Fuji FinePix 40i
|*||2.4 megapixel “SuperCCD” creates images up to 2400×1800 pixels|
|*||40mm equivalent lens, with up to 3.75x “digital zoom”|
|*||Seven-mode white balance, EV compensation for exposure flexibility|
|*||Built-in MP3 player function for portable music|
EZ Print Link Readers have requested free-formatted versions of our reviews (without the graphical accouterments of our page design), to make printing easier. We are accommodating this request with special copies of each review, formatted to allow the text flow to be dictated by the browser window. Click for a print-optimized page.
Fujifilm has become one of the major players in the digital camera field, and this year in particular (2000) has had a number of major product announcements. Perhaps their most unusual device to date is the FinePix 40i, the subject of this review. Combining an MP3 player with a high-resolution SuperCCD-based digital camera, the 40i’s sleek styling helps define a new category of “multimedia fashion accessory.” The combination of music and pictures is a natural for the teen set, but the 40i seems aimed at a higher market, both through its price ($699 at release), and through its higher picture quality (a full 2.4 megapixel sensor, interpolated to create 4.3 megapixel files. We’re not sure if its price point will fly with consumers, and we have a few quibbles on the user interface, but there’s no question it’s a neat toy, and we’ve always been strong advocates of the position that any camera you actually have with you takes more pictures than one sitting at home in a drawer. Given the added lure of portable music, the 40i is a good candidate to become a constant companion, and its good color and high resolution mean the pictures you snap are likely to be “keepers.”


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A member of former President Trump’s personal legal team, Jordan Sekulow, said impeaching a president no longer in office sets a dangerous precedent. One America’s John Hines spoke with him for more.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said an ethics complaint by his Democrat colleagues is “totally abusive” and an attempt to cancel him and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). One America’s John Hines spoke with Hawley, who said his counter complaint may reveal a connection between Democrat senators and so-called dark money groups.
Founder and chairman of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) speaks out about the new administration’s reversal of pro-life policies. One America’s John Hines caught up with the Montana lawmaker as the 48th annual March for Life kicks-off virtually this year.
The National Legal and Policy Center files a sentencing memorandum for former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith, who is accused of FISA abuse. The group is calling for him to be sent to prison instead of probation. One America’s John Hines has more from Washington.

domain: politics


In an effort to bolster support for struggling elementary readers and provide professional development for educators, Utah Governor Spencer Cox has increased funding for the University of Utah Reading Clinic to 1,321 $574. (Rido, Shutterstock)
Estimated reading time: 3-4 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — In an effort to build support for struggling elementary readers and provide professional development for educators, Utah Governor Spencer Cox has increased funding for the University of Utah Reading Clinic. Utah to $1,321,574, an increase of more than $350,000 from the prior year.
The raise will help the clinic support parents of struggling readers, as well as train teachers in reading assessment and intervention, to ensure the reading skills of Utah children are there. where they need to be, even in the midst of a pandemic.
The additional funding is important because reading comprehension is an important indicator of future success, said Kathleen Brown, director of the U. Reading Clinic.
“Their confidence increases, and we know from research that they are much more likely to have continued academic success,” she said. “An investment in reading skills is really an investment in a child’s entire educational journey.”
The Utah Legislature established the clinic in 1999 with a mission to provide direct services to parents and students who struggle with reading, as well as to provide direct professional development services to educators throughout Utah.
“We’re an absolutely statewide effort, it’s not contained in the United States at all, or even (just) along the Wasatch front,” Brown said.
According to Brown.
“Everything stopped and we immediately started getting calls from principals, parents, teachers wanting to know what we could do to help,” she said. “The (virtual) environment is often not productive, especially for struggling children.”
“Because we were already doing virtual service, we were able to pivot very quickly and go 100% virtual.”
The funding Cox provided over the past summer has been crucial in helping the clinic expand its capacity to address the reading losses suffered by children due to the pandemic, and this increase in funding will do even more to help the clinic expand its reach and help Utah more. children and their families, Brown said.
“It’s a game-changer for us. Our response has a lot more impact than if we didn’t have it,” Brown added. “I can’t tell you how happy I was when I got the email that we had secured this funding.”
Current estimates are that the clinic’s contract specialists and tutors are expanding their capacity to serve an additional 400 educators and 11,200 students in Utah schools, in addition to 240 individual children at the clinic, according to a Release from the U.
Brown said the increased funding has allowed the clinic to hire more staff and equip those staff with the technology needed to tutor children across the state and “take the lead.”
In the 22 years since the clinic opened, data has shown that, on average, reading clinic interventions help students achieve year-long reading ability in 45 sessions.
“If we could get funding like this on a consistent basis, it could be a game-changer for kids in Utah,” Brown said.


Many of the in-well iDAS™ and DTS applications targeted at the upstream oil and gas industry are also a natural fit for CO2 well monitoring. Silixa have played an active part in the installation of fibre optic enabled monitoring systems for carbon capture and storage projects and continue to acquire data on several of these projects for a variety of reasons.
With a permanent fibre optic cable installed in a CO2 disposal or observation well the user has access to on-demand, and time lapse, borehole seismic data which can help to describe the growth of the CO2 plume within the reservoir.
Concerns over the integrity of the cap rock, or indeed the wellbore, can be addressed by passively monitoring for potential micro-seismic events, an area that is developing quickly as the iDAS sensitivity improves through system development and signal processing.
Temperature offers a traditional method of continuously monitoring the injection of CO2 so that early detection of leaks or gas migration can be facilitated. As a result many CO2 projects elect to routinely instrument wells with a permanent DTS system coupled to a realtime monitoring system.
The iDAS can complement this measurement by adding acoustic detection for gas migration and leaks; retrofitting an iDAS to an existing monitoring system is generally simple for Silixa but the unique ability of the iDAS to operate on either single-mode or multi-mode fibre without the introduction of any additional apparatus and without any appreciable difference in data quality means that iDAS can also be fitted to installations originally intended only for DTS where only multimode fibres are available.
The image above shows the installation at a well site in Spain, Europe.


The scarf is coming along nicely. Using a size US6 needle. I really like the way the color combinations of the color ways I've selected are coming together. I think my daughter-in-law is really going to like it. JRob
So this is quite a screwup - I'd started a pair of socks for my friend Shakir way before going to the US, and got waylaid. I finally finished them up and took a picture of him wearing them but accidentally had the movie camera function on.
The hat and socks are dried and blocked. I'm okay with how they both turned out. The only thing I would do differently with the hat is, I would take the ribbing down to 1.5 inches instead of the 2.5 inches that it is. Since I will only be wearing the hat when I'm out exercising (walking), I'm not really that concerned about it.
Here's the hat I finished tonight. Just washed it and now it's blocking. Since I don't have a dummy head to block it on, I thought that the balloon would do the trick.
The socks, of course, are blocking on sock blockers. These will also be for my friend, Mark. They were finished a couple of nights ago, but have been waiting to finish the hat before I washed and blocked both projects.
I am making the Flax sweater in men's large.
Someone posted this on my FB-page. I must say, "I am impressed." Since I have not seen it here, I thought I would share. Each character is distinctive.
Scarfs done in the linen stitch have been popular now for a while. Rather than being knitted back and forth across the width of the scarf these patterns are knitted along the scarf's length and in the round. The middle section is 20 plain knitted stitches and when finished you cut across the mid point of this section unravel and the braid the fringe .
Since I still consider myself a beginner, I really welcome advice and ideas. I'm making my first sock. If it turns out ok, I'll knit the second and call them a pair. :)
I am looking for a free jockstrap pattern could anyone please help me
Just wanted to share my second pair of Finger Mitts. I made...


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SAM STOSUR RUMORS & GOSSIP
Fans of tennis know Sam Stosur, the Australian star that used to be ranked #1 in the world in doubles. Well, last night in her doubles matchup alongside partner Svetlana Kuznetsova, Stosur’s powerful serve went a bit off-course. Unfortunately for the duo, they lost their third round match at the Australian Open. Check out the mishap below.
The post Sam Stosur Has Serve Go a Bit...
OSAKA, Japan -- Sam Stosur won the Japan Women's Open for a third time on Sunday with a straight-sets triumph against Zarina Diyas in Osaka.
The defending champion Stosur was broken in the first game by the 20-year-old from Kazakhstan, which set the tone for a tight opening set but the No.1 seed drew on her power and experience to win 7-6 (9-7), 6-3.
"Zarina played very good match...
Via AP on Fox
October 12, 2014
#457103778 / gettyimages.com
(October 12, 2014) Defending champion Sam Stosur won her third Japan Women’s Open title on Sunday, pushing back Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 7-6 (9-7), 6-3.
“Zarina played very good match today,” said the 30-year-old Australian Stosur who saved two set points in the first set. “She managed to put me under a lot of pressure and returned serve...
OSAKA, Japan -- Top-seeded Sam Stosur reached the final of the Japan Women's Open on Saturday with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.
Stosur is looking for her third title in Osaka and will play fifth-seeded Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan, who reached her first WTA final with a 6-2, 7-5 win against Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand.
Stosur said "my game got better in...
Via AP on Fox
October 11, 2014
OSAKA, Japan (AP) Top-seeded Sam Stosur began the defense of her Japan Women's Open title with a straight-sets victory against Misa Eguchi of Japan on Tuesday.
Coming off a semifinals run in the China Open last week, Stosur defeated Eguchi 6-4, 7-5. The two-time Japan champion lined up fellow Australian Jarmila Gajdosova in the second round. Gajdosova has a 2-0 record against Stosur...
Via AP on Fox
October 07, 2014
By Dave Gertler
(August 13, 2014) MASON, OHIO – The last three Australians left in the singles draw at the Cincinnati Masters all played their second-round matches on Wednesday, with Sam Stosur and Marinko Matosevic both bowing out to their American opponents in straight sets. Lleyton Hewitt also succumbed to the grinding baseline play of Italian Fabio Fognini.
#451088784 / gettyimages.com
(June 23, 2014) American Sloane Stephens’ streak of reaching the second week at a major was halted at six on Monday at Wimbledon when No. 109 Maria Kirilenko held back her opponent 6-2, 7-6(6) on her sixth match point.
Seventeenth seed Sam Stosur also fell victim to an opening day upset losing to Yanina Wickmayer 6-3, 6-4.
After an easy first...
Chalkdust Chronicles – Breaking news – Sunshine in Birmingham, as they keep to the schedule.
Sam Stosur photo by Christopher Levy @tennis_shots
(June 11, 2014) BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – With the tournament well underway, the top seeds were in good form, despite the varying descriptions you get from players about the grass.
On Tuesday, Ana Ivanovic described it as feeling...
Sam Stosur fought back from 4-1 down in the second set to beat Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4 Monday in the first round of the Australian Open.
Stosur is trying to improve on a mediocre record at her home Grand Slam - she has never advanced past the fourth round at Melbourne Park, and was eliminated in the second round in 2012 and the first round last year.
Via AP on Fox
January 13, 2014
MORE STORIES >>
Bubble gum to roses, a girl's love of pink just grows more sophisticated. Sam Stosur will wear it at the Australian Open in its most powerful glory. Above, her new tennis dress by ASICS. It offers seamless design and slim fit in an all performance fabrication. A racerback provides for free range of motion. Pretty ehh? Added are a lightweight ASICS Shield Visor and Gel-Resolution...

domain: news


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I am happy to meet more fans of this game
and I hope to see you guys at the con ;D
If you are playing the game maybe we can exchange character information so we can meet online as well?
I haven't played since January xD...
Currently I am starting on the Taekwon Master costume. Somewhere in my closet is an Alchemist xD

domain: entertainment


text:
Two US soldiers killed in Iraq: Military
Baghdad: Two American soldiers have been
killed during a mission in southern Iraq, the US military said on Saturday.
The fatalities raised to 4,450 the number of US soldiers
who have died in Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion to oust
Saddam Hussein, according to a news agency tally based on data from
independent website www.icasualties.org.
"Two US service members were killed yesterday while
conducting operations in southern Iraq," the military said in
a statement without giving any other details.
Sixty members of the US military were killed in Iraq in
2010, according to icasualties.org, by far the smallest number
Less than 50,000 US troops remain in the country, but a
security agreement between Baghdad and Washington requires
that they be withdrawn by the end of 2011.
The latest casualties came the same day as the top
American military officer said on a visit to Baghdad that Iraq
has just "weeks" to decide if it needs US troops to stay
beyond the year-end deadline.
"It (talks) needs to start soon, very soon, should there
be any chance of avoiding irrevocable logistics and
operational decisions we must make in the coming weeks,"
Admiral Michael Mullen said at a news conference at the US
military`s Victory Base Camp on Baghdad`s outskirts.
Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said
no request had been made by the Iraqi government for any
American troop presence beyond 2011.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has named security as
one of his top priorities, but his unity government remains
deadlocked over appointments to key security portfolios.
Maliki has also told the American visitors that Iraqi
forces were up to the task of ensuring security.
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In a Texas-sized twist, federal Judge Andrew Hanen declared the DACA program unconstitutional, challenging the Obama-era safeguard that's protected over half a million 'Dreamers' from deportation.
In a 40-page verdict, Hanen stressed that executive decisions shouldn't overrule congressional authority.
“While sympathetic to the predicament of DACA recipients and their families, this court has expressed concerns about the legality of the program for some time. The solution for these deficiencies lies with the legislature, not the executive or judicial branches. Congress, for any number of reasons, decided not to pass DACA-like legislation,” Hanen wrote, the Daily Wire reported.
“Congress’ alleged failure to pass, or, stated differently, its decision not to enact legislation, does not empower the Executive Branch to ‘legislate’ on its own — especially when that ‘legislation’ is contrary to actual existing legislation. The Executive Branch cannot usurp the power bestowed on Congress — even to fill a void,” he added.
This judgment follows a lawsuit from nine states, including Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, West Virginia, Kansas, and Mississippi, which challenged DACA's legality under both the Obama and Biden watches. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton previously called out Biden's efforts as a push for “mass amnesty.”
The Daily Wire reported:
The federal government, New Jersey, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) have argued for DACA.
The court order adds that the decision does not require the Department of Homeland Security or the Justice Department to “take any immigration, deportation, or criminal action against any DACA recipient, applicant, or any other individual that would otherwise not be taken.”
The fate of DACA will likely be determined by the Supreme Court, which previously ruled 5-4 in 2020 that the Trump administration could not end the program.
The Biden administration said it was disappointed by the decision, adding that it would push Congress to pass DACA-style legislation.


text:
In a new, expanded edition of a best-selling Ocean classic, Castro describes a historic political partnership that changed the face of Cuba and Latin America. He vividly portrays Che the man, the revolutionary, and the thinker recounting in detail his last days with Che in Cuba, giving a remarkably frank assessment of the Bolivian mission.
Fidel Castro, in an unusually gentle, quite emotional mood, remarks, For me it has been hard to accept the idea that Che is dead. I have dreamed of him often, that I spoke with him, that he was alive . . . Includes Castro's speech on the return of Che's remains to Cuba in 1997.

domain: library


Track All Changes with E3.series Projects
E3.Revision Management ensures all changes are tracked and documented. Alternate revisions of the design are compared against each other and any changes are reported and stored in both graphical and textual formats. Multiple sub-systems within a single project can be issued and tracked independently.
The resulting documentation can be fed back into the production process ensuring all changes are implemented.
Datasheet: E3.Revision Management
Manage Different Project States and Document Modifications
Managing releases and revisions can involve a lot of time consuming effort involved in tracking of all changes, ensuring data consistency, while delivering against time pressures. You also need to ensure that only valid changes are distributed from the correct source models to the consuming applications that require them, thus preventing invalid or incomplete changes from being deployed.


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Five short little drabbles on the above subject. Feedback welcome and, indeed, begged for. Also, a better idea for a title would be nice.
Title: Five Ways the Family of Blood Could have Ended.
Rating: PG (to be safe)
Disclaimer: Not mine, just having fun
Summery: See above.
Warnings: Kind of dark and of course contains spoilers for Human Nature and Family of Blood.
In one world Smith returns.
The Doctor sacrifices his life for another, so that John knows the pains and joys that brief human life brings. He and Joan gather memories as the Doctor gathers dust, from Time Lord to Time Piece; hidden away in some dark little draw.
Until, eventually, a family of different blood, or no blood at all, uncover the antiquated watch and with it burn the world. It blazes gloriously; on last sparkle of light in a universe where, without the Doctor, the wonder of stars and the terror of the darkness between fades and is forgotten.
In one world the Doctor stays.
He wears the cap and gown and accent and culture. He tries to fit in but conformity doesn't come easy to him. He tries to live John Smith’s little life, and for this Joan hates him. Hates the thing wearing John’s face, hates that he’s so kind, hates that he’s so good. Hates that he’s everything John was and more because it’s the ‘more’ that makes him not John at all.
He isn’t human, but he knows humanity and so, at last, he departs, letting her go.
For this, at least, she is grateful.
In one world Joan leaves.
The word ‘wanderlust’ encapsulates the Doctor. He shows her things far outside the petty British Empire. Worlds where hills roll like oceans and the suns never set. Gold and pleasant lands where adventure and death are puppies following playfully in the Doctor’s wake. He shows her sights that break her mind and warp her heart; wonders which leave her longing for a book of Impossible Things.
Longing for little John Smith.
‘Why did he love you?’ the Doctor asks one day.
‘Because we were human,’ she replies.
And that is when, and why, she goes.
In one world John Smith remains.
He hands over the watch, (for he is a coward, every time,) and the fifth tick is accompanied by the snapping of his frail, human neck.
Joan dies soon after, as does Martha and, in time, the rest of Earth.
The Family grows and prospers even as the universe withers about their selfish joy. There’s war for every child and an empire for the survivors.
But they know no regret, nor lost love, nor soft, poisonous hatred. So it can be said that, in this world, at least, someone did live Happily Ever After.
In this world The Doctor continues.
He’s almost used to the deaths that buy his eternal life time after time; John Smith is less than memory, more than reflection and he wonders if he could have learned to love that life. He wonders, too, if Joan could have learned to love him. If he will ever learn to love Martha.
But love isn’t learned and he is no teacher.
When he dreams it is of weddings, children, pensions and death.
And when he awakes he writes his own diary of Impossible Things, but has no one to share it with.


text:
The Spanish renewables market has been at the forefront of... Read more →
Villar Mir secures finance for 27MW merchant wind portfolio
Spanish conglomerate Grupo Villar Mir has kicked off construction on a 27MW onshore wind portfolio in Zaragoza after securing backing from a fund manager and senior lender.
Do you want to continue reading?
To continue reading Energy Rev’s market-leading renewables news & analysis please login or request trial access at email@example.com

domain: finance


text:
Beautiful 11mm two-tone white and yellow gold band, embellished with 4X0.015CT diamonds.
High Polish, Brushed finish Metal Weight: 16.26 grams Band Dimensions: 11 mm wide This piece is engravable.
This piece is made to order. To inquire about this item, please call (508) 655-8578 or email us below.
Devotion to Quality Highest Standards Lifetime Upgrade

domain: design


text:
The French officials spoke to Iran’s envoy that Tehran must honor its responsibilities to the milestone atomic deal signed with world powers in 2015 and make progress to de-escalate strains in the Gulf region.
US-Iran tensions keep on ascending over a progression of assaults by Iran in the Gulf and proceeding with the US sanctions on the Iranian economy after Washington pulled back from the agreement a year ago.
In a statement, the French Foreign Ministry said Seyed Abbas Araghchi gave a message to President Emmanuel Macron from Iranian President Hassen Rouhani. Mr Macron and Mr Rouhani talked last Thursday.
The Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who met Mr Araghchi, is operating with European partners on a search mission to guarantee sea security in the Gulf, where strains have risen after Iran’s seizure last Friday of a British-flagged oil tanker.
Mr Le Drian made no notice of a European led “maritime protection mission” reported a day ahead by his British partner, Jeremy Hunt, offering rather what is by all accounts a milder version.
France is operating as of now on a European initiative along with Britain and Germany, he told legislators, without explaining. “This vision is something contrary to American activity, which is … greatest pressure” against Iran. According to international media.
Iran’s seizing of British oil tanker Steno Impero and its 23-crew on Friday increased strains that were already mounting.
Lately, before the seizure, Iran had begun openly exceeding the uranium enhancement levels set in the understanding to attempt to pressure Europe into balancing the financial distress of US sanctions.
Mr Le Drian focused on the requirement for the diplomacy to de-escalate unpredictable tensions, which he has said already could prompt “a mishap”.
Mr Araghchi, during his visit to Paris on Tuesday, said Iran intended to verify the Strait of Hormuz and not permit any unsettling influence in transportation there.
Iran’s case is muddled by allegations of attacks against six oil tankers, including the seizure of the Stena Impero.
The Netherlands, Denmark, France and Italy to continue the European-led maritime mission to guarantee secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Reuters.


text:
Consumerism, Goats and Vile Persecution
by MW Cook
Tis the season to be whiny.
Sorry, was that negative? I didn’t mean it to be.
But it’s hard to miss during the festive seasons. Which is too bad, because I was raised thinking this time of year was about the greatest gift we ever got: Love in the shape of a baby.
And I can’t really point at anyone else and blame them for the complaining that marks December. It’s my own tribe. And there are two things you’ll be sure to hear us whine about until the new year.
First, we’ll whine about how the rampant consumerism has utterly destroyed the message of Christmas. We’ll complain about the sex-driven ads, the ridiculous rushes at the malls, the blatant love of stuff and money.
All the while, we shop with the rest of them.
If malls are temples to the great and terrible gods of commerce and materialism, the folks in my Christian tribe are just as devout as anyone.
My wife is using her wild, love-filled i117 project to fight consumerism. She’s buying goats for widows in Pakistan to help them get enough income to feed their families. Go to her facebook group or send her an e-mail if you want to help battle Christmas consumerism with her!
Second, we complain about how no one says ‘Merry Christmas’ anymore.
Seen this comic before? It floats around every year. Of course, no one ever gets sent to the Principal’s office for saying Christmas (sidenote: notice how the two on the left are dressed like punks and the poor, persecuted Christian boy is oh-so-spiffy?). Doomsayers have been predicting this kind of ‘persecution’ since the 80s, but it still hasn’t happened. And, no, the elimination of the state-sponsored promotion of Christianity does not count as persecution.
Guess what? Jesus is not threatened by folks who celebrate other holidays around the Solstice. He’s just not. He’s more secure in himself. And I’m not threatened by people who wish me a happy holiday. I say thanks, and wish that all their holidays are happy, too. Whichever holidays that might be.
Because the cause of Jesus (love, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance) is not furthered by us whining about how good our religion used to have it back when we ran the show. It’s furthered by rejecting consumerism and intolerance both.
And now I’ll quickly hang a lantern on this post and acknowledge that I’m whining, too. But, at the very least, I’m whining about something different.
Now go buy some goats!
Great take on the madness this time of year has become. It’s sad and frustrating and irritating, all rolled into one. And Happy Holidays!
I see your first point and raise you a goat. :)
On the second, I agree with elements of what you’re saying. What we’re talking about essentially are the traditions of Christian culture as opposed to anything truly sacrosanct. (Or at least it’s only sacred insofar as the incarnation of Christ impacts the life of the individual)
I quite like the comic however, quite apart from what I’ve already said. It’s of course intended to be hyperbole, and to impart a delicious sense of irony as a result.
Societally we are in a race for the lowest common denominator when it comes any belief of significance. Secularism of the rabid sort which has invaded the halls where our educational philosophy is built (a religion in and of itself!) communicates to us that in order to have good relations with the world and our neighbour we must either abandon (or practice out of the public eye) any cultural element which another does not share or esteem. Indeed such practice is deemed offensive. It’s silly. The silly comic is intended I think to magnify that silliness to the extent that it’s visible even to those who wouldn’t normally care.
Personally I think the public practice of culture should not seek to remove any element which we cannot agree upon (which of course leaves little to nothing) but rather represent the most significant constituent demographic of the surrounding geography.
In other words, it would be ridiculous to put a Christmas tree in the lobby of a school which has 95% Islamic constituency. In the same way, it’s ridiculous to insist that a school in which 95% of it’s constituency identify with Christmas cultural traditions remove theirs.
If I lived in a community where more than 80% of the population was Catholic, or Muslim, or Hindu or of any other background, it would EXPECT that the public institutions that support that community would reflect that demographic.
I would be neither offended nor upset. And if I was offended or upset, it would behove me to relocate to a community where I could identify with the public cultural element.

domain: sociology


Cities and states wait for federal funding.
- Congress in 2017 approved $16 billion in earmarks for resiliency efforts
- The Trump administration has yet to write the application rules
- Local funding for infrastructure being diverted
The continued partial government shutdown is impacting America’s infrastructure by delaying federal funding for infrastructure rebuilding and resiliency.
Congress almost 18 months ago earmarked $16 billion in federal funding for rebuilding and resiliency efforts after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma devastated parts of the U.S. Gulf Coast. The money was to have been split between Puerto Rico ($8.3 billion), Texas ($4 billion), Louisiana ($1.2 billion), the U.S. Virgin Islands ($774 million) and Florida ($550 million).
The states and territories impacted by the hurricanes have yet to receive their portion of the funding, because the Trump administration has yet to issue rules telling states how to apply for the money.
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush earlier this month sent a letter to Office of Management & Budget Director Mick Mulvaney calling for his department to approve rules which would allow the funding to be allocated.
“We cannot afford to wait any longer,” Bush wrote. Now, almost a month into the government shutdown, there are no workers to draft the rules or oversee their implementation.
State of emergency
President Trump has threatened to declare a national emergency and, according to some news outlets, explored reallocating funds earmarked for Harvey and Irma recovery to construct an estimated $5.6 billion border wall in the event that Congress does not provide funding for it.
Such a move would likely be contested in courts for years, leaving already damaged areas with little hope of ever seeing the funding. It would also ensure that the affected regions will remain vulnerable to future hurricanes.
“The longer the shutdown continues, the more initiatives that could combat floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters come under threat.”
Projects under threat
The longer the shutdown continues, the more initiatives that could combat floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters come under threat.
One is the Louisiana Department of Transportation’s Comite River Diversion Canal project. The project includes a 12-mile-long diversion channel, diversion structures, guide levees, and low-flow augmentation pumps. Costs could reach $3 billion and the projected costs will, without doubt, escalate as more time passes.
The city of Miami, Florida in 2017 allocated $200 million to sea level mitigation and adaptation measures, such as storm-drain upgrades, pumps and seawalls. Another $100 million was allocated to replace affordable housing.
However additional funds were needed to complete a project of this scope. Without those funds, Miami has since diverted the funding to smaller projects it can address in the short-term, such as fixing roads and parks.
The government shutdown is now affecting the country in thousands of ways. These are just examples of how Americans are suffering.


text:
Buy USA grown wholesale hemp flower in Tennessee
Tennessee has a strong history with hemp, and regulators have shown enthusiasm for the growth of the industry. Retailers selling CBD flower in their stores admit that other products yield positive returns, but hemp flower is the bread and butter of their business.
If you are a retailer or distributor in Tennessee looking to buy wholesale or bulk hemp flower, get in touch with Mr. Hemp Flower.
Last Update: August 11, 2023
- Tennessee allows the distribution and retail sale of CBD flower and smokable hemp products. Adults 21 and older can lawfully purchase hemp flower products in Tennessee.
- The state regulated hemp products under SB 378, which took effect July 1, 2023.
- You don’t need a license to sell CBD and hemp-derived products with less than 0.3% THC in this state.
- Mr. Hemp Flower offers pre-packaged and bulk CBD hemp flower for sale. Our smokable hemp products are made from premium hemp flower and can be sold across every state under the 2018 Farm Bill.
Pre-Packaged and Bulk CBD Flower from Mr. Hemp Flower | Wholesale Hemp Flower Tennessee
Pre-packaged Hemp Flower
You can now get each product placed on our site wholesale, pre-packaged in Mr. Hemp Flower’s sleek and classy packaging, ready-to-go for sale. All pre-packaged hemp flower is hand-trimmed and offered at discounted prices.
Our packaging is odor-free, properly labeled, and designed to match the aesthetics of your shop. With your wholesale order, you’ll get FREE marketing materials to help you push the products and attract more customers. Here are hemp flower and CBD products to consider, plus potential profit margins.
Hand Trimmed CBD-rich Hemp Flower
Regardless of which hemp flower strains you choose (all can be pre-packaged), you’ll get carefully hand-trimmed CBD flower wrapped in beautiful packaging (with Mr. Hemp Flower’s logo on) that you don’t have to touch or break down. Our top-rated flower includes strains like Lifter Plus, sourced from the best farmers, primarily in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington.
Full Spectrum CBD Gummies (with THC)
Full spectrum CBD gummies are our customers’ favorite product, and we guarantee you that your customers will love them too. One bag contains six large, sugar-free gummies infused with 25mg full spectrum CBD oil each.
Hemp Pre-rolls and Pre-rolled Blunts
Looking to wholesale pre-packaged grams, eights, and quarters? Purchase organically grown hemp flower in multiple pre-roll size options (that contain Mr. Hemp Flower’s branding), and you can immediately start selling in your Tennessee store.
Most hemp cigarettes on the market are made with hemp biomass or low-CBD hemp plant matter such as stalks, leaves, and flowers after extraction. You won’t be disappointed in our hemp cigarettes — a nicotine-free mix of 100% organic CBD flower and kief that contains less than 0.3% THC.
TRUE Full Spectrum Phytocannabinoid-rich (PCR) Hemp Oil
If you want to offer your customers a true full spectrum CBD oil that works, our Phytocannabinoid-rich (PCR) Hemp Oil is the right for you. PCR hemp oil is the most potent CBD oil on the market — unmatched in richness of cannabinoids and terpenes.
FREE Marketing Materials to Support Your Business
Glass magnifying jars
A jar where you can put the flower and provide an up-close view and let customers smell the strain.
Hemp flower posters
There is an advantage in selling hemp flower in a retail space. Boost customer experience with informative hemp flower posters.
A 50-page booklet on hemp flower
Customers appreciate a team that’s knowledgeable in the products they want to buy. Our booklet contains all the info you need to know about various hemp flower strains and their benefits.
Bulk Hemp Flower (not pre-packaged)
Want to create your own brand and sell and distribute your hemp flower? You can now get 2-3 pounds of bulk hemp flower, break it down, and put your signature brand on it. Our hemp flower is organically grown and comes from the best farms in the US. All of our strains are available in bulk and come machine-trimmed, except for premium flower which can come perfectly hand-trimmed.
Retail Stats and Potential Margins | Wholesale Hemp Flower Tennessee
How much can you earn from reselling smokable hemp flower?
As one of the most profitable hemp products, CBD flower is in high demand and can be purchased at discount wholesale and bulk prices.
By spending $2,500 per order — with current discounts at Mr. Hemp Flower — you can make roughly $5,000 to $7,000 in sales.
Stats and Margins
CBD Hemp Pre-Rolls
An order of 30 hemp pre-rolls (1 gram each), at a discounted price of $4.49 costs you $134.85 to buy wholesale. If you sell each pre-roll at $8.99 (8.99 x 30 = 269.7), you make $134.85 in profit, which is a 50% margin. Depending on the demand, you can sell this pre-roll at $9.99 and make $299.7 in sales, and $164.85 in profit, with a 55% margin.
CBD Hemp Flower
If you buy 30 eighths of any hemp flower at a discounted price of 4.99 each, it costs you $149.8 to buy wholesale. If you sell the flower at $9.99 ($9.99 x 30 = $299.7), you will make $149.8 in profit, which is a 50% margin. Depending on the demand, you can sell an eighth of CBD flower at $12.00 and have a profit of $210.2 ($12 x 30 = $360) with a 58% margin.
Is Reselling Hemp Flower Legal in Tennessee?
The legality of reselling hemp depends on state and federal laws.
Federal laws on reselling hemp flower
On a federal level, hemp is a legal crop that has been removed from the Controlled Substances Act. The USDA has regulatory oversight over hemp and has issued Interim Rules to set requirements on hemp testing and disposal, among other things.
States are allowed to regulate production, distribution, and marketing of hemp and hemp-derived products in compliance with the 2018 Farm Bill, USDA regulations, and accordingly prepare their hemp plans.
After the USDA released its Interim Rule to regulate hemp, there was a provision that requires testing of Total THC content (delta-9 THC and THCA) on a dry weight basis. This means that hemp plants must be tested for the sum of delta-9 THC and the potential conversion of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) into THC.
According to the provisions, the Total THC levels in hemp on a dry weight basis must not be over 0.3%. Otherwise, the hemp is considered “hot” and must undergo disposal.
State laws on reselling hemp flower
You can legally sell CBD hemp flower and smokable hemp products in Tennessee at retail.
The state doesn’t require a license to sell CBD products with less than 0.3% THC at retail. Under the new state law (SB 378), hemp-derived cannabinoid products must be properly packaged (child-resistant packaging) and undergo lab testing.
Tennessee legalized hemp under the 2014 Farm Bill and allows hemp farming under its pilot program.
The state enacted Public Chapter 916, which removes industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana. Tennessee’s law defines the term “industrial hemp” as:
“The plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of such plant, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis .”
Tennessee retailers have been selling smokable CBD flower for a couple of years. According to the state Department of Agriculture, individuals don’t need a license to sell hemp flower or oil, as the Department does not issue licenses for the sale of processed hemp products, but only rooted hemp or growing hemp .
Why Mr. Hemp Flower?
Mr. Hemp Flower is a brand known for its quality — we set and maintain high standards by collaborating with a select group of vetted farmers and creating top-shelf hemp flower products.
Our customers leave daily 5-star reviews both on Google and our website. To provide fresh hemp smokable products, we weed out all of the bad flower — and believe us, there is a ton of lousy flower out there. Once the selection process is done, we are 100% confident the products we create are the best on the market.
If you’d like to become a partner with a brand like Mr. Hemp Flower and unlock our collection of tested, legal hemp flower, reach out.
How to Make Your Wholesale Order?
Have questions? Want to make your wholesale order? Here is how to get in touch:
- Give us a call — we’d love to hear from you. We are here to answer all of your questions and help you fill in your order.
- Fill out the form below — if you know which products you want delivered and want to make an order, fill out the form below.
- Fill out our wholesale price quote form — have a specific product in mind? Fill out the form with the product and its quantity, send the form to [email protected], and we’ll get back to you with a price quote within 24 hours.
FAQ Wholesale Hemp Flower Tennessee
Is it legal to resell hemp flower in Tennessee?
Yes, it’s legal to resell hemp flower in Tennessee without a license.
How much hemp flower can you purchase at once (or one time) in Tennessee?
Tennessee hasn’t put a limit to the quantity of hemp CBD flower you are allowed to purchase or sell at once.
Do you need a special license to resell hemp flower in Tennessee?
For the time being, Tennessee doesn’t require retailers to have a special license to resell CBD flower.
Do I need to only buy hemp flower grown in my state if I am going to resell it?
Tennessee has yet to regulate the reselling of hemp flower in the state, so there are no provisions that prohibit retailers from buying hemp flower grown in other states.
Can I grow my own hemp flower for resell?
You need to be a licensed grower to grow hemp flower in Tennessee.

domain: agronomy


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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday said the Women-in-Blue would play a three-match One Day International (ODI) series against England as part of the ICC Women’s Championship. The ODI series will kickstart on February 22, and the series opener will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The ODI series between India and England will be followed by a three-match T20 International series in Guwahati starting March 4.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India and England & Wales Cricket Board announce the schedule for the upcoming Paytm home series of the India women’s team against England,” BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary said.
The series will comprise three ODIs that will start from 9 am (IST) and three T20Is which will start at 10 am (IST).
All three limited overs games will be played at the Wankhede. The second and third ODIs will be played on February 25 and 28, respectively.
Meanwhile, the T20 games will be played at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on March 4, March 7 and March 9.
The England women cricket team will play a warm-up game against BP XI on February 18 at the Wankhede stadium.

domain: sports


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Photography: Rohin Shah
Last week was the annual Battle of the Big Bands competition in which university bands from the South West compete for the honour of the jazziest sound around. The competition was split into categories with Exeter winning overall for a second time in a row thanks to their tight timing and popular tunes.
Despite being the smallest university band at the competition (and in Cornwall!) Falmouth’s Jazz Harbour got the crowd going with classics such as the Star Wars Cantina and the Monsters Inc theme tune.
Jazz Harbour’s version of Michael Buble’s Feeling Good, sung by Alex Saliveros and Olive Westley, led to the band winning Best Vocalist thanks to Westley’s immense power and vocal range.
Kyle McGill’s arrangement of Youngblood Brass Band’s ‘Brooklyn’ was also a hit, getting the crowd up on their feet and singing along to the catchy riffs.
“The band sounded great. It was obvious that they were having fun and enjoying the music. The singers were terrific, adding to the overall performance. A very talented bunch of young people”- a delighted member of the audience!
All proceeds of the competition went to funding soup kitchens for the homeless in Bristol.

domain: artistic


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A rose among royals! Princess Sofia wears a flower in her hair as she joins her husband Prince Carl Philip of Sweden at the opening of Parliament
- Last week Sofia and Carl Philip hosted Swedish royals and friends at their son Alexander's christening
- Today the women followed tradition by dressing in black and white to attend the first session of parliament
- Sofia wore a $435 Max Mara dress with a flower in her hair; Princess Madeleine wore a £350 lace gown
Stunning Swedish Princess Sofia was the star of the show last week as royals gathered to see her son Prince Alexander be christened.
But today, she and her husband Prince Carl Philip - recently voted Europe's second hottest royal - were happy to play second fiddle to the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf.
The pair joined Crown Princess Victoria, her husband Daniel and Princess Madeleine as the monarch opened the first session of parliament.
Scroll down for video
Prince Carl Philip and wife Princess Sofia attend the opening of the new Parliamentary session on Stockholm today
Carl Philip was flanked by his wife Sofia (left) and sister Madeleine (right); both women followed tradition by wearing black and white to the opening of the Swedish parliament
The women of the Swedish royal family followed a tradition that started in 1974 by wearing black and white.
Sofia was chic in a sophisticated £435 black crepe de chine Max Mara dress. She completed her stunning look with a white flower pinned into her up-do.
Victoria donned a chic white blouise with a black waist tie over a black skirt, while Princess Madeleine opted for a £349.55 Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini high necked blouse with a black ribbon around the neck,
The family attended the hour long service at Stockholm Cathedral to mark the Opening of the Parliamentary session.
After the service was over they travelled by horse drawn carriage to Parliament House (Riksdagshuset), where they were greeted by the Speaker of Parliament, Urban Ahlin.
Speaker of the Parliament Urban Ahlin (left) welcomed the Swedish royal family to the Riksdagshuset, from left to right: King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia and Princess Madeleine
Sofia, Carl Philip and Madeleine wave to crowds as they mark the opening of Parliament with a church service followed by a ceremony and speeches in the House itself
Speaker of the Parliament Urban Ahlin shakes Queen Silvia's hand who, like the other women in her family, are wearing just black and white as tradition has dictated for the last 42 years
Sofia looked stunning her belted black Max Mara dress with the white flower pinned into her glossy brunette locks
It is the second time in a less than a week that Carl Philip and Sofia have been the centre of attention after their son Alexander's christening last week
In his speech Carl XVI Gustaf underlined the importance of the European Union and the Riksdag's MPs watched as he addressed them about the EU, Swedish values and the refugee crisis.
'The European Union has come under strain, but we must maintain our belief in cooperation between countries and a union that guarantees peaceful collaboration,' he said, reports local.es.
“I hope that all Swedes, both here in Sweden and abroad, stand up for our values. Those are values like a belief in equal worth, equality between the sexes, faith in democratic governance, freedom of religion and freedom of expression.'
Madeleine, Carl Philip and Sofia listen to the hour-long service at Stockholm cathedral before being taken by horse-drawn carriage to the houses of Parliament
MPs were offered the choice of attending the religious service or a secular ceremony ahead of the opening of parliament
The royal family sat together in an ornate, highly decorative booth in Stockholm cathedral at the morning service
Madeleine, Sofia and Carl Philip watched King Carl Gustaf urge Sweden to support the EU in his annual speech
After hailing Sweden's 'rich and multifaceted' heritage he declared the 2016-17 parliamentary session open.
The day started at 11am with a roll-call of MPs, who had a choice between attending a religious service at Stockholm’s main church or choosing a secular service.
Ministers then made their way to the parliament building for the opening ceremony, with the Royal Family arriving via horse and carriage just before 2pm.
The occasion was celebrated with musical performances by The Royal Swedish Army Band and guitarist Janne Schaffer who has performed with Abba and Bob Marley.
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Incredible one bedroom studio for rent. Enjoy the luxury of a exceptionally spacious room with their comfortable double bed and a cozy bathroom! It is also provided with desk and chair. Even the decoration of this bright and peaceful chalet will make you feel like holiday never ends.
Close to the green landscapes of Villaviciosa de Odón, it will offer a great access to nature in its most majestic form. Take pleasure in going for a walk or a picnic at the lake. Don´t miss this dreamlike surrounding.

domain: travel


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New Book on Delimiting Modernities
"Delimiting Modernities: Conceptual Challenges and Regional Responses" is the title of a new book edited by Ralph Weber, professor for European Global Studies at the Institute for European Global Studies, and Sven Trakulhun. The volume aims to transcend the sometimes narrow debates over modernity within established disciplines to provide original and insightful new scholarship on the topic.
This edited volume seeks to contribute to the many long-standing discussions on modernity, but also and more specifically to the more recent debates over trends to pluralize modernity. These debates are currently held in many different academic disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, literature and postcolonial studies. Hitherto, most engagements with modernity in the plural have remained conspicuously confined to the one or the other intra-disciplinary notion of modernities, such as that of Shmuel Eisenstadt’s “multiple modernities” which has triggered a host of conference papers and publications largely within sociology: all the while, it seems that the literatures, for instance, of multiple modernities and alternative modernities are each distinguished by the fact that one ignores the other.
It is the principal aim of this volume to subject these disciplinary discussions to a more encompassing view, assembling contributions from different scholars who not only work in different disciplines and regional settings, but who also engage with their research topics in a variety of approaches and at different levels of analysis. The volume thus transcends the sometimes narrow boundaries of the debates over modernities within the established academic disciplines and seeks to turn the unavoidable friction brought about by this interdisciplinary setting into most original and insightful scholarship.
"Delimiting Modernities" was published by Lexington Books in February 2015. The volume includes texts by leading scholars such as Pheng Cheah, Arif Dirlik, Wolfgang Knöbl, Gudrun Krämer, Tamara Loos, Anthony Reid, Andrea Riemenschnitter, Volker H. Schmidt and Sanjay Subrahmanyam. It was edited by Sven Trakulhun and Ralph Weber.
Sven Trakulhun is lecturer at the universities of Zurich and Konstanz. Among his research interests are the history of Thailand and Southeast Asia, the history of the European expansion in Asia, transnational history of ideas, and the history of transfers between Europe and Asia.
Ralph Weber is assistant professor for European Global Studies at the Institute for European Global Studies of the University of Basel. His research interests include methodological and conceptual aspects of translinguistic and transcultural research, as well as comparative philosophy, Chinese political philosophy, Chinese politics, and Confucianism.


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Notes on simple recipes, protein worries, vegan substitutes and (not) using oil.
Oh the comfort of carbs! For fear of overdosing on pasta, I use a healthier substitute.
A simple salad recipe is my daily go-to meal – here’s how to change it up too.
Four simple dips recipes: hummus, guacomole, salsa and chilli peanut sauce.

domain: food


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“I want you to do something for me today.”
I stare at my hands. “What?”
He pulls me to my feet. “I want you to pleasure me.”
My hands obediently move to his fly, even as my mind protests. I can’t do this. Being forced or directly threatened is one thing, but he asked for it like a favor, and I need to do this, if I don’t he’ll hurt me, the threat is there, the threat is….
“That’s it, be a good girl.”
I’m not a dog.
My hands hesitate, refusing to undo his button.
I won’t be trained like a dog, and he doesn’t deserve pleasure.
My mind flashes to his hand in my hair, forcing me to my knees, forcing my mouth open and….
I should have died.
I tried to kill myself.
He deserves to die.
Anger flashes in my blood, sparking, gaining fuel as images and feelings move through my mind and skin and I can’t believe after the things he did he wants me to….
I shove him away. “After all that shit, you want me to pleasure you?”
“Yes, Sheik, and you are healthy enough obey. If you don’t, I’ll give you more of the same.”
“Go ahead!” I throw my hands up, laughing. “What do I care? Force me to do whatever you’d like. Beat me, rape me, tie me to a tree and let birds peck out my eyes.” I drop my arms and narrow my eyes. “But I will never obey you.”
He sighs and sits down in a chair, patting his lap. “Come here, then.”
“Didn’t you hear a fucking word I said?” I shake my head and look to the ceiling. “I won’t obey you.” I laugh again. “And do you really think that would make me listen? How is that even pain anymore?”
He stands. “It would be the warm-up.”
“Oh, is that it? And then what? I’m already familiar with your old bag of tricks. Honestly, the Trifecta was quite a challenge, and on top of the Devil’s Delights! You’ll have to think of something new, won’t you? Will you hang me from a tree and whip me like a slave? That’s what I am, isn’t it? A measly little sex slave, all ready for the taking, supposed to drop to my knees, yank down your drawers, and open my mouth like a good little girl.” My words are furious, my gestures angry, but now, inside, I feel nothing.
“You almost killed me. What’s going to stop you from doing it again, whether or not I obey you? You’re nothing more than a bloody lying bastard on level with Satan himself.”
“You called me a liar.” He steps towards me, eyes narrowed. “That hurt.”
“Oh and nothing has hurt me since I’m with you?” I hold up my hand, the one with the X on the palm and the scabs on my wrist. “This didn’t hurt? All of these bruises and cuts didn’t fucking hurt?”
“Those were supposed to hurt.”
“Yeah, well, so was that.” I step back when he approaches again but hold my ground a few feet from the wall. “What are you going to do, run me through the paces again? I don’t even remember everything you did. Are you going to remind me? Do you want me to remember the entire time you were a murderous asshole?”
“Drop the attitude, Shadow.” He grabs my wrist, but I break his hold.
“Oh, it’s Shadow again? And I thought you liked your girls with some personality. Is this enough for you?” I hold up both my middle fingers. “Go fuck yourself, because I’m not doing it for you.”
He lunges for me. I step out of the way, giggling. “Keep trying, keep trying! We both know you’ll win and beat me to death, so why don’t we skip the small talk?” I hold out my wrists. “I didn’t want to finish the job because I thought there was some convoluted chance I’d be able to save Coryn, but I won’t even be able to save myself. Just end it, Brady. Two slits from wrist to elbow….” I trace the lines on both my forearms following a vein I know is just under the surface, going right over the scabs I gave myself. “That’s all it would take. I’d rather die anyway.”
He doesn’t move, doesn’t say a thing, so I keep talking, trying to hurt him as much as he hurt me.
“Coryn got the better brother. At least he’s honest.”
He grabs my upper arms and throws me into the wall. His nostrils flare, eyes flashing brighter and more dangerous than lightning, but he stays a good distance away. “Honesty is the only thing I care about.”
“Then why did you lie to me?” I brace one hand on the wall, glaring. “I can live with you wanting revenge and wanting to punish me. That’s fucking idiotic, but I could. But you lied to me. You lied to me and broke a promise and I fucking begged you to stop and told you I loved you and you fucking ignored me.” I move towards him, fingers twitching. “You said you care about me. You said you want me to trust you. How am I supposed to believe that if you betray me? Do you even know how it feels to lose all freedom and choices and willingly do anything or say anything just to make the pain end, when words and actions mean nothing and the universe revolves around dark without the hope for light? Huh? Do you?”
I’m mere feet from him now. He stares down at me, eyes unreadable, fists clenched. “Yes, I do.”
There’s a stinging sensation in my hand. Brady cringes away, holding his face. I stare at him, confused. Then I see my hand in the air, notice my hips are turned.
I slapped him.
I should have punched him.
He stares at me.
My emotions catch up. My thoughts form themselves into something coherent. “Don’t lie to me, not again.”
He grabs my throat, hard enough to hurt but not hard enough to completely cut off my air. I don’t gasp. I don’t grab his hand to pull it away. Let him kill me. I want to die.
His voice is barely audible. “I’ve begged for mercy same as you did under me, and I didn’t get mercy for days.”
His hand tightens on my throat, and I smile. It’ll be over soon. The pain is worth it. Any pain is worth it.
But he let’s go and waits for an answer, hand still lightly on my throat, eyes probing.
And I blink slowly and say what I’m truly thinking. This man won’t get any mercy from me. “Good. I hope he enjoyed it as much as you did.”
I take a deep breath and look up at my house from the street. There are no lights on. My family is sleeping. I should be, too, this late, and with practice in the morning…real practice this time, if Brady doesn’t show up again.
Tobi’s house is dark, as well, but his window is open, and I can see the light from his phone. He’s probably talking to his girlfriend. He should be talking to her. He deserves her.
And I don’t. I don’t deserve anyone untainted by the things I’ve been through. Nobody else needs that pain in their lives.
I deserve Brady. He knows it all. There’s no explanations needed if I wake up screaming or cringe from him.
It would be a twist, wouldn’t it? Girl’s former captor is arrested; she waits patiently for his release to marry him. Better yet, she refuses to press charges.
I drop a selection of knives on the desk in front of him. “Take your pick.”
He doesn’t look up from the paper on the desk before him, doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t even twitch.
I grab his car keys.
He grabs my wrist. “I will do whatever is necessary to keep you here.”
“Even kill me? You can prop my corpse at the dining room table.”
He still doesn’t look up. “I would never do such a thing.”
“What a bloody fucking gentlemen.” The keys hit the table with a bang and clink, and he lets go. “Your mother would be so proud.”
“My mother is dead.”
“I have no sympathy for you.”
“Good. That’ll make this easier.” He stands, pushes the paper towards me, and starts to pull his clothes off. “Hunter is coming for number one.”
I blink, confused, and look at the paper. My lips move, forming the words over and over, until I say them aloud. “Any lie to the girls will be punished with a severe beating.”
A car door slams outside. Brady kneels on the floor. “I want you to watch.”
But I want to kill him, too. Maybe I’d kill him on our honeymoon.
But why would he marry me?
I should kill him next time he comes around. I can start carrying a knife and do some research on where to strike to make it the most painful.
I look around, noticing implements on the bed. Hunter sweeps into the room, picks up a bullwhip, and tests it with his hands. “Let’s get this over with.” Brady braces himself with shoulders hunched and receives a hard lash that cuts into his skin.
He doesn’t make a sound. He doesn’t even flinch. He doesn’t seem to care about the blood trickling down his back, heading for the pristine blue carpet.
My mind connects the dots, but I’m frozen. Anger builds in me, but I can’t move.
Two strikes later, when his back has three crisscrossing stripes on it, each one bleeding in at least one spot, he grunts. It’s that cry that breaks the hold on my muscles and makes me say. “Stop.”
Hunter doesn’t listen, bringing the whip down again.
I walk up to my porch. I know the door is unlocked. But standing on that porch, something isn’t right. It’s in the air, in my pores. What day is it?
“Hey!” I stride towards him, ready to castrate the man. “Step away from the asshole! And asshole, get up.”
Brady doesn’t move. Hunter turns to me, exasperated. “While he’s under me, I’m in charge of you, so I’d suggest you sit down and shut up before….”
“Zip it and step away.”
Brady says, “Sheik, please just….”
“Asshole, stay out of this.”
Wednesday…that’s it, it’s late Wednesday night…or very, very early Thursday morning.
Wednesday, June 26, still. There’s nothing important about this day. I have practice in the morning and an appointment with Rose after that and pre-meet Friday and the meet on Saturday. The date means nothing.
So what feels weird?
“He broke a rule, Shadow.” Hunter smiles wickedly, calling on a reminder of the punishment still fresh in my head. “And that means he needs to be punished. You know all about that, don’t you?”
I ignore him and smile back, just as wicked. “How’s this for a rule? If you hit him again, I’m going to strangle you with that.”
“You have no power here.”
“I have whatever power I want.”
He turns immediately, slicing the whip across my dominant’s skin so hard he screams and curls in on himself.
Hunter fights as hard as he can. Really, he does. But I get the whip from his grasp, get behind him, and wrap it around his throat, holding tight, my weakness be damned. He falls to his knees, hands pulling at the whip. Brady stares from across the room, blood on his back finally making the journey all the way to the carpet.
The thought of killing Hunter is sweet.
I lean forward, my lips against his ear. “I don’t fucking bluff.”
I look up, eyes on Brady. He looks like he’s pleading with me, but for some reason, he’s not forcing me off his brother.
But then I think of the situation, of the relationship dynamics.
Brady’s a submissive.
I pull the whip tighter.
“Sheik, he’s my brother.”
“He deserves to die.”
“So do I.”
I let go of the whip and step back, glaring at the bloody sadistic bastard as he coughs and gasps for air. “Leave.”
He’s out the door in seconds, apparently over caring about his dignity.
“You shouldn’t have done that, Sheik.”
I spin on Brady, glaring. “What the fuck are you going to do about it?”
“Oh, shut up and follow me.”
I march into the bathroom, close the tub’s drain, and turn the water on. “You’re a moron. Get in.”
He stands in the doorway, staring at me. “You can’t….”
“Don’t start with me or I’ll fill the tub with alcohol…or maybe salt. You aren’t the only one that knows how to make someone scream.”
His eyes drop to the ground and he puts his foot in, pulls it out again. He mutters. “It’s hot.”
He swallows and raises his voice. “It’s too hot.”
I turn the water temperature down. “Stop with the submissive shit.”
“You’re being all meek like a porn-star schoolgirl.” I cross my arms and lean on the vanity. “You don’t deserve to be whipped like a slave, same as I don’t, especially since you were going for a real whipping.” He opens his mouth to speak, but I hold up a hand. “Even if you did deserve it, Hunter is not the one that’s going to administer it.”
His eyes narrow at me, challenging. “Why not?”
“He’s the one that had you begging and wouldn’t let up, isn’t he?”
Brady says nothing. He tests the water, which is satisfactory enough that he gets in slowly, wincing as he goes, until he’s under water except for his head and the water is almost overflowing. I turn it off and sit on the edge of the tub, holding his hand.
There’s someone here. I can’t see who it is, but it’s a him, and I know he’s here, and it’s probably my psychotic ex-captor.
“Hunter isn’t your dom.”
“We are each other’s punishers. That’s all.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.”
He stares at me.
I shrug. “Downstairs, you said Hunter didn’t relent for days. That rule list specified severe, but not bat-shit crazy. There’re lines drawn now, aren’t there? Between you? But there weren’t before, were there? He used you as his sub, and he lost control.”
“We were not lovers.”
“Of course not, you’re straight as fuck and wouldn’t do it.” I trace circles on his palm, watching the tip of my fingers. “But he’s definitely a sadist, and I bet he started with you.”
Brady settles back, gritting his teeth, eyes closed. “We started with each other, but….”
He says nothing for a few minutes.
I sigh. “Talk before I take you over my knee, big boy.”
He laughs, which wasn’t quite what I was going for. “And you don’t bluff, do you?”
“You’d let me do it.”
“I would.” He sits up and pulls me into the water with him, soaking my clothes and splashing water on to the floor, ignoring my protests. “You were glorious in there.” He holds me against him. “Murderous but glorious.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Hunter enjoyed it more than I did, and after he lost it…we needed others to do it on, others so that he could have his fantasies and I could have mine.” He kisses my forehead. “I can’t believe you did that. I should be punishing you. I should get my belt and….”
“If you even try to hit me again I’ll castrate you in your sleep. Why did you kidnap?”
“I wanted to find a BDSM group, but he didn’t want the rules, and…well, the fear in their eyes was thrilling. It was…intoxicating. There’s something special about holding a girl in the palm of your hand, her willing to do anything to make you happy, even degrade herself and put herself in position for extreme pain….”
“Of every sin possible.”
“I’ve never attempted murder.”
“No, but you’ve murdered by proxy.”
“And I may as well have murdered you.”
He holds me tight against him, face buried in my hair, probably drowning himself. “Sheik, I….” His voice cracks and he shudders. “I’m so sorry.”
I don’t know what to do with my hands, so I put them on his chest while he cries, heart breaking for the man that almost killed me, the man that broke his word.
The man that would let himself be whipped to atone for the mistake.
The man that had dozens of reasons to hurt me again…and hasn’t.
And the man that’s been obeying me….
To make me happy? To apologize?
I rest my head against his and close my eyes.
Why can’t I hate him?
When he’s calm, I say, “Brady, spank me.”
He sits back, staring at me. His face is strange with puffy eyes and a red nose, lips still pulled down at the corners. “What?”
“I changed my mind.”
I sigh and climb out of the tub. “Since when do you need a reason to spank me?”
“I always had a reason to spank you.”
“And many times that reason was just ‘for the hell of it.’” I pull off my clothes, wrestling with the fabric that clings to my skin. “Well, here’s another opportunity.”
“Those were to teach you….”
“My place so that I behave before they get too severe, yes.” I put my hands on my hips, watching him climb out of the tub. “Well, this will be to teach you your place. If I’m going to stay here, and you aren’t going to let me leave, you aren’t going to act like a submissive. At least act like an equal.”
He traces my lips with his thumb. “I’d rather be your dom.”
“I know.” I kiss his hand and walk into the bedroom. “But if you try to have sex with me, the castration threat still holds.”
“I could just tie you down every night.”
“But you wouldn’t.” I stand at the end of the bed, put my hands behind my back, and drop my eyes. “Sir.”
“I don’t understand you.”
I stay silent. I don’t understand myself, so there’s no way I can help him.
I examine my surroundings, from the door to the street and every corner of the porch, but there’s nothing. There’s no sounds, no movement. It’s too quiet, too still.
He comes over and sits down. I know he’s staring at me, but I’m being a good little submissive, so I don’t meet his eyes. I easily fall over his lap when he tugs me forward, bracing one hand on the floor and the other around his calf. His hand rests on my butt, kneading it a little, rubbing affectionately.
It pulls away. There’s a loud crack that makes me jump, but no pain.
Brady laughs. He pushes me to my feet and claps his hands together, creating the same sound. I stare at him, confused, as he rolls onto the floor, basically giggling. It ruins the dominant effect.
“That’s not attractive.”
He stops and smiles at me. “What do you care if I’m attractive?”
I shrug. “It’s nice to have something pretty to look at.”
“Does that mean you forgive me?”
“I’m still contemplating cutting your balls off, so no.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me onto the floor next to him so we’re gazing at the ceiling. “Do you want to know why I didn’t do it?”
“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
“What sort of dominant would I be if I let my sub tell me when to hit her?”
I laugh. “So if I actually let you sleep with me again, and I ask you to spank me as part of the foreplay, you’ll say no off principle?”
He squeezes my hand. “Okay, so sex is the exception.” There’s a pause. “So there’s a possibility….”
“Don’t push it.”
“Well, I wasn’t planning to, but I thought I could….”
“…bite, and there’s a few places I haven’t licked in a while that….”
“…I’d like to….”
I roll onto my side and clamp my hand over his mouth. “You should change your carpet.”
He pulls my hand from his mouth. “Why?”
“I don’t like to see your blood. Doesn’t your back hurt?”
“Why are you lying on it?”
“I like the pain.”
“Don’t pull some self-penance bullshit on me. If you start whipping yourself like Silas I’ll….”
He covers my mouth, smiling. “You can stop threatening me now. Who’s Silas?”
“Creepy albino killer in The DaVinci Code.”
Brady sits up, eyes on the ceiling. “I think we need those glow in the dark stars.” He stands and pulls me to my feet. “Let’s go get something to eat and start shopping online. I’ll dig up a throw rug from the attic later to cover the bloodstains.”
I dig around his dressers, searching for clothes I can possibly wear. “Can we have hot dogs and eggs?”
“Yeah, brown the hot dog slices, then add eggs and scramble. It’s yummy.”
He pulls on some gym shorts and hands me a pair with draw strings. I tie them up and accept a t-shirt, as well. Once I’m dressed, he hugs me close. I’m not sure why, but he’s warm and smells nice, so I relax into him and put my arms loosely around his waist.
He inhales deeply and kisses the top of my head. “Sheik, I’m glad we’re okay. I thought you’d hate me forever.”
“I have other things to worry about…like leaving without you flipping shit.”
I turn around again, and there is he. We’re separated by a railing, but I still step back.
Brady takes my head in his hands, staring into my eyes. His are serious, glistening with possible tears and heartbreaking, like a crying angel carved in ice. “I will never hurt you like that again. I never, ever want to see you cry again, or beg again, or….” His eyes close and he rests his forehead on mine. “I’m so sorry. I can’t make it up to you, and there’s no way I can apologize enough. You won’t do the same to me, so I can’t give you that….”
“I don’t want that.” He opens his eyes and looks at me again. I put my hands on his chest. “I’m not Hunter, and I’m not you.”
He winces. “Never again, Sheik, to you or anyone else, I promise. I’m done with this.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
“I’m not. I know I’m not.”
He throws something to me. I catch it automatically, and then he’s gone.
“What are you going to do? I’m not staying with you forever.” I examine his eyes, searching for a sign of my freedom. “You are going to let me go, right?”
“I…yes, I will.” He bites his lip. “I just don’t know when.”
“What? You can’t just….” I hum in protest when he kisses me, but give in after a few seconds. He stops when I relax.
“Sheik.” He puts his hands on my shoulders. “We are not equals, but I’m not using my authority over you unless you try to escape. You have choices, now. You have freedom.”
“You can’t mention freedom and escape together. They don’t coexist. There’s one or the other. No matter what you let me do, I don’t have freedom until you give me the choice to stay or go. And we are equals, Brady.”
He stares at me. His head shakes. “No, we’re not, but know that I will punish you for nothing less than escape, darling.” He smiles. “You can be as bitchy as you want.”
I sigh and step out of his grasp. “I won’t cooperate with you.”
“Well, you might want to cooperate for meals, because I’m not force-feeding you.” He offers his hand, his smile fading to one of hope.
I bite my lip before slipping my hand in his. “Fine, but only for meals.”
He threw me a flash-drive. I look at it, at the tape on the side.
Playlist for Sheik.
I drop it in a plant on the porch, take one last look around, and go inside.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
I am such a mess. That’s all I really have to say. After the last 24 hours, though, that’s not surprising.
Brady gave me a flashdrive. It’s apparently a playlist. I’m not listening to it.
I still don’t know who won the sex bet.
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domain: literature


text:
Mekaniken has upgraded its Quantel Pablo to 2K and Stereo3D operation, and boosted its workflow with the addition of the new Pablo PA software assist. Founded in the 1990s, the Stockholm-based company is one of Sweden’s leading post houses.
Work currently going through Mekaniken’s Pablo includes a 10 x 45 minute episodic drama for Swedish broadcaster SVT, entitled The Bridge, and two movies destined for festivals. Also recently completed is a series of commercials for the Swedish Debt Office on the theme ‘bad losers’, which required creative treatment to lend them a retro-VHS/1980s look.
Henrik Cednert, Mekaniken CTO, commented: “Digital acquisition has really opened up the film market for us and expanded cooperation with our sister company Filmlance – one of Sweden’s largest independent production companies. This makes it a perfect time to upgrade our hard-working Pablo to full 2K DI and market ourselves more aggressively into the film business. Pablo’s versatility and full finishing toolset alongside its great colour tools makes it a perfect platform to take us further into the film market.”
After beta-testing Pablo PA soon after it was announced, Mekaniken has been quick to adopt Quantel’s new conform, prep and assist station.
“Pablo PA is a brilliant addition to our workflow – in fact it we actually base our whole workflow around it, freeing up a lot of time in the main Pablo suite,” said Cednert. “We do all the conforms on Pablo PA and sort out any issues before moving over to Pablo for grading and finishing. In some cases we’ll also do a technical grade on Pablo PA and also use it for fine-tuning masks etc – taking the load of the main suite so it can concentrate 100% on creative work. It’s a great product and we love it!”
As yet, there is not a great demand for Stereo3D post in Sweden, but Mekaniken wants to be ready as the market develops.
“This time round we believe Stereo3D is here to stay – maybe not exactly as we know it today but with the focus more on using it as a tool to enhance storytelling,” said Cednert.


text:
Frank Miller visiting the Uffizi Gallery. The legendary creator of some of America’s greatest graphic novels such as Batman – Return of the Dark Knight, Sin City, 300, has been spotted among the masterpieces of the Florentine Renaissance. The tour was organized as part of the new collaboration between the Uffizi and Lucca Comics & Games: the director Eike Schmidt, accompanied by the director of Lucca Comics & Games Emanuele Vietina, led Miller among the wonders of the Vasari museum. At the end of the visit, the director of the Uffizi gave the American author a book on Raphael’s drawings. From the world of comics, however, not only Miller landed in the Gallery (at Comics & Games to present the documentary dedicated to him ‘An American Genius’): a triptych of important American stars and stripes comics authors also showed up in the museum .
I’m Paul Azaceta, designer and co-creator of the famous horror series Outcast, made together with the creator of The walking dead Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, designer and co-author of the superhero comic, Invincible, this year also became a very successful TV series, Lisandro Estherren, designer and co-creator of Redneck, a successful Texan reinterpretation of the vampire myth. Tomorrow, October 30th, the Uffizi will instead embark on a full immersion in the universe of Lucca Comics. The director Eike Schmidt will go on tour at the kermesse, host of a Dante-themed debate and dedicated to the precious volume of Treccani ‘The Comedy in the mirror of images’. The meeting, which will be held starting at 5 pm in the Suffrage room, will see the participation, as well as Schmidt, of Lina Bolzoni, professor emeritus of the Scuola Normale Superiore and curator of the volume and of the designer Paolo Barbieri who in recent months has published in recent months a book of illustrations on Hell. To open the works will be an intervention by the president of the Tuscany Region Eugenio Giani. The director of the Uffizi will then take a tour of the exhibitions, events and stands of the exhibition, and then take part, from 9.30 pm, in the Award ceremony of the
Grand Master of Comics, awarded by Lucca Comics & Games as part of the Lucca Comics Awards. The award to the Maestro – which is the highest recognition of the event, constitutes a sort of ‘Oscar for career’ in a comic-book key and is awarded every year to an author of proven artistic stature for the high and recognized value of his overall work – marks a new space for collaboration between Lucca Comics & Games and the Uffizi Galleries. In fact, starting from this edition, the winning artist will see his self-portrait enter the museum’s collection, which has the largest collection in the world of this type of work. Furthermore, at the end of the Lucca event, the work will be the protagonist of a special exhibition in the exhibition spaces of the Prints and Drawings Department of the Uffizi. The winner’s name will be revealed directly during the ceremony on Saturday: the Uffizi director Schmidt himself will deliver the prize.
Source: Uffizi Galleries – Press office
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