text:
A state-owned Iranian newspaper says authorities have detained an American woman on espionage suspicions.
The report Thursday by the IRAN Farsi daily said she had hidden "spying technology or a microphone" in her teeth when she was detained by customs authorities in the border town of Nordouz in northwestern Iran.
It said she arrived in Iran from neighboring Armenia without visa.
The report did not say when the woman was detained.


text:
Saw this in a senior newspaper:
Eclipse: what a barber does for a living.
Eyedropper: a clumsy opthalmologist.
Heroes: what a guy in a boat does.
Paradox: two physicians.
Pharmacist: a helper on the farm.
Polarize: what penguins see with.
Primate: removing your spouse from in front of the TV.
Relief: what trees do in the spring.
Rubberneck: what you do to relax your wife.
Seamstress: describes 250 pounds in a size six.
Selfish: what the owner of a seafood store does.
Subdued: like, a guy, like, works on one of those, like, submarines, man.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Some held flowers. Others held candles. There were hugs. There were tears.
"Just something that God...didn't mean to happen," Frank Fernandez said as he choked up with emotion. "But it just happens anyway."
Fernandez was one of dozens of friends who gathered around a tree on Rinehart Drive in East San Jose on Monday night. That's near the spot where two of his friends - teenage boys - had been shot and killed Sunday night.
"I was trippin'. I was like, 'Wow.' I was like pretty close to them," Fernandez said.
Friends say both teenage boys were students at Independence High School. They're at a loss why someone would kill them. Witnesses told police they saw a person on a BMX bicycle riding away. They were the city's 17th and 18th homicide victims this year.
MORE: San Jose Police Investigate Double, Single Homicides
"Someone must have to really hate him to kill him," Amanda Hoang, a friend of one of the teenage boys.
But the double homicide in East San Jose was only the beginning. Four hours later, someone shot and killed a man on Hayes Avenue in South San Jose. That brings the homicide total to 19 as compared to 16 at this same time last year. Mayor Chuck Reed says the police department continues to work hard even though they are stretched thin.
"We have a great department even though it's thinly staffed. We have one of the smallest per capita ratios of any big city in the country. They're putting in a lot of overtime but they're working hard to keep the community safe," Reed said.
And that's what neighbors on Rinehart Drive want to see. A safe community to raise their families.
"All we gotta do is move on and try to get ahead with our lives," Fernandez said.


text: Black Hills State University President Kay Schallenkamp made a surprise visit to BHSU alum Erin Marsh's classroom to congratulate the teacher on her Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Marsh, who teaches math at the Pierre Indian Learning Center, was in Washington, D.C., accepting the prestigious award. Her students made signs expressing their excitement and pride for their teacher. Marsh was among the 100 educators nationwide to receive the award, the nation's highest honor for K-12 teaching in these fields. Marsh and BHSU alum Ann Anderson, Belle Fourche fifth-grade science teacher, were the only two South Dakota educators honored with the prestigious award.


text:
It started with play-by-play calls of his brothers' table hockey games in tiny Campbellton, NB and ended Tuesday with a press conference dripping with emotion.
In between was a 34-year broadcasting career in Calgary that long ago established him as The Voice of the Flames.
But as the standing ovation from a who's who of the Calgary hockey scene made clear when a teary-eyed Peter Maher stood up to announce his retirement attested, the 64-year-old Hockey Hall of Famer is about so much more than those legendary pipes that broadcast more than 3,100 games without interruption.
The beloved broadcaster will be missed for his ability to paint a picture with his words, relay the ebbs and flows and emotions of a game thousands of miles away while giving the radio listener a certain warmth, knowing no matter where the home team played or how they fared you could always count on Peter being there.


text: Hi, everybody. I joined this forum so I could get some advice regarding a recent injury to my cuttlefish. I don't know if something like this has happened to many others, however. A week ago I purchased a dwarf cuttlefish (bandensis, I think) from my LFS, who had already kept it for a few months. It was surprisingly healthy and active; the first night I brought it home it ate a white cloud I offered it from my planted tank. I'm keeping it in a 29-gallon tank with 40 lbs. of oolitic sand and 25 lbs. of LR. I'm running a Bak Pak 2, a small back filter with phosphate remover and carbon, a Fluval 304 powerhead and a RIO 400 powerhead. I keep SPS corals and have a 150W 20K HQI metal halide. My water parameters, I figured, are excellent for a cuttlefish: high calcium and strontium, clean water, etc., except for the bright light. But this cuttlefish is remarkably healthy. Last night I found it hovering above my pink bird's nest coral. Upon further inspection I noticed its retractable tentacles were stuck inside the coral, keeping the cuttlefish from pulling itself free. A Trapezia guard crab was holding onto the tentacles and eating the end on one. I figure the cuttlefish tried to grab the crab, but couldn't pull the crab out or pull itself free. It began shooting ink, and I had to manually pull the tentacles away from the crab with my hand. Now the retracting tentacles hang out limp like they're stretched out and stick to everything the cuttlefish touches with them. My question is can a cuttlefish heal from something like this? I've read they can regenerate their tentacles. If I feed it frozen foods it won't need those tentacles to catch live prey, will it? Is my cuttlefish going to die? What can I do to help? Its behavior seems back to normal, except it's a bit shook up still like it doesn't know what to do now that its two retractable tentacles don't work. If they can heal, how long should it take? Your advice is greatly appreciated. Adam


text:
Safety laser scanner for irregularly-shaped areas
Banner Engineering's AG4 Safety Laser Scanner is designed to deliver safety, simplicity and versatility in a single, compact optical device.
Banner Engineering Corp. has introduced the AG4 Safety Laser Scanner, designed to deliver safety, simplicity and versatility in a single, compact optical device. The AG4 Safety Laser Scanner uses pulses of Class 1 infrared laser light to locate the position of objects in its field of view, protecting personnel by safeguarding both stationary and mobile hazards within a user-designated area.
Simple installation and intuitive configuration software allegedly make the AG4 a dependable, yet easy-to-apply solution. The AG4 safeguards irregularly-shaped areas not suitable for a standard two-or three-piece safety light screen. It is also a replacement solution for high-maintenance safety mats that are routinely damaged by repetitive operation or adverse environments. By meeting all requirements for Type 3 per IEC 61496-1/-2, Category 3 PLd per EN ISO 13849-1, and Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 2 per IEC 61508, the AG4 delivers superior performance in applications including area guarding, access/perimeter guarding, and automated guided vehicle (AGV) collision avoidance.
"We saw a need for a solution that could be used as a stand-alone safeguard that would stop hazards when an individual enters an area, as well as to prevent the reinitiating of a machine cycle while that individual is within the guarded area," said Mike Carlson, Safety Products Marketing Manager at Banner Engineering. "The AG4 will provide a solution in any number of stationary applications, but also is an excellent solution for collision avoidance on mobile vehicles such as AGVs, overhead cranes, and transfer carts and trolleys," Carlson added.
The AG4 Safety Laser Scanner operates through the principle of diffuse reflectance (reflected light) to determine an object's position via range (measured distance) and rotational angle. Once the AG4 protective and warning fields are configured, the position of the objects within the field of view are evaluated. If any are within a protective field, a safety stop signal is generated from the scanner. The AG4 can additionally be configured so that an intrusion in the warning field triggers an auxiliary output. This may be used to slow a mobile vehicle, flash a light, or initiate other actions to warn an individual who enters this field.
Featuring a 0.36 degree lateral resolution, the AG4 reliably detects objects in a zone up to 190 degrees from its fixed position. The AG4 provides selectable protection field resolution of 30, 40, 50, 70, and 150 mm with ranges up to 6.25 meters, while its warning field provides coverage of up to 15 meters. Advanced configuration capabilities allow operators to configure the AG4 with eight individual protective and warning fields. Users can quickly switch between configured field pairs, providing the flexibility to effectively protect personnel and equipment in diverse applications.
Key features of the AG4 Safety Laser Scanner include:
- Highly flexible protective and warning fields can be set to match the shape of the work area, providing dependable, responsive detection of any intrusion
- Simple installation and easy-to-use software
- Five LED diagnostic display presents system status and diagnostics of devices without connecting to a PC
- Eight individual protective and warning field pairs can be configured
- Configurable response time from 80 to 640 milliseconds
- RS-232 and RS-422 PC interface connection; USB adaptor available
- System meets all requirements for Type 3 per IEC 61496-1/-2, Category 3 PLd per EN ISO 13849-1, and Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 2 per IEC 61508
- Two solid-state OSSD safety outputs (250 mA) and two solid-state auxiliary outputs (100 mA)
Banner Engineering Corp.
- Edited by Amanda McLeman, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com
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Annual Salary Survey
Before the calendar turned, 2016 already had the makings of a pivotal year for manufacturing, and for the world.
There were the big events for the year, including the United States as Partner Country at Hannover Messe in April and the 2016 International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago in September. There's also the matter of the U.S. presidential elections in November, which promise to shape policy in manufacturing for years to come.
But the year started with global economic turmoil, as a slowdown in Chinese manufacturing triggered a worldwide stock hiccup that sent values plummeting. The continued plunge in world oil prices has resulted in a slowdown in exploration and, by extension, the manufacture of exploration equipment.
Read more: 2015 Salary Survey


text:
Selling a Star Wars movie to the moviegoing public is like selling blood to vampires. You know they want it, they know they want it, and not any amount of bad press or bad reviews about the movie (or blood) is going to put them off from getting it. This is the dilemma (if you can call it that) for Star Wars guru George Lucas as he embarks on the latest installment in his space opus.
Episode 1 is the kind of movie that requires you to see it more than once. The first time is to get over the mind-boggling special effects that are seamlessly integrated with the human actors and live surroundings. It is a task (but far from impossible) to distinguish between flesh and blood actors and animated characters such as Jar Jar Binks, or an army of cgi-blooded characters that populates the screen. In one amazing scene that takes place in the massive Senate Chamber, the entire cast is made of cgi with only a few humans interspersed. And you know what? I couldn't tell the difference. Episode 1 is that well done.
So after seeing it the first time and getting over the massive leap in cgi technology, what can you expect from the second, third, or even fourth viewing? Well, if you're like me, a second viewing is enough to see the many faults in the movie. This is not to say that Episode 1 is a bad film. That isn't the case by any stretch of the imagination. It's just not, well, a very good film if you take away all the cgi and sfx. Episode 1's bread and butter is its legend — its Jedi myths, its alien worlds, and its pirate cantinas. Take all that away and there's not much to hold onto.
Story, as was the case in the original Star Wars, its sequels The Empire Strikes back and Return of the Jedi, is sparse and simple. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out and where it's going. Star Wars is a bedtime story to get your kids to go to sleep. It's a "Once upon a time" movie, and though memorable for its inventions, it will never be taught in screenwriting classes. The script, written by Lucas, is just not very good.
There is no depth to the characters, no sense of personality, and little semblance of "acting" on display. Truly, even renown thespians such as Liam Neeson and Samuel L. Jackson are wooden. Worst, young actress Natalie Portman and young Jake Lloyd, who plays Anakin Skywalker (the future Darth Vader) are terrible. Both actors speak their dialogue like machines without the ability to emote. Portman is especially terrible as Queen Amidala, who has a monotonous speech pattern that is sure to invoke howls of laughter — or at least a lot of cringing by acting students. It's atrocious, wooden, and if indeed it was Lucas' order that she speak like this, it was a terrible choice. She comes across as a lifeless Kabuki without heart, and considering that she is the engine that runs the movie, it is a bad choice for Lucas, and an even worst display of acting by Miss Portman.
I cannot believe I am going to say this next sentence, but…
In fact, the cgi characters have more personality than their living, breathing counterparts. Gasp! Even the much-maligned Jar Jar Binks shows more personality than his human counterparts.
Taken as a whole, perhaps the bad acting and terrible dialogue means little. A movie like Star Wars, which has garnered such a huge fan following, is beyond critique. Like blood to vampires — they know they want it, you know you want it, and bad P.R. — or even bad story, bad acting, and bad writing — is not going to change anyone's mind.
All that being said, Episode 1's special effects and its brilliant use of cgi work are truly magnificent. That aspect alone will make Episode 1 astounding. Unfortunately, if you're in the mood for something more than eye candy, you shouldn't bother with Episode 1, since you'll come away still starving.
George Lucas (director) / George Lucas (screenplay)
CAST: Liam Neeson …. Qui-Gon Jinn
Ewan McGregor …. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Natalie Portman …. Queen Amidala
Jake Lloyd …. Anakin Skywalker


text:
Photographer's Note
March is supposed to be the month of spring but that doesnt always happen! This winter has been the hardest for ages, I hear they say for 52 years
In my part of the world Easter often marks the change from winter to spring. Traditionally we go to the mountains during Easter week, to celebrate the departure of winter with the last skiing of the year.
Light is now returning, and soon the day is longer than the night. The nature wakes up in every sense, both animal life and vegetation
Amaz, Budapestman, belido, maglex, s_lush, Longroute, ellelloo, Buin, pierrefonds, skippy007, josepmarin, saxo042, JCG, mvdisco, UlfE, Charo, jhm, papagolf21, John_F_Kennedy, MLINES, pajaran, subhendu_bagchi, jafadabret, jlbrthnn, yedirenk, Kielia, lucasgalodoido, Uhu, diomed, Vasa, gunbud, paura, Angshu, shevchenko, pasternak, Bluejeans, denisn72, Didi, Juntas, dip has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
npecanhuk (79319) 2010-03-07 6:31
Hi Pablo!
A very beautiful and pleasant photograph!
Excellent choice for pov! Outstanding sharpness, exposure and composition!
The fence, the melting snow and the texture of its surface, the hills and trees, the sky... everything is harmoniously placed together!
TFS - congratulations!
Best regards,
snunney (113536) 2010-03-07 6:36
Hello Pablo,
A very attractive composition of this melting snowfield heralding spring. I like the way the runnels in the snow draw the viewer into the picture towards the top of the hill. The composition has a nice balance to it with good light and colours.
bema (26427) 2010-03-07 6:39
Hi Pablo,
very nice light here, and a landscape really charming to see, can feel with you, after such a really long winter it´s sure time for another colors than white and grey..
have a nice week, kind regards Bernd
ciakgiak (30433) 2010-03-07 6:52
Hello Pablo,
another splendid winter landscape with the snow in a magnificent contrast with the deep blue sky. I like a lot this beautiful and perfect composition.
Best regards.
Budapestman (82620) 2010-03-07 7:00
Dear Pablo,
a very nice landscape with picturesque lights and composition, the atmosphere of the photo is peaceful, a great harmony, Tfs! Have a nice Sunday! Kellemes Vasárnapot!
George (György)
jplebrun (21208) 2010-03-07 7:06
Bonjour Pablo
en Europe ce fut l'hiver le plus dur tandis que nous ce fut le contraire, mais d'après ce magnifique cliché il semble que votre misère touche à sa fin.
belido (19934) 2010-03-07 7:09
Hi Pablo,
beautiful scene! this is definitely winter...strange in a certain way to see snow in this season. I like the composition with the fence in the foreground and ramp of the hill leading us through the image. Good work!
Sergiom (96529) 2010-03-07 7:09
Bonjour Pablo,
L'arbre effeuillé qui se tranche sur le nuage est superbe. La neige qui fond en strie et un ciel magnifique.
maglex (1980) 2010-03-07 7:17
Hello Pablo, lovely composition! I like the details on the 'ripple' marks of the remnant snow cover with its bluish tinge. I find it really well balanced having the tree there on the slope. Regards, Alex
s_lush (16602) 2010-03-07 7:31
Hello Pablo,
This hill partly covered with snow is a good symbol of spring's coming. The other elements of the composition also look very interesting. The bright light and blue sky are the main signs of the spring. Excellently composed and perfectly captured!
Best regards,
Longroute (19396) 2010-03-07 7:32
Really a beautiful image Pablo,
it reminds of my photo "ripples". You framed very well this small hill with the solitary tree and house at the left and the light is so splendid that really one thinks of spring.
Well done,
wolf38 (30) 2010-03-07 7:42
Hello Pablo. Snow, cold blue sky. But the sun melts the snow. This is a beautiful photo of the season. The technical quality is excellent. Regards, Wolfgang.
dkeus31 (27735) 2010-03-07 8:02
Hello Pablo
neighbours today ;)
a winter shot, for sure, the hill nice, the light only average and the fence, well, you should cut it before making the picture ;)))
Take care
Henryk_Bilor (20803) 2010-03-07 9:10
Hi Pablo
Lovely symbolic photograph. From the right still winter, while the spring attack from the left ;). I like the structure of snow and great light.
I just regret that the next winter could not be so nice ;).
jlynx (12647) 2010-03-07 9:34
Pablo I would like to strongly believe that this picture is a harbinger of spring. I really like winter. It is charming, but a little bit of all the bored. Now it is March, the month of rapid change. Not a fan of this month, but it was announced in March the spring. Your photo has a date of 31 March, but three years ago. I can still see a lot of snow. The view is wonderful. Thanks to good composition picture frame is very attractive. Snow is beautiful furrows, in which light is perfectly arranged. Tree on the left side is preferably limited staff. The entire closed from the top of a wonderful sky. You took a wonderful atmosphere of this place.
Have a nice evening,
ellelloo (6572) 2010-03-07 9:57
Hello Pablo,
A lovely spring reminder from an earlier spring. A fine and balanced composition. Good control of light. Beautiful sky. Excellent clarity and sharpness. The textures of partially melted snow are fine. And last but not least, a wonderful spring atmosphere. TFS!
ophelcia (0) 2010-03-07 10:30
I completely agree with you - it is STILL the hardest winter - it snowed today here - and I'm waiting for the blooming trees so much...
I really like the way how you showed the hope of melted snow - TFS,
Buin (42530) 2010-03-07 11:01
Good evening Pablo!
Yes, in your photo sun is at work - but I think this place today will look a bit different. A really reassuring photo with a wonderful light and a truly springlike atmosphere. These structures in snow caused by melting are a beautiful detail in this picture.
Greetings from still cold and snow covered Westphalia!
gneufeld (15890) 2010-03-07 13:05
Hi Pablo,
A fine winter landscape shot - I especially like the intersting maze of lines leading upwards on the hillside. Good light and well composed. TFS. Gerald
pierrefonds (76189) 2010-03-07 19:53
Hi Pablo,
The different forms on the snow are assets to the composition. The point pf view is leading my eyes toward the tree which is giving depth to the scenery. The reflection of the light on the snow is enhancing the colors. Have a nice day.
skippy007 (12510) 2010-03-08 0:19
Hello Pablo, Haa, spring is finally here, that of course means autumn for us, never mind as we say a change is as good as a vacation. One of those scenes where everything seems to be in it's correct place, well balanced, excellent colour & clarity, beautiful blue sky, a very harmonious & beautiful image. Thanks
Ola_Kwiatek (0) 2010-03-08 0:21
Amazing landscape. Wonderful place. Excellent colors. Nice lightness and brightness. Beautiful image.
josepmarin (58359) 2010-03-08 1:29
Hi Pablo,
With this image it seems that you wish that the spring comes, as all the European citizens, tired of this hard winter.
The image is very attractive, has a great light and a few beautiful colors, I like the texture of the snow and its nice contrast with the blue of the sky.
It's a beautiful photo.
Friendly regards,
Amaz (11475) 2010-03-08 2:50
Superb capture, my dear Pablo!
Strong colours and fine POV!!
Very well taken!!
Kind regards,
saxo042 (37974) 2010-03-08 6:57
Hej Pablo,
Looks like the snow is disappearing rapidly from slope, covered with sunshine. Interesting waves in the snow, created by some strong winds? The lonely birch is well placed in your composition.
Hello Pablo,
Indeed spring approaches but it is true that in this moment we do not realize there !!! -3 C° this morning on Versailles but a splendid sun Beautiful photograph on this snow which melts gently leaving the place to the reappearing vegetation. I like the light which gives an interesting graphic aspect to this snow-covered slope. Pretty glance, thank you Pablo.
With all my friendships and with soon,
mvdisco (17798) 2010-03-08 10:33
Bonjour Pablo,
Wanderful point of view and perpective ,
good contrast and light,
great colors and lovely scene of winter spring,
very well done.
UlfE (14641) 2010-03-08 10:42
Hei Pablo,
Realy beautiful spring-winter scene. The afternoon back-light makes the scene very attractive and you really made good use of the exciting pattern of the snow in your composition. The inclusion of the barn on top of the hill is great. TFS and have a fine week!
Charo (51212) 2010-03-08 12:39
Hallo Pablo,
Et enkelt bilde av feltet med en fantastisk lys som lar deg se med stor klarhet detaljene i snøen.
Excellent perspektiv og farger.
Graal (103038) 2010-03-08 23:17
Hi Pablo,
nice view, fine glance on the hills with the snowy amazing pattern. Good contrast. I like it.
Have a nice day.
emka (114731) 2010-03-09 0:00
Hi Pablo,
Thgis winter really lasts and lasts but I remember such winters from the old times. So I wouldn't say it was hardest in Poland for so many years. But finally it looks like the spring is slowly coming. I saw the first tulips leaves in my garden, the snow disappears. In your photo there is a lot of sun and nice atmosphere.
Giorgio (11279) 2010-03-09 0:15
- In France we are enough hard winter (another 30 centimetres of snow of it fallen yesterday in the South) and we too, we wait for the instant when the spring will allow us to make nice pictures as yours, bravo anyway.
All the best to you Pablo.
jhm (167626) 2010-03-09 1:32
Hello Pablo,
I am very glad that we get the spring time, what a long winter this year.
A lovely sunny day with the last snow on the mountain.
You create depth and perspective through the snow lines on the slope.
Composition and presentation are excellent.TFS.
Best regards,
Nicou (159824) 2010-03-09 2:46
Superbe compo quel mouvement fait la neige et cet effet des traces sur la neige cette fiuyance, la belle forme avec le sommet tout arrondi, superbe.
Bravo et amitié
barrufeto_77 (28886) 2010-03-09 9:25
Hi PAblo.
Despite snowed yesterday, our spring is not like yours hahahahahahaha.
I like the colours and the cloud behind the tree.
Well done!
carper (96) 2010-03-09 9:46
very good photo here,
a very good photo here Pablo,
good light, fine composition, a very good technical photo job here, well done, have a good evening.
regard jaap
dear Pablo,
beautiful patterns made by remained snow on the slope,
in Japan, we call it "Yukigata"(snow-pattern), and various yukigatas become symbols of spring for people's life,
anyway, the spring light is so warm and tender,
and the atmosphere feels cool and fresh in this your picture,
thank you for your delightful spring shot,
Urs (14082) 2010-03-10 0:29
Hi Pablo
Spring is around the corner in Europe, at least, but wait, snow will come back again. Normally it does come back, isn't it? There is rarely an issue with your pictures but this time I think that the color of the snow is a bit strange. It is possible, it was the sun or something else. However I think that you should know better what you saw. Well done.
Thanks for your critique of my river shot. I like this river, and I have uploaded several shots to TE alraedy.
Best regards
rodgerg (55767) 2010-03-10 0:31
Hello Pablo,
The begin of the spring! Nice and very plesant shot with a POV very well selected. The barrier in the Fg and the lines in the snow give a vrey beautiful graphic effect. Very nice blue sky too with plesant white clouds.
Best regards,
papagolf21 (118509) 2010-03-10 0:38
Bonjour, mon ami Pablo,
Les oiseaux se remettent à chanter, les arbres se couvrent de bourgeons, l'air devient plus doux... Serait-ce le printemps ?
A voir la neige qui couvre encore la terre, le printemps n'est pas pressé de s'annoncer !
Une bien jolie composition.
John_F_Kennedy (43763) 2010-03-10 3:32
Hello Pablo,
Very impressive POV and interesting waves on the snow. Nice snow formations. Well seen.
have a nice day,
Hi Pablo, Good landscape showing the beginning of the longed-for thaw. The natural curves and patterns are most attractive, proving nature is the finest artist of all. TFS. Murray.
pajaran (71534) 2010-03-11 1:56
Dobar dan, i dalje traje zima, nikako da ode.
Lepo brdo sa usamljenim drvetom i sneg koji i dalje traje, ograda kao da kaze da stanemo i divimo se lepotama prirode, lepe boje i fotografija, svidja mi se rad sa dobrim uvodnim tekstom.
Imajte lep dan, Paja.
Good day, and winter is still going, not to go.
Nice hill with a lonely tree and the snow that still goes on, the fence as to say that we stand and admire the beauties of nature, beautiful paintings and photographs, like it work with a good introductory text.
Have a nice day, Paja.
jmdias (73379) 2010-03-11 2:11
very beautiful and interesting. I liked the shapes of the old snow and the places where the ground is appearing, the silhouete of the mountain and that beautiful trees in its top are fabulous to see. nice job. well done
subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2010-03-11 3:55
Hi Pablo,
nice composition with the snow covered slope and with the tree in horizon with the backdrop of deep blue sky. Like the presence of the hint of the small cottage in background. Great photographic quality. Tfs.
Have a nice day.
jafadabret (56501) 2010-03-11 7:46
Bonjour Pablo,
Je vois que c'est partout pareil, le printemps tarde beaucoup trop. Il y a encore de la neige chez nous. La photo est très belle avec les dessins du vent sur la neige, un peu comme sur les dunes de sables. Belle lumière et belles couleurs !
jlbrthnn (76039) 2010-03-11 9:58
Good evening Pablo,
This hill partially covered with snow is like a small volcano. The weather of 2007 was very pleasant. The light, like the colors and clearness, is pleasant. Very beautiful image skilfully made up. Cheer.
Have a good evening
emjleclercq (15780) 2010-03-11 14:24
Very nice ascending view, the slope covered with snow leads the sight naturally to the blue sky and to the tree, which makes for a very effective composition.
All the best,
darek1978 (13361) 2010-03-11 14:58
Hi Pablo,
As usual a very interesting and good picture. A really good composition with wonderful light. I don't really like winter and freeze, but they provide here a wonderful atmosphere. The blue of the sky is great.
Well done!
Thanks for sharing,
fabianoleite (11979) 2010-03-11 19:47
Beautiful contrast between the snow and the uncovered mountain parts, with a beautiful sky behind. Congratulations!
mesutilgim (98538) 2010-03-11 23:39
Hi Pablo,
Spring ? Still toooooo far away, but anyhow it will come. Also the next spring and the spring after the next etc etc, and we all shall get older; just waiting for the spring. As if we all are waiting for the arrival of Godot !
Quite nice -still wüntery- scene with good pov. The lonseome tree at the top in front of the white clouds, puts a nice accent to the scenery.
TFS and best regards
yedirenk (11244) 2010-03-12 0:20
Hi Dear Pablo,
a wonderful nature scene with nice view angle.very beautiful snowy textures under the perfect blue sky.an excellent presentation with light,sharpness and framing.peaceful atmosphere.tfs
mauro61 (52889) 2010-03-12 0:47
ciao Pablo,
bella immagine con i solchi creati dal vento sulla neve.
Colori naturali e uno splendido cielo azzurro.
Perfetto il POV,
un saluto
Kielia (24077) 2010-03-12 8:15
Hi Pablo,
a very beautiful capture of the ending winter (hopefully!) and an outstanding composition. Very beautiful light, pleasant contrasts and an excellent perspective. My compliments!
Warm regards
lucasgalodoido (24241) 2010-03-12 10:39
Hi Pablo,
beautiful view of this hill, and the snow texture and contrast with sky are wonderful. Great job, my friend.
Uhu (8609) 2010-03-12 13:12
We have the same weather now. But surely more snow. So much more...
Great one, perfect quality - very good lighting and definite feeling of Spring.
diomed (13926) 2010-03-12 14:11
Hi Pablo,
in all the Europe we are waiting for the spring and the wake up of the nature, althought we are in the southern side we feel from many weeks the awakening.
But from your capture the snow is tanning, the light is superb, the day is longer than the night. Excellent shot. TFS
Nice WE
Vasa (515) 2010-03-12 15:31
Yes,Pablo, it is Norway in my imagination too. The spring and optimism are together on your subject. Friendly,
gunbud (34066) 2010-03-12 19:50
Hi Pablo,
This beautiful shot really does a fine job of ringing in the spring season.
Love the rich texture oof the melting snow and how brilliantly it contrast with land and sky.
The bright sunshine helps to make the bitter winter just a memory.
Regards, Tom
paura (45863) 2010-03-13 6:07
Incrível a imagem da neve derretendo. O resultado fotográfico ficou uma beleza.
TopGeo (38216) 2010-03-14 0:04
Hi Pablo! A splendid picture of March that has colour of little winter Beautiful composition and place of countryside with a sky in possible blue that impresses!
shevchenko (20560) 2010-03-14 19:22
Hi Pablo,
The goegraphical feature become prominent in the winter while the land is partly cover by snow, good frame to the slope, clear to see the waves by snow, attractive blue sky, thanks for sharing.
Sorry that the spring is arrive late.
Angshu (56760) 2010-03-15 0:44
Hello Pablo
The hardest winter in 52 years, that's news to me! The snow is quite amazing, looks like waves of water which has suddenly frozen. Nice contrast with the brown exposed part of the hill, under a fine blue sky. Well done!
Cricri (133114) 2010-03-16 4:05
Hello Pablo
Une image agréable a regarder, belle lumière et contraste très joli des couleurs, bon cadrage avec les piquets de bois, la texture de la neige et le point haut de la colline
ps) merci pour ma petite shanna...
pasternak (15185) 2010-03-17 2:02
Very nice composition with the lonely tree balanced by the hilltop, the fence is a good element.
Bluejeans (64251) 2010-03-17 12:45
Ola Pablo ,
Magnifica imagem de inverno , linda a textura da neve faz um bonito desenho sobre esta montanha , boa luz e cores, parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo
foozi (7101) 2010-03-17 20:07
Hi Pablo,
very classical approach to the view. The textures created by the snow is really splendid. The posts add some foreground excitement and not forgetting the wonderful blue sky. The puffy clouds are well shown though hidden behind the leafless tree.
what a lovely composition you did.
Well seen and well appreciated.
AiresSantos (56155) 2010-03-19 1:57
Hi Pablo
Yes, the spring is arriving but with few sun in Lisbon...
Today, I wake up with light rain
Fine composition with excellent colours and light management
Have a nice weekend
denisn72 (8314) 2010-03-21 4:57
Hello Pablo,
The texture of the snow is really interesting. The point of view and contrasts are great too. The fence and the tree on top of the hill are two attractive elements in the picture. Well done!
Best regards
Didi (60962) 2010-03-24 3:08
Bonjour Pablo
Une belle image de début de printemps à la fonte des neiges.
J'apprécie la belle luminosité ambiante et la qualité du cadrage.
ahmetgedikli (25609) 2010-03-31 23:59
Very good scenery... The light, POV and colors are wonderful. Well done.
Have a nice day.
mafegan (8626) 2010-04-05 19:32
Hello Pablo
All details of this photo are appealing including the fence, the tree and the melting snow. Reminds me of my last visit to Norway in 1974. After spending a winter working in Geilo we left as the slopes looked much like this scene. Tfs, Marlene
Juntas (7960) 2010-04-06 6:58
Hi Pablo. In fact a strange photo for that title :)
I like the fence and the way you framed the scene. Great 'color' on the snow and very good sharpness. A well done job. Have a nice day.
Disabled_A (0) 2010-04-07 12:43
Hi Pablo,
for sure, this does not look like winter at all :) with bits of soil and grass... with a very clear air and the blue sky - what a nice scene :))
A simple view, but very well composed :) I like this "rippled" snow!
Warm regards,
clic (19888) 2010-06-08 7:58
Hello Pablo
Spring left an attractive footprint that seems restrained by the fence occupying a whole tiers of picture.
Distant naked trees balance well the mass of hillside.
Best regards.
danyy (0) 2010-06-13 23:09
Bonjour Pablo,
curieux spectacle avec les plis dans cette neige. et un soleil bas qui permet de bien les dessiner grâce aux ombres. Une photo bien équilibrée où il manque juste un petit écureuil.
My best regards.
dip (23892) 2010-09-04 3:16
Hi Pablo,
I have missed this nice blue & white winter shot...sorry,I mean spring shot :)
well done!
Photo Information
- Copyright: Pablo Minto (pablominto) (53746)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2007-03-31
- Categories: Nature
- Camera: Nikon D50, 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor
- Exposure: f/8, 1/1600 seconds
- More Photo Info: view
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2010-03-07 6:27


text:
Meet John Doe: The relationship between crime, poverty and income inequality
By Paul Gorski
This column is, in part, a comment on Senior Assistant Editor Brandon Reid's "Editorial: Rockford's violent crime rate virtually unchanged in 2013" from the Nov 6-12 issue. I commend Reid for tackling the issue of local crime; it appears that he will be writing a series of articles about the topic, and I don't want to interfere with his efforts.
Suffice to say there is a relationship between crime, poverty and income equality, but there is still debate as to the details of the relationship.
Researchers have been trying to sort out the root causes of crime in urban and rural areas for years. Research going back to the 1960s has shown a relationship between poverty and property crime, with the relationship between poverty, unemployment and violent crime not being as well established.
More recently, largely as result of some research done in 2009, researchers have been targeting "income inequality" as a cause for some crime, property crime mostly. Income equality being loosely defined as the difference between the top and bottom wage earners in a community. The difference between the "haves" and "have nots."
While instinctively I would tend to agree with the income equality argument, Reid cites declines in certain crimes over the past year or two. This despite relatively high poverty and unemployment rates during the same time. While income equality may be involved, more research is required.
What is clear is that Rockford has a poverty rate approaching 25 percent and higher-than-average unemployment rate, and, as Reid points out, a violent crime rate that is trending higher. We also have fewer residents enrolled in college or who have attended college compared to communities of similar size like Aurora and Peoria. None of this is good for our region.
You'll note that I haven't been citing references. Most of the references I would cite are very technical papers, not the overviews done by popular news magazines. I plan on citing references online, in response to Reid's columns, as appropriate.
I look forward to Brandon Reid's series "A Criminal's Paradise: A County Without Consequences." I hope he can better illustrate the local relationship between crime, poverty and income inequality.
Paul Gorski (http://www.paulgorski.com) is a Cherry Valley Township resident who also authors the Tech-Friendly column seen in this newspaper.
From the Nov. 13-19, 2013, issue


text: Romana, short for Romanadvoratrelundar, is a fictional character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, she is a companion to the Fourth Doctor. As a Time Lord, Romana is able to regenerate, having had two on-screen incarnations with somewhat different personalities. Romana I was played by Mary Tamm from 1978 to 1979. When Tamm chose not to sign on for a second season, the part was recas...... more on Wikipedia


text:
The dope man never saw it coming.
Long-haired, pale-skinned and heavily tattooed, he sat in the champagne-colored leather back seat of his silver luxury sedan, watching his driver trot across the 2700 block of Downing Street to deliver a package to a crackhouse.
Ten feet away, Mary calmly leveled her weapon. Standing in the front yard of her Five Points duplex, the 53-year-old drew a bead on the back of the dope man's head. Then she pulled the trigger.
A blast of water shot from the garden hose in Mary's hand and through the half-open rear window of the parked car, splattering the dope man, his female companion and his expensive ride's plush interior.
"I'm gonna beat your ass, bitch!" he bellowed at Mary, storming from the car.
Mary dropped the hose, jogged up her front steps, went inside, locked the deadbolt behind her and called the police.
"Yes, this is Mary again, and I just had an altercation right outside my house with one of the drug dealers on my block, and he's threatening to harm me."
Mary was quiet for a moment, listening.
"That's all I ask," she said, then hung up.
"The dispatcher told me they'd do the best they can," she reported.
Ten minutes later, the dope man and his silver sedan were nowhere to be seen -- and neither were the police. Crackheads and drug dealers were swarming, though.
This summer, Downing between 27th and 28th avenues has turned into an open-air drug market in which crack cocaine is bought, sold and smoked in broad daylight. The block is also a staging area where customers in cars pick up addicts who guide the buyers to drug houses on nearby streets.
For crack dealers and smokers, the 2700 block of Downing is strategically located on a thoroughfare that divides two neighborhoods, Five Points and Whittier, as well as two police districts. One side of the street falls into the Denver Police Department's District 2; the other side is in District 6.
"If you're trying to make a bust and they run from one side of that street to the other, you have a different animal on your hands," says District 6 neighborhood officer Jim Cortez, who has patrolled Five Points since 1988. "If you call in on your radio and say, 'I have a foot chase going into District 2,' dispatch has to patch 2 and 6 together, and then you're interfering with other people's calls. It gets complicated in a hurry."
The crackhouses are concentrated on the western, District 6 side of the street, behind which lies a warren of old sheds and narrow, littered alleyways. Mary lives on the eastern, District 2 side of the block, where a dozen or so law-abiding residents -- black, white and Mexican -- have been terrorized in recent weeks by crack-addicted thugs threatening to kill them and rape their children if they call the police or speak to reporters.
"They've threatened them with guns, threatened them with bodily harm," says Cortez, who has been working undercover on the block this summer. "It's about 50 percent Mexican families on that block, and it's especially frustrating for them, because they have a communication problem in reporting the crimes they see and the threats made against them."
Among those who dwell on the eastern side of 2700 Downing, Mary alone agreed to be interviewed for this article, asking only that her last name not be used.
"I'm just tried of being squeamish about this shit," she says. "It's an insane asylum turned inside out."
Outside Mary's living-room window on a summer Sunday afternoon, the scene was this:
Across the street, a heavyset, ponytailed man dressed in a shiny blue track suit looked out from his chair behind a set of iron bars guarding the front window of a squat brick building. Constructed in 1887, it was once a hairdressing salon. Painted beside the bars is the word "Beauty."
A teenage girl in a black miniskirt sauntered past the window and, with a no-look flick of her wrist, palmed a bundle of plastic vials and tiny bags passed through the bars by the man known on the block as "Mo," whose legal name is Morris Ayers.
The girl in the miniskirt then worked the block, peeling the vials and bags free of a large rubber band and distributing them among five thickly muscled young men pacing the sidewalk. They, in turn, exchanged the vials one by one with the shuffling, wild-haired, candy-bar-gobbling crackheads who converged on the block from all directions.
Several of the cocaine smokers bypassed the sidewalk dealers and approached Ayers directly, bending at the waist to talk to him through the window. After a few words, he either waved them off or got up to peel back the soiled blanket hanging over the old beauty parlor's entrance and opened the door.
Before he stepped aside to let them in, Ayers cast a calculating glance up and down the street that was half predator, half prey.
Not all of the crackhouse patrons arrived on foot, and not all were black. Every five or ten minutes, a car with a white face behind the wheel turned onto the block and drove slowly until the driver and a dealer on the sidewalk exchanged "crack nods," a slight raising of the chin and eyebrows that is both inquiry and response. The driver -- usually male, middle-aged and alone, or male, in his early twenties and with a carload of friends -- then pulled to the curb. The dealer leaned in the window for a few words and then got in the car and rode with the driver off the block.
Down the street from the derelict beauty parlor, a trio of crackheads squatted on the stoop of a green rowhouse, openly smoking their glass pipes, reeling back and grinning like evil clowns with each full-lunged hit. One of them stood up, tucked his pipe away, unzipped his fly and urinated on a nearby wall.
Next door, four more crackheads lined up at the back door of a yellow three-story Victorian, where a dealer wearing sunglasses and dreadlocks doled out his wares as if the addicts had just rung his doorbell and cried, "Trick or treat!"
"It's so sad and dysfunctional, all the screaming and whistling and tweaking and pissing and ass-scratching," said Mary, sitting on her front steps to survey the dozens of dirty deals going down. "Humans are supposedly sentient beings, but if this is sentience, it's sentience gone horribly awry."
Just then, a gaunt man wearing overalls stumbled out of the beauty parlor clutching a super-sized bag of cheese puffs, his fingers and mouth stained bright orange with junk-food dust. A raw-boned woman with graveyard eyes approached him and tried to reach into the bag. He slapped her hand, howled "Bitch, you trippin'!" and shoved her away.
Mary has lived on the 2700 block of Downing since October 2000. It wasn't nearly as bad then. "A lot of the buildings on the other side of the street looked a little run-down, maybe abandoned, but they weren't crackhouses. I've been around the block enough to recognize the signs, and this definitely wasn't a heavy-duty crack-dealing street until just a few months ago," she says.
A former waitress at the Mercury Cafe, Mary now runs her own house-cleaning company. She moved to Five Points because she was sick of living in Lowry and because the price was right: She bought her 1,500-square-foot abode for less than $100,000, which seemed like a sweet deal in Denver's boomed housing market.
"I love diversity, and I wasn't crazy about living around only white people anymore. I believe in living in the inner city, and it seemed like a pretty good investment," she says. "What can I say? I took a chance."
Mary wasn't the only one.
Most of the other residents on her side of the block have lived there less than two years. Like Mary, they are first-time home buyers who gambled on a rough-and-tumble street in an up-and-coming historic neighborhood, and saw potential in the two-story Victorians and Craftsman-style bungalows mixed in with the block's empty storefronts.
"We call these people 'urban pioneers,' where they come in and find some really nice, old houses for cheap, and they think they're going to be able to just settle down and fix up the house. They realize too late what's going on across the street, and they're naturally a little upset," says Officer Cortez. "They generate a lot of complaints, where, on the other hand, the people on the street who have lived in the area for several generations, they've seen it before. They know these things have a rhythm of their own, where a street will be hot for a while, then go cold, then get hot again. If we hit the dealers and smokers hard in one place, they all move a few blocks, and some time passes and then we hit 'em hard again. That's just the nature of the beast."
It wasn't always that way in Five Points, one of Denver's oldest and formerly most vivacious neighborhoods. Founded in the 1860s as one of the young town's first residential suburbs, the area ultimately took its name from the five streets that intersect at its heart. (Denver's tramway company came up with the nickname because its streetcar signs weren't large enough to list all of the thoroughfares at this end-of-the-line stop.) Five Points blossomed and became the black cultural center of the West, a title it held from the jazz age through the post-World War II era. In 1951, Beat writer Jack Kerouac immortalized the heyday of the area in On the Road: "I walked among the lights of 27th and Welton in Denver's colored section, wishing I were a Negro, feeling that the best of the white world is not enough."
Three years later, the Colorado Fair Housing Act was passed, and thousands of the neighborhood's residents flocked to other parts of the city. Five Points went into a slow spiral of decline. Now, as they often have in the recent past, the neighborhood's optimistic backers say Five Points is primed for a renaissance.
The 2700 block of Downing is four blocks from the African-American Research Library that's slated to open next spring and only three from The Point, a $12.5 million retail and residential development that broke ground last September at 26th Avenue and Washington Street. "Development is the catalyst for positive change," says Marva Coleman, executive director of the Five Points Business Association and one of The Point's principal investors. "I wasn't aware of the problems they were having there on Downing, but I'm sure they will eventually go away, and this project will help that to happen."
Cortez says he has been following construction of The Point with interest and agrees it will more than likely have an impact on his department's enforcement priorities. "Hopefully, there's going to be a lot of people who will move in there, and I'm sure they'll complain a lot if they have crack dealers down the street," he says. "When a lot of complaints come in from a lot of different people, we get the orders to hit 'em, and we put the word out on the street. I'll tell the dealers straight up: 'You see that building over there? That's a multimillion-dollar building. You think they want you selling crack out here? We're going to hit you hard, man.' That's what I'll tell them. It takes a while for that sort of word to spread, but once it does, the area around a new building like that will improve."
The only construction project on Mary's block this summer was a tree fort made of plywood and bedspreads erected by homeless crackheads beneath the limbs of an overgrown elm on the south end of the street. "We couldn't figure it out for a long time," says Cortez. "We'd be watching someone who just made a buy down on that end of the street, and we'd turn our heads for a second and they'd be gone. Then we realized they were going into the tree. They had a little house in there. They had a little stereo and everything."
Last month, officers cut off most of the tree's limbs. Mary wishes they would similarly prune the crack dealers off her block. She estimates that she has called the police more than fifty times since early May, when the crackhouses across the street first opened for business.
"I used to have a limit where if there were more than five or six crack dealers on the block, then I'd call. If there were less, I wouldn't," she says. "Now I usually just call if there's a fight on the street or if I'm threatened.
"It's hard for me to call the cops. Over the course of my life, most of the time I didn't want the cops around. They were always on the wrong side from me. But now it's different."
At first, it was also hard for Mary to figure out exactly which cops she was supposed to call. "When all this drug shit started happening, I felt like I was trying to solve some sort of bizarre logic puzzle," Mary remembers. "I'd call District 2 and tell them there were a bunch of dope dealers across the street, and they'd tell me to call District 6, because the dealers were on the District 6 side of the street. So then I'd call District 6, and they'd ask me where I live, and then they'd say, 'Oh, well, you're in District 2; you need to call them.'"
"I was like, 'I don't care what number is on their badge. Just please send some cops to bust these guys, because they're doing this shit right out in the open.'"
Busts have been made.
DPD Sergeant Mark Fall, who oversees drug-house complaints for District 2's six-officer IMPACT team, reports that since June 1, his team has made more than twenty arrests for drug dealing and possession on the 2700 block of Downing.
District 6 undercover operations have netted sixteen arrests during the same time period.
"We're aware of the problem, and we're trying to address it as best we can," says Fall. "District 6 is running undercover, and what we've been doing with our [District 2] team is, basically, when we see a dope deal occur on that street, we'll try to contact the individuals involved for probable cause.
"We have been able to make arrests using that method, even though when you're dealing a few little rocks in these low-level sales, it's pretty hard to catch them. They're always looking out for the cops, and it's easy for them to just swallow the narcotics."
The get-high-crash-get-high-again cycle of crack cocaine is wickedly compressed. Many addicts smoke a rock every fifteen or thirty minutes. As a result, foot traffic to and from crackhouses is often a nonstop freak parade. One crackhouse on your street -- let alone three or more, as is the case on the 2700 block of Downing -- is a more flagrant nuisance than one clandestine methamphetamine lab, which tends to be obvious only when it blows up.
But meth labs and designer drugs have quickly outpaced crackhouses in the media's coverage of the never-ending War on Drugs, probably because methamphetamine and Ecstasy are both new millennial and sexy, while crack is so very Reagan-era.
On the meaner streets of Denver, though, crack's siren song has never quieted.
"We have a major, major problem with crack addiction right now," says Fall. "All along the East Colfax corridor is bad; the Holly Shopping Center is really bad; and if you go further up in the Cole neighborhood, from the 2700 block up to 34th, around Franklin, Marion, there's crack everywhere up there.
"And it's pretty bad over there on Downing, no doubt about it."
The 2700 block of Downing enjoyed one brief respite from badness following the late-June arrest of Morris Ayers, who runs the crackhouse in the abandoned beauty parlor -- owned by his 87-year-old grandmother, who lives next door.
Ayers, 42, was busted for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute after he physically barred a City of Denver zoning inspector from entering the property without a search warrant.
Unlike police officers, zoning inspectors do not need a search warrant to legally enter a property as long as there are documented complaints regarding its habitability. Since city law deems crackhouses "inherently uninhabitable," one way for the DPD to get a look inside a suspected drug house is to refer complaints about it to Neighborhood Inspection Services, which is what police did in this case.
When Ayers blocked her way, the zoning inspector retreated a safe distance and watched as Ayers blatantly conducted several apparent drug transactions. She then called the cops on the police radio in her car; within minutes, Ayers was in handcuffs.
"It was pretty quiet after that," remembers Mary. "Then about two weeks after they took him away, Mr. Shithead came back, and the whole block revved up again."
The charges against Ayers hadn't stuck. It turned out that most of the supposed crack he had on him when he was arrested was fake stuff, or "woo," made of soap and dried breadcrumbs.
Now shorn of his ponytail, Ayers was a near-daily presence throughout most of August at his usual post behind the beauty-parlor window.
"We're watching him," Neighborhood Inspection Services police liaison John Cohen said in late August. "We know he is back in that building and some other buildings and is dealing out of there and the other buildings on that block, and we're taking steps to solve that problem."
The department was "negotiating a solution" with Ayers's grandmother. "We're going to get the grandmother to give us permission to declare the building vacant," Cohen added. "That way, we can board it up and legally post it as vacant, and if we find that guy in there again, we can have him arrested for violating the vacant-and-derelict properties ordinance."
In the mid-1990s, Mayor Wellington Webb began pushing Denver City Council to pass a nuisance-abatement ordinance that would allow the city to seize a crackhouse and shutter it for up to three years, with or without the owner's permission. In 1998, that ordinance finally passed.
After dealing with the beauty-parlor crackhouse, Cohen said, his department planned to focus on "two or three other problems" on the western side of 2700 Downing, including the yellow Victorian.
"You have to document a series of violations before you can move toward a nuisance-abatement order," he explained. "We're moving on it. There's an investigation under way."
Just before Labor Day weekend, police officers hammered a nuisance-abatement order to the front door of the beauty parlor, announcing that the property had been confiscated by the city.
In the weeks since his arrest, Ayers had done his best to make a nuisance of himself to those he suspected of bringing down the heat. Shortly after he was released from jail in early July, Ayers rode in the passenger seat of a maroon station wagon that cruised ominously in front of Mary's house.
When she came outside, Ayers spat out: "Whore!"
"Same to you, bitch!" she fired back. The station wagon sped away.
"Mary's a sassy lady, and I respect her for that," says Sergeant Fall. "But I tell her she needs to be careful and not get too sassy, because you never know how desperate these people are or how they're going to react."
The owner of the only legal business on Mary's block is Julian Leevee, who has operated a nameless laundromat on the western side of the street since 1982. Asked to comment for this article, Leevee says only this: "It can get pretty rough down here. They'll burn you down. They don't give a damn about anything. So as far I'm concerned, there's nothing going on down here. I don't see anyone selling anything. The cops are doing a good job. Let's just drop the whole story."
Denver software engineer Michael Schreiber is more forthcoming. Schreiber owns a two-story apartment building on the eastern side of the block. It's up for sale. He can't seem to find a buyer.
"People come to look at it, and they're afraid to get out of their cars," he says. "I had one woman who had an appointment for me to show her the property, and as soon as she got out of her car, she was approached by a drug dealer asking her if she needed anything. She said, 'I'm not even going to go inside,' and left.
"I can't even keep tenants in there, because the drug dealers scare them off," he continues. "They're just so brazen about it. It's wrong to let it go on like that, but it seems like the people who live on that block, they're either involved in the drugs themselves, or their attitude is 'We leave them alone, they leave us alone.'"
Mary is the exception. She's a pissed-off lady with a garden hose.
All day long -- and she works long days -- Mary cleans other people's houses. When she returns to her own in the evening, she likes to unwind in her back yard by tending her garden. One night in late June, she was doing just that when her peace was disturbed by a bunch of crackheads smoking out in the alley behind her fence. They were giggling and shouting and turning the air over Mary's garden sickly sweet with the exhaust fumes of burning cocaine paste.
Mary turned the pressure up on the water coursing through her hose, calibrated angle and distance, and then unleashed a high arc of water over the fence, raking her fire back and forth like a helicopter gunner strafing a tree line.
"Get the fuck out of here, you zombies," she shouted.
She has only sprayed a drug dealer once -- the tattooed dope man in the silver car -- and she says she probably won't do it again.
That afternoon, twenty minutes after Mary called non-emergency dispatch, she was sitting on her steps, still waiting for the cops.
"They're getting pretty cavalier about me calling," she said.
Children rode past her yard on bicycles and Big Wheels. Mary greeted them by name.
A beat-to-hell blue station wagon pulled up outside the derelict beauty parlor, and the woman driving it got out and went inside. "That car's always coming around," Mary said. "Check out the signs on the side."
Attached to the car's exterior were placards that read "Funtastic Fun Family Fun Center."
According to Funtastic Fun owner Nathan Elinoff, when the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post raised their joint advertising rates last year, he pulled his ads and devised a new promotional scheme for his indoor amusement park.
"I found a way to advertise, like with bus advertising and taxi-cab advertising. What I do is, if you put our signs on your car, I give you ten free admissions every month," Elinoff says. "I have 350-plus Funtastic Fun cars on the road."
Informed that one of those cars was making frequent stops at a soon-to-be notorious crackhouse, Elinoff replies, "Holy canoli!" He then asks for the car's license-plate number. "I'll be terminating their contract immediately," he says. "That's not cool."
Mary wouldn't describe anything about her block's drug houses as cool, except maybe their turn-of-the-last-century architecture. But then, she had no love for living in Lowry, either. "I wouldn't trade my place now for the dump I was living in out in Lowry, or the fake people out there," she says. "Lowry is where America is hiding its head in the sand. It's all petunias and white people mowing grass. It's not real. At least my block's real."
Sometimes too real.
As Mary waited for the cops, an obese woman wearing nothing above her waist except a grimy, overloaded bra jiggled down the sidewalk like a kid chasing an ice cream truck. "I got five on that," she yelled after a dealer.
"I do go off a bit about the social veneer of our society," Mary said. "But when you don't even have a little veneer, it can be an ugly thing."
More than a half hour after Mary reported the dope man's threat to beat her ass, a lone patrol car turned a corner onto the south end of her street, proceeded by three young boys on bicycles, whistling and yelling an alarm. "5-0! 5-0!"
The children have been hired by the crack slingers to ride patrols around surrounding blocks, racing back to conduct their little Paul Revere rides anytime they see a blue-and-white on its way to Downing.
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"By the time we roll through in a police car, nothing obvious is going on," Sergeant Fall says. "They know we're coming long before we get there. Even our undercover cars are pretty well-known, unfortunately."
The police car drove the length of the street once, the officer behind the wheel staring straight ahead. Mary watched him go.
"I understand that crack is like a roach problem," she says. "The cops know if they fumigate this block, the roaches will just reappear somewhere else and continue to multiply.
"But at this point, I don't give a shit. I'm feeling selfish, and I'm ready for the roaches to be off my block."


text:
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text:
'You are telling a pack of lies' prosecution grills defendant over stabbing
5:10pm Friday 30th May 2014
By Charlie Peat
5:10pm Friday 30th May 2014
By Charlie Peat
A 17-year-old on trial for murdering a teenager in Palmers Green has been told his account is a 'pack of lies' by a prosecutor.
Joshua Folkes, also 17, of New Southgate, was fatally stabbed in the early hours of December 3, 2013, in Bowes Road, Palmers Green.
The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies the murder charge.
Two others, Kreshnik Etemi, 18, of Hill Road, in Muswell Hill, and Halil Ankay, 18, of Masefield Crescent, in Southgate were cleared this morning because of a lack of evidence against them.
Today at the Old Bailey, the unnamed defendant gave evidence to the jury for the first time and told the court about the night of Mr Folkes' death after being questioned by his barrister, Michael Bromley-Martin.
He told the court he went to enter his flat to collect some final items before moving out but heard voices inside and decided not to enter alone, asking Mr Etemi and Mr Ankay to accompany him.
The defendant added that when he went into his room, Mr Folkes and his friend Matthew Hurly, also known as Dutch, were present and confronted him, wielding knives.
He said he and Mr Folkes began a tussle and slipped to the ground as the defendant tried to prevent Mr Folkes from stabbing him.
The defendant claims that is when the fatal wound to Mr Folkes' chest occurred and said that Mr Folkes ran outside after the struggle, where he collapsed and died.
This recount was branded by prosecutor Simon Mayo as "a pack of lies" when he cross-examined the unnamed defendant.
Mr Mayo said: "You are telling a pack of lies. I suggest that you took a knife to the flat to seriously injure Money J."
The defendant said: "I did not intend to injure money J, I was defending myself."
The defendant stated that Mr Etemi had picked up a metal pole on his way into the flats in Bowes Road.
When Mr Mayo told the unnamed defendant he was "expecting violence" when entering the flat, he dismissed the notion and said that he "wasn't sure" who was in his flat or what they were capable of doing.
When the unnamed defendant was asked why he did not call the emergency services after seeing Mr Folkes on the floor when he ran away from the flat, he said: "I wasn't thinking straight."
Mr Mayo continued to condemn the evidence given by the defendant and rebuffed claims that he had not taken a knife to the scene.
He also rejected the idea that the defendant "didn't know" how Mr Folkes ended up being stabbed in the chest.
He said: "The pathologist stated that the stab wound to Mr Folkes' chest, which went through three layers and his heart, would have been done with a moderate level of force, not a scuffle."
The defendant's continued response was: "I don't know how it happened."
Judge Christopher Moss will give his directions to the jury before they are sent out to contemplate their decision next week.
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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John David Rouillard has all the swagger of a Grossmont High lacrosse player.
On his shortlist of season goals, Rouillard, a senior midfielder, wants the Foothillers to earn their third consecutive league title, defeat heated rival Granite Hills and beat Cathedral Catholic in the regular-season finale "because they're North County."
Capture league, edge Granite, down the North — Rouillard knows the team's party lines by heart. It just took him a while to join that party.
Rouillard, 17, is in his second year in the Foothillers lacrosse program after spending his underclassman years rotating between football in the fall and baseball in the spring.
He said he regrets his late start.
"I really wish I'd been playing lacrosse for four years because I'd be so much better," said Rouillard, who has a 4.0 grade-point average. "Our team would probably be better in general. I'd have more time working with the kids I'm still working with. I definitely wish I played since freshman year."
Rouillard's neighbors can't say they didn't try to persuade him.
About 20 houses down from the Rouillard residence are the Morgantes, a lacrosse family if there ever was one.
Tony Morgante is Grossmont's junior-varsity coach. His wife, Beth, volunteers as team mom and statistician. Aaron and older brother Anthony have been lacrosse standouts at Grossmont.
Rouillard and Aaron Morgante have known each other since they made colorings in preschool and bobbed for apples in Mrs. Shigley's kindergarten class at Murdock Elementary. The two have kept in close contact over the years despite attending different middle schools.
"I played baseball, but I would always mess around with lacrosse sticks and shoot because they had a goal at their house," said Rouillard, who was a center fielder in baseball and cornerback and wide receiver in football.
Tony Morgante casually began to recruit Rouillard when he noticed his athleticism and interest in lacrosse.
"Anybody that I look at and see who has potential, I say, 'Hey, you should play lacrosse,' " Morgante said. "I almost had him as a sophomore, but he decided to play baseball anyway. He wasn't satisfied anymore with baseball, so I got him as a junior."
Morgante provided Rouillard with lacrosse gear, and Rouillard was at practice the next day. He has been playing year-round ever since.
With nine goals, he began the week tied with Devon Schuppert as Grossmont's fourth-leading scorer.
Aaron Morgante paces the Foothillers (7-4) with 27 scores and nine assists. The seniors hope to guide Grossmont to the second round of the San Diego Section playoffs for the first time.
"He's definitely come out better than I thought," Aaron Morgante said of Rouillard. "He's contributing with a lot of the goals, playing good defense and clearing the ball. Those are the three best things you can ask for."
This fall, Rouillard plans to attend Westminster College in Salt Lake City. He qualifies for free tuition as a National Hispanic Scholar.
Rouillard is confident it won't take him two years this time to try a new sport.
"Salt Lake City's a completely different climate than in San Diego," Rouillard said. "I haven't really snowboarded much because I don't go up in the mountains, but snowboarding is something I'd definitely be down to do."
No learning curve or mountain is too steep.


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June 7, 2016
Manchester United transfer boost! Highly-rated Valencia star Andre Gomes admits Jose Mourinho 'is a great coach'
Midfield star Andre Gomes has added further fuel to the rumours that he will join Manchester United this summer by revealing his admiration for Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho took over from Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford last month and the Portuguese is reportedly keen to bring his compatriot to the club.
Valencia are understood to be demanding a fee in excess of £30m for the 22-year-old but Mourinho is expected to sanction the deal when he officially takes charge in July.
"I can only say that Mourinho is a great coach," said Gomes.
"I'm not worried about what will happen after the Euros because at the moment I am focused on the national team."


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Crafting a Field Marketing Strategy? Beverage School Can Help.
Having a potential consumer sample a product and enjoy it enough to buy it is a key step in the successful launch and development of a new beverage brand. However, few entrepreneurial beverage companies – often operating with limited marketing resources – fully understand how to most effectively generate the kind of buzz and excitement that is so important to a brand's success. BeverageSchool.com, BevNET's on-demand video learning site, can help.
In this series of educational videos, Julie Suntrup of Switch Marketing offers crucial guidance on how to create and execute a successful field marketing and sampling strategy. Suntrup also shares important advice on selecting and working with a marketing agency that best fits your brand and business model.
For much more on crafting a marketing strategy as well a range of other topics about the beverage industry, visit BeverageSchool.com (subscription required).


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|December 28, 2013, 01:25 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: July 1, 2013
Location: Douglasville, Ga
Posts: 4,615
80% poly lowers
hey guys, i am aout to click the buy button on an 80% poly lower, before i do, i thought i would check with the forum to see if anyone has done it themselves
let me say firsthand, have no quams with poly lowers, i have 2 ars w/poly lowers and both have performed w/o remarkable issues
i dont feel the drilling process will be too much trouble, but has anyone had probs getting proper fit with the triigger parts afterwards? i would like to diy for 3 reasons, 1:cost(yeah, i know, only about 25$ dif) 2:lightweight 3: i am builing this into an ar pistol, so i need not worry about what and who the lower was manufactued for -------------- and 4: cuz you never know
looking at
i love the 2nd cuz it has obama holding a dremel
i have actually found a couple of feedbackks on this last one
My head is bloody, but unbowed
Last edited by skizzums; December 28, 2013 at 01:50 AM.
|December 28, 2013, 07:34 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 2, 2010
Posts: 5,297
Not worth the hassle for $25.
Here's my thoughts: If you(or any one) think you're bypassing BATFE by milling your own, you're wrong. If you've purchased a firearm of any sort through a dealer within the last couple of decades, you're on a "list". If "they" want to stick you for something, "they" can find it somewhere else. Stripped AR lowers are logged out as "other" and can be assembled however you wish-rifle or pistol w/o further controls.
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Pad Thai (Restaurant)
Yesterday, we had lunch for the first time at Pad Thai. It's obviously a Thai restaurant. Hahaha! It's the third Thai restaurant we've tried so far. We were initially the only customers, but that didn't deter us from going some place else. We're brave diners like that. And being the predictable eaters that we are, we ordered our usual Thai favorites:
Fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce for appetizer
Yellow curry with chicken, potatoes, carrots and onions
Pad Thai with shrimps
We loved everything we ordered! Not bad at all for a first visit! Abby ate half of the appetizers. We can't complain about the pad thai (Notice in the photo that I forgot to mix the bean sprouts and carrots with the rest of the noodles! Must be hunger!). And the yellow curry! It was hot, hot, hot! Hubby and I gave this restaurant our seal of approval. We didn't order dessert because we were just too full already!
Eventually, 3 other pairs of people came to eat at the restaurant. Just so you know they have other patrons. Hee hee.
We will definitely come back to Pad Thai. We'll probably have fried rice next time. :)Pad Thai
Ste 200, Bldg 12
Austin, TX 78753(512) 391-6904


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KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai has condemned the killing of a Turkish engineer abducted in eastern Afghanistan.
"I am angered that the enemies of Afghanistan have killed a brother and fellow Muslim in pursuit of their goal of disrupting reconstruction in Afghanistan," Karzai said in a statement Wednesday.
The engineer, identified as Eyup Orel, was abducted Tuesday along with two Afghans, a driver and an interpreter, in Kunar province as they were driving to the city of Jalalabad. The engineer was in Afghanistan working on a road project.
He was apparently shot several times after security forces closed in on his captors, the BBC reported. His Afghan colleagues had been released earlier.
It is not clear who was behind the killing. Kunar province is seen as a base of support for Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a hard-line former mujahedin leader who has called for Karzai's overthrow. Members of the Taliban and Hekmatyar's Hizb-i-Islami -- accused by the United States of sponsoring terrorism -- are thought to operate in the area.


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Nothing gets people cooing and awing quite like a tiny pair of adorable baby shoes. Let's face it, everything looks cuter in miniature and when you add comfort and functionality - you've got yourself a winning baby item! This combination of cute design and comfort is the main selling point of this Canadian shoe company, Robeez. With their fall-off-your-chair adorable styles and easy, slip-on feature, it's not surprising that these baby shoes have become a favourite among babies and parents all over the world!
The Robeez story began - like many of the best discoveries for babies - with a common problem: Sandra Wilson, a Vancouver mom, was frustrated with the way her son's infant shoes constantly slipped off his feet. Invoking her crafty side, she stitched her baby a pair of soft-soled shoes with suede soles and elasticized ankles. The soft soles allowed her baby to walk comfortably and the elstics helped keep the shoes on his feet!
Not surprisingly, the design caught on! With a growing demand for the cute, convenient slip-ons, Sandra Wilson started Robeez, naming the brand after her son Robert who had inspired the first pair. By 2007, the shoes were sold at baby boutiques across North America, as well as Asia and Europe. In 2013, McCubbin, LLC bought the license for Robeez Soft Soles, Mini Shoez and Hosiery and continued to expand the brand across the globe.
Today, Robeez shoes grace the tiny toes of thousands of babies across Canada. The shoes are sold through the company's main website, MyRobeez.ca, as well as a large number of baby boutiques and larger footwear retailers like Toys "R" Us,Shoeme.ca and SoftMoc.com.
Once you start shopping for Robeez for your baby, you will realize that it's impossible to buy just one pair. With so many sweet designs, you'll want a pair to match every outfit, or at the very least every day of the week... This is where the deals come in handy!
The company's site, MyRobeez.ca offers an expansive sale section, where you will find many discounted styles for both boys and girls. You will find a selection of Robeez Soft Soles, Mini Shoez and socks for your baby, all at up to 50% off. End-of-season time will see an influx of items in the sale section and will typically give shoppers deeper discounts on last season's styles.
In addition to the sales you'll find on MyRobeez.ca, the company releases frequent coupons, deals and promotions that we publish here on this page. The deals usually offer a percentage off your purchase, sometimes with a minimal spend. Examples of past Robeez deals include:
- Take 25% off store-wide
- Take $5 off your purchase when you spend $25+
- Get 20% off everything
- Take an additional 20% off sale boots
- Get $10 when you spend $60+
The only thing that can make you happier about purchasing Robeez for your baby, is knowing that you got them at an amazing deal! To redeem a sale or promo deal, simply click on the deal and head over to MyRobeez.ca for all your cute picks. You will find the prices already reduced, so shop and usual and enjoy the discounts!
If your deal involves a coupon code, click on the deal and copy the revealed code. With your code in tow, head over to MyRobeez.ca and shop as usual. When you're ready to checkout, follow these quick steps to apply your coupon:
- Click on the "My Basket" icon at the top right-hand corner of your page.
- Confirm your order and click "Proceed to Checkout".
- At checkout, follow steps 1-4, providing your billing and shipping information.
- Once you get to step 5, paste your coupon code into the "Redeem a Gift Certificate or Coupon" box and click "Apply". The page will update to reflect the value of your coupon.
- Robeez on Facebook: This Facebook page has a whole lot of Robeez and a whole lot of cute! Check out the latest styles, sported by some of the cutest shoe models you'll ever see! Also participate in contests and get adorable outfit suggestions for your little ones.
- Robeez on Twitter: Thousands of happy babies can't be wrong! See what others are saying about their Robeez purchase, and get updates on contests, giveaways and other useful info!
- Robeez on Pinterest: This Pinterest account is cute as a button. See pictures of happy babies wearing their Robeez, as well as plenty of other "aww-inspiring" pins!
- Robeez on Instagram: Wondering how to pair your baby's newest Robeez with equality adorable little outfits? This is a great account to follow for infant and toddler style inspiration!
Tel: 1- 855-697-6233
Email: [email protected]


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My Nonprofit Reviews
Review for Every Girls Dream, Inc., Eastpointe, MI, USA
I was honored to be a part of the Bride of The Year Wedding. As a first time volunteer with the organization, I was very impressed with how well organized everything was. The Bride and Groom were treated to a first class wedding. It was an exciting time for everyone. The team was very professional and proficient. The wedding and reception went off without a hitch. Several guests complimented the team on their professionalism and the overall event. Truly and honor for all who attended.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Assisting in however I may be needed. It's fullfilling to volunteer for a worthy cause.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
not make any changes
Would you volunteer for this group again?
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
What one change could this group make that would improve your volunteer experience?
Schedule events around the Lions Football games. IJS!
Did your volunteer experience have an effect on you? (teaching you a new skill, or introducing new friends, etc.)
I met some wonderful people who are affilliated with the organization.
How did this volunteer experience make you feel?
It made me feel useful and happy.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?


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Rapper Eve owes a massive $357,000 to U.S. tax officials, according to new reports.
Internal Revenue Service officials are chasing the star - full name Eve Jihan Jeffers - after she allegedly fell behind on her income tax payments during 2008 and 2009.
The Detroit News reports four separate liens have been filed against Eve at a Los Angeles court since 2008; two from the IRS totalling $271,684 and two from officials of the state of California totalling $85,656.
It comes just weeks after the rapper was linked to a multi-million dollar money laundering investigation centred around her on/off boyfriend Teodorin Nguema.


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Joshua 6:13
13And the seven priests carried the seven trumpets. They walked in front of the Lord's Holy Box, marching and blowing their trumpets. The soldiers with weapons marched in front of them. The rest of the people marched behind the Lord's Holy Box. ˻They went around the city,˼ marching and blowing the trumpets.
English Version for the Deaf brought to you by World Bible Translation Center.


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X-Men: United (IC, Rated M)
View Single Post
June 1st, 2013 (10:12 AM).
Aquali Umiko
Roaring back with a vengeance!
Join Date:
Apr 2013
There are this many students? Oh, good lawd.
One by one, Boyce would let himself look in the direction of the entering students, trying to somewhat acquaint himself with their looks. The guy immediately behind him was an interesting enough character, and the next was no different.
Although he sure was cute.
The next two were both girls; one appeared to be of middle eastern descent, while the other had the looks of someone from a foreign background. Swedish, perhaps?
When she spoke there was no hint of an accent, so for now Boyce appeared to be wrong. Of all the others in the classroom, she was apparently the most excited to be there. Of course, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. No, it was more about envy in Boyce's rather than staring at them in jealousy or spite. Each had spoken when they walked in, except for the middle eastern girl and the guy immediately after Boyce. Were they nervous too, or were they just not the social type? Yes, now was going to be the time to evaluate and educate one's self. Whether he did it slyly or by approaching them, flashing a smile or giving the stink eye, Boyce would definitely need to ditch his little airborne pool party. No one likes a cocky mutant, no?
Just as Boyce was getting deeper into the mental warfare in his head, the silent black mass that was at the front of the classroom began to speak. French?
Boyce had now turned his full attention to her as she spoke, trying to listen as hard as he could without over listening. Her accent was clearly French, but when she spoke it was clear and concise; well put together. Furthermore, she was making it clear that she was here for help rather than harm. Not that Boyce had ever thought he was going to be in danger while he attended the academy, but with coming to terms with his powers there had also came a sense of paranoia. That was a normal thing. Besides her ability to command the room, there was a said warmth to the figure that Boyce would've never expected based off of her appearance. More then just speaking to them, she seemed to really invest herself in their successes already. There was no way for any of them to tell that she was smiling, or that she had any expression at all, but she had done well by him with her speech. This isn't to say he's going to go frolic down the hallways, giggling with his newly-found friends... No, now that would take some work.
He was a lot less opposed to it now, though.
As Emigre continued to speak, Boyce found himself falling deeper into the fascination behind her speech skills. However, it did come at the price of suspicion. Emigre had never met any of them, and yet, she had the nature of someone that had been a part of their lives for quite some time. That was the hard part. Boyce wanted to trust her, she seemed nice enough, but he also found it hard to fully dive into that belief when there was so little that they knew about her. Now was not the time to go full out "Area 51!" suspicions on her. She continued to move through the motions, letting them know early on in the speech that these were indeed the people they would be seeing the most. Having stared at all of them at an appropriate length by his own standards, Boyce was alright with this. However, that was what she next addressed: She wanted them to let go out of their first impressions, and rather than dissecting the appearance and actions of one another, she wanted them to focus on themselves.
Bettering of one's self through actions rather than thoughts.
Boyce would do his best, but the nerves within himself were going to be the real kicker. He had learned and nurtured a certain level of confidence while he played sports, and that confidence was still there, but it had taken a considerable amount of damage after the discovery of his powers. Finding the full power of his confidence again would be his own internal struggle, but one that he could let affect his potentials with the
So much to think about, so little mental stability.
Head above water.
Before Boyce fell completely off his rocker and into his own mind, Emigre dropped another bomb of sorts. She wanted them to pick their mutant name and more than that, she wanted them to introduce themselves and to reveal a few pieces of their past. Furthermore, Boyce was expected to go first.
This early bird didn't want the worm.
The name wasn't an issue for Boyce... No, that was the easiest of all the things ironically. He had already picked his name a few months in advance. It was more about his past.
Specifically senior year.
This was going to be the only issue he had. He didn't know the circumstances of the others and their powers, or what they did to get to this point, but knowing the very circumstances of his own was enough to make him want to shut down. Boyce had done his best to not put a lot of thought into that incident, only thinking about it in instances of emotional pain. He by no means "had it all", but what he did have he lost. Everyone has to grown up in their own way or another, and that had been his way of maturing. A rough one, but there was more good to take of the situation than bad. He would just have to be nervous.
He would just have to get over it.
Stand tall, stand mighty.
"Well, since I have no choice..."
Boyce muttered the few words to himself, standing and turning to face the class. Before speaking clearly enough for them to hear him, he swirled the water above his head into the remains of the crumpled water bottle. No more showboating for Boyce.
Be humble.
"For those of you, or all of you that don't know me, My name is Boyce. Boyce LeBreau. I am from a small parish by the name of St. Bernard in Louisiana, from a small area referred to as Meraux. My family is of French or Cajun descent... I got a little more of the Cajun then I wanted, but that's alright." The Cajun and French mix of his accent was a hard one to decipher, but he spoke his words clearly enough that there should be little trouble understanding him. "I am known as a bit of a freak back home... Actually, I think that may be a bit of an understatement..."
Boyce's eyes began to shift but he carried on, doing his best to fight the anxiety in every way he could.
"I had an incident my senior year of school. I wasn't aware of my abilities, I didn't know what was lying dormant inside of me, I had never been so angry. I.. I was playing soccer, in a sort of "big game", and I got mad. Well, maybe that's an understatement. Hell, partna..." Boyce began to shift a little more, rubbing his hands together in a rapid manner. "Anyways, I found out at that point that I was able to manipulate water. Whether that be the smallest little bit of water, or a larger body of such... I have the ability to control it. I can't make my own, though. That would sure be cool..."
Slight pause.
"I do have troubles, though. Like any of you, I am here to hopefully learn to better my abilities. Nerves do get the best of me, and I ain't always the easiest to get along with when I'm in a water frenzy. I get a little frazzled, you see... I can really cause havoc. I don't want to do that, though. Not unless it's for good. I want to be better. I want to do better. Maybe it's just my competitive nature?" Boyce could feel himself calming more, and so he kept on with his speech. "I would ideally like to make friends, or at the very least acquaintances. This is the first time I have been around other people like myself, and it's a drastic change. I haven't been able to be open, and even now I'm not sure I like what I'm doing. It's very hard for me."
Boyce turned to Emigre, nodding his head and offering a nervous smile.
"As for what I'd like to be called... Please call me Les Ouragan. It's french, and it means The Hurricane. I know that it might be a little cheesy, but get to know me... Well, you'll see that it's very fitting." Boyce gave one last glance at the class, cracking a bright smile for the first time before turning again to Emigre. He couldn't see her facial expressions, and that was a little hard, but she could see his and that was all he needed. He was beginning to get flustered again. "If you don't mind ma'am, I would like to take my seat now."
Aquali Umiko
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Aquali Umiko
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This stunning collection features fully enclosed home theater cabinets that keep electronic components neatly behind wooden doors. Floating on a black steel base, cabinets are available in either a rich Natural Walnut or beautiful Graphite finish. Features include flow-through ventilation, removable back panels, integrated levelers and wire management. The Signal TV Stand 8323 has a low profile that is perfect for those preferring a lower viewing height for larger TVs. The open compartment can accommodate a speaker, small soundbar or components. Side compartments feature flip-down wood doors to keep components concealed yet accessible.
Manufacturer: BDI Furniture
Collection: BDI Signal
Dimensions: 79.25''w x 22.25''d x 17.75''h
Materials: Steel, Wood Veneers
Lead Time: In Stock in Graphite, Special Order 2-4 Weeks
This product may be eligible for 3 day local delivery!
(Call to check real-time inventory)
Price: $1399.95
Call to Order
Chelsea - (212)929-4880
Upper East - (212)434-0990
Mon-Sat 10:30-7, Sun 12-5:30
With BDI Furniture, you'll find a collection of furniture pieces that are unique, functional and great looking.
BDI Home Theater and Office collections are engineered not only to meet the demanding needs of today's electronics, but to do so with furniture that enriches the home and the home theater experience. With integrated features such as hidden casters, adjustable shelves and wire management, a BDI Home Theater system successfully merges functional innovation with original and exciting Design.
BDI Furniture's occasional table and mirror collections strive to go beyond mere function, to provide something more.


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