text:
Tuneless Melody: Moschet Manor
A/N: Er... Hi, FFCC realm! Rikku here. Let's see what can I say? First off, this was inspired by a fic my sister started on but will not be finishing. I aksed her if I could do a short excert about what it would be like if her group go to Mochet Manor and she said it was okay, so I am not violating any rights or anything. I did ask. So, you might want to read the first chapter of Tuneless Melody before reaidng this. It should be on the first page in the FFCC category though, but if you don't here's a little who's who. Oh, but first, the Tip Caravan conists of people literally from everywhere. They main objective is to gather myrrh for three differnet places, four every five years. The myrrh they give goes to the Fields of Fum, Leuda (every five years), Tipa, and Shella. Their myrrh counts as back-up myrrh pre-say. (I believe that the trees allow each caravan to get a drop of myrrh for them eveyr other year. Meaing The Marr's Pass caravan can get a drop of myrrh from Tida even though the Shella caravan has already been there, as long as they don't have any member of the Shella caravan with them. But, hey, that's my philosphy. It just doens't seem like there's enough dungeosn to supprot each town so me and my sister came up with our own idea.)
Roane: Main character. Half-Selkie, half-Clavat; Selkie appearence though. Eighteen. Raccoon Tail. Discriminated against becasue of mixed race her whole life. Used to live in Shella but reaosn for why are unknown. The only reason she was allowed to live in Shella was because she is fluent in the Selkic language, often translating texts for Yukes passing through. She has an easy-going personality and really doesn't take anything seriously. She is also very sarcastic and speaks her mind whenever she gets the chance. Because of her living in a racist city for much of her life, she's become very hardened and unsenistive about the subject of racism. Her environment also affected her trust in people and because of this she finds it very hard to actually have faith in people. The girl's very independent and likes to do things her own way so following a team doesn't come naturally to her. Overall though, she's trying...to some degree.
Cadell: Leader of Tipa Caravan. Second oldest caravaner. Seventeen. Clavat. Natural style. From Tipa. For a leader, Cadell takes his job very seriously. He's overprotective of every member of the caravan and much like Roane, he finds it easier to just bare the burden himself. He doesn't like being a follower for spectilated reasons and mostly keeps to himself. He is open and honest to a certain point but Roane suspects that he's keeping secrets and his true feeling bottled up for the sake of the group.
Rin Tara: (My fav.) Oldest caravan member. Nineteen. Pure-bred Selkie; Wolfie. From Leuda and joined Tipa Caravan for a extra chalice of myrrh every five years. Rin Tara is an interesting character. She comes off cold, but there's more to her then meets the eye. Most of her beliefs are explained in the story, but I'll hit on a few others. She's wise and because she's the oldest she often acts the most mature. Her and Cadell are extremely close but she's made it perfectly clear that it's a vague partnership and nothing romantic. Besides, she says her heart belongs to a Selkie traveler who's trying to rid the world of miasma. (I'll give you three guesses.)
Rangune: Youngest caravan member next to Roane. Yuke; Black Mage. From Tipa. Intelligent caster but somewhat clumsy. The first thing you notice about Rangune is that he has an extremely over-sized helmet that he refused to get resized. Because of this, he's prone to falling over when he tips his weight to one side. He also appears extremely flustered around the female half of his race but is strangely calm when around Larissa, Roane, or Rin Tara. Go figure.
Larissa: Second youngest caravan member next to Roane. Clavat; Long Hair. From the Fields of Fum. Is said to have some Selkic blood but no one can prove it. Is involved with a male Selkie living in Tipa. Larissa is the protector of the team. She owns a very large shield and the majority of her job is to carry one of the three chalices they have about and to deflect oncomign attacks. But when she picks up a sword on rare occasions, watch out. This sweet angel can go from caring and protecting to a real devil in the mere blink of an eye. She also seems extremely fascinated with her family history for reasons unknown...
Beatrice: Briefly mentioned. Old female Yuke living in Shella. Took in Roane when no one else would. Works on farm and has a bitter edge to the world. Harsh.
Maxwell: Briefly mentioned. Tallest male Yuke in existence. Mayor of Shella. Let Roane live in Shella when no one else accepted her. Has a hearty look on life and loves to laugh.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to MistressLeia24 (my sister) and whole idea belongs to SquareEinx.
That's about it. Any questions, just ask me in a review or PM. On with the story now!
"By the dawn of miasma…"
"Oh my. It's so…so BIG."
"Now that is my kind of palace," I agreed, gazing up in wonder at the marbleized mansion in front of me and my teammates. You'd be surprised what's lying just a few miles and one miasma stream away from home.
Pure white rock made up most of the vast pillars and statues guarding the oak door that was twice the size of a normal entrance. Probably big enough to fit one of Shella's houses inside without scrapping the sides. Golden indentations scrolled along the chalky surface. From the very peak of our covered wagon, I could just barely make out the edges of the trimmed green courtyard on the other side.
Moschet Manor…also the location of our third and last drop of myrrh. One single boss that wanted to crush us into tiny pieces was our only obstacle…along with a set of extremely difficult puzzles and monsters leading up to it. But hey, nothing was a piece of cake anymore; no, now everything was that gross sugar free stuff.
Larissa was already loading the three chalices into our side sacks when I jumped down from my post, landing swiftly besides her. "Need any help?"
Turning slightly, she acknowledged me with her bright hazel gaze, cheeks flushed slightly from the cold wind whipping along the road. "Uh…No, I think I just about have it. Are you worried?"
"'Bout what?"
"The manor," she replied, as though it were obvious. "We've been here before; the monsters are horrible here. Rumor has it that the Lord of this place feeds them corpses of the caravans that have fell to his fist. That's why the courtyard is always so well-kept. He wants to hide the evidence of such brutality while still maintaining a decent battlefield." Turning back to her work, the Clavat tugged at her shield resting under a crate inside the wagon. It came loose easily and it was soon strapped to her back along with one of the shoulder bags holding a filled chalice.
I suppressed a shudder, keeping myself busy by grabbing some of the elbow pads from our supplies. "Sounds like one crazy Lord."
"Oh he is," Larissa agreed, dipping her head as she loaded one of her belt pouches with Rainbow Grapes. "But he's actually pretty easy to beat alone. All power, no brains. It's his Lady that you have to watch out for."
My fingers that were fiddling with the strap of the right elbow pad froze. "You mean he doesn't fight alone?"
"Yeah," the brunette solemnly answered. "His Lady—Maggie's her name—always joins him in battle after we score one hit on him. She is the deadliest mage to reside on this side of Alfitaria."
"Knows a lot of one-hit-and-your-down-for-the-count-spells?"
"Those and a set of healing artes."
"Oh… We're screwed." Having secured the elbow pads, my hands fell limply to my sides, the breeze tickling my nose at the same time. Healing artes were basically what our team survived on. I dreaded to think what a well-adapted boss could use them for. We were already fighting on their turf and playing by their rules; couldn't they give us a break?
"Not necessarily," Larissa hummed, heaving the two other messenger bags onto her petite frame. It never ceased to amaze me how such a small girl could carry so much weight. "We've beaten him before and that was when we only had four members. Even though he does get tougher with each passing year, so do we hence, theoretically speaking, he should be no threat to us now."
"He's no threat," I corrected, grabbing a Striped Apple from the food crate and shoving it into my pocket. Being a half-Selkie and half-Clavat hybrid, I had a strange mix of tastes that were normally appalling to one or another race. "But his wife is." At least now I could never say that bosses were sexist.
"I guess… But really, there's nothing to worry about. We've beaten them before and we can do it again," the female defender reassured me, tossing back of her long, envious chestnut locks. "If it makes you feel any better, would you like to be on the chalice carriers this time around? That way, you won't have to fight as much and I'm positive that Rin Tara and Cadell can keep us breathing…until the end." The last bit of her sentence held remorse that I picked up on. Until the…end? She meant, like, until we retire, right? Or…don't tell me… Until we die? 'The End' usually always came at…the end.
Setting aside the meaningless thought, I gave my head a hard shake after a moment's consideration. "Nah. I would never forgive myself if I let those two do all the bashing a second time around. Besides, it's Cadell's turn." I wasn't going to be a weakling this time. This time, I would be the one doing the protecting.
Larissa's arched eyebrows furrowed. "Alright… If you're sure. Just make sure you take a good supply of healing items with you. Who knows how long it could take us to find a Cure stone this time around." With a careless shrug of her shoulders, she patted the two extra chalice-filled bags and started towards Cadell and Rangune—who were both still gawking at the manor. It's a building, boys. A rather large building of course, but still something built from stone. Get over it.
"By the dawn of miasma…" I heard Rangune murmur again, his over-sized helmet threatening to send him backpedaling towards the ground if he tilted his head any farther back.
"You can say that again," Cadell snorted, one of his hands resting on his sword while he studied the far wall. "This place has gotten bigger since last time, hasn't it?"
Still too stunned to function correctly, Rangune flipped open his eye grate with a creak. All I could see was blackness where his eyes should have been. After a moment, the Yuke snapped the grate down again. "By my calculations, the answer would be yes." I swear he had some kind of artificial intelligence thingie inside his head whispering all the answers of the world to him. Weak point of enemy, meaning of life, stuff like that. Maybe that was true for all Yukes. That would explain why they wore helmets.
Cadell let out a low whistle, knocking on the hard stone with his knuckles. "How much gil is he hiding in there?"
Rin Tara looked up from her place on a nearby rock, her legs daintily criss-crossed over the smooth surface. "How is the Lord revived after every defeat via caravan? Why is there miasma in the world? How is it you grew up with a fisherman as a Dad and despise fish?" She shrugged her shoulders, lips quirked into a coy smile. "Some questions just don't have any answer."
Cadell made a face, pushing a section of his curly brown hair away from his face. "Have you ever heard of all the diseases those fish can carry? Plus, their skin tastes like rubber. I don't know how you Selkies can stand it!"
Rin Tara gave a lazy shrug of her shoulders, silver lilac eyes closing and smile lengthening. "They saw we Selkies are from the sea," she began in a thickly accented voice. "It would only make sense for us to enjoy such delicacies the water has to offer. We may have been born on land, but we aren't Earth Walkers by nature. …Of course, there are some that belong in neither the sea nor on the land." Unbeknownst by everyone there, I could see her eyelids open a fraction to reveal dark irises looking directly at me.
I'm telling you; racism everywhere. You didn't know how badly I wanted to get out my Dual Shooter and just turn her into a shiskabob right then and there. I wasn't wanted by the Yukes of Shella and Rin Tara was making it perfectly clear that the Selkie majority of the group—which was her and her racket—didn't want me there either.
Well, tough luck, suck it up, as were the words of Beatrice. I was here and I'd be damned if I was leaving to go back to that hellhole anytime soon.
Simmering like an egg on a summer side path, I grudgingly heaved my Dual Shooter out of the wagon, locked the blue weapon onto its carrier upon my back, and composedly trotted over to join the group, not letting Rin Tara's hostile gaze bother me. "So we gonna go in or just stand out here like a bunch of idiots ogling a monster's lair?"
Rangune shut his hanging mouth accordingly. A flush of pink covered his neck feathers and he gave a strangled cough to hide the embarrassment. I gave him a dismissing wave to say it was nothing to worry about; I was used to Yukes and their obsessions with historical and mythical artifacts. I grew up among Yukes after all.
The soft padding of feet behind me signaled that Rin Tara had added herself to the cluster. "As much as I hate to admit it, the girl is right. We should be moving out as soon as possible. This is the time where caravans are making their last-ditch of round trips. If we don't hurry, we could be faced with more competition than just the Lord and Lady."
Girl? I was no girl. I was eighteen and techinically considered a woman. We were the same age for the love of Clavats! Where does she get the nerve to call-?
"Right," Cadell agreed, cutting off my inner rant as he drew his sword. The sound of fine, untainted metal against thick leather filled my ears and I had to blink away the sudden glimmer the blade made when it was fully visible in sunlight. Dang, those Tipa blacksmiths are good. "This is our final drop of myrrh for this year, men…and er…women." Real smooth, Cadell; as smooth as ice…cracked ice at least. "One more enemy and we're home free! Step lively and follow me."
Before he could take another step forward, Larissa handed him his side sack with one of the three chalices carefully cradled within its leather bounds. A look of mild surprise flashed across his face and I could've sworn he glanced in my direction prior to taking the bag and positioning it over his shoulder as did Rangune. Three chalices equaled twice the power of a normal protection circle…thingie…whatever it was called. Either way, it still meant we had a greater chance of kicking more tail without, you know, dying a horrible death of miasma poisoning.
Okay, I was doing nothing to increase our morale here. In fact, I was probably doing the opposite. To myself that is.
"Did anyone tie the bison to the posts?" Larissa questioned, stopping our ascent up the three steps leading up to the stairs. With a shy smile, she guiltily looked to me. "'Cuz, you know, last time they kind of…ran away."
Sure, rub it in. I forget to do a double knot one time and now everyone's against me. That really upped my spirits.
Rin Tara's voice rose above my own thoughts, possessing a hard edge to her otherwise emotionless pronunciation. "I made sure to secure them when I retrieved my weapon. They won't be escaping without dragging the post along with them."
I grumbled a string of cruses beneath my breath at the remark. Her sourness was directed at me and I sure as hell knew it. And to think we would have to work together on the attacking… Lord help us. (Er…but not the Lord of the manor. I mean if he would help us by falling over dead with one hit, then I'm all for it but otherwise we would rather not accept any of his "help".)
The door loomed over us when we came to a stop in front of it. Rin Tara poised her racket as if hordes of monsters would just come pouring out and trample us all. (What a weak way to die.) I had mine lazily thrown over one shoulder, one hand on my hip as I gazed at the door. It seemed bigger and more intimidating now that I—being my scrawny five-foot-five self—was standing next to it. Rangune seemed to be the only one unaffected as he was still scanning his book. Curse Yukes and their unfair height advantages.
"Get into formation everyone," Cadell ordered, his voice no more than a hushed whisper above the uncomfortable silence. They were remembering something; I could tell. Something they didn't want to share with me.
…I'd figure it out later.
Rin Tara and I—bitterly—took up a front offensive line in front of three. Larissa's metallic shield was unhinged and ready to reflect any oncoming attacks on the main party. Rangune had his spell book out and was nervously flicking through the pages, trying to find a well-suited and affective spell with the remaining three seconds.
Cautiously, Cadell fit his sword under the rusty lock. He suddenly paused, looking up at us through his bangs. "Whatever happens, keep in mind your own safety. If one of us falls, no matter how close we are to the myrrh, we pull back. Our lives are more important than any drop of water. Understood?"
Another one of his corny speeches; I thought he was out of them by Mushroom Forest. Nevertheless, I heard the confident promises of my teammates.
Rangune dipped his head, once again at risk of falling forward. We so needed to get him a properly-sized helmet. "Understood."
"Roger!" Larissa answered, tightening the chalice's strap.
"Worry about yourself!" Rin Tara retorted, her muscles taut.
I rolled by pale blue eyes. "Can we just go?"
Cadell glanced at me, hazel eyes wide with sudden fright. His mouth opened and closed, like he wanted to say something but thought better of it. Did I do my hair weirdly today? All I had to go on was my blurry reflection the grimy pot and a simple comb… Instead, he tightened his hold on his sword and tore upwards, breaking the rusty padlock into tiny, breakable pieces.
Cadell hurriedly scampered over to join Rin Tara and me in our fighting stances as the door ever-so slowly creaked open. Now that he was beside me, I could identify a tenseness about him that I had never felt before. The way his breath came in shallow gulps, the sweat forming around his brow, and his quaking limbs were obvious signals.
But…he had never acted this way on any other dungeon. What made this one so different? The two for one boss special? Har, har. I'm a comedian.
It was almost like he knew something awful was going to happen and was trying the carry the burden himself. The others didn't seem to pick up on it, but maybe that's because they were all feeling it too. That oh-shit-we're-gonna-die sensation. But we hadn't even seen the number of monsters yet, so why--?
"Focus," Rin Tara hissed from her place on Cadell's right. The harshness in her voice made me uncontrollably flinch. Sheesh. What was she? A mind reader? Or did I just have one of those things that gave you away when you were daydreaming or lying?
Unfortunately, I wasn't given the needed time to ponder it as my companions were already warily treading through the tiny crack in the doors and into the enemy's lair. "Move in!" came Cadell's rough command.
I gave myself a good shake to get rid of any insignificant thoughts before I jogged after them—once again grateful for the rather large circle of protection panning outwards for some good feet. If I was in a regular caravan, I would be suffocating with miasma right now with what limited space a single chalice provides.
It was a tight fit, even for me, and I vaguely wondered how Rangune managed to fit his head through the crack as I tripped over to the other side.
Out of the water and into the fire.
The courtyard was just as I predicted: Amazing. Vast green plains kept to perfection with intricate pillars bordering the outer edge of the manor. The whole place held this air of arrogance and royalty that I hadn't seen in, well, my whole life. It was a shame this had to be wasted on an enemy and a stinking myrrh tree.
Seriously this would be like the perfect place for town. The only problem I could see were the statues. They were just…creepy to say the least. The one closest to us looked almost exactly like a real Coeurl—only in black and white. The others, I had no doubt in my mind, were made with the same fine detail and realism.
Dear myrrh, I think one just blinked at me. Seriously. I swear I saw its stone eye move.
"It's quiet," I heard Rin Tara observe from a couple paces ahead of me. Her voice was cold and guarded, lost of the little good humor she had around the other members. For me, this voice was no different. "Too quiet."
Larissa had redone the buckles on her shield so that it was only hanging on her right arm, the chalice being on her left. "Rin Tara's right. Cadell, last time we were here, wasn't there an army of Coeurls waiting for us?"
Cadell—who was stiffening and getting ready to pounce on every little whisper the wind created—tried to appear relaxed to respond to Larissa. He failed miserably when he jumped at the jangle Rangune's helmet made while the Yuke clambered down the stairs and onto the main turf. "There…There were a lot of monsters here last time. A whole… A whole… A whole defense force of them. They we-were all v-vicious. Maggie was present also, wasn't she?" He scanned the area like the scenes of the past would just magically play themselves before his eyes. As if.
…Strike that. We had been to weirder places before.
"I also recall encountering the Lady upon this terrains," the older Selkie replied with an air of superiority. I think she was trying to rub in the fact that she had been with them longer then I had. Please, do us all a favor and grow up. "The only time she even acknowledged our presence was when we attacked the Lord." Rin Tara swept back a long lock of her lavender scented hair. I swear, I must get the name of her shampoo at some point or another when we weren't, you know, hating one another.
"If my memory serves me correctly, we always entered around the time of the Lord's supper." Rangune flipped through the pages of his book with a feathered digit. "The Tonberry Chefs were preparing it and the only way to summon the Lord and get to the myrrh tree was to eliminate all the chefs."
I would never understand how Yukes remembered all that stuff let alone recalled it at the snap of a finger. I wished I had been born a Yuke. Then I'd be taller, smarter, and more 'magical' then Ms. I'm-all-that. …Know what, forget that; it's a selfish type of wish anyways and if I die here I don't want it to count against me. I'd wished to be someone else I don't know how many times and I don't want 'them' to add another tally mark to my sins or whatever they score up there.
Larissa dipped her head in remembrance, smile brightening. "Ah yes. I remember now. When he didn't get his supper in time, he came storming out into the courtyard with a rage that could rival a Lilty's." She tried to put a light tone to the subject, but all the memories seemed to do was damper our confidence even more.
Cadell bowed his head in reminiscence, hands balled into fists and quaking with rage caused by reasons I didn't understand and probably never would. Something had happened here…
"That either must have been one good meal they were preparing or he was really, really hungry," I commented, padding over to join the group at Rangune's side. Lame joke, but whatever. Maxwell's words rang clearly in my ears, Brightness and cheerfulness is contagious.
Larissa shot me a grateful smile, Rin Tara just ignored me, Cadell stopped shaking at least, and Rangune was too fascinated in every little crack in the wall to even notice a meteor smashing into him, let alone hear my futile attempt at humor.
Weren't we just fantastic in the team cooperation category? I sometimes wondered how we made it four myrrh trees—at least when I joined the group—without one member of our little unit dying. I would almost say that it'd be better for each one of us to just go to a different myrrh tree and meet back up later. If one us died a horrible death, then that was just something we had to live, er, die with.
"We should head in further," Rin Tara stated, breaking the silence enveloping us once again. "Perhaps the myrrh tree is regenerating this season or by chance there may be another caravan already stalking these grounds." Swinging her racket over her shoulder, the Selkie's gaze swept over Cadell, as if assessing his stability at the moment and whether or not he should really take lead with his condition.
Let me make this perfectly clear: Cadell was not and never will be a follower. Example, on my first mission with the squad at Mushroom Forest, we had split into groups. Larissa and Rangune, me and Rin Tara,—this was when we weren't hating on each other—and Cadell all by his lonesome self. From his perspective, I was just a Shella girl who didn't know how to fight and was about to go into the belly of the beast with only an unreliable (to me that is) Selkie as my defense. He would have nothing of it and I think I could kind of see his point. He probably also didn't trust me alone with one of his most trusted companions...
Before I go on, let me clear something up for you. Cadell is the protector of the team. Sure, Larissa has a big shield but Cadell is the one that would fight to the bone for any one of us—and I think that includes me. If we had a family thing going on, he would be the tough, overprotective father. Larissa would take up the role as a caring mother; Rin Tara, a vain older sister; Rangune, the intellectual and klutzy scholar; and I… I didn't really have a place yet. Still testing the waters I guess. I don't want to get too attached because if I just get kicked back to Shella I do not want to arrive in tears. I would never hear the end of it from the town gossipers.
Back to Cadell and my first mission… Well, Rin Tara actually went against him and gave him orders. This was a big no-no in the group as I had soon found. It wasn't that he wouldn't listen to people, it was just...at that particular time, Rin Tara was trying to take over and I suppose he didn't like that. You had to be there to fully understand it. Cadell was furious but Rin Tara just dismissed it with the excuse of needing to talk to me. It was around the time we left Cadell fuming in the mushrooms thingies that she finally discovered I was a hybrid. Thus, the cold war began.
Rin Tara comes from a line of pure-bred Selkies who don't believe in inter-mixing/inter-breeding. They still clung to the hope that Selkies would one day return to the seas and live the happy-go-lucky lifestyle they had deserved. (Wake up and smell the miasma people. They have legs; they live on land and aren't sprouting gills any time soon.) Of course, Rin Tara inherited these beliefs and I was kind of the one thing she despised more than miasma so…yeah… We haven't gotten along at all since then. Before, she was tolerable; now, not so much.
Yet again, back on track with Cadell. (I'm straying more than I need to.) So, like I said, Rin Tara gave him orders to follow his path and he threw a fit. Seriously, he looked like a little kid that didn't get his way. It was hilarious. Happy story so far, wouldn't you say? Forget the fact that Cadell defied her orders and actually ended up…saving…our…butts because, well, that doesn't matter. Technicalities. What's important is the fact that Rin Tara nearly got her head bit off for that one little thing. She was glad she only got off with water duties for the remainder of the year.
The moral of the story is, do not ever give Cadell a command or take the lead whenever he is capable of such things. That's like telling a father he couldn't be a father anymore. You're just asking for trouble and a severe, old-century styled whipping. It wasn't that he was obsessive with always being the leader because once and a while, if it were best for the team, he would let someone else contribute to the team. My guess would be that he just wanted to shoulder the blame himself if anything went wrong. If someone else took lead at the time, they would be condemning themselves for the incident. Like a father figure, Cadell didn't want that. I suppose it was sweet in way; sometimes I found his over protectiveness annoying. I could fight my own battles thank you very much.
At least that was my conclusion. I couldn't really talk since I had only been here for two missions and wasn't really close to Cadell per say--yes, I thought he was the best-looking Clavat this side of Shella, but that didn't really qualify me to judge him. But, this was what I had come up with so far. He did have leadership skills and did let others take the lead when absolutely neccessary but otherwise...he, I guess, wanted to bear the burden alone.
Therefore, question his leadership either out loud or mentally like Rin Tara was doing, and you were just asking for it.
As predicted, Cadell's head snapped up when he felt the older female's silver eyes on him. A scowl crossed his lips and with stubbornness that could rival a Lilty's, he grabbed the hilt of his sword and halted the quaking his body was involuntarily doing. "I'm fine," he declared harshly, answering the unsaid question. "I'm perfectly fine." He gave his head a good shake to clear whatever thoughts were swirling around behind his eyes, finally noticing the group gazing at him, awaiting commands.
We go in and kick some tail; how hard could it be?
"So," I started, grin playing across my lips. "What are your orders, oh Captain?" I made sure to put a thick accent on the word Captain, earning a stifled giggle from Larissa.
Rangune made a noise that sounded like a chuckle, though muffled by his helmet. "We shall follow you into the depths of hell, sir." He was trying to play along; I had to give him credit for that. His words came out a little more serious then intended though. But it was quite amusing to hear him try to imitate a Lilty accent.
Blinking in surprise, Cadell's gaze swept over us. I tried to look ready to take on the world, but I'm not sure if my facial expression came out right. I was trying not to laugh at Rin Tara's exasperated appearance.
Larissa's quiet voice drifted through the air and I was quite sure that it was only meant for Cadell's ears alone. But, hey, what could I do? It wasn't my fault I had perfect hearing and it technically wasn't eavesdropping since I was only—what—six feet from the two? Clavats' had this strange ability to speak in almost inaudible voices to one another. Usually it was only used among the women to pass on town gossip but I suppose every Clavat learned it sooner or later.
"Everything will be fine. We won't let that happen again. I promise."
What in the name of miasma did she mean by 'that'? If you hadn't already guessed, I hated being left in the dark or being kept secrets from. Really, when someone says that they won't tell you something because they don't want you to worry, you're probably already worrying about what it is. So, then, what's the point?
"I know… I know… …Keep an eye on Roane for me."
I clicked my tongue in annoyance, earning a perplexed look from Rangune—the only reasonable male on this caravan. Again with the protectiveness! I could beat him in a fist-fit for the love of Shella! When was he going to get it through his thick skull that I could take care of myself! I had been doing it for ten years in a racist city and I could sure as hell do it now!
Rant over. Moving on… No, wait one second… THAT STUPID, EGOTISTICAL, IDIOTIC, PARANOID MORON OF SIMPLE CREATION!! Okay, after screaming mentally, I felt better.
If you couldn't already tell, I didn't like being taken care off. Damsel in Distress didn't fit me at all.
"Let's move out," Cadell said suddenly, interrupting my thoughts as he started towards the courtyard, making sure to keep on the walkway bordering it. Rin Tara followed him without question, a small smile on her face as she took up her normal position on his right side. Glancing back at me, she mimed a scoff, coldly turning her back on me.
Real mature.
Rolling my eyes, I reluctantly jogged after the two, Rangune padding after me and Larissa taking up the rear. I hated to admit it, but they were the two I felt most comfortable around. Rangune: probably because I had grown up around Yukes and Larissa because she was just too darn sweet to hate. Saint would fit her perfectly if it weren't for the fact that she was killer when she had a sword in her hand.
Rin Tara and Cadell were quietly discussing whatever important matters we had in the front, sometimes going silent as the passed a door before starting up again. Other than their whispers, it was eerily soundless. The kind of quietness that made you scream 'Don't you in the basement!!' at suspenseful moments in a play. Cadell glanced back at us more than once and I simply gave him a small, taunting wave each time he did. Rangune merely studied and Larissa was warily searching the area around us.
Gazing around at the stone walls, red sky, forbidding courtyard, and massive doors, I finally felt the usual dungeon ambiance that accompanied every other monster's den 'd been through.
"Welcome to Moschet Manor," Rangune whispered to me, features hardening as he looked towards the courtyard.
I halted in my tracks, feeling the cold wind sweep along my bare arms and legs as I too turned towards the plaza. Larissa treaded the few paces to join our little cluster and was also assessing the yard with a solemn expression.
The motionless statues that had sent shivers up my spine weren't on their pedestals anymore. Instead, five Coeurls stalking about the green grass took their place, eyes hungry as they tasted the air.
Great, the fiends were out to play and they didn't look like your average pussy-cat.
I couldn't stop the shudder going through me. Looked like I was right; this was a darling place to stay, especially if you wanted to be Coeurl chow.
What a fun place this would be. Not.
A/N: This will be a three-shot or four-shot thing so that's it for right now. Reviews are appreciated and encouraged. Face it, we can't write without feedback. I did try my best on this but I feel like it fell short compared to my other works. Ah well, can't change anything now.
Again, review people! I need to know what y'all think about this! I live for reviews! (Okay maybe I'm exaggerating.) Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this and until next time!


text:
By Julia Anne Matheson and Michael R. Justus, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, Washington, D.C. IP attorneys: meet IP address ownership, the next-generation property dispute. Every device that connects to the internet, from laptops to smart phones, is assigned a unique address called an internet protocol address. The IP address allows the device to communicate with other devices on the Internet. Unlike domain names, IP addresses typically receive little attention from litigants and the courts. A battle is brewing, however, over IP address ownership rights. Three groups stand divided: those who believe that IP addresses may be owned, bought, and sold as property; those who believe that IP addresses do not constitute property, but rather are shared identifiers like phone numbers; and those who simply wait for clarity on the issue, unsure of their rights. So far, the ownership question remains unanswered by the courts. Indeed, no court has directly addressed the issue of property rights in IP addresses. Meanwhile, individuals and companies continue to sell or transfer (or consider selling or transferring) large blocks of IP addresses without a clear understanding of what or who may regulate or restrict such transactions. ICANN, ARIN, and the Legacy RSA The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a nonprofit organization, manages and coordinates the Domain Name System and oversees the distribution of unique IP addresses and domain names. To assist with worldwide IP address allocation, ICANN designated five regional IP address registries. The American Registry for Internet Numbers Ltd., or ARIN, has been the sole authorized administrator of IP addresses in North America since 1997. All IP addresses obtained in North America after ARIN's 1997 appointment are subject to the terms of ARIN's service agreements, which place a number of restrictions on IP address holders, including restrictions on the transfer of IP addresses. It is unclear, however, whether IP addresses obtained pre-1997, known as "legacy addresses," are subject to ARIN's authority. ARIN does not explicitly claim control over legacy addresses, but it has not clearly admitted to a lack of authority either. In fact, ARIN encourages legacy-address holders to voluntarily submit to ARIN's authority by executing a service agreement known as the Legacy Registration Services Agreement or "Legacy RSA." ARIN touts the Legacy RSA as a contractual guarantee of certain benefits, including the grandfathering of certain protected rights and reduced annual fees. ARIN sent the Legacy RSA to known legacy address holders with a "deadline" of Dec. 31, 2011, by which to sign the agreement. It is unclear what will happen to non-compliant legacy holders after the deadline passes, especially given the uncertainty surrounding ARIN's authority over legacy addresses. In fact, ARIN has extended the Legacy RSA deadline twice already and may choose to do so again rather than aggressively pursuing other avenues. Legacy holders must weigh the pros and cons of signing the Legacy RSA. Among the pros, Legacy RSA adopters receive a number of protected rights, including the following: ARIN will not terminate a Legacy RSA for its convenience;• ARIN will not reduce the services it provides to legacy address holders; ARIN will not revoke unused legacy addresses unless the legacy holder breaches the agreement; and Legacy holders may choose to adopt the terms of any later Legacy RSA at their discretion… Read this entire article for free, simply activate your free 15 day trial access to Patent Trademark & Copyright Journal now. Patent Trademark & Copyright Journal First Name(required) Last Name(required) Email(valid email required) Job Title(required) Organisation(required) Address(required) Address 2 City(required) ZIP/Postal Code(required) Country(required) Phone(required) Verification I would like to receive occasional emails about product updates and special offers cforms contact form by delicious:days
Read more detail on Recent Business Law Posts –Legal notice about the BNA INSIGHTS: IP Addresses for IP Attorneys: A Primer on Emerging Issues rubric : Hukuki Net Legal News is not responsible for the privacy statements or other content from Web sites outside of the Hukuki.net site. Please refer the progenitor link to check the legal entity of this resource hereinabove.
Do you need High Quality Legal documents or forms related to BNA INSIGHTS: IP Addresses for IP Attorneys: A Primer on Emerging Issues?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Self Description: Good afternoon, my dear! I'm very happy to write and tell a little about myself. My name is Karina and I live in Kiev. It seems to me that many in Ukraine do not know how to have fun. But it's not our fault. Many people used to work hard, take care of family and do not pay attention to the most important thing - just enjoy life!
Comments: I need to find man who will protect me from all world! I will be care about our family happiness.
2018 Seminar Schedule
Euro Club


text:
Letters of Credit Documents - Proforma Invoice
Proforma Invoice
A proforma invoice is not a valid invoice in terms of accounting. Because of this reason proforma invoices can not be recorded as an accounts receivable by the exporters nor can they be recorded as an accounts payable by the importers. Proforma invoices are widely used in todays international trade transactions in substitution of sales contracts. It is easy to create a one page proforma invoice instead of writing a multiple page in detail sales contract.
A proforma invoice to be used in an international trade transaction should cover below points :
Name of the Exporter, address and contact details.
Name of the Importer, address and contact details.
Title of the document, proforma invoice number, proforma invoice date : "Proforma Invoice Date : 26.June.2012", "Proforma Invoice No : PI26062012"
Definition of goods : "Crushing and Screening Machine" etc...
Delivery term : "CIF NEW YORK PORT, Incoterms 2010", "FOB STOCKHOLM PORT, Incoterms 2000" etc...
Quantity, Unit Price, Currency, Total Price : "10Mtons of "Titanium Dioxide Rutile" from 3.000USD per Mton, Total Amount is 30.000,00USD CIF HAMBURG PORT, Incoterms 2010."
Payment Terms : "Irrevocable Letter of Credit payable at 90 Days from Bill of Lading Date", "Cash Aginst Documents at Sight" etc...
Delivery Period : "4 weeks after confirmation", "5 weeks after issuance of the letter of credit"
Bank account details of the exporter and all other additional conditions regarding the sales.
Proforma Invoices in Letters of Credit Transactions :
After seller (exporter) and buyer (importer) agreed upon certain conditions of the transaction, buyer demands a proforma invoice from the exporter.
Exporter prepares the proforma invoice on their company letterhead and completes it with a signature.
Exporter sends the proforma invoice by e-mail and/or air courrier to the importer. Most of the times an e-mail copy of the proforma invoice would be sufficient for the importers.
Importer applies to its bank with the proforma invoice to open a letter of credit in favor of the exporter.
Banks will be using the details on the proforma invoice along with the information they gather from the importers via "Letter of Credit (L/C) Application Forms" (Import Documentary Credit Application Forms).
As a common practice banks refer to proforma invoice date and number on the description of goods part of letters of credit texts.
Special Hints on Proforma Invoices for Letters of Credit Transactions :
You can not present a document titled "Proforma Invoice" instead of "Invoice" or "Commercial Invoice". It is forbidden by current international standard banking practice, ISBP 2007. "A credit requiring an "invoice" without further definition will be satisfied by any type of invoice presented (commercial invoice, customs invoice, tax invoice, final invoice, consular invoice, etc.).
However, invoices identified as "provisional", "pro-forma" or the like are not acceptable.
When a credit requires presentation of a commercial invoice, a document titled "invoice" will be acceptable.
UCP 600 article 4-b : Credits v. Contracts states that "An issuing bank should discourage any attempt by the applicant to include, as an integral part of the credit, copies of the underlying contract, proforma invoice and the like." This is because of the fact that the contract between exporter and importer is not connected with the letter of credit that will be issued in favor of the applicant. Which means that the applicant will be paid by the issuing bank as long as applicant comply with the terms and conditions of the credit.
Proforma Invoice Sample for Letters of Credit Transactions
You can reach a sample proforma invoice in Microsoft Excel (xls) document from this
Home Page
Letter of Credit Consultancy |
Our Services
| CDCS (Certified Documentary Credit Specialist) |
About Us
Contact Us
Letter of Credit Samples
is your gateway to International Trade Finance World designed & developed by a Certified Documentary Credit Specialist.
Most Recent Articles
Must Read Articles
Questions & Answers
How to Work with Letters of Credit
Case Studies and Examples
Must Read Articles
Most Recent Articles
What is proforma invoice? How can we use a proforma invoice ina letter of credit transaction?
In international trade transactions, a proforma invoice means a trade document that states a commitment from the seller (exporter) to sell goods to the buyer (importer) at specified conditions.
Letter of Credit
About Us
Our Services
Certified Documentary Credit Specialist
|© 2009-2010 Letter of Credit Consultancy Services. All rights reserved. Best view with 1024 X 768 resolution.
Privacy Policy
Hi, my name is "Ozgur Eker" (CDCS). You can connect with me either via my
contact form
Google Plus
Letter of Credit Basics
Letter of Credit Rules
Country Insights
understanding letters of credit from the issuance of a proforma invoice
can lc refer to proforma invoice
how to write deferred payment lc in proforma
international proforma invoice format+incoterms
letter of credit proforma invoice template
letter of credit,proforma invoice,discrepancy
Letter of Credit Types
At Sight Payment Letter of Credit Sample
Deffered Payment Letter of Credit Sample
Standby Letter of Credit Sample
How to work with a letter of credit sample?
How to read sample letters of credit?
What is Letter of Credit?
Types of Letters of Credit - Part I
Types of Letters of Credit - Part II
Parties to Letters of Credit
Risks in Letters of Credit
Basic Letter of Credit Transaction
Availability of Letters of Credit
Confirmation and Confirmed Letter of Credit
Letter of Credit Fees
UCP 600 online
UCP Latest Version
International Standard Banking Practice - 2007 Edition (ISBP 2007)
International Standard Banking Practice - 2013 Edition (ISBP 2013)
URR 725 - The Uniform Rules for Bank-to-Bank Reimbursements under Documentary Credits
Incoterms 2000
Incoterms 2010
Brazil Country Report
Canada Country Report
China Country Report
United Kingdom Country Report
United States Country Report
All Country Reports - Country Home Page
Commercial Letter of Credit
Standby Letter of Credit
Irrevocable Letter of Credit
Revocable Letter of Credit
Transferable Letter of Credit
Back-to-Back Letters of Credit
Advance Payment (Red Clause) Letters of Credit
Confirmed Letter of Credit
Suggested Reading Table
Multimodal Bill of Lading
Non-negotiable Bill of Lading
Charter Party Bill of Lading
Road Transport Document
Air Transport Document
Commercial Invoice
Packing List
Bill of Exchange
Like us on Facebook
Visit us on Youtube
Follow us on Twitter
Packing List Discrepancies
Inspection Certificate Discrepancies
Multi Modal Bill of Lading Discrepancies
Bill of Lading Discrepancies
Commercial Invoice Discrepancies
Insurance Policy Discrepancies
Certificate of Origin Discrepancies
Case Studies & Examples
Questions and Answers
How to...
Trade Shows


text:
Happiness is waking up on a new day, your money is not devalued overnight,
the raspberry pecan roll is still eighty-eight cents a piece,
you can still make your mortgage payment,
for a place you call home,
where you have the arms of loved ones to come back to.
Happiness is after a full day of research,
you feel hungry,
and foolish,
just as Mr. Jobs advised.
There is a place
where writers do not send their works abroad to seek publishing;
where the sight of police does not make you tremble;
where the rich do not have to worry about kidnapping;
the poor wont have their last bread taken away.
Happiness is when days go by as usual.
The boys and girls glued to their phones as usual,
the old folks talk about dentures as usual.
the Chinese restaurant is still called "Thailand Cafe",
the ambulances rushing down the traffic as usual.
When the night comes down,
The street lamps light up.
If you are that kid who is thinking about quitting high school,
or the woman who is tired of your spouse;
if you are mad at the world,
or pained by the discomforts of going to the bathroom that comes with aging,
there is someone holding your hand,
listening to you.
Happiness is knowing the person you said "goodbye" to in the morning,
will come back in the evening,
and smelly.
Socks kicked under the chair,
as usual.


text:
Current Members
There are many ways for our current members to find help and support from Mastokids!
Facebook Group: Our Facebook Group is completely private. It is a great way to ask questions and get answers from others who are in similar situations as you are.
Email List: Our email list allows every member the opportunity to stay up to date with what Mastokids offers as well as other information and updates of mastocytosis. It's a great way to stay connected consistently!
Each new member is added to the email list once approved.


text:
Each year thousands of people leave the UK after having worked and paid tax and National Insurance (NI) contributions. This article will help you to learn if you can claim any of your NI back.
- How much is National Insurance Tax?
- Can I claim an National Insurance refund if I am leaving the UK?
- What are the requirements to claim a NI rebate?
- Can I come back to live/work in the UK if I claim a National Insurance Refund?
- How much will my NI refund be?
How much is National Insurance Tax?
Most people pay National Insurance at the rate of 11% of their earnings.
Can I claim a National Insurance refund if I am leaving the UK?
No, but you can claim a PAYE tax refund. If you are planning on leaving the UK you can apply here:
What are the requirements to claim a PAYE rebate?
You need to have worked and paid national tax in the UK. You can make a claim now even if you are not planning on leaving for sometime.
Can I come back to live/work in the UK if I claim a tax refund?
Claiming a tax refund does not affect your eligibility to live and work in the UK. To learn more about claiming your tax back from the Inland Revenue you can watch the video below:
How much will my tax refund be?
This will depend on your age and your income. You can use our calculator here to get an estimate.


text:
Eric Fite works with a team of dedicated insurance professionals to provide the clients of Skylight Insurance with world-class customer service. After completing college at the University of Texas at Dallas with a Degree in Business and a brief stint in Colorado at a marketing firm, Eric began his career in real estate and insurance with his family's 3-generation real estate firm, CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company, serving the Dallas/Fort Worth marketplace since 1937.
While working as the Director of Operations for the firm for over 15 years, Eric also began leading the in-house insurance agency operations for the company. He gained significant insight into how to create a successful insurance agency by aligning with insurance carriers that offer high quality insurance products, having systems and efficiencies in place to respond quickly to clients' needs, and building rewarding relationships with our clients and business partners.
As President of Skylight Insurance, which serves the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota, Eric is focused on providing the best experience possible for every customer. Client loyalty comes with great product, pricing and service, and Skylight has made that its mission.
Eric holds several designations including Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB), and Accredited Customer Service Representative (ACSR). He is a graduate of the Brian Buffini Peak Producers Program and the REALOGY Ascend Executive Leadership Experience. However, his greatest accomplishments are his wife, Rachel, and their four amazing children.


text:
The Bayer Breeze 2 test strips work with the Bayer Breeze 2 Meter.
For a softer and more accurate way to check your glucose levels, try the Bayer Breeze 2 Blood Glucose Test Strips. These blood glucose testing strips require only a small blood sample, so testing your blood sugar levels is limited as possible from a painful experience. The Bayer Breeze2 Testing Strips feature multi-test disc that allows you to measure your sugar level several times, eliminating the risk of dropping or losing individual strips. The Bayer No Coding Technology means the strips self code when you slip them inside the blood glucose meter, ignoring interfering substances, so you get the most accurate results every single time. Available in a 100ct size as well, these blood glucose strips do not require any coding, so that testing your blood glucose level is a faster process.
Bayer Breeze2 Strips are not compatible with all Breeze meters, only the Breeze 2 Glucose Monitor.
10% w/w glucose oxidase (Aspergillus niger, 24 U/mg)
68.5% w/w potassium ferricyanide
21.5% w/w nonreactive ingredients
Contains 5 discs (50 test strips)
Best Expiration Date Guaranteed!


text:
Embryonic stem cell research
G442/0376 Rights Managed
530 pixels on longest edge, unwatermarked
Request/Download high-res file
Uncompressed file size: 25.3MB
Downloadable file size: 753.0KB
Please login to use the price calculator
Credit: PHILIPPE PLAILLY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Release details: Model release not available. Property release not required.
Keywords: 20s, adult, belgian, belgium, biological, biologist, biology, brussels, caucasian, cell biologist, cell biology, computer, culture, cultured, cytologist, cytology, display, embryonic, embryonic stem cell, equipment, europe, european, examining, female, hesc, hescs, human, instrument, lab, laboratory, light micrograph, light microscope, lm, medical, medicine, people, person, pluripotent, research, researcher, researching, science, scientific, scientist, screen, starlab, stem cell, stem cell researcher, twenties, white, woman
Licence fees: A licence fee will be charged for any media (low or high resolution) used in your project.


text:
I like games. I enjoy uncovering clues and deciphering riddles. I also like technology and gadgets. So how cool is it that the classic treasure hunt has been merged with technology to create something called geocaching. Using a GPS device, you can treasure hunt in your own backyard. So, how do you get started?
Go to www.geocaching.com and register for the free basic account. Then you can enter your postal code or your coordinates and get a list of the nearest geocashes in your area. The hunt is on! Once you find a cache, usually some kind of box, you can sign the log inside and exchange something for one of the treasures you find in the box. The website has tutorials and a wealth of safety tips and information.
The best thing is that they are all over the place. Literally right under your nose. There's even one at Lilly's haunt, the clayton dog park!
So, who wants to geek it up with me and go on a techy treasure hunt? I think it would be a great activity for kids, and kids of all ages.


text:
Here, not only is the setting perfect with stone walls and tall trees; the wines are wonderful and the company delightful.
GLOCESTER, R.I. — The value of eating local is well established as being better for you and the environment.
Think now about drinking local, like grape to glass.
Why not do it where the winemaker is the guy manning the tasting bar? There's so much to sip and to learn when the artisan making the wine is standing there with you.
Such is the arrangement at one of Rhode Island's smallest wineries, Mulberry Vineyards, set in woodsy Chepachet. Here, not only is the setting perfect with stone walls and tall trees; the wines are wonderful and the company delightful.
Mulberry's proprietors David and Melissa Wright purchased their historic 1730 farm, the Andrew Brown homestead, in 2011. For the past three years, Mulberry's tasting room has been in the outbuilding that greets visitors who travel up the long driveway that winds off Pound Road.
Even as guests walk up the stairs to the second-floor tasting room, you can hear the wine talk between Wright and earlier-arriving guests. He might be suggesting a wine as a good apéritif or offering a taste of his Chardonnay, Pinot Gris or Cabernet Sauvignon.
"Pinot Noir is the kissing cousin to Gamay Noir," he tells a group of women who are on a wine trail and will next stop at Johnston's Verde Vineyard to taste Jim Verde's St. Croix red wine.
The space has a lodge feel with wood-burning stove and it suits the winemaker and his wines. The store portion of the space is a bit sparse right now. He's sold out of Riesling and Pinot Noir but will have more in the spring. The wines sell for between $16 and $24.
On the first floor is his wine cellar, a space he cleared of thousands of VCR tapes when they bought the house. Now it houses the equipment he needs to build the business one barrel at a time.
"You need something to make money and something that has to do with your passion," Wright said, explaining why he isn't a full-time winemaker. He is a family man, after all, and he and wife Melissa have two children and a third on the way. His day job is in IT and on the weekends he works in the tasting room. Depending on the season, he's making wine in between.
The University of Rhode Island graduate studied entomology, chemistry and microbiology, and also took food science classes identifying different levels of alcohols within the local wines. He consulted for local vineyards on pest management. In 1999, he leased some land in Coventry and planted three acres.
With Mulberry Vineyards, Wright hopes to plant vines on 10 to 20 acres of his property. The homestead is 40 acres. He said the soil is good for some varieties of grapes thanks to the glaciers that moved through way back when, and the region's warm days and cool nights are good for grapes.
Right now, the land is still wooded and it will be a major project requiring time and equipment. He buys his grapes from Oregon, California and Chile. He pays up front for the fruit so he gets the best grapes.
Getting a winery up and running is an expensive proposition.
Wright bought nine wine barrels made of Romanian oak that imparts the flavor he wants. Their cost? "A new SUV," he said.
The barrels sit in the middle of a room full of winemaking equipment. Wright will gladly share details and answer questions. Showing the wine press, he explains how the white grapes are pressed immediately but red ones sit on their skins for a few weeks before pressing. He'll talk about making a wine that will develop in the bottle and be stable without preservatives. Most of the industry uses preservatives, he said.
Wright shares details of a winemaker's labors, discussing the time it takes to clean and sterilize of all the equipment before he even begins crushing any grape.
Mostly, he'll talk about his wines. The Chardonnay is crisp and full-bodied. The Pinot Gris, smooth with natural apple and pear flavors. The Cabernet Sauvignon rich with flavor.
But the best part of a Saturday or Sunday at Mulberry is the tasting. It's $5 and includes the wines he has in stock. But if you're lucky, Wright will pull out what he calls his mistakes. On a recent visit, he pulled out two and both were great for sipping. They hardly tasted like errors.
It seems the toughest critic of Mulberry Vineyards is the winemaker.
— email@example.com
(401) 277-7266
On Twitter: @gailciampa
Details: Mulberry Vineyards, 95 Pound Road, Chepachet, (401) 217-9288, mulberryvineyards.com. Open Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
By the numbers
Production is 450 cases a year
1 barrel produces 59 bottles of wine
They crush 12½ tons of grapes
2½ tons are used to make Cabernet Sauvignon


text:
DISCLAIMER: The testimonials on this page represent a small sampling of clients the firm has helped and their personal views on our firm. Please note that all cases are different and case results depend upon a variety of factors unique to each case. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case.
My Name is Leisha and I want to say that I am Super Satisfied with Attorney Jordan and her Team, She has had my husband case for the past 4 yrs I can say every single process has been done as said, they always explained everything to us and make sure we clearly understand everything before we leave her office.I can say from a 1 to 10 score I'll scored her and her team a 1000. Our case has come to the end and we want to say we couldn't get any better service and support from our attorney Jordan and her Team! I recommend her with my eyes close. And like I said before our case has come to and end, but in our hearts and prayers they will always be!! Jordan you are awesome Thank you for your all I will never have enough to pay you what you have done for us God Bless you! Jessica Thank you so much you are awesome, And Dayris wow Jordan has the best next to her, thank you thank you for everything for being that source of quick communication to My hubby from day one!!
To all of you thank you and God bless you all!!
Holman & Leisha June 25, 2017
I met Jordan Forsythe in 2008 and asked her to help me and my family. I first came to the USA from Haiti in March 2007 and started living in Statesville. My wife and 2 daughters came to Statesville also in March 2008. Jordan helped with everything through our case. She is very understanding and a good person. She likes to help people and to understand people's stories. She went to Virginia for an interview with me and helped me with the interview.
Now my kids will come next year and this is a very good thing to be all together again. Jordan is helping us with this part of my case too. For me, I'm not going to choose any other lawyer. Jordan is the best lawyer for us. If anybody has a case with Jordan, they will have an awesome lawyer.
Mr. Daniels December 19, 2016
Mr Mercer Cauley and his staff thru their knowledge, professionalism and hard work helped me became an American citizen.
Calin April 1, 2016
My family and I were living in the USA illegally for 12 years after our visitors visas expired. When I got shot during a robbery my family and I hired Attorney Forsythe to help us come out of the shadow. She did her best to get our U visas approved, from 2011 till 2014. Before those U visas expired she advised us to apply for the Green Cards to avoid falling back into illegality. Attorney Forsythe did her best, and in February 2015 (after renewing our work permits in 2014), we got our green cards approved. Now we all are Legal Permanent Residents…working legally. We even travel overseas without fear…
Attorney Forsythe is very Knowledgeable about visa matters; she is very friendly, very nice and she is always ready to stop whatever she was doing to come and help her clients. Since the first day we went to her Law Firm, she treated us with a strong professionalism, dignity and respect making us feel that there was still hope of getting out of the shadow one day. Today my whole family has become green cards holders because of the good work of Attorney Forsythe and her staff. I would strongly recommend her to anyone who has an immigration case no matter how simple or complex the problem is. Once again thank you so much Attorney Forsythe and may God bless you tremendously in Jesus Christ name.
Annie K.M. March 31, 2016
As far as I'm concern the best immigration lawyer I ever meet I'm happy to have him and thank god for having him as my lawyer from day one he told me not to worry he will take care my situation and he did I wish everyone that is in the same situation like me to have him as there lawyer and they will never regret it
Mamudou February 16, 2016
Jordan Forsythe and her staff helped us in every step of the immigration process, including assistance in translations. They gave us a complete breakdown of the process, and the estimated timeframe for each step in the process. Ivoni and her children are with me now and I am certain the timeframe would have been much longer if we had not had Ms. Forsythe's invaluable assistance.
Doug and Ivoni February 16, 2016
I try lots of lawyers non of them can help me they were just telling me to go back then they will do the process to get me back here in the United States which i wasn't buying but a friend told me about Cauley law firm I went to consult him with the advice he was telling me I knew that's the guy that I found the right person if he tells you that he can do it after you explain your situation to him trust me don't hesitate he is the right lawyer you needed I thank god for the opportunity to have him as my immigration lawyer I hope my all fellow immigrants out there will have the opportunity to have him as there immigration lawyer because he is good in what he does best thank you
Mohamed February 16, 2016
Mr. Cauley was very professional and knowledgeable. He took on my case after I was deported and advised me and helped move my case along until I was approved for my permanent residence. Any time I had a question or concern he was there by either email, or conference call. I would recommend his services to anyone looking for a reliable and honest lawyer.
Anonymous February 15, 2016
I hired the Cauley Law Firm to represent me during my asylum process. My case is in Court, but I just received my work permit, my social security and my driver's license. I felt very happy when I received these papers because every day I was no longer afraid of getting deported. I found attorney Cauley through my aunt, who attended one of his free talks at a school. She won a free consultation, and my aunt decided to use it so that I could speak to the attorney. I had spoken to other attorneys before, and they had taken a lot of my money and a lot of my time. They talked a lot but did nothing. When I met attorney Mercer things were different. He explained all the issues about my case to me, and he told me about all the opportunities available. It was obvious that he had a high understanding of the law, and he wasn't like the others. There was always an interpreter in all of the meetings, and they were dedicated to make sure I understood what was happening. If I didn't understand, they would explain things to me until they were clear. I would use this attorney again, and every time I ever needed one.
Nestor February 2, 2016
I have not had any problems during the time that I have worked with them. Last month I received a notification telling me that my U visa had been approved, and I also received my work permit, valid until 2019, which allowed me to get my driver's license. Now, I can move without fear of being stopped by the police, and without having to pay so much money in tickets for not having a driver's license. My U visa process was complex because the attorney had to work really hard to ensure the police department would sign my certification, but both he and Angelica were committed to helping me, and they got it done. They always helped me to communicate even though I couldn't speak English, and their payment plan was very sensible. They helped me with my situation. It has been very pleasant to work with an attorney who has a big heart, and one that doesn't want to take advantage of you. I always recommend him to people, and I tell them, "don't doubt about working with him. He helped me, and I know he can help you." I don't have family here in this country that can look after me, so I think God put him on my path. I am very grateful for all he has done for me. Blessings to all who helped me, and God bless America.
Ysabel February 2, 2016


text:
The Market is Open…Happy Shopping!
Schedule for Market Ordering and Pickup
Lilburn Members Pickup Location
All Saints Lutheran Church
Pickup Day and Time: Thursday 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Pickup Location:
722 Rockbridge Road SW
Lilburn, GA 30047
Click Here for Map
Ancient Awakenings
Here is your 'once-a-month' opportunity to order your favorite fermented veggies and drinks from Ancient Awakenings! Two of my favorites are Grape Kefir and Vanilla/Banana Coconut Kefir! Good for you and delicious! Order today!
Order now since you are just a click way!


text:
Slither (1973)
Slither Photos
Movie Info
Watch it now
as Dick Kanipsia
as Barry Fenaka
as Kitty Kopetzky
as Mary Fenaka
as Vincent J. Palmer
as Harry Moss
as Man with Ice Cream
as Man at Phone Booth
as Man with Camera
as Jogger
as Farmer in Truck
as Highway Patrolman
as Conductor
as Short Order Cook
as Band Singer
as Buddy
as Bingo Nut
as Bingo Caller
as Man in Men's Room
Critic Reviews for Slither
All Critics (5) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (4) | Rotten (1)
This movie has a nostalgic retro feel to it, like the old Universal horror movies that we now find very funny. But alas, where are all the drive-in theaters to show it in?
As with so many zombie movies, table manners have no place here--why should they when fresh intestines are on the menu? Gluttony, however, does bloom in Slither, and what it builds to is one savage little garden.
Audience Reviews for Slither
Sometimes amusing mashup of comedy and crime drama with an ambling mood and relaxed performances from its cast.
Super Reviewer
Slither Quotes
There are no approved quotes yet for this movie.


text:
CNET First Look
Sony BDP-S350The BDP-S350 has a small chassis, solid feature set, and relatively low price--but the PlayStation 3 is still a better value.
^M00:00:00 [ Music ] ^M00:00:02 >> Hi, I'm Mathew Moskoviciak, associate editor at cnet.com, and this is the Sony BDPS 350. Now this is a stand-alone Blu-Ray player from Sony. And what makes this product unique is that it's actually much smaller than most of the other Blu-Ray players we test. It's only a little bit larger than a standard Blu-Ray case in terms of depth. Now when you turn it on you'll notice that it has Sony's XMB graphical user interface, which is pretty nice. If you look on the front of the player underneath you'll see logos for things like Dolby True HD, which means it has on-board decoding for Dolby True HD, so you only need a receiver that's HTMI compliant to use it. You'll notice that it doesn't have DTS HD master audio. Now if you look at the spec sheet you'll notice that this is a profile 1.1 player, which means it can access bonus view features on some Blu-Ray discs. Now you'll notice that it's not a Blu-Ray 2.0 player, although Sony says advertisement going to update it with Firmwear update sometime in the future. That means that there are some discs that have Internet enabled features, and you won't be able to access those until the Firmware update. Now to do the profile 2.0 features you'll need to add USB storage to the device. And if you look around back there's a USB port labelled EXT. However, the USB port is recessed, so it's a little difficult to fit a standard USB stick in there. You'll need, like, an extra slim one. And we just had some standard ones that didn't fit in well at all. Now looking around back you'll notice the connectivity. There's an HTMI output, which is the main connection, and using that output you can get [Inaudible] video and 24 frames per second as well as high resolution audio. While this is one of the more impressive stand-alone players that we have seen, there is one other Blu-Ray player from Sony that is still a better value, and that is the PS 3. Most people are going to get a much bigger bang out of their buck with the Sony PlayStation 3, because it's also a high-def gaming system and it can stream media. I'm Matthew Moskoviciak from cnet.com, and this is the Sony BDPS 350. ^M00:02:05 [ Music ]


text:
Go to Admin » Appearance » Widgets » and move Gabfire Widget: Social into that MastheadOverlay zone
In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best idea for Nintendo to name its new flagship handheld device after its least important feature.
When the venerable Japanese gaming company unveiled the 3DS, the successor to its wildly popular DS handheld, in 2010, it retained the physical aesthetic of the DS — dual screens (one with touch functionality) in an attractive clamshell design — while adding more processing power.
But the marquee new feature was stereoscopic 3D, which lets characters such as Mario and Pikachu leap off the screen — without 3D glasses.
At the time, 3D televisions were the next big thing in consumer electronics. At Nintendo's E3 industry event press conference that year, press marvelled at the idea of playing games in 3D without having to wear dorky glasses.
Since then, consumers' infatuation with 3D — in theatres, on TV and in games — has faded.
Despite that, and Nintendo's focus on its newest console, the Switch, the popularity of 3DS has curiously endured.
When the 3DS first hit stores, gamers balked at its $ 249 Cdn price point. They saw little reason to upgrade from the DS, which already had a wide library of great games. In fact, the 3DS ended up being the weakest console launch for Nintendo since 1995's Virtual Boy (coincidentally, an earlier attempt at 3D gaming).
Less than six months later, Nintendo dropped the 3DS price by a staggering $ 80, to $ 169. Sales gradually picked up, bolstered by new games in fan-favourite series such as Pokemon, Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing.
Since then, only a handful of games use 3D in ways that changed how you played it. 3D stopped being the system's selling point.
The launch of the Nintendo 2DS in 2013 seemed to be the final admission of this. It's a lower-end model that plays all 3DS games, just not in 3D.
To casual observers, the death knell for what Nintendo now calls "the 3DS family of devices" might have come with the release of the Switch this past March, a home console that can also be played on the go.
The idea of Nintendo supporting a single platform for all of its games might sound too attractive to resist.
"Nintendo can give fans an amazing gift by slowly killing the 3DS," wrote Polygon's Ben Kuchera. "Imagine just going into the store and picking up the Switch in this situation. You're getting a console and a portable and you know that you'll have access to Nintendo's biggest releases moving forward. The purchasing decision will be made much simpler, inventory will be easier to manage and the Switch will be even more attractive to enthusiasts and casual players."
But Nintendo isn't there yet. The Switch sells for $ 399. Ranging from $ 110 to $ 240, the 3DS devices currently in production offer low- and mid-range alternatives. They also have more battery life on the go, and are easier to carry thanks to their smaller size.
What's more, they just keep selling. In its last earnings report, Nintendo said it has sold more than 67 million 3DSs (including 2DSs). They've consistently sold more than their previous home console, the Wii U, and even the Switch — despite the fact that the hardware is seven years old. That's an eternity when it comes to consumer tech products.
In April, rather than signal a hard pivot away from the 3DS to the Switch, Nintendo announced the refined, mid-priced New 2DS XL ($ 199).
Save for a minor cosmetic nip and tuck, the New 2DS XL is identical to its higher-end cousin, the New 3DS XL. It plays all 3DS games and runs the same software — just not in 3D.
More than anything else, the New 2DS XL's existence reiterates Nintendo's commitment to its dedicated handheld market, which it effectively has a monopoly over, as portable gaming has migrated mainly to smartphones. Plus, the closest competitor, Sony's Vita, has all but faded into oblivion.
Given its continued success, it's probably a long way off before the 3DS and 2DS ride off into the gaming sunset. But the seeds may have already been planted.
Nintendo announced earlier this year that the next major instalment in the Pokemon series is being developed for the Switch, and the next games in the series for the 2DS and 3DS, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon, are merely upgraded versions of last year's releases.
If anything marks the impending doom of a Nintendo handheld, it's the absence of a new Pokemon game. When it reaches the Switch some time next year, it's a fair bet that millions of 3DS and 2DS owners will be inclined to follow.
The 3DS line of devices includes multiple models with various hardware revisions since 2010, so it can be confusing at first glance. Here are the key differences.
The Nintendo 2DS, New Nintendo 2DS XL and New Nintendo 3DS XL can all play 3DS games, as well as games from the older DS handheld.
Only the New 3DS XL can output 3DS games in 3D. It doesn't play DS games in 3D.
The 2DS and New 2DS XL can play 3DS games, but don't support 3D.
The "New" prefix on the New 3DS XL and New 2DS XL means they have greater processing power than the standard 2DS (and the older, out-of-production standard 3DS models). They also have two extra shoulder buttons and a nub-like "C-stick" for extra camera controls. A small handful of games require these extra features, and cannot be played on the 2DS.


text:
Just Released!
There's Always a Bigger Conspiracy
For over fifty years, a religious cult has controlled the chemical industry. They have poisoned the genetic structure of all life on Earth to bring about an End of Days. The obesity epidemic is just a symptom.
But to Elaine Cassano and her intrepid team of conspiracy nuts, undead operatives, and alien scientists, death is just a chronic health condition. They set out to stop this genetic apocalypse by defeating the cult from within, while staying a step ahead of the FBI. It'll be tough to pull off, they think, but doable.
In the thrilling conclusion to the Obesity Conspiracy trilogy, Elaine will face modern biological horrors, mythical homicidal monsters, and the growing realization that she may be in a no-win situation.
"Great story telling and Stitcher is awesome." – Amazon Reviewer
"I even had to force myself to put it down before bed one night so I could sleep." – Amazon Reviewer
Five years after Elaine joined the obesity conspiracy, she is juggling a teenage son, bizarre alien scientists, and the conspiracy's manic mastermind. So when her food industry bosses decide to make the obesity epidemic a global pandemic, Elaine has to fight to keep her lab open. It requires sharply-honed talking points. She's got this.
But when a dogged FBI agent discovers the shallow graves of the conspiracy's past, everything completely falls apart. The FBI hounds her across the country, old friends betray her, and bodies start dropping. The last thing she needs is to fall in love. Especially with a food industry executive who wants to close her lab. She has always had the worst luck with romance.
But there is nothing quite like a toxic apocalypse to put your love life and career in perspective. When Elaine's scientists discover a doomsday side effect of the planet's growing environmental troubles, she realizes that ending the obesity epidemic may be humanity's only chance to survive.
"A terrifically fun romp through some serious topics." – Amazon Reviewer
"What's for breakfast takes a macabre turn." – Amazon Reviewer
"Kept me glued to the pages." – Amazon Reviewer
The obesity epidemic came out of nowhere and everywhere. It has attacked Americans of every sex, age, education, and income. No one knows how it happened or why. Everything and everyone has been blamed for it. And no one knows how to stop it. Intrepid government scientist Dr. Elaine Cassano has dedicated her life to fighting the epidemic, but it's become personal now that it has started to affect her son.
A bag of tainted chips thrusts her into a shadowy corporate underworld that is hell bent on making Americans obese, even if it means killing off skinny people. With custody of her overweight son on the line, Elaine has to stay one step ahead of corporate ghouls, extraterrestrials, and her own agency's bureaucrats to expose the conspiracy and save her son. But the shocking truth at the core of the conspiracy will make her question everything.


text:
I haven't written a story in a long time. I've been working on a novel, but I recently got into a high fantasy phase and it's making it tricksy to work on my very modern and not high fantasy novel. Also I've been sedentary and depressed or something. In any case, I wanted to get some of this fantasy mumbo malumbo out of my system. So I started to write and this is what came out.
Thirty One
Thirty One. That's the only name she has, because she came with no name.
She cracked out of a crystal seed nearly a month ago, and things are still changing. Everything is changing, and no one knows what to do. The others look to me and I have little to give. They look to me. I was always the last one anyone looked to for truth. For real things. For solutions. The poet, the dreamer, the storyteller. Who has need for stories in a world like this? A world where we know and understand and can touch everything?
Not anymore. Krakow has the final say about how to distribute the hot nectar that flows from the broken mountains, or who is chosen to be painted by the juice of the nefilfruit each bloomtime. But Thirty One came, and Krakow is silent. The others are saying that the silver has melted and dripped from his tongue, and he does not wish to open his mouth and let us see.
Amandrius's word takes hold when the flatlings come forth from the darkened places on the other side of the spiked mountains, or a violent storm births too many lightcaws to be felled by the rains and they fly down to scratch at is. We gather our frozenfire spears and our thunderslings and follow Amandrius's bellow out to do battle with our enemies. We do not know if Thirty One is an enemy. She is one of us, and yet she is not. We all turned to Amandrius for council. To see if he would blow his horn. He did not. We do not know if he is unsure or if he is afraid.
Lisilia peers into the nexttime to tell us what the clouds would bring, when it would be hot enough to hide in the shades so our skins would not burn. All of us listened when she spoke or sang, even Krakow. Even Amandrius. But Lisilia did not see Thirty One coming. She is something new. There has never been something new.
No one listens to me. They never have. Or, they listen, but it is idle. A fancy. I sing of hidden kingdoms in the clouds. Of a rare blue strain of hot nectar that grants the drinker golden wings that fly a hundred times as fast as our own. Of scaly beasts that slumber beneath the ground atop great piles of impossible objects the likes of which we cannot imagine.
But there are no kingdoms in the clouds. We have flown around and through them many times. There is no blue strain of nectar, and wings are never gold. There are no scaly beasts beneath the ground, or anything else that we have not seen and touched. We have been everywhere. We have seen everything. The imaginings of my fancies are hallucinations of an otherwise useless mind.
Always there have been thirty of us. At the dawn of things the crystal seeds cracked and we emerged. That was thousands of cycles of the world ago. We have been everywhere. We have seen everything. There was nothing new.
Then a new seed began to grow. It was nothing we could understand. Nothing we had ever seen before. It grew and it grew and finally it cracked. And she emerged. A new person. A new person for the first time in the history of forever. The thirty first. She had no name. We all had names, when we emerged. We knew them. Our own and each other's. But we did not know her name, because she had no name.
No one could name her so they turned to me. I called her Thirty One, and so she is. She is here, now. And everything is different.


text:
|Subscribe to our
Free Newsletter!
Get The Romance Writer's Handbook - Click Here
Romance Writing
Romance Resource Sites
Learning the Industry
Coping with Rejection
Fall in love with the new "SuperRomance" line of full-length romantic novels from eHarlequin and receive 2 free novels, plus a mystery gift!
Romantic Links
|| Home | Site Map | Articles | Links | Writing Courses |
| Market Listings | Book Store | Romance Freebies |
| About Us | Contact Us |
|© Copyright 2000-2010 Romance.Fiction
Romance.Fiction Factor.com is a subsidiary of the FictionFactor Group
All work remains the property of Fiction Factor, unless expressly granted by written permission from the author. Individual articles remain the sole property of the original author.


text:
----- coke zombie...
----- Minister for Education, Innovation, Science & Research. "There is no problem which cannot be solved by suitable application of blunt force" Unknown http://tinyurl.com/5mc6nc R.I.P Josh Woods
----- Quote by Disco Edit: I got my own age wrong? o_0
----- AL Gore; Finally, I get to save the Earth with deadly lasers instead of deadly slideshows!
----- The no.1 steroid taking art loving homophobic grotesque meathead sizzler eating red bull drinking thug prat with a weapon. superfeirydave: I love you tinbane, and I want your protein. http://www.ineedalongurlinmytagcozofmyshitphonebrowser.com


text:
Broadcast Electronic Media Arts (BEMA)
City College of San Francisco
CCSF's Broadcast Electronic Media Arts Department (BEMA) prepares students for university transfer and provides lifelong learners and degree holders the opportunity to upgrade workplace skills and prepare for career transition.
From a selection of 47 classes offered throughout the year, students can learn about the design and creation of content for electronic media with a focus on writing, storytelling, teamwork, leadership, production craft skills and emerging technologies. Media literacy is emphasized throughout the curriculum.
Graduates either transfer to a university or seek employment in radio, television, video production, cable, broadcast news, advertising, public relations, sound reinforcement, music recording, interactive media, corporate and industrial media production.
The BEMA Department has a strong transfer agreement for students who want to transfer to San Francisco State University (SFSU) as Broadcast and Electronic Communications majors. BEMA also coordinates with SFSU-BECA to offer a tour and visit to SFSU-BECA for BEMA students interested in transferring to that program.
BEMA Certificates:
- Audio and Video for the Web
- Broadcast Motion Graphics
- Digital Radio Management
- Digital Radio News and Public Affairs
- Digital Radio Performance and Production
- Live Sound
- Multimedia Journalism
- Rich Media Production
- Sound Design
- Sound Recording
- Television Production
- Video Post-Production
- Video Production and Editing
BEMA Dual Enrollment Courses
The following classes are available for BEMA's dual-enrollment program:
- BCST 110 – Writing for Electronic Media
- BCST 119 – Digital Media Skills
- BCST 120 – Audio Production
- BCST 135 – Sound for the Web
- BCST 136 – Video for the Web
Check the Resources page for the person to contact if you have questions about BEMA classes, certificates and degrees.


text:
american • $$$
Open now until 10:00 pmStore opening times are subject to change. Please call the store before visiting to confirm their hours.
This Week
Mon - Thu9/17 - 9/209/17 - 9/20 Fri9/219/21 Sat9/229/22 Sun9/239/23
Next Week
Mon - Thu9/24 - 9/279/24 - 9/27 Fri9/289/28 Sat9/299/29 Sun9/309/30
The Cheesecake Factory is a unique, upscale casual dining restaurant offering more than 200 menu selections including appetizers, pizza, pasta, seafood, steaks, salads, sandwiches and more. But save room for dessert! Try one of 50 delicious cheesecakes and desserts.
chat with concierge


text:
Popular Now
Popular Now
Popular Now
Popular Now
01803 865913
+44 1803 865913
Series: Man and the Biosphere Volume: 28
Edited By: M Zalewski
400 pages, Illus
High level reference volume on fish and land/inland water ecotones with 21 chapters including 10 case studies.
There are currently no reviews for this book. Be the first to review this book!
Your orders support book donation projects
I have never been so pleased with the quality of service.
Search and browse over 110,000 wildlife and science products
Multi-currency. Secure worldwide shipping
Wildlife, science and conservation since 1985


text:
Good day and welcome to ASHRAE's Government Affairs Update. Along with the Government Affairs Webpage, these periodic updates feature information on government affairs-related activities of interest to ASHRAE members and others interested in the built environment. Archives of previous updates are available from the Government Affairs Webpage (http://www.ashrae.org/advocacy).
Please pass this information on to interested colleagues who also may subscribe from the ASHRAE Government Affairs Webpage. Should you wish to unsubscribe, information appears at the end of this Email.
If you have any recommendations regarding content, or have questions about or would like to participate in Washington Office activities, please contact ASHRAE Government Affairs staff at (202) 833-1830 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
ASHRAE Government Affairs Update, 12/16/2011
- Congress Nears a Down Payment on New CBECS
- Congress Passes National Defense Bill – Requires New Report on Standards 189.1-2011 and 90.1-2010 for Military Construction and Repair
- DOE Releases New Version of Energy Modeling Software
- Workshop Held on DOE's Proposed Commercial Building Energy Asset Rating Program
Congress Nears a Down Payment on New CBECS
Unless plans unravel, today (or shortly thereafter), Congress will pass a funding deal that combines several bills into a single package, and averts a partial government shutdown. Tucked away in this massive, near $1 trillion bill, which President Barack Obama is expected to sign into law, is a down payment to conduct the next edition of the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS).
Conducted about once every four years, CBECS is a national sample survey that collects information on the stock of U.S. commercial buildings, their energy-related building characteristics, and their energy consumption and expenditures. The Survey is administered by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and is a prime example of one of those little known programs that underpin several public and private sector buildings programs and activities. For instance, CBECS data help form the basis for understanding the patterns of energy use, are used by ASHRAE's standards, and are utilized by the ENERGY STAR Buildings program, ASHRAE's Building Energy Quotient (Building eQ) building energy labeling program, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings, Green Globes®, and many others.
ASHRAE and the building industry have been relying on CBECS data that is nearly a decade old (the latest data is from 2003), and without assistance from Congress, a new CBECS would not occur, and because there is no other survey like it, the needed information on building energy use could not otherwise be easily obtained. As a result, ASHRAE has been leading a coalition of building industry stakeholders to work with key Members of Congress to help ensure that a new CBECS is conducted.
For additional information, please contact ASHRAE's Washington Office at email@example.com.
Congress Passes National Defense Bill – Requires New Report on Standards 189.1-2011 and 90.1-2010 for Military Construction and Repair
This week Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (NDAA). President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill into law. The NDAA requires the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to issue a new report on the energy efficiency and sustainability standards used by DoD for military construction and repair. This report will include a cost-benefit analysis, return on investment, and long-term payback for ASHRAE Standard 189.1-2011 Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver, gold, and platinum certification, as well as LEED volume certification. Other, non-specified, American National Standards Institute-accredited standards may also be examined in the report as well.
ASHRAE assisted the House and Senate Armed Services Committees in drafting the ASHRAE building standards section of this bill, and many of our recommendations were incorporated into the final bill. ASHRAE has already reached out to DoD staff to begin understanding how this report may be assembled, and will be involved with the report, to the extent possible.
DOE Releases New Version of Energy Modeling Software
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently released the latest version of its building energy modeling software EnergyPlus, which calculates the energy required to heat, cool, ventilate, and light a building. EnergyPlus is used by architects and engineers to design more efficient buildings, by researchers to investigate new building and system designs, and by policymakers to develop energy codes and standards. Advanced physics calculations within EnergyPlus allow it to model a wide range of residential and commercial buildings and HVAC system types, including passive building designs and low-energy systems.
EnergyPlus v7.0 features many enhancements and has 25 to 40 percent faster execution speeds on a wide variety of models. EnergyPlus is a part of DOE's strategy of Building Energy Modeling (BEM), a key technology that helps achieve DOE's mission of significantly reducing energy consumption in new buildings and retrofits. In addition to helping architects and engineers find low-energy building designs, BEM is used in the development of building energy efficiency codes and standards, in the creation of energy design guides, in the certification of building energy performance, and other applications. EnergyPlus v7.0 is available free of charge for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Source code licenses are also available. For additional information, please see the DOE press release.
Workshop Held on DOE's Proposed Commercial Building Energy Asset Rating Program
Last week the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) held a workshop on their proposed Commercial Building Energy Asset Rating (AR) Program. ASHRAE attended this two-day meeting, and previously submitted comments to an earlier request for comments from DOE. ASHRAE's comments can be viewed at http://www.ashrae.org/advocacy/page/1348. Click on the link titled "ASHRAE Comments to DOE on DOE's Development of a Voluntary National Asset Rating Program for Commercial Buildings", under the Letters and Testimony section of the Webpage.
DOE expects to issue a request for information on the design of their pilot AR Program in late February/early March, and to begin the pilot in April, 2012.
To subscribe see http://www.ashrae.org/advocacy
To unsubscribe send a blank email to email@example.com
ASHRAE Washington Office
1828 L Street, NW * Suite 906 * Washington, DC 20036
(202) 833-1830 * fax: (202) 833-0118 * email@example.com