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(Megan Kennelly, KSU Plant Pathology)
"Dutch elm disease -is that still out there?"
"Elm trees – are there any of those still out there?"
Those are two questions, flip sides of the same coin, that I hear every year. The answer to both is YES.
Judy O'Mara, Director of our Diagnostic Clinic, handles most of the tree samples and she has picked up DED in several samples this summer, like we do every summer. Sanitation (removing and destroying infected trees) is essential to DED management. If infected trees are near other elms, root grafts need to be disrupted first. For nitty-gritty details on DED you can visit this page – click HERE.
Here is a photo of the DED spore-producing structures in the dissecting microscope.
Dutch elm disease is caused by this fungus (actually two related fungi) which is spread by elm bark beetles. In the photo above, we see the black stalks and a creamy, gooey ball of spores at the top. The beetles pick up the spores and move them around from tree to tree. The fungus can also spread tree-to-tree in neighboring trees by root grafts.
Initial symptoms are "flagging" of individual branches, especially when the disease was introduced by the beetles. The disease spreads over weeks or months through the rest of the crown.
(Photo courtesy Ray Ladd, K-State Research and Extension)
Branches wilt, but leaves remain on the tree. Disease can develop more quickly when triggered by root graft method of spread. Discoloration in the vascular tissue can be seen by stripping off the bark of recently-wilted branches:
For high value elms, preventative fungicide injections (appropriately-labeled products of propiconazole or thiabendazole) are an option to reduce the risk of Dutch Elm Disease (though it is not a 100% guarantee). This can be one piece of the DED management system. Remember, sanitation is a key piece of reducing the risk of DED (See the link above). Here is a photo of the big elm at the K-State Garden.
This tree is on a 3-year injection cycle. We thank Matt Giese from Syngenta for providing some Arbotect fungicide to inject this tree, and we thank Randy James, Consulting Arborist from Tree Biologics, for generously donating his time to inject the tree a few weeks ago. We use our injection days to educate students, Extension Master Gardeners, and others about DED.


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by Annabelle
My shrink says that the first step to good health is learning to take the elevator, so I'm trying, I really am. I usually walk up and down the twelve flights in the morning and in the evening, and as a result I've been suffering from pretty bad knee pain. Every time I stand up, my knees feel like knives are sticking into them. The knives start just lateral to the kneecaps, then travels up the outside of my thighs in white-hot shards of pain. Then again, walking up the stairs is the only exercise I ever get. My job doesn't exactly require me to be physical. So really, this is healthy.
It's been at least two years since I last successfully tackled the elevator. I feel good when I press the button to call for it, but by the time I hear the gears shifting as it's getting close, a cold sweat breaks out on my neck. When it comes, I see the other people in the elevator, holding their briefcases, waiting for me to get in, but I can't move. I just stand there, smiling dumbly, until the doors close. The worst is when some polite asshole tries to hold the door for me, and I have to explain to him that I don't want to get in. Then I run for the stairs.
I don't know what was wrong with the person who invented the elevator. To me, it feels like a slightly large coffin. Five or six people stand in that tiny little space, our bodies pressed together, breathing the same air. I know all the different smells in the tenants in the building—Mrs. Kruger's old lady perfume, the fat guy on the tenth floor who always smokes a cigarette before going to work in the morning. I can smell their stenches emanating from their bodies, the droplets hovering and mingling in the air before being swept into my lungs, into every cell of my body. I can see the shine of sweat on the neck of the person nearest to me, containing bacteria from god knows where. And all the while, the elevator rattles along, threatening to get stuck at any moment. I can't hold my breath for the duration of twelve flights. I've tried. Longer than sixty seconds and I start feeling dizzy.
My shrink says the elevator is a good first step, but to be honest, I'm not ready.
I dreamed about Kevin again last night.
Why do I keep having dreams about him? There's nothing so great about him. And I don't like him like that or anything, so don't get any ideas.
In this dream, Kevin and I were in a restaurant together and we were just like any other two people in a restaurant. I wasn't worried about the food containing toxins and poisons and Kevin's wheelchair was nowhere in sight. We were just two totally normal people.
Kevin wasn't touching me, but he was looking at me in a way that felt like he was touching me, gazing at me through his thick glasses with a playful smile on his lips. It was just a dream, but it was so real that I could smell the food on my plate and Kevin's aftershave. I looked down and saw my hands on the table, much too close to his own. Except in my dream, my hands weren't shaking like they most certainly would be in any real life version of this scenario. I wasn't worried about if Kevin washed his hands the last time he came out of the bathroom. All I wanted was for him to touch me.
When I woke up, I was covered in sweat. I felt so bad that I almost called in sick at work, but after a long, steaming hot shower I felt a lot better.
I don't want to brag, but I have a great job. I'm six years out of college, without any advanced degree, but I'm making a lot of money. I don't want to drop names, but some big software company hired me right out of college to do programming for them. It seems like I have a talent when it comes to computers. But like I said, I don't want to brag.
My boss Earl sometimes tells me I'm lucky to have a job at all. I think he's referring to the fact that he thinks I'm kind of socially inept nut job. I tell him he didn't hire me to be a social butterfly. He's finally accepted that after working together for six years. I'm mostly kept tucked away in a corner, doing what I do best.
I'm one of only a few women in the company right now. Most women won't work for my company, because the rumor is that only way to get a promotion is to sleep with your boss. Well, I'm sure as hell not sleeping with anyone, and I just got a promotion last month. And the pay is really great. My family's really proud of me for getting such a great job, because they all thought I was nuts and would never amount to anything.
I'm glad that there aren't many women around. I hate women. From observing my sisters, I know that most women put dozens of artificial chemicals on their bodies each day. Between perfume and hair spray and make-up, you go near a woman and you're likely to be breathing in pure carcinogens. And women have too much hair on their heads. No matter what, you hang around a woman long enough, and you're going to have tons of long hairs polluting your space. It's just plain disgusting.
Men aren't too much better, but at least they have short hair. I crop my hair off in my bathroom at least once a week.
My shrink says it's good that I want to get better. That's the first step to recovery. Then again, she also said that the elevator was the first step to recovery, so maybe she's confused. Or maybe wanting to get better is the zero-eth step to recovery. (That's a little computer programming humor. Go ahead, laugh.). She says the key is taking small steps. What my shrink doesn't know is that the only reason I'm seeing her at all is to please my parents.
"It's not that I'm not happy," I tell Karen. (That's my shrink's name.)
"But?" Karen prompts me.
"What do you mean?"
"It's not that you're not happy, but…?" Karen lifts an eyebrow in an expression and peers at me over the edge of her half moon glasses. I think she thinks those glasses make her look intelligent. To me, she looks like a former high school cheerleader who's struggling to be taken seriously.
Anyway, why does there have to be a "but"? I like my job. I like my apartment. Why is there this constant push for self-improvement? I'm good the way I am.
Even though I love my job, it isn't perfect. Frankly, I find the working conditions at my company sloppy to say the least. I might leave if the pay wasn't so great or if I knew that it was any better someplace else. The floor is cleaned once a day, at best, and usually by people I would swerve away from if I passed by them on the street. The management continually passes out these memos that have probably been handled by about a dozen people, touched by countless dirty fingers. Couldn't they just use email or something? This isn't 1985. Also, they have a pot of coffee, rather than a coffee machine that pours into the cup, so each person has to use the same damn coffeepot.
Last week at work, there was an Incident. It wasn't good. I had to talk to my boss Earl about the project I was working on, so I knocked on the door to his office. He should have told me to just go away, but instead he invited me in and I came face to face with one of the big shots who had commissioned the project in question. "This is Helen Yates," Earl told the clients. "She's one of our best programmers and she's been slaving night and day to get this done for you."
The big shot in question was a man in his forties that I suppose you might call handsome in a traditional Hollywood kind of way. He was tall and lean with deep set brown eyes, a small chin cleft, and a dark suit that oozed money. I could smell his expensive cologne hanging in the air, and I instinctively held my breath. He smiled at me and stuck out his hand. "Very nice to meet you, Miss Yates."
The thing is (and my boss knows this), I don't shake hands. Honestly, I think that shaking hands is the most disgusting ritual ever devised, which people do without even thinking. God knows what germs people have picked up on their hands, if only from shaking other people's hands, and in an instant, all those germs are transferred to the other person. By shaking this man's hand, I would be shaking the hands of like twenty other people, maybe more. Probably much of the disease in this country would be wiped out if they just got rid of shaking hands.
So there was no way I was going to shake hands right now. I didn't care how important this client was or if my job was at stake, I just wasn't going to do it. Anyway, my hands were much too sweaty at this point.
"Nice to meet you too," I said politely, ignoring his hand.
I watched as the realization dawned on the man's face that his hand was not going to be shaken. He withdrew it, his high cheekbones flushing slightly pink.
Earl was livid. He called me into his office later to scream at me for about thirty minutes. Something about my needing to seek professional help. Well, I already am. So there, Earl.
I work with computers, not people. Computers don't have unprotected sex, they don't breathe in the air around them—they're clean. And even the computers I can't trust completely. Once I came in to my cubicle and found another person working on my computer. The nerve of him! He told me he just needed to use my statistical analysis software. I asked Earl for a new computer, but he outright refused. I considered quitting, but finally I decided to risk it. I went out and bought an antiseptic cleanser, and spent the rest of the day cleaning the keyboard and mouse.
In Earl's rampage against me, he also brought up the fact that I wash my hands every half hour. Yes, this is true. But considering the amount of time people waste drinking their contaminated coffee, I really find it hard to believe that my staying clean is such a problem. I bring my own soap and paper towels and the process takes about five minutes.
He didn't fire me though and I never really thought he would. Everyone at the company knows I work harder than anybody. I once overheard Kevin tell Earl that I put in more hours than everyone else combined. He sticks up for me a lot. "I wish everyone else stayed so clean," Kevin told me. "People around here are real slobs."
I know Kevin isn't as good a programmer as I am, but he's pretty good. He's been here about two years, after being poached from some other company in the area. When I first saw him wheeling around the office, I thought maybe he had some kind of temporary injury like a broken leg, but I soon realized that whatever he had was permanent. He doesn't have the kind of big clunky wheelchair that my grandmother used after she had her stroke, but something smaller and sportier without handles in the back.
I suppose Kevin has good hygiene, as far as people go, but I bet he doesn't even brush his teeth more than twice a day. When I first met him, I worried about dirt on his wheels being tracked into the office. But they seem clean to me, and anyway, everyone wears the same shoes outside that they do inside, so I guess it's no different than that. When he leaves for the day, he pulls a pair of leather gloves onto his hands, which I assume keeps them from getting dirty.
Kevin's cubicle is all the way down the row from mine, which is in the furthest corner of the office, but he seems to need to pass by me a lot during the day. I asked him about it once and he explained that it was on the way to the copy machine. I'm not really anywhere near the copy machine and nobody else takes this route, but maybe because of his wheelchair, he needs more space and it's easier for him to go that way. Although I'm still not sure why he needs to make so many copies every day.
Last year, Kevin was wheeling by my cubicle when I noticed a cup of coffee balanced between his thighs. It was the same kind of white ceramic cup that they keep by the coffee machine. I couldn't stop staring at it when he stopped to talk to me. "How are you doing?" he asked me, like he always does.
"Where'd you get that?" I asked him. "The coffee."
"It's from the machine," Kevin said. He gave me a worried look. "Why? What's wrong?"
"You know how disgusting that coffee pot is, don't you?" I said to him.
"It is?" Kevin's eyes widened. His eyes are a dark brown color, but it's hard to see them behind his thick glasses. It's unfortunate for him that both his legs and his eyes don't work very well.
"Think about how many people use that coffee pot in a given day," I pointed out. "I mean, we might as well be pigs drinking out of a trough!"
Kevin nodded enthusiastically. "You're completely right. That's really disgusting." He picked up the coffee cup and sneered at it. "I'm never using the coffee pot ever again." He glanced back up at me. "Are the coffee cups okay to use?"
"Well, if you really think they actually wash them…" I said. "But I'm sure they don't."
"Right," Kevin said. "I'm going to bring a thermos from now on!" He smiled at me. Kevin has pretty nice teeth, at least. They're straight and fairly white. Not toothpaste commercial white, but you can tell he takes good care of them. "Thanks for the tip, Helen."
When I pass by Kevin's cubicle, I find myself looking at him lately. I don't know why exactly. I'm certainly not interested in him. At all. I'm not interested in dating right now, but even if it was, I don't think I'd pick Kevin.
Kevin is such a stereotypical nerd, he's the kind of guy who ought to be living in his parents' basement and only maybe emerging every once in a while to pick up fried chicken from KFC. Okay, maybe that's not fair because I know he doesn't live with his parents and I've never actually seen him eat fried chicken, but he's definitely at least twenty pounds overweight. I get the feeling he spends more time with his computer than real people. I've noticed that people avoid Kevin the same way they avoid me, I guess because his disability makes people feel awkward. He and I are the outcasts of the office. But I think I'm probably more of an outcast that he is.
I can't say I don't wonder about Kevin a lot. Once or twice, I was sitting at my desk and I actually found my mind wandering and realized that I was thinking about him. But it's purely intellectual curiosity. After all, most of the world, including myself, walks normally, so it's only natural to wonder what's wrong with Kevin. Was he born like that or did he have an accident? Or was it some kind of disease? He maneuvers his wheelchair so easily that I can tell he's been using it for a long time. Years, maybe decades.
His legs look almost normal under his tan work slacks. They don't seem twisted or deformed in any way, but they also don't seem to move. He wears brown loafers that seem old and comfortable.
Kevin wheels by my cubicle every day. Sometimes he passes by and sometimes he stops to talk. More and more, he's been stopping to talk lately, although he never really has much to say.
"Listen, Helen, I was wondering," he begins. He lifts one hand off the wheel of his chair and scratches his head. His hair is very short, which is good, and so are his fingernails. And as far as I can tell, his fingernails appear clean. "I was wondering if maybe, if you weren't busy tonight, if maybe you'd like to go to dinner or something. I mean, there's this Thai restaurant that opened up and I was thinking maybe I'd like to try it out and… I could use some company."
"I don't eat at restaurants."
"Oh." His hands are shaking a little and he taps his fingers against his knees. He's too close and I feel the familiar sweat breaking out on the back of my neck. "Uh, do you like movies?"
"Some movies."
"Yeah, me too." He coughs and doesn't cover his mouth. "Like, uh, what kinds do you like?"
"I have a lot of work to do," I say.
"Oh. Right, yeah, me too." He wheels back a bit and I feel relief wash over me. His chair bumps into the wall of my cubicle as he makes his way to the copy machine, and he mumbles an apology.
"What about relationships?" Karen asks me.
She has a kind of obsession with this. She says that the second step to recovery (after wanting to get better and taking the elevator) is building relationships. Not necessarily romantic, she says, but just something. Make a friend, she says. "Have you ever had a friend?" she asks.
I don't know what she means by this. I spent most of my life in school, surrounded by other people, so yes, I've had friends. I've never had a best friend. I've never been the sleepover with the girls, truth or dare, experimental makeover, etc. kind of person. Like that's something to be proud of, right? I never had a person who I'd stay up late talking to. I'm not a big talker though. Big deal. What is there for two people to talk about, anyway?
Karen says I have to go out there and make friends. I should invite a coworker to dinner at my apartment. Go to a dance for singles or something. As really appealing as all that sounds, it's not something I'm willing to do. I can't believe she would even suggest it. You'd think my parents, smart as they claim to be, would at least suggest a half-decent shrink for their daughter.
"How about that man Kevin?" Karen says. She had to flip through her notes to remember his name. "The disabled one. You seem to be getting friendly with him."
"I don't think so," I say.
"Perhaps you could go with him to lunch sometime?"
"He'd get the wrong idea," I say quickly. Like I told Kevin, I don't eat out at restaurants anyway. God knows what they do with food in the kitchens of these restaurants. They could be pissing in the soup, for all you know. And I bet they are.
"What's the wrong idea?" Karen asks.
Boy, she's dumb. "He'd think I'm interested in him. I mean, sexually interested."
"And what's so bad about that?"
Do I really need to answer that question?
I pack my own lunch every day, usually a sandwich. I pack it within a vacuum sealed bag, then put that in another bag, then I reluctantly store it in the refrigerator in the break room. I am not thrilled about putting food in that refrigerator, believe me. The refrigerator gets cleaned out only once a week and people just leave food in there for days. I once saw a moldy peach sitting on one of the shelves and I immediately called Earl to complain. Earl was characteristically unsympathetic.
Kevin brings his own food as well. I run into him in the break room sometimes and he goes to the communal table to eat. He always asks me to join him, but I prefer to bring my food back to my desk with me. He looks very disappointed when I say no, and I sometimes feel a little guilty. A lot of people go out for lunch, but Kevin always eats here and almost always alone.
"What are you having for lunch today?" Kevin asks me, eying my sandwich. He's heating up his own food in the microwave. I would never, ever use the microwave in the break room. That thing is just swirling with germs. Nobody ever cleans it.
"Turkey sandwich," I say.
"Oh," Kevin says. "That sounds good. Healthy."
"I try to stay in good health," I explain. "I buy all fresh produce."
"I should do that," he says, nodding in agreement.
Kevin removes his food from the microwave. It's a TV dinner: spaghetti and meatballs. Not one of those low calorie ones either, which is too bad because Kevin could definitely stand to lose a few pounds. Not that there's anything wrong with the way he looks. But he's several pounds over the accepted standard for male attractiveness. Although I actually think he looks better with the extra weight. I never thought skinny guys were particularly attractive.
"Are you eating here?" Kevin asks me, his eyes lighting up.
Without even noticing it, I'd sat down at the table in the break room while we were talking. I don't know why I did that. But now I feel like it would be mean if I got up, especially since Kevin seems so excited that I'm staying here. I glance down at the table. "I would, but I'm not sure if the table is clean."
"I think they clean it at night," he says.
"Yeah, but are you sure?"
Kevin looks at the table thoughtfully. "Well, we could clean it."
We get paper towels from the counter and use the dishwashing detergent in the sink. Kevin scrubs the table once and then I go over it a second time. It's still a little damp, but it does seem fairly clean now. "Thank you," I say.
Kevin smiles at me. "No problem. You're right—it was pretty dirty."
Just as I'm opening up my sandwich, Madison Kelly comes into the break room. If Kevin and I are the least popular people in the office, Madison is the most popular. But we're really too old for that sort of comparison. I just know that everyone loves Madison.
How does a thirty year old woman end up with a name like Madison anyway? I know that right now, every little girl is named Madison, so I expect in maybe 25 years, there will be many 30 year old Madisons. But Madison is much too old to have that name. How did her parents figure out a trend that would come decades in the future? Or maybe all these new little baby Madisons are somehow being named after this Madison. I guess that's possible, although it seems unlikely that anyone would want to name her daughter after an office manager, no matter how pretty and well-liked she is.
"Hello, you two," Madison says. She scratches her nose, which I think is less because she has an itch and more because she uses any opportunity to show off the giant diamond on her finger. She got engaged three months ago. "Are you having lunch together? That's so cute!"
I look at Kevin and he's blushing.
Madison isn't here to eat, because she always goes out. She only came in to grab a cup of coffee and then she'll leave. I really want her to leave.
Unfortunately, it's Kevin who ends up leaving first. Earl enters the break room and starts screaming that he wants something ASAP and poor Kevin has to scarf down the few remaining bites of his TV dinner and rush back to his desk. I still have about a quarter left of my turkey sandwich and I'm trying to finish as quickly as I can.
"So are you and Kevin dating?" Madison asks me.
"No, of course not," I say.
"Why not?" she says. "He's cute and he definitely likes you."
This is entirely none of Madison's business and I bite my lip to keep from telling her so. "He doesn't like me."
"Trust me, he does," Madison says in this knowing voice. She acts like she knows everything there is to know about men, and she probably does since I suspect she's slept with dozens of them.
I don't know why this information interests me. Or why I keep having dreams about Kevin.
Don't even get me started on sex. First of all, you've got to be out of your mind to have sex these days. Granted, I've never experienced the act, but I've got a pretty good idea of what it is from the movies and sex ed in high school. Basically, it's two sweaty, disgusting, naked people exchanging bodily fluids. Every disease they have, from AIDS to syphilis to god knows what, is passed on to the other person. When I was younger, my sisters used to have sex with their boyfriends in their rooms, and when they were done there was this reeking odor in the room. I didn't even want to get near their rooms anymore, because I was afraid the germs were just floating around in the air. And they probably were.
There's supposed to be something romantic about it—sex, that is—but I honestly don't get it. How do you express your love to someone by pounding your body against them? Is there anything intrinsically romantic about human genitals? You can't disagree with me on this point.
Then there's kissing, which is almost as bad, except you don't do it naked. I've read that the mouth is the dirtiest part of the body, and I believe it. And people kiss like it's nothing. You're not even a slut if you go around kissing people. Every relative I have insists on giving me a kiss when they see me. That's why I don't see relatives anymore.
When I was in junior high school, my parents forced me to go to some party, where I got stuck in a game of spin the bottle. Not only did the people have to kiss, but they had to kiss on the mouth, with tongue. I was sick over it, but I kept hoping the bottle would never point in my direction and I wouldn't have to deal with it. When greasy-haired Billy O'Keefe spun the bottle and it landed on me, I flat out refused to kiss him and I left the party. To be honest, I think he was relieved.
I think Kevin has probably had sex. If I had to bet either way, I'd say he has. Pretty much everyone has by his age, even guys in wheelchairs. At the very least, I'm sure he's kissed a girl and felt her breasts. Maybe she sat on his lap and she put her arms around his neck as he pulled her in close for a kiss.
He's probably been naked in front of a girl. I wonder what he looks like naked. He's got a belly—I can tell that much through his shirt. I think he's got a good amount of hair on his chest because on casual Fridays, I noticed some hair sticking out of the collar of his shirt. I hope he doesn't have a hairy back.
I wonder if he has scars from whatever happened to him. Sometimes I think about those scars and what they might look like. I have no scars. I've lived a very safe life.
Karen is giving me that look again, the one where she looks like she thinks she knows what's in my head. I think she became a shrink just so she could act like she's better than everyone else. I know she's not better than me. I probably make twice as much money as she does. Maybe three times.
"Did you dream about him again?" she asks, cocking a plucked eyebrow.
"The man from work," she says. "Kevin."
"What are you talking about?"
Karen uncrosses and recrosses her legs. Her skirt is much too short and it's making me uncomfortable. There's not enough clothing between her and me. I wonder if Karen's ever had venereal disease. I bet anything she has. She and Madison would get along great. "You told me last time that you were having dreams about him," she says in a knowing voice.
"I don't really remember."
She frowns. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure." God, she's so pushy.
"You said that in the dream you were having dinner in a restaurant with him…"
"Listen, I said I don't remember. Will you leave me alone already?"
Kevin has his coat on, a dark green jacket with pale lining, and he's hovering by my cubicle again. I'm looking at my computer screen and he thinks I don't see him, but I do. I like his jacket. I like the way it stretches over the curve of his belly. "Hey, Helen," he says, followed by a cough. "You, uh…going home soon?"
I nod. "I just need to finish up some documentation."
"Oh, yeah?" he says, his dark eyes widening behind his thick glasses. "Need any help?"
"I'm fine." An ape could do documentation. I certainly don't need his help.
He grabs the wheels of his chair and adjusts himself in the seat. "So what are you doing now?"
"I have to go to the supermarket," I tell him. "I'm nearly out of groceries." I go to the supermarket every other day. I don't trust any dairy products to last more than one day. I'm actually pretty wary of dairy products in general, but I've read that women my age need large amounts of calcium, and I certainly don't trust those vitamin pills, which contain god knows what.
"Really? I was going to the supermarket too!" Kevin says enthusiastically. I think he's probably lying. "Which one?"
"Wow, me too," he says. He leans forward more so that I can see my Perl script reflected in his glasses. "Maybe we could meet there?"
I'm about to say no, but something stops me. I bet Kevin doesn't know much about how to shop for food. Maybe I could help him.
My shrink asks me if there was ever a time when I was normal. Of course, she doesn't say it like that. She phrases it in some way that is supposed to sound nice, but comes out as patronizing. I don't even remember what words she uses.
I kind of wonder what normal means. I have a high paying job and a nice apartment. I don't drink or do drugs. I'm basically a nice girl, who likes to keep to herself. So I won't shake your hand. Get over it.
Take Karen, for instance. I don't know a lot about her life, but I'm positive she's not married and she's got to be at least forty. She seems like the type of person who was really pretty and popular, and nobody was good enough to marry her. I bet she goes to a lot of dinner parties at her friends' houses and they drink wine and talk about books or movies. I'm sure Karen considers herself normal, but by some standards, she ought to be married and raising some little brat by now. I'm not going to throw that in her face though. I'm not a mean person or anything.
I guess that sometimes I'd like to be different. I don't want to be a person like Karen, but I know there are problems. I mean, my knees are killing me and I'd really like to start taking the elevator again. And I'm not getting any better on my own.
I have a confession to make:
A month ago, I went on medication.
I didn't want to do it. I mean, I really didn't want to do it. But Karen called my parents and suddenly I had three people yelling at me to do it. My mother kept saying how I was getting worse, and I was going to wind up institutionalized someday.
It's one pill each night, which I take with a glass of water. I don't know when it's supposed to start kicking in, but I still can't take the goddamn elevator. I don't feel any different. I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. I don't want some pill to determine who I am.
If I take this pill and it turns me into some bubbly, friendly person, where will the old me go? Will it just be tucked away somewhere, ready to return when the drugs wear off? Or will it disappear completely?
Every night, I think about flushing the pills down the toilet. But I never wind up doing it.
Yesterday at work, I was watching Kevin. I pretended I was getting some coffee (ha!), but while I stood by the coffeepot, I stared into Kevin's cubicle. I've never done anything like that before, and I felt like some kind of pervert.
Kevin had some kind of pattern that he followed. He would type furiously for several minutes, then stop and furrow his brow, take a sip of coffee from his thermos, adjust his butt in his wheelchair, then go back to typing again. I could tell that he types much faster than me, even though I'm a better programmer. I think he types faster than anyone I've ever seen.
He doesn't have good posture. He slouches forward and peers at the screen through those thick glasses. I wonder how he'd look without his glasses. He's got a decent-sized gut, which strains against the buttons on his blue shirt. I've always been skinny and I find myself fascinated by his stomach. I wonder what it feels like. I think I've had dreams where I touched it, but I can't remember.
Sometimes he bites his lower lip while he's thinking. The whole time I was looking at him, his eyes never left the computer screen. He's like me when I program—the whole world around me just disappears. That's why I love it so much. Maybe that's why he likes it too.
His cubicle is tidy. He doesn't store food in it, like some of the others do. He keeps his paper in neat stacks on his desk. His pens are in the top drawer and blank paper is in the bottom drawer. He has two pictures hung up. One is a picture of an elderly couple that I figure must be his parents. The other is a young woman that Kevin once told me was his sister. He made a point of telling me that.
If you weren't looking carefully, you might not even notice that he's sitting in a wheelchair. The chair is nondescript, all blacks and metallic grays. Sitting in his cubicle, he's just like the rest of us. But in the break room or at the bar downstairs where everyone seems to drink after work, he's different. He can't hide being in a wheelchair, any more than I can hide the ways I'm different.
I was looking at him so intently that I forgot to wash my hands for a whole hour. They didn't even feel that dirty, but I decided to wash them anyway, just in case.
My mother took me to the supermarket when I was a kid and I remember liking it. I rode around in the shopping cart and she let me pick the food items off the shelves. I must have been crazy to do that. Now I use my own basket to put the food in, which I keep in my trunk.
Everyone always tells me that I drive like someone's grandmother, but if that's true, Kevin drives like someone's great-grandfather. Even though he knows how to get to the supermarket, his gray Camry lags a few car lengths behind my blue Ford. Neither of us goes through any yellow lights and we stay comfortably below the speed limit.
When we get to the supermarket, Kevin parks in the handicapped spot near the front entrance. I hang back for a minute, watching him grab his wheelchair out of the back seat, and pull himself into it in one quick movement. Even though he doesn't look it, his arms must be pretty strong to lift himself so easily.
Kevin uses one of the baskets from the store, and places it in his lap. It's actually not so bad shopping with Kevin. He's lucky I'm here, because he really doesn't know how to shop at all. I'm appalled when he goes straight for the fresh fruits (although I think that was partly for my benefit—he's more the kind of person who goes straight for the potato chips). "Do you know how many people handle a piece of fruit?" I scold him. "With fruit you've got two choices: pesticides or insects. If you don't see a big worm in your apple, then it means there are enough pesticides on it to kill a cat."
"That's disgusting," Kevin says. "I'm never buying fruit again."
He convinces me to allow him to put his grocery bag in my basket so that he could put the basket on his lap and carry it for me out to the parking lot. He puts the groceries in his car and says he'll bring them to my apartment for me. Usually this is something I'd never allow, but it's kind of nice not to have to carry that heavy basket. Especially since my knees are still so achy.
The items Kevin purchased are: two cans of clam chowder, a package of spaghetti, a box of macaroni and cheese, and a package of double-stuffed oreo cookies.
"Do you know what today is?" Karen asks me.
I want to say, Today is the day you're wearing too much make-up. Because she really is. She's got so much eye make-up on, she looks like a whore. "No," I say.
"Today is the one-year anniversary of our sessions," Karen says. She grins like this is the greatest thing in the world.
It's kind of depressing, actually. A whole year I've been going to this office, staring at the fancy diplomas on Karen's wall. As if all those diplomas are supposed to impress me, like I don't make twice as much money as she does.
"I think we've made a lot of progress," Karen declares. "Small steps. That's the key."
I can tell she really believes what she's saying, but I don't know why. A whole year. Nothing's changed.
Nothing's changed.
I park at a garage that's two blocks away from my apartment building while Kevin gets a spot right outside the front of the building. When I see him, he's got my groceries on his lap and he's smiling at me. I glance at the large bag of food and wonder if it's too heavy and might crush his legs.
"Are you sure you're okay with carrying that?" I ask him.
"Of course," he says.
I look down at his legs doubtfully. Then I realize I'm staring and my cheeks turn a little pink. It's not appropriate for me to be staring at any part of Kevin.
"You can ask if you want," he says to me.
"Ask what?" I say.
Kevin looks at me for a minute, then shakes his head. "Nothing. Never mind."
I notice that my doorman gives us a funny look as we enter the building. I guess this is the first time he's ever seen a man come in with me. For a moment, I'm worried he thinks I'm some kind of slut and my hands get a little sweaty.
"I'll go with you upstairs," Kevin says when we get to the lobby. "Okay?"
I don't really want Kevin in my apartment. I mean, I don't think I do. Yet I find myself smiling and saying yes. I don't know why I tell him yes. It's getting late already and anyway, I don't want him to get the wrong idea. Besides, if he comes in, I'll have to clean the apartment after he leaves. But for a minute, none of that matters.
Except then I realize that Kevin has pressed the button to call for the elevator. Of course he called for the elevator. He can't walk up the stairs. Not even one step, much less twelve flights. I never told him how I feel about the elevator, and he doesn't have any other options to get upstairs. So he can't come upstairs—I'll just have to tell him. That's just what'll have to happen.
"Listen," I say, "I'll be all right from here…"
Kevin's not listening. The door to the elevator opens and he wheels inside. I hate him right now. I hate him so much. Doesn't he know how disgusting the elevator is? It's a thousand times worse than fresh fruit or coffeepots. "Come on," he says, holding his hand in front of the censor so the door doesn't close.
My knees hurt. I hate him so much right now. "Yeah, okay," I say.
It's just him and me inside the elevator. The doors close, and it's like a coffin slamming shut. Why can't I do this? Everyone else in the city does this at least twice a day, I should be able to do it. I make more money than most of the people in the goddamn city, why can't I do this? I smell sweat and deodorant from every person who's been inside the elevator in the last few hours. I'm breathing their air. I'm swallowing their germs. Mononucleosis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, diabetes, cancer… A cold sweat breaks out on the back of my neck and my legs feel weak. Soon I'll start seeing spots in my vision.
"I've got to get out of here," I murmur.
"What?" Kevin asks, looking very confused.
We're on the eighth floor. I slam my fist on all the elevator buttons, hoping some of them will get pressed, so I can get the hell out of here. I bang on the door and mercifully, it opens. I run out into the hallway. It's not my hallway, but I don't care. I lean forward and try to catch my breath. My cheeks feel wet. A whole year. A whole year and nothing's changed.
"Helen!" Kevin exclaims. I feel his hand on my back and I cringe. I wish he would leave. I just want to be alone. "What happened? Are you okay?"
I don't answer him for a long time. I stand in the hallway, waiting for the feeling of panic to subside. I wipe my eyes with a handkerchief I keep in my pocket. Kevin has abandoned my bag of groceries right outside the elevator. I see the carton of milk peeking out. It's probably gone sour by now and I should throw it out when I get home. "You should probably go," I say finally.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asks nervously, his brow creased with concern.
I shake my head no. There's no way I could ever attempt to explain this to another person. He wouldn't understand.
Kevin bites his lip. "Can I…can I see you again sometime? I mean, outside of work?"
I stare at him. "What? Why?"
A deep flush rises into his cheeks. "I like you."
I start to smile, but I stop myself. "Okay," I say.
Kevin takes a deep breath. "I really want to kiss you."
I step back. "Oh…"
"On the cheek?" he begs.
I shake my head. "No, I can't." For a moment, I'm afraid he'll try anyway. I almost want him to. I'm glad he's still here.
"What about on the hand?" he suggests.
Before I can say anything, he takes my left hand gently in his right. He bows his head down and softly grazes the edge of my sleeve with his lips. He looks up at me. I release a deep breath I had been holding. The back of my neck is dry. It's probably the medication kicking in. "Is that okay?" he asks.
I nod slowly.
We head back to the elevator where I retrieve my grocery bag. I explain to Kevin about the milk and he takes it from me, saying he'll throw it away downstairs. Kevin rings for the elevator, and I go to the stairwell and open the door, but don't go inside. I wait in the doorway until the elevator comes and Kevin goes inside. He waves to me as the elevator door slides shut. I wave back, then walk up the rest of the distance to my apartment.
Small steps.
Maybe I'll try the elevator again tomorrow.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Leadership and Management Award – Project Management Option
The Leadership and Project Management Units Option in the Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management is ideal for individuals who are involved in the leadership of others in a project management environment.
The Award covers the following units:
Understanding Leadership; and
Managing Workplace Projects.
Course Accreditation
The course is accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). ILM is the leading education and professional body for managers and is internationally recognised. It is part of the City & Guilds.
After the course participants can progress to more advanced ILM management and leadership programmes.
No Examinations
One of the benefits of the course is that there are no written examinations. Instead participants complete two written assignments related to your practical everyday work.
Ongoing tutorial support
Tutorial support is provided as part of the course. We help you to understand the criteria for your assignments and to ensure that you can complete them to the required standards.
Course Duration and Entry
The Award course runs for one evening per week for 4 weeks.
It can also be taken during the daytime (as agreed).
Entry is open – no prior qualifications are required to join the course.
After the course participants can progress to more advanced City&Guilds/ILM management and leadership programmes.


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Alta vista (or altavista, if you prefer). The name means "high view" in Spanish, and this old cemetery certainly has a wonderful vantage point overlooking the rolling hills of the Georgia Piedmont. This peaceful spot near the growing city of Gainesville has been a cemetery since the city was known as Mule Camp Springs. Today Altavista is a city cemetery that draws people who come to visit, among other graves, the popular tomb of Gainesville's most famous resident -- James Longstreet. As a young man James Longstreet served under the command of Robert E. Lee and fought at Gettysburg, Chickamauga and many other major battles. He was a greatly revered leader of men.
After the war, Longstreet embraced the Republicans, which made going pretty tough for the former officer in the Democratic South. Still, he returned to Gainesville to run a successful inn, and to marry a young, pretty woman. Today his grave is by far the most popular in the cemetery, with both an American Flag and a Confederate Flag flying to mark the site. On a recent visit, someone had left the general a couple of cigars.
Other people of note buried in Alta Vista Cemetery are Astronaut Manley Lanier ("Sonny") Carter, who flew on a space shuttle mission (STS-33). He died in an airplane crash at Brunswick, Georgia on April 5, 1989. At that time he was scheduled to return to space on STS-42. Other people of note buried at Alta Vista Cemetery include longtime U. S. House member from Georgia Thomas Bell, James Milton Smith, who became the first Democrat Georgia Governor after Reconstruction, and Allen Daniel Candler who also served as governor of Georgia.
Cemetery Listing
Marietta National Cemetery
Marietta Confederate Cemetery
Jonesboro Confederate Cemetery
Oakland Cemetery
Cassville Cemetery
Dalton Cemetery (West Hill)
Resaca Cemetery
Myrtle Hill
Bonaventure Cemetery
Christ Church (Christ Episcopal Church)
Midway Cemetery
Interesting Places in Georgia by type of site


text:
Our Special Approach
Family Pet Hospital's mission is to provide top-notch medical care for our clients' furry family members. Through a low stress approach, we strive to provide each patient with high quality medical and dental care. We consider pets as part of a larger family and care is tailored to each individual family's needs and abilities. Our goal is to provide optimal care to dogs and cats over their entire lives using preventive care, medical care and pain management in a manner that reduces fear and lowers stress.Learn More About Our Practice
"Not only does Dr. Abernathy treat my pet like she's family, she treats me like I'm family"
"We love Family Pet Hospital. Lennox always goes in willingly, loves all the staff and wags his tail the whole time. Thanks for making his experience going to the vet a good one."
"As always, we and our pets receive the best, most compassionate care from Family Pet Hospital and staff."
We're here
When you need us
For veterinary emergency services during office hours, please call us at 303-485-1285.
If this is an emergency outside of our office hours, please contact Aspen Meadow Veterinary Specialists at 303-678-8844
Place an online order!
Check out our online store for excellent pricing on prescription medications including heartworm, flea and tick prevention, supplements, and food.Order Medications Online


text:
Fort Myers Car Buyer pays cash for any type of car, truck, or motorcycle in Tice, FL. We buy anything in any condition, and we also offer complete removal services from anywhere in the region. If you have an old vehicle lying around, have been in an accident, or just want to get rid of a car you don't use anymore, get in touch with us today!
Here at
Fort Myers Car Buyer we're proud to offer some of the most competitive prices for all makes and models in and around Tice. Our drivers are on hand to remove your vehicle as soon as possible, and we even offer same-day towing in many cases.
On top of this, we strive to provide the best customer experience possible. Our team of junk car removal experts is highly experienced, friendly, and always up for a chat.
Honestly, there's almost nothing we won't buy. If you have a ruined car, truck, or motorcycle in Tice or the surrounding parts of Florida, then get in touch to find out how much we're willing to pay.
If you're looking for cold, hard cash for your scrap car, you're in the right place. Our team of professional junk vehicle removalists is available to help remove your wrecked car throughout the region.
Additionally, we buy anything. It doesn't matter what sort of condition your car is in, we want it. We'll even purchase vehicles with no keys, no plates, and no registration. Just ask!
On top of this, we buy a wide range of wrecked, damaged, and written-off trucks throughout Tice and the surrounding suburbs. As one of Florida's leading wrecked truck buyers, we're in a position to offer premium prices for vehicles of all shapes and sizes.
If you're not sure what your best options are, feel free to give us a call. We can give you a price estimate over the phone, and then provide a concrete price upon pickup. If you do decide to use our services, you can effectively exchange your useless vehicle for a fist full of cash within a few hours.
Along with our junk car and truck removal services,
Fort Myers Car Buyer wants your old motorcycles. We pay premium prices for any bike, in any condition.
Meanwhile, you can rest assured that our prices are fair. Our statewide network of junkyards allows us to get to you in the shortest amount of time possible. When you decide to sell us your junk motorcycle, one of our vehicle removal specialists will be in touch to organize a pickup time and location.
Along with our complete vehicle removal services, we also buy a range of junk car parts and partial vehicles in the Tice, Florida area. Feel free to get in touch with us if you have old engines, car bodies, or other scrap car or truck parts laying around that you want to get rid of.
At Fort Myers Car Buyer We Offer Premium Prices
As your local vehicle removal specialists, we believe that you deserve to get a fair price for your old cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Unlike some of our competitors, we always offer fair prices which reflect the age and condition of the items we're buying.
On top of this, we provide free towing services throughout Tice, FL. Everything is taken care of, including vehicle removal and ownership transfer. All you have to do is sit back, relax, and let us do what we do best.
Really, We Want Your Old Car and Truck Parts
There's not much that we don't want at Fort Myers Car Buyer. If in doubt, give us a call and see how we can help. You might be surprised how much your old vehicles and vehicle parts are actually worth.
We Take Care of Junk Vehicle Transfers
When you sell your old motorcycle, car, or truck to Fort Myers Car Buyer, you really don't have to worry about anything. Our team of friendly vehicle removalists and customer support staff is fully trained in every aspect of scrap vehicle buying and selling, allowing us to offer the premium service that we're known for.
Let Us Take Care of Your Scrap Car Transfers in Tice
When we purchase a registered vehicle, we can help you take care of the entire transfer process. This service extends to all makes and models of trucks, motorcycles, and cars throughout Tice, FL.
Although transferring a vehicle ownership in Florida can be confusing, we'll take care of the paperwork so that you don't have to. You will have to be able to prove that the vehicle is registered in your name, but that's about all.
How Do I Transfer a Vehicle in Florida?
At the same time, we believe in transparency and communication. With this in mind, we've put together a short list of the steps involved in the scrap vehicle transfer process. Note that in some cases we will simply cancel a car or truck's registration, but this depends on the condition of the vehicle in question.
The steps involved with transferring an old car or truck in Tice include:
If you're selling a scrap vehicle to us, you won't have to worry about this. However, it's useful to understand the transfer process if you're thinking about selling to a private buyer.
Cancelling a Junk Car's Registration
If the vehicle that you're selling us is in poor condition, we might decide to simply cancel its registration at the time of purchase. Once again, our team at Fort Myers Car Buyer will take care of the paperwork, leaving you to sit back, relax, and enjoy your instant cash payment.
There are basically two ways to cancel a vehicle registration in Tice, FL:
This is simple, and our team is fully prepared to do the hard work for you.
Do you have an old car or truck that's been sitting in the backyard for years? Or perhaps you have a broken-down vehicle that you simply forgot to renew the registration on?
If so, we want it! We offer cash for junk cars without a title, and you get the added bonus of cleaning up your property at the same time.
Really, it doesn't matter what sort of vehicle you have, what condition it's in, or whether it's complete. Simply give us a call to find out how much we're willing to pay for your junk.
If you're looking for a business offering cold, hard cash for scrap cars in Tice, FL or the surrounding areas, the Fort Myers Car Buyer team can help. We have a tried and proven method for removing old vehicles from your property, after a traffic accident, or following a major breakdown.
When we're buying junk, scrap, or broken-down cars and trucks in Tice we follow a simple five-step process. Everything we do is designed to make your life easy, and we will always aim to tow your vehicle as soon as possible. In many cases we're even able to offer same-day towing.
Call Us for an Instant Cash for Cars Quote
Our experienced team is able to provide up-to-date quotes for almost all vehicles over the phone. If you have a car, truck, or motorcycle that you need to get rid of, simply give us a call and let one of our friendly customer service representatives give you a cash quote within a few minutes.
Arrange a Pick-up Time with Our Tice Tow Truck Drivers
If you're happy with the price we're offering, we can help you set up an appointment with one of our local tow truck drivers. We understand that most people lead busy lives and will always strive to work in with your schedule.
Get The Cash For Your Junk Car
When our driver arrives to pick up your junk vehicle, they will pay you cash on the spot. Any paperwork will be taken care of immediately, and you will be able to walk away with a nicely padded wallet. And, you will be free of your old vehicle!
We Offer Free Towing
At Fort Myers Car Buyer we strive to be transparent, trustworthy, and open about all of our fees and charges. We hate hidden fees and unexpected costs.
Punctuality Is Important
We've built a strong reputation as one of Tice's leading junk car removal companies through years of industry experience and premium service. Our drivers know just how important it is to keep you happy, and they will always show up on time.
If you value your hard-earned money, then let us take care of your junk car, truck, and motorcycle removal. Sure, there are a few different buyers in and around Tice, but we firmly believe that we offer the best customer service and some of the most competitive prices in the region. After all, our reputation speaks for itself. Don't waste your time trying to find out who will buy your scrap vehicle. Get in touch with Fort Myers Car Buyer for an instant cash for scrap cars quote today!
Fort Myers Car Buyer we're proud to be able to offer local vehicle removal throughout the region. Our cash for junk cars Tice, Florida service is up there with the best, and we understand how important it is to support the local community.
With this in mind, we employ local drivers, support local jobs and businesses, and always provide fair cash prices for your ruined vehicles.
Ultimately, it's worth thinking carefully about what you want to do with any old cars, trucks, motorcycles, or other vehicles you have laying around. At the least, we will pay competitive scrap prices for all junk vehicles, and we pay more for those that are running, in good condition, or in high demand.
In reality, you have nothing to lose. Even if you're not sure that you want to sell your old car, it's worth reaching out to our team. Give us a little information about your vehicle and its condition, sit back, and wait for your instant cash quote.
You might be surprised by just how much we're willing to pay for something you see as trash!
Our Tice Team Is Always Happy to Have a Chat
At Fort Myers Car Buyer we pride ourselves on our exceptional customer support, our impressive reputation, and our commitment to the local Tice, FL community. We offer a wide range of scrap car, truck, and motorcycle removal services, and we have drivers available to pick up your junk vehicle today!
Our friendly customer service team is always happy to have a chat. Every single team member understands our business and our commitment to you, and they will do their best to answer any questions you have.
Every day your scrap vehicles sit around doing nothing, they lose a tiny bit of value. If you want to get paid for cleaning up your property, get in touch with us for an obligation-free cash for cars quote today!
Stop hesitating and give us a call, send us an email, or get in touch via our website. We have cash to spend in Tice and the surrounding parts of Florida, and you could be in a position to get your hands on some of it!
Cash For Junk Cars In Tice, Florida
Tice, Florida Junk Car Buyer
Search Google For Car Buyer Tice Florida
Search Google For Tice, Florida
Wikipedia: Tice, Florida
CNN: Tice, Florida
Best Sell Junk Car Tice FL
Best Sell Car Tice FL


text:
Cymbals - The cymbal family
In the orchestra the pair of cymbals is used chiefly to stress important musical accents, but it can also be used as a quiet rhythm instrument in the background, together with the bass drum, for example.
Whereas the suspended cymbal can fulfill a wider variety of tasks thanks to the use of different sticks and its greater dynamic flexibility, it cannot match the effect achieved by the pair of cymbals' greatest fortissimo. Even played piano the pair sounds very different from the suspended cymbal.
The hi-hat is found only rarely in modern orchestra literature. However, it has been an integral part of dance music of all kinds, jazz, rock and pop, since the beginning of the 20th century, when it was known as the Charleston machine.
Finger cymbals are a smaller version of the pair of cymbals. Because of their low dynamic level they are used very rarely in the orchestra and are constructed in a way that differs somewhat from that of the pair. They belong only loosely to the cymbal family.
Crotales are tuned to a definite pitch and their construction differs from that of the cymbals. For this reason they are not regarded as a member of the cymbal family.


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Well-known member
I had quite a good run this year with my videos, but this month it seems different. I was just wondering, if anybody else had a slow decline in estimated rumble earnings since about the 8th this month? It seems to go down quite steep to almost nothing. I wonder if it is an account adjustment? Or it might be just me.


text:
Legislation and Policy
2016 Family Abuse Final Protective Order Firearm Prohibition: Fairfax County Coordination memo
Notice to Respondents of a Family Abuse Final Protective Order
Practice Guides for Family Court Decision-Making in Domestic Abuse-Related Child Custody Matters
Department of Defense's (DOD's) Safe Helpline Website and App – Sexual Assault Support for the DOD Community: https://safehelpline.org/
Justice Department Announces Plan for Advancing Crime Victims' Rights and Services in the 21st Century
Roll Call Videos for Law Enforcement on U Visa Certification and T Visa Endorsement – "Blue Campaign: Law Enforcement Discussion of Immigration Relief" See the National Immigrant Women's Advocacy Project for more information and resources.
Law Enforcement Guide to Safety and Economic Security for Victims of Violence Against Women
Prosecutors Guide to Safety and Economic Security for Victims of Violence Against Women Wider Opportunities for Women
Frequently Asked Questions about the Change in the UCR Definition of Rape FBI Uniform Crime Report
FVPSA Fact Sheet on the Affordable Care Act
Fact Sheet on Refugees and the Affordable Care Act
2014 Legislative Update for Law Enforcement (compilation of new laws from the VA Department of Criminal Justice Services)
Office of the Attorney General's 2014 Legislative Update – New Laws Related to Domestic and Sexual Violence and Stalking
Standing Up for Women's Civil Rights, 20 Years After VAWA(White House Fact Sheet)
Department of Justice's new Elder Justice Initiative website
Police Department's Use of the Lethality Assessment Program: A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation
Enforcing Domestic Violence Firearm Provisions: A Report on Promising Practices
Domestic Violence and Firearms policy summary
What is the Violence Against Women Act?
Establishing Penetration in Sexual Assault Cases (Aequitas issue brief)
Key Elements of Effective Policy Addressing Campus Sexual Violence (Action Alliance)
Wisconsin Addresses Firearms Surrender (BWJP)
Surrender, Storage, and Return of Firearms in CPO Cases: The Wisconsin Project (BWJP presentation)
Virginia Judicial Workload Assessment Report discussed at our last DV Network meeting
Intimate Partner Violence: Attributes of Victimization (1993-2011) Bureau of Justice Statistics


text:
Adam Sisman
A Historian's Heart
The Wartime Journals
By Hugh Trevor-Roper (Edited by Richard Davenport-Hines)
I B Tauris 322pp £25 order from our bookshop
Does language matter? Hugh Trevor-Roper thought that it did. Nowadays it is fashionable to rate self-expression above precision. But Trevor-Roper believed that without clarity of language there can be no clarity of thought. Like Orwell (whom he admired), he knew that freedom is endangered when language becomes corrupt. These journals were written during the Second World War, when the defence of the English language against all forms of attack seemed especially important. They remained unseen until after his death in 2003, when they were discovered hidden in his house. Their publication now reveals a new side to the formidable historian. The notebook entries exhibit an intellectual in the process of formation: an isolated, reflective individual training his mind and refining his style.


text:
I generally like September. The end of summer, that start of fall, the changing of the leaves and sweater weather. September was always like a fresh notebook waiting to be filled, a return to routine that I was so ready for.
But this year, I learned the truth about September. September is not the season of boots (hell it going to be 90 today) and pumpkin spice lattes, no September is the season of paperwork and fundraisers. It is the season of lunch menus, school calendars and endless requests to volunteer. It's 4:00 Parents Club Meetings, even though your kid doesn't get off the bus till 4, not to mention that some parents work. It's the season of volunteering to be the class mom and realizing that if you hadn't no one else would have.
It's the season of forgetting it's silly hat day. And forgetting the deadline for the god-awful wrapping paper fundraiser. It's the season of wondering are we selling mums this week or chocolate. Should I buy a book from scholastic or pass? Will my son be heartbroken when he realizes we forgot silly hat day?
It's a pile of papers I can't seem to control and a pile of homework that is more torture for me than its teaching him. It's sports practices on Friday night. It's trying to figure out which website or portal is relevant to the school year and then pouring a glass of wine and not bothering with the websites because the 2 folders that come home every day are enough.
It's an endless cycle of guilt. A feeling that you aren't doing enough. That you are forgetting something. That the routine you desperately craved is not happening. It's confusing the reading log and the homework folder and worrying about losing library books and hoping your kid wore sneakers on gym day. It's juggling while people keep throwing more balls at you.
It's after school meltdowns and regretting your decision to sign up for after-school activities. It's being lecturing on box tops by parents club and that feeling of anger that rises up inside because you think box tops are a shameful way to fund education.
It's the abrupt end of a lazy summer and all of this dropped on your lap while you are still recovering from having the kids off for 10 weeks.
September I used to love you but, I'm hoping that October is where it's at.


text: "Drunk and Incapable" is the debut single by from Jamaican dancehall artist Krishane featuring vocals from British singer Melissa Steel. It was released as a digital download on 12 October 2014 in the United Kingdom. The song has peaked to number 27 on the UK Singles Chart. Music video: A music video to accompany the release of "Drunk and I… Read More


text:
Think Positively, Be Open to Your Intuition,
Kim A. Flodin
Reiki Master. Intuitive Healer. Psychic Coach. Energy Guide. Podcast Producer. Artist
I use my gifts and intuition to cut through the BS, so you can fall in love with yourself, better understand yourself, laugh at yourself, live authentically, and find and express your true NO.
Are you wondering about something? Is there something or someone in your life that you wish you could understand better? Do you wish you could make contact with someone who has passed? Would you enjoy a long-distance healing including a chat about what's going on with you?
Download your FREE coloring book!
Free Guide on How to Say No!
Join my Facebook group! (inspiration, freebies, fun!
Fall in love with yourself today. Listen to the podcast!
Laughter is healing! Listen to How in the HELL did I get here?
Laugh with us on Facebook! Join the group! Meet the sisters.
* Note: Intuitive Insights are provided for entertainment purposes only. I make no claims that the insights should be used for any purpose beyond entertainment and strongly discourage the use of these insights for any reason other than amusement. The Coloring Book Coach is not liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages arising from your access this information.


text:
No, The Original Pokemon Trading Card Set Isn't Being Reprinted…
Edit: This article is now kind of pointless, given that PokeBeach themselves have covered the same issue. Either way, Polygon is a terrible website that doesn't do their research properly.
Recently, it seems a couple of Nintendo sites have put out articles about the Pokemon Trading Card game and how the first set is being reprinted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series. For example, it's been mentioned on Polygon, My Nintendo News, Nintendo Life and quite a few other such sites, and taken as gospel by an awful lot of people on social media (including us, at least initially).
Above: Also, everyone seems to really love this picture…
But it turns out this isn't the case. This new set isn't a reprint of the first gen cards, it's actually a set made up of random Pokemon X/Y generation cards. Or in other words, it uses cards from the current 'BREAK' set rather than any of the original ones, and is merely designed to look like the original starter pack. We're not getting reprints of the classic Pokemon cards like the Charizard, Machamp, Zapdos or Venusaur ones in the first set.
Above: It's happened before, but this isn't going to be another one of those times.
Could we get those cards reprinted in future? Yes certainly, we already got a reprinted Charizard card back in the Diamond and Pearl themed Stormfront edition back in 2008, so the Pokemon Company is no stranger to rereleasing fan favourites with reworked designs. But this isn't it. This is a Pokemon X/Y Break Starter Set, not a reprint of the original set.
BREAK Starter Pack' and Classic Pokemon Back Card Sleeves in February! – PokeBeach


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Here's an image of the PO for my 62 GT. Really not that much there. I know that many cars came without the clock or tach as they were optional. My car has both, is that on this PO or would it even show there? I guess they could have been added later either by the dealer or later on. Also, it has a replacement motor. The one in the car now is P96721.
No announcement yet.
Production Order for 62VI4559
new posts
Wow, that was a very bare Hawk!
No Climatizer, Radio, Rear Speaker, Antenna, Tinted Glass, nothing.
I am pretty sure to sell this Car, the Dealer would have at least added a Climatizer.
I am pretty sure later owners who Customized the Car installed a Dash Panel from another Car during restoration.
The problem with adding Clocks and Tachs. to these GT Hawks is that although the dash Chassis has the Holes, the Wood grained Overlay does not, so to do it right you need to replace the overlay with one that is cut out, I don't see a Dealer fooling around removing ALL the Instruments and trying to cut the holes in the correct place, too time consuming.
The early Hawks from '56 to '61 were a lot easier to work with, the Left side cutout was already open and plugged with a Clock/Tach. "Dummy".
P96721 is a 1963 Engine, that is a good thing as the original would have been a Partial Flow Engine.Last edited by StudeRich; 05-09-2015, 11:32 AM.StudeRich
Second Generation Stude Driver,
Proud '54 Starliner Owner
The car does have the Climatizer, Radio (base model no push buttons)and Antenna. White Walls and undercoating were the only things added at the factory. I guess with all the changes over the years I can't say that I'm going to try to keep it original.I'd rather be driving my Studebaker!
I see it was originally shipped to Riverside, CA. As mentioned before, I am pretty sure it is the one I owned briefly around 1990. I bought it in Yucca Valley, CA, about 75 miles from Riverside, so it did not stray far, till the Canadian guy bought it from me.
It was definitely black when I had it. Then the Canadian guy sent me pix a few years later, after the current green & white paint job. He picked a nice color combo, as it sure looks beautiful now.
Hey Joe, was the Canadian guy named Fred Levitt? Fred was the last real owner. I bought it from a dealer. I got a whole box of receipts and other papers with Fred's name on them from around 2010 to 2012. He put a LOT of money into that car to get her up and running. From what I can tell Fred was/is a SDC member in BC if anybody knows him. I think the car has sat for the last few years because it only has a couple of hundred miles on it since 2010. If you can remember anything else about the car, like who you bought it from or anything else please PM me.Last edited by wlfrench; 05-09-2015, 03:27 PM.I'd rather be driving my Studebaker!
Originally posted by StudeRich View PostWow, that was a very bare Hawk!
No Climatizer, Radio, Rear Speaker, Antenna, Tinted Glass, nothing.
I am pretty sure to sell this Car, the Dealer would have at least added a Climatizer.
Gary L.
Wappinger, NY
SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer
My 50 Commander convertible came without a heater or radio and my 63 GT Hawk came without a radio, so some deluxe cars were built without many options.RadioRoy, specializing in AM/FM conversions with auxiliary inputs for iPod/satellite/CD player. In the old car radio business since 1985.
17A-S2 - 50 Commander convertible
10G-C1 - 51 Champion starlight coupe
10G-Q4 - 51 Champion business coupe
4H-K5 - 53 Commander starliner hardtop
5H-D5 - 54 Commander Conestoga wagon
56B-D4 - 56 Commander station wagon
60V-L6 - 60 Lark convertible


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Denver Starbucks coffee aficionados won't be confused by New Hampshire-based Black Bear Roastery's 'Mr. Charbucks' blend of dark roast coffee, according to the ruling by a three judge panel of the New York Appeals Court. The Court upheld a previous finding by U.S. District Court in 2011 that the use of the name 'Charbucks" was not a trademark infringement of the well-known Starbucks coffee brand in a trademark dispute that began in 2001.
Starbucks had charged that the 'Mr. Charbucks" name was too similar to the name 'Starbucks" and use of the name by Black Bear Roastery was damaging the Starbucks brand. A large part of the Starbucks case was a 600-person survey in which people responded that they associated the name 'Charbucks" with Starbucks. The Court found that argument flawed in that in the survey, 'Charbucks" was presented out of context and isolated.
The Court found that only 4.4 percent surveyed responded that 'Charbucks" would be found at Starbucks or at a coffeehouse, while most responded that it would be found at a grocery store. This led to the finding that there was no significant crossover of the products in the minds of consumers. The Court did note that a reason that the name 'Charbucks" was chosen by Black Bear Roastery was because Starbucks is seen as selling a darker roast coffee.
Companies that sell a well-known or high-end product will sometimes bring litigation against competing companies that use similar sounding names for similar products on the basis that it damages the reputations of their brands to be associated with lesser products and is confusing to consumers. Protection of intellectual property, such as trademark, copyright and trade secrets, is a growing and complex legal field.
Source: Huffington Post, "'Charbucks' Not A Trademark Violation Despite Starbucks Appeal, Court Rules", Jonathan Stempel, November 15, 2013


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Towers of Doom
|Towers of Doom
|Battleground Information
|Unique Objectives
|First Objective
|3:00 minutes
|Subsequent Objectives
|1:50 minutes after all altars captured
|Grave Keeper & Raven Lord
|Raven Court
|Release Date
|November 24th, 2015
- The Grave Keeper and the Raven Lord are engaged in a classic battle of evil versus… different evil? Protective magic shields your Core from enemy Heroes, but nothing will save you from these two masters of the dark arts. Hold the Bell Towers, capture the Altars, and unleash your wicked benefactor's power on your enemies.[1]
The Towers of Doom is a three-lane battleground set in the Realm of Raven Court. The Cores on Towers are Doom are protected by barriers that cannot be destroyed by heroes. Periodically altars will rise across the battlefield. Activate them to have your bell towers fire upon the enemy's core.
The first Battleground objective event will activate 3 minutes into the match, following a 30-second warning.
Background[edit | edit source]
The Grave Keeper and the Raven Lord have risen over a dark and mysterious city, each seeking to annex it into the territories they inhabit within the Nexus. Now locked in a struggle for dominance over the little gothic burg, these mythic beings demand that heroes contribute their might to this endeavor. Whether born from necessity, or merely for sport, their true intentions may never become clear.[2]
Losing patience with the Grave Keeper, the Raven Lord summoned beings from the Dark Nexus in order to finally draw the "usurper" out.[3]
Map layout[edit | edit source]
Towers of Doom features three lanes, spread out to form a medium-sized map. Unlike most maps, though, these lanes only feature one castle for each team, rather than the typical two. Between the lanes (and below bottom lane) there are altars which periodically activate, triggering the map's main objective.
Areas of interest[edit | edit source]
- Mercenary camps
- Sappers: Siege camps are pumpkin headed minions. The pumpkin heads will spawn in triplets. However, when they get close to a keep or tower, they will charge the structure and explode, dealing massive damage. If the pumpkin heads advance on a keep that has already been captured, they will continue down the lane until they reach the end of the lane, at which point each pumpkin head will suicide and deal 1 damage to the enemy core.
- Headless Horseman: When capturing the boss, the boss will not advance down a lane. Instead, it will immediately deal four damage to the enemy core.
- Tunnels: 12:00 minutes into the battle (or, if altars have spawned, 15 seconds after the last altar is captured), the Grave Keeper and the Raven Lord will open tunnels near their respective core which leads to the field's center. Use this for a shortcut or if some of your heroes' Z key abilities are recharging.
Unique objective[edit | edit source]
Core Ability: Protected[edit | edit source]
Both Cores are protected by a barrier that cannot be attacked by heroes. The core has 40 hp at the start of each game. When you enter the opposing team's Kill Zone near the Core, enemy cannons will lock on to you and blow you to smithereens.
The Core does not affect damage from any sources other than capturing Altars and the mercenary of this battleground: Sappers and the Headless Horseman.
Activate Altars[edit | edit source]
Periodically altars will rise across the battlefield. The location of the first Altars will appear on the Minimap 30 seconds after the game begins, as well as 30 seconds after the final Altars in an event has been captured. The first altars will spawn 3 minutes into the match, following a 30-second warning. Subsequent altars will spawn 110 seconds after the last one has been captured.
Activate them to have your bell towers fire upon the enemy's core. Capturing an altar takes 6 seconds.
Spawning Rules[edit | edit source]
- The possible configurations of altars are:
- Top-left and top right altars.
- Middle altar.
- Bottom altar.
- Middle and bottom altars.
- Top-left, top-right, and middle altars.
- Top-left, top-right, and bottom altars.
- The first and fifth set of altars always spawn as three altars at once. Other sets always spawn as one or two altars at once.
- The first six altar spawns have unique configurations. The next four altar spawns have unique configurations (as we no longer have three-altar spawns). After the tenth set, the next configuration is randomly chosen between all the one- or two-altar configurations, which means there is now a chance of repeating.
- This means we will always know the 5th, 6th, and 10th altar spawn configurations.
Claim Bell Towers[edit | edit source]
Keeps and Forts are often called Bell Towers on this map. Unlike other maps, there is only one Bell Tower per lane, and destroying the Bell Tower works much differently. When capturing an enemy's Bell Tower, it will automatically destroy the Tower and Healing fountain next to it. A new, friendly Bell Tower will rise in its place.
Each team has a damage multiplier: The more Forts/Keeps you have, the more damage an Altar will do. The value is 1+ the number of keeps the team controls. Each team start with three keeps, so the multiplier starts at 4. Altars will spawn and successfully capturing an altar will cause you to deal damage to the enemy core equal to your damage multiplier.
If the enemy destroys your new keep, then their own keep and healing fountain will respawn. This process can be repeated infinitely, and whenever structures are respawning they are invincible for several seconds. Note that even during this invincibility phase, they still count towards the controlling team's damage multiplier. Also note that recapturing a keep on your side of the map will only respawn the turret tower and healing fountain nearest it. The gate and two turret towers that protected the keep will remain destroyed, meaning the keep will remain quite vulnerable.
If your team manages to capture all six keeps, your core will deal 1 damage to the enemy core roughly every ~3.5 seconds. The bombardment ends if your foe retakes a tower, so use extreme caution.
When the tunnel opens after 12:00 minutes, all Forts upgrade to Keeps, including their Kill XP given. Less significantly, Towers and Healing fountains also upgrade, affecting their HP and shields.
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- When Towers of Doom was made, the developers were originally planning to add Arathi Basin from Warcraft. Afterwards, they changed lots of the map mechanics, and it doesn't look like the map in Warcraft. Therefore, they remade it to Towers of Doom.[4] If you look at the towers they're themed very similar to main areas in Arathi Basin.[5]
- After Towers of Doom's initial release, Haunted Mines' older version was taken out of the regular gameplay, until a rework for Mines came out, and a specific Heroes Brawl celebrated its relaunch.
- A Spirit Healer from World of Warcraft can be seen on this map while dead.
- There are many ghost farmers, miners and knights found around this map. They appeared living on Cursed Hollow, Haunted Mines and Dragon Shire respectively.
- The symbol of the Raven Lord can be seen on the ghostly minecarts mine entrences on this map.
- On some of the gravestones on this map you can see the Horde symbol.
- Gamedata refers to this map as "Winter Crest".
- Hammer Time and Ghost Protocol are Brawls set on a modified version of Towers of Doom.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
Cho'gall, Greymane, Johanna, and Lunara fight the Headless Horseman.
Cho'gall uses Upheaval against Brightwing, Illidan, and Kael'thas.
Videos[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
- Towers of Doom - Official site
- Towers of Doom Changelog - Heroes Patch Notes
- Towers of Doom Sound Files - Sounds of the Storm
|In Rotation_
|Alterac Pass • Battlefield of Eternity • Blackheart's Bay • Braxis Holdout • Cursed Hollow • Dragon Shire • Garden of Terror • Hanamura Temple • Infernal Shrines • Sky Temple • Tomb of the Spider Queen • Towers of Doom • Volskaya Foundry • Warhead Junction
|Custom Mode Only_
|Haunted Mines • Lost Cavern


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e-CFR Navigation Aids
Advanced Search
— Boolean
Related Resources
e-CFR data is current as of October 29, 2020
Title 17 → Chapter I → Part 3 → Subpart B → §3.44
Title 17: Commodity and Securities Exchanges
Subpart B—Temporary Licenses
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of these regulations, and pursuant to the terms and conditions of this subpart, the National Futures Association may grant a temporary license to any applicant for registration as an introducing broker upon the contemporaneous filing with the National Futures Association of:
(1) A properly completed guarantee agreement (Form 1-FR part B) from a futures commission merchant or retail foreign exchange dealer which is eligible to enter into such an agreement pursuant to §1.10(j)(2) of this chapter;
(2) A Form 7-R properly completed in accordance with the instructions thereto;
(3) A Form 8-R for the applicant, if a sole proprietor, and each principal (including each branch office manager) thereof, properly completed in accordance with the instructions thereto, all of whom would be eligible for a temporary license if they had applied as associated persons.
(4) A certification executed by a person duly authorized by the futures commission merchant or retail foreign exchange dealer that has executed the guarantee agreement required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section, stating that:
(i) The futures commission merchant or retail foreign exchange dealer has verified the information on the Forms 8-R filed pursuant to paragraph (a)(3) of this section which relate to education and employment history of the applicant's principals (including each branch office manager) thereof during the preceding three years; and
(ii) To the best of the futures commission merchant's or retail foreign exchange dealer's knowledge, information, and belief, all of the publicly available information supplied by the applicant and its principals and each branch office manager of the applicant on the Form 7-R and Forms 8-R, as appropriate, is accurate and complete; and
(5) The fingerprints of the applicant, if a sole proprietor, and of each principal (including each branch office manager) thereof on fingerprint cards provided by the National Futures Association for that purpose.
(b) The effective date of a guarantee agreement filed in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section is the date upon which the temporary license is granted by the National Futures Association.
(c) An applicant that fails to respond in accordance with a written request by the Commission or the National Futures Association for clarification of any information set forth in the application of the applicant or any principal (including any branch office manager) thereof or for the resubmission of a fingerprint card will be deemed to have withdrawn its registration application and the temporary license issued to such applicant and any associated person thereof shall terminate immediately.
[51 FR 45760, Dec. 22, 1986, as amended at 53 FR 8435, Mar. 15, 1988; 57 FR 23151, June 2, 1992; 64 FR 1728, Jan. 12, 1999; 67 FR 38876, June 6, 2002; 75 FR 55427, Sept. 10, 2010; 77 FR 51908, Aug. 28, 2012]


text:
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Rove, the leading provider of mobile IT management solutions, announced today that IT decision-makers are increasingly turning to Android smartphones and tablets to manage their networks using Rove's powerful remote monitoring system, Mobile Admin.
Rove Mobile Admin provides users with immediate notification of issues, and access to the industry's most comprehensive suite of functionality for incident notification, diagnosis, triage and resolution from a mobile device.
"With Mobile Admin we've not only increased efficiency and response times but also reduced costs," explained Larry Labas, Director of IT Operations for SonicWALL. "Instead of carrying a laptop and an expensive 3G service, the team can use the less expensive data service on their Android devices from anywhere, anytime, all usually less than a minute after being notified there was an issue or a request being sent to them. One of my team used his Sprint HTC EVO Android device to reboot a set of critical SAAS servers while he was training for a triathlon. This prevented our customers from seeing an outage of the service."
The latest version of Mobile Admin allows IT staff to have even greater visibility and security with the Dashboard and Notification system. IT admins are now able to set up personal monitors for their network and be alerted through push notifications to their Android devices.
"Android tablets provide users with a device that is a serious competitor to the iPad in the tablet space," said Matt Moore, Rove's Director of Development. "Our Android users are now able to resolve IT issues more quickly and easily due to the increased screen real-estate and faster processing power on their tablets. The Mobile Admin Push Notification system delivers personally-scoped alerts to any and all of your Android devices."


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Quite A WatchHave a look (sorry, you need to click on that image for a better view):
That's a $145,000 watch. However--and this is big--the Amazon discount is $66,004.91. So you're getting it for only $78,995.09. Hell of a deal.
What I most love about this listing is that the watch comes with a "2 year limited warranty." For $145,000? Plus it's water "resistant" to 1000 meters. Nice,
Of course, the best part is reading the Amazon reviews, which are generally hysterical. Here's a link:
Zenith Men's 96.0529.4035/51.M Defy Xtreme Tourbillon Titanium Chronograph Watch.
Thanks to Wallace for bringing this timely news to my attention.


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- Pissarro on Paper
- September 30, 2012 – March 31, 2013
- East Building Ground Level
This exhibition is no longer on view at the National Gallery.
Overview: French Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro first tried printmaking in his early thirties, and though he never stopped painting, printing became vital to his artistic enterprise. He valued the ease with which he could test new ideas, and he became increasingly innovative as he grew more comfortable with different printing techniques. The purchase of his own etching press in 1894 facilitated his efforts, which resulted in more than two hundred plates.
This one-room installation highlights Pissarro's spirited experimentation, as well as his gravitation—in all media—toward depicting landscape and the people who inhabited rural farms and towns. Rather than meticulously reproducing what he saw, he sought to capture the mood and essence of his subjects. On both paper and canvas, Pissarro masterfully played with surface textures and variations of compositional density to create descriptive and evocative visual imagery. His energetic methods for printmaking—dabbing, rubbing, dragging—and his range of materials for all media—palette knives, brushes of different sizes, even his bare hands—all contribute to the dynamism of his works.
Organization: Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Passes: Passes are not required for this exhibition.


text:
Let your friends and family know what you really think of them with these Mr Men mugs.
Yes, the Mr Men revival continues, with these ceramic mugs available in a range of characters, including the Mr Happy and Little Miss Chatterbox featured here. And the design is featured both inside and outside of the mug.
Standing 9cm tall and with a diameter of 8cm, each mug retails for £6.
Find out more about the mugs at the Urban Outfitters website


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Marriott County Hall - Review
Is it me or is the Marriott brand developing hotel sector omnipresence? Sat Bal
Only a couple of weeks after staying in the Marriott Amsterdam I find myself in London's five-star Marriott County Hall. It increasingly seems to be in the right place at the right time.
Back in Amsterdam we stayed in one of the suites that MTV had block-booked for media and artists attending its big EMA music bash. It seems that the view of the Marriott chain as a staid corporate stay is giving way to a fresh perception.
This has been helped along by Marriott's collaboration with Ian Schrager whose boutique hotels (St Martins Lane, The Royalton, Delano et al) blossomed some 15 years ago into style venue icons. Edition Hotels is Schrager's partnership with Marriott International and the pair recently launched the London Edition in the imposing old Berners Street Hotel building near Oxford Street.
By contrast London's Marriott County Hall proudly preserves its history. Its provenance as the HQ of the London City Council (some 60 years ago) still seeps through the hotel's wood-panelled pores. And the globally familiar red-gold carpet swirl is irrefutably Marriott 'proper' - as is the solid wood furniture.
The history is not just within; my suite opened to a panorama of Big Ben, the Thames and the Houses of Parliament. Above the window the pods of the London Eye loomed close enough to ID the nationalities of the podded tourists. This is the London that's beamed around the world, banked in the collective consciousness of global tourism.
This is also a London that's in the tinselled grip of Christmas. County Hall is tastefully bedecked with festive trees at every turn. Padding along the Hall's red carpets, it's hard to escape olde Dickensian imagery: the Westminster popinjays, blue bloods, dandies-of-the-day and other spirits of over 80 Christmases past that would have traversed this very site in festive cheer.
Spa at County Hall
But historical reverie is quickly banished on encountering the sixth-floor spa and vast health club which boasts a 25-metre indoor pool. After all, this is a five-star hotel with five-star facilities. Here are some of them…
Gillray's Steakhouse & Bar is the focal point for dining at County Hall. The sweeping views of that London riverside setting offer ample twilight twinkle, depending on your table position. The strip-like dining space fills quickly but waiter service is prompt and courteous. Staff are quite happy to help when you're wavering between a starter choice of Cornish Oysters with champagne and vinaigrette or spinach and cheddar (£21 per 12). Grilled prawns with lemon, garlic and parsley (£16) tastily paved the way for the main courses. Some of the quirkier food options included generously large Yorkshire puddings – filled with cheese.
Our Cornish Oysters framed by twilight London
Naturally, Gillray's prides itself on its steak menu derived from 35-day dry aged Aberdeen Angus from specially selected English farms. Nature nurtures the meat and Gillray's crafts it under the headship of executive chef Gareth Bowen. The succulent Prime Rib (£32) steak all but killed the conversation, which was reduced to our murmurs of approval between sips of the house red.
Sign off with the Signature Sherry Trifle
Fish courses include Billingsgate Grilled and South Coast Lemon Sole and the menu also offers a wide selection of English cheeses that includes the award-winning Yorkshire Blue. Oh and don't miss out on the Signature Sherry Trifle, a delightful confection that's enough to prolong anyone's stay.
Gillray's bar convenes
The bar stocks over 70 gins as well as wines, spirits and beers and it's very easy to slip into the languid ambience (easier still after a couple of Midnight Bird cocktails, apparently). It's the sort of place to relax in before one's assault on the city or the pre-bed nightcap.
Leader's Bar is the place to open champagne and sample fine wines and the portraits on its wall reinforce the political heritage of County Hall.
Private dining at the Library
Time didn't permit but it's easy to see how an entire afternoon could be whiled away at the oaken Library Lounge, replete with its rare books and literary air. Afternoon tea here is an indulgence of several types of tea, sandwiches and scones with jam and clotted cream. Homemade cakes take the experience further. Private dining areas are available for groups who prefer to keep it intimate.
Westminster Suite lounge area
The Westminster Suite is the hotel's flagship room with spectacular views over the Thames. A spacious bedroom, dining area , kitchenette and living room are some of the features of this vast suite which also offers Executive Lounge access. It has to be said that the noise insulation is very effective; just as well with busy tourist London just beyond these spacious windows.
Big Ben suite balcony view
The one-bedroom Executive suites, Junior suite, Big Ben Executive comprise the other suites. Egyptian cotton-rich linens and cosseting duvets make for a restful sleep.
London Marriott Hotel County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB
- 6 floors , 186 rooms , 14 suites
- 13 meeting rooms, 563 sq m of total meeting space
- 1 concierge level
- On-site parking, fee: £40 daily
- Valet parking, fee: £40 daily
- Check-in: 3:00 PM
- Check-out: 12:00 PM
- Express Check-In and Express Checkout
- Video Review Billing , Video Checkout
High-Speed Internet
- Guest rooms: Wireless, Wired
- Lobby and public areas: Wireless
- Meeting rooms: Wireless, Wired


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