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Pinkie and Dash streaked higher, ever higher into the sky. Layer after layer of black, boiling cloud had slipped past them, and then they had escaped the storm and were out among the normal white clouds, the cumulus and cumulo-stratus that floated above Equestria like great white fairy castles. But even those clouds were gone as well now, far below them, and they flew through the clear frosty-blue silent expanse at the top of the world.
Pinkie leaned against Dash and shouted in her ear to be heard over the air coursing past them. "But Dashie? Where are we going? Isn't the storm right back down there?"
Dash shouted back: "We've got to get as high as possible, Pinkie. That way gravity can give us the extra boost we'll need to trigger the sonic rainboom."
Pinkie gulped. "A s-s-s-s-sonic rainboom?" she stuttered. "Straight into the centre of the storm? Are you crazy!?!?"
"You're really asking ME if I'M crazy, Pinkie?" Dash laughed. "That hurricane was born from the rainbow of darkness, so the only thing that can stop it is rainbow magic." She took a deep breath in. "But we have to trigger it at just the right moment, or else we'll rainboom straight into the ground or miss the storm entirely if we pull up too soon. We've only got one shot at this, Pinkie. We've got to make it count. Everypony is relying on us."
Pinkie didn't reply, but looked back over her shoulder at the rapidly dwindling landscape below them. They were so high now that everything had shrunk to tiny proportions, and Pinkie could make neither ear nor tail of what she was looking at. Ahead of them, stars had started to appear, first one, then another, and then more burst into existence until soon the sky glistened with them as if night had fallen.
Dash started to slow her flight, and soon she came to a halt entirely. Extending her wings out to their full extent, she flapped them slowly, but there was no real need up here, in the silent expanse at the top of the world.
"Dashie, why aren't we falling?" asked Pinkie. They seemed to be floating up here in space, the sky above them almost as black as the night sky and studded with glowing stars, while below them the land, impossibly wide, stretched away to a gently curving horizon.
"We're up too high for gravity to affect us," explained Dash.
"Gravity?" asked Pinkie.
"Oh, you know that thing that keeps us from flying off the face of the world while it spins around." Twilight had explained it to her, but Dash was sure she was messing up the explanation. "It keeps the moon from flying away from the earth."
Pinkie's eyes went wide with understanding and she nodded. "Oh, so 'gravity' is just another word for 'love'!"
Dash frowned. "Love? Uh, no Pinkie..." but then she gave up trying to explain. Once Pinkie had made her mind up about something, there was as much use trying to straighten it out as there was trying to straighten out one of her crazy pink curls!
"Where's the storm? I can't see it!" cried Pinkie. She'd taken her flight goggles off and was stretching her neck this way and that. "Has it... has it disappeared?"
"No, it's still there Pinkie," said Dash, slipping her own flight goggles off and pointing down. "See that little black smudge, between the big blue smudge and the big brown one?"
"Oh yeah!" Pinkie could see it now. "It looks so teeny-tiny! But what's that big blue smudge?" She pointed to their right.
"The sea," said Dash. "I always wanted to see that one day well, I guess today's the day, then!"
"And what's that big brown patch?" asked Pinkie, pointing to the left.
"The Swayback Mountains I think," replied Dash. She was panting. The air up here was so thin!
"I never realised that Equestria was so big!" whispered Pinkie in amazement. "Or so beautiful!"
"Neither did I," said Rainbow Dash. "This is at least twice as high up as I've ever flown, I think."
"I thought that was impossible?" said Pinkie, her eyes wide.
Dash looked behind her at the little pink pony clinging to her back and she grinned. "You know, Pinkie Pie, with you with me I don't think anything's impossible anymore!"
Pinkie had turned her attention the sky above them. "Look up at Princess Luna's moon!" she said, raising a hoof. "It's almost like you can touch it from here!"
"Yeah, that's sure something," Dash panted. She took great deep breaths. "Hey Pinkie, get off for a short while. I just want to catch my breath a bit all that dreaming has made me out of condition!" She took hold of one of the earth pony's hooves in her own, and slipped from under her.
Pinkie cried out in surprise. "But Dashie! I'll fall!"
"You always said you hoped to fly, Pinkie!" laughed Dash, and she took hold of Pinkie's other hoof so that the two of them, hoof in hoof, were spiralling slowly together in a gravity-less dance. "Well, up here you can!"
"But I'll faaaaaaaaall!" yelped Pinkie. And then she looked down at the earth far below. It wasn't coming any closer!
"Trust me!" said Dash. "Up here you could float forever if you wanted to!"
"Forever?" asked Pinkie.
"Forever," Dash nodded.
As they floated high above the surface of Equestria, between heaven and earth, Pinkie looked and into Dash's deep rose eyes. She blushed.
"Dashie," said Pinkie shyly. "I... I always wondered what it was that you loved about me..."
Dash frowned. "Aw jeeze, Pinkie!" she said, turning away. "You know how I feel about all that..." But the Pegasus pony's voice dropped suddenly away when she remembered another time she had said those words. She sighed and looked into the little pink pony's deep blue eyes. "It's all kinda stuff, Pinkie. I've thought about it a lot, you know."
Pinkie nodded. "It's just that I totally understand why you loved Star Catcher," she said. Then she lowered her gaze again. "But... I'm nowhere near as beautiful as she was, and I'm not graceful or sophisticated.... and I don't have that super-cute figure she had!" Pinkie looked back over her body at her bottom. Floating high above Equestria it looked even bigger than it usually did. "I mean, look at it! That thing is humungous!"
Dash chuckled. "Aw, it's nowhere near that big, Pinkie," she said. "And it's just part of the whole package!" The Pegasus pony looked suddenly thoughtful. "But you've got life in you, Pinkie. So much life!" Dash's eyes grew wide. "I... I look at you and it's like... a massive pink explosion of life! An explosion of love and light and goodness and... you make everything better," Tears welled up in her eyes. "Just one smile from you makes everything better. The sun shines brighter, rainy days don't seem so sad even vanilla lemon drops taste sweeter! Being with you, I... I don't feel afraid anymore. I don't feel alone anymore."
Pinkie's eyes were glistening with tears now as well. She nodded. "I feel the same way about you, Dashie. Everything gets soooooo confusing inside me sometimes, like all the ribbons and the balloons at the party have got tangled up," She gazed into Dash's eyes and her blush deepened. "But...but when I look at you, when I see those super-gorgeous eyes of yours, I... I can untangle everything, even if just for a little while." She looked away and across the great expanse of sky that surrounded them. "It's like... that party inside me had always been missing a special guest, somepony for me to throw the party for. And then you came along and..." She smiled. "Well, I just know the party won't ever end as long as I'm with you, Dashie. I think it'll just keep going and going and going forever!"
At "forever" Dash looked suddenly serious.
"Pinkie," she whispered. "You know this might not work, right? We might not..."
Pinkie shook her head, and droplets of happy tears floated away from them, sparkling in the starlight. "What are you talking about, Dashie? Of course it'll work. If you can't do it, nopony can!"
"Oh Pinkie Pie!" whispered Dash. "You..." but she didn't finish the sentence.
Pinkie let go of one of Dash's hooves and kicked her hind legs as if she was swimming until she was beside the Pegasus pony. She clambered onto her back again, then leaned over and kissed Dash on the cheek.
The Pegasus pony blushed, raising a hoof to her face. "What was that for?"
"Just a kiss for luck!" said Pinkie with a shy giggle.
"No need for luck," said Dash with a grin. "I've got Ponyville's premiere party pony beside me." She slipped her flight goggles back on and adjusted them until they were sitting just right. "Let's go."
In the beginning the flight back down towards the earth was almost leisurely, with little of that strange magic called gravity pulling them down. But soon Dash's speed dramatically increased as the earth took hold of them, and within heartbeats their speed doubled, then tripled, and it gave no indication of slackening off.
Behind them, Pinkie saw that the stars had now disappeared and the sky had changed to a rapidly deepening blue, while in front of them, the tiny, toy-land appearance of the earth as it flew up towards them had quickly shifted into a haze of white as they punched down through layer after layer of first stratus, then stratocumulus, then cumulus clouds, until finally they were hurtling towards the great black eye of the nightmare storm itself. It revolved slowly, staring up at them balefully, and cataracts of lightning scored across it with furious white-yellow flashes.
They were flying blindingly fast now. Pinkie clung to Dash's back for dear life as the air speared past them with a roar. But they weren't going nearly fast enough yet.
"Auuuuuuugh!" Dash groaned, her forelegs spearing out in front of her and pressing against the invisible barrier that separated the universe from the scintillating source of all rainbow magic. Sparks of colour began to leap out from the tips of Dash's hooves as she pressed forward faster, faster, even faster! but they remained sparks, and although the barrier seemed to bend ever so slightly, it steadfastly refused to break. The storm covered their entire world now, and individual banks of cloud could be made out. It screamed up at them, and Dash cried out in frustration.
"I'm just not
enough!" Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes and flew past Pinkie's face, shattering into mist at the speed they were going. "I'm sorry Pinkie
we're not going to make it
. this time! It's
Pinkie pushed her face against Rainbow Dash's mane, smelled the mixture of sweetness and perspiration that she loved so much, and whispered in her ear. "Nothing's impossible for you, Dashie." She reached down and, drawing her forelegs along Dash's, she placed her hooves on the Pegasus pony's and as soon as they touched, the shower of sparks dramatically increased, spraying out now in thick streams, and the barrier started to bend backwards.
"Pinkie!" cried Dash. "It's working! We're doing it!" Her voice was stretched back by the bending barrier, the sound sucked immediately backwards by the bending of space so that it seemed to echo from somewhere far behind them. The sparks were so thick now, a stream of red and yellow, green and orange, indigo, violet and blue and now pink as well, that the two ponies could barely see through them.
And then Dash and Pinkie both cried out as the air seemed to be sucked away from them, and in an instant the universe collapsed backwards and they plunged into a world of pure boundless white light.
And then they broke through the barrier. Bending, it slipped back into infinity behind them and snapped, and what had been streams of multicoloured sparks coalesced into radiant bars of pure, blinding colour that radiated out in a starburst that painted the universe with all the colours of the rainbow.
Suddenly they could see again. The earth leapt up before them, and Pinkie shouted "Pull up Dash!" as she desperately lifted her friend's hooves up. With a great cry of effort the Pegasus pony straightened out her death-dive and they were right in the middle of the storm, which by now had developed titanic strength.
They were flying impossibly fast now, rainbow light pouring from them in a steady stream of brilliance, and Dash banked sharply to the right, plunging into a circular course that took them directly against the full brunt of the storm. Pinkie had expected to feel torrents of rain and wind against her face, but it was like the time she'd rode in Twilight's hot air balloon there had been no feeling of wind blowing past them as they'd flown through the sky. And that's how it felt now with rainbow energy coursing before and behind them, the wind instantaneously dissipated away, the clouds dissolved and the rain was scattered into a superfine mist by the wake of the sonic rainboom, and as Pinkie looked back at the multi-coloured contrail, she saw the darkness receding away and blue sky appearing everywhere and she cried out in joy.
"Dash! It's working!" Pinkie yelled. "It's working!"
"That's great, Pinkie!" Dash yelled back at her. "But we've still got a few problems of our own!"
The Pegasus pony was struggling to keep her course straight. The agonising speed, the blinding light, the dizzying circular course were all taking their toll. But at last the final banks of grey-black clouds scattered and boiled away in their wake and Dash let out an explosive lungful of air. Another quick bank to the left, and they were flying straight towards the lake not far from Fluttershy's treehouse.
"Hold on Pinkie Pie!" Dash yelled. "This is going to be one vanilla-frosting of a landing!"
And an instant later they were swallowed up by water, and everywhere was a confusion and chaos of bubbles and flailing hooves. At last, Pinkie struggled to the surface
and immediately afterwards Dash's face appeared as well, her goggles knocked askew by the impact and her mane sopping wet.
"We did it! We did it!" yelled Pinkie, throwing her forelegs in the air. Before them, as they bobbed in the water, they could see the buildings and trees of Ponyville sopping and stretched and bent, but intact.
"Look Dash! Sugarcube Corner! The Library! Fluttershy's treehouse! Mr Breezy's Fan Emporium!" Pinkie laughed, swimming over to the Pegasus pony. "We did it! We saved them! We saved them all!"
But Dash was busy looking upwards, and then she burst out laughing and pumped a fore-hoof into the air, slipping back under the surface of the water for her trouble. She spluttered as she bobbed back to the surface, and then, grabbing Pinkie, she pointed up in the air and yelled ecstatically. "Pinkie! Look! The rainbow! The RAINBOW! Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"The rainbow?" Pinkie looked up. And she didn't realise what she was looking at straight away. Before them, born of the Sonic Rainboom and the last, shimmering remnants of the great storm, glowed the largest rainbow Pinkie had ever seen. It arched across the sky from horizon to horizon, from the Whitetail Woods to Dragon Mountain. It wasn't a triple rainbow, and not even a double one but it was the most amazing rainbow that had ever appeared over the town of Ponyville, or indeed anywhere in all of Equestria.
"One, two, three, four
" Pinkie counted quickly on her hoofs. "Eight?" She turned to Dash. "Dashie, does a rainbow usually have EIGHT colours?"
The Pegasus pony shook her head. But there they were: eight colours! For along with the red, the orange and yellow and green, the blue and indigo and directly underneath the violet ran a vibrant strip of pure, glowing pink that stretched across the whole sky.
"BEST. RAINBOW. EVER!" yelled Dash, and leaping at Pinkie she threw her forelegs around the little pony's neck and kissed her so hard that they both fell back beneath the water.
Although it was a struggle to get out of the lake, after lots of laughing and horsing around they managed to do it but Dash was so exhausted at the end of it that Pinkie had to lift her up on her back and carry her.
"Are you sure this is OK, Pinkie?" asked Dash, as she lay her head against the earth pony's waterlogged pink mane.
"Of course it is, Dashie," Pinkie replied, looking back at her. "You carried me RIGHT up to the strat- strater sky! so the least Pinkie Pie can do is carry you the short way back to Ponyville!"
Sunlight lit their way, that glistening sunlight that only appears after rain and which seeps across the landscape and makes everything glitter.
"Do you think everypony is alright?" asked Dash in Pinkie's ear. Her eyes were closed, and she was half-asleep from exhaustion.
She heard Pinkie chuckle. "See for yourself, Dashie!"
And when Dash opened her eyes and lifted her head, she saw a huge crowd of ponies waiting for them on the road that led to Ponyville. Everypony had come to meet them!
Applejack was the first to spot Pinkie and Dash, and tearing her hat from her head she waved to them with it. Even from a distance they could see the huge smile that had broken onto her face. And soon, with Twilight Sparkle at the lead, all the rest of their friends galloped up to meet them.
"How did you know where we were?" Pinkie asked, as they were swamped on all sides by hugging, kissing and nuzzling ponies.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Oh Pinkie!" she said, pointing up into the sky. "We followed your rainbow of course!"
Pinkie clopped her hooves together in delight. "Did you notice the new colour!?"
Applejack chuckled. "It's pretty hard ta miss, Pinkie."
Rarity was nuzzling Dash's wings with her muzzle. Somehow, in the time between the dissolving away of the storm and the journey to the lake, her hair had been restored to its elegantly-coiffured state. "Oh my dear," she said, tutting, "We have to get you to the Boutique at once, Rainbow! These feathers need to blow dried IMMEDIATELY or else they'll get all FRIZZY!"
Dash chuckled, moving away from her fastidious ministrations and stood next to Pinkie. "I promise I'll come round and see you tomorrow, Rarity!"
"What about my hair?" asked Pinkie, curling it around a hoof. "It's all scooshy and squishy as well. Should I come to the Boutique too?"
Rarity's eyes opened wide in shock, and then she laughed gaily. "Oh Pinkie, frizzy or curly or... or whatever that is..." She brought a hoof to her chin in thought. "Poofy perhaps? Anyway, however your hair looks, on you it will always look PERFECT."
"But where's Fluttershy?" asked Dash, looking around at the steadily increasing crowd of ponies who had come to congratulate them. "And the rest of my Squad? We saw them on the way up but..."
The crowd parted and Cloudkicker, cradling a bruised and battered Fluttershy in her forelegs and wings, stumbled forwards.
There were tears in her eyes. "Oh Dash," she sobbed. "Fluttershy... she was magnificent! She held on until the very last moment..." She lowered the injured Pegasus pony to the ground, and Dash and the others immediately surrounded her.
"Fluttershy, are you OK!?" cried Dash. She brushed the pink mane from her face, and Fluttershy stirred and looked at Dash through bleary, squinting eyes.
"Is... is that you, Rainbow Dash?" she asked, her usually soft voice now even less than a whisper.
Dash nodded. "It's me and Pinkie and everypony!"
"Is... is the storm gone?"
"It's gone," replied Dash with a sigh of relief. "Thanks to you, Fluttershy. We couldn't have done it without you!"
Fluttershy raised her exhausted face up, a gorgeous beaming smile suddenly flashing across it.
"yay" she whispered.
Dash saw other members of her squad in the crowd many of them nursing injured wings or legs, and poor Derpy was there, Nurse Mercy wrapping a bandage around her head.
"Derpy, are you ok?" cried Dash, galloping up to her.
"Muffins!" said Derpy, nodding her head.
"Oh, do be careful Ditzy!" Nurse Mercy complained as she struggled to tie the bandage. "You're just lucky that you crash landed near my infirmary tent!"
"You crash landed?" asked Dash.
"On her head," nodded Nurse Mercy.
"Phew!" gasped Pinkie. "She'll be ok then!"
Suddenly, a little unicorn filly came galloping up, covered in mud, and threw her forelegs around Derpy's feet.
"Mama! Mama!" squealed Dinky. "You're ok! You're ok!"
Derpy, tears in her eyes, lowered her muzzle and kissed the dirty little filly on the top of her head.
"Muffin!" she sobbed. And the sight of the valiant mail mare and her daughter melted every heart that beheld it.
Nearby, Twilight was talking to Dash.
"Zecora said that the Sonic Rainboom would be the only thing that could work!" Twilight was gushing. "So you flew clockwise, right? Just like I suggested?"
Dash was rubbing the back of her head with a hoof. "Ah, yeah Twilight," she muttered sheepishly. "Just like you said. Clockwise."
Twilight clopped her feet together. "So you saw what it looked like on the other side of the light barrier!" She put a hoof on Dash's shoulder. "You have to tell me everything about it! You actually looked straight into the primal light of creation, the source of Princess Celestia's power! I need to know everything...!"
Dash slipped from under the unicorn pony's hoof. "I'd love to help you, Twilight. But maybe tomorrow?" She looked at Pinkie, was hugging a crying Spike. "Right now I think me and Pinkie need a bath!"
Pinkie looked up in mid-hug. "But Dashie," she protested. "We just flew through the BIGGEST rainstorm in Ponyville history, and then we dash-crash-landed into a lake! I mean, don't you think we...?" But then Pinkie noticed the look on Dash's face, and her eyes went wide and she blushed crimson. "Ooooh!" she said.
"Uh, so what should I do with Gummy?" asked Spike. The little alligator was hopping up and down at his feet in an attempt to leap up into his arms.
Twilight smiled as she looked at the Pinkie and Dash staring into each other's eyes, and she put a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "I think that maybe we can look after Gummy for just a teensy little while longer," she said.
Spike looked down at the little alligator, who stared back up at him with his crazy pink eyes and squeaked.
"Aw no. You can't just turn those eyes on me to make up for all those gummings you gave me earlier
" muttered Spike, annoyed.
Gummy squeaked again.
"Well, maybe you can. Just a little," sighed the little purple dragon.
"We'll see ya'll later!" said Applejack. "Ah've got to go check out the farm to see if the apple trees are ok." She looked across to where Big Mac and Caramel were talking to each other, their faces close together, and she shook her head.
"Oh brother!" she muttered, and then she smiled tolerantly. "Ah guess Ah'll hafta be the one to keep the Apple family line goin' after all!" She looked about at all the happy but dishevelled ponies close to her. "Nah who's a likely can-dee-date for the future Mr. Apple?" Her gaze went from Snails to Pokey Pierce to Mr Breezy, and by the end of it she shook her head in despair. "Aww ponyfeathers!"
"AND just what do you THINK you're doing, AppleJack?!" Rarity had come up behind her, a furious look on her face. Applejack looked at the unicorn pony's flashing, imperious eyes and she smiled soppily.
"Ah, nuthin' Rarity," she said. And then she offered the unicorn pony the crook of a foreleg and said "Shall we?"
Rarity sniffed. "We most CERTAINLY shall!" And the two walked off, hoof in hoof, along the path that led to Sweet Apple Acres.
And soon everypony began to leave, until only Dash and Pinkie were left, holding hooves and gazing into each other's eyes.
"Hey Pinkie?" said the rainbow-maned Pegasus pony at last.
"Yes, Dashie?" asked the little pink earth pony.
"Let's go home."
"I think the rainbow looks so nice with the extra colour," said Celestia from the battlements of Caterlot. She looked down at the smaller purple-coated alicorn pony at her side. "Don't you agree, little sister?"
Luna nodded. But then she sighed. "It was so hard to watch them struggling, Celestia," she whispered. "What if Twilight hadn't been able to save Pinkie Pie? And what if she hadn't been able to save Rainbow Dash? And what if...?"
Celestia laughed. "So many 'What if's!" She smiled indulgently at the Princess of the Moon. "I know you wanted to go and save them yourself, Luna you are the Queen of Dreams, after all but sometimes it is only through a trial that true love has a chance to blossom fully. Look at the poppies that grow up here on the mountainside," Celestia indicated with a nod of her head a patch of the blood-red flowers growing beneath the battlements. "If you give them too rich a soil, they never grow. But throw the seeds upon a rocky wasteland, and they will thrive. Sometimes love is the same."
Luna looked at the poppies. Sometimes her sister's wisdom frightened her.
"So what did we learn from everything that happened today, little sister?" asked Celestia at last.
Luna looked up at her, her eyes doleful. "Do I really have to say it?"
Celestia nodded.
"That I should always trust my big sister," said Luna, an incongruous hangdog expression on her divinely beautiful face.
And then Celestia laughed, and she slipped her white neck across her little sister's smaller, purple-coated one in a hug. "And that I love you, Luna, and I would never let anything happen to the one you love more than anypony else... more even than you love me."
Luna's green eyes went wide in shock. "You... you know?" she whispered.
"Well, of course!" laughed Celestia. "I am the Princess of all of Equestria after all!" She smiled softly. "And I approve of the match. But it may take longer than you think to capture that little pony's heart." And then she drew Luna to her and kissed her. "I wish you the best of luck, little sister."
"Poor Spike," said Dash. "I think he's going to have his claws full with Gummy!"
"Oh, Gummy is a sweetheart!" replied Pinkie. The huge porcelain bath at Sugarcube Corner was filling with hot water, and the little pink pony leaned over to add bubble bath to it.
Dash shook her head as she watched Pinkie put too much of the mix in again and there was a sudden explosion of pink foam and bubbles. She laughed.
"Hey Pinkie," said Dash suddenly. "I've never asked you, but why do you like pink so much?"
Pinkie turned away from the bath. She was wearing a handlebar moustache made of pink foam, but she quickly blew on it and it turned back into a flotilla of bubbles that floated off across the bathroom. "Pink, Dashie?" She beamed at the Pegasus pony. "You really have to ask? Bubblegum, cotton candy, strawberry milk what's not to like?" She turned off the faucet and dipped a hoof in the water. "Ooooo! Toasty!" She turned back to Dash. "Well, hop in!"
Dash clambered into the big tub and eased herself into the bubbly water and immediately leaped out. "Hot-hot-hot-hot!" she yelped.
"Well, of course it's hot!" giggled Pinkie. "A bath has to be hot, otherwise it's not a bath it's just a swim!"
Dash soon got used to the heat, and she felt herself relaxing. She lay back and closed her eyes, but straight away opened them again when she realised that Pinkie had made no move to join her and was looking down at the bathroom tiles, a sad look on her face.
"What's the matter, Pinkie?" asked Dash.
"Oh, nothing!" she said, rubbing a hoof against the tiles absentmindedly. "It's just..." She looked up at Dash and the Pegasus pony could see tears starting in her big blue eyes.
Dash's heart broke. "Oh, Pinkie..." she whispered. "Are you remembering the last time we... we were here?"
Pinkie nodded.
Dash sighed. "C'mere, Twinkie Pie!" she said, beckoning with a hoof.
Dash grew mock-angry. "I said, 'Get that little pink rump of yours over here now!!"
Pinkie trotted up to the edge of the bath. "Yes Dashie?" she asked, but that's all she managed to say before Dash threw her pink-bubble-covered forelegs around her neck and brought their lips together, hard.
And as they kissed, Pinkie grew limp in Dash's embrace, bubblegum scented foam covering the two of them and for a long time neither pony let go of the other.
Finally, Dash broke the kiss. Pinkie's mouth lay open in an O, and her eyes remained closed.
"Pinkie, are you... alright?" Dash asked, concerned.
And then Pinkie exploded in every direction at once. She flew into the air, rocketed off the walls, bounced across the tiled floor, ricocheted off the ceiling, until at last she cannonballed into the bath and bubbles, pink water and laughter erupted everywhere.
Chuckling, Dash searched through the mountain of foam and water with her forelegs, but Pinkie was nowhere to be found.
"Uh, Pinkie? Where have you..."
And then suddenly Pinkie exploded out of the water and threw herself onto the Pegasus pony crying:
Dash hugged her back, gazing into those blue eyes that had stolen her heart away. "I love you too, Pinkie Pie," she said, tears in her own rose-coloured eyes. And together the two ponies slipped under the screen of pink, bubblegum-scented bubbles and they didn't reappear for a very, very long time.
Dash and Pinkie lay next to each other on the little pink pony's huge four-poster bed. Pinkie was staring up at the ceiling, while Dash was nervously twiddling her fore-hooves together.
"Hey Pinkie?" Dash said at last, scooting across the bed and drawing the earth pony down into the darkness under the covers with her.
"Yes Dashie?" Neither pony could see the other, and only their voices could be heard.
"Uhh, I have a confession to make."
"A confession?"
"Yeah. Promise you won't laugh?"
"Oh Dashie, I would never laugh at you! I mean, unless you were telling a really funny joke, like that one about the oatmeal that..."
"Aww, c'mon Pinkie. This is kinda serious."
"Oh, I won't laugh, Dashie. Cross my heart and..."
"OK, Pinkie I believe you. You don't have to say the rest of the rhyme."
"Aww, ok."
"You see, Pinkie. Uh, the thing is....is that I'm...."
"I'm a... a..."
"A what?"
"A virgin!"
"A virgin? You mean you've never..."
"Nope. Never. I've never done it before."
"But I thought..."
"Yeah, everypony thinks that."
"But what about with... with Gilda?"
"Gilda?" Dash laughed. "Oh, we never did anything except wrestle each other and kiss."
"Oh? Are you... disappointed, Pinkie?"
"Oh Dash! Of course not! And being a virgin is nothing to be ashamed of!"
Pinkie suddenly threw the covers off as jaunty music started to play unbidden from somewhere above them, and bouncing up and down on the bed she began to sing:
Oh Dashie dear, no need to fear!
We all pony-paddled before we learned to swim!
Just take my hoof, I'll draw you near...
"Uh, Pinkie?" Dash looked up at the prancing pony with a grin. "Maybe just this once? we can skip the song and do things my way?"
Pinkie stopped dead in mid-pirouette and looked at Dash with wide-open eyes. "Your way, Dashie? Which way is that?"
But Dash had already thrown herself headlong at Pinkie, screaming "Geronimo!!!!"
Dash woke up to find Pinkie asleep beside her. The little pink pony was flat on her back snoring loudly, her round tummy rising and falling with each snore.
Dash looked at her and sighed. She leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, and Pinkie squirmed a little and smiled.
Lying back, the Pegasus pony put her forelegs behind her head, and as she stared at the ceiling she smiled as well.
"So that's what sex is like!" she whispered to herself, and then she threw her forelegs up in the air and cried: "SO. TOTALLY. AWESOME!!!"
Hey, you don't have a clue
This party never ended - not for me and you
I know you're just pretending
You're hiding from yourself
Yes you are, yes you are
Like golden rays of sun in the cloud
I will make you see
Haven't you got, haven't you got it yet?
Just lay down for a while next to me
Didn't mean to make you panic
I didn't mean to put you off
Baby, it's the way that you've got me
I listen to my heart and it takes you high
And you ask me how, can I show you how?
I need your love right now, now, now
On the road that led to Ponyville, a little black-coated foal was crying. He was so deep in his misery that he didn't notice the little pink filly bouncing along the road until she was right next to him.
"What's your name, little guy?" asked the filly, her round, open face frowning in concern.
"Don't know!" sniffed the little foal. His green eyes were red from crying. "I can't remember!"
"Well mine's Twinkie Pie!" The little pink filly took a hoof-full of her mane and handed it across to the crying colt. "Here! Dry those eyes of yours!"
He looked at the curly pink blob in his hoof. "Is it really ok?"
Twinkie nodded her head rapidly, and the colt rubbed his face on the mane. He would have realised that it smelled liked popcorn and candy if he'd known what those things were, but as he dried his tears his heart seemed lighter. He didn't feel so frightened anymore.
He looked up at the filly and a tiny smile tried to struggle onto his face. "Thank... thank you," he said. The words seemed so strange in his mouth, almost as if it was the first time he'd ever said them.
But Twinkie didn't seem to think they were strange. She hopped up and down, a beaming smile exploding onto her face. "Yippeee!! You're all better! Now let's get going!" She started to trot towards the village but then she noticed the foal wasn't following her. She turned and saw him still standing in the middle of the path.
"What's wrong?" asked Twinkie, concern filling her face as she trotted back.
"I'm scared," the foal said. Tears threatened to burst out again in his eyes.
"Oh, there's no need to be scared!" said Twinkie. "You know, whenever I feel scared, I just go and eat a muffin and it makes me feel soooooo much better!"
"Muffin? What's muffin?" asked the little colt.
Twinkie's mouth gaped open in horror. "You don't know what a muffin is?" she cried. "This is serious!" She took his little hoof in her own and started to lead him along the path towards the village.
"Where are we going?" asked the foal. He hadn't started crying again after all, and he looked up at the filly with his green eyes wide with curiosity.
"We're going to Ponyville, of course!" she replied. "All my friends are having a party there and I want you to meet them!"
"Friends?" asked the foal. "I... I don't think I have any friends..."
Twinkie stopped and looked at him seriously. "Oh, what a silly, silly thing to say!" She kissed him on the cheek. "I'M your friend! And I'm sure all my friends will be yours as well, just as soon as you meet them!"
The little colt felt the wet spot on his cheek with a hoof. And then a big smile burst out onto his face but it was painful, as if he'd never used those muscles before in his life.
"Now we just have to think of a name for you," said Twinkie Pie as they neared the village called Ponyville. "Tell me if you like any of these ones!" She cocked her head, thinking. "How about Midnight Glitter?"
The foal shook his head.
"How about Starry Night?"
The foal thought for a second, then shook his head again.
"Hmmm...." Twinkie scratched her head. "Oo! Oo! I know!" And then she brought her mouth close to his perky little ear and whispered into it.
And a huge smile burst onto the colt's face and he nodded. "It's perfect!" he said. And then he nuzzled Twinkie's shoulder and said "Oh, thank you, Twinkie Pie!"
And Twinkie replied "No, thank you... " And then she said his name. But by now they were too far away for anypony else to hear it. Still, I'm sure it was a most fitting and most beautiful name, seeing it was given in love by the purest of all pure hearts.
THE END OF THE PARTY HASN'T ENDED by Butterscotch Sundae
The Party Hasn't Ended Concludes: Part 2 Rainbow Dash
Back in the real world, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie risk everything in a last desperate attempt to save Ponyville from the nightmare storm that is destroying it.
(PART B - divided into two parts so it could be uploaded)
Back in the real world, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie risk everything in a last desperate attempt to save Ponyville from the nightmare storm that is destroying it.
(PART B - divided into two parts so it could be uploaded)
This is my second time reading it in a few years, but I have to say I still love every bit of a it. If it wasn't for censorship, this would make an amazing episode/movie in the actual show. 10/10
Oh my Celestia, this fic is soooo beutiful, I cried so many times! And this ending was realy amazing!
Okay sorry I cracked up at Rainbow's approach to sex.
But anyways, amazing fanfic! All visorak approve!
But anyways, amazing fanfic! All visorak approve!
This was my first MLP fanfic other than My Little Dashie, and I have to say that it blew me away. The relations near the end were a bit rough for the genre, but other than that it was a masterfully written, tear-jerking story. Applause to you, sir!
Bonus points for"THE END OF THE PARTY HASN'T ENDED"
SEQUEL!!!! I Never Want this To End!!! This Was Is And Always Will Be Awesome!!!
A steak of pink makes the Sonic Rainbow 20 percent cooler and that scene was already awesome.
Clever with that scene of the royal sisters. I thought it was a simple Deus Exit Machina but it was something else.
Lots of heatwarming stuff with the couples. 'continue the Apple line' indeed. There's always Applebloom.
Rainbow Dash's line the morning was odd; a wrong cord or something. The last line felt odd too because the narrator has been impersonal up until that point; jarring.
This is the best pinkie dash fic ever. As PinkieDash as my OTP, I have read many a pinkiedash. In fact this is in my top five fics that I have ever even ever read!
•~• amazing job!
•~• amazing job!
personally i perfer appledash to pinkiedash, however im open minded and decided to read this(mainly cause of the song) and i enjoyed every minute of it. good job! is this on fimfiction? i wish to add it to my favorites.
Such a cute story! I love it a lot!
I just finished reading this. The tears came with the "muffin" quote. SUch a nice story
The Wolfe of Chaos approves this story.
i want to say if i ever get a proper computer could i do a movie of this you know not official just somthing id keep to my self is it okey?
the best fanfiction and at the end pinkie and dashie having sex! lol! epic and funny and i have to admit that pinkie dash is my fave shipping EVER!
I declare that his name was "Black Snooty" after all.
and his name was.... Gonzales
very well writen. i enjoyed it, even though i'm more of a flutterdash or pinkieshy person, but this pairing is great in its own way.
Well. First time reading a Pinkie-Dash and I must say that this one is very well done! I came here from Bronyville podcast and this has definitely not been a waste of time! Very well written, Nightmare (Loneliness) was very well done, story is quite good. All in all, great job! Keep it up!
*activates the Royal Canterlot Voice* WE DECLARE THIS TALE TO BE A MAGNIFICENT WORK OF ART! THIS STORY HAS BESTOWED UPON US THE JOY OF WHICH WE NEVER EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE IN A THOUSAND YEARS!
................................................... ow..... you owe me a pair of new ears.
not when you use it through a bullhorn...-_-
Alright then...*gets bigger bullhorn* DOES THIS STILL FAIL TO SATISFY YOU AS YOU REVEL IN THE GLORY OF THE ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE, MY LOYAL SUBJECT OF THE NEW LUNAR REPUBLIC?
ok 1. anything louder then the Royal Canterlot Voice hurts my ears, and 2. how did you know i perfer the NLR?
Oh my gosh....
This is amazing! I just started to watch MLP, but I love this story! I'm a bit of a Dash/Pinkie fan, and I imagine you are one too. XD
This is amazing! I just started to watch MLP, but I love this story! I'm a bit of a Dash/Pinkie fan, and I imagine you are one too. XD
That's why... though I liked the story
Ahhh what a nice story, I'm glad you didn't forget about loneliness in the end.
The bit where they were in the stratosphere I have mention was one of the more trying parts of my brain to maintain suspension of disbelief as normally I can just think of a reason why it would be so using reasons like differences between our worlds but since you had already said there were side effects to going so high it didn't so well. But in the end I remembered that it is Pinkie Pie and so I guess I feel a bit like Twilight would in realizing just how much you cannot rationalize Pinkie Pie and yet still have it work
Ohh yeah I still find the whole screaming "Geronimo!!!!" into sex thing to be so silly. Not in a bad way it's silly
Anyway I did enjoy this story quite a lot, you had a cool villain that played nicely with it all and some of the scene's were very emotional. Such as that bit with Star Catcher was so sad as they were both so destroyed due to Rainbow's own confusion/fear/everything and it didn't get better in the end But I suppose not everything gets to work out and who knows it may have been for the best.
Now then it's 4 in the morning and I need to sleep, I'll probably end up reading more of your stories sometime in the future now. Have a nice day
The bit where they were in the stratosphere I have mention was one of the more trying parts of my brain to maintain suspension of disbelief as normally I can just think of a reason why it would be so using reasons like differences between our worlds but since you had already said there were side effects to going so high it didn't so well. But in the end I remembered that it is Pinkie Pie and so I guess I feel a bit like Twilight would in realizing just how much you cannot rationalize Pinkie Pie and yet still have it work
Ohh yeah I still find the whole screaming "Geronimo!!!!" into sex thing to be so silly. Not in a bad way it's silly
Anyway I did enjoy this story quite a lot, you had a cool villain that played nicely with it all and some of the scene's were very emotional. Such as that bit with Star Catcher was so sad as they were both so destroyed due to Rainbow's own confusion/fear/everything and it didn't get better in the end But I suppose not everything gets to work out and who knows it may have been for the best.
Now then it's 4 in the morning and I need to sleep, I'll probably end up reading more of your stories sometime in the future now. Have a nice day
The way I see it is that Equestria is nothing like the earth - who knows how far the atmosphere extends? Anyway, I wasn't going to put them in spacesuits, now, was I? It would have totally ruined the mood.
I've been meaning to write a story about Star Catcher, but I've never got around to it. Maybe I will one day (once everything else has been written!)
Thanks for reading! See you around, Meltoria.
I've been meaning to write a story about Star Catcher, but I've never got around to it. Maybe I will one day (once everything else has been written!)
Thanks for reading! See you around, Meltoria.
This has got to be the BEST. FANFICTION. EVER. WRITTEN!
And even better it is about the BEST. SHIPPING. EVER!
And even better it is about the BEST. SHIPPING. EVER!
Ok, i have read the full story now.
And it's amazing. I'm no fan of shipping at all and normally i'd never even touch this fanfic, but i heard the song on everfree radio and so i somehow came here.
And it really was a great and touchy story, but a few things bothered me.
For one, When Nightmare entered Pinkies heart and Rainbow woke up everyone was sure Pinkie was dead, but why? When Nightmare did the exact same thing to Rainbow before nobody assumed she was dead because she was still breathing and her eyes were moving, She was only dreaming. Why didnt Pinkies eyes move too? Why did she stop breathing? She was only dreaming too.
The other thing goes a little more into science. That scene where Rainbow and Pinkie flew up higher and higher untill they reached space. She said gravity didnt affect them anmore. Well, When you're this high up gravity also doesnt affect the Air anymore. There wouldnt be any air left to breath, speak, or to fly in. But maybe physics works diffrent in Equestria, who knows? hehe. i may be overanalyzing this.
However, really really great story. I'm still no fan of shipping, but i like well written storys.
Good work.
And it's amazing. I'm no fan of shipping at all and normally i'd never even touch this fanfic, but i heard the song on everfree radio and so i somehow came here.
And it really was a great and touchy story, but a few things bothered me.
For one, When Nightmare entered Pinkies heart and Rainbow woke up everyone was sure Pinkie was dead, but why? When Nightmare did the exact same thing to Rainbow before nobody assumed she was dead because she was still breathing and her eyes were moving, She was only dreaming. Why didnt Pinkies eyes move too? Why did she stop breathing? She was only dreaming too.
The other thing goes a little more into science. That scene where Rainbow and Pinkie flew up higher and higher untill they reached space. She said gravity didnt affect them anmore. Well, When you're this high up gravity also doesnt affect the Air anymore. There wouldnt be any air left to breath, speak, or to fly in. But maybe physics works diffrent in Equestria, who knows? hehe. i may be overanalyzing this.
However, really really great story. I'm still no fan of shipping, but i like well written storys.
Good work.
Thanks for commenting, patekoro! I love to hear what people thought of my work.
To answer your first question, Pinkie was attacked by Nightmare while she was within Rainbow's heart. The land of dreams is where Nightmare's power is at its strongest, so his attack on Pinkie within this realm was inherently more powerful, and the effects that trickled up to the waking world more severe. Pinkie was actually dead - well, mostly dead.
Second, Equestria is a land where rainbows are pumped out by massive machines and kicking a cloud makes it rain. I make no apologies for ignoring Earth's physics when describing what being in orbit around Equestria is like. For all we know, space is filled with air there.
Hope that answered your questions!
To answer your first question, Pinkie was attacked by Nightmare while she was within Rainbow's heart. The land of dreams is where Nightmare's power is at its strongest, so his attack on Pinkie within this realm was inherently more powerful, and the effects that trickled up to the waking world more severe. Pinkie was actually dead - well, mostly dead.
Second, Equestria is a land where rainbows are pumped out by massive machines and kicking a cloud makes it rain. I make no apologies for ignoring Earth's physics when describing what being in orbit around Equestria is like. For all we know, space is filled with air there.
Hope that answered your questions!
So depressing...
Only with the assistance of the tremendous weight of Pinkie's massive, fat flank could Dash achieve sufficient force to break the light barrier. Inspirational.


text:
iHerb 상품평
Tasy quality
1 명의 이용자께서 다음의 상품평이 유용함을 확인하셨습니다.
Reviewer2195829님께서 Mar 06, 2012 에 작성하셨습니다.
Good flavour and aroma. The standard dose may be a bit high depending on your current bodyweight. I found my current shake format needed reworking due to the sweetness of this protein powder. Goes good with frozen berries, preferably something tart.
We use this daily
1 명의 이용자께서 다음의 상품평이 유용함을 확인하셨습니다.
alloriginal님께서 May 22, 2013 에 작성하셨습니다.
My whole family uses Muscle Milk as a breakfast substitute several times a week, and has for years! The flavor can't be beat, it mixes well, and it's economical. We've used every flavor and like them all. With literally thousands of uses in my household, I consider myself an expert on this product! It gives us plenty of energy to face the day, and is probably one of the reasons for our excellent health the past few years. Iherb is a great company with low prices, and reliable and speedy shipping. I believe that nutritional supplements saved my life. I've tried a lot of products, and I know what works and what doesn't. My reviews are honest, straighforward, and based on my experience. Read my other reviews to quickly learn from my three decades of research and experimentation.
Good staff
5206350471403627536님께서 Jan 22, 2014 에 작성하셨습니다.
Good staff
Ok, but doesnt taste that good
5029747692030458432님께서 Jun 09, 2014 에 작성하셨습니다.
its a ok protein that works to take after training, but its a boring taste so after a couple of shakes i was not so excited to take it after training. but its great protein with a lot of different vitamins and minerals. so if you can look past the taste then its recommended.
Reviewer1854593님께서 Feb 19, 2012 에 작성하셨습니다.
exelent in BRAZIL!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Best Cakes Not by Little Debbie (2008)
Mary Ann Bakery
The sweet smell of cakes a-bakin' tickles your nose way before you step into Mary Ann Bakery, and you'd have to be subhuman to resist the urge to walk into this unassuming little spot tucked away on 163rd Street. The front window is filled with birthday and bridal cakes, and although they look (and probably are) delicious, the real gems are inside. Side-by-side, draped in icing, and calling your name are the most fabulous minicakes this side of the Little Debbie factory. Whether you fancy mocha, chocolate, strawberry, orange, or almond, one of the dozens of confections in the refrigerated case of this Chinese bakery will surely hit your spot. The spongy texture of the cake plus the not-too-sweet yet oh-so-buttery icing make these treasures better than anything vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag. And none costs more than $1.25, making your decision to pass up the 7-Eleven baked goods aisle that much sweeter.
More Awards from This Winner
Location Details
More Food & Drink Awards
Best Flourless CookiesChocolate Fashion's flourless chocolate cookies
Best MacaroonsAlisa's Painted Bistro
Best Cakes Not by Little DebbieMary Ann Bakery
Best Ice-Cream ParlorThe Frieze Ice Cream Factory


text:
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years details that journey and challenges listeners to reconsider what they strive for in life. It shows how to get a second chance at life the first time around.
©2009 Thomas Nelson; (P)2009 Thomas Nelson
"Not a religious book, but Donald is Christian"
This is not a religious book, I got this for my non-Christian friends. I read books about existential questions by authors who are New-age, Jews, Muslim, agnostic, or non-religious. Donald is Christian, and there are issues in life that he narrate from a Christian's perspective, like how God loves us, how God is present in our lives, but not in the mission to convert the audiences.
I love the fact that Donald narrated his own book, his monotone is embedded with his great sense of humour, and you can hear that subtle cheekiness in the beginning, slowly move to heavier issues he witnessed. He talks about his experiences in life without focusing solely on himself, but people he came across who live not only to write a better life story for themselves, but for strangers, too.
I listen to many of my audio books more than once, and this one, I listen to it a few times already.
This is not a self-help book, and author didn't reflect on his life was hard for him, and how others have wronged him, so I don't know what other books to compare this with.
I like how he is not giving you an answer as if he knows what life is all about, but though his experiences and people he met, he realized there are some common elements to a good story line of one's life. He talks about his own struggles, his friend's baby's birth, and friend's wife's death, he talks in the way that brings us to the experience. I feel like I had a long walk with Donald and he told me all these things he observed.
The words brought me tears, the struggles in a broken family, the sadness of losing your love one. A very honest book.
I am a middle aged male who thinks radio is bubble gum for the brain, so I listen to books in the car. At least one a month.
"Makes you think, powerful, fun."
Don reads his own book and because of that he really makes it. The voice tone and inflection adds something that I did not expect. His cadence and flow make this GREAT story even better. I am sorry, but I don't get the title. The book has nothing to do with bikes, time or traveling.
It reminds you to live a good life, to live a good story - a story worth telling. It is a very human book.
"A story about living a story"
I spent a day at the park and listened to this book, start to finish. I laughed out loud, I cried a little, and I took with me some insights for my own life.
This book isn't for the cynical, but the hopeful. With an open heart and mind, you will -- at the very least -- enjoy a well-crafted journey of personal discovery. And if this book comes into your life at the right time, you'll get even more out of it.
I don't want to give anything away, because this book has the potential to delight, and I wouldn't want to rob anyone of that. If you enjoy thoughtful, self-aware writing with a message, this book is probably for you.
Love Donald Miller................very inspirational, has led to changes in my life. The way he shares his "story" and encourages us to consider our "story" was great. I need to find more from this guy.
"Great Audio Book"
This audio book was better than expected. It's one of those witty you need to think about life stories. The author was great and love when they are the Narrator of their own books. I felt good after listening to this book and think we can all learn a little something from the authors message about living a better story.
"great story."
this an amazing book. it follows a man's journey through life and what it means to live.
"Awesome "
Top 2 books I've ever read and I can't even remember the other one. "Great stories have great scenes and I hope mine aren't dull."
Fabulous book! There is so much information in this book, I'll be purchasing a hard copy in order to make notations!
"Preachy Gospel Quality Turns Off My Curious Nature"
Nice territory to travel as someone interested in well scripted verse. Personally prefer author narrated. Not much divides church and state; a bit too much flag waving god fearing for me.
Needs More Editing
Thanks but I'd pass
"Favourite Audio of 2010"
I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this audio. I love the concept that our lives are story, that they can be made better or worse depending on how we want to live. Simple but so powerful.
I think this has to be my favourite book of 2010, as its written in a style that really captivated me, easily taking me on the author?s journey with him. His descriptions of emotions, characters, situations, scenery and the mundane is just brilliant and I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
I took a while to listen to it as I didn?t want to rush and miss anything out, by not giving it my full attention.
Donald Miller?s narration is excellent, adding to the enjoyment of the book. I?m a new comer to Miller?s work but I will definitely be looking out for more in the future.
Thanks to christianaudio.com?s reviewers program for this copy.
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text:
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Disclaimer: The ASPS provides this service to assist you in finding a plastic surgeon who can address your particular surgical needs. ASPS cannot warrant or guarantee that you will be completely satisfied with the quality of care or the suitability for your needs of the particular surgeon that you decide to select.
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Upper Shadymoor Farm has it all, the shabby-chic rooms, the formal dining room, the family atmosphere, the tranquil location, the farm animals, the deer park and much more. Expect a warm welcome from ...More about Upper Shadymoor Farm
Warm and genuine hospitality awaits at Richmond House, a lovely Victorian building, which has been appointed to provide very good quality and thoughtfully equipped accommodation. Two of the spacious b...More about Richmond House
The Bear is a favourite with locals as well as visitors; the character and friendliness of this 15th-century coaching inn are renowned. The bedrooms come in a variety of sizes and include some with fo...More about The Bear
Located in pretty, mature grounds, which feature a magnificent holly tree, this elegant Victorian house provides a range of thoughtfully furnished bedrooms, some with fine period objects. Breakfast is...More about The Old Vicarage
Located a short walk from the promenade, this imposing Edwardian house, built for a college professor, has been appointed to provide high standards of comfort and good facilities. Smart modern bathroo...More about Bodalwyn Guest House
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text:
'The tree of liberty must be planted immediately!'
11 of 44 portraits of Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford
© National Portrait Gallery, London
'The tree of liberty must be planted immediately!'
by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 16 February 1797
14 in. x 10 in. (355 mm x 254 mm) plate size; 14 1/4 in. x 10 3/8 in. (363 mm x 263 mm) paper size
Purchased, 1947
Reference Collection
Click on the links below to find out more:
Artistsback to top
- James Gillray (1756-1815), Caricaturist. Artist associated with 881 portraits, Sitter in 7 portraits.
- Hannah Humphrey (active 1778-1822), Publisher and printseller. Artist associated with 718 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
Sittersback to top
- Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford (1765-1802), Whig politician and agriculturalist. Sitter associated with 44 portraits.
- George Hanger, 4th Baron Coleraine (1751?-1824), Eccentric. Sitter in 20 portraits.
- Edward Smith Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby (1752-1834), Sportsman and patron of horse-racing. Sitter associated with 64 portraits.
- Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine (1750-1823), Lord Chancellor. Sitter associated with 67 portraits.
- Charles James Fox (1749-1806), Whig statesman. Sitter associated with 299 portraits.
- Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845), Prime Minister. Sitter associated with 174 portraits.
- James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale (1759-1839), Scottish politician and author of 'Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Public Wealth'. Sitter associated with 35 portraits.
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816), Dramatist and parliamentary orator. Sitter associated with 163 portraits.
- Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope (1753-1816), Scientist and politician; MP for Wycombe. Sitter associated with 46 portraits.
- Michael Angelo Taylor (circa 1757-1834), Barrister and politician; MP for Poole, Ilchester and City of Durham. Sitter associated with 35 portraits.
- John Thelwall (1764-1834), Reformer and elocutionist. Sitter in 12 portraits.
- John Horne Tooke (1736-1812), Radical politician; MP and philologist. Sitter associated with 49 portraits.
Linked publicationsback to top
- Schama, Simon, The Face of Britain: The Nation Through its Portraits, 2015-09-15, p. 89
Subjects & Themesback to top
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Physicist, Programmer, Photographer. bio from Twitter
Thinks about technology, data and storylines. Is curious. Enjoys crafting, reading, learning & photography. Currently senior developer at @argyllenviro.
Maker of @facebook, @EveOnline, @SecondLife, @medalernews, @creatarr and @combatcards software and @100robots noise. More at http://jimpurbrick.com bio from Twitter
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Web engineer (mostly). Python, Django, etc. Also: music, guitars, photos, vegan food, science. Chief geek at @dabapps, @faxftf, opinions my own. bio from Twitter
10th April 2012


text:
Yorkiejunior Oct 6, 2012 6:46 PM
in response to holdrege
I'm not sure how this stacks up but my typical battery life is 4h 48mins usage and 17h 1min standby on 99% battery life. Seems pretty bad I cannot even get one days worth.
todd1010 Oct 6, 2012 10:18 PM
in response to holdrege
I believe my iPhone 5 is not lasting like it should battery-wise.
Here's my use for today:
Unplugged from wall charger at 10am and now at 3:36pm it is showing 28%. This is 3 hrs. 45 minutes of usage on 4-5 bars of AT&T LTE network. I literally while waiting read (just read), no back and forth web browsing of a web site and it went from 47% to 36% in 10 minutes of reading...which doesn't sound right. My phone was restored as new and even recently did a DFU restore as new.
I was concerned so I took it to apple. He ran some diagnostics and came and told me everything look fine. I said it dropped 10% in 10 minutes of reading a web page, which doesn't sound right.
He told there was some things I could do and that was to.
1) turn off LTE, because it was constantly searching for towers.
2) turn off Bluetooth when not using. I use this in my car all the time and I've always had this on constantly on my old iPhones.
3) turn down brightness and/or put on auto. I've always kept this on super high and never had battery drain before this phone and kept it like this on all previous iPhones.
What do you think of these suggestions? Should I change them? I kind of feel like it would change why I bought a new phone as those suggestions didn't hurt my previous iPhones and turning off LTE would be just like having a iPhone 4S. Anyways I didn't receive a new phone and didn't want one unless there is a problem.
SingleMalt Oct 7, 2012 3:21 AM
in response to Yuniverse
Yuniverse - I have a UK iPhone 5 and it says
Settings > General > Mobile Data > Enable 3G
(The term 'Mobile Data' is used in place of 'Cellular' in the UK.)
There is no LTE option under Mobile Data and I suspect that is because my mobile provider (O2) has not yet launched its 4G service.
leefromsheffield Oct 7, 2012 5:52 AM
in response to SingleMalt
You are correct in what you have said.
O2 and Vodafone - do not offer 4G so you will only see Enable 3G
Three only have a 3G network - so you will not see any option
Now the funny bit
If you have a T-Mobile or Orange sim for your iPhone 5 and you DON'T update the Carrier settings to EE - then you will see 'Enable 3G'
But if you install the new Carrier settings for EE then 'Enable 3G' is replaced with 'Enable LTE'
i found this out when using my T-Mobile sim, I have updated mine and now trying to find a way of removing the settings as I want to set the iPhone to T-Mobiles 2G network as the battery lasts upto 2 hours of usage more
MATTIHOLL Oct 7, 2012 12:04 PM
in response to holdrege
I had the same problem when i synced my new Iphone 5 from my Iphone 4 back up on itunes and it would drain by the minute, i researched the net and found a fix which did cure mine and i have not had the problem since.
They said it was something to do with the way the iphone 4 and 5 access the Apps!
The fix was only if you were syncing from the 4 or 4s to the new 5.
Plug your new out of box 5 into itunes and sync, unplug it and wait about ten minutes or so, then plug your 5 back in to Itunes and create a back up, unplug the 5 again and go into GENERAL tab on your phone then RESET then ERASE ALL CONTENT AND SETTINGS and this effectivley resets the phone to factory settings, then plug it back into Itunes and sync with the back up you made, then sorted!!
It cured mine and everyone else i know who has had problems with the battery and is very noticebly better.
Hope this cures some of your issues.
Yuniverse Oct 7, 2012 2:35 PM
in response to SingleMalt
Oh, I see, SingleMalt. Didn't realize that.
Anyways, here's the good news.
I've tried almost everything to try to fix my problem with no success.
I've been meaning to try out the steps laid out by Ace on page 48 of this thread and finally had chance to do it.
After following his exact steps, I'm now happy to report the battery issue is indeed gone.
Right now, my phone is at 92% with 44 minutes of usage and 17:30 hours of Standby. Normally, it would have shut off by now.
Goto page 48 and follow Ace's advice.
Thanks, Ace.
Griswaldo4g Oct 7, 2012 2:38 PM
in response to holdrege
I had a 4s before I got my 5 and I was able to restore from the old backup with no problems.
There are a lot of different factors that can be causing this for different people. I went through this personally with the iPhone 4s launch and the best thing to do is to turn off the things you don't use and leave on only the things you are. (Afterall, we wouldn't buy the phone if we didn't want to be able to use some of its great features.)
I have updated my guide from the 4s launch to be applicable for the iPhone 5 and it can be found here. I have attempted to make a pragmatic guide that is realistic about the changes you can make to improve battery life on the iPhone 5. While this guide isn't guaranteed to work for everybody (not everybody's situation is exactly the same), it has worked very well for me with my own iPhone 5.
mrbr1ghtside Oct 7, 2012 3:30 PM
in response to holdrege
*update from a few pages back*
this is week 2 of my second iphone 5.
DFU>new device.
practically everything turned off.
I was contacted by apple about installing a battery logger.
diagnostics were sent back to apple but have not heard back from them regarding an upcoming fix.
bear in mind that the battery has been cycled 1%>100% about 6 times already.
these are my stats as of this morning; the first time i didn't charge the phone overnight..
as you can see. it does not rock!
the phone is going back. permanently.
i am sticking with my jailbroken iphone 4 -that gives me 2+ days of use with everything turned on- and potentially the world of androids in the near future.
i am not getting a replacement as I do not have the time nor the inclination to waste any more energy on trying to fix this anymore; after 2+ weeks of trying everyhing anyone has said here and in other threads.
Good luck to everyone perservering with batterygate.
Handsfull Oct 7, 2012 3:43 PM
in response to mrbr1ghtside
That is the exact same battery life I have (had). I just replaced my phone at the apple store (today) and set up as a new phone without syncing ANYTHING with itunes whatsoever.....I didn't even plug my phone in at all. Battery has improved significantly, although not as advertised (2 hours of heavy usage with a 30% drop in battery).
IMPORTANT: The genius at the store said all of his people have ONLY SEEN THIS PROBLEM FROM ATT PHONES, and NOT from Verizon or Sprint.....
iphone5rocks Oct 7, 2012 3:43 PM
in response to holdrege
I was worried when we didn't hear from you for the day. I thought you gave up.
I have a verizon phone. But my phone is still OK after changing the SIM card .
Glad you got your problem fixed.
iphone5rocks Oct 7, 2012 3:49 PM
in response to holdrege
Thank you for the guide on improving battery performance. I have read that turning off some of the system services could help battery life. No one seems to know what each one does. Do you have any idea on what they do?
Handsfull Oct 7, 2012 3:54 PM
in response to iphone5rocks
Give up? Are speaking French? LOL...I'm former Army, I don't know those words.
The sim had no effect on my phone. I think using a backup from an iOS5 device (my former 4s), to a iphone 5 (which only comes with iOS6).....is causing the issues. Can't prove it, but suspect whatever code was written for iOS 5 is fundamentally different than iOS6 and is causing a major conflict. Even after MULTIPLE DFU restores...fault logs post in my history as soon as the OS is launched....THAT is a fail.
To add: Whenever one does a DFU restore, it is supposed to put the phone back into it's "original factory OS". One would assume that it means ALL data is erased and is no different than a phone from the store. That would be wrong. Each time I restored my phone, when I set it up as a "new" phone, it already had my apple ID filled in and the password is blank. That means everything is NOT erased back to factory settings.....there is indeed information left on the phone after a FULL restore. What other information is left on the phone from the previous owner/user?
Tim Pentreath Oct 7, 2012 4:00 PM
in response to leefromsheffield
@leefromsheffield, if you find out how to bring back the 3G on/off switch for Orange/T-mobile please let me know :-)
Tim Pentreath Oct 7, 2012 4:05 PM
in response to Ace_vedre
@ace_vedra, thanks for your 12 (13) step plan on p48. Might try it tomorrow. One question though, what's the deal behind not using your AppleID for iMessage?
SandroD Oct 7, 2012 4:25 PM
in response to Tim Pentreath
I just followed the instructions, made no difference. I am at 94% in 15minutes


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Posted on Jan 28, 11:08PM | IANS
The National Human Rights Commission's (NHRC) three-day open hearing of about 570 cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes in Maharashtra began in Nagpur Monday, a statement from the apex human rights body said in Delhi.
NHRC chairperson Justice K.G. Balakrishnan said: "Despite so many social legislation and welfare schemes, the Scheduled Castes continue to face problems. The Commission, through its open hearings, is trying to reach out to them in different parts of the country and hear their complaints about violations of their rights."
He said the Commission has no adversarial role to the functioning of state governments, and existed to aid in governance.


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We hope our new website will make it easier than ever to browse our adorable furbabies, learn more about our organization, find out how you can get involved, and of course, apply to foster or adopt. Our new website and logo were created by volunteers. For more information, please contact us. Thank you!
In the spring of 1997, we rescued our first "Furbaby" in Jacksonville, Florida. We were introduced to Annie, a blind, 8 year old Shih Tzu girl. Deemed "unadoptable," she was to be euthanized!! We were new, and knew very little about organized rescue, but we did know that we had to save this little one. We were given two weeks to find her a home and we did!! Her new mom had just lost a blind dog and knew that little Annie deserved the same opportunity to be safe and loved - and to live - as any sighted dog. We were hooked!
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This is a police photo of 69 dogs living on feces smeared carpets, in stacked crates, amid hanging flypaper strips. When we were asked to help, we said 'yes' without hesitation; our volunteers stepped up, adopters were already in love, and supporters like you helped us with the funds we needed for transport, medical care, food, crates, collars, leashes, and more.
We continue to accept dogs who need us, often extreme cases, and have faith that our family of adopters, volunteers, and supporters will help us help them. From cardiac surgery for a tiny Maltese to 54 Shih Tzus from a closing puppy mill, we could not save them without your donations and your love.Read More
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Fostering is an incredibly vital part of our rescue process. Foster parents provide each furbaby with a loving, safe, supportive environment, which for some, is the first they have ever experienced. For many furbabies, fostering is essential for helping them 'prepare' for adoption; it gives them the opportunity to work on socialization, leash walking, and learn what it's like to be part of a family. For the foster parent, we know that each furbaby is another life saved and another pup to spoil and snuggle and teach about love, stuffies, and soft beds.Read More


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This article originally appeared in issue 246 of PC Gamer UK.
Hitman Absolution is a tease. Its first level guides the player through a well-defended compound toward Agent 47's assigned target, his ex-handler Diana. I snuck past guards, bundled others into convenient bins after applying pressure to their unsuspecting throats. I edged along ledges over jagged cliffs. I hid when I was meant to hide, moved when I was meant to move. And then, as I opened the door to my victim, the game took over, lurching me into a cutscene that ended the level.
It's a trick Absolution pulls a few times in its opening chapter. 47's next job takes him to the Terminus Hotel, and a target holed up in Room 899 on the eighth floor. Creeping through an air vent at the end of the level, I overheard my potential victim, his Texas drawl muffled through the metal. I crawled towards the sound, wiggling 47's suit-clad body around in the vent and planning my murder method. Halfway along, my screen faded to black and I was forced through another cutscene that not only saw my target escape, conspicuously un-murdered, but suffered 47 getting bonked on the head without any opportunity for player-led retaliation.
The five levels I've played are huge – much bigger than any of Hitman: Blood Money's lethal playgrounds. But where Blood Money plopped the player at a doorway, gave them a target, and let them have the run of the area, Absolution breaks its levels up into distinct stages. In making my way up to Room 899 in the Terminus Hotel, I had to sneak past a set of guards sat in the lobby by knocking out one of their outlying number and nabbing his threads. The elevator that carried me up to the target's floor marked the end of the section I was playing, with no way to descend back to the floor I'd just been creeping around on. After being framed for an innocent's murder and left in a burning building, I had to sneak my way across three wide-open rooms, avoiding a roving police squad. Once navigated successfully, the game gave me a check-up on my score – awarded for silent takedowns, hiding bodies, and clothes-napping, among other things – and locked the door behind me, pushing me into the next vignette.
This makes Hitman Absolution feel smaller in scope than Blood Money. It's also more manageable. There's no danger of being paralysed by choice when your only aim is to reach an anointed door, or escape a patrolling death squad. It also means mistakes you've made twenty minutes ago will be less likely to haunt you.
I took the direct route in the Terminus Hotel. Scoping out the edifice from the damp street the game deposits Agent 47 on, I spotted an entrance to the basement. I decided against using it, preferring to waltz in the front door – it's a hotel, right? They must be expecting guests. Apparently not. Through the door, I was treated to a triggered animation, a goon in a stetson telling one of the hotel's paying guests he wasn't allowed upstairs. More goons sat on the sofas in the lobby, scanning their eyes around the room. Yet more goons stood on the stairs, flanking the lift that the game had helpfully picked out.
The abundance of goonery made getting to my intended exit difficult, but Absolution has upgraded Agent 47, turning him from Blood Money's hulking, clumsy marionette man to a lithe assassin. Pressing Space flipped 47 into cover, his back to a cleaning trolley as one of the goons peeled off. Pressing Ctrl behind my hiding spot, I turned on 47's Instinct mode. Instinct turns the world black and grey, highlighting interesting areas – weapons to pocket, radios to turn on, light fittings to drop on unsuspecting heads – and potentially dangerous people. Activate Instinct while wearing a disguise, and 47 will cover his face surreptitiously as people wearing the same costume try to work out if they know you. Activate it as a goon walks past as I did and you'll be able to see their patrol path, picked out in a line of flame along the floor.
This goon was going to the bathroom. Disengaging myself from the trolley by pressing Space again, I followed him in, ducked in a crouch that kept me out of the vision of his empty-bladdered pals. A quick arm around the throat, while tapping A to apply pressure to his windpipe, and he was unconscious. Another tap, and I was wearing his clothes. One more tap and a quick drag, and his now underwear-clad body was jammed into a laundry bin in the bathroom. This process is quick in Absolution, quicker than it was in Blood Money. 47's new sleeper-hold ability knocks targets out, and unlike Blood Money's sedative syringe, can be used as many times as you fancy in a level.
Most weapons can be thrown, forcing enemies in earshot to walk over and investigate the sound. Careful assassins can put entire floors to sleep, clearing a path towards their target. I am not a careful assassin. Coming out of the bathroom, I decided to try out my new threads on the similarly dressed goons blocking the staircase. Evening, gents, I'm your pal who just went for a piss. Yes, I'm now bald. That bathroom changed me.
They immediately saw through my ruse. Suspicion in Absolution is denoted by a circle in the centre of the screen. When someone spots you doing something weird, the circle rises to a peak in their direction. Sauntering through the lobby, my screen showed five distinct spikes: five goons who'd spotted I wasn't one of their number. Must've been the shiny head that gave it away. I should've brought a wig.
I activated 47's Instinct, and he quickly brought his hand to his hat, covering his face. Too late. The goons on the sofa stood up, yelling at me to stop. The goons at the top of the stairs, alerted, swaggered over. If 47 is spotted doing something obviously dodgy – stashing a body, shooting someone between the eyes, downloading a Robbie Williams song, that kind of thing – then guards will immediately flip to a hostile state, emptying their guns in his general direction. But if he's just being mightily suspicious, as I was, they'll try to force him to surrender. Press Q and you'll pretend to give up, affecting a hands-up stance as your accusers come closer. Once they're within range, the game launches an automatic animation that disarms the closest enemy, takes his gun, and pulls him into a headlock. If you're off in a secluded spot, this is a great way to dispose of a single enemy. If you're standing on top of a set of stairs, being watched by more than ten pairs of eyes, it's less effective.
I tried to activate the lift with my arm around a human shield, his pilfered gun pointing over his shoulder towards his angry friends. They saw my intentions and opened fire as one, killing my shield and turning my vision red with injury. Using a spare second to call the lift, I ducked into cover and waited for it to arrive. Once it did, I hopped in and rode it to a higher floor, the second of the hotel's stages. Fortunately for me, everyone up there hadn't been in contact with their partners-in-goonery downstairs, and seemed happy to let me wander around, provided I didn't stray within intense suspicion range.
Where the Teminus Hotel is broken up into stages, preceding level Chinatown is more open. It consists of a square with a central pagoda, its streets filled with people: crooked cops, drug dealers and innocents. Absolution's story mode visits the location twice, first asking 47 to murder one target – mob boss the King of Chinatown – then sending him back to kill three others later in the day.
I went back a third time in the game's Contracts mode. Contracts is Hitman's take on score attack mode, gifting Agent 47 points for offing targets quickly, in specific ways, using chosen weapons and wearing the proper clothes. Other players create contracts by playing through the game's levels as normal, marking targets along the way for other players to shoot, stab, or smother. Completing a kill as requested awards points that can be compared against your homicidal friends' scores. There's a filter of social integration that sits a bit wonkily with the series, and Hitman's joy has always been madcap freedom in your murder method rather than the chase of obsessive perfection.
But Contracts isn't a bungled job: it gives a fresh eye on levels you've already played. I chose to play one of the missions set up by developers IO themselves, set again in Chinatown. Instead of the storyline's mob boss, I found myself gunning for two targets: one a cop, one a flat-cap wearing gangster. The cop was an easy kill. Veering straight off to the left on entering the level, I found him stood next to a sportscar parked in an alley. I locked eyes with him for a second, before he turned on his heels and pottered down the road to inspect some fascinating boxes, conveniently out of sight of the hundred-plus NPCs in the central square. I dropped into a crouch and followed him. En route, I had options to complicate the kill: I could pound on the car's window, bringing the cop over to peer into the windows and check on the contents. I could pick up some discarded plastic explosives, left by some forgetful bomb-maker, and blow my target up. Or I could take the easy option, ready my garotting wire, and wrap it around his neck at the end of the alley.
First one down, I strolled back through the crowds of people. My next target was visible via 47's Instinct mode: he was standing up in an office overlooking the level's central pagoda. I remembered the office as the one I found a stashed sniper rifle in during my first visit to Chinatown. Another crooked cop was guarding the staircase that led up to said office, but I'd distracted him before by fiddling with the contents of a nearby fusebox. I did the same again, luring the copper from his seat and slipping past him as he cursed the busted electronics. Still crouching, I started to climb the staircase, and shuffled face-first into a descending crotch.
My target had moved, and I wasn't ready for it. I mashed the keyboard and 47 launched into a quicktime event of a fight, punching with letter keys. The cop, returning from fixing the fusebox, was treated to the sight of me slamming another man's head into a wall. He immediately drew his gun, just as I put a bullet through my now-unconscious target's skull, and I sprinted back upstairs and climbed into a cupboard.
It was no good: the cop had a good look at me, and I was stuck without clothes to change into. Languishing in the cupboard was only delaying the inevitable. I cycled through my inventory items, alighting on the remotely detonated plastic explosive I'd picked up earlier. I climbed out of the cupboard and poked my head out of the window, only to be met by a hail of bullets. In return, I lobbed the explosive charge towards the ground and fired a few times to flush backup cops out of cover. I blew the charge as they rearranged themselves, clearing something of a path for myself. Back down the stairs, I aimed a silenced silverballer pistol shot at the fusebox cop, and changed quickly into his clothes. Numbers at the top of the screen were ticking down – I'd lost points for being spotted, the time taken between kills, and the huge amount of people, innocent and otherwise, that I'd eviscerated with my impromptu bombing – but I still had a positive number.
Cops streamed past as I exited the fusebox alley; I covered my face using Instinct and walked purposefully for the exit. It wasn't pretty, but I came out of the contract with my two targets dead: not enough to trouble a high-score table, but a victory in Absolution's book. And in mine. Absolution gave me the option to be robotic or reactionary, chase perfection or make the best of a bad situation. It's a tighter, less freeform experience than Blood Money, but fortunately it still offers the kind of lethal invention that made that game great.


text:
Ask the Experts
sharing a room with someone who is HIV+Hi,I am a 23 years old male.I have been sharing a room with an HIV+ person for the past one month.We have a double bed and he sleeps on one half of it and I sleep on the other half of it.Now, I have a few questions:I am a little worried as to should...
Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.
The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation...Hello,HIV is not spread by casual contact. Period. And this fact applies even if that casual contact includes sleeping in the same bed, Read more »
sharing razor bladesI had been sharing my toothbrush and razor blade with a house-mate of mine and i recently susect... Read more »
New Friends have HIV (HIV TRANSMISSION, CASUAL CONTACT)My wife met a nice couple and we have been hanging out with them. They told her when they first... Read more »
Fact Sheet: Preventing HIV Infection...The goal of HIV prevention is to help people learn how to eliminate or reduce their risk of becoming infected with HIV or of transmitting HIVRead more »
Guide to Hepatitis C for People Living With HIV...HCV has been detected in semen and vaginal fluid, so genital fluids may be infectious. Saliva and tears are not. HCV, like HIV, cannot be transmitted by touching, kissing, hugging, sharing eating utensils, or drinking from the same glass.... Read more »
Men, Women Should Share Responsibility for HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment, Malaysian Official Says... Men and women should share equal responsibility for preventing HIV/AIDS and providing treatment to people living with the diseases, Ng Yen Yen -- Malaysian minister for women, family and community Read more »
Zambia to Share Global Funds on HIV/AIDS...At a meeting with Zambian cabinet ministers Thursday in Lusaka, UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa Stephen Lewis said he would get in touch with those responsible for the global fund for HIV/AIDS to ensure the Read more »
Connect With Others
Anyone else out there like me?
Posted by TheLivingTree, 6 RepliesI am positive - my partner is not. Is there anyone out there who can talk with me about how they handled this situation and if it's even possible to keep the relationship going? I have always thought POZ men should/would only date POZ men ... and... Read more »
Sharing shaving razors?
Posted by Carrie, 8 Replies...My boyfriend (poz) and I (neg) were wondering if HIV can pass threw sharing the same shaving razors. The concern is obviously that if he nicks himself while shaving his face and Read more »
Important: Share YOUR take on Living With HIV.
Posted by BrokenWingedBird, 1 Reply... Hi, There are a lot of people out there today spreading the idea that living with HIV is now just "a piece of cake", "no worse than living with diabetes", and so forth. As a result, the urgency to fund research Read more »
Important: share your take on Living With HIV
Posted by BrokenWingedBird, 1 Reply... Hi, There are a lot of people out there today spreading the idea that living with HIV is now just "a piece of cake", "no worse than living with diabetes", and so forth. As a result, the urgency to fund research Read more »
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Pulitzer Prize winner to speak on Fort Benning
June 12, 2013
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FORT BENNING, Ga. (June 12, 2013) -- Military historian and author Rick Atkinson will make a visit to Marshall Auditorium at 1:30 p.m. Thursday for the latest installment of the Combat Leader Speaker Program.
Atkinson has written six books, including his latest work, The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945. The book is the final installment of Atkinson's "Liberation Trilogy," a narrative history of the U.S. military's role in the liberation of Europe in World War II.
Atkinson has also won three Pulitzer Prizes -- in 1982 for national reporting, in 1999 for public service and in 2003 for history.
Frank Miranda, training specialist with the Directorate of Training, said Atkinson's speech will be a good opportunity for Soldiers to supplement their formal training with an informal discussion.
"The Combat Leader Speaker Program provides the attendees an opportunity to enhance their professional development and learn valuable lessons based on firsthand experiences of the guest speakers," Miranda said.
"Guest speakers are not just current or prior military service members, but also civilian representatives of various organizations. These CLSP events are informal and very interactive discussions. This format allows both the attendees and the speaker the opportunity to gain insights of the topic from one another in a true, shared-learning experience."
Atkinson was born in Munich in 1962. His father was an Army officer, and Atkinson grew up on military posts around the world.
He began his career as a journalist in Pittsburg, Kan., in 1975 before eventually landing a job at The Kansas City Times in 1977. In 1981, he joined the newspaper's Washington, D.C., bureau and went on to win his first Pulitzer Prize for a body of work that included a series about the West Point class of 1966, which lost more Soldiers in Vietnam than any other U.S. Military Academy Class.
Atkinson joined The Washington Post in 1983. He served as a reporter, foreign correspondent and senior editor for the Post for 25 years.
During that time, he won his second Pulitzer Prize for Deadly Force, a series of articles that scrutinized shootings by the District of Columbia police department.
He began his "Liberation Trilogy" in 2002 with An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943, which earned him the Pulitzer Prize for history in 2003. The trilogy's second volume, The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943--1944, was released in 2007.
Atkinson's other books include The Long Gray Line, Crusade: The Untold Story of the Persian Gulf War and In the Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat.