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The Idaho Aquarium released a statement on the removal of its sea turtle, Beam, Wednesday afternoon.
U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife removed the green sea turtle from the Idaho Aquarium on Tuesday.
The action was a result of the conviction of Ammon Convino and Christopher Conk on December 2, 2013 for illegal trafficking of marine wildlife.
"We knew that Beam, our sea turtle, would eventually be removed as a result of legal actions against the founders," says Nancy Vannorsdel, CEO of the Aquarium.
The aquarium can petition for the return of the sea turtle. "Unfortunately the result of their [original founders\ misconduct was the loss of our sea turtle. We have 45 days to appeal the revocation of our turtle permit and we plan to take advantage of that time," says Vannorsdel. "We learned much while caring for Beam and we played a big part in his rehabilitation while educating the public on sea turtle conservation."
"On a happier note," said Vannorsdel, "today we received our Giant Pacific Octopus; a welcomed addition to our aquatic family."
A new Octopus Palace is under construction at the aquarium, which will improve the habitat for eight-legged residents and provide better viewing opportunities to visitors.
The aquarium has taken strides to distance itself from a murky past that included Covino, Conk, and accusations by former workers of animal abuse and neglect. It hopes to increase membership and bring back visitors; numbers dropped substantially after Covino and Conk's arrests and susequent allegations of mismanagement and negligence.
Vannorsdel stated that seven new "highly qualified, respected leaders" were added to the board but did not give their names, nor are they mentioned on the Idaho Aquarium's website.
"We strive for transparency and adhere to every legal regulation expected of a public aquarium," Vannorsdel said. She hopes the board members "will play a major role in the development of our facility and marine-life expansion in the months to come."


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So, yesterday was our pancake Sunday again. This time we also had Keven's parents driving over to have dinner with us and to meet our new family member Nora. As I already wrote, they were very agains us having a pitbull as a family dog, but at the end of the day it is us raising a dog not them. However, because they are afraid of this type of dogs, I think it is a great idea for them to see our puppy as often as possible so that they would not see her growing that much and would feel comfortable around her. It is really easy to feel comfortable around Nora because she is super calm and low energy dog, especially when you compare to Chihuahua that my sister-in-law has. My sister-in-law came around with Johny Cash (her chihuahua), so that later on Nora would not "kill" him. I could definitely see some pitbull features in Nora when she finally decided to play with Johny and got too much into game. They are similar wight category now, just Nora is much more clumsy and her direct movement definitely could be treated as an aggression sometimes. But it was a good lesson for us to learn how to snap her out of it.
Getting back to breakfast. I made for everyone crepes with wholewheat flour mixed with all purpose flour. I also made some sliced melon and fruit salad that consisted of cubed apples, kiwi, banana and blackberries. As I can't use any sugar in any form, I did not put anything on the fruits, especially because everyone can add to their crepes what they want: nutella, maple syrup, honey. For myself I decided to make a zucchini pancakes (of course I shared them with everyone) that I found on Diane Sanflipo website. Sorry that I did not take picture of it, but it is definitely worth making 🙂 Everyone tried them and liked them, I ate them with Sunshine sauce 🙂
Zucchini Pancakes
- 1 Tbsp coconut flour
- 3 eggs sea salt & pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded zucchini (I used grater, and 1 zucchini is about 1 cup)
- brew leaves of fresh basic (finely chopped)
- coconut oil or bacon grease to pan-fry in (amount will vary)
Mix all the ingredients together. Make sure that coconut flour is not in lumps. Diane advises to sift them into the eggs and beat together, but I simply mixed and left to stand for 5mins. I think standing gives time for coconut flour to absorb more liquid. Heat the pan with oil over medium-low heat. Spoon the pancakes of desired size. I got from the batter 8 pancakes, as I made them fairly small, but you can make big ones and have one in a pan per time. Eat them alone or with sausage or bacon.

subset: commoncrawl


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The F1 Team of the Ocean
It's been a while since I last blogged, but I've been saving up a good one for you as follow-up to my first Verney Yachts post. This is the first in a three part mini-series of blogging about Verney Yachts (@V39Albatross), so stay tuned for the next three Tuesdays to find out more!
At the 2010 SCC – Tim Clarke of Verney presented an excellent overview of the preliminary design of the wing-sail for the V-39 Albatross. He mentioned that the Verney team is conducting all of the design and the prototype work virtually using Abaqus and other CAE tools, with no plans to build a physical prototype – "Numerical simulation is the only realistic method to test the boat" It's the wing-sail that I'll talk about in today's post.
This method is a similar one to the F1 team Virgin Racing who designed this year's car 100 percent using numerical methods, including CFD and FEA.
The wing-sail is a unique device designed to do two things; propel the boat forwards, as well as lifting it out of the water so it flies in ground effect just above the surface. This is similar to an Ekronoplan in concept just without an engine.
A wing-sail is made up of an inner and outer plank. Each plank can rotate about its longitudinal axis into the local air-stream. The amount of lift generated by each plank can be controlled by the pilot. This approach to the control of each wing-sail has massively helped the team keep weight to a minimum – the low weight of the boat is essential to its success.
That's all for this week, tune in again next week to hear about Verney becoming part of the Dassault Systèmes Passion for Innovation programme, and more on the team as they strive towards the record attempt.
Until next week,


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A registration feature found only on the Running Room Registration portal.
Mobile access is what its all about and Running Room has a great feature for anyone reluctant to register for a race on a mobile device over a potentially insecure wifi - Mobile Rapid Registration. Its fast, secure and ensure a spot in the race.
By selecting a mobile payment optional, we allow applicants to reserve their spot unpaid until they complete the process online at a later time and date (where they make their payment). The spot is only held for 3 days.
The RD can set a cut off date for rapid-registration and they can adjust settings to receive a daily or weekly email listing of all rapid registration reservations.
This feature is available to all Races Directors.
If you want this feature set up let us know via our support centre by posting your request here or emailing RD Support


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Anxiously awaiting his bride, the groom stands at the altar along with the officiant and all the attendants. The song changes and the bride enters arm in arm with her father. They walk down the aisle at a steady pace … Continue reading
Over the years of being a wedding officiant I have learned a lot and have had a lot of questions. Here are the most common: How long should my ceremony be? Well, this is up to you. You have just … Continue reading
Should you tip your wedding vendor? It depends. Tips are meant to show you appreciate the level of service you received. Tips are also important for those who merely receive an hourly wage yet offer amazing service (think of waitstaff … Continue reading
It's easy to think of when you want to have your wedding: when then the weather is favorable, when you have more flexibility with work, when others have more flexibility with school schedules, but it's also important to think about … Continue reading
Yes, it's "your" day. But do you want your guests' memories of your day to be negative or positive? Well positive of course! So impress your guests by being thoughtful of them and their time. Upon arrival many couples are … Continue reading
"The best time to love with your whole heart is always now, in this moment, because no breath beyond the current is promised." -Fawn Weaver … Continue reading
If you are going to cut corners on your wedding don't be chintzy with the DJ. You spent countless hours choosing the perfect dress, color scheme, and venue. You tasted dozens of flavors of cakes and determined your favorite flowers. … Continue reading
Before you begin the process of seeking out wedding vendors there are some important things you need to consider: What is the most important factor in your decision for the person performing the service you need? Is it price, personality, … Continue reading
Austin is one of the top wedding destinations in the U.S. and as a result there is a plethora of wedding venues! To help you out we have compiled a very large list of Austin wedding venues including the surrounding … Continue reading
"Marriage: Love is the reason. Lifelong friendship is the gift. Kindness is the cause. Til' death do us part is the length." -Fawn Weaver … Continue reading


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What is the currect EU pilot project, called #DiscoverEU, all about?
In March 2018, the European Commission announced to implement a first pilot project to enhance European youth mobility based on our proposal. Called #DiscoverEU, the scheme will allow 15,000 EU-citizens aged 18 to travel and explore their home continent this summer. Applications will have to be submitted between June 12th and 26th. The sign-up form as well as more information on the pilot can be found here.
While we are thrilled to see this idea of universal youth mobility gain traction in Brussels, our team remains determined to keep fighting for a full implemtation for all EU youth. A pilot project is a step in the right direction and we thank everyone involved in making this happen. However, a follow-up is urgently needed. Our core demands are this and remain central to our ongoing campaign: 1) universal implementation of #FreeInterrail, 2) easy access / no hurdles or complicated application processes involved, 3) no cuts to existing and other youth programs.
What is #FreeInterrail?
#FreeInterrail is both a proposal as well as a public campaign started by European civil-society that demands an EU program granting free access to mobility for all EU youth.
What is the proposal behind #FreeInterrail?
The #FreeInterrail proposal recommends this: every EU citizens receives a personal letter from the EU Commission upon turning 18. The letter contains a congratulatory note, some basic information on mobility in Europe and the EU, and a voucher for a 1-month Interrail pass (granting free train travel to the holder). The personalized voucher is valid for six years and can be turned in for the actual Interrail pass at any major train station or online.
What will the #FreeInterrail proposal achieve?
Other than granting every young and future citizen direct access to Europe's diversity, #FreeInterrail will directly or indirectly do the following things:
1. increases youth mobility and youth labor mobility
2. provides equal access to international travel independent of financial or national background
3. possibly combats youth unemployment by providing access to different markets and experiences
4. combats stereotypes and prejudices by enabling first-hand encounters with people in other countries
5. fosters intercultural friendships and relationships
6. increases youth interest in EU, its institutions, and political processes
7. creates the first EU program that reaches all citizens
8. gives all Europeans an event that unites them across borders and generations
9. supports a sustainable and green way of traveling
10. connects well with existing and possible future EU youth programs and initiatives
What's the story behind #FreeInterrail?
Countless individuals, both within and outside of the political bubble, have worked hard to move #FreeInterrail from a simple idea to a serious policy proposal in Brussels. In a simplified way, the idea took these stages, ever since being developed in 2014.
– March 2014: While on an Interrail trip (as part of a research project for the German Mercator and Heinrich-Böll foundations), Vincent-Immanuel Herr and Martin Speer develop the idea in Vienna while having dinner with Austrian writer Robert Menasse.
– June-August 2015: Herr and Speer write and publish their first article on their idea and start to spread a written proposal to provide all EU youth with free access to Interrail passes in Berlin and Brussels.
– August 2015: Hungarian MEP István Ujhelyi is the first Parliamentarian who picks up on the idea and addresses the Commission with the idea (which is promptly rejected).
– February 2016: Herr and Speer travel to Brussels and met up with MEPs Rebecca Harms and Michael Cramer (Greens), István Ujhelyi (S&D), and Gesine Meißner (Liberals). All four support the proposal and work to propose pilot projects (which are rejected by the Commission).
– September 2016: #FreeInterrail is presented at ZEIT Online's conference Z2X and wins the second prize by attendees' choice.
– September 2016: EPP-chair Manfred Weber mentions the idea in his remarks during the 2016 State of the Union and sparks wide-spread media interest and coverage. Ever since, Mr. Weber and his team are among the strongest supporters and advocates for #FreeInterrail.
– October 2016: The European Parliament discusses #FreeInterrail with the European Commission. The majority of MEPs support the idea, while Commissioner Bulc vows to explore possible paths of implementation.
– November 2016: The Commission announces that it intends to fund a pilot project in 2017.
– February/March 2017: The pilot project of the European Commission is changed to the degree that it does have anything to do anymore with the #FreeInterrail proposal. Entitled "Move2Learn, Learn2Move", the scheme features a ambitious application process and a highly complicated implementation. This scheme gets subsequently panned by politicians and European media alike.
– October/November 2017: The European Parliament approves a budget of 12 million Euros to fund a pilot project in 2018. Approximately 20.000 EU youth are going to travel using Interrail passes. Early indications look much more promising than the "Move2Learn, Learn2Move" scheme.
– February 2018: The #FreeInterrail initiative is awarded the 2017 Politikaward for the best campaign with a low budget. The prize ceremony is held annually in Berlin and honors politicians and political campaigns that made an impact.
– March 2018: The European Commission confirms that it plans on sending 20.000 – 30.000 young Europeans traveling via Interrail, starting in the summer of 2018. This pilot project is the first serious step towards great youth mobility and adheres to the #FreeInterrail proposal closely. EU citizens born in 2000 will be eligible to apply for this scheme. The #FreeInterrail team is in touch with those responsible at the European Commission and continues to advocate for a universal implementation to follow this pilot project.
April 2018: An open letter to the European Commission and the European Council co-signed by over hundred members of civil society is published. In it, the authors and signatories demand a full implementation of #FreeInterrail by the European Union. Find the full letter and all first signatories here: http://freeinterrail.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ENGL-Freeinterrail-Open-Letter-E.C.-and-Council-April2018.pdf
May 2018: The European Commission announces to include the #FreeInterrail project into their next budget and proposes 700 million Euros for the schmeme to start in 2021. This would benefit around 1.5 million EU youth.
June 2018: The European Commission launches the application period for the first pilot project based on the #FreeInterrail proposal. Within two weeks, 100,000 EU citizens apply for the 15,000 tickets available. The 18 years old come from all countries of the European Union and travel between July and September 2018.
November 2018: After the succesful first pilot project, the European Commission opens up another round of applications for 14,500 tickets. 80,000 EU citzens apply. They will travel in the spring and summer of 2019.


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Work Text:
Reality: Analogue
Warnings: A little character harm, one lonely swearword?
Beta: Read by the ever-lovely Scarabbug, to whom I owe the Joan of Arc comparison and the line about anvils.
Summary: Kat does some thinking. Written 2007 for the Femgenficathon, run by Gehayi on Livejournal.
A/N: The process of receiving a Pennsylvania driver's license is here represented with more attention paid to canon than present legalities. Also, the briefly-mentioned character Troy was invented by Allison Lightning.
This was originally intended to be longer, but after ten thousand words and passing the deadline of the ficathon I cut it off.
And after Mark and not-Ace and Lord Fear had all joined together to defeat Kilobyte, and after she'd been freed from the prison to stumble out and join the guy she had a few things to say to, and after they'd hugged in the moonlight and gone home to a warm dinner, Kat Adams started her research, like any good student reporter with a cranky co-editor who wanted to do it for real someday.
She spent a good portion of her bank account buying a copy of the game, got killed in four seconds flat by a rogue canary, and started to print out all the cheat guides she could find on the Internet.
Problem was, it was a pretty…big game, she found after the first hundred four-pages-a-sheet. Only six levels, but they weren't levels like she'd expected from what little she knew about computer games, kill three robots each time and get to the next level and finally kill the boss; more like six worlds, each with a whole lot of separate areas like Canary Warp and Climbcrag Castle and Doom Town and Magery City, and you didn't go through them in simple arithmetic order either. The canary was from level two.
Some people had actually finished, she knew, after playing for some insane amount of hours at a sitting (saving the world didn't have to involve that much time, did it? She couldn't let her schoolwork suffer or Heather keep on her tail!). And she looked in the cheat guides for some clue as to how she could finish in less than that thankyouverymuch—and found, to her horror, that the game was never the same for any player, randomly generating outcomes and environments each time you started anew. Some things were always faced, like Googler and Pigface and Lord Fear, but where and when was another matter entirely, and even though she looked up each monster for herself she got killed about twelve more times before she gave up again.
(It was actually something a lot of people seemed to find very interesting, about the game. That even with the interesting new type of randomising engine they were using to keep the game different, there were more different environments and storyline-parts stored on the disc than you'd expect. Too bad it was under trade secret. Maybe Rick-the-Programmer's work again, she considered.)
So she kept messing around with the game, when she had time, and tried her best to understand Chuck's and Mark's talk while they were working on upgrades.
Ace was in love with the villainess who'd faded into thin air that night, she'd been told, and…well, that was interesting. Kat had landed in the House of Illusion in one of her abortive gamestarts, and been killed by spiders before she'd gotten to see anything about its fabled mistress beyond a cutscene sliding past a portrait of her. Or possibly an ancestress; it had been dusty enough that it looked much older than the woman drawn in it.
Accessing datafile: House of Illusion. The name is suitable: the visitor is urged to beware all you may see and touch here, for nothing is as it appears. Some say that it is the oldest of all the Carnival's domains, a most strange and ancient House…
The villainess and the hero, she'd seen it before in a whole lot of stories, though it wasn't mentioned in any of the online cheat guides or reviews or detailed character backgrounds, Lady Illusion, known for her loyalty to Lord Fear, Ace Lightning, ever-dedicated servant of a good cause. Of course, in most of those where it actually worked out, the hero didn't have a cool female sidekick with a great personality already (okay, not that Sparx liked Ace that way, she'd as good as said she didn't, but they were good friends and Ace was pretty much the only non-raving-mad humanoid bloke with skin available for the only superhero she could share girl talk with).
So she played the game when she felt in the mood for getting crushed by canaries or zapped by zombies, and read things on the Internet, and finally got around to writing a completely fictitious gossip item for Heather in fifteen minutes flat about rumours floating around about the principal and Coach Blakeny making out in the third-floor bathroom, and avoided getting in trouble for it when it turned out they really were having an affair, if not anywhere the students could see.
Intuition, huh. It'd been a random comment from Mark that had given her the idea, and she smirked at Heather and didn't tell her how she'd found it out and wrote an even better article about the class president elections, for which the English teacher praised her while ignoring Heather's research on the contents on the school lunches (couldn't blame him for that really—Heather had to be as much into food as the CGIs were, not including Sparx and jelly beans, and of course she'd just had to go and make everyone else feel like starvation was a better option).
And Ace Lightning had been planning to go into the Sixth Dimension as soon as Chuck would do the coding, and there was a bit of a delay as the boys researched upgrades and locations and useful hints, and Sparx went out hunting for Fear.
But then a new amulet piece got found by Fear, and she watched Mark and Chuck frantically going over the power scores, and learned that the game had changed, a little.
"So who's the new freak in town?" Sparx asked cheerfully, staring over Chuck's shoulder at the power graphs flashing by at dizzying speed.
Chuck shook his head. "There isn't. It's Fear himself, he's running at one-twenty power. That's too much for any of you on your own."
"So what if boneman's a little more of a challenge?" Sparx grinned, curling both her hands into fists and pummelling the air. "We can totally take him."
"And you won't be…able to take him on your own, either," Chuck continued, staring at the screen with widening eyes. "Fear's gone and…done something else. A bit strange, I didn't know you could do that with the amulet, hold on while I figure the outcomes—he's trapped Kilobyte in the Sixth Dimension, I'm guessing. The barrier's set. Ace can't go through."
She looked up at the superhero, and saw him outlined in the light from the window, his face suddenly tightening. "He hasn't just trapped Kilobyte in there. She's trapped with him," he said, and you could hear the italics. "If you'd just let me go before this—"
He turned around and punched the wall, leaving a dent. She'd heard about his emotions from Mark, but the violence was still a shock.
"Math," Chuck said quietly. "Fear on one-twenty, you on eighty-something, Sparx seventy-six. Mark somewhere in the low forties, and that's not including his low defence score. Sorry, dude," he added to him. "The wrist cannon's nice, but you're still human."
"So we couldn't do it anyway. Because the world's more important," Ace said quietly. "Again. It's always this world, never mind—anything else—"
He looked at Sparx. "Forget it," he said. "I'm just going out to find Fear and kill him, all right?"
"Look, wait up—" Sparx yelled, and joined him as he flew away, not that they'd probably find Lord Fear.
She didn't know, of course, Kat thought, and then felt guilty about that. And maybe a little guilty about being secretly glad that Ace was going to stay, because there was going to be big trouble, and she'd been worried about needing him.
"It's this world all right," she heard Chuck saying. "I guess it always was…"
And Kat had to agree to that.
It was two weeks later that Heather joined the fencing club Kat hadn't even known existed.
Walking around with the big long sword held oh-so-casually next to her hip. At least she'd wrapped it for safety, Kat supposed. She was the centre of attention for a little while, people drawn to the sight.
"Joan-of-Arc-with-her-big-sword…" Kat groused to Mark, who sniggered a little bit at the last words. "Whatever. If she wants to get martyred it's on her."
Mark looked blank. "People think the fencing club is cool."
"Oh, forget it," Kat told him. The description had been the first phrase to come to her mind when she'd seen Heather surrounded by sunlight, the picture of the red-haired woman in shining armour bearing a sword; no way the girl she called the red-headed devil would ever give enough of a damn about anyone else or a cause to die for, and as far as Kat knew she wasn't even religious.
"Yeah, Coach told me she'd had it going for like years. I wish I'd found out about it sooner. You could join too, you know. Wednesday and Friday afternoons, and you can train at lunchtimes as well. I'm doing that and coming in weekends, and she says I could even compete in the next tournament if I keep it up," Heather said as they were going over a couple of articles about the student council, like there was a doubt she was anything other than completely obsessive. "It's hard to fit in with karate, swimming, basketball, flute, the paper, and a healthy social life that doesn't involve total losers, but I don't mind."
Kat smiled. "Oh, I've got a few things going on myself," she said. Like saving the world. "Like driving lessons," she added, remembering that Heather hadn't been allowed to take the class because of being a year young.
Heather frowned slightly. "Well, I just hope you'll do better than Hollander," she said. "That guy could have killed himself, Mr DeCutt, and Wayne. Not, of course, that any of those count as a real loss. In fact he may have even deserved a posthumous award for it."
"Wayne's not that bad," Kat muttered, remembering the article Mark had written. Finally giving in to Heather's needling, she thought dourly.
"You're new here. I understand," Heather said sweetly, satisfied. "Now. I think this first article can use some tweaking in paragraph two to cover the main points of the second, and I'll reorder the third for our page three feature."
Kat had to admit she couldn't see a flaw in Heather's judgment there, and groaned to herself as she went through the article.
She was taking notes about the cut scenes and saving the game every three seconds, compiling world-information from fansites and the cheatguides. All five slots on the save-game file were filled, with Canary Warp, Magery, Elektri City Training Ground, Ghost Canyon, and Lost Library.
World: The Sixth Dimension. White Hot Oblivion is Dimension Two. Level Two doesn't seem to be the same thing.
People In It: Ace Lightning, Sparx, Random Virus, Lord Fear, Lord Fear's minions.
Reason For Conflict: The Amulet of Zoar.
The Amulet Does: …Call up other minions and Knights, means you've won?
The Amulet Is: …Mark doesn't know? Used to be split…
She'd found that particular narration segment in the Elektri Training Grounds, an endless labyrinth of shining corridors where you shot random projectiles while not getting killed yourself, but not getting anywhere much either. And as she was playing Sparx, the sprite kept on and on complaining about that little fact until Kat wanted to smack game-her silly.
The broken adamant-glass case was in front of Sparx in a little hollow of an area with a jagged doorframe guarding it, and she paused momentarily in front of it.
"Huh, this must've been where they used to keep the amulet, before the evils took it," she said. "Way I heard it, half was Fear's, but I dunno, why'd he get half of it when old Zoar was on our side? The thing that happened was the centre piece was missing, and when it turned up again it upset the prison where we'd put the evils only a couple of cycles before, and they put it with Fear's and then there was the explosion as they tried to steal ours."
The screen flashed blue, green; Kat could make out Lord Fear and his staff, and Ace flying, dashing through the air. There were the different minions—Pigface, Anvil, a woman's evil laugh that probably belonged to Lady Illusion. Random Virus, half of him alight with green as his claw flew through the air.
Two halves of the amulet, slammed together by hands Kat couldn't recognize in the bright light, then Ace flying towards it, lightning searing out from his gloves, and a surge so bright she blinked, erupting so suddenly and transforming everything to searing white.
"Katherine, what is that noise!"
Smoke showed up on the screen, Sparx and a couple of other Lightning Knights coughing.
"And Ace got sent to the Carnival, along with all seven pieces of the amulet, may Lord Fear rot for that," Sparx' narration concluded. "I'm gonna find him as soon as I can. Now, are you getting me out of this joint or what?"
"Nothing, Mom!" Kat called down, and returned to the impossible task of finding a way out of the maze before giving up and doing the homework due in tomorrow.
"According to the chess club, this article was urgent." An annoyed Heather flung a folder down on the table, interrupting her lunch with Mark. "We can't quite fit it in, so we'll have to cut some other articles. Shall I handle it myself, so I don't interrupt anything?"
"Actually, you are—" Mark began.
"Oh, I'll help you decide what to cut," Kat said sweetly. Not my articles out of spite, for a start. "Maybe we can put it on page three, snipping some parts from the student council and football season articles?"
"I was thinking page four; that column about recycling could maybe use a little tweaking…"
"It's an important social issue." She really did believe that, and she'd cut it enough already to Heather's exact specifications. "I'd rather cut the article about Jessi's party…it's a shame after you put so much effort into it, but if something's got to go…"
She heard Mark sigh. "So I guess I should just leave you guys to it, right?" he said.
"No, you can stay," Kat said.
"Gosh, I hope I'm not causing any romantic problems," Heather said. "So why don't we look at your student council article first, even though it's already down to two-twenty? Let's see—first sentence, necessary, second—"
"We only need to mention the President," Kat said. "We're not Jessi's free publicity machine."
"It's more usual to name the Vice as well, though."
"Yeah, well…all right. Look, we can cut the bit about how it's the fourth time the council did the donut sale and…"
A phone rang; she looked to Mark automatically, but Heather had already pulled hers out.
"Hello? I'm—oh, Sam." It was really funny, Kat thought, that occasionally Heather could manage to sound like a real person. "What's up? You—oh, that sounds nice. You're going to visit back here, right? Cool—yeah, totally. Ice-skating at the rink afterwards like every year…No, I didn't hear that about your brother…oh, never mind, Troy's a good guy…so back to Jeremy. You said his family were in Missouri? That's way far away, are you sure they didn't want to get rid of him for a reason—oh, I'm just kidding, that's all. Your mom said yes? Great. Look, I'll talk to you later, I've got some errands to finish at lunch and class is right after. See you!"
"She's going to stay at her boyfriend's house over the Christmas break," she told Mark, back to poison again.
"I hope she has a great time. Tell her I said hi," Mark answered.
"Though she's coming back here for a little while, of course," Heather continued. "It must feel so different going from a place like Westleafe to our quaint little town."
"Westleafe?" Kat asked.
"Sam's boarding school," Mark explained.
"Very prestigious," Heather confirmed. "All right, back to business, I have an interview scheduled for the second half of lunch with the new cheer squad captain. I was a cheerleader at my last school, but I've learned to prefer my sports more competitive and less chauvinistic." She punctuated the last word with another glare at Mark. "We cut the donut history, we cut the adjectives, and we can also cut down on the border space for the principal's notice, and…"
"I'm just going to sit with Chuck, Kat. See you later."
Kat glared at Mark's retreating back. Sure, she was the one who'd told him to be more assertive, especially against Certain People, but—drat it—
"And I'm also trimming the request for fiction," Heather finished. "Of course, if we actually get anyone sending us things, we have to make sure it's not completely horrible, not that I ever thought we needed fiction in our reporting anyway…"
Drat Heather.
The game kept her returning and returning to it, even when her English grade slipped to a B and her other grades mostly Cs, when Sparx and Ace were both acting like game-Sparx thanks to their frustration over not finding the villains, and Mark was too on edge as well to be of much use to her. And Heather was as irritating as ever.
Magic existed, apparently. She'd happened on a cut scene—somewhere in level two on an area she stumbled on, she couldn't remember where—explaining a bit of it, a rather-too-young Lady Illusion fetching and carrying for Lord Fear to cast something, not that she was probably called lady back then.
"Elder fern, rosethorn and oldberry. Yes." The girl watched him absently arrange them around the empty stone pedestal, long fingers setting out a pattern with ease, almost grace. "And now…"
"The pigmybeast, my lord?" She held out a small, squeaking thing trapped in her hand; with a twist, she snapped its neck, and let it fall on the centre of the stone.
"Remove it to the peak." He seemed to conjure a silvery bowl out of nowhere, filled to the brim with liquid; she gathered the dead animal out of the way, nesting it in one of the small piles of herbs, where below was carved a deep line in the stone.
"Another transformation, my lord?" she asked.
"Not at all. A farseeing."
Kat saw her give a small shrug; she remembered Chem class briefly, frogs cut up with the same indifference as the creature lying on the stone.
"You have at least heard of such things, I presume—and realise why I ordered you here," he said.
"I thought those to be less than…reliable. My lord, nobody can deny your power," she said, suddenly seeming to want to make a point of her own. "And yet, these stage surroundings, so to speak, and everything I've read says they're the unpredictable Foreseeing Arts…"
"You take the pallid and cowardly view of the humans you lived among. Do you imagine I am incapable of anything within my own domain, this mage-saturated Carnival?" He didn't sound angry at her, but amused; show-off, Kat managed to think. It was a good way to take him less seriously.
She shook her head quickly. "Human…methods suggest that the power is—"
"The old theory. You're wrong, of course; settings amplify the powers native to us. And furthermore wrong that I have such an ability."
"It's in your bloodline; don't be a fool, girl." Green fire scattered from his hand, setting the beast's corpse alight; thin tendrils of smoke rose up from the plant matter as well, a pale purple nothing like any normal colour Kat had seen burn. It was oddly creepy. "What do you see when you look?"
"Just flashes, limited by wards, limited by distance and awareness, limited by how much trust I put in it. I…like explosions."
"Allow me." He held out a boned hand; she let a crystal ball appear in hers, and Kat watched him touch it, frowning as smoke flowed inside to finally show two Lightning Knights within, their lips moving silently. Kat recognized them both as high-ranking Knights from a background cut-scene or two, a grey-haired woman and a tall, muscular man who looked a little like Random Virus.
"You lip-read?" Lord Fear demanded.
"Yes, my lord. They…"
Kat watched the cut-scene swelling, growing to the whole of her screen as their voices started to come across. The Knights were muttering at first, and then she heard something that sounded like "amulet", and then—
—the power went off.
"Aidan it was just a lightbulb, don't switch the house off—"
"Sorry, hon, I'll just fix it—"
She listened to her parents stumbling around in the dark for a bit before her computer switched on again, but she didn't manage to get anywhere else and as it was getting to be far too long past midnight for her tastes, she fell asleep.
"So…what's with the magic in your dimension?" she prompted Sparx.
"Stuff the evils do." She waved a hand in the air. "It's like, I dunno, like our powers only not as cool or non-evil. Doesn't work so much in our cities, only the borders and the Carnivals are where it shows up in people."
"Do they use magic to spy on you? I heard that Lady Illusion could…"
"That's why we got these." She reached deep inside her jacket and pulled out a bright, small feather tied to the head of a pin with scarlet thread. "From fynixes. Apparently it's a bit of a shield against some things…not that I believe in it much, but this one was a present from an old friend…"
"Random?" Kat asked her. "The blonde girl in…in the Academy next to you? The…"
"Nah, his name was Avraam. Tall dark guy, he used to be a cadet with me," she said, and Kat vaguely remembered seeing a Knight who could have been him. "Fought the evils, didn't make it."
"Oh. That sucks," Kat said, unsure of how to console her, if that was what she wanted.
"Yeah, whatever," Sparx said, leaning back on the sofa as she grabbed the remote and idly flipped through the channels. "I am so bored. Out of my mind. You got anything interesting I can do?"
"I…don't think so," Kat said.
"Yes…this." Ace brought out his own fynix feather from a pack on his utility belt; it was more faded than Sparx', the red the darker colour of rust. "I'd forgotten all about it. That's all I need to do with it now..."
He flung it across the room; it skidded across the pale floor like a small insect.
"What? Shouldn't you be keeping it in case they spy on you? Lord Fear?"
"No. If she can see me, that's enough for me," Ace said; Kat didn't bother to ask who he was talking about, and watched him fly moodily away.
Lady Illusion, the ghost who faded away who wasn't showing up, Sparx' anger and frustration, and the rest of them watching it happen. The opposite numbers on the good and bad teams, some kind of sacrifice set against anger and frustration that was totally going to have Lord Fear roasting on a spit when they finally found him. It was easy to think of it with Sparx at the centre, not necessarily Ace; who said the hero had to be the hero instead of the heroine? And Mark, who had his many good qualities but certainly hadn't made an effort to seek the superheroes out in the first place, wasn't…quite doing the same thing she was doing about it.
"So, magic…" she prompted him over school lunch.
"Yeah, superheroes, game, like comic books," Mark said, lifting a spoonful of mashed potato to his mouth. "What's the big deal, Kat?"
"It's no big deal, I just want to find out who they are. What they can do."
"Sure. Have my user manual." He rummaged in his bag for it. "That gives you the main details and combat stats, ask Chuck any time if you want to know the power ratios or the energy relativity…"
"Thanks," she said, not really understanding him. I actually wanted to find out about the world… "I'll have a look at it."
"Great. So are you going to the big game next week?"
"Sure. Are you?"
"Yes. Um, did you want to sit together?"
"Well, I wasn't planning on sitting with the flaming Jonah Jameson over there."
"The Amulet of Zoar," Ace said reverently, perched on the Sphere Tower, tracing the etched markings on the glassy ball at the top of the confection, translucent bubbles pulled together by their own electromagnetism to form the tall monolith, each portion of it slowly rotating. It was pretty; Kat thought she rather liked the design. It looked human-made (for a given value of human), built on the edge of Elektri City; but it was only visible when under five ice-cold stars. "The colossi helped him, they say."
For it was ancient and unseen colossi of the Fifth Dimension who had created the tower, a boundary-marker between the Fifth and the Sixth.
"Gave him advice, along with other Sapient Races, for invulnerability, summoning and ultimate protection. The amulet was his key to the…world. It got split later on, half to the Carnival and half to us, with the centre missing…and yet it's returned now. I don't know what they would think about it all.
"But they're gone, along with the heroes who were Knights before me," he said, standing up and gazing into space. "They gave up a lot to keep this dimension safe. I've got to do the same."
The expression on his face looked vaguely familiar to her, though Kat couldn't quite place it; standard heroic thing, she supposed.
So that was what the amulet actually did, she thought, and wrote it down after the tower faded away from under her and she got killed by a squadron of Harpix.
Heather kept tilting her head to catch the light on that stupid gold hairclip she was wearing, and it glinted too brightly. Kat blinked at it; as Heather's head tilted again, she saw a faint hint of bright red on it. It looked…a little too familiar, perhaps, but she couldn't have been snooping around the Thunder Tower where Ace had ditched his, and she wasn't a fan.
Kat managed to pass by her on her way up to grab one of the handouts, looking across at it; a leaf, not a feather, though still with scarlet bound to it.
"Nice clip. Really makes a good weapon to blind people with. Where'd you get it?" she asked anyway.
"Silvia Ramirez makes them," Heather said smugly. "I met her back before I dumped her brother, and she gave me a discount."
Kat noticed the retcon, but decided against using that. "It looks a lot like merchandise from that game Mark plays. You know, the really dorky one? It's like a mystic leaf object that shields against magic. Are you trying to protect yourself from bad vibes, Heather?"
Heather scowled. "Don't be stupid," she said, and then the teacher heard her raised voice and silenced them both.
Kat saw her, later, holding the clip up next to her head looking at the mirror in the girls' bathroom, and smirked to herself as she quietly let the door fall back into place.
"Okay, all right Chuck, you're the ping-pong champion." Kat dropped the bat, exhausted; she was good at basketball, but she'd never played ping-pong before, and her hands felt like they had two thumbs apiece when it came to holding the rackets.
"Of Earth and the Sixth Dimension, don't forget it!" He raised his arms in mock-champion parody.
"Yeah, I know." She flung herself back onto the sofa; it was a really warm day. "Hey, did Lady Illusion ever spy on you in a magic crystal ball?"
"Sure. It's in the Hall of Mirrors sector, you get a small cut scene where she and Lord Fear are spying on you but it sort of fades from the crystal ball after a while—oh, in the real world. Dunno. HQ is safe, and we mostly hang out in the Thunder Tower."
"So…magic works, but not very much?" Kat asked. She'd kept stalling on the game, and the magic thing was really all she could think to ask about.
"Sure, dude. Unless it's energy blasts or something."
A sudden noise as Sparx swept through the door; they both ducked.
"This totally flatlines!" she complained.
"Sparx…" Mark began worriedly, coming in the door next to Ace. "…Don't do anything too quickly."
"What up, guys?" Chuck asked. "Did anything happen without me?"
"No," said Ace. "Nothing at all. I'm going to head down to the junkyard to talk to Random."
"Yeah, see if lugnut c'n cheer you up," Sparx muttered, and sighed. "No, never mind. Tell him hi from me, Lightning." She grabbed the remote and started earnestly watching an advertisement for cheap curtains.
"Right. Ping-pong, dude?" Chuck asked Mark.
"Sure." He stuffed his wrist cannon back in his pack. "You're on."
"This is so totally boring," Sparx muttered. "I just wish boneman'd show up, I almost blasted one of the really annoying mortals just in case he knew about it, Cheesycake or whatever his stupid name is, Mark said he knew about the aliens…"
"You nearly blasted Chesebrough? Sparx, don't do that!" Kat said, appalled. He'd only just returned to school after being caught up in all that at the Carnival. If he'd been hurt, as much as she disliked him as a teacher…
"I know. It's just Ace is moody because of stupid Lady Illusion and the kid's supporting him and Random's still…you know, and nothing's happening and I hate the weather too, did I tell you? Way too hot for anything!"
Sparx against the world, Kat thought. She'd liked the superheroine for being so spirited, but she was starting to get impatient with everything going on around her, and Kat didn't blame her. One of her best friends was moping, the other one was still insane, she and Mark had the whole issue with not telling her about the g-a-m-e, and…she just didn't have anything to do.
Yeah, she supposed she could understand a little bad temper, a lot better than in certain others. Sitting next to Sparx, she swung her feet a little, fidgeting; there was something on the ground next to her feet, and she picked it up from where it had fallen.
"Ace's fynix-thing," she said. "I saw him take it off."
"Moron!" Sparx said. "Give it to me, I'll give it to him."
She handed it over; Sparx spat on it and rubbed it with her turtleneck to clean it up, and kept on mindlessly watching Sesame Street as the ping-pong ball bounced in the background.
"I could do your hair," Kat offered, bored (and prepared to take whatever the boys would think about girl stuff). "Like, your fringe. Does it ever get in your way?"
"Don't think so," Sparx said, but she let Kat lead her into the bathroom, where they could look in the mirror. Kat reached up to work her hairtie loose; her hair felt weird, not hundreds of thin strands but more like clay moulded to her head. She made it flop loose from the shape, settling around Sparx' head like red straw. Like Joan of Arc like she got drawn just before they'd burned her, short hair like a boy's.
Ace's feather fell to the ground with a clink; Kat picked it up again. "Someone I know wore a thing like this in her hair," she said, not that you actually wanted fashion tips from Heather, but... "Yeah, it could be a clip as well, it'd look nice on you and hold back the fringe…goes with your earrings, too."
"So what's with your hair?" Sparx asked good-naturedly. She held the feather up next to her head, checking it out in the mirror. "Looks like worms."
"Does not, you're just jealous," Kat said, and Sparx probably was just being honest because she didn't get human things, but the way she was holding it and the burning hair and the insult made her look…
…yeah. It was just a bit obvious. Fiery-tempered redheads. Kat supposed there really was something to the stereotype.
"What's up, kid? You look like you just saw an Ink Ghost." Sparx laughed. "Maybe I should go for the hairclip. Gimme back my tie?"
"Okay. Let me?"
"Ow, don't pull so hard—"
"All done. So where'd you pick up your earrings?" Kat asked, just for the sake of saying something. "They look good on you."
A sudden noise came from the doorway, and they heard the ping-pong game stop; voices speaking.
"Hey, kid. And I guess you're Chuckdude."
"Uh, yo, Virus man."
"Where's Sparx?"
"Long time no see, lugnut." She affectionately pounced on him, giving him a pat on the back. "This is Kat, she's Mark's latest girlfriend."
"Er," Mark said. "Yeah."
"Ace says you're good with machines," Random said, wheeling himself over to Chuck. "How good?"
"Um, I'm more on the…programming side of things than…you know, complete mental control over them…but I did once build this robot…"
Random nodded. "I remember that."
"But—oh. Mark, you didn't tell me…"
And then they were off, a conversation about circuits and rust that Kat couldn't follow. She looked to Sparx and saw her rolling her eyes as well.
"So I guess Random's the tech guy for your team," she said. Always one geeky type hanging around, even if the Virus had probably been a lot more attractive than the usual type, once.
"Before his accident, yeah. Rebuilt the Flash's engine totally from scratch once, when we were trapped in the Midnight Plains between two swarms of Dust Demons…Ace managed to set them against each other so we didn't really need it, as such, but it was totally handy to get away nice and fast." Sparx sighed. "Why don't you guys have demons?"
"We got dust devils," Kat said. "Out in Kansas."
"Like in the holo with the little dog and the ugly Lady Illusion witch?"
It took Kat a few seconds to work out what she was talking about. She nodded.
"Not as good as ours, but if I can find one riding it would be totally fun—"
"Sparx, you could get seen!" Kat told her, and she slumped irritably back on the sofa.
"Yeah, yeah."
"I'm gonna get to the Carnival and you're not stopping me!" She flung down the pack of money Kat had spent hours helping her "borrow" from the Merchant Rats (they were practically evil, Sparx' sprite assured her, and anyway she'd left a Lightning Knight card behind her and they could totally get compensation for it). "There's the entrance fee. Let's do it."
The dark-skinned man sitting at the table groaned; his bright tunic rippled across his body, and the turquoise horn coming out of his forehead twisted itself into a tighter corkscrew. "Times have changed, m'dear. There's not even a guarantee you'll receive that as your prize…even if you manage to win."
A sweep of his hand indicated the gathered fighters: a one-eyed woman who looked about ten feet tall, a man glowing fluorescent green with tattoos covering his skin and daggers in his hands and mouth, an ox-horned woman with an anvil tied around her waist, a man with scarlet teeth and metal skin….
"You know I can take them," Sparx said. "And you'll get me to the Carnival in the Nowhere Caravan, I know you've got contacts there. We got a deal, or you want me to break this place up?" Her right hand started glowing pink. "One thing you gotta know, Big Harri. One of my friends is trapped in the Carnival. And I really don't like anyone keeping me from my friends."
She leaned toward him, the glow getting brighter, like she was just about to strike out and cut him through the neck like a ninja on film—and then he backed his seat away from her, and laughed.
"I suppose we can bend the rules," he said. "Hand over your earrings for the pile as well."
"But that's not f—"
"Oh yes. It is. Especially if you don't want me telling those Knights of yours."
And that was the Gladitatorium, which she'd read on the cheat guides was the only other alternative to struggling through the Cold Swamps and risking the asteroid-Gate so you could get to the Carnival and start helping Ace.
Of course, though she did manage to struggle through the first battle with a guy shorter than Sparx and with a really small health bar, the second one wiped the floor with her. Not that the floor had ever been wiped, Kat thought dourly as game-Sparx got thrown across it, quite repeatedly.
It had been a hard day with Heather her normal self again (sans hairclip, which was a bit good); and now she was relaxing at Mark's place, up in his room with him. They'd managed a few minutes making out before he'd heard his father coming home, and then he'd quickly pulled the door a little bit open. Boys.
"So, uh, how about we work on the computer?" he said. "We could get some of that history research done."
She went to look at his bookshelves while he booted up the machine. He still had action figures, dinosaurs and football players, a couple of old sport trophies, even a couple of the plaster figures you were meant to paint yourself. Photo of him in the middle of a group with his arm around a black boy with dreadlocks, photo of him and Chuck in football uniforms, interesting-looking demon mask—and photo of the girl in the white jacket smiling as brightly as day, the dark line of her bag bisecting her chest.
"Nice mask, Hollander."
"Thanks," he said.
"So you've still got your picture of Sam." Looking down on them with that seraphic expression all the time.
"Yeah, of course. Because we're friends," Mark said.
"I know." She wasn't jealous of Sam, not really. She'd said she was interested in a guy at her school and thought Mark and Kat would be a great couple—and she was probably telling the truth, because after all Samantha Thompson had been the nicest and most popular girl in town and nobody like that would ever lie…or throw temper tantrums over a little move from the city or boyfriend frustration or be anything less than perfect… Kat stopped herself. It was stupid to feel that way. "So how about that geography assignment?"
"I'll bring those maps I bought to school tomorrow," Kat said. The environment map would be useful for this, finally.
"I'll be getting my license soon," she went on.
"That's cool, congratulations," he said. "But I don't think we could, you know, do that road trip now. Not with Ace like he is."
"I didn't say I wanted to take you on a road trip, Hollander." Lightning was miserable, she got it; he spent most of his time away from the Thunder Tower and when he was there barely talked to anyone, apparently because (Mark said) he'd had anger problems before as a result of the emotions. Depression wasn't much more impressive, in Kat's opinion. At least Sparx talked about her boredom.
"All right. When this is all over?"
"As the Garden of Broken Statues beckons, the strands of memory entwine about your heels. Do you choose to learn three secrets of the Sixth Dimension, traveller, or do you choose to fight this way through?"
According to one guide, there were a couple of clues buried in this cutscene—a sneak peek at the House of Illusion if you hadn't seen it yet, a good look at the Garden, how the Mole People might help you in there, a hint that you had to go through Outside Town before trying to break down Inner Wall.
She'd go for it, Kat thought.
"The first secret is that the House of Illusion is the only place in the Sixth Dimension Zoar never ruled over."
A brief image of a Lady Illusion-lookalike, an even briefer one of a man from the head down, none of his features visible.
"They say she agreed to meet him in the Darkwood, and escorted him back to the House—and whatever happened between them, he was returned to the forest afterwards, and the House warded against him forever."
She saw glimpses of the House of Illusion's rising walls, a few dark spaces that might be worth hiding in.
"The second secret is that the Garden itself was created by a sorcerer, who made the most beautiful women of the Dimensions into living statues for his whim."
The Garden, then, as it must have been for the story: whole and beautiful, pale-white women poised gracefully between time.
"An archer-Knight came to rescue a princess from his will."
She looked a little like Sparx, Kat considered, a long plait of chestnut-brown hair and a lean, strong face.
"She came to the Garden, and because she was inside his power so close to her goal, she could not defeat him."
A shot of her firing lightning-tipped arrows to a distant shadow.
"But she was clever: she took her shadow from herself and bound it to one of her arrows, and fired it far out of the Garden, to where the sorcerer's soul was hidden. And while her shadow destroyed the soul she was able to destroy the body. Though of course the battle…ruined the place."
Kat saw the arrows and mage-bolts shattering into stone, so the statues lay broken as corpses; and then the Knight reached for a lightning-arrow from her pack and stabbed the sorcerer directly with it while he screamed.
"Her shadow was permanently sundered from her as price for that victory, and one day she and the shadow destroyed each other. But the lesson of the tale is: that sometimes an outsider must complete a task before the inner part can be solved." The emphasis on the words made Kat roll her eyes.
"And some others say that the real outsider was the princess, who was never truly one of the statues at all, and who arranged events so that the Knight's victory would mean the sorcerer's lands belonged to her. For sometimes it is the outsider's power to arrange."
A shot of what was probably the one intact statue left in the Garden, then a live woman of the same features, with living dark hair and gleaming green eyes, laughing to herself…
Almost made it to sinister, Kat thought, and then rolled her eyes over taking it almost seriously.
"The third secret is that when Lord Fear's champion fought an inferior sorcerer for possession, many long years later...not all that inhabited the Garden were pleased."
And it was Lady Illusion, to Kat's surprise, or the girl who would become her because she still looked not-that-old, taking a sword offered her.
"Not my weapon of choice—but it will suffice," she said, standing ready against a purple-cloaked man, his blade drawn. And they battled, and Kat tried to take notice of the statues that wobbled when you leaped on them and propelled you up in the air, and it looked like he was really good and she wasn't half bad, and then she put up a hand to block him and suddenly there was a crystal ball in her hand, glowing gold and turning the strike away. And as she shielded and attacked, it began to look worse and worse for her opponent, and he fell to the ground, and last there was a shot of her standing triumphant with a streak of blood across her face and dust spattered on her grey shirt. A poison-green sash bisected her body, running between her breasts, and as she smiled the image tugged at Kat's memories.
The camera switched to small black things she'd seen only as dots in the battle, gnome-like mole-creatures with humanlike faces looking annoyed and scuttling away.
"Well done, my dear," Lord Fear was saying to her as they walked away; she gazed up at him appreciatively.
"Thank you. Do you have any plans for the Molen, my lord? I have heard they are inclined to rebellion."
"What matters is we have the Garden; it would hardly be worth the resources. Now we return to the Haunted House…"
Kat sighed as it finished and her sprite was left to aimlessly wander the Garden. She couldn't actually find either enemies or Molen, and decided to do a little study. Or even better, a lot.
"You're an incredible driver," he said. "A plus, Adams, one hundred percent. You pass—and don't forget to use the indicator." He laughed a little at his own joke.
"Right, thanks."
This was handy; she made sure to be talking about it very loudly with a group of other girls as Heather walked past.
"Hi, Heather. New article for the paper, maybe? Hundred-percent drivers'-ed score setting-record for last five years?"
Laine shot her a surprised look, and Kat realised she was boasting about it; Mark, too, across the hall with Chuck, had turned to look at her.
"But I guess when you take it next year with the new freshmen you'll do just fine."
She glared at Kat. "You write the article," she said. "I'll be covering the fencing tournament." She turned on her heel and strode away.
"Harsh," Stacey commented.
Kat shrugged. "Yeah, well. When did she ever have a good word to say about anyone?"
"She did in middle school," Laine said. "Well, mostly Sam did. But she was nicer with her around. I guess she misses her a lot. I do too."
"Yeah. I can't see how someone as nice as Sam ever hung out with—"
Stacey rolled her eyes. "Heather's really not that bad, Kat, let it go. Better-tempered than you used to be."
Kat scowled.
"I wouldn't say that," Laine said hurriedly. "But Sam was the kind of person who makes everyone better. She and Heather were great best friends, Sam did the being nice to people and Heather knew something about everyone and was smart enough to skip Grade Five so they balanced each other out. They were the most popular girls in school, I suppose that makes Heather miss her more."
"I've got a friend like Heather, temper and all," Kat said. "She's going through some tough times at the moment, she's really bored and her best friend's moping 'cause he's in love with someone who really hates her. Except she's not like Heather, not at all." The last line found its way out of her mouth louder than she'd intended.
"You should make up your mind." Aimee giggled. "So who's seen Midnight Running? Tom Shipper was so cool in it…"
Bored, Kat looked around at Mark and Chuck, still chatting. She saw Mark raise his phone to his ear, exchange a few words; and then the expression on his face made her rush over to him, suddenly afraid of what was to come.
Oh god. Ace.
The boys had both ditched school, leaving Kat to pass off vague excuses. Well, Mark said it was a family emergency, and…well, of course he needed, uh, moral support…
Selfish of her to have waited. Probably. She had school, they weren't quite…real, they were both alive and she couldn't have helped anyway…
…but looking down at Ace, flashing in and out of existence in agony, she couldn't help but wish she'd done something better.
"He's a total freaking idiot." Sparx sat with her hand in the transformer and a blanket wrapped around her, slowly recovering from the battle. "Ace, you hear me? Total. Freaking. Idiot. I toldja not to chuck it out so you could be tracked. You don't get to do this to us, damnit!"
He didn't seem to be listening to her; his eyes were half-closed from what she could see between flashes, flailing and moaning faintly. It was like when she'd seen her great-grandmother just before she died, the nursing home smelling like ammonia and rotten plants and the old, faded figure on the bed, grey and looking like she was melting into the bedclothes.
It was as bad as a human on their deathbed, she thought. It was.
Chuck looked up from the computer. "Stabilized him in this format. Hooked him up to a wire with all the electricity he can stand right now. Can't do anything more."
"You can't do anything?" Kat said, and hated that she sounded like a hysterical girl.
"Dude. I wish I could." Chuck took a furtive glance around at Mark, sitting beside Ace with a look on his face like the world had been ripped out from under him. Almost the same pain she saw in Ace. "I should've told you."
Sparx had been…chasing dust devils, regardless of what she'd been told. At least she hadn't been seen. Ace hadn't been able to reach her on the comm until she tapped the dirt out of it and slowed down long enough to listen, and by then it'd been almost too late to save him from where Lord Fear had found him in flight.
He'd wanted it to be slow, of course, he was saying—well, you know villains, but it was like worse this time. Like he was shooting him in the back again. That when we stop now we stop for good—and I don't wanna think about that, like you know no more me forever and ever and never, just nothing like never waking up again—and he said it was going to be slow and painful and the same thing would happen to his friends, and he'd never be able to be rescued and would just keep on and on losing energy and—and dying out there all alone because he couldn't be bothered to gloat any more—
She'd still rescued him, Kat told herself.
"The thing I didn't tell you is...we've gotta save the world now. And I...I found..."
Chuck waved his arm limply. He looked like he was wearing a small version of a boxing glove, a thick metallic covering over his hand. More practical than a claw, Kat thought; some parts of your brain always noted irrelevant stuff like that.
"Dudes, I'm sorry, okay? I just wanted to figure out how to use it on my own so I could impress you later, I didn't think that if I'd actually been around I might've fought and…changed something…"
Mark turned a glare on him like he'd just murdered several entire species of kittens, and then sank back again, the thin lines on his face running back into something more resigned. "I don't think you could've done anything," he said. "Me neither."
"What's it do?" Sparx looked anxious, like she just wanted to talk about anything other than what had happened.
"Superstrength and circuit tapping." He held it out to Kat so she could see the intricate patterns engraved on the fingertips. "I can get into machinery and stuff, do more hacking. That's how I thought it was for me like your wrist cannon, sent out of the game because it's reading me as a Knight, not…well, sorry, Kat. And it fitted."
"That's okay. I can't fight anyway." They could talk about this, the…practicalities; much better than poor Ace.
"Could come in handy, Chuckdude," Sparx said miserably.
"And we have to talk to Random," Mark said. He'd been hard hit by this, Kat could tell; but he still seemed…ready for whatever else would happen. "We need his help."
"Sure, we'll talk to him," Sparx said. "Except I do want to say, you know. That I'm going to handle this." She glanced around at the three of them, and Kat managed a smile for her.
Sparx was a Knight. She was going to do a damn good job of it.
"What happened to you?" Brett asked sympathetically.
"Yeah, what's with the face, Hollander? Looks like you got run over by an anvil or something." Heather was staring at him almost suspiciously.
"Fell down the stairs," Mark muttered.
Kat glared at him; it was unfair, she knew, but it was still annoying that he hadn't told her more about yesterday's battle than a few muttered words. Sparx still alive, Chuck still alive, villains still alive. Same old story. Since that dust demon Lord Fear had created—created, he even had the power to do that, apparently—had run amok on the school oval while damn Pigface had kept her wrapped up in snot and the Rat had nearly killed her as a hostage, she hadn't…been around for the battles, and, maybe worse, she wasn't sure she felt like complaining. Weren't reporters supposed to be ready to go on battlefields, risking everything to bring the news?
But it wasn't like the evils respected the press, she told herself grumpily.
She looked over to Chuck, talking about a cooking accident he claimed had left him with the burn on his hand. This really wasn't right; for all Sparx was trying her hardest and fighting her best and even thinking about things, talking about strategy and tactics and being so serious Kat almost couldn't recognize the person she'd known as a friend in the months of inactivity, it seemed almost worthless to try.
"So why you, anyway?" she almost yelled at Mark, when they went home after school and to the relative safety of her place (the villains didn't know where she lived, she hoped anyway). "Out of everyone who could've picked up that stupid game, it had to be…"
"It had to be someone." He sighed wearily, collapsing on her chair. "My grandad used to say that everything happens for some reason."
"One out of whoever-knows how many gazillion copies they sold."
"Something like eleven point eight million, actually. I looked it up," he said.
"Oh, right. You never thought of sending it back to the store?"
"I thought worse, once," he said. "I was going to delete it and all of them with it."
Killing them all. No, that wouldn't be right. No matter how much danger the world was in. She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself.
"But now I know that's wrong," he said. "Ace gave up a lot to save this world—" he mentioned the name none of them wanted to talk about—"and now it's our turn."
The line sounded like something out of a movie, she thought, but mocking it would have almost felt like smashing in a church window. She watched him, instead, standing there, a lot more unreachable than the hesitating, excuse-making Mark she'd known at school. Resolved.
Like he was a hero, of course. The words rushed in on her. "You're like Ace," she said. "Not…American, but you're acting like him and…" And we…know how that ended? No…
"I'm trying," he said simply. He looked at his watch. "Sorry, Kat. I've got to go to the Thunder Tower. And do math homework."
"Yeah, I guess I'll just sit here, right?" she couldn't stop herself saying as he headed out the door.
His hurt glance made her regret it so much. "You should be safe," he said. "I mean, the number of times I thought they were going after Sam…But if you want to come, of course..."
"I've got homework too," she said.
He seemed to relax, a little guiltily. "See you tomorrow."
I'd better.
It was a pretty nice day for a fencing tournament. Sunny and everything.
Kat knew this, because she was running away across the oval from Pigface at the time.
She really hadn't planned to go. At all. The call from Chesebrough had…changed things.
Adams, Hollander's aliens are here, they said they wouldn't hurt me but I can't live with them any more, they said something about going after you, they're at the school…
She'd called Sparx and Mark. No answer. Apparently Lord Fear had figured out distractions, too. Easiest way to play it: go to the school herself. The ice cream truck chased her from her house, and she was glad her parents were going to be out of it.
Wouldn't dare to upset the fencing tournament and have all those people see them. Wouldn't dare, right.
Oh god oh god oh god…
And there was Sparx at last, scorching the ground with red flames.
"Get inside!" she called, leaping down. The sun behind her almost gave her a red-gold halo, her sword raised as she braced herself for the fight. Kat stared at her in relief—superheroine in battle, her strength protecting the weak—and then ran to secure the doors behind her.
"So what are you doing here, Adams?"
Heather coming down the hallway, dressed in white. Of all the people she really, really could have done without meeting…
A giggle, and a flash of movement. Kat saw the Rat flying behind them with a crystal ball in his hand. They'd planned this, she thought again, and gasped as she took a step back to the sealed door; but Heather had her arm raised, and he flew into her fist and ricocheted off the walls—
"There are some really weird birds here. I think this is the second time I've seen something like it," Heather said.
Had she seen had she seen?
"Um, yeah." Kat tried to let herself relax. Heather didn't look like she'd just discovered the secret aliens in Conestoga Hills, and now the Rat had flown off Sparx could take care of everything. Typical. Heroines needed.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," Heather told her. "Scared of the birds, Adams?"
"No—" Kat said, before she realised they'd only end up in a childish yes-you-were-no-I-wasn't exchange, and glared at Heather. She'd be scared too if birds like that were after her—or maybe she wouldn't be. She'd never seen Heather scared at all.
"You're lucky I was here to protect you," Heather said maddeningly. "I'd better get back to the competition." She half-turned, and light from the window caught her face in profile and her sword raised; and Kat couldn't stop it.
"You're…really good with that thing, right?" she said. "You didn't start 'till hardly any time ago, and I heard this was a regional tournament, and…"
"It's not a thing, it's an épeé," she said. "Usually people start on the foil, but I apparently have talent. And I work on it. The normal way I get good at everything."
"Right. Right." Kat bit her lip. It was still too close. Too unlikely, that they'd come to a world where it just so happened that the people they met were similar—only a little similar, of course, she reminded herself of the many differences, but even so and even here… She remembered the look on Mark's face the other day at her place, and shivered despite the day's warmth.
"Do you want something?" Heather demanded, her hand on her hip. Looking more like Sparx than ever, suddenly.
Kat tried to think about the stuff she'd heard about Heather. Dated Mark for a while. Friends with Sam, who'd done the same thing.
Now that was a really stupid idea. Kind, nice Sam, at all in the same context as the villainess of the piece. That was more of a Heather thing. She managed a small smile to herself. About the only thing the two of them had in common was that they were both away. She was the one here, and maybe she'd be like Mark and Chuck once she'd stayed a little longer...
Or maybe she was the one on the outside, after all. The girl watching the heroines do their thing. She swallowed.
"I guess Mark was acting really strange around you and Sam, before," she said.
"And you're just now discovering Mark's a jerk? Talk about slow."
"Sam still likes him."
"He always said he'd tell her everything, someday," Heather said. "She kinda liked the weird, until she wised up. He never did. Asshole."
"All right!" Kat said a little too brightly. "I was thinking of going on a road trip now I've got my license," she told her.
"I'm sure you'll have a great time with Hollander. Send a postcard from Loserville, I've got a first place to win." Heather abruptly turned away; Kat ran after her.
"No. I was wondering if you'd like to come. I was thinking of going up to Massachusetts, taking a study break for the teachers' strike next week, four hundred and something miles from here…"
She's four hundred and thirty-two miles away, Kat, she knew. God, she shouldn't be doing this, but if anyone she had the right to know, like Kat herself had demanded…
"…stay in a cheap motel for one night, maybe two, drive back home, four days' trip if everything goes well…"
"Hello, Adams? You hate me, remember?"
"I like Sam." Which was pretty much true. "It'd be fun to meet her at her school. And I haven't got that many other acquaintances here and…" True too, she thought. Unfortunately.
"And you need me to chaperone loverboy. I can't think of anything I'd hate more than playing your third wheel…"
"Second wheel," Kat said desperately as they reached the gym doors. A group of other fencers were chatting near them. "Mark's not going. Doesn't a trip sound like…you know, fun?"
"All right. Just for Sam." Heather smiled. The sharp expression might have lasted for a second. "And I'm not paying for gas."
Kat watched part of the bout, before she got the call saying everyone was all right, for today at least. She had the feeling she'd seen it all before anyway, in the mornings with Sparx drilling.
It was down to the heroines now, she supposed. Fiery redheads and…whatever.
Right or wrong, she'd give them the truth.


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This 6-hour course will give you a general overview of the latest version of Servoy 4.X. If you are already familiar with Servoy version 3.X, this class will familiarize you on the latest 4.0 features and power — including special time-saving techniques and power user features that the Eclipse IDE brings to Servoy development. This fully interactive web course will be taught by Servoy pros David Workman and Troy Elliott from Data Mosaic. For more information and to sign-up, click here.
Monthly Archives: July 2008
Have you booked your Las Vegas Room YET?
Keep in mind that rooms are still available at the fabulous JW Marriott Hotel. If you want to get your reservation at the killer ServoyWorld Conference rate of $149, you have to book NOW! There are only a few rooms left at that special discount, and the absolute deadline is August 2nd! Go to the Special Reservation URL, or call the hotel directly at 1-800-297-5056 or 1-702-869-7777. Do it today before all the available rooms are gone! To find out more about the luxurious, J.W. Marriott, visitwww.servoy.com/servoyworld/accomodation.jsp.
TRAINING: Servoy 101 – August 19 & 20
Are you new to Servoy; trying to learn more about how to design forms and write Servoy methods; or evaluating Servoy as the application platform for your company? This 6-hour course is for you! Servoy 101 includes all of the essentials you need to get up and running with Servoy 4.0 quickly! This fully interactive web course will be taught by Servoy pros David Workman and Troy Elliott from Data Mosaic. For more information and to sign up, click here.
Last Chance – Sign Up for ServoyWorld 2008
Do you know how close we are to ServoyWorld — THE most awaited Servoy Event of the Year?? It's almost here, and you need to hurry and sign up TODAY! Come and join us at the luxurious 5-star JW Marriott Hotel, just 15 minutes off the Las Vegas Strip. The Conference speakers are all lined up — click here to read the latest topic sessions. If you want to learn more about Servoy than you could ever wish to know; or how to push your Servoy developments to the limit and beyond, make sure you join us at ServoyWorld 2008. To register for ServoyWorld, click here.
Servoy Press Tour to Europe
Servoy is excited to announce that Bob Cusick, Managing Director of Servoy USA; and Brenda Christensen, Director of Servoy USA PR and Analyst Relations, will lead a one-week Servoy Press Tour to Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Three of the leading journalists and analysts, from the business and technology sectors in the United States, will experience a full-immersion into the world of Servoy — by meeting with CEO Jan Aleman, CTO Jan Blok and the entire European Servoy team; as well as having the opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Amsterdam and its surroundings. We know they will enjoy the tour and look forward to their feedback.
Servoy 4.0 is Officially Released
Servoy is proud to announce that the Servoy 4.0 has been officially released on July 15th! Servoy 4.0 — now an Eclipse plug-in — is a major upgrade from all previous versions of Servoy; and enables Servoy developers to produce even better, more powerful enterprise-level applications using a standards-based IDE (Integrated Development Environment). Eclipse is the industry standard IDE for building and testing software applications. Read the latest Servoy 4.0 News Release here.
Servoy Article Published in Italian Tech Newspaper
Servoy is proud to announce that the renowned Italian Tech Newspaper Corriere delle Comunicazioni has published an article on Servoy titled "Servoy, l'ecosistema dei dati", or translated "Servoy, the ecosystem of data." The Corriere delle Comunicazioni information and communications technology publication prints 18,000 copies every 2 weeks to subscribers, governmental offices and VIP airport lounges. Servoy continues to expand. And Italy is falling in love with Servoy! To read the full article, click here.


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Long life -20ft cabin cruiser/fishing boat. Built in 1960's/70's and refurbed 12 years and maintained annually. Cathedral hull, good in rough water. Engine 115 Yamaha v4, 2 stroke 1995. Twin leisure batteries, led navigation lights. Built in fuel tank. VHF radio ship to shore. Garmin sat nav and fish finder. Anchor and chain. Ropes and fenders. On trailer- no brakes. New upholstery, new boat cover. Looking for £4250.00 or nearest offer.Viewings by appointment please call 07930 364004
Current Price: £4250.00
This Cabin Cruiser Fishing Boat boat is located in Amersham, HP6 6RQ and is being sold on eBay by emmadaley123.


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Free Score Report Gov
1396 Providence Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90017, United States
You have the right to see your credit report once an year for free. Your so-called 'free annual credit report'. But did you know that your credit SCORES are NOT included with your free annual credit report!? Well, that's a big problem since it's your SCORES that lenders, creditors, and banks will use to gauge your creditworthiness. NOT your credit reports. Your credit reports simply act as the raw data that's used to calculate your scores. Your SCORES are what lenders use to set your mortgage loan interest rates, auto loan rates, personal loan rates, etc.


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Relying upon a waste clearance company
All kinds of items can be recycled and it doesn't take long to find out what can and cannot be recycled if you look carefully at the packaging on food or the items that you have purchased from the supermarket.
If you recycle the large majority of your waste, you would be surprised at how little is put into your regular black household bin sacks that are sent to a landfill site. Most packaging including plastics and paper can be recycled and they are easily turned into other items that are seen about the home such as plastic milk cartons and such like.
Continuous waste removal issues
In order to properly tackle the problem of building waste in the UK, all households must recycle and they must realise that they have a responsibility to safeguard our environment for future generations. If we continue to dispose of waste without any regard to the impact that it will have on the environment, we will end up with landfill sites over spilling and waste clearance companies unable to keep on top of the waste that is being produced. Waste clearance companies are relied upon up and down the country to manage our waste removal and disposal.


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Chicken with Pesto Pasta
Pasta With Chicken Recipe - Chicken And Pesto Pasta
Quick and easy recipe which is great to prepare with chicken or shrimp or if you prefer the vegetarian version simply omit the meat. Very fulfilling, with wonderful fresh flavors of pesto and asparagus. No need to purchase store bought pesto sauce, we have a wonderful recipe for you and it could be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. Everything could be prepared the night before, and quickly tossed together when ready to serve. This Pasta with Chicken Recipe and Pesto Sauce is a mouth watering, delicious recipe.
1) Any pasta you choose will work with this recipe, follow the directions on the package to cook the pasta. Make sure to reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid after pasta is cooked. Drain the rest of the pasta.
2) In a large non stick pan, heat up the oil and red pepper flakes (optional) and asparagus and cook for 5 minutes. (If you do not want to use Asparagus, you can use any vegetable you prefer, zucchini would be a good alternative.
3) Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.
4) Season with salt and black pepper, herb pesto.
5) Add the pasta heat through for 2 minutes, mixing with all the ingredients.
6) If it seems a bit dry, you can add a little bit of the reserved pasta liquid. (No need to use the entire amount reserved)
7) Add the cooked chicken into the pasta, and mix together well.
8) Serve the Chicken Pasta with Pesto sauce on a plate garnished with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
9) Enjoy!
- 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
- cooked chicken pieces (cooked shrimp is also a great alternative)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- 3 cups sliced asparagus (sliced in 2 inch Pieces)
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half or keep whole
- 3 small garlic cloves, minced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons herb pesto
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- grated Parmesan to taste
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
|Herb Pesto Sauce
|Pesto sauce like no other! Variety Of Herbs!
|Italian Caprese Rotini Salad
|Rotini & Fresh Mozzarella Salad
- Login or register to post comments
- Send by email


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If you are like a million other new and happy but baffled house owners of an Apple iphone, you most likely need to have some solutions. Do not permit your self to be intimidated by this new gadget. Just go through this report so you can unlock the magic in your new Apple iphone.
The Iphone has apps to support you get to the location that you need. Mapping software arrives with your Apple iphone so that you can immediately begin pinpointing spots with out obtaining to worry about including an app. This app is valuable to get to a new spot, or just to get again house.
Obtain a protective display for your Apple iphone. Without this kind of a protecting unit, the cellphone is sure to get scratched and dinged. Even filth on your fingers might result in scratches. Make confident to preserve a protecting display on the telephone.
Do you get way too several notifications? You may change them off effortlessly. Initial, select the settings button, and then contact the notifications bar. You will probably uncover a bunch of apps in the "Notification Center" which you do not require. Remove them. The ideal element is that this can substantially increase your battery's life each working day.
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You can even consider photos with the headphone twine. At first, you will want to body the photograph. Then, when you are all set to just take your photo, thrust the button on your headphone twine. You have now taken a photo employing your headphone wire. To conserve the picture, basically adhere to the standard methods utilised for conserving images.
Possessing study the prior paragraphs, you now just how numerous remarkable characteristics that the Iphone has. You can live a entirely different daily life by making use of the Apple iphone. Just use the suggestions and tips you have read through here to make your Apple iphone perform for you.


text:
Harklinikken Dubai
Start up package 2 for 3 months include:
- Start up consultation
- 3 Extracts
- 1 large shampoo
- 1 Daily conditioner
- 1 Hair Mask or 1 Hair Hydrating Creme
What our customers say..
Great products
Gloria Cohan
I've been using Harklinikken products for 8 months and can't say enough good things about them. The results have been amazing. My hair has never looked better. If you have thinning hair, this is definitely a treatment you should try.
Thank you!
Andrea Sobel
I can't believe this is working! I started about 5 months ago, and my long-time hairdresser started noticing new growth after 2-3 months (I didn't tell him to see if he noticed.) He did!
Life-Changing Products!
Carol Staples
After searching for help for my hair loss for ten years and trying everything on the market, I had almost given up. Finally, I found Harklinikken and I got my hair back! I am so thankful for a product that finally works and keeps its promises.


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A federal proposal that would silence pro-life and conservative campaign speech [the so-called "DISCLOSE" Act, H.R. 5175] is being rushed to a vote this week in Congress. UPDATE, June 18: Today's vote called off for the DISCLOSE act, details here.
NRLC (our parent group, the National Right to Life Committee) has issued several warnings about this blatant attack on our right to participate in a free government.
Under this proposal, the federal government would dictate to a 75-year old woman with health problems, who holds strong religious convictions and who wishes to promote enactment of the Protect Life Act, that
she is "free" to donate money to a pro-life group to be used for broadcast ads to urge specific elected officials to vote for the bill – but ONLY if she (as a "significant funder") is willing to submit to the INTIMIDATING REQUIREMENTS: that she appear in those ads herself, and also have her name and address posted on the Internet, so that she can be subjected to verbal abuse or even threats by those who disagree with her views.
Enactment of such a law is not a curb on corruption, but itself a type of corruption – a corruption of the lawmaking power, by which incumbent lawmakers employ the threat of criminal sanctions, among other deterrents, to reduce the amount of private speech regarding the actions of the lawmakers themselves. " See explanatory, detailed letters from NRLC on May 27 here and June 15 here.
The U.S. Supreme Court had ruled in the Citizens United case, last term, that the First Amendment protects the right of incorporated groups of citizens to communicate with the public to express opinions about the actions of those who hold or seek federal office. (President Obama took a swipe at this decision in his State of the Union speech in which cameras caught Justice Alito mouthing "not true!" in response to Obama.)
Then Democrats–who want the administration and the liberal news media to control political information– drafted this "DISCLOSE" measure and termed it an anti-corruption measure to shed light on nefarious corporate sponsors of political speech.
NRLC legislative director Douglas Johnson, writes, "NRLC is the furthest thing from a "shadow" group. Our name and contact information always appear on public communications, and we openly proclaim the public policies that we advocate [as do we at Kansas for Life]. But there is very little in this DISCLOSE bill that provides useful or necessary information to the public.
The overriding purpose is precisely the opposite: To discourage, as much as possible, disfavored groups (such as NRLC) from communicating about officeholders, by exposing citizens who support such efforts to harassment and intimidation, and by smothering organizations in layer on layer of record keeping and reporting requirements, all backed by the threat of civil and criminal sanctions."
The right to private speech guaranteed by the First amendment also insures the anonymity of those who share disfavored opinions. Yet that right to privacy is thrown out the window by campaign finance reformers. The intention of campaign finance reformers is always expressed as "helping" the public. But such laws choose certain entities to elevate (mainstream corporate media and government) and others to hog tie (pro-life and pro-family traditional voices).
Kansas First District Congressional candidate Sen. Tim Huelskamp (R-Fowler) and Lt. Gov. candidate Jeff Colyer (R-Olathe) successfully assailed a similar Senate "campaign reform" proposal as unconstitutional in floor debate this past term. Once again, the measure was spearheaded by anti-life and anti-traditional family advocates.
Ironically, this campaign-reformer crowd that sees no privacy problem with online publication of a citizen's name, personal info and political opinions has been the loudest in screaming about purported threats to privacy from prosecutors obtaining abortion files!
Former Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius, her hand-chosen Attorneys General, and her appointed-majority on the current state Supreme Court (particularly Justice Carol Beier) believe legal subpoenas for abortion records in criminal actions are off limits. Abortion records' purported threat to privacy has been invoked to stall felony prosecutions and to veto sensible legislation– even though such records are edited and no women's names from the files have been discovered. (Read more in recent KFL newsletter, pg. 16-17)
Liberals seem concerned about personal privacy rights only for abortionists and their clients. Pro-life citizens must protect their own Constitutional right to free speech and to support issue-advocacy groups like NRLC and KFL –without intimidation. Take action here.


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As I work a lot with contour lines in most of my work, the Coca Cola contour bottle was just the perfect focus to venture into and take it to the next level of its branding. The only difference was the popular culture behind the contour bottle and what a privileged to explore the popular culture behind the bottle in line with my line signature of creating drapery in every work of art I do or inspired. I believe in something which repeats itself as part of my inspiration. The repeated pattern in each an ever subject matter really pulls my focus to the point of losing the real subject matter as the main focus but rather make it an illusion within the concept.
Contour Bottle as it is known, became part of my drapery signature as an artist. It blended well with my current concept of embracing Coca Cola since last year. The bottle became a stepping stone to accelerate my love for it and the freedom to embrace it to the next level. I think there is a difference between branding and embracing the contour bottle. My ideology is that I am embracing the bottle in a visual aspect and looking further to embrace it in different mediums of art. I feel that if the bottle can repeat its popularity through the years/century, why not embrace it though my linocut medium and painting medium. I had found it a perfect combination to work with and my lines portray movement within the subject matter and I try so much to engage the viewer in an optical manner rather than just still imagery. More drapery in my work is about tricking the eye at its best and by so doing there will be some movement between the artwork and the viewer. The more the viewer squint and bounces back and forth in trying to depict/ look at the imagery of my work, the more I feel content and applauding my accomplishment. It's not all about hiding the concept or making it difficult to look at, it's all about the visual practice of embracing the popular culture of the Coca Cola contour bottle.


text: General Washington established his Newburgh headquarters at Jonathan and Tryntje Hasbrouck's fieldstone farmhouse from 1782 to 1783, issuing an order for a "cessation of hostilities" from the house. Washington spent more time there than any other place during the Revolution and made some of his most important contributions to shaping the American republic during those critical months. Visitors can see Washington's office in the farmhouse and visit the museum across the lawn.


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yo. this blog is still for beat nerds and music lovers in general. I started this blog thing in 2007.. In January 09 i decided to move to Supercity and continue my blogthing there.
Update Nov. 2010: We are back.
The Authors:
feux: Behind The Beats Founder; beats, tweets & also bloggin on supercity.at
d'dee: Graphic Designer; part of Typisch Beton; music nerd.
josé: muiscal activist, escaped from the chiapas jungle, anti nerd nerd, being personal through inpersonality
majestic mood: radio guy & dj straight outta vienna
bbbbeees: typo nerd with musical affinity.