text:
Gardens accountant Jeff Bolton drowns while vacationing in Bahamas
Partner, friend reflect on Bolton's charitable work
Ask people about Jeff Bolton and they all talk about his zest for life and his full commitment to everything he did.
"If he believed in something, he just gave it 100 percent," said Pam Payne, executive director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a charity where Bolton worked.
He was also very active with another charity, the Bone Marrow Foundation.
"I would call him when a child was diagnosed," said Payne. "He would call the parents, offer them help, offer them support."
Payne now talks about Bolton in the past tense. On Friday, the Palm Beach Gardens accountant drowned while vacationing in the Bahamas.
"Jeff was a very vivacious, lively guy," said Michael Daszkal, Bolton's business partner.
Twenty years ago, the two men founded Daszkal Bolton, a Boca Raton accounting firm. The firm held a private memorial for Bolton on Monday morning.
"I kind of broke down because it hit me this morning," Daszkal said. "I saw 110 people, and I've never been in a meeting when Jeff wasn't in there."
Payne said Bolton will be missed.
"I just love the man," Payne said. "This community has lost a great person, and I don't know what we'll do without him."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I can't install your Tumblr template.
Please read the documentation and follow my installation instructions carefully.
To make it work, you need to open an index.txt file in a basic Notepad application or in one of those source code editors then copy all the code and paste it into Tumblr.


text:
George Curry – NNPA Editor-in-Chief
WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Whether George Zimmerman goes on trial as scheduled June 10 for killing Trayvon Martin or he gets the 6-week delay requested by his lawyer, it is clear from court filings that part of the defense strategy involves depicting the 17-year-old dead Black youth as a troublemaker and pot head.
Martin, unarmed, was shot to death in Feb. 2012 by Zimmerman, a volunteer neighborhood watchman, in Sanford, Fla. Martin, a Miami native, was visiting the area in central Florida with his father at the time and was returning to a residence after walking to a nearby convenience store. Zimmerman, 29, has tried to portray Martin as the aggressor, despite ignoring instructions from a police dispatcher that he not follow the youth in the rain. He has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Mark M. O'Mara, co-counsel for Zimmerman, filed a motion last Thursday seeking court sanctions against the State Attorney's office for not turning over evidence that he said might help Zimmerman's defense.
According to the motion, the State of Florida had ignored previous defense filings seeking any evidence that might reflect favorably on Zimmerman or negatively on Martin in preparation for going to trial.
In his petition, O'Mara said, "The State was fully aware at that time that there was information resident on Trayvon Martin's cell phone, including pictures of Trayvon Martin in possession of at least one weapon, pictures of marijuana plants, pictures of Trayvon Martin smoking marijuana, pictures of marijuana blunts, and texts discussing, securing or purchasing firearms, and bragging about being involved in fights, etc."
According to documents release by defense attorneys0, prosecutors recovered a photo of an African American holding a Smith & Wesson handgun from Martin's cell phone. It was not immediately clear whether the person holding the weapon was Martin. A second photo shows the handgun and a clip on top of a soiled mattress.
The defense is also seeking to introduce a photograph of Martin, dressed in a white undershirt, giving two extended middle finders to the camera.
In addition to other photos of marijuana, the defense also wants to introduce certain text messages recovered from Trayvon Martin's cell phone. Some of the texts are related to Martin being suspended from school for fighting and his mother's decision to kick him out of the house.
"My mom just told me I gotta mov wit my dad," said a message sent in Nov. 2011. "She just kicked me out:(."
A text message from his father said, "Show them that you a good kid and you want positive things around you. Be a big brother and not a DONKEY…LOVE DAD."
Prosecutors are asking Circuit Judge Debra Nelson to forbid the defense from introducing the texts. But O'Mara, Zimmerman's lawyer, said: "If they had suggested that Trayvon is nonviolent and that George is the aggressor, I think that makes evidence of the fighting he has been involved with in the past relevant."
Attorneys for Martin's parents, who are divorced, said in a statement: "Is the defense trying to prove Trayvon deserved to be killed by George Zimmerman because (of) the way he looked?" they said. "If so, this stereotypical and closed-minded thinking is the same mindset that caused George Zimmerman to get out of his car and pursue Trayvon, an unarmed kid who he didn't know."


text:
Product Overview
H2o Eclipse Elite Fibreglass with unidirectional (UD) carbon fibre wrap reinforcement Asymmetrical 220cm Kayak Paddle (Two Part) Black
Adjustable and suitable for both right and left handed paddlers
This is a great economically priced paddle which is Durable...Versatile...and inexpensive! this two piece Paddle is 2.20 metres long, it has a lightweight fibre 28.6 mm Ø carbon/glass shaft and heavy duty polypropylene/glass fibre blade. Its two piece construction allows you to adjust the paddle rotation. finished with drip rings, floats. Quick release 3 button design separates paddle for easy storage and adjustment. Suitable as a backup or starter paddle for novice and accomplished kayakers alike.
New feathered blade design allows for a more efficient stroke
Two piece construction for easy storage
3 locking positions for ease of use
Adjustable drip guards
Vinyl grips for comfort
Comes in 2 popular sizes
Blade angle adjustable, 3 positions:
0 Degrees In Line
65 Degrees
75 Degrees
Paddler Height Sizing (outline guide)
4'8" - 5'10 220cm
5'6" - 6'2" 230cm
Not Recommended for white water use. Weight Around 800 grams
Blade is 45cm Long x 18cm Wide


text:
Friday, August 31, 2007
Bold Moves
One thing I think people over look in home decor is making a bold statement. I have noticed in pictures I'm drawn to, its often a focal point or a bold move that strikes me the most. When people have small spaces, they can be timid about using focal points. A big painting, a bold color, a cool sink, all of these things can add up to one great looking room, no matter what its size!
Posted by Lisa at 9:56 AM 7 comments:
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Stylish Storage
Small space is all about storage planning. The first thing I consider is do I want open or closed storage. If what I'm storing is not pretty or interesting to look at, I go with closed storage. For the most part, I opt for closed, its easier to cram stuff in when you have people coming over on short notice! I do have open storage in my office. There I find I can be a bit more creative and practical all at the same time.
Posted by Lisa at 10:17 PM 6 comments:
Labels: Home Office, shelving, storage
Weathered Wood
Weathered wood is one of those trends I bet some people thought would die a early death. Some of my friends do not like the look at all. If done right, and in the right place, I think it looks great. A room full of it is too much for me. I love the texture it can add to home decor. The top picture would make my mother in law break out the paint cans, but I really like how it looks!
Posted by Lisa at 8:43 AM 7 comments:
Monday, August 27, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
HGTV Rate a Room
I'm sure most of you have seen rate a room on the HGTV website. I have mixed emotions about it. On one hand, I love seeing how regular people decorate. There are some really talented people out there. Some of the comments are down right mean! I'm all for constructive criticism, but yikes! Here are a few rooms I thought were done very nicely. Do you have a favorite rate a room?
Posted by Lisa at 10:22 AM 11 comments:
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Neat Tricks
I love creative and clever ways to use space, large or small. Here are a few pictures I came across that I thought were fun. White totes are found all over these days but the way they used these are really eye catching. Who says a kitchen is too small for a pot rack? Using stylish ottomans for a coffee table is a fantastic idea!
Posted by Lisa at 11:39 AM 5 comments:
Labels: storage
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Style File- Black and White
Lucy and Desi, peanut butter and jelly, black and white. What do they all have in common? They were made for each other! Ok, Lucy and Desi for the 50's but you get my drift! Black and white has been around forever it seems and for good reason. A fun way to tweak black and white is to add a 3rd color to the mix in a smaller dose.
Posted by Lisa at 8:48 AM 6 comments:
Labels: Style File, White
Monday, August 20, 2007
Small Efficient Kitchens
These kitchen are great examples of small but efficient kitchens. They may be tiny but for what they lack in size, they make up for it with great style. If at all possible, a table or small workspace is a big plus in a small kitchen.
Posted by Lisa at 10:26 AM 7 comments:
Labels: Kitchens
Friday, August 17, 2007
I've always had a thing for quirky wall signs. I have quite a few in my house now, my favorite being a canoe sign (top picture). This was my office wall and has since changed but I still have that sign. Feels like it belongs at summer camp, and thats why I bought it. I also have a matching one in green that says cabins. My friend Linda redid her bathroom (stunning!) and added a subway sign (2nd picture). Thats the first sign I've seen in awhile thats made me swoon!. Ebay is a great place to find old signs etc.
Posted by Lisa at 10:26 AM 12 comments:
Labels: Lisa's Home, Walls
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Pottery Barn Bed and Bath Fall Line
I received my Pottery Barn Bed and Bath catalog in the mail yesterday and really liked what I saw. They have a very nice mix of things for fall. You can check out more bedrooms on their website. (Click on title of this post to link you to their website)
Posted by Lisa at 11:46 AM 4 comments:
Labels: bedroom, Pottery Barn
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
I have to admit, when I first started seeing the use of chalkboards in home decor, I thought it would be a passing phase. Its been awhile now and it does not seem to be fading at all! I love the use of chalkboards in the home. They give visual punch with such stark blackness, although you can now find chalkboards in all sorts of colors. I've used chalkboard paint in the past too. Adding magnetic paint to chalkboard paint is a great combination.
Posted by Lisa at 8:48 AM 8 comments:
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
A Small Corner
I love to look at pictures of how people use and decorate those small corners in their homes. Those odd corners or not too big spaces can be a perfect opportunity to get creative. If you can create something that is nice to look at and useful you'll feel doubly great!
Posted by Lisa at 7:41 AM 3 comments:
Friday, August 10, 2007
Adding color is one of the best ways to add high impact to a room. As many times as I've read that in decor magazines, I still love seeing examples of color. The possibilities are endless!
Posted by Lisa at 9:05 AM 9 comments:
Labels: color
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Creative Use of Space
I love creative uses of space. Bathroom sinks are becoming so creative, you can see new styles all the time. When your able to put in a place to sit with a table, its great as long as its not so small you can hardly squeze in. The last picture looks more like a space to have a chat with the person cooking your meal, but that works too.
Posted by Lisa at 10:18 PM 3 comments:
Camp Like Guest House
< A few year back I came across these really cool tents in one of my design books. The company that makes them is called Sweet Water Bungalows (just click the title in this post and it will take you to their website.) They are pricey, but could work if you lived in nicer year round climate and did not want the cost of new construction.
Posted by Lisa at 1:36 PM 9 comments:
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Wrinkled Comfort
There is something about a wrinkled chair or couch I find very comforting. A few years back, it would have drove me nuts! Don't get me wrong, I do like some of my stuff just so, but I don't want people to question whether or not its ok to sit down on any of my furniture. A wrinkled chair is like Grandma's open arms, come on in!
Posted by Lisa at 9:36 AM 4 comments:
Labels: Cottage
Monday, August 6, 2007
Guest Room
When my sister moved to Dallas 3 years ago, I was crushed. I knew when she did come back to town, I would want her to stay with me. I had no idea how to fit 4 extra people in my house. You have to be very flexible, but it can be done. Kids are easy because they will sleep just about anywhere. A daybed instead of a loveseat, air mattresses, a pull out couch. Plan plan plan, you'll be surprised what you can do!
Posted by Lisa at 9:52 AM 6 comments:
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text:
Whether Google is liable for damages for secretly intercepting data on open WiFi routers across the United States is to be aired out in a Silicon Valley federal court.
Eight proposed class-actions from across the country that seek unspecified monetary damages from Google were consolidated this week and transferred to US District Judge James Ware in San Jose, California. Another five cases are likely to join.
The lawsuits allege Google violated federal and state privacy laws in collecting fragments of data from unencrypted wireless networks as its fleet of camera-equipped cars moseyed through neighborhoods snapping pictures for its Street View program.
The consolidation decision (.pdf) by the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation is likely to spark a legal frenzy by attorneys involved in the cases, as they jockey to win over Judge Ware and garner lead counsel status. That would give those lawyers intense media attention, as well as the biggest share in legal fees from a verdict or settlement.
Still, acquiring lead counsel status, a title given to lawyers whom the judge believes can best represent the interests of class members, comes with a huge risk as well.
The deep-pocketed Google maintains that it did nothing wrong, and is likely to put up a fierce and costly defense. Google, in response to government inquiries and lawsuits, claims it is lawful to use packet-sniffing tools readily available on the internet to spy on and download payload data from others using the same open WiFi access point.
So far, government regulators are not sure whether Google committed any legal wrongdoing. Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced in June that as many as 30 attorneys general were examining the lawfulness of Google's actions. Several other countries are probing the issue as well.
Mountain View, California-based Google called the inadvertent three-year-long collection "a mistake" and said it was the result of a programming error—code written for an early experimental project wound up in the Street View code, and Google says it did not realize the error until May, when German privacy authorities began questioning what data Google's cameras were collecting.
The Panel on Multidistrict Litigation said it chose Silicon Valley because "Google is headquartered there, and most relevant documents and witnesses are likely located there." The panel also said many of the lawyers in the case "support centralization" there.
Judge Ware, a President George H.W. Bush appointee, has not set an initial hearing date.


text:
Did you check out our last Sunday Family Dinner?
If you did, you may have said to yourself…. "Huh…something's missing. Where are the cocktails????"
And rightfully so! Because what's a Sunday Fam-Din without a specialty cocktail? Not one of ours for sure!
Since Korean fare was the theme for August, I knew I wanted to use soju for our signature cocktail. Soju is a distilled alcohol and is traditionally made from rice. To me, I liken it to the flavors of sake–but I'm no expert. So for all of you soju aficionados–don't bust my chops!
At a family party last year, my younger cousin NhuMy picked up some fresh watermelon agua fresca and turned it into delish watermelon martinis. My seester T and I loved it so much that I wanted to take the same flavors to make Watermelon Soju-tinis.
Using fresh watermelon that eldest seester, N, had in her fridge (my niece, Nina, is a watermelon-monster), I made a refreshing and light agua fresca. Thrown into a shaker with some lime juice, soju, zest and ice—and we had fantabulous cocktail.
Looking for a mocktail? No worries! The agua fresca chilled with ice is just as delish!
Watermelon Soju-tinis
Serves 2
5 cups fresh watermelon, cut into large chunks
1/2 cup chilled water
juice of 1 lime
1-2 tablespoons sugar (optional), depending on sweetness of the watermelon
4 ounces soju
lime zest
watermelon wedges for garnish
In a blender, add the watermelon chunks, water, lime juice and sugar (optional). Blend until smooth. Pour liquid through a sieve to strain.
Fill a large shaker with ice. Add the soju, 5 ounces watermelon agua fresca, and 1-2 pinches lime zest. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds and strain the contents between 2 glasses. Garnish with watermelon wedges. Cheers!


text:
Filmmaker Chris Renaud has always been a big fan of the "Star Wars" movies but it wasn't the heroic Luke Skywalker or Han Solo who captured his imagination. From the very first time the Force was with him, Renaud was fascinated by evil genius Darth Vader. "I always say that when I was a kid, I only played with the Darth Vadar and Storm Tropper action figures," recalls Renaud, who was born in Maryland but spent his teen years in Allentown, Pa. "I gravitated toward the villains. I think it's a common thing. "[Villains] are very powerful [figures] who live by their own whims, and there's part of us that wishes we didn't have to follow the rules and always do the right thing. So it's a delight watching somebody who can actually live that way." Given his love of all things dark and dastardly, it's no wonder that Renaud made his feature film directorial debut with "Despicable Me," a cartoon told from the perspective of diabolical bad guy Gru (Steve Carell). The 2010 movie proved that Renaud wasn't the only one fascinated with villains. "Despicable Me" grossed more than $540 million, making it the 10th biggest animated motion picture in Hollywood history. Now, Gru and his adopted daughters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith and Agnes are back for more mischief in "Despicable Me 2," which Renaud co-directed with Pierre Coffin. These days, Gru is a reformed scoundrel who, between developing a line of jams and jellies, is recruited by members (Steve Coogan, Kristen Wiig) of the Anti-Villain League to take down baddie Eduardo/El Macho (Benjamin Bratt). By Gru's side on his world-saving mission are his assistant Dr. Nefario, his girls and, of course, his Minions. "The toughest challenge with any sequel is the [audience's] loss of a sense of discovery," says Renaud from Paris, where he's lived for the last five years with his wife and two children. "You don't want to simply retell the story of the first film. "So we have exciting new characters, a new location, new gadgets and we take Gru and the girls to a new phase of life. We wanted to investigate how they've changed and grown. "It's all a matter of getting the right balance. You want to deliver something new while not betraying what people liked about the first film." Renaud was integral in shaping the stories of both "Despicable Me" movies. It was his idea in the first film to have Gru hatch a plot to steal the moon. This time around, Renaud wanted to make sure there was plenty for the audience-pleasing Minions to do. Hint: the yellow Minions meet their match in purple Minions. "We wanted to give the Minions a more central role," says Renaud, who lends to voice to a couple of the gibberish-spouting creatures. "For the first film, the Minions were developed very much along the way. They weren't even in the original story pitches or scripts. But with this one, knowing that audiences really enjoyed them, we wanted to take not only Gru and the girls to the next level but also the Minions." For Renaud, one of the trickiest assignments of the sequel (opening Wednesday) was making sure that the kinder, gentler Gru was interesting. "We even talked about, `Should he still be a villain?' But he sort of left that behind at the end of the first film when he was becoming a responsible dad," says Renaud. "But we were always looking for ways to maintain his unique sensibility and perspective on the world." Gru might be a good guy but he's far from a pushover. In fact, the filmmakers went out of their way to surround Gru with characters who bring out the demon in him. "Gru is paired with an agent named Lucy Wilde, who played by Kristen Wiig, and she's his polar opposite," notes Renaud. "She's bubbly, optimistic and has a great personality. When he reacts to her, his cynical attitude comes out." Renaud is famous for allowing his actors to improvise in the sound booth and he was rewarded this time around with fresh input particularly from Carell and Wiig, both of whom have training in improvisational comedy. Originally, Al Pacino was cast as Eduardo but two months prior to the film's release, he left the production over "creative differences" about how the character should come to life. "[Pacino] gave us some incredible contributions," says Renaud. "But Benjamin Bratt was another actor we were considering before Al. So we don't want an unhappy actor, and we want something that is well-realized on all sides. If you don't see eye to eye, sometimes it's easier to [part company] and move on from there." While Renaud is in charge of all aspects of the production, he takes special delight in doing some of the initial storyboards, and then transferring those early drawings to a story reel. Renaud has always loved to draw. He was still living outside Baltimore when his first-grade teacher recognized his natural artistic ability and pointed it out to his parents Pat and Jean who quickly signed their son up for art classes. In the early 1980s, Renaud's father was transferred from Bethlehem Steel's Sparrows Point facility in Maryland to the main office in Bethlehem. Chris wasn't crazy about switching high-schools after ninth grade but he quickly adjusted to life in Pennsylvania. 'I think the biggest thing about my years in Allentown was that it taught me that things change," says Renaud. "It taught me that it's best to embrace change and try to make the most of it rather than try and fight it. "It also taught me that there's more of a world out there than what's right in front of your face. There's other people, other perspectives…those were life lessons that were extremely valuable and still serve me to this day." After graduating from Parkland High School in 1985, Renaud studied illustration at Syracuse University before landing a job in advertising at a Manhattan firm. Always a huge comic book fan, Renaud eventually wound up working for Marvel Comics. Drawing "Starfleet Academy," a "Batman" book, turned out to be great training for his work as a filmmaker. "When you're a comic book artist, you get the opportunity to be the director and the cinematographer," he says. "You get a script and you have to realize the whole thing yourself. You have a month or so to [bring off] a 22-page script. You have to be fast on your feet because there is no one else there to fill in the blanks for you." A few years later, Renaud landed a job at Blue Sky, an animation house that turned out such well-received 'toons as "Ice Age," "Robots" and "Epic." Next, he signed a contract with the Paris-based Illumination where he directed "Despicable Me" and "The Lorax," both of which were monster hits. Renaud's 2015 project will be the final entry on his four-film contract for Illumination but he's already signed a new contract and is happy to be staying put in France. "My wife and I are enjoying living in Paris," he says. "And I love working with Illumination. They've given me an unparalleled opportunity to keep directing one movie after another. Very often animation directors make one movie and then spend the next five years developing another one. "But I'm in the unique position of being able to keep working and keep making movies…So I feel very fortunate." Renaud also enjoys the fact that his movies put smiles on the faces of his kids, who are 10 and 7. "Its fun for them [and] it's fun for me to watch their reactions too," he says. "Sometimes I cross my fingers hoping their reactions are good ones. But I suppose I'm a 46-year-old bald kid myself so it's a lot of fun for all of us."
Director Chris Renaud talks 'Despicable Me 2' (interview)
Start the conversation


text:
As a reading-addicted Southern California child, unprecocious in any way at all except for a hunger for imbibing writing without any special regard for the quality of the words, I am told that I took delight in saying out loud the text on all the billboards we would pass in the family car. Must have been enormously annoying. There were lots of such ads by roadsides, pre-Lady Bird Johnson's campaign versus them.
At home, though I preferred newspapers, magazines and books, it's true that the proverbial cereal box would do.
But when I had tired of, or run out of, regular narrative books and Wheaties ingredients, and the morning and afternoon papers were done with, I remember that there was nothing quite like the delightful randomness of perusing an almanac, or encyclopedia, or atlas. Particular favorites included "The Guinness Book of World Records" — does that even get published anymore? — and "The World Book Encyclopedia," which my parents had purchased for our living room bookshelf.
It was our very own low-tech Internet in which the randomness of human knowledge could be dipped into at any point.
Are Brittanica, etc., produced in the age of the Web? We could look it up, you know where.
So I was somewhat amazed to find in my office mail one recent day proof that printed semi-random accumulations of knowledge had not gone the way of the dodo. Because there on my desk wrapped in brown paper was "The Atlas of California," compiled by two University of California professors, Richard Walker and Suresh Lodha, published by the UC Press. Fascinating? Yes, and not just to someone who will read anything. Colorful? Bright as the interwebs. Deep? "We eschew the usual myths for a more hard-nosed look at the Golden State," the authors write.
Favorite random facts gleaned:
• Half of California's land is in public ownership. A brilliant map of what our professors call the state's "slightly crooked torso" shows the federal and state parks Jedediah Smith on the coast just below the Oregon border to Picacho on the Colorado River just above Yuma, from the shark sanctuary of the Farallones to the Navy bombing target of San Clemente Island. With Yosemite and everything else in between.
• In "Colonialism & Native Californians," a graph shows the population of native peoples at an estimated 500,000 at the beginning of the Spanish period in 1769, down to a low of 15,377 at the 1900 census, slowly rising back up to 362,757 at the 2010 census, a number the authors attribute in part to native heritage being again a point of pride.
• On the "Unauthorized Immigration" page, a graphic shows that the profession with the highest percentage in California of such workers, even higher than agricultural workers or dishwashers, is roofers: 31 percent.
• A "Politics, Governance, & Power" map of the state shows bunches of northern counties — San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and more — had 70 percent or more of voters favoring President Obama over Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election; no Southern California county did, though Imperial and Los Angeles came close.
A personal pet peeve about such maps in national atlases comes out in the "Economic Growth" section: It shows California as "the economic engine of America" because we have the largest gross domestic product among the states, with the color coding showing that Texas and then New York follow behind. But that's because those are the three largest states. Tell me something I don't know.
Like, in "The Bay Area": Gentrified San Francisco now has the lowest percentage of African-Americans of any major U.S. city.
You could look it up.
Larry Wilson is a member of the editorial board of the Los Angeles News Group. email@example.com


text: THE GLAMOUR LIST: When Glamour set out to pick its annual list of the women of the year, it saw winning qualities in both Selena Gomez and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The annual list, always an eclectic mix, this year also includes Jenna Lyons of J. Crew, Annie Leibovitz, architect Zaha Hadid, and the recipient of the most enviable book deal this year, Lena Dunham of "Girls." In honor of Leibovitz, every photo in the annual portfolio was shot by a female photographer — 114 in all. A perfectionist until the bitter end, Leibovitz left her portrait to the staff of her studio.


text:
A Palestinian girl walks with a toy that she salvaged from debris of the el-Yazje apartment building which was destroyed following an overnight Israeli missile strike in Gaza City, Thursday, July 17, 2014. The Israeli military says it has struck 37 targets in Gaza ahead of a five-hour humanitarian cease-fire meant to allow civilians to stock up after 10 days of fighting. The Gaza Interior Ministry says four people were killed and that a 75-year-old woman died of wounds from the day before. The Israeli army says Hamas fired 11 rockets at Israel early Thursday. Palestinian health officials say that in total, at least 225 Palestinians have been killed. On the Israeli side, one man was killed since July 8. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
UPDATE: The Israeli military says it has launched a ground offensive in Gaza.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza residents rushed to banks, vegetable markets and shops Thursday during a first U.N.-brokered lull in 10 days of Israel-Hamas fighting, but a quick resumption of hostilities after it ended signaled that a permanent truce remains elusive.
Hamas fired 10 rockets at Israel after the end of the temporary truce, while Israel launched two airstrikes at the Gaza Strip, security officials said.
Egypt persisted with diplomatic efforts to bring all sides to the table Thursday, with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas after Egyptian officials met separately with representatives of Israel and Hamas in Cairo. But the gaps remain wide.
Israel accepted Egypt's call earlier this week to halt all fighting, but Hamas rejected the idea because it first wants to lock in achievements, such as easing the seven-year blockade of Gaza by Israel and Egypt.
Strict Egyptian access restrictions to Gaza over the past year, combined with long-running Israeli closures, severely weakened the Islamic militant group.
During the humanitarian cease-fire, Gaza residents rushed to restock supplies after more than a week of being mostly holed up at home for fear of airstrikes.
"The situation is likely to get worse because there is no clear way out of it," said Moussa Amran, 43, a money changer in central Gaza City.
The city's streets returned to normalcy during the lull, with traffic jams, motorists honking horns and Hamas police directing traffic at busy intersections.
Hundreds lined up outside banks, with people jostling and shouting to get to ATM machines. In an outdoor market, shoppers filled plastic bags with fruit, vegetables and freshly slaughtered chickens.
Abdallah Jaber, 42, seized the opportunity to visit his 87-year-old father, Hosni, in a care facility for the elderly and disabled close to the Israeli border, in an area that has been targeted repeatedly by the Israeli army as a launching area for rockets.
Several tank shells hit the upper floors of the five-story Wafa rehabilitation center last week, punching large holes into the wall facing the border.
Israel has demanded that the building be evacuated, but director Basman Ashi said such a trip was too risky for his 17 patients, many of them unable to walk.
Jaber said he couldn't reach the center during 10 days of fighting and was worried about his father, who is on a respirator and suffers from dementia. "We would call every hour to get an update on his condition," he said.
Israeli strikes have killed more than 230 Palestinians, Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Kidra said. One Israeli has been killed and several wounded in rocket attacks, officials said.
Since July 8, Israel carried out nearly 2,000 airstrikes, while Hamas fired more than 1,300 rockets, reaching Israel's economic and cultural heartland.
In Cairo, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri insisted in an interview with The Associated Press that the cease-fire deal was still alive and expressed frustration that "Palestinian factions" -- a clear reference to Hamas -- had not agreed to it.
Hamas' agreement is crucial to any such truce, but its demand that the blockade be eased significantly is likely to be rejected by Israel and Egypt because it would strengthen the group's hold on Gaza, where it seized power in 2007.
On Wednesday, the No. 2 in Hamas, Moussa Abu Marzouk, presented a list of demands to Egypt, said a senior official in the group who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the negotiations with reporters.
Hamas demands that Gaza's crossings be opened and that all types of goods be allowed into the territory. Israel has allowed consumer goods into Gaza, but has restricted construction material, fearing it would be diverted for military use. Israel has also barred most exports from Gaza, crippling the local economy.
Hamas also wants to be allowed to build a sea port as a gate to the world, with shipments under international monitoring, the Hamas official said.
In addition, Hamas demands the release of 52 activists who had been released by Israel in a 2011 prisoner swap, but were re-arrested in recent months.
A high-level Israeli delegation also visited Cairo for several hours on Wednesday to discuss the terms of a cease-fire, said Egyptian government officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman dismissed a news report that a truce was to begin early Friday, saying that "as of now, at least, we are not aware of this."
In the lead-up to Thursday's lull, 13 heavily armed Hamas militants tried to sneak into Israel through a tunnel from Gaza, the military said. Israeli aircraft struck the fighters at the mouth of the tunnel some 250 meters (820 feet) inside Israel, near a kibbutz.
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said the military believed at least one militant was killed in the strike and that the remaining fighters appeared to have returned to Gaza through the tunnel.
Footage released by the military showed a number of individuals creeping slowly toward what appeared to be a hole in the ground. A separate shot showed an explosion from an airstrike on the tunnel entrance.
Hamas' military wing said all its fighters returned safely.
In fighting early Thursday, Israeli aircraft struck 37 targets in Gaza, including the homes of senior Hamas leaders Fathi Hamad and Khalil al-Haya, the military said.
Three people were killed by a tank shell that hit a house in the southern town of Rafah, the Hamas-run police and al-Kidra said.
In the town of Khan Younis, hundreds joined the funeral procession of four members of a family, including two children, who were killed in an air strike the day before. The bodies, wrapped in white shrouds, were carried through the streets.
In Jerusalem, a court indicted a 29-year-old and two 16-year-olds in the death of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, 16. According to the indictment, the suspects went out for a "manhunt" that ended when they "cruelly" killed Abu Khdeir.
The indictment said the suspects carried out the crime in revenge for the deaths of three Israeli teens last month and that they killed Abu Khdeir "solely because he was an Arab." The suspects are also accused of attempting to kidnap a seven-year-old Arab boy a day earlier.
The indictment said Abu Khdeir was strangled, beaten and burned to death while he was unconscious.
The death led to days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and police in east Jerusalem and elicited widespread international condemnation.
Goldenberg reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza City, Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, Aron Heller in Tel Aviv and Maggie Michael in Cairo contributed to this report.


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S k i l l
Example 1. In this number,
the 0 is in which place?
Answer. Hundred thousands.
For in each class of three digits, there are Ones, Tens, and Hundreds.
0 is in the class of thousands and in the Hundreds place. The power of 10 at that position is Hundred thousands.
Example 2. In this number,
how many Ten millions are there? That is, which digit is in the ten millions place?
Answer. 8. For on counting from the right, the millions are the third group of three digits, 386. The Tens place is the middle one (Ones, Tens, Hundreds). There are 8 Ten millions.
Place value versus absolute value of a digit
In addition to speaking of a digit being "in" a place, we also speak of the place value of the digit itself. In this number,
each digit has the same absolute or invariable value 6, but a different place value. 6 on the extreme left has the place value 6000; the next 6 has the value 600; the next, 60; and the last, 6.
Expanded form
The numeral for every whole number stands for a sum.
364 = 3 Hundreds + 6 Tens + 4 Ones.
(Even a single digit stands for a sum: 5 = 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1.)
What is written above is called the expanded form of 364.
Example 3. Write 6,325 in expanded form.
Answer. Write
6,325 = 6 Thousands + 3 Hundreds + 2 Tens + 5 Ones.
In practice, however, it is often more useful to expand the number in this way:
6,325 = 6,000 + 300 + 20 + 5.
Example 4. Write the expanded form of 10,000.
Answer. 10,000 = 1 Ten-thousand + 0 Thousands + 0 Hundreds + 0 Tens + 0 Ones.
Example 5. No matter what the unit:
And so on. For there is no "42" apart from 42 units, even though we do not say the word units.
Units of adjacent place value
The following question is to prepare for the standard written methods of addition and subtraction. The answer follows from the fact that each digit
has a place value ten times the digit to its right.
For, each power of 10 is ten times the one to its right:
1000 100 10 1
1000 is made up of ten 100's.
100 is made up of ten 10's.
10 is made up of ten 1's.
And so on.
Ten 1's can be composed into one 10.
Ten 10's can be composed into one 100.
Ten 100's can be composed into one 1000.
And so on.
1000 100 10 1
One 1000 can be decomposed into ten 100's.
One 100 can be decomposed into ten 10's.
One 10 can be decomposed into ten 1's.
1000 100 10 1
We will see this when we come to regrouping in addition and subtraction.
Rounding off
Example 6. Round off 6,528 to the nearest ten.
Answer. 6,5286,530
(The wavy equal signmeans "is approximately equal to.")
2 is in the tens place. To round off to the nearest ten, look at the digit to the right: 8 (greater than 5). Therefore, add 1 to the tens place. Replace 8 with 0.
Example 7. Round off 6,528 to the nearest hundred.
Answer. 6,5286,500
5 is in the hundreds place. To round off to the nearest hundred, look at the digit to the right: 2 (less than 5). Therefore, leave the hundreds place unchanged. Replace 28 with 00.
Example 8. Round off 6,528 to the nearest thousand.
Answer. 6,5287,000
6 is in the thousands place. To round off to the nearest thousand, look at the digit to the right: 5. Therefore, add 1 to the thousands place. Replace 528 with 000.
Example 9. Round off 79,521 to the nearest thousand.
Answer. 79,52180,000
9 is in the thousands place. To round off to the nearest thousand, look at the digit to the right: 5. Therefore, add 1 to 79 -- it becomes 80. Replace 521 with 000.
To round off decimals, see Lesson 11.
At this point, please "turn" the page and do some Problems.
Continue on to the next Section.
Introduction | Home | Table of Contents
Copyright © 2021 Lawrence Spector
Questions or comments?
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In May I had the opportunity to attend the NCWIT (National Center for Women & Information Technology) 2012 Summit on Women and IT, and what an amazing three days it was! The annual NCWIT Summit is a celebration of girls and women in technology, but above all, it's an opportunity for leaders from education, industry, and government to explore avenues for recruiting and retaining women in IT roles.
For me, this year's summit has not only been a tremendous resource for new ideas, it also provided a prime opportunity to promote Microsoft's commitment to increasing women's presence in computing. Microsoft has been a NCWIT sponsor since 2004, and an investment partner since 2006. In 2009, an additional Microsoft gift brought the company's funding for NCWIT to US$2 million since 2005, an indication of our dedication to strengthening the U.S. IT workforce with an expanded, diverse pool of talent.
As further evidence of the company's commitment, I am excited to report that we released our new Women in Computing website in conjunction with the summit. This site not only offers information about free tools, programs, and opportunities to support women in computing, it also summarizes our educational initiatives—which extend from grade school to graduate studies to faculty fellowships—and includes inspirational stories of women who are helping to solve some of the world's most pressing problems through careers in computer science and technology.
The summit also gave me a chance to highlight our involvement in the launch of NCWIT's Sit With Me campaign. This launch took place on March 9, International Women's Day, and Microsoft marked the occasion by holding 50 events that spanned the globe, all celebrating women in computing. In addition, Microsoft Research labs around the world have begun to launch Sit With Me campaigns to grow the next generation of female researchers and inventors. Microsoft is also an active participant in the NCWIT Pacesetters program, in which senior leaders from corporations and universities commit to increasing their numbers of technical women.
One of the summit's high points for me was assisting Microsoft Staffing Director Sean Kelly in presenting the first-ever NCWIT Pioneer Award, given to women who have forged new trails for women in computing. The recipients were Patricia Palumbo and Lucy Simon Rakov, two trailblazing programmers who helped the United States explore outer space and paved the way for women in computing. Read about their amazing careers.
The summit also recognized the Chicago-area recipients of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing, which honors female high-school students for computing-related achievements and interests. Microsoft Research is pleased to be a sponsor of this important program, and I was excited to meet two inspirational young women who want to change the world in their pursuit of a career in computing. They will both join us at Microsoft as interns this summer.
In addition, I was thrilled to join with Christine Alvarado (of Harvey Mudd College), Maureen Biggers (of Indiana University-Bloomington), and Margaret Burnett (of Oregon State University) to honor the 2012 recipients of the Microsoft Research funded Academic Alliance (AA) Seed Fund awards. This program provides AA members with funds to conceptualize and implement promising practices for recruiting and retaining women in computing at the higher education level. And since Microsoft is an active member of the Academic Alliance, my colleagues and I were busy participants in Alliance meetings at the summit.
One might think I'm exhausted after all these activities, but the summit has been so uplifting that I find myself energized. This has been truly an inspirational event. Now I just have to get some of that great Chicago pizza before I head back to the Northwest.
—Rane Johnson-Stempson, Principal Research Director for Education and Scholarly Communication, Microsoft Research Connections
Learn More
- NCWIT Summit
- Women in Computing
- How Microsoft Is Supporting the Sit With Me Campaign (video)
- Academic Alliance Seed Fund
- Workforce, K-12 and Academic Alliances
- NCWIT Sit With Me Campaign
- Microsoft Research Sit with Us Campaign


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Former Colts & Bengals NFL Tight End, Ben Utecht to Guest Star on Insightful Player™ Streaming Video TV Show on MingleMediaTV.com
Tuesday, August 2nd 7 PM EST
Watch LIVE here today:
Mingle Media TV
Former Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals tight end Ben Utecht, one of 32 current and former NFL players recognized as Insightful Players will be the guest of the new weekly Insightful Player online show on MingleMediaTV.com this Tuesday, August 2 at 7 p.m. ET. Mingle Media TV produces and broadcasts over 40 hours of web series and event coverage each week.
Chrissy Carew, a Master Certified personal and business coach based in Nashua, NH founded Insightful Player™ in April 2010 with a vision of providing an answer to a crucial worldwide calling for messages of hope that provoke positive actions. "I'm thrilled to have an online show on MingleMediaTV.com where I'm able to interview my Insightful Players like Ben Utecht and have their stories told to the world," said Carew, who serves as the host of the show. Carew was inducted into the International Coaching Federation (ICF) New England Chapter's newly-established Hall of Fame on June 13.
Utecht is one of the 32 members of the Insightful Player™ team. To be named to this team, one must be a person of integrity, such as a current or former NFL player, who shares their personal message of hope for the sole purpose of lifting the spirits of all, especially children.
The short-version of Ben Utecht's Insightful Player story is available on InsightfulPlayer.com. The full-length version will appear in the Insightful Player book that will be published by Morgan-James Publishing later this month.
On the show, Carew will discuss how Utecht's approach to life was to grow in multiple areas while staying true to his values. He prepared for life after football and went full-force into a successful music career after concussions forced his retirement. The former University of Minnesota star, who won a Super Bowl with the Colts, is well on his way to becoming a successful musician with his "Christmas Hope" album and current music tour
Excerpt from Ben Utecht's Insightful Player Profile
Graced with many gifts and talents, Ben Utecht grew up in a loving family, surrounded by music. He readily admits that he was far from perfect. In is early years, he bought into the idea that he was better than others because of superficial things.
Ben was fortunate to have people in his life who told him the truth. He remembers a high school friend saying he had some issues with pride, and that 'arrogance is not a quality that represents what you stand for'. "It wasn't easy to hear," Ben says, "but it was a revelation."
"When I left high school, the only thing that I was going to strive to do was to love people and love God. My perspective about popularity and all those things had changed."
Ben's initial plans for a pro football career did not work out as expected. He spent half of his college career with two different injuries that took him completely out of the NFL draft.
When Ben became a free agent, he was contacted by Tony Dungee, coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He and Ben are both alumni of the University of Minnesota, and had met at a conference. The Colts paid Ben for a year while he underwent surgery and rehab. Three years after missing out on the draft, Ben was a starting tight end on the Colt's Super Bowl championship team. Without those college injuries, and the related incidents that occurred during that time, that would not have happened. That experience reinforced his faith and hope.
Being a part of the NFL has opened some new doors for Ben. He released his debut Inspirational music CD in April 2009. Ben's music reflects his personal mission. "One of my songs talks about how, if our focus was on love, and how we can better serve people, it would change everything — from politics to religion."
Ben has an inspiring attitude about his missteps and challenges. He likens them to a trial by fire. "Some of our most precious metals are forged in the greatest heat," he explains. Even in the midst of tough times, Ben looks forward to what's ahead because he knows that growth can come from the greatest adversity.
Ben believes that people really do understand right versus wrong and good versus evil. "If you trust your instincts, you'll usually make the right choice. It's like a snowball effect. The more good choices you make, the easier it gets to keep on doing that."
From the outside, it looks as if Ben Utecht has everything, and could easily rest on his laurels. He takes none of this for granted, and believes his work has just begun. "I'll never be afraid to stand up for what I believe in. And, I'll always strive to be the best husband and father that I can possibly be.
"God has given me talents and abilities to do something with them. I believe my job as an athlete and, hopefully, my job in the future as a musician, is so much more than just giving a performance. It's a platform to create change that affects everybody positively. I promise that, no matter if it's football or music, I'm going to do whatever I can to inspire a new generation to change the world in a positive way."
The Insightful Player™ is brought to you by Coach Chrissy Carew, Master Certified Personal and Business Coach. Chrissy has been deeply inspired by her father, the late Coach Walter Carew, Sr. Her beloved father is in several Halls of Fame as a high school football coach (as well as high school and college player). He used the game as a way to help kids build strong character and teach them valuable life skills. The Insightful Player™ was created to help make our world a much better place.
Launched on February 8, 2010, online media and live web TV Network Company, Mingle Media TV produces and broadcasts over 40 hours of web series and event coverage each week. It's audience reach online is over 250,000 weekly views of their video coverage, web series and live broadcasts and are currently in the top 20,000 websites in the U.S.
For more information on Coach Chrissy Carew and Insightful Player, visit www.theinsightfulplayer.com and call 603-897-0610.


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Together Again – Cookstown Co Tyrone
February 16, 2017 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm£15.00
International Psychic Medium Fiona Stewart Williams delivers a rather unique evening of Psychic Insights and Spirit Communication.
Psychic and Mediumistic from childhood she effortless connects to the spirit world proving life continues … "We couldn't die even if we wanted to … the Soul lives on" she says with a smile.
Demonstrating one of the oldest forms of mediumship – "Flower Sentience" Fiona seamlessly joins the two worlds that of the living with those within the spirit world, reuniting family and friends and brining them, for a while, together again.
Flowers picked that day by Fiona are dressed and decorated accordingly to the requests from the spirit world. These Flowers are given to the recipients in the audience as a tangible keepsake reminding them they are indeed loved from above.
For information on Fiona Stewart Williams www.psychicfiona.com


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The S&P 500 rose by 4% today on news that the Federal Reserve System and other central banks were taking steps to provide liquidity to banks, especially European banks with heavy exposure to sovereign debt issued by countries in the Eurozone. Other stock markets in Europe and Asia also rose sharply, and the euro rose about 1% against the dollar.
What was encouraging about today's announcement was that the news reflected coordination and cooperation among the world's leading central banks, sending a positive signal that central bankers were capable of working in concert to stabilize monetary conditions. One other point worth noting, already mentioned by Scott Sumner, is that the provision of liquidity so much welcomed by the markets was associated with rising, not falling interest rates, confirming that under current conditions, monetary ease works not by reducing, but by raising, nominal interest rates.
It is worth drilling down just a bit deeper to see what caused the increase in interest rates. I like to focus on the 5- and 10-year constant maturity Treasuries, and the corresponding 5- and 10-year constant maturity TIPS bonds from which one can infer an estimate of real interest rates. The yield on the 5-year Treasury rose by 3 basis points from 0.93% to 0.96%. At the same time the yield on the 5-year TIPS fell from -0.77% to -0.80%, so that the breakeven TIPS spread, an estimate (or, according to the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank, more likely a slight overestimate) of inflation expectations, rose 1.70% to 1.76%. What that says is that, even though the nominal interest rate was rising, inflation expectations were rising even faster, so that the real interest rate was falling even deeper into negative territory. The negative real interest rate provides a measure of how pessimistic investors are about the profitability of investment. Poor profit expectations (flagging animal spirits in Keynesian terminology) are a drag on investment, but that is exactly why rising expectations of inflation can induce additional real investment to take place, despite investor pessimism. As expected inflation rises, additional not so profitable real investment opportunities, become worth undertaking, because the negative return on holding cash makes investing in real capital less unattractive than just holding cash or other low-yielding financial instruments. The profitability of additional real investment projects will increase economic activity and output , raising future income levels, which is why the stock market rose even as real interest rates fell. (For more on the underlying theory and the empirical evidence supporting it, see my paper "The Fisher Effect under Deflationary Expectations" here.)
Now let's look at the 10-year constant maturity Treasury and the 10-year constant maturity TIPS bond. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose 8 basis points from 2% to 2.08%, while the yield on the 10-year TIPS rose from 0.01% to 0.03%, implying an increase in the breakeven TIPS spread from 1.99% to 2.05%. At both 5- and 10-year time horizons, inflation expectations rose by 6 basis points. But the difference is that real interest rates rose over a 10-year time horizon even though real interest rates fell over a 5-year time horizon. That suggests that the markets are projecting improved long-run prospects for profitable investment as a result of higher inflation. That was just the relationship that we observed a year ago after the start of QE2, when inflation expectations were rising and nominal interest rates were rising even faster, when investors' projections for future profit opportunities were becoming increasingly positive. After a rough 2011, that still seems to be the way that markets are reacting to prospects for rising inflation.
In its story on the stock-market rally, the New York Times wrote:
Market indexes gained more than 4 percent after central banks acted to contain the debt crisis in the euro zone. But a half-dozen similar rallies in the last 18 months have quickly withered.
What unfortunately has happened is that each time the markets start to expect enough inflation to get a real recovery going, the inflation hawks on the FOMC throw a tantrum and make sure that we get the inflation rate back down again. Will they prevail yet again? For Heaven's sake, let's hope not.


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Inspired by: ezinearticles


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Casateak is the premier source for outdoor patio furniture in a variety of designs and materials. Find the high quality, stylish furniture sets made from premium grade teak and stainless steel grade #304, natural rattan and synthetic wicker. While enjoying a unique shopping experience, we look forward to assist you in creating a beautiful outdoor setting for your garden.
Wicker Single Sofa WS 24-12
Al weather wicker single sofa , available in different colors .


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Imagine going to a shoe store — and seeing a large sign on the door announcing, "We don't sell puppies here." Or suppose you're about to board a plane, and spot a sign in the waiting area: "No train service here." You might think, what in the world?
Or imagine walking into a four-star restaurant, and seeing a sign reading: "The county government recommends that you dine somewhere else."
Now imagine these nutty signs might be required by law. Believe it or not, in Maryland, lawmakers have ordered signs like these to be posted — but only in front of one business: crisis pregnancy clinics. Signs that announce, not what the clinics offer — but what they don't offer.
Baltimore and Montgomery counties in Maryland have passed laws forcing crisis pregnancy centers to post signs announcing that they do not provide abortions, that they don't have licensed medical personnel on staff, and that the county health department recommends they seek a licensed health care provider elsewhere. Failure to post the sign gets you a $500 fine.
NARAL and Planned Parenthood are the groups behind these laws. NARAL describes the new laws as part of a new, nationwide strategy to take customers away from crisis pregnancy centers and funnel them to abortion clinics. Step one is to publish phony "studies" about how pregnancy care centers allegedly "mislead" women. The studies are, of course, conducted by NARAL. Step tw Join forces with pro-abortion lawmakers to pass laws that attack crisis pregnancy centers.
It probably won't surprise you to learn that Maryland abortion clinics don't have to post signs announcing services they don't offer. For instance, they don't have to announce that they don't have adoption lawyers on hand. They're not forced to suggest that clients go elsewhere — say, to a clinic that invites women to see their unborn babies on an ultrasound machine before making a decision.
Mark Rienzi, a law professor at Catholic University, points out the obvious to the Washington Times: The Maryland laws violate "every core principle of free speech law." And he's right.
The Baltimore City Council claims the new ordinance is about truth in advertising and patient protection. But crisis pregnancy care clinics don't claim to offer abortions: Their advertising says they offer abortion alternatives, counseling, support, and free pregnancy tests. And many of them in fact do have licensed medical personal.
If Maryland lawmakers are really concerned about truth in advertising, they should talk to some of the millions of victims of abortion clinics. Women who say abortion clinics lied to them about fetal development. Women who suffered severe injuries or even death after being told that abortion is a safe and simple procedure.
Above all, they should be forced to tell clients that up to a third of all women who abort their babies regret it afterwards.
Maryland crisis pregnancy centers are suing over the laws forcing them to advertise services that they don't offer. Good. We need to fight back when our freedoms are attacked.
Otherwise, one day we may need to post a sign in front of the Constitution. One that says "Out of service."
Chuck Colson's daily BreakPoint commentary airs each weekday on more than one thousand outlets with an estimated listening audience of one million people. BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on today's news and trends via radio, interactive media, and print.


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"Manual of Evasion" Edgar Pêra, Lisboa, 1994 : profetic! (with Terence Mac Kenna, Robert Anton Wilson, Rudy Rucker…) don't miss his 2013's "SINESAPIENS":
CINESAPIENS is a krypto-musical history of the Battle between Amazement and Faith, between voyeurism and exhibitionism in cinema. Cinesapiens is the last segment from the feature 3X3D, also by Jean-Luc Godard and Peter Greenaway. Edgar Pêra + H.P. Lovecraft Produced By Rodrigo Areias – Guimarães Capital Europeia da Cultura 2012- Photo: Luis Branquinho 3D Post-Production Edmundo Rivotti Krypto-Rotograph Mário Rivotti Set Ricardo Preto Wardrobe Susana Abreu Infographix Cláudio Vasques Post Production Assistant Miguel Pereira


text: Recipes Chilaquiles-Style Roasted Chicken Legs 4.0 (2,521) Add your rating & review Chilaquiles is a baked Mexican dish that's often made with leftover shredded chicken, tortilla strips and cheese. In her more substantial and refined version, Grace Parisi bakes whole chicken legs with tomatoes, hominy, jalapeños and tortilla chips. More Quick Mexican Recipes By Grace Parisi Updated on May 8, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Kana Okada Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 2 garlic cloves, smashed Kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained well 1 cup canned hominy, drained 1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños 6 cups lightly crushed thick corn tortilla chips (6 ounces) 4 whole chicken legs (about 12 ounces each) Chopped cilantro and sour cream, for serving Directions Preheat the oven to 450°. On a work surface, mash the garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of salt. Transfer the garlic paste to a small bowl and stir in the ground cumin, chile powder and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. In a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, toss the drained diced tomatoes with the hominy, jalapeños, half of the spice paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gently mix in the crushed tortilla chips. On a work surface, cut halfway through the joint between the thigh and drumstick on the underside of each chicken leg. Score the top of each leg 3 or 4 times, cutting to the bone. Rub the remaining spice paste over and into the chicken and arrange skin side up in the baking dish. Roast in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Leave the chicken in the oven and turn on the broiler. Broil for about 3 minutes, just until the chicken skin is golden and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a large plate and return the baking dish to the oven. Broil for about 3 minutes, until the tortilla chips are lightly browned. Return the chicken to the baking dish, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with sour cream. Suggested Pairing This goes well with a lush, blackberry-flavored Malbec from Argentina's Mendoza region. Rate it Print


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Looking for premier hiking in the Midwest. Look no furture….The Ice Age Trail is a National Scenic Trail located entirely within Wisconsin. The trail is also one of 42 designated Wisconsin state trails and the only one specifically designated as a "State Scenic Trail." From Interstate State Park on the Minnesota border to Potawatomi State Park on Lake Michigan, the Ice Age Trail winds for more than 1,000 miles, following the edge of the last continental glacier in Wisconsin.
One of only 11 National Scenic Trails, the Ice Age Trail is intended to be a premier hiking trail and conservation resource for silent sport and outdoor enthusiasts. The trail traverses some of Wisconsin's most scenic landscapes and helps tell the story of the last Ice Age by highlighting Wisconsin's unique glacial features.
Primary attractions include topography left by glaciation in the Last Ice Age. Glacial features along the trail include kettles, potholes, eskers, and glacial erratics. Many of the best examples of glacial features in Wisconsin are exhibited in units of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, most of which lie along the trail.
The Ice Age Trail is primarily an off-road hiking and backpacking trail that provides excellent opportunities for sightseeing, wildlife viewing and bird watching. In winter, some sections of the trail are open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Opportunities are available for camping along the Ice Age Trail in national, state and county forests and in many state and county parks, including some private campgrounds. Campgrounds can vary from primitive walk-in campsites to facilities complete with electric hookups. When planning a trip, it is best to check ahead of time for camping locations and availability. The Ice Age Trail Atlas and Guidebook, which are available for sale from the Ice Age Trail Alliance, provide camping and lodging details for all segments of the trail.
The Ice Age Trail travels through 30 counties on state, federal, county and private lands, connecting dozens of communities. There are hundreds of trailheads and access points located along the trail route. More than 600 miles of trail are open. The completed sections of the trail are connected by less-traveled roadways and other temporary routes.
Stone steps lead the way up the bluff trails at Devil's Lake State Park.
The Ice Age Trail goes through several state and federal lands in Wisconsin, including traveling many miles through county and private lands. In addition to the state parks and forests listed below (from west to east along the trail), the Ice Age Trail travels through many state wildlife and fishery areas and some state natural areas.
- Interstate State Park, Saint Croix Falls
- Straight Lake State Park, near Frederic
- Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area, near New Auburn
- Brunet Island State Park, Cornell
- Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
- Hartman Creek State Park, near Waupaca
- Devil's Lake State Park, near Baraboo
- Kettle Moraine State Forest
- Southern Unit, Eagle
- Lapham Peak Unit, near Delafield
- Loew Lake Unit, near Monches
- Pike Lake Unit, near Hartford
- Northern Unit, near Campbellsport
- Point Beach State Forest, near Two Rivers
- Potawatomi State Park, near Sturgeon Bay
The Ice Age Trail includes parts of other Wisconsin state trails.
- Gandy Dancer, St. Croix Falls to Frederic
- Tuscobia, Rice Lake to Birchwood
- Mountain-Bay, near Hatley
- Military Ridge, near Verona
- Badger, near Fitchburg
- Sugar River, Monticello to Albany
- Glacial Drumlin, near Wales
- Eisenbahn, near Kewaskum
- Ahnapee, Casco Junction to Sturgeon Bay
Interstate State Park, Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area and the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine Forest – all units of the Ice Age Scientific Reserve – have Ice Age Educational and Interpretive Centers with major displays in glacial history and geology.https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/iceagetrail/


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Dawson Gage timed a pose in front of a humpback whale just as it breached high out of the water during a trip with Nootka Wilderness Lodge.
The trip was on Sept. 16 in Nootkwa Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island and the photo and video was captured by Davis Rennie, a fishing guide for Nootka Wilderness Lodge, a luxury fishing resort on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Not surprisingly, the lodge reports that the video has gone viral.


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Clue: Like Eeyore, usually
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- Washington Post - March 16, 2011
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President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel during the National Anthem at the start of an event to mark the 60th anniversary of the suspension of the 1950-1953 Korean War at the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C. July 27
The President has no public events scheduled
Darlene Superville: Obama Says Korean War Veterans 'Deserve Better'
President Barack Obama on Saturday urged Americans to take time from their "hurried lives" to listen to the heroic stories of Korean War veterans who returned to a country weary of war and deserved a better homecoming.
"Unlike the Second World War, Korea did not galvanize our country. These veterans did not return to parades," Obama said in a speech at the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall, making the 60th anniversary of the war's end.
"Unlike Vietnam, Korea did not tear at our country. These veterans did not return to protests. For many Americans tired of war, there was it seemed a desire to forget, to move on," Obama said.
They "deserve better," the president said, adding that on this anniversary, "perhaps the highest tribute we can offer our veterans of Korea is to do what should have been done the day you came home."
More here
ThinkProgress: Growing Number Of States Are Reporting Lower Than Expected Health Care Premiums
Health premiums in Maryland's exchanges will be "among the lowest of the 12 states that have available proposed or approved rates for comparison," the state's exchange — Maryland Health Connection — announced Friday. The news comes just as New York,Oregon, Montana, California, and Louisiana are also reporting lower than expected premiums.
In Maryland, a 25-year-old will be able to purchase a plan that is more comprehensive than policies currently available on the individual market for $114 per month, while a middle aged adult will have to pay approximately $260 per month for insurance. A 21-year-old non-smoker can start as low as $93 a month. Officials say they used their authority to deny rate increases to reduce the proposed premiums by "more than 50 percent." Thirty other states have have similar authority.
More here
GOP, is this a description of you?
Ignorant people are more likely to doubt the truth of facts that contradict their beliefs.—
(@UberFacts) July 28, 2013
ThinkProgress: Steve King: In Private, Republicans Actually Agree With My 'Cantaloupe-Sized Calves'
A growing number of Republicans are publicly distancing themselves from Rep. Steve King's (R-IA) claim that many undocumented youths are drug mules with cantaloupe-sized calves, but the conservative congressman claims that GOP lawmakers are backing him in private.
During an appearance on Fox News on Saturday, King said that Republicans are in fact standing by him, but are afraid to publicly support him for fear of sparking outrage and losing their legislative leverage…..
More here
Always interesting how some hacks refuse to give "Obama" his 'title', but are happy to do so for his predecessors… pic.twitter.com/OefXPn97Xk
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) July 28, 2013
Hunter Walker: John Kerry: 'This Is A Pivotal Moment For Egypt'
Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement Saturday after at least 65 people were killed and over 1,000 were injured in Egypt during clashes between security forces, armed men, and protesters demonstrating against the ouster of former President Mohammed Morsi.
Kerry said he spoke with Egypt's Interim Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei and Interim Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy Saturday morning to express "our deep concern about the bloodshed." He also described the situation as a "pivotal moment for Egypt" and called for an "independent and impartial inquiry into the events of the last day."
Read the statement here
This is the unvarnished NYT interview with President Obama. Read it. This is him in his own words.
North Carolina #GOP: "Our new #voterID law will solve the major problem we identified in 2012, which was too many black people voting"—
The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) July 28, 2013
Click on the craigconnects link. It's very informative
A completely excellent infographic on voter suppression from craigconnects.org/voter-protecti… http://t.co/Oqx3ozqnuj—
TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) July 28, 2013
Asawin Suebsaeng: Obama Says Ho Chi Minh Was Inspired By Founding Fathers, Conservatives Freak Out
After a meeting with Vietnam's president Truong Tan Sang on Thursday, President Barack Obama said the following to reporters (emphasis mine): At the conclusion of the meeting, President Sang shared with me a copy of a letter sent by Ho Chi Minh to Harry Truman. And we discussed the fact that Ho Chi Minh was actually inspired by the US Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and the words of Thomas Jefferson. Ho Chi Minh talks about his interest in cooperation with the United States. And President Sang indicated that even if it's 67 years later, it's good that we're still making progress. (Ho Chi Minh was a Vietnamese communist and nationalist revolutionary leader who died in 1969. He fought alongside Allied forces during World War II, but fought American forces during the Vietnam War.)
Good morning, Bo! http://t.co/sf1Sw7CMya—
(@FLOTUS) July 27, 2013
Several conservative media outlets blasted the president on similar terms. "Obama may have just been trying to flatter his guest who was obviously eager to show that Ho was not the monster history shows him to be," Chris Stirewalt, digital politics editor for Fox News wrote. "But his connection between the American founders and Ho shows either a massive lack of historical knowledge on the part of the president or a remarkable degree of moral flexibility."
Yes, it is true that the United States once waged a disastrous, pointless, and horrific waragainst Ho Chi Minh and the people of Vietnam. But Obama's comment wasn't a gaffe or insult to American war vets. What Obama said is literally a historical fact. In September 1945, Ho Chi Minh delivered the Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Hanoi to a crowd of nearly a million Vietnamese. Not only was the "The Star-Spangled Banner" played by a Vietnamese band during his address, but he opens his speech by quoting Thomas Jefferson.
More here
The fantastic Sarah Slamen (@VictorianPrude).
A year ago today:
First lady Michelle Obama watches the women's singles tennis match between Serena Williams of the U.S. and Jelena Jankovic of Serbia at the All England Lawn Tennis Club during the London 2012 Olympics Games, July 28
.. with Venus Williams and former gymnast Dominique Dawes
Serena Williams gives a thumbs up gesture toward her sister Venus and first lady Michelle Obama after she defeated Serbia's Jelena Jankovic
Have A Great Day! 😀


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Being surrounded with every conceivable kind of revolt from infancy, Gabriel had to revolt into something, so he revolted into the only thing left -- sanity. But there was just enough in him of the blood of these fanatics to make even his protest for common sense a little too fierce to be sensible. His hatred of modern lawlessness had been crowned also by an accident. It happened that he was walking in a side street at the instant of a dynamite outrage. He had been blind and deaf for a moment, and then seen, the smoke clearing, the broken windows and the bleeding faces. After that he went about as usual -- quiet, courteous, rather gentle; but there was a spot on his mind that was not sane. He did not regard anarchists, as most of us do, as a handful of morbid men, combining ignorance with intellectualism. He regarded them as a huge and pitiless peril, like a Chinese invasion.
He poured perpetually into newspapers and their waste?paper baskets a torrent of tales, verses and violent articles, warning men of this deluge of barbaric denial. But he seemed to be getting no nearer his enemy, and, what was worse, no nearer a living. As he paced the Thames embankment, bitterly biting a cheap cigar and brooding on the advance of Anarchy, there was no anarchist with a bomb in his pocket so savage or so solitary as he. Indeed, he always felt that Government stood alone and desperate, with its back to the wall. He was too quixotic to have cared for it otherwise.
He walked on the Embankment once under a dark red sunset. The red river reflected the red sky, and they both reflected his anger. The sky, indeed, was so swarthy, and the light on the river relatively so lurid, that the water almost seemed of fiercer flame than the sunset it mirrored. It looked like a stream of literal fire winding under the vast caverns of a subterranean country.
Syme was shabby in those days. He wore an old-fashioned black chimney?pot hat; he was wrapped in a yet more old?fashioned cloak, black and ragged; and the combination gave him the look of the early villains in Dickens and Bulwer Lytton. Also his yellow beard and hair were more unkempt and leonine than when they appeared long afterwards, cut and pointed, on the lawns of Saffron Park. A long, lean, black cigar, bought in Soho for twopence, stood out from between his tightened teeth, and altogether he looked a very satisfactory specimen of the anarchists upon whom he had vowed a holy war. Perhaps this was why a policeman on the Embankment spoke to him, and said "Good evening."
Syme, at a crisis of his morbid fears for humanity, seemed stung by the mere stolidity of the automatic official, a mere bulk of blue in the twilight.
"A good evening is it?" he said sharply. "You fellows would call the end of the world a good evening. Look at that bloody red sun and that bloody river! I tell you that if that were literally human blood, spilt and shining, you would still be standing here as solid as ever, looking out for some poor harmless tramp whom you could move on. You policemen are cruel to the poor, but I could forgive you even your cruelty if it were not for your calm."
"If we are calm," replied the policeman, "it is the calm of organised resistance."
"Eh?" said Syme, staring.
"The soldier must be calm in the thick of the battle," pursued the policeman. "The composure of an army is the anger of a nation."
"Good God, the Board Schools!" said Syme. "Is this undenominational education?"
"No," said the policeman sadly, "I never had any of those advantages. The Board Schools came after my time. What education I had was very rough and old-fashioned, I am afraid."
"Where did you have it?" asked Syme, wondering.
"Oh, at Harrow," said the policeman
The class sympathies which, false as they are, are the truest things in so many men, broke out of Syme before he could control them.
"But, good Lord, man," he said, "you oughtn't to be a policeman!"
The policeman sighed and shook his head.
"I know," he said solemnly, "I know I am not worthy."
"But why did you join the police?" asked Syme with rude curiosity.
"For much the same reason that you abused the police," replied the other. "I found that there was a special opening in the service for those whose fears for humanity were concerned rather with the aberrations of the scientific intellect than with the normal and excusable, though excessive, outbreaks of the human will. I trust I make myself clear."
"If you mean that you make your opinion clear," said Syme, "I suppose you do. But as for making yourself clear, it is the last thing you do. How comes a man like you to be talking philosophy in a blue helmet on the Thames embankment?
"You have evidently not heard of the latest development in our police system," replied the other. "I am not surprised at it. We are keeping it rather dark from the educated class, because that class contains most of our enemies. But you seem to be exactly in the right frame of mind. I think you might almost join us."
"Join you in what?" asked Syme.
"I will tell you," said the policeman slowly. "This is the situation: The head of one of our departments, one of the most celebrated detectives in Europe, has long been of opinion that a purely intellectual conspiracy would soon threaten the very existence of civilisation. He is certain that the scientific and artistic worlds are silently bound in a crusade against the Family and the State. He has, therefore, formed a special corps of policemen, policemen who are also philosophers. It is their business to watch the beginnings of this conspiracy, not merely in a criminal but in a controversial sense. I am a democrat myself, and I am fully aware of the value of the ordinary man in matters of ordinary valour or virtue. But it would obviously be undesirable to employ the common policeman in an investigation which is also a heresy hunt."
Syme's eyes were bright with a sympathetic curiosity.
"What do you do, then?" he said.
"The work of the philosophical policeman," replied the man in blue, "is at once bolder and more subtle than that of the ordinary detective. The ordinary detective goes to pot?houses to arrest thieves; we go to artistic tea?parties to detect pessimists. The ordinary detective discovers from a ledger or a diary that a crime has been committed. We discover from a book of sonnets that a crime will be committed. We have to trace the origin of those dreadful thoughts that drive men on at last to intellectual fanaticism and intellectual crime. We were only just in time to prevent the assassination at Hartle pool, and that was entirely due to the fact that our Mr. Wilks (a smart young fellow) thoroughly understood a triolet."
"Do you mean," asked Syme, "that there is really as much connection between crime and the modern intellect as all that?"
"You are not sufficiently democratic," answered the policeman, "but you were right when you said just now that our ordinary treatment of the poor criminal was a pretty brutal business. I tell you I am sometimes sick of my trade when I see how perpetually it means merely a war upon the ignorant and the desperate. But this new movement of ours is a very different affair. We deny the snobbish English assumption that the uneducated are the dangerous criminals. We remember the Roman Emperors. We remember the great poisoning princes of the Renaissance. We say that the dangerous criminal is the educated criminal. We say that the most dangerous criminal now is the entirely lawless modern philosopher. Compared to him, burglars and bigamists are essentially moral men; my heart goes out to them. They accept the essential ideal of man; they merely seek it wrongly. Thieves respect property. They merely wish the property to become their property that they may more perfectly respect it. But philosophers dislike property as property; they wish to destroy the very idea of personal possession. Bigamists respect marriage, or they would not go through the highly ceremonial and even ritualistic formality of bigamy. But philosophers despise marriage as marriage. Murderers respect human life; they merely wish to attain a greater fulness of human life in themselves by the sacrifice of what seems to them to be lesser lives. But philosophers hate life itself, their own as much as other people's."
Syme struck his hands together.
"How true that is," he cried. "I have felt it from my boyhood, but never could state the verbal antithesis. The common criminal is a bad man, but at least he is, as it were, a conditional good man. He says that if only a certain obstacle be removed -- say a wealthy uncle -- he is then prepared to accept the universe and to praise God. He is a reformer, but not an anarchist. He wishes to cleanse the edifice, but not to destroy it. But the evil philosopher is not trying to alter things, but to annihilate them. Yes, the modern world has retained all those parts of police work which are really oppressive and ignominious, the harrying of the poor, the spying upon the unfortunate. It has given up its more dignified work, the punishment of powerful traitors the in the State and powerful heresiarchs in the Church. The moderns say we must not punish heretics. My only doubt is whether we have a right to punish anybody else."
"But this is absurd!" cried the policeman, clasping his hands with an excitement uncommon in persons of his figure and costume, "but it is intolerable! I don't know what you're doing, but you're wasting your life. You must, you shall, join our special army against anarchy. Their armies are on our frontiers. Their bolt is ready to fall. A moment more, and you may lose the glory of working with us, perhaps the glory of dying with the last heroes of the world."
"It is a chance not to be missed, certainly," assented Syme, "but still I do not quite understand. I know as well as anybody that the modern world is full of lawless little men and mad little movements. But, beastly as they are, they generally have the one merit of disagreeing with each other. How can you talk of their leading one army or hurling one bolt. What is this anarchy?"
"Do not confuse it," replied the constable, "with those chance dynamite outbreaks from Russia or from Ireland, which are really the outbreaks of oppressed, if mistaken, men. This is a vast philosophic movement, consisting of an outer and an inner ring. You might even call the outer ring the laity and the inner ring the priesthood. I prefer to call the outer ring the innocent section, the inner ring the supremely guilty section. The outer ring -- the main mass of their supporters -- are merely anarchists; that is, men who believe that rules and formulas have destroyed human happiness. They believe that all the evil results of human crime are the results of the system that has called it crime. They do not believe that the crime creates the punishment. They believe that the punishment has created the crime. They believe that if a man seduced seven women he would naturally walk away as blameless as the flowers of spring. They believe that if a man picked a pocket he would naturally feel exquisitely good. These I call the innocent section."
"Oh! " said Syme.
"Naturally, therefore, these people talk about a happy time coming'; the paradise of the future'; mankind freed from the bondage of vice and the bondage of virtue,' and so on. And so also the men of the inner circle speak -- the sacred priesthood. They also speak to applauding crowds of the happiness of the future, and of mankind freed at last. But in their mouths" -- and the policeman lowered his voice -- "in their mouths these happy phrases have a horrible meaning. They are under no illusions; they are too intellectual to think that man upon this earth can ever be quite free of original sin and the struggle. And they mean death. When they say that mankind shall be free at last, they mean that mankind shall commit suicide. When they talk of a paradise without right or wrong, they mean the grave.
They have but two objects, to destroy first humanity and then themselves. That is why they throw bombs instead of firing pistols. The innocent rank and file are disappointed because the bomb has not killed the king; but the high-priesthood are happy because it has killed somebody."
"How can I join you?" asked Syme, with a sort of passion.
"I know for a fact that there is a vacancy at the moment," said the policeman, "as I have the honour to be somewhat in the confidence of the chief of whom I have spoken. You should really come and see him. Or rather, I should not say see him, nobody ever sees him; but you can talk to him if you like."
"Telephone?" inquired Syme, with interest.
"No," said the policeman placidly, "he has a fancy for always sitting in a pitch-dark room. He says it makes his thoughts brighter. Do come along."
Somewhat dazed and considerably excited, Syme allowed himself to be led to a side?door in the long row of buildings of Scotland Yard. Almost before he knew what he was doing, he had been passed through the hands of about four intermediate officials, and was suddenly shown into a room, the abrupt blackness of which startled him like a blaze of light. It was not the ordinary darkness, in which forms can be faintly traced; it was like going suddenly stone?blind.
"Are you the new recruit?" asked a heavy voice.
And in some strange way, though there was not the shadow of a shape in the gloom, Syme knew two things: first, that it came from a man of massive stature; and second, that the man had his back to him.
"Are you the new recruit?" said the invisible chief, who seemed to have heard all about it. "All right. You are engaged."
Syme, quite swept off his feet, made a feeble fight against this irrevocable phrase.
"I really have no experience," he began.
"No one has any experience," said the other, "of the Battle of Armageddon."
"But I am really unfit -- "
"You are willing, that is enough," said the unknown.
"Well, really," said Syme, "I don't know any profession of which mere willingness is the final test."
"I do," said the other -- "martyrs. I am condemning you to death. Good day."
Thus it was that when Gabriel Syme came out again into the crimson light of evening, in his shabby black hat and shabby, lawless cloak, he came out a member of the New Detective Corps for the frustration of the great conspiracy. Acting under the advice of his friend the policeman (who was professionally inclined to neatness), he trimmed his hair and beard, bought a good hat, clad himself in an exquisite summer suit of light blue-grey, with a pale yellow flower in the button?hole, and, in short, became that elegant and rather insupportable person whom Gregory had first encountered in the little garden of Saffron Park. Before he finally left the police premises his friend provided him with a small blue card, on which was written, "The Last Crusade," and a number, the sign of his official authority. He put this carefully in his upper waistcoat pocket, lit a cigarette, and went forth to track and fight the enemy in all the drawing?rooms of London. Where his adventure ultimately led him we have already seen. At about half-past one on a February night he found himself steaming in a small tug up the silent Thames, armed with swordstick and revolver, the duly elected Thursday of the Central Council of Anarchists.
When Syme stepped out on to the steam?tug he had a singular sensation of stepping out into something entirely new; not merely into the landscape of a new land, but even into the landscape of a new planet. This was mainly due to the insane yet solid decision of that evening, though partly also to an entire change in the weather and the sky since he entered the little tavern some two hours before. Every trace of the passionate plumage of the cloudy sunset had been swept away, and a naked moon stood in a naked sky. The moon was so strong and full that (by a paradox often to be noticed) it seemed like a weaker sun. It gave, not the sense of bright moonshine, but rather of a dead daylight.
Over the whole landscape lay a luminous and unnatural discoloration, as of that disastrous twilight which Milton spoke of as shed by the sun in eclipse; so that Syme fell easily into his first thought, that he was actually on some other and emptier planet, which circled round some sadder star. But the more he felt this glittering desolation in the moonlit land, the more his own chivalric folly glowed in the night like a great fire. Even the common things he carried with him -- the food and the brandy and the loaded pistol -- took on exactly that concrete and material poetry which a child feels when he takes a gun upon a journey or a bun with him to bed. The sword?stick and the brandy?flask, though in themselves only the tools of morbid conspirators, became the expressions of his own more healthy romance. The sword?stick became almost the sword of chivalry, and the brandy the wine of the stirrup-cup. For even the most dehumanised modern fantasies depend on some older and simpler figure; the adventures may be mad, but the adventurer must be sane. The dragon without St. George would not even be grotesque. So this inhuman landscape was only imaginative by the presence of a man really human. To Syme's exaggerative mind the bright, bleak houses and terraces by the Thames looked as empty as the mountains of the moon. But even the moon is only poetical because there is a man in the moon.
The tug was worked by two men, and with much toil went comparatively slowly. The clear moon that had lit up Chiswick had gone down by the time that they passed Battersea, and when they came under the enormous bulk of Westminster day had already begun to break. It broke like the splitting of great bars of lead, showing bars of silver; and these had brightened like white fire when the tug, changing its onward course, turned inward to a large landing stage rather beyond Charing Cross.
The great stones of the Embankment seemed equally dark and gigantic as Syme looked up at them. They were big and black against the huge white dawn. They made him feel that he was landing on the colossal steps of some Egyptian palace; and, indeed, the thing suited his mood, for he was, in his own mind, mounting to attack the solid thrones of horrible and heathen kings. He leapt out of the boat on to one slimy step, and stood, a dark and slender figure, amid the enormous masonry. The two men in the tug put her off again and turned up stream. They had never spoken a word.


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THE EASTER JOB! Saturday, April 15th at 11:15, come rob the new #CobsBank in District 7! A golden egg will be hidden there ... Its value will be the number of players multiplied by 10 in CHF delivered in cash at the end of the game!
PS: Be a lot, there is no player limit!