text:
This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Humane trapping standards
Humane trapping standards
Go to the summaries' table of contents
This summary has been archived and will not be updated, because the summarised document is no longer in force or does not reflect the current situation
Humane trapping standards
The European Union wishes to implement humane trapping standards agreed upon at international level in order to promote and increase animal welfare and the protection of certain species.
Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 July 2004 introducing humane trapping standards for certain animal species.
The objective of the proposal for a directive is to implement in the EU the environmental part of the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards concluded by the European Community with Canada and the Russian Federation.
The proposal establishes humane trapping standards, requirements for trapping methods, technical provisions for testing trapping methods and certification of traps for capturing certain species of mammals listed below.
It concerns the traps used to catch these animals for the purposes of wildlife management, pest control, capture of mammals for conservation and obtaining fur, skin or meat.
Species concerned
The proposal for a directive applies to the following 19 species of mammal:
Authorised traps and trapping methods
The traps and trapping methods used to capture the species listed must meet the standards laid down by the directive and be certified as being in conformity by the competent authorities designated by the Member States. The Member States are obliged to ensure that, as from 1 January 2009, these traps and trapping methods are in accordance with the humane trapping standards and that as from 1 January 2012 no other trapping methods are used for the 19 species concerned.
It is proposed to grant derogations for traps and trapping methods that are not in conformity on a case-by-case basis for certain purposes such as the interests of public health and safety; protection of public and private property; research, repopulation or the protection of fauna and flora; the use of traditional traps, etc.
The standards laid down in the directive are aimed at ensuring that traps or trapping methods are effective in catching only animals of the targeted species (in order to minimise the capture of non-targeted animals). They are also aimed at providing for the welfare of animals caught in restraining traps and minimising the time elapsing before unconsciousness and insensibility for those caught in killing traps.
Certification by the competent authorities should be based on prior testing. The annexes to the directive list the requirements for trapping methods, including a number of indicators to be met in the tests for a trap or trapping method to be certified. They also contain technical provisions for carrying out these tests.
If the result of these tests is positive, the competent authorities of the Member States will issue a standard certification document indicating, if appropriate, the specific conditions and restrictions for the use of the traps or methods concerned.
Prohibition of leghold traps
Legislation laying down stricter rules on traps and trapping methods will continue to apply, in particular Council Regulation (EEC) No 3254/91 of 4 November 1991 prohibiting the use of leghold traps in the European Union.
Use of certified traps and methods
Trappers (persons authorised by the competent authorities of the Member States to use traps to catch listed animal species) must be qualified and have the necessary knowledge or have received appropriate training.
Trap manufacturers must identify certified traps and provide instructions to ensure safe and correct use and maintenance.
Implementation and improvement of standards
The Commission and the Member States must encourage research aimed at improving and extending humane trapping standards in order to enhance the welfare of trapped animals.
The Committee established by Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating the trade therein will assist the Commission in implementing the future directive, adopting technical amendments to the annexes to the directive and reviewing scientific and technical information on the standards and tests listed in those Annexes.
In 1998 the Community concluded two international agreements aimed at establishing international humane trapping standards. The first of these agreements was with Canada and the Russian Federation and the second with the United States of America.
Both of these were inspired by the desire to reach an agreement on international humane trapping standards as well as to avoid trade disputes with the main international fur exporters.
The first of these agreements is being applied provisionally between the Community and Canada pending its entry into force, which must be ratified by the Russian Federation.
References and procedure
Official Journal
COM(2004) 532 final
Codecision COD/2004/0183
Council Decision 98/487/EC of 13 July 1998 concerning the conclusion of an international Agreement in the form of an Agreed Minute between the European Community and the United States of America on humane trapping standards [Official Journal L 219, 7.8.1998]
Council Decision 98/142/EC of 26 January 1998 concerning the conclusion of an Agreement on international humane trapping standards between the European Community, Canada and the Russian Federation and of an Agreed Minute between Canada and the European Community concerning the signing of said Agreement [Official Journal L 42, 14.2.1998]
Council Regulation (EEC) No 3254/91 of 4 November 1991 prohibiting the use of leghold traps in the Community and the introduction into the Community of pelts and manufactured goods of certain wild animal species originating in countries which catch them by means of leghold traps or trapping methods which do not meet international humane trapping standards [Official Journal L 308, 11.9.1991]
Last updated: 07.12.2007


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AUGUST 7, 2009 Warhol Foundation Launches New Website
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website at www.warholfoundation.org. Designed by the award winning Los Angeles based firm, Hello Design, the site features improved navigation and functionality with the goal of making information more accessible, relevant, and easier to share across multiple platforms. The design, which incorporates elements of Warhol's work throughout, provides a comprehensive overview of the Foundation's activities, and its ongoing mission to advance the visual arts.
Organized under four main categories, Warhol's Legacy; Foundation; Grant and Programs; and Licensing and Sales; the site provides in-depth information about the national visual arts funding program, the creative licensing of Warhol's imagery, and the continued care and scholarship dedicated to Warhol's work and prolific career.
For those seeking funding from the Foundation, the website offers a number of new coponents that will aid in the application process. The most significant addition is an interactive map highlighting Awarded Grants around the country. By selecting a state, potential grantees can see what organizations or exhibitions have been supported in their region, along with a brief description of supported projects. For the first time, this information can also be shared among peers in a variety of ways, as the new site's content has been made available for posting to twitter, Facebook, and other social networking platforms. Soon, the map will also feature a search function, allowing potential grantees to learn more about comparable organizations and obtain a clearer picture about funding opportunities. An expanded FAQ section; details about Creative Capital; the Curatorial Fellowships and Arts Writing programs; direct links to the more than sixty participants in the Warhol Initiative; and information on Regional Regranting provide a greater understanding of the Foundation's numerous and sustained efforts to respond to and expand its support of the visual arts field.
From Fort Worth, Texas to the Grand Palais in Paris, Andy Warhol is as celebrated and influential as at any time during his life. He continues to be the subject of significant exhibitions around the world, and now a select list tracking these exhibitions is available online. Information and highlighted products created in collaboration with the Warhol Licensing Program (voted Best Art Brand at the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association Awards, 2009) are also now enhanced in the redesign. As with the previous site, those interested in seeing the entire history of the Foundation are welcome to download complete pdfs of the Foundation's 20 Year Report. Each of these three volumes details a thorough history of support, preservation, and scholarship carried out by the Foundation.
The new site marks a step forward for the Foundation, encompassing all of its efforts, while boldly reflecting its own innovative spirit and that of the many visual arts leaders and organizations the Foundation supports.

subset: commoncrawl


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Craig Shapero needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 89 designs submitted by 18 freelance designers.
The logo can be a word mark, or a combination of a symbol and word mark. The logo will be a service mark. The name ClearGage was chosen based on two principals: Clear adjective; free from obscurity or ambiguity Gage transitive verb; To pledge or promise ClearGage is built upon two principles. One is to provide the healthcare provider with the ability to provide an accurate estimate of what the patients financial responsibilities are, prior to the delivery of care. The second is to provide patient's with "patient friendly" payment options to ensure they meet their obligation to pay the provider for services rendered
ClearGage, Inc
ClearGage, was formed to meet the rising need of innovative solutions surrounding the dramatic increase in accounts receivable and bad debt arising from the shift from healthcare payments from employers and insurance companies to consumers.
ClearGage provides easy to use, secure, electronic processing solutions to the healthcare provider community which includes Doctors, clinics, ancillary medical service providers and third party medical billing entities. Our distribution channels include direct sales, and strategic partnerships with payment processors, practice management software providers and billing and collection companies specializing in medical receivable management.
- The logo must include the word "ClearGage" and you should reflect in the logo that the words are "compounded"
- Open to colors; however prefer a blue and grey
- The design should reflect the meaning of ClearGage Clear adjective; free from obscurity or ambiguity - Gage transitive verb; to pledge or promise.
- The design should look simple, modern, professional, and confident.
- The final artwork should be in vector format. For example, Adobe Illustrator, Freehand or Firework etc.
- Please provide the font, or font name used in the logo in the final deliverables. Prefer a readily available font; however we are open to all.
- no clipart; please use a unique image or design
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
You are receiving this email because you are Madridista, sent by Real Madrid C.F. Concha Espina nº 1 28036 Madrid.
If you want to cancel the subscription, click here anular suscripción or send your request to unsubscribe to firstname.lastname@example.com indicating the Madridista number. If you want see our Policy Privacy click here.
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text:
You first need to select your timezone so that your system knows where it is
located. Look for your timezone in
# ls /usr/share/zoneinfo
(Suppose you want to use GMT)# ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/GMT /etc/localtime
The core around which all distributions are built is the Linux kernel. It is the
layer between the user programs and your system hardware. Gentoo provides its
users several possible kernel sources. A full listing with description is
available at the
For PPC you can choose between
# emerge gentoo-sources
When you take a look in
# ls -l /usr/src/linux lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 22 Mar 18 16:23 /usr/src/linux -> linux-2.6.10-gentoo-r8
If the symlink doesn't point to the kernel source of your choice (note that
# rm /usr/src/linux # cd /usr/src # ln -s linux-2.6.10-gentoo-r8 linux
Now it is time to configure and compile your kernel source. You
can use
If you want to manually configure your kernel, continue now with
Manually configuring a kernel is often seen as the most difficult procedure a Linux user ever has to perform. Nothing is less true -- after configuring a couple of kernels you don't even remember that it was difficult ;)
However, one thing
Now go to your kernel source directory and execute
# cd /usr/src/linux # make menuconfig
You will be greeted with several configuration sections. We'll first list some options you must activate (otherwise Gentoo will not function, or not function properly without additional tweaks).
First of all, activate the use of development and experimental code/drivers. You need this, otherwise some very important code/drivers won't show up:
Code maturity level options ---> [*] Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers General setup ---> [*] Support for hot-pluggable devices
Now go to
File systems ---> Pseudo Filesystems ---> [*] /proc file system support [ ] /dev file system support (OBSOLETE) [*] Virtual memory file system support (former shm fs)
(Select one or more of the following options as needed by your system)<*> Reiserfs support <*> Ext3 journalling file system support <*> Second extended fs support <*> XFS filesystem support
If you are using PPPoE to connect to the Internet or you are using a dial-up modem, you will need the following options in the kernel:
Device Drivers ---> Networking support ---> <*> PPP (point-to-point protocol) support <*> PPP support for async serial ports <*> PPP support for sync tty ports
The two compression options won't harm but are not definitely needed, neither
does the
If you require it, don't forget to include support in the kernel for your ethernet card.
Users of OldWorld machines will want HFS support so they can copy compiled kernels to the MacOS partition. This applies also to NewWorld machines as it is needed for the special Apple_Bootstrap partition:
File Systems ---> [*] HFS Support
At this time, kernel preemption is still unstable on PPC and may cause
compilation failures and random segfaults. It is
Platform options ---> [ ] Preemptible Kernel
When you're done configuring your kernel, continue with
Now that your kernel is configured, it is time to compile and install it. Exit the configuration and run the commands which will compile the kernel:
# make all && make modules_install
When the kernel has finished compiling, copy the kernel image to
replace 2.6.10 with your kernel-version(Apple/IBM) # cp vmlinux /boot/kernel-2.6.10 (Pegasos) # cp arch/ppc/boot/images/zImage.chrp /boot/kernel-2.6.10
It is also wise to copy over your kernel configuration file to
# cp .config /boot/config-2.6.10-gentoo-r8
Now continue with
You should list the modules you want automatically loaded in
To view all available modules, run the following
# find /lib/modules/<kernel version>/ -type f -iname '*.o' -or -iname '*.ko'
For instance, to automatically load the
# nano -w /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6
Continue the installation with
If you are reading this section, you have chosen to use our
Now that your kernel source tree is installed, it's now time to compile your
kernel by using our
Now, let's see how to use genkernel. First, emerge the genkernel ebuild:
# emerge genkernel
Next, copy over the kernel configuration used by the Installation CD to the location where genkernel looks for the default kernel configuration:
# zcat /proc/config.gz > /usr/share/genkernel/ppc/kernel-config-2.6
Now, compile your kernel sources by running
Note that, if your partition where the kernel should be located doesn't use ext2
or ext3 as filesystem you might need to manually configure your kernel using
# genkernel --udev all
# ls /boot/kernel* /boot/initrd*
Now, let's perform one more step to get our system to be more like the
Installation CD -- let's emerge
# emerge coldplug # rc-update add coldplug boot
Now continue with


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Black Rock poised for $500,000 face lift
BRIDGEPORT -- Black Rock.
For people seeking good food, good drink and interesting shops, those two words have started to mean something.
Now, the city is hoping a $500,000 grant will help make the trendy seaside neighborhood's business hub along Fairfield Avenue more attractive for residents and visitors.
"My vision is we look kind of like a `SoNo'," said state Rep. Auden Grogins, referring to the branding of historic South Norwalk, which draws tourists with nightlife. "We can give a great face lift to Black Rock with this."
Grogins, who secured the $500,000 grant from the state, co-hosted a forum Wednesday night to begin hearing how people who live and work in Black Rock think the money should be spent.
The grant can be spent improving the streetscape, from nicer building facades to lighting, sidewalks and signs.
"This corridor is a very important corridor to the city," said Mayor Bill Finch, who, with his economic development chief David Kooris, was also on hand.
More InformationBlack Rock work
Bridgeport has $500,000 for street improvements in the Black Rock business corridor.
The corridor runs along Fairfield Avenue, west to east, from Ash Creek to Ellsworth Street.
Black Rock's business district lies on the border with Fairfield and just blocks away from Interstate 95, the new Fairfield Metro train station, and two large movie theaters. As such, for some it is their first impression of Bridgeport.
It's an eclectic mix of businesses: well-reviewed restaurants and ethnic eateries, quaint ice cream and coffee shops, boutiques, biker bars and -- to the constant chagrin of residents and police -- the illegally run massage parlor from time to time.
Black Rock is also a fairly wealthy section of the city. As such, the neighborhood is often ineligible for financial aid, Finch noted, which is why the city needs to make the right choices with the state's $500,000.
And, the mayor said, hopefully the improvements will encourage private owners to make further investments in their properties.
Several of those present suggested sidewalk improvements that will aid pedestrian safety.
"I take my life into my hands going in some of those stores," said one woman.
Kooris agreed.
"You want to be able to have dinner, walk across the street to a bar," Kooris said.
Tara Collins, owner of Black Rock Physical Therapy and head of the business association, said some of the money should be spent on signs or other physical markers that clearly identify the neighborhood, especially from the train station.
"We need to get people to notice the fact that Black Rock is there," Collins said.
There also needs to be better lit parking -- and more of it, she said, adding that a neighborhood restaurant week is being planned.
Another audience member suggested a more consistent look that upgrades some of the "junky storefronts."
Inevitably, the conversation turned to some major question marks hanging over Black Rock's future, including a proposal to build a pedestrian bridge over Ash Creek to the new Fairfield train station and the vacant Black Rock Arts Center.
Kooris said the city will schedule a public meeting in February to discuss the feasibility of the bridge proposal.
Niall O'Neill, owner of the arts building, said he hopes to have a tenant by summer.
"Right now, I'm in talks with a lot of different investors," he said. "I've refused a lot of businesses I didn't think were suitable."
O'Neill also owns The Field restaurant and bar in Black Rock.
Some in the audience wanted to know if he was planning to open a restaurant, bar or club in the arts center.
"All I want is a successful business," O'Neill said.
firstname.lastname@example.com; 203-414-0712; http://twitter.com/blockhart1


text:
Are you thinking about getting engaged?
We put together this Diamond Guide to help educate you about the purchase you are about to make.
Send us your e-mail address below and we will send you a Guide!
This ring is fully customizable in 14k white gold, 14k yellow gold, 14k rose gold, 18k gold or platinum. It can be made to accommodate most any size Round Cut center gemstone including Diamond, Sapphire, Tanzanite, Ruby & Emerald.


text:
Federal budget cuts to close Groton-New London control tower
CHICAGO (AP) — Under orders to trim hundreds of millions of dollars from its budget, the Federal Aviation Administration released a final list Friday of 149 air traffic control facilities that it will close at small airports around the country starting early next month.
Connecticut is losing six: Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial in Bridgeport, Danbury Municipal, Groton-New London, Hartford-Brainard, Tweed-New Haven and Waterbury-Oxford.
The closures will not force the shutdown of any of those airports, but pilots will be left to coordinate takeoffs and landings among themselves over a shared radio frequency with no help from ground controllers under procedures that all pilots are trained to carry out.
Connecticut senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy said they will fight the closures by offering an amendment tonight in the Senate.
"We are deeply disappointed by the FAA's decision," said a statement from Murphy and Blumenthal's offices. "Closing air traffic control towers at all six of these airports, including one that provides commercial service, will cause needless harm to the residents who work there and the regional economies that depend on their services.
"We will continue to fight to restore federal funding for these towers, which will include offering an amendment tonight that will make it easier to do so. We call on our colleagues in the Senate and the House to join us in this effort to prevent these damaging cuts," Blumenthal and Murphy said.
The plan has raised concerns since a preliminary list of facilities was released a month ago. Those worries include the impact on safety and the potential financial effect on communities that rely on airports as key economic engines for attracting businesses and tourists.
"We will work with the airports and the operators to ensure the procedures are in place to maintain the high level of non-towered airports," FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in a statement.
The FAA is being forced to trim $637 million for the rest of the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. The agency said it had no choice but to subject most of its 47,000 employees, including tower controllers, to periodic furloughs and to close air traffic facilities at small airports with lighter traffic. The changes are part of the across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration, which went into effect March 1.
All of the airports targeted for tower shutdowns have fewer than 150,000 total flight operations per year. Of those, fewer than 10,000 are commercial flights by passenger airlines.
Airport directors, pilots and others in the aviation sector have argued that stripping away an extra layer of safety during the most critical stages of flight will elevate risks and at the very least slow years of progress in making the U.S. aviation network the safest in the world.
Airlines have yet to say whether they will continue offering service to airports that lose tower staff. Any scaling back of passenger service could have major economic impact for communities.
Mark Hanna, director of the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Ill., says without ground controllers as backup the risk to operate "goes up exponentially," especially at airports like his, which have such a broad mix of aircraft types: everything from privately operated Piper Cubs to the larger passenger planes of United and American airlines.
That an aviation sector as sensitive as air traffic control could become subject to political brinkmanship in Washington was especially frustrating, he said.
Hoping to escape the final cut, he and other airport directors were left to argue with the FAA about whether the closure of their facilities would adversely affect what the agency described in a letter as the "national interest."
High school referee Tony Gigliotti and NBA referee Josh Tiven
Mueller report: No evidence Trump campaign 'conspired' with Russia in 2016 election


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Soldier showdown: Joe and Anthony Russo take the helm of 'Captain America' franchise
Joe and Anthony Russo, the Coen Brothers of TV, have shepherded such series as "Community" and "Happy Endings" as executive producers and "Arrested Development" and other series as directors, winning an Emmy Award along the way. They've even edged into the Coens' territory, movies, directing the 2006 hit You, Me and Dupree. And you see what all those comedies have in common? They're not action-adventure political thrillers. You know what is? Their imminent Marvel Studios movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
"Well, look," says Joe Russo affably, aware of the discordance between their usual farcical surrealism and the dead-serious style of Marvel movies, "it was surprising, but it's reflective of the choices Marvel has made up until this point." The studio's executives "are risk-takers, and I think that even asking us to come into the room to talk about the film tells you how outside the box they think. It was really just [studio president] Kevin Feige, who was a huge fan of 'Community' and loved the kickoff of season two"—"Anthropology 101," written by Chris McKenna, directed by Joe and guest-starring Betty White as a deadly professor gone rogue—"as well as some of the other genre spoofs we did," including such cult-classics as the spaghetti-western homage "A Fistful of Paintballs."
Captain America: The Winter Soldier picks up roughly two years after the events of Marvel's The Avengers (2012). Steve Rogers (Chris Evans)—the sole successful result of a World War II experiment to enhance soldiers' physical abilities—is living quietly in Washington, D.C. Still acclimating to the modern world after having been revived from decades of suspended animation at the end of the otherwise period war film Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), he's drawn into a web of political intrigue involving international peacekeepers S.H.I.E.L.D.; top agent Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson); and an enigmatic Russian assassin, the Winter Solider (Sebastian Stan).
"There's a sharp tonal difference" between the first film, directed by Joe Johnston, and this one, says Joe Russo. "The first movie is a love letter to the [1940s] Golden Age comics. This film draws its inspiration from a modern story written by Ed Brubaker [in a comic-book storyline beginning in 2005], so it's extremely different in tone," harkening back to such 1970s political-conspiracy thrillers as Executive Action, Three Days of the Condor and All the President's Men. Those last two starred Robert Redford, who was cast here in part to bring an iconic echo to the role of Alexander Pierce, a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. official over agency director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, in his sixth film in that role, including three cameos).
"We wanted to contemporize [Steve Rogers] very quickly and we wanted him to represent themes that are interesting to us about the modern world," Joe continues. "We wanted him going on clandestine operations for a clandestine organization so we could put him in conflict with the philosophy of that organization."
In the script by the first film's returning screenwriters, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, that thematic bullet hits its bull's-eye when Rogers takes in the full impact of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s post-9/11, Homeland-Security-on-steroids tactics and seethes to Fury, "This isn't freedom. This is fear."
"It's hard to make a political film that's not topical," says Anthony Russo. "That's what makes a political thriller different from just a thriller. And that's what adds to the characters' paranoia and the audience's experience of that paranoia. But we're also very pop-culture-obsessed and we love topicality, so we kept pushing to [have] scenes that, fortunately or unfortunately, played out [during the time that Edward] Snowden outed the NSA. That stuff was already in the zeitgeist," he says "We were all reading the articles that were coming out questioning drone strikes, pre-emptive strikes, civil liberties—Obama talking about who they would kill, y'know? We wanted to put all of that into the film because it would be a contrast to Cap's greatest-generation [way of thinking]."
Such thoughtful enthusiasm helps explain how two producer-directors best known for TV comedy got the gig—one for which, the brothers say, neither they nor their agent lobbied. "We literally just showed up on the list," says Anthony, the older of the two ("I was born in February of 1970 and Joe was born in July of 1971"). "We just got a call from our agent one day and he said, 'Hey, Marvel's got a list of people they're going to be talking to about the next Captain America movie and you guys are on it.' We were shocked and thrilled because we're such big fans of what they've been doing. That was one of the things that really excited us—they came to us, in a way. That was really encouraging."
On set, Anthony notes, the brothers "don't really divide duties" but "have a kind of Socratic dialogue between ourselves and work things out together. We always tell people that they never have to double-cover us—if you speak to one of us, you're speaking to both of us, so I think that makes it easy for people to collaborate with us. We come from a big Italian family, so we're very used to communicating, collaborating and working as a team. It's a very easy process for us. We always tell everybody we don't mind if they mix us up."
"We're brothers, we grew up together—it makes the language very easy," says Joe. "And I think that's what made this process with Marvel so fruitful and enjoyable. Our process is to talk things through out loud and be collaborative, and Marvel provided a great environment for us to do that. Making a movie of this scale [budgeted, says the Los Angeles Times, at $170 million], a big portion of your job is managing a large team of people all trying to help you realize your vision. And the better you are at enunciating your point of view and what you're looking for, the more cohesive the movie will feel. I think being a directing team served us very well in making this movie."
Adds Anthony, "We're both on set all the time, we're at the monitor to look at things, we discuss what's going on after every take, we look at the notes together—it's a very democratic process."
Like director Joss Whedon with The Avengers, the brothers "shot almost all the exteriors in Cleveland"—where, coincidentally, they were raised, attended Case Western Reserve University and made the 72-minute student film Pieces (1997) for what they said was about $30,000 in credit-card debt. Steven Soderbergh eventually saw it at the film festival Slamdance and encouraged the brothers' ambitions over the course of three years; he and business partner George Clooney then produced the Russos' second film, the 2002 crime comedy Welcome to Collinwood. As for other locations, "The movie is primarily set in Washington, D.C., and we did about three days in Washington with the main cast and ourselves, but D.C. is an extremely difficult place [in which] to shoot." The stage work took place in Los Angeles.
The movie introduces Sam Wilson a.k.a. the Falcon—comics' first African-American superhero, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan in Captain America #117 (Sept. 1969). As played here by Anthony Mackie, he's a former military man who now works as a PTSD counselor and helps Cap with the aid of a winged, jet-powered flight exoskeleton.
Also new is Emily VanCamp, who, as Feige confirmed last summer, plays S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 13 a.k.a. Sharon Carter. Not every Marvel character translates directly from comics to screen, of course—witness the completely different Mandarin in last year's Iron Man 3—so Frank Grillo, playing a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent named Rumlow, is not the costumed mercenary Crossbones (named Brock Rumlow in the comics). As to whether Mackie and VanCamp will reprise their characters, "The only thing I think I can say is that both of those actors signed multiple-picture contracts with Marvel." Stan Lee has his usual cameo appearance, and there's even a blink-and-miss-it text shout-out to Whedon. An end-credits scene introduces yet another enduring Marvel villain.
Will the events of the movie affect the ABC TV series "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," which has referenced The Avengers and last year's Thor: The Dark World? "We don't have a relationship with the show," Anthony cautions, "but from what we've heard, yes."
For all the hoopla surrounding this next Marvel Studios movie—part of what Feige calls the Marvel Cinematic Universe of Paramount and now Disney releases, separate from 20th Century Fox's X-Men and Fantastic Four films and Columbia's Spider-Man franchise—the filmmaking brothers seem unruffled by having to follow on the heels of the $1.2 billion-grossing Iron Man 3 and the $639 million-grossing Thor sequel.
"Two schmoes from Cleveland found their way into the movie business," says Anthony, or maybe Joe.
Yeah. And two schmoes from Cleveland created Superman.


text:
STEVENSON, Md., April 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation announces that a class action lawsuit has been commenced in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas on behalf of purchasers of Conn's Inc. ("Conn's" or the "Company") (Nasdaq:CONN) common stock during the period between April 3, 2013 and February 19, 2014, inclusive (the "Class Period").
If you have suffered a net loss from investment in Conn's Inc. common stock purchased on or after April 3, 2013 and held through the revelation of negative information during and/or at the end of the Class Period, and would like to learn more about this lawsuit and your ability to participate as a lead plaintiff, without cost or financial obligation, click here: http://www.browerpiven.com/securitiesfraudcases.html.
You may also request more information by contacting Brower Piven either by email at firstname.lastname@example.com or by telephone at (410) 415-6616. Attorneys at Brower Piven together have more than a century of experience litigating securities and other class action cases.
No class has yet been certified in the above action. Members of the Class will be represented by the lead plaintiff and counsel chosen by the lead plaintiff. If you wish to choose counsel to represent you and the Class, you must apply to be appointed lead plaintiff no later than May 5, 2014 and be selected by the Court. The lead plaintiff will direct the litigation and participate in important decisions including whether to accept a settlement and how much of a settlement to accept for the Class in the action. The lead plaintiff will be selected from among applicants claiming the largest loss from investment in Company units during the Class Period.
The complaint accuses the defendants of violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by virtue of the defendants' failure to disclose during the Class Period the true extent to which Conn's growth was attributable to utilizing underwriting and collections practices that weakened its portfolio quality and left it susceptible to substantial increases in bad debt and increased delinquency and charge off rates in its credit segment.
According to the complaint, following the Company's February 20, 2014 announcement that its credit segment provision for bad debts as a percentage of the average outstanding portfolio balance is expected to exceed previously issued guidance and that it was lowering its recently issued fiscal 2015 earnings guidance, the value of Conn shares declined significantly.
If you choose to retain counsel, you may retain Brower Piven without financial obligation or cost to you, or you may retain other counsel of your choice. You need take no action at this time to be a member of the class.
CONTACT: Charles J. Piven Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation Stevenson, Maryland 410/415-6616 email@example.com: Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation


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Arcade Click Clack bath waste (slotted) with matt white natural stone cover
Clearwater P Trap Connection Pipe
Reference 10449 Code W21-C
Clearwater P Trap Connection Pipe.
The Clearwater basin & bath waste range includes a selection of wastes and fittings to coincide with their freestanding bath and basin ranges.
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How Long will my delivery take?
Delivery times will vary depending on a number of factors including type of product ordered and whether it is an item that is carried in stock or a special order. Look out for the delivery times displayed on the product pages that act as a guide to delivery estimates.
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include toilets, mirrors, basins and any other item not defined as
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£5.95 Delivery on this Item2-5 Days Estimated Delivery Time
Free Deliveryon All Orders over £500


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"The Weakness of Despair!!" (絶望の弱点!!, Zetsubō no Jakuten!!, Viz: The Weak Point of Despair) is chapter 578 of the original Naruto manga.
Having arrived at Kabuto's hideout, Sasuke identifies Kabuto. Kabuto attempts to manipulate him into attacking Itachi, but Sasuke explains his goal was to talk with his brother and that Kabuto, who has now taken Orochimaru's mantle, is his enemy. Meanwhile Tsunade reveals her new technique's power, which allows instant regeneration without the usage of hand seals, and throws the sword that impales her back at Madara. While he absorbs it into his Susanoo, Ōnoki tries to blast Madara with Dust Release from behind, but Madara simply absorbs it, claiming he could have done it earlier but instead took it as a chance to demoralise them with Hashirama's visage. Tsunade questions his confidence, stating the Kage forced him into using a wood clone. Instead of rebuffing her, Madara admits five versus one is a good match-up number and creates twenty-five wood clones, five for each Kage. Sasuke attempts to kill Kabuto, but Itachi stops him, explaining the need to discover the counter to the Impure World Reincarnation beforehand. Sasuke agrees to cooperate on the terms that Itachi will answer his questions once they're done, and Itachi accepts, as both brothers and Kabuto ready themselves for battle.


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For Immediate Release: January 24, 2008
Contact: Lisa Skvarla
Phone: 805.893.8603/3428
E-Mail: email@example.com
Gauchos Go 2-1 at Season-Opening Lancer Invite
UCSB falls to Bakersfield before defeating San Bernardino and Concordia.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. � The No. 17 UC Santa Barbara women�s water polo team opened the season with two wins and a loss at the Lancer Invite hosted by Cal Baptist on Saturday. The Gauchos (2-1) fell 13-9 to No. 18 Cal State Bakersfield before posting convincing wins over Cal State San Bernardino and Concordia later in the day.
During the first game of the day, Bakersfield built a 3-0 lead before junior Katlin Kubas scored the Gauchos� first goal with 1:03 on the clock in the first quarter. The Roadrunners scored two more goals in the last minute of the period to gain a 5-1 lead.
Within the first minute of the second quarter, UCSB posted back-to-back goals from Lizzie Rouleau and Amanda Tipton to cut Bakersfield�s lead to two points. The Roadrunners responded with two goals of their own, stretching their lead to 7-3. Alisha Khan tallied the last point of the first half with 1:29 to go in the second, putting UCSB within three.
Bakersfield outscored UCSB 6-5 during the second half to capture the 13-9 win. Khan led the Gauchos with three goals while Chelsea Carrillo posted five saves for UCSB.
In the second game of the day against Cal State San Bernardino, UCSB quickly built a 3-0 lead within the first two minutes of the game and by the end of the first quarter, the Gauchos held a 6-1 advantage. The Gauchos allowed just one goal from San Bernardino in each of the four quarters, all from Kaitlin Hartman, on their way to a 17-4 win.
Rouleau led the team with three goals in the win and Kate Murphy posted nine saves for the Gauchos.
During the final contest of the day, Concordia got on the board first with a five-meter penalty goal from Sam Gelberger with 5:41 on the clock in the first. Concordia stretched its lead to 2-0 behind a goal from Danielle O�Toole. Gillian Morgan posted the Gauchos� first goal of the game with 3:25 to go in the first and Rouleau followed up with a six-on-five goal to tie things up at 2-2. The teams traded goals in the last minute and a half of the first to carry a 3-3 tie into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, the Gauchos outscored Concordia 3-1 to capture a 6-4 lead heading into halftime and held their opponent to just one goal in the last 16 minutes of the game to take the 13-5 win.
Rouleau once again led the team in the win with four goals while Murphy posted six saves.
The Gauchos will return to action on Feb. 7 when they travel to the UC San Diego Triton Invite. UCSB is scheduled to take on Big West Conference foe Cal State Northridge in the tournament�s first round at 12:45 pm.
Game One:
Cal State Bakersfield 13, UCSB 9
1 2 3 4 Final
Bakersfield 5 3 4 2 13
Bakersfield Goals: Petra Koudelkova 4, Amanda Ortiz 3, Alyson Moss 2, Becky Seelos 1, Brittany Berry 1, Katherine Gillett 1, Jessica Manke 1.
Bakersfield Goalie Saves: Veronica Campbell 5.
UCSB Goals: Alisha Khan 3, Michelle Beaudreau 2, Katlin Kubas 1, Amanda Tipton 1, Claire Buchanan 1, Lizzie Rouleau 1.
UCSB Goalie Saves: Chelsea Carrillo 5.
Game Two:
UCSB 17, Cal State San Bernardino 4
San Bernardino 1 1 1 1 4
San Bernardino Goals: Kaitlin Hartman 4.
San Bernardino Goalie Saves: Bryanna Burns 7.
UCSB Goals: Lizzie Rouleau 3, Gillian Morgan 2, Cailee Kilroy 2, Kristin Kulakowski 2, Taylor Byrne 1, Katie Kepner 1, Claire Buchanan 1, Alisha Khan 1, Kathryn Nelson 1, Michelle Beaudreau 1, Jillian Waldron 1, Jamie Moran 1.
UCSB Goalie Saves: Kate Murphy 9.
Game Three:
UCSB 13, Concordia 5
Concordia 3 1 0 1 5
Concordia Goals: Sam Gelberger 4, Danielle O�Toole 1.
Concordia Goalie Saves: Lauren Biberston 7.
UCSB Goals: Lizzie Rouleau 4, Katlin Kubas 3, Gillian Morgan 3, Claire Buchanan 1, Amanda Tipton 1, Kristin Kulakowski 1.
UCSB Goalie Saves: Katie Murphy 6.
� UCSBgauchos.com �
<< Return to Women's Water Polo schedule


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���� JFIF ,, ��&�Photoshop 3.0 8BIM �Z %G xnLindsay Lohan and Max George of The Wanted arrive together to the official after party at the Dream Hotel about 30 minutes after The Wanted's Jingle Ball concert performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This was the third straight night that Lohan had been hanging out with Max and the boys from the band. Security was extreme as the two made their way into the hotel as the staff tried to block them from being photographed together. Lindsay even tried to cover her face with a hat, but did manage a smile to the fans that were literally trying to grab at Max. Lindsay carried a purse that even had a Pop Tart box inside. Lindsay even had a special All Access badge around her next like the other girls that arrived back with the band mates of Max's as she is becoming a regular at their shows which she had attended in Boston and Philadelphia.
Pictured: Lindsay Lohan
Ref: SPL468286 081212
Picture by: Rocke / Prahl / Splash News
Splash News and Pictures
Los Angeles: 310-821-2666
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Space shuttle Discovery was powered up hundreds of times during prelaunch processing over the course of 26 years of spaceflight. But Dec. 16, 2011 was different. That morning, technicians inside NASA Kennedy Space Center's orbiter processing facility powered the ship up — and then down — for the final time. Less than a week later, on Dec. 22, Atlantis followed.
"After working so many years — since 1988 — on these vehicles, it's a little hard to say, 'I'm taking my best car and I'm going to not drive it anymore. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and fix it so it can't ever crank anymore,'" said United Space Alliance's Walter "Buddy" McKenzie. After overseeing preparations of several space shuttles during his career and witnessing both Discovery's and Atlantis' power-down, he reflected, "The realization really hits you when you're powering down a vehicle for the last time."
One by one, flight deck switches and displays were turned off by spacecraft operators inside the crew module, while in the firing room inside the nearby Launch Control Center, test conductors gave direction as system engineers monitored the process. Finally, the lights on the flight deck went out for good.
These are important milestones in the shuttle's transition and retirement activities. Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour all are being prepared for their retirement roles as museum attractions, and the team still has plenty of work to do before the vehicles are safe and ready for public display. But that doesn't make the transition easier for those who cared for these spacecraft, sometimes for decades, and were there to see two shuttles into permanent sleep.
"My gut's tied up in knots, because I know I won't be doing it again," said Gene Dixon of United Space Alliance. A spacecraft operator for the past 27 years, he was one of three technicians working through the checklist for the last time inside Discovery's flight deck.
The world knows NASA's most-flown orbiter as space shuttle Discovery, but to the shuttle team, it's OV-103, short for Orbiter Vehicle-103. After landing at Kennedy for the final time on March 9, 2011, preparations began for its public display at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.
Shuttle processing activities typically required that the vehicle be powered. But the team reached a point in mid-December when all of those tasks were complete, and vehicle power would no longer be needed. So Discovery was powered up, the payload bay doors were closed, and the spacecraft then was powered down.
"Everyone that's used to working in the midbody or seeing those (payload bay) doors open, all of a sudden were watching them close, and knowing that that was the final time that we here at Kennedy Space Center would ever see inside that midbody," said Stephanie Stilson, the NASA flow director overseeing all the orbiters' transition and retirement activities.
"Even at the Smithsonian, there are no plans to open the payload bay doors on Discovery, so as far as we know right now, those doors will never open again."
When the power-down checklist was complete, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana pulled the plug on the "Vehicle Powered" sign near the operations desk.
"I just want to thank everybody on the loop for an outstanding job you guys have done over the years," Cabana said, referring to the communications channel used by the shuttle team during processing activities. "It's kind of a momentous day, and I just appreciate everybody's hard work, and the team's doing absolutely outstanding. It is special to see you power down the vehicle for the last time."
Atlantis, or OV-104, touched down before dawn on July 21, 2011, wrapping up the STS-135 mission and completing the last flight of 30 years of Space Shuttle Program missions. Destined for display at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, it's temporarily moving to the Vehicle Assembly Building to make room in the orbiter processing facility for Endeavour.
"We basically laid out the work so we could get what we had to get done to be able to power down," Stilson explained. "We got all that work taken care of right away, so we could continue with the safing efforts over in the Vehicle Assembly Building. We can't do everything over there, but it will allow us to continue and keep our schedule if we can continue that work."
With the shuttle's robotic arm and Ku-band antenna stowed and the payload bay doors closed, Atlantis' power was shut down.
"And, 10:28," said spacecraft operator Bill Powers, pausing to glance around Atlantis' flight deck. "OV-104 final power-down's complete."
Endeavour's final power-down is yet to come as the spacecraft is readied for delivery later this year to the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
Stilson compares the shuttles' pending departures to sending your children off to college.
"You don't want to see them go, you're going to miss not having your hands on them every day, and knowing that you can really look out for them, but you're happy for this progression of their career," Stilson said. "And you just trust that there will be other people there to take care of them and look out for them."
In addition to those participating in the work to power the vehicles down, several other shuttle team members gathered to observe and honor the spacecraft they know so well.
"You're with them more than you are with your family. They actually become part of you," McKenzie says of the shuttle fleet. "You work on them so much, you know where their weaknesses are and you know where their strengths are. You get familiar with them. At some point, they leave the machine stage, and they become part of your soul."


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Bosch island cooker hoods provide high-quality air conditioning for optimal kitchen conditions & all while looking stylish, too. Discover our solutions now.
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Sunday, from 9am to 9pm
Simply drop us a query through WhatsApp. While we endeavor to provide you with help as best as possible, there will be times where we will get back to you the next working day.
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Flashback Fridays: Big Pun (Feat. Donell Jones) - It's So Hard
Music video by Big Punisher performing It's So Hard (featuring Donell Jones). (C) 2000 Loud Records LLC
Purchase Big Pun's "Yeeeah Baby" album here on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/yeeeah-baby/id187090410
Posted by @QWorldstar
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All Swimwear
Robin Piccone Suzie Bandeau One PieceCAD $192.00
Robin Piccone Chira V Neck One PieceCAD $192.00
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Become a Swimco Insider. Subscribe to our email newsletter to receive 10% off your next purchase. Be the first to hear about special offers, bonus gifts & swimwear previews!
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A north facing apartment offering views across the residents landscaped inner courtyard and perfectly positioned to enjoy all a city centre lifestyle provides. Built with Crest Nicholson's signature attention to detail, this stunning home offers a fully fitted Manhattan kitchen featuring integrated Bosch appliance, a Roca bathroom suite with Hansgrohe taps and fittings, Amtico Spacia flooring and TV/FM Sky + points to the living room and bedroom. The bedroom also benefits from a fitted Gap Nano wardrobe with smoked glass mirror doors. Further enhancing the open plan flow of the Living area, a private balcony is accessed via double French doors, while an allocated space provides off-street parking.
UC - Utility Cupboard
W - Wardrobe
B - Balcony
Use this tool to compare two floorplans of available properties on this development
Contemporary Manhattan kitchen units
Laminate worktops with matching upstands
Bosch stainless steel single electric oven
Bosch ceramic hob with glass back splash
Bosch integrated extractor with recirculating hood
Bosch integrated fridge/freezer
Stainless steel sink with Hansgrohe mixer tap
Pull out recycling bin
Washer/dryer in hall cupboard
Roca sanitaryware from 'Gap' range
Kermi shower enclosure/bath screen
Hansgrohe thermostatic bath/shower mixer
Hansgrohe basin mixer with pop-up waste
Mirror over basin in bathroom and en suite
Shaver socket to bathroom and en suite
Amtico Spacia to kitchen/dining/living room, bathrooms,hall and cupboards in wide plank effect
Porcelanosa tiling to bathroom and en suite
Foil wrapped oak internal doors
Gap 'Nano' wardrobes with sliding doors in smoked mirror glass
Dulux Brilliant White walls and ceilings
Video entry system
Mains operated smoke/heat detectors with battery back up
Energy efficient lighting throughout
Downlighters to hall, kitchen, bathroom, en suite
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Allocated parking space in basement car park
Cycle storage available in basement car park
Call us 01293 977970
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AUGUSTA, Ga. - Phil Mickelson called his wife from just off the 13th fairway, in the woods, while standing on a bed of pine needles and 205 yards from the hole. And he used a beautiful swing of a 6-iron, instead of a phone.
The message was short, sweet and simple: Meet me at the 18th hole in about 30 minutes, darling, and let's shed a tear together.
Amy Mickelson planned to spend the entire Sunday afternoon at their rented house a few miles away, watching the Masters with her three children, recuperating from her ongoing battle with breast cancer. But that swing ... the ball sliced through a pair of oak trees standing a few feet apart. He knocked it four feet from the cup. She knew. It was time. The third green jacket was in the bag, and she gathered the kids and the keys for the short ride to the course.
"When he hit that shot," Amy said, "we were heading to the car. I actually started crying at the house on 12. That's when I saw him take control."
She hadn't appeared at a golf tournament with her husband since last May, when she was diagnosed. Her surgeries and treatment since have been rough on everyone involved, especially Phil, who took time off from golf. And when he resumed this year, he was distracted and played poorly. That changed at the Masters. That changed when Amy decided to travel for this tournament, realizing how much it meant to Phil.
"I wasn't sure if she'd be there standing on 18," Mickelson said.
Mickelson made birdie on the par-5 13th after that amazing shot and distanced himself from the field. He won the tournament by three strokes. Then the real drama began. Their embrace at the 18th, a 15-second squeeze, was a long time coming.
Phil: "Not much was said."
Or needed to be said.
Everyone needed a hanky, even Butch Harmon, Mickelson's cantankerous swing coach, boo-hooing at the moment. The scene of Phil hugging his wife, given the circumstances, was a grapefruit-in-the-throat moment for all involved.
"We've been through a lot," said Mickelson, choking his words. "and it meant a lot to share some joy together. She's an incredible wife and mother and has been such a great inspiration to me."
Amy never appeared at the course until that final moment. She thought she'd make too much of a scene and be too great a distraction. She thought the best way to support Phil was by staying at home.
"Just to rest," she said. "I didn't want Phil to think about me. I wanted him to focus on golf and not worry if I was sick or not feeling well."
Well, it all worked out well. Mickelson had three rounds of 67 and stayed in contention throughout the tournament. He had better control of his poise and emotion than Tiger Woods, who imploded on the 14th hole when he three-putted from six feet. And, of course, the family contrast between Mickelson and Woods was too extreme to ignore.
Mickelson: A devoted father and husband, caring for his ailing wife and making the necessary sacrifices to put family first.
Tiger: Um, I think you know.
"To have the entire family here was a big deal," Mickelson said.
Only Tiger (4), Jack Nicklaus (6) and Arnold Palmer (4) own more Masters championships than Phil. Imagine: Until Mickelson won at Augusta in 2004, folks wondered if he'd ever get a major. And if not for a collapse on the final hole at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in 2006, he'd have five majors. Also, Mickelson's popularity, atmospheric to begin with, will only escalate while Tiger's begins to wane.
And Phil owes it to that shot on 13. When Mickelson went over strategy with his caddie, Bones Mackay, as he surveyed the landscape and his chances, the plan of attack was very straight-forward, very Phil-like.
"I could see he was going for it," Amy said. "I like that about him. I know people say, 'It's a mistake' and 'why did he do that?' when he takes chances. But I don't. He goes for it. I knew he wasn't coming out here to finish second."
No, it was all about being first, if only to encourage Amy to leave the house and watch him play live, for the first time in 11 months. The Mickelsons will have their bad days. Sunday wasn't one of them.
"I'm a believer in a lot of things right now," said Amy Mickelson. Then she got choked up and politely excused herself.


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You have your medals,Now, give one to Them.Spouse MedalChild MedalParent MedalLet them know you care.
Save Our Benefit DoD Podcasts In The FightASM Job Advantage
From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- A new application for mobile devices designed to enhance financial literacy for Sailors is available today and helps provide the latest info on the Blended Retirement System (BRS) that goes into effect in 2018.
The app is designed to provide Sailors with anytime, anywhere access to both training and resources that will help them make informed decisions about their financial future, which is especially critical as the military gets ready to begin BRS Jan. 1, 2018.
By Tom CramerTuesday, January 24, 2017
Are you in a violent relationship? Are you scared of your significant other? Or is your significant other perhaps scared of you?
If so, VA has a program called Strength at Home that may be able to help you.
"Veterans appear to be experiencing higher rates of physical or verbal abuse in their relationships," said James Haskell, a social worker and group therapist with the Baltimore VA's Strength at Home Program. "The military trains you to react quickly to a threatening situation when you're in combat. But in a relationship, reacting quickly isn't always the best option."
By Chief Logistics Specialist James Hawley, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group Public Affairs
MCMURDO STATION, Antarctica (NNS) -- After four long days of travel, Sailors from Navy Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 1 arrived safely at the National Science Foundation's McMurdo Station in Antarctica, where they will be participating in Operation Deep Freeze 2017.
The annual mission, which NCHB 1 has been participating in for more than 50 years, resupplies the U.S. Antarctic Program's largest base on the most remote continent. NSF manages the Antarctic Program.
By Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs
MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- Today, the Navy released NAVADMIN 004/17 that now allows first-term Sailors on sea duty the ability to elect to extend their expiration of active obligated service (EAOS) to complete their sea duty assignment, known as prescribed sea tour (PST).
Here are five things you need to know:
1. Why this is important to the Navy. First-term Sailors make up approximately 60 percent of the Fleet and about half that percentage separate at the end of their first enlistment. This initiative allows first-term Sailors to match their projected rotation date (PRD) with their EAOS and helps alleviate unnecessary gaps at sea. This is designed to help reduce gaps at sea and support Fleet Manning that will be created as the large FY13 enlisted cohort begins to leave sea duty.
For the upcoming Super Bowl, The Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) is offering the opportunity to share short, recorded shout-outs (15-20 seconds) with a Navy key message from Sailors to support their favorite team. Call 1-855-OUR-NAVY (1-855-687-6289). Wait for 3-5 second pause after voice directions and record message. Once you hang-up, the audio file will automatically be sent to NAVCO. Speak clearly.
By C. Todd Lopez January 24, 2017
WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- Female Soldiers may now wear dreadlocks and male Soldiers whose religious faith requires beards and turbans may now seek permanent accommodation.
Army directive 2017-03, signed earlier this month, spells out changes to Army Regulation 670-1, the uniform policy, for the turban, worn by male Soldiers, the under-turban; male hair worn under a turban; the hijab, which is a head scarf worn by females; and beards worn by male members.
Us Labor Department, Amazon To Establish Registered Apprenticeship Program To Train Veterans For Technical Careers
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has signed an agreement with Amazon to establish a registered apprenticeship program to train veterans for in-demand technical careers at the online technology giant.
Deputy U.S. Secretary of Labor Chris Lu and Vice President, Global Talent Acquisition at Amazon Web Services Ardine Williams joined in a ceremony at the department's national headquarters to mark the occasion
By Shannon Collins DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2017 — The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors sponsored 200 surviving military family members from across the country who marched in today's inaugural parade to honor their departed loved ones as well as all the nation's fallen service members.
The parade commenced after President-elect Donald J. Trump took the oath of office as the 45th president of the United States.
WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that it is amending its regulation regarding fertility counseling and treatment available to eligible Veterans and spouses. VA currently provides certain infertility services other than in vitro fertilization (IVF) services to Veterans as part of the medical benefits package. This interim final rule authorizes IVF for a Veteran with a service-connected disability that results in the inability of the Veteran to procreate without the use of fertility treatment. It also states that VA may provide fertility counseling and treatment using assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including IVF, to a spouse of a Veteran with a service-connected disability that results in the inability of the Veteran to procreate without the use of fertility treatment.
Coast Guard, Law Enforcement Agencies Provide Security For Inauguration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Coast Guard units and partner agencies provided waterside security for the 58th Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C., Thursday.
Crews from Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Teams New York and San Diego and Coast Guard Cutters Chock and Heron worked with crews from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies as part of a comprehensive port security operation to protect people and waterways around the District.
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App Description
** FREE ** TRY IT before you buy - If you enjoy it - Check out Math Flash Cards HD
Featured in the June edition of iCreate Mac Magazine!!! 5 STARS
Daily App Show - Podcast - WebReview
VIDEO DEMO at - http://blip.tv/file/3666511
4 out of 5 STAR Review by Padgadget.com
4 out of 5 STAR Review by TouchReviews.net
5 out of 5 STAR Review
**** This Lite Version is Limited to ONLY 5 QUESTIONS *****
** Remember, you can draw on the screen for your students / kids to show there work. Awesome Feature
** Rotate the device landscape and a ScratchPad is opened up
Boost your Math Skills! Math Flash Cards is a fun to use math drill application that looks and works just like the old paper flash cards. Great for Kids and Parents to practice and refresh arithmetic skills.
We spend numerous hours searching through reviews and we have listened. This is the most Exciting and Amazing Math Flash Card application produced. You have tried the rest now its time to use the BEST!
This is a perfect app for you kids to use during the school year. This is a digital pack of Math Flash cards that can be used anywhere! DRAW on the Screen and have your Child show his or her work! Challenge their friend or siblings with this app. See who has the fastest time, but remember they have to be correct as well.
✮ Add an unlimited amount of Student. Easily create or Delete Student.
✮ Keep track of your Childs records broken down by categories including Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, DIvision and a mix of Addition and Subtraction. View report cards and see how your Child is progressing
✮ DRAW ON THE SCREEN to show your work. Simply tap and drag, cross out numbers, Double tap on the screen to clear your work. This is a Unique feature that is exciting to us. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
✮ ScratchPad - Turn the Device Landscape while working on a problem, this is a huge area to work out the harder Math Problems.
✮ Multiple Choice Selection
✮ Non-Multiple Choice
✮ Direct Entry (Non-Multiple Choice), Turn Multiple Choice off and have your Child enter in the answers MANUALLY.
✮ Addition, Subtraction, Mix of Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and now with Division
✮ REDO Missed Cards until correct to improve skills
✮ Time Limit, do as many math problems as possible in a time set by you. Fully Customizable.
✮ Fully Customizable Card Values 0-25, Top Cards and Bottom Cards
✮ Simple and Clean user interface + Ability to Draw and Show your work!
✮ Fully Randomized card generation
✮ Remember You can DRAW ON THE SCREEN and show your math work / Rotate the device Landscape while working on math Problems
✮ Custom Backgrounds
✮ Mini Games - Learn to Count, Operator What, Counting Sheep
✮ Great for Toddler Counting
App Changes
- March 21, 2012 Price decrease: $0.99 -> FREE!
- March 29, 2012 Price increase: FREE! -> $0.99


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Domestic Shorthair - Adult - Female
To serve, protect, rehabilitate, and find homes whenever possible, for sick, injured and neglected animals.
Another Chance Sanctuary is an animal safe haven where animals reside that otherwise would have no chance in finding a home. My sanctuary is home to many dogs, cats, birds, and farm animals. Many are special needs animals.
I have adoptable animals awaiting their forever homes! Visit my "adoptables" page for more information.
Donations are run through PayPal. It is fast, secure, and easy. You do not need a PayPal account to donate. Just click on the "Donate" button. Thank You!


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Monday, June 02, 2014
Jesus and Brian Conference in London - tickets still available!
Jesus and Brian: What did the Pythons ever do for us?
Kings College, London, 20-22 June
Full details are at the link above. As a life-long fan of Life of Brian, I am really excited about this event. In fact, I booked my ticket back in March, as soon as I heard about the conference. I hope to live-blog most of it too (though sadly I'll have to miss the Sunday because I'll be heading to Denmark for another conference, on more of which anon).
There is a stellar cast of scholars lined up to speak at the conference, including Paula Fredriksen, Adele Reinhartz, Helen Bond, Bill Telford, Bart Ehrman, James Crossley, Philip Davies, Martin Goodman, George Brooke, Steve Mason, Amy-Jill Levine, as well as locals Joan Taylor and Richard Burridge, and so the list goes on.
While the programme lists Richard Burridge engaging in a "conversation with mystery guests" for the Friday evening, I have it on good authority that the guest will be Terry Jones himself! Julian Doyle (editor) is also lined up to appear on the Sunday. And there is another "mystery guest" for the Saturday evening who can't yet be named.
Booking details are here. I look forward to seeing lots of you there for what is likely to be a really wonderful event.
He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy.
3 comments:
- Geoff Hudson said...
I am not surprised.
- 4 June 2014 at 11:34
- Geoff Hudson said...
I have paid for the Saturday.
- 8 June 2014 at 04:39
- evodevo said...
Oooooo - sounds like great fun - wish I could go ....
- 11 June 2014 at 18:53
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text:
I came here tonight to post cute pictures of my dog sleeping in awkward positions. As I scrolled down the page to get to the link to write the post, the 2008 obesity map from a post back in July came on the screen. Something about it caught my eye. I stared at the map as my brain slowly clicked the pieces together.
I've spent more of my energy reading about and paying attention to the 2008 election than any previous one. One part of that is watching the polls every day and looking at maps where shades of blue and red become lighter and darker. As I looked at the obesity map, it struck me that it doesn't look too different than the current 2008 electoral map. Let's take a look.
Here's the obesity map:
And here's the 2008 electoral map prediction from Pollster.com as of October 20, 2008:
Now, I know it's not perfect, but there definitely is some correlation:
- 90% of the ten most obese states are leaning Republican (MI, WV, AL, LA, AR, SC, TN, KY, OK)
- 80% of the ten least obese states are leaning Democrat (CO, HI, CT, MA, VT, RI, DC, NJ)
- 70% of the twenty most obese states are Republican, 20% Toss Up and 10% Democrat
- 75% of the twenty least obese states are Democrat, 10% Toss Up and 15% Republican
I don't purport to imply that the correlation means anything, but it's fun to think about.


text:
Irish-American Priests
Bessy Conway; or, The Irish Girl in America.
Mrs. Hibbard and Fanny parted on the washing question, and Fanny went off in high disdain, deeming herself a much injured person. That Mrs. Hibbard should make so light of such extraordinary qualiflcations as she possessed, and actually deprive herself of her valuable services for the sake of an old nigger's "traps," was something so astounding to Fanny's self conceit that she could hardly realize it to herself. It brought her down a little, but not for her spiritual advancement. She was humbled, it is true, but her humiliation brought her no nearer to true humility, on the contrary, she was farther from it than ever. The superstructure of pride -- spiritual pride -- towered too high and too strong for such a rebuff to bring it down. She was vexed and mortified, and very angry, and would not for a moment admit the supposition that she was in the wrong. That Mrs. Hibbard was wrong, nobody need pretend to deny, -- who could, or who dare doubt that fact, but that Fanny Powers seas wrong, or could possibly be wrong, under any given circumstances, was a moral, and, moreover, a religious impossibility. Quite so, Fanny thought, and, of course, what Fanny thought must be right.
She left in a very acrid humor, her eyes darting disdain from under the half-closed lids, and the very tip of her nose suggesting the idea of vinegar, if not something still sharper and more pungent.
"Goodbye, Bessy!" said she as she took up a bundle containing some of her most necessary articles of clothing, "I
hope you'll get a better companion than I was -- and -- Mrs. Hlbbard a better servant!" which interpreted meant, "I guess you won't, though!" She might have been fishing for a compliment, too, but if so she was disappointed, for Bessy had had enough of her empty piety, and was well content to get rid of her eternal self-laudation
Fanny's place was filled next day by a little merry-faced dumpy woman somewhere in the neighborhood of forty. Her name was Onny Quigley, and she came to the house recommended by no less a person than Paul Brannigan, whose cousin she was.
"Though she's a blood-relation of my own," said Paul to Bessy, "I'm not a bit afeard to speak for her. She has been in a very good place for four or five years and I know her mistress wouldn't part her now, only she's breakin' up house, and goin' away to foreign parts I have that from the lady's own lips, and she said, by the same token, that Onny was worth her weight in gold, and she didn't believe there was such another little woman in New York city."
"Well! sure enough, there's no going beyond that," said Bessy laughing, "so on the strength of it we'll recommend Onny to Mrs. Hibbard."
She did accordingly, and neither she nor Mrs. Hibbard ever had reason to be sorry. Little fat Onny was the best and kindest and most considerate of fellow-servants, the most faithful and efficient of "help." She made no particular demonstration of piety but she said her prayers -- in Irish -- every night and morning, went to Mass hail, rain, or shine, every Sunday and holy.day, and somehow little Onny never complained of want of time, or found it hard to get out in the morning. In fact she was never in "a fuss," never behind with anything, and many a turn she was able to do for Bessy or Ellen when either of them had a little more work than usual. Yet Onny was always in good humor, her round rosy face as bright as the full moon, and her large white teeth --
perhaps too much exposed by the goodnatured smile that was ever on her lips. But nobody found fault with Onny's face, or Onny's looks, though, as Paul used to say, with the privilege of blood and long acouaintallce, " to be sure Onny was behind the door, like himself, when beauty was given out -- but no matter for that -- people needn't take the book by the cover. "
The longer they were together, Bessy and Onny were the better friends. Unlike Fanny, Onny was no reader, and never, by any chance, talked of what she knew, or extolled her own perfections in any way. If Mrs. Hibbard had occasion to find fault with anything she did, and indeed that seldom happened, Onny was neither hurt nor mortified.
"Well! I'm glad to know which way you like it done, ma'am!" was Onny's cheerful answer; "it's all the same to me, you know, only to please you." And Onny had never to be told again how that particular thing was to be done.
"How is it," said Bessy to her once, "how is it, Onny! that you are always content with whatever happens!"
"Why, child," laughed cheerful Onny, "there's no art in that. I engage to do people's work for them, and sure it isn't to please myselfŃit isn't my work, you see, bat theirs, so whatever way they want it done, it's all the same to Onny Quigley. One mistress wants a thing done this way, another mistress wants it that way, well! it's my business to please them all, if I can. Even if I didn't do it for their sake I'd do it for God's sake, Bessy! I haven't the learnin', you see, like some to know all about religion and everything that way, but I always feel as if I was serving God when I'm serving them. He sets over me for the time; so I do their work as well as ever I can, and, do you know, Bessy! I never got a dozen hard words since I've been at service."
"I believe you, Onny!" said Bessy, her eyes moist with tears; "I believe you well! -- she'd be a hard mistress that you wouldn't please, an' I tell you, there's few of them that
won't be pleased if a girl lays herself out to do it. Let them have what faults they may, they know the value of a faithful good girl when they meet her. To tell the truth, there's so many bad ones going that it makes people suspicious about them till they try them and see what's in them."
"True for you, Bessy!" said Onny, "there's a great deal in the girl's own hands, and I think there's many a one of them would be better off than they are if they'd only pay more attention to the old saying that 'a good servant makes a good mistress.' Well! I declare talk passes time -- doesn't it, Bessy? I never found myself doing that job, and now it's finished."
She held it up triumphantly before the light -- it was an old gray sock to which Onny had been adding a new foot now just completed. "The mistress wouldn't b'lieve me I'd have it done tonight -- what'll she say now?" And Onny laughed with the lighthearted gaity of fifteen.
Bessy in the same strain expressed her admiration; "and maybe Wash won't be pleased when he finds his old socks changed into new ones! -- God give you the worth of it, Onny!" She spoke with feeling, for she was thinking of her pious and charitable friend Fanny, who thought it so far beneath her to do anything for "the old nigger."
If Bessy had been more conversant with book-learning, she might probably have said to helself: "The Athenians know what is good, but the Lacedemonians practise it." But Bessy had no need to go to classic lore for a simile, she had one to her hand in the Gospel narrative, and as she sat with her eyes fixed on Onny's beaming face, she murmured half aloud: "Isn't Fanny's piety like that of the proud Pharisee that the priest so often tells us about? Turning up her nose at every one that isn't as pious as herself and thanking God that she isn't like them. Now here's poor Onny that scarce knows B from a bull's foot and never praises herself at all, and still she does twice as much good as Fanny. She always seems to do the very thing that's best to be done, and everything goes.
fair and smooth with her. Sure enough she's a good creature, and my heart warms to her."
A week or so after this Bessy was made happy by the receipt of a letter from home, full of that fond affection which is seldom or never found beyond the golden circle of the family. The news, too, was all good, better even than Bessy had expected. Her money was not needed, and her father advised her to put it in the Bank, as she was thinking of doing, till something turned up that she might want it herself. "As long as the Lord spares us our health, and sends us enough to eat and drink, and pay the landlord, we're well content," wrote Denis Conway; "for so far we've all that, and a little to spare, as you know yourself, Bessy, so we don't wish for anytiflng in the whole world, barrin' the little colleen bawn that was a comfort to us all, till she took it in her head to go and push her fortune beyond the sea, and och! but she left us all lonesome. God grant you may never rue it, Bessy astore! but we rue your going every day and every hour of our lives. Well! no matter, "God is good," as I tell your mother when she's down.hearted about you 'God is good,' says I, 'and He'll take care of Bessy, and maybe bring her back to us some day when we're in need of comfort. She'll come in on the floor to us, Polly! like the sun when the day's dark and dull, so leave it all to God, woman dear ! and you'll see how things will turn out.' Still it's hard to get your poor mother persuaded not to fret. For a long time after you went, she was hardly fit for anything, the way she'd cry and lament, and she used to keep watching, watching the door as if you ought to be coming back to her. Of late, she's beginnin' to be a little better reconciled, and she says if she only lives to see you again she's content to wait for God's good time." Then followed a long account of all the family affairs, and messages from all the neighbors, ay! for miles round. The priests were well, thanks be to God for it, and glad to hear from Bessy. As for the Murphys Denis thought they'd have been as well
at home, " and that's my word coming true," said he, "for I often told Peery he had best let well enough alone, and stay at home as long as he could sire at home. Sure the world knows that all that goes to America can't do well Ń they're not all of the right stuff for doin' well anywhere, and for one that has good luck and good guiding half a dozen has not. There's thousands of people goes out to America every year that are not fit to make a decent living at home or abroad, and myself thinks that the like of them have a worse chance abroad than they'd have at home. I suppose that's what leaves so many of them the poor creatures you say they are in America."
"So I think that's all I have to say," continued Denis, "only I was near forgettin' to ask you what's the meanin' of all this talk about you and young If Herbert? Only we know you have the grace of God about you we'd be afeard that there might be truth in it, for it would be a great temptation to most girls of your age to have the landlord's son looking after them. But you know well enough, Bessy, that it isn't for a good end he'd be talkin' to you, and you know the dirty drop that's in him, and so your mother and me doesn't feel a bit uneasy because we know you have the fear of God before your eyes, and that the Holy Mother of God can protect you in America as well as at home, and will never let you open your cars or your heart to a scape.grace like young Herbert that's only makin' game of you, maybe, or followin' you for his own bad ends. Let no one see you in his company late or early, and if you meet him on the street don't stop to bid him the time of day. That's your mother's advice and mine, and we know you'll not go beyond what we say. You never did, and you'll not do it now."
"God in Heaven forbid!" was Bessy's fervent ejaculation, as she kissed the letter again and again, and then folding it carefully placed it in her bosom as the dearest thing she had on earth. "That would be the black day for me when I disobeyed the best of fathers and mothers! Oh no! if I thought
it would ever come to that with me I'd be willin' to die the night before the morrow -- dear knots I would! As for Herbert, thank God! the greatest danger's past -- the only danger was that I might give in to marry him some time if he kept as he was -- but now -- oh! indeed there's little danger now of any such thing."
Bessy sat a long time thinking of all that was in her precious letter, and wondering would it ever be her happy lot to rest again under the old roof.tree of her childhood's home. "Unlikelier things came to pass," said she hopefully, "and because it tray come to pass, I'll work -- oh my! but I will -- and do everything I can to increase my little store -- and who knows but what my father says mtght one day or another come to pass, too! -- who knows One pleasant thought brings on another, and Bessy's face soon brightened with another possibility." And who knows but I'd be sending or giving Father Ryan something worth while for his new church and schoolhouse. Well! sure enough, if I ever have money enough to go home with, there's many a thing I can d !"
Bessy was aroused from her delicious dream by a message from Mrs. Hibbard that she wanted her down stairs. Laying aside the work which she had been doing, Bessy hastened down and found the family assembled in the back parlor for evening worship.
"Ellen!" said Mrs. Hibbard, "you can go down now for Onny." Ellen disappeared. "Bessy!" said her mistress, then, with a hesitation of manner that Bessy could not at the moment understand: "Bessy! we are going to prayers, and I want you all to join."
"Dear me!" said Bessy to herself, "this is a new move. What's in the wind now?" Aloud she said very quietly, "You know we're all Catholics, ma'am, and we can't join in your prayers."
"Bessy! did I understand you aright?" asked Mrs. Hibbard in real or affected surprise. " I thought you were too
(206) good a girl to refuse to join in the prayers of any family with whom you lived!"
"Catholics are forbidden to join in prayer, ma'am, with any except people of their own persuasion."
"And why, may l ask?" "Why, because the prayers are not the same, and the belief isn't the same either -- "
"Bessy!" said Mrs. Hibbard sharply, "we believe in the Lord Christ and His atonement!"
"I know you do, ma'am," said Bessy in a deprecating tone "but still there's many things we believe that you don't, so we couldn't pray with you at all!"
"Oh! very well!" said the lady coldly, "we'll try the others. I hope they are not all so -- so very rigid as you, Bessy!"
But the others were not much more yielding than Bessy -- Onny refused flatly and at once -- Ellen hesitated and seemed to calculate the possible consequences of a refusal, but catching the eyes of her two companions she took heart of grace and said no! she wouldn't do what would hurt her soul.
"Hurt your soul!" repeated the mistress haughtily and angrily. "Do you mean to say that it would hlllt your soul to pray with us?"
" Well! ma'am, I don't know much myself, God help me!" said Ellen stoutly, "but I'll stand by whatever Bessy and Onny say, for I know they'll say and do what's right."
"In that case," said Mrs. Hibbard sternly, "you can all -- but -- you may go down stairs for the present. Wash! you of course, remain!"
Much did the girls wonder at this sudden prayer.mania of Mrs. Hibbard's. They could not possibly unravel the mystery unless on the supposition that their mistress had turned Quaker and was moved by the spirit to move them. They were wrong in their calculations -- it was the Reverend Joel McClashen who had moved her directly, let the spiritual agency be as it
might. That reverend gentleman, a Wesleyan Methodist by profession, had been a frequent visitor of late at Mrs. Hibbard's, with the ostensible view of converting the lady from Episcopalianism, although there were not wanting some uncharitable persons of both persuasions who shrewdly surmised that the rich and still attractive widow was personally of more importance than the convert in the Rev. Joel's estimation. However that might be, the good gentleman had taken pains to convince Mrs. Hibbard that a heavy responsibility rested on her with regard to her Catholic help, and that there were no hopes of her own salvation unless she snatched those brands from the burning. As a first step in that direction, evening prayer was recommended, including, of course, Scriptural reading. Under this new and strong influence it was that Bessy Conway and her fellow.servants were summoned to assist at family.prayers, and great was Mrs. Hibbard's mortirication when they manifested so unexpectedly their Romish obstinacy.
She blamed Bessy more than any of the others, and on her head she emptied the vial of her wrath. It was in vain that the girl excused herself on the score of conscience and obedience to the Chulch, nothing she would say could extenuate the offense, for the Rev. Joel considered her conduct most contumacious, and advised Mrs. Hibbard to get rid of her by all means. At another time and under other circumstances, Mrs. Hibbard would have been most unwilling to part with Bessy, but advice from such a godly minister as the Rev. Joel McClashen was equivalent to a command, and Bessy was dismissed at a week's notice. Onny and Ellen were kept -- Mrs. Hibbard prudently calculating the unpleasant consequences to herself and family of a general clearing out, especially as Ellen had been some years in the house and Onny was -- what we have described her.
Before Bessy left the house she had an excellent place se cured with another friend of Mrs. Walters, a Catholic lady
whose family was as small as her means were large. She was the wife of an eminent physician in large and lucrative practice, yet they lived in a plain, quiet way, being both averse to parade and ostentation and the turmoil and tumult of society. Their family consisted of a daughter of ten or twelve, and a niece of the Doctor's, some years older. They had a son, too, but he was then at college preparing for his father's profession. It was just the place for Bessy, and somehow her heart told her so from the time she first set her foot within the door.
"There's a home.look about everything in it," said she to Onny, "and I think, for what I saw of them, the people are just as homely in their ways. There's nothing troubling me leaving here only parting with you, Onny, for I hardly expect to fall in with such another comrade girl."
"Hut! tut!" said Onny smiling through her tears, "don't be saying that! Ń don't you know the old saying 'Hope well and end well.' There's plenty of good decent girls living out in New York, and it's bad or you'll meet better than poor Onny Quigley."
Bessy shook her head, and wiped away a trickling tear, and said she didn't know about that. "At any rate," said she, "I'll be living in hopes that we'll be together again, and that maybe before long."
"Well God grant it!" was Onny's response, and they said no more about it at the time. The word was lightly said, then, but it came out true before many months went by.
Before Bessy was so happy as to get Onny again for her companion she had many a sad and comfortless day with others. It so happened that Mrs. Delany was obliged to change her cook several times during the first three months, and it also happened, probably for the same reasons, that Bessy could not make a friend of any of these birds of passage. Many a time she was tempted to tell her mistress about Onny, but being so short a time in the house herself she was
unwilling to make so free as to recommend another, and thought it best to wait a little longer.
She found as usual that one of the greatest troubles was to get these comers and goers out to Mass on Sunday mornings. Mrs. Delany being a conscientious Catholic, of course feltit her duty to see that no one in the house missed hearing Mass on days of obligation, and on the previous evening she made it a point to tell each of the girls at what hour she was to go out in the morning. One would think that should be sufficient, but no such thing. If Mrs. Delany were out early herself, her appointment with regard to the hour was of no account. Bessy was the only one that made it a point to do just as her mistress told her. It was only another girl that was kept in the house, but from the frequent changing of that one, she was ahvays a stranger. However it happened, of five or six girls who had undertaken Mrs. Delany's kitchen and laundry.work within as many months, every one was negligent, and, indeed, utterly indifferent about healing Mass. It was the same scene over and over again repeated, and if Bessy had been surprised at Sally and Bridget in Mls. Hibbard's, for their carelessness about this important duty of religion, she was shocked at those whom she saw in Mrs. Delany's, for there in a Catholic family, whose members were all attentive to their own duties and regular in their life, there seemed to be no excuse.
Every Sunday morning as regularly as the day came round, there was some trouble of this kind. When Mrs. Delany came in from eight o'clock Mass:
"Well ! Bessy, has Anne been to Mass?"
"N -- no, ma'am!"
"No ! Why you don't say so?"
Down to the kitchen goes Mrs. Delany and finds Anne moving about with a very conscious look as though she knew well she was doing wrong.
"Have you been at Church, Anne?" the mistress asks.
"No, ma'am!"
"No ! and why not pray? Did I not tell you to go to seven o'clock Mass?" No answer -- Anne bends over something she is doing, or pretending to do.
"Anne!" repeats the mistress a little angrily, "why did you not go to Mass at the time appointed?"
Anne tries at first to excuse herself on the usual plea, want of time -- the breakfast to be got, and so forth.
"Nonsense, girl!" says Mrs. Delany, " hat is no excuse. I told you not to wait for anything more than lighting the fire and leaving your tea.kettle on, then hurry off to Church, and by so doing you could easily be out from here full twenty minutes before the time."
"Well! Mrs. Delany," said Anne, thus driven to extremity and determined to brave it out, " well, Mrs. Delany, I an't used to going out so early and I don't like itŃthat's the truth of it!"
"How are we to manage, then? You cannot expect us to wait later than nine o'clock for our breakfast, and it will take at least an hour to prepare it." "Well! I an't particular about going to.day -- I'll wait till next Sunday." This with an affectation of extreme goodnature.
"But, you can't wait till next Sunday -- you must hear Mass every Sunday -- if you fail in that, without just cause of exeuse, you commit a mortal sin, and I would incur the same penalty if I allowed you to remain at home. You must get ready and go now -- if you hurry, you will be in time for nine o'clock Mass, at least the Mass cannot be far advanced."
"I can't go," says Anne, sullenly, "till I get in the breakfast."
"Never mind the breakfast -- we will see to that -- go at once, for you haven't a moment to lose."
Away tramps Anne upstairs, with a slow and heavy step -- on one of the landings meets Bessy.
" What's wrong with you, Anne! you look fretted '
"Don't be botherin' me, Bessy! purty work, indeed, about Mass, Mass -- it's no wonder that girls don't like to live in Catholic houses, it's a real bother, it is -- poking, poking after folks about Mass and all such things. I guess it's the last time I'll work in a Catholic family. Mortal sin, indeed !" This was partly to herself, partly to Bessy who was on her way down stairs; by the time Anne reached the top Bessy was at the bottom, but she could hear the grumbling voice talking all the way up.
Going down to put the breakfast on the table, as she saw Anne was only going out then, Bessy found her mistress sitting pensively in the dining-room, her fair smooth brow eontracted with a frown that was by no means habitual. She wad a tall, graceful woman in the prime of life, with those delicate, intellectual features and that peculiar modesty of expression characteristic of the genuine Irish lady. It was only necessary to hear Mrs. Delany speak to know that her youth had been passed in the polished capital of her native land. Its silvery accent was on her tongue, its frank, cordial, and most winning impress on every feature and in every gesture of her fine face. She always wore curls, short ringlets, in the fashion of her earlier days, probably because they were partieularly becoming to her small and well-formed head.
"Bessy," said Mrs. Delany, "I say to you what I wouldn't say to almost any other young person in your situation, because I know your faith is strong and lively, and your religious instruction beyond that of many others of your class. I feel humbled and mortified this day. I do, indeed, Bessy!"
"Why, dear me! how is that, ma'am?" said Bessy in some alarm, as she placed the coffee pot upon the table.
"Because of the half-heathen state to which I see so many Irish girls reduced here. You have seen a good many of them yourself since you have been in New York -- have you seen any of them fully impressed with the solemn obligation of hearing Mass on Sundays and holydays? -- for my part, I
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have met very, very few during the ten or twelve years I have been employing them -- almost every one of them gives me the same trouble to get them out on Sunday morning. It makes me shudder to think how they act when in Protestant families. That will do, Bessy! -- now ring the bell! How can we account for it?"
"Well, I think; ma'am," said Bessy modestly, "it's because they're most of their time amongst Protestants and have nobody to put them in mind of their duty of they're inclined to neglect it."
"That may account for it," said Mrs. Delany thoughtfully, as she took her place at the table, "but it certahlly does not excuse it -- Ń being brought up in a Catholic country by Catholic parents they cannot be ignorant of their obligation to hear Mass, and it's a shame -- a disgrace to their country to see so many of them careless and indifferent -- nay, unwilling to go to the house of God. It certainly gives me great pain to see them as they are when I think of the miles and miles their parents used to travel at home in order to hear Mass, and that in all weathers. Oh! indeed it would be well for very many of them that they never left the humble roof of those pious Christian parents!"
By this time the Doctor and the young ladies had made their appearance, and Bessy finding that her presence was not required, went up stairs to do some of her own work, having first asked Mrs. Delany if she would please to ring for her when she wanted the breakfast things removed.
When she returned at the sound of the bell, she found the family still discussing the same subject which had occupied Mrs. Delany's thoughts. They had, however, diverged a little from the original idea. They were speaking of High Mass and the Doctor declared it very tiresome with its ceremonies, and its music, and all the rest. "For my part," said he, "I always feel more devotion at a Low Mass Ń I see you smile, Maria! Of course, your notions are altogether different Ń "
"Indeed they are, my dear, very different! There is nothing affords me greater happiness than to make one of the faithful assembled for solemn and public worship. I am only half satisfled, as it were, with a Low Mass, for the High Mass you know, is the Parish Mass, and I think every one that can is bound to assist at it. If they do not, they miss the sermon and that, you will allow, is something. But to me the couple of hours spent at Grand Mass are like the green spot in the desert of life -- surrounded by everything sacred and venerable, with prayer, and praise, and music, and the smoke of incense floating around, oh! those are indeed moments of peace, when the vexed and world.harassed heart throws off the burden of its week-long cares, and is at rest."
There was so much feeling and fervor in Mrs. Delany's tone and manner that it brought the tears to Bessy's eyes, and even the Doctor forgot for the time hit laughter-loving propensity. He seldom went to Grand Mass, on the plea of professional duty, but he went that day and assisted with more recollection than his wife had ever seen before.
Chapter 16
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