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Note: some of these passages contain explicit depictions of violence and sex. You're probably even more likely to read them now, but I felt compelled to include a warning.
S.J.Ford.
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Kristin Seduced by Vampire
Okay this was one of the most explicit sex scenes I'd ever written. So be aware before proceeding. A vampire seduces a victim; what do you expect. So why cut it? It was part of the original prolog - which was waay too long; 3 Chapters, all backstory and just the wrong way to open the book.
In revision I took the old backstory and broke it down into short flashbacks that I now introduce throughout the plot. It works much better as a subplot, a story within. The other problem with this scene is; it's told from Kristin's POV and she's not the protagonist. I didn't want to be taking readers out of Leslie Tatum's head so early in the story, and for such a long passage. No, It may be steamy, but it had to go. But now you can read it here. Man, I love the internet.
(WARNING: Shameless sales pitch) The scenes below may not all make sense; I guess that's the nature of deleted scenes. You could always buy the book to see where they fit in.
Kristin finished her half-hour in the clean room. She shared with Rachel Morrisey then it was the guys' turn. Back in her protective suit she headed along the corridor towards the infirmary. She thought she could help with the unidentified corpses.
Drawing near to the room with the coffin she saw wisps of white mist seep under its closed door: steam. She opened the door and found the room thick with mist. It looked like a shower. God, she wanted a shower.
It was twenty-six hours since she last bathed. The clean room had a built-in bathing cubicle but none of the women used it. Even the guys weren't that fond of it.
Housed inside their own personal environments, no one was too anxious about body odor. They could make do with just brushing their teeth. Back at McMurdo they could shower as much as they liked. Thoughts of hot water led her to another favorite erotic fantasy; she and Bo Greaves in a shower together. She fantasized about how troubled he was over some inscrutable problem; how she was the only person he could confide in, how she desperately wanted him to share his secrets with her. She wanted to be his rock; the person he felt safest with.
But she had to get her mind back to the job at hand. The coffin was still open. She could make out its shape but the steam was so thick the contents were hidden. Then she remembered the ash; Oh shit, the ash. Would condensation turn it to slush?
She had to turn off the water and find the leak. She lifted a plywood panel inside the door. At the junction with the incoming water pipe sat a valve. She turned it until it wouldn't turn any more. The sound of rushing water ceased. Steam began to clear and she could see a loose plywood panel at the far side of the room; a fizzling jet of steam betrayed the leak. She looked for something to seal it off. But then thought; Did the water even need to be turned back on?
Kristin didn't see bony hands rise from within the coffin to clutch its sides; didn't see its occupant sit up and stare at her. Yet, she felt she was being watched. She didn't know why, but something made her turn around. When she looked at the coffin her jaw dropped in utter surprise.
Leslie was methodical; cross-checking sample after sample and attendant research notes. Doctor Khullar's practices were rigorous. Leslie admired her work. It may have been reprehensible; her moral compass clearly out of whack. But she was meticulous.
Leslie pulled up notes on Subject Three and found matching tissue and blood samples. She switched on the microscope; slid a sample under the lens and re-read the research. Like staring at a train wreck; she knew she wouldn't rest until she'd gone through every one of Herbst's dark secrets.
Kristin thought she must be hallucinating or worse; suffering from cabin-fever. But that took months; she'd only been in the Antarctic for two days and out in the boonies for less than twenty-four hours.
She saw Bo Greaves standing next to the coffin. She told herself it was a mirage. He couldn't have arrived without her knowing, "Lieutenant Greaves, is it really you?
He nodded and she thought he looked even more handsome than usual; he positively glowed. Where was his biohazard suit? He wore only regulation fatigues.
"Don't worry Kristin. It's all fine."
She heard his words but they were in her head. She was certain his lips didn't move. Her attraction to him felt so strong she swayed; feeling a little dizzy.
He stepped closer, "I know it's totally out of order. But I want you, right now."
Kristin couldn't believe he used the exact words from her fantasy. Arousal washed over her. Her nipples became erect and she felt a delightful throbbing sensation, down below, God, can this be real?
His voice was every bit as gentle as she imagined, "Kristin, there's a problem here and I really need your help. I don't think I can trust anyone else."
He said exactly what she always wanted to hear; what she was thinking. Her feelings of attachment and affection made her heart beat faster. Kristin knew she must be experiencing a waking dream but this was tangible; it was happening.
He reached out and his hands were suddenly inside her suit. His face pressed against her mask, then it was inside. He kissed her; their tongues slid around each other. Kristin knew he couldn't be real but she was past caring. His hand slid over her ribs tickling the skin as it drifted to her nipple. His palm pressed hard against her breast. His breath and tongue licked hot down the side of her neck. His other hand stroked the soft flesh at the tops of her thighs; fingers crawled under the elastic of her underpants, then teased the sides of her lips. The anticipation was exquisite.
She lay prostrate on the floor in the doorway. Man, I hope nobody sees me like this.
His soothing voice drizzled over her like honey, "Don't worry about anything."
God, can you read my mind? His face and tongue flowed down her front between her breasts, licking her naval and finally resting near the magic spot. She moaned involuntarily. Everything down there dripped with his saliva and her moisture. His tongue slid rhythmically; not directly on her erotic center, but just to the side. She closed her eyes and felt positively wanton, charged with sexual energy.
She wanted him inside her; yelled it with abandon, "Fuck me. Please just FUCK ME. Oh Christ, did I just say that?" She couldn't believe herself. She was embarrassed that she'd even thought it and yet; she wanted to be completely open and vulnerable to him, not hold anything back.
She remembered something she heard once; Should sex feel dirty? Only if you're doing it right.
Kristin felt more carnal, at that moment, than any time she could remember. Then he slid into her; the sensation went beyond ecstacy.
She hadn't had many sexual partners; especially not recently. She knew she'd be sore afterwards but didn't care. She was building towards climax; couldn't believe how fast it was approaching. Kristin prayed she didn't pussyfart; Girl, don't you ruin this moment.
Bo kissed her neck as he penetrated her; he also flicked her most intimate spot with his tongue; Hang on! How could he be doing THAT; is he a contortionist? Even though Kristin's approaching orgasm was on the verge of eruption she couldn't help opening her eyes.
But the face glaring at her wasn't Bo; wasn't even male. She was eyeball to eyeball with a wizened old woman; so old she had no hair. The withered crone glared at her with a hideous grimace; yellowed teeth, like a piranha's, protruded from cracked, parchment lips, shrivelled breasts flapped like spaniel's ears.
The awful hag latched her dribbling mouth onto Kristin's throat and her sensational orgasm made way for a stab of pain and fear. Her neck burned like searing hot iron was plunged into her flesh. Kristin struggled but could do nothing against immense, unnatural strength. Bo's soft tones gave way to evil, exultant, female giggling; old, so very old. The hand; that moments before tickled her pudenda, now thrust pointy fingers inside her, gripping her pubic bone. Kristin could barely comprehend the terror. She tried to scream but had no breath in her lungs.
The Assassin's Backstory
I initially wrote this because I thought it was a cool story - an African-American, single mother, from an abusive marriage - who had reconstructed her life by turning into a Mob hitman.
It eventually had to go from the final release draft because of its length, and the fact the character gets killed. It was too many words spent on a very minor character who makes one appearance only.
I still like the concept and may develop it as another story in its own right. What follows is the original draft with very little editing.
Narusha Rohine felt she was a good mother. Her boy, Will, was going to be a fine man; thanks to the guidance Narusha and her mother provided. He was raised to have respect for the Law, for God, for his country, and women. That last category was especially prickly for Narusha. She wouldn't see him treat any woman the way his father, Clay, treated her.
Being a single mother was tough at any time but things could have been much worse; and Narusha knew it. At least she could leave him with a loving grandmother when she was away on work. Despite the misery of their marriage she did have Clay to thank for their affluent lifestyle. She and her mother raised Will in great comfort, in a substantial home on Long Island that Narusha owned outright. It was a far cry from struggling to pay the bills in South-Central LA. She finally had the life she'd always wanted and would never go back to her former existence.
Narusha's work was highly specialized and lucrative. She was a consultant with a single client; they required her services a few times a year, for only a week or two at a stretch. This was one of those times.
Her evening dress was laid out on the bed. Not wanting to ruin its sheer line she didn't bother with underwear. In the dark bedroom she only wore dancing pumps that matched the gown. Even her cell-phone and handgun lay on the bed. She'd strap the gun to her inside leg later.
She set up the sniper's-rifle away from the window so the long silencer didn't protrude beyond the blinds. The window would only be opened a few inches; wide enough for the muzzle. Narusha thought it a little perverse to be murdering a complete stranger while nude. But when it came down to getting a bead on the target; pulling the trigger, she didn't see the victim. It was always Clay in the cross-hairs. He liked her naked, even when he was brutalizing her. Was it so strange to be naked when she ritually killed him?
She saw herself in the full-length wardrobe mirror. She was still an attractive woman; lean and fit as her work demanded. But she hated the scars Clay left on her body; never let anyone see her undressed. She went to great lengths to hide her breasts and belly. She was self conscious about them; cigarette burns were distinctive. Those on her abdomen looked the same as the small round blemishes ringing her nipples, but emotionally, they went far deeper. Clay made them when she was seven months pregnant with Will. She could still hear his drunken hate-speak about how he'd burn the baby if he could. Only her belly was stopping him. She wanted to fight but he'd tied her hands and feet. He liked taunting her; called her his nigger fuck toy.
Narusha killed Clay after he threatened their unborn child; the final straw that jolted her out of the stupor that was her life. In planning his murder she was meticulous; was never a suspect, not by the Police at any rate.
But others did work out what happened and approached her. She demonstrated real ability and a fantastic cover; an African American, single-parent living with her sainted mother. Who would suspect her? They made an offer Narusha couldn't refuse; work for them or go directly to jail, do not pass 'Go'. It turned out to be Kismet. They had the services of a true prodigy: she was the Mozart of assassins; earning more, per hit, than several lifetimes on minimum-wage in LA.
Narusha peered out the window, at a rather ordinary Eighties vintage apartment block; the home of her intended victim. This particular hit would be silent; the street likely deserted at the time. In any event, she knew a person falling over didn't always elicit an immediate response. She would have time to pack up the rifle and slip on her dress. The secret of a clean exit was to look unremarkable, to go unnoticed.
By the time the injury was identified as a gunshot Narusha would be on her way to Phoenix. After a job she never traveled directly to New York. It was better to spend a day in a secondary destination, then go home via Manhattan. She liked to pick up something special for Will on the return trip.
Rebecca packed up the folio and called Vladek Kral over from the bar.
She was not happy, "Where the hell is Dale? I expected you both to be here."
"Sorry Miss Huston, but Mister Lutz called him away. When he says jump..."
"...Yeah, yeah, you say how high? I get it." She pulled out her cell phone; had Lutz on speed-dial. His face appeared in the tiny screen. "Where do you get off pulling Bleeker without giving me a heads up?"
He frowned, annoyed by her superior tone, "Is that Tatum woman still with you?"
Narusha adjusted the telescopic sight. It was precisely zeroed and she was confident of its accuracy. Her rifle was a precision, single-shot bolt action weapon; old technology, but she preferred it to more indiscriminate semi-automatics. She'd done extensive time tests over the previous days. The target always walked through the aiming zone for about six seconds. Conventional wisdom said she'd only have time for a single shot; that didn't bother her. Narusha only needed one shot.
Her cell phone rang. She put it to her ear; didn't say anything, just waited for the voice on the other end. It was the final proximity warning. The target would arrive within twenty minutes. Narusha took the ammunition clip; five rounds only; inserted them into the magazine. She'd wait until she had a visual confirmation before slamming a round into the breech.
She'd already begun the process of regulating her breathing. A marksman knows to be accurate you can't hold your breath while aiming. If you do, after a few seconds your vision degrades, blurs slightly. The trick is knowing how to breathe without throwing off your aim. She already pictured Clay walking from the kerb to the front of Leslie Tatum's apartment building.
But Narusha's plans went off their precision rails when the bedroom door flew in with a crack that shattered the calm. Torchlight hit her eyes, startling her for a critical microsecond. Dale Bleeker came through the doorway not knowing what to expect, but it sure wasn't a naked woman; Fuck, is this the wrong room? But then his torchlight found the sniper's rifle on its tripod. From that point he ran on reflexes.
The naked silhouette reached for the bed. He fired two rounds; double tap, into the upper torso. A third round hit her skull just above the ear. The sound was muted by the silencer on his pistol. She flopped backwards onto the bed and lay still; looking like she was asleep.
He employed his own controlled-breathing technique. His pulse raced but he could feel the rush of adrenalin already subsiding.
He was calm when he used his cell-phone, "This is Bleeker, send in the clean-up team."
When the taxi pulled away from Leslie's building her head was still spinning from everything Rebecca raised. She almost overlooked the grey moving van parked across the street. Two men in overalls pushed a queen sized mattress into the back. Dark stains on the mattress were visible from across the street. Leslie checked the time; twenty-two-twenty at night. It seemed unusual for someone to be moving at that hour. Leslie went inside without giving the van, the men or the mattress any further thought. She didn't see the black plastic bag loaded a minute later. Had she done so, she might have paid closer attention. It was a body bag and Leslie knew what they looked like. The clean-up team stripped Narusha's room down to its bare floor. Everything was taken for forensic assessment.
Leslie's First Nightmare
I really liked writing this, but decided to cut it from the final draft because it occurred too early in the plot and slowed the pace of the narrative. There was also another dream, much later, and far more important. I thought the novel could really only accommodate one dream sequence so this one had to go. Here it is for those who are interested.
Leslie opened her eyes as wide as she could; straining in a way only panic can induce. Blinding lights above her, too bright to look at directly, gave her pale skin a luminous appearance. Their heat sent beads of stinging sweat into her eyes. She squinted; wanted to wipe her brow but couldn't. Her arms and feet were bound.
She tilted her head forward and saw tight straps restraining her wrists and ankles. She was naked and felt vulnerable, embarrassed; wanted someone to pull a sheet over her. The hard steel of the table hurt her shoulders; How the fuck did I end up here?
Muffled voices came from somewhere beyond her view; their words unintelligible. A silhouetted head flashed over her face. Its features obscured within a glaring aura of light. She looked down and more figures joined the first. She discerned surgical gowns and masks, but no faces.
A flash from a glinting blade caught her eye. Leslie recognized it; had used one like it many times herself; a number seventy postmortem blade. The silhouetted figure placed it over her sternum, just below her clavicle. She tried to scream but no sound issued from her throat. The blade slipped through her epidermis, dermis and underlying tissue. The skin parted in the wake of the blade; over her diaphragm, right through the naval then the upper and lower abdomen. Finally she felt the chink as it bumped against her pubic bone.
More people gathered around the table. Rough hands pulled her slit skin apart. Other arms reached deep into her trunk; pulled out great handfuls of viscera. Mute screams choked in her gullet. She recognized a face bent over her, Sergeant Ernesto Ortega; with the same hideous grimace he had when last she saw him. He leaned across her torso and opened his mouth, dribbling a vile mixture of phlegm, bile and spittle onto the remains of her innards. Wherever this odious secretion dropped her flesh changed into a putrefying carrion. The effect spread from her gut to every part of her body.


New Martyr Archbishop Ilarion (Troitsky). An exceptionally fine exposition, written as an 'apology' for those in the West who do not understand the nature of the Church. Once again available after being out-of-print for several years. 48 pages.


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NEWSCABAL > asia > China Notifies Downstream Mekong Neighbors Days After It Began Holding Back Water | Voice of …
China Notifies Downstream Mekong Neighbors Days After It Began Holding Back Water | Voice of …
posted on Jan. 07, 2021 at 8:26 am
China informed downstream Mekong river neighbors of a 20-day water restriction at its southernmost dam on the waterway six days after it started holding back water on Dec. 31, drawing a mix of credit for sharing data with downstream governments and criticism for not giving Thailand, Cambodia and others advance notice.
A statement issued Wednesday by the Mekong River Commission, an intergovernment agency that works with the governments of Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, to manage the 2,703-mile river's resources, said that China promised that the river's flow held back at the Jinghong Dam "will be gradually restored to its normal operation status on January 25."
Thailand's Office of Natural water Resources said it received notification from China on Tuesday that the water discharge would be nearly halved.
"The ministry of water resources of China has notified the Office of Natural Water Resources… that it has reduced water discharge from Jinghong Dam on China's border from 1,904 cu. m. to 1,000 cu. m. per second from Jan. 5 to 24. After that the discharge will be increased back to normal," Somkiat Prajamwong, the director of the ONWR said in the statement.
The notifications came shortly after a new U.S.-funded monitoring system revealed that China had not told the downstream countries that it was holding back water starting on Dec. 31.
The Washington-based Stimson Center's Mekong Dam Monitor, which uses satellite imagery to keep tabs on water levels along the Mekong, said water levels were low at several checkpoints in three downstream countries in its update for the week of Dec. 28, 2020, to Jan. 3, 2021.
READ Sanctuary Asia At Oklahoma City Zoo Named 7th Best Zoo Exhibit In America
"Jinghong's sudden restrictions of water starting 12/31 caused a sudden 1-meter drop in river level 380 kilometers downstream at Chiang Saen on 1/3-4. LMC and MRC data confirm this, but as of 1/4, China provided no notification of the sudden and unusual change that will impact fish and farming processes downstream," the update said.
"Also, the reservoirs for the Nam Ou 5 dam in Laos and the Don Sahong Dam on the mainstream in Laos are still at all-time lows. And finally, the Tonle Sap gauges show the lake in retreat after an extremely late and short flood season," it said.
Cambodia's Tonle Sap, a large inland lake whose waters ebb and flow with the annual cycle of the river connecting it to the Mekong, has been drying at a rapid rate in recent years, threatening the fish stocks providing millions of Cambodians with their main source of protein.
Brian Eyler, the director of the Stimson Center's Southeast Asia Program and the Monitor's project lead, told RFA's Lao Service that China's decision to hold back water disrupts the Mekong's ecology.
"The restrictions of water from the downstream are certainly not welcome. They are unusual for this time of year and not part of the Mekong's natural cycle. However, what is welcome are China's notification of its changes and dam operations that are causing the restrictions," Eyler said.
"China is making good on its promise to notify downstream countries when it changes its dam operations. But there are some inconsistencies with the notification," he said.
READ Align Technology Reaches 1 Millionth Invisalign Patient Milestone in the Asia Pacific Region
He said that China did not notify the downstream countries prior to holding back the water. After it became aware of eyewitness accounts of the river level dropping downstream, the monitor was able to identify the Dec. 31 restriction in data.
"So, we began to get the word out. We alerted the Mekong River Commission. We provided alerts on social media and also said that China provided no notification. The Mekong River Commission had also observed the drop at the data portal and confirmed that China had provided no notification," Eyler said.
"Within 12 hours after our actions, China did provide a notification. So, China's notification was late. It seemed to be compelled by external actors rather than of its own admission and own volition," he said.
China has been the target of criticism from the international community for its cascade of 11 megadams on the river. The lower Mekong basin experienced severe drought over the past year, with stretches of the river even drying up entirely. The dams in China are at least partly to blame.
In October 2020, Beijing agreed to share data with the MRC, as some 60 million people in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam use the river for agriculture and fishing.
Reported by RFA's Lao Service and BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
CN Asia slumps 24% as MoU signed for digital banking venture fails to fan interest

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I hate smokers smell, even now with it being limited to designated areas, usually outside, when they come back in their clothes and breath, everything stink of smoke.
Do you have the same laws over there that we have here?
Here a smoker has to be away from any doorway, I think it is 5 or 10m??
I do feel sorry for older smokers, they never had education about the damage etc and being addicted they can't get off them.
I can't see how they can afford them here, the price is incredible!!!
I know. My dad still smokes.. despite having had throat cancer and emphysema. £8 (NZ$16) a pack.
^^ Yes I have said before on here how my Great Aunt never smoked but died of emphizima because all her working life was in public bars in pubs and she got it from the secondary smoke.
While typing this, A Current Affair was on and had inside access to Border Patrol here, they were showing all the different ways people try to smuggle things in, particularly smokes, the one postal centre checkpoint finds one concealed smoke stash every 2 mins. They uncover $15 million worth every month........FARK!!!!
I used to bring back a carton of cigarettes from Thailand for my buddy in Canada who used to smoke. He quit smoking and quickly gained weight on his belly. He is also an alcoholic. He loves his beer during the day, and rum in the evening.
I used to bring in a carton... 10 pack for a friend when coming through Duty Free. The trips to Rarotonga were good, 1 pack for me, 1 for the ex and one each for daughter and son. 4 packs in total for under $120.
Now NZ is limited to 1 pkt Duty Free or a 30gm tobacco.
Smoking has to be one of the hardest habits to kick. I have tried occasionally but with little success, especially when so many friends indulge. I know it is up to me, my inner strength and willpower, but so far I haven't managed more than 2 years.
Retiring to LOS might finally do it for me although it may be too late by then. None of Au's family smoke. Her father did, it killed him. He did run a bbq most days and I wonder if that was a contributing factor as well.
I stopped going to one pub/restaurant (Chiang Mai Saloon) because the owner smoked inside and consequently so do all his patrons. 15 years ago there weren't many places to watch the NFL Superbowl, so I had to watch at the Saloon. By half time the whole Saloon was a blue haze and you could barely see the screen. Thankfully, a lot of places now open early (6 AM) for the Superbowl so there are lots of options. Now I most often watch the game at the Maddog cafe. The owner puts little cigarette pots outside for the smokers and I've never been bothered by the smell.


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Q: Coercive problems this is the complete problem

and i have a problem that is :
i dont understand step 2:
step 1:"shows that $m>-\infty$ i dont understand how to prove it ?
can someone help me please ?
thank you

A: Put $a=\|u\|\geq0$. Then by using $2Ca\leq a^2+C^2$, we have
$$
I(u) \geq \frac {a^2}2 - Ca \geq \frac {a^2}2 - \frac12(a^2+C^2) = -\frac12 C^2,
$$
fort any $u\in H^1_0(\Omega)$. So the infimum of $I(u)$ as $u$ varies in $H^1_0(\Omega)$ must be larger than $-C^2/2$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Park Ridge Farmers' Market 2014 (May 24 to Oct. 25) (07:00 AM - 01:00 PM)
LOCATION: parking lot at Prairie & Garden, which is just south of Touhy & east of Cumberland Avenues
The Farmer's Market will be held every Saturday, from 7:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. from May 24 to October 25, 2014 AT: Prairie and Garden, which is at just south of the Metra train tracks and Touhy, and east of Cumberland Avenues.
Sidewalk Sale Days 2014 – Park Ridge, IL (09:00 AM - 10:00 PM)
July 12, 2014-July 11, 2014
Businesses in Park Ridge
Uptown, South Park and other areas
call the bus'n
As of January 27 it was announced that Summer Sidewalk Sale days will be MONDAY, July 7 through Sunday, July 13 --- MORE INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE AS THE DATE DRAWS NEAR.
Taste of Park Ridge 2014 (11:00 AM - 10:00 PM)
On Summit between Prospect and Touhy
adjacent to the train station and the central parking lot
see website
The 2014 Taste of Park Ridge will be held Thursday July 10, Friday July 11, and Saturday, July 12 from 11:00 am to 10:30 pm ---- Parking available in the underground garage of the Uptown redevelopment. ----- More info will be provided as the date draws near.
Teens at the Taste (of Park Ridge 2014) (06:30 PM - 10:30 PM)
On the Lawn next to the Park Ridge Public Library
20 S. Prospect Avenue (corner of Touhy and Prospect)
Middle School and High School Students come on over after you've visited the Taste of Park Ridge Friday, July 11 & Saturday, July 12!!! We'll be on the lawn next to the Library from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm COME HAVE SOME FUN!!!


U.K. high street store 'Primark' is introducing a new range of retro gaming merchandise with an arcade experience at their flagship Manchester branch.
Manchester U.K. | Best known as a low budget clothing and homewares retailer, high street store 'Primark' is celebrating its new retro gaming range with 'Primark Arcade' at their Market Street branch in Manchester city centre.
Their new clothing range draws from a wide spectrum (pun intended) of retro computer and console games including Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, Duck Hunt, Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong and Crash Bandicoot. Other items pay homage to iconic brands and machines like Atari and the Commodore 64.
The launch event will take place today (May 12th) and conclude tomorrow. In attendance will be retro gaming content creators Nostalgia Nerd, Kim Justice, Slopes and Octav1us Kitten as well as the current Pac-Man world record holder, Jon Stoodley, who will be on-hand to provide tips for achieving the perfect Pac-Man game.
An online Primark feature from March suggests that the range is aimed predominantly at a male market, though from experience (Twitter rage over Star Wars items for girls – whoops!), the retailer is usually fairly inclusive in their offerings. The feature showcases a small cross section of the range on offer.
The highlight of the range for me is a Pac-Man sweatshirt that appears to retail for a very reasonable £12. T-Shirts will set you back in the region of £6 to £8 and at that price you could easily splash out on your favourite retro gaming merch.
Items should be available at all Primark stores across the U.K.


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Ricky Gervais Comedy After Life Snags 6-Episode Series Order at Netflix
By Michael Ausiello / May 9 2018, 9:10 AM PDT
Ricky Gervais is returning to the single-camera comedy world via Netflix.
The streamer has given a six-episode series order to After Life, a half-hour sitcom starring the Office, Extras and Derek vet as a widower who abandons his internal censor. Here's the official logline:
Tony had a perfect life. But after his wife Lisa suddenly dies, Tony changes. After contemplating taking his own life, he decides instead to live long enough to punish the world by saying and doing whatever he likes from now on. He thinks it's like a Super Power — not caring about himself or anyone else — but it turns out to be tricky when everyone is trying to save the nice guy they used to know.
Gervais will write and direct all six episodes and serve as an EP alongside longtime collaborator Charlie Hanson.
TAGS: After Life, Netflix, Ricky Gervais
GET MORE: Series Orders


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What is a spencer steak
What cut is a Spencer steak?
rib eye steak
How do you grill Spencer steak?
Cooking the Spencer SteakRare: Set to 120-125-degree Fahrenheit. Medium Rare: 135- degrees Fahrenheit. Medium: 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Medium well: 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Well-Done: 160-175 degrees Fahrenheit, 8-10 minutes on one side, and another 5-7 minutes on the other.
What's the difference between a Delmonico and a ribeye steak?
Ultimately, the Delmonico steak is as much myth as it is a specific cut of steak. If it's a thick, good quality steak from the rib or short loin, you could call it a Delmonico. Delmonico's Restaurant is still in business, and on their menu, the Delmonico steak is a boneless ribeye.
Which is Better New York strip or ribeye?
The main difference between a ribeye and a NY strip is that the ribeye has more internal marbling or fat. The New York Strip has a thick band of fat running down one side that you can't really eat. The Ribeye is a great choice if you are looking for a tender steak with plenty of flavor and a buttery smooth texture.
What is the most expensive cut of steak?
1. TenderloinOther names: Filet mignon, Châteaubriand, fillet, filet.How it's sold: Boneless; the most expensive cut of steak.Where it's from: Short loin and sirloin, under the ribs. What it looks like: When trimmed of silver skin, gristle, and fat, tenderloin is small and compact.
You might be interested: How to cook a chuck eye steak
Which cut of steak is best?
The best cuts of beef for steakEye Fillet (aka Fillet or Tenderloin) A classic cut, the eye fillet comes from the strip of muscle tucked against the backbone of the animal. Scotch Fillet (aka Ribeye) Sirloin (aka Porterhouse or New York Steak) T-Bone. Rump. Onglet (aka Hanger) Skirt. Flank.
How hot should grill be for steak?
Get It Hot. High heat will give your steak a perfect crust. Monitor the grill temperature to ensure that it remains at around 450°F to 500°F.
What is a cowgirl steak?
The Cowgirl Ribeye is a bone-in, wet aged and finely marbled cut of beef, which utilizes the skillful removal of unnecessary exterior fat to create a noticeably leaner ribeye steak. The removed portion is considered a rare delicacy and will be offered as a special "off the menu" item available in limited quantities.
Which is better ribeye or T Bone?
A ribeye is MUCH more tender, and tastes better due to more marbling. Because of its natural tenderness, no in depth tenderizing methods, or low and slow cooking techniques, are required to prepare a ribeye.
Which is better sirloin or ribeye?
Compared to ribeye, sirloin is a much leaner cut of meat. It lacks the distinctive marbling and fatty cap of the ribeye, which means it isn't as heavily flavored or as tender. Trimmed of fat and connective tissue, sirloin steak is still packed with beefy flavor and has a characteristic chew without being tough.
Is Top Sirloin better than New York Strip?
Top Sirloin The top sirloin is a cut from the loin that offers good flavor in a thick cut ideal for grilling, broiling, sautéeing or pan-frying. While the top sirloin doesn't have as much marbling as a rib eye or New York strip, it certainly has enough to provide good flavor for a steak.
What is the best cut of steak at Texas Roadhouse?
Any cut you could hope for is on the menu, including New York strip, ribeye, T-bone, filet, filet medallions, prime rib, and steak kabobs, but the all-time best-seller is the 6-ounce USDA Choice Sirloin. Serving that much quality beef really adds up.
How to cook charcoal steak
How to cook round steak in the oven


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We Need to Talk About Private Schools
November 16, 2017 SEAScotlandLeave a comment
Seems now we just can't keep those exclusive private schools out of the glare of poor publicity. Given the present context, the SEAS supports the call for a consideration of the governance and safeguarding issues in the private fee-paying sector in Scotland. Maybe even ask the question do we really need them?
We do need to be mindful that schools in the private sector, face a context of significant challenges. Their challenges include decade-long declining numbers, continual concerns about safeguarding in independent schools yet a softly, softly approach from the SNP Government and Her Majesty's Inspectors to Scotland's elitist autonomous schools.
Firstly let's be open and honest about private schools. They are in decline. They are unable to reverse a decade-long decrease in numbers and most worrying for them this is marked at the primary stages with about a 10% fall since 2007. Scottish parents have continued growing confidence in the state system's very good inclusive primary schools to deliver the capacities of a broad general education better than the private sector.
We know from basic economics that decreasing demand for commodities like private schooling leads to price reductions. Now in Scotland we have the introduction of "no frills" education. It will be interesting to see how numbers shake-up in the private sector. The "no frills " approach of the recent potential new entrant to private schooling in Scotland was welcomed by the Tories education spokesperson as something "imaginative and creative." While Tories and SNP cut education budgets and support private schooling the Labour Party would reverse such cuts and invest in inclusive approaches.
Secondly, recent concerns about safeguarding in private schools are not one offs or individual attacks launched on a school as the principal of one of Edinburgh's schools viewed complaints. In 2017, HM Inspectors published their review of the Scottish education system from 2012-2016. There was only one sector among primary, secondary, special schools and prison education where concerns about care and safeguarding were expressed. It was stated in the sector report on independent schools that
"inspectors identified weaknesses in approaches relating to child protection and safeguarding in a few schools. This included staffing issues such as disciplinary procedures and safe recruitment practices."
During this period one private school Hamilton School in Aberdeen was closed by Scottish Government's registrar of independent schools. According to the BBC report, the now unavailable HMI report stated
"Due to the extreme and serious management failings, along with the endemic, negative ethos within the school, HM Inspectors are not confident that children at the Hamilton School and Nursery are safe."
Others schools outwith the state system, like Merchiston Castle or Donaldson's School have had reports highlighting weaknesses in care and welfare and safeguarding of children. The SCIS annual report for 2016 managed to skip over such concerns. The SEAS wonders if care and safeguarding are accounted for in the new imaginative, creative no frills private sector.
The third factor compounding all this is Scottish Government's and Education Scotland's over-supportive and positive acclamation of this divisive sector. John Swinney this year was a key speaker at the council of independent schools and wanted independent schools to collaborate more with state schools. It seems the shared agenda would be around governance (backing SNP moves away from accountability of local councils) and testing.
Due to cuts in numbers of inspectors, Scottish schools in general across the state sector are less inspected than previously. However it looks like there is a deliberate policy of not inspecting and over supporting the independent sector. Over a four-year period only 10 private schools were inspected but 25 had support visits.
Under SNP, in addition every private school is supported by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors who acts as the Link Inspector for that school. No local authority receives such a high level of support. This softly softly approach seems to be very well received by the private schools. The SEAS believes no charge is made for such civil service time.
This level of backing is before we discuss tax avoidance and their charitable status. The SEAS fully supports the Scottish Labour Party ending their charitable status and tax exemption from VAT. We'd like to see them lose the charitable treatment from the SNP and HMI too.
SEAS sees private schooling as only reinforcing inequality. Indeed there is no better representation of the impact of inequity in education than that of private schooling. It highlights a divide in society and a marked difference in how Scottish Government is too willing to support not the many but the few.
Posted in UncategorizedTagged exclusive, Labour Party, private schools
The world moves on, Scotland goes backwards
November 2, 2017 November 2, 2017 SEAScotlandLeave a comment
It wasn't possible for me to catch all of the debate on presumption of mainstreaming in the Scottish Parliament on 2nd November yet from what I did see I was struck by the consensus among MSPs across parties and their stated commitment to mainstreaming. It seemed that principles of inclusive education were accepted by our MSPs. MSPs welcomed the newly issued guidance on presumption of mainstreaming and spoke highly of the work of ENABLE and their report Included in the Main? So far so good!
The SEAS is supportive of the principles of inclusive education yet unconvinced by Scottish Government's view on inclusion as described by the presumption of mainstreaming.
The amendments carried focused on the impact of cuts and underfunding. The Labour amendment highlighted "that one-in-seven ASN teaching posts have been cut since 2010" believing "that, if mainstreaming in education is to be fully effective, the Scottish Government must ensure that schools have the funding and staff to deliver it." Inclusive education is cost neutral compared to special school provision yet Scottish Government continually defund.
Both Tories in England and SNP in Scotland have managed austerity through approaches to our education system over 10 years that defund, discredit and demoralise public sector services like our comprehensive schools.
However, let's be clear here Scottish Government's guidance on the Presumption of Mainstreaming is unsatisfactory. It looks back to 2002 when Section 15 was passed as part of School Standards Act.
Since then the world has moved on. In 2006 the UNCRPD was passed and is now over ten years on. In 2016 the UN added its General Comment No 4 which provided a template for the development of inclusive education.
The General Comment clarified the UN's views on Article 24 and inclusive education
"The right to inclusive education encompasses a transformation in culture, policy and practice in all formal and informal educational environments to accommodate the differing requirements and identities of individual students, together with a commitment to remove the barriers that impede that possibility. It involves strengthening the capacity of the education system to reach out to all learners. It focuses on the full and effective participation, accessibility, attendance and achievement of all students, especially those who, for different reasons, are excluded or at risk of being marginalized. Inclusion involves access to and progress in high-quality formal and informal education without discrimination. It seeks to enable communities, systems and structures to combat discrimination, including harmful stereotypes, recognize diversity, promote participation and overcome barriers to learning and participation for all by focusing on well-being and success of students with disabilities. It requires an in-depth transformation of education systems in legislation, policy, and the mechanisms for financing, administration, design, delivery and monitoring of education."
Scotland has become stuck and hung up on mainstreaming rather than considering ways to implement inclusive education successfully.
In September 2017, the UN was critical of the UK Government and the devolved governments for their performance in ensuring inclusive education. The UN offered four concerns and three recommendations.
They recommended the Scottish Government should take account of the UN's general comment no.4 and specifically recommended that they should
develop a comprehensive and coordinated legislative framework for inclusive education
adopt regulations and monitor developments to combat disability-related discrimination and /or harassment
adopt and implement a coherent strategy financed with concrete timelines and measurable goals on increasing and improving inclusive education.
In November 2017, Scottish Government's definition of their vision for inclusive education is
'Inclusive education in Scotland starts from the belief that education is a human right and the foundation for a more just society. An inclusive approach, with an appreciation of diversity and an ambition for all to achieve to their full potential, is essential to getting it right for every child and raising attainment for all. Inclusion is the cornerstone to help us achieve equity and excellence in education for all of our children and young people.'
Across the world countries have developed and improved their frameworks for inclusive education whether at the global and European levels. Scotland will continue to fail to implement disabled children's rights to inclusive education by failing to fund inclusive practices, failing to aspire and put forward a strategy to fulfil disabled children's rights and failing to legislate for inclusive education rather than mainstreaming and its exceptions. Scottish education under SNP are going backwards!
In the General Election 2017, the Labour Party's "For the Many" had it right. It offered that the Labour Party
"will deliver a strategy for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) based on inclusivity, and embed SEND more substantially into training for teachers and non-teaching staff, so that staff, children and their parents are properly supported."
It also stated that
"Labour believes in the social model of disability–that it is society which disables people, and it is our job to remove those barriers. The previous Labour government signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The next Labour government will sign the UNCRPD into UK law."
Let's hope when the next Labour government comes as come it will for all that, that we in Scotland catch up with developments across the world for inclusive education.
UNCRPD General Comment 4 (2016) http://www.refworld.org/docid/57c977e34.html
]Scottish Government Presumption of Mainstreaming https://news.gov.scot/news/presumption-of-mainstreaming
For the Many Labour Party Manifesto 2017
UNCRPD report on UK and Scottish Government (2017)https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/2017/august/human-catastrophe-–-new-un-condemnation-uk-human-rights-record
Posted in UncategorizedTagged inclusive, socialist, UNCRPD


A unique challenge for all levels of cycling enthusiasts!
Cycle around the magnificent Cork Harbour, the second largest natural harbour in the world, starting close to Fort Carlisle and finishing at Camden Fort Meagher Crosshaven, whilst raising valuable funds for the Mercy University Hospital Foundation, the Lions Club of Cork and Camden Fort Meagher Restoration.
The Fort 2 Fort Charity Cycle Sportive will take place on Sunday 29th March 2015. Beginning at 10am at Trabolgan Holiday Village (close to Fort Carlisle and Roches Point) and finishing at Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, this challenging and exciting cycling sportive gives Cyclists of all levels and abilities the option of taking a 60km route, a new 85km route or a 125km route (125km return route – finishing at Whitegate). Whether you've been training hard, moderately hard, maybe feel you could be doing a bit more!, or maybe you are gearing up for your first sportive and you are ready to challenge yourself, kickstart your 2015 sporting calendar with Fort2Fort. It's got 3 great routes to offer riders of all levels, abilities and ambitions a challenging and enjoyable day.
The Fort2Fort 60km Tour provides a rewarding experience and sense of achievement for all cycling enthusiasts, following a full loop of the magnificent Cork Harbour (via Cross River Ferry) and finishing at Fort Camden Meagher where cyclists can enjoy a well earned food-stop while taking in the stunning and breathtaking views of the entire Cork Harbour area from this lofty perch. The 60km Tour is ideal for those cyclists relatively new to sportive cycling, those taking on their first sportive, those with a few sportives under their belts and those cyclists who simply love cycling and all the benefits it has to offer – all looking to their first big challenge of 2015.
The Fort2Fort 85km Challenge is a new route on the Fort2Fort programme. The route takes the rider over a greater area of the Great Island and into Cobh with a few climbs to take on. The 85km Challenge is ideal for those that wish to progress on from the 60km route to test their capabilities further over a more challenging and progressive route. The 85km Challenge finishes at Fort Camden Meagher where riders can enjoy a well earned food-stop and soak in the atmosphere of a job well done.
The Fort2Fort 125km Ultimate has got everything to challenge the strength, perseverance and stamina of the experienced rider. It is a tough and challenging route with plenty of interesting climbs and "lumps" to test all your winter training and prepare you for your spring and summer cycling calendar. The 125km route has a food stop at Fort Camden Meagher with the return route finishing at Whitegate.
All routes will cross the River Lee, by Cross River Ferry, where cyclists and riders can momentarily relax, take stock and enjoy the buzz and excitement that is Fort2Fort. Enjoy the day, enjoy the challenge, you've worked hard to be here.


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US Steel credits Trump as it restarts construction on factory
Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images
Meet the man behind AOC's brain and other commentary
Ad watchdog targets Mercedes over made-in-America claims
Rezoning blackmail 101
We may not know toxic waste dangers until it's too late: researchers
US Steel Corp. will restart construction on an idled manufacturing facility in Alabama, and it gave some of the credit to President Donald Trump's trade policies in an announcement Monday.
Trump's "strong trade actions" are partly responsible for the resumption of work on an advanced plant near Birmingham, the Pittsburgh-based company said in a statement. The administration's tariffs have raised prices on imported steel and aluminum.
The manufacturer also cited improving market conditions, union support and government incentives for the decision.
Work will resume immediately, the company said, and the facility will have an annual capacity of 1.6 million tons.
US Steel said it also will update other equipment and plans to spend about $215 million, adding about 150 full-time workers. The furnace is expected to begin producing steel in late 2020.
The 16,000-member United Steelworkers praised the decision to resume work, which followed an agreement with the union reached last fall.
"This decision paves the way for a solid future in continuing to make steel in Alabama and the Birmingham region," Leo W. Gerard, the president of the international union, said in a statement.
US Steel shut down its decades-old blast furnace at Fairfield Works in 2015, idling about 1,100 employees, and said it would replace the operation with an electric furnace.
The company then blamed conditions in the steel, oil and gas industries as it suspended work in December 2015 on an electric arc furnace at its mill in Fairfield, located just west of Birmingham. The project stalled until the announcement Monday.
US Steel and other large US steelmakers have benefited since the Trump administration began imposing 25 percent tariffs on imported steel in March of last year, largely because they were able to raise domestic steel prices. Other countries said the taxes break global trade rules, and some have imposed tariffs of their own.
Last year, shipments from US steel producers increased 5 percent, and steel imports are down 37 percent since the tariffs took effect, said Lisa Harrison, spokeswoman for the American Iron and Steel Institute, a trade association. She attributed the changes to the tariffs as well as regulatory reform and a favorable economy.
But higher prices have hurt the bottom lines of steel industry customers. General Motors, for instance, said last week that steel and aluminum price increases due largely to the tariffs raised the prices of those commodities, costing the company more than $1 billion last year. GM expects another $1 billion increase this year.
US Steel's revenue rose 19 percent last year compared with a year earlier, and it swung from a loss to a net profit of $387 million.
The company's stock hasn't fared as well. It started 2018 just over $37 per share, rose into the $40s but then largely fell and was trading around $22.65 on Monday.
Filed under alabama , donald trump , manufacturing , tariffs
'Donut Sticks' are coming to a McDonald's near you


The director of Israel's Institute for National Security Studies told France24 on Tuesday that cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Israel is taking place under the radar, and that both countries view Iran as a threat.
When the Saudi defense minister wakes up in the morning and he looks at his problem, the threats that Saudis face, he looks at Iran, what they want to achieve in the Middle East [and] the nuclear ambitions of Iran; He looks at Hezbollah as a threat .
When the defense minister in Israel wakes up in the morning, he basically sees the same threats. This gives a lot of convergence interests that we can act upon. It is done below the screen, if there will be advances in the peace process with [Israel and] the Palestinians, I guess it can even go above the table.
Yadlin, who served as the head of Israel's military intelligence between 2006 and 2010, also confirmed an Iranian claim that Saudi Arabia provided intelligence to Israel during the Jewish state's war in Lebanon against Hezbollah in 2006.
Israel and Saudi Arabia have diplomatic relations and there is a reports have surfaced in the past suggesting cooperation against Tehran. It was previously reported that the Gulf nation gave Israel approval for its jets to pass through Saudi airspace in the event that it decided to launch an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, according to Breitbart.


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NJB Article and Source Repository: Faux Nation-States Breed Violence — See Syria and Iraq. By Andrew Doran.
Faux Nation-States Breed Violence — See Syria and Iraq. By Andrew Doran.
Faux Nation-States Breed Violence — See Syria and Iraq. By Andrew Doran. National Review Online, March 24, 2016.


Format Design Studio has created the identity for Londonbased environmentally friendly decorating company Paint The Town Green.
The company, which will launch on World Environment Day on 5 June, will use ecofriendly, non-toxic and durable paint, which it will also sell under its own brand. It is the brainchild of decorator Phil Robinson, who has previously worked with Property Ladder presenter Sarah Beeny0 and Location, Location, Location star Phil Spencer.
Format was appointed directly to the contract at the end of last year following a recommendation, according to creative director Will Colvin.
Format has produced an identity, stationery, livery for promotional vehicles and a basic website, and is currently working on an advanced website which will incorporate e-commerce, as well as paint swatches and labels.


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GM-backed Cruise gets key permit to deploy AVs in California
A state agency approved the company's request to operate prototype AVs that could transport the public.
C.J. Moore
Self-driving vehicle company Cruise has received a key permit needed to deploy driverless, passenger-carrying test vehicles in California.
The state's Public Utilities Commission authorized the company's request to operate prototype autonomous vehicles that could transport the public. Cruise is the first autonomous vehicle developer included in the commission's Driverless Pilot program to get a permit to do so, according to a Friday release from the commission.
Cruise, which is majority-owned by General Motors, won't be allowed to charge passengers for rides. The company is required to submit a passenger safety plan and quarterly reports about its AVs, according to the release.
Cruise also won another requisite testing permit from the state's Department of Motor Vehicles. It is separate from the commission's permit.
In October, the company said it was seeking NHTSA's approval to put a limited number of its AVs on roads. Last week, it was reported that Cruise had urged the Biden administration to lend support to adding thousands more self-driving vehicles to U.S. roads.
Cruise has indicated it expects production of the Origin, the driverless shuttle it developed with GM and Honda Motor Co., to start production in 2023.
Honda slashes fuel cell costs, will launch hydrogen powered CR-V next year
Daimler Truck unveils advanced Freightliner SuperTruck II
Commercial electric truck demand far outstrips charging infrastructure
Sponsored Content: The ABCs of maximum F&I effectiveness
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MOBILITY REPORT NEWSLETTER: Sign up for our Thursday afternoon Mobility Report newsletter, your one-stop shop for the latest developments at the intersection of transportation and technology.


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Speedrite electric fence products are sold through our trusted resellers into over 120 countries worldwide. To find your nearest Speedrite stockist, click here.
Where do I go to service my Speedrite product?


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Posted March 11, 2011 by Jeff Kloha in Blog 1364
Divine Intervention without God: by Jim Voelz
Just this week, a story hit the headlines concerning life elsewhere in the universe. According to the Journal of Cosmology, Richard Hoover, an astrobiologist with NASA's Marshall Space Flight center,
has discovered evidence of microfossils similar to Cyanobacteria, in freshly fractured slices of the interior surfaces of the Alais, Ivuna, and Orgueil CI1 carbonaceous meteorites. Based on Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and other measures, Richard Hoover has concluded they are indigenous to these meteors and are similar to trichomic cyanobacteria and other trichomic prokaryotes such as filamentous sulfur bacteria. He concludes these fossilized bacteria are not Earthly contaminants but are the fossilized remains of living organisms which lived in the parent bodies of these meteors, e.g. comets, moons, and other astral bodies. Coupled with a wealth of date published elsewhere and in previous editions of the Journal of Cosmology, and as presented in the edited text, "The Biological Big Bang", the implications are that life is everywhere, and that life on Earth may have come from other planets.
Ah, yes, "and that life on Earth may have come from other planets." This has been all the rage for about the last several decades now. A recent book by Rhawn Joseph, Rudolf Schild, and Chandra Wickramasinghe is entitled Life on Earth Came From Other Planets: The Origins and Evolution of Life. This follows in the line of ideas such as microbes being found in Antarctica that have come from Mars. Consider the next (rather old) story (and read all the way to the end):
A group of scientists led by David McKay of NASA's Johnson Space Center published an article in the 16 August 1996 issue of Science magazine announcing the discovery of evidence for primitive bacterial life on Mars. An examination of a meteorite found in Antarctica and believed to be from Mars shows: 1) hydrocarbons which are the same as breakdown products of dead micro-organisms on Earth, 2) mineral phases consistent with by-products of bacterial activity, and 3) tiny carbonate globules which may be microfossils of the primitive bacteria, all within a few hundred-thousandths of an inch of each other. Based on age dating of the meteorite, the following scenario has been proposed:
The original igneous rock solidified within Mars about 4.5 billion years ago, about 100 million years after the formation of the planet. (Based on isotope ages of the igneous component of the meteorite)
Between 3.6 and 4 billion years ago the rock was fractured, presumably by meteorite impacts. Water then permeated the cracks, depositing carbonate minerals and allowing primitive bacteria to live in the fractures.
About 3.6 billion years ago, the bacteria and their by-products became fossilized in the fractures. (Based on isotope ages of the minerals in the fractures)
16 million years ago, a large meteorite struck Mars, dislodging a large chunk of this rock and ejecting it into space. (Based on the cosmic ray exposure age of the meteorite)
13,000 years ago, the meteorite landed in Antarctica.
The meteorite, ALH84001, was discovered in 1984 in the Allan Hills region of Antarctica.
And don't forget the matter of meteorites from space killing off the dinosaurs.
What is of interest in all of this is the following: science seems to have given up on the basic evolutionary "truth" that life and organisms emerged on earth and developed by the process of natural selection, all of which is (supposedly) possible within an enclosed system. The Second Law of Thermodynamics seems to have set this development in motion, beginning in the latter portion of the 20th century, saying that any system moves toward entropy as time goes on. The reply came back, "That is only true within a closed system. The system of our planet isn't necessarily closed." Radiation from space was cited as the first intruder—not only from the sun but also from elsewhere in the universe. And recently it has been the meteorites.
What, as Luther (and my hermeneutics book) might say, does this mean? It seems to me that this is strong evidence that we humans have a sense that everything cannot be explained "up from below," i.e., from within the system in which we ourselves exist. When the evidence is presented, it seems much more reasonable to suppose that a meteor came from space bringing life to our earth, than that life arose spontaneously on this planet and developed into the life forms that we see today. Put another way, we seem to feel that something had to intervene in our closed system to bring us life, even though that "something" is not a creator God. It cannot all be explained on the basis of the features of our own world. And, you know, that may be a start. Is this a connecting point (Bob Kolb would say Anknuepfungspunkt) for discussion with the agnostics—even atheists—of our world? I, for one, intend to find out.
Tags: creation, entropy, James Voelz, meteors, Popular Culture, science and religion, world views
Jeff Kloha
Ryan Tinetti	March 12, 2011
Thanks, Dr. Voelz, both for highlighting this story and also for pointing out the implicit lack of faith in Darwinism that is emerging within the scientific community. I think it's an effective argument to wed these kind of findings with our own existential "hunch" that something (or someone?) has had to intervene into the cosmos.
I take the illocutionary force of that last line to be an admonishment to evangelize, and that, too, is welcome.
Jim Voelz	March 15, 2011
I just love it when guys pick up on illocutionary force!!!
Rick Strickert	March 17, 2011
"science seems to have given up on the basic evolutionary 'truth' that life and organisms emerged on earth and developed by the process of natural selection, all of which is (supposedly) possible within an enclosed system."
This is probably too broad a brushstroke based on the two referenced articles about claims of evidence for life in Martian rocks.
The claims of fossil evidence of life in the 1996 Science paper have remained controversial; other researchers have published papers claiming the carbonate globules, magnetite grains, and PAH material found in the rock may be made by abiotic means. While there is significant evidence that the rock came from Mars, additional evidence has refined the original claimed age of the Martian rock.
The first referenced article is from the Journal of Cosmology, which was founded in 2009 as a web-only publication with a particular slant toward articles supporting the existance of life in outer space. The journal is ending publication in May. That JOC article and its claims have also met with mixed opinions in the scientific community.
There are scientists (especially those with SETI-related research projects) who have interests in the notion of life on other planets. Obviously, scientists who do not lean toward such notions are more likely to do research in areas where they have more interests in making discoveries.
The bottom scientific line is that, to date, the extraordinary claim of extraterrestrial life has not been demonstrated by any requisite extraordinary evidence.


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Sheffield Ladies basketball team look forward to end-of-season play-offs
Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters are looking forward to the Women's Britsh Basketball play-off quarter finals on Saturday.
Monday, 30 April, 2018, 12:16
Hatters will face Team Northumbria at the O2, with a 3pm tip off.
The Hatters clash sets the ball rolling as clubs fight it out to make the climax of the 2017/18 season.
Monday matches Sevenoaks Suns against Cardiff Met Archers.
Meanwhile, the Hatters lost out 69-77 to Leicester Riders .
Leicester may have missed out on the title to Sevenoaks, but underlined how they will be a major threat in the play-offs after they wrapped up their best ever Regular Season with a victory.
Krumesh Patel and his side were runners-up with a superb 19-1 record and have the added momentum of having won on the road at third-placed Hatters.
Leading scorers for the Hatters were Helen Naylor 22, Steph Gandy 17 and Jen Ashton 13.
It was a one-shot game at 64-67 with five minutes remaining, but 8 unanswered points took the game away from Hatters.
Riders were on fire from long range and dropped 62 per cent after racking up 10 triples.


Our Firm was commissioned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, under the direction of Cardinal Justin Rigali, to design, fabricate and build the Blessed Sacrament Shrine and Blessed Sacrament Tabernacle under the existing Baldachino in the main high altar area in the Cathedral sanctuary. The intention of this project was to re-locate the new tabernacle and Blessed Sacrament from a side existing altar to a new location centered in the main Cathedral Basilica.
The design intention is to show the end result (the new tabernacle) as if it was always intended and designed for the new location. When designing and building we had to use materials that would match existing, as well as matching architecturally design within a building that was over 140 years old. The result is something that was more than expected–matching both materials and designs of a beautiful Romanesque structure that was first built in 1864.
In designing such a piece, we understood that we had to create something that was intended to always be there. The design was something that needed to fit architecturally and yet historically preserve what was built over 140 years ago.
The challenges of designing such a piece when you have other architectural elements like stained glass windows, marble columns, bronze and mosaic Baldachino, is that you have to choose materials and sizes so as to complement the other pieces that exist. The first phase of design called for something that was 18 feet larger than the existing item. Concern for heights existed and a full sized, adjustable model, done out of wood, was created so as to show to the client various heights and dimensions. This particular wood model was constructed on site and adjusted so the client could get a feel for the different heights of the backdrop and its relation to the other elements and architectural artwork that existed. The result was to reduce three feet shorter distance, but the exercise was one that was very important and very needed. It gave the actual height of what you see today and provided the view of the beautiful stained glass window in the ambulatory area.
The second challenge was to match marble from quarries that was fabricated over fifty years ago. The Baldachino and ambulatory were added to the existing Cathedral back in 1953. These marbles were quarried over fifty years and were fabricated to the existing site as shown. Our firm not only matched these marbles, but fabricated the exact type of shapes, including pilasters, mosaic panels and the graining and coloration for some marbles which are no longer quarried.
The last and most difficult challenge was to construct all of these particular elements with total weight of over eight ton and fabricate this over stairs that lead to the crypt in which the former Cardinals and Bishops are buried (See Photo E). As per the pictures, this step area had to maintain certain height for future burial processions into the crypt (See Photo F). Constructing such a heavy piece over stairs required exceptional engineering and structural support, while at the same time, maintaining and not losing anything architecturally and keeping the designs with the same intent of "always being there" (See Photo G).
material that did not deflect or diminish the beauty of the crucifix or the new tabernacle. Our firm designed a white gold Venetian mosaic in a satin finish that enabled the luminosity of light and the beauty of mosaic but did not reflect any bright light. The end result complemented and augmented the beauty and uniqueness of the shrine. The materials of Botticino marble, the combination of white and yellow gold mosaic, the bronze gold-finished candlesticks, and the gold finished tabernacle were elements difficult to combine and yet, our firm used them accordingly and properly.


text:
Home » Innovation
The sky's the limit for this young woman after innovative back surgery
Enterprising Texans launch awards celebrating best of Lone Star State
Dallas' chances for landing Amazon HQ2 in peril as new leader emerges
Sep 4, 2018, 4:34 pm
The nation's capital may claim Amazon HQ2. Photo by Wallstplaybook.com
Rising speculation points to Amazon picking the Washington, D.C. area — not Dallas or Austin — as the site of the e-commerce behemoth's eagerly anticipated second headquarters.
The Amazon HQ2 economic prize, which holds the potential of a $5 billion investment and 50,000 high-paying jobs, will be awarded to one of 20 HQ2 finalists in North America, including the D.C. area, Dallas, and Austin.
Observers have practically made a game out of guessing where HQ2 will land, with some putting Dallas and Austin at or near the top of various lists of potential favorites. Despite the increased buzz surrounding D.C., an HQ2 watcher in Texas says the two cities in the Lone Star State should not be ruled out.
However, more and more signs are pointing to the D.C. area as the home of HQ2. The D.C. region actually has three finalists among the 20 — Montgomery County, Maryland; Northern Virginia; and the District itself. So, the math here already favors the D.C. area.
Add to the mix that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post and that Amazon has stepped up its lobbying presence in the nation's capital, and it increasingly appears like D.C. will snag HQ2, as noted in a September 1 story from Business Insider.
Stoking the D.C. speculation even more is that Bezos is scheduled to speak September 13 at a dinner hosted by The Economic Club of Washington, D.C. The dinner comes one year and six days after Amazon unveiled HQ2 and invited communities across North America to submit bids.
If the D.C. area really is the HQ2 winner, revealing this news at that dinner would be a timely and savvy PR move on the part of Amazon.
The dinner won't be the only opportunity for Bezos to make a splashy HQ2 announcement in D.C., though. He's been tapped as the keynote speaker for the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in D.C., scheduled for September 17-19.
If Bezos doesn't divulge the HQ2 victor at either of those two events, there's still time to do so in 2018, as Amazon has set a self-imposed announcement deadline of the end of this year.
William MeIlor, vice president of Austin-based economic research and consulting firm AngelouEconomics, agrees that the D.C. area "makes a lot of sense" for HQ2.
"Above all, D.C. puts Amazon in the epicenter of public policy that shapes how they do business," Mellor tells CultureMap. "It's not just the federal regulations that dictate interstate commerce, but also the federal policies that either enable or inhibit Amazon's ability to hire and retain the best talent."
Still, Mellor isn't counting out Dallas or Austin.
"With Texas consistently touted as the nation's best state to do business, there's a strong possibility that Austin and Dallas are being weighed with equal consideration as D.C.," he says. "In the case of Texas, our cost of living, tax environment, availability of skilled tech talent, access to capital, and economic growth are all arguably stronger than in our nation's capital."
DFW cashes in with the most million-dollar home sales in Texas
What to see — and skip — on a magical West Texas journey to Marfa
9 festive Texas towns to visit for a magical holiday experience


The Team WN Masters Division 4 lost to the host team Taranaki 3-9 over the weekend at as the 2019 Season kicked off with the first tie of the Inter-Association Competition. The team came back to beat Auckland 7-5 in the 2nd round. The results was good considering that Taranaki team are made up of players from their previous Division 1 & 3 teams.


It's amazing what can be learned from isolated conversations.
I was talking to three separate sets of LEARNers this week in different departments, as well as from different educational levels (under- and postgraduate, as well as trainee educators). All of them had plenty of work to complete for their courses – assignments, lesson-plans, assessments and the like.
Yet many of them admitted to finding such tasks extremely difficult, chiefly because they did not quite understand what was expected of them by their "educational peers". Did they have to produce 'scholarly' pieces, using examples taken from secondary texts; or were they expected to give their own opinions on the material? What kind of criteria did educators use to distinguish a 'good' from a 'bad' submission, and how could LEARNers work towards meeting them? And what kind of feedback could learners expect, apart from being given a grade?
The question of assessment is a complex one; too complex, in fact, for a short blog-post.
It is that "common understanding" that is conspicuously absent from many classrooms.
1. Tune In. Make sure you give listeners your undivided attention. Turn off your "mind chatter" and look at how they react to what you say. If you feel they haven't understood a point you have said, then try and clarify it. Or better still, find another means to explain it – for example, by writing it down.
2. Show You are Listening. This is something many educators find difficult, especially if they are accustomed to monopolizing the learning environment. The key is to concentrate on the words you hear and – perhaps more importantly – understand the body language signals you see. Are learners smiling? Are they talking amongst themselves? Are the words and body language congruent?
3. Understand What You've Just Heard and/or Seen. Educators need to translate and interpret their learners' reactions. They have to decide what they mean. We all create meaning based on our own experiences, but sometimes that's not enough. We need to ask open-ended questions to confirm our understanding, and try to eliminate possible miscommunications.
Such steps might seem rather obvious (aren't all educators supposed to listen to their learners?) but it seems that their significance is frequently overlooked. However difficult it might be, we need to pay less attention to content, and concentrate instead on how we can communicate better.
Guy Claxton believes that this is the key to acquiring "learning power" for educators and learners alike. By listening to others, we can learn how to ask better questions, and thereby learn how to co-operate with one another. This is essential to learning: in this kind of environment, everyone can ask themselves what they don't understand and why. If they can't understand something, they ask more questions – not only of themselves, but also of other members of the group.
What we're (really) talking about here is a redefinition of the relationship between educators and their learners. Effective listening means treating learners on equal terms; to ask questions of them, as means to help them develop the confidence to ask questions themselves.
Wouldn't it be great if more educators could shed some of their pride in their knowledge and/or status and actually initiate this process?
Department of English, Ankara, Turkey.


"You throw like a girl" may seem negative, but it is a major compliment when being compared to the GRC Lady Cards softball team.
With four seniors leading this year's team, the players hope to make a post-season run.
"If we keep working together and pushing ourselves, we are going to do great this season," said senior Lauren Carpenter.
Over spring break, the team will travel to Myrtle Beach where they will play five varsity and five junior varsity games in the Cal Ripken Experience.
After spring break, the girls will play four away games along with one home game against Paris on April 11 before playing in the Capital City Showcase in Frankfort which will take place April 19- 20.
Then, the girls will play Montgomery County at home on April 23.
When starting a new season, there are many goals in mind, personal and for the entire team.
"A team goal is definitely to make it to state," Lauryn Tyson said.
To make the team goals come true, there needs to be more involved than just softball itself. Bonding as a team is really important to all the girls, for building how they play and their friendship.
Knowing the importance of team bonding, the softball team has implemented a Big Sister/ Little Sister system to help bring the girls together.
"We bring presents to our little sister/big sister and talk in the hallway and it brings us closer," says Carpenter.
Whether the girls have personal goals this season, like Lauren Carpenter hopes to hit a home run, or team goals like making it to state, the girls are looking into having a great season.
"Our team is hardworking, passionate, and we have a team-first mindset," Miles explained.


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Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and Kiandra worked together on a full-scale upgrade and delivered a modern, robust, simplified ICT infrastructure with reduced ongoing cost, giving staff the ICT tools they want.
The Authority was established to ensure the protection and sustainable development of land, vegetation and water resources within a boundary stretching from Geelong to Ballarat and along the coast to Peterborough. About 380,000 people live in the catchment's 13,340 square kilometres of south-western Victoria and 175 kilometres of coastal fringe. The Authority's Citrix based ICT infrastructure was not meeting the needs of staff, difficult to add capability to and was complex to manage. The system had become antiquated and was in need of a modern upgrade and to support remote work and other online services.
The high-level requirements for the upgrade were:
a simplified and less complex ICT environment
increased staff productivity by providing the software tools the staff need
enable the Authority to more easily and effectively collaborate with external partners
provide a flexible environment which allows the addition of new capabilities without complex changes
reduced ongoing support cost
improved disaster recovery capability to enable the Authority to activate its business continuity plans if the need arises.
The Authority engaged Kiandra to provide a solution to address existing challenges and optimise the ICT infrastructure.
To meet the high-level requirements and completely modernise the Authority's ICT infrastructure Kiandra proposed the following changes to the environment:
Replace workstations with new hardware and Windows 10 OS
Setup workstation as hot desks, so users can work from anywhere inside and outside the office
Remove existing Citrix environment and replace with Fat client – a networked setup where the server is not dependent upon the computer's applications or programs
Implement Direct Access and Remote Desktop Service for mobile users
Migrate email services to Office 365 Exchange Online
Provision SharePoint Online to initiate migration project
Upgrade current WAN and Internet Services to higher speeds and a more reliable service to compliment the migration to cloud services
Replace and reuse current server, storage, backup and power infrastructure to have a reliable in house infrastructure to run critical core services like Domain, Office 365 Single-Sign-On, File services and Disaster recovery.
The proposal of work aimed to bring the Authority's systems up to date and beyond, making the ICT process more simplified for staff.
Infrastructure Engineer
The ICT infrastructure design went through a number of iterations as Kiandra listened and adjusted the design based on feedback from the Authority. The upfront work done with the design meant the implementation went very smoothly and without issue.
Alan Bristow
ICT Coordinator
Kiandra were flexible with the rollout schedule to synchronise with a WAN upgrade. The upgrade involved the complete replacement of the existing servers and clients which was achieved with minimal disruption to staff.
All the high-level requirements for the project were met within the project timeframe. The Authority now has modern, robust, simplified ICT infrastructure with reduced ongoing cost.
However, the main benefit has been a significant improvement in capability giving staff the ICT tools they want. This included new workstations – all of which were deployed with a hot desk setup and users are able to login to any of the workstations and have the user state maintained.
All new workstations have Skype for Business installed, so users can collaborate internally and externally. There are also two methods of remote access available for users working remotely - Direct Access and Remote Desktop Services. The feedback from staff has been super positive.


teamwork of the solo artists L.E.X.A. and DJ Zottel.
combine their expertise and to found a common new project.
They called it DUAL EFFECT.
development of the home-grown tracks.
of Lars ability to develop brilliant songs.
psychedelic sound with spicy vocals in 148bpm.
It's a fine experience to see and hear DUAL EFFECT live. Check it out!


This new model is specifically made for dentures, provided with special denture tray for clean and sanitary use. This unit is different from most of the ultrasonic cleaners on the market because of its detachable tank. This makes it very convenient to change water without the need to unplug the power cord each time.
1. Provided with special denture tray for clean and sanitary use.
2. Detachable design for convenient using.
3. Ultrasonic physical cleaning, faster, deeper and more effective cleaning tooth gaps.
4. One button operating, 5 minutes auto shut off.
Dentures, Tooth Retainer, Dental Clinic, Jewelry, Eyeglasses, etc.
GT-X3 can effectively clean and disinfect diamonds, necklaces, rings and other jewelries.
Mainly used in automotive industry, optical industry, electroplating industry, electronics industry, precision hardware industry, medical industry, etc. for cleaning precision mechanical parts, metal parts, optical lens, machine parts, before and after plating, etc.
GT-X3 can effectively clean and disinfect diamonds, necklaces, rings and other jewels.
Jewelries: necklace, rings, earrings, bracelets etc.Glasses and timepieces: eyeglasses, watch chains, waterproof watches etc.Commodities: shaver heads, razor blades, dentures, combs, toothbrushes etc.Metal articles/Dishware: watch parts, coins, spoons, forks etc.Stationery: pen-heads, printer-heads, inject cartridges, seals etc.


Recovering from flu and feeling more than a little sorry for myself I remarked on Saturday that I was not expecting a card from either of my adult children as neither of them believe in sending cards.
That evening I was pleasantly surprised to see my daughters name pop up on the screen as I answered my phone.
"Where from?" I said, slightly bewildered as she lives in Nottingham and we live in Buxton, it's an hour and forty minute drive.
"I'm at the station, I've come home for the weekend." she replied.
Well, with lifted spirits and a spring in my step I nipped off to the station to pick her up and when I met her at the station I was greeted with a lovely hug and a bouquet of flowers. She informed she had booked a restaurant in Buxton for Lunch on Mother's Day after church.
It was lovely to have her accompany me in church and sit in the pew beside me. She normally gets roped in to sing in the choir alongside her Dad.
This morning's service was a special mothering Sunday service, all mothers received a little posy of flowers and the ladies who were on tea duty had baked lovely cupcakes.
However, it was neither the flowers nor the cupcakes that made this service special, but the sermon. It was one of the best sermons our vicar had ever delivered.
In his sermon he questioned whether the "mother Church" was actually doing enough in caring for all members of society. He talked about how in the Bible most of the families were disfunctional and yet the Church has perpetuated this idyllic Mother, Father 2.4 children as the archetypal family, when in reality particularly today, there are hundreds of different permutations of family, and that it's time the Church embraced them all. He also said that it was a time of reflection and whilst it was a day of celebration, that it was a time of sadness for many, those who were childless, those whose Mothers had not been the best, those whose Mothers had died and those Mothers who had lost a child.
I left church with a spring in my step, looking forward to the lunch with my daughter and husband.
Just to finish off a wonderful day, I received a phone call from my son wishing me Happy Mother's Day.
Oh, and that card that I never thought I was going to get? Well turns out I was wrong!
What a sweet sweet Mother's Day surprise. I can only hope my daughter is as thoughtful as yours one day and plans something special like this for me! She's only 7 months now. So my Mother's Day was simply full of sweet baby snuggles. So happy you had such a wonderful day!


text:
__author__ = 'david'
from __builtin__ import *

import ndio
import ndio.remote.neurodata as ND
import pprint, json

import resources

def metaFile(token):
    return resources.METADATAPATH+"%s.meta"%(token)

def getMetaData(token):
    with open(metaFile(token)+".json",'r') as file:
        metaData = json.load(file)
    return metaData

def downloadMetaData(nd,token):
    metadata = nd.get_proj_info(token)
    return metadata

def main():
    nd = ND()

    print "Download and save meta datas."
    print 'ndio version = %s ... ...'%(ndio.version),

    for token in resources.TOKENS+resources.ANNO_TOKENS:
        print "Downloading meta TOKEN=%s"%(token)
        metaData = downloadMetaData(nd,token)
        filename = metaFile(token)
        with open(filename,'w') as file:
            pprint.pprint(metaData, file)

        with open(filename+".json",'w') as file:
            json.dump(metaData,file)
        print "OK"

    print "Finish all."

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub