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A story that deals with the theme of reincarnation, while skilfully taking the readers to the ancient and modern times.
"Lost in the pages of history/Grew an untold mystery/The characters have come alive/ Yet again,/ To relive an event of destiny."
Is 'reincarnation' real? Do the unsatisfied souls actually assume a physical body to fulfill an inchoate task? Are dreams a key to an unfulfilled desire?
Ghosts from the past
David Hair's Pyre of the Queens deals with the central concept of "reincarnation" and fulfilment of wishes.
"Imagine, if you will, a tale that defines people. It has heroes and villians, good and evil deeds, its very words are sacred to us. It is like a chess set, its pieces inhabited by the same souls, game after game. Or perhaps this tale is a living thing, a script that constantly seeks actors, and when it finds them, it inhabits those actors and possesses them utterly, finding new ways to express and re-express itself, time and again."
It is 769 A.D. Ravindra-Raj, the evil and sadistic ruler of Mandore devised a deadly ritual wherein seven of his wives sacrificed themselves on his funeral pyre with a gemstone each, and he would rise with the powers of 'Ravana', the demon king of the epic Ramayana. But destiny had another deadly game to play.
Padma, the sister of Madan Shastri, the commander of Raja's soldiers, gives her gemstone to her brother to give it to the court poet, Aram Dhoop as a symbol of her love. Aram Dhoop, smitten by the beauty of Darya, the youngest of the brides of Ravindra Raja, steals her from the funeral pyre. And the result is an "incomplete" ritual.
Now, in 2010 A.D., four teenagers from Jodhpur, Amanjit, Deepika, Vikram and Rasita, with a series of repeated nightmares realise that they've been part of an "old" deathly game and the spirits of the Raja and his five wives were approaching them to seek vengeance. They decide that there has to be an end to this either now or never.
The novel is beautifully crafted in ancient and modern times. The venue of climax is an underground channel in the old fort of Mandore. The characters assume their roles to settle an incomplete record.
The dialogues are in tune with the belief of reincarnation. "Life upon life, dropping memories into his mind. Other faces and voices. It had always been like this, and it would always be", is one such striking sentence.
The language of the book is appropriate for readers of all ages, though it will be best suited for young adults. The book keeps the readers absorbed to a large extent. The end, though highly predictable, will please the reader. Overall, it is a passable read.
Prerna S. Khatri, II yr B.A, B.L (Hons.), Saveetha University
Keywords: David Hair, Pyre of the Queens


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Afterschool biking programs build career skills and get kids active
By Rachel Clark
America After 3PM data shows us that afterschool programs are keeping kids active in plenty of unique ways. To highlight just one of the many activities programs are leveraging, we're celebrating National Bike to School Day by featuring some of the programs that are empowering physical activity through biking.
- In Kansas City, the FreeWheels for Kids program helps middle schoolers stay active and also empowers them to become leaders for healthy change in their community by teaching them how to fix bikes, build nature trails, and raise their voices in support of a bike-friendly community.
- iCan Shine partners with public school districts around the country to host afterschool bike programs to enrich the lives of people with disabilities by offering the opportunity to learn to ride a bike—according to the organization, over 80% of people with Autism and 90% of people with Down syndrome never learn to ride a two-wheel bicycle.
- Cycles of Change offers youth in Alameda County, California, opportunities to learn bicycle mechanics, earn bikes of their own, and go on "pedal-powered adventures" that get youth active while exploring their neighborhoods.
- In Chicago, a DePaul University senior has pioneered Four Star Bikes, a workshop-based afterschool program that offers career skills while promoting activity in the community by teaching high schoolers to repair and build bicycles for community members.
Interested in finding a youth-focused bicycle program in your community this National Bike Month? The International Bicycle Fund offers a directory of youth programs in the United States, Canada, and around the world.
learn more about: Health and Wellness
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Take a moment to celebrate afterschool educators this Teacher Appreciation Week
By Rachel Clark
Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4 through 8) is a great moment to thank our teachers, who devote their careers to educating youth. Teachers strive every day not only to provide an exemplary education to their students, but to offer a boost of confidence, or extra help, or a welcoming presence that kids can count on. Many even continue their day after the school bell rings by supporting students in afterschool programs – and many of our future teachers are afterschool educators who catch the teaching bug in programs.
This week, join NEA and the National PTA to say "Thank You" to an educator in your life, whether that's an afterschool educator who inspires you, a loved one working in the education field, or a teacher who changed your life. Share your gratitude with the hashtag #ThankATeacher beginning on National Teacher Day (May 5) for a chance to receive a $100 VISA gift card to give to your favorite teacher for supplies!
Though we can't ever thank educators enough, National Teacher Day and Teacher Appreciation Week serve as great reminders to reflect on the individuals who dedicate their lives to helping kids succeed, whether in school or out.
learn more about:
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Citi Foundation, America's Promise Alliance launch $3 million fund
The Youth Opportunity Fund, led by the Citi Foundation and America's Promise Alliance, has announced the availability of grants to nonprofits working in innovative ways to place low-income young adults on a path towards college and career success. The $3 million Fund will award one-year grants up to $250,000 to nonprofit organizations in 10 target U.S. cities: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Newark, St. Louis, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
The Fund is part of the Citi Foundation's Pathways to Progress initiative – a three-year, $50 million commitment to give 100,000 low-income youth in the United States the opportunity to develop the workplace skills and leadership experience necessary to compete in a 21st century economy. The Citi Foundation has selected America's Promise, the country's leading alliance of organizations and communities committed to improving the lives of young people, to provide technical assistance and convene grantees to collaborate on the most effective ways to expand youth economic opportunity in their communities.
The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. The Foundation invests in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill its mission and drive thought leadership and innovation.
To learn more, please refer to the following guidelines or contact firstname.lastname@example.com for information about eligibility or how to apply.
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Guest blog: Baltimore is not burning
By Rachel Clark
Ellie Mitchell is the Director of the Maryland Out of School Time Network.
The last few days in Baltimore have been disappointing though not shocking to any of us who live and work here. The media coverage as you might expect has sensationalized what have been high impact, but relatively isolated incidents of looting and property destruction. There will be a high economic impact, an even greater emotional impact. Hard to believe the Orioles played a game to an empty stadium yesterday.
Of greatest concern to us at the Maryland Out of School Time Network has been the involvement of young people and how the media has portrayed young people in Baltimore City. We are working with a number of organizations to highlight the positive contributions of young people—many have been involved in the clean up—and to underscore how the lack of opportunity in the city has contributed to the sense of despair that is the precursor to this kind of violence.
On Monday morning, I was at the high school, Frederick Douglass, which is directly across from the mall where the altercation between police and students began. I was working with a group of students who produce a TV show called Baltimore Pioneers. I can tell you the full story about how students ended up engaging with police there has not been told. On Monday afternoon as the worst of the incidents began, I was with a group of advocates at a press conference prior to a City Council hearing where the City Council voted unanimously to increase funding for out-of-school time and community school programming in the city, a positive step for the community. The resolution is non-binding but is intended to send a message to the Mayor prior to her sending her budget to the City Council for approval.
Today we are focused on getting out in the community and providing support where we can and also thinking longer term about providing trauma informed care training, and participating in the forums to support youth voice and leadership. Baltimore is just the most recent stop of this train.
To learn more about the important work being done by youth programs in Baltimore, visit MOST's Facebook page, where they have highlighted some of the positive contributions young people are making in the community.
learn more about: Guest Blog State Networks Youth Development
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FY2016 appropriations process continues in House and Senate
With House and Senate Budget Committee Chairmen announcing this week that the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Conference has reached an agreement on a joint Congressional balanced budget resolution, the FY2016 appropriations process is starting to move forward in earnest. A challenge for appropriators will be meeting the needs of children and families given the constraints of lower spending levels.
House and Senate appropriations committees have begun holding hearings on the FY2016 spending bills, including Labor, HHS, Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee hearings featuring testimony by Education Secretary Arne Duncan and a public witness hearing this week. At the House subcommittee hearing in early March, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) emphasized the importance of maintaining strong investments in afterschool programs through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative.
This week, Karen West, Special Projects Curriculum Supervisor, Corbin Independent Schools of Corbin, Kentucky, represented the Afterschool Alliance at a public witness hearing of the Subcommittee, presenting heartfelt testimony and calling for continued federal support of 21st CCLC, stating:
learn more about: 21st CCLC Congress Federal Policy Legislation
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Imagine Science campaign celebrates nationwide launch in Orange County
Four of the nation's largest youth organizations, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, National 4-H Council, YMCA of the USA and Girls Inc. recently launched their joint Imagine Science campaign. Collectively, these organizations reach 18 million youth in every state and territory and have the potential to reach millions of underrepresented youth through enriching STEM experiences. Imagine Science was also listed as a commitment by the four organizations to the White House's Educate to Innovate campaign, a nationwide public-private partnership to prepare students at every level for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Leveraging the expertise of the organizations involved, Imagine Science will be a multifaceted project bringing mobile STEM labs to large audiences, hosting 1-2 day STEM Challenges and Expos, running summer camps, and engaging youth with one of the partner organizations during the school year. This year, a pilot summer program will be rolled out in three cities, Dallas, TX, Omaha, NE, and Orange County, CA. This past weekend, the campaign's first event took place, consisting of a booth at the Imaginology Youth Expo at the Orange County Fair organized by the pilot program in Orange County. Youth had the opportunity to take part in a booth called "Happy City Construction" constructing paper buildings that could be hooked up to the 'grid' of the imaginary city.
You can view pictures from the event on the Imagine Science OC Twitter and Instagram pages and join the Imagine Science mailing list here.
learn more about: Science Community Partners
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Weekly Media Roundup April 29, 2015
By Luci Manning
Save the Children Leads Charge to Protect Kids (Newport Plain Talk, Tennessee)
Each day, 68 million children are away from their parents in school or child care, and yet less than half of American families have an emergency plan or a way to reunite if a disaster were to occur. To fill this gap, Save the Children made disaster preparedness a priority at their Edgemont afterschool program through the Get Ready Get Safe Prep Rally last week. Throughout the week, students learned how they can help their families prepare for emergencies through practical lessons and discussions paired with fun and engaging activities, like the Disaster Supplies Relay Race and Emergency Mad Libs. A Family Night was held at the end of the week, where children shared what they had learned with their parents. "The Prep Rally program makes disasters less scary by giving children the tools they need to prepare and be ready," afterschool teacher Crystal Chambers told Newport Plain Talk.
A New Twist on the Old Lemonade Stand (Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico)
An afterschool program is using the age-old lemonade stand concept to teach kids how to start and run a business, according to the Albuquerque Journal. About 250 kids from Albuquerque elementary schools will set up dozens of lemonade stands throughout the city on Lemonade Day, May 2. The Rio Grande Collaborative, which runs the Albuquerque branch of the national program, provides students the entrepreneurial curriculum, and then it's up to the kids to find an investor – usually their parents – and use the money to buy ingredients, make the lemonade and run their sales stand. Kids have to keep track of all their expenses and pay back their investors, just like in the real business world.
Dormont After-School Program Blends Art, Movement (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pennsylvania)
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the nonprofit Art Expression Inc. have teamed up to create an afterschool program focused on the intersection of visual arts, rhythm and movement. Each session of the free six-week program, called "ARTS in Motion," combines music, dance and visual arts in activities that share a common theme. In a recent session, students made a collage about their feelings then acted out those feelings to a drum beat. The program aims to increase students' self-esteem, enhance their social skills and improve their self-expression abilities. "We think the combination of what Art Expression can bring in terms of emotional well-being and what we (Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre) can bring in terms of physical well-being is really exciting," PBT manager of community programs Lisa Auel told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
City May Restore Rec Center Hours (San Diego Union-Tribune, California)
San Diego's neighborhood recreation centers saw their hours cut significantly between 2003 and 2012, but under Mayor Kevin Faulconer's new budget proposal, many of those hours may be restored. The budget would increase the weekly hours of the city's 16 busiest recreation centers from 45 to 60. The rec centers are a hub of activity – hosting youth sports leagues, enrichment classes for preschoolers and senior fitness classes – but many supporters believe the centers' afterschool programs are what really make a difference. "Recreation centers are particularly important in communities where there aren't Boys & Girls Clubs and families can't afford things like YMCAs," Councilman David Alvarez told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Our rec centers are really the only place for young people to be active during after-school hours and have a safe place to play."
learn more about: Health and Wellness Arts
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Celebrating our own Anita Krishnamurthi, an innovator in STEM!
By Jodi Grant
The National AfterSchool Association (NAA) recently recognized a select group of innovators for their 2015 "Most Influential in STEM" awards. Among them is our very own Vice President of STEM Policy, Anita Krishnamurthi!
For these awards, NAA pulled together a diverse group—from higher education, museums, industry, the government, and the non-profit world—who have brought STEM education in afterschool to new levels of creativity and are making a difference in students' learning.
Anita is a passionate advocate of afterschool STEM, and since joining the Afterschool Alliance, she has played a tremendous role in creating a space for afterschool within national policy discussions and building national partnerships that support the development of high-quality STEM programming. Fun fact: she's actually an astrophysicist and worked for many years at NASA doing education and public outreach. We are incredibly proud of the work she's accomplished to better connect the afterschool and STEM communities. With her STEM background and her infectious enthusiasm for afterschool, it's no surprise that she's been so successful in helping bridge the afterschool and STEM communities.
At the Afterschool Alliance, Anita leads our STEM team on projects that address critical challenges in the afterschool field. The current project she's most excited to be working on is our "Afterschool STEM Advocacy, Communications and Messaging Hub," where we've brought together afterschool leaders to produce research-based messaging and resources that best tells the story of afterschool STEM. Anita believes that the field is at a unique moment in time when practice, research, and policy are poised to come together. She is very hopeful that this initiative will not only increase public understanding of the importance of afterschool, but also translate into broad support and public investments. We'll be debuting these resources in fall 2015!
Check out Anita and the full list of STEM influencers in the spring 2015 issue of AfterSchool Today.
learn more about: Science
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subset: commoncrawl


text: On Thu, 2008-01-03 at 11:54 -0500, William Ottley wrote: > Hey Lon! > woohoo: that's what was causing the problem: lo:1 which was my VIP! > i removed it and now my test site is working! thanks so much. > > now if anyone knows of good diagnostic tools? > > because I now have to figure out how to do LVS-TUN..... Piranha can do DR and NAT, but doesn't correctly set up tunneling. -- Lon


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NI Technology Updates Outlooks for STEC, Hewlett-Packard, Analog Devices and Semtech
PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Next Inning Technology Research (http://www.nextinning.com), an online investment newsletter focused on semiconductor and technology stocks, announced it has updated outlooks for STEC (Nasdaq: STEC), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ), Analog Devices (NYSE: ADI) and Semtech (Nasdaq: SMTC).
Editor Paul McWilliams advised readers that we would see a rally start the week of March 9th and subsequently provided suggestions as to exactly what stocks he thought would produce the best results. The rally started the very next day and a number of his suggested buys have doubled or better.
Prior to the July earnings season, McWilliams predicted the month would be unusually strong for tech stocks with Intel leading off earnings season with a huge upside surprise. As one reader commented, "it was almost as though McWilliams wrote the script for the Intel conference call." However, following the record July rally, in a series of reports, he has outlined the specific macroeconomic and political forces he believes will weigh on the market during the short-term and what signs will trigger the next rally.
Next Inning is also keeping its readers informed about emerging trends in the tech industry, including a special report covering the new "always on" portable computing trend and what companies are likely to benefit. Coming soon, there will be a special report covering the tech companies most likely to benefit from emerging "green tech" industries. To help you position your portfolio for the next rally, Next Inning has extended its free 21-day no risk trial offer. If you would like to receive regular, timely and actionable calls on tech stocks and trends, please visit us at the following link:
McWilliams covers these topics and more in his recent reports:
– After STEC's big move higher, does McWilliams see further upside from here? Are there competitors poised to erase the "first-mover" advantage solid state drive (SSD) markets that fueled STEC's big gains? What factor has changed in the STEC value chain and how might that affect STEC's business model?
– McWilliams let Next Inning subscribers know about the boost that Chinese stimulus would provide to Analog Devices and other tech names back in March and suggested buying the stock ahead of its May earnings report when it was trading in the $19s. Now that Wall Street has finally caught on and pushed the price of Analog Devices up 43% off its May low, has the stock reached fair value? What should investors be expecting from Analog Devices' upcoming earnings report?
– Based on a valuation analysis, is Hewlett-Packard trading at a bargain price even after a 25% gain since McWilliams last called the stock a strategic buy?
– Is Semtech trading below fair value? Could Semtech move above $20 following its upcoming earnings report?
Founded in September 2002, Next Inning's model portfolio has returned 197% since its inception versus 9% for the S&P 500.
About Next Inning:
Next Inning is a subscription-based investment newsletter that provides regular coverage on more than 150 technology and semiconductor stocks. Subscribers receive intra-day analysis, commentary and recommendations, as well as access to monthly semiconductor sales analysis, regular Special Reports, and the Next Inning model portfolio. Editor Paul McWilliams is a 30+ year semiconductor industry veteran.
NOTE: This release was published by Indie Research Advisors, LLC, a registered investment advisor with CRD #131926. Interested parties may visit adviserinfo.sec.gov for additional information. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
CONTACT: Marcia Martin, Next Inning Technology Research, +1-888-278-5515
SOURCE Indie Research Advisors, LLC


text: Shapeways: Bring your creativity to life in 3D http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php Shapeways: Bring your creativity to life in 3D A few quick questions for Shapeways ... http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=45396&th=8564#msg_45396 I'm interesting in doing some silver casting and consider using Google Sketchup (not Pro) to make the casting forms - which I would like Shapeways to 3D print for me in a suitable material. Any of you know if Shapeways can work with Google sketchup files (not the Pro version) for 3D printing? And also if they have materials that can be used for silver casting (a melting temperature of about 1000 degrees celsius)? Thanks for reading and maybe replying Jesper P.S.: If this is not possible using Shapeways, I'd appreciate suggestions for an alternative - yet similar - service.]]> Evalon 2012-03-13T07:28:52-00:00 Re: A few quick questions for Shapeways ... http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=45404&th=8564#msg_45404 Dan.]]> abby 2012-03-13T12:36:29-00:00 Re: A few quick questions for Shapeways ... http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=45408&th=8564#msg_45408 To answer your first question, you can use the free version of Sketchup for 3D printing. ]]> denali3ddesign 2012-03-13T12:52:56-00:00 Re: A few quick questions for Shapeways ... http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=45413&th=8564#msg_45413 denali3ddesign wrote on Tue, 13 March 2012 12:52Hi Jesper, To answer your first question, you can use the free version of Sketchup for 3D printing. Well, you can't upload Sketchup files. You need DAE or STL from Sketchup I believe. ]]> Youknowwho4eva 2012-03-13T14:58:57-00:00 Re: A few quick questions for Shapeways ... http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=45428&th=8564#msg_45428 However in sketchup 8 I've run into two hiccups. The first is the orientation of my models are always one axis off. IE: The front of my model in sketchup is the top of my model when uploaded to shapeways. This is not really a problem just something to be aware of. The second is if you upload a model with unexploded components, it returns an "unknown_size" error. So make sure you explode any components before you export your model.]]> Carpemortis 2012-03-13T17:45:37-00:00 Re: A few quick questions for Shapeways ... http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=45500&th=8564#msg_45500 & thanks for replying Hmmm... I wonder if one of you may also know if there's one of Shapeways' materials that may be used for multiple silver or copper castings? I would like moulds to be made into which I can pour the silver or copper and then take apart the mould whereby releasing the shape now cast. And then reuse the mould more times. Hope one of you knows! Best regards from a Denmark that now shows clear signs of spring Jesper]]> Evalon 2012-03-14T17:17:57-00:00