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|♥ Gretchen Kirke-Faust
Posted: Dec 4 2016, 08:29 AM
Asked Tine if I could borrow professor Connor :'D
The only sound in the classroom was the scratching of quills on parchment, every so often interrupted by a sigh or a student scratching their head. Gretchen was seated on the first row, at the desk closest to the door. The tip of her fishtail braid reached her desk as she hunched over the parchment, eagerly writing away. Astronomy wasn't her best subject, but that only meant she was determined to prepare herself better for these classes. As she continued to fill in her blank star chart, she wistfully thought back to some of the fun astronomy classes, in which they were actually outside, stargazing, or celebrating an equinox. Though as much as she missed those types of classes, she was glad professor Connor was willing to share some of the OWL exercises to make sure his students were well-prepared.
Gretchen straightened up, trying to see her star chart from a different perspective, and was content with what she saw. The Ravenclaw wasn't the best at math, and her understanding of science left much to be desired, but thanks to her family's paganism she at least knew most of the stars and constellations by name – and mythology. Astronomy didn't require one to know the story behind these names, but it didn't hurt to remember them that way. Once she'd have to start calculating the movements of planets, she usually flunked, but if this exercise was on the OWL exam then Gretchen could at least count on some points. She'd just have to work hard for the math part, because the Faust refused to score less than an Acceptable, and even hoped to get an Exceeds Expectations for this class.
Under her desk, Billy the kneazlecat had found himself a comfortable spot on top of his owner's leather bag – which practically disappeared under the mountain of fur. He had his tail wrapped around him, and his snout buried between his front paws, hiding the white part of his fur and leaving what looked like a big, fluffy black cushion with ears poking out of it. He only looked up once his witch stirred. In her eagerness to complete the star chart and to be the first student to hand in the assignment, she had accidently knocked over her bottle of ink, and while the girl had been quick to grab it, yanking her parchment to safety with her other hand, her right hand and sleeve were now blotted with black ink.
"Professor?" Her ink-stained hand shot up. "I finished my star chart, could I hand it in and be excused, please? I'd like to go to the bathroom and clean this up, if that would be alright."
Professor Connor, friendly and understanding as always, nodded and collected her piece of parchment with a smile and a "Thanks, miss Kirke-Faust."
As the girl rose from her chair, Billy looked up at her with a questioning expression, reluctantly preparing himself to get up too until she motioned for him to stay.
"I'll be right back," Gretchen whispered to her cat, and excused herself from the classroom as her fellow fifth years continued working on their assignment.
Gretchen's robes rustled as she hurried down the stairs, never one to saunter, and entered the nearest bathroom. The very sight of the marble sinks, the bare stone walls and tiled floor seemed to make the room colder, and the witch was grateful for the amount of sweaters, woollen robes, and winter cloaks she owned. As she washed the ink of her hands, the sound of the running water masked the footsteps on the other side of the door. She only realised she had made the mistake of having her back to the door when she heard it creak open.
@Sigurd Nilsson
|Sigurd Nilsson
Posted: Dec 4 2016, 04:36 PM
Tine approves of my shameless action of dragging Marco into this <33
Every scratch on parchment was like a metronome: calculated slow strokes with pauses in between. Not because Astronomy was exceptionally difficult; it was like almost any other class Sigurd took: he had to work for it to earn it. Its stuttering movement was only because for once the Slytherin wasn't exactly focussed on his work, having to remind himself to actually finish his assignment. Instead his mind and eyes kept drifting back to the girl up front like his cat eyeing birds in the garden. Sigurd understood how unnerving the glass wall could be as his knuckles went white around his quill.
A dead Faust was a good Faust, that's what everyone in the family had always taught each of their children. Sigurd had never put a lot of thought behind it, just accepted it like everything else his elders fed him. Uncle Terje often spoke about them like something that wasn't entirely human, because they simply couldn't be. He often did this at family parties with a tongue as bitter as the Akevitt he drank. Uncle Geir, on the other hand, swore their name under his breath like a vile curse whenever something the kids couldn't understand yet went wrong. His dad just opened up expensive alcohols and the liquids would drip on their obituaries. It was the only reason why they even paid for different kinds of papers.
Now, with Preben back from the hospital wing and the weight of Sigurd's words 'you sound just like dad…' still heavy in the pit of his stomach, he understood it better than ever. Suddenly it was no longer a unrelatable bedtime story of muggles undeservingly mastering magic. The monster was real, it had been here all along and he let it hurt someone he cared about. It made him unsure even if he was more furious at the Faust girl or himself for letting it happen. His eyes wandered to the front of the room again, teeth gritting as the braid disappeared around the corner and into the hallway.
It was an impulsive thought, raising his hand and muttering the most convincing performance of the age old line "Professor, I don't feel so well. May I go to the bathroom?". Connor had empathetically replied with "You feeling ok?", but Sigurd was already out of the door and on his way to the nearest bathroom. In all honestly, he had no clue what he was going to do…except for the fact that it had to hurt without ever leaving a trace. It was, after all, what his family did best. A Nilsson could make a statement without ever inflicting a single ounce of violence. She had been stupid enough to leave a trail, to make her revenge so glaringly obvious. The Norwegian wasn't going to make the same mistake.
A part of him wanted to drag this out, make it slow until they both felt every second ticking by. Yet as soon as he opened the door, saw her standing there; it was the first time in a long while that he'd felt so angry. Not the same kind of anger from the greenhouses with Erik, where it hurt to breathe and his fingers spread wide and shaking from the lack of courage. This was white anger, white knuckles and white face, jaw so tightly locked he barely got out the words. And when they did, they were searing.
"You sycophantic pathetic little mudwallower!"
His first reaction was to grab a hold of his wand, every sprouting idea of a plan dying in the heat of the moment. She didn't even deserve an explanation, could probably name at least 4 choices of action that led to this type of punishment. Oh, how well he understood it all now.
" œtlamara!"
@Gretchen Kirke-Faust
staff!edit: Tine says Sammeh is the best Cookie Slytherin around <33
|♥ Gretchen Kirke-Faust
Posted: Dec 17 2016, 08:06 AM
Everything seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. Gretchen twirled around, just in time to see Sigurd Nilsson's face, distorted with anger, yelling a curse at her. The witch drew her own wand without hesitation, but as she realised she had no idea what the Norwegian had just yelled, and no clue on how to defend herself against it, she also knew it was too late. The spell hit her like a punch to the ribcage, a searing pain spreading from her chest, knocking the wind out of her. She staggered back, knees bending slightly, fighting the urge to double over, her knuckles turning white around her wand. She had to think of something to retort with, to hurt him right back, but suddenly she couldn't breathe. The girl raised her wand arm, but couldn't aim as the picture started to blur. She lifted her other hand to her forehead, as if that would calm the starting headache. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she could barely keep them open as she squinted, trying to focus, but the room remained very much out of focus, almost grotesquely so. Sigurd's figure loomed in the doorway, his wand still drawn, and Gretchen seemed unable to do anything about it, unable to defend herself. She was vulnerable, weak, trembling. Fear overshadowed the throbbing pain, and she took another step back, hitting the now overflowing sink with her lower back. Sigurd's figure seemed to distort into a monster, shadows lunged at her from every corner of the room, and her wand fell out of her numb hand.
The Faust was vaguely aware that this anguish was caused by Sigurd's spell, this inability to think rationally, this fear. Why he had run after her to inflict pain, she didn't even question. It could've been because of the Hate Potion she had slipped his brother, but could he consider her guilty of what it had turned Preben into, when that was who the Quidditch star was underneath all along? It didn't matter what the direct incentive for this attack was, the true reason was that they hated her and her family. This was always going to happen, it was what she had been preparing herself for for the past five years. Yet now she lay on the cold bathroom floor, her legs haven given up on her, water from the sink spreading over the tiles and soaking her cloak, her mind in shambles, scrambles, total disarray.
Coldness pressed against her limbs, the sound of rushing water behind her fading
away, replaced by a steady, anxiety-inducing hum, droning to the rhythm of her heart.
Despairing her helplessness, her shoulders shook while fear had numbed the rest of her
body. Fingers cramped to reach her wand, the distance only growing with every try.
Too strong to give up, too weak to resist. Messing with her perception, messing with her
mind. A splotch of red in the water, from a wound she couldn't feel. Couldn't feel
anything, but terror. Tears joined the sink's water in silent defeat as shades surrounded
her, enemies everywhere, an army against one. She closed her eyes, willing the demons away.
Billy wasn't the perfect kneazlecat that Arthur Kirke-Faust had envisioned when he wanted to get his daughter an intelligent pet to watch over her. He was proud, grumpy, and often self-absorbed, but he was loyal. The critter doted as much on his owner as she doted on him, and he never left the witch's side, keeping his yellowish-green eyes on her at all times. …Well, apparently not at all times, though it was usually on Gretchen's own insistence that he stayed put. Today was no different, and when the Nilsson boy left the classroom right after her, he knew it was a mistake. The cat shot up and ran after the Slytherin, the door almost hitting his tail as he squeezed through the opening before it shut. He followed Sigurd down the stairs, the young wizard having an unfair head start, given how much easier it was to descend stairs with long legs, and when Billy reached the floor below, he was ready to rely on scent to find his target – except he didn't have to. Sigurd's yelling led the critter to the nearest bathroom, where he found his witch whimpering and weeping on wet, tiled flooring. The ball of fur seemed to explode, every single hair on edge, a big angry feather duster the size of a medium dog, ears flat and pointy teeth bared. A low, haunting, growling sound emitted from the creature, as if it was a radio with bad reception, because it didn't look like a cat could possibly produce such a noise himself. He set his eyes on his witch's attacker, seemingly preparing himself to bite the wizard's hand off before he could fire another spell.
Except, Sigurd didn't seem to be in a condition to fire any more spells.
@Sigurd Nilsson
|Sigurd Nilsson
Posted: Jan 11 2017, 04:44 AM
His hand started to tremble.
He did not notice at first, too busy trying to calm down the heartbeat hammering against his ribs like thunder. The spell required constant focus and he refused to stop until thoroughly satisfied. His breath was uneven. For no apparent reason, within seconds Sigurd found himself against the bathroom door, feet taken several steps backwards at the sight of the girl. Miserable, scared, exactly what he wanted. Then why? This was supposed to be satisfying. Yet the feeling of the cold surface against his back was startling, a shiver going down his spine as he whipped his body towards it almost violently in fear it was someone else rather than a lifeless barrier.
In fear.
In an instant his eyes focussed back on the Faust girl as if the answer to all this nonsense was there. From the corner of his eye the shadows of the cubicles seemed to change. He didn't dare to look. The wand was wavering at the steady shake of his palm by now. Yet the boy didn't stop it; not that he could if he wanted it to. Instead his lips grew thinner with each agonizing drum that was ringing in his ears, mingling with her noises into an agonizing symphony. There wasn't a girl on the bathroom tiles. No mess of a person he would've laughed at. Only a blurred image through the tears stinging in his eyes. It made his chest hitch. He didn't wipe the forming tears away, nor did he stop his wand from shaking like an old wizard's. He couldn't.
It fell onto the ground, a sharp tic of wood against tile.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Yet the anger humming under his skin suddenly nothing more than a vague memory. No longer a priority. The shaking hands went to his hair, willing out the dark thoughts if they just held onto his hair tight enough. Scrambling over the floor. The feeling of a wall was back, now rather comforting as Sigurd found himself in the corner between door and cubicle; the cold pressure against his shoulder and back. He could no longer hear himself, voice cracking and his breath at a pace of galloping horses, simply whimpering to make it stop in the familiar syllables of his mother tongue over and over again.
There was another sound. High pitched, angry, terrifying. Everything was. The darkness of shut eyes was endless and harrowing but the light beyond them was too. Moments ago the Slytherin had been in control, finally the powerful giant. Sigurd had never felt so small in his life. Even his wand was left forgotten as his form wanted to crawl more into itself. He wanted it to stop. It did. Instantly. When it did, in the blink of an eye and as quick as lightning, the boy opened his eyes again ever so slowly to only see the Ravenclaw girl. The only thing he could do as his breath slowly evened out again was wonder how she did it.
@Gretchen Kirke-Faust
staff!edit: Tine says Sammeh is the best Cookie Slytherin around <33
|♥ Gretchen Kirke-Faust
Posted: Feb 11 2017, 08:26 AM
Nothing had ever hurt this much.
Gretchen's chest moved up and down with every ragged breath, like a pump desperately trying to get air into a blown-out tire. The spell was starting to wear off, and the room – previously a mixture of dark shadows and white noise – came back into focus, but the terror remained. Professor Connor's Astronomy class, with their fellow fifth year Ravenclaws and Slytherins dutifully – and not so dutifully – taking notes, seemed miles away. The sink was still running, the water now licking the feet of the slumped figure close to the door.
Someone turned off the tap, and with the sound of running water gone, which had drowned out everything else like an indistinct humming, the final obstruction to total awareness was lifted. It was like waking from a dream, where the lines were blurry and the physics were vague, where everything melted into the psychedelic environment and you didn't question it.
The first noise she recognised was Billy's low growling, which came from somewhere behind her, but it took her a while to recognise the second sound as her own sobbing. For about a minute, but what seemed to be forever, she couldn't do anything but lay there, her clothes and hair drenched, the crying only interrupted by the occasional gasping for breath, and her body shaking like a mountain that had been a volcano all along. With every shudder, she send ripples through the puddle of water surrounding her, feeling more awful with every wheeze and every sob. She couldn't even bring herself to lift her hand to wipe the snot from her face. Pulling herself together seemed like an enormous task that the whimpering girl didn't have the energy for, the memory of her usual strength, control, and courage, was almost laughable.
In-between the blubbering, a miserable snicker erupted as that thought presented itself. At least her mind was starting to form sentences again, while one couldn't quite call it 'rational' yet, cohesive thoughts were forming – no longer simply vague impressions, which took the shapes of colours and scents rather than words. For instance, it occurred to her that, since she could hear Billy, he must be in the room with her. The kneazlecat must've followed her, or Sigurd, and he must've been the one who turned off the tap. When she asked herself why he would consider that a priority over keeping an eye on her attacker, her eyes fell on the huddled figure next to the door, finally recognising the mess of limbs as Sigurd Nilsson – weeping, just like her.
Seeing her own emotions mirrored on the face of someone she so loathed turned her stomach. Her mouth pulled back in a grimace, taking a few more wheezing breaths as the crying finally stopped, and she pushed herself off the cold, wet, bathroom floor. Her braid followed her head almost reluctantly, weighted down by the water, and half of her clothes had turned darker, one side clung to her body while the other side hung down shapelessly. The blood came from an abrasion on the side of her face, which only added to the current surreal state of her visage, stained with tears and mucus on one hand, but with her magical makeup, still perfectly in place, on the other.
He did this. He had no right to be crying. …Or, it dawned on her, a logical reason. Why did he stop? She was at his mercy, he was completely in control of the situation. If it was a conscience thing, why not just leave? He wasn't the kind of person who'd allow her to see him like this. Not under normal circumstances, anyway. They had that much in common.
Was it fate, that this had to happen with her in the room? Not just an archenemy, but one whose family was so into different and peculiar types of magic, and everyone who was considered strange because of them... The Faust couldn't not notice what was happening. Was the universe pulling some kind of sick joke on them?
"You're… you're an empath," she laughed through her grimace, though the sound she just produced sounded about as much like laughing as the wailing of a new-born kitten. "Oho… hah… that's… so ironic. You. A Nilsson." She spit out the last word as if it was something that had left a bad taste in her mouth, angry at her own helplessness and desperate to take it out on him, needing to be cruel to feel strong again.
"Why did you use a hex like that? How stupid−"
In her mind's eye, she saw Sigurd at her grandfather's funeral again, a little blond six-year-old kid hiding behind his celebrating family. She tried to imagine what that little boy had felt that day. Anger, fear, hatred? Confusion, at all these emotions that weren't his?
"You- You didn't know?"
@Sigurd Nilsson
|Sigurd Nilsson
Posted: Mar 10 2017, 06:39 PM
Everything was still blurry around the edges, the witch in front of him out of focus and distorted. She didn't look the way she was supposed to, but she didn't look terrifying either. Upon realizing it were tears, the sole of his right hand made quick work of removing every single one of them. Quickly and determined. He looked at her again, drenched miserable wounded animal of a girl. Still she didn't look scary. She looked like something that would normally cause him amusement if his heart wasn't still hammering in his throat like a wild beast, making his breath tremble unevenly as his blue eyes kept on staring at her from his spot in the corner. There was no smile, no schadenfreude, and most definitely no fear. His limbs slowly untangled themselves, deliberately moving him into a less embarrassing posture in front of a Faust.
It was then when he noticed how vulnerable he really was. With nothing to defend himself with, his eyes made the decision to look away from her for a second, desperately searching the floor for his wand. He reached for it, scrambling with both hands scrambling over the cold tiles until the comforting lines and ridges of wood nestled in his grip. It was then that he got up, not even bothering to brush off his robes. The wand was already aimed once more; the only thing that kept him somewhat confident. It was, after all, a tool that had survived centuries against Fausts. It had seen the hardships from the beginning to the end, although his ancestors probably didn't face their enemy with tear stained cheeks or hair in total disarray. They didn't cry on floors without ever understanding why. His elders had decided to pass it on, to plant seeds in a garden they would never see blooming. His hand still shook, now at the thought of their dreams withering.
you're an empath
Of course…
"No!" It came out too fast, too determined, too frightened. A part of his mind seemed to have accepted it already with ease, shoving the puzzle piece where it belonged with just a bare skimming over the details just to fill in the void. Another part refused, didn't want to see the full picture yet. It scared him, more than he'd ever want to admit. His sleeve instinctively wiped away the warm tearstains on his left cheek. A bobby pin clinked on the floor as it fell out of his hair.
People like him didn't get empathy; the world wasn't ready for that kind of sick joke.
So Sigurd tried again: "Stop lying, I'm not- I'm not anything you say I am!"
He was lucky the tremble didn't resonate in his voice, even though every part of his insides felt like a house on shaking foundations. There had always been stories about Fausts meddling in the wrong kind of magic, even beyond what was considered dark. How they drove people mad. Therefor there was no reason at all for believing her. In a way he'd won, after all, although in that moment it didn't feel like it. He looked at her again, better this time, at all the things that would've made his family proud. He didn't feel any better on the inside. Not the kind of glee his family shared over alcohol and obituaries, or stories that only had a happy ending if a Faust was dead. Her words were the metaphorical bone buried in his garden. Sigurd knew it was there, felt every syllable fester to make him hurt. Finding it and getting it out was proven to be nearly impossible.
Small tears gathered at the corners of his vision again, blurring the cubicles, the taps and Gretchen. She looked utterly terrifying.
@Gretchen Kirke-Faust
staff!edit: Tine says Sammeh is the best Cookie Slytherin around <33
|♥ Gretchen Kirke-Faust
Posted: Mar 28 2017, 10:17 AM
Gretchen didn't feel the desire to get up, regardless of whether she'd even have the energy for it. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, but her eyes didn't leave him, they were glued to Sigurd's distorted façade. As she looked up at her attacker with his messy hair and trembling limbs, she didn't feel smaller. Her cheeks were still stained with tears, but her eyes were glossy with cold resolve. Most of the bathroom was still blurry, tears clinging to the edges of her vision and stuck in her eyelashes, but she could see him clearly and that was all that mattered.
Billy crept closer, his witch's wand between his teeth and the tips of his long hair brushing the water on the bathroom floor – a little 'blop' sounded every time the critter moved a paw, sending circles through the small pool that had overcome the tiles. Professor Connor's Astronomy class was a far-away island that the two castaways couldn't possibly swim back to. When he reached his owner, Billy refused to sit down, only partly because of all the water that he didn't want to drench his butt with. The large cat (or small tiger) stayed on all fours instead, raising his behind slightly as if ready to jump at any movement from the enemy. As soon as Gretchen took the stick from between his teeth he bared them, a low growling sound accompanying him as his eyes fixed on the piece of wood that their enemy was pointing their way. Billy eagerly waited for his witch to point her own, but she didn't. Gretchen took her wand from her loyal pet without taking her eyes off the Nilsson in front of her, but then just held it, raising nerve and frigid resolution as a weapon instead.
"Oh… Really… Well, if you think I'm lying…" Exhaustion clung to her voice, the crying having taken its toll, but it was steady all the same, an almost eerie calmness accompanying it. "Except, you know I'm not lying. If you tried, you might even be able to tell. Not that it matters, because you know."
She looked at him, everything her ancestors had been afraid of, everything she had been afraid of for as long as she could remember, and she refused to be scared. At least in this moment, now it was his turn to experience fear. What this would mean later – that someone she both loathed and feared possessed the gift (and curse) of empathy, that her fake confidence and charm wouldn't fool him anymore, and that he could possibly be privy to everything about herself that the witch desperately tried to lock away – wasn't important right now. She could continue hiding and avoiding later, she could fear again later. Right now, she had to be brave, like every ancestor before her who found themselves on the receiving end of a Nilsson wand. Next to her, her cat's growling grew louder, once more confused as to why his witch was choosing words to defend herself, while also knowing that he should be used to it by now.
"Either way… Are you really going to inflict more pain on me to find out? How long will your little victory last if it backfires again, proving me right?"
There was nothing but cold hatred to read on Gretchen's tarnished face as she addressed her classmate, a façade that promised that there was an ocean stirring underneath the calm surface, and she was quite willing to flood the room and drown him with it.
"Because believe me, Nilsson, I feel a variety of emotions because of you – none of them are positive."
@Sigurd Nilsson
|Sigurd Nilsson
Posted: Mar 31 2017, 01:56 AM
He felt drained. The heavy weights of crying settling in his bones and pulling on everything within. His heart a steady drum that matched the pitter-platter of the faucet. It didn't drown out the cat, however, the horrible critter Sigurd refused to look at in order to keep both his eyes and his wand aimed at Gretchen. Just standing there, the witch made him even more paranoid. Afraid it was all just one big plan to catch him off-guard. And, in a way, it was working because his mind couldn't keep itself straight. Not just tired, but also full of emotion. Horrible.
He didn't want to try and sense anything, because it would only prove how right she was. Deep down he had the knowledge that he couldn't do it, at least not in the blatantly easy way she was making it out to be. It was a constant on switch, and he had yet to find the off to shut everything down. Why else would he draw names on his parchment surrounded by hearts, or laugh out of nowhere while chewing on his lunch. Everything felt too natural in those moments, until he stepped out of his own body hours later to stare in confusion about what he'd done. He never questioned anything before it was too late. Every single emotion was his, unknowingly stolen and moulded to fit like a glove. How much of it was actually his and his only, was as clouded as the water mixed with her blood.
Maybe, maybe this situation wasn't that bad. She clearly overestimated his abilities.
Ignoring her wouldn't solve all his problems, but at least it gave him time. "I could use a body-freezing curse to get you off of that soapbox." He argued, trying to drain every syllable of emotion. He remembered how effortless it used to be, now every part of his brain seemed to be drowning in feelings and the only way out was through his mouth. The Slytherin wondered how much feeling was his own right now, standing close to a girl who had been spoon-fed the same kind of hatred all her life. Not that it mattered; he wouldn't look back at this moment hours later and feel pity for the fact that she looked ruined. Nor would he doubt his actions, as they would grant him a pat on the shoulder once he was home. If he ever felt like telling his parents, that was. He didn't.
When would that stupid cat keep quiet.
Then it hit him, eyes going wide for just a second. How every thought had accepted her argument without question. Everything was suddenly linked to empathy because it felt too natural not to. If his body stood any more immovable it would stay that way, imitating said body-freezing curse perfectly. His muscles refused to move on his command, no matter how much anything ached. He wanted to go to bed and sleep for a lifetime. In his head, she'd won, but that didn't mean he would admit it out loud. If it really was empathy -and what else could it be- there could be a way to shut it down, to get rid of it or suppress it. He'd lived without it for a lifetime, getting rid of it was the main goal.
"I wouldn't doubt that." It was a line the boy knew was supposed to be filled with pride, yet in that moment he didn't see the point. All his efforts had only backfired, and here he was, unable to turn around in fear of being cursed as well. His wand just needed a few words, but Sigurd didn't want to fight out this age old war. At least not now. Later on, he'd call it defeat but for now his chin was kept high as he spoke. "You know, one of us is going to have to leave first."
@Gretchen Kirke-Faust
staff!edit: Tine says Sammeh is the best Cookie Slytherin around <33
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Written on: 02/11/2013 by KYZurich (1 review written)
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subset: commoncrawl


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Speaking following widespread criticism of the Government's response to the crisis, the Prime Minister said it was "wrong" to stop dredging in the Levels in the 1990s, adding: "We need to get dredging again."
His first visit to the region since the floods began late last year came after that of Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith, who insisted he was very proud of the body's work.
"Clearly people here faced a tough time and continue to face a tough time and that's why we've got to do everything we can to help," Mr Cameron said as he visited a flooded farm in Fordgate.
"Everything that can be done, will be done and I'll make sure that happens. There are always lessons to learn and I'll make sure they are learned.
"I've said that when the water-levels are down and it's safe to dredge, to make sure that these rivers and these ditches can carry a better capacity of water."
Mr Cameron wore wellington boots as he walked round Tony Davy's farm and met fire service workers pumping from the property.
He described the scene at the frarm, where the water was knee-high, as "biblical".
The Prime Minister then visited evacuated residents at a private meeting in nearby Bridgwater.
Royal Marines were earlier drafted in to help people in Moorlands to safety after flood defences broke on Thursday night.
Lord Smith attempted to brush of criticism of the handling of the flooding, telling reporters: "I have no intention of resigning. I'm very proud of the work of the Environment Agency and its staff in the face of the most extreme weather."
"Local people have made very clear the distress they've experienced and the difficulties they've been facing."
He also said an extra £130m pledged by the Government would make a significant difference and that dredging would begin as soon as flood waters recede.
But local Conservative MP Ian Liddell-Grainger called the Environment Agency boss a "coward" and said he had not been given any details of the visit.
"I will tell him what I bloody well think of him - he should go, he should walk," he said.
"I'm livid. This little git has never even been on the telephone to me. When I find out where he is, I will give it to him."
Meanwhile, England's southern coastline looks likely to suffer more flooding as forecasters warn of large waves and strong winds.
Devon and Dorset coasts have already suffered major damage after being pummelled by the week's storms.
:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.
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Related quotes
"Woe to the man whose heart has not learned while young to hope, to love - and to put its trust in life."
"I do not trust people who don't love themselves and yet tell me, 'I love you.' There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt."
"Men of genius are admired, men of wealth are envied, men of power are feared; but only men of character are trusted .."
"When a woman marries again it is because she detested her first husband. When a man marries again, it is because he adored his first wife. Women try their luck; men risk theirs."
"All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the bad luck - who keeps right on going - is the man who is there when the good luck comes - and is ready to receive it."


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Written on: 30/06/2013
We were collected from Malaga airport late on a Saturday evening in June, and although there was a slight delay whilst we waited for another 2 passengers going to Torremolinos, the journey was quick and we were soon in Puerto Banus. The driver was very courteous and helped us find the resort reception. For the return journey we were met by the driver of a brand new Mercedes car and we had a very pleasant journey back to Malaga airport. We will certainly use this service again.


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OXFORD United has announced that a permanent singing section will be included in the Kassam Stadium's East Stand next season.
The announcement follows talks between the club and fans group the Yellow Army over the scheme to boost the atmosphere at home games.
A section of 100 seats in the heart of the stand have been allocated to the so-called "Yellow Noise" section.
Fans can now buy season tickets for the area or have their existing season tickets moved to the zone.
Latest United news:


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A retired Illinois State Trooper was charged Friday with viewing child pornography on his department issued computer while on duty.
Juan Rodriguez, 50, is being held on $200,000 bond, according to the Sun-Times. He retired from the force in March.
Rodriguez told investigators that he looked at the images because he was bored at work.
He was busted after a pair of federal agencies tracked his credit card to a purchase on an illicit web site.
Investigators say he could have been viewing the porn for up to six years.
Published at 10:08 AM CDT on Jun 19, 2010 | Updated at 10:30 AM CDT on Jun 19, 2010


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Photographer's Note
To understand the title here, please read this article from the Guardian.
This is at the Café Kringlan, mentioned in the article. Here is actually a similar photo, obviously taken at the same Christmas market (but with another person attending the sales).
This is our favorite café in Gothenburg. In the WS you can see a photo (taken in September 2010) of one of the ladies running the business. I have no idea if she is clad in head-to-toe Prada
I have uploaded several other photos from this café earlier on TE.
This is a photo on the outside.
Here is a photo showing their Fat Tuesday buns.
I have also taken a photo from inside.
holmertz, annjackman, Budapestman, jjcordier, bukitgolfb301, Buin, Kielia, s_lush, dip, ellelloo, abmdsudi, jlbrthnn, asajernigan, Vasa has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
rbassin (25271) 2011-01-08 9:22
Hello Gunnar
Voici une table pleine de bonnes choses; bonne composition et belle présentation, couleurs, netteté, effet miroir dans la vitrine.
Bonne soirée
wolf38 (30) 2011-01-08 9:29
Hi Gunnar. Coffee, cakes. How tasty. The selection is very large. But first I read the interesting article. Your Photo added the article perfectly. Here the eye is seduced by the candy. Really, you can look at the photo a long time with pleasure. Rgds, Wolfgang.
Have a nice WE.
holmertz (64528) 2011-01-08 9:59
Hej Gunnar,
Altogether a very sweet picture with fine colours. It's so sweet I almost feel my blood-sugar rising just by looking at it. A good street shot and another fine compilation of pictures and reading material. The story from the Guardian promotes Göteborg so well I feel tempted to go for a visit in a few weeks or so.
annjackman (21903) 2011-01-08 10:35
Hello Gunnar,
Thanks for the links that help the story here. I am very impressed by the array of cakes. The sharpness of the image is great. I think that girl looks rather cold! Great story here.
Regarsd. Ann
UlfE (14641) 2011-01-08 10:57
Hej Gunnar,
A very nice and inviting table packed with tasty fikabröd. I would certainly like to have a fika in this café. A really fine composition and perspective. In particular I enjoy your usual inclusion and of some red colour and also that you could read the name of the cafe´. TFS och ha en bra lördagskväll!
Fis2 (114917) 2011-01-08 11:10
Witaj Gunnar!
Mini shop...
I like this daily life shot.
Good frame and colors.
Well done.
Nice sunday.
serp2000 (46526) 2011-01-08 11:10
Hej, Gert,
Happy New Year!Nice to see your photos after long holiday.
Fine picture from daily life. Is it a face of new scandinavian generation?
Greetings from Russia,
ines8 (6120) 2011-01-08 12:30
Wow, dear Gunnar, a very sweet picture! Beautiful composition and nice colours.
Best regards,
vasilpro (41699) 2011-01-08 13:00
Hello Gunnar,
Wonderful daily life composition from Sweden, it is so real I almost taste all of these sweets, very interesting café, TFS!
Cheers, Vasilis.
Budapestman (82620) 2011-01-08 15:57
Hello Gunnar,
what a delightful sight, an attractive photo with superb details, the composition is spectacular, Tfs! Have a nice weekend! Kellemes hétvégét kívánok!
jjcordier (79297) 2011-01-08 23:15
Un café où tu as visiblement tes habitudes...et on le comprend vues les douceurs qu'il propose!
danyy (0) 2011-01-08 23:58
Bonjour Gunnar,
la preuve qu'on trouve de tout en Suède, les saveurs du monde entier sans doute. Une photo qui ouvre l'appétit avecx de belles couleurs naturelles. UN travail soigné dans la mise au point et l'exposition.
Un excellent dimanche.
rodgerg (55767) 2011-01-09 0:33
Hello Gunnar,
Very sympatic shot of a scene in a Christmas market. an iamge rich in color and details very well collected with an excellent light. The attitude of the young lady are very well collected too.
I like too your another image of this Café, especially the summer's shot with too a good light nad beautiful reflections.
Have a nice Sunday,
mikolaj_kawa (0) 2011-01-09 0:44
Hello Gunnar!
Fine girl, fine scene and scenery. Nice idea. superb take.
Good quality, very good contrast and sharpness.
Marvelous colours and saturation.
Interesting note. Splendid effect.
Well done!
bukitgolfb301 (47363) 2011-01-09 0:49
Hi my dear Gunnar
Another wonderful shot. Nice combination of cute seller girl and delicous dessert you catch. Perfect framework, marvelous color/sharp presentation and very well considered composition as usual as yours. Thanks for your sharing with finest work, have a good Sunday and best regards,
Buin (42532) 2011-01-09 2:12
Hallo Gunnar!
Da bin ich schon wieder. Das ist ja ein Beitrag, der einen schon vom Anschauen zunehmen lässt ;-) So viele Köstlichkeiten - aber auch so viele Kalorien. Ein rundherum schöner sehens- und lesenswerter Beitrag - passend zum Wochenende. Das ist insgesamt TrekEarth vom Feinsten!
Grüße aus Siegen!
snunney (113572) 2011-01-09 2:45
Hello Gunnar,
What a delightful range of cakes and pastries; one would go down nicely right now with my morning coffee. An attractive and well presented daily life composition. The waitress seems somewhat preoccupied; it must be cold standing out there for any length of time during the cold weather.
Kielia (24077) 2011-01-09 3:07
Dear Gunnar,
it seems to be a very pleasant and tempting - place! Great atmosphere of the stand at the Christmas market with wonderful colors and a very nice perspective. My compliments, also for the interesting note. The Guardian hits the nail on the head.
Warm regards
romanaa (8022) 2011-01-09 3:57
hello Gunnar,
very sweet picture here, but I feel sorry for that lady that has to spend her youth freezing outside instead of having her coffee in.
Best regards
emka (114737) 2011-01-09 11:02
Hi Gunnar, Yes, I would like something, but only very small cake and could it be hot tea instead of fika? This display looks very tasty indeed, and the seller is very similar to my last Coach Surfing guest. And you probably came with this blanket in case there was nothing red.
Have a nice evening
Silvio1953 (162102) 2011-01-09 12:21
Ciao Gunnar, lovely composition with beautifulgirl and a lot of godies, splendid clarity and wonderful colors, very well done my friend, ciao Silvio
s_lush (16602) 2011-01-09 23:14
Hello Gunnar,
Your interesting, colorful and high-quality picture is an excellent additional illustration for the Guardian's article and for the Swedish coffee-drinking traditions. Excellent composition, colorful and tasty details, charming girl, beautiful colors and absolutely irreproachable photographic qualities!
Best regards,
dip (23892) 2011-01-09 23:19
Hi Gunnar,
nice capture of this sweet "corner",
the dainties look very appetizing,
informative and interesting note as well,
TopGeo (38216) 2011-01-09 23:37
Hello Gunnar! A lot of drawings of foods or sweets in a scene of street that gives elements interests! A arrest in the city with interesting idea and thoughts!Superb all work
Graal (103038) 2011-01-09 23:43
Hi Gunnar,
good shot and reportage. An interesting note and links to the same place. Fine presentation of Cafe in Gothenburg. Well done photos.
Have a nice day.
boa (7715) 2011-01-10 13:59
Hej Gunnar,
One thing is for sure, i would be happy if i had a cafe like this in my neighbourhood. It is also an excellent idea of Café Kringlan to display their pastry outside. Who can resist to pay a visit here?
Fine reportage, fresh colors and sharpness, well done!
Ha en trevlig kväll.
ellelloo (6572) 2011-01-11 11:56
Hej Gunnar,
This is a really mouth watering photo! ;-) And it is also a well presented street photo and a good promotion of this café as are your other photos of from this same place. A good composition and excellent photo quality. And so is the Guardian article a good promotion of Fika concept and of Gothenburg in general too. If I ever visit Gothenburg, this Café Kringlan is a must. :-) A fine TE contribution!
Bästa hälsningar,
abmdsudi (63489) 2011-01-12 2:06
Hi Gunnar
Now i understand the meaning of the title, thks to your notes and link. What I like most are the light quality and colors which make this picture so pleasing to the eyes. Red naturally has strong magnet to attract eyes, and all those goodies are very appetizing well spread diagonally. Good closeness to the subjects while the soft light falling on the young woman is awesome, in particular the skin tone looks so natural. Well done, TFS. Have a nice day. Best rgds
mesutilgim (98542) 2011-01-12 10:23
Hi dear Gunnar,
First of all congratulations to your 700th entry at TE. This is a real "appetising" capture with nice fresh and warm colors. The smell of the cinnamon cames up to here !!
TFS and best regards
PS.Nice to remember my aquarell in Siegen :-))
jlbrthnn (76039) 2011-01-14 3:24
Hello Gunnar,
The newspaper article is quite convincing, with a very pretty picture. I appreciate all these photos link, and obviously the latter. A note also very interesting. Bravo.
Have a nice day
asajernigan (21427) 2011-01-16 8:21
If these sweets taste half as good as they look, I understand why this is your favorite cafe! Your composition is nice using a diagonal view of the table to create depth and direction. The girl add a sense of scale for the shot as well as a good focal point. The lighting and colors are great and the photo has excellent sharpness.
jaywalker (16105) 2011-01-18 13:46
Hi Gunnar, I love the expression on the girls face she looks totally fed up, but what a gorgeous array of cakes they make my mouth water, a really nice photo through-out, kind regards Wilson.
eldancer1 (36343) 2011-01-20 9:25
Very nice documentation of the daily life of ordinary person. I like your pov and it has a good dof with sharp details. Good colors. Well done, tfs.
patdeph (35748) 2011-01-27 13:01
hello Gunnar
this is a superb picture,where there is so much things to lookat !irst,this lovely young ladie who seems to be so cold in spite of her warm clothes,but she is coming from a hot country!Secondly,the superb colors of the food and also of the cafe behind her!The third thing is all these cakes that all seem more tasty the ones that the others.Yes,this is a picture very nice to look at!
Vasa (515) 2011-01-28 16:56
Hej Gunnar,
your shot could be incorporated in my recent serial. Nice is this presentation of Goteborg cosmopolit. Nice to see you again.
jemaflor (108461) 2011-01-29 1:15
Hi gunnar,
Sympathic view with good food I suppose ... well composed with the sailers and perfect shrpness and colors, good appetite !
larsy (28) 2011-03-23 8:37
På något sätt känner jag igen mig, kanske är det bakverken som är bekanta.
alin-m (3716) 2011-04-02 4:59
Nice and interesting image with this pretty girl and her's sweet offer.
pajaran (71562) 2014-08-13 12:59
Dobro vece.
Interesantan tekst o kaficu i trenutku sa opisom ...
Dobar trenutak snimka i kontrast, lepo pokazana prodavacica i specijaliteti za jelo.
Dobar rad, lepo uhvacen trenutak, lepi specijaliteti.
Prijatno vece i mirna noc, sve najbolje.
Good evening.
An interesting article about coffee and time with a description ...
Good time recording and contrast nicely demonstrated saleswoman and specialty food.
Good work, nice captured moment, pretty specialties.
Good evening and peaceful night, all the best.
Photo Information
- Copyright: Gunnar Holmertz (saxo042) (37974)
- Genre: People
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2010-12-12
- Categories: Daily Life, Festivals, Event
- Camera: Canon PowerShot G10
- Exposure: f/2.8, 1/50 seconds
- More Photo Info: view
- Map: view
- Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
- Date Submitted: 2011-01-08 9:15
- Favorites: 1 [view]


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Today saw the announcement of the games for the 1st round of the Toyota League Cup 2013 and The Islanders have been drawn to play against "The Fire Power" PTT Rayong FC at Surakul Stadium on Saturday March 23, 2013.
Please come out and support Phuket FC again. Kick -off is 18.00.
Bring plenty of water to make sure we can easily 'Put out the FIRE!!!'
Get all the info on what's happening with Phuket FC this season at:


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Research team achieves concentrated stream of sugars, cost savings
GLBRC Conversion research aims to increase the quantity, diversity, and efficiency of energy products derived from plant biomass. Researchers focus on improving biological and chemical methods to convert plant material into advanced biofuels or valuable chemicals that can replace petroleum. Basic research discoveries that enhance the efficiency and sustainability of biomass conversion can break down barriers to developing economically viable biofuels technologies.
Conversion Leadership
Scientific Director, Conversion Lead
Landick is an expert on structure, function and regulation of RNA polymerase, the central engine of gene expression. His work spans disciplines from single-molecule biochemistry to genome-scale mechanisms of gene regulation, and includes devising the first single-molecule observation of nucleic...
Conversion Lead
Hegg's research team focuses on the variety of ways that nature uses metals to activate and/or produce small molecules such as O2, H2, NO, and H2O2. In pursuit of this goal, his lab utilizes a combination of mechanistic enzymology, molecular...
Project Overview
Within the Conversion group, researchers apply a combination of synthetic biology, directed evolution, systems biology, and computational modeling approaches to accelerate the rate and yield of microbial conversion of biomass to fuels. Microbial efforts focus on well-established models and biofuel-producing organisms to identify key genes and pathways that may illuminate opportunities for strain improvement. Chemical routes focus on direct catalytic conversion of biomass-derived sugars and lignin into liquid transportation fuels and/or high-value chemicals.
Specific Conversion projects fall in three categories:
- Engineering microbe strains to enhance stress tolerance and improve conversion efficiency of sugars to biofuels
- Developing flexible routes to biofuel production that can be adapted to diverse biomass feedstocks
- Producing light-driven and lignin-derived advanced biofuels, and using catalytic conversion to convert biomass to biofuels and value-added chemicals
Conversion Publications
Effect of increased fuel volatility on CDC operation in a light-duty CIDI engine
Functionality and molecular weight distribution of red oak lignin before and after pyrolysis and hydrogenation
Genome sequence and physiological analysis of Yamadazyma laniorum f.a. sp. nov. and a reevaluation of the apocryphal xylose fermentation of its sister species Candida tenuis
Hybridization and adaptive evolution of diverse Saccharomyces species for cellulosic biofuel production
Increasing the revenue from lignocellulosic biomass: maximizing feedstock utilization


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How To Get Rid Of Two Deadbeat Kids
Discuss the Columns
> How To Get Rid Of Two Deadbeat Kids
How To Get Rid Of Two Deadbeat Kids
Annie 9/22/05
- September 25, 2005 10:59 PM (GMT)
Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 35 years. We have two adult children who have been a wonderful part of our lives.
My daughter, 33, moved out after high school. She did not complete her college degree and moved back home. She is working a three-hour-a-day job that takes care of her bills and personal expenses.
Our 30-year-old son, "Perry," is kind and loving. He was a star athlete in high school but has since been in trouble with drugs, in jail twice, fathered a beautiful baby (the mother is in prison for another 10 months), did a year at a sober living residence (we raised the child) and now he's back home -- and messing up again. He's lazy, drinking and not attending court-assigned DUI classes. He is, however, a loving father to his 2-year-old son.
Perry has not seriously looked for a job because he says he can't drive for another year (two DUI tickets) and he "can't work construction without driving." He is hanging out with a girl who is not a positive influence. He doesn't have any money, so we can't charge him rent for living at home. He takes care of his son and sometimes helps around the house.
My husband just retired and is sick of the kids still living here. I am lucky to have my job (my sanctuary). We can't kick Perry out in the streets with no money and no job, nor do my husband and I want to start all over again raising a baby.
My husband says counseling won't help, even if we could get Perry to go, which I doubt. We have threatened but have not followed through with action. I don't understand where we have gone wrong, and I don't know what to do. -- Feeling Helpless and Depressed
Dear Helpless: You need to take back control of your lives. First, charge rent to your daughter, who will then be motivated to find a better job, and if you make it less cushy for her at home, she may even move out. Your son is a separate problem.
Contact B.I.L.Y. (BecauseILoveYou.org) at P.O. Box 2062, Winnetka, CA 91396-2062. This is an organization for parents of troubled children of any age.
- September 26, 2005 05:14 PM (GMT)
"We have threatened but have not followed through with action. I don't understand where we have gone wrong..."
Well, that just about covers it. There is no consequence for the self-destructive behavior, so why would he suddenly have an epiphany and wish to change his behavior?
- September 26, 2005 06:31 PM (GMT)
Charge Perry rent too. So he can't work construction, he can still work bagging groceries, and it will give him a reason to look harder for the meantime.
- September 28, 2005 10:19 PM (GMT)
By charging Perry rent ; that may force him to at least do something. Rent or eviction--time to have a backbone of sorts here.
Hosted for free by


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Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Egyptians stand in rubble after an eight story building collapsed in Alexandria, Egypt, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. Egypt's official MENA news agency says at least fourteen people have been killed. It was not immediately known what caused the building to collapse, but violations of building specifications have been blamed in the past for similar accidents.
Photography home | Most viewed photos | Purchase photos | Video home
© 2013 The Seattle Times Company


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Automatic Detection to the Behavioral Conflict in AOP Application Based on Design by Contract
Behavioral conflict is one of the key issues in the practical application of AOP (Aspect-Oriented Programming) technology. Based on the ideas of design by contract and behavioral subtyping, the authors propose an approach that detects the behavioral conflict automatically at runtime. Use Java annotation to describe the contracts of the base program and aspect code, then extract these contracts through the contract transformation program, and convert them to the assertion verification program, consequently it achieves automatic detection to the behavioral conflict at runtime.
Provided by: Academy Publisher Topic: Software Date Added: Nov 2011 Format: PDF


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Hi Folks-
I'm traveling to Zurich and need a little help getting to my hotel from the airport. The hotel I'm staying at is Hotel Wellenberg, Niederdorfstrasse 10, 8001 Zürich. I'm happy to take the train from the airport but I can't seem to find much about the metro unless I'm seriously missing something.
I'll be staying about 36 hours in Zurich before taking the train to Lugano (I'm hoping someone from the hotel will be able to sort me out in getting to the train station.) As I'm a solo female traveler, if anyone could provide recommendations as to where there might be a couple of good spots to eat/drink where I would feel comfortable by myself eating at a bar or table, that would be great. I'm not overly picky on food, just not a big seafood person.
Finally, if there are any clothing suggestions that would also be helpful-not because I don't know how to dress myself, but because the weather seems to be all over the place!
Thanks in advance!
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Zurich Questions
Hi Folks-
Report Abuse
Directions from the airport are on your hotel's website. It appears you can take the train to the main station and walk the rest of the way or take a tram.
You might want the Zurich card.
What time of year are you traveling?
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Wow, I must be going blind - I couldn't find that anywhere on the website, thanks! I'm leaving tomorrow night
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If you have a roller bag, you can easily walk to your hotel in the Old Town from the Bahnhof. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes
When you come out the FRONT ENTRANCE of the Bahnhof (you will see the Angel of Zurich above you in the main hall) the famed Bahnhofstrasse will be in front of you. Cross the street and turn to your left left walking down the Bahnhofplatz toward the LIMMAT RIVER (you will pass a McDonald's). You will see the COOP SUPERMARKET--walk on crossing the bridge. You will see the Central Square Tram Stop and then you will see the STARBUCK'S on the corner of the Limmatquai. TURN right at the Starbuck's and WALK DOWN THE Limmatquai.
The Niederdorfstrasse is one street over on your left. This is a pedestrian zone. No cars.
If you live in Manhattan, this should be no problem for you.
One of the most famous restaurants in Zurich is HILTL. This is a vegetarian restaurant and it is VERY popular.
If you want snooty, go to the Baur au Lac. The women here dress to kill and carry their Chanel and Cartier shopping bags like body armour.
Of course, you MUST go into Sprungli on the Bahnhofstrasse for some chocolate torte. EVERYONE in Zurich goes to Sprungli.
There is a very nice coffee bar/cafe in an arcade (reminds me of Rue Rivoli in Paris) near the Borsenstrasse-walking towards along Limmat from the Fraumunster. I think it is called Cafe Europa. Lots of well-dressed businessmen in Brioni suits here.
The Hotel zum Storchen (on the Limmat near the Fraumunster) also has outdoor tables for coffee/snacks/Champagne, but I don't know if the weather will favour sitting outside.
Welcome to Zurich!
Welcome to Zurich prices! I hope you are on business junket!
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Hi Pepper,
Thanks so very much for the tips, I appreciate it. The directions say to leave out of the back of the train station but you're saying out of the front, is that correct?
I am unfortunately not on business this week but I'll do my best not to go into visible sticker shock whilst out and about It looks like I can walk the entire city in about an hour, do you agree?
Report Abuse
This is the FRONT of Zurich HBH.
Coming out the front ARCHWAY, you would turn LEFT, walking in the direction that the BLUE/WHITE tram is coming from. That is the Bahnhoftplatz. The tram line runs right to Central Square.
Pepper aka Thin
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Haha, my kinda guy. Thanks!
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Sorry, one more question. I'm only passing through Zurich for about a day and a half as I'm heading to Lugano to visit a friend from there. I want to take the time in Zurich to relax and just stroll around since we'll be picking up the pace when I get to Lugano. I heard something from a friend about a boat ride I must take around the lake. Can anyone fill me in details?
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What time of year will you be there?
There are several boat cruises (all covered by the Zurich Card) on Lake Zurich of varying durations--most popular is the 90 minute circular cruise. Check out www.zuerichsee.ch and click on the english option to see schedules/prices and seasonal timetables.
Board boats at the Burkiplatz end of town. Exit the train station and keep walking straight, along the river to the boats.
I visited Zuerich twice on my own in 2010--click on my name and scroll down for the trip reports for some detail about Zuerich!
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Thanks, Mokka4. I leave tonight!! Work has been out of control busy and I've not done much research at all because I knew I was going to just be there for a little while. The boat ride sounded lovely so I figured I'd investigate.
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If you are walking from you hotel, head right down the Limmatqui to the Quai Bridge at the top of the Zurichsee. Cross the street there at the light and walk the other side of the bridge. You will see the boats there by the Gazebo.
Wave to all my beautiful swans!
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Thanks Pepper, I will
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I enjoyed the boat from Zurich to Rapperswil. Took the train back to Zurich.
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You might also want to do one of the walking tours. I had a fantastic day in one-half in Zurich a few years ago, also staying in the old town. I got the Zurich card as mentioned, did the boat tour, and the walking tour.
You buy the tickets at the tourist office in the train station and it is also where the walks begin. It was a really great way to start as then I was already oriented for my continuing walks.
The walk I took also took us inside the police station (which you could not do on your own) to see some really vibrant red/yellow murals. We were served water from one of the fountains, flavored with syrups from a restaurant nearby. I saw many things I would not have seen on my own.
I think I have a short trip report (I got great tips from other posters here) and even though it was several years ago I think some of it may be helpful to you as it is the same kind of time period:
You'll have to scroll down a bit to get to my day in Zurich part. I hope you find it helpful.
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You can do the police station on your own, you just need to provide them with your passport or a copy of it. The wall and ceiling painting is by Augusto Giacometti.
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Really? At the time I could swear they said you could not go in on your own. But as I said, that was several years ago. And I could be remembering incorrectly.
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Yep, I was there in September 2011. I carry a photocopy of my passport and showed that to gain entry.
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Hi All,
As usual, many thanks for your helpful responses. I can always count on the members here to assist. I managed lunch at an "authentic-enough" tapas spot in Old Town as I was waiting for my room to be prepared and dinner at a lovely restaurant in the business district called Antinori later that night. What unfortunately happened is that I was feeling under the weather and missed a good chunk of daytime exploring both days, although I did get a walk down to see the lake before I left for Lugano. I will surely refer to them again though, as I do hope to return to Zurich one day.
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DENVER (AP) – Colorado has become the first state to put in place statewide regulations on companies like UberX and Lyft, which connect riders to drivers through cellphone apps.
Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the bill on Thursday.
A handful of other state legislatures this year have tried and failed to pass bills to provide oversight for the ridesharing companies. Taxi and limo companies have opposed such measures, saying the web-based businesses are not regulated as strictly as traditional transportation companies.
The new law puts the companies under the oversight of the state's public utilities commission. It requires ridesharing companies to submit drivers to background checks, vehicle inspections, and provide proof of insurance.


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Syrian refugees in need of trauma counselling
More and more Syrian refugees are in need of counselling to help them cope with the impact of the civil war, a Scottish aid agency has warned.
At least 100,000 people have been killed and over two million people have fled Syria since the start of the civil war in March 2011.
Robert Angove, international programme manager at the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), said many refugees were dealing with the terrible things they had seen or were constantly worried about family members who remain in Syria.
"Depression, anxiety, insomnia, neurosis and stress are common," he said.
SCIAF partner, Caritas Jordan, surveyed 950 Syrian men and women refugees between the ages of 18 and 60 in Jordan, and found that one in five were in need of some form of psychological therapy.
Staff at Caritas Jordan have received training in how to identify post-traumatic stress disorder and severe cases are referred to hospitals if they need intensive care.
Caritas Jordan psychologist Lana Snobar said, "The refugees need to be able to talk about their experiences. They need to express their fears.
"We try and get them to do activities that they find relaxing like sport or socialising. Some people who don't get treatment can resolve their issues through prayer or with the support of their family.
"Others develop mild or high psychological disorders."
SCIAF is gathering funds through its Syrian Refugee Emergency Appeal. Together with Caritas Jordan, SCIAF is providing emergency aid to the refugees, including medical care, food, clothes, shelter and increasingly trauma care. Support is also being provided to Jordanians who have opened their homes to refugees.
"Trauma counselling and help for new arrivals with psychological problems who have witnessed atrocities and bloody violence is an increasingly important aspect of our emergency response," said Mr Angove.
"The need is so great that SCIAF is issuing an urgent plea to everyone in Scotland to please give whatever you can to help the innocent, women, men and children whose lives have been devastated by this terrible conflict.
"Every penny donated will help to provide vital food, clean water, medical care and accommodation to the most vulnerable refugees and their hosts."


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Adam Levine didn't have to fake anything when he filmed the "romantic scenes" in Maroon 5's new video for "Never Gonna Leave This Bed."
Why you ask? Well, it's because he filmed those scenes with his girlfriend of 8 months, Anne Vyalitsyna, who is a Victoria's Secret model.
Some pictures from the shoot hit the web and show Adam & Anne half naked on a bed together, kissing.
The [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Maroon 5 [/lastfm]video was no secret because Adam tweeted, "Shooting what I hope will be our best video yet. Come to the santa monica pier at 11am if you want to be in it. (This is serious)."
After the shoot, Levine tweeted, " think that shooting this video has officially broken down all of my social barriers. This video feels special. There's something really bold and exciting about it." (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)


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" Brand: Sunsilk / Type: Conditioner "
At the minute Morrisons are selling the tubes of Sunsilk shampoo and conditioner at 2 for £1.00, that's a mega bargain considering the usual price is about £1.70 EACH! I go from blonde to brunette and back to blonde quite often and last time I was dark I used John Frieda Brilliant Brunette, I loved it but after a period of being blonde I went back to buy John Frieda and inflation had hit it big time and it now cost more than I could afford being the kind of person who washes her hair every single day. I can honestly say that this LOADS cheaper Sunsilk Deeply Brunette Conditioner is just as good and the only difference to it is that the conditioner doesn't feel as creamy in your hand as the John Frieda one.
That doesn't matter though because it gets a gorgeous creamy texture as soon as you start rubbing it through your hair. It's got a lovely light and clean smell, like the matching shampoo it has got a faint plastic smell but that is very common with these products that come in such shiny rubbery tubes. The smell doesn't linger in your hair and that's a shame because it does make my hair smell mega clean and fresh.
The shampoo is supposed to help brunettes keep their colour looking good, I don't know about that because I always make sure my colour is good without stressing about the shampoo I use! It's just that it was a choice between this and the Sunsilk blonde version so I went with this! I haven't noticed my colour looking any different since I started using either the shampoo or conditioner but it's a gorgeous cheap conditioner anyway so I don't mind about that.
It feels lovely and soft as I massage it through my hair, like any conditioner I always keep it away from my roots because even though this one feels quite gentle I think it would make my hair look very heavy if I got it all the way to my scalp. I always let it sit in my hair for a few minutes before rinsing it out, you can rinse it straight away and it's still very moisturising but by leaving it in the conditioner turns into a kind of hair mask that gives your hair a deeper treatment than you think it's going to. It gets rid of tangles and makes my hair feel lovely and soft after I've brushed it.
The conditioner is very easy to rinse out and doesn't weigh my hair down or anything like that, there are no bad effects to it actually and it makes you wonder how John Frieda can justify charging nearly a fiver for their product?! I've been using Deeply Brunette for months now and have only used a couple of bottles of other brand shampoo and conditioner in that time, I can take or leave the matching shampoo to be honest but I've been mega loyal to the conditioner because I'm happy with how it works on my hair and MORE than happy with the price of it compared with other conditioners designed to work with brunette hair.
I've left it in overnight before and that gives a mega deep moisturiser, a bit too much because I couldn't style my hair properly the next day and it was even too fluffy to put into a ponytail! I think it would be good if you overdid the straighteners or had used a very drying hair product.... just make sure you haven't got to go anywhere special the next day!
Recommended..... wicked conditioner with a cheap price tag!!!
I love trying new shampoos and conditioners and usually opt for whatever one is on offer. As a result I purchased Sunsilk's Deeply Brunette Conditioner with high hopes of it leaving me with richer, glossy hair as the packaging would make you believe it's capable of.
The packaging is in a very attractive golden brown colour and really gives you the hope of your own locks coming out in a similar sheen. There is a simple flip top lid which is actually the base for the conditioner to sit on as well.
Deeply brunette is said to be for all brunettes, whether natural or colour treated and isn't meant to add any colour to your hair, just bring out the best of what you already have. The main reason I use conditioner is because my hair has been fairly abused over the years and really needs the extra nourishment. So if I can use a conditioner that will give me that nourishment and enhance the colour of my hair too, then that is simple an extra bonus.
The conditioner itself is white in colour and smells very much of cinnamon to me, in fact it's quite a strong, sickly sweet smell. The consistency of the liquid is far too runny for my liking. I expect a conditioner to be fairly thick and rich to the touch and this conditioner is really lacking in that department and as a result I end up smothering my hair with tons of the stuff! I like to leave conditioner on my hair for at least a few minutes to let it do it's job, but I find this conditioner just feels like it disappears into nothing on my hair. On a positive note it's not difficult to wash out, and doesn't leave any kind of heavy residue that some other conditioners can do.
However, my hair doesn't end up looking any richer or glossier and in fact doesn't feel any different to if I had put no conditioner on my hair at all! As a result I would not purchase this conditioner ever again, whether it be on a special offer or not. There is far to much competition in this field for what I feel is a very poor product.
I use this now all the time due to the fact that every three or four months it's on offer at my local Morrison's. At the moment it is £1 for a 200ml bottle. I am not loyal to a brand, I go with the offers on shampoo and conditioner. However this one is a sticker for me!
It comes in a convenient tube which is easily opened with one hand, so very useful in the shower. It also is stored upside down, so the product always comes out easily - no trying to shake the bottle to get the last bit out!
It definitely works better if you use the Deeply Brunette shampoo first. But when used together they make your hair feel so soft and silky. There is a lovely shine which in the sunlight will show up any natural highlights you have. And your hair will look noticeably healthier.
This is not a product if you are looking to add a little colour to your hair - it doesn't say that is what it will do. It has been designed to show up your own natural highlights, and it really does.
I also have found that I can use this on my daughter who suffers severely with eczema, as it is very gentle. So that is a bonus for us as a family. However, I'm not recomending it to people with sensitive skin as a) everyone is different and b) I don't want you all shouting at me later!
A great conditioner and excellent value for money.
I first bought this product because I needed to find a cheaper alternative to 'John Frieda Brilliant Brunette' range, because although I liked the shampoo and conditioners I just couldn't justify paying £4.40 a tube. When I first saw Sunsilk Deeply Brunette conditioner I thought it was too good to be true, it looked very similar to the John Frerda alternative, but at 99p it was four times cheaper in price.
I have been using Sunsilk conditioner for about a year now and I think it's great! If you're not a fan of the shampoo that sits alongside this product (Sunsilk Deeply Brunette Shampoo) then I'd recommend that you buy this conditioner and use it with an alternative shampoo.
When I've bought separate conditioners in the past I haven't really felt the benefit and sometimes I've used twice the amount of shampoo than conditioner, but with this product I love how it makes my hair feel so I use it often. With the price being so reasonable it doesn't bankrupt me every time I buy a bottle and I find that a tube will last me about four weeks (and I use it virtually every day).
The conditioner nice smell, which reminds me of wood and nature and you get a lot in the tube. I find that although this conditioner makes make hair smell nice and clean after I've used it, it isn't overpowering.
I usually leave this on for between three and five minutes and my hair always feels soft after I've dried it, but no flyaway, so it is easy to style.
I think this conditioner is great - it's good value for money, it makes you hair feel nice and it will bring the natural brunette tones out in your hair.
Sunsilk Deeply Brunetter conditioner can be bought in the section of shops that sell hair care and hygiene products. It is a great conditioner to keep your brunetter hair feeling soft and smelling great.
It is priced around £1.50 a bottle which is a great price for a conditioner that works so well.
To apply this conditioner you do so in the same way that you would any other conditioner, it is easy to rinse out of your hair, try and leave it in for a few minutes to enhance its effects.
This conditioner can be used every day as it is not too harsh on your hair and it is reasonably priced.
After drying my hair after using this conditioner I noticed that my hair smelt great and that it was in great condition, this conditioner doesnt leave your hair as nice as when you use a more expensive conditioner for example bed head but for every day use this one works great.
Hair is easy to style after using this conditioner and I noticed that my hair looked less dry and it looked like the split ends had disappeared.
This conditioner works great with the Sunsilk Brunette shampoo which is also a great product to use for every day in your hair.
***Also posted on ciao under lorrainek90***
I'm not exactly made of money and it annoys me a bit to see so many beauty magazines endorsing expensive hair care products as if they were the only ones worth using. At the time I first bought this Sunsilk Deeply Brunette shampoo and conditioner set made specifically for brown shades and darker hair there was a big trend towards buying John Frieda's colour specific haircare range. His range 'Brilliant Brunette' was all the rage and the only downside was the high price.
I figured it was worth trying a cheaper, less trendy brand alternative and opted for Sunsilk which is price at approximately £1.99. Their range for blondes, brunettes and redheads had hit the shelves and was being promoted with mad enthusiam. I bought the shampoo and conditioner.
The conditioner comes in a 200ml squeezy tube which stands on its dispensing end - this is great as it means the conditioner is always collecting at the end of the tube and is dispensed with ease. The flick shut top is secure but easy to get open. Even with wet hands the tube is easy to grip.
The garb on the bottle says that the conditioner is "enriched with chestnut extract" which will apparantly, enhance the many different tones of your brown hair. The conditioner is made specifically to be suitable for everyday use and is suitable for all shades of natural brown in addition to highlighted or colour-treated hair. The conditioner will not add any dye or colour tone to the hair though, despite this chestnut extract.
The conditioner is thick and creamy and stays in a blob when squeezed into the palm - it will not run through your fingers. It has a pearly, slightly fawn colour to it and has a delicious sweet smell like chocolate and figs and prunes! The aroma is not overpowering though. The conditioner is easy to mix into the hair and glides on softly and smoothly. It rinses off easily and leaves wet hair feeling soft, sleek and easier to comb through.
After drying my hair I notice a couple of things: my hair is baby soft and very shiny. My natural shade of brown is quite dull but it definately looks brighter and glossy. The pleasant aroma remains on the hair even after drying and styling.
I would also recommend using the shampoo in the same range and also the Daily Multi-tones Enhancing Cream. These products have the same perfume and the cream really perfects the sheen on the hair.
5/5 marks for this conditioner. It just goes to prove that cheaper products can do the job just as well.
This review is also on Ciao!
Sunsilks Deeply Brunette products are specially designed for Brunettes natural and colour to reveal the shimmering multi-tones your brunette hair / Sunsilk's formulations, enriched with chestnut natural extract will awaken deep layers of brown for maximum radiance /


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Buggys is the perfect Rookie starter horse or practice horse. He can do it all and then top it with a +1 Stop.
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Last May Reps. Jim Oberstar (D, MN) and Peter DeFazio (D, OR) followed up DeFazio's series of hearings on public-private partnerships in transportation by sending a letter to all 50 state governors and departments of transportation. The letter warned them against "rushing" into PPP deals that might not fully protect the public interest. Ominously, they warned that "The [Transportation & Infrastructure] Committee will work to undo any state PPP agreements that do not fully protect the public interest and the integrity of the national system."
As unprecedented as the letter was the strong, bipartisan defense of PPPs the following month from the National Governors Association and a number of individual governors and heads of state DOTs. Now I'm happy to say that this initial response has been followed up by a growing number of others, all supporting PPPs (such as toll concessions) as a vital tool for hard-pressed states seeking to meet the enormous challenge of coping with highway modernization and expansion in an era of limited fuel-tax resources.
This broadening of support was on display at the annual conference of the Public-Private Ventures division of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) November 1-2. ARTBA president Pete Ruane kicked off the PPV conference by declaring that PPPs are a vital key to solving the country's infrastructure problems. ARTBA is on record supporting the full spectrum of tolling and PPP options, including congestion pricing, HOT lanes, and TOT (truck only toll) lanes. But that's about what you would expect the head of ARTBA to say at their big PPV conference. What's so encouraging is the growing range of other transportation organizations that are getting comfortable with these approaches.
Two of the biggest—AASHTO and AAA--also had senior people speaking at the ARTBA conference. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials represents state DOTs. AASHTO executive director John Horsley, while supporting an increase in the federal fuel tax, also declared that "every state should be given all options possible in the areas of tolling and public-private ventures, so those states can determine for themselves what is in the best interests of their citizens."
Joining the pro-PPP chorus, though slightly more qualified, was Robert Darbelnet, president of the American Automobile Association. "I am here to say that AAA believes that these partnerships have a role to play," he declared, referring to the qualified support for tolling and PPPs in AAA's recently promulgated Motorists' Bill of Rights. That statement supports PPPs for new capacity and even PPPs for the leasing of existing toll roads, provided that the proceeds are used for transportation, that public oversight is maintained, and that the roads provide high levels of service—points with which I certainly agree.
Recent weeks have seen additional organizations acknowledge that private capital and increased use of tolling will be essential in closing the funding gap between what we need to build (for both congestion relief and increased goods-movement) and what the existing fuel-tax system is likely to yield in coming decades. The Coalition for America's Gateways and Trade Corridors—representing major cities, ports, railroads, and engineering companies—has just issued its guidelines for using PPPs for goods-movement projects. Its position paper, authored by former DOT Secretary Mort Downey and Ray Chambers, was published in the Nov. 5, 2007 issue of Traffic World. Echoing AASHTO's Horsley, they wrote that transportation planners "should have access to the largest possible toolbox of financing mechanisms, strategies, and options. Accordingly, there is an important—indeed a necessary—role for PPPs as part of an overall infrastructure program." And like AAA, they argued that proceeds from sale or lease of existing transportation facilities "should be reinvested in transportation projects, not diverted to other areas."
And there's more. The week before, Engineering News-Record sponsored a Construction Business Forum, at which the U.S. DOT's Tyler Duvall said, "The time is right to introduce reform concepts harnessing private capital; it's out there." Federal Highway Administrator Rick Capka and FedEx Freight's Douglas Duncan also weighed in, supporting PPPs.
Public sector officials are also speaking up. Last month saw a submission from the California Association of Councils of Government, representing 36 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in California, to the two federal commissions looking into the future federal role in transportation infrastructure and its financing. Their letter called for "broad federal enabling authority for states and their political subdivisions to be able to expand their transportation system through user-based financing, including but not limited to (1) new toll roads, bridges, and lanes on the Interstate System, and (2) imposition of broadly based container or other port fees. We also urge inclusion of broad authority for public private partnerships, whereby revenue from these new fees together with fare box revenue . . . may be utilized to attract private investment." These themes were also in evidence at the first annual PATH/University of California Transportation Center conference in Berkeley, Oct. 29-31.
When Reps. Oberstar and DeFazio sent their anti-PPP broadside to all 50 governors and state DOTs last May, they probably thought they would be tapping into a broad, Lou Dobbs-like backlash against tolling and PPPs. I'm sure they never expected such a groundswell of support for these vitally important approaches to addressing our huge transportation infrastructure needs.
My prediction, at this point, is that when Congress gets around to reauthorizing the federal program in 2009, transportation PPPs will have such solid support in the transportation policy community that Oberstar and DeFazio will find little support for "undoing" any PPP deals, or even imposing one-size-fits-all federal regulations on such deals.


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InfoSecurity Europe 2008 takes place at Olympia in London from Tuesday April 22 to Thursday April 24th. If you are planning on going, you'll find Microsoft in our dedicated area – the Pillar Room. This will be clearly signposted in all the bumph (technical term!) you will be handed when you walk in the hall.
We are running a series of sessions on the following security topics:
- Microsoft Security Strategy
- Virtualisation- Security's Friend or Foe?
- Network Access Protection
- Identity Management
You can read more information on these sessions here.
There will also be lots of security technology experts on hand throughout the event to answer any particular questions you may have about Microsoft and security. If you haven't already registered then do it quickly or you may be charged a £20 admission fee. You can register online here.
Posted by Ian


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I put this one with 35 pieces in the "For kids" category and the larger one in the Animals' category. Thank you.
Category might be "for Kids" but it is adorable!! Thanks for posting.


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The Mississippi Museum of Art is a non-profit whose mission is to engage Mississippians with visual art; it has been a community-supported institution for more than 100 years.
By joining as a Museum member, you become part of a dedicated group of supporters who ensure that this institution remains vibrant. You enable us to preserve Mississippi's artistic legacy; to showcase, for travelers, passersby, and home-grown visitors alike, art from our own state and region as well as that from far beyond our borders; and to offer diverse arts programming to Mississippians of all ages and backgrounds - from early childhood literacy and art-making, to social and community gatherings, to art therapy for those who suffer from Alzheimers and dementia, and everything in between. Museum members empower us to make this place accessible for all, always striving to be a Museum without walls. Art is the story. Help us tell it.
If you have additional questions about membership, please contact Ruthie Massey at 601-960-1515 or by email at email@example.com.
Start your membership here.
Membership Levels and Benefits
All membership levels receive benefits of the Southeastern Reciprocal Membership Program, including free admission to over 100 other museums of all kinds throughout the Southeast. Membership levels of $100 and above also receive benefits of the North American Reciprocal Membership Program, offering free admission and other benefits at over 800 institutions across North America from arts and history museums to science centers and botanical gardens.
(Reciprocal benefits are in addition to the benefits outlined below.)
Individual Member ($45)
- Free or discounted admission to all Museum exhibitions and programs
- Exclusive invitation to members-only preview parties and exhibition openings
- Bi-annual e-newsletter
- 10% discount at The Museum Store
- Limited membership privileges through the Southeastern Reciprocal Membership Program at more than 100 museums in 12 states For a full list, click here.
(Seniors 60 years and over receive $10 off the cost of individual membership)
Family/Dual ($60)
Includes all the benefits of an Individual Membership for:
- 2 adults and children under 18 living in the same household
- OR For one member plus one guest when accompanied by that member
- OR For two specified adults
- Plus 15% discount on Museum School classes
(Seniors 60 years and over receive $10 off the cost of family/dual membership)
Supporting Membership ($100)
Includes all the benefits of the Family/Dual Membership plus
- Limited membership privileges through the North American Reciprocal Membership Program at more than 700 museums across the U.S. and Canada For a full list, click here.
- Two exhibition passes for your guests
Partner Membership ($250)
Includes all the benefits of the Supporting Membership plus
- 20% discount on exhibition catalogues produced by MMA
- Three exhibition passes for your guests
Curator Membership ($500)
Includes all the benefits of the Partner Membership plus
- Exclusive invitation to First Look previews of new acquisitions
- Four exhibition passes for your guests
Rembrandt Membership ($1,200)
Young Rembrandt Membership for ages 21-40 ($600)
Includes all the benefits of the Curator Membership plus
- Exclusive invitation to The Rembrandt Society annual dinner
- Complimentary membership in the New Collectors Club, a social group with a shared love of collecting art that meets monthly to explore artist's studios, art exhibitions, and private collections
- National and international travel opportunities with MMA Museum officials
- Complimentary exhibition catalogues produced by MMA
- Six exhibitions passes for your guests
Director's Rembrandt Membership ($2,500)
Includes all the benefits of the Rembrandt Membership plus
- Two complimentary tickets to the Museum's annual benefit fundraiser and recognition as a Patron Sponsor of the event
- Priority seating at designated events with advance reservations (subject to availability)
- Exclusive invitation to Behind the Scenes at MMA tours
Chairman's Rembrandt Membership ($5,000)
Includes all the benefits of the Director's Rembrandt Membership plus
- One-time complimentary use of the Museum facility for a private function (non-transferable)
- Private curatorial tours of each exhibition for member and up to five guests (prior arrangement required)


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I need a Dj signature.I would like a girl saying "Dj BlAr3"I would like the girl to sound sort of young like in her twenty's and sexy.and my dj name BlAr3 is pronounced Blair
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Globally, most PV solar plants experience lower levels of performance and availability during the initial period of operation. This is typically due to equipment infant mortality and construction quality issues. However, the Greenough River Solar Farm, located 50km southeast of Geraldton in Western Australia, boasted an outstanding 99.6% effective availability in its first three years of operation.
A new white paper analyzing three years of data from the Greenough River Solar Farm (GRSF) provides insight into the impact of reliability and operations and maintenance (O&M) services on the effective availability of a solar plants during the early years of operation.
As Australia's first operational utility-scale solar plant, the 10MW (AC) GRSF plant is the best source of long-term solar energy performance data in the country.
Operations and maintenance excellence
The GRSF white paper confirms the high level of performance achieved by the plant is thanks in part to outstanding O&M execution, provided by First Solar Energy Services. This high level of performance demonstrates not only the quality of the plant's equipment and construction but also the effectiveness of First Solar's operations and maintenance infrastructure and staff in preventing and promptly resolving issues to minimize any impact on energy production.
Frank Teofilo, First Solar's Senior Director of O&M, explained that First Solar is now the leading O&M provider to utility-scale PV power plants in Australia with over 200MW under First Solar Energy Service supervision in Australia. "First Solar can provide O&M energy services to any developer or EPC provider in Australia. O&M plays a pivotal role in ensuring PV plants meet their full generation potential and First Solar is able to leverage experience from over 5GW of global and Australian projects to deliver bankable results."
Photovoltaic Module Performance
The GRSF also continues to perform in-line with First Solar's energy yield assessment, conducted in 2011. "The GRSF white paper is local proof that First Solar's modules perform as modelled," said Ewan Norton-Smith, First Solar's Manager of Business Development for Australia. "Developers and investors increasingly recognize the long-term yield and reliability benefits of First Solar's technology in Australia. For instance, in parts of Queensland, First Solar's modules will produce up to 8% more energy than crystalline silicon modules. That means more watt hours per watt installed and directly translates to more competitive projects."


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Irving-based Michaels Stores Inc. said Saturday that it believes it may have been hacked.
The retailer said it has recently learned of possible fraudulent activity on some credit or debit cards that had been used at its stores.
The company gave no details about the data security attack. It's working with federal law enforcement and is conducting an investigation with a data security firm to establish the facts.
"Although the investigation is ongoing, based on the information the company has received and in light of the widely-reported criminal efforts to penetrate the data systems of U.S. retailers, Michaels believes it is appropriate to let its customers know a potential issue may have occurred," the company said in a statement today.
In the past two months, Target Corp. and Dallas-based Neiman Marcus acknowledged that customer credit card data has been scraped from their systems by malware.
The attack on retailers is expected to be broader than what so far has been disclosed. A report by Dallas-based iSight Partners said earlier this month that the assault on U.S. retailers may have involved several hacker groups who are working from sophisticated coding passed along websites since last June.
Michaels CEO Chuck Rubin said the company is taking aggressive action to determine the nature and scope of the data security theft.
"While we have not confirmed a compromise to our systems, we believe it is in the best interest of our customers to alert them to this potential issue so they can take steps to protect themselves, for example, by reviewing their payment card account statements for unauthorized charges," he said in a written statement.
Rubin said the company deeply regrets any inconvenience this may cause its customers.
Michaels is the largest U.S. arts and crafts chain with stores in the U.S. and Canada. It operates 1,137 Michaels stores and 122 Aaron Brothers framing shops.