text:
Lawmakers consider stricter penalties on prosecutor attacks
ST. PAUL -- Prosecutors should not be threatened, Dakota County Attorney Jim Backstrom says, and a bill Minnesota lawmakers are considering could help prevent that.
ST. PAUL -- Prosecutors should not be threatened, Dakota County Attorney Jim Backstrom says, and a bill Minnesota lawmakers are considering could help prevent that.
Telling a House committee that his own life was threatened last year, Backstrom said Tuesday that people facing charges often dislike prosecutors, similar to their feelings about law enforcement officers. A bill the committee passed on to another panel would place the crime of attacking or killing a prosecutor on par with a similar action against law enforcement officers and prison guards.
"The prosecutor too often becomes the focus of a defendant's rage against society," Backstrom said.
The bill by Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, is in response to the December 2011 shooting of Cook County Attorney Tim Scannell.
The attorney, a witness and a bailiff were injured in the northeastern Minnesota courthouse. A defendant who just was convicted of sexual assault was charged, and later died in jail.
Cornish's bill only applies to prosecutors, people such as county and city attorneys as well as those in the state attorney general and federal district attorney's offices. It would not increase penalties for attacks on baliffs, witnesses or judges.
Backstrom said he thought penalties in attacks on judges should be raised.
Public Safety Chairman Michael Paymar, DFL-St. Paul, questioned adding more attacks that would draw harsher penalties.
"When do we stop adding?" he asked.
Rep. Steve Simon, DFL-Hopkins, said the bill would not apply in a case like in Texas, where a prosecutor was attacked on his way to work. It only would apply when a prosecutor is on the job.
"It may not go far enough," Simon said of the bill.
Killing a prosecutor would bring life in prison, while attacking one would bring a 10- to 20-year penalty. Now, an attack sentence could draw as little as a two-year sentence.
A similar bill overwhelmingly passed the Minnesota House last year, but failed in the Senate.


text:
me + Richard Armitage + Lee Pace, or: The ship that dare not speak its name, part 1
From part 1. If you're opposed to shipping, please close this window now.
Assume with all fiction linked in this post that it involves RPF / slash / sex. Do not read or click on it unless you are prepared for that. Also, please do not harass the authors. Thanks.
In principio
June 11, 2012. I was still chatting a lot back then with a small group of fellow fans, and I remember this coming up.
"Who's Lee Pace?" I asked.
"Thranduil," someone said.
"Who's Thranduil?" I asked.
Cue (virtual) laughter.
I remember saying to someone, "The rumormongers will have a field day with this" and getting lots of agreement and laughter.
I had to look Lee Pace up, but the information in the entry meant nothing to me.
"Who's Lee Pace?" I asked a friend, an amateur film critic, a few days later.
"You don't know who Lee Pace is?" she asked, a little surprised.
"You know, I live under a mushroom."
"Yeah," she said. "I've known you for years. [Laughing.] He's this incredibly talented, very cute actor. He played a pie-maker in a series called Pushing Daisies that everyone loves."
"Oh, okay," I said. "A pie-maker?"
"He brings dead things back to life."
"Oh," I said. "Huh."
"He's in the new Daniel Day-Lewis film," she said, laughing.
Indeed, he was: Lincoln, which was to premiere later that year.
How essentially unoccupied with this matter I was at this point is probably underlined by the fact that I hadn't realized that Armitage and Pace stood close to each other at the Wellington theater benefit Ian McKellen in June 2012. I was more pleased that Armitage had his beard on. That was the last night that I ever thought mom was even temporarily cancer-free.
They're both at the far right rear of the image. My cap.
Right after that, my world erupted in the convergence of mom's full conventional hysterectomy, my dad's eye surgery, and the wake of ComicCon 2012, about all of which the least said is probably best.
I didn't think about it again until approximately a month after the tweet, when someone suggested to me that I read what was being said on the topic at Datalounge. I wasn't surprised by the discussion and I never especially like the tone of the conversations that occur there (oh, the misogyny — but I'm not in the audience for that stuff anyway). What surprised me then and is still noticeable to me now is the vehemence with which faceless speakers could insist on the accuracy of their perceptions.
Is it easier to have an identity — to insist on it — if you're faceless?
It was a theme, those couple of weeks, when an apparent sockpuppet was plaguing Armitageworld. I don't like things said anonymously, which is why I have a pseudonym, but nonetheless, I probably should be able to reason my way to some kind of sympathy with that position.
A few weeks later, the question made it to one of the blogs.
That blog exchange — in which I didn't even comment on the central question, in which I wasn't that interested and hadn't thought much about, but got slimed anyway — made me realize: No matter what you think, it's only the done thing say a few things about this topic under your name or your pseudonym. Everything else has to be said in secret. Whispered to your trusted friends. Written anonymously. Orthodoxy may not be questioned — APM here or there, this is a front on which no one is moving. I filed away that thought, too.
Thranduil (Lee Pace) before the throne of Erebor, in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. My cap.
I saw the Thranduil reveal at the end of August 2012, but I didn't think about Lee Pace again until I saw The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and while I thought he was strikingly, indeed ethereally beautiful, and did a great job showing us the injured mien of Thranduil, I wondered what all the fuss was over what was essentially a bit part. Yeah, I couldn't or didn't make myself reread the book before the film, which was just as well, so I still didn't know who Thranduil was, and I hadn't look up any of Pace's work, either.
But other people who knew something about the story or the actors were watching and sticking data together. Another rumor at Datalounge about Armitage's appearance in NYC. Then an appearance of both men in the same venue: a post at Awkward Celebrity Encounters about an Armitage sighting at a play Lee Pace was in.
At some point in all of this, I read my first Richlee fanfic. I can't find again the fic that first attracted my attention, which appeared at some point between the end of the summer and January. (It looks the author of one of them disappeared his/her stories — whenever you see something you particularly like, make sure to make a copy of it immediately.) However, I can more or less describe the story, because it moved me so much — the title was a line from a poem by ee cummings (one of my favorite twentieth-century U.S. poets), and it started off by describing how Armitage liked to look at Pace's back in the morning after a night spent in bed together.
Lucas North (Richard Armitage) as he gives up Oleg Darshavin (Emil Hostina), the man who knows his mind inside and out, in Spooks 8.4. My cap.
I'd always liked slash but I'd never bothered to think about it. There was a fair amount of Armitage character slash that I'd seen before the fall of 2012, especially in the Robin Hood and Spooks fandoms (Aegri Somnia, a story that a lot of people I know have been stunned by — warning, violent noncon), and there was one very isolated RPF (Out of the Shower — warning, threesome, sex toys) that I'd liked. Aegri Somnia, I thought was a very good reading and elaboration on things that were plausibly, if not necessarily, going on in the subtext of Lucas' and Oleg's exchanges in Spooks 8.4. I just thought Out of the Shower was hot — and that was before I had any idea who Hugh Jackman was or how he even looked.
Slash, fine. Character exploration, fine. But this Pace / Armitage / ee cummings story? That story made me stop in my tracks. "I'm not a romantic," I thought. "Why should I like this stuff? I wouldn't read more than five lines of a heterosexual romance with this much loveydovitude in it. I'd puke. Why is this okay? What makes this okay? More than anything else, it's just plain gooey." That wasn't how I saw myself reading fanfic, frankly. It wasn't for the romance. I've talked before about what I call the "iconic moment" as the reason that I read fanfic — that phrase or picture that echoes in my ears and mind and stays with me when I'm done reading. Every fic I'll mention in this series had one of those — and it's something unique about fanfic to me, because it seems to me that fanfic achieves this effect for me more regularly than "real" fiction (which can also do it, but not anywhere near so easily.)
In any case, in mid January or so, Richlee began to appear on A03, my preferred centralized source for Richard Armitage stories generally and slash specifically. The stories trickled, particularly in comparison to the really popular Hobbit ship, Aidean. (I got in the habit of reading Aidean just because there was so much of it.) At this point, the Armitage RPF available was still rare and fairly general, but I stumbled across a story that moved me, immensely, in exactly the same way as the cummings-ish piece: St_Germaine's Tonight.
The pieces frames Armitage waiting, blindfolded, in his production lot trailer for an unknown person who periodically notifies him that he'll be there. Intimate encounter ensues. You'll notice this story is tagged "Richard Armitage / ?" and at the time of this story, the other character's identity is not known. In a later episode of the story, however, St_Germaine revealed "?" as Lee Pace, so I'm mentioning it here because it depicts a Richard Armitage and a style of having sex and a potential sexual partner that the author felt fitted the Richlee ship. What the eventual reveal on this story thus told me was that one initial reason that I started enjoying Richlee was that it constituted an Armitage that I found believable. Not in the sense that I thought the real Richard Armitage was open to encounters like this one — I read the real Richard Armitage as much more personally cautious, and this scenario would demand a level of sexual adventurousness that relatively few people in their 40s with established careers can afford. Rather, I found it credible in the sense that I thought the personality of the character was very consistent with one of the Richard Armitages I like to imagine in my own fantasies.
Which one? In particular, the person who requested the story described a"'Richard Armitage: naked, vulnerable and trusting' kink," as its basis, and that aspect of the story is tremendously compelling. There's a way in which Richard Armitage builds that vulnerable moment into so many of his characters, first of all, and then there are still moments of the "shy, gentle" Armitage whom we see in interviews that hint at a strong capacity for personal vulnerability.
Mr. Thornton (Richard Armitage) moves to kiss Margaret in episode 4 of North & South. My cap.
Armitage the actor makes that vulnerability work for him in intimate scenes. Obviously the example that leaps to mind is the growing openness of his face as Mr. Thornton moves to kiss Margaret in episode 4 of North & South, but it's a prominent feature of other characters as well. No matter how manipulative his character is being (and neither Paul Andrews, Guy of Gisborne, Lucas North, or John Bateman, to name a few, have any hesitance to manipulate their partners if it suits them), there's always a moment at which Armitage's face shows a second of true vulnerability, a sign that the character underneath is truly, if only very briefly, at risk.
Paul Andrews (Richard Armitage), apparently responding to fellation, in episode 6 of Between the Sheets. My cap.
Richlee tends to show Armitage in these moments sexually, but with a kind of response that indicates a burgeoning of emotion, a sort of bundle of nerve endings that can be pushed to infinite levels of (sexual) receptiveness:
[Richard] feels a mouth suck at his shoulder.
Richard is shaking now, so hard it hurts, his other senses painfully sharp – the heady smell of sweat and sex, the sharp taste of his own blood. He hears their ragged breathing, feels his pulse pound against the fabric drawn tight across his wrists. His legs are starting to ache but he doesn't care, barely notices, so intent is he on those fingers at his thighs, slowly moving up, up, up–
He's stroked hard and fast, the teasing over, fingers at a nipple again, mouth hot on his neck. The suddenness of the onslaught has Richard almost sobbing, panting, he can't even cry out. His hands struggle against his bonds, straining to find skin to touch; he barely manages to make contact and his frustration just makes him that much harder. The fist pumps […] relentlessly, his nipples pinched without mercy, a hot tongue finding a sensitive spot on his throat.
Richard makes a low keening sound, rumbling from deep in his chest; hears an answering moan and feels the chest against his back shudder. His hips jerk, thrusting hard into that tight fist, teeth scrape his neck and that's it, he's gone, mouth open in a wordless shout and coming so hard his vision behind the blindfold whites out, his mind blank to everything but the hand […] and the harsh breathing in his ear.
This sort of appears in a lot of Armitage RPF and RPF slash — the face and sensations of the character out of control, maxed out on sensation. In my mind the pictures in the back of this narration are always the ones from Armitage the actor's oeuvre that combine vulnerability with a high receptivity to emotionality.
Additionally, the story includes my favorite kind of fanfic conceit; that is, in addition to its literal level and the sexual or romantic energy that powers the story, that these elements in turn embody something vital on an allegorical or metaphorical level about how we perceive Armitage. (I talked about this effect in relationship to another fanfic, here).
if he's honest with himself, this is part of what gets [Richard] so turned on about this – that he's being posed and touched and for all intents and purposes, used, all for someone else's pleasure. A someone he must know, but couldn't name.
In essence, the author of the story illustrates on the sexual level something we may already believe to be true (or would to be true) about an actor, a person whose job it is to be presented on the screen for the pleasure of the viewer. This Armitage is, sexually, what we on some level we believe him to be professionally — the passive receptacle not simple of our desires to enjoy him, but indeed, of our desires to make of him what we will.
Richard Armitage attentively observes his coach during sword practice. Screencap from the extended edition extras of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Source on photo watermark.
In a way, the Richlee fanfic ship built itself as it built my interest in it. The next story I saw, St_Germain's Training Session, described a sexual encounter that occurred after a sword choreography session.
The iconic moment in this story lay in its emphasis on another element I find central to my perception of Armitage — his status as a watcher. His characters do this on television — he's often the person whose eyes the camera tracks in order to show motion in a conversation; and his standing demeanor in groups tends to suggest that he's never the steerer of the conversation. He's a listener, and an observer. The fanfic mobilizes this perception, again on a sexual level, reminding the reader of the way that watching something you're not sure you can have builds up the excitement around it.
Richard tracks the movements with hungry eyes and unconsciously licks his lips. Watches the long line of Lee's back as it curls into the drop, the flex of his thighs as he stands again. Watches the way his loose gym pants cling to his ass as he rolls.
Suddenly, Lee turns to look at him. Richard is caught staring, tongue still at the corner of his mouth. He knows he should turn away, pretend to be packing up or stretching or something, but he stands frozen as Lee watches him. Richard can't seem to tear his eyes from the glisten of sweat on Lee's throat. His mind jumps to wondering what it would taste like, how that exercise-warm skin would feel on his tongue, against his mouth – and then he's licking his lips again, and Lee's eyebrows rise.
Richard suddenly comes back to himself. He blushes, adding to his mortification, and quickly turns away.
First of all, this description of Armitage struck me as essentially realistic or one that I notice in the Richard Armitage that I see in the press and now on the AUJ extended edition extras — someone who watches, attentively, who learns from watching, who enjoys watching, who might even prefer the safety of watching as opposed to the risk of involvement. And someone who blushes — and then can't control himself for just that split second, a technique he regularly uses in his acting. Secondly, however, it made me think about the whole way that desire takes hold of me when I feel it.
At the time, I read First Taste by pherede and remember not especially liking it. But I mention it here because I revisited it and I think that it tells an important piece of the Richlee ship story — just one that I picked up much later. So I'll come back to it. Some of these stories were so fanciful (Armitage as impoverished nobleman in a forced marriage with Lee Pace? — that crosses some weird sort of historical fiction line for me) that I didn't read them carefully.
On March 24, 2013, a live web event from New Zealand was broadcast to viewers who'd purchased the first legally available copies of The Hobbit and had the required code. On the whole, it wasn't as interesting for Armitage fans as for others, but it started to profile the cast of The Desolation of Smaug and showed us a preview scene from the film.
This event was the first time I really took a good look at Jed Brophy and liked what I saw — so charming — but more importantly, it was the point at which I finally got hit with the Lee Pace "thing." It was this few seconds from his interview, which I was livecapping, that did it.
Lee Pace, Hobbit live event, my screencap. March 24, 2013.
I don't even remember what he said, but I finally "got" Lee Pace. "He was intensity on wheels," I wrote. My initial reaction was to this moment — something about the way he tilted his head, and the sort of inherent irony of his eyebrows totally took me in. I think it would be worth asking if I'd have found him so sympathetic had I not read all of these fanfics ahead of time, but I can't really rewind the spring and test that possibility.
The other memorable moment of that web event involved the glimpses we were shown of the encounter between Thorin and Thranduil, and the way that Armitage's Thorin flinched in response to Thranduil's wrath.
Richard Armitage as Thorin and Lee Pace as Thranduil, scene first broadcast at Hobbit live event, my screencap. March 24, 2013.
I also remember thinking, boy do those guys have some amazing screen energy together. (Armitage ultimately confirmed this same perception recently, when he remarked in an interview that the scenes between Thorin and Thranduil were among his favorites). I also remember thinking that this scene, if it was as good as this green screen shot revealed, might be an incredible memorable performance. And finally, aware of the ship, I thought — and this is going to feed all of those fantasies precisely because the presence of the green screen behind the scene makes the scene appear simultaneously scenic (as in not real), but not so not real that we fully lose ourselves into thinking that these are the characters. The green screen has the effect of making me think that they are simultaneously Thorin and Thranduil — and Armitage and Pace working together.
I was right about that. On A03, the ship took off precisely on March 24th. And, I'm fairly sure the point at which I started noting one of the major manifestations of the ship — what its adherents call "clothes sharing" started after this.
However, I'm going to stop this post here because it's three thousand words.
To summarize what I've said so far — I initially wasn't that interested in this ship, but as it kept creeping into my vision, I noticed that it provoked or legitimated certain emotions in ways that were unique to me in the fandom and in my life experience. I noted ways in which especially moving Richlee deftly picked up and magnified facets of my own perception of Armitage as a person and a character. And then, I finally "got" Lee Pace both as an individual of interest and, more importantly, someone who had strong screen interactions with Richard Armitage. The fan fic that appeared after March 24th began a turning point for me.
Next time more discussion of the ship in fanfic, "clothes sharing," the fan art I started to notice, and the ways in which the ship further affected my emotional states and what I realized about myself from getting involved in it.
[to next part /interlude].
52 Responses to "me + Richard Armitage + Lee Pace, or: The ship that dare not speak its name, part 1"
[…] [to next part.] […]
The comment under the cap about Paul Andrews ( Between the Sheets) is wrong. In this episode he is not responding to fellation . Have you seen the episode ?
Da*n! 🙂 I must find the time to read those fanfics!
The ship is sailing. Isn't it? None of my beeswax, (if) they are a couple they make a really cute one. Like really super duper adorable. And I hope they are happy.
As a fan, I really could careless if he is gay (OR) straight.But I do hope he is happy.
But my nose does get really bent out of shape when I read stuff online that assumes that his female fans would abandon him, if he came out. That is just total and utter B.S.
It is a touchy subject, but I am glad that you brought it up. If for no other reason than I could say that … Mr. Armitage I support you, gay or straight, makes no difference to me, and will be a fan for life.
I really feel for people, whether they are actors politicians or people in the private sector , that feel that they cant come out. I have a doctor friend being living with his partner for YEARS and still feels like he cant totally be out. That just sucks.
Sorry, Servetus, but I disagree with your views. While you are careful not to make your observations about the real people involved, the simple fact is, shipping does involve and does affect the real people discussed. Setting aside one's personal feelings about RPF (I'm not a fan and it borders too close to defamation), shipping of real people fuels wild, unsubstantiated rumors that the fiction is not fiction, but a real life coupling. This particular ship has prompted Tumblr accounts dedicated to "celebrating" them as a "real life" couple and has people comparing standard articles of clothing–denim shirts, tie clips, dark sweaters and peacoats–for "clues" to "confirm" their real-life affair. Every public appearance is scrutinized–are they interacting, if not, is that an intentional ploy by PR to hide their "affair"? Not everyone is willing or capable of making the distinction between fiction and reality, and I simply cannot support or condone what has happened to these men and to so many other people who, by virtue of the fact they do a job which involves the public's viewing of their work, are freely discussed as if they are not real people but beings who exist purely for our entertainment and have no right to be treated with basic human dignity, including truthfulness about what is real and what is fantasy. With Richard and Lee, both are private, talented gentlemen, and they and the people in their real lives would likely be upset and mortified by what is written about them. The anononymity of the Internet (and a user name makes one no less anonymous), is treated by many as a gateway to say things that the law, simple empathy, and basic common courtesy would prohibit in real life.
Something has just struck me… given how popular slash fanfiction is, and that it is mostly written and read by women, how come gay male relationships feature so seldom in mainstream published fiction written by women? Do we need the fan relationship to start our imaginations working?
I read a fair bit, and the only examples I could come up with were Song for Achilles by Madeline Miller, and The Catch Trap by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and a passing mention in The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney. Admittedly I haven't particularly sought books of this type out – but nor have I actively avoided them. Can anyone think of more examples? Are there hundreds that I've just missed?
Maybe this is an idea whose time has not yet come, and the next 50 Shades of Grey will feature a short angry bearded man in a relationship with an ethereal tall one! Anyone who fancies being the next E L James, better get writing!
I read a post on Tumblr the other day which went something like this: "why am I now attracted to my celebrity crush as a gay man instead of as a straight woman?" It made me laugh until I realized that there was a grain of truth to it. Before discovering the world of fan fiction, I couldn't have cared less about slash stories. Since, I've read so many I've lost count. Hubby doesn't know it but he's grateful I have because I picked up a few pointers, lol.
I have enjoyed your posts and have learned from you too. I don't always agree which is comforting because I'd hate to be a sycophant – where's the fun in that? I have really appreciated the comments you've made about shipping and slash … you've explained a great deal that was going on in my head but that hadn't been brought into the light yet.
I've appreciated your pov on Richlee even though I can't quite get there. I am hung up on the reasonable chance that they may actually have a relationship … and that somehow makes it 'out of bounds' in my imagination. I don't care if RA is gay or straight – his sexual orientation neither enhances nor detracts from him in my eyes. I, as many above, just wish him every happiness. If Richlee is real, I feel sad that they can't be as free as he was with AC for all those years. Because of that possibility, it hurts my heart more than a little to ship them.
I can see shipping Thorin and Thranduil because they aren't real . Does this make sense?
I am overdue for some serious introspection and am concerned I may be a hypocrite … I have written RA RPF and have two new ones on the go at the moment. Oh I am so confused!!!
I had a really long reply typed up from yesterday, but rereading it, most of it feels inappropriate to post as a comment now. So I'll uh…just be picking out certain parts, which will result in a disjointed reply, and I am so, so sorry if this ends up too disjointed or confusing.
This is such a wonderful, positive post, and incredibly interesting. First, thank you for creating a safe space for RPF fans. I absolutely loved reading both posts, and I'm very much looking forward to part 3 (what a cliffhanger!). Absolutely loved most of the fics you recommended (and encountered one I hadn't read yet! THANK YOU!). Also, St. Germaine seems to be writing for the fandom again, and I hope we see more stuff in the coming months.
With regard to Lee Pace, if you haven't seen it yet, I highly, highly recommend watching his early movie "The Fall." It's a masterpiece and it was my first dose of Mr. Pace, and his performance there was such that I was never able to really forget either his name or face afterwards, even though I didn't keep track of his next performances too closely. I personally think any other performance of his pales in comparison to the intensity and raw emotion he showed in that film. There's a part near the end that involves him with a girl on a hospital bed that just has me crying no matter how many times I watch it.
I find stories of how people get into a particular ship or got into RPF in general very fascinating, because they often involve little epiphanies about themselves and about fandom in general. I love how you've documented your journey so well, I wish mine had been as enlightened and interesting.
Graham's probably aware, having such a strong presence on Twitter and with characters in both the gaming fandom and now The Hobbit fandom. A recent tweet of his has him commenting positively on a Dis/Dwalin drabble, and I found that extremely cute. If he chooses to ignore the slash ships, that's all right. Martin Freeman was rather classy in his reaction to a media personality's attempt at showing him "shocking" pornographic fanart of him and Benedict, and while I would love it if more actors displayed the same forbearance, there's only so much we can ask of these actors. (Frankly, I'd rather people didn't ask them about fandom stuff in general–I love the fourth wall so much, I could hump it–but it always seems to come up during Q&As now and then.)
With regard to AUs, I think it provides a certain "out" for writers to a degree – while all RPF is technically AU, some strive to be as close to RL events as possible to enforce a feeling of immersion and authenticity, and part of that is having to consider the actors' existing loved ones. AUs provide an easy out, as Actor A who is married to Person B can exist as a single man with entirely different ties. As you've mentioned, most of these writers are women, and I think a portion of them would rather not discount or dismiss the women in these actors' lives, and would rather actively "displace" the fantasy rather than have to make changes to existing relationships just so Actor A is no longer tied to Person B, and Actor A and Actor C can happen. Although different writers approach this differently – a common thread seems to be just to pretend RL Straight Relationship X never happened at all and that both men were single or were gay to begin with.
I honestly really love it when writers construct these relationships in incredibly crack-filled and fantastical settings and make it work. There's a fic being written by Mdseiran called "Invisible in the Sunny Spaces," and it's a Graham/Richard superhero AU that is both hilarious and romantic (mostly hilarious). I don't even like superhero stories, but this one had me hooked. I didn't much like Harlequin settings either, but then St Germaine happened. There's such a range of talent in the fandom, and I love how they seem to inspire each other in surprising ways.
It's amazing that you've put a date to when the Lee/Richard fandom took off! I never realized. I was one of the few who kept leaving Richard/Lee prompts in a particular meme during early January onwards, and I could count on one hand how many fills this particular pairing got. There are so many now – and you're right, the fic train feels like it took off at around late March. (Although that makes me wonder if they started writing way earlier!)
(Sorry for the length and for any spelling/grammatical errors! Very much looking forward to part 3. <3)
[…] The topic proceeds from here. […]
[This post has been edited in accordance with the comments policy to eliminate homophobic and ad hominem remarks. — Serv].
Oh dear. […]
If you think this is something, you should have seen the convictions a small group of fans had during the LOTR heydays, where the male cast were all very touchy feely and great friends. Plenty of them were, some still are, totally and completely, 110% convinced gay couplings were going on, and a great PR conspiracy to hide the secret […] relationships. And no matter how much real life evidence of the contrary, nothing could dissuade them from this belief. Alas [fans who believe these things] appear in all fandoms, Supernatrual – Vampire Diaries etc, some actors are aware and joke about it, perhaps even use it in their shows, while most just…keep mum.
I'm not bothered by shipping, though RPF isn't really my cup of tea, I choose not to venture into that territory for my own reasons. But if it floats your boat, by all means, get creative in your writing! If you're lucky enough, it might get published and adapted into a movie or TV series! 😉
I do tend to draw the line when your own perceptions start to interfere, and you start to fill in all the blanks so much so that you believe you actually know the person in question. You think you know the absolute truth, and only you. When the fictional character has replaced the real person, so when the real person speaks, that's seen as an act.
I do concede it's a fine line, but what I'm trying to say is: shipping is fine, but keep your wits about you when it comes to the imagination.
FYI, emil hostina was in The Fall with Lee Pace; he is now 45, is a former champion in kendo (martial art), has a doctorate in theatre history and many years on stage in repertory theatre.
[…] me + Richard Armitage + Lee Pace, or: The ship that dare not speak its name, part 1. November 21, 2013. A discussion of the history and appeal of the fantasy relationship between […]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Two local lads, from Lisheen down the road, have stolen the hearts of everyone in West Cork. Everyone in Ireland, actually, and beyond.
Gary and Paul rode the open-topped bus into Skibbereen on Monday night and then spoke from the stage at Fairfield
Gary and Paul O'Donovan won a silver medal in Rio in their rowing pairs class. They row for the Skibbereen Rowing Club, a local club that punches way above its weight in national and international competitions. The coach credited with that is the brilliant, but mono-syllabic, Dominic Casey. Taking Gary and Paul under his wing, he turned them into the hard-working athletes they are.
In the window on the left, the boys' mother, Trish O'Donovan, and their grandmother (Nana), Mary Doab
Their parents' devotion was sterling. Eoghan Harris's Independent interview with their Mother, Trish, is perhaps one of the most revealing pieces of journalism about the O'Donovan Brothers phenomenon and what it takes to support an Olympian.
Waiting for the Open-Topped Bus
Gary and Paul are also dream interviewees – every sentence is a sound bite, delivered in pure West Cork accents, with artless but articulate insouciance. Their interviews are now the stuff of legend – but if you haven't already seen them, take a look at this one done before the final race. What shines through, and makes them so endearing, is that they take their training, but not themselves, seriously.
Above: Left, Stella and Hugh sporting their 'occasion wear'; Right, this young man let me take his photo in his Shteak and Spuds shirt. Below: Many of the Skibbereen merchants had decorated their windows
The classic quotes have already been immortalised and the T-shirts have been selling like hot cakes in Skibbereen. The night of their homecoming it seemed like the whole of West Cork turned up to welcome them, including us! It was great fun to be there, in the streets, waiting for the open-topped bus, and then to see them on the stage, with Dominic Casey, so obviously having the time of their lives.
We, thousands of us, re-lived their big moment on an enormous screen in the Skibbereen Fairfield
Someone who came in for special praise in one of their interviews was the boys' grandmother – their Nana (the first of the interviews on this page). Coming in cold and hungry from rowing, they gratefully wolfed down her home-made soup and 'brown cake.' Here in West Cork when we talk about a 'cake of bread' – what we mean is that solid round mass of white or brown home-made soda bread that is one of the staples of our diets, and that tourists have come to love.
It seemed like the whole of West Cork turned out to greet them
In honour of Gary and Paul and their Nana, and using only locally grown and organic vegetables purchased at Levis's of Ballydehob Wednesday Farmers' Market, here is my recipe for Nana's Soup. It's vegetarian and gluten-free – and totally delicious! Serve with a wedge of brown bread if gluten is OK for you. (I've become more sensitised to gluten issues recently as a dear little niece has been diagnosed with coeliac disease.)
Local growers sell their fresh vegetables at Levis's pub in Ballydehob on Wednesday mornings
Vegetables: I used kabocha squash, onions, carrots, parsnips, potatoes and green beans, but you can use any robust vegetables that are in season.
Other ingredients: 1 can organic tomatoes, tapioca starch, vegetable stock (I used Marigold Swiss Veg Bouillon, but Knorr Veg Stock Pot is also gluten-free)), fresh or dried herbs.
Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and roast in a hot oven for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool. Once cool, scoop out the flesh of the squash and chop roughly.
Peel and roughly chop the onions, potatoes, carrots and parsnips. Top and tail the green beans and cut in half or thirds. Chop the herbs (I used parsley sage, oregano and fennel from my garden, but any combination that suits you is fine).
Sweat the onions over medium heat in butter or olive oil until translucent. Over the onions, scatter about 2tbs of tapioca starch (this make it gluten-free, but if gluten is not a problem, just use flour) and stir until well mixed and starting to thicken. Pour in a can of organic tomatoes, the herbs, and a cup or two of vegetable stock. Stir until well mixed, then add all the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for at least an hour, preferably two or even three.
After a bowl of this, you too can Pull Like a Dog!


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Luxury Edox Timepiece, Your Wait is Almost Over
Every time that watches of this quality have been featured on ShopHQ, the collections sold out quickly. That's why you'll want to be among first callers to take advantage of the amazing collection of precision timepieces that Steven Jay from Gevril Group will be offering for sale during this exclusive shopping event. Edox has never offered top-tier models like these for sale on ShopHQ before, and they may never offer these particular models again. So, don't miss this opportunity to obtain the watch of your dreams at a price you never thought was possible.
|ShopHQ Host Kendy Kloepfer
|Gevril Group's Steven Jay
If you aren't already familiar with Edox timepieces, you'll want to take this opportunity to get to know them better. Hosts Kendy Kloepfer and Steven Jay will show you why the amazing Edox Ice Shark III has become a favorite of world champion diver Christian Redl. With a precision Edox movement and a case that is water resistant to an amazing 3300 feet, this is a watch that will never let you down.
If your interests don't lie under the sea, you might appreciate the technically advanced Edox Chronorally model. With its unique retrograde subdials and oversize driver's style pushers, this precision chronograph is like no other. Anyone who appreciates the art of watchmaking will love the Edox Les Vauberts Open Heart model. This elegant mechanical timepiece showcases the beating heart of the watch in a beautiful V-shaped window on the watch's dial.
|Edox Ice Shark III
|Edox Les Vauberts Open Heart
|Edox Chronorally
|Click to Enlarge Image
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|Click to Enlarge Image
These Edox masterpieces are only a few of the surprises you see on ShopHQ's August 13 Edox event. Remember that the show begins at 8pm Eastern time (5pm Pacific). Make plans to tune-in now, because when Kendy Kloepfer and Steven Jay start talking about watches, you're going to want to join the conversation.
About Gevril Group
Gevril Group, watchmaker and wholesale watch distributor, is the exclusive U.S. agent for exquisitely designed and crafted European luxury and fashion watch brands, distributing and servicing some of the best affordable luxury and Swiss watches and trendy fashion watches. Gevril Group also operates a full-service watch repair, staffed by master Swiss watchmakers. Contact Gevril Group by email or by calling 845-425-9882.
Join the conversation! Follow Gevril Group on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Please subscribe to the Gevril Group newsletter and blog.


text: Biostatistics is the application of statistical reasoning to the life sciences, and it's the key to unlocking the data gathered by researchers and the evidence presented in the scientific public health literature. In this course, we'll focus on the use of simple regression methods to determine the relationship between an outcome of interest and a single predictor via a linear equation. Along the way, you'll be introduced to a variety of methods, and you'll practice interpreting data and performing calculations on real data from published studies. Topics include logistic regression, confidence intervals, p-values, Cox regression, confounding, adjustment, and effect modification.


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Anaemic women, with prolapsus; worn out with hard work, mental or physical.
Heaviness in pelvic region, languor, pain or burning in back, with CONTINUAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF A WOMB, SORE AND TENDER.
Better when mind is off herself.
I have found this remedy of use in a generally debilitated condition of women, with many and various complaints or symptoms in the region of the uterus, for instance: PROLAPSUS FROM ATONY, enervated by indolence and luxury; WORN OUT WITH HARD WORK, MENTAL OR PHYSICAL; muscles burn and ache; so tired cannot sleep (Dr. H. C. Allen).
There is almost always associated with it a more or less anaemic condition. This anaemia may seem to be consequent upon too profuse menstruation or flooding, or it may exist entirely independent of any such cause. In these cases I have often found albumen present in the urine, sometimes in large quantities, especially in pregnant women, and seen rapid improvement and disappearance of the albumen under the action of this remedy.
The fact that these anaemic and debilitated states are found, both under profuse and scanty discharges of the uterine organs, seems to indicate that the local symptoms are secondary, or a consequence of general debility and impoverished blood. Again, the fact that HELONIAS cures both conditions equally well seems to corroborate it.
What are the symptoms? The LEADING symptoms are anaemia, great general weakness and languor, and great lowness of spirits or profound melancholy. This condition of mind is temporarily relieved by diversion. She is always better if she can get her mind off herself; dragging weakness in sacral region; various displacements of womb, but more especially prolapsus; pain in the back, with lameness, stiffness and weight, and heat or burning in lumbar region; back feels tired and weak; continual CONSCIOUSNESS OF A WOMB, it is so SORE AND TENDER (PYROGEN—distinct consciousness of a heart). Now this condition and these symptoms are often found at the age of puberty, during pregnancy and after labor, and here HELONIAS is indeed a blessing. I have found it efficacious in the 2d and the 30th, according to susceptibility of the patient. HELONIAS deserves a thorough proving in the potencies. Compare with ALETRIS.


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February 4, 2014 (timesheraldonline)
A condemned Santa Clara County killer has been sprung from death row after nearly three decades, spared the possibility of execution because prosecutorial misconduct was found to have marred his 1987 trial.
The District Attorney's Office on Tuesday notified a judge that it will not retry the penalty phase of Miguel Bacigalupo's murder case, satisfied he will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole unless he can overturn his murder convictions in further appeals.
In an unusual ruling, the California Supreme Court in 2012 scrapped Bacigalupo's death sentence, finding that the prosecution's failure to turn over key evidence tainted his 1987 trial. The Supreme Court left intact Bacigalupo's convictions for murdering two brothers in a San Jose jewelry store in 1983, but concluded the misconduct could have tarnished the jury's decision to recommend the death penalty.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen could have retried the penalty phase, but opted for a life sentence instead of pursuing another trial so many years after the crime.
"I decided, in the interests of justice, not to retry the penalty phase because … it is unlikely that a jury would return a death verdict more than 30 years after these murders," Rosen said in a statement.
The Supreme Court found that the lead prosecutor in the original case — Joyce Allego, who later became a judge and retired from the bench last year — and her lead investigator did not reveal crucial evidence to the defense that a Colombian drug cartel was heavily involved in the murders. The evidence was crucial to Bacigalupo's trial defense.
Robert Bryan, Bacigalupo's lawyer, said Tuesday he is pressing forward with an appeal in federal court to overturn the murder convictions based on the same misconduct.
"The system worked," Bryan said of the DA's decision to drop the death penalty. "But the system only worked after sputtering, kicking and growling."
The lengthy legal battle stems from Bacigalupo's conviction for killing Jose Luis Guerrero and Orestes Guerrero, owners of a jewelry store on The Alameda. At trial, Allegro argued that Bacigalupo shot the brothers in a basic jewelry heist, mocking his claim that the Colombian mafia ordered him the carry out the murders or risk the death of his family.
But evidence unearthed in the ensuing decades suggested that the prosecution team, particularly lead investigator Sandra Williams, had strong information from a confidential informant that supported Bacigalupo's defense. And that material was never turned over to defense lawyers at trial.
Bacigalupo was unlikely to face execution soon. California has not had an execution in eight years as a result of legal battles over its lethal injection method, and none are expected at least in the next year on a death row with more than 740 inmates.
Howard Mintz covers legal affairs. Contact him at 408-286-0236 or follow him at Twitter.com/hmintz


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Do you create, perform, promote or commission new music?
We are here to help bring new music to life.
We are PRS Foundation, the UK's leading charitable funder of new music and talent development. Since 2000 we have awarded more than £35m to over 7,300 new music projects.
Explore our website to find out more about us and our funding opportunities.


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The trailer for the next Arkham City DLC harley Quinn's Revenge starts out about how you'd expect—with lots of hot (or, "hot") close-ups of our favorite ICP groupie Harley Quinn walking slowly away from the camera.
It then shows the new style she'll presumably be rocking in the downloadable add-on. I like what you've done with your hair, Harley! Also, Batman's in it for like 1.3 seconds.
As Evan already reported, the add-on will feature a chunk of new single-player content that will let players take on the role of Batman and Robin in a quest to shut the gates of Arkham City forever.
Awesomely, the trailer also sneaks in a "bitch" reference, since we know how those Arkham City folks love that word!
Seriously though, I've recently been playing Arkham City's wicked-fun/challenging new game+, and I'm looking forward to getting more story missions to play in the game. The DLC will be included in the "game of the year" edition of Arkham City on May 29th, and as DLC on May 30th.


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Hello Gorgeous Neon Sign
'Hello Gorgeous Neon Sign' is a wonderful room decoration to spark up the room! It creates a warm light ambiance in your home. The neon lights give you a feeling of surrounded by brightness, hope and happiness.
We also Heartwing Neon Signs, lightning Bolt Neon Signs, and Better Together Neon Signs, etc. Please click on the link below to find out more. https://blingpainting.com/collections/neon-signs
【Tech Specs】
Backboards: 5mm Acrylic plate
Silhouette: Cut to shape
Acrylic board color: Transparent
Warranty: 1 Year
LED Neon Colors: Red, Blue, Light Blue, Orange, Pink, Yellow, Purple, Light Green, Warm White
LED Power Adapter: Standard 110v or 230v LED power adapter (Each sign comes with an easy-to-use power supply, simply plug it in like a lamp.)
Power Plug: EU / UK / US / AU Plug (according to your location)
Transparent cable: Approx. 2m long (from the LED sign)
Installation methods: Mounting (on the wall) or Hanging by ropes (on the ceiling)
【Product Details】
High-quality Material: Our LED Neon is made from proprietary Silica gel molding technology, most signs deliver with the high-quality acrylic plate as backing. A long lifespan and remains cold, silent, and eco-friendly.
Safe: Our Neon Signs are made of kid-safe LED flex neon tubes. They are safer because they do not contain gas or mercury.
Easy Hanging: Our neon Sign is mounted on a high-quality acrylic backing, easy to hang. We present chains and screws as gifts so that you can easily hang & wall.
Service & Guarantee: 100% quality testing. All our products are quality-tested before shipment. If it doesn't work out for you for any reason please feel free to contact us, we will get back to you in 24 hours to make your experience as hassle-free as possible.
【What's included?】
1* Hello Gorgeous neon sign
1* Appropriate power plug and power adapter (Used directly)
4* Polyamide wall anchors
4* Tapping screws
4* Fixing screws
1* Chain
1* Switch
【Personalized Service】
If you could provide a text or a design, we will also make the custom neon sign for you with the custom size. Please click the link below directly: https://blingpainting.com/collections/custom-neon-sign/products/custom-neon-sign or contact the customer service via email or text. We will give you the information as soon as possible to meet your needs.
【Shipping & Returns】
Please allow us to process your order within 1-3 business days.
- US Free Fast Shipping 5-7 business days
- UK/EU Free Fast Shipping 5-7 business days
- See our Return Policy
【Support Team】
Email us: [email protected]
Bulk order: [email protected]
Message us: (302) 315-0808


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New York offers $500 reward for reporting illegal gun owners
ALBANY, N.Y. – Nearly a year before signing the nation's most stringent gun control measure into law, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched a hotline that allows state residents to report illegal gun owners in exchange for a $500 reward.
The measure is part of a four-pronged approach established by the governor's office to reduce gun violence in urban communities, according to CBS6Albany.com.
New Yorkers can call the "Gun Tip Line" if they believe someone they know has an illegal gun. Hotline calls are answered by state police and tips are referred to local law enforcement, the station reported.
"This initiative seeks to turn neighbor against neighbor and use their own tax dollars to pay for the $500 reward," Republican Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin told the station.
Three police agencies contacted by CBS6Albany.com for comment said they have not received tips from state police. Two of the agencies said they were unaware the program existed before this week.
Cuomo and legislative leaders said after announcing a budget deal Wednesday night that they will continue to discuss changes in January's gun control law before a provision kicks in banning the sale of 10-bullet magazines.
The gun measure outlaws the purchase of any magazines that carry more than seven bullets, the nation's most stringent limit. That would have put a severe limit on the sale of guns with industry-standard 10-bullet magazines when the provision of the law went into effect April 15.
"There is no such thing as a seven-bullet magazine. That doesn't exist, so you really have no practical option," Cuomo said. He told reporters that any suggestion this will be a rollback of the law is "wholly without basis."
Cuomo said the state needs to allow the sale of handguns and rifles with 10-shot magazines, but New Yorkers will still be required to keep no more than seven bullets in them, except at shooting ranges and competitions. Violating the seven-bullet limit is a misdemeanor but a violation if the magazine is in the owner's home.
Cuomo minimized the cleanup now needed in the bill as addressing "ambiguities" and "grammatical errors" and routine for complex measures. They include exempting police and their weapons and allowing Hollywood to continue to film violent movies and TV shows in New York using weapons outlawed under his measure.
Tom King, president of the New York Rifle & Pistol Association, said the move will affect gun sellers but does nothing for gun owners.
He says the group plans to sue this week to overturn the gun law, which also banned sales of some formerly legal semi-automatic firearms and requires federal background checks for private gun sales.
Although Cuomo said Wednesday that the gun bill was developed over months within his administration, it was rushed to a vote in the Legislature after closed-door negotiations Jan. 15. Cuomo issued an order approved by the Legislature that suspends the three days' public review of all bills under the constitution.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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- Home
- Our Government
- Office of City Council
Office of City Council
Regular Meetings
- 6 p.m.
- 2nd and 4th Monday of each month
- East Orange City Hall
Council Chambers
44 City Hall Plaza
East Orange, NJ 07018
- View Calendar
First Annual Regular MeetingA Regular Meeting of the City Council shall be held on the first day of January at Noon. Thereafter the Regular Meetings of the City Council shall be held on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, unless Council shall otherwise establish alternate dates.
Committee Meetings
- 5:30 p.m.
- 2nd and 4th Monday of each month
- East Orange City Hall
Council Chambers
44 City Hall Plaza
East Orange, NJ 07018
- View Calendar
Alternate DatesCommittee Meetings of the City Council shall be held on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, unless Council shall otherwise establish alternate dates.
Agendas & MinutesAgendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.
View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes
1st Ward
- Christopher D. James
- Term Expires: December 2025
- Amy Lewis
Term expires: December 2023
2nd Ward
- Christopher Awe
Term expires: December 2025
- Brittany D. Claybrooks Term expires: December 2023
3rd Ward
- Bergson Leneus
Term expires: December 2025
- Vernon Pullins, Jr.
Term expires: December 2023
4th Ward
- Casim L. Gomez
Term expires: December 2023
- Tameika Garrett-Ward
5th Ward
- Alicia Holman
Term expires: December 2025
- Mustafa A. Brent
Term expires: December 2023
Local Legislative BodyThe City Council is the local legislative body responsible for appropriating funds and enacting ordinances and resolutions governing the City. The City Council reviews and approves the Mayor's appropriations and annual budget. The City Council reviews and approves the Mayor's appointments to municipal Departments and several Citizen Advisory Boards and Commissions.
Seats, Wards & TermsMembers of the City Council are elected to serve a four-year term. The ten member Council consists of two representatives from each of the City's five geographic wards. Five members are elected every odd year from each ward.
Annual Organization Meeting & Chairperson SelectionEach New Year's Day, the City Council meets to organize for the year. It adopts its rules and selects one of its members to act as Chairperson during the year-long legislative session. The Chair appoints each Council Member to oversee a standing committee. These standing committees serve as Council liaisons to City departments, public agencies, civic groups and public service organizations.
ChairpersonThe City Council Chairperson serves as an ex-officio member of every committee and is liaison to the:
- East Orange Mayor
- East Orange Parking Authority
- Essex County Freeholder Board
- New Jersey State Legislature
- United States Congress
Open Public Meetings ActIn accordance with the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231, P.L.l975, Public Notice is hereby given that the East Orange City Council has established 2016 Meeting Dates.
Formal action may take place at these Meetings. Executive Sessions may be held at Committee Meetings or at Regular Meetings.
These Meetings will be held in City Council Chambers located at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ.


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European Union Adopts Guidelines on Airport Body Scanners
BRUSSELS – The European Union adopted new guidelines Monday on using body scanners at airports, hoping to address the privacy concerns that have delayed their implementation across the continent.
Siim Kallas, the EU commissioner responsible for transport, said under the rules the technology will only be used with strict safeguards to protect health and fundamental rights.
"Security scanners are not a panacea but they do offer a real possibility to reinforce passenger security," he said.
The scanners, some of which produce nude-like images of passengers, are already used in the United States and elsewhere as a more effective screening of passengers than metal detectors.
Scanner technology is developing rapidly and has the potential to significantly reduce invasive pat-downs. The latest machines are equipped with software that displays a generic outline of a human body, with a red box around the area where a passenger may be concealing an object.
EU member states and airports do not have an obligation to deploy security scanners, but if they decide to use them, they will have to comply with the EU-wide operational standards.
Under the new EU law, security scanners must not store or copy any of the images, and the security staff analyzing the images will be in a room separate from where the actual screening is conducted. In addition, passengers must be informed and be given the right to choose an alternative method of screening.
And in order not to risk citizens' health and safety, only security scanners that do not use X-ray technology can be used at EU airports.
"The most important provision is that every passenger has the right to opt out and ask for the use of an alternative method," said Helen Kearns, spokeswoman for the transport commission.
EU states have been mulling the use of security scanners ever since Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 24-year-old Nigerian, attempted in 2009 to blow up a plane flying from Amsterdam to Detroit with plastic explosives he had hidden in his underwear.
Until now, security scanners were used in a limited way under a patchwork of different national operational procedures. The scanners have tested in France, Italy, Finland and other countries, and been used at airports in Britain and the Netherlands.
But the whole body imaging machines have sparked outrage among some passengers and privacy advocates because the explicit images they display. Germany has already said it won't introduce them.
Authorities tested the scanners at Hamburg airport for 10 months on passengers who volunteered. Among the findings, they said the machines' software proved too sensitive to things such as creases in suits.


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With MySQL 5.6, released Tuesday, Oracle has updated the open-source database to make it more competitive with NoSQL data stores such as MariaDB or Cassandra.
"We're in constant dialogue with our customers and users, and they've shown interest in the NoSQL technologies," said Tomas Ulin, Oracle vice president of MySQL engineering. Oracle hopes MySQL can offer NoSQL speeds and scalability while still being a fully relational database.
[ Also check out the step-by-step guide: How to get started with MySQL. | Andrew C. Oliver answers the question on everyone's mind: Which freaking database should I use? | Keep up with the latest approaches to managing information overload and compliance in InfoWorld's Enterprise Data Explosion Digital Spotlight. ]
"We can combine the best worlds. You don't have to split your data sets or have two databases," Ulin said.
During development of this latest release, which lasted about two years, Oracle accelerated work on a number of enhancements that should make MySQL more competitive with NoSQL data stores, which have grown in popularity over the past few years.
MySQL now offers a way to more quickly access data, by way of the Memcached API (application programming interface). MySQL doesn't actually use Memcached but harnesses its API -- familiar to many system administrators -- as an interface to fetch data directly from the database, without going through the database engine. The approach can deliver data up to nine times more quickly, for data that does not need to be parsed by SQL.
Another new feature that should give MySQL a bit more parity with NoSQL is the ability to execute DDL (Data Definition Language) operations without taking offline the database tables being changed. Administrators can alter a schema, add or drop a column, or rename a column, all without taking the database offline. NoSQL products have been praised for these sorts of dynamic schema updates, which MySQL will now offer as well.
Other new features in MySQL 5.6 include the ability to optimize subqueries, or nested queries, which can otherwise take prohibitively long to execute. The diagnostics are more comprehensive, through an expanded EXPLAIN query. The database also offers an index for full text searches, so searches can be done within large fields of text without actually doing a full table scan, which takes longer.
For high availability, MySQL 5.6 has global transaction identifiers, which simplify the process of failing over to a backup database server. The MySQL Workbench now includes a set of Python code that monitors master-slave database sets and can automatically switch operations to the backup server should the primary database fail.
The software can now run across 48-core servers, up from 32 cores in MySQL 5.5. While not many are running the database across such large systems, Oracle anticipates they will be in years to come. "We need to be a little bit ahead of the curve when scaling out," Ulin said.
Ulin wouldn't say what changes are coming in MySQL 5.7, saying the development team is still in the early planning stages.
Joab Jackson covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Joab on Twitter at @Joab_Jackson. Joab's email address is email@example.com.


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Why is this recession so deep, and what can be done to reverse it?
Hint: Go back about 50 years, when America's middle class was expanding and the economy was soaring. Paychecks were big enough to allow us to buy all the goods and services we produced. It was a virtuous circle. Good pay meant more purchases, and more purchases meant more jobs.
At the center of this virtuous circle were unions. In 1955, more than a third of working Americans belonged to one. Unions gave them the bargaining leverage they needed to get the paychecks that kept the economy going. So many Americans were unionized that wage agreements spilled over to nonunionized workplaces as well. Employers knew that they had to match union wages to compete for workers and to recruit the best ones.
Better wages
Fast forward to a new century. Now, fewer than 8 percent of private-sector workers are unionized. Corporate opponents argue that Americans no longer want unions.
But public opinion surveys, such as a comprehensive poll that Peter D. Hart Research Associates conducted in 2006, suggest that a majority of workers would like to have a union to bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions. So there must be some other reason for this dramatic decline.
But put that question aside for a moment. One point is clear: Smaller numbers of unionized workers mean less bargaining power, and less bargaining power results in lower wages.
It's no wonder middle-class incomes were dropping even before the recession. As our economy grew between 2001 and the start of 2007, most Americans didn't share in the prosperity. By the time the recession began last year, according to an Economic Policy Institute study, the median income of households headed by those under age 65 was below what it was in 2000.
No purchasing power
Typical families kept buying only by going into debt. This was possible as long as the housing bubble expanded. Home-equity loans and refinancing made up for declining paychecks. But that's over. American families no longer have the purchasing power to keep the economy going. Lower paychecks, or no paychecks at all, mean fewer purchases, and fewer purchases mean fewer jobs.
The way to get the economy back on track is to boost the purchasing power of the middle class. One major way to do this is to expand the percentage of working Americans in unions.
Tax cuts for working families, as President Obama intends, can do more to help because they extend over time. But only higher wages and benefits for the middle class will have a lasting effect.
Unions matter in this equation.
According to the Department of Labor, workers in unions earn 30 percent higher wages -- taking home $863 a week, compared with $663 for the typical nonunion worker -- and are 59 percent more likely to have employer-provided health insurance than their nonunion counterparts.
Examples abound:
• In 2007, nearly 12,000 janitors in Providence, R.I.; New Hampshire and Boston, represented by the Service Employees International Union, won a contract that raised their wages to $16 an hour, guaranteed more work hours and provided family health insurance. In an industry typically staffed by part-time workers with a high turnover rate, a union contract provided janitors with full-time, sustainable jobs that they could count on to raise the standard of living of their families and communities.
• In August, 65,000 Verizon workers, represented by the Communications Workers of America, won wage increases totaling nearly 11 percent and converted temporary jobs to full-time status. Not only did the settlement preserve fully paid healthcare premiums for all active and retired unionized employees, but Verizon agreed also to provide $2 million a year to fund a collaborative campaign with its unions to achieve meaningful national healthcare reform.
Although America and its economy need unions, it's become nearly impossible for employees to form one. The Hart poll I cited tells us that 57 million workers would want to be in a union if they could have one. But those who try to form a union, according to researchers at MIT, have only about a one in five chance of successfully doing so.
The reason? Most of the time, employees who want to form a union are threatened and intimidated by their employers. And all too often, if they don't heed the warnings, they're fired, even though that's illegal.
Respect workers' rights
I saw this when I was secretary of labor over a decade ago. We tried to penalize employers that broke the law, but the fines are minuscule. Too many employers consider them a cost of doing business.
This isn't right. The most important feature of the Employee Free Choice Act, which will be considered by the just-seated 111th Congress, toughens penalties against companies that violate their workers' rights. The sooner it's enacted, the better -- for U.S. workers and for the U.S. economy.
Robert Reich, former U.S. secretary of labor, is professor of public policy at the UC-Berkeley and the author, most recently, of Supercapitalism.
©2009 The Los Angeles Times


text:
- Percussion 101: Bass Drum
- Percussion 101: Concert Snare Drum
- Percussion 101: Crash Cymbals
- Percussion 101: Gong, Tam-tam
- Percussion 101: Keyboard Percussion Instruments
- Percussion 101: Suspended Cymbal
- Percussion 101: Tambourine
- Percussion 101: Timpani
- Percussion 101: Triangle
- Percussion 101: Wood Blocks and Temple Blocks
Percussion 101: Tambourine
This series of video lessons will provide students and instructors alike with a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental techniques for the most common percussion instruments. From instrument setup to maintenance to performance techniques, Vic Firth's PERCUSSION 101 will cover the essential skills necessary for today's all-around percussionist.
The curriculum for this series was compiled by members of Vic Firth's Collegiate Educator Program which includes some of the most influential university instructors in the country. Presented by percussionist David Skidmore in a relaxed, approachable atmosphere, this series is sure to become the most widely referenced video guide for percussion education!
To learn the fundamentals for tambourine playing techniques, first take some time to watch the following videos.
Vic Firth's PERCUSSION 101 and online tests are a great resource to implement in YOUR curriculum!
What is PERCUSSION 101?
The PERCUSSION 101 project is a series of video lessons that provide students and instructors alike with a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental techniques for the most common percussion instruments. The curriculum for this series was compiled by members of Vic Firth's Collegiate Educator Program which includes some of the most influential university instructors in the country. The series covers instrument characteristics, maintenance routines, tuning, mallet selection and general playing techniques on the instruments. In addition, rehearsal techniques & exercises will help you to develop a great fundamental percussion program.
Who was PERCUSSION 101 developed for?
This project was originally developed for use in the college percussion methods class – to serve as instruction for non-percussionists who will be charged with teaching percussion in the schools. It quickly developed into a resource to find quick answers to common questions after these students went in the field. For current band directors, the "BAND DIRECTOR'S PERCUSSION SURVIVAL GUIDE" was the first implementation of this project. Type in your question, find a quick and applicable answer! It's as easy as that!
After we began to see what a truly valuable resource this was, we began to integrate study guides and online tests so that percussion students could also take advantage of the information. After all, how much time do you REALLY have in your classroom or private lesson studio to cover all of the percussion instruments fully? Generally, we fix the problems with gaps in knowledge as they occur instead of proactively covering all of our basics!
How can I integrate PERCUSSION 101 into my curriculum?
Whether you are a college percussion methods instructor, a band or orchestra director or a private percussion lesson teacher, we've made this resource a valuable "HANDS-OFF" teaching resource! The information for all of the instruments is presented in a series of videos which cover all the fundamentals, so student can watch on their own. Here are some recommendations for implementing this in your curriculum:
AS HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT OR CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: On each instrument "module", there is a STUDY GUIDE that students can download. This study guide will keep them on-task by asking simple questions on information that was included in the video (in sequential order). Simply assign an instrument to the student (giving him or her the appropriate link on our website), hand them a printed study guide, then collect the study guide as proof that they watched the videos!
AS A TEST: At the end of each list of videos there is an embedded ONLINE TEST that can be administered through any web browser. The study guide questions are shuffled, and multiple choice answers are provided. At the end of the test, the student will be given a number grade with a copy of his or her completed test explaining all the correct answers.
If the student passed with a 70% or above, a "CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT" is available for printing at the end of the exam (to hand in to you for recording in your grade book).
But what about PRIVACY CONCERNS?
Vic Firth does NOT collect or share any information (name, email address, scores, etc) for any of the test participants. The "NAME" field at the beginning of the test is ONLY used for printing the "Certificate of Achievement" at the end of the test (the name appears on the certificate). Students are allowed to use any info in that text field (nickname, random numbers, student ID, etc). When emailing the test results, the email address IS NOT RECORDED for use by Vic Firth or anyone else.
Can I use the test without being online?
YES! But we obviously would like to avoid letting students download the test itself… Send us a note and we'll be happy to email you a PDF copy that you can print and use in your classroom (to keep students from requesting the test, please email us from a school or ISD email account).
Any other questions?
If you have other questions, technical problems or simply want to leave us some suggestions on how to make this resource work better for you, please drop us a line!


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Halloween is a fun time of year for kids (and often adults!) to get dressed up in fun costumes and head out to Trick-or-Treat. While you enjoy the festivities, it's also important to focus on safety.
Being a part of the Pleasanton community, we just want to make sure that families and kids stay safe this Halloween. With that in mind, here are a few tips courtesy of the CDC.
Trick-or-Treat in Groups
No child should head out on the hunt for candy alone on Halloween. In most parts of the country, trick-or-treating begins after dark, and small children might not be easily spotted by drivers on the road.
Additionally, being in a pair or group, with at least one adult, ensures everyone is well-supervised. So, make it a group adventure and share the experience with friends and family members. Not only is it the safer way to go, but it can also be more fun too.
Use Reflective Tape or Clothing and Carry a Flashlight
Most trick-or-treating occurs after nightfall. To help ensure you are seen by passing drivers (especially if you or your child's costume is predominately a dark color), use reflective tape on clothing items and bags to ensure you stand out. Carrying a flashlight is a great idea to make sure you are easy for drivers to spot you while also lighting the path ahead so you don't trip!
Examine All Treats Before Eating
Every sweet your child collects while trick-or-treating should be closely examined before anyone (including adults!) takes a bite. Review the contents of your kid's bag for potential choking hazards, items that may have been tampered with, or those that aren't completely wrapped or sealed.
Homemade treats should only be accepted from people that you know well, especially if anyone in your family has a food allergy.
Use Safe Accessories
Many costumes come with items like swords and knives to complete the look. When this occurs, examine them carefully to make sure that they are an appropriate size and made of soft, flexible materials. This helps lower the risk of accidental injury to yourself, your family, and others you may pass.
Additionally, check all masks to make sure they provide a suitable amount of visibility. The ability to see out of a mask is important for you or your child to avoid tripping hazards and obstacles.
Typically, it's always best to avoid decorative contact lenses, as they have the potential to cause serious eye injuries even in experienced contact lens wearers.
By following the recommendations above, you can help keep your family safe while enjoying everything Halloween has to offer including trick-or-treating in the Pleasanton area!


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Animal Exercise GIFs
If These Animals Can Fit In a Workout, So Can You
Finding it hard to motivate yourself for a Winter workout? Let these adorable animals offer the help you need. Whether you've fallen off your fitness wagon during the holidays or you're committing to your New Year's resolutions, let's all look to the animal kingdom for a little inspiration . . .
Kitty-Cat Clam Series, Anyone?
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around
98, 99, 100!
Bunnies Down Dog, Too
Dumbo For the Assist!
Couch to 5K, Yo
DIY Treadmill
Poodle BodyPump
Cat Crunches
My Mind's Not Into It
Tetherball, Anyone?
Bunny Acrobatics
Dive Into a Water Workout
It's Never Too Late to Start!
Polly's Working Off That Cracker
Even Cats Twerk
Gotta Have a Running Buddy
Hitting the Couch After a Grueling Workout
— Additional reporting by Lizzie Fuhr and Sarah Lipoff