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Ash's hat
Ash's hat (Japanese: サトシのぼうし Satoshi's hat) is the most important and famous item of clothing that Ash Ketchum is seldom seen without. Throughout the Pokémon anime, Ash has worn four different hats so far, one for each of the four different series.
Pokémon League Expo hat
Ash's first hat was easily the most well-known of them: an official Pokémon League Expo hat that was red and white with a green, stylized "L" on the front, which Ash claimed to have "sent in about a million postcards" in order to obtain. Misty seems to have tried to win it as well, as she stated she sent in a postcard. Ash wore this hat during his journey through Kanto, the Orange Archipelago, and Johto, and was very attached to it, becoming enraged when a Mankey stole it and played keep-away with it in Primeape Goes Bananas.
Commonly, Ash would turn the cap backwards, particularly when he was concentrating heavily, such as when he would face a Trainer or capture a Pokémon. This was very much the case early in his journey in Kanto, though by the time his journey in Johto ended, he hardly ever turned his cap.
Advanced Generation hat
After returning from Johto, Ash was given a change of clothes by his mother, and he immediately changed into them, including switching his old hat for a new black-and-red one which had a green Poké Ball symbol on it. He seemed to have no hesitation in changing hats, despite the attraction shown in Primeape Goes Bananas. It is assumed that he left the old hat at his home in Pallet Town, where it may still be.
Like the first one, his second hat was also stolen by a monkey-like Pokémon which Ash later captured, this time an Aipom in Slaking Kong!. In a surprising display of maturity, however, Ash did not climb any trees or scream at Aipom when his hat was stolen. Instead, he actually accepted that it was gone (or so he assumed), saying that he would "feel strange" without it. At the end of the episode, Aipom returned Ash's hat to him. However, Aipom followed Ash and his friends to the Kanto Grand Festival where it stole his hat again. After Ash captured her, Aipom stole Ash's hat multiple more times as the Advanced Generation series ended and the Diamond & Pearl series began.
Ash rarely flipped his hat during the series, only doing so such as when he was dressed as an eggplant in Claydol Big and Tall or when he was cleaning the dojo in Pasta La Vista!. Also in one scene in Gathering the Gang of Four his hat seems to be flipped briefly. He also flipped his hat in the climax of the ninth Pokémon movie.
Diamond & Pearl hat
Ash had received his DP hat in a package from his mother while in the Sinnoh region. Though his clothes changed quite a bit between their Advanced Generation and Diamond & Pearl iterations, his hat remained similar; though while the AG hat had a green Poké Ball symbol, the DP one was blue. The DP hat also has a larger and square black area around the Poké Ball, while the black area in the AG series was spherical.
Ash flipped this hat just once in the whole series, in his battle against Tobias in The Semi-Final Frontier!. He did, however, do so briefly in the thirteenth Pokémon movie.
Best Wishes hat
In the Best Wishes series, Ash wears a red-and-light-blue hat. Unlike of the hats seen during the Advanced Generation and Diamond & Pearl series, this hat bears more of a resemblance to the one seen in the original series, but the front is light blue with no line running down the middle, and the logo is a blue Poké Ball design instead of a stylized "L".
In Dancing With the Ducklett Trio!, Ash's hat was stolen for the third time, this time by a trio of Ducklett.
During this series, Ash flips his hat more often, similar to the original series of the anime.
In the games
- In Hey You, Pikachu!, the original hat, along with the rest of the outfit, can be seen hanging on a coat rack in the player's bedroom. Pikachu uses the hat in "The Piñata Game" to cover his eyes.
Real world
All of Ash's hats have been produced for people to wear. Ash's Advanced Generation hat was available to purchase at PokémonCenter.com before it shut down. His hats can be found at numerous stores (including the Pokémon Centers in Japan) and on online auction sites such as eBay.
See also
- List of clothing in the anime
- Pokémon clothing for more Pokémon clothing and hats available in the real world
|This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.


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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4 review
Recently I have upgraded my TZ1 to the TZ4 (Great value at the time of purchase). I was extremely pleased with the TZ1 once I got to know the camera limitations. However, I decided to upgrade the camera mainly for the wide angle lens of the TZ4 and reported better high ISO quality.
Like the TZ1 this camera has it's own limitations largely due to noise in low light situations. However, there is a noticeable quality improvement between the photographs of the TZ4 and the TZ1. I love the 28-280mm lens, it's every thing and more than I expected. One thing that I missed before buying this camera is that the camera lens is less bright then the TZ1 f3.3 versus f2.8.
Photographs in bright light are excellent. I was not pleased with my first few attempts in low light and high ISO. Noise was very noticeable. However this was an area that the TZ1 also failed to impress (awful smugging of detail by the TZ1). I have limited ISO to 400. Also the Imagine stabilization in the lens gives approximately a 3 stop advantage in low light. Therefore while noise can be an issue you should still be able to get some good shots in indoor conditions.
iA seems to work very well and give good results in most situations. Focus, metering etc are well managed. Correct focus lock is an area that has improved since the TZ1. In the TZ1 I ended up using center focus lock constantly. White Balance auto sets are poor under artificial light conditions but it can be adjusted by the user. Personally I like the e-zoom button. It is seldom that I require any more than the 10x optical zoom but in the few cases the 3MPixel 15.9x option is sufficient for good quality small prints. The construction quality of the camera is excellent. The microphone for movie mode is badly positioned though. I have covered it with my fingers several times already.
Movie mode is of a similar quality to the TZ1 (One of the best of it time) after the firmware was upgraded to v1.2. I burn videos onto DVD so the HD of the TZ5 or the TZ7 would be wasted on me. While I like having short movie clips, still photography is the main propose of having this camera.
Now for what I really think of it. This is an amazing camera for the size, optical zoom range, price. It is ideal as a travel camera or an all round family camera. You should look else where if low light photography is your thing.
See above
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|Mar 5, 2009

subset: commoncrawl


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With over two years in the making, we are excited to finally offer a preview of the upcoming Auria Pro DAW for iPad. New features include full MIDI capabilities, real-time audio warping, powerful audio routing, two built-in synths, and much more. Auria Pro retains the same extensive feature set from previous versions including channel strips from PSPaudioware, 64-bit mix engine, AAF import/export, optional plug-ins from FabFilter and more. Auria Pro once again raises the bar in mobile recording. Visit the WaveMachine Labs booth at Winter NAMM to see an in-person preview (booth #6903).
Comprehensive new MIDI capabilities include:
- MIDI sequencing
- Tempo and Time-signature tracks
- Piano roll editor
- Real-time MIDI parameters including quantize, velocity shift, velocity compression, length compression, random, delay, legato and transpose
- Groove template quantizing with built-in DNA grooves (additional grooves available for purchase)
- MIDI processing functions including Transpose, Fixed Length, Velocity Gain, Fixed Velocity, Delete Notes, Delete Controller, Restrict Polyphony, Optimize Controller Data, Humanize, Delete Overlaps, Crescendo, Reverse, Pedal to Length, Velocity Rescale, Velocity Range, Velocity Curve and Compress/Limit
- FabFilter Twin 2 Analog synth built in
- WaveMachine Labs multi-format sampler built in
Other new features include:
- Powerful new audio routing with flexible busses
- Real-time audio warping using Elastique Pro v3
- Audio quantize feature
- Transient slicing
- Audio to MIDI conversion
- Unlimited tracks
- 6 AUX sends
- Project templates
- Updated graphics and overall performance improvements
Auria Pro will be available Spring 2015 and will be priced at $49.99 USD, and existing Auria users will also be able to upgrade to Auria Pro for a reduced price. Pricing for the standard Auria version will be $24.99 USD.
For more information please visit this discussion topic on the Auria Discussion Board.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.


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"He had throat surgery done over the winter; unfortunately, when you bring horses to Florida, they don't like the climate there," Serpe said. "He was probably really happy to get out of there. He started to come to himself when he finished third in the Times Square and were pretty happy with that effort. He's moving forward."Wonderland Breeding bred Chowder's First in New York from the Unbridled mare Stay Loose. The win was the third in eight lifetime starts for Chowder's First, who last win had come in a May 19 state-bred allowance race at Belmont.(Chart, Equibase)
Chowder's First outdueled West Virginia in the stretch of Wednesday's $250,000 restricted New York Stallion Stakes (Cab Calloway Division) at Saratoga Race Course. The 3-year-old son of Let Goodtimes Roll covered the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:50.99. West Virginia was a neck back for second, with Pay Attention a distant 9 1/2-lengths back in third. Trained by Phillip Serpe for Inniscarra Stable, Chowder's First returned $15, $3.80, $2.40, with favored West Virginia paying $2.40 and $2.10. Pay Attention paid $2.20. Wednesday marked the race's debut at Saratoga Race Course. It was previously run at Belmont ParkAfter breaking first, Chowder's First raced up close to early leaders Icicle Charlie and West Virginia, who registered a quarter-mile in :23.94 and a half-mile in :48.51. Icicle Charlie began to tire and gave way after getting three-quarters in 1:13.44, allowing West Virginia to take over and lead the field of eight down the stretch. Chowder's First moved out three wide rounding the turn for home and began a battle with West Virginia down the lane turning the contest into a two-horse race The duo registered a mile in 1:38.34. As the wire approached West Virginia and Chowder's First both dug in gamely with Chowder First pulling away by a neck.


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Asobi Usagi Bento
With this Bento we welcome the classic Japanese symbol of the Usagi, the rabbit to your lunches and meals - cute, elegant and traditional these rabbits are really awesome!
Product Description
Asobi Usagi Bento is a elegant traditional small size bento playing with traditional Japanese aesthetics and patterns. A lavish and generous depiction featuring strong colors, white, green, blue and orange of Rabbits playing in the spring is painted on top of the lid - "asobi" meaning playing and "usagi" rabbit! The depiction evokes feelings of traditional Japanese arts and crafts - stylish!
The box comes in a dark brown hue that thanks to its finish gives of a lacquerware like feeling.
Under the lid you'll find a two layered bento box, with a capacity of 500ml this box is just right for a healthy and hearty lunch! A elastic band to keep your bento together during transport is also included.
With this bento we recommend the matching Asobi Usagi chopsticks set found here to complete the look.
Product Details


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The 2013 SPA Classic will be held this year in Belgium at the Spa-Francorchamps, with Richard Mille being the first official timekeeper of the race. This watch is thus most likely for you European and in particular Belgian race fans out there. The watch is a flyback chronograph with countdown, annual calendar and Richard Mille's variable rotor technology (as I explain here). Its great colors caught my eye. Check out more on the Spa classic car race here.
Richard Mille RM 011 SPA Classic 2013
Limited Edition 50 pieces
SPA Classic Logo on dial


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Obama turns to faith leaders
With his health reform efforts on the ropes, President Barack Obama is courting the religious community with an unabashedly moral message that played little role in the White House's earlier arguments for changing America's health care system.
Speaking on a conference call Wednesday evening with what organizers estimated were 140,000 members of churches and religious groups, Obama also suggested that some critics of his health care proposals were violating the Biblical commandment against lying.
Story Continued Below
"I know there's been a lot of misinformation in this debate and there are some folks out there who are, frankly, bearing false witness," Obama said on the call, which was played out live on the Internet. "I need you to spread the facts and speak the truth."
The president faulted opponents of his proposals for circulating "ludicrous ideas" aimed at frightening the public about the prospect of reform.
"This notion that somehow we are setting up death panels that will decide whether elderly people get to live or die: that is just an extraordinary lie," Obama said emphatically. He said a provision in House legislation that would authorize payment for end-of-life counseling was "entirely voluntary" and would simply put the poor or middle class on par with wealthier Americans.
"It gives you an option that people who can afford fancy lawyers already exercise," the president said.
However, Obama seemed to concede that critics of his efforts had won the upper hand in the public relations battle. He said his opponents have succeeded in raising the fears of elderly Americans that reform to the health insurance system could jeopardize Medicare.
"Many of you have older members of your congregations. They're all now scared to death that somehow we're talking about cutting Medicare benefits," Obama said. "That is, again, simply not true."
In an odd bit of messaging, Obama urged the religious communities, many of which offer outreach and even sanctuary to illegal aliens, not to believe reports that health reform would cover foreigners in the U.S. illegally.
"That's not true. It does not provide health insurance for those individuals," Obama said.
Obama also insisted the plan would not provide government funding for abortion.


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Human Capital and Rural Development: What Are the Linkages?
Rural Canada is experiencing considerable "demographic pressure" as 1.76 rural persons are now looking for a job for each rural person retiring from the workforce. Rural Canada appears disadvantaged. Among OECD countries, Canada has the biggest urban-rural gap in the share of the workforce (aged 25 to 44) with university or college graduation. New jobs in the globalising economy require a high capacity to deal with disequilibria. Improving the human capital of the local workforce is essential to provide opportunities for the individuals in the workforce, regardless of where they will work. However, local economic development strategies should focus on more than human capital development to stimulate local job growth. We offer 4 measures of local community development. Our equations explain only 21 to 34 percent of the variability in these measures of local community development in the 1980s. Contrary to the research findings in the United States, the findings reported in this paper suggest that the human capital complement in Canada's communities did provide a positive (albeit weak) boost to job growth in the locality during the 1980s. Thus, what are the linkages between human capital and rural development? First, the literature suggests human capacity is largely developed by the nutrition and nurturing of children, specifically in the period of minus nine months to plus three years. Secondly, a higher human capacity in a community (as proxied by years of schooling) is weakly associated with a higher growth in community employment but is weakly associated with a lower growth in wages that appears to cause a weak association with lower aggregate community earnings. Investment in nutrition and nurturing of children is a key factor. A higher education level in a community provided only a weak employment boost during the 1980s.
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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Griliches, Zvi, 1997.
"Education, Human Capital, and Growth: A Personal Perspective,"
Journal of Labor Economics,
University of Chicago Press, vol. 15(1), pages 330-344, January.
- Zvi Griliches, 1996. "Education, Human Capital and Growth: A Personal Perspective," Harvard Institute of Economic Research Working Papers 1745, Harvard - Institute of Economic Research.
- Zvi Griliches, 1996. "Education, Human Capital, and Growth: A Personal Perspective," NBER Working Papers 5426, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Newman, Robert J. & Sullivan, Dennis H., 1988. "Econometric analysis of business tax impacts on industrial location: What do we know, and how do we know it?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 215-234, March.
- Schultz, Theodore W, 1975. "The Value of the Ability to Deal with Disequilibria," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 13(3), pages 827-846, September.
- Osberg, L., 1995. "The Equity/Efficiency Trade-Off in Retrospect," Department of Economics at Dalhousie University working papers archive 95-04, Dalhousie, Department of Economics. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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"Procrastination is the thief of time: Year after year it steals, till all are fled, And to the mercies of a moment leaves The vast concerns of an eternal scene"
Related quotes
"Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day."
"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."
"We shall never have more time. We have, and always had, all the time there is. No object is served in waiting until next week or even until tomorrow. Keep going... Concentrate on something useful."


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QUETTA: Living in Balochistan for the last three decades, a majority of the Afghan refugees have not registered themselves out of fear of forceful repatriation, said Major Farzand Ali, Director Operation Afghan Refugees Organisation Balochistan.
Addressing participants of a workshop in Quetta on Friday, Ali said there is no legislation to deal with the refugees' issue.
According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as many as 3.5 million Afghan refugees have registered, while many others have not.
The workshop titled 'Sensitisation and Capacity Building media' was held at the Quetta Club, where participants discussed the agreement inked between the Government of Pakistan and UNHCR allowing some 1.7 million Afghan refugees to continue living in the country until the end of 2012.
Pakistan allowed 150,000 unskilled Afghan refugees to prolong their stay in the country through an agreement with Afghanistan and UNHCR.
"A population verification survey under Management and Repatriation Strategy for Afghan Refugees (MRSAR) was recently conducted in the districts of Quetta, Pishin and Qila Abdullah but we are yet to receive any feedback about the basic requirements of Afghan refugees living here," he said, referring to MRSAR under which the refugees who have invested over Rs5 million in productive businesses would be allowed to continue with their work and may be given work permits for a specific period of time.
"The well-off refugees have already obtained National Identity Cards and have settled in urban slums," he pointed out.
He also said there are 150 unfrequented routes along the Pakistan-Afghan borders, where keeping a strict check on cross border movements is impossible. "Many new people enter Pakistan while some go back to Afghanistan," he added.
"For instance, over one million refugees were repatriated in 2004 out of which 80 percent came back due to the law and order situation in their country," Ali stated.
"I have been dealing the Afghan refugees for the past three years and have observed that no one knows the exact figure of unregistered refugees. There is a need of serious legislation to deal with the refugees because despite the lapse of three decades nothing has been done," he said.
Calling for Pakistan to adopt realistic approach towards the issue, Ali said that early repatriation would be difficult as the situation in Afghanistan is not stable.
Associate Protection Officer UNHCR, Arbab Mohammad Zahir said the MRSAR is striving to legalise the stay of Afghan refugees so that they can easily earn their livelihood.
He agreed that most of the repatriated refugees had returned to Pakistan and said Afghanistan is also working to improve the law and order situation.


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Topps Star Wars Illustrated: A New Hope Box
Add to Cart
Star Wars Illustrated: A New Hope comes to life with new and unique illustrated vantage points from the movie and Radio Drama
Did you know there was a Radio Drama based on the original Star Wars trilogy? In 1981, NPR broadcasted the 6 hour Star Wars: A New Hope story to millions of listeners. The Radio Drama add a significant amount of backstory to the Star Wars saga and includes legendary scenes such as Leia's acquisition of the Death Star schematics and Han Solo's encounter with Jabba the Hutt's agents.
Star Wars Illustrated breathes new life into the epic saga by depicting canon material that has never been seen before!
Read More


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To the Editor:
A few weeks ago I was invited to, and attended an informal "summit" meeting of the titular heads of their respective communities: our own Mayor Lore Christopher, and Sheila Stuart of Cambridge England (who just ended her second mayoral term).
This was pretty much a gimme for me as I have the pride of being Sheila's father and have been able to observe her unambiguity of purpose as she journeys through life. The visit put me in mind to attempt a comparative study of some of the similarities and differences of the respective governances we live under.
I had just finished reading Bill Moyers' On Democracy and was astounded to learn that American congressional legislature tolerates the activities of apparently limitless numbers of political lobbyists, many of whom are former legislators. The political action committees choose these folks as they are intimately familiar with congressional procedures and many of the legislators themselves. In Moyers' 6-year old book, he had estimated the number of lobbyists at that time to have exceeded 16 per legislator with funding by the corporations of more than $12 billion that year. I had asked Sheila whether that means of persuasion of purpose was allowed in Parliament. Earlier she had been invited by her party wonks to sit in on sessions of Parliament. They were probably curious as to whether they should try to find a seat for her, and whether she would sell. She said that she was unaware of lobbyist activity to that extent, if it was going on, and that Parliament seemed to function with decisions more dependent on the vocal prowess of those striving to be head MPs.
With the awareness of the numbers of our unemployed, and the additional costs of subsistence allowances for these lobbyists were they to be idled, I have rethought the economic costs of their doings to the country and decided it's probably close to a trade off.
The reality is sad. It seems that our Congress consists mainly of puppets, the puppeteers being mostly the lobbyists.
Sid Schain


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John Tavares and Steve Stamkos both grew up outside of Toronto, played on the same summer team that lost just once in four years, were opponents in juniors and No. 1 picks the last two years.
That, however, is where the similarities end.
While Stamkos shook off a slow start with Tampa Bay last season and scored 17 of his 23 goals in his last 28 games, Tavares started quickly this year, but has just two goals since Dec. 9.
"When you go through a whole year and you come into the next one knowing what to expect, that's an advantage," said Tavares, whose Islanders play host to the Lightning today at the Coliseum (2 p.m.; MSG Plus; WHLI, 1100 AM). "He had a great second half last year and now he's really gotten better. He's a great player."
"Last year, Stamkos had his struggles," coach Scott Gordon said. "That comes with the territory. That's why I don't beat John up for his numbers. He's still only 19."
Tavares, currently stuck on 17 goals, said he hopes to have similar success in his second season, but is trying not to think about that.
"Right now, I'm approaching every game thinking about where we are in the playoff race," Tavares said. "I'm excited for what's ahead in my career, but my focus is on now."
But with the Islanders spiraling out of postseason contention as the Olympic break nears, it's become clearer that Tavares' development is more important than a possible playoff run.
"In your second or third year, you know what to expect and guys really come into their own," Tavares said. "Every day, I'm learning something. And I'm looking forward to getting to where he is now."
The Islanders hope that comes with increased size and strength, improvements that have allowed Stamkos to score 33 goals this season.
"I'm starting to hold my own, and I know there's a lot of areas I need to get stronger with and that will come with training," Tavares said. "I know this is a big summer for me, but I want to help get this team into the playoffs first."


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New Delhi: Days after the twin blasts in Hyderabad killed 16 people and injured more than 100, the government is determined to revive the controversial National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), which was abandoned last year after unequivocal criticism by state governments.
To coalesce support, the government has re-diagrammed the anti-terror hub, stripping it off some of the powers that were described as an encroachment of state government turf.
The NCTC, as mapped by P Chidambaram when he was Home Minister, had the right to enter, search and arrest terror suspects in any part of the country, without being obliged to take the state government into confidence.
But a new proposal makes it necessary for the NCTC to inform the state's most senior police officer- the Director General of Police- before conducting an anti-terror operation.
Instead of reporting to the Intelligence Bureau, which is not accountable to parliament, the NCTC 's boss will be the Home Ministry, as suggested by senior opposition leaders.
This revised map of the agency has been submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Security, which is headed by the Prime Minister. It is expected to be taken up soon for discussion by the union cabinet, after which Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is expected to invite chief ministers to Delhi for consultations.
The government had originally wanted to allow the NCTC to have the right to operate, when necessary, without keeping states in the loop, to prevent information leaks.
"This is a means to find a way out of the deadlock and further assure the states that the Centre won't try to undermine their authority while increasing capacities to fight terror," a senior official said.


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West View climbing and leisure centre is set to be fitted with new state of the art gym equipment.
It will mean the Preston gym will close for two weeks from Monday. Members will be able to use the facilities at Fulwood Leisure Centre.
Fulwood leisure centre will house a new dance studio on a newly created mezzanine floor, meaning the squash courts will have to close for eight weeks, also from Monday.
There will also be further improvements in the lower floor gym.
The new equipment for both gyms, and the refurbishment so far, has cost £469,000.
Coun Tom Burns, cabinet member for culture and leisure, said: "The council is investing a significant amount in the refurbishments of both city leisure centres, and the creation of a much needed dance studio is another phase of the work."
He added: "Whilst we apologise for the inconvenience that partial closures may have, I can assure people it will be worthwhile when it is completed."


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Over 60s living in Hampshire and looking to downsize can now take advantage of a new scheme available at McCarthy & Stone's Assisted Living Catherine Court development in Eastleigh and ensure they enjoy a hassle-free move this summer.
The new initiative*, which is available to those buying selected apartments at the development on Leigh Road aims to sell the purchaser's existing home at a pre-agreed price within 12 weeks and covers many of the costs associated with the sale. If a realistic offer is made below the guaranteed selling price, McCarthy & Stone will simply make up the difference, enabling the sale to proceed. The scheme could also save sellers thousands of pounds, as McCarthy & Stone will pay the estate agent and solicitor fees and will even help with the move.
Aileen King, regional sales and marketing director for McCarthy and Stone, comments: "Selling your home in the current market can be an expensive and time-consuming process and there's no guarantee that you'll get the offer you need. With our new initiative, we will help every step of the way, marketing your existing home, free of charge, through an independent estate agent and actively monitoring the sale to ensure everything runs smoothly. It's the kind of peace of mind that you simply can't get when you sell your property in the usual way." McCarthy & Stone is currently selling a range of one and two bedroom retirement apartments at Catherine Court. The Assisted Living scheme is designed for those requiring a little more help and support in later life, with additional facilities such as a waitress service restaurant and flexible services including personal care and domestic assistance.
To find out more, please call 0800 919132 or log on to www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk *Terms and conditions apply


text: About Holy Cross College Holy Cross College is a 4 year Liberal Arts College located in South Bend, IN across from the Universtiy of Notre Dame. Our Community Education Program offers students who live close to the college or far away to take on-line courses of their choice. If you would like to contact the college, you can do so by calling 1-574-239-8400. Contact Current students: Please direct questions about your lessons, quizzes, assignments, and other course materials to your instructor or course administrator. You can use the course discussion areas for this purpose. If you have questions about accessing the online classroom, retrieving your lessons, changing your password, correcting your e-mail address, obtaining progress reports or completion letters, receiving an extension, or any other administrative tasks, visit our Help page. New or potential students: If you have questions about course content, prerequisites, requirements, follow-ups, or instructors, you'll find the information you need by locating the courses that interest you. Click the course title to review the course details. If you require any assistance with registration, please contact: Holy Cross CollegeCommunity EducationPatricia AdamsPO Box 308Notre Dame, IN 46556USPhone: 574-239-8364Fax: email@example.com


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Ovule, plant structure that develops into a seed when fertilized. In gymnosperms (conifers and allies) the ovules lie uncovered on the scales of the cone. In angiosperms (flowering plants), one or more ovules are enclosed by the ovary (portion of the carpel, or female reproductive organ). Each ovule is attached by its base to the stalk (funiculus) that bears it. A mature angiosperm ovule consists of a food tissue covered by one or two future seed coats. A small opening (the micropyle) in the integuments at the apex of the ovule permits the pollen tube to enter and discharge its sperm nuclei into the embryo sac, a large oval cell in which fertilization and development occur. Variations in form and position of the ovule are significant in plant classification: orthotropous ovules stand out straight into the cavity of the ovary; campylotropous ovules are at right angles to the funiculus; anatropous ovules are directed back toward the funiculus. Intermediate forms also occur.
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Ohio's elections chief said that more than 1.6 million Ohioans have already cast their ballots ahead of Tuesday.
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted said that includes 1.1 million absentee ballots that have been returned and more than 495,000 votes cast at early voting centers.
Husted said in a statement that voting has gone smoothly in Ohio and he expects absentee voting this year to surpass 2008.
Ohio boards of election are open for early voting Sunday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.


text:
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The Weida HX12-24 replacement battery consists of (1) High Quality 12V 26Ah battery.


text:
Damon hits first homer in losing cause
Damon hits first homer in losing cause
On Sunday afternoon, the Indians took it on the chin in a 12-6 loss at the hands of the White Sox, who broke out the brooms in overwhelming fashion over the course of the last three games. The latest pitcher to fall victim to the offensive revival taking place on the South Side was Ubaldo Jimenez.
Cleveland could not get to its departing flight fast enough.
"It was a tough series," Indians designated hitter Johnny Damon said. "We also have to remember that we're in first place."
For the third straight game -- only the second time this season the Tribe has lost three in a row -- the White Sox pounded out at least nine runs against the Indians. Chicago has plated at least nine in four straight games, marking the first time the team has accomplished that feat since June of 1938.
Until this weekend's clash, the Indians had not given up at least 35 runs in a three-game series since allowing 35 from June 4-6, 2002, in a road set against the Twins. Over the last three games, the American League Central-leading Indians (26-21) allowed 35 runs on 42 hits, including 17 that went for extra bases.
"They have a really good lineup," said Jimenez, whose season ERA now sits at 5.79. "And the thing is, in this series, they were hitting everything. I made a lot of good pitches and they were able to get either a bloop out of it, finding the hole every single time. And then when they hit it good, they hit home runs."
One sweep followed another, though Cleveland's brooming of Detroit earlier in the week seems a distant memory in light of the disaster in Chicago. That said, Indians manager Manny Acta reminded that it remains too early in the schedule to make too much of either series.
"That's why you can't be doing backflips in May," Acta said. "It's way too early. Yeah, so what? We swept the Tigers three days ago and now [the White Sox] swept us. That's how the game goes. You just have to stay positive and come out every single day and try to win every game, regardless of where you're at."
Jimenez (5-4) took the loss in the series finale, which trimmed the Indians' lead in the division down to just half a game over the surging White Sox (26-22). The right-hander was charged with seven runs on seven hits in four-plus innings, during which he piled up four walks and one hit batsman in a 99-pitch effort.
The Indians -- already short Travis Hafner, Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana due to injuries -- received a scare in the fourth inning. Catcher Lou Marson, who is filling in for Santana (out with a mild concussion), was hit in the face by a pitch from Chicago starter Gavin Floyd. Marson exited the game in the fifth and needed three stitches.
"He's OK," Acta said. "He's a tough guy. He's probably one of the toughest guys I've been around."
The White Sox -- winners in nine of their last 10 games -- struck for three runs in each of the first and fourth innings, mixing in another run off Jimenez in the third. Cleveland's main tormentor -- as has often been the case over the years -- was Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko, who launched a three-run home run off Jimenez to put the Tribe behind, 7-4, in the fourth.
"It was a tough at-bat," Jimenez said. "He's a tough guy. He fought. I threw a lot of good pitches and he kept fouling it off and fouling it off until he got a good one. We tried to throw the slider once again and it stayed a little bit over the plate."
The blast marked Konerko's 11th of the season overall and his 44th career shot against Cleveland. That moved Konerko into a tie with Al Kaline for 10th on the all-time career home run list against the Indians. There is not a slouch to be found on that list, which is paced by Babe Ruth (82), Ted Williams (79) and Lou Gehrig (73).
Konerko is the active leader in home runs, RBIs, runs, hits and doubles against the Tribe.
"I don't think I'm the only one who has an issue with Paul Konerko," Acta said. "Paul Konerko is just a professional hitter and he has been for years. I mean, there's only so much you can do. He's a good one."
In the series, Konerko hit .583 (7-for-12) with a home run, three doubles, five runs scored and six RBIs.
Needless to say, Cleveland has seen enough of the slugging first baseman.
"Yeah," Damon said. "Everything he touches is finding pasture or finding the bleachers."
Damon contributed a three-run home run off Floyd in the second inning to pull the game into a 3-3 deadlock, but the tie did not last long. Michael Brantley later added a pair of RBIs and Jose Lopez delivered a run-scoring double in the ninth inning, but the damage had more than been done by the White Sox.
For the time being, though, the Indians remain in first place.
"You catch teams at the right and wrong time," Damon said. "The White Sox are just swinging the bats very well. They hit .500 or so with runners in scoring position this series. They did well, but hopefully we can start another streak tomorrow."
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, and follow him on Twitter @MLBastian. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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By Dalton Rinehart
Ever wanted to build a rocket ship? Or build a state of the art roller coaster? Middle school girls got an idea how to do that at a career fair Friday.
"I like the opportunity," says Delaney Benz, a 7th grader from Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School.
The science technology engineering and mathematics career day. At UW-Stevens Point, hosted more than 300 students from all over central Wisconsin. The goal was to excite young girls about all things science.
STORY and VIDEO


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Stay at this conveniently located Bairnsdale motel close to the main shopping centre, R.S.L and cinema.
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text:
FAA administrator Randy Babbitt says airport safety inspectors nationwide are working without pay and shouldering travel expenses themselves as the agency's budget crisis enters a second week.
The 40 inspectors are in charge of annual inspections covering runways, navigation aids and other systems at dozens of airports and airlines.
A typical inspector may travel to five airports in a two-week period and rack up thousands of dollars in hotel and airline tickets. Babbitt says they're being asked to put those expenses on their personal credit cards.
The inspectors are among 4,000 FAA employees furloughed last week after Congress refused to authorize FAA spending.
On Monday Babbitt and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood visited La Guardia airport, where work has stopped on a project to demolish an old control tower.


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Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames.
Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames.
First day�s play washed out
Kavita picks up a bronze in 5000m
Ponting all praise for young players
Thumping win gives Australia series
This win has augmented Australia�s bench strength: Ponting
Tendulkar�s glorious innings in vain
Australia survives Sachin blitz
A crucial tie, with series evenly split
We cannot afford another off day: Dhoni
The series played in good spirit so far
Australia fights back to level series
Failure of the batting unit: M.S. Dhoni
Dhoni has evolved over the years
Agassi�s confession comes as a shock
India takes on an injury-hit Australia
Sri Lanka calls up Kandamby for Tests
Australia wins a thriller to go one up
Sampras beats Agassi
NSW Blues has the last laugh
A wonderful concept: Gilchrist
Australian team arrives for its seven-match ODI series
Blues takes on Bushrangers in an all-Aussie semifinal
Blues hammers a hapless Sabres
Ghana wins under-20 World Cup
Diamond Eagles comes up with a clinical show
Sania Mirza moves into semifinals
Royal Challengers will be wary of Bushrangers
Sania storms into the quarterfinals
Annoyed Younus Khan quits as captain
We are stronger now: Robin Uthappa
Sania eliminates Peer; Blake sets up a meeting with Nadal
Goto page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4 ... 56, 57, 58 Next
Real Estate


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Multi Site Asset Publisher
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text:
5 Predictions For Amazon's Tablet
Forrester says that an Amazon tablet will pose a credible threat to the iPad. Here's a look at the reasons why.
Sprint: 'No Comment' On iPhone 5
Another report suggests that the iPhone 5's display may be smaller than initially thought.
10 Key Steve Jobs Moments and Innovations
Under the leadership of Steve Jobs, Apple became a technology leader and cultural force. Take a look back at some favorite Jobs moments and ideas.
Sybase IQ Gains Beefier Analysis Capabilities
Analytic database graduates from marts to enterprise data warehouse needs through massively parallel processing, distributed querying, and an API for unstructured data.
Antisec Attacks An Urgent Wake-Up: InformationWeek Now
It's difficult to gauge the ethos of these next generation hackers. If I could summarize, it's this: Punish.
Don't Miss Interop New York
See the latest IT solutions at Interop New York. Learn to leverage business technology innovations--including cloud, virtualization, security, mobility, and data center advances--that cut costs, increase productivity, and drive business value. Save 25% on Flex and Conference Passes or get a Free Expo Pass with code CPFHNY25. It happens in New York City, Oct. 3-7, 2011.
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text:
Flight of Shadows
We had agreed --- the woman I loved and I --- that as soon as you were born, we would perform an act of mercy and decency and wrap you in a towel to drown you in a nearby sink of water, like a kitten in a sack dropped into a river.
But in the motel room that was our home, the woman I loved died while giving birth. You were a tiny bundle of silent and alert vulnerability and all that remained to remind me of the woman.
I was nearly blind with tears in that lonely motel room. With the selfishness typical of my entire life to that point, I delayed the mercy and decency we had promised you. I used the towel not to wrap and drown you, but to clean and dry you.
As I lifted your twisted hands and gently wiped the terrible hunch in the center of your back --- where your arms connected to a ridge of bone that pushed against your translucent skin --- I heard God speak to me for the first time in my life. God did not speak in the loud and terrible way as claimed by the preachers of Appalachia, where I fled with you. Instead God spoke in the way I believe God most often speaks to humans --- through the heart, when circumstances have stripped away our obstinate self-focus.
Holding you in your first moments outside the womb, I was overwhelmed by protective love. Even in the circumstances you face now, believe that my love has only strengthened since then.
I do not regret the price I paid for my love for you. But I do regret what it has cost you, all your life. And I have never stopped regretting all that I kept hidden from you.
Outside, wind and rain and darkness. On the main floor, rattling of the big windows that took the brunt of the storm.
But below, in the hidden rooms, where there was usually hushed silence, Jessica Charmaine approached a glass wall to a sound that she dreaded. Groaning.
Charmaine had learned that her hybrids on the other side of the glass had a wide range of sounds, and it wasn't difficult to read emotions into those sounds.
Sometimes, for example, she would enter and hear soft mewling. She would know in an instant that one had rolled away from the other. And that each would grope and roll until they were united again. She would help them back together and watch their faces contort in joy at the touch of the other. Other times, their sounds expressed curiosity. Fear. Puzzlement. Sorrow. Frustration. She was convinced that they were trying to speak. She knew why they were incapable of it.
Charmaine had two doctorates. The first was in genetic science, and the second, by necessity for this long-term experiment, was as an uncertified surgeon. She prided herself on her medical skills and her specialized knowledge. As required, using the equipment behind her in this large, partitioned room, she'd long ago mapped out the genomes for these creatures. She still spent hours and hours puzzling over their gene sequences; if she could unlock the mystery, no longer would this experiment need to remain hidden from the world.
In her studies, she'd learned early by comparing the genetic mutations of the hybrids to Homo sapiens, that the FOXP2 gene of the hybrids had been altered by three specific amino acid differences.
She could have written a fascinating paper on this, definitively answering a long-disputed theory on why humans could speak and chimpanzees could not. The paper --- and the existence and characteristics of her hybrids --- would establish her reputation as a world-class scientist at the top of her game.
The irony, of course, was that the same existence and characteristics demanded the secrecy that would doom her as a scientist to perpetual obscurity. Unless she cracked the mysteries behind the genetic code of the hybrids and their near miraculous powers. To say the payoff would be enormous gave no idea of what was at stake. Without doubt, it would be the physics equivalent of generating an antigravity device.
She'd been close once. Oh, so very close. Decades earlier, as a co-director in the Genesis Project. But as the experiments neared the brink of final discovery, a scientist named Jordan Brown had unleashed a near-perfect storm of destruction upon the project. Along with the total deletion of irreplaceable computer data and all backups, he'd triggered a laboratory explosion and an official loss of all the cataloged embryos. Even so, Charmaine might have had a chance of rebuilding her research, but funding for the crippled project had been swept away by much larger events: the Water Wars that forced government focus on survival, not experiments.
All would have been lost, except for three embryos not listed in the official report. Two of the three embryos belonged to these hybrids, serialized embryos she'd managed to rescue just before the explosion and over the years had secretly nurtured to maturity. For these two hybrids, she'd sacrificed her personal life in search of her holy grail, and her ambitions had slowly evolved.
Charmaine had accepted this evolution so completely that she took a different satisfaction from her long hours with the hybrids. When she first spoke to them, it had been merely experimental, trying to learn whether they had the required motor and mental skills for speech. Now it was different, reflective of her emotional commitment to them. Always the detached observer, Charmaine guessed that part of her bond to them was maternal, a subconscious reaction to her deliberate choice to put career --- and this long-term experiment --- ahead of anything else in her life. It could even be said that her affair had been dictated by the hybrids. She was single and attractive, but with her need for secrecy, she had limited her suitors in a practical way to serve her quest. Except for Jordan Brown, who had been a fugitive since the lab explosion, the man she'd chosen for a prolonged affair was the one and only other person who had knowledge of the hybrids.
Because of her maternal bond, when entering the glass cage, she would often lean over them, utter soothing words, or help each find the other if they had separated. They were adolescents, still growing. She knew they loved her. This gave her joy. Not enough perhaps to make up for the irony that such an incredible scientific achievement had to be hidden so carefully until someday she learned their secret. But enough that she did not resent all the time they needed from her. Their world had become her world.
Tonight, the groaning told her that for the next many days and nights, there would be no joy. This sound from their partition was a unique tone for them, like unarticulated words of resigned anguish. It told her that one or the other was feeling pressure again from unrestrained muscular growth.
One of the many alterations in their genetic makeup had left the hybrids without the ability to produce myostatins --- molecules that fit into receptors on the membranes of muscle cells and blocked growth. Even without their deformities, their skeletal structures were incapable of withstanding strain exerted when their muscle growth bloomed past a certain point.Without the operations to pare those muscles back, they would have died years earlier.
She sighed.Yet once more, the looming collapse of their ribs would make the next weeks sheer hell for the hybrids. The partition was lit softly and well padded on the floor, separated from the remainder of this laboratory by the glass wall that allowed her to observe them at any and all hours. Charmaine's side was equipped so that she could perform surgery in one area and indulge in her pursuit of genetic knowledge in the other.
Their side was almost like a nursery for babies. The difference was the lack of simple toys. The hybrids were blind and had only grotesquely shortened legs and stumps for arms, born with stubs of fingers and toes at the end of their appendages. Their faces seemed to have smudged features, as if they constantly rubbed their faces against the glass.
She did not find their appearance hideous. At least not anymore.
As she touched a hand to the glass, their groaning stopped briefly. She didn't know if they could hear her, or feel the movement of air through the circular holes at the top of the glass wall, or perhaps smell her skin. But she'd never been able to catch them unaware of her watching them. This awareness would be reflected by a stillness when she was nearby. Even when separated and mewling, each would pause in its search for the other, turning their deformed faces in her direction with the instinctive searching of visual cortexes that had never developed.
Charmaine sighed again as the groaning resumed, a sound that pierced her with sadness.
This cycle had hit both hybrids at the same time.
Charmaine hated it. One would have to suffer while the other received the operation that provided relief. There was no other way. They were too valuable to risk simultaneous operations; doing it separately meant if one died, the other would still be alive. At her renewed sigh, despite their obvious pain, both hybrids wiggled their arms stumps in her direction. Waving, like small children. It didn't surprise her anymore. Too much of their genetic makeup belonged to Homo sapiens. This, too, pierced her with sadness, that they had the instinct to love her.
Now, however, for the first time in years, to help her endure this sadness, she had a renewed strength and sense of purpose. Much as Jordan Brown had tried to stop it, the Genesis Project was on the verge of total resurrection. All these years later, she had just learned of his single mistake --- in the aftermath of the long-ago lab explosion, he had not destroyed the third embryo. Charmaine now knew that the last embryo, like her hybrids, had survived to maturity and, unlike the hybrids, carried the genetic material that could unlock everything. This embryo no longer had a serialized catalog number. But a name, given by Jordan Brown.
Chapter One
Tuesday night
Although the claustrophobia of the city oppressed her, Caitlyn felt most like a caged bird when she pushed her cart down the perfumed corridors of the Pavilion luxury hotel, her longing for the Appalachian hills of a childhood of innocent trust exacerbated by the endless walls gilded with artificial light.
It had been weeks since she escaped Appalachia, and sustained by anger, she'd learned that she had to blend in to survive. But she couldn't escape her longings. Finished cleaning one room, she'd hurry the short, shadowed distance of the corridor to the next, hoping the drapes would be wide apart so that when she stepped inside, she would immediately be able to look through the floor-to-ceiling glass at the far end of the suite to see the sky above the city and ignore, if only for a moment, the invariable crumpled bed linens, lipstickstained cigarette butts, partially full wine glasses, and the other detritus of sybaritic living that marked the Influentials who moved through this building.
If the curtains were closed and the room was in darkness, Caitlyn would ignore the light switch and instead fling the drapes apart to give herself the rush of freedom that came with sudden brightness. For Caitlyn, the openness of the sky was a balm, allowing her to imagine she was above the clutter and noise and greediness of the city. Even then, there was cruelty in the transparency of her prison, for this brief joy also brought the need to feel the winds that had given her shivers of pleasure when, as a girl in Appalachia, before she'd understood what she would become, she and her father would perch on a rocky ledge to overlook a valley and hawks on the updrafts.
Despite the sheets of glass that blocked the wind from her, she would pause frequently from sorting wet towels or from wiping stains and hair off porcelain to look out again and let the view brighten her soul, letting her mind drift to those memories, wishing she could step out through the glass and into the void, wishing that wind was pushing against her face again. Like the first time she'd discovered the reason for her instinctive yearning for height.
When her drudgery in the soiled carelessness of the rich was too much and her yearning became too great to endure, she would flee to the flat roof of the hotel to stand on the hot, sticky graveled tar among the hissing vents. She would renew her cold anger by thinking about her papa --- Jordan --- and how he had betrayed and hurt her.
To draw on hope for strength and determination, she would turn her mind to Billy and Theo, her only friends, from Appalachia, who had escaped Outside when she did. They'd planned, the three of them, to escape to the west, through the lawless lands that bordered the city-states to reach wild, desolate territories largely unpeopled after theWars. But she wasn't ready yet.
She would tell herself that Billy andTheo would wait and that she could go another day without visiting the surgeon it had been arranged for her to meet Outside. Day by day, she would push aside those plans because it was easier simply to exist, and she would take what pleasure she could in this caged existence by closing her eyes to the wind and dreaming of flight.
Of soaring.
Standing on pebbled rooftop tar, she almost didn't hear the faint crunching of gravel behind her, but she heard the voice.
"I know things about you. But all I will tell you about me is my name. Everett. So you can shout my name as you beg for mercy."
Caitlyn whirled at the closeness of the voice. It was dusk now, and she was standing near the edge of the roof, forty stories above the city. She had been soaking in the glowing filaments of orange and red among the streaked clouds to the western horizon, letting her unfocused gaze take her thoughts beyond the silhouettes of the other tall buildings of the city. Occasional currents of slight wind had swirled upward from the sun-heated city concrete, and she'd tingled each time at the sense of moving air.
"It was I who arranged for you to work the penthouse floors," he said. "You fascinate me. I know things about you, but I want to know more."
He was only a few steps away. There was just enough light to see a smile on his face, as if he'd deliberately engineered her startled response. A half empty bottle of red wine held low in one hand. A glass of it in the other.
One glass. Just for him. He paused and took a casual drink before speaking again.
"At the end of every day, you come here before leaving. And you come up here during the day. Sneaking away from your work. Often. What is it? For me, it would be the enjoyable sensation of knowing I'm above all of them."
Everett lifted his bottle and pointed beyond the city wall. "Illegals and Industrials. Living in shanties and soovies, among the discards of their previous generation. Serving me and those like me. Even with a work permit, you're just an Invisible. Not above them in any sense except when you stand up here. Is that why you come here, to pretend your life is more than cleaning up after us?"
She hadn't known his name, but his voice was as polished as she'd imagined, for she had seen him many times, most often accompanied by a beautiful woman as he passed her and her cleaning cart in the hallway, never the same woman twice. Caitlyn found it mesmerizing: his polished appearance and the easy way he bore the accruements of wealth, the discreet jewelry, the sheen of his clothing, the thick silvering hair rumpled by design, the rimless glasses, the sheer handsomeness of a face that had lost no confidence even as the first wrinkles began to tug at the sides of his eyes.
He was a separate species from her. A prince unaware of the silent servant girl. Or so she'd believed until now.
As he stared at her, she could not find her voice.
"No answer?" Everett asked.
Something inside her began to recoil at the secretive charm at the edges of his smile. He was standing between her and the rooftop door back into the hotel.
"I know things about you," he said, "because I watch you all the time." Another smile. Control and pleasure. He gestured at a shiny black globe on a pole at the edge of the roof. "I have an arrangement with security. Surveillance cameras. Everywhere. Right now, recording the two of us. Something I'll watch again and again when I have finished with you."
When I have finished with you.
As Everett sipped at his wine and watched over the edge of his glass for her reaction, there was a narrowing of his eyes, obvious even in the last light of dusk, perhaps to see if she understood the implied threat.
"Where do you live?" he said. "Where do you go after you leave this roof and walk out the front lobby? What's your name? What do you dream of ? I want to know everything about you. I want to possess you."
A broader smile. "What will I find when we unwrap the loose clothing that you wear like a cloak? I think that's what I want to know most. All those hours watching you on camera as you clean rooms, wondering what you hide."
Everett savored another sip of wine. "We have all night, you know."
Caitlyn stepped sideways, to go around him. He stepped sideways too, chuckling.
"You don't understand," he said. "The door is locked. There is no way back into the building without the key in my pocket. I have the leisure to indulge in my desires. Here. Now."
"Security," she said, pointing to the surveillance cameras. "Someone will know."
"You truly don't understand. That's part of what will make this satisfying. Especially after all these weeks of watching you, waiting for this. I own those cameras. After, there will be many, many more who will enjoy watching what I do to you."
Everett shook his head. "Don't you realize how special you are? For those of us with jaded tastes, the prospect of degradation with someone as freakish as you must be shared."
Freakish. Her recoil must have been obvious.
"When you work," he said, "there are times your clothing clings tight to your back. It must be hideous, what you so carefully hide. Most women are plastic perfection. To unveil you will be extraordinary…"
More wine before he continued. "In a way, I'm a director. From hours and hours of surveillance film in various places of the hotel, I've put together a montage of your life as a maid. Your innocence and unawareness is so mundane that it cannot help but build an appetite for how it will end. I've had practice, of course. You're not the first. But I think you'll be the most delightful. None of the others in my films have been freaks."
His turn to take a step. Toward her. "It will be nicer if you don't fight. Try to find enjoyment in this. Think of yourself as a star, about to debut."
She backed away. Until the abutment of the roof 's edge pressed against her. With a forty-story drop to the streets that she hated.
"Don't spoil this," he said. "Don't jump. If you are compliant enough, this won't end the way it did with the others. I'll let you live. You're special enough, and I have a suite in the hotel to keep you in. Who knows? Perhaps you will learn to look forward to nights on the rooftop with me."
She couldn't jump. Not with him so close. Everett was on her with a swiftness that made her gasp, dropping the wine bottle and glass, showering her with shards. Then wrenching her away from the edge, pulling at her cloak, fumbling at the horrible hunch on her back.
Caitlyn hated the Outside. She hated the danger it seemed to hold for her. She hated that every morning she had to find a way to force herself to walk along the streets, ever watchful that someone might step out from the crowd. She hated the sensation of being pursued, although she told herself again and again that Mason Lee, the bounty hunter who had forced her out of Appalachia, was well behind her, left for dead. She hated that every morning as she dressed, she needed to strap a small, sharp knife inside a sheath at the back of a belt around her waist.
Her premonition had been correct, however. A hunter had shown up with the unexpectedness she'd dreaded. But not the hunter she'd expected. Still, there was only one way to respond. Pinned by his arms, she was still able to reach behind and pull the knife from its sheath.
He was grunting in unnatural passion, lost in his hunger, arms pinning her, hands pulling at the terrible hunch on her back. His fingers found the skintight black microfabric and began to spread open the gap at the back. Pressed against him, with the wine on his hot breath washing over her, all she could manage was a small upward thrust with the knife.
Everett screamed, fell backward.
It was dark now. It took him several moments to realize what had happened. She watched him reach down with his hands and feel the hilt of the knife. He struggled to sit up.
"You freak," he said.
His calmness was unnerving. He pulled out a cell from one pocket and snapped it open, eyes on her as he spoke. "Send someone up. She had a knife." Pause. "I know because it's in me."
Another pause. "Of course I know the bleeding will be worse if I pull it out. Get someone here quickly. Take care of me first. Then her. Like the others. Make her disappear."
He snapped the phone shut. In the darkness, she imagined she could feel his glare. "Freak. It didn't have to be this way."
More fumbling at his pocket. "You can't see this, but it's the key to the door." Sudden movement of his arm. A small tinkling sound farther away. He'd thrown it into the dark.
"No escape now," Everett said with a harsh laugh interrupted by a groan. When it passed, he said, "You've probably got enough time to beg me not to have you killed. At least let me enjoy that."
Caitlyn adjusted her cloak so that it covered her body again, hanging from where it was secured around her neck. She reached beneath the cloak and pulled an outer layer of microfabric downward, rolling it until it reached her waist so that the hunch of her back was now exposed. The inner layer was skintight, and with the breeze, it felt like her upper body was naked beneath the cloak. Then she moved to him and squatted.
"Back off," he said. "Don't make it worse on yourself. Freak."
She reached for him. He tried to push her arms away, but she was far, far stronger than she looked. "I want my knife back," she said. And pulled it loose.
Then she whirled away. To the edge of the roof.
She let the gusting wind calm her. The door behind her opened. Shouts. Two men. Maybe three. She didn't look back. She spread her wings beneath the cloak. Pushed off the ledge into the open sky.
And flew.
Chapter Two
At the sound of voices in the moist, cool air, Mason Lee stopped pacing on the rocky ground at the bottom of the underground waterfall. Because of the sheer blackness of the interior of the cave, Mason Lee had long ago lost any rational ability to sense the movement of time. He could only guess by his count of rat tails that it had been nearly six weeks since he had heard any voice but his own, an isolation so long that his right arm, broken and put into a cast in the days before entering the cave, had fully healed and he'd been able to strip the cast away.
Mason should have died from dehydration, far above on one of the ledges of the giant shaft above him and the river. A stab of brightness in his right eye had saved his life. He'd been fading in and out of consciousness on a stone ledge near the top of the water, mouth torn and bloody from chewing on rope, delirious with thirst, maddened by the sound of water that was so close, yet so far, and sent even closer to absolute insanity by his fear of the dark.
The intensity of the sudden pain in his eye had clarified his conscious thoughts, and in that instant he realized that one of the rats he'd listlessly allowed to explore his body and lick at the blood on his mouth had bitten into the softness of his eye. Reflexes that made Mason such a good hunter served him, weak as he was, and he'd snatched the rat off his face and, in rage, snapped its head off with his own teeth.
Without thinking about it, he'd sucked greedily at the copper of the rat's blood. Instead of flinging the rat's body into the giant shaft that the waterfall had carved downward in the cave throughout millennia, Mason held on to the rat, feeling power return to his body as its warm liquid renewed him. Complete insanity, brought on by the darkness, had retreated at the stimuli of the rat's actions and his own. Rational thought began again, and Mason's cunning had returned.
The presence of rats told him that he wasn't as completely buried inside the mountain as he had feared. Somehow, somewhere, they were able to enter and exit at will. The rats, then, gave him hope.
And nourishment.
Mason didn't eat the entire body of that first rat, but saved enough as bait to catch another. And, when needed, another. He saved the tails, guessing that he was eating one rat every day. In those first few hours of his return from the dead, he'd also begun to apply rational thought to escape. He knew he was on one of a series of ledges that led to the bottom of the waterfall. Before she'd eluded him, he'd been in pursuit of the girl, aware that the series of ledges was part of an escape route. Metal hooks at the edge of the uppermost ledge supported a rope ladder that hung down to the next ledge. But climbing down was useless because the second rope ladder, leading to the third ledge, was missing.
There was a solution though. If Mason could find a way to split the rope ladder lengthways, he'd be able to use one half of its length to drop to the next ledge and take the other half with him to drop to the ledge below it. From there, he'd be able to descend the other rope ladders already in place. He knew at the bottom there was a way out. She had taken it. She. Caitlyn. The freak who had humiliated him and left him to die this horrible death.
In his few days trapped on the uppermost ledge, overwhelmed by panic because of his fear of the dark, he'd been uselessly chewing like an unreasoning animal on the rungs of a rope ladder coiled beside him, hoping to split the ladder.
But with the rat that had attacked his right eye safely digesting, Mason had searched for a better way. He'd felt around in the dark until he found a rock with a sharp edge. Then he'd patiently hammered at the center of the first rung with that rock, imagining with each blow that he was driving granite splinters into the skull of Caitlyn, for hate sustained him as much as the protein and liquid he drew from the rats.
Once that had succeeded in cutting through the rope, Mason knew he'd survive. There were plenty of other sharp rocks in this cave, and with rats to hunt, he'd have all the time he needed. Three weeks later, an estimate based on the count of rat tails and the length of his shaggy beard, he'd hung one length of rope from the metal hook at the edge of the ledge, and with the other half coiled around his waist and tied securely in place, he'd slid down to the second ledge, then repeated the drop to the third ledge with the uncoiled rope.
All had gone as expected. Until he reached the bottom of the huge vertical cavern, where the final rope ladder had dropped him onto a small semicircular landing area carved into the rock beside the water. Sound, not sight, told him that the flow of the waterfall disappeared via an underground river. He couldn't cross the river; the flow was too fast.
With no way of seeing how the water exited, he could not evaluate his chances of survival by holding his breath and going into the river, especially because he did not know how to swim.
Yet Mason Lee was too angry and too filled with hatred to give up on life. Caitlyn was Outside, somewhere. Fueled by fantasies of how he would exact revenge before drinking her blood just as he did from rats, he'd paced the semicircle, stopping only to kneel at the edge of the fast-flowing water when the pacing made him thirsty, grateful that he'd had the foresight to take with him as many dead rats as he could knot together by their tails. If this had been how the girl escaped, sooner or later others would come. His energy did not diminish, but rose with each day. Hatred and anger.
Now finally, he heard voices. And saw the glow of flashlights, the first visual stimuli he'd had since being trapped on the ledge. He'd been so long in pitch black that the light was a stabbing pain again, but only in one eye, and it was in this moment he realized the rat had permanently blinded his right eye. His good eye, for his left eye was milky and had a tendency to wander. He'd lost his good eye. Because of Caitlyn.
He'd deal with that soon enough.
Now he was offered escape. The lights and voices came from two men bobbing in the water with life jackets. So this was how their kind fled Appalachia to the Outside. Their flashlights were directed in front of them, showing the end of the cavern, where a small gap existed between the top of the river and the channel into which it flowed. This close to freedom, they would not have expected any more danger.
Mason couldn't swim. But all he needed was a life jacket.
"You smell something?" one man asked as they neared Mason.
"Yeah," the other said. "Some kind of animal."
They began to turn their flashlights toward the edge, where Mason was squatting.
He'd conquered his greatest fear --- darkness --- and now felt immortal, exultant with life and rage, and as flashlight beams pinned him, he pounced from his squat, throwing himself through the air like a panther.
Excerpted from FLIGHT OF SHADOWS © Copyright 2011 by Sigmund Brouwer. Reprinted with permission by WaterBrook Press. All rights reserved.


text:
Authorities say a 24-year-old man running from officers in Brooklyn grabbed a loaded gun from his ankle and pointed it at the police, leading one of them to shoot him in the stomach.
The NYPD says Teddy Spann was transported to Kings County Hospital and was listed in stable condition with a graze wound to the abdomen after the incident around 9:40 p.m. Friday. The officers were treated for ringing of the ears.
Police say Spann was seen by the two officers tugging at his waistband and ran when police approached him.
Spann has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon and menacing a police officer.
The NYPD says a loaded .380 caliber firearm, pictured above, was found at the scene.
Information on a lawyer for Spann was not immediately available.


text:
Most Baltic households spend up to 50 percent of their monthly income on food, a survey shows.
The survey by the GfK research company and Nozare.lv proves that the lower the income, the greater the percentage of income spent on basic needs, including food products.
The study finds that 53 percent of respondents in Estonia and Lithuania spend up to 50 percent of monthly income on food, whereas in Latvia the figure is 48 percent.
On the other hand, 22 percent of Latvian and Lithuanian residents spend only 25 percent of monthly income on food, as do 18 percent of residents in Estonia.
A total of 19 percent of respondents in Latvia, 18 percent in Estonia and 17 percent in Lithuania said they were spending up to 75 percent of the household's monthly income on food.
The study also shows that quality of food products is the main factor for the Baltic residents when buying food, as confirmed by 57 percent of respondents. Various discount campaigns were named by 47 percent of respondents and product freshness by 40 percent.
The other important factors include low price (as stated by 39 percent of respondents), prior positive experience (32 percent), product ingredients (22 percent), healthiness (19 percent).
Packaging, other people's recommendations, brand names and ecological origins of a product are not considered important factors.
Estonians are the most convinced that local food products are of good quality - two-thirds of Estonian respondents said that quality of food products in their country was good enough.
One-fourth of Latvians and Lithuanians, however, said that they did not consider local food products of good enough quality.
The survey was carried out at the end of 2013.


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The morning is painted in muted colours. Last week's winds have swept the fine white sand across the face of the dunes, half filling the familiar hollows and frosting the marram grass.
At one end of the miles of beach the sea is silvery grey, but along its length it deepens in tone and changes in colour until by the time it reaches the other end it is a deep slaty green. The sea colour reflects nothing of the sky overhead and the warm soft greys and purples of its layered clouds. In today's calm there's no crashing and roaring of wind-driven waves as the sea reaches the land, just a slow lift to a curve – smooth and defined as machined metal – followed by a gentle fall and a shallow run of water up the beach.
A flock of winter-pale sanderling are feeding along the sea's ever changing margin. Black legs a blur, they run busily before the edge of the incoming water, judging its pace to perfection. As the water retreats they turn and follow, picking up edible morsels with scarcely a pause and then turning again to run like clockwork toys before the next advancing wavelet. Over and over they repeat the performance, moving gradually along the shore as they do so, and leading one to ponder the balance between their energy expenditure and food intake.
At first, the snow buntings are not as obvious. They are higher up the beach where the streaky plumage of their backs and the ochre patches on their sides and heads half hide them among the fragments of seaweed and ridges of blown sand. As they lift into the air the males, with their striking white wing panels, stand out boldly from the females and juveniles. They head off over the sea in a loose group of chirruping individuals, their behaviour in sharp contrast to the more usual flocks of waders that act in unison, flying and wheeling like a well-drilled unit.


text:
You are here
Hold off watering wet young crops
Corn and soybeans that spent the spring in saturated fields need time to put down deeper roots during the summer, even when the weather turns hot and dry. University of Nebraska agronomist Tom Hoegemeyer urges you to resist the temptation to start irrigating before the crop develops roots that reach down deeper into the field since doing so results in healthy plants.
Delaying irrigation (only if it doesn't unduly stress the crop) not only allows plants to root down but also builds stronger plants that are less prone to lodging later in the season. As an added benefit, deeper rooted (down 3 to 4 feet and deeper) crops take up nitrogen that leached below the top 2 feet of the soil. "If we irrigate them early in the season instead of letting them root down, they're apt to show moisture stress in dry, windy conditions," Hoegemeyer says.
Lack of oxygen restricts root growth
Hoegemeyer goes on to explain that often corn, for example, doesn't grow roots deeper in wet soils because the lack of oxygen in the soil restricts growth. Crop roots will move down with the proper balance of air and water in the spaces between the soil particles. As the absorbed water continues to percolate down through the soil filling the soil moisture profile, roots will tend to stay in the shallower area where there is more air between soil particles. This goes a long way in explaining why corn roots down deeper in sandy and sandy loam soils (which contain more air). As the soil dries and more air becomes present between particles, root growth will continue.
Rooting continues at tassel
As corn tassels and even fills, the roots continue to grow–but more slowly, Hoegemeyer explains. The small roots and root hairs tend to proliferate where water and oxygen are both available. The plant's ability to do this well varies with the hybrid. Some varieties are better able than others to continue root growth during grain filling. But it's not likely that any will stop growing at tasseling. Some hybrids produce large numbers of brace roots, and these continue to produce small roots, root hairs, and take up moisture if there is reasonable moisture in the top 6 inches of soil.
Farmers employing watermark sensors (soil moisture sensors) can depend on these devices to "give an indication of how deep the roots are," Hoegemeyer says. "When in doubt, carefully dig up some plants to see what's going on with the root system in your field.
"After an overly wet spring, there can be a great deal of water in the third foot and fourth foot (at irrigation time) that the crop can tap into, in addition to the nutrients that are down there," he explains. "Allow your crop to root down before irrigating to take advantage of what's currently in those deeper depths."


text: Did you know that Big 105.9 has a new PD? And that Maria Milito and Ken Dashow, based at WAXQ in New York and VT'd mid-days and evenings are out and that Aly Young from WRDA Altanta is VT'ing mid-days? Read all about the new PD here at http://www.allaccess.com/rock/10-que...#disqus_thread. Haven't listened in a long time, now have reason to listen to hear the changes.


text: Posted December 25, 2010 · Report post The other day I was reading an article on acne about taking vitamin a supplements. It went on to say that for vitamin a to work effectively it needs to be taken with Riboflavin. Has anyone heard anything about this? I've also heard that taking vitamin a by itself can actually be harmful and make acne worse. I know that for females the average is 8000 IU a day. It said to take it in a 100 to 1 ratio. I am considering adding vitamin a supplements to my routine but do I need to get vitamin b-2 to go with it? Get your Greens <3 Exercise, Sleep, Eat, Relax. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites