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Mix + Multi Arts Festival in Taiwan

Verb Ballets will embark on their first international tour to Taiwan through the support of The Cleveland Foundation Creative Fusion Program. During the two week tour the company will perform at the National Performing Arts Center in Taipei for four performances running April 21-23, 2017. It will be a shared program with Creative Fusion Artist, Lee Ming-Cheng company BodyEDT for the Mix + Multi Arts Festival.
Friday, April 21, 2017 at 7:30pm
Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 2:30pm & 7:30pm
Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 2:30pm
National Theatre and Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan

Read our blog for updates about the dancers experience in Taiwan

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When your a dancer you can’t help but dance everywhere. Nothing like street dance. #verbballets #ontour #streetdance #taipei #sofun #dance #arteverywhere (at Taipei, Taiwan)

Made the cover of Taipei Times!

Shopping for dance wear in Taiwan. #verbballets #balletstore #balletshoes #tendu #taipei #taiwantrip (at Taipei, Taiwan)

Dancing in the sky. #verbballets #ontour #taipei #taipei101 #amazingview #windows #repost #balletworld #balletdancer #repost @nathastein91 📸@lienekematte (at 台北101觀景台)

Travel in Taiwan. #verbballets #dancers #ontour #taipei #transit #smile (at Taipei, Taiwan)

Hiked to the top of Elephant Mountain today. There were a lot of stairs…

Launching into the second week of our tour in Taiwan! #verbballets #taipei #dancer #ontour #taipei #jump #museum #Repost @nathastein91 (at National Taiwan Museum ; 國立台灣博物館)

Found my favorite thing! 🍩 It was the most fluffy donut I’ve ever had! #taipei #verbballets #donuts #Repost @kellytheshell with @repostapp (at Taipei, Taiwan)

Amazing characters at an anime convention near the hotel.

Day 2sday

Greetings from Asia–we made it folks! It took us a total of 28 hours to make it from Verb to the Hotel in downtown Taipei but we did it! And we didn’t have any major delays or near death experiences…success! As we boarded the plane we did hear that we wouldn’t have wifi and also noticed that there were no TVs on the seats, so that forced us to get creative to pass the time. Coloring, laps around the plane, and cramped ballet exercises in the aisle of the emergency exit were a few of our favorite activities. I only got yelled at twice by the flight attendants (apparently you have to pay for a first class ticket to do ballet in the first class section💁🏼) so I’d say I was right on par👌

Members of Body EDT generously picked us up from the airport and brought us to the hotel to check in and have a meeting complete with adorable Taiwanese snack boxes. I had a red bean gooey treat (mochi maybe?) that was delicious, a peanut rice snack, and a red tea latte. YUMMEH. The meeting was good too😝 The company members were very kind and made us feel right at home in Taipei. After taking a glorious shower and elevating my feet, I feel refreshed and ready to get a full night of sleep. Wanan–goodnight friends, I’ll talk to you tomorrow!

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Verb Ballets

Verb Ballets, a contemporary ballet company, presents dynamic programming through bold artistry, unique styles and technical excellence that captivates a broad audience. Under the direction of Dr. Margaret Carlson, Producing Artistic Director and Richard Dickinson, MFA, Associate Director, the company will present a season that ignites passion in the energy, beauty and athleticism of dance.

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Vetaround mobile vet van

To be a great house call vet you need to be prepared!

Our Vetaround van is like a mobile vet clinic. It is fully equipped with everything we need to allow us to provide a comprehensive at-home vet service.

There is a middle carriage compartment with soft plush bedding so we can comfortably transport of any of your pets should they require a trip to our vet hospital.

In the rear of the van we have a fridge for the safe storage of pet vaccinations and other medicines.

There is also shelving and drawers for all the equipment we needs to conduct complete examinations, assessments and treatments for your pets.

vetaround mobile vet

mobile vet van

So for example we carry

And of-course … there’s the trusty GPS so our house call vet can find his way to your home.

Ask us if you would like to have a ‘tour’ of our van or if you have any questions at all about our mobile vet services.

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description: Wide crawl of the web for September 2017
publisher: Common Crawl
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Monday, May 12, 2014

May Tri-Polish Tuesday Day 2

May TPC (Purple, Red, Green) - Day 2
(without top coat)

 (with top coat)

What I used:
- Etude House "PP503"
- Deborah Lippmann "Jessa"
- L.A. Colors
- Small paint brush

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed it :D
Have a great day!

God bless you
An InLinkz Link-up

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by Hazel Dhane Bautista

- Vice Ganda confidently wears brave fashion pieces to show his love for dressing up

– His outfits of the day would vary from basics to extreme in a matter of days and people are always pleasantly surprise because of it

– Here are 9 times he didn’t mind going out of the box and rocked these bold fashion choices

Vice Ganda is a brilliant host and comedian on weekdays and even on Sundays. Although on the side, he’s just like us as he likes travelling with friends and sharing nice stories among his peers.

Another thing we have in common with him is his love for fashion. He has no problem mix and matching extreme pieces during “It’s Showtime.” Sometimes he would just wear his laidback shirts and jeans but there are days when you would have to look twice to understand what he’s wearing.

In any case, it only goes to show how brave he is on making these fashion picks and here are 9 times he effortlessly did so.

1. That time he put a twist on tattered denims

Ripped jeans started its comeback this 2016 but Vice Ganda had another idea in mind. When he flew to Australia and decided that it’s a denim day, he added another flare. Aside from the gaping hole on his jeans, he sported a denim coat which was also tattered.

2. When one color dye didn’t satisfy him

An undecided Vice Ganda woke up one day and just realized he wanted not one, not two but multiple colors on his newest hair do. During his first day of taping of the talent search, “Pinoy Boyband Superstar,” his hair was as noticeable as the contestants.

3. He can rock lingerie anytime

He just wouldn’t go down without a fight. For his role in Coco Martin’s hit teleserye “Ang Probinsyano,” he fearlessly lived up to the role. With long locks and a lingerie showing of his prosthetic cleavage, he was one of the reasons why viewers tuned in that night.

4. When he joined the “No panty” fashion trend

Make way, international models. Vice Ganda had no problem showing off his long legs while joining this newest trend. While others would be conscious with this exposure, he pulled it off effortlessly.

5. He wasn’t satisfied with just a bow on his outfit

He also had to put it in his head. This hairdo isn’t new to the audience but leave it to Vice Ganda to flawlessly add his own style to it. His gray hair went really well with his dress which also resembled a bow.

6. Fashion can be uncomfortable at times but so be it

We can’t imagine the dedication and courage needed to pull of this look. It may be hard to speak or to even move at all while wearing this headpiece but Vice Ganda did it all for the fashion statement.

7. Dark horse, his own rendition of the controversial film

The feather like image of his coat would remind you of Natalie Portman’s film “Black Swan” and her iconic costume. Since Vice Ganda doesn’t have any problem pulling a joke on himself, he altered the title to a witty one.

8. We couldn’t unsee what he did to a pink skirt

A pink coat and skirt isn’t unusual. In fact, Reese Witherspoon’s movie “Legally Blonde,” even made this look unforgettable. But have you seen something as unique like what Vice Ganda wore? A pink skirt resembling an upside down umbrella. We don’t know how that happened too.

9. It doesn’t get any more retro than this

During a production number with Anne Curtis, he rocked an afro look and a body fitting swimsuit-like piece. We could totally feel some Diana Ross vibes on this one!

Aside from travelling in style, Vice Ganda is also making it a habit to film himself in his video series which he called, #WaleySeries. During those short clips, he leaves a joke which leaves everyone in laughter.


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Monday, May 16, 2016

Sunday at the Riu

The day was spent at the beach in the same spot as the other day. What more can we ask for. We spend the day in the water which was actually rather rough today but lot of fun to jump the waves. A lot of people were Boogie boarding and there were quite a few kite surfers in the water.

One of my favorite snacks a bag for 20 peso.  Sort of puffstuff with lime and hot sauce

Had a wonderful day of relaxation and a little bit too much sun perhaps. Still a few areas that we sometimes miss that are a little red especially areas like straps.

Tonight we have reservations at the steakhouse restaurant for 7 p.m. that is their first seating.

You know how you sometimes encounter that particular group of people and they seem to find you wherever you go whether on a ship or on land. Well we have that group here. There is a large group, it looks like it could be a large family or group of friends with their kids. They are about 30 people and just so happens their room is about 10 rooms away. We seem to hear their children screaming up and down the hall at least a few times a day. We see them around the pool, again the kids are screaming. We see them at the theater, again the kids are screaming. For some reason the parents do nothing. So we try to stay away from them as much as possible.

When we head to dinner we are met by Geraldo who was the host at the Mexican restaurant the other night who was very attentive. He sends us to a lovely table with an amazing view of the sunset. Near us is a large table set up. We both cringe thinking don't tell me that family will be here. Sure enough, and of course 10 minutes after 7 the family arrives 10 minutes past their reservation. Then they want to take pictures with the sunset. The poor waiters know they need to serve these people so that they can sit second seating.  By the time they all take their seats it is 7:25.

The sound level rises because of the group and we both feel like walking out. This is no longer a lovely meal with a romantic setting. But we stay.

Tonight's menu starts with a shrimp cocktail, then 2nd course is served - mozzarella sticks. There are no other options if these are not to your liking. The two course taste okay but nothing special.  Also at this restaurant you are given choices of entree.  Off the top of my head the options are: 2fish items, 2 steak options, chicken, hamburger and maybe something else. I ended up getting the steak.  The steak was good.  Bernie had the snapper and shrimp kebab.  He found it dry and ended up putting my chimichurri  sauce on it.

We had ordered dessert but both of us are not enjoying this meal and the karge grouo is over powering, so we agree to just leave.

Now that we've had two dinners at the a la carte restaurants we can say we much prefer the buffet. The waiters are busy and it feels rushed. Food is so so, and prefer the items in the buffet.  It is nothing special and service feels chaotic.

So it is only 735 now what.

We are both concerned about how this resort is measuring up.  We decide to walk into Bucerias and get away from the resort for a bit.

Now I remind Bernie we did pick one of the lowest priced resorts.  You get what you pay for.  Sure it is not 5 star, we knew that going in.  Personally I would give it a low 3 star.  But that would be fine with us.  We accept the resort, the food, the room and the staff are great.  What is hard are the people who are staying here.

Even though there are a lot of locals here, it really is the people from the States and Canada that are the problem.  A cheap holiday to come and party.

As we walk into town I compare it to booking a cheap Carnival cruise during May.  You are going to get the party people. The ship will be nice and food good and crew will be great but the passenger make up will be the issue.

So we walk to Bucerias.  There is a road but then it turns into a path, which I would not recommend at night, then at the Royal Decameron (which we stayed at ten years ago) the road starts again.  It takes around 50 to 60 min to walk right into Bucerias.
I have always loved this little town.  Filled with locals the main square is a buzz of people.

We get some ice cream and sit in the square.  A gentleman beside us who speaks to us (somehow we manage to communicate) welcome us and when he finds out we are from Canada commenrs about the horrible fires we recently had in Fort McMurray.  He said the Mexicans are very sad about this.  We thank him for that.

Bernie has to get a churro from the street vendor.  Yum, hot a cheap.

We stroll around the square and town. It always amazes me how all the locals come out and families stroll.  Kids play.  Siblings take care of each other.  Although one change we notice more now are kids and adults are more consumed with their phones now.  Where just a few years ago kids did not have this option and played now they play on their phones just like at home.  Too bad.

It is around ten and we grab a cab back to the resort.  It is 85 pesos and that is much better than walking.

Back at the resort the theater show is still going on.  It runs until 11 but after that it is relatively quiet.  Except of course for the party people hooting and hollering.

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Tuesday, September 26 2017

Friendly Sports Day for autistic children

Update: June, 06/2016 - 09:00
Children diagnosed with autism take part in the Friendly Sport Day held last week in HCM City. - VNS Photo Gia Lộc
Viet Nam News

HCM CITY — Tug of war, running and swimming were among the activities that autistic children took part in during the Friendly Sport Day held last week in HCM City.

Parents, teachers and volunteers were on hand to help the children play games and follow regulations.

“The programme is fun for her and me, too. It helps my daughter in social interaction. I hope more programmes like this will be organised,” said one mother, who declined to be named.

Her six-year-old daughter won first prize in running race and jumping bag activities.

Dr Phan Thiệu Xuân Giang, lecturer at the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities’ Psychology Faculty, said such social games were important for the development of autistic children.

“The children can become more confident and fearless,” Giang said.

Playing with their peers could help them control their temper tantrums and prevent them from hurting themselves, he added.

Because of their limited communication and social interaction skills, the children had problems in developing, Giang said.

Programmes like the Friendly Sport Day could change the community’s mindset about children with autism and reduce discrimination against them, he said.

Although awareness about autism had improved over the last 10 years, some parents of autistic children still refused to admit that their children had been diagnosed as autistic, Giang said.

Public awareness and recognition enabled sufficient and early intervention, he said.

Đặng Huỳnh Mai, chairwoman of Việt Nam Federation on Disabilities and former deputy minister of Education and Training, said the Friendly Sport Day helped “develop their hidden potential which can lead to success in life.”

“An environment for learning is not sufficient for them,” Mai said, adding that they must be involved in sport and entertainment activities which can reveal their “hidden gifts”.

According to New York’s Health Central Online, researchers at the University of California who reviewed 18 studies related to exercise and children with autism found that regular exercise helped to reduce aggression and repetitive behaviour such as rocking.

Exercise improved their academic performance, physical co-ordination and motor skills.

Phạm Thị Kim Tâm, deputy chairwoman of the Việt Nam Autism Network, said the community should provide more study and entertainment activities as well as jobs to people with autism so they could live independently. According to Tâm, many of them have financial difficulties, which have also been barriers for intervention. --VNS

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Saturday, November 7, 2015

Saturday Pix

Well beyond it's effectiveness, redbating continues.
Freeper peaceniks.
Clinton Crime Family loves dem benjamins.
Benghazi sour grapes forever!
Everyone but Trump is a secret Mexican.
Lately redbating the environmental movement is growing with its success.
That's...not a great pic you chose there.

  1. Middle-age whites are dying at shockingly high rates.

    Freepers blame white oppression and a steady diet of rage and white victimhood - which are Free Republic's stock-in-trade...

    1. "...the mortality rate for white men and women ages 45 to 54 with less than a college education took a sharp turn upward in 1999 - a disconcerting reversal that has been virtually unheard of in advanced countries."

      Not long after FR was created. Coincidence?

    2. I was just about to post the same thread. My God, I have never see so much butt hurt.

    3. Int this thread SaraJohnson writes, "A lot of whites have been murdered since Obama came to office."

      Good grief.

  2. Wow, most Freepers really do not understand satire at all. It's like a part of their brain is missing that allows them to realize what punchlines are.

    Donald Trump on SNL: yep. It was yuge

    larry (or david) is too stupid to recognize that he completely defanged every one of the witless lefty protesters whinging and peeing their pants outside the theater. It doing that - and claiming he was only doing it for the money - they succeeded in stripping any possible legitimacy to the act or the racist claim.

    Yeah, I'm perfectly certain that Larry David needs the joke explained to him and was had by that mastermind, Donald Trump.

    It's no wonder they hate popular culture so much. They really do not understand what is going on around them half the time.


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Villa Godi Malinverni

the first villa by Andrea Palladio

English Version Villa Godi Malinverni su FacebookVilla Godi Malinverni su Instagram
Villa Godi Malinverni - Prima Villa di Palladio - Lugo di Vicenza
Villa Godi Malinverni belongs to the rich artistic patrimony of Venetian Villas. Andrea Palladio built the villa in 1542; Gianbattista Zelotti, Battista del Moro and Gualtiero Padovano adorned it with frescoes.
After having bought it in 1962, in a situation of degradation, Professor Remo Malinverni dedicated the last years of his life to renew its ancient magnificence. Together with the other Palladian villas, it was added to the Unesco World Heritage list in 1996.

The villa is open to the public for individual visits, groups and schools.
It is available for hosting conferences, cultural and social events. The barns have been transformed into a restaurant, Ristorante Torchio Antico.
Villa palladiana a Lugo di Vicenza

Villa Godi Malinverni - Venetian villa in Lugo di Vicenza

The front facade of the Palladian villa is facing west. A staircase leads to the frescoed hall, overlooking two small terraces. You can observe the strong structure of the pillars that divide, supporting three arches. Above the central one there is the coat of arms belonging to the Godi family represented by a rampant lion. To the left of the Villa a small portico surmounted by a second floor. The right wing houses the guest house and conference hall.
The plan of the Villa is very simple: a loggia and the central hall divide the main floor into two perfectly symmetrical spaces with four rooms on each side.

The pictorial decorations in Villa Godi Malinverni came prior to the period of frescoes, which was soon to be happening in many of the sixteenth century Venetian villas.
To achieve this were three artists: Gualtiero Padovano, Gianbattista Zelotti, Battista del Moro. The nine frescoed rooms are all open to the public, in addition to the entrance loggia with frescoes by Padovano.
Villa palladiana a Vicenza

The Palladian Villa and its Park

The park belonging to this venetian villa Godi Malinverni, with its century old trees and 2600 meters of boulevards, date back to the previous century and was rearranged in 1852 by Count Antonio Piovene who commissioned new designs from the architect Antonio Caregaro Negrin. In the center of the park there is a lake with swans. Where the plants are thickest is the Remembrance Corner, dedicated to the loved ones who lived in the villa, and their names are engraved on small cylinder or pyramid shaped columns with captions by Fogazzaro and Zanella.

Behind the villa are the Italian gardens with basins and fountains, fifty or so statues and columns by Marinali and Albanese. These gardens date back to the 17th century and the beginning of 18th century. Other small gardens are located in the back of the Palladian villa, near the exit of the 16th century kitchen and the entrance to the Fossil Museum, as well as in front of the guesthouse.
Villa veneta a Lugo di Vicenza Villa di Palladio a Lugo di Vicenza Villa veneta per convegni e congressi a Vicenza
Visit Villa Godi Malinverni Wedding and Ceremonies Meeting and Conference
Finally an app for when you are visit Palladio and his first opera, Villa Godi Malinverni, 1542.
App Villa Godi per Android App Villa Godi per IPhone e Ipad
You can now find free information about the Vicenza area, from the food and wine to the local craftswork
Virtual Tour of Villa Godi Malinverni
Visit Guide in PDF
Guida in ItalianoEnglishEspanolDeutschFrancais
NEW! Visit Guide for tablet AND smartphone
Guida in ItalianoEnglishEspanolDeutschFrancais

From May to September
Tuesday: 15 to 19
Saturday: 9 to 14
Sunday and holidays: 10 - 19

March, April,
October and November

Tuesday: 14 to 18
Saturday: 9 to 14
Sunday and holidays: 14 - 18

After booking you can request a group visit, even in periods other than those specified

Phone: +390445860561
Phone: +393393429942
Skype: villagodi
E-Mail *
Enter the amount 6 + 8
Villa Godi Malinverni
history | rooms | museum | park | itinerary | photo gallery | location
Visit and Events in Villa
tourism | ceremonies | meetings and conference | restaurant | catering
© 2009 - 2013 Villa Godi Malinverni - Venetian Villa in Lugo di Vicenza (VI)


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Villa Vacations Concierge Villa I is located in the stunning scenery of sugar white beaches on the north shore of the Dominican Republic. Contact us today to learn more about this Villas’ exquisitely delivered features.

  • 8 Bedroom Suites 10 Full Bathrooms Sleeps up to 16 persons.
  • Cliff-Side with Private Beach, Pool, Jacuzzi, Tennis Court,, Billiards Table, Sat. TV, WiFi


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Download The Simpsons
The Simpsons
7.1/10 by 1081 users
Title: The Simpsons
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Stars: , , , ,
Networks: Fox Broadcasting Company
Overview: Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general.


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New Hampshire Maps & Satellite Images: Latest (Mini Thumbnails) (Birds Eye)

Governor: skyeye
View: Thumbnails - Mini Thumbnails - List - Map
1 - 100 of 113
Filter: None - Google - Street View - Bing - Birds Eye
Sort: Title - Latest - Views - Rating
Wentworth–Coolidge Mansion
Al Baldasaro's House
Corey Lewandowski's House
Jon Adkins' House
'Langdell House' by Edgar and Margaret Hunter
'Sawyer Arts Center' by Edgar and Margaret Hunter
Josiah Bartlett House
Dan Brown's House
Patrick McGovern's House
Wheelabrator Claremont Waste-to-Energy Plant
Perry Hill Farm
Portsmouth Country Club
St. John's Church
Sanborn Seminary
St. Andrew's-by-the-Sea
Rundlet-May House
Rockingham Hotel
Portsmouth Athenæum
New Hampshire Bank Building
Strawbery Banke
Moffatt-Ladd House
MacPheadris-Warner House
Governor John Langdon House
Gilman Garrison House
Chester Village Cemetery
Atkinson Academy
South Unitarian Universalist Church
Samuel Tenney House
All Saints Church
Daniel Cragin Mill
Hills Memorial Library
Lamson Farm
The Meetinghouse
Peterborough Town House
Smyth Tower
John Paul Jones House
Saint Anselm College
Kelly Ayotte's house
Neil Garvey's house (former)
Kyle Nagel's House
Daniel Monfried's House
Henniker Covered Bridge
'Milbuie' by Gerald Laing
'Founder's Gate' by Emile Birch
Velcro Plant
Clydesdale Hamlet
Remains of Railroad Bridge
Bridge Ruins
'Moon Shadow' by Mai Thi Thu Van
'For Frank Lloyd Wright' by Vaclav Fiala
Adam Sandler's Childhood Home
Dennis Kozlowski's Former Home
Animal Medical Center of New England
Humane Society for Greater Nashua
Hudson Animal Hospital
Countryside Animal Hospital
Goffstown Animal Hospital
Lockridge Animal Hospital
Manchester Animal Hospital
'Toufic Kalil Home' by Frank Lloyd Wright
'Zimmerman House' by Frank Lloyd Wright
City Hall Plaza (tallest building in New Hampshire)
'LIFE Dream Home' by Dennis Wedlick
'Phillips Exeter Academy Library' by Louis Kahn
Sugar Hill Speedway
Hudson Speedway
Star Speedway
Dean Kamen's House
Memorial Arch of Tilton
Northfield Drive-In Theatre
Museum of New Hampshire History
Wheeler Dam
Cessna Landing
David W. Deane Skateboard Park
Mini Golf Course
Route 106 Race Park
Londonderry Raceway - New England Velodrome
Christa McAuliffe Planetarium
Wyland Whale mural - 'Isle of Shoals Humpbacks'
Joanie "Chyna" Laurer's House
Former Pease AFB Weapons Storage Area
New Boston Air Force Station
Indoor skydiving facility
Searles Castle
Cowell Stadium
Small jet landing at Manchester Airport
Southwest Airlines departing Manchester Airport
Lee USA Speedway
Old wooden covered bridge
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
Pan Am Airlines & Airliner
Giant rocking chair
Old Man of the Mountain Consolation Replica
Church Steeple with a beer bottle at the top
Hotel with a lighthouse built into it
Giant Pirate
Pumpkin Trebuchet Target
Los Angeles class submarine
Los Angeles class submarine in drydock


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World Animation Day

October 28 is World Animation Day! The National Film Board is celebrating this special day with a 13-city tour of Get Animated!, a series of free public screenings from the NFB’s Oscar-winning animation studios. Get Animated! will showcase amazing new creations from Canada’s public producer, for young and old, from October 22 to November 9, […]

Artist survival skills

This book has been developed for two reasons. One: Success in the visual arts, no matter how you define it, comes more readily to artists who manage their careers professionally but Canadian visual artists have few resources to guide their professional development. And two: There is a particular knowledge deficit in the community of Canadian […]

Win $10000

You could win $10000 look at this link and also see past SVRSS students winner Tyler Schroeder 2002.

An amasing website on the face, muscles and scull as well as facial expressions


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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Spinach Chicken Goat Cheese Pizza

What a pleasant morning; I love the rain, even day after day after day. I had a good run on the treadmill this morning (3 10min run, 1 min walk cycles for a total of 30 min plus warm up and cool down). Didn't want to drown my sneakers outside; I don't mind the rain coming down on me when I run, but I hate having it splash up. Besides, the storm drains are so backed up that there are lakes in the middle of the intersections- I could have gone for a swim. I completed my training for the day by doing my full body circuit and 30 min of intervals on the bike while reading contracts. Must multi-task!
After my morning jog, I tried Peanut Butter Boy's pb banana omlette using my regular egg whites. Mine was not at all photogenic, otherwise I would share it with you. But, for such a strange combination (eggs, banana, pb) it was delicious. I used organic, all-peanut pb, so it didn't melt as nicely as his. I'll get better at flipping omlettes and try to post my next one.
And now to the picture above; a delicious GF (gluten free) pizza crust (available at Superstore in the frozen specialty items) topped with tomato sauce, goat cheese, spinach and chicken. This was a treat on the weekend, for my 1130am meal. The crust browns nicely on the bottom, but still stays soft as I like it. The spinach wilts just enough, but does not become too soggy and the chicken crisps nicely without being too dry.
Personal size Spinach Chicken Goat Cheese Pizza (I'm not one for short titles eh?)
1 frozen GF pizza crust
1.5c fresh spinach
2Tbsp tomato sauce (or substitute for your fave GF bbq or teriaki sauce for a twist)
3 oz cooked, cubed chicken breast
1 oz crumbled goat cheese
1/2 fresh tomato, cubed
Brush crust with tomato sauce, top with spinach, cheese, chicken and fresh tomatos. Bake on a grill or cookie sheet for 10 min at 400F or until cheese is softened and crust is nicely browned.

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Location: Montgomery Area, Alabama, United States

Former BUFF driver; self-styled military historian; paid (a lot) to write about beating plowshares into swords; NOT Foamy the Squirrel, contrary to all appearances. Wesleyan Jihadi Name: Sibling Railgun of Reasoned Discourse

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Vox Populi

Why is this woman smiling?

Well, you know why. And I wish her joy of yesterday's conquest.

Contrary to what most of my conservative friends may think, this is not an unalloyed Bad Thing. When Pelosi becomes speaker, one of three things will happen:

1) Her savvy as a politician will belie her apparent goggle-eyed stupidity and she will exercise her first real power with moderation -- that is, she will grow into the job. That is essentially what she promised yesterday as she took her victory lap. (She also promised "change," as all the Demo's have been throughout the campaign season. What change she didn't say, nor has any Democrat so far.) This is a real possibility, since, contrary to chihuahua-like appearances, she seems to be an adept political maneuverer. She helped engineer yesterday's victory, after all.

2) She will return to her San Frangerbilist nutroots and it will become hippie-freak heaven for one and all in the halls of the Capitol. This will be alarming, but ultimately harmless (assuming the terrorists don't realize their Esalen encounter-group window of opportunity and strike us big during this time), since she will thus ruin the chance for the Democrats to hold any real sort of power for the next generation. The only people who will vote for them will be the Daily Kos crowd. They assume this will happen, since they are really crowing now.

3) She will become a vindictive, obstructionist bitch and attempt to investigate everything Dubya W. Chimpler has "lied" about over the last six years, as well to impeach him. This is the best possible situation, since the government will be able to get nothing else done, the military will be left relatively alone (except, perhaps, to be made to provide Comfy Chairs to every detainee in Gitmo), and the people will thus be safe.

I give each of these about a 1/3 chance. All in all, it will soon be business as usual. Heck, this blow might even shock Dubya into being fiscally responsible. Unlikely, but who knows?

In any case, the Democrats will probably try to insist on some kind of timetable for defeat in Iraq -- a phased withdrawal. The President will be able to hold this off for the next two years, but the Demo's will eventualy prevail. I assume they won't try anything as draconian as cutting off funding -- that would never make past any president's desk.

Once we withdraw, our enemies the islamofascists will rightly see it as a victory and plan further advances and mayhem. Eventually, they will get to the point of so pissing off the American people that we turn cities to glass parking lots and people to shadows on the pavement. It will hasten the inevitable war we must fight. We are fighting it in a civilized manner now, just as Rome did Carthage in the First Punic War. I urge you, however, to look to the end of the Third Punic War...

In the meantime....

"I, for one, welcome our new Democratic overlords"

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DDF's Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer Moisturizing Serum Review

/ Thursday, February 23, 2012 /

I recently received a sample of Doctor's Dermatologic Formula's Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer Moisturizing Serum  (Gee what a mouthful!) from my mother when she took a trip to Sephora. The formula states that it is supposed to minimize the appearance of fine lines and reduce pores, as well as increase the skin's surface renewal rate.

Now, tell you the truth, I don't have that many wrinkles. Right now, I am 21 years old, and yet still (to most people) look like a 17 or 18-year old. However, I decided to still try this.

When I first put it on, it felt like a light face cream. It was not like one of those liquidy facial serums that you often find in health stores. Instead, it was just a light cream. It actually felt very fine and useful.

Nevertheless, when I put it on that night, I just used it as a night cream for my face.

The next morning, though, I didn't find any pore minimization or decrease in wrinkling. Hmm.

Tell you the truth, this product is probably not meant for someone like me. It is probably meant for someone a bit older, perhaps in their late 30s and 40s, and also for people with large pores. I do have large pores around my nose (due to all of the acne and stuff), but the thing is that on the rest of my face, I am ok.

This retails for $85 at Sephora.

Would I purchase this product for realz? Probably not, at least at this stage in my life. I don't really need these types of products, at least yet, and when I do need them, I'll probably buy them (pending I can afford them).

Do you guys and gals buy pore-minimizing and wrinkle-reducing products? If so, what do you think of them? Leave a comment!

Source: 1

{ Calvin Brock } on: January 12, 2013 at 2:38 AM said...

There's vitamin A in it to help collagen production to minimize my pore size...they are less visible but it probably takes up time...When I use it in the night, the other morning, I can see less oil production on my face. what causes large pores

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Vivacelle Bio

Our Discovery

The Problem
Shock is the inadequate flow of fluid through the organs and tissues of the body that can lead to death. Examples of causes of shock are loss of blood, dilation of blood vessels or inadequate pumping of the heart. After shock occurs the tissues produce increased amounts of substances or mediators that cause tissue damage and make shock difficult to reverse such as nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor, platelet activating factor, prostaglandins or leukotrienes.

In addition, when blood or other currently available fluids are given to restore adequate flow some of the oxygen gets converted to toxic reactive oxygen species that can cause cell death. Thus, the very act of correcting hypovolemia or inadequate flow is a double-edged sword.  To date no fluid used to restore  flow in shock addresses this paradox.

Dr. Cuthbert Simpkins as a licensed physician and trauma surgeon, faced the grim reality of some patients dying in his operating room or the intensive care unit, even after their traumatic injuries had been repaired, due to a lack of a more effective resuscitation fluid.

On one particular occasion, he was deeply troubled by the death of a 17-year-old girl who died due to the effects of hypovolemia in spite of the successful surgical repair of her injuries.  This case and others like it drove him to study and experiment with several combinations and permutations of the then known resuscitation fluids. He hoped to find a fluid mix that would work in smaller volume and that would minimize the biochemical disruption caused by the combination of trauma and blood loss.  The result of his work led to a colloidal fluid that appears in the animal model to be more effective and safer than other products.  He has named the colloidal fluid VIVACELLE.

The Solution

The key component of VIVACELLE is a colloid made of soybean oil encapsulated by phospholipids. This thermodynamically stabilized spherical arrangement of molecules is called a nano-micelle. It is comprised entirely of biocompatible and metabolizable components. The use of nano-micelles as a colloid to raise the blood pressure in hypovolemic subjects is unprecedented.  As with other colloidal volume expanders the lipid micelles in VIVACELLE produce a colloidal osmotic pressure that raises the lowered blood pressure and maintains it.

In addition, we have found that one of the properties of VIVACELLE is that it absorbs nitric oxide (NO), a gas produced in excess by the body during hypovolemic shock and that contributes significantly to the drop in blood pressure when volume is lost inside the blood vessels. Another favorable aspect of the NO absorption is that it is readily reversible so that NO can be released where in it is needed in the body.

Additional experiments revealed that the oxygen content of VIVACELLE is greater than other resuscitation fluids such as Ringer’s lactate.  In comparison to Ringer’s lactate, the resuscitation fluid recommended by the American College of Surgeons, VIVACELLE improved survival in animal studies/experiments. In animal studies/experiments, in comparison to another colloid, albumin, VIVACELLE maintained improved blood pressure longer.

In animal studies/experiments, no complications with the use of VIVACELLE have been found. In contrast, the hetastarch-based resuscitation fluids such as Hextend and Voluven have recently been the subject of warnings from the FDA and the European Medicines Agency.

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Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas - Arunachal Pradesh Trust

Call Us: 0373-2324320

This school, started in the year 1981, is a co-educational Secondary level school. It is of residential nature with hostel facility for Girls only. It is located in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh, and is 25 Kilometers away from Tezu, district Head-Quarters of Lohit district. This district is surrounded by China in the North and east, Changlang district in south and Lower Dibang Valley District and Assam in the west. The inhabitants of the district are mainly‘Idu Mishmi, Digaru Mishmi and Khamti Tribals. Most of the tribal people don’t earn any regular income. They mainly depend on the seasonal agriculture and forest products. It connected with road and the location is calm and healthy.

Vivekananda KendraVidyalaya Sunpura

Sunpura, Lohit District,

Arunachal Pradesh- 792111

Mission Statement

The persona of Swami Vivekananda and Mananeeya Eknathji, the founder of Vivekananda Kendra, are at the heart of the Institution. Vivekananda Kendra’s core values of selfless service, patriotism, character-building, man-making and nation-building permeate the entire educational experience.

We Believe: "We believe that every human being is empowered to develop her/his best potential".

We See: We see empowerment as the distinguishing feature of all our educational effort and are convinced that it takes place best in a school which is a dynamic entity involved in discerning the needs of our times and flexible enough to readjust its structures and activities to respond to them.

We Recognize: We recognize that it requires an atmosphere where all the values of selfless service, man-making and nation-building are lived out by all and where striving for excellence at the level of one’s potential is an essential element.

We Accept: We accept that this demands a certain level of awareness at administrative and staff levels so that it becomes a continuous process affecting staff, student and parents and taking precedence over all other motivations.

We Recognize and Strongly Affirm: We recognize and strongly affirm that the special thrust of our Institution becomes credible in India today, where ‘Service before self’ is lived out both in attitude and structures.

We Prioritize: We prioritize the practice of the important human values and encourage Students to gain confidence so that they grow as the responsible citizens of the country.

We, in Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas aim to give all round development i.e Physical, Mental, Emotional, Intellectual & Spiritual development to the students through various activities so that the hidden talents are developed to the fullest.

The Management, staff, alumni and parents share a collective vision and mutual purpose in education so that the students may fruitfully contribute to the wider society and address the realities and concerns of our country and of the world.


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Monday, December 06, 2010

one week down, three to go (#181-189 of 1000 gifts)

Now that we're into December, Christmas feels very close indeed. Even though I promise myself after every hectic yule season that next year will be different, I never seem to change my drifting along ways, so that the month of December continues to catch me by surprise and feel like a sprint to the 25th. But I'm realizing too, that the busy times bring so much good with them. Many of the items on this week's list of 1000 gifts come out of seasonal busy-ness.

181. Our church's women's ministry put on a beautiful Christmas event on Wednesday night. "Dwell" was all about dwelling in God's presence. Every attendee left with a crystal ring-holder and perfume dispenser, along with the gift-tag reminder: "For we are to God the AROMA of Christ among those who are perishing." What a fabulous way to begin December.

182. I have an article due at the end of the month. I thought of making it an interview, my interview subject answered "yes" and sent back my questionnaire within 24 hours. So my article is already written!

183. On Friday I wrote the last of a whole year's worth of devotions. I didn't miss a day! It feels so good to have completed this challenge to myself. (If you're interested, they're here.)

184. The December 2010 issue of Good Times arrived with a poem of mine in the poetry section. How sweet is that!

185. The banquet and house party season is upon us! I love to get all dressed up in sparklies and go out to sip, munch and eat with friends.

186. The door prizes at the banquet we went to were legion. I didn't win one but hubby's ticket was drawn for a sparkly poinsettia!

187. The house is decorated. (The blog's new banner is the busy little village on my mantlepiece — in candlelight of course.)

188. Curling has begun! We watched the finals of the Canada Cup this weekend. How about that Stephanie Lawton! Those prairie girls sure know how to curl.

189. Water at the twist of a tap or touch of a lever. I'm appreciating that more than ever this morning as ours is off. We had notice, so collected a couple of soup pots of it.

If you'd like to join me and many others collecting One Thousand Gifts, please do. Some members of this gratefulness community post their gifts on blogs, while others list them in private journals. Instructions on how to join are here

holy experience

Violet Nesdoly / poems

Nina said...

Hi, Violet! I enjoyed reading your gifts for the week! That's great news about your poem being published and about your interview article. And congrats on writing a year's worth of devotions--I've made a note to mosey on over to that page later this week, when I have a bit more time.

Hope you have a good week!

violet said...

Thank you Nina! I checked out your new blog - love it!! So glad you're blogging again. (I didn't think you'd be away from it for long :)

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Go RVing Canada: Top 5 Trends in 2012

The past year saw growth on many levels for the RV industry.

GoRVingCanada-6a00e54f91645288340154344020f0970c-500wiThe year kicked off with outstanding RV show attendance figures and moved into the summer with a jump in RV sales.

The RV industry has seen a change in ownership trends, overall growth of the industry, a national sales rebound, increased outdoor engagement, and an evolution in the economic benefits for the RV traveler, according to a news release.

The top 5 RV trends in 2012 were:

Majority of RV owners under the age of 55

The RV industry is seeing a significant increase in young families, busy career couples, outdoor enthusiasts as well as retirees embarking on their first RV adventure.

Towable trailers most popular RVs sold in 2012

There are over one million RVs on Canada’s roads with over 14 percent of all households owning an RV. Starting at just $6,000, consumers are taking advantage of the variety of units available.

The most popular RVs sold were the towable RVs, which include the folding camping trailer and fifth wheel RV.

While other travel sectors continue to struggle and see declines, RV sales surged 13 percent this year

LogoGoRVingBy mid-summer, RV sales had increased on a national level by 13 percent compared to 2011 with Alberta seeing the largest sales increase of 42 percent. The biggest factor driving this is the affordability of the lifestyle as RV purchase prices are at historic lows.

A number of other factors include intense competition in the industry, increased consumer awareness, and a strong Canadian dollar.

More Canadians are spending time outdoors

90 percent of RV owners say RVing is the best way to see the country. Many campground operators have begun the process of upgrading their sites to accommodate the increase of RV travelers to their campgrounds.

The Alberta government announced mid-summer that they were investing $24 million this year into modernizing several of its campgrounds, as they noted the increase in number of people using RVs versus tents.

Raw cost savings

In February, Go RVing Canada released results of a cost comparison study conducted by PKF consulting that proved RV vacations can be up to 78 percent less expensive than all other forms of travel. This statistic has increased by 3 percent since the last study, conducted in 2009.

The associated savings come from a variety of factors including the flexibility of cooking in your RV, as well as the low cost of accommodation.

“RVers share a great passion for the lifestyle and it’s easy to recognize the many benefits associated with it,” said Go RVing Executive Director, Chris Mahony.

“What the 2012 RV trends show is that RVing clearly remains a popular vacation choice, especially for those who are looking for an affordable vacation that offers freedom, flexibility, and fun.”

RV Stats

  • There are over 1 million RVs on the road in Canada
  • Starting at $6,000, there is an RV for every budget
  • The Canadian RV industry is valued at over $3 billion
  • 90 percent of owners say that their number one priority is seeing the country
  • Studies show that it is up to 78 percent cheaper to vacation with an RV versus a regular vacation
  • Many RVs can be used throughout the year
  • 90 percent of owners say that it is the best way to travel with kids
  • 40 percent of RV families have children

Go RVing Canada

GoRVing.heading.croppedThe Go RVing Canada coalition was formed in 1997, and consists of RV manufacturers, RV dealers, and campground operators.  The coalition serves as the Canadian RV camping industry ambassador to provide the public and media with information about the benefits of RV travel.

The coalition also seeks to enhance consumer information and satisfaction with the RV experience.

Address: 2175 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 310, Toronto, Ontario M2J 1W8

Website: gorving.ca

Worth Pondering…

Let’s Go RVing! If not now, when?

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Thank you

>> Thursday, October 15, 2009

To those who have written to me, thank you so much. Please check out the list of authorities (and links) which I mentioned in one of the posts.

There are pending investigations and cases against the culprits.

For the U.S. --File your complaints and submit your evidence to the U.S. DOJ, the IRS, the Office of Attorney General in Virginia, the FBI specifically the IC3, the Washington INTERPOL or its head office in France.
(I have forwarded numerous complaints to them with attached evidence).

For the Philippines--Contact the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission, the Philippine Senate (to move them into investigating in aid of legislation), the National Bureau of Investigation (FBI's counterpart) specifically the Anti Fraud Division, the Bureau of Immigrations (for deportation and cancellation of visa), and the Department of Justice.

For Ukraine--the Prosecutor's Office and the INTERPOL.

Thanks to the students and officials of the different universities and colleges who have read the posts and articles as well as those who have written to me. I shall forward all your comments and requests, evidence and complaints to the proper authorities.

Justice will be served soon.

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Chicago Festival of Danish Art & Culture in Winter 2014

Music & MasqueradesVOX 3 Collective, an organization that presents both rare repertoire and undisputed masterpieces of vocal art music, will present a series of events called Music & Masquerades: A Festival of Danish Arts and Culture. This festival will feature performances and educational programs celebrating the music and culture of Denmark and its northern European neighbors, including Norway, Sweden, and Germany. The festival will kick off with a December Christmas program, with continuing events, in various Chicago-area venues, January through March 2014 (see dates below, and visit for additional programming).

The centerpiece of the festival will be the Chicago premiere of Carl Nielsen’s Maskarade, an engaging and amusing comedy reminiscent of Die Fledermaus and Le nozze di Figaro. Suited for opera buffs and newcomers alike, this comic romp pits the old against the new, as a headstrong son defies his father’s wishes and meets his lady love at a masked ball.  Performances will take place January 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25 at 7:30pm at the Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble Street.  Advance tickets are available online at; Adults $32; Students and Seniors $16.  The opera will be performed in Danish (with English supertitles) with full set, direction, and costumes.  Considered Denmark’s national opera, the fully staged performance is presented by members of VOX 3 Collective and the Lakeview Orchestra, conducted by Gregory Hughes and directed by Sally Eames & Brandon Hayes.

Artistic Director Brian von Rueden says, “Since its beginnings, VOX 3 Collective has endeavored to present musical programs that both entertain and educate the public about diverse national traditions. This festival allows us to share the treasures of Danish culture with Chicagoland audiences on a scale previously unimaginable.  From our sacred Baroque programs which present masterpieces by Buxtehude and Pederson, to our art song recital featuring Grieg, Stenhammar, Sibelius, and other Scandinavian greats, to the gem of a production of Nielsen’s Maskarade, festival events will be fascinatingly engaging.”  Articles related to festival programming will be posted on the group’s Collective Voice blog.

This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events and a grant from The Chicago Community Trust. For 97 years, The Chicago Community Trust, our region’s community foundation, has connected the generosity of donors with community needs by making grants to organizations working to improve metropolitan Chicago. In 2011, the Trust, together with its donors, granted more than $130 million to nonprofit organizations. From strengthening schools to assisting local art programs, from building health centers to protecting the safety net for those hardest hit by the recession, the Trust continues to enhance our region. To learn more, please visit the Trust online at

Music & Masquerades Danish Festival Events


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Voyage of the Colonel Darvish

Lunch Bell
schoolday with Diego

The bell rung. Diego remembered a time when the “bell” was an electrical
powered chime, piped over a public address system, now it CLANGED outside, a
salvaged church bell. 11:00 Some of the young children all rose, “Class, Class
SIT DOWN!” Diego ordered the students, “I have not dismissed you.” The
children did as they were told returning to their desks. It was Friday and they
were anxious for the weekend.

“Alright Class Dismissed,” Diego said after making them sweat for a few minutes.
The children exploded into laughter and yelling as they swarmed from the
classroom that was instantly quiet save the ‘tick, tick, tick’ of a small wind
up clock on Diego’s desk.

Diego returned to his room, grabbing some bread and dry fish. He moved out onto
the tarmac of the old airport, the sky overcast and a bit of a chill in the air.
He moved to the shore of the Bay, and sat to eat.

Before he’d realized it the old bell gonged twelve times for noon. He hurried
off to prepare for the teenagers who would be in the early afternoon class. .

What's the Hells's a Fecund?
Maze sees Maggie

The girl behind what used to be the bar area did not look up at Maze. The other
dungaree suited girl excused herself and exited the room through a far doorway.
Maze’s eyes flicked about the room. He’d been her before and it was always
creepy. Dr Margaret Suzuki’s “girls” were all former orphans, although
“orphans” was a loose interpretation of the word. Girls were “sourced” by
Maggie herself, refugee camps, post battle clean ups, hospitals…any place
where a female child may be left unattended.

Her main source of children were the many brothels that had become a mainstay of
San Francisco. Often prostitutes and destitute parents were more than willing
to give a child away to an organization that would look after them. Although
not widely known, except by those higher up in the organisation like Maze,
Maggie took in many more children then were actively working for her. Some
girls were cast back into the workforce of prostitution, but many more simply

Maggie was valuable to the institution and missing orphan girls were a very low
priority. No one ever asked or bothered Maggie about how she got things done,
results were king or “queen” in this case. Maggie produced accurate
navigational charts and had a small army of girls and young women who were
collectively known as “Maggie’s Chart Chicks” Of course this was outside of
Margaret’s earshot.

Doctor Margaret Suzuki was a stern and stoic woman who walked on a prewar
prosthesis where her left leg used to be. The prosthesis was always visible,
almost flaunted, as her bib overalls or pants were always rolled up to expose
it. Girls services were asked for by archaic words as to the type of service
you needed. If you did not know or could not pronounce the girls titles, you
would more than likely not procure their services. Maze’s uncle had schooled
him well on how to deal with Margaret

Yong girls were taken in and trained in various areas of service to Maragaret’s
community. The older taught the younger and it was told that all knowledge was
handed down by Margaret. She checked regularity that teachings were correct,
often punishing the teacher as well as the student for poor knowledge. The
first several years were mostly navigation and cartography. All of Maggies
Chart Chicks were just that, very good at cartography.

All girls were called ENATE at first, from the Latin born of and relating to the
mother. When an older girl was sent on a job, most times an enate would
accompany, like an apprentice, this was how the title was used. Depending on
what you needed from Maggie one of the two higher titles would be used. An
enate is a STUDENT or WORKER

Later as their teaching progressed, girls were chosen to specialize in areas
such as mechanics, navigation, boat handling even as guards. Maze was looking
for a cartographer, some one who specialized at drawing charts, which they all
did, but someone who had been chosen to continue studies in it.

The next level was called a THELYTOK (Thi-lee-ought-uck) again from Latin
Thelytokos Thely(female) tokos (birth). This was the biological process of
females producing clones of themselves though unfertilized eggs, such as ants
bees and wasps to make duplicate queens. In biology the duplicates, weren’t
true clones, but females born of females without male involvement, so they just
contained the genetic information of their mother. A thelytok would be a young
woman who was highly taught and skilled in a field. She would be capable of
carrying out a job to a high level of completion. Most jobs were overseen by a
Thelytok and several enates. A Thelytok is a BOSS or SERGEANT a fore(wo)man,
capable of getting jobs done.

Highest on the list an rare were the FECUND, also from Latin relating to a
females ability to produce innovative and original ideas. These were PROBLEM
SOLVERS. The few women who ascended to this title Margaret treated as equals.
A Fecund could come and go freely unlike the other classes. A Fecund could even
chose to leave the organisation, something that Maggie seemed to encourage,
although few left.

A bell jingled and two dungaree suited young women entered the room through the
door that the previous had exited. Both were armed with Mendoza HM-3 sub
machine guns, a common weapon of Mexican police before the war, as Mexico
descended into chaos it was built in great numbers due to its ease of
manufacture. Somehow Dr Suzuki had acquired quite a supply of them including
the “Bulldog” model a compact version made for bodyguards.

A few seconds later a business suited female followed and walked toward Maze.
Maze stood slightly at attention, knowing Dr Suzuki’s protocols. “Greetings”
she said, “I am Thelytok Diara, I understand you wish to see Dr Suzuki. I will
be acting as her liaison. Of what do you require of the doctor?”

Maze told her of the Sea Horse striking an underwater hazard that was not on the
charts. Diara replied “this will not do, no not at all, ring for Doctor Suzuki.”
One of the armed women retreated through the door. "Diara asked Maze a few more
questions about how, where, when the Sea Horse was holed. After a few minutes
of conversation, Dr Suzuki appeared.

Dr Margaret Suzuki limped from behind the guard who led her into the room. Her prothesis was clearly visible and produced a limping gait. “You are Masahiro McConnell correct?” she spoke and Maze slightly bowed and said, “yes mam” “The girls tell me you have managed to crash into something not on the charts.” Margaret continued and Maze replied, " yes we have worry that other boats may encounter it, and we’d like to get it on the charts and buoy it as well."

“Was it you who piloted the boat?” Margaret asks and Maze answers “No it was a….” Magaret interrupts “Would like to talk to the pilot, but no matter. We’ll want to get this updated on the charts. I will expect payment as usual.” Maze just let her talk. Once Margaret got her mind to do something you just let her go. She’d get the job done, maybe in a round about way, but once she got onto something there wasn’t any way to deviate her off her course.

“We are doing this today, at what berth and boat shall I have the team?” Maze instructed her where the Sea Horse was berthed. “Fine, we can be there within an hour, I’ll have a team of 5 there, I have 3 divers that will be taken with you.” Maze thought about holding his tongue then said, " I have already requested another dive team." Margaret starred and said “that is of no consequence to me, take my divers and yours, or pay yours to go away. MY DIVERS GO WITH YOU.”

Maze bowed politely and said “as you wish” knowing that Margaret was not to be trifled with. He would figure out what to do with the Rock Twins later, or maybe a team of 5 divers would be overkill, but, well whatever he’d figure it out later.

Looking under Rocks
Charlie tries to recruit divers

Charlie headed away from Maze’s place, down to the edge of Japanese territory.
Much like pre war gangs, territory was marked with graffiti. Some of it was
obvious red circle with numerous radiating lines of the rising sun was pretty
obvious, but these were replaced by the red wavy line over a blue wavy line of
the Korean area got Charlie on his toes.

The Koreans and Japanese still hated each other, racism that even a nuclear war
couldn’t staunch. But they were on better terms than the Chinese were with
either. Most Japanese and Koreans had been products of westernized culture,
either in South Korea or Japan or born in those communities in America. The
Chinese had come from a different political system before the war, even someone
fleeing that life, carried some of it with them.

Even after the bombs, whites, blacks, Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Korean
organized into their own communities, Even though there were several it was
still a white man’s world mostly due to the fact that most Military officers
were white and they were the one running the show now.

Over the course of time some of this broke down as humans banded together to
survive, but it also reared its head as groups of like skinned, like minded,
like religioned preyed on groups who were unlike them.

Charlie knew were the Rock twins lived and was able to move to their bungalow
near the Bay. The house was incredibly secure with a post war build of salvaged
cinder block and brick encasing the entire first floor, no way in or out, no
windows. Charlie knew the Rock Twins didn’t build this. They had said they
found it unoccupied this way, but the rumor was they removed the previous owner.

The second floor had an expansive deck that overlooked the bay and wrapped
around to the front of the house. Access was by rope ladder lowered by someone
inside or by a hand cranked cargo crane, it’s basket currently suspended 20 feet
off the ground, lowered like the rope ladder by someone inside.

Charlie pulled on a rope that was tossed over the side rail, known by everyone
as the “doorbell” it was connected to a bell inside and took a bit of effort to
pull, GONG, went the noise inside. “Rock Twins you home? Got job for you.”
Charlie yelled up hoping the call of work would bring them forth.

Cut the Blue Wire
Levi disarms traps

Jose sat in the front room, his HK across his lap. He was on watch while Levi
worked to try and get through to whatever was behind the basement door. He had
been here about an hour, watching as several people passed, a few carts, a half
dozen bicycles, not a one looked his way. “Hey,” came Levi’s voice behind him,
“anything going on up here?” Jose answered that outside of seeing a couple
stray dogs humping in the neighbors yard it had been pretty dull.

“Hey I need a hand.” Levi said as he motioned Jose to follow him to the stairs.
The two descended through the hole and the stairs. Levi pointed out the
pressure plate, "don’t step on that. I need a boost up, so I can pull the
detonator out of the claymores. but we CAN’T waiver and fall on the pressure

Jose readied himself, he set his HK against the wall and straddled the plate.
His one foot braced against the wall by the door frame his other the lowest
stair. Interlacing his fingers he readied for Levi to step a foot into his
hands. “Ready?” Levi asked Jose saw a crazy looking multi-tool in Levis hand as
he said “as I’ll ever be”

Levi stepped and Jose boosted, snip, snip, click, click. “All done, remember
the plate” Jose strained as Levi stepped down. Jose felt a surge of adrenaline
as his brain briefly had the idea of them going down atop the pressure plate,
but it was just a bad thought, not real danger.

Levi held two detonators connected together by a wire. He had cut the two
weights and placed them on the shelf beside the claymores. They could retrieve
the claymores later. “Kick ass,” Levi said.

Now that the Claymores atop the door are safe, Levi turns his attention to the
door. Hinges are inside. Only a simple pull handle out here and a solid
looking inset key lock, probably a dead bolt.

Levi’s observation leads him to believe that the pressure plate may just lead to
an alarm. Levi did a meticulous inspection of the door and wall, no hidden chambers, no camouflaged firing ports. There is no direct danger at his immediate front. A shotgun or
explosion would have to blast through the door, rendering the security of the
“bunker” worthless by breaching them.

Furthermore, someone who thought about setting up the claymore + C4 explosion in
the stairwell, would know that debris would probably fall on the pressure plate.
If it is connected to another explosive device that would blast through the
door, it would more than likely just be blasting debris or those killed by the
claymores and C4. In addition to wrecking what may be the last line of defense,
this metal door.

All the while Jose has been watching Levi work. “Pick it.” he suddenly says. “I do know a bit about this. Locks are designed to prevent the untrained from getting in, but a trained individual will have little problems getting in. As this is a potential home and this is a secure door, if it can be opened through less damaging ways, it means that there is a secure are to store stuff.”

Levi had just begun to think about using some of the C4 to get it open, “Yea my way
would have left a mess.” Jose told Levi he had to get back over to his side of
the bay and his wife. “Cool with me,” Levi replied “I have a few errends to
run, but I can keep an eye on this property for you. You back for the weekend?”
Jose said yes he would try to get a locksmith over here on Saturday or Sunday and
would let Levi know when they came.

Jose will head home and Levi will watch over the house, although not
neccessarily in it

The Roost
Maggie's place

Maze had sent Charlie off to recruit a couple divers called the Rock Twins,
while he set off to round up a mapmaker from Dr. Margaret ‘Maggie’ Suzuki.
Margaret’s “shop” was down near the fleet docks and she was usually there
pouring over charts and maps, compiling this and that, correcting, always

Maze was quick about getting his day together, K-Bar, Beretta, baton, everything
in place and was shortly at the map maker’s. There was a guard stationed out
front, always, plenty of people who’d love to get their hands on some of the
items inside, or Maggie herself. Maze recognized the guard, a newbie 18 years
old if by a day. This area was far enough into Japanese territory that it would
take some real balls to get this far. Kids with shotguns, no matter how green,
were usually enough to keep honest people honest.

The guard straightened his back up as he saw Maze approach. Maze stopped in
front and looked the boy up and down. His military style gear was in decent
shape, Mossberg shotgun held at the ready. “Weapon!” Maze barked extending his
hands. The guard complied handing the shotgun over to Maze. Maze checked the
safety, on…good, then racked the slide back expelling a shell into his hand.
Most guards were to be locked and loaded at all times. Maze checked the inside
of the action, clean, lightly oiled…good. He squeezed the sides of the
plastic shot shell, making sure it was a good load, it was sound.

Maze racked a new shell into the chamber and flipped the weapon over sliding the
expelled shell back into the tube. He made sure the safety was still on and
handed the weapon back to the boy. “good work soldier” Maze was easier on the
newbies than most, it was seasoned soldiers who got sloppy that worked him up.
Newbies could continue to be trained, but veterans tended to “forget” and needed
much more prodding to “remember” how to do things correct.

Maze took a step past the boy toward the door and the boy’s voice croaked
“business sir?” This was actually exactly what Maze wanted to hear and he spun
to face the boy. “Sinharo,” Maze used the boys name “You know who I am
correct?” “yes sir,” Shinharo answered" but I must ask everyone their business
here before allowing them inside." Maze smiled “that is exactly what I wished
to hear, you will make a fine soldier.” he told the boy. “Thank you sir, but
business please.” Sinharo was following protocol correctly.

Maze let the boy know what he was there for and the boy replied that he would
ring for an escort. Sinharo turned and pulled on a rope near the door, the
tinkling of bells was heard inside the building. Shortly the noise of a locking
bar scraped behind the door and it opened. A young woman appeared, dressed in
rugged dungarees and looking anything but ladylike she also asked Maze his
business, after he replied she led him into a large front waiting room.

The building used to be some kind of recreation club. There was a large front
room and a reception desk, probably used for posh parties before the war.
Behind the desk sat another yongish woman, also in rugged clothing, but with an
pistol slung at her hip. There were tables and chairs about and Maze took a
seat and waited for his audience with Maggie…..

Diego's bell rings
morning class

A nightmare had awakened him, but the memory of it quickly faded. Diego swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, hearing his joints crack from yesterday’s hike. He groaned and shook his head to clear it and arose to start lesson plans and breakfast. Diego hurried through ideas of what he would tach the youngest of his students early, pronunciation, sentence structure……

More crusty bread a handful of almonds, some smoked fish and out the door to his classroom. Diego taught in the same classroom mostly, “his” classroom. He had plenty of time until the 8-12 year olds arrived. Diego sketched a few lessons on the blackboard and went through a few books.

MISTER DIEGO!” the first student a bubbly 9 year old named Quawn burst through the door, Quawn was almost always first to class, smart and far ahead of his age, he had learned Diego’s first name and as the other kids usually called him Mr. Acosta, no amount of correction by Diego had gotten Quawn to call him anything but Mister Diego.

The rest of the children filed in, about 30 on any day, some from miles away, walked by an older sibling who would be in a later/older class. Diego droned on through pronunciation lessons. Years of the same thing, trying to get youngsters to pronounce things correctly, lunch couldn’t come soon enough

A truck rolls by....
Levi and Jose in the morning

Levi awoke as Jose shook him awake. Dawnlight streamed in through the windows as Levi took up a position overlooking the street. He strained his eyes a couple times looking for the remains of the cigartte tossed by last nights visitors, but could not see the butt from up here. Jose stoked an early fire and made up some more of his “coffee:”

With a warm cup of coffee and as decent a night’s sleep as one could expect, Levi moved back into the basement stairs as Jose took up a position in the front room watching the street. As sunlight began to warm the night’s chill away Jose saw a bit of traffic pass by. A few bicycles and some foot traffic. Most paid no head to the house in the middle of the block, passing by on their way to wherever.

Jose heard an engine nearby, the sound growing louder then roaring by, moving quickly. It was a large pickup wiht a cap on the back. The whole of it painted olive green. Jose saw it for just a second as he ducked back into shadow as it passed. There were two military dressed men in the cab, probably a reaction team headed somewhere, there would be more men in the bed. He then moved near to the window, listening as the engine droned out of earshot. It had not stopped. He moved outside and looked down the street, the truck was gone but he heard the ‘BRAAAAP’ of a far off machine gun, then a muffled explosion, several klicks away. There was no other indication, but he surmised that was where the truck was headed.

Levi in the stairwell was oblivious. A thin rubber mat was laid atop what he surmised was a pressure plate. He remoived his M11 bayonet, an explosive ordinance issued bayonet with a few extra tools for a demo expert The M11 was designed specifically for issue to Military EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Technicians. The M11 bayonet was just a modified M9 – having a straight crossguard with lashing holes and a solid, hammer style pommel. He wore a special tool pouch available that is custom fit to the scabbard. The tool pouch held the essential working tools of the EOD Tech – including a special EOD Multi-tool. It used to hold a small tactical flashlight, but batteries being scarce, this had been discarded long ago.

Levi gently ran the tip of the M11 around the rubber mat. It was not secured or anchored down. The weight of it seemed not heavy enough to pop a reverse pressure plate, that is if the rug were removed it would trigger. It appeared that it was just in fact a camoflage cover for the pressure plate.

Levi folded back one corner exposing the plate. It was a diamond plate piece of metal, set into a frame in the floor. “perfect” levi said aloud as he noticed that there was about a half inch between the plate and the frame. Big enough to get a look inside there, big enough to wedge something under there.

Levi spent several minutes slowly examining the plate. It was he surmised pressure only, he cautiously removed the rug… explosion, that was good. Looked pretty easy and he had a good plan. If they stick the head of a crowbar in the crack between the frame and plate, they can hold the thing up. Then try to get through the door or disarm the claymore above the door….

Maggie and the Chart Chicks
Maze goes to get a cartographer

Maze awoke before dawn, swung his feet off his bed and arose to make breakfast. “Same old same old,” he thought as he started a fire as he went through his usual routine of breakfast and calisthenics. Charlie came the same time every day, just as Maze had the food ready. Maze had tried to vary the time of putting the food out, and somehow Charlie was always there just as the food was set to be dished out.

A knock at the door as Maze was bringing bowls of fish and rice to the table, he set them down and let Charlie in. “Charlie, I’m gonna send you to look after the catch as it gets to market. Stay low there’s nothing I really need you to do, if there is trouble don’t get involved let me know about it I’ll handle it later. Be my EYES Charlie nothing more.” Charlie answered, “You going to look for whatever snagged the Sea Horse yesterday?”

Maze had a plan all worked out, the Sea Horse would head back to the area with the Chart-maker and 2 divers on board as well as Maze. They’d take a buoy and some good nylon rope. The divers would hopefully be able to secure it to whatever caused the damage, while the chart maker added it to the charts. In addition he could see if the captain had strayed into dangerous waters.

“Yea. I’m going to grab one of Maggie’s ‘chart chicks’ and head out to see what’s what. Any of the girls in particular need of a day out on the water?”

Dr. Margaret Suzuki—“Maggie” to her colleagues; “The Chart Queen” to just about everyone else—was responsible for maintaining the Organization’s charts and maps. Like many of her ilk, the passion for maps and map-making that manifested at an early age bloomed into a life-long obsession with all things cartography. Though the LIDAR, side-scan sonar, and all other sorts of high tech gadgetry of her pre-war “day job” were a distant memory, she had a couple of lifetime’s worth of knowledge in her head that, unlike most of either her left leg, survived the war more or less intact.

Originally a cartographer with NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, Maggie was one of the countless civilian technicians who found themselves hastily attached to the military to help plug holes in their capabilities. Like most survivors, Maggie didn’t talk much about the events that took her leg off above the knee. Maze knew she had been surveying new war-related hazards along the US Pacific coast when the ship was blown out from under her, but she never indicated if it was accident, combat, sabotage, or just plain bad fucking luck. All were equally likely candidates in those days.

A long-time San Francisco resident, Maggie eventually came to the attention of Uncle, who brought her in early on during the Organization’s early efforts to organize the fishing fleet. Maze recalled the fondness in his Uncle’s voice whenever he related the plain-spoken woman’s grouchy observations on fleet captains’ shiphandling abilities—usually followed quickly by assessments of their general suitability for remaining in the genepool. With Uncle’s blessing, Maggie quickly established a small “department” by taking in young women and training them in fundamentals of cartography and illustration. Known universally among the fleet as “The Queen’s Chart Chicks,” they handled a lot of the grunt work on tasks such as the one Maze was planning for the day. Maggie or one of her most trusted adepts would confirm the data, update the master charts, and oversee the junior personnel who then updated the dozens of sets of charts for the captains.

It was an effective if notoriously inefficient system for handling the activity. Maze always suspected Uncle was more sentimental than pragmatic when it came to Maggie’s staff, but he learned early that vocalizing that thought within Uncle’s earshot would only earn him a cuff on the back of the head and a guaranteed week of shitbird duty. Fortunately, they’d become far too well established for Yesuda to even think of trying to rein in Maggie or her cartography cabal.

“And,” Maze continued as he waited for his morning tea to cool, “the Horse’s captain didn’t get a good feel for whatever it is out there, so I’m also going to need a couple of guys in case it’s big enough to need a bobber. You know if the Rock Twins are free today?”

At this, Charlie puffed out his cheeks and sat back to think about the various Organization and freelance divers likely to be mooching around the docks in hopes of a day’s pay or just something new to do. Maze was asking specifically after a pair of Korean divers who earned their spot on the Organization’s payroll thanks to coming to his attention a few years earlier. Kun Lee had been a repair diver in one of the big ports in South Korea; his compatriot Park had been an underwater EOD tech for the ROK navy. During the long trek from their shattered Korea to the US, the two refugees had become an inseparable pair. Maze had nicknamed them the Rock Twins because one, Lee, was “the size of a mountain,” while the other, Park, was “deaf as a stone.” They were both excellent divers, though, and among Maze’s most favored in the Organization’s stable of specialists.

Legend also had it that they were allegedly the last guys who managed to kick Maze’s ass in a bar-fight, which was how they came to his attention in the first place. It annoyed Charlie no end that this was one of the few pieces of local intelligence he’d never been able to track down and confirm in any conclusive way. Any time Charlie poked around the subject, Maze would just adopt his inscruitable “Buddha smile.” This was, admittedly, better than the Koreans, who would just stare at him as if he had just sprouted three extra heads.

Maze scratched his chin and contemplated skipping the shaving mirror this AM yet again. As the hint of a scowl formed on Charlie’s face, Maze knew what he was thinking about. “What, little brother? Don’t tell me you STILL haven’t found out how I met the Rock Twins? I find that hard to believe…” he said with a laugh.

Charlie’s scowl deepened for a second and then passed. “Yea, that might be true Boss, but I DID finally get the whole story of your adventures with that soju girl that earned you the lifetime ban from the Seoul Club. I thought only sailors knew how to tie knots like that!”

Maze immediately cursed the gaijin blood coursing in his veins as felt the heat rise in his cheeks at the impertinent whelp’s mention of that particular night and that particularly “boisterous” young woman. Even after 4 years and a whole lot of bowing, scraping, repainting, and outright paying, that Korean club owner still gave him the stink eye every time their path’s crossed.

He tried to nail the boy’s hide to the chair using with his best “dead eyed sergeant” stare but just couldn’t hope to overcome Charlie’s irrepressible good-humor. “Bastard,” he finally conceeded with a laugh. “She told me that beam could take the weight. I couldn’t have expected the WHOLE roof to just come down like that. But that’s enough nostalgia. Round up a deserving Chart Chick and find me a solid pair of divers and have ’em meet me at the Sea Horse. Also, keep an ear to the ground about the mate on the Laughing Eel for me?”

“That the guy who tried to get himself killed by gambing the fleet charts away? He getting out of line again?” Charlie asked with a frown.

“No, no. He’s been in the hole long enough. I’ve heard good things, so I’m thinking of offering him a boat of his own again. We got a couple of captains getting a bit long in the tooth to go out every day and I don’t want any boats down at all if we can avoid it.” When it came to talking about Organization politics, Maze wouldn’t think of voicing voice his concerns about Tim’s management abilities. He also knew Charlie would pick up on the subtext of the request anyway.

“Last I heard he’s plenty happy to let someone else do all the worrying, but I’ll poke around. Catch up tonight?”

“Yea. Grab a couple of bottles of sake from the office stash and drop ‘em in the water to chill before heading home. We’ll polish ’em off with dinner, eh?”

With that, Charlie popped up and bounded out the door. Maze returned to his bedroom to strap on the rest of his “Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children” working gear. With all that had happened since Tim popped up on the scene and a long day on the water in front of him, he doubted this was going to turn out to be a “suit” kind of day.

Diego Sleeps

The bike ride home was uneventful. There was still a mist in the air and they
encountered little traffic. Once at the edge of the college Sam stopped the
bike allowing Diego to dismount. “See you tomorrow in class” Sam said as he
peddled off and disappeared into the night. Diego walked back into the school
compound. The same Pancho Villa looking guard was near the front door. He
nodded as Diego approached and no words were exchanged.

Back in his bedroom, Diego lit a small fire in his stove boiled some rice and
proceeded to whip up a mug of Champurrado. Slowly melting a local chocolate
given to him by a student’s mother he blended in some spices sugar, goat milk
and flour to thicken it. As it simmered he whipped it with a molinillo a
special pestle whisk combination especially for this drink.

Thick crusty bread, rice and a thick warm mug of Champurrado, he was asleep in
no time.

Dreams came of the radio towers, set not on a small peak but on a precipice, and
hundreds of feet high. Struggling to climb and whipped by wind Diego saw
Delores high above him on the towers. For some reason he had to get there
first, had to catch her and beat her to the top. Ice formed and he slipped,
wind slashed his face with sleet, yet he was catching her, nearing, just a few
feet now. Delores turned toward him her face that of a demon, she cackled and
threw her head back in a laugh as blue lightning lit the sky, in her hand a
flintlock pistol that sparked and flashed a second before Diego felt the ball
strike his chest knocking him from the tower, he was falling, falling,

Diego awoke as light crept its way into his room.

Three Little Pigs, huffing and puffing
three men on porch

Jose moves quietly out of the master bedroom to the top of the stairs and points
his HK 33 down the stairs. He hadn’t had to fire it in quiet awhile, but had
passed more than enough shells though it over the years to be extremely
comfortable with it. He’d probably killed many a man back in the food riot
days, but it was all a blur now, nothing but hazy memories of vague human
shapes, falling, twisting…..

It was easier when you were on a firing line with many guns firing at the same
targets, it was easier to handle. Only a few times did Jose remember faces,
when he’d accidentally let his mental guard down, focusing on the target for a
split second, blond hair, an earring, a blue bandana. Everyone deals with it in
his own way. Jose had worked to blur the edges with his eyes, just enough that
they stopped being people, just shapes.

He crouched at the top of the stairs, able to see enough of the front room to be
able to hit any target that would work its way inside. The front door was
secured shut, and they had placed debris in the windows, that would give him
ample time to aim, and fire.

Both Levi and Jose remain quiet as the flickering of what is probably cigarettes
provides a clue to where the 3 men stand on the porch, although neither Jose or
Levi can see them. Mumbled voices drift to their ears and an occasional laugh.
Tobacco? maybe something else? smells drifted to both men, definitely smoking
something out there.

Levi crouched in one of the upper windows watched for several minutes before he
saw the glowing ember of a cigarette tossed to the wet front yard. Then a
figure emerged, pulling his poncho hood over his head, followed by the other
two. The men walked back toward the street. Abruptly one spun around and
looked up at Levi’s position……

Levi knew to fight the instinct to move. Movement was easier to see in the
dark, he was reasonably sure the man would not be able to see him, he was
presenting just enough of his eyes in the lower corner of the window to see out,
Levi held his breath……

The figure turned back around and trotted to catch up to the other two, the
three men disappeared into the mist and rain…..

A few minutes and Levi turned and moved to the hallway whispering loudly “clear”
Jose answered him “clear” Within a few more minutes both men were at the front
window, it may take a bit for sleep to figure out how to wrest the adrenaline
out of their bodies.

It was close to Jose’s watch time anyway, Levi settled back against the wall
where Jose had been dozing, M16 across his lap. It was about 1am

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Saturday, June 16, 2012

This and That

My fortune from my fortune cookie.  I do hope this is true since we haven't had a showing in two weeks.
 A quick visit to Mungsinger - Clemes gardens.

 Finally our end of school year reward.  A trip to MOA.  Easton wanted to find some Indiana Jones LEGOS but we found out they no longer make them.  He was very excited to get a Pirates of the Caribbean set.  All smiles!!!!

Peyton always loves checking out the American Girl Doll store.  She wanted a pair of shoes and earrings for her doll.  In the second photo she was very excited to see the McKenna doll since we are reading a book about her.  A few squeals in the back seat on the ride home.

 I pierced the dolls ears myself with a power drill!  Save us $14.

 My most recent stash of crafting supplies.  Target has on clearance SMASH supplies.  Two Peas in a Bucket is running a few summer specials and I love using my 50% off coupons at our local craft store.  Michelle also has new stock in her big cartel shop.

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Canadian church magazine to close

By Staff on September 27, 2016

Part of a cartoon by Susan Mattinson that appeared in the Presbyterian Record.

The Presbyterian Record, one of Canada’s longest continuously published magazines, announced it will cease publication in December 2016.

First published in 1876, the Record had a long-standing independent editorial policy in reporting on the denomination whose members it served, The Presbyterian Church in Canada.

Since 2000, the magazine has been independently owned and published by Presbyterian Record Inc.

In 1975, circulation stood at 88,000. By the turn of the century, that number had fallen to 50,000 and has continued the slide to about 10,000 today.

Over the past 25 years, readership has been declining at an average rate of 2,000 subscribers a year, while the denomination itself—the magazine’s sole market—has been declining at a rate of about 2,800 members a year.

The magazine’s publisher and editor, David Harris, said the magazine simply couldn’t transition quickly enough from a subscription-based model to a philanthropically financed model.

“Our donors have been fantastic,” said Harris. “Over the past 12 years, they have given us almost $1.5 million. Without that support, the magazine would have folded years ago.”

Harris said publishing an online-only version of the magazine was not an option. “Salaries, not printing and postage, are the biggest costs at a small magazine like the Record,” he said. “You need excellent staff whether a publication is online or print. And the Record could not expect to generate significant online revenue.”

In a statement board chair Botond Fejes wrote: “Arriving at this conclusion has been a difficult process for the board. Its members have struggled with this responsibility for a considerable time. The continued publication of the Record, in its present configuration, was simply not sustainable … therefore, we are sadly constrained to allow this ebb in the fortunes of the Presbyterian Record to run its course.”

Over its 140 years the magazine has had eight editors. Harris has led the magazine since 2002.

The Record posted a loss of $141,425 at the end of 2015 on a $900,000 budget; with another nearly quarter million-dollar loss projected for 2016. Harris said the magazine would have needed to raise an additional $75,000 this year and about $250,000 next year in order to continue.

“Besides the fall in denominational numbers, the financial crisis of 2007-2008 was definitely a major factor,” said Harris. “Many—perhaps most—Presbyterians are on a fixed income. They saw their net worth fall, their pension income decline, and congregations needed their money just to keep up the buildings and ministers’ salaries.

“The magazine became an expendable luxury under the circumstances.”

The 2000s have been hard on both church membership and print media. Dozens of denominational and other faith-based magazines have closed—the Western Catholic Reporter, with a weekly circulation of 32,000, folded its print edition at the end of September.

The Presbyterian Church in Canada itself has lost about a third of its members so far this century. According to the denomination’s statistics, at the beginning of 2000 there were 134,683 communicant members, and 28,120 children in Sunday schools.

By 2015, the numbers had fallen to 91,036 members and a little over 17,000 in Sunday school.

By Staff| September 27, 2016
Categories:  News

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text:
Fiat Shelves Project X6P (X6H-Based Pickup), Strada Facelift Likely

Fiat Strada Pickup Brazil

An yet another makeover for the Palio-based Strada Pick-up will hit the Brazilian market by 2019.

Fiat‘s much-awaited 3-box car project codenamed X6H consisting of a hatchback, sedan (aka X6S) and a pick-up (aka X6P) for the developing markets has received a small setback, as the company has reportedly suspended its plan to develop the X6P pickup. Although it is not clear whether the plan is dropped once and for all, it seems apparent that the X6P deemed to replace the aging Strada pickup will not be launched next year.

Also Read: Fiat X6H Hatch (Next-Gen Punto) Production From March 2017

Instead, it is reported that Fiat will work on sprucing-up the existing car that uses the Economy 326 platform as the Palio and Punto. The restyled Strada is expected to feature comprehensive exterior styling and interior updates, also retaining the overall proportions and body schemes. The new car is expected to roll off the assembly line at FCA’s Betim plant by 2019. The new Strada is likely to be offered in single, extended, and double-cab body forms, along with the rugged ‘Adventure’ editions as well.

Fiat X6H hatchback rendering

Fiat X6H hatchback goes for production next month, while the X6S sedan will be ready by this year end

Nevertheless, there will be ‘new wine’ inside this freshened ‘old bottle’! Key mechanicals of the Strada will be reworked, including an electric-assisted steering, improved suspension, and addition of traction and stability control technologies. The pickup will be powered by new 1.3-litre FireFly petrol and 1.8-litre E.torQ EVO petrol engines with an option of 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions.

Also Read: Fiat X6S Sedan Spied Testing With Grand Siena’s Shell

On sale since 1996 in select global markets, the Fiat Strada is a lifestyle pick-up vehicle born out of ‘World Car Project 178’ and is built on the same platform as the Palio and Siena models. Highly successful in South American markets, especially Brazil, the Strada is appreciated for its monocoque car-based built, also offering practicality as a large, body-on-frame pickup. Boasting a similar front fascia as the Siena sedan in early facelifts, the existing model was updated in 2013 with new new styling cues inspired from the Punto Evo hatchback.

Next, would you like to read more on Fiat, or X6H?

H/T Autos Segredos

Dhiyanesh Ravichandran

Dhiyanesh is equally crazy about driving cars and writing about them. This guy loves everything with a steering wheel, so, at someday if self-driving cars take up all driving, he is sure to go nuts! He likes sedans of 90s era, esp W140 S-Class and R34 Skyline GT. Apart from usual motoring stuffs, he maintains a strong appetite for sociological perspectives on cars, their historical and cultural footprints. He owns a 1999 Fiat Siena passionately, and drives a Ford Fiesta.


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Catholic Culture

Pope Francis and the SSPX

Will Pope Francis be the pope to grant the SSPX full Canonical recognition? For those who might have missed it, Pope Francis in a truly pastoral decision has just granted the priests of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) the authority and jurisdiction of giving Confession and […]

Catholics and Motion Pictures

Catholics and the morality of motion pictures Movies, television and many other forms of motion pictures are highly popular in modern society. Most individuals and families often go to the theatre and many others have and watch movies and shows on demand at home. This is most definitely […]

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