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Kings and Popes and Saints12 min read
Patricia could hear them gathered on her front porch, the kings and popes and saints, gossiping and chattering and generally having a good time. She turned. King Solomon lay sprawled across the bed like it was his golden throne. He raised his head to regard Patricia. “It’s time,” he said. “Ready for battle?”
“I am,” she said. Solomon nodded.
Patricia picked up her late husband’s floppy fisherman’s hat and put it on. She looked at herself in the mirror over her dresser. What her daughter Ana would say if she could see her? Nothing good.
She lifted her chin. As if Patricia was now Ana’s child, trying to tell her what she could do. She knew Ana spoke from a place of love, but Ana was wrong and she would prove it. Still, Patricia would need all the help she could get. She headed to the kitchen.
She took out the aluminum foil and ripped off a piece. With great care, she lined the hat with it. Then another piece, and another.
The phone rang, but Patricia ignored it. Only Ana ever called now. The last time they spoke had not been pleasant. Mama, this is too big a place for you to keep up now since Daddy died. Mama, we’re all worried about you. Mama, if you can’t keep this place up, the state’ll put you in a home.
“We’ll see about that,” she said and slammed the drawer shut.
Out on the porch, Emperor Constantine perched on the railing with St. Nicholas and St. Augustine, all three chattering away “like a house afire,” as her mother would’ve said. St. Gregory arm wrestled Pope Benedict XI, cheered on by Innocent III and Charlemagne. Muscles strained as the two grunted with effort. It was a wonder the neighbors didn’t complain. But they never did, perhaps deferring to her guests’ exalted rank.
“I’m here,” said Patricia. There was a chorus of greetings, interrupted by Gregory’s triumphant cry as he forced down Benedict’s arm.
With a broad smile on his bearded face, Charlemagne bowed to Patricia, the movement filling the air with a hint of cinnamon. “A great pleasure to see you, dear lady,” he said in a voice deep as night. She curtsied, then began to remove her hat. Charlemagne raised his hand. “No, no, dear lady. Such courtesy would only expose you to great peril.”
“Indeed,” cried St. Augustine, robes rustling in the light breeze. “Besides, if she greets you so, she’ll have to greet us all, and who has the time?”
Everyone laughed, except Pope Innocent, who only smiled. “Is this the day, dear Patricia, when you face the foe?” he said.
“Of course,” said Charlemagne, stroking his beard. “Why else would she have asked us all here?”
Patricia nodded. “It is indeed, Your Eminence.” As one they all turned to look out into the yard to where the strange weed-things poked through the grass.
They had appeared overnight a few weeks before. Ugly and purplish, reaching up through the Bermuda grass like fingers grasping for prey. Patricia had been wary at the start and watched them from the window as a deer considers the wolf. Soon they grew tall with fat stalks. Birds no longer landed in the yard, and the few that did disappeared as soon as Patricia looked away. Now the weed-things grew strong and brazen. At night they whispered to Patricia in her mind in their queer vegetable language.
“Orchid grass is all,” George had said. George was Ana’s husband and had stopped by last week, claiming Ana had told him she’d left a sweater there. Patricia wasn’t fooled by this transparent lie: Ana hadn’t visited in so long.
George pointed a thumb at the weed-things. “Mom, I could put down a little weed killer for you. Take care of those fellows toot sweet.” She was tempted but refused. Ana would take it as a sign of her frailty. She gave him an old cardigan from the back of the closet to get him to leave.
Her friends had much advice. Augustine and Innocent thought them mandrakes looking for mischief, and counseled her to plug her ears with wax, “to block their deadly shrieks.” The others weren’t so sure but had no better ideas. In the end, it was King Solomon who’d suggested tinfoil. She’d made a foil cap and slept peacefully that night.
Now she would get rid of them once and for all. With the foil she would be a phantom to them, invisible and unstoppable. If she worked hard, she could be rid of them by nightfall, and prove to Ana she was safe and strong.
“Wish me luck, my lords,” she said and bent to pick up her bucket and trowel. As she straightened, she heard a whistling sound. A young man came walking up.
He wore a backward-turned baseball cap on his head and was dressed in the strange styles all young men wore these days. In one hand he carried a heavy clipboard. She couldn’t fault him for the hat in this heat, but he reminded Patricia of the young men Ana had dated back in the day: slick.
When he saw Patricia looking at him, he gave a big toothy smile and waved. “Good morning.”
All the popes and saints and kings fell silent. St. Augustine narrowed his eyes, considering. “Too young for a tax collector,” he said. “Say hello.”
Patricia smiled. “Good morning,” she said. A nervous prickle whispered along the nape of her neck, but she ignored it. Her friends were with her. They would keep her from harm.
“Hi there, ma’am. My name is Justin,” said the young man as he held out his hand. Patricia took it, a little reluctant, and he pumped it twice.
Charlemagne looked at the others in disgust. “Impudence.” He snorted. “Greeting her as an equal. Youth today!”
Patricia shot them a distracted glance, then turned back to catch the rest of what Justin said: “—earn points for a trip to Rome. So do you think you could help me out?”
At the word ‘Rome,’ her friends began talking with excitement. Only Augustine said nothing. “I’m sorry, dear,” said Patricia. “I’m, ah, a little hard of hearing. What was that first part?”
“Magazine subscriptions,” said Justin. His smile was easy, confident. “Each one I sell gets me closer to my goal. Do you think you’d be interested?”
“Magazines?” said Charlemagne. “Nothing but fripperies.”
“Shh!” hissed Patricia before she could stop herself. She looked back at Justin to see his grin had slipped a little. Out in the yard, the weed-things began muttering among themselves in a rustling chorus. “I don’t know, dear—” she began, but he held up a hand.
“Please, call me Justin. Ma’am, I understand if you don’t really need any magazines. But I do need to sell them for my trip, so I’d like to offer you something extra.” He leaned forward. “My dad thought I’d have better luck if I offered some free labor to go along with it.”
Innocent and Charlemagne huffed in disapproval. Justin did not seem to hear them, as he pointed up the street. “I live on just a couple blocks over—”
Augustine shook his head, causing his beard to wag. “His face is unfamiliar,” he said.
“A knavish liar,” muttered one of the others.
“Perhaps not,” said Innocent. “Perhaps we’ve only never seen him before.”
Now they all began to argue. Patricia tried to concentrate on Justin, but it was hard. He had turned back, still talking: “—wash your car, or mow your lawn. What do you say?”
“That’s all right,” said Patricia. “I mean, there’s not really that much to do.”
“Quite right,” shouted one of the popes, and the others all cheered. Frustration combined with anxiety began to churn inside Patricia. Her stomach clenched, and out came the words:
“Please stop talking when I’m trying to speak. It’s very rude.”
Silence fell. Justin cocked his head. “Ma’am, I didn’t say anything.”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
Justin looked left and right before turning back to her. His eyes held curiosity, and something else. “Then who were you talking to?”
Too late, Patricia realized what she’d said. She saw her friends’ faces, pale and wide-eyed. “To myself.” Heat filled her face in a rush.
Justin said nothing, just looked at her. Patricia stood frozen. His gaze held her in place. The prickling on the back of her neck shot down to her legs, making them want to jump, to run, to escape this young man and his stare. Out in the yard, the weed-things grew louder.
St. Augustine leaned close. “It’s all right.” His voice was light and easy, soothing her like a nervous stallion in battle. “This boy is no one to be concerned about. Remain calm, just breathe. He’ll leave. He won’t come back. You’ll be fine.” As the saint spoke, Patricia felt her embarrassment begin to fade.
Justin looked down at his clipboard for a moment, then back up at her. “Ma’am, I really think you should buy some magazines,” he said.
Patricia took a deep breath. “Why?”
“They’ll be able to help you.” He lowered his voice. “Some issues contain messages. Coded messages, of great importance.”
Patricia blinked. The others began talking amongst themselves, quick and low: “Messages?” “From who?” “Does he know?” She let it fade, only staring at Justin to get some hint of his meaning. She saw nothing, no twitching of the lips or crinkling of the eyes to indicate suppressed laughter.
After endless seconds, she could wait no longer. “Messages from who?” she said.
“Louis XIV. Aristotle, Abraham Lincoln. And, of course, Elvis.”
Innocent’s eyes narrowed. “A secular lot,” he said.
“Indeed,” said Charlemagne, beard wagging. “Still, they might prove useful.”
“Charlemagne, isn’t Louis a countryman of yours?” said St. Augustine.
Charlemagne gave a crooked smile. “I would not trust him.” “Still, all that we can learn might help us.”
Patricia sensed the excitement rumbling in her friends and caught a little of it herself. “What are the messages about?” she said.
“Aliens,” said Justin. His eyes stayed wide and sincere, but they shifted from side to side, as though looking for eavesdroppers. “The messages detail their plans for world domination, and how the government covers it up. They’re in cahoots with the Lizard People and the Grays.”
Charlemagne sucked air through his teeth. “That might explain the appearance of these unholy things,” he said, gesturing out at the yard.
“What are the Grays?” said Innocent.
“The aliens, methinks,” said one of the saints.
Charlemagne scowled. “But those infernal plant people are not gray at all! As any fool can see, they’re purple!”
While her friends argued, Justin pulled out a glossy order form. “They hide messages in the table of contents of these magazines. What you have to do is read the titles together, and that reveals the meaning.” He began checking the list, quick slashes of ink. “Now, if you don’t get all these, the messages won’t make any sense.”
He handed the list to her. Over a dozen titles had marks, all at the three-year rate. At the bottom was the total. Her stomach twisted again. “There’s almost seven hundred dollars here,” she said. “I don’t think I can afford that.”
Justin spoke before the others could answer. “Ma’am, you can’t afford not to.” He sounded solemn as a choirboy.
The kings and popes and saints started arguing again: “The price is too high—“ “Good information always costs—“ “Good? We have no proof—“ “Can we take that chance?” Patricia tried to follow the debate, but it grew more and more frenzied.
Justin pressed the order form and pen into her unresisting hands. “Just fill that out,” he said in a soft tone, but his voice cut through the others. Obediently she scrawled her name and address into the blanks. “Now—Patricia,” he said with a glance at the form, “go get your checkbook.”
Patricia hesitated, hoping for some consensus among her friends. The argument still raged, with no end in sight. “Patricia,” said Justin in firmer tones, “get your checkbook.”
Numb, Patricia looked back to the house. Through the window, she could see King Solomon sitting, watching the scene.
“Patricia,” said Justin. Unresisting, she went inside. Her thoughts raced, but her stomach squeezed like a giant’s fist and the prickling on her scalp had turned to white hot needles.
She found the checkbook in her purse. As she pulled it out, for the first time, Patricia worried Ana might be right. It was a lot of money, she knew. Most of her emergency fund. Ana would be so mad. But she needed to know.
Her hand trembled as she wrote the check. Only after she tore it from the checkbook did the strange compulsion over her break. Her eyes filled with tears.
She looked at a picture on the mantle, taken a few years before at some party. It was her favorite one of her and Mark. The old ache of loss flooded back into her. How she needed him here, and nothing could relieve the loneliness and fear of not knowing what to do.
King Solomon rubbed up against her legs. The contact made Patricia realize how badly she needed a hug. She scooped up Solomon, holding his purring body against her. “Oh, Your Majesty, what am I going to do?” she whispered.
Behind her the front door squeaked on its hinges, followed by a footstep. Her heart pounded and she turned to see Justin’s charming grin. “Is that check ready for me, Patricia?”
At the word check, Patricia’s arm extended itself, holding it out. Justin took it. “Thank you,” he said.
Patricia opened her mouth to speak but stopped when King Solomon pricked her with his claws. “Test him,” whispered Solomon. Patricia looked at him, and the king winked.
“Justin,” she began. Her mind raced to come up with an excuse. “Would you mind doing me a favor? There are some bottles out in the yard. Maybe you saw them coming up the sidewalk? They’re out among the weed”—she managed to choke off things—“weeds, and I’d appreciate it if you could pick them up for me. After all,” she said with a fake little laugh, sounding like Ana, “you did say you’d do that sort of thing.”
Justin’s grin never faded. “Be a pleasure.”
Patricia thought about the cold brain whispers of the weed-things, and guilt poked at her. “In the kitchen, you can find”—Solomon’s claws cut into her again–“trash bags. Next to the aluminum foil.”
Justin disappeared into the kitchen. King Solomon looked disapproving, and she shook her head. “He has to have a chance,” she said in a whisper.
A minute later Justin reappeared, a black hefty bag in hand. She stared at his cap, but couldn’t tell if foil was underneath it or not. As Justin passed, he nodded at King Solomon. “Nice looking fellow you’ve got there,” he said.
“Thank you,” said Patricia. She watched as he walked out with that check. The door shut with a sharp click. “Now what?” she said.
“Wait,” said Solomon.
Patricia sat on the sofa, back square to the window. She would not look. Instead, she listened to the hall clock ticking and stroked King Solomon’s fur. King Solomon began talking about his days as king, but Patricia only half-listened. The rest of her attention remained focused outside, trying to decipher distant sounds. Was that a scream? Finally, she couldn’t stand it anymore and put down Solomon.
Outside Charlemagne sat on the step talking with Augustine, while overhead the others soared, chasing each other in big looping circles. Patricia looked around. There was no sign of Justin. Where did he go?” she said.
St. Augustine pointed out into the yard. “Out there.”
Patricia covered her mouth.
“Aye,” said Charlemagne. “He must not have been reading those messages after all.” He shook his head.
She picked up her trowel and bucket, then slowly proceeded out into the lawn. The sooner she finished, the better.
Thoughts secure under the tinfoil-lined hat, the weed-things paid her no mind. She knelt by the first one, knees pressing against the damp earth. With a quick movement, she stabbed down with the trowel. Before the weed-thing could react, she had it uprooted and in the bucket. Helpless, it lay still. Patricia smiled.
In less than an hour, she had covered half the yard. The remaining weed-things whispered to each other, trying to understand what was happening to them.
In the middle of a crowd of them, Patricia found a few crumpled pieces of paper wedged in the roots of a particularly large weed-thing. She pulled it free. They were stained and shriveled, but in one corner she could make out her name and address. She tossed it in the bucket and went back to work. Finally, she finished. Back on the porch, her friends applauded as she walked around to the garage. Wouldn’t Ana be surprised!
She poured the bucket into the garbage can and went inside. On the sofa, King Solomon lay curled up like a furry pillow. “Your Majesty,” she said, “Would you like some tuna?”
King Solomon purred.
But wait, there's more to read!
when I was fifteen my younger brother slapped me hard in the face to prove to us both that he was the stronger faster meaner


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Jimmy John’s in Germantown Has Closed Permanently
Jimmy John’s opened its Germantown Town Center location in April of last year. It is now officially closed and no longer listed on the Jimmy John’s website, after just a year and a half.
The Illinois-based chain, which has over 3,000 locations worldwide, closed its Silver Spring location back in July and it’s Rockville Pike location in late 2018.
The Gaithersburg is now the only MoCo location left.

domain: geography


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The next Nintendo Switch could ditch Nvidia for the fruits of AMD and Samsung's partnership.
We'll finally get some game footage of Halo Infinite on the Xbox Series X at Microsoft's July showcase.
These are the best baby monitors with the sharpest images and most important features for checking in on a sleeping child.
According to a new statement from Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki, Sony is confident that the PS5 sales will perform well against the Xbox Series X.
Assassin's Creed Discovery Tour, a nonviolent way to explore the ancient world, is free for a limited time.
Microsoft’s potential PS5 price sniping is thanks to the powerful services the Xbox Series X will tap into.
The PS5 and its SSD may have a level of synchronicity that eludes most PC manufacturers, facilitating faster load times and better gameplay.
We saw live PS5 gameplay for the first time, courtesy of an Unreal Engine 5 demo showing off new rendering and lighting tech.
Challenge is secondary in this list of games to play together for virtual hangouts. It's all about spending time with friends.
Here are the best ways to keep your Nintendo Switch controllers juiced up so that you never have to stop playing.
It’s going to be tricky to find a Nintendo Switch at the end of the year thanks to console shortages.
We reflect on the best Assassin's Creed games, as Assassin's Creed Valhalla is just over the horizon.
The Alienware Aurora 11 is out now, and you can build a configuration that suits your gaming desktop needs.
The PS5 is still due for a Holiday 2020 release, according to a new Sony report, even though it's been struggling to deal with the impact of the coronavirus lockdown.
Insider information hints that an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti will easily destory the Xbox Series X and PS5.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 remasters the first two games in the series, with a focus on authenticity. Here's everything we know about it.
The PS5 will show a PlayStation Studios animation showcasing some of its most popular characters for first-party games.
A Japanese job search site features a listing from PlayStation claiming the PS5 will be released in October, which is a surprisingly early debut.
Whenever Sony holds its first big PS5 event, these are the things it could do to better the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal.

domain: game


On June 8, 2021, Laran Oneill sold their five bedroom, three bathroom home at 4109 Flintridge Drive, Dallas to Brandy J. and Nikki Raquel Perryman. The property is appraised at $412,850.
The amount paid for property taxes on this property in 2018 was $9,594.17, 2.32% of the appraised value of the home.
This home last sold on Aug. 30, 2019.
In June 2021, 353 properties sold in Dallas.
According to the Texas Secretary of State, there were four registered voters residing at 4109 Flintridge Drive, Dallas as of Oct. 10, 2020: Timothy Donald Duncan, 31, Tawnya Patton Castro, 63, Lisa Lynn Patton, 59, and Madison Georgeann Duncan, 31.
This story was found on BlockShopper.com.


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As we approach the 10th anniversary of Britain’s involvement in Afghanistan there is confusion why we are there and whether things could have been done differently. There has been too much focus in the media on the military side and little showing the perspective of women or Afghans.
I spent six years in Afghanistan. I worked for the UN in Kandahar under the Taliban regime a year before September 11, when Osama bin Laden lived up the road. Our office staff, educated Afghan engineers, saw Al Qaeda as foreigners and were fed up with them. Yet they seemed proud of the Taliban. When the regime had a strategically important win against traditional enemy the ethnic Tajik Northern Alliance (who since 2001 the West has helped take power), they celebrated.
They saw the Taliban as bringing stability. They hoped they would take the country from the Northern Alliance, ending the civil war. I’d judged things through Western news reports demonising the Taliban for the way they treated women. I also failed to understand the many divisions within Afghan society: fissures between urban and rural Afghans; those who had supported the communist governments and those who fought them; those desiring a Western-style nation state and those preferring faces they knew, often charismatic tribal leaders.
Lucy worked for the UN in Kandahar under the Taliban regime a year before September 11
Thirty years of war has added complexity, with parts of the ancient tribal system targeted by those who benefit from chaos and war and strongmen supported by outside countries seeking to consolidate power in the regions. The West has thrown itself into the midst of this since 2001, assuming that holding elections, even in the absence of law and order, would bring democracy and stability.
The British were too willing to blindly follow a US policy of simply backing one side against another (Northern Alliance against Taliban) in the civil war.
So instead of a process of justice and accountability for abuses, we made Northern Alliance strongmen (who Afghan women told me committed terrible crimes against them in the early Nineties) our allies in the so-called war on terror. This is the opposite of the Balkans conflict where infamous strongmen were brought to justice. We chose short- termism and lost the chance to build a just and stable state.
So today, the interests of the Afghan government, with representatives of these strongmen or their proxies, aren’t those of the international community. Instability means aid so they’ve little interest in peace and sharing power with the Taliban. It’s said aid has been invested by Afghan ministers in Dubai villas. The Kabul bank, with huge debts from bad loans to strongmen partners, has been split with £545m losses.
UNFORTUNATELY the West lost its best chance to eject the Taliban and bring stability to Afghanistan when it failed to understand the potential offered in 2001 by Abdul Haq. A famed Pashtun commander in the Soviet war, he made a plan with the former king, senior Taliban and tribal leaders.
I spent years researching the intelligence failures here, trying to understand why Haq would go into Afghanistan on a mission, only to be killed by the Taliban. In my book Haq’s mission is set as a cameo against my own experience of the first five years of war. By the end of the book I show why Haq risked what some called an “impulsive” mission.
I don’t believe the West should abandon Afghanistan as we did after the Soviets left. But we must de-escalate our military effort, have a peace process that includes the Taliban, engage with Afghan civil society groups rather than a narrow range of government representatives and strongmen and work with tribal structures.
It won’t be easy. The West is seen as having sided with a corrupt government losing us the goodwill there after 9/11. But for the sake of the British and Afghan men and women killed and for the Afghans who continue to suffer the West must get it right. Because until now we have failed.
Lucy Morgan Edwards is a former political adviser to the EU ambassador in Kabul. Her book, The Afghan Solution, an indictment of the intelligence and strategic failures by the West in Afghanistan, is published next month by Bactria Press.

domain: sociology


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Following a successful partnership on Fargo, FX and MGM Television are developing a limited series based on Stephen King‘s classic horror novel Carrie, Collider has exclusively learned.
Though it’s still very early in the development process and there’s no script yet, sources say that this time around, telekinetic teen Carrie White will likely be played by either a trans performer or an actress of color rather than a cis white woman, as in past adaptations. FX declined to comment, while a representative for MGM TV did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
What are your thoughts on this? Do we need yet another adaptation of Carrie?

domain: artistic


text: The doldrums of a miserable February are lightened by our friends at Rouleur and their welcome work as we wait for March 8 and Paris-Nice to arrive. And while we wait, the best way to enjoy 2010 is to go backwards and look at 2009. The Rouleur Photography Annual 2009 has appeared. Once again, the art of seeing and the art of cycling brought to you by Rouleur. Read on!


Hall of Fame legend, Lynyrd Skynyrd, live at the Reno Events Center!
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Renowned jeans label Edwin has been at the forefront of denim craftsmanship since it was established in 1947 by Japanese denim obsessive Mr Tsunemi. At the time, denim wasn't manufactured in Japan, so Mr Tsunemi got to work cutting and sewing his own jeans using denim imported from the United States. He rearranged the letters of the word 'denim' and so Edwin was born.
Fast forward all these decades later, and it's safe to say that Edwin has revolutionised the entire denim industry. After creating its own washing technology, the brand went on to develop a series of denim washes over the years – from 'Old Wash' – used to replicate a worn-in feel – to the iconic method of stone washing, which permeated fashion circles in the '80s and continues to do so.
The spirit of innovation and progressiveness upon which Edwin was founded remains at the heart of the brand today: It looks to counter-cultural references within music, art and skate culture to inform a unique creative vision. Fusing its Japanese background, craftsmanship and expertise with a contemporary European flavour and attitude, it produces high quality denim jeans that span a multitude of finishes and fits – from washed to raw, loose fitting to tapered. Beyond denim, expect all manner of casual, streetwear-inspired staples like minimalist sweatshirts and plaid shirts.
Now that you've been introduced to Edwin, find your perfect fit with our ultimate guide to Edwin sizing.
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domain: design


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Creative Ideas – DIY Pumpkin Bread Rolls with Cinnamon Butter
I love homemade bread because I like the fresh smell when the hot bread is just taken out of the oven. It’s so soft and tasty! Since Halloween is coming, it is a good time to start thinking about bread recipes shaped like pumpkins. These pumpkin bread rolls with cinnamon butter look so delicious and totally festive with their adorable pumpkin shapes. They are quick and easy to prepare. They will be the spotlight of your Halloween party!
Check out the recipe and instructions in the following link…
Handle the Heat – Pumpkin Bread Rolls with Cinnamon Butter Recipe

domain: food


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Six years ago today, I gussied up myself in a rented tuxedo and secreted myself away in the back of a downtown cathedral to hear some friends sing beautiful music for our wedding. As the organist wound up the intro for us to go in, I paired up with my best man, J. and followed the priest (a die hard Cubs fan) down the aisle. I turned at the altar and saw my mother and godmother standing with my grandmothers, and my father was on the aisle. I hugged my father just as the huge doors opened to reveal the most beautiful bride in the world. As she and and her father walked arm in arm, smiling and crying together, tears welled up in my eyes. The cathedral was full with friends and family. The flowers were extra bright colors and the music swelled to nearly raise the gilt-starred ceiling.
Every single moment since that hour six years ago has been utter bliss. Nobody understands when I tell them how wonderful my life has been since I met my wife. I couldn’t possibly be that happy; that “in love” with one person…and never think twice. She puts an absolute smile on my face every time I think of her and I can think of no other person I would want to spend eternity with. She understands me, even when she groans and rolls her eyes at my dumb jokes. She is a great sounding board and I, in turn, have become a great listener as well. We share politics, even when we don’t necessarily agree. She is the ideal mate and my bestest girl. I can’t imagine my existence without her and I hope and pray for many, many more anniversaries to come. I’m just thrilled she’s been able to put up with me for this long.
See you in the funny papers!
P.S. Check out the movie reviews for the latest viewings.


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Whatsapp is the free mobile chatting and sharing application, so with using this app we can chat and sharing multimedia’s to other whatsapp users without to pay this is only for internet connection requirement.Also, please read the Know Issues section below AND search through the thread for previous posts about your issue before posting. To make the APK install-able on any device, I have to modify it. Signing it with my own key causes Google Play Services to force close the app (as it can see it has been modified), so I have to disable the link. I gave it permissions and changed it to the default app. When I call someone, the previous dialler also dials at the same time. See if you can remove system permissions of Stock Phone app if it has them enabled.This means these features cannot work on a modified APK. I gave it permissions and changed it to the default app. When I call someone, the previous dialler also dials at the same time. My Devices: Motorola Atrix 4G, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, 10.1v, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, T-Mobile, Wind, Mobilicity, Videotron Samsung Galaxy S III, T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 5, T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 4, T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Originally Posted by Suyashbansal Thanks for the APK! I can see 2 notifications of an ongoing call in the notifications and I can switch between either one of the dialer from multitasking. Also enable viewing of system apps and look for In Call UI and try to disable that (if you can't, then remove its system permissions).This is an alphabetical list by town of phone dialing codes in Croatia. Croatia received a new country code following the breakup of the SFR Yugoslavia in 1991.The international call prefix depends on the country you are calling from, e.g.
Allows the app to access the phone features of the device.


Construction of corvettes will allow to renew military shipbuilding in Ukraine, the director general of the State joint-stock holding company "Black Sea Shipbuilding Plant" Dmitry Mordovenko and the chairman of trade-union committee of plant consider. They declared it in the letter to the President of Ukraine, the Prime minister - to the minister of Ukraine, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Chairman of the board of national security and defense of Ukraine, the deputy. Minister of Defence of Ukraine.
The labor collective and plant administration in the letter also thanked for trust and a choice of the Black Sea shipbuilding plant the performer of the state defensive order on construction of the ships of the class "corvette" for Armed forces of Ukraine.
"We understand high responsibility of our labor collective for implementation of this important order for the state", - is spoken in the letter which was sent today, on December 11.
As reports a press - service GAHK "ChSZ", the labor collective expressed gratitude for restoration of century traditions of the Nikolaev ship edge.
We will remind that the contest committee of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine officially declared State joint-stock holding company "Black Sea Shipbuilding Plant" winner of competition at the choice of the performer of the state defensive order - construction of the ships of the class "corvette".


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Our team studied on 45571 reviews available online for Recurve Bow String, chose the finest ones and prepared Recurve Bow String Reviews for you. It was very difficult to shortlist the ideal Recurve Bow String from thousands of products online. However, We tried to make sure that you get only the Best Recurve Bow String from our suggestions. Check our listings-:
|1||Legend - Recurve Bow String - Traditional Bow String - Dacron Bow String Replacement - Recurve Bow Accessories - Archery Equipment for Recurve Bow - Bowstring AMO 48in to 66in - 12-14-16 Strands||9.8||Buy On Amazon|
|2||Archery Recurve Bow Stringer Tool - Limbsaver String tool for Recurve bow Longbow accessories||9.6||Buy On Amazon|
|3||Archery Nocking Points Pliers Strings Knock Set T Shape Bow Square Ruler Nocking Buckle Pliers Recurve Bow Turning Kit Archery for Recurve Bow Takedown Bow(Black)||9.4||Buy On Amazon|
|4||Standing Wolf Ultimate Bow String Silencer 4 Piece Combo Pack - Traditional Style Archery String Silencers for Recurve Bow - Arrow Rest for Archery - Recurve Bow Strike Plate||9.2||Buy On Amazon|
|5||EOUS Amo 62 Recurve Bow String Replacement Actual 58 inch - 16 Strands B50 Dacron||9||Buy On Amazon|
|6||2 PCS Bow String Silencer Archery String Dampeners Crossbow Recurve Compound Bow Accessories||8.6||Buy On Amazon|
|7||KESHES Dacron Bow String Replacement for Traditional and Recurve Bow - Replacement Bowstring 12||8.4||Buy On Amazon|
|8||Zonon Bow String Nocking Points Pliers Strings Knock Set T Shape Bow Square Ruler Nocking Buckle Pliers Recurve Bow Turning Kit Archery (Dark Blue)||8.4||Buy On Amazon|
|9||Standing Wolf Navajo Wool Bow String Silencers - Traditional Style Archery Recurve String Silencer - Noise Dampeners for Archery - One Pair Per Package||8.2||Buy On Amazon|
|10||EOUS Bow String Finger Savers Archery Finger Guard Recurve Bow Finger Saver Longbow String Fingers Roller Silicone||8.2||Buy On Amazon|
10 Best Recurve Bow String Reviews - Top Rated
In this article we've included our suggestions for the Recurve Bow String after analyzing 45571 reviews.
1. Legend – Recurve Bow String - Traditional Bow String - Dacron Bow String Replacement - Recurve Bow Accessories - Archery Equipment for Recurve Bow - Bowstring AMO 48in to 66in - 12-14-16 Strands
- BREAKTHROUGH MATERIAL – B-55 bowstrings are the industry leading strings trusted by professionals, athletes and hunters who need a great shot every time.
- SMOOTHER SHOT – Enjoy the smoother shot from strings built to last.
- CUSTOMIZE – Choose 12, 14 or 16 strands based on your archery goals and needs.
- QUICK ENDLESS LOOP INSTALL – The end of each loop is braided for added durability and can quickly and easily insert your new strings right onto your bow.
- 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE – Here at Propel we care about our customers and giving them top quality archery equipment and accessories.
2. Archery Recurve Bow Stringer Tool – Limbsaver String tool for Recurve bow Longbow accessories
- SIMPLE-EASY-QUICK – Stringing your Dacron string with your Keshes stringer tool, will have you assemble your string to your bow effortlessly, painlessly and in no time at all! Designed to string and unstring all recurve or traditional bows.
- ENSURE 100% SAFETY – A Stringer Tool is required to properly and safely string & assemble your takedown recurve bow and prevent damage to the bow or yourself.
- WHAT MAKES KESHES STRINGER TOOL ABOVE THE REST? Keshes stringer tool pulls from tip to tip which makes stringing your bow with less effort exerted, unlike the others who use a limb leverage point.
- Designed for Recurve, Traditional and Long Bows
- 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED – If you are not 100% satisfied with KESHES stringer tool for your recurve bow we will refund you 100% of your order, although we are confident that you will love it.
3. Archery Nocking Points Pliers Strings Knock Set T Shape Bow Square Ruler Nocking Buckle Pliers Recurve Bow Turning Kit Archery for Recurve Bow Takedown Bow(Black)
- QUALITY MATERIAL:Bow scale is made of aluminum alloy, bowstring nocking point are made of brass,the nocking plier adopts rubber and metal material.
- EASY TO USE: Nocking buckle plier,easily install all sizes of nocking points and retainer clips without damaging your bowstring,steel construction with comfort grip handles,small and light weight,design is simple to use.
- PORTABLE TO CARRY:High quality and lightweight design,easy to carry and use.
- PRACTICAL DESIGN:Designed with measurement units and a spring, the T square attaches to string above and below the nocking point, the plier head is not easy to be deformed or misaligned; The internal gasket design of the copper buckle can protect the bow string from being strained.
- BOW TURNING KIT ARCHERY: Archery nocking buckle plier, T shape bow square, Bowstring nock points, Plastic Archery Recurve Bow Arrow Rests .
4. Standing Wolf Ultimate Bow String Silencer 4 Piece Combo Pack - Traditional Style Archery String Silencers for Recurve Bow - Arrow Rest for Archery - Recurve Bow Strike Plate
- Perfect for Recurve and long bows that are going to be regularly exposed to the elements
- Traditional recurve arrow rest has excellent vibration absorption and resistance to abrasion and wear.
- Kodiak oil tanned leather strike plate is tough, rugged and durable
- Handmade from tanned Canadian beaver hide, making it naturally water re
- Easy installation instructions included to make setup a breeze
5. EOUS Amo 62 Recurve Bow String Replacement Actual 58 inch – 16 Strands B50 Dacron
- 16 strands replacement Bowstring for longbow horsebow recurve and traditional bow
- Material: Durable B-50 Dacron.Color: black
- Length: 62″ AMO Length (4″ Longer than Actual Length of Bow String).
- End Type: Well Served Endless Loop Type
- Package Including: 1 pc Bow String and 1 set Finger Saver
6. 2 PCS Bow String Silencer Archery String Dampeners Crossbow Recurve Compound Bow Accessories
- Item Name: Bow String Silencers, an archery activity accessory
- Designed to reduce vibration and noise, protect your bow string
- lightweight and Durable, easy to use and tie on.
- Can be used for all kind of bows string.
- Package include: 2 pairs bow string silencers.
7. KESHES Dacron Bow String Replacement for Traditional and Recurve Bow – Replacement Bowstring 12
- B-55 DACRON STRING – is the newest version of Dacron bow strings.
- LENGTH SIZE AND STRANDS AMOUNT – when selecting your desired string length, keep in mind that the AMO” is the length of your BOW.
- ENDLESS LOOP TYPE – The ends are already made into loops style, so you can simply insert it in your bow right away.
- 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED – If you are not 100% satisfied with KESHES bow string we will refund you 100% of your order, although we are confident that you will love it.
- GET IT FREE – we are constantly looking, for ways to benefit our customers.
8. Zonon Bow String Nocking Points Pliers Strings Knock Set T Shape Bow Square Ruler Nocking Buckle Pliers Recurve Bow Turning Kit Archery (Dark Blue)
- Package includes: 1 x archery nocking buckle plier, 6 x bowstring nock sets archery, 1 x T shape bow square, easily install all sizes of nocking points and retainer clips without damaging your bowstring.
- Good material: the inner layer is antiskid nylon, it can protect the bow string well
- Portable: knocking plier with comfortable grip coated handles, fits into your quiver pouch or bow case.
- Practical design: T square attaches to string above and below the nocking point
- Easy to use: small and light weight design is simple to use
9. Standing Wolf Navajo Wool Bow String Silencers - Traditional Style Archery Recurve String Silencer - Noise Dampeners for Archery - One Pair Per Package
- Perfect for compound, long, and recurve bows, giving it that “traditional” look
- Each string silencer is handmade from 100% Navajo Churro wool making it naturally water repellent in harsh conditions.
- Easy installation instructions included to make setup a breeze
- Wool harvested and spun from a small cottage mill in Elizabeth, Colorado
- One pair of string silencers per package
10. EOUS Bow String Finger Savers Archery Finger Guard Recurve Bow Finger Saver Longbow String Fingers Roller Silicone
- Material: Soft Silicone, protect your finger away from the bow string abrasion or hurts.
- Contoured design to prevent slip.
- Finger guard and nocking points 2 in 1 function, allows finger release without a glove or tab.
- Including Needle Tool, install directly on the bowstring easily.
- Length: 0.9 inch (1 Finger), 1.8 inch (2 Finger)
Recurve Bow String Buying GuideDoes the thought of finding a great Recurve Bow String stress you out? Has your mind been juggling between choices when it comes to buying Recurve Bow String in general, specifically regarding which model to choose?If that’s the case, know that you’re not alone. Many people find it tough to buy the perfect Recurve Bow String for themselves. We understand the stress associated with the buying process!Since you’re here, you are obviously curious about Recurve Bow String Reviews. You’ve been bombarded with information, so you need to find a reputable source with credible options before you make any decisions on which product would be best for your needs.There are many sources that’ll provide you with that information- buying guides or ratings websites, word-of-mouth testimonials from friends or family members, online forums where users share their personal experiences, product reviews specifically found all over the internet and YouTube channels. Only thorough research will ensure that you get the right product.But that’s not always easy, right? That's why we've taken time to compile a list of the best Recurve Bow String in today's market, on your behalf, so that there will be no more worries for you.How did we come up with the list, you ask? How did we create this buying guide?
- First, our algorithms collected as much information available about these products from trusted sources.
- We employed both Artificial Intelligence and large data volume to validate all collected information.
- Then our AI ranked them on their quality-to-price ratio using industry-standard criteria that let us pick the best Recurve Bow String currently on the market!
- Brand Value: What happens when you go for a not-so-reputable brand just because the price seems cheap? Well, the chance of getting a short-lasting product goes higher. That’s because the renowned brands have a reputation to maintain, others don’t.
- Features: You don’t need heaps of features, but useful ones. We look at the features that matter and choose the top Recurve Bow String based on that.
- Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products of higher specifications, but with the right balance.
- Customer Ratings: The hundreds of customers using the Recurve Bow String before you won’t say wrong, would they? Better ratings mean better service experienced by a good number of people.
- Customer Reviews: Like ratings, customer reviews give you actual and trustworthy information, coming from real-world consumers about the Recurve Bow String they used.
- Seller Rank: Now, this is interesting! You don’t just need a good Recurve Bow String, you need a product that is trendy and growing in sales. It serves two objectives. Firstly, the growing number of users indicates the product is good. Secondly, the manufacturers will hopefully provide better quality and after-sales service because of that growing number.
- Value For The Money: They say you get what you pay for. Cheap isn’t always good. But that doesn’t mean splashing tons of money on a flashy but underserving product is good either. We try to measure how much value for the money you can get from your Recurve Bow String before putting them on the list.
- Durability: Durability and reliability go hand to hand. A robust and durable Recurve Bow String will serve you for months and years to come.
- Availability: Products come and go, new products take the place of the old ones. Probably some new features were added, some necessary modifications were done. What’s the point of using a supposedly good Recurve Bow String if that’s no longer continued by the manufacturer? We try to feature products that are up-to-date and sold by at least one reliable seller, if not several.
- Negative Ratings: Yes, we take that into consideration too! When we pick the top rated Recurve Bow String on the market, the products that got mostly negative ratings get filtered and discarded.

domain: hobby


text:
- What does Medicaid pay for ambulance?
- Does an ambulance have to take you to the closest hospital?
- Why is ambulance so expensive?
- How can I get my medical bill reduced?
- How much does Medicaid pay for non emergency medical transportation?
- Does LYFT do medical transportation?
- How do I get Medicare to pay for ambulance?
- Does Medicare pay for medical transportation?
- Can you negotiate ambulance bill?
- How much will a hospital discount a bill?
- How do Ambulances bill you?
- Do health care card holders get free ambulance?
What does Medicaid pay for ambulance?
Medicaid covers Emergency Ambulance services when provided by providers licensed by the state.
The patient must be transported in an appropriate vehicle that has been inspected and issued a permit by the state..
Does an ambulance have to take you to the closest hospital?
The EMS or the city ambulances take patients to the nearest hospital within a 10-minute radius from their location of pick up. Private ambulances will take patients to any hospital of their choice. All hospitals are obligated to accept walk-in patients from both public and private ambulances.
Why is ambulance so expensive?
Why Are Ambulance Services So Expensive? … People who receive ambulance transportation pay not only for the services they receive but also for what it costs for ambulances to be readily available in the service area, in addition to the cost of training people who provide medical services in the vehicle.
How can I get my medical bill reduced?
Reducing your medical bills or restructuring your payment schedule can be fairly simple if you’re willing to take an active approach.Negotiate With Your Doctor’s Office. You can often get a discount on services simply by asking. … Create a Payment Plan. … Talk to Your Insurance Company. … Establish a Health Savings Account.
How much does Medicaid pay for non emergency medical transportation?
Non-Emergency Medical Transportation RatesTypes of ChargeWeekday Business HoursWeekends & Off HoursAmbulatory – Base Rate$25 – $30$30 – $40Wheelchair – Base Rate$45 – $50$75 – $90Stretcher – Base Rate$100 – $200$125 – $225Additional Mileage Fees$3 – $5 per mile$5 – $7 per mile2 more rows•Oct 11, 2018
Does LYFT do medical transportation?
At Lyft, we’re constantly working to ensure access to transportation doesn’t stand in the way of people getting the healthcare they need. … For patients, this means Lyft will now be a covered transportation option to get eligible patients to and from medical appointments.
How do I get Medicare to pay for ambulance?
Medicare Part B will cover ambulance services when it’s deemed medically necessary, and when an alternate means of transportation could be hazardous to your health. For example, if you’re in shock, unresponsive, or bleeding heavily, Medicare will generally pay to transport you by ambulance.
Does Medicare pay for medical transportation?
Transportation to doctor appointments is not generally covered by Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). … Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) generally does not cover transportation to get routine health care. However, it may cover non-emergency ambulance transportation to and from a health-care provider.
Can you negotiate ambulance bill?
(United Healthcare says, “We encourage people to first call their insurance company if they are balance billed so they can help determine what additional payment, if any, is owed.”) Call the ambulance service’s billing department. … Ask a consumer advocacy group to help you negotiate the bill down.
How much will a hospital discount a bill?
“Sometimes doctor offices, hospitals, labs and other medical facilities will offer a discount if you pay your portion of the bill in full,” said Shanda Sullivan, CFP® and founder of Sullivan Financial Strategies. “I myself and a client have saved 5% to 10% off of our medical bills. It never hurts to ask.”
How do Ambulances bill you?
According to the Ambulance Service of NSW, ambulance fees are based on a call-out charge plus a per-kilometre charge. Kilometres are based on the round trip between the ambulance station, pick-up address, destination and return to the ambulance station, according to the Ambulance NSW website.
Do health care card holders get free ambulance?
Ambulance Cover in NSW If you live in New South Wales and are the holder of a Health Care Concession Card, Pensioner Concession Card, or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, you’re entitled to free ambulance services3.

domain: finance


text:
Portuguese GEW focuses on creative industries
Mark Marich (GEW global)
Nov 16, 2012
Its opening session being held at the ISCTE Business School this Monday, GEW Portugal welcomed Secretary of State of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Carlos Oliveira at this high-ranking university of economics and management sciences.
The flagship event of the country this year is undoubtedly the "Silicon Valley Comes to Lisbon" conference which runs for two days and brings several master classes, workshops, networking sessions and panel discussions to the Portuguese capital. Prominent entrepreneurs straight from the Valley visit Lisbon to share their knowledge and experience with the locals.
With a clear focus on promoting intercultural and intellectual sharing and networking of people from diverse backgrounds - academics, students, entrepreneurs and businessmen, SV2Lx returned this year to surmount its grandiose success from 2011.
Kicked off by an invite-only session with on November 15, the following day’s public conference focused on critical topics as the biotech industry, accelerating ideas, financing start-ups, innovation centers, the Portuguese Diaspora, internationalization and spin-off companies.
Prior to SV2Lx several sessions had been organized to promote the main conference, such as University Sessions, where students outside of Lisbon attended moderated debates at their own campuses; movie screenings sessions on entrepreneurial and innovation themes; a live concert of Frankie Chavez as part of a music record crowd funding project.
At the time of writing this post SV2Lx attendees probably listen to the last speakers (one of whom is Minister of Economy, Alvaro Santos Pereira) and prepare themselves for the GEW final party at LXFactory, aimed to flourish informal networking between members of the Portuguese Entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Other major events during GEW included the Lisbon edition of Seedcamp which served as the qualifying session to the European Seedcamp UK, and a Startup Weekend.
This post is a guest contribution from Daniel Szabo, a young Hungarian entrepreneur working out of the GEW Global offices in Washington, DC. Daniel is a graduate student of the Corvinus University of Budapest. He works with future startup generations in Hungary through the Kairos Society and the Young Entrepreneurs Association (FIVOSZ), globally through the One Young World network.

domain: news


text:
BELOIT -- Crestwood quarterback Gabe Surgeon passed for four touchdowns and ran for another as the Red Devils handed the West Branch Warriors a 49-26 loss in the season opener for both squads at West Branch's Clinton Heacock Stadium Friday night.
The Red Devils (1-0) scored on their first possession of the game, with a 12-play 60-yard drive, capped by a 2 yard run by Jared Bailey at the 7:16 mark of the first quarter. The PAT kick was blocked and Crestwood held a 6-0 lead.
The Warriors took over on their own 36 yard line after the Crestwood kickoff. On that possession, the Red Devils repeatedly stuffed the Warriors' ground game, but key receptions by Kip DeShields and Bryce Butcher moved the chains for the Warriors.
The Warriors tied the game on a 1-yard plunge by Justin Stowe with 1:44 remaining in the first quarter and Matt Manley split the uprights to give the Warriors a 7-6 lead.
The Red Devils regained the lead on the first play of the second quarter. Surgeon hit Logan Thut with a 22-yard scoring strike. The Red Devils went for the two-point conversion and Surgeon ran it in for a 14-7 Crestwood lead.
The Warriors turned the ball over on downs on their next possession and the Crestwood offense went back to work.
The Red Devils took advantage of poor tackling by the Warriors and ground over 8:00 off of the clock before Surgeon hit Jordan Fabry for a 9-yard touchdown rececpttion. Tyler Reese's PAT gave Crestwood a 21-7 halftime lead.
The Warriors' offense was ineffective on their first two possessions of the second half, going 3 and out and netting minus 10 yards on 6 plays.
Crestwood added another score on its first possession of the third quarter with Surgeon and Fabry hooking up again, this time from 36 yards out. Reese's PAT made the score 28-7.
The Warriors finally got on the board with a 55-yard run by running back Rob Lozier on the first play after the kickoff.
Lozier's score breathed life in the Warriors as they stopped the Crestwood offense for the first time as DeShields batted down a fourth-down pass by Surgeon.
After turning the ball back over to Crestwood, the Warriors were once again victim to the big play as Surgeon hit Thut on a 50-yard scoring strike with 8:04 remaining in the game to take a 35-14 lead.
The Warriors were able to find paydirt two more times in the final stanza. Quarterback Corey Snyder threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to DeShields and a 4-yard scoring strike to Logan Nagy.
The Red Devils answered with touchdown runs by Surgeon and A.J. Foulkes to post the 49-26 win.

domain: sports


PROSPECT – A homeowner with property assessed at $200,000 can expect to pay $136 more in taxes next year.
The tax rate has been set at 29.91 mills for the 2016-17 fiscal year, an increase of 0.68 mills over the 2015-16 fiscal year.
A mill equals $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value. Property is assessed at 70 percent of its fair market value.
The owner of a property assessed at $200,000 will have to pay $5,982 in taxes next year.
In April, voters unanimously passed a budget with a 6 percent increase. The $8.28 million 2016-17 budget is a $474,000 increase over the current year.
Although the Region 16 school district’s $40.5 million budget is flat, Prospect will pick up a greater share of the cost next year, according to Mayor Robert J. Chatfield. Prospect’s $22.9 million share of the school budget is an increase of about $500,000, he said.
Losses in other sources of revenue also accounted for some of the increase in tax rates.
Because Tax Collector Diane M. Lauber did an “excellent job” in previous years collecting back taxes, there is only $500 left to collect in back taxes next year, Chatfield said. So far this year, she collected $14,000 in back taxes. In 2014-15, Lauber collected $171,431 in back taxes.
The town will also take a $71,000 hit on educational cost sharing funds from the state next year, Chatfield said.
Prospect will also lose $1,900 in payment on a state-owned group home on Tress Road and $9,000 in funds from Pequot gambling money.
The town is, however, expecting $197,000 in additional revenue from the state’s new Municipal Revenue Sharing Account for sales tax, while it loses nearly $71,000 from the old revenue sharing system.
Lauber said she expects to mail out tax bills June 30.


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The Batman’s director and writer, Matt Reeves has said his movie is “almost a horror movie” which I love the sound of.
He revealed this during a recent interview with Movie Maker Magazine and it’s exactly what I was hoping to hear.
Here’s what Reeves had to say about his upcoming Batman film:
This idea of a place that is corrupt, and you try to swim against the tide in order to fight against it and make a difference, is quintessential Batman. And at the center of those noir stories is almost always the detective, right? And that’s why he is the world’s greatest detective. And so this story is, in addition to being almost a horror movie, and a thriller, and an action movie, at its core, it’s also very much a detective story.
The Batman film should be a horror movie
Reeves also went on to confirm that Paul Dano’s Riddler is largely inspired by the infamous Zodiac Killer:
The premise of the movie is that the Riddler is kind of molded in an almost Zodiac Killer sort of mode, and is killing very prominent figures in Gotham, and they are the pillars of society. These are supposedly legitimate figures. It begins with the mayor, and then it escalates from there
Reeves then continued:
And in the wake of the murders, he reveals the ways in which these people were not everything they said they were, and you start to realize there’s some kind of association. And so just like Woodward and Bernstein, you’ve got Gordon and Batman trying to follow the clues to try and make sense of this thing in a classic kind-of-detective story way.
What do you make of this news?
Are you looking forward to seeing The Batman movie in cinemas?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.


German melodeath sextet Emergency Gate is a band that you
will either think is really great, or just another melodeath clone band. I tend
to lean toward the latter.
On "The Nemesis Construct," their fourth album, the band
takes the form of a slightly thrashier In Flames. But the Swede's influence on
Emergency Gate is glaringly obvious. But for a German outfit, Emergency Gate
display a touch of the Gothenburg sound or a Scandinavian influence. Their use
of keyboards are present, but they're only there to accentuate the music and
isn't as dominant as Children Of Bodom or Dark Tranquillity.
Ex-Suidakra singer Matthias Kupka's vocals are a mix of
aggressive and clean parts. He let's loose some good screams. Before Kupka's
arrival, the band's sound was more power metal with thrash/punk influences. The
band do create some tight riffs along with adequate keyboard accents and
samples. The melodic hooks are pretty catchy. The choruses are where the In
Flames influences come in.
I think Emergency Gate's earlier releases showed more
diversity and originality, before they changed to the melodeath style. For me,
nothing makes me want to keep playing the CD over again. By mid-point through
the album, I had already heard it all before. If you like later-era In Flames,
then Emergency Gate just might be for you.


text:
The Director-General of the International Labour Organisation, Mr. Francis Blanchard, has paid his first visit?
CU M. Blanchard out of car and into presidential residence
CU Mauritanian minister seated
CU PAN M. Blanchard talking to President Ould Daddah (22 shots)
SV President and Blanchard emerging from building and talking
Initials BJB/2225 BJB/2235
Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
Background: The Director-General of the International Labour Organisation, Mr. Francis Blanchard, has paid his first visit to Mauritania in his official capacity.
Mr. Blanchard arrived in the capital, Nouakchott, last Monday (21 April) for a visit of three days.
He told newsmen upon his arrival that his visit was part of a programme to strengthen ties between members of the United Nations-sponsored organisation.
Mr. Blanchard was welcomed to Nouakchott by the Mauritanian Head of State Me Moktar Ould Daddah.
He said he wanted to meet President Daddah because of the Mauritanian leader's devotion to labour organisations.


This week we have quite a few new Country artists hoping to make their way on the Country Music Radio charts as well as follow-up hits. Here’s what you should be listening for on your radio and can start requesting!
Gwen Sebastian – Annie’s New Gun (feat. Miranda Lambert)
Bang, BANG! This hot new song from former Voice contestant will leave fans requesting like crazy. It doesn’t hurt that Gwen’s friend Miranda Lambert joins the newcomer on vocals. #CMchat has always been supportive of Gwen’s career and hopefully this will boost her in the eyes of country fans. Check out the #CMchat Twitterview wrap up from the last time we have Gwen on Country Music Chat.
Cassadee Pope – I Wish I Could Break Your Heart
Another former Voice contestant goes for adds. This song is the follow-up to platinum selling ‘Wasting All These Tears’. It’s no wonder that Cassadee Pope won the competition as you listen to the vocals on the track. I wouldn’t be surprised if this single has just as much success as the debut.
Austin Webb – Raise ‘Em Up
With his last single just reaching Top 40, Austin returns with a more light hearted single. We are quickly approaching the summer days and ‘Raise ‘Em Up’ will likely be on more than one or two summer playlists. We’ve supported Austin as he searched for initial radio adds – let’s hope he can break top 20 with this add!
Jon Pardi – What I Can’t Put Down
The song has Jon ‘picking up what [he] can’t put down’. Hoping to get higher than his Top 10 single ‘Up All Night’, this song has Jon going full throttle. The Pardi Animals are bound to request the hell out of this rockin’ song. He stopped by for a CMchat Twitterview earlier this year.
Other adds this week:
Clare Dunn – Get Out
Steve Richard – South of Heaven
Jetset Getset – Stronger (Than You Seem)
Rod Richmond – Green Means Go
Follow Scotty Bredin on Twitter
For a complete schedule go to cmchatlive.com/calendar
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let's make a deal
Posted by Dale Buss on November 12, 2012 05:51 PM
First BMW opened its first retail store, in Paris, last spring. And now, the brand is spreading itself around the world with a new licensing strategy that, for the first time, takes its marques outside the dealer channel with new products.
Now bearing the BMW imprimatur and logos are a variety of new licensed product lines that bring the automaker to a new range of lifestyle brand partners, including Maclaren baby strollers (coming in January) with four-wheel suspension and "ergonomic removable seat liner," Aspex sunglasses with 360-degree pivotable hinges, Group III travel accessories included BMW-branded luggage, and Ball Watch watches.
"This is something they've never really done before, but BMW decided that this [program] could really help build impressions and engage the customer," Jeff Lotman, CEO and founder of Los Angeles-based Global Icons, the brand-licensing agency working with BMW, told brandchannel.Continue reading...
chew on this
Posted by Dale Buss on July 9, 2012 01:27 PM
It's hard to resist a brand that has the word "happy" in it. And so Happy Family, a leading organic brand of "superfoods," has earned the title of "Rockstar of the New Economy" from Fast Company magazine and B Lab, a nonprofit that promotes social and environmental responsibility by companies.
There was a lot more that earned the designation for Happy Family, which already was named Inc. magazine's fastest-growing packaged-food company of 2011. In five years, the New York-based company has skyrocketed to $35 million in sales from practically nothing, and CEO Shazi Visram is looking at doubling revenues for the second year in a row in 2012.
Happy Family boasts a big range of products aimed right at the worry spot for American moms: how to get their young children to want to eat healthy snacks. The company's product line ranges from pouches of fruit puree for babies to organic grain-snack "puffs" for toddlers to frozen mac-and-cheese balls and Salmon Stix for grade-schoolers. It's planning an additional 10 new products before the end of the year.Continue reading...
Posted by Dale Buss on March 23, 2012 05:05 PM
Most authors are content to toil away on their work just hoping for commercial success in the conventional sense. Getting a book published would be nice, for instance. But a select few have created not only tomes but also expertise, a niche, a media presence and a brand that they can take to the bank in all sorts of different ways.
J.K. Rowling created that sort of property with the Harry Potter books. And Heidi Murkoff is a virtual best friend to legions of pregnant (especially first-time) moms thanks to the What to Expect When You're Expecting series, whose flagship title is now in its fourth edition.
A movie of the same title is due out on May 18th, starring Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, Matthew Morrison, Anna Kendrick, and Chace Crawford (watch preview clips above and below). And in another extension of the What to Expect brand, mass merchandiser Sam's Club has produced a line of WTE-branded baby products, while Murkoff has signed on to write for every issue of Sam's new bimonthly magazine.Continue reading...
mom's the word
Posted by Sheila Shayon on March 21, 2012 04:24 PM
When most Brits hear the name "Alfie," they think of Michael Caine's skirt-chasing cad in the 1966 movie of the same name (with all due respect to Jude Law's reprisal of the character).
Now there's a new swinging Alfie out of the UK — chatting up his girl/friend Evie, about the benefits of Huggies' "drylock system" which promises to keep a baby's skin dry for up to 12 hours and help prevent leaks. He even has his own Twitter handle — presumably because he's too young to give out a mobile number.Continue reading...
brands under fire
Posted by Abe Sauer on March 1, 2012 01:29 PM
"Contributing Design Editor, The Wall Street Journal. Interior designer. Founder of NettoCollection, ex-Creative Director of Maclaren Nursery by David Netto."
So reads the Twitter bio of acclaimed designer David Netto, the end bit indicating the residual fallout from his bombshell tweet on Feb. 27 announcing that he had "resigned as creative director of maclaren nursery today and am disassociating myself from the company." The abrupt resignation as creative head of the British stroller brand's nursery division came three days after Maclaren US ever so quietly announced it was seeking Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.
Yes, the more-affordable-than-a-Bugaboo stroller brand that also appealed to celeb parents such as Brad and Angie, that The New York Times once compared to swine flu as a "major health threat" for jamming New York's gentrified Brooklyn sidewalks, has quietly filed for Chapter 7 and apparently, forgive the pun, folding. What the hell happened that Netto forcibly ejected himself from the chic crib he had constructed for the British-owned Maclaren?Continue reading...
Posted by Abe Sauer on June 8, 2011 10:00 PM
BabyBjorn, the baby carrier brand everyone loves to paint with the Yuppie label (but which non-Yuppie parents still swear by) has a new brand extension, high chairs.
The sensible new direction results in a new $300 chair that the brand swears is worth the price. Why? Technology, baby!Continue reading...


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Once upon a time I fancied myself a gourmet cook. I put paper booties on my crown roasts and added white truffle oil to my grits. I stuffed every vegetable I could find, thinking it couldn’t possibly taste good on its own.
Mine was a simple case of “cooking to impress” to cover my inherent inadequacies in the kitchen. The sad truth is, my southern mother never taught me to cook because I made such a mess in the kitchen. Still do.
Consequently, I disguised my disability regarding the basics of country cooking, and became a self proclaimed food snob.
I took a course in French cuisine and served highbrow fare like boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin. Looking back, those things were never well received at my Super Bowl parties even when I did them right –
I considered butter beans and cornbread beneath me. I would practice saying “Care for a canapé?” and served dinner (never supper) with little finger bowls, until one day one of my cowboy boot-wearing guests blurted out “What the heck are these for?”
I lifted one eye brow, a learned talent used mostly by pretentious people. As I attempted to explain the function of a finger bowl, I burst out laughing. It dawned on me how ridiculous I looked wearing my black cocktail dress while serving barbequed shrimp on my perfectly appointed table with its starched white linens and polished silver.
Mr. Finger Bowl Man got up, went to the kitchen and brought back a roll of paper towels and a stack of old newspapers.
We cleared off the crystal and linens, kicked off our shoes, and ate the rest of the meal with our fingers. Eating was fun again. I felt like I was finally home after wandering in the wilderness of haute cuisine with names I couldn’t pronounce, much less prepare.
Clearly, I had been led down the garden path of hoity toity food – nice to look at, but scoring few points in my native South. I’m learning to cook all over again and have developed an obsession with Southern culture and the simple, humble food I grew up with.
Hold the designer oils and food wardrobe and bring on the grits and greens. I’ve rediscovered the joys of sweet corn straight from the field and a pot of sweet potatoes cooked for hours with real butter and sugar – the nectar of the Gods. And give me a plate of fried green tomatoes – maybe a little ranch dressing on the side. (My homegrown vine has yet to produce a red tomato because I am compelled to fry ‘em up green.)
Replicating the food my grandmother cooked is my new passion. I’m collecting recipes for traditional Southern fare like pimiento cheese and deviled eggs. I’m dreaming of a pot of black eyed peas-bathed in pot likker and cooked until almost unrecognizable, served up with a scoop of dirty rice.
And forget the yuppified chess pie. I have my grandmother’s recipe and it will become my standard “company” dessert. Incidentally, my research turned up the answer to an ongoing puzzle. Chess pie got its name from Southern slang derived from its basic egg and sugar ingredients. Originally known as “Just Pie,” it morphed to “Jess Pie” and eventually “Chess pie.” Fascinating stuff and it makes total sense.
Lordy, it’s good to be home at last, gratefully delivered from a phony world to which I never really belonged. Now, if someone will kindly teach me how to make a good cream gravy….


Nokia is reportedly set to launch its first proper Windows Phone 8 PureView phone, the Nokia EOS, later this year.
The Nokia Lumia 920 was given the PureView label when it launched as Nokia’s flagship Windows Phone 8 device in 2012. In truth, though, it bore little resemblance to the original Nokia 808 PureView phone (pictured) with its huge image sensor and revolutionary multisampling tricks.
Now The Verge is claiming that Nokia will effectively merge the two devices in 2013 under the codename of the Nokia EOS. As photography buffs will know, EOS (short for Electro-Optical System) is the term Canon uses for its digital SLR cameras.
The Nokia EOS will apparently contain a similar image sensor to that found in the Nokia 808 PureView, which itself was far bigger than your average point and shoot sensor, and was closer to something like the Sony RX100 or the Nikon 1 J1
Completing that high-end compact camera feel, the Nokia EOS will apparently switch to an aluminium body rather than the polycarbonate material Nokia has used in recent years. That there’ll also be a direct Nokia Lumia 920 replacement in the same material signals a new design approach for the Lumia series.
Continuing the design refresh, the Nokia EOS will apparently have square edges.
The report claims that the Nokia EOS will be launched later in the year on US network AT&T, which would likely mean a European release at around the same time.
Is Nokia set to create its best phone yet by combining a class-leading camera combined with a decent OS? Or will the Nokia EOS be too bulky like the Nokia 808 PureView? Let us know through our Twitter and Facebook feeds, or use the comments box below.
Via: The Verge


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It might be about as off an election year as they get come, but San Francisco Props. B and C are generating plenty of heat. Or at least they did when Forum hosted representatives from both sides of the measures. Let's just say host Dave Iverson earned his money that morning, reining in guests and keeping the conversation from devolving into a sophomoric episode of "he said, he said."
At the heart of the propositions is a proposed luxury condominium development along the Embarcadero titled 8 Washington. Lots of issues related to the physical project were covered during the hour-long conversation: height restrictions, the amount of public open space that the development will create, dissatisfaction with the private health club and parking lot that occupy the site now.
But several ideological questions around affordable housing — the issue dominating mastheads and coffee shops across the region — came up during the conversation as well: Who should live in the Bay Area — those who can afford its rising costs or those who are already here? How much should housing cost? What shape should new housing take? Should affordable and low-income housing be built in prime locations, like the waterfront?
That question led Jon Golinger, campaign director for No Wall on the Waterfront, to accuse his opponents of practicing trickle-down economics. Here is the full exchange:
Tim Colen, executive director of the San Francisco Housing Action Coalition, which supports Prop. B:

domain: politics


|Core in version||4.6|
|Core since version||3.0|
glBeginTransformFeedback: start transform feedback operation
void glBeginTransformFeedback(GLenum primitiveMode);
- Specify the output type of the primitives that will be recorded into the buffer objects that are bound for transform feedback.
Transform feedback mode captures the values of varying variables written by the vertex shader (or, if active, the geometry shader). Transform feedback is said to be active after a call to glBeginTransformFeedback until a subsequent call to glEndTransformFeedback. Transform feedback commands must be paired.
If no geometry shader is present, while transform feedback is active the mode parameter to glDrawArrays must match those specified in the following table:
|Transform Feedback primitiveMode||Allowed Render Primitive modes|
|GL_LINES||GL_LINES, GL_LINE_LOOP, GL_LINE_STRIP, GL_LINES_ADJACENCY, GL_LINE_STRIP_ADJACENCY|
|GL_TRIANGLES||GL_TRIANGLES, GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP, GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, GL_TRIANGLES_ADJACENCY, GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP_ADJACENCY|
If a geometry shader is present, the output primitive type from the geometry shader must match those provided in the following table:
|Transform Feedback primitiveMode||Allowed Geometry Shader Output Primitive Type|
Geometry shaders, and the GL_TRIANGLES_ADJACENCY, GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP_ADJACENCY, GL_LINES_ADJACENCY and GL_LINE_STRIP_ADJACENCY primtive modes are available only if the GL version is 3.2 or greater.
GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated if glBeginTransformFeedback is executed while transform feedback is active.
GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated if glEndTransformFeedback is executed while transform feedback is not active.
GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated by glDrawArrays if no geometry shader is present, transform feedback is active and mode is not one of the allowed modes.
GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated by glDrawArrays if a geometry shader is present, transform feedback is active and the output primitive type of the geometry shader does not match the transform feedback primitiveMode.
GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated by glEndTransformFeedback if any binding point used in transform feedback mode does not have a buffer object bound.
GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated by glEndTransformFeedback if no binding points would be used, either because no program object is active of because the active program object has specified no varying variables to record.
Copyright © 2010 Khronos Group. This material may be distributed subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Open Publication License, v 1.0, 8 June 1999. http://opencontent.org/openpub/.


text: Dr. Vikram Chakor is a Dentist in H P T College, Nashik and has an experience of 8 years in this field. Dr. Vikram Chakor practices at Dr.Vikram's Dental Clinic in H P T College, Nashik. He completed BDS from S.M.B.T. Dental College Hospital in 2010. Some of the services provided by the doctor are: Dental Implant Fixing,Crowns and Bridges Fixing, Tooth Extraction,Impaction / Impacted Tooth Extraction and Complete/Partial Dentures Fixing etc.

domain: health


text:
BY LAURA GOLDSTEIN
Swaths of narrow jagged charcoal mountains bisect parched golden sand. A vibrant orange sunset melts into an indigo blue and mauve sky like a watercolour painting gone awry; grey vein-like tributaries branch endlessly into rust-dotted cattle herds. This is the landscape of Namibia, Africa from a small plane as photographed by Canadian philanthropist and clothing designer, Treana Peake. It’s also part of her newest collection, Scarves For Water. Digitally printing the textures captured in those photographs, Peake designed three exquisite modele scarves launched recently by Anthropologie and are sold in their stores and online across North America.
“The scarves are named after three villages in the Namib Desert for which we have already drilled to provide water wells for clean, fresh, water explains Peake, the founder and creative director of the edgy, luxury women’s brand, Obakki . As we tour her new Gastown, Vancouver studio and factory in the midst of shipping the 2015 Spring/ Summer Collection, it’s obvious where her raison d’être lies: Unlike most brands that endorse a charity to be socially conscious, the philanthropic Obakki Foundation actually drives Peak’s fashion collections!
“Design is storytelling,” says a statuesque Peake, 42, “and I need to wrap myself around them by experiencing them first-hand.” For Peake as a child and later, for her own children, the old adage that ‘charity begins at home’ could not be more meaningful.
Those “stories” began when Peake was growing up poor in the small town of Hanna, Alberta and an anonymous donor would leave envelopes containing a cheque and food baskets at their door. (“To this day, I still don’t know who that was,” she admits.) That act of kindness left an indelible mark on Peake, years before she gave any thought to a career in the fashion industry. By 18 she began working with Military Officer Ed Smith, collecting clothes, books and toys then travelling to Romanian orphanages still devastated years later by Ceausescu’s regime.
Astoundingly, Peake is completely self-taught and got into the fashion business launching her first Collection in 2005 as a means to feed her humanitarian work. Married to childhood sweetheart, Nickelback guitarist, Ryan Peake and with two children, 8 and 10, giving back is a family affair: they spent last Christmas at an orphanage in Cameroon.
In 2009 with $500,000 in seed money from Nickelback to create the charitable Obakki Foundation, Peake chose to focus on South Sudan, the poorest country in the world with tribal wars constantly fought over water and access to wells.
Travelling with a small passionate female team from Vancouver and always with a UN representative, it’s an incredibly risky adventure as many villages are deep within conflict zones. “I try not to think about the danger and don’t tell my husband what I really see,” Peake confides down-playing the threat of being caught in any cross-fire there.
“We’ve drilled or rehabilitated 700 wells and built 12 schools in two countries and just as important, we train and empower the local people with jobs,” explains Peake. “I’ve been to Sudan and now Cameroon thirty or forty times and I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to see that people have access to fresh, clean water that we take so much for granted in the West. “It’s the way I give fashion a purpose, ” she says with a huge smile.
Every collection designed by Peake has pieces that are influenced by the colours and rugged textures of Sudan and Cameroon. “The Dinka people are really the last of the nomadic tribes and the largest in South Sudan,” says Peake. For the 2015 Spring/Summer Collection I was inspired by the naturally loose draped frayed sack cloth they wear; the way the women paint their arms in bright orange-red dyes; the striped sand dunes and even their textured mud dung huts.” Several of Peake’s photographs have also been digitally transferred onto T-shirts for Spring.
Obaki’s celebrity clientele includes Kate Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Olivia Cheng, but to the humble Peake, who feels uncomfortable partying in the glam Hollywood scene: “This isn’t a fad or trend for me -100 per cent of net profits go directly to the registered charity. But if stars grab the public’s attention by wearing Obakki and that generates great word-of-mouth, just think of all those wells and schools the Obakki Foundation can build! “


Remember that silly little mouse who use to drive a steamboat while whistling a tune and shaking his rear? Or a Wiley coyote that could never quite catch a roadrunner as he relentlessly ran around the desert? If childhood has served you well, these cartoon characters are familiar memories that you think of when you hear the word “animation.” In the past, animation was used primarily for entertainment purposes, to enliven media with whimsical character depictions and movement never before seen by audiences. Its success can be attributed to the unique sequencing of frames that moved characters in new ways. Those iconic figures are still remembered by people today.
But like every medium, animation’s application has surpassed the cartoon world. Companies have been incorporating animation into their commercials over the last few decades, realizing that audiences cling to active symbols that leave a lasting impression. A recent article notes that animation has helped "brands to not only capture imagination, but also attention," a pursuit that I'm sure all branding specialists seek fervently when promoting their companies. We loose count of how many brands, videos and advertisements we're exposed to on a daily basis, so businesses must ask: "How can I engage my audiences in memorable ways that set us apart?" Memphis' shipping giant FedEx asked this exact question, and this is what they got. Despite the fact that FedEx is not known for their artistic side, they utilized animation to promote a sustainability campaign that communicated their vision in a creative manner. And they're not alone. Coca Cola brought some animated magic to what happens when you order a coke through a vending machine. IBM illustrated its global connectivity through animated watches and trains. And Chipotle won some great awards by animating their commitment to sustainable and humane raising of livestock.


text:
The Youth Collective: For a thriving youth civil society
Youth civil society organisations around the world
The impact of covid-19 on Youth Civil Society
The Youth Collective in action around the world.
Number of organisations
Gazi Organization for Civil Activities seeks to provide the best services to ensure the comfort of citizens
and provide heal
_ عراق _ نينوى - قضاء سنجار حي الزراعي


text:
This Event has now passed
Film: Ran (乱) w/Introduction and discussion
When: 17th of June – 7:30pm
Where: The Star and Shadow Cinema (Directions)
Price: £5/£3.50 (conc) (£1 membership to Star and Shadow required)
The Star and Shadow, as part of their alternative Shakespeare season, presents the master of classic Japanese cinema Akira Kurosawa’s (黒澤) adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, transported to Japan and mixed into the legendary story of Mōri Motonari. The film took Kurosawa over ten years to research and make, Ran was his last epic film and was released in 1985. Don’t miss this rare opotunity to see this visually stunning film on the big screen.
Synopsis (from the Star and Shadow)
The aging Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai in a monumental performance) decrees that his land be divided among his 3 sons (changed from Shakespeare’s three daughters). Blinded by the flattery of the two older sons, he banishes his youngest for speaking the truth.
The remaining heirs, driven by power and greed, shun their father and turn on each other. A broken man, Hidetora descends into madness as he watches the kingdom he had held together for fifty years disintegrate into apocalyptic destruction.


text: Public transit systems have been identified as a critical component to reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation sector to mitigate future climate change impacts. A unique aspect of public transit is its use almost always necessitates environmental exposure and the design of these systems directly influences rider exposure via rider ingress, egress, and waiting. There is a tension between policies and programs which promote transit use to combat climate change and the potential impact an uncertain climate future may have on transit riders. In the American Southwest, extreme heat events, a known public health threat, are projected to increase between 150 and 840% over the next decade, and may be a health hazard for transit riders. There are opportunities to incorporate rider health risks in the overall planning process and develop alternative transit schedules during extreme heat events to minimize these risks. Using Los Angeles Metro as a case studies, we show that existing transit vehicles can be reallocated across the system to significantly reduce exposure for riders who are more vulnerable to heat while maintaining a minimum level of service across the system. As cities continue to invest in public transit it is critical for them to understand transit use as an exposure pathway for riders and to develop strategies to mitigate potential health risks.

domain: literature


Earlier this month, I linked to an article by Gabe Suarez suggesting that the finger off the trigger rule was being taken too far. He began by noting that no situation is black or white, and so no general rule is applicable all of the time, and then explained:
... I am advocating the finger off the trigger as a default position. In other words, unless there is a better place for it, the finger will be indexed along side the frame of the firearm. This is where it would normally be when moving or generally covering a danger area. But when approaching a specific danger point, or challenging or covering a human adversary at gun point (only a fool covers from low ready) the finger should be touching the trigger to reduce your reaction time, and thus increase your safety.
So here we go.
First thing that I did was to contact Shawn Dodson at FirearmsTactical.com. Shawn has a very thorough collection of Dr. Fackler’s work and since his article was one of the reasons I conducted the research I did, I wanted to go over it again to make sure I did not miss anything.
The article in question was written by Dr. Martin Fackler and Ernest J. Tobin. It was titled Officer Decision Time In Firing A Handgun, and appeared in the International Wound Ballistics Association magazine – Wound Ballistics Review. It is a scholarly study on how long it takes the average officer to decide to shoot. They determined that it takes approximately .677 seconds to react and fire a handgun that is already pointed at a threat with the finger out of the triggerguard. That is an additional time of .312 seconds over those whose fingers were already on the trigger. Fackler suggested, quite correctly from my perspective, that it was unsafe to require officer’s fingers to be outside the triggerguard until they had made the decision to shoot.He also dismisses the "startle response"--i.e., inadvertently clenching your hand when surprised:
The startle response is another matter.
When we are startled will our hands clench? Will our trigger fingers automatically and reflexively contract? That has not been my experience. Several times in the old days other officers fired their weapons around me and the shots did in fact startle me, but my hands did not register the sort of reaction the gun gurus say we will have. Two events were notable. One a flash bang thrown into a room hit an obstruction and bounced right back at our feet. Very exciting but no involuntary clenching. Another time an officer fired a shotgun slightly to my right side rear at an approaching pit bull dog. No involuntary anything took place.
Finally, I want to discuss the issue of “interlimb reaction”. This is another thing that inexperienced gun trainers talk about for hours. They heard it somewhere, read it somewhere, and accept is a fact of life. The issue was first presented at an IALEFI conference. You can guess what happened next as gun writers and inexperienced trainers began parroting the theory. The original piece had to do with the human reaction to a sudden loss of balance and not evident anywhere else. It has nothing to do with exertion as a matter of fact. At a recent class we had advanced students hold a Glock 17 on a target, finger on the trigger and slack taken out while they did very rigorous kettle bell snatches with a 24kg KB. No unintentional shots were fired due to so called interlimb reactions.Over at Tactical Sh!t, "Shooter Scope" takes the opposite opinion, writing:
A few years ago, a seasoned shooter and I had a small debate about keeping one’s trigger finger on the trigger when pointing at a “bad guy” or keeping the finger in the index position. The index position, of course, is keeping the trigger finger straight and off the trigger and outside the trigger guard, ideally resting on the frame of the weapon. My stance was to keep the finger off the trigger until I’ve made the conscious decision to shoot. My friend’s position, on the other hand, was to rest the finger on the trigger just in case he had to shoot.
As I recall this shooter held a master or grandmaster rank in the USPSA and IPSC competitive shooting, so he didn’t lack gun handling experience. In fact, with his military and law enforcement background, I was confident he had pointed a gun at people before, although I can’t be sure how often. That said, because of his background, I was totally shocked he would even suggest such a thing as resting his finger on the trigger when pointing at someone he hasn’t decided to shoot.He then dismisses any speed advantage as being negligible:
Time was the biggest factor in the debate. Seriously? It takes a nanosecond to move the finger from the frame of the weapon to the trigger. With the finger on the trigger, it takes about the same fraction of the second to pull the trigger. The difference is almost without comparison. Assuming you’re already pointing the gun center mass, the delay, if any, has to do with the time it takes a shooter to make the decision to shoot; the thought goes from the brain, through the brain stem and to the trigger finger. That’s about the same for both shooters—the one with his finger already staged on the trigger and the one with his finger off the trigger and in the index position. Therefore time, albeit very minimal and almost without comparison anyway, isn’t worth the risk.
When I was training a few years ago with a former Chicago SWAT operator (and IDPA shooting champion) with a heck of a lot of experience pointing guns at people, much more than my aforementioned friend, he said that there were studies that showed that under stress a person will involuntarily tighten both their grip and feet. (He, too, advocated for keeping your finger off the trigger.)
I’ve been unable to find those studies, however, I recall well the time a Las Vegas police officer was pointing at a guy on the ground that her partner was handcuffing and she had an ND. I happened to be watching the news that day. (Note: This was in the days before I had Internet.)
After speaking with an officer who worked at that same department, I learned she later quit. But, in her defense, I believe a lot of the blame—if not most of the blame—could be put on the training program at the police department at that time for not emphasizing that the finger must be straight and off the trigger unless there is a conscious decision to shoot.I haven't read the Fackler paper, but it is significant to me that Saurez cites a specific study on timing, as compared to "Shooter Scope" resorting to hyperbole, essentially offering up his feeling that he is just as fast with the finger on the trigger as outside the trigger. Perhaps he is, since he only trains with his finger off the trigger, and going outside his training would slow him down. But does that apply to the majority of us?
What say you? Fingers always off the trigger or not?


text:
non-sexy "sexy" costumes, because it's funny to sexually startle people.
NSFW for some mild nudity. Torsos that look remarkably like faces.
Captions added to a perfectly sweet-seeming coloring book to show what's REALLY going on in each scene.
Life-sized Handbanana stuffed animal. The notorious dog/glove rapist from ATHF comes to life!
Crafty Halloween costume from last year- made my very own three-breasted mutant prostitute costume from the movie Total Recall!
Just because it's neat.
It's all in the name. A step-by-step process of how the largest known Sour Patch Kid was made.
kuatolivz is a member of BuzzFeed Community, where everyone can post awesome lists and creations.

domain: entertainment