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KMOX Named 2017 NAB Crystal Radio Award WinnerKMOX 1120 AM is one of 10 radio stations in the country to be awarded the 2017 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Crystal Radio Award, for it's "outstanding year-round commitment to community service."
Meet the Competitors of Food Fight: The Muddled Pig & Robie's RestaurantWe're only one night away from these chefs going head to head at the Feast Food Fight!
Historic Connection Between St. Louis' Magnolia Hotel, Leaving Chocolate On Your PillowActor Cary Grant helped popularize the hotel in the 1950s, and the Magnolia is still attracting patrons from around the country with it's luxurious experience.
An Update on Y98's Jen Myers 6 Months After Cancer DiagnosisPopular morning personality Jen Myers, of Phillips and Company on our sister station Y98, today begins her second to last chemotherapy treatment -- six months after being diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.
Y98 Night at the Ballpark Supports 'Jen's Tribe' and Siteman Cancer CenterThe theme night will be on Wednesday, Aug. 24, at 7:15 p.m., vs. the New York Mets.
KMOX Profiles: Paul CookPaul Cook is a favorite in the hallways of CBS Radio St. Louis--a well-known on-air personality with Y98. He's also done talk radio on KMOX, entertainment reporting on KMOV and a stint in Los Angeles when he worked with Ryan Seacrest while trying to sell a screenplay. But he had to come to terms with his anxiety and drug and alcohol addiction in order to save his family, his career and himself! He talks it over with Debbie Monterrey.
Y98's Jen Myers is Back!Jen's double mastectomy surgery on June 1 removed two tumors in her left breast and all the lymph nodes under her left armpit.
KMOX, Cardinals Ready for Saturday's Komen Race for the CureThe KMOX team has again partnered with the St. Louis Cardinals and and more, but this time we have a much closer reason to support.
Y98's Jen Myers Fights Breast CancerPopular morning radio personality Jen Myers -- of Phillips and Company on Y98 -- told listeners Wednesday morning she has an aggressive form of breast cancer.
St. Louis Blues, CBS Radio St. Louis Expand Broadcast Rights AgreementThe 2015-16 season marks the 41st year KMOX has served as the flagship radio station of the Blues.
Third Eye Blind, Nate Ruess Headline Y98's Annual Mistletoe ShowKYKY-FM (Y98-FM) in St. Louis will host Third Eye Blind, Nate Ruess, George Ezra, Michael Franti, and Karmin, at the Y98 MISTLETOE SHOW presented by Hollywood Casino on Friday, December 4, 2015 at the St. Charles Family Arena.
KMOX Mighty Mox Street Team at Go Ape (Creve Coeur Park)


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This rating was reported by the venue and has not been verified by Cvent.
This award-winning downtown Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza hotel is designed to accommodate events of all types - from small business meetings of six to conventions of 500. Choose from eight conference rooms, ranging in size from the 240-square-foot Cedar Board Room to the 3,390 square-foot Mesa Ba...
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Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza is a non-smoking hotel.
A lovely New Mexico courtyard oasis with poolside fireplace and hot tub await each guest visiting this historic downtown Hilton Santa Fe Plaza hotel. Our 158 guest rooms are decorated in deep palettes inspired by New Mexico sunsets, hillside plant-life, and morning sky tones. Bask in the comfort of our downtown Hilton Santa Fe hotel, with trademark ultra-comfortable beds, flat-screen TVs, ergonomic chairs, and a modern work desk. Stretch out in luxury casitas, elegantly appointed with handmade furniture and ethnic fabrics.
The Hilton of Santa Fe hotel is set on historic grounds, located just two blocks from the famous downtown Santa Fe Plaza. Explore the city's unique collection of winding avenues and one-way roads on foot. Browse nearly 100 different galleries, featuring paintings, sculptures, and Native American crafts. Savor eclectic New Mexico style restaurants - each unique in flavor and ambience, humming with the rhythms of Spanish guitar, flamenco, blues and jazz. Just 16 miles from the ski basin, minutes from legendary golf courses, and steps away from the thriving culture of the downtown area.
The Cedar Room is Hilton's executive board room completely set with The Hilton Meetings program.
Over 300 years ago the Chapel Room was the worship area for the Ortiz family. Its modern meeting space has wireless internet access available and accommodates corporate meetings and breakout space for up to 30 people.
Mesa Ballroom can accommodate meetings and social events up to 300 guests.
The Ortiz Meeting Rooms are ideal for conferences and general sessions up to 200 people. It is a great location for banquet breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Ortiz has wireless internet capabilities and set for any audio-visual needs. The windows are an asset to the room and allow natural light to shine in all 3 sections of the room.
Prefunction Area Adjacent To Mesa Ballroom
Enclosed Courtyard within the Historical portion of hotel featuring a working fountain.
Come and relax in the New Mexico sun at our newly renovated outdoor swimming pool and whirlpool. The evenings are extra special with a kiva fireplace to enjoy under the star-filled skies of Santa Fe.
Housed in a landmark 300-year-old hacienda, the Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza captures the magic of the Southwest and its rich cultural heritage in a luxury boutique hotel experience featuring modern amenities in the heart of Santa Fe's historic downtown.

subset: commoncrawl


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Long Live the King HTML version
Old Adelbert
Old Adelbert of the Opera had lost his position. No longer, a sausage in his pocket for
refreshment, did he leave his little room daily for the Opera. A young man, who made
ogling eyes at Olga, of the garde-robe, and who was not careful to keep the lenses clean,
had taken his place.
He was hurt in his soldier's soul. There was no longer a place in the kingdom for those
who had fought for it. The cry was for the young. And even in the first twenty-four hours
a subtle change went on in him. His loyalty, on which he had built his creed of life,
turned to bitterness.
The first day of his idleness he wandered into the back room of the cobbler's shop near
by, where the butter-seller from the corner, the maker of artificial flowers for graves, and
the cobbler himself were gathered, and listened without protest to such talk as would
have roused him once to white anger.
But the iron had not yet gone very deep, and one thing he would not permit. It was when,
in the conversation, one of them attacked the King. Then indeed he was roused to fury.
"A soldier and a gentleman," he said. "For him I lost this leg of mine, and lost it without
grieving. When I lay in the hospital he himself came, and - "
A burst of jeering laughter greeted this, for he had told it many times. Told it, because it
was all he had instead of a leg, and although he could not walk on it, certainly it had
supported him through many years.
"As for the little Crown Prince," he went on firmly, "I have seen him often. He came
frequently to the Opera. He has a fine head and a bright smile. He will be a good king."
But this was met with silence.
Once upon a time a student named Haeckel had occasionally backed him up in his
defense of the royal family. But for some reason or other Haeckel came no more, and old
Adelbert missed him. He had inquired for him frequently.
"Where is the boy Haeckle?" he had asked one day. "I have not seen him lately."
No one had replied. But a sort of grim silence settled over the little room. Old Adelbert,
however, was not discerning.
"Perhaps, as a student, he worked too hard" he had answered his own question. "They
must both work and play hard, these students. A fine lot of young men. I have watched
them at the Opera. Most of them preferred Italian to German music."


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'The Company You Keep' fights tired battle, tediously
Redford enlists squad of great older actors to tell story of aging radicals
Acts of terrorism used to be the stuff of spy and action movies.
Now they are part of everyday life. Which means movies about them can be chillingly realistic.
But "The Company You Keep," about domestic terrorism, is not.
This flabby and archaic thriller is about Vietnam War-era radicals wanted for robbery and murder who resurface today and are hunted by the FBI.
Susan Sarandon plays a radical who, after living in suburban obscurity and raising children, turns herself in. Shia LaBeouf plays a reporter who unravels the identities and locations of her fellow travelers. And one of them is Redford, who takes flight to prove his innocence.
Much in the way that almost every British actor of note found work in the "Harry Potter" films, "Company" is a revolving door of actors of a certain age playing characters Redford contacts while in flight, each of them making noble and nostalgic speeches about "the movement," politicians and corporations. They include Julie Christie, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Elliott and Stephen Root.
Apparently, Betty White and Cloris Leachman were unavailable.
On his way to the Upper Peninsula - where the story climaxes - Redford stops in Milwaukee, where former radical Nolte runs a lumber business and a newspaper called the Milwaukee Union Ledger. County Zoo posters and license plates reading "America's Dairyland" are recruited to give it a "you are there" feeling.
Almost every step of the way, the film feels similarly inauthentic and unrealistic.
Redford, 76, is about a decade too old for the role. There are references to this group being friends 30 years ago, which would have been the 1980s, a decade after the Vietnam War. That Redford's character would also have an 11-year-old daughter - the mother is conveniently dead - is just another dramatic implausibility.
Math is hard, but it's not the only problem here. The narrative is plodding and Redford's visual style is stodgy and uncinematic. Finally, refighting these ancient battles is faintly ridiculous considering how much we have gone through since. And the failure to explore the relationship between those acts of what could be considered domestic terrorism and the term as we understand it today feels like a missed opportunity.
It's easy to be cynical about the idealism these characters are intended to represent. Unlike them, "The Company You Keep" suffers from a lack of conviction.
Email: email@example.com
The Company You Keep ** 1/2
- Cast: Robert Redford, Shia LaBeouf, Julie Christie, Susan Sarandon, Richard Jenkins, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Terrence Howard, Stanley Tucci, Anna Kendrick, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Elliott, Jackie Evancho, Stephen Root, Brit Marling
- Behind the scenes: Produced by Nicholas Chartier, Bill Holderman and Robert Redford. Written by Lem Dobbs. Directed by Robert Redford.
- Rated: R; language
- Approximate running time: 125 minutes
- Movie times and more details


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Hotel Avandaro Club de Golf & Spa
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- Suites
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- Swimming pool
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TripAdvisor Reviews Hotel Avandaro Club de Golf & Spa Valle de Bravo
Travel Blogs from Valle de Bravo
Boating in Valle de Bravo
Today we decided to go on a day trip to Valle de Bravo. We'd heard it was one of Mexico's Pueblo Magico's, of which there are around 85, and that it was in a beautiful valley at the edge of a lake. Contrary to online advice we didn't manage an early start and we paid for this at the station.
We made our way from Condesa to Mexico's western bus station, Central de Poniente, and arrived at around 10:30, just in time to have missed ...
Ah, those elusive Monarch Butterflies
... a teen boy from Minneapolis.) I left the B&B at 9:30 am, after a delicious breakfast. Joel's dad, who spoke no English, drove me the 40 minutes to the bus station. It was easy to get the bus back to Mexico. This time, I remembered to get the senior discount! The bus was quite luxurious. They give you a bag lunch and drink. It was very clean and new and the seats even have a leg rest that folds down! I wish airplanes would have ...
Butterfly Or Die
... Alex took his umbrella in prepared :P New Zealand were awful but
got to see six goals and was a good day out, and even bagged some free Pantene,
Head and Shoulders and Crest swag! Everything was going perfect until we
returned to the car…
The police had taken
it to a compound and were demanding about �60-70 to get it back and weren't
budging. Ended up having to split the cost three ways, although I don't think
any of us ...
Las Mariposas Monarca (The Monarch Butterflies)
... we Skyped with Leah before calling it a night. The next morning, I ignored any concern about impending potty breaks as we all enjoyed freshly squeezed orange juice and a breakfast quesadilla. The drive was pleasant. We sang lots of songs together. I sang as much of the Widjiwagan song book as I could remember. When the kids took the lead, we dove into Christmas Carols. Imagine "Silent Night" sung in ...
Mariposa Monarca
... saw plenty and only had to suffer saddle butt to see them. We road horses about two and a half hours up the mountain from about 6,000 ft to 9,000 ft to the location where the butterflies congregate in the trees. We had a guide who "walked" up the mountain with us.
There were thousands of butterflies and we could hear the fluttering of their wings. It was so cool. There were so many of ...


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The Humanscale Saddle Seat is one of the most comfortable stools on the market. The unique saddle shape opens up your hips, places your thighs lower than your hips and allows you to sit with the correct lorthotic curve. If you're looking for a taller Saddle Seat or one with a footring, please see the Humanscale Saddle Seat w/Foot Ring listing.
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Vellum offers four-way stretch to maximize the comfort of your cushions but is durable enough for the demands of an office workspace. Vellum is construction of nylon, Cordura, and elastic yarns; is stain and water repellent, has an abrasion rating of 150K double rubs.
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Wave is a four-way stretch fabric designed for heavy-duty use that exceeds all contract interior testing requirements. It has a bit of extra cushioning due to its backing making this the softest "sit" of any of the Humanscale fabric options. Abrasion rating is 150K double rubs. Wave is constructed of 86% nylon and 14% elastic.
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Lotus offers four-way stretch for comfort and has a soft texture that is pleasing to the touch. Vibrant colors make it a welcome addition in any office. Lotus has a 100% polyurethane face and a nylon backing and has an abrasion rating of 350K double rubs.Lotus is the creation of award-winning designer Elizabeth Whelan and is water repellent and super easy to clean making it an excellent choice for more demanding environments including healthcare and the hospitality industry.
Grade 2 - Bridget Stripe
Bridget Stripe is one of Humanscale's most earth-friendly textiles. It is manufacturered of 78% (non-itchy) merino wool with the addition of 14% polyester and 9% nylon for strength. Abrasion rating is 150,000 double rubs. Fabric is soil and stain repellent. Meets cal 117 standard.


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War party
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A war party (plural war parties) was a military unit among the Warrior caste of the Yuuzhan Vong. War parties would vary in size according the mission profile of the party, but their numbers could range from anywhere to half a dozen to two dozen.
In other languages


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The Residence Service Apartment is locatec in the heart of 304 industries, on 304 Road accommodation in Prachinburi, opposite Tesco Lotus Srimahapote. It is only 2 hours from Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok International Airport). From here you can easily reach Kabinburi Industrial zone, Gateway Indu...
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Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz was hailed as "one of the world's greatest young philanthropists and businessmen" by broadcaster Larry King after the California nursing home owner won an award in 2012.
Rechnitz briefly seemed destined to win even bigger kudos this week when it was reported that a nurse at one of his facilities had scored the epic windfall from one of the 18,000 Powerball tickets Rechnitz bought and handed out to his employees.
It turned out to be a hoax: The nurse's son was only joking that she had won a slice of the $1.6 billion jackpot.
Rechnitz called the son's prank "detestable." But he added: "I guess I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, in wanting to make his mom happy."
The whole affair has now cast a fresh national spotlight on the 44-year-old Rechnitz, who owns Brius Healthcare Services, California's largest chain of nursing homes.
The attention has mostly reflected Rechnitz's long history of quirky good deeds along with his penchant for self-promotion.
"Rechnitz is always there with a helping hand," wrote Josh Nass, an admirer who studied Rechnitz's philanthropy. "The breadth of his philanthropy and the diversity of those he helps are astounding."
There was the time last November he spotted 400 U.S. solders in an airport in Shannon, Ireland eating from paper sacks and bought them each $50 dinners instead. Or the time he paid off the mortgage for a Chabad house in Los Angeles.
But some of the attention has not been not so glowing.
The Powerball kerfuffle have reporters looking once more into a series of ongoing local, state, and federal probes dating back several years into the 80 facilities run Rechnitz.
Several of his employees have been criminally charged and there was a new FBI raid of his Riverside, Calif. operation last fall, The Sacramento Bee reports.
Rechnitz has said he is being singled out unfairly.
"All of a sudden, we show up to court one day and there is an emergency motion that refers to us as a quote-unquote serial violator of laws. It questions if we would pass the good character requirement … It basically makes us look like the Charles Manson of the nursing home business," he told The Bee.
Rechnitz's legal woes stand in stark contrast to what is an undeniable record of good deeds and philanthropy, not the least of which was his Powerball generosity.
Rechnitz was born in Los Angeles, California and went to Israel for college.
The musically-inclined exec released an album in 2014 entitled Shir, featuring famous Jewish artists singing his composed tracks. All of the proceeds go to the Keren Hashviis fund supporting Israeli farmers.
Rechnitz has a history of large contributions to Jewish organizations and causes. The Jewish Journal reports that he donated $5 million to Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, $2.35 million to bail out Chabad of California, and $1 million to help rebuild Orthodox Jewish schools after Hurricane Sandy.
In 2013, Rechnitz stepped in to rescue Doheny Glatt Kosher Meats after a controversy involving the former owner's alleged flouting of religious oversight rules. Under Rencnitz's ownership, kosher certification resumed, preserving a kosher entity in California on the eve of Passover.
Aside from Jewish-related organizations, Rechnitz also is charitable to law enforcement causes. He writes $10,000 checks for families of Southern California police officers who were shot in the line of duty.
After Rechnitz's latest brush with notoriety, one question on a lot of people's minds is whether he can come up with a way of turning the lemons of the Powerball hoax into public relations lemonade.
ABC News reported that Rechnitz urged the nurse to smile at the situation.
He offered take the sting off the disappointing twist by paying for an all-expenses-paid family vacation to the destination of her choice. It's not clear whether her son will be invited.
Emily Siegel
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After having a wonderful time at Anup Sir's home, Anup Sir dropped me to the NDLS station from where, the bike was to be collected. Also Subhadeep, the other rider joins me from here. I had thought that we will be starting from Delhi by 12.30 – 1PM but were only able to leave by 3PM because of the time taken for the bike to be delivered and the city traffic mess.
Next important thing was to catch up with Narender bhaiya with whom I really wanted to meet before I start the trip. He was waiting for me, on the way and had come from quite far just to meet me(sorry bhaiya for making you wait for so long). Finally caught up with him at the Mukarba chauk, it was really nice to meet him in person .… continue reading


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Oil and gas drilling and exploration companies have been strong investments over the past two years as the economy healed. Unstable gas prices forced many companies to find liquid plays. That shift in the energy sector forced companies to invest heavily and, as a result, demand for oilfield services companies increased. Oilfield services companies provide engineering, product and services necessary to complete complicated drilling and exploration activities. These companies also provide infrastructure, equipment and intellectual property to develop, explore, extract and transfer natural gas and oil.
With the steady growth in the economy, oilfield services companies are generating record growth over the past two years. Further, economic indicators show more stability in the coming days. The entire energy sector is making massive investments to find new sources of production while enhancing existing assets. This, in turn, increases the demand for oilfield services companies like Schlumberger NV, (NYSE:SLB) and National Oilwell Varco (NYSE:NOV).
Both companies are showing momentum and have been generating strong growth. These companies are also well set to capitalize on the demand arising from increased investments in the energy sector. Let's take a look at both companies to point out which one is in a better position to generate big profits this year. I will also evaluate which one is offering an attractive entry point.
Where Does National Oilwell Varco Stand?
National Oilwell Varco operates in three business segments: Rig Technology, Petroleum Services and Supplies, Distribution and Transmission. However, it is spinning off its Distribution and Transmission segment to focus on its other two core businesses in which it is an industry leader. The spinoff will enhance its operational efficiencies and allow it to focus more on its core businesses. The company's other business segments have generated strong results over the years. Last quarter, Rig Technology generated 16% growth over Q3 and a 14% increase over the prior year's quarter. The Petroleum Services and Supplies segment has built momentum; the most recent quarter it generated 6% growth.
The company is looking to capitalize on rising demand. It has been investing heavily in both segments to increase and improve products, technology, facilities and services. These investments include strategic acquisitions of CE Franklin, Wilson and NKT Flexibles into its existing infrastructure. These acquisitions enhanced its portfolio with products such as composite tubulars, downhole drilling motors, progressive cavity pumps, flow line, sucker rod services and chokes. These acquisitions also set up the company for future growth arising from deepwater drilling rigs, floating production technologies, jack-up rig fleet retooling and shale technology expansion.
Further, National Oilwell Varco has divested certain real estate and non-core assets acquired with its Ameron and Robbins & Myers acquisitions to reduce cash payments. These acquisitions and dispositions helped the company meet an unexpected increase in demand and allowed it to generate record revenues with a record order backlog, which ultimately resulted in large cash flows for the company. For the full year 2013, the NOV's consolidated revenue reached $22.7 billion, an increase of 14% over the prior year of $20 billion. In this current year, it is expecting a mid to high single digit increase in revenues.
National Oilwell Varco has increased capital investments in the last year. Still, it remains in a strong financial position, with cash available to reinvest in its existing businesses, strategic acquisitions and capital expenditures to meet both short- and long-term objectives. At the end of fiscal 2013, it had cash and cash equivalents of $3.436 billion. Consequently, it has 2.57 times more cash available to meet short-term liabilities. The company's debt-to-equity ratio of 0.1 is well below the industry average of 0.4.
Further, its operating cash flows were at $3.3 billion when capital expenditures were only $669 million and dividend payments are only at $389 million. Consequently, free cash flows are high at $2.7 billion. NOV has doubled dividends in 2013. However, its ability to pay dividends not only looks safe, it has significant potential for future dividend increases as both operating and free cash flows increase and continue to provide adequate cover to NOV's dividend payments.
Where Does Schlumberger Stand?
Schlumberger NV supplies technology, integrated project management and information solutions to customers working in the oil and gas industry worldwide. Schlumberger is capitalizing on the demand that is appearing from higher exploration and development activity offshore and in key land markets. Demand for its product and services is strong in the Middle East, Asia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Strong exploration activities add considerable growth for the company in Malaysia and Australia; deepwater exploration work and strong project management activity occur in Latin America.
With strong exploration activities all around the world and with strong software and multi-client seismic sales, Schlumberger has been able to achieve 8% growth in revenues. Strong activities in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Middle East regions added 11% growth in its International Area revenue. Its margins also expanded by 200 basis points internationally. Consequently, it has generated 15% growth in pretax income in 2013. Exploration and production activities continue to remain strong, as evident by expected increased spending from ConocoPhillips, Devon Energy and Occidental Petroleum. Further, the global economy is expected to remain strong and companies focus toward liquid plays. E&P activities are expected to be strong in international regions and, with the positive outlook for deepwater in the Gulf of Mexico, the company is looking to generate high single digit growth again in the 2014.
Operating cash flows expanded from $6.8 billion to $9.8 billion in 2013 with solid top and bottom line growth. Thus, free cash flows expanded to $5.8 billion, which covers dividend payments of only $1.6 billion. Schlumberger has been also working on buying back shares, which is further enhancing dividends and earnings per share. With the predicted high single digit growth in top line and double digit growth in operating earnings, cash flows will again increase considerably. Therefore, we can expect a huge increase in dividends as what already happened recently when the company had a 28% increase in dividends.
NOV Dividend data by YCharts
Industry Average
Price/Earnings TTM
Price/Sales TTM
Rev Growth (3 Yr Avg)
Net Income Growth (3 Yr Avg)
Operating Margin % TTM
Net Margin % TTM
Source: Morningstar.com
National Oilwell Varco and Schlumberger are generating strong growth in the top and bottom lines. Both are well set to continue the trend this year. Looking at financial ratios, Schlumberger looks to be on top. It has been generating high revenue growth and has high margins. However, looking at valuations, NOV is currently offering a much better entry point, trading at only 13.8 times to earnings. NOV has also generated strong growth and is well set to keep its momentum. The upcoming spinoff definitely adds value to its remaining business. Both companies have raised dividends in the last year and are in a position to make more increases this year. However, their yields are not high, so we cannot consider them for a dividend portfolio. This means both are considered more for value stocks than dividends. Apply a simple rule, which most investors do: buy at a dip with strong fundamentals, and sell when it reaches fair value.
Considering this approach, NOV looks to be in the better position. After reaching its 52-week high late last year, it came down significantly. It is currently trading at a discount over SLB and the industry average. Its increasing dividends also allows investors to keep patience and hold the stock until it again regains momentum, which it is likely to do with strong growth prospects in place. It has invested heavily in its business. The drilling industry is predicted to grow as it has grown in the past year. Oil production is also expected to increase, with stable prices, while gas prices are likely to remain sluggish. NOV's Rig Technology and Petroleum Services businesses have the capability to capitalize on the demand.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Visa International has appointed a general counsel. Guy Rounsaville is joining from the San Francisco office of US firm Allen Matkins Leck Gamble & Mallory, where he was co-managing partner and head of corporate.
He replaces Bennett Katz, who retired in late 1999, and will be responsible for developing the global and corporate legal strategy and coordinating international legal work.
Visa is the world's largest payment system, generating more than $1.7 trillion (£1.16 trillion) in annual volume.
The company is currently embroiled in a massive antitrust case in the US. Along with Mastercard, it is accused of violating antitrust law by limiting competition through tie-ups with banks. The group is being represented by San Francisco firm Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe (The Lawyer, 19 June 2000).


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With apologies to Gregory Havret, the Frenchman who prevailed in a tense finish to this Johnnie Walker Championship, the proudest player on this golf course yesterday was Oliver Wilson. He does not expect to have a pub named after him, but Mansfield will have toasted his achievement last night.
Wilson completed a memorable month for the Nottinghamshire town in the wake of Rebecca Adlington's double Olympic success when earning the last qualifying place for next month's Ryder Cup. The 28-year-old will become the first player in modern times to play in the biennial dust-up without a professional victory to his name, but on this showing he will not necessarily be the weakest link.
The manner in which he responded to a charge from fellow countryman Nick Dougherty signalled him as a competitor with a keen nerve. After five holes of his second round, Wilson was six-over and on his way home for a torrid weekend of watching and waiting. But then with an inspired run, which saw him 13-under for his remaining 49 holes, Wilson recovered well to record a top 10 finish. It meant that the players who had come into the final counting event with their automatic places in jeopardy all had passed their personal examinations. Justin Rose (tied fifth) and Soren Hansen (tied 10th) also came in the top 10 in a rousing week for the Nick Faldo rookies.
Saying that, there were a few moments of alarm for Wilson as Dougherty stormed through the field with five birdies in a row from the seventh. If Wilson's countryman had carried that startling momentum all the way to the top of the leaderboard, and collected the £230,000 on offer, Wilson would have needed to come second. As it was, Dougherty's charge petered out, and in seventh place the 25-year-old, who lost his mother to a heart attack the week after the Masters in April, fell agonisingly short.
Wilson was clearly a relieved man and will soon head back to Mansfield for a civic reception alongside Adlington. "I can't see them naming a pub after me, like they did for Rebecca," he laughed. "I'm not that special. I think she was given a couple of pairs of golden Jimmy Choo shoes. I'm not sure what my equivalent would be. Anything plated in gold, I don't mind."
In the tournament proper, Havret holed an eight-footer on the 18th for a 14-under total to deny Hartlepool's Graeme Storm by a stroke. In third was David Howell. As a former Ryder Cup player, however, Howell will have recognised that the headlines were pointed elsewhere.
- More about:
- Golf
- Nick Faldo
- Rebecca Adlington
- Ryder Cup


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Although it often flies beneath the radar of many viewers and gets overshadowed by its bloodier network sibling Sons of Anarchy, FX's Kentucky-set Justified has consistently been one of the best dramas on TV since its premiere in 2010. From its expertly drawn lead characters and its colorful portrayal of the world of eastern Kentucky to its engaging storytelling and smooth handcrafted dialogue, Justified has proven that its more than capable of hanging with its more popular competition.
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Home › Forums › Campfire › Hiking Partners / Group Trip Announcements › JMT Record Attempts for 2010
Jul 27, 2010 at 8:54 pm #1261638
Moving this post over here:
It would be nice if you could change an original subject of a thread you started but since you can't, I'll try this with the correct subject one more time…
The JMT is heating up again.
This year there is no unsupported or supported record.
The record of 86 was made unsupported, so beating it supported just gets the supported record.
So who is it this year that's heading out to beat the elusive time.
Well it's the same guys that have been out there doing it all along.
This year I am going for the Supported Record and Ian Alloway is going to go Unsupported.
The battle even heats up around the same time as we will both be up there for August's full moon.
This year I'll have Michael Popov helping me in the pacing. It's about time. I've driven about 1200 miles each year for the support of him over the past two years. He will be pacing me from Mono Lake to Reds Meadow and from Tuolumne to the finish.
Sarah Spelt from PCTR will be with me the final night from Reds Meadow to Tuolumne.
The gear list this year is as minimal as possible.
Pack: Salomon XT Wings 5 Pro Backpack
Jacket: The North Face Zephyrus Insulated Pullover
Vest: Mont Bell Down Inner Half Sleeve Jacket
Rain/wind shell: North Face Triumph Anorak
Other gearworn or carried ; Rail Riders Long Sleeve Shirt and Pants, a light Nike cap, REI hat, Injungi Socks, Asics 2150 Trail shoes.
2.5 pounds per day of an assortment of
Hammer Jel Perpetium, Hammer Jel Heed, Amino Vital, Gue and Honey. Maybe a few snack stuff thrown in.
The Rest: MP3 player, Camera/ video, Coast Lensor H7 Headlamp, Time splits/small map, 1aaa extra battery, safety pin and Leuko tape for blisters, deet, and TP.
Thats it. Hoping to keep weight with water under 7 pounds at all times.
I'll have a person at Taboose Trail Jct to re-supply and a few hours sleep at mile 67 before a 2nd 67 mile day to Edison/ Mono at mile 134.
After that the pacers get to carry the pack!
Hoping to get out of Mono in under 48 hours. Yikes!!!
For now I'm in Louisiana helping with the clean up so its running in 90* weather on sand.Jul 27, 2010 at 9:48 pm #1632845
Good luck, Aaron!
I met some people on the JMT last week who are trying for a different kind of record: age records.
These 12-year-olds are trying to set an age record for the JMT yo-yo: http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/outdoor/Muir2009/calendar/calendar.htm Met them at MTR. They seem like very nice kids.
There is also a 6-year-old trying to set an age record for completing the JMT. Her mother carries her across high creek crossings. I passed them near the San Joaquin, didn't find out until later that they were actually attempting the whole JMT. Does anyone know any more about them? I'd like to be able to check back in August and find out if they made it, but I don't know their names, just said hi to them on the trail. There was a violent hailstorm July 17, which pretty thoroughly intimidated me — stones the size of peanuts, with enough of them falling in 15 minutes to bury things and build up snowdrifts. I met another JMTer who weathered that storm in the same tent with the girl and her mom, and apparently the girl was very calm and quiet, only remarking after a while, "That's loud."Jul 31, 2010 at 5:36 pm #1633824
Ben EganMember
@benjammin21Locale: The Grid, Brooklyn
Wow Aaron, best of luck. Quite. a. hike. I trust you'll really make the most of the full moon.
And a pair of 12 year olds yo-yo-ing is very impressive. Does anyone know about unsupported JMT age records? I've never seen much of anything about that.Aug 8, 2010 at 8:53 am #1635794
5 more days and I'm out of here.
Ian will have a spot on him so if anyone is interested here is the link so you can follow along.
he is up there now, so it is alread active.
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0BLMNqO1sFKfJjiFBbp6mjcXU4qvO85UiAug 8, 2010 at 9:05 am #1635795
Jorge DeLaSierraMember
@delasierraLocale: SoCal
Good luck on your run. The Charlotte-Whitney Portal trail is good-to-go with some snow patches still hanging out at Forester's upper north side. I will check out Ian's spot as well as yours. Happy trails Bro and most of all, stay safe.
jdAug 9, 2010 at 2:13 pm #1636090
The 12-year-olds completed the JMT, but they didn't do the yo-yo. I emailed with the dad, Peter Burke, and there were some fairly serious health issues. Too bad — they seemed like really nice kids — but they seem to have felt like it was still a positive experience.
Peter Burke also has contact info for the 6-year-old (she turned 7 on the trail) who was attempting the JMT with her mom. I don't know if they want their names made public on the web. Peter is going to check with them to see if they made it. He says, "I'm pretty sure they made it, because [the girl] really didn't seem to realize that hiking this trail was something that may be considered as "strenuous" by some :-)."Aug 10, 2010 at 1:08 pm #1636441
Bill FornshellBPL Member
@bfornshellLocale: Southern Texas
Hi Aaron,
Your starting date of 21 August also happens to be my 70th birthday. So good luck.
I downloaded your gear list for this hike. When you mention what you are carrying I think on one thread you said some of your stuff was going to be waiting for you at your rest stops, do I recall that correct?
The list of gear in this comment of yours seems to list a few different items.
This hike seems to be better organized with your support and with the help of your pacers who "get to carry the pack" toward the end. Not to take anything away from you, you still need the stamina to get to the end.
Best of Luck.Aug 10, 2010 at 1:15 pm #1636445
Finally !!!
Something incontrovertible for record attempters.
If Ian is carrying a Spot he is doing it right.Aug 11, 2010 at 7:54 pm #1636896
Hey everyone,
Thank you for the replies.
I'll be starting at Wednesday at 4am on the 18th.
To be ahead of the record it puts the finish at Happy Isles by 6pm on Saturday.
Heading up to 12K' on Friday to acclimatize.
I am not going to have a spot due to the sheer fact that I will have several people that are able to confirm my location on the trail.
If I were going unsupported, I would bring the spot.
I'll also had out cards to fellow hikers that have all the info on the card so I won't have to take 2 minutes to explain it to them.
Gear picked up each day will be 2 1/4 pounds of food, three-123 batteries, 2- aaa batteries. the luxury of going supported also gets me a change of socks, and fresh sunscreen, yyiippeee!
I haven't weighed the pack yet, but it is somewhere around 5ish and probably 7 pounds with 24 ounces of water.
Ian may not go now. He just got back from doing the Rae Lakes Loop and twisted his ankle a little.
He may join me on day 2, Upper Basin to Edison???Aug 11, 2010 at 8:49 pm #1636910
At some point, you just have to put some trust in people's honesty and sportsmanship. What are we going to do next, institute tests for blood doping? Last I heard, this wasn't a sport where people make big money from endorsements. Same thing with climbing. I don't need Hillary and Norgay's SPOT data to believe that they made it to the summit of Everest.Aug 12, 2010 at 9:40 am #1637015
"At some point, you just have to put some trust in people's honesty and sportsmanship"
unfortunately there is a long and well established history of members of the human race cheating for Fame, Fortune, and Glory.
as long as things don't matter and no one really cares, then your concept of trust is fine.
Trail Speed Records, especially the JMT, have entered the era where it matters, enough people pay attention and actually care. Witness Killian Jornet's attempt last summer to turn it into a helicopter monitored media circus.
Its time for Real verification.
People Trusted Bernie Madoff.
Just look at at all the scandals in the Olympics and Tour de France. If its possible to cheat, someone will. The main criteria is whether enough people care.
I've spent 25 years in the climbing world, and I can assure you climbers fudge and embellish the extent of their accomplishments ALL the time. Its not about money, simply about false credit.Aug 12, 2010 at 4:05 pm #1637090
I'm also not clear on what SPOT would really prove.
You've got other ways of proving that he left one trailhead at a certain time and arrived at the other end at a certain time.
If he's going for the unsupported record, SPOT won't detect whether he actually got support.
He could take a shortcut, but isn't the JMT pretty much the most efficient path between Whitney and YV anyway?
He could ride an animal part way, but SPOT won't detect that.
He could conceivably hike out to a road and get a ride in a car. That seems extremely farfetched to me, and it would be difficult to do without risking being noticed. If the point is that the sport is getting a high enough profile to give an incentive to cheat — isn't that a high enough profile that people are going to say, "I saw Killian Jornet going over Bishop Pass on Wednesday?"
AFAIK, people going for the record in recent years have had pretty good methods of proof that didn't involved SPOT. I think one guy handed out cards to people on the trail, and I recall another who had a video camera mounted on his hat that recorded the whole trip. Both of these seem more reliable than SPOT, not less.Aug 12, 2010 at 7:40 pm #1637147
Ben you are correct on all points.
ITs time for an official record committee of 200 to stand one mile apart on the JMT and verify all attempts.
My only point is that "something" is better than nothing.
We are past the era of blind trust.Aug 12, 2010 at 10:59 pm #1637185
Hey everyone.
I'm out of here in the morning, Friday the 13th.
I'll have my dad make a post here after he sees me off on day two from Edison.
You guys have excellent arguments about "self proclaimed records".
No trails that we go for are a race by any means and should not be treated like one.
You should still leave as little of a footprint as possible and not take anything away from the trail, (other than memories).
I was amazed last time I was on the JMT as I did not see one single piece of trash the entire time on the trail.
This is more important than what anything else were are arguing about.Oct 22, 2010 at 3:28 am #1656891
Ben EganMember
@benjammin21Locale: The Grid, Brooklyn
Hey, sorry to pick up an old thread but I was still wondering. I wan't specific enough in my question.
Does anyone know of the youngest unsupported JMTer? And their speed? I'm curious. Thanks for any answers or resources that could lead to answers!
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.


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Clifford Chance is set for a radical overhaul of its associate bonus system, with the maximum award now open only to senior associates and payments no longer based primarily on hours worked.
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Morgan OI 41 Gross Tonnage
What is your OI 41 Gross Tonnage ?
My 1979 415's Coast Guard Document says 18 tons
My 1973 413's Coast Guard Document says 25 tons
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My 1984 (83) 41 Morgan 416 Coast Guard & survey report says 29 ton. I am sure this is incorrect. 29,000 lbs is much closer.
Be careful to note that the marine tonnage is a capacity and not mass. Though I listed my documentation as 25 tons, the displacment (mass) of my Morgan OI 41 is approximately 13 tons. Take care and joy, Aythya crew
Thank you Captain Force. I think I recall you wrote a thread reference OI deck leaks along the car rail (for lack of a better discription) or joint. I have one and not quite sure how to repair.
Riverwolf, We may have a very different rail configuration. My '73 OI has the hull-deck joint at the rub rail and a teak toe rail that I removed many years ago. It you have the metal toe rail; then, I suspect that your hull-deck joint is at that rail. I believe the change to the design like yours is best, but I don't have any direct experience with solving leaks with that plan. Good luck, Take care and joy, Aythya crew
Re: Morgan OI 41 Gross Tonnage
Gross tonnage calculator can be found at: homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/home.do[/url] Search for "Gross Tonnage". You will find a PDF that explains how to calculate it.
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text:
My Memories
My Memory is Fading
The days and nights are passing
too quickly,
For I can scarcely remember the last time
I wrapped you in fragile skin:
warm, and easily breakable.
Shallow veins and arteries pumping for you,
Capillaries assimilating the essence of you,
as if you were a nutrient
necessary for sustaining life
but I am still alive.
These nights I reach for empty air where
your scent lingers on the unwashed sheets;
on the shirt you left behind
like a gift.
The days are not as golden as the
ochre islands
that once brightly held my love,
and i cannot see as clearly for that.
So I wish things would slow down.
My bones are breaking and cracking and
ceasing is the sound of
quiet breathing
beside me.
It scares me,
that i am forgetting.


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Fall 2015 newsletterWinter 2016 newsletterSpring 2016 newsletter
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The online hunting brochure contains the latest corrections. See our maps section to view the brochure.
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Voice-Over Technique Tip of the Month
Take Care of Your Voice
As a voice-over artist, your voice is your instrument. It is important to care for your voice the way a concert violinist would care for his or her violin. For example, concert violinists wouldn't leave their violins out in the cold rain the day before a big concert. Nor would it be smart for voice-over artists to go outside without a raincoat in a downpour the day before an audition or a recording. Many factors can cause vocal problems, including but not limited to upper respiratory infections, inflammation caused by acid reflux, vocal misuse and abuse (such as screaming at a sporting event or concert) and vocal nodules or laryngeal growths. Because your voice is your tool and your source of income, it is important to know how to properly care for your voice and how to prevent problems that could keep you from recording in your best possible voice.
Here are some helpful hints from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Web site to ensure that your voice is in tip-top shape before the big day.
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-Drink water—lots of it. Six to eight glasses a day is the recommended amount.
-Limit your intake of caffeinated or alcoholic beverages. These act as diuretics (substances that increase urination) and cause the body to lose water. This loss of fluids dries out the voice. Alcohol also irritates the mucous membranes lining the throat.
-Don't smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke. Cancer of the vocal folds is most often seen in smokers.
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-Get plenty of rest. Physical fatigue negatively affects the voice, and the lower energy level of the voice will be evident when recording.


text:
Be Still
Poem by: Corinne Smith
Status: Finished
Genre: Poetry
Be still
Close your eyes
And be still
Let your heart lead
Let your mind shift
Feel the cool air
Refreshing your skin
As it seeps to your soul
Run from the darkness
Dance towards the light
Escape all the stress
Strive to be calm
Forget the pain
Enter sweet bliss
Whisper softly
Words to uplift
Listen intently
For rain from above
Witness a miracle
Falling into your lap
Let your heart lead
Let your mind shift
Feel the cool air
Refreshing your skin
As it seeps to your soul
Be still
Open your eyes
And be still
© Copyright 2017 Corinne Smith. All rights reserved.
Add Your Comments:
That was nice. And I really like that picture you chose.
I liked the soft feel of the fourth stanza with all the "w"s...very nice poem: it makes you feel calm. Loved it, Corinne ♥
Another terrific poem.
Words to calm and pacify the soul and to ward off the trials, tribulations and vexations of one's job and/or daily life. All of which can obscure and rob us of the ability to enjoy the truly good things life has to offer.
With the right background music and a soft recitation by a similarly soothing voice, for many, it would be just the thing to help them relax and contemplate the real blessings in their own life.
You just did your part for world peace. I mean this. Most sincerely.
Happy trails,
Ed Bradley.
Other Content by Corinne Smith
Book / Romance
Book / Other
Book / Other
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Book / Thrillers
Short Story / Young Adult


text:
Nightwing (1979)
Plot Summary
A colony of vampire bats terrorize a small Indian community in New Mexico. Standard "Nature goes berserk" plot takes a twist toward the end when supernatural forces are discovered working through the bats.- Written by B.M.
Killer bats plague an Indian reservation in New Mexico.- Written by email@example.com
Deputy Youngman Duran and Walter Chee are both looking out for the survival of the Southwestern American Indian...See full synopsis » (Warning: contains spoilers!)


text:
Part Two
It was circulated on the train by some of the other contestants that Mr. John, who was apparently the Senior Supervisory Judge, had zero humour for anything but his own jokes (which were terrible), a strict adherent to the rule book (probably a good thing for me), and thought one-man teams were extraordinarily distasteful (damn, I'm in trouble).
The other candidates chattered around me, and I leaned back, shutting my eyes, listening to them. Plans of fortresses and tree houses drifted about. They exchanged lists of tools they had brought, without any concern about their potential opponents listening in for their nefarious purposes.
My ears perked up when the caught the scent of a seven-man team. I focused on that chatter, but they were only comparing the one-man team to them. No useful data.
I started to drift to sleep, until I felt someone standing over me. I opened my eyes. A short and skinny Asian girl stood next to a medium height and skinny Anglo-Saxon. She held out her hand, and I shook it.
"Something I can do for you?"
She shook her head. "Something we can do for each other."
I sat up, intrigued.
"You're the one-man team."
I didn't nod.
"We're a two. We want to propose an alliance."
The guy held up his hand. "More like a non-aggression pact." To this I nodded.
"I'm Ace."
They were Zeke and Yin.
I looked around us. "Do you want to go somewhere a bit more quiet to talk?"
Zeke nodded. "That's probably a good idea."
I stood and led them further back along the train, into the storage cars. We stopped in front of my locker. I pulled my keys out from the lanyard around my neck, unlocked the doors, and we stepped inside. I latched the door behind me.
It was a decent size storage locker, and numbered boxes lined all three walls.
"Go ahead and sit on a box, you won't do any harm to it." I sat on one side, and they the opposite.
Zeke and Yin glanced at each other, and then Yin spoke. "A Non-Aggression Pact is exactly what we're looking for. To put it bluntly – we're not building a fortress. We'll be setting up a tent or a lean-to whenever we stop, and plan to keep on the move. We won't have any aggressive opportunities, but we figure it's the best defense, as long as they don't find us."
Zeke stepped in. "Since you're the only single, and we're the only double, we thought it'd be best and easiest to appeal to you first."
I nodded. "I can accept that."
"We're just looking to survive to the final round. Beyond that, we're willing to surrender to you."
I nodded again. "May I ask two more things of you?"
Yin nodded. "What is it?"
"Give me an idea what are you'll be in. If someone confronts you, I can get there and either help get you out or be there to 'capture' you."
"And the other?" Zeke asked.
"Information on the other teams."
He nodded. "May we ask your plan?"
I glanced at the numbers on the boxes around us, and pulled out a list from my pocket. "Open the box Yin is sitting on."
She stands suddenly, and looks down at it. Zeke leans over it, and I pass him a box cutter.
"Don't worry, I've got more tape."
He nodded, and cut it open with one draw. Inside was a shovel, packed in paper, along with two air tanks. I reached into a corner and pulled out a roll of packing tape, tossing it to him. Zeke caught it, retaped the box, and handed both back to me.
Yin whispered, astonished, her eyes bright. "Tunnels."
"And hollow trees. It'll take them a while to find me, if they ever do."
"All these boxes?"
"Drills, some piping, other types of shovels, and more breathing equipment. Plus a secret weapon."
Yin pouted playfully. "You're not going to tell us?"
I grinned. "Ask me again after we get through the building round. Then maybe I'll show you how to use it." Yin's jaw dropped excitedly.
Zeke held out his hand, and we shook on it. "You've got yourself a deal."
"You too. Good luck friend."
"Same to you."
We walked out together, and the travel car's occupants looked up at us, whispering. They'd labeled us as the one and two man teams.
I held up my last three fingers.
They grew animated again.
Zeke and Yin waved as they disappeared into the crowd. I retreated back into my locker to study my maps.
I had double-checked my boxes, and was resealing the last one as I felt the train slow. Shortly after it stopped, Yin came back and knocked on the closed door, letting me know we had arrived.
I made sure the box was sealed, pushed it against one of the other piles, closed the box opener, dropped it in my pocket, and tossed the roll of tape in a corner. I'd given explicit instructions that none of my boxes were to be opened without my presence and permission, even by a judge. I closed the door and locked it behind me, before following the other candidates off the train.
"Leave all your baggage on the train. It will be brought off for you later, or you can come back and get it yourselves, after orientation," the conductor said over the station and train speakers.
I was glad my pockets were many and deep – all of my "carry on" luggage was already stored away in my pants.
Signs, arrows, and guides, some of which were Judges, and others just staff, got us all moving towards the auditorium and meeting hall. I was among the last to leave the train, so I found myself walking with those Judges, as they followed the mass and detected anyone trying to abandon the group and redirected any lost strugglers. I listened to them as we walked, but none of them seemed familiar.
Mr. John, the senior-most Supervisory Judge, was fruitlessly trying to quiet the group as I and the last of the candidates and judges walked in. They joined him up on stage with those already up there. His face was beet red.
The other judges only muttered between each other, watching the crowd as they sat in the row of chairs behind Mr. John's podium. Finally, one of them stood, walked to the very edge of the stage, and shouted:
The sound died without a flicker like lights during a power outage; no brown-outs for this crowd. As he turned to return to his seat, Mr. John turned aside.
"Thank you, John-Paul." I glanced at him sharply.
He just nodded curtly, and returned to his seat. I watched him while Mr. John began.
"Thank you for coming. As most of you already know, my name is Mr. John. Seated behind me are the seven Supervisory Judges who will be accompanying the seven teams that pass successfully the Preliminary Elimination round. If you have any questions, they are your resource. Any rule infractions or violations will be ruled on by one of them and myself. I hope it doesn't come to that." He chuckled.
One of the candidates towards the back, near where I was seated, whispered to his neighbors. "Mr. John is a terrible MBS. Go ahead and sleep. If you want, you can always get one of the other judges to summarize it for you."
"What's an MBS?"
"Most people say Massively Boring Speaker, but I call it something else..." He whispered it even more quietly, and the kids around him broke into laughter. It wasn't really funny, and I was too busy watching John-Paul, to listen closely to Mr. John anyways. Mr. John glanced up at the noise and scowled. They hushed up real quick.
"I'd like you to treat them kindly – they volunteered to be here – and are here for you.
"John-Paul,… Robert,… Alex,… Sam,… Paul,… Alicia,… and Emma." They stood briefly, individually.
"You all have received rulebooks, and I hope you all have made certain to go through them all thoroughly." One of the candidates started snoring dramatically. Mr. John glanced over at Robert, who stood, climbed off the stage, fished them out of one of the front rows, and escorted him out. Robert returned shortly twirling the former candidate's ID badge on his index finger.
"As I was saying. I dearly hope you've read it, but I still feel I need to go over a few things.
"First, a reminder that all drugs are banned from the property. If you require prescription or over-the-counter medication, you must inform a judge. No alcohol.
"Secondly, no bladed weaponry. No knives, saws, arrowheads, et cetera.
"Any violators will be disqualified.
"Also, nobody may leave the property without explicit written permission signed by two judges. Are there any questions thus far?"
A smartass in the front row raised her hand.
"Is the most abused drug in the US banned?"
Mr. John opened his mouth to say yes, but John-Paul got there first. "No, you can still have caffeine." He stood and walked to the edge of the stage. "Sugar, sports drinks, energy drinks, and caffeine will not be regulated by judges. But if you ingest too much, it's your own damn fault." He shrugged.
Mr. John looked proud as if he was the one who had answered the question, even though he had been moments away from banning caffeine. "Thank you, John-Paul. Anything else?"
John-Paul sat down on the edge of the stage with his legs hanging over the edge, and Mr. John frowned. It was fairly obvious they did not get along very well. I kept my eyes on John-Paul.
"None? Alright. Next order of business. The first round will begin in two days – the day after tomorrow. Until then, no students are allowed on the game property. You have tomorrow and the rest of today to get your things off the train and reviewed by a judge. Any contraband items will be confiscated. Depending on your behavior you may or may not get them back.
"Tomorrow evening, we will meet back here. The following morning, Stage One will begin and will last for two weeks.
"You are dismissed."
The candidates, except for a very few, erupted from the auditorium. Mr. John, with a few words to the other judges, returned to his office and quarters.
After most of the crowd had left, I saw John-Paul still sitting on the edge of the stage, as well as some of the other judges, who spread themselves out so candidates could ask them questions more easily. I spotted Zeke and Yin, but didn't call out or wave. They had climbed to the front row and were listening to other people's questions.
I stood from my seat in the back row and walked quietly up to the second row, sitting in a chair directly across from John-Paul.
Gradually, the candidates and judges dwindled away until it was just myself, Zeke and Yin, and John-Paul. Zeke and Yin stood, stretched, and greeted me as they left. John-Paul looked up at me. I still couldn't remember.
"Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"Sure." I stood, walked calmly to the end of the row, and back to him, this time in the front row, sitting back down. "I was looking for someone."
"Well, I don't know many of the candidates yet, just a few of those that were up here with questions a couple of minutes ago, but if they're faculty, I can definitely point you in the right direction."
"They're faculty, I think."
"Their name?"
John-Paul shrugged. "Besides me, I don't think there's anyone else here with those initials. Why?"
I grinned at him.
He stayed quiet, confused.
I stood, held out my hand, and he shook it. "My name is Ace."
He dropped my hand, surprised, tried speaking, gave up, and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Unfortunately, I don't remember you. You look familiar, but I can't place you."
He nodded. "That's alright. It was quite a few years ago. Still, I'm glad you made it, and it's nice to see you again. Anything I can help you with?"
"Be my Supervisory Judge, when the time comes."
He nods. "You the one-man team Mr. John was complaining about?"
"Yes. The two man–"
"Yeah, he wasn't terribly happy about that either. Were those the two that just left?"
I nodded. "We've got an NAP going for now."
"That's a good idea. You got your plans all set? I heard the survey team talking excitedly about you, but they wouldn't tell me what was up."
"I asked them to keep quiet about it. They were very helpful though."
"Good. Well, we should probably get going. Would you like a hand with your equipment?"
"That'd be wonderful, thanks."
John-Paul hopped down off the stage, and we walked back to the train together.
Most of the other candidates had left unloading for tomorrow, so the depot was relatively quiet. I led John-Paul into the storage cars to my locker, and let us in. He stood quietly in the doorway for a long moment, before stepping within and looking around.
The boxes were only numbered, not labeled, so he did not take long. "Is there anything I need to be extra careful with?"
"Everything is already packaged tightly, so there shouldn't be any problem. Just don't drop anything."
He nodded, and we started building a careful pile out on the decking. When the locker was empty, I made another count of the boxes. Every last one was accounted for. Good.
"Where are my quarters before the game?" I asked John-Paul.
"A small cabin close to the edge of the clearing." He walked into the depot and returned with two push-carts. He started loading one cart, and I followed with the other.
"I would like to be done with this tonight."
"Don't worry, Ace. It will be." Our carts full, he led me through the lines of other cabins, to the very last one. "If you want to start bringing these inside, I will go get the rest." He turned, leaving both carts – fully burdened – with me.
"Don't you need–"
"Don't worry, there are plenty more carts, tonight at least. That won't be true tomorrow when everybody else is set on settling in." He jogged back to the depot, and I started unloading and bringing them inside.
There was very little furniture within the cabin, only a bunk bed, a small dresser, a small cast iron stove, a small washbasin, and a large ragged rug. I pushed them all except for the stove into one of the front corners, because it was cemented in place with the steam pipe fixed above it, and rolled up the rug and tossed it on the bottom bunk. The boxes I lined along the walls, keeping them mostly in order. They covered the windows, but the single, bare light bulb swaying gently above me was more than enough light, as I didn't plan on spending any more time in here than necessary.
Before I knew it, John-Paul was standing in the middle of the cabin, leaning against the stove, watching me count the boxes one more time, matching them against my list. I folded the list for what would be the last time that night, and slid it back into one of my pockets.
I turned to him. "Thanks for the help."
"Not at all, it's my pleasure. You've made me very curious though: you keep checking those boxes as if you expect one to grow legs and walk away."
"It doesn't hurt to be cautious, especially with one judge already against my choices."
John-Paul nodded. "Would you let me–"
"Glance into one of the boxes? I think not! And don't be asking Zeke and Yin either. You'll have to wait until inspection."
He sighed, shaking his head. "Alright." He walked to the door, opening it, and stepping out. "Don't forget about the meeting tomorrow night. And then the game begins the next morning at dawn."
"Thanks for the help."
He nodded and walked away. I stood in the doorway for several long minutes, watching and listening to the camp in the darkness, before turning and going to bed.
I tossed and turned for a few hours, unable to find a comfortable position. Finally, I opened the box with my sleeping bag and bedroll, climbed onto the roof of my cabin, and shortly fell asleep on my back, gazing upward at the dome of stars.
The sun found me easily up there, bright and early, much earlier than I usually wake. Quickly much too warm in my down sleeping bag, I climbed out and sat on top of it, shading my eyes and watching the camp come to life.
I spotted Zeke among the early risers, but Yin looked to still be in bed, as well as most of the other candidates. Mr. John was up, as well as the female judges.
My stomach growled distastefully, and I surveyed the buildings and cabins laid out before me. With a fair idea of the camp, I climbed down, brought my bedroll and bag back inside my cabin, locked the door and went in search of the dining hall.
After getting directions from one of the judges (not Mr. John, as I was going to do my best effort to stay out of his direct attention), I finally managed to find it wandered inside.
The dining hall was a long and narrow building, filled with long tables and benches. At the far end from the entrance was the kitchen and serving area, and from there came the homely smell of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausages. Since the preserve was closed to the public for the duration of the game, and was only open to candidates and faculty, the check-out queues and registers were closed and barren.
I made my way over to the servers, piled three pancakes on a plate, a square of butter on top of them, two sausage links to the side, a fair serving of maple syrup over them both, and a double order of apple juice on the side. I carried my tray over to a table in one of the corners, sat, and watched people trickle in as I ate.
When I finished, I sat there, still watching, until the noise level rose beyond my liking. I sorted and stacked my dishes in the tubs near the exit, and walked out. A lot of candidates were rushing about, some socializing, most carrying boxes of equipment from the train, as those who had risen earliest had monopolized the carts. I was glad I'd done it the previous night. Plenty of boxes were dropped, toes trod on or rolled over, so I dodged the cabins and walked the long way around to my distant cabin. Time-wise, it was a shortcut, and I welcomed the exercise the circuitous route brought me. Still breathing heavily, I climbed back on my roof with my bedroll, a notepad, and a book, entertaining myself between the pages and the madness below me.
I descended from the roof around mid-afternoon, when the traffic between cabins had slowed and calmed considerably, pulled a case of a four empty water jugs from one of my boxes, filled them with water and ice in the dining hall, grabbed some food, and returned to my roof until dinnertime.
Mr. John came sneaking around my cabin soon after I returned. He tried the door, and upon finding it locked, tried going around the back and peeking in the windows. All he saw were the sides of boxes that I'd piled against the walls, covering the windows. I watched as he tramped back around to the front and walked off, not thinking to look up and catch me watching as he glanced around, acting paranoid. I grinned to myself as he walked away.
As the sun descended below the trees I climbed down once more, and headed to the auditorium. I was several minutes early, and there were still plenty of empty seats, but I again took a seat in the very back row.
John-Paul caught my eye and nodded; he was already seated on the stage, again with his dangling over the edge, chatting with several candidates in the front few rows. Mr. John was behind his podium, flipping through a series of note cards. A few of the other judges were chatting on the stage, the rest hadn't arrived yet.
Slowly, other candidates started trickling in, and the noise level rose audibly. When eight o'clock finally rolled around, Mr. John called for silence, and the candidates quieted with none of the nonsense from last time.
Mr. John got started. "I hope everybody got settled in alright. Tomorrow morning, Stage One begins, and your performance there decides which seven teams go on to play and compete.
"Please remember: Stage One is for constructing your fortress, nothing more. Attacking other teams will result in immediate disqualification. Do I make myself clear?"
A "Yes Mr. John" rumbled through the crowd, clearly bored and wanting to get going.
"At dawn tomorrow morning, the judges and I will assemble on the far side of the camp, closest to the forest. Those who wish to get the earliest start, may meet us there. Stage One will last for two weeks, after which all the fortresses will be inspected by a judge, and the seven best will go on to compete.
"We will take any additional questions until ten, and then we will hopefully see you all in the morning." Mr. John stepped back from the podium. Most of the candidates stood and left, and Mr. John took off after seeing how few students remained.
I stood, preparing to leave myself, when John-Paul caught my eye, and shook his head. I sat back down and waited. By nine-thirty, the auditorium had emptied to just the two of us, and he climbed up to the last row.
"Anything you need, Ace?"
"Nope, I'm all set."
"Then I'll see you in the morning."
"We'll see. I might not make it."
His eyebrow rose. "Thinking of sleeping in? I didn't think–"
"Oh, no. Quite the contrary, actually. I'll be getting up extra early. Mr. John never said the game starts at sunrise, he said it starts tomorrow. I'll be heading across the field after midnight."
His eyes grew wide. "You little devil!" He grinned. "I bet no one else will have thought of that. And if they don't see you..." The implications were dawning on him.
"Hopefully, Mr. John will think I slept in," I filled in. "Or that I chickened out."
"Do Zeke and Yin know?"
I shook my head. "But they won't believe I've deserted, so I'm not worried. If anything, they'll just attribute it to another trick up my sleeve."
"Alright." He shook my hand. "If I don't see you in the morning, I'll see you in two weeks."
"Alright, thanks."
"Not at all. Glad to see someone get one up on Mr. John." He yawned. "I hope you have a good night."
I laughed. "I certainly will. You too."
We walked out of the auditorium together and then went our separate ways.
I returned to my cabin, and changed my clothes. After pulling on new cargo pants, boots, t-shirt, hat, and draping a towel over my shoulders, all of them black, I filled my pockets with snack bars, hung several still frozen water bottles from my belt, and grabbed a prepared black duffel. I left my cabin, locked it, and got down on the side of my cabin closest to the forest. It was right on the very edge of the camp, so I had an unobstructed view. Undoubtedly, several hours after I left, other candidates would be standing right here, waiting for the sun; but for now, in the deepening night, the view was only mine.


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text:
I thought I'd bring a little truth to the young troops
I brought proof that the niggas need guns too
It's not to be a racist, but let's face this:
Wouldn't you if we could trade places?
I got lynched by some crooked cops, and to this day
Them same motherfuckers on the beat gettin' major paid
But when I get my check they takin' tax out
So, we payin' for these pigs to knock the blacks out
("Point The Finga")
With today being West Coast Wednesday yet again, I have another hot throwback for y'all. Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…, the platinum-selling sophomore studio album from late, great hip hop legend Tupac Shakur (professionally known as 2Pac), celebrated its 24th anniversary last week. This joint arrived less than two years after Pac came out blasting on the scene with his rugged, gold-selling debut solo album, 2Pacalypse Now; the promising effort established Shakur as a steadily rising star to keep an eye on and Strictly… would only take things to the next level.
Boasting dusty, sample-heavy boom bap production from the likes of Digital Underground (the Oakland, CA-based group that 2Pac started his career with as a sideman; DU also produced the bulk of 2Pacalypse Now), Hollis, Queens, NYC affiliates the Live Squad, prolific Oakland producer and former 415 member DJ Daryl, West Coast hip hop veteran and former Uncle Jamm's Army member Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin and even young Golden Era rap sensation Special Ed (of "I Got It Made" and "The Mission" fame; Ed unfortunately doesn't spit a verse on the album, but he and DJ Akshun are credited as producers on "Guess Who's Back"), this is a solid release reflecting Pac's then-constantly developing lyrical gift and passion early in his career, effectively balancing street-smart social and political subject matter with more lighthearted moments; this balance is best exemplified by the album's two major singles, "I Get Around" (a fun party jam celebrating sexual conquests that features Digital Underground members Shock G and Money B) and "Keep Ya Head Up" (a serious song paying tribute to the struggles of black women, particularly those who are single mothers; the track notably employs a beautiful sample of Zapp's "Be Alright" and contains additional R&B vocals from a young Dave Hollister, who had previously assisted Pac on the latter's 1991 debut single "Brenda's Got A Baby").
2Pac boldly takes a stand against both crooked cops and censorship on "Souljah's Revenge" and "Point The Finga" and there are also a couple particularly powerful moments in the album's second half; "The Streets R Deathrow" (which uniquely describes the harsh environment surrounding him while also eerily foreshadowing his brief stint on Death Row Records prior to his untimely death in 1996) and "Papa'z Song" (which features Pac's stepbrother Mopreme Shakur (known on here as Wycked) and speaks on the difficulty and frustration of growing up without a solid father figure.
Additionally, Shakur joins forces with West Coast gangsta rap pioneers Ice Cube AND Ice-T on "Last Wordz", shouts out a solid who's-who of hip hop greats (including a significant number of East Coast artists; this was a time of considerably less tension than what would erupt into the infamous East Coast/West Coast controversy that would culminate in the deaths of Pac and friend-turned-rival The Notorious B.I.G. within six months of each other in 1996 and 1997, respectively) on "Representin' 93" and finishes the album with the hardcore posse cut "5 Deadly Venomz" (featuring a random lineup of guests that includes friend and Naughty By Nature frontman Treach, late former Flavor Unit member Apache (of "Gangsta Bitch" fame) and Live Squad members Stretch and Majesty.
It would be another couple years before 2Pac's music would truly reach its prime, becoming more mature and consistent in quality (he truly died at the height of his short career), but Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z… offers an even more promising display of the man's talent than his debut and a potent dose of what has made him come to be remembered as one of hip hop's all-time greatest talents as well as a pop culture icon.
R.I.P. Tupac Amaru Shakur (1971-1996) and Happy West Coast Wednesday y'all….


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text:
A Lack of Colour
Book by: EwanMac
Status: Finished
Genre: Romance
Chapter9 (v.1)
Kate smiled at Ollie as she exited the bus, stepping off into the cold weather she pulled her scarf around her. It was not a long walk from the bus stop to her home, she walked and unlocked the
door. Or at least attempted to unlock the door, as it was already open. She walked in to see James already home, still in work clothes, boiling some water in a pot and looking at pasta recipes.
\"Oh! You're home. I'm just in, starving. Been out?\" James said smiling with a wooden spoon in one hand, he walked over and kissed her on the cheek \"God you're cold.\"
Kate laughed, \"Yeah, was out with a friend, nice to see you home at a normal time!\"
The couple talked as Kate took over from the cooking and prepared quite a delicious meal, lucky she had bought those olives on impulse yesterday. The pair sat at the the table sharing a bottle of wine as they ate, James smiled over at his wife and continued to eat.
\"Something wrong, James?\" Kate asked holding a loaded fork to one side.
\"Well... Kind of, I have some bad news. You'll hate it but I need to say right off that I am getting a pay rise and a promotion out of it!\" his tone was rushed and apathetic. Kate raised her brows and smiled, \"Go on,\" she said, and ate the contents of her fork.
\"Well, as you know I have been really busy at work and, Head Office want me to do a presentation at a conference... In Berlin...\" He gave an apologetic smile, Kate only smiled back at her spouse.
\"Why would that disappoint me? I mean if its good for you, then its good for me isn't it?\" She smiled again and sipped her wine.
\"I'm so glad you think so!\" James beamed, reached over the table and gave Kate a loving kiss on her cheek.
Kate smiled, and smiled... It helped fight back the lonely tears.
When the bus pulled up at the stop closest to Ollie's house, which was still a fair distance away, it had started to rain. He pulled up his hood and trudged through the forming puddles. He
unlocked the front door and made the ascension to his apartment. He walked in and looked around, I should probably do something about these boxes, he thought to himself. He caught a glimpse of a
red light on his house phone and looked over and noticed it was shining next to the \"New message\" sign or rather \"'N'w M'ssag\" sign, long conversations bored Ollie and so one Ket enhanced
conversation had led him to scratch off all the Es.
He pressed the button to hear the low buzzing that came before the message. It beeped and then came a familiar voice, \"Hey, Ollie. Stopped by guess you must have been out? Anyway I'm stopping by again tomorrow okay?\" Joanne was a demanding presence when she cared to be.
He sat on his sofa and dug out his Ket-pouch. He scratched the white powder off again. He sniffed it up and lay back. He thought about Joanne, her long brown hair, perfect figure... And she appeared in front of him, her sunny looking face. Bright brown eyes screwed in laughter her cherry red lips forming the most beautiful smile one could ever hope to achieve. Then it changed, her eyes opened and her brown eyes were replaced with soft light blue ones. Her straight brown hair lightened and curled, even the lips paled into a sweeter shade of pink and the face staring back at him was that of his earlier companion. Kate smiled the same smile she had when she walked into the cafe earlier that day. Ollie grasped the arm of the chair and squeezed his eyelids together so hard it hurt, when he opened them he was lying on the couch some hours later.
He rolled off the couch, still terrified by the vision or dream or what ever had just happened, and made his way to the kitchen. He poured a glass of water and sat on one of the rarely used seats in the kitchen. He struggled to pull out a cigarette, he struggled further to light it. When he did, he took each draw with a rugged breath. His chest hurt, he should not be smoking but he continued despite the pain.
© Copyright 2017 EwanMac. All rights reserved.
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text: "The difference between me and the surrealists, is that I am a surrealist" - Salvador Dali Hi, I'm Timmy. Don't really know what to say... ironic on a writing website, eh? I read, I write, I draw, I listen. Can I point out that for the next few weeks, my writing will be painstakingly slow as I'm bogged down with school-work, spending time with the other-half, searching for a job and working on artwork for a competition. I apologise profusely for the lack of updating my three chapters of The Noose, but they're decent lengths I think. https://twitter.com/Revolution_909 Keep it real, no one else will


text:
Washington, September 30 : Britney Spears, who has recently released her comeback single 'Womanizer', has revealed that she's practicing her dance routines for a tour 'definitely next year'.
The singer told the NYC radio station Z-100 that she intends performing 'around the world', reports Us Magazine.
Meanwhile, the singer is excited about her new single and thinks it as a girl anthem'.
She said: "It's a really cool song.
"I like the fact that it's so empowering for girls. It's about guys cheating on other girls."
Her latest track is the first single from her forthcoming album 'Circus' that is set to hit the shelves on Dec 2 - the singer's 27th birthday.
"I cut Circus like two weeks ago," she said.
"I've been working on this album for like six months now," she added.
Britney recently gleamed at the MTV Video Music Awards on 7th September when she walked away with three trophies - 'Video of the Year', 'Best Female Video' and 'Best Pop Video'.