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How An Air Conditioner Compressor Works?
An air conditioning compressor is located inside every air conditioning unit. This compressor is used to cool the coolant in the system. The compressor is an important part of the cooling process. It compresses coolant as it passes through it to increase its temperature. Once the coolant has been heated, it is pumped into the condensing unit before being released into the atmosphere. This cooling process lowers the temperature of the air, which keeps us comfortable.
An air conditioner compressor that is not working properly can be caused by many things. Most commonly, an air conditioner compressor will fail due to a leakage or bust. A defective air conditioner compressor can not only cause problems but could also lead to more serious issues. Here are some possible problems your air conditioner might face if it breaks down.
Coolant leaks: Most air conditioning compressors have small holes, which are usually located around an evaporator. Warm air from the house can leak into the system through these small holes, causing it to heat up. This problem can easily be solved by installing new refrigeration coils. These coils are available from an air conditioning parts supplier.
Badly lubricated components – A faulty or worn out alternator, battery or motor can cause cooling problems in your air conditioner compressor. This happens when the alternator lacks hydraulic control parts that allow it to properly move the belt. The compression fittings, which connect the compressor's refrigeration lines, are another common part that is worn out. These fittings should be replaced if they look rusty.
Overheating – If your air conditioning compressor is constantly overloading, it may cause your system to cool down unexpectedly. This happens often when an air conditioning system is being used in a room with a large heater. You will probably be surprised at how much heating cost really adds up over the month. Overheating can cause your refrigeration lines freeze up and begin to leak. If you notice that your AC compressor seems to be working harder than normal or that it takes longer to cool off when the AC is running, this might be caused by too many freezing refrigeration lines.
Frozen moving components – This is the most common reason for your air conditioner compressor to stop working. This is due to two factors. The first is that the moving parts don't have enough refrigerant. The second reason is that the moving parts are becoming too hot and they are starting to fail. You will need to adjust the refrigerant levels of your air conditioner compressor to ensure that it is operating properly.
The Coil Rotates Around – If the AC's refrigerant levels drop too low and freeze up, the coils around it might become too cold. These coils will rotate around inside the AC's body until they get to a temperature where they are no longer conductive of the refrigerant gas. The problem with having these coils too cold is that they stop the refrigerant gas from flowing through them and therefore, you are losing refrigerant all the time, even if your AC's refrigerant levels are above normal. Installing a larger diameter refrigerant tube will solve this problem. This will allow the coils to rotate freely and allow the AC to circulate its refrigerant.
Air Conditioner Repairs – Make sure your compressor is still under warranty and that it was installed at least a while ago. Many older compressors will need extensive repairs. When you have your AC's compressor working properly, but it requires AC compressor maintenance, then the compressor is suffering a few problems inside. One of the most common problems with AC compressors is when the refrigerants in them become hard. Hard refrigerants need more heat to expand, which causes the compressor's temperature to rise and eventually leads to its breakdown.


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Posts Tagged With: Viking octantis
There are 2 articles tagged with "Viking octantis" published on this site.
The Viking Octantis just completed its first Great Lakes voyage. The Octantis is the largest ship to cruise the Great Lakes. The 665-foot liner began its itinerary in Toronto arriving in port on May 6th in Milwaukee. The ship carries up to 378 passengers and 256 crew members. The itinerary included Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Detroit, Alpena, Mackinac Island, and Milwaukee. Read the rest of this entry »
Mask mandates are falling, but many travelers remain wary of international travel—making the timing perfect for a new kind of summer vacation. One that is unique, Instagrammable, domestic, safe—yet thrilling and lots of fun. Enter Viking Cruises' newest product, an expedition ship chock full of motorized gadgets sailing the Great Lakes.
The brand-spanking-new expedition class Viking Octantis, custom-built to cut through the ice in Antarctica or slip through the locks of the St. Lawrence, launches in May. With prices starting at $5,995 per person plus air, the Polar Class 6 Viking Octantis holds just 378 guests in 189 staterooms and 256 crew. The focus, of course, is Read the rest of this entry »

subset: commoncrawl


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(Repotama is an online magazine covering news on everything anime, and we have recently started trying out posting articles in English! If you enjoyed this article, we'd really appreciate it if you'd consider sharing it and following us on Twitter!)
The popular manga "Love of Kill" (author: Fe) is a warped and suspenseful story interwoven with the lives of professional hitmen.
This series is being serialized in Monthly Comic Gene, has published up to 11 volumes to date and has exceeded 750,000 copies sold in total (as of December 2021, including electronic sales). Also, after the release of the drama CD, an anime adaptation began broadcasting on TV and has quickly garnered attention.
This time, the Official Interview #11 as well as the episode 11 case file have been released.
【Official Interview #11 "The two Ryang-ha's… If only they had time, perhaps they could have become irreplaceable friends"】
Voice of Ryang-ha: Hiro Shimono
Voice of Ryang-ha (boy): Toshiki Masuda
――What happened to Ryang-ha and Chateau 17 years ago, and who is Ryang-ha the boy? I think a lot of people must have been curious, but now part of that mystery has finally been revealed.
Hiro Shimono: I think everyone was surprised to find out that this boy wasn't actually the real Ryang-ha. So, uh, Ryang-ha, just who are you? Why did you take his name? There are new questions to be answered, but most of all I feel sorry for this boy since he's actually a good kid but just got caught up in so many things.
Toshiki Masuda: The bits and pieces of his past are finally depicted clearly here, and the roots of the name "Ryang-ha" as well as his connection with Chateau have also been revealed. In making these things clear, you know that the end is coming.
――What kind of person do you think Ryang-ha the boy is, Masuda-san?
Masuda: I think that his main charms are both his simple and unsophisticated demeanor as well as his loyalty to Donny. Things didn't happen the way they did because of any mistakes or accidents, but rather as a result of the actions of people with a sense of justice. I don't know what process led to the young Ryang-ha developing his personality, but his attitude was attractive nonetheless.
Shimono: There are plenty of "bad guys" like Nikka and Jinon working under Donny, but Ryang-ha has a kind heart and a mind for justice, right? I think at the very least he's a well-intentioned kid, and he grew up more straight-edge than Nikka. I think he's one of the few good boys in this story.
――Looking at the interaction between Ryang-ha and Chateau, I felt that he was a very caring young man.
Shimono: If you're only faithful to carrying out your mission, you can't afford to be so caring. I think the kind heart of this kid influenced the Ryang-ha we know from the rest of the story, to the point where he took the kid's name for himself. Actually, when I first read through the original story I didn't think much of the boy, but after completing the dubbing I now think of him as a really special character.
――What were you careful of when playing as Ryang-ha the boy, Masuda-san?
Masuda: There was a bit of a difference between what I felt after reading the original story and what the production staff, including the director, were trying to convey in the anime, so I had a lot of chats with the sound director.
――What sorts of differences were there?
Masuda: When I read the original story I felt that the boy was simple and naive, but simultaneously had a scary side to him, so I got the impression that he was a kid losing his mind. At the same time though, the production staff wanted to emphasize his timid nature, so I played my part with some adjustments.
Shimono: Basically a simple and timid boy.
Masuda: That's right. I was given the direction to do a more timid-sounding voice and I had to raise my voice as I spoke. I had to change my voice to sound convincing and it was quite difficult.
――There was a lot of interaction between the two characters in episode 11.
Shimono: They did interact, but Ryang-ha didn't express much emotion at this point in his life so I felt bad for the boy who tried to talk with him so much. (laughs)
Masuda: He didn't react too much, yeah. (laughs) But I think it's a trait of the boy Ryang-ha to keep trying like that.
Shimono: Ryang-ha doesn't show his hand completely, but I think he cooperated with the kid because he had something on his mind. He's the type of person to abandon someone in need rather than protect them, yet he didn't. I think he felt some emotion there even if it was just for a short period of time.
――Compared to his older self, I think Ryang-ha was something of a trickster. Like when the gun had no bullets in it.
Shimono: That part included, I think Ryang-ha the boy was more mature.
Masuda: I thought so, but wasn't there actually a bullet in there?
Shimono : I think that bluff got him upset.
Masuda: Yeah, I thought so too.
Shimono: Which one of them did it? Ryang-ha the boy is an innocent kid, and he might have taken the bullets out because he seems to be frightened around handling guns.
Masuda: That's true. But, I think because he has to answer to Donny, I imagine that handling firearms would have been something drilled into him. He's a mature boy who can act for the right reasons, so I really spent a bit of time thinking about this.
――What do you think Ryang-ha the boy thought of Ryang-ha?
Masuda: Rather than thinking of him in some sort of special way, I think he thought of him as someone who shouldn't be left alone. If they had spent a little more time together, I think they could have been irreplaceable partners after realizing that they would be much stronger together. But their connection to each other was broken at the early stages. I don't think Ryang-ha the boy had time to understand why they were working together.
Shimono: And that's what's different between him and the other Ryang-ha.
Masuda: I think after their connection ended, Ryang-ha thought about everything bit by bit over the years and changed somewhat as a result, but that wasn't the case for Ryang-ha the boy.
Shimono: I also think that Donny had a more significant role in the boy's life than Ryang-ha. Donny helped him and he was loyal to Donny, and as a result of this attention he also felt compelled to help Ryang-ha and Chateau.
Masuda: It's not made especially clear, but if I had to guess I'd say he idolized Donny and there must have been quite a lot of influence from Donny that caused him to reach out to the other two.
――When he helped Ryang-ha in episode 10, he said "Donny would definitely help in this situation."
Masuda: He was in a situation where he had no choice but to act since there was a chase happening, so it was his natural reaction. I think he helped Ryang-ha because he believed Donny would have as well.
――Since next time is the final episode, please tell us about some things to look forward to.
Masuda: Why did Ryang-ha end up going with the name "Ryang-ha Song" in the first place? Living in the current time, we can't even imagine stealing someone else's name. I think it was a decision made emotionally by Ryang-ha, so I hope you'll look forward to seeing how it plays out. And beyond that, how will Ryang-ha and Chateau get along in the future? Please look forward to the original timeline's continuation too.
Shimono: By making it into an anime, I really felt Ryang-ha's feelings towards the boy of the same name and his personal commitment to that name that he took. His emotional process became a lot more clear to me. Even in the final episode you'll be thinking "Wait, is that what their connection to each other was? Or…" so I hope you'll look forward to it and watch til the end.
――Thank you very much. Finally, I'd like to ask Masuda-san about something he "loves", borrowing a word from the story's title.
Masuda: I love honey. Rather than pouring it on something, I like putting it in hot water or just eating it as is.
Shimono: Do you do that for your throat?
Masuda: I do it for my throat as well to get better after feeling sick, but it's also one of the best ways to have sugar in your diet so I also eat it for that reason, too.
【FILE 11 "WORST" Case File Update】
Info on each case from the story is summarized here.
Please take a look after watching.
(Note: Website in Japanese)
Case File #11
【Anime Overview】
【Broadcasting/Streaming Info】
TV anime broadcasting begins Wednesday, January 12th, 2022
Advanced terrestrial broadcasting and fastest distribution of individual episodes via d Anime Store
<Broadcast information>
TOKYO MX From January 12th, every Wednesday from 24:00
Sun TV From January 13th, every Thursday from 24:00
KBS Kyoto From January 13th, every Thursday from 25:00
BS Nippon Television From January 12th, every Wednesday from 24:00
AT-X From January 13th, every Thursday from 22:30
(Repeat broadcast weekly (Monday) 10: 30- / weekly (Wednesday) 16: 30-)
<Streaming information>
d Anime Store From January 12th, every Wednesday from 23:30
Other sites will release episodes sequentially.
※Note that broadcasting dates and times are subject to change due to broadcasting circumstances.
Two hitmen face off against each other at a certain "workplace".
A calm and cool bounty hunter named Chateau meets the mysterious and deadly Ryang-ha.
Chateau and Ryang-ha are supposed to be enemies… but somehow, Ryang-ha takes a liking to Chateau after their encounter and begins to follow her around.
She eventually relents and starts cooperating with Ryang-ha, but is then caught up in a conflict with an organization that's targeting him. This conflict also bears a connection to Chateau's past.
What does Ryang-ha have to gain in approaching Chateau? What is hidden in Chateau's past?
This is a story of twisted suspense around two hitmen that couldn't be a worse match.
A strange and fateful gear is about to turn.
Chateau Dankworth: Saori Onishi
Ryang-ha Song: Hiro Shimono
Euripedes Ritzland: Kenyu Horiuchi
Jim: Kohei Amasaki
Hou: Tomoaki Maeno
Jinon: Ayumu Murase
Nikka: Masakazu Morita
Mifa: Yoko Hikasa
Donny: Hochu Otsuka
Ryang-ha the boy: Toshiki Masuda
Original: Fe(serialized in "Monthly Comic GENE/KADOKAWA)
Director: Hideaki Oba
Series Composition/Screenplay: Hisao Ayumu
Character Designer: Yoko Sato
Sub Character Designer: Toshimitsu Kobayashi
Chief Animation Director: Yoko Sato/Toshimitsu Kobayashi
Action Animation Director:Yasunori Saiki
3D Prop Design:Tomokazu Sugimura
Art Director:Masaki Mayuzumi
Color Coordination:Aiko Yamagami
Director of Photography:Akane Fushihara
Editing: Kashiko Kimura
Sound Director: Hajime Takakuwa
Sound Effects: Toshiya Wada
Sound Production: Bit grooove promotion Inc.
Music: Kei Yoshikawa
Music Production: TOY'S FACTORY
Music Production in Cooperation with: Miracle Bus Corporation
Opening Theme: Toshiki Masuda "Midnight Dancer"
Ending Theme: Aika Kobayashi "Makoto Period"
Animation Production: Platinumvision
Production: Love of Kill Project
TV Anime Official Site https://love-of-kill.com
Official Twitter @LoveofKill_info(https://twitter.com/LoveofKill_info)/ #LoveofKill
Official TikTok loveofkill_info(https://www.tiktok.com/@loveofkill_info)
(c)2022 Fe/KADOKAWA/LOVE of KILL Production Committee


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REDCap at OHSU is managed by OCTRI (Oregon Clinical & Translational Research Institute), and part of OCTRI's Clinical Research Informatics program. Contact the REDCap Team at email@example.com.
The REDCap Team is responsible for the activities listed below.
Maintain, update and monitor the software:
- Test and upgrade software.
- Monitor software performance.
- Monitor the application for compliance with OHSU Security directives.
- Participate in the REDCap Consortium of all partner organizations with an instance of REDCap
- Report bugs.
Train and support users building and managing projects.
Review and approve requests for the following:


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Founder at Serving Skill
Views:1102 Applications:203 Rec. Actions:Recruiter Actions:0
Digital Media Planner - Media Planning & Buying - Advertising (3-6 yrs)
Media Planning & Buying
- We are seeking a highly motivated and digital savvy individual for the position of Digital Media Planner to join our highly energetic & enthusiastic team. In this challenging position, you will work with the teams across to develop and implement complex digital media plans.
- We will give you exposure to all functions within Media - negotiation, ad serving & implementation, and execution. The types of plans and budgets you will work with will vary greatly, and you will gain experience with all different digital mediums (search, display, social media, etc).
Responsibilities :
- Planning & executing the Media plans for the brands backed up with research & strategy.
- Consult with creative teams on campaign elements, including banners, email, rich media, search marketing, etc.
- Coordinate negotiations with media vendors
- Constant communication & coordination internally within teams.
- Track media expenditures to ensure agency and client budget compliance
- Evaluate media proposals and provide written POVs
- Hands-on experience on Campaign Management platforms.
- Able to build client-relationship by proposing new digital marketing solutions/services and strategies on a regular basis.
- Understand Analytics tool will be an additional advantage.
- Compute ROI of online media activity, and make recommendations to optimize client results
- Provide concise, timely and accurate reporting, including post-buys, positioning and online tracking reports, etc.
Must To Have :
- Bachelor's degree with interest or emphasis in marketing, advertising, psychology or related fields
- 4+ years online/digital/interactive advertising experience required
- Enthusiasm and a passion for advertising/marketing.
- Willingness and motivation to learn.
Good to Have :
- Comprehensive knowledge of online creative specifications.
- The ability to work autonomously and take ownership of assigned campaigns
- A high degree of organization and communication skills.
- Strong interpretation skills; can work from little detail.
- Dedication to excellent client service.
The successful candidate should have a passion for digital advertising and an insatiable desire to learn and explore emerging trends.


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Conor McGregor's claim that he had a leg injury prior to his UFC 264 loss against Dustin Poirier has seemingly been shot down by the Nevada Athletic Commission.
McGregor suffered a TKO defeat to Poirier last weekend and has claimed he had a stress fracture going into the fight.
The Irishman then broke his left leg towards the end of the first round - but NAC's executive director Bob Bennett had no idea about the injury.
Without directly referencing McGregor, Bennett said per MMA Junkie: "If we ever knowingly had information a fighter wasn't fit to fight, we wouldn't let them compete.
"It would go to a doctor, and a doctor would make that decision as the expert."
McGregor went into surgery on Sunday and was released on Wednesday, which was his 33rd birthday.
In a video posted to Instagram, the former 'Champ-champ' spent six minutes breaking down his condition while driving on a scooter.
He said: "I was injured going into the fight. People are asking me, 'at what point did the leg break?'
"Ask Dana White, ask the UFC, ask Dr Davidson the head doctor of the UFC, they knew my leg had a stress fracture going into that.
"They were debating pulling the thing because I was sparring with no shin pads, and I kicked a knee a few times.
"I had multiple stress fractures in the shin bone above the ankle. And then I have trouble in my ankle anyways throughout the years through fighting all the time."
McGregor then insisted his strategy inside the T-Mobile Arena backs up his claims he was carrying an injury.
"Also, I was wrapping my ankle every training session. When the ankle was sore, I still wouldn't stop training - I used to just train on my back.
"And that's how I developed those ground shots from the back, that's why Dustin backed away when he was on top of me. And I was landing the up-kicks and the elbows, it's a horrible place to be in.
"It was a skill I developed because I'd the damaged leg and had to adapt my training... I needed to get treatment on the ankle and shin-bone, and I would never have committed to going under the knife unless something like this happened."
McGregor won't be back in the Octagon until 2022 and has been handed a medical suspension until January 7.
UFC president Dana White has said a fourth fight between McGregor and Poirier is entirely possible.
Poirier is likely to challenge lightweight champion Charles Oliveira down the line.
Featured Image Credit: PA Images & Conor McGregor/Instagram
Topics: Conor Mcgregor, Dustin Poirier, UFC
- Conor McGregor 'turned down HUGE UFC proposal for super-fight' ahead of MMA comeback
- Liam Neeson thinks 'little leprechaun' Conor McGregor has 'given Ireland a bad name' and hates the UFC
- Dustin Poirier Hints At UFC Booking Fourth Conor McGregor Fight, Reckons They're Waiting For Him To Heal
- 'Book It' - Conor McGregor Called Out To Boxing Bout By UFC Superstar


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|About the Video Lounge
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What you need to play the videos and how to get it…
|Roy Brooks (1.5 Megs): talking about his music.
|Roy Brooks (1.5 Megs): playing the musical saw.
|Roy Brooks (1.3 Megs): and all of his toys.
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for more information contact the IPL at:
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The Washington Football Team suffered a devastating blow to their offense on Sunday when tight end Logan Thomas exited the game with an injury. Thomas injured his knee in the game and was later ruled out for the remainder of the contest.
A source told ESPN on Sunday night that the team fears that Thomas suffered a torn ACL and MCL late in its 17-15 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Thomas is expected to undergo more tests Monday after Washington returns home.
Losing Thomas would be a big blow to Washington, which is now 6-6 and two games behind first-place Dallas in the NFC East.
Thomas was hurt with 10 minutes remaining in the game when their defender Yannick Ngakoue hit him low on a tackle. He was able to limp off the field under his power, but was clearly in pain.
Thomas has been Washington's top red-zone target and its most productive tight end in that area over the last two years. On Sunday, he showed his worth in that area when he made a leaping one-handed grab in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown. He caught three passes for 48 yards. In six games this season, Thomas caught 14 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
Washington signed Thomas to a three-year contract extension worth up to $24.05 million in August. Without Thomas, Washington will have to rely on Ricky Seals-Jones, who has missed the past three games with a hip injury. The team also has rookie John Bates and Sammis Reyes.


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Jillian Majka
Head of HR
Jillian Majka is Head of HR for CleanCapital.
Jillian started her HR career in 2005 and has experience working in many different industries, from start-up to financial services to consumer-packaged goods (CPG).
She has extensive experience developing and leading large organizational transformation activities, as well as, redesigning performance management systems, designing and implementing rewards and recognition programs, compensation structures, succession planning programs and many other large initiatives to align and drive employee performance towards business objectives and strategy.
Jillian has years of experience leading organizational transformational initiatives and driving and developing high performance teams.
When Jillian is not working with great businesses, she is busy with her two little girls, running them around to the soccer field or the horse barn. When she does have an hour or two to herself, she in her gardens playing in the dirt, kayaking, riding her bike, hiking, or swimming in her Dad's large freshwater pond with her family and friends.


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10 Best Ever Websites to Download Free Photos
When it comes to free photos download products we have to be selective carefully about it, as it may contains unwanted bundled other items. As a Test Analyst I like to test stuff, and here you will find a selection of tested things to download and use.
In this post I have selected some of the places I use to get images in social media and posts. Some places you have to pay attention if the image provider let you use it for free or not, some you have to say who is from, I in general like to say where it comes from as it is the least we can do when we are grabbing an image to use in our blog or for anything else.
1. Flickr | www.flickr.com
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
I think the number one image resource is Flickr.com – It does tells you whether a photo is free to use or not. Here are some of my images you can freely use in your blogs or social media, just don't forget to mention my blog (www.rogeriodasilva.com) and/or my twitter (@roger_uk) [/notification]
2. 500px | www.500px.com
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
Recently I have stated to use 500px.com, where you can as well as get images, you can share and sell your images too. I like the contests. If you have nice shots and want to share, this is the place. Here are some of my images you can freely use in your blogs or social media, just don't forget to mention my blog (www.rogeriodasilva.com) and/or my twitter (@roger_uk) [/notification]
3. Wikimedia Coomons | www.commons.wikimedia.org
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
Claim to have at the time of this post a database of 23,832,293 freely usable media files to which anyone can contribute [/notification]
4. MorgueFile | www.morguefile.com
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
Quote from the welcome page:
"Looking for high resolution stock photos for your illustration, comp or design needs? Search morgueFile for free reference images. Yes, they're all completely free. whether you're an illustrator, art director, instructor or looking to add a defining visual to a presentation. Wondering why is it called morgueFile?"[/notification]
5. Stock Free Images | www.stockfreeimages.com
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
Quote from the welcome page:
"Stock Free Images is the largest web collection of FREE images, with 1,144,360 images (*At the time this post was published), royalty-free stock photos and illustrations. If you're a designer, advertiser, webmaster or blogger, check us out! You can license our images free of charge or use our premium plans for enhanced access."[/notification]
6. Unsplash | www.unsplash.com
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
Claim to be free and do whatever you want with the images. All high-resolutions photos. 10 new photos every 10 days.[/notification]
7. Life of Pix | www.lifeofpix.com
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
Free high-resolution photos, no copyrights restrictions. Images for personal & commercial use. New photographies added weekly!
All images are donated to the public domain. Hand-made with love by Leeroy advertising agency in Montreal, Canada & its network of photographers.[/notification]
8. New Old Stock | www.nos.twnsnd.co
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
Vintage photos from the public archives free of known copyright restrictions. Images back dated from the first half 20th century. [/notification]
9. Pixabay | www.pixabay.com
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
Finding free images of high quality is a tedious task – due to copyright issues, attribution requirements, or simply the lack of quality. This inspired us to create Pixabay – a repository for stunning public domain pictures. Your source for free vectors, free drawings and free photos. You can use any Pixabay image without attribution in digital and printed form, even for commercial applications. [/notification]
10. FreeImages | www.freeimages.com
[notification type="alert-info" close="false" ]
Whether you just want to browse our huge image gallery or want to share your own photos with others, this is the site for you!
Browse through the categories of our huge gallery containing over 350.000 quality stock photos by more than 30.000 photographers! Need a wallpaper for your desktop or illustration for your blog? Need a pic for your commercial website design? Looking for inspiration? Have a look around.
Share your photos with fellow designers! freeimages is a friendly community of photography addicts who generously offer their works to those who need them free of charge. If you have some nice photos that you'd like to share with others, join us! Not only it feels great to share, you will also get a huge exposure for your work!
If you are aware of any other website where we can get images, please let me know so I can add to this list.
For any copyrights and unwanted mention above, please contact me and I'll remove strait away.


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TEEN Mom 2 regular Bar Smith announced he's going to start removing his face tattoos next week.
The dad shared he will begin laser treatment on the tattoos as he prepares for his wedding to his fiancee and MTV reality star, Ashley Jones.
🍼 Follow all our latest news & stories on Teen Mom.
The Teen Mom Chatter Instagram account shared a video of Bar relaying to followers: "[People] keep asking I thought you were getting them removed... I'm starting treatments next week. Tattoos about about to be gone y'all.
He continued: "... I'm gonna have white spots where the tattoos supposed to be...
"Y'all gonna ride through. You feel me? Y'all wanted them gone, common."
Back in May, the Teen Mom 2 first shared on Instagram of removing his face ink: "I'm lasering away these face tattoos y'all."
Bar has multiple tattoos, including two placed directly over his eyebrows.
The father of one shared his decision just days after he was arrested.
According to a police report shared by the Instagram account TeenMom.Tea, Bar was arrested for "willful discharge of firearm in negligent manner."
Before he was released, the 24-year-old was held at Merced County Sheriff's Main Jail, while the MTV star's bond was set at $25,000.
This week followers questioned Ashley and Bar's future as she called him an "idiot" and "out of his mind for setting me free" in a recent Instagram Story and also unfollowed him.
While Teen Mom 2 fans are speculating the on-again, off-again couple has split, Bar's mom Shen Williams exclusively insisted to The Sun: "They're not split up, they're good. Relationships have some issues. It just seems to be blown up in social media when you're in the public eye.
"I'm rooting for them then no matter what. They are young. I feel like they are good for each other and will have issues just like anyone else. I do not get in their domestic issues unless they ask for advice.
"Bar is good doing what he needs to do. Him and Ashley will work things out."
Most read in Entertainment
This past November, Ashley announced she and Bar, who share three-year-old daughter Holly, were engaged, sharing a video of her dazzling diamond ring.
Admitting she had hid her bride-to-be status, after repeatedly insisting the pair were just pals, Ashley wrote: "I've slept on it for a few months and now I'm ready to share.
"For those that support us, thank you to the moon and back."


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In the Spring Newsletter we detailed our plans for our youth month with hopes that our branch lobbies would be back to normal. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting businesses everywhere, we have decided to alter our plans for youth month. The good news, you still have 3 GREAT WAYS TO WIN!
Facebook Giveaways
- Every week the Astera Facebook page will be hosting a week long giveaway for a $25 gift card. Simply ask your youth the question posted on our Facebook page and comment their answer. We will randomly select one (1) winner each week.
Website Scavenger Hunt
- Every week we will hide the image below somewhere on our website. To participate follow these simple steps:
- Look below for the current week's contest
- Read the clue and search for the image (shown below) on our website
- Click on the image after you have found it to submit your find
- Submit your information
It's as simple as that! We will select one (1) random winner from all the correct answers for a Kindle Fire 7 Tablet every week.
- Week 1 – This amazing service is a helpful online or mobile tool for your parents to pay their bills. They can even set up automatic payments for multiple vendors or people each month. Find this image below on the page described and you wil be entered to win! This week's contest has ended.
- Week 2 – This card feels like a debit card, but you don't have to be 18 or have a checking account to get one! This week's contest has ended.
- Week 3 – This account is designed specifically for youth turning 15 and will help you save until you're 25! This week's contest has ended.
- Week 4 – With this savings account, you can not only save money but you have the chance to win cash prizes from monthly and quarterly drawings of up to $5,000! This week's contest has ended.
Youth Month Grand Prize Deposit Winner
- We will be selecting one (1) random winner to receive a grand prize of $100 gift card. All you need to do to be entered is make a deposit into your youth account during the month of May of at least $10.
For a complete list of rules, click here.


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Chef Warren
Verified chef
Chef Warren graduated from Le Cordon Bleu with a degree in culinary arts and is currently working towards a nutrition degree. His resume boasts extensive experience as a private chef as well as training under renowned celebrity and certified master chefs. This background has given him the skills to host incredible cooking classes. And while his travels have likened him with knowledge of many cuisines, his bread and butter lies in vegetarian and vegan cooking.
Cooking Classes
Chef Warren is not currently offering any experiences. Here are similar experiences:
Team Building experiences
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Cozymeal guest reviews for Chef Warren
14 Dec 2021
Chef Warren stood us up. Never showed. We contacted Cozymeal and they have not responded to us or refunded our money. Terrible service
15 Mar 2021
Loved it!
25 Dec 2020
I recommend this class to any and everyone. Chef Warren is amazing and we learned a lot and it was really exciting to see what can be done with the tools we already have. The menu is perfect and the flavors are everything. I can't wait to do another experience. Try it as a surprise gift/date night like us or just a fun night for the friends/family you'll have a ball!


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Two things become clear when talking to Sampa the Great. One, her unwavering national pride in being Zambian. Two, the infectious energy that carries into her music. Over Zoom, we greet each other in our native language of Bemba and then burst into a fit of giggles.
"It was interesting to hear Zambians say 'this can't be in Zambia,'" she says, talking about her NPR Tiny Desk (Home) performance from February 2021. "And that was the point — that we can do stuff like this in Zambia. My cousin's partner was the one who sewed the outfits together. That was done in a school library. We had videographers from Zambia take that video. We had an all-Zambian band in that video. That was the point of it. It was to say we can do this at home by ourselves."
Born in Zambia but raised in Botswana, the emerging musician grew up influenced by her parents' tenacity toward making a better life for themselves while also using their voice to speak up for what they want and believe in. Now, with six years under her belt in the music industry, Sampa Tembo is using her voice to expand the realm of possibility in what African artists can achieve. So far, she is achieving that goal, from being the supporting act for legends such as Kendrick Lamar and Lauryn Hill to being the first Zambian to perform at major music festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Glastonbury.
On September 9, Sampa the Great released her sophomore album As Above, So Below, a hard-hitting, feel-good album that empowers the audience to be their most authentic selves It's an album created by a version of herself that she discovered after relocating back to her birth country during the pandemic. She has de-centered the western gaze in her work while she's navigated moving from Australia back to Zambia. As she sets out to determine the next phase of her career, Sampa is showing that her homegrown artistry knows no bounds.
Sampa the Great opened up to Teen Vogue about her new album, going on tour with Billie Eilish, and being on former President Obama's summer playlist.
Teen Vogue: Who is inspiring your music nowadays?
Sampa the Great: I get inspiration from everywhere. And that's like a monthly change. The month of August belongs to Angélique Kidjo.
TV: I see she's on the album.
STG: That just came from left field, though a huge blessing. She saw [my] NPR Tiny Desk and DMed me. Imagine. I could compare that to my mom DMing me. That's not a thing she does. But yes, then she loves the band. She loves what I'm doing. She's working on an album. And then for me to equally say to her, "I love your music. I love who you are. I'm working on an album. Would you like to be on it?" And for her to say yes was insane.


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Medford Area Fire Department is a Fire Department located in Medford, TAYLOR County, in the State of WI.
Information about Medford Area Fire Department
Fire Department's HeadquarterMedford Fire Department
Location: 639 S 2ND ST
844 W Broadway
City: Medford
County: TAYLOR
State: WI
Zip: 54451-2058
Phone & FaxPhone: 715-748-4321
In Case of an Emergency, call 9-1-1
Are you the
Medford Area Fire Department
Fire Chief?
Are you a Firefighter at Medford Area Fire Department or a member of the Medford community? You can help us to keep this page up to date:
Mailing Address for Medford Area Fire DepartmentMedford Fire Department
639 S 2ND ST 844 W Broadway Medford WI 54451-2058
Map of Medford Area Fire Department
Organization of Medford Area Fire DepartmentDept Type: Volunteer
Organization Type: Local
Number of Stations: 1
Career Firefighters: 0
Volunteer Firefighters: 0
Paid per Call Firefighters: 30
Civilian Non-Firefighting: 0
Volunteer Non-Firefighting: 0


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For their very first recording on chandos, the multiaward winning silesian quartet presents the complete string quartets by grazyna bacewicz. When you purchase a used cd you can expect the disc to be free of all but the lightest of surface marks, the case to be clean we often change the cases. Sweeping melodic lines and rich scoring will catapult you to emotional ecstasy. Friedrich seitz student concerto no 3 in g minor, op. Jan 15, 2016 when it comes to orchestral music, its worth remembering that even the most familiar works can benefit from an infusion of fresh energy. I think everyone has their preference whether circuits, free weights, etc. Hi royce, working out with weights is just generally good, as you know. These lesserknown chamber music treasures by the polish composer are neatly packaged in a slimline jewel case. The transcriptions of bachs keyboard works for full symphony orchestra by leopold stokowski, one of the greatest conductors of the twentieth century, formed a successful part of his crusade to increase the accessibility of music. Filled with twists, turns, ups, and downsand even a moment to catch your breath. Last day working at triangle strings for these two. Concertino in d major no 3 violin and piano 1st position.
Please feel free to use the form below to reach out to us with any questions about this instrument. They may also be protected by in the usa, unless published before 1925, in which case they are pd there as well. Triangle strings violin, viola, cello repair, sales, rental. We are a full service violin, viola, and cello shop with over 40 years of experience.
This grade is somewhat allencompassing, but we choose it because we try to offer used cds in the best shape possible. This free online tool allows to combine multiple pdf or image files into a single pdf document. Solving all your pdf problems in one place and yes, free. Invite your orchestra and audience to step aboard the millennium cyclone roller coaster, and take off on a wild ride. Pdfcreator allows you to convert files to pdf, merge and rearrange pdf files, create digital signatures and more. The file extension pdf and ranks to the documents category. Its easy to add annotations to documents using a complete set of commenting. Price new from used from audio cd, hybrid sacd dsd, import, september 9, 2014. The ukrainian jewish composer was a pupil of shostakovich in the 1930s and a partner in poker games, doubtless with vodka and american cigarettes which his teacher loved. Downloaded pdf file will be rendered with the builtin pdf viewer when you click on one in them from the downloads panel.
Stanley kiernoziak, chicago 2006 brobst violin shop. A rich, pure and seductive sound, fantastic response. In 2012, after 4yearslong work, slawomir zubrzycki, polish pianist and constructor, built the first concert viola organista and brought it to concert halls and music festivals all over the europe, starting a new chapter of its history. The group of instruments accompanying a solo singer in an opera is known collectively as the a. Violin, book interactive cd by dabczynski, andrew h. Ed lojeskis arrangement of java jive still grooves with an infectious style that will inject a light moment in every concert.
Download limit exceeded you have exceeded your daily download allowance. The firebird was the first of these, premiering in 1916, the. A free and open source software to merge, split, rotate and extract pages from pdf files. Enter krzysztof urbanski, who made a dazzling san fran. I guess that he called it concertino because the cello is integrated into a small marvel of entrancing music, albeit as long as many standard concertos.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Rearrange individual pages or entire files in the desired order. Student violin concertos concertinos, schulerkonzerte, etc. With acrobat reader dc, you can do more than just open and view pdf files. His appeal to international audiences appears to have been built on three works for ballet, all composed before he turned 32. Krzysztof urbanski, with pianist emanuel ax, makes.
We have only one grade for nonnew cds at dusty groove used cd. To add only the bibliographic information from a pdf file to your citavi project, first make sure that no text or graphics on the page are highlighted. Dabczynski in celebration of that parks centennial, this enchanting piece provides an opportunity for young string players to. Our pdf merger allows you to quickly combine multiple pdf files into one single pdf document, in just a few clicks. Pdf contribute to arnie97cnki pdf development by creating an account on github. Tom dandrea drums, kevin strang bass, paul mastriani keyboard and mike canonico trumpet. Aide memoirefolk musicsonaty slavickove dusty groove. Note that a question and its answers may be split across a page break, so be sure that you have seen the entire question and all the answers before choosing an answer. When you open the pdf file using adobe reader, the. Karol szymanowski 18821937 complete music for violin and piano. When removing a neck for a reset or graft we saw j. Triangle strings has extended its care of your ins. That means if you create pdf files from any of your documents, the story.
Antonin dvorak hadnt composed a string quartet in 12 years when, in the summer of 1893, he sat down to compose the string quartet no. Different ways to access pdf files with firefox firefox help. Krzysztof urbanski, with pianist emanuel ax, makes s. See all 3 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Tim, rich, lee and mike ray lamere and patti melita jammin at the jam session. Edit your pdf file online and for free with this high quality converter or compress, merge, split, rotate, sort or protect your pdf documents.
Dietrich fischerdieskau accompanied by daniel barenboim and. Flutes in order of entry arndt joachim 19461948 christian kurt 19461981 principal wildner alfred 19471971 zebisch franz 19481979. Aso program notes the firebird suite adrian symphony orchestra. Symphonic band jeremy stovall, conductor redemptionredemption is a lyrical, lush, romantic composition that captures the euphoria one experiences after being saved from emotional crisis. With the right tools you can modify pdfs, change pdfs, split pdfs and so much more. Owner jerry pasewicz is a member of the international association of violin and bow makers eila and a current member and president emeritus of the american federation of violin and bow makers. Triangle strings violin, viola, cello repair, sales. Symphony no 2little suitesymphonic variationsconcerto for. Use the download button below or simple online reader.
Violinkonzert hrsinfonieorchester hilary hahn andres orozcoestrada. Aso program notes the firebird suite igor stravinski 1882 1971 igor stravinski was born in russia and died in new york just short of his 89th birthday. We tend to be pretty suspicious about these things, so if the shrinkwrap doesnt look original, or if the record seems to have undergone some damage over time, well probably take it out of the wrapper to ensure that its in good shape which is why we dont have more of these. Definitely do things that strengthen the wrists, hands and fingers and immediately stretch and flex between any set reps. This is what it says, that the record is still held fast in shrinkwrap. A complete and proven method that includes over twentyfive classical and folk tunes to play and enjoy as you learn. The musicians cdrom antonin dvorak cello concerto in b minor, corno il, allegro. This work sensitively conveys the rising sun as it first greets america each morning on cadillac mountain at acadia national park. Smallpdf the platform that makes it super easy to convert and edit all your pdf files.
Symphonic picture vega symphonic picture parade symphonic picture fairytale 19. Now available in newly engraved print and digital editions. Master the basics as you step into the exciting world of playing the violin. Symphony no 2little suitesymphonic variationsconcerto. Online pdf converter edit, rotate and compress pdf files. Bacewicz concertino pdf grazyna bacewiczs popular threemovement concertino is intended to be performed by young violin students. The song appears as a high, interrupting strain in the first violin part.819 149 438 123 889 1601 569 752 67 266 1579 1161 1466 847 1149 1579 123 103 1383 623 1573 1502 178 328 872 42 1070 227 893 743 1226 1376 180 997 1328 1355 165 286 548 462 1273 1314 921 426


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Aside from the surviving transcriptions BWV 964 and 968, two different sources also indicate that Bach and his circle performed the Sonatas and Partitas on keyboard instruments, rather than on the violin. [9] In 1972, he became visiting professor at Indiana University, Bloomington. Gordon Jacob: Partita for Bassoon Solo (Archive Copy) £6 95 £6.95; Our ref: ALLEGR662 Quantity. Players included his three children, Gervase de Peyer and Timothy Brown as former members of the Melos Ensemble, players who succeeded him such as Roger Birnstingl (Orchestre de la Suisse Romande) and Julie Price (BBC Symphony Orchestra), bassoonists from around the world, such as Jim Kopp, Lyndon Watts and Takashi Yamakami, his students and a bassoon quartet from the RNCM, led by Stefano Canuti. Description: Gordon Jacob: Type: Sound Partita for solo bassoon. Presto 775.1 KB audio/mpeg. The fugue is the most complex and extensive of the three, with the subject derived from the chorale Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott. The set was completed by 1720 but was not published until 1802 by Nikolaus Simrock in Bonn. The virtuoso violinist Westhoff served as court musician in Dresden from 1674 to 1697 and in Weimar from 1699 until his death in 1705, so Bach would have known him for two years. To send to more than one person, separate addresses with a comma. BWV 1013 I-Catalogue Number I-Cat. You can easily create a free account. There can be no-one alive more qualified than WW to write the definitive book on the bassoon. It is not known whether these violin solos were performed during Bach's lifetime or, if they were, who the performer was. The third (slow) movement is lyrical, while the final movement shares the similar musical structure as a typical binary suite movement. It is clear from errors in it that it was not made with reference to Bach's own manuscript, and it has many mistakes that were frequently repeated in later editions of the 19th century. Some highlights of what our customers have to say about us, Read about The Leading Note Foundation's OrKidstra program. Music theorist, instrument maker and organ player Jakob Adlung writes (Anleitung zu der musikalischen Gelahrtheit, Erfurt, 1758), regarding the keyboard works by Bach – "They are actually violini soli senza basso, 3 Sonatas and 3 Partitas, which are well suited for performance on the keyboard". William Waterhouse was celebrated in his 80th birthyear on 16 April 2011 in a Memorial Concert The Proud Bassoon in Wigmore Hall. The pieces for keyboard appear in the, Fugue in D minor, BWV 539/ii (BWV 1001/ii) for organ, Fugue in G minor, BWV 1000 (BWV 1001/ii) for lute, Suite in E major, BWV 1006a (BWV 1006) for lute or keyboard, Sonata in D minor, BWV 964 (BWV 1003, doubtful) for keyboard, Adagio in G major, BWV 968 (from BWV 1005, doubtful) for keyboard, Various arrangements for organ of the sinfonia, including the versions by, This page was last edited on 22 November 2020, at 21:00. Some features of WorldCat will not be available. The three manuscripts are in the Berlin State Museum and have been in the possession of the Bach-Gesellschaft since 1879, through the efforts of Alfred Dörffel. Partita for solo bassoon (OCoLC)1086171061: Document Type: Musical Score: All Authors / Contributors: Please enter the subject. Add to Cart. ]. We do not use or store email addresses from this form for any other purpose than sending your share email. BWV 1013. The exceptional people behind our outstanding service! Hurry, offer only good while sheet music supplies last! Used to contact you regarding your review. • Customers opting to ship items as they become available will enjoy FREE Budget Shipping on the 1st shipment only. Johann Sebastian Bach Sheet Music This name will appear next to your review. Save 40% on select overstock sheet music titles! Rust's grandson, Wilhelm Rust, eventually became one of the editors of the, personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Sonatas & Partitas : Educational Edition", "Towards a Performance History of Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin: Preliminary Investigations", "Music reviews: J.S. Another copy, dated July 3, 1726 (the date is on the final page), made by one of Bach's admirers Johann Peter Kellner, is well preserved, despite the fact that the B minor Partita was missing from the set and that there are numerous deviations and omissions. [19] Victor Bruns dedicated his Trio op. No. Trinity College London: Bassoon (2017-2020). Tell a friend (or remind yourself) about this product. The E-mail Address(es) field is required. The marks of articulation and ornaments in the original consist merely of two staccato dots, three slurs, two trills and three mordents; he has refrained from affering any suggestions for practical performance. By signing up you consent with the terms in our Privacy Policy. http:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/oclc\/4785710> ; http:\/\/id.loc.gov\/authorities\/classification\/M77>, http:\/\/id.loc.gov\/vocabulary\/countries\/enk>, http:\/\/worldcat.org\/entity\/work\/id\/119421942>, http:\/\/worldcat.org\/isbn\/9780193573642>, http:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1086171061>, http:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/title\/-\/oclc\/4785710>. The tradition of polyphonic violin writing was already well-developed in Germany, particularly by Biber, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, and the composers of the so-called Dresden school – Johann Jakob Walther and Westhoff.
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Early Postoperative Loss of Disc Height Following Transforaminal and Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Radiographic Analysis
Article information
Study Design
Retrospective comparative radiological study.
To analyze the difference in early disc height loss following transforaminal and lateral lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF and LLIF).
Overview of Literature
Minimal disc height loss facilitated by the polyaxial screw heads can occur naturally due to mechanical loading following lumbar fusion procedures. This loss does not usually cause any significant foraminal narrowing. However, when there is concomitant cage subsidence, symptomatic foraminal compromise could occur, especially when posterior decompression is not performed. It is not known whether the type of procedure, TLIF or LLIF, could influence this phenomenon.
Retrospectively, patients who underwent TLIF and LLIF for various degenerative conditions were shortlisted. Each of their fused levels with the cage in situ was analyzed independently, and the preoperative, postoperative, and follow-up disc height measurements were compared between the groups. In addition, the total disc height loss since surgery was calculated at final follow-up and was compared between the groups.
Forty-six patients (age, 64.1±8.9 years) with 70 cage levels, 35 in each group, were selected. Age, sex, construct length, preoperative disc height, cage height, and immediate postoperative disc height were similar between the groups. By 3 months, disc height of the TLIF group was significantly less and continued to decrease over time, unlike in the LLIF group. By 1 year, the TLIF group demonstrated greater disc height loss (2.30±1.3 mm) than the LLIF group (0.89±1.1 mm). However, none of the patients in either group had any symptomatic complications throughout follow-up.
Although our study highlights the biomechanical advantage of LLIF over TLIF in maintaining disc height, none of the patients in our cohort had symptomatic complications or implant-related failures. Hence, TLIF, as it incorporates posterior decompression, remains a safe and reliable technique despite the potential for greater disc height loss.
Interbody fusion procedures, namely, posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), and lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF), aim to stabilize the fixed segments and achieve appropriate disc height and ultimately fusion of the desired vertebral segments [1]. Although the principle behind all of these procedures is the same, there are certain advantages and disadvantages to each [2–5]. While much of this has already been explored, in the literature there is a lack of studies comparing postoperative disc height loss following these procedures.
Minimal disc height loss can naturally occur due to mechanical loading, which allows settling of the cage or the entire construct as the patient becomes mobile after surgery. This natural occurrence is facilitated by the polyaxial screw heads [6]. However, it becomes a concern when there is cage subsidence adding to the disc height loss [7]. Such disc height loss indicates foraminal narrowing, which could potentially cause exiting nerve root compromise.
Since posterior decompression is usually performed as part of the PLIF or TLIF procedure, this foraminal narrowing would not be expected to cause many symptoms [8]. However, in the case of LLIF, be it oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) or direct lateral interbody fusion (DLIF), especially when posterior decompression is not performed, recurrence or de novo radicular symptoms could occur [9]. To obtain a better understanding of this and to analyze whether it is a procedure-specific or universal phenomenon, we retrospectively compared disc height for up to 1 year following TLIF and LLIF procedures.
Materials and Methods
After obtaining institutional review board approval, electronic records of patients who underwent single- or multi-level TLIF and LLIF along with posterior stabilization for degenerative conditions during 2014–2018 were retrospectively reviewed. We excluded patients who were operated on for trauma, tumor, and infectious pathologies. Only those patients whose preoperative and postoperative follow-up radiographs for up to 1 year were available for analysis were shortlisted. Among those, we excluded patients demonstrating signs of radiological non-union and who required a revision procedure during our follow-up period.
Among the included cases, the indications for TLIF and LLIF were the same, namely, degeneration, stenosis, and instability, except that LLIF was preferred whenever sagittal correction was required. Patients in whom TLIF using a single bullet cage was performed predominantly, with or without an additional posterolateral fusion (PLF) at a different level, formed group 1 (Fig. 1). Among these patients, the most common reason for additional fixation and PLF at an adjacent level was to avoid progression of identified radiological early degeneration that could result in adjacent segment problems. Patients in whom LLIF using a wide-bodied cage was performed predominantly, with or without an additional TLIF at a different level, formed group 2 (Fig. 2). Here, the additional TLIF was mostly at the L5–S1 level as the anatomy of L5–S1 does not favor conventional LLIF.
All procedures were performed by a single senior surgeon and based on established protocols. TLIF was performed through a midline incision, midline laminectomy, facetectomy, removal of ligamentum flavum, mobilization of neural elements, discectomy, preparation of endplates, and finally bone grafting and cage placement. Here, the cage size was determined using trial cages during the preparation of endplates. LLIF was performed through a left-sided approach when patient was in the lateral decubitus position. The retroperitoneal space was approached, and the left psoas muscle was either retracted, in the case of OLIF to approach the oblique corridor between aortoiliac vessels and the psoas muscle, or spilt, in the case of DLIF. This was followed by annulotomy, discectomy, and release of the cartilaginous endplate and contralateral annulus, using a wide Cobb. Sequential trailing using a bullet distractor determined the appropriate size of cage to be placed and the cage was placed along with adequate bone graft. For the second stage, the patient was positioned as usual for the posterior approach and posterior instrumented stabilization was performed along with decompression wherever deemed necessary.
The demographic characteristics of both groups were tabulated. Using true lateral view X-ray images, their pre- and postoperative global (L1–S1) lordosis, construct length, and number of TLIF or LLIF cages in each patient was noted. Then, each cage level was analyzed independently. Only those levels that showed neutral endplates for carrying out the measurements in all required true lateral view X-rays were selected. We excluded levels demonstrating subsidence or endplate violation intraoperatively and levels with hybrid LLIF cages that incorporated screws within.
The dimensions (length, breadth, height, and lordosis) of the cages used in both groups were noted from the operative records. Disc height measurements of all of the included levels in both groups were performed digitally from preoperative, immediate postoperative, and follow-up (1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year) true lateral view standing radiographs, as previously described [10]. Briefly, the anterior disc height (ADH) was measured as the distance between the anteriormost points of the upper and lower endplates, excluding osteophytes, if any, and similarly, the posterior disc height (PDH) as the distance between the posteriormost points of the upper and lower endplates. These points were accurately reproduced in the corresponding follow-up radiographs in order to capture any increase or decrease in the disc height. The mean disc height (MDH) was derived using the following formula: (ADH+PDH)/2. The disc space angle (DSA) was measured as the angle between two lines, each connecting the anteriormost to the posteriormost point of each of the endplates. All digital measurements were performed by a single surgeon and saved in our picture archiving and communication system, which were later confirmed by the senior surgeon.
Preoperative disc measurements (ADH, PDH, MDH, and DSA) of the two groups were compared to evaluate whether the groups were matched. Preoperative disc measurements were compared to corresponding postoperative disc measurements in each group to quantify the amount of increase in disc height and variation in DSA. Postoperative and follow-up disc measurements were compared between the groups to identify statistically significant differences. In addition, the amount of disc height loss at final follow-up was compared between the groups.
Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism ver. 5.0 (GraphPad Software Inc., San Diego, CA, USA). We used Student t-test for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. A probability value "p" of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. This study with reference number 2019/00196 was approved by the Domain Specific Review Board, National Healthcare Group, Singapore, and was performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the latest version of the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki. The requirement for informed consent from individual patients was waived because of the retrospective design of this study.
A total of 46 consecutive patients (age, 64.1±8.9 years; male patients, 22; female patients, 24) with 70 cage levels adhering to our selection criteria were selected. The sample was divided into group 1 or the TLIF group and group 2 or the LLIF group and each cage level was analyzed independently. Both groups consisted of different sets of patients who were operated on by the same surgeon. Age, sex, and construct length of the two groups were matched. There were 35 selected cage levels in each group. The overall numbers of cages in each of the lumbar levels from L1 to S1 in both groups were tabulated (Table 1).
The preoperative levels of global lordosis of the TLIF group (39.7°±14.1°) and LLIF group (40.2°±10°) were statistically similar (p=0.88). Cage dimensions including height, length, breadth, and lordosis were also tabulated (Table 1). It is known that LLIF cages are larger in length and breadth than TLIF bullet cages; however, cage heights of the selected samples were similar between the two groups (TLIF group: 10.1±1 mm; LLIF group: 9.6±1.2 mm; p=0.09). Disc space measurements including ADH, PDH, MDH, and DSA were all statistically similar between the groups.
Given that the groups were similar, with the exception of their cage dimensions, we proceeded to compare the postoperative and follow-up parameters (Table 2). We found that the amounts of increase in disc height after surgery when compared to preoperative height in both TLIF (2.75±2.3 mm) and LLIF (3.24±2.2 mm) groups were similar (p=0.35). Postoperative global lordosis and other disc space measurements (ADH, PDH, MDH, and DSA) were also found to be similar between the groups. The same was observed at 1-month follow-up.
However, by 3 months, the MDH of the TLIF group was found to be significantly less (7.49±1.5 mm) than that of the LLIF group (8.29±1.6 mm, p=0.03). This disc height loss appeared to increase over time and, by 6 months, all of the disc height measurements including ADH, PDH, and MDH of the TLIF group were significantly less than those of the LLIF group (Fig. 3). The same was observed at 1-year follow-up.
To analyze the amount of disc height lost at final follow-up, we measured the difference between the postoperative MDH and the 1-year MDH of the two groups separately. It was found that both groups demonstrated significant disc height loss; however, the TLIF group demonstrated greater loss (2.30±1.3 mm) than the LLIF group (0.89±1.1 mm). This difference was found to be statistically significant (p<0.0001). However, none of the patients had signs of implant loosening, non-union, recurrence, or de novo radicular symptoms in either group.
Disc height loss is widely discussed in the literature in relation to degenerative disc disease [11]. It occurs due to the mechanical forces acting on the disc over many years, eventually leading to foraminal narrowing and nerve impingement [11,12]. These mechanical forces remain constant as long as there is weight-bearing and mobility, even after a fusion procedure, until adequate bony fusion occurs [13]. While the presence of an interbody cage or the posterior construct can act against the compressive forces and offer stability, the endplate or the polyaxial construct might yield to the forces, leading to disc height loss [14].
Postoperative disc height loss is often considered to be due to cage subsidence. However, we noted disc height loss even in those patients who did not demonstrate radiological subsidence. For this reason, we considered yielding of the endplates or the polyaxial construct to influence this phenomenon. Various authors described the advantage of wide-bodied LLIF cages to overcome subsidence [15,16], but these have only rarely been assessed with regard to postoperative disc height in comparison to other fusion techniques.
Minimal disc height loss may not be clinically important following TLIF where posterior and foraminal decompression is generally performed as part of the fusion procedure [8]. However, LLIF is a procedure that predominantly depends on the indirect decompression offered by the cage [17]. Disc height loss of any grade could potentially cause nerve impingement following LLIF, especially when posterior decompression is not performed. For this reason, whenever we felt that the endplates or bone were weak, as perceived while preparing the endplates or applying the screws in almost 30% of our cases, posterior decompression was added to the LLIF procedure. Hence, in both of the selected groups, despite the disc height loss, there were no cases of recurrence or de novo radicular symptoms.
Our results on comparing TLIF with LLIF showed that LLIF is better at maintaining disc height throughout the first year after the fusion procedure. This shows the biomechanical advantage of LLIF cages, which not only rest on the thinner central area of the endplate, but also occupy the thicker periphery, offering sagittal correction and making a stronger bone–cage–bone interface [18]. Since fusion occurs between 6 months and 1 year after performance of the fusion technique, there may not be any further loss of disc height once the fusion mass consolidates, unless there is non-union or construct failure, which we did not encounter in our cohort; hence, we felt it is not ideal to assess this phenomenon for longer periods [19,20].
Being a retrospective study, there are a few methodological shortcomings. With a limited cohort, the power of the study may be limited in terms of the ability to draw definitive conclusions. We also did not assess bone mineral density, which may have influenced disc height loss due to osteoporosis. Moreover, both TLIF and LLIF groups included some patients with additional fixation to assessed levels, which may have contributed to the stability or instability of the rest of the construct and could have influenced disc height loss. In addition, implant-related factors including width or length of the pedicle screw relative to the size of the vertebral body, size of the cage relative to the disc height, position of the cage in the disc space, and severity of preoperative degeneration were not assessed and may have contributed to the measured disc height loss. Since we excluded patients without true lateral view X-rays for analysis, this may have led to underestimation of the rate of disc height loss. Moreover, we did not use a computed tomography scan to evaluate disc height loss, which would have been more empirical. Despite these limitations, we believe that our results provide valuable insights into early disc height loss as a potential complication which physicians need to be aware following lumbar fusion procedures.
We retrospectively compared disc height for up to 1 year following TLIF and LLIF procedures. In our sample, disc height loss occurred following both procedures, but it was more pronounced following TLIF. Even so, there were no recurrent symptoms due to the disc height loss in the TLIF group because posterior decompression was generally performed. While our findings highlight the biomechanical advantage of wide-bodied LLIF cages over TLIF cages in maintaining disc height, it was also observed that the TLIF procedure, as it incorporates posterior decompression, remains a safe and reliable technique despite the potential for greater disc height loss.
Conflict of Interest
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
Author Contributions
AKKP: concept, design, data acquisition, statistical analysis, interpretation of data, drafting the manuscript, and approval of final version; TLTS: concept, design, data acquisition, statistical analysis, and approval of final version; MT: concept, design, interpretation of data, review, and approval of final version; JYLO: concept, design, interpretation of data, review, approval of final version, and supervision.


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Library Lines: Portland
Portland District Library is committed to keeping you informed, and one of the ways we do this is through our blog. Check out "The Stack Report," where we talk about newly released movies or books, programs and activities going on at the library, how-tos related to our library's resources, and anything and everything else in between! You can find the blog here: pdlstacks.blogspot.com.
Portland Creates: Dust off your art supplies, because after a pandemic-related year off, Portland Creates is back! Have fun creating an original masterpiece, and have it displayed at the Portland District Library. Artists ages 6 and older can submit artwork of all types--paintings, drawings, sculptures, photos, and more. The submission period runs April 2-23, and the artwork will be on display throughout the month of May. Be sure to come in to vote for your favorites! Stop by the library to pick up the rules and submission forms, and join us for this year's Portland Creates.
Get Creative with Cookies: A plethora of cookie-themed television shows has created a surge of interest in royal icing techniques, and now you can learn to pipe, flood, marble, and decorate like a pro. Starting March 25, sign up for a take-and-make bag that contains everything you need to make a batch of royal icing and decorate a dozen cookies. Then follow along with our instructional YouTube video, which will be posted that same day. This program is limited to ten participants, so claim your spot today! Ages 16 and up, registration is required.
Children's and Teen
Page Turners: Hey there, teen book lovers! Portland District Library's teen book club, Page Turners, is off and running! Our first book is "The Grief Keeper" by Alexandra Villasante. Sign up and you will receive a free copy of the book, a bookmark with the Zoom meeting information, some swag, and wait for it...you will get to meet the author during our second Zoom meeting! How cool is that?!? Registration is open and limited to 10 teens, ages 13-18. Stop by the library TODAY to sign up.
Virtual Storytimes: Spring Storytime fun is in full bloom at the library starting Monday, March 8, so don't wait to register your Busy Bee and Book Cub. New sensory items and Take-and-Make bags will be available starting March 8 and the new videos will premiere on March 15 for you and your little one to follow along with. Our friends at the Ionia County Great Start Collaborative will be partnering with us again to explore all sorts of topics including early math skills, gardening, and healthy eating. Families can enjoy our videos over and over again, to read, sing and dance along with library staff! Previous storytime videos can be found here: tinyurl.com/pdlstorytime.
STEM Club: In March, Virtual STEM Club: High-Flying Hovercrafts finds us exploring these flying marvels. We will be using basic items to see how high we can propel a paper plate into the air. Registration for this program begins Wednesday, March 17, which is the same day the video will be posted to YouTube. This is not a live video, so the program can be done on your own time. STEM Club: High-Flying Hovercrafts is recommended for ages 6-12, requires parental supervision, and is limited to 25 patrons.
Bee Crazy: Buzz into the library on Wednesday, March 31, to register for Bee Crazy! Follow along to our YouTube video where we will listen to stories, sing and dance, and learn about the importance of these little flying insects. Upon registration, patrons will receive a Take-and-Make bag with the supplies to create a "lifecycle of a bee" mini-book, complete with jumbo googly eyes and antennae. This program is recommended for ages 12 and under; some parental supervision may be required to complete the project.
— Portland District Library is located at 334 Kent St., Portland. For more, call 517-647-6981 or visit pdl.michlibrary.org.


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When you propose a design to your local luxury custom home builder, never forgo the necessities. We all want to have excellent features in our house, but do you know what makes a luxury home luxurious?
When talking about a luxury custom home, people often think about several acres of estate, mansions, massive pools and garages full of cars. However, it isn't just a well-appointed home. Imagine royalty, a sacred sanctuary that exudes elegance, sophistication and extravagance.
Before you contact your local luxury custom home builder, consider including these in your design. These features can be seen in almost all luxury homes in your area.
We live in a world wherein technological innovations dominate our daily life. It isn't a luxury home if it isn't a smart home. With a single tap on your phone, you will be able to lock your doors, play your tunes and control your lights. When it comes to technology, homeowners want it all.
It is an essential feature for the security of your home as well. Imagine going away on a trip with your mind at ease, knowing you can monitor your home remotely.
It's not complete luxury without your own private theatre and a massive game room. It gives you the best seat in the house! Watch your favourite flicks within the comfort of your home.
Coordinate with your designer to get the best layout for your home cinema. Most homeowners want a stadium seating arrangement. If this is the case for you, consult your designer to check if it is possible with your home layout.
Outdoor Living Space
Think about creating an outside living space that's focused on cooking and entertaining. Outdoor living rooms, kitchen islands, and designing a kitchen in various spaces – on a patio, in a backyard, or on a city rooftop kitchen – are all possibilities when creating your outdoor space.
Installing an outdoor kitchen alongside your swimming pool can complete your elegant outdoor living area. An outdoor kitchen and pool setup is a great way to create a backyard hideaway with plenty of facilities, plus it's only a few steps away from your actual kitchen.
This living design allows you to host friends, family, and coworkers in a relaxing outdoor setting with all the necessary appliances and cooking essentials.
Fitness Center
Having a sleek fitness centre within the confines of your home means convenience and privacy. This particular feature carries so much value as most now realize the importance of having a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
If you are planning to buy a property that has a view of the mountains, the lake or the beach, this is a great opportunity to set up your home gym. Consider building a gym with a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking scenery that will surely motivate you to get active!.
Experience an enjoyable workout and have a better recovery experience. Build a fitness room that helps you focus and stay motivated by designing your own home gym. The colour of the room, the air quality, the air conditioning, the lighting, the ceiling height, the design, and the size of the gym can all influence your workout routine.
Gourmet Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart and soul of any home. It is where food that creates conversations is made. Most luxury homeowners are now leaning towards healthy eating. And most of them do it in style! A large island with a sink, double ovens, heated drawers, washers, and other amenities can be found in luxury homes with high-end kitchens.
Putting together a family supper in a gourmet kitchen makes mealtime even more delightful, whether you're a pro or an aspiring home chef. The breakfast bar section provides plenty of prep space, with quartz or granite counters available in most designs. Add it with stylish cabinets and a top-of-the-line gas cooktop range, and you are all set.
Your version of luxury may differ from others. You might want to spend more on the kitchen rather than a spa-like bathroom. However, to attain your luxury custom home, aim to have the most updated features, amenities and technological innovation there is to offer.
If you have more questions, contact BCR for more information. #lluxuryhomebuilders #goumetkitchen #lavishlifestyle #luxurycustomhome.


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Criminal Minded304
Criminal Minded304
Paperback(First Edition)
Then, Lamin falls hard for a beautiful girl named Lucky. Lucky makes Lamin realize that there is more to life than cash and more cash. When Lamin goes legit with a career in the entertainment industry, Zion tries to keep their business going on both the street and the boardroom. It's not long before Zion becomes the target of a corruption scandal involving murder, extortion and money laundering. Once the dirt is exposed, will Lamin and Zion be able to remain one step ahead, or will their paper chasing days haunt them forever?
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Product Details
|St. Martin's Press
|Publication date:
|Edition description:
|First Edition
|Sales rank:
|Product dimensions:
|5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.68(d)
|Age Range:
|14 - 18 Years
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
look through my eyes
My cousin Curtis is more than just my cousin. He's my right-hand man. His moms (Inez Michaels) and my moms (Nadia Michaels) are sisters. But they rarely speak. I like to think of them as flip sides of the same coin. Both of them were single mothers trying their best to raise their children in the midst of a storm. Crack was at epidemic proportions. The Rockefeller drug laws were guaranteeing you a mandated prison sentence of fifteen years (minimum!) if caught with even small amounts of narcotics. And we were sixteen-year-old black boys growing up in the ghettos of New York.
Aunt Inez always worked hard for what she has. She had Curtis when she was fresh out of high school, but she never accepted any type of government aid. No welfare, no WIC, food stamps, Medicaid … nothing! That type of pride caused her to have to work two and sometimes three jobs to make ends meet. That meant that Curtis spent a lot of time at the home of our grandparents—we call them Grandma and Papa. Curtis' father has kids all over the place and he don't do shit for none of them.
My mother, on the other hand, could never imagine a life without government assistance. From the moment me and my sister, Olivia, were born, she supported us with the help of Uncle Sam. She gets it all: food stamps, Section 8, Aid for Dependent Children, Medicaid, disability … you name it, she gets it. My mother also participates in these scams they call "fair hearings," which she usually wins.
For example, in our house on Grandview Avenue (which we rent with the help of Section 8), we had a fire in the kitchen once. It was a small one, but it was enough to cause my mother to apply for a fair hearing six months later. Her argument? She claimed that she couldn't prepare meals for her children in the kitchen (which was bullshit 'cause we had steaks, fried chicken, and baked macaroni all the time) and was forced to use her cash—since she claimed that the food stamps they gave her were not enough—to purchase meals for us outside. She won that hearing to the tune of $4,700. That paid for the fifty-five-inch television she bought for the living room, and the leather sectional we sat on. As for the house we lived in, it's a three-bedroom duplex with a sunken living room. Hardly what you would expect for a single mother of two on welfare. God bless America.
My moms always felt that Aunt Inez thought she was better than us. "Just 'cause she got a job and I get welfare don't mean shit. If you ask me, she's the fool! I never have to worry about where my next meal is coming from." My mother's logic was always questionable.
My mother also has a brother named Eli. It wasn't short for Elijah or Elias or anything like that. Back in the day, black folks would name their children what most would consider nicknames, sometimes even initials (T. J., A. J., etc.). My uncle's name is simple. So is his life. He has never lived anywhere except my grandmother's home. In '89, he was forty-two years old and had not had a job in his life. Him and my mother got along just fine.
Curtis and Aunt Inez lived modestly. They had a two-bedroom apartment on Continental Place, which was right around the corner from our house. Both of our houses were a stone's throw away from the projects. I always felt that our houses might as well have been part of the projects. We went to school with all the kids from the projects. We played with all the kids from the projects. Ultimately, we found ourselves knee-deep in shit with kids from the projects.
Curtis is his mother's only child. I always felt bad about that. Even though Olivia, my little sister, is a girl, she is still good company. She's one year younger than me (despite the fact that we have different fathers), so the two of us are very close. Olivia and I never had a problem doing what we wanted or going where we wanted. Our moms didn't care, as long as her government check came on time. Our fathers were both nonexistent. Mine left the minute my moms told him she was pregnant, and Olivia's died in '79 from some kind of cancer. As we got older, I became Olivia's unofficial guardian. I took that responsibility very seriously. My moms never offered us any type of guidance. But the bills were always paid, and we both sported the hottest Adidas, Reeboks, or whatever was popular at the moment. I guess that contributed to our obsession with money. Money bought the finer things in life. And to us, nothing was more important than that.
Curtis also had a lot of time on his hands, since his moms was always at work. Not wanting Curtis to get caught up in the ever-present street life, Aunt Inez sent him to stay with our grandparents in Park Hill for the summer. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and although I knew I would miss him, I figured Curtis would have a good summer eating Papa's delicious cooking. (Contrary to the stereotype of grandmothers who throw down in the kitchen, Papa was the chef in the family. That was how he'd made a living all of his life and his meals could make a grown man cry!) But, despite Aunt Inez's good intentions, Curtis found himself at the first major crossroads in his life.
For me, '89 was the year I lost my best friend and the year I met the love of my life. Curtis was my best friend. He's also my first cousin. Even though he's a year older than I am, he always had time for me. Growing up, I was the biggest tomboy! And I constantly followed my brother Lamin and our cousin Curtis wherever they went. If they were climbing trees, so was I. If they were catching fireflies, I poked the holes in the jar so that the fireflies could breathe. If they played basketball, I had to be down. It seemed like only yesterday when we were carefree little kids. Today, that couldn't be further from the truth.
See, 1989 was like a golden age for me. Rap music was the sound-track of our inner-city lives and everyone was learning how to floss. Gold chains and gold fronts, designer shades, expensive shoes, Kangols, Adidas, Bally's, MCM and Dapper Dan suits … everybody was stylin'. But stylin' cost major cheese and that meant that most people were frontin'. Most people were living beyond their means and spending the rent money to look nice. But me and Lamin learned early how to hustle. We got it from our moms. Mommy always kept money pouring into the Michaels' household. Most of it came from government benefits. But a lot of it was from doing what she had to do to get money. Mommy had every dude she dealt with eating out of the palm of her hand. I wasn't happy about all the men she brought into our house but I enjoyed the shopping sprees and trips to the hair and nail salon that followed. Lamin hated that shit. The older we got, the more I saw how bothered Lamin was by my mother's revolving bedroom door.
But we were able to keep our minds off of all that by spending our time with Curtis. Being with him and Lamin taught me so much. I learned how guys talk to one another about girls. I learned what guys look for in a girl. I learned how to survive in the streets. Lamin was my brother and I loved him dearly. Curtis was my very best friend. But, ultimately, I learned the hard way that even Curtis—my hero—could fuck up so bad that his life would never be the same.
Like me, Curtis had to attend summer school. I went to my regular high school for the summer. But Curtis had to go to the school closest to my grandparent's house—New Dorp High School. None of us anticipated Curtis running into any trouble. Papa and Grandma lived in a modest house on a quiet street in Park Hill called Vanderbilt Avenue. It was close to the notorious Park Hill Housing complex, but far enough away that it felt a bit safer. However, since Curtis wound up in summer school, he also wound up in the midst of some of Park Hill's biggest knuckleheads.
On the first day of summer school, July 5, 1989, Curtis called me.
"Yo, La," he said. "These niggas out here think they real hard! Most of them mu'fuckas just stand around giving me the screw face. But this one nigga … they call him Jah like he's God … he rolled up on me today, La!"
I had never heard my cousin sound so anguished. I knew he could handle himself since the two of us had gone toe-to-toe with our share of assholes in the 'hood. But this time, Curtis sounded like he wasn't so confident.
"Jah, huh?" I asked. "What's this nigga look like?"
"He's about my height … six feet tall I guess. But this dude is a fuckin' menace. All he keeps saying is, 'You ain't from around here, muthafucka. This is Killa Hill. We're murderers out here. This is Killa Hill, nigga.' His boys just follow him around and look hard but this muthafucka got a lot of mouth!"
I thought about what Curtis was saying. I was big for my age and I could be intimidating. I'm about six feet four inches, and my love of sports has blessed me with an athletic build. I thought it might be wise for me to round up some of the neighborhood thugs and take a ride to Park Hill to show support for my cousin. But then, he dropped a bomb I wasn't expecting.
"La, the nigga pulled a gun on me."
My whole demeanor changed when he told me that shit. "He pulled a gun on you?" I asked to be sure I had heard him right.
"Word, La! The nigga pulled up his shirt and showed me the handle of a gun in his waistband. He said, 'Killa Hill, muthafucka! You ain't from here, so don't come here!' I just walked off and caught the bus home. But I gotta face that nigga tomorrow, La. How would you handle this?"
Damn! I thought to myself. What a tough question to answer. I gave it some thought and said, "Don't go to school tomorrow. I'll come out there and we'll take a ride up to New Dorp together."
Curtis seemed content with this answer and we hung up the phone with plans to meet the following day. I called up some niggas from around the way who were the ride-or-die type. Everyone was down for whatever when it came to Curtis, so I was confident that we would prevail over any so-called beef.
The next day, I woke up at 10:00 A.M. and called all my boys to confirm our plans. Everything was on point. I took a shower and admired the muscles on my dark brown body in the mirror. I was ready to crack this nigga Jah's face open.
We all met up and rode the bus to Park Hill. All the people on the bus looked scared of us: seven tall, black young men wearing do-rags and cold glares. I hoped that these Park Hill niggas would be just as intimidated. We arrived at my grandparents' house, and I yelled through the screen door as I always do. Instead of Curtis, Uncle Eli appeared and unlocked the door to let us in. My uncle was tall like me, bald, with muscles that resembled a wrestler's. I guess he spent his time working out instead of working a job. As we all entered, Uncle Eli seemed confused.
"What brings you over here so early?" he asked.
I told my boys to have a seat on the couch and I answered his question with one of my own. "Where's Curtis at? Is he still sleeping?"
Uncle Eli shook his head. "Curtis left for school about an hour ago."
Now I was confused. "He went to school?" I asked. "Are you sure?"
Uncle Eli nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure." He pulled me into the kitchen so that we could speak in private. I knew something was up.
"Lamin," he said, "did Curtis tell you about this cat at his school who's messin' with him?"
I nodded. Obviously, Curtis and Uncle Eli had discussed the situation at hand. He continued. "He told me about that faggot, and I told him that anytime a nigga pulls a gun on you and don't shoot, he ain't a real gangsta! Every real gangsta knows that you don't pull your gun unless you're prepared to kill a muthafucka."
I nodded in agreement, but this still didn't explain why Curtis went to school without me. "So, what made him go to school alone?"
Uncle Eli poured himself a glass of Kool-Aid as he responded. "I told him not to let nobody punk him. Running from a nigga makes him feel like he got the upper hand. Ain't no punks in the Michaels family."
I wanted to make sure that Curtis was alright. "Well, I'm going to the school with my crew to make sure Curtis can handle himself," I said. I exited the kitchen and joined my boys in the living room. They were engrossed in conversation about how they intended to put a serious hurting on these cats, when the doorbell rang.
Uncle Eli went to answer the door just as my grandfather, Papa, entered the room. Papa was the coolest old man on Earth. Whenever he went out—even if it was just to the supermarket—he always wore a sharp hat, which he'd dip to the side. His face was always clean shaven and his look was distinguished. Papa was the type to walk around the house wearing a Hugh Hefner—style bathrobe, dress socks, and house shoes … with a Rolex on his wrist. You had to respect his style.
"Hey, young bloods," he greeted us. "What it is?" Papa never caught up on the latest slang. He just stuck to what he knew. My friends smiled at the dapper old man with the old-school swagger and everyone greeted him warmly. Papa patted me on my back and smiled. "How's my boy doing today?" he asked.
Before I could answer, Uncle Eli entered the living room followed by about seven police officers. The look on my uncle's face was grim. My heart sank. Immediately, I wondered what had happened to my cousin.
"Are you the guardian of Curtis Michaels?" a female officer asked Papa.
He nodded. "I'm his grandfather. He's staying with me and my wife for the summer." As if on cue, Grandma entered the room with a worried look on her face.
"What's going on?" my grandmother asked.
The female officer spoke again. "Your grandson has been arrested for assault with a deadly weapon."
As the room erupted in shouts and chaos, my grandfather spoke over the noise. "What happened to my grandson?"
The officer explained, "Curtis had an altercation with someone by the name of Joshua Cook. According to school officials, this Joshua kid is a spitfire … likes to start trouble, quick–tempered … a real handful. Apparently, Joshua singled your grandson out and badgered him. This must not have been their first altercation, since your grandson brought a firearm to school with him today to protect himself—"
"A firearm?" my grandmother seemed incredulous, but I noticed the look that Papa shot at Uncle Eli. I knew that Uncle Eli kept an unlicensed handgun at the top of his closet, and so did Curtis. Suddenly, I understood why Curtis had been brave enough to go to school alone. Papa looked pissed.
"Yes," the officer responded. "Curtis hasn't given us a statement yet. But, some of the other students told us that Curtis was being harassed. Apparently, Joshua was following Curds—yelling threats at him and humiliating him. Curtis, it seems, pulled out the gun and shot Joshua in the chest at point-blank range."
Silence filled the room.
"Where is Curtis now?" Grandma asked.
"At the 123rd Precinct being processed. He'll be arraigned this afternoon." As the officer spoke, her walkie-talkie interrupted, noisily. She removed it from her pants and spoke into it. "Come again." The words spoken by the person on the other end of the walkie-talkie sounded like gibberish to me but the looks the officers exchanged gave me chills. The officer in charge looked sadly at us and said, "Joshua Cook just died at Staten Island Hospital. It appears that Curtis will be charged with murder."
That was the very moment that I went from a boy to a man. My cousin … my best friend was going to jail. I knew that neither one of us would ever be the same.
CRIMINAL MINDED. Copyright © 2005 by Tracy Brown. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
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Retro Surf Stripe Boardshort - Men's
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Don't worry though, we have a lot more Men's Board Shorts in stock than that.Shop Similar Products
Retro Surf Stripe Boardshort
We don't go hopping into the sudsy surf without a good pair of shorts, unless it's "That" kind of party, so why not throw on the Faherty Retro Short and add a little style to the traipsing and frolicking? Upcycled plastic bottles make up the material, meaning we're taking care of the planet while we dive under the waves, and two hand pockets stash our cash when it's time to hit the ice cream stand.
- Classically styled short for a day pool or ocean side
- Upcycled material is comfy and sustainable
- Two hand pockets stash essentials
- Item #FAHB01R
- Responsible Collection
- Recycled/Repurposed
- Material
- recycled polyester, cotton, DWR finish
- Fit
- regular
- Length
- above the knee
- Inseam
- 7in
- Waist
- adjustable drawstring, elastic
- Pockets
- 2 side, 1 rear
- Recommended Use
- beachwear, surfing
- Manufacturer Warranty
- limited lifetime