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VS 024 Pit Of Despair
Varanis — 1626 0581 Pit Of Despair
Sometime before Boldhome, our heroes travel back to the Tula and end up facing Chaos at Rabbit Hat Farm, on the Green Fish Tula. This is a selection of events and conversations occurring during that time. [[[s01:session-31|Session 31]]]
In a moment of impatience, as everyone is trying to decide how to approach the gaping pit below the farmstead's wall, Varanis climbs the walls and throws a torch in. That act seems to put an end to the key discussions, as the decision is taken that some of the group will descend.
The way is sheer and dangerous, so the Vingan offers to mount ropes around the pit, allowing multiple climbers to descend at once. This is something she knows how to do, and so she sets about it with her customary confidence. As she works though, Serala approaches on Pag. The Grazelander is wearing a look of barely contained anger and clear disappointment. Words are exchanged and as she rides away, Varanis stares after her dismayed.
Once Varanis has finished with the ropes, she goes looking for Finarvi. Finarvi is a short distance away from the farmhouse, calming his horse and looking worriedly over the fields. Varanis approaches calling out, but not loudly, "Finarvi, do you have a minute?" She too looks worried.
Show conversation with Finarvi
Finarvi turns quickly, looking relieved to have a distraction from his thoughts. "Yes?"
Varanis closes the distance, so she can talk quietly with the Grazelander. She hesitates, like she's searching for the right words, then just blurts out, "I screwed things up, and she's angry with me again." Her expression is one of dismay.
Finarvi raises his eyebrows. He thinks about asking who, then decides it's obvious. He makes a n encouraging 'go on' gesture.
"I don't know what's going to happen when we go down there," Varanis says, glancing nervously in the direction of the gaping pit. "I…" The Vingan looks almost afraid, but she inhales deeply, controls her expression and continues. "I may not get a chance to apologize to her. If I don't come back, can you just tell her I'm sorry? I didn't mean to do it."
Finarvi nods in understanding. "I will." He gazes towards the pit. "I have been trying to think of a way to kill whatever is down there without sending warriors down. To suffocate the tunnels with smoke, or divert the stream to flood it perhaps. Maybe we could drive them out and fight them in the clean air. I do not like the idea of those tunnels."
"We don't know how extensive the tunnel system is, or how many vents or exits it has." Varanis looks at Finarvi and his nervous horse for a long moment. "I was thinking… the horses and Billy… I don't fancy any of them being turned into broo breeders. They need looking after while we are down there, and someone to get them out of here if we don't…" She trails off. "Billy might not leave without Rajar and would probably be dangerous to get near him if the Praxian dies. But, would you be upset if I asked you to stay with the horses and carry word back if we don't come out of there?"
Finarvi gives a queasy grimace. His thoughts have already run down the same fruitless trails. His eyes go to the mustered Fyrdsmen awaiting their orders. He pats Madryn's sweating neck. "It would take more than that to upset me." He shakes his head. "I am expecting enemies to break from the earth when they discover what we are doing. But if all seems lost, I will do my best to get the horses away, and pray Billy will follow."
Varanis nods in thanks. "I suspect that Billy won't follow, but will fight. If nothing else, he will buy you time to escape." Just then, Varanis catches a glimpse of Serala stalking past one of the farm buildings, lithe, cat-like, and agitated. The Vingan's eyes look almost despairing as she follows the other woman's movements, and for a moment she seems to have forgotten Finarvi. She gives a little shake of her head and refocuses her gaze on the man before her. "This may sound strange, but can you tell me something funny? Anything? Before I return to the Fyrd, I need to not be thinking about dying. They need reassurance and encouragement and to give them that, I cannot look afraid." This is possibly the closest Varanis will come to admitting to fear.
Finarvi looks at the sky. "Did you know that once, when Serala was thirteen years old she made me swap clothes with her at a very important festival? Luckily her costume was very flamboyant, or I think her Grandfather would have noticed. She spent the day catching frogs or whatever while I was having flowers piled at my feet. Grazelander women's robes are very itchy, by the way. Anyway, it might amuse you to know that in the eyes of the gods, I'm more a woman than Serala is." He gives Varanis a mischievous smile.
Varanis grins in reply. "Thank you," she says, smiling at the handsome young man. She turns serious for a moment. "I should go. But remember, tell her I'm sorry." She takes a deep breath and puts a smile on her face. All visible traces of the Vingan's worries are erased. She turns and strides to where the Fyrd are gathered. She now exudes confidence, greeting the men by name as she approaches. She pats one on the shoulder and says something leading to smiles and nervous laughter.
Down in the hole while guarding Irillo as he puts up his warding, and preparing for the morale ritual, Berra is obviously thinking through different parts of the problem of fighting underground, and finally blurts out, "Assuming the enemy has earth magic, how do we stay alive in there?"
Show conversation with party
Varanis, who has been standing at the mouth of the tunnel, staring into the darkness, turns to look at the Humakti. "Good question. I wish I had an answer. Kill them first?"
Berra asks, "What if they make tunnels behind us? What if the way they came down here works on their command? I'll volunteer as a scout. Mind you, if there are more Jackobears, fast may not be fast enough."
The Vingan's sword is in her hand and she's shifting from foot to foot. "What if? There are a lot of what ifs. Dormal could make it down these passages without being seen…." Her eyes flick back down the tunnel, searching the darkness.
"Don't bet on it. Think of the things you'd do if you were down there, and had people working for you. Trip-strings to set off traps. If he goes in the dark, he doesn't see them. If he takes a torch, he provides a target. Dug out areas of earth and you can't tell if anything's in them, so you have to test them all. Deadfalls. Burned hazia. Illusionary walls, like Devolin does but a lot less fun. The ability to listen through walls – that would be good, but we can't do anything about that. And a knowledge of what this looks like down here. Probably made by something more than just Broo – so a Mallian Priestess, or…. well. If we send people alone we need to think that's better than going together."
"Dormal and Sid together?" Varanis asks thoughtfully. "I feel like Dormal has hidden depths and could probably be very effective in an environment like this one. But…" She shrugs.
Mellia approaches the two women as they talk. "We need to find a way to mark the walls,, so we do not get lost. Also, I'd like at least one light source other than a torch down here."
"If I had my choice of team, Salid would be right up there. And yes, lights. Torches or Lanterns or Catseye or Serala or…." Berra trails off, considering. "They can push spells at us, catch us as we go forwards, put pits behind darkness. Salid is looking like a very good call, and if we can search the farmhouse for lanterns that are not covered in blood, that's good too."
Mellia adds, "With broo, you will want a ready source of fire as well. Broo have been known to explode on death, but there probably won't be room for archery."
"Things to put over our faces, then. Masks so we don't … yuk. That's disgusting." Berra looks disturbed. "But we'll have a lot of people. So another question – do we make the front row really efficient, or do we protect certain people, or does everyone protect themselves with their magic? The Ritual of Morale will hang on a person who leads – me or Varanis or Serala, probably. Maybe Rajar. How do we protect that?"
Mellia pauses for thought. "That's a tough one, because it sounds as if the bearer of the Ritual of Morale will have to be a target. Broo fight dirty."
"Only if they see that someone is, but yes. They may well be after obvious leaders." Berra seems untroubled by that.
Varanis turns to face Mellia, surprise written on her face. "You know more about broo than I expected, cousin."
"Broo and their works keep us busier than we like, cousin," Mellia says to Varanis.
"Varanis is pretty well armoured and in lead of that fyrd. It would not be a bad idea for her to lead from central position. Same would go for Berra too but her sword might be too thirsty. Rajar will probably charge right in." Xenofos joins the conversation, having been listening nearby.
"I'm going to be more fragile than normal. I won't have a full Shield spell on me – just protection. So Varanis and her armour and the Fyrd might be best. There are large numbers of foes, so command will…" Berra trails off and starts again. "Command will have to be careful. Branched corridors will need watching or clearing. Someone will have to track the enemy."
"The Gaze of Lhankor Mhy will not penetrate such amounts of rock but it will help," Xenofos observes.
"Then, they will have wardings too," Berra adds. "So someone who is well shielded and strong should try to deal with those. Or someone who can ignite the staves they use, if we have time. Whatever foul thing they do should be cleansed that way."
Varanis grins fiercely at the thought of being part of the front line. "I can keep the Fyrd moving forward, knowing I have you at my back."
Berra looks confused. "Do you not want me alongside? Or do you want to have a left and right flank protection, and tunnel checkers?" That seems to appeal to her.
"I want you coordinating our movement and ready to patch any hole that appears. You think fast and move quickly too." The Vingan seems to be about to say something more, but doesn't.
"Serala too. And anyone from the Fyrd who's good." Berra looks disappointed. "I'm a front line fighter," she says quietly, but she does not directly argue.
Varanis looks thoughtfully at the Humakti, then sighs. "You are. And weakened or not, you are still among the best we have. Where is the right place for you in this fight?"
Xenofos interjects, "Milady leader should be where she can do most good. In tunnels it might not be the front line stumbling into every trap and target of every missile."
Berra thinks. "I'm not weakene… alright, I am. But it depends on who else you have for command. If Serala is down here, I should probably be a flanker and tunnel checker – a squad under me. If there are others of the Fyrd coming, or the Chief, then he should probably be in overall command, so again, the flank. I'm third or fourth in line for standing at the middle and shouting, I think."
Varanis nods sharply. "Let's see who we have then." She then turns to Xenofos, acknowledging his comment at last. "You are right, cousin. I need to be in the place where I can be most useful. What if that is the front line, armoured and shielded as I am?"
Berra is definitely trying not to grin.
The earnest scholar argues, "That is where you want to be being fleet-footed, of quick mind and brave. And it might be so in the open field. But even there scouts and skirmishers would precede the phalanx."
"Xenofos. She's a Vingan, not a … whatever it is that hangs back in phalanxes. But we should talk about rotating in and out, and drills for the wounded. Those who know how to heal from among the fyrd should be behind the front line." Berra seems to be thinking carefully now.
Varanis smiles at Berra. "I am. And yes, we should see what strengths Farist and his man have."
Mellia adds, "I don't know whether I should come with you in the center of the formation or not. You will need me, but I will be a target."
"We can have someone put a shield on you. The biggest we can. If a Fyrd member can do that, they could stay back with Irillo at the fallback point." Berra might have thought about that already.
"This place reeks of nameless horrors that burrow and crawl in the bowels of Ernalda. Some broo may lurk in here sure but we should be prepared for more. It reminds me of horror stories I as young initiate heard of despicable, headhunting Thanatari and their secret temples. Full of foul traps, evil spirits, mad headghosts and fanatical cultists with garrotes of tarnished silver." Xenofos may get a tad too poetic when trying to remember details of those stories and in any case he forgets the fyrdsmen. Maybe its good thing he is prattling in Esrolian.
Berra stares at him, apparently unable to keep up with his poetic Esrolian. That, or she's checking if he is running mad.
Irillo chimes in, "It is probably not a standard part of rituals to have a chant in Tradetalk of 'And may you be fair in giving those who do not respect Your place what is coming to them, aye, to the very Bolg.'"
Xenofos continues, "Well it does seem unlikely that herd of broos would have organized such 'operation' like you like to call it, Irillo. So something else would probably lurk in here. Something able to do civilized business and burrow. Followers of decapitated god, old enemies of Lhankor Mhy, would reputedly fit the bill. If half of those stories are true. Some Lhankor Mhy initiates have occasionally been known to embellish their stories just a tiny bit for artistic effect."
Varanis raises an eyebrow at the last statement.
Xenofos nods sagely. "I know. It is lamentable."
"Uh, Xenofos? You're babbling." Berra is speaking in Heortling.
"Trying to figure this thing out. It may be broo – we have seen stuff that resembles their pillaging- but…" Xenofos continues, "It would be astonishing if they are behind all this." Still in speaking in Esrolian, he is looking into the wall like trying to penetrate it with his gaze.
Berra sighs, and says, "If we assume this place was here already, does that make a difference? It makes it much easier… What eats rock?"
"Rajar talked of insect like monsters that reputedly can do just that, but those horrors have no real names," Xenofos replies, finally looking at her.
"Eh? Oh, Heortling, good. Do you know you were speaking in Esrolian? So… insect monsters? This smoothly?" Berra peers closely at the wall, and pokes at it with a finger.
Varanis keeps looking into the darkness. For a moment, she seems poised to step forward into it. She stops, looks at Xenofos and Berra, and then says "I'm just going to check in with Farist." She turns back into the small circle of light and quietly speaks with the two Fyrdsmen who followed them into the pit.
Berra casually puts herself by the tunnel entrance, where she would be able to listen. She leans back casually against the wall, and her expression is one of calm. The only break in that is that later, Varanis gets a big wink, and a smile. Here's looking at you, Lamb1A Kid would be of the goat species, and taboo in Sartar..
In response to a quiet question from the Vingan, Farist, the Green Tree warleader responds, "This is work for champions and warriors and heroes, not the fyrd." There is a band of Broo to hunt. They might be down here. Or they might be out ravaging the surrounding lands. He has brought one of his best warriors. Some of the Fyrd will guard the shaft so those below are not trapped. His other best warrior, his son Gambril, he wants to stay with the horsemen in case the broo are needed or the Tribe mustered. Varanis listens to his explanation, nodding her understanding.
Quietly, when Mellia is busy elsewhere, Varanis approaches the Humakti. "Berra…"
Show conversation with Berra
"Mm?" Berra knows enough to keep quiet if other people are.
"If you have to choose… choose her." A discreet nod of the chin in the direction of the healer. "Get her out of here alive."
Berra scratches her chin, giving her the chance to glance over. "Understood. And remember I'm a warrior – I chose to be here." There's a faint lisp on the S sounds, again.
"I know. But… I think the White Lady is needed more than any of the rest of us."
"Yes. That's what I'm saying. Don't wait for me either. Rajar and I will likely be covering retreats."
(( Insight, Human? Success. ))
Insight: Berra is trying to act unworried, and failing. Underneath, she is balanced between nerves and a touch of fear.
"Unless we are retreating from Rajar," Varanis says with a poor attempt at a smile.
"Well, that's when we need the White Lady most." Berra manages a tiny smile, although it seems to be small because she's talking quietly, rather than out of worry.
A Kid would be of the goat species, and taboo in Sartar.
Tagged with 1626, Berra, Finarvi, Mellia, Sea, Varanis, Xenofos
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Rayburn named CASE ASAP representative
Community and Outreach Student Activities Student Success Student Features Academic Excellence Alumni and Giving Admissions Authentic MSU
Allie Rayburn, vice president of the Morehead State University Student Alumni Ambassadors, has been named the District 3 Representative for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education Affiliated Student Advancement Programs (CASE ASAP). Rayburn was elected at the CASE ASAP District 3 Conference this past February, hosted by the University of Mississippi.
In her position, Rayburn will serve for two years and assist CASE with programming, services and resources for students and advisers involved in advancement activities. District 3 represents schools across the Southeast and all conferences. Rayburn, a native of Olive Hill, is a junior majoring in political science and public history.
"Being elected District 3 Representative for CASE ASAP has been a wonderful opportunity so far. I feel grateful to have been chosen to serve among seven other amazing student representatives throughout the country," she said. "I'm so excited to get to serve as the connection between university advancement groups and CASE Headquarters these next two years"
CASE ASAP is comprised of student alumni associations at more than 300 CASE member institutions, including MSU. CASE ASAP's goal is "to foster and enhance student involvement in all areas of advancement - from alumni relations and communications to fundraising, marketing and related areas."
Student Alumni Ambassadors (SAA) is a group of 30 dedicated MSU students who represent the University and serve as a link between current students and alumni. SAA members serve as the official host group of the University and the Alumni Association. While being active in the recruitment of new students and promoting Morehead State University. SAA takes an active role in major events at MSU, including Homecoming, Spring Gala, Commencement and alumni reunions. Visit alumni.moreheadstate.edu/saa to apply.
To learn more about MSU Student Alumni Ambassadors, contact MSU's Office of Alumni Relations and Development at 606-783-2033, email giving@moreheadstate.edu or visit alumni.moreheadstate.edu.

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UCLA Health System chosen as a Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organization
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that the UCLA Health has been selected to participate in the federal government's Medicare Shared Savings Program as an accountable care organization.
As a participant in the program, the UCLA Health will work with CMS to provide high-quality service and care to Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries while reducing the growth in Medicare expenditures through enhanced care coordination.
"Through participation in the Medicare Shared Savings Program and other initiatives, UCLA is taking an innovative approach to health care, focusing on high-value, high-quality care that is truly patient-centered," said Dr. Molly Coye, chief innovation officer for the UCLA Health. "UCLA aims to be a leader in transforming health care and reining in uncontrolled health care costs."
The Medicare Shared Savings Program was created under the Affordable Care Act to help health care providers better coordinate care for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries through accountable care organizations, or ACOs — groups of doctors, hospitals and others who collaborate to provide high-quality service and care for their patients.
"UCLA Health has truly outstanding, high-quality, evidence-based medical programs, and the Medicare Shared Savings Program provides us with an important framework to better coordinate care for our Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries," said Dr. David Feinberg, president of the UCLA Health, CEO of the UCLA Hospital System and associate vice chancellor for health sciences at UCLA.
By creating its own ACO, the UCLA Health was able to submit an application to participate in the program. UCLA was chosen specifically by CMS to create incentives for health care providers to work together to treat individual patients across care settings — including doctors' offices, hospitals and other health care facilities.
"Accountable care organizations save money for Medicare and deliver higher-quality care to people with Medicare," said U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. "Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more doctors and hospitals are working together to give people with Medicare the high-quality care they expect and deserve."
The Shared Savings Program will reward ACOs that lower the growth of health care costs while meeting performance standards for quality of care and putting patients first. The participation of health care providers in an ACO is purely voluntary.
ACOs must meet quality standards to ensure that savings are achieved through improved care coordination and the provision of care that is appropriate, safe and timely. CMS has established 33 quality measures on care coordination and patient safety, the appropriate use of preventive health services, improved care for at-risk populations, and patient and caregiver experience of care. Federal savings from this initiative are up to $940 million over four years.
"UCLA Health is one of only a few academic medical centers to participate in this program," said Dr. Samuel A. Skootsky, chief medical officer of the UCLA Faculty Practice and Medical Group. "UCLA Health has a strong foundation in primary care, including a 'medical home' initiative to improve care coordination for our patients, in addition to exemplary specialty care. This Medicare Shared Savings Plan challenges hospitals and doctors, together with their patients, to reevaluate and redesign patient care to be more patient-centered and efficient — across all care settings, including at home."
The recent announcement was the culmination of a comprehensive selection process that began in the fall of 2011 with the national release by CMS of the Notice of Intent to Apply and application form. The UCLA Health was selected based on vigorous eligibility criteria and program requirements.
"We have a successful primary care network," said Dr. Patricia Kapur, CEO of the UCLA Faculty Practice Group. "The framework we currently have in place provides us with a perfect opportunity to work with the federal government's Shared Savings Program to transform the delivery of excellent medical care."
The Shared Savings Program is not a Medicare Advantage plan or an HMO. Beneficiaries with fee-for-service Medicare will still have the right to use any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, at any time. Find out more about the Shared Savings Program and see a list of the program's 106 new ACOs announced Jan. 10.
The UCLA Health will continue to serve all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, including those in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The program will support UCLA's efforts to improve the quality of care it provides, in return for the opportunity to benefit from reduced growth in health care costs.
The UCLA Health, which comprises the UCLA Hospital System and the UCLA Medical Group and its affiliates, has provided a high quality of health care and the most advanced treatment options to the people of Los Angeles and the world for more than half a century. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, and UCLA Health - Santa Monica Medical Center (which includes the Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital) deliver hospital care that is unparalleled in California. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is consistently ranked one of the top five hospitals in the nation and the best in the western United States by U.S. News & World Report. UCLA physicians and hospitals continue to be world leaders in the full range of care, from maintaining the health of families to the diagnosis and treatment of complex illnesses.
For more news, visit the UCLA Newsroom and follow us on Twitter.
Roxanne Moster


Obliterati has reformed, after 15 year, and are performing shows and writing new material. Crazy. We will be at Will's Pub on Sunday, December 28th, if you want to catch us.
A one-time offshoot of Obliterati has released a CD on Bipediment Records. Known as Unbliterati for this session, Instant Songs is a group improvisation recorded live in the studio on August 31st and November 9th. You can listen to it free here.
There were a number of improvisation shows I participated in since my last posting, including performing in an ensemble format in Gainesville with Tatsuya Nakatani (thanks to Andrew Chadwick for setting up the show and inviting me to be a part of it) as well as a very successful large ensemble conducted improvisation of Disney music at the Sun Ray Cinema in Jacksonville, organized and conducted by Jamison Williams.
The Delusionaires have become the hardest working sods I know, with a mind-blowing, blow out show on New Year's Eve at Will's Pub, along with The Woolly Bushmen and The Golden Pelicans (tickets available here), January shows in Atlanta and Athens, a March show in Chapel Hill, NC, and a June show in New York. And that's not the end of it. But that's as far as this post is going.
This entry was posted in Improvisation / new music and tagged avant garde, delusionaires, experimental music, improvisation, improvised music, obliterati, Tatsuya Nakatani, will's pub by jimivy. Bookmark the permalink.


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Кукмака () — поселення в общині Велике Лаще, Осреднєсловенський регіон, Словенія.
Висота над рівнем моря: 506,6 м.

Посилання

 Статистичне бюро Республіки Словенія

Населені пункти Словенії

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Police are looking for a suspect who stole a Kansas Highway Patrol vehicle and drove it to Kansas City.
The vehicle was taken around 6:30 p.m. Saturday. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, a suspect had been arrested and was put in the vehicle in handcuffs. The Trooper was outside the vehicle, assisting another Trooper with the arrest of a second subject.
The suspect took the KHP patrol vehicle into KCMO and abandoned it.
The vehicle was recovered just after 8 p.m. All equipment, including the firearms, were still in the vehicle when it was recovered.


Description: These subdivisions need replacement of stormwater facilities, curb and gutter replacement, and pavement reconstruction.
Construction has started. Will continue through fall with completion expected in November 2018.


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corey-lajoie fantasy justin-haley nascar-competition nascar-cup-series News spire-motorsports
Corey LaJoie soaks in Spire's culture, stays bullish on team's growth for 2021
Corey LaJoie is establishing roots with Spire Motorsports as he kicks off the first year of a multiyear agreement in the No. 7 Chevrolet for 2021.
The well-aged expression of "hanging out your shingle" has a parallel for Corey LaJoie in his new role as a full-time driver for Spire Motorsports. No, he's not striking out on his own, as the saying implies, but instead of a shingle, he's building a full-fledged sign for the race shop.
There may be no better tangible indicator of the roots that the 29-year-old journeyman is establishing with Spire, which will expand to a two-car fleet next season in the NASCAR Cup Series. LaJoie's debut in Spire's No. 7 Chevrolet will kick off the first year of a multiyear agreement with the start-up organization, co-founded by owners Jeff Dickerson and T.J. Puchyr in 2019.
RELATED: On the move: Next year's changes
LaJoie makes the transition with veteran names in key support roles — some faces are familiar, others less so. But there's also newfound optimism for LaJoie, who has scratched out a career in NASCAR's top series, bouncing among three teams during the last four seasons.
"I mean, this is probably the most excited I've been leading up to any year in my NASCAR career at least, just because I know how much we're going to over-exceed expectations for what people have become used to a Spire Motorsports entry being on track," LaJoie said in a Tuesday video teleconference with reporters. "I'm going over to the shop here this afternoon and I probably go over there every other three days or so, and there's somebody new, somebody from a different team, somebody that's excited to come build and be part of the culture that we're trying to build for the future. We're getting some good cars, some good engines, and it'll be the most solid deal that I've ever had."
LaJoie toiled in some of the final starts for BK Racing (2017) and TriStar Motorsports (2018) before moving to Go Fas Racing and the Archie St. Hilaire-owned No. 32 Ford. LaJoie says the last two seasons there gave him an opportunity to learn and to become fully acclimated to the 36-race routine.
The new situation, LaJoie says, gives him "a little bit of job security." Spire got its start by purchasing the team charter of Furniture Row Racing upon its closure, and the No. 7 charter for next season comes from the former Leavine Family Racing group.
Spire does have one victory in its Cup Series infancy — Justin Haley's rain-shortened Daytona upset in the summer of 2019 — but its final rankings of 36th then 34th in the team owner standings have trailed most of the pack. Eight drivers rotated through its No. 77 Chevy entry in the organization's first season; nine did in 2020. LaJoie represents Spire's first full-time driver.
While Spire's week-in, week-out performance hasn't quite rattled the sheet metal of its better-funded rivals, LaJoie is betting on stronger results to accompany the growth.
"Each step has been progressively better, so I'm trending the right way,"LaJoie said. "I do feel like I'm in with a group that ultimately have the same vision to get it there and are realistic with their expectations and have the connections to put some good cars and good tools in the hands of the guys they're hiring to push this deal along. I'm just happy to be a small part of it."
MORE: 2021 NASCAR Cup Series schedule
Among the hires is a familiar name atop the pit box in Ryan Sparks, his crew chief last season at Go Fas Racing. Another key addition is familiar to TV viewers but new to Spire — Steve Letarte, who will serve as a team consultant while maintaining his role as an analyst for NBC Sports' NASCAR broadcasts. LaJoie said both personnel moves should help serve as handy connections for partner teams Hendrick Motorsports, which Spire will rely on for engines and drivetrains, and Chip Ganassi Racing, its car supplier.
Letarte represents a new colleague for LaJoie. In his career as a crew chief with Hendrick Motorsports, Letarte scored 15 wins during a 10-year stretch, working with Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. While the stats and resume were a known quantity, LaJoie says he's gotten to know Letarte on a more personal level in conversations over coffee, which he said is an always-present Letarte accessory.
"That guy's just an awesome personality, but I probably didn't give him enough credit — and I was probably a bit young when he was crew chiefing for Jeff and crew chiefing for Dale Earnhardt Jr.," LaJoie said. "That guy is one of the smartest guys that I've ever met, and he's also infectious and he's just a guy that gets you pepped up. …
"I think that in terms of Steve's timing, everybody when they take a step away from the competitive side, whether for him to be going to the broadcast booth, he's stepped away from that competitive day-to-day trying to figure out what areas you can do to make yourself and your team better. Eventually for everybody, that fire starts burning again and I think Jeff and T.J. offered Steve the opportunity to have his hand to kind of quench that fire, if you will. He's the perfect guy to fit into the culture we're trying to build."
LaJoie said that Spire is keeping its expectations realistic for next season, hoping to inch closer to the top 20 threshold and to match or surpass the performance of JTG Daugherty Racing, Front Row Motorsports among others. Longer-term, LaJoie didn't shy away from the idea of the organization contending for a playoff spot within a few years.
"Right now, you'd like to think so, and that's why we're doing it," LaJoie said. "That's why we jumped into the boat and we're rowing that sucker."


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Q: Instant Messaging Implementation with Firebase Cloud Messaging I have set up an android app that works with Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) in the following way:

*

*When my apps starts, it sends sends the FCM token to my app server which stores the token in a database

*When a user sends a message, it sends the message to my app server. My app server then retrieves other users' FCM tokens from the database, and sends a request to Google to push the message to those devices

This works, but the problem I am facing is determining which FCM tokens to send the message to. Firebase Cloud Messaging works in a way that messages are delivered when the app is running in the background. I do not want this because it's unnecessary and wastes bandwidth for the user and my app server.
So how can I only send FCM messages to devices that have my app open? I cannot simply look at the response from Google when sending FCM messages and then remove all those FCM tokens that failed to send because the response will say the message was successfully sent even if the app is in the background or if the app has been forced stopped.
So, I can think of a few possible solutions, but I am unsure of which is the best. None of them seem like good options.

*

*Have my app poll my server every few minutes to tell it that the app is open. (I want to avoid polling because isn't that what FCM is supposed to eliminate?)

*Force Firebase Cloud Messaging to delete the token every time the app is paused or destroyed. This will make messages fail to send to the old FCM tokens and then I can delete the failed ones.

*Abandon FCM and implement my solution with a TCP connection

I'm leaning towards option #2 for now. But it still means my app server has to attempt and fail to send messages to offline devices. Is there a better way that I'm missing?
Thanks.

A: I actually think that your approach is the wrong way round. Firebase is designed for instant messaging applications - that's the whole point of the service. When your app is open, you can use the Firebase database and SDK to setup observers to see in real-time when the data changes.
When the app is in the background, the connection is terminated and then you would need to rely on push notifications.
You should check out the Chat SDK which is an open source instant messenger that uses Firebase - maybe it would give you some ideas about how to implement the functionality you're looking for. You can see the project on Github.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Before you start looking for a job, know what kind of job you're looking for. While it's good to be flexible, you need to know what you're good at, what you're interested in, and what environment shares your values.
Don't apply for just any job you see. Do your research. If you are qualified for the job and it interests you, apply.
Keep in mind, an organization wants the best person for the job. Why are you the best person for the job for which you are applying? Be able to articulate, both on your resume and at an interview, why you are the best. If you are asking an organization to accept your word that you are the best, here's a hint – they won't. If you can't tell them specifically what they want to know and back it up with facts and figures, that interview, much less the job will not be yours.
Tip #2 – What have you accomplished?
It's good to be a "leader," but what, exactly does that mean? What have you accomplished as a leader? Be prepared with facts and figures to back up your statement.
Do you have good communication skills? What specifically did you accomplish with those skills? How are your customer service skills? Again, what specifically did you accomplish with those skills?
Accomplishments are strong indicators of how qualified you are. They are more significant than your job duties/responsibilities. Make sure your accomplishments are verifiable and measureable and related to the job qualifications and description.
Long before you start looking for a job, you should learn to effectively network. Good networks take time to generate. Think about your best friend. How long have you known him/her? Have you been friends for years?
Like good friends, networking is a two way street. You'll want to help them just as they help you. None of this happens overnight. If you expect someone to recommend you for a position, they need to know you, which will take time. If you want a recruiter to think of you for a job that's open with their organization, they have to know if you will be a good fit, which also takes time.
Finally, don't forget your contact just because you found a job. Keep in touch with them. Congratulate them when you hear about a promotion they receive. Did you find some information that may be of use to them? Forward it to them. Or just keep in touch by saying "Hi." If they helped you find your job or gave you some good advice, don't forget to thank them. A little kindness and courtesy goes a long way.
Do you have any good advice to share with us? We'd love to hear from you!


On occasion, you know I do a mid week picture. While at one of my customers this past week in Kansas City to do a topology change on the network, I came up on this on one of the buildings. I really like this town. Even outside of work, most of my conversation revolves around the Royals and the world series.
Very cool picture! I like Kansas City too...I fly in there when I'm visiting my son and his wife down in Springfield MO.
Yeah, its a nice place. Nice people there also.


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Baruk: A Traditional Bidayuh Architecture
Baruk
Sarawak is well-known for its rich culture and heritage, especially with the diverse population of different races and ethnic groups in the State. When we think of art, we often think of beautiful and well-crafted traditional items when passing by shops or enjoying mesmerising traditional performances during special events. However, one thing that we seldom pay attention to is the unique and traditional architecture in our State.
One such interesting traditional architecture is the Baruk. Baruk is the main section in a traditional Bidayuh longhouse and it has other names depending on the Bidayuh dialect spoken in certain districts. Therefore, it is also known as panggah, baluh, balui, balu, or pangarah. Due to a disease outbreak that killed their children, the first baruk in Sarawak is thought to have been constructed at Kampung Opar in Bau as a place to discuss solutions to the outbreak.
According to history, Baruk served as a gathering place for Bidayuh warriors in the past. Usually, weapons, gongs, wooden masks, and other personal items are placed inside the Baruk. Some Baruks may have human skulls of the enemies of the Bidayuh community that were hung in the Baruk back in the headhunting days.
The Baruk is thought to have served as a location for cultural ceremonies before the Bidayuh people embraced Christianity and it served as a place to practise Adat Oma. The Bidayuh people danced at the Baruk as well. Traditional musical instruments like the drums (sebbang) are also found in Baruks and are used during specific rites.
It is also fascinating that the Baruk was built without the use of nails and relies solely on ropes made out of tree bark and rattan to erect a sturdy building. The Baruk is constructed on tall stilts which provided the Bidayuh warriors an advantage over their adversaries.
There are so many more interesting facts to discover about Baruks and a few modern structures in our State were influenced by the building's octagonal or circular design.
Here are a few locations to check out the real Baruk, such as the Sarawak Cultural Village, Kampung Opar in Bau, and Kampung Benuk in Padawan so go visit these places and experience it for yourself!
(Baruk-Image taken from asianitinerary.com)
(Interior of Baruk-Image taken from borneodictionary.com)
Discover Bidayuh Traditional Architecture  - Backyard Tour. Backyard Tour. (2016). Retrieved from http://mybackyardtour.com/bidayuh-traditional-architecture-%EF%BB%BF/.
Guri, C. (2022). Bidayuh Baruk. Asian Itinerary. Retrieved 10 August 2022, from https://asianitinerary.com/bidayuh-baruk/.
Hului, P. (2018). 10 things you need to know about baruk, the Bidayuh cultural house. KajoMag. Retrieved from https://kajomag.com/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-baruk-the-bidayuh-cultural-house/.
Zaini, A., Karsono, B., & Awang Sulong, A. (2018). From sacred to secular: Baruk architecture on secular buildings in Sarawak. IOP Conference Series: Earth And Environmental Science, 213, 012043. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/213/1/012043
in World of Arts
-- All dates September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 February 2022 December 2021
Weaving in Sarawak


To encourage students to explore the intangible yet the most powerful aspects of a landscape in the realm of design.
Hotel Hilton, Trivandrum The event was organized in collaboration with IIA Trivandrum Centre.
The event was organized in collaboration with IIA Trivandrum Centre. On the occassion, eminent landscape architects Savita Pune, Rohit Marol, Varsha Gavandi and Lek Bunnag, National Artist, Thailand presented their works.


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Парламентские выборы во Франции 1951 года. На них было избранo второe Национальное собрание Четвертой республики.

Результаты

Ссылки
Партии и выборы

Парламентские выборы во Франции


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Machine Learning with React.js
Oriana Cabrera
— Types of ML
— React for Businesses
Machine Learning and React.JS
— Building ML Apps with React
— Benefits of ML with React
— ML: React or Python?
React stays as one of the most used JS libraries. Yet, Machine Learning keeps rebuilding how we interact with devices. So, what outcomes can this match bring?
Machine Learning (ML) is a part of Artificial Intelligence that creates algorithms. These algorithms improve automatically through experience. For instance, a Machine Learning process can find data patterns. In turn, it can offer better predictions or classification performance. Often, ML powers predictive analytics applications. Further, its uses enclose fields like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.
What are the Types of Machine Learning?
● Supervised Learning. The computer has a training data set and then prepares to recognize patterns in that data. After it, you can use the computer to predict outcomes for new data.
● Unsupervised Learning. In unsupervised learning, the computer receives data, but it's not told what to do. It is then left to learn from the information itself and find patterns.
● Semi-Supervised Learning. Here, the computer acquires a mixture of both training and not-labeled data. Hence, it uses both data sets to learn and improve its performance.
● Reinforcement Learning. In this scenario, computers get feedback through rewards and punishments after specific tasks. Later on, it uses this feedback to improve its performance.
If you're into this topic, we invite you to check our article dedicated to Machine Learning!
React.js, also referred to as React, is a JavaScript open-source, free library. Its leading use is for developing interfaces by assembling components into complete websites. While the library was a Facebook creation, the open-source community maintains it now.
A remarkable benefit of React is that you can use it as much or little as you wish! For instance, you can use a single React component on a single page. Yet, you can also build your whole site with it. We have a Guide to React if you want to dive deeper into the subject!
React for Businesses
According to PagePro's survey, React.js' use for businesses kept increasing. In this context, most tech teams starting a project chose React, Angular, and Vue solutions. Nonetheless, for both PagePro and StackOverflow, React held the highest level of developer satisfaction, with 74,5%. Another unique React-related poll revealed that React was the framework most devs aimed to learn in the short term, with 32%. Thus, studies predict that React devs can jump onto the market to fulfill demand gaps.
Specifically, when discussing React for businesses, over 50% of surveyed people believe the JavaScript library is taking the right direction. The reason for it encloses its extensibility, reusability, and maintenance. Another highlight lies in React components. These are key to increasing productivity while saving both time and money. And, along with the prior mentioned reusability, it's a fantastic tool for multivariate testing to provide better experiences. And while it's most used for B2C products, React also helps with B2B and partnership-focused products.
These days, Machine Learning, part of the Artificial Intelligence spectrum, is everywhere. From your phone's predictive text feature to Amazon's recommender system. And now, thanks to React, you can also use it for web development.
Machine Learning is one of the next frontiers in Computer Science. The leading reason is that it enables computers to learn without explicit programming. On its side, React has become one of the most popular tools for front-end developers. With React 18, it's possible to use React without any other libraries. This update makes it even easier to start with ML for browsers! It's safe to say this combination offers one of the most robust stacks in today's paradigm. So if you're interested in adding some smarts to your Web Apps, React is worth checking out.
Building Machine Learning Apps with React
As mentioned, ML is a powerful tool to improve React apps' functionality. With it, devs can add features like recommendations and automatic updates to apps. Plus, since it reduces the needed code, it's ideal for performance improvements. You can start by installing a Machine-Learning-dedicated Library to combine ML with React. These provide tools to ease the addition of machine-learning features to React apps.
Furthermore, you can even build Predictive Machine Learning sites with React! The most common example of this type is predicting whether a candidate will or will not be hired based on their credentials. The first step for Predictive ML with React is choosing the development environment. A go-to option for it is VSCode since it can write all the codes at this stage. Since we mentioned environments, you'll also need to download your Node.js OS version. After opening the terminal, install Reach with the npm i -g create-react-app command. Once the prior is ready, it's time to develop the Glass component. To do so, you'll need to create two files in the components directory: Glass.js and Glass.css. Are you excited yet? You can check parts one, two, and three here!
Benefits of Machine Learning with React
React has become one of the most popular front-end JavaScript libraries. It's declarative, efficient, and flexible, making it ideal for building user interfaces. Yet, the library is also well-suited for Machine Learning applications.
React's declarative syntax makes it easy to keep your code clean and maintainable. In fact, many of the principles that make React such a success also apply to Machine Learning. Devs can create sophisticated models without sacrificing performance or flexibility.
Machine Learning: React or Python?
Both React and Python are two of the most popular programming languages. Plus, they both suit well for Machine Learning projects. React has several features that make it well-suited for Machine Learning. Since it's declarative, it's easy to describe the desired output for ML algorithms. Plus, React can handle large amounts of data without slowing down.
In contrast, Python is a programming language itself. Since it's easy to learn, it's also a good choice for beginners. Yet, it also has many Machine Learning libraries available. Python's syntax is concise, making it straightforward to write Machine Learning algorithms. Yet, Python is not as fast as React, so it may not be the best choice for large-scale applications.
Machine Learning revolutionized entire sectors of the economy and daily lives. Yet, despite all the advances we've seen, it's still in its early stages, and its impact has yet to reach its potential. With techs as flexible and powerful as React, Machine Learning will have a deeper impact. While the merge can be pretty powerful, there are a few things to keep in mind:
The first highlight is that, as of today, Machine Learning is as good as the data it receives. Thus, it's vital to have high-quality data sets that are representative of the real world. Also, Machine Learning models can be very complex. In this context, in-depth knowledge is crucial before execution. Finally, ML is constantly evolving. Needless to say, it's fundamental to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements. In light of these factors, ML with React can help create dynamic applications. Plus, we've only seen its beginning! It seems to be no limits on what these can achieve together.
Join the broad list of A-list clients who trust our work. Meanwhile, you can check our work and ideas to know more about us. Let's shape the future together!
AI Development with React
What React Native Can Do For You
Ultimate Guide to React


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Buru people () is an ethnic group mostly living on Indonesian island Buru, as well as on some other Maluku Islands. They also call themselves Gebfuka or  Gebemliar, which literally means "people of the world" or "people of the land". Buru people are related to the eastern Indonesian anthropological group and from an ethnographic point of view are similar to other indigenous peoples of the island Buru. They speak the Buru language.

Distribution

About 33,000 of 35,000 Buru people live on the island of Buru; they make about a quarter of the island population (about 135,000 as of 2009) and are the most numerous ethnicity of Buru; about 2,000 live on Ambon Island and several hundred are scattered over other islands in the Indonesian province of Maluku and the capital Jakarta. There is a small Buru community in the Netherlands formed by the descendants of the soldiers of  Republic of South Moluccas () who moved there after the accession of this self-proclaimed state in Indonesia in 1950.

Buru people are evenly spread over Buru island, except for some parts of the northern coast and the central mountainous part which is sparsely populated. Their relative fraction is somewhat lower in the towns, such as Namrole and Namlea, owing to inflow of people of other Indonesian ethnicities. In the initial period of the Dutch colonization of the island in the middle of the 17th century, much of the tribal nobility of Buru was moved to the eastern part and later became one of the components in the ethnogenesis of ethnic Kayeli people. Several ethnic groups are distinguished within Buru people, which differ in lifestyle and language specifics – Rana (14,258 people mainly in the central part of the island), Masarete (about 9,600 people mainly in the south), Wae Sama (6,622 people mostly in the south-east) and Fogi (about 500 people in the west).

Language

The ethnic group speaks the Buru language, which belongs to the Central Maluku branch of the Malayo-Polynesian languages. Three dialects are distinguished according to the major ethnic groups of Rana, Masarete and Wae Sama. In addition, some 3,000–5,000 of Rana people along with their main dialect use the so-called "secret dialect" Ligahan. The western dialect Fogi is now extinct. Lexical differences between the dialects are relatively small: about 90% between Masarete and Wae Sama, 88% between Masarete and Rana and 80% between Wae Sama and Rana. Apart from native vernaculars, most Buru people, especially in the coastal regions and towns have command of the official language of the country, Indonesian. The coastal population also uses the Ambonese language, which is a creolized form of Malay with additions of the local lexicon.

Religion
Religiously, Buru people are divided into comparable fractions of Sunni Muslims, who mostly live in the north of the island, and Christians-Protestants in the south. Remnants of traditional local beliefs persist almost everywhere, and in the central areas of the island many openly profess the cult of the supreme deity Opo Hebe Snulat and his messenger Nabiat. The economical crisis of the 1990s resulted in frequent conflicts among Buru people over religious grounds. So within a few days in December 1999, 43 people were killed and at least 150 houses burned in the Wainibe village.

Lifestyle
Most Buru people are engaged in farming rice, millet, sago, sweet potato and various spice, such as allspice, nutmeg and Eucalyptus tree, which is used for aromatic oil. In the inland areas, they also hunt the wild pig Buru babirusa, deer and possum, and take part in tuna fishing on the coast. In the urban areas, the growing number of Buru people take jobs in the industrial enterprises. Traditional Buru houses are made from bamboo, often on stilts. The roofs are covered with palm leaves or reeds, with tiles becoming progressively popular. Traditional Buru clothing is similar that of many other Indonesia peoples. Men wear sarong (a kind of kilt) and a long-skirted tunic, and women are dressed in sarong and a shorter jacket. However, the colors and decor items differ quite substantially among Masarete, Wae Sama and Rana. Traditional Buru weapons are straight machete (parang) and a short spear. In the past, Buru hunters were famed for their spear throwing skills. Buru people, along with the Muslim or Christian names, also use traditional ones, the most common being Lesnussa, Latbual, Nurlatu, Lehalima, Wael and Sigmarlatu.

References

External links
A Buru – English Dictionary

Ethnic groups in Indonesia
Maluku Islands


Gardy finally figured out you don't bat an unproven rookie with a .150 batting average in the number 2 spot in your lineup. Harris is there today, which means he'll probably go 0-4 and ruin my argument. At least Punto is in the lineup, looking sharp with his .198 average. One head-first slide into first for a base hit today and he's topping 200. Go Team!
Heading up to Prescott camping (drinking) in a little bit, but thanks to FOX and they're "nationally" televised game of the week, couldn't watch the game regardless.So if any of you queers is bored feel free to shoot me text updates. Or just shoot me, that would be ok too.


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Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Close Regular Season against Ohio Christian University
PIPPA PASSES: The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles concluded the regular season by dropping a close 55-47 decision to the visiting Lady Trailblazers of Ohio Christian University, 55-47 Saturday night.
Before the contest, lone senior Megan Jones was honored for her outstanding contributions to the Lady Eagles program.
In the opening quarter, the hosts looked poised to run away with the game on senior night as they jumped out to an early 10-1 lead with 5:20 remaining after four different players connected from the field.
Ohio Christian settled down and began to slice into the lead, but ALC still led 14-9 after the first.
In the second stanza, the Eagles went cold, which permitted the Lady Trailblazers to inch closer. They knotted things up for the first time at 17-17 with 4:23 remaining, and used their momentum to outscore the Lady Eagles 21-10 in the quarter. At intermission, OCU led 30-24.
In the third quarter, Alice Lloyd tightened up the defensive screws and held Ohio Christian to just 6 points over the first 7:04. The hosts regained the lead at 37-36 on a bucket from junior guard Amber Shepherd, but watched the Lady Trailblazers close on a 7-3 run to take a 43-41 lead at the horn.
In the crucial final quarter, a Shepherd bucket with exactly 6:00 remaining had ALC trailing 47-45, but the Lady Eagles went stone cold, getting just two points the rest of the way, and the visitors were able to close out the win.
For ALC (12-17, 6-12 KIAC), Shepherd connected on 5-13 field goals (3-7 from deep) and 4-4 from the charity stripe, to lead the way with 17 points. Freshman India Hairston-James chipped in with 10 points and 3 assists. Jones, playing her last game at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center, connected on 3-6 field goals (2-3 three point buckets) for 8 points. She added 3 assists and 3 rebounds. Sophomore Taylor Arthur hauled down a game –high 12 rebounds and added 2 blocks.
Ohio Christian was led by Erinn Bailey with 17 points and 7 rebounds.
Click here to see photos from Senior Day!


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A Bit Of Hope River
New York Musical Festival Team
Disclosure Statement From The Producer
The premise of this prolific piece is in keeping with the Producer's mission to tell stories that: engage, inspire, uplift & heal.
Mississippi The Musical is a startlingly transparent societal examination and honest portrayal of a difficult, tragic & confrontational time in American history embroiled in the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement.
Consequently, some of the themes addressed during the play are understandably extremely sensitive, heartbreaking, & disturbing.
The plot will include: profanity, racist discrimination and inflammatory language, offensive dialogue, sexual themes involving abuse, incest, rape, molestation, biased statements regarding mental illness, sexual preference, & violent criminal acts.
The playwright's intent is to capture the mood, behaviors, thought processes & motives of a time long ago, not to celebrate them.
For this reason, the performances are recommended for audiences aged 17 & over.
We request for everyone that attends, to try to view the performance with an open mind.
As Mississippi The Musical continues its journey, the hope is that attendees will take the opportunity to complete the feedback form distributed with the program as candidly as possible.
Our hope is that each assessment of the performance will enable the playwright and production team to continue its pursuit in portraying this story with integrity and truth.
In the spirit of creative expression & freedom of speech, we thank you.
Noreen Crayton
Producing Artistic Director & Founder
Angelic Star Records Entertainment Unlimited
ANGELIC STAR RECORDS
to engage, inspire, uplift & heal
Mississippi Artwork by
© 2020 Mississippi The Musical


# follows the line above.
# This window displays limited party member stats horizontaly in the menu.
I hope you enjoy it this is the menu that will be in my game. however it may go through some changes by then.
quite nice....i don't know if i'd use it in my game (when i make one) but it's an option at least!
14 pixels is close to half the size of a regular tile in the RMXP Tileset, and it is almost the size of one tile in RPG Maker 2000 and 2003.
Small change to the commands text!


No experience is required and no special levels of fitness or ability are needed.
Lakes Challenge offer a bespoke service to orgnisations, businesses and health groups, using the great outdoors as a way of improving the physical and mental well-being of those in their charge.
- WALKING: It doesn't have to be a long walk, but our walks in the countryside open your eyes and ears to the natural world through the experience of our walking guides and the extra content they provide, One walk on it's own is valuable, but a short programme of walks has greater benefits, including a vastly increased likelihood of participants continuing to enjoy the benefits of walking in the countryside away from the programme.
- CONSERVATION WORK: Working with a conservation organisation, you can take part in a worthwhle project, learn new skills and get closer to nature.
- 24 HOURS: Our 24 Hours in the Wild programme offers participants the opportunity to really get away from it all for 24 hours - no phones, or i-pads. Building your own shelter to sleep under and fire to cook on, you'll be far enough away from civilisation to feel that you're in a special environment, and there's no doubt that at the end of the 24 hours, you'll see life and your colleagues a little differently.
- CREATIVE MEDIA: Everyone has a degree of creativity, and what better place to explore this than in the outdoors. Photography, sculpture, art and poetry all bring positive benefits in terms of well-being and can release strong emotions and reveal hidden talent.


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7 Unique, Budget & Downright Odd Euro Hostel Adventures
September 11, 2012 by K. Emily Bond
From IKEA "designer" hostels to concrete bunkers in Albania, European stopovers that are anything but conventional.
News surfaced earlier this summer that Inter Ikea, the company that owns IKEA's intellectual property rights, was segueing into the "budget design" hotel market. This will not be the first IKEA lodge, or even the company's first urbanized endeavor. In 2007, they opened an IKEA hostel in a Norwegian store; next year, the Swedes are assembling a self-contained neighborhood in East London.
The new hotel chain – expected to roll out 100 locations across the UK, the Netherlands and Poland – will not carry the blue and yellow logo, nor is it clear if Swedish meatballs with lingonberries will be on the menu. What is clear, however, is that the flatpacking giant is cashing in on what is the fastest growing segment in the European hotel industry: that of hip, budget design and "experiential" overnights for intrepid backpackers.
Book us on the Eurorail; here are a handful of wanderlust inducing locales, plus some bonus hindquarters right here in America.
La Villa Hampster in Nantes, France
At this Kafkaesque gîte, guests get to experience life from a rodent's point of view replete with suspended cages, ladders, woodchip-strewn flooring and the option of plushy hampster pjs.
Concrete Bunkers, Albania
Entrepreneurs Gyler Mydyti and Elian Stefa looked at Albania's 750,000 concrete bunkers and came up with a creative re-use project for the Communist-era ruins. Calling the idea a "future mode of Mediterranean tourism," the project offers budget accommodation in picturesque locations.
Hostel Celica in Ljubljana, Slovenia
After the Yugoslav army left in 1991, this former prison was transformed into an Art House hostel that eventually became, as Lonely Planet put it, the world's hippest hostel and Rough Guide's ultimate 25 places to stay…in the whole wide world.
Clink78 in London, England
You'd be hard-pressed to find a bargain like this in London, especially in a heritage landmark like this 200-year-old courthouse ten minutes walking distance from King's Cross station. The Clash were famously convicted here in the 70s.
Propeller Island City Lodge in Berlin, Germany
The brainchild of artist Lars Stroschen features a different theme in each room, including the flying bed room, the upside down room, padded room and the Nosferatu.
Dog Bark Inn in Cottonwood, Idaho
If hopping over the pond is not in your budget this season, save on the air miles and 'ruff it closer to home. Bed and Breakfast accommodation inside the world's biggest beagle. Bow. Wow.
Images: Click78; Reuters; Trend Hunter; Unusual Hotels of the World; House and Home; National Geographic
Tags: european vacations, hostels, strange hotels, unusual hotels
K. Emily Bond
K. Emily Bond is the Shelter Editor at EcoSalon and currently resides in southern Spain, reporting on trends in art, design, sustainable living and lifestyle.


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Walt Disney World's Newest Vacation Club Resort is Now Accepting Guest Reservations for December 2019
By Caitie Bear|2019-01-23T20:06:27-08:00January 23rd, 2019|Categories: Parks, Walt Disney World Resort|Tags: Disney Vacation Club, Get, Riviera, Walt Disney World|0 Comments
Get ready to pack your bags! Beginning today, Disney's all-new Riviera resort is accepting reservations for December 2019! This will be the newest resort to make it's home in Walt Disney World and the 15th Disney Vacation Club Resort!
Disney's Riviera Resort draws from Walt and Lillian's adventures through Europe. Walt loved their Mediterranean coastline travels and often would take inspiration from the arts and storytelling. Disney's Riviera Resort brings the elegance of a modern European retreat blended with a touch of old-world glamour and Disney charm to the Disney Vacation Club portfolio and Walt Disney World Resort.
With an elegant early-20th-century design, Disney's Riviera Resort will welcome guests with a palm tree-lined boulevard and a striking façade featuring grand archways, porticos, cascading water features, towers and terraces. Throughout the resort and inside the accommodations, a unique art collection will celebrate beloved Disney characters and icons with one-of-a-kind pieces influenced by the works of master artists who also found inspiration along the European Riviera.
Fast Facts about Disney's Riviera Resort
300 family-friendly vacation homes
Each charming, bright tower studio will include a private balcony with scenic views and seating for two, offering a more intimate setting.
Villas will also feature an en-suite luxury bathroom, including a freestanding soaking tub and walk-in shower, as well as a private porch or balcony and a laundry area with a washer and dryer
Topolino is the Italian word for Mickey Mouse, so the Disney's Riviera Resort will feature Topolino's Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera
Other dining options include Le Petit Café, an inviting lobby locale with fresh-brewed coffee aromas by day and a bustling wine bar by night.
Guests staying at Disney's Riviera Resort will also have the option to transport to Epcot or on to Disney's Hollywood Studios via Disney Skyliner, a state-of-the-art gondola system that will begin operating this fall. We can't wait to see how this changes the face of travel in Walt Disney World!
What do you think about the new resort? Will you be booking your stay soon? Let us know!
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As institute tackles pressing matters, critics say it ignores women's voices
BY RACHEL SILVERMAN, JTA
NEW YORK — When Avinoam Bar-Yosef decided to bring together the leaders of 15 major Jewish organizations, he focused on what should be discussed.
Bar-Yosef is director-general of the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, an Israel-based think-tank that was created by the Jewish Agency for Israel and engages in long-term strategic planning. Among other items on the agenda, he included Jewish identity, technology and demographic trends.
But now his attention has shifted from the agenda to the invite list — which is notable for its absence of women.
Arlene Kaufman, co-chair of the United Jewish Communities' Operation Promise and a member of UJC's executive committee, is a guest of honor, but wasn't asked to take part in brainstorming activities. Carole Solomon, chairwoman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, was invited but couldn't attend.
Critics say the imbalance speaks to gender issues that plague the Jewish world: Though women have a healthy presence in Jewish organizations, they're scarce in upper-echelon positions.
Shifra Bronznick, president of Advancing Women Professionals, a UJC offshoot organization, said the lack of women at the policy institute event has "generated enormous response" from philanthropists, volunteers and professional leaders.
Many of those activists have flooded Dennis Ross, the former Clinton administration official who has headed the institute since its inception in 2002, with a steady stream of e-mails. JTA phone calls to Ross seeking comment were not returned.
Deborah Lipstadt, who directs Emory University's Rabbi Donald Tam Institute for Jewish Studies, was one of those who wrote to Ross. She told JTA that gender bias is "a problem endemic to this institution," comparing the institute's strategic planning to "a bunch of frat boys sitting around and deciding what the future of the university will be."
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Even some taking part in the event, such as David Ellenson, president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, were troubled by the dearth of women.
"Given that the gathering is so important in terms of the high profile and renown of the participants, as well as the themes and purposes of such a gathering, the omission of women constitutes a glaring gap," Ellenson wrote to Ross. "How can matters of Jewish identity, relations with Israel, the influence of Islam, etc., be discussed when half the Jewish community is not represented?"
In a memo to the institute, Bronznick asked: "Given the extraordinary number of women who have assumed significant positions in every sector, every field, and every country, why is it so difficult for the Jewish community to identify women when it convenes leadership groups?"
Some argue that qualified female candidates are few and far between.
According to a new report conducted by Steven Cohen, a professor at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, women are underrepresented in top federation positions. The study was commissioned jointly by Bronznick's organization and the UJC's Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence.
No woman served as a federation executive in any of the 19 largest American cities in 2005, the study found. In fact, the number of women nationwide who occupied executive director positions in federations dropped 5 percent nationally from 2004 to 2005.
On the other hand, the report showed that women constituted 70 percent of the total federation workforce last year.
As Lipstadt put it, women often find themselves "doing the heavy lifting" in such organizations.
Terry Meyerhoff Rubenstein, chairwoman of UJC's Gender Equity and Organizational Effectiveness team, said women who try to ascend the Jewish organizational ladder face numerous hurdles.
She said nominating committees often are reluctant to recommend women for top roles, as they are often composed of older men who see women as being unable to take a hard line on issues. She also cited a lack of role models, job demands that make it difficult to balance work and family and skewed perceptions of female capability.
Bar-Yosef said the leaders invited to this week's two-day symposium merely reflect such trends.
"We try to bring the best, the most significant decision makers in the Jewish world to this meeting, and that's what we got," Bar-Yosef said, citing figures like David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, and Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League. "Women are not CEOs in those organizations we invited."
Bar-Yosef also said women have attended previous meetings held by the institute, and will be present in future discussions. But he noted that those events concerned Jewish thinkers, among whom there's no scarcity of women.
Bar-Yosef said the institute has extended a number of last-minute invitations to Jewish female professionals to "try to deal with gender balance."
"We had no intention to offend anybody or not to have gender equality," he explained. "Women are so crucial and important to the future of the Jewish people. Their input is really very important."
But feminist leaders said the olive branch was too little, too late.
Bronznick listed prominent women like Ruth Messinger, president of the American Jewish World Service and Morlie Levin, national executive director at Hadassah, whom she said should have been included from the start.
She also suggested that the institute change its criteria for inclusion, saying it ignored younger representatives from groups like Reboot, a nonprofit that supports creative Jewish initiatives, and Avodah, a service corps for Jewish youth.
"The Jewish community is so limited in its criteria for inclusion, and in doing so they're making their institutions irrelevant," Bronznick said. "You can't have creative initiatives designed by the usual suspects."
Lipstadt agreed.
"How can you do policy planning for the Jewish community when half of the community is excluded?" she asked. "How can these people plan for the future when they're so mired in the past?"
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"Where Are Your Ears?"
July 8, 2014 / mygeekblasphemy
With the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot on the horizon — well, next year — Mekaela and I made the possibly unwise decision to rewatch the original Fantastic Four.
It's so much worse than I remembered.
This review will contain SPOILERS. Not that there's all that much worth spoiling, honestly.
A group of scientists (or people related to scientists) gain super abilities after being exposed to cosmic radiation. The four good guys have to stop the one bad guy. That's about it.
1. This is not a good movie, and yet I'm grateful for it anyway. This is why.
Fantastic Four wasn't the first movie Chris Evans starred in (we also had Cellular and, of course, Not Another Teen Movie) but it was undoubtedly his big break. And he is, without doubt, the best part about the film. Johnny Storm is kind of an immature jackass, but Evans plays him with so much energy that it's hard not to like him at least a little. Johnny's joy with his newfound powers is awfully infectious, perhaps because everyone else on the team is such a gigantic mopeypants about their situation. (Okay. Ben, at least, has cause.)
2. Actually, Michael Chiklis isn't too bad in this movie, either.
I'm not real familiar with the source material — there were no Fantastic Four cartoons when I was a kid — but from what I can tell, Chiklis does a decent enough job as Ben Grimm/The Thing. In fact, my only real problem with The Thing is less about performance and more about costume — because even in 2005, this makeup was a little hard to take seriously. Now, it's nearly impossible.
3. But a dumb looking Thing suit could have easily been overlooked. Flat leads with no romantic chemistry, on the other hand, are harder to ignore, especially if you add an ill-conceived-not-love triangle with an overwrought villain into the mix.
Reed (Ioan Gruffudd) and Sue Storm (Jessica Alba) are so boring. Of course, Reed is supposed to be a mild-mannered scientist, but that shouldn't preclude him from having a personality, right? And Sue is just as dull — she simply has the added bonus of being incredibly annoying as well. I especially love that her power — and her power only — is directly related to her emotional state. Cause she's a WOMAN, see.
(Other examples of Sue's womanhood: she's the only one to have physical consequences — in this case, nosebleeds — from overexertion of her powers, she's the only one who goes down — and needs help getting picked back up — in the final fight, and of course there's the part where she's in a hospital bed surrounded by a sea of flowers after the initial accident, despite the fact that she really shouldn't be any more injured than Reed or Johnny. But hey, you know, girl parts make you weak.)
But back to Reed and Sue's whole relationship with one another — it's bullshit. Actually, everyone's relationship in this movie is bullshit. But let's start with these two.
Sue and Reed broke up a couple of years before the events in the movie, mostly because Reed didn't pay enough attention to her. (He was too busy with science, see.) And hey, she wasn't happy with the relationship, so she got out of it. Totally fine. But wanting your partner to pay attention to you and wanting your partner to be a different person are two entirely different things.
Why couldn't you be all brave and masculine for me, Reed? If you had just asked me to marry you, I bet I wouldn't even be invisible right now!
Essentially, Sue breaks up with Reed because she was tired of waiting for him to propose, as if it's never occurred to her that she could propose. You know, cause girls don't do that sort of thing, or at least they shouldn't have to, because a REAL MAN wouldn't be scared of a little thing like asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you. Sue also seems angry with Reed for not ogling her boobs long after they're separated, and later, when he tries to be a mature adult and tell Sue that he's happy for her and Victor, she whines, "That's all you can say?" Like she wanted him to to treat her like a stolen possession instead of an independent person. Like Sue expected Reed to come charging up two years later, punch Victor in the face, and declare, "That's my woman!" Because that's attractive. That's absolutely how I want men to act around me.
4. Of course, this is all complicated by the fact that Sue and Victor are apparently not actually dating.
Yeah. Everyone just seems to think they're dating, presumably because Sue is an attractive female who's reached a position of some authority, and how could she have attained that if she wasn't sleeping with her boss, right? Even Johnny, her own brother, seems to think they're going out, which tells me these two don't really talk all that much. (Or, at least, that Johnny doesn't stop talking long enough to listen to his sister, which seems accurate enough.) But we know that Sue and Victor aren't together because she explicitly tells Reed that there's nothing between her and Victor, and there never was.
Which makes Victor's marriage proposal at the beginning of the movie all the more strange.
Up on the space station, Victor begins to propose to Sue. Sue clearly isn't all that jazzed about it, just as Victor clearly isn't expecting to be turned down. And that didn't seem too weird to me because Victor's clearly an egomaniac, and I just figured their relationship wasn't all that serious, but . . . they're not even in a relationship? That's . . . odd. Like, outside of screwball romantic comedies, I generally expect there to be some kind of romantic understanding between two people when one of them has proposed matrimony. Instead, Victor seems to think, "Hey, I'm rich and attractive, and you've been dealing with my probable sexual harassment for two years. Time to tie the knot, right?"
Sue doesn't have to answer right away because, thankfully, a big cosmic storm gives everybody superpowers. But she never really acknowledges the proposal for the rest of the movie, like, she doesn't call Victor up and say no, actually, I've decided against marrying someone who's never even taken me out to the movies and is, also, kind of an asshole. The whole thing is just bizarre.
5. It also doesn't help that Victor von Doom is a pretty terrible villain.
I generally like Julian McMahon, but this is not one of his finer roles. His Dr. Doom is incredibly over the top, and not really in a fun, Raul Julia as M. Bison sort of way, more of a . . . John Travolta in Battlefield Earth kind of way. (Okay, he's not quite that bad, but you know what I mean? It's the rare kind of cheesy overacting that isn't actually that enjoyable. Like brie, you know? It has an unpleasant aftertaste.)
More importantly, nothing about Doom makes sense. Like, his motivation? It's dumb. Clearly, the guy was always an asshole, and that's fine. A little boring, but fine. Not all my villains have to be super complex. But there's still a leap you have to make from 'generically scummy guy' to 'cold-blooded murderer,' and Fantastic Four doesn't quite stick the landing for me. Like, okay, after the big fiasco, Doom loses control of his company, and I get why he's pissy about that. Also, Sue doesn't say yes to his proposal. (She doesn't say much of anything, as they never have an actual conversation about what happened, but Doom sees that she's staying at Reed's place while they try and figure out what's happened to them, so clearly that means Sue has decided to offer her precious fairy vagina to Reed.)
So, yeah. Basically, Doom blames Reed for stealing his girl and losing his company, and decides to kill him (and everyone else in the Fantastic Four) in a stupidly overcomplicated plan. Disregarding the casual leap he makes to outright murder, can we briefly go over this monumentally unnecessary plan?
Dr. Doom's Stupidly Overcomplicated and Monumentally Unnecessary Plan
Step One: Sell Ben a bunch of contrived and obviously trumped up bullshit about how Reed is so busy thinking about Sue that he doesn't give a shit about Ben's problems, which will in turn lead to Ben yelling at his good buddy of however many years, which will in turn make Reed feel so guilty that he'll hastily test out his Superpower Reverso Machine and seriously injure (though not kill) himself.
Step Two: Plant bugs all around Reed's lab so that he can overhear Reed realize what went wrong with the machine and how to fix it.
Step Three: Sucker Ben into believing that Reed fixed the machine himself and change Ben back to normal himself.
Step Four: Kill Ben while he's vulnerable, so that Ben cannot stop Doom from completing Step Five.
Step Five: Kill Reed.
Now, for your consideration . . .
A Better Way to Kill Reed
Step One: Just wait for Reed to finish working on the machine that he was already working on, kill Ben when he's vulnerable, and then kill Reed without needing to deal with any Machiavellian nonsense or late night diners.
Or even . . .
Another Way to Kill Reed
Step One: Wait for Reed to be alone at some point — because, seriously, it's not like he and Ben are conjoined at the hip — and then kill him, whether Ben is alive or not.
Isn't that so much easier?
6. In Doom's defense, I will say that he kind of gets a raw deal in this movie.
No one understands how hard it is, being a supervillain.
The people who take his company away from him are all freaked out about the Fantastic Four, even though the FF seem to be getting fantastic press. Like, everyone in NYC loves them. Personally, I don't really believe that everyone in the city would love them, but since everyone seems to, I'm not really sure why Doom loses his company in the first place. I'm pretty sure if Doom put two seconds of thought into this, he could come up with a PR plan that would enable him to keep control of his business.
Also, Doom kills his doctor. Not just for the fun of it, mind, but because Doc discovers that our chief antagonist was also affected by the radiation and decides that it's his responsibility to call the CDC on Doom's ass. Normally, that would seem like a perfectly adequate explanation for murder to me — well, for a supervillain, anyway — but the whole CDC threat seems strange, considering that everyone already knows about the Fantastic Four, and no one appears to be calling the CDC on them. I don't know. It's just weird.
7. Also, can I just ask . . . why aren't there any consequences for Reed's colossal fuckup on the space station? Like, okay, I guess it's supposed to be a freak accident that no one could have prevented, but . . . I'm not sure I entirely buy that, and for that matter, why didn't the shields work like they were supposed to? The movie makes a point to say that Reed is never wrong, but he seems pretty spectacularly wrong about this one. And even if he isn't, you'd think someone other than Doom might bring it up at some point, like, boy, you really screwed the pooch on this one.
8. Oh, but I completely forgot we were talking about bullshit relationships!
Before the accident, Ben is engaged to this woman named Andrea Debbie (Laurie Holden), who's great and awesome and perfect . . . except when she sees Ben's new appearance, which causes her to turn around and run screaming from him in her fucking nightie. (Seriously, I love that she just comes outside, in the middle of the night, in the middle of the city, in her nightie. Doesn't bother with a pair of PJ pants or nothing, because yup. That's totally something women do.) And admittedly, Ben could have handled this a little better, but you'd still think that — since this scary looking dude is still clearly Ben — she might not react like a werewolf just jumped out of the shadows and tried to take a giant chunk of flesh out of her or something.
But okay, I can see having a (spectacularly) bad reaction the first time around. What kills me is this — Debbie follows Ben all the way to the bridge, just in time to see his stunning display of superhuman heroism, only to silently drop her engagement ring and turn around? Seriously? Good to know you were a useless and rotten person even before you starred on The Walking Dead, buddy.
Of course, if you're feeling bad for Ben, don't bother — because he gets another beautiful cliche woman to love by the end of the film.
I love Kerry Washington, but really, you guys? We're doing Blind and the Beast? You know, I wasn't even a big fan of this trope years before when Dark Angel did it. Also, I don't personally know any blind people to ask — and it seems a little rude to strike up a conversation with someone at the bus station with a "Hey, you're blind, let me ask you a quick Q" — but I wonder if any visually impaired people are ever like, "You know what I don't do the very first time I meet someone? Caress their face with my hands. Nope, not even if they sound totally hot."
I don't know. Maybe it's something that's actually done, but it certainly feels like a giant whopping cliche to me.
9. You know, this movie got me to thinking about that scene in Into Darkness where a female character gratuitously strips down to her bra and undies, a scene which generated a whole lot of internet outrage. I'll admit, as a woman, the scene didn't particularly offend me — but I was reminded of it here because I think Fantastic Four has one with Jessica Alba that's even worse.
See, Sue gets all nekkid so that she can, er, more easily push through the crowd of people blocking her path on the bridge? Yeah, it is incredibly stupid. I don't even generally get particularly up in arms about gratuitous nudity (or semi-nudity, in this case), but come on, guys. You need to be able to come up with better justifications than this.
10. A quick note about Jessica Alba's appearance . . . I guess I can see the blonde hair for, like, iconic reasons, but I always though the choice to give her obviously fake blue eyes seemed strange. I get that Alba is a Latina actress playing a traditionally Caucasian character, but if they're trying to conceal her ethnicity — which they really don't need to do; it's a wild, biracial world out there — they're not very successful at it. And again, who even cares? You tell me she and Chris Evans are siblings, I'll go with it. If you need to, show me a picture of their parents, and I'll be like, okay, he favors Mom and she favors Dad, and seriously, that'll be the end of it. It's cool when siblings actually look like they could be related in movies, but come on — even if they do share the exact same ethnic background, how often do actors in movies really look like they're related to one another, anyway?
Mind you, as obviously fake as they are here, the blue contacts in this movie are nowhere near as terrible as they are in the sequel. Good God, it's so bad.
11. Basically, everything about this movie — saving Johnny Storm, of course — is pretty weak. The plot is weak. The relationships are weak. And man, is the final battle weak. It lasts, like, twenty seconds and is incredibly anticlimactic.
Also, Ben turns back into "The Thing," despite his desperation to be normal again . . . because of course he does. We knew this was coming — we've seen this storyline many, many times before. Except that it's kind of worse here for a couple of reasons — one, even his friends have been kind of shitty about Ben's new appearance. Putting aside Johnny's general lack of sensitivity, even Reed at one point is like, "I'm gonna make you Ben again." Ben, unfortunately, does not reply, "What the fuck are you talking about? I'm still totally Ben, you dick. I just want you to fix my face! And maybe my hands as well, so I can regain enough manual dexterity to use a phone again!"
Two — while Ben changing back into his Orange Superhero Form makes sense for the final battle, I don't really understand why he doesn't change back after they Han Solo Dr. Doom. I mean, I get the basic justification — I'm more useful this way, I've found my worth, blah blah. But one, Ben never seems to actually come to these realizations, much less say them out loud, and two, at this point, our team doesn't really have any reason to suspect more supervillains (or villainous space clouds) are on the way. I'm saying, just because we all know this arc of old doesn't mean that the movie doesn't have a responsibility to sell us on Ben's sudden, "Never mind, I love being the Thing!" philosophy switcheraoo, and the movie fails on that score completely.
Sue: "It's got to be the cloud! It's fundamentally altered our DNA."
Reed: "Now, let's not jump to conclusions. We need much more scientific evidence before we can say that."
Johnny: "Hey, guys." (He snaps his fingers a few times, lighting his finger on fire and extinguishing it again.) "Now picture that but everywhere. I mean . . . everywhere! What?"
Reed: ". . . the cloud has fundamentally altered our DNA."
Sue: "What are the risks?"
Reed: "Even a small miscalculation could increase our symptoms exponentially or perhaps even kill us."
Johnny: "Now dying — that's bad, right?"
Alicia: "You know, being different isn't always a bad thing."
Ben: "Trust me, this ain't one of those times."
Firefighter: "Who's the leader?"
Johnny: "That would be me."
Firefighter: "No, really."
Incredibly mediocre. I'd have forgotten about it years ago if it hadn't also done the great service of introducing Chris Evans into my life.
MVP:
Chris Evans. Like that even needs to be said at this point
TENTATIVE GRADE:
MORAL:
Don't listen to women who pretend they want to be treated like actual human beings. They're lying. We want you to treat us like property. Jealousy and possessiveness are both super hot.
Action!, Bechdel Fail, Bitchy Is Not The Same Thing As Strong, Chemistry? What's Chemistry?, Comic Book Movies, FORESHADOW, I Heart You Chris Evans, If I Can't Have You, Nosebleed of DOOM, Not Exactly Girl Power, Oh Look It's New York Again, One Woman In the Whole Movie Huh?, Origin Story, Scene Stealers, Siblings Unite!, Sidekicks Rock, Space is a Terrible Place, superheroes, This Ending Sucks, When Good Actors Go Bad, Yeah That's a Subtle Name Choice
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2 thoughts on ""Where Are Your Ears?""
Hercules Rockefeller
Based on this I can see why you can't get a man – well, being hideous doesn't help, but there aren't too many eunuchs out there and that's why you want.
Do you mean 'WHAT' you want? Also, this is probably the last troll comment I'm going to let you have on my blog, just so you know. Responding to shit like this is a waste of my time that could be better spent writing or reading or basically doing just about anything else. But thanks for stopping by.


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