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We did a round of compatibility testing and determined that our currently shipping Alien Skin apps work just fine with OS X El Capitan. As always, we recommend backing up your Mac before installing new system software.
14 Comments
Do you have plans to provide your products as photos extensions for Apple Photos in OS X El Capitan?
i bought a new IMac Retina 27 with El Capitain, i'm using Exposure 6 as plugin in PS 6 and i find Exposure slower than my old configuration (mac mini 2011-mavericks) expecially during the preset's preview.
Have you any notice about it ?
Hi, I just bought Photo Bundle for run in a Mac with OS X 10.11.13 and found two problems.
One with Exposure X that doesn't open the image files from the Fotos or iPhoto Libraries. I tried in the two ways that I found in the tutorials but nothing. It's impossible. I don't have my images in a Folders outside the Foto Library or iPhoto Library and I understood that Exposure X doesn't work like a plugin for Fotos.
The second problem is with BlowUp that also, doesn't work without Photoshop or Lightroom. I mean, if I don't want to work through anyone of them, how can EDIT and PRINT my images from Fotos or iPhoto with Exposure X and BlowUp directly.
Thank in advance
How can I get a copy of Lacquer which will work with OSX El captain , Photoshop 2015 cc
Raymond de Gaye
I just bought Blow up software and I am running El Captain photoshop not seeing it I have tried different installation unsuccessful since you guys check it let me know what the problem is I have tried photoshop 14, 15, 15.3 and 15.5
I have just upgraded my Mac so it can run the latest software (OS from Lion to El Capitan) and gotten a new, more powerful, graphics card, so I have finally upgraded my Photoshop from CC (pre 2014) to 2017. How do I move Eye Candy from the older version to the newer one (and have the registration transfer with it)? Also, do I need an upgrade? (BTW, I use EyeCandy on both of my CC installs…one on my desktop MacPro and the other on Windows 10 on my laptop… and I need to upgrade them both.)
Is there a way to remotely disable or disconnect the license from a computer? I ask because I installed it on my work computer and don't want it to remain in their hands if and when I leave this job.
Comments are closed.


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Results 1 to 2 of 2
Thread: Codebase 5.0(about 1995 year)
04-02-14, 11:35 #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Apr 2014
- Posts
- 1
Unanswered: Codebase 5.0(about 1995 year)
I need header files(*.h) from Codebase 5.0. I know it is really old, but I really need it.
May be someone looks to his archive files and try to find it? d4all.h is example of such file.
12-23-15, 20:48 #2Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2015
- Location
- Guisborough, England
- Posts
- 23
CodeBase 5
Are you still looking?
I have all files for CodeBase 5. I still use the system, right now. I have customers still using my software.
I have MUCH modified/extended my system, but I think I've left the standard .h files alone.
How do I get the files to you?
Geoff Barnard

subset: commoncrawl


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The Mountain Hardwear Men's Gravity Glove is a leather palm glove for heading out into the cold to work and casual events. The Gravity starts with a wool-blend fleece shell at the back of the hand for a casual, cozy look. The palm is goatskin leather, soft and pliable for great dexterity and durable for the long winter ahead. The large loop easily hangs 'em up on the coat hook to dry as you settle in by the fire indoors.
So sorry, but only 4 items are allowed for comparison, so we're comparing the first 4. I blame the gnomes and so should you.
Would you like to compare the products you have selected now?


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On Mon, Jul 08, 2002 at 02:54:04PM -0400, Matt Zimmerman wrote: > > This sounds exactly backwards. The NEWS file should give brief, important > notices, while the changelog verbosely describes changes. I think that the format of the two files is sufficiently different that it doesn't make sense to include the NEWS text within the changelog. The changelog should be a consise list of all the changes since the previous version (the granularity of the list is up to the maintainer, of course). The NEWS file, OTOH, should be in prose form. It gives the maintainer an opportunity to explain the ramifications of changes in the package, warn the user or sysadmin in the even that something big has changed, and explain how to cope with it. I like this idea a lot, but I don't think it should be merged with the changelog. The changelog should simply list changes; the NEWS file should tell users what behavioral changes they can expect as a result of these changes. noah -- _______________________________________________________ | Web: http://web.morgul.net/~frodo/ | PGP Public Key: http://web.morgul.net/~frodo/mail.html
Description: PGP signature


text: Sorting type: Most visited Most visited Alphabetical | This category contains images of the Yo-kai Piyopiyoko. Media in category "Category:Piyopiyoko" Piyopiyoko.jpg Retrieved from "http://yokaiwatch.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Piyopiyoko?oldid=100970" Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you've made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Categories: Images of Yo-kai


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General Details
Post Graduate Diploma from AMEB.
Hi there, nice to meet you here.
I have been playing piano for 21 years and professional tutoring for 6 years, especially good at AMEB test tips and skills. If you want to learn piano for leisure instead of test, I am your choice too since you'll find yourself enjoy playing so much.
I'm now living in Burwood, offering home visits services.
Welcome to enquire at: 04666 70806
MSN: firstname.lastname@example.com
These details were last updated on August 22, 2011


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Who else loves watching the Oscars? The dresses, the hair, the shoes. It's all so glamorous! Some people take notes on the best outfits, but I take notes on the set design! I haven't seen all the movies that were nominated, but I love seeing the worlds that are created on the big screen, and of course getting inspiration from them!
Hugo won the honors of best art direction. I could spend hours in this amazing library! How fabulous are the windows and the lamps on the tables?
Who didn't fall in love with Paris after seeing Midnight in Paris? The romance and beauty and history of the place is intoxicating!
If you haven't seen The Help, go rent it now! It's a wonderful story and every room is spot on. I love the oriental rugs, the tufted side chairs, and the crystal chandelier. Everything in its place!
I love a classic farmhouse kitchen with a fireplace in it! And a hutch with glass doors, wallpaper, and a checkerboard floor.
This bathroom is over the top, but that's what I love about it. It makes me wish I were a set designer and had a reason to hunt down pink bath fixtures! I can't quite make out what's on the wallpaper, maybe dogs?
{Images from Vignette Design}
What were your favorite movies (or sets) of the year?


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The Rapture : Olio
Exciting times, eh?
After the sensational punk disco explosion of 'House Of Jealous Lovers', New York four-piece The Rapture take a turn for the leftfield. 'Olio' is a moody six minute epic in which singer Luke Jenner warbles like a man on the verge of some severe emotional crisis over the type of moody deep house which originally sent people to Ibiza in the late Eighties. Bearing almost no resemblance to the previous single, 'Olio' is more reminiscent of the time that ubergoths The Cure suddenly 'got' dance music and decided to do a remix album. Only good. Extravagant, lavish and close to incomprehensible, 'Olio' confirms The Rapture as the latest brilliant band with a 'The' in their name. Exciting times, eh?
Alex Needham


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The Bulova Accutron II collection features the proprietary Ultra-High Frequency (U.H.F.) movement, accurate to seconds per year. This Surveyor model features a rose gold-plated case, a champagne dial with rose gold tone hour markers and hands, along with a date window at six o'clock. This watch offers smart yet laid-back styling for the modern man.
Bulova. Redefining timekeeping with innovation through design and engineering since 1875.
- Brand
- Bulova
- Case material
- Yellow Gold plated
- Face colour
- Champagne
- Face diameter
- 4.1 cm
- Face shape
- Round
- Movement
- Quartz
- Strap colour
- Brown
- Strap material
- Leather
- Strap style
- Buckle
- Warranty
- 3 Years
- Water resistant
- To 30m
Delivery & Returns
At Ernest Jones we provide the following range of delivery options:
- Free Standard Delivery available on orders over £100.
- Free Next Day Delivery available on selected orders over £499.
- Free Click & Collect to any Ernest Jones store in the UK.
For more Delivery Information click here.
Returns policy: you can return items to us by post or in store within 30 days for a full refund or exchange.*
*We cannot refund or exchange pierced jewellery, e.g. earrings, if they have been removed from the original sealed packaging due to hygiene reasons.
Help Centre
There are a number of different ways to contact us if you need help or advice with your purchase.
How to contact us


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"When kids are finally given a voice, it's always amazing to me how on target their perceptions of schools are!"
—Bob Mackin, director, America's Choice High Schools
What does it take for young people toget really good at something? Teenagers from diverse backgrounds explore that game-changing question in Fires in the Mind. As they describe what fuels their interest and effort, they offer teachers exciting new perspectives on why students choose to engage and persist with challenging work. Kathleen Cushman—whose landmark book Fires in the Bathroom brought youth voices to the national stage—here asks adolescents and their teachers to think more deeply about how we develop mastery, both in and out of school.
Starting with what youth already know and do well, Fires in the Mind uses the latest research on cognition to help students and teachers together address motivation, practice, and the need for high standards. Filled with thought-provoking exercises and resources, this book lights new fires in the minds of both teachers and students, and galvanizes them toward more powerful learning for all.
Mastery, motivation, and momentum are meaningless without the will to succeed. How do you plant the seeds of success in young adults so that they control their own future? Is the answer deliberate practice? Cognitive research shows that "express purpose, attention and focus, repetition and rehearsal" aimed toward individuals are effective. In this collaborative work, teachers and young adults brainstorm their teaching and learning styles. Practice, adult guidance, and public honor are all methods for actualizing education. An "Alternatives to Traditional Homework" diagram includes helpful tips, such as texting and e-mailing questions. The online component makes it easy for teachers and parents to download tools. Checklists, questionnaires, and worksheets give educators interested in reform multiple tactics to engage apathetic students. Short, paragraph-long anecdotes, though necessary with 160 students from the Practice Project, abridge individual stories. Because students' faces are featured at the end of the book, anonymity is not guaranteed. For fear of peer scrutiny, many may not disclose their entire journey. For educators, predicting spontaneous teachable moments is a difficult task. This is a valiant effort by Cushman, author of Fires in the Middle School Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from Middle Schoolers (New Press, 2009), who harnesses the components that foster motivation and mastery. As long as caring educators continue to make an effort to create innovative ways for educational reform, there is hope for our future generations. Reviewer: Ann Crewdson


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What's buzzin, cuzzin?
26 June 2009
Friday Tag - My 1950s name is...
What's buzzin, cuzzin?
9 comments :
Thanks for the tag, party girl!ReplyDelete
wow! pranga variation ng FELIZ huh???!! cute!ReplyDelete
mine is naomi yvonne!! nice nice kasi pareho taung may NAOMI! i will surely name my next girl this one.. :)
thanks for doing the tag my dear! mwah mwah
Thanks for the tag Ria. Have a great weekend!ReplyDelete
Seryoso? Haha, parang I can't imagine myself calling you Phyllis Naomi. Ang cute naman ng tag na ito. :)ReplyDelete
How are you na? It's been a long time. When are you visiting home?
Thanks Ria! This is a welcome back fun for me!ReplyDelete
Hey sis thanks for the tag =)ReplyDelete
maraming salamat sa tag. ni-tag na din ako ni niko. but i will include your name sa previous post ko na isa sa mga nagbigay ^_^. Maraming salamat. Btw, my 1950's name is Darlene Glenda. hehe ^_^ReplyDelete
hi ria, how are you na? you're right mejo bc talaga. tapos may school na rin c gwen uli. hope you're doing great. =)ReplyDelete
ako naman, it's gloria naomi. hahahha! btw, kindly update my URL to http://www.kikamzpera.com/. thanks girl!ReplyDelete


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Diamond Head Inn
Select your stay dates to check availability at Diamond Head Inn
Diamond Head Inn
About the Hotel
Property Location
With a stay at Diamond Head Inn in San Diego (Beach Cities), you'll be minutes from Crystal Pier and close to Seaworld. This beach hotel is within close proximity of Pacific Beach Park and Bird Rock.
Make yourself at home in one of the 21 guestrooms, featuring kitchens with refrigerators and stovetops. Wireless Internet access (surcharge) keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Conveniences include desks and microwaves, and housekeeping is provided daily.
A complimentary continental breakfast is included.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include express check-out, multilingual staff, and luggage storage.
Hotel Facilities
- Express check-out
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Total number of rooms - 21
- Luggage storage
- Smoke-free property
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Free breakfast
- Multilingual staff
Room Facilities
- Stovetop
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Coffee/tea maker
- Kitchen
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Access via exterior corridors
- Climate control
- Cribs/infant beds available
- Desk
- Daily housekeeping
- Free toiletries
- Ceiling fan
- Private bathroom
- Hair dryer
- Satellite TV service
- Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Hotel Policy
The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: USD 7.95 (for 24 hours, rates may vary)
- Crib (infant bed) fee: USD 10.00 per day
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 10.00 per day
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.Show all hotel policy Show less hotel policy


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Learning about the World We Live In
Don Carson is an informer. Don't get me wrong; Carson is an excellent writer who communicates his points clearly, compellingly, and occasionally with a wit that makes the reader laugh (or groan) out loud.
In reading Carson's The Intolerance of Tolerance, I learned a lot about the world I live in. In being informed about current events in government and society, events that greatly impact my ability to work as a counselor with a biblically-informed ethic, Carson helped me discover how to think through my response to tough issues that have or will walk through my office door. I chose this book specifically to help me consider how to respond to the gay couple seeking marital counseling, or the pastor struggling with anxiety who smokes marijuana daily since the drug was legalized. I not only developed an internal construct for addressing my concerns, I took away far more as I developed a broader awareness of the probable looming threats to biblical counseling as a field.
Tolerance used to mean a respectful engagement with another person with whom we disagree. Tolerance was once consistent with humble self-examination, and thoughtful attempts to persuade others to more truth-based belief and action, all for good purposes. This kind of tolerance is a necessary ingredient of biblical counseling.
Tolerance Isn't What It Used to Be
In a famous Friends' episode, Rachel makes a "traditional" English trifle for Thanksgiving dessert, which she carefully follows from her cookbook. Unaware that two pages are stuck together, and that her dessert is half trifle and half shepherd's pie, Rachel explains to Joey and Ross that "First there is a layer of lady fingers, then a layer of jam, then custard, which I made from scratch, raspberries, more lady fingers, then beef sautéed with peas and onions, then more custard." The new tolerance is about as appealing as Rachel's trifle.
What is the old and new tolerance?
The old tolerance holds that "a different and opposing position exists and deserves the right to exist…" (p. 3). This older view of tolerance, which Carson views as superior (though not without flaws) to the new, assumed that objective truth existed, people who disagreed with one another believed they knew "the truth," and that the best path of persuading others to abandon their wrong beliefs in favor of correct ones is through rational debate, not coercion. The new tolerance, on the other hand, "argues that there is no one view that is exclusively true" (p. 11). Since "no absolutism is permitted, except for the absolute prohibition of absolutism" (p. 13), those who hold to the new tolerance are "prone to label all of its opponents intolerant" (p. 15). The new tolerance strikes at the heart of biblical counseling in which wrong beliefs are lovingly challenged in light of Scriptural truth.
Carson's stroll through history in Chapter Two (What is Going On?) is as eye opening as it is disturbing. Under the banner of promoting tolerance, Carson informs the reader about the many social institutions utilizing intolerance as their primary tool to evoke the value of tolerance. Banks send their customers packing because the bank deems the customer to be intolerant in their views. Educational institutions bypass due process (discipline without investigation) because students claim that a respected professor used intolerant speech. Doctors are losing their right to opt out of performing what they view to be acts against their personal consciences on the grounds that their personal values are intolerant of patient rights.
Carson brings to light event after event in which intolerant actions occurred against someone declared to be intolerant, all in the name of protecting the supreme virtue of tolerance. The sheer magnitude of Carson's litany of intolerable acts of intolerant tolerance is breath taking. Whether Carson discusses politics, government, the church, or society, his probing into attitudes and values surrounding the notion of tolerance leaves the reader with an eerie sense of dread. When will the biblical counselor be deemed intolerant and aggressively "corrected" under the banner of protecting society?
It seems that, without consensus, the definition of tolerance changed in the middle of a conversation. Everyone is expected to know that the change occurred, and is required to accept and agree with it. Tolerance is praised at the same time that faith comprised of truth claims is attacked. A pervasive attitude of intolerance, belonging to no one human face or name, is beginning to alienate believers in Jesus Christ from their fellow human beings.
I am not unfamiliar with this alienation. Having been raised in a blended family before blended families were common, I remember my father's repeated instructions that we children be tolerant of one another. To be tolerant in my father's eyes meant that we ignored our brothers and sisters when we disagreed with them, and we denied that true differences existed. Regardless of who did what, or who was injured or not, five half-siblings living together striving to be "tolerant" meant that hurt feelings went unaddressed, relationships were weakened, and bitterness abounded. Virtually no adult sibling relationships survived my childhood of "enforced tolerance."
What is motivating Carson to write this book? He is deeply concerned that believers continue to "keep reserving a place for truth, not only in our own hearts and minds, but in our interaction with the broader culture" (p 163). Carson urgently argues that individuals, society, government, and the planet are at risk if truth is lost. Certainly the field of biblical counseling is at risk, too, as biblical counselors engage in the very activities deemed a violation of society's cherished value of tolerance—lovingly holding out truth claims to help others be personally transformed into Christ's likeness.
Having been informed by Carson's book and my own personal experience in my family of origin, I am convinced that an unhealthy definition and application of the "tolerance" truly has the power to damage people and weaken the fabric of community.


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- 72 years old
- Date of birth: Sep 18, 1929
- Place of birth:
Deluth, Minnesota, United States
- Date of passing: Sep 15, 2002
- Place of passing:
Renton, Washington, United States
|Let the memory of Lyle be with us forever
"Hi Dad I miss you so much wish you were still here. Love ya"
"14 yrs today we lost you I love and miss you Dad. RIP"
"Well Dad its been 13 yrs since you left us. I sure do miss you. Were all doing fine down here. Tina is finally getting married to a guy that's good to her I think you would like him. Give everyone a big hug and kiss for me up there. I love you Dad RIP"
"Hi Dad, well Im sad Uncle Luman left us to now. You are all together now. Love and Miss you"
"I miss you so much Dad, Guess who me and Karen found? Your side kick Lonnie, he looks really good and happy. His wife is so sweet you would of loved her too. Happy Birthday Thursday.RIP Dad I love you"
"Happy New Years Dad I love and miss you"
"Merry Christmas Dad, I love and miss you so much. Everyone is doing ok d everyone miss's you so much. Happy New Years give momnd Barbie a big hug and kiss for us."
"Well Dad its been 11 yrs now since you left us. Were doing good well me and Karen are at least. We miss you and mom so much your in our hearts forever. I love you"
"I miss you so much Dad, I know your happy now being back with mom. I wish you could of met Gage hes 7 now and Adam is so proud of him and you would of loved the little shit. We all love and miss you Dad. May you RIP"
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One more suspect in a June 16 death is behind bars after surrendering to authorities Thursday morning.
Rodriquez Dontrey Dunn, Detrich D'Antionio Cooper and Justin Eric Dunn, were wanted for the June slaying of 32-year-old Marquette Maurice Woods at a home on Aragon Drive. Cooper was located by officers Monday while walking down the road. Authorities are still searching for Justin Eric Dunn.


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CBSE conducts regular and supplementary examinations for Class X candidates every year. This year the exams will commence from 1st March 2016 to 28th March 2016. CBSE offers Class X Certification for the candidates who cleared their all 10th Examinations. Many students are studying under CBSE board across India. As every year this year also many students were enrolled for the class X exams. We hope all those students are eagerly looking for CBSE Class X Sample Papers. To assist the applicants here we are giving Past year question papers of all subjects. Students are advised to go through the following and prepare well for the exams. Previous papers from past year will be helpful for students for test preparation. Candidates can use the following papers as reference to lead their exams.
CBSE Class X Model Question Papers Download
Authority itself is providing CBSE 10th Class previous papers on its official website cbse.nic.in. Applicants can download the papers from the website for ease reference. Here we are giving direct links to download CBSE X Class Model Question Papers. Students who clear the exams will be offered certification and such students are eligible to go for higher education. CBSE is a body which holds many examinations in India. Every year huge number of applicants are schooling under this organization.
CBSE Class X Previous Year Papers Pdf Download
Here the papers of CBSE are made available in pdf format hence all students can easily download the papers. CBSE is giving questions papers of all subjects in Class X. SO that applicants can access their subject papers and prepare for the test. Applicants are requested to click on the following link and get ease access of the previous papers. Every year examinations will be conducted in March. Students who failed to get the good marks in regular exams should appear for supplementary. We are wishing all the best for all aspirants
Click Here for Class X Sample Papers


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Need Ecovers? Want Them FREE?! Then Read THIS
I was just taking my daily "stroll" through the Warrior Forum and stumbled upon this….Online Ebook Cover Software
This is an extremely valuable tool for those of you out there that need to get an ecover, or ecovers, for your products, but just don't have the money to pay someone to do them for you.
This resource is completely free of any cost whatsoever, and you can generate a variety of ecovers in just a few minutes….all by yourself with this online tool. You don't need a graphics editor program, photoshop actionscripts, or images of your own for that matter. Although you can use them if you want to "spice" up your ecover creations. None of the above is necessary to use this tool.
I even tried it out myself and came up with these in just under 2 minutes each:
And I made those just by using the elements provided from the site itself!
This is an awesome free tool that many of you can probably get loads of use from. So if you missed the direct link to the site in the beginning of this post, I'm putting it below for you again


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Back To The Fold
"It's called Warworld." Bruce said. "An illegal fight club. People step into the ring. They fight, the spectators bet, and the winner walks away with a certain percent of the spoils."
"And the rest?" Arthur asked.
"Goes to Mongul." Bruce said. "He started the club. He is trouble." He stared at John, Kyle, Wally, Diana and Arthur as they sat around the cafeteria table, and decided not to trouble them with the grisly details that he had found out about the owner of Warworld.
"What does Dak Syde want with Warworld?" Wally asked.
"Think of it as a training camp." Bruce said. "Virtually every local tough has fought there at some point. The owner gets an excellent idea of how good a fighter a man is, how brutal, and how willing he is to fight dirty to win. Potential candidates are tracked down and offered further training and employment, police protection etc. It's an efficiently brutal head hunting process."
Kyle fidgeted in his seat. "What do you want us to do about it?"
"We're going to shut it down, and find out any connections to Dak Syde in the place." Bruce said. "I have a plan to get us inside the place and out."
A silence met the statement. Kyle and Wally glanced at each other. Diana and John were staring fixedly ahead. There was a slight frown on Arthur's face.
"Or maybe we let the police handle this?" Wally suggested at last. "Warworld sounds like a dangerous place. Dan Turpin and his men should have an easier time there than us."
"Mongul's paid off the police."Bruce said flatly. "No cops will be caught dead near that place." He found himself missing Clark. Trying to cajole people into working with him was not a comfortable experience, and he was aware his diplomatic skills left much to be desired.
"But you're comfortable sending all of us to a place like that?" Arthur spoke now, his frown deepening. "A place the police won't touch?"
"I'll do the dangerous work." Bruce said. "But we'll need decoys and lookouts. And as for the danger, there will be no more of it than there was when we went after Protex's gang, or Luthor."
"Look man, we did those things because they were unavoidable." Wally said. "And you have to admit we had a lot of help from luck to survive them. This mission just doesn't seem all that necessary."
Bruce had to literally bite his tongue to keep back a sharp retort. "It is if you want to stop Dak Syde." He said as evenly as possible. "I thought that was the goal."
"It is, Bruce." John spoke up. "But what you are suggesting is far removed from the help we have attempted to provide in times of need in the past, and crosses into vigilantism. It is a dangerous territory to tread, my friend."
"We can't expect to solve this matter without getting our hands dirty." Bruce said through gritted teeth. "You all know why Dak Syde is dangerous, and Mongul is almost as bad. This mission is necessary, and I repeat, I'll handle any real danger during the mission."
"We all know that's bull." Arthur said flatly. "If the plan gets screwed even slightly, everything falls apart. And once that happens we all have to face the heat."
"We won't if everybody follows their orders." Bruce growled.
"Yeah, because we're all so great at doing that." Arthur rose from his seat. "Sorry, Bruce. I think we should sit this one out." He turned and began to walk away from the table.
"Get back here, Arthur." Bruce called out sharply. "I didn't say you could leave yet."
Arthur turned around slowly. "What was that?" he walked up to Bruce until their faces were inches apart. "You didn't say I could leave? You're going to give me permission? Who the hell do you think you are?" John rose and stepped in quickly to hold Arthur back. Bruce was watching him through narrowed eyes.
"We need to work on this as a team. Every team needs a leader. I'm the most qualified." He said.
"To be a dictator maybe. But I'm not going into a den of thieves because you feel like playing the hero."
"So you're scared." Bruce stated flatly.
John grabbed Arthur's shoulders to stop him reaching for Bruce. "Because it's my decision, you jumped up little egomaniac. We're not your little toy soldiers that you can order around and tell when to charge."
"Calm down, man." Kyle said, laying a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "That's not what Bruce meant. We understand if you don't want to go, and that's totally your decision. Right, Bruce?"
Bruce nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Arthur shook off John and Kyle and strode off.
"What about you two?" Bruce asked, looking at Wally and Kyle. They both looked uncomfortable.
"I'm really sorry, man." Wally said slowly. "But I think Arthur's right. We're in over our heads. And I just don't think getting some more information about Dak Syde is worth all this risk." Kyle nodded quietly as well. The two stood up slowly, not looking at Bruce, and walked away as well.
Bruce was breathing hard as he looked at Diana. "Diana?"
Diana stared up at him and met his gaze, looking troubled. "Please let the police handle this, Bruce." She said in a low voice. "We have done enough. We need to let them do their duty, and we need to get on with ours." She rose and walked away as well.
And then there was only John left. The two stared at each other for a moment, and Bruce did not have to ask anything. John's expression was clear enough.
"Bruce-" John began in a low voice.
Bruce turned and strode silently out of the hall.
"So there aren't any other sources?" Bruce asked, a frown on his face.
"None that you'll be interested in." Eel O'Brian shrugged, staring around the campus with practiced indifference. He had just finished telling Bruce about the paucity of personal information about Mongul, and where he might keep any important documents.
"So is there anything else you can tell me?"
"Not me." Eel gestured behind Bruce, and he turned to see Selina Kyle walking towards them.
She strolled over to them, something about her air of indifference similar to Eel's. "Hey, boys." She called out. "This is a strange little tea party."
"You have information about Mongul?" Bruce asked.
Selina shrugged. "I went to warworld once with a friend of mine. Nasty sort of a place, even by my standards."
"What can you tell me about the location?" Bruce asked.
"It's a bad place to be in, even by Suicide slum's standards." Selina said. "It used to a huge gym that was taken over by the mob and then dumped, on account of it basically being made of cardboard and cello tape. It's close to collapsing in on itself anyday now, which means Mongul doesn't have to worry about anyone trying to take it from him. It's got a bunch of tenements at the back where he lives, along with some of his gang, although he's pretty protective of his house. Most of the tenement's deserted."
Bruce nodded, thinking hard. "The documents?"
"No idea." Selina shrugged again. "Might be anywhere, might not even exist. Organisational ability isn't really a valuable job skill in Suicide slum."
Bruce stood for a moment deep in thought, then came to with an abrupt start. "Tonight would be the best time to get inside. I'll need to make some arrangements first." He turned away and began to walk back to his hostel.
"It's a death trap." Selina called out suddenly. Bruce stopped. "Look, I'm not going to tell you what to do, but Mongul is not the kind of guy you mess with. Even Gotham mob bosses are scared of him. He's way too dangerous for you to take on alone."
"Selina," Bruce half turned to glance back at her. "I'm dangerous."
The man sitting at the table looked oddly like an office clerk as he sat bent over the dusty table, a log book in front of him. Until you got close and saw the tattoos and scars covering his body.
"Name?" He said without looking up as Bruce walked up to him.
"Malone." Bruce said. The man finally looked up and stared at him appraisingly.
"This ain't a fashion show, kid." He said, looking down again. "Beat it."
"I'm here to fight."
"So are these guys." The man indicated the line forming behind Bruce. "And they actually know how to put on a show. They were breaking teeth while you were in diapers. So beat it. This isn't a place for you."
"Why don't you let me decide that." Bruce said, taking out a roll of bills. "I'll be betting on myself as well."
The man stared at Bruce, then took the roll of bills and nodded. "Your life, kid."
"So when does the fight start?" Bruce asked.
The man grinned. "Well, you were kind enough to open the pool. So no time like the present."
Bruce was grabbed from behind and thrown into a wall away from the man at the table. The milling crowd open a path for him as the spectators fanned out in a circle, shouting and clapping. The others were clamouring to get their money down on the fight.
Bruce's attacker was on him again, a big heavy set man who stank of beer, raining down blows unceasingly. There was no science or method to the fight.
And then suddenly, the attacker's neck was caught in a scissor hold. Three punches, quick and hard and aimed for the eyes and nose, sent him staggering back. Bruce got to his feet and faced the man, his eyes sizing up his opponents strength and speed as he moved to shift his weight from one leg to the other.
The man rushed towards Bruce, one heavy arm raised. Bruce ducked, and the next moment his knee had risen to smash the man in his chest. Without a second's pause, his other leg slammed into his neck, leaving him gasping. Bruce's elbow shot out, and the man lay panting on the floor.
Bruce surveyed the silent room as he slowly took his jacket off. "Next."
A slow clap came from the back of the room. The crowd turned to locate the source, and Bruce saw a man standing in front of a throne like chair at the end of the hall. Almost seven feet tall. Built like a linebacker. Heavy brow jutting out over merciless eyes, Bruce knew he was looking at Mongul.
"Impressive." Mongul's deep voice rumbled. "A good start for what promises to be a night of high interest. Gentlemen, place your bets. It is time to separate the men from the boys!"
The battles raged on within warworld. Men of varying shapes and sizes hurled themselves at each other to the raucous cheers of the onlookers. Mongul sat impassive on his throne like chair, his eyes intently studying each contender. The aura of violence prevalent was in many ways reminiscent of Bludhaven.
Bruce moved discreetly through the shouting crowd. He had won every match so far, and was due to fight whoever won the present round. In the meantime, he had had ample time to study the surroundings and make his preparations. Now had come the time to make his move. He reached into his jacket pocket, his face impassive as he pressed a button.
A loud shrieking noise filled the room, jerking the shouting men out of their rounds. Once it became clear it was not a police siren, the men stared at each other in confusion. The shouting and yelling increased as the circle around the two contenders began to break up and disperse.
And then an explosion sounded from the back of the room. Everyone turned, and they saw a section of the roof fall in. That was all it took to confirm the suspicion. The badly constructed structure was finally collapsing. That was an uproar as men pushed and pulled their way to the exit, unheeding of those who had fallen and were being trampled. The mob burst out into the open, and turned to stare at the building. It was not collapsing any longer, and no more explosions sounded. The door of the gym swung shut. The men looked at each other in confusion. While nothing further happened, they all stood rooted still, uncertainly waiting for someone other than themselves to be the first one to enter the building. The seconds ticked past and still no one moved.
Inside the gym, Bruce turned away from the door and stared at Mongul, who had not run, but had risen from his chair and stood watching him.
"Hologram and sound effects." Bruce called out. "That's the most unfortunate characteristic of these kind of men." he continued as he neared Mongul. "Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot." He came to stand directly in front of the big man. "The gym seems a lot smaller without your little army around you, doesn't it?"
"Hardly." Mongul rumbled, his eyes studying Bruce curiously as he crossed his hands behind his back. "Is there a reason you had to resort to all these theatrics?"
"I want some information about Dak Syde. Evidence against him."
Mongul put his head to one side, seeming amused. "At least you have taken the trouble to ask nicely."
"Something told me that wouldn't work in a place like this." Bruce glanced around the gym.
"And why should I tell you anything?"
"I have ways of making people talk." Bruce stated calmly. "But before we have to resort to that, I could tell you I am working to bring him down, and any information you give will help speed up the process."
Mongul laughed then, a deep, rumbling laugh. "A mutually beneficial arrangement, I see. You invade my domain, and then expect to do business with me."
"Not business, no." Bruce said softly. "An interrogation. How smoothly it goes, depends on you."
Mongul cocked his head to one side again. "I have killed men for lesser insolence than yours." He murmured. "Something that I intend to do to you, too. But your attitude appeals to me, little man. So much so that I will do you the courtesy of telling you, you are deluded about your grasp on this situation. I am still in charge here. That I have allowed you to live thus far is a demonstration of my interest, not your ability." Bruce did not challenge the statement. He could feel the shift in the atmosphere of the room. The time for talk would soon be past.
"As for Dak Syde," Mongul continued. "In all honesty, I do not know anything."
"I find that hard to believe. You supply thugs to him. You control parts of suicide slum. And you have considerable influence in the underworld."
"And all of that means nothing to Dak Syde." Mongul said, a thoughtful frown now appearing on his face. "Dak Syde is far removed from the typical Metropolis mobster, in the sense that he does not consider himself one of us. It is no secret that he wants to control Metropolis, but even aside from the considerable personal gain such an undertaking would involve, deep down, I believe he truly considers it his birthright to rule. In that sense, he sees himself as royalty. Better not just than us criminals, but better than the other citizens as well."
"And so he will make use of my services, but he will not associate himself with me beyond that. All the communications are through the usual channels, which would hardly be worth looking into for evidence. Even if I wanted to provide you information about him, I simply do not have any to give."
Bruce stared at him, his mind racing. He realised Mongul was telling the truth. He had miscalculated in believing he would find information here. The mission had been in vain, and it seemed the others had been right not to come.
"Then it seems I will have to be disappointed in my plans." Bruce said calmly.
"Not a good plan." Mongul remarked, taking a slow step forward. "Tell me, as a point of idle curiosity, did it ever occur to you to make some plan other than barging into the very epicentre of my kingdom, demanding answers?"
"I prefer the direct approach." Bruce remarked.
"Even if doing so gets you killed?" Mongul's voice was very soft.
The two stared at each other for a moment, and Bruce hardly dared to breathe. Any second now...
And then Mongul was bounding towards him with shocking speed. Bruce barely had time to brace himself before the other man was on him. Mongul picked him up and threw him into the wall, Bruce's punches flying futilely past his head. He was incredibly strong. He grabbed Bruce around his neck and began to squeeze, the small eyes narrowed with malice.
Three elbow jabs to Mongul's arm, and his grasp released. Bruce pushed hard with both his legs, and sent his opponent lumbering back. Without pausing for a second, he jumped to his feet and ran forward to continue his assault in a flurry of punches.
A part of Bruce was surprised by his own savagery as his leg smashed into Mongul's kneecap. He had never fought like this before, always preferring to incapacitate his victims instead. But the atmosphere of Warworld had done something to him. The air of mindless violence had had a deeper effect on his mind than he was prepared to admit, and unleashed some primal, instinctual aggression within.
And still it wasn't enough. Mongul was still on his feet, still sending brutal punches to Bruce's head that sent him reeling back every time. Not for nothing was he the head of warworld.
The fight was drawing out for too long. Bruce felt himself tiring while Mongul showed no sign of slowing down. But Mongul wasn't interested in a victory so much as escape.
Bruce was sent crashing violently into the wall, and once again got to his feet, his reflexes a little slower now. Mongul had turned and was making his way to the exit of the gym. Bruce knew he was heading towards the back of suicide slum where he lived within the tenement, possibly to get back up. He followed as quickly as he could.
He came out of the gym exit to find Mongul standing rooted in the middle of the lot in front of the tenement. Bruce followed the direction of his gaze.
Arthur, Diana , John, Wally and Kyle stood at the end of the lot. In Arthur's hand was a gun that belonged to his father, the same gun they had used to scare away Mongul's men, the ones they had found in the tenement. Bruce stared at them, and then stared back at Mongul as he walked slowly up to him.
Mongul's eyes were narrowed as he sized up the situation. Finally, a mean little smile played across his lips as he stared at Bruce.
"Amusing to think you sought to defeat me on your own." He rumbled. "With the added advantage of your henchmen, you might just be able to give me a proper match."
"I don't need any help to beat you." Bruce replied. He turned to face the others. "Nobody interferes-" He began to say, and just then Mongul's elbow smashed into his back, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Bruce got to his feet quickly, cursing his competitive nature. Mongul was running at full speed, and by the time Bruce was on his feet, he had disappeared inside the tenement house.
Suddenly the house was full of noise, as the seven ran towards the doorway. From inside came the sound of heavy bodies falling, furniture upturning, and Mongul yelling.
And then suddenly a deeper crash was heard, more absolute than the others. The doors were blasted open, and Mongul's heavy body was sent staggering out before collapsing onto the ground, where he lay breathing feebly. The dust flying from inside settled, and Clark Kent stepped out of the house and into the open.
"Clark!" Wally and Kyle roared in delight as they ran over to him. Arthur and John were grinning broadly as they walked over to him, and even Bruce could not stop a grin from forming on his face. Clark grinned back just as broadly as they reached him, and he hugged Wally and Kyle and Arthur and John before clapping Bruce on his back. "Looks like I got here right at the end."
"Close to the end." John smiled. "I take it my message reached you, then?"
"Just in time for me to head to college and have Eel tell me you're all here." Clark said. "I wasn't sure if you guys had a plan in place for this little excursion, and I didn't want to do anything to upset it. So I decided to stay hidden until I was needed." He grinned at Bruce. "Didn't know you'd send this guy straight into my arms."
"I could have taken him." Bruce remarked.
"I know, but I needed some practice too." Clark grinned again.
And then they all realised Diana was still standing at the back of the lot, watching them. The laughter died away as they all looked at the Clark and Diana uncertainly. Clark was staring at her, who stared back, her eyes very bright. No one else dared make a move.
"Diana..." Clark called out quietly, taking a hesitant step towards her.
Diana turned abruptly and strode away, her back very straight.
Clark watched her leave. He stared down at the prone body of Mongul on the ground, and then turned to stare at the others. "We should call the police." He muttered, feeling the excitement he had felt at seeing them all fizzle out. The others nodded in silence, as they took another look at the swiftly departing figure.
My novel, Neel Dervin and the Dark Angel, is available for free on Amazon this Saturday and Sunday. Below is the first chapter of the novel:
CHAPTER 1: The Best Laid Plans
Doctor Fahim turned away from the screen of the projector to face the two men who were watching him intently.
'And so, gentlemen,' he concluded with a smile, walking towards the table on which his laptop was kept next to a steel container. 'I can say with full confidence that we have at last met with success in our endeavors. The idea that had seemed little more than idle fantasy three decades ago has finally become a reality. I thank you both, as well as the government, for your invaluable support of the project.' The two men leaned forward in their chairs as Doctor Fahim opened the container and carefully drew out a test tube from its casing, holding it up for the others to see.
His guests gazed in silence at the transparent liquid contained in the glass tube. It looked exactly like ordinary water, yet in the glow of the light coming from the projector on the screen, the liquid glistened silver. The men continued to stare spellbound at the contents of the tube for several moments. Both of Doctor Fahim's guests counted among the most powerful men in the country, experienced in matters of national importance for many years. Yet at that moment both their eyes mirrored a look of amazement and child like wonder at the marvel they beheld.
Doctor Fahim held the tube raised in his hand for a few seconds more, sharing in the moment of collective triumph with the other two men. Then he carefully placed the tube back in its casing, leaving the lid of the container open.
The spell of silence that had fallen over the company broke, and the Minister of Defense rose to his feet.
'Our heartiest congratulations.' he said, smiling broadly as he strode forwards to shake Doctor Fahim's hand. 'We were sure that you were the only man in the country who could have succeeded in this endeavor. You have fully justified Doctor Thompson's faith in your ability.'
The doctor returned the smile, the glow from the projector lighting up his profile. He had a very tall and lean figure, with a neatly trimmed beard and moustache. His face was lined and wrinkled with age. But there was no frailty there. The deep, alert eyes indicated the presence of a powerful mind, and the wisdom of experiences vast and numerous which only a lengthy and eventful life could provide. Experiences which today had made him into one of the world's foremost authorities on biotechnology. Yet the exhaustively scholarly life he had led had not dimmed the twinkle in those shrewd eyes. Doctor Fahim laughed quietly as he shook the Minister's hand. 'It was indeed a formidable challenge, Mr. Rai, but it was extremely interesting working in a new field.'
'And the end result was certainly well worth the effort.' the Minister said, beaming. 'I take it that the serum is now ready to be used on human beings, or is there still some work left to be done?'
'The work is complete from your point of interest, gentlemen.' Doctor Fahim said, his voice becoming grave again. He turned to his laptop and selected the final slide from the presentation. 'From a scientific viewpoint, however, an experiment is only considered completely successful when its applications have been tested in real world conditions.' He glanced up reassuringly at the Minister. 'Nevertheless, the results we have obtained up to this point are undeniably conclusive. The effect of the serum on the physiology of the test subject is nothing short of miraculous.' Doctor Fahim turned to the image on the projector screen.
The slide showed the bone and muscle density of a rhesus monkey and a mouse in two stages, one before intake of the serum, and one after. Doctor Fahim pointed to the images. 'As you can see, the entire composition of the subject's bodies have been radically enhanced,' Doctor Fahim turned once again to the two men. 'In practical terms, the intake of this serum would turn a normal person into a being of a much higher mental and physical capacity, with all the benefits of the increased biological efficiency, not the least of which is an enhanced metabolism, and the ability to heal at increased rates. A godsend in times of war.'
The third and final occupant of the room rose as well. In his non-descript civilian clothes, it would have been difficult to identify the man immediately as General Bakshi, the chief of army staff of the Indian military. Only the General's erect and disciplined carriage hinted at the fact that the man was in fact the leader of the largest army in the world. The general's stern and forbidding demeanor was for once relaxed into a smile.
'This is a great day for the Indian Army.' General Bakshi said, coming forward to shake Doctor Fahim's hand as well. 'The effect of this discovery on our armed forces can hardly be underestimated.' The General studied Doctor Fahim intently. 'And considering the importance of this discovery, I must ask you again, before this business is carried over to the next stage; is there any other information, any side effects or the like, that you would like to share with us about the serum, before we begin using it on our soldiers?'
Doctor Fahim glanced at the only partially open window of the small room they were in. The meeting was taking place in a conference room in the south block of the Central Secretariat in Delhi. He remembered passing by several prominent politicians on his way to the meeting. Standing there reminded him now more than ever of the monumental nature of what they were attempting.
The doctor turned slowly to face General Bakshi, a thoughtful expression on his face. He seemed to be debating something in his mind. 'I am glad you brought up the matter.' he said finally in a quiet voice. 'Gentlemen, please take your seats again. There are some concerns of mine regarding this project that I would like to share with you.'
The Defense Minister and the General resumed their seats and turned to face Doctor Fahim, their expressions showing a mixture of curiosity and wariness at the Doctor's grave tone. When the doctor spoke, his voice was very quiet, but it was still clearly audible across the silent room.
'I can think of no better use of this discovery than applying its uses to the defense of our country.' He stared at the General, who was watching him with a slight frown. 'And yet, sir, I cannot help but wonder whether it would be judicious to put such a vast amount of power in the hands of one person.'
The General's eyes narrowed dangerously as he sat up straighter in his chair. 'Doctor, we are grateful for your contribution, but kindly understand your boundaries. How we use the serum is for us to decide. Rest assured that the power of the serum will not be misused in our hands.'
'And what will happen, General, if those who hold that power in their hands no longer feel the need to follow your orders?' Doctor Fahim did not look away, but met the General Bakshi's gaze squarely.
'A soldier is taught to be responsible and logical in all his decisions.' the General said. His voice had grown sharper. It was the voice of a man not used to having his directives questioned. 'Serving the country is every soldier"s passion, Doctor Fahim, a passion that an ordinary civilian can never truly understand.'
'I am sure that is what you teach your troops.' the doctor countered. 'But you cannot deny that many people who become soldiers have other, less honorable reasons. There have been cases in history when soldiers rebelled, and their mutiny caused great damage. How can we be sure-'
'We understand your concerns, doctor.' the Minister interrupted in a gentle voice, even as the General opened his mouth angrily. 'That possibility has already occurred to us. We intend in the beginning to use the serum on an extremely select group of candidates who have excelled in every field of the defense service, and whose loyalty is beyond question. And even then we will be starting with a single test subject for now. That person will be the first agent under the project, our first Alpha Soldier.'
'Then I have your word, gentlemen, that my work will not be misused in any way?' The doctor looked at the two men seriously.
'You have our word.' the defense Minister replied, his eyes unwavering as they looked into Doctor Fahim's. The General said nothing, but his gaze did not falter either.
Doctor Fahim nodded, and the lines around his eyes seemed to lighten. 'Then I can rest easy in my mind. Forgive me if I offended you, General, but I needed to make sure.'
'And now that we have assuaged your conscience,' General Bakshi said as he rose, not attempting to conceal the impatience in his voice. 'Perhaps we can move onto the next phase of the project. Our work is far from over, Doctor Fahim. In fact, for all intents and purpose, it is just beginning. We can count on your total cooperation?'
Doctor Fahim inclined his head. 'Yes, General. We continue on.'
'Excellent.' Mr. Rai rose as well. 'Then we will say goodbye for now. We will see you tomorrow when we start the next phase of Project Alpha.' Doctor Fahim nodded quietly.
'You have the remainder of the day to clear out your laboratory.' the General spoke somewhat brusquely, his voice indicating that he had not forgotten their argument. 'All physical evidence of the experiments you conducted for Project Alpha must be destroyed. All the chemicals removed, and the test subjects readied for transfer. A team will come to the lab at twenty two hundred hours tonight to wipe down the area and replace the memory banks from your computer. Good day.' The General turned away without another word and strode out the room. Mr. Rai shook Doctor Fahim's hand one last time and left as well.
The doctor let out a low sigh as he turned off the projector and switched on the lights. The meeting had been a success, all things considered. Yet he could not summon any enthusiasm for the moment. He pressed his temple, staving off the headache that had been building up since the morning. There were too many things to think about, and not enough time to deliberate upon them all. The General and the Defense Minister were both good men, each in their own way. But the three of them working side by side was not going to be an easy task. The other two were both leaders of men, and he had the distinct feeling that his role in the project from this point onwards was going to be drastically curtailed.
Doctor Fahim left the conference room carrying the steel safe at his side. It was not very heavy, and it was not something that could be trusted to an unknown person's care. As he came out of the conference room, his assistant Divya Nayak rose from her chair and came forward to meet him. At a height of five feet and nine inches, with fine, even features, a delicate figure and long black hair, she looked more like a model than a scientist. This was a misleading appearance, since she had proven herself to be a worthy student to the doctor, and had been working with him for three years on the project. She looked at the doctor expectantly as he came up to her.
'The meeting was as fraught with interest as we were expecting it to be.' Doctor Fahim said with a smile. 'I"m afraid my standing has gone down somewhat in General Bakshi"s estimate. But we are nearing the end of this stage of the project. They want us to tie up the loose ends of our work and finish up the research by tonight to have the serum ready for transport to the army lab. Unfortunately, if we are to have everything ready by tomorrow, I will need to have a talk with Doctor Mathur as soon as possible to prepare for the cognitive training of the subject. So I need you to get the serum to my office.'
Divya nodded, conscious of the enormous responsibility that Doctor Fahim was entrusting her with. Aside from the doctor, she was the only civilian who was aware of the existence of Project Alpha, and his trust meant a great deal to her. 'Of course, sir.' she said, 'I'll get it to the lab immediately.'
Divya sat in her car at the four way intersection, waiting for the signal to change. Traffic in Delhi is consistently rated among the worst in the world, with extremely aggressive drivers and frequent flouting of the road rules. Accidents happen frequently, and the congestion on the road means frequent delays at stop signals, something that Divya had been forced to become used to. As she waited, her mind wandered over the events of the day. She sighed, feeling like a small paper boat caught up in a tidal wave, vast and relentless in its progress. They had now reached a point of no return in their research. The project was a day away from being converted into a top secret military operation. Stepping back from the business was now impossible, as was walking away from the whole thing.
Divya wondered what kind of a future the use of the serum would lead them to. In her mind's eye an army of Alpha soldiers rose up before her. They would be unstoppable. Indestructible. The balance of power would shift in India"s favor at the global level, with the most powerful army in the world under its command.
A shiver ran down Divya's spine, even as the sun beat down mercilessly outside. She could not help but feel uneasy about the image that her mind had conjured up. So much power in the hands of a select few, with someone like General Bakshi at the helm. Divya knew the general was a decorated war hero, acknowledged to be one of the ablest generals in the history of the Indian army. But he was also known to be completely ruthless in his dealings with people, even his own troops. Friends and foes were not very different for the General, and everyone was suspect until proven innocent. A man like that leading an army of super soldiers…
Divya shook her head slightly, breaking out of her dark reverie. She was being paranoid. The project was supposed to help the world. That had always been the primary motivation, right back to all those years ago in Africa, when Doctor Fahim had worked with Doctor Thompson, alone and without any sponsors. There they had laid the seeds of their work, and now it had come to fruition. The serum would make the world a better place, a safer place. She took her minds off the involvement of the army and focused on the serum instead. She glanced to her right at the container lying innocently on the seat beside her. Inside the container lay the key to more power than anything the world had seen before. She checked the lock again. Tomorrow, the serum would be in the hands of the military, and then they would see exactly what the serum could do for mankind.
Divya looked out of the window, watching the people waiting with her at the stop. Some were on motorcycles, some were inside cars like her. There was also a young boy sitting on his bicycle, his eyes on the traffic light. He had a schoolbag strapped to his shoulders. Divya guessed he was on his way to tuitions.
Seeing the boy opened a new train of thought, as it brought to Divya"s mind the remarkable effect the serum had on youngsters. Divya studied the boy. He had a thin frame. Not in a starved way, but in the awkward, pubescent stage way. There was a slightly childish quality to his face, with soft features that were not yet fully formed. The cycle was slightly too big for him, and he was resting the tip of one foot on the ground as he waited. She guessed his age to be around twelve or thirteen.
The boy was staring into the distance. Divya followed his gaze to one of the buildings with a billboard on the side with some advertisement. It seemed a bland enough piece of work. For a moment, she thought she saw a flutter of dark cloth over the edge of the building, but in the time it took to blink it had disappeared. She stared at the road again, her mind back on the task at hand.
When the light changed to green, she put her car in gear and prepared to move forward. Suddenly her phone began to ring. She took her foot off the accelerator and opened her purse.
Taking out her phone, she saw that the number was an unknown one. She turned on the loudspeaker on her mobile and waited, but no sound came. 'Hello?' she said into the speaker, but a sudden burst of static was all she heard before the line went dead.
Puzzled, she switched her phone off and again started her car, but the boy had now moved in front of her and she paused to let him pass. She bent down to replace her phone in her purse.
Which was why she missed witnessing the accident.
The whole incident was over so quickly that for a moment passersby could only stare in shock. The boy moved forward to the middle of the road, and a giant black sumo raced up the road to his left. The boy had barely time to turn his head before the car had crashed into him. The impact of metal against metal and the squeal of rubber tires produced an ugly, high pitched screech. Before anyone could react, the sumo was gone, racing on down the road at an even faster speed.
The boy was thrown into the air from the impact, landing ten feet away, and lay there unmoving. The rest of the onlookers were too horrified to do anything but stare. Divya got out of her car and ran to the inert form stretched out on the road. She knelt beside him, and for a moment all she could do was stare in horror as well. His arm had been totally mangled. There was blood pouring out of his skull and the right side of his ribcage had caved in.
'You! Help me get him inside my car.' Divya shouted to one of the onlookers, a man in a blue shirt who looked thoroughly unnerved. A crowd had begun to gather rapidly on the spot. Between the two of them they managed to get the boy inside her car, away from the blistering sun. 'Call a hospital. Tell them to bring an ambulance.' She told the man. He walked off quickly, fumbling for his mobile, the front of his blue shirt now stained with dark red blood.
As he disappeared, Divya knew it would be too late. The boy"s condition was critical. Even without a stethoscope she could almost hear his heartbeat slowing. She shook off the helplessness she felt and grabbed the box containing the serum, placing it under the front passenger seat. No one should see the container when the ambulance came-
Divya stopped, her hand still on the container. For a long moment she stared at the handle of the container. Slowly, she placed the box back on the seat.
Now that the shock was wearing off, her mind was beginning to function normally again. The analytical side of her brain was computing the chances of the boy living till the ambulance arrived, while a separate part of her mind was replaying flashes of a conversation she had had with Doctor Fahim months ago. 'This serum is going to be particularly helpful in times of war.' He had said.'The recovery speed from wounds and the healing rate for the subject is phenomenal.' He had laughed then, the pride of the creator in his voice. 'I'm almost tempted to put it on the market as medicine.'
Divya stood frozen, bent over her car seat, feeling oddly detached from the scene around her. Her mind was wrestling with the implications of what she was contemplating doing, and the repercussions her actions might bring. And yet it was the only way, the only hope there was for saving the boy"s life. Thoughts blew a whirlwind in Divya"s mind. Arguments and counter arguments. The work and effort that had gone into making the serum. The importance it held for the entire nation. Her duty towards the project. Towards her country.
However, after all had been said and done, there was only one reality. The image of the boy taking his last breath in front of her. Divya knew she had no choice.
Her fingers flew over the combination lock. Within seconds, she had taken the serum out of the container, raised the boy"s head from the seat and was helping him gulp down the liquid.
Divya was pacing the floor of a private room in the hospital. Twenty minutes ago, the ambulance had rushed the injured boy to the emergency room, and he was currently being operated upon. Divya had called Doctor Fahim, who was still at the secretariat. She had given him a brief account of what had happened and where she was. After the initial shock and subsequent inquiries, Doctor Fahim had instructed her to stay at the hospital, and was now on his way over with Mr. Rai and General Bakshi.
Divya paced the room, waiting. A part of her was still reeling in shock at what she had done. The other part was wondering what they were going to do to her. Her decision had been mainly instinctive, and now that she had time to think beyond that decision, the future looked very bleak. She had been trusted with a literally priceless piece of government property, and had managed to lose it in less than an hour. Even worse, she had involved a civilian, a teenage boy, in a top secret government project. She knew offenders had been executed for lesser crimes before.
'Miss!' A frightened voice came from the door. Divya turned. A nurse was peeping at her from behind the half opened door.
'Some men are looking for you, Miss.' the nurse said in a whisper. 'They"re turning the hospital upside down. One of them seems to be a military man of some sort. He was insisting that they be allowed to see the injured boy you brought in, even though the doctors tried to tell him that the boy was being operated on. But then the other two men managed to persuade him to wait. And now they"re asking for you.'
Divya nodded. 'They are friends of mine.' she said. It was an odd way of referring to the three men, two of whom would quite possibly want to have her jailed, but it was better than revealing their true identity. 'Could you tell them that I am waiting for them here? We will need some privacy.'
The nurse nodded and scurried off. Divya resumed her pacing, her hands feeling clammy with sweat. In the past few years she had matured a lot, and had become used to fending for herself, yet her heart quailed at the thought of meeting General Bakshi now.
A minute later she heard a series of rapid footsteps outside, and upraised voices. She turned to face the door, inwardly steeling herself.
The door burst open, and three deeply disturbed men entered the room. The Defense Minister was in the lead. Lines of worry creased his forehead. The General was right behind him, his mouth tightened into a line of fury. Doctor Fahim came in last. He shot a look of inquiry at Divya, his eyes full of concern. The sight of Doctor Fahim was reassuring, and Divya felt slightly more confident. Doctor Fahim turned and locked the door, sealing the room behind them.
'What have you done?' the General shouted without preamble, his face a deep shade of red. 'What monumental stupidity possessed you to behave in this manner? Answer me, Miss Nayak!'
Divya took a deep breath. 'I did what I thought was right, sir.' she spoke as evenly as she could. 'The boy was dying in front of my eyes. The serum was the only thing that could have saved him. It seemed to be the only course to pursue.'
'The only course?' the General spluttered. His face was growing steadily redder. 'And who gave you the right to decide how to make use of a piece of government property? Who said you could involve in a private matter technology intended specifically for the use of the Indian army?'
'Calm down, General.' Doctor Fahim said, coming to stand next to the Minister and the general.
'Don"t tell me to calm down, Doctor Fahim.' the General turned to glare at the doctor. 'Do you realize what she has done? In less than an hour we have lost the single greatest tactical advantage in the history of the armed forces, something that could have single handedly turned the rules of modern warfare on its head. And instead we have gotten a massive casualty on our hands in the form of a child with the power of a demon. And even that is provided he survives the operation, which does not at all seem likely at the moment, in which case the power of the serum will be lost forever. I want to know what she has to say for herself. Why was she even given the serum? You were the one who was supposed to get the serum to the lab.'
'Which is what I would have done if your plans for getting the project ready by tomorrow had not forced me to change my plans regarding the training program of the subject.' Doctor Fahim said calmly. 'I had to talk to Doctor Mathur about the therapy techniques we intend to use on the Alpha Soldiers. I therefore instructed Divya to take the serum to the lab.'
'And how did she know the combination for opening the safe containing the serum?' the General growled, his eyes narrowing. 'Do you routinely share critical information of that sort with your subordinates?'
'She knew because I had told her.' Doctor Fahim said, his voice becoming sharper. 'Kindly do not make unfounded and damaging insinuations against Miss Nayak, General. This accident was not a private matter, as you called it just now. This serum was designed to help people, which is what she did. Divya has worked on this project with me for the last four years, and I trust her implicitly.'
'But I'm afraid I do not trust her, Doctor Fahim.' the General said, breathing hard as he stared at the doctor. 'And I do not trust you either. This is why I was against using civilians in the project in the first place. They can never be trusted to follow orders.'
'Calm down, General.' the defense Minister now spoke up, putting a hand on the General's shoulder. 'We cannot change the past. What has already happened is beyond our control. We need to decide how to deal with this new situation. Miss Nayak, will you tell us exactly what happened? We only know the barest details.'
Divya took a deep breath and began to tell them what had happened at the intersection; the accident, the boy"s broken body landing on the road, his life ending in front of her, and then the serum. The three men listened in silence.
'I didn"t think I had a choice.' Divya said. She looked at Doctor Fahim almost pleadingly. 'The boy was dying in front of me.'
'It was the only course to pursue, Divya.' Doctor Fahim said quietly. 'You did what any decent human being would have done. We cannot blame you for it.' The General shot a look at the doctor, but did not say anything. Doctor Fahim ignored him.
'I called the police on the way over.' the General said. 'The man who was driving the car was caught two miles later. Some idiot with too much alcohol in his body. He will be jailed, of course, but the damage has been done.'
'The question now is, what do we do with the boy?' the Minister said. He stared abstractedly at a nearby table, his forehead still creased with worry. 'Provided he even survives the operation.' He turned to Doctor Fahim. 'Do you think he will survive, Doctor Fahim?'
'It would depend on how long he can be kept alive for the serum to take effect on his body.' Doctor Fahim said slowly. 'I have already mentioned how remarkable the effect of the serum is on the healing ability of the subject. I believe there is an excellent chance that he will survive the operation.'
'So after all our preparations for an Alpha Soldier, instead we are stuck with an Alpha child?' General Bakshi was no longer shouting, but the frown was still in place.
'I"m afraid you do not fully understand, General.' Doctor Fahim said quietly, a strange expression on his face. He glanced at Divya. 'There is a side to this new situation that you are not aware of.'
'What do you mean?' the defense Minister was looking at Doctor Fahim warily.
'There is a curious property of the serum that I have not yet shared with either of you.' Doctor Fahim said slowly.
'At the secretariat, you said that you had told us everything.' the Minister said, his voice less calm than before.
'Everything that had a bearing on Project Alpha.' Doctor Fahim said. 'But there was a host of additional information related to our experiments that would have taken too long to relate.'
'So what part of that information has suddenly become relevant to the project?' General Bakshi stared hard at Doctor Fahim.
Divya watched the three men, hardly daring to breathe. The information that Doctor Fahim was about to give the other two men would show them how the situation had become much more complicated then they believed.
'The serum was tested on fully grown chimps, and the increased muscular and neural capacity they exhibited was entirely satisfactory.' Doctor Fahim said. 'But a curious fact was
noticed when the chimp in question was younger. The effect of the serum seemed to be compounded in their case.'
Doctor Fahim looked at the two men significantly, but from their expressions it was clear that they did not understand the implications of this discovery.
'It seems that the reason behind this augmentation is that the serum directly affects the glands which are responsible for the growth of the body during adolescence.' Doctor Fahim continued.
'At this stage of the operation, I believe the behavior of test monkeys might be considered superfluous, Doctor Fahim.' the General said impatiently. 'How would this detail affect humans?'
Doctor Fahim stared at the door for a second. He turned towards the General and spoke slowly.
'Provided that the effect of the serum is the same on humans as on the monkeys, the serum will increase the abilities of a normal man roughly five-fold.' He paused. 'However, it will increase the abilities of someone whose body is already developing by natural processes by ten-fold or perhaps even twenty-fold.'
There was complete silence in the room as the two men realized what Doctor Fahim meant.
'By "someone",' the defense Minister said slowly, 'You mean youngsters?'
'A youngster like the one who has suffered the accident?' the General"s voice was rising again rapidly.
Doctor Fahim inclined his head. 'According to Divya, he is a teenager. That means, if he survives, all the physical and mental enhancements we were expecting in the case of the soldiers will be much greater in his case.'
Mr. Rai was staring at Doctor Fahim in blank shock. The General turned and walked away slowly, breathing hard. Perhaps it was the thought that they were in a public area that made the General attempt to deal with his agitation through movement rather than more yelling.
'So this boy…' the General spoke, and Divya was surprised at how calm he sounded. 'This teenager. He will be even stronger than we had anticipated?'
Doctor Fahim nodded somberly. 'His power will be greater than anything the world has ever seen before.'
The four occupants of the room gazed at each other in silence.
The Defense Minister closed his eyes, composing himself as he tried to process all the information. His shoulders slumped as the full extent of the situation was borne upon him.
'We need to talk about this to the Prime Minister.' he said finally, rubbing his eyes tiredly. 'Please excuse us.'
The General and the Minister left the room. Only Doctor Fahim was left with Divya. He looked at her in silence for several seconds. Then he smiled a rueful smile. 'The best laid plans washed down the drain by a single unfortunate occurrence, right, Divya?'
'I"m so sorry, sir.' Divya whispered. Her voice was tight with anxiety. 'I wasn"t thinking about the consequences of my actions. And now I"ve cost the army the project, and I"ve cost you all the research you did.'
'Don"t let the General"s harangue scare you.' Doctor Fahim said gently. 'Given the circumstances, you did the right thing. That is all anyone can ask for. This situation is the product of an accident, so stop blaming yourself.'
'What will happen now, sir?' Divya asked soberly.
'Well, given the unusual circumstances that this project had fallen upon, I think we will need an unusual solution.' Doctor Fahim said thoughtfully. 'Now, we will have the opportunity to observe a very interesting part of the experiment'
'A teenage meta human.' Divya nodded.
'Actually, I was referring to how apoplectic the general will become before he has a heart attack and expires.' the doctor said, his eyes twinkling.
Despite the gravity of the situation Divya could not help but laugh in a low voice.
'I cannot predict how this new situation will affect the overall plan anymore than you can, Divya.' Doctor Fahim said, his voice serious again. 'But rest assured, this is not the end of the project. The General is too determined a man to be stopped by stumbling blocks, and the Minister is no less tenacious. The project will continue forward, one way or the other. The child now….' Doctor Fahim frowned thoughtfully and shrugged his shoulders. 'The child I am not so sure about. I believe he will survive, but you can never be completely sure. We will simply have to wait and see.'
Nurse Arti sat nervously in the private ward. She was only a few months into this job, and it was the first time she had been assigned to this particular ward. The room was small but comfortably furnished, with more amenities than the usual private hospital room provided. It was kept separate from the other rooms, and was used for patients who required peace and quiet to recover, or when someone well known or important was in the hospital and wished to keep a low profile. On the single bed in front of her slept a young boy. It was the same boy who had been admitted to the hospital two days ago. He had been heavily sedated following the surgery, and had slept for an uninterrupted twelve hours. He had woken up briefly in a half delirious state yesterday and fallen asleep again immediately. After the surgery the doctors had not been very hopeful that he would survive such a serious accident, although they admitted that his vital signs were very strong for someone who had suffered such grave injuries. The boy"s mother had arrived in a haze of panic the day before. She had
been calmed down and assured that her son was in the best possible care. The mother had since been visiting the hospital regularly, if only to check on her still sleeping son.
The nurse wondered who the boy was. He had to be related to someone very important, judging by the number of important people who seemed to be concerned about his welfare. It was remarkable how quickly the usual red tape had been dealt with, and the boy transferred to the most privileged room in the hospital. There were rumors among the hospital staff that someone very high up in the government was interested in the boy"s well being, and it was speculated whether he was a Minister"s son. But the security around the boy"s identity was air tight, and it was said that even the doctors who were treating him knew almost nothing about his civilian identity. Even the rumor grapevine of the hospital had been unable to extract any details.
The boy suddenly stirred. Arti was startled out of her musings. She looked at the young patient. He was waking up, and much earlier than the doctors had hoped for. At these times it was usual to bring in the doctor in charge of the patient and the patient"s relatives. This time, however, nurse Arti had different orders.
She went out of the door and hurried down the corridor. Turning around a corner, she knocked on the door to her left. A voice called, 'Come in.'
Arti opened the door and stepped halfway through. Inside the room sat a white haired old man with a neat beard and moustache, and a girl who seemed to be in her early twenties. They were both poring over some biometric data sheets spread out in front of them. They looked up as the nurse"s head appeared.
'Yes?' the old man said.
'Please, sir.' Nurse Arti said, her voice slightly breathless. 'The boy is waking up.'
Both the occupants of the room immediately became alert. The old man stood up and nodded. 'Thank you, nurse. Kindly go and inform a man named Mr. Bakshi about this. You will find him in the head doctor"s office downstairs. He will then tell you what to do.' The nurse nodded and disappeared.
'The recovery was even faster than we had anticipated.' Doctor Fahim said softly, putting the sheets which the two had been studying back in their folder. He reached inside the small drawer in the desk and extracted a special mobile phone General Bakshi had given him. Turning it on, he placed it carefully in his shirt pocket. 'Do you have the recorder, Divya?'
'Yes, sir.' Divya said. She reached inside her handbag lying on the table and pulled out a tiny tape recorder, placing it in her pocket.
'Good.' Doctor Fahim said. He gazed at Divya for a moment, both aware of the magnitude of that moment. 'Are you ready?' Divya nodded mutely.
'Let"s go.' The two walked out of the door, retracing the path the nurse had taken to call them. They stood outside the room 449. Doctor Fahim paused at the door for a moment, his hand on the knob. No sounds came from inside. He pushed open the door and the two entered the room.
Inside the small, cozy room, they found the young boy sitting up straight in his bed, his eyes closed tightly. He froze at the sound of the door opening, and slowly opened his eyes.
'Hello, Neel.' Doctor Fahim said softly, his gaze intent as he stared at the young boy.


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Coldest MLB home opener since 1999
KMSP - The brutally cold air mass that we experienced over this last weekend pushed east and is now responsible for the coldest opening day game since 1999. The city of Cleveland isn't exactly known for warm weather in April, but today's game time temp as the Indians opened their season against the Boston Red Sox was the coldest in nearly 2 decades at a shivering 34°.
Temperatures across the entire Northeast were just as cold, if not colder as a huge trough pushed through the region allowing temperatures to plummet to record levels. It was so cold in fact, that Ithaca, New York dropped below zero for the first time ever in the month of April. They smashed their previous monthly cold temperature by 12 degrees!
While 34° is no picnic, there have been many games that have been colder over the last half century… none colder though than the Colorado Rockies game 3 years ago with a game time temperature of 23 and several inches of snow littering the stands.


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We will help you find a private music tutor in Lowestoft and anywhere in the UK. Private music tuition is an excellent way to bolster confidence while improving grades and doesn't have to be dull! Please use our service to find Lowestoft music tutors and select which best fits your needs.
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If you are a Lowestoft music tutor wanting to offer your private music tuition services in Lowestoft or the UK, please register with First Tutors or find out more about what we do here. Home music tuition is a great way to re-affirm your own music knowledge while helping someone else, all in your local Lowestoft area!


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Royston Group Selected to Sell NNN Del Taco in Las Vegas for $2.57 Million
The Royston Group has been selected to list and market a single tenant net lease Del Taco in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) November 03, 2015
The Royston Group has listed a single tenant net lease fast serve restaurant leased to Del Taco . The property is located in Las Vegas, Nevada just off highway 95 on El Capitan Way. The 2,153 square foot restaurant sits on 20,038 square feet of land and is leased to Del Taco on an absolute triple net lease basis for 15 years. The building was constructed in 2010 and lies in front of a Lowe's Home Improvement center.
Rob Sutton and Greg Cortese of The Royston Group started the marketing process in late October. The site benefits from excellent street visibility along N. Durango Drive and N. El Capitan Way and features a large monument sign visible from the highway. The property is also located adjacent to an Albertson's, Fresh & Easy and Walgreens creating excellent tenant synergy and strong cross over shopping. Additionally there are over 150,000 people living within a 5 mile radius of the site with an average household income above $86,000.
"Net lease investors have often found safety and stable returns in fast serve triple net lease restaurants. Real estate investors looking for a strong triple net property will like this Del Taco . The site is well located and boasts a 15 year triple net lease with a corporate guarantee." said Vice President Rob Sutton.
For more information about this property please contact Rob Sutton, CCIM.
Greg Cortese, President of The Royston Group and Rob Sutton, Vice President of the Royston Group, specialize in the sale of single tenant net lease properties. The Royston Group is a privately held commercial real estate investment firm, founded in 1992. The company provides services for a multitude of net lease commercial property types including office, industrial, retail and medical. The firm has completed over $2 billion in real estate sales since its inception. http://www.theroystongroup.com
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/10/prweb13041549.htm


text: Hi yall, I found a login bug when coming to androidforums.com. I go to www.androidforums.com and login. I get a successful login message, but when it sends me back to the forum I'm not logged in. When I got to androidforums.com and login then all is good. It seems when going to the www. address and login, the login is sending me to the non-www address and then goes back to the www. address. Since the cookie got set on the non-www site the www. site shows that I'm not logged in. It's a pretty easy fix to change the .htaccess so no matter if you go to the www. or the non-www it always sends you to the non-www since that is what the site is using. Kage_


text: On the highlands of Guatemala, in the picturesque department of Solola is Lake Atitlan. The spectacular landscape gives the impression of an immense garden without comparison, only 147 kms. from Guatemala City. A short walk from the main street of Panajachel, called Calle Santander, where artisans, weavers and vendors offer their products made in nearby towns surrounding the lake, there is always something to do; adventure, relaxation and history come together in a unforgettable experience. Porta Hotel Del Lago offers 100 rooms, a restaurant with exquisite national and international cuisine, bar, sauna, pool, gym, art gallery, kids club, wireless internet in public areas, Convention Center, among others services. GREEN HOTEL CERTIFIED We have the Certification for Sustainable Tourism GREAT Green Deal and Rainforest Alliance; we are committed to protect the environment, growth the surroundings and our staff, and complying with the guidelines of corporate-social responsibility.


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Coach Jim Harbaugh was asked Tuesday about quarterback Alex Smith's future with the 49ers.
Do you think Alex is the long-term quarterback for the 49ers as a starter?
Harbaugh's answer: "I do."
Earlier this season, we featured a poll question that asked, "If the 49ers make the playoffs, do you want Alex Smith back at quarterback in 2012?"
Your response was an overwhelming affirmation, as 78 voted yes.
EDITOR'S NOTE: You've weighed in earlier this year. Harbaugh made his feelings known in Tuesday's press conference. So we ask you, 49ers fans, do you think Alex Smith is the 49ers' long-term starting quarterback?
Post your responses in the comments section below and vote in our poll. Matt will join the conversation, responding to the most pointed arguments.


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A triumphantly patriotic play that also casts a critical eye at war and warriors, this great epic drama depicts a charismatic ruler in a time of national struggle. The young King Henry's victory over the French despite overwhelming odds creates a spectacle of action, color, and thundering battles. Whether the warrior-king is urging his men "Once more unto the breach, dear friends," or wooing Katharine of France, Henry is magnificently adapted to the role he must play in England's greatness. Henry V represents the culmination of Shakespeare's art as a writer of historical drama.
Each Edition Includes:


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Ganesh Venkatram has risked himself to the maximum for his forth-coming Panithuli. The flick will be his first as a solo hero, after turning heads as a co-star in Abhiyum Nanum and Kamal-Mohanlal flick Unnaipol Oruvan.
Talking about his Panithuli experience the actor says, "Director Natty and I had a wonderful script to work with and it was entertaining all the while. I would like to thank him and my heroines Shobana and Kalpana for their efforts." Produced by Dreams On Frames and House Of Pandit the film had a good portion shot in some exquisite locations in USA. Soon after signing up for Panithuli, the project presented Ganesh with new opportunities, as he shot for a TV commercial with top director AR Murugadoss. Talking about Panithuli Ganesh feels the action scenes will be a main highlight. He adds, "There are some daring stunts in Panithuli director Natty Kumar asked me to perform.They have come out really well." The film also releasing in Hindi, is a romantic thriller, taking viewers on a ride from US to Chennai. Panithuli is heading for a June release.


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Improving Schools To Counter "White Flight"
June 15, 2001
Some cities are trying to keep middle-class professionals from moving to the suburbs as their children near school age by introducing innovations in public schools. Many professionals, mostly white, begin considering private schools or relocation to the suburbs as their toddlers approach kindergarten age.
- For example, in an effort to blur the line between public and private schools, Chicago has launched prekindergarten classes at 15 schools located in well-off neighborhoods -- charging $5,800 a year for a 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. program packed with computer classes, library lessons, music, math, art and physical education.
- The aim of administrators is to retain this class in the system by replacing images of low test scores and dangerous hallways with experiences of caring teachers, creative curriculums and clean campuses.
- Other initiatives include high-tech buildings, magnet programs and Advanced Placement programs.
- Dallas, Denver, Houston, Philadelphia and San Francisco also charge tuition for a small number of preschoolers.
With fees just covering costs, Chicago's preschool program is cheaper than its neighborhood competitors -- many of which charge $8,000 to $10,000. Those schools also lack the long hours favored by working parents.
Parents are reportedly pleased with the innovations -- and some say their children are learning more and are more involved than they were under the prior system.
Source: Jodi Wilgoren, "Chicago Uses Preschool to Lure Middle Class," New York Times, June 15, 2001.
Browse more articles on Education Issues


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20% off apparel. New stuff for all. Use code GIFTON20
lake blue beach landscape trees birds brown fog seagulls dipasquale
Gorgeous, I find it so hard to let go of the colour in my shots but then I see something like this and know I really should.
Very nicely done, there's a certain calmness both to the composition the tones. As with Paulette x, I also have trouble getting rid of colour and tend to have too much- ha ha! : )
Nice! :-)I myself prefer black and white because of the contrast, or muted tones because of the calm almost mystical effect. Which is exactly what you have here. -K
The absence of color an grey tones really work here! It certainly brings out all the shapes and patterns really well!
Beautiful and excellent!!
Gorgeous mirror with differentiation in the foreground to center on that eerie symmetry floating space with trees. Great piece. Photographer Jerry Uelsmann's great photo collage work comes to mind with this, only your piece is simpler and more satisfying in ways. —Tim
This is beautiful Dana. I love the symmetry and somehow it's not obvious that it's a mirrored view. Great atmosphere.
love what you have done with this work, Dana.great hues (i think that's the proper word to use) and comp.i can look at this for a long time.beautiful image :)
good to see your work in the "stillness Speaks" group dana… love the peaceful feeling this image emotes…..b
wonderful shot love this
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AXIS is lovely and amazing! I have done videography for them over the past 15 years - and I am still constantly astonished and awed by the beauty and emotional energy of their work. They're performances are innovative, inspiring and exciting.They teach. They dance. They move. They ARE moving. If you have the chance to see them, do so - they do not disappoint!
Axis dance is a triple "threat": world-class performance ensemble, empowering and mind-opening teachers in school assemblies and workshops, advocates for architectural accessibility for audiences and performers in theaters across the country. I first saw the company 15 years ago and was blown away. The interesting thing is that it's not a one-time revelation. The company shifts and changes as dancers come and go; it's a new lesson every time about capitalizing on the strengths one has to offer. And consistently the company touches something deep in each of us about vulnerability and trust, the human condition we all share. I housed a dancer, helped with performances and parties, served on the Board. It's a well-run organization doing amazing things. I feel lucky to be a part of it.
I have been at AXIS for a month, am leaving in December and wish I could stay longer! The AXIS family are so welcoming to old and new friends and it is a privilege to be a part of their work this Fall. The company spend a lot of time engaging with the community including a wonderful event called Dance Access Day where around 800 community members young and not so young had the chance to see one of three free educational shows. The physically integrated dance company have no limitations when it comes to expanding the art of dance. The work is top quality and it is wonderful to see them touring across the country. To me AXIS are everything a non-profit should be- they give with graciousness and are creative, dynamic and fun!
Without any doubt, one of the most exhilirating dance companies of the New Age;that is Axis. They represent compassion, unconditional love and infectious enthusiasm): They had me at: "We'd like to work with you and further develop your potential". Its all it took for me to trust them to build a connection within my mind,body & soul


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Party Recap
I love planning elaborate celebrations centered around unique themes and pouring over every tiny detail. But for Liv's 2nd birthday I decided to go a different direction and see what I could pull off with relatively minimal planning, keeping it simple, and under $100. Yep, that's right... I did it all for just $94.66 to be exact!
I started with a primary color pallet and committed to traditional birthday party fair like balloons, curling ribbon, party hats, bunting, and crepe paper streamers.
Read all about it on my blog: http://ellebelleblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/simple-celebration-for-under-100.html
Party Highlights
What People Ate
Ice cream sandwich bar!