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/// Akamai, Juniper Said to Be Contending for Israeli Start-Up Cotendo
Israeli media having been buzzing in the last day or so about a possible takeover of a startup there called Cotendo. As reports in newspapers there have it, Cotendo is the subject of a bidding battle pitting Juniper Networks and AT&T on one side versus Akamai, over acquisition said to be worth as much as $350 million. As the Israeli publication Globes puts it , this would be one of the most successful exits for an Israeli start-up in the last decade. It wouldn't be a bad exit for a bunch of U.S.-based venture capital funds, either. Cotendo raised $7 million from Sequoia Capital and Benchmark Capital in 2009, and then another $12 million in a round joined by Tenaya Capital last year. In June it took a $17 million strategic investment from Juniper and Citrix Systems. Cotendo is an Akamai competitor. Its content delivery network uses a network of distributed servers around the world to put content physically close to consumers, and it specializes in speeding up delivery to mobile phones and tablets, which is a lot like the business that Akamai is known for. The thing about Cotendo is that it has a reputation for being both faster at some things than Akamai, and also cheaper. Akamai has been known to buy competitors. In 2005 it took out Speedera Networks for $130 million after a contentious patent lawsuit between them.
Akamai, Juniper Said to Be Contending for Israeli Start-Up Cotendo
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Surviving Wedding Season - A Sneaky Tip1:01 AM
Leia from Leia's Delight is one of my most favorite bloggers and a wonderful person too. Yesterday you read my version of an South Asian Wedding. Here's her version and outfit of the same. Though she currently resides in Dhaka, Bangladesh the culture and traditions are quite similar as up until 1947 India, Bangladesh and Pakistan were one nation! But enough on the history lesson ... Over to the charming and gorgeous Leia...
Surviving Wedding Season - A Sneaky Tip
If you've ever been to or lived in South Asia during the winter, you'll know that most weddings take place during this time. Just like spring weddings are favored in the West due to the warming temperatures, winter weddings are common in South Asia because it's finally cool enough to step outside without breaking into a sweat!
Every country, region, city, religion, sect or even family have different traditions, so attempting to go into any detail about what the ceremonies entail would be an impossible task! But if you're interested in that, check out Tanvi's wedding posts. Weddings in Bangladesh are a mix of Muslim traditions (the predominant religion here) and Hindu customs ('leftovers' from when Bengal was a Hindu/Muslim state in India), and there are normally five occasions to attend: Holud (Haldi in Hindi), Pithi, Mehendi, Nikka, and Reception. Not to mention countless celebratory lunches and dinners after the reception - no rest for the poor bride and groom who are probably desperate to escape to their honeymoon! ;) Weddings are very dressy affairs - everybody dresses to the nines, usually in traditional outfits e.g. saris, lehengas, or in some cases dressier salwar kameezes. So, for all of those who are to attend the wedding celebrations (often 200 or more people!) getting dressed is a bit of a daunting task.
34 comments
How Ingenious and Adorable, me wants a zip up sari toooo, where can I get one? please help!!!!ReplyDelete
Thanks sweetie, I LOVE reading this so much!!!!
How gorgeous is to know more about the beautiful Leia.ReplyDelete
Her style and her blog is unique and effortless
Lee x
That is such a sweet introduction! Thank you Tanvi! <3ReplyDelete
For those wondering where you can get a zip-up, I don't think they are available in shops. You have to take a sari to a tailor and he will alter it into a zip-up based on your measurements!
♥ Leia
What a brilliant idea! I tried to tie saris on my own after buying one in India and it's so hard to get the pleating right and then secure it! Zip up saris are awesome!ReplyDelete
Oh, Leia is the cutest! I love dressing up for weddings!ReplyDelete
Zip up saris are so great and fuss free:)
I've read about those zip-up sarees, such a great idea for us clumsy Westerners who haven't got a skilled sari wearer on hand.ReplyDelete
Beautiful outfit, Leia. xxx
I'd never heard of this!! It still takes me close to half an hour to wrap the saree right (and I break into a sweat doing it !) I have to give this a shot! (not with the classics, but with one of the trendier saris? )ReplyDelete
Thanks for the idea---you look wonderful!
whoa a zip up saree! how convenient :)) I love the saree btw, and good to know how similar/ diff weddings are on the other side :)ReplyDelete
Oh this dress is SO gorgeous! <33ReplyDelete
xx Bonnie
hahaha such a great tip! I remember in high school, on culture day a lot of the South Asians would wear saris and there'd be a long line of girls in the bathroom trying to figure out how to wrap it correctly! And Leia, you look stunning here! Such a beautiful sari.ReplyDelete
That's a really cool idea! Love the saree you have on!!! :)ReplyDelete
Tell me about wedding season. I loved both yours and Leia's wedding posts Tanvii. You salwar suit is so gorgeous and I could never tell in a million years that Leia's Saree is a zip up. :) You must take me to your tailor when I visit Leia. :)ReplyDelete
Look forward to hearing from you
Tashrin - A Toronto based personal style blog
This is the most marvellous piece of tip... love it.. Will try that out for sure.. thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
Beautiful dress. When I renew my vows next year I want my dress to look like that! I'm in love.ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
Zip up sari? How genius. We heard of prestithced saris...but never with a zipper.ReplyDelete
Looks great! You can't even tell the difference.
It's beautiful! And no I definitely could not tell. Fabulous guest post and so nice to meet you :)ReplyDelete
The saree is gorgeous and and Leia looks stunning. I could not tell its a zip up!! brilliant idea:-)ReplyDelete
You look FAB!! Love Sia xxReplyDelete
So lovely to find you here, Leia. The zip-up sari sounds genius!ReplyDelete
Im your newest follower, hope youll want to follow me too : )
Leia looks lovely!ReplyDelete
Pleatless sarees are such lifesavers!
No I can't tell! What an amazing outfit! xo style, she wroteReplyDelete
She looks gorgeous as always and I never would have known there was a zipper!ReplyDelete
Wow thats a blessing for ppl like me who hate to wear sarees coz they r cumbersome.ReplyDelete
I love hearing and learning about weddings! Well, Leia, you look divine, i really really love this outfit and cannot tell that it's zip up what so ever!ReplyDelete
Leia is always full of such fabulous advice - and looks glamorous to boot! Loving this post!! :)ReplyDelete
This is an incredible development! I don't remember zip-up saris when I was in South Asia thirteen-fourteen years ago. And I was research sari production back then!ReplyDelete
I was so sad I could never comfortably wear one! Now, with the zip-up, I bet I could!
And you look beautiful in your white sari! Stunning!
Zip up Sari?? Amazing. Why did no one introduce this to me back home in Trinidad when I used to attend my friends' Divali celebrations and weddings?ReplyDelete
And Leia looks lovely :-)
That's a brilliant idea! I love saris, they are sooo glamourous!ReplyDelete
Stay Happy and Positive!
Brilliant tip. I've seen them in the shops and always wondered how they look when worn. You can hardly tell the difference. Sadly, though for our weddings we wear it differently as I mentioned on my blog. Perhaps someday there'll be a zip up version of that.ReplyDelete
Very resourceful. I would of probably put a zipper in the sari myself if I was wearing one, you really can't see it at all. You look beautiful as always.ReplyDelete
Leia, you did a wonderful job on this post! I loved learning everything!!!ReplyDelete
leia looks angelic in the white and silver, and what the heck is up with the zip up sari!!??ReplyDelete
ingenious! why hadn't i heard of this before! lol (not that i wear saris or anything, but when i did, zipped up pleats woulda saved me many an embarrassing moment) HA!

subset: commoncrawl


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Researchers from the University College Dublin (UCD) completed a study showing that people who participated in some form of social interaction felt less symptoms of depression.
"This study shows that conventional treatments can be supplemented by social support from family, friends, and the community in the battle against mental health problems," said Kathleen Lynch, the Minister for Disability, Equality, Mental Health, and Older People, who officially launched the report findings at UCD. "Increased social interaction helps sufferers to rebuild their self-esteem which in turn enables them to maintain and develop positive relationships and friendships."
The study showed that by participating in social activities such as engaging in conversation and going to places like the movies, museums, or out for coffee, people with mental illness to felt less isolated, stigmatized, and anxious.
"The evidence from this study is unequivocal," added Sheridan, a lecturer at the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Systems at University College Dublin. "Supporting the development of positive relationships and increasing social activity helps with the treatment of mental health difficulties."
–Magpie Media at Mental Wellness Today


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ZZZ-RETIRED "Last Sunday, a congregation of people just like us, lit a chalice flame just as we are about to do..."
The Rev. Dr. Randolph W.B. Becker
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Key West
August 3, 2008
Last Sunday, a congregation of people just like us, lit a chalice flame just as we are about to do.
They lit that flame as a symbol of an ancient religious tradition which holds dear such liberal values as respect for the worth and dignity of all people.
Before their time of worship could conclude in its natural course, violence intruded. Gun shots erupted, heroes responded, and lives were changed forever.
Yet, from those who were there has come a message this week: that while their lives have been changed forever, while loss and grief and mourning take hold of their hearts and spirits, the reasons for them to gather as a congregation have not changed.
Still strong are values of inclusion, respect, acceptance, and hope.
Just about an hour ago, in the very space where violence interrupted lives a week ago, that congregation lit their chalice again
With the same values, vision, and hopes that have sustained this religious tradition for millennia:
A belief that working together with all people we can help to create a world which will transcend hatred.
So, we light our chalice flame in solidarity with those people in Knoxville who have courageously kindled their flame of faith and hope again
And enter into a minute of silent honor for all good people everywhere who live, and sometimes die, to keep the light of liberal religion alive.


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Tommy Hilfiger coat, Falke tights, Sorel boots via Sarenza, Michael Kors bag.
Today's. Comfort and warmth above style. These Sorel boots are my new favourite pair to wear, they're the most warm shoes I've ever worn! Since the weather forecast is going to change and winter is coming I'm prepared for the cold!
Also wearing my new Tommy Hilfiger coat, since I didn't really own a warm coat and this coat is also a little bit comfort above style, but I still like it dough!
Ps. Not showing my face today, because dying my hair went totally wrong. oeps!


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No interest in the PM's pressure
Page Tools
Rates may rise next month, if only so the Reserve Bank can prove its immunity to politics, writes Peter Hartcher.
In the privacy of their headquarters in Martin Place in January the officials at the Reserve Bank decided that they would probably need to raise interest rates, and soon. The country was facing a rising tide of inflation, and the tide would need to be stemmed with the customary breakwater of higher rates.
Problem: no one was expecting any imminent rises. Lower interest rates are always welcomed; higher ones are always despised. If higher rates were unheralded, this would only compound the unpopularity of the Reserve Bank's mission.
And no one, not even a central banker, really wants to be a national hate object. So the Reserve Bank set about changing expectations. In February it issued its quarterly monetary policy statement, including the clear alert that it noted "the likelihood of further monetary tightening being required in the months ahead had increased".
Its governor, Ian Macfarlane, drove the point home in an appearance before a parliamentary committee later that month.
So when the bank announced on March 2 that official interest rates were going up by 0.25 of a percentage point, to 5.5 per cent, no one was surprised. It had been a successful exercise in expectations management.
Indeed, the bank had done such a good job of changing expectations that it was generally assumed this was just a beginning. The central bank surely would not go to all this trouble to prepare public opinion just to make a single, small change.
And in its announcement of the March increase, the bank's statement held clear hints of further rises. At the end of March the financial markets were pricing a futures contract that speculates on the official rate to indicate a 72 per cent likelihood of a second increase in the rate this week. This had tapered away to 48 per cent by April 1.
And recent precedents - the last two occasions when the Reserve Bank had started on a course of rate rises - showed that it had opened the episode by making increases at two consecutive monthly meetings.
In other words, there was a general expectation that the first rise of 0.25 of a percentage point on March 2 was about to be followed by another on Wednesday. A lot of professional investors had put money on it. A lot of high-paid analysts and economists had put their names to it.
When nothing happened on Wednesday, there was surprise, puzzlement, suspicion, even anger. The shadow treasurer, Wayne Swan, said: "They barked a lot but they only bit once, so it's very hard for them to be taken seriously now. You don't go barking for months like they did and then just give a nibble."
An economist at the investment bank ABN AMRO, Kieran Davies, said the Reserve Bank had prepared the patient but failed to deliver the jab. He said the bank's statements would be treated with greater scepticism in future.
Because the central bank issues no explanation when it decides not to adjust interest rates, there was a vacuum of comprehension. And speculation and suspicion rushed in to fill it. There was considerable muttering, among politicians and in the markets, that the Reserve Bank had surrendered to political intimidation.
After all, the Prime Minister publicly criticised the last increase in official rates. And he gave a firm opinion on radio on the morning of the Reserve Bank's scheduled board meeting: "Anybody who thinks that the economy is boiling over at the present time is quite wrong."
Labor's Stephen Smith remarked: "It's quite clear that in the run-up to the board's deliberations this week the Prime Minister and the Treasurer, and other Government ministers, were out there doing as much as they could to try to put public pressure on the Reserve Bank."
Did it work? Is that why the bank raised expectations so high, then failed to act on them? The view from around the bank's board table is quite different. The bank had decided to start raising rates because producer prices and consumer prices were rising while the supply of labour was falling. But between its March meeting and this week's meeting there was no significant new data indicating whether these trends were still in play. There was a fall in consumer confidence - a result of the bank's earlier decision to raise rates - but no compelling new evidence about the future of inflation.
The Reserve Bank considered that it had enough hard information to begin raising rates in March, but not enough to continue in April. In the absence of information, it decided that the most prudent course was to await the next data on prices and labour. Officials are frustrated that the markets and many commentators are unable to take a medium-term view.
From inside the bank's headquarters, it looks as if the commentators are demanding that the bank not only set out its medium-term stance, but that it issue month-to-month guidance on its specific moves. This is precisely why Swan suggested yesterday that the bank change practice and start issuing statements after every meeting, whether the board decides to change interest rates or not. An explanation would fill the vacuum of comprehension.
But the Reserve is reluctant to attempt further finetuning of public expectations, fearing that it would get caught in an endless cycle of chasing public opinion. Any change to this will have to come from the Federal Parliament, because it doesn't look like it will be volunteered by Martin Place.
But what about Howard's very public pressure? How does that weigh on the Reserve? Howard has complained publicly every time the bank has raised rates, and has applauded every time it has cut them. The bank considers its board to be immune. And it doesn't even believe that Howard is trying to exert real pressure - it sees the Prime Minister as distancing himself from an unpopular move.
So where does that leave the future course of official interest rates? The Reserve Bank considers itself still on a course of confronting rising inflation, but awaiting fresh evidence before acting further.
If there is further evidence of inflationary pressure in the coming few weeks, it will act to raise official rates at its May 3 meeting, regardless of the fact that it will be a week before the Treasurer brings down the federal budget.
And now that there are suspicions the bank might be too politically sensitive, it will need to.
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Great Alto Sax Recordings
Well this is a bit tougher maybe, but we need to balance the tenor list. Thank god for Charlie Parker but in his case most of the recordings are pretty bad audio quality it seems. Any suggestions of the best sounding ones?
I guess Cannonball Adderly is worth exploring too. Any suggestions? I've got "Somethin' Else" , which is more music in the "Kind of Blue" vein, with Miles Davis
Well, I'm eager to hear the feedback!!!
The problem with balancing the tenor list is that the alto list begins and ends with Charlie Parker. Most other saxophonists sound derivative and flat in comparison, and those who try to break free from Bird's way sound even worse. No one approaches his level of style, harmonic and rhythmic variation, his remarkable sense of space, or his smooth sound. As much as I'd like to enjoy Cannonball Adderly, Sonny Stitt, Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, Phil Woods, Lee Konitz, Paul Desmond, or James Carter, none of these "legends" do anything for me. They do sound real nice, though.
If I had to pick the best sounding Bird CD, it'd probably be the 10th CD of the Verve box set. It contains what I and many other Charlie Parker fans believe to be Bird's greatest solos - four takes of "Chi Chi," "I Remember You," "Now's the Time (No. 1)", and "Confirmation." Charlie Parker with Strings, Jam Blues, and Jazz at Massey Hall are lower-quality but still decent recordings. I'd also stay away from most of the Savoy and Dial recordings if you want to show off your system, but In a Soulful Mood sounds pretty OK too.
Just as I suspected :sad:
But at least there was him! :)
The quality of sound issue was that my son (13 yrs.) was listening and put off by the poor sound of some of the tracks.
He plays some pretty good improvs on his alto, and I want to encourage him! I plead not guilty to being one of those audiophiles that prefers perfect sound to perfect art! OK maybe a little bit guilty!;)
I will check out the short list of "also rans" you supplied. I might find some stuff I like.
i would not snort at the Savoy Sessions of Charlie Parker. I have them on vinyl and some of them are so outstanding sonically that i am firmly determined to hunt them as shellacs.
Also the Verve recordings are not bad at all. I have the Swedish Schanpps album in mind.
AFA Bird is concerned, 1st shoot and then ask. Even the worst sounding bootleg may be a jewel.
For instance: the complete Dean Benedetti recordings of Charlie Parker o mosaic.
You should teach your son not to look that much on sonics, on audio ... otherwise he never will generate art, tell him my best regards, two of my most preferred soundcheck albums are performed by Charlie Parker and Wanda Landowska, both not sounding impressive at all but revealing if the system permits the music to come thru.
Some of those musicians named here i would not consider as followers of Bird's school. Okok, any jazz musician coming after him was influenced by him.
But i think, Ornette Coleman has a personal voice, Eric Dolphy too, Jackie McClean and Wayne Shorter also.
I am not such a huge fan of Dolphy as some of my acquaintants are, but his albums Out to Lunch, Far cry, Outward Bound, Last Recordings, The Berlin Concert, Other Aspects and all recording made together with Booker Little are albums i would ot like to miss in my collection.
Ornette Coleman was one of the leaders of the Free Jazz movement and his early albums on Contemporary and Atlantic are just gorgeous. "Tomorrow is the Question", "The Shape Of Jazz To Come", "Change Of The Century", "Twins" & "Free Jazz", "Ornette!", "Ornette on Tenor", "Live at the Golden Circle" vol.1&2, "The Art Of The Improvisers".
My favourite albums are 1st two i named.
And my favourite musician on them is Don Cherry :) ... just the composing head behind it is Coleman.
But let's step back before Bird, what about Johnny Hodges?
He he I knew I could lure Dice into a comment. Thanks for the additional input.
I was mostly trolling for a list of artists to explore.
The quality of sound issue was only supposed to be peripheral issue (as it always should be!) but sometimes some of the scratchyiest need experience to listen "through"
You can imagine I am a very proud father. At 3 different school performances people have said the same thing: "That boy has soul" (without knowing I'm the father ;) ) You can imagine those are sweet words for a father with Swedish, Norwegian, English ancestry!! His mother is from Costa Rica which might have helped!
Hello Mark,
Lucky,lucky you!:)
Always found that a piece of Fi couldn't pass the Birdie test it was ready for the junkyard.
You guys all know your stuff,impressive!
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UCL Institute for Security and Resilience Studies
- Home
- About
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Further Information?
Launch of the Cyber Security Challenge
26 July 2010
ISRS hosted the launch of the Cyber Security Challenge at UCL's Department of Engineering, on 26 July 2010.
The Cyber Security Challenge is series of national online games and competitions that will test the cyber security abilities of individuals and teams from every walk of life.
[image reference is broken]
Baroness Neville-Jones, Minister of State for Security, delivered the keynote address to an international audience of students, practitioners, business-people, policy-makers and media.
Attendees also visited and discussed four stalls presenting the competition's different strands: network defence, digital forensics, website vulnerability, and a winners' masterclass bringing all these together.
[image reference is broken]
L-R: Len Tyler, Vice-President, EADS UK - Judy Baker, Director, Cyber Security Challenge UK - Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones - Lord Reid, ISRS Chair.
The Minister of State for Security discusses digital forensics with representatives of the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory and the US Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center.
Videos of the event and further details are available here on the Cyber Security Challenge website (external link).
Page last modified on 25 may 11 16:40


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"We the Fates watch over everybody, but also those with strong threads like your child." the voice, the same as the one on the radio says.
You also recognise that the 3 Fates weren't just talking to you? Who is the resting newcomer with her bags of weed?
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
|Danny Kaye
Danny elbows Ken (completely unnecessary, as he spotted the cars before Danny) as the cars pull up near them. Danny sweeps back already perfect hair back from his freshly scrubbed face. He begins singing under his breath, to the tune of 'Singin in the Rain'.
'It's Paaarty time again,
just party time again,
Gonna go meet with big-wigs,
I'm haappy again!'
He grins at Ken, and saunters over to the sports car.
"'Allo' luv!' " Danny smiles at the woman behind the wheel.
Kenneth & Danny
Saraya gets out of her brash sports car; the first thing you see is her long legs. Softly curved and travelling all the way up to a tight black mini skirt, she sidles over to the pair of men all hips and wiggle. She flicks her crimson hair with a twist of her head; a cascade of fire as she looks hungrily at the males. "My you are very tall!" she says sultrily.
Biting one finger between her toffee-apple lips, she runs the other down Kenneth's chest. The perfectly manicured nails describe a slow arc over the cloth. "So which of you wants to ride with me. And which wants to ride with the girls." She points to the grey mini-van; it appears to have nearly a dozen women and some men.
They mostly appear young-ish, they are all uniformly pretty. They appear to be doing various activities from preening to reading to listening to music or just staring off into space. "Got your guitar, and other entertainment Danny?"
Saraya looks into the night; "So where you going to go....I suppose I could squeeze in the pair of you. In my car that is." she adds with a wicked smile.
|Danny Kaye
Sorry, crazy RL :P
Danny's eyes sparkle with unabashed glee at the innuendo.
"I'll bet you could." he replies straight-faced.
"Yeah, I've got my guitar. If you think I'll need it. Well 'Mr. Ken', which do you prefer?" He asks the bard, indicating the waiting sports car and the minivan.
Danny's mind races. He would Love to ride in the sports car, and spending time with the beautiful Saraya wouldn't hurt either. (Although having to share her attentions might cramp his style.) But his college-mentally is also clamoring for him to go jump in the mini-van, confident that by the time they reach their destination he will be holding court over the entire gaggle of women, and the guys too.
IOW, it doesn't matter to me, I can run with it! :)
Sal & Aximeus
Letitia guns the engine finding somehow another gear; "Danny said something about the train station earlier. We must get to them, it's near the museum I think?" the black car races through the night!
Driving roll (or an appropriate skill), to act as Knowledge (Local). The TN is 3 to get there in time, with Letitia's fast driving.
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
hehe I need the driving skill i think; how do I do this roll? I guess we can lean the other way inside the car around corners to keep more weight over the drive tires hehe.
SOMETHING is happening; I am sure; I just had a, I dont know what; a vision, a view of someplace else, i just had; that voice. My mother, whom I have no conscious recollection standing at the Three Fates, I think our group; in a greater sense; is being woven into a unit for a Greater Task; there is a great challenge to mankind being posed before us and I believe it is we who will take up that challenge.
Aximeus & Sal
With Letitia at the wheel and not being local neither is Sal, whilst as Aximeus doesn't drive or approach the city from this direction. The darkness confounds them, they fail to take the optimal line into the circuitous and archaic roads into the city. So different from the grid-hatches of the America's, this has been grown organically over the centuries.
Out of the darkness and through the narrow streets they emerge onto the broader bus & train station area; just in time to see a mini-bus pull away and behind it Saraya's red sports car and in it....
Saraya looks you over, sizing you up like a hungry tiger. "Your friend goes in the van and you can come with me" she purrs; "I wouldn't want you to influence all those young ladies. And you can carefully explain why you had that Jericho's phone. Is there a handsome man cloning facility." she winks taking Danny's hand and dragging him in the car.
Once there she pulls out of the car-park with a squeal of tyres, she knows where she's heading and how to get there...fast. Looking across at the scarlet haired woman, you realise she is smaller than you first thought. More petite and pretty.
Instead you enter the mini-bus, it's packed with various people. The one constant is that they are all attractive, a dozen women and a handful of men. Soon the bus takes off through the winding roads towards the party at the ROAB HQ.
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
|Kenneth Evander Finley
Kenneth chuckles as Danny pulls away, I didnae to say I was with someone, not in front of someone I dinnae trust. This is better.... 'Acourse, either possible ride would likely make Laura more than a mite cross if she found out, ye ken.
Kenneth tries to enjoy the view and make a few friends on the bus... purely for appearance's sake, ye ken..
Dark Journey!
The red car speeds off through the darkness, quickly it hits the roundabout along to the motorway. The mini-van in tow, as it rumbles along the road.
Letitia slows down slightly, however fortunately there is only a single lane each direction. And with few turnings it isn't unusual to follow the road, thus she isn't too obvious with her driving.
Saraya however, is driving more aggressively than needs be. The car ends up not being that fast as she power-slides around corners. Whether she is doing this just for the thrill or to impress Danny is not readily apparent.
Kenneth finds some stimulating conversation with a young lady, she bears a striking resemblance to Zooey Deschanel as well as baring a slight expanse of thigh. She talks about Dutch renaissance painters as if you are interested.
Soon you hit a large town, and drive along the long streets and then there seems to be a walled area. Saraya slows up her reckless driving, spinning the car into a skid. She enters through a pair of of heavy wooden gates. Set back from these along an infeasibly long drive for the urban and heavily built up area is a Building. The mini-van turns in through the gates, following Saraya's red sports car. Whilst Letitia pulls past the gates and into a small side-street nearby.
Danny & Kenneth
Saraya's red convertible and the mini-bus drive up the pea-gravel pathway. The soft crunch as they roll up it to the house.
To the right is a wide swath of lawn, at the end of it is some illumination from a mass of water. However in the foreground appears to be a tent, a large Céilidh going on inside... or at least the music tinkles out.
Whilst on the left is a large stone building, with parapets and flood-lights from the walls. Just normal security lights, with camera's behind. There is a large reception area and hall.
Saraya pulls up before the building, she looks over to Danny with a quirk of her eye-brow. "Set up your guitar and stuff in the tent, we have an amp and things. The dance with all the politicians will be in there, currently they are having a meal inside."
"Then after the dance they'll retire back inside." her lips bow. "If you see anyone you like?"
Saraya moves over to the van and opens the side, "Wait in here for the moment. I'll find out where the changing rooms are!"
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
Sal observes the long drive as they pass the gate, then leans forward to talk to Axe and Letitia over the front seat back. "Looks like a party. Should we crash it? Are there going to be any sort of weird wards around the place, or can we creep in unnoticed, do you think?"
Saraya, straightens up and enters the wide open doors.
Certainly, I could pose as a chef as I have my work clothes in my bag if I must, or am open to suggestions
Axe looks for the security, how they are outfitted and where they are posted and how many and will look to see if anyone has bodygaurds which he expects is not uncommon in such a setting.
|Danny Kaye
Gah! Sorry, just,... RL stinks, I'm here! ;P
Danny actually looks almost depressed for a moment as Saraya actually drags him to her car. He had already envisioned himself as 'King of the Harem Van' in his mind.
But the moment swiftly passes as he takes another look at the lady holding him by the wrist. He turns on his 'friendly/sexy/cute' grin to high beam. He decides that this arrangement will be just fine. Although the strength of Saraya's grip does not escape his notice, despite the distracting flashes of legs she provides as she climbs back into the sports car.
As they start to pull out of the train station, Danny once again turns on his charming grin. "So, what's a nice girl like you doing staffing a gig like thiiis!!" Danny's voice goes up almost an octave as Saraya takes the first curve far faster than the posted recommended speed.
Danny looks back to Saraya, and his grin becomes less charming, and more charmed. It is a short mental hop, and another curve, and Danny reverts back to his college days, shouting encouragement to her as she takes the turns in Duke boy style. When they take the last turn into the gravel drive, Danny turns back to Saraya.
"Do you believe in love at first fright?" He smiles.
When they stop, Danny heads for the trunk (Ah yes, the 'boot' here) to reclaim his guitar from the tiny space. "DOn't worry about me. I'm sure I'll find something I like." He grins at her. When she turns to go inside, Danny tilts his head to appreciate the amount of leg showing as she takes the brief rise of steps to the door. He shakes his head to clear it.
"Easy Danny-boy, business before pleasure! And I'm not entirely convinced that would be all pleasure." He smirks wryly as he heads into the tent.
Once inside, he puts his guitar down and takes a look around, checking his cell phone out of habit. He frowns when he realizes he had missed messages. He never turned his cell back up after the switch, and in the excitement of the drive here, he didn't feel it go off. He hastily taps out a reply to Axe's last query.
'All ok. Working party for the bigwigs. No known worries. Don't wait up. :)'
Danny pockets the phone, taking a good look around, and categorizing anyone he sees in the tent at this time into categories such as 'Security', 'Entertainment', (as opposed to 'Entertainment') Food Service, and Competition.
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
"I doubt I could look like the help, but if Letetia here can check for magical alarms, I can insert over the wall and reconnoiter, at least. I'm not sure what we are looking for," she smiles wryly and chuckles, "But I'm usually ready for trouble. I think I could recognize your friends, but it's better if we stick close together as a group so I don't kill the wrong people. If it comes to that."
She shrugs off the long duster, then peels the long dress up from her ankles, squirming to get it free from her body, then pulling it off over her head. It was obviously simply tossed on over the former outfit, and she restores the boots and gloves. "I can't move in that dress, so this will have to do."
Kenneth & Danny
Saraya goes inside the reception area and after a quick frisk from a door-man talks to the concierge. There's a brief conversation before she returns to the van/bus; pulling open the door. "Everyone mingle. Our guests will be done with their food shortly. So make sure they enjoy their desserts." Then grabbing a bag from the driver
Saraya then moves to the inside of the tent and over to the crates of wine; she gets out her bag and opens a bottle of bubbly.
Seemingly casting some form of sympathetic magic over all the drinks;
'♫ A taste of Honey;
A touch of Lace;
Smell of Leather;
Sight of Erotica;
Sound of a Sated Sigh. ♪'
She adds these things to the drink, thus turning all the wine into a mild lust potion. This takes a few minutes to create and will last until the dawn. Then she'll gently sample it, to a warm nod at her work.
Whilst the waiting staff, in their suits wander across the thick floor. The heavy lino placed upon the lawn, where the tent stands. The staff carry platters of canapes & flutes that they are about to fill with wine.
At the entrance there are a couple of suited men milling around, from their demeanour and poise they are Military. Probably part of the RAOB security team.
In the centre of the tent is a dance floor surrounded by tables, whilst at the far end it is open exposing a patio area with love seats.
And looking further out onto the lake you can see a boat illuminated by lanterns, this junk has some movement aboard and the dock is guarded by what looks like dogs in kennels.
|Kenneth Evander Finley
Kenneth eyes the enchanted wine and the company with a wistful sigh, Ach, couldnae this have all have happened before I met Laura? Truly, Lady, you've quite the sense of humour where your herald is concerned.
Shaking himself free of the ladies, he approaches Danny with a smile, "Well now, that was the most pleasant van ride of my life." He winks and motions with his head, "Some of them dinnae wait for their changing rooms, ye ken."
He steps a mite closer and drops his voice to a whisper, "I dinnae hae my guitar, and I be a bard, and nae a go-go dancer... I guess that makes me a backup singer or manager, and the latter would probably give me a wee bit o' time tae look about."
|Kenneth Evander Finley
|Danny Kaye
Danny slides over to stand next to Kenneth, supposedly pointing out a particularly impressive ice sculpture and wondering aloud where he would be best located at among the musicians.
"Well, I guess Bubbly is off the menu tonight. I've heard of spiking the drinks before, but that's a little extreme. Don't you think?" Danny murmurs to Ken.
"Why would she do that? Methinks our benefactor might be padding her income with some juicy photos and a bit of blackmail. Or maybe she just wants to make sure that no one gets bored and wanders off during the party?"
Danny shrugs, chucks Ken on the shoulder, and moves to a corner near the stage. He puts down his over sized case with a groan of relief, and unzips one side. He pulls out his well-worn but lovingly maintained acoustic guitar, leaving the other half of the bag still filled with the outline of what appears to be a custom electric guitar.
He finds and checks a spare amp with a wired mic on it, but doesn't clip it to his guitar just yet. He strums a few chords and 'la-la's' a bit, warming up. He chats up the band as they finish setting, asking them what they plan to play, and endorses their choices wholeheartedly. During the last minute flurry of activity before the expected guests enter the tent, Danny makes his way casually towards the entrance. Not too close enough to catch the eye of security, but close enough for him to see faces plainly, and allow him to step forward to talk to the guests as they head towards the dessert tables.
Soon, Saraya gives the band the 'here they come, start playing' signal, and they do so. Danny fills in from where he stands with light background chords, complementing the band on stage for those close enough to hear him.
|Danny Kaye
Ack! Cross-post! ;P
Danny nods to Ken, "Most of what the big band is playing is classical, they have some light rock for later, and 'dancing' when the mood takes them." He smirks.
"If, or rather when, they start to go outside for 'private time' after the magic bubbly, I suppose we could be the wandering minstrels there to keep the mood going. In the meantime, make friends. Here they come!" Danny says, wandering nearer to the entrance.
Kenneth & Danny
The security take little notice of Danny, not wishing to offend anyone tonight at this gala event. They seen serious and stoic - annoyed even - by the events.
A stream of gentlemen in their 40's (maybe a couple in their 30's) wearing dinner jackets or tuxedo's and some mature ladies in sensible dresses slowly enter the tent. Most of them are lost in conversation. There's about 20 in total of these politicians.
The 'escorts' from the bus gradually drift over to them, glasses in hand that they distribute to the debating toffs.
Yeah Kenneth, I have heard of some of those punk bands. Quite 'unique'.
Aximeus & Sal
Letitia smiles and looks across at Sal as she strips down to her earlier skirt; "Reminds me of my youth and the Cure gigs." She shucks out of her suit jacket and throws it in the drivers seat, straps on the long rapier to her belt.
Bending over to the glove box, Letitia gets out a pair of leather gloves. They seem to have strands of silver metal or spider silk running across them in patterns. She puts them on and moves over to the wall, placing her hand against it.
The English noble mutters something in an incomprehensible language, with her eyes closed in concentration. There's a blue crackle down the length of the wall, like a wave of blue electricity flowing. "No wards here." Letitia observes.
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
Leaving the long, dragging garments in the car, Sal swings on her backpack, jumps up to brace herself on her hands at the top of the wall, leaning over to observe the ground at the base of the wall and, if she sees, nothing, pivots over the top to drop quietly on the other side.
Alertness: 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 1) - 8 + 4 = 3
Stealth: 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 1, 3, 3) - 8 + 4 = 4
In the Tent
The groups mingle and talk, from a few reserved people you can identify the hosts. A number of dour men, who do not drink - wear heavy dark suits and seem to avoid the company provided. Although Saraya occasionally approaches one individual before drifting around and openly flirting with an individual you identify as David Cameron, the Prime Minister and his wife.
You notice that at least one gentleman expects this sort of treatment from the escorts and slopes off to the house. The rest are enjoying the music and discussing matters of national importance, or their bank accounts with to them are the same thing.
Outside, you notice down the slope of the lawn stands the lake and the Chinese boat that bobs upon it. There is the sporadic pop of fire-works and smell of incense wafts on the air (as if to drown out the distasteful party).
Outside the Tent
The building stands like an giant mausoleum, lit by funeral lights - it's mouth yawning open, inviting those to rest inside. The security lights dowse it in a lurid glow and sentinels now stand to either side of the door. These guardians are simply besuited humans, who silently observe the occasional party-goer and serving staff that enters the building (probably to use the 'facilities')
Then there is the long driveway with a host of cars, parked silently. Distinguished and dark cars hide amongst the shadows.
Tent stands majestically near the main build, noise and the sound of revelry coming from this marquee. The party inside flowing in full swing...
The tent stands at the front of a expanse of lawn. Immaculately kept, there's bound to be a herb garden and a host of other gardens or focal points that one would expect of a grandiose manor house. The lawn rolls down a slope and towards a lake.
In the distance there is a shimmer of light off the lake and a soft movement upon it. As either something drifts there or the wind forms ripples, actually you can see rather a prominent boat in the distance. However it is small over the mile stretch of lawn and partially hidden behind the trees that line the lake.
|Danny Kaye
Danny slips off his guitar and lays it in the corner, letting the band do their thing. He mingles through the crowd, complementing every lady he passes by. He eventually slides by Kenneth again.
"Nice place. I gotta get me one." He nods to the house.
"I'm gonna mingle, see what I can hear, But I wonder why they're here. The threat was real, but to what purpose? And call me paranoid, but I didn't know this was a themed party. Why the Chinese Junk?" He tucks a thumb at the boat and occasional fireworks outside.
Danny shakes his head. "This is my kinda scene. Decent music, decent snacks, and hot and cold running money. But I'm having a hard time enjoying it. And now that I think about it, Saraya was being awfully nice, inviting us out of the blue like that. I gotta start being more suspicious of people."
"Keep an eye on the hosts, If anything is up, they'll be the first to give it away. See ya!" Danny turns back to the crowd, his most charming grin in place. The one that had been known to make women declare him 'adorable', and lavish him with affection. And money.
And time to start picking up clues!
First, Perception: 4d3 - 8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 1, 2, 3) - 8 + 1 = 1
Next, charm (Empathy/Rapport): 4d3 - 8 + 2 ⇒ (3, 2, 1, 1) - 8 + 2 = 1
And finally, outright flattery! (Performance/Deceit): 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (3, 3, 1, 2) - 8 + 4 = 5
This particular crowd is a little out of his usual bailiwick. And possibly his league. While he certainly doesn't offend anyone, his usual charming tactics are at best a stalemate to the savvy and leery political crowd. But one tried and true means never fails.
When all else fails, flattery will get you every time.
By the time the band has started it's 4th song, Danny has found his groove. He nabs a champagne flute, drops half it's contents into a potted plant, and assumes the manner of one who has had enough to be very,... happy. He nods knowingly to the men, winks at the ladies, and complements one and all. And he doesn't ignore the ever present aides that hang back, waiting to jump to the side of their political benefactors. Before the band is ready to take it's first brake, Danny has personally spoken with over half the tent. And eavesdropped on at least half a dozen more.
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
Sal crouches motionless on the far side of the fence, looking and listening carefully. After a few moments, she relaxes and rises slowly, scanning the area a last time.
She crouches at the base of the wall and springs, catching the top and pulling herself the rest of the way up until she is again balanced on her hands, top of the wall pressing against her hip bones as she leans to look over it at Axemius and Letitia.
"It's clear on this side. Come on," she murmurs softly, aware that a whisper would carry better than low speech. She drops back down and unholsters her pistol, crouching in a low guard while she waits for the other two.
As he wanders around the tent he picks up snippets of conversations. The party is going in full swing.
Man 1: "Oh, that boat on the lake. Used to see them all the time when I was in Hong Kong."
Man 2: "Really?"
Man 1: "Yes, not one of the plebs boat either."
Saraya: "You got the camera's set up?"
Mr Todmorden: "In the rooms pointed as you instruct. Your girls know what to do?"
Saraya: *laughs lustily* "Of course. They'll make sure you get the film you want."
Man 3: "Good to be here after all the abrupt troubles in London."
Man from Bus: "Well, I'll just have to make you forget all about the big city."
Man 4: "How's your daughter? Still talking to the oracle in Whitby"
Man 5: "Yeah, she's on her gap year."
Bus Lady 2: "So how about showing a girl a good time."
Mr Todmorden: "Heard anything from London?"
Mr Blanche: "No, Mr Bowlem hasn't reported back. I cannot get in touch with him."
Mr Todmorden: "I hope his men haven't fouled up. Well, it was only a secondary objective to get rid of the decadent freaks."
Mr Blanche: "Pity Mr Bowlem was quite competent. Whilst the triads were a bunch of hippies."
Female Politician: "Hopefully it'll be better than the last event they hosted, that Valentines Ball."
Man from Bus 2: "Oh, I went there. It was chaos, but it didn't have such enchanting company."
Saraya: "Guard Dogs" *points to the lake*
Mr Todmorden: "Just keep away from the lake. And keep your girls away too."
Dave C: *walks over* "I was a top punter at Cambridge."
Saraya: "I bet you are. Sarah, think he can show me some techniques." *hands the couple more champagne*
Sarah C: *blushes & downs the flute of champagne* "Mmmmm"
Mr Todmorden: *walks off exasperated*
Man 1: You are a fine filly fancy a ride?
Bus Lady: *Nods & leads him to house*
Man = Politician, Bus = 'Escorts', Mr = RAOB men in suits.
Axe puts his armor and such in the duffel and put on his street clothes. Slings the duffle over his shoulder.
Sal, I could easily hoist you over that fence and jump it myself; but we might try driving in first; what do you think; your backup singers and I am sound engineer? If they ask us the bands name; we give em the onl; what is it this week schtick and shout out a lot of rude names, its what musician do in my experience.
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
Sal shrugs, reholsters her pistol, and hauls herself back over the fence to where the other two are. "Sorry, shouldn't have assumed we do this the sneaky way. When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail, ya know?" She hesitates a moment. "I don't know much about what is going on here, so if you think it's a good idea, we can try it."
She clambers back into the rear seat of the sleek car, pulling open her bag and withdrawing her makeup kit. "So, do I go punk or respectable?" After one good look at Letitia, she nods and says, "Respectable." She slips the long skirt back over the mini and fishnets, then quickly does a nice makeup job, clipping her hair back with decorative combs. The excess jewelry and gloves go back in the bag and the leather jacket is replaced by a black bolero, still covering the holster.
Disguise: 4d3 - 8 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3, 1, 2) - 8 + 2 = 3
Letitia looks over at Sal with a quirk of her eyebrow; "I can do punk." she fumbles; "I don't me do as in do....I haven't done a...." she blushes furiously, by both her words and Sals trim legs.
Then she puts the vehicle into gear and rolls towards the gate; the brass gates are open. With a crunching rumble the car moves onto the gravel driveway.
Halfway up it there's a pair of suited men with torches, they hold up a hand and shine the light in the car as Letitia stops it. "Who are you?" the man asks.
Perception: 4d3 - 8 + 2 ⇒ (1, 3, 3, 2) - 8 + 2 = 3
He squints at Sal a bemused look upon his face.
Sal & Aximeus
Outside the Grounds
"Declining?!?" Letitia raises an eye brow in the rear-view mirror; "Alright let's do it." She turns to Sal with a wink.
Drawing a key up her tights she ladders them artfully, rolls the waist-band of her skirt up. Thus exposing 6 inches more of leg & thigh, she looks down with slight approval. Then she slips off her jacket and shirt exposing a utilitarian black bra, before putting the jacket back on doing up a couple of buttons only. Smearing her mascara and borrowing some of Sal's make-up she quickly transforms.
"Corporate Punk! Perfect for politicians growing up in the 70's." She wonders.
Inside the Ground
The suited man virtually leans into the window to get a good look of the ladies and man in the back; "Who are you then?"
|Danny Kaye
Danny winds his way over to his guitar, he bends over and fusses with the strings to hide the nervous shivers he is feeling.
'Holy Frijoles! I expected something like a blackmail set up. (Heck, I'd probably do the same thing, given the chance.) But it isn't Saraya doing it for money or favors, it's the ROAB! And with the molotov lust cocktails, even the goody-two-shoes are going to be dancing in the sheets. The ROAB will OWN the entire government!' Danny's fingers slip, and he gets a small cut on one fingertip from a string. He promptly sticks it in his mouth. Another thought finally sinks in, causing a cold spot to form low in his belly.
'And the ROAB planted the bomb. A REAL bomb. Just to get them out of London and here so they could gain influence over them. They were willing to kill millions. Just to kill some 'freaks', and he called it a SECONDARY objective!?! What the H, E, double-hockey-sticks is his PRIMARY objective?!?!'
'Gotta tell Ken, gotta tell the others! And we gotta stop them from doing,... whatever it is they're doing! Starting with the blackmail coup de gras of the century! Now, how do you UNhex a lust potion??? And who the heck are these clowns?'
Danny looks around, mind racing. He knows next to nothing about 'magic', and he knows it. But Ken seemed to actually use it, maybe he could do something about the lust potion and end the blackmail party before it got too far underway.
Danny spotted Ken, chatting with a lovely lady, probably an assistant, who was obviously far more interested in him than he was in her. The champagne was already doing it's thing, and Danny saw another couple already heading towards the house. Whatever they were going to do, they needed to do it quickly. Danny waved at Ken when the bard turned his way, and waved him over. Danny returned to fiddling with his guitar while he waited for Ken to make his way over.
Danny had an idea. It wasn't one of his favorites. He needed to know what they were up against. Danny had what he called the 'Spirit Sight', another gift from his fae mother. It let him see through illusions and look at people as they really were. It also let him see things hidden from most people, like invisible fae and ghosts. He didn't like using it too much. Because whatever he saw became ingrained in his memory permanently, as if he had always just looked at it. WHen he first discovered it, he had thought it was cool. Then he saw a couple of things he wished he hadn't. Things that made him want to scrub his brain with bleach. Since then he was usually very careful about using his Sight.
Danny pulled out his cell phone, and after a few moments trying to figure out how make it sound innocent (being paranoid about electronic interceptions) typed a swift, short message to Axe.
Party getting wild. Might need ride home. Be a shame if you missed the fireworks.
Danny pocketed the cell, hoping he wasn't being TOO paranoid, or making it too difficult for Axe figure out that he was asking for backup. Then he realized that he was stalling. Ken was making his way over, but the interactions were getting, frisky, and there wasn't a clear path.
Danny sighed. He closed his eyes, calmed himself, and opened his eyes, and his Sight. He looked at the band first, just to be careful, and then slowly turned to look around the tent,...
What roll, if any oh master of story-telling? :)
|Adriana 'Sal' Salazar
Sal gives the gate guard her best bored-teenager eyerolling sneer. "Band," she sighs, as if he's asking the most ridiculous question in the world, "We're late. Where do we go? Oh, and he's a cook. In case you couldn't tell." She jerks a thumb in Axemius' direction and swivels in her seat to make her short skirt even shorter, giving the man an eyeful of leg up to here. She stares him down, worrying her tongue piercing with her teeth ostentatiously.
So for free you get the below description as you open you sight. If you give me a Lore Roll (with a TN3)then I'll 'interpret' the Sight (if you wish to focus on a single specific person area point it out). Then you will have to make a Discipline roll against Mental Attack: 4d3 - 8 + 3 ⇒ (3, 3, 3, 3) - 8 + 3 = 7, when you succeed THEN you can shut down the Sight or Try for another Clue/'interpretation'.
The tent slowly fades into grey everything slows down; the sounds of the party become muffled like sticking his head in water. Danny's body becomes light and sensation drifts away.
The Politicians walk around, their forms similar to moments ago. However they drag shackles of gold around with them, slowing their movements to a glacial crawl. There is evident strain upon their faces; whilst at the same time there's a twinkle of lost hope deep within their eyes. And upon their faces rictus smiles of greed and desire, that of privilege and opportunity.
Around their genitals and a nimbus around the crown of their heads is a red glow with flecks of gold.
All the ROAB men look alike despite their individual variances (IE they are not a single entity), they are grey. Not just grey but Dull Grey. A sort of melancholy and lawfulness pervades there being. Order and pride in their stance as they look through the other people with disdain. Too each other they look with Brotherhood and a dark misguided thoughts of justice. They are wholly utterly Human, with no supernatural only Human!
Behind all of this is a taste of spices, Oriental Spices of Cantonese cuisine. It drifts in through the tent flap, coming from the lake, there's a low roar of a desperate creature. Angry and passionate, it seems to be roar dully. Underneath that is a stench you recognise from the riverbanks and Tybalts boat; that of ghouls.
The most shocking sight is Saraya, she appears at once two beings. The voluptuary with only a gauze dress to cover her, trying to hold handfuls of sand. As it hits the floor turning in to tears of blood, the look upon her face is both ecstatic and horrified at her actions. Dark-lines run across her skin writhing attempting to tear her apart, but she ignores them.
Then her image flicks to that of a 8 year old girl in high-heeled shoes and a scarlet dress, a Barbie in her hand. She calls for her Daddy, but he never comes and gradually she sobs her dry throat hoarse.
Aximeus & Sal
Though the man does seem to have some interest in the ladies in the front seats, his eyes slow but steady. He has the demeanour of Military man, spent too long in hostile territory without 'companionship' but with a iron resolve.
"Bands already here! The two guys arrived with the "ladies", now what do you say?" He says his firmly. The top button of Letitia's jacket pops open as she stretches her shoulders.
Deceit or some other social roll. Letitia's stretching has added an 'Aspect: Distracted'. But You require TN Discipline: 4d3 - 8 + 6 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 3) - 8 + 6 = 7


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In 1963, Schöneberg was the centre of the political west, inspiring John F. Kennedy to choose this area to famously announce, "Ich bin ein Berliner." Times may have changed, but modern-day Schöneberg still pays tribute to its historical legacies. Once the richest city outside of Berlin proper, the area's affluent past is still visible in ornate housing facades dating back to the Gründerzeit of the 19th century, while residents in fur coats walking their dogs or shopping in high-end KaDeWe continue the tradition with a modern flair. Schöneberg was also once the centre of the decadent and burlesque nightlife of the 1920s. It was here that Marlene Dietrich partied with Christopher Isherwood and the first gay bar in Germany was founded. Today, the gay community still revolves around Nollendorfplatz. The overground Ubahn station is even illuminated in rainbow colors, paying tribute to Schöneberg's progressive past.
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Educational development in Australasia : 2008 benchmarking survey
Scaife, Wendy A. (2008) Educational development in Australasia : 2008 benchmarking survey. ADAPE Australasia Inc. and the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, Brisbane, Queensland.
|Published Version (PDF 277kB)
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|ID Code:
|Item Type:
|Education, Development, Fundraising, Benchmarking, Australasia
|Current > Research Centres > Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies
Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > QUT Business School
Current > Schools > School of Accountancy
|Copyright Owner:
|Copyright 2008 [please consult the author]
|Deposited On:
|07 Sep 2009 22:44
|Last Modified:
|25 Sep 2013 12:40
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Justin Bieber Plays Hockey And Puts On A Holiday Concert In Toronto
Yesterday (December 21st), he made a surprise delivery at the Daily Bread Food Bank, took to the ice for practice with the Toronto Maples Leafs at the Air Canada Center, and held his little sister, Jazmyn as he arrived at Massey Hall for his CTV TV concert special, Justin Bieber: Home For The Holidays.
At the food bank, Bieber posed with a number of young fans in Santa hats, all of whom were elated that he was able to stop by, according to the Daily Mail.
This busy day was filmed by Much Music's for the special. "Great night. Thanks to all of u we raised $500,000 for @SunnybrookHSC @projectmedishare and @childrens_wish . #giveback," Bieber tweeted. "Tonight was special. No rules. Music, family, friends, fans, charity, and music. Thank you. #HomeForTheHolidays."


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WHS Adoptable Animals
The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to build a community where people value animals and treat them with respect and kindness. For more than 128 years, WHS has been saving the lives of animals in need. We offer adoption services that place 9,000 animals in new homes annually, veterinary services that save thousands of lives, educational programs that instill respect for animals, behavior services to assist guardians and a myriad of other initiatives that help end suffering for animals. We depend entirely on private donations to fund our programs and rely on volunteers in nearly every department. If you are interested in adopting, volunteering, enrolling in a class, taking a tour or making a donation, check out our comprehensive web site at wihumane.org. The adoptable animals' web pages are updated every 30 minutes!
54 Puppies arrive at WHS
Last night's transfer couldn't have been cuter! We were delighted to welcome dozens of dogs and puppies to Milwaukee, all of whom will soon be in new loving homes. Plus, WHS set a new record today! The veterinary staff performed 67 spay/neuter surgeries on adoptable animals this morning, topping the 2009 record of 65 surgeries. Three full-time veterinarians and several support staff aided in the surgeries.
The puppies and dogs will be available for adoption starting Saturday at both the Wisconsin and Ozaukee Humane Societies. The available animals pages at www.wihumane.org and www.ozaukeehumane.org are updated every 30 minutes, so bookmark them and share!
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.


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- Home
- About AmSAT
- Find a Teacher
- Alexander Technique
- Teacher Training
- Classes & Events
- Members
Sharon Jakubecy
info [at] alexandertechniqueLA [dot] com
(310) 383-1796
Inspiring Motion
332 Forest Avenue, #27Laguna Beach, CA 92651
See map: Google Maps
Bien Etre Studio
4436 1/2 Camero St.Los Angeles, CA 90026
See map: Google Maps
About Sharon
After teaching in LA for 10+ years, Sharon is now teaching in Orange County, CA (www.AlexanderTechniqueOC.com). With clients in Dancing with Stars, True Blood, Castle, and the LA Philharmonic, Sharon Jakubecy helps lawyers, writers, doctors, teachers, singers, actors, musicians, and business executives achieve peak performance. Without tension, her clients can "nail" demanding performances, presentations, and interviews with an engaging voice and open body language. She was on the faculty at Stella Adler Studio and American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles for over 8 years. The LA Opera, Women in Theater, Unknown Theater, and Children's Hospital have sought her to help their participants be loose, light, and dynamic.


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Return to Psoriasis Pictures from Google Books | Hardin MD : Psoriasis (Many more pictures)
Plate 15 - 17 year old male. Psoriasis (Punctata et Guttata)
On the trunk, extremities, and face are numerous psoriatric efflorescences, varying in size from a mere point to a lentil, having the characteristic scaliness. On the extensor surfaces of the knees are larger lesions, apparently of longer duration. -- From description by Mracek/Google Books (More ...)
Text and picture (scroll down for Plate 15 picture) are from the Google Books version of Atlas of diseases of the skin, by Franz Mracek, 1899.


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A sobering report commissioned by Rumsfeld details how U.S. military planners want to take control of the Earth's electromagnetic spectrum, allowing America to dominate telcommunications for propaganda and psy-ops purposes.
Sunday Herald:
Imagine a world where wars are fought over the internet; where TV broadcasts and newspaper reports are designed by the military to confuse the population; and where a foreign armed power can shut down your computer, phone, radio or TV at will.
In 2006, we are just about to enter such a world. This is the age of information warfare, and details of how this new military doctrine will affect everyone on the planet are contained in a report, entitled The Information Operations Roadmap, commissioned and approved by US secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld and seen by the Sunday Herald.
The Pentagon has already signed off $383 million to force through the document's recommendations by 2009. Military and intelligence sources in the US talk of "a revolution in the concept of warfare". The report orders three new developments in America's approach to warfare:


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SearchAll Refuges
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge offers opportunities for educators to access resources, participate in staff led field trips, or to attend educational workshops. Click on a link to learn more about available opportunities.
Follow Us Online
'Wild beasts and birds are by right not the property merely of the people who are alive today, but the property of unknown generations, whose belongings we have no right to squander.'
-Theodore Roosevelt


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After months of waiting, a ruling is expected to be released Wednesday morning in a controversial prayer death case out of Marathon County.
In 2009, Dale and Leilani Neumann of Weston were tried separately for the death of their 11-year-old daughter, Madeline Kara Neumann. She was better known as Kara.
According to court records, the young girl became sick in 2008 and instead of seeking medical attention, her parents chose to pray for her healing.
During testimony in court, both said they believed in the power of God to heal the sick.
Despite the prosecution's argument that the Neumann's actions fell under the state's faith-healing law, both were convicted of 2nd degree reckless homicide, and sentenced to six months in jail and 10 years probation.
Neither one has spent time behind bars, because of the appeals process.
State laws say a person can't be found guilty of physically abusing a child if they decide to treat the child with prayer instead of medical treatment. Prosecutors argue the Neumann's are not protected under that law because they were charged with reckless homicide, not abuse.
But a Wausau appeals court didn't issue a ruling in the case.
In a written statement, an appeals judge wrote that the case is the first of its kind in the state and needs to be addressed at a higher level to set precedent.
That's where the Wisconsin Supreme Court comes in. Justices heard oral arguments in the prayer death case in December and are expected to release their findings Wednesday.
If the convictions are overturned, prosecutors will have to decide whether to try again or dismiss the case. If the convictions are upheld, the Neumann's could appeal to the United State Supreme Court.
1908 Grand Avenue, Wausau, WI 54403
News Tips: firstname.lastname@example.com or 715-842-9293


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[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date index][Thread index]
Re: Re: st: profile.do
n j cox <email@example.com>
Re: Re: st: profile.do
Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:11:54 +0000
I would put it differently. You can include
set more off
in a do-file but it doesn't have a persistent effect. It only operates until the end of the do file. This is generic to do files, and beyond. Experiments with something like
* --------------------------- setmoreoff.do
set more off
* ---------------------------
set obs 1000
do setmoreoff
gen id = _n
will show that the do-file does nothing that persists beyond its own termination. Adding -, permanently- makes no difference to that as far as I can tell. At this moment I don't have access to a manual, so I can't see if the manual says more than the help on this detail.
I surmise that the rationale for this behaviour is that it is more likely to be what you really want than the opposite. -set more off- is usually for here and now, and temporarily. That means, _within_ a program, do file (including code currently in do file editor) or interactive session, but not beyond.
David Jacobs <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Stata deliberately does not let users alter the set more off command
in the profile.do file although I can't remember why.
>I'm using Stata 9 and I made a profile.do file so that when Stata opens
>it sets the mem to 500m and sets more off. I see that the little do
>file runs every time Stata opens, but it does not set more off. Does
>anybody have any idea why? Here is what is in the profile.do file.
>set more off
>set memory 500m
>and here is how I know it is actually running. This is the message I
>get now whenever I start Stata:
> 1. (/m# option or -set memory-) 10.00 MB allocated to data
> 2. (/v# option or -set maxvar-) 5000 maximum variables
>running C:\Program Files\Stata9\profile.do ...
* For searches and help try:
* http://www.stata.com/support/faqs/res/findit.html
* http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
* http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/
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Midnights Voice
Midnights Voice (November 3,1950 / Selma, Alabama)
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
Another Second
asking to wait
another second
is a shard of glass
read more >>
- Hits: Number of visitors who read the poem on the given date.
- Posts: Number of visitors who posted the poem to a friend (via e-mail) on the given date.
- Dates that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list.
- Dates, poems and poets that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list. Statistics are generated daily.


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September 2 – What is your favorite thing about Autumn?
I would love to tell you it is the leaves but my first favorite thing I love about Autumn is the return of the cool air. I love the smell of fall and the feel of it on my skin. The first day of fall here this year will be Saturday September 22nd. I wonder if it will feel like it this year then or if the hot trend of the year will push into fall as well. It was over 90 degrees here yesterday and I don't love it one little bit.
One of my favorite holidays happens to be in Fall as well. Halloween! So often in our society we are strangers to our own neighbors. We grow up being told to be independent and it I fear has made us a rather selfish society. We don't tend to know or trust our neighbors or care much for them for that matter. A study I once read showed this by explaining that people stranded on the side of the road may receive no help at all where once it was a given that people would stop to help. Now drivers go by assuming the stranded person has a cell phone or that someone else will help them. Having been stranded 8 months pregnant on the side of the road with 3 other children for 4 hours I can tell you I have found this to be true. No one stopped, no one helped. But what does this have to do with Halloween? The neighborhood is busy with children going door to door, saying hello to neighbors. People are welcoming and giving and everyone is looking out for the children and safety. Not to mention the holiday is just so much fun!
Do you love Autumn too?


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Full Report
VIP Boxing Photogallery
By Matt Richardson at Ringside; photos by Marty Rosengarten
In front of a sold out crowd of approximately 450, former 2004 United States Olympic team captain Devin Vargas returned to his winning ways with a solid, if unspectacular, eight round unanimous decision over trialhorse Terrell Nelson in the heavyweight main event of Wednesday's "VIP Boxing" show. The six-bout "VIP Boxing" card was hosted at the restaurant Russo's On The Bay in Queens, New York and promoted by Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing. (More)


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Breast Augmentation with Lift Doctors in Encino, California
(1 results)
COMPARECheck the boxes to compare.
- Plastic Surgery
Matthew Malamet M.D., a native of the Bay Area and proud alumnus of U.C. Berkeley, is a fellowship trained Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon serving the Los Angeles, California area. He is one of a select few fully trained Plastic Surgeons in the United States who have undergone additional formal post-graduate fellowship training in Aesthetic Surgery. His practice specializes in all areas of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, focusing on surgery of the Face, Breast and Body.Having recently completed the prestigious Aesthetic Surgery fellowship at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital (MEETH) under the tutelage of Dr. Sherrell Aston, Dr. Malamet has been trained in the most advanced Aesthetic Surgical techniques of the Face, Nose, Breast and Body. His other mentors included internationally renowned Plastic Surgeons such as Dr. Alan Matarasso, Dr. Daniel Baker, Dr. Nicolas Tabbal, Dr. Gerald Pitman and Dr. Jennifer Walden, amongst many other highly respected figures. During the yearlong fellowship, Dr. Malamet had the privilege of teaching and supervising the Senior Plastic Surgery residents from NYU and Cornell universities.
Matthew Malamet, MD
- Matthew Malamet MD
- 16311 Ventura Blvd Ste 555
- Encino, California 91436
Prior to his matriculation at MEETH, Dr. Malamet completed a formal Plastic Surgery Residency at Albany Medical College in upstate New York. This is one of the original Plastic Surgical Residencies in the country, established in 1949 by one of the pioneers in the field, Dr. W. Brandon Macomber. It was here that Dr. Malamet was trained in all aspects of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Including but not limited to Breast Reconstruction, Post-Bariatric Body Contouring, Hand Surgery, Trunk and Lower Extremity Reconstruction, Burn Reconstruction, Facial Trauma and Pediatric Plastic Surgery. During his final year of Plastic Surgery Residency, Dr. Malamet had the honor of being the Administrative Chief Resident, administering the day to day function of the Plastic Surgical Residents and Albany Medical College medical students.
Forming the surgical foundation for his future Plastic Surgical Endeavors, Dr. Malamet completed a rigorous five year General Surgery Residency at Providence Hospital/Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. This is routinely in the Top 25% of all Major Teaching Hospitals in the country. During this time, Dr. Malamet consistently scored in the Top 10% of all Surgical Residents in the United States on the annual American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam and was bestowed with the honor of being the Administrative Chief Resident in his final year of training. These achievements culminated in becoming BOARD CERTIFIED by the American Board of Surgery in 2009.
A native of the Bay Area, Dr. Malamet graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of California at Berkeley. With the initial goal of becoming a college Professor, he then pursued and achieved a graduate degree in Exercise Physiology from California State University East Bay. Excelling in post-graduate studies, Dr. Malamet discovered his true calling which resulted in a Doctorate of Medicine degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. He is actually one of only two graduates out of over forty-five hundred alumni since the Universities inception in 1978 to be accepted into the highly competitive field of Plastic Surgery.
Humanitarian efforts have recently taken Dr. Malamet to San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic as a part of Albany Plasticare International. At Hospital Regional Dr. Antonio Musa, he and other Plastic Surgeons surgically treated patients with a wide array of disease processes ranging from severe burn contractures and Syndactyly to Cleft Lips and Palates.
Dr. Malamet and his wife are truly excited to be back in California and extremely fortunate to become the new associate of Dr. Malcolm Lesavoy, an internationally renowned Plastic Surgeon.
- Matthew Malamet, MD
Matthew Malamet MD
- Location: 16311 Ventura Blvd Ste 555 Encino, CA 91436
- Click here for phone number
- Financing:
- CareCredit
- Matthew Malamet, MD


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When fans of bodybuilding discuss traits that make some bodybuilders more "Marketable" than others, they are usually referring to the level of mainstream appeal that they possess and potential to crossover into the eyes of the general public. It seems we are on a never ending hunt for the next big star who will carry the entire industry on their backs and climb into the spotlight of the masses, as if lack of exposure is the only thing preventing competitive bodybuilding from achieving NFL levels of success. In this future mainstream paradise, fans will sit around sports bars and discuss Kai Greene's lat insertions in the same conversation as Super Bowl touchdowns. Sports Illustrated will feature articles on how Dexter Jackson defies conventional age restrictions and is the Iron Man of muscle sport. ESPN will recount the Arnold Classic the same way it would a semi-final NBA playoff game. A bicep peak will be as coveted as a record sprint time and people will host Olympia parties.
What most people fail to realize however, is every single human being in any developed country knows what bodybuilding is. They might not know what a bodybuilding competition is, but they understand the process of lifting weights and building muscle. Almost all of them have some image in their head of what they perceive a bodybuilder to look like, usually pasted in their brain during a trip to the grocery store where they accidentally glanced at a Flex magazine. Of course, the photo is of a top bodybuilder the day after a show, photoshopped to look even sillier and more comically vascular, and usually doing the mind-numbingly ridiculous open mouth "Roar" face in which it appears they are just aggressively shouting "YEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" for an extended period of time. And guess what? 95% of the people think it's either A) Disgusting B) Bizarre. They look at it the same way as they would look at the women with M cup boobs on Jerry Springer. It seems that we have already tainted any extension we have had into the general public by painting an overly absurd picture of ourselves. It's as though bodybuilding by itself wasn't already a questionable enough pursuit that even the most relatable representatives have trouble properly justifying to the untrained eye, and the media has to further handicap the entire sub culture by perpetuating every stereotype and littering the few media outlets with propaganda.
*There is no need for more bodybuilding "Awareness", anyone who has any interest in it already knows what it is. They might not know what an IFBB competition is, but if they start training and building muscle, it is only a matter of time before they are enlightened to the sport in some capacity.*
Now let's look back to a time when bodybuilding was arguably more "popular" (Overall numbers are definitely higher now, but it seems to be held in a higher regard in previous eras). Going back as far as Arnold's day, seeing a bodybuilder in public was like seeing a unicorn. No one knew how or why someone could look like that, but it was captivating. We have all heard the stories of future bodybuilder stars seeing one of the greats of their childhood in a movie or in an advertisement, and then becoming so intrigued they become obsessed with the mysterious world of muscle and start hording Weider mags. Not only was access to bodybuilders themselves borderline non-existent, but some people would travel to the next town over just to find a magazine about bodybuilding! Think about that for a second. Most boys grow up wanting to be big and strong, and it is built into us from birth. Building muscle is not an abstract concept of made up rules like most professional sports, it is a simple pursuit using tools we are all born with and aware of. If anything, it should have an advantage in its ability to attract audiences being that we all HAVE a body that can be built.
Fast forward to the 1990's, and everyone is living the California dream. Bodybuilding has been elevated to part of our culture, with the big contests being broadcast on TV and shows like American Muscle having teenage boys set their VCR timers just to witness the singlet clad glory. Supplement contracts take bodybuilders from local steroid dealers to six figure athletes, and basically the dream was alive and well. If you were to tell someone in the late 90's how many entries we see in local competitions in 2014, they would assume bodybuilding had finally "made it". If you could show them the finances and profits of the big supplement companies and how many were making huge sales numbers, they would have probably started sharing their GH with their kids right then and they're hoping their children would be a huge bodybuilding star and making those millions that were soon to be floating around.
Well, they couldn't have been more wrong. While the supplement industry has blown up in ways that aren't even fathomable, contracts for athletes haven't been affected by this growth and we actually see a lot of contracts offering nothing more than free products. The entry lists for shows have increased exponentially, but this is almost strictly due to new fluff divisions, and bodybuilding itself has actually seen numbers drop in some high level amateur shows. So what the hell is going on? Exposure is at an all-time high, but bodybuilding is still floating around in obscurity (and even dwindling).
And that is simply because the same 95% of people think it's
A) Disgusting
B) Bizarre.
Bodybuilding reached its saturation point long ago. The people who feel drawn to bodybuilding don't need to see it on ESPN to trigger the obsession, they feel it the very second they first see a picture of a bodybuilder. So what we see today is the result of dipping a bigger net into the ocean of the fitness industry, there will never be an increase in bodybuilding fans so we now just have all the extra crap that was floating around to go along with it. While supplement contracts used to be reserved for 260 lb monsters, we now have armies of Instagram physique models who will market themselves and the products they "represent" for pennies, just so they can put their sponsor in their profile and impress other obnoxious selfie queens (I am referring to men and women when I say queens). If anything, this increase in "popularity" has hurt bodybuilders and taken potential income out of their pockets, and only benefited the promoters and companies involved. It has devalued the competitors themselves. And you can't blame the companies, why would they pay someone who the general public views as a walking steroid, thousands of dollars just to use their picture, when they could give some frosted tip beach boy a t-shirt and jug of aminos to pimp their products to their 10,000+ followers on social media and essentially be a full-time unpaid employee? It's a brilliant business model from their end.
Most bodybuilders aren't interesting to most people anyway. We have seen what happens when people pretend they are, just watch Generation Iron. It was a painful display in over-dramatization and trying to squeeze a story out of dry lemons. We need to accept that bodybuilding is a sport for bodybuilders, and not ruin all authenticity in a futile attempt to market it for non-bodybuilders. We just found out that the 50th Mr. Olympia contest will be broadcast on an NBC sports channel the month after it happens. While I am excited for this and very curious to see how it pans out, there is an element of fear I have while anticipating the date. The world is full of enough bitter couch critics, and in a way it was comforting to be behind a protective layer of absence from the eyes of the (usually ignorant) masses. We are on the verge of another chance to walk out in the spotlight; although in a much different world than the last one we poked our head out at. One could assume it is a more "muscle friendly" society due to the fact such phrases as "Do you even lift?" and "she squats, bro" have reached pop culture familiarity, but we must also remember all the things that have changed since the Mr.Olympia was on network TV; BALCO, Barry Bonds, dead professional wrestlers, and pretty much the complete eradication of muscle in the world of movies that used to be home of ripped arms and huge chests. For every fan who clicks "like" on Big Ramy's picture on facebook, there are 50 people who's name I cannot pronounce typing "roids" or "gross" in the comments box.
I think sometimes we are brainwashed into thinking we want the sport to grow by the ones who will truly reap the rewards. Personally, I am okay with my friends not knowing who Kai Greene is and strangers at the grocery store asking if I played football.


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Utell Connect - Mount Clemens, MI
Utell Connect - Mount Clemens, MI
A Victory Inn Hotel Mount Clemens
1 North River Road
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
Rates Recently Found: ($56.11 - $130.45)
2 Star
City Mount Clemens only hotel. We hope you enjoy being our guest. ... Click for More Info
Quirky Tourist Attractions in or near Michigan
While in Michigan, you might enjoy a visit to:
Detroit, Michigan: Monumental Kitty
Created in 2010, Jerome Ferretti's brick sculpture of a cat bursts out of the ground -- the head resembles a kiln.
Leamington, Ontario: Giant Tomato Welcome Center
The town's tourist welcome centre is shaped like a juicy red tomato. Near the Heinz factory, naturally. This "Tomato Capital of Canada" hosts an annual Tomato Festival.
Plymouth, Michigan: United Memorial Gardens
A cemetery with quite a bit extra, including a tribute to the Wonders of Michigan and a Gateway to Animal Heaven.
Frankenmuth, Michigan: Bavarian Chicken Rivalry
Stuck like chicken bones in each other's throats, two rival, giant, all-you-can eat Bavarian fried chicken restaurants, on opposite sides of the same street, are run by factions of the same family!
© roadsideamerica.com, Doug Kirby, Ken Smith, Mike Wilkins. Information provided as an unofficial resource on attractions as a convenience to our visitors. Information and status -- location, hours open, admission prices, current exhibits, and other aspects -- are subject to change without our knowledge.
Terms | Privacy | Mount Clemens Car Rentals
Mount Clemens Hotel ChainsUtell Connect
Cities Near Mount ClemensWindsor
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Hospitals & Medical Care FacilitiesMount Clemens General Hospital
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