below. (don't forget to change the
CMakeLists.txt). I found many technicals difficulties to write it, thanx to Matthieu Tardivon (a brillant student) for his precious hint and help. I appreciate.
We start from
raspivid.c (the camera app) but we need to remove all useless lines, not linked with capturing frames.
- all lines related to the preview component,
- all lines related to the encoder component.
- all lines related to inline command parsing and picture info…
Change :
- add the callback directly to the video_port (line 286)
- create and attach the pool (to get/send message) to the video port… (line 320)
- change format encoding to ENCODING_I420 in line 268 (instead of OPAQUE)
The callback is called with the right FPS (around 30fps/s) during the capture. (FPS without OpenCV treatment).
The Buffer variable contains the raw YUV I420 frame which needs to be converted in a RGB format to be used with OpenCV.
To do it, understand the I420 format : read some cryptic pages like http://www.fourcc.org/yuv.phphttp://www.fourcc.org/yuv.php and http://www.fourcc.org/yuv.php
I wrote few lines to convert the picture in the callback function (line 141):
- read the buffer and copy it by parts in 3 differents IplImage starting with Y component (full size), continue with U (half size) and finish with V component (half size)
- merge the 3 IplImage (YUV) into one (line 170)
- convert with the right color space (RGB) (line 171)
- and display it !
cvCvtColor are slow functions. If you want to increase FPS rate, you can stay with gray picture (the first Y channel). You'll double your FPS doing that. (
parameter graymode=1, line 124). Line 118 set the timeout variable : it's the period to capture (ms)
- 320×240 color : FPS = 27,2
- 320×240 gray : FPS = 28,6
- 640×480 color : FPS = 8
- 640×480 gray : FPS = 17
At this stage, you should be able to use your camera board with OpenCV. Frame rate is still not perfect (no HD possible) but it will be enough to play with face recognition with a far better rate than our old USB webcam ! That's what we'll see on step 7.
This step is easy:
we reuse the source code of previous step 6 and we add the OpenCV face recognition treatment of step 6 of "Mirror Magic".
Watch this video to see result:
Source code modification:
Except some new
#include statements and some global variables, all modification are in the callback function
For face recognition, gray pictures are required. Thus, once we get the I420 frame, we don't need to extract color information. This is a great new, since we saw on last post, that this step takes a lot of cpu!
Make it simple : we forget the pu and pv channels, we only keep the "py" IplImage (gray channel) and convert it to a Mat object.
The face detection is made by the detectMultiScale function. This call requires most of the cpu needed in a loop, it's important to optimize it.
Let's use the LBP cascade (Local Binaries Patterns) instead of the Haar cascade file (
haarcascade_frontalface_alt.xml). Modify the fn_haar variable to link to
lbpcascade_frontalface.xml. Response time is much more faster but less accurate. Sometimes, (and you can see exemple on the video), the soft gives wrong predictions
Let's increase the size of minimum rectangle to search
size(80,80)instead of
size(60,60)as last parameter of the call.
- I read on the "blog de remi" a way to optimize this function, using an alternative home-made function smartDetect. Unfortunatly, but I didn't notice any improvment. Thus, I removed it. (perhaps I did a mistake or a misuse?)
- With a 320×240 frame, I'm between 8 and 17 FPS with almost no lag (17 FPS = no face to detect and to analyse. 8 FPS = analyse face at each loop)
- With a 640×480 frame, I'm around 4-5 FPS whith a small lag (1s)
For me, these results are very good for a such affordable computer like Raspberry Pi. Of course, for a real-time use like RC robot or vehicle it's too slow (need to detect quickly an obstacle, except if you build a RPCS (Raspberry Pi Controlled Snail) ;-).
But for most of others uses like domotic or education it's fine.
Anyway, it's far better than my USB webcam : I was even unable to do face recognition in 640×480 !
Download the source code here (http://raufast.org/download/camcv_vid1.cpp). It's really a quick&dirty code, don't be offended by non-respect of C++ state-of-the-art coding rules!
At this stage, you should be able to detect Mona Lisa, in case of she rings at your door tonight!
Introducing the 'ARMinARM' board for the Pi Family
The ARMinARM board is an STM32 ARM Cortex-M3 microcontroller add-on board for the Raspberry Pi Model B+ with a focus on flexibility and hackability, while still being easy to use. ... Read more
How to connect & use a VGA Monitor with Raspberry PI
For a while I have been looking into a compact Video Monitor to use with a Raspberry or Banana PI. Whilst in a opportunity shop looking for a couple of ... Read more


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October, 2016
Issue #85
Charlie Gauss is Dead
by Dick Derham
Why anyone would care enough about Charlie Gauss to pay good money for his killer mystified the Runnels
Brothers. But the price was reasonable and they had nothing better to do, so they mounted up and rode south.
That a Fact
by Larry Flewin
All he wanted was a cold beer and a hot bath, but the law said otherwise. Seems a man couldn't just
ride into town anymore and shoot what he didn't like. No guns meant no guns, unless you were looking
for trouble . . .
Home is the Sailor from the Sea
by Tom Sheehan
Looks, good or bad, of an apparent stranger, mean little to a real man in a cow town, especially a throwback born
to the saddle and wed to the gun. So one had best
be prepared for the difference, the manner he sets his goals and full intentions straight-off, and beware
the non-believer.
The Brute
by J.C. Hulsey
Gabriel Montague, a newspaper man from Philadelphia, is searching for anomalies in the Appalachia Mountains
to write a series of stories about for his newspaper. But instead, he comes across something or someone like he has never
encountered before in all his travels.
Cattle Annie and Little Britches
by John Young
Cattle Annie and Little Britches have been mostly forgotten in the annals of western history, but not in Oklahoma a
nd Indian Territories. There, they were two of the most famous female outlaws ever to strap on a six gun.
It Can Cost You
by B. Craig Grafton
Life is a gamble. And to some, gambling is their life. But be advised to always look to your hole card before
placing your bet. Can you afford to cover it if you lose?
Want all of this month's Western stories at once? Click here –
All the Tales
The Brute
by J.C Hulsey
I watched as the kids made fun of him.
"Look, it's him. It's the Brute. Come on let's chase him," said the oldest boy.
"Not me," said the second boy.
"What if he decides to chase you instead?" asked a third kid.
"He hasn't ever done it in the past," quipped the first boy. "Come on," as he picked up a couple of rocks.
The other boys followed suit and filled their hands with stones, though not as big as those of the oldest kid.
The brute as they called him stood his ground, not the least intimidated by the young kids.
As the boys readied their missiles, I studied the one they called the Brute.
The man had grayish skin and black eyes. He had a bald head and on closer inspection, I noticed he had nary a hair on
his entire body. He was a large man, but not in height. He was barrel chested with enormous arms and legs. Somehow all
these things made him look deformed. There was one thing that made him unique. When he smiled, it seemed the whole area
lit up, his teeth were perfectly shaped and shone like ivory, which he was doing now, smiling at the boys who were
getting ready to bombard him with stones.
When he noticed me observing him, the smile quickly became a frown, which caused him to look like some sort of creature
from another world. I averted my eyes, yet kept stealing glancing in his direction. I had an uncanny feeling as if he
was drawing me into his world.
About then the first projectile hit its mark. It struck the Brute, as they called him, just under his left eye. He quickly
grabbed the spot with his gnarled hand and uttered an unfamiliar grunt that sounded much like a wounded animal. About then
a second stone and then a third and finally a progression of rocks that caused the man to turn and start moving into the underbrush.
"Did you see that?" the older boy bragged. "I almost blinded him with the first one."
"What was that sound he made?" asked another kid.
"What do you think it was?" said the first boy. "It was the sound of a Brute. Ain't you never heard a brute before?"
"Not 'til today," said one, "and it was an awful scary sound. I sure would hate to meet up with him on a dark night."
"Me too," they all chimed in.
"Hey, you boys," I said, in a scolding voice, as I approached them. "Why would you throw rocks at another human being?"
"Is something wrong with your eyes, Mister? That ain't no human being, it's a brute."
"What can you tell me about the Brute, as you call him?"
"Ain't nothing to tell," said the older boy. "He's just an ugly brute that lives in the mountains. He comes to town once in a great while."
"Does anyone know any more about him," I asked, "like what's his name, where he came from, does he have a family? That kind of stuff."
"I figure if anyone knows it would be old man Ferguson. He's about a hundred years old. Claims he's lived here all his life."
"Where might I find this Mr. Ferguson?" I asked.
"How come you want to know about Brian?" asked one of the boys.
"Who's Brian?" I asked.
"Oh, that's the name we gave the Brute," the smallest boy said.
"We figured everybody needs a name, even a Brute like him."
"Well I think that was very nice of you to be so considerate," I said. "Now where might I locate Mr. Ferguson?"
"You go down this road just as far as you can, hook a left and go as far as you can there, then turn to your left again
and you'll see a little mud house. Ain't no house really, but that's what he calls his home. You going to see him?"
"Yes, I believe I will," I told them. "Thank you so much for the information." I turned to start down the road they had pointed out.
"He ain't there," said the little guy.
"Do you know where he might be?" I asked getting rather perturbed with all their procrastinating. "Would one of you please
tell me where I might find Mr. Ferguson?"
"He's in town at the feed store," said one of the boys. "He goes there every day to play dominoes with some of the other old men."
I didn't bother to thank them again. As I said already, I was getting a little upset with them. Smart aleck little boys. Was
I ever like that, I asked myself. Lord, I hope not.
I turned from them and heard one of them utter something about me that I purposely ignored. I headed in the
direction of town. It wasn't much of a town as towns go, but it sported two saloons, a combination livery
stable/blacksmith, several small businesses and then one huge building that had a sign proclaiming, The
Largest General Store and Mercantile in the Whole state of Texas. Now talk about ego, I figure this store
owner had a passel of it. I located the building I was looking for at the end of Main Street. I walked on
the wooden sidewalk, my shoes making a clip clop sound that reminded me of a horse's hooves on the hard
pack earth. I stopped at the front door peering inside. It was so dark and gloomy that I could barely make
out shadows of men inside. I stepped over the threshold and stopped.
"Hey," said a voice from the gloom. "Come in or git out, yer blocking the sun."
I quickly stepped all the way in and moved to the side, letting my eyes adjust to the dark dreary place. The
smell of feed and grain assaulted my nostrils, and an unfamiliar smell that I couldn't recognize, until I saw
one of the shadows spit across the floor toward a spittoon, missing it by several feet. There was also another
smell very distinctive, of unwashed flesh and clothing.
"What do you need, young feller?" asked a voice.
"I'm looking for a man by the name of Ferguson, Might one of you gentlemen be able to help me find him?" I asked.
"Whatcha want him fer?" asked a quivering voice, which I knew was my man.
"I have need of information that I understand he might have." I told the voice.
"I might know where to find this feller, but you're gonna have to talk plain if'n you want to talk to him.
Don't be using all the big fancy words."
"I would be glad to pay for anything Mr. Ferguson can tell me about the Brute."
I'm telling you, it got so quite in that dark gloomy room that the sound of my breathing and heartbeat were the only sounds that I heard.
"I'm sorry," I said to the quite, "Did I say something wrong?"
"We don't talk about the Brute to strangers, fact is we don't talk much about him to one another," said the first voice I had heard.
"Hold on there, Boris," said the quivering voice, "This here young feller said he would pay. Ain't that right, young feller?"
"That's correct," I told them. "I am willing to pay a sufficient amount for information about this so called Brute."
"What does this suffi . . . mean?"
"I will pay a crisp five dollar bill for any information that I deem good enough for what I want it for." I explained.
"What is it you want this information for, if I might ask?" again the squeaky voice.
"I'm writing a series of stories about the anomalies in this part of the state for a newspaper," I explained.
"I'm the feller you asked about, but I don't reckon I kin help you," said the squeaky voice.
"May I ask why you can't or won't help? Is it not enough money, is that it?"
"Tain't the money," he answered.
"Then pray tell, what is it?"
"I cain't understand but about half of what yer saying. If I cain't understand the questions, then how am I going to answer'em?"
"Why don't we give it a try," I said, "say for two hours? If we can't understand one another, I'll give you the
five dollars for your time and move on down the road. Does that sound fair? Are you willing to try?"
"Whatcha got to lose, Fergie, you'll get the money either way. Go ahead and see if'n ya'll kin git together."
"Okay, somebody help me up and I'll go with this young feller, 'though I don't think it's gonna work out."
I watched as a couple of men helped the old man to his feet. He stood there for what seemed an eternity to me,
then he shuffled his feet and headed toward the door and me. He walked right past me and out into the sunlight.
He stopped abruptly just shy of the door and I bumped into him.
"Don't be in such an all fired hurry. Got to let my eyes adjust to this bright sunlight, else I might go blind.
Don't the sunlight hurt yer eyes, course not 'cause you're still young."
"Do you need help walking?" I asked him.
"What! You think just 'cause I'm old, I cain't walk by myself?"
"I meant no disrespect, I was just offering to help."
"Well, help yerself. I been walking this same trail fer more years than you or your pappy has been alive.
Yer pappy is still alive, ain't he?"
"No sir," I said sadly, "My father passed away when I was quite young."
"Who raised you, boy, did you ma git married agin so's there was a man in the house to teach you things?"
"No sir," I told him, "It was just me and my mother, but she was a great teacher, and I also attended school for a few years."
"I figgered it was somethin' like that," he said, shaking his head.
"What did you figure?" I asked him.
"That's what's wrong with you. Every boy needs a man to teach him things ye cain't learn in school or from their mammy."
"And pray tell, what might that be?" This old man was getting under my skin with his attitude and accusations.
"Do you want to sit here or go somewhere else to begin our discussions?" I asked him.
"Let's head on down to my place. I'd feel more comfortable talking there."
"Okay, are you sure you don't need any help?"
"You keep on asking me that, yer gonna make me mad. That's somethin' you don't want to do. I'm meaner than a
rabid skunk when I git mad. So, jest be careful, you hear?"
"Yes sir, I hear loud and clear. How far is it to your place?"
"It's just a little ways over that hill yonder."
"But, I thought, I mean I heard . . . "
"You been listening to them pesky boys, ain't ye?"
"Well, I did procure some information from them about where you lived."
"There you go with them big words agin. Talk plain, will you?"
"Those boys told me to go, oh, never mind, which way do we go?"
"You jest follow me and don't dawdle or I'll leave you behind."
Now who's using the big words, I thought to myself.
The further we went the faster the old man seemed to walk. By the time we got to the end of the street,
I was having to walk fast to keep up with him.
"How much further?" I asked out of breath.
"Gitting tired, are you?" he chuckled. "It's jest over that little rise yonder."
I looked where he pointed and that little rise was a long ways off in my humble opinion.
"Come on, young feller, if you cain't keep up with a 97 year old, you ain't never gonna survive in this
old world. Come on."
I do believe he became ever faster. I was almost running now just to keep him in sight. What did these
folks eat and drink to make them so vigorous and youthful.
"We finally reached the little rise and he stopped on the top and pointed. "There she be. My home."
I caught my breath, leaning on my knees and looked in the direction his boney fingers were pointing. I
didn't see anything but another hill and more hills.
"Cain't see it, kin you?" he chuckled again.
"No, I'm sorry, but I don't see a house. All I see is hills and more hills."
"That's exactly what yer supposed to see. I built it that way on purpose. In case the Indians come looking
fer me, they won't be able to find me. "Course they don't cause no trouble no more, but in case they do, I'm
ready fer 'em. Come on, we're almost there." He took off again, this time going downhill.
I could only pray that all this exertion didn't cause my heart to give out on me. My mother had told me that
was what killed my father at a young age. His heart just stopped beating. One minute he was standing talking
to her and the next minute he had left this earth for a better place, is how she put it.
"This is it is," he proclaimed, as he came to a halt in front of a mound of dirt.
I looked and all I saw was a mound of dirt.
"Still cain't see it, kin you?" he teased. "It's right here," he reached and pulled on a piece of wood sticking
out of the dirt and just like magic, it opened up. A slab of dirt swung open just like a door.
"Let me go in and light a lamp. It gits purty dark in there," he disappeared inside the dark hole in the hill,
reappearing a few seconds later. "Come in and visit my home," he disappeared again and I followed behind.
I was amazed at the change in the temperature. Where I was drenched with preparation outside, it was extremely
cool inside this hill.
"Yer wondering how come it's so cool, ain't you?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, that's exactly what I was thinking."
"It's 'cause the walls are so thick the heat can't get in and the cool can't git out," he waved his arms in a circle.
"That's amazing," I told him.
"Ain't nothing amazing about it," he huffed. "Jest common sense is all it is. If more folks today would use common
sense, this old world would be a much better place. You want somethin' to drink? I got some cider I made myself. It's
purty strong so you might not like it."
"Just some water if you have some?"
"What do you mean if I got some? Everybody's got water. Why don't you git it yourself, I'm sort of tuckered out after
that little trip from town. There's a bucket setting over yonder," he pointed to the other side of the room.
I crossed the room and got a dipper full of water. I lifted it to my mouth. The moment it touched my lips, I knew there
was something unique and different about this liquid. It was cool which I expected, but it was also sweet tasting.
"This is some of the best water I have ever had," placing the dipper in to fill it again.
"It ortta be. Comes from an underground spring in the back there. Ain't no water no place around here as good as that
water. That's the main reason I built here, because of that spring. Now that you've watered yourself and rested a bit,
what is it you want to know about Brian?"
"You're calling him the name that the kids gave him. Why's that?"
"That ain't the name the kids give him. That's the name his mama gave him when he was born. Brian Tuttle."
"So he does have a family?"
"Not no more, they died when their house caught on fire. Brian was lucky he got out alive. He's been on his own since he
wus about ten or eleven, I reckon. He comes by here sometimes and I give him some victuals. Not a lot 'cause, I ain't got
a lot. I reckon I'm probably the only friend he's got. Everybody in town thinks he's some kind of monster. Those kids you're
talking about like to tease him and make fun of him. He just takes it with a smile and goes about his business."
"What caused him to look the way he does? Was he in some sort of accident?"
"No, he weren't in no accident. He was a pretty baby when he came into this world. Did'cha ever notice how ugly babies grow
up to be pretty, even some of'em beautiful, and the pretty babies grow up to be ugly, well, not like Brian, but some ain't
nothing to brag about.
"Of course the local doctor, Doc Barnes didn't have an explanation for his condition and the family didn't have enough money
to travel to see a specialist, so we just watched and wondered as he continually got worse.
"When he stopped changing, it was just like the way it started. Little by little 'til he looked the way he does now. He's
still the same lad he was, in his head, but the folks don't understand that. They take a look at him and make up their
mind that he's evil."
"When the kids threw rocks at him he gave out with some sort of guttural sound like a wounded animal. Can he talk?"
"He could at one time, but when a person lives his whole life in the wild, separated from civilization, they forget how to talk."
"How long has he been away from civilization?"
"Going on twenty years, best I kin figger. I used to try to talk to'im and get him to talk back, but he would quit coming by,
so I stopped trying and just accepted him the way he is."
"His body looks deformed. Has he always looked like he does now?"
"I reckon that started when he was about twenty or twenty one. Can't remember exactly when it started. First it was just his
hands, then his feet and then one day he looked the way he does now. That's when he almost quit coming to town altogether. He
sneaks in sometimes at night to scrounge in the trash cans fer something to eat. And like I said, I try to help all I can,
which ain't nothing to brag about."
"Isn't there something that can be done for him? Some kind of home or something?"
"Now can you picture somebody that's been living free in the forest locked up in some sort of home for sick folks? I don't think so."
"Why are the people so afraid of him? Don't they even try to understand that he's a human being just like them? He's a creation of God as are they?"
"People don't look at him as a creation of God, but as a creation of the devil. If you ain't realized it by now, you may
never get it. People are mean and cruel and there ain't no fixing 'em. Let me tell you 'bout the time they hunted Brian like an animal."
"Why would they do that?"
"Well, a little girl was found at the bottom of a ravine and some nut claimed he saw Brian push her off. Well, we found out
later the man was lying just to git attention. But it was after the fact. I believe those folks had it in their mind to kill
Brian that day. Like I said, they hunted him like a wild beast, cornered him up on a high cliff. There was a struggle between
one of the men and Brian. The man planted his foot in Brian's chest and pushed him off that cliff. How he survived is beyond me,
but by him surviving that fall only convinced the people that he was the devil's spawn and they wanted no part of him. Because
he was innocent of killing the little girl they tolerate him, but from a distance. Found out later the little girl had fallen
to her death by tripping over a vine at the edge of the ravine."
"Did the people feel bad about treating him that way?"
"Not after he survived that fall off the cliff. Like I said, that only convinced them that he was evil."
"I would like to talk to him? Do you think it would be possible?"
"I don't think he will, but we kin try, if that's what you really want to do."
"I really do. When can we try to see him?"
"First thing you need to do is learn to be patient. It's gonna take a lot of patience on your part if you expect to talk
with him. He don't care much for people and trusts them even less. Let's git something to eat, catch a little nap and come
first light, we'll go see if we kin find him. How's that sound to you?"
He fed me a bowl of some concoction that he called stew. I have to admit it was filling if not very tasty. I fell asleep
almost instantly. I suppose because of all the walking I did following behind the old man. My dreams were filled with
monsters, goblins and all sort of weird looking creatures. Thankfully, I was saved from the worst one when I was awakened
by the old man shaking me.
"Time to rise and shine, gonna be a fine morning. I got some breakfast fer you over there on the table. If'n ye want to
see Brian, then we need to git a move on."
I stretched as I got out of bed and went to the table. There before me was a plate heaped full of what looked like scrambled
eggs. I didn't want to hurt the old man's feelings by asking what it was, so I took a bite and I was extremely surprised
that it tasted very good. I cleaned the plate in no time.
"I 'spect yer wondering how come the air is so fresh, ain't you?"
"I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it, but yes, now I am wondering how it smells so fresh. One would think a hole in the
ground would have a dank, dusty smell. I meant no offense by calling your home a hole in the ground."
"Feller's got to call it what it is. The reason fer the fresh air is ventilation shafts. You didn't think I knew any big words, did you?"
"I'm impressed," I told him.
"I seen how the miners put shafts in the ground so's they would have fresh air plumb down in the ground where they's working.
I jest copied what they done."
"Where are the shafts located here in your home?"
"Got three of'em. One is right above yer head, 'nother is on the end of the room to your right, last'n is over behind me,
'bout seven or eight feet."
"I meant to ask earlier, where do we . . . ?"
"Oh, I shoulda told you already. Follow me."
I followed him as he ducked his head and found we were in another chamber or room as he called it.
"You see that little box there?" he pointed.
"Yes, I see it."
"That's it."
"That little box is it? What is it?"
"'Member I told you 'bout the underground spring?"
"Well, this is downstream from where I gits the drinking water. I do my business in that little box there and the
water takes it away on downstream someplace, which I don't concern myself with. I'll go on back and git things
ready fer the trip while you do your business." He ducked back out of the room.
As I was sitting on that little box, I suddenly realized this grizzled old man was some sort of genius. I finished
and went back where he was tying a rope around a burlap bag.
"Well, pilgrim, you 'bout ready?"
"I guess I am. Do you know where Brian might be?"
"'Course I know, he's my friend. But then agin, he tends to not stay in one place fer very long, but then he comes
back to his old home place purty regular. I figger that's where we'll look first."
Again I was amazed when he pulled on a stick and the slab of dirt opened just like a door on hinges. As soon as we
were clear of the opening, the old man gave a little shove and it just sort of melted back into the hill. The only
way a person could tell it was there would be to get down on hands and knees and know what to look for, and then you
might not be able to find it.
"Come on, this way, I'm all rested up and raring to git on the trail," he took off at a brisk pace that just like
the day before, I was having a hard time keeping up.
"Mr. Ferguson?" I called to him.
He didn't stop or even slow down, "You having a hard time keeping up, ain't ye?" he chuckled. "And by the way,
you kin call me Fergie."
"Yes, I am having a very hard time keeping up this pace. Do you think you might slow down just a little?"
"I reckon I kin, but it's gonna be hard since I'm all rested up and all. But, jest fer you I'll try." He did
indeed begin to walk a bit slower, like he had changed gears or something.
"How's that?" he asked. "Kin ye keep up now?"
"Thank you so much. Yes, that's much better.
"You know now that we slowed down, it's gonna take longer to git there?"
"I don't mind it taking longer, especially if it means I'll arrive there still breathing."
"That sounded like you're making a joke. Wus you making a joke?" he chuckled again.
I didn't answer, not because I didn't want to, but because I was breathing too hard.
We went uphill and downhill and on level ground. We went through scrub brush, thorny vines and all kinds
of different things. I was cut, scraped and bruised from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.
"There it is," said Fergie, pointing down a narrow path.
I looked to where he was pointing and saw a little ramshackle shack that looked ready to collapse at the first sign of a breeze.
"Is that his home place," I asked. "I thought you told me his home burned killing his parents."
"I got mixed up a little. They wus in the barn when it caught fire. That's it over yonder," he said pointing to a burned pile of rubble.
"That little shack there is where he came into this world and more than likely will go out of the world.
Come on, let's see if he's there," he scrambled down the little path with me right on his heels.
We reached the yard and Fergie stopped just about five feet shy of the front door.
"Why are we stopping?" I asked the old man.
"Wanta be sure it ain't booby trapped. I done told you he don't much care for folks. He could set a trap to catch them
if'n they come here looking fer him." He squatted down, which I didn't understand how a man his age could be so agile.
He surveyed the area, then stood and said. "Looks to be all clear, but my eyes ain't as good as they used to be. Step
careful with each step. In fact, step in my footprints, that way if I git hit maybe it'll miss you."
We made it to the door without incident.
"You did say he stayed here sometime, didn't you?" I asked as I looked at the door hanging loose with only one hinge attached.
"Oh, he don't go in through the front door, no, he's too smart fer that. Follow me," he started around the edge of
the building until we reached a small window just a few feet off the ground.
"This little winder is where he goes in and comes out. If'n he's in there, this is the place." He squatted down again
to my amazement, placed his hand on the ground and leaned down on his hand. "Hello, Brian!" he yelled. "Are you in there?"
"I don't hear anything," I told him.
"Of course you don't. You think he's gonna come running out to greet you with open arms. I done told you he don't
trust nobody. Hey, Brian," he yelled louder. "It's Fergie, yer old friend Fergie."
"I don't think he's in there." I said.
"You 'member back at the hut, I told you, you had to learn to be patient?"
"Yes, I remember."
"Well, this is one of them times you got to be patient. Hey Brian, it's Fergie and I brought a friend with me.
You don't need to fret 'bout him. He's okay. He wants to meet you."
I heard a shuffling noise come from inside the shack.
"I heard something, did you hear it? Is that him?" I was getting excited.
"Jest calm down. If it's him, he's got to take a gander at you first and then decide if yer friend or foe.
'Member what I said, patience."
"I don't hear the noise anymore. Maybe it wasn't him."
"I'm gonna git tired of telling you, be patient," he growled.
"I know. I'm trying, but it's extremely hard."
"Turn around real slow, I said slow, and don't make any unnecessary moves."
I turned as slowly as I could and saw standing about ten feet away, Brian the Brute. He was looking me up and
down as if he were getting ready to pounce on me and eat me for dinner, at least that's how I was feeling right
at this moment.
"Hey, Brian, it's Fergie. You ain't forgot yer old friend Fergie, have you?"
Brian's eye didn't waver even a tad from watching me. I was beginning to worry that I had bitten off too much this time.
The Brute took a couple of steps in our direction, then stopped as if contemplating if he wanted to continue.
I heard a low growling sound much like that of a cornered mountain lion.
"Say something, pilgrim, so's he'll know yer a real person," said Fergie real low.
"Hello, Mr. Brian. My name is Gabriel Montague. All my friends call me Gabe. You can call me Gabe if you would
like to be my friend," I said with a quiver in my voice.
"That's good, what you said," Fergie told me. "Talk some more."
"I traveled a very long distance just to meet you," I told the Brute. "I'm so glad to have this opportunity to
finally meet the great Brian Tuttle. I sure would like to be your friend. Would you allow me to be your friend?
I have all sorts of things I would like to talk to you about and I'm sure you have things that you could tell me
about and things to show me. Like living in the woods like you do."
He took another few steps toward me completely ignoring Fergie. He was now standing close enough to reach out, grab
me around the throat and choke me to death, but he didn't. I felt and heard my heartbeat so loud, I knew if the Brute
heard it he might think it to be some sort of weapon I had brought to hurt him.
He just stood there and continued to scan up and down my body finally settling on my face and then zeroing in on
my eyes. I think he recognized me from town when the kids were throwing rocks at him. Perhaps he remembered the
way I scolded them for their treatment of him. He reached out with his left hand touching me on the cheek. It was
all I could do to keep from recoiling from his touch. I stood petrified to the spot. He let his hand fall away
from my face and did the unexpected. He smiled with those beautiful white perfectly formed teeth and just like in
town it seemed the whole area lit up with a brightness that I couldn't explain even if I tried. He took my hand
in his and rubbed the back of it with his other one. I heard a different sound almost inaudible that I barely heard.
It sounded much like the purring of a cat. I glanced over at Fergie and he was standing with his mouth hanging open
and a surprised look on his face. I was quite flabbergasted myself. This was more than I had ever hopped for. Brian
gave a little tug indicating I should follow him. I let him lead me away to where I knew not, but somehow I felt a
sweet calmness fill me, yet I felt safe no matter where he took me.
I glanced back and saw Fergie wave as we left him behind.
Brian led me through the forest of green trees so tall they seemed to touch the sky. I noticed all kinds and colors
of flowers. The fragrance was overpowering, almost. We crossed over a small stream, the water so clear I could see
fish swimming. Finally, he stopped and pointed up the side of a cliff. I turned my eyes in the direction he was
pointing and saw a nest of baby birds. I glanced at Brian's face and it was aglow with something I can't put into
words. Somehow he had transformed from an ugly Brute into a beautiful angelic creature. I realized at that moment
that this is where he belongs, not in some home locked away where he couldn't hurt anyone. No.
This was his home and I hoped he would let it be my home for a short while.
This world can be cruel at times, well not the world itself, but the people populating it. They have no tolerance
for things or people that are different. We may ask why does God allow people to be deformed and criticized for
the way He created them.
I can only answer that in one way. God doesn't make any mistakes and as we found at the end of our story, The
Brute became a beautiful creature because that's what he was on the inside. Outside beauty is something that
pleases man, but it is the beauty on the inside that defines a person.


text:
Stars: They're just like us. Sort of.
No matter how rich or famous you are, no one is immune to the less-than-pleasant things that happen to your body after baby. Case in point: Kim Kardashian West, who recently expressed one fear that will resonate with most mothers.
During Sunday night's episode of Keeping up With The Kardashians, Kim opened up about why she's afraid to have a third baby with husband Kanye West. "Kanye has [talked about another baby] every single day for, like, the last week," she told sister Kourtney's ex, Scott Disick (who is a father of three), according to E! News. "And I was like, 'I don't think I can carry another one.' I just think, 'Ugh, I'll never be the same down there.' Kanye says it, like, feels the same."
Related: Kim Kardashian: Pregnancy 'Worst Experience of My Life'
For his part, Scott acknowledged that, yes, having children does affect the sexual relationship between partners—but that ultimately, it doesn't matter so much.
When Kim hilariously asked if sex after baby feels like "throwing a hot dog down a hallway" for guys, Scott was quick to clear things up: "It's not about that...I feel like me and Kanye don't care about that," he said. "It's the fact that like something that big has come in and out of there. Things are just different internally. There's just like bumps and curves, you know what I'm saying? It's just not the same."
Kim chimed back in, saying, "It's like the same house but the furniture is rearranged."
"Correct! Exactly!" Scott replied. "The front door is still the same, but inside the couches have been spread apart and mixed and matched like a hurricane hit."
Sure, it's pretty awkward to have that conversation with a man who's like a brother-in-law to you, but it's so refreshing to hear that someone who seems as sexually confident as Kim would worry about childbirth's effect on her sex life—because, let's face it, this is something so many women battle.
Can you relate to Kim's fears at all? Tell us in the comments!


text:
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text:
Evening, y'all! So sorry that it's been a bit quiet around here lately. I've had my hands full with just being a mom. It's truly a full-time job in and of itself. Plus, it's been so beautiful outdoors; that I've been playing in my gardens lots. We've been harvesting bunches of tomatoes, onion, peppers, lettuce, kale, zucchini, and cucumbers, not to mention a heap of spices, all summer long; but I also just fixed my first two homegrown eggplants for dinner this week. Yum! And I'm super excited about our growing baby pumpkins and butternut squash. Eeek! I'm having a ball! We also took in a Royals game yesterday afternoon and visited the Kansas City Zoo today. So, it's just been a little bit of summer, for us, all over again, now that we've got three full weeks of school under our belts.
All that said, I did want to pop in here, before the day completely gets away from me, to share a few things that have caught my attention this month. Let's kick things off with Simon Says Stamp's Encouraging Words stamp set. These images are just as precious as can be, and I adore all the punny sentiments.
Neat and Tangled's Schoolhouse stamp set released in perfect synchronization with the back-to-school season; and while I feel like it might be missing a few sentiments and/or images to really make the set complete, I couldn't resist throwing it up here. You all know that I'm a sucker for anything school-themed, and those little mice are the icing on the cake.
Noonday Collection's wrap bracelets and couldn't possibly love them any more. So, when I saw their new Bonfire Wrap Bracelet, I knew that it had to make the lineup. Dusty blues and grays are really calling to me right now.
Nate Berkus' Mini Fringe White and Silver Curtain Panels hopped into my basket while Target was having a 30% off sale last week; and I can't wait to paint the walls and get these babies up.


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content enabling rapid site deployment. Deliver a captivating online experience in the language of your choice and get the content displayed optimally on desktop, tablet and mobile devices. Embed rich media content, complex database systems and enhanced search functionalities.
Enterprise Content Management (ECM)
Go beyond just storing and retrieving digital content. Get a seamless enterprise platform to manage, process, access, integrate and measure all your critical systems and content. Manage information flow across organization with well-defined access policies. Work smarter, faster with content organized and deployed on your premise or on the
Digital Asset Management (DAM)
From simple documents to rich media files like photos, videos, audio and animation, you need a scalable and secure enterprise platform to manage all your digital content. With our
DAM solutions
, enterprises and digital agencies can create and manage multichannel marketing campaigns. The software in deployed on the cloud, saving substantial cost, resources and time.
Records Management (RM)
Manage the records of your organization efficiently through it entire lifecycle – from creation of the record till its disposition. This helps in streamlining all the records to be stored, distributed, maintained and disposed in a timely and effective manner. Ensure compliance and control of all records across departments.
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