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I hope that you are all enjoying this lovely weather, as I am, plus the fact that I can catch up with the gardening jobs at home, and in the allotments. Indeed I do not need to go far from my house to enjoy the wild life as it has decided to pay me a visit, including some new friends arriving last week, like a dragon fly and a Tortoiseshell butterfly, along with the usual ones. I have just come in from the garden having counted 5 Peacock butterflies on one Buddleia plant alone. My tadpoles have metamorphosed and the baby frogs are dispersing nicely, (having avoided my cats).
We enjoyed the field trip to West Sussex in May, and the hotel gave us comfortable accommodation and excellent food, though the wildlife was not much in evidence due to the poor weather. The moth evening was a disaster, just one moth. We did get to see the Peregrine Falcons in Chichester and still had a great time. Joanne adds that the flora was good and we saw a number of unusual plants new to many of us.
I was asked at the programme meeting if I intended to organize a field trip in 2014 but have not decided if I want to do it as the last trip gave me a lot of problems. Did you know that John, Margaret and I have to plan out the hotel, going down to stay to make sure it will be suitable for our stay, visiting the various reserves in the area, and finding out where we can find the necessary facilities. This makes a nice break for us but costs in time and money. I then have to pay a 'holding deposit' to the chosen hotel to make sure that we will have enough suitable rooms when we arrive and then, a week or sometimes a month before the start, pay the full amount which I can only do by withdrawing from my savings. It costs thousands of pounds and is a worry. In addition, I have to keep in contact with the hotel during the year updating any changes. For instance last year I had a lot of sorting out when not everyone wanted to stay the full four nights, and there was uncertainty about who would be able to come due to ill health and hospital visits. There are many of us who do not want to drive any distance from the home territory which gives me another problem when drivers who have taken passengers down need to return early.
These are problems I can usually sort out. Margaret and her computer are a great help getting the itinerary printed out and sent by email, I just wouldn't be able to manage without it.
If I do agree to organize a field trip next year, I want to be sure that I get all the money owing to the hotel at least a month before we set off, otherwise I cannot guarantee that late payers will have a room allocated to them.
PERIVALE WOOD NATURE RESERVE. THURSDAY 28TH MARCH. LEADER: JOHN WELLS
It was cold, when still waiting for Spring to arrive, we met John Wells, the Warden to lead us around the reserve. We met in the 'hut' where John explained that the reserve was the second oldest in the country, founded in 1902. The aim was to preserve the flora & fauna rather than for the enjoyment of visitors.
The reserve was entered by an elaborate wrought iron gate recently erected in memory of a former member, and is kept locked except for members of the Selbourne Society and escorted groups. There are regular open days.
The wood is noted for the splendid display of Bluebells. However, due to the late spring, we didn't expect them to be out but we didn't even see any sign of buds forming. Snowdrops were still flowering and there were plenty of Wood Anemones. Cuckoo Pint or Wild Arum was abundant but not in flower. In the 1920s and 30s primroses were plentiful on the reserve, so John informed us, but were dug up to be sold in London, and are now being replaced by genuine Middlesex stock. The wood should have been yellow with Lesser Celandine as the leaves were present but due to the cold weather they were reluctant to flower. John is obviously a 'moss man', and was pleased to point out the different species growing on old decaying logs. Brachythecium rutabulum -Rough stalked Feather moss. Plagiomnium undulatum - Palm tree moss. Mnium hornum -Swan's neck Thyme moss. Amblystegium serpens - Creeping feather moss.
The fungi seen were: Witches' Butter, Elves Cup, Jelly Ear and King Alfred's Cakes.
Birds heard and seen: Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Crow. The highlight of our visit was a Woodcock glimpsed scurrying away through the undergrowth. We finished with refreshments in the hut. Thank you John for a very enjoyable and informative visit.
Walk for birds on Bentley Priory on Thursday April 18th. Leader: Elizabeth Stainthorpe.
A party of nine members met at the top of Old Lodge Way at 9.30. The weather was cloudy but it was not raining as we walked up the main path towards the wood. There were Crows and Magpies around and a Blackbird singing in the wood. As we entered the wood, there were Blue and Great tits calling and a Wren was singing in the bushes.
We crossed the stream and entered the Greensward. A Blackcap was singing on the edge of the wood and a Goldcrest was heard in a pine tree. Blackbirds were also singing and a Green Woodpecker was heard calling. As we approached the lake we heard our first Chiffchaff and several Wrens and a Chaffinch were singing.
There was not much on the water - a Heron flew off and there were Coot, Moorhen, Mallard and a pair of Gadwall but no evidence of nesting maybe due to the cold late spring. I had only heard my first Chiffchaff on 14th April which was a month later than usual. We were pleased to see several Swallows flying over the water so they had returned safely from South Africa and will be going to breed in the stables at Lower Priory Farm.
As we walked round the lake (clockwise) we heard another Chiffchaff and Blackcaps and also Great and Blue Tits, a Nuthatch was calling and also a Great Spotted Woodpecker. A family of Long-tailed Tits was seen but the star of the morning was a Willow Warbler which was singing in the bushes at the bottom of Spring Field but unfortunately it didn't stay to breed.
I must also mention the wild flowers. There were several large patches of Wood Anemones and also Lesser Celandines, some Bluebells were about to flower and there was a good clump of Marsh Marigolds in the marsh at the top of the lake. On the east side of the lake there was a large patch of primroses -they were probably wild but there was a pink flower among them.
On reaching the east side of the lake we made our way up the slope to the Greensward and crossed over to the Deer Path as some members had brought carrots for the deer which were greatly appreciated. There were a good number of Jackdaws in the deer park as well as Crows. Chaffinches were singings as well as Blackbirds, Robins and a Dunnock. We continued down the Deer Path and back to Old Lodge Way reaching there at 12.45.
Elizabeth Stainthorpe
Thursday 25th April. Old Park Wood, Harefield. Herts & Middx Reserve. Leader Joanne Colthup
We met on a very pleasantly warm morning, a relief after such a long cold winter. The wood situated behind Harefield Hospital is very ancient known from Saxon times. It has a wide variety of wild flowers due to the different soil types found in the wood and the many underground springs. Immediately approaching the wood, Elizabeth recognized a Whitethroat singing which was a good sign. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is listed as one of the birds to be found in the wood but we did not see or hear it. We did hear the Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
The Bluebells were expected to be out but were only just showing blue, the latest to flower I have ever known. One of the specialities of the reserve is the Coral Root Bitter Cress - Cardamine pratensis, the bottom part of the wood should have been blue/pink with it in flower. However, disappointingly, it was still in bud. The plant is very selective where it grows as a native, only in the Weald of Kent and damp woodland in certain parts of the Chilterns. It likes Old Park Wood and Whippendell Wood. Opposite Leaved Golden Saxifrage - Chrysospermum oppositifolium- has long been known on the muddy banks of the wet spring at the bottom of the wood, and after some searching we found it. Not as plentiful as it used to be. There were two patches of Wood Sorrel - Oxalis acetosella, the leaves of which give a good acid taste to salads, and plentiful Wood Anemone -Anemone nemorosa. The last plant seen was to me the most memorable because it is not often seen: Adoxa moschatellina -Moschatel or Town Hall Clock, known for its greenish five-sided heads at right angles to each other.
Walking around, we heard a Chiffchaff, Blackcaps, a Wren and a Song Thrush. We saw several Swallows and a few early butterflies Orange tip, Red Admiral, Peacock, Large White and male & female Brimstones.
Stanmore Country Park for Butterflies and Bluebells. Saturday 27th April. Leader: John Hollingdale
About eight people assembled in the Country Park's car park hoping to see some Spring butterflies.
However the weather was cloudier than last year so no Lepidoptera were seen at all. We concentrated on the flora with Bluebells being the most prominent. We also saw (well some of us) two Muntjac Deer as well as their grazing on Bluebell leaves.
John Hollingdale.
Moth Evening at W. S. Gilbert's Orchard, Saturday May 4th 9.00pm. Leader: John Hollingdale
Nine people turned up for this moth evening at the old orchard near Grimsdyke Hotel including Helenka the head gardener an.d Dick Middleton of the Ruislip and District NHS. Moths came regularly and by the end of the evening we had recorded 19 species; 3 micros and 16 macros. The pick of the macros were Early Thorn, Least Black Arches and Dotted Chestnut; I can supply a full list if required. None of the 19 moth species were seen on the cold night last year.
John Hollingdale
Tewin Orchard and Tewinbury Monday May 1 3th. Leader: Margaret Huitson
Tewin Orchard is a small Hertfordshire & Middlesex Wildlife Trust reserve near Welwyn Garden City and we caught it at its best: the fruit trees laden with blossom. The majority of the trees were different types of apple but also pear and almond.
The weather was chilly with sunny spells so not many insects were apparent but we did see Green Veined White and Speckled Brown butterflies. All indications were of a good harvest to come.
Wild flowers were abundant -masses of lush Ground Ivy -Glechoma hederacea, and the first noted of the year, Red Campion - Silene dioica. Flowers this year have been about a month late in flowering, so early flowers were still blooming along with those just opening.
We were amazed to see Wood Forget-me-not -Myosotis sylvatica- in quantity white as well as the usual blue, the white variety perhaps more prominent. No explanation!
Out of the orchard and into Hopkyns Wood we were lured by the smell of garlic, and found Ransoms - Allium ursinum- dominating the wood. We heard and saw a number of birds: Blackcap, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Whitethroat, & Pheasant.
A short drive away was another small reserve but quite different Tewinbury. The river Mimram was diverted in 1800 to power threshing machines and a small lake was formed. The lake is of great importance as it is one of the best places in Hertfordshire to see water voles. There was a fine hide on two levels we sat patiently upstairs and then moved down but no sign of a water vole and few birds.
There were excellent water meadows nearby with a wonderful display of Opposite leaved Golden Saxifrage -Chrysosplenium oppositifolium. In Old Park Wood the few plants were able to be seen but inaccessible. These were underfoot. However the dominant plant was Lesser Pond Sedge - Carex acutiformis. According to the information board we should have seen Marsh Orchid - Dactylorhiza praetermissa - but there was no sign of even leaves appearing.
Visit to Hillfield Park Reservoir Thursday 30th June Leader: Margaret Huitson.
A small group of us gathered on a dry afternoon at the site. We were immediately rewarded by excellent views of a Peregrine Falcon that landed in view on a nearby pylon.
Joanne showed us a, new to many, Forget-me-not: Changing Forget-me-not-Myosotis discolor- with a slightly drooping look and attractive combination of blue and tiny yellow flowers. Most of us then walked along the dam and round part of the reservoir. The Great Crested Grebes were displaying and a Red Kite was seen overhead. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard and landed in a nearby tree also a somewhat "dirty looking" Green Woodpecker was observed.
Further on it was interesting to see the Black-headed Gulls with chicks and a Lesser Black Backed Gull also on a nest. Gadwall swam by and other birds including Dunnocks, Blackcap, Reed Warbler Chiffchaff and Wrens were heard. We were also pleased to see the Black-necked Grebes.
In all, an interesting visit to another Hertfordshires and Middlesex Widlife Trust reserve.
Margaret Huitson.
Flower walk for the Friends of Bentley Priory. Friday 21st June Leader: Joanne Colthup.
This is an annual walk for the Friends of Bentley Priory but as usual the greater majority of people attending were members of HNHS. We did have one Friend who was enthusiastic.
We decided to follow the new nature trail as the leaflets had been freshly placed in the box at the Old Lodge Way entrance. We set off at 2.00 hoping that the heavens would not open as rain looked very imminent.
At the first stop we found Lesser Celandine -Ranunculus ficaria- still out, it should have been well over, and walking up towards the deer enclosure saw much Drooping or Pendulous Sedge -Carex pendula, it is a feature of the area in damp places. Marsh Marigold -Caltha palustris -was spectacular with its large yellow flowers also in the wet areas. Near the Deer enclosure Sanicle - Sanicula europaea- was found in its usual place near the path on both sides.
Following the illustrations in the leaflet we discovered a lone Sessile Oak - Quercus petrea- which was planted and alien. We studied the leaves which are very similar to our native Oak - Quercus robur - so that we could differentiate the two.
Reaching the top of the reserve, we turned left onto acid grassland and, through the fence, caught glimpses of the newly converted expensive flats and soon to be opened museum.
We found Lesser Stitchwort -Stellaria graminea; Red Campion - Silene dioica; Wild Mignonette - Reseda lutea; Dog Rose - Rosa arvensis; Tormentil -Potentilla erecta and Heath Bedstraw -Galium saxatile.
At this point, half way round the trail, the threatened rain came as a very heavy downpour. We quickly hurried back to the cars on the firm path that we had already taken. It seemed more sensible than to continue through thick grass getting even wetter. The poor cows and a bull had taken shelter from their open field and were huddled under trees at the side of the path. It was unfortunate that we had to miss out the SSSI Summerfield but that must wait for another time.
Stanmore Country Park (LNR) Saturday 29th June. Leader John Hollingdale.
This field trip was attended by members from the branch, Harrow Nature Conservation Forum and Harrow Natural History Society. It was timed to see if Marbled Whites and Ringlets were on the wing. However what we saw in numbers were Large Skippers and Speckled Woods but no Ringlets or Marbled Whites. The late Spring and Summer had delayed their emergence. Also noted were several Commas, a Red Admiral and various whites. A mystery butterfly was glimpsed but there was a difference of opinion regarding whether it was a White or Red Admiral. Near the end two or three Meadow Browns had emerged.
Two weeks later Margaret and I saw both Ringlets and Marbled Whites in several of the open areas and the Ragwort was almost smothered in Cinnabar moth caterpillars. One cannot win when scheduling the programme. I mentioned at the time that we were hoping to get cattle to graze in the large fenced field avoiding the annual mow. We were let down by Harrow School so no Longhorns but Denis Vickers, Harrow's BAP officer, has arranged to have a permanent herd of Dexters there instead. We will be monitoring the effect on the vegetation and butterflies in the coming years.
Chorleywood Common for botany and othere wildlife. Saturday J uly 13th Leader: Joanne Colthu p
It was one of the hottest days and I unfortunately chose a day when Chorleywood had a Village Day so stalls and tents were being erected around us. It was a good job that we met at 10.30, and the Fete was due to start at 12.00.
We tried to keep in the shade as we walked to the upper pond, passing on the way a large patch of Water Pepper- Polygonum hydropiper. Tasting the leaves made our mouths burn, the plants are said to deter cattle, and grow in damp woodland rides. The pond used to be clear of vegetation except on the borders We found it to be choked with mainly Bog Bean -Menyanthes trifoliata and a variegated Reed obviously an introduced garden variety. Greater Spearwort -Ranunculus lingua- was blooming at the edge of the pond, it is becoming a rare plant and looks like a large Buttercup. Mentioning only the more unusual plants we saw Heath Groundsel -Senecio sylvaticus- and several interesting sedges just inaccessible to be correctly identified.
Along a shady track walking to the pond near to Christchurch we found a stand of Meadow Cranesbill -Geranium pratense. The plant is lime-loving so common along roadsides in the Chilterns and indicative of the soil mixture on the common.
The second pond was clearer but unpleasant looking. However at the muddy edge we found Red-shank - Polyganum persicaria -and Lesser Swinecress - Coronopus didymus.
Walking onto the open heathy grassland and into the bright sunshine we found colourful clumps of Harebell - Campanula rotundifolia- and the yellow Lady's Bedstraw - Galium verum.
We were too hot to explore any more of the common so gratefully escaped into Christchurch Hall for cool drinks. It was also the week-end of the Flower festival which was an added diversion for some of the group.
Fern walk at Old Redding & Grimsdyke. Saturday July 20th Leader Howard Matthews.
Another very hot day but the walk was mainly in the shade so was manageable. Most of us find ferns difficult to identify so Howard patiently goes over the same points with us every year. Howard started out by pointing out Britain's most common fern Bracken -Pteridium aquilinum. As we walked through the grounds of Grimsdyke he then showed us our third most common fern Broad Buckler -Dryopteris dilitata.
Passing a Strawberry Tree -Arbutus unedo - we had a discussion on the name and reading about it later discovered that the red fruits are strawberry like. We search for the Royal Fern - Osmunda regalis- by the lake but found it to have disappeared, the site choked by ivy. We did find another specimen, also by the lake, it is our tallest and most splendid fern so needs protection. Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes- was typically growing in a crack in the wall surrounding the cultivated garden near the house with Hartstongue -Phylitis scolopendrium -nearby.
Planted in the gardens were Ostrich Fern -Matteuccia struthiopteris, and a cut leaved Soft Shield Fern which Matthew found grotesque.
Leaving the garden Lady Fern - Athyrium filix-femina was in its usual place near the bridge over the stream and then another very common fern the Male Fern -Dryopteris filix-mas and Soft Shield Fern Polystichum setiferum.
The Sensitive Fern - Onoclea sensibilis -was discovered in 1995 in the damp woodland obviously introduced as it comes from South America, it has made itself very much at home and is spreading. Yet another introduction (not a fern, but a garden throw-out) was the Mousetail plant -Arisarum proboscoideum- related to the Wild Arum or Lord's & Ladies. It has a dark spathe looking like the tail of a mouse. It had gone over but we could see that it is spreading.
Moving onto the nature trail John pointed out an Orange Footman moth and Matthew a well established stand of Great Wood Rush - Luzula sylvatica. Looking across into an inaccessible field was the long-known Wood Horsetail -Equisetum sylvaticum -probably the only site in Harrow.
Howard said that it is now classified as a fern. The last fern which we really had to search for in a ditch was Hard Fern -Blechnum spicant -which has been known on Wealdstone Common since 1866.
Thank you Howard for an excellent and very varied walk. How many ferns will we remember next year!
Stanmore Country Park -August 9th (National Moth Night)
At last, for a moth evening, we had a nice warm night with cloud cover. Ten of us gathered around the ultra violet bulb, suspended over a large white sheet. This was sited next to the woodland edge opposite the car park. Most of the faces were familiar but it was encouraging to see some that weren't.
The moths came regularly and at the end of the two hour session we had attracted over 50 species; 33 macros and the rest micros. Some of these (mostly micros) I took home to identify the next day and a few have been sent to Colin Plant, our long suffering county recorder, for the same reason. New to the reserve were the following: a Yellow- tailed Moth, Tree-lichen Beauty (7 or more) and the micro-Phlyctaenia coronata. Tiger Moths were the target for this year's National Moth Night so I was delighted when a Ruby Tiger appeared. Other moths of interest were the Antler Moth, two Lesser spotted Pinions and two Sallow Kittens.
As several of the participants were good at identifying moths all I had to do was to sit and record so I'd like to thank everyone for their valuable contributions. Please come again.
Bricket Wood Thursday 15th August.
Eight members attended this morning meeting hoping to see some of the unusual butterflies that inhabit this wood. We parked in the newish lay-bays in School Lane near the Munden House drive.
Unfortunately we couldn't guarantee the weather. So the previously Sunday's bright sunshine had been replaced by cloud with the sun shining but briefly. A few butterflies were seen; Large and Small Whites that didn't stop, Meadow Brown and Gatekeepers and one or two Comon Blues. Several Silver-y moths were also seen together with a few grass moths (Crambrids). The central Open space had impressive area of heather and Marion and Margaret recognised a large bush of Goats Rue beside the track that ran across it.
We then made our way to Moor Mill, an 18c building on a much earlier mill site on the river Gade that has now become a hostelry. Refreshments were taken but the feature of this place is the large trout (probably Rainbow Trout) that inhabit the mill stream. We bought food from the dispenser provided and spent some time feeding them and the resident wildfowl too. There is also a notice warning one of the local crocodile but I think (and hope) that was a joke.


One of the highlights of summer fun is Independence Day. On July 4, people all over the United States celebrate the holiday with cookouts, fun activities and fireworks. Fireworks that explode or launch into the air are illegal to purchase in North Carolina. However, these fireworks are legal in several surrounding states and easily brought here.
Fireworks safety is paramount on this holiday. Injuries routinely occur because fireworks are mishandled. Eye injuries have doubled in recent years. The most recent fireworks report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission revealed that fireworks were the cause of over 1,300 eye injuries treated by doctors in 2014.
All fireworks are dangerous and need to be handled by adults. Sparklers, which are often played with by children, can reach temperatures of over 2,000 degrees. That's hot enough to melt metal. If those sparks hit your eye, they can do severe damage.
Even though a firework appears to be a dud, it may still be active. Sometimes we are disappointed because there was no action when we lit the fuse. That may not be the case. Many accidents occur because someone was quick to handle a dud and it exploded in his/her face. It is best to douse a dud with water to make sure it does not ignite.
Stand at a safe distance when watching someone light fireworks. Many injuries involve bystanders. This can happen when an explosive device is not properly staged for use. Imagine a bottle rocket being lit and the bottle tipping over just as it ignites. Its trajectory is unpredictable.
Leave it to the professionals. Many municipalities have professional fireworks shows for the public. These displays can be inspiring and viewed from a safe distance.
Remember that in the event of an eye injury, avoid rubbing or rinsing, do not remove any debris and seek medical attention immediately.


When Stephen Williams played in Babe Ruth League, there was sometimes a familiar face behind the plate—Curly Clement.
Williams was presented with the award on Wednesday night in Bourne. Nick Zibelli, president of the Collegiate Baseball Umpires Assigning Organization (CBUAO), said Williams shares a feel for situation handling with Clement.
Zibelli recalled that Clement, affectionately known as the 'Candy Man,' would have his pockets stuffed with licorice and banana candy, and sometimes would put an end to disputes by offering up sweets.
Williams didn't produce any Twizzlers or Laffy Taffy on the field Wednesday, but his interactions with the catchers made it clear he's gained a solid reputation. On-field personnel and general managers have input into the selection process, which Williams said makes the award all the more meaningful.
Williams, in his 16th year as an umpire and seventh season on the Cape, sports the look of a professional—from his emphatic point to the side to indicate strikes to his line of umpiring equipment. Cape League Director of Officiating Sol Yas, who umpires high school games himself, said Williams has come through the ranks quickly, in part thanks to how he interacts with others.
"He's enthusiastic. He's always got a smile on his face. He's got a great sense of humor, and I really enjoy being around him, as do his fellow umpires," Yas said.
Williams walked off the field Wednesday accepting plaudits from the fans still present in Bourne. As he neared the parking lot, he spotted some youngsters along the left field fence who stuck around to see the Braves wrap up a 13-4 win over Wareham. Williams reached into his ball bag and produced two souvenirs.
For the kids, it was probably just as rewarding as a trip to the candy store.
Clement is a Cape League Hall of Famer and worked as an umpire for over four decades in the league. His final Cape League assignment was home plate for the 2002 All Star Game. Clement passed away in 2006 after a long illness.
Previous Clement Award winners include Mickey Garcia (2016), Rick Delvecchio (2015), Bill Fisher (2014), Pat Burns (2013), Joe Caraco (2012), Mark Ottavianelli (2011), Michael Sadowski (2010), John Leeds (2009), Harry Greer (2008), Tim Carey (2007), Peter Hall (2006), Jim McNally (2005) and Walter Bentson (2004).


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tania	 September 16, 2019 Travel
Visiting Jerusalem here is brief history and what to expect
Jerusalem has been so high up on my list for so long that when Hawaiians asked me to go on a trip to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, I screamed with happiness. I was so excited to travel to one of the holiest cities in the world and experience centuries of rich culture and history.
I'm not a very religious person, and I class myself as a spiritual being preferring meditation at home over a visit to a church. I did, however, grow up in a religious household as a Christian Orthodox. My Serbian family paid respect and thanks to many saints and Sundays were considered as a sacred day. We were not allowed to do any physical work apart from prepare food and enjoy it with the family. It was lovely, and I have to admit that lazy Sunday gene is still with me to this day.
I always believed in the energy and that God is with us. Thought my spiritual practice, I have learned that the source energy is in all of us and available at any time. We can manifest our dreams and receive anything we ask for, which doesn't fall too far behind from my initial religious teachings at home. Praying for what you want and being a good human is the core of most religions. I, however, choose to be spiritual and believe in the energy of the universe over specific church teaching.
Being in Jerusalem, I saw it as being closer to the source. A highly spiritual place that so many people find solace in. Why does it have such a turbulent past, I wondered? I know so clearly that change is the only constant, and that is inevitable to evolve and change your beliefs in specific things as you plot along with this beautiful life.
I wanted to see the streets that Jesus walked. I wanted to be present in this highly religious energetic field. It was absolutely beautiful, but I couldn't help but feel confused with the split between the three main religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity. I tried hard to understand our guide, but he talked really fast with broken English, which didn't help to feel more clear. So I turned to the History.com to research and understand the history and the modern time of Jerusalem better.
Brief History of Jerusalem
According to History.com, the first settlement in Jerusalem happened during the Early Bronze Age 3500 BC. 2500 years later King David conquered the city, making it a capital of the Jewish kingdom. This was the case for almost the next 500 years where Babilionians occupied the Jerusalem sending the Jews to the exile destroying their first holly temple built by Kings son Solomon. Fast forward to 50 years after the exile, the Persian king Cyrus allowed Jews to come back to Jerusalem and build their temple.
But this wasn't the end because in the next 200 years or in 332 B.C to be more previse The Alexander the Great took control over the city followed by Romans, Persians, Arabs, Turks, Crusaders and many others. Battles continued for the following 200 years after Alexandar the Great conquest.
Following the cities turbulent history and wars, the temple that was previously destroyed was built back by King Herod in 37 B.C which was again destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.
Jesus crucifixion in 30 A.D outside the city known as Golgotha back then plays one of the most critical events in Jerusalem. The crucifixion is on the site of Church of the Holy Sepulchre which back then was outside the city walls as the Church was built in 335 A.D. The Church resides in the Christian quarter in Jerusalem, and it's considered to be the holiest Christian site in the world.
The Dome of the Rock
In 632 A.D, the Islamic prophet, Muhamed died, and the history says that he had ascended to heaven from Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock is built on the exact spot where Muslims believe that this happened and its the oldest surviving Islamic building.
During the Crusades in the first century, the Christians turned the Dome of the Rock into a church. The Dome was later re-designated as a shrine and adjacent to it sits a silver-domed mosque called al-Aqsa.
The Western Wall
The Western Wall also is known as Wailing Wall is the ancient remnant from the Second Jewish temple. This is an essential place for Jews, and many come here to pray and cry at the site of the destroyed temple. Millions of Jews visit the wall every year, and this is considered to be the holiest place for them to pray.
The Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Dome of Rock is called the Temple Mount comprised of around 35 acres on a hill of Jerusalem. This is the holiest place in Judaism, and the legend has it that to the area date back to Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son Isaac in Jewish scripture. The first and the second Temples were also at this spot, and it plays very hight importance for jews.
Our tour ended at the Western Wall, and it was an important day in my travels. Having visited such an important place historically and walk the streets that Jesus himself walked and many other prominent figures of our history even today will stay with me forever.
I would recommend to read up before you go so when you experience the place, you will know each and every area historical significance. The City of Jerusalem is so pretty covered with flowers and cobbled streets. We spent a day and my favourite part was exploring the old city and The Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Jerusalem is a very sacred place for so many people therefore extra care must be taken before the visit. Make sure your clothing covers your knees and shoulders and that you are respectful of everyones religion, culture and history at all times. The Jerusalem can be added to your itinerary as a day trip from Tel Aviv.
I hope you enjoyed this post and let me know in the comments below if you have been to Jerusalem or planning to visit?
Tania xxx
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"You see things and you say, 'why?' But I dream things that never were and I say, 'Why not?' "(George Bernard Shaw) Begin to say, "Why not?" to your dreams. When you feel yourself doubting, change your thoughts to "Why not?" And now, watch the feel good moment for this week.
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
People who all said, "why not?" and did things that push ALL of our beliefs! Enjoy!


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Wash the ingredients in running water.
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text:
Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe est une commune française, située dans le département de l'Orne en région Normandie, peuplée de .

Géographie

Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe est l'ancien chef-lieu d'un canton qui comprenait quinze communes et le siège de la communauté de communes de la Vallée de la Haute Sarthe (composée de trente-et-une communes). Couvrant soixante-deux hectares, elle est la commune la moins étendue du département de l'Orne et son agglomération est partagée avec cinq autres communes :
 à l'est : Saint-Julien-sur-Sarthe, de l'autre côté du pont sur la Sarthe avec le Carré Saint-Julien ;
 à l'ouest : Saint-Léger-sur-Sarthe avec le faubourg Loyer et  Saint-Aubin-d'Appenai ;
 au nord : Coulonges-sur-Sarthe avec le quartier de la gare et Laleu.

Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe est traversée par la Sarthe, et par la RN 12, axe majeur de l'Orne, qui traverse le département d'est en ouest. Depuis 2010, Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe est un point de passage, une étape, sur la voie verte Condé-sur-Huisne - Alençon, qui emprunte l'ancienne voie de chemin de fer Alençon - Le-Mêle-sur-Sarthe - Mortagne-au-Perche - Condé-sur-Huisne.

Climat
Le climat qui caractérise la commune est qualifié, en 2010, de « climat océanique dégradé des plaines du Centre et du Nord », selon la typologie des climats de la France qui compte alors huit grands types de climats en métropole. En 2020, la commune ressort du type « climat océanique altéré » dans la classification établie par Météo-France, qui ne compte désormais, en première approche, que cinq grands types de climats en métropole. Il s'agit d'une zone de transition entre le climat océanique, le climat de montagne et le climat semi-continental. Les écarts de température entre hiver et été augmentent avec l'éloignement de la mer. La pluviométrie est plus faible qu'en bord de mer, sauf aux abords des reliefs.

Les paramètres climatiques qui ont permis d'établir la typologie de 2010 comportent six variables pour les températures et huit pour les précipitations, dont les valeurs correspondent à la normale 1971-2000. Les sept principales variables caractérisant la commune sont présentées dans l'encadré ci-après.

Avec le changement climatique, ces variables ont évolué. Une étude réalisée en 2014 par la Direction générale de l'Énergie et du Climat complétée par des études régionales prévoit en effet que la  température moyenne devrait croître et la pluviométrie moyenne baisser, avec toutefois de fortes variations régionales. Ces changements peuvent être constatés sur la station météorologique de Météo-France la plus proche, « Ste Scolasse-sur-Sarthe », sur la commune de Sainte-Scolasse-sur-Sarthe, mise en service en 1972 et qui se trouve à  à vol d'oiseau, où la température moyenne annuelle est de  et la hauteur de précipitations de  pour la période 1981-2010.
Sur la station météorologique historique la plus proche, « Alençon - Valframbert », sur la commune d'Alençon,  mise en service en 1946 et à , la température moyenne annuelle évolue de  pour la période 1971-2000 à  pour 1981-2010, puis à  pour 1991-2020.

Urbanisme

Typologie
Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe est une commune rurale, car elle fait partie des communes peu ou très peu denses, au sens de la grille communale de densité de l'Insee.

Par ailleurs la commune fait partie de l'aire d'attraction d'Alençon, dont elle est une commune de la couronne. Cette aire, qui regroupe , est catégorisée dans les aires de  à moins de .

Occupation des sols

L'occupation des sols de la commune, telle qu'elle ressort de la base de données européenne d'occupation biophysique des sols Corine Land Cover (CLC), est marquée par l'importance des territoires artificialisés (60,8 % en 2018), une proportion identique à celle de 1990 (60,8 %). La répartition détaillée en 2018 est la suivante : zones urbanisées (60,8 %), prairies (39,2 %).

L'IGN met par ailleurs à disposition un outil en ligne permettant de comparer l'évolution dans le temps de l'occupation des sols de la commune (ou de territoires à des échelles différentes). Plusieurs époques sont accessibles sous forme de cartes ou photos aériennes : la carte de Cassini (), la carte d'état-major (1820-1866) et la période actuelle (1950 à aujourd'hui).

Toponymie
Le nom de la localité est attesté sous les formes Merula en 854, de Merula en 1149.

Du latin merula, « merle ».

La Sarthe borde la commune.

Histoire
Merula super Sartham et son église, dédiée à saint Julien, sont cités en 854 lors d'une mission de missi dominici. Le nom de Carré « Saint-Julien » vient sans doute de cette église située en bordure de la Sarthe.

Le Mêle était entouré de forêts. À l'est, l'immense forêt du Perche, à l'ouest, au nord de la Sarthe, la forêt de Bourse, au sud de la Sarthe, la forêt de Blavou aujourd'hui disparue.

Le roi Charles le Chauve, mort en 877, donne l'église aux moines de Saint-Maur de Glanfeuil en Anjou. Pendant l'invasion des Vikings en 862, les religieux de cette abbaye déposent les reliques de saint Maur dans l'église du Mêle ; elles y restèrent un an.

Guillaume , duc de Normandie (910-942, dit Guillaume Longue-Épée) fait élever au Mêle un château destiné à défendre le pont de bois sur la Sarthe. Dès le , le Mêle appartient à la puissante famille des Bellême.

Guillaume  de Bellême (mort vers 1030) contrôle la forêt de Bourse vers 1025.

Sigefroy, fils bâtard de Guillaume , est cité comme premier seigneur du Mêle. À cette époque, le Mêle est un bourg, centre économique, de production et d'échanges avec des marchands et des artisans.

La Sarthe était une zone marécageuse avec peu de points de passage ; des gués à Alençon, à Saint-Léger et à Saint-Paul, des ponts en bois au Mêle et à Alençon.

Le défrichement de la forêt de Bourse était en plein essor en 1060. Olivier du Mêle (de Merula), neveu de Sigefroy, fils bâtard de Guillaume  de Bellême (mort avant 1109) est le second seigneur connu, vers 1050.

Ensuite on trouve Roger de Montgommery, époux de Mabile de Bellême, vers 1080.

Le château du Mêle a été remis en état entre 1087 et 1113.

À la suite de la défaite des Bellême, Henri  Beauclerc, roi d'Angleterre et duc de Normandie, s'empare du Mêle en 1113. Il la donne à son neveu Thibault , comte de Champagne, qui fait renforcer les défenses du Mêle et impose de lourdes corvées et de lourdes taxes aux habitants.

Guillaume III de Montgommery Bellême (mort en 1172), rentre en possession en 1128 du Mêle. Il fait élever un nouveau château en matériaux plus solides que le château primitif en bois, non plus près du pont mais un peu plus haut vers l'ouest, à l'emplacement de l'école Saint-Joseph.

Henri  Plantagenêt, roi d'Angleterre et duc de Normandie, fait ériger, entre 1158 et 1168, « les fossés le Roi », ligne de défense d'une centaine de kilomètres du Mêle jusqu'à Verneuil-sur-Avre, vis-à-vis du royaume de France.

Le moulin du Mêle est cité en 1159, la dîme était à l'abbaye Saint-Martin de Séez.

Lors de la conquête de la Normandie en 1204 par Philippe Auguste, roi de France, le comté d'Alençon est réuni à la couronne.

Le château du Mêle, détruit pendant la guerre de Cent Ans, est reconstruit par les Montgommery.

Comme personnage tristement connu de cette famille : Gabriel  de Montgommery, capitaine de la garde écossaise du roi, seigneur du Mêle qui blessa mortellement le roi de France Henri  lors d'un tournoi en 1559. Ses deux enfants aînés se réfugient au château du Mêle.

En 1760, la baronnie du Mêle est vendue à Clément de Barville qui l'échange avec le roi en 1773.

En 1774, Louis  fit don à son frère Louis Stanislas (Louis ) de la baronnie du Mêle. En 1784, la baronnie est cédée à Maximilien Antoine Armand de Béthune, duc de Sully.

Sur un plan de 1670, on voit des halles, environ , situées sur la grande place. Le marché, hebdomadaire, était le plus important de la région. Elles sont démolies vers 1863.

Au début du , lors de l'aménagement de la grande route vers Paris par Mortagne et Verneuil, une poste aux lettres et aux chevaux est installée près du « Bœuf Noir ».

Il y avait deux diligences pour Paris par semaine ; le voyage durait trois jours et demi. Une douzaine d'agents étaient affectés à cette poste.

La Sarthe a été aménagée à la fin du  et un nouveau pont a été construit.

Au , le château était composé de trois corps de bâtiments perpendiculaires à la route (grande rue) et encadrant la cour d'honneur. Les jardins ont fait place à l'église, à la poste, au château d'eau. Le manoir seigneurial avec sa chapelle, occupait la partie sud de la cour (actuellement école Saint-Joseph).

Inhabité pendant longtemps après la mort de la comtesse Nicolas François de Montgommery (en 1732), ses murs et ses toits se dégradant faute de réparations, le dernier seigneur du lieu, Maximilien de Béthune, le vendit deux ans avant la Révolution.

Mademoiselle Victorine Chevallier (morte en 1928), dernière propriétaire du château, bienfaitrice de plusieurs églises de la région, désigne l'abbé Victor Dubois, secrétaire général de l'évêché, comme légataire universel. L'école Saint-Joseph est ouverte en 1935.

L'ancienne église, dédiée à saint Julien, étant en très mauvais état, a été démolie au cours des années 1850. Le maître autel est aujourd'hui dans la nouvelle église à l'autel de Notre-Dame-de-Pitié. C'est le seul vestige de l'ancienne église.

Dès 1836, le conseil de fabrique s'entendit avec la municipalité pour faire construire une nouvelle église. Le conseil municipal acquiert une partie des anciens jardins du château. Les travaux commencent en 1843 ; la nouvelle église est bénite le .

En 1840, une école de dressage du cheval fut fondée. Une notable amélioration se fit sentir dans la race normande : les carrossiers et les trotteurs, préalablement assouplis et dressés, furent mieux appréciés du commerce et conquirent dès lors une grande renommée.

Autour du Mêle, il y avait de nombreux élevages : Mesnil-Broust, Marchemaisons, Essay, Bursard, Boitron, Aulnay, Saint-Aubin, Laleu, Saint-Léger.

Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe est libérée par la  américaine le . Un odonyme (place du 11-Août-1944) rappelle cet évènement de la Seconde Guerre mondiale.

Héraldique

Politique et administration

Démographie

En 1702, il y avait , soit environ , en 1790, , environ .

Économie

La commune a obtenu le label Village étape en 2017.

Lieux et monuments

 L'église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de style néoclassique (), est inscrite au répertoire supplémentaire des monuments historiques.
 Le lac du pays Mêlois est un lac créé et aménagé entre 1969 et 1975, mis en eau au printemps 1975. Avec une plage surveillée et des loisirs tels que la voile, pédalos, pêche, mini-golf, tennis, jeux pour enfants, camping, etc.

Activité et manifestations

Personnalités
 Jacques Boisgallais (1927-2021), compositeur y est né.
 Daniel Goulet (1928-2007), professeur puis directeur d'une école privée du Mêle-sur-Sarthe. Il fut maire de cette commune pendant près d'un quart de siècle, entre 1971 et 1995, député de la  circonscription de l'Orne puis sénateur de l'Orne.

Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe dans la fiction
 L'action du film Normandie nue sorti en 2018 se déroule dans le village.

Jumelages et partenariats
  (par sa commune associée Falkenstein).
 .
 .

Notes et références

Notes

Références
 Altitudes, coordonnées, superficie : répertoire géographique des communes 2014 (site de l'IGN, téléchargement du  mars 2015)

Voir aussi

Articles connexes
 Liste des communes de l'Orne

Bibliographie
 Morand (Fabrice), "L'ancienne église du Mêle-sur-Sarthe", dans les Cahiers percherons, bulletin trimestriel des Amis du Perche, n° 186, 2011-2, pp. 29–35.

Liens externes
 Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe sur le site de la communauté de communes
 Résumé statistique du Mêle-sur-Sarthe sur le site de l'Insee

Mele-sur-Sarthe
Mele-sur-Sarthe
Station verte
Aire d'attraction d'Alençon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Gun-permit-issuance-confidential-under-11514960.php
Gun permit issuance confidential under Connecticut state statute
Published 12:00 am EST, Monday, December 17, 2012
Does your next-door neighbor own one or more weapons?
You won't know unless he or she wants to tell you.
Under Connecticut state statute, the name and address of a person issued a gun permit in the state is confidential "and shall not be disclosed." That is, unless her or she was denied a permit to carry a gun.
After an appeals period, you can get a copy of the failed permit application from the state Board of Firearms Permit Examiners, which reviews all appeals for denied or revoked permits.
The state's Freedom of Information Act does not mention gun permits at all, but because permits are already deemed confidential under state statute Section 29-28, the state law takes precedent and records cannot be made public, according to Tom Hennick, public information officer at the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission.
"I don't know when that came to being or why, but that's the case," Hennick said.
The public information exemption was passed by the General Assembly in a special session in July 1994, according to state Rep. Matt Lesser, D-100.
"It did a number of things to tighten the law in addition to making the records exempt from FOI," Lesser said.
Some of the changes included making sure that in addition to giving law enforcement access to look up gun permits, such permits could also be disclosed to the commissioner of Mental Health and Addition Services. It also made it harder for convicted felons to obtain firearms and limit the amount of guns one person could buy in a given year.
"It was part of the negotiations with the 'pro-gun' legislators and lobbyists," said Mike Lawlor, undersecretary for Criminal Justice Policy and Planning and a former state representative who participated in the 1994 special session. "I did not favor it at the time, but it did help get the bill passed."
Whether gun permits are public documents is certainly a discussion worth having in wake of Friday's shooting, Lesser said Friday.
"I think we should start rethinking a lot of things, and that may very well be something we can open up," said Lesser, the vice chairman of the legislature's FOI Committee.
Lesser said legislators are "looking at a lot of things right now, trying to put heads together at the moment to figure out what to do to make sure that we can ensure safety."
"I think everything is on the table," he said.
Middletown Police Department spokeswoman Lt. Heather Desmond said she doesn't think it would make a difference if the public knew who owns guns.
"We (the police) have the ability to run someone's name to see if they have a permit," Desmond said. "You can also carry some long guns without a permit."
Long guns can be owned and carried by any legal resident unless he or she has been convicted of a crime or has been institutionalized in a mental hospital. There is no minimum age for owning a long gun in Connecticut. There is actually no age limit for owning handguns either in Connecticut, but you must be 21 or over to apply for a pistol permit and it is illegal to transfer ownership of a gun to anyone under 21.
Desmond also pointed out that a pistol permit only gives you a right to carry a gun, but anyone can go and buy a gun without a permit after passing a background check at the store.
"So, even if someone doesn't have a permit, they could still own multiple guns," she said.
Lesser, acting as a devil's advocate, said that in theory, if records of who owns what guns were made public, anyone who wanted to steal a weapon could easily look up where to find one and break in while the owner is away.
Nancy Alderman, president of the nonprofit Environment and Human Health, on Monday advocated for stricter gun laws in Connecticut but said she isn't sure it would help to know who owns guns or has carry permits.
"I am not sure what good it would do," she said. "Certainly, the authorities should be able to check whether a gun has the proper registration, but should the public know? That is different. If I learned that my neighbor had guns, I would then be scared, and there would be nothing I could do about it -- if they were obtained legally, which most are."
Ladd Everitt, director of Communications for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, however, said most Americans believe in the principle of transparency and would welcome gun permit records being made public.
"There is a difference between guns you own at home and a gun you bring out on the street," Everitt said. "For people who are carrying guns, I do think that that should be public information."
Everitt also said the government should have a way to access data on anyone who owns guns to be able to independently audit this information. For it not to be able to access it, he said, "It's creating a system that has no accountability."
But Sarah Murray, a gun owner from Bethany, questioned the purpose of making gun permits public.
"It is likely to cause more trouble versus solving anything," she said. "I don't think they should make them public, but I would still keep my permit even if they do make the records public."
Murray said that since she is not trying to hide who she is, she has no concern over the records being made public. However, she does not see the benefit of it.
"I also think that there would be a group of people that would target people if they knew for certain they could carry - and maybe that person isn't carrying that day," she said.
Email messages sent Monday afternoon seeking comment from the Connecticut State Rifle & Revolver Association and the state's Coalition of Connecticut Sportsmen were not returned as of 8 p.m.


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Have you ever had an elevator door close on you? If it was an older elevator the door might have closed on your arm, your leg or ½ your body. The bottom line is that you were not all in. Because you were not all in, the elevator was not operable. The elevator could not operate until you were all in or all out!
Matthew 15:1-20 describes a group of people who were not all in. That group is the Scribes and Pharisees. They had religion but they didn't have a relationship with Jesus. They had traditions, but they did not enjoy time with the Savior. The Scribes and Pharisees didn't get it. They didn't understand. They chose not to be teachable. They were not all in. I encourage you to read these verses with the thought of being all in. What lessons can be learned from this group of religious people?
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BE ALL IN in your inreach. People in your local church need you. Get to know someone that you do not know. Be their friend. Reach out to them. Pray for them. Love them. Encourage them. Be all in!
BE ALL IN in your outreach. Tell people about Jesus. Each of us has a testimony if we have been born again. Give a gospel tract to people whose paths you cross. Never be ashamed to stand for Christ. He died for our sins and rose again that we might go to Heaven to be with Him! Be all in!
Almost every Sunday I ride the elevator at our church with our two oldest grandchildren. One pushes the button on the outside to call the elevator. We enter the elevator, and then the second child pushes the button inside to tell the elevator to go down to the first floor. Every time we ride all three of us completely get on the elevator. Why? Because the elevator doesn't operate unless we are all in.
Do you live by the elevator concept? Are you all in?


This ultra-soft high-grade silicone teat reduces colic, spit up, burping and gas. It helps to decrease air bubble oxidation of your baby's milk thereby preserving the key nutrients of the feed. It is made from BPA-free material and is dishwasher safe.


CloudFlare launched Universal SSL, making SSL encryption available to everyone. 2 million sites have already signed up for the service.
It's very easy to setup a Flexible SSL. It only takes only 48hours to be active.
But if you force http to https redirection on your website with the following normal methods, a loop redirection occurs.
You can also use the Cloudflare Pagerules to force the https protocol.
For WordPress, there is a working plugin available called "Cloudflare Flexible SSL", I also use "SSL Insecure Content Fixer" to load "unsafe scripts" in the admin section.


"The debt can be thought of as work that needs to be done before a particular job can be considered complete. If the debt is not repaid, then it will keep on accumulating interest, making it hard to implement changes later on. Unaddressed technical debt increases software entropy [software complexity]."
A solid overview of technical debt in software projects can be found here. That link details the technical debt experienced within the code line, which is the common understanding of where such debt accumulates.
A backlog of documentation tasks (where documentation is not in your definition of done).
Known errors in your documentation.
Known omissions in your documentation.
Known ambiguities in your documentation.
An out-of-date Table of Contents or index.
A lack of consistent terminology and/or use of standards within a document.
A lack of consistent terminology and/or use of standards within a documentation suite.
A lack of consistent terminology and/or use of standards across different documentation suites.
Documentation that is out of sync with the most recent release.
Missing documentation (e.g. you have installation notes but no configuration guide).
Multiple documents that could (and therefore should) be single sourced.
There are other types of technical debt for documentation; these points should be thought of as examples, rather than as an exhaustive list. As all technical debt is shared by the whole team, our debt is their debt and vice versa. I'm sure you can imagine that there is some contention about whether documentation is included in the "official" definition of technical debt, but that largely boils down to whether or not documentation is included in the Definition of Done, which I've discussed elsewhere.
The important point is that, like a software application, a large piece of documentation can be very complex, and the more errors or omissions there are, and the earlier these occur, the more you pay for them when trying to fix the errors or include the omissions at a later date. There is no magic bullet for fixing technical debt, so I won't try to provide one here, but at a later date I will be posting about the value of documentation, and hopefully that will give you some ideas about how to persuade people of the importance of getting your documentation correct, consistent and complete.
That aside, don't be afraid to talk in terms of technical debt if you need to persuade your Product Owner to prioritise tasks that will fix these problems. The more that your documentation issues are seen as being similar in scope and type to the software issues, the more likely you are to be supported when you ask for a higher priority to fix your technical debt. It's important to frame requests in language that your development-oriented team mates can understand, and most developers understand both the importance of minimising technical debt, and the frustration that having it causes.


text:
Posted in Young Adult
Hell Hath No Fury – Ages 16 years and up – contains strong language
Posted on November 26, 2013 by Wendy Allott
Tammy stared at the broken window, the jagged glass like the maw of some ravenous creature. The dark interior of the gym started to glow, there was a crackling sound and Tammy wrinkled her nose at the hot, sour, smell that wafted around her. Smoke spiralled up into the night, blotting out the stingy moon.
The whine of sirens jolted her out of her trance.
Anna pulled on her arm, "Jesus Tammy! Run!"
Tammy spun on her heel and ran. Something exploded inside the gym and she shrieked, ducking instinctively. Her pulse thrummed in her neck. She grabbed Anna's hand and they ran together over the school driveway, through the gates and across the road.
"Quick, down here," Tammy pulled Anna down a steep bank. They lay against the cold, damp, grass panting. Something skittered over Tammy's arm, sharp claws pricking against her skin, and she swallowed a yelp.
Sirens tore the air. In the distance the fire alarm sounded at the station. Tammy's dad would be up, his beeper raising him from his sleep, oblivious to the fact that his only daughter was hiding in the shadows and watching it all unfold. A wave of guilt washed over Tammy and she groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"Shit, don't lose it now. It'll all be ok."
The fire truck rumbled past, spraying dirt and stones over them. Tammy coughed and rubbed her stinging eyes.
"I don't know," she said when the noise had died down, "I mean…I wanted to but…"
"But what? They had this coming."
"I guess you're right," she brushed her dark hair back from her face, "C'mon. Let's go."
They clambered up the bank, laughing as their feet slid on the damp grass, and stepped into the road. A pall of smoke, carried by the gusty wind, spiralled across the night and spread out over the town like the claws of some giant bird.
Tammy crossed the pitch black road carefully. Pain exploded through her foot as it connected with the concrete kerb. She toppled forward, pain shot up her arm and into her shoulder. She gasped and grasped her wrist, tears sliding down her cheeks.
"Shit, shit, shit."
"What? Are you ok," Anna crouched down beside her.
"Shit Anna. I think I've broken something. Jesus, it hurts."
"Don't worry. I'm here, I'll look after you."
"Run Two Tonne! Run!"
Tammy kept her blue eyes focussed ahead. The finish line wasn't far away now, she could see Miss Jessop waiting, clipboard in hand. All she had to do was keep going.
Her lungs burnt, her breath clawed at her throat and she wheezed painfully. Sweat ran from her hairline, leaving tracks on her smooth, soft cheeks. More trickles of sweat pooled between her breasts, which bounced painfully with each step, and in the small of her back. Her thighs rubbed together, she was sure that a small fire was igniting between her legs as she ran.
Finally she willed herself over the finish line and came to a halt, her joints complaining at the abrupt stop.
"Well done Tammy," Grace Jessop said with a gentle smile.
"Yeah, good job Two Tonne," Amelia Grey said, tossing her shiny black ponytail over her shoulder.
Miss Jessop's eyes swivelled between the two girls. Tammy's breath froze in her chest, her skin prickled in anticipation and her stomach clenched. She balled her chubby hands into fists and leant forward, trying to will Miss Jessop to say something, anything.
Miss Jessop opened her mouth and turned to Amelia, "You're up Milly. Head down to the other end of the field please."
Amelia smiled and sashayed towards the start line.
Tammy's heart sank, shock buzzed inside her head. The beginning of tears stung her eyes and she turned away quickly. So close to it all ending and nothing had happened. How could Miss Jessop just turn a blind eye?
"Tammy? You can go get changed."
"Yes Miss," Tammy replied, trudging towards the change rooms.
Alone in the cement block change rooms she allowed a tear to spill down her cheek, wiped it away and began pulling off her clothes, exposing her pale, spongy, body to the cold air. She spritzed deodorant under her arms and then pulled her clothes on quickly as the change room door swung open and the other girls came in to change, their voices bouncing off the wall.
Tammy kept her head down, stuffed her PE clothes into her backpack and stepped backwards, colliding with someone behind her with a thud.
"Jesus Two Tonne!"
Tammy groaned and looked into Amelia's brown eyes, "Sorry Amy," she said. Amelia winced and Tammy remembered that no one called her Amy any more, that nickname belonged to a skinny little girl with grazed knees and calluses on her hands from the monkey bars, not the athletic woman in front of her.
"Just watch it," Amelia muttered before strutting off and shutting herself in a shower cubicle. The pipes clunked a few times then the sound of running water filled the air and steam played in the weak sunlight coming through the grimy skylight.
Tammy made for the door, letting out a hiss of relief as she emerged into the fresh air.
"You know what I'd like to do?" Tammy said, kicking her heels against the steep concrete slope of the skate bowl.
"What?" Anna asked pulling the hair she'd been chewing out of her mouth and tucking it behind her ear.
"I'd like to burn the fucking place down. Just watch it go up in smoke, ya know?"
"What? The whole school?"
Tammy narrowed her eyes. Jacob flew down the slope and up the other side, planted his hand on the rim of the bowl and swung his feet into the air. He hung there for a second before bringing the wheels of the skateboard back down onto the concrete. The board slid out from under him and he slid on his arse to the bottom of the bowl.
He stood up and gave a mock bow. Tammy and Anna laughed and clapped.
Jacob scooped up his board, ran up the side of the bowl and sat down next to Tammy with a grunt, "What yiz talking about?" he asked, brushing his fringe from his forehead.
"Tammy wants to burn the school down."
"Not the whole school," Tammy protested, her cheeks colouring.
"I just want to get them where it hurts," she rolled her bottom lip into her mouth, "I want to burn down the gym."
Jacob whistled. Anna had only introduced Tammy to him a few weeks before but already Tammy knew that was his signal that he was thinking. She waited patiently, taking in his skinny frame and brown eyes from the corner of her eye. Her stomach tickled.
"I reckon I could help you with that."
"You have really pretty hair," he said suddenly, brushing a thick curl behind Tammy's ear. Electricity sparked from his fingertips and made Tammy's skin tingle.
"She asked how, Jakey. Chat her up later, ok," Anna said, picking the pink polish off her nails and dropping the flakes onto her lap.
Tammy blushed.
"Lewis showed me how to make a sparkler bomb once."
"Lewis, your dickhead big brother?" Anna snorted and rolled her eyes.
"He's alright. Anyway, it was awesome. And the more sparklers, the bigger the explosion and it'd make a nice fire."
Tammy pulled on a strand of hair, wrapping it around her finger until her fingertip felt prickly and swollen.
"They'd be heaps easy to get hold of too," Jacob went on.
"Mmmm. Yeah, you're right," Tammy said, releasing her finger and wincing as the blood ran back into the nail bed, "Let's do it."
"Can I sit here?"
Tammy looked up from her book. A tiny, bird-like, girl stood at her shoulder, one hand resting on the back of the empty chair while she balanced thick folders in her other arm.
"If you want," she said, returning to her book.
The girl sat down. She was waiting, it rippled out of her in waves of eagerness. Tammy bit her lip and tried to focus on the words in front of her but they seemed to fade into the paper and she gave up with a sigh.
"Hi, I'm Anna," the girl said, giving Tammy a broad smile.
"Tammy."
"Thanks for letting me sit with you. I don't know anyone yet," Anna smiled again. Tammy's eyes were drawn to a yellow pimple under her bottom lip. She tried to look away but it was like a beacon.
"What? Have I got a zit?"
"Um, yeah."
"Is it massive?"
"A bit," Tammy rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a crumpled tissue, "it's clean," she said proffering it to Anna.
"Thanks," she held the tissue to her skin and pinched hard, wincing as the pimple burst. "Is that better?"
Tammy narrowed her eyes. The spot was still pink but at least it didn't stand out like a vegan in a butcher's shop.
Amelia waltzed into the classroom, her skin glowed and her hair had been carefully straightened. She surveyed the room like a queen, caught sight of Anna and smiled.
"Hi. Are you new?" She asked, stopping in front of Anna.
"Sort of. I live in Danst but mum and dad wanted me to go here."
"That's like, half an hour on the bus isn't it?"
"Yeah, it's a bit painful but I'll get used to it."
Amelia's eyes flicked towards Tammy, who stiffened instinctively.
"Look, you seem really nice. If you care at all about your reputation I wouldn't start hanging with Two Tonne."
Tammy's inside burned, heat rushed into her face and she scraped her teeth hard against her bottom lip.
"Two Tonne?"
"Two Tonne Tammy."
Anna's mouth dropped open. She seemed to be about to say something when a lean boy with dark hair appeared, looping his arm around Amelia's waist and nuzzling into her neck. Tammy scrunched lower in her chair.
"Hey baby," the boy said before turning his grey eyes towards the other girls, "Hi Tammy, how's it going?"
"That's good. Who's your friend?"
"I'm Anna," she stretched out her hand which the boy shook.
"I'm Luke."
"I was just telling Anna that Two Tonne might not be the best person to become friends with."
"Shit Milly. You can be such a bitch sometimes. Just ignore her Tammy, she's probably on her rags or whatever."
Tammy smiled weakly. Luke was brushing his thumb backwards and forwards over Amelia's hip and Tammy's own hip tingled in response.
"See you around Anna," he said, moving away from the table.
"Yeah, it was nice to meet you. Bye."
"Bye," Amelia mimicked, "I know a lot of girls are after him but Luke's my boyfriend so, you know, don't get any ideas. Anyway, if you want to hang out with my group just come sit with us."
Amelia trotted away. She was halfway across the room when Anna called out after her.
"Thanks but I think I can pick my own friends and I'd pick Tammy over you any day. As for your boyfriend, you don't need to worry about me making any moves on him…he's not my type. I'm more into blondes. Oh, and girls."
Amelia froze, blood rushing into her face, her mouth opening and shutting like a fish on land.
Tammy roared with laughter.
"So you're gay?" Tammy asked, inspecting the contents of her lunchbox. She wrinkled her nose at the carrot sticks her mum and slipped in beside her cheese sandwich and pulled out a muesli bar.
Anna went rigid beside her and said nothing.
"My Aunty Kate is gay," Tammy went on, "we went to her commitment ceremony last year. Her partner, Paula, she's really cool."
"Yeah,"
"You're not worried about me making a move on you then?"
Tammy snorted, "You'd need to be into Rhinos to make a move on me, not chicks," Tammy said, laughing.
Anna wrinkled her brow, "How big do you think you are?"
Tammy shrugged and changed the subject.
"So why'd you change schools?"
"I have a girlfriend at my old school and Mum and Dad thought she was distracting me from my school work. Now I can only hang out with her after school."
"Your parents are cool with it then?" Tammy said.
Anna shrugged, "Cool enough. It's not like we pash or anything in front of them. I don't want to totally freak them out."
Tammy nodded.
"You could come to my place this weekend, if you wanted. There's no stress if you don't want to."
Tammy toyed with the corner of her sandwich, crumbling the crust between her fingers. Was it a trick? It sounded genuine enough but you never knew. Her stomach tightened but then she nodded, "I would like that."
Anna smiled, "great!"
"Tammy? You can go with Alana and Milly."
Tammy looked up. Miss Jessop was looking at her expectantly, her blue eyes enlarged by her trendy square glasses, bright red mouth slightly open as if she were out of breath.
A tremor moved from Tammy's feet, up through her legs and spread across her body. Her vision dipped slightly as a wave of dizziness overwhelmed her, static roared in her ears, and she pressed her lips together. She waited, adrenalin rushed through her, colour blossomed in her cheeks and her vision sharpened.
"I'm not going with them."
Miss Jessop raised her perfectly waxed eyebrows, "Let's not be silly Tammy. Move over to their table please."
"No," Tammy said, louder this time, her mouth set in a thin line, "I'm not going to work with them."
Miss Jessop crouched down next to Tammy's desk. The class was holding their breath, their eyes seemed fixed in their sockets. Tammy's resolve began to sink.
"Now Tammy," she started in a low voice, "I know you've had some differences with those girls but part of growing up is working with people that you're not necessarily friends with."
Tammy's mouth dropped open. Butterflies swooped inside her stomach.
Miss Jessop stood up, "Tammy," she said firmly, "pick up your stuff and go and sit with Alana and Milly."
"You must be out of your fucking mind!"
"Tammy!"
The class erupted into laughter. Tammy kept her eyes fixed on Miss Jessop, fear thrilled through her but she pushed it down.
"Tammy I know you've had a difficult time lately but that is simply unacceptable."
"Oh fuck off," Tammy spat, "It's unacceptable for the fat girl to be a bitch but the skinny, pretty, girls can do whatever they want?"
Miss Jessop was as pale as snow, a blue line traced around her lips.
"You know Grace," Tammy said in a sing-song voice, "part of growing up is realising you're not in high school anymore and that teachers can't be in the cool group, no matter how much they want to be."
"Get out," Miss Jessop growled, flinging her hand towards the door.
Tammy stood up slowly, picked up her books, and sauntered towards the door.
"Gladly," she said and disappeared into the corridor.
"So, are you a lesbian now Two Tonne?" Amelia asked, leaning next to Tammy's locker.
Tammy kept her eyes down and shoved her books into her locker. She slammed the door shut, twisted the combination lock, and turned away.
"Two Tonne," Amelia called out as Tammy strode away, "it's ok if you are. It's not like any of us would hook up with you anyway, boys or girls."
Tammy froze. Her stomach rolled over. She opened her mouth, words dancing across her tongue, and shut it again. Laughter cascaded around her as she walked away and went in search of Anna.
"What's the deal between you and that Amelia chick, anyway?"
They were sitting on a concrete step in front of an old portable classroom, used now to store old sporting equipment and outdated computers.
Tammy shrugged, "We were good friends in primary school. Slept over at each other's houses and that. Things just changed once we got into high school. You know how it is."
"Yeah," Anna said but she sounded uncertain, her little bow-like mouth was twisted to one side and she tapped her fingernails on the concrete step.
Tammy snuggled down into her faded school windcheater and sighed, "Thanks for having me over on the weekend. Your friends are really nice and your parents are cool."
"That's ok," Anna replied, the concern flying from her face, "they liked you too. What did you think of Jakey?"
"The one with the skateboard and the long hair?"
Anna snorted, "Yes, that one."
"He seemed really nice. He's pretty cute in a scrawny sort of way," she tried to remember Jacob. He'd had nice eyes, big and golden like a crocodile, and he'd smiled at her a lot and asked her a lot of questions.
"Yeah, well, he thinks you're pretty cute too."
Tammy's highbrows shot up to her hairline, "As if."
"What? He does."
"He's probably got plenty of girls interested in him, he doesn't need to go after a pog like me."
"He does have plenty of girls interested in him, but he's interested in you," the bell rang and the girls rose, shoving their chip wrappers through a gap between the steps and the portable.
"He wanted me to give this to you," Anna pulled out a folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Tammy who opened it. Jacob's creased features stared out at her. He was smiling broadly, his hair curling around his earlobes. In one hand he was holding up his mobile and, across his bare collarbone, he'd written his number in thick black pen.
She smiled, "Not afraid to put himself out there, is he?"
"Nope,"
"Why didn't he just friend me on Facebook or whatever?"
"It's not really his style. He likes to make an impression."
He'd certainly done that.
Tammy opened the padlock on her locker, swung the door open, and jumped back as her books and folders spilled out onto the ground. Her fingers trembled and blood rushed into her cheeks. She knelt to pick up her belongings, her name floated through the air like a leaf caught in a storm. She bit her lip, salty blood filled her mouth, and forced herself not to cry.
Tammy looked up. Amelia stood over her, something in her hand. Tammy's heart tightened painfully. Amelia waved the picture of Jacob around in the air so that the growing crowd of teenagers could get a good look.
"Is this your boyfriend Two Tonne?" Amelia said loudly, getting a few chuckles from the crowd.
Tammy inspected her shoes, "No. He's just a friend of Anna's. I met him on the weekend."
"Oh but he's cute. You'd make a nice couple."
"We're going to be late for class," Tammy muttered, stepping away from her locker. The crowd tightened around her, like a living wall, and a hot knife twisted in her chest, making her gasp.
"What's wrong Two Tonne? We just want to know about your boyfriend," Amelia looked over her head and smiled thinly, "Luke? Look at this, Two Tonne has a boyfriend."
Tammy kept her head down as Luke muscled his way through the crowd.
"Donno's looking for you all, he sent me to find you."
"Look, it's a picture of Tammy's boyfriend," Amelia persisted.
There was crackle of paper. Tammy swallowed a lump in her throat.
"That's great. Now come on, before we all get in the crap. We're meant to be doing our presentations and he's getting pretty shitty."
"But don't you think they make a nice couple?"
"Yeah, I suppose. Yeah, why not."
"Yeah, I mean they're perfect for each other as long as, well, you know…"
"Jesus Milly, what are you crapping on about?"
Tammy looked up. Luke was red in the face, running his hands through his hair. Amelia was looking at her, her big blue eyes framed by clumpy black lashes. Tammy couldn't look away.
"Well you know the rhyme," Amelia said.
The crowd held its breath.
Amelia smiled, "Fat and Skinny went to bed, Fat rolled over and Skinny was dead."
Laughter swelled around Tammy like a wave.
The principal's office was warm and quiet. He looked at Tammy and Anna over the desk, his hands steepled in front of him. Miss Jessop and Mr. Donovan hovered at his shoulders, like an angel and a devil, one on each side.
"We take bullying very seriously in this school," he said at last.
"We've spoken to Amelia and she insists that she had nothing to do with what happened. That you two are old friends."
Tammy's mouth fell open, a cold chill settled on her skin.
"We are not friends," she said, her voice coming out an octave higher than usual.
"The thing is Tammy, you don't make things any easier on yourself," Miss Jessop interrupted.
"I mean, doing things to draw attention to yourself like flashing around a picture of your boyfriend…stuff like that doesn't help you."
Tammy froze. Her mind was numb and her tongue felt swollen and useless in her mouth. Words ebbed and flowed around her but they might as well been speaking Chinese for all the sense they made.
"So, I think that settles it then," the principal said, "just try to keep your head down from now on young lady, keep away from Amelia if that helps…"
"And try not to be so sensitive Tammy," Miss Jessop added.
Mr. Donovan shook his head but remained silent.
Tammy gripped the sides of her chair, forcing the blood out of her knuckles.
"Is there anything else girls? Then you can go."
"You've missed your bus," Tammy said quietly. The school was empty, papers and empty wrappers skidded across the ground, pushed by a cold breeze. Dark clouds rolled overhead and Tammy eyed them, her mood worsening.
"It's ok, I texted mum and let her know what was happening. She's coming to pick me up."
"Do you want me to wait with you?"
"If you like."
They perched on the kerb, Tammy flicked at the leaves in the gutter with a stick.
"I'm so sorry about everything that's happened…"
"It's not your fault…it's just the way it is…"
"It shouldn't be, but. We should do something to make them pay…"
Tammy interrupted quickly, "Just leave it ok…things are about as bad as they could get. I just need to keep my head down, high school doesn't last forever."
"Tammy? Tammy?"
Tammy sighed, swung her bag onto her locker, and turned around.
"What?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Look, I'm sorry about yesterday. I really am, things got out of hand."
Tammy shrugged, "Ok."
"Look, I made you a present…to say sorry. I really am sorry Tammy," she pulled out a plastic container from her bag and offered to Tammy who eyed it suspiciously but took it with a sigh.
She prised the lid off.
"Chocolate butterfly cakes?" Tammy asked, shaking her head.
"Remember them?"
Tammy laughed, "We had them at my eighth birthday party. Remember we ate so many that we made ourselves sick…"
"And I had to go home! I know, I remember."
"Do you…do you want one," Tammy held the box towards Amelia, her heart fluttering in her chest.
Amelia shook her head, "No, they're for you. Just for you, ok? I'm sorry," she turned and began to walk away.
"Thanks Amy,"
Amelia hesitated and looked back over her shoulder, her smile faltered but then she grinned and with small wave she turned away.
Tammy inspected the butterfly cake and licked her lips. One wouldn't hurt, she hadn't had breakfast anyway. But what was the point at stopping at one?
"Tammy? You're up."
Tammy stood at the front of the class. Her heart seemed too big for her chest and beat against her ribs. She straightened her skirt, picked a spot on the wall and focussed on it.
"I did my report on the French Revolution and…"
Her stomach growled.
"…um, and I focussed on…"
Her stomach growled again, louder this time. It sounded like a dog was losing a fight with an octopus in her stomach. Sharp needles pushed into her guts and she clutched at her middle with both hands, bending at the hips to ease the cramps.
"Tammy? Are you ok?" Mr. Donovan asked.
"I…I think I might have a bit of a tummy bug…"
Her words were cut off by another churning rumble and she cried out in pain.
"I think you should go to the toilets Tammy," Mr. Donovan said gently.
"I can't move…" she let out another anguished groan, the pain and fear of messing herself freezing her to the spot in front of the class. Their eyes burned in to her, their whispers rose in pitch.
Anna appeared at her side.
"C'mon, I'll help you,"
"Oh my God! I can't. I can't move!"
She doubled over again. Sweat prickled on her brow and she let out a low moan. Tears slid down her cheeks and rolled off her chin, leaving dark marks where they soaked into her jumper.
"Dale, go get the nurse."
Tammy looked up into Amelia's steady gaze.
"I hope it wasn't something you ate Two Tonne," she said.
Tammy milled with other students at the school gate. She rubbed her sprained wrist, trying to scratch an itch under the white bandage. Someone touched her shoulder.
"Wow," Anna breathed.
The gym was a smouldering wreck ringed by yellow tape which flapped in the wind like a streamer at a kid's birthday party. The roof had crumbled and twisted and lay in the middle of the blackened building surrounded by dirty pools of water.
"Did you know that would happen?"
Tammy shook her head.
The fire had jumped, spreading from the gym to the canteen, to the first block of classrooms. Half the school had been reduced to smoke and ash.
Amelia and her minions were sobbing at the fence. Their mascara had run, they looked like skinny racoons in plaid skirts.
Tammy felt a wave of pity for them. They're whole world had been reduced to nothing. They'd peaked too soon and now they were going to have to fight for their place in new schools where someone else was already top bitch.
She smiled.
"They're saying the teachers will be transferred too, just until the school's rebuilt," Anna said, squeezing Tammy's hand.
"Are you going back to Danst?"
"Yeah. It'd be good if you came too."
"I heard Luke's going to St. Dean's."
"That's an all boys school isn't it?"
"No wonder Amelia's upset."
"Fuck her. Fuck them all."
Anna rested her head on Tammy's shoulder.
The principal called for silence. He looked pale, his eyes were droopy and his shirt was untucked. There was talk that the school would never reopen, that the staff would all have to find work elsewhere.
It couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of people.
Tagged: bullying, girls, short stories, teenagers, teens, YA, young adult
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text:
There is no Hindu-B'deshi refugee in Assam: Assam Nagorik Mancho
by NIKHIL MUNDRA
HOJAI , April 24, 2018 6:51 pm
Bijoy Chakraborty, General Secretary of Assam Nagorik Mancho, Hojai, addressing the media. Northeast Now
The Assam Nagorik Mancho, which is in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, has claimed that currently 'there is no Hindu-Bangladeshi refugee in Assam'.
Addressing media persons during a press conference at Hojai on Sunday, Bijoy Chakraborty, General Secretary of Assam Nagorik Mancho, Hojai, said, "At present in Assam, there is no Hindu-Bangladeshi refugee. If the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is accepted and regulated, then Assam will have nothing to lose because there is no Hindu-Bangladeshi refugee in the State."
He added, "But this Bill will benefit the Hindu-Bangladeshis in Odisha and Jharakhand as they would get citizenship there as they still don't have voter ID cards."
Chakraborty also demanded that Indian citizenship be given to people on the basis of the 2014 voters' list. He said, the Assam Nagorik Mancho has been demanding inclusion of a provision in the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 for constitutional safeguard of the people whose names are included the voters' list of 2014.
Informing that their organization was also invited along with 28 indigenous organizations to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) hearing on April 17 in New Delhi, he said, "We expressed our views in front of the JPC Chairman, Rajendra Agarwal, in presence of many leaders and government officials."
Also read: Citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis: 16 Assam organisations raise voice before JPC against Centre's move
"As the voters' list of 2014 was updated on the basis of the voters' list of 1966, citizenship should be given on the basis of the 2014 voters' list. In this connection, the Mancho has already submitted many memoranda before top level officials and on April 17, 2018 we submitted another memorandum to the JPC Chairman with the same demand in presence of many leaders and government officials," he added.
Chakraborty said, "If the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 is operationalised, then there will be no threat to Assam and the Assamese language."
He asserted, "We are bona fide Indian citizens. But in the name of National Register of Citizenship (NRC) update, our citizenship is being snatched."
Chakraborty presenting an RTI reply on students studying in different mediums in Assam, said, "The number of students studying in Assamese medium schools at present are 24,51,188 and on the other hand, the number of students studying in Bengali medium schools currently is 4,36,186."
He said, "The people of Assam need not worry about their rich tradition as it is fully safe."
Amar Chand Dey, Treasurer of Assam Nagorik Mancho was also present in the press conference along with other members Mimu Saha, Rishikesh Roy and Sudan Roy.
Assam: 3 doctors including joint director of health first to take Covid19 vaccine in Dhubri


The Trojan War was waged, according to legend, against the city of Troy by the armies of the Achaeans (Mycenaean Greeks), after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her husband Menelaus, King of Sparta. Agamemnon, King of Mycenae and Menelaus' brother, led an expedition of Greek troops to Troy and besieged the city for ten years. After the deaths of many heroes, the city fell to the ruse of the Trojan Horse. The Iliad relates a part of the last year of the siege of Troy. Ancient Greeks believed that the Trojan War was a historical event, and Eratosthenes dated it to 1194–1184 BC. Nine years into the war, Agamemnon dishonors Achilles by seizing a slave woman given to him, and Achilles withdraws from the fighting in anger. Both armies gather in full for the first time since the landing but, without Achilles, the Greeks are being finally defeated. However, the Trojan prince Hector kills Patroclus and, to his regret, brings Achilles back to the war forrevenge. Achilles is reconciled with Agamemnon, who has been having a hard time holding the Greek Coalition together for so long. It is now or never. This scenario takes place right after the death of Patroclus and is about how the siege of Troy could have ended, inspired bythe Iliad. Gods will not join the battle, just Heroes and men. The Greeks have Achilles and his Myrmidons, plus a 4th leader, Agamemnon, though they'll get into trouble if they lose the Coalition Commander against a Trojan Hero. The Trojans should not wait inside Troy, their forces outside are too weak to face the Greeks, and may compensate the extra Greek leader by using their horses to move leaders accross the field. May the Gods be with you!
Hero-Hero Combat: make Leader casualty checks only in Close Combat against units with an attached Leader. For each Leader killed discard 1 Command Card (2 CC if Agamemnon).
Walls: to move into Troy or the Greek Camp, an enemy unit must be in an adjacent hex. The rampart tile on the left(right) provides additional protection along the left(right) side.
Achilles (use Alexander block ): the unit with Achilles, swift o oot, battles with 1 additional dice in Close Combat and may move 2 hexes and battle.
Myrmidons: they are a Special Unit. They will ignore 1 sword symbol and may ignore 1 ag.


text:
UN inspectors out of Syria
Aug. 31 - UN inspectors leave Syria and arrive in Lebanon amid looming Western military action. Rough Cut (no reporter narration)
The United Nations (UN) team tasked with investigating alleged chemical weapons strikes in Syria left a Damascus hotel early Saturday and crossed the land border into neighbouring Lebanon a Reuters witness said. The team was later seen at the Beirut International Airport. The United States made clear on Friday (August 30) that it would punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the "brutal and flagrant" chemical weapons attack that it says killed more than 1,400 people in Damascus last week. In a sign the United States may be preparing to act, a senior State Department official said Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on Friday to the foreign ministers of Britain, Egypt, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as well as to the secretary general of the Arab League.
https://uk.reuters.com/video/2013/08/31/un-inspectors-out-of-syria?videoId=262805260&videoChannel=14095