text:
Gift from a Bureaucrat
Charles Hoffman was a bureaucrat. He lived alone in a bureaucratic house atop a bureaucratic hill and did many bureaucratic things in his everyday life. Hoffman also scorned the nomadic vagrants that knocked on his bureaucratic door.
"Good sir, could you spare some change?"
"I could."
"Would you please, sir?"
It was the same situation over and over again. The nomads would be shoved aside and receive nothing. It wasn't until mid-December that Hoffman's view of the world transformed from its ungiving vision to one of a more charitable sight.
While Hoffman lived alone with no wife or children, he had relatives who lived relatively nearby. His brother, Ferdinand, worked two separate jobs to provide for his wife and two children. They did not visit often, but when they did, it was always to attempt to include Hoffman in their familial gatherings during the holidays. Hoffman would repeatedly decline, claiming that work had become very pressing and that he could not afford to waste time without working ahead. Ferdinand was always hesitant to depart without his brother, but nevertheless chose to respect his solitary, workaholic lifestyle. This holiday, however, was a bit different.
Ferdinand and his family tentatively knocked on the door of Hoffman's threateningly officious house. The children held their weathered suitcases with white-knuckled hands and stood close to their mother. Hoffman opened the door, dressed in a work suit, holding a cup of perfect espresso in his right hand and an official-looking briefcase in his left. His legs stiffened in unpleasant surprise. Ferdinand spoke first.
"Charlie, my dear brother. We're in a bit of a mess. We're being evicted from our apartment and we'll need a place to stay for Christmas. Could you perchance host us for a while? We don't know when we'll have another place to stay," he said apologetically. Hoffman swallowed and thinned his lips to a barely visible line.
After much effort, he managed, "I could."
"Wonderful. Thank you so much, Charlie. I really owe you one," Ferdinand said, grinning. "Children, there is a guest bedroom upstairs, if I do recall. Please put your belongings there and then come back to properly thank Mr. Hoffman." Hoffman's legs seized up again as he cautiously stepped out of the doorway to allow the children to scurry through. He caught himself before he could clarify that the words 'could' and 'would' were very different.
Hoffman lay awake in bed that night, reflecting in depth on his day as he usually did. It had suddenly occurred to him that perhaps he truly felt at ease concerning his decision to allow his brother's family to stay with him. Another inkling crept into Hoffman's mind just as he was about to fall asleep. Perhaps vagrants didn't have families to go to when they were in financial distress. Perhaps their only option was to go door to door and politely ask for donations. The thought tucked itself safely away in Hoffman's mind as he surrendered to the arms of Morpheus.


text:
I am selling my beautiful gentle horse. He's pretty old at 22 years old. I originally bought him about a year ago and he was my first horse and he has…$1,000
Tuxedo Thyme ABA ++++// is a Multi National Champion Arabian Stallion. He won the 2013 AHA Sport Horse National title for Sport Horse in Hand ATH and has…Stud Fee: $1,500
2012 DUDES IN TOWN Well bred buckskin stallion at stud.Very nice Confirmation Mind and Movement, great temperament a all around horse that can pass its…Stud Fee: $300
Shesa Fancy Good Bar aka "Faith" is a drop dead gorgeous 15.1hh coming 10 year old Red Roan Registered Quarter Horse Mare. She's a versatile mare with…$2,500
Gorgeous 11 yr. old Tennessee Walker gelding for sale. Broke, good ground manners, chestnut with blond mane & tail. Nice horse but needs work before…$700
13 year old chestnut Thoroughbred gelding for sale. Nice horse but needs time and lots of patience. Broke, good on trails in small groups, but can be…$800
Stryker is a sweet and former racer who loves to please and will steal your heart! She did spend some time on the track and she does exceptionally well…$3,000
Looking for a horse that would be a great first time horse. Preferably a horse that is broke to ride, and is great around other animals. A horse that is…$2,000

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Popular property highlights
Located in Beijing Central Business District, Grand Millennium Beijing is a leisurely stroll from sights such as CCTV Headquarters and Chaoyang Theater. This 5-star hotel has 521 guestrooms and offers a full-service spa, an indoor pool, and free self parking. It's also close to Wangfujing Street and Hongqiao Market.
Enjoy dining at CBD Restaurant, one of 2 onsite restaurants. Savor a meal from the comfort of your room with 24-hour room service, or make new friends over drinks at the bar/lounge. For your convenience, breakfast is available for a fee each morning from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM.
Grand Millennium Beijing's 521 rooms are air-conditioned and provide minibars, coffee makers, and free newspapers. Guests can expect free wired Internet and LCD TVs with satellite channels and pay movies. Beds are dressed in premium bedding and down comforters, and bathrooms offer hair dryers and designer toiletries. Free bottled water, safes, and phones are also standard.
Property features
Grand Millennium Beijing features a full-service spa, a nightclub, and an indoor pool. You can take advantage of free parking, along with limo/town car service. Multilingual staff at the front desk are standing by 24/7 to help with dry cleaning/laundry, tours or tickets, and luggage storage. Other amenities at this luxury hotel include a fitness center, a spa tub, and a sauna.
- Walking distance to CCTV Headquarters
- Free WiFi and wired Internet in public areas
- Free parking
- Onsite dining
Grand Millennium Beijing
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
This Beijing hotel is the focal point of the prestigious new Fortune Plaza, comprising five skyscrapers in the heart of the Central Business District.
Grand Millennium Beijing's Oxygen Club includes a 25-metre indoor lap pool and a state-of-the-art gym, along with a sauna, steam rooms, plunge pool, and oversized spa tub. The SPA by MTM features a wide array of massage treatments and therapeutic baths.
The CBD International showcases Asian and Western cuisine in al fresco dining, while the elegant Yao Chi Chinese Restaurant features Cantonese specialties. The Havana cigar bar hosts live entertainment. Room service is available 24 hours a day.
Conveniences include 11 meeting/conference rooms, a staffed business center, complimentary wired Internet access in the lobby, a concierge desk, luggage storage, touring assistance, and multilingual staff. The hotel also offers train station pickup.
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Year Built 2008
- Train station pickup (surcharge)
- Designated smoking areas
- Tours/ticket assistance
- 24-hour front desk
- ATM/banking
- Number of floors - 27
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Business center
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Conference space
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Full-service spa
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Fitness facilities
- Laundry facilities
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Meeting rooms 11
- Multilingual staff
- Nightclub
- Total number of rooms - 521
- Porter/bellhop
- Luggage storage
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Number of meeting rooms - 10
- Free self parking
- Number of restaurants - 2
- Sauna
- Shopping on site
- Spa services on site
- Spa tub
- Steam room
- Indoor pool
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
- Free WiFi
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free wired high-speed Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Free self parking
Room Amenities
Grand Millennium Beijing offers 521 air-conditioned accommodations with minibars and safes. Beds feature down comforters and premium bedding. LCD televisions come with premium satellite channels and pay movies. Rooms have partially open bathrooms. Bathrooms include separate bathtubs and showers, bathrobes, slippers, and designer toiletries.
This Beijing hotel provides complimentary wired Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks, complimentary newspapers, and phones. Additionally, rooms include complimentary bottled water and coffee/tea makers. A nightly turndown service is provided and housekeeping is offered daily. Amenities available on request include hypo-allergenic bedding.
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Bathrobes
- Pay movies
- Bidet
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Satellite TV service
- Free bottled water
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free newspaper
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Premium bedding
- Designer toiletries
- Desk
- Hair dryer
- Daily housekeeping
- In-room safe
- Iron/ironing board
- Minibar
- Premium TV channels
- Separate bathtub and shower
- Slippers
- Turndown service
- Room service (24 hours)
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Partially open bathroom
- Down comforter
Where to Eat
CBD International - Western and Asian cuisine. Open-concept kitchens and al fresco dining. Open early morning till late evening for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Yao Chi Chinese Restaurant - Cantonese cuisine. Sumptuous setting, including Chinese gold-threaded embroidery. Open for lunch and dinner.
Havana - Featuring cigars, single-malt whiskies, exotic rums. Live jazz by Shanghai Rose Duo Monday – Saturday nights. Open nightly.
Lobby Lounge - Open mid-morning till midnight.
In-room dining is available 24 hours a day.
Nearby Things to Do
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Spa Services
Grand Millennium Beijing has a full-service health spa on site.
- Aromatherapy treatments
- Ayurvedic treatments
- Spa tub in spa
- Massages
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Roll-in shower
- Accessible bathroom
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for CNY 350 per night.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Optional extras
- Breakfast fee: CNY 228 per person (approximately)
- Rollaway bed fee: CNY 350 per night
Hotel Name
- Beijing Grand Millennium
- Grand Millennium Beijing
- Grand Millennium Beijing Hotel
- Grand Millennium Beijing Hotel Beijing
- Grand Millennium Hotel Beijing
We should mention
This property offers transfers from the airport and train station (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
National Rating
For the benefit of our customers, we have provided a rating based on our rating system.


text: Shootings at the Army base in Fort Hood, Texas Thursday left 13 people dead and dozens wounded.As the news was broadcast, many family members of soldiers on the base watched, and worried.That includes a Hampden woman, whose son was a few buildings away from where the shootings took place."I just can't fathom the idea of something like this happening in the United States," says Cindy Boudreau.The Hampden mom had been out hunting Thursday when she got a text message from her son. Army Specialist Travis Boudreau is a mechanic, 63 Bravo, based in Fort Hood, Texas."And he said in the text message, 'Killer on the loose at Ft. Hood. 7 killed, 12 wounded,'" Cindy says,Travis was close to the shootings, but told his mom he was O.K. She raced home to turn on the TV, and watched as the numbers of people killed and wounded grew. While the base was on lockdown, Cindy paced the floor. "In his own words, 'Mom, I'm ok, he says…the rest is just waiting,' and so, that's what we did."She says she couldn't believe what she saw on TV until Travis sent a text message about his next assignment."Then reality set in, that he is on funeral detail and it's a sad situation. As he explained, now it's one of our own."Cindy says it's a different kind of worry than when her son was in Afghanistan."When he was in Afghanistan, I understood we were at war and the chances of him being killed at war were real. But to have this happen, and to lose a soldier, or my son, because of a personal conflict, it's just unfathomable. It's not real."Cindy later got a text from her son with just one word. "Love," from Travis. She says her heart goes out to the other families. "With my son being there, it made reality set in. Now it can happen anywhere. And it's not to say it would never happen again. So yeah, it's scary."


text:
I provide a full range of internet consulting services, including website development, graphic design, content management, and online advertising and marketing. [Read more]
Print-based advertising (magazines, newspapers) remains a very important aspect of the never-ending task of delivering the proper message about your company to customers and prospective customers. [Read more]
Whether you need to hire a band for a private event, or need help producing a festival, I (and my team) can take care of all your event-management needs! [Read more]


text:
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein Plus Size Sleeveless Printed Maxi Dress
Ships from USA , delivers within 14-21 DaysAdd to wishlist
- Halter neckline
- Back keyhole button closure
- Sleeveless
- Allover print
- Adjustable waistband
- Maxi silhouette
- Rayon/spandex
- Dry clean
- Imported
- Web ID: 827563287
Special Offers
Return Policy
No questions asked return or exchange*: items may be returned or exchanged for a full refund in the original form of payment or a Vogily Credit within 14 days after shipping. Your satisfaction is our biggest prize, so we do everything to ensure that you are happy with your purchase. All products are 100% authentic, procured from brands directly and are backed by our purchase protection with 10 times money back guarantee. *Please refer to the detailed return policy on the site for exceptions
Ships from USA , delivers within 14-21 Days


text:
Ramadan Mubarak All! Waleed loves Ramadan too! But he can't control his appetite when its Iftaar time, which leads to all sorts of – uh – problems during tarawih. Read, enjoy and share!
[Click to Enlarge]
In this episode of Life with the Ahmad Family, Fatima's friend Hania wants to wear the Hijab but she is scared about her boss. Fatima encourages her friend that Allah makes a way out for those who fear him. What happens next…?
Click to enlarge
To see other comics of The Ahmad Family, click here.
To join the Ahmad Family on Facebook, click here.
Absar Kazmi may be contacted at email@example.com


text:
Controversy, Culture & Cooperation: The Boy Scouts of America's Decision to Diversify Membership
In his address on September 23, 2013, Willie Iles, BSA's Vice President of Government Relations, talked about how the Boy Scouts navigated a complex communications and policy environment resulting in its May 2013 vote to remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation. As a volunteer driven organization with more than 18,000 charters, 70% of which are run by faith-based groups, and with a corps of passionate alumni numbering in the millions and spanning six generations, Iles said a key consideration in bringing about change was to not destroy the organization in the process. Describing BSA's position as being caught in the middle of a culture war, he summarized a timeline of events and legal decisions, including the repeal of the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, that put BSA at the front of the controversy. He stressed that BSA was not, at the time, politically astute or proactive in its policy and communications strategies.
"If we had gone with the recommendations of our core constituencies, there would have been no change," he said. However, BSA sought additional input from organizations that had navigated similar controversial changes and also from a broader group of parents and other potential stakeholders and partners. "You have to listen to people both inside and outside your organization," he said, "so you don't keep talking to yourself." As a result, BSA was prepared to lead and make the right decision, Iles said, knowing that it would take a "hit" in terms of membership. The organization subsequently lost officers, some national board members, and close to 100,000 scouts. Fortunately, BSA was already deeply involved in a forward-looking process to imagine and shape the Boy Scouts of 2040. Relying on transformational leaders, Iles says, the Boy Scouts will be able to move past this latest chapter in its 103-year history and continue its focus on its primary mission of teaching boys to become men.


text:
InfoSphere MDM Application Toolkit V11.3 (ZZ870G)
Who should attend
The advanced course is designed for a technical audience that will be using the InfoSphere MDM Application Toolkit to build processes that involve the Physical or Virtual MDM.
You should be familiar with:
- The InfoSphere MDM software suite or attend the Introduction to InfoSphere MDM V11.3 (1Z801G) course available online.
- The Business Process Manager software suite or watch the following videos prior to attending class:
- Getting Started with IBM Business Process Manager V8.5.5 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktxvGBywj3I
- Getting Started with IBM Process Designer V8.5.5 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE497cRDQrY
- Getting Started with IBM Process Center V8.5.5 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYZRHp_oJRU
- Getting Started with IBM Process Admin Console V8.5.5 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3NQpYhDZ_U
- Getting Started with IBM Integration Designer V8.5.5 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEanpWlQ2Zo
- Getting started with IBM Process Portal V8.5.5 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBdoYyUgEAw
Course Content
The InfoSphere MDM Application Toolkit course introduces students to the Business Process Manager (BPM) and the Process Designer to create processes that will use MDM data and services.
This course has a heavy emphasis on exercises and takes a participant through creating a process to search and update a customer's address. The search, get and update services are performed against the InfoSphere MDM.
If you are looking to get an introduction to how BPM and MDM can work together using the MDM Application Toolkit, then this course is for you.
Classroom Training
Duration 2 days
Price (excl. tax)
- Germany: 1,490.- €


text:
Taylor Swift is releasing a live concert special from her 1989 world tour exclusively on Apple Music.
The 1989 World Tour Live can be streamed from 20 December. It is not available to buy but it is free for streaming for Apple Music subscribers.
Swift criticised Apple Music in June for not paying artists during its free, three-month trial launch.
She said she was withholding her 1989 album because of Apple's stance. The company then did a u-turn.


text:
Within U.S.A.
Book Description HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON 2007-01-01, 2007. PAPERBACK. Book Condition: New. 0030786541 BRAND NEW. A portion of your purchase of this book will be donated to non-profit organizations. Over 1,000,000 satisfied customers since 1997! We ship daily M-F. Choose expedited shipping (if available) for much faster delivery. Delivery confirmation on all US orders. Bookseller Inventory # Z0030786541ZN
More Information About This Seller | Ask Bookseller a Question


text:
One certainty about product teams at Microsoft is that they never stop working to improve and refine their technologies. This is true even through organizational rearrangements and little things like, you know, finding a ship vehicle and landing a few real names for products!
Now as you may have read in Douglas Purdy's recent blog post (to whom we shamelessly give top billing as we're all directly reporting to him now), what has been called code name "Oslo" has become SQL Server Modeling. This should come as no surprise, because many of the formerly-"Oslo"-now-SQL-Server-Modeling technologies, such as "Quadrant", are directly tied to SQL Server. And even those that aren't so specific, such as the "M" language, have some natural synergy, as Doug explains in his follow-up post.
Of course, there are details aplenty to work out with such things, and many questions (for which there are some answers in our Q&A articles). But maybe the easiest answer is that our commitment to these technologies stays the same regardless of their collective moniker. Witness the fact that the SQL Server Modeling (née "Oslo") team has just released the November 2009 CTP of "M", "Quadrant", and what is now also called SQL Server Modeling Services (formerly the "Repository" and its included domains).
So now that we got that covered, we can once again highlight some of the many changes in this CTP, as described in the Release Notes, and give a big curtain call to our endeavoring writers in the documentation team who have published their refreshed set of topics and tutorials in the MSDN Library.
Overall Changes
Upon installing the November 2009 CTP, you'll see that the "Oslo" name no longer appears in the setup program or in the handful of Start menu items that it creates for you. To be perfectly honest, though, that's all we had time to change when the SQL Server Modeling name was handed down! In other words, you'll still see Oslo show up in your Program Files folder, and you'll still end up with a Repository database (free of charge!). In short, while the name has changed, the CTP is structurally the same as the previous May 09 CTP.
It's also important to note that this CTP requires Visual Studio 2010/.NET Framework 4 Beta 2. If you haven't installed this package yet, now is a great time.
Changes in SQL Server Modeling Services
As Modeling Services got its turn this round to be first in the Release Notes, we can start there ourselves. For one, the UML domain (System.Uml2) model has changed significantly such that code written against the old model no longer works. It's also now possible to export UML data from models in the repository database for interop with other UML tools.
The CLR domain has also seen some changes, especially in the behavior of the LoadAssembly.exe tool. If you like thinking and speaking in terms of set theory, you might enjoy hearing, for instance, that LoadAssembly "no longer calculates and loads the transitive closure of all assemblies referenced by the assemblies specified on the command line" which prevents, among other things, multiple copies of the .NET Framework metadata being loaded. A good thing, for certain.
The other highlight we want to point out is a new sample called PatternApplication that helps you easily apply standard repository patterns to a set of models, rather than applying patterns to each model individually. You can find that sample on the MSDN code gallery.
Speaking of which, the all-up SQL Server Modeling samples page, is found on http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/SQLServerModelingCTP.
The latest information on SQL Server Modeling Services can now be found on the Data Developer Center at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/ee720189.aspx.
"Quadrant" Changes
Now to "Quadrant". This tool continues to get more exciting. For some of us, we're most thrilled that the default color scheme has finally landed on something less sea-sick green and more my-eyes-won't-hurt blue. For the other 98.54%, what's most exciting is how much more deeply the "M" language has been integrated into "Quadrant". For example:
- You can write "M" directly in a workpad (see File | New | M File) and deploy a database directly from that.
- You can convert an existing database to "M", modify it, and redeploy.
- You can view the template configuration (as it's called) in "M" for any viewer, make changes, and apply those changes to customize a viewer (try the Workpad | View Source menu).
- "M" is now the default query language in the query bar of workpads (within which you get full syntax-checking)
The overall "Quadrant" UI has also been greatly refined, with full context menus all around, nuances like automatic workspace panning for newly-opened workpads, and a set of features around change tracking, conflict resolution, and error handling.
Something else you can really start playing with now are custom commands and custom viewers. An interesting sample in this regard is the "Media Library for 'Quadrant'" that you can see listed along with all the other CTP samples on http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/SQLServerModelingCTP.
A few other notables:
- The new T-SQL Console in which you can carry out queries and other operations with direct T-SQL statements (File | New | T-SQL Console).
- Many performance improvements including table virtualization.
- Support for SQL Server authentication.
- The ability to just open a fresh, empty workpad and write a query to populate it (File | New | Workpad).
We also want to thank the "Quadrant" Program Management team for producing a full set of videos that will walk you through many of the core scenarios of "Quadrant". One of our favorites is the "Quadrant" UI Overview in which UI designer Stephen Danton really shows the fluidity with which "Quadrant" can be used to visualize data in ways that no other tool can match.
The latest information on "Quadrant" can now be found on the Data Developer Center at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/ee720190.aspx.
The "M" Language and Tools
And now we come to "M". As you can see from its integration in "Quadrant", the "M" language is finding powerful roles beyond the command line and "Intellipad" (it's worth remembering that the name "Intellipad" comes from "IntelliSense Workpad" in the context of "Quadrant".)
Some notable new language features:
- The ability to reference labeled entity instances in expressions and across compilation episodes.
- Entities and collections now support equality evaluations.
- One-to-many relationships no longer create a separate join table.
- Logical operators
- String concatenation with the + operator
- Member access in expressions
- Projectors
- .Count support
- Type conversions
- Right-hand side expressions in "M" grammars
In other words, the "M" team has been busy!
There are a number of breaking changes you should know about, that are again highlighted in the Release Notes. One such change will affect quite of bit of existing "M" code: the syntax for collection types. Generally speaking, collections now get wrapped with curly braces:
T* becomes { T* }
T#n becomes { T#n }
T#n.. becomes { T#n.. }
T#..x becomes { T#..x }
T#n..x becomes { T#n..x }
As a concrete example, a common form of an extent declaration looks like this, where Person is a previously-declared type:
People : {Person*};
If the collection type (like Person) is declared directly inline, then you'll see a syntax like this:
People : {{
Name : Text;
Age : Integer32;
In short, curly braces are needed around whatever type is used in the extent, and the multiplicity operators like * appear with the type inside the braces. (A good place to see some of these differences highlighted, the way, is in the transcript for the Modeling in Text video series where we point out code that's changed.)
There are some changes also to the "M" tools, and many to "Intellipad" such as block commenting, syntax coloring, and the ability to reverse engineer "M" from a database. And then there's much to do with Visual Studio 2010 projects. It's really quite a long list!
What Do You Mean, "Data Developer Center"?
No, those aren't typos in the text nor the URLs. The whole business of naming "Oslo" and finding its rightful home has brought us into an intimate partnership with many other existing data development technologies. To make a long story (and a whole lot of work) short, the front-side slogan of our PDC t-shirts, "It's All Data", applies to the MSDN Developer Centers: you'll find that http://msdn.com/oslo now takes you directly to the highly-covetedURL http://msdn.com/data.
But we'll save all the details for another blog post, as this Letter has become long enough already. We'll just close then to say, as always, that we'd love to hear your feedback on this CTP through the SQL Server Modeling Forum as well as the SQL Server Modeling Connect site. You can also just send email to dpfback (at) microsoft.com.
Kraig (Brockschmidt), Elisa (Flasko), Kent (Sharkey), and Chris (Sells) for the "It's All Data" Developer Center Team


text:
There are always new photographers trying to figuring out which system to buy into. There's also experienced photographers considering switching. They post on Facebook and forums to ask the opinions of others. 99% of the responses will be suggesting the brand they themselves use. It's inevitable, really. They promote what they know, without really knowing what the person asking the question wants to shoot. So, seeing comparisons can be a good way to get a little insight into how each system handles.
This video from The Slanted Lens is a bit of a departure from what we've come to expect. But, it can be a valuable one, especially if you want to shoot portraits. Jay and his team put the Nikon D810, Canon 5D Mark IV and Sony A7R II head-to-head in a variety of real world shooting situations. They try not to come to any real conclusions, but just demonstrate how the different systems compare. This way, you can make up your own mind which is best for you.


text:
I've gone back over previous posts to see if anyone has already asked about these plug in electronic boxes which purport to increase BHP, torque and marginally reduce MPG but it seems not.
I've been checking out P-tronic (Belgium based company) as well as other suppliers e.g. Tuneit and reading the reviews, testimonials etc.
I live on Crete and because of the absurd Greek luxury car taxes it's prohibitive to buy large engine SUVs. It might come as a shock to learn that even my lowly 2.0D 2008 X3 cost 58,000 euros new and it has few if any of the goodies we all wish for. At present £1 is worth around 1.12 euros so you can work out just how expensive an X3 is over here!
Crete is also an island of hills and whilst the car performs well (it's the automatic version with the 177 BHP engine) it would be nice to have a little more grunt at the wheels. What's more, the cost of diesel here is now higher than the UK so better economy would not go amiss either.
Has anyone tried one of these gadgets on their X3 and if so I'd be grateful for some first hand reviews?


text:
One of the more recent additions to the Christian Cadre site is a collection of reviews of scholarly books related to the historicity of the resurrection. One of our goals has been to provide readers with a substantial overview of the arguments being made by each author as well as our evaluations of them.
With the addition today of my review of George Eldon Ladd's I Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus, the number of reviews has reached thirteen. The review begins as follows:
Written by respected New Testament scholar George Eldon Ladd, I Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus weighs in at just over 150 pages and is unusual in that it provides an unabashed historical argument for the bodily resurrection of Jesus. For those who have trudged through weighty tomes devoted to the resurrection, the brevity of Ladd's arguments will be a nice respite. But despite its length, I Believe delivers an informed and beneficial argument for the historical resurrection of Jesus.
And ends:
I Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus is an excellent argument for the resurrection whose short length belies its value and persuasiveness. It is widely available for a reasonable price and is a worthy addition to any library.
Check it, and the other reviews, out. More will be added with alerts posted here.


text:
Death SpellMature
I study the boys face intently, as he raises his eyebrow in question, waiting for my answer. My sight travels to his hand on my arm, following my gaze he pulls it back shoving both hands into the pockets of his jeans.
"Oh, right. The ride...Um... I wasn't planning on going on it."
He looks from me to the entrance sign which hangs just above my head, obviously inquiring on my whereabouts.
"I'm just waiting for my friend," I add, trying to make him see that this isn't where I want to be right now.
I glance to my watch, my eyes widening at the time the arms point to, 12:30. Surely the ride would have ended by now.
A crowd of people begin push past me, exiting the ride Death Spell as they comment on its marvel and return back to the queue. My eyes travel from person to person, each face being carefully analysed before moving to the next. But none are that of Thora; no girls with cherry scene hair pass through the turn-stiles, no one dressed in a rockabilly dress and black converses is immersed amongst the groups of rollercoaster fans.
I pull out my phone and dial her number which goes straight through to voicemail.
Hanging up without leaving a message I rotate to study the contents of the park. Where could she have possibly got to? I think to myself as I stand on my tip-toes to see above the masses of people.
"She has my purse, I need to get home." I state, more for my sake than my companies.
"The girl who was with you at school?" He asks, his voice seeming genuinely concerned.
I nod in his direction and look to the time again. I needed to get home now. But how? Walking was out of the question, it was over half an hour's journey by car meaning it would be much more for my weak body to handle. I couldn't get a cab with no money. I couldn't get anywhere without money. I was stranded.
"Look, if you need a ride..."
I return my focus back to his, my eyes observing him in attempts to uncover any kind of remorse. "Thanks for the offer, but you're practically a stranger to me. I don't even know your name."
He gives a weak smile and presents his hand. "Leo. You're Kala." He says matter of fact, as I take his hand and give it a pathetic shake.
"How is it you know my name?" I recall that he had called me by it earlier and I knew too well that my books hadn't contained any evidence of my identity – I never wrote my name on anything.
His expression suddenly turns serious, his eyes hard as though attempting to contemplate some form of answer. "I guess you wouldn't believe me if I said I was psychic?"
"Not today."
"If you need a ride, I can take you home," he says, focusing back to the main subject, obviously dismissing the matter of my name. "But you have to go on the ride with me first."
I wasn't a fan of any kind of ride. I had only ever been on one rollercoaster in my life and ironically it broke down just before a great drop. We sat waiting for ages for the ride to continue, eventually taking an unplanned journey down the tracks. Everyone screamed in panic. Children's faces began to cover with salty tears which reddened their full cheeks. My stomach rose to my throat, making me gag at the feeling of my insides pouring out while I screamed in fear of coming off the tracks. I had sworn there and then to never go on another rollercoaster in my life. Death Spell most definitely didn't look promising.
"I can't go on that ride," I state to Leo, my eyes widening with fear as I witness the sight of carriages climbing the track.
"You're scared?"
I furrow my brow, in attempts to scrutinize him. He clearly seemed to find it amusing that someone would have a fear of anything – yet alone amusement park features.
"As a matter of fact I am," I announce, not particularly bothered of what he thinks of me. Soon enough this 'Leo' character would be another to the list of students who judged me for my oddness.
"If you don't conquer your fear, it will live with you the rest of your life, you'll never be able to run away from it. It's a waste of your time and energy to be concerned about." I listen to what he has to say, nodding in understanding at his argument. He almost seems to relate with my fright as though looking in hindsight, although over a different matter. His expression turns rigid, his eyes losing all sense of humanity as his body stiffens possibly over the hurt he experienced in his past.
"Okay," I agree, nodding weakly. "I'll go on the ride with you."
Shaking out of his trance, Leo smiles to himself, "Great."
"The wait is two hours though."
"Not for us. I have a booking of 12:45."
I couldn't believe I was a mere minute away from pursuing the one thing I promised myself not to do again.
I gulp down the panic which still lingers within me; burying it deep down. Soon enough it would be non-existent, practically dead to me. I could move on just like Leo had said.
To the side of him, I make my way to the front of the line. He exchanges the booking ticket with the staff and holds his arm out, gesturing me to enter first. I push through the gate, starting toward the empty carriages. My heart pounding the entire time as my breath catches in my throat.
Reluctantly I slide into one of two seats in a cart and adjust the safety bars around me. Leo jumps in after, giving me a grin of the Cheshire Cat as he straps himself in.
"Ready?" He asks, speaking into my ear.
Rolling my eyes I shake my head. "No."
Icy air fills my lungs as the carriage lurches back and then forward. The clicking of the wheels against the tracks drums through my ears, sounding out like a warning to me. We were seated in the last of the carriages and I could see the people upfront begin to ascend the climb.
My blood falls from my face as we get dragged up behind. Second by second, my thoughts scream at me for the choice I had made, I left it down to paranoia. The chances of the ride failing weren't high at all. I was being absurd.
My ears ring in my head as time freezes in place. The first car, stationary in time, contains the frozen excitement of its passengers, who hold their arms in the air, their hair held in place in the motionless wind.
My pupils begin to stir to the back of my head; my face turning expressionless as I watch the future present itself before me.
The carts continue to rise up one-by-one, each experiencing the one-hundred foot fall after the other.
A moment's hesitation hits my car as it rips from the carriage in front which drops forward with the rest. Leo and I sit immobile and terrified as we rock slowly, back and forth and back and forth. From below I hear the cautious shouts of the public and feel my life flash before my eyes. Wind wraps around us, tugging at the wheels of our abandoned cart, which gradually begins to roll forward. Our belts fly up over our heads, releasing us from the one assurance of safety which has now been stolen away. Leo and I fiercely pull them back, holding each of them with all our strength as we rip away from the atmosphere, falling to our soon to be demise.
I'm thrown back into reality, completely drawn back from my premonition.
My hair whips around my face, obscuring my eyes, as the sounds of the wheels cracking away from the rails comes to my attention. Through my curtain of hair, I only just see the loop which presents itself ahead. Instantly I see myself there, just like in my vision. Grasping onto Leo, as we hang upside down as still as a model representation.
But it's too late. My arms slip through the restraints, my body slamming against Leo who reaches out to me. Although my hands find nothing, no reassurance of anything in my proximity, as I plunge through the cold air which slices at my skin, and rush to the concrete below.
I quickly regain consciousness, looking to Leo immediately who senses the terror in my face. "The rides' going to fail, we're going to die," I whisper to him.
"I won't let that happen," Leo assures me, searching around into the distant lights of the amusement park. "Trust me."
Just like my vision, we reach the top of the tracks and pull away from the train of carriages which rushes ahead without us.
"We need to push the cart back." Leo shouts, leaning over the door and pulling at the tracks. "Help me!"
I scramble under the restraint the safety precautions place on me, tugging at the dampened rails as I assist Leo in getting us back - alive.
Before I knew it, Leo and I had rolled to a stop at the platform, greeted by the alarmed faces of staff and public who rush to our aid.
Released from the clutches of the Death Spell ride we are assured that compensation will be given.
I refuse mine, settling for the establishment to close until all features are checked excessively for any sign of fault.
"Well that was new," Leo smirks, as we reach the parks exit.
I glance at him in shock horror; he seemed so relaxed as though it were nothing, appearing to have lost all fear of his near demise. "We could have just died." I shout at him, studying his amused face.
"Yeah, but we didn't. Believe me - It would have never happened."


text:
The Haunting
Some people said that the house was haunted, so I stayed away from it. I'm not saying I believed it, I just didn't want to take any chances. The bus I took to work went past that house every day. I always sat across the aisle, where my window faced the other side of the street. I didn't even look in that direction, for fear I would catch a glimpse of it as we went by.
One day, the bus gave a sudden lurch, then stopped. The driver stood up and spoke into his microphone.
"I'm sorry everyone, but you'll have to get out. There's been an accident in the block ahead, and the police have barricaded the street. There is no room to turn the bus around, so I'll have to leave it here. I'll continue my usual route later in the day."
With a good deal of grumbling, and a bit of cursing, all of the passengers vacated the bus, one at a time. I had no idea where we were, until I stepped off the bus. We were right in front of the house that everyone avoided. I knew it was the one, because I walked past it everyday on the way to school, twenty years earlier. That was before it became 'haunted.' A family lived there, and it was just another old stone house on the street, except for one difference - it perched atop an enormous bald rock. The rock weighed several tons, and no amount of blasting with dynamite could break it up. That was two hundred years ago, before any of the modern construction equipment existed.
The rock couldn't be broken or moved, so the land owners simply built on top of it. When I was a kid, I knew a little girl who lived there, Alice Sloane. We used to slide down its icy surface into the snow of her backyard. About fifteen years ago, the girl's father came home drunk and half crazy, and took a crowbar to his wife and young son. He beat their brains in while they were sleeping, then he hung himself from the beams in the attic. Luckily, my friend Alice was on a Girl Guides camping weekend, with me. Her maternal aunt came and got her, and took her away. I never saw Alice again, and I never looked at that house again, until the bus stopped in front of it.
I stood there and stared at the house The door was open, The iron railing going up the stone steps was freshly painted black. A light summer breeze stirred the blue floral curtains in two open windows. I stood there, my mouth agape. It looked exactly the way it did when the Girl Guides bus stopped for Alice, fifteen years ago!
I found myself being drawn up the stone steps, and down the path to the open door. I resisted with all my might, but some invisible force would not let me go. The adult Alice Sloane stood in the doorway, beckoning me in. I had heard a few years ago that she committed suicide, but apparently they were wrong. As I got closer, she withdrew further into the house. As I stepped inside, the overwhelming odour of decay made my stomach heave. I tried to back out the door, just as a disembodied crowbar slashed toward my head! I let out a blood curdling screech, and ran out the door. I barely made it down the stone steps alive. I left town the next day, but nothing was ever the same again after that.


text:
People have been asking how many Muslim Filipinos are there in the Philippines. Well, Filipino Muslims compose 5 percent of the total population in the Philippines. In Mindanao, they comprise around 20.4 percent (according to the 2000 Census).
Now back to Arroyo's Mindanao deal.
The government panel negotiating the peace deal with the MILF says there's no peace pact signed yet, even though documents on a signed peace agreement already exists, according to the Tribune.
Despite the existence of documents that show a signed agreement on a consensus reached between the Arroyo government and the secessionist Islamic group on the ancestral domain issue which grants the BangsaMoro Juridical Entity virtual status of an independent state, government peace negotiator Silvestre Afable yesterday debunked reports that the Arroyo administration has ceded part of Mindanao to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as part of the peace agreement that will be signed with the rebels next year.
Afable stressed that the government has not given the MILF negotiators a political commitment on the issue of ancestral domain although an agreement between the government and the secessionist group was reached at the technical level in Malaysia last month.
"I do not wish to dignify all these charges that have been leveled by certain groups in Mindanao that we are trying to sell out the region in this negotiation," Afable told a press conference after a closed-door briefing conducted for the diplomatic corps on the status of the peace process.
"We have not signed at the panel level or plenary level any agreement that would show a political settlement with the MILF," he added.
Afable explained that technical agreements "do not reflect any political commit-ment of the government."
But earlier, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita admitted that that the reports were accurate, even saying that anyway, the country is going into federalism.
The so-called technical agreements, however, clearly state that on the issue of ancestral domain, as discussed in the meetings, have not been objected to by either party and clarifications of certain terms and conditions have been threshed out.
The final agreement will have to be based on the technical agreements and minutes reached by the two parties.
If the Eduardo Ermita link is now dead, here's the relevant parts of what he said in the article:
Malacañang yesterday admitted there indeed are terms in an agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that would give the Muslim separatist group territories where they could impose taxes and create military and police forces.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita's admission confirmed a Tribune report published also yesterday that President Arroyo has unilaterally decided to carve out the country's southern Mindanao region, the lair of the MILF and other Muslim secessionist groups, with areas partitioned as ancestral lands and homelands to be independently governed by the MILF, under the term "BangsaMoro People."
But Ermita, during a phone patch interview, insisted that the agreement is still a draft that has to be firmed up by December or after the Muslims end their holy weeks of Ramadan by November....
He allayed fears that the MILF is carving out their own territory in Mindanao.
"Well, it (partitioning) can very well (be) like an expanded autonomous region for the MILF, especially since we're pushing the amendment of our Constitution, (which) could be expanded, (with the expanded region) becoming some sort of a federal state, that's where we're heading once we amend the 1987 Constitution," Ermita said.
Ermita claimed the reaction of the international community to the slicing of Mindanao was positive, citing the response of US Ambassador Henry Crampton, US overall coordinator for counter terrorism.
"In fact, the other day (Crampton was) in Malacañang... (and said) they are satisfied (with) how we address the anti- terrorism campaign we're pushing. In fact, he kept on asking me what the US could give in terms of assistance in our fight against international terrorism. He understood that our military and the police have to get some assistance wherewithal to improve our capacity," the Executive Secretary said.
Well, who isn't for a "peace deal" anyway? But is this really a well thought out "peace deal" that is fair to both sides or more of a rush job?
More here:
Ermita defend Mrs. Arroyo, saying to judge her and her government as being treasonous over the agreemment with the MILF is unfair.
"Well, it's very hard to say (if the President could be held for treason), it's still on the table for discussion, it would be finalized come December," Ermita said.
Which got Bob Martin, an American living in Mindanao, reacting:
So, Arroyo's own employee is saying that she cannot YET be accused of treason because it's only a draft? In other words, he is saying that if it goes beyond a draft, it is a treasonous act? That is how I would read the statement.
Heh. Try reading the comments below too from disappointed supporters of Mrs. Arroyo.
Here's are samples:
From Marcus Aurelius:
Bad move on GMA's part if true. One of the tihings that gives her some definite clout are the threats coming out of MIndanao to secede if GMA is ousted, and here she is giving Mindanao away. Her supporters in power down there now have little or no incentive to support her.
From Bob Martin:
Hi Marcus,
You are right on the mark. Not only do her Mindanao supporters have little incentive to continue supporting her, GMA has now put in an incentive to proceed full speed ahead with plans to secede from the Philippines. With Mindanao being about 80% Christian, not many people here will relish the idea of living in a Muslim theocracy, that I am sure of.
From Marcus Aurelius:
You think this is disinformation being pushed by the PGMA opposition to neutralize her support in Mindanao and the Bisayas?
By support I mean political, it sounds like the people are every bit as PO'ed at her down in the Bisayas & Mindanao as they are in Luzon.
LMAO!!! He thinks the deal is so bad that it must have been cooked up by the opposition just to hurt the fake president. LOL!!! More on Marcus Aurelius' "opposition plot" theory here and here.
Bob also said that this peace deal will lead to war in Mindanao, if all the reports about it are accurate. And that's coming from a guy who I believe is pro-Arroyo, based on the writings in his blog. (So I don't know why is he so afraid all of a sudden about this news. Only anti-Arroyo critics will be targetted here, Bob. ;))
And from what I have read and what I can sense, most of the people who are familiar with Mindanao and are not affiliated with the MILF have a negative opinion on the so-called peace deal, whether they are pro-administration or pro-opposition.
Is it a really good deal, or "peace at all cost" like what Zamboanga Mayor Celso Lobregat said? "Peace at all Cost"? Hmmm... that's harsh. It's like Mayor Lobregat is saying na GMA has chosen "appeasement" ala Neville Chamberlain.
Former Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Parouk Hussin, a ranking member of the MNLF, thinks the Arroyo administration is playing a "dirty game."
COTABATO CITY -- Former ARMM Governor Parouk Hussin, who is a ranking official of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), said on Saturday the Arroyo administration had insulted and effectively dumped the group as an ally when the government entered into an agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) allowing the latter to draft the charter of an expanded Muslim region in the southern Philippines.
Hussin, also the MNLF foreign minister, told the Inquirer by phone that the government did not consult the group before it entered into the agreement with the MILF.
Hussin said the agreement was also an insult to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) which had brokered the 1996 peace agreement between the government and the MNLF.
"It's a dirty game. I don't know how they can play with the Bangsamoro people," Hussin said.
Wow. Tough words from an MNLF official. Will this cause the MNLF take up arms again? Let's hope not.
I myself am still undecided about Arroyo's Mindanao deal, but that's only because I don't live in Mindanao. I and most Filipinos from Luzon will be least affected by this deal.
Wretchard of the Belmont Club comments on Marcus Aurelius question:
I have no independent confirmation that this is true. But it wouldn't surprise me if Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had cut a deal like that for political advantage. People whose judgment I trust say that her support is at rock bottom. Whether or not there is a better alternative to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo available she may fall notwithstanding. You will also recall she has been making noises about federalism and raised the specter of secession should she be ousted. And there are rumors she is building a private army to survive in a post-cataclysmic Philippines. So while I don't know anything for a fact there's nothing I'd discount.
More: RP, Muslim rebels to split revenues on ancestral lands
UPDATE: A determined 20 percent Sunni population in Iraq...
I was reading Krauthammer today and noticed this part:
The insurgency in Iraq is not proof of an escape-from-freedom human nature that has little use for liberty and prefers other things. The insurgency is, on the contrary, evidence of a determined (Sunni) minority desperate to maintain not only its own freedom but its previous dominion over the other 80 percent of the population now struggling for theirs.
A determined 20 percent Sunni minority in Iraq wants dominion over Shiites and Kurds, which comprise a combined 80 percent of Iraq's population?
Parang familiar ito ah.
While I think the Sunni Baathist minority in Iraq are unrealistic about their goals, looks like magiging reality naman ito para sa MILF, which will lead to a 20 percent Muslim minority controlling most of Mindanao.
UPDATE: I've heard the Mindanao situation being compared to East Timor, where the East Timorese chose independence over autonomy.
But the difference between Mindanao and East Timor though is that 90 percent of East Timor's population is Roman Catholic, and only 5% are Muslims. Halos magkabaliktad naman ang situation sa Mindanao.
More here:
Aug. 30 1999 – A massive 98.6 percent of registered voters turn out to cast their ballot. Voters are asked to chose between Jakarta's offer of autonomy within Indonesia, or full independence – 78.5 percent chose independence.
In the wake of the vote, the anger of pro-Jakarta militias and their supporters in the Indonesian military explodes in a bloody rampage.
Tens of thousands of East Timorese are forced to flee their homes; entire villages are burned to the ground, much of the territory's infrastructure is destroyed and unknown numbers are killed.
As worldwide outrage grows Indonesia's President Habibie is forced to allow an Australian-led international intervention force to move in and bring a halt to the violence.
If Mindanao decided to have a referendum today, I doubt the majority of non-Muslim Mindanaoans would like to put themselves under MILF rule.
UPDATE: Bob Martin comments,
Just to let you know, I have slightly modified my position on the whole peace deal. A friend and I were talking the other day (he is also a foreigner living here in the RP). Basically, after we talked the issue out, the conclusion that each of us reached was - "how much worse could it get than it is now?" I mean, the political climate in the Philippines is terrible right now. Not much is getting done here because everybody is politicing. Would life under the MILF be worse? Maybe not. I am willing to see how it is. I think it is a bad deal for the Philippines, but maybe it wouldn't have much affect on my daily life. Let's see!
More links:
-- Wikipedia on East Timor.
-- Timeline on East Timor's long path to nationhood.
-- Q&A on East Timor
-- Goodbye Mindanao?


text:
Hostile AgreementMature
The wind ripped across my face as I rode. Anger overwhelmed me along with something else that I couldn't describe. The motorcycle's wheels spun infinitely as I gave it more gas. I was pushing 80 now but it still wasn't enough. The town's short roads made turning corners loud as I whipped my bike, tires protesting, around each one. Finally clearing the town, I headed for my hideout. The anger was still there, but so was the other feeling. I feel conflicted. Why? What is this? Pulling up to the old clock tower, I let my bike drop and climbed to the top. I perched on the clock's ledge as always, trying to calm myself down. I tried to convince myself that I couldn't feel anything, but the anger was always there. Always.
"Why is this bothering me so much? Get a grip, Ashe," I muttered to myself.
The full moon shone down on me. I felt the glow of the clock's reflective surface behind me as the moon shone upon it. The peaceful night sky with stars twinkling in every direction calmed me somewhat. Even if the whole world goes to hell, I can always count on nights like these to comfort me. But, why? Why do only nights like this one fill me with a peace I've never known before. Do humans feel this way too? I know I used to be human but, I can't remember how I felt--or perhaps, I never noticed this beauty before. It's just one more thing I hate about humans...they never appreciate what they have until it's no longer there.
"Maybe we should just leave him alone for now. He was pretty angry," I suggested as Aaron drove us down a dirt path in the woods.
"I know it seems strange but, just trust me. Ashe wants you around. More than that, he needs you," Aaron responded, his voice tainted with sadness.
"But he has you."
"...Yeah, I guess but it's not enough. It never will be. There's too much dark history between us. Anyway, I'm no good at educating people on anything so, Ashe is the only person who can help you figure out what abilities you have now that you're a Reckoner."
"Really?...What exactly is a Reckoner?"
"That's a question Ashe can answer better as well."
"What makes you think he's actually going to help me?"
"He may seem distant and cold, but he will do the right thing."
"And the right thing is to help me?"
"Whatever you say."
I wasn't convinced, but I was dying to know what was so special about Reckoners that would require that they die and be brought back to life. What do they do? Why me? What is the life of a Reckoner like? Do we have an enemies? What abilities do we get? My mind filled itself with excited questions I was trying to keep from throwing at Aaron. The long drive was excruciating but we finally arrived at a broken-down building. A tall tower stretched out from the building and at the top sat a large clock face. It must have been a few hundred years old. The clock itself was no longer working, the hands were broken and rusted, and the glass was layered in dust. Other than that, there was a certain antique beauty about it that made me curious of how it looked before it fell into disrepair.
"Ashe is in there?" I asked in awe, still admiring the tower.
"Hah, more like up there," Aaron answered, pointing up at the clock face.
"Of course he is."
"Go on up. I'll wait here."
"Wait, what?! I'm not going up there! Remember how he reacted at the house? Besides, this building looks like it's going to collapse."
"If you want answers, Ashe is your solution. He most likely won't come down until the sun rises so it's now or later. Let me tell you though, this is his favorite place in the world to be. If he's going to talk, it'll be here. On another note, you're not even the least bit curious how it looks on the inside?"
"Maybe a little." I sighed. "Alright, I'm going."
Treading carefully, I climbed up to the top of the clock tower. I peered around the machinery looking for Ashe. I found him sitting on the ledge of the clock face. He doesn't seem to know I'm here yet. The way the moon shone onto the clock from the inside illuminated it's rusty features, surrounding them in a solid white glow that mesmerized me. Staring at Ashe, his figure was even more beautiful than the clock. From behind, his shoulder-length black hair hung like wavy silk around his head. His broad, semi-muscular features outlined by the moon were stirred by the breeze that blew through his long sleeve shirt. Ashe stared at the moon, not acknowledging my presence at all. I gathered a sense of longing, of sadness, and of pain as he sat there. The moments ticked by and, if the clock hands worked, that phantom ticking sound it would've made played in my ears.
Ashe sighed. "I guess I should apologize."
I was startled by his voice. So he did know I was here.
"F-For what?" I asked faintly, still taken aback by his sad beauty.
Ashe turned around from his place on the ledge to look at me.
"For getting so worked up. I should've figured Aaron would bring you home. Also, for brushing off your situation. It's not your fault for what happened to you."
"I accept your apology. You make it sound like what happened to me was so bad."
Ashe's wide eyes and gaping mouth gave me something else to admire. What I said probably seems insane to him.
"What the--?"
"Just wait. Let me explain....Before my death, I was bored and trapped in a town I wanted to escape. As I was dying, I realized all of this and I also realized that there was something else out there in the world that I never knew about. I guess it was you and your brother, the Reckoner thing, and the guy who killed me. For the first time, I was excited and terrified all at the same time. I've always dreamed about going on an adventure and being a part of something that isn't normal. I've lived a boringly normal life until last night and I guess now you can say that I have a second chance. The town will think I'm dead. I can leave. I can live the life I want. I can--"
"Just shut up! You have no idea what it means to be a Reckoner! You don't know anything! Don't talk about this as if it's some field trip! This is real and it's dangerous! If you think you can walk around carefree for the rest of your immortal life, you're full of shit!"
Ashe's interruption truly scared me. Goosebumps rose on my skin as the sharpness of his voice hung in the air between us. I've never seen anyone this angry before. He might have a point though. I don't even know what a Reckoner is, let alone what his life is like. Still, why is he so hostile towards me? Since he saw me at the house, he's been cold and harsh towards me. Ashe's brown eyes, furious and sharp, bore into me as he waited for me to say something.
"...You're right."
The hostility in Ashe vanished and he grinned slyly.
"I know." His face changed again as he grew more serious. "I guess I've got no choice. Fine, I'll help you. I know that's why Aaron brought you all the way out here. Once you can take care of yourself you're on your own. Got it?"
He didn't wait for my reply before he brushed past me. I followed quickly and the three of us headed back to the house.


text:
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text:
Swain had stripped to her rather lumpy essentials for Channel 5's The Naked Jungle, a programme with no discernible purpose other than to prolong the painful death of Keith Chegwin's career. In response, Swain has said: "Just because I've been photographed naked doesn't mean I'd make a bad councillor" - an argument which is demonstrably wrong. Anyone prepared to sacrifice their credibility for Keith Chegwin is fit for very few jobs.
Had the debacle occurred six months previously, it might have been just the lesson needed to save the future political careers of the Big Brother hopefuls. Oh yes, Big Bro Three is under way, and as a prelude, E4 is showing videotapes of some entrants. Apart from one curious female in a bunny outfit screaming, "I love chocolate!", all are naked at some point. There is naked running, naked jumping and naked sitting about.
Well, for an economical and unambiguous way of conveying just how much privacy and selfrespect you are prepared to feed to the giant beast of reality TV, what else are you going to do? Flog your first-born to Temptation Island?
It is not impossible to be publicly naked at one stage of your life, and then be an acceptable adult later on - look at Glenda Jackson. Well, from the right angle ... You can easily imagine Sophie Dahl going on to be a prominent animal rights campaigner as an old bird, Opium campaign or no Opium campaign.
And the new girlie on the Pringle ad (sporting nothing but a string of pearls, in "witty" testament to the importance of the twinset) is not going to wake up in 10 years thinking, "Oh God, the shame!"
There is a perfectly rational formula for all of this. You have to calculate three things: the objective quality of your body shape; the creative worth of what you're going naked for (on a scale of Big Brother at nought, to Women in Love at about eight); and the importance of your role in the project (part of Swain's problem was that she was one of a number of nudies; if it had just been her, that would have been a mitigating factor).
Feed these three readings into a computer, and if it gives you a clever-looking shape like in the Bond films, then go for it.
All this fawning over posh tottyNews broke yesterday, courtesy of Vanity Fair, that Chelsea Clinton has graduated to sex-symbol status. I say "graduated" because, given who she is, her admission to the International League of Sexpots followed her 22nd birthday as surely as wearing a silly hat follows a degree.
And she must be relieved - only last week, Zara Phillips made it onto the 50 best-looking people in the world list, and if you're lagging behind her in minx-status, you know you're in trouble.
Let's be frank - if either of these two were the new arrival on a soap opera, everyone would say: "What's that boiler doing on telly? Bring back pretty Patsy Palmer!" They are not beautiful, at least not by any of the standards obtaining over the past 500 years.
What leads people to say they are is no more than the transparent sycophancy still accorded to the posh and/or powerful, regardless of the evidence staring us all in the face.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be unsisterly, or suggest that beauty is the only, or even the most important, yardstick with which to judge a young filly. I'm just saying meritocracy is the coolest thing about this century. And we'll never pull it off if we keep up this witless fawning over the indifferent-looking spawn of the influential.
Now it's the Mouthy Rich v the Shy RichAny newspaper article which includes the words "figures published by the Land Registry ..." is bound to end in something blindingly obvious, like, "houses are really, really expensive and you should have bought one by now, instead of spending all that money on fun".
This week's stories are no exception - family homes in south-west London are now pretty much guaranteed to fetch a million quid. It's an open secret in south London that every other road is brimming with rich people. In my very own hood, Camberwell, there are whole long groves without a single house worth under a million.
And yet, the north London loaded persist in being surprised that there are loaded people, just like them, over the river; and the south London lot persist in pretending that they bought their houses 30 years ago, for 2p. So, we've got a new north-south divide - rather than rich versus poor, like in the olden days. It's now the Mouthy Rich v the Shy Rich. As they are evenly matched in terms of resources, maybe they should have a pitched battle to see which ones are best, possibly centred on the Thames - like the Boat Race, but with extra violence.
The rest of us can all get drunk and watch.
- More about:
- Channel 5


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After I do a network scan I can see the software details under each machine scan but if I try to do a software compliance report, I do not get any data. Why is this?
2 Replies
Mar 8, 2007 at 2:25 UTC
Software compliance compares the number of installed copies of a particular application with the number of licenses that you have entered into Spiceworks. From the main view, go to the applications tab on the software page. Select an application. On the General tab for the each application is a field called licenses. You can enter the number of licenses you own. To the right of this field is a check box, Monitor compliance. If you check it, Spiceworks will notify you if you exceed your number of licenses.
Apr 18, 2010 at 7:13 UTC
Niagara Technology Group (NTG) is an IT service provider.
Flima, do you need any more information?


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Halloween Wrapped Favors
- Under 1 Hour
- Beginner
Additional Information
- Cello bags
- Candy: green and purple
- Black lace paper
- Ribbons: black, orange, green, purple
- Orange cardstock
- Black pen (or computer)
- Hole punch, large
- Paper trimmer
- Scissors
- Double-sided tape
- Glue stick
- Small cylinder, such as a paint bottle, as form for rolling cello bag
- Eyelet and tools for inserting
1. Cut a rectangle of lace paper the size to roll around the cylinder form with the solid black border overlapping the cut edge slightly. Set aside.
2. Cut the cello bag open along the end and along one of its seams, and lay flat. Position the small cylinder form at the middle of the front edge of the cello bag and begin rolling into a tube. Before you reach the end, attach a strip of double-sided tape at the far end and attach the solid edge of the lace paper to it to align with the approaching form. Cover the solid edge with another strip of tape, and continue rolling the cylinder, securing the edge. The lace paper will be between layers of cello.
3. With the form still inside the cello, tie off one end of the tube, just beyond the lace with ribbons, using the photo as a guide. Remove the form by shaking it out the open end. Fill the tube with candy, and tie off the second end with ribbon. Trim ends of cello and ribbon with scissors, if too long.
4. Create a tag with your message. Embellish the tag with some of the lace pattern glued on. Punch a hole, insert an eyelet, and tie onto one of the ribbons.