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504-03-31 Demon battle upon Mists
March 31, 504
Duke Regent Raziel Devonshire leads a strange group of warriors, indeed, calling the lessers that have gathered upon Mists out to battle.
Duke Raziel stands within the vauge center of a large meadow just north of Dragon Lake, itself. Upon one side, there are fifty slee'mo'ray warriors, and the Sanjin. Upon the other side, fifteen high mages, and a few ranks of elite legionaires. Power is about the Duke Regent, and he seems near to casting a spell.
A lone figure appears on the outskirts of the gathering of forces, so obviously out of place among human /and/ Slee'mo'ray. He sticks out like a sore thumb, really, but makes up for it in grace and strength with the ornate longbow slung upon his back. The elf has chosen to join this fight.
Malachi, never one to be the lone hero if it can be avoided by any means, moves toward a grouping of his brother magi. He begins chanting quietly to himself, rolling up his sleeves, before reaching into one of the pouches at his waist. He withdraws a small brick of dark green charcoal, painting his scarred biceps with the very-likely magical substance, but beyond that, doesn't do anything too flashy or obvious. He seems to be focusing most of his attention on the Duke at this point.
It is then that the Duke begins to change. And change, dramatically, at that. A spell he's practiced for a long, long while in careful privacy. A spell that proved worth it's weight in gold last eve, and one only Malachi (and Melody) are familiar with at this point. His skin turns jet black, mottled with hints of dark purple, as his height grows. A barbed tail, wicked in it's strength and appearance grows out from behind him, as do a pair of gigantic and awe-inspiring wings. Dangerous, flesh-rending claws upon feet and hands. Those few who are gathered here who have seen the form, the true form of the Greater Demon, cannot deny the authenticity of the Duke's illusion. There is a scent, then, upon the air. Strange, and surreal. And the voice changes. A spell is cast, by Silus, causing the voice to resound around the whole of Dragonlake. The voice, a song. A deep baritone, powerful, resonating and worshipful. "Gather to me," it calls, Commanding. "Taste the flesh of the weak humans who dare rise against me!"
One of the slee'mo'ray glances toward the elf, sniffing. Its jaws part and its serpent's tongue flicks out.
Coroliss removes his bow from upon his shoulder and gives it a slow looking over, as calm as a pond's surface on a still day. Once done, he checks to make sure his quiver is well-placed upon his back. Only then does he look around at the others gathered, ears attuned to the sounds around him.
The authenticity of Raziel's illusion goes beyond the obvious, even the inexplicable elements that are only sensed rather than cognizantly recognized all complete and perfect. The vibrant call of his voice across the lake echoes and resounds for miles. At first, there is no response to the Demon's Call, but Dragon Lake is a large, large area.
Melody couldn't let Malachi be all alone with these demons attacking! She is seen in a group of legionnaires, her cute little form encased in a leather jerkin and tunic, her short sword pulled out for protection, if she needs it.
Malachi, indeed, does not seem offset by Raziel's transformation. He reaches behind himself, carefully slipping his little white hand within his shirt, sliding out a curved, serrated dagger (from within a concealed sheath, one would likely suspect). He presses his bright red lips to the dull red sigils on the blade, as though blessing a favored love with his adoration, but doesn't move to carve himself up, as is his wont, just yet. He does resume his earlier casting, however, though whether it's for his own personal centering or actual mystical effect is not readily apparent. Only faint workings of the Breath can be felt by those in touch with it, likely.
Duke Raziel does not seem to question the authenticity of his spell, it worked last night. It will work tonight. With fleeting paitence, and some anticipatory twitters, he waits, listening, but, he waits nonetheless.
Some of the slee'mo'ray shift at the very, very skilled illusion. One starts to throw something toward Raziel, until he is beaten down by the slee next to him. A fight ensues in their ranks.
There are a few murmurs of appreciation for Raziel's casting from among the mages of the Council. One pipes up, "He does it just like his father does," but that person is quickly silenced by another.
Coroliss's head turns just slightly, listening.
Finally, there is a rustle, a whispering of leathery wings across the water. It sounds like the flight of birds at first, or perhaps of flying monkeys, one of those nuisances seen occasionally around Mists. But no, as the sun marches toward the horizon and the light of the comet becomes predominant, the infernal of demons (for, in proper terms, that's what a flying group are called) pulls into view, reflected upon the sanguine, still surface of Dragon lake.
Duke Raziel's 'wings' flex, as he himself grows somewhat restless. The infighting amongst the sleemoray doesn't go unnoticed, but then, then, he sees Coroliss's head turning towards the sight. And he looks, as well. He howls; those upon Gateway last evening will recognize the sound, but is beyond that, tuned with the baritone of his 'song' voice, resonating. Powerful. His wings flare outward again, as if to defy the crowd of intermixed peoples, and races, that surround him. He waits, for them to move into the circle, before rallying the cry of assault.
Melody is still standing with the legionnaires. She does look up as she hears the flapping wings, and she grabs her bandaged breasts for a moment, wincing, remembering the other night's fight.
Malachi fidgets a little, now, moving his weight from foot to foot, glancing quickly this way and that. He's rather like a young lad still at the Academy waiting for a duel to begin, or some such, frowning some as he waits for the inevitable clash. And then he gets what he's been waiting for; the demons, of course! Water begins to lap up from one of his pouches, congealing into spikes, as he inevitably slices into his jade-painted bicep. And then the other. His blood leaks out unusually slowly, moving to mingle with the water he carries, solidifying into crude shapes around his waist.
Coroliss reaches back to draw an arrow and ready his bow for firing.
With a bellow of rage, the Sanjin brings the fighting among the slee'mo'ray to an end. Likely he's helped by the sound of wings approaching. Growls and hisses start to roll through them.
Reports had indicated that a year ago there were fifty of these creatures. Fifty. Somewhere along the way, that number clearly changed, as the gathering of demons, an inky blot on the sky that draws closer rapidly, seems more in the nature of near a hundred, and none look to be younglings. Their approach will bring the mass down upon the assorted host in but a minute or two, the flight fiercely fast.
Duke Raziel's wings flare again, and he turns around, and around, as if assessing the ranks that are about to assault him - or, making sure everyone is prepared to recieve the ones they're about to do battle with. It might depend upon the perceptions of the individuals who see him doing thus. He's been preparing nearly a year for this day, this event. And it's all coming down. A silent prayer is said in his head, that things go well.
Among the mages in one circle of specialization, a murmur of direction is given. "Gather, we bring the winds. When they near, we will buffet them to the ground and make flying impossible. They must not keep the skies," instructs one voice, briskly.
Melody starts to tremble as she sees the sheer number of demons. Why did she agree to come to Mists in the first place? She could have stayed on Gateway, and helped with the aftermath there. The young girl grips her sword tightly, as one of the legionnaires gives her a spare small shield for her other arm.
Coroliss remains completely calm, eyes fixed upon the approaching demons with his weapon at the ready.
And then, the flap of wings, the surge of demonic forms so thick that it is two deep in its flight, dives down toward the group on the ground. It is here that the wind begins, fierce and buffeting, intending to break them from any hope of a graceful dive. Distance weapons have a moment before the creatures hit, but only that, and those are fighting the winds.
Archers among the legion and some spearwielders there and with the slee'mo'ray get their fast volley at the infernal of demons as they descend, some striking true and bodies dropping to the ground lifeless. But then, like a hurricaine of destruction, the winds and wings are among everyone, and battle is joined. The hissing shriek of demons and the sound of ripping flesh, the clash of swords, and the chanting of magic; these sounds rise up as the battle is joined, and the dark bodies are suddenly among those who are waiting. The winds do not cease, violently tearing through the air just above shoulder height to keep the demons from retaking wing.
When battle is joined, the slee'mo'ray are a roar as loud as any demon. Violence is a byword to them, and they meet demon claw and tail with similar tactics of their own. They are doughty fighters, and demon claws don't pierce their skin too easily.
Melody is short, so the wind does nothing more than just muss her already long, wild red hair. She brings the shield up to protect her head as demons start landing, her sword at the ready.
Duke Raziel's stomach knots, briefly. Then, he raises his hand, a signal that his servant was waiting for. Raziel, the demonified Raziel, is teleported back into the herd of mages. It is only then he drops the illusion, leaving the infernal of demons to realize they've been tricked. And there's no way out, now, for either side, except to fight. The green scimitar Raziel had once gifted Asha with, and she gave him last night in return is lifted, the Duke Regent's arrows forgotten. He nods his approval to the elementalists keeping the demons grounded. Recentering himself, Raziel raises his hand. Some of the lessers begin to take on human qualities. Smells. Sounds. These, however, are all nude, naked to the world, as to distinguish them to the fighters who would assail them. The Duke's purpose is the same as it was just last night, to lessen their ranks by making them turn in on themselves.
Coroliss is slight, but he does move quickly, this is obviously not his first battle. He does all sorts of impressive things as he fights off today's enemy. An elf in battle is an interesting thing to see. But there are a lot of interesting things to see in /this/ battle. Coroliss is just one among many.
To fight demons is to face the teeth, the claws, the wings. The legionnaires of Gateway are getting better at fighting them, now that they are equipped with cold iron or magic, and they have had a few encounters. Thus they spread around the casting mages and defend those who aren't. The initial onslaught breaks like a wave amidst them. The demons may actually be outnumbered by those present, but their first strike is sufficient to decimate the population.
It seems the battle of the previous evening, the injury sustained therein, and the expenditure of energy and magic to summon the lesser's here has drained the Duke Regent, more than he realizies. Oh, there is illusion, certainly. But it falters, and is too weak to fool the acute senses of the demonic hoarde assailing them. He tells the elementalists, "Cold. Attack them with cold, but do not hit our allies, the slee'mo'ray with it." Certainly there is enough fighting to hit a pocket or two of demons without touching the snake-men with it? "These are demons born of fire and heat. The cold disquiets, discomforts them."
Melody is fighting! She is actually fighting, and not instantly dying! The Guardian girl must have picked up some training somewhere, because she's giving as good as she's getting just about now. Indeed, she's actually doing better than the demons attacking her.
It's been a long time since Coroliss has faced a nemesis in battle! But even through some failed attacks, missed targets, and some small injuries, he continues to fight with the same fervor. It really is akin to watching a graceful dance, watching him weave through battle.
The howl of betrayal goes up from the demons, but their fighting only redoubles in violence.
Among the mages, there's a ripple of surprise at Malachi's words, and then the tenor of the battle changes. Wind and water, together, send a chill to the marrow through the field of battle.
A group of demons step forward to attack at one section and are teleported half into the ground, their dying screeches horrible.
A row of legionnaires is cut down, literally torn apart as the demons make a hard drive to get past them. Then, the vulnerable mages beyond, the transportation mages, are barreled into.
The elf attracts a few more demons then most other creatures, their attack a wall of black around him.
The slee'mo'ray and the demons seem close to evenly matched in bare-hand (-clawed?) fighting, but the poison of the demons' tails begins to show its terrible fate, and some of the slee as well as a number of legionnaires begin to drop to the ground from the piercing and poisonous tips.
The battle rages onward, so fast and furious that many are dead before they even realize it. On both sides.
The carnage of the battle is immense, and not missed by Raziel's eyes. He measures the battle before him, murmuring something to Silus, since he's too weakened to cast much magic, now. The servant by his side pauses, and looks to Raziel, before nodding mutely. A quick preperation, then the transportation mage expends his own energies, after spilling his lifeblood in an attempt to cause the weapons of the fallen legionaires to rise up on their own accord, and plunge into the bodies, the wings, the legs, the stomachs and heads, of several lesser's nearest the group of transportation magi.
Melody is in with the legionnaires. Seems she thought this would be a SAFER place to be. But NO. As demons and legionnaires start falling all around her, she redoubles her efforts, her sword swinging and trying to cut down as many demons as she can, while shielding herself from them with her small metal shield.
It sure is difficult to see what Coroliss is doing behind that wall of black that surrounds him. But there's still a ruckus coming from the middle of that circle.
Much like previous fights, Addison isn't actively jumping out and chasing down demons with the slender sword that she's carrying. What she does do though, is stab at any demons that come too near her and the mage that she's staying close to. Any time her blade connects with the flesh of a demon significantly enough to matter, she mutters a single word, apparently to the sword.
For those in battle, small scratches, deeper cuts, these are the byward of the day, with combat happening in such close quarter. Among the legionnaires, the fighting is so close that one is as likely to be destroyed by an enemy as by a friend. A dead demon falls with full force onto Melody, seeming to indicate a trend for her. Addison's reactive fashion of combating demons is resulting in many bursting into flame. Near Raziel, the transportation mages who are being overrun by demons do transport a short ways away to work their magics from a distance just beyond where demons have spread. Some of them do, at least. Some are dead already. The weapons that rise up slice wing and bone, but the humans are close within the fighting, and the danger is clearly obvious. The slee'mo'ray have a drop in their numbers, but then something odd. The demons within their ranks begin to shriek in rage and pain, and the silver sigils wrap about them. In a twinkling, they are gone, as if they were erased from existence. The slee'mo'ray give a bellowing shout and charge towards other areas of combat.
Giving a brief, if not quizzical, then impressed glance to the disappearing demons amongst the slee'mo'ray, Raziel exhales again. He senses the demons nearing his own position as they try to both cut down the humans, and make perhaps a break in the ranks. His green scimitar rises, to slice off a clawing hand that comes towards him, even as Silus begins to work a magic to cast he and his Grace back some yards from the fray, and behind another set of legionaires.
A flash of blue from within the circle of black that surrounds Coroliss is briefly visible, giving a very fast glance toward the disappearing demons before he is drawn completely back into battle.
A falter in the fighting of the demons ensures when a large number of their ranks disappear. It's rather like the middle of battle when someone glances over and says, "What the bloody hell?" excpet demons don't talk the same language. It's only a few heartbeats of pause, and then their ferocity is redoubled. One other side effect, though. When the slee'mo'ray race toward them, the demons seem to be doing their best to pierce into the ranks of humans and get away from it.
Melody is too busy to notice all those disappearing demons in the middle of those weird creatures who are temporary allies, it seems. She does take advantage of that pause, though, and try to take down one or more demons who are distracted.
Addison isn't paying attention to any oddness happening either, she's too busy stabbing at yet another demon in that temporary pause. Just as before a single word is uttered once the blade is planted into the beast, and again she jumps back to the mage to watch for the next unsuspecting pin cushion.
With the demons surging in and among the ranks of humans, some are cut down more easily, and some do more destruction as lines that were not meant to be hand-to-hand fighting are forced into that situation. The demons around the elf fall back, away from it, hissing and shrieking. They aim for easier targets. What was a hundred attackers is now forty, but what was near three hundred defenders is down to under two hundred. Those losses are mostly human, legionnaire and mage.
And as the demons close in tighter, one does get a goring wound with a claw at the back of Raziel's shoulder, before he gets taken down by the duke's blade.
But not elf! It is clear when Coroliss comes back into view with the demons backing away from him that he did suffer some hits, his garment sliced open in a couple of places with traces of blood beneath. He's still as zen as he was when the battle began. One of his ears is clipped into along the bottom edge.
The last swing of the scimitar seems to be all Raziel can muster. The Duke Regent wasn't born for direct battle, not physical battle. As that claw sinks into the Duke's back, the pain of it, the blood loss, the shock, and the fact he's already drained from the previous night causes Raziel's body to fall, unconscious. Luckily, his servant is near enough to pick him up, and teleport him further back behind the lines of legionaires.
There's a surge from the fourty remaining demons, tearing through the ranks of people with the violence born of desperation and the ferocity of their species. This is what panic does, when a creature knows that they face their potential death. Like a tide of claws, blades, and death, they surge through the crowd. One grapples with Silas just before the teleport goes of, wounding both him and even more, Raziel, with wild flurry of clawed strikes, and as Melody turns one rakes down her back and flings her bonelessly aside. Addison manages to get away with just being stormed over by a demon, his foot and a bit of claws digging into her stomach. Coroliss goes Matrix on those mutherfuckers (that's a direct quote from Coroliss's player, page him if language offends!). The thing is, the numbers tell the tale. As the demons fight so brutally and some of the wind wall wavers, there is a definite attempt to escape. What was forty is thirty, and of those only a third can take to the air.
The odd thing is, the blood spilled upon Silas's front opens up power, portents within himself. Or, at least, that's what he believes. Blood is the focal point of his power. Summoning what he can of his strength and power yet, he casts a powerful spell, a bubble of crackling power above the demons leaving, in the air. And if his spell proves true, it will open up at the feet of the ground, causing them literally to crash headfirst into the hard earth. As for Raziel, the good Duke Regent remains unconscious, bleeding. He will have his share of scars, from this fight, certainly.
Melody lets out a yell of pain as she is raked across the back, her leather jerkin left in shreds. As she's thrown to the side, she lands hard, her shield and sword flying from each hand.
One of the mages shouts, "They must not get away!" and points to those in the sky. "Cold! Now!" Several of the weather mages focus again, trying to get enough gathered force to take them from the sky, but not all fall to the surge of magic.
If there is a demon remaining living in Coroliss' reach, he does what he can to fight it to the death. He moves with weightless fluidity through the forms of his fighting style, the years of experience very apparent.
Addison yelps in pain as the claws catch her stomach and she stumbles back, falling onto her backside as one hand clutches the cut on her belly. She groans and gets to her feet slowly, holding onto her sword with the other hand. She's being even less aggressive now, pretty much just holding her position by Harper.
The Sanjin stays back, watching the field. This time there's a clearer view of him as he sketches silver-green-black sigils in the air, scarring reality with his force of will. There's another wave of that strange warping of existence, and a few more of the demons disappear. Sadly, this time a few dead ones are gone as well, and a few of the human mages who were in the area. oops.
Harper's lips move smoothly, uttering flowing incantations as he fights along side Addison, sweeping in front of her in a more protective stance as he holds out a hand towards the assaulting demon. Lips curling back in a wicked snarl while tongues of flame leap from his hand towards the demon.
Duke Raziel remains passed out. The bloodied Silas rests his casting, signaling and recieving Raziel's mage-guards over to the body of the Duke Regent; they stand guard over the Duke, with Silas, armed, ready, watchful for any demons who might break ranks and try to flee again.
The ten in the air suffer beneath the cold cast forth, and only seven have the strength to escape. Of the twenty on the ground, maybe a third disappeared with the Sanjin's magic, and the rest cannot withstand those who still remain against them. Around a hundred and fifty humans and slee'mo'ray remain when the last demon is destroyed. The violence finally begins to come to a close.
Melody has stitches on her breasts and hips from the other night, and now, with the fresh gashes on her back, she is having a hard time getting off the ground. Her movements are slow, as she gets up on her hands and knees, reaching out for her sword before she kneels up.
Or does it? As the demons are dead, the slee'mo'ray are among the humans, close at hand and filled with violent rage. in the last moments of battle wtih the demons, there are several who turn to the humans that remain. Particularly the mages. A few will even land blows and start their own fevered battle before the Sanjin's voice whips out in another tongue, a scalding reprimand that draws the mighty serpentine warriors up short, panting.
93 demons dead. 12 slee'mo'ray. 160 humans. Thus reads the butcher's bill. Stupid slee'mo'ray.
Silas slaps a nearby legionaire on the arm, pointing up to the fleeing demons, the seven, in the sky. The ducal servant, and friend makes a quick motion, as if to signify shooting bows. The seven must die, and cannot be allowed to escape. Of course, Silas is also a mute, and can't call for it.
Where did the elf get a sword? Who knows? But he has one now. At least for the moment as he looks around slowly, to make sure there's no more threat. If he sees the signal from Silas, there is no indication of it. He does nothing to shoot at the fleeing lessers.
The archers are swift, but switching from hand to hand back to bow and getting that sort of bead on creatures as swift in the skies as the fleeing lessers is hard to tell. A couple of swift shots feather one of them, but none of the fleeing ones go down. Even a few mages are trying, the cold stretching after them, but the only ones to fall are the three who already were taken from the skies while fleeing.
Harper takes a knee as arrows start to fly over head, turning to face Addison "How bad?" he asks quickly and simply, pulling a dead beetle from one of his pouches as he begins a quick shield incantation as a precaution against wayward arrows, falling demons or slee'mo'ray.
Melody finally gets up into a crouch, and finds her shield. If any demons come near her, she attacks them with her short sword as best she can. Her flayed back is bleeding pretty good.
Silas glances around, frowning, blood staining the leathers he's wearing across the claw marks that scored upon him. He watches the fleeing lessers for a time, scowling in what could only be a thought of several unkind curse words, before he moves to tend to the Duke Regent. The horse, alive or dead, is sought out for it's pack. Cloth wrap, apparently prepared beforehand, is pulled out of one of the packs and Silas begins to apply the bandages in typical battle medicinal fashion. He says nothing, makes no thought, towards the countless dead amongst the number still alive. Too many mages, legionaires dead. And a few 'allies' of the slee'mo'ray to boot.
"I'm okay," Addison answers vaguely, "Isn't that bad.." She wrinkles her nose a little but seems to be able to stay upright now, though he does keep a hand pressed over the wound to help stop the blood flow.
One of the mages points sharply to his counterparts. "You. Scry after them, don't lose their location," he instructs, and begins to stride among the field, taking stock of the dead and wounded.
Coroliss throws down the sword when he is sure the battle is over and then starts making his way around to wounded, to see how he might help those in need.
The Sanjin gives another swift command, and the slee'mo'ray begin to melt back from among the ranks of humans. They come to their king, settling into ranks behind him, neatly ordered. Those of their kind who have fallen are picked up by others, so that none remain on the field, nor their weapons.
Harper glances around the numerous people and bodies littering the floor and those still living moving about the field. "Not that deep? we'll get a look at it in a moment. C'mon shouldn't stay here less we want to get trampled. Find you a healer and anyone else that needs one." Guiding Addison with a hand to her back as he regains his feet and finally notices the guards and Silas around Raziel while he's being treated, footsteps instantly taking him quicker towards the fallen Duke.
A group of the legionnaires are trained in healing, and they start moving among the wounded as well. One takes to Melody pretty quickly, undoing their satchel and instructing, "You'll be fine, girl, give me just a minute to get you bandaged."
Melody straightens up, and whimpers in pain. However, she slowly starts to make her way over to where the Duke is located. She pushes her wild red hair out of her face with one hand. Her jerkin is not only ripped up the back completely, but is stained with blood and gore pretty much all over. She's definitely not looking like a cute serving girl now.
Eventually, the Duke stirs. He's lost a lot of blood, but he's alive, at least. He clutches at Silas's jerkin, and asks, quietly, "Tell me we got them all?" Silas pauses, shakes his head, and holds up seven fingers. Raziel sighs, and closes his eyes, muttering a silent explitive. But, he's too much in pain to move much, yet. A claw at his side, his previous wound across his gut, and one on his back.
Melody stops when the legionaire asks her to wait. She's a little unsteady on her feet, but at least she is ON her feet. Much better than a lot of people on this battlefield.
Coroliss keeps moving from one person to another. He doesn't wield a lot of magic, leaving the healing to the human healers. But he does spread his own brand of assistance, keeping those injured calm as they wait to be tended.
When the slee'mo'ray are gathered, the Sanjin looks through the crowd. He frowns. "Sarasis! This gift I give you, for what you shall be for me in times to come. I know your Measure, your warp and weft!" His odd magic, the equations of existence that flow from his hand, scorch the air with their brightness. His sussurating laugh sounds, and then all of his own and he vanish in the recrafting of the world.
In the aftermath, the legionnaires will go through and bandage people, sew them up, apply healing ointments, do what they can. The surviving mages will do much the same, and will then help everyone back to Polaris Port.
Strange. As Raziel falls back into unconsciousness, the Sanjin's magic hits him. Those closest to the Duke will notice a faint patch of blue hair, suddenly. It could be a trick of the light, or battle stress, but his ears seem more pointed. And, the eyes more slanted. Weird. Silas sees that the Duke is put upon a horse, and stays with him as the Duke, and the other wounded are taken to Polaris Point, for healing, and tending to of wounds.


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John Brogan, then a fresh-faced 18-year-old signs for Albion Rovers from Blantyre Celtic and scores his first goal for the club in February 1973 in a 2-2 draw with Alloa Athletic
ST Andrews and St Bride's under-14 side won the Scottish Schools' Shield for the second year running after claiming an emphatic 6-1 victory over Our Lady's and St Pat's High School last weekend.
JOHN Brogan stunned East Kilbride Thistle on Monday night when he sensationally quit the club.
The 16-year-old now has a three-year professional contract with the under-19 youth team after United manager, Craig Levein swooped to sign the youngster.
OVER 15,000 fans travelled to Govan to see Kenny Gordon and Joe Reilly clinch the trophy for the Jags and every moment was captured by club photographer — and now honorary president — Allan Cairns.
SOARING fuel prices are crippling businesses, taxi firms and commuters across East Kilbride.
FOUR people – including a 39-year-old woman and a 57-year-old man – were arrested in East Kilbride for carrying knives as part of a weapons crackdown by police.
ALMOST £310,000 was paid out in salaries and expenses over the past year to the 20 councillors representing the East Kilbride area.
A BRAVE local youngster who has battled cancer and undergone life-saving surgery has been given the royal seal of approval.
AN upset gran has hit out the mindless thugs who stole and burned out her grandson's new go-kart.
SUNDAY was a very special day for the congregation of East Kilbride's South Parish Church.
PRESSURE from the Scottish National Party Government on the ambulance service to meet efficiency targets is threatening emergency ambulance provision in East Kilbride it has been claimed by local MSP Andy Kerr
YOU might wonder if your council tax is being put to good use — and according to a financial watchdog, it is.
A NETHERTON man has run the distance of a marathon and played 36 holes of golf — to raise money for a Wishaw family.
LIVING life to the max when you reach your nineties is something we all hope to achieve.
COUNCIL chiefs are banking on the 2014 Commonwealth Games to give county residents a sporting chance of getting fit and healthy.
WORKERS at North Lanarkshire Council backed out of industrial action on Monday which hit local authorities across the United Kingdom.
A WISHAW mother opened her heart to the Wishaw Press this week — following the death of her second son.
POLICE officers in North Lanarkshire swooped down on warrant evaders relating to violent crime last week — in the biggest crackdown on violent criminals ever undertaken in the area.
AUDACIOUS thieves pulled off a four-figure heist at a club popular with Orangemen - and even pinched some flutes.
POLICE have again issued a warning to Wishaw residents to be alert to bogus callers operating in the area.
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Pay for Jamie Dimon and Lloyd Blankfein has now been announced. One man is doing better than the other, both are doing a lot better than their employees.
Here are nine financial technology functions that will be top of banks' hiring and internal-transfer priorities in 2015.
With all jobs in financial services, there is the good - and the bad.
A new breed of mega-student is applying for junior jobs at investment banks. This is what you're up against.
It's bonus time. The likelihood of getting a raise at this point in the cycle is slim. - But if you want to try, here's how to go about it.
Plenty of people have it all and fail to earn interviews at Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan. There are several tips that can help your chances at either bank.
Which are the highest paid accounting in finance jobs in the world? Try these.
Are you too old to take CFA exams in your 30s? At which point does the strain of studying outweigh any potential benefits to your career?
We've talked to plenty of bank…
Will your skills be hot, or are you likely to fall out of favour in the coming year?


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Congressional Subcommittee Hears Update on EAS Overhaul
Washington - May 14, 2008 - The Homeland Security Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response Subcommittee, a subcommittee of the House Committee on Homeland Security, heard from witnesses to provide an update on the status of the process to update the nation's emergency warning system. Retired Maj. Gen. Martha T. Rainville, assistant administrator of national continuity programs for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was one of the witnesses at the hearing.
Rainville noted that the current alerting technology is more than 15 years old. "Through [the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System], FEMA and our partners are transforming the alert system from an audio-only signal sent over radio and television to one that can support audio, video, text and data alert messages sent to residential telephones, to websites, pagers, e-mails and to cell phones," said Rainville in her opening comments. "The mission of the IPAWS program is simply to send one message over more channels to more people at all times and places."
This summer, FEMA plans to rollout the first element of IPAWS, called the Digital Emergency Alert System, in eight states and Puerto Rico. Rainville also noted that FEMA will increase the number of Primary Entry Point (PEP) stations from 36 to 63. The PEP stations provide the backbone structure for FEMA to send a presidential alert to the public. Rainville says that this move will increase the agency's reach to 85 percent of the American people directly, up from the current 70 percent.
Radio magazine has condensed the key portions of Rainville's comments in a podcast.
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The transcript of this morning's argument in the Supreme Court of the United States in Fisher v. University of Texas can be found here.
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Rime Arodaky
What do you get when you mix stylish French chic, with a free-spirited bohemian heart and a love of rock & roll? The dreamy aesthetic of Parisian designer Rime Arodaky.
Rime studied at the Ecole de la chambre syndicale de la couture graduating with a diploma in fashion and textiles. 2010 marked the point of Rime Arodaky's successful adventure with the creation of her blog LaLoveList. She was destined to re-fresh the wedding industry inspiring brides to be with her daily blog filled with cool ideas and inspiration with bohemian bridal looks with a rock and roll edge.
Rime Arodaky's collection mixes fashion and bridal; a unique combination that brides crave, replacing stiff corsetry with fluid silks and exquisite french calais lace. An effortless, cool look.


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As members of the faculty of Rutgers University in Camden, we would like to express our sadness over the death in September of Tyler Clementi, a student at the campus in New Brunswick. In light of the bullying, antipathy, and general lack of tolerance that individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LBGTQ) often face, we would like to remind our students that we care deeply about their well-being and that they have our support.
As part of this support, we uphold the Rutgers University Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment. Among the protected categories in the Policy are sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression. Indeed, we want ALL of our students to feel safe inside and outside our classrooms, not only tolerated but celebrated for who they are.
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Sao Paolo's Curumin To Release Japan Pop Show On October 7 Published August 1, 2008 After a five-month delay, October 7, 2008 will hail the much-anticipated release of Curumin's newest album, Japan Pop Show.
Set to have been released five months earlier, Curumin's newest effort, Japan Pop Show is set to hit stores October 7.
Hailing from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Curumin's new album is a follow up to his highly successful debut, Achados E Perdidos. The effort was so successful that the legendary DJ Shadow was compelled to release the young musician's album on his own Quannum label.
While Achados E Perdidos blended funk, bossa, and hip-hop flavors, Japan Pop Show—which takes its name from an early-80s Brazilian variety program in the vein of The Ed Sullivan Show—includes 13 tracks which combine dense instrumentation with a modern beat conducting approach, topped off with Curumin's (aka Luciano Nakata Albuquerque's) distinct Portuguese croon. It's sheer dance music, which carves out Curumin's inimitable style of samba soul, now sprinkled with more afro-beat, dub and experimental funk.


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How can I produce enough breast milk for my baby while working full-time?
I work full-time and can't always express enough breast milk to feed my baby. When I'm home in the evenings and on the weekends, I feed my child on demand -- so the only time I have to pump more milk is when he's asleep. But this is also the only time I have to do housework and get some sleep myself! Any suggestions? (I'll consider supplementing with formula only as a last resort.)
Posted: 06/13/2002 by a BabyCenter Member
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I am nursing my third child and have learned a lot of tricks of the trade. Try using a dual pump that has a natural, strong suction to reduce the amount of time it takes to pump. Use a warm cloth on your breasts before pumping. This will help your milk let down faster. Also continue pumping for a couple minutes after you are no longer getting any milk. Sometimes your body has a second let down. Also massage the tops of your breasts to help move the milk down and get the hind milk forward. Make sure that your breasts are positioned on the pump comfortably so that you can relax and feel more like it is your baby nursing. Pump after feedings to help boost your milk production. Your body needs to think that your child eats more than they actually do in order to get enough milk for full time breast feeding. If you still don't get enough milk it's okay for a breast fed baby to have a little formula. If your baby doesn't like the taste mix it with breast milk.posted 05/03/2010 by Smart Blond
I live in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Where can i get the supplement to increase my breast milk?posted 03/11/2010 by yuyungobel
I also use that tea "Mothers Milk" it is awesome my baby is 5 months and I breastfeed her since birth and God willing will continue to breastfeed until she is 1yr old.posted 02/24/2010 by a BabyCenter Member
Try out Breastea from Breastea.com. I've been using it awhile, and my milk supply went from 1/2 ounce to averaging five ounces per pumping. Make sure you keep your breasts stimulated by breastfeeding or pumping at least every 2 to 3 hours and don't skip one.posted 01/28/2010 by a BabyCenter Member
I work three days a week and have a fed-on-demand 15 week old. To increase supply and to stimulate let-down, my lactation consultant recommended Goat's Rue tincture, 1tsp 4 times a day. [Find it online - it tastes like dirt.]I use an Avent Isis manual pump twice a day at work and pump 3-5oz per session, 2.5 to 3 hours apart. That, and baby nurses all night, twice before I leave for work, and as soon as I get in the door.posted 12/15/2009 by brooklynbread
I have worked full time after 6 weeks with all 3 of my kids. I found that using the Avent Manual pump I was able to extract more milk than a electric pump. I also brought a picture of my baby (you can also use your phone video mode) to help let down. I know of others that have used their childs blanket. Everyone's milk has low periods. During low production times I have found taking the herb Fenugreek serveral times a day helps with the increase. Usually the next day my supply has returned to normal.posted 08/30/2009 by a BabyCenter Member
I used to pump before I fed the baby, because our lactation consultant assured me the baby could always get milk. So I would pump before almost every feeding....posted 06/22/2009 by bahlg
I also work full time and have a four month old baby. My advice, having a baby that I feed on demand is this, I pump two to three times while at work. I usuall can pump anywhere between 6-8 ounces. What I pump on Friday, I place in the back of the refrigerator and it will hold until Monday. If the caretaker finds there isn't enough breastmilk, most physicians and lactation consultants agree that formula supplementing is okay. My baby has only had to be supplemented three times now. This is usually during a growth spurt. It is hareder to pump at home when you have the baby eating all day already!posted 02/06/2009 by lucky jenn
its going to be a problem when i decide to change from breast milk to any formula milk. and what time its better to doitposted 12/09/2008 by cici 1231
once my baby was 3 months old, the doctor told me i could give him some water from a bottle. i exclusively nurse while at home, and now that i am back at work, the only time he eats from a bottle is at the babysitters. my milk supply is always better at the beginning of the week, less toward the end of the week. once thursday comes, if i pump less than the amount i need for friday, i just add an ounce of distilled water to a 4 ounce bottle to make it 5 oz. he doesnt even notice a difference!posted 09/19/2008 by Annette Justine
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Check Imaging
Our Check Imaging service is designed to give you quick access to images of checks that have been paid against your Square 1 Accounts. Eliminate the on-site space required to store paid checks and the hassle of manual searches when needed for reference. Square 1 check images can be accessed online for 16 months and specific checks can be located quickly and easily using a variety of search criteria. This service even gives you the ability to save check images to documents or files, or to print a copy.


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- May 23:
- Fine Living: Sunset Celebration Weekend returns to Bay Area
- May 16:
- Fine Living: Wonderland of inviting rooms at S.F. Decorator Showcase
- Apr 25:
- Fine Living: Sausalito's Serena & Lily brings its furnishings to San Francisco
- Apr 18:
- Fine Living: Real gardens in Marin to dream over
- Apr 11:
- Fine Living: Novato's Vinny Sebastiano sheds light on flipping houses on HGTV
- Apr 4:
- Fine Living: Helping a family with Secret Garden Tour in Inverness
- Mar 28:
- Fine Living: The sweet rewards of attracting honeybees
- Mar 21:
- Fine Living: Bringing out the promise of Eichlers
- Mar 14:
- Fine Living: Mill Valley's Emily Murphy is out to cultivate green thumbs
- Mar 7:
- Fine Living: Floral design in bloom at Bouquets to Art
- Feb 28:
- Fine Living: Inspiring ideas in Sunset's new 'Western Garden Book'
- Feb 21:
- Fine Living: Alluring ways to feed the birds
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- Fine Living: A visit to Taiwan with orchids on the mind
- Feb 7:
- Fine Living: Getting more water wise in gardens
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- Fine Living: From garden to table in 'Harvest Cookbook'
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- Fine Living: Fresh ideas and style at FOG Design +Art
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- Fine Living: Sausalito's Suzanne Tucker shares her secrets for interiors
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EILEEN KELLY remembers the exact moment in childhood when her passion for gardening was ignited and her second career launched. It's a career that has just seen her company, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design (digyourgarden.com), rewarded with a 2013 Houzz Best of Remodeling award, based on Kelly's satisfied customers. Houzz is a leading online platform for remodeling and design.
"It started in Jersey City when my mother broke off a piece of succulent, a sedum, and told me to plant it in the soil," she recalls. "Miraculously, a new plant was born and I never forgot it. To this day, succulents are one of my favorites."
Later, as she pursued a career in advertising on New York's famed Madison Avenue, her gardening roots were stunted in an apartment, but still emerged in the form of houseplants.
"Even in the concrete jungle, I always made sure I had something green and full of life," she says.
Fast-forward 20 years or so and Kelly married Tom Gehrig, a fine arts painter, and purchased a San Anselmo home.
"When I came out here to glorious Marin and saw everything in bloom throughout the year, I thought it was heaven," she says. Year-round landscapes are her company's mainstay.
"I started working in my garden and was getting frustrated but still loving it. That's when I started taking gardening classes," she says.
She wishes, in retrospect, that she had hired someone to do her landscape as she spent a lot of money making mistakes such as choosing the wrong plant or putting in the wrong place and that's the first thing she tells potential clients.
"Hiring a professional is worth the investment," she insists. "You save money in the long range."
She also advises new clients to create an idea book on Houzz, one of her top resources to help them define their favorite garden aesthetic.
Here are some of her favorite garden combinations for you to try.
For sunny spots
These spring and summer blooms thrive in a sunny space:
Penstemon heterophyllus, a California native with stunning purple/blue flowers
Stachys byzantinia "Helen Von Stein" or "Big Ears" with large leaves that contrast beautifully with other smaller-leafed plants
Cerastium tomentosum or "Snow in Summer" lovely white flowers and low-growth pattern
Lavandula angustifolia "Munstead" or "English lavender"
Phormium "Mat's Merlot," otherwise known as New Zealand Flax, or some other upright plant for architectural appeal and contrast
For shady spots
These late winter and early spring combinations are well-suited for shade:
Winter Daphne (Daphne "odora" marginata), a medium-sized compact shrub with variegated foliage with small pink flowers and the most delightful fragrance
Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) is available in a variety of flower color, is low-growing and has nice foliage when not in bloom and is also deer resistant
Deer-resistant Tasmanian tree ferns
For high-traffic areas
These low-water, ground-cover combinations can take foot traffic:
Replace a lawn with Dymondia margaratea, a spreading ground cover that is compact with green/gray foliage and small yellow flowers.
Complement ground cover with other drought-tolerant plants, such as Pheasant's Tail grass (Stipa arundinacea), Snake Plant (Bulbine frutescens "Hallmark") with lovely orange/yellow flowers, and Wall Germander (teucrium chameadrys)
Native combos
Mix and match with these California native and non-native plant combinations:
Combine with other non-native plants such as California Mountain Lilac (Ceanothus Concha), a large shrub with purple flowers
Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus), which is available in orange, yellow or red flowers
Butterfly Weed (Ascelpias speciosa), a great plant for attracting butterflies
Flowering Gooseberry (Ribes sanguineum)
What's Kelly's favorite plants for every season?
"Succulents, succulents and more succulents," she says. "They combine well with so many other low-water plants and there are so many shapes, sizes and colors to choose from. Plus, they thrive on little water, almost now care needed, and are all the rage."
Kelly also has a few tips for maintaining the garden from late winter to spring.
Add good quality compost to your planting beds.
Mulch your garden beds to reduce weed growth and reduce the need for water.
Prune roses.
Prune back dead plant growth, but wait until the threat of frost has passed.
Plant now, while we still have some rain, to get roots established.
Plan vegetable beds and add compost or chicken manure for spring planting.
Fertilize citrus and other fruiting plants.
Check your irrigation systems to make sure they are working properly or hire someone to troubleshoot any issues.
Experiment and have fun.
PJ Bremier writes on home, garden, design and entertaining topics every Saturday and also on her blog at DesignSwirl.net. She may be contacted at P.O. Box 412, Kentfield, CA 94914, or at email@example.com.


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David Ortiz is a tremendous hitter. Last season, despite the general consensus that he was in decline, he reeled off a .952 OPS, 153 wRC+ season, accumulating a 4.2 fWAR despite playing just two games at first base. It was his best campaign since 2007.
Tomorrow, Ortiz is scheduled to go to arbitration with the Red Sox after he accepted their offer rather than test the open market this winter. The pending case is an interesting one; especially considering the slow news day.
Ortiz made $12.5-million last season and that is the same number the team has submitted to the arbiter for this season. Ortiz's camp has countered with a $16.5-million figure, making the midway point $14.575-million. In arbitration cases, the midway point is of extreme importance. The three-person panel of arbiters must choose one figure or the other so essentially, if they conclude that Ortiz deserves even one penny less than $14.575-million, the Red Sox will win the case; if they conclude he deserves even one penny more, Ortiz will win.
The case for either side is compelling. Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe runs down how each side will approach the process should they fail to agree on an extension between now and tomorrow (which seems more and more unlikely as time passes). Here are the finer points:
"The Red Sox will argue that Ortiz is already at the top of the heap in terms of DH salaries, and while they did not offer a raise…they do feel he deserves one – but not one that would take him beyond the midpoint of $14.575 million. So if he deserves a dollar less than the midpoint, the Red Sox win.
It seems logical that the Red Sox would make this argument given that if Ortiz really thought he could make $16.5-million on the open market, he would have done that since it is a rather significant raise over the money he made in 2011. Cafardo suggests that Boston will likely make this argument as well."
As for Ortiz's case, Cafardo argues:
"Ortiz's lawyers will argue that because he is a veteran player with many years of service, he can compare himself with all free agents. Sometimes this is accepted by arbitrators and other times the panel keeps the player in the context of his position.
For instance, how does Ortiz compare with Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols, who signed mind-boggling free agent contracts this offseason, Pujols for 10 years, $240 million, and Fielder for nine years, $214 million?"
The Red Sox will argue that Ortiz cannot be compared to Pujols or Fielder simply because he should no longer be considered a first baseman and therefore should be compared to other DHs around the league. Of course, when one does this, it doesn't take long to see how much better Ortiz is than his contemporaries. Even when you take into account that his 2009 season was barely above replacement, Ortiz has been worth 33.5 fWAR in his time with the Red Sox, an average of 3.7 fWAR per year. The scarcity of DH-only-types could either work for or against Ortiz here, depending on how one chooses to view it.
I find it hard to believe Ortiz will end up winning as to me the Red Sox' case seems more logically sound, but arbiters, it must be remembered, are not "baseball people," they are often chosen based on a lack of connection to the game as to not cloud their judgement. Either way, Ortiz can be seen as somewhat of a precedent setter here, as he has been throughout his career, given the lack of comparable players of his ilk.
And the rest:
Staying with Cafardo and his very informative "Sunday Notes" column, he suggests that the Orioles could be a darkhorse contender for the services of free agent Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes. Yesterday it was reported that the Marlins offered Cespedes a six-year, $40-million contract, although some have suggested the number is lower than that. The Cubs, Tigers and White Sox have also been linked to the 26-year-old and many other teams would make sense.
The always excellent Wendy Thurm (who also writes for FanGraphs) took to SB Nation to provide you and yours with The Ultimate Guide to Spring Training. In the piece, she tells you what exactly to expect in the six-week ordeal that is the Major League Baseball training schedule.
Speaking of Spring Training, the Seattle Mariners reported to camp yesterday, making them the first team to do so. They are getting a head start on the rest of the league because they play the Oakland A's in Japan more than a week before the rest of the teams start their regular season schedule. Globalization!
Staying with the Mariners, the team, led by best friend Mike Carp, is paying tribute to Greg Halman who was killed this winter in his native Rotterdam, Netherlands. Halman was an ambassador for the game in Europe, where he was already a hero and his presence will be sorely missed. MLB.com Mariners' beat writer Greg Johns tells the story. The Mariners communications department also wrote a touching tribute to the fallen outfielder.
Evan Longoria apparently had foot surgery in November, but he figures to be 100% by the time he reports to camp. News!
Mike Napoli, who by the way led all of baseball in 2011 in wOBA (min. 400 PA), has settled with the Rangers on a $9.4-million contract for 2012; his final arbitration year. Originally, the Rangers submitted a figure of $8.3-million, while Napoli countered with an $11.5-million figure.
Finally, if you follow Brett Lawrie on Twitter, I feel your pain; but have no fear, @Translawrieate is here! The Brett Lawrie babel fish will translate all of the confusion into a concise package of hilarity so that you may better understand your favourite third baseman.


text:
Boys Basketball: Shute leads Oak Forest past Evergreen Park
By Steve Millar For Sun-Times Media December 14, 2012 11:36PM
Updated: January 17, 2013 6:35AM
Tom Shute poured in 11 of the 23 points Oak Forest scored in a fourth-quarter surge Friday night, but he said the credit belonged elsewhere.
"We've got to thank our 'bench mob,' " he said. "We got a big break because of them and we had our legs at the end. The last two games, I didn't come off the floor at all, so the rest helped."
Behind Shute's shooting and eight fourth-quarter points from Kyle Flanagan, the host Bengals broke open a nip-and-tuck game for a 52-44 win over Evergreen Park in a South Suburban crossover.
Shute finished with 17 points and five rebounds, Flanagan had nine points and Tom Zale added eight points and seven rebounds for Oak Forest (4-6, 2-2).
Sophomore Isaac Matthews paced Evergreen Park (1-8, 1-3) with 10 points.
The Bengals were held to seven points in the second quarter and nine in the third, but caught fire down the stretch.
Shute buried two three-pointers in the first three minutes of the fourth, the second trey giving Oak Forest a 38-32 lead.
The Mustangs never responded.
Shute later connected on an off-balance floater and buried three game-sealing free throws.
"Once I hit the first three, I started feeling it," he said.
Oak Forest played 11 players, with coach Matt Manzke often subbing five players in at once.
"Our bench guys, led by senior Mike Ward, really beat up our starters in practice the last two days," Manzke said. "They earned the right to play and gave us quality minutes."
Neither team led by more than five points over the first three quarters. The Bengals led 20-19 at the half.
"We wore down at times at the end," Evergreen Park coach Pat Flannigan said. "We got outrebounded, and we didn't shoot well."
Jason Roland scored seven points off the bench for the Bengals.
Turron Clayton (9 points), Harold Fairley (9 points) and Morgan Murphy (8 points, 6 rebounds) contributed for Evergreen Park.


text:
found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
Find a pet to adopt |
My name is Kiwi!
Facts about Kiwi
- Breed: Conure
- Color: Green
- Age: Unknown
- Sex: Female
Kiwi's Info...
I am good with kids and good with birds.
Kiwi's Story...
Kiwi is a 9 year old Green Check Conure. Kiwi likes being around people. She is good with other birds and kids.
Kiwi is a 9 year old Green Check Conure. Kiwi likes being around people. She is good with other birds and kids.
Other Pets at Wasatch Avian Education Society
Why Adoption is a Great Option
Kiwi, a Salt Lake City Conure was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a Conure for sale in Salt Lake City, or seeking a Conure from a breeder in Salt Lake City.
- Rescues and shelter volunteers in Salt Lake City already know the personality and tendencies of their pets. This means they can match you with the right pet. That will makes it much easier transition to owning a pet for yourself and your new pet.
- On average adoption fees are much less than you'd pay a Salt Lake City breeder, or pet store. Plus most often rescue pets have already been to the veterinarian for a check-up, had a round of vaccinations, and are spayed or neutered. That is a lot of savings!
- You will become a hero, and give a needy dog or cat a loving home. In fact, there are even Conure breeders who help with Conure rescue. One puppy or kitten adopted in Salt Lake City paves the way for another one to be saved.


text:
found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
Find a pet to adopt |
My name is Fleur!
Facts about Fleur
- Breed: Bullmastiff/Doberman Pinscher Mix
- Color: Red/Golden/Orange/Chestnut
- Age: Puppy
- Size: X-Large 101 lbs (46 kg) or more
- Sex: Female
Fleur's Info...
I am already spayed, housetrained, up to date with shots, good with kids, and good with dogs.
Fleur and her sisters are half Doberman half BullMastiff. They are 12 weeks old and already close to 25lbs. They are very social, affectionate, and sweet puppies. They are already housetrained and crate trained but they do have access to the dog door at all times. These babies are going to be big so be prepared! Adoption fee is $250.00 for this pet. This generally includes age appropriate vaccines, spay/neuter, a wellness exam, dewormer, fecal, hw and flea preventative that is given while in our care, microchip and sometimes registration depending on the company, as well as any other medications or procedures needed while in our care. email email@example.com for an adoption application.
Other Pets at Animal House Rescue
Why Adoption is a Great Option
Fleur, a Metairie Bullmastiff/Doberman Pinscher puppy was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a Bullmastiff/Doberman Pinscher for sale in Metairie, or seeking a Bullmastiff/Doberman Pinscher puppy from a breeder in Metairie.
- Rescues and shelter volunteers in Metairie already know the personality and tendencies of their pets. This means they can match you with the right pet. That will makes it much easier transition to owning a pet for yourself and your new pet.
- On average adoption fees are much less than you'd pay a Metairie breeder, or pet store. Plus most often rescue pets have already been to the veterinarian for a check-up, had a round of vaccinations, and are spayed or neutered. That is a lot of savings!
- You will become a hero, and give a needy dog or cat a loving home. In fact, there are even Bullmastiff/Doberman Pinscher breeders who help with Bullmastiff/Doberman Pinscher rescue. One puppy or kitten adopted in Metairie paves the way for another one to be saved.


text:
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Who would have ever thought of making a shorba out of the humble Indian kadhi? Here, we have conjured up this magical soup using low-fat curds, tomatoes, cucumber and onions to keep the calorie content low!
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Perfectly soothing soup recipe....curds being great source of function food - probiotic...helps a lot...
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Morning Joe: Piers Morgan knew about Phone Hacking
Link Back- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IBV6LwXy00&feature=share
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text:
A Canton couple escaped their home after flames broke out Wednesday evening.
Fire crews responded to 4 Freedom Drive at around 5:10 p.m.
The couple got out safely, but their home is completely destroyed.
No other homes in the area were damaged.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.


text:
Gear Question
the picture it shows has two pairs of...
the picture it shows has two pairs of pants..the black ones and the tan ones with the bow. I really like the tan ones but im not sure if they come with the black ones or how to order them
The tan pants shown are the removable track pants that go inside the black pants. These are just fleece pants that line the snowboarding pants, and can't be worn for boarding alone.
View More Details on 686 Smarty Original Cargo Snowboard Pant - Women's


text:
Apartments For Rent in North Charleston, South Carolina
Ideally located, Silvana Oaks pet-friendly apartments in Charleston, South Carolina, is just minutes to Downtown Charleston, Downtown Summerville, Boeing, Bosch, Charleston International Airport, and the Charleston Air Force Base. Silvana Oaks is North Charleston's most desired luxury apartment community located in the prestigious Dorchester II school district.
Our spacious one, two, and three bedroom apartment homes with custom high end features give you a cozy spot to settle in at the end of a long day. Our fantastic resort style amenities offer opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation. Take a dip in our pool, hit the gym in our 24 hour fitness center, or just relax under the shade of a tree. See why Silvana Oaks stands out from your typical apartment community. Our apartment homes offer custom architectural details such as built-in bookcases, 9 foot ceilings and designer kitchens featuring granite counters, black appliances, hanging pot racks and maple cabinets to provide you with the added luxuries you deserve.


text:
Ready for an adventure of monolithic proportions?
Scentons need your help to capture the lost and scattered Elemons from the far corners of our universe!
Take your Elemons to the lab and change their state using the energy of heat and cold.
Capture your opponent's Elemons one at a time in the State Battle.
How many Elemon's can you capture and unlock?
This is based on the Elemons: State Mode Battle Game card game.


text:
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password, please call:
(800) 770-3387 Submit Cancel Forgot Password Close /TravelSmith/US/Global/Popups/forgot_password Enter your email address:
Classic Fit Velour Pull-On Pants
A self Birthday Gift
I like the lower sale price, and just love the design and style of this purple pants and the outfit. I fits well and wears well, comfortable. I wore it to school, and while teaching Kindergarten, I noted I could move easily. I hope it washes well. But it is beautiful. As a
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February 25, 2014
1-3 of 3
Product:32262-Classic Fit Velour Pull-On Pants


text:
Every major corporation has to fire people at some point. But Microsoft's plan to eliminate 18,000 jobs this year is, to say the least, a big deal. The company announced its plans on a blog post titled "Starting to Evolve Our Organization and Culture," written by new CEO Satya Nadella. Former Nokia employees will bear the brunt of this downsize, with 12,500 office and factory workers from the Finnish phone giant being laid off.
Update 4: OnLive has finally issued the following statement:
We can now confirm that the assets of OnLive, Inc. have been acquired into a newly-formed company and is backed by substantial funding, and which will continue to operate the OnLive Game and Desktop services, as well as support all of OnLive's apps and devices, as well as game, productivity and enterprise partnerships. The new company is hiring a large percentage of OnLive, Inc.'s staff across all departments and plans to continue to hire substantially more people, including additional OnLive employees.


text:
Showing All "Babies" Posts
Jun 3rd, 2013 12 Comments
Seriously, no offense to The Beatles or anything, but this kid's cover of "Don't Let Me Down" reaches into the depths of the material in a way that those guys simply couldn't. Not that The Beatles…   Read Story »
May 29th, 2013 10 Comments
Hey Adela, why's your dad so weird? (Thanks for the tip, werttrew!)   Read Story »
May 28th, 2013 19 Comments
We know that the long weekend is over, but will someone please remove us from this vehicle and put us back in bed? Just for a few more minutes? You can make us coffee while we're sleeping. Come on,…   Read Story »
May 22nd, 2013 27 Comments
Can you imagine the built-in anecdote this baby is going to have for the rest of his life? Any time Billy Murray or a Billy Murray movie is brought up in conversation with new people he will be free…   Read Story »
May 21st, 2013 6 Comments
To momentarily distract from news of the devastation in Oklahoma, the victims of which you can learn how to help here. Also buy a GoPro, I guess? (Just kidding.) (Unless you want one.) (Via SayOMG.)   Read Story »
May 16th, 2013 8 Comments
Baby girl sang in ca-a-a-a-ar todaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! (Via ViralViral.)   Read Story »
May 9th, 2013 26 Comments
I don't have any children of my own, YET, hi ladies, but I've done my fair share of babysitting (ALWAYS BE ON YOUR GRIND) and I've seen movies and stuff. The point is: babies, right. Yes. For sure.…   Read Story »
May 6th, 2013 6 Comments
Thank you for choosing the Baby's Guide to Water Skiing™ as your choice in either teaching your baby how to water ski, or learning how to water ski yourself (if you are a baby). Seeing as how…   Read Story »
Apr 26th, 2013 11 Comments
BEEEP BEEEEEEP! FRIDAY COMING THROUGH! (Via SayOMG.)   Read Story »
Feb 14th, 2013 22 Comments
There's something about watching an entire video of an adorable little kid teaching you how to make vegan cupcakes when you have absolutely no intention of making them that doesn't feel EXACTLY…   Read Story »


text:
The Global Intelligence Files,
files released so far...
Index pages
by Date of Document
Our Partners
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The Global Intelligence Files
On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.
EU/ECON : Bank Funding Crunch Deepens as Swap Rates Soar
Released on 2013-02-13 00:00 GMT
Email-ID | 1164000 |
Date | 2010-05-10 07:42:56 |
From | firstname.lastname@example.com |
To | firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com |
List-Name | firstname.lastname@example.com |
Fed's re-introduction of the unlimited swap facility with the ECB.
That facility will undoubtably help -- but I'm obviously concerned by the
fact that they NEED the facility.
As this article refers to, in the next three months, the PIIGS alone will
need to refinance USD210bn of debt.
But the problems now are really in the interbank market, which is not
functioning properly (and hasn't been since December, as we noted on the
econ list).
When interbank lending shuts down, the economy grinds to a halt -- that's
what happened with the Lehman crash.
We need to keep a sharp eye on what's happening in the Eurozone interbank
market and make sure that this USD & EUR liquidity is translating into
reduced spreads. If not, we could still see a Lehman-style crash of
Europe's economy.
So, to be clear, the world financial system is still teetering on the edge
of collapse. However, as far as the European sovereign debt crisis is
concerned, the ECB brandished the BFG today (reserving the right to engage
in Fed-style QE to whatever extent the Governing Council sees fit), and
that should go a long way towards calming the situation down.
In case the ECB press statement was a little too wonky, it essentially
said that the Fed is going to provide the ECB with unlimited USD
liquidity, and that the ECB is going to provide the Eurosystem with
unlimited EUR & USD liquidity for periods up to 6 months.
That should calm interbank markets for two reasons: (1) liquidity risk is
now essentially gone, (2) balance sheet health will improve as the banks
engage the ECB carry-trade again.
Nevertheless, we need to watch the interbank dynamic closely.
Robert Reinfrank
Begin forwarded message:
Bank Funding Crunch Deepens as Swap Rates Soar: Credit Markets
Share Business ExchangeTwitterFacebook| Email | Print | A A A
By Shannon D. Harrington and Abigail Moses
May 10 (Bloomberg) -- Europea**s government debt crisis is starting to
infect the bank funding system, driving borrowing costs higher from Asia
to the U.S. and threatening to slow the global economic recovery.
The interest rate financial companies charge each other for three-month
loans in dollars rose to the highest since August, while traders are
paying record amounts to hedge against losses in European bank bonds.
Yields on corporate debt rose last week by the most relative to
government securities since Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.a**s bankruptcy
in September 2008, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch indexes.
European Union policy makers unveiled an unprecedented loan package
today worth almost $1 trillion. A statement from the regiona**s finance
ministers highlighted a**a risk of contagion which we needed to
address.a** The European Central Bank will intervene in secondary
markets for securities, EU Economic and Monetary Commissioner Olli Rehn
said in Brussels after a 14-hour emergency meeting.
a**Whether the markets completely unravel depends on whether politicians
can stabilize the peripheral government market,a** said James Gledhill,
who helps manage about 58 billion pounds ($85 billion) as head of fixed
income at Henderson Global Investors Ltd. in London. a**The tail risk is
the stress on banks which stops them from lending to corporates and
feeds through to become a real economy problem.a**
Bond Sales Plummet
Global corporate bond issuance plummeted last week, with $9.4 billion
sold, the least this year, following $30.1 billion in the previous
five-day period and $47.9 billion in the week ended April 23, according
to data compiled by Bloomberg. JPMorgan Chase & Co. said in a May 7
report ita**s ending a recommendation that investors own a greater
percentage of junk bonds than contained in benchmark indexes.
The sovereign debt crisis may end up costing governments more than $1
trillion, according to credit investment firm Aladdin Capital Holdings
LLC in Stamford, Connecticut.
a**Look for the de-risking that is underway to continue,a** the New
York-based banka**s fixed-income strategists including Srini Ramaswamy
wrote. a**Funding pressures have increased for European banks and could
worsen over the near term, but are unlikely to deteriorate to the extent
seen in 2008 that led to forced deleveraging.a**
The three-month London interbank offered rate in dollars, the rate banks
pay for loans, jumped 5.5 basis points to 0.428 percent on May 7. It
climbed 8.2 basis points on the week, the biggest increase since October
The spread between three-month dollar Libor and the overnight indexed
swap rate, a barometer of the reluctance of banks to lend, jumped to
18.1 basis points on May 7, three times the 6 basis-point spread on
March 15 and the highest since August.
a**At the moment, it feels worse than 2008,a** said Geraud Charpin, a
fund manager at BlueBay Asset Management in London. a**There is no buyer
of risk in the market.a**
The five-year euro interest rate swap spread, the difference between the
rate to exchange fixed- for floating- interest rates and yields on
government debt, widened 18.65 basis points to 54.13 last week, the
biggest gap since March 2009. Investors concerned that Greecea**s budget
turmoil is spreading to other nations have piled into German bunds,
considered the safest among European government securities.
a**Liquidity Drying Upa**
Swap rates are typically higher than government yields because the
floating payments are based on rates, such as the euro interbank offered
rate, or Euribor, that contain credit risk. Swap rates serve as
benchmarks for investors in debt including mortgage-backed and auto-loan
a**There is a concern the market may be ceasing to function, with
government bond liquidity drying up completely as everyone looks to
sell,a** said Mark Austen, managing director at the Association for
Financial Markets in Europe. a**We need quick and decisive action from
the authorities.a**
The rate at which Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc told the British
Bankers Association it could borrow for three months jumped 14 basis
points last week to 0.5 percentage point. Barclays reported rates that
increased 11 basis points to 0.45, while Societe Generale SA, Francea**s
second-largest bank by market value, said its climbed 8 basis points to
0.45 percentage point.
Short-Term Loans
Rates being charged for short-term loans are more than 90 percent below
the record levels in 2008, as banks are in better shape to weather a
market seizure than when the U.S. subprime mortgage market collapsed.
The Libor-OIS spread reached a record 364 basis points in October 2008.
a**The price action is probably as bad as anything we saw in September
a**08, although it feels like the dealers are better positioned now than
they were then,a** said James Palmisciano, chief investment officer of
the $1.7 billion Gracie Credit Fund in New York. a**So it feels like
customers are poorly positioned now, as opposed to both dealers and the
customers being poorly positioned.a**
The extra yield investors demand to own corporate debt instead of
government securities soared 28 basis points to 177 basis points, or
1.77 percentage point, according to Bank of America Merrill Lyncha**s
Global Broad Market Corporate Index.
The index, which peaked at 511 basis points in March 2009, dropped to as
low as 142 on April 21.
Spreads on European bank bonds widened 48 basis points last week to 238
as of May 7, the highest since September, according to Bank of America
Merrill Lyncha**s EMU Financial Corporate index. The indexa**s 1 percent
loss this month follows returns of 0.49 percent in April and 1.12
percent in March.
a**Interrelated, Largea**
Concern that European leaders will need to bail out more countries than
just Greece flared from New York to Sydney last week, prompting
investors to shun all but gold, dollars, yen and the safest government
Led by Italya**s $126 billion, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and
Italy have a total of $215 billion of debt coming due in the next three
months, according to JPMorgan.
a**When wea**re told somethinga**s contained, it almost never is,a**
said Brian Yelvington, head of fixed-income strategy at broker-dealer
Knight Libertas LLC in Greenwich, Connecticut. a**There were a lot of
people who didna**t realize how fully interrelated and large this is.a**
Under todaya**s loan package, euro-area governments pledged 440 billion
euros in loans or guarantees, with 60 billion euros more in loans from
the EUa**s budget. The International Monetary Fund may provide a further
250 billion euros, Spanish Economy Minister Elena Salgado said.
The Federal Reserve said it will restart its emergency currency-swap
tool by providing as many dollars as needed to central banks in Europe,
the U.K. and Switzerland.
Credit Swaps
Investors seeking to protect themselves from losses on bonds or
speculate on creditworthiness by buying credit-default swaps drove up
benchmark indexes in Europe and the U.S. last week by the most since
December 2008, CMA DataVision prices show.
Bond risk tumbled today in Asia, with the cost of protecting
Asia-Pacific bonds from default dropping the most in a year. The Markit
iTraxx Asia index fell 22 basis points to 115, Deutsche Bank AG prices
show. Credit-default swaps pay the buyer face value if a borrower fails
to meet its obligations, less the value of the defaulted debt.
A swaps index tied to 25 European banks and insurers including Spaina**s
Banco Santander SA and Portugala**s Banco Espirito Santo SA rose the
most on record last week. The Markit iTraxx Financial Index of
credit-default swaps surged as much as 105 basis points last week to 223
on May 7, the highest on record, before ending the week at 177 basis
points, according to JPMorgan prices.
Espirito Santo
Credit-default swaps on Lisbon-based Banco Espirito Santo surged 207.5
basis points last week to 613.5, the highest end- of-day level on
record, CMA prices show. That would cost 613,500 euros a year to protect
10 million euros of the banka**s debt from default for five years.
Swaps on Banco Santander, the biggest Spanish bank, rose 102 basis
points last week to 247, also a record, CMA prices show. In Australia,
contracts on Macquarie Bank Ltd. increased 61.5 to 174, the highest
since July 2009, according to CMA.
Contracts on New York-based Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the most
profitable Wall Street bank in history, rose 46 basis points on the week
to 213, reaching the highest in a year.
Highest Rates
Top-ranked companies are willing to pay investors some of the highest
rates since at least August to borrow in the market for commercial
paper, according to offer yields compiled by Bloomberg.
The average yield on 30-day commercial paper climbed to 0.31 percent on
May 7, the highest since Aug. 26, up from 0.24 percent a week ago and
almost double the record low reached in February. Rates for overnight
loans jumped to 0.25 percent, the highest since July, from 0.2 percent
10 days earlier.
a**Lenders in both the commercial paper and deposit markets have begun
moving away from certain counterparties,a** Joseph Abate, a money-market
strategist at Barclays Plc in New York, wrote in a May 6 note to
clients. a**At the same time, the willingness to lend to all
counterparties for terms greater than three months has declined.a**
Brazilian corporate bond sales, off to the best start to a year, are
being derailed by the highest borrowing costs in three months. Yields on
corporate dollar bonds surged 54 basis points last week to 6.56 percent,
according to JPMorgan.
Odebrecht SA, a Salvador, Brazil-based construction and engineering
company, suspended its planned $200 million sale May 7, the company said
in an e-mail. Banco Cruzeiro do Sul SA, a Sao Paulo-based bank,
postponed a 10-year dollar bond offering until market conditions
improve, said investor relations superintendent Fausto Vaz Guimaraes
To contact the reporters on this story: Shannon D. Harrington in New
York at firstname.lastname@example.com; Abigail Moses in London at
Last Updated: May 9, 2010 23:45


text:
Emily Oak Featured on Gizmodo
Posted on April 21, 2010 by Mike
Sort of. In an article on the iPad Twitter client TweetFlow, Gizmodo writer Matt Buchanan provided a screenshot that included this tweet from WBC Board Member Emily Oak. Nice! Also included in the screenshot is her photo of La Marzocco's new Strada at the SCAA. New Yorkers can see the Strada up close and personal this June.
By the way, Matt is also the author of How to Actually Make Coffee which was featured in Gizmodo last fall.
The Nicest iPad Twitter App You Haven't Heard Of – Tweetflow – Gizmodo.


text:
Hey Storm Troppers
Would you like to come to the Dark Side? Or would you like to join the Acedemy Of The Jedi?
Then Star Wars LCG is the game for you and has finally arrived and goes on sale December 20th. Good Games Burwood in Sydney Australia will be running a learn to play evening on January 8th & 15th 2013.
We will follow up with a 6 week league with details to follow shortly.