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Chapter 3 : Chapter 3
|Rating: Mature
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Three months passed, without any real event, just the odd prank from the Marauders, nothing unusual, (well, that thing with the shrinking clothes had been interesting for the Slytherins) but with the steady flux of more and more reports of strange and violent deaths, the atmosphere had become a little stifling, everyone was eager to get home to their parents over the holidays, to make sure that they were alright as if a bunch of teenaged wizards could stop fully grown dark wizards who didnt care who they killed or how they did it.
On the final day before holidays, everyone was out in the grounds, building snowmen or, as in the case of Sirius and James, bewitching snowballs to chase after certain enemies.
Lily was sitting with her friend Marjorie Dawson, discussing what they were going to get up to over the Christmas break.
Just a family thing, Lily was saying, I expect Petunia will be bringing her new boyfriend though, she rolled her eyes, probably a bigger idiot than she is.
Several snowballs started to attack the both of them, and they turned to face the perpetrators, after muttering a couple of immobilising spells.
Remus looked disapproving, but James, Peter and Sirius were getting a good giggle out of seeing the rage in Lilys eyes. She stood up and shook the snow from her hair, fixing up the low bun shed put it in.
Very clever, Black, Potter, she drawled.
Aw, come on Evans, it was only a little bit of Christmas cheer, Sirius said, as he and James came over to help her get tidied up.
You think youre so funny, Marjorie spat at them, brushing the snow out of her dark hair.
"Yeah, we kinda do, youre right, James said casually.
Lily just glared at him, but he held out a hand to help her up, saying Care to spend some time with me over Christmas, Evans? Come on, go out with me she complied to his gesture with a shy smile on her face and as soon as she had stood up, she pushed a handful of snow down the back of his robes, causing him to yelp with surprise.
She quickly stalked off, yelling over her shoulder, I hope you freeze to death, Potter!
Sirius came to stand by his still shivering friend, who was staring after Lily with a look that could have only be described as pathetic shock. He laughed and slapped James on the back with vigour.
Ah, Prongs, you are yet to understand the finer points of women, Sirius said, throwing his arm around his neck, commiserating with him.
And you do? Remus asked incredulously.
Sirius leered at him, I know enough,
I just dont get it, James spluttered, I mean, every other girl, every other normal girl throws themselves at me Ive never had to fight for one like this, whats wrong with her? he demanded, almost angrily.
Remus, Sirius and Peter looked at each other, We have explained that whole conceited prat thing before havent we? Sirius asked in a tone of mock seriousness.
James just shook the rejection off, as he had done for the past two years, knowing that later he would mull over it until his brain hurt.
After saying their goodbyes and promising to keep in touch, the Marauders had gone their separate ways, or rather, Remus and Peter had gone their separate ways, Sirius and James went home together, seeing as he now lived there.
Much gossip had gone around about Sirius running away from home, but the Marauders had purposely kept it to themselves, even Peter had learnt to deflect questions about Sirius. To take his mind off things, James had suggested a little extra-curricular activity, which concerned mapping out the premises of Hogwarts, for the future benefit of troublemakers like themselves, they had spent many evenings finding the correct charms and incantations, memorising passwords and passages, it was a pleasant distraction from the world.
Charles Potter and his wife Dorea were waiting out the front of their home, broad grins on their faces.
James had taken after both of his parents, he had his fathers unruly black hair and stature, but he had his mothers hazel eyes and shared the same affliction of having to wear glasses.
James! Dorea said, running towards him with arms outstretched, she enveloped him in a tight hug, Sirius snickered as he watched James struggle to wrench himself from her grip, quite an amusing spectacle, considering James was a full foot tall than her.
Okay, Mum, yeah, I missed you too,
She let go of James and rushed at Sirius, who looked positively dumbstruck and more than a little frightened.
You didnt think youd escape did you, Sirius? James said drolly, shaking his fathers hand. But Sirius now had a broad smile on his face, and he returned the hug affectionately.
Nice to see you again, Mrs. Potter, Sirius said, But Im going to need my ribs in full working condition if I ever want to breathe again,
She broke away from him, her face alight with laughter, Its Dora, Sirius," she said warmly, clasping his hand.
James watched the blush rise in Sirius cheeks with a soft smile; he knew that receiving this kind of affection must be somewhat strange to him.
Charles shook Sirius' hand cordially, Welcome home boys, he said brightly and they walked inside, their trunks floating behind them.
The warmth felt at their reception had ebbed away as they reached the dining room, Charles and Dorea were throwing anxious looks at one another and Sirius and James didnt have to wonder what they were about.
Just say it, James said cautiously, but confidently, both he and Sirius were watching them intently, a dark sense of foreboding behind both of their eyes.
Charles smiled slightly, proud of the aptitude of both of the boys, but he cleared his throat and looked suddenly quite serious.
Your mother and I were debating on whether or not we should tell you this, or rather, how much we should tell you, but we feel its only fair, and after all, theres no doubt you will have heard the rumours, its better you get the facts from us yes, much better,
Just tell us Dad, James said abruptly.
Charles smiled that same smile James had inherited, Youre quite right. Now, boys, you have probably heard various rumours and speculations about the rise of the dark wizard Voldemort, the Potters had never shied from using his real name, You will have read about the number of deaths concerned with the Dark Arts, and I know that Dumbledore will have warned you, being the highly sensible man that he is these are dark times, boys, and they are about to get a whole lot darker your mother's and mine jobs at the Ministry of Law Enforcement mean that we are quite involved in this, we have been able to track various happenings, trying to keep up with Him, but as usual, the Ministry is three steps behind, he scowled, we know that he gathering strong support from many wizarding families who share his views about blood purity, he said this with a specific and remorseful glance at Sirius, who looked as if he had been expecting this, No, dont worry, Sirius, your family has done nothing in an official capacity to support Voldemort, but we do still maintain a close eye on them,
Sirius looked somewhat relieved but he still scowled, Wont be long, now, theyll be throwing dinner parties in his honour, sewing his initials into their clothing he said darkly
James just raised his eyebrows and smiled sympathetically, patting him on the back with a strong arm.
Thats not all, Charlies said hesitantly, trying to pull up the strength to continue, There there lately the Ministry has been extremely busy, trying to keep control over the scourge that is taking over your mother and I have been doing a lot of field work and, well, there is a chance that we may get hurt, James and Sirius eyes darkened, Dorea had an uneasy smile on her face and was fidgeting terribly, we want we want you to be prepared for that eventuality, if it is one of course, he added quickly, Just in case we dont make it or we get hurt we know that you are very brave, both of you, but we want you to understand the danger everyone is in at these times.
He finished, watching the two boys process the information, seeing no shock, little fear, but a lot of worry, in their eyes, and he swallowed; it had been hard to say those things, they were still children but they needed to know.
Thanks for telling us, Dad, James said, sincerely hoping that his voice didnt sound strained.
Sirius nodded, What can we do?
Charles rocked uncertainly on his chair, You can be safe, Sirius, you and James can stay out of trouble, a smile crossed his face fleetingly, or cut back a bit, anyway,
James and Sirius laughed a little at thought of staying out of trouble, but the atmosphere was still quite tense.
Well try dad, but dont expect too much, he said with his casual smile spreading on his face.
Charles and Dorea laughed with their son, remembering the various owls that had been sent home this year telling of the mischief he and his friends had gotten up to.
Sirius still looked wary, his worried look did not fade, and it still had not faded as Sirius left to go to bed, silent and alone.
James knew that he was bothered by his familys connection with the Dark Arts, and knew which side they would take, James knew that as much as Sirius loathed and despised everything his family stood for, they were still his family and knowing what they would do he knew the thought must be haunting Sirius.
He decided it would better to let Sirius think about it on his own, he would come to him when he was ready.
The days passed, and soon Christmas had passed, the holidays were spent blissfully at the Potter Manor, whether it was James and Sirius mucking around in the snow, or trying to perfect the map and generally, their conversation never strayed to what was happening outside in the Wizarding world, they just tried to enjoy it.
Soon enough the holidays were over and they were back within the walls of Hogwarts, James and Sirius had felt uneasy about going back, given the warning James father had given them, the two boys had both momentarily thought about whether or not it would be the last time they saw them.
But they had managed to settle back in reasonably well, sharing the information with the other two Marauders about Voldemorts uprising.
Yeah, my dad told me something similar, Remus had said, an expression of worry in his eyes, But then again, theres not much we can do, is there?
James and Sirius had agreed, but in their minds they were trying to think of ways they could help, Peter had looked terrified throughout the whole story and after.
Dont stress, Peter, Sirius had said kindly, Voldemorts, Peter winced at the name, hardly going to try anything with Dumbledore around, hes the only thing he fears, mate, and well look after you, he said, placing a comforting hand on Peters quivering shoulder, who whimpered gratefully.
Winter passed, and Spring came upon them, all were grateful to get out and stretch their legs on the Hogwarts ground for Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, this also meant that their moonlit strolls were a little more comfortable.
James had still constantly approached Lily, almost begging her to date him, but she had insisted that he was still a selfish git and would not concern herself with the likes of him, instead she had taken to dating Thurston Padget, a Ravenclaw 7th year, who, James thought, had all the charm of a weak tea.
But he resigned himself to weary acceptance, spending more time with the Marauders to plan out their next mode of attack on the hapless students and teachers of Hogwarts.
Quidditch training had started again, and that often kept James and Sirius busy in the afternoons, as James did not want to lose their next match against Slytherin. A sentiment shared by every other house and all of the students within them.
Today, however, there was no Quidditch practice, James had decided to let everyone have a well deserved break, this left the Marauders to an afternoon of lazing around near the lake, a place conveniently chosen so that James could watch Lily talk with her friends, who were sitting to their left under an old oak tree.
Anyone been noticing Snape nosing around about where Remus goes on full moon? Sirius said in a conspiratorial whisper.
Remus looked more than a little panicked, as he hissed, What?
Yeah, Ive been noticing him lately too, just sitting there, behind some bush or tree or something, trying to get a glimpse of where youre going, James explained to Remus, who looked positively petrified.
Dont stress, Moony, he hasnt got a clue in that slimy head of his, he just cant keep his honker out of others peoples business, I suspect hes trying to get back at James and figures he can do it through you, Sirius observed, this did little to appease Remus, who was now breathing rather shallowly and looked as if he might faint.
He can't find out," Remus said with a strength that belied his present condition. If anyone found out that he was a werewolf, he would have to leave Hogwarts.
Relax, Moony, James said soothingly, He wont see you, I just reckon hes curious is all, hell get over it in a while, well just give him a, erm, distraction, he said, the tone in voice indicating he was going to have a little bit of fun with old Snivellus.
He turned to Sirius to discuss plans, but they were interrupted by a cold and sneering voice.
Oi, Sirius,
The four of them turned, Peters watery eyes darted towards a boy standing roughly six feet away from them, he had the same features as Sirius, dark hair and eyes, long limbs and pale skin, but their was something in the way he looked that separated him from Sirius, a cruelty in his features that made Peter shudder.
Remus stopped having his panic attack and stood up with Sirius and James, facing a group of devious looking Slytherins, the rest of the school had seemingly gone quiet and were now all staring at the tense stand off.
Hello Regulus, Sirius sighed.
Regulus was standing with a group of Slytherins who were all positively vibrating with the excitement of an approaching fight.
Hello Snivelly, James said coolly.
Snape just scowled.
Didnt see you at Christmas, brother, too ashamed to show yourself at home? No matter, mother and father have disowned you, said that they didnt want a weak fool like you for a son and after they beat you
What?! Sirius roared, but Regulus continued on, a little louder an ugly smirk growing on his otherwise attractive face.
After father and I had thrown in a few good punches, I knew youd be too scared to come back," he crowed and his band of Slytherins laughed uproariously, other students had broken into bursts of gossip, discussing whether or not it was true.
Everyone was now waiting to see Sirius reaction, Remus, James and even Peter (who had been sneaking peaks of the stand off from behind his friends backs) were all glaring murderously and it seemed it would be a question of which one of them would throw the first curse.
Sirius was white and shaking with rage, his hands balled, his wand clenched in one white knuckled fist.
Not so brave, are you Black, when your mummy and daddy are beating you? Do you cry? Do you scream? Snape was muttering fervently, though everyone could hear him and the whole schools eyes widened at these cruel remarks, I bet you do, I bet you but he never got the chance to finish the sentence, James had cursed him, there was a cold fury in his eyes as he stepped forward, wand raised.
Regulus and the rest of the gang snickered, still confident, still reveling in their victory over Sirius, who was still shaking with rage.
I told you, Regulus shouted to everyone, I told you all, my brother is nothing but a mudblood lover: weak, pathetic look, he doesnt even have the guts to raise his wand!
But Sirius had dropped his wand and was rushed forward, fists flying, ready to pummel every inch of his accursed brother that he could. He flew at Regulus, pushing him to the ground; he drew back his fist and smashed it into Regulus face repeatedly.
Remus and James were cursing the rest of the group with Peter shouting support from the sidelines he was always terrible at dueling.
Sirius continued to pound Regulus, sitting on his chest, pinning him down his arms with his knees, Regulus was struggling beneath him, he was staring up in wide-eyed terror at Sirius, who had a demented look of rage and pain in his eyes.
You liar! he screamed, flecks of spit flying down at the shrieking Regulus, I left because you youre all disgusting! Filth! he spluttered, I would have rather died then spend another night in that house, under their rules! Youre nothing but an idiotic, he punched him hard, could feel the ridge of nose shatter, vile, another blow and blood splattered up onto Sirius face and robes, pathetic, Regulus had now managed to get his arm free and was desperately reaching for Sirius' face, coward! Regulus' arm fell down limp.
Sirius drew his fist back again, but someone grabbed it and pleaded distraughtly Stop! Youre going to kill him! Sirius face snapped around, his breathing laboured, he was staring into the startling green eyes of Lily Evans, who wore an expression somewhere between horror and concern. She clasped his fist in her delicate hand, entreating him silently to let it go.
Please Sirius, its ok, her voice was forceful, but kind, stand up, just let him go, she was saying and he felt as if he was waking from a daze, he gaped up at Lily, his mouth slightly open, he removed his hand from Regulus, gawking at his own blood stained hands.
Everyone was frozen; James and Remus had stopped dueling with the Slytherins, they were, as with the rest of the school, watching Sirius and Lily.
Sirius glanced momentarily at the bloody mess that was his brother, at his own hands, then up at Lily again: he looked horrified, his dark eyes, usually twinkling with laughter and mischief were now wide with shock and fear.
He felt sick.
Just let it go Sirius, Lily was pleading gently, Its okay now, she released his fist and he lowered it, she then offered him the same hand, palm open, asking him to take it, her long red hair was whipping about in the breeze. Sirius grappled her hand, still wearing the same vacant expression, she pulled him up, he leaned heavily on her shoulder, as though he was too out of it to move.
James, she called, looking over at him from beneath Sirius tall frame; he had been watching the whole thing, his hazel eyes not missing a trick, Come over and take Sirius for me, Remus, Peter, you too, they both ran over, shouldering his deadweight, I think you should take him back to your dorm, Ill, ah, Ill take care of this, she said, indicating the fair amount of injured people, whether incapacitated, as several of them were, or merely bleeding or suffering from the after effects of a various jinxes.
Both James and Remus had minor injuries, but Lily knew they wouldnt be concerned about themselves, but more about Sirius and seeing the unstable condition he was in now, well Lily could see the alarm in their eyes.
Ill be fine, Lily assured him, her eyes and features were soft, almost serene, but set with a grim determination, Just take care of him,
James hesitated for a moment, but staring down at her, looking both at her with both awe and intrigue, he nodded and along with Remus carried Sirius, whose legs werent fully functioning as yet, he was stumbling and disorientated, his eyes were still unfocused.
He looked back at Regulus and mumbled, Sorry.
Its okay, Sirius, James said gruffly, Come on mate, lets get you out of here, he advised urgently.
Remus caught James eye, scrutinizing him, Later, James mouthed, meaning he would explain everything later.
Nothing to see here, James said loudly as they pushed their way through the mystified crowd, people watched, mouths a gape as they heaved Sirius back to the castle, his legs seemed to work properly now so, they were making the journey quite quickly.
Everyone stared after them, long after they had disappeared through the doors of the castle.
Right, Lily said abruptly and slowly people turned to her, we need to get these people up to the Infirmary, she conjured up a couple of stretchers, Come on, she said irritably, as they continued to stand there I cant do this by myself,
People started to shake themselves from their stupor and came to her aid. The more advanced students conjured up another couple of stretchers, while others helped the less injured up and towards the Infirmary.
Meanwhile James, Remus and Peter had helped Sirius into a chair up in the dormitories, James had ordered everyone else out of there and they were currently trying to assess what was wrong with him.
Hes in shock, Remus said, observing that Sirius was pale and shaking, he placed a hand to his forehead, Hes freezing, we need to warm him up,
James was almost as pale as Sirius was, but the man looking out from behind his glasses was not the same sixteen year old James Potter, Marauder and Practical Joker extraordinaire, the wizard behind the glasses was seething with furious power, the wizard behind his wired glasses seemed much, much older, Yeah, he said.
Remus stood in front of James, keeping their unblinking connection, he said, Peter, go down to the kitchens and get some Butterbeer.
Peter squeaked in understanding and scurried off to the kitchens.
James and Remus continued to stare at one another, until they heard Sirius stir behind them.
I didnt mean to do that, he mumbled quietly.
James and Remus moved him into his bed, taking off his shoes and some of his more bloodied robes; they wrapped him up snugly in blankets and James sat down next to him.
Sirius looked up at him with the appearance of a child, I didnt mean to do that, James, he whispered fearfully.
I know mate, I know, James soothed, taking Sirius hand in his own.
I lost control, he spluttered and James was not surprised to see tears shining in his eyes, I oh God, Ive killed him! Ive killed him, he whispered, watching the scene flash and flicker in his mind: his hands bones splintering blood blood everywhere on the grass, on his robes, on his hands Sirius lifted his hands up in front of his eyes, as if seeing them for the first time: they shook terribly, Sirius let out a strangled Oh! and began hyper ventilating.
Breathe, Sirius, breathe. Regulus is alright, hes just a bit bloodied up is all, hell be fine, James assured.
Remus stood back from them a bit, just observing with his light brown eyes how James calmed Sirius, almost expertly.
Shhh, Sirius, its okay now, you did what any of us would have done, you are not as bad as they are, James was reading Sirius fears, the bond between them so palpable, words were unnecessary.
Sirius fearful eyes locked onto James, Im not like them, James, Im not like my family,
No, youre not, you are better that them, you know that, everyone knows that, James was speaking with a tenderness that Remus had rarely heard in his voice, but it didnt surprise him.
Peter stumbled in carrying half a dozen bottles of Butterbeer, he looked like he had run a marathon, I tried to get here as fast as I could, he panted, his face flushed.
Thanks Peter, Remus said, taking a bottle and uncorking it, Drink this, it will help warm you up, he entreated Sirius who nodded, the focus slowly shifting back into his eyes.
Remus began to rummage around the room, Ah, he sighed, frustrated, I dont have any chocolate with me, he said remorsefully.
I I could go get some, Peter offered, feeling useless.
Thank you, Remus smiled.
Sirius propped up on a couple of pillows, brooding over his drink, his eyes still shining with tears.
Remus went to the bathroom and ran a basin of warm water, he summoned up a cloth and brought it out to Sirius, he began to wipe away some of the blood on his face.
Sirius sniffed and laughed, You guys dont have to baby me,
James ruffed up his hair affectionately, Ah, but you see Sirius, I just dont think you understand the basics of personal hygiene, I reckon its safer if Remus here does it, he joked and Sirius chuckled.
There was a knock at the door and Lily was standing there, looking apologetic. Sirius quickly wiped his eyes with the heel of his palm and avoided looking at her.
Sorry, she said quietly, James, could I speak with you for a moment? Outside?
James looked baffled, he threw a glance at Sirius, who in regaining his common sense had also recovered his sense of lurid humour; he raised his eyebrows suggestively and James glared at him, but he strode out, even now, out of nervous habit, his hand automatically went to ruffle his hair.
Lily looked nervous, but serious as she pulled him over to a corner where they wouldnt be over heard by the muttering masses below.
Thanks, James said, looking upon her with strengthened respect.
Lily pushed some stray strands of hair behind her ears and met his gaze unflinchingly.
Dont mention it, she said softly, I know what its like to have family that dont respect you, dont like you, her was tone grim, there have been plenty of times when Ive wanted to strangle my sister, I suppose that Sirius just had a lot of pent up anger, but its not his fault hes related to them, she shrugged.
James felt a wave of gratitude and compassion for her and said, No, but he still feels bad. Regulus, the great wanker, deserved it though,
I dont disagree, she said dourly, Listen, weve managed to get them all up to the Infirmary and Madam Pomfrey thinks theyll all be fine, nothing serious really, and and I spoke to Dumbledore, James suddenly became extremely tense, and we all agreed that it was started by Regulus and his gang started it, nearly all of the witnesses agreed, Dumbledore and the other Professors are quite sympathetic, so I doubt youll have much o worry about, but he still wants to see and Sirius later, when Sirius is feeling up to it, okay?
James was dumbstruck by her manner and attitude, he was so in ingratiated towards her that he could have kissed her. Of course he often felt that urge, but right now, in his eyes, she was a Goddess.
Youre amazing, he murmured and she laughed.
Ive been telling people that for ages, she said, deadpan.
James smiled easily and for a moment the two of them were enveloped in comfortable silence. She smiled curiously at him, her green eyes staring into his hazel ones.
Anyway, she said slowly, Ill let you get back to Sirius, dont burden poor Remus with him too long, she joked feebly, but the truth was that she was beginning to feel uncomfortable under his intense gaze he made her hesitate, made her uncertain and Lily always liked to be in control of herself.
Oh, I forgot, Sirius dropped this, she said, digging into her robes and handing him his wand, James extended his arm and Lily saw that blood was seeping through his robes.
You might want to get that looked at, she said, holding his arm and inspecting it closely, James basked in her delicate touch for a moment this was a dream come true as Lily had never been anything but prickly as a pincushion towards him.
Nah, Ill be right, its just a scratch, nothing major, he said dismissively, smiling broadly but it was not his usual leering grin, but rather a genuine smile. Lily continued scrutinising his arm for a moment, All the same, Ill fix you up with some essence of Murtlap, Ill bet Remus has a couple of cuts she realised that James was chuckling. What? she said, her eyes narrowing, but there was an inquisitive smile on her face.
Nothing! James proclaimed, still laughing, Its just, well, youre such a mother!
Lily looked murderous for a second, but then her features softened and she laughed with him. Rolling her head back to look at the ceiling, she shook her head.
She had still not let go of his arm.
I cant help it! Youre all such juveniles! Someones got to take care of you! she said in a tone of mock exasperation, making both of them laugh harder.
James? asked a simperingly sweet voice, James and Lily were unpleasantly interrupted by Martina Coately, her long brown hair tied up in two ponytails on top of her head, she wore an expression that reminded Lily of her sisters face whenever she wanted to use her parents sympathy to get what she wanted.
Martina glanced disapprovingly at Lily and then rushed forward to James, completely ignoring Lily.
Oh James! I saw what happened! Is Sirius okay? Are you okay? she said, her voice oozing with pity.
Er, Martina, I was talking to Lily, he said, a little miffed by her interruption.
No, its okay, Lily said quickly, I'd best get down to round up the masses, make sure theyre all okay." She started to walk away, but she stopped briefly at the top of the stairs, looking pointedly at James, Tell Sirius tell Sirius hes not the only one with an idiot sibling.
James desperately wanted to go after her, but Martina was blocking his path, he watched Lily descend the stairs with a longing look in his eyes.
Martina had now grabbed his injured arm and began fretting over it.
Ooo, James does it hurt terribly? Maybe you should go see Madam Pomfrey, I could take you
James snatched his arm away from her, I have to go, he growled, he blamed her for cutting short his time with Lily. He went back into his dorm to find Remus and Sirius talking animatedly, Remus was laughing at the nonsense now pouring out of Siriuss mouth.
James knew that this was a defence mechanism but this was not the time to sit down and have a heart to heart; Sirius liked to work things out on his own.
Oh, youre back, Sirius said, looking up from his bed, grinning widely, Did Evans have a special message for you? he teased.
James grinned back, For you actually: Youre a tremendous git.
Sirius and Remus laughed heartily for a while, but when they had finished, Sirius spoke up, No really, what did she say?
James sighed a little and then told him, She says that youre not the only one with an idiotic family and that no blames you or believes what Regulus said.
Sirius nodded, fully appreciative of Lilys comfort.
She also said that while everyones fine, Dumbledore still wants to see you and me later,
Sirius nodded again, he had already been thinking about the repercussions.
Lily stood at the bottom of the stairs, she had immediately been attacked with an onslaught of questions.
What did James say?
Is Sirius alright?
What happened down there?
Whats going to happen to him?
Lily raised her hands, signaling for silence, Youll have to talk to James or Sirius about that, whether or not they tell you is their choice, but let me just say this: anything Regulus Black and those other foul Slytherins said about Sirius isnt true and you, as Gryffindors, are all too intelligent to believe it, okay?
Everyone felt an enormous sense of relief, none of them could really bear the thought of energetic, adorable Sirius Black allowing himself to be abused in such a fashion, others nodded in agreement with Lilys stance.
Now, I suggest you go back to your business, weve all had enough excitement for one day, she sighed.
Sirius and James, who had heard the whole thing from the top of the stairs, started to clap.
Here, here! Sirius said, and Lily gave him a reproachful look old habits die hard.
They came downstairs, all eyes on them, Sirius sighed, knowing that everyone would want to hear from him, otherwise the rumours would never stop, Everything Evans said is true, Regulus is a right foul git and if you choose to believe him you have rocks in your head," he said simply.
Now, if youll excuse us, we have an appointment with Dumbledore. Dont wait up, he added.
James and Sirius started towards the door, Sirius stopped in front of Lily, smiling at her coyly, humility in his eyes, Thanks Evans, he said simply.
I didnt do anything, she smiled and the two of them escaped through the door.
Peter came running up from the corridor, breathing heavily and sweating profusely, couldnt find any in the kitchens! So then I had to ask Terry Randwick if he had any, but he didnt so then I
Its okay, Peter, Im alright now, thanks anyway, Ill see you later, Sirius said, walking away.
James clapped a hand on Peters shoulder and nodded approvingly, You did good Wormtail, he said and then ran after Sirius, who had managed to get quite far away with his casual long strides.
Peter stared after them, watching James grab Sirius shoulders and push himself up, jumping onto Sirius back, Sirius threw him off and laughed, showing James into the wall while couple of portraits complained. Sirius threw his arm around James neck and the two of them stomped down the hallway, cackling madly at one anothers jokes and antics.
Peter didnt understand how either of them could act like that: laughing and joking when only an hour or so previous, Sirius hadnt been capable of a single coherent word.
They were his best friends in the whole world, but he was damned if he could understand them.
Chocolate frog, James said to the gargoyle outside Dumbledores office. The two of them had been there so many times that they knew the routine by heart.
They approached his desk with some trepidation and to their horror, Dumbledores expression was quite grim.
James, Sirius, sit down boys, he said, indicating with one long fingered hand.
They sat down, sharing a quick, tense look at one another before looking straight back at Dumbledore, who was gazing at them over his half moon glasses.
The atmosphere was incredibly nerve-racking, Sirius felt that this was it, he had really done it this time, crossed that one final line
Would you like some lemonade? Dumbledore asked genially and quite suddenly, making James and Sirius all the more confused, they shook their heads slowly, utterly bewildered by his attitude.
Dumbledore conjured up a glass for himself, took a sip and smiled, I do love how the bubbles tickle ones nose, he laughed softly, and speaking of noses, Regulus is fine, as is the rest of him, alive and kicking and quite a lot actually, Madam Pomfrey is having a dreadful time trying to keep him still
The both of them laughed a little easier now, but there was still something in the way Dumbledore was looking at them that made them anxious.
Dumbledore judged from their expressions what their fears were and he smiled slightly, No, youre not going to be expelled Sirius,
They heaved a sigh of relief.
But I am most troubled that you waited so long to let it out, Sirius, it cant have been good for your heart,
Er Sirius started.
I too know the pain of having a brother who you do not see eye to eye with: Aberforth, excellent though he is, is quite a peculiar fellow and I often find our relationship can be quite strained but he is my brother, he said in his singsong voice.
Yeah, Sirius said bleakly, but youre brother isnt a purity nut, hes not into the dark arts either,
No, Dumbledore said and he chuckled, though Aberforth does have his own vices,
Look Dumbledore, Sirius said abruptly, if you want Regulus and me to kiss and make up, well its not going to happen, yes, I worry about him, yes hes still my brother, but thats not my fault,
I wasnt suggesting anything of the sort Sirius, but I doubt your parents will see it that way
Sirius rolled his eyes, Now theres a Howler Ill be looking forward to,
Dumbledore laughed his deep infectious laugh again, Yes, I daresay it will be explosive,
Now it was James who spoke up, wanting to get to the point, Look, if we arent getting reprimanded or expelled or anything, why did you want to see us?
I never said you werent going to be reprimanded, Professor Denison has demanded at least a weeks detention for dueling.
Ah, James said.
But I also wanted to speak to Sirius about his new living arrangements, as you, erm, forgot to inform me,
Oh. Oh that, Sirius said as it dawned on him, I guess I just didnt think about it,
No doubt, Dumbledore smiled, anyway, I shall be sending this owl to the Potters, it will be a pleasant change considering the number of owls James has merited this year, he said, blue eyes twinkling, I think you may have set a record, he added affectionately.
James beamed proudly at his unusual achievement.
Now, I suggest that you two you back to your dorms and prepare for bed, try to get some sleep. Tell Remus that he need not worry, Ive convinced Professor Denison that he was trying to control and not exacerbate the situation,
They nodded and stood up, thanking him, just as they were about to leave Dumbledore spoke again.
Remember that true brothers have no need for shared blood, their bond extends much deeper than that.
The two of them smiled puzzled at him then at each other, getting his intention, they grinned widely and left to get back to their dorms where they found Peter snoozing in bed.
All that running tuckered him out, Remus said, he was sitting in an armchair, behind yet another book, What did Dumbledore have to say? he placed the book in his lap.
The usual weird stuff, Sirius told him, but Im not expelled, James and I have just got detention for a week, you got off Scot free must be your devilish good looks,
Remus rolled his eyes, Oh. Lily left that for you James, he indicated a large bowl of Murtlap next to James bed, She said she was sorry she couldnt stay but that she and Thurston had a date,
James looked rather disgruntled as he sat down on his bed, pulled up his sleeve and pressed the soaked cloth to his wound.
Today had been an interesting day to say the least: Sirius had had a near nervous breakdown and Lily had spoken to him like he was a friend and not a fatal disease.
The image of Lily smiling up at him with kindness danced in front of him and he fell asleep dreaming of her kind eyes and soft hands.
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In Major League Baseball, it's the players who draw the cheers. But behind the scenes, these four Macalester alumni are helping make America's pastime even better.
Josh Ortiz '05
Community programs manager, Minnesota Twins
For Twins fans, Joe Mauer is the hometown hero with the sweet swing and enviable sideburns. For community programs manager Josh Ortiz '05, Mauer is the guy who lights up the room at the local children's hospital, joking with kids eager for a light moment. Before he departed for the Pirates, Justin Morneau was more than just a homer-slugging first baseman: he was the guy who made time to visit the nearby homeless shelter with an armful of Twins souvenirs and tickets to give away. "In my job, I get to see that so many of the players are more than just great athletes," he says. "They're great people."
Working in community programs for the Twins wasn't an obvious career step for Ortiz, who double majored in neuroscience and psychology at Macalester while playing first base for the Scots. But even as he dug into schizophrenia research at the University of Minnesota after graduation, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had to give a career in professional baseball a shot. He applied for—and landed—an internship with the Twins' ticket sales department and soon moved into community programs.
These days, in addition to his myriad duties working with player volunteer projects, he oversees the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program. The program, which introduces baseball and softball to disadvantaged kids in the Twin Cities, represents one of Ortiz's biggest accomplishments: In the last decade, RBI has grown by nearly 20 percent and has nearly 6,000 participants annually. Even better, he says, the program allows him to seamlessly combine the things that he loves most—community support and baseball.
Along the way he's come to appreciate how the work of professional baseball goes far beyond the nine-inning game he grew up watching. "When I was first looking at jobs in baseball, I assumed that the only jobs worth having were in player acquisition, trades, and scouting," he says. "But there's so much more, and so many ways for people to combine their passions with baseball."
Andrew Percival '06
Video advance scouting coordinator, Seattle Mariners
When Andrew Percival '06 was playing third base at Macalester, he remembers spending plenty of afternoons sitting around the lunch table listening to fellow players from far-flung states proclaiming that they came from a baseball hotbed. "Everybody was saying that baseball was great where they were, but I thought: 'It can't be great everywhere. There's got to be some relative relationships here.' "
Instead of just expressing skepticism, he decided to prove it. With the help of knowledge he'd gained as a geography major, he built an Excel database packed with data about major league players, including what part of the country they'd come from. He crunched the numbers to prove his intuition right: there actually were places that produced more pro players. "It gave me objective data I could show to those guys to say, 'The state of Washington [Percival's home state] is better at baseball than the state of Maryland," he says.
But bragging rights were only the beginning: when Percival began looking for a job after graduation, he sent his resume and the data he'd collected and parsed to all 30 big-league teams. The Mariners, impressed, hired him.
Now the video advance scouting coordinator for the Seattle club, he uses his data-mining skills to study and understand the patterns of Mariners rival teams. He passes these tidbits on to the players and coaching staff, and a few times each game, he says, he'll see that knowledge put into action—a pitcher, for example, might throw an unexpected pitch because of a quirk that Percival has identified in an opposing batter.
All in all, he says, the data he collects can give the Mariners an advantage that might result in a couple of extra wins each season. Though that might seem like a minor edge—it's not going to make a bad team good, or even average—a game or two can mean everything in a playoff race. "I'm small cog in a very big machine," he admits. "But when the stakes are so high, teams are doing everything they possibly can to win."
Tom Gillespie '00
Scout, Pittsburgh Pirates
When baseball scouts evaluate young athletes for their potential to make it to the big leagues, they often refer to the player's "five tools": hitting for average, hitting for power, base-running speed, throwing ability, and fielding skills.
But Tom Gillespie '00, a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates, knows that there's a sixth tool that may be a better predictor of success than any other: drive. It's the most critical skill to hone during a player's long, slow grind in the minor leagues, where the constant pressure turns some players to diamonds, others to dust. "Is the athlete going to the field early to get in some extra work when he's playing 140 games in Boise, Idaho, for a few hundred bucks a month? Or is he thinking about the end of the season when there's still six weeks to go? You've got to find out if they're internally motivated," he says.
In his first full year as a Pirates scout (the former Mac pitcher has had a range of other baseball-related roles as well), Gillespie has crisscrossed Europe and Africa to find the teenage phenoms who might just make it to The Show. During the season, he spends much of his time traveling and watching practices and games, following up frequently with promising players. So far, he says, he's signed one French player to a minor league contract, with more on the horizon.
He admits it's not easy to track down the most promising players, even with two continents worth of athletes to study. Unlike in the Americas, baseball is a bit of an oddity in Europe and Africa. That said, his Macalester international experience often gives him an edge as he scouts for talent. "Having a global perspective is so important," he points out. "I may be talking to a 16-year-old kid who's speaking English as a second or third language. I'm working with kids who come from vastly different places financially, socially, and culturally, and I need to understand that a kid from the Ukraine has different wants and needs than a kid from Uganda. So much of this job is about having understanding and compassion."
Rob Engel '10
Software engineer, MLB.com
There may be no sports fans more ravenous for data than those who follow baseball. Every pitch, every swing, every fly ball gets tracked, categorized, sliced, and diced to help baseball fans understand the game in a more nuanced way.
As a software engineer for MLB.com, it's the job of Rob Engel '10 to give people what they want in less time than it takes to say, "Play ball."
With the help of sophisticated cameras that can record the break and velocity of a pitched ball and a cadre of stringers who manually type in what happens on every pitch and play during every game, Engel's work helps tie together these disparate pieces of data into a neat package. That, in turn, gives those who have MLB's GameDay apps a vast trove of elegantly displayed information as quickly as possible. "We want that information to be delivered almost instantaneously after the event occurs," he says. "Our top priority is to make everything faster."
To that end, Engel and his colleagues are currently working on an update to see if they can shave fractions of a second from the process by having stringers use a text-based language (a home run to left field might be HR/7/L) rather than clicking on "home run" and then clicking on a specific spot on a computer screen to show where the ball went. If a fan with a phone gets that information before the home run cheer begins to die down at the stadium, Engel's done his job well.
For Engel, the job has been rewarding not only because it allows him to combine his passions for computer science and baseball—he played catcher, pitcher, and first base at Macalester—but because it has allowed him to understand more deeply a game he's loved his whole life. "My job is essentially to write software rules for baseball, but you can play baseball your whole life and still see something you've never seen before and not know exactly what the rule is," he says. "It's helped me learn things I wouldn't have known otherwise. I'm so happy to have the opportunity to do this."
January 31 2014Back to top

subset: commoncrawl


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MONTREAL – There is no handbook to immediately process what happened to Saer Sène on Saturday afternoon. There is no way to plan for emotional fallout when an adversary or teammate suffers a dislocated left ankle and a broken left fibula mere steps from where you stand. There is no way to just shrug it off and continue without a hitch.
Sène's gruesome injury – resulting from the fallout of a Davy Arnaud tackle and diagnosed by a local hospital – stunned everyone inside Stade Saputo. Only the 22 men on the field needed to continue the game shortly thereafter.
"It's very difficult," Revolution defender Chris Tierney told MLSsoccer.com. "I experienced it a couple of years ago with a similar thing with Preston [Burpo, former Revolution goalkeeper who broke his leg during a match in 2010]. It rocks the team."
It also rocked Arnaud, the unintentional participant in this horrid incident after his initial tackle won the ball and his momentum subsequently carried him straight through Sène.
The veteran midfielder displayed his concern immediately by waving for the medical staff to enter the field. He then expressed his sorrow after the match to local reporters. He even stopped by the Revolution locker room to check on Sène's status with a club employee before he exited the stadium. Sène would eventually board the team bus en route back to Massachusetts with the rest of his teammates.
"It's unfortunate," Arnaud told MLSsoccer.com's Olivier Tremblay after the match. "I feel really bad about what happened to him. It looks like it was a pretty bad injury. I was just trying to tackle the ball, and I think it's a good tackle.
"I won the ball clean, but his foot might have just got caught underneath me. You never want to see that happen. I felt really bad at the time, and I still feel bad about it now. I hope he's okay. Unfortunately, it's part of the game, but you don't ever want to see it happen."
In the wake of such horror, Arnaud and his colleagues resumed their normal duties. The onus fell on both sides to conjure some sort of response and find their footing once more.
Most of the pressure fell on New England to maintain its poise in such trying circumstances, though. Jay Heaps' side traveled to Quebec in desperate need of three points to sustain its playoff push. Heaps sagely noted after the match that Sène's injury places the chase in perspective, but the veracity of his statement did not detract from the Revs' desire to secure a much-needed victory.
Following through on that objective required ample composure in the face of Sène's departure. New England somehow kept its bearings despite the shock, pressed forward after play started once more and snatched the only goal of the game through José Gonçalves in the 31st minute.
"It was huge, especially for a young team like this, to rally and to keep the concentration," Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis said. "There could have very easily been a dip in concentration. To a man, there wasn't."
Kyle McCarthy covers the New England Revolution for MLSsoccer.com.


text:
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Summer Chang
Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei, Taiwan
I've years of experience in design and manufacturing activities in Taiwan and China. My design includes specially assorted bathroom, kitchen and tableware items, functional and eye-catching design selections and a variety of other lifestyle-related products. In recent years, I've help Chinese and Taiwanese companies design their products and promote them to introduce them successfully in the European & Japan market.
Honors & Awards
2013 Portfoilos
Houseware Design_OBM. Project
I graduated from Oriental Industrial of Technology. I majored in Industrial Design. As an Industrial Design major, I've more chances to practice design many different product. Also, I've take some courses in commodity business planning. I'm adept at skills including sketching, 2D rendering. I've also trained as 3D CAD; with very good rendering will become the powerful supporter of my design.


text:
Dream-Sun Preview
Despite plenty of adversity, the Atlanta Dream are on the verge of tying a franchise record for victories as they prepare to defend their Eastern Conference championship in the postseason.
Atlanta looks to snap a four-game road losing streak Sunday against the Connecticut Sun, who simply are looking to end their season on a high note.
The Dream (19-14) got off to a 15-5 start under first-year coach Michael Cooper, but then dropped nine of 11. Included in that slump was the news that Cooper had been diagnosed with early stage tongue cancer, forcing him to take a leave from the team July 21.
Cooper returned Aug. 7 during what turned into a winless four-game road trip, but Atlanta has rebounded to win its last two games. The team clinched the East's No. 1 seed with a 96-82 win over Phoenix on Wednesday and routed Tulsa 92-76 on Friday.
The Dream now look to tie the franchise record of 20 victories, set in 2011.
"We were just going through our bad spell. Every team has them every year," Cooper said. "This team is notorious for having them towards the end, but we are playing good basketball."
Erika de Souza finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds Friday, while leading scorer Angel McCoughtry returned from a two-game absence and scored 12 points in 15 minutes.
McCoughtry has been bothered by foot problems, but she said she's ready to go for the playoffs as the Dream seek to reach the WNBA Finals for the fourth time in five years.
"We need momentum heading into the playoffs," McCoughtry said. "That was championship-type basketball with championship-type energy, so it was great."
Connecticut's play hasn't been anywhere near championship-caliber this season as it sits in last place in the East and will miss the playoffs for the second straight year.
The Sun (12-21) have lost four of five after falling 71-67 to Washington on Friday. They've gone through a grind since the end of last season, when former MVP Tina Charles demanded a trade and general manager Chris Sienko obliged by dealing her to New York on draft night, when they selected Chiney Ogwumike with the No. 1 overall pick.
About the only positive that came out of Friday's loss was that the Mystics clinched a playoff spot and eliminated the Liberty, giving Connecticut two lottery picks in next year's draft to complete the Charles trade.
"I was hoping that would happen on another night," coach Anne Donovan said. "That it would happen to New York on another night, and Washington (would) get to the playoffs on another night.
"At the end of the season, yeah, it gives us more flexibility, it gives us more options, but…"
The Sun beat the Dream 85-76 on June 1 as Ogwumike finished with 18 points, but Atlanta won the next two meetings. McCoughtry scored 25 points in an 89-80 victory in the most recent matchup July 29.


text:
Credit Advice
Have a question? Have advice to share? The combined knowledge and experience of everyone in the Credit Karma community can help you. Enter your question or help others below to get started!
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Where did you get the " 3 bureau score report " from? Heck I have 14 CC's , 1 Car Loan and Equity Line of Credit. Would like to see what they tell me HA!
I do not think closing them will Help your Credit Score.
Remember having a Credit Card does not mean you have to Carry it with you, or use it that often.
Have you pulled your FICO Scores from myFICO.com?
0 People Helped
Thank you for the responses and advice. I recieved the 3 bureau report and score from Equifax. Sounds like the best option is to discuss with lenders to see if it's truly an issue before making any changes. Thanks again for the advice.
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Two more Buddies staying
Craig Samson and Hugh Murray have followed David Barron and Steven Thomson in committing to St Mirren.
Last Updated: 27/05/11 4:34pm
Craig Samson and Hugh Murray have followed David Barron and Steven Thomson's example by committing to St Mirren.
32-year-old Murray has signed a one-year deal, although there is an option of a further year which will be based on his number of appearances over the upcoming campaign.
Murray has the distinction of holding the club record for the most 'official' competitive match appearances (459) for the club, he is also the holder of most league appearances (396).
Tony Fitzpatrick handed Murray his St Mirren debut back in August 1997 in an away match against Airdrie.
Joining Murray in committing to St Mirren is goalkeeper Samson after the 27-year-old penned a two-year deal that keeps him with the SPL club until the summer of 2013.
Samson - who has also played for Kilmarnock, Queen of the South, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Ross County, Dundee, Hereford United and Ayr United - joined last summer and went on to make 11 appearances.


text:
Metz 36 AF-4 Pentax/Samsung Fit Flashgun
This product is no longer available or has been replaced by a newer model.
The Metz Mecablitz 36 AF-4 digital Flashgun for Pentax/Samsung fit features the sophisticated Cobra design. The Mecablitz 36 AF-4 digital provides E-TTL flash mode and easy operation; even bounce flash becomes child's play due to the vertically-tilting reflector. The manually-adjustable zoom reflector has other advantages as by adjusting the reflector to different focal lengths, the illumination ... More
- max. GN of 36 for ISO 100/21° and 85 mm
- vertically tilting reflector +90°
- LED displays
- manual zoom reflector for 28 - 85 mm illumination
- integrated autofocus measurement flash
- flash readiness and exposure control indicators on the unit and camera
- TTL flash mode
- 1st and 2nd shutter curtain synchronization
- manual flash exposure correction for TTL flash mode (if it can be set on the camera)
- automatic fill-in flash
- Pentax/Samsung Version
- E-TTL flash mode
- firmware update possible via Metz Service
Guaranteed in the future
Product Specification
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{{item.DisplayName}} for the Metz 36 AF-4 Pentax/Samsung Fit Flashgun
1x {{accessory.DisplayName}}


text:
Researchers have discovered a new primate species in eastern Madagascar.
The Microcebus gerpi -- or the Gerp's mouse lemur -- was discovered in the Sahafina Forest, an area that has never been studied before.
"We were quite surprised by these findings. The Sahafina Forest is only 50 km away from the Mantadia National Park in eastern Madagascar, which contains a different and much smaller species, the Goodman's mouse lemur," researcher Ute Radespiel said in a release Saturday.
The Gerp mouse lemur -- named in honour of the Malagasy research group GERP (Groupe d'Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar) -- has a body mass of 68g.
The discovery has been published in the journal Primates.


text:
Thanksgiving Day 2nd Naming
Looks like the forecastle is going to take longer than a week to finish so I probably won't do my usual build update on Sunday. But there's something I certainly didn't want to miss...
2nd Naming. Wish I had done this on Veteran's Day, but we'll instead call it a "Thank you for your service" Thanksgiving naming in honor of our resident paratrooper and former captain of the HMS Surprise: Able seaman "Geronimo" Ray. Ray is rumored to have been a harpooner on a whaling ship out of Nantucket before signing on with the Theresa Marie.
Seriously, thank you Ray and all the veterans who have chosen to serve our country. Three cheers.
here is something to watch while you are waiting for the glue to dry.
hope you don't mind. if you hate it I will delete it from here to help keep your build clean. this just has some of the best sea shots I have ever seen and this song is over the top. I hope you watch it once before I delete it.
Week 14: Forecastle rail
Forecastle rail. The plan is to make the forecastle out of two parts: a permanent railing and a semi-removable deck. We'll see if this proves plausible or not.
The forecastle rails were made by wood-gluing three 1/16 inch basswood sheets together (clamped along the bow to get the right curve). This layering technique makes a surprisingly stout structure. I took an extra bulwark piece from my Beagle build and smacked it hard on various surfaces to confirm this.
Next I inserted four pins into the bottom of each piece and epoxied them flush with the hull. Then I made an extension of the flat front of the bow and, after some fun Dremel work, glued it between the rails with an opening at the bottom for the bowsprit.
Finally, I glued on a 3/16 inch poplar dowel for the forecastle's handrail. Not a perfect job, but we'll call it good enough for fun.
Next to be done: forecastle deck with planking, knightheads, timber heads and swivel gun mounts.
3rd Naming. Time for a little shout out to my nieces. Introducing Powder Monkey Anna (left) and Cabin Girl Sara (right) . Wonder if I should make a pair of tiny life preservers just in case.
Question. Well, more a brainstorm request. I'm thinking my swivel guns will at some point get struck, so should probably be made somehow flexible. My plan was to mount the first four on posts sitting behind my forecastle rail, two on each side. Any brainstorming ideas of how to make this somehow flexible to resist an impact?
Last edited by Jpop Andrew; Dec 08, 2012 at 05:58 PM.
make the metal post or the wood post out of a small spring.....
As I finish up my forecastle build update I thought I'd share a new term I've come up with. After reading all the dire warnings by our veteran captains about the need to pin everything to the ship, here is how I mentally envision how secure everything must be:
Bump & Bucket Rule. A structure on a large model sailing ship must be able to withstand a bucket of water hurled at it again and again, while also getting bumped by something solid.
Week 16: Forecastle
Knightheads and timberheads. These were a bit painstaking to make. I used my trusty X-acto knife to cut a grove all the way around the wooden blocks, then slowly chiseled the sides down at an angle to the grove.
Next I screwed in some eyebolts into the sides of the four timberheads so they can do double duty by securing the bow chasers' gun tackle. In order to have enough space for my swivel gun positions I also omitted one timberhead per side.
These were all pinned and epoxied onto the fiberglass lip while also wood-gluing them to the inside of the forecastle rail. This should provide some additional structural support for the forecastle (that I'm sure will eventually crash into something).
Meanwhile I received my 38mm long cannons from Model Expo to make the one-pounder swivel guns: ten of them. Haven't quite decided how to make or attach the handle extension or how to mount it to the future swivel gun posts. I plan to have two on each side of the forecastle rails and three more spaced along each main rail.
Forecastle deck. The deck piece was made from 1/8 inch birch plywood and planked with 10mm basswood strips. I painted the edges of the planks black to try to get a little more highlight before gluing. The removable deck will sit flush with the lip and be secured by some yet-to-be-finalized screw with removable clasp.
I'm debating making either a stack of cannon balls or a square shot rack to sit between the two bow chasers. Btw, who knows the controversy over the phrase "freezing the balls off a brass monkey"?
Last edited by Jpop Andrew; Dec 15, 2012 at 09:23 AM.
IHmm, I know the story about freezing temperatures affecting metals differently and the steel balls and brass canon ball holder. But I did not know that there was controversy about that. Guess ill wait for your answer before searching it on net.
Fyi, I voted for your posts here but I am guessing we need a few more to vote before it will show the stars.
Week 17: Swivel guns
Swivel guns. These took some time to finish. Getting the ten 38mm long cannons from Model Expo to simulate one-pounder swivel guns was easy, if a little expensive at $3 each. The challenge was how to make and attach the handle and mounting structures that could survive the "bump & bucket rule": having a bucket of water hurled at it again and again, while also getting bumped by something solid.
I ended up using the wooden wheels the cannons came with for the side mounting pieces. A thick "cut tack" was then epoxied directly to the underside of the cannons to make the mounting base, which was sunk into a solid 1/4 inch oak dowel for the posts. After some experimenting and researching I decided to omit adding a handle for now, since I kind of like the way it looks as is.
The oak posts were then pinned and epoxied to the fiberglass lip while also being wood-glued to the inside of the rail. At some point I might also attach a thread between the cannon and deck as a backup in case the gun does get knocked off.
Eventually I'll add the other six swivels along the sides, probably on short posts directly on the main rail.
Week 19: Poop deck
Raising the poop deck. The sides and transom pieces were made by gluing together four 1/16 inch basswood sheets, clamped along the ship to get the right curves. These were pinned and epoxied to the fiberglass lip. Basswood strips were then bent and shaped onto the tops to form the planking outline for the deck.
I think the plan is to use pinned oak dowels to reinforce the structure from the back and provide a base for the removable deck to sit on. If there's enough room I might end up adding a curved top piece to the transom to restore the original elegant shape.
Poop decking. The actual poop deck was made from 1/8 inch birch plywood and planked with 10mm basswood strips. Like the forecastle, I painted the sides of the planks black to give a little more highlight.
The poop deck ended up being 8 3/4 inches long. I haven't decided if I'm going to place the front wall directly under the edge and cover the #10 gun port, or set it back an inch or two to create an overhang like the HMS Beagle had. Ah the fun of building before all plans are made.
Progress update. Now that it's been over six months since I ordered my brig kit and almost 20 weeks of build updates I guess now is a good time for pause to see how far the Theresa Marie has come.
My initial fast build rate has taken a six or seven week detour to add a larger forecastle, poop deck and some swivel guns. A few more weeks and I should be ready to get back to the spec build. ETA for first sail is still hopefully spring or summer of 2013.
Who has extra cannons?
Question. Did anyone who made their own cannons keep the supplied ones from the kit? The Theresa Marie is going to need 22 and the kit only comes with 18.
As for extra guns. I do not know for sure. When I bought Surprise I got a lot of box's with it of stuff. I have not looked inside a few of them. I will make the effort to see if it contains any guns. The model is using one side of guns from the kit now and I really have not looked at them to see what was used or how many. I'll let you know. To be clear, I do knot know if Surprise has the same or different guns from yours. Can you answer if the hull is the same for all three kits?
Last edited by Pond Sailer; Jan 07, 2013 at 06:14 PM.
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My day was spent running up and down the Croisette from hotel to hotel to attend press junkets with the cast and crew of "Lawless" (Tom Hardy, Guy Pearce, Mia Wasikowska, Dane DeHaan, writer Nick Cave and director John Hillcoat) and an interview with lead actor of Brandon Cronenberg's "Antiviral," Caleb Landry Jones.
While waiting in Hotel Martinez lobby, where Eve Mendez and Jessica Chastain have been regularly spotted, I overheard a British gentleman sitting down to plan his red carpet evening with some public relations representatives. As she explained to him how the limo, red carpet, and after party would work, I came to this conclusion: Unless you have a movie here, only come to Cannes when you are young and attractive or old and wealthy.
This man was paying thousands of euros for one night of walking the red carpet and partying with a few celebrities, while I managed to have my second night on the red steps by holding up a sign asking for a free invitation.
I managed to score a ticket to the official screening of the in-competition "Jageten" by Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg. The story is a cautionary tale reminiscent of "The Crucible," where a lie spreads and creates mass hysteria. In this case, the falsehood is that Lucas, played by Mads Mikkelsen, has sexually abused the child of his best friend at the kindergarten, where he works. Soon, all the children are convinced that he has hurt them too.
After being found innocent and the eventual rekindling of his friendship with the town's men, he still deals with the stigma.
At the press conference, Vinterberg discussed the ideas behind the movie.
"We carried out an enormous amount of research before shooting the film," he said. "We were inspired by a number of cases of sexual abuse that appeared in the press. In Denmark, we have a saying that only children and drunks always speak the truth. This is false. Many doors are opened in this film. We leave the choice to the viewer."
Other big events at the festival yesterday included the premiere of French director Sylvie Verheyde's "Confession of a Child of the Century," starring Pete Doherty of the Libertines and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Doherty, known for his bad boy antics, showed up to an interview with the TV show "Le Grand Journal" with a bottle of whiskey, much to the delight of fans lining up to see him.
The movie, which is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Alfred de Musset, tells the story of a 19th century man who falls into despair and debauchery before falling passionately in love with an older woman.
Some have claimed that the character is Doherty, only a few centuries earlier, but Verheyde made it clear that the character was not based on him.
Despite the nasty weather, the stars continue to arrive, so keep up with all the (currently soggy) fun at the Cannes Film Festival by checking out my daily reports on BackStage.com, and follow @BackStageCast on Twitter for live updates.


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Moonlight ~P~
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- 4.45 / 5.00
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Rated 5 / 5 stars
I absolutely love the harmony of this song, how it mixes perfectly the orchestral sounds of flute and piano to the typical Electro music kick (correct me if it's not a kick). It gives the sensation of being under a starry sky looking at the moon. Absolutely awesome!
Rated 5 / 5 stars
By FAR your best work, Phyrnna. People usually tend to stay near the EBF music, but I listened to this and was very touched. Very simple, but very nice. It proves that there is no limit to the power of music. You deserve a more popular status, much better than your current one. I thank you very much for making such nice and soothing songs, and the other ones as well. Thank you, Phyrnna.
You are very welcome~! <3
Rated 5 / 5 stars
One word :E-P-I-C
Rated 5 / 5 stars
I think it's really cool how you have a bunch of styles of music. A bunch of other musicians only have one still while you do a bunch.
About the song:
I think it's great! The flute melody that came in at about ):23 was very simple and eloquent. I liked the harmony that came in at about 0:45 or so. I liked how the melody and harmony kind of 'joined together' afterwards, and then every thing just faded away until just the piano remained (kind of).
Great song!
Rated 5 / 5 stars
i've litsened to songs of other artists, many that i liked, and many of yours as well, and all i could say is that no one beats you at mixing orchestral and electronic


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Awhile back I wrote about the a surge of interest in bro-chet (boys crochet groups). I wondered at the time if the interest would stick or if it was going to be a quick-fading fad. Recent news reports indicate that teen boys are still interested in crocheting, especially if they can crochet for a good cause.
Children's Home of Reading
Jason Brudereck recently wrote about a woman named Debra Nguyen who is teaching teen boys at the Children's Home of Reading how to crochet for a cause. Children's Home of Reading is for people with mental health and behavioral challenges. She taught eight of the boys there how to crochet although she was surprised to find that several of them had actually already been exposed to crocheting in the past. This makes perfect sense to me because I think that crochet has terrific mental health benefits but it's still a little surprising to hear (surprising in a good way)!
The class that Nguyen was teaching ended but the boys kept up with the crochet by forming a crochet club at the home. The boys work together on a weekly basis to crochet blankets that then go to the residents of ManorCare Health Services. This allows them to create something and give back to others at the same time – a great lesson for all teenage boys (and all of us, really) to learn for sure!
Tommie Kunst Junior High School's Project Linus
Another article I read recently by Jennifer Best was about how one junior high school is participating in Project Linus, a popular crochet-for-a-cause option. The group working on the project includes students, staff and community members including Mario Soto, an eight grade boy who doesn't care what anyone thinks about him choosing to spend his time crocheting because it benefits him while it benefits others.
Do you know of any other groups where teen guys are participating in crochet for a cause?


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2008 Vans Downtown Showdown
Watch the Webcast and Win the Ultimate Vans Prize Pack!
Watch the live webcast of the Vans Downtown Showdown this Saturday October 11 for your chance to score some great prizes!
We're giving away a custom Downtown Showdown Epiphone Les Paul Jr guitar signed by the competitors, plus a killer prize pack that will outfit you in head-to-toe Vans gear. Just complete the entry form, cross your fingers and tune in to vans.com to see if your name is called on air as the winner. The last day to enter is Friday, October 10 so be sure to visit vans.com/showdown today!
More on the Vans Downtown Showdown:
Join Vans on Saturday, October 11 to see skateboarding's top pros and ams shred for their chance at $85,000, as the 4th Annual Downtown Showdown invades Paramount Studios' Back Lot. We invited top skateboard companies and their riders to submit designs for one of four custom obstacles that were chosen and built as part of the Showdown course.
Those that can't make it to this year's Showdown can catch all the action at vans.com, including a live webcast of the entire event, plus plenty of photos and up-dates. The Downtown Showdown will also air on January 19, 2009 at 8:00 pm EST/PST on FUEL action sports network.
Who: The top teams in skateboarding including Deathwish, Foundation, Toy Machine, Girl, Real, Element, Habitat, Creature, Black Label and Blind.
What: Each team will session four unique, custom-made obstacles in a round-robin format with awards going out for top team, best pro, top am and best performance by obstacle.
When: Saturday, October 11 at 5 pm (doors open at 4 pm)
Where: Paramount Studios Back Lot
Prize Purse: $85,000 in cash and prizes for individual and team winners
The Vans Downtown Showdown is made possible by the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Scion, Epiphone and Skateboard.com.
For updates, check out vans.com/showdown


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Israel Presents: How to Politicize the Holocaust
Israel should be the one place where the memory of the millions of Jews slaughtered in the Holocaust is respected and not exploited by false analogies that frighten and coerce.
You would think that if anyone on earth didn't need help understanding the Holocaust, it would be Israel's leaders.
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I get the following message when i access:
This webpage has a redirect loop
The webpage at http://zeemaxventure.com/wp-admin/ has resulted in too many redirects. Clearing your cookies for this site or allowing third-party cookies may fix the problem. If not, it is possibly a server configuration issue and not a problem with your computer.
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Reload this webpage later.
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Error 310 (net::ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS): There were too many redirects.
front end of the website is in working state, i tried to access the back-end using this url:
first it redirects to the same error page, bt when i accessed the front-end it was logged in.
Now the problem is im logged-in as admin but all the back-end pages (dashboard, edit page, etc etc) are showing error 404
The site was functioning well, and as far as i remember i didnt made any change in the template since 1 month.
Kindly help me solve this issue, its urgent, i have to update my client
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The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration is checking to see if some folks would like to own a space shuttle. I IM'd Mrs. Sixty sitting next to me about owning one and am awaiting her reply. The "buy it now" price is $48 million, including shipping and handling.
This is the first time NASA is asking to be paid for retired flight junk. But times are tough. The shuttles will be delivered intact, but stripped, so delivery is by 747 piggyback. Main engines are not included, so the photos here are only representative samples and may vary from actual delivery. The price quotes are subject to availability and strictly limited to quantities on hand at time of sale. Any prior utterances are null and void. Kim Jung-il need not apply.
Update: Mrs. Sixty said OK. If I live in it. And it is operable.
Selling Retired Space Shuttles
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Giant Spaceships for Kids
Custom Replica Space Suits
Solar-Powered Satellites
Beer Made in Space
Organic Vegan Vitamins


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Sep. 2, 2007
Adequate Love
Listen (RealAudio) | How to listen
Poem: "Adequate Love" by Jerry Roscoe, from The Unexamined Life. © Custom Words, 2007. Reprinted with permission. (buy now)
Adequate Love
My son cries
Until I zip him into the denim pouch
That ties around my back like an apron.
Inside, with only his dreams,
He can believe life is still perfect.
But as I work, his forehead knocks against
My breastbone, reminding him this world
Is hard. All we have
Is the musculature of words
To protect the notion.
His eyes open on
Warmed, reconstituted powdered formula,
A plastic pacifier, adequate love
To wean him away from heaven.
Literary and Historical Notes:
It was on this day in 1945 that Japan formally surrendered to the United States, marking the end of World War II. It was a gray, overcast day. The surrender took place on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, the sunken wrecks of Japanese ships all around the harbor, left over from American bombings.
General MacArthur came aboard at 9:00. A few minutes later, the Japanese contingent arrived. The Japanese foreign minister walked slowly, wearing a frock coat and top hat. When he had taken his place, a naval chaplain delivered an invocation and a recording of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was played.
The witnesses said that General MacArthur was in a terrible mood. He barely looked at the Japanese and seemed impatient to get the whole thing over with. The whole signing ceremony took about 10 minutes, and most of it was carried out in silence. When it was over, MacArthur said, "Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always. These proceedings are now closed." And with that, he walked off the ship, without having ever formally acknowledging the Japanese men who'd just surrendered to him. The Japanese were then escorted from the ship. In less than half an hour, the bloodiest war in history had come to an end.
It's the birthday of Austrian novelist and journalist Joseph Roth, (books by this author) born in Brody, Ukraine (1894). He started out as a journalist just after the end of the First World War, and he covered the riots and assassinations and political uprisings that went on all over Europe during the 1920s and '30s. He wrote his novels in between newspaper deadlines, while sitting at café counters. But despite his time constraints, he managed to produce 16 novels in 16 years.
His only successful novel in his lifetime was Job (1930), a modern retelling of the biblical story. It was translated into English and became a Book-of-the-Month-Club selection. Roth was inspired by his small success to try writing a big ambitious book, and the result was his masterpiece, The Radetsky March (1932), a historical novel about the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The book had just come out when Hitler came to power in Germany, and Roth had to flee the country. As a result, he lost his publishers, his newspaper employers, and his readers.
Roth spent his last years in Paris, living in poverty and suffering from alcoholism. When he died in 1939, he was largely unknown as a writer. The Nazis had done their best to get rid of all of his books. Since he had lived on the road, he hadn't kept manuscripts or papers with him, so it took a team of friends to track down all of his writings. They even went through old copies of newspapers to find all the articles he'd written and published them in collected volumes. It's only been in the last few years that all of his work has been translated into English, and he's now considered one of the greatest European writers of the mid-20th century. A translation of The Collected Stories of Joseph Roth came out in 2002.
On this day in 1946 Eugene O'Neill's play The Iceman Cometh opened on Broadway. It's the story of a group of drinkers at bar called Harry Hope's Saloon who are waiting for the arrival of their friend Hickey, the salesman. But when he shows up, Hickey's sober, and he tries to persuade everybody at the bar to stop living on whiskey and pipedreams and start being real. It got great reviews, though some critics complained that it was a little too long at more than four hours. It only ran for only 136 performances. It was the last of O'Neill's plays to be produced in his lifetime.
Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®


text: (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) [ First Lady Assuming She Is More Popular Than Prez By John McKay April 11, 2012 Now, before you gasp, consider her remark was in reference to an appearance on TV. Read More Category: Politics Tags: i-carly, michelle obama, michelle obama television, nickelodeon Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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To a large degree, when asked about their thoughts on police accountability, mayoral candidates Jefferson Smith and Charlie Hales have sounded the right notes about the Portland Police Bureau's ongoing work to improve the way it deals with Portlanders suffering from mental illness (as in: no longer shooting, punching, or Tasering them) while deferring to what had been an ongoing federal investigation when pressed on specifics.
And, well... the feds finally issued their findings today, declaring that, yes, our cops use excessive force often enough that it violates constitutional protections—while also ordering up a series of supervisory, training, and policy changes that the city has all but accepted.
Not long after, Smith, and then Hales, submitted lengthy statements that welcomed the findings. Neither is completely detailed, but they're worth reading. How each candidate approaches these reforms should be an important barometer for deciding who'll be best on police accountability issues. Because even though the plan for fixing the police bureau will be signed by our current mayor, it's the next mayor (and whoever that mayor chooses as police chief, if either decides to usher Mike Reese into retirement) who'll actually be in charge of making sure those fixes get done.
Read Hales' statement before the cut, and Smith's after. And come to our Mayoral Inquisition this Tuesday for more on this subject.
Excessive use of force is not acceptable. Ever. Police officers are not mental health providers and should not be the first line of defense for mental health related crises. We should be clear that the failure of the legislature of adequately fund mental health is a contributing cause to this problem. We need more wrap around services to support our mentally ill population.
Today's report underscores that we need to focus our police bureau on true community policing - prevention, relationship building in neighborhoods, and training in de-escalation. When a community knows the officers assigned to their neighborhood by name and sees them on a regular basis, it will help to make the use of force the exception, not the standard.
As Mayor I will return our city to true community policing practices and I will work with all partners at the local level to provide more services for our mentally ill citizens. I will lobby Salem for increased mental health services funding for our local providers and CCOs as well as advocate for greater Medicaid match. And I will work to increase police accountability, including ending the "48 hour rule" that prevents getting the facts from police officers involved in brutality or shootings until two days after the incident.
And here's Smith's:
For years, our city has been wrestling with how to do public safety smarter as resources shrink and we ask our public servants to do more with less. Today the Justice Department publicly shared its finding that the Portland Police Bureau engaged in "a pattern or practice" of excessive use of force, in cases involving people with mental illness.
I have had preliminary conversations with law enforcement officials and am still working through the 42-page report. We will take the report in the serious manner it was drafted. The Department of Justice deserves commendation for a thorough and thoughtful review, for recognizing that systemic problems require systemic solutions, for acknowledging the tremendously hard job and important work of our men and women in the police force, and for offering that their "findings take place in the backdrop of a mental health infrastructure that has a number of key deficiencies [and] insufficient options for adequate community based mental health services".
I applaud the City and Chief Reese for their focus on swift action to address the recommendations. I am encouraged by the action items in the Statement of Intent, with its renewed focus on root causes and community-oriented public safety. Becoming a national model for mental health crisis response is a worthy, ambitious, and achievable goal.
With the dissolution of the mental health safety net, new realities require us to better treat and tend to our people with mental illness. The findings also offer us an opportunity to bring the Portland Police Bureau to the leading edge of community-oriented public safety:
To start, we will expand our mobile crisis units so that they can in fact respond to crisis calls, and work with the county to improve crisis options.
We will work to bring the bureau to the cutting edge of training and response, and we have no time to waste. We must use the opportunity of the new training center to improve training practices.
As the DOJ recognized, we also clearly must build greater trust between police and the community, particularly our communities of color.
We'll work to put more eyes on the street so officers can better interact with the communities they serve.
We also need to acknowledge that implementing these recommendations will take real financial investment, which means the need for partnerships (one example being explored is the potential for more reimbursement through mental health partners like Cascadia) and facing tough choices with respect to revenue and services.
In our administration, we will work to address our public safety problems early, constantly, and at the root causes so the Department of Justice does not need to step in again. We need to bring a range of voices around the table with an eye toward solving problems.


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A bizarre expression sprang up in my mind: "verbal emetic". Indeed, it fairly erupted into my thoughts, threatening expulsion of my breakfast cereal. I'd just read that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, had declared his disgust at the Starbucks coffee chain for failing in its "moral duty" to pay business taxes in the UK. He is so upset by this iniquity he has decided to boycott the firm.
Accustomed as I am to endemic hypocrisy among politicians, I was nevertheless stunned by this shameless posturing.
This is, as I recall, the same Mr Alexander who gained £37,000 in parliamentary expenses by listing his London flat as his second home. However, he declared the same flat to HMRC as his main residence in order to avoid capital gains tax when he sold it. All legal and above board, as you would expect an MP's behaviour to be. It's still tax avoidance, though, so surely immoral?
But the same legality applies to the tax avoidance measures employed by Starbucks, Amazon and Google, which also have a proper duty to maximise profit for their shareholders.
If politicians are too lazy or inept to arrange effective legislation, they can't blame anyone for taking advantage of the resulting situation.
Robert Dow
Ormiston Road
Tranent, East Lothian


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Bernard Pollard DB FA 3 years ago
Pollard (Achilles') will be released by the Titans, Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean reports.
Pollard, who was limited to five games last season due to an Achilles' injury, will thus look to catch on elsewhere once his health is re-established.
Bernard Pollard DB FA 3 years ago
Pollard will miss the rest of the season after rupturing his Achilles on Sunday, wkrn.com reports.
Pollard, who has racked up 27 tackles in five games out of the gate, can thus be dropped in IDP formats, with George Wilson a candidate to see added opportunities in the Titans' defense in the absence of Pollard.
Bernard Pollard DB FA 3 years ago
Pollard may have sustained an Achilles' injury Sunday against the Browns, Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean reports.
In any case, Pollard left the Titans' locker room on crutches Sunday, which suggests that he's going to miss some time.
Bernard Pollard DB FA 3 years ago
Pollard led the Titans with 11 total tackles and had one sack in a loss to the Cowboys on Sunday.
Pollard was Tennessee's leading tackler (99) last season and has already recorded 16 tackles through the team's first two games this season. The 29-year-old safety should continue to be a reliable IDP option in new defensive coordinator Ray Horton's aggressive 3-4 scheme.
Bernard Pollard DB FA 4 years ago
Titans re-signed SS Bernard Pollard to a multi-year contract.
Pollard broke the news on his Twitter account. Aside from the fact that it's a multi-year deal, terms are unavailable. One of the league's hardest hitters, Pollard is coming off a typical season, racking up 99 tackles, three interceptions and 0.5 sacks. Pollard isn't much of a center fielder, but sets the tone against the run. The Titans liked the "edge" he provided in 2013. Pollard turns 30 in December. He's been with four teams in his eight-year career.
Bernard Pollard DB FA 4 years ago
The Nashville Tennessean reports the Titans are "in talks" with free agent SS Bernard Pollard.
Pollard is on the record as wanting to return to Tennessee. Pollard has made a habit of wearing out his welcome, but is coming off a strong season as an every-down player. As usual, he excelled against the run, racking up 99 tackles. He also notched three picks, grading out as the No. 21 safety in Pro Football Focus' ratings. The hard-hitter turned 29 in December.
Bernard Pollard DB FA 4 years ago
Impending free agent SS Bernard Pollard expressed a desire to return to the Titans.
"I do want to come back, but some things have to be done right for me to be here," Pollard said. What he's referring to is unclear, but Pollard did voice support for coach Mike Munchak. Pollard, 29, signed a one-year deal with Tennessee and has registered a career-high 134 tackles in 2013. He's been solid against the run, as usual, and is a top-18 safety at Pro Football Focus.
Bernard Pollard DB FA 5 years ago
The Nashville Tennessean expects the Titans to start Bernard Pollard over George Wilson at strong safety.
Wilson is the better all-around safety, but the Titans want more physicality at the box-safety position across from finesse FS Michael Griffin. DC Jerry Gray has left open the possibility of three-safety sets, which is not an abnormal NFL defensive look. It's one way to match up with offenses' two-tight end packages.
Bernard Pollard DB FA 5 years ago
Titans signed SS Bernard Pollard to a one-year contract.
Pollard is one of the most fearsome head-hunters in the league, but there's a reason he's on his fourth team in seven years. Previous reports stated the 28-year-old is a problem in the locker room and nearly staged a mutiny in Baltimore last year. He also struggles mightily in coverage, where ProFootballFocus ranked him 68th among 85 qualifying safeties. Pollard will give the Titans some toughness as he steps in ahead of George Wilson, but there's more name than game here.
Bernard Pollard DB FA 5 years ago
Free agent SS Bernard Pollard visited the Titans on Saturday.
After the Titans had one of the leakiest secondaries in the league last season, they're eyeing plenty of help. Although, Michael Griffin and George Wilson are already under contract, Tennessee wants more depth. If Pollard were to sign, Wilson would likely become the No. 3 safety.


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Brink wins Democratic Party chair
Lubbock County Democrats chose a woman who's been a leader of the local party for the past decade as their next chairman.
Pamela Brink, 63, beat Lubbock lawyer Charles Dunn, who said the party needed to break ties with past leadership.
Brink had 56 percent of the vote with 77 of 91 precincts reporting late Tuesday evening.
Party mainstays are familiar with Brink. who is a charter member of the Texas Democratic Woman. She also was president of the West Texas Association of Democrats from 2000-06 and served on the party's executive committee in Lubbock County for five years.
Dunn is a local attorney who has had little association with the party in the past, besides his lost bid for chairman in 2005.
Brink inherits a county party that, at least at the polls, is larger than it's been since the mid-1980s. This election was the first time Democrats outdrew Republicans in a Lubbock County primary in 24 years.
"My first plan is to take advantage of these new numbers of Democrats and try to put them to work to grow this party," Brink said.
Runoff to decide GOP party chairmanship
Cotton farmer Chris Winn and attorney Bill Franklin will face off again in April for the Lubbock County Republican Party chair.
No candidate took more than 50 percent of the vote, triggering a runoff that will begin with early voting on March 31.
Winn, with 49 percent of the vote, narrowly missed winning outright. Franklin took 32 percent and Shallowater resident Clif Burnett 19 percent.
Winn could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening. Franklin said he looked forward to the next contest and felt he could close the gap.
"We're looking forward to running hard," Franklin said.
County chairs maintain the party's voter registration and donor lists, recruit and manage its precinct chairs and attract new, local voters. Lubbock's chair also mans the party's headquarters on Main Street.
Early voting run March 31 to April 4, with the election day on April 8.
Hanna wins Republican constable nomination
Voters called for a fresh face in the constable's office.
Paul Hanna, 31, won the Republican Party nomination in the Precinct 1 Lubbock County constable race.
He beat incumbent Ken Mull, 50.
"I'm very thankful the voters have chosen to give me a chance to serve their precinct and I will give my 100 percent to the precinct and the voters," Hanna said.
About 57 percent of voters picked him, late Tuesday tallies showed.
There are no other candidates for the office, and Hanna is virtually assured the position.
Hanna is currently a sergeant with the Petersburg Police Department in southwest Hale County.
Mull could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Keister wins Republican Tax Assessor nomination
Ronnie Keister likely will be the next Lubbock County Tax Assessor-Collector.
About 67 percent of voters cast their ballot for the 33-year-old Republican candidate, according to late vote tallies.
He beat Veronica Lujan, who received 9 percent of the vote and Molly Ramos, who garnered 23 percent.
More than 18,000 residents voted in the tax assessor collector's race.
Keister will run uncontested in the November election as no Democrats ran for the office in Tuesday's primary election.
"I'm looking forward to getting into the office and seeing how we can make things better," he said, celebrating with family and friends at the 50th Street Caboose Restaurant late Tuesday.
Tuesday night, he thanked Lubbock residents for having confidence in him.
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text:
He was a Top Ten pick in the US for over a century, and the #1 name for fifteen years.READ MORE >>
Sunday Summary: 1/23/10
Have you ever been someplace where you were supposed to be thinking about something entirely different, but your mind wandered and you found yourself pondering names instead? Please tell me I'm not the only one. I was at a memorial service for a lovely man on Saturday, a man whose life was jam-packed with adventure […]READ MORE >>
Baby Name of the Day: Mozelle
At first glance, she's Southern-fried, nearly Hee Haw.READ MORE >>
Sunday Summary: 8/23/09
What have I been doing with my life? Because until a few days ago, I was not on FaceBook. Clearly, I need to rethink my priorities. Within minutes of joining, I'd discovered that an old friend is now the proud parent of two wonderfully named daughters – Esme and Eleni. Elsewhere online: Jen of Blissfully […]READ MORE >>
Sunday Summary: 7/26/09
First, an update – if you haven't checked back on the poll results for Which Cora Boy Name is Your Favorite? , I'll spare you the mouse click. Thatcher has it, hands down, with 73% of the vote. Nash comes in second, with 17%. Most surprising, IMHO, Caje and Zoran both picked up 5% each. […]READ MORE >>
Sunday Summary: 6/7/2009
The big news this week was, of course, the new addition toREAD MORE >>


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2012 Stamp/Scrap On A Budget
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Glitter Queen
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Hamilton, New Zealand
Posts: 24
Well have still managed to not spend anything so far this month. Hasn't stopped me searching the internet for things though. I think that has to be my biggest down fall is being able to look at all the pretty & cool stuff out there but really it doesn't mean i have to have it right?
i managed to make two cards in the weekend one for my s-i-l birthday on the 22 nd of this month & my nephew's 4 b'day coming up on 1 st of Feb. Now tell me how long does it take for you guys to make a card i seem to take about half a day (admittedly i didn't mind that for my sister-in-laws card as it was quite involved etc) but my nephews was quite simple yet took nearly as long. No wonder i don't get many made lol. As for scrapbook pages man that takes me waaaay to long.
I hope your all having a good day. Keep up the good work on your budgets and weight challenges.
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