text:
|Publication No: 3234
|Search all ORC publications
Partial discharge measurements on a 400kV cable joint using optical modulation techniques
Y.Tian1, P.L.Lewin1, G.Schroeder, J.S.Wilkinson2, and S.J.Sutton
1. The Tony Davies High Voltage Lab., University of Southampton UK
2. Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, UK
This paper investigates the application of an electro-optic modulator based partial discharge (PD) continuous on-line monitoring system for PD measurements on a 400 kV prefabricated cable joint. Obtained results have verified the principle and demonstrated the effectiveness of the developed technique.
3rd IEE International Conference on Reliability of Transmission and Distribution 15-17 Feb (2005) pp.283-286
doi: 10.1049/cp:20050053
Southampton ePrint id: 70929
Copyright University of Southampton 2006


text:
Blakemore Wholesale has invested heavily in its cash & carry depots in recent years to create an estate with the highest standards and levels of customer service.
Product ranges, facilities and services vary between depots, as we ensure that they are tailored to meet local requirements.
What all depots do have in common is that they all offer low prices, regular promotions, exclusive products from the Landmark Group and a warm welcome. All depots also offer loading assistance and accept all major credit cards.
We stock everything that retailers, caterers and business users require – from a complete range of groceries, fresh and chilled foods and catering products to licensed products, cigarettes, tobacco and hampers. We also provide a range of non-food products including electrical items.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Note the handy help text next to the mask feature in the Firewall:
Traffic shaper: Edit pipe screen. It says:
If 'source' or 'destination' is chosen, a dynamic pipe with the
bandwidth and delay given above will be created for each
source/destination IP address encountered, respectively. This makes it
possible to easily specify bandwidth limits per host.
If you choose source or destination and specify a bandwidth limit of
128 then each IP address will, dynamically, be assigned its own 128k
pipe. See Eric's previous email for which of source of destination to
hope that helps
On 10 May 2004, at 6:47 PM, Tony Pitman wrote:
> Eric,
> Thanks for the reply. As it turns out I want to limit the users
> because it will encourage them to purchase more bandwidth. I will
> charge my users more based on the bandwidth that they require. I don't
> want them to get more than I give them unless they pay more for it.
> I am still a little unclear about the rule part....do I need to create
> a rule for EACH IP address (i.e. user) or can I create a single rule
> that includes all of the IP addresses (i.e. all my users) and each one
> will still get their OWN 128k slice?
> Tony
>> From: "Eric Shorkey" <eshorkey at commonpointservices dot com>
>> To: <m0n0wall at lists dot m0n0 dot ch>, "Tony Pitman" <tony at shatalmic dot com>
>> Subject: Re: [m0n0wall] bandwidth limiting
>> Date: Mon, 10 May 2004 21:46:32 -0400
>> X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1409
>> All you need to do is create one pipe with a 128k limit. Within the
>> pipe
>> configuration, set the mask to source or destination. (If you're
>> limiting
>> incoming bandwith, set it to destination. If you're limiting
>> outgoing, set
>> it to source.)
>> Then create the rule(s) that use the appropriate pipe. m0n0wall will
>> then
>> limit each user's bandwidth individually, based on the pipe mask. So
>> 100
>> users each get their own 128k slice of bandwidth, and are never
>> allowed to
>> use more.
>> With T1's and a bunch of users, your best bet is probably not using
>> pipes,
>> but using queues instead. A queue allows you to prioritize your
>> available
>> bandwidth, rather than simply capping it. So if only a single user is
>> using
>> the bandwidth at any time, they get the whole pipe to themselves. As
>> users
>> start using up the available bandwidth, the queue will ensure that
>> every
>> user gets their share of time based on the weights you give. If
>> everyone
>> gets the same slice of time, then you only need 1 queue, and you just
>> set
>> it's weight to 1, or whatever the default is. Queues let you
>> prioritize the
>> traffic of particular users. In your case, you probably don't care
>> about
>> that feature, but the benefit of letting each user have as much
>> bandwidth as
>> is available is probably a good idea. Overall, your users will get
>> more done
>> as files will transfer as fast as possible, but only when there is
>> enough
>> bandwidth to go around.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Tony Pitman" <tony at shatalmic dot com>
>> To: <m0n0wall at lists dot m0n0 dot ch>
>> Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 9:18 PM
>> Subject: [m0n0wall] bandwidth limiting
>> > I am not totally clear on the Traffic Shaper in m0n0wall. I
>> searched the
>> > archive and didn't really get an answer to my question so here goes:
>> >
>> > I have a T1 that m0n0wall is managing.
>> >
>> > I have over 100 users on the ethernet sharing the T1.
>> >
>> > I would like to limit the MAX amount of bandwidth that a single
>> user can
>> > use to be 128k FOR EACH USER.
>> >
>> > I don't want to have to create a pipe for EACH user (based on IP
>> address).
>> >
>> > Can I simply set up one pipe and then make a rule for the sub class
>> of IP
>> > addresses and point them all to the same pipe?
>> >
>> > My understanding of most bandwidth products is that if you point
>> more than
>> > one IP address to a single pipe, they share the pipe (so 10 users
>> all
>> using
>> > the same 128k pipe at the same time would each only get 12.8k)
>> >
>> > This is hard to explain. I hope I am making sense.
>> >
>> > Here is an example:
>> >
>> > If I assign all 100 user to be limited to 128k and only 2 of them
>> are
>> using
>> > the T1 I want them BOTH to each get their own 128k.
>> >
>> > If I create a single pipe with a bandwidth of 128k do I:
>> >
>> > A) create a 2 pipe each with 128k and then create 2 rules, one for
>> each IP
>> > address and pointing to its OWN pipe?
>> >
>> > B) create a single pipe with 128k and then create a single rule
>> with a sub
>> > net that includes both IP address?
>> >
>> > C) create a single pipe with 128k and then create 2 rules BOTH
>> pointing to
>> > the SAME pipe?
>> >
>> > D) some other configuration?
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Tony Pitman
>> > Shatalmic Company
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>> > To unsubscribe, e-mail: m0n0wall dash unsubscribe at lists dot m0n0 dot ch
>> > For additional commands, e-mail: m0n0wall dash help at lists dot m0n0 dot ch
>> >
>> >
> Tony Pitman
> Shatalmic Company
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe, e-mail: m0n0wall dash unsubscribe at lists dot m0n0 dot ch
> For additional commands, e-mail: m0n0wall dash help at lists dot m0n0 dot ch


text:
Police: Girlfriend shot boyfriend in groin area
Published 11:14 pm, Wednesday, April 9, 2014
SAN ANTONIO — A lover's quarrel resulted in a man being shot in the groin area Wednesday night.
Police responded to a call for a shooting in the 600 block of East White Road around 9:45 p.m.
According to officers, a woman, in her 30s, had gotten into an argument with her boyfriend, in his 50s. Both were armed.
The woman fired one shot into the man's groin area. The bullet went straight though his inner thigh.
The woman said she fired in self-defense, and the man says he was shot unprovoked.
He was taken to the San Antonio Military Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
News Channel
SAPD continues to investigate.
Twitter: @MDWilsonSA


text:
Blake Lively's Legs and Other News
Posted by Photo Boy
- Russell Simmons admits black people secretly want to stab gay children's heads. [Popeater]
- Not including Mya who champions gay rights as a dime-store dominatrix. [Dlisted]
- Vanilla Ice dazzles with the undeniable drawing power of neon leather. [FilmDrunk]
- Lily Allen got married. Wearing earmuffs. [Lainey Gossip]
- Holly Madison is doing it wrong. [Hollywood Tuna]
- So is the person responsible for The Avengers poster. [IDLYITW]
- How to make terrible music tolerable: Just add breasts! [DrunkenStepfather: NSFW]
- This is how all geography classes should be taught. [theCHIVE]
- Emma Watson does Vogue. [Popoholic]
- Kelsey Grammer refuses to eat Kayte Walsh's face on a reality tv show. Out of respect. [Starpulse]
- Betty White has some great advice. [BuzzFeed]
- Do NOT try to one-up Andy Richter. [Heavy]
- Celebrity Nose Pickers: Including John Travolta who does it like a gentleman, wearing leather gloves and a hairpiece. [Celebslam]
- Athletes and Guns: What could possibly go wrong? [Bleacher Report]
- E3 in a Nutshell: For the nerd on the go. [Maxim]
Follow The Superficial on Facebook || Twitter || Formspring || Mobile
Photo: Splash News


text:
Ricky Ponting will be desperately hoping the team he leads to India later this year includes Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
It's no coincidence the absence of those two players for the first time in 10 years has taken Australia to the brink of their first series loss at home in 11 years.
Without those two bowlers, Australia have fallen back to the level of other teams. Between them Warne and McGrath have taken 921 Test wickets.
Australian players and administrators argue there is enough depth in Australia cricket to cover for their loss but that is patently untrue.
On good batting decks this summer against a super-talented batting line-up, Australia's paucity of true strike bowlers has been exposed.
Jason Gillespie still shines but the back-up seems thin. Brett Lee appears well short of his fastest, and without speed he doesn't do enough with the ball to threaten batsmen. In this respect he's no Shoaib Akhtar, who can reverse swing the old ball at alarming pace.
Nathan Bracken looks promising in his ability to bowl tightly - giving up less than three runs per over as India piled on 7-705 at a run rate of 3.77 per over. He did his job for Australia in that respect but couldn't take a wicket.
Brad Williams had his moments at the MCG when he ripped through the Indian tailenders on a two-paced pitch but wasn't the fearsome tearaway he is sometimes made out to be.
Before this final Test, Steve Waugh defended his inexperienced pace bowlers by reminding journalists that Warne and McGrath didn't have ideal starts to their Test careers.
With tours to Sri Lanka and India looming for Australia this year, Ponting can expect more days like the first two at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The bowlers can expect long, tiring workouts in hot conditions - especially in unforgiving India. Ponting can expect to have his captaincy, strategic nous and leadership qualities sorely tested.
In the second Test against India in Adelaide and again here in Sydney, Australia have seemed bereft of ideas in the face of near-perfect batting from the likes of VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.
Ponting's cricketing brain is highly regarded. He's also a tough nut and a natural leader. But if this summer is any guide, and if he has to lead a team to the sub-continent minus McGrath and Warne, all of his skills will be stretched to the wire.
|Print this article Email to a friend
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Copyright © 2004. The Sydney Morning Herald.
|advertise | contact us


text:
Please vote on this idea...
{{randomIdea.category}} {{randomIdea.comments}} Answered Launched
Good suggestion?
There are no ideas left to vote on. Why not suggest your own idea?
|Recurrent task without due date
|See who you have invited and invite status
|Add to Google Apps Marketplace
Started by aarontn General7 comments
|Choose a delivery date for a gift account
Started by paul.morgalla General0 comments
|Add tasks to top of list
Started by ryan.behrman General4 comments
|Checklist tasks.
Started by gordonrobb General0 comments
|Automatically postpone repeating tasks
Started by astrojason General3 comments
|Add activity log
Started by muhozhrun General2 comments
|Put a checkbox in the notes section
Started by vegaschuck General0 comments
|Publish your product road map.
|Customizable dock badge count on macOS
|Separate work and home tasks
Started by unsliced General4 comments
|New Date Format
Started by sssboom General0 comments
|When a pro user shares content the lists shared should be viewable by the recipient even if the recipient is not a pro user
Started by micheldm General0 comments
|behaviour of the appearance of subtasks
Started by fant General0 comments
|Assign a task to someone that is not a rtm user
Started by foulox General0 comments
|Assign a task to multiple people
Started by tdmusic General0 comments
|Forum: archive old/dead threads
|Default priority for subtasks
Started by gotmatt General0 comments
|Support for TaskPaper-like outlining in Smart Add syntax


text:
Time Out London Sex Survey 2013: the results are in!
And they're absolutely filthy. Find out where you rank in the depravity of it all with our interactive sex map, saucy statistical breakdowns and barely believable tales of good times gone wrong
We asked Londoners to tell us all about their sex lives: the good, the bad and so-ugly-they-left-with-a-fake-name. Ten thousand of you shared your most intimate secrets with us, and now we're going to blab about them to everybody else. Read on for six surprising stats, and then find out how much sex Londoners are really having, peruse our London sex map, cringe at the city's most embarrassing stories, and find out where men and women really differ.
It stands to reason that half of people must be better in bed than average, and half of people worse. We asked you which half you thought you were in.
And it turns out, an implausible 76% of you claimed you were 'better than average'. The painful but statistical truth is that some of you are kidding yourselves:
Of all the 'worse than average' types, more than half have no idea. So even if you think you're a great lay, don't rest on your laurels. Make passionate love to your laurels. Do that thing to your laurels that the laurels really like. You know, that thing.
Find out how many partners the average person has had.
'If you put a penny in a jar every time you make love in the first year of marriage, and then you take a penny out of the jar every time you make love in the second year, you know what you have? A jar full of pennies.' Roger Sterling, Mad Men
It's the premise to a thousand stand-up routines, but how do our sex lives change as our relationships progress? Let's find out:
Sort of true. The average person 'in a relationship' has sex an average of ten times a month. Once you move in together, that declines to seven. And married couples have sex an average of five times a month – half that of their less committed counterparts, but still respectable.
But all these groups massively out-screw single people, who manage to have sex once a month, on average, if at all. (0 was the single most common result for singles.) So before you dream of sowing (or reaping) some wild oats, consider the grim reality: one-in-five singles categorized their sex lives as 'mostly crying'.
Can men and women ever be just friends? Well, of course they can! But as it turns out, that's often due to women's disinterest in their male friends.
We asked (straight) men and women the following question...
Men are three times more likely to say they'd 'definitely' tap that just-good-friend, while twice as many women exclaimed 'good grief, no' at the very prospect. All in all, 64% of men gave a positive answer, while 66% of women gave a negative one.
Next, we asked people to guess whether that same friend would be interested:
Both sides are moderating their estimates – although not quite enough to match reality. 58% of women suspected their guy friend probably would, slightly under the 66% of men that told us they would. Men try to keep it realistic too, with 43% of men thinking their friend would, quite a bit higher than (but at least in the ballpark of) the 33% of women that actually admitted as such.
An alternative explanation: men are gravitating towards 'women that might sleep with me' for their closest female friends, while women are choosing 'people that won't hit on me when I least expect it' as their boy-besties.
Read more about how men and women differ here.
We asked about your most embarrassing sexual encounters, and received over 3,000 eye-watering tales in return. You can see the most commonly used words above. While some tales suggest a lack of adventure ('I got a cramp!') others employed a turn of phrase ('a fountain of red and brown nightmares') that we won't soon forget.
Read the funniest tales of coital awkwardness, and get the stats on London's most frequent mishaps.
Just met someone? Well, this is crazy: 'casual encounters' are far more common in the central boroughs than they are in the suburbs. Here's our numbers: Nearly two thirds of respondents in Hackney and more than half from Lambeth, Wandsworth, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Islington, Camden and Lewisham said they'd slept with someone they'd met the same day, while the figure is as low as 21% (Sutton) in the outskirts.
Want to know where the wanking capital of London is? View our sex map of London, maybe.At least that's one interpretation of the data. Here are some of the responses you gave, from most-to-least common:
Ah, so this survey only proves one thing really.. When people are asked questions about their sex life they lie.
its good
I'm so shocked that only 3% of women watch porn 'most days'. Is it seen as a taboo or something? As many of my lady friends watch porn quite a bit including me. Also, the STI stat is worrying. My friend works in a clinic and is a specialist nurse in that particular field and her averages are WAY higher. For example, 7 out of 10 Londoners under 50 will get a HPV infection at some point. I think a major campaign to encourage testing is on the cards...
I'd like to see some factoring in this survey to account for the fact that Londoners are also the most conceited people in the UK, most likely to chat absolute S.H.I.T
How were the respondents recruited? And what form did the survey take?
Hmm interesting but I found a lot more great surveys related to sex on http://surveyxxx.com
ymmy mummy
Would have been interesting to see a breakdown by age - next time perhaps. (I'm nearly 70 and stil willing - but these days a little less able!)
The first diagram is also wrong the basis that some people in who rate themselves as below average in bed, might actually be better in bed than average - and just modest! So the 50% "better than average in bed and know it" is probably incorrect and there might be a small subsection of "better in bed than average and don't 'know it".... BAD STATS!
"It stands to reason that half of people must be better in bed than average, and half of people worse." That's not true, unless you're talking about the median which is not what most people usually understand, or mean, by 'average'.
Me thinks a few people need to get an sti test/are lying....
89 percent have safe-ish sex. Really? How does that tally with the STD percentage?
The survey was a bit of fun, but not in any way technically reliable and I suspect therefore not properly representative. When filling it out, I noticed that the logic in the survey was badly coded, meaning that later pages in the survey registered my previous answers incorrectly. This could have been spotted by some of the survey team paying closer attention and doing more test run-throughs. Some of my friends noticed the exact same error as me. The survey is a giggle, sure, but not to be taken seriously as anything other than a bit of PR.
awkward sexual moment - my dog starting to lick the boy in my bed's penis when i wasnt looking :)


text:
Bush was warned that Bin Laden was going to hijack planes. I saw this on tv this morning. No doubt this will get a different spin by the end of the day and 'W' will come out of it smelling of roses but the evidence is damning.
One Reply to "Bush was warned that Bin Laden …"
the government sucks ass fuck you all go to hell
your either sgsinst the system or a part of it
so toke up and enjoy life


text:
Originally Posted by wontonwonton
i left because my dad and i went golfing, then late sat night i SURFED 3rd-5th st and it was exellent no one out. So stop the trash.
sat a little before you came out was a lot cleaner for a bit.
yes, sunday was soooooooo fun! All to myself.
Well, i had fun. what else matters?
So, what's with the negativity.
bull sh it u didnt come back cause jack, dan and i surfed 2 -5 all night and it was 630 when u left so u had no time...ur such a little ***** dude jack and eveyone around is wanting to beat the **** out of u so i hope they do and i plan on lighting ur ms3 on fire when u leave it on the beach this summer and there is also the fack that we all decided that were dropping in on u on every wave even if it suxs... so u should just give up surfing and most of the guys in oc hate u now for the way u act there
All Discussions
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©2017 Carbon Media Group Action


text:
Radio in sidebar
Entry posted by Wotsit ·
2,243 views
First go here and configure your radio and copy your embed code to a text editor.
In a board without Nexus go to your ACP> System Settings> System> Ad Code Integration and enter the code in
the Sidebar Code and put  tags around it:
and click the "Upgrade Settings" button.
Go to your ACP> Applications & Modules> Manage Hooks section and make sure the Ad Code Sidebar hook is enabled and
drag and drop it to the position you want your radio to appear in the sidebar.
For boards with Nexus installed it's pretty much the same except you need to go to Promotions> Adverts and create an advert
in the sideblock the same way.
If you want to keep the radio going when you change pages/sites then click which will open the radio in a popup.


text:
Register To Attempt Complete Test
Create Account
In each of the following questions, a related pair of figures (unnumbered) is followed by five lettered pairs of figures. Out of these five, four have relationship similar to that in the question figure. Only one pair of figures does not have similar relationship. Select that pair of figures which does not have a relationship similar to that in the question figure. The letter of that pair is your answer.


text:
AT&T 882 2-Line Personal Information Center
AT&T 882 2-Line Personal Information Center with Caller ID
Manufacturer's Part #:
This product is
Brand New.
Manufacturer's Part #:
Imagine a telephone that helps consumers better manage their social or business calls. The AT&T 882 Personal Information Center stores 200 phone numbers alphabetically with on-screen notes for each - auto dials all displayed numbers - provides reminders of appointments - and includes a distinctive - typewriter style keyboard for easy data entry. In short - it is a daily schedule organizer - call information center - and easy-to-use "smart phone."
The 882 Personal Information Center is Caller ID capable and has a large - easy-to-read liquid crystal display screen that shows eight lines of text - with up to 24 characters per line. The screen also displays the time - date - number being dialed and duration of call. A reminder directory allows consumers to program up to 50 active reminders. Each reminder can be set for one-time-only use or programmed to repeat either daily - weekly - monthly or annually. Also - consumers can create separate name and telephone directories for different members of the family. This is the ideal social or business aid for a busy socialite or growing home business.
This product is Brand New
and comes with the following warranty:
Warranty Length: This product comes with a
90 day warranty.


text:
Tweets from @TBHomeTeam/writers
MORE from our HomeTeam writers.
Fri. February 21, 2014 | Rodney Page | Email
ST. PETERSBURG — Wednesday's practice at Shorecrest started just like almost every other one this season. A few minutes of stretching, some running then a fullcourt layup/shooting drill in which the Chargers try to score 150 points in five minutes.
When the final 3-pointer sails through the net in the last second for the 150th point, the players let out a tired cheer. All in a day's work for the Chargers, who average 74 points a game entering tonight's Class 3A region final at Naples First Baptist and consider it an average night when they attempt 30 3-pointers.
"The more shots we take, the more opportunities to score," 6-foot junior guard Brady Grimm said. "We're up-tempo. If we have the open 3, take it. Our team is full of shooters."
And nobody has shot it better for Shorecrest this season than Grimm. An East Lake transfer, Grimm fit in right away. He averages 22 points per game thanks to a mix of outside shooting and cuts to the basket.
"Brady gets to the line about 10 times per game," Shorecrest coach Daryl Blume said. "He's not afraid to get inside. You wouldn't know that by looking at him, but he'll go right to the basket."
Grimm got plenty of playing time last season as a sophomore at East Lake. He played in 16 games and averaged 13 points.
But Shorecrest's combination of academics and run-and-gun style basketball lured him to St. Petersburg. He makes the drive from East Lake to Shorecrest every morning although he said his family is trying to find a house closer to the school.
"It was definitely an academic decision," Grimm said. "But I did study their style of play, and I thought I would fit perfectly here."
While Grimm is the leading scorer, it would be a mistake for opponents to focus just on him. Senior center Jay Joyer averages about 10 points and 10 rebounds per game and will play at West Point next season.
Kent Kilgroe, Kenny DeVaul and Marcus Blake also can score in double figures on any night, according to Blume. Blake came up big in the region semifinal with 13 points against Sarasota Cardinal Mooney.
It also helps that Shorecrest has sophomore guard Tyee Johnson healthy again. He missed the first half of the season due to knee surgery, but Blume said he is fully healthy.
"We're not just one player," Blume said. "We've got a nine-player rotation, and any one of them can get you 10 points on a given night.''
Shorecrest is making its fifth straight region tournament appearance. At 24-4, it has set the school record for wins and is trying to reach the state semifinals for the first time since 2012.
"I think the first time we went, the kids were just happy to be there and we got blown out,'' Blume said of a 71-49 loss to Weston Sagemont. "If we get back there, we're going to go about it differently.''
First Baptist stands in the way. Shorecrest expects a hostile crowd and a close game.
"I think we're playing really well right now,'' Grimm said. "We're not really worried so much about them.
"We're just going to do what we do.''


text:
Further to my last mail, I have installed the updated version 1.11 of
Monowall on another computer but cannot browse to the webGUI for that
either. Are there any IE settings I can change that might enable access to
it or has anyone any other suggestions?
Thanks for any help.
-----Original Message-----
From: James Steven [mailto:JSteven at redlinesoftware dot co dot uk]
Sent: 11 November 2004 17:06
To: m0n0wall at lists dot m0n0 dot ch
Subject: [m0n0wall] No GUI since enabling IPSec
have recently been trying to configure a VPN and have enabled IPSec on
Monowall with various settings to test my setup. However, since enabling
IPSec the GUI froze and I have not been able to browse to it since. Now I
cannot ping the LAN NIC but I can ping the WAN NIC and internet access and
email seems to be unaffected. What can I do to bring back the GUI and
disable IPSec?
Thanks very much for your help.
This message has been scanned for unacceptable content by 'VITANIUM'
the industry leading email virus and content management service from
Vitanium Systems. Contact details are available at www.vitanium.com.


text: Hello Alexander, the Debian kfreebsd http://www.debian.org/ports/kfreebsd-gnu/ porters reported the following problem when building lftp on kfreebsd-i386: http://bugs.debian.org/677861 Maybe the suggestion from Robert Millan (comment at the bottom) helps to fix it. Thank you. -- Noël Köthe <noel debian.org> Debian GNU/Linux, www.debian.org -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: signature.asc Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 198 bytes Desc: This is a digitally signed message part URL: <http://univ.uniyar.ac.ru/pipermail/lftp-devel/attachments/20120705/775c1acc/attachment.sig>


text:
Pimsleur Lithuanian Level 1 MP3
Learn to Speak and Understand Lithuanian with Pimsleur Language Programs
- Format: MP3 ( Also available in: CD )
- Lessons: 10
- Availability: In Stock: Available for immediate download
List Price: $41.95
Free Audio Lesson
Learn a new language while commuting, while cleaning the house, or working out. Like millions before you, discover the power of the scientifically sequenced and portable Pimsleur Method.
Includes 10 lessons and reading instruction as MP3 download (5 hrs), plus a Reading Booklet and User's Guide.
The Easiest and Fastest Way to Learn Lithuanian
Whether you want to travel, communicate with friends or colleagues, reconnect with family, or just understand more of what's going on in the world around you, learning Lithuanian will expand your horizons and immeasurably enrich your life.
The best part is that it doesn't have to be difficult or take years to master. Thirty minutes a day is all it takes, and we get you speaking right from the first day. Pimsleur courses use a scientifically-proven method that puts you in control of your learning. If you've tried other language learning methods but found they simply didn't stick, then you owe it to yourself to give Pimsleur a try.
Why Pimsleur?
- Quick + Easy – Only 30 minutes a day.
- Portable + Flexible – Core lessons can be done anytime, anywhere, and easily fit into your busy life.
- Proven Method – Works when other methods fail.
- Self-Paced – Go fast or go slow – it's up to you.
- Based in Science – Developed using proven research on memory and learning.
- Cost-effective – Less expensive than classes or immersion, and features all native speakers.
- Genius – Triggers your brain's natural aptitude to learn.
- Works for everyone – Recommended for ages 13 and above.
What's Included?
- 10, 30-minute audio lessons
- reading instruction to provide you with an introduction to reading Lithuanian designed to teach you to sound out words with correct pronunciation and accent
- In total, 5 hours of audio, all featuring native speakers
- a Reading Booklet and a User's Guide
What You'll Learn
In these 10 lessons, you'll cover the basics: saying hello, asking for or giving information, scheduling a meal or a meeting, asking for or giving basic directions, and much more. You'll be able to handle minimum courtesy requirements, understand much of what you hear, and be understood at a beginning level, but with near-native pronunciation skills.
Reading instruction begins in Lesson 2 and provides you with an introduction to reading Lithuanian. These lessons are designed to teach you to sound out words with correct pronunciation and accent. A Reading Booklet to be used with the audio lessons is also included in PDF format.
The Pimsleur Method
We make no secret of what makes this powerful method work so well. Paul Pimsleur spent his career researching and perfecting the precise elements anyone can use to learn a language quickly and easily. Here are a few of his "secrets":
The Principle of Anticipation
In the nanosecond between a cue and your response, your brain has to work to come up with the right word. Having to do this boosts retention, and cements the word in your mind.
Core Vocabulary
Words, phrases, and sentences are selected for their usefulness in everyday conversation. We don't overwhelm you with too much, but steadily increase your ability with every lesson.
Graduated Interval Recall
Reminders of new words and structures come up at the exact interval for maximum retention and storage into your long-term memory.
Organic Learning
You work on multiple aspects of the language simultaneously. We integrate grammar, vocabulary, rhythm, melody, and intonation into every lesson, which allows you to experience the language as a living, expressive form of human culture.
Learning in Context
Research has shown that learning new words in context dramatically accelerates your ability to remember. Every scene in every Pimsleur lesson is set inside a conversation between two people. There are no drills, and no memorization necessary for success.
Active Participation
The Pimsleur Method + active learner participation = success. This method works with every language and every learner who follows it. You gain the power to recall and use what you know, and to add new words easily, exactly as you do in English.
The Lithuanian Language
Lithuanian is spoken by some 3 million native speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. There are two main dialects: Aukštaiciu (Highland Lithuanian) and Žemaiciu / Žemaitiu (Lowland Lithuanian). Pimsleur's Lithuanian teaches the standard dialect, based on West High Lithuanian.
Tech Talk
- Lessons can be downloaded using the Pimsleur Course Manager App for iPad, iPhone and Android devices, and Mac or Windows computers, or
- Lessons can be downloaded as a zip file for use in iTunes or Windows Media Player.
- All purchased courses are backed up in your Pimsleur.com cloud-based digital library account.
- Lessons can be played on your iPod or any MP3 player.
- The Pimsleur Course Manager App can be installed on several devices for personal use only.
- Lessons are non-DRM (Digital Rights Management) MP3 files and can be copied onto a CD or DVD for playing in a CD/DVD player.
Need Help?
Call us with questions
(800) 831-5497
Reviews Summary
REVIEWS SUMMARYby PowerReviews
- Easy to use (9)
- It works (9)
- Portable (8)
- Perfects accent (7)
- Fun (4)
Best Uses
- Travel (8)
- Self-improvement (6)
- Family background/heritage (5)
- Fun (5)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Traveler (6), Business person (4), Student (3)
Most Liked Positive Review
Good during the commute
I started dating a girl from Lithuania while she was in the US for the summer. I wanted to show off by learning some of her language. I had a half hour commute to...Read complete review
I started dating a girl from Lithuania while she was in the US for the summer. I wanted to show off by learning some of her language. I had a half hour commute to work so the lessons fit into that time nicely. The first lesson kicked my butt. I had to repeat it 4-5 times before I got 90% of the review words right. Just talk out loud while driving alone and repeat everything over and over again. It got better with the other lessons and after two weeks I walked up to her and asked her in Lithuanian how she was doing. I freaked her out because I had no accent. I keep waiting for advanced lessons to be released. We've been married for 8 years and the most words I've learned was from this first set. It's really just a hundred words or so. Just enough to survive. I want to speak the language. Keep making more.
Most Liked Negative Review
Ačiū - thanks
I enjoyed Pimsleur's Czech Phase 1 (Lessons 1-30) so much that when I learned I would be moving to Lithuania I knew I had to try Lithuanian Phase 1. And I have...Read complete review
I enjoyed Pimsleur's Czech Phase 1 (Lessons 1-30) so much that when I learned I would be moving to Lithuania I knew I had to try Lithuanian Phase 1. And I have enjoyed those 10 lessons. But here's my complaint, there are only 10 lessons. Please produce another 20 or more Lithuanian lessons.
Reviewed by 14 customers
Displaying reviews 1-5
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Comments about Pimsleur Lithuanian Level 1 MP3:
Bought as gift for someone
- Easy to use
- Perfects Accent
- Portable
- Time commitment
Best Uses
- Business/Work
- Just for fun
- Self-improvement
Comments about Pimsleur Lithuanian Level 1 MP3:
Good so far
Service and delivery comments:
Arrived straight away by email.
Comments about Pimsleur Lithuanian Level 1 MP3:
What is good is the pace of the lessons. What is bad is that I cannot load it into my walkman; so I must sit at my desk computer to use the program. I really don't like this.
- Easy to use
- Fun
- It Works
- Perfects Accent
- Portable
Best Uses
- Missionary Tool
- Travel
Comments about Pimsleur Lithuanian Level 1 MP3:
I not only use this system on my computer but I also have it on my iPod so I can practice as I am doing chores around home. I find the method of breaking the words into syllables very effective.
- It Works
- Perfects Accent
- Portable
- No writing component
Best Uses
- Self-improvement
- Travel
Comments about Pimsleur Lithuanian Level 1 MP3:
I enjoyed Pimsleur's Czech Phase 1 (Lessons 1-30) so much that when I learned I would be moving to Lithuania I knew I had to try Lithuanian Phase 1. And I have enjoyed those 10 lessons. But here's my complaint, there are only 10 lessons. Please produce another 20 or more Lithuanian lessons.
Displaying reviews 1-5
Previous | Next »


text:
Short stuff: SpotlightMaan Nabong readies the CD player. "OK, ready?" the dance instructor asks her class. "Five, six, seven, eight ..."
Music swells through the third-story classroom of Chicago's May Community Academy as about 20 paired-off fifth-graders begin a clunky shuffle back and forth. Nabong lets it go for about 10 seconds, then, "OK, whoa, stop! You're dragging!" She conspicuously raises a shoe. "See my heels? They need to be up the whole time, OK?"
The kids reset and the music swells again. They dance. It looks better already.
Nabong's class is part of the "Having a Ball" program, a Chicago Public Schools-backed initiative to bring ballroom dance training to more than 950 fifth-grade students in Chicago schools. Now in its second year of grant funding, the program requires students at 15 schools to participate in 20 weeks of training, capped off with a competition at the Navy Pier Grand Ballroom.
Molly Diemer, who heads the program, says ballroom dance is both physically and mentally stimulating for the students. "The act of dancing itself helps to strengthen bones, muscle and coordination, especially at that fifth-grade state where things can be a little awkward," she says. "Also it's a great opportunity to get kids to work together and have opposite-sex interaction in a respectful manner."
The students learn the international style of ballroom, with five or six dances from different cultures, including waltz, tango and Paso Doble. By the end of the program in May, many will achieve ballroom dancing's Bronze Syllabus level.
Cultural phenomena like the TV show "Dancing With the Stars" have put ballroom dancing back on the map, says Nabong. But it can still be tricky getting everyone on board. "Some (kids) are, of course, really hesitant to do it because they probably had this conception that ballroom is not so cool, boring and no one wants to be stuck like this for an hour," she says. But, she adds, "from my experience, towards they end of the year, they really enjoy it."
Fifth-grader George Lumpkin is a convert—and thinks his peers who skip the class are missing out. "They don't do ballroom 'cause they don't like dancing and people making fun of them," he says. "It's just fun. We learn a lot of things."
Two of the stars of Nabong's class are Dennis Cage and Runeshia Wallace, who pair up for the entire 50 minutes and throw extra twirls and spins into their routine. They whirl and step vivaciously across the classroom floor, each rendition a bit more fluid than the last.
"It's fun 'cause I never did ballroom dancing (before)," Dennis says at a break point. "You get to have partners, and you get to learn the steps and do a competition."
"I'm going to be nervous," Runeshia confesses about the big event. But she's looking forward to it and has confidence in Nabong. "When she teaches us, we catch on very fast."
If it goes well enough for them, they may have the option to continue after the May 17 competition. The grant also covers an elementary dance scholarship program for eight boys and eight girls to continue to train in ballroom and ballet through the sixth grade and beyond.
Nabong, herself a longtime dancer, loves the idea. "I think it's amazing that CPS has been able to give these kids the opportunity to do something that a lot of kids aren't able to do because they can't afford it," she says.
The benefits of the program may even reach to Chicago's 2016 Olympics bid, Diemer says. The Having a Ball program is just one of many ways of proving "that we are an engaged and active city, that our youth are involved in athletics and cultural activities.
"We've had tremendous parent support, tremendous support from the schools, and the students are doing really fabulously with what they've been able to learn in such a short period of time."
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text:
By Robert Horton Herald Movie Critic
Bouncing back somewhat from its previous installment, "The Hangover Part III" ditches the complicated morning-after structure of the series and the slavish re-creation of plot points that made "Part II" such a chore.
It's also less aggressively nasty than the last film. Oh, there are degradations, and random shootings, and the killing of a (computer-generated) giraffe. But director Todd Phillips and his crew have backed off from the far reaches of shock for this one.
We return to the world of the Wolfpack, the friends whose adventures in the previous movies come back to haunt them here. The past sins of Mr. Chow, once again played by the fearless Ken Jeong, result in the boys getting forced to travel to Tijuana and Las Vegas, where terrible things await.
The fellas are played by Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis. At this point, Cooper and Helms are essentially straight men to Mr. Z's acting-out; both actors look mildly disgruntled at giving over the comedy weight to their bearded co-star.
Galifianakis has some moments, for sure; he's perfected the sloppy bum who carries around a certain zen stillness about him. Someday this peculiar actor is going to find himself in a great movie, but that's not going to happen with the "Hangover" saga.
Nobody's as funny as they've been before, including the too-brief appearances by Melissa McCarthy (cameos by the "Identity Thief" star are becoming obligatory for comedy films) and Mike Epps.
John Goodman's the official villain, although bad behavior is spread out evenly amongst the other characters.
Instead of the taboo-breaking of "Part II," here we have sequences arranged around characters hanging from the roof at Caesar's Palace or fending off cockfighting chickens. Naughty, and of course R-rated, but nothing to turn off the audience that prefers the teary-eyed male-bonding scenes featuring these well-traveled lads.
(The fourth member of the Wolfpack, played by Justin Bartha, is also here, and once again sidelined as a kidnapping hostage.)
"The Hangover Part III" has been declared the for-sure final chapter in this franchise. Whatever it is, it's not especially satisfying: By pulling back from the wildness of "Part II," it comes across as bland and half-baked.
That might be a mercy to the audience, but then what's the point of doing another "Hangover" movie? Bad behavior was the selling point of the first two films, and this is more like unfortunate incidents than bad behavior — with the exception of Mr. Chow, of course. Mr. Chow will always be inexcusable.
"The Hangover Part III" (one and a half stars)
The final chapter for the bad boys, whose experiences with the inappropriate Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) come back to haunt them. This one pulls back from the shockers of "Part II," but seems toothless without that nasty streak; Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms give most of the comic action to Zach Galifianakis, which puts the balance off.
Rated: R for violence, language, nudity.
Showing: Alderwood 7, Cinebarre, Everett Stadium, Galaxy Monroe, Marsyville, Stanwood, Oak Tree, Pacific Place, Sundance, Woodinville, Cascade Mall.


text: I have one of the first Powermac G4's, with the 1Ghz and Superdrive. So, obviously it's a little older, and out of warranty. The Superdrive decided to no longer work. It takes a disk, makes a few noises, then spits it out. It did this before for a few months, then one day it worked. It worked for a few months, and now it doesn't. Two questions. 1. Anyone have any idea what's wrong, or if there is anything that can be done to fix it? 2. Any suggestions for an external firewire CD Burner or DVD Burner compatible with OSX? I appreciate any help. You can email me directly at email@example.com or post here. I'd like to get this fixed or figure a solution because I'm not ready to pull the trigger on a new laptop. Matt


text:
Carnival Pride - Disappointment: Carnival Pride Cruise Review by josbow
Overall Member Rating
Carnival Pride - Disappointment
Destination: Bahamas
Embarkation: Baltimore
Food- ok but we really did not expect much. We did the chef's dinner and it was great and we had a blast. We went to Davids and it was good although left alot to be desired. The dinning room was okay, most of the staff seemed as though we were an inconvenience to them with the exception of Gairy and his team. We had to request them the entire trip or it was a horrible experience. The grill was also Ok, and the lines were always long and again the staff never seemed happy.
The kids camp was wonderful and I could not have been more impressed, it was the cleanest part of the ship and the staff was engaging and seemed to have loved their jobs. I wish we could have attended.
The staff at the casino with the exception of a few dealers and the bartenders we very inviting and fun to be around but of course they wanted your More money and they got it.
Our 3rd night on the ship a gentlemen had a massive heart attack on the lido deck, had it not been for the paramedic, the nurse and travelers this man would have died. Carnival took over 15 minutes to clear out the area and probably longer allowing many onlookers to this. Thankfully the man after an hour was breathing again and air lifted back to Florida.
Many of the staff was sick and coughing which explains why I came home and tested positive to type A flu.
Overall we had a good time but will probAbly never cruise again. I don't like to be a burden to anyone when I am on vacation and that was the feelings I recieved from Carnival. Less
Published 02/07/11
Cabin review: 8K7203 Extended BalconyExtended Balcony (8K) Reviews >>
Port and Shore Excursions
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One old ship
Gourmet food, helpful staff an...
Bermuda and the Carnival Pride
Our second cruise on the Pride
We had a great time
Lots of winners and few losers...
Family with friends
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text:
: [Pokémon]
The Thinking Man's Guide to Destroying the World
View Single Post
January 19th, 2011 (1:21 PM). Edited February 7th, 2011 by Cutlerine.
Gone. May or may not return.
Join Date:
Mar 2010
The Misspelled Cyrpt
Chapter Four: Ruby and Sapphire
The scene: a comfortable living-room, with a fire flickering in the grate despite the fact that it was a warm summer night. Two well-stuffed armchairs sat near this fire, next to a table with a glass of port on it.
The cast: two men and one woman, one in the right-hand armchair, and two by the door.
"So you did not manage to steal the goods," said a soft voice, rich with the accent of some far-off land. It belonged to the man in the armchair.
"No, boss," said half of the pair by the door.
"What happened, exactly?"
"There was a Rotom," said the other half, the woman, "and it was too fast..."
"A Rotom? They don't live here, do they?"
"No, boss," answered the first person. "Must've belonged to the reds."
A florid curse in some foreign tongue came from the direction of the armchair; its utterer grabbed the port, downed it in one and slammed the glass onto the table so hard it cracked. "Well, why are you still here?" he snapped at the two people by the door. "Go back and get those goods!"
His subordinates hurried out as the glass smashed against the wall where they'd been moments before.
Everyone was on the move.
Sapphire Birch was having a bad day.
It wasn't as bad as Kester Ruby's – his day would take quite some beating, and it was only about quarter past five – but it was pretty bad by normal standards.
It began at half past four in the morning, which is not usually a congenial time for any sort of day to begin, let alone a bad one. But it began then anyway, with the fire alarm going off in the Pokémon Centre where she'd been staying the night. Usually, this would mean a fire, and if that had been the case then Sapphire wouldn't have minded getting up early – but it was merely the result of faulty wiring, and it took a whole hour for this to be discovered. An hour that Sapphire, and half a dozen other Trainers, spent standing outside in the cool summer dawn, desperately trying not to pitch forward and fall asleep on the pavement.
Of course, once she got back inside, she couldn't get back to sleep, in accordance with the twisted variant of Murphy's Law that bad days observe. Sapphire tried everything – counting sheep, even reading her English dictionary – but nothing worked. She had had high hopes for the dictionary – foreign languages were not her forte, especially ones written in a different alphabet, and she was usually able to pass out by skimming a couple of pages – but they were dashed to the floor by the cruel hand of fate.
So Sapphire had been tired and annoyed even before she got up later that morning, and matters weren't helped when she realised she had no idea where she'd put the letter from her father that she was meant to be delivering that day. It had taken about an hour of searching to find it – by which time, the Centre's cafeteria was deserted, and very little breakfast was left for her.
Underfed and overburdened, Sapphire left the Pokémon Centre in the mood known as high dudgeon, storming off down the street to catch the bus that would take her to the Devon Corporation building; thanks to being late from breakfast, she missed it, and, as the next one wasn't due for forty minutes, she had to walk.
It was forty-
minutes later when Sapphire realised it would have been more sensible to wait for the bus; however, the Devon skyscraper was only ten minutes away now, and she decided to press on. Unfortunately, due to a series of closed roads and a close encounter with a poorly-skilled cyclist, it in fact took her most of the rest of the day to get there.
It may, at this point, be prudent to offer a word of explanation. Sapphire Birch was, as can be divined from her surname, the daughter of the esteemed Professor Birch of Littleroot. A Trainer of seventeen years old, she had been released from her duties in helping her father with his research two months ago, and had come to Rustboro to set off on the true Trainer's career: defeating Gym Leaders. She had elegantly and easily mopped the floor with Roxanne, and had then tried to go to Mauville via Verdanturf; regrettably, there had been some trouble with the tunnel that connected Rustboro and Verdanturf, and she hadn't been able to. So, intending to go south and catch a ferry to Dewford Island instead, she had returned to Rustboro and received a phone call from her father.
This call had asked her to retrieve an important package from the Devon Corporation, to be brought back to her father in Littleroot. A letter had arrived at the Pokémon Centre the day afterwards, to be taken to the President and used as proof of identity, and thus Sapphire had heaved a sigh and made plans to visit Devon and obtain said package.
Plans that were currently in the process of being thwarted.
When she'd finally got to Devon and convinced the security guards and receptionist that she was, in fact, there on legitimate business – a difficulty Sapphire had also had at the Gym – she had found that the lift was out of order, and had been forced to walk all the way up the stairs. Exhausted from lack of sleep and a long day's walk, her patience has worn as thin as a caterpillar's eyelash.
Of course, we already know what happened next: a boy called Kester Ruby fell down the stairs and knocked her down, and, after a brief scuffle, was recalled into a Master Ball, which Sapphire was now holding.
And this, if you are reading this in hopes of action, is where the narrative resumes.
Sapphire stared at the ball. Then she stared at where the boy had been.
This was not possible.
"Thanks," said the man in the white coat, advancing on her, "now, give me that, please."
"W-who was that?" Sapphire asked, holding the Master Ball out of his reach. "And did he just go... into the ball?"
"Yes," admitted the white-coated man. "Now give him to me."
"I don't know what just happened," Sapphire said, her voice slowly hardening, "but I
know that whatever it was, you're probably the bad guy here. And I don't like that. Not at all." Maybe it was something in her eyes, but the white-coated guy and his gang suddenly stopped advancing, faltering a little. Sapphire continued, voice gaining strength now. "I have had a
bad day," she told him, "and I don't want it getting any worse. I mean, are you seriously expecting me to help you
someone who obviously doesn't want to be here in an illegal and impossible way? For God's sake, I come here to pick up some goods for my dad and I end up an accessory to a kidnapping! What kind of stupid operation is Devon running here?"
Sapphire paused for breath, and the white-coated guy jumped in.
"Did you say goods?" he asked sharply. Sapphire glared at him.
"Don't interrupt," she said forcefully, and the man visibly flinched. The group of men and women behind him hurried back to their desks. "I did, but that's no business of yours. I—"
"You're after them too," breathed the white-coated man. "Of course! That blue coat... you're with the Aquas!"
"What the hell are you – hey!" The man grabbed her arm and started wrestling the ball towards him; Sapphire headbutted him on the nose and he let go, clutching his face. "What the hell are you doing?" she yelled angrily. "What is wrong with you people?"
"Security!" cried the white-coated man, gushing blood. "Security!"
When the two burly men in dark suits appeared at the top of the stairs, Sapphire decided to swallow the rest of her tirade, along with her pride, and run.
In sharp contrast to Kester Ruby, Sapphire was in prime physical condition. Her father's idea of research involved many long weeks spent outside in close proximity to wild Pokémon; on more than one occasion, she had had to run from a protective mother Swellow, or escape the wrath of an irate Dustox. Once, she had even had to fend off a group of four juvenile Mightyena, half-evolved from Poochyena, with nothing but a log from the campfire; thankfully, the lupine monsters hadn't yet developed the unstoppable brave idiocy of their evolved form, and fled at the sight of the flames.
All this meant that Sapphire was a damn fast runner, and she was out in the car park in just seven minutes; she vaulted the low border fence and tore off down the street. The guards were long gone, but, just to make sure, she ducked into an alley and ran through it down to the next road before she stopped, heart beating like a drum.
Sapphire held up the Master Ball and stared at it, only now letting her confusion out from where it had been trapped behind the indignant rage she'd shown the white-coated man. Here was a boy – a
– in a Poké Ball. It didn't make any sense. It was impossible. And yet...
Here he was, right in front of her, inside the ball.
And that wasn't even the beginning of it: there was that creepy Devon guy in the white coat; there was the question of the 'goods' they kept going on about, and all the rest of it. Sapphire thought about it all for a moment, and felt a twinge of unease.
"What," she said aloud to herself, "have I got myself into?"
I have to hand it to you
, Puck said, that was a good try.
You almost got away – and that was a very impressive Astonish.
"Why are you so unconcerned?" I asked. "You're inside me. I get caught, you get caught. So why don't you care that Devon is endangering us?"
They're endangering
you, Puck corrected.
If you die, I'm pretty sure I'll just float out of you, completely unharmed.
"Oh, wonderful." I kicked the wall and sat down heavily. "This is just great."
Look on the bright side
, Puck encouraged.
This will be a great opportunity for you to increase your powers.
"Why are you so keen for me to do that?"
It pains me to see someone so weak
, said Puck; it sounded like a lie to me, but I didn't press him for details, because blue light pulsed in front of my eyes and I returned to the real world, where the girl I'd knocked down the stairs was looking at me with curiosity.
I looked around, and to my surprise I found I wasn't in Devon; instead, I was standing in a small, messy bedroom, of a level of blandness that indicated it had to be a hotel room.
"Where am I?" I asked.
"In Rustboro's main Pokémon Centre," replied the girl. "I stole you."
She was so matter-of-fact about it that I didn't know quite what to say; in lieu of a reply, I stared at her. She was a little shorter than me, and wore a blue coat, the same colour as her eyes. For some reason, she also wore a matching hat: a fedora with a Swellow wing feather stuck in it. Around her waist was the belt that marked her out as a Trainer, with attachments to hold Poké Balls – but only two of these were in use. There was another ball in her hand, and this was my Master Ball.
"Right," I said at length. "Do... do I get an explanation?"
"You have to tell me
story first," she replied. "Then I'll tell you mine."
"Can I at least have your name?"
"Same rules." I sighed.
"My name's Kester. Kester Ruby. But you must have worked that out." She nodded slowly. "Oh yeah, and
name" – I pointed to my head – "is Robin Goodfellow, but I call him Puck."
The girl looked at me as if I were insane – a possibility that I'd already considered and discarded, if you remember.
"Ri-ight," she said slowly. "I'm Sapphire Birch."
That rang a bell; wasn't she related to
"Professor Birch's—?"
"Daughter, yes." Sapphire looked at me with the air of someone who commands people, and whom people invariably obey. "Now you tell me your story."
So I told the story of how Puck had came to take up residence in my head for a second time, only this time I included my meeting with President Stone and Darren Goodwin. When I was done, Sapphire looked somewhat disbelieving, and had to sit down on the bed to keep from falling over.
"This... this is crazy," she muttered.
"Yes," I agreed. "Utterly, horribly insane. It's been a really bad day." I leaned against the wardrobe.
"This can't be true," Sapphire said, looking up at me.
"You're holding my ball," I told her sourly. "What more proof do you need?"
Sapphire looked stumped for a moment, then said:
"Show me your powers."
That suited me just fine. It could hardly be a bad thing to impress a pretty girl with some lightning tricks, so I poured a stream of sparks from my fingers while Sapphire looked on in amazement.
"OK, now I believe you," she said, eyes wide.
"Good. Now, your turn to tell me about yourself."
Sapphire swiftly laid out the main points of her story: she too had been having a bad day, though not quite as bad as mine; she had been on her way to Devon to pick up some goods (at the sound of that word, the cause of so much trouble, I flinched) for her father, Prof. Birch; and she had been on her way up to see the President about it when I'd crashed into her.
"Goods," I repeated. "You're after some Devon goods."
to be a coincidence. It couldn't be the same lot.
"Yes," replied Sapphire. "I had a letter for the President." She felt in her pocket, and pulled it out to show me. "From my dad."
"Your dad wanted Devon goods."
I couldn't get the strange idea that I might have once briefly held those goods in my possession out of my head. Even though they were
not the same goods.
"Yes," repeated Sapphire, looking at me oddly. Her surprise and shock seemed to have been overridden by further fears for my sanity.
"Can I see that letter?" I asked. Sapphire clutched it tightly.
"No!" she cried. "Why?"
"I have a hunch. Please."
Something of my urgency must have shown in my face, because she gave it to me then, albeit uncertainly. I tore it open, and scanned the letter inside.
"Oh my God," I said, head starting to spin. "This..."
"What?" Sapphire came to look at it, too. "Hey – this says I'm a courier for someone called Angel Laboratories..." She looked at me. "How did you know?"
"These goods." I sank down onto Sapphire's bed, holding my head. "They're at the heart of all of this. Puck! Explain!"
Startled, the Rotom fumbled for an answer.
Er, um, I...
He paused, then said hopefully:
You won't believe me if I say I don't know what the goods actually are, will you?
Well, tough. That's the story I'm sticking to.
"What? What is it?" asked Sapphire, confused.
"Puck," I replied succinctly, pointing to my head. "I'm talking to him. He speaks in my head, remember. He says he doesn't know what the goods are."
Sapphire stared.
"He's got to be joking, right? You said he stole them!"
"I know he's lying, but I can't persuade him to tell me. If I irritate him too much, he'll fry my brain. But that's irrelevant: the point is, Devon wants these goods to pass on to Angel Laboratories, and at the moment they have them. Team Magma wants the goods, too – but I don't know why. And apparently your dad wants them too."
"So what's so special about them?" asked Sapphire.
"That's just it. I don't know." I got up again. "And I don't actually care. Thanks for saving me, Sapphire. I'm going home."
I snatched the Master Ball from her and made off towards the door.
"What?" cried Sapphire. "You're just leaving?"
"Yep," I replied, one hand on the doorknob. Slim, cold fingers gripped my free hand and adroitly twisted it backwards; pain flared in my wrist and I dropped the ball. I spun around, meaning to snatch it up, but Sapphire already had it and was stepping back. "Give me that," I said warningly.
"Think about it," she said, sliding over the bed to the other side, "where are you going anyway? If you go home, your mum will just give you back to Devon, won't she?"
I paused. This was undeniably true.
"Don't care," I said. "I'll go... somewhere else. Or I'll hide the ball. Speaking of which – give it." I held out a hand.
"I'll tell you what," Sapphire said, plucking another ball from her belt with her free hand, "I'll make you a deal. I'm a Pokémon Trainer, you're a wild Pokémon." She glanced at the Master Ball. "Sort of. Anyway, I'll give you your ball back if you beat one of my Pokémon in a battle. If I win, I can keep it and you help me investigate these goods."
Don't do this, Kester
, warned Puck.
"OK," I replied, ignoring him. "Let's do this."
You might think I was an idiot to accept the challenge. I was, but let me explain why I did it anyway: I thought I could win. Sapphire had told me she was just starting her career, despite having helped her father with Pokémon for years; I supposed her Pokémon must be pretty weak, and thus that I stood a chance.
One side of Sapphire's mouth flicked upwards in a quirky little grin I later discovered was her signature smile.
"Great," she said. "Let's start this."
She dropped the ball in a flash of blue light, and a little orange bird appeared on the bed. It had a large, round head and small, intelligent eyes; it stood on one leg and chirped endearingly.
A bird, then. Probably a Flying-type. I grinned; if I was right, I would finish Sapphire's Pokémon off even more easily than the Golbat.
"Shut up, Puck," I said, cracking my knuckles. "ThunderShock!"
I pointed at the bird and a ball of blue electricity flew towards it; it hit it square in the chest and knocked it backwards, little wings windmilling to maintain its balance. It didn't seem unduly concerned, however, and immediately hopped forwards again as Sapphire said:
A thin stream of flame shot from the bird's beak; I yelped and ducked, but it singed the top of my head as it streaked past.
Another jet of fire; I tried to dodge to the left, but the wardrobe got in the way and the flames caught my shoulder, setting my shirt on fire.
"Ah! What – oh God!"
I snatched a pillow from the bed and started smacking at my chest, trying to put out the flames; they were easily extinguished, but another flaming streamer hit me as soon as I put them out, and now my sleeve was on fire. Crying out, I blundered around helplessly before tripping over a pile of Sapphire's discarded clothes and falling heavily onto a bag that seemed to be full of bricks. Gently smoking, I looked up at Sapphire's grinning face with extreme distaste; the expression only deepened when the orange bird jumped onto my chest.
I tried to warn you
, said Puck regretfully.
"Looks like you could use some training up," Sapphire remarked. "And I've still got your ball, so I guess you're mine." She grinned broadly. "Cool. I have three Pokémon now!"
I groaned loudly. I'd escaped from the sinister clutches of Devon to end up as the property of an irritatingly confident young Traineress. I didn't know which was worse; either way, I had to participate in a dangerous undertaking that could very well cost me my life.
Think of this as a career opportunity
, Puck said helpfully.
You were unemployed before, but now you have a steady job as a Trainer's Pokémon.
Oh yeah. And I still had that goddamn Rotom in my head.
"You look burnt," observed Sapphire, helping me up and recalling her Pokémon; unsteadily, I fell onto the bed. "I know!"
She bent down to rifle through the bag I'd fallen onto and pulled out a small spray bottle, the contents of which she emptied into my face. Rather than making my eyes burn, as I thought it might, I felt a soothing sensation of coolness wash through my body, and I sat up, revitalised.
"What was that?" I asked. Sapphire held up the bottle.
"Potion," she replied. "You heal Pokémon with them."
"I'm not a real Pokémon," I began, but Sapphire cut me off.
"You're enough of a Pokémon to be caught in a ball and healed by a Potion," she said. "That makes you one in my book. Now, tell me more about these goods."
"I don't know what they are, you know that. Puck stole them from Devon last night, from what I gather, and Team Magma tried to steal them too – but Puck got there first. Now Devon have them again."
"And my dad sent me to go get the goods for him," added Sapphire, looking thoughtful. "So he was after them as well."
"Unless you want to chase the Magmas or go back to Devon, then I guess you should ask your dad."
Sapphire smiled sweetly.
"No, we are going to ask Dad," she told me. "I won the battle, remember?"
"Yeah," I replied, "about that. What type was that thing?"
"Torchic is a Fire-type," she answered, "which is why your ThunderShock didn't do more to it. You should have used Astonish to make her flinch before you attacked."
"I don't know this stuff, I'm no Trainer—"
"No, but you're a Trainer's Pokémon," snapped Sapphire. "So shut up and start learning."
"Hey, don't—"
"Another thing," Sapphire said. "I'm in control. You belong to me, Kester. Therefore, when I tell you to do something, just do it. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble."
I opened my mouth to protest, but Puck spoke:
Kester! Are you an idiot? This girl, in addition to being physically stronger than you, possesses Pokémon that are capable of annihilating us. Swallow your stupid adolescent pride and obey her.
For once, I listened to him; he was too obviously right. I shut my mouth.
"Good," said Sapphire. "I suppose you did that because the Rotom told you to?"
"How did you—?"
"You're too stupid to do it by yourself."
She's got you there
, Puck chuckled.
a prize idiot. But tell her I do have a name. I won't have myself referred to as 'the Rotom'.
"Puck would like to remind you he has a name," I relayed monotonously. "But I strongly urge you to keep calling him 'the Rotom'."
"It must feel like the whole world's against you," mused Sapphire. "Devon, Magma, me, Puck – even your mum." She grinned that quirky grin again. "But I don't care about that. Come on," she said, getting up. "We're going to talk to my dad."
The Thinking Man's Guide to Destroying the World
The Rocket Case
The Rocket Revival
Neither Here Nor There
The Beastman
Coriolanus Rowland's Guide to Pokémon Husbandry
Robin Goodfellow's Christmas Carol
Stranger Than Fiction
My Trip to the End of Time, by Pearl Gideon
A Smell of Petroleum Pervades Throughout
For information about A Grand Day Out, a bizarre short story in video game form, click
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Several years ago I taught a Sunday School class on the Saint John's Bible, a beautiful hand-calligraphed and illustrated version of the Bible that took several years and a whole team of artists to create. I showed the class a video about how the project came together, and the class was spellbound, as I knew they'd be. The illuminations make you want to lean into the scripture. The Saint John's Bible fosters awe and wonder toward the God who gives us not only the sacred story but also the artists who make it come alive. Near the end of the video, the narrator shares the cost of this tremendous project.
Holy Week | Monday of Holy Week (Year B)
Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 36:5-11; Hebrews 9:11-15; John 12:1-11
This week's sensual anointing text is one of those biblical texts that has a personal story permanently attached to it. Late one night, sitting in the ER, I wiped blood away from a dying member's hands and experienced death's sting along with his family. I knew the power of being present in Christ's name when there are no words to speak.
Monastic vows sound familiar to anyone who's been to a wedding. In both marriage and celibacy, we promise to be faithful.
Our pastor had an affair and confessed it in his sermon. He stood up in front of the church and let the gathered members know that he had succumbed to temptation, but he was ready to just "move on."


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October 16th, 2000
Your Truck Can Be
Here Too! Send Us a Picture
Gordon Gough becomes the first person to have two "Truck of the Week" selections at PUTC. His first truck was featured back in January. Here is Gordon's latest masterpiece - a 1992 standard cab short box fleetside Silverado.
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Second term diminishing Dems' prospects
It is possible that everyone misread the results of the 2012 presidential election. Or, perhaps, over-read them.
As political strategists and number-crunchers try to predict how the electorate feels and which party is capturing voters' imaginations, they struggle with how to dissect the realities of 2014 and 2016 as seen from the vantage point of 2012.
Two trends are going on in American politics — the six-year itch and the after-effects of a class-warfare election cycle.
The first is almost a fixture of American politics: Re-elected presidents get arrogant, out of touch and complacent; they stop listening, stop trying to meet voters where they are.
A president's first term often is one for the voters. The second one often is for the president's ego.
This is not unique to Barack Obama. It has happened to many presidents (think of George W. Bush and his largely ignored plan to reform Social Security), and it is why opposition parties almost always gain seats in a president's second midterm cycle.
Yet, in Obama, you have a president who chose to run his second-term campaign almost devoid of an agenda. His campaign focused almost entirely on character assassination, portraying Mitt Romney as a heartless corporate raider who didn't care about average Americans.
Obama chose to say almost nothing about what he would do in a second term and, interestingly, chose not to brag about anything he'd done in his first term.
You get the mandates you ask for in elections. And Obama's only mandate is that he is not Mitt Romney.
This brings Obama well into his second term with no equity on issues.
Nor has he chosen to use his re-election as a pivot toward the center of the country, something that has baffled many Democrats.
Shifting to the middle was something that Bill Clinton did masterfully, with comprehensive welfare reform and a balanced-budget deal with a Republican-controlled House.
It almost seems as if Obama's defining political experience was to move left when he was battling Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primaries and that has become his default reaction every time he gets in trouble.
Such a shift has never worked for anyone in American politics beyond the context of a political primary — which explains why a Gallup poll last week showed Democrats losing ground on the economy and national security, two of Americans' biggest concerns.
The poll showed Democrats had lost more than 10 points on the question of which political party is best able to maintain prosperity in America. They also dropped on questions about which party is best able to manage national security and about overall problem-solving.
Democrats are worried about the lack of confidence in their brand and are beginning to admit what Republicans have been saying for a while — that the election and the re-election of Barack Obama were singular events, not the fundamental realignment that political pundits and flacks like to proclaim.
This column has often discussed the disconnection between Obama's Washington and America's Main Street, since evidence of a "wave" election began to form in the summer of 2009. In election after election since that time, Republicans have won seats or even whole legislative chambers across the country in areas they had no business winning, which led many political observers to believe the president was doomed to lose last year.
He didn't lose. Instead, Americans who showed up to vote (and many did not) gave him a pass for a host of reasons, none of which had to do with his experience, his handling of issues or crises, or even his governing style.
That was a gut punch for the Romney campaign — but it may turn into more of a sucker punch for Democrats who are looking forward to the 2014 and 2016 election cycles.
Obama's recent failings on Syria, and his ill-timed partisan speech following a mass murder not far from the White House, are not new behavioral patterns. This is who he has always been.
It just appears that his supporters have taken notice of that persona now, as they prepare for the next election cycle and realize that Democrats are much more fractured than Republicans.
Salena Zito covers politics for Trib Total Media (412-320-7879 or firstname.lastname@example.com).


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Shares in exploration minnow
The application was for 17 mineral claims that comprise the 32,000 hectare mining lease. Clearing this hurdle means Ironclad can bring Wilcherry to production sooner, thereby taking advantage of the strong spot market demand for Australia iron ore.
Earlier this month, the company said it had identified extensive areas of direct shipping ore at the project and additional extensive areas of high-quality beneficiable magnetite. Further assays from a recently commenced drilling program are expected soon.
The stock closed up 12¢ at 55¢ on Monday.
The Australian Financial Review