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Gargoyles Fandom
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Question received on Thu, November 04, 2021 03:06:24 PM
Jeri writes...
What do you think of shipping? What's the most surprising pairing you've seen?
1. If it makes fans happy, I have no objection. And I say that being very aware of the fact that sometimes fans ship characters so hard that when the show doesn't go that direction, they get upset. That's a tad frustrating. But I can live with it, if they can.
2. Um. Probably Demona and Elisa. I don't know where the heck that one comes from.
Response recorded on February 03, 2022
Question received on Sun, October 24, 2021 11:36:29 PM
Marvelman writes...
What exactly is a blue mug convention? This one really has me scratching my head.
We've never had a blue mug convention. We've had blue mug panels AT conventions.
Going backwards, many conventions have panels with names like "Mug-A-Guest". The idea behind these "Mugs" is to hold a more intimate panel. One or two guests with about a dozen or fewer attendees signing up for an hour or so, for a Q&A in a smaller room or conference room setting, so it feels more like a conversation than a lecture class. The term "Mug" is a play on the idea that fans sometimes corner guests to ask questions while the guest is, say, going to the bathroom or something like that. It's taking a negative encounter and turning it into a positive by making it a scheduled event. It's also a play on a coffee mug, because these were often intimate little talks with coffee or tea served.
At the Gathering of the Gargoyles conventions, we also held late night "Blue" panels, for adults only, where attendees could ask questions about non-PG stuff, like the Gargoyles' sex lives, etc. "Blue" has traditionally been a euphemism for adult or off-color topics.
At some point, we began scheduling "Blue Mugs," which combined the two ideas of a more raunchy R to NC-17 rated fan panel with the intimacy of a Mug-A-Guest session.
At some LATER point still, a few collaborators - Edmund Tsabard, Mara Cordova, Kalia Sartre, Jennifer L. Anderson and Gorebash - teamed up to create Blue Mug Productions and produced a couple issues of LAST TENGU IN PARIS. It was never popular enough to generate its own convention.
Question received on Mon, July 02, 2018 09:04:02 PM
Laura 'ad astra' Sack writes...
I haven't posted in years, (too far behind in reading), but I just had to post my daughter's reaction to Future Tense.
My daughters, 9 and 6, and I have been watching Gargoyles from the beginning. Most evenings they greet me when get home from work with, "Do we have time for an episode?!?". They are not just hooked, they are obsessed. Miriam, my little one, is seriously considering being Elisa for Purim.
(I told her from the start I wasn't making a gargoyle costume. I learned my lesson from our watching of Avatar two years ago when I somehow found myself having agreed to make them water and air bending costumes because they are no longer cheaply available to buy. Hours and hours later they came out pretty dang good, especially considering I don't actually know how to sew. Their friend went as a earth bender...he wore a green t-shirt with the earth bending symbol silk screened on it - cheaply available on the internet :| .)
We watched Future Tense a few evenings ago. Miriam spent the whole episode tense and near tears asking, "they're going to use the Phoenix Gate, right? They have to use the Phoenix Gate right?" I had to sit with my arm around her. When we got to the end she smiled a big smile and told me it was a really good episode but too scary to watch again. She repeated her assessment a few days later to a friend, (the earth bender). The girls had him watch the first episode of Awakenings yesterday.
As for the big one, she assured me she wasn't scared the whole time.
Thank you for the shared experience with my girls!
I haven't posted in about a year, either.
I love to hear about fans watching the show with their kids. And I'm so gratified that the kids appreciate it and are becoming a new generation of Gargoyles fans. And Future Tense IS scary!!
Question received on Wed, June 27, 2018 08:39:49 AM
Vievin writes...
I read somewhere that you legally can't be exposed to ideas, or something like that. Does this mean you cannot read fanfictions, browse the Tumblr tag etc? How does it impact you and/or the creative process?
1. It does mean that. (See the ASK GREG Introduction, Paragraph 4, for an example.)
2. It doesn't.
Question received on Thu, June 21, 2018 11:36:28 AM
Michael Graves writes...
Huge fan of your work. I've seen both Gargoyles and Young Justice, and I 'm working my way through the SW Rebels Blu-Rays I recently bought. Anyway, I'm aware your book Rain of the Ghosts is based on a pitch to Dreamworks that didn't end up going to series. Have you ever considered trying to pitch it to Netflix or Amazon and see if it can be realized as a series? Hopefully not too invasive of a question. Thank you in advance.
I've pitched it all over town. No one's bought it, I'm afraid.
Question received on Fri, May 25, 2018 03:26:50 PM
Sean M. Chase writes...
There seems to beca real resurgence in the interest in "Gargoyles"... Funko POPs, talk of a live-action film, and of course next year marking the 25th anniversary. I'm seeing so many fans come out of the woodworks. Given that so much time has passed since the series began and ended, how do you feel seeing the fanbase alive and well and thriving?
Question received on Sat, January 20, 2018 07:22:52 PM
Dakota writes...
Mr. Greg Weisman. I just wanna say that I loved spectacular spiderman, gargoyles (as a very young kid) and young justice. Spectacular and young justice have become my favorite cartoons of all time! You sir are awesome and so are your shows
Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm thrilled you like our stuff!
Question received on Mon, March 24, 2014 04:37:53 AM
R.J. writes...
A friend of mine admires and identifies with Brooklyn very deeply. So deeply, in fact, that he sometimes wishes he WERE Brooklyn. He's having a rough time right now, and "just be yourself" isn't helping. I was wondering, could the man that understands Brooklyn better than anyone - his creator - give my friend a little encouragement or wisdom? It would mean a lot.
I'd be happy to, but I'm at a bit of a loss for at least a couple reasons:
1. I have no idea what is troubling your friend or what aspect(s) of Brooklyn he identifies with.
2. I'm not qualified to give advice, and have very little in the way of wisdom, beyond, perhaps, a willingness to admit to my own ignorance.
But encouragement I can do. It may be a bit generic, but I wish your friend the best and suggest he keep trying and seek out help (and even therapy).
Brooklyn is a good guy, who has his troubles. But after 40 years of wandering through the timestream, he did ultimately come back to his clan with a new wisdom of his own and a loving family. So there is hope.
Question received on Sat, March 22, 2014 09:14:36 PM
ZachHanson writes...
Hi, My name is Zach,
As you can see, I am a nerd for Gargoyles. This show has changed my life! And I'm only 16!
Anyways, I've been on YouTube and noticed that there are no Short Films or Web-series on there.
1)Is it possible that there could be one of those?
2) Would it be alright if I created a Web-Series?
I'm not sure what you're suggesting here. (I spend very little time on YouTube.) If you're asking about the video equivalent of fanfiction, then I don't have the authority - as I don't own the property - to either approve or disapprove.
I have always had a very mixed response to fan fiction. It's gratifying that fans love the show and its characters enough to want to create their own stories in that universe, but I'm also very territorial about Gargoyles in particular, so I'll admit (churlish as it might be) that there's a part of me that would love to just shout: "HANDS OFF!" (Particularly, when they prefer their version to mine.)
When I learned at one point that a now professional writer was turning a (revised) version of her Gargoyles fanfiction story into a non-Gargoyles Gargoyles movie for Disney, I was understandably upset. (Thankfully, that project seems to have vanished into the ether.)
And from the standpoint of creative people cutting their teeth, I don't recommend dedicating too much energy to a property that said creatives don't own themselves. Why not put your valuable time and energy and talents into something original that you DO own?
But, again, I don't own Gargoyles either. So it's not up to me. And again, I also understand that it's often meant as a tribute to the great work all the folks on Gargoyles did, in which case, I should simply say thank you.
(Oh, and if I've totally misinterpreted what you're talking about: FORGIVE ME!)
Rambled on Mon, June 30, 2014
My CONvergence 2014 Schedule
So the #Gargoyles20 U.S. Tour continues. Stop #3 is CONvergence in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Well, actually in Bloomington, Minnesota, but close enough.) http://www.convergence-con.org
This is a big one for us. It includes a number of events that we used to do at the old Gathering of the Gargoyles Conventions, which ran from 1997-2009. And I know a bunch of Gargoyles fans will be attending, so it'll also be a reunion of sorts.
My schedule for the long weekend is quite packed - which is just how I like it!
2:00pm - 3:00pm GARGOYLES RADIO PLAY AUDITIONS
Ever wanted to be in a radio play? Now is your chance! We are holding auditions for a live performance at CONvergence! You don't even have to be a fan of Gargoyles to enter. You just have to know how to read! Casting: Myself and Jennifer Anderson (Talent Coordinator on The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice). Casting decisions will be posted by 7:00pm on Friday, July 4th. ATRIUM 7.
3:30pm - 4:30pm BUFFYVERSE TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Okay, so Gargoyles ISN'T the only show celebrating an anniversary. The Buffy/Angel universe has been off the air for ten years. Let's reminisce and talk about the impact these shows have had on TV fantasy since their cancellation. Panelists: Myself, Tim Lieder, Cetius d'Raven, Madeleine Rowe, Mark Goldberg. EDINA.
7:00pm - 8:00pm OPENING CEREMONY
If it's not exactly a magical invocation, it is nonetheless our official kick-off for the convention! Join CONvergence mascot Connie as we welcome our Guests of Honor, give out some awards (including the Mark Time and Ogle winners), and get this party started. Panelists: Myself, Amy Berg, Emma Bull, C. Robert Cargill, Sarah Clemens, Scott Lynch, Marina Sirtis, Frank Paur, Matthew Ebel, Dawn Krosnowski, Greg Guler, Rob Callahan, Windy Bowlsby, Michael Lee. MAIN STAGE.
9:00pm - 10:00pm GREG WEISMAN'S FANCY BASTARD PIE COMPETITION
Geek Partnership Society is excited to host the Greg Weisman Fancy Bastard Pie Competition at CONvergence 2014! It is open to all CONvergence members who wish to participate. The goal is to make a pie that Greg Weisman, herein to be known as "Fancy Bastard", likes best. The winner will be told super-secret Young Justice spoilers. Find out [some of] what would have happened in Season 3! (But winner must swear to secrecy to claim prize.) See below for some helpful hints.* CABANA 110.
11:00am - 12:00pm GARGOYLES RADIO PLAY AUDITIONS
Ever wanted to be in a radio play? Now is your chance! We are holding auditions for a live performance at CONvergence! You don't even have to be a fan of Gargoyles to enter. You just have to know how to read! Last chance to audition! Casting: Myself and Jennifer Anderson (Talent Coordinator on The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice). Casting decisions will be posted by 7:00pm on Friday, July 4th. ATRIUM 7.
12:30pm - 1:30pm FROM TV TO COMICS
We'll discuss the TV shows that expanded into the comicverse, such as Buffy, Smallville, Young Justice and Gargoyles. Did they succeed? Were any of the comics improvements on the shows? How did canon change during the transition? Panelists: Myself (Gargoyles, Young Justice), Shawn van Briesen, Jonathan Palmer, Greg Guler (Gargoyles), Karine Charlebois (Gargoyles, Bad Guys), Christopher Jones (Batman Strikes, Young Justice, Bad Guys). PLAZA 2.
2:00pm - 3:00pm SIGNING
Myself, Christopher Jones (Young Justice, The Batman Strikes, Parallel Man) and Greg Guler (Gargoyles, Phineas and Ferb) will be holding a signing session. Both Chris and Greg always have an array of stuff (books, prints, etc.) to sell and sign. But this time I'm pretty darn prepared as well. First off, I'll be selling and signing copies of my first novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS for $10 cash, which includes the book, a personalized signature and signed copies of the original development character designs by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was. In addition - and by popular demand - I am selling and signing an array of my animation teleplays for $20 cash from such series as Gargoyles, Team Atlantis, DC Showcase (Green Arrow), Men in Black: The Series, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, W.I.T.C.H., Young Justice and even the 2009 Radio Play "The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles". I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for FREE - especially if you buy my book. ;) CONVERGENCE CENTRAL.
3:30pm - 4:30pm CREATING GARGOYLES
This is what we used to call (at the Gathering) the Rocky Horror Gargoyles Show. The creators of Gargoyles show clips and tell stories of how the show came to be. Lots of visual aids. Panelists: Myself (Creator, Supervising Producer/Story Editor, Writer), Frank Paur ( (Supervising Producer/Director), Greg Guler (Lead Character Designer). ATRIUM 6.
7:00pm - 8:00pm TIME TRAVEL THEORY
Let's assume for a moment that Time Travel is possible. This panel will explore the theories behind such technology. We'll explore quantum realities, temporal anomalies and all other challenges our theoretical time travelers will be face! [Now, I suggested this panel, but then they went and put some actual scientists on the damn thing. So I may quickly be embarrassed into silence.] ;) Panelists: Myself, Nicole Gugliucci, Jim Kakalios, G. David Nordley, Amy Berg. ATRIUM 4.
8:30pm - 9:30pm GARGOYLES Q&A
Join the cast and creators of the "Gargoyles" series and SLG companion comic books to ask and talk about the property. And, as always, Cosplayers are welcome! Panelists: Myself (Creator, Supervising Producer/Story Editor, Writer), Christopher Jones (Bad Guys guest artist), Marina Sirtis (voice of Demona and Margot Yale), Frank Paur (Supervising Producer/Director), Karine Charlebois (Gargoyles Guest Artist, Bad Guys Artist), Greg Guler (Lead Character Designer, Gargoyles Guest Artist). MAIN STAGE.
SATURDAY, JULY 5th, 2014
9:30am - 10:30am GARGOYLES SIGNING
Myself, Marina Sirtis (voice of Demona and Margot Yale) and Frank Paur (Supervising Producer/Director) will be holding a signing session. Again, I'll be selling and signing copies of my first novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS for $10 cash, which includes the book, a personalized signature and signed copies of the original development character designs by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was. In addition - and by popular demand - I am selling and signing an array of my animation teleplays for $20 cash from such series as Gargoyles, Team Atlantis, DC Showcase (Green Arrow), Men in Black: The Series, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, W.I.T.C.H., The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Young Justice and even the 2009 Radio Play "The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles". I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for FREE. CONVERGENCE CENTRAL.
11:00am - 12:25pm GARGOYLES RADIO PLAY REHEARSAL
This is a closed session - for those who were cast in the Radio Play - led by Myself, Jennifer Anderson (Talent Coordinator on The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice) & Marina Sirtis (voice of Demona, Margot Yale and Queen Bee). ATRIUM 6.
12:30pm - 1:30pm GARGOYLES RADIO PLAY PERFORMANCE
Fans and professionals - including Myself (voice of Donald Menken and Lucas "Snapper" Carr), Jennifer Anderson (Talent Coordinator on The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice), and of course, Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi from Star Trek TNG and the voice of Demona, Margot Yale and Queen Bee) - perform a LIVE, ORIGINAL Gargoyles radio play! ATRIUM 6.
2:00pm - 3:00pm GARGOYLES BIOLOGY AND CULTURE
A "what if" panel about the biology and culture of the Gargoyles universe. Creators and performers speculate about anything and everything going on outside the frames of the TV series. Panelists: Craig A. Finseth moderates Myself (Creator, Producer) and Greg Guler (Lead Character Designer). ATRIUM 7.
3:30pm - 4:30pm RAIN OF THE GHOSTS
I'll be reading from and talking about the world and characters of my novel "Rain of the Ghosts" and its sequel, "Spirits of Ash and Foam," which comes out July 8th, 2014, one week after the convention! ATRIUM 3.
7:00pm - 8:00pm ONE ON ONE WITH GREG WEISMAN
Hal Bichel will moderate a one-on-one panel with Myself. PLAZA 2.
Once again, I'll be selling and signing copies of my first novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS for $10 cash, which includes the book, a personalized signature and signed copies of the original development character designs by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was. In addition - and by popular demand - I am selling and signing an array of my animation teleplays for $20 cash from such series as Gargoyles, Team Atlantis, DC Showcase (Green Arrow), Men in Black: The Series, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, W.I.T.C.H., Young Justice and even the 2009 Radio Play "The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles". I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for FREE. CONVERGENCE CENTRAL.
10:00pm - 11:00pm BLUE MUG
Ever wonder about the sexual habits of Gargoyles? Ever wonder who was sleeping with whom among the Young Justice Team or the cast of Spectacular Spider-Man? Join us for for a late night peek at your favorite animated series. This panel will get blue! (So attendees will be carded!) Panelists: Myself, Christopher Jones, Mara Cordova (Last Tengu in Paris Artist). It is also rumored that Edmund Tsabard (an unfancy bastard and Last Tengu in Paris Writer) may make an appearance. EDINA.
SUNDAY, JULY 6th, 2014
11:00am - 12:00pm PROTOFEMINISTS IN SHAKESPEARE
Shakespeare portrayed several intelligent, independent, and self-aware women--Juliet, Lady Macbeth, Katharine, Beatrice, Viola, Rosalind. We'll discuss the problematic and the remarkably (for the era) fleshed-out aspects of their representation. Panelists: Myself, Elizabeth Bear, Ashley F. Miller, Joseph Erickson, Alexandra Howes. EDINA.
12:30pm - 1:30pm GARGOYLES FAN PANEL
It's the 20th Anniversary of Gargoyles. Come share your favorite moments from the show. As always, Cosplayers are welcome! Panelists: Daniel Mohr moderates Myself, Ryan Alexander, Robert Wagner, Maggie Schultz, Jennifer Anderson, Karine Charlebois. ATRIUM 6.
Myself and Greg Guler (Gargoyles, Phineas and Ferb) will be holding one last signing session. Greg G. always has an array of stuff (books, prints, etc.) to sell and sign. And I'll be selling and signing copies of my first novel RAIN OF THE GHOSTS for $10 cash, which includes the book, a personalized signature and signed copies of the original development character designs by Kuni Tomita for the television version of Rain that never was. In addition - and by popular demand - I am selling and signing an array of my animation teleplays for $20 cash from such series as Gargoyles, Team Atlantis, DC Showcase (Green Arrow), Men in Black: The Series, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, W.I.T.C.H., Young Justice and even the 2009 Radio Play "The Spectacular Spider-Man Meets Gargoyles". I'll also sign anything else you bring and put in front of me for FREE - especially if you buy my book. CONVERGENCE CENTRAL.
3:30pm - 4:30pm YOUNG JUSTICE
Creative minds behind the Young Justice TV and comic book series will talk about this fan favorite. We're planning some special surprises as well. And, as always, Cosplayers are welcome! Panelists: Myself, Marina Sirtis (voice of Queen Bee), Christopher Jones (Artist YJ Comic). MAIN STAGE.
5:00pm - 6:00pm CLOSING CEREMONY
It's not over 'til the gynoid sings - or something like that. Join CONvergence mascot Connie and our Guests of Honor as we say farewell to another convention. Shenanigans may ensue. Panelists: Myself, Amy Berg, Emma Bull, C. Robert Cargill, Sarah Clemens, Scott Lynch, Marina Sirtis, Matthew Ebel, Frank Paur, Dawn Krosnowski, Greg Guler, Windy Bowlsby, Rob Callahan, Michael Lee. MAIN STAGE
SEE?!! I told you there was a lot. And that's only the stuff that I'm doing. CONvergence is jam-packed with all sorts of pop culture nutritional goodness. So stop by and say hello!!
*In the interest of Full Disclosure, Fancy Bastard would like all to know that he especially likes the following pies:
BERRY (pretty much any kind of berry or a mix of same)
BANANA CREAM (herein to be known as the funniest pie)
Combinations of some of the fruit pies can be great. Contestants are welcome to try other pies at their own risk.
Fancy Bastard does NOT especially like the following pies:
Anything with Chocolate or Lemon or Meringue
Raisins in Apple Pie
Almost never Cherry, though he has tasted the rare exception...
Rambled on Sun, September 29, 2013
GARGOYLES 19th Anniversary
Today marks the Nineteenth Anniversary of the World Premiere of Gargoyles at the movie theaters on Pleasure Island at DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida. Certainly one of the most stressful evenings of my life, one that seemed to veer toward total disaster but ultimately turned out to be a bit of a triumph and then a flat-out fun time with Keith David, Josh Silver, Salli Richardson and Marina Sirtis.
Wanna hear more of this story? Then make plans now to attend ConVergence 2014 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, July 3-6, 2014 to celebrate our TWENTIETH Anniversary next year. I'll tell this anecdote and many, many more... (Honestly, you won't be able to shut me up!)
http://convergence-con.org/
On an unrelated note, I'd also like to thank all the friends, family and fans, who took time out to wish me a happy FIFTIETH Anniversary of my birth. (Otherwise known as my birthday.) It was so wonderful. Thanks!!
Question received on Wed, January 30, 2013 01:15:56 PM
What are your thoughts about:
1- The Gargoyles fandom?
2- The W.I.T.C.H. fandom?
3- The Spectacular Spider-man fandom?
4- The Young Justice fandom?
I'm not sure what exactly you're looking for here. Generally speaking, I love all four fandoms (and there's a lot of overlap). My life has - without a doubt - been enriched by my associations with the fandoms of the series' I've worked on. Some of the Gargoyles' fans are some of my best friends.
In person, the fandoms are almost without exception fantastic.
Sometimes on line, less so. I think that the anonymity of the internet does at times encourage bad behavior. And I think that's gotten progressively worse with each passing year. But that has more to do with the internet than with any individual fandom. And, yet, even with that caveat, I love interacting with fans on line. At least most of the time.
Response recorded on April 23, 2013


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Review: "The Dissolution of Unrequited"
By thekeystonenews on March 29, 2019
By Nickey Siegerman
International Bestselling Author Len Webster has completed her book series, "The Science of Unrequited," after three years. This series will rip your emotions to shreds and try to tape them back together again; it is written with anger, love, fighting, acceptance, moving on, loss and more integrity and respect than most authors would give these characters.
What started as a small story of best friends for life and an unrequited love turned into a mature, engaging love story that didn't give us a moment to breathe or a moment of happiness until the very end.
The longest book yet, "The Dissolution of Unrequited" wrapped up the story points we waited for. It took our hearts and swayed them to and fro, making us wonder what was about to happen.
With this being the fourth book in the series, it's hard not to spoil some of the smaller aspects from past books. Why did AJ give up Stanford and go to Duke? What happened during prom? What happened during the road trip from Duke to Brookline? Who is Connecticut? These simple questions have all been answered by book four.
Keeping as many spoilers out, book four does what you expect. The storyline includes a flashforward, following the pair out of college, and brings readers back to the present during the couple's sophomore year of college. We progress forward in both aspects, learning about Evan and AJ through college and a few years following as well.
We watch them both suffer and love and fall apart. We watch AJ arrive home for a family matter and journey back to her location. We see interactions between the couple that make us question who they are with one another and if we even want them together or not. But by the end, there truly is a dissolution to unrequited.
With each book title revealed through the story, perfectly hidden between the words and phrases, so organic it takes your breath away, Webster crafted a novel of perfect secrets, surprises and endings we find ourselves happy with because the characters are happy.
Our female lead, while emotional and driven by her love, also recognizes how smart and talented she is. A woman like Alexandra "AJ" Parker following her dreams of being a famous physicist is important to present to today's younger generation. Women are told they cannot do what men can do, they cannot be in the same jobs, earn the same money or be held to the same standard.
AJ breaks down those walls with each novel as a stepping stool. She is presented with wonderful opportunities, helps create formulas and works for very powerful people in the physicist world, and it all started when she was in high school.
If Webster's words don't shake you to your core, expose you to the love that you'll feel between this pair of friends since birth—their families, their friends, their story—then maybe the subtle messages will.
AJ is the character more females need to read about and learn from. While an unrequited love is what originally pulled me into the series, I also know that, as a woman, I wanted to share this character with the world.
For more information on Webster, visit her website at lennwebster.com. Find the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble or iBooks.
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No more sippy cups for this little guy! Max wants to use a real cup to drink his water. We have small clear plastic cups for him, and we put a few sips of water in at a time. He is like chugging water using a cup, he's really taking it down! After each sip, he brings the cup down and smiles as he goes "ahhh!" It's so cute! He's also getting a lot better with a spoon. He's getting more yogurt into his mouth and less on his forehead and nose. He has a blast eating his yogurt.
I'm not going to lie. Sometimes I'm a little freaked out by his memory of where things are and his ability to communicate his wants. He'll be sitting in his high chair eating or drawing while I put away the dishes, and he'll watch where I'm putting things while he quietly does his own thing. An hour later, while he's running around like a crazy monster, he'll reach up and pull a drawer open in the kitchen. He'll fish out exactly what he watched me put away, and then run around banging and / or biting his new prize like he just won the lottery. The marinade brush and measuring cups are his favorite right now. Also, he knows exactly where his tooth brush is. After his bath, I'll bundle him up in his towel while he just points up at the medicine cabinet. I let him open it, and he reaches right in for his tooth brush. Then he sports a beautiful smile while brushing his teeth.
We've been having fun playing outside, he loves being outside. This weekend we played ball in the street, and he can really throw a ball! He was throwing the ball so far, Sean and I were blown away. He throws with such force, it is actually kind of scary. He really whips that thing! Anyway, he and Daddy were throwing the ball back and forth and chasing it. Lots of giggles and fun. Oh, and of course, lots of splashing in puddles! His favorite outdoor activity.
When we're reading books, he likes to point at things and wait for us to tell him what they are. Now I'll ask him where different things are and he will point them out. He's pointing out motorcycles, cats, dogs and frogs! He of course likes the animal noises after he points them out.
Max loves watching Sprout TV at night. He loves Nina and Star, and especially Lucy the Firefly. When a show is about to start, Lucy flies up toward the moon and the character from the next show will appear in the moon and say hello. Max gets so excited when Lucy flies up toward the moon, because he knows a new show is coming on. If it's Thomas or Caillou, he squeels and points and looks to us to see it too. Because we're so excited too (we always say "yay! Thomas!"). His big smile as he watches the song to start his show, it's great. I also noticed him copying the stretching exercises that Nina does in the Sprout show. He stopped when he saw that I was watching, I guess he was shy. But it was so sweet watching him do the stretch in front of the TV. I wish I was able to snap a picture of that, but I'll have to try another time.


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For example, £1 for every point change in the FTSE 100. There will be a spread which is the difference between the buy and sell price. In this example if the belief was that the FTSE 100 will increase in value, you go 'long', and the spread bet will be opened at the buy value. For every point the FTSE 100 increases a £1 gain will be made, i.e. if the FTSE 100 rises by 10 points, then you will be £10 in profit. If the FTSE 100 had fallen by 10 points, then you would face a loss of £10.
If you think the market will fall, you go 'short', and open the spread bet at the sell price. In this situation for every point the market falls, profit of a pound a point will be achieved. On the other hand if the market rises, then a loss of a pound per point will arise.


It is hard to believe that one month is already in the books for 2016! January got off to a really good start for our dividend income results. There were no new records set but we did hit triple digits, which is a first for the month of January.
While it wasn't our highest recorded dividend income month ever, we had our best January result! This past January proved that our portfolio is continuing to grow at a nice pace.
This is just another little reminder that the new money we are investing is working for our family. Of course, we are also continuing to reinvest our dividends into new stock and are enjoying annual dividend increases from the companies we own.
Note – I forgot to include our dividend income from SYY during January, so our totals have been updated.
We saw an increase of over 30% last month compared to January 2015! This gives us the needed motivation to keep at it for many years to come.
We had our normal automatic investments in WalMart, Verizon, Unilever, and Microsoft through LOYAL3 and Computershare. In addition, we added 2 shares of Aflac (AFL).
Overall, our new investments were a lot lower than what I had hoped for. Unfortunately, we ended up running up some bills over the holidays that we are working to pay off which limited new investments.
We continue to track our 12 month forward dividend income each month. Several factors will determine if our forward dividends increase including: adding new shares, dividend reinvestment's, and when a company raises its annual dividend.
We are very pleased with where our future dividend income projections are at. There was a bit of a slowdown as you can see the last couple of months. Part of this was due to dividend cuts made by ConocoPhillips (COP). But the good news is despite losing a bunch of future dividend income, the other stocks in our portfolio made up for the loss!
The dividend income earned in January ($111.51) was up over 30% from the same time last year. This is all a direct result of pumping more and more money into the stock market.
This puts us in a good position to start the new year out as January is typically a slow month for dividend income. Our goal is to earn $2,250 in dividend income in 2016.
How was your dividend income in January? Are you selling any of your oil stocks that have recently slashed dividends?
Full Disclosure – At the time of this writing, we owned shares in the following stocks noted in this post – AFL, CINF, COP, DPS, KHC, LMT, MSFT, O, UL, VZ, and WMT. The material above is not a recommendation to buy. Please do your own research on a company before deciding to invest.


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Family of Andrew Kinsman, who disappeared near Toronto's Gay Village, 'want the details' of how he died
Andrew Kinsman's family is still searching for answers a day after a Toronto man was charged with first-degree murder in his disappearance and that of another man near the city's Gay Village last spring.
Police saying little as homicide cases grip Church and Wellesley neighbourhood
Amara McLaughlin · CBC News · Posted: Jan 19, 2018 9:59 PM ET | Last Updated: January 20, 2018
Family describes 'shock' of learning Andrew Kinsman is presumed dead
CBC News Toronto
3 years agoVideo
A day after Bruce McArthur was charged with first-degree murder in the cases of two men who disappeared from the city's Gay Village, Andrew Kinsman's family says they want to find his body. 1:51
"I want the details. I want to know what happened to him," said Kinsman's sister, Karen Coles, who has spent the last seven months scouring for clues.
"I hope he didn't suffer," she told CBC Toronto.
Bruce McArthur, 66, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the presumed deaths of Kinsman and Selim Esen on Thursday morning.
Andrew Kinsman, left, and Selim Esen, right, went missing near Toronto's Church and Wellesley area in June and April last year. (Canadian Press)
Kinsman, 49, went missing from the city's Cabbagetown neighbourhood on June 26 — a day after the annual Pride parade — while Esen, 44, was last seen on April 16 near Yonge and Bloor streets, according to police. Both areas border on the city's predominantly gay Church and Wellesley neighbourhood.
The disappearances sent waves of concern through Toronto's LGBT community and led to speculation the incidents may be connected to other unsolved missing-persons cases in the area.
Police set up tip line in search for 2 men missing from Church and Wellesley area
No evidence of a serial killer in Church-Wellesley but there are opportunities to 'learn,' police say
While police have not confirmed a connection, they previously established two task forces to investigate.
Project Prism was established in August to investigate the Kinsman and Esen cases, and shared information with Project Houston, launched in 2012 to probe the cases of three other men who vanished in the Church and Wellesley area that year.
The bodies of Kinsman and Esen have yet to be found, but police have a "pretty good idea" of the cause of death, Det.-Sgt. Hank Idsinga said Thursday.
Bruce McArthur appears in court to face murder charges in disappearance of 2 men from downtown Toronto
Police scour properties connected with accused killer of 2 Toronto men
Idsinga added that investigators believe McArthur may be responsible for other deaths.
McArthur appeared in a downtown courtroom on Friday morning.
Hours later, Kinsman's siblings gathered at the 519, a community centre in the heart of Church and Wellesley, to thank friends and others in the LGBT community who searched for their brother.
A frequent visitor to Toronto's Gay Village, Bruce McArthur, 66, is accused of killing two men and police believe there may be more victims. (Facebook/Canadian Press)
"Not knowing whether Andrew was alive or dead has been a very difficult thing to live with, so there is some relief in the knowledge we have now," Coles said in a news conference, describing the experience as a roller coaster.
Kinsman was a Cabbagetown resident and had deep roots in Toronto's LGBT community. He spent decades volunteering with the Toronto HIV/AIDS Network and was the superintendent of his Winchester Street building where he lived with his beloved cat.
As the months since he was last seen went by, Coles says she always held out hope that her younger brother could still be alive.
"You fear that they're dead, but you hope that he's had a medical emergency, he's just decided on a whim to take off with someone and you know spend a week away or two weeks away," she said.
"I know it doesn't sound logical but until you know for certain, you always have hope that he would come back."
Patricia Kinsman, left, and Karen Coles told the LGBT community on Friday they want to bring the body of their brother, Andrew Kinsman, home. (Aaron Vincent Elkaim/Canadian Press)
But Kinsman's other sister, Patricia Kinsman, says she knew he wasn't coming back because of how he disappeared.
"He would never leave his 17-year-old cat," she said.
While the thought that Kinsman could have been murdered didn't immediately enter Patricia's mind, she explains as time went on it was something she feared.
"It was the fact that when we couldn't find him after the amount of time we searched… and we could not find one trace of him," she said. "Why would he turn his phone off? Why would he walk out of his apartment without a fully charged phone? That's when I got a little suspicious."
Toronto LGBT leader says police 'ignore, dismiss, diminish' missing gay men
Both Coles and her sister say the were in "shock" when they learned police believe their brother had been murdered.
Now they want to find his body.
"We want to bring his body back home wherever he is and put him to rest," Patricia told CBC Toronto.
While police have not found the bodies of the two men or released the cause of death, Patricia says she wants to know what happened, despite the nature of the details.
"Not knowing is way worse because you spend all your time wondering and you can never stop thinking about it," she said.
McArthur is scheduled to appear in court again on Feb. 14.
With files from Ali Chiasson
What we know about the suspect in the disappearances from Toronto's Gay Village


International missions brought to your doorstep.
Covenant's International Program is seeking families who are interested in hosting an international student. International students have been an important part of Covenant's student body for many years. We are a globally minded community who relish in the opportunity to learn more and find new opportunities to interact with other cultures. The international program offers students and families the ability to gain cross-cultural experience through our hosting program. The International program is twofold in that international students experience American culture, while domestic students and host families have the opportunity to interact with students from over 8 countries.
10 month hosting- August- May This commitment is for one school year. The students come back a week before school starts and will go home at the end of the school year. Students go home during Christmas break. If additional breaks in hosting are needed, the Homestay Coordinator is able to find respite care for students.
5 month hosting- August- December or January- MayThis is a similar commitment as the 10 month, but allows families to try hosting for only one semester. If the family would like to extend their commitment, that will be an option. Please see the list of responsibilities for more information.
Respite hostingRespite care is usually a short term hosting experience. Families who commit to the 10 month hosting option are offered respite care during times they need short break. Families who commit to respite care normally host from around one to seven days. Respite hosting is case by case and families interested in respite care will be placed on a list and contacted when needed.
Covenant offers our families who commit to hosting a stipend to offset expenses of caring for a high school student. This stipend varies based on the level of commitment an individual family makes and can change from year to year.
Complete the Application for Host Parenting and Host Family Questionnaire.
Provide a room with a place to study.
Provide transportation to and from school.
Provide breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
Provide pictures of your family and home as well as a family introduction.
Provide description of values and expectations that your family follows.
Have a willingness for your student to be involved in school activities including special events held for our international students.
Attend training and gatherings for our host families and their students.
Take your student to the doctor or dentist if necessary.


Italian automaker Lamborghini have unveiled the mind blowing Lamborghini Veneno Roadster. The spectacular super-car has no roof at all and will be equipped with an impressive 750 hp 6.5-liter V12 engine capable of moving this beast to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, and blast it to a top speed of 221 mph! Only nine Veneno Roadster models will be available for purchase, so get out your check book fast.


Except for certificates or evidence materials provided by foreign government departments or created in foreign countries, the patent application documents and other documents shall be in Chinese. Application documents which are written in foreign language shall be translated into Chinese.
Any applicant who is not satisfied with the Office's decision of rejecting his application may, within three months from the date of receipt of the notification, request the Patent Reexamination Board to make a reexamination.
The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) assists applicants in seeking patent protection internationally for their inventions.


optimising the full life-circle of Steel and Metal products in Nigeria.
Conspiracies" from within and outside the country.
products at exorbitant prices as it is with Nigerian oil today.
the federation, to investigate every discarded material for possible conversion to wealth.
incinerators make waste disappear is nothing but a myth.
"Any failure to create wealth from waste stops the creative engine and breaks the creative cycle.
Akinfeleye for their efforts towards the actualisation of the lecture.


In Events, cultural activities, information, knowledge in a short time (usually in session), are grouped together, providing people with a space of knowledge at a time appropriate to them.
IACCP 2019 V Latin American Regional Conference: Building Bridg..
IACCP 2019 V Latin American Regional Conference: Building Bridges among diversity. The IACCP 2019 V Latin American Regional Conference to be hosted in San José, Costa Rica at the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), City of Research Campus, July 16-19, 2019. The chosen theme for this 2019 ..
International Symposium in Sports Science, Exercise and HealthT..
International Symposium in Sports Science, Exercise and HealthThe International Symposium on Sports, Exercise and Health Sciences is the most important environmental event that the School of Physical Education and Sports has conducted since 1994. It was born as a need to show the production in t..
The Southern Caribbean of Costa Rica: Biodiversity, environmenta..
The Southern Caribbean of Costa Rica: Biodiversity, environmental status, protection and challenges of a region little studiedDescription of the activity:Scientific symposium to expose the biological riches of the Southern Caribbean of Costa Rica, the information gaps that exist, the environmenta..
V International Symposium and National IX on Rights of Children ..
V International Symposium and National IX on Rights of Children and AdolescentsThe International and National Symposium on Human Rights of Children and Adolescents is a meeting place between different actors in Latin America and the Caribbean, which converge in addressing this population.Its gene..
VI Latin American Franco Forum on Bioethics and Sustainable Deve..
VI Latin American Franco Forum on Bioethics and Sustainable DevelopmentThis forum aims to be a contribution to the bioethical discussion on sustainable development in our large Latin American region. The call tries to go beyond borders and discuss issues and concerns that concern us equally, to k..
VII International Congress of GerontologyGenerate an academic a..
VII International Congress of GerontologyGenerate an academic and interdisciplinary scenario tending to share experiences, scientific and technological advances and projections in the field of Gerontology, in order to create an impact on the quality of life of people in the national and internat..


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AO Edited
Hunter's Point Shipyard
Radioactivity still cause for concern at this urban explorer's paradise.
San Francisco Naval Shipyard. (chrisd2006/Flickr) http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisd2006/41... (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisd2006/4191377351/)
Hunter's Point, Building 253. (telstar/Flickr) http://www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/2265174/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/2265174/)
1971: carriers Ranger, Hancock, and Coral Sea at Hunters' Point. (Wikimedia Commons) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Naval_Shipyard)
2006 aerial view of the former San Francisco Naval Shipyard. View looking northeast. (Wikimedia Commons) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Naval_Shipyard)
Aerial photograph taken on May 24, 1945. (Wikimedia Commons) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Naval_Shipyard)
7 Places That Could Give You Superpowers, but Will Probably Kill You
Eric Grundhauser April 13, 2015
Gjoa Monument
Spanish Monastery Stones
The First Sea-Punk Mural
An urban explorer's paradise, the San Francisco Naval Shipyard was a United States Navy shipyard located on nearly 700 acres of waterfront at Hunter's Point in the southeast corner of the city.
It's difficult to find agreeing dates for when the base was officially closed but it's obvious nothing has really gone on there for quite some time. It seems the main impediment to rehabilitation for Hunter's Point is the prohibitively high cost of cleaning up all the toxic substances dumped there over the decades. It was the military's chosen site for the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory and, according to hundreds of menacing yellow placards posted throughout the property, radioactive contamination is cause for concern.
Not only are there a lot of pollutants dumped into the water over more than a century of use as a major shipyard to worry about, but the site also served as the launch point for key components used in the construction of the first atomic bomb. The components were loaded onto the U.S.S. Indianapolis in 1945 at Hunter's Point for transfer.
Originally, Hunter's Point was a commercial shipyard dating back to 1870. The original docks, built on solid rock, were thought to be the largest in the world at the time. At more than 1,000 feet in length, they could host some of the largest warships and passenger steamers in the world. Between World War I and World War II, the site was contracted from private owners for the Navy because the sixty-five-foot depth right off the coast was greater than anything else available in the area.
naval history ruins architectural oddities architecture
btracy
Nicholas Jackson, leiris
Wikipedia: San Francisco Naval Shipyard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Naval_Shipyard
FAS Military Analysis Network: San Francisco Naval Shipyard: http://www.fas.org/man/company/shipyard/hunters_point.htm
Nathan Kensinger Photography: The San Francisco Naval Shipyard: http://kensinger.blogspot.com/2009/01/san-francisco-naval-shipyard.html
Hunters Pt
Albion Castle
The Box Shop
Letterform Archive
A 140-year-old castle with underground caves hidden in San Francisco.
Overflowing with shipping containers, this location has been transformed into a massive workspace for artists.
A library and museum dedicated to typography.
Winfield Street Slides
A pair of slides and a tree-lined stair corridor have been an urban oasis for nearly 40 years.
Valerian Wall at Niche Hotel
The ruins of an ancient fortification wall sit in front of and underneath this boutique hotel.
Klafthmonos Square Parking Structure Fortification Walls
Preserved portions of Athens's ancient defenses are on display in a subterranean parking garage.
Cuilapam de Guerrero, Mexico
Ex-Monastery of Santiago Apóstol
This exquisite example of early colonial architecture remains unfinished almost 500 years after construction began.
Oviedo, Spain
Portada de la Antigua Iglesia de San Isidoro (Arch of the Old Church of San Isidoro)
The surviving remnants of a destroyed medieval church now stand in a public park.


It's springtime, you guys! I am so excited and, like most people, was so extremely tired of the cold and snow. Not that we get much snow in Alabama, but we had way more snow days this year than usual.
Last year I made a strawberry lemon cake for my family's Easter lunch. These flavors are probably the first that come to mind when I think of spring, so I decided to celebrate the warmer weather with a tiered cake! I've never made a tiered cake before, mostly just because I've never wanted to fool with adding supports and all that, but I didn't do any of that with this cake. Just stacked 'em all up and slathered some frosting on there.
On Saturday, my friends Meredith and Rachel came over and we had a photo shoot in my living room all afternoon. I honestly wish I could do that every single day! So we played with props and fabric and cooked bacon and played with edible flowers. Pretty good Saturday if you ask me!
For the lemon cake layers, you can use this lemon cake recipe from my Blueberry Lemon Cake, minus the blueberries.
For the strawberry cake layers, I like this strawberry cake recipe from Southern Living. Except I cut the sugar from two cups to 1 1/2.
For the vanilla frosting, try this recipe from my Dark Chocolate Cherry Cake. You will probably need to double this recipe to cover both tiers.
For the bottom tier of cake, I used 8 inch cake pans, and 6 inch pans for the top tier.
Bake the cakes for 18-20 minutes. My 6 inch layers were a little thicker than the bigger ones, so they still baked in about the same time.
You did a great job! I love the simplistic outside with the pops of color inside too.
Thanks, Ashley! I'm totally in the springtime zone right now. Can't stop!
What a beautiful cake! Strawberry lemon is my favorite spring combination!
Absolutely beautiful cake, Beth! I go crazy over anything strawberry so I love this cake!
WOW. What a cake! I love the tiered layers and your beautiful decoration of it… so perfectly springy- and ideal for easter too.
This cake is absolutely stunning and I'm sure delicious!
This looks so pretty! I never thought of mixing flavours in a cake!
Beth your photography gets better and better with each post! I love it and I cant wait to make this cake!
This screams spring to me! Beautiful!
This cake is beautiful! I love the idea of different flavored layers.


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Hamas TV: Cute Kids Sing of Blowing Selves Up For Allah; Serenade 'Explosive Device of Glory'
Everybody sing! Don't know the words? They're easy:
"Jihad bestows pride and glory upon you when you become a martyrdom-seeker.
Oh explosive device of glory – with her blood she created freedom.
Ask [suicide bomber] Fatima Al-Najjar how one should live a life of pride."
For an extra dose of WTF, wait for the guy in the chicken costume.
[hat tip: Middle East Media Research Institute]
Parents Douse Muslim Girl in Acid For Looking At a Boy: 'It Was Her Destiny To Die This Way.'
Father: "She turned to look at a boy. I'd told her before not to do that."
A compilation of acid-attack victims' stories, via the YouTube channel ConversationWithA.
See also the photo essay Faces of Islam:
Tsarnaev 'Angry' When Islam Was Called Violent
The ex-husband of Tamerlan Tsarnaev's sister told the New York Times in an e-mail that the Boston bomber
"…was looking for connections between the wars in the Middle East and oppression of Muslim population around the globe. It was very hard to argue with him on themes somehow connected to religion. On the other hand, he did not hate Christians. He respected their faith. Never said anything bad about other religions. But he was angry that the world pictures Islam as a violent religion."
He certainly did a bang-up job of dispelling the idea.
Paris Knife Attacker Screamed 'Allah is Great'
The assailant had severe mental problems. Not sure how that sets him apart from other Allah worshipers who sow mindless death and destruction.
An Iranian screaming "Allahu Akbar" on Tuesday attacked a rabbi and his son with a knife as they were entering a synagogue in Paris for the morning prayer.
The 50-year-old rabbi, identified as Philippe Baroukh, suffered cuts to his throat while his 18-year-old son was stabbed in the back. They were immediately transported to the hospital to undergo surgery and are out of danger.
The attack took place in the Beth-El synagogue on rue Saulnier in the 9th district of the French capital. …
"This man had escaped on April 16 from a psychiatric hospital," a police source said.
Train Plotting
Two men in Canada were charged yesterday with plotting a terrorist attack on a train.
The Huffington Post:
Two Canadian residents have been charged in an alleged terror plot to attack a Via Rail passenger train.
Raed Jaser [photo, left], 35, from Toronto and Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, from Montreal, face terrorism-related charges,
…including "participation in a terrorist group," and "conspiracy to interfere with transportation facilities for the benefit of a terrorist group."
The News, Australia:
Officials in Canada said Mr Jaser and Mr Esseghaier had "direction and guidance" from al-Qaeda members in Iran but no financial assistance, and there was no reason to think the planned attacks were state-sponsored.
In New York, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne declined to discuss reports that the plot targeted a passenger line between New York City and Canada. However, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that Canada has kept New York posted on the investigation.
The National Post:
Chiheb Esseghaier is a Tunisian-born PhD student at a Université du Québec nanotechnology lab who was threatened with expulsion for his disruptive behaviour and strict religious views that alienated his colleagues.
One colleague at Institut National de la Récherche Scientifique (INRS) in Varennes, Quebec, described Mr. Esseghaier, as "a brainwashed person, basically," who tore down posters he did not approve of, and pestered the administration to install a prayer room. …
His co-accused, Raed Jaser, is a Palestinian born in the United Arab Emirates, who has permanent resident status in Canada.
Raed Jaser, 35, was convicted of threatening death in 2001, receiving a sentence of two years' probation and a $1,000 fine. But his record was recently cleared after he applied for — and received — a pardon.
The encouraging news: The initial tip to police about the intentions of the darling duo came from an imam in Toronto.
[suspect sketches via CTV News, Montreal]
Mommie Dearest: Mother Beats Seven-Year-Old Son to Death for Failing to Memorize Quran
I've wanted my two young daughters to learn to recite the Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss. Also, Tom Lehrer's the Elements.
The girls do pretty well, but not perfectly. Although they fall short, and frequently miss words and lines, surely it would be a bit unreasonable for me to beat them to death for not performing better.
But change the book, and suddenly the need for kids to study the text deeply and perhaps even learn it by heart is deemed crucial by the most pious of the faithful. So crucial that if junior fails, physical punishment may be in order. And, in rare cases, death.
So I give you … the mother who beat who beat her seven-year-old son to death for failing to learn the Qur'an by heart — and who then burned his body in an attempt to hide her crime.
Upon hearing her sentence (life in jail with the possibility of parole),
Sara Ege, 33, collapsed and had to be helped sobbing from the dock after being told on Monday she would serve 17 years before she could be considered for parole.
Cardiff crown court heard that Ege treated her son Yaseen "like a dog" when he struggled to memorise passages of the holy book of Islam. She beat him on the hands and his body until he collapsed on the floor of his bedroom and died.
Ege used barbecue lighting gel to set fire to the boy's body to try to conceal what she had done. Initially emergency services believed he had been killed in a fire at the family home in Pontcanna, Cardiff. But a postmortem revealed he had died before the fire had begun and had suffered multiple injuries to his body caused by three months of physical punishment.
Did no one notice? Yes, but no one helped. Every adult in his life failed the boy, starting with his own mother.
A teaching assistant at the boy's school noticed that his handwriting was deteriorating and discovered he was using his left hand because it was too painful for him to use his right. On another occasion Ege was called into school because [Yaseen] was in too much pain to sit. She moved him to a new school.
And soon it was too late.
Ege initially felt twinges of remorse when she beat Yaseen all over his body. Now and then, she'd promise herself she'd stop, but the anger was a rush — a form of letting go.
As her violence spiraled more and more out of control, Ege's sense that she was responsible for her own actions gave way to religion's most delusional and fatal side:
She claimed she had been urged on by the devil and bad spirits. At one point she believed the stick she used to punish her son was possessed by an evil spirit.
She hadn't done it — the devil had. But the court didn't buy it, and it'll be 2030 or later before Sara Ege is a free woman again.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
P.S.: It happens among (so-called) Christians too:
Obey the Lord and Beat Your Kid to Death
Baby Starved To Death Because He Would Not Say Amen
Now that's worth a try.
Making Amends, Making A New Movie: Weepy Dutch 'Fitna' Blasphemer Converts to Islam
Arnoud van Doorn, who came to modest prominence as a Dutch politician for the anti-immigration / anti-Islam PVV party, had a remarkable change of heart recently. He has seen the light, the truth, and the way — and it is Islam, van Doorn has decided.
In other words, the Dutchman is a convert to the very religion he justifiably made a career out of criticizing and lampooning.
Formerly a close associate of PVV head honcho Geert Wilders, with whom he made the 16-minute movie Fitna (below) to show that Islam is an inherently violent faith, van Doorn now distances himself from Wilders, the PVV, and Fitna.
Last month, when he broke the news of his conversion with a Tweet that said "there is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his Prophet," most people thought it was a prank, some comedy performance whose punchline would soon be revealed. But if van Doorn is playing a hoax on us, he has the stamina — and the cojones — of a prize bull camel.
Over the past couple of days, the newly-minted Dutch Muslim visited the prophet Mohammed's mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia, and then traveled on to Mecca for meetings with Islamic officials who presented him with a deluxe copy of the Qur'an. According to local media, van Doorn not only "wept in repentance" for his "evil deeds"; he also shed "tears of remorse."
Yesterday, the Saudi Gazette published this photo of van Doorn:
The caption reads:
Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, delivers a copy of the Holy Qur'an to Arnoud Van Doorn during a reception in Makkah on Sunday as Shahzad Muhammad (right), head of the Canadian Dawa Association (CDA), looks on.
Van Doorn understands people's surprise over his 180-degree turn, he told Al-Jazeera.
"In my own close circle people have known that I have been actively researching the Qur'an, Hadith, Sunnah and other writings for almost a year now. In addition, I have had numerous conversations with Muslims about the religion." …
"I have heard so many negative stories about Islam, but I am not a person who follows opinions of others without doing my own research," he said. "Therefore, I have actually started to deepen my knowledge of Islam out of curiosity."
After that, there was more crying (emotionally, van Doorn may well be the Dutch twin of perennially teary House Speaker John Boehner):
"I couldn't control my feelings when I stood in front of the grave of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as in Rawdah Sharif, near the pulpit used by the Prophet (pbuh). When I prayed at Rawdah Sharaif [Mohammed's mosque, TF], my eyes were full of tears as I had the feeling that I am in a part of the Paradise."
But that's not all. Van Doorn announced that he will soon make another movie: a positive and reverential one about the Muslim warrior-prophet he has come to love. It'll be the antithesis of this:
The Moral Compass team will let you know when his exciting new film debuts. We're sure there won't be a dry eye in the house, least of all van Doorn's.
Islamist Plotters Sentenced in Toy-Car Attack
It was a plan that seemed to come straight out of the U.K. comedy Four Lions, a movie about hapless homegrown jihadists (recommended). Or maybe it was inspired by the Stonehenge scene in This is Spinal Tap (watch the funny at 2m14s).
But this was no fiction: Islamist would-be terrorists in Britain were sentenced to extended jail time for plotting an attack on British reserve troops by using a remote-controlled toy car packed with explosives.
Investigators said Thursday Britain's domestic spy agency of MI5 and police were able to stop Zahid Iqbal, Mohammed Sharfaraz Ahmed, Umar Arshad and Syed Farhan Hussain before they could launch the deadly attack.
Iqbal and Ahmed were given extended sentences of 16 years and 3 months, which means they will be in jail for more than 11 years and put on parole for the rest of the time. Arshad was sentenced to more than six years in jail, while Hussain received more than five years. …
The men were recorded discussing sending a remote-controlled toy car carrying a homemade bomb under the gates of an army reservist center in Luton, and speaking of using instructions in an al-Qaida manual to make an improvised explosive device.
[perp photos via the Washington Post]
The Tsarnaevs' Islam: Boxing Bad, Bombing Good
Who knows what goes through the demented minds of religious killers? A news team at the Wall Street Journal put together a relatively thorough profile of suspected Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, and while it's not exactly enlightening — mental pathology is difficult to enlighten — it is plenty sad and often chilling.
Some passages:
His mother encouraged him to turn to Islam. "I told Tamerlan that we are Muslim, and we are not practicing our religion, and how can we call ourselves Muslims?" Mrs. Tsarnaeva said. "And that's how Tamerlan started reading about Islam, and he started praying, and he got more and more and more into his religion.
Tell me again how more piety = better morals.
Tamerlan quit drinking and smoking, gave up boxing because he thought it was in opposition to his religion, and began pushing the rest of his family to pursue stricter ways, his mother recalled.
"You know how Islam has changed me," his mother, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in Makhachkala, Dagestan, says he told her. …
Tamerlan persuaded his mother to cover herself up, which she says at one point distressed her husband, Anzor. "He said, 'You are being crazy, covering yourselves,'" she recalled her husband saying. She said that she told him, "This is what Islamic men should want. This is what I am supposed to do."
Allah commanded it. And soon, in her son's mind, Allah started commanding a lot of other things too.
People who knew him say Tamerlan would express outrage when he perceived a religious slight and was critical of Muslim immigrants' efforts to assimilate in the U.S.
In one incident last November, Tamerlan confronted a shopkeeper at a Middle Eastern grocery store in Cambridge, near a mosque where he sometimes prayed, after seeing a sign there advertising Thanksgiving turkeys. "Brother, why did you put up this sign?" the shopkeeper, Abdou Razak, recalled him asking angrily. "This is kuffar" — an Arabic reference to non-Muslims — "that's not right!"
At Friday prayers that month, Tamerlan stood up and challenged a sermon in which the speaker said that, just like "we all celebrate the birthday of the Prophet, we can also celebrate July 4 and Thanksgiving," according to Yusufi Vali, a mosque spokesman. Mr. Vali said Tamerlan stated that he "took offense to celebrating anything," be it the Prophet's birthday (which not all Muslims celebrate) or American holidays.
Tamerlan also protested at Friday prayers in January, around the Martin Luther King Day holiday, when a speaker compared the civil-rights leader with the Prophet Muhammad, Mr. Vali said. Tamerlan interrupted the sermon and called the speaker a hypocrite.
But the most neck-snappingly bizarre snippet from the whole article is the answer to why Tamerlan Tsarnaev stopped boxing, a sport for which he had a rare talent.
[His father] Anzor Tsarnaev said he was "outraged" by his son's decision to drop boxing. He said Tamerlan told him that a Muslim must not punch another man in the face. [emphasis added]
In this version of Islam, Allah tells you not to punch another man in the face — but says it's fine to blow up innocent people by detonating pressure cookers filled with shrapnel.
Got that?
Nigerian Islamists Clash With Soldiers: 185 Dead
While I have no deep affection for Christianity, at least Christ was the peacenik hippie type, whereas Mohammed was a highway robber and warlord. You could say that Boko Haram and its fellow Islamist thugs only follow in their blessed prophet's footsteps.
Fighting between Nigeria's military and Islamist extremists killed at least 185 people in a fishing community in the nation's far northeast, officials said on Sunday.
The fighting in Baga began Friday and lasted for hours, sending people fleeing into the arid scrublands surrounding the community on Lake Chad. The unrest saw insurgents fire rocket-propelled grenades and soldiers spray machine-gun fire into neighbourhoods filled with civilians.
By Sunday, when government officials felt safe enough to see the destruction, homes, businesses and vehicles were burned throughout the area.
The assault marks a significant escalation in the long running insurgency Nigeria faces in its predominantly Muslim north, with extremists mounting a coordinated assault on soldiers using military-grade weaponry.
[image via Asian History]
On Religion: Frik Vermeulen, Unsung Genius
Finally, someone sorts through the world's major faiths and helps us figure out "which Religion is right."
We applaud South Africa's Frik Vermeulen and his fearless decision to "way in and hopefully bring some sanity to the tables."


Comics Coast To Coast #171 – Adrian Ropp: To Infinity and Beyond!
Adrian Ropp began his career as a story and effects artist for Mojave Interactive's "Secrets of the Luxor" PC video game. After that, he spend the next twelve years working for Swan Animation and Feature Films for Families. There he was a story artist for the theatrical animated musical, The Princess and the Pea, supervising director and writer for the direct-to-video animated series "Pig Tales", and animation director and story artist for the live action/animated film, The Velveteen Rabbit. Since 2008, Adrian has worked at Disney Interactive, where his video game cinematic and writing credits include Bolt, Toy Story 3 and Cars 2. He recently finished production on the exciting new gaming platform, Disney Infinity, for which he served as story lead for the Monsters University, Cars, and Mickey Mouse portions of the game.Among his many influences are Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge, Sergio Aragones' Groo the Wanderer, Walt Kelly's Pogo, the animated films of Walt Disney, Jeff Smith's Bone, and the writings of C. S. Lewis and Charles Dickens.Adrian lives in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area. An avid fan of pop culture, he spends much of his time reading comics, going to the theater with his wife, Jennifer, spoiling his many nieces and nephews and playing with their two cats, Lucky and Isabella.
THE COMICChim Chum and the Portly Samurai is a weekly all-ages comic adventure written and drawn by Adrian Ropp. It follows the adventures of an as-yet-to-be-named samurai of questionable origins and his silent sidekick, a small fox named Chim Chum. The comic began as a single-panel gag format, but is now following a serialized weekly full-page comic book format.THE CHARACTERSTHE PORTLY SAMURAI The Portly Samurai hails from Ancient China, and has a long, sordid past he does not like to talk about. Because of his obvious physical build, freelancing as a samurai is hardly a lucrative position. P.S. relies on quick turns of fortune and the clever cuteness of his diminutive pal to maintain his dietary standards.CHIM CHUMChim Chum the fox is something of an enigma. There's a lot of personality crammed into this small package, but little is actually known Chim Chum's origins. Equal parts best friend and main antagonist to the Portly Samurai, Chim Chum seems to enjoy being part of the Dysfunctional Duo.


On Friday, March 25, 2011, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission published its final regulations and accompanying interpretive guidance to implement the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 ("ADAAA"). The final regulations will take effect on May 24, 2011.
Earlier this week, the United States Supreme Court yet again made it easier for employees to bring retaliation lawsuits against their employers. By a 6-2 decision (Justice Kagan did not participate), the Court held that oral complaints implicating the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA") are covered by the Act's anti-retaliation protections.
When the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act ("MMMA") became law in 2008, Michigan employers were left wondering how the Act would affect their ability to maintain a drug-free workplace. Specifically, would the MMMA prevent an employer from disciplining or discharging an employee who violated company policy by testing positive for marijuana if the employee had a medical marijuana registry card? After two years of uncertainty, Michigan employers have finally received some much needed guidance.
In the United States, corporations and their executives increasingly are being prosecuted and punished for criminal activity. On November 1, 2010, recent amendments to the United States Sentencing Guidelines went into effect that impact the severity of punishment in white-collar cases involving corporations and their executives. These amendments will increase or reduce the severity of a corporation's recommended sentence depending upon, among other things, the strength and effectiveness of its compliance program. The stronger and more effective the program, the less severe the recommended sentence will be. Conversely, a weak compliance program – or the lack of one – will result in a harsher recommended sentence. With the start of a new year, corporations should create or strengthen existing compliance programs now, so as to help reduce the severity of the recommended punishment under the Sentencing Guidelines, and more importantly, to increase the likelihood of avoiding a charge in the first place.
For years, the Michigan Payment of Wages and Fringe Benefits Act lagged behind the technologies available for how to pay employees. Specifically, unlike various other states' payment of wages statutes, the Michigan Act did not permit Michigan employers to require employees to receive their pay by direct deposit. Instead, an employee's consent to direct deposit had to be voluntary, and if an employee did not consent to direct deposit, then the employer had to issue a paper check to the employee.
Effective December 21, 2010, however, the Act was amended to permit, subject to certain conditions, the mandatory use of either direct deposit or a payroll debit card, which is also known as a payroll card or a paycard. This amendment means that an employee cannot insist on payment by the means of a paper check and that an employer can compel the use of direct deposit or payroll debit cards and can accordingly transition into a paperless payroll system with associated savings.
Butzel Long recently informed you that a package of bills reflecting significant amendments to Michigan's cleanup and liability protection laws passed the State House and Senate, and were awaiting the Governor's signature. Those bills were signed into law and became effective on December 14, 2010.
Two provisions of the new laws concern (a) self implementing cleanups and (b) letters that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality ("MDEQ") (yes, effective January 4, 2011, it is back to being called DEQ) is now authorized to issue stating that there is no further response action required at a site. This alert provides a brief overview of these two new provisions.
One of the bills passed by the Michigan Legislature at the end of 2010 was a bill that expanded the state economic development programs to include green chemistry. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation ("MEDC") currently has in its "toolbox" the ability to provide certain grants, tax credits, and other benefits to companies in the high technology and new and developing energy sectors. One such program is the Centers of Energy Excellent Program to promote the development, acceleration, and sustainability of new and developing sectors in the energy field by making state grants available to companies as part of the Michigan Twenty-First Century Job Fund Initiative. The legislation also expands the definition of "high-technology activity" to include "green chemistry" for the purpose of receiving Michigan Economic Growth Act ("MEGA") tax credits against the Michigan Business Tax.
The definition of "green chemistry" includes "chemistry and chemical engineering to design chemical products or processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances, while producing high-quality products through safe and efficient manufacturing processes."
The UAW recently issued its "Principles for Fair Union Elections." In 2011, the UAW plans to use these Principles in an effort to organize new members, initially at foreign-owned automotive companies and, if successful, then potentially at automotive supply companies and companies in other industries. The UAW has publicized the Principles as evidence that the UAW is less confrontational and more collaborative with employers, especially foreign-owned automotive companies.
For employers, particularly in the automotive industry – either foreign-owned automotive manufacturers or non-unionized automotive suppliers – the questions are whether an employer should accept or reject the Principles and what would be the consequences of either acceptance or rejection of the Principles.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Act") enacted on March 23, 2010 included a provision requiring insured group health plans (other than grandfathered health plans) to satisfy the nondiscrimination requirements of Internal Revenue Code ("Code") Section 105(h)(2). Prior to the Act, Code Section 105(h) only applied to self-insured health plans and required that they not discriminate in favor of highly compensated individuals as to eligibility to participate in the plan or in favor of highly compensated participants as to benefits available under the plan. The Act provided for the first time that insured group health plans comply with Code Section 105(h) under "rules similar to the rules" that applied to self-insured plans. In a Notice issued on December 22, 2010, the IRS has suspended application and enforcement of this rule for insured group health plans until regulatory guidance is issued.
Under the Act, an insured group health plan that failed to comply with the new nondiscrimination rules could have been subject to (1) an excise tax of $100 for each day of noncompliance with respect to each individual to whom such noncompliance relates (with certain exceptions), (2) in the case of a non-Federal governmental group health plan, civil money penalties under the Public Health Services Act of up to $100 per day per individual for each day the plan does not comply with the requirements (with certain exceptions), or (3) a civil action to enjoin a noncompliant act or practice or for other appropriate equitable relief under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA").
The Employee Free Choice Act will not be enacted during the next two years. But the pro-union National Labor Relations Board will continue to issue rulings that will help unions organize new members.
The latest example of this NLRB trend is a decision involving Dana Corporation and the UAW. Dana Corporation, 356 NLRB #49 (2010). In a 2 to 1 decision, the NLRB ruled that Dana and the UAW, which represented Dana employees at 9 other facilities, did not violate federal labor law by entering a Letter of Agreement before the UAW represented the employees at a non-unionized Dana facility. The Letter was not even disclosed to the Dana employees whom the UAW wanted to organize.
On December 22, 2010, the National Labor Relations Board published, in the Federal Register, "Proposed Rules Governing Notification of Employee Rights under the National Labor Relations Act." For 60 days following December 22nd, members of the public may submit comments about these proposed rules to the NLRB.
These Proposed Rules confirm that the current NLRB will act aggressively to help labor unions.
On December 16, in a conference call which included U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director David Kappos and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm it was announced that the USPTO will locate its first Regional Patent Office in Detroit, Michigan. Employing 100 patent examiners at the outset, the regional office is scheduled to open sometime in 2011. In part, this move by the USPTO is intended to facilitate the hiring of additional qualified examiners and so reduce the present pendency of patent applications at the USPTO. According to Secretary Locke, the goal is to "get down to a 1 year review."
According to USPTO Director Kappos, the corps of examiners in the new Detroit Regional Office will represent, at least in part, technologies that mesh well with local industries, including automotive and emerging technologies.


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Nicholas Lyndhurst joins 'New Tricks' cast for Series 10
Lyndhurst commented: "I am thrilled to have been asked to join New Tricks. I have always admired the clever mixture of charm, wit, and intelligence the show brings to its audience, and feel very flattered to be part of the BBC's top drama series."
Richard Burrell, Executive Producer, Wall to Wall, added: "We are very excited to have Nicholas joining the cast of New Tricks. I think that the audience are going to have great fun watching him as a new member of the anarchic UCOS team ensuring that solving cases for the Met is never dull. We can't wait to start working with him."
The new 10-part series will begin filming a special two-part opening episode in Gibraltar later this month before continuing filming on location in London.
Series 10 will air on BBC One in 2013.
Are you looking forward to Nicholas Lyndhurst joining the show? Let us know below…
> Buy the Series 8 boxset on Amazon.
Watch the show's opening titles…
Tags: New Tricks, Nicholas Lyndhurst


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Home → Client News → Straight from the horse's mouth
Racing legend Moscow Flyer tweeting for Irish Horse Welfare Trust
Legendary racing horse Moscow Flyer – the Jessica Harrington trained winner of the Arkle Challenge Trophy and Queen Mother Champion chase – is now tweeting on horse welfare issues for Irish charity Irish Horse Welfare Trust (IHWT).
Moscow Flyer is now a full-time equine ambassador for the Wicklow-based charity and his Twitter account went live on Sunday 18th April. Moscow, as he is affectionately known at his home in the Irish Horse Welfare Centre in Woodenbridge, Co. Wicklow, will be keeping everyone updated with life at the farm and is hoping to be a hit around the world, given the special cause he represents and, of course, his celebrity status.
"Moscow has a wonderful life here on the farm, he is our Ambassador and a voice for the rescued horses that come through our gates each year," adds Sharon Newsome co founder of IHWT. "While we always knew he was a very talented and special horse, we were surprised that he was so up to speed with the latest social media….what next," Sharon laughs.
The IHWT is based in Woodenbridge and is Ireland's only dedicated Equine Welfare Charity. The Welfare Centre specialises in dealing with hundreds of cases of neglect and cruelty, making a difference as the voice of equines in Ireland. The rescue of 41 horses from a farm in Kilkenny saw friends and supporters of IHWT rally around the charity and 32 of these horses have now gone on to find loving homes.
The Welfare Centre is currently homing a record number of rescued horses and would welcome prospective owners interested in giving them a new caring home to get in touch (www.ihwt.ie). The charity also operates an Ex-Race Horse Retraining Programme for horses finished on the track. Successful Ex racehorses to Show horses have included Moscow Flyer, Col Rayburn, Golden Hop and Jaguar Claw, to name but a few.
Follow Moscow Flyer on Twitter @ IHWTMoscowFlyer
http://twitter.com/ihwtmoscowflyer
On April 19, 2010 / Client News / Comments Off on Straight from the horse's mouth


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The Knave shook his head sadly. 'Do I look like it?' he said. (Which he certainly did NOT, being made entirely of cardboard.)
'All right, so far,' said the King, and he went on muttering over the verses to himself: '"WE KNOW IT TO BE TRUE—" that's the jury, of course—"I GAVE HER ONE, THEY GAVE HIM TWO—" why, that must be what he did with the tarts, you know—'
'But, it goes on "THEY ALL RETURNED FROM HIM TO YOU,"' said Alice.
'Why, there they are!' said the King triumphantly, pointing to the tarts on the table. 'Nothing can be clearer than THAT. Then again—"BEFORE SHE HAD THIS FIT—" you never had fits, my dear, I think?' he said to the Queen.
'Never!' said the Queen furiously, throwing an inkstand at the Lizard as she spoke. (The unfortunate little Bill had left off writing on his slate with one finger, as he found it made no mark; but he now hastily began again, using the ink, that was trickling down his face, as long as it lasted.)
'Then the words don't FIT you,' said the King, looking round the court with a smile. There was a dead silence.
'It's a pun!' the King added in an offended tone, and everybody laughed, 'Let the jury consider their verdict,' the King said, for about the twentieth time that day.
'No, no!' said the Queen. 'Sentence first—verdict afterwards.'
'Stuff and nonsense!' said Alice loudly. 'The idea of having the sentence first!'
'Hold your tongue!' said the Queen, turning purple.
'I won't!' said Alice.
'Off with her head!' the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved.
'Who cares for you?' said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time.) 'You're nothing but a pack of cards!'
At this the whole pack rose up into the air, and came flying down upon her: she gave a little scream, half of fright and half of anger, and tried to beat them off, and found herself lying on the bank, with her head in the lap of her sister, who was gently brushing away some dead leaves that had fluttered down from the trees upon her face.
'Wake up, Alice dear!' said her sister; 'Why, what a long sleep you've had!'
'Oh, I've had such a curious dream!' said Alice, and she told her sister, as well as she could remember them, all these strange Adventures of hers that you have just been reading about; and when she had finished, her sister kissed her, and said, 'It WAS a curious dream, dear, certainly: but now run in to your tea; it's getting late.' So Alice got up and ran off, thinking while she ran, as well she might, what a wonderful dream it had been.
But her sister sat still just as she left her, leaning her head on her hand, watching the setting sun, and thinking of little Alice and all her wonderful Adventures, till she too began dreaming after a fashion, and this was her dream:—
First, she dreamed of little Alice herself, and once again the tiny hands were clasped upon her knee, and the bright eager eyes were looking up into hers—she could hear the very tones of her voice, and see that queer little toss of her head to keep back the wandering hair that WOULD always get into her eyes—and still as she listened, or seemed to listen, the whole place around her became alive the strange creatures of her little sister's dream.
The long grass rustled at her feet as the White Rabbit hurried by—the frightened Mouse splashed his way through the neighbouring pool—she could hear the rattle of the teacups as the March Hare and his friends shared their never-ending meal, and the shrill voice of the Queen ordering off her unfortunate guests to execution—once more the pig-baby was sneezing on the Duchess's knee, while plates and dishes crashed around it—once more the shriek of the Gryphon, the squeaking of the Lizard's slate-pencil, and the choking of the suppressed guinea-pigs, filled the air, mixed up with the distant sobs of the miserable Mock Turtle.
So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and all would change to dull reality—the grass would be only rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the reeds—the rattling teacups would change to tinkling sheep-bells, and the Queen's shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd boy—and the sneeze of the baby, the shriek of the Gryphon, and all the other queer noises, would change (she knew) to the confused clamour of the busy farm-yard—while the lowing of the cattle in the distance would take the place of the Mock Turtle's heavy sobs.
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Faith leaders have held interfaith 'Funeral for Coal' Vigils outside the offices of Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, and Shadow Environment Minister Tony Burke. The leaders argue that the world cannot afford new coal mines, due to the contribution to climate change that this would involve.
The Vigils were organised by the multi-faith grassroots organisation, the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC).
Those gathering outside Mr Shorten's office included a Uniting Church minister, a Baptist pastor, four ordained Buddhists, an Anglican priest, a Jewish Rabbi, and a Sister of Mercy, as well as dozens of regular followers from different faith traditions.
Similar Vigils were held in the previous week by Fr Rod Bower on the NSW Central Coast, and outside the office of Chris Bowen in Western Sydney. Mr Bowen, the Shadow Treasurer, said in February that Labor would not block a new Adani coal mine.
Uniting Church minister Rev. Alex Sangster was once arrested once in November 2017 for blocking access to work on the Adani mine. Rev. Sangster said that she is prepared to be arrested again.
"Life as we know it is under threat," she said.
In 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that global thermal coal use must drop by at least 59 per cent in the next 10 – 12 years if we are to avoid 1.5 Degree C warming.


Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation's next funding round is now open and all eligible, local community-based, not-for-profit organisation's initiatives are encouraged to make a submission before the funding round closes on Monday, 6 May.
"We're excited to see what projects groups in the Central West have in mind that could help address important community issues, at a grassroots level, to make life better for disadvantaged, marginalised and isolated people in the local community," said Charitable Foundation Executive Officer Graham Batten.
The Charitable Foundation has donated more than $19.1 million for local initiatives, including more than $1.5 million for 57 projects in the Central West.
Past projects include the fit out of LiveBetter Disability Centre's Café Connect in Orange.
To be eligible for funding, your group must be endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a Type 1 Deductible Gift Recipient and hold Tax Concession Charity status, be registered with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission, and be a not-for-profit organisation which is charitable at law, and a legal entity such as an incorporate association of corporation.
Nov 29 A calendar to make things better!


We talk about fossils a lot in this program. But what are fossils anyway? If you have no idea what fossils are, click on "What's a Fossil?" If you want to see how paleontologists find out how old they are, click over there on "Dating Fossils". There's more to fossils than just bones. If you want to learn about other kinds of fossils, click on "Trackways" or "Trace Fossils".


While not the most visible of cycling accessories, the Castelli Rosso Corsa Cycling cap white/black men nonetheless does a brilliant job. tucked under a helmet to wick away sweat and keep the sun's rays off the head. Polyester mesh ensures maximum airflow. Tip: keep in mind that the Castelli clothing fits smaller than normal.
While not the most visible of cycling accessories, the Castelli Rosso Corsa Cycling Cap black men nonetheless does a brilliant job. tucked under a helmet to wick away sweat and keep the sun's rays off the head. Polyester mesh ensures maximum airflow. Tip: keep in mind that the Castelli clothing fits smaller than normal.
The Castelli Bandana red is so soft against your forehead that it doesn't quite seem right. As soft as possible while keeping sweat from dripping in your eyes. Made from ProSecco strada fabric for a excellent wicking.
The Castelli Bandana white is so soft against your forehead that it doesn't quite seem right. As soft as possible while keeping sweat from dripping in your eyes. Made from ProSecco strada fabric for a excellent wicking.
The Castelli Headband black is so soft against your forehead that it doesn't quite seem right. As soft as possible while keeping sweat from dripping in your eyes.
The Craft Shelter 2.0 under helmet black/yellow unisex is a lightweight, elastic helmet-compatible hat with wind-protective front. The hat features an ergonomic, close fit to be worn under your helmet, with a windproof fabric on the front for warmth. Reflective print at front and back. The windproof cap keeps you warm on cold days and protects your head from icy winds.
The elevated, race-tuned Assos Neck protector winter black unisex to provide respite from the coldest weather and deliver core warmth. The perfect companion piece for winter rides, Assos have re-engineered the classic and ever-popular neck protector with their latest, ultra-luxe fabrics and retailored its construction for ergonomics. The result is indisputably high levels of comfort and warmth from this small yet hugely significant piece. Using the latest combination of natural and synthetic yarns, this piece is a whizz at providing wind protection and just as deft at breathability.
The Craft Shelter 2.0 under helmet black unisex is a lightweight, elastic helmet-compatible hat with wind-protective front. The hat features an ergonomic, close fit to be worn under your helmet, with a windproof fabric on the front for warmth. Reflective print at front and back. The windproof cap keeps you warm on cold days and protects your head from icy winds.
The Castelli Arrivo 3 thermo head thingy yellow fluo men is made of Thermoflex fleece fabric. Can be used as neck warmer, bandana or cap. With sublimation printed graphic.
The Castelli Arrivo 3 thermo head thingy light black men is made of Thermoflex fleece fabric. Can be used as neck warmer, bandana or cap. With sublimation printed graphic.
Castelli Ros cycling cap orange men: Castelli wanted to make a cycling cap that's great in dry weather yet can protect in case of rain. The trick is a patented system in which the windproof, water-repellent front panel can fold back for complete breathability or fold forward to protect. Better yet, you have three ways to wear it: with the protective panel folded back, moderate breathability with the cap turned around backward, or full close. The Pertex fabric is ridiculously thin to fit under the helmet, yet has enough air permeability to prevent you from wetting out as you would under a non-breathable cap.
Castelli Ros cycling cap anthracite men: Castelli wanted to make a cycling cap that's great in dry weather yet can protect in case of rain. The trick is a patented system in which the windproof, water-repellent front panel can fold back for complete breathability or fold forward to protect. Better yet, you have three ways to wear it: with the protective panel folded back, moderate breathability with the cap turned around backward, or full close. The Pertex fabric is ridiculously thin to fit under the helmet, yet has enough air permeability to prevent you from wetting out as you would under a non-breathable cap.
This Craft race bike cap blue is a stylish yet functional bike cap. The cap keeps the sun out of your eyes and ensures that your head can breathe properly. The fabric also quickly drains the moisture so that your head stays cool and dry. Ideal to wear under your helmet on sunny days. One size fits all.
The Castelli Summer headband black men is a headband to wear under your helmet in the summer. The headband ensures that the moisture is better absorbed. Because of this you will suffer less from sweat that drips in your eyes.
This Craft race bike cap black/multi is a stylish yet functional bike cap. The cap keeps the sun out of your eyes and ensures that your head can breathe properly. The fabric also quickly drains the moisture so that your head stays cool and dry. Ideal to wear under your helmet on sunny days. One size fits all.
The Castelli Summer headband white men is a headband to wear under your helmet in the summer. The headband ensures that the moisture is better absorbed. Because of this you will suffer less from sweat that drips in your eyes.
This Craft race bike cap black/white is a stylish yet functional bike cap. The cap keeps the sun out of your eyes and ensures that your head can breathe properly. The fabric also quickly drains the moisture so that your head stays cool and dry. Ideal to wear under your helmet on sunny days. One size fits all.
The Castelli Summer skullcap under helmet white men is ideal for temperatures between 5 and 25 degrees. The cap protects against wind and keeps sweat form your eyes. The cap fits easily under the helmet and has a very high breathability to keep your head cool en dry.