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Bio Fuels: A Green Alternative for Energy Sustainability [PDF]BY: Aditi Mathur | Category: Environmental-Biotechnology | Submitted: 2016-11-04 07:53:56
Article Summary: "This article concentrates on need, types, and techniques of production, advantages and disadvantages of bio fuels. It also depicts the trends of use of bio fuel in India and future plans to adopt it as a blend in conventional petroleum fuel..."
Bio fuels: A green alternative for Energy Sustainability.
This article concentrates on need, types, and techniques of production, advantages and disadvantages of bio fuels. It also depicts the trends of use of bio fuel in India and future plans to adopt it as a blend in conventional petroleum fuel.
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I am a post graduate in Botany & Biotechnology.
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Pai is an unexpected find in a remote mountain valley. Twenty years ago the town of Pai used to be a few dirt roads and shops, as tourists soon discovered the natural beauty of the Pai River and it's surrounding valley, businesses and development followed not long after and it turned into the little backpacker settlement that it is today. Popular amongst hippy and artistic types both Thai and foreign alike, the feel is very much new age. This small town is filled with bohemian style cafes, restaurants, bookstores and guesthouses. During high season in the months of October until February, the nightlife comes alive and the tunes of Bob Marley can always be heard, during the day visitors take advantage of the hot spring, rafting and trekking opportunities in the beautiful surrounding countryside.
A stream flows through the park and mixes with the hot spring so the temperature of the water is comfortable. There are also small public bathing houses.
From Chiang Mai, buses leave 5 times daily, taking is 3-4 hours through steep windy mountainous roads
Pai town is easily accessible on foot. To get to the surrounds bicycles or motorbikes can be hired.
|Darling View Point Bungalows
|120 Moo T. Maehee A. Pai
|JAMJUREE Cottage @ Pai
|136 M.11 Baan Na Jalong Mae Na Teong, Pai, Mae Hong Son
|PaiCome Hideaway Resort
|327 Moo 5 Baan Namhoo T.Wiangtai, A.Pai, Maehongson
|Spicypai Backpackers
|291 Moo1,T. Mae Hee A. Pai Mae Hong Son
|Villa de Pai
|87/1 Moo3 Tesban1 Rd. Viang Tai Pai
|Yawning Fields Guesthouse
|155 M. 1 T. Maehee A Pai J. Maehongson
|Thale Mhog Bungalow
|116 moo 6 T.Viengtai Mae Hong Son
|Tropical Backpackers Resort Pai
|m.1 t.maehee
There are countless internet bars across the country in big and small towns. Internet cafés are widespread and most are inexpensive. Prices as low as 15 baht/hour are commonplace, and speed of connection is generally reasonable, but many cafes close at midnight. Higher prices prevail in major package-tourist destinations (60 baht/hour is typical, 120 baht/hour is not unusual). Keyloggers are all too often installed on the computers in cheap cafes, so be on your guard if using online banking, stock broking or even PayPal. Remember that in the smaller towns and more traditional areas the owners and staff of internet bars prefer if customers take off their shoes at the entrance and leave them outside. This might seem strange although this gesture goes a far way to make friends and give a positive image of foreigners to Thai people.
Outside the most competitive tourist areas, free Wi-Fi is not as common as in neighbouring countries in many budget hotels and guesthouses and they may charge small fee for Internet by LAN or Wi-Fi even if you bring your own laptop. Wi-Fi is commonly available in cafes and restaurants serving Westerners.
See also: International Telephone Calls
The international code for Thailand is 66. 999 connects to all emergency services. Standard GSM emergency number 112 is supported in mobile networks. 911 for Tourist Police Department, English available.
For mobile phone users, Thailand has three GSM mobile service providers - AIS, DTAC and Truemove - which may be useful if you have a mobile phone that will work on either one or both of the GSM 900 or 1800 frequency bands (consult your phone's technical specifications). If you have one, you can buy a prepaid SIM card for any of the Thai carriers in any convenience store for as little as 50-200 baht and charge it up as you go. Using your own mobile phone while on holiday with a Thai pre-paid SIM card can save a lot of money and lets you give your number to family back home, so they can have an emergency contact number.
Thailand Post is the Thai postal service that deals with all local and international mail in Thailand. The business is operated from local post offices. Post offices are easy to recognise with their red white and blue motifs and the words 'Thailand Post' in English and Thai above the entrance. They are open from Monday to Saturday, usually 8:30am to 4:30pm (main ones until around 8:00pm), though keeping shorter hours on Saturdays (usually until 1:00pm). They are generally closed on Sundays and Public Holidays. Each post office offers a comprehensive service which includes an Express Mail Service (EMS) and parcel post. They also have a price calculator for letters, postcards and parcels, both domestically as well as internationally. They also have a track and trace system and money transfer services. If you want to send packages, it might be a good idea to check with private courier companies like DHL, TNT or UPS, as they are fast, reliable and generally quite competitively priced.
We have a comprehensive list of accommodation in Pai searchable right here on Travellerspoint. You can use our map to quickly compare budget, mid-range or top of the range accommodation in Pai and areas nearby.
as well as Peter (4%)
We don't currently have any Travel Helpers for Pai
This is version 10. Last edited at 14:23 on Aug 23, 16 by Utrecht. 3 articles link to this page.
Except where otherwise noted, content of this article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License

subset: commoncrawl


text: Russell "R.L." StockardSportswriter/Contributor, 1950-2017Inducted: 2001[Stockard obituary from the Baton Rouge Advocate, March 11, 2017]Pioneering sports chronicler Russell Stockard died Saturday (March 11, 2017) in Baton Rouge, his family confirmed. He was 92.Stockard was the first sports information director at Southern University, the first SID of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and the first black correspondent to write for mainstream newspapers in Louisiana.Stockard was a 2008 recipient of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame's Distinguished Service Award. And in 2009, he was recognized with a National Association of Black Journalists' Sports Task Force Sam Lacy Pioneer Award.Stockard is quoted on an inscription at his plaque at the Hall of Fame as saying: "I've lived a blessed life. I was always able to do what I wanted to do. You could write a script, and it still would never turn out this good."Known by his initials "R.L.,'' Stockard had a hand in several significant events in Louisiana sports history, the so-called "secret'' basketball game between Jesuit and St. Augustine high schools, the first integrated prep game played in the state, and in the launching of the Bayou Classic, the annual football game between Southern and Grambling in New Orleans.A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Stockard served in Europe in World War II, earned his degree in historical geography from Tennessee State. He started his career in government service in Washington, D.C., then taught for several years at Florida A&M before coming to teach at Southern. His last years were spent in Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina, in which he trudged waist-deep in water from his home in New Orleans East to the Superdome.Just as most black schools in the early 1950s, Southern had minimal, part-time assistance in the keeping track of SU sports, their accomplishments, records, statistics, or even a way to reach the public at large to tell the stories of the Jaguars. Always an avid sports follower, Stockard would later say, "I saw a major need and tried to fix it.''He talked to A.W. Mumford, Southern's Hall of Fame and then the athletic director, who agreed. Stockard got the job - to be performed without compensation and to be performed in addition to his academic professorship.Getting things in order was one thing, but Stockard noticed very few others were aware. There still was little outside coverage from the mainstream media.In 1953 he boldly marched into the newsroom of the Baton Rouge State-Times and asked to speak to sports editor Dan Hardesty. Stockard made the case the paper ought to consider increasing its coverage of Southern sports, particularly the football and basketball teams. He pointed out that other than scores and who scored touchdowns, there were no human interest stories, no background stories, and no columns providing in-depth insights on the powerful teams coached by A.W. Mumford."I think he was surprised that I read the newspaper,'' Stockard said, "and was taken aback when I pointed out we were talking about a local four-year school approximately the same size as LSU, which got most of the coverage in the Baton Rouge media."Eventually, Hardesty agreed. As a part-time reporter, Stockard would be the eyes and ears of Southern sports to the rest of the sporting world. "But,'' Stockard later said, "I had to do my own stories, my own statistics, my own sidebars. If I didn't do them, they just wouldn't appear in the State-Times. So then I had a responsibility to do the job."Southern coverage improved as Stockard reported on the Jaguars for the next eight years - until he got a chance to teach at Southern's New Orleans branch, where he went in 1960.The very day he moved to New Orleans, Stockard received a call from Walter Cowan, the editor of the city's afternoon paper, the States-Item. "I understand you used to write for the afternoon paper in Baton Rouge,'' Cowan explained. "I could use you."For the next decade, again as a part-timer, Stockard covered not only Southern but Grambling and other SWAC schools as well as black high school sports, not only for the States-Item but also for Louisiana Weekly, an organ for African-Americans.It was in that capacity that Stockard was instrumental in putting together the meeting of Jesuit (26-1) and St. Aug. (30-0), widely seen as the best two prep teams in the state but barred from playing by the segregation laws of the time. Sitting in the office of St. Augustine principal Fr. Robert Grant one day as the '65 season drew to a close, Stockard planted a seed in the principal's mind: The regular season was over and both schools had more than a week before their respective state tournaments would begin. Why not play each other, (1) to stay sharp, and (2) to see who was really the better team.Grant dismissed the idea, saying Jesuit would never agree. To which Stockard said he responded, "You never know 'til you try."The game came off, but, because of the politics of the day, had to be played in secret at Jesuit, which could have been suspended by the LHSAA by playing an "official game."The Purple Knights won easily 81-59, although it must be noted three of Jesuit's top six players did not participate. Still, it was a landmark moment in Louisiana sports.After that segment of his life concluded, Stockard became the first SID of the SWAC, then headquartered in New Orleans, where in the 1970s he also had a hand in putting together the first Bayou Classic with Grambling coach Eddie Robinson, Grambling SID and famed marketer Collie J. Nicholson and Southern athletic director U.S. Jones. It has become an annual football extravaganza in the Superdome."I guess,'' he once said, "though I didn't think of it in these terms at the time, I was kind of a pioneer."


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Marjorie Pareja was a Solarian citizen and a soldier of the Solarian Gendarmerie.
In 1922 PD, she held the rank of Corporal and served in Able Company, 10347th Independent Battalion, assigned to the Saltash System. She was killed when her squad, commanded by Sergeant Clinton Abernathy, was hit by a Manticoran "tank-killer" during the Royal Manticoran Navy's rescue of a group of illegally detained merchant spacers from Shona Station. (HH14)


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Unsusual bench with wood slats.
A beautiful organic looking form made of teak slats. The teak wood bench has stainless steel hardware and comes in two sizes with some hefty price tags. But then again, this is really a sculpture. Beautiful indoors or out.Tags: art, outdoor, modern, wood, teak, bench, design, modern furniture, teak benchAdded 7 Years Ago from Twentieth
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— CBT: Xavier vs. Saint Louis (3:30 p.m. ET) will be a classic bubble eliminator, while Perry Jones III could continue to be a stud.
CBT: Saturday's preview (Selection Sunday looms!)
Current Status: Blessed (1)
Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:50 AM
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Upping the Game in CollaborationCollaboration
Today at Partner Summit, we announced innovations that will help us get amazing technology into more hands, faster. We are completely reinventing how the world connects and communicates. We areRead More
#CiscoChampion Radio, S3|Ep. 27: Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE)Perspectives
#CiscoChampion Radio is a podcast series by Cisco Champions as technologists. Today we're discussing Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE). Get the Podcast Listen to this episode Download this episode (right-click onRead More
Gartner Names Cisco a Leader in Unified CommunicationsEducation
Recently, Gartner named Cisco a leader in its 2016 Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications.Read More
Catching the Second Wave: What Is SoCoMo?Collaboration
SoCoMo platforms provide the software to integrate current business systems with new capabilities, all via a single cloud service. Vendors who choose to not invest in SoCoMo platforms risk beingRead More
The Data behind Dots: Cisco UC Scores Highest in Gartner Critical Capabilities ReportCollaboration
Gartner's 2016 Critical Capabilities for Unified Communications report digs deeper into the vendors represented in the Gartner UC Magic Quadrant. Cisco received the highest scores across all the use casesRead More
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Businesses understand that not only do customers expect flawless connectivity, so do employees. Unified communications has taken hold, setting expectations for integrated services from telephony to messaging and mobility. Recently,Read More


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USB 3.1 Type-C Male to Micro USB Female Adapter - Black (3 PCS)
If you think the price is too high, please click to apply for lower price
|Form Color
|3 pieces
|Other Features
|Compatible Models
|USB 3.1type-C smartphone and tablet PC
|Main Functions
|Charging / data sync
|USB 3.1 Type-C male to Micro USB female
|Cable Length
|Dimensions & Weight
|0.98 in x 0.47 in x 0.22 in (2.5 cm x 1.2 cm x 0.55 cm)
|0.18 oz (5 g)
|Packing List
|3 x Adapters
All packages from DX.com are sent without DX logo or any information indicating DX.com. Due to package variations from suppliers, the product packaging customers receive may be different from the images displayed.
To enable volume discounts on this site, use coupon code: BULKRATE during checkout. You will see a discount applied at the bottom of the shopping cart. Competitive pricing is available. Contact us for details.
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What is Bulk Rate? BulkRate is a semi-wholesale system with items priced separately from retail. When you use bulk rates, a flat $1.70 registered air mail fee will automatically be added to your cart to ensure delivery of package. While BulkRate's intention is to offer cheaper prices when you buy in bulk, because it is priced separately it on occassions show a higher than retail price. That's why we ask you to enter BULKRATE as a coupon code to manually activate the rates. You can always opt not to use the bulk rates. If you are looking for wholesale prices please feel free to contact us.
Share your reviews, photos and videos here!Review Program
Pros: good quality and it fits my UMI Plus very well (it "clicks" in the USB connection and stays firmly connected - some others I have tried are loose, not perfectly connecting the USB) Cons: none
cheap but one of tree pieces is wrong
Pros: easy, cheap Cons: none
After the first few times of charging it wouldn't work anymore. It's very loose and doesn't fit very well. It would only charge when held in a specific position and even then I thought the battery was still draining :(
Pros: Makles good useof all your existing USB micro's and mini's cables- until you wait for the USB-C prices to come down in price! It's at a good price point. is well built. and works as advertised- charges my mobile Just... Read more
cheap but one of tree pieces is wrong
Pros: good quality and it fits my UMI Plus very well (it "clicks" in the USB connection and stays firmly connected - some others I have... Read more
Pros: Makles good useof all your existing USB micro's and mini's cables- until you wait for the USB-C prices to come down in price! It's... Read more
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We arrived late due to a flight delay (9PM) and had to wait a while for anyone to answer the door to the hotel. The lady in charge wasn't even there.. she came walkingdown the block asking how long we had been waiting. Be prepared for a TON of tiny steps.. the staircase is ridiculous. The price was fairly cheap I suppose. The bathroom was actually impressive, which is important for me!! The breakfast is nothing special but was filling if you ate enough... salami, cheese, bread, toast, cereal, fruit, juice, etc. If you need to go cheap, this should be on your list. But don't expect anything great.
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President Obama discusses educational reform at town hall meeting
Speaking at a town hall meeting hosted by Spanish-language network Univision on Monday, President Barack Obama said school performance should be measured in other ways besides the standardized testing of students.
The President told the audience at Bell Multicultural High School in Washington D.C., "Too often what we have been doing is using these tests to punish students." While he doesn't want to see standardized tests disappear completely and acknowledges the importance of language and math proficiency, he is pushing for other criteria to be considered when gauging the success of schools including performance in other subjects, as well.
Obama's visit to the school came in the midst of a push by the President for a revision of the No Child Left Behind Act, which some educators believe has hurt rather than helped schools. NCLB mandates that 100 percent of students be proficient in reading and math by 2014. To meet this goal, some schools have begun focusing more on preparing for the tests and have cut back instruction in history, science, social studies, literature, and geography, not to mention arts and physical education.
"One thing I never want to see happen is schools that are just teaching the test because then you're not learning about the world, you're not learning about different cultures, you're not learning about science, you're not learning about math," said Obama. "All you're learning about is how to fill out a little bubble on an exam and little tricks that you need to do in order to take a test and that's not going to make education interesting."
Obama seeks to replace the NCLB 2014 mandate with the mandate that all graduates of the high school class of 2020 and beyond should be ready for college or a career when they graduate. To do this, said Obama, we must emphasize parental involvement, investment in early education, educating and hiring the highest-quality teachers, extra help for students who have fallen behind, and help and incentives for schools with high drop-out rates.
Obama urged students to consider pursuing a career in teaching. "If students aren't getting the education they need, then we won't succeed as a nation," Obama told the town hall meeting audience.
Watch the entire town hall via YouTube here.
For more Schools.com coverage of President Obama and education, read:


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The Fund seeks to meet its objective through the use of long and short positions using direct investments in fixed income securities, derivatives instruments and other instruments. The Fund will utilize leverage. The Fund's investments may include, but are not limited to, debt obligations issued by corporation and governments (or their agencies and instrumentalities), exchange-traded and over the counter derivatives, structured notes and other structured products, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, and commingled vehicles. The Fund may also invest in equity securities and related instruments. Strategy is limited to 400% gross long and 400% gross short exposure. Geographical focus is on US-based issuers, but the fund will also invest outside the US, including in emerging markets.


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Amsterdam, The Netherlands – (The Hosting News) – January 27, 2009 – Search marketing conference, Search Engine Strategies, in conjunction with BBP, the publisher of Twinkle, has scheduled an event in Amsterdam, Holland, to take place March 16-17, 2009, at The Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky.
Marketers, corporate decision makers, web developers, search engine marketing (SEM) specialists and rookies, and search engine optimization (SEO) consultants gather for the industry's definitive event to delve into the latest developments in search.
Matt McGowan, Vice President and Publisher of the global SEM conference series in addition to its sister sites ClickZ and Search Engine Watch, commented, "Incisive Media is proud and excited to extend our global SEM conference and expo series to Holland in partnership with BBP. Search continues to show resilience as a must have channel to market and SES is the most trusted event series that CEOs, CMOs, business owners, marketers, web developers attend year after year to learn the trade."
Register early before the 13th of February and save up to 150 Euros.
BBP is a leading and innovative Dutch publisher, in print, in person and online. The company's Principal markets include, Document Management, Customer service, Call Centers, E-commerce, Online marketing. BBP's market-leading brands include Telecommerce, Twinkle, Document Manager, TCD, IDMK, Global E-commerce Summit, E-mail marketing Conference.
SES is the leading global search marketing event series for education in digital marketing and advertising with specific emphasis on Search Engine Marketing (SEM), PPC and SEO. SES Amsterdam will teach delegates everything they need to know to maximize their advertising reach online whilst providing a forum for delegates to network with their peers, expert practitioners and representatives from the search engines themselves.
The Chair of this event will be Henk van Es and the Programming Director for it will be Joost de Valk. SES Amsterdam will feature a number of workshops designed to educate the beginning SEO/SEM in addition to advanced maximizer sessions for those with years of experience. Topics such as Web 2.0 trends, social media and blogging will also be covered.
Paul Petermeijer, CEO BBP, remarked, "SES Amsterdam is the leading event in Holland for Search, with a mix of national and international cases and speakers we have created an event where starters and pro's can find their way. With the combination of Incisive media and BBP we have a lot of marketing power in and outside the Netherlands."
SES Amsterdam is actively supported by Taskforce Search the Dutch branch of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).
Wolter Tjeenk Willink, Chairman of the Dutch Taskforce Search, IAB offered, "Search Engine Strategies is globally recognized as the leading search marketing conference and expo series. We encourage our members, advertisers as well as agencies, to attend SES Amsterdam and learn all about the latest tactics and best practices from Dutch and international top experts in the industry."
Incisive Media's Search Engine Strategies is a leading global conference and training series focused on search engine optimization and search engine marketing. Other Incisive resources for interactive marketers include the ClickZ network for digital marketing news, information, commentary, advice, opinion and research and Search Engine Watch which provides news and information about search, analysis of the search engine industry and tools for improving search marketing effectiveness.
Incisive Media is a global provider of specialized business news and information, in print, in person and online. The company's principal markets include financial services, legal services, commercial real estate, marketing services and risk management. Incisive Media's market-leading brands include Accountancy Age, Computing, Investment Week, Legal Week, LegalTech, Post, Real Estate Forum, Risk, Search Engine Strategies and The American Lawyer.
For more information about BBP, please visit: www.bbp.nl
To learn more about Search Engine Strategies 2009 Conference Expo in Amsterdam, please visit: www.SearchEngineStrategies.nl.
For more information about Search Engine Strategies, please visit: www.searchenginestrategies.com.


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Prestige Silver Oak Whitefield Road Bangalore:
Prestige Group is coming up with its new residential project "Prestige Silver Oak" located at Whitefield Road in Bangalore. Prestige Silver Oak comprises of 32 Luxury Apartments and 148 Villas with the expansion of 17 Acres of properties dedicated to perfecting the art of luxurious living and a culture of leisure.
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Black Ops was also the best-selling entertainment of any kind last year, beating both Avatar on DVD/Blu-ray and Take That's album.
With Black Ops is the best selling game in the UK alone, what do you think this means for Modern Warfare 3 later this year? Let us know in the comments!


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The Notorious Mercenary (きた!世界一の殺し屋 "桃白白", Kita! Sekaiichi no Koroshiya "Taopaipai"; lit. "He is Here! The World's Greatest Hitman, "Tao Pai-pai") is the second episode of the Commander Red Saga and the fifty-ninth episode in the Dragon Ball series. The episode first aired on April 22, 1987.
While Commander Red talks with the infamous Mercenary Tao, General Blue returns to Red Ribbon Army Headquarters. Commander Red is furious over General Blue's recent failures, but will allow him to live if General Blue can defeat Mercenary Tao in battle. Meanwhile, on the Sacred Land of Korin, Goku learns about the Korin Tower from Bora and the strength enhancing water at the top.
General Blue battles Mercenary Tao, but even his finishing move is useless and Mercenary Tao wins effortlessly with a Pressure Point Attack. After learning about Goku and the Dragon Balls, Mercenary Tao sets out to Korin. Goku expresses eagerness to climb the tower just before Mercenary Tao arrives. Bora fights him, but Mercenary Tao kills him mercilessly. Angered, Goku leaps into a fierce battle against the deadliest assassin in the world.


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For sale by Josab Investment Ltd VERIFIED19 Feb 10:01 amAyobo/Ipaja, Lagos
Decent and solidly built 2 story block with 18 units of 2 bedroom flats at Iyana Ipaja, Lagos state now available for sale.
It has all rooms ensuite with security feature, inside well tiles with well floored compound,well equipped kitchen, fine wardrobe, toilet with fence and gate and located in an area with good roads.
For more information and tour guide, please contact the agent.
Stay safe!
Watch out for:


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posted by ray .
Average Speed
1. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, Usain Bolt won the 100-m race in 9.69 s. What was his average speed?
2. Light from the sun reaches Earth in 8.3 min. The speed of light is 3.0108 m/s. How far is Earth from the sun?
3. In Major League Baseball, the distance between the pitcher's mound and home plate is 18.5 m. On September 24, 2010, Aroldis Champman threw a 105-mph fastball. How much time (in s) does the take to get to homeplate?
4. A high school athlete runs 100 m in 12.2 s. What is the athlete's average speed?
5. Suppose a car travels at a constant speed of 25 mph. How far would it move in (a) 1 hour (b) 1 minute (c) 1 second?
6. To establish the world record for the fastest jet-engined car, the car must travel a distance of 604 m in one direction then travel the same distance in the opposite direction. The first run took 2.12 s and the second run took 2.15 s. (a) What was the average speed for the first run? (b) What was the average speed for the second run?
7. You are driving down a street at 35 mph. Suddenly a child runs into the street in front of you. It takes you 0.75 s to react and slam on the brakes. How many meters do you travel before you begin to slow down?
8. If you drive at 55 mph, how long will it take you to travel from Norfolk to Nags Head N.C., 81.6 miles?
9. If a migrating bird can average 25 mph, how far can this bird travel in 3 weeks? Assume that the bird flies 12 hours per day.
10. A football player runs with an average speed of 9.52 m/s. How much time does it take him to cover 40 yards?
11. If a plane can travel at a speed of 270 mph, how much time will it take to go 852 miles?
12. On the interstate, you pass the 5-mile marker at 9:00 am. At 9:30 am, you pass the 32-mile marker. What is your average speed?
13. In a particle accelerator, an electron can travel at 90% of the speed of light. How far can an electron travel in the blink of eye, 0.9 s?
14. You walk four and a half times around a circular track in 1 hour. The radius of the track is 200 meters. What was your average speed (in m/s)?


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Minnedosa Vacation Packages
Traveling through this popular region can be an adventure, so set aside some time to take a road trip and visit a few of the other fabulous towns and cities in the vicinity of Minnedosa. Head 16 miles (26 kilometers) west to Neepawa, where you can check out the Assiniboine Community College Neepawa Training Centre and Riverbend Park.
When it's time to explore beyond Minnedosa, check out the nearest regional center. Brandon is approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) away and is home to attractions like Riverbank Discovery Centre, Eleanor Kidd Gardens and Optimist Soccer Park. Brandon has lots to offer travelers willing to explore a little deeper. Brandon University, Sportsplex and Keystone Centre are just a couple of the other points of interest sure to delight.
Exercise your grey matter at Manitoba's fascinating art museums and history museums.
Take some time to relax upon the region's waters with a spot of wind surfing or swimming. This place also offers some thrilling experiences such as sky diving.
If you are visiting Manitoba on the 1st of July, partake in the events surrounding the annual Canada Day celebrations.
It is sometimes said that a ticket to a new place is one of the rare things that makes you wealthier. Your time in Minnedosa will leave you with moments you'll be sure to treasure for a lifetime.


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Jared in Denver: Need to know what Bell to ring, Mike or Tatum. And also would you start the chosen bell or T. Jones?
Scott Engel: (11:00 AM ET ) Good morning everyone!
I would certainly use Mike since he is in better health, and would use him over Jones since Mike Bell has the better matchup.


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Bangor International Airport (BGR) Car Hire
Traveling to Bangor, Maine? AirportRentalCars.com is proud to offer affordable car hire rates at Bangor International Airport. Come see what the great outdoors has to offer, whether fishing, hiking, skiing, or camping with your family, Bangor is your stop for a great holiday! When visiting the city be sure to check out some of the local attractions from the Lumber Jack Museum, to the magnificent sights and sounds of Acadia National Park. At AirportRentalCars.com we have cheap cars for hire, and offer some of the biggest names including: Budget Car Hire, Hertz car hire, National, Enterprise, Avis Car Hire, Alamo Car Hire, and more. Check out great car hire deals at AirportRentalCars.com by entering your travel information in the search form.
Current Flight Updates at BGR
- Arrivals
- Departures
- Delays
Click Here for BGR Flight Arrivals
Click Here for BGR Flight Departures
Click Here for BGR Flight Delays
Helpful Travel Information
Driving Directions to/from BGR
Map and Driving Directions
Click to view a map and get driving directions to and from Bangor Intl.
Current Weather Conditions at BGR
Click here for weather conditions


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HP Magic Giveaway Contest Winner!
Thanks again to HP, and Microsoft for sponsoring this contest. Special thanks to Chris Aarons and Nick White at BuzzCorps for making it possible, and inviting us to participate.
HP has left the "beige box" behind, and is doing some very creative and amazing work with hardware and software. Just take a look at their TouchSmart series, or HP 1000 mini netbook. We'll have full reviews of these HP products and more posted soon.
If you haven't tried Windows Vista, you really ought to. Service Pack 1 and improved driver support have made this a mature and solid operating system. The Windows Live products are some of the coolest software to ever come from Microsoft. They're all online applications (perfect for that new netbook), and they're free!
Thanks again to all that submitted comments. If you didn't win here, try one or more of the other HP Magic Giveaway sites. These contests just started: Student Bloggers, Liliputing, and SDRNews.
And now, without further ado – the HP Magic Giveaway contest winner. Comment 671 belonging to Ben:
I would donate everything BUT the mini 1000 to my church. I wasnt a very religious person, but then went through a rather rough period in my life, and found comfort in the people there. As a design student, I do alot of computer work for them, and one of the computers I have used i know was donated by my family when they were members years ago. They are in need, and I would love to help them!
While the comment was drawn at random, it does seem fitting for the season. As soon as we hear from Ben we'll publish more information, and we hope he's able to share his story of sharing magic with us all.
Update: We have received a reply from him, and permission to use his full name. Congratulations Ben Beauvais of Michigan!


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December 5, 2014 Total Views: 6658 Today: 1
Hotel Apartamentos Los Pueblos Lanzarote, Set 400 metres from Puerto Del Carmen's Old Harbour, in southern Lanzarote, these apartments feature an outdoor pool with loungers. All apartments have a private balcony with great sea views. Each Los Pueblos apartment has a twin bedroom and a sofa bed in the lounge area. There is a private bathroom and a fully-equipped kitchen. There are shops nearby and it is only a 10-minute walk down the hill to the lively town centre. Apartamentos Los Pueblos has a poolside bar serving snacks and meals. There is a TV in the bar area, as well as pool tables and a tennis court. The complex has a 24-hour reception and organizes daily tours. You can also hire a car, and there is free on-site parking. (Hotel Apartamentos Los Pueblos Lanzarote hotels booking).


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I'm pretty happy to see this new coupon for Simply Potatoes. Their coupons are always regional and I tend to get my inserts from an area that does not get their coupons too often. It looks like this coupon is good on any of their products from the description. Please let me know if you print it and find otherwise.
$0.55/1 Simply Potatoes Item printable manufacturer's coupon (preclipped)Extreme Couponing Tip: You can usually get two prints of most internet coupons. To find them in the easiest possible way, use our preclipped links that take you right to the coupon. Then come back and click the same link to get your 2nd print. This will save you the time spent searching for the coupon.
Never miss another hot coupon, deal or freebie again! "Like" Couponaholic .NET on Facebook, Follow us on Pinterest, Follow us on Twitter, Follow us on Instagram or Subscribe to our Daily Email Newsletter!


text: On Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 09:07:02PM +0000, Jack Tanner wrote: > Patrice Dumas <pertusus <at> free.fr> writes: > > > > > Are you sure that mpd is relevant here? Isn't it higher layer than > > pam_console/hal...? > > All I can tell you is that for mpd to be able to use /dev/sound, > I had to set /dev/sound permissions via console.perms.d . I see. Indeed, there needs to be some interaction with hal/* to set the acls/permissions differently. -- Pat


text: The cover of the complete set of the Sorcery! boxed set The four sides of the complete set of Sorcery! boxed set Steve Jackson's Sorcery! Series Boxed Set was a boxset of the Sorcery! series of gamebooks by Steve Jackson. This article is a stub. You can help Titannica by expanding it. See AlsoEdit ReferencesEdit Retrieved from "http://fightingfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Steve_Jackson%27s_Sorcery!_Series_Boxed_Set?oldid=64049" Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you've made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Categories: Article stubs Fighting Fantasy Boxsets Sorcery Entries Add category Cancel Save


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Quick mask & skin care for him
You don't want to forget about his skin while taking care of yours. But he is not cooperative. Sounds familiar? What they always say – "I am man! I can't be like you spending hours in that bathroom!…" – "No way, I need to think


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Product Spotlight
Featured Research
Quick Stats
You are here
BP's ampm Offers Twofer on Tea
In the convenience chain's western U.S. markets, customers can get two proprietary Essence ready-to-drink teas for $2 in four flavors.
LA PALMA, Calif. -- BP's ampm convenience store division is offering a two for $2 promotion for its Essence ready-to-drink tea line in the company's western U. S. markets, through the end of June, where customers can experience a duo of the four new brews, the company reported.
The Essence teas, which are slated to launch in eastern U.S. marketing areas in September, are the latest in a line of exclusive ampm beverages launched over the past two years. A single 20-ounce bottle carries a suggested retail price of $1.49.
BP's ampm also sells four other proprietary bottled beverages—Deluge Spring Water, Deluge Sport drinks, Unbound energy drinks, and Deluge Plus vitamin+antioxidant waters.
"The Essence teas are a natural progression in the evolution of drinks exclusive to ampm," said Andrew Baird, BP's vice president of marketing for convenience retail. "Ready-to-drink tea sales were among the fastest growing subcategories of packaged beverages in our stores. In addition, our fountain sales of the Essence green tea were strong, indicating a market ripe for a beverage with natural, premium ingredients."
Essence teas are available in four flavors—green tea with ginseng and honey; white tea with lemon; black tea with peach; and black tea with raspberry. They are all-natural and are steeped with green, white or black tea leaves in the production process to ensure a natural flavor from the tea solids, and are sweetened with cane sugar not high-fructose corn syrup, resulting in a beverage that is less than 100 calories per serving, according to the company.
Additionally, the green and white teas contain vitamin C and EGCG, a natural antioxidant.
Related News:
Atlas Oil Co. to Buy 33 BP Sites
BP's ampm Spices Things Up with New Nacho Chips


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Hyderabad, Oct 14: The newly-formed IPL governing council committee which met for the first time in Hyderabad has postponed its decision on whether there will be a new franchise auction to replace the terminated Kochi Tuskers Kerala to its next meeting.
The Governing Council also decided next seasons format and not to consider the issue of allowing Pakistan players in the 2012 tournament.
However Rajeev Shukla, the new chairman of IPL, said that no decisions were taken on the subject of Kochi as they were waiting for more details. "We will have another meeting shortly on the subject [of Kochi]," he said. "However, the players' interests will be protected."
In the previous meeting Shukla had said the issue of allowing Pakistan players would be discussed at today's meeting, but subsequently told the media that "it was not listed in the agenda today and hence there was no question of discussing the issue about Pakistani players' participation. We will have another meeting soon to discuss this and many other issues also."
The IPL management has been meeting with the remaining nine franchises to discuss their individual views on the structure of the event and are considering going back to the original home-and-away format for next season. In an official statement by the BCCI said that the governing council had asked the IPL management team "to come back with options for the format and structure for the 2012 season of the tournament."
The player regulations and the trading modalities will be discussed at the next meeting of the Council, it was informed. The Governing Council also approved various operational items for the forthcoming IPL season.
The dates of the DLF IPL 2012 were confirmed and the event will begin in Chennai on April 4 with an inaugural ceremony a day before the first match, and end on May 27.


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Farmers in north-west Victoria are being asked to keep an eye out for locusts on their properties.
The warning comes after sightings of the insect in parts of the Mallee during the past month.
Department of Environment and Primary Industries and Victorian Plague Locust Commissioner Gordon Berg says they've been spotted near Manangatang and Annuello, in relatively small clusters.
"They're just little signals that we've got some small populations around that could be of concern to us later in the year," he says.
"In both cases they hadn't really caused any problems...they might cause some damage to seedling crops at this stage."
Dr Berg says that following a large outbreak in 2010-2011 locust numbers fell to a very low level, but if conditions are right the locusts may develop during the winter.
"It's what really happens downstream from this that is of concern to us, so if there was egg laying then we could see populations develop in spring time."
"Our concern is that we really need to know where these are so people can look out for those potential eggs that might hatch in spring."
He's asking anyone who spots locusts on their property to report them to the Department.


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About the Book
Portraits of various tribes of the Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia.
Features & Details
- Category Travel
Large Format Landscape, 13×11 in, 33×28 cm
100 Pages
- Publish Date Feb 11, 2014
- Language English
- Tags Lip Plate, Portrait, Lower, Omo, Valley, Ethiopia, Tribes, Ethnic, Travel, Scarification, Tribal, Traditional, African, Africa, Hamar, Dassanech, Mursi, Suri, Surmi, Bodi, Anuak, Primitive, People
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This year will make the 8th year for the Annual Haunted Trail, "Forest of Doom Haunted Trail", in Steuben! Teenager Aaron Barnes creates this spectacular and spooky trail every year at Halloween time. He works very hard every year to make it a success. Each year making the trail different so that those passing through can be surprised and startled…. He doesn't want anybody to be ready for what may be lurking deep in to the woods so each and every year the trail takes a different route out behind his home in Steuben! Every year the crowds become larger with people traveling from several towns away, making it a very well known community event. Aaron and his neighbor/ cousin Brandon Stanwood work hours upon hours preparing, up to 2 months before the event!
Here is some info below:
Aaron Barnes, with the help of Brandon Stanwood, will be having the Halloween Haunted Trail, THE FOREST OF DOOM again this
year! It will be held on Oct. 25, 26, & 27 starting at 7:00 pm all three nights and going until approximately
11:00 pm each night!!! Look for the sign on Route 1 in Steuben "Forest of Doom"
This year Aaron has invited The Steuben Volunteer Firefighters to sell food at the event!
So come on out and SUPPORT Aaron's Trail & The Fire Dept! There's always a bonfire for those who are too scared to walk the trail but want to come support the fire dept, maybe even give a donation to the trail & just hang out to socialize. After all this has become a big and fun community event over the years!
Look for the Facebook Page & hit LIKE : Forest of Doom Haunted Trail ~ Steuben, Maine
This year there will be an admission fee: 12 and older =$5.00 under 12 =$2.00
This is nonprofit, ALL money will be reinvested for the following years, except 20% of proceeds will be given to Aaron's Senior Class at Sumner Memorial High School!
When he was in 8th Grade at Steuben Grammar School he donated all of the money to his class trip.
Aaron plans to continue with his trail every year. Each year it gets bigger, better, and scarier!
The day after Halloween a trip is always made to Bangor and the money is spent on more decorations,costumes, props, and spooky items for the following years.
Beware though, because the Forest of Doom has become one of the scariest hauntings around!
It definitely is not for the faint of heart nor for young-ins that frighten too easily.
This post was contributed by a community member. Submit your news →


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|By The Faceless One
|More from The Faceless One
|Adventure/Science Fiction
|This Chapter is now Complete!
|Courting the Wind
|Chapter information
|Written by
|Release date
November 1st, 2012
|Last chapter
|Next chapter
Fire... Air... Water... Earth. Currently, the four nations are enjoying a timely era of peace, but this was not always the nature of things. Half a century ago, the last and final Avatar, a waterbender named Korra, vanquished a maniacal extremist who called himself Amon, and hoped to rid the world of bending forever. Sadly, shortly after this triumph, Korra was killed by an illness in her sleep, and, for reasons unknown, was not reincarnated. Though at first her immediate absence was met with worldwide panic, this reaction was short-lived. As the years passed, the wounds left by her disappearance scabbed over, and have now all but faded entirely. Now, is an era of science, and it appears... spiritual figures such as the Avatar are no longer needed to maintain balance. However, there are some that say this peace is the calm before a great storm, one that, if the Avatar fails to return, will reduce the world to ashes. But these few are surely out of their minds. Surely.
Previously... On Avatar: Advent of Earth
Hardened URSA astronauts Anyu, Hiro, and Kirima embarked on a mission to the moon, only to be gobbled up by a massive wormhole event! After waking from a coma lasting five days, Anyu and Hiro were taken into the cramped confines of a mysterious government facility, and interrogated separately.
Five Days
Monday, September 26th, 220 AG
Five days had passed since the wormhole's appearance. Five days since the disappearance of the URSA moon rocket, and everyone in it. Five days since life in Republic City had been turned completely upside down. School had been closed for the time being, and Chen was now curled up on his bed, listening to the crumbling sounds of Min smashing rocks in the backyard.
His mom had been on the television earlier that morning, describing in depth the bewilderment and confusion she and her fellow scientists were going through at the moment. They hadn't been optimistic about the foreseeable future, to put it lightly. Whatever that thing in the sky was—the scientists had called it a "wormhole"—it couldn't be good. First of all, the thing was spitting out enough light to make it seem like it was noon in downtown Republic City no matter what hour it was. This was disrupting the sleep patterns of many a condominium resident. And then there was the one question everyone had been asking since the day the sky had ripped open. "Where did that thing lead to?" It was obviously some sort of portal. So, if it had indeed swallowed up the URSA rocket, where was it now? What corner of the universe had the mysterious gateway dropped it in?
URSA physicists were working round the clock, but so far, had absolutely nothing to show for their efforts. Nothing short of a probe would reveal the astronauts' current location.
Chen decided it best to put such thoughts out of his mind. Brooding over the wormhole would only make him more terrified of it than he already was.
His fear was mostly a result of the two dreams he'd experienced prior to the disk's appearance. In the first one, he'd been submerged in a frigid ice flow, which had also been on fire. He'd then been in downtown Republic City, staring up at the sky as a gigantic mouth appeared above his head and started babbling incoherently at him. Later that day, shortly after his fiasco with Ying's air gloves, he had taken a short nap and heard a strange man talking to him. If he recalled correctly, the voice had said... something like "the world will ring with his presence in not an hour's time." Chen had no idea who he was, but he had a good idea what Doctor Huang had been talking about. Chen didn't know how, but the man had predicted the wormhole.
Chen exhaled and slid out of bed. There was probably something decent on the television right about now, and nothing could divert Chen's attention like a good hour in front of the tube. And Ying had said it best, there were plenty of better ways to spend the afternoon than listening to Min earthbend.
Sidestepping another can of sea prunes, Chen made his way to the staircase and descended into the living room. Once there, he plopped down on the sofa and groped around for the TV remote. He had just about grabbed it when the telephone reported from the kitchen. With each ring, another of Chen's mental processes screeched off the rails. Chen groaned, slowly rose to a standing position, and ambled off in search of the infernal device.
He hated answering the phone. The way it usually went was: he'd pick up, greet the caller, and then spend the next few minutes being addressed as "Mrs. Ruan," Or sometimes just "Jia".
Over the phone, he sounded more feminine than his sister did.
But his parents were out, and Min would most likely beat him up if he bothered her. So... he was really the only person available to answer. He reached the phone, lifted it from its holder, and pressed it firmly to his right ear.
"Ruan residence." He shouted into the receiver, making his voice as deep as it would go.
"Chen!" Ying's voice rang out through the line, and Chen sighed with relief. If anyone were capable of differentiating Chen's voice from his mother's, it was Ying. His eccentric friend had a knack for that sort of thing. "You'll never believe what I invented this morning!"
Once again, Chen decided to go out on a limb. "You... created something to get rid of that wormhole thing everyone's talking about?"
"Nope!" Ying replied, "Something even better!"
Chen was silent for a long moment. He should've figured. "Better than that?" he finally asked.
"Way better!" Ying reported, "earlier this morning, I was examining the properties of various human pheromones when accelerated genetically."
Chen frowned. "Where are you going with this...?"
"And I found," Ying continued, paying no mind to Chen's question, "that out of all these pheromones, one responds the best to genetic manipulation. It's the one for love. Chen! I've made a working love potion!"
"Y-you have?"
When it came to Ying's inventions, Chen's opinion was usually divided. There was one curious part of him which would latch onto the exiting concepts of his friend's creations, and even agree to test them out. However, there was also the other half, which hated each and every one of Ying's ideas. In this half's opinion, all of them were horrible, dangerous contraptions, best burnt in a trash can or thrown in a blender.
This time, however, both sides strongly disagreed. A love potion? What kind of idea was that?
"—And furthermore, I think you could use a little excuse, if you know what I mean."
Chen realized he'd been ignoring his friend for the past five minutes, and asked him to repeat whatever he'd said.
"I said," Ying repeated, "I've spiked a bouquet of roses with the accelerated love pheromone, and I'm gonna give them to you. You'll can take these to Tara, who will then be susceptible to their effects."
Chen's mouth dropped open. "You want me to make Tara fall for me... With science? That's twisted!"
Ying hesitated. "Look Chen, my father used to tell me there were two types of people in this world: those who seek success, and those who sit around on their butts, waiting for success to come to them. As you can probably imagine, of these two, the former will be infinitely more prosperous."
"What're you trying to say?"
"I'm saying, you've been waiting for Tara to come to you for seven years! My pheromone science will... speed things up a bit."
"So you don't think I can do it on my own? Without your... flowers?"
Ying realized what his words had been implying, and quickly tried to repair the damage. "I never said that," he managed, "trust me, Chen, I didn't mean—"
Chen would've probably forgiven his friend's comment, but it was his fault Tara was so hard to reach now! And now, Ying was trying to repay Chen by using some science thing to alter Tara's brain chemistry. In Ying's mind, every problem, no matter how big or small, could be solved with a scientific innovation. Well, Chen had news for him.
"You know what, Ying," Chen grumbled, "You can go throw those flowers in a blender for all I care. That rocket glove disaster was the last straw for me."
The kitchen fell silent. A fly buzzed against a window above the counter. "Wait, what do you mean you've—"
And that was all Ying got the chance to say, because Chen had ended the call.
I'll show him... And show him he would. He'd ask Tara out himself, right now. Without Ying's science.
Chen picked up the phone again, and dialed Tara's number. He heard it ring once, twice, and his palms began to sweat.
Finally, on the fifth ring, he got something.
Chen nearly hurtled through he ceiling. At first, he thought it was Tara speaking to him, but the lower voice revealed that it was in fact Jinora on the other end. "Hi," Chen said. He could feel courage drip into his veins like an IV from heaven. "May I speak to your daughter?"
"Sure you can... Min. Is that you?"
"No," he exhaled. What was the point in fighting it? "This is Chen."
"Oh! Well, she's in her room now; just let me get her." Chen was infinitely grateful to Tara for opting to keep Ying's rocket situation a secret from her mother. If she had told on them, Chen would've probably been hung up on before he'd even got the change to call. Somehow.
Tara's voice hit him in the gut like an earth-pillar from Min. He'd wanted to start the conversation off with some suave pick-up line, but every ounce of his fear was rapidly coming back to him. The IV was running dry.
"Hi," he managed, voice cracking like a fault line.
"What did you want?" Tara snapped.
Chen winced. Her anger towards him and Ying was obviously still fresh.
"I was just wondering," Chen started, "If you'd like to—well, I mean, it's not like you have to, if you don't wanna..."
"Spit it out."
"Right, I was just calling to see if you'd like to—well, there's this movie playing."
Chen's could literally feel her eyes narrowing.
"And I wanted to know if you'd, by any chance, be interested in going to see it with me."
Tara's end was silent for a long while, and Chen hastily added: "you know, as friends."
The kiss of death. Why did he have to go and say that? He was Chen, purger of romance. Emperor of the friend zone.
"Actually," Tara said, "I'm not so sure if that's such a—" She stopped there.
Chen lowered the phone from his ear, and examined the receiver. He figured if his phone was responsible for the loss in connection, he'd be able to diagnose a problem with a quick look. And find the problem he did. Unfortunately, it was a heck of a lot bigger than he'd first imagined.
"Get off the phone, shrimp," Min said, who had been standing behind him the whole time, "I gotta make a call."
Chen quickly realized his sister had also unplugged the receiver from the wall, and fixed her with a defiant glare. "You can't do that!" he cried, "I was using it!"
"Really?" she snorted, "and who's gonna stop me, you?"
Chen wanted to cut his sister down to size with a blistering retort, but... he had to admit, she had a point. If things got physical, he couldn't make her do anything. She'd rocket him through the ceiling on a pillar of quartz before he had time to draw back his fist.
Min seemed to get a kick out his reaction, and curled her lips into a sneer. "That's what I thought."
All of Chen's self-preservation instincts screamed at him to go upstairs and leave Min to her stolen phone call, but—and this surprised Chen greatly—his wilder side, the same one that'd told him to fly with Ying on his gloves, was urging him to take action. This half reminded him of how long he'd been dominated by his sister's iron fist, how long he'd been forced to take whatever she threw at him on the chin, without any way to retaliate.
Chen grabbed the phone out of his sister's hand.
Min stared at him for a moment, unable to believe her brother's sudden surge of bravery. It was only a moment however, and an awfully short one at that. Min's green eyes flashed from a look of surprise to a horrid glare as this ran its course.
Chen gulped. "I was using that," he stated, "if you'd like to call someone, wait until I'm done."
"What did you just say?" Min seethed in reply.
"I told you to wait your turn. J-just because you're a bender doesn't mean you can toss me around like a rag doll whenever you want."
Chen's voice had cracked just then, but that didn't stop him from straightening up as his sister's face contorted into a mask of fury. "Let's test that, shall we, shrimp?"
She then hung up the phone, and advanced a few steps. This almost stretched Chen's resolve to a breaking point.
But it was then that he decided he'd fight back in the best way he could: with his words. If fists would get him blasted into next year, these were definitely the next best thing.
"You know Min, I'm beginning to wonder if your prodigal earthbending skills are to blame for your whole superiority deal. I'm not so sure you'd be quite as tough if you'd been born a nonbender like me."
Min bared her teeth and growled at him. "I'll answer that right now. If I was a nonbender, I'd at least be a proud one. I wouldn't spend all my free time learning the forms of a skill I'll never have. If I really wanted to defend myself, I'd take up a martial art within my limits."
That one hurt Chen, but it was a card his sister played often, and nothing he couldn't handle. "Seems as though you're pretty confident," he said, "would you like to take this outside?"
Chen could feel himself shaking with anticipation as he awaited his sister's reply. Had he just challenged her to a fight? His rational side urged him to call it off, but he stood his ground.
"Alright..." Min finally agreed, "Let's head to the backyard, where I'll prove to you just how worthless you are, with or without my bending."
Chen nodded. "Lead the way."
Five minutes later, the boy and his sister where standing before each other, in the center of their backyard. Min had grabbed an egg timer from the kitchen on her way out, and this was now positioned on a stump some feet away, ticking down the seconds to their face off.
"Last chance to back down," Min warned.
Chen didn't move an inch. He knew that if he didn't take advantage of this new courage now, it might never return to him.
"I'm not going—" he was about to say "anywhere", but just then, the timer rang, and a nasty hook caught him in the mouth before he could.
Chen staggered backward, and almost fell flat on his bottom. That fist had been unbelievably fast, so fast in fact—
Min followed her previous hook with a vicious jab to Chen's stomach. The boy saw stars, and swung blindly at his sister, who dodged this with ease, and came back around for another blow to his chest.
The next thing Chen knew, he was lying face down in the grass, coughing up stomach acid.
But seeing her brother collapsed in defeat wasn't enough for Min. She came up behind him, grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his face off the ground. Chen cried out in pain, and Min smiled.
"Does that prove my point?" she asked.
Chen gritted his teeth and nodded.
Satisfied she'd driven her argument home, Min let go of Chen's hair, and leisurely returned to the house, leaving him in the dirt.
Rotary Dial
After the sound of the back door clicking shut announced his sister's exit, Chen propped himself up on one elbow. How could he have been so utterly blind? Min spent practically all her free time honing her fighting skills, with and without her bending. What had given him any vague premonition of victory?
Chen stared at his glasses lying broken in the grass before him, and he realized something. It had been Tara. His feelings for her had completely blurred his sense of reason, and filled him with courage, determination to win the phone back from his sister. Chen sighed, and slowly rose to a sitting position.
Why, why couldn't he have just waited for her to finish? Tara would've most likely still been waiting for him. And now that he'd lost the fight, he would still have to wait for Min to end her phone call.
So, ultimately, he had gained nothing from this whole event, except a throbbing stomach and another pair of broken glasses.
Bones aching, Chen stood up, and walked slowly back to the house. Maybe he'd be able to salvage his sort-of date with Tara if he called her back when Min had finished, and apologized profusely, but that was a big maybe.
He reached the back door, pulled it open and slipped into the living room. The sound of Min's voice wafted to his ears from the kitchen, and he gave the noise a wide berth as he eased toward the stairs.
Once he'd at last climbed these, and shut himself in his room, Chen began to cry.
Burying his face in his pillow, Chen wept for all of his troubles. He wept for his utter inability to compare in any way to his sister. He wept for his inability to stand up to the bullies at school who tormented him on a regular basis. He wept for his failure to control his surges of bravery that never really ended up accomplishing anything. And most of all... he wept for his status as a nonbender. As long as he could remember, he'd dreamed about manipulating the earth like his parents and sister did.
If he were an earthbender, he could stand up to Min and the bullies without getting beaten up and humiliated, he could train with his dad in the academy his family owned, and most importantly, the days of feeling like an outsider in his own home would be over.
Chen probably would've thought up a few more reasons why his life would be infinitely better if he could earthbend, but he was interrupted by a series of soft thumps from outside his door. it was the sounds of feet climbing stairs.
Chen sat up, and crept closer to his door. If that was his sister returning to her room, then... the phone was free! If he could just get down to the kitchen, he could call Tara back and maybe even salvage their afternoon outing.
On silent feet, Chen slipped out of his room and into the upstairs hallway.
He descended the staircase and tiptoed through the dining room towards the phone. All signs indicated that his sister had retired to her room, but Chen figured it was better to be safe than sorry.
He finally reached the phone, and at once, his fingers jumped to the rotary dial. Though the absence of his glasses made it a bit hard to see, Chen dialed Tara's number without too much trouble—he'd memorized it ages ago. Satisfied he'd gotten it right, Chen gripped the phone and listened intently as it began to ring.
Chen was relieved to find Tara on the other end, and not her mother. He quickly returned her greeting, and began the conversation.
"Yeah... um, sorry we got cut off earlier, I just—" Chen had to stop talking when he realized just how tight his throat was. No matter how hard he tried to fight it, the fact that he'd been crying for the last fifteen minutes was impossible to hide.
Tara quickly picked up on this.
"Chen," she began, "Are you...?"
"No!" Chen denied a bit too quickly, before deciding it'd just be better to come clean. "I'm not crying now exactly, but I have been crying."
"Oh, well, would you maybe like to talk about it?"
Chen sighed, and leaned against the wall. When he'd first set out to claim the girl of his dreams, he certainly hadn't imagined he would be turning to her for counseling. But, their potential romance was pretty much nonexistent now, so heck, why not?
He told her everything, and when he'd finished, waited for her to either hang up, or start laughing.
She did neither.
Tara's reply made Chen's blood run cold, but in a good way. "You know," she said, "that new Rotting Iron movie hit the theaters last Friday. I've checked the paper, and the next showing's in an hour. If you'd like to go..."
"Yes!" Chen practically screamed, "I'll go! I'd love to go!" He then quieted down a bit, and said: "Should I meet you there?"
"Sure. I'll be taking my glider, so, do you wanna just catch a bus?"
"That's fine. I'll leave a note for my dad."
Rotting Iron
They said their goodbyes, and Chen slammed down the receiver, pumping his fist triumphantly. He'd done it! Despite his mishap with Min, he'd finally gotten himself an afternoon with the girl he'd been dreaming about since second grade! Quick as a bullet, Chen shot up to his room for a shower. After that, he wrapped up in a towel, which he then tripped on--but this didn't lower his spirits.
Chen picked himself up off the floor, ran to his closet and threw on some fresh clothes.
Once he was clad in clean garments, Chen put on his second pair of back-up glasses and rushed downstairs to the dining room, where he scrawled out a note to his parents.
Fifteen minutes later he was staring out the window of a bus, watching pieces of the downtown skyline race to him, shoot past, and then recede into the distance. It wasn't long before he could see the United Cinema, with its colorful architecture and vibrant vertical lettering. Eventually, the buss screeched to a stop and Chen walked to the front alone. The bus contained only two other people, and Chen blamed the wormhole for this. Most folks had decided to remain in their homes and wait for news from the URSA, fearing the thing might gobble them up if they stepped outside.
Chen reached the end of the vacant aisle, and stepped through the sliding doors just as they hissed open. He glimpsed a blur of orange tear through the clouds.
He almost yelled "Tara!" but then realized she was currently rocketing through the lower atmosphere and would not be able to hear him. Instead, he waited until she had landed softly across the street and then called to her. She smiled at him and he crossed the road.
The two exchanged pleasantries and made their way to the theater, which advertised the new Rotting Iron movie in big black letters.
Looking back, it was hard for Chen to believe how nice things had been going before all at once, they turned sour.
He had seen many movies involving kidnappings, with criminals using chloroform-soaked cloths to subdue their victims, but he didn't think of that as the tool of choice for real kidnappers.
And so, he learned something about real kidnappers when a wet rag was pressed to his lips from behind and darkness consumed his field of vision.
Before he completely lost consciousness however, Chen heard two things. The first was the rapid burst of air From Tara's glider, and the second was the grinding sound of an earth column shooting out of the sidewalk.
The Councilman Returns
Chen had no idea how long he'd been out, because the room where he came to contained no means of telling time. But then again, even if a clock had been present, it was doubtful Chen would've given it his attention. The rest of the room was just so hard to ignore.
Picture frames crowded a well-kept altar on the north wall, and spread out to cover the other three walls. Chen noticed other things as his eyes followed the photographs: a bank of microscopes, and a large hospital bed covered in a white sheet.
Chen tried to get a closer look at the bed, but found he was tied to a chair. After a few minutes of useless struggling, Chen realized just how strong the chair was. He eventually decided to just answer as many questions as he could from a sitting position. Foremost in his mind was the question "is Tara alright?" Chen desperately hoped she wasn't anywhere near that bed.
His eyes scanned the room once again but he failed to find any sign of her. His mind returned to the gurney, but Chen forced himself to move on to the next question. If his kidnappers really had killed Tara, it was unlikely they'd bother to place her in a covered hospital bed.
Chen refocused. The next thing he needed to figure out was his location. He took another look around and discovered that wherever he was had no windows. It did have a door though, a heavy wooden thing with a plethora of locks and latches attached. Chen decided that trying to force it would most likely get him nowhere.
After some thought he realized he was just going to have to wait for his captor-- whoever he or she was--to return, and work backward from there. He doubted he could convince whoever it was to let him go, but at the very least he'd get some of his questions answered.
He must've fallen asleep at some point because all of the sudden, the sound of the door creaking open jolted him awake.
A tall figure entered, and Chen figured this must be his kidnapper. "What do you want with me?" Chen yelled, "who are—" Just then, the stranger's identity burned through his mind.
He had disappeared long before Chen had been born—a few years after Korra's death—but Chen's parents had showed him plenty of pictures. Even though the pro-bending legend-turned politician was a bit older now—somewhere in his late sixties—the key features were unmistakable. The solid jaw, the green eyes, and that one lock of hair that curled down his forehead all screamed the same thing. Chen had been kidnapped by Councilman Bolin!
"So you do recognize me," The councilman began, "I'd have to say I'm flattered. Not many people remember me, you know. Most view me as something best forgotten." He approached Chen and slowly began circling the chair. This annoyed the boy greatly, for it forced him to risk whiplash in order to keep his eyes on the man.
"Wh-why did you—"
"Why did I abduct you?"
Chen nodded.
"I believe a quick peek under this sheet will answer your question." Bolin walked over to the gurney and quickly uncovered its occupant. For the second time that hour Chen felt as though he was looking at a piece of history, a figure he'd seen many pictures of but had never really met in person—someone who was supposed to be gone forever.
Bolin grinned as he revealed to Chen the body of Avatar Korra.
Chen would've fallen over in surprise, but he was still tied to that chair, so all he could do was gasp.
"Interesting, isn't it? She's been gone for 37 years and her body hasn't aged a day."
Chen studied the corpse of Korra, and found Bolin was correct. She could've easily passed away moments before.
"H-how did you get...?"
"I stole the body from the Helix Project--who had stolen it from the cemetery. How do you think I got it?"
"Wait, the Helix Project had—you stole... what?"
"The HELIX PROJECT TOOK KORRA!" Bolin exploded, and Chen felt the need to shrink into his chair. "They stole her from me—from all of us. When I finally got the facility's location out of Huang, I paid those vile scientists a visit, and reclaimed her."
"You knew Doctor Huang?"
Bolin ignored the question. "But she's still dead. I have her, but I don't. Now that you're here though, things'll be much better. You'll wake her up Chen, I know you will."
"How do you know my name? And... How do you expect me to 'wake up' a dead body?"
"HE TOLD ME YOU COULD!" Bolin sighed, and regained his composure. "That's how I know you can do it. He... he told me."
Chen frowned. "Well, I'm afraid whoever he is --he's wrong. I can't reanimate the dead." Chen was trying to stay calm, but the fear in his chest was building with each one of Bolin's outbursts. The ex-councilman seemed pretty convinced Chen could bring Korra back to life, but Chen knew that was impossible. What would Bolin do when he finally realized this? Chen had seen his face, so... Bolin couldn't afford to release him. That meant... The second he was no longer necessary, Chen would have to be disposed of.
Chen knew Bolin wouldn't need a gun to do away with him. A quick earth spike through the chest, and it was lights out.
Bolin smiled. "I know you can do it, Chen. I just talked with him today, and he was very, very confident."
"Just who is he exactly?"
"Not sure if I'm allowed to say, actually. Just know that he is very powerful, and has great confidence in you." Bolin undid the straps binding Chen's arms and legs, and pointed to the gurney. "Now get over there and do your stuff."
Chen figured at this point, it was best just to go along with what his captor said. Nonsense or not, Chen didn't want to get on the bad side of a man who could snap his ribs in the blink of an eye.
Chen walked over to the bed, and moved a hand towards Korra's body. The air seemed to get colder the closer he got, to the point where his breath was visible.
"So... I just touch her? Or what? I'm not really sure how to do this."
"He told me all it takes is one touch," Bolin confirmed.
Goosebumps spread across his arms as Chen reached out, and grabbed Korra's wrist. Even months later, Chen had trouble finding words to describe the events that followed.
As soon as his flesh touched hers, a jolt of electricity flew through his bones, shocking his muscles, and making his hair stand on end. His vision went black, and he felt himself crumple to the floor. All at once he was back in the desert. The warm sand beneath his toes, the dry breeze blowing across his face—Yes, it was definitely the same place he'd been in a few of his recurring nightmares.
If this had been just another one of those dreams, Chen would've begun going through his earthbending forms, but... This time, something was very different. The first thing he noticed was an immense temple, woven together out of countless thick roots, rising out of the sand a few yards away.
Avatar Korra was standing at the entrance to this temple, staring at him intently. One important thing Chen found about this Avatar Korra was that, unlike the one he'd seen on the bed, she was alive.
Chen took a step forward. Remaining silent, Korra started towards him. She walked slowly down the temple steps, her posture rigid. The two continued closing the distance between them and Chen noticed something important as soon as he got a better look at her face. She was crying. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, yet, she did not speak.
Chen's focus widened, and he took in her full form. With the sandy wind tousling her long, brown hair and the sun glinting off her water-tribe complexion, he had to admit... Korra was a knockout. A little old for him, sure, but still, If he were twenty years older—Chen shook such thoughts out of his head. His eyes belonged to Tara only.
Chen was repulsed by what happened next. Korra slowed her pace, and he realized her hair was beginning to lose its pigment. As she ambled towards him, her hair became whiter and whiter, until patches of it fell out and fluttered to the ground. They were only a few feet away now, and Chen saw that her skin was growing thinner as well. It slackened and sagged, becoming more and more diseased with each passing moment.
Chen wanted to run away, but his feet remained rooted to the spot. He stared, incredulous, seeing that now Korra's hair was completely gone, and the majority of her teeth had fallen out. Her left arm hardened into charcoal as she raised the right one towards Chen's forehead.
A sigh of relief passed through her parched lips and Korra's finger pressed into Chen's skull.
A burning sensation rippled through him, just before the advancing charcoal claimed the remainder of Korra's body, and she fell backward onto the sand. Her body shattered into dust as it hit the ground. A scream--had it been hers or his?--tore through the air as Chen popped awake.
A cold hard something was pressing against his back. Chen remembered he'd fallen to the floor. He looked up to see Bolin standing over the hospital bed, sobbing deeply. Rising to his feet, Chen saw what had provoked the man's reaction. Just like in his dream, Korra's body was now a mound of ash.
"Impossible!" Bolin screamed, "He told me she would live!" He grabbed a fistful of Korra's ashes, and raised them to the sky. "Live!" he cried, "Live!" He turned to Chen. "You... YOU DID THIS!"
Chen fell down again, and began crawling backwards like a crab. "What? I—I didn't do anything, I swear!"
Bolin wasn't listening. "My life could have been perfect again, but... because of you, it remains ruined." He raised his hand and sank into a horse stance. "I'm gonna enjoy smearing you into the floor."
The tears came hot and fast, pouring down Chen's cheeks, and onto his shirt. "P-please!" he begged, don't kill me! I'll—I'll do anything!"
This only widened Bolin's sneer. "Goodbye, Chen," he said, "and good rid—"
Before he could finish, Bolin was slammed in the chest with a pillar of steel, and thrown against the wall. He crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Chen turned towards the bender responsible for this, and found two people standing in the doorway.
"Get away from my—!" The last word was a bit jumbled, as the first of the pair had said, "son" and the second, "brother". But Chen got the picture. Through some miracle, Min and his Dad had come to save him!"
Chen's father stepped out of the doorway, and made a slashing motion with his hands. The metal in the wall Bolin stood against quivered, then grabbed his wrists. The unconscious ex-councilman was then raised up, arms bound to the wall by coils of steel, and left to hang there.
Still crying a little, Chen ran to them, and his dad wrapped him in a bear hug. "Chen!" he cried, "I thought we'd lost you!"
"H-how'd you find me?"
Chen's father explained that Tara had arrived on their doorstep with the news of his kidnapping, and that he, Min, and Jia had immediately contacted the police. The Republic City Police Department, however, was busy handling a massive pair of panic riots downtown which had broken out in response to the wormhole, and had put Chen's case on hold.
"That's when Min suggested we go and find you ourselves," Chen's father continued, "you mother agreed, and well... here we are."
"Where's Mom then?"
"She and Tara are poking around outside."
Chen's father led him and Min out the door and through a hallway, up a flight of stairs, and into a nice little living room. He started towards a phone in one corner. "Min, why don't you take him outside to meet Tara and your mother? I'm gonna give the police another call. See if they can sort that man out for us—now that we've done all the work."
Min walked towards the front door, but turned to Chen before she opened it. "I'm, uh," it was hard for her to make eye contact. "I'm glad you're alright."
"Um, thanks." Chen really wasn't sure how to respond to that. His sister's words had definitely caught him off guard. He might have said more, but the entire weight of recent events was beginning to press upon his shoulders. He'd been kidnapped! He'd only been held for a little while, but still... it scared him. Chen was afraid that if he opened his mouth again, he might resume crying.
When Min finally opened the front door, Chen found that it wasn't the front door after all. It merely led into hallway, one which had, until very recently, ended in a second closed door. Now however, the frame had been permeated by a number of rock columns and a cold wind was blowing through the opening. Chen could see a dark, snow-covered landscape beyond.
"Did you guys... do that?" he asked, indicating the wrecked entry. Min nodded.
Chen followed her through the hole that she and their father had created, and walked out into the frigid night.
Author's Note
So... Long. Sorry if this one dragged on a bit, but hey! What a chapter! Chen's been abducted by a senile Bolin who's also currently in possession of Avatar Korra's Body? I can only wonder what'll happen next!
Did You Know...?
- I'm a fierce Borra shipper. (Okay, maybe that was pretty obvious). Either way, in my fanciful dream realm, the nice guy didn't finish last. He got the girl. And then went insane, but that part doesn't matter.
Leave a comment! I CRAVE feedback!
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The folks at Her Universe just revealed a gorgeous array of new items that will debut at SDCC. Marvel fashions include an Agent Carter t-shirt, a gorgeous Lady Thor T-shirt, and an Iron-Man dress with a glow in the dark arc reactor. There's also a stunning Star Trek Deanna Troi dress and a new Spirited Away kimono top designed by Karen Hallion.
If you'll be at SDCC, you can pick up the new items from two different booths. Star Wars merchandise will be at the Lucasfilm Pavilion (#2913Q) and a second Her Universe boutique (#1317) will have fashions from Marvel, Star Trek, Studio Ghibli, and more.
See pictures of the new designs along with a full press release after the break.
NEW YORK, NY – July 7th, 2015 – Groundbreaking fangirl fashion company, Her Universe™, announced today that it will be returning to San Diego Comic-Con International with all of its most popular geek girl styles. The convention will be held at the San Diego Convention Center from July 9th to the 12th. Actress and Her Universe Founder, Ashley Eckstein, revealed that Her Universe will debut several new designs and will offer its most popular dresses, cardigans, fashion tops, skirts, hoodies, jewelry and much more from Star Wars, Marvel, Star Trek, Studio Ghibli and Nerdist. As with previous years, the Star Wars Her Universe boutique will be located in the Lucasfilm Pavilion (#2913Q). This year, however, fans will find a second Her Universe boutique (#1317) filled with other fangirl fashions from Marvel, Star Trek, Studio Ghibli and more.
"We are excited to bring our Her Universe boutique back to San Diego Comic Con," said Ashley Eckstein. "Elevating our product like it's never been before; we have an assortment of casual and dressy options to beautifully express your fandom and Flaunt Your World!"
"We are thrilled to be expanding our footprint at SDCC this year, with two boutiques" added Michael Rego, Chief Executive Officer of The Araca Group. "We are continuing to develop and produce merchandise for some of the most iconic and beloved brands in the world. We are looking forward to another great year at SDCC."
Her Universe, which is celebrating its 5th anniversary this summer, will be producing the second annual "geek couture" Her Universe Fashion Show with its partner, Hot Topic, for this year's San Diego Comic-Con. The event, which will offer two winners the opportunity to design a fashion collection with Her Universe for Hot Topic, will be held July 9th, 6pm, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego. Her Universe and Hot Topic will also be presenting a special screening of Studio Ghibli's beloved film Spirited Away, hosted by Ashley Eckstein, after the fashion show, on Thursday, July 9th at 9pm at the Horton Grand Theatre in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. Entry to the screening requires a ticket. Drawings for entry tickets at the Horton Grand Theatre will be held on Thursday, July 9th at 9am in the Autograph Area (upstairs in the Sails Pavilion) of the San Diego Convention Center. In addition, fans will be able to catch Ashley Eckstein on the following panels, Friday, July 10th, at San Diego Comic-Con:
1:00pm – "The Business of Geek Fashion" in room 14A
3:00pm – BBC/"How Comic Books Took Over Hollywood" in room 25ABC
Photo Credit: Kelsey Edwards Photography


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