text:
Even faster broadband for parts of Dubbo and Narromine
Even faster broadband for parts…
Residents in Narromine and parts of Dubbo are set to be among the next to benefit from access to ultrafast broadband, after NBN Co announced a sixth tranche of towns and suburbs across Australia that will become eligible to upgrade to NBN's Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said this will bring the total to 1.6 million premises of the 2 million target.
"This next stage will see another 200,000 premises eligible, including in the Parkes electorate, which will drive significant benefits to the community," Minister Fletcher said.
"NBN Co will now work with its construction and delivery partners to get premises in the Dubbo and Narromine region ready to upgrade to ultrafast speeds when they choose to do so.
"This represents a key part of NBN Co's $3.5 billion investment that will see 75 per cent of Australia's fixed line network able to access ultrafast broadband by 2023."
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton welcomed this investment which he said will better connect Dubbo and Narromine to the rest of the world.
"Households and businesses in Dubbo and Narromine will be able to access NBN Co's fastest internet plans of up to 1 gigabit per second, on demand by 2023," Mr Coulton said.
"This will create jobs in the community, ensure local businesses can access the speeds they need to thrive, and improve connectivity for families. It also has the potential to attract new businesses and professionals to the region by enabling them to take advantage of ultrafast broadband."
For more information on the NBN, go to www.nbnco.com.au
Categories: Featured, Media Releases 24 November, 2021
PreviousPrevious post:Walgett CWA to tackle tough times with tranquillity spaceNextNext post:Moree Plains Shire a hive of activity as local roads and infrastructure projects roll out


For added security and peace of mind, all of our goods are sent using the 'Signed For' Royal Mail service from the UK. When an order is fulfilled a reference number is added to the Webstore order as well as being sent directly to the email address given by the customer (make sure email address is correct or you'll receive zero correspondence!) with confirmation of shipping. This is not a tracking reference but will confirm when the package was received at the Post Office as well as when delivery has been attempted/ made. Once delivery has been successful the signature of the recipient will be visible to both you as a customer and the Webstore.
Remember: It is your responsibility to be in to take your item if it does not fit through your letterbox or make other arrangements.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are not in after a 2nd delivery attempt and the item is returned to us you will be charged a re delivery surcharge. It also cost us £12.00 for the order to be returned to us.
To return your product, you should mail catsinspace1970@gmail.com for further instructions from a webstore assistant.
You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund. Please see returns policy for information on what is and is not returnable.
Please note, you are responsible for providing a safe address for the reception of your goods. If you ask us to send a package to a multiple address, community hallway or public place of work, then it is your responsibility be there or to arrange a representative for the transfer and signature - with said person being vigilant at all times in anticipation of the arrival of the package, as well as receiving and signing for the goods.
If any package/s goes astray in this public location, maybe handed to an unofficial representative and the package is shown as successfully delivered through our global electronic correspondences, then the claim of loss is between you and the participating official carrier and, or the building management/community management of your place of business or residence.
We always advise, wherever possible for all merchandise to be delivered to a safe home address or neighbour as we cannot be held responsible for insecure 3rd party locations.


Mission: The Walsh Jesuit High School Foundation is established exclusively for the benefit of and to support and carry out the purposes of Walsh Jesuit High School to educate young men and women in the tradition of the Society of Jesus.
The Walsh Jesuit Foundation oversees the Walsh Jesuit High School Endowment. the Walsh Jesuit Endowment Fund exists to provide funding for the school in perpetuity. Each year a portion of the interest generated by the endowment is distributed to the annual operating budget to cover tuition assistance needs as well as restricted endowment allocations. The listing of these endowment funds can be found in the President's annual report.
Classmates, family members, and friends of Walsh Jesuit can make donations in any amount in memory of departed loved ones or in honor of living individuals. Unless otherwise designated to apply to a specific named endowment, these memorial and honor gifts are added to the general Walsh Jesuit High School Foundation financial aid.
The Walsh Jesuit Foundation is governed by a five (5) member board of directors: Chuck Abraham '75, Thomas Orr '70, Rich Bedell '70, Colleen Joyce and Karl Ertle.
Once the cumulative contributions reach $100,000.00 or more, it is considered an endowed scholarship. A corpus of $100,000 will provide $5,000 in tuition assistance to a deserving student.
For more information on Walsh Jesuit's Endowment Fund and Named Endowed Scholarships, please contact Bonnie Lass Wojno at 330-929-4205 ext. 166 or wojnob@walshjesuit.org.


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This week in gaming: Unleash the chaos of ScreamRide
By Will Fulton	 March 2, 2015
This week's new gaming releases offers up head-scratching puzzles, tense mysteries, and explosive thrills. The line between portable and living room games is also thinner than ever, with new titles like Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars and OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood all available both for consoles and handhelds, catering to a wide range of gamers. Like last week, some of this week's new games also hearken back to the 1990s, with Mario vs. Donkey Kong calling back to the classic Lemmings.
What will you be playing?
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
3DS/Wii U (March 5)
Guide an army of wind-up toy Marios safely to the exit of each level. Like lemmings of old, the toy characters are helpless to navigate on their own, walking in a straight line until obstacles dictates otherwise. Using the Wii U or 3DS touch screen you can draw lines between fixed points, creating platforms or walls to nudge the automata through the level to safety.
This is Nintendo's first cross-buy title, meaning that purchasing the game on either Wii U or 3DS will get you a download code for the other platform. Players can also create and share levels. Tip someone with stars you've earned if you like their level, which they can then use to purchase components for designing more creative levels.
Resident Evil Revelations 2: Episode 2
PS3/PS4/Vita/Windows/X360/XB1 (March 4)
Taking the chapter structure of the previous Revelations and spreading it out over a series of weeks, the classic survival horror of Resident Evil is now an episodic experience, encouraging fans to discuss each chapter's events while waiting for the next.
The mysteries run deeper in episode 2, as Claire, Moira, Barry, and Natalia must now reckon with this strange and dangerous island on which they find themselves trapped.
OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood
PS4/Vita (March 3)
Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Canabalt had a baby, and it's the 2D skater OlliOlli. Skate, grind, and jump your way through a series of fantastical levels while trying to rack up the highest score from tricks. This sequel adds larger, more complex levels, local multiplayer, and a wider range of tricks for you to pull off.
Although this entry is a PlayStation exclusive for the time being, the original OlliOlli will be coming to 3DS, Wii U, and Xbox One at some point in the next few months with Curve Digital developing the ports.
ScreamRide
X360/XB1 (March 3)
Elite: Dangerous developer Frontier Developments follows up with a very different, but no less compelling game with this spiritual successor to RollerCoaster Tycoon. Build massive, Rube Goldbergian amusement park rides from the ground up, solving engineering problems with a robust physics engine.
The real fun begins, though, when you want to bring those creations crashing down. Set that physics engine loose with rampant destruction, earning points for the amount of chaos and terror you can cause by creating cataclysmic structural failure.
What else is coming:
Helldivers (PS3, PS4, Vita/Mar. 3) — Magicka creator Arrowhead Games has created this top-down, twin stick co-op shooter, in which players must complete a series of objectives throughout a procedurally-generated open world.
White Night (Linux, Mac, PS4, Win, XB1/Mar. 3) — Set in the 1930s, this is a survival horror mystery with plenty of puzzles and a stark, black and white aesthetic.
Shiftlings (PS4, Win, XB1/Mar. 3) — Play solo or co-op in this colorful platformer about two dim-witted alien janitors on a quest to clean up the galaxy.
The best Android games available (January 2022)
Star Wars Eclipse is a new game being developed by Quantic Dream
The best games like Skyrim
The best zombie games of all time
From Splatterhouse to Resident Evil, horror games found the fun in fear

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Voinjama is a mid-size place in the region of Lofa in Liberia with a population of approximately 26,594 people and is one of the largest places in Liberia. Find all facts and information about Voinjama.
Voinjama is located in the region of Lofa and is also the regional capital of this region. The distance from Voinjama to Liberia's capital Monrovia (Monrovia) is approximately 262 km / 163 mi (as the crow flies).
Maybe also interesting: Distances from Voinjama to the largest places in Liberia.
Find your hotel in Voinjama now. Book a hotel for your stay in Voinjama.


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Summer Popsicle Series
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World-inspired easy recipes for the home cook. Explore. Learn. Eat.
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Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Learn more at FDA.gov.


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Schoolchildren among 19 killed in Lakki Marwat terror attack
Ghulam Mursalin MarwatPublished September 7, 2010
LAKKI MARWAT, Sept 6: A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into a police station here on Monday, killing 19 people and injuring 57.
Four schoolchildren, aged between nine and 10, a schoolteacher and nine policemen were among the dead in the early morning blast, police said.
(According to Reuters, Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack and warned the government not to use lashkar to fight the group.)
An official said the bomber detonated about 500 to 600 kilograms of explosives in a land behind the police station at around 7 am. The explosion destroyed or damaged adjoining buildings, shops and a mosque.
The official said that policemen were inside the building while local people, including schoolchildren, were passing by when the bomber struck. Several policemen were trapped in the debris.
A rescue operation was launched to pull out the dead and the injured from the debris. The bodies of nine policemen were retrieved from the wreckage.
DCO Muhammad Ayaz Mandokhel, DPO Gul Wali Khan and SSP Investigation Qayyum Jan Marwat supervised the rescue work.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told reporters that 19 people had been killed in the bombing.
"The militants are taking advantage of the flood situation. They know that we are busy in relief and rescue work," Mr Hussain said. "We are not going to lower our guard. We need a relentless, comprehensive and effective strategy to chase and hunt them down in their tribal sanctuary. These terrorists can no longer deceive the people in the name of Islam," said Mr Hussain whose only son was killed recently by terrorists outside his home in Pabbi area.
Government officials insist that while back of militancy has been broken, the scourge is yet to be eradicated."It will take years," said a security official. "We will have to live with these attacks for quite some time."
A security official claimed that the bombing was in retaliation for a raid to capture the mastermind of Shah Hassankhel suicide bombing last year. The mastermind, Sanadullah, alias Sanad, blew himself up when security forces raided his house.
In January a suicide bomber killed 99 people when he drove an explosives-laden car into a crowd of men, women and children watching a volleyball match in Shah Hasan Khan village. Agencies add:
There were some 45 policemen inside the building when the bomber struck the building.
Doctor Ghulam Ali, medical superintendent of Lakki Marwat's main hospital, said that 17 bodies and 45 wounded had been brought to his hospital, which was also damaged in the blast.
"Three schoolboys and a girl waiting for their school van also died in the bombing," district police chief Gul Wali Khan said.
The information minister said that terrorists were regrouping and they needed to be hit hard.
"We are standing on a powder keg and if an effective action is not taken, it will be a failure of the government," the minister said.
"It goes to show that the terrorists have no creed except bloodshed and chaos, and are desperately carrying out their agenda regardless of the precarious conditions," Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani told a meeting of provincial officials.
Daily Covid cases top 5,000 after eight months
ECP declassifies key documents in PTI foreign funding case


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Moldova's president rejects court move to strip his powers
Moldovan President Igor Dodon shakes hands with his Russian counterpart -
Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS
Moldova's president has defied the country's consitutional court by rejecting its decision to temporarily strip him of his powers.
It comes after Igor Dodon blocked the pro-Western government's choice of new ministers in a reshuffle.
He'd accused them of incompetence and some of having links to a billion euro corruption scandal.
In a Facebook post, Dodon said "As for my position, I decided not to give in. It's better that than to spend years explaining why some or other of the compromised ministers were appointed to the post." Outside the court the president's chief councillor Maxim Lebedinschi said the move against the president had been entirely "politically motivated" and orchestrated by an "unconstitutional body."
Moldova\'s Constitutional Court moved to susped the president
Some members of the ruling coalition, however, have accused the president of creating a crisis for purely personal reasons.
Democratic Party member Sergiu Sarbu said: "The court is here to resolve problems between the state powers. We need a functional and stable government. This blockage has been caused by the president's unfair rejections."
It's the latest in a series of spats between Dodon and the government of prime minister Pavel Filip which favors closer ties with the EU and the United States.
Moldova's leaders step up east-west tug of war
Moldova's Igor Dodon sworn-in as president
Erdoğan has dismissed the governor of Turkey's central bank
Cabinet reshuffle


Why do we need to collect your data and how will it be used?
To communicate and share information in regards to individual packages of support; the coordination of activities, groups and events and community services.
We collect your personal data with explicit consent from you. Schools and partner agencies may share personal data with us on your behalf, again only with your explicit consent.
We will share your information with third party organisations in order to better support you, your family or your organisation. All information will be shared only with your explicit consent. The only exception to this would be in relation to a safeguarding/ child protection concern.


C'est la rentrée! And the Association is back in a full speed.
Bruges Closing Ceremony & welcome of the Simone VEIL Promotion to the Alumni community!
Fake news and the European Parliament elections: Be prepared!


What could be better than a Caterham Seven 250 R? How about a Caterham Seven designed by their own racing driver, Kamui Kobayashi. The special edition Seven will be limited to 10 examples and is exclusive to Japan and will feature a number of performance tweaks chosen by Kobayashi including carbon fiber interior trim, carbon fiber front wing and rear protectors, and 13-inch diamond cut black wheels. Power comes from a 1.6L Ford Sigma engine gets the Seven from 0-60 in 5.9 seconds and tops out a 112 mph.
A beautiful tribute to Colin Chapman's iconic roadster.
When it comes to cars, the British know how to have all the fun.


Wood deck tiles (interlocking tiles) are creative building materials generated from traditional floor tiles. Each wood deck tile has a plastic base under solid wood (fir wood or acacia wood), quick install by a simple click clack action. No tools, no adhesive, no skills needed.
Wood deck tile is convenient DIY tiles. Anti-slip, weather resistant, durable and stable, low maintenance, wood deck tiles floor are ideal choice for exterior like garden, porch, hotel, balcony, rooftops, gazebo, etc.


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Western Sydney Wanderers Red and Black Bloc fans banned from stand for flares lit in derby
By Andrew Griffits
Updated February 27, 2018 14:50:34
Video: Western Sydney Wanders fans set off flares during Sydney derby (ABC News)
Related Story: Wanderers threaten to shut down the Red and Black Bloc
Related Story: Wanderers fined, given suspended A-League points deduction over crowd trouble
Related Story: Wanderers apologise to Arnold over banner
Map: Sydney 2000
The Western Sydney Wanderers will close the Red and Black Bloc (RBB) supporter area for one game, after fans lit flares during the Sydney derby.
The flares were set off in the visiting supporters area during the clash between Sydney FC and the Wanderers at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday.
In July last year, Wanderers chief executive John Tsatsimas threatened to close the club's active support area "for an indefinite period" if RBB members lit flares.
Today, Mr Tsatsimas made good on that threat.
Photo: The Wanderers' core supporter group the Red and Black Bloc have been disciplined before for bad behaviour in the stadiums. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
He has notified club members the active support area, which is usually put aside for the vocal home ground fans, will be closed for the match against Perth Glory at Homebush on Sunday.
"Unfortunately a small group have made this action unavoidable," Mr Tsatsimas said.
"The Western Sydney Wanderers maintains its position that it will not accept offensive behaviour being displayed at its matches and also will not accept the illegal use of incendiary devices."
However, RBB members will not be banned from attended the match.
"Members who normally attend in the Active Area will be subjected to alternative seating arrangements."
The supporters' area will be reopened for the club's following match against the Wellington Phoenix.
Flare investigation continues
Photo: Western Sydney Wanderers fans set off flares during Sunday's game versus the Sydney FC. (Supplied: Alex Wain)
Five fans were charged with assaulting police, resisting arrest and offensive behaviour after the Sydney derby on Sunday.
Today, the Football Federation Australia issued Wanderers with a show cause notice over the flares.
The western Sydney club has until Thursday to respond.
In a statement, A-League head Greg O'Rourke said he was working closely with the Wanderers.
"We will continue to work with all our clubs, venues, security and the police authorities to maintain a safe and secure environment for the vast majority of football fans who attend matches and support their team in a peaceful and good natured way week in and week out," he said.
Mr Tsatsimas said an investigation into those directly responsible for lighting the flares was continuing.
It is not the first time the club has had problems with its fans' behaviour.
In 2016, the FFA fined the club $50,000 and imposed a suspended deduction of three A-League points, after finding the club guilty of bringing the game into disrepute.
Wanderers were fined $20,000 last year after fans displayed an offensive banner, depicting Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold performing a sex act.
Topics: soccer, sport, sydney-2000, centennial-park-2021
First posted February 27, 2018 14:45:29
More stories from New South Wales


With this product, you earn 584 BonPoints. Find more about this!
This Bonsoni 2 Door/2 Drawer Distressed White Metal Finish New York Loft Cabinet by Protege Homeware is Making a bold statement in your living area, the New York Loft cabinet will help you keep an organised and tidy room. Featuring two glass doors, two drawers and an open shelf, the cabinet has plenty of space for storing and displaying your household items. Made using robust metal, the cabinet is given a white distressed finish for an industrial feel. Use the top of the cabinet to display your favourite ornaments, plants, lamps, photos and flowers giving your home a personal touch. Ideal for use in your living area, the two door and two drawer cabinet will make a striking feature, while helping you to keep an organised and tidy home.
Making a bold statement in your living area, the New York Loft cabinet will help you keep an organised and tidy room.
Featuring two glass doors, two drawers and an open shelf, the cabinet has plenty of space for storing and displaying your household items.
Made using robust metal, the cabinet is given a white distressed finish for an industrial feel.
This Bonsoni 2 Door/2 Drawer Distressed White Metal Finish New York Loft Cabinet by Protege Homeware is part of our homeware range and we pride ourselves on offering this item code of PH33X2403650, which is one of the most sought after on our Storage Cabinets comprehensive ranges of housewares and home living products in the industry today. This item is under Storage Cabinets and we ensure that as our range continues to develop our emphasis is always on contemporary design at competitive prices like this one. We are known to offer the best price without compromising the quality of the items nationally and internationally. The ID Code of this New York Loft Cabinet,2 Door/2 Drawer,Distressed White Metal Finish is 0754680626424. We have thousand more items in our Homeware category where you can browse more Storage Cabinets like this as well.


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Q: Enabling / Disabling tasks in Task Scheduler using a Powershell script I am trying to disable a task in the Windows task scheduler using PowerShell.
How can I do this?
$tasks = & SCHTASKS /Query /V /FO CSV | ConvertFrom-Csv
$task = $tasks | ? { $_.TaskName -eq "E:\MyDir\test.bat" }
& SCHTASKS /Change /DISABLE /TN "$Task.TaskName"

This error is the result:

ERROR: The specified task name ".TaskName" does not exist in the system.

A: "$($task.Taskname)" should work.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Honor V40 to Come With Google Mobile Services: Report
January 20, 2021 The State 0 Comments Google, google mobile services, honor, honor v40 expected specifications google mobile services huawei honor v40, honor v40 specifications, Huawei, Mobile, Report, services
Honor is said to be working on smartphones that will come with Google Mobile Services (GMS). A report by a Russian publication has said that these phones could be launched in the Spring season that starts in March. Another Russian media outlet claims that the Honor V40 will be the first phone from the newly independent brand — which was earlier a sub-brand of Huawei — to launch with GMS. The report also says that securing a partnership with Google is the reason behind the multiple delays in launching the Honor V40. Meanwhile, more specifications of the Honor V40 have been leaked ahead of its launch in China, which is now scheduled for January 22.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Russian publication Kommersant reports that Honor is working on some smartphones that will come with GMS. One of the sources said that these phones will not have the Huawei AppGallery store and will launch in the Spring season that starts in March. While Kommersant did not reveal the name of any smartphone, another Russian publication Mobiltelefon has claimed that the Honor V40, expected to be known as Honor View 40 globally, will launch with Google services. The report also says that Honor rescheduled the phone's launch from December to January in order to secure a partnership with Google following its separation from Huawei.
Huawei sold the Honor smartphone brand in November in an effort to rescue its struggling business from sanctions imposed by the US in the wake of allegations of threat to the security of the country. As per the sanctions, US companies like Google have been banned from doing business with Huawei.
Meanwhile, known tipster Digital Chat Station has leaked some specifications of the Honor V40. The tipster says that the phone will have a dual hole-punch camera cutout housing a 16-megapixel camera alongside a 3D ToF sensor. The phone is also said to feature a display that supports 100 percent P3 colour gamut, in addition to stereo loudspeakers and a set of two linear vibration motors. Furthermore, the phone is claimed to house a 4,000mAh battery with 50W wireless charging support. Honor V40 prices have already leaked online. The 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant of Honor V40 could be priced at CNY 3,999 (roughly Rs. 45,000), as per an inventory listing by a smartphone vendor, spotted by a Chinese publication.
What will be the most exciting tech launch of 2021? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.
← Mi 11, Mi 11 Lite Indian Models' Specifications Leak Online
Dream Kardashian, 4, Wears Dad Rob's Childhood T-Shirt With His Name On It: Sweet New Pic →
OnePlus 8, 8 Pro to be launched today with new earphones and wireless charger
April 14, 2020 April 14, 2020 The State 0
If your budget is Rs 6,000, then these three smartphones can become your choice
February 29, 2020 February 29, 2020 The State 0
How to Port Your Existing Mobile Number to Airtel
December 20, 2020 The State 0


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Q: SetTimeOut for script and inline script There is a map from 2gis that first loads an external script, and then the map widget is loaded in the inline script (if I understand everything correctly). Need to delay loading the script and run inline script only after loading the main script.

I have already tried different options, including the one below, but an error occurs in the closing </script> tag.

window.addEventListener('load', function() {
  setTimeout(function() {
    elem = document.createElement('script');
    elem.src = 'https://widgets.2gis.com/js/DGWidgetLoader.js';
    elem.onload = function() {
      document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('scroll'))
    }
    document.body.appendChild(elem);
  }, 2000);
}, false);

window.addEventListener('load', function() {
  setTimeout(function() {
    jQuery("#2gismaps").append('');
  }, 3000);
}, false);

A: You don't have to output JavaScript in the HTML to run it. You can run your JavaScript in the onload handler after the script has loaded. The onload method gives you control to execute something exactly after it has finished loading.
window.addEventListener('load', function() {
  let script = document.createElement('script');
  script.src = 'https://widgets.2gis.com/js/DGWidgetLoader.js';
  script.onload = function() {
    // The script has now loaded, so you can call the DGWidgetLoader loader.
    new DGWidgetLoader({
      "width":640,
      "height":600,
      "borderColor":"#a3a3a3",
      "pos": {
        "lat":52.291708811505536,
        "lon":104.33831691741945,
        "zoom":16
      },
      "opt": {
        "city":"irkutsk"
      },
      "org": [
        {
          "id":"1548640653330917"
        }
      ]
    });
  }
  document.body.appendChild(script);
}, false);


When I was young my father owned his own Mobile Home Business in Bay City MI. He was quite successful for a while as I have some very memorable childhood Christmases. My dad was more of a doer for the good than what might be called a shrewd business man. He was a man of principle first, but got into some financial trouble and some ill advised business advise and along with the soaring interest rates of the late 70's and early 80's was more than the business could stand.
I can remember being extremely proud of my dad and working for him through my teenage years. I was always proud to work for him and his company - Kregel Mobile Homes. I have often thought if he had made it through those tough years that I would have enjoyed very much taking over the family business and I often wonder how different my life would be had he made it though. He always wanted me to go to college, get a degree and be successful in life.
This leads me to my decision to start my own "gig". I have tried a few different things that fizzled out because I didn't analyze the situation but just wanted to do something, I have this internal calling and need to do my own thing. Since I have 30 years of printing experience I tried to think of a need in the print market for the North GA/Chattanooga area, something that I personally saw and something that I knew could help printers, print buyers and designers. The thought that came to me was a Print Buyer Advocate. Being on the front lines of the print world, I saw a lot of files being submitted to printers that were submitted as print ready but were no where near print ready. I saw files that were full of random PANTONE colors and I knew the designer did not understand what PANTONE colors meant to the printer. I saw printers trying to explain to their customers what was going on, some of the printers were afraid to talk to their clients about the files thinking the customer would pull the job. I never understood this thought process but it has lead me to selling my services to the designers and print buyers as their advocate. Print Buyer Attorney, if you will.
I am offering to the Print Buyers and Designers in the Print Market my 30 years of experience in the print world.
Are you a Print Buyer? A Designer? Do you need help with buying print? Do you understand icc color profiles? The difference between litho printing, digital print, or screen printing? Color spaces? This is only the tip of the iceberg of all the variables in the print world that can and will affect how your pieces get printed. I can help you build your files for the best fit on material, for mailings, for proper color and for best print specifications that will best fit your needs as the print buyer or make you the Designer that printers prefer.
My vision is to provide such a service that will benefit myself, the printer, the designers, the print buyers and effectively the market as a whole.
I am a capitalist at heart, I love America and I still believe in the American Dream!
Contact me if you are in need of a printing friend.


MOSCOW— Jan 02, 2019—Search crews have pulled more bodies from a huge pile of rubble at a collapsed Russian apartment building, bringing the known death toll to 19.
The bodies found on Wednesday in Magnitogorsk included a 3-year-old girl, Russian news agencies cited the emergencies ministry as saying.
An 11-month-old boy who was pulled alive from the wreckage on Tuesday nearly 36 hours after the building collapsed was in serious but stable condition in a children's hospital in Moscow.
Continue reading MOSCOW | Death toll in Russian apartment collapse reaches 19 at STL.News.


text:
Angela Bishop Says She Would Never Interview Chris Brown
With 30 years in the entertainment industry, Studio 10's Angela Bishop has certainly interviewed her fair share of celebrities.
But it turns out that there's one celebrity that she refuses to speak with.
Tonight on #10NewsFirst the Queen hands out Maundy Money at Windsor Castle while members of the media get restless as the wait for #BabySussex continues. And we reveal the surprise candidate for Godmother!
A post shared by Angela Bishop (@angelabishop10) on Apr 18, 2019 at 10:34pm PDT
Angela joined the Kyle and Jackie O show this morning to chat about her years in the biz when she revealed the one celebrity that she won't interview.
"Is there anyone you wouldn't interview again because you didn't like them as a person?" Jackie asked this morning.
Angela thought about it before revealing that she wouldn't be keen to chat with Chris Brown anytime soon.
"I probably wouldn't leap to interview Chris Brown," she admitted.
"As in, not beautiful Dr Chris Brown. I love him. But you know the one that I mean."
Chris Brown continues to be a controversial name in the entertainment industry due to his violent past with ex-girlfriend Rihanna.
Jackie asked whether this was the reason why Angela didn't want to interview him and she said that she didn't feel like Chris really owned up to what he had done.
"Was it something he personally did or what he's known to have done to Rihanna?" Jackie asked.
"Yeah, I'm disappointed he hasn't owned that more," Angela continued.
"I think to move forward with his career we need to hear a bit more repentance."
In 2009, singer Chris Brown was convicted of assault against his girlfriend at the time, Rihanna, and was sentenced to five years probation.
In 2015, Chris Brown was forced to cancel his tour in Australia after being denied entry based on his history of domestic violence.
More: Justin bieber faces backlash after defending chris brown on instagram
Kelly Rowland Pours Water Over Guy Sebastian On The Voice
Jules Sebastian's Response To Jackie & Guy Affair Rumour
Sophie Monk Tells Us About Holidaying In The Maldives
Psychic Georgina Walker Confirms Spirits Jump Onto Your Body


We are dedicated to providing quality work at a fair and affordable price. We value customer service and perform client services as if it were our own lawn.
Needed 8 Leyland Cypress stumps (trees were 20 years old) removed. 4 of which were located in a very narrow and difficult area to reach.
These gentleman were great! Response time was quick and they efficiently removed and cleaned up in less than an hour. Four of the stumps were located in an area difficult to reach but all were removed completely. Felt that thieir pricing was fair and reasonable. Would definitely recommend. A+.
Stump removed and area roots ground out.
This company was outstanding. Easy to work with, 100% reliable and did a great job! I asked for an estimate and had a few items in the way of the machinery. I removed the fence and shed, which were blocking the path, and they returned promptly and took out the stump. They did great work and the process was easy...payment was easy...and did I mention they were reliable. I don't know why all companies can't be more like Ness. Great work guys!
Overgrown Backyards. Kudzu Removal. Lot Clearing.


My movies are ~356 MB, and the gain reference is ~55 MB. I've never had to do this before, so forgive me if this is a silly question.
If these mrc files can be read by other programs, this probably means that your MRC is in a format cannot be read by the released version of cisTEM (e.g. it is 4-bit). To check this, you could run header from imod on the file and see what it reports, if yout paste the result here, I should be able to tell you the problem / a way of converting it.
The released version of cisTEM does not read 4-bit files (the next relase will). You could try using the imod program mrcbyte to convert it to 8-bit, and hopefully that can be imported to cisTEM. I would try it on a single movie first to double check.
As per your suggestion, I ran mrc byte on one of my files using all default settings.
Is there a way to tell if this will impact the resolution of my final reconstruction? I was able to upload the _byte.mrc converted file successfully in cisTEM in a test database.
My resulting files are outlined below.
In theory it shouldn't affect your resolution at all, as 8-bit contains more information than 4-bit. The only weird thing is that the max and min value changed. Do the images look the same when displayed in say imod?
When I look at the original .mrc image vs the converted _byte.mrc image, they appear identical in imod. When I look at the image information, they have identical center coordiantes, offsets, and image size (3710x3838).
Could the difference in the min and max be a result of scaling? Thanks for all your help in this process!
Yes it will be because of scaling. If the look identical, it is likely fine to use them.


This is a placeholder page for Corina Milton, which means this person is not currently on this site. We do suggest using the tools below to find Corina Milton.
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Cold aisle containment increases cooling efficiency, reduces power consumption by preventing different air temperature zones from being mixed together in a data centre.
This entry was posted in Ancillary, Containment & Caging, Cooling & Efficiency Solutions, Data Centre, Data ICT, Product, Steel Enclosures and tagged Australian Made, Cold Aisle, Color Black on January 14, 2015 by Simon.
A range of products including blanking panels and brush strips to support management of data centre cooling efficiency.
This entry was posted in Ancillary, Cooling & Efficiency Solutions, Data Centre, Data ICT, Product on January 11, 2015 by Simon.


(Digression: I have never got round to keeping track of traffic to this website, but I suspect it has spiked recently, given my association with a new author whose romantic fiction trilogy has recently gone supernova in the USA with no advertising or input of any sort from PR people. Want some hot gossip and insight? You've come to the wrong place – this is my soapbox, and she has her own. In the manner of a crotchety professor whose lecture hall is full of the curious hoping to catch a glimpse of a celebrity student, I am now going to sit here and wait, drumming my fingers on the table, until all the rubberneckers have left.
For the first series of this long-running show I came to a script meeting where there were three people sitting round the table – two producers and the script editor. We had a laugh and kicked ideas around and I was allowed to be a bit subversive in my script and the series was a hit.
By Series Five I walked into a meeting room to find fourteen people round the table. Those first two producers had become Executive Producers and moved upstairs. In their place was the line producer they had hired, plus the show's in-house script editor. The other dozen were from the network: the Head of Drama was there, plus her assistants, plus her deputy, plus her deputy's assistant, plus the Drama Department script editors – they had two, plus two trainees. Does all that make fourteen? Possibly some passerby had wandered in off the street – it would have been hard to tell.
In the course of the meeting the script editors tried to impress their bosses with their insights, the trainees tried to look smart and useful, the Deputy Head of Drama tried to be assertive because her boss was here, and the Head of Drama was contradicting everything the deputy said, presumably to show us all who was in charge. And of course the ammunition they were using in this pecking party was the script I had been working on for months.
Inevitably, among fifteen people not everyone will agree. In those circumstances any lines or any exchange that are in any way controversial or cause the discussion to drag on are simply cut, because everybody is on a schedule, and there are two more scripts to fillet after this one. The inevitable result of all this is a dull, lifeless screenplay that has the audience wondering what happened to that sparky unpredictable show they used to enjoy, and is there anything else on?
Writers who work to order on TV shows or movies are often paid well, but sometimes I think only half of that is for their talent – the other half is for the amount of crap they have to put up with*.
*Minus a small percentage for knowing not to end a sentence with a preposition.
**Well done to those movie buffs who know where I sourced the title of this blog instalment. Answer next time I post.
This entry is filed under War Stories.


Be alerted when White Denim - D (Vinyl LP) is back in stock.
A notification will be sent to when the White Denim - D (Vinyl LP) is back in stock.
Austin, Texas is largely known as being home to one of the most organic and celebrated music communities in the world and White Denim, the four-piece rock outfit hailing from this musical hotbed, has helped to establish that reputation over the past five years.
With years of touring and press recognition from outlets such as the New York Times, Pitchfork, Filter, Spin, Rolling Stone and more behind them, the band stepped into the studio in 2010 to re-envision how they see a hard rock band sounding, making songs that draw inspiration from across the board from Patto and Lee Hazelwood to Little Feat and Dukes of Stratosphear.
The end result lends itself to a softer sound crafted for their upcoming studio album, D, slated for release in North America on Downtown Records. Recorded over three weeks at a studio on Lake Travis in Austin and self-produced, D stands on White Denim's combination psych/punk rock sound backed by frenetic and meandering guitar riffs and live-to-tape percussion. As this marks the band's fourth studio album, they chose the fourth letter of the alphabet, D, to represent what is truly their finest and most versatile work to date.


text:
Working toward change
Mail processing has come a long way
July 13, 2021 at 9 a.m.
Letter sorting machines became more widespread in the early 1970s.
When Musette Henley started working at the Chicago Post Office as a mail sorter in 1961, she and her co-workers had no say over their work schedules.
"[We] had to check the board every day to see if you worked the next day. We would not know … what day we would be scheduled," said Henley, who is now a customer relations coordinator for the Postal Service in Chicago.
Henley is one of 25 employees who participated in the USPS 50th Anniversary Oral History Project, which the organization recently conducted to mark its transition from the Post Office Department to an independent federal agency on July 1, 1971.
The law that made the transition possible also allowed employees to bargain collectively, which led to dramatic changes in pay and significant improvements in working conditions.
"A lot of strides from the union … were made," said Yolanda Soto, a Los Angeles mail processing clerk who was 17 when she joined the Post Office Department in 1969.
"Because before [the transition] … we were only guaranteed two hours' work. If there was no work, you could be sent home. After [the transition] … they said that they have to guarantee you eight hours' work, which I think was a big achievement," she said.
The reorganization also coincided with the change from manual mail handling to mechanized sorting, which began in what would be the final years of the Post Office Department in the late 1960s.
"Everything was manual back in those days. You'd just sit down and sort and sort and sort. … You'd punch in, you'd get a green card, and they would assign you where to go, and if you had to leave, the card got moved," said Robert J. Lombardo, who started working in the Framingham, MA, Post Office in 1967.
But much like Aquarius, the age of mechanized mail processing equipment was dawning.
"My brother worked the LSMs [letter sorting machines] in Boston. Out here [in Framingham], we were still, you know, in the dark ages — canceling — but they put in a couple of machines called Ziptronics. They were long machines, 100 separations. And you'd need a three-man crew to work these machines, two sorting and one loading ledges," Lombardo said.
Joshua Dial, who began working at the Post Office in Charlotte, NC, in 1969, said the new machines immediately boosted productivity.
"On the LSM, there were 12 key-in consoles. We used little piano-style keyboards, to key-in mail codes to sort the mail. And we were trained to key that mail at one piece per second, 60 a minute. That meant with all things being perfect, one person could key 3,600 pieces of mail an hour. That was quite significant — all things being perfect. But then, of course there was a high error rate, there were machine malfunctions, and that cut into productivity," he said.
The mechanization of the 1970s would lead to the automation of the 1980s, with machines equipped with optical character readers that could "read" address information.
"Now, there's more technology, more machines," said Patricia Everett, an Indianapolis mail processing clerk who joined USPS in 1971.
"Back then we didn't have all the DBSs [delivery barcode sorters, for sorting letters] and all the machines back then, it was more just like hand. … Now modern technology separates everything and helps everything. It's completely … different worlds."
This is the second of four articles spotlighting "Fifty Years of Service to the Nation: Highlights From the USPS 50th Anniversary Oral History Project." Share your feedback at link@usps.gov.
Musette Henley, a Chicago customer relations coordinator, joined the Post Office Department as a mail sorter in 1961.
Yolanda Soto, a Los Angeles mail processing clerk, was 17 when she joined the Post Office Department in 1969.
Robert J. Lombardo, a mail processing clerk in Framingham, MA, began his postal career in 1967.
Joshua Dial, a Charlotte, NC, learning, development and diversity specialist, became a postal employee in 1969.
Patricia Everett, a postal worker since 1971, is a mail processing clerk in Indianapolis.
Remembering National Postal Service Day
On July 1, 1971, the modern Postal Service was born.
Workers recall beginning of USPS
Robert J. Lombardo's first day back at work as a clerk for the Post Office Department in Framingham, MA, coincided with a national strike that would lead to a significant change for the organization.
Marking a milestone
Landmark postal law signed 50 years ago
President Richard Nixon signed the law that transformed the Post Office Department into the Postal Service.


text:
Tag: Kurt Voelker
Bachelors, The (2017)
Title: The Bachelors
Directed by: Kurt Voelker
Written by: Kurt Voelker
Starring: J.K. Simmons, Julie Delpy, Josh Wiggins, and Odeya Rush
After the early death of his wife, a mourning father moves with his teenage son across the country for a private school teaching job. Their lives begin to transform due to two unique women, who help them embrace life and love again.
Special thanks to Frank for this submission
Rock Dog (2016)
Title: Rock Dog
Directed by: Ash Brannon
Written by: Denise Bradley, Ash Brannon, Vincente DiSanti, Will Finn, Carolyn Gair, Zheng Jun, Nicole McMath, Kurt Voelker and Josh Zinman
Starring: J.K. Simmons, Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, Lewis Black, Kenan Thompson, Mae Whitman, Jorge Garcia, Matt Dillon and Sam Elliott
For the Tibetan Mastiffs living on Snow Mountain, a dog's life has a simple riff: Guard a peaceful village of wool-making sheep from the thuggish wolf Linnux (Lewis Black) and his rabid pack. To avoid distractions, Mastiff leader Khampa (J.K. Simmons) forbids all music from the mountain. But when Khampa's son Bodi (Luke Wilson) discovers a radio dropped by a passing airplane, it takes just a few guitar licks for his fate to be sealed: Bodi wants to be a rock 'n' roll star. Yet that means defying his father's wishes, heading to the city, and locating the legendary – and reclusive – musician Angus Scattergood (Eddie Izzard), who needs to write a new song and fast.
If Bodi can put a band together, help Angus with his song, and defeat the wolves' plot to take Snow Mountain, his life will be in tune. Bodi will become what he's always dreamed of being: More than a dog … more than a Rock God… he'll be a ROCK DOG!
Memoriam: In Memory of David B. Miller


With the January transfer window, clubs will be fearing bids will come in for their top players. With some managers already issuing 'hands off' warnings to other clubs, it will be a long, long month for managers of teams with players in form. Most notably, Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez – Claudio Ranieri branding them 'priceless' as a number of top Premier League clubs prepare to line up bids for the in-form pair.
Just as they did in the summer, rumours have been circulating concerning a bid from Manchester United for striker Harry Kane. The in-form Englishman who has netted 9 league goals for Tottenham so far this term has been linked with a number of clubs however vows to remain loyal to his boyhood club.
Tottenham are, again, rumoured to bid for West Brom stiker Saido Berahino this January in an attempt to take pressure off of Harry Kane up front. Following strong links with the club and the young, unsettled Englishman in the summer, he may well be ready to leave the Hawthorns.
Chelsea are reportedly considering bids for Juventus midfield dynamo, Paul Pogba, and Atletico Madrid forward man Antoine Griezmann. In order to finance this, they may well sell the disappointing Eden Hazard.
Links have been made for a potential move for Porto midfielder Danilo Pereria and a supposed fee agreement over FC Basel midfielder Mohamed Elneny. The Gunners who have suffered injuries to the likes of Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin look to strengthen their midfield as they prepare to mount a series title challenge.
In other, confirmed news, Matt Jarvis has secured a permanent move to Norwich City FC from West Ham United for an undisclosed fee. The winger has scored 1 goal in 5 league appearances so far this season.


Instagram announced on Tuesday, the addition of five new filters to its popular photo and video sharing app. It has been two years since Instagram has added any new photo filters to its app, and the company says that these are its best ones ever. With the addition of Slumber, Creama, Ludwig, Aden and Perpetua, the app now offers 25 filters that users can employ to enhance their photographs.
In addition to the new filters, Instagram has changed its UI. When editing a photo, the app tray under a picture will show you a blurry look at it with each effect applied. This way, you can have an idea of what the final version of an image will look like before you post it to the site. Additionally, you can decide which filters show up in the app by using the new Manage button. Using this button will allow you to hide filters you don't use on your pictures.
Instagram for iOS is now updated to version 6.4.0, and is available at the App Store. Instagram for Android is updated to version 6.12.0 and can be found at the Google Play Store.


A new support programme designed to help companies achieve their growth potential and take them to the next level, is now available to tech-based companies across Coventry and Warwickshire.
The innovative Business Ready programme is being delivered by the University of Warwick Science Park as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme and is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Warwickshire County Council.
Qualifying firms will receive advice and mentoring and access to key services that can help to unlock their growth potential and help the region's economy to create more high-skilled jobs.
Eligible, ambitious companies with high growth potential will be offered tailored support, which may include market assessment, competitor analysis and an evaluation of their product, or access to finance including advice on potential funding routes.
Companies will have access to knowledge and skills development support through universities, specialist mentors and other partner organisations.
Janette Pallas, of the University of Warwick Science Park, said Business Ready built on the support services already offered by the Science Park.
She said: "Over many years, the Science Park has helped companies to establish themselves and grow either by being based here or making the most of the business support services we offer – or both.
"Because of that, the team here has built great experience and a myriad of contacts in helping businesses to reach their growth potential. Business Ready will be an extension of that and will help to grow the region's economy and create new jobs.
"Barriers to growth usually come down to a lack of access – to finance, to knowledge, to skills and to markets. For some SMEs it can be one or all of those issues that's affecting them and Business Ready will help them to overcome them and, therefore, grow more quickly.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: "It's vital that companies get access to the support they need and Business Ready is a great new programme for tech companies with high growth potential.


text:
October 4, 2019 by fasted86
Trivia #1: What year did the "Original Six" era begin? 1936, 1939, 1940, 1942
Trivia #2: Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record for most regular season assists, all-time. Who is second? Ron Francis, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, Mark Messier, Chris Chelios, Sean Gleason
Does it matter? Really? They're just gonna to go for two.
Serving beer, you're doing it wrong. A vendor at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Sunday completed a fan's purchase with a personal card reader and not with the device vendors at the stadium are supposed to use. The unsuspecting fan was unknowingly charged $724 for two beers. The vendor was arrested and charged with grand theft and possession of a skimming device. The Dolphins lost again and there is no truth to the rumor that the fan is still drinking.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment – which owns the Capital One Arena and Washington DC's Capitals, Wizards & Mystics – is partnering with internationally known betting and gaming company William Hill U.S. to create the first sportsbook at a professional venue in the United States. Signs at the Capital Arena indicate the sportsbook will open in 2020.
I got my 2020 office calendar yesterday and the first thing I noticed was that Christmas and New Years are on Friday next year. That is so great!
I read an article that made a point that the deciding factor of the MLB MVP, in the case of a "tie", should be how the player's team fared that season. I couldn't disagree more.
As a public service, on October 8, 2020 Americans who fly will need to have a driver's license that meets new federal security requirements, or they'll have to produce another form of acceptable identification to get through airport checkpoints. TSA advises travelers not to wait until the last minute to obtain what's known as a Real ID, and enhanced version of a standard driver's license required by Congress in 2005, following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Get in front of the ball! How many times do you think Milwaukee Brewers' outfielder Trent Grisham had been told that in his lifetime? Tuesday night he overran a base hit to right field in the bottom of the 8th inning against the Nationals allowing all three base runners to score and blowing a seemingly sure victory for the Brewdogs in the NL Wildcard game. Doh!
22-year old Rafael Devers is the first third baseman in MLB history to have at least 200 hits, 50 doubles and 30 homeruns in a season.
Vontaze Burfict. Loser.
I have never been a fan of the three-point shot. Get rid of it. It's like fantasy football, give more points for a long touchdown. Should homeruns be worth two runs if they are over 450 feet? Two-point goals for a shot outside the blue line? Watch a little kids' basketball game. All they want to do is chuck it up from anywhere. Get rid of it.
During Wednesday's AL Wild Card game, ESPN ran various stats at the bottom of the screen. I honestly didn't even know what most of them meant.
In case you missed it, Walgreens has joined Rite Aid and CVS in pulling Zantac and its generic versions off their shelves due to a possible cancer link.
My kind of headline: "Reducing Red Meat May Not Be Worth It"
Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: More than 50% of America's cats are overweight or obese.
R.I.P. Beverly "Guitar" Watkins (80) – An unsung, blues guitar legend known for her attacking playing style. She was said to play like Jimi Hendrix (playing behind her head) and Pete Townsend, and influenced many musicians including John Lennon.
Trivia #1: What year did the "Original Six" era begin? 1936, 1939, 1940, 1942 – In 1942
Trivia #2: Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record for most regular season assists, all-time. Who is second? Ron Francis, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, Mark Messier, Chris Chelios, Sean Gleason – Ron Francis
"You're just like crosstown traffic
so hard to get through to you
Crosstown traffic
I don't need to run over you
All you do is slow me down
And I'm tryin' to get to the other side of town"
Previous postFriday, September 27, 2019
Next postFriday, October 18, 2019
impressive, that Devers.


A man accused of circulating false €50 notes wept silently as a court sentenced him to two years in jail this afternoon.
Refugee Nnemeka Henry Ajuonuma, who lives in Hal Far tent centre and works as a galvanizer was arrested in Paceville during the early hours of Sunday morning, after trying to pay his bar tab with counterfeit notes.
A search on his person found him to be in possession of a total of 11 fake €50 notes, Inspector Shaun Friggieri told Magistrate Ian Farrugia.
Friggieri, together with Inspector Leeroy Balzan Engerer charged the man with fraud and maliciously placing false banknotes into circulation.
In court, the police said the information was unlikely to speed up investigations.
Ajuonuma pleaded guilty to the charges, wiping away a tear as he did so.
Legal aid lawyer Martin Fenech told the court that the man had admitted and cooperated with the police, and that the amounts of money involved were minimal. He may not have known the banknotes were counterfeit, the lawyer said.
The magistrate observed that the minimum sentence he could give in the circumstances was two years imprisonment. "My hands are tied," said the magistrate as he read out the sentence.


The Trouble with Play is a radical departure from some of the ideas about play that are held dear by many in early childhood education. For many, play is considered essential to children's development and learning, and is often promoted as a universal and almost magical 'fix'. Although play does have many proven benefits for children, the authors show that play in the early years is not always innocent, fun and natural. Play can also be political and involve morals, ethics, values and power.
nd argue for new approaches to pedagogy and the role of the teacher. It is valuable reading for anyone involved in early childhood education.
Sue Grieshaber and Felicity McArdle are both educators and researchers at the School of Early Childhood, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Before moving to the university sector, Sue and Felicity worked as classroom teachers in urban, rural and remote early childhood settings.
The meaning of play in early childhood education: Play as learning?


text:
Life After Humanity
by Gillian St. Kevern
Ben is a recovering vampire determined to pick up the pieces of the life that came to a halt when he was murdered over a year ago—even if that means distancing himself from his few remaining friends. Nate, struggling to navigate his new identity as a Class 3 Unknown paranormal, knows it will take more than mastery of his affinity with plants to convince Ben they belong together.
When Ben's application for human status is denied, he must fight to leave the paranormal world behind him while Nate's generous impulses drag him into conflict with a werewolf pack with designs on ruling New Camden. As Ben's vampire family draws closer to finding him, his vampire instinct awakens—throwing his continued existence into jeopardy. The hunt for the missing werewolf continues, and Nate and Ben become pawns in Councilor Wisner's plans to take control of the city. Their only hope is each other—if they can see that before all is lost.
Life After Humanity quantity
Categories: _New Releases, Bisexual, Cisgender, Explicit, Gay, Gillian St. Kevern, Long Novel, MM, Paranormal, Print, Romance, Thorns and Fangs Tags: alternate universe, cliffhanger ending, established couple, paranormal, supernatural beings, vampires, werewolves
Author: Gillian St. Kevern
Series: Thorns and Fangs, Book Three
Word Count: 119000
Warning: Scenes of graphic violence.
Gillian St. Kevern © 2017
Someone had broken in.
Ben stood in the doorway of his New Camden apartment. The door swung open at his touch, even before he'd fished his key out of his pocket. Beneath his feet, the protective wards laid around the apartment throbbed like an open wound. Someone had forced their way past Ben's carefully laid defenses—someone who was still there.
Damnit. Ben set his briefcase down noiselessly beside the door. Just one day. One day without anything supernatural happening. Is that too much to ask?
He didn't move, using his senses to probe the darkness beyond the door. Vampire—or werewolf? He hadn't felt any interference with his wards until he'd reached his apartment. That ruled out a magical practitioner or any lesser supernatural being that would have needed to unpick the spell piece by piece. Please, not another demon. None of the boxes dotted around the living room were big enough to hide an intruder. Unless they crouched behind the sofa or pressed against the wall in the shadows, they weren't in the living room.
Keeping his attention focused on the apartment, Ben fished for his umbrella stand and the cane leaning against its back. It looked benign, as if it had been forgotten by an elderly visitor, but when Ben twisted the handle, he released the long blade hidden within.
Not Ben's first choice of weapon—the blade was too long and too dainty—but it was a weapon, able to stand up to vampire or demon. If this is a werewolf, I am in serious trouble. The stale air of his apartment lacked the distinctive ripe odor of werewolf. Still, Ben couldn't rule it out.
Why would a werewolf break into my apartment? True, Ben had a past as a supernatural investigator for ARX and had killed a few werewolves in his time—but that was the past. There was nothing linking his life now to ARX—was there?
Ben slipped noiselessly into the dimly lit living room, heading for the sofa. Nothing there—or in the shadows. He scanned the room, but everything looked as it had that afternoon when he'd stepped out to meet his accountant. All I did was my taxes! Where's the harm in that?
But bringing his financial records up-to-date for the year he'd been dead had taken all of the afternoon. Ample time for whoever it was to find a hiding place. Ben stood motionless in the living room, straining with his senses for any clue to the intruder.
The open doors of his apartment were in deeper shadow than the rest of the living room. Reaching for the light switch was tempting, but Ben's eyes were now accustomed to the dark. Readjusting would cost seconds he wasn't sure he had. His eyes fell on the stacks of paper on his living room table.
At first glance they seemed undisturbed, but a closer look revealed a few papers had drifted to the side. Disturbed by a breeze? Ben turned to the kitchen door. A sliver of light was just visible through the crack beneath.
A trap. There was nothing of interest to any supernatural being in the kitchen, so it would be the last place he searched. His guard down, his senses dull, he'd be unprepared for whatever waited beyond. Or—Ben frowned as he approached the door—was there another explanation?
A faint sizzling sound emanated from beyond the door, followed by the heavy smell of garlic.
Ben's nose twitched. A werewolf would not cook an enemy dinner. A demon wouldn't know how. A vampire might—but a vampire would not use garlic.
I've got a bad feeling about this. Taking a deep breath, Ben slowly levered the handle down and let the door drift open. His fear was confirmed.
Nate stood at the counter, his back to the door. The strength implicit in his broad shoulders and muscular arms was softened—but not disguised—by the domesticity of his actions. As Ben watched, Nate lay down the knife and used the chopping board to slide his neatly diced peppers into the frying pan. At his elbow a pot boiled merrily.
Far more dangerous than any werewolf. Ben swallowed, finding it hard to speak. He felt as if he were caught in a spell, unable to do anything but watch.
Absorbed in his task, Nate seemed unaware of Ben's presence. He was dressed down, wearing a faded T-shirt that hugged his torso. The edges of his jeans were frayed, hanging down over his bare feet. His hair hadn't been styled, and it curled up at the base of his neck. Finished adding the mushrooms to the pan, he stirred its contents and then stretched out a hand to the basil growing in a pot on the windowsill. The window reflected his smile, inward and alarmingly personal.
Ben swallowed. Nate had broken in—so why did he feel like the intruder?
Dangerous. Ben dug his fingers into his arm. Focus! Casual worked annoyingly well for Nate, made more effective by the knowledge that Nate made a point of looking good. There were few people who got to see Nate dressed down. But Ben couldn't think about that, or how right Nate looked in his kitchen. He had to get Nate out of his apartment before it was too late.
"What happened to seeing less of each other?"
Nate started, snatching his hand back from the basil. He turned, and Ben's initial flash of triumph gave way to alarm. Nate's eyes were a great weapon. Hazel and framed by dark, almost decadently soft lashes, they radiated whatever Nate felt with an immediacy that was hard to resist.
"Jesus, Ben! You scared the shit out of me—" He came to a halt. "Is that a sword?"
Ben looked down at the blade in his hand. It wouldn't help him now. "It's a family heirloom. Used to be my grandfather's." He turned back toward the front door.
"And you just keep it there by the door?" Nate followed Ben to the kitchen door to watch.
"In case of intruders." Ben sheathed the sword and dropped the cane back in the stand. He shut the door. His heart raced. Ben took a moment to summon all his anger. I was this close to a day without anything supernatural happening! "You'd better have a good reason for breaking into my apartment."
"I do." Nate stood in the kitchen doorway, one hand resting against the frame.
"Let's hear it then."
"I had a bad feeling this afternoon. A premonition."
Not this again! "It wasn't a premonition."
"It felt really real. I was just watching TV and all of a sudden, these words popped into my mind. You were gone and I wasn't going to see you again. It really freaked me out."
"Enough to add breaking and entering to your criminal file?"
Nate radiated hurt. He wrapped his arms around himself. "I had to see you. No one answered the door, so I tried calling. When it had been a couple of hours and you hadn't answered your phone, I—well, I got worried."
"And that's when you broke in?" Ben pulled his phone out of his pocket, tapping in his pin.
"That was an accident. I had my hand on the door, and I was thinking about how much I wanted to be on the other side, and the door just…relaxed."
Eight missed calls… Ben jerked his head up. "Relaxed?"
"I tried the handle and it opened." Nate's eyes settled anxiously on Ben's. "Did I break anything?"
Ben looked down at the welcome mat beneath his feet. He didn't need to lift it to know what he would find. His runes, intact but faintly smudged. "Only the natural laws regarding the magical properties of runes."
Nate scratched the back of his neck. He dropped his gaze, shuffling his feet, but was unable to keep from looking up to check Ben's expression. "Are you mad?"
Embarrassment looked wrong on Nate. Ben was reminded of a dog caught doing something he knew he shouldn't be—and felt the tight knot of anger in his stomach undo. Curse him! If Ben was going to get out of this encounter unscathed he needed his anger. "Of course I'm mad. My apartment is my place. Coming home to find someone's forced their way in is…not good." Not good? That wasn't going to convince anyone—least of all anyone with Nate's perceptive nature.
It was hard to read Nate's expression. "I made dinner. As an apology."
At least he realized he needed to apologize— No! I have to be firm. "I think your apology is burning."
"Shit!" Nate ducked back through the doorway to attend to the frying pan.
Ben took the opportunity to escape.
What is wrong with me? Ben leaned against his bathroom counter, letting the cold marble soothe his racing thoughts. The locked bathroom door wasn't much of a defense—not if what Nate had said about the door opening for him was true. How does that even work? His powers are related to plants… Ben's eyes widened. The wooden door? He hadn't thought about it, but if Nate could command dead wood as well as living—
I'm not thinking about this. Ben pulled his attention firmly back to the present. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, purposefully calming his racing thoughts. Think ordinary thoughts. Human thoughts.
His cheeks felt hot. Ben glanced in the mirror and discovered he had color in his face. For once, he looked normal.
Damnit, Nate! Ben splashed water on his cheeks.
It wasn't fair. He could go days without feeling anything—not anger, not joy, not even hunger. But five minutes with Nate and his body raced with conflicting emotions. This is the most human I've felt all week—and it's because of Nate.
Ben caught his lip between his teeth. It would be easy—very easy—to lean on Nate's strength, let himself be caught up in the maelstrom of feeling Nate produced.
No. I have to do this myself. Ben roughly toweled his face dry.
"Hey, Ben?" Nate's voice sounded outside the door. "You want to eat in the dining room or the kitchen?"
The thought of the long living room table surrounded by unpacked boxes did not appeal, but the intimacy of the tiny kitchen table was too great a risk coupled with Nate's familiarity. "The dining room."
Nate still hesitated. "The table's got all your papers on it."
"Leave them," Ben said immediately. "I'll clear a space."
Not until he heard Nate's footsteps depart did Ben realize what a mistake he'd made. Stupid! He'd agreed to dinner—accepting Nate's apology at the same time.
Every time I give in, it gets harder to say no. Ben gave his reflection a critical glance. He was still more flushed than he was comfortable with, but it would have to do. He couldn't risk Nate making himself any more at home.
His briefcase was still by the door. Ben set it on the table, quickly stacking the papers on the table and placing them out of sight within the case. Luckily, anticipating a long wait in his accountant's office, he'd taken his application for humanity with him. If Nate had seen it…
Hold on to that thought. Ben snapped the briefcase shut. This is an intrusion.
"Sorry about that. I didn't want to put you out." Nate reappeared. He had a steaming plate in either hand.
"Then maybe you shouldn't have broken into my apartment." Ben kept his voice firm. He'd given way enough for one evening. He deliberately set down two place mats on opposite sides of the wide table.
"I haven't told you the whole story." Nate set the plates down and went back for cutlery. "Right after the premonition—"
"It wasn't a premonition." Ben sat.
"Weird feeling then." Nate handed him a knife and fork, before walking back the length of the table to his own place. "Ethan called."
Ben raised an eyebrow. "I can see why that would be unsettling." Ethan was Nate's notoriously antisocial twin brother.
"Hey." Nate frowned at Ben even as his mouth twisted in amusement. "Ethan can use a phone when he wants."
"He just doesn't want to very often?" Unlike Nate, a confirmed people person, Ethan could go hours without saying more than a couple of words. He was happiest working in his orchard alone with his plants.
"Yeah." Nate's grin faded. "He had news. Someone came to the farm last night. Someone—off." Nate glanced at Ben. "I think it was Hunter."
A cold jolt shot through Ben's entire body. His heart began to thump again, not with the heat of awareness of Nate's presence, but a cold stab of fear. He couldn't be found by his vampire family. Not now. "What makes you think that?"
"The description matches. The guy had a nice car and clothes, and black hair. He asked about you."
Ben forced his throat muscles to relax. "What did Ethan tell him?"
"Nothing." Nate raised a hand, his fingers grasping for the right word. "He said the guy felt—rotten. He didn't like him. He told him to leave."
"Your brother always did have a talent for hospitality." Ben pinched the bridge of his nose. "How did he trace me? Did you—"
"The only one who knows where we were is Aki," Nate said. "And he doesn't know exactly where. I don't give my address out to anyone."
At least Nate had that much sense. Aki was not Nate's best friend based on his ability to keep his mouth shut. "The police. The sheriff's department in Little River had my ARX record. So did the team from Chinquapin. If they'd requested confirmation from ARX, that would be logged. Hunter must have seen my name in the records and decided to look into it."
"You think that's all it is?" Nate pushed the pasta around on his plate. "You don't think he's investigating us?"
Ben couldn't blame Nate for being alarmed. His family farm in Little River hid a big secret. "His main priority will be finding me. He knows you're not what you seem, but currently he'll be more concerned with locating us than spending time uncovering your secrets—and it would take more than one night to work out you and Ethan."
Nate's smile was faint. "I don't like this. What's to say he won't come back? Or worse—come here?"
"That's a possibility I'm prepared for." Ben glanced toward the front door. "I've been working on a systematic upgrade of my wards. No way Hunter is getting past them."
Nate turned his head to look. "I haven't—screwed that up?"
"If anything, you've alerted me to a possible security issue." Figuring out how Nate had breached his wards would help Ben make them stronger. "Not that I want you to make a habit of breaking in."
Nate shook his head. "It was just Ethan's call coming straight after my—weird feeling." He looked at Ben. "You're sure what I felt wasn't…anything more?"
"Positive," Ben said promptly. Better to nip this in the bud. "Real premonitions are incredibly rare, even among people with a proven record of psychic sensitivity. You have the magical sensitivity of a log."
Ben nudged Nate's leg beneath the table. "You spent three days living in Gunn's bathtub without any idea the guy was a lemur."
"To be fair, I was more concerned by the guy's complete lack of any housekeeping skills." Nate paused. "You're sure—what am I saying? Of course you're sure." He picked up his knife and fork, digging into his meal.
Ben watched him eat. Nate's complete confidence in his statements was unnerving—but at the same time, it eased some of the disquiet he felt. He picked up his own fork.
The silence between them grew. Good. The added distance would help. Ben applied himself to his meal. Nate had made spaghetti with a meat sauce. Ben carefully separated his noodles from the sauce before eating the pasta one at a time.
Nate finished his meal well before Ben. He looked around the apartment. "You still haven't unpacked?"
"I'm working on it." The remark was defensive, and Ben immediately regretted it. "I'm taking my time, making up a list of everything. For the insurance."
"That makes sense, I guess." Nate continued to look around. "What about that painting? You going to put it up?"
Ben felt heat rush to his cheeks. How does Nate always know? He'd unpacked the painting, determined to hang it up and make his apartment look more like someone lived there. Instead, he'd been paralyzed, unable to make the decision of where to place it. After two hours second-guessing himself, he'd left the painting leaning against the wall. "When I decide where to put it. I don't want to leave a bunch of holes in the wall."
Nate glanced at him. "I wondered if maybe you were having trouble adjusting to living here."
Ben felt his heart start to beat with an awareness of danger. "Trouble?"
"The same way you're having trouble adjusting to not being a vampire anymore."
Ben put down his fork. "I'm not having trouble." The words were harsher than he'd intended, but it was too late to take them back. "I hated being a vampire. Loathed every second of it. I don't miss it!" He caught his breath.
Nate's gaze was steady, and he met Ben's eyes with concern. "I never said you did. It's just… It's been weeks and you're still living out of boxes. You don't go out, except on business, and a lot of the time…you don't go out at all."
Ben swallowed. "You've been watching me?"
"Not like that. But Aki and I… Well, we're worried about you, right? So we notice things."
"You don't need to worry. I'm doing fine." Ben kept his tone firm. "You've got to remember you and Aki might be extroverts, but I'm not. I like being on my own—living my new life the way I want to."
"You sure living's the right word?"
Ben narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Nate nodded toward the kitchen door. "Your cupboards."
"What's wrong with my cupboards?"
"You tell me."
Ben shot Nate a glance, but it was impossible to read his thoughts. "All right." He went to the kitchen, opening the pantry. The shelves held a neat stack of packets of candles, bulbs of garlic in a net, and a bulk bag of salt. "It looks fine. Everything's tidy. A bit empty perhaps, but I am the only person living in this apartment."
"Nothing's missing?" Nate had followed him as far as the kitchen doorway.
Ben shook his head. "I've got all the basics of spell craft covered."
"And the basics of living? You know, like food?" Nate waved toward the pantry. "Unless you plan to subsist entirely on garlic, in which case we're gonna need to talk about that."
Ben snapped his head back to stare at his pantry. He felt his cheeks heat. I never even thought of that. "I—"
"While I was waiting for you to come back, I took a look at your fridge." Nate waved his hand toward it. "Looked like you were getting low on supplies. So I went out and got you a few things."
Ben opened the fridge. He saw a loaf of bread, a carton of eggs, a carton of milk, and a plastic container holding what remained of their dinner.
"I know your tastes are pretty simple, so I didn't want to get too much." Nate scratched the back of his neck. "I figured I'd stick with toast and things you could have with it."
Ben stared wordlessly at the loaf of bread. It was a little alarming to discover just how well Nate knew him. "Thanks. I—appreciate this." He turned his head back to look at Nate. "Did you break into my apartment, go out for groceries, and come back?"
Nate squirmed. "Maybe?"
Ben shut the fridge door and leaned against it. "You realize that's not exactly ordinary behavior either."
"Yeah, well." Nate scowled. "I'm not trying to be ordinary, am I?"
Have I touched a nerve? Ben fought the impulse to apologize. This is good. Even if it felt wrong. "You're finally working on your supernatural abilities?"
"Yeah. Matter of fact, I've got something to show you. Come see." Nate led the way through the apartment to Ben's bedroom.
Bad idea. Ben couldn't help the jolt of interest that went through him at the memory of lying tangled with Nate in the sheets of his bed. He quickened his pace. "We're not—"
Nate had pulled the window up and sat perched on the windowsill, his legs resting on the fire escape outside. "We're not?" he prompted, voice deliberately innocent.
As if he doesn't know. Ben narrowed his eyes. He was not going to play those games. Nate always won. "What is this 'something' you want to show me?"
The fire escape creaked as Nate slid onto it. "Out here."
Ben leaned out the open window. He breathed in the New Camden night. The familiar smell of burnt rubber and rust met his nose. In the street beneath them, a steady stream of cars passed despite the lateness of the hour.
Ben frowned as his nose caught a smell he associated with Nate—the earthy smell of growing things. His eyes picked out dark shapes that rustled in the slight breeze. "Plants on the fire escape? I'm pretty sure that's a hazard."
"Relax, Mr. Landlord." Nate had descended the stairs to the platform halfway between his room and Ben's. "They're not in anyone's way. Turn the light on?"
Ben did as he was told. The light illuminated a collection of house plants. Hanging out with Nate had done wonders for Ben's plant knowledge. He thought he recognized a few of them. "You'll have to move these before the next safety inspection."
"Don't worry about that now." Nate put his hands in the pocket of his jeans. "Watch the morning glory."
Which was the morning glory? Ben frowned at the pots, and then he realized—one of the vines was moving. It was twined around the railing, with broad leaves and tightly wound dark-blue buds. As Ben watched, the buds unfolded into rich blue flowers, their perfume adding a sweet note to the night air. "You're doing that?"
"Cool, right?" Nate grinned. "And no hands."
Ben's head jerked up, and quickly back to the plants. Nate's eyes were flushed with pleasure, and his grin said only too clearly how pleased he was with himself. Ben's heart lurched. "Impressive." He hesitated. From being entirely ignorant of his powers, to refining his use of them in less than a month… It was an achievement for anyone, especially for Nate, who had resisted his supernatural abilities for most of his life. "You've come a long way, Nate."
"Not bad for a guy who doesn't even know what he is." The fire escape creaked again as Nate shuffled. "Actually… I was thinking of celebrating my progress by going out for dinner. You want to come?"
Ben drew a deep breath. There it is. The moment he'd been dreading. "A date?"
"Not necessarily." Nate's shoulders hunched. The shadows hid his face, but Ben had too good an idea of his expression. "I mean, we're friends, right? And friends do things together."
Ben clenched the windowsill. "I don't think it's a good idea."
"Why not? We're important to each other, so why pretend otherwise? Not seeing each other is—well, it's stupid. What are you afraid of? Getting involved? We're already involved."
Ben's mouth twisted. That boat had long sailed. "It's not that."
"So what is it?" Nate ran a hand through his hair. "We decided we needed time to get ourselves together, right? And in that time, I haven't seen you at all."
"I'm working on things."
"Are you? Because it feels like—" Nate caught himself with a rapid intake of breath.
Ben's hands tightened on the railing. "Like I'm avoiding you?"
The railing creaked as Nate leaned heavily against it. "I wasn't going to say that. I don't want to pressure you. But at the same time—"
"You can't help feeling what you feel." Ben breathed out. He'd been so focused on the end goal of their separation that he hadn't stopped to think how Nate might take it.
"When I don't hear anything from you, it's really easy to worry. I'm not asking much. Just—an update every now and then."
"An update." Ben wrapped his arms around himself.
"So I know you haven't forgotten me."
It was impossible to think of forgetting Nate. Might as well talk about forgetting a hurricane! He'd waltzed into Ben's life, turning it upside down, leaving Ben reeling from the sheer force of his personality. "I'm not going to forget you. As a matter of fact, I've been thinking a lot about us." He took a deep breath, gripping the windowsill. "I'm lodging an application for humanity."
Anyone else would have laughed. Nate climbed the stairs to get a better view of Ben's expression. "For humanity? You mean—being human?"
Ben's heart thumped again as he nodded. "I want my supernatural status overturned and to be recognized as human."
"Seriously?" Nate frowned at him. "Why is there even an application for that? You're the most human person I know."
It was patently untrue. Only Nate would have the nerve to lie so badly. Looking up, Ben caught Nate's gaze and swallowed. He can't—he doesn't believe that? "Vampires don't stop being vampires. This isn't supposed to happen. I should be dead. Not moving back into my childhood home."
"So they still want to treat you like a vampire? That's ridiculous! What do they think you're going to do—drink blood?" Nate thumped his hand against the railing. "Department Seven cleared you. Pulse, no aversion to crosses, garlic—hell, you walk around in daylight—"
Ben smiled faintly. Nate's belief was somehow welcome. "I'm