You've figured out which online program to pursue, applied by the deadline and now it's time to figure out how to pay for it. Funding your education can feel daunting, but there are plenty of resources to help online students cover the bills.
This form can be filled out annually by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine eligibility for student financial aid. Your eligibility for federal grants and loans will generally be based on your financial need. You will supply this information on the FAFSA application.
Many employers offer educational contributions, but it can differ by organization. Check your company handbook and speak to your human resources contact to understand if funding is available for your online program. If you need tips on how to request funding, visit this article.
Along with federal grants from FAFSA, there are a slew of grants targeted to specific students, talents and categories. Grants typically do not need to be repaid, which makes them desirable and sometimes competitive.
Scholarships do not require repayment and are awarded for a variety of criteria. Read the guideline carefully before submitting an application to confirm you are eligible. Universities offer financial assistance in the form of merit as well.
"Ohio State students are encouraged to complete the Special Scholarships application on the Student Financial Aid website. The scholarship application will allow students to apply for thousands of special-eligibility scholarships with a variety of eligibility criteria," said Wheeler.
The GI Bill® provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible. Additional resources for military and veteran students can be found at Ohio State Online.
When FAFSA loans and grants aren't enough, a private loan can supplement the gaps in your finances. Be sure to check interest rates and speak to a student financial aid representative to get advice on borrowing responsibly.


The government hoped to take Britain out of the EU today, March 29th. But as Theresa May and MPs appear no closer to securing a final deal, Lydia Johnson takes a look at the impact on retailers.
When Britain finally does leave, it will spell a disruptive period for small businesses. What exactly will it mean for them?
No one is certain on what the future holds for independent retailers, but the proposed draft agreement gives people an idea on what a hard Brexit or no deal Brexit could look like.
In 2017, the UK exported around £342 billion to non-EU countries and a further £274 billion to EU countries.
Birmingham-based British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) have already released their thoughts on how Brexit could affect retailers.
If the UK and EU come to a withdrawal agreement, small businesses can expect to see a transition period. This will run until 31st December 2020, during which little will change.
Longer term, there may be the introduction of yearly work visas for low-skilled immigrants or getting rid of the current cap on the number of highly skilled immigrants.
The FSB has provided its members with a small business Brexit pack.


For Tina Sharkey, the quest to disrupt the $600 billion consumer goods industry is personal. And she's doing it $3 at a time.
Underpinned by the higher mission of "democratizing access to goodness," Sharkey launched her startup, Brandless, with co-founder Ido Leffler in response to their strong feeling that traditional retailers were not keeping up with the values of today's consumers. With the goal of bringing affordable everyday products to the American household, Brandless strips packaged goods down to their core, eliminating traditional branding and what Sharkey calls the "brand tax," giving every item a $3 or less price tag.
For Sharkey, Brandless' highly-curated collections are more about building community than simply sales, an ethos that's defined her career trajectory. Having founded online media network iVillage and led Johnson & Johnson's BabyCenter, her latest venture is a powerful evolution of her people-first approach.
"Brandless was really invented with the idea of connecting people around the most basic things, treating them with respect and gratitude and hope, things that I feel have been very much lost in our society. Better shouldn't have to cost more," says Sharkey.
Her unwavering focus on her customers is paying off, proving that profit and purpose need not be mutually exclusive. In just over a year since launch, Brandless now offers more than 300 proprietary Brandless products and ships to 48 states. In July, Brandless announced an investment of $240 million in Series C funding from SoftBank's Vision Fund, with the deal valuing the anti-Amazon at over $500 million.
I recently sat down with Sharkey to discuss the power of community, her best advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, and reimagining what it means to be a brand in today's rapidly changing retail environment. Edited highlights below.
Sharkey credits having "a seat at the table" as critical to her career success today, thanks in large part to parents who involved her in all aspects of their professional conversations, instilling in her early that her ideas and points of view mattered.
When it comes to standing out in the entrepreneurial sea, Sharkey ties two big traits to success. A founder's willingness to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work is essential for Sharkey, emphasizing the importance of "grit, determination and relentless pursuit of their ideas." Secondly, "the confidence to be vulnerable is one of the greatest qualities of an entrepreneur," she believes as it allows leaders to strike the fine balance between bold ambition and knowing when to ask for help.
Sharkey's community-first approach isn't just at the heart of what drives Brandless, it's also a guiding principle she hopes to instill in her children. "If I teach them to be kind, and I teach them to see others and to be grateful, to assume best intentions, whatever else they get out of life, if they've got that that, they're going to be fine."
To join the conversation on social, use #SuccessWithMoira.


I remember reading on a thread here on this forum that speed signs that were not on the white background with black writing would not catch a speeding ticket? Or something of that nature, and I may be utterly bastardizing what was said here, so I'm looking to find the thread but can't. This topic came up by a relative and I didn't know if it was construction signs only, or ramp signs with the yellow background, or both - so I said nothing. Can someone here elaborate for me and point me to the area of the HTA, if any, that deals with this?
199. (1) Every person in charge of a motor vehicle or street car who is directly or indirectly involved in an accident shall, if the accident results in personal injuries or in damage to property apparently exceeding an amount prescribed by regulation, report the accident forthwith to the nearest police officer and furnish him or her with the information concerning the accident as may be required by the officer under subsection (3). R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 199 (1); 2002, c. 17, Sched. F, Table.
What's the amount prescribed? Why am I having trouble finding the regulations? Most are in the HTA itself, but where is the regulation pertaining to the amount prescribed?
The construction zone speed limit sign is enforceable if it has black lettering on a white background. If the background is yellow, it is an advisory sign only.
So, black letters with an orange background?
Thank you all for your help. My IE had a glitch yesterday. I couldn't click on the plus signs to the left of the act to get to the regs and thought elaws had moved them. Still, I find I'm having trouble determining which regs to select when I'm looking for something like this. There's so many (regs), and the searches I do don't turn up anything. This is where my inexperience really shows. I'm not all that good at legal research and am enrolled currently in Legal Research courses, evidence rules and advocacy courses, requiring me to get better at this. I'm frustrated. Also, Quicklaw just expired my "student" account, and I'm still a student, and I'm having no luck on Canli because of my search keywords (they obviously are missing the mark). Any practicing Paralegals on here that can offer some tips?
Unless you are target specific in a certain part of law, or specialty you will never know what is what (not being rude, it is a fact). I happen to specialize solely in traffic, so my knowledge is higher than say a detective. But on that same token, their expertise in crime is higher than mine. There are thousands of acts and laws. I'm sure that is why lawyers specialize in drugs, impaired, family, civil, corporate etc. Have to be on your game in the respective area.
Reflections wrote: So, black letters with an orange background?
Looks like they're not enforceable.


Until recently, computer security was viewed as though it were a medieval battle scene, like the one in Monty Python and the Holy Grail: The employees barricaded inside, under siege by an unruly army of hackers (or Trojan Rabbit) who are trying to spread viruses to infect and weaken the people inside.
But this analogy couldn't be further from the reality. Perimeter security fails because none of our workflows exist in a barricaded castle anymore. The internet changed that a long time ago. Our castles are completely permeable, connected and interdependent on the rest of the world. We forget that a large portion of our workflows exist on the World Wide Web, so walls don't make a big difference. The drawbridge is always down and the guards are all asleep.
When we don't carefully consider security in all of the actions employees take on the internet, we are hacking ourselves. Hackers and competitors don't need to code malware, they just keep their eyes open for something interesting. If a former employee downloads your confidential documents onto their phone and shares them with your competitor, you weren't attacked, you were careless.
Instead of picturing a dark room with a grinning face lit by the glow of computer monitor as your biggest digital security threat, you should just go to the bathroom and look in the mirror. The hardest part of reducing the risks of Shadow IT isn't educating everyone else to follow the rules, it's accepting that you should too.
A Delicate Balance: Corporate Security vs. User Productivity Usability vs Security: What's the Priority?


text:
Benjamin Wallace-Wells
A Critical Week in North Carolina
By Benjamin Wallace-Wells
At a rally in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, President Obama told the crowd that North Carolina was pivotal to this election, and that this election was pivotal to the fate of the country.Photograph by Peter Zay / Anadolu Agency / Getty
On Tuesday, two days before Barack Obama arrived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for a rally, an unsettling story appeared on the front page of the local paper. Third graders at Frank Porter Graham, a public elementary school, had been instructed to dress up as historical figures for a "wax museum," and several students had selected Adolf Hitler. The principal hastily cancelled the event, writing in a letter to parents that "given the current political climate and sociopolitical issues as the election approaches, some of the historical figures selected by students could create controversy." (At least one other student chose Donald Trump.) Perhaps these choices had little to do with the election, or meant nothing at all: the Holocaust is a hard thing for a third-grade mind to get around. But the episode, and the cancellation, seemed to be a sign that, with the election less than a week away, at least some people in North Carolina are more than normally freaked out.
Thursday was unusually hot and sunny, just more than eighty degrees, and the President's rally was held on an athletic field at the University of North Carolina with no shade. Student volunteers, some of them wearing "Make America Gay Again" hats, handed out cups of water. The crowd was very young, and notably black. "Very middle class," a British journalist standing next to me said, gesturing at the crowd, and if this was true then it was a great advertisement for the American middle class. James Taylor was Obama's opening act, and although many people in the crowd were born thirty years after his greatest successes, they still received him warmly. Taylor playing "Carolina on My Mind" in the South to welcome the first black President is an obviously nostalgic event, even if the nostalgia is not your own.
Obama had been in an athletic building meeting the Tar Heel basketball teams, and when he appeared onstage his mood was both a bit jovial and a bit dark. He said that North Carolina was pivotal to this election, and that this election was pivotal to the fate of the country. "So I hate to put a little pressure on you, but the fate of the Republic rests on your shoulders," Obama told the crowd. Some people laughed. "The fate of the world is teetering, and you, North Carolina, are going to have to make sure that we push it in the right direction."
There has been a lot of talk like this from liberals in the final weeks of the election, and one effect has been to diminish the cause of their own candidate. If the stakes are so high, that isn't because of Hillary Clinton but because of her opponent. Obama praised Clinton for her qualifications, her determination, and her diligence. "She will be smart and she will be steady," he said. He described her time as Secretary of State in the most general terms, mentioning that she was in the room when he decided to target Osama bin Laden and that she had travelled the world exhaustively to "restore America's reputation" in the wake of George W. Bush's wars. The President's emphasis, though, was not on Clinton but on the extremity of Donald Trump. "We have to stop thinking that his behavior is normal," Obama said. "That it's within the bounds of what has, up until this point, been our normal political discourse."
In 2013, North Carolina's Republican legislature passed one of the most restrictive voter-identification laws in the country. A federal appeals court struck down the law this summer, saying that it targeted black voters "with almost surgical precision," but there have still been effects. On Wednesday morning in Winston-Salem, a federal judge held an emergency hearing for a lawsuit brought by the N.A.A.C.P., challenging decisions by voting boards in three eastern North Carolina counties to strike African-Americans from the rolls.* Obama mentioned a hundred-year-old woman from Belhaven, North Carolina, named Grace Bell Hardison, who had lived in the same house and voted regularly for decades, who found herself removed from the voting rolls because a letter sent to her was once marked "undeliverable." "It was not that long ago that folks had to guess the number of jellybeans in a jar, or bubbles on a bar of soap, or recite the Constitution in Chinese, in order to vote," Obama said. "It wasn't that long ago when folks were beaten trying to register voters in Mississippi." Obama recalled that the first black chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, Henry Frye, was once denied the right to vote, after he graduated from college, because he failed a so-called literacy test. The President was setting Trump not against Clinton but against something larger: the legacy of the civil-rights movement and the basic story of American progress.
North Carolina is under pressure from the future and the past. Along the coast, the state is raising the roadbed of Highway 64 by eighteen inches to account for sea-level rise. In the town of Hillsborough, just outside Chapel Hill, someone firebombed the Republican Party headquarters last month. The Party offered a reward for information, but there have been no leads. Whoever bombed the place also painted a swastika on the wall and scrawled in paint, "Nazi Republicans go home or else."
Plenty of people have been puzzling over this event, over who might have been responsible and what that might mean. I met with the Reverend Robert Campbell, the president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro chapter of the N.A.A.C.P., just before Obama spoke. The Trump campaign had unearthed a great deal of anger there, he said. Last August, he and a group of civil-rights activists had a standoff in Hillsborough against several hundred Confederate flag supporters, who had arrived in town to protest the removal of Confederate symbols from public spaces. "The cops had to get in a line between the groups," Campbell said. More recently, Campbell said, some white men from Alamance County, to the west, drove in groups through mostly black neighborhoods flying Confederate flags. He said they were shouting, "Let's take this country back to yesterday." Of the Trump campaign, Campbell said, "It's like a wind." What had been settled, it disturbed.
We were sitting in the office of a community center that Campbell runs in the neighborhood of Rodgers-Eubanks, which has been mostly black for a long time. Campbell, who is from another part of town, first spent time here in the mid-sixties, when he was bused to the first integrated high school, which had been hastily built nearby. The new school had no cafeteria, so he would walk with black classmates to Rodgers-Eubanks, where families would feed them lunch.
The main neighborhood landmark is a landfill, built in 1972 with promises to improve the neighborhood—to pave roads and to extend water and sewage lines—which were never kept. Much of Campbell's life has been spent fighting the landfill: getting residents to document when the air seemed polluted and they could not breathe, collecting water samples, carting out an air monitor that he called "the baby."
After North Carolina passed its restrictive voting-rights bill in 2013, Campbell went around to churches teaching people how to deal with challenges to their registration. But, once the law was struck down, those pressures eased. "I do get some calls," he said. During a local election last year, a woman called him, distraught, saying that her elderly mother had arrived at a polling place and been asked to identify the day of the week (Monday, Tuesday) on which she had been born. Campbell had been able to straighten it out, and the woman voted. This year, he said, it seems that the Democratic turnout operation has been even more active than it was in 2008 or 2012. Beginning in August, there have been so many activist groups working Chapel Hill and Orange County, he said, "that you would get a knock on your door from one group, and ninety minutes later there would be a knock on the door from another one."
Civil-rights efforts in North Carolina feel different than they did even a decade ago, Campbell told me. The coalitions are broader now, and the movement is broader, too: it has incorporated the language of environmentalism and the cause of marriage equality. But the actions and the problems are much the same. Campbell often sends a bus and a caravan of cars to the weekly "Moral Mondays," held outside the statehouse in Raleigh, to protest voting-rights restrictions and a more recent law that limits transgender people's use of public bathrooms. "When you start talking about who can use a bathroom, that's not too different from who can use a water fountain," Campbell said. He could detect the effects of the election around him, in the bursts of conflict and the curious intersection of new ideas with old ones. What wasn't so easy to see was what belonged only to the past and what might have some hold in the future.
*An earlier version of this post misstated the day of the emergency hearing.
Benjamin Wallace-Wells began contributing to The New Yorker in 2006 and joined the magazine as a staff writer in 2015. He writes mainly about American politics and society.
More:2016 ElectionBarack ObamaHillary ClintonNorth CarolinaPoliticsPresidential Candidates
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What Bill Clinton Should Do as First Gentleman
By Margaret Talbot
Trump's Last Pitch to the Philadelphia Suburbs

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you're looking to bring a bird into your home, then you will need to find and purchase a suitable cage.
This article goes over some of the best bird cages available for various small to large birds, such as finches, conures, lovebirds, parakeets, parrots, canaries, cockatiels, budgies.
The criteria used in compiling this list includes price, quality, cage size, and the user opinions of experienced bird owners.
If you have to move your pet bird from one location to another often, we recommend this travel bird cage from Prevue Hendryx.
It comes with a perch and 2 dishes made of stainless steel, perfect for food and water.
The access door is on the side of the cage, which makes it easy for the bird to walk into it.
Easy to store, folds flat.
Comes with water and food dishes.
The bottom grille is easy to remove.
Not suitable for smaller birds.
Ideal For: Housing a small bird (finch, canary) long-term. An ideal travel or hospital cage.
This Prevue Pet model is a very nice little cage that can hold your bird while you clean his regular cage, or go on a trip to the vet.
It could also be the permanent home of a small finch or canary.
The design is simple and effective, and the cage won't take up much space.
This is an excellent option for first-time small bird owners on a budget.
An excellent travel or hospital cage.
Not large enough to house a bird that is parakeet-size or larger long-term.
Not a good option for multiple small birds.
Ideal For: A single cockatiel.
For a new bird owner bringing home their first cockatiel, this cage is an excellent choice.
The cage is very lightweight, and specifically designed to stimulate your bird.
It is very easy to add toys to this cage to keep your pet entertained.
A highly interactive and stimulating cage for your intelligent bird.
Easy to add and remove toys.
Not ideal for small birds (including parakeets), as the bar spacing is too wide for them.
A little on the small side for some cockatiels, although not unsuitable, especially if you have your bird out a lot.
Ideal For: Single or multiple medium-sized birds (parakeet, amazon, cockatiel, African grey, Cacique, Conjure).
This cage is perfect for one or two conures, Quakers, cockatiels, or lovebirds.
It is a huge and elegant cage that is very aesthetically pleasing.
A dome on the top opens up into a playstand.
Your medium-sized bird will feel right at home!
Excellent price for the size.
Removable metal grate and plastic tray that make cleaning easy.
Too large for small birds – they can get stuck in the bars.
Latches might not be adequate for an escape artist.
Ideal For: Multiple small to medium birds (lovebirds, budgies, finches, canaries, smaller conures, cockatiels, and Australian grasskeets, or parrots).
This cage is absolutely huge for its price.
You can easily fit a flock of small birds or a few medium birds in here.
It has a good design, and will look very nice in your home.
Very reasonably priced for the size.
Difficult to access the bottom of the cage.
Ideal For: Small birds (parakeets, canaries).
This cage is another attractive option for a small bird or a pair of small birds.
It comes in several attractive colors, and the design is thoroughly unique.
This is one of the best bird cages suitable for hanging up.
Too small for two parakeets.
Small food and water dishes.
Ideal For: Multiple medium-sized or small birds (parakeets, canaries, or finches).
This Prevue model is a massive cage for people who want to make sure their large bird or flock of small birds have plenty of room.
It's a bit pricey, but highly durable and made of quality wrought iron.
This is a cage for serious and experienced small bird owners who know how much space their birds need.
The bottom slides out, making it easy to clean.
This is a very large cage, so finding space for it might be difficult.
Not suitable for a very strong large bird like an African grey parrot.
Ideal For: Small birds such as parakeets, canaries, or finches.
This cage will be a great home for a single smaller bird or a pair.
It is very spacious, to give your new friends room to fly, and is made of high-quality material.
The cage is also lightweight, and will work with nearly any stand.
Your small birds will love it!
Good for beginner bird owners.
Not ideal for housing any birds larger than a single cockatiel or pair of parakeets.
The bottom grate does not slide out.
Ideal For: Small to medium-sized birds (parakeets, cockatiels).
This cage will be a great home for your new parakeet or cockatiel.
It is much bigger than it looks, and your birds will have plenty of space.
It comes in both blue and green, and at a very attractive price.
Spacious cage, without being massive.
Easy tray removal at the bottom.
Ideal For: A pair of small birds (canaries, budgies, lovebirds, and finches).
If you're looking at getting a pair of budgies, this Vision Bird model is one of the best bird cages available to you.
The plastic base does a good job of keeping any mess inside the cage.
The doors open inward, and serve as cool landing pads.
It's an excellent choice for the price!
Four doors for maximum access.
Ideal For: Multiple small birds, or two to three medium birds (parakeets, canaries, or finches).
This Mcage model is simply one of the best bird cages available because of its flexibility.
It can fit a lot of different types and number of birds – everything from a small flock of finches to up to three cockatiels.
It's a good fit for conures too.
It's a very sturdy cage made of quality wrought iron material, at a good price.
Well-constructed with quality wrought iron material.
A good option for many different types or combinations of birds.
Not suitable for large, strong birds.
Remember to always carefully research the species of bird you are hoping to get, and determine how much space it really needs, before you purchase a bird cage.
It's always better to have more space than too little. Hopefully, this list of best bird cages has given you some ideas.
Do you have a specific cage or manufacturer that has been amazing for your birds?
Do you feel we missed some best bird cages worth mentioning?
Be sure to share your thoughts below!


Muay Thai is a combat sport requiring a hard physical training, no matter whether you are training for fitness, fun or to fight. To be a good Muay Thai fighter, you must have a good physical condition to be quick, agile and precise and also strong arms to be able to make strong punches. In addition, you would also be required to have very good flexibility, and must position yourself very well in the ring to be able to escape the opponent's punches and kicks. Moreover, building a good muscle mass is also necessary to develop endurance, and to be able to well- absorb the opponent's punches and kicks.
Obviously, as a Muay Thai practitioner, you need to develop your fighting strategy so you can decide how, when, and where to kick your opponent with the most precision and speed. This martial art is, therefore, a very complete sport discipline, and requires simultaneous action of several muscles. Hence, to make the best use of your physical skills, you must perform hard and regular physical training.
Punching bag exercises with kicks, punches, and knees in order to improve fight technique, precision and strength. This help also to increase body responsiveness, and general ability to produce explosive power.
Skipping rope exercises to increase endurance and strengthen leg muscles. These exercises are also beneficial and help to improve concentration, movements coordination, and breath control.
Sheathing pumps and abs exercises to strengthen all the abdominal, pectorals, and oblique muscles. These exercises are also very important to maintain a good general body balance and to improve endurance.
Running is a principal exercise to burn calories, and to improve cardiovascular system and endurance. This is the most important physical exercise that every practitioner has to perform every day. The experienced Muay Thai champions run for hours a day and have two running cessions, one in the morning and another in the evening.
Push up and dumbbells exercises with arms, legs, and neck to strengthen muscles, and adapt them to generate power. These exercises also help to build a strong general muscularity.
Sparring exercises with another practitioner to develop the fighting strategy. This helps to refine the technique and to improve the agility and speed.
All these hard exercises meant for both mind and body require adopting a healthy lifestyle. Indeed, Muay Thai champions adopt a balanced diet, which provide their bodies with all the necessary nutrition. They also keep their bodies well hydrated by drinking enough water. Finally, a Muay Thai champion must maintain a systematic balance between training and rest periods. This is very important because a rest period helps the body to recover and reduces the risk of injuries.


text:
Q: JMeter Test Action Target ignored About Test Action Target behavior, According to Test Action user manual Target is mandatory and ignored for Pause:

Target Current Thread / All Threads (ignored for Pause)
  Required: Yes

But in fact also when choosing Action: Go to next loop iteration the Target is disabled and not required.
Should it be marked as not required (N) and ignored also for Action Go to next loop iteration? and maybe be disabled also when choosing Action Pause  ?

A: It is indeed a bug reported here:

*

*https://bz.apache.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=61707
And now fixed, it will be available in next JMeter version following 3.3.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


TCH started operating in 1976, primarily serving musicians and businesses in the entertainment industry. TCH hardware and laminates were used in the production of musicians' ATA-cases, in DJ road-cases and in the construction of event stages. Over 30 years, the company built a reputation for fast order fulfilment, competitive pricing and ability to source custom components.
Today, the company supplies manufacturers in the medical, information technology, transport and defence industries. TCH distributes components via its teams of local account managers, its 5000 components print catalogue, ecommerce and B2B websites.


text:
from itertools import islice

from fakturoid import six

class PagedResource(object):
    """List adapter for paged resources. Returns sliceable lazy loaded object."""

    def __init__(self, page_size=20):
        self.pages = {}
        self.page_size = page_size or 20
        self.page_count = None

    def load_page(self, n):
        raise NotImplementedError("You must implement load_page method.")

    def ensure_page_count(self):
        if self.page_count is None:
            # load any page to get page count from headers
            self.get_page(0)

    def get_page(self, n):
        if self.page_count and n >= self.page_count:
            raise IndexError('index out of range')
        if n in self.pages:
            return self.pages[n]
        page = self.load_page(n)
        if page:
            self.pages[n] = page
            return page
        raise IndexError('index out of range')

    def __len__(self):
        self.ensure_page_count()
        return (self.page_size * (self.page_count - 1) +
                len(self.get_page(self.page_count - 1)))

    def __getitem__(self, key):
        if isinstance(key, int):
            if key < 0:
                key = len(self) + key
                if key < 0:
                    raise IndexError('index out of range')
            page_n, idx = divmod(key, self.page_size)
            return self.get_page(page_n)[idx]
        elif isinstance(key, slice):
            # TODO support negative step
            return islice(self, *key.indices(len(self)))
        else:
            raise TypeError('list indices must be integers')

class ModelList(PagedResource, six.UnicodeMixin):

    def __init__(self, model_api, endpoint, params=None):
        super(ModelList, self).__init__()
        self.model_api = model_api
        self.endpoint = endpoint
        self.params = params or {}

    def load_page(self, n):
        params = {'page': n + 1}
        params.update(self.params)
        response = self.model_api.session._get(self.endpoint, params=params)
        if self.page_count is None:
            self.page_count = response.get('page_count', n + 1)
        return list(self.model_api.unpack(response))

    def __unicode__(self):
        # TODO print if loaded
        return "<list of {0} models>".format(self.model_api.model_type.__name__)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home / Plants / Arbutus glandulosa
Arbutus glandulosa (Texas Medrone)
Possibly the most beautiful of all of the strawberry trees, with its large, slightly glaucous leaves and remarkable, smooth, reddy-brown bark (like copper pipe) that peels off to reveal a lime green bark in early summer, that turns to the smooth grey that covers it most of the year, which then turns back to reddy-brown in winter. Got it?
It has the normal white bell-like flowers and occasional strawberry-like fruit and grows to 15ft x 15ft in about 10 years. Despite its southern provenance, it's proved hardy and successful in the stock field of Cooks Farm (the former home of Architectural Plants) and of the relatively few plants we've produced, I know it's thrived from Western Scotland to a friend's garden on the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Spain. Like all strawberry trees, it needs good drainage. We don't know whether it will tolerate chalk, but it certainly tolerates (likes, even) limey soil.
Its identity is shrouded in mystery. (Is it even an Arbutus? Is it an Arctostaphylos? Who knows?) However, its provenance is not. Two plants were raised by Hilliers Nursery in Winchester in the early 1970s – introduced by a plant expedition to Mexico in 1969. The name of the collector, the exact position in Mexico, and whether they were grown from seed or brought in as plants are all unknown. One was meant to be kept at Hillier Arboretum in Romsey, Hampshire, and the other was meant to be sent to the fledgling Ventnor Botanic Garden on the Isle of Wight. According to Simon Goodenough (the former curator at Ventnor), due to a bureaucratic cock-up, they both got sent to Ventnor and, as far as I know, are still there. They both look identical and we took cuttings from the one we thought the best in 1988/89. Difficult to produce by cutting, but we've had success growing them by micropropagation in the lab.
All strawberry trees are prone to getting black spots on their leaves by the end of winter. It doesn't appear to be a fungal problem, but is aggravated by the plant being less than content – usually either because it's in a pot, or its roots are dying back due to over wet conditions. It's also a part of the natural disintegration and fall of old leaves before the new ones appear in the spring. There seems to be no treatment other than removing the unsightly leaves by hand or being patient. The spring always brings nice fresh new perfect leaves.
IF IT HAS A AMBER TRAFFIC LIGHT
Hardy in the Home Counties if sensibly sited (avoiding severe frost pockets, for example). Many Amber Labelled Plants are from cuttings from well-established plants that have survived many harsh winters in the South-East.
Edible, Evergreen, Flowers, Grown by Us, Screening Plants, Shrubs, Trees
Grown by Us, Mediterranean, Rare & Unusual (Collectables)
Coastal, Mild City Gardens, Sheltered Garden
Aloe aristata (Lace Aloe - Hated by Clare)
The hardiest of the African Aloes – forms a mat of exotic little fleshy leafed rosettes. Orangey-red flower spikes that last for weeks and weeks. Please contact us for stock availability and sizes.
Agapanthus africanus (African Lily)
Tender evergreen perennial with long, lush, strappy leaves forming clumps 1 to 2ft high. Huge blue or white flower heads on 4 to 5ft stems appear in mid summer. Please contact us for stock availability and sizes.
Agave salmiana ferox (Vlad the Impaler)
The most ferocious plant in a nursery full of fearsome specimens. Brutal, monstrous, beautiful and hurricane resistant. King of all the Vlads. Please contact us for stock availability and sizes.


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Tag Archives: Rui Patricio
An Impressive Start to the New Year
The quiz winners
Last October, the City 'Orns team won the Watford Quiz Night (I am still not sure how that happened). Our prize was hospitality for the Wolves game on New Year's Day. As I couldn't find a taker for my season ticket, I released it. When I received the email acknowledging my 'non-attendance', it was all I could do not to respond to tell them that it wasn't that I wouldn't be attending, but I had a ticket for hospitality. Thankfully I was able to convince myself that that may come across as just a little obsessive.
I arrived in Watford at my usual time for a matchday but, unlike the bustle of a Saturday, the town was deserted. As Thursday was a workday, I decided to stay in Watford, so I dropped my bag at the hotel before heading to the ground. As I reached Market Street, the crowds increased but they were all wearing Wolves shirts and scarves and I realised that the away supporters' coaches had arrived. As I was a little too early for the opening of the hospitality lounge, I went into the Hornet shop. I was looking for programme binders and searched high and low, but they were nowhere to be seen. However, I did find some oven gloves. For someone who rarely cooks and almost never uses the oven, I don't know why I was so attracted to them, but they were a thing of beauty and I had to have them. I then found the programme binders, and all was right with my world. As I approached the till, I noticed the signs indicating "tax free" purchases. I asked the woman behind the counter if we really have that many tourists visiting Vicarage Road. Apparently, we do. What has become of football?
With Tommy Smith
I was not (quite) the first in the Horizons lounge and was quickly joined by Alice, so we bought a couple of bottles of wine for the table (one red, one white) and toasted the new year. Our party soon gathered. As well as the quiz winners, Mike Raggett was there celebrating winning the Supporter of the Season. He had brought Jacque as his plus one, so there was a good number of the West Herts contingent in attendance.
As part of the pre-match entertainment in the lounge there was an interview with Tommy Smith talking about the current squad and being very positive. When he was finished, he was invited to our table and stayed for a long chat about anything and everything. I liked his description of himself as a "lazy winger", not quite the way that I remember him. He never fancied being a coach or a manager, so went into estate agency and the business seems to be doing really well. He seems pretty happy with life and is enjoying the ambassador/guest role as a way of staying connected with football. I still think of Tommy Smith as a youngster, after all we went to the same secondary school, but I left the school the year after he was born. It was a bit of a shock to realise that he will be 40 in May.
Team news was that Pearson had made two enforced changes with Dawson and Chalobah in for Mariappa (suspended) and Hughes (injured). So, the starting line-up was Foster; Femenía, Cathcart, Kabasele, Dawson; Capoue, Chalobah; Deulofeu, Doucouré, Sarr; Deeney.
The Rocket Men banner
We left the lounge in good time to find our seats, but the signs in the Upper GT concourse were somewhat misleading so we wandered around for a while before finding someone who could point us in the right direction. When we finally found the seats, they were in the front row of the new overhang at the end of the stand right next to the 1881 in the Rookery, so a great spot. I could see my family sitting in the middle of the Rookery and tried to attract their attention, but they were not looking in my direction and by the time I found my glasses to send a message they were in match mode and concentrating on events on the pitch.
As the teams came out, a RocketMan surfer banner featuring Elton and GT appeared over the centre of the Rookery. On a normal day, I would have been under it, so it was nice to see the revelation of a new banner for once. It was absolutely gorgeous. I was a little late snapping the picture, so it doesn't do it justice.
We had been told that there was a strict dress code in the lounge regarding replica shirts, but I had brought mine with me anyway and, as we were sitting in a Watford section rather than in the Directors' area, I decided to put it on to watch the game and felt a whole lot better.
Dawson on the ball
Wolves came into the game having beaten Man City and run Liverpool very close, so my hopes of getting anything out of the game were pretty low, but it would certainly give us an indication of how the team were developing under Pearson.
The first chance of note came in the 12th minute and fell to the visitors as Coady played Doherty in and, with only Foster to beat, he looked odds on to open the scoring, but Ben came to meet him and made the save. Jiménez then had a great chance and really should have scored, but his shot from the edge of the box flew wide of the far post. Watford's first meaningful attack came as Deulofeu played the ball out to Femenía who put in a lovely low cross but there was nobody there to meet it. The Hornets threatened again as a shot from Deulofeu was blocked, the ball eventually found its way to Chalobah outside the box, his shot cleared the crossbar. The first caution of the game went to Dawson for a foul on Neto. The same two players then tangled in the Watford box, this time the referee booked the Wolves man for simulation. Needless to say, there was a VAR check for a penalty, but the man in Stockley Park upheld the decision.
Celebrating Deulofeu's strike
Watford had their best chance of the game so far when Deulofeu found Sarr who hit a decent shot which was saved by Rui Patricio. We were not left to rue that miss for long as we took the lead a minute later. This time Sarr played in Deulofeu who shot across the keeper into the opposite corner. Cue mad celebrations in the posh seats. Watford were in the ascendancy at this point and a lovely move deserved more, but the Wolves defence prevented the shot. Then, from a throw, Deeney nodded the ball on to Deulofeu who could only shoot over the bar. There was a great chance to increase the Hornets' lead just before half time when a lovely flick from Deeney found Sarr but he could only hit the side netting.
The guest at half time was Filippo Galli, but I am ashamed to say that I headed into the lounge for dessert and another glass of wine. I thought I was keeping an eye on the time, but suddenly the screen next to our table was showing the Wolves players coming back onto the pitch and so we had to make a rapid return to our seats.
Congratulating Doucoure
The visitors started the second half brightly as Neto broke forward but could only find the side netting with his shot. Then Jiménez tried a shot from distance, but it cleared the bar. Instead it was the Hornets who scored with their first shot of the half as Deulofeu went on a run and played in Doucouré whose shot took a slight deflection and beat Rui Patricio. It was lovely to see Abdoulaye score on his birthday, so very kind of him to give us all a present. My family had received the text with my location, so it was rather lovely to see them turn towards me so we could celebrate the goal together. The visitors made an early double substitution with Neves and Vinagre replacing Bennett and Jonny. Then there was disappointment for the home fans as Femenía, who has been brilliant lately, was forced to go off after tweaking a hamstring. There seemed to be some confusion on the bench regarding his replacement as both Holebas and Masina appeared to be readying themselves to come on. In the interim, Watford were playing with 10 men and Wolves were looking to pull a goal back. First Traoré fed Moutinho, who hit a low shot which Foster was down to gather. Then Vinagre tried his luck but, again, Foster was equal to it. The Watford fans were yelling for someone to put the ball out so that the substitution could be made and there was a sigh of relief when Kabasele belted the ball into the stand and Holebas finally took to the field.
Troy wants the ball
But, as soon as we were back to full strength, the visitors pulled a goal back, as Neto hit a shot from distance that took a wicked deflection and beat Foster. Wolves made their final substitution at the midpoint of the half, replacing the goalscorer, Neto, with Jota. The substitute was soon involved as an attempt to escape upfield was stopped when he was pulled back by Kabasele. The referee showed a yellow card, but the decision was referred to VAR which indicated that a red card should be shown and Kabasele was given his marching orders. I have to say that this is the most ridiculous use of VAR. The on-pitch referee had a good view of the incident and decided to book the player. The referee in Stockley Park viewed the same infraction and decided it was worthy of a red card. Had the original decision been a clear and obvious error? Would the on-pitch referee have made a different decision had they seen the same footage as the VAR? We have no idea, but the subjective decision of the VAR now overrules that of the man who is supposed to be refereeing the game. On this occasion they made the mistake of playing footage of the incident on the big screen and this prompted howls of anger from the Rookery. Interestingly the Wolves fans had been expressing their feelings about VAR while the incident was being reviewed. They cheered briefly at the decision and then continued with their original theme at which point the whole ground was singing "F*ck VAR". Having expressed our frustration, we were then resigned to having 20 minutes left to play with 10 men.
The two goalscorers, Deulofeu and Doucoure
At this point, getting anything out of the game was looking very unlikely. Thankfully, we passed the first hurdle as the free kick resulting from Kabasele's foul hit the wall and was caught by Foster. Unlike the Villa game when Pearson made a bold change after the sending off, his substitution on this occasion was more defensive as Masina took to the field in place of Deulofeu. As they had in the previous game, a photo of GT was shown on the big screen on 72 minutes, this time with Watford and Wolves badges superimposed. Many Wolves fans have very fond memories of GT and it had been lovely before the game seeing a number of them having their photos taken with his statue. The visitors created a great chance after the ball appeared to be going out for a goal kick, but Vinagre belted after it and managed to keep it in play before putting in a lovely cross for Doherty whose header looked sure to level the score but Foster got a hand to it and kept it out. Vinagre then had a chance of his own to draw the visitors level, but his shot was high and wide. The Wolves man threatened again with a dangerous looking cross that almost caught Foster out, but the Watford keeper was fouled by Jiménez to relieve the pressure, if only briefly.
Troy holding the ball up as the clock wound down
The fourth official indicated five minutes of time added on. At this time, it was all hands to the pump. The Watford faithful were in excellent voice urging their team on as they tried to run the clock down. Pearson tried to use up some time by making a substitution as Sarr was replaced by Pereyra. When the board went up, the Watford youngster was near the corner flag between the Rookery and the GT stands so, under the new law, should have left the field on that side of the ground, but Deeney was chatting away to referee which distracted his attention allowing the youngster to amble off at his own pace. Deeney had been trying to keep the ball in that area and was successful in winning a corner to waste some time. He was instructing the young ball boy to take as long as possible to return the ball when it went off and took a short corner himself with no attacking intent. Eventually he attracted the ire of the referee and was booked for his delaying tactics. With a minute of added time remaining, Traoré was fouled by Doucouré giving the visitors a free kick to the right of the box from our perspective at the other end of the ground. Capoue threw himself in front of the free kick which went out for a throw. The visitors tried to get the ball back in play quickly, but were penalised for a foul throw, much to the amusement of the home crowd. The visitors had one last chance to grab a point, but the shot from Neves flew over the bar and the final whistle went on an unlikely and very hard-fought victory for the Hornets.
The cheers were heartfelt and intense and, as I always do, I made sure to cheer every player off the pitch.
Pereyra makes a late appearance
We returned to the lounge and a celebratory glass or two of wine. It had been a terrific game and a very impressive win against a Wolves team who are very good indeed. Femenía had done a tremendous job in keeping Traoré quiet and we were under the cosh a bit after the double blow of his injury and the dismissal of Kabasele, but the team worked hard to keep their shape and were well worth the three points. Deulofeu appears to be a new player under Pearson, an arm around his shoulder has given him more confidence in both himself and his team mates to the benefit of all of us. Capoue was magnificent running the midfield and Chalobah put the disappointment of the early withdrawal on Saturday behind him to put in an assured performance. Birthday boy Doucouré was back to his best and topped it off with a goal.
It is hard to believe that, up until the Saturday before Christmas we were winless at home. We now have three home wins in a row and, given that the opposition included Man Utd and Wolves, that is very impressive indeed. Similarly, having been concerned that we were becoming marooned at the foot of the table, we are now only two points off safety and are looking up the table with some confidence. I have always thought this team were much better than the results indicated, but something was lacking. Nigel Pearson seems to have given them a confidence in their abilities and a resilience that was too often missing earlier in the season. There is a sense now that they playing as a team rather than as a collection of individuals and they now have the crowd back onside with them and football is fun again. It looks like being a very happy new year for the Hornets.
This entry was posted in Watford FC and tagged Abdoulaye Doucoure, Adam Masina, Adama Traore, Ben Foster, Christian Kabasele, Conor Coady, Craig Cathcart, Craig Dawson, Diogo Jota, Etienne Capoue, Gerard Deulofeu, Ismaila Sarr, Joao Moutinho, Jonny Castro Otto, Jose Holebas, Kiko Femenia, Leander Dendoncker, Matt Doherty, Nathaniel Chalobah, Nigel Pearson, Nuno Espirito Santo, Pedro Neto, Raul Jimenez, Roberto Pereyra, Romain Saiss, Ruben Neves, Ruben Vinagre, Rui Patricio, Ryan Bennett, Troy Deeney, Watford FC, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC on January 2, 2020 by franelynn.
Another Defeat Despite Domination
Statue of Jack Hayward outside Molineux
Having been utterly miserable after the City game, the midweek win against Swansea cheered me up somewhat, so I was in a better mood for the journey to Wolverhampton. I left London early and met Jacque on the train. As has been usual for recent trips to Wolves, we were to have our pre-match refreshments in Birmingham. Our ridiculously early arrival time confirmed that, due to a late decision about where to meet, both of us had booked a train based on its scheduled arrival in Wolverhampton rather than Birmingham. Still, by the time we got to the pub it was a respectable hour to have a drink. The pub was actually packed due, in part, to the presence of passengers of a Midland Red bus, that was parked outside. I assume that they were on a tour of the city and the opportunity to mix with Villa fans having a pre-match pint was too much of a temptation. Mike met us for lunch, and then we headed back to New Street to get the train to Wolverhampton and take the short walk to the ground. We met the rest of our party inside where we were regaled with stories of traffic delays for those who had driven. Luckily (?) they all made it in time for kick-off.
Team news was that Quique had made four changes from the side who were humiliated by Manchester City, with Janmaat, Cathcart, Welbeck and Sarr replacing Femenía, Mariappa, Foulquier and Hughes. So the starting line-up was Foster; Holebas, Dawson, Cathcart, Janmaat; Capoue, Doucouré; Deulofeu, Cleverley, Sarr; Welbeck. The initial reaction was that this was the team that people wanted to see. But I was rather surprised that Welbeck was included, having played 90 minutes in midweek. In other news, today would see the first outing of our new away kit. I hoped that it would be lucky for us.
Holebas takes a throw-in
Watford started well and, in the first minute, Sarr found Welbeck, but the shot was wide of the target. Wolves also had an early chance as Boly released Jiménez who shot into the side netting. The Hornets put themselves in trouble when a short corner routine broke down allowing Neto to break at pace and play a low cross for Jiménez who shot wide of the far post. The home side opened the scoring in the 18th minute when a low cross from Neto was turned in by Doherty. It was yet another poor goal to give away as the defence were nowhere to be seen. It feels as though we have seen the same goal scored against us repeatedly this season and still have no idea how to stop it. Deulofeu tried to hit back as he cut into the box but could only shoot into the side netting. Deulofeu threatened again from a free kick, but his delivery was headed clear. Wolves had a chance to increase their lead as Traoré beat Holebas to put in a cross, but no Wolves player could get on the end of it. Sarr really should have done better after receiving a ball from Deulofeu in the box, but he turned and shot well wide of the target. The Wolves fans were shouting for a penalty as a cross from Traoré was blocked by Holebas, but the referee was unmoved by their pleas. Welbeck got into a decent position in the box, but his shot was blocked for a corner that came to nothing. The end of the half was dominated by a couple of lengthy stoppages for injuries to Wolves players, but there was one final chance for the Hornets to draw level as Cleverley flicked a pass to Sarr in a dangerous position but, yet again, the shot was blocked.
Pereyra takes a corner
The half time whistle went to sighs of resignation in the away end. It hadn't been pretty. Watford had had more of the possession but were ponderous and reluctant to shoot. In contrast, Wolves were quick on the break and the Watford defence always looked vulnerable. The home side had scored with the only on-target shot of the half.
Looking at things off the field, I couldn't help but notice that the stand behind the goal at one end and half of the other have been converted for safe standing. It looked great and it will be interesting to see whether this becomes commonplace.
At the break Deulofeu was replaced by Pereyra. The Hornets started the second half quite brightly. Pereyra put in a lovely cross that Holebas met with a header that was blocked by the Wolves keeper, the first time he had been called into action. The ball dropped to Cleverley, who tried to turn it in, but Rui Patricio was able to get a foot to it and put it out for a corner. The corner summed up our afternoon as Pereyra's delivery didn't even make it onto the pitch before it flew behind the goal line. Wolves had their first chance of the half as Neto broke forward but shot straight at Foster and was immediately replaced by Gibbs-White.
Waiting for the delivery at a corner
The Hornets had dominated the start of the second half, so it felt cruel when, on the hour mark, a cross from Doherty was flicked on by Gibbs-White, and Janmaat turned it past Foster. There appeared no way back at that point. Holebas tried to hit back with a shot through the area that flew just wide of the near post. It was unsurprising to see José pick up the first booking of the game for a foul on Traoré. Flores made his second substitution with twenty minutes to go as Sarr made way for Gray. Andre made an immediate impact and the Hornets had a great chance to pull one back when Welbeck received a ball from Gray and unleashed a shot that required a decent save from Rui Patricio to keep it out. Wolves had a chance to score a third as Traoré put a deep cross over to Jonny but he could only find the side netting. Wolves made a second substitution bringing Cutrone on for Jiménez. The substitute had a chance to make an immediate impact as he charged toward the Watford goal, but was stopped by a wonderful sliding tackle from Foster. At the other end, Gray made a break into the Wolves box but his shot was poor and straight at the keeper. Doucouré then tried his luck with a low shot from the edge of the area, but it was an easy catch for Rui Patricio. There was one last chance for the Hornets as a corner from Holebas reached Welbeck but he could only head over the bar. Santo made his final change bringing Neves on for Traoré. There were three minutes of added time, which were rather soul destroying as, despite Hornets having plenty of possession, they just played it around on the halfway line with the Wolves defence happily lined up in front of them. The final whistle went to half-hearted boos from a few among the Watford following, but most of us just felt as defeated as the team.
Holebas and Pereyra lining up a free kick
As there is nothing to stay in Wolves for, we made a rapid retreat to the station to get the train home and we bumped into a couple of fellow Hornets. There was a lot of head shaking and failure to understand what is going wrong this season. Our team still looks great on paper, but we continue to fail to attack with enough intent or defend convincingly. On the evidence of the games so far, most of the teams in the Premier League are pretty poor (the obvious exception notwithstanding), but we have been unable to beat any of them. The consensus was that we are desperately missing Deeney as there is no leadership on the pitch, which is a very sorry state of affairs. It is difficult to see how we will turn this around, but football is a confidence game and maybe we just need a few balls to drop kindly and a couple of shots to creep inside the post for the belief to resurface.
As I left work on Friday, I had a chat with one of my colleagues about our chances for the weekend. He reminded me that going to football was supposed to be fun. He is so right and, sadly, the games really aren't fun at the moment. I hope that changes very soon.
This entry was posted in Watford FC and tagged Abdoulaye Doucoure, Adama Traore, Andre Gray, Ben Foster, Conor Coady, Craig Cathcart, Craig Dawson, Danny Welbeck, Daryl Janmaat, Etienne Capoue, Gerard Deulofeu, Ismaila Sarr, Joao Moutinho, Jonny Castro Otto, Jose Holebas, Leander Dendoncker, Matt Doherty, Morgan Gibbs-White, Nuno Espirito Santo, Patrick Cutrone, Pedro Neto, Quique Sanchez Flores, Raul Jimenez, Roberto Pereyra, Romain Saiss, Ruben Neves, Rui Patricio, Tom Cleverley, Watford FC, Willy Boly, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC on September 29, 2019 by franelynn.
The Battle for Seventh Place
It has been a very stressful week. Work has been full on, with a number of important deadlines meaning that I was working long hours. But this game had taken on enormous importance, as it would surely be key in our fight with Wolves for seventh place, so it was never far from my thoughts. The importance was brought home when I woke with a jolt at 5am on Saturday, knowing that I had to be somewhere and stressing about how I would get there. When I was awake enough to realise that kick-off was at 3pm, so I had plenty of time, I calmed down a bit.
For once, I timed my journey perfectly. After having a quick chat with Mick, our Police liaison officer, at the Junction (he was confident of a win, I wasn't), I arrived at the West Herts just after it opened. Our party was a little depleted due to commitments elsewhere, but there was still a good turnout at 'our' table. Glenn appeared with his sweets as usual but, as it was a Saturday, there was the extra treat of the delicious pork scratchings that he gets from his butcher which I had as dessert after a portion of jerk chicken. I left for the ground a little earlier than usual to pick up my tickets for the FA Cup Final. It was so good to have them in my hands at last.
Doucoure on the ball
Team news was three changes from Tuesday with Gracia again alternating his defensive options with Femenía and Mariappa in for Janmaat and Kabasele, we also had the welcome return of Holebas taking the place of Masina. Adam was terrific in the game against Southampton, but Jose would always be in my first XI. So the starting line-up was Foster; Holebas, Mariappa, Cathcart, Femenía; Pereyra, Capoue, Doucoure, Hughes; Deulofeu, Gray. I must say that I felt very reassured by the team selection.
The teams ran out to "I'm Still Standing" and I was left cold again. It is not growing on me, but at least you can hear it, unlike the Superman theme.
The game kicked off and some of our fans decided that this was a good time to goad Wolves after our cup semi-final win. I always think that pride comes before a fall, so the chants worried me greatly. There was a cagey start to the game, the first chance for either side came on 12 minutes when Deulofeu won a corner. The delivery from Holebas was deep and headed back by Capoue to Doucouré whose shot was blocked, the ball fell to Pereyra whose shot was also blocked. I must admit that, with the early disasters in the previous two home games, I was very happy when we got to 15 minutes on the clock without a catastrophic event.
Geri looking baffled at Jose's secret instructions
The first shot on target didn't come until the 21st minute when Neves tried a shot from distance, Foster was equal to it. The Hornets had a great chance to take the lead when Pereyra played a lovely ball to Deulofeu, but Geri slipped as he was about to take the shot and the chance was gone. Hughes did brilliantly to control a dropping ball, he found Deulofeu, but the shot was turned around a post for a corner, which Deulofeu played short to Holebas whose shot was terrible and flew well wide of the target. From my position in the Rookery, I thought that Wolves had taken the lead when a shot from Jiménez was cleared off the line by Capoue. I can't have been the only one holding my breath waiting for the referee to indicate that the ball had actually crossed the line before it was cleared, but that indication didn't come, and the game remained goalless. A lovely forward passing move involving Pereyra and Hughes finished with the ball with Deulofeu whose shot was blocked. Watford should have opened the scoring from the resultant corner which Holebas delivered deep to Pereyra, he crossed for Mariappa who headed back to Hughes, who had the goal at his mercy, but directed his header over the target. The opening goal came late in the half. From our vantage point, it appeared that the ball had gone out for a throw-in. The linesman on that side, must have seen the ball rolling past him, but felt the need to consult with the referee before giving a corner. The Hornets failed to clear from the corner allowing Jota to cross for Jiménez to head home and then celebrate by showing us the name on the back of his shirt, while our hearts sank. In retrospect I wonder if he lost the mask at Wembley. Watford should have hit back almost immediately as Hughes found Gray in the box, but he shot over the bar when it looked easier to score. In mitigation, Andre claimed that he had been fouled, but the referee was having none of it. Just on half time, Deulofeu played a neat one-two with Pereyra, but his shot was blocked.
Celebrating Gray's equaliser
So we went into the break a goal down after a very even half of football that had been short on chances. In contrast to Tuesday, the half time entertainment was restricted to the schools' penalty shoot-out. This was much more like it.
The second half started brilliantly for the Hornets as a mistake in the Wolves defence allowed the ball to break to Deulofeu, he tried to beat Patricio but the ball broke to Gray who found the net and sent the Watford fans wild. After we had finished celebrating, we then had the entertainment of watching other fans coming back after getting their half time refreshments. Their faces were a picture. Wolves had a half chance to regain the lead as Doherty crossed for Jota but the shot was well over the target. Deulofeu then played a lovely ball to Gray, but Boly muscled him off the ball and came away with it. Pereyra released Deulofeu who tried to chip the keeper, but Patricio made the catch. The first booking of the game went to Moutinho for barging Hughes over. Not wanting to be left out, Holebas then fouled Jota to get a yellow card of his own. Watford had a decent chance to take the lead as Doucouré headed the ball down to Pereyra, but the shot was wide of the near post.
Perayra prepares to take a corner
There were shouts for a penalty as a shot from Hughes appeared to be handled, but the referee wasn't interested. That was Will's last involvement in the game as he was replaced with Kabasele. Hughes had been terrific, absolutely everywhere, and deserved the ovation that he was given when he left the pitch. But the change in formation did not favour the Hornets and the next chance fell to Moutinho who tried a shot from distance that was deflected over the bar. The winning goal for the visitors seemed to come out of nothing. A long cross-field ball from Neves found Jota who finished past Foster. From the other end of the ground, it just looked unfortunate, but reports from those at the Vicarage Road end indicated that Foster should have done better with the cross. Others blamed Storm Hannah. Gracia was forced into a substitution bringing Success (!) on for Cathcart who had been limping for a while. I love Javi, but his substitutions on Saturday were interesting to say the least. Jota was booked for time wasting after kicking the ball away when Watford were awarded a free kick. It was amusing to see him trying to claim that he had been passing the ball back to Foster. The visitors made a late substitution bringing Cavaleiro on for Jiménez, who ambled off the pitch. There were shouts for a penalty from the Wolves fans as Kabasele brought Jota down in the box. It looked like a superb tackle from where we were and the referee agreed. There was a late booking for Capoue who then got involved in a spot of handbags. Nuno brought Gibbs-White on for Jota to waste a little more time. The final whistle went soon after, ensuring that Wolves left Hertfordshire with the three points and in pole position to finish in seventh place.
Capoue leaving Mapps to do the work at a corner 😉
Unlike on Tuesday, it was hard to be angry at the end of this game. The word that I heard repeatedly was "disappointing". It had been a very even contest between two well matched teams and the best team on the day won the game. Again, we missed Deeney's leadership. That harsh sending off has probably prevented us finishing as the best of the rest. However, we can only hope that the rest has done him good and he comes back to spearhead a barnstorming end to the season that finishes with him lifting the FA Cup.
After the game, my sister, Rose, insisted on going into the Hornet shop, having seen our Cate's purchase of the cup final shirt placing GT in 1984 alongside Javi in 2019. We both emerged with the same t-shirt, probably the first time the three of us will have an identical item of clothing since our lovely Mum used to make our dresses in the 70s.
I know that the most important game is the next one, but now that seventh place looks impossible, all focus is on the Cup Final, which has to be the better way to qualify for Europe. Oh dear, there go those nerves again.
This entry was posted in Watford FC and tagged Abdoulaye Doucoure, Adrian Mariappa, Andre Gray, Ben Foster, Christian Kabasele, Conor Coady, Craig Cathcart, Diogo Jota, Etienne Capoue, Gerard Deulofeu, Isaac Success, Ivan Cavaleiro, Javi Gracia, Joao Moutinho, Jonny Castro Otto, Jose Holebas, Kiko Femenia, Leander Dendoncker, Matt Doherty, Morgan Gibbs-White, Raul Jimenez, Roberto Pereyra, Ruben Neves, Rui Patricio, Ryan Bennett, Watford FC, Will Hughes, Willy Boly on April 29, 2019 by franelynn.
Back to Winning Ways at Wolves
Masina, Mariappa and Cathcart
Thankfully I chose the weekend of the Bournemouth game to travel to the Turks & Caicos for a week's diving. Although I made the mistake of listening to the game, which was not a good start to the holiday. But it has to be said that, despite the recent poor run of results, this seemed to be the first bad performance of the season and it was good that the lads had the international break to give them time to recover. Since Watford's downturn started after Javi won the Manager of the Month award, I was hoping that the curse would now transfer to Nuno.
A trip to Molineux evoked awful memories of our last visit which ended with one of our regular travelling fans, Nic Cruwys, fighting for his life following an attack after the game. Having previously witnessed an attack on the Watford fans' coaches (which are generally used by families and the elderly), I was not looking forward to this trip. Our party decided to delay our arrival by meeting in our pre-match pub of choice in Birmingham instead. When I arrived early doors, Graham was already in place, but the pub was otherwise almost empty. Then, suddenly, there was an invasion of Morris Dancers. The bells were driving me crazy. Having thought we had found a quiet spot, the rest of our party arrived to find a dance taking place in front of our table. I couldn't help reflecting on the irony that the two Morris dancers in our usual away crowd had decided to give this game a miss.
The Wolves Pyro Display
We left Birmingham in plenty of time to make the journey to Wolverhampton. On arrival at the station, we were met by a phalanx of police who directed us behind the station and on a rather circuitous route as they didn't want Watford fans walking through the city centre. I must say that the route that we took seemed a little too out of the way for my liking, but there were police officers stationed at various points on the way and we arrived at the ground with no sign of any trouble.
Team news was that, in addition to the suspensions of Kabasele and Holebas, Deeney had picked up a minor injury and Gracia had decided to drop Gray to the bench, the replacements being Mariappa (who also captained the team), Masina, Deulofeu and Success. So the starting line-up was Foster; Femenía, Cathcart. Mariappa, Masina; Deulofeu, Hughes, Capoue, Doucouré, Pereyra; Success. Wolves were unchanged for the ninth game this season.
As the teams came out prior to kick-off, there were some very impressive pyrotechnics. Our pitch side seats meant there was a danger of scorching, my eyebrows may never recover. When it was over, we couldn't see the pitch for the smoke. It seems that Wolves subscribe to the adage "no pyro, no party".
Finding a shady spot to celebrate Capoue's goal
As well as the overheating prior to kick-off, the stand had no leg room (I am 5ft6in and could not sit comfortably, even if the people in front had allowed me to do so) and was also bathed in bright sunlight, which made it incredibly difficult to watch the game. The first half chance of the match came as a free-kick from Neves was headed over by Masina. The resultant corner was met with a looping header from Bennett that was pushed over the bar by Foster. The second corner led to a quick break by the Hornets as Femenía hared upfield before finding Deulofeu whose cross was straight into the arms of the Wolves keeper, Patricio. After an even start that had been short on chances, Watford took the lead on 20 minutes. The move started with some really good work from Deulofeu before Doucouré played the ball out to Capoue who blasted a low shot from distance into the Wolves net. There was a momentary delay before the celebration as we couldn't quite believe what we had seen. It was a terrific strike. We had hardly stopped bouncing when the second goal went in. Straight from the restart, the ball found its way to Pereyra on the left from where he effortlessly curled a shot over the keeper and into the opposite corner. Well, that was unexpected!
Man of the match, Capoue, lining up a free kick
Wolves seemed a bit shell shocked at that point and the next Watford attack finished with Success being taken out. The travelling Hornets were shouting for a penalty, but the referee indicated that the foul had been committed outside the area. It was in a dangerous position, but Deulofeu's free-kick was disappointingly straight into the wall. The first booking of the game went to Neves after a foul on Hughes. Watford continued to dominate and some lovely passing around the Wolves box finished with Doucouré playing the ball back to Pereyra who curled his shot over the bar. There was a rare attack from the home side as Jiménez broke forward and got into a dangerous position, but his shot was poor and flew wide of the far post. After another lovely passing move involving Femenía and Hughes, the ball reached Doucouré whose shot was saved by Patricio dropping low to gather. The half time whistle went with the Hornets two goals ahead and in total control of the game. It had been an impressive half of football from the visitors. The two goals in quick succession had shocked the home side, but it had been a performance of assurance and skill.
Pereyra put in a shift at both ends of the pitch
Wolves made a substitution at the restart bringing Vinagre on for Jonny. Watford started the half well as Success latched on to a through ball and surged forward, but his shot was wide of the target. There was an early chance for the home side as Vinagre tried a shot, but Foster was down to block and the ball was cleared. Foster was taking his time to restart the game, which enraged the Wolves fans behind the goal who were already on his case for his West Brom connections. Ben couldn't have cared less. Nuno made a second substitution on the hour mark bringing Cavaleiro on for Jiménez. Wolves had a half chance as, from a Moutinho free kick, Boly tried a backheel in the direction of the goal, but Foster was able to make the save. Watford made a rare second half break as Success found Doucouré whose shot was blocked. Hughes was the first Watford player to be cautioned after he pulled back Vinagre as he tried to escape upfield. Gracia's first substitution saw Gray coming on for Deulofeu, who had run the first half, but had faded since the break. Wolves continued their attempts to break back as Moutinho tried a shot from distance that flew over the bar. The home side then made their last change bringing Traore on for Doherty. Gracia's next substitution was a defensive one as Prödl replaced Success.
Pereyra and Gray preparing for a corner
At about this time, with 15 minutes to go, the sun disappeared behind the stand and I could finally see the game without having to shield my eyes or being blinded by the glare from my glasses. Wolves were getting closer to reducing the deficit as a cross from Vinagre was headed just over by Cavaleiro. It felt as though the Watford goal was leading a charmed life at this point, but the home side were incredibly wasteful as another free kick from a dangerous position was launched high and wide by Neves. Watford were still making occasional attempts to increase their lead, on this occasion a shot from Gray was blocked, so Hughes tried to score with a tackle, but Patricio was able to gather. With the clock running down, the next chance for Wolves to get something from the game fell to Costa who again directed his shot over the bar. Prödl's appearance was short lived as he left the field limping and was replaced by Wilmot who was making his Premier League debut. Wolves had one last chance from a free-kick which was met by a glancing header that flew wide. The fourth official indicated four additional minutes, but they were painless for the Hornets who finished the game as deserved winners.
Ben Foster beaming after the final whistle
The post-match celebrations were very enjoyable. Clearly Ben Foster, who had been the target for dog's abuse for most of the game, was delighted. His fist pumping was almost Gomes-esque! It was also lovely to see players coming over to the fans to present them with shirts, the first being Deulofeu who jumped the barriers to hand his shirt to a fan. But I must admit that the one that got to me was when Aidy Mariappa came over to Flora, one of our wheelchair fans. Aidy also jumped the barriers to reach Flora to hand her his shirt and have a chat with a beaming smile on his face. I had to wipe away a tear.
Before the game, the Watford fans I spoke to had all been of the opinion that a point would have been a good result, but nobody seemed at all confident of that outcome. That two goal first half minute decided the game but, despite the rearguard effort in the second half, Watford were in control for the full ninety minutes and Wolves never looked like getting back in the game. As good at the forward play was in the first half, and there were some absolutely gorgeous moves, the defensive performance in the second half was equally good, with some brilliantly timed tackling and a general sense that Wolves had nowhere to go meaning that they were reduced to long range efforts and set pieces. Deulofeu's first start of the season was excellent, it was lovely to see him back. But the highlight for me was the fact that, although Capoue and Pereyra will be lauded for their goals, they both put in a shift at the back as well. It was a real team effort.
After the wobble in recent weeks, that was certainly a performance to put smiles back on the faces of Hornets fans and to give us renewed confidence for the rest of the season. Football is fun again.
This entry was posted in Watford FC and tagged Abdoulaye Doucoure, Adam Masina, Adama Traore, Adrian Mariappa, Andre Gray, Ben Foster, Ben Wilmot, Conor Coady, Craig Cathcart, Diogo Jota, Etienne Capoue, Gerard Deulofeu, Helder Costa, Isaac Success, Ivan Cavaleiro, Javi Gracia, Joao Moutinho, Jonathan Castro Otto, Jonny, Kiko Femenia, Matt Doherty, Nuno Espirito Santo, Raul Jimenez, Roberto Pereyra, Ruben Neves, Ruben Vinagre, Rui Patricio, Ryan Bennett, Sebastian Prodl, Watford FC, Will Hughes, Willy Boly, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC on October 22, 2018 by franelynn.


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Biorhythm Chart for Wednesday July 17th 2019
" You call yourself what you want to call yourself."
How to Publish Bob Dylan's Daily Biorhythm
To publish Bob's biorhythm chart on your own blog or web page, just copy and paste the HTML code below.
You can also create your own chart very easily.
You and Bob
Understanding Bob's Daily Biorhythm Chart
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, artist and writer who is the second person besides George Bernard Shaw to have won Oscar and Nobel Prize in Literature, and whose early songs are anthems for the American civil rights and anti-war movements.
He was born on Saturday May 24th 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota, United States.
The blue line displays Dylan's physical self during a 23-day cycle, starting at his date of birth. The physical self measurement is an indicator of his energy levels in terms of coordination, strength, and general well-being. If the blue line is at the top of the chart he is in a physically energized portion of his cycle. If the blue line is at or near the bottom of the chart Bob is in a low point in his physical cycle. High points are an excellent time to take on physically challenging ventures. Low points indicate he may be physically spent and may need to take it easy for a while.
The red line represents Bob Dylan's emotional self during a 28-day cycle, in terms of creativity, sensitivity, mood, perception, and awareness. When the red line is near the top of the chart Bob is feeling emotionally strong. His outlook on life tends to be at its best and his interactions with others are most successful. Low points on Dylan's emotional line indicate times when he may need to retreat somewhat. Bob Dylan is more likely to be depressed during these times. High points indicate times when he will enjoy the company of others and find expressing his feelings the easiest.
The green line tracks Bob's intellectual self over a 33-day cycle, in terms of alertness, analytical functioning, logical analysis skills, memory or recall abilities, and communication. When the green line is near the top of the chart Dylan's mental faculties are at their sharpest. This is the time for him to seek solutions requiring logic and analysis. Conversely, at those times when the green line is near the bottom of the chart Bob Dylan's intellectual capabilities are at their lowest. Bob might find it prudent to delay work requiring serious thought until he reaches a higher position in his cycle.
The purple line charts Bob Dylan's varying intuitive (or compassion) strength at different points during a 38-day cycle. When the purple line is near the top, his powers of intuition are at their strongest. During these times Bob Dylan might even experience moments of serendipity. These high points are times when he should be more willing to trust his hunches. When the purple line is near the bottom of the chart, his intuitive powers are at their lowest. At these times Bob Dylan might want to shy away from making decisions because "he just knows" and rely on a more analytical approach to decision making.
The aqua line travels the ebb and flow of his 53-day spiritual sensitivity cycle. When the aqua line is at the top of the chart Bob Dylan is very in tune with his spiritual self. At these times Bob may reach new heights religiously or experience intense mystical experiences. During periods when the aqua line is near the bottom of the chart Dylan is not particularly in sync with the spiritual side of life.
The yellow line traces Bob's aesthetic powers through a 43-day cycle. During periods when the yellow line is at the top of the chart Bob Dylan is most open to the arts as well as being at the pinnacle of his own creative powers. The high points are perfect times for Dylan to express his creative self. During periods when the yellow line is at the bottom of the chart he is not nearly as in touch with his creative self. During these times Bob Dylan might do well to put his energies into things that do not require large amounts of creativity.
The orange line follows the flux in Dylan's level of self-awareness in cycle of 48 days each. At times the orange line is near the top of the chart he is most in tune with himself. During these periods Bob Dylan can experience profound moments of self-discovery. During periods in his cycle when the orange line is near the bottom of the chart Dylan is not nearly as connected to his inner-self.
About Biorhythm
Our rhythmic biological cycles are said to control or initiate various biological processes and are classically composed of three cyclic rhythms that are said to govern human behavior and demonstrate innate periodicity in natural physiological change: the physical, the emotional, and the intellectual (mental) cycles. More...
Other male celebrities born on the same day as Bob Dylan
G-Eazy (1989)
An American rapper and record producer whose first major-label album, These Things Happen, peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard 200, and his single "Me, Myself & I", reached the top 10 of the US Billboard Hot 100
Eric Cantona (1966)
A French actor and former footballer who played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes, Leeds United and finally at Manchester United where he won four Premier League titles in five years and two League and FA Cup Doubles
Bartolo Colón (1973)
A Dominican American professional baseball pitcher for the MLB's New York Mets, who is a three-time MLB All-Star, the oldest active player in Major League Baseball, and the oldest to hit his first career home run at the age of 42
John C. Reilly (1965)
An American actor, singer, producer and screenwriter whose career was launched by Brian De Palma, and has appeared in more than 50 films, including three ones in 2002 that were all nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture
Tracy McGrady (1979)
An American retired basketball player who played professionally as a swingman in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and is a seven-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, and a two-time NBA scoring champion (2003 and 2004)
Tommy Chong (1938)
A Canadian-American comedian, actor, writer, director, activist, and musician, best known for his marijuana-themed Cheech & Chong comedy albums and movies with Cheech Marin, and for playing the character Leo on Fox's That '70s Show
Andrés García (1941)
Jimena Barón (1989)
Gary Burghoff (1943)
An Actor
Alfred Molina (1953)
Bob Dylan Biorhythm -- Daily Chart | © Copyright 2009-2019 Celebrities Galore and Master Numerologist Hans Decoz


The Envy Corp have been forced to drop out of new talent night Holy Cow this evening (October 24) due to a flight cancellation.
The band were due to return from a video shoot in Iowa to play the show, but now will not make it in time.
Their place will be taken by The Courteeners, who will play an acoustic set before heading off to their own previously scheduled gig in London at Water Rats.
The night, run by Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis, will still feature Vampire Weekend, and opening act Alexander Wolfe, a singer-songwriter who was signed up for the night after an appeal on NME.COM earlier in October.
The night takes place at The Social in central London and tickets are available on the door, but the venue is expected to fill up quickly.


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Svitlodarsk (,  – Svetlodarsk) je město v Doněcké oblasti na Ukrajině. K roku 2013 měl přes dvanáct tisíc obyvatel, ale následně jej silně poznamenala válka na východní Ukrajině.

Poloha
Svitlodarsk leží na Luhani (přítoku Severního Doňce v povodí Donu) v Doněcké vysočině ve východní části Doněcké oblasti. Je vzdálen přibližně čtyřiadvacet kilometrů jihovýchodně od Bachmutu, správního střediska Bachmutského rajónu, do kterého Svitlodarsk spadá, a přibližně sedmnáct kilometrů severozápadně od Debalceve. Od Doněcku, správního střediska oblasti, je vzdálen bezmála šedesát kilometrů severovýchodně.

Historie
Svitlodarsk byl založen v roce 1968 jako sídlo pro pracovníky Vuhlehirské elektrárny. Od roku 1992 má status města.

Na začátku války na východní Ukrajině v roce 2014 se Svitlodarsk dostal pod kontrolu samozvané Doněcké lidové republiky. Dne 29. dubna 2014 na shromáždění přijali příznivci DLR rezoluci na podporu uspořádání referenda. Z budovy radnice byla odstraněna ukrajinská vlajka a vztyčena vlajka Doněcké lidové republiky. Od druhé poloviny léta 2014 začala velká ofenziva ukrajinských jednotek ve směru na Debalcevo, během níž bylo město bez boje obsazeno ukrajinskou armádou.

Po roce 2015 byl frontovým městem ukrajinské armády ve válce na východní Ukrajině, takže byl značně poničen a opustila jej velká část obyvatel. 60 % městských budov bylo zničeno, ve městě zůstalo jen několik stovek obyvatel a městu se přezdívá město duchů.

Dne 24. května se město dostalo pod kontrolu Ozbrojených sil Ruské federace a Lidových milic Doněcké lidové republiky.

Odkazy

Reference

Externí odkazy

Města v Doněcké oblasti

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Yesterday, LG stated its financial results for the third quarter. The company made it publicize that its total revenues grew by 21.9% to $3.75 bln.
In contrast to Nokia, LG's sales growth both on sequential and annual basis was declared mainly in its mobile handset section as compared to its other products.
It was made public that the sales generated in the cell phone section gathered almost $3.53 billion totalling up to 24.8% growth.
A sale of nearly 31.6 million handsets in the Q3 was a 6% increase on sequential basis and the 37% flow as compared to the same period during last year was found to be really good in the current global recession.
The South Korean consumer electronics and mobile communications company now expects modest sequential sales growth for the fourth quarter.
Wats big deal with LG's 11% of market share man despite launching so many phone models??
i don't agree with you julie. LG is not ruler of the telecom industry. its NOKIA and then Blackberry, Samsung... LG is not in first THREE too!! may be because of their top selling VIEWTYs they have observed the growth in sales.. but its temporary!!
Well done LG... On the Rise indeed! You are true rulers of the telecom industry..


Ummassar Ali Juma'a is a member of the Parliament of South Kordofan, for the SPLM. She is a mother of three and she is also the widow of Yousif Kuwa Mekki.
I grew up in Kalkada. It used to be a beautiful place with plenty of water and many people. My father had a large garden full of mango trees. We are Muslems but I didn't cover my hair, and I didn't care to hide my body. Hey, when you are in the market, you have to show what you've got! My uncle didn't agree though.
He was a member of the Muslem Brotherhood, he went on hadj and built a mosque in Kalkada. His wives and daughters stayed in the house most of the day, and when ever my uncle saw me running around he told me I should behave like a good muslem. So I told him: I do my prayers, I try to do the right thing in life, I treat people well and I know my own heart - what is the need for outward display? And my father told him to leave me alone.
My father was killed during an attack on Kalkada. The Government army raided the village several times. In 1993 we had to flee to Komo and we stayed there. Untill 2001, no one lived in Kalkada, the armies would come and go, it was no man's land. My mother has returned to the village after the cease fire but the place is not the same. The biggest change is the water: you need to dig thirty meters to get to the water, while fifteen years ago it was just below the surface.
Last month a man died trying to deepen a well that had run dry. For some reason the air on the bottom of the well was bad. The first man that went in fell down. The next one, thinking he was stronger, went down and also lost consciousness before he could even tie a rope around the first man's waist. It took two more men to get the first two out. One died, the others are still in hospital.
In 1990, I applied to a course in nursing and midwifery in Changaru. I was admitted, and I got my certificate after three months. From that time on I have been treating wounded soldiers, and helping women deliver their babies. The work behind the front was difficult. We didn't have medicine to give to the soldiers, we didn't have bandages or proper suture. I stitched wounds with an ordinary needle and threads from my hair extensions.
Yousif [Kuwa Mekki] and I met during the graduation ceremony for that nursing course. We went to the Head Quartes to receive our certificate, and he saw me there. Later he came to Komo to ask my family if he could marry me. They didn't agree easily! Even after I got married to Yousif, if there was any woman in the Head Quarters that had to deliver, I used my experience as a midwife to assist her.
The marriage with Yousif was very good. I loved him very much and we did many things together. We were constantly moving from one area to another, because he wanted to talk to the people about the war and about the problems they were facing. I was happy with him. At the same time the general situation in the Nuba Mountains worried me very much. The people were suffering, they were struggling to survive and sometimes the Antonov would come and bombard us.
During one of the Government offensives, when the Sudan Armed Forces came from all directions and the shells were falling everywhere, I remember that we ran from Komo to Lueri to escape the shelling. We were in complete panic because in Lueri also the explosions were all around us and we wanted to continue running. Then Yousif called us. "Where do you want to run now? The army is shelling us in Gidel, in Chaweri, in Kauda - there is nowhere you can hide. You might as well stay where you are. Let our soldiers deal with the Government convoys and in the mean time: stop running." He stood there, calm, without fear. Granades exploded, he didn't move. And really, there was no place we could hide. So we calmed down and waited for the shelling to end. Eventually our soldiers repulsed the Government attacks - they didn't even come near to Lueri.
In 1994 I went to Kenia. We had our first baby, the situation in the Mountains was difficult and Yousif was often abroad in those years. Eventually we had three children. So I took care of the house, followed an English course and brought the children to school. I wasn't in Kenia all the time though: for years I would come and go.
Yousif became ill, he became exhausted and then he passed away. I was overwhelmed with grief. I gave up my studies, I just stayed at home. It took a long time to pick up my life again. Many people ask me if I consider to get married again, but I don't feel ready. Where would I ever find a man like Yousif again? His death is not just my personal loss; it really has affected the people here in the Nuba Mountains.
With the passing of Yousif they have lost so many things and the situation is not going well. Development is moving very slowly. What Yousif accomplished is that the Nuba are now proud of who they are. They will stand up for their rights. Especially in the area of women's affairs a lot has changed, because Yousif always gave his full support to the women. Before in the Nuba Mountains women's lives and knowledge were just limited to the household. Now every woman knows that she has rights; that she can participate together with the men and that she has the ability to do the same work as the men do.
I am a member of the Parliament of Southern Kordofan. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement reserved twenty-five percent of the seats in the Parliament for women, and looking for candidates, they asked me too. When I was younger I represented the youth, and later I became active in the Nuba Women's Union. And of course I was married to Yousif, I can't change that. The Nuba people need good representatives, and I want to do all I can to work for them. As a widow of Yousif, many Nuba people look at me as someone who can continue to practice politics in his spirit. I like this work, and I am happy to be with the people.
The main difference in the life during the war and now, is the end to fighting of course. I thank God for the cease fire. It was the best thing that could happen to the Nuba people. At least they have some rest. And since the peace agreement some things have improved. There were only very few schools, and now the children continue their education in a proper way. The people who had left their places to go to the mountains, now are coming down.
Still there is so much to be done. There are many difficulties in development, specially in areas that people left before and that have become bush again. Cultivation is very hard, water is not available. These are difficult areas. It is also time to talk in the Parliament about the issues of health and education. But since we took the oath on the 22nd of December, we are still in the process of drawing up the constitution, and we are in the middle of negotiations.
Up to this moment, the people still keep many things inside, and those who used to live under Government administration are fearing us, and the other way around. We all have the desire to make it work. Sometimes we sit together, we participate in things, but even so, in spite of the peace, there is no openness and no frankness yet. In many ways we are still struggling.
People fought and died for this peace agreement. I don't know what will happen in the future, but I hope it will bring what we wanted. I hope it will bring what Yousif dreamt of: freedom, equality and justice to all the people of Sudan.