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The Trouble with Cowboys
From New York Times bestseller Victoria James comes a poignant and heartfelt romance that wraps you in a warm embrace...
Wishing River Series, Book 1
By Victoria James
Eight years ago, Tyler Donnelly left Wishing River, Montana, after a terrible fight with his father and swore he'd never return. But when his father has a stroke, guilt and duty drive him home, and nothing is as he remembers––from the run-down ranch to Lainey Sullivan, who is all grown up now. And darn if he can't seem to stay away.
Lainey's late grandma left her two things: the family diner and a deep-seated mistrust of cowboys. So when Tyler quietly rides back into town looking better than hot apple pie, she knows she's in trouble. But she owes his dad everything, and she's determined to show Ty what it means to be part of a small town...and part of a family.
Lainey's courage pushes Ty to want to make Wishing River into a home again—together. But one of them is harboring a secret that could change everything.
"A lovingly written modern-day fairy tale with complex characters and a well-earned, satisfying ending." --Kirkus Reviews
"Love love love!!! This was a charming romance set in modern times with real life problems and characters... If you want a quick, clean read that warms the heart this is the book for you." --Pamela E., NetGalley
"This is a sweet love story packed with emotion and layers [and] character building." --Esther, Goodreads
"...this is an engaging tale that kept me hooked - I literally read it in one sitting. This is a must read for fans of the genre." --Linda Q., Goodreads
"A beautifully written novel with enough drama, heat and romance to keep anyone entertained." --Kimmy, Goodreads
"I loved this story! This book was my introduction to Ms. James' writing and I loved it." --Jane N., NetGalley
"Victoria James did an incredible job with telling this story. It was such an emotional read for me... This book will pull at your heartstrings. It will make you laugh and in the next moment it will have you crying." --Sherri B., Goodreads
"...full of great characters overcoming conflicts. It has a strong message about acceptance and love, making it a very satisfying read." --Robin L., NetGalley
"This is a contemporary western romance that grabs your attention from the first page to the last one." --Yvonne C., Goodreads
"Victoria James wrote a wonderful book with just enough heat." --Lori A., NetGalley
"Theirs is a slow burn that keeps building through all the heartbreaking mistakes and hesitations. I found this to be a sweet emotional read that I really enjoyed!" --Margaret T., Goodreads
When a shy woman inherits a ranch, she'll have to find an inner strength to succeed—and open herself up to love—in this heartwarming novel from New York Times bestselling author Victoria James....
Series: Wishing River, Book 1
Imprint: amara
Genre: contemporary, cowboys
Tropes: forbidden love/off limits
By Esther February 08, 2019
ARC provided by NetGalley and Entangled in exchange for an honest review.
Lainey's Mother abounded her at a young age to chase after her boyfriends/lovers in the pursuit of "love". Thank goodness for her Grandma Tilly, who stepped in and raised Lainey. Grandma Tilly ran the local dinner at Wishing R ...more
By Sofia March 26, 2019
This book better not be a complete stand-alone because I want it to be a part of a series. Tyler's friends need their happy endings! I even have a theme for the series and it fits another couple aka Dean and Lainie's friend. The theme will be "I judge my man without giving him the benefit of the dou ...more
By Bette March 23, 2019
Whether I'm looking for a book to read with a sweet romance or one with a little more heat I know I can always count on Victoria James to deliver. This is one of her sweet reads and it definitely hit the spot. It's a wonderful slow build romance that pulled at all my heartstrings.
Tyler Donnelly left ...more
By Amy June 08, 2019
This was a really enjoyable small town romance. I loved the heroine and the hero grew on me. This is a slow build sort of romance and it's more on the sweet side than the hot side. All in all, I really enjoyed this one. There were a lot of different components at play - a family secret, the loss of ...more
By Irene February 10, 2019
By Kim Reads March 31, 2019
There's a reason Victoria James is one of my favorite authors. She writes heartfelt stories that tug at your heartstrings, with characters you wish were real. The Trouble with Cowboys is a small-town romance, set in the town of Wishing River, Montana. In the town of a thousand people, everyone seems ...more
By Marsha March 26, 2019
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
Over the years, I have enjoyed Victoria James' storytelling skills from the beginning, and in my opinion, THE TROUBLE WITH COWBOYS is her absolute best work (so far). Lainey and Tyler's journey broke my heart on so many levels. What they have each experienced would break ...more
By Jane March 01, 2019
I loved this story! This book was my introduction to Ms. James' writing and I loved it. Tyler is sexy, troubled and lost and Lainey is sweet, tough and lonely. These two were the perfect couple because Tyler was able to get Lainey to open up an show her that she's beautiful and important. While Lain ...more
By Linda January 30, 2019
Another winner! Ty is a sexy cowboy with daddy issues who left home abruptly eight years ago. He returns only after learning of his father's stroke, however, because of how he left, he is not welcomed back by anyone except for Lainey, the proprietress of the local diner. She is kind to Ty and they b ...more
By Denise April 02, 2020
I actually really liked the story in this book. I did not love the cussing or PG-13 scenes. No actual sex scenes but lots of leading to...
I did like the lead characters though. They had realistic problems and the heroine had been raised in the church and wanted to abstain until marriage.
The cussing ...more
By Amanda April 18, 2019
[I received a gifted copy for an honest review]
"For people you loved with everything you had, a lifetime was never enough."
When I go to read a cowboy romance I have certain expectations. I want a small town where everyone is in each others business. I want farm life and cowboys of course. I wan ...more
By Jessica March 28, 2019
Tyler and his father had a big blow out and hasn't been home for eight years. Now he's back home to support his father after finding out he had a stroke and help run the ranch that seems to be going down. Laniey wanted bigger things in her life but managed to stay stuck in the town she grew up in ta ...more
By Aly December 22, 2019
"Their final day together, his father's last words to him had changed his entire life, and he'd been running from them for eight years."
That's why Tyler Donnelly left Wishing River, Montana, and never looked back. But when he learned about his father's stroke, he felt it was his duty to come back an ...more
By `Candle April 04, 2019
Victoria James is a new author for me but if her work turns out to be like this one, I will definitely add her to my favorite author lists.
The Trouble with Cowboys starts out with Tyler Donnelly returning to Wishing River. He regrets leaving eight years ago but dreads returning; however, his Dad nee ...more
By Gmr March 18, 2019
Once upon a time, a boy and his father parted ways. It seemed one sided, as in he left town with no notice leaving his father in the lurch because he was simply being a horse's behind...but as our leading lady Lainey finds out many years later, there are two sides to every story and not everything i ...more
By Sapphyria March 26, 2019
After the death of his mother and harsh words between he and his father, Tyler left his home in Wishing River, Montana, never expecting to come back. That changes when word reaches Ty that his father has had a stroke. Back in Wishing River, Ty's the latest subject of the gossipers but he expected su ...more
By Lori March 23, 2019
This book got to me in the very first chapter. I had such a heavy heart and eyes full of tears as I read it. Have a tissue nearby, especially if you have lost your mom. But Tyler and Lainey's story is so beautiful and heart touching. My heart hurt for both characters and wanted nothing more than the ...more
By Ayekah March 26, 2019
This beauty starts off at breakneck speed with Tyler returning home after an 8 year absence. Walking into Tilly's diner he's met with stares, glares and silence. Even from his best friend. Tilly's granddaughter is behind the counter and avoids serving him, she gives him a to go cup of coffee. Nothin ...more
By Sarah March 23, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, I found it completely hard to put down. The Author has a way of sucking you in from the beginning and it makes you feel like you are right there, or watching it on a scene. I love how the characters truly feel like you are catching up with friends and I love the small tow ...more
By Melena March 22, 2019
An absolutely beautiful story of family, love, and second chances set in the small town of Wishing River, Montana.
Tyler has returned home after 8 years away and it isn't a happy homecoming. His father has had a stroke and is angry with him and his best friends are upset too.
Lainey is runnin ...more
By E.J. January 31, 2019
I received an ARC of this book from Entangled Publishing LLC through Netgalley to give my honest review.
I was immediately drawn into this story from the first page. Ty and Lainey are characters I could like and in my opinion, nothing about this story was far-fetched. I can't stand a romance novel t ...more
By Isha March 31, 2019
Can the heartache that litters their past, erase any hope they have for a future? For Ty and Lainey, baggage is an entree that lingers in their hearts. Lessons learned are never easy to forget, especially painful ones. When family obligations force the boy that ran away to become the man that his fa ...more
By Suzette March 26, 2019
This is a story with a lot of heart. It is insightful and digs deep into the values that make relationships and families. Tyler is a lost soul returning home to a father and community he believes is unwelcoming. He has deep soul wounds that needs to be healed. Lainey, despite her hardships, has a he ...more
By Connie March 18, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
OMGosh!!! I just loved this book. Ms. James is a great author. I have adored all of her books. This one is no different. You can just FEEL the emotions that these characters feel throughout the story. There ...more
By Louise March 22, 2019
This is Lainey and Tyler's story.
Tyler left town eight years ago and now he is back to run the family ranch after his dads stroke. He left after an argument, they both said hurtful things. Now he is back and everyone is treating him like an outsider. Nobody knows why he left and he doesn't feel lik ...more
NY Times Best Selling, USA Today Best Selling Author
I always knew I wanted to be a writer and in grade five, I penned my first story, bound it (with staples) and a cardboard cover and did all the illustrations myself (if you've ever seen my drawings you'll know how horrible they must have been. I still draw stick figures). Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again. In high school I fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, I married my own hero, pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened my own business. After the birth of our first child, I knew it was time to fulfill the dream of writing romantic fiction. I'm a hopeless romantic who is living my dream, penning happily-ever-after's for my characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but I'm quite content living in suburbia with my husband, our two young children, and very bad cat.
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Copyright © 2019 by Victoria James. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
Ty Donnelly would rather be knee-deep in cow manure than back in his hometown of Wishing River, Montana.
He pulled his trusty Chevy into an empty parking spot outside Tilly's Diner, a long-standing town landmark, and sat still for a minute. Steady rain hammered against the roof of his truck and streamed down his windows as he peered out at the familiar sights of the town he hadn't seen in eight years. It was too early for stores and most businesses to be open—except Tilly's. Some things didn't change.
They probably still had the best coffee, the best breakfast, and the best gossip on Main Street.
He'd never been one for nostalgia, but it crept up his arm like a fast-moving spider, startling him. It was the damn town. It held too many memories, too many friends, too many secrets. He should just keep on going to the ranch and face everything he was hiding from. But after driving all night, he needed a coffee. Or maybe he needed an excuse to delay seeing his father. Even facing a diner full of gawking townspeople was more appealing than seeing his father.
Their final day together, his father's last words to him had changed his entire life, and he'd been running from them for eight years.
Hell. He ran his hand through his hair and glanced over at Tilly's again before putting on his cowboy hat and finally pushing his door open. Cold rain soaked him as he ran up the steps to the diner. He pulled the door open, and a blast of warmth and a good dose of reality greeted him as he stepped inside. His past slapped him in the face, a little too harshly for a guy going on no sleep. Flatware clanked against dishes, and the animated conversation dwindled to that of a whispering brook. He walked forward, sure to keep his head up but eye contact to a minimum in the packed diner.
Making his way around the round tables with their vinyl-backed chairs, he gave an occasional nod and tip of his hat but made sure not to stop. By the time he reached the long counter at the far end of the diner, he felt as though he'd walked through fire. He took a deep breath and held on to it for a moment as he recognized the man sitting at the counter. Dean Stanton. One of his former best friends—and now his father's doctor. He hadn't expected to see him this soon.
"Dean," he said, bracing his arms on the counter. Dean gave him a nod like he was a stranger. He hadn't seen him in eight years and hadn't had any contact until Dean had called, telling him his father had suffered a stroke. He could still hear the censure in his friend's voice. Dean had also made it pretty clear he was calling as his father's doctor, not as his old buddy. He looked the same—older, sure. Judging by his clean-shaven appearance and expensive-looking clothes, he seemed like he had his life together, too. Ty was the one still in faded jeans and an old cowboy hat.
He kept his eyes trained on the kitchen door and sure as hell hoped Tilly would come out of there soon, because he needed a coffee and then he needed to get the hell out of Dodge. When the door swung open a minute later, it wasn't Tilly. He didn't know who the waitress was. He may have been driving all night, his eyes sore and tired, but there was no stopping the instincts he was born with as he gazed appreciatively at the woman in front of him. Her honey-colored hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she had familiar, large chocolate-colored eyes. She was wearing a T-shirt with Tilly's scrolled across the front, the shirt clinging to very nice curves. Her jeans were dark and showed off nicely rounded hips. When his eyes traveled back up her curvy length, her brown eyes were on his, and any of the warmth he'd detected was replaced by an unapologetic disdain.
"What can I get you?" she asked, now wiping the counter and not making eye contact with him.
"Large coffee to go?" He ignored the various glass-domed cake stands filled with muffins, doughnuts, and pies, even though he hadn't eaten in twelve hours. Tilly was known for the best and freshest baked goods for miles. He just wasn't in the mood for eating.
She didn't actually give him an answer, only sort of gave a nod. He noticed she glanced over at Dean before grabbing a white paper cup and pouring the coffee. She handed him the drink and a plastic lid. "That'll be a dollar and fifty cents. Cream and sugar are over there," she said, pointing to the far side of the counter.
He laid the correct change out in front of him. "How's Tilly?"
"Dead," she said, walking away with the carafe of coffee in her hands. Damn. He hadn't expected that. He'd kinda assumed Tilly would always be here. He glanced over at the waitress again, studying her profile as she refilled Dean's cup. Hell. He knew her. Tilly's granddaughter. She'd always been at the diner with her grandmother. As a little kid and then later as a teenager. Now she'd turned into this gorgeous woman. It was well known that Tilly's daughter had saddled her with her baby and taken off. No one really knew much about her after that.
It was sad to hear Tilly was gone. She had always had a warm smile and a kind word for him. So maybe some things did change.
He put the lid on his steaming coffee and turned around, no need for cream or sugar. Of course, the entire damn restaurant was still staring at him like a lame cow being judged at the county fair.
Pushing open the front door with his palm, he jogged out to his truck, happy to be away from there. Now the last thing separating him from his past was the drive to his father's ranch. He pulled out of his parking spot and drove down Main Street, Wishing River.
Eight years and barely a thing had changed.
The old buildings still had that charm that beckoned tourists and artists, especially during the summer and fall. But this wasn't his home anymore; that much was clear.
He made the drive out to the ranch in record time, the need to get this over with encouraging him to drive faster. The winding country roads were virtually empty, and the rugged beauty of the land hit him—as a kid he'd sworn he'd never leave Montana. Wishing River was nestled between the jagged peaks of the Bitterroot Mountains to the west and the Sapphire Mountains to the east. The valleys held the fall foliage like a secret prize from the other areas of Montana that couldn't boast the range of color they had here.
The rolling green hills, the towering trees, the pastures, the wide-open sky, they were as familiar to him as breathing. But something wasn't right.
Easing his foot off the gas, he slowed as the old three-rail wood fence bordering his family's sprawling ranch came into view. A couple of the posts were down, some in need of maintenance, but it was fall, and that's when all the maintenance usually happened around the ranch.
He pulled into the long gravel drive, dust and pebbles kicking up behind him, and he didn't bother avoiding the potholes, the mud splashing onto his already filthy truck. The pit in his stomach seemed to grow exponentially, knowing his mother wasn't at the door, knowing his father…was ill.
Once parked, he grabbed his keys and coffee and went to face his past.
His boots crunched against the gravel, and he took a deep breath. The red barn in the distance was just screaming for a coat of paint, and he couldn't make out any movement around there or the bunkhouse way in the distance, but he knew all the cowboys were out by now. He was the only one not working this time of morning.
The large, sprawling covered porch didn't have a single plant. The paint was chipping on the railing and spindles, and the shutters and windows looked like they hadn't been cleaned in years. His mother would have been mortified.
He rolled his shoulders as he stared at the faded red front door. He gave a knock and then walked inside. The smell of coffee greeted him as he did a quick survey from the front rug. The house was the same. Except it didn't have that welcoming, shiny clean feel from when his mother had been alive. Now it was obvious a bachelor lived here. The curtains weren't drawn, there was a fine layer of dust, and no fresh flowers.
"Is that you, Tyler?" Heavy footsteps approached, and he stood like a stranger in his childhood home.
"It is," he called out.
Mrs. Busby—one of his parents' close friends—appeared from the door to the living room. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore, sad eyes?"
He took off his hat and smiled. "Hi, Mrs. Busby."
Her hand was on her chest, and she gave him his first smile since coming home. "It's been a long time, child. I'm so happy you're here. I prayed for this, for you to return to Wishing River. You are just what your father needs. Better than any kind of medicine."
He swallowed down the lump in his throat, along with a hefty dose of guilt. He wasn't so sure he was going to do his father any good, but he was facing his responsibilities. His father was now his responsibility. All of it was. He owed it to him; despite everything, the man had raised him, and now it was his turn to take care of his old man.
"Well, I hope he agrees," he said, shoving his free hand into the front pocket of his jeans.
"Of course he does," Mrs. Busby replied, placing her hands on her hips. The older woman was almost exactly how he remembered her, maybe a little wider in what had already been ample hips.
"How's he doing?" he asked, feeling awkward in his childhood home.
She stepped out into the hallway, shutting the French door that led to the living room, where he assumed his father was sleeping. "He's stable. It could have been much, much worse. I'll let Dr. Stanton fill you in when he comes tonight for his daily visit."
Dr. Stanton—aka Dean. How the hell had his friend gone from troublemaker to doctor? But he'd always known Dean was going to do big things. He'd come from a long line of doctors and successful ranchers, and the guy had never strayed from his goals, no matter the amount of trouble they'd gotten themselves into as teens.
He stared down at his worn boots for a second as a wave of insecurity washed through him. "Dean comes every night?"
She nodded, her oversize gray curls standing still despite the motion. "Yes. On his way home from the office, he stops in and checks on your father."
Ty gave a nod. "You mentioned on the phone that you have a nurse who comes by?"
"Yes, yes. Two different nurses, one for morning and one for night. I usually drop by in the morning before church. But I'm only a phone call away, and if you need anything, you call me. We've rented a hospital bed for him so he can rest comfortably, and it helps with sitting up and such."
"Thank you," he said, following her into the kitchen when she motioned.
"You don't have to thank me. Your father and I go way back," she said. He knew they did. When Mrs. Busby's husband had been alive, the couple would often come over and have dinner or drinks with his parents. They had all been best friends. He could still remember hearing laughter into the late hours of the night. He hated thinking how things changed, how quickly time passed.
"I'd offer you coffee, but I see you already picked up a cup," she said, placing her empty mug into the dishwasher.
"It was a long night." He glanced in the direction of the living room, dreading having to go through with this but wanting to get it over with now. "Is he sleeping, or can I go see him?"
Walking forward, she placed a hand on his arm. "Of course you can. Now, don't expect him to be…like the man you remember. Martin is holding his own, and Dr. Stanton said he's very lucky that Lainey found him when she did, or it could have been much worse."
He cleared his throat. "Lainey?"
She angled her head. "You remember—Tilly's granddaughter?"
The image of the gorgeous blonde with the pissed-off gaze flashed across his mind. "Yeah. Right. Lainey. Where…did she find him?"
She shook her head and then did the sign of the cross, her dark-brown eyes filling with tears. "By the fence close to the road. I think he was trying to fix it. Apparently, he was unconscious when she found him, called the paramedics, and they coached her on what to do until they arrived. That sweet girl rode in the back of the ambulance with him and didn't leave his side." She sniffled and produced a handkerchief from those velour pants and blew her nose loudly.
Staring down at the top of her gray head, not capable of words yet, his mind flooded with questions and guilt and images of his father unconscious outside. Fixing the damn fence. There should be hired help for that. When he left eight years ago, there were thirty-five employees—any one of them could have done it. He should have done it. He should have been the one to help him, to be by his side in the ambulance. "He's in the living room?"
She nodded. "We did the best we could, finding a spot for him on the main floor. We figured that'd be the best place, since there's a door for privacy and it's close to the washroom. It's not perfect. Of course the house isn't exactly welcoming; I'm sorry for that. My arthritis is bad in the fall and winter, and we haven't really had time to get the place all spick-and-span."
"Don't worry," he said, wincing at the harshness in his voice. He tried to speak softly. "You've done more than enough. I can take it from here."
Her eyes softened, and she smiled at him with such sympathy and acceptance that she reminded him of his mother. She reached out and patted his arm again. "Oh my dear, we aren't going anywhere. You're going to need us. But I'm happy you're home to take the lead… And your father needs you, Tyler."
He swallowed hard against the emotion simmering inside. "Does he know I'm here?"
Her full cheeks reddened. "I…didn't know… I wanted to wait until you had arrived. I didn't say anything."
A pit formed in his stomach. She hadn't believed he'd come home. He gave her a nod. "That's fair enough. I understand. I, uh, I guess I should go see him," he said, looking toward the door.
She squeezed his arm. "Tyler, he's not the same man. He can't speak. He can't stand. He can't use his arms to eat or drink."
He was biting down hard on his back teeth. "Okay."
"The day nurse is Sheila; she's just on a call in the office. I always tell her to take a little break when I come and visit. She'll get him all washed up for the day. He's already had breakfast. Sheila stays until seven. That's when Lainey gets here. She usually stays for an hour, brings him dinner, until the night nurse, Michelle, comes in. Oh, and of course Dr. Stanton drops in after work, so anywhere between five and eight at night."
So the entire town was taking care of his father. Except him. He didn't bother asking why Lainey was bringing him dinner when he knew there was a cook in the bunkhouse for the men.
"I should probably get in there."
She nudged him forward. "I'll leave you two, then. You won't be on your own long. All our numbers are on the fridge in case of anything. I'm here if you need me, Tyler."
"Thank you," he said, forcing a smile. "I really appreciate what you've done."
She waved a hand. "Don't have to thank me—that's what friends are for. Now go on and say hi to your papa. I know seeing you will cheer him up."
Standing there, watching her gather her purse and keys, he desperately tried to figure out what the hell he was going to say to him. Eight years ago, his father had stood tall and proud. He'd been fit, the ranch keeping him active and strong. But the death of his wife had brought the man to his knees, and it had been the first time Ty had seen his father as something other than invincible—and then everything had unraveled after that. After his mother had died, he realized just how tenuous their relationship had been. But it wasn't until that last night, that last argument, that he realized why his father could let him go.
Tyler rolled his shoulders, braced himself, then slowly walked over to the living room door. Regardless of their argument, he owed his father. Tyler had always considered himself a pretty rational person, but the situation with his dad, his emotions about everything were irrational, and he didn't like that. He didn't like being at the mercy of his feelings.
He gave the door a knock and then opened it.
Nothing could have prepared him for seeing his father like this. He was lying in the hospital bed, his once-strong face now weathered and hanging loosely on one side. His eyes were closed. His hair had thinned out, the gray having given way to the white. He wasn't the man Ty knew. His father was strong. This man lying in the bed was broken.
He blinked, forcing the emotion away, not letting himself dwell on it, the passage of time, the stroke, the regrets.
Walking forward a little, he cleared his throat. "Hi, Dad," he said.
There was no indication he'd heard him. Ty walked around the bed slowly, noting the way all the old furniture had been piled up at the other end of the room. It was nothing like the living room he remembered. The plaid curtains his mother had painstakingly sewn were all closed up, hiding the large picture windows she'd loved. They had remodeled the house to his mother's liking, and she had made sure it was perfect at all times. It was nothing like the house of his childhood.
Taking a deep breath, he sat in the chair beside the bed. His gaze traveled from the disturbing image of his father sleeping to the slew of medication bottles on the nightstand. And the picture of his mother. He turned away quickly as emotion hit him in the gut.
He ran his sweaty palms down the front of his jeans and leaned back in the chair. His father's eyelids flickered but didn't open. Did his dad know he was here? Had he heard him? Heat washed over his body at the idea his father knew he was there and just didn't want to see him.
His father's good hand moved slightly, and Ty stared at it as a wave of memories tumbled into his mind. He'd held that hand. As a child, he'd clung to it, hadn't given it a second thought. He'd reached for his father's hand so many times growing up, in the pastures, in the barns, when learning to ride a horse. It had always been powerful, rough, large, and Ty thought his father could save him from anything. The hand lying on top of the blanket wasn't a hand that could save him anymore. It was thin, without his tan, and with age spots and wrinkles.
He blinked past the pool of moisture in his eyes. Hell. This was hell. When had everything changed? His childhood was over in a blink of an eye. The family of three that they had been no longer existed. He'd walked out on the man who had raised him, who had given him everything of himself, who had taught him all he needed to survive in the world. Their years together had meant nothing when the center of their world died. They hadn't been able to hold it together after she'd passed. They'd said harsh words to each other his last night at home.
They each blamed the other for her death.
But it was the last thing his father had said to him that had sent him packing, though, because the knife had been too deep.
Ty tried to breathe despite the heaviness in his chest. He cleared his throat and whispered his father's name, but it came out sounding more like a plea.
This time, his father's eyes did open. Faded blue ones, which he'd once thought so similar to his own, latched onto his. It was clear his father's mind hadn't been affected by the stroke, because the animosity shining in them took his breath away. Ty sat there, staring at his father, silently hoping for something—a softening, an indication that he was happy to see him.
"I, uh, came back as soon as I found out what happened. I'm going to stay as long as you need me. I'll help you get back on your feet, Dad." The words poured out of him, like when he was a kid and had done something wrong, how he'd always try and get out of whatever punishment was coming by making a million promises and speaking as fast as he could. His dad had never bought it.
He didn't question calling him "Dad" even though he swore he'd never do it again. But that's what this man would always be to him, regardless of their argument, of the words that had been exchanged. He had raised him; he had loved him. He was the only father he loved.
Tyler held his breath, waiting for something from the man, just the tiniest sign that he had done the right thing by coming home.
Instead his father just shut his eyes, but not before he let him know, more powerfully than words could ever speak, that it didn't matter. None of it mattered. He didn't matter. His promises, his presence. It was all too late.


It is just beautiful and I would recommend anyone who wants to get married to have your reception here.
My family has picked this amazing hall for so many occasions. So happy to say that this upcoming event is going to be for my sweet 16.
THIS WEBSITE IS A SCAM. IT'S A VIRUS. This entire business, this entire yelp page, is all a fraud. Don't trust them with a website let alone your money. If I could rate the $800 in computer I just lost, I would.


Westsyde is a wonderful neighborhood with a strong community feel. With approximately 8,500 residents, it feels like a small town with the convenience of a city. Only 15 minutes N/NE of downtown, it offers residents large, flat lots, and a mix of well-kept mature homes as well as new houses. Outdoor enthusiasts will love Westsyde, with plenty to do for family living!
Westsyde is home Save-On-Foods, Home Hardware, many professional offices, as well as a few pubs, a BC Liquor Store and restaurants for it's residents to enjoy.


text:
Q: Python list of lambda functions Say I need to build n lambda functions, and put them into a list:
n = 6
lamd_list = [lambda x: x * i for i in range(n)]

Here x is input of the lambda functions, and the i is intended to be fixed to 0~5 in the list. However, when I run:
lamb_list[0](3)

The output would be 15 (3 * 5) instead of 0 (0 * 5). How can I modify the code to make it do as I intended?
Note that here the n is a variable (not fixed), so I can't do the loop manually. Also, I don't want i as an input to the lambda function.

A: The value of i is not fixed when you defined the function, but when you call the function. You can fix it, but I would recommend not using lambda expressions at all. Instead, define a function that creates your function when called; it makes the scoping easier to handle.
def make_function(i):
    def _(x):
        return x * i
    return _

func_list = [make_function(i) for i in range(n)]

The difference here is that the i in the function that make_function returns is not a global variable, but the value of the parameter i when make_function is called.
Compare to another possible solution
lambd_list = [lambda x, unused=i: x * unused for i in range(n)]

which requires an otherwise unused parameter to be added to each function. The difference here is the default value of unused is evaluated at the same time as the lambda expression.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Call us sentimental, but we can't let go of the past—literally. We've got a Birchbox Vault where we store amazing Birchboxxes from the past. And this month, we're giving you the keys.
I've always wondered what the BirchBox beauty vault looks like, I bet its perfectly organized by product and color. Kind of like a candy store for adult ladies, but prettier and more useful. The mystery box is $10 and if you can part with 100 Birchbox points it will be free. I had some points to burn so I thought why the heck not, I confirmed my order and waited for my mystery box to arrive.
I didn't have to wait long my box arrived before my March box. Fast shipping is one way to my heart and Birchbox found its way in with free 2 day shipping for Aces.
From the Vault Mystery Box: I got a box from November 2015.
AYERS Body Polish – Pampering Sunrise: this body polish goes on smoothly and rinses off cleanly, leaving behind only soft, fantastic-smelling skin.
Davines This is a relaxing moisturizing fluid: this formula adds shine, sublimates frizz, moisturizes, humidity-proofs, and preps hair if you're using heat tools.
————————-> I am a huge Davines fan girl, I love love their shampoo and conditioner, however this is one product that is not in my wheel house. I will be handing this off to my coworker who regularly straightens her locks, I feel she will put this lovely product to good use. It does smell amazing, however its not for me, I let me curls hang free and never straighten them.
Dr. Jart+ Water Replenishment Mask: this refreshing cotton sheet mask is loaded with hydrating serum great for nourishing dry, parched skin.
————————————–> They had me at dry, winter temperature wise hasn't been rough, the wind however has done a number on my skin and I cannot wait to give this a whirl.
theBalm Cosmetics – Fratboy: this talc-free, finely ground blush and shadow formula gives skin a fresh radiance that makes you look, and feel, young.
My mystery box was a pleasant surprise I will use all of the products except for the Davines. I had received a LOC shadow stick in a different shade and I am glad to have another one in my stash. I checked the site and there are still mystery boxes for sale, so go on now and go get yourself a little mystery.
Get a FREE Mystery Birchbox from 2015 with any $50+ purchase in the Birchbox Shop. Boxes vary, but each features one of our exclusive Birchbox designs and five or more beauty samples from across categories. Also available as a stand-alone purchase for $10!


text:
Die Tauchblattzone (auch Tauchblattgürtel) ist eine der Uferzonen von Seen und anderen Binnengewässern. Sie folgt in der Uferzone, fachsprachlich Litoral genannt, zum tieferen Wasser hin auf die Schwimmblattzone und den Röhrichtgürtel. Die Tauchblattzone zählt dabei zum Sublitoral, dem untersten Bereich des durchlichteten Litorals am Übergang zum lichtlosen Profundal.

In Mitteleuropa stellen Laichkräuter die dominante Pflanzengruppe der Tauchblattzonen im Süßwasser dar. Sie sind namensgebend für die pflanzensoziologische Gruppe (nach Oberdorfer) der Unterwasser-Laichkrautgesellschaften. Weitere vorkommende Gruppen sind zum Beispiel  Nixenkräuter (Najas), Tausendblatt (Myriophyllum) oder Wasserpest (Elodea).

Ganz ähnliche Vegetationsformen finden sich auch in ruhigen Abschnitten langsam fließender Flüsse und anderer Fließgewässer.

Pflanzenmerkmale
Die Wasserpflanzen der Tauchblattzone leben untergetaucht (submers). Die Stängel und Blätter werden vom Wasser getragen. Sie haben nur eine sehr dünne Cuticula keinen Verdunstungsschutz und besitzen auch kein Festigungsgewebe. Die Wurzeln dienen nur noch der Verankerung. Unterwasserblätter haben keine Spaltöffnungen, sodass der Gasaustausch über das gesamte Blatt erfolgt. Die Blätter sind oft sehr klein und zerschlitzt. Dadurch entsteht auf wenig Raum eine größere Oberfläche, über die die Mineralstoffe und Kohlenstoffdioxid aufgenommen werden. Die Pflanzenarten der Tauchblattzone gehören zu den aquatischen (das heißt im Wasser lebenden) Makrophyten; diese werden von den oft nur mikroskopisch erkennbaren Algen-Arten nach rein pragmatischen Gesichtspunkten unterschieden, wobei etwa die großen Armleuchteralgen meist zu den Makrophyten gerechnet werden. Bei der Vegetationsgliederung der Gewässer werden meist die Makrophyten und die (anderen) Algen separat untersucht, die Algenarten der Tauchblattzone werden bei der Vegetationsgliederung nicht berücksichtigt. Makrophyten der Tauchblattzone sind also überwiegend krautige Gefäßpflanzen, selten auch Moose (wie das Quellmoos) und Armleuchteralgen. Die Arten der Tauchblattzone bilden die Untergruppe der submersen (das heißt: untergetaucht lebenden), wurzelnden Makrophyten (selten als Rhizophyten bezeichnet). Helophyten (oder Sumpfpflanzen) und im Gewässergrund wurzelnde Schwimmblattpflanzen fehlen aufgrund der Wassertiefe. Wo Schwimmblattpflanzen vorkommen, können sie die Tauchblattpflanzen durch Beschattung auskonkurrieren und so verdrängen. In sehr nährstoffarmen (oligotrophen) Gewässern, in denen Schwimmblattpflanzen fast ganz fehlen, können Tauchblattpflanzen bis in den eigentlichen Ufergürtel vordringen. In extrem nährstoffreichen (hypertrophen) Gewässern fehlt eine Tauchblattzone, hier ist das Wasser meist durch Phytoplankton so stark getrübt, dass die submersen Wasserpflanzen nicht mehr genügend Licht erhalten.

Die Tauchblattzone gehört in die Sukzessionsreihe bei der Verlandung eines eutrophen Binnengewässers.

Vegetation und pflanzensoziologische Gliederung
Die Vegetation der Tauchblattzone ist in der Artenzusammensetzung verwandt zur oft unmittelbar benachbarten Schwimmblattzone. Beide werden in der Pflanzensoziologie in der Klasse Potamogetonetea und darin der Ordnung Potamogetonetalia zusammengefasst. Da die Namen dieser Gesellschaften schwer aussprechbar sind, werden sie oft etwas abgekürzt: Potametea, Potametalia; für Verbände Potamion anstelle von Potamogetonion, für Assoziationen Potametum anstelle von Potamogetonetum; obwohl nach den Nomenklaturregeln die abgekürzte Schreibweise eigentlich inkorrekt ist, sind beide Schreibvarianten in Gebrauch.

Die Vegetation der Tauchblattzone ist meist relativ artenarm, die vorkommenden Arten neigen dann zu Dominanz- oder sogar Einart-Beständen. Die Vegetation unterscheidet sich in nährstoffreichen (eutrophen) und nährstoffarmen (oligotrophen) Gewässern. Diese sind an der Wuchsform der vorherrschenden Laichkrautarten (der Gattung Potamogetum) unterscheidbar. Während in eutrophen Gewässern meist breitblättrige Laichkrautarten (die sogenannten Großlaichkräuter) dominieren, überwiegen in oligotrophen Gewässern schmalblättrige sogenannte Kleinlaichkräuter.

Großlaichkraut-Tauchfluren
Die Großlaichkraut-Tauchfluren der nährstoffreichen Gewässer bilden im pflanzensoziologischen System den Verband Magno-Potamogetonion (nach lateinisch magnus: groß). Unter dem (abgekürzten, siehe oben) Namen Magnopotamion sind natürliche eutrophe Seen mit Vegetation vom Typ Magnopotamion (und/oder dem, zur Schwimmblattzone zählenden, Hydrocharition) geschützter Lebensraumtyp (Codenummer 3150) im Rahmen des europäischen Schutzgebietssystems Natura 2000.

Kennzeichnende Arten (Charakterarten und Differentialarten) sind in Norddeutschland Stachelspitziges Laichkraut Potamogeton friesii, Durchwachsenes Laichkraut Potamogeton perfoliatus, Spreizender Wasserhahnenfuß Ranunculus circinatus, Quellmoos Fontinalis antipyretica, Kamm-Laichkraut Potamogeton pectinatus. Nach der letztgenannten Art wird die Vegetationseinheit von manchen Vegetationskundlern auch mit dem synonymen Namen Kammlaichkrautflur Potamogetonion (oder Potamion) pectinati, genannt. Begleiter sind etwa die submerse Form der Krebsschere Stratiotes aloides und Ähriges Tausendblatt Myriophyllum spicatum. Oft kommt auch das im Wasser frei treibende, nicht wurzelnde Raue Hornblatt Ceratophyllum demersum hinzu. Nach dem EU-Handbuch sind für den Lebensraumtyp kennzeichnend außerdem die Arten Spiegelndes Laichkraut Potamogeton lucens, Langblättriges Laichkraut Potamogeton praelongus, Schmalblättriges Laichkraut Potamogeton ×zizii. Die Gesellschaft kommt in überwiegend natürlichen, eutrophen, meist basenreichen Gewässern bis in etwa vier Meter Wassertiefe vor. Sie ist von hoher Bedeutung für die Ökologie der Gewässer, deren Selbstreinigungskraft sie unterstützt, außerdem ist sie ein wichtiger Laichplatz für Fischarten.

Kleinlaichkraut-Tauchfluren
Die Kleinlaichkraut-Tauchfluren sind die charakteristische Vegetationseinheit der Tauchblattzone nährstoffarmer Gewässer, außerdem treten sie auch als Initialgesellschaften in gestörten oder neu angelegten eutrophen Gewässern auf. Sie bilden im pflanzensoziologischen System den Verband Parvo-Potamogetonion (nach lateinisch parvus: klein). Sie sind typisch eher für flache Uferzonen und kommen nur selten unter 80 Zentimeter Wassertiefe vor. In der Tauchblattzone typischer Seen fehlen sie.

Kennzeichnende Arten in gestörten oder initialen Gewässern sind etwa Kleines Laichkraut Potamogeton pusillus, Spitzblättriges Laichkraut Potamogeton acutifolius, Haarblättriges Laichkraut Potamogeton trichoides, Gewöhnliche Armleuchteralge Chara vulgaris, Gewöhnliche Sumpfbinse Eleocharis palustris, oft kommt auch Sumpf-Teichfaden Zannichellia palustris vor. Typisch für kalkarme und meist nährstoffarme Gewässer ist das Gras-Laichkraut Potamogeton gramineus. In kalten, nährstoffarmen Gewässern ist das Alpen-Laichkraut Potamogeton alpinus kennzeichnend.

Literatur
 Eduard Strasburger: Lehrbuch der Botanik. 29. Auflage. Bearbeitet von D. von Denfer et al., G. Fischer, Stuttgart 1967, S. 167 f. (II. Umbildungen des Kormus: 1. Wasserpflanzen (Hydrophyten)).
 Heinz Ellenberg: Vegetation Mitteleuropas mit den Alpen. Ulmer, Stuttgart 1963, S. 382–401 (C.I.1: Stillwasser und ihre Verlandung).
 Fritz Runge: Die Pflanzengesellschaften Mitteleuropas. 12./13. verbesserte Auflage. Aschendorff, Münster 1994, S. 36 ff. (Süßwasser-Gesellschaften, Potametea).

Einzelnachweise

Weblinks
 myss.de

Limnologie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
High-flyers must save planet, says Victor boss
Andrew Ellson
Saturday July 20 2019, 12.01am, The Times
The founder of Victor, a private jet operator, wants clients to pay to offset carbon
Celebrities, chief executives and politicians who use private jets must search their consciences and do more to help the planet, the founder of Europe's fastest-growing jet charter company has said.
Clive Jackson, chief executive of Victor, which is used by 7,000 passengers a year at an average price per flight of £25,000, has also accused private jet operators of failing to disclose that their planes emit 20 times more carbon per passenger mile than commercial airlines. He said he had led by example in introducing a scheme that offsets 200 per cent of the carbon emitted, with the average cost of £75 per flight being met by his company. He is now asking every passenger to match this.
The jet charter firm is used by the Russian model Irina Shayk
GETTY IMAGES/WIREIMAGE
Mr Jackson said: "Let's face it, they

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


GOOGLE PLUS: IT'S EARLY BUT INTERESTING.
They are digital marketers, sales professionals, designers, entrepreneurs and SEO experts. The post An Overview of the Digital Nomad Lifestyle appeared first on Koka Sexton Have you thought about making a career change?
Small businesses based in the United States will have the chance to take their Twitter marketing efforts to a new level. Here is an overview of Twitter Ads for small business owners. Overview of Twitter Ads.
Here's an overview of the latest hot social app What is TikTok, who's using it, and why should brands be paying attention?
I love doing this type of session – one and half hours of touring the social web and discussing the implications for marketing, customer service, new lines of business, technology, and of course the ever-present legal and HR concerns.
The next growth process could be the 'flywheel'- here's an overview of the theory behind it and how it works Sick of hearing about sales funnels?
Tweet Some time ago, we had a guest post on our blog stating how social media is not a cheaper alternative , even though many marketers think it doesn't cost much.
This isn't another overview post about how to search engine optimize a news release. Erica Holt has more than eight years' experience developing digital marketing strategies for non-profit and public sector clients.
Over time, as the world started to realize the amazing potential of social media marketing, forward thinking organizations began incorporating social media marketing into their overall marketing mix. Now the messaging within a social post itself is a type of content marketing.
If you are into content marketing make 2014 the year you start an editorial calendar and keep it going all year long. This is an essential tool in producing quality, effective content that consistently supports marketing and business objectives.
Content marketing… I find that most business leaders either love it or they hate it. I think few business leaders actually understand what content marketing it is yet alone understand the power and benefits it can provide for their business. Is it good to go to market as it is?
Here's an overview of some of the key trends to be aware of The use of mobile devices continues to expand, changing habitual behaviors and discovery processes.
8 Google Analytics Tricks For Marketers. It's good to set up filters to prevent spammers from visiting your website (subsequently throwing off your marketing data). The filter verification feature of GA can help marketers test various filters before applying them.
This year has been called "The Year of Video Marketing" as businesses find new ways to reach customers. Videos stand out on social media, giving customers a quick overview of a product without overwhelming them with text. Where to use video marketing in social media networks: Facebook and Facebook Video Advertising. This was unheard of just a few years back as YouTube had massive market share of online videos, but 2015 looks to be the year that Facebook changes that.
This year has been called "The Year of Video Marketing" as businesses find new ways to reach customers. Videos stand out on social media, giving customers a quick overview of a product without overwhelming them with text. 3 Ways Small Businesses Can Use Video Marketing from Mashable.
Whether you're running a brick and mortar store, an ecommerce site, an agency, or a software company, you can use Facebook for marketing your business. More Facebook marketing resources. Pro-tips: Facebook has several little-known features you can use to market your business.
So I put together a round-up of current SEO and digital marketing trends that offer good opportunities for publishers. For a good overview of the basic ranking factors see the checklists that Stephanie Beadell put together for the App Store and Google Play.
Those are some staggering numbers, and most marketers are starting to appreciate that numbers like these translate to huge opportunity when shifted into a business context. Video Marketing Maturity Means Getting More Strategic. Image via BigStockPhoto.com.
Tweet Facebook has published a Best Practice Guide for how to use their platform for marketing. The guide provides a great overview of the marketing potential in having a presence on Facebook as well as suggestions for some strategic steps to go through when building a presence.
Social Media Uncategorized Facebook Google Plus Google+ How-To Legal Marketing Consulting Marketing Overview Professional Services Consulting Skype TwitterFollow @NancyMyrland Those who know me won't be surprised that I've been poking around in Google+ since it launched last week. It has many layers, but I thought I'd share a few early observations with you. Google+ is an interesting site to be sure.
On Friday, businessinsider.com presented the Buddy Media infographic of the social media marketing landscape as of today. So, use the infographic as an overview of the different opportunities available today in order to pick a selection perfect for your brand and target group. Tweet.
For more information on how these API changes relate to the Buffer product, you read this full overview with all the details in the Buffer FAQ. But what does this mean for marketing on Facebook? Marketers need to start thinking about how they can make their content worth seeking out.
Although all projects are different, here are some great, mainstream metrics that I measure as a rule of thumb: 1-5: Digital Marketing Staples. Digital Marketing Staples. Go to Overview. How to View: Go to Conversions > Goals > Overview.
Now that just about everybody and their brother has finally caught on to the content marketing trend, it's about time you began doing something that sets your content apart from the others. Initiate weekly overview and brainstorming sessions to get everyone thinking together.
The Reach, Engagement, and ROI of Content Marketing vs Native Advertising is the subject of new research just given to us on Moz. Kelsey Libert gives us a nice overview of the results and there is much to consider. Researchers took a data-driven approach, comparing the efficacy of native advertising to content marketing. A lot of data was gathered from over 30 different content marketing agencies and cost data from about 600 digital publishers.
Some forms of marketing are fairly black-and-white: Company A emails a coupon to Customers A to Z, who can then use it to take 10 percent off of their next purchase. Or perhaps a restaurant launches a campaign of print, TV and social media marketing to advertise a new selection of entrees.
Justin Levy Marketing and Social Media Home About Archives Contact Disclosures Newsletter Speaking Facebook Marketing: Now Available! Below I have put together an overview for you to assess whether or not you think there will be value in spending a few dollars and buying the book.
The front and center of outreach marketing is the process of creating meaningful connections with other people, instead of just trying to make a sale. These are the tools that any versatile marketer's arsenal should contain.
Before becoming a marketer, Brian sold insurance. We're a team of eight Buffer marketers , with vastly distinct backgrounds and educations, who collectively bring in 20,000 Buffer signups each week. Many of us fell into marketing, accidentally or on purpose.


As I waited on the sidelines to catch my first glimpse of this awesome 18-year-old, I reminisced about my own experience 50 years ago as an 18-year-old in 1968, when I too had been taken away in handcuffs to spend time in jail for an "indefinite period" after standing up to radical Islamists and the military dictators of Pakistan.
She was not the only courageous woman that frigid January morning. Holding her in affection was Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, who has stood up to Saudi bullying and human rights violations that no other politician in Canada has had the courage to do.
Like an excited child, I had a bouquet of flowers for Rahaf, but she was static and not allowed to move beyond where she was standing, so I had to fling the flowers at her, and Minister Freeland made a good 'forward short leg' catch (to use cricket terminology).
Throughout this process, many of Canada's Islamic groups and Islamists who keep harping about the Quranic injunction that says, "To save a life is to save all of mankind," were glib and had not said a word in support of Rahaf.
On Monday a curious news story by CBC investigative journalist Shanifa Nasser caught my eye, posted to the broadcaster's website with the title: "Who benefits from rescuing Rahaf? Questions linger after whirlwind story of Saudi teen's asylum."
The title itself insinuated something was not kosher about l'affaire Rahaf. If the title implied a questionable process, the text of the story made no attempt at hiding the story's lack of balance.
The article sought out critics of us Muslims who had worked hard to publicize the crisis Rahaf faced. One of them, academic Amarnath Amarsingham, slandered us by using the slur 'native informants' with the following remark: "Many on the far-right love ex-Muslims, and many ex-Muslims on the far-right often present themselves as so-called native informants presenting to the mainstream the real 'truth' about Muslims."
I emailed Nasser to ask why she had had not spoken to any of Rahaf's Canadian supporters to bring some semblance of balance and objectivity to her column. I did not receive a response.
However, Amarsingham did respond to my email questions with a lengthy tirade, which concluded the following remarks: "(H)er case is being used and exploited by people who I consider to be reprehensible."
And if there was any doubt who he was referring to, Amarasingam concluded in his email to me: "I think you're fundamentally a horrible person."
Tarek Fatah is a founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress, a columnist at the Toronto Sun, and a Robert J. and Abby B. Levine Fellow at the Middle East Forum.


A&W Restaurants is exhibiting its holiday spirit with a 30 Days of Giveaways sweepstakes running through December 31 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Contestants play along by using #30DaysofGiveaways and liking a post, sharing a post, leaving a comment, answering questions or tagging friends.
Weekly winners will be chosen at random from each social media channel. Prizes include Bear Bucks gift checks, A&W branded hats, scarves and blankets, plush stuffed Rooty bears, and 2018 collector's mugs and jugs. Prizes will increase in value as the sweepstakes progresses.
One grand prize will be given away at the end of December. It will include an ultimate gift basket featuring each weekly prize.


text:
Oldalképek
Littell's Living Age, 175. kötet
Könyvek a Google Playen
goes to the crazy piano and sits in the twilight playing, I too shall return with the shadows, and with a ghostly company gaze in at that I once called home-if I too shall wait and listen while the fire burns low, but none is beside it, only a woman sits by the window playing, not to any human listeners, but to those who stand in an unseen world, the threshold of which is bounded by an everlasting silence.
From Blackwood's Magazine.
THE CASTLE OF VINCIGLIATA.
IF to the lovers of art and to the painters, few cities are so fair and interesting as Florence, from its wealth of pictorial and architectural beauty, so are few cities more pleasantly situated, amid such varied and charming surroundings. When the life of the city tires, and the mind is satiated with admiring, there are delightful spots to retire to at no great distance from the city walls; on the mountain-sides of Fiesole and San Miniato may be found seclusions much loved by those who seek for repose, situated amid the most pic turesque scenery, with glorious perspectives; and to add to their charm, the whole district is very rich in historic associations.
If the epithet of the Magnificent is to be justified by the noble memorials of Lorenzo di Medici, which are to be found in every quarter of Florence, that of lover of the beautiful will be granted by those who visit the delightful sites the Medici selected for their summer residences on the slopes of Fiesole overlooking the valley of the Arno; but truly there is not a road from the city that does not lead to some objects of present beauty or of past interest, it may be a chateau which owes all its ornamentations, if not its foundation, to Leo X.; or, within a short drive, may be visited a castle rendered famous by the exploits of Sir John Hawkwood, one of those adventurers and freelances of the feudal times with whom life and war, property and plunder, were sy nonymous terms. It is hard to realize, as we wander in gardens of rare beauty, where even the wild flowers vie in color and perfume with the carefully tended produce of other lands where all nature conveys the impression of peace and repose that for decades of years these charming, sunny, fragrant, quiet spots were the scenes of deeds of violence, of
rapine and war and cruel persecutions. At Careggi, the view, from the terrace, of the Arno flowing through the variegated plain into the purple distance, with the long waving line of the Apennines glowing in the sunset, has a soothing influence on the heart, and is suggestive of anything rather than war and desolation; it was to this retreat that the Medici loved to retire from the storms of the city factions-it was here Cosmo died, and Lorenzo had the final interview with the great reformer and preacher, when Savonarola left him on his death-bed, "unhousel'd, disappointed, unanel'd," because he refused to restore the liberties of the Florentines. We can imagine the great prince, in the fulness of his glory, in this charming retirement, looking down on the city which owed so much of its magnificence and adornment to his own grandeur of conception and refined taste, and contemplating with grateful feelings the scene of his triumphs. The Medici had many other country residences, but Careggi is the one they preferred. The nearest to Careggi is the Villa Mozzi, which is full of arttreasures, and is appropriately at the pres ent time the property of a delightful artist and an admirable connoisseur, from which it takes its modern name of Spence. The prince, philosopher, and statesman was accustomed to invite to this villa (as the most conveniently situated) the most illustrious of the citizens, and the distinguished men who frequented his court. We can picture them on a summer's evening, at one time in grave discussion, at another in blissful idleness, watching the lights and shadows speeding across the fertile undulating vale, so rich in flowers and fruit that it well deserved the name of giardino, the garden. But to a beneficent ruler the signs of material prosperity on all sides must have afforded the greatest satisfaction.
The Medici were truly a great race, and worthy of rule, for not only did fortress and palace, church and tower, spring forth at their command, but they scattered seeds of good with lavish hand on all sides; and fertile crops and many a homestead proved that all their interest was not concentrated in the glory of the City of the Lily.
The one spot which at the present time possesses the greatest interest for trav ellers is situated on the same mountain ridge as the Villa Spence, but is ap proached by a different route. It is the famous castle of Vincigliata. The trav eller, to arrive there, passes by streams which have formed the subject of many of
Boccaccio's poems. At Fiesolano is a Buonacini, and finally it was possessed by farmhouse where Robert Dudley, Duke of the Albizzi, when it was permitted to fall Northumberland, son of Robert Dudley, into a state of decay. Fortunately it at Earl of Leicester, resided. In the imme-last was purchased by Mr. Temple diate vicinity is Majano, where Benedetto, Leader, who was already owner of a large the architect and sculptor, was born. He property in the vicinity of Fiesole. A built the Strozzi Palace, and has left beau-wide extent of hill and dale is comprised tiful memorials of his style and taste in within its limits, with a landscape of unthe Churches of Santa Maria Novella and rivalled beauty. The prospect on every Santa Croce. As one ascends the moun-side, as seen from the mountain heights, is tain-side and approaches the castle, on its such as the eye loves to rest on. Besides, lofty and rocky eminence, the view be- far and near are spots connected with the comes more and more striking. The whole great names recorded in Florentine hishill is covered with groves of pine and tory; the old tower, the still loftier turrets, ilex, while wild flowers of brightest col- of Bellosguardo, the ruins of Galle. And ors flourish on the undulating ground. then, in charming contrast to these historic That a scene so rich in its natural charms sites, there is, within a short distance, the should have won the sympathy of many a pleasing, graceful Majano, which has also poet, past and present, may well be imag-renewed the beauty of the past, under the ined.
Here whisper the tall pines to me so dear,
Here through the cypress boughs the
zephyrs sigh;
Here from the earth the bubbling fountains
And the pellucid waves reflect the sky.
same fostering, loving care that has created Vincigliata. It was one thing, in imagination and dreamlike fancy, to restore Vincigliata, and another seriously to undertake so great a work. It demanded a great study of old records and ancient edifices; for it was not an imitation of an old castle which was to be produced, but Vincigliata as it actually stood when exposed to the repeated assaults of foreign foes, or, more frequently, hostile neighbors. With this view great researches were made, and old plans were brought to light; and in all this work Mr. Leader was aided by a young man who resided in the Borghetto di San Martino, who from his earliest youth had taken a deep interest in historic and classic art, and made archæology his peculiar study. He had roamed all over the country, and was well acquainted with every interesting site and ruin. He died at the early age of thirty-eight-the age when the mind has matured its early impressions, and all the sympathies, studies, and imaginings of youth aid the work and the practical business of manhood. To this young man, Giuseppe Fancelli, this important and interesting work was intrusted. Vincigliata had been at one time a very cele brated fortress, and was strongly fortified, surrounded by massive walls and battlements. The lofty towers crowned the heights, from which the warders could distinguish any hostile army. It may be The earliest historic record which ex- well imagined that they had no easy post ists of the Castle of Vincigliata dates from when life was an incessant warfare; espe the eleventh century. At that time it be- cially in the fourteenth century Vincigliata longed to the family of Visdomini, a name was subjected to many an attack, and many still associated with one of the oldest a celebrated adventurer had to beat a rechurches in Florence. The castle passed treat before the stubborn resistance he from the Visdomini into the family of the experienced. It must be remembered
But Vincigliata is not only remarkable for its grandeur of situation, and the combined sternness and softness of its surrounding scenery, but on account of its associations with the feudal times; and it is very rarely that we have an opportunity of seeing an old castle exactly as it was. We are indebted for this architectural treat to the admirable taste, skill, and knowledge of Mr. Temple Leader, who has long since settled at Florence, and who brought to this labor of love all the qualities which are developed by a residence among objects of beauty, and a perfect knowledge of architectural detail. In the admirable "Life of Mr. Hope Scott," Mr. Leader (who was one of the remarkable young men who awakened so much interest in Christ Church in 1830) writes to his friend Mr. Hope Scott, and insists on success in every undertaking requiring "a head to plan and a heart to execute. This head and heart Mr. Leader brought to Vincigliata, and fortunately he found a heart and head to carry out his plans, and the result has been a work of abiding interest.
that these soldiers of fortune, who sold as much from commercial as from military their services, were no mean foes. Sir causes. The middle of the fourteenth John Hawkwood,* already mentioned, commanded the army at Florence at the time of the Alassandri, when by his sagacity and audacity he on more than one occasion preserved Florence from a great disaster.
century was especially a period of great speculation, and of much suffering to many of the most illustrious houses; the Bardi, the Anciaioli, the Mozzi, the Peruzzi, were all struck down. It was at this date that commenced the decay of the The ruined castles, and the numerous great fortress of Vincigliata, and that the relics of the past, which are found on the noble pile was permitted to fall into ruin, mountain summits of the Apennines, bear until there was little left to bear testimony testimony in their decay, not so much to to its former magnificence. When Giuthe strength and skill of the repeated at-seppe Fancelli commenced this great detacks to which they were exposed (for in sign, it was after a conscientious study of many cases they were impregnable, before old Italian castles, and a great knowledge the invention of artillery), but, unfor- of the annals of Italian history. He had tunately, to the neglect of their owners, wandered over many a battle-field and visarising mainly from the reverses which ited many a crumbling ancient hall, and the great families from time to time expe- was intensely interested in his work. He rienced. Most of the illustrious Italian was so fortunate as to find drawings of houses were connected with trade; this the castle as it had been restored by the was a characteristic of the great republic Usimbardi ; from these he was enabled to at least one member of each family was discover the line of the ancient walls, and enrolled in some guild or mercantile cor- remove all the earth and rubble - the acporation. This connection with trade in cumulations of centuries. For not only no degree diminished the refinement of were all the outworks, and the foundataste or the love of the beautiful of the tions, and the exterior defences, mostly most illustrious of the Florentines. On buried under earth and rubbish, but even the contrary, the merchant princes, with the remains of the towers, the halls, and the richest products of other climes, ruined stairs were hid, or, where exposed gained much experience and art-knowl- to view, were worn away by decay. Trees edge, which found their expression in the had taken root in courts once the scene of noble works and the adornment of their princely festivities. The whole place, cities. But there was one evil result of when Mr. Leader commenced his operathis association of nobility of race and tions, was very picturesque a favorite commercial pursuits, that it rendered their resort for the poet and artist- but very prosperity very precarions; the frequent hopeless, if regarded with the view of rerevolutions in the Italian republics arose construction. Mr. Leader had to aid him, not only the intrinsic merit and skill of the young architect, but the deep interest in all natural works of art, in the love of the beautiful, which is a possession of the Italian people, and which Fancelli possessed in a pre-eminent degree. If the great painters, architects, sculptors, who created the kingdom of art in Italy, have not transmitted their creative powers to the present generation, their wonderful productions are studied to such advantage that the appreciation of merit exists in all classes. There may not be now a Brunelleschi, a Tasso, a Leonardo da Vinci, still the people look with admiring gaze on the vast unsurpassed tower of Brunelleschi which crowns the City of the Lily. Tasso is not unknown to the peasant, and (Byron notwithstanding) his verse is still sung by the gondoliers in the stillness of a Venetian evening; and the tribune of the Florence Gallery is not unfrequently crowded by even the lowest classes, who possess
• Among all the condottieri of the fourteenth century none was more remarkable than Hawkwood, for his works of charity as well as for his military exploits. Among other good deeds he founded a hospital at Rome for the poor sick English. He first became famous in the war with France, when his regiment laid Provence waste; and he was subsequently hired by the Pisans in 1363, to assist them against Florence at the cost of forty thousand florins for four months' service. Villari speaks of him "as this great master of war, of a deep and cunning nature." Muratori says, "He was a most distinguished and courteous captain (un brigante di primo ordine)." Francis Sacchetti remarks: There was little peace in Italy during his life, which lasted longer than any other commander's." His soldiers were called the Compagnia Bianca (the White Company), from the color of their plumes, their banners, and their scarves; their armor shone like brilliant mirrors and dazzled their foes; they carried scalingladders with them, which enabled them to reach the loftiest battlements. I do not believe," says Piero Farnese, "that Cæsar had any troops to equal Hawkwood's Compagnia Bianca.""They are magnificent robbers and freebooters," exclaims II Pache Azario.
In 1375 this remarkable man made terms of peace his great renown. He became master of numerous estates and castles, at San Donato, Montecchio, Pozziboni, Conguola. He died at Florence in 1394, and was buried in Santa Maria dei Fiori with extraordinary honors.
with Florence, where he received a welcome worthy of
the deepest sympathy with grand master- Guelphs and the Ghibellines, the Neri and pieces, and no mean knowledge of the the Bianchi, afforded plenty of occasion principles of art. This admirable popular for the feudal chiefs to burnish their arms taste was well proved recently in the pub- and prepare for combat; and if there was lic fêtes given last spring at the uncover- any repose from the great State and party ing of the facciata of the cathedral.* The conflicts, there were never wanting private historical pageant was no mere vulgar feuds and vendettas to arouse the passions show, but a most accurate and picturesque and keep the sword unsheathed. When representation of the Middle Ages. While no high causes of dissension arose, annorthern nations, on any public festivity, cient feuds were ever being renewed. satisfy their love of the beautiful by gaudy may be truly said of all northern Italy decorations and a display of signal flags, more especially, "Quis non nostro santhe southern people enter into the true guine pinguior campus?" The highest spirit of any grand ceremonial; no vulgar education was to be a true and faithful folornamentation is acceptable to them. An lower of a worthy chieftain the more historic pageant in an Italian town is really reckless and ruthless the better. Vinto have the past brought vividly before cigliata possessed a formidable rival in the the people. The humblest classes are Castle di Poggio, which was situated on acquainted with the history of their native one of the summits of the Monte Cecesi. land, and are proud of everything which This fortress, from the earliest days, was is in any way associated with its great- considered one of the strongest in the Apennines. Unfortunately it aroused the jealousy of the Florentine Signoria, who in 1343 gave orders for its destruction. However, it was able to make a noble defence against the arms of the republic. The siege was of long duration, and the assailants were frequently driven back. At last the gallant band of defenders were surrounded and starved into surrender; and when the stern old tower was laid low, Vincigliata was left in its solitary grandeur on its rocky height.
It was this spirit which greatly aided Mr. Leader in carrying out his noble idea. It influenced all the workmen employed under Giuseppe Fancelli at Vincigliata, where in the completed work the olden feudal time is well represented to the imagination — not alone by the greatness of the conception and its admirable execution, but by its accuracy in every detail; even the very frescoes which adorned the walls of the noble halls have been reproduced with singular fidelity. As the road winds up the steep mountain-side, the visitor begins to realize the labor and cost of this remarkable undertaking. The castle stands on a plateau of rock, in a most commanding situation for defence. Most of these massive fortresses were erected, as far as possible, in almost inaccessible sites - not only for prolonged defence, but because they were the centres of protection for all the dependants and retain
ers.
These fortresses, like our old Border towers, were in general surrounded by large courts, where the frightened peasants could take refuge whenever a raid was made by ruthless freebooters on their flocks and herds. In our Border land, however, these occasions were comparatively rare, whereas the castles on the Apennines were frequently full of armed hosts and terrified villagers. A republic is not in general a peaceful form of gov ernment. It has been well said, "People like wars more than kings." The Italian republics were scarcely ever at rest. The
See The Restorers of Florence (LIVING AGE, No. 2245, p. 36).
It must not be imagined that even in these feudal times, while there was so much war, havoc, and ruin without, there were no sweetnesses and graces of life within these gloomy castles. If martial strains echoed through the windings of the mountain passes, gentle voices were still heard in the garden and terraces. All palaces and castles, and even the strongest fortresses or lonely watch-towers, possessed a loggia, which afforded a grateful shelter from the sun, and from the violent storms whenever they swept down the mountain slopes. There on an evening the families and their guests would meet together and enjoy the happiness of repose after the tumult of the city parties and factions, gazing on the mountains, bright in their varied coloring, and many a homestead embosomed in the deep woods
Longique Volumina,
Despicit Arni.*
"And let us from the top of Fiesole,
Whence Galileo's glass by night observed
The phases of the moon, look round below
On Arno's vale;
While many a careless note is sung aloud,
The Arno rippling through the rich Cam-
pagna must have been a charming scene.
The grand Signoria fitly represented the
dignity of the proud republic; their pic-
turesque dress, such as poets have loved
to describe and painters to depict, was
admirably adapted to the scene. Here
were gathered together refined and deli-
cate châtelaines, and "dark-daired youths,
with large unquiet eyes;" here were
heard in the stillness of the night the lute
and guitar, the song and the madrigal.
We can also imagine that the "lenesque
sub noctem susurri," in the flowery glade,
might be heard by the attentive listener.
Moreover, we read that in the rare times
of peace and repose, not unfrequently
these loggias were brilliantly illuminated,
and from the far distance long lines of
light marked the outline of the battle-
ments and turrets; this was especially in
the early spring, when flowers and fruits
might be gathered in profusion. We can
picture how, on a warm summer night,
cavalcades of richly dressed ladies, and
cavaliers, accompanied by torch-bearers
and minstrels and pages, approached the
walls, winding their way through the nar-
row, rocky defile; at such a time the
"bruised arms 99
were hung upon the
walls, the merry carouse succeeded to the
tumult of war, the rich armor and the glit-
tering helmet were replaced by the gay
doublet and the plumed hat, the stern
alarums changed to merry meetings, the
feudal banquet in the baronial hall for the
joyous, festive revel.
whole place and all the detail of its ornamentation faithfully represent the old times. It is said, and truly, that the nature and character of a man may be known by the style of the house which he builds; and the observation is a just one -whether we look at the plain, unadorned square mansion of the practical man of business, the beautiful abbey of the Elizabethan period, the feudal castle on the Rhine, the grace and grandeur of the French Renaissance. Here, then, the lives of the Italian chiefs may be studied, in the armory, the chapel, the hall of San Bernardo, so called from the frescoes which were taken from the church dedicated to San Bernardo, from the Convent of La Via della Scala. The great hall leads to large, lofty rooms with vaulted ceilings and narrow windows, affording little light or air. They cannot be said to represent modern comfort. An interesting little work on Vincigliata says truly: "Come abitazione Vincigliata non sarebbe certamente gradita dappoichè gli ambienti principali sono troppo oscuri anzi melanconici il vano destinato al passaggio troppo ristretto.' Few people, excepting those in the happy age of youthful romance, would care to reside in the stern old tower of other days; for here there is no sham-all is real, as if it had been transmitted unchanged through a long line of feudal chiefs; even whatever furniture it contains is in the style of its age. Had it been intended to serve as a residence at any time, it would of course have been very different as at Alnwick or at ArunIt was thus with a keen perception of del, the adaptation of the old style to the the merits of the subject that Fancelli requirements of the day, and the union of commenced what has proved to be his age and youth in the building, might, if master work. He had first to clear away attempted, have been equally successful. all the débris, the inevitable accumulation But the object aimed at in Vincigliata was of neglect, of time, and decay. He then no selfish one; it was a generous desire rebuilt the outer circle of walls, so strong to confer on the public an accurate repreand massive that even now they would sentation of the thirteenth-century archistand a lengthened siege, unless the at-tecture. So in carrying out this idea not tacking force was provided with artillery. the minutest detail has been omitted; as After passing the outer walls, we find ourselves in a garden, the bright and variegated colors contrasting with the grey stone of which the castle is built. Here there is a lofty watch-tower, from whence a splendid prospect expands to the view; a great gate leads into an inner court, which contains many objects of interest. Those who can venerate the past by the study of its remains, here will find full opportunity for gratifying their taste. The
Filling the air with sweetness.
Beautiful Florence! all within thy walls,
Thy groves and gardens, pinnacles and towers,
Drawn to our feet."- Roza's Italy.
already remarked, even the frescoes on the walls are, so far as they can be traced, precisely similar to those which decorated them in the past; these are mostly battle scenes, records of the chivalrous deeds of the great feudal lords. Yet in a few apartments are not wanting evidences that gentler qualities were found in those stern warriors; charming faces are seen on some of the walls, which, as they beamed on the gallant knights, must have taught them other lessons than those of war. Vincigliata has become a real museum of the Middle Ages. There may be seen not only the history of the families who in
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Emergent Tech
If you've been dying to run some math on a dinky toy quantum computer, IBM may have something for you
Well, we all have to start somewhere: Rentable Q machine has just 20 qubits
By Kieren McCarthy in San Francisco 8 Jan 2019 at 21:52
Double-oh-20 qubits ... the IBM Q
IBM today claimed it will shortly sell the world's first commercial quantum computer – or, more accurately, calculation time on it.
The IBM Q machine has been years in the making, and is an extremely specialized bit of equipment, requiring the environment around it to be very tightly controlled to work properly.
Pretty much all quantum computers up until now have been run in research laboratories due to relying on precisely controlled conditions. IBM claims the Q's unique and custom design allows it to run outside such specialized and restrictive environments, allowing it to offer next-generation computing on a commercial basis to a wide range of users.
IBM has shared few details on the actual specs of the Q beyond the fact it is contained within a nine-foot square box designed by the same people who built housing for the Mona Lisa in Paris and the Crown Jewels in London. Based on past announcements, the IBM Q is a 20-qubit machine. This represents a step forward in quantum computing power, though it is not enough to be that useful.
Last month, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine stated it would be ten years or more before the number of qubits available and the quality of their calculations is good enough for commercial deployment. Intel agreed, saying you'd need a million or more qubits to be commercially relevant, and that such technology was seven to ten years away.
The new frontier
Quantum computing is a little hard to explain. While today's computers use bits of zeros and ones to carry out decisions and math, quantum computers exploit the superposition of quantum bits, or qubits, to perform calculations. Here's a gentle introduction to the technology, from the University of Waterloo in Canada:
Boffins are confident that quantum computers could start solving problems that are beyond the reach of even the most powerful conventional computers. That ranges from predicting with far greater precision natural events like storms or earthquakes to developing new drugs to potentially decrypting encrypted communications (again in a decade or so).
'Quantum supremacy will soon be ours!', says Google as it reveals 72-qubit quantum chip
The hard part in producing a quantum computer is making it reliable: the qubits that make it so powerful lose their properties within 100 microseconds – and that time falls off significantly with any introduction of vibrations or temperature change. Hence the need for the Q's special box of half-inch thick borosilicate glass that forms an airtight enclosure.
All the components within the IBM Q are carefully isolated from one another to limit vibrations, and the result, according to IBM, is "quantum hardware designed to be stable and auto-calibrated to give repeatable and predictable high-quality qubits." In other words, something that can be used reliably and relatively usefully for commercial purposes.
It is thus a highly engineered piece of kit. By saying it will make the Q commercially available, even if it is far off a fully fledged quantum computer, IBM is trying to signal its lead in a market that could soon be worth billions of dollars. It is competing with a number of other companies including US-based Rigetti and Canada's D-Wave.
To be clear, you won't be able to buy your own quantum computer, though you will be able to pay to run calculations on it. IBM has not given a date for when its IBM Q will be available. Nor, crucially, a price tag for its computing power. But given that even the idea of a quantum computer was a theoretical possibility 50 years ago, it is nonetheless remarkable that IBM says it can pull one together and rent it out.
The tech giant put out some sexy pics of the IBM Q looking like an alien transportation machine though in reality it will likely look much uglier and more functional. Not that any of us will get a chance to see it.
In addition, Blue Big said it will open its first Quantum Computation Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, at some point this year, for commercial clients to use the technology. IBM has run a free "IBM Q Experience" since 2016 during which millions of experiments have been run, using simulators and limited five-qubit hardware, over the internet, and more than 100 research papers published with Q results, we're told.
IBM also has a full-stack, open-source quantum software development kit to create and run quantum computing programs. Something that will start getting serious attention when its new computing resources go online. ®
IBM cuts ribbon on quantum computing centre wherein a 53-qubit monster lurks
Can probably run Crysis
Google: We've achieved quantum supremacy! IBM: Nope. And stop using that word, please
Here's how to sim that with RAM and hard drive space
Literally rings our bell: Scottish eggheads snap quantum entanglement for the first time
Pic 'Spooky action' caught on camera – see it for yourself
UK.gov has £12m to help kick-start quantum techs that could be 'adopted at scale' – which is pretty niche, if we're honest
Brave investors would have to match awards four times over
Google and IBM square off in Schrodinger's catfight over quantum supremacy
Column Should you believe the hype? Well, yes and no
From me 2U: Quantum has finally joined the NVMe fabric array party
Hello everyone. We brought dip
US boffins tangle with quantum entanglement in spooky rack-mounted networking hardware
Supported by quantum storage that works at room temperature
Don't panic: 'supremacy' is the point at which quantum kit trumps classical computers


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Tue, 12 Jan, 2021 - 17:11
Man smiled as he was sentenced for 'out of control' unprovoked attack on woman in Cork town
William Condon appeared by video link from prison at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and smiled broadly when the two-year sentence was imposed, backdated to June 2020 when he went into custody.
Liam Heylin
A woman who commented about the violence in a Youtube video was attacked by a man drinking heavily all day who struck her over the head with a bottle and punched her in the face.
A three-year jail sentence with the last year suspended was imposed on 27-year-old William Condon for the attack on the 51-year-old woman.
Garda Ian Tanner said the injured party had received a text to bring cigarettes to the house on the night in question as a number of people who were drinking there had run out of cigarettes.
She obliged and brought a packet of cigarettes to the house and sat down for a few minutes chatting to William Condon and three other people who were there.
Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that this woman was set upon in this violent and unprovoked attack, simply because she had said that the violence depicted in a Youtube video was unwarranted and should not be encouraged.
The judge said that simply because the woman made the comments she was attacked – an assault which was aggravated by the use of a bottle.
"She suffered a significant number of bruises and thereafter with the bottle she was subjected to a fairly frenzied attack. She had injuries to her face, fractures to her nose and an injury to her mandible and all of this because of an unprovoked assault by William Condon.
"He was completely out of control. His drunkenness is no excuse. He is a man with problems. The nature and extent of his problems is undiagnosed. Is it mental health, alcohol, drink, drugs or is it down to temper? I accept there are fundamental problems here," Judge Ó Donnabháin said.
Condon appeared by video link from prison at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and smiled broadly when the two-year sentence was imposed, backdated to June 2020 when he went into custody.
Garda Ian Tanner testified that gardaí arrived at the house at Dermot Hurley estate at 1.20 a.m. on June 8, 2020 and found that the ambulance was already present dealing with the injured party who had significant swelling to her face and visible lacerations.
"William Condon punched her in the face. He kept on slapping. A friend tried to intervene. He picked up a bottle of Carlsberg. He struck her with the bottle on the right side of the head. She went into the bathroom to get away from him. He pushed in the door of the bathroom and said, 'if you call the shades I will cut your throat'," Garda Tanner said.
Similarly, Condon said to another man who was present at the house not to make a statement to the guards or he warned, "I will get you."
Condon had 96 previous convictions including three for assault causing harm, two for making threats to kill, two for robbery, one for attempted robbery, eight for burglary and one for aggravated burglary.
Defence barrister Ray Boland said Condon had a serious problem with alcohol and violence.
Condon was sentenced for assaulting the woman in Youghal and intimidating a potential witness, namely the man who was at the scene that morning.
more Courts articles
Jail for woman who attacked neighbour with poker in Cork town
Court upholds four-year sentence for teen driver who left Cork toddler with permanent brain injury
Jail for man who collected €32k worth of cocaine to clear gambling debt in Cork city
Man jailed for threatening to kill elderly relative
Horse in 'distressed state' seized in Cork
Brid Stack taken to hospital after suffering injury in practice game in Australia
#courtscork courtcourts
'Health service may be facing most challenging week in its history': 1,923 Covid-19 patients being treated in hospitals today


North American Bigfoot: Happy Birthday, Tom Yamarone!
I want to extend my warmest birthday wishes to one of my best bigfooting buddies, Tom Yamarone. Today, he turns [censored] years old.
Tom is best known for his bigfoot song repertoire, often appearing at bigfoot conferences and campfires throughout the country. His most recent appearance was at the 2010 Ohio Bigfoot Conference with Bob Gimlin.
Tom's songs are not only catchy, but they are factually accurate. He writes the melodies and lyrics, using a Dylanesque song-writing style with witty rhymes and clever language to keep us smiling.
A lesser known facet to Tom is his unrelenting push for documentation of the sasquatch as a real animal. He encourages beginner and veteran bigfooters alike to correctly document what they find and share it with the appropriate authorities. I couldn't agree more.
Here is a short video of Tom in musical action. He's actually standing in Bluff Creek a little less than a mile from the Patterson/Gimlin filmsite.


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Dendronephthya thuja is een zachte koraalsoort uit de familie Nephtheidae. De koraalsoort komt uit het geslacht Dendronephthya. Dendronephthya thuja werd in 1909 voor het eerst wetenschappelijk beschreven door Henderson.

thuja