VoIP is the new standard for seamless business communication between remote team members, in-house employees, and most importantly, your customers.
But is your business really better off with a cloud-based phone system, or should you opt for a premise-based PBX solution?
In this post, we’ll cover two key types of virtual phone systems: PBX vs VoIP.
Struggling to make sense of all the acronyms?
We don’t blame you. Read on for a clear, concise explanation of the differences between VoIP and PBX, the pros and cons of each, pricing and costs, and more.
- What Is VoIP?
- What is PBX?
- Detailed Comparison
- Pros And Cons of PBX
- Pros And Cons of VoIP
- Which to Choose?
Standard PBX vs Business VoIP: An Overview
The key difference between PBX vs VoIP (Voice over IP) is that a standard PBX system uses landline telephones to send/receive calls over the PSTN network, while VoIP sends/receives phone calls over the Internet.
While cloud PBX hosted phone systems are also available, for the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on premise-based standard PBX.
The table below provides a quick outline of the additional differences between VoIP and premise-based PBX phone systems, which we’ll discuss in detail later in this post.
|Traditional PBX||Business VoIP|
|Average Costs||– Hardware/Equipment Cost:
$5,000-$9,000 for 15-20 users
– Software Licensing Costs:
– Installation/Setup Costs:
– Maintenance Costs:
Average of $3,000-$4,000/year
– Additional Costs:
|– Hardware/Equipment Costs:
Can use existing devices for calling, including smartphones and desktop computers, can be as low as $150.00
– Software Licensing Costs:
Bundled monthly service plans from $20.00-$50.00+/user per month
– Installation/Setup Costs:
– Maintenance Costs:
Maintenance handled by the provider
|Available Devices||– Landlines/Desk Phones||– Desk Phones
– Desktop Computers
|Hardware And Equipment||– Premise-Based PBX Server
– Hard Phones
– Routers and Cabling
– Backup Power Supply
– Modems and Splitters
– Electrical Outlets and Wall Jacks
– Proper Circuit Capacity
|– Internet Access
– Router and Ethernet Cord
– PoE Adapter
– Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA)
– VoIP Gateway
– Headsets/Desk Phones (Optional)
– Backup Power Supply (Optional)
|Mobility||Can only be used in the building where the corresponding hardware is located (in-office)||Portable, can be used anywhere with Internet access (in and out of the office)|
|Available Communication Channels||– Voice Calling only||– Voice Calling
– SMS Texting
– Video Calling
– Instant Team Chat Messaging
– Team Collaboration Tools (File Sharing/Editing, Whiteboard, Screen Share, etc.)
– May integrate with email and social media accounts
|Phone System Features||– Voicemail
– Caller ID
– Call Hold
– Call Transfer
– Call Recording
|– Call Routing + Call Forwarding
– IVR and ACD
– Visual Voicemail
– Call Recording + Transcription
– Call Analytics
– Third-Party Integrations (CRM, etc.)
– Call Hold, Automated CallBack
– Softphone Calling
– Mobile Applications
|Scalability||Difficult to scale, requires physically installing new lines or upgrading to an IP PBX system||Highly scalable, can can upgrade to a higher tier plan or purchase additional phone numbers or add new users in the admin portal|
What Is VoIP?
VoIP is also referred to as virtual telephony, online calling, and IP telephony.
In addition to relying on an Internet connection to make and receive external and internal calls, one of the biggest aspects separating VoIP from PBX is mobility.
Because VoIP doesn’t need a physical, in-house phone network to operate, VoIP users can essentially take their entire small business phone system with them wherever they go. VoIP calling is operational anywhere with quality Internet access (with a minimum bandwidth of 90-100 kbps.)
This also means VoIP communication is accessible on any device, whether that’s your in-office desktop computer, your laptop at home, or even your cell phone via an iOS and Android mobile app.
How Does VoIP Work?
Let’s quickly discuss how VoIP works.
As seen in the above image, when an end user initiates a call, their voice audio is broken up into lots of small data packets, which are then sent over the Internet.
Note that during transit, these voice data packets are scrambled. To prevent the person on the other end of the line from hearing mangled gibberish, the data packets reassemble into the correct order before they’re played to the call recipient. This process is repeated back and forth throughout the conversation.
To sum up, VoIP:
- Uses broadband Internet to facilitate voice communications
- Isn’t limited to a single physical location
- Can be accessed on multiple devices
What Is PBX?
PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is a type of premise-based, in-house phone system that uses the traditional PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) to facilitate voice calls.
Think of a traditional PBX system as similar to a landline, in that it relies on circuit switching and copper wiring to send and receive calls. While landlines usually facilitate personal calls between two parties, PBX is designed for large-scale businesses to own and operate their own private telephone data network.
With PBX, companies can avoid paying telephone networks for additional phone lines. They’ll also enjoy greater overall control over their business phone system, as it’s physically located within the office building of the business using it.
This means that standard PBX systems are fixed to a single location, and can be accessed only on the devices connected to it.
To sum up, PBX:
- Relies on the PSTN physical, on-premise hardware to facilitate phone calls
- Is fixed to one location (the area where the hardware is located)
- Can access VoIP features via SIP Trunking or Hosted PBX
PBX vs VoIP: A Detailed Comparison
Now that you understand the main differences between PBX and VoIP, let’s take a closer look at the features, costs, hardware, setup process, and reliability of each option.
PBX phone systems have limited features compared to VoIP solutions, but if voice calling isn’t your business’s most used communication channel, this may not be a dealbreaker.
(Note that premise-based PBX phone systems can access VoIP functionality through SIP Trunking. Learn more about the differences between both in our SIP Trunking vs. Hosted PBX post.)
Key PBX Features
Premise-based PBX systems offer only the most basic telephony features, including:
- Voice Calling
- Ability to Transfer Calls
- Call Hold/Call Waiting
- Caller ID
- Phone Audio Conferencing
- Call Blocking
Again, these features will be accessible only on the desk phone itself. Newer models have color LCD screens that allow users to program/access these features. Some PBX solutions may offer call recording, but it’s not considered a “standard” PBX feature.
Key VoIP Features
Teams needing a robust feature set, or that want access to the advanced phone system capabilities today’s workforce expects, should unquestionably opt for a VoIP solution.
Calling and call management VoIP features include:
- IVR and ACD
- Call Forwarding (Find Me, Follow Me)
- Voicemail Transcription
- Automated Outbound Dialing Modes (Power, Predictive, etc.)
- Call Parking, Call Flip, Hot Desking
- Call Queuing and Automated Callbacks
- Call Routing Strategies (Round Robin, List-Based, Time-Based, Skills-Based, etc.)
- Call Recording and Transcription
- Call Monitoring, Call barge, Call Whisper
In addition to features related to voice calling, VoIP offers unified communications with channels like:
- Video calling with screen sharing, virtual whiteboarding, meeting recording, etc.
- Instant messaging with file sharing and real-time syncing, user mentions, channels, user presence updates, etc.)
- Business SMS texting
- Virtual faxing
- Social media integration
Costs And Pricing
While VoIP has a much lower upfront investment than PBX, depending on the provider, plan, features, and number of users you need, overall VoIP costs can quickly add up.
Though VoIP costs may be higher than initially anticipated, they still offer enormous savings over premise-based PBX phone systems.
How Much Does PBX Cost?
Don’t expect to pay less than $7,000 in initial PBX costs – a high price tag that instantly eliminates PBX service as an option for many.
First, there are the costs of equipment and new hardware (the specifics of which we’ll cover in a moment.) Premise-based PBX hardware can easily cost between $5,000 and $9,000 and up – and that’s only for about 15-20 users.
Then, you’ll need to pay for software licensing, which sets you back about $3,000-$4,000.
Don’t forget, you’re also financially responsible for any hardware and system maintenance – which may require you to hire an in-house IT team at the cost of about $50,000 and up per year, per employee. That’s not even counting the annual $3,000-$4,000 you’ll spend on actually maintaining your PBX system.
Finally, setup and installation costs can run you about $1,000-$1,500 – plus another $1,000+/month in additional service fees.
Overall, purchasing, installing, maintaining, and operating an on-premise PBX system can easily cost $25,000-$50,000 – even more for larger companies.
How Much Does VoIP Cost?
Most VoIP plans have a monthly cost of $20.00-$50.00 per user, per month, and offer unlimited calling.
Teams of 10 should expect to pay $200-$250.00/month in total for standard VoIP plans. Committed use/volume discounts are available, and most service providers offer a 10%-15% discount for annual pricing.
Additional VoIP local phone numbers generally cost about $10.00/number per month, while toll-free, vanity, and (if available) international numbers can cost $10.00-$20.00/number per month.
Some providers offer additional features “a la carte,” meaning they’re available as standalone add-ons. Generally, however, it’s still a better deal to upgrade to the next pricing tier.
VoIP equipment costs vary greatly, but in most cases, rely on existing hardware like desktop computers and mobile devices. Additionally, the provider is responsible for maintenance costs (aside from costs associated with maintaining existing hardware.)
Though your business may be able to handle VoIP setup and installation on its own, if professional help is needed, you’ll likely pay a one-time fee of up to $50.00 – though on-site installation and setup costs more.
The only “red flags” to watch for with VoIP pricing are the costs associated with breaking a long-term contract, as well as any excessive monthly fees. Our guide to VoIP taxes and fees helps you get a better feel for what is and isn’t acceptable.
Hardware, Installation, And Setup
Though VoIP requires significantly less hardware/equipment to operate than PBX, there are still a few things you’ll need. The VoIP installation process is much shorter than the PBX setup process, but be aware that it will require much more employee training than a traditional PBX landline.
Required PBX Hardware And Installation Process
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a premise-based PBX system requires lots of hardware and comes with a lengthy installation process.
Key hardware includes:
- Desk phones
- Cabling and splitters
- Wall jacks with appropriate circuits
- On-site PBX servers
- Backup power sources
VoIP Equipment And Setup Process
VoIP solutions have a much simpler setup and installation process than PBX, especially because there is far less hardware involved.
Required VoIP equipment includes:
- A router, Ethernet cord, and Internet access
- A PoE adapter
- A device (desktop or mobile) to operate the phone system on
- Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) or VoIP Gateway
Businesses may opt for additional VoIP equipment like desk IP phones, speaker systems, and headsets.
Depending on the complexity of the system, your new VoIP phone could be up and running in one business day.
That being said, it may take team members a while to learn how to use new features, access VoIP calling across multiple devices, and set up key features like IVR call flow paths, greetings, and call routing strategies. To help with this, look for a provider that offers 24/7 support in addition to on-demand or live training webinars.
Call Quality And Reliability
PBX has an ever-so-slight edge over VoIP in terms of overall reliability, whereas VoIP wins with a narrow margin when it comes to call quality.
PBX Call Quality And Reliability
Premise-based PBX phones are highly reliable with few outages, as they operate via the copper wiring of the PSTN – which has fewer stability issues than the Internet.
PBX call quality, though for the most part stable, can be impacted by echoing, dropped calls, and even the weather.
VoIP Call Quality And Reliability
VoIP offers HD audio and video, providing a higher overall call quality than traditional phones.
Most systems also have customizable audio options, like background noise suppression, noise cancellation, and audio testing before phone calls or video conferences.
The downside is that VoIP technology is entirely reliant on the strength of the current Internet connection, meaning a weak connection could lead to dropped calls, jitter, and latency.
For uninterrupted VoIP service, you’ll need a minimum bandwidth of 100kbps per phone line. Many companies also opt for a backup power supply, which will automatically kick on in the event of a power/service loss.
Our guide to solving common VoIP problems offers more information on how to prevent or fix potential call quality issues.
In terms of overall reliability, VoIP providers offer a minimum guaranteed uptime of 99.9% (though 99.999% is the gold standard.) This reliability is thanks to VoIP’s reliance on carrier-grade networks, as well as geographically redundant data centers.
Scalability And Flexibility
VoIP offers much more mobility than PBX, because it’s not tied to a single location or one device. Scaling a PBX system means the time-consuming and often expensive task of physically installing more lines – and even then, you can’t take it out of the office.
PBX Scalability And Flexibility
In addition to a lengthy installation process, adding new lines to a premise-based PBX system gets expensive quickly.
To expand phone service, you’ll need to hire technicians to install additional cabling, purchase new hard phones, and deal with potential disruption to your current service.
The “scalability” of PBX can really only go far. Unlike VoIP, there are no additional advanced features to access, and even the installation of new telephone lines won’t mean team members can access their business phones anywhere outside of the designated office space.
VoIP Scalability And Flexibility
Scaling your VoIP phone system is often as simple as upgrading your plan to the next tier in the provider’s online portal. Admins can instantly add new features or additional users (individually or in groups of 5-10, depending on the provider.)
Unlike with PBX, there’s no need to purchase additional hardware to accommodate VoIP upgrades. The only potential downside is that, depending on the provider and available plans, you may end up paying for features within bundled plans you don’t need.
In terms of flexibility, there’s no contest between VoIP and PBX.
VoIP works on multiple devices with real-time data syncing across desktop computers, smartphones, mobile iOS and Android apps, laptops, and even tablets. Your business VoIP can go wherever your team does.
Unfortunately, no matter whether you choose PBX or VoIP, your business is never 100% immune from hackers or data breaches.
That being said, if you’re willing to sacrifice functionality, scalability, and mobility all for the sake of security, then PBX may be right for you.
Is PBX Secure?
PBX relies on the copper wiring of the PSTN, which is significantly less prone to security issues than anything that runs over the Internet (like VoIP.) By taking the Internet out of the equation entirely, PBX eliminates any cyber security threats.
The only real security concerns to worry about with PBX are FBI-level wiretapping or someone listening in on your calls.
Is VoIP Secure?
VoIP security is a hot topic, and many businesses have legitimate concerns over how private their data really is – and just how vulnerable it may be to hackers.
While no provider can – or should – guarantee zero risk of data breaches or privacy violations, VoIP does offer a much higher security standard than you may have anticipated.
VoIP security considerations include:
- End-to-end encryption
- Two-factor authentication and password protection
- 24/7 network monitoring
- Real-time notifications of suspicious activity or security issues
- Third-party testing
- Third-party security and compliance certifications (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI, SOC 2 Type 2, etc.)
PBX: The Pros And Cons
The below table outlines the top PBX pros and cons.
|PBX Pros||PBX Cons|
|Easy-to-use and familiar to most team members, no high learning curve as with many VoIP features||Very high upfront costs, as well as the potential for “surprise” maintenance expenses at any moment, as the PBX owner is responsible for hosting and maintaining the system|
|High call quality and reliability as audio is unaffected by the strength of an Internet connection||Limited features make it difficult for most companies to keep pace with competitors that have access to advanced VoIP calling capabilities|
|Greater control over security and higher level of customization, since businesses can design their premise-based phone systems from the ground up||Requires in-house IT teams and space to host the server, which is often prohibitively expensive for smaller/newer businesses|
|Onsite PBX phone systems can access VoIP phone features via SIP Trunks||Usually referred to as a “legacy system,” meaning it will likely become entirely outdated within the next 5+ years|
VoIP: The Pros And Cons
The below table outlines the top VoIP pros and cons:
|VoIP Pros||VoIP Cons|
|Significant cost savings||Some providers require a long-term commitment/contract with an early termination fee to get the best upfront price|
|Access to more advanced features and additional communication channels||Less control and customization over your phone system as a whole, as it’s hosted by the provider on their offsite servers|
|Scalability and mobility||Potential for security issues, particularly if employees connect to the VoIP phone system over an unsecured WiFi network|
|Quick and easy installation and setup process||Call quality issues, like latency and jitter, will arise if a poor Internet connection is maintained, which means users often need to upgrade their Internet to a pricier plan|
PBX vs VoIP: Which Should You Choose?
When deciding between VoIP vs PBX, in the vast majority of cases, VoIP is the better overall choice.
Not only does VoIP offer significant cost savings over premise-based PBX, but it also comes with more features, high levels of mobility and scalability, strong security standards, and more.
Industry experts say analog phone systems are on their way out – so investing in an entirely new, completely premise-based PBX system really only makes sense for enterprise-level corporations and businesses/sectors dealing with high-level security concerns.
That being said, hosted PBX systems – the cloud-based alternative to premise-based PBX – have exploded in popularity. SIP Trunking, too, connects an existing premise-based phone system to the cloud, giving teams access to VoIP features.
PBX vs VoIP: Top FAQs
Below, we’ve answered some of the most common questions about PBX and VoIP phone systems.


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domain: travel


text:
New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal
SAINT JOHN – Betty Angevine says when she’s out and about in Saint John, she still sometimes hears a child say, “Look – there’s the music lady.”
After more than 65 years being involved with the New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music, she says she sees herself that way, too.
Angevine was just presented the New Brunswick Volunteer of the Year award from the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals.
“I was absolutely honoured. I’m really thrilled,” the 73-year-old said, sitting at a table in the library of St. Mark’s United Church, where she has been running the piano portion of the festival for years.
“It’s a big job and volunteers are hard to come by and I know that I can count on Betty,” said Nadine Lane, the festival administrator who put Angevine’s name forward for the award.
Angevine first started playing piano at six years old. She would take the streetcar all by herself from Manawagonish Road to uptown, and then walked right down Germain Street. She said she can recall climbing the steep stairs up to her teacher’s studio.
“Oh my gosh, she was strict. She was so strict,” Angevine said. She used to practise for a half-hour each day and kept her nails trimmed short for every lesson.
Angevine said her mother, who was a violinist in the first New Brunswick Orchestra in Saint John, wanted her to take the piano lessons.
“I loved it from the beginning,” she said, adding that classical music always appealed to her. “I just love the sound of it. The softness.”
Angevine competed in the music festival from six years old until she was 17. She missed one year while she went away to study. When she returned, she began to volunteer at the festival.
At the time, it was a single-day event held at Saint John High School.
The volunteers used to make coffee in a small room at the back of the school. Angevine said they nicknamed it “festival mud.”
“It just never worked out the way it was supposed to,” she said with a laugh. “And it was potent as bejeebers.”
She used to run the number board, where children could see when they were to go on. As the festival grew, Angevine took on greater roles, eventually joining the executive and becoming the administrator.
“After that I just ran the place, didn’t I?” she said to Lane with a laugh.
Angevine has volunteered with the festival for more than 55 years, and been a part of it for more than 65. She’s seen it progress from a single day event in one location to a two-week, seven-venue event. She’s helped numerous children through nerves and poor performances, and greeted them when they came back from studies or time away.
“Your heart just aches for them,” she said. “I’ve had kids walk off the stage crying, I’ve had kids bang the door.” She said, adding she’s also had to deal with upset parents after performances.
Over the years, she said she’s learned what it takes for a child to do well: practice.
“Practice, practice, practice,” she said. Her strict music teacher taught her to keep time so well that Angevine said she can always tell if a performance is speeding up or lagging behind.
Angevine herself has not been too much of a performer – she taught piano for 14 years after she was married, and then gave Royal Conservatory of Music exams from her home.
But she said she gets nervous performing in front of people, just like some of the children she has worked with at the festival.
She said the event has helped bring out many talented Saint John musicians.
“We’ve had good, good musicians basically because of this festival,” she said. Many leave to pursue their studies or music careers.
“When they come back, and they say, ‘Oh, hey music lady,’ it gives me a thrill,” she said.
The New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music will be held next year from April 22 to May 4.

domain: news


text:
Employment and Social Affairs
JUST - DG Justice and Consumers
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Coordinates with Member States, exchange of views
Monitors the development of national policies and the enforcement of EU legislation by national authorities

domain: sociology


JetBeam II PRO 510Lm Cree XPL HI LED Flashlight Reversible Stainless Steel Ring
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Brussels is not only Belgium’s capital, it’s also the country’s most diverse city both in terms of the people who live there and the things you can do there. There are museums, concert halls, great restaurants and plenty of outdoor activities. Brussels really has something for everyone. Don’t believe me? Then maybe this list of 5 completely different things to do in Brussels can convince you.
1. Art: The Museums
Art lovers will need to plan ample time in Brussels, as the city has over 20 art museums and that’s without counting the galleries. Some of the most famous ones are the Royal Museums of Art and History which include the magnificent Cinquantenaire Museum; the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium; the beautiful neo-classical Musée Magritte Museum, and the Centre for Fine Arts (which you’ll hear referred to by locals as BOZAR – is a homophone of Beaux-arts – and which is also home to the National Orchestra of Belgium.
2. Nature: Bois de la Cambre or Ter Kamerenbos
Bois de la Cambre in French or Ter Kamerenbos in Dutch is a 124 hectares-large forest and park in the south-east of Brussels. Locals often go there to relax, take a stroll or let their children ride the pony’s in summer. Bois de la Cambre is also an entrance to the Forêt de Soignes, a forest in the middle of Belgium that’s no less than 4,000 hectares big.
3. Beer: Brasseries, Breweries and Bars
Belgium is known for its fine beers and if you really want to have a large selection to choose from, you should go to Délirium Café. In 2004, this cafe earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most varieties of beers (2,004!) commercially available. Another beer place to be is Moeder Lambic. There you can find beers of Brussels’ oldest and until fairly recently only still functioning brewery, Cantillon, but also from the newer brewery Brasserie de la Senne.
4. Perfomances: Music, Theatre, Opera and Dance
There are many bars and small venues in Brussels that host live performances and if you want to, you can catch a concert practically every day. While you usually have to stumble upon these smaller venues or have the luck to be guided to them by a local, the capital also has some performance halls that are known throughout the country and beyond. The Ancienne Belgique is known for its pop and rock concerts, as is the Botanique. Both are proper concert halls but are still quite “cosy”. Vorst Nationaal, on the other hand, is a huge concert hall where you can see the world’s biggest music stars. Opera, ballet and classical music fans should check out De Munt, while you can see just about anything at BOZAR, from concerts to exhibitions and even theatre.
5. Shopping: More than chain stores
Brussels is a big city, so of course you can go shopping there. The Rue Neuve is where you find all the regular chain stores, but more interesting are the trendy Dansaert area, the budget-friendly Rue de Brabant and the upscale Avenue Louise. If you prefer markets to stores, the antiques market at Grote Zavel or the second-hand market at the Vossenplein are only a few of your options.
If you are still looking for somewhere to stay, don’t forget to check out our Brussels page.
So, do you now agree that Brussels has something for everyone? Have you been to Brussels? Do you have a favourite spot? Let us know in the comments!
Our Brussels expert Sofie shows guides people on their travels to Belgium and beyond. Her personal blog Wonderful Wanderings focuses both on the must-sees and daily life, on the big attractions and the places you’d never find by yourself.

domain: artistic


text:
To eat your name for dinner means I wake up with the Ocean’s rage in the crevice of my guts. The movement inside crashes into my organs. My heart, reverberates an incomprehensible dissonance of beats and rhythm. My lungs, slowed down by Chaos and Confusion, dance like little girls with two left feet. one. two. three — a waltz gone too fast.
To eat your name for dinner means I hold on to my sheets and cry out in pain as little stars escape my mouth. These stars do not fly out gracefully but fall on my sheets like defeated warriors. I shiver lightly from fatigue and nausea. I do not count theses celestial beauties instead I abandon them without a choice.
Another wave of movement inside me forces me to curl up into a ball. Pieces of the moon in its sheer silvery sheen make its grand exit out in such haste that my tears were not able escape my eyes in time.
A splitting pain and emptiness inside me gives birth to a strange light that stays with me and lingers… long enough to blind me.
I eat your name for dinner and awake throwing up the universe.
please. i need time. i want this to run smoothly. the universe, despite its omnipotence, demands so much. i am not made of rubber. i am stardust, and tears, and mistakes.
Every night I wish only that you would be mine. This I always shyly and cautiously leave hanging in the air. Only the stars and the leaves that rustle by my feet bear witness to my desperation – my pathetic contradictions.
Every night the moon watches me and drowns my plea with its silvery moonlight. I watch my shadows dance beneath the lamppost as I whisper my request out into the world.
The moonlight does not falter. It seeps through my very being. It fills me up and empties me.
Unlike the fragments of light that escape the clasp of leaves and branches, my wish will not reach the Gods.
Every night I whisper your name out into the world in the hopes of having you closer to me. In exchange, a piece of you is taken by the Gods as my own special atonement.
My heart tells me I should stop. My mind urges me forward.
Tell me, will the moon ever run out of light?
I’m in a book I’ve read before. His struggles are now mine. Apprehension swallows me in a millisecond. Damn this book. Curse this storyline. I know how it ends. I know it like the back of my hand.
the wind, knocked out of me.
my lungs, like stubborn wind
does not succumb,
unable to surrender to death
for your sake.
my heart breaks
to a fast paced waltz
it shatters more,
each piece crying out
each letter of your name
it starts with a loud J
and ends in a hushed
it comes back.
like the ghost of poison
enough to bring forth
and cause me
to bend forward.
and scream your name
I am against bullying.
No matter what you tell me, you will never convince me otherwise.
“Ends are for yesterday, not for tomorrows”
Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper is interesting enough to freeze time or at least to keep me from noticing that quite a big chunk of it has gone. It basically tells the story of Dor, who is imprisoned in a cave for 6,000 years for trying to capture the essence of Time through his tools and invention. When he is finally “freed” from the cave, he is tasked to teach the real value of Time relative to the meaning of Life to two mortals and as an effect, to himself.
The book presents life-lessons that are not entirely foreign or new such as how we waste Time by trying to “catch” Time or how we miss the living part of life by counting our days and minutes only to find ourselves begging for more when we’ve noticed we only have a handful of it left.
What makes this book engrossing despite the cliches, is its simplicity and how it tried to veer away from a preachy tone which is almost always present in books that are lesson-giving.
“There was always a quest for more minutes, more hours, faster progress to accomplish more in each day. The simple joy of living between summers was gone.”

domain: literature


text:
Polymorphic minor transplantation antigens probably play an important role in immune mediated graft rejections of bone marrow transplants. Mapping of these antigens on hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) is important since these antigenic determinants may serve as target structures in the rejection process, and it ultimately opens the possibility to match for these antigens. Using a cell-mediated cytotoxicity assay with H-Y-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes as effector cells, a dose-dependent growth inhibition up to 100% of myeloid (CFU-GM), erythroid (BFU-E) and multipotential (CFU-GEMM) HPC of male donors was obtained, indicating expression of the H-Y antigen on these progenitor cells. In contrast, inhibition of relatively mature erythroid and myeloid progenitor cells was only 40-50%, indicating that the recognition of the H-Y antigen diminished during maturation of erythroid and myeloid HPC. Our results show that the H-Y antigen can be recognized on HPC as a target for cytotoxic T cell responses. This may be important in graft rejection of male donor bone marrow grafts by female recipients.
P J Voogt, E Goulmy, W E Fibbe, W F Veenhof, A Brand, J H Falkenburg

domain: biology


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I'm working full time again now unfortunately. It means Updating is far and between, I hope not to give up with my stories, but I'll do my best.
I'll keep it short and sweet, I've been an author on fanfiction for about ten years now on two different accounts, I enjoy SSX and FF12 in the video games category, One Piece, Naruto; Bleach and a host of other animes and Harry Potter. I work full time, I live in England and Germany. I tend to review everything I read; be it good or bad since it is demoralising for an author to get tons of hits and no reviews. If it hadn't been for constructive criticism when I first started I still believe my writing would be appalling. I write for fun and for a hobby and one day I might actually look at getting my original works written out completely, until then; I lose myself in fanfiction.
I steer clear of Yaoi like the plague, it's generally the worst written type of fiction in terms of out of characterness, lack of plot and general writing style. My OTP's are usually pairings that are not very common but just seem to work. I like well written OC's, in fact I adore them, although I have to wade through 70% rubbish, when I find that rare 30% that I can read and enjoy I am hooked.
For interests here are some of my favourites:
Music - Power Metal
Colour - Pink
Animal - Bunny
Anime - One Piece
Game - Zelda, Ocarina of Time
Season - Winter
Food - Lamb
Pokemon - Buneary
I have an insatiable lust for atheletes. Especially German ones. Oh Manuel Neuer what I wouldn't do to you.
My friend Shannon drew an amazing picture of the Heart Pirates with my OC's Celeste and Ruby x3 You can view it here by copying and pasting into your browser window. http:///tumblr_m9scb2sDzL1ru31amo1_1280.png
Update: Friday 9th October
Path Of Loyalty status: Hiatus for now.
Nothing Left status: 0% Just updated.
Avalanche status: On hiatus for the moment.

domain: hobby


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That was the response by coach Jonathan Gannon following his opening statement after the Arizona Cardinals Christmas Eve 27-16 loss to the Bears in Chicago Sunday.
There was no Christmas miracle (save for the 52-degree temperatures at game time). Nope. Just more of what we’ve seen all season from a team that is simply undermanned and unable to play consistent ball against more talented rosters.
For the record, Gannon first said, “Battled through some things. You start the game down 21-0; it’s tough to dig back. But I do think that we fought back and got playing better. I thought special teams made a lot of impactful plays. Defense started to get some stops. Offense got some points there. Cut it to a one-score game. Just didn’t have enough in the tank. But appreciate their fight.”
When the first question stated the obvious (“Been a lot of the same kind of story, you play hard, but you’re saying the same thing every week.”), Gannon said, “Every week.”
Is that getting old for you?
“Not at all,” he said. “Because it’s the truth. I know they fight, I know they battle, I know they prepare the right way. You get down 21-0, we didn’t stop them really. The play extension I thought killed us. We’ve just got to start a little bit faster on offense, generate some first downs and score some points. Come out like that, I didn’t think we were flat, but I just thought we didn’t execute at a high enough level.”
Quarterback Kyler Murray agreed with the Groundhog Day feel to the season (actor Bill Murray from that movie is a Chicago guy) when he said, “Just lack of execution. We’ve just got to be better, and you know, it’s kind of like a theme this whole season.”
It sure is. But that shouldn’t be a surprise considering the overall talent on the field. It was thin entering the season and has gotten worse with injury attrition, especially on defense.
As Murray added, “I felt like we made plays here and there, whether it was me or any of us out there on the offense.”
That’s also true on defense. Lack of consistency is usually traced to what coaches often privately say, “There’s are just better than ours.”
Overall, the Cardinals have had 75 players participate in games and 52 have started at least one. Only 13 have played all 15 games and two are kicker Matt Prater and long snapper Aaron Brewer.
On defense, the opening-week starters were defensive linemen L.J. Collier, Leki Fotu and Jonathan Ledbetter; linebackers Kyzir White, Josh Woods, Zaven Collins and Victor Dimukeje; cornerbacks Marco Wilson and Kei’Trel Clark; and safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson.
Collier, Fotu, White and Woods are on reserve/injured, while Wilson and Clark were benched. Ledbetter suffered a knee injury Sunday and Dimukeje was inactive because of a foot injury.
With White and Woods missing, Krys Barnes, who relayed the defensive calls, missed one snap because of an injury, while rookie Owen Pappoe started and played 35 (50 percent) and Tyreek-Maddox Williams played five (seven percent).
Cornerbacks Antonio Hamilton Sr. and Star Thomas V each played all 70 snaps.
The outside linebackers like Dimukeje share snaps and several have started games: Collins 15 (the only defensive player to start every game); Dimukeje and Dennis Gardeck six; and Cameron Thomas three.
However, the production has been solid at best and no pass rusher has defensive coordinators losing sleep in game preparation.
Gardeck had one sack Sunday, which was credited on a play where quarterback Justin Fields had no gain, but that counts as a sack. The group has a season total of 18.5 and against the Bears they combined for nine tackles (seven unassisted).
Fields rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown on nine attempts and had a 32-yard third-quarter run negated by a holding penalty. That infraction was something Fields said he warned his linemen about.
Asked the key to his production, Fields said, “Just extending plays. Last week they (the Browns) did a lot of drop-eight stuff, so we were kind of expecting some of that stuff. But they don’t have as fast of (pass rushers), so I knew I would be able to extend plays and stuff like that. I think that’s really it.
“I told the O-linemen, like, we don’t have to hold. If I break free, they are not as fast as Myles (Garrett) and the guys we played last week.”
Still, the Bears jumped to that 21-0 lead without explosives from Fields. He did score the team’s first touchdown on a 3-yard run, but the damage on those possessions came courtesy of running back Khalil Herbert and tight end Cole Kmet.
Herbert had three runs of 10 yards or more, including an 11-yard touchdown, while Kmet had 102 yards on three receptions. He didn’t play in the second half because of a knee injury.
Chicago’s first six third downs averaged 2.5 yards to go, while two Cardinals possessions were stymied by third-down plays needing 14 and 15 yards. Later in the game, there were third downs with 18 yards needed and two with 10.
Chicago’s three touchdown drives totaled 215 yards on 25 plays, while the Cardinals’ had 15 plays on their first three possessions for 36 yards.
On first down, which has been an issue all season, the Cardinals had minus-5 yards on their first four plays while the Bears were 9-for-95. Herbert had 62 yards rushing in the first half on eight attempts (7.8 average).
Fields said, “In the first quarter, we were dominating the run game. I felt like after I toss the ball or hand the ball out, Khalil had a lot of space to run. There were like highways out there. I think the Cardinals; they adjusted well in the second half, and there weren’t as many big gaps as there were in the first half.”
However, while the Bears had 168 yards in the second half after totaling 252 in the first two quarters, Fields rushed for 65 yards on five runs in the final two quarters.
Said Gannon, “The play extension hurt us in pass downs with him. And we know he’s a good player. He’s a mobile quarterback. Makes a lot of plays with his legs, but the run game we have to do a better job. That’s all 11. That’s coaching and playing. We have to play blocks a little bit better, tackle a little bit better. A couple misfits I saw. It’s on the details of each call.”
They also need a better and faster front seven.
Murray bemoaned a late first-half play when the Cardinals had trimmed the lead to 21-7 and would also be opening the second half with the ball.
On third-and-3 from their own 41-yard line with 1:14 to play, Murray threw a backwards pass that wasn’t handled by running back Emari Demercado and it went out of bounds. With two Bears players close by, even had he corralled it, it’s questionable whether it would have resulted in a first down.
Murray said, “Before the half, the third down, that was one that probably wish we had back to go try to score right before the half, make it 14-21 and then get the ball back to double up, tie the game. We didn’t execute.”
There’s that persistent theme again to go with another rough outing for the wide-receiver corps, except for a pass in space to wide receiver Greg Dortch, who zigged and zagged for a 38-touchdown that cut the lead to 24-16 with 6:37 to play in the game.
Dortch also had a 40-yard kickoff return that led to a 55-yard field goal by Matt Prater and another return for 29 yards.
The receiver group was without Hollywood Brown, who was inactive, while Michael Wilson had four targets with no receptions after having no catches against the 49ers the week before on three targets in his first game back after missing time with shoulder and neck injuries.
Gannon dodged a question about the unit when he said, “I don’t know if it’s a concern. I would say what’s a concern for me is we have to start faster and score some points, and that’s on all 11, not just the wide receivers.”
Surely, it can be argued that the issues at the position contribute to slow starts and overall offensive inconsistency.
Murray completed 24 of his 37 targets for 230 yards, but for an average of only 9.6 yards per catch.
By position group, here is the breakdown of wide receivers, tight ends and running backs in targets/receptions/yards/average:
The receiver numbers are skewed by Dortch’s touchdown and a 22-yard pass to Rondale Moore with 17 seconds remaining in the first half on a play that started at the 20-yard line. Without those, Dortch and Moore, both 5-foot-7, combined for two receptions for 15 yards.
Look around the NFL and there are taller receivers making plays. For example, in a Seven from Sunday release that the NFL puts out each week, yesterday they featured five wide receivers that had big days. Here are their heights:
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay, 6-foot-5; Puka Nacua, L.A. Rams, 6-foot-2, Amari Cooper, Cleveland and Justin Jefferson, Minnesota, 6-foot-1; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit, 6-foot. Coincidence?
The quarterbacks were Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford, Joe Flacco, Nick Mullens and Jared Goff.
Whether it’s Marvin Harrison Jr. early in the 2024 draft or someone else in a talented group of draft-eligible players or unrestricted free agents that will be available, it’s imperative that more consistent difference-making talent is added in the offseason.
And, no one should question if Murray would be more productive with a better corps, especially considering what he did accomplish with DeAndre Hopkins (6-foot-1), Christian Kirk (5-foot-11) and even A.J. Green (6-foot-4) in the first half of the 2021 season.
What can be questioned are two perplexing decisions by Gannon following the touchdown that cut Chicago’s lead to 24-16.
Despite being the worst team in the NFL on 2-point conversion attempts (3-for-11) entering the game, the Cardinals went for the two and a pass attempt weas incomplete.
For context, the remainder of the league was 53-for-90 (58.9 percent) through Week 15 and the teams with the next most attempts were Cleveland and Houston with six.
With no fear of the all-in analytics crowd pushing back, the question is simply: Why?
Aside from any analytics not being able to factor in team situations (like, you know, being bad at it), and game circumstances, a 2-point conversion should only be attempted when it’s absolutely necessary.
In this case, obviously, an extra point makes it a 7-point game. Another touchdown makes it a 1-point game. Want to try for the win there with momentum on your side and likely late in the game even with failed history? Go for it. But not on the first touchdown, where a fail required a 2-point play to tie.
As it turned out, the Cardinals forced a three-and-out on the next possession with Thompson and defensive lineman Naquan Jones stoning running back Roschon Johnson on a direct snap on third-and-1.
Unfortunately, punter Trenton Gill followed with a 57-yard punt that was downed at the 9-yard line with 4:21 to play. After one first down, a third-and-6 pass for Wilson was incomplete and surely the Cardinals would punt from their own 27 with 3:03 remaining in the game and all their timeouts, right?
Wrong. Not only was the choice to go for the first down, but the play was a pass to Dortch, who went to the ground at midfield (uncalled pass interference on 6-foot cornerback Terell Smith?) with the ball landing at the Bears’ 41.
Gannon cut off a question about the play, which might have included his decision to go for the first down, and said only, “He (Murray) took the one-on-one, which is the right read.”
The Bears then clinched the game with 1:02 on the clock on a 29-yard field goal.
The Cardinals have a poor history this season on fourth down. They entered the game next to last in the NFL with a 37.9 percentage (11-for-29). The only team worse was Seattle (6-for-16, 37.5 percent). The Cardinals are now at 36.7 percent after Sunday’s miss. There were only three teams after Week 15 with as many or more fourth-down tries: N.Y. Giants, 14-for-29, 48.3 percent; Detroit, 15-for-33, 45.5 percent; and Carolina, 17-for-38, 44.7 percent.
It’s not a pretty picture.
At 3-12 and with the Patriots having defeated the Broncos Sunday night, the Cardinals are now alone with the second pick in the 2024 draft with two games to play. The Panthers are 2-13, but the Bears own their choice.
Remaining to play are the Eagles and Seahawks for a team that, while battling, has lost eight games by at least 10 points with the average of those losses by 17.1 points. They have been outscored 120-53 in the fourth quarter.
Still, with as much frustration as there is, Murray remains optimistic. Asked whether the team has a sense of urgency, he said, “Everyone knows the situation we’re in as far as our record and stuff like that. But I’ve seen no quit as far as the urgency goes. Everybody; team full of grinders.
“Work hard throughout the week. Understand what we’re about, what we’re trying to be about around here. Moving forward, I think the mindset is right.”
In two weeks, the work will begin with hopefully adding numerous better players that have that same mindset.
Don’t hesitate to comment or ask questions on Twitter @hbalzer721 or email me: firstname.lastname@example.org. Also, become a DIEHARD and use the promo code HOWARD
Readers can also receive a free weekly newsletter on any team(s) of interest. The Cardinals day is Saturday. Just go to https://gophnx.com/subscribe-to-the-free-phnx-newsletter/
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The Crossing (1999)
Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.
The Crossing Videos & Photos
Adapted by screenwriter Howard Fast from his own fact-based novel, this historical drama tells the story of one of the most unexpected triumphs of the American Revolutionary War. In December 1776, the armies of General George Washington (Jeff Daniels) are near the point of collapse; short on money and supplies, ravaged by disease, their numbers thinned by desertion, and freezing in summer uniforms in the midst of a brutal winter, it seems all but impossible that the Colonial Army can hold out much longer against the British Army and their allied German Hessian forces. With imminent defeat a clear possibility, Washington and his troops organize for an audacious surprise attack against the British soldiers on Christmas Day, hinging on the crossing of the freezing Delaware River in the middle of a storm. Co-starring Roger Rees, The Crossing was produced for broadcast by the Arts and Entertainment cable television network. … More
Watch it now
as General Washington
as General Mercer
as Captain Alexander Ha...
as Colonel Glover
as Billy Perkins
as Mr. Barclay
as Mrs. Barclay
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Critic Reviews for The Crossing
Audience Reviews for The Crossing
A well executed docudrama, and apparently a slightly controversial look at George Washington. Jeff Daniels (George Washington) not only gives a really good performance here, he even looks very much like how I would picture the man. The authenticity of the costumes, and battle movements, also add to the appeal of this film. Students of military history should find this very interesting.
as i've known daniels only in Dumb and dumber, my favorite subject in school is history, he does a suprisingly awesome job portraying the serious role of George Washington in this war movie
Discuss The Crossing on our Movie forum!

domain: history


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Indian kids channel Sony YAY! has revealed a renewed push into the local animation space with four new titles.
While the pay-TV channel has tasted success in recent months with “Taarak Mehta Kka Chhota Chashmah,” an animated show based on popular Hindi-language sitcom “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah,” most of the programming hitherto revolved around dubbed Indian-language versions of international hit properties including “Oggy and the Cockroaches,” “Oscar’s Oasis,” “Horrid Henry,” “Harry & Bunnie,” “Robotan,” “Naruto” and “The Owl & Co.”
That model is set to change with the 2023 rollouts of four flagship shows. “Karna: The Guardian” (12 x 22′) is a fresh take on the story of the character Karna from Indian epic “Mahabharata” that aims to be an amalgamation of science and mythology. It will combine anime elements with Bollywood style. Sony YAY! is in advanced negotiations with a Japanese company to co-produce. There are plans for a 360 degree universe around the property with a PlayStation game under discussion as well.
There are two seasons (26 x 22′) planned across 2023 and 2024 for “C.I.D. Squad,” an animated take on long-running live-action police procedural “C.I.D.” It will follow a lead detective who works in the crime investigation department of the police force who is aided by three curious teenagers as they tackle complex cases. The show is being made in a graphic novel style and is a fast-paced thriller.
“Maya & the Magic Makeup Box” (13 x 22′) is billed as a teenage girl’s voyage of self-discovery. It follows 16-year-old girl Maya, an average, unnoticed and under-confident girl in middle school who finds a magical make-up box and starts using it to find a welcome change in her world.
Learning-based show “Young Aviators” (10 x 22′) will introduce children to the science of flying through interactive new fly-missions in every episode.
Formerly known as Animax India, Sony YAY! was rebranded some five years ago and is now is in a leadership space alongside Disney’s bouquet of kids’ channels, the Nickelodeon channels and the Warner Bros. Discovery children-focused channels, with a reach of 55 million, Leena Lele Dutta, business head, Sony YAY!, told Variety.
Sony YAY!’s content is currently dubbed into the Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali languages. The key learning for the channel during COVID-19 lockdowns was the return of communal family viewing, and the focus of these flagship shows is to create content that the family can watch together, Dutta said.
“At this point in time, we are pivoting into doing original programming and in animation for adults even. So that is the programming that we will speak about to an age group of 16 plus, with concepts and characters, which are more universal with possibly kids plus family, or young adults or even full families,” Dutta said.
The original programming being produced will not automatically land on Sony YAY! or sister service, streamer SonyLIV. They will be available to purchase by the highest bidder in India’s fiercely competitive streaming space, a practice similar to Sony Pictures Entertainment’s policy globally, Dutta said.
For its next phase of development Sony YAY! is going deep into India’s heartlands to find and tell the countless untold stories, beginning with the often-neglected Northeast of the country, which has a rich history of folk tales.
“We want these very differentiated ideas, which make beautiful animation and visuals that lends itself to being very Indian,” Dutta said.
Once the core Indian market has been catered to, the plan is to look at making the originals available to Asia and the rest of the world in localized versions as animation lends itself easily to dubbing.
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domain: entertainment


John Cena returns
Cena Claus is coming to town! Indeed, after fighting for SmackDown LIVE at Survivor Series, John Cena returns to Team Red for a special Christmas celebration in Chicago, the city in which he made his WWE debut against Kurt Angle back in 2002.
The Women’s division prepares to make history
Last Monday night, sports-entertainment changed forever when Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon proclaimed that the Royal Rumble event on Sunday, Jan. 28, will play host to the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match, granting the winner a championship opportunity at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans. Based on the emotional reactions to the revelation, the Raw women will be stepping up their game in the forthcoming weeks. Will new Superstars declare for the historic bout? Who will separate themselves from the pack as the Royal Rumble event approaches? Such questions will be answered Christmas night.
Who will gain momentum en route to a battle with The Beast?
After Raw General Manager Kurt Angle announced last Monday that Universal Champion Brock Lesnar will defend his title against both Braun Strowman and Kane in a Triple Threat Match at the Royal Rumble event, The Beast Incarnate laid out both challengers — but neither stayed down for long.
Both formidable challengers will be looking for a strong close to 2017 as they prepare to take on The Conqueror. Who will face the wrath of The Monster Among Men and The Big Red Machine on Raw?
Click Here: Golf special
How will Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins get payback for Dean Ambrose?
Samoa Joe’s assault in the trainer’s room exacerbated Dean Ambrose’s arm injury, requiring The Lunatic Fringe to undergo surgery to repair the damage. Both Seth Rollins and Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns clearly want a piece of The Samoan Submission Machine after he put their Shield brother on the shelf. Who will get their hands on Joe first?
Who else will declare for the Men’s Royal Rumble Match?
Will more Superstars throw their names in the hat for a World Championship opportunity on The Grandest Stage of Them All at WrestleMania 34?


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No sequel could have lived up to 1999’s The Matrix. With one film, the Wachowskis changed action cinema forever. When the filmmakers announced they were following up their iconic film with two sequels, fans flipped, but when those movies hit theaters within five months of one another, people didn't know what to make of them. Both Reloaded and Revolutions were criticized for being bloated and overreaching. But are the Matrix sequels really worthy of such detestation?
Rather than using the Matrix trilogy to remake the original film twice, the Wachowskis instead decided to take the best parts of The Matrix and twist them into new kinds of sequels. These movies don't just follow in the footsteps of their predecessor - they turn the story upside-down and inside-out. While they resemble the original, they're still completely new.


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On Wednesday, July 6, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab revealed that Maxiorisol “Mayi” Cumare was the intellectual author of the murder of her husband, sociologist and Venezuelan revolutionary leader Carlos Lanz. Cumare allegedly paid $8,000 to Glen Castellanos—one of her lovers—whose testimony was vital in the clarification of the case, who testified that two assassins were hired to carry out the crime. After Lanz’s muder, his body was dismembered and his remains were fed to pigs in order to destroy evidence. Attorney General Saab also announced that there have been 13 detentions, with more possibly coming in the following days.
In a press conference lasting almost two hours at the Public Ministry headquarters, Attorney General Saab explained that Mayi Cumare gave $8,000 to Glen Castellanos—who had previously served jail time in the Tocorón and Punta Ayala prisons after being convicted of bank robbery and vehicular theft—so that he would hire, through a criminal gang leader, two assassins.
On August 8, 2020, the day of Carlos Lanz’s disappearance, a friend of his, Tito Viloria, allegedly convinced him to leave his house that day to attend an “urgent meeting of the militias in Mariara,” to discuss how to prevent a fake military insurrection. The gunmen intercepted them on their way to the meeting, tied Lanz up and took him to the La Fortaleza farm in Cojedes state, where Lanz was taken to a grave and killed while still standing, with two shots to his head. Later, the hitmen and the farm foreman dismembered Lanz’s body and fed the pieces to the pigs in the farm, as a way of disappearing the remains, which was one of Mayi Cumare’s demands.
Attorney General Saab remarked during the press conference how right-wing groups along with extreme left-wing ones constructed a smear campaign to try to present the disappearance of Carlos Lanz as an alleged state crime, and some even proposed to file a claim at the International Criminal Court.
When consulted on this issue, Jesús Rodríguez-Espinoza, editor of Orinoco Tribune, stated, “Just a few weeks after the terrible incident, some far-right groups, but mainly left-wing groups related to the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) actively participated, via social media platforms, in this campaign trying to—out of the blue—connect the disappearance of Carlos Lanz with an alleged political disappearance, even though Lanz was a hardcore Chavista committed until the last moment of his life to the Bolivarian Revolution.”
Much of the explanation presented by the Attorney General comes from the confession of Glen Castellanos, who took advantage of the benefit of denunciation, along with posterior criminal procedures that corroborated his statements. The Attorney General presented an eight-minute video with Castellanos’ testimony.
So far, 13 people have been arrested for the abduction and subsequent murder of Carlos Lanz, some as subjects of interest and others as accused. “The investigations continue and we are not ruling out the possibility of new detainees,” Saab explained.
Investigation took a turn
The Attorney General indicates that, over the last few weeks, the investigation took a new direction after the investigators realized that a woman who worked as a domestic help for Carlos Lanz’s family, called Maryori Acevedo, had decided to change residence after 20 years of living in the Lanz household. “That immediately caught our attention,” said Saab, that Acevedo had moved from Maracay, Aragua state, where Lanz lived, to Mene Grande in Zulia state.
On June 27, the investigating team was able to locate her. When interviewed, Acevedo provided valuable information. She reported a relationship of extreme and manifest hostility between Carlos Lanz and his wife, Mayi Cumare. She also revealed that she was surprised by “several extramarital partners” that Mayi Cumare had, two in particular: Óliver Medina and Glen Castellanos. The latter had been imprisoned for vehicular theft, bank robbery and related crimes, and had served jail time in Tocorón and Puente Ayala prisons.
RELATED CONTENT: Update on Carlos Lanz Disappearance
Acevedo added that another man, Darwin Zambrano, who had a romantic relationship with Alieska Gil, Carlos Lanz’s stepdaughter, after breaking up with her, decided to reveal a series of acts by Mayi Cumare against Carlos Lanz, including physical and verbal humiliation, from her against him. “This made us conclude that she [Mayi Cumare] has the psychological profile of a person who suffers from borderline personality disorder [revealed by a psychiatric analysis], and is a highly unstable person, with extreme social narcissism, aggressiveness and impulsivity, who can commit crimes,” stated Saab.
Glen Castellanos, lover of Mayi Cumare, confesses
In this way, the Public Ministry was able to find and interrogate Glen Castellanos. “We managed to make him become an informer by offering him procedural guarantees after admitting the facts,” said Tarek William Saab. Castellanos is a witness, and admitted to being a direct participant in the crime.
The investigation took a 180° turn after Castellanos’ statement given last Saturday. “In his declaration, Glen confessed that he himself participated in the murder of Carlos Lanz by order of Mayi Cumare, who believed that they had the perfect alibi blaming mercenaries from Israel and the United States,” explained Attorney General Saab.
The attorney added that Mayi Cumare gave Glen Castellanos $8,000 for the abduction and murder of Carlos Lanz, according to Glen’s confession. Of these, $5,000 went to a gangster from the Tocorón prison and two assassins, and he had $3,000 for himself as the organizer.
“The body should never be found,” was one of Mayi Cumare’s orders to Glen Castellanos in the negotiation.
Corruption: one of the motives
According to Glen Castellanos, “Mayi was fed-up in the way Carlos Lanz hindered her corruption deals.”
The Attorney General explained that Mayi Cumare handled a lot of money, budgeted items and additional credits as the regional director of INCES Aragua (National Institute for Educational Cooperation, a State entity that provides training in trades and short careers). He pointed out that they had about 18 vendors, and Glen Castellanos was one of them.
Tito Viloria was another of the suppliers frequently appointed by Mayi Cumare at INCES. He seems to have been the main supplier of food, t-shirts, hats, office equipment, and gave Mayi Cumare a 20% commission for the contracts he received.
Zaida Suárez, partner of Tito Viloria, was also detained.
The Attorney General pointed out that Tito Viloria was Mayi Cumare’s figurehead, and many assets in his name were actually her property, including Finca La Fortaleza, a farm located in an inhospitable place near El Baúl in the state of Cojedes.
Farm in Cojedes inspected
Saab stated that investigation teams visited the aforementioned farm in Cojedes with a canine team specialized in searching for human remains. In a pit in a paddock, traces of blood were found after testing them with luminol, a chemical agent used by police forces to detect the presence of organic fluids, even if they were washed away.
RELATED CONTENT: Where is Carlos Lanz? A One-Year-Old Question
In the raid they found a shirt. Glen Castellanos stated that the day Carlos Lanz disappeared, he was wearing a blue plaid shirt. Tests are being done to definitively confirm if the shirt found in the raid belonged to Carlos Lanz.
Saab explained that they had also identified the foreman of the farm, Elis Becerra or “El Caliche,” [who is] of Colombian nationality. Saab described him as someone with little human empathy, who uses drugs, and Glen Castellanos described him as someone who is very dangerous.
According to the Attorney General, on August 8, the day of Lanz’s kidnapping and disappearance, Tito Viloria deceived him by telling him that “there was a meeting in Mariara with militiamen because there is a conspiracy underway against the government.”
“We had corroborated that, starting at 8:30 in the morning, Professor Carlos Lanz left his house. There is a gap of one hour in which none of the interviewees could tell us what happened in that hour. There were great contradictions among all the interviewees. We used a polygraph, where almost everyone was lying or hiding information,” said Saab.
Mayi Cumare stated that she had supposedly left the house before 8:30 in the morning and left Carlos Lanz sleeping there, and that her daughter, when she woke up at 11:30, did not see him at home. However, Saad explained that there are two videos showing that Mayi Cumare left the house after 9:30 in the morning, contradicting her story.
“They all traveled by car, first Tito Viloria with Carlos Lanz in a Mitsubishi Lancer,” continued Saab. “Then, in a blue Explorer SUV there were two hitmen, and behind, in a Ford Fiesta was Glen Castellanos. Upon reaching the height of Yagua, the gunmen got out of the Explorer, intercepted the car where Tito Viloria was with Carlos Lanz, and with weapons in hand they got Lanz out of the car in cold blood, gagged him and threw him on the hood of the Explorer, bound for La Fortaleza farm.”
The assassins have been identified as José Pinto, alias Bombero Osa, already captured, and Pedro Basketball, “already identified and in the process of being captured,” Saab said.
Glen Castellanos, in order to have an alibi, returned to INCES Maracay together with Mayi Cumare, where he had the idea of carrying out a cleaning operation in full radical quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After that, Castellanos moved to Finca La Fortaleza. He arrived at 4:00 in the afternoon. He found that, in one of the houses, sitting on a block, Carlos Lanz was handcuffed and gagged. The two assassins were there, in the presence of Tito Viloria. Elis Becerra, the foreman, was also there.
Lanz died standing up
The assassins allegedly told Lanz, “Okay old man, get ready, we’re going to go.” They told him, “Kneel down, we’re going to kill you,” described Saab. Carlos Lanz allegedly replied, “No, I’m not going to kneel down, if you’re going to kill me, you’ll kill me standing up.” There he was shot twice at close range in the right temple.
Saab added that Elis Becerra had prepared a grave that was in the left paddock, adjacent to the neighboring farm, but they decided not to leave him there. Carlos Lanz was thrown into the grave—there the luminol tested positive, there were traces of blood and brain matter, said Saab. But they decide to undress the corpse, place it on a 3-meter bed or plastic sheet in the back of a pigsty, and was fed to nine pigs.
According to the certified and signed indictment of Glen Castellanos, finally, “with the worst teachings of the casas de pique of Colombia,” the two assassins and the foreman, using machetes and knives, dismembered the body of Carlos Lanz, beginning with the arms and hands, legs and feet, then the trunk and finally the head, the pieces were thrown step by step for 45 minutes into the pigsty, so that the pigs would make the mortal remains of Carlos Lanz dissapear.
Among other details, Glen Castellanos said in the video that he keeps an ornament, a “small replica sword of Bolívar” that Carlos Lanz wore, and Glen kept it as a supposed war trophy.
Glen Castellanos said in the video that the version that Lanz had been kidnapped by Venezuelan generals and foreign powers was devised when seeing the repercussion that the case generated in the media.
Tarek William Saab also explained that he questioned Tito Viloria, a Trostskyist militant and former union leader, and asked him who he thought had kidnapped Carlos Lanz. Viloria had assured him that the disappearance was an “abduction carried out by foreign powers, from the state of Israel to present it to the state of Canada” as “revenge for the kidnapping of William Niehous,” an event that occurred in 1976, in which US businessman Niehous—who was finally rescued alive—had been kidnapped by Carlos Lanz, along with other participants. Lanz served prison time for having allegedly participated in the kidnapping during his guerrilla time. Niehous died in 2013 in the United States.
Saab stated that this is an “alibi that they thought was perfect, but for us it never had even 1% credibility for reasons that are not worth describing. But it is incredible that this man maintains that version, two years later.”
The Public Ministry has processed by way of necessity and urgency to Court Four of the Caracas Metropolitan Area the arrest warrants for Maxiorisol “Mayi” Cumare, Glen Castellanos, Tito Viloria, Elis Becerra, José Antonio Pinto Moreno, Hely Enrique Pinto Moreno and Zaida Suárez. Darwin Alejandro Zambrano, Oliver Medina Sánchez, Maryuri Acevedo Durán, Diego Atehortua Tamayo, Alyeska Berenice Gil Cumare (daughter of Mayi Cumare) and Abya Yala Esperanza Lanz Cumare (daughter of Mayi Cumare and Carlos Lanz) have also been charged.
Carlos Lanz was the father of three children: Alex and Nelarys, from his first marriage to Trina Manrique, and Abya Yala, from his second marriage to Mayi Cumare.
Por que desde siempre mi papá será mi heroe:
Mi padre murio de pie (segun declara el sicario), sin ser complaciente a la corrupcion.
Mi heroe siempre nos enseñó tener moral y digndad.
Papá siempre será mi superheroe de las caricaturas de Rius que me regalaba cuando niño.
— Alex Lanz (@alanz) July 6, 2022
The attorney general pointed out that he has kept in constant contact with Alex Lanz, who “provided very important information on the psychological profile and actions of Mayi Cumare apart from marital and human infidelity towards Carlos Lanz.”
The other family circle, linked to Mayi Cumare, obstructed justice “in a systematic, continuous, well-orchestrated and well-organized manner to torpedo and hinder investigations,” said Saab.
About the “Search Committee”
The Attorney General also stated that the so-called “Carlos Lanz Search Committee” hindered the investigations.
“We always said that the disappearance [of Carlos Lanz] was voluntary [not forced disappearance caused by the State], and strangely enough, the so-called Carlos Lanz Search Committee expressed its anger because, in public appearances and online publications, we maintained that Carlos Lanz’s disappearance was voluntary,” Saab explained. “There are no elements that could point to that [forced disappearance]. Prior to his disappearance, there were no violent acts—breaking doors, physical attacks, none of that had happened. He went out, he closed the door of his house, he went through the lock twice, he had left home with his weapon that he normally carried.“
“He is not going to go out in a full radical quarantine with just anyone; he had to be with someone extremely trustworthy, as he actually was,” Saab said.
“That made the so-called Search Committee very angry,” Saab added. “A line began to appear parallel to our investigation, that it was a violent kidnapping, that foreign mercenaries participated, but without presenting any evidence.”
Saab also decried that the committee planned to take the case to the International Criminal Court, to “criminally join, simulating punishable acts, without having evidence” to the “infamous chorus of political sectors” that attack the country.
The Attorney General also pointed out that President Nicolás Maduro personally took interest in the case, “has called and has met with us” from the first moment.
Saab added that he himself has directed the investigations. “From Saturday until today, I have personally interviewed the vast majority of the intellectual authors and the assassins, because the case deserved it,” he said.
(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
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16th Dhwani : Hindustani classical music program in memory of Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur was held on 21st and 22nd September 2019
BKF organises a Hindustani classical music program in memory of Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, the doyen of Hindustani classical music every year. This year BKF successfuly conducted the 16th Dhwani musical event on 21st and 22nd September 2019. The music festival for the last 16 years was successful due to the consistent support of all donors, music lovers, philanthropists. The proceeds of the musical event helps in sustaining free dialysis to poor patients and adding to the corpus which makes BKF meets its objectives.


The Medline MC-16000R High Speed Universal Refrigerated Bench Top Centrifuge is one of our most adaptable centrifuges with a top speed of 16,000rpm. It has a variety of uses, from routine specimen preparation to research, and is referred to as universal due to its extensive range of uses and rotors.
With its low-profile compact design, it is easy to reach into the centrifuge whilst still taking up minimal bench space.
• RCF value displayed automatically
• Built-in safety system included – electronic door lock, imbalance, over-speed and over-temperature alarms
• Equipped with microprocessor control, brushless motor and large screen digital display showing speed, time, temperature, etc.
Type: Refrigerated Universal
Max. Speed (rpm): 16,000
Max. RCF (x g): 17,800
Max. Capacity (ml): 4 x 100
Range: -20 to +40
Timer (min): 0 – 99 or continuous
Motor: Brushless DC
Noise (dB): ≤55
Dimensions; D x W x H (mm): 620 x 500 x 350
Weight (Kg): 70


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Hire Street Food Catering in Horsham
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Street food catering is a cheerful, diverse and fun way to cater for your event in Horsham, West Sussex. We have 357 companies for you to choose from. Among our top requested categories this month: hog roast in London, hog roast in Manchester, wedding catering in London, BBQ Catering in London, private chefs in London, wedding venues in London.
The Pizza Post
Recent review: We had Pizza Post for our daughters 18th birthday celebration. They were brilliant. Such lovely friendly guys and the pizza tasted amazing. All our guests loved the taste and it’s such an easy way to cater for a party. . Thank you so much.
Flip - Burgers and Street Food
Recent review: Fantastic! Arrived on time, set up discretely and served our guests delicious food for the evening. We had so many compliments on the standard of service and quality of the food provided which was as lovely for my wife and I to hear as it will be for you guys too. I know we have had some guests interested in knowing your details for their events so will forward them over in due course. Well done guys 😊
Sneaky Duck Catering Limited
Recent review: "The best burgers ever The communication with james has been incredibly, anything you needed he was more than happy to help. The guys turned up early to set up 8:30 on the dot they was ready to start serving. Every single one of my guest at my wedding has been and still are raving about these guys, the food was second to none and the service was well matched! I can’t recommend these guys enough. If you are lucky enough they are available for you event snap them up as fast as you can, I promise you will not regret it. Thanks guys you did an amazing job."
Man With a Pan
Recent review: We were very satisfied with the service given. it was the perfect outdoor meal .
Oggies Wood Fired Pizza Co
Recent review: Excellent value and first class service. Pizzas were delicious and it was very much appreciated by all the guests. I would highly recommend Steve and Clare for any event.
Recent review: Nick and his partner Julliette were truly marvellous! From the first moment we made contact, they put my mind at ease. It was a tough gig.. a wake! But they catered to the occasion perfectly. They were kind, sensitive, and really helpful. I would say they went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly and we didn't need to worry. May I add, we didn't make things easy.. I forgot the plates and everything was a bit chaotic, however Nick was great and totally took over and took everything in hand. Thankyou. I rank him very highly! He's reliable, helpful, kind, logical and polite. But above all..THEIR FOOD TASTES GREAT! XX
Mann and Moore
About: We are a premium bbq caterer, specialising in American style slow smoked bbq. Using our custom built bbq smoker we create beautiful flavours and mouth watering meats that keep you coming back for ...
Tin Roof Kitchen
Recent review: Thank you for a great evening that was efficient fast and super tasty, the pizzas were delicious and enjoyed be 80 people. Amazing job , would throughly recommend . Many thanks from us all .
Spanish Homemade LTD
Recent review: Arrived on time and set up with no problems. The food was tasty and there was more than enough to go round. The feedback was positive and everyone enjoyed the meal.
Nicos Pizza Company
About: Nico’s stone baked pizzas. I run a mobile pizza company with a 3 small ovens that cooks freshly made pizzas in 3 minutes. No van is required.... I have a small set up with 3 tables. I am proud to ...
About: Souvlaki is the Greek national food.We love it and we wanted transfer Greek taste to you.If you want to feel the warm sun, the smell of the sea and listen Greek Gods sing to you, come and taste our...
About: Champions diner is a mobile breakfast and Burger bar serving breakfast and lunch with a bit of a difference.. If it’s breakfast you want or the best handmade burgers and wraps in the town this is t...
About: As a passionate and detail-oriented industry professional, I enjoy approaching complex projects with a holistic approach. A large part of my success while working with people stems from my ability ...
Recent review: It all went so smoothly, from booking your services, communicating with you in between and finally eating the finish product. Your set up is so professional with excellent quality, well presented food. We would be only too happy to work with you again!
Free Range Cooks
Recent review: Free Range Cooks are amazing - When I put my order in for salmon, chicken tikka and other barbeque items, I was not expecting the spectacle that was produced by Richard. The salmon was whole salmon with the amount of dill just right, the chicken tikka had the right level of spice and was beautifully tender. The salads could not be faulted. We were seriously impressed. Richard made my husband's 50th a celeberation to be remembered for reasons more than a man reaching a half century.
The Peckish Peacock, Festival Caterer Of The Year 2018
About: Festival caterer of the year 2018. Our chickpea spinach curry is made with our own curry paste, bursting with many aromatic spices and infused with tamarind and mango, served in many ways. Our pak...
Recent review: We had an amazing evening, everyone was very impressed by the Paella served would definitely recommend.
King of The Ring Donuts
About: Delicious hot fresh donuts, candy floss, slushies and hot/cold drinks. We serve either from our self contained trailer or candy floss and slushies can be served separately inside or outside. Perfec...
Party Makers World
Recent review: Had such a great night, music was a great mix. Karaoke was brilliant.
Kelmsley Catering & Events
About: Bespoke catering and events services across the South East for your special celebration. Kelmsley is owned and run by Jacqueline, a creative and experienced Cordon Bleu Chef trained at Tante Marie...
The Safari Pizza Co
About: Converted Landrover to Movile wood fired Pizza oven. With an African safari twist. We serve all the classic pizzas but also have a few exciting African style pizzas for you to try.
Recent review: Great food, great service. All participants fed and happy
The Posh Pizza Co.
Recent review: Charming bunch and most importantly SERIOUSLY GOOD PIZZA!
The Land Doughver
Recent review: Had these guys at my 25th birthday party. So professional, such a nice set up and the tastiest pizzas!! Would highly recommend to anyone. Thanks again, had so much fun!
About: Spark food is all about creating fabulous dishes using quality ingredients and unique service for you to remember. We are a Sussex based caterers providing high quality catering services using lo...
Curry Squad Catering Artisan Indian Street Food
Recent review: Met these guys at Wildfires 2019 on The Wiston Estate. They were very helpful and accommodating of my vegan diet. The food was amazing, especially the samosas.
About: We are a plant based food caterer. We cater for all kinds of events and produce top quality , visually beautiful and astoundingly delicious food. We have many gluten free and grain free options. Ou...
About: We are a family run business with a combined experience of 20 years in catering and the food industry. We love good food and want to share this love of food by providing healthy, great tasting dish...
Nic Eadie, ThaiAngle Ltd
Recent review: Nic catered for our monthly lunch meeting for 50 of us. The food was INCREDIBLE and Nic kept in contact the whole time. 10/10 would recommend to anyone. Thanks Nic! :)
About: The Tinderbox is the original award winning teardrop trailer, beautifully hand crafted to house our woodfired oven. Based in leafy Surrey we set out to offer something as unique as The Tinderbox...

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