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As I type this, my little dog lies beside me in my chair, occasionally climbing into my lap to make sure I'm still here. At a mere four pounds, she's a force to reckon with and is very loyal to me. After studying a picture of JS with the scruffy white and gray dog sitting loyally by his side on the set of Lancer, this story was born. I hope you enjoy my efforts of putting words to a picture.
He sat slumped dejectedly against the barn wall with his elbows propped upon his thighs, a forgotten length of leather strapping being braided between his fingers. A little scruffy-looking white and gray dog sat loyally by his side, its eyes barely able to peer through a veil of tangled and dirty fur. The dog smelled of cow dung and something else unidentifiable, but its companionship was welcome nonetheless. The little dog kept silent vigil, its eyes ever watchful for anything it thought might harm its new friend. At the sound of a voice calling from inside the barn, the dog crouched low and a soft, menacing growl vibrated lowly from deep within its chest.
Deep blue, sorrow-filled eyes raised up from the leather string in Johnny's hands as he turned his head toward the front of the barn. He didn't answer the summons, and in fact seemed to mimic the little dog as his shoulders hunched and his head dropped once again. He drew his legs up against his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees, as if to make himself smaller somehow.
"Brother, where are you?" Scott's worried voice came closer as he walked through the barn and came out the doors on the other side to look around the corral and the horses dozing there in the midday sun. Something moved at the edge of the barn, up against the wall and Scott turned in that direction. He had heard his father and brother arguing, yet again, and had also heard the slamming of the front door. Again. He was beginning to tire of having to act as arbitrator between the two warring factions and wondered if he wouldn't serve better as an emissary between the government and the Apache nation. Certainly at least his heart wouldn't be torn each time he had to endure the painful process of this new family trying to get along.
The swish of a long, plume-like white and gray tail was his first indication that he had found that which he sought as he stepped up to the fence at the rear corner of the barn. Laying his arms across the top rail of the corral fence, Scott propped his chin on his forearm as he glanced down at his little brother. He didn't like the dejected slump of Johnny's shoulders, and liked even less the almost defeated expression on Johnny's face and in his expressive eyes when his brother finally looked up at him.
"What are you doing back here, brother?" Scott asked quietly, his voice soothing and calm, despite his frustrations over the almost constant bickering between his newfound father and brother. "Lunch is on the table."
Heaving a heavy sigh, Johnny shifted slightly and unfolded only enough to place his arms across his knees and stare out across the seemingly endless pastureland before him. The hat on his head was tilted just enough that Scott couldn't see his brother's eyes any longer, and for some reason that made the blond man angry.
"Well? Am I just carrying on a conversation with myself?" He growled in agitation as he straightened up and gripped the top of the rail with his hands. He hadn't heard what the argument between the two had been, but he was fairly certain it had something to do with the little dog sitting so devotedly by his brother side. Scott studied the dog and, as the breeze shifted slightly, took a cautious step back as a definite odiferous scent wafted across him, bad enough to make his eyes water.
Suppressing a cough by covering his mouth and nose with his hand, Scott slapped his other hand against the top rail and huffed a sigh of disgust. "Damn, Johnny! That dog smells worse than Jelly's hog!" Taking another step away from the pair, Scott finally admitted defeat as Johnny continued to ignore him as he stared out across the land. "I guess if you get hungry enough you'll come inside," he snapped around his shielding hand as he pivoted on his heel and turned back toward the interior of the barn.
As soon as Scott was gone, Johnny's tense shoulders relaxed and he rose slowly to his feet. Turning toward the front of the barn he listened for the sound of Scott's footsteps to recede toward the house. Hurrying into the barn, Johnny swiftly saddled his horse, his little scruffy companion at his heels as he led Barranca out of the barn. Once out in the sunlight, Johnny vaulted into the saddle and was quickly loping away from the house without a look back.
Scott had reached the front door and stood in the shadows of the porch as he turned and watched his brother hurry into the barn. Knowing what he would see next, Scott slumped a shoulder against a post as Johnny mounted his horse and took off away from the barn, the little dog racing along behind them. Scott thought to try and stop the younger man, but knew that sometimes Johnny had to work things through on his own before anyone could approach him. With a sigh of frustration, Scott turned back to the door and entered the house to eat a solitary meal in the kitchen since his father seemed rooted to his desk.
As he sat down to a plate of warmed over roast beef and potatoes, Scott wondered, not for the first time, if it was all even worth it. Picking through the slightly soggy potatoes, he thought of what he might do, if he didn't live at Lancer anymore.
Slowing Barranca's pace once they were out of sight of the hacienda, Johnny glanced back to see the little dog following determinedly along, its pink tongue lolling from the side of its mouth as its little legs worked hard to keep up. Slowing the horse to a walk in deference to the valiant little dog, Johnny smiled softly as the dog gave an almost appreciative yip as it slowed its pace as well.
Veering off the roadway, Johnny guided Barranca toward a wooded area and the wide stream he knew was there. As soon as they reached the gurgling little stream, Johnny dismounted and dropped the reins to the ground close to the water so his horse could get a drink of water and graze on the lush grass on the bank of the stream. He then sat down on a flat stone on the bank and began removing his boots and socks as the little dog sidled up and lay panting beside him.
With a wrinkle of his nose, Johnny began to breathe through his mouth as he got a full whiff of the little dog. "You sure did it good this time, didn't ya, Blanca?" He said with a chuckle as he worked at unbuttoning the concho buttons on the side of his pants. He then carefully folded the loose legs of the pants up to his knees before standing and rummaging through the saddlebags tied to his saddle. Pulling out a bar of soap, Johnny tossed it onto the flat rock, startling the little dog. He then shrugged out of his shirt and draped it over the saddle horn. He turned to the little dog and laughed softly as it sniffed suspiciously at the bar of soap.
"Yeah, that's for you," he said quietly as he stepped gingerly across the grass to the dog and scooped it up under his right arm and grabbed the soap with his other hand. "Your smell even offends me, m'friend."
Stepping into the stream, Johnny found a deeper spot in the middle and lowered the dog toward the water. To his amusement the dogs paws began to move as if it were swimming, though its feet were still about a foot out of the water. Chuckling at the instinctive movement, Johnny carefully set the dog down in the water, immediately clamping his hand in a hank of fur in order to keep it in place.
"Whoa there, little one, we've got some business to see to before you get outta here," Johnny informed the dog quietly as he carefully dunked the dog into the water so that its fur would be saturated. Applying the bar of soap to the creature, Johnny could swear he heard the dog devising all kinds of painful payback as he gently cleansed the dirty, matted white fur.
It took more than an hour to get the little dog completely clean and by the time Johnny was done, both he and the dog had endured a good dousing and were soaked from head to toe. Knowing exactly what the dog would do were he to release it as soon as he was done, Johnny removed the leather strip he'd been working with earlier from his pants pocket and fastened it around the dog's neck, leaving a good three feet as a leash. Rinsing off the hair and soap that had been splashed all the way up his chest, Johnny applied the soap to himself since he was already as wet as he could be anyway.
Holding tight to the leash, Johnny dunked his head beneath the surface of the water and then quickly washed his hair with the soap. After rinsing off the soap he looked down at the dog, who was sitting a bit impatiently in the shallows as it waited for him to finish his foolishness, Johnny grinned broadly at the dog as it appeared to be questioning his sanity.
"I know. I know. I didn't used to like takin' baths either," he said with a grin. "It just kinda grows on ya to be clean. You'll see." He tossed the soap up onto the stream bank and then made his way cautiously there himself, wincing in pain as he stepped on a sharp rock with his waterlogged and tender foot. The dog splashed quickly out of the water and shook its body mightily, sending droplets of water everywhere. It tried to run off, only to be brought up short by the leather thong around its neck. "Hold up there, Blanca!" He warned as he held tight to the slippery strip of leather clenched in his hand. The last thing he wanted to do was have to wash the dog again once it rolled in the dirt.
Leading the reluctant dog toward a patch of sunlight filtering down through a break in the canopy of leaves above, Johnny urged the animal to climb up onto a smooth boulder seemingly strategically placed in that shaft of sunlight. A perfect place to dry off, he thought as he climbed up onto the boulder himself.
Stretching out on his back against the sun-warmed stone, Johnny sighed contentedly as he closed his eyes against the sunlight shining directly into his eyes. Feeling a lethargy creeping over him, he quickly tied the leather strip to his wrist and then smiled when the little dog released its own sigh of contentment and settled down beside him, its little muzzle propped softly on Johnny's hip.
A blue jay flitted from one limb to the next over the stream, seeking nuts or acorns for its lunch. It stopped its hunt for a moment as it gazed down at the man and beast disturbing his territory. Giving a raucous call, the jay seemed to be disgusted when neither of the interlopers even budged at the sound. With a flit of his tail, the jay sprang away from the limb and continued his search in another section of the wooded copse.
Johnny didn't know what it was that awakened him, he just knew that he was in danger. Lying as still as possible, he cracked his eyes open and his heart nearly stopped beating at finding the little dog standing over him, its teeth barred and a vicious growl rumbling from deep within its chest. Those teeth were only inches from his throat and it so shocked him that the seemingly easy-going dog had suddenly turned vicious that he couldn't move. Then, with a blink of his eye, the dog's sharp nails were tearing across his bare chest, leaving scratches that drew blood as it launched itself at something on the other side of the boulder. Johnny felt a displacement of air by his ear seconds before he heard the sharp yelp from the dog and the leather strap around his right wrist was pulled taut as the little dog tumbled from the boulder toward the ground a few feet below. The strap wasn't long enough for the dog to touch the ground and for a terrifying moment all Johnny could hear was the dog as it was being strangled.
Quickly scrambling from the boulder, Johnny fell to his knees as the dog flopped onto its side and lay gasping for breath, its whimpers of pain nearly breaking Johnny's tender heart. Gathering the little dog up into his arms, Johnny was stunned to see a rattlesnake slithering off into the brush as soon as he'd moved the dog. With trembling fingers, Johnny quickly released the choking tension of the leather collar and then began to frantically search through the thick, fluffy fur for a snake bite. His heart plummeted in his chest at finding the telltale marks on the little dog's right flank.
Scooping the dog up in his arms again, he raced toward Barranca, slowing his frantic steps when the horse nervously sidestepped away from his hand as he grabbed at the reins. Taking precious time to soothe the edgy animal, Johnny finally was able to mount with some difficulty as he still held Blanca in his arms.
Leaving the shirt hanging from the saddle horn and his boots and socks along the side of the stream, Johnny kicked his heels against Barranca's sides and held on tight to the little dog as the horse tore away from the stream.
Scott was in the study working on the books with Murdoch when he heard the pounding of hooves coming down the road toward the house. He quickly scrambled out of the chair and ran over to the French doors to fling them open. He was stunned speechless to find Johnny racing his horse toward the house. What he could see from the distance was incomprehensible. Johnny was practically naked, from Scott's viewpoint. Racing out of the study, with Murdoch on his heels, Scott skidded to a stop at the hitching post as Johnny hauled Barranca to a stop, churning up dust and dirt all around them.
Coughing and waving his hand before his face in a futile attempt to dispel the lingering dust, Scott was once again stunned when Johnny shoved the little white and gray dog into his arms as his brother leapt from the saddle. Some part of Scott's mind that tended to analyze everything, clued him in that, not only was Johnny shirtless and hatless, he also didn't have his boots on. Before Scott could connect the thought to verbalize a question, however, the dog was snatched out of his arms as his brother flew past him and into the house.
"JOHN LANCER!" Murdoch shouted as he brushed Scott aside in order to follow his frantic, dark-haired son into the house. "I TOLD YOU TO KEEP THAT DOG OUT OF THIS HOUSE!" Storming after the younger man, who was ignoring him as he hurried up the stairs toward his room, Murdoch clenched his fists by his side and swore to himself that he was going to have the last word on this matter. There had never been a non-human creature living in the house before and there certainly wasn't going to be one now. He had already gone over that rule with his impetuous son earlier, which resulted in Johnny storming off angrily after Murdoch had found the offensive-smelling dog sleeping at the foot of Johnny's bed this morning. Now, following his son as Johnny determinedly carried the dog into his bedroom, Murdoch was seething.
Scrabbling to keep up with his brother and father after coming out of his shock, Scott took the stairs two at a time and then pounded down the hallway to Johnny's room where he skidded to a stop in the open doorway in astonishment at finding Johnny standing over the little dog with a knife in his hand. Murdoch was at the foot of the bed, his hands clenched around the bedpost as he stared in shock as Johnny gently parted the long strands of fur and then applied the tip of the lethal-looking blade to the little dog's side.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, JOHNNY?" Teresa screamed from the doorway beside Scott. He hadn't even realized that she had come in at the commotion and when she tried to rush across the room to stop Johnny, Scott grabbed her around the waist to hold her back. He didn't know what was going on, but he sure didn't want Teresa's actions to push his brother into doing something he would regret. Teresa fought Scott's hold for a moment, and then fell back against his chest, her face turned into his shirtfront as Johnny leaned over the little dog with the knife.
"Blanca's been snake bit," Johnny hissed as he crouched over the whimpering animal and quickly squeezed the area around the bite, relieved to see some of the venom come out of the wound along with the welling blood. "Somebody get me some water and a towel." He didn't know who had followed his orders, but he quickly applied the towel to the wound as soon as the cloth was shoved into his waiting hand. The pitcher of water from his dresser top was set on the bed and he dipped the edge of the towel into it in order to moisten the fur around the wound so that he could squeeze out as much of the venom as he could.
"What happened, Johnny?" Scott's voice asked softly from the doorway as he continued to hold Teresa, though she was no longer hiding her face against his chest.
"Later, brother," Johnny answered as he suddenly had his hands full in keeping the little dog down as it began to seize. Murdoch quickly stepped in and added his large hands to gently holding the dog's head and shoulders as Johnny concentrated on the bite and holding down the dog's hindquarters. Murdoch lowered himself to his knees beside the bed, as it was making his back spasm from the bent over position, and suddenly he found himself staring eye-to-eye with his nemesis. As soon as the seizures passed, to Murdoch's shock, the dog lifted its head and weakly licked the side of Murdoch's arm as he continued to gently hold it down.
"'s okay, Murdoch, you can ease up now," Johnny said softly as he continued to press the cool towel against the wound. He, too, had dropped to his knees beside the bed as he worked on the dog.
Staring into the dog's expressive brown eyes, Murdoch could swear he saw pleading there. He shook his head slightly and looked again, only to find that the eyes were closed as the little dog's breathing seemed to stutter and slow.
"NO!" Johnny cried as he pressed a hand against the dog's chest and frantically searched for a heartbeat. "NO! DON'T YOU LEAVE ME, TOO!" Tears streamed unheeded down the pale cheeks as the little dog gave one last huffing breath and then it was still.
For a long, tension-filled moment no one moved in the room, though the sound of the crews coming in for the evening seemed overly loud through the open window. Then Johnny slumped against the bed, his face buried in the side of the little dog as he gathered it close. Murdoch didn't know when he moved, but suddenly his arms were wrapped tenderly around his son's trembling shoulders and the dog.
From the doorway Scott could only stare in disbelief as Johnny suddenly tore himself out of his father's arms and scooped the little dog close to his chest. Hiding his tear streaked face against the soft fur, Johnny ran out of the room, his bare feet hitting the hardwood flooring with resounding slaps. Brushing past Scott and Teresa, Johnny didn't slow his steps as he raced down the stairs with his precious burden in his arms.
"Oh, damn," Murdoch whispered, his voice hitching as he rose painfully to his feet. "Go after him, Scott!" The older man knew that his knees wouldn't allow him to follow fast enough.
Setting Teresa quickly aside, Scott raced after his brother, only to draw up short at the front door to find Johnny standing in the middle of the yard with Jelly's arms wrapped around his shoulders, the little dog held protectively between them. Then, looking over Johnny's shoulder, Jelly gestured Scott forward.
"Come on, Scott," Jelly said quietly. "Let's help Johnny take care of this little one, okay?"
Slipping an arm around Johnny's bare waist as soon as he reached them, Scott lifted his other hand and gently stroked the dog's head lying against his brother's chest and was surprised at how soft the fur was beneath his fingers. He'd never gotten close to the dog in the two days that it had supposedly followed Johnny home from the north pasture where he had been checking the fence line, but Scott could see that the three days Johnny had spent in the little dog's company out there on the range had forged a bond that was breaking his brother's heart at its death.
Squeezing his arm around Johnny's waist, drawing his brother closer to his side, Scott then raised his hand to gently rifle his fingers through the back of Johnny's disheveled hair, Scott was rewarded with a soft sigh of gratitude by his brother as Jelly guided them toward the barn.
"Where we goin', Jelly?" Johnny asked softly, blinking his eyes against the darkness of the barn after being in the waning sunlight of the yard.
"Jus' need ta get a few things, son," Jelly answered as he gave Scott a look that was correctly interpreted as the blond gave a slight nod and guided his brother to a bale of hay and settled him down there. "Be right back."
"We'll be fine, Jelly," Scott assured as he knelt on one knee before his brother. Gently stroking his fingers across the soft fur on the dog's back, Scott looked up into his brother's sad eyes and felt his heart constrict as he remembered Johnny's heartrending words when the dog's breathing had started to falter. He had no idea as to what Johnny had meant, though he had a sinking feeling that it wasn't good.
In the six months since he and Johnny had come to Lancer, Scott had learned only bits and pieces of his brother's life and this was yet another confusing piece of the puzzle that was Johnny Madrid Lancer.
"Her fur is so soft," Scott whispered as he looked up at Johnny with a sad smile.
Scott had never been allowed to have a dog, or even a kitten, as a child as his grandfather had deemed them too messy and needy. He hadn't thought much of it since then. He now saw that perhaps his grandfather had been right, only not in the way the older man had intended. Scott saw the devastation the death of this dog was having on his brother and wondered if it was worth investing all that time and devotion on something that could be taken away in the blink of an eye.
"I just gave her a bath," Johnny said sadly as his hand joined Scott's in stroking the soft fur.
"What happened, brother?" Scott asked softly as his hand continued to caress the soft strands of hair on the dog's back, his fingers occasionally coming into contact with Johnny's as the other's hand lay still against the dog's side.
"S-She s-saved my life, Scott," Johnny stammered out as he recalled waking up to danger and finding Blanca standing over him with her teeth barred. "I thought she'd gone l-loco… but, she saw the snake beside m-my head a-and attacked it." Johnny lifted his hand from the dog's side and absently rubbed at some scratches on his chest that Scott hadn't noticed before. "It struck and missed because she knocked it off the boulder and then fell on top of it." His hand landed gently back on the dog, giving the fur a loving caress. "She s-saved my life," he whispered again as he closed his eyes and shuddered.
"Scott?" Murdoch's voice coming from right behind him startled the blond and he quickly whirled on his heel to put himself between Johnny and his father.
"Leave him alone," Scott growled as he quickly rose to his feet and glared at his father. "Can't you see that he's hurting?"
"Leave it, brother." Johnny stood and cradled the dog closer to his chest. He turned toward Jelly as the older man came from the back of the barn carrying two shovels and a pick. "Let's get it done, Jelly," he said quietly as he fell in beside the old wrangler as Jelly handed the pick to Scott. Scott turned and walked alongside his brother as they exited the barn and headed around the back of the house toward a small copse of shade trees that were in clear view of Johnny's bedroom window.
Footsteps hurried after the trio and suddenly Murdoch was relieving Jelly of one of the shovels as he fell into step with them.
After Blanca was quietly buried, Johnny headed back to the house, his head down as he walked barefoot through the dust. He hadn't said a word to anyone, but Scott knew that he needed to be alone so he let him go. When Murdoch started to follow his son into the house, Scott grabbed his arm and led him back to the barn where they both carefully tended to Barranca who had been left standing at the hitching post.
Two weeks later…
Johnny rode in from three days riding the fence line in the northwest pasture. He was dirty, tired and hungry and Barranca seemed just as anxious to get home as Johnny, since the palomino was actually chomping at the bit to go a little faster, despite his weariness. Giving the horse a little more lead, Johnny grinned when Barranca slipped into a smooth, ground-eating lope and they were soon riding through the home pastures.
Removing the tack from his horse, Johnny carefully groomed him and settled Barranca in his stall with an extra measure of oats and a pail of fresh water. Only then did Johnny allow himself to head for the comforts of his room. He knew he was too late for supper, but hoped that Teresa had thought to leave him a plate warming on the stove.
As he slipped into the house from the kitchen after sloughing off as much of the dust as he could with the pitcher of water on the back porch, Johnny quietly removed his spurs and muddy boots and carried them in his hand as he walked over to the stove in his equally dirty socks. Finding a covered plate of food on the stove, his stomach grumbled loudly and he quickly set the boots and spurs on the floor to grab up the plate, only to drop it just as quickly before using the cloth it was covered with to pick up the hot plate and carry it to the table.
Snagging a fork from the container on the shelf by the sink, he quickly sat down at the table and dug in to the roast beef, potatoes and carrots and biscuits. He was cleaning the plate with the edge of the last biscuit when he felt something tugging sharply at the toe of his sock. Pushing the plate aside, Johnny popped the last morsel of food in his mouth and leaned over to look beneath the table to see what had accosted him.
Emitting a tiny little growl, the brown and white ball of fur attacked Johnny's sock with renewed effort, this time its sharp little teeth sank into Johnny's big toe, bringing the astonished young man quickly out of his stupor.
"OUCH!" Johnny yelped as he jerked his foot away from the offending fur ball and, because its teeth were snagged in the weave of the cloth, the puppy was dragged right along with the foot as Johnny shoved the chair back and scrambled to his feet.
Giving a pitiful yelp of its own, the puppy managed to disengage his teeth and scampered back out of the kitchen as if its little nub of a tail was afire. Standing on one foot, Johnny quickly assessed the damage done to his big toe before dropping it back to the floor and taking off after the little roly-poly puppy, chasing it into the study where Scott and Murdoch sat quietly discussing the ranch's ledger books.
"Hey! Where'd this little fella come from?" Johnny hurried into the room just as the puppy disappeared underneath the desk where Murdoch was sitting. Johnny dropped to his knees beside his father's chair and peered beneath the desk at the puppy as it cowered next to the man's large boots. Reaching tentatively out toward the frightened little puppy, Johnny grinned when it growled lowly and barred its teeth at him. "You're a tough little guy, huh?" He called out soothingly as he reached in further, his face pressed against Murdoch's thigh, and gently scooped the puppy up in his hand and pulled him out into the light.
Holding the fur ball gently in both hands, Johnny's eyes lit up in delight as he held the pup close and got a sloppy lick on the nose for his efforts. Cuddling the soft fur-covered body against his cheek, Johnny turned his sparkling blue eyes up to look at his father. "Where'd he come from?" He repeated, his voice soft and wondering as the puppy nuzzled his cold nose against his ear and seemed to sigh contentedly before dozing off.
"Oh, I don't know," Murdoch said offhandedly as he set his pencil down and threw a quick glance across the desk at Scott before looking back down at Johnny as the younger man sat back on his heels to cradle the little puppy close to his chest, his long, slender fingers gently smoothing over the soft fur on the puppy's back. "He just showed up here one day while you were gone."
"Yeah?" Johnny said quietly, his eyes filled with pleasure when the puppy snuggled closer to him. "Can we keep him, Pa?" He asked softly, as he turned hopeful eyes on his father, completely unaware that he'd spoken the one word sure to get him anything he wanted from his father.
Swallowing past the sudden thickness in his throat at that word spoken so quietly, Murdoch could only nod his head and smile softly as Scott came around the desk to crouch beside his brother.
"We'd better keep him, brother because I've never had a dog before. Think you could show me how to train him to come when I call? He hasn't been very obedient so far," Scott said as he gently stroked a finger down the puppy's back.
"Ah, Scott, he's too young to train yet," Johnny told him earnestly and grinned when the puppy shifted around in his hands before flipping over onto his back and going right back to sleep. "He sure is a little thing, ain't he?" Raising brilliantly blue eyes to gaze up at his brother, Johnny's smile practically lit up the room.
"Yes, he is, brother. I think you'll probably have to keep him pretty close in order for him not to be scared… At least until he's bigger." Scott hid a grin behind his hand when Murdoch grunted something neither brother could hear, though Scott was pretty sure it wasn't something they'd even care to hear. "Come on, Johnny, let's take him outside for a walk before you go to bed." Holding a hand out for his brother to help him to his feet, Scott smiled when Johnny's free hand slipped smoothly and easily into his own. As he hoisted the preoccupied young man to his feet, he noticed that Johnny didn't have his boots on. "Where are your boots, brother?"
Waving his hand vaguely toward the kitchen, Johnny headed out of the study toward the front door without a thought to walking about in his socks.
Scott turned to look at Murdoch, who seemed to be choking and suddenly realized the older man was attempting to stifle his laughter. Unable to resist the unusual phenomenon, Scott quickly joined in.
Setting the puppy down in the grass at the side of the house, Johnny shook his head and smiled at the laughter coming from the open front door. He knew what those two were up to and it warmed his heart to know that they cared enough about him to find this little scrap of a dog to replace the one he'd lost. Tears welled in Johnny's eyes as he watched the little fur ball roll around in the grass before dropping to his little chest and suddenly attacking Johnny's toes. His laughter soon joined his father's and brother's.
Jelly quietly melted back into the barn with a contented smile on his face at having found the little puppy and bringing him home. If he didn't know anything else, he certainly knew the way to a boy's heart.
Created July 18, 2008
Constructive criticism welcome: Email Bosco11


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Phone: 612-492-0211
Schedule a Meeting
Jeffery Stein has spent the last thirty-three years in the financial services industry working with employer-sponsored plans and individuals. With his effective, transparent approach to financial planning, he has earned esteem and recognition within the financial services industry.
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His numerous honors include:
Jeffery and his wife live in the Twin Cities area. He has two daughters: Dana is a financial advisor for Voya Financial Advisors as well and Debbie is the Assistant Dean of Development at D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University.
The best part of working with clients: The opportunity to instill in them confidence regarding their financial world and then seeing their transformation from nervous and uncertain to optimistic and assured.
Hobbies outside of work: Cooking with my wife, running outdoors, and mentoring new individuals to the financial services industry
Favorite places to visit: Any place that includes being with my family. I love to travel and always enjoy hearing about great trips my clients have taken.
Something few people know about me: During my college years at the University of Minnesota I sold Gopher souvenirs outside and inside of old Memorial Stadium and at Williams Arena. If you attended a game in the 70s that sweatshirt, t-shirt or hat you purchased may have been from me. Of the many great things that came from this experience the best is that was where I met Jeanne, who became my wife.
*Investment adviser representative and registered representative of, and securities and investment advisory services offered through Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. (member SIPC).
***Members qualify for the Million Dollar Roundtable (MDRT) based on meeting a certain commission or income during the year in addition to meeting ethical standards.
Michael Stein attended San Diego State University where he received his Business degree. He has also earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™certification. Michael has been in the financial services business since 1995.
Michael is an Investment Advisor Representative with Voya Financial Advisors. He has helped many clients reach their financial goals through financial planning, employer sponsored plans, mutual funds, IRAs, college funding and life insurance.
The best part of working with clients: When my clients tell me about all of the great experiences they have had and continue to have as we advance our agreed upon plan.
Hobbies outside of work: Riding the many bike trails throughout the city and spending time with my daughter. I'm also an avid reader of both fiction and nonfiction.
Favorite places to visit: I look forward every year for my annual trip to Lake Vermillion to go fishing with my friends.
Something few people know about me: On a sunny summer day I may take the long way into work with the top down on my Mazda Miata. Life is Good!
*Investment adviser representative and registered representative of, and securities and investment advisory services offered through Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. (member SIPC).
Mark Isenberg received his bachelor degree from the University of Minnesota before joining Stein Financial Group as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, professional.
Mark is a Investment Advisor Representative with Voya Financial Advisors. He is responsible for a wide range of services within the firm, including financial planning, retirement plan enrollment, IRAs, mutual funds, and life insurance.
The best part of working with clients: Being able to watch a plan come to fruition, and enjoying the journey each and every step.
Hobbies outside of work: Physical activities like running, biking, rowing. Reading fiction, and spending time with my wife and son.
Favorite places to visit: Any craft brewery. My goal is to go on a European River cruise.
Something few people know about me: I played the violin from age 7-15.
Eric Mullins is a Financial Advisor with the Stein Financial Group. He earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM (CFP®) certification and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) designation and has been awarded the 2018-2020 FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER by Five Star Professional as seen in Mpls. St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business magazines.
He also has the series 7 and series 66 securities registrations, as well as, the Life, Health, and Disability Insurance license including the Long Term Care certificate. His clients say they enjoy working with him because he focuses on doing what is best for them. Eric's clients appreciate his willingness to carefully listen to their needs, wants and wishes and provide strategies and solutions specifically designed for each individual or family.
The best part of working with clients: The most rewarding part of working with my clients is knowing that I am making a difference in their lives by providing financial wellness and confidence
Hobbies outside of work: Some of my hobbies include spending quality time with my wife and son, family and friends. I also like home renovation projects, cooking, grilling and enjoying the outdoors.
Favorite places to visit: I enjoy traveling and loved my backpacking trip throughout various countries in Europe. I look forward to be able to go back to Europe to explore even more countries and experience the sights and sounds of each of the local cultures and communities.
Something few people know about me: I am a 'DIYer' with home improvement projects and love the process of learning how to update our home.
Anthony is the head of analytics and strategy for Stein Financial Group, and he oversees client accounts and investment lineups for the team. He is also the head of operations, ensuring Stein Financial Group maintains its standards of excellence in Financial Planning, now and into the future.
A born and raised Minnesotan, Anthony Gerbi has been with Stein Financial Group since 2014 and has a bachelor's degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of Minnesota. He holds Series 7 and Series 66 registrations in addition to his Minnesota Life, Accident, and Health Insurance license.
The best part of working with clients: I like numbers, analytics, ideas... but it's hard to say that the best part of my job is anything other than the relationships built with all the people I talk to everyday. Everyone has a story and a unique perspective. It's the realization that each client, each person we interact with is living a life as vivid and complex as our own, with their own ambitions, friends, routines, and worries. I think the most gratifying thing I'm able to do is use my time and talents to make our clients' days a little bit brighter, a little less worrisome, and simply just a little bit better.
Hobbies outside of work: I'm passionate about films and sports, especially the local teams, and I'm often enjoying the beautiful Minnesota scenery on one of my regular walks.
Favorite places to visit: Being born in Little Falls, Minnesota, a town that straddles the Mississippi River, I've always found myself most at home near the sounds of rushing water and with a cool breeze on my face. I do travel, I love the outdoors, big cities, and everything else the wider world has to offer, but there's nothing quite like coming home.
Something few people know about me: My childhood dream was to become a paleontologist and dig up dinosaur bones.
Margie Goldfine has been with Stein Financial Group since 2006. She is a registered representative with Voya Financial Advisors and has her Series 6, 7, and 63 registrations as well as her Minnesota Life and Health license.
She spends the majority of her time providing support for clients and assisting the team. Margie graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Elementary Education and taught for twenty years before coming to Stein Financial Group. She still volunteers with children whenever she has the opportunity. Margie has three children, two sons and a daughter, who are now all adults. And best of all, she has added a wonderful daughter-in-law and a beautiful grandson.
The best part of working with clients: I love getting to know clients and their families, helping them with problems, and making a difference in their lives.
Hobbies outside of work: I enjoy walking, reading, cooking, baking, and spending time with my family.
Favorite places to visit: I loved visiting Italy- so much history, beautiful architecture, and wonderful food.
Something few people know about me: I love Hallmark movies and anything ending in happily ever after.
**Registered representative of Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. (member SIPC).
Phone: 612-492-0202
Email: email@example.com
Becky Duran has been with Stein Financial Group since 1999. She is a registered representative with Voya Financial Advisors and has earned her Series 6 and 63 registrations as well as her Minnesota Life and Health License.
Becky's main responsibility is servicing employer-sponsored plans and providing support to the team.
Hobbies outside of work: I enjoy gardening, home improvement projects, walking, bike riding on the trails, and spending time with my family and friends.
Favorite places to visit: Scotland and French Polynesia
Something few people know about me: I like to paint pictures.
Lauren is a graduate from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Statistics. She has been with the team since July of 2017 and has since paved her role in making sure Stein Financial Group's business operations are not only maintained but constantly evolving and improving. Lauren is a licensed producer of Minnesota Life and Health/Accident insurance.
The best part of working with clients: I have the opportunity to help clients feel relieved and comfortable after speaking with us. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to put a smile on a client's face.
Hobbies outside of work: In my free time I love to visit Minnesota State Parks (I have visited all 74 of them!) , explore new shops and restaurants with my friends, travel with my husband, and spend time with our giant dog Mabel.
Favorite places to visit: Some of my favorite spots include Paris, Seattle, Zion National Park, and Cinque Terre, Italy.
Something few people know about me: I would much rather listen to music in my car, headphones, or home than attend a live concert.
The best part of working with clients: making people feel special puts the wind in my sails. I like to get to know people and learn what they care about.
Hobbies outside of work: I love spending time with my husband and son, playing the piano, reading, gardening, and spending time outside.
Favorite places to visit: I have enjoyed traveling to various places in Europe including Italy and Germany.
Something few people know about me: I studied abroad in Toledo, Spain and along with Spanish have learned some Portuguese.


text:
In our quest to make at least one NARC Live! meeting a month directly involve you our viewers, today is NARC Live Interactive!
We tried something similar last month but this time you can join us for the whole programme by Video Link as well as watching on Facebook or BATC as usual so hopefully have the best of both worlds, though if you prefer you can just join us as a viewer and interact using typed messages, but it would be great to see and hear you!
Lets talk Radio and tech!
Last month we said hello to each other and caught up, so this time we want to extend that to talking about radio and tech etc, maybe asking the sort of thing you would have done at regular meetings but now can't... What is the best antenna to get up before winter hits, how can you stop interference to the house TV, whats the best morse reader, how do I share my new desk mike with several radios, whens the best time and band to work the states and is the club having an online christmas party ;-) .....
To join us by video you will need to use the following link - you will be able to join from 19.15 on Wednesday. Goto meeting will work on many platforms including tablets, but generally main PC or Macs are best as you will be able to see all partipants instead of just a few, but you can also use an iPad etc to watch the full programme which will be streamed as usual on FaceBook and BATC
To take part by video:
NARC Live Interactive
Wed, Oct 28, 2020 7:15 PM - 9:30 PM (GMT)
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
Access Code: 180-083-997
Also a 3:30 Minute video on how to use the software. https://youtu.be/95dRdnMMgbQ
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/180083997
And you can also join us as usual in addition to or instead of video in the traditional way:
Join us at 7.30pm as usual on either Facebook:
or British Amateur Television Club:
Septembers virtual meeting after a mini NARC Live, but this month you can also watch on BATC and Facebook:
Nooze from a village East of Norwich.
Autumn Series 80m Contests:
NARC remained in the overall lead after the first five published results with a points difference of 3938 points.
Previously our lead of more than 4200 points was reduced considerably by our closest rival, the Three As CG who decisively won the 2nd CW contest. However, the NARC Data contesters did an excellent job and scraped back 2940 points.
The results for the DATA contest on Wednesday 14/10/20 have been published and in spite of not having Roger's usual high scores this time we did manage to pull off the win.
NARC 10532 points with 18 logs.
3As CG 7592 points with 11 logs.
Thursday 29th October is the next event in the Autumn Series and will be SSB and we shall really need as many logs as possible.
If we are to stand any chance of winning this series we must have as many contacts as possible for this event.
Please submit a log on behalf of NARC even for just a few contacts, every point counts towards the end result.
We put our clocks back at 02:00 am on Sunday 25th October, don't be caught out with your clocks at the wrong time.
Bear in mind that the contest starts one hour later in terms of UTC, so propagation on 80m may not be as good as earlier in the month.
So, make a prompt start at 20:00 utc as propagation may worsen before the 21:30 utc finish.
You may check the foF2 critical frequency by visiting the Propquest website:
What's next?
The rest of the 80m Autumn Series dates:
Thursday 29th October SSB.
Monday 2nd November DATA.
Wednesday 11th November SSB.
Thursday 26th November CW.
The CQ WW DX SSB Contest takes place this weekend.
Begins on Saturday 24th October at 00:00 utc and ends at 23:59utc on Sunday 25th.
Six bands will be in operation 160m through 10m.
High, Low and QRP power categories, exchange RST and CQ Zone (14).
Rules below:
Other contests worldwide may be found on the website for the Contest Calendar by Bruce WA7BNM.
The Friday evening Contest Net at 20:00 local time will continue at the usual time but will change frequency to 145.275MHz to make way for a new GB2CW Beginner's class which will be held on the usual 145.250MHz frequency at 20:00.
Please help your club by operating in the Autumn Series contests on 80m.
73 John G8VPE
NARC can WIN this - BUT we need YOUR help!
NARC Appeal for more Contest Operators.
This year it has been the aim of NARC to make a concerted effort to win the 80m Autumn Series for the first time.
So far we have achieved 4 first place results in the first 5 out of 9 events, placed 2nd in just one CW event.
It seems that 3As Contest Group are also intent on winning this Autumn Series and they've given us some very strong opposition to date.
This year 3As have brought in some of their operators who haven't been active for a while, consequently they've been entering more logs of a very high calibre which could erode our current first place overall.
We do have a number of operators who have not joined us so far in this Autumn Series and if we are to oppose any strong challenges we really do need everyone's valuable help to gain as many points as possible in the remaining 4 contests.
Please consider joining us in this short series of contests, even just a few contacts will all help to swell the entry from NARC.
There are events for SSB, CW and PSK/RTTY, similar to the 80m CCs.
Please help us in as many events that you can manage. It is your club please support it.
The next contest will be SSB on 29th October at 20:00 local time.
BST(Daylight Saving Time) ends on 25th October, please check that you show the correct time in your logs.
John G8VPE
The Three As are getting people uploading logs who only make three QSOs so let's just show them how a PROPER radio club can field the troops when needed! It's SSB so not difficult. Everyone can talk and most can talk loudly!
HF News
The last week was dominated by sunspot region 2776, which pushed the solar flux index to 75. Geomagnetically, it was a mixed bag though, with the Kp index peaking at four on Wednesday, but otherwise being relatively quiet and showing zero on Tuesday.
The sunspots, plus the October seasonal enhancement, meant that the HF bands were quite active.
There were reports of Australia being worked from the UK on 10m FT8. Alek VK6APK was worked at 09:20hrs by Tony G4HZW.
Mario FR4QT on Reunion Island was also worked on 28.380MHz SSB by Gary G0FWX, according to the 10m UK Net Facebook group. If you like 10-metre operation the group is definitely worth signing up to.
These 10-metre contacts bode well for the future and we look forward to other reports of VK/ZL as the solar cycle progresses.
Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will be the range 72-74. Sunspot region 2776 will have almost rotated off the visible disk by the time this report is published and there are no other spots at the moment.
However, it does look like we are in for a disturbed weekend with poor geomagnetic conditions. This is due to a large polar coronal hole on the solar surface that has returned after a 27-day rotation and which could cause the Kp index to rise to five.
The solar wind will likely increase in speed and density, resulting in an adverse effect on the ionosphere after a potential pre-auroral enhancement.
Expect maximum usable frequencies to decline and conditions to be poor this weekend. Do look out for potential 10-metre auroral contacts though.
VHF and up
We are about to enter a phase of very disturbed weather with a series of deep lows dominating the charts, especially in the nearby Atlantic. Their influence will bring strong winds and periods of heavy rain or showers.
At long range it's pointless to try to time such events precisely, but nonetheless, the general characteristics suggest that Tropo will again be a rare feature in the coming week other than transient weak ridges between successive fronts or lows. On the upside, rain scatter could do rather well for the GHz bands.
The Moon's declination is rising and goes positive on Thursday so Moon visibility windows will lengthen. The Moon reaches apogee on Friday where path losses are at maximum. 144 MHz sky noise is low all week.
With the Kp index set to rise to five thanks to the returning coronal hole, it might be worth keeping an eye out for low-VHF auroral propagation again.
There are no significant meteor showers this week but get ready for the Leonids, peaking on 16th and 17th November.
Morse Classes HAVE started.
Input from Jim G3YLA:
25wpm CW report for Tuesday 20th Oct 2020
We had a small but perfectly formed team of two for this week's session on GB3NB at 8pm on Tuesday evening. David, M0WEL and Alex, 2E0FHF put in a very good showing and are progressing well with head copy of QSOs and extracting nuggets of information. This is a good technique to learn since it reduces stress of having to write it all down. It is showing good progress, so well done chaps and hope a few more can join in now the long dark evenings are upon us.
I also had the pleasure standing in for Chris, G4CCX on 145.250 on Tuesday morning at 10am and had a good turnout of his regulars, Phil G4LPP, John G4PFZ, Robert G4TUK, Alex 2E0FHF and Tony G0OOR. This crew has been busy sharpening up the skillset a lot since I last met up in a class with them.
There is now a large group within NARC of active CW ops learning to improve techniques and skills. This shows up well on the bands and in the contests in which NARC is beacon for clubs in the UK in terms of commitment to CW. These NARC members have been able to add a wonderful operating mode into their log books and have experienced the satisfaction gained from fluency on the key. You too can discover this by joining one of the many sessions run by NARC members during the week. Other great interests are available, but if you've not tried this one before, perhaps now might be a good time.
Phil G4LPP has a beginners session on Friday evening at 8pm on 145.250 and now, in its early stages, is a good time to join. I shall be starting another 25wpm beginners class in January on the repeater on Tuesdays at 8pm, so plenty of opportunity to hit the ground running. This is an open invitation for those wanting to try for the first time or perhaps have a second go after previous sessions.
73 de Jim
Morse with Doctor Phil: Fridays on 145.250MHz @ 20.00
Phil's class got off to a good start with two students last week. This week there were three and this coming Friday there should be four! So, really good to see some are learning the code and gaining a new mode to use on the air.
If you are interested, please email Phil and let him know. He will contact you and give you more details.
By the way, Phil is a GOOD cop, so you will be treated kindly!
Practice Pays!
Philip has been practising with RUFZXP, the call sign practice program and to show that Practice Pays, this is what Phil has achieved with that program.
Dear Philip,
your RufzXP score has been received and found to be correct.
It is going to be published in the next issue of the International RufzXP Toplist.
(issued weekly on Monday at around 20:00 UTC on www.RufzXP.net )
73 and have fun with RufzXP!
Mathias DL4MM
International RufzXP Toplist administrator
RufzXP version: 1.12
Callsign: G4LPP
TopList Callsign: G4LPP
Birthdate: 4/3/1958
Title: OM
Surname: Holt
Name: Philip
Score: 10022
Speed: 236 cpm (47 wpm)
The bottom line says it all!!!! Congratulations Phil.
The CWOPS CWT activity periods are proving a real attraction. John G4PFZ is now hooked on them - well perhaps not the 0300z period - but we usually have around 6 of us taking part now.
Email me with input, queries, keys, paddles, classes and so on. Hopefully I can help or know a man that can!
73 de Roger, G3LDI GB2CW Coordinator. May the Morse be with you.


text:
Ok I like Elves because they are really cool but I also love Dwarves and respect them because they are awesome, but Elves just have that certain apeal to me. So yeah continue, didn't want to bore you with a boring post because I could go into a long description of why I like them more, but not today.
Edited by Star Wolf, 03 March 2010 - 02:51 PM.


text:
Beyoncé once told us that a diva is the female version of a hustler, which is exactly what you're gonna need to be if you want to afford this very special edition of Lemonade.
There's no denying that Lemonade was totally brilliant, but we're not sure this 'How To Make Lemonade Box Set' is worth its whopping $299.99 price tag.
(And yes, these lemons do have us feeling a little bitter.)
Available to pre-order on Bey's website, the box set offers an "unprecedented insight" into the making of the album, featuring a collector's edition coffee table book, a double vinyl EP, and audio and visual album downloads.
The book, which is over 600 pages long, reveals the inspiration and themes behind Lemonade, including exclusive behind-the-scenes photographs and work by poet Warsan Shire.
Related: This picture of Beyoncé ordering food at a restaurant has gone viral
To paraphrase that old saying: when life gives you lemonade, you'll need to make a lot of money.
In other surprising Lemonade-related news, Beyoncé's album is what lies at the heart of an unexpected and pretty weird connection between the singer and Nicole Kidman.
If the setting for Nicole Kidman's The Beguiled looked familiar to you, that's because it was – the film is set in the same plantation as the majority of Lemonade's videos. The more you know, eh?
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set.


text:
- Assured$200
- Entries30
- Creatives14
- Feedback/StatsGood
Tell us what you need
What is the exact name you would like in your logo?
Advanced Regenerative Orthopedics
What is your industry?
Health Care and Biotech
What are the top 3 things you would like to communicate through your logo?
Advanced Regenerative Orthopedics is currently seeking designers help to create a brand mark for their logo. They want their brand mark to be simple, artistic and expressive. The brand mark also needs to work in context with the design of their current logo (see attached file).
What logo styles do you like (image + text, image only, text only, etc.)
Image + text - only need to create the image and use it with the existing logo design.
Do you have any other info or links you want to share?
Advanced Regenerative Orthopedics helps patients living with joint pain delay or eliminate the need for joint replacement. As opposed to traditional joint replacement, the doctors at Advanced Regenerative Orthopedics believe in minimally invasive procedures that tap into the body's own ability to heal to get patients back up and active quickly. With this new procedure there is no long recovery period or foreign objects in your body.
Advanced Regenerative Orthopedics is currently seeking designers help to create a brand mark for their logo. There are a few different options the client would like to explore:
#1. Body in Motion - The client has expressed interest in liking the brand marks used on the LGPA (http://www.lpga.com/) and Texas Women's Open (http://www.ntpga.com/texas-womens-open.h...) logos. If you decide to explore a brand mark using a person try creating abstract options of the body running, jumping or in motion. The key here is to show joints moving.
#2. Bone Marrow - Virtual cross section of bone marrow. Be creative when depicting the bone marrow as a brand mark.
#3. DNA - Make sure the DNA has movement (example of a DNA helix the client likes is included in the shared files). Another option to explore with DNA could possibly be blending DNA with a body in motion.
I have included a document as well that contains colors used in their website design should you choose to incorporate them.
No Files Added


text:
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Field Lounge Chair
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- Overall Dimensions: 35.8" h x 36.1" w x 37.8" d
- Steel and bent plywood construction with light all-over padding
- Reversible seat and back cushions filled with high resiliency foam with feather-down wrap
- Feather-down filled lumbar pillow included
- Some assembly required
Materials & Measurements
Materials: -Edwards Charcoal: plum powder-coated steel base, 28% wool / 70% acrylic / 2% nylon blend upholstery-Edwards Navy: black powder-coated steel base, 28% wool / 70% acrylic / 2% nylon blend upholstery-Craig Red: 80% Polyester / 20% Linen blend upholstery-Steel and bent plywood construction with light all-over padding-Reversible seat and back cushions filled with high resiliency foam with feather-down wrap-Feather-down filled lumbar pillow included
Overall: 35.8" h x 36.1" w x 37.8" d
Seat Height: 18"
Seat Depth: 22"
Arm Height: 19"
Assembly Required: Yes
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text:
A race of intelligent, diminutive hominids co-existing alongside humanity in South-East Asia? In the year 2003, a creature from mythology stepped out of the shadows and into the cold, hard light of science when an archaeological dig revealed what appeared to be a new species of hominid that matched closely with local myths of a creature known as the Ebu Gogo.
The remote island of Flores in Indonesia is thought to have been unaffected by the most recent of Earth's glaciation periods, and it was here that a unique collection of species once flourished, including now-extinct giant rats and the pygmy elephant Stegodon. But archaeologists looking for evidence of the presence of Homo sapiens in ancient times were shocked to find fossils of what appeared to be a completely new species. They named it after the island on which it was found, but while it is known to science as Homo floresiensis, its small stature has led it to be constantly referred to in the media as the 'hobbit'. The enormous success of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies round about this time was certainly an influence!
The hobbit stood at just over 1m tall, making it significantly smaller than even the pygmies of Africa. It was heavier-set and presumably stronger than Homo sapiens, with scientists having gone on record as saying that it could easily have crushed the arm of any modern man foolish enough to engage in a bout of arm-wrestling with it. The unusual teeth, the lack of a definite chin, and the small size of its brain, even allowing for its height, all point to the hobbit being a unique species. We know that it used sophisticated tools and fire, that it hunted and ate Stegodon, and that it had regions of the prefrontal cortex in the brain associated with self-awareness that are about the same size as those of modern man. The most contested claim is that the hobbit may even have been capable of some form of speech. Most astonishing of all, the hobbit appears to have been the last other hominid on Earth to have lived alongside modern man, as it survived until at least 12,000 years ago.
Throughout recorded history, mankind has not shared this Earth with any other intelligent hominid, so we have very little experience to go on to imagine the effects of such co-habitation. How would the two species have interacted? Did they make war? Did they trade? Did they regard one another simply as another dangerous animal to be wary of, or something more? We know that hominids as ancient as Neanderthal man and Homo erectus exhibited some aspects of religion, and it is tempting to wonder what place these species, so clearly related, played in their understanding of the world. Whatever the interaction, it came to a sharp end some 12,000 years ago, when a volcanic eruption apparently put an end to this relic population.
Of course, such dramatic developments in science rarely pass without controversy. The discovery of the hobbit has been shrouded in almost constant controversy since 2003, with scientists taking cheap pot-shots at one another and griping – when they aren't refuting each other's work in respected scientific journals. The main contention has been that the 'hobbits' were merely a dwarfish group of Homo sapiens that exhibited a condition known as microcephaly, in which the head fails to develop properly, and remains small throughout adulthood. Not only this, but after the discovery, the Indonesian government prevented reputable press organizations such as the BBC from visiting the cave where the remains were found for four years. Critics maintain that they wished to prevent any possibility of the conclusions being proved false.
Controversy still rages, but the current situation looks more in favour of the hobbit being a new species, with recent studies showing that the structure of the hobbit's joints and feet in particular show stark differences from those of humans, and are in fact more similar to other living hominids such as chimpanzees and extinct ones such as the African Australopithecus.
The true answer may never be known. But whether the hobbit was the last of its noble kind or simply a crippled, pitiful remnant of humanity, and whether or not it clashed with Homo sapiens, it will continue to cause rifts in the world of anthropology for some time to come.


text:
4.5-V-13.8-V, 28mΩ, 2-3.7A eFuse
Product details
ParametersWe are not able to display this information. Please refer to the product data sheet.
- VOPERATING = 4.5 V to 13.8 V, VABSMAX = 20 V
- Integrated 28-mΩ Pass MOSFET
- Fixed 15-V Over Voltage Clamp
- 2-A to 3.7-A Adjustable ILIMIT (±15% Accuracy)
- Reverse Current Blocking Support
- Programmable OUT Slew Rate, UVLO
- Built-in Thermal Shutdown
- UL 2367 Recognized – File No. 169910*
- *RILIM ≤ 100 kΩ (4 A max)
- Safe During Single Point Failure Test (UL60950)
- Small Foot Print – 10L (3 mm × 3 mm) VSON
The TPS2592Ax family of eFuses is a highly integrated circuit protection and power management solution in a tiny package. The devices use few external components and provide multiple protection modes. They are a robust defense against overloads, shorts circuits, voltage surges, excessive inrush current, and reverse current.
Current limit level can be set with a single external resistor. Over voltage events are limited by internal clamping circuits to a safe fixed maximum, with no external components required.
Applications with particular voltage ramp requirements can set dV/dT with a single capacitor to ensure proper output ramp rates. Many systems, such as SSDs, must not allow holdup capacitance energy to dump back through the FET body diode onto a drooping or shorted input bus. The BFET pin is for such systems. An external NFET can be connected "Back to Back (B2B)" with the TPS2592Ax output and the gate driven by BFET to prevent current flow from load to source.
Technical documentation
|TPS2592Ax 12-V eFuse with Over Voltage Protection and Blocking FET Control datasheet (Rev. C)
|Dec. 03, 2014
|More literature
|TPS2592x UL Certificate of Compliance IEC 60950-1
|Apr. 10, 2020
|More literature
|UL Certificate of Compliance UL 2367
|Apr. 10, 2020
|Technical articles
|How can a load switch extend your device's battery life?
|Mar. 20, 2018
|Technical articles
|How and why you should use load switches for power sequencing
|Feb. 06, 2018
|Technical articles
|How to use load switches and eFuses in your set-top box design
|Nov. 23, 2017
|Technical articles
|Don't leave it floating! Power off your outputs with quick output discharge
|Dec. 09, 2016
|User guides
|TPS2592XXEVM-531 EVM: Evaluation Module for TPS2592XX (Rev. A)
|Nov. 20, 2013
Design & developmentFor additional terms or required resources, click any title below to view the detail page where available.
Design tools & simulation
- Leverages Cadence PSpice Technology
- Preinstalled library with a suite of digital models to enable worst-case timing analysis
- Dynamic updates ensure you have access to most current device models
- Optimized for simulation speed without loss of accuracy
- Supports simultaneous analysis of multiple products
- (...)
Reference designs
Design files
downloadPMP9773 BOM.pdf (63KB)
downloadPMP9773 PCB.pdf (503KB)
downloadPMP9773 Altium.zip (248KB)
downloadPMP9773 Gerber.zip (123KB)
CAD/CAE symbols
|View options
Ordering & quality
Support & training
TI E2E™ forums with technical support from TI engineers
Content is provided "as is" by TI and community contributors and does not constitute TI specifications. See terms of use.
If you have questions about quality, packaging or ordering TI products, see TI support.


text:
*High Yesterday: 79; Precip: 0.01"; YTD Precip: 1.13"; Deficit: 2.26"*
FINALLY!!! A pattern change brings rain back in the forecast off and on over the next 7-10 days. PLUS…morning lows will NOT dip below freezing for a while.
• Low clouds are back this morning and so is the warmth this afternoon.
• A near record high (83 degrees-2005) today.
• Friday morning cold front. 40 degrees colder (by aft.) than today.
• Rain chances increase Sat. then late Sunday.
• Another cold front Tuesday with possible storms.
• Normal High: 60; Normal Low: 39
Thursday: Morning clouds, afternoon warmth. High: Low 80s. Near record high (83 degrees-2005). Wind: SSW 15-25 mph.
Tonight: Cloudy, humid and mild. Low: Low 60s. Wind: South 10-20 mph.
Friday: Pre-dawn cold front. Isolated showers. Falling temps (40s by eve.) and windy through the day. Wind: NW 20-30 mph.
Saturday: Cloudy, continued chilly. Good chance of rain through the afternoon. Heaviest north of DFW. High: Near 50.
Sunday: Cloudy and cool. More rain by late afternoon. High: Low 60s.
Monday: Chance of showers and storms. High: Low 70s.
Tuesday. Chance of showers and storms. Colder. High: 50s.


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An auto accident involving company vehicles are hard to deal with. In Ohio, rules governing auto accidents involving company vehicles are much diversified. That means you need to do proper analysis before you file a claim. Remember, independent contractors who are working for a company but using their own vehicles will be held liable for any damages imposed on accident victims.
In Ohio, there is a phenomenon called Respondeat superior. This concept implies that all employees fault will be passed to their employer. An employer is answerable to the faults caused by his driver and should compensate for all property damages caused by the accident. This principle applies only when the driver unintentionally causes an accident and within business hours.
If the driver was capable of preventing the accident and it occurred, the driver will be held responsible for negligence that led to the accident occurrence. Respondeat superior also takes into consideration the fact that a company has deeper pockets than an employee so for compensation, it is good to hold the company liable. Remember, these cases are complicated and that's the reason you need the help of an experienced Toledo car accident lawyer.
There are some situations when the company cannot be held liable. One of the situations is when the driver intentionally caused the accident by actions like overtaking. Any breaking of traffic rules is considered intentionally because all drivers are well-trained in Ohio. If the driver caused the accident due to being drunk or sleepy, it is the driver's fault and claims should be against the driver.
Private contracted drivers pay for damages by themselves, the company that hired such a driver is not liable. All accidents involving a company vehicle that occurred out of business hours are not covered by the company. That means the driver was doing his own personal business when the accident occurs.
Find the party at fault is simple, contact the company first and report the scene. State the kind of accident, the scene it occurred and the time. The company will then explain itself and you can also liaise with the police to have the company to record a statement. Once you know who is liable, you can then file a claim and gather as much evidence as you. All evidence must be gathered as early as possible because as time goes by, you may lose a lot of vital evidence.
The driver's insurance is going to pay if the driver was at fault. Comparative law may apply to identify if you as the victim were also at risk. Your compensation will be reduced in relation to your percentage of negligence.
A careful recount of facts is important to identify the liable party so that the court may even ask for accident reconstruction expert witness. Companies also use their insurance company to pay victims of accidents but if their cover does not cater to some losses, the company uses its own money to compensate victims.
Find out who to file a claim against before you file one. You may sue the wrong party and it will take a lot of time before you get compensation.


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SCOOP 2016: Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi triumphs over tough field in $10K Main Event for $1.468M
As always, the $10,000 buy-in Spring Championship of Online Poker Main Event (the "High") at PokerStars attracted a host of top tournament talent, with the leaderboard constantly displaying names of some of poker's elite players throughout the three days the tournament played out.
By the end, however, the name of one top player stood out above the rest, the one belonging to Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi who rose to lead of the counts prior to today's final table, then led wire-to-wire to earn the most coveted title of the series and the biggest cash prize as well of $1,468,000.88.
The win -- Shakerchi's third SCOOP title overall -- culminates a terrific series for the U.K. player who cashed 36 times, including making five final tables. Here's the story of how he did it, from Sunday afternoon when the first hands were dealt up to this afternoon's final hand.
Day 1
Over $90 million was won in this year's SCOOP, with the largest chunk of that amount forming the prize pool for this crown jewel of the series, the $10K "High" buy-in Main Event.
There were over 300 players already in their seats shortly after the tournament began on Sunday. Just a couple of hours after that they'd surged well past the 400-player mark to start building a prize pool that was clear would easily best the event's $4 million guarantee.
Then by the time the six-hour mark came -- at which point late registration and the ability to re-enter (only once!) had ended -- there were a whopping 824 entries, with the last one pushing the overall prize pool to a huge $8,000,001.76. The top 99 places paid, with $1,468,000.88 for first place (barring a final table deal), just over one million for second, and everyone making the final table earning at least six figures.
At that point about half the field had hit the rail already and David "MissOracle" Yan was enjoying an early lead with just over 400 players left. There was still another six hours of poker to be played on Day 1, however, during which time the field was carved down further to 129 players making it through to Monday.
That was still 30 shy of the money, although players at the top of the leaderboard to end the night were no doubt thinking of much larger prizes than the $18,400 for a min-cash. There were plenty of familiar names among those in that group as well, as the overnight top 10 shows:
1. Christopher "lissi stinkt" Frank (Germany) -- 933,872
2. Nick "chilenocl" Yunis (Chile) -- 825,251
3. Pascal "Päffchen" Hartmann (Austria) -- 809,604
4. Rachid Ben "SkaiWalkurrr" Cherif (United Kingdom) -- 804,595
5. Christopher "NigDawG" Brammer (United Kingdom) -- 770,769
6. Scott "gunning4you" Seiver (Canada) -- 697,561
7. Ziv "zivziv" Bachar (Israel) -- 697,213
8. zaxman13 (Greece) -- 649,852
9. €urop€an (Finland) -- 637,488
10. Luke "lb6121" Schwartz (United Kingdom) -- 630,694
Day 2
It took just under two hours on Monday for 30 more knockouts to come and the money bubble to burst. At that point €urop€an had moved up and into the chip lead with Pascal "Päffchen" Hartmann and Rui "sousinha23" Sousa close behind.
As the day wore on and the field shrunk under 50 players, €urop€an remained settled in first position, staying there as more hit the rail including Nick "chilenocl" Yunis (49th, $27,200), Mike "Tîmex" McDonald (44th, $30,400), Craig "mcc3991" McCorkell (43rd, $30,400), Mohsin "sms9231" Charania (42nd, $30,400), Isaac "philivey2994" Haxton (40th, $30,400), Pascal "Päffchen" Hartmann (39th, $30,400), Mikael "ChaoRen160" Thuritz (37th, $34,400), Kevin "ImaLuckSac" MacPhee (36th, $34,400), Andreas "Hoegh93" Høgh (35th, $34,400), Peter "Se7enTr3y" Akery (34th, $34,400), Joe "bigegypt" Elpayaa" (33rd, $34,400), Luke "lb6121" Schwartz (31st, $34,400), Jeff "jeff710" Hakim (29th, $34,400), and Lauri "IMS DURNK" Pesonen (28th, $34,400).
Once they'd gotten down to three tables, however, €urop€an finally let go of the lead as others rushed ahead, with Christopher "NigDawg" Brammer leading the charge as he became the first player to 5 million chips.
The next wave of knockouts included Mike "MikeyGG3" Gentili (27th), RayJing (26th), Dylan "WhiteRabbito" Honeyman (25th), Charlie "Epiphany77" Carrel (24th), slv458 (23rd), J0hn Mcclean (22nd), brights88 (21st), zapacanov (20th), and finally €urop€an (19th), with those nine all earning $40,000 even for their finishes.
Brammer still led with two tables left with that same 5 million-plus chip stack. FourSixFour (18th), Trocola7 (17th), and jnk1313 (16th) next went out, earning $56,000.01 apiece. vovanmillion next went out in 15th, and they remaining 14 battled onward for quite some time during which Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi eventually ascended in the counts to take over the chip lead, eventually to be passed by LuckBox.
Christopher "lissi stinkt" Frank next fell in 14th followed by Darren "darrenelias" Elias in 13th, with those two like vovanmillion earning $72,000.01. Former leaders then became short stacks, with Rui "sousinha23" Sousa (12th) and Christopher "NigDawG" Brammer (11th) going out, and after a stretch of hand-for-hand play Sam "Str8$$$Homey" Greenwood went out in 10th, with those three each making $88,000.01.
They'd reached the final table, where Shakerchi was back in the chip lead for one hand -- and he won that one, too, taking a pot off Pablo "pablotenisis" Fernandez -- before the tournament was paused until Tuesday afternoon.
A glimpse at the final table just before it began:
Seat 1: Sean "Nolez7" Winter (Romania) -- 3,888,664
Seat 2: EvnomiYa (Russia) -- 2,876,963
Seat 3: Pablo "pablotenisis" Fernandez (Mexico) -- 3,433,591
Seat 4: Scott "gunning4you" Seiver (Canada) -- 4,617,287
Seat 5: Markku "markovitsus" Koplimaa (Estonia) -- 5,861,868
Seat 6: s0nny_bLacCk (Thailand) -- 3,962,436
Seat 7: IReadB00ks (Denmark) -- 4,229,194
Seat 8: Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi (United Kingdom) -- 9,258,971
Seat 9: LuckBox (Japan) -- 3,071,026
Day 3
All nine players made it through the first half-hour of Day 3, with Scott Seiver earning a big pot off of Sean Winter in the last hand before the break (pocket aces versus ace-king), prompting a Game of Thrones reference in the chatbox during the five-minute pause in play:
Nolez7: scotttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
gunning4you: Jon Snow has to hold back the forces of winter
Nolez7: i must not get 9th
Nolez7: or 8th
A few minutes after play resumed, the sword came down on the first final table casualty of the day.
EvnomiYa eliminated in ninth
The blinds were 87,500/175,000 (with a 21,875 ante you only ever see online) when Scott "gunning4you" Seiver opened for 378,675 from early position, and it folded around to EvnomiYa in the big blind who pushed all-in from the big blind for 2,289,463 total, and Seiver called the push in a flash.
EvnomiYa had picked up 7♣7♠, but Seiver had picked up A♠A♦ again. The board ran out an uneventful 4♠4♦Q♠6♥8♣, and EvnomiYa was out in ninth, though still enjoyed a $100K-plus score.
IReadB00ks checks out in eighth
Close to 15 minutes later came the next knockout, and Seiver was the one responsible again.
Following a min-raise to 350,000 from early position by IReadB00ks, it folded around to Seiver who called from the small blind, and the pair watched the flop come T♥K♦2♦. Seiver checked, IReadB00ks continued for 263,542, Seiver check-raised all-in, and IReadB00ks called with the 2,552,027 left behind.
IReadB00ks showed K♣Q♠ for top pair of kings while Seiver had both flush and straight draws with Q♦J♦. The Q♣ turn gave Seiver a pair, then the T♦ river gave him a needed diamond for the flush, and IReadB00ks was on the rail in eighth.
Luck runs out for LuckBox, stopped in seventh
They continued onward with the seven remaining players all making it to the next break coming at the day's hour-and-a-half mark, by which point Shakerchi still led with 13.1 million, Seiver was next with about 9.6 million, and LuckBox was the short stack with a little less than 1.6 million.
Then on the first hand back, the blinds were 100,000/200,000 when Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi opened with a big raise from the small blind and LuckBox called all-in with the 1,355,772 left after posting the big. Shakerchi had Q♥8♥ and was dominating the Q♣4♠ of LuckBox, and five cards later -- J♣9♦A♦4♦T♦ -- LuckBox was done in seventh, a finish good for just over a quarter million dollars.
pablotenisis put out in sixth
About 20 minutes later the blinds were 125,000/250,000 when Pablo "pablotenisis" Fernandez open-pushed for 3,282,444 from the button, then saw Scott "gunning4you" Seiver reraise-jam from the small blind to isolate.
Fernandez had 9♣7♣, but Seiver had picked up yet another premium pair with K♠K♦. The 4♣Q♦6♠2♣Q♠ board didn't help Fernandez, and he went out in sixth. The finish was a few spots shy of his third place in Event #31-H ($2,100 NLHE), but the prize was a lot more as the player from Mexico took away just over $336K.
markovitsus meets end in fifth
Despite having scored three of four final table knockouts, Seiver was still in second position behind Shakerchi who continued to add to his stack. When the next elimination came, Shakerchi increased his lead still more.
The blinds were up to 150,000/300,000, and after being folded to on the button Markku "markovitsus" Koplimaa open-raised all-in for 3,042,073. It folded to Shakerchi in the big blind who thought for a couple of beats, then called with A♣5♣ to see he was ahead of Koplimaa's K♦Q♠.
The Q♥9♣6♠ flop swung the edge Koplimaa's way, however, with the Q♣ turn giving the Estonian trips. But the river was the 8♣, completing a backdoor club flush for Shakerchi and ending Koplimaa's run in fifth -- a 13th cash for him this SCOOP, and of course the largest by far at just over $416K.
gunning4you shot down in fourth
That pot pushed Shakerchi up over 20 million, a total representing more than what his three remaining opponents had combined. s0nny_bLacCk asked the others if they might be interested in some deal talk, but Shakerchi said "happy to play" and play they did.
They continued into the second half of the day's third hour, at which point Sean "Nolez7" Winter open-raised all-in from the small blind for close to 5.2 million and Scott "gunning4you" Seiver called with the 3,988,571 he had left after posting the 300,000-chip big blind.
Seiver had T♠T♦ and was in decent shape preflop against Winter's A♦5♦, and he was still leading -- albeit precariously -- after the 7♠4♦7♦ flop and 3♣ turn. But the river was the 2♣ to complete a wheel for Winter, and Seiver was out in fourth, coming three spots shy of winning a second SCOOP title after winning one two years ago in a $2,100 2-7 draw event.
s0nny_bLacCk stacked in third
Play continued with Shakerchi still well in front and no more deal talk arising in the chat box, and a dozen hands later they were down to two.
The blinds were still 150,000/300,000 when Sean "Nolez7" Winter open-pushed again from the small blind and it was s0nny_bLacCk calling this time from the BB for 5,890,133. Winter had K♣7♠ and was behind s0nny_bLacCk's K♠Q♠, but the T♣T♦7♣2♠9♠ board favored Winter and sent the player from Thailand out in third for a prize worth a little over $792K.
Flush over flush means Winter falls in second as Shakerchi snares the win
That left just Winter and Shakerchi, a couple of players plenty familiar with each other thanks to their frequent participation in high roller events.
Winter has been cashing in a number of them over the past year, including chopping the $25,000 High Roller at the 2016 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and earning $914,580 after taking runner-up.
There'd be no chopping up this one, however. The businessman Shakerchi -- besides collecting cashes in SCOOP events -- had proven himself before time and again in high roller events, including winning $10K tournaments both at the EPT8 Grand Final in Monaco and at EPT9 London.
And, as had been noted in the chatbox earlier, Shakerchi was happy to play and try to win another.
Shakerchi had a close to 2-to-1 edge to start the heads-up duel with 27,169,302 to Winter's 14,030,698, and after three hands the stacks hadn't changed much when the following hand took place.
It began with a min-raise to 700,000 by Shakerchi from the button, with Winter calling. The flop came 2♦4♣3♦, and Winter checked. Shakerchi continued for 788,375, and Winter stuck around. Things went similarly after the 7♥ turn, with a check from Winter, a bet of 1,624,052 from Shakerchi, and another call.
The J♦ river then completed the board, and Winter checked once more. This time Shakerchi fired 3,913,659, and Winter responded with an all-in shove for 11,330,771 total that Shakerchi called in an instant.
Their cards were tabled...
Nolez7: T♦9♦
raidalot: A♦7♦
Both had rivered flushes, but Shakerchi had the nuts to claim the pot and the title. Winter managed to do a lot better than eighth or ninth, his runner-up showing adding up to a huge seven-figure score.
But the final kudos go to Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi who topped one of the tougher tournament fields you'll witness, including a stacked final table to win the SCOOP "High" Main Event and that enormous $1,468,000.88 prize.
SCOOP-54-H ($10,000 NL Hold'em Main Event) results
Entrants: 824
Prize pool: $8,000,001.76
Places paid: 99
1. Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi (United Kingdom) $1,468,000.88
2. Sean "Nolez7" Winter (Romania) $1,048,000.23
3. s0nny_bLacCk (Thailand) $792,000.17
4. Scott "gunning4you" Seiver (Canada) $596,000.13
5. Markku "markovitsus" Koplimaa (Estonia) $416,000.09
6. Pablo "pablotenisis" Fernandez (Mexico) $336,000.07
7. Luckbox (Japan) $256,000.05
8. IReadB00ks (Denmark) $176,000.03
9. EvnomiYa (Russia) $104,000.02
Thanks for following our coverage all SCOOP long. Remember, you can look back through reports from all of the events, and check the SCOOP page for all the results and stats from this year's series.
Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.