text: Aboo Uthmaan 0 Posted March 22, 2005 Taken from, Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar) By Shaykh Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri Symptoms of Farewell When the Call to Islam grew complete and the new faith dominated the whole situation. The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) started to develop certain symptoms that bespoke of leave-taking. They could be perceived through his statements and deeds: In Ramadan in the tenth year of Al-Hijra he secluded himself for twenty days in contrast to ten, previously. The archangel Gabriel reviewed the Qur'ân twice with him. His words in the Farewell Pilgrimage (i.e. Al-Wida'): "I do not know whether I will ever meet you at this place once again after this current year.� The revelation of An-Nasr Chapter amid At-Tashreeq Days. So when it was sent down on him, he realized that it was the parting time and that Surah was an announcement of his approaching death. On the early days of Safar in the eleventh year of Al-Hijra, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) went out to Uhud and observed a farewell prayer to the martyrs. It looked like saying goodbye to both the dead and the living alike. He then ascended the pulpit and addressed the people saying: "I am to precede you and I have been made witness upon you. By Allâh, you will meet me at the 'Fountain' very soon. I have been given the keys of worldly treasures. By Allâh, I do not fear for you that you will turn polytheists after me. But I do fear that acquisition of worldly riches should entice you to strike one another's neck.� One day, at midnight he went to Al-Baqee' cemetry, and implored Allâh to forgive the martyrs of Islam. He said: "Peace be upon you tomb-dwellers! May that morning that dawns upon you be more relieving than that which dawn upon the living. Afflictions are approaching them like cloudy lumps of a dark night  the last of which follows the first. The last one is bearing more evil than the first.� He comforted them saying: "We will follow you.� The Start of the Disease On Monday the twenty-ninth of Safar in the eleventh year of Al-Hijra, he participated in funeral rites in Al-Baqee'. On the way back he had a headache, his temperature rose so high that the heat effect could be felt over his headband. He led the Muslims in prayer for eleven days though he was sick. The total number of his sick days were either thirteen or fourteen. The Last Week When his sickness grew severe he asked his wives: "Where shall I stay tomorrow?� "Where shall I stay?� They understood what he wanted. So they allowed him to stay wherever he wished. He moved to 'Aishah's room leaning  while he was walking  on Al-Fadl bin Al-'Abbas and 'Ali bin Abi Talib. Head banded as he was, he dragged his feet till he came into her abode. It was there that he spent the last week of his life. During that period, 'Aishah used to recite Al-Mu'awwidhat (Chapters 113 and 114 of the Qur'ân) and other supplications which he had already taught her. Five Days Before Death On Wednesday, five days before he died the Prophet's temperature rose so high signalling the severeness of his disease. He fainted and suffered from pain. "Pour out on me seven Qirab (water skin pots) of various water wells so that I may go out to meet people and talk to them.� So they seated him in a container (usually used for washing) and poured out water on him till he said: "That is enough. That is enough.� Then he felt well enough to enter the Masjid. He entered it band-headed, sat on the pulpit and made a speech to the people who were gathering together around him. He said: "The curse of Allâh falls upon the Jews and Christians for they have made their Prophets' tombs places of worship.� Then he said: "Do not make my tomb a worshipped idol.� Then he offered himself and invited the people to repay any injuries he might have inflicted on them, saying: "He whom I have ever lashed his back, I offer him my back so that he may avenge himself on me. He whom I have ever blasphemed his honour, here I am offering my honour so that he may avenge himself.� Then he descended, and performed the noon prayer. Again he returned to the pulpit and sat on it. He resumed his first speech about enmity and some other things. A man then said: "You owe me three Dirhams.� The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Fadl, pay him the money.� He went on saying: "I admonish you to be good to Al-Ansar (the Helpers). They are my family and with them I found shelter. They have acquitted themselves credibly of the responsibility that fell upon them and now there remains what you have to do. You should fully acknowledge and appreciate the favour that they have shown, and should overlook their faults.� In another version: "The number of believers would increase, but the number of Helpers would decrease to the extent that they would be among men as salt in the food. So he who from among you occupies a position of responsibility and is powerful enough to do harm or good to the people, he should fully acknowledge and appreciate the favour that these benefactors have shown and overlook their faults.� And said: "Allâh, the Great, has given a slave of His the opportunity to make a choice between whatever he desires of Allâh's provisions in this world, and what He keeps for him in the world, but he has opted for the latter.� Abu Sa'îd Al-Khudri said: "Upon hearing that, Abu Bakr cried and said: 'We sacrifice our fathers and mothers for your sake.' We wondered why Abu Bakr said such a thing. People said: 'Look at that old man! The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) says about a slave of Allâh who was granted the right between the best fortunes of this world and the bounty of Allâh in the Hereafter, but he says: We sacrifice our fathers and mothers for your sake!' It was later on that we realized what he had aimed at. The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) was the slave informed to choose. We also acknowledged that Abu Bakr was the most learned among us.� Then the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) said: "The fellow I feel most secure in his company is Abu Bakr. If I were to make friendship with any other one than Allâh, I would have Abu Bakr a bosom friend of mine. For him I feel affection and brotherhood of Islam. No gate shall be kept open in the Masjid except that of Abu Bakr's.� Four Days Before His Death On Thursday, four days before the death of the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him), he said to people  though he was suffering from a severe pain: "Come here. I will cause you to write something so that you will never fall into error.� Upon this 'Umar bin Al-Khattab said: "The Prophet of Allâh (Peace be upon him) is suffering from acute pain and you have the Qur'ân with you; the Book of Allâh is sufficient unto you.� Others however wanted the writing to be made. When Muhammad (Peace be upon him) heard them debating over it, he ordered them to go away and leave him alone. The Day He Recommended Three Things Jews, Christians and polytheists should be expelled out of Arabia. He recommended that delegations should be honoured and entertained, in a way similar to the one he used to do. As for the third  the narrator said that he had forgotten it. It could have been adherence to the Holy Book and the Sunnah. It was likely to be the accomplishment and the mobilization of Osamah's army, or it could have been performance of prayers and being attentive to slaves. In spite of the strain of disease and suffering from pain, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) used to lead all the prayers till that Thursday  four days before he died. On that day he led the sunset prayer and recited: "By the winds (or angels or the Messengers of Allâh) sent forth one after another.� [77:1] In the evening he grew so sick that he could not overcome the strain of disease or go out to enter the Masjid. 'Aishah said: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked: "Have the people performed the prayer?� "No. They haven't. They are waiting for you.� "Put some water in the washing pot.� Said he. We did what he ordered. So he washed and wanted to stand up, but he fainted. When he came round he asked again "Have the people prayed?� Then the same sequence of events took place again and again for the second and the third tifrom the time he washed to the time he fainted after his attempts to stand up. Therefore he sent to Abu Bakr to lead the prayer himself. Abu Bakr then led the prayer during those days. They were seventeen prayers in the lifetime of Muhammad(Peace be upon him). Three or four times 'Aishah talked to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to exempt Abu Bakr from leadership in prayer lest people should despair of him, but he refused and said: "You (women) are like the women who tried to entice Joseph (Yusuf) into immorality. Convey my request to Abu Bakr to lead the prayer.� A Day or Two Prior to Death On Saturday or on Sunday, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) felt that he was well enough to perform the prayer; so he went out leaning on two men in order to perform the noon prayer. Abu Bakr, who was then about to lead the prayer withdrew when he saw him coming; but the Prophet (Peace be upon him) made him a gesture to stay where he was and said: "Seat me next to him.� They seated him on the left hand side of Abu Bakr. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) led the prayer, and Abu Bakr followed him and raised his voice at every 'Allâhu Akbar' (i.e. Allâh is the Greatest) the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, so that the people may hear clearly. A Day before his Death On Sunday, a day before he died, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) set his slaves free, paid as a charity the seven Dinars he owned and gave his weapons as a present to the Muslims. So when night fell 'Aishah had to borrow some oil from her neighbour to light her oil-lantern. Even his armour was mortgaged as a security with a Jew for thirty Sa' (a cubic measure) of barley. The Last Day Alive In a narration by Anas bin Malik, he said: "While the Muslims were performing the dawn prayer on Monday  led by Abu Bakr, they were surprised to see the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) raising the curtain of 'Aishah's room. He looked at them while they were praying aligned properly and smiled cheerfully. Seeing him, Abu Bakr withdrew to join the lines and give way to him to lead the prayer. For he thought that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) wanted to go out and pray.� Anas said: "The Muslims, who were praying, were so delighted that they were almost too enraptured at their prayers. The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) made them a gesture to continue their prayer, went into the room and drew down the curtain.� The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) did not live for the next prayer time. When it was daytime, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) called Fatimah and told her something in a secret voice that made her cry. Then he whispered to her something else which made her laugh. 'Aishah enquired from her after the Prophet's death, as to this weeping and laughing to which Fatimah replied: "The first time he disclosed to me that he would not recover from his illness and I wept. Then he told me that I would be the first of his family to join him, so I laughed.� He gave Fatimah glad tidings that she would become the lady of all women of the world. Fatimah witnessed the great pain that afflicted her father. So she said: "What great pain my father is in!�. To these words, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) remarked: "He will not suffer any more when today is over.� He asked that Al-Hasan and Al-Husain be brought to him. He kissed them and recommended that they be looked after. He asked to see his wives. They were brought to him. He preached them and told them to remember Allâh. Pain grew so much severe that the trace of poison he had at Khaibar came to light. It was so sore that he said to 'Aishah: "I still feel the painful effect of that food I tasted at Khaibar. I feel as if death is approaching.� He ordered the people to perform the prayers and be attentive to slaves. He repeated it several times. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) Breathes His Last When the pangs of death started, 'Aishah leant him against her. She used to say: One of Allâh's bounties upon me is that the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) died in my house, while I am still alive. He died between my chest and neck while he was leaning against me. Allâh has mixed his saliva with mine at his death. For 'Abdur Rahman  the son of Abu Bakr  came in with a Siwak (i.e. the root of a desert plant used for brushing teeth) in his hand, while I was leaning the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) against me. I noticed that he was looking at the Siwak, so I asked him  for I knew that he wanted it  "Would you like me to take it for you?� He nodded in agreement. I took it and gave it to him. As it was too hard for him, I asked him "Shall I soften it for you?� He nodded in agreement. So I softened it with my saliva and he passed it (on his teeth). In another version it is said: "So he brushed (Istanna) his teeth as nice as he could.� There was a water container (Rakwa) available at his hand with some water in. He put his hand in it and wiped his face with it and said: "There is no god but Allâh. Death is full of agonies.� As soon as he had finished his Siwak brushing, he raised his hand or his finger up, looked upwards to the ceiling and moved his lips. So 'Aishah listened to him. She heard him say: "With those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace with the Prophets and the Truthful ones (As-Siddeeqeen), the martyrs and the good doers. O Allâh, forgive me and have mercy upon me and join me to the Companionship on high.� Then at intervals he uttered these words: "The most exalted Companionship on high. To Allâh we turn and to Him we turn back for help and last abode.� This event took place at high morning time on Monday, the twelfth of Rabi' Al-Awwal, in the eleventh year of Al-Hijrah. He was sixty-three years and four days old when he died. The Companions' Concern Over The Prophet's Death The great (loss) news was soon known by everybody in Madinah. Dark grief spread on all areas and horizons of Madinah. Anas said: "I have never witnessed a day better or brighter than that day on which the Messenger of Allâh(Peace be upon him) came to us; and I have never witnessed a more awful or darker day than that one on which the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) died on.� When he died, Fatimah said: "O Father, whom his Lord responded to his supplication! O Father, whose abode is Paradise. O Father, whom I announce his death to Gabriel.� Umar's Attitude 'Umar, who was so stunned that he almost lost consciousness and stood before people addressing them: "Some of the hypocrites claim that the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) died. The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) did not die, but went to his Lord in the same way as Moses bin 'Imran did. He stayed away for forty nights, but finally came back though they said he had been dead. By Allâh, the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) will come back and he will cut off the hands and legs of those who claim his death.� Abu Bakr's Attitude Abu Bakr left his house at As-Sunh and came forth to the Masjid on a mare-back. At the Masjid, he dismounted and entered. He talked to nobody but went on till he entered 'Aishah's abode, and went directly to where the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) was. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was covered with a Yemeni mantle. He uncovered his face and tended down, kissed him and cried. Then he said: "I sacrifice my father and mother for your sake. Allâh, verily, will not cause you to die twice. You have just experienced the death that Allâh had ordained.� Then he went out and found 'Umar talking to people. He said: "'Umar, be seated.� 'Umar refused to do so. People parted 'Umar and came towards Abu Bakr, who started a speech saying: "And now, he who worships Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Muhammad is dead now. But he who worships Allâh, He is Ever Living and He never dies. Allâh says: 'Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allâh, and Allâh will give reward to those who are grateful.'� [3:1] Ibn 'Abbas said: "By Allâh, it sounded as if people had never heard such a Qur'ânic verse till Abu Bakr recited it as a reminder. So people started reciting it till there was no man who did not recite it.� Ibn Al-Musaiyab said that 'Umar had said: "By Allâh, as soon as I heard Abu Bakr say it, I fell down to the ground. I felt as if my legs had been unable to carry me so I collapsed when I heard him say it. Only then did I realize that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) had really died.� Burial and Farewell Preparations to his Honourable Body Dispute about who would succeed him (Peace be upon him) broke out even before having the Messenger of Allâh's body prepared for burial. Lots of arguments, discussions, dialogues took place between the Helpers and Emigrants in the roofed passage (portico) of Bani Sa'ida. Finally they acknowledged Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) as a caliph. They spent the whole Monday there till it was night. People were so busy with their arguments that it was late night  just about dawn of Tuesday  yet his blessed body was still lying on his bed covered with an inked-garment. He was locked in the room. On Tuesday, his body was washed with his clothes on. He was washed by Al-'Abbas, 'Ali, Al-Fadl and Qathm  the two sons of Al-'Abbas, as well as Shaqran  the Messenger's freed slave, Osamah bin Zaid and Aws bin Khauli. Al-'Abbas, Al-Fadl and Qathm turned his body round, whereas Osamah and Shaqran poured out water. 'Ali washed him and Aws leant him against his chest. They shrouded him in three white Sahooli cotton cloth which had neither a headcloth nor a casing and inserted him in. A sort of disagreement arose with regard to a burial place. Abu Bakr said: "I heard the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) say: 'A dead Prophet is buried where he dies.' So Abu Talhah lifted the bed on which he died, dug underneath and cut the ground to make the tomb. People entered the room ten by ten. They prayed for the Prophet (Peace be upon him). The first to pray for him were people of his clan. Then the Emigrants, then the Helpers. Women prayed for him after men. The young were the last to pray. This process took Tuesday long and Wednesday night (i.e. the night which precedes Wednesday morning). 'Aishah said: "We did not know that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was being buried till we heard the sound of tools digging the ground at the depth of Wednesday night.� Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Here are the LAKE videos of the first day of the two day Annual Planning Meeting of Lowndes County Commissioners and staff. Gretchen is back down there today, videoing the rest.
Below are links to each LAKE video of each item, with a very few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also previous post for the agenda (which was not posted publicly) and a few previous comments.
- Call to Order, Invocation
- Audit
- Financials – Harrison Tillman
- Break talk about North Valdosta Road
Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) and Land Use
Video. They seemed unclear on the difference between the ULDC and the Comprehensive Plan, and they had nobody from Planning or Zoning there to assist them.
- SPLOST 8 Potential Items to be included
Consideration of Private Roads
Video. Apparently there are four private roads in dire shape, where emergency vehicles can't get through, not counting ones in subdivisions or mobile home parks where somebody is responsible for them. Commissioners are considering condemning those four roads to get the rights of way and turning them into county dirt roads. The catch is, who will pay for that?
Video. They say T-SPLOST requires paying for road rights of way.
- SPLOST 7 Project Update – Chad McLeod
Here's a LAKE video playlist:
Videos: Annual Planning
Annual Planning Day 1, Lowndes County Commission (LCC Plan),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, February 7, 2019.
Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today!
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Painters and Writers: When Something New Happens
I have often wondered why nineteenth-century French novelists were quite literally obsessed with painters and painting, while in the 1700s Diderot was the only writer of his generation to take an interest in art criticism. What a striking contrast: not one major novelist of the 1800s failed to include a painter character in his work. This is not surprising for Balzac and Zola, who had ambitions to bring every aspect of society to life in their fiction; but read Stendhal, Flaubert, the Goncourt brothers, Anatole France, Huysmans, Maupassant, Mirbeau, and of course Proust, and you enter a world in which painting is surprisingly important. What is more, all these novelists explored not only how a painter sees things but also how he represents them, and this produced a new way of writing.
"I would only have liked to see you take apart the mechanism of my eye. I enlarge, to be sure; but I don't enlarge like Balzac, any more than Balzac enlarges like Hugo," Zola told his protégé Henry Céard, highlighting the visual nature of novels at the time. This was essentially a French phenomenon; it has no real equivalent in England, Germany, or Russia. In the United States, it was not until the end of the century that painting became a literary subject in the work of Henry James. In England, Virginia Woolf would be the first to write about the influence painting had on literature. Why the sudden, widespread interest in France?
I believe that this new way of seeing and writing was facilitated by the creation of museums in France after the French Revolution. Frequent long visits to the Louvre gave an entire cohort of young writers a genuine knowledge of painting, a shared language with their painter friends, and a desire to enrich their own works with this newly acquired erudition. The visual novel dates from this period.
Having easy access to great works by visiting a museum feels so obvious to us now that we rarely think of the cultural revolution brought about by the advent of modern museums. And yet what a sea change in behavior this opportunity afforded. Before the Revolution only birthright or unusual personal success opened the door to masterpieces held in palaces and mansions, or to galleries of fine paintings acquired by wealthy Parisian collectors. As a result, people were reduced to spending a great deal of time in churches, the only place where anyone was free to admire works of art, at least before or after mass. Italy was especially well endowed in this respect.
But appreciating a painting in the gloom of a chapel posed problems that would continue for a long time: during a visit to Venice, Henry James complained he had to…
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Copyright © 2017 by Anka Muhlstein


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According to a Startup Genome report, 92 percent of startups fail within three years. Most often, startups go sour by trying to scale too quickly, spending too much on marketing, hiring too quickly or launching prematurely — regardless of whether they were able to raise any money.
So there's nothing newsworthy about your average failed startup. Some failures, however, can be more surprising and more catastrophic than others. The worst flameouts tend to follow a similar recipe: a charismatic founder, doting coverage in the press and millions in venture funding. One month, these young businesses look like the next Facebook. The next month, they've joined the ranks of the failed masses.
With this in mind, FindTheCompany poured over thousands of failed startups to find the worst busts in 2015. Specifically, we ranked the companies by total funding — the more the cash, the more disappointing the failure.
Photo credit: Circa
Total Funding: $4 million
Primary Founder: Matt Galligan
Year Founded: 2011
Circa was a mobile app that allowed users to follow news events as they unfolded. Matt Galligan and his team hoped they could build a business around the new ways people followed world events.
Like so many other online and mobile news startups, however, Circa never had a working revenue model. The company eventually ran out of money and shut down.
Total Funding: $4.2 million
Primary Founder: Martin Tamizi
Year Founded: 2010
Balanced was a peer-to-peer marketplace built for small businesses.
Tamizi and his co-founders hoped their full marketplace solution — which would handle both customer purchases and payments to suppliers — would help the company stand out.
While Balanced built some early momentum, the startup couldn't keep pace with rival Stripe. Stripe absorbed Balanced in 2015 in a loosely defined "transition deal."
Total Funding: $4.55 million
Primary Founder: Sam Tarantino
Year Founded: 2006
Grooveshark was an online streaming music service where users could upload and share songs for free. From the beginning, the startup faced legal turmoil, with Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and others claiming the site violated copyright laws.
The startup took a big blow in 2011 and 2012 when Apple and Facebook, respectively, removed the Grooveshark app from their stores. For the next three years, the company bled cash before shutting down in April 2015, as part of a lawsuit settlement.
Total Funding: $5 million
Primary Founder: Geoffrey Clapp
Year Founded: 2013
Backed by Mayo Clinic, Better was supposed to be "the AAA for healthcare." The app would connect users to "Personal Health Assistants," who would help manage the logistics of America's complicated health system.
Co-founder Geoffrey Clapp has promised a post-mortem, but for the time being, details about the demise of the company are scarce.
Total Funding: $12.4 million
Primary Founder: Ziyad Makki
Year Founded: 2012
Shopa, a London-based fashion shopping site, tried to connect clothing purchases to social media. Users could post their latest outfit through Shopa's app, then get feedback and recommendations from friends.
The founders never explained exactly why things didn't work out, but the online clothing space has always been tricky, and a social app's success comes down to the community. It's likely the site simply didn't generate enough sales.
Total Funding: $22 million
Primary Founder: Om Malik
Year Founded: 2006
Om Malik was among the first tech blogging personalities to turn his craft into a true business. He started GigaOM in 2006, a tech site with an emphasis on smart analysis and deep dives into gadgets, companies and entrepreneurs.
The site had a good run for the first several years, but like many editorial ventures, GigaOM's business model became harder and harder to maintain. In 2015, the site abruptly ceased publication, citing financial trouble.
Total Funding: $23.5 million
Primary Founder: Wasiq Bokhari
Year Founded: 2010
QBotix was vintage Silicon Valley. The startup built robots that would intelligently reposition themselves to stay pointed at the sun, all the while generating solar power. It was a clean tech solution both geeky and environmentally friendly.
Whether the concept was a little too inventive, or the market simply wasn't ready, QBotix never gained enough momentum. For now, we'll have to stick to stationary, less nerdy clean tech.
Photo credit: Nebula
Total Funding: $29.475 million
Primary Founder: Chris C. Kemp
Year Founded: 2011
Funded by Kleiner Perkins and Highland Capital Partners, Nebula was a legitimate tech darling, a company with frequent mentions in the press and a future as bright as any startup.
The concept was noble: turn your existing server room into a high-performance data center, just like Apple's, Amazon's or Google's.
The founders conceded that people didn't understand the technology as well as they'd hoped, and many potential customers opted for simpler solutions from the big brands. In 2015, they packed it up.
Photo credit: Secret
Total Funding: $36.6 million
Primary Founder: David Byttow
Year Founded: 2013
Founded by a former Square Wallet lead, Secret was briefly a viral hit within the tech community. The pitch? Share anonymous secrets with your friends and community.
Like Twitter, it all came down to the community, and for a little while, it looked like Secret would be the next big social network. The app occasionally produced legitimate secrets about other hot startups or specifications for an upcoming Apple product.
In 2015, Byttow announced that he was winding down the company, citing a glut of malicious rumors meant only to harm other individuals. The app hadn't produced the culture he had envisioned, and so he pulled the plug.
Photo credit: Homejoy
Total Funding: $39.7 million
Primary Founders: Adora and Aaron Cheung
Year Founded: 2010
Homejoy had the support most startups can only dream of: nearly $40 million in funding, with Y Combinator, Andreessen Horowitz and Google Ventures all on board.
The platform helped connect customers with house cleaners, leveraging technology to make the process simple and painless. It was the classic Uber model: fixed prices, speedy service, mobile convenience.
That said, Homejoy never became profitable, and the founders got bogged down in worker contract disputes. Were the cleaners contractors or full-time employees? In 2015, the Cheung siblings shut it down.
Photo credit: Quirky
Total Funding: $184 million
Primary Founders: Ben Kaufman
Year Founded: 2009
Between Kleiner Perkins, General Electric and Andreessen Horowitz, Quirky raised over $180 million in its six-year existence. It had a charming founder in Ben Kaufman, who could work the press circuit year after year. It had an inventive business model: people submit inventions, companies agree to develop them. The startup was even featured in a reality TV show in 2011.
According to Kaufman, it was harder to pick winning and losing inventions than he predicted. He pivoted toward big brands during the company's last few years in an attempt to save the business. It was the right move financially, but the community felt uneasy about the new emphasis. In the end, the good inventions were too inconsistent, and the business failed.
This post originally appeared on FindTheCompany.
Ben is the Senior Managing Editor at Graphiq. He writes about tech, companies and health by day, then moonlights as a film critic. When he's not geeking out over data visualizations, you can find him sampling craft bourbon, watching Pixar shorts and complaining about fake national holidays.
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Saturday, August 10 is National S'mores Day and Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania (GSWPA) invites all girls in grades K-12 and their families to celebrate at special events across western Pennsylvania. Events will be held at the following locations:
- Allison Park: Friday, August 9, 6-8 p.m., Hampton Community Park, Alcoa & Hardt Pavilion, 3101 McCully Road
- Bradford: Thursday, August 8, 6-8 p.m., 240 Minard Run Road
- Cresson Township: Thursday, August 8, 6-8 p.m., Allegheny Portage National Railroad, 201 Maintenance Drive
- Hermitage: Thursday, August 15, 6-8 p.m., Buhl Park, Shelter # 2, 715 Hazen Road
- Erie: Friday, August 9, 6-8 p.m., St Marks Catholic Church, 695 Smithson Avenue
- Uniontown: Saturday, August 10, 6-8 p.m., Dunlap Creek Park, 788 New Salem Road
- Glen Richey: Thursday, August 8, 6-8 p.m., Glen Richey Fireman's Park, 86 T-551
- Holidaysburg: Saturday, August 10, 6-8 p.m., Canoe Creek Education Center Pavilion, 205 Canoe Creek Road
- McKeesport: Thursday, August 8, 6-8 p.m., Elizabeth Township Recreational Center, 429 Duncan Station Road
- McMurray: Thursday, August 8, 6-8 p.m., 250 Thompsonville Road
- Moon Township: Thursday, August 8, 6-8 p.m., St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 987 Beaver Grade Road
- New Wilmington: Saturday, August 10, 6-8 p.m., New Wilmington Borough Park, S Market Street
- Verona: Saturday, August 10, 6-8 p.m., Penn Hills Community Park, 120 Colorado Street
Attendees will make s'mores, enjoy fun activities, and learn more about Girl Scouts and the organization's mission of building courage, confidence, and character in girls. Council staff or members of local Service Units will be available at the National S'mores Day events to help girls renew or sign up. Those interested in becoming a volunteer are also invited to attend. To register for a local celebration, please visit gswpa.org/activities.
Girls currently registered as Girl Scouts and those who register at the event will receive a free National S'mores Day patch. Additionally, Girl Scouts can receive a special "Make S'more Friends" patch by bringing a friend.
S'mores are classic campfire treats that are rooted in Girl Scout history. The first recorded version of the recipe can be found in the publication "Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts" from 1927. The recipe is credited to Loretta Scott Crew, a troop leader who reportedly made them by the campfire for Girl Scouts. Although it is unknown when the name was shortened, recipes for "Some Mores" are in various Girl Scout publications until at least 1971.
Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) released the popular Girl Scout S'mores™ cookie in 2016, which was the most popular flavor to launch in the 100 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies. GSWPA will continue to offer Girl Scout S'mores™, a crunchy graham sandwich cookie with creamy chocolate and marshmallowy filling, as part of the 2020 Girl Scout Cookie lineup, joining classics like Thin Mints®, Samoas®, and Trefoils®.
For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, call 800-248-3355 or visit gswpa.org.


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Snake Print Flare Dress
Snake Print Flare Dress
A gorgeous day dress featuring a faux wrap silhouette with an elastic waist and thin straps. Also features long sleeve flare with a front tie and deep slit. Creates a V neckline. Has a fit and flare silhouette. Stretchy, knit snake print dress. Looks amazing with heels and layered necklace!
Model is 5'10" with a 33" bust, 23.5" waist, and 35" hips. Wearing size small.


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Top 5 foodie things to do in and around Perranporth, Cornwall. If you're staying at Haven, Perran Sands, here are some recommendations for the best food, restaurants and places to eat nearby.
A post written in collaboration with Haven
A couple of weeks ago Haven invited us to stay at their holiday park, Perran Sands near Perranporth in North Cornwall and see what foodie adventures we could discover in the area.
Of course we took up the challenge of eating our way around the area for a few days.
I hope these finds and tips are useful if you're visiting Cornwall!
We settled into our Haven accommodation (daisies for days = happy Harri) before getting ready for our adventures.
Spoiler alert! We had some amazing food fun during our trip. The location of the site was the perfect base to explore North Cornwall, whilst offering activities and facilities on site too for times when we wanted a little more down time.
Here are our top five food adventures during our visit to Haven Perran Sands..
1. The Watering Hole, Perranporth Beach, Cornwall
The morning after we arrived we decided to head out to find some breakfast. Lots of people had recommended a trip to The Watering Hole pub on Perranporth beach, which is the UKs only bar on a beach apparently.
If you're staying at Perran Sands and the tide is out, you can walk down from the holiday park and along the beach until you reach The Watering Hole (about a 30 minute walk) or it's a short 6 minute drive.
We ate breakfast overlooking the nearly empty beach (it gets very busy later on on hot days!) before we ran down the dunes to paddle.
2. Trevithicks Pasties from Bateman Quality Butcher in St Agnes, Cornwall
Can you visit Cornwall and not try a PROPER Cornish pasty?!
Buttery pasty, crispy on the outside, meltingly soft on the inside. Packed with peppery beef, onions and potatoes, steaming as you crack it open. OH MY GOODNESS.
We bought pasties from the butcher in St Agnes. (A pretty little village a short drive from Perran Sands Holiday Park, it's work a visit for a foodie stop and a happy wander.)
We ate them as a quick pitstop before our next adventure. They were everything a Cornish pasty should be and I've been dreaming of them ever since.
3. Healeys Cyder Farm, near Newquay, Cornwall
One afternoon during our trip, we made the short drive to Healeys Cyder Farm.
It's a great place for a family adventure, as well as a spot of cyder (or apple juice!) tasting. There's farm animals, tractor rides, tours, and two restaurants.
We opted to a savoury afternoon tea in their Mowhay tearooms. Cheese scones, crème fraîche, chutney and cheese, with apple juice from their own orchards of course.
It was absolutely delicious and well worth a visit for a foodie adventure.
4. Rick Stein at Fistral, Newquay, Cornwall
We stumbled into this laid back restaurant rather by accident, when the place we'd planned to visit was full.
Plus, how could we come to Cornwall without having fish and chips by the sea?
You find a table, order at the bar and wait for your food to arrive. The menu is half fish and chip type dishes, and the other half THE most amazing curries.
We did have a reasonably long wait for food, so don't go at peak time if you're in a rush, but it was so worth it.
My lamb curry and the fish and chips everyone else ate were out of this world. If the weather holds up, you can sit outside and watch the surfers on Fistral beach as you eat. It's a bit magical on a summer evening.
5. Perran Dairy Ice Cream, Perranporth, Cornwall
If you visit Haven Perran Sands, or anywhere near Perranporth, you MUST visit this ice cream parlour.
Some of the best ice cream I've ever tasted (and I've definitely taste my fair share). Made fresh, on site, in the open kitchen where you can watch production.
In the centre of Perranporth, this is the perfect place to while away an hour if the sun fails you.
And if the sun is shining? Even more reason to eat a triple cone of course!
A couple of other places that I ran out of space for in my Top 5 list, were Canteen near St Agnes and Hubbox in Truro.
Canteen is a brilliant stop for breakfast, lunch, cakes or coffee. They only do one lunch dish a day but oh they do it SO well.
Hubbox in Truro is a super fun burger/ribs/dirty fries type place. The food was fantastic and the children LOVED it.
We had so much fun visiting Haven Perran Sands and were super impressed by the quality and variety of food in the area. We'll definitely be back to do some more pasty eating!
Haven is offering a seven-night self-catering summer holiday from £599 based on six sharing Standard accommodation and includes family-friendly entertainment.
This post was sponsored by Haven, as always, all opinions are truthful.


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New Delhi (India), Nov 10 (ANI): As Rajkummar Rao and Kriti Kharbanda starrer 'Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana' clocked two years of its release on Sunday, the latter walked down the memory lane and shared some unseen pictures from the shoot days.
The 'Housefull 4' actor shared a series of pictures on Instagram from the sets of the film which just shows the crazy chemistry of the two actors.
In one of the pictures, the two actors can be seen savouring on delicious gol gappe while in the other snap, the duo can be seen exchanging romantic looks.
"#shaadimeinzarooraana completes 2 years today :) thank u for loving aarti Shukla and changing my life my most cherished experience! The best thing that ever happened to me," she captioned the pictures while sharing her experience.
The story of the romantic drama directed by Ratnaa Sinha revolves around Aarti Shukla (Kriti), a bright, ambitious woman, is on the cusp of making a great career for herself. She agrees to marry Satyendar (Rajkummar) but flees the arrangement when she learns she will not be allowed to work once they are wed.
Later, she follows her dream and becomes a PCS officer while a dejected lover Satyender becomes an IAS officer. The story ends with how fate makes them face each other and how Satyender saves Aarti from a fake bribery case.
The flick had hit the silver screens on November 10, 2017. (ANI)


text: Return to Tips and Trends < previous tip | next tip > How to Apply Self-Tanner Winter's chilly months are officially behind us! It's time to get your skin ready to bear it all in tank tops and sun dresses. We know at-home tanning can be intimidating with the huge array of products and fear of application misshaps. But, we've got you covered with a step-by-step guide for how to get natural-looking, sun-kissed and glowing skin from head to toe. STEP 1: Exfoliate Application: Exfoliating is a must if you want a long-lasting and even tan. After exfoliation product will be able to sink into the skin more effectively. It also helps smooth the skin, so that the tanner doesn't leave unnatural dark patches. Exfoliator for the Face Use an exfoliator like Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant with glycolic or salicylic acid that will remove dead skin and dull skin on the face prepping it to absorb color more evenly and effectively. Exfoliator for the Body Exfoliate your body with a scrub like Kiehl's Grapefruit Body Scrub. It will exfoliate and smooth the skin, revealing softer skin that will easily absorb the self-tanner. Editor's Tip: Avoid any oil-based products - they will leave a residue on your skin that causes a streaky tan. STEP 2: Moisturize Application: After showering and exfoliating, don't forget to moisturizer the dryer areas of your skin. Pay special attention to your knees, elbows, hands and feet. Dry skin will absorb more pigment than other parts of your body, causing patchiness. If you have large pores or dry skin and you're using a tanner on your face that doesn't have moisturizer built in, make sure to also moisturizer your face. Moisturizer for the Face Choose a lightweight moisturizer like Juice Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer and dab just a little onto dry spots to prevent them from turning dark or orange. Moisturizer for the Body Apply a richer body moisturizer like La Mer The Body Creme to dry areas of the skin will soften, soothe and hydrate skin, preventing those areas from looking patchy post application. Editor's Tip: Make sure to let the moisturizer sink in. Wait 10 to 20 minutes before applying tanner. STEP 3: Apply Self-Tanner to Face Application: Use a small dab of tanner where the sun would naturally hit (the bridge of your nose, apples of your cheeks, chin and forehead). Then blend outwards, be careful not to over apply above the lip. Face Self-Tanners for Fair Skin Tones If you want an instant sun-kissed face, choose a tanning mousse like James Read Dry Tan Face. You'll get a golden glow in one hour and a medium tan in two. Plus this fast-acting tanner it's odorless! Face Self-Tanners for Olive and Medium Skin Tones If you're looking for a gradual tan that builds over time, we love a daily moisturizer self-tanner combo like St. Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Face Lotion Medium to Dark. Editor's Tip: Choose your self-tanner by skin tone, not by your desired level of tan. Fair skin tones should choose a light to medium, and olive and darker skin tones should choose medium to dark. STEP 4: Apply Self-Tanner to Body Application: Start at the feet and ankles, then work your way up. This will prevent any unnatural marks and creases cause by bending over, make sure to save your arms for last. Attach a self tanning mitt like James Read Tanning Mitt to a long handled brush apply self-tanner to hard to reach areas. Body Self-Tanner for Fair Skin Tones We love St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse because it's infused with aloe vera that smoothes the skin instead of leaving it sticky. The mousse also uses Aromaguard™ fragrance technology that eliminates that distinctive fake tan smell. Body Self-Tanner for Olive and Medium Skin Tones TanTowel Classic Full Body Fair/Medium are perfect for last minute tanning. Made in towelette form for quick and easy application, they give you a tan that's streak free and the formula quick drys, so that you're bronzed and out the door in minutes. Editor's Tip: Don't be afraid to apply liberally. Applying more won't result in a darker color, but if you don't apply enough you'll end up with an uneven tan. Lastly, make sure to wipe palms and fingernails completely clean after application to remove DHA residue and avoid that tell tale sign of a false tan.


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Derry, also known as Londonderry, is the second largest city in Northern Ireland. It is up the top at the end of the Causeway coast. You need at least a good half-day if you hope to explore Derry properly. Here is a few of the essential sites you need to see;
- Walk the City Walls
There are city walls that surround the whole city center of Derry. You can walk around the wall in about 2 hours depending how much you stop along the way to see the other attractions. It is a lovely walk on a sunny day!
- Free Derry Corner
Free Derry Corner, this is where most of the fighting took place on Bloody Sunday and where many Irishman locked themselves into the area against the British Army. It is a very strong and significant place in Northern Ireland.
- Free Derry Museum
Next to Free Derry corner is the Free Derry museum. This is all about the IRA battles within Derry and Bloody Sunday. It is very cheap to get in and is extremely interesting if this part of history takes your fancy. You could easily spend hours in this museum learning about the tragedy and the cover up.
- St Columb's Cathedral
The oldest and biggest Gothic Cathedral in Derry! It is located inside the city walls and the inside has some very different led light work and decoration. It costs just a small donation to go inside.
- Tower Museum
The tower museum exhibits the history of Derry and Northern Ireland. It also has an open-air view platform where you can get a good view over the whole city!
- Peace Bridge
The most modern suspension bridge in the city, just a cool bridge basically.
- Bloody Sunday Monument
A tribute to all those who lost their lives during Bloody Sunday and the horrible cover up. It is still unbelievable that a full investigation did not occur until the 2000's! May they all rest in peace.


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Suzuki steering stabilizers were designed by Rancho to fit Samurai and Santana 4wd vehicles from 1978-1990. Purchasing a Rancho RS5000 Steering stabilizer for your Suzuki is a fast and simple, yet reliable solution for those looking to increase their steering performance and better their suspension overall. Installing a 7000mt series steering stabilizer onto your Samurai will aid in the reduction of unwanted vibration, bump steer as well as wheel shimmy and can fit on vehicles with up to 35" tires.
Designed off of the RS7000mt shock absorber, Rancho builds each steering stabilizer with a mono tube, nitrogen gas design complete with a long lasting, stainless, clear coat finish for maximum performance and durability. Keep in mind that all Rancho steering stabilizers come with a limited lifetime warranty and work great when adding on new shocks or bigger tires


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Past Event
Brussels Forum 2020
June 2, 2020 to June 30, 2020
Hans Kundnani was a senior transatlantic fellow in the Europe Program, based in the Washington, DC office. He worked on a mixture of internal European economic and institutional issues (in particular the British question), Europe's role in the world, and on the link between the internal and external dimensions. He also focused on relations between Europe and Asia through a transatlantic perspective. Prior to joining GMF, Hans was the research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations.


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qualified education expenses
(A)The term "qualified education expenses" means— (i)qualified higher education expenses (as defined in), and (ii)qualified elementary and secondary education expenses (as defined in paragraph (3)). (B)Such term shall include any contribution to a qualified tuition program (as defined in section 529(b)) on behalf of the designated beneficiary (as defined in section 529(e)(1)); but there shall be no increase in the investment in the contract for purposes of applying section 72 by reason of any portion of such contribution which is not includible in gross income by reason of subsection (d)(2).
26 USC § 530(b)(2)(A)
Scoping language
For purposes of this section
Is this correct?


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Have questions about this item (360843003164), or would like to inquire about a custom or bulk order?
If you have any questions about this product by Ortopad, contact us by completing and submitting the form below. If you are looking for a specif part number, please include it with your message.


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Everyday musings ….Life as I see it…….my space, my reflections and thoughts !!
In response to Colleen's tuesday tanka challenge # 103, to use the words fall & try (Synonyms only)
Picture perfect click,
my lame attempt rewarded
as the sun descends
melting into the sea bed
a vermillion brilliance!
Pingback: Colleen's #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge Recap No. 103, "Fall & Try", #SynonymsOnly | Colleen Chesebro ~ The Fairy Whisperer
|Maniparna Sengupta M… on Prejudiced!
|Subbashini Meenakshi… on Prejudiced!
|Kritika on Haiku – Better days…
|A Curious Mind 🙋🏻♀ on Prejudiced!
|paeansunplugged on Prejudiced!


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All Code barcode readers have a visual and audible indication of a good read (i.e. a barcode was decoded successfully). However, when the barcode reader is embedded, these good read indicators may not be clear to users. Therefore, integrators may want to implement a separate good read indicator to make it easier for users to know when a barcode has successfully been decoded.
To help integrators know when the good read has occurred, a feature can be enabled to have the good read signal output to the RTS line to drive an external indicator. This signal is configurable for either low or high polarity to support different integration models. To leverage this feature, the reader must be in RS232 mode using the CRA-C501 cable.
This feature is available in firmware 1096 or later. Contact Code support for more detail.


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This weekend, McGill played host to the 19th annual McGill Team Challenge—a two-day track and field meet. With around 900 athletes taking part, it was advertised as the largest competition of its kind in Canada. The meet saw a number of records fall and featured eight Olympians.Although the event was a success, both the Redmen and the Martlets had been hoping for more on their home turf.
It was the York Lions and the Guelph Gryphons who took home the men's and women's titles respectively. York also placed second in the women's division, as did Guelph on the men's side of things. McGill, however, finished 11th in the men's and 12th in the women's, and earned just two podium finishes—both of which were silver medals.
"It wasn't our greatest performance collectively at the team challenge," McGill Head Coach Dennis Barrett remarked. "We want to at least be in the top 10 with our team talent. That would be the goal going forward."
The first of the two medals came from sophomore Caroline Tanguay. Tanguay earned a silver medal in the high jump, leaping 1.72m. This came a week after she tallied a gold in the same event at the Laval Rouge et Or Invitational. Though first place was surely her aim again this weekend, Tanguay's silver medal jump is actually an improvement on the one that brought her the first place finish in Laval—a jump that measured 1.68m.
The drop on the podium despite an improved score was a common theme for McGill athletes, as the large field provided stiff competition. Luguelin Santos, a silver medalist in the 2012 London Olympics—who competed as an independent athlete with Club Puma—won both the men's 300m and 600m races, and broke a Tomlinson Fieldhouse record for the latter. Injuries were also partially to blame for the difficulties McGill ran into during the competition.
"We had a lot of athletes on the sidelines and some that competed [who] weren't 100 per cent," Barrett said. "We were kind of bitten by the injury bug there."
McGill's other silver medal came in the Pentathalon, where third-year neuroscience student Dylan Golow scored 3495 points—206 points behind the winner. The silver medal marks a seven spot jump from last year's team challenge, where Golow placed ninth in the Pentathalon. Although Tanguay and Golow were the only medalists on the team, Barrett saw other strong performances by McGill athletes at the event.
"I thought our 4x200m men and our 4x400m men also performed very well," Barrett said. "Those were some pretty standout performances in terms of McGill's [standards]."
Although the 4x200m team of El-Hadj N'Doye, Eric Ellemo, Alexander Steinbrenner, and Benjamin Wyman finished sixth, their time of 1:30.33 was barely two seconds away from medal territory. The 4x400m group also finished sixth, about six seconds behind third place.
Though McGill may have wished for a better outcome, the end result still marked a solid weekend for the team. As exciting as it must be for athletes to compete at home, the meet is ultimately just another day with limited national championship implications.
"You hope that your athletes are more pumped up since it's a home meet, but the preparation remains the same going towards the national championships," Barrett said. "It's one [of] the steps along the way—you know, a testing ground to see where our athletes are at."
Those on the team who qualified will travel next to the Big Apple for the New York Collegiate Invitational, which begins on Feb. 6.


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I came to the end of Midnight's Children, but I'm not even going to try to do a review – it's such a big book that it's almost impossible to cover in a review: like hugging a tree trunk when your hands don't reach together.
The main reason, of course is that the plot is very detailed and there are a lot of characters. And then the various levels of realism – you hit the surreal bits even before you reach halfway, and it gets more and more metaphorical and allegorical as you proceed.
I'd like to quote two more passages that stayed with me though. One is from the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. Our protagonist has been fighting on the border:
"A nameless morning. Ayooba Shaheed Farooq awaking in the boat of their absurd pursuit, moored by the bank of Padma-Ganga – to find him gone. 'Allah-Allah,' Farooq yelps, 'Grab your ears and pray for pity, he's brought us to this drowned place and run off, it's all your fault, you Ayooba, that trick with the jump-leads and this is his revenge!… The sun, climbing. Strange alien birds in the sky. Hunger and fear like mice in their bellies: and whatif, whatif the Mukti Bahini … parents are invoked. Shaheed has dreamed his pomegranate dream. Despair, lapping at the edges of the boat. And in the distance, near the horizon, an impossible endless huge green wall, stretching right and left to the ends of the earth! Unspoken fear: how can it be, how can what we are seeing be true, who builds walls across the world? … And then Ayooba, 'Look-look, Allah!' Because coming towards them across the rice-paddies is a bizarre slow-motion chase: first the buddha with that cucumber-nose, you could spot it a mile off, and following him, splashing through paddies, a gesticulating peasant with a scythe, Father Time enraged, while running along a dyke a woman with her sari caught up between her legs, hair loose, voice pleading screaming, while the scythed avenger stumbles through drowned rice, covered from head to foot in water and mud. Ayooba roars with nervous relief: 'The old billy-goat! Couldn't keep his hands off the village women! Come on, buddha, don't let him catch you, he'll slice off both your cucumbers!' And Farooq, 'But then what? If the buddha is sliced, what then?' And now, Ayooba-the-tank is pulling a pistol out of its holster. Ayooba aiming: both hands held out in front, trying not to shake, Ayooba squeezing: a scythe curves up into the air. And slowly the arms of a peasant rise up as though in prayer; knees kneel in paddy-water; a face plunges below the water-level to touch its forehead to the earth. On the dyke a woman wailing. And Ayooba tells the buddha: 'Next time I'll shoot you instead.' Ayooba-the-tank shaking like a leaf. And Time lies dead in a rice-paddy" (pp-500-501).
The second scene is from an afternoon Saleem spends at the magicians' ghetto:
"[…] Picture Singh, umbrella-over-head, was striding away towards his hut. Labia-lips, in relief, continued his speech … but not for long, because Picture returned, carrying under his left arm a small circular lidded basket and under his right armpit a wooden flute. He placed the basket on the step beside the Congress-wallah's feet; removed the lid; raised the flute to lips. Amid renewed laughter, the young politico leaped nineteen inches into the air as a king cobra swayed sleepily up from its home … Labia-lips is crying: 'What are you doing? Trying to kill me to death?' And Picture Singh, ignoring him, his umbrella furled now, plays on, more and more furiously, and the snake uncoils, faster faster Picture Singh plays until the flute's music fills every cranny of the slum and threatens to scale the walls of the mosque, and at last the great snake, hanging in the air, supported only by the enchantment of the tune, stands nine feet long out of the basket and dances on its tail … Picture Sigh relents. Nagaraj subsides into coils. The Most Charming Man in the World offers the flute to the Congress youth: 'Okay captain,' Picture Singh says agreeably, 'you give it a try.' But labia-lips: 'Man, you know I couldn't do it!' Whereupon Picture Singh seizes the cobra just below the head, open his mouth wide wide wide, displaying an heroic wreckage of teeth and gums; winking left-eyed at the Congress youth, he inserts the snake's tongue-flicking head into his hideously yawning orifice! A full minute passes before Picture Singh returns the snake to its basket. Very kindly, he tells the youth: 'You see, captain, here is the truth of the business: some persons are better, others are less. But it may be nice for you to think otherwise.'
Watching this scene, Saleem Sinai learned that Picture Singh and the magicians were people whose hold on reality was absolute; they gripped it so powerfully that they could bend it every which way in the service of their arts, but they never forgot what it was" (p. 556)
Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children, Vintage.


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National Eye Exam Month
Oh geez Keri.... have you tried contacting the trainer that you dealt with before? I really don't know what to say or what advice to give in this situation. Jack is ok with the older 2 kids?
I was thinking the same as Joyce. I think there is a link between Oliver, Kaitlyn and Jack.
I had a lab that bit my son in the face, and she punctured his face below the eye. She had just had major surgery the day before becasue she oozed all her innards out of her spay site...she was allergic to the cat gut used and the inside stitches let everything fall out . Anyway I had a baseball bat and actually thought about killing her, but withing minutes I realized that my son was at fault by jumping on her, she was in pain and reacted the only way she knew...Something isn't right, but before I rehomed him, I would seriously try to find out WHY he has this dislike (if he does) of Oliver.


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Harmony Corner (GNIS FID: 591881) is a populated place located within the District 2, Kennedyville, a minor civil division (MCD) of Kent County.
The elevation of Harmony Corner is 75 feet. Harmony Corner appears on the Galena U.S. Geological Survey Map. Kent County is in the Eastern Time Zone (UTC -5 hours).
Kent County: Subdivisions (MCDs) | Cities & Towns | ZIP Codes | Features (airports, churches, hospitals, etc.)
Also See: Nearby Photos | Nearby Hotels | Driving Directions
BIG Map |
Driving Directions |
Terrain Map |
Satellite Map | Data Source - USGS GNIS FID: 591881
BOUNDARY MAPS: District 2, Kennedyville | Kent County
| Kennedyville, MD (1.4 miles SW)
Betterton, MD (5.5 miles NW)
Galena, MD (5.5 miles ENE)
Worton, MD (7 miles WSW)
Butlertown, MD (7.2 miles WSW)
| Cecilton, MD (8.2 miles NE)
Millington, MD (8.7 miles ESE)
Kingstown, MD (8.9 miles SSW)
Chestertown, MD (9.1 miles SSW)
Sudlersville, MD (11.2 miles SE)
| Locust Grove, MD (1.9 miles ENE)
Knocks Folly, MD (2.4 miles N)
Robinson Corner, MD (2.7 miles SW)
Brookewood Cove, MD (2.7 miles NNE)
Urieville, MD (3.4 miles SW)
| Cleavers Corner, MD (3.4 miles S)
Kentmore Park, MD (3.4 miles N)
Glencoe, MD (3.4 miles NNE)
Hepbron, MD (3.4 miles WSW)
Runnymeade Estates, MD (3.6 miles SW)


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About Us
Khcycle.co.id has opened commercially since April 2011 in BSD City, Greater Jakarta.
We welcome anyone from the beginner cyclists to the professional racers to enjoy all aspects of cycling in our store. We also provide the finest products and the best services. The Fox Service Center is the only one in indonesia


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Visit www.happyholidaysfrom.us for a Holiday greeting from our family.
Jesus Was A Liberal Democrat
"…if this is gonna be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor either we've got to pretend that Jesus is just as selfish as we are or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition… and then admit that we just don't want to do it." – Stephen Colbert
(hat tip Aaron Monts)
File Under: Illinois Campaign News That Shouldn't Be Surprising: Bill Brady vs. Pat Quinn
In Illinois Campaign News That Should Not Be Surprising:
It appears Pat Quinn won with the working class. They essentially split the middle class. And Bill Brady won with those that made six figures. Take a look at this (source).
2009 total family income:
Under $30,000
- Brady 27
- Quinn 66
$30,000 – $49,999
- Brady 35
- Quinn 57
$50,000 – $74,999
- Brady 45
- Quinn 46
$75,000 – $99,999
- Brady 53
- Quinn 42
$100,000 – $199,999
- Brady 57
- Quinn 38
$200,000 or more
- Brady 65
- Quinn 30
An-tea Party?
An-tea Party?
There are some great pictures of signs from the Stewart/Colbert Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear. Check them out. This "3rd Amendment" one is one of my personal favorites.
With My Own Two Hands
Check out this video from the Bloomington Big Build Project – a partnership of the Both Hands Foundation & Lifesong for Orphans. And then, please consider helping.


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Originating in China acupuncture has become a popular choice of treatment in Western countries, with more and more patients turning to acupuncture for the treatment of many chronic conditions
How Acupuncture Works
Acupuncture involves inserting very fine needles into specific acupuncture points on the body. This small action can trigger a cascade of effects from increasing endorphins to boosting immune functioning to the releasing anti-inflammatories (important in the reduction of swelling and aiding healing). This holistic approach to health and well-being encourages the body's own natural healing response.
Single Session
- Fine needles are inserted into specially selected acupuncture points the needles remain in place for between 15 and 30 minutes. During this time you can switch off and relax to soothing music.
What happens in a session?
Your first appointment may last up to an hour and a half this is because a full medical history will be taken which will include details of any medication you are currently prescribed. A detailed discussion about the symptoms or condition you are suffering from will help your acupuncturist determine the best treatment plan for you.
After very fine needles are inserted into specially selected acupuncture points the needles remain in place for between 15 and 30 minutes. During this time you can switch off and relax to soothing music in one of our beautiful and tranquil treatment rooms.
Your treatment may also include other techniques such as remedial massage, acupressure, electro-acupuncture, heat therapy and may occasionally include blended essential oils depending on your symptoms.
A course of treatment is often recommended, the amount of treatments recommended will depend on the condition being treated, how long you have suffered from this problem and how well you respond to the treatment. Subsequent treatments will usually last between 45 and 60 minutes
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Thene Sheehy
After 40 years in IT and leader roles, and a few stints as a business owner, I want to touch more lives in bigger ways.
Throughout my career, I've been involved in many leadership and teamwork concepts and approaches, creativity-builders, problem-solving, and self-discovery methods. I am now blending all of these as I help new leaders and teams find better ways of working together, and innovating and launching their products or services.
Intro to Agile: I was introduced to agile thinking and the scrum and kanban methods in 2013 and love the alternative approach for businesses where change is the norm and the product is ever-evolving. These approaches are used often in software development teams, but apply equally well to all products and services, and even life-planning.
Credentials: I am certified via Project Management Institute (PMI), Scrum Alliance, and ScrumStudy, and enjoy sharing the pros/cons and options of the various agile approaches to help you find what will work for your own team.
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One of my 'sweet spots' is in helping project managers and leaders who are comfortable in the waterfall, fully pre-planned world of project management to adjust and ease into agile thinking and the adaptive and ever-changing planning approaches with scrum and kanban. This applies in your personal life, as well! Want to shift from a fully pre-planned well-formed and structured life to something more with more creativity, flexibility and passion. Agile Thinking applies!
On the flip side, I enjoy helping those who much prefer the agile/scrum, flexible approaches find some value in a few of the elements of the more strict and planned project management approach. Sometimes, the situation warrants more planning, risk management, communications management, and cost controls. It all depends on the situation.
Life Coaching to Deep Joy: And… in early 2020 (even before COVID-19 became 'the new normal'), I had an inspiration to begin focusing on Deep Joy…. the deep-in-your-soul happiness that you manage within yourself, in spite of the storms of life… in spite of being unable to control the health and well-being of those around you, and in some cases, your own self. It is my own challenge and one I've researched greatly, and a journey I love to help others through. Helping others toward a better life and deep lasting joy is my own Purpose.
Check out our Testamonials Archive.
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text: Arthritis Care provides a helpline service offering confidential support and information about arthritis. It runs a range of personal development training courses for people of all ages with arthritis, and also a programme of self-management courses to assist the move from dependence to independence. Produces a range of helpful publications.


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Faulconbridge Weather from BOM
BMCC Sporting Ovals Hotline: 4780 5617
(to check current Sporting Fields status)
We have 10 days to nominate our teams for season 2016 with AFL...to do this all players must be registered.
If you want to play and haven't registered;
- Firstly, what the hell!?
- Secondly, get over to footyweb (links below) and register asap.
Tell your friends, family, strangers in the street, the team train is leaving soon.
Any questions / issues, contact email@example.com
Auskick registrations -> https://goo.gl/ZhQhG1
Youth Girls registrations -> http://goo.gl/YsCouQ
Junior AFL registrations -> http://goo.gl/YsCouQ
Comment Guidelines: The SportsTG Network is made up of players, families and passionate sports followers like you who have a strong opinion about sport. That's great - we want you to have your say and share your thoughts with the world. However, we have a few rules that you must follow to keep it fun for all. Please don't be rude, abusive, swear or vilify others. Apart from some pretty serious sport sanctions, we also can ban you and report you if things get out of hand. So play fair and have fun, and thanks for your contribution.


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The Second World War: A Miscellany
Stock information
General Fields
Special Fields
Have you ever wondered...Who was the youngest WW2 serviceman to fight in battle? How low did the Dambusters fly? How many ships were sunk at Pearl Harbor? From the Battle of Britain to the Siege of Leningrad, the horrors of the Holocaust to the D-Day landings, on the Home Front and abroad, the Second World War changed the political, social and economic structure of the world. Through its battles, aircraft, weapons, soldiers, campaigns and heroes, this comprehensive miscellany is a compelling guide to one of the most destructive and all-encompassing wars the world has ever seen.
Author description
Norman Ferguson is an author of books on history, aviation and modern culture. He has worked as a web editor and copywriter.


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The very first reason why online classified websites aid employees in locating a job is the fact that the whole process is done online. In the newspapers, there are only some inches left for advertising purpose and so, they manage to print only limited numbers of jobs. On the other hand, the classified ads online have got unlimited space and so, thousands of jobs remain accessible for the potential employees. In this world where employers have been constantly dealing with countless numbers of candidates for one position only, there you can see success when you can apply for many numbers of jobs.
The fact that allures people about free classifieds is it is pretty easy. With the advent of the online world, more and more employers are posting the openings that have got online and by this, it is meant, users can apply for them no matter where they reside. Today, people no longer need to select a dedicated slot to search for a job. You can apply for a job being on a bus, a train, or even while you are waiting for the dentist. In fact, the employers too are realizing how the highly qualified candidates search for the finest job openings on the internet.
Some vital points that should be remembered for placing a free classified ad
When you decide to place free classified ads intended for your business then you must keep the ad sweet and short. You are never needed to write a hypothesis on your business. Your website will act as your term paper. The free classified ad must be something which would point to better and bigger things and it must be something which would light a fire in the customers' mind which would be put off when people visit your website.
Always confine your free ad's size to 100 words or at times, lesser than this. Ensure that your ad has got well-written words. If you wish you can put an image in the free classifieds. Actually, putting a picture will help you in getting traffic. When you have got a company logo then you must use it. Again, when you have got a product or several products then too you must put up their pictures. The good thing is free classified ads are around for a lengthier time and they will continue to remain around for a long time. In fact, the significance of free classified ads has increased as they are versatile, free, and easy to edit and post.


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A recent article by Newsweek's religion editor, Lisa Miller, makes some interesting observations about recent religious polling. I think though that the observations are something that many of us have begun to see in our own experience and in conversations with others. Miller points out that "recent poll data show that we are conceptually, at least, becoming more like Hindus…" And, in reference to the ever-proof-texted John 14:6, Miller claims that the data show that "Americans are no longer buying it." But will this tide continue to rise; are we really becoming more theologically Hindu? Must Christianity really change or die?
For starters, I would like to point out that what Miller calls Hindu she could just as easily call Jewish, and probably Taoist as well. Particularly as it relates to this evolution in Christian thought, I think that it's certainly more closely related to Judaism than eastern faiths (although there have been Jewish sages who had ideas about reincarnation). Actually, on my own spiritual journey I've found that in many cases complaints I've raised about "common" Christian theology[i] have been responded to with something like, "but I (or my church) don't believe that." And in many cases "not believing that" means many of the few things which are unique to Christianity in favor of those things it has taken from Judaism. Rejecting religious exclusivism in favor of the idea that God accepts in all ways the righteous of all peoples, regardless of religious or national affiliation is one example of this. A rejection of the more "traditional"[ii] views of Original Sin is another. Yet another example is the idea of subtitutionary atonement. And a heavy, dualistic focus on the afterlife is another.
In any case, I do think there's a lot that American's are no longer buying – and certainly not just in Christianity. And it's interesting to notice how the more ancient faiths that survive today seem to have a concept of The Sacred that is much more compatible with modernity and intellectual and social advancement. I suppose it should not be surprising at all that "younger" faiths seem to be more likely to be exclusivist. It's also interesting to see that even within one tradition, it's own evolution seems to follow this pattern. The new versions seem to be the most convicted that their way is the only true way. Christianity is a great example. According to Pew research, when asked if their religion was the only true faith, only an average of about 16% of Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Mainline Protestant Christians agreed, where as 36% of Evangelicals agreed, and 57% of Mormons agreed. Moving beyond just Christianity, we see that the more ancient faiths of Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism only responded affirmatively 5% of the time when asked the same question, where as for Christians the rate was 28.2% (on average, 21% w/o Mormons), for Muslims it was 33%, and for Jehovah's Witnesses it was 80%. I find these numbers particularly telling as I've always seen claims to exclusive truth as a near certain sign that something is amiss (e.g. a simple misapprehension of God, or possibly even something sinister).
Before I go further, all this Pew research can be found here: http://religions.pewforum.org/
There are lots of cool things to play around with. It's interesting to see the relationships between things like income, education, and geographic location and people's beliefs. Have fun.
I'm somewhat interested in Evangelicals (I think because they seem to be the loudest), so in checking out their stats, I noticed an interesting contradiction. 57% believe the Bible to be the "Word of God, literally true word for word." But, only 41% believe "there is only one true way to interpret the teachings of [their] religion." Huh? For that to be true these people must be reading different Bibles in the same churches. How can it be possible that their scripture is literally true word for word, yet there is more than one way to interpret it? The idea that it's literally true word for word is an interpretation – an exclusive one! Is maybe what they really mean that there is more than one way to be self-servingly selective about that which they want to believe is literally true word for word? Or are we seeing here the effects of the stats that show a rate of adherents who did not graduate high school that is higher than the national average and a rate of adherents who do not have college or post-graduate degrees that is lower than the national average? I wonder if there's a connection between the 56% of Evangelicals who did not attend college and the 57% who believe the Bible to be literally true word for word.
I don't mean to belittle Evangelicals, and it is important to say that formal education is not everything. I think the shift in which parts of religion Americans are still "buying" has more to do with the education gained through experiences than through institutions. It does seem that claims of exclusivity are declining among the various religious adherents. I think we could say the same for the numbers of those who think their Bibles to be the word for word literally true Word of God. I highly doubt we will be going back to the days of the Scopes Monkey Trial in which, while defending the Bible, William Jennings Bryan – a Presidential nominee who would've agreed that the Bible was the literally word for word true Word of God – said that he only "sometimes" thinks about the things that he thinks about. I expect that this transition has happened more rapidly in the faith groups who tend to have more formal education only because formal education is often accompanied by a variety of new experiences that also shape who we are and become. So, as globalization marches forward, as our scientists discover more and more, as the various information media become more and more a part of our lives, etc., I expect that we will all gain the education of experience that will begin to move us away from things like a belief that the Bible is the literally true word of God and claims to exclusive truth. As the Pew research shows, only a majority of Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses – and among Mormons it's hardly overwhelming – make an exclusive claim to truth. And as we move away from such exclusivism, we may be moving back toward the more ancient faiths.
I look forward to the day when religious exclusivism dies. It will be at that point when so many smart people will be able to shift their focus from apologetics to philosophy and theology, enriching people's lives of faith rather than trying to remove the doubt that is necessary to keep faith from becoming simply ideological. When religious exclusivism dies we will be able to focus not on getting everyone to share the same symbols and images for the unknowable God, but rather on rejoicing in everyone's shared love of God. And I do think the death of exclusivism will come. Indeed, exclusivism is nothing more than a symbol of faith. It has had its time, but like any symbol of faith, it will die when it no longer grasps people and ceases to point to the Truth to which it once pointed. The death of the symbol of exclusivism will be education, this wave of which will not stop. And as we become more and more educated through our experiences, we will "buy" exclusivist claims less and less, to the point at which they cease to be made and that tired symbol of faith will be dead. If any religion that currently claims exclusivity as its symbol that points toward Truth wishes to survive and thrive as the tide of education and experience rises, it may be true that that religion – which we must not forget is also nothing more than a symbol that points toward Truth – must, in the words of Bishop Spong, change or die."
Source of This Discursion: I saw the Newsweek article and the Pew website and wanted to post the links, so I figured I better come up with something to say about them too.
[i] As if there is such a thing as common Christian theology.
[ii] I couldn't be certain what the true "traditional" view of OS is, so it might be more accurate to call it the "popular" view. It comes in harder and softer forms, but it seems to center around the idea that we're incapable of goodness, or we're inherently sinful, or we're damned by virtue of our humanity, or something.


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Join Date: Oct 2014
The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
Hello everyone!
This is not a discussion of real gun control/gun rights, unless they are brought up in the context of how civilians/police would react to an armed character in a real-world setting. This is not the place to debate what gun laws should be, though talk about what they are and how they will affect characters in a game set in our world is on-topic. Am I clear? Please do not ruin this discussion with political debates.
So, it is a fact that most PCs possess weapons. It is a fact that they often carry them. But how are they perceived by the world for doing so?
In fact, the answer is "it depends on the world".
As a general rule, the more the world has a stable society, the less possession/carry of weapons is tolerated (even if legal). As a matter of fact, I have seen a police officer making a video about how, in his state where open carry is legal with a license, civilians often call the police on anyone carrying a gun to a park, even if said gun carrying person is just walking his dog minding his own business and just happens to be legally carrying a gun, and how, if a police officer accosts you if you happen to be that guy, you should react to make it easier on yourself (frustrated police officers can throw the book at you for minor offenses if you anger them enough, many cops will tell you that if some of your paperwork is expired by a day they'll probably let it slide with a reminder to update it ASAP unless you've been rude to them in which case they'll stick as many minor offenses on you as they can get away with), and on the police officer, who is probably tired of investigating the 30th legally armed guy who is just walking his dog in the park today because someone called the police station and reported yet another of these guys. In most peaceful societies, a PC openly carrying a weapon, even if he has a legal right to, unless he is a Law Enforcement Officer on duty, will likely be badly perceived (Reaction Penalties in GURPS terms) and would be subject to more regular controls by Law Enforcement Officers, which makes keeping a low profile harder. The Karate and Wrestling skills may be attractive in such societies. The Streetwise skill may also be useful to know which weapons are generally tolerated by Law Enforcement even if they are not strictly legal (in my country, owning/carrying pepper spray is illegal unless you work a security job but largely tolerated by police.). If your character is found with an Illegal-but-mostly-tolerated weapon by a police officer, I'd be tempted to just have you roll a Reaction Roll, or a Diplomacy check in games with no Reaction Rolls. On a Bad reaction/poor check, you are arrested/detained. On a Neutral reaction/somewhat failed check, the offending item is confiscated but you are free to go. On a Good reaction/successful check, you are free to leave and keep your item.
Worlds where society is less stable (After The End) or where danger that can be shot dead with weapons are common (most Fantasy and AtE settings), it's usually the absence of visible weapons that gets you the most attention. Anyone not carrying a weapon, even a simple spear or club, is either a fool believing he doesn't need one or a psion/wizard/Ki practitioner knowing he doesn't need one. There are example of After the End settings where Ki practitioners can break down tanks by kicking them (Fist of the North Star), I draw a blank on AtE settings with magic but AtE with psychics are not unheard of (The Master from Fallout 1 had psychic abilities) and most fantasy settings will have at least one type of psychic, magic user or ki practitioner.
Just as the fact that you're carrying a weapon may get you attention, the type of weapon may also get you attention. Exotic weapons will get you attention by default (Katana in a Western Fantasy area, or Western sword in a pseudo-Japanese fantasy setting). Most players, and by extension their characters, are very attached to their weapons, and thus it can be assumed they maintain them properly. A thoroughly cleaned, well oiled gun without a trace of rust and corrosion is an oddity in an After the End setting, even if it's a simple WWII era rifle knockoff that's been made by a blacksmith. If you see someone with such a weapon, there's a 99% chance they know how to use them, and depending on who you are, you may want to keep tabs on anyone who clearly has skills in using a weapon. Showing in any kind of settlement with equipment worth more than the settlement's entire GDP will get you the attention of every grifter, merchant and service provider in said settlement, whether these people are legitimate or not, even if open carry of weapons is otherwise the norm. It only applies if the weapons is obviously valuable though. An Anti-Materiel Rifle or a Laser Carbine in an AtE Setting is obviously valuable, but a +5 Returning Holy Spear may be worth enough to purchase an entire small fishing village several times over, but if it otherwise looks like a regular spear, it may not attract attention until thrown at a strong Evil monster with lots of HP, who falls dead when he should have survived a simple spear, and then magically returns to the thrower's hand.
Even in a setting where weapons are an accepted fact of life, there are places where they are not accepted. You do not show up to the Duke's ball in a full plate with a two handed-hammer. High class casinos in safe(ish) enclaves in an otherwise AtE setting might confiscate weapons upon entry. Small, inconspicuous weapons mayor may not be tolerated there so long as they are kept out of view.
Alright, anyone has anything to add?
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Oz
Re: The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
Not only does this depend on the setting, it also depends on the genre of the campaign and the nature of the PC group.
Player characters may often be law enforcement officials in e.g. mystery and Western campaigns and some types of horror or monster hunting campaigns. Then their carrying weapons would be either strictly forbidden or required by regulations, depending where and when the adventures were set.
In some campaign types the PCs may have especial need not to be caught with weapons, e.g. espionage campaigns, or private eye campaigns in jurisdictions where PIs are not allowed to carry. The old Victory Games game James Bond 007 gave special rules support to the smuggability of weapons and spy gadgets, to the concealability of carried weapons, and to the consequences of being recognised as a secret operative.
Then you have out and out military campaigns in which PCs are soldiers, special operators, etc. In, say, a Star Trek game PCs would be issued with phasers for away teams and boarding actions, but having a personally-owed weapon aboard a starship would be unusual and might hint that the PC was an infiltrator or refugee from the Mirror Universe, a Romulan spy, a Klingon agent, etc.
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Last edited by Agemegos; 07-12-2019 at 02:24 AM.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Re: The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
Yep, totally a world building question - and allows you to look at things like sumptuary laws as well with distinctions between "common" and "noble" weapons, which might run both ways (a commoner might not be allowed to own noble/chivalric arms whilst a knight might lose a great deal of face being seen with a "peasant's weapon").
Urban adventures are also great for watching
the guy who over focused on heavy armour and martial weapons sweat.
For the less civilised areas, carrying a weapon might be seen as an inherent claim to warrior status that you must be prepared to defend.
Also, as the OP touched on, carrying some weapons may actually make you more of a target as people may be prepared to risk killing you to own them.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Re: The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
Some of it is genre, and whether having to think about weapons laws is something the GM wants the PCs to worry about. One could easily have a "fig leaf" approach -- make an effort to conceal and the world will ignore it; try to wander down the National Mall in full plate with a two-handed sword and somebody will oblige you with trouble.
Some of the way games (and fiction) treats weapons may be a skewed view of the past. Medieval England had laws about how many armed followers a knight could travel around with -- typically from tournament to tournament. Large bands of heavily armed folks wandering around were deemed a possible threat to the peace. The American west wasn't as wild as the Westerns would have you believe. But PC expectations are often based on the fiction, not the boring facts.
Join Date: Oct 2014
Re: The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
Join Date: Sep 2011
Re: The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
As an example, take the difference in the way pacifism is treated in Star Trek (the original series) vs. The Starlost. Star Trek talks a lot about the Federation being pacifist by nature but phasers get used quite a bit and people get disintegrated with fair regularity and nary a blink of the eye. Garth carries his crossbow everywhere in The Starlost. He might put it down while he showers but we've never seen that. He loads his crossbow in less than half the episodes, maybe only a third of them and fired it maybe twice, wounding his opponent. I don't remember him ever killing anyone with it. The Starlost hardly ever mentioned their pacifist tendencies but their actions spoke loud and clear.
That's usually my expectation for game play, weapons are the last resort and killing an opponent isn't the go-to solution, it's the "well, nothing else has been effective" solution.
Last edited by Curmudgeon; 08-15-2019 at 06:57 AM.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
Re: The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
And history had many differing attitudes to the bearing of weapons, so a hodgepodge game will also have a hodgepodge approach to the bearing of weapons. It's only the game master's choices that decide where the law falls on that matter.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Denver, CO
Re: The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
In general, I think it goes like this...
1) If people are carrying practical weapons or wearing practical armor, the perception is that they are expecting to use them.
2) If there is a perception of a good reason for this, fine. If not, then... consequences. Maybe there are laws. Maybe it's people thinking they're crazy.
Some examples:
During the Italian renaissance, an expensive permit was generally required to carry a weapon in a city. This became a status symbol, so the five-finger dagger came into fashion as a way of showing off that you had one. It's not really practical.
Where I live, there's a weird loophole in the law which says I may carry a blade of any length, but not concealed. A sheath then was ruled to count as concealment. A friend, knowing this, was walking a few blocks home with a sword he just bought and was carrying it openly. He was stopped by the police and questioned at gunpoint. He was ultimately let go as they couldn't rule he was threatening anybody in particular. He didn't have a visible reason.
If a person walked into a tavern in real-life medieval Germany wearing a full suit of chainmail and calmly ordered a drink... folk would be very nervous. Doubly so if he was wearing a sword. The presence of these things would be threatening. Unless he was dressed as a soldier of a local lord; now he has a reason.
The tavern at waystops on a caravan route plagued by bandits is probably used to seeing armed and armored caravan guards all the time. They have a reason.
If I go into a modern bar wearing chainmail with a foam sword, I will probably get weird looks, but not really harassed by the authorities because my stuff is not seen as practical.
Join Date: Sep 2018
Re: The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
As a gun guy it's difficult to have a clear perspective of how people see guns. Recently I encountered a guy who was open carrying a pistol at my grocery store and it really pinged me. I've had similar reactions when I see police behaving suspiciously. It's not that I think people who have weapons are good or bad but the presence of a weapon itself escalates the danger of a potential conflict.
I think is most game worlds, walking around with a weapon that's obviously not a tool wouldn't cause a problem in itself but even in a world where people are walking around with swords constantly you won't blend in. It would be hard to shadow someone, or filch something, or even browse in a shop without the shopkeeper remembering you.
I think the more civilized a game setting is the more restriction you'll see on weapons. Even if the town is routinely attacked by monsters and people carry weapons openly in the street the local magistrate isn't going to meet with a stranger while they have some much as an eating knife on them because he doesn't have to and his guards don't want to have to de-escalate a situation with someone who's hammered and armed. In a game setting where the streets are safe, you probably can't carry weapons in town unless there's some law that protects that practice. And even if you can walk around the street with a sword wagging on your hip you probably have to turn it over when you come into the bar because bar owners know that ale plus swords equals shutting down the bar early and awkward conversations with the constable.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Re: The rights and consequences to bear arms in RPGs
"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison
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IAEE Members and subscribers to The Energy Journal: Please log in to access the full text article or receive discounted pricing for this article.
G. C. Watkins
Abstract: The economics of relations between prices and resource stocks has been dominated by the Hotelling Principle. But seemingly little attention has been given to the Principle by the oil and gas industry itself. In this paper the Principle is appraised, some new empirical results based on the value of oil and gas reserves sales are introduced, models which relax more of the Hotelling assumptions are reviewed, and the industry milieu in the context of a Hotelling Style framework is discussed. The Principle is seen as affording fundamental theoretical insights, but is not found to cope well with industry realities.
Purchase ( $25 )
Energy Specializations: Petroleum – Markets and Prices for Crude Oil and Products; Petroleum – Policy and RegulationJEL Codes: Q31: Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation: Demand and Supply; Prices, Q38: Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation: Government Policy, Q41: Energy: Demand and Supply; Prices, Q47: Energy Forecasting, L71: Mining, Extraction, and Refining: Hydrocarbon Fuels
Keywords: Hotelling, Oil and gas reserves, valuation, Depletion, Energy policy
DOI: 10.5547/ISSN0195-6574-EJ-Vol13-No1-1
Published in Volume 13, Number 1 of the bi-monthly journal of the IAEE's Energy Economics Education Foundation.