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The Sacking of Persia
Peeta is a lonely, damaged soldier in Alexander the Great's army and they are a day away from taking the Persian city of Persepolis. How much can his life change when he meets the young native girl, Katniss, during the army's pillaging of the great city?
"Persepolis." Peeta murmurs to himself as the rich city comes into view before him.
"Persepolis." Finnick, his best friend, repeats with a stoic look. Finnick and Peeta had been paired up to travel side by side since they left for Persia. Now months later, Peeta can surely say that he knows just about everything there is to know about Finnick Odair, from the fact that the bronze haired man snores to the knowledge that Finnick's one true love was killed by a rebellion in her village after Alexander's troops had claimed it. That occurrence led Finnick to rejoin the army and thus he was partnered up with Peeta and the rest, as they say, is history.
"This is the last stop for us, Peeta." Finnick points out, and he is correct.
They both received orders from Alexander the Great, and those orders stated that they would be staying behind as reserve military in case the people of Persia attempted to revolt once the majority of the soldiers had moved on to conquer the next city.
"Welcome home." Peeta jokes as the officers in command pass the order down the line that we'll be setting up camp shortly.
They will take the city by morning. The worst is already over and it is evidenced by the way the troops carry themselves. It had taken much longer than expected to overtake the gates of Persia and they had lost a many good soldiers in the battle but now the path is nearly clear. The Persians put up a fight in every city but they are poorly armed compared to Alexander's troops, and in hand to hand combat will lose almost every time against one of his soldiers. The men are antsy though, many of them hopeful that they will receive orders to plunder the city and take what they will. The thought of bringing that fate on another city makes Peeta feel ill.
Peeta doesn't sleep tonight. He rarely sleeps at all anymore, knowing full well that when he does he will be plagued by visions of the men he has killed and the families who have been robbed by Alexander's forces. Peeta was never meant to become a hardened soldier but fate had had other plans for him, forcing him into a life much too harsh for such a gentle spirit. The suffering he has brought upon others weighs heavily on his soul and he is grateful that after tomorrow he will be released from the army to settle in what is left of Persepolis. Instead of sleeping tonight, Peeta prays for the souls of the men he has killed and the families who suffer because of his blood drenched hands.
"You have the extra bow, Katniss. You know how to use it."
"Gale, I can't!" Katniss shouts at him, knowing full well that both of their families are asleep only a few paces away. Gale and his family have lived next door to Katniss since before she was born and he is her best friend. Their fathers had joked that they would one day be married. That was before they died of the fever though when she was still a young girl and before the war that will take place tomorrow.
"Just pretend you're hunting, Katniss." He pleads, a whistle sounds from somewhere out on the streets and they both turn in its direction.
"Gale, no! You'll be killed! There is no way you can beat them!" She begs, holding onto his arm as he drags her behind him, trying to make his way to the street and hoping she'll let go.
"I must, Katniss. I must do this or I could never live with myself. I must fight for our Persia. I must defend Persepolis." He argues fervently as he tries to pry her fingers loose of his sinewy arm.
"You must defend our families, Katniss." He tells her just as passionately, "You must protect them. Promise me you will try."
It's no use, Katniss realizes. She will never be able to stop the man, still a boy really, before her from marching off to his death. It's foolish to defend the city when the army already took down the stronghold of the Persian gates. If they could get past that, what trouble would they have getting past a hundred poorly armed men?
"I hate you." Katniss spits, but her words tremble traitorously.
Gale smiles sadly and presses a kiss to her thick, dark hair, "I love you too, Katniss. I will see you in the next life."
She leans on her toes and presses a quick kiss to his lips, "Please try to come back."
"You know I will." He assures her. The whistle sounds again and he tears himself away from her grip, hurrying off into the heavy night, leaving Katniss alone to defend their families against what is to come.
A curved blade bites smoothly into the skin of his thigh and Peeta wonders if this could possibly be the end as he screams from the pain. It's really an awful place to die, in the middle of a bloody battle with dark-skinned men howling around him and the sun beating down ruthlessly. He's come close to death before but never has he been cut like this.
Suddenly the dark haired Persian, who is about to administer the fatal swing with his curved blade, drops to the ground, blood spattering across Peeta's face and Finnick's god-like form is revealed.
"That was close, Peeta." Finnick shouts over the clashing of metal on metal and screams desperation as the battle wages on. Peeta reaches beneath his armor and tears away a piece of linen from his skirt, tying it tightly around the wound on his leg.
Just as he finishes, a boy, not much younger than himself, charges at Finnick. Peeta lets out a cry and swings his sword, cutting him in the chest and, in doing so, ends the poor boy's life. Peeta adds the young man's face to the plethora of others in his mind that he will pray for tonight.
Sometime after the sun has started to fall in the sky, the battle is finished. Every last Persian who fought against Alexander the Great and his army is dead. The healthy men help tend to those who are injured and mercenaries take care of those who can't be saved.
King Alexander has already entered the center of the city to take over the treasury and the throne, leaving Commander Snow in charge of the troops. Peeta has disliked the man ever since he was first promoted to the rank of commander. It's not just the strange, translucent skin and white hair that bother him, but the apparent cruelty that he uses to guide his orders. When the sun sets, Peeta's thoughts about the man are proven correct.
"Take what you will inside the city!" He shouts, throwing a flask of wine into the air, "Have your pleasure tonight men!"
A roar goes through the troops and Peeta knows that not much will be left of the beautiful city by morning. Men tear out of their tents carrying swords and wearing grins as they slap each other's armor and make their way onto the city streets to pillage whatever, and whomever, they can get their hands on.
"Come on, Peeta." Finnick says, reluctantly grabbing his sword belt, "It won't look good if we stay here. I'd rather live to see the city revived than die under accusations of treason."
Peeta stands and follows his best friend into the night. The first scream sounds from down a quiet street and it makes Peeta's entrails curl uncomfortably. He prays that this brutal night might end soon and spare as many people of the city as possible. A cask of wine is rolled out into the street a dozen paces in front of them and Finnick perks up considerably. Wine is one treasure that he doesn't mind stealing. He doesn't break into houses or touch any of the women, still too traumatized by what happened to his Annie, but the wine helps him forget and Peeta can't begrudge the man that.
"Come on then, Peeta!" Finnick shouts raucously as he runs ahead to take part in the frivolity surrounding the wooden barrel. He's buried in a sea of men however, and Peeta loses sight of him.
A small alleyway is to his left and he decides to take it, thinking that perhaps he will be able loop around and cut through the crowd if he makes his way there from the opposite side.
His leg is beginning to throb from all this walking and his limp is becoming more noticeable, but he continues on. He isn't a soldier in Alexander the Great's army for being weak. He climbs over a low fence surrounding the back garden of a house before he hears it- a woman's voice singing softly, whispering so as not to be heard, but Peeta thinks it would be impossible to miss.
It is unlike anything Peeta has ever heard before and in his distraction, his foot slips, catching his leg against the fence on the other side of the garden and reopening his wound beneath the bandage. He curses under his breath but the singing has stopped, the owner of the voice apparently alerted to his presence.
He hears the voice shush whoever is with her and he realizes that it is coming from the house right in front of him. As quietly as he can manage with his damaged leg, he makes his way to the house, hoping to glimpse the woman who owns such a beautiful voice.
He's two paces from the doorway when it swings out on its hinges. Peeta jumps back instantly, nearly losing his balance as he reaches for his sword. Once the metal blade is glinting in front of him, he takes a moment to look at the body that holds the arrow aimed directly at his heart.
It's a woman, he realizes as his eyes pass over the gentle curve of her breast and hips. The arrow tremors ever so slightly, giving away her nerves but her silver eyes are like steal as they observe him, daring him to take a step closer. Peeta has never seen anything quite like her and he thinks it must be rare for a Persian to have light colored eyes like hers that reflect the moonlight.
Katniss glares down the shaft of the arrow, ready to let it loose the moment this pale man makes any move toward her or her family. He has light, curling hair and skin that glows in the moonlight, but it's his eyes that attract most of her attention. They are the same color blue as the night sky just after sunset. She catches herself wondering how strange it is for a man to have such features.
Peeta opens his mouth and her fingers twitch but don't release the arrow.
"It's okay." He says softly, "I'm not going to hurt you."
Slowly, he bends to place his blade on the ground between them. Katniss watches him skeptically. She's met light skinned traders from the northeastern countries before when she was selling her kills in the city center but this man isn't a trader. This man is a killer. He might have killed Gale for all she knows.
"I heard someone singing." Peeta admits and nods his head towards her, "Was it you?"
Katniss nods stiffly.
"What do you want?" She asks, her words heavily accented, but she can tell he understands by the surprised look on his face.
Not many Persian women would understand his language but she had learned it from her father and the traders. It was a skill she couldn't be without if she expected to get the best bargain for the goods she traded.
"Nothing." Peeta replies as softly as he can manage. His head is beginning to feel fuzzy and his leg is throbbing worse than before. "I don't want anything."
"You will not be taking any of us. I will kill you if you try." Katniss warns, pulling the arrow back a bit more to prove her point, "We will not be raped and enslaved and killed by your men."
Peeta shakes his head, "No. I don't want that-"
"Katniss?" Primrose's tiny voice questions from just behind her.
"Primrose, get back in the house!" Katniss hisses. Peeta can't help but appreciate the sound of her language as she reprimands the fragile looking girl behind her. He thinks it sounds almost like a lullaby. Peeta doesn't notice his vision is going black around the edges, otherwise he might ask to sit down in the garden, knowing full well that it's better to pass out closer to the ground.
"He's hurt." Primrose argues with her sister, nodding toward the soldier's leg.
Katniss turns to the pale man again and sees how he sways on his feet.
"Please, Katniss." She begs, "Let me help him."
"He's not one of us, Primrose." Katniss snaps, but the man crumples to the ground in front of them and Primrose ducks under Katniss's arm, kneeling at his side to assess the damage on his leg.
Primrose is a talented healer, taught by their mother before she died two years ago, leaving Katniss as her sole protector. Despite her better judgment, Katniss helps Primrose drag the man into the house. She has never been able to deny her sister anything and she can't leave them out here with all the soldiers running around the city.
Hazelle is there with her two boys, both too young to fight today's battle, and little Posy. Her eyes widen as Katniss helps her sister settle the foreign man's body in the center of the floor.
"You'll fix him by moonlight, Primrose." Katniss states firmly, "I'm not about to light a candle for a pale man who would a soon as have us killed."
"He wasn't going to hurt us." Primrose mutters but sets to work with her special needles, sewing up the wound after lining it with special herbs mother taught her to use to prevent infection. Katniss argues with her younger sister that they should throw the man back out onto the street after his wound is closed, but in the end agrees that it would be dangerous even to step out the door so they were better off waiting until he woke up.
Katniss takes his sword belt anyway and doesn't sleep that night, waiting for other pale men to charge through their front door and steal the children from their sleep. Several times Katniss swore the end had come but each time the attention of soldiers was diverted by some small miracle to another house down the street. It's not until dawn is nearly broken that she hears rustling in the gardens again and stealthily takes the sword from the pale man's belt before sneaking outside, ready to defend her home again.
Sometime near dawn Peeta begins to awaken and finds himself staring up at a rooftop that he doesn't recognize. It's been many months since he's slept under anything besides the stars or a tent. He looks around and sees several children curled up around him snoring softly. An older woman is in the corner also asleep but he notices one person who is mysteriously missing.
He sits up, glancing around curiously, but she's not here. He thinks perhaps she went to relieve herself outside but finds it strange she would take the risk. He doesn't know what to make of it until he hears a muffled scream from the gardens. Peeta's on his feet in an instant and barrels out the door to find Cato, one of the soldiers in his unit, with Katniss pinned between his hulking body and the wall of the house.
Cato doesn't notice Peeta right away, too busy holding a hand over the restrained girl's mouth pulling at her skirt to pay attention to anything else going on around him. Peeta's sword lays abandoned on the ground just a few paces away and it's all the encouragement from the Fates that he needs. He lunges for the weapon and turns sharply to plunge it into Cato's gut.
Katniss stares, wide eyed and frozen, at her assaulter, breathing raggedly as she watches him fall to the ground once Peeta pulls the sword from the man's back.
Peeta lowers his gaze to clean the blade, "Are you alri-"
He doesn't get to finish his sentence before another blade is pressed into the gullet of his throat. Peeta guesses she must have drawn it from Cato's hilt. He thinks she would make a damn decent soldier.
"Drop it." Katniss orders, shakily, her body still trembling after the other soldier's assault. Peeta does so instantly, raising his empty hands out to the side. He wonders how a girl came to have such precision with such a lethal weapon.
"You see what your people do to us?" She demands hoarsely, as though holding back tears.
"I'm sorry." Peeta soothes, "Truly I am."
"You'll go now." She orders, nodding out toward the horizon that is just beginning to lighten. The air is mostly quiet and Peeta assumes the pillaging must be all but over. Cato must have been one of the last holdouts, not surprising given his brutal personality.
"We owe you a debt." Katniss states, her nostrils flaring as she tries to maintain a steady hand, "I will let you go if you leave me and my family alone."
Her eyes dare him to defy her but he can't comply with her wishes and have a clear conscience about it.
"You have a dead soldier in your yard." Peeta points out a gently as he can but she winces anyway, "They'll kill you now if they find him."
"I'll take care of it!" She says, hysteria making it's way into her voice much to her dismay, "I will protect my family." She adds, wondering how those blue eyes can make her want to trust him when trusting him would go against her better judgment.
Peeta shakes his head, "You won't be able to stop them. There will be dozens. They'll kill the boys and take the women."
The blade presses into his throat and her eyes turn glassy with tears she tries to contain, but Peeta has seen this look too many times not to recognize it. She's terrified and desperate and cornered, unsure of what she could possibly do to survive now.
Katniss realizes there is nothing she can do. It's only a matter of time before the army men find her and her family. It's only a matter of time before they take Primrose and crush her beautiful innocence. She has failed her mother and her father. She has failed Gale. She has failed herself.
The sword clatters to the ground between them and she collapses, her knees buckling with the weight of despair. Peeta kneels beside the young girl and is surprised when she lets him gather her into his arms. She's surprised how unthreatened she is by his closeness, his arms relax her, soothe her, though she hardly knows him.
Something about this girl's strength makes him want to protect her. Maybe it's that he's tired of fighting for the army. Maybe it's because he's half out of his mind with blood loss. Or maybe, she's managed to somehow capture a heart he wasn't even sure he possessed anymore after years of killing and all his loss.
"Let me help you." Peeta pleads, "There is one way." He offers, though he can guess she won't like the option much. A girl with this much fight in her isn't likely to agree to such a deal.
"Yes?" Katniss questions hopefully. Bargaining is something she knows how to do.
"If you let me take you as my wife, they will not harm you and I can extend my protection to your family. I'll tell the other soldiers that I had laid claim to you and Cato tried to steal you away from me. It isn't against the law for me to kill a man trying to take what is already mine." Peeta says softly. It's disgusting to Peeta to think of this lovely young woman as a possession that belongs to him. However, Alexander's army is known for pillaging but also for mixing with the natives, and the soldiers are all expected to respect any other soldier's claim on a native woman.
Katniss scowls at the man before her, "You think I'm stupid because I am Persian, but I am no fool. You will take me from them and leave them for dead." She can't comprehend how this pale man could be so good. She doesn't understand why he wants to help her, why he would lie for her.
"Do you Persians have oaths?" Peeta questions, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. The thought of leaving this woman to the will of whichever soldier finds her makes him sick.
"Oaths? Yes, we have them." She replies, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.
"On my honor, I swear I will keep your family safe if you become my wife." Peeta promises earnestly.
Katniss doesn't like the idea. She doesn't like it one bit but she heard Gale mention something like this once when he was talking about the other conquests of the Great King. She's heard of the pale soldiers taking wives from the natives. She recognizes that this is probably the only opportunity she will have to protect her family. She knows that she'll never be able to hide from or fend off all the soldiers that are bound to remain living in the city.
She thinks of Primrose and Hazelle and young Posy and the boys. She can't fail them if this man is offering to help. She must be brave and hope that, whichever gods are looking down on them, have sent her an honest man. Something about this soldier is comforting to Katniss and she can't really explain what. He's too gentle and he wants to help too much. She finds herself too at ease with him, though she hardly knows him.
Katniss nods almost imperceptibly but Peeta sees it and he gently helps her stand after releasing her from his embrace. She finds herself wishing his arms were still around her. She feels strangely vulnerable now, unprotected from the world, something she never felt before meeting this soldier.
"You and your family will come with me to the camp." Peeta says as gently as he can manage, hoping not to frighten the beautiful girl. He reaches for her hand and is pleased when she laces her fingers with his without hesitation.
She is grateful for his hand because she's not sure she could walk without it, nervous as she is. She realizes that she has started to trust this man against her will. How could she not when he is willing to risk his own safety to lie about Cato's death? If it was found out that he lied to protect a native, Katniss is certain he would be killed. Whoever this man is, he is brave and he is exceptionally kind.
"I'll find the man there who can marry us." Peeta adds and Katniss nods once again before gathering her family so they can make the journey back to the army's camp.
"I'll watch the other house," Finnick assures Peeta once they've returned after the quick marriage ceremony, "make sure everyone stays safe and all the men pay attention to the rules."
Finnick had been shocked when Peeta walked into camp with the beautiful native and her family. Peeta had never taken an interest in the natives of any other conquest. He recognized the look in Peeta's eyes though as the same one he had worn when he married his Annie. Finnick knew Peeta was hiding something, protecting the lovely young girl from a terrible fate. He had offered to watch over her family while Peeta spent his wedding night with the dark-skinned girl, joining them on the journey back to the house.
The older woman, Peeta expects she must be his wife's mother, had spoken with the girl in hushed tones for much of the journey back. Peeta had wondered what it was all about until her silver eyes had turned to him.
"We can use the second house tonight so we are alone." Her gaze had fallen to the dusty ground below their feet and Peeta had been glad because it hid the blush the rose to his cheeks. He hasn't lain with a woman in years, not since he was caught up on a milkmaid named Delly on the way to Alexander's latest conquest.
Now Finnick and Peeta have hastily marked Alexader's seal above the doors of both houses that will signify them as off limits to potential looters. Finnick slaps Peeta on the back with a smile.
"She is beautiful, Peeta. She has fight in her too, I can tell. Treat her well." Finnick offers by way of marital advice.
Peeta nods nervously before turning back to the second house that belongs to his wife's family. He finds his way easily to the back room where a large palette is centered on the floor.
She's already undressed when he gets there and the sight takes his breath away as heat pools in his groin. The moonlight gives her dark skin a silvery halo, accentuating the delicate curves of her body and sending Peeta's cock pulsing. It's so rare for a soldier to see a feminine form and knowing this woman is his wife is enough to drive him mad with want.
She's turned away, watching the night sky outside the window, though Peeta suspects she knows he's here. He gets the idea that she has very sharp senses and wouldn't miss his heavy tread as he entered the room. He looks around and spots a single blanket, wasting no time in draping it over her naked form. The marriage must be consummated tonight but he plans to speak with her first and he knows it will be impossible with her body tempting him like that. She turns to look at him in surprise as she bunches the scratchy wool at her chest, completely hiding her body from his view.
"I thought I should at least learn your name before we- we consummate the marriage." Peeta swallows nervously, removing his sword belt and settling down on the palette. He pats the space beside him and Katniss sits, wondering how much stranger this man could possibly get. He is quite unlike any soldier she has ever heard of, having no desire to take what isn't given freely.
"Katniss." She says once she is settled next to him, "My name is Katniss."
"Katniss." The soldier repeats and she decides she likes the way her name sounds in his voice. He makes it sound softer than a snake slithering over the sands of the desert. "That is a beautiful name. It suits you."
The faintest hint of a smile crosses her lips and she looks up into his eyes that so much resemble the sky outside. She thinks she could get lost in them if she allowed herself. Of all the traders she met, she has never met a pale man quite so exquisite as the one sitting beside her- the one who is now her husband.
Her belly tingles nervously but not at all uncomfortably. She doesn't know anything about this man but the way he looks at her and the way he speaks to her tells her that he is a gentle soul. How this can be when he's a soldier for Alexander the Great she doesn't understand, but she does honestly believe it to be true.
"My name is Peeta." He offers when she doesn't ask for herself.
"Peeta." She repeats and nods. The name seems to suit him, she thinks.
Peeta smiles at her and the tiny frown she wears while she thinks. Her eyes catch him and her heart jumps.
"Why did you help us?" She blurts out, her fingers nervously playing at the hem of the blanket.
"When I heard you singing," Peeta shakes his head, "the world stopped. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard and it's been so long since I've had beauty in my life. I couldn't let something happen to you knowing what you had to offer the world."
Katniss's brow furrows. Peeta uses a lot of words but she thinks she understands him well enough. She never thought her voice was anything special but it seems that he would argue otherwise.
"My father was better." She whispers, "His songs could charm snakes if he wanted."
"Where is your father?" Peeta questions curiously.
"Dead." She replies, "He died of the fever years ago."
Peeta breathes a sigh of relief. At least he wasn't killed in yesterday's battle. At least there was no chance that Peeta killed him.
"My mother died too." Katniss offers.
Peeta frowns, "I thought the woman with you was your mother."
Katniss shakes her head, "That is Gale's mother. Primrose is my only blood family."
"Who is Gale?" Peeta dreads the answer.
"He was my best friend. He lived in this house with his family. He fought in the battle." She finishes sadly. Peeta doesn't have to tell her that Gale is dead now.
"My family is gone too." Peeta admits one of his dearest secrets. "They were killed in a fire when I was just a boy. I was sent to Alexander's army so I could be trained and I would be useful. I haven't had any family in so long I can hardly remember them anymore."
Katniss's heart breaks for the man who barely knew his family. She had many years with them before they died and holds many memories. She can't imagine the pain of living a life without any family. Even worse, she can't imagine growing up as a soldier, trained since childhood to kill. Katniss's calloused hand finds his arm and a warmth spreads throughout his limb at her touch.
"I am your family now." She says softly, hoping he understands everything she means by this. He has saved her and comforted her, and now she wants to give him the same gift. Her grey eyes pierce his blue ones and something happens between them. A spark ignites as she moves to meet her lips to his.
Peeta doesn't expect her kiss to turn his blood to lava but it does, burning him from the inside out, feeding him with want as his hands brush over her arms and around her naked shoulders, pulling her tightly to him.
Katniss has never felt whatever this is before. Her heart beats so quickly it feels like a tiny hummingbird fluttering against her chest. She hardly knows this man but she knows he cherishes her. She can tell by the way he looks at her and she swears those blue eyes are an open book for her to read. This kiss isn't enough. She slides a hand under the soft linen at the throat of his tunic and he groans, pressing into her touch.
She lets the blanket fall from her shoulders and his hands roam over the smooth planes of her dark skin, finding the small pert breasts with the palms of his hands.
Katniss gasps at the feeling of his rough skin against her nipples and looks down in surprise, watching as his hands work magic against her body, kindling something inside of her that she can't explain. Peeta rolls a nipple between in fingers and she lets out a low growl that makes him smile. Suddenly she wants him naked too, she wants to be able to press her skin to his and with this thought her hands find the bottom of his tunic, struggling to tug it over his hips.
Peeta's hands leave her breasts and help her pull the fabric over his head before leaning into her and laying her back against the palette. Katniss pushes at his shoulders and he frowns, backing away slightly, worried she might have changed her mind. She lets her eyes linger across the toned muscles under pale flesh. She should be embarrassed by her brazen behavior, but she can't bring herself to feel that way with this man and his beautiful body.
Peeta's cock hardens as he watches her take him in, realizing she only pushed him away so she might observe him just as he had done with her when he first walked into the room. He gives her a chance to look, and her eyes flicker over his member quickly as they move to his thigh. Her hand brushes over the bandage there and the scowl that is quickly becoming familiar to Peeta graces her pretty face again.
"It feels much better since your sister tended to it." He whispers, his voice gravelly with want and it causes her to look up and meet his eyes.
She's innocent, he can tell somehow just by looking at her now, her hair fanned out around her in a black halo and her silver eyes wide and curious. He lets a hand trail over her belly before letting it come to rest between her thighs. He surprised by the amount of heat and moisture there. Clearly it's not just him who wants this and the thought sends a thrill down his spine.
He moves his thumb to brush circles around the small pearl of nerves. At first Katniss isn't sure what he's really doing until he finds just the right spot. Stars flash in Katniss's vision and she arches against Peeta's hand with a whimper. She's never felt this before but she doesn't have time to think about it before Peeta dips a finger into her wetness.
Peeta leans down and catches her moan with his lips, darting his tongue into her mouth. Katniss's hands slide over his back, tangling themselves in the curls of his blonde hair as she presses her tongue back against his. She has never felt more right than she does with this man, Peeta, her Peeta.
The muscles in her body seem to be coiling up, like a cobra she once saw preparing to strike, but she doesn't understand for what. Peeta's fingers continue to move in her, pressing against a spot that makes her thoughts blur as his thumb brushes over the raw nerves. Her muscles keep coiling until she cries out, unable to bear it anymore.
"Peeta!" She cries softly into the night and suddenly she's shattering into a million pieces like a clay bowl thrown against the wall but Peeta is there, whispering sweetly to her, his lips brushing along her jaw, leaving her skin tingling in their wake.
"My beautiful Katniss." He murmurs against her hear once she comes down from her cloud and her mind can register thoughts again.
He moves his body to sit beside hers and tugs her gently by the hips guiding her to straddle his waist. His cock brushes against her backside and a strangled groan makes its way from the back of his throat.
"Lift up so I can help you." Peeta orders softly. She looks at him curiously but lets him guide her to her knees, trusting that he knows more about all of this than she does, "Put your hands on my shoulders."
He guides himself to her entrance, letting out a tense breath as he does.
"What now?" She whispers, her voice trembling. She doesn't know if it's from fear or excitement, hoping he might make her feel that good again.
He uses one hand to push down on her hip while the other holds his cock steady at her entrance, "Just lower yourself. Take your time."
Peeta lets out a low growl as she takes him in, little by little, until she hits a wall. He pulls her close to his chest before pushing his hips into hers and she feels a tight, uncomfortable pull. She presses her face into his neck and a whimper falls from her lips as he plants gentle kisses to her shoulder but after a few moments she begins to lower herself again until her hips rest against his.
"Are you okay?" He asks softly.
She nods, unable to explain what exactly she feels. It's not exactly comfortable. She feels as though she's being stretched to the point of breaking but there is also a subtle pulse of pleasure anytime she moves just the slightest bit. She feels whole even though she didn't realize anything was ever missing. She feels safe. She feels protected by the man holding her tightly to his chest where it feels like the hot noonday sun is pressed between them.
Hesitantly, she lifts her hips before lowering them onto him again more quickly than the first time. Peeta moans deeply and his head falls back as his eyes flutter shut. She smiles at the sense of power she feels when he does this and repeats her actions until she finds a rhythm that starts her muscles coiling again. She lowers her lips to his throat, pressing kisses against the soft, pale skin.
Peeta's fingers dig into her hips and help her maintain her motions until suddenly his motions become less coordinated and his hips jerk into hers. The change in angle brushes against her in such a way that it sends her shattering again and this time he shatters with her.
She seems to regain her composure first and she presses kisses along his jaw, his neck, his chest, anywhere she can reach. She wants to explore every bit of this man before her- this man, her husband. The idea brings a smile to her face because she's certain now that she was lucky he heard her singing. She has only known him a day and already it feels like a lifetime. War can do that she supposes.
"What are you thinking?" Peeta questions, moving to lay them both back against the palette but he doesn't release the tight grip his arms have around her. He can't bear the thought of letting her drift away from him now.
"Will you truly protect us? Will you stay with me?" She asks, her grey eyes, wide and hopeful in the soft moonlight.
Peeta's heart feels as though it might burst. It's been a long time since someone has relied on him in this way, since he had family. He realizes that this is what he has been searching for as he traversed empires. It's all right here, in this tiny room, in this woman's arms.
"Always." He replies softly, not trusting his voice with any more words. That one is enough.
Katniss smiles, the first real genuine one she has ever given him and he thinks the world might begin and end in her smile. She feels as though it's impossible to find any more happiness than there is in this moment. The way Peeta looks at her, his eyes soft and awed, she thinks she could learn to love this man very much. Maybe a part of her already does.


text:
Please confirm that you want to add Customer Service - Decision Making & Assertiveness to your Wishlist.
Customer Service professionals need to know a whole lot more about the various ways of delivering services to the customers. It is no longer sufficient just to know the basics.
There have been so many changes in customer expectations and with service delivery, which is why we have created a completely new series of qualifications and certifications. The Customer Service Certification Pathway has been created to support students in their aim to gain relevant qualifications that practically apply to the ever-changing world of customer services.
The Customer Certification Pathway has three main parts: The Customer Service Foundation Program, Customer Service Intermediate Program, and the Customer Service Expert Program.
First part is the The Customer Service Foundation Program which focuses on the fundamentals, general knowledge, terminology and basic concepts used in Customer Service. You must complete this level as a pre-requisite for sitting the Customer Service Intermediate Exam.
Next on the Certification Pathway is the Customer Service Intermediate Program which is made up of 8 courses. All Intermediate topics include (in no particular order):
·Communication Strategies
·Contact Centers
·Making Decision and Assertiveness
·Delivering presentations and Public Speaking
·Conflict Resolution
·Customer Relationship Management
From the eight Customer service Intermediate programs that are available, you will select a minimum of five programs in order to be eligible to sit the Intermediate Exam and progress to the Expert program, each Intermediate program will earn you 3 points toward your Customer Service Expert Certificate (minimum 17 points entry requirement). There is an examined component at this level. The exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions, related to the subjects you have chosen.
The next and final level is Customer Service Expert program. This is specifically aimed at Customer Service Supervisors and Managers who wish to consolidate their knowledge and experience and achieve formal recognition of their skills.
Once you've completed the course, email our exam department at email@example.com to purchase your exam voucher and sit your final exam.
This discussion will focus on defining assertive behavior.
This lecture will identify the 10 assertive rights of an individual.
This lecture will identify some myths of non-assertive behavior.
This lecture will identify some steps in improving personal assertiveness and will discuss assertion strategies.
This lecture will discuss body language, assertive behavior, and some tips on assertiveness.
This lecture will discuss managing decision making and decision-making skills.
This lecture will talk about how to avoid making bad decisions.
This PDF file contains Section 3 of this course. You can download the complete e book at the end of this course.
This lecture will define ethics and introduce ethical decisions.
This lecture will discuss ethical standards and explain identifying sources of ethical standards.
This lecture will discuss the approaches to ethical decisions, making decisions, and thinking ethically.
This lecture will define and discuss group decision making.
This lecture will talk about brainstorming techniques and types of group decisions.
This lecture will discuss the leader's role and group guidelines.
This PDF file contains Section 5 of this course. You can download the complete e book at the end of this course.
This lecture will discuss your new role in leadership.
This lecture will talk about ethical leadership. The lecture will also talk about the philosophy of leadership.
This lecture will discuss conflicting fundamental aims and leadership behavior.
This e book contains the section of decision making and assertiveness of the Customer Service Intermediate course in a PDF format.
This PDF file contains all the answers to all the quizzes in each section of this course.
The Customer Service Intermediate Program is made up of 8 courses. For you to be eligable to sit in the official Certification exam, you need to complete 5 courses of the 8 courses to qualify to sit the Customer Service Intermediate exam and continue along the Customer Service Pathway.
All 8 Intermediate topics include (in no particular order):
·Communication Strategies
·Contact Centers
·Making Decision and Assertiveness
·Delivering presentations and Public Speaking
·Conflict Resolution
·Customer Relationship Management
Once you've completed the 5 courses, email our exam department at firstname.lastname@example.com to purchase your exam voucher and sit your final exam. Access includes the complete Customer Service Intermediate Certification Book (which includes all 8 courses), a step-by-step procedure on how to take the final exam and how to obtain your exam certification.
We suggest that you read the complete Customer Service Intermediate Certification Book before you take the exams so that you may be able to review that chapters you did not select.
You will receive a PDF certificate through your email upon passing the examination.
We are always in the process of improving our courses and procedures for a better learning experience for our students. Your input is very important to us.
Follow the step-by-step procedure on taking the evaluation and receiving your certificate of completion.
A final message from our CEO.
What drives us?
In one word? YOU
You are front, center and behind every decision we make in our business.
For you we created the Foundation level courses as well as the Core Series for IT
For you we created the Specialist and Intermediate level courses as well as the Core Series for IT
For you we created the Toolkits as well as the Core Series for IT
Our motto:
Every Career driven IT Professional needs to be able to afford quality IT educational materials to stay relevant in their job, irrespective of current position, budget or geographical location.
We do most of the work behind the scenes so that you can focus on your professional education and your career within the IT industry.
We see it as our job to ensure we give you the most up to date information you need to succeed in achieving that goal at a price-point that is makes it accessible to most professionals.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Author | exchange4media News Service | Thursday, Mar 03,2005 7:41 AM
When you think of Scotland, you imagine yourself in a Scottish setting with the scouts in kilts and untamed moorlands and mountains. This picture has been captured into a film by Contract for Mason & Summers, a travel company that has launched luxury tours to Scotland, and a player in the liquor industry in India with its two brands Grum Drummond eight-year-old Single Malt and Royal Crown Rare Deluxe whisky.
Mason & Summers is positioning itself in India as high-end aspirational brand with a strong connect to Scotland. "We want to position ourselves as a premium, corporate brand that stands for 'the soul of Scotland'," said company official. The target group is SEC A+, -B, falling in the age group of 25-45 with a progressive, young at heart psychographics.
Asked on the client's brief, the official said, "When people think of holidaying in Scotland, they should immediately think of Mason & Summers Leisure because the company provides the most authentic Scottish touch."
Contract's Bangalore creative head Ashok Sarath, said, "We thought to ourselves - How do you get people to look at Scotland? How do you capture all traditional images of lakes, hills, Bagpipes, kilts etc? And how do you do it in 10 or 20 seconds? This thought led to the final film."
The film has been shot at a foreign location, which captures the ambience of Scotland. Asked if they are planning to run more series based on this theme, he said, "yes we would go ahead with thematic campaigns if the consumer response is good."
The media plan is such that all the genres relevant to the target audience: news, business news, English movies, music, action, adventure and sports will be looked at, the company official said, adding, "Out of Home is also planned out and we will be strategically locating backlit signages, which would be like virtual hoarding."
Programming HeadRadio Mango


text:
Nadia Aide De La Rosa
4th period
New York University
I chose NYU due to their amazing photography program. The university has been up and running for 175 years and counting. In 1832 the first classes were held in Clinton hill, near city hall in Manhattan. in the year 2013 they add there new inaugural students.
All first year and transferred applicants must complete the common assessment.
Admissions Requirements
* SAT reasoning test
*ACT writing test
*three SAT subject test scores
*three AP exams scores
*international baccalaureate diploma
*IB results
*national examinations
campus life
*student resource center
*NYU media and TV
*spiritual life at NYU
*students can join a fraternity and sorority
NYU has one of the best sports programs in the nation. Student life will allow you to have hobbies and interests around the campus and make new friends along the way.
explanation on photography and imaging
This program is designed to show students how to think and risk being creative wile finding there own voice. In addition to completing the undergraduate application there are also some requirements needed for this program alone. students must have a portfolio and essay , and transfer them to tischphoto.slideroom.com
in the portfollio you must include 20 images and submit them to SlideRoom.com 10 images should be on a single theme. remember to title or caption all of the images you are submitting. The purpose of why NYU started this college was to capture students and let them speak there mind in there own way , with their own media. Photography has launched so far even when you think your not taking pictures your mind is always capturing moments and using that as memories.
visuals of career
These pictures are from students now that have subbmitted there pictures to the NYU Tisch website.
*This program is from the department of Emerging Media Group.
*level of education/high school/2 yrear technical school/4 year college or university
*earn beetween 17,000 and 62,000$ a year
*photographers with much experiance can earn about 100,000$ year
*photographers not only take pictures but also manage there own buisness and usally have to make time to book appoitments and sometimes mount pictures that you take.
*the benifits are health insurance, paid sick days, vacation time.
primary source
I chose a photographer by the name of Mike Berlin. A alumni from NYU that is now a lab technician. He has mainly worked with black and white photos and retouching recent pictures. His interests are also sail boat racing and making home made food.
letter of intent
Nadia Aide De La Rosa
12388 Tierra Alamo
El Paso, Texas 79938
May 14, 2015
Orange leaf
12371 Edgemere Blvd Ste 212
El Paso, Texas 79938
Dear Orange Leaf,
I am responding to the employment opportunity listed on your window. Please accept this letter and accompanying resume as evidence of my interest of applying as anything you have available. I feel that I am very self-disciplined, not lazy and I am very social. I work well with others and am excited to learn new things. I am looking for an honor job that will add the key strengths I would bring to the position is trust, determination and understanding. I am confident that I am a great employee for your company.
I would appreciate your consideration of my credentials. And I welcome the chance to meet with you to hear more about your company, the requirements of the position, and how my skills would be a good fit. Thank you for your consideration.
Nadia Aide De La Rosa
works cited
alumni. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://specialprograms.tisch.nyu.edu/page/alumni.html>.
best college reviews. contact, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.google.com/search?q=new+york+city&safe=active&client=firefox-a&hs=5rg&rls=org.mozilla:en-us:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=x&ei=leq3vacjo4w5ogtou4fy&ved=0cagq_auoag&biw=1680&bih=823&surl=1#safe=active&rls=org.mozilla:en-us:official&tbm=isch&q=new+york+university+notable+alumni&imgrc=JBwU1_bh6d4u9M%253A%3BcD4h75FIdVa0zM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.bestcollegereviews.org%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F12%252F21.-New-York-University-%2525E2%252580%252593-New-York-City-New-York-USA.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.bestcollegereviews.org%252Ffeatures%252Fthe-30-most-influential-colleges-and-universities-of-the-past-century%252F%3B500%3B332>.
careercruisng. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <https://www2.careercruising.com/careers/profile-at-a-glance/584>.
JOB DISCRIPTION. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <https://www2.careercruising.com/careers/job-description/584>.
NYU gallery. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <http://photo.tisch.nyu.edu/page/gallery.html>.
photography and imaging. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://photo.tisch.nyu.edu/page/home.html>.
student life. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <https://www2.careercruising.com/careers/profile-at-a-glance/584>.
student work. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://photoandimaging.net/blog/category/student-work/>.
TISCH. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://www.tisch.nyu.edu/page/home.html>.
youniversity. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.youniversitytv.com/category/home/college/>.


text:
Family house, Sale, Košice-okolie, Slovakia
120.000,00 €
incl. commissions, mortgage possible
Family house na Sale, Jasov, offer no. ZR-5636
Impulz Real, sro sell the family house in Jasov. The said property was based on personal inspection and in agreement with the property owners.
The two-storey, two-generation family house stands on a plot 27A, located in a quiet and beautiful location of the village and is suitable for residential or commercial. House with a living area of 216 m2 is completely renovated and rebuild. It is insulated in perfect condition and equipped with electronic interlocking. On the ground floor an entrance hall, spacious lounge with fireplace, kitchen, pantry, bathroom and toilet, dressing room, spacious bedroom, guest room, summer kitchen, warehouse, garage and gas boiler (turbo boiler Junkers, hot water boiler turbo Quantum and electric boiler).
From the ground floor has an exit to the summer gazebo built-out to the house, a spacious yard and garden.
Stairs to first floor are made of oak. Upstairs are 3 bedrooms, spacious lounge, bathroom with toilet, storage and attic with a separate entrance. On the floor are floating floors and bathroom tiles.
The house has a partial basement two separate cellars where the boiler - wood gasification boiler to Werner.
The plot is a separate cellar, three newly built garage (garage with workshop, garage with cellar for potatoes and apples), a new shed and a timber.
Drainage connection to municipal water supply, gas, electricity, TV, telephone wiring (ADSL internet) and its own septic tank.
Part of the plot are two own wells and private waterworks in the summer kitchen. The plot kept garden fruit and ornamental foliage. Driveway and courtyard with inlaid paving and rainwater is drained.
Property price we offer is including commissions as well as comprehensive services related to your new housing. The mediation commission included a complete land registry fees (fee for transfer of ownership, deeds and cadastral maps), a complete legal service company lawyer, consisting of the preparation of all contractual documents necessary for transfer of ownership, as well as legal advice and notary fees (verification of signatures, verification of documents). Of course our company is to provide expert opinion and the complete dossier to the property, as well as assistance in providing the best forms of financing the purchase of real estate through a mortgage loan to independent mortgage specialist. Full photo documentation for this property can be found on our homepage Impulz Real, sro We look forward to our cooperation.
Site visit of the property with the details you provide personally certified broker SK: Ing. Rudolf Dohányos 0948626777, email@example.com.
Public amenities
79 m
177 m
288 m
338 m
79 m
338 m
177 m
288 m
332 m
Listing summary
2673 m²
540 m²
2673 m²
216 m²
personal property
water well
own - natural gas
3 cars
Price development
Real Estate Agency 305 offers
Impulz Real, s.r.o.
Werferova 1
Košice 04011
Real Estate Agent 82 offers
Ing. Rudolf Dohányos
Real Estate Agent
Your listing no. ZR-5636 seems interesting, please contact me.
You could be also interested in
Family house, Sale, Košice-okolie, Slovakia
86.000,00 €
Family house, Sale, Košice-okolie, Slovakia
95.000,00 €
116312x Listing appeared in search results
2202x Listing viewed detailed
141x The offer was shown this month


text:
Regent Parkway is a 38-storey residential condominium also designed by HOK (Helmuth, Obata & Kassabaumthe) together with local architects, W.V. Coscolluela & Associates and its interiors designed by internationally acclaimed Hirsch Bedner, who created the Beverly Hills Hotel in California and Landmark Hotel in London. With 100 units, excluding the penthouse, sizes range from 145 to 305 square meters.
2-Bedroom Residence
Floor Area : 149.02 m2
1 Maid's room with own toilet & bath
2 Toilets & bath ; elegant American & European bathroom fixtures
Pressure-laminated built-in cabinetry
+ 3-Level basement parking with central traffic management & access control
+ 3 Elegantly interiored high-speed passenger elevators
Get the freshest property listings, latest news, and top real estate tips delivered straight to your inbox!


text: In-Game Examine Window Al'Kabor's Spellborn Robe other resources EQ2U · LootDB · EQ2LL · ZAM · Census xml Al'Kabor's Spellborn RobeWorn during the early years of his journeys on Norrath, these traveling clothes of the legendary erudite mage Al'Kabor seem to be imbued with a part of his power and mastery of the arts. LEGENDARY LORE NO-TRADE +28 int +28 sta +110 health +110 power +720 vs arcane +6 Disruption Cloth Armor (Chest) Mitigation 156 Level 69 (Tier 7) Warlock, Wizard Obtain: From the Ornate Chest of Garanel Rucksif, the Cursed in The Estate of Unrest. From the Ornate Chest of Princess Cherista in Castle Mistmoore. What does this information mean? Armor Set: Al'Kabor's Spellborn Garb Al'Kabor's Spellborn Cowl Al'Kabor's Spellborn Robe Al'Kabor's Spellborn Sleeves Al'Kabor's Spellborn Wristbands Al'Kabor's Spellborn Gloves Al'Kabor's Spellborn Pants Al'Kabor's Spellborn Shoes (3) Applies Al'Kabor's Arcane Mastery Increases Damage Spell Crit Chance of caster by 2.0% (6) Applies Al'Kabor's Command of Sorcery. Decrease the sorcerer's spell reuse time by 5%. Retrieved from "http://eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Al%27Kabor%27s_Spellborn_Robe?oldid=545256" 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: Equipment Cloth Armor (Equipment Type) Chest (Inventory Slot) Equipment pages with existing default images Legendary Equipment Arcane Resistance (Equipment) Disruption (Equipment) Tier 7 Equipment Sorcerer Equipment Warlock Equipment Wizard Equipment The Estate of Unrest Dropped Items Castle Mistmoore Dropped Items Articles missing itemlink Robe (Equipment Type) Add category Cancel Save


text:
The Celtibillies will perform at Draper Mercantile Saturday, April 27, in a concert that benefits Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley.
The concert, co-sponsored by the Fine Arts Center and Draper Mercantile, begins at 7 p.m., but guests are welcome to arrive at 6 p.m. and enjoy dinner from a special menu. The concert costs $12. Dinner is an additional charge.
Celtibillies concerts are described as "a rollicking mixture of traditional and original music and song, interspersed with just the right amount of humor to keep audiences in stitches." The band's concerts also feature Appalachian Clogging, Scottish Highland and Iris Step dancers.
The event is partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
Reservations are required as seating is limited to 112 guests. Reserve a seat early by calling 994-5659.
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text:
The number of first-time buyers continues to grow. According to the Halifax, there were an estimated 326,500 first-time buyers in 2014, 22% up on the previous year. Average deposits fell by 7% to £29,218, while changes to stamp duty now save the average first-time buyer £781 – reducing the tax bill for the average-priced first-time buyer property of £171,870 from £1,718 to £937.
The average proportion of disposable earnings devoted to mortgage payments by a first-time buyer stood at 32% in Q3 2014, down from a peak of 50% in 2007.
Leeds Building Society has introduced new discount mortgages and rate cuts of up to 0.75%. Highlights include a 1.60% two-year discount mortgage up to 65% loan-to-value (LTV) with an £800 fee and a 2.55% two-year discount mortgage up to 90% LTV with an £500 fee. There are two new two-year discount mortgage deals at 95% LTV at 3.55% or 3.99% for the fees-assisted option which offers a free standard valuation up to £560 and fees assisted legal services for standard remortgages. Both products have a fee of £500. A new two-year discount fees assisted mortgage at 1.94% is available up to 65% LTV with no fee and free standard valuation up to £560 and fees assisted legal services for standard remortgages.
Scottish Widows Bank has cut rates on its Professional and Flexible mortgage products. Two-year fixed rates include a rate of 2.19% (flexible) and 1.99% (professional) on loans up to 85% LTV, with a £999 booking fee or 1.99% and 1.79% respectively with a £1,499 booking fee. Three-year fixed rates up to 85% LTV with no booking fee have reduced to 2.69% (Flexible) and 2.49% (Professional), or 2.39% and 2.19% respectively with a £1,499 booking fee.
In addition, interest rates on all Scottish Widows base-rate trackers with a £999 arrangement fee are reducing by 0.2%, with rates on two-year tracker products at 60% LTV starting from 1.19% above Bank of England base rate giving a variable current rate of 1.69% (Professional) and 1.89% (Flexible)
Halifax is offering home movers and first-time buyers two months interest back on their mortgage when they apply for a qualifying mortgage from the home mover and first-time buyer core product range. In addition, a number of mortgage rates have been cut, including a two-year fixed-rate of 1.59% at up to 60% LTV with £1,995 product fee, a five-year fixed-rate on loans up to 90% LTV at 5.29% with £495 product fee, and a two-year fixed-rate shared equity/shared ownership product with no fee at 3.74% at 75% LTV.
Remortgage customers switching to Lloyds Bank will receive £500 cashback towards any costs they might incur as a result of moving their mortgage, and those applying for a mortgage before 1 March 2015, can also benefit from Lloyds' dedicated switching service which offers a dedicated mortgage adviser and free valuation and basic legal fees. Lloyds Bank current mortgage rates include a two-year fixed-rate up to 60% LTV of 1.94% with £995 fee, a two-year fixed-rate at 75% LTV of 2.24% with £995 fee and a two-year fixed-rate at up to 85% LTV of 2.89%. Any customer with a Club Lloyds current account can receive a reduction on these rates of 0.2%.
Mortgage Trust, part of specialist buy-to-let lender Paragon, has launched a brand new range of fixed-rate products via intermediaries that includes two-, three- and five-year fixed-rate deals from 65% to 80% LTV. The new range includes a two-year fixed-rate at 2.99% on loans up to £300,000 with a £495 fee at 65% LTV and a 3.85% three-year fixed-rate with no fee at 75% LTV, a 4.45% two-year fixed-rate with no fee at 80% LTV and a 4.39% five-year fixed-rate with a £495 fee at 75% LTV on loans up to £500,000. Funds are limited on these products, and it is recommended that applicants move fast to secure the rates being offered.
Click here to find out more about how Whathouse.com can help you find the right mortgage.


text:
Despite record shipments, top companies are not seeing higher revenue, said Roger Kay, a technology analyst at IDC.
"People are buying cheaper PCs so revenue is basically flat," he said.
But that doesn't mean no one is on the winning side of the PC sales stampede.
San Jose-based Intel Corporation, which makes chips that power desktop, notebook and server computers, saw its fourth quarter profits more than double.
For the three months ended Dec. 27, Intel earned $2.17 billion, or 33 cents a share, compared with $1.05 billion, or 16 cents a share, in the fourth quarter of 2002.
It was better news than either the company or Wall Street had expected. The firm - facing the traditionally slow month of January, and increasing competition from Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s latest high-powered chip, the Athlon 64 - has issued a conservative estimate for how it expects to do in the current quarter.
As for PC manufacturers, the gold rush is real for consumers, even if current profit margins on sales are slim.
About 152.6 million units were shipped in 2003, an 11.4 percent increase over the previous year, according to Framingham, Mass.-based IDC.
Gartner Inc., which uses slightly different measurement methods, calculated that 168.9 million units were shipped in 2003, a 10.9 percent increase over 2002.
The companies released their figures on Wednesday.
Dell Inc., based in Round Rock, Texas, took over from Hewlett-Packard Co. as the top worldwide vendor during the year, shipping 25.8 million units, a 25 percent increase over the previous year, according to IDC.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP fell to second place with 25 million units shipped worldwide, a 14.5 percent increase over the previous year.
In the fourth quarter that ended on Dec. 31, however, HP took the No. 1 spot worldwide from Dell. HP's retail presence during the holiday season helped, Kay said.
"It's about momentum in the marketplace, and we think we got it," said Jim McDonnell, HP's vice president of sales and marketing.
Rounding out the top five in shipments worldwide for the year were International Business Machines Corp., Fujitsu Ltd. and Toshiba. Gartner, based in Stamford, Conn., listed the same top five.
Charles Smulders, a Gartner vice president, said the fourth quarter was a turning point for several large PC vendors.
IBM's "surprisingly strong" results indicated a recovering business sector, Kay said, adding that he expects worldwide PC shipments to increase as the economy improves.
In the United States, the top five vendors for the year were Dell, HP, IBM, Gateway Inc. and Apple Inc., according to both IDC and Gartner.
For the quarter, it was Dell, HP, IBM, eMachines Inc. and Gateway. EMachines was the biggest gainer with a 20.8 percent growth from the year-ago quarter while Gateway had a nearly 30 percent decline in growth, according to IDC, a 26 percent decline according to Gartner.
"Gateway has been imploding for a while and this is a continuation of a trend," Kay said.
IDC's numbers for IBM and Gateway are estimated because their earnings reports have not yet been released.


text:
Wind Before the Dawn
Burt, Olive W.
Place Published: New York
Publisher: The John Day Company
Date Published: 1964
Edition: First edition
Binding: Hardcover
Book Id: 17071
191pp. Twelvemo [21 cm] Dark orange cloth with black ink stamped titles, and a small black ink stamped vignette on the front cover. Near fine. There is a very faint 3 inch long scratch in the cloth of the front cover. The dust jacket is in very good condition, with a chip, and a small open tear in the edges. Price-clipped
Olive W. Burt sold her first piece of writing, some verses for two dollars each, to the San Francisco Examiner when she was just 8 years old. She has written around 25 published children's books.


text:
Welcome to Complete Eye Care
Your Optometrists in Belmont, N.C.
Serving Gastonia and surrounding towns in Gaston County, Charlotte, Lake Wylie and Clover, S.C.
Focus Your Attention On These Key Areas
Eye Care Services
Dr. Harald Vaher, Dr. Barbara Marcussen, and Dr. Hilary Gesford and our entire Belmont optometry team are committed to providing exceptional vision care in a professional, comfortable, and friendly environment.
Advanced Technology
We use the most up-to-date technology to ensure the best eye care possible. Learn about the different types of tests and equipment you may experience on a visit to our Practice.
Not all patients are good candidates for PRK or LASIK surgery. Complete Eye Care offers an advanced, non-surgical corneal reshaping technique that can produce changes to the way your cornea refracts light.
What Our Patients Are Saying...
Our Eye Care Blog
Our Practice
Complete Eye Care is a full service eye and vision care provider, accepting scheduled appointments as well as eye emergencies. Patients come from Belmont, Gastonia and surrounding towns in Gaston County, as well as Charlotte, Lake Wylie and Clover, SC., simply because they know that they will receive the person attention and professional care they deserve and we provide. Our exceptional team is dedicated to keeping our patients comfortable and well-educated at all times. At Complete Eye Care, we make sure to explain every aspect of the eye exam and testing process and answer any questions our patients may have. We also offer financing options at Complete Eye Care and will work with most vision insurance providers to ensure quality eye health examinations and vision care for all of our patients.
Our Approach To Optometry
Our one-on-one approach to optometry makes our doctors and the staff at Complete Eye Care the chosen eye and vision care providers in the Belmont and surrounding area. Our Belmont optometrists offer many services including the following: comprehensive eye exams, contact lenses, designer glasses, glaucoma testing, and pre- and post-operative care. Visit our services page for an in-depth list of additional services.
Every patient receives personal attention, quality care, and a friendly professional experience. We pride ourselves in our exceptional team of eye doctors that are dedicated to continued growth in their education, allowing our patients access to the latest innovations in eye care.
Call us at 704-825-9002 or schedule an appointment online today.


text: Beautiful 1 bed 1 bath with terrace overlooking to the west, letting in plenty of sunlight. Living room has been opened up to create a dining area and a small office space. Maintenance fee includes; heat, hot water, cooking gas and entral A/C. Fantastic location! Only four blocks from Journal Square PATH Station! Common amenities include a gym, doorman and pool. Multiple parking available for $95 a month per spot.


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The Details
- Product Details
STRIPED AND SLEEKBeyond Scrubs-exclusively ours and inspired by you! The bold Zebra top from the Beyond Scrubs collection has an energetic animal print that will be a big hit in the office! The crossover design and tie wrap design flatters your figure. Two roomy patch pockets give you plenty of room to carry your favorite accessories.
Beyond Scrubs Zebra Tie Wrap Print Scrub Tops
- V-neck
- Side slits
- Medium center back length 25 1/2"
- 97% cotton/3% spandex


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Gamespot has released a new article on DA2 similar to the article they released way back during Comic Con, but now containing information from the extended demo that BioWare has been showing off recently. There is some interesting information on the new leveling and dialogue system and the quest following the one in the original demo.
Click here to read the full article.


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Target: Max Sieben Baucus, U.S. Ambassador to China
Goal: Investigate China's alleged refusal to allow Canadian Miss World contestant, Anastasia Lin, into the country to participate in the pageant.
China allegedly refused Miss World contestant Anastasia Lin entry into the country. Lin, a Canadian citizen, was not allowed into China to compete in this year's pageant even though she was technically eligible for a tourist visa upon arrival. Lin was the only contestant who was refused visa privileges, and she contends it is because she is outspoken against the country's human rights violations.
Lin was originally born in China and moved to Canada in her teenage years. Since departing her birth country, she has publicly criticized the nation's policies against religious freedom. She also contends that her father, who remains in the country, is regularly harassed by security officials.
It's questionable why she was not allowed into China to continue her quest for the Miss World title, and one is left to agree it is because she has exercised her freedom to speak her mind against the country. Demand an investigation into China's alleged refusal to allow Anastasia Lin within its borders to compete in Miss World 2015. She was the only contestant who was refused a visa.
Dear Ambassador Baucus,
Please open an investigation into China's alleged refusal to allow Miss World Canadian contestant, Anastasia Lin, into the country to finish out the pageant competition. Lin, who reached the finals, was refused a visa that she appears to have been eligible to receive. She is the only contestant who was not awarded entrance.
Lin is outspoken against China's violations of human rights, and she believes that this is why the country refused to award her a travel visa. If this is true, this, too, is a violation of human rights, and it deserves to be looked into. Please investigate this matter.
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Tea Rose


text: Home Slideshow The Week in iPhone and iPad Cases: X-Doria's Revel lets you dress your iPhone 7 like your favorite animal By Marco Tabini, Macworld | Oct 7, 2016 11:00 AM PT Share All Slides SLIDEFEATURED PRODUCTS New iOS cases of the week BodyGuardz BodyGuardz Pure2 Premium Glass Screen Protector for Apple... $10.33 MSRP $39.95 View on Amazon Case Mate Case-Mate Waterfall Case iPhone 7/6s/6 Plus Iridescent,... View on Amazon Griffin iPhone 7 Protective Case, Survivor Adventure, with 2 Back... $24.28 MSRP $34.99 View on Amazon Mikol Mikol Iphone 6/6S Case View on Amazon Nodus Pad & Quill Tech21 Ullu X-Doria iPhone 7 Case, X-Doria Revel Series - Fashion, Style and... $8.49 View on Amazon Brenthaven Brenthaven Elliot 13" Sleeve Plus Black $19.99 View on Amazon Incase Incase Book Jacket for iPad Pro 12.9 $69.95 View on Amazon Incipio iPad Pro 9.7 Folio Case, Incipio [Scratch Resistant]... View on Amazon Zagg Zagg ZAGG ID8RGK-BB0 Rugged Book Case with Detachable... $89.95 View on Amazon Read Macworld's full review Share this Slideshow Direct link: New iOS cases of the week Looking for a screen shield? Want to leave your wallet at home? This week's roundup of new iPhone and iPad cases brings you a mix of protective designs and functional materials, from elegant wooden snap-on solutions to card-friendly folios. See larger image BodyGuardz Pure2 Premium Glass Screen Protector for... $10.33 MSRP $39.95 View on Amazon BodyGuardz Pure2 Premium Glass Screen Protector for... $8.50 MSRP $44.95 View on Amazon BodyGuardz The Pure 2 (iPhone 7 and 7 Plus; $39.95 or $44.95 MSRP) adds a thin protective layer of tempered glass to your screen.The Pure 2's contoured edges blend in with your iPhone's layout, while its resilient construction prevents potentially expensive cracks when you experience unplanned encounters with a hard surface. It also comes with a handy custom tray for a bubble-free installation. See larger image Case-Mate Waterfall Case iPhone 7/6s/6 Plus... View on Amazon Case Mate The Naked Tough Waterfall (iPhone 7 and 7 Plus; $40 MSRP, $39.99 to $78.99 on Amazon) features an embedded glittery compartment in the back that gives your iPhone a snow globe-like effect when you move it around.The dual layer case comes with metallic covers for your buttons, an anti-scratch finish, and a reinforced bumper to prevent damage from side and corner drops. It is available in rose gold, iridescent diamond, or junk food. See larger image iPhone 7 Protective Case, Survivor Adventure, with 2... $24.28 MSRP $34.99 View on Amazon Griffin The Survivor Adventure (iPhone 7 and 7 Plus; $34.99 MSRP) keeps your iPhone safe from falls and makes it look great with two very colorful interchangeable back plates.While keeping scratches and dents at bay, the Survivor Adventure features a see-through construction made with layers of sturdy materials and sports a self healing treatment to minimize wear and tear. See larger image Mikol Iphone 6/6S Case View on Amazon Mikol The Marble (iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 6, 6s, 6 Plus and 6s Plus; $99 to $124 MSRP) is a luxurious natural marble enclosure available in a variety of colors.The handcrafted case can be custom-engraved with your initials, and comes with a sanded exterior for a smooth finish. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus versions of the Marble are currently available for pre-order, with shipping expected to begin in November. See larger image Nodus The Access 2 (iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 6, 6s, 6 Plus and 6s Plus; $69.95 MSRP) sports a handcrafted leather enclosure with a versatile cover that's perfect for carrying a few credit cards and cash.The Access 2 supports handsfree use in landscape orientation, secures your iPhone with micro suction technology, and includes a soft microfiber lining for added padding. Slated for shipping at the end of October for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the case comes in chestnut brown, ebony black, dark teal, taupe grey, yellow, or racing green and is compatible with Nodus' magnetic Micro Docks. Pad & Quill The Woodline (iPhone 7 and 7 Plus; $49.95 MSRP) offers a simple snap-on design for quick set up.Made with a hard polymer frame, the lightweight case includes a scratch-resistant finish, gives you unobstructed access to all ports and buttons, and is available in four genuine wood options: American Cherry, Zebra, Rosewood, or American Walnut. It is currently available for preorder, and slated to start shipping in October. See larger image Tech21 The Evo Tactical Extreme (iPhone 7; $49.95 MSRP) gets you through a tough day with a sturdy construction designed to withstand an active lifetsyle.Drop resistant up to the height of thirteen feet, the slim case keeps contaminants away with touch sensitive button covers, sports a screen protector-compatible design, and is available in translucent hues of purple, red, or black. See larger image Ullu The SnapOn (iPhone 7 and 7 Plus; $49 to $409 MSRP) keeps your iPhone safe with an elegant enclosure available in many different colors.The case includes precise cutouts for all your ports and buttons, can be personalized with your own monogram, and comes in five leather options—premium, hard , ostrich, stingray, or alligator—that are further customizable with elegant catchy patterns, and fur-like textures. See larger image iPhone 7 Case, X-Doria Revel Series - Fashion, Style... $8.49 View on Amazon X-Doria The Revel (iPhone 7; $29.99 MSRP, $22.99 on Amazon) sports gorgeous animal motifs with a modern 3D effect.The snap-on case features a hard shell with reinforced corners for advanced drop protection, matching covers for your buttons, and a protruding bezel that keeps your screen free of scratches and smudges. See larger image Brenthaven Elliot 13" Sleeve Plus Black $19.99 View on Amazon Brenthaven The Elliot (12.9-inch iPad Pro; $49.95 MSRP, on sale for $39.95, $14.99 on Amazon) is a functional sleeve designed to help you carry your iPad Pro around with peace of mind.The sleeve has been manufactured with a high density foam for superior shock absorption, comes with a zippered closure for quick access, and includes a front pocket secured by a magnetic closure for your accessories. See larger image Incase Book Jacket for iPad Pro 12.9 $69.95 View on Amazon Incase The Book Jacket (12.9-inch iPad Pro; $69.95 MSRP, same on Amazon) protects your iPad Pro from all sides with a sleek portfolio build.The case sports a magnetic closure, doubles as a multi-angle stand in landscape orientation, and is compatible with the iPad Pro's sleep/wake feature. See larger image iPad Pro 9.7 Folio Case, Incipio [Scratch Resistant]... View on Amazon Incipio The Fancy Palm (9.7-inch iPad Pro; $44.99 MSRP) features a modern look that combines a gorgeous translucent backing with accented metallic leaves.The folio case can be used as a stand for typing or viewing in landscape orientation, includes a special scratch resistant coating, and offers a lightweight construction that adds minimal bulk to your iPad Pro. See larger image Zagg ZAGG ID8RGK-BB0 Rugged Book Case with Detachable... Macworld Rating $89.95 View on Amazon Read Macworld's full review Zagg The Rugged Book (9.7-inch iPad Pro; $149.99 MSRP or $115 on Amazon) combines a detachable case with a convenient backlit keyboard.Easy to use as a stand for typing of viewing, the case automatically turns on your screen on when opening its cover, and keeps your iPad Pro safe from drops and falls with multiple layers of sturdy materials like silicone rubber and rugged polycarbonate. Next Up: Check out these related slideshows Galaxy S8 and S8+ case roundup: Protect your investment in... The Week in iOS Accessories and Cases: A tablet stand that... iOS 11 public beta: The 10 best features you won't be able... The original iPhone in photos: Looking back on the iPhone... 9 free Wi-Fi stumbling and surveying tools 65% off Etekcity 2 Pack Portable Collapsible LED Camping Lantern - Deal Alert Amazon Temporarily Discounts Echo from $179 to $100 - Deal Alert Just $9.99 Right Now For a 3-Pack of 6-foot Lightning/Micro USB Combo Cables -... Related Slideshows Galaxy S8 and S8+ case roundup: Protect your investment in style The Week in iOS Accessories and Cases: A tablet stand that will help... iOS 11 public beta: The 10 best features you won't be able to live... The original iPhone in photos: Looking back on the iPhone that... 9 free Wi-Fi stumbling and surveying tools The Week in Apple News and Rumors: iOS 11, macOS High Sierra, iMac... You Might Like Email a friend To Use commas to separate multiple email addresses From Privacy Policy Thank you Your message has been sent. Sorry There was an error emailing this page.


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Red vs Blue
Your Red vs Blue love is illustrated in full-grain leather with a subtly embossed exterior logo, red and blue wrap around stripes, and printed red and blue helmets visible within the ID window. Features 5 credit card slots, 2 slip pockets, 1 ID window, and a bill compartment.
You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you would like to perform a return, please Click Here to Contact Us with Order Issues
Shipping is now FREE AUSTRALIA WIDE for orders above $100, otherwise a small flat shipping fee of $8.50 will apply.
New Zealand orders are calculated based on weight. Due to licensing, we only supply to Australia and New Zealand.


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Reebok RL 10.0 Elliptical Review
treadmill Doctor Note :
This is the weakest elliptical in the Reebok lineup.
We suspect that the Reebok RL 10.0 is a machine that was produced so someone could have an elliptical below $600 to sale. It is not a very good machine. It is adequate for the money, but you get a lot more quality and bang for the buck if you spend a little more (Between $700 and $1000).


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|Message view
|« Date » · « Thread »
|« Date » · « Thread »
|Bevan Arps <bevan.a...@actfs.co.nz>
|RE: Ant keeps growing in memory when calling multiple scripts
|Tue, 29 Jan 2002 20:23:55 GMT
At 15:15 29/01/2002 -0500, David Medinets wrote: >Create XSLT inside the build file sounds cool. Is there a web interface to >the ant-dev archives? Go to http://jakarta.apache.org/ant/index.html and find the link "Search the Dev Mailing List" right near the bottom. Cheers, Bevan. -- "Programming is an Art Form that Fights Back" Bevan Arps (<mailto:email@example.com>firstname.lastname@example.com) Senior OO Analyst, ACT Financial Systems This communication is confidential to ACT Financial Systems (Asia Pacific) and is intended for use only by the addressee. The views and opinions expressed in this email are the senders own and do not represent the views and opinions of ACT Financial Systems (Asia Pacific).
|View raw message


text:
I like jet packs. Unfortunately, since personal jet packs are still in the experimental stage of invention and not available to the general public, I don't have one. Instead, I've had to satisfy my jet packing desire through the virtual world, namely in video games. Jet Force Gemini had jet packs, and those were awesome, if a bit underutilized. So when I saw a trailer for Jett Rocket II: Wrath of Taikai and saw our titular hero, Jett Rocket, flying around on a jet pack, I was sold on this game. I mean, it had a jet pack! What could possibly go wrong?!
Funny how whenever someone says that, everything goes wrong!
So, in case you haven't already figured out, Jett Rocket II is not very good. In fact, I would call it one of the worst games I've played. It's not quite so bad as Crimson Shroud, but they're in the same area code, if you know what I mean.
Why don't we give Jett Rocket II a fair chance and talk about it's good points first. Okay, good points...good points...good...points...hmm...Oh, the game runs at a smooth 60 fps even with the 3D effect turned on. Although, this is more of a standard for 3DS games nowadays. A Link Between Worlds is 60 fps. Ironfall is 60 fps and that's a far more visually intensive game. So, praise denied, I'm afraid.
On to the bad points. Where to start...Well, let's start with how Jett controls. To be entirely fair to the game, the controls are competent. They're responsive and easy to get behind. That's about the extent of leeway I'm going to give it, though. Issue number 1: Jett runs far too slowly. There's no run button, so the fastest you can go is a light jog. Which doesn't juxtapose well with issue number 2: the barren, uninspired level design. There's a lot of empty space in Jett Rocket II, lots of open fields that just consist of Jett jogging around, at least in the 3D sections of the game. There aren't very many enemies to deal with, pits to jump over, secrets to find, and alternate paths to take. There's nothing of the stuff that makes platforming games interesting. It's just slowly jogging along, taking your sweet time getting to the next challenge. This leads to the game bare bones and boring.
And, finally, issue number 3: whenever Jett gets hit he literally spins out of control. Getting our characters knocked back whenever they get hit by a powerful attack is nothing new. It's something we've come to accept. But Jett gets knocked out every time he takes damage. Even if he just brushes against an enemy or gets hit by one measly energy pellet, he spins around in a way that would almost be comical if it weren't so frustrating. And, oh, he doesn't just get knocked back. Nope, he gets thrown back quite a distance. I can't count how many times I got knocked down to a previous platform or into the abyss because Jett's a massive idiot who feels the need to throw himself backward every time a gnat so much as sneezes in his general direction. With spotty hit detection, checkpoints being few and far between, and a pointless lives system in place, you'll be going through the same areas over and over and over again, making it painfully obvious how drab everything is.
Now, all of this could have been less of an issue if the game had a few interesting mechanics to lessen up the incessant mediocrity. I mentioned I was particularly intrigued by this game's use of a jet pack. Well, I was disappointed, cause that jet pack is only used in a handful of levels. Even then, it's not that fun to use. You can't fly around freely like in Jet Force Gemini. Nope, you just press a button and fly up in whatever direction you're facing. Riveting. Simply riveting. I feel cheated.
Even with all this horrible crap against it, Jett Rocket II could have saved itself by having interesting aesthetics. Not even close. The various robots Jett must rescue and destroy look boring and uninspired. Jett himself looks like nothing more than an astronaut with too much hairspray trying to cosplay April O'Neil. Environments are just one cliché after another. There's nothing interesting going on in Jett Rocket II from a visual standpoint. The music is forgettable and the jet pack sucks. I'm still hung up about that jet pack.
Some of you might think I need to go easier on Jett Rocket II seeing as it is an indie game and they didn't have the budget necessary to polish it up to our high standards. But that's no excuse. Do you want to know what other games are indie? Super Meat Boy, Limbo, VVVVVV, Bastion, Minecraft, and, last but far from least, Trine 2! These are all indie games. Heck, I'd wager some I just listed had even less budget and manpower than Jett Rocket II and still managed to make it look like a pile of crap. If the moniker of "indie game" contains such stunning examples of game design, Jett Rocket II has no excuse for being so blatantly mediocre. This feels more like a bad PS1 game, rather than something deserves our attention today.
So, in short, don't buy Jett Rocket II: Wrath of Taikai. Instead, buy VVVVVV, or Pushmo, or Mighty Switch Force, or just save your money for Shovel Knight when it comes out later this year. Even at $8.99, this game isn't worth the price. It's not worth the space it takes up on your SD card. That's all I have to say on the matter. See ya!


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Macaulay Culkin Net Worth
Culkin was cast as the lead in 1990's "Home Alone", which was the biggest film of the year and it instantly made Culkin one of the most recognized actors in the world. After several movies throughout the 1990's, Culkin seemed to vanish off the face of the Earth, so how much could he still be worth with such a small movie resume? Believe it or not, Culkin still has a net worth estimated at a whopping $15 million these days.
So how could someone who has not had a starring role since they were 14 years old be worth so much? Wait until you see the salaries that Culkin received as a child star. Culkin got his first big check from "Uncle Buck", which paid him $40,000. Afterward, he got a big increase for "Home Alone" at $100,000.
From there, the salaries skyrocketed, as 1991's "My Girl" paid Culkin $1 million. After the success of the first "Home Alone" movie, Culkin was able to negotiate a huge increase for the sequel, "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" to the tune of $4.5 million. Culkin was still a hot commodity at this time and he received $5 million from 1993's "The Good Son" and $8 million each for "Getting Even With Dad" and "Richie Rich" both in 1994.
In case you didn't want to do the math, the total salary for those movies accounts for more than $23 million. Culkin left acting afterward, and has only made sporadic appearances in film since then in movies that include "Saved!", "Sex and Breakfast" and the upcoming "Zoolander No. 2". None of these have been really high paying roles, but Culkin seems happy with staying out of the spotlight.
These days, Culkin has been working on his band called The Pizza Underground that got their marketing start from a viral video. Culkin's band started a tour in New York City in January of 2014, but it didn't turn out well as he was in the middle of a kazoo (yes, a kazoo) solo in May of 2014 when people started to boo and throw beer at him on stage. Culkin's band cancelled all of their shows in the United Kingdom afterward, but are still together.
Culkin may have lost some money over the years thanks to taxes and not having a lot of income, but he is still rich, especially compared to the average person, and lives in a pretty swanky apartment. Culkin paid $2 million for his pad in New York City, which he has since turned into a massive art studio in the SoHo area.
While it's a pricy apartment, you wouldn't know it by looking at it since it's covered in empty bottles, piles of cigarettes and other general litter, but that's the life of an artist, apparently. Culkin is a long way away from his days as a child actor, but he still seems to be enjoying himself, just not in the conventional way that you might want to live your life.
Will we ever see a return to the big screen for Culkin? It doesn't seem like he has any interest in coming back, even if the price is right, but if there is ever another "Home Alone" sequel (despite their being an unsuccessful third movie), it might be worth having Culkin star to reprise his role. Oh, and we was also dating Mila Kunis for nearly a decade, so he has been living the life for a long time.


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Mom Makes Breakfast
The boy is hungry. Mom makes breakfast. Mom gets out milk. Mom pours a glass of milk. Mom gets out bread. Mom puts the bread in the toaster. Mom gets out eggs. Mom turns on the stove. Mom cooks the eggs. The eggs are hot. Mom gives the boy toast. The boy eats the toast. The eggs get cold. Mom gives the boy eggs. The boy eats the eggs. Mom gives the boy milk. The boy drinks the milk. Mom gives the boy a cookie. The boy says no. The boy is full. The boy does not eat the cookie.


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Peppered Caribou Steaks
Be the first to review
READY IN: 24hrs 20mins
Recipe by Woofer
Lean, Easy, and a change from Beef Goes well with long grain and wild rice, sauteed spinach with toasted pine nuts. Something quite different for a intimate dinner party. Wine match: Petite Sirah or Australian Shiraz. Note: This recipe may also be prepared with bison, elk or venison steaks.
See Discussion:
Ingredients Nutrition
- 60 ml soy sauce
- 60 ml beef stock, preferably homemade or 60 ml canned low sodium beef broth
- 125 ml port wine
- 5 (280 g) caribou steaks
- 15 white pearl onions
- salt
- 125 ml freshly crushed peppercorns
- 45 ml olive oil
- 45 ml butter
- 60 ml mustard powder
- 60 ml water
Directions See How It's Made
- In a shallow nonreactive dish, whisk together soy sauce, beef stock and port and add steaks turning to coat thoroughly.
- Refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add pearl onions and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Drain and plunge the onions into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
- Carefully slip the papery skins off, leaving as many layers of the onion as possible.
- Set aside.
- Remove steaks from the marinade, wiping off excess and season well with salt.
- Place the peppercorns in a shallow dish and press the steaks into them, coating each side.
- In a heavy, preferably cast-iron frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high to high heat.
- Cook the steaks to the desired doneness and remove to a warm platter.
- Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the pearl onions and saute until golden.
- In another small saucepan, whisk together mustard powder and water.
- Add the remaining butter and slowly bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat, and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the mustard sauce over steaks and surround with caramelized onions.


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Digital Project Manager - Borehamwood
- Recruiter
- Profile 29
- Location
- Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
- Salary
- £20,000
- Posted
- 21 Apr 2017
- Closes
- 24 Apr 2017
- Sector
- Engineering
Job; Digital Project Manager - Borehamwood This role is with a dynamic, creative and experienced digital agency based in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. For over 10 years they have evolved with trends, met demands and delivered digital solutions that combine creative ideas with innovative technology. Their services (Web/Graphic and Digital Promotions) provide measurable results for their clients. Their company creates digital experiences from small web sites for SMEs to large bespoke high end web sites. They specialise in working with marketing agencies offering digital support within the promotional marketing industry. They are currently recruiting for a Project Manager (ideally with digital experience) to join their growing team. This is a fantastic opportunity for a confident self-motivated person with experience working with B2B clients to take their next step in project management. Role and responsibilities; Managing digital/web/online projects,Oversee business relationship with clients,Liaise with clients and their team to smoothly deliver projects to strict deadlines,Plan resources within their creative and technical team,Set schedules and prioritise workflow, The successful person will need the following attributes; Exceptional verbal communication skills - face to face & in person,Highly organised and able to work under pressure,Some project management experience, or a genuine desire to gain experience in this area,Some client support or account management experience, Other Stuff; £'s; fully D.O.E up to £30k,Location; Borehamwood, Hertfordshire (WD6),How to get to them; walkable from Elstree & Borehamwood station (30 mins from London Blackfriars), good bus connectivity to/from Barnet & surrounding areas, Interested? Please send CV (preferably as a Word doc as opposed to PDF),Not for you but you know someone suitable? -Profile 29 can pay a referral fee,Please only apply if you are already eligible to work in the UK (indefinitely & without sponsorship), Profile 29 recruitment keywords; project manager project coordinator project assistant client manager account manager account executive client services web digital online website management Borehamwood Hertfordshire HERTS home counties London


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It was another week of success with menu planning! I did have to do some switching around of days on the menu this past week; however, it was for a good cause! The "good cause" was: Mommy forgot to take meat out of the freezer for dinner the night before so Mommy had to go to plan B which was fast fixing breaded chicken patties, breaded fish tenders and good ol' French fries from my stash of convenience foods in my freezer. I know the mantra of frugal living is that in order to save money you make everything from scratch and you ditch convenience items. However, when it comes to a choice of buying convenience items to have on hand in my freezer or going to the take out window, I am going to choose the convenience items because I have done my research and found them cheaper for my family of 7 than the take out window. Also if you have been following my menus you will find that we still do the take out window once a week (Sunday after evening church) because doing the take out window then is much simpler and faster.
I did do some decent grocery shopping this week, however, I did more in the way of stocking up my pantry than I did making sure that I have enough meats to last until next payday(which is next Monday). Hopefully, I have enough to last me without a trip to the grocery store, other than for milk!
This week's meals are simple meals and using what I have on hand. No new meals this week, just sticking to some meals that I know the family will enjoy. I have my church's Ladies Bible Study on Tuesday and then hubby and I are taking a marriage building class at our church on Wednesday. I need to make the meals for those days as simple and quick as possible with the rush of needing to get out the door on time.
This week's lunches that are listed below are for the kids and me! Unless we are having leftovers, our lunches are served with apple slices or carrot sticks along with fruit juice or water. Hubby usually takes a dinner leftover along with various snacks for his work lunch so I don't take the time to really plan his lunches. I just take the next container of leftovers in the stack in the fridge that I have prepared ahead of time.
A special thanks to Laura-Organizing Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday! Need help with your menus; go check the over 300 other delicious meal plans that have been linked at Laura-Organizing Junkie's site or look down in my right sidebar for my menu suggestion lists!
Sunday (2-7)
Breakfast: eggs, sausage & steak, hash browns, and cinnamon rolls
Lunch: homemade TV dinners
Dinner: Little Caesar's and McDonalds (after church)—our Superbowl food!
Monday (2-8)
Breakfast: cereal and cinnamon rolls
Lunch: homemade lunchables
Dinner: bacon burgers served with French fries and creamed corn
Tuesday (2-9)
Breakfast: waffles and sausage
Lunch: sandwiches & chips
Dinner: chicken rice soup and homemade bread
Wednesday (2-10)
Breakfast: bagels and cereal
Lunch: leftover tacos
Dinner: still to be determined!
Thursday (2-11)
Breakfast: French Toast and sausage
Lunch: leftover pizza
Dinner: spaghetti and garlic toast
Friday (2-12)
Breakfast: cereal and powdered donuts
Lunch: sandwiches & chips
Dinner: "Homemade Long John Silver's": oven fried chicken & fish served with French fries, and corn (never got made last week!)
Snack: ice cream night
Saturday (2-13)
Breakfast: Your Choice
Lunch: ????
Dinner: saucy chicken served with mashed potatoes, and green beans
Snack: popcorn