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Welcome to WebmasterWorld Guest from 22.214.171.124
Forum Moderators: Robert Charlton & andy langton & goodroi
[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 7:06 pm (utc) on Dec 1, 2012]
[edit reason] fixed link [/edit]
But for merely a site that could be considered "thin", I don't think it can harm your whole portfolio.
ever since they got gwmt, its being self evident that they do look at the webmaster and follow entire portfolio
My guess is that you don't need to worry about this unless you have already come to their attention in a negative way.
I'm sure the web spam team wants to id these people, but is it truly worth the effort and the amount of data that would need to processed


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4 Recent Stories
22 Victorious Accomplishments in Stoner Engineering
These marijuana MacGyvers have crafted a collection of unusual DIY smoking devices that deserve some sort of award. Or maybe just a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos.
Triple-Bong Promo Lights Up Nick Offerman Film [VIDEO]
Actors Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally and Alison Brie are getting highly viral in a new video promoting the film Somebody Up There Likes Me. The video is grabbing attention on Reddit, where fans are so stoked to see Offerman (of Ron Swanson fame) and ...

subset: commoncrawl


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Lisbon Geographic Society
The Lisbon Geographic Society (Portuguese: Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa) is a Portuguese scientific society created in Lisbon in the year of 1875, aiming to "promote and assist the study and progress of geography and related sciences in Portugal."
The Society was created in the context of the European movement of exploration and colonization, having its activity particular emphasis in the exploration of the African Continent.[1]
Institutional history[edit]
On 10 November 1875, a group of 74 subscribers petition King Luís I of Portugal the creation of a society, to be called Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa, with the objective to "promote and assist the study and progress of geography and related sciences in the country." Two of the subscribers were Luciano Cordeiro and Teófilo Braga, among many other intellectuals, journalists, and politicians of that time.[1]
The Society's goals were to organize conferences and scientific congresses, and grant funds destined to exploration trips and scientific investigation.
In December 1876, the Society initiated the publication of the Boletim da Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa (Lisbon's Geographic Society Bulletin), still in force today.
- ^ a b José Timoteo Montalvão Machado (1981). "Luciano Cordeiro" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Cm-mirandela.pt. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 8, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
External links[edit]
- Lisbon Geographic Society (Portuguese)
- Lisbon Geographic Society postage stamps
- Works by Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa at Internet Archive
|This article about a scientific organization is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


text: Cardio For A Cause Charity Challenge: Running Edition! Epic Races and Applied Fitness Solutions have teamed up to invite all runners to join "Cardio For A Cause!" Cardio For A Cause is a running group AFS has developed to raise awareness and funds for the Ozone House of Ann Arbor. Ozone House is a community-based, nonprofit agency … Continue reading "Cardio For A Cause" Read the Rest


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When adding an asset with a serial number that has already been taken any upper case letters are translated to lower case letters when you try to press save
2 Replies
Oct 23, 2007 at 11:23 UTC
Sam IT is an IT service provider.
1.) Is/was it able to actually save it with the "modified" serial number?
2.) Why would you want to place an asset in that had the same S/N? Wouldn't modifying the S/N (at the very least), be a plausible idea? Say you had 1234ABE3 in and you for some reason wanted to add the same S/N with a separate asset you could do...
If I am correct then Spiceworks uses the serial numbers to help itself separate among other assets.
Apr 18, 2010 at 10:54 UTC
Niagara Technology Group (NTG) is an IT service provider.
Did this get resolved? You guys are both still around. That's a rarity in this ancient threads.


text:
Industrial Correspondent
Sir Iain Vallance, BT's chairman, yesterday threw down the gauntlet to the authorities by delivering a powerful warning that he may not accept sweeping new anti-competitive powers being sought by Oftel, the industry regulator.
BT must accept the proposals by Don Cruickshank, director general of Oftel, or find itself in the hands of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
Speaking at a meeting of the Policy Studies Institute, Sir Iain said that Oftel's proposals would "stifle innovation, reduce BT's efficiency and add to consumers' costs". He added: "I am answerable to shareholders and customers. How can I be expected to go along with this?"
Sir Iain accused Mr Cruickshank of having "ambitions to become an untrammelled competition authority as well as a regulator", and of also wishing to be manager. He said that the watchdog had become increasingly preoccupied with driving down BT's market share at the expense of his other responsibilities.
Sir Iain, whose speech came within hours of Oftel's first public hearing on the issue, added: "It is my belief that the director general's current proposals presage a highly dangerous new form of regulation, with broad and undefined discretionary, or absolute, powers vested in a single individual."
Sir Iain, who argues that investors need more regulatory stability, added: "By entering the ring on the side of BT's competitors the referee is stepping outside his legitimate role and distorting competition in the marketplace."
The changes sought by Mr Cruickshank involve the creation of a single general condition in BT's licence and those of its rivals, which would enable him to deem what is anti-competitive behaviour and order it to stop while an investigation takes place.
At present a complex series of individual licence conditions relates to competition and he has no ability to stop alleged anti-competitive behaviour until the case is proven.
Speaking at his morning meeting, Mr Cruickshank said: "Too often in the past, regulation has been after the event. There is a tendency to try things until the regulator intervenes - to do something until stopped." His proposal would also allow damaged parties to bring legal action earlier if they have been proved hurt.
Mr Cruickshank added: "The telecommunications market is different from that in other goods and services in that it is still heavily dominated by one vertically integrated company."
Wayne Gowan, chairman of the Cable Communications Association, argued that the Oftel proposals did not go far enough. Professor John Kay, of the London Business School, said that in embracing a general anti-competitive approach, Oftel would be taking "absolutely the right way" ahead.
- More about:
- Investment
- London Business School
- Telecommunications


text:
Easily access more than 100,000 products and tools with our robust search engine. Manage your entire IT lifecycle from purchase to renewal all in one place — so you can get more done faster.Sponsored Listing
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A Ticket Sales web system (similar to osCommerce but aimed at Ticket sales) Created for a Uni project. Will be completed in approx. 12 weeks as part of a 3rd year UNI project. It is GPL so anyone can use/modify it as they see fit. It is VERY insecure2 weekly downloads
CF Content Management System
Simple content management system written to run www.cfug-fi.org site. Has all basic features already but some work would be needed to make easy to use and more expandable.
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Cold Fusion CHM (Compiled HTML) manual, same as PHP Manual in CHM. Very usable. Speeds up your CFM developement.
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bellaAlbum is a ColdFusion application that allows you to build highly customizable web albums starting from an images directory on your server. It creates automatically the thumbnails and navigation pages, using file names as a description.


text:
| Lyna Mohamad |
THE all-new Sonata features a sophisticated evolution of the brand's long-established mid-size sedan and represents the practical application of premium Hyundai Motor technologies first introduced in the Genesis.
A modern, enhanced vehicle with refined style and class-leading advanced features, the Sonata was designed with Hyundai Motor's evolved Fluidic Sculpture philosophy in mind.
Showcasing Hyundai Motor's sleek exterior and intuitive interior design ethos, and thus projecting a harmonious and athletic appearance, the all-new Sonata's design concept focuses on 'Inner Force' – a theme that points to its evolved aesthetic and confident perfection.
Premium equipment, style and status deliver a feeling typically associated with vehicles in the segment above, and the Sonata successfully also fulfils the practical needs of drivers, while at the same time invoking a sense of confidence and class as well as representing the democratisation of new technologies first developed for inclusion in the Genesis, which offers more customers with Modern Premium values.
The project began with the aim of developing a world-class premium, mid-size sedan through innovations in fundamental areas, while maintaining the model's proud heritage and inspiring driver confidence, an important goal for the Sonata.
Utilising a modified Hyundai Motor platform that has been optimised to offer a dynamic driving experience, the model's new design underpinnings also contribute to an improvement in suspension performance and greater structural rigidity from the previous generation, resulting in 41 per cent greater torsional strength and 35 per cent greater bending strength than the outgoing model.
To ensure a rewarding and safe driving experience, the new Sonata also features advanced suspension design and active safety features, such as the Blind Spot Detection and Advanced Smart Cruise Control.
Uncompromised levels of convenience features are also fitted into the Sonata to provide the type of luxury, safety and technology equipment typically associated with cars from the segment above it.
In addition, a variety of premium features, such as rear parking sensors, heated leather seats, rear-side curtain airbags, advanced multimedia systems and next-generation infotainment equipment, emphasise Hyundai Motor's commitment to delivering value beyond expectations.


text:
Town of CaryHome Menu
USA Baseball National Training Complex
Baseball Season is here!!
The complex will host numerous collegiate teams and showcase tournaments in 2017. William Peace University and St. Augustine's University will call the NTC home for their spring home games. In addition to more than 90 collegiate games, the NTC will once again play host to the National High School Invitational, Division II Challenge, Tobacco Road Marathon, Notre Dame Irish Classic and 6 fall high school showcases. For a complete schedule of events in 2017, visit here.
The USA Baseball season is sure to be full of daily games and happening starting in mid-June through Labor Day. Check out the full USA Baseball master schedule at http://web.usabaseball.com/schedules.jsp
For more information or to learn more about bringing your game or event to the National Training Complex, please contact Chris Duty - Sports Venue Coordinator, at firstname.lastname@example.com or Ronnie Rost - Operations and Programs Supervisor firstname.lastname@example.com
The NTC is owned and operated by the Town of Cary. The complex features a 1,800 seat stadium, three side fields, full concession stand, and plenty of parking, all maintained at the highest standards.
We hope to see you and your family at the NTC this season to catch some fantastic baseball.
USA Baseball National Training Complex
7445 Green Hope School Road | Cary, NC | 27519
(919) 387-5844


text:
Section27 attorney Sasha Stevenson speaks to Polity's Sane Dhlamini about the recently released Health Ombusdman Professor Makgalepuru Makgoba's report titled 94+ Silent Deaths and Still Counting.
Ninety-four mentally ill patients died after being removed by the Gauteng Department of Health from Life Healthcare Esidimeni to 27 unregistered NGO's last year.
Out of the 94 patients that dies, only one died due to a mental condition. Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu resigned in the wake of the report.


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Torbjørn Falkanger
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|Medal record
|Men's ski jumping
|Representing Norway
|Olympic Games
|1952 Oslo
|Individual large hill
Torbjørn Falkanger (8 October 1927 in Trondheim – 16 July 2013) was a Norwegian ski jumper who was active in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Falkanger earned a silver medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics in ski jumping and also won the Holmenkollen ski festival ski jumping competition twice (1949 and 1950). For his ski jumping efforts, Falkanger was awarded the Holmenkollen medal in 1952 (Shared with Stein Eriksen, Heikki Hasu and Nils Karlsson.)
Falkanger also took the Olympic Oath at the 1952 games in Oslo.
His career ended a few months ahead of the 1956 Winter Olympics, due to a fall in the ski jumping hill.
- Torbjoern Falkanger at the International Ski Federation
- IOC 1952 Winter Olympics
- Holmenkollen medalists - click Holmenkollmedaljen for downloadable pdf file (Norwegian)
- Holmenkollen winners since 1892 - click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file (Norwegian)
|This biographical article relating to Norwegian ski jumping is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
|This article about a Norwegian Winter Olympic medalist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
- 1927 births
- 2013 deaths
- Holmenkollen medalists
- Holmenkollen Ski Festival winners
- Norwegian male ski jumpers
- Olympic ski jumpers of Norway
- Olympic silver medalists for Norway
- Ski jumpers at the 1952 Winter Olympics
- Olympic medalists in ski jumping
- Medalists at the 1952 Winter Olympics
- Norwegian ski jumping biography stubs
- Norwegian Winter Olympic medalist stubs


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Interesting read for those thinking of going against the flow.... :)
By Jeff Neal
With the Dow and the Standards and Poor's 500 doing quite well, it is important for the investor to take a close look on just how to start playing some defense. More often than not, when the market is experiencing a period of extreme optimism or pessimism, it is time to play contrarian and look to move against the crowd.
The current optimism has the average U.S. equity currently selling for around 19 times trailing earnings, which is higher than the average. However, high P/E ratios do not necessarily indicate a bear market is ahead. In fact, with interest rates and inflation relatively low, a higher than average earnings ratio is exactly what should be anticipated.
It is essential to note though that the current bull market was started around early October 2002 when the Standards and Poor's 500 was around the 780 mark. Since then, the market has been a robust bull market and now is more than four-and-a-half-years old. This makes the bull market a relatively mature one.
Not knowing exactly when the next bear market will occur it is worthwhile to discuss just what goes through the average investors mind when the bears start to appear. Essentially it can be divided into 3 stages. First, the initial downturn is perceived as just a bump in the road, a correction in a continuing bull market. They are confident that the market will quickly bounce back and actually view this event as a buying opportunity.
The second stage is fear when a more serious pullback unfolds. The typical investor insists that they are not going to sell any of their holding at these prices and at the same time refuse to buy anything new. Finally, in stage 3 the investor feels extreme pain and think they are getting killed in the markets. They feel they have to do something to stop the bleeding and they eventually start to sell their holdings.
History has shown that the average investor consistently sells at the bottom despite the bad feeling that comes with doing so. However, there are some things the investor can do to withstand any future bear markets. One thing the investor can certainly do is to invest in less economically sensitive stocks, like utilities, food and drug companies and defense contractors.
In addition, an investor can cut down their exposure to small-cap stocks, which usually get hit pretty hard during a market downturn. The investor should also look into diversifying into foreign markets that are less correlated with the markets in the United States. Another good tip is for the investor to spread their risk among bonds, real estate investment trusts, gold shares and inflation-adjusted Treasuries.
The key thing to remember is that even though we do not know exactly when a bear market will occur, we do know that eventually it will indeed come. With that it mind, it is important to start managing risk, protect profits and make the necessary moves to protect your portfolio. The good news is that when a bear market does start we also know that a bull market will certainly follow.
Jeff NealSenior Writer, Options Strategist & Profit Strategies Radio Show Market CorrespondentVisit Jeff's ForumListen to Jeff at www.ProfitStrategiesRadio.com


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Of Swerve: The Apology Epistle
September 29, 2009 § 6 Comments
Brenda Miller reveals the roots of her Brevity essay "Swerve," and offers us a writing prompt along the way:
This little essay is a testament to many things: to the power of friendship, the efficacy of assignments, the resonance of small detail, and trust in one's own intuition.
Friendship: It's mid-autumn, and I go to a bookstore café to meet with two women I don't know very well yet. We'd met through a service-learning program at the university, discovered we all want more writing time, more excuses for writing. So Kim, Marion, and I gather in this café—where the service is surly and spotty—at the table next to the poetry bookshelf. This lone bookshelf is hidden away here on the top floor, almost as an afterthought, poetry relegated to the corner where it takes some effort to find it.
We're not sure how to begin. We sip our lattes, gossip about school. My eyes wander toward the poetry bookshelf, and my hand reaches out to grab a book, Late Wife, by Claudia Emerson. I've heard about this book, I say. Do you want to read it together?
Assignment: So we do. And we come back together the following week, excited by her "Divorce Epistles," by the way Emerson is able to return to the past, to pain, to loss, through directly addressing the ex-husband. We all have something in our past to address, some complexity that hasn't been easily resolved, perhaps never will be. So we give each other an assignment. Write an apology, we say, to someone in your past. An "apology epistle." I'm not sure why we come up with apology. It's just the first thing to come to mind.
Detail: I sit down at home and write the first words, I'm sorry… And immediately the image of that piece of wood in the road comes into my mind. It doesn't arrive with a blare and a bang; it just emerges there in my brain, crystal clear, as if it had been waiting all this time for me to blink it into focus. I'm sorry about that time I ran over a piece of wood in the road. I haven't been thinking about my ex-boyfriend, a man I knew thirty years ago, a relationship that had been fraught with alcoholism and emotional abuse. I had been a young woman, very young, still a child. And so, with the image of this small piece of wood, this roadside debris, the entire relationship comes back full force, everything that had transpired between us distilled into the essence of that road trip across the desert. The essay comes out of me in one piece, in about thirty minutes, one image leading to the next.
Intuition: I bring the piece, three copies, to our meeting the following week. We're all a little nervous, so we spend most of our time gossiping before turning to the pages in our hands. I read "Swerve" aloud, and as I'm reading I see what I've really written. I didn't know it until I shared it with them; I had just been following that piece of wood. But now I see that while I truly was sorry about running over it, I was really sorry for subjecting my young self to such a harsh and terrifying experience. And behind it all was the fact that I had gotten into the relationship in the first place out of a kind of penance: guilt over something that had happened to me just before I met him. So the entire time was tied up with apology, with truly being sorry for so many things.
I could never have written the essay deliberately, trying to work with all those complex emotions head-on. I simply had to trust in that piece of wood. The second paragraph came out in one long line, because I couldn't risk stopping: I had to keep going to see where we would all end up. I had to let my intuition guide me to that dangerous place, knowing I'd be safe in the company of newfound friends.
Tagged: author_commentary, Brenda Miller, epistolary essay, nonfiction writing prompt
§ 6 Responses to Of Swerve: The Apology Epistle
Gary Presley says:
I tend to write in this fashion, albeit not in a studied fashion. I simply must see something in my mind that sparks an emotion. My problem is either limited vision or limited imagination …
Keith MacNider says:
What a great story; swerve, but the story gets straight to the heart of the matter and never deviates. I love it.
[…] is Brenda Miller's short short called "Swerve" that features extended sentence structure for effect. Try it yourself. Find a subject that demands […]
Darlene says:
I wish I could have recorded the hour long classroom discussion of this piece in my creative nonfiction class. We all loved the masterful and the unswerving gaze that absorbs so much so quickly…thanks!
Darlene says:
The masterful 'writing' of course 🙂 This is what happens when you type with a toddler pulling on your shirt.
Beyond "Craft for Craft's Sake": Nonfiction and Social Justice | Brevity: A Journal of Concise Literary Nonfiction says:
[…] of vulnerability—that more ostensibly "tempered" or "polished" syntax sometimes leads to. Like Professor Miller, I too wrote this piece in one sitting. That's key. I would have deleted the file had I not […]


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L'Agent by Agent Provocateur
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To see open funding opportunities, visit the Current Funding Opportunities page. Closed funding opportunities (including PONs, RFPs, RFQs) are listed for informational purposes only.
Some content may require a free reader for the following formats: PDF | Word | Excel | PowerPoint
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announces the availability of up to $10 million in funds to support research and engineering studies, product development and demonstration projects that improve the reliability, efficiency, quality, and overall performance of the electric power delivery system in New York State. Proposals must demonstrate significant statewide public benefit and quantify all energy, environmental and economic impacts. The primary objective of the program is to promote the development of a smart grid that accommodates a diverse supply of generation resources, enhances overall grid performance and enables customers to reduce costs, energy consumption, and environmental impacts.
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Loaded wih 325 Horsepower Volvo GXi with Duo Prop Outdrive, Custom Trailer with Disc Brakes and Mag Wheels, Garmin GPS, VHF Radio, Bimini Top... Only 223 Hours. This boat came from saltwater but it has been well serviced and maintained and we have the records to prove it. Huge transom sunpad with walk thru turn into a double sun lounge.
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Warranty: Lifetime
Hull Shape: Deep Vee
Beam: 8 ft 6 in
Maximum Draft: 2 ft 10 in
Bridge Clearance: 4 ft 7 in
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Max Load Capacity: 2000 lbs
Total Power: 325 HP
Engine 1:
Engine Brand: Volvo Penta
Year Built: 2006
Engine Model: 5.7 Gxi Duo Prop
Engine Type: Inboard/Outboard
Engine/Fuel Type: Gas/Petrol
Engine Hours: 223
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|This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
|Look up tokophobia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Tokophobia, or the fear of pregnancy and childbirth, is the suggested name for a form of specific phobia. It is also known as "maleusiophobia" (though this is certainly a variant of "maieusiophobia", from the Greek "maieusis", literally meaning "delivery of a woman in childbirth"[1] but referring generally to midwifery), "parturiphobia" (from Latin "parturire" meaning "to be pregnant", and "lockiophobia".[2]
Psychological disorder[edit]
In 2000, an article published in the British Journal of Psychiatry (2000, 176: 83-85[3]) described the fear of childbirth as a psychological disorder that has received little attention and may be overlooked. The article introduced the term tokophobia in the medical literature (from the Greek tokos, meaning childbirth and phobos, meaning fear).
Phobia of pregnancy and childbirth, as with any phobia, can manifest through a number of symptoms including nightmares, difficulty in concentrating on work or on family activities, panic attacks and psychosomatic complaints. Often the fear of childbirth motivates a request for an elective caesarean section.[4] Fear of labor pain is strongly associated with the fear of pain in general; a previous complicated childbirth, or inadequate pain relief, may cause the phobia to develop. A fear of pregnancy itself can result in an avoidance of pregnancy or even, as birth control methods are never 100% effective, an avoidance of sexual intercourse or asking for hysterectomy.
Tokophobia is a distressing psychological disorder which may be overlooked by medical professionals; as well as specific phobia and anxiety disorders, tokophobia may be associated with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.[5] Recognition of tokophobia and close liaison with obstetricians or other medical specialists can help to reduce its severity and ensure efficient treatment.[6][7]
Primary and secondary tokophobia[edit]
- Primary tokophobia is the fear and deep-seated dread of childbirth which pre-dates pregnancy and can start in adolescence. This often relates back to their own mother's experience or something they learned in school.
- Secondary tokophobia is due to previous experience of traumatic birth, poor obstetric practice or medical attention, postpartum depression or other such upsetting events.
A few reactions to childbirth include the following:
"The truth is that the very thought of having something almost alien-like growing inside me is disgusting."
"It's not too strong to say that the very thought of childbirth disgusts me in a big way."
"It's much more than an anxiety – I am actually physically repulsed by pregnancy and childbirth."
"I even struggle to be around friends when they are pregnant and can't bear to watch or listen to anything about the process of having a baby."[8]
See also[edit]
- List of phobias
- Blood-injection-injury type phobia
- Psychiatric disorders of childbirth
- Anxiety disorder
- ^ "maieusis". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ Bainbridge, David (2001). Making Babies: The Science of Pregnancy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. 214. ISBN 0674006534.
- ^ Hofberg, Kristina; Brockington, I. F. (1 January 2000). "Tokophobia: an unreasoning dread of childbirth". 176 (1): 83–85. doi:10.1192/bjp.176.1.83. PMID 10789333. Retrieved 4 February 2017 – via bjp.rcpsych.org.
- ^ Garrod, Debbie (December 2011). "Rebuilding confidence in women's abilities in birth". British Journal of Midwifery. 19 (12): 830. doi:10.12968/bjom.2011.19.12.830.
- ^ Hilpern, Kate (28 May 2003). "Hard labour". theguardian.com. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ Roland-Price, Anna; Chamberlain, Zara (2012). "Management of tocophobic women". In Karoshi, Mahantesh; Newbold, Sandra; B-Lynch, Christopher; et al. A Textbook of Preconceptional Medicine and Management (PDF). UK: Sapiens Publishing Ltd. pp. 281–288. ISBN 978-0-9552282-4-7. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ "Fear of Childbirth, Lecture by Astrid Osbourne, Consultant Midwife" on YouTube
- ^ Nicholas, Sadie (27 October 2007). "Are you a tokophobic? The women who are too terrified to give birth". Daily Mail. Retrieved 3 July 2012.


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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|May 30, 2006
|Filing date
|Jun 14, 2004
|Priority date
|Sep 27, 2000
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Randall Mark Katz, Gary Dawson
|Original Assignee
|Milestone Entertainment Llc
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (84), Non-Patent Citations (7), Referenced by (35), Classifications (11), Legal Events (3)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 10/288,276, filed Nov. 4, 2002, entitled "Novel Games, and Methods and Apparatus for Game Play in Games of Chance", issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,198, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/672,179, filed Sep. 27, 2000, entitled "Novel Games, and Methods and Apparatus for Game Play in Games of Chance", issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,280, and is related to application Ser. No. 09/585,987, filed Jun. 2, 2000, entitled "Novel Games, and Methods for Improved Game Play in Games of Chance and Games of Skill", which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.
These inventions relate to methods, an apparatus for their implementation, of unique player participation games, and for improved methods of play for games of chance. More particularly, these inventions relate to new and improved games involving player participation in a broadcast medium, such as television, and in other communication media, such as over the Internet or other communications network.
Player participation games fall broadly under the categories of games of chance and games of skill. One of the main forms of games of chance is lotteries. By definition, involve the three elements of: 1) prize, 2) chance and 3) consideration. If these three elements are present, then the game is considered to be a lottery, and is typically then run by a governmental entity. In the United States, lotteries are typically run by the individual states, or collectively by a group of states. In other countries, it is typically the national government that runs the lottery. Countries and states attempt to strictly limit the game play to their geographic boundaries. For example, in Austria, while electronic access to the game may be available over the Internet, or in order to play, the person must have a bank account in Austria, and be able to navigate the non-english menu.
Games have been conducted in any of a number of formats. Certainly, live, in person games have been performed. Yet other games have been played and broadcast over a broadcast medium, such as radio or television. Yet other games have been played through a more active communication media, such as the telephone, or over a communication network such as the Internet.
Various attempts have been made to provide game play over the Internet. By way of example, the game show Jeopardy has been placed on the web at http://www.sony.com.
Various other attempts have been made to extend the general concept of gambling to broad communication media, such as the Internet. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,268 entitled, "Method of Participating in a Live Casino Game from a Remote Location" has been asserted in a litigation in against an off shore corporation. The '268 patent discloses a system in which a player may participate in a live casino game from a location remote from the casino. A player interface station, such as a computer terminal or other special input device, is connected by a communication line to the casino. A second communication line is established from the casino to the player's financial institution. The player is presented with an image of an actual "live" game. The player then participates directly as if they were physically present at the casino. A wager is cleared with the player's financial institution to insure adequate resources to cover the bet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,739 to Ronald A. Katz is entitled, "Telephonic—Interface Statistical Analysis System". The patent describes various operating formats, including a format to be performed in association with television media. Specifically, in one embodiment, a real-time format is provided in which television viewers participate on a real-time basis in a game show for prizes. Expanded audience participation is achieved. Various levels of qualification are provided, such as where a child's television game format is utilized, parental clearance may be required. The use of personal identification numbers (pin numbers) is disclosed. In one implementation, the caller is prompted to identify which of the actual studio audience participants the caller will be aligned with. Additionally, the caller may be instructed to indicate the extent of a wager. As the game progresses, the individual player's accounts are credited or debited, thereby providing on-going accounting data. In yet another implementation, a non real-time operation is provided. Such a show might involve a quiz for callers based on their ability to perceive and remember occurrences within the show. Pre-registration is optionally utilized. In this implementation, a sequence or time clock would be utilized in order to limit or control individual interfaces to a specific time or geographic "window". In this way, the caller questions may be utilized across various time zones without the caller having obtained the question earlier than other callers within a given time zone.
Berman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,115 discloses a game show and method entitled "Interactive Game Show and Method for Achieving Interactive Communication Therewith". An interactive communication system is provided which permits individuals to electronically select at least one possible outcome of a plurality of outcomes of a future event. Successful contestants possibly share in a prize award associated with the event. A home audience of a televised game show may electronically communicate a series of random numbers using their touch tone telephone to participate in the show.
Recently, various governmental entities and trade organization have addressed the issue of game play over the Internet. Congressman Kye has introduced a bill which would preclude the offering of Internet based gaming, though permitting states to offer Internet gambling. Consideration has been given to requiring that the state sponsored gaming be limited to an intranet, in an effort to limit those participating to persons physically resident within the states boundaries. Various international lottery organizations have promoted similar restrictions, namely, precluding the individuals offering of games of chance, and reserving that option exclusively to the state.
Various lottery formats are known to the art. In one classic format, a pre-determined number of tickets are provided with certain printed matter, such as numbers or other indicia, where the information is then obscured by a scratch off layer. By removing the layer and revealing the underlying information, the ticket holder may determine whether they have won or not. Various extensions have been made to a "virtual" scratch off ticket where no physical ticket is provided.
A conventional lottery proceeds as follows. First, a series of numbers are selected, either by the player or by some automated selection system, such as by computer. Upon the occurrence of a pre-determined event, such as on a set date and time, numbers are randomly chosen. Both mechanical methods, such as selection of ping-pong balls bearing numeric designations, or electronic means such as through a random number generator, may be utilized. The selected numbers are then provided to the participants, such as through a broadcast medium like newspapers, radio and television. Finally, the holder or holders of winning tickets then present their ticket for payment.
In yet another aspect of game play, a typical television presented game show lasts on the order of one half hour. Various shorter format games or shows have been utilized, for example, a football based advertisement or game has been presented by IBM during televised football games under the name "You Make the Call". Yet other shorter version games have been presented over web TV or on the Game Show Network.
The television game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" is believed to have originated in Britain, and has become extremely popular in the United States. The game is a trivia game. While being principally a game of skill, the nature of the questions, or the contestants knowledge of the potential answers, makes the game at times a guessing game or game of chance. The format consists of one contestant and one host. The contestant is presented with a question and four possible answers. If the contestant answers the question correctly, they advance to a next level, each level being associated with a higher monetary prize amount, which is roughly twice the amount of the preceding level. A contestant is given three "life lines": a "50/50" where in two incorrect answers are removed, thereby leaving the correct answer and one incorrect answer, the "phone a friend", wherein the contestant may call a friend by telephone and solicit their response to the question, subject to a 30 second time limit, and an "ask the audience" option where the audience is polled regarding their view of the correct answer to the question. Various safe levels are established, such as at $1,000.00 such that the contestant would be awarded that amount of money in the even that they fail to correctly answer a question. Finally, after a question is posed, the contestant may elect to discontinue play, and to receive that amount of money won at the preceding level.
Despite the wide spread participation in various forms of game play, as well as the suggestions for implementing those games on a mass communication network, such as through the telephone or Internet, the possibility for new games, or improved game play exists. In particular, there is a need for improved games of chance, which provide excitement for the player, and optionally a viewer audience.
This invention relates to methods and associated apparatus for novel game play. In the preferred embodiment, the game is a game of chance.
In the preferred embodiment, the game is played at a multiple number of levels. At each level, the contestant is presented with multiple options, such as a depiction of four uniquely labeled boxes, amongst which the contestant may choose. The options would include at least one positive outcome and at least one negative outcome. In the case of four boxes, e.g., one could include a strike, two could include a monetary amount, which may be either the same or different and optionally, the fourth box could comprise a mystery box, described below. The contestant selects, at random, one of the options. If the option selected is one of the positive options, such as a monetary amount, they proceed to the next level and the winnings are added to the prior winnings total. If a negative option is selected, such as a strike, in the preferred embodiment, the level is reset and play continues at that level. Preferably, the player is allowed a predetermined number of negative events, such as three strikes, prior to discontinuing play.
The 'mystery box' consists of a decision within a decision. A first decision was to select that option, which then was revealed as comprising a mystery box. The player is then given the option of whether to reveal that option. The option within the mystery box would include at least one positive result and at least one negative result. In the preferred embodiment, there would be three results possible with a mystery box, a positive result such as a multiplier for the money, such as a doubler of the contestant' prior winnings, an updating of the safe level for the player or an additional monetary amount. Alternatively, other positive results such as a free play or a reduction in the number of negative events is possible. Preferably, the probability of a negative result from the opening of the mystery box should be equal to the probability of a negative event if the mystery box were not selected.
The prizes at the various levels may be set as desired to result in a predetermined pay out for the game. Optionally, guaranteed low end prize structures (GLEPS) may require payment of predetermined prize amounts, and possibly payment of a minimum amount of a prize e.g., $500.00. The monetary spacing between various levels may be set as desired, either as an arithmetic progression or as a multiplicative progression, e.g., a substantial doubling of the prize amount at every level. Optionally, when a maximum game level is reached a jackpot or other proportionally large prize may be awarded. If the jackpot is not won in a given game, it may then roll over to a subsequent game. Alternative forms of progressive play may be utilized.
In another aspect of this invention, game play in a first game may require progression through a plurality of levels, leading to game play on a second game for those who have reached the maximum level on the first game. In one implementation, the maximum prize level in the first game may be equal to the minimum prize level in the second game.
Various modes of play are contemplated. In studio game play may be utilized with a broadcast, either live or for taped replay. Yet another mode of game play involves playing at a gaming venue, such as where other games of chance, e.g., slot machines, are played. Yet another venue may consist of game play by the player from their hotel room in a venue which allows gambling. In yet another mode of game play, a network, such as the internet, may be utilized to permit game play, whether for a monetary amount or to provide other points or indications of score. The game may be played in any venue where not prohibited, whether on land or in an airplane or ship, and may be played in any form of wired or wireless environment, such as via hand-held web enabled communication devices.
The game may be played by a single individual, or may be played with multiple players. The multiple players may play against one another, for scoring, or may merely play in parallel without further interaction.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved game of chance having a higher level of audience interest and potential participation.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide for an improved Internet game of chance.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide for enhanced modes of game play in association with existing forms of game play.
Display region 26 shows the possible outcomes from the selection of the mystery box or other denominated decision within a decision. As shown in display 10, the outcomes of the mystery box include a multiplier for the monetary amount previously won by the player, here shown to be a multiplicative doubler of the monetary amount (shown at 26 a), or a negative result, such as a strike (shown at 26 b) or an updating of the safe level (as shown at 26 c).
Returning now to the flowchart, the multiple options 40 are displayed to the contestant. As shown in
As shown in
The negative result box 50 may be of various types. In the preferred embodiment, the negative result 50 may comprise a strike. Preferably, the game is structured as to permit a predetermined number of strikes, such as 3 strikes, prior to the player losing the game. In such a system, the system would update the negative result tally at box 52, and perform a comparison 54 of the totaled number of negative events to the maximum number of negative events allowed. If the comparison 54 indicates that the maximum number has been reached, then program flow proceeds to box 74 where the player is awarded the last existing safe level amount, or if no such safe level amount exists, then whatever minimum prize is indicated according to the rules. That minimum amount may be 0 or some other guaranteed amount. Certain lottery systems require guaranteed low-end prize structure (GLEPS) which guarantee a certain prize or result for certain contestants.
The fourth option shown in
If the safe level update box 70 is selected, the safe level is updated at box 72. In this way, when the player has reached the maximum number of events at box 54, the safe level amount 72 is then provided. After the update of the positive result 48, and optionally, an update of the safe level 72, program flow returns to the level selection 32, at which time the next higher level is selected.
In the preferred embodiment if the number of negative results is less than the maximum number of negative results (box 54), then the decision flows to path A, which returns the player to the decision to select among the available options 42. In the preferred embodiment, when the player has received a strike at a given level, the level is reset and played again. Alternatively, in the event of a negative event, the negative event could be tallied and the player advanced to the next level.
The displays of
In addition to visual displays, voice prompts may be provided, such as where the contestant is prompted to enter information or is otherwise cued to provide a responsive action. Voice input to the system is also feasible.
The images 104 and game play associated therewith may be in addition to the game play of a lottery, such as designated by the numbers 108. Thus, if a player purchases a ticket and receives numbers 108, they may be additionally entitled to play the game depicted by the graphics 104 for possible play on a future lottery game show. In this way, interest in a future lottery game may be created through game play on an existing lottery.
As shown, the ticket 100 optionally includes a bar code 112. As shown, the bar code 112 is disposed on the backside of the lottery ticket. The bar code 112 may be placed wherever desired. In operation, the machine readable bar code may be utilized for tracking or other monitoring purposes.
The games of this invention may be adapted to and on-line selection format, such as where a potential player purchases a lottery or lotto ticket at a retail vending location. The player may be prompted to provide their selection of numbers, such as where they provide one of four numbers for each level. That information may then be passed in an on-line manner to the lottery system. Optionally, game play on the television or other broadcast media may be used for game play by the viewing audience. For example, the game play of successful game play at a given level may be compared to the player's selections previously made through the on-line process. Improved audience viewing levels of a game of chance would result.
The game described herein may be played in any variety of format. For example, the game may be played in a 30 minute or 1 hour television broadcast type format. Alternatively, the game is a adaptable to a short, e.g., 60 second, format. Game play may be done in a broadcast mode, such as through in studio participation, either live or taped. Alternate modes may be utilized, such as in a gaming or gambling establishment. Game play may be over a network, such as the Internet. In an Internet game the player may provide credit card information or otherwise have an account with a monetary stake, and that amount may be increased or decreased as the player wins or loses. Alternatively, instead of money, the player may play for points.
Contestant selection may be done by any number of modes or modalities. For example, as described in connection with
Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings of this invention that certain changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.
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|Methods and Apparatus for Enhanced Interactive Game Play in Lottery and Gaming Environments
|Dec 20, 2007
|Sep 18, 2008
|Bradley Berman
|Gaming method and apparatus for facilitating a game involving an expanding array
|Sep 8, 2008
|Jan 8, 2009
|Randall Mark Katz
|Novel Games, and Methods and Apparatus for Game Play in Games of Chance
|Jan 28, 2009
|Sep 3, 2009
|Katz Randall M
|Methods and apparatus for awarding prizes
|Jun 12, 2009
|Jan 21, 2010
|Robert Bruce
|Method and system for implementing a virtual game
|Aug 21, 2009
|Feb 18, 2010
|Randall Mark Katz
|Novel games, and methods for improved game play in games of chance and games of skill
|Jun 25, 2009
|Jun 24, 2010
|Kevin Francis Prendergast
|Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller
|Sep 20, 2010
|Jan 13, 2011
|Katz Randall M
|Apparatus, systems, and methods for implementing enhanced gaming and prizing parameters in an electronic environment
|May 16, 2011
|Sep 8, 2011
|Randall Mark Katz
|Apparatus for game play in games of chance
|Dec 18, 2013
|Apr 17, 2014
|Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
|Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller
|Oct 11, 2007
|Apr 17, 2008
|Milestone Entertainment Llc
|Methods and apparatus for enhanced interactive game play in lottery and gameing environments
|Oct 11, 2007
|Nov 13, 2008
|Gary Dawson
|Methods and apparatus for enhanced interactive game play in lottery and gameing environments
|U.S. Classification
|273/138.1, 273/139, 273/236
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Feb 24, 2006
Owner name: MILESTONE ENTERTAINMENT LLC, CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KATZ, RANDALL M.;DAWSON, GARY;REEL/FRAME:017287/0294
Effective date: 20010321
|Oct 23, 2009
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Oct 11, 2013
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8


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Prairie Research Institute Employment
Please see the individual Survey / Institute job boards for open positions:
Prairie Research Institute
Illinois Natural History Survey
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Illinois State Geological Survey
Illinois State Water Survey
Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
The University of Illinois is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The administration, faculty, and staff embrace diversity and are committed to attracting qualified candidates who also embrace and value diversity and inclusivity. www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu
Updated 09/02/16 AW


text:
ELIZABETH HUNTER is a contemporary fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance writer. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College and a former English teacher. She once substitute taught a kindergarten class, but decided that middle school was far less frightening. Thankfully, people now pay her to write books and eighth-graders everywhere rejoice. She currently lives in Central California with her son, two dogs, many plants, and a sadly empty fish tank. She is the author of the Elemental Mysteries and Elemental World series, the Cambio Springs series, the Irin Chronicles, and other works of fiction.
The Scribe: Irin Chronicles Book Oneby Elizabeth Hunter
On sale for a limited time.
"THE SCRIBE is a perfect marriage of urban fantasy with tinges of romance."
--Killian McRae, author of 12.21.12
"5 Stars ...this may actually be THE best thing I have read this year."
--Douglas Meeks, Wicked Scribes
Hidden at the crossroads of the world, an ancient race battles to protect humanity, even as
- LendMe LendMe™ Learn More
On sale for a limited time.
"THE SCRIBE is a perfect marriage of urban fantasy with tinges of romance."
--Killian McRae, author of 12.21.12
"5 Stars ...this may actually be THE best thing I have read this year."
--Douglas Meeks, Wicked Scribes
Hidden at the crossroads of the world, an ancient race battles to protect humanity, even as it dies from within.
Ava Matheson came to Istanbul looking for answers, but others came looking for her. A reckless warrior guards her steps, but will Malachi's own past blind him to the truth of who Ava might be? While ancient forces gather around them, both Ava and Malachi search for answers.
Whispering voices. Deadly touch. Their passion should be impossible... or it could be the only thing that will keep them alive.
THE SCRIBE is the first book in the Irin Chronicles, the new paranormal romance series from Elizabeth Hunter, author of the Elemental Mysteries.
Product Details
- 2940045289788
- Publisher:
- Elizabeth Hunter
- Publication date:
- 10/15/2013
- Series:
- Irin Chronicles , #1
- Sold by:
- Smashwords
- Format:
- NOOK Book
- Sales rank:
- 46,427
- File size:
- Age Range:
- 18 Years
Meet the Author
Customer Reviews
Average Review:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
See all customer reviews
It was so awesome. Cant wait to read the next book!
Gets a 4 instead of 5 because it isn't complete in a single volume.
Very nice!
This book is near perfection! It's very creative and I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in the series, especially. Great detail, character building, humor, action and romance in this series. Go ahead and get them all, because you will want to continue reading!
I am hooked. Should have know Elizabeth Hunter wouldn't disappoint. Read book one now I have purchased book two and will most likely purchase book three. Compelling start to say the least!
I bought the next book in the series before I finished the last sentence-loved this book-as well as her Elemental Mysteries -
Well it started out good but then it took a turn for the worse. I'm sorry but what was going on between the characters was just felt unrealistic, rushed and mushy I couldn't look past it to even finish the book. YUCK!!!
I loved this book! I have been on a bad streak with books but this put ended it. Everything thing about this book was amazing the writing, the character, the action and the romance. I was so engaged in this book, it completely sucked me in from the start. The concept of this book was so unique and Elizabeth Hunter did amazing job of writing the world of Irin. We start off the book with our main character Ava who is in one of the many doctors offices she has been to through the course of her life. While the doctor can't help her he recommends a colleague in Istanbul. This is where the story really starts, while Istanbul is the setting of the story the author goes into such detail it feels like you are really there. It was very interesting to read a book set in such a exotic location that most books aren't set in. Now to the romance, my favorite part, Ava and Malachi are the perfect complement to each other. The chemistry between them makes them feel so real and you are rooting for them the whole time. Malachi is a Irin guard sworn to protect his race and the humans from the Grigori whose main purpose is seduce and procreate with the humans and just cause chaos wherever they go. Malachi has had a hard life like most of the Irin, so after the murder of his parents his life is dedicated to killing the evil monsters who killed so many of his kind, that is until Ava comes along. Ava is an American girl who hasn't had the easiest life either, she is a single child that has a stepfather who pawns her off to whoever will take her, a mother that is more of a friend and a father that wasn't really part of her life. Ava has a condition that causes her to hear voices from peoples mind, but the strange thing is that they are all speaking in the same unknown language. This has been plaguing Ava for as long as she can remember causing her to avoid crowds and not form connections with people. That is until Malachi comes along. Their relationship first begins with Ava thinking Malachi is a hired bod guard hired by her mother and stepfather but she soon realizes that this isn't the case and this begins their relationship. While they face many challenged both internal and external they are stronger for it in the end. The action was good and descriptive, I'm not one to critique action doesn't always interest me this book kept my attention because I was so invested in the characters that I had to make sure everyone made it out alive. This book has everything and written in such an amazing way that it has become one of my favorite series and am anxiously awaiting the next one that she already has teasers for! This book had everything I love amazing writing, interesting characters that you feel are real, which may cause some problems when you are yelling and crying at your book. The best part by far his the romance that leaves you breathless and wishing it could happen to you. If you love paranormal romances with plenty of action then this is the book for you. I strongly recommend it!
Talk about an emotional roller coaster ride! I CAN'T WAIT until the second book comes out.
This story is a roller coaster of emotion and excitement!!
I found this book while looking for something different to read, and was pleasantly surprised at the originality and writing style of this book. It has been a while since I've read a book of such high caliber. I just read this book in one go, I couldn't put it down. Sadly, I have to wait for the next installment now. The book description doesn't say much about the book, but trust me, buy this book. You will not be disappointed.
I was into this book from the first page and can hardly wait for #2 in the series. It was perfect escapism reading when I was home sick. Far-fetched and yet it made me think that maybe all things are not what they seem to be - maybe we are all surrounded by good and bad angels all the time.
I loved the book. Good plot, fast action. Can't wait for the next one.
I seriously don't know where to start with my review. I have tried several times to get it going and would delete the 'crap' I had typed out. Nothing was coming out the way I wanted it to. No words sounded right for what I was feeling when I finished this book. Amazing? Yes! Beautiful? Absolutely! So utterly heart wrenching? Most definitely! But even those words don't do this book justice. I was immediately immersed into this read from the first few lines. Hunter has a special way of getting the reader's attention and keeping it until the end. I know because it happens with all her books. When Hunter writes a story you become so consumed in the book you feel as if you are a part of it. Ava is one of those strong willed women you can't help but love. She has always been on her own. Not that her mother doesn't' love her, because she does. But it is better when she is alone…then the voices that plague her mind are quieter. Ava feels as if she is broken due to these voices that she hears all around her. She has never met anyone else like her and the voices are in a language she has tried to track down but has failed. That is until she finds a doctor with a unique therapy that seems to help her and a body guard whose mere presence alone is calming to her soul. Malachi. From the moment we are inside his head I knew I was going to fall hard for this guy. And fell hard I did. There is something so mysterious about him and unattainable that just makes you want to hold him down and find out all his secrets. When he comes across Ava, he is instantly drawn to her. He wants to know who she is and why she is so special. The ache to touch her is more than he can stand…it is something he must resist at all costs. But even the thought of being 'just friends' with Ava is tearing him apart. I bet if I looked back at all my reviews I would be like a broken record. Saying things like…Hunter blew me away with this story. And she absolutely did with this one. This book! This amazingly beautiful book! It captivated from the start and I couldn't put it down. Literally. I had it in the kitchen with me while cooking supper. I didn't want to stray far from these characters that attached themselves to my heart so quickly. I needed them and they needed me. I needed to hear their story and they needed to tell me. And their story is so heart-stirring, so unexpected, so utterly heart wrenching. It has been a while since a book has affected me to this degree. I had to put the book down when a certain part happened. My heart was torn in two. I wasn't sure I wanted to go on. How could I when something so unbelievably unexpected happens? How dare Hunter do this to me! To her readers. But as I continued on, I felt we might not have seen the last of a certain character. But with the way it proceeded to go, I am still scared for what is to come. Lives are in turmoil and it makes me excited for what will happen in book 2, THE SINGER. If you have ever read one of Hunter's books, you absolutely know how creative this lady is. She weaves her words into such a beautiful tale and creates a story that is so intriguing you never want it to end. Even the emotional scenes are some of the most precious I have ever read. My heart is still aching the next day with my mind on these characters. Yes, THE SCRIBE is definitely a must read. In fact, it is on my to re-read list. Pick it up! Read it! Enjoy it! Love it!


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They found the inn easily enough, a relatively small building with some exotic beast's tusks tethered above the entrance. Inside the room was domed, that fact hidden by the exterior, with a counter in the centre of the room and tables and chairs all about it upon a sandstone floor that felt hard on the foot. An interesting place to be sure, but these types of inns were common on the coasts of Victum, as Simeon knew well. He'd raided some of them in his youth.
His crew mingled with the steady number of patrons enjoying drinks after work, or so it seemed.
Simeon caught the man behind the bar staring at him expectedly. He tried to avoid the look and instead moved about to find a likely candidate. What he needed was somebody he might know, or somebody who might be able to help. On coastal towns these types were common, especially when a person had gotten around the world as much as himself. Simeon considered himself a good judge of character, an adept at determining the backstabbers from the gullible fools and could act on all.
It was when he neared the back of the room that he found somebody. He could not be sure, but the weatherbeaten skin and the wisdom behind the eye betrayed the man. He was downing a cup, arms leaning on a table whilst being stood up. When he saw Simeon approach, he watched Simeon approach with one eye, the other being sunken and shut, a cross of scars atop it. The rest of his face seemed smothered in coarse black beard set ready to strangle him.
"Which way you flit, lad?" Simeon called out.
"Whichever way the sails fly—" he parried, holding out his arm.
"Aye—" Simeon held the man's arm with his own. He felt he'd seen him before, yet couldn't place it.
"Aye, an' I'd be careful round here mind," The man broke apart from the grasp and motioned the seat opposite from the one he began to sit on. "They're a mite less friendly to pirates, even less so Louenites." He warned, as Simeon took the seat offered.
He kept his own voice as low as his companion's. "Any idea as to what's going on?"
"Change." The man leaned back on his seat, a comfortable affair of softly tanned leather.
"Change?" He echoed, waiting for more. He wasn't getting any. "Want to be a bit more specific like?"
"Mayhaps I do, but I don't really know you now, do I?" One corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk.
"You know what I am, that's enough I'd say." Simeon did not like games, not right now.
"Give me a name and I'd consider it. A token of friendship is giving names. Or some shit like that." The man's finger circled the top of his mug.
Simeon thought for a while. Names where dangerous, especially when you were known. In Aenon, words of a corsair's deeds got around, people knew you better than your crew did, so they knew what you were capable of and what weaknesses you owned. He could lie, aye, but he had also quite the reputation.


text:
✖Split Souls✖
Skye Bluebox is an ordinary girl, until her parents tell her she has a split soul. Half of it is in her, but the other half is paired with a mythical creature. She has to travel to a different world and find it - without getting killed...
Walking down the street, I felt even more alone that usual. My best friend Kate had just moves to Florida, leaving me alone. Well, not completely - Kate wasn't my only friend, but she was my closest one. We were like sisters.
"I'm home!" I called into the house, as I dropped my school bags and took my shoes off.
"What's for tea?" I asked my mum, grabbing a packet of crisps. I was always starving when I got back from school.
"Fish and chips, from Freddie's Fish and Chips." Mum answered. I stopped what I was doing straight away. We only had takeaways when there was news. "Ah well," I thought to myself,"It's probably because of Kate moving."
* ~ * ~ *
That night at the dinner table, there was a tense atmosphere. I could tell mum and dad knew something Max and I didn't. The chips tasted of cardboard and the fish felt raw.
"Hey, Maxxi, why don't you go on the computer? You can play those games you wanted to try out, can't you?" My dad said. Max grinned and ran off, dumping his half finished plate on the worktop. This couldn't be good - they wanted only me and not Maxxi.
"Listen, Skye, There's something we have to tell you. I know we should have told you as soon as you were of age, but it was too soon." Mum started. "This is going to be a massive shock for you, and I won't mind at all if you don't want to go..."
"What is it? Do you want me to move out?!" I asked them, surprised, I was only 14!
"No, no, no! It's just... well, you have a soul mate. And I don't mean a boy. When you were a baby, we had to pair you to a mythical creature. It's a family tradition, even I had to go. So, half your soul is inside you now, but the other half is in this creature. It can feel everything you feel and it practically shares your life with you." Dad finished. Mum was right - I was astonished! But he wasn't done.
"You turned of age when you were 12, but it was too early for your mother and I." Dad continued, " You have to go into a different world and find your mythical creature. Once you've found it, you can either stay in that world with it, of abandon it and come back to us. If you don't go, you'll NEVER be able to love someone. Not fully, anyway."
I must have fainted. I woke up feeling something cold dribbling into my mouth. I sat up coughing, and saw my dad holding a cup of water, a concerend look on his face.
"Where's mum?" I asked him.
"She had to go to work. You woke up a few minutes after you fainted, but then fell into a deep sleep. I carried you upstairs and you slept the whole night." Dad said, smiling.
"Wait...What time is it?!? I'm going to be late for school!" I got up out of bed and went to the wardrobe. Dad got hold of me and sat me down.
"Don't worry, I called into school and told them you were ill - you did faint, you know!" He told me, and suddelny I remembered everything. The meal, Maxxi, and the news.
"Hahaa, you've just remembered, haven't you? I can tell. Listen, Skye, if you're up for it, we can go for a walk and I can, ahem, teach you a few things. What do you think?"
"Yeah, I'd love that! Let me get a shower and breakfast but I'll be ready in half an hour." I said, thrilled.
"This is the start of my adventure. Who knows what'll happen?!" I thought, walking to the bathroom.