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NPS To Provide Tax Exemption On 40% Corpus At Maturity For Non-Salaried Class
In his Budget 2018 speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has proposed to extend partial tax exemption benefits on 40% of the maturity corpus on closure of the account or on opting out of the NPS scheme to non-salaried or self-employed class.
Until now, as per the provisions of clause (12A) of Section 10 of the Income Tax Act, the employees making contribution to the NPS scheme are allowed tax exemption in respect of 40% of the maturity proceeds at the time of account closure or opt out by the subscriber.
To bring about a level playing field, an amendment has been proposed in clause (12A) of section 10 of the Act for extending tax benefit to all of the NPS subscribers. The amendment will come into effect from April 1, 2019 and hence will apply for 2019-2020 and following assessment years. Since the year 2015, the government has been doing all its bit to make the pension product more investor and tax-friendly.
In the current regime, partial tax exemption is allowed to NPS subscribers on the maturity amount while the annuity received from 40% of the corpus post retirement is fully taxable in the year of receipt and is charged under the head income from other sources.
An NPS subscriber on account maturity at the age of 60 years and above is allowed to withdraw upto 60% of the corpus. However if he exits the investment before attaining 60 years of age then only 20% of the amount can be withdrawn.


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In the effort to raise the awareness of importance in analytics Mathematics skill and deepen mathematical understanding, Storming Robots collaborates with the Raritan Valley Math Group to host annual Math Contest.
3rd Annual Math Contest will be hosted on March 24th, 2019 at Raritan Valley Community College.
To learn more, go to http://math.stormingrobots.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Demore Cream Review- It is an anti-aging cream if you want to remove wrinkles, dark spots from your face naturally? Then this product will help you.
Following the rules of nature, with increasing years the skin also ages. The natural beauty is lost and the skin looks dull and gets lost amidst fine lines and wrinkles. The youthful appearance of the skin is nowhere to be found. Though we often blame age as the sole factor for the increasing dullness of the skin, it is often not the only reason. Pollution, the harmful UV rays of the sun and stress also play important roles in regenerating the skin. Free radicals also play the role of a villain. Being touted as the fairer sex, women are more sensitive about their skin. Cleansing, Toning, and moisturizing are the normal skin care treatments followed by them, but often they fall short in bringing about glowing skin. The aging signs should be prevented from coming back. This is where Demore Cream wrinkle reduction cream plays a vital role.
How Does Demore Cream Work?
It is an advanced skincare solution that is capable of fighting against the signs of aging like reduction of wrinkles, sun spots, age spots, sagging skin, under-eye problems and any other problem faced by the skin. It can revive the natural youthfulness of the skin that too without the use of injections, invasive lasers or expensive surgeries. The natural ingredients found in this product bring about a magic transformation in the skin and rejuvenates the overall performance.
Ingredients In Demore Cream
The ingredients in this potentially magic serum are a perfect blend of properties to combat the ill effects of aging. The presence of face firming peptides in the skin reduces the fine lines and the wrinkles in the skin which are the first signs of skin aging.
The Benefits Of Demore Cream
The benefits of using Demore Cream are many. Firstly, it is a natural solution to the increasing problems of the skin. It is an extremely safe and gentle way of treating the skin. Moreover, it is free from any side effects and a perfect alternative to Botox or any other chemical treatment. No irritation, itching, cracking or peeling follows the sustained use of this product. The most important thing about this product is that it is dermatologically tested and approved by ABD. Free trial and money-back guarantee schemes also make the product a widely accepted solution to skin problems. There are many customers who are satisfied with this product and have testified the product to be truly effective.
Where To Buy The Product?
Demore Cream is easily not available in retail outlets. It is only available online and online orders are only accepted.


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Seawalls may give false sense of security during a tsunami
- If a cοastal city's seawall is higher than a fοrecast tsunami, residents are less likely to evacuate prοmptly, suggests a new study based οn interviews with survivοrs of the 2011 tsunami that hit eastern Japan.
The Great East Japan Earthquake struck abοut 40 miles off the cοuntry's nοrtheast cοast οn March 11, 2011 with a magnitude of 9.0. It generated tsunami waves mοre than 30 meters tall that claimed nearly 16,000 lives and destrοyed 122,000 buildings.
Since then, researchers have looked fοr ways to better cοmmunicate the impοrtance of evacuatiοns, tsunami warnings and preparedness.
"Seawalls have been a key tsunami cοuntermeasure in Japan," Giancarlos Trοncοso Parady of the University of Tokyο told Reuters Health by email. "However, while seawalls might delay the flooding of a cοastal town and ideally prοvide residents with precious time to evacuate, they might also have the undesirable effect of delaying evacuatiοn."
Trοncοso Parady and cοlleagues analyzed data frοm a survey of 6,600 residents frοm 23 municipalities of the hardest hit Iwate and Miyagi prefectures.
Tsunami height fοrecasts were issued 3, 28, 44, and 90 minutes after the earthquake, with earlier fοrecasts underestimating the wave height, the research team writes in the journal Injury Preventiοn.
Accοrding to news repοrts, the first tsunami waves hit Sendai Airpοrt in Miyagi Prefecture just over an hour after the earthquake.
The research team fοund that regardless of where survey participants where when the earthquake occurred, οn average, 68 percent evacuated prοmptly. Amοng those who lived within οne kilometer of the cοast, 78 percent evacuated prοmptly.
However, if the municipality had a sea wall higher than the mοst recent wave height fοrecast, the odds of prοmpt evacuatiοn fell by 30 percent, the researchers estimated.
Critics have debated seawall recοnstructiοn, which often creates walls larger than the previous οnes without envirοnmental impact assessments. Seawalls are also associated with envirοnmental disruptiοn of cοastal ecοsystems and scenery destructiοn, Trοncοso Parady said.
"Of cοurse, this is a very pοlitically cοmplex issue, but I believe there is a discussiοn to be had οn how high is high enοugh fοr a seawall," he said. "Building higher and higher seawalls is nοt the mοst adequate solutiοn. We should be thinking abοut this prοblem frοm a mοre holistic perspective."
"Mοre wοrk is needed in disaster preparedness educatiοn and in the way tsunami warnings are given, taking into cοnsideratiοn the risk of fοrecast errοr," his team cοncludes. "Priοrity should be given to prοmοting prοmpt evacuatiοn and educating residents as to the uncertainty of tsunami fοrecasting, to ensure that residents do nοt ignοre evacuatiοn warnings due to false impressiοns of the safety prοvided by seawalls."
SOURCE: bit.ly/2rN13aW Injury Preventiοn, οnline November 17, 2018.


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Back to the results
Spring Break
Hotel Garni in Dimaro, 771 mt. (a.s.l.)
demi.sr.Bildergalerie überspringen
Package Benefits
Spring is coming...... and you come to enjoy the beautiful scenery, of many sports opportunities and good food!
You can enjoy all this taking our offer "Weekend Spring"
Our offer includes
You can enjoy all this taking our offer "Weekend Spring"
Our offer includes
- - 2 nights and breakfast buffet;
- - Friday: dinner in typical restaurant with good and local food;
- - Saturday: dinner in hut in Val di Rabbi - Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio;
- - parking free and garage;
- - Wi-fi free;
- - Trentino Guest Card;
- - maps for cycling, trekking and more;
- - agreement with sports centers in Dimaro for many sporting activities.
Available Period(s)
Accommodation Details
A modern, family managed B&B. In a strategic position just 3 minutes by car from the Daolasa gondola lift. Comfortable rooms with hairdryer, safe, mini bar and Sat TV, furnished in a typical mountain style. The care for our clients will make your stay unique and unforgettable. Buffet breakfast, HB possible on request.
Locationnear the forest, vicino al supermercato: 50, quiet location, right at the ski-bus/kiking-bus/bus stop, vicino ad un bancomat, altitude (mt. a.s.l.): 771, right on the bike path, edge of ski run, right on the slope
Payment methodscredit cards accepted, transfer, cash payment
Categoryfamily hotel
Facilities / Servicesmotorcycle parking spot, luggage storage, disabled washroom, bar, covered parking for motorcycles, disabled accessible, own garden, bicycle parking space, wake-up service, garage, TV room, farm produce, boot dryer, non-smoking common room, crib, non-smoking house, laundry facilities available, heating, car parking lot, non-smoking area, free use of internet, internet - e-mail available, satellite TV, garage for motorbikes, WiFi, room service, covered parking for cars, open all year, information on the region, Ski-boot dryer , Ski Storage, common garden, lift / elevator, wheelchair accessible, safe
Sports / Leisure timeski instructor/tour guide, garden / meadow, adventure tours, nordic walking, adventure activities, hikes/guided hiking tours
RentalNordic walking poles
Suitabilityfamilies, children, Suitable for Disables, groups, singles, young persons, seniors, business travelers, non-smokers
Meetings / ConferencesADSL, office, print shop/printer, fax machine, Wifi, DVD player, photocopier, telecommunications connections
Groupsgroups possible with max. pers.: 30, bus parking space
Beds & roomssingle room/s: 1, double room/s: 10, multi-bed room/s: 3
Bike facilitiessuggested routes and info for cyclists, bike washing area, local transport timetable
Childrencrib/baby bed
Foreign languagesGerman Spoken, English Spoken
Mealsbreakfast buffet
ConditionsGarage and wi-fi included.
Stays from 1St November 2015 will be charged a tourist tax.
The tourist tax is an amount that must be paid at the accommodation for stays from 1 to 10 nights in addition to the price of
the holiday booked
Get Directions
VIA CAMPIGLIO, 60 38025 Dimaro Folgarida IT
Show on google maps
VIA CAMPIGLIO, 60 38025 Dimaro Folgarida IT
Show on google maps
Check-in: from 2 pm to 9 pm (If you arriva after 9 pm, please contact us, thank you)
Check-out: at 10 am


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|Major ARO branch
|Determinant of Antibiotic Resistance (ARO:3000000)
|Antibiotic resistance genes, SNPs, or other molecular entities organized by target (e.g., aminocoumarin, glycopeptides, etc.) and mode of action (e.g., antibiotic inactivation, molecular bypass, etc.)
|Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance (ARO:1000002)
|Target alteration, target replacement, antibiotic inactivation, antibiotic efflux, antibiotic target protection, reduced permeability to antibiotic
|Antibiotic Target (ARO:3000708)
|Targeted cell membrane components, protein or nucleotide synthesis machinery, enzymes, etc.
|Antibiotic Molecule (ARO:1000003)
|Hierarchical classification of antibiotics (e.g., sulfonamide, β-lactam, glycopeptide antibiotics, etc.)
|Inhibitor of Antibiotic Resistance (ARO:0000076)
|β-Lactamase and other inhibitors
|Antibiotic Biosynthesis (ARO:3000082)
|Phosphonoacetaldehyde methyltransfererase, glycopeptide biosynthesis, macrolide biosynthesis, streptogramin biosynthesis, fosfomycin biosynthesis, aminocoumarin biosynthesis, phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) mutase, phosphonopyruvate decarboxylase
|Antibiotic Resistance Terminology (ARO:3000045)
|Ontological relationship types, bioinformatic model types, reference molecular sequence types, etc.
↵a ARO, Antibiotic Resistance Ontology. All major branches are part_of ARO:1000001, "process or component of antibiotic biology or chemistry."


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Pending Papers
The Humans and the Machine: Perceptual Differences Between Collective and Solo Performances
This paper provides a thorough comparison between two live performances of Jacob Collier's song "Don't You Know": his 2015 performance with the band Snarky Puppy, and his performance during his One-Man Show in 2016, a multimedia display of multi-instrumental virtuosity where he simulates a digital one-man band using custom equipment. These two performances are published on YouTube with similar popularity, and I supply an analysis of the comments that provide useful insight about the audience's behaviour and preferences.
The Online Composer-Audience Collaboration
There is a substantial amount of research on the creative process of the composer, and there has been an increasing interest in detailing the relationship between composer and performer. Yet, there is little research about the dynamics between the composer and listener, a subject which merits consideration. Thanks to the internet and online video-sharing platforms, composers can directly interact with their listeners and fans. I focus specifically on Jacob Collier and Andrew Huang, two artists who make use of these online resources to collaborate with their audience by requesting compositional material from them.
An Analytical Comparison of Manuel M. Ponce's Intermezzo no. 1 and no. 2
Manuel Maria Ponce (1882-1948) was one of the most influential Mexican composers of the early 20th Century. I analyze his Intermezzo no. 1, written during his romantic period in the early 1920s, and compare it to his Intermezzo no. 2, written in Paris around 1933. Although both works display a nocturne-like character, they use vastly different harmonic language. I highlight the continuous assimilation and evolution of Ponce's numerous styles and influences.
Newsletter Publications
Ramirez, Luis. "Internet Culture and Music | Research Connection." Brandon University, 2018. https://www.brandonu.ca/research-connection/rc-article/internet-culture-and-music/
Blog Articles
Ramirez, Luis. "Thank You, Internet." Institute for Research in Music and Community (blog), 2018. https://irmc.ca/2018/01/25/thank-you-internet/
Encyclopedic Articles
The indie classical genre is generally used to describe the music that follows certain classical music practices but is produced and distributed through independent record labels.
"The Evolution of Style in Manuel M. Ponce's Intermezzi." Unpublished, 2019. Invited to present at 2019 American Musicological Society – New York State/St. Lawrence Chapter (NYSSL) conference. Kingston, ON.
"The Online Composer-Audience Collaboration." Unpublished, 2019. Invited to present at 2019 Carleton Music and Culture Symposium. Ottawa, ON. Also presented at the Research Gala: New Directions in Ethnomusicology and Musicology presented by the York University Music Program.
"The Five Styles of Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Music." Unpublished, 2014. Invited to present during the 6th World Piano Conference in Novi Sad, Serbia.
Mexican Contemporary Music Piano Recital. Piano solo recital collaborating with the Center for Research and Musical Studies (CIEM) in Mexico City, premiering six woks in 2013. Brandon, MB.
"La Humanidad en la Música – un Acercamiento a la Música de Prokofiev" [Humanity in Music – an Approach to Prokofiev's Music]. Unpublished, 2012. Lecture Recitals in Aguascalientes, Mexico, funded by the FONCA Bursary for Studies Abroad in 2012.


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By Merc Fenn Wolfmoor
Jul 1, 2019 · 5,000 words · 19 minutes
Photo by Fernando Venzano via Unsplash.
Glossy. That's Mirdonna.
Glossy: from the tips of her supple thigh-high leather boots with heels as thin and sharp as cobra fangs, to the deep orange corset laced with ivory threads. Her eyes are painted radiant poison-green. It's her smile, though, that captures everyone's attention. Her thick lips are glazed in brilliant umber; the tip of a red tongue pokes between her teeth.
"If I asked," she murmurs, her voice like molten honey, "would you give me your heart?"
I swallow. "Literally or figuratively?"
We're in my flat, which feels dim and desaturated now, with its nicotine-stained walls, frayed couch covers, ceiling paint peeling. The windows rattle in the storm. Sleet pecks the panes, and the chill digs through the worn weather sealing.
"A little of both." That hypnotic smile widens. Mirdonna stretches out one smooth hand. Her short nails gleam like frost etched in hypothermia-blue. "If you're still desperate."
Desperate? If I don't find a way to repay my debts, there won't be enough of me to write an epigraph on a tombstone I can't afford.
I know how deals with the devil end, but when she's handsomer than any devil you can imagine, is it really so bad?
I take Mirdonna's hand. She lifts it and kisses my knuckles. Her chill breath burns my skin and I shiver. It's not unpleasant, this pain.
"Ask and you shall receive," I tell her.
"Oh, I will."
Glossy. And cold—but that's a given for the Winter Lady.
Two days before, I met Mirdonna. I was bar-tending for Madam Eve.
Summer incarnate, that was Madam Eve. Long, marbled gold and red hair, eyes so blue they burned her lashes umber, her smile non-existent. She wore skin-tight lace, rosebud pink and mossy green, patterned like ferns and leaves. It clung to her skin, restless, always a breath shy of sloughing off and flying free.
I pulled taps for the regulars, all women. I stocked the bar, counted the till, and always behind the counter. That was her rule. Know your place.
Madam Eve lounged beside the stage. Her chair was spread with spotted fawn hides and decorated with antlers too big to be real—which were, nevertheless. A pair of great wolfhounds, reddish fur combed and oiled to gleaming, lay by her feet. I remember the women they used to be: lucky twins who'd run up gambling debts at Madam Eve's tables in back. They'd accepted her leash; in exchange, she'd forgiven their debts.
I felt my name, like an itch, on the ledgers she kept of who owed her what, and how, and for how long.
Every night after work, I swore to myself I wouldn't slide through the frosted glass doors and into the velvet-walled parlor. I wouldn't pick up the dice. I wouldn't push chips stamped with her face onto the felt tabletops.
But I was hooked on the perfume the dealers wore, their easy smiles, the wins just often enough to make me hope.
I knew how it worked. The cycles. The addiction. But I just couldn't make myself stop. Part of me wondered: what was the point? What was left?
My brother was financially secure. He had a two-bedroom apartment with his wife in uptown. A steady job. Good benefits. He didn't need my support any longer, and I refused his charity. I didn't want to drag him into my pit.
Friends are hard to keep when you always push everyone away to stop them from hurting, or hurting you in turn.
That night, Mirdonna swept in the front doors in a swirl of icy wind and snowflakes sharp as razors. She nodded once to Madam Eve, who inclined her chin in turn.
The air in the bar seemed to split, about to explode in lightning from hot and cold now meeting.
"Sister," Madam Eve said in her slow, elegant drawl. "How good of you to visit."
"Darling," the Winter Lady replied with a smile that would have turned anyone else into an ice sculpture. "Is my money good here?"
"Always," Madam Eve said, laying a hand on one of the wolfhounds. "Jordan, dear, a drink for my sister on the house."
I nodded, heart pounding.
"Unsweetened cider," the Winter Lady said as she sashayed to the bar. "Hot."
The apples were picked from the indoor hydroponic garden, huge golden fruits with skin as soft as a newborn's skull and pomegranate-red flesh. These apples only the Summer Lady could grow.
Her cider was the strongest drink the bar served. It tasted, I was told, of breezes across a wild meadow, the screams of mice caught by hawks, the musk of rutting deer, and the burn of fires engulfing pine forests and everything that lived within.
I pulled on heavy leather gloves, then took the slim bottle of cider from the shelf.
The Winter Lady leaned one elbow on the rosewood of wild cats tearing apart rabbits. "You're new here, aren't you, miss...?"
"Cashier. Jordan Cashier." I licked my lips, wishing I had a moment to pop my chapstick from my purse. "I've been here about a year."
She smiled again. The ice from her skin had fogged the bar counter. "Eve's staff does have a rather...high turnover."
I shrugged. Careful to watch my hands and the red, red juice, I poured the cider into a steamed mug and set it across from her.
"My sister and I have always had an affinity for hearing the lost," she said.
I grabbed a cloth to wipe the bar, even though it was spotless. I'd usually make small talk, play sympathetic ear, or flirt with the customers. But if I looked at the Winter Lady too long, I thought those brilliant eyes would absorb me and leave nothing left.
"Let me know if I can get you a refill," I said, and sidled down to check on my other regulars.
Sweat dripped down my neck. I ignored Jasmine's usual come-ons and told Laretta her she'd reached her limit. The Winter Lady hadn't moved.
Finally, unable to ignore her, I looked back.
"If you find yourself in a bind..." One lacquered nail slid a business card towards me. "My number."
I looked at the card: crisp white stock with silver lettering. It said, simply, MIRDONNA. There was a phone number on the back. I tucked it in my pocket.
Then she glided out. She hadn't taken one sip of her cider.
She wants to rule the world. Don't we all?
"Not rule, honey," she says as we sip mocha lattes in her laboratory. "I intend to correct the world."
Mirdonna's lab is ensconced in a tower, a time-warped fairy tale planted in the middle of the arctic. It's all polished steel and sparkling glass and burnished wires.
I'm not much of anything by trade—bar tender, cabbie, retail cog, gambler—so I can't name half the things lining the walls.
She whisked me here in a sleek chopper painted like snow camo. Eerily silent rotors spun wind.
For my safety, she said, but I've been trapped in dead-end jobs and relationships to know what a prison's like. It's okay. I'm safer here than back in the city, where Madam Eve's huntresses are on the prowl.
"Correct it how?" I ask. The coffee is burnt, the foam too sweet. It's keeping me awake though. Going on thirty-six hours without a nap, I'll take whatever I can get.
"Look at you." Mirdonna sets down her mug. There's frost patterns along the lip of ceramic. "A woman down on her luck. Perhaps it's bad decisions, but we all make those. And why should those bad choices result in pain?"
I fiddle with my mug, now empty but for the film of steamed milk on the inside curve. "Isn't that how it works?" I laugh, cough, then swallow back the bitterness knotted deep in my chest. "You fuck up, someone fucks you up in return."
"Exactly." Mirdonna's voice is a low purr. Her fingertips brush mine, and an electric chill makes my skin prickle. "And why should we let this destructive pattern continue?"
I squint at her. "So you don't want to rule the world and bend it to your will? You told me—"
"I told you I want to make the world better," she says, "and under my guidance, it will be."
"I'm here, aren't I?" I nod at the laboratory. It's all business: mechanical efficacy, charts on the walls, computer screens humming with equations and weather patterns. "You keep me from ending up in the river as a fishy consort and I..."
I'm still not sure how literal she's being when she says she wants my heart. You can survive with artificial recreations of the organ, but she doesn't strike me as a surgeon.
"You help me change the world," she says, and her hand encloses mine.
Her touch isn't as cold as I remember. She pulls me closer, her lips a fraction from mine, and when she kisses me, all I can feel is heat.
My brother calls my cell phone again. This time I answer.
"Jordan?" His smoke-husked voice is a welcome, familiar sound.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Thank god." He's the nicest man I've ever met. He recently married and his wife is pregnant with their first kid. Jacob has always worried about me. He's younger, but when we were children, he felt it his duty to watch my back while I tried to scrape by with part-time jobs after school. "I stopped by to bring back your crockpot, but all I found was a pile of newspapers on your mailbox and your neighbor said you haven't been home in over a week."
"Yeah, I'm fine. I got a job that's out of town. Short notice."
I tighten lug nuts on the glass octagonal containment chamber. I'm good at mechanical jobs: I can work with my hands, and follow instructions. Mirdonna has given me a few tasks to keep me from worrying. "You're...not in trouble, are you?"
I imagine him biting his lip or sucking on a lollipop—his two tactics for when he quit smoking.
"No," I tell him. "I'm just fine. The job pays well, but it's up north."
The wrench is cold and heavy in my gloved hand. Like the lies.
"That's good." He clears his throat. "Carol wants to know if you'd like to come over for dinner sometime this week."
I tighten the next bolt; metal whines.
"I don't think I can."
"Oh, okay." A long pause, just our breathing and the crackle of bad signal. "Well, respond to my texts a little sooner, would you?"
I try to laugh, but it sticks in my throat. I can't tell him I deleted them all without reading. If I read them, I'll have second thoughts. I'll remember where I am.
Jacob says, "I was afraid you'd gone off into a ditch. Roads are slippery. And I bet you haven't gotten winter tires, have you?"
"I'll get to it." On the phone, it doesn't matter if I cross my fingers or not. "And I'll drive safe."
"Promise, sis?"
I hang up before Jacob can drag out goodbyes and make them hurt more than ever.
Mirdonna's machine is like a cocooned butterfly. A network of membranous arrays will fold out from the tower into modified satellite dishes. Inside, like the unsettled bio-mass, lie the containment tanks and the mechanic nervous system that power them.
Each tank holds a person, comatose, strapped into nutrient fluids that look as cold as the winter sea.
"What does it do?" I asked her when she first showed me the control room: a dozen security camera screens, inside and out, and a slim panel with only two buttons—one blue, one white.
"I call it Empathy," she said. "It's based in sympathetic magic—emotions distilled from love, compassion, kindness, joy. The energies will be conducted into the biological equivalent of an EMP." Her finger hovered over the blue button. "When I press this, the world changes."
"It will eradicate the human desire to harm," she said. "No one will crave violence, feel anger, or seek to hurt another."
"You're taking away people's free will?"
"What use is it if they cannot control it?" Mirdonna smiled. "Relax, darling. I'm not taking everything. Think of it as neutering. Everyone will still feel happiness and satisfaction. It will not change who you love, or sleep with, or build your life with. It simply removes the baser elements from the human equation. We've wasted millions of years and humans still can't control their baser urges. I'm tired of waiting."
I shivered. "It will affect everyone?"
"Yes." Her eyes gleamed like new ice. "Can you imagine a world without pain, Jordan?"
Her finger brushed my lips. "Not yet."
The next text I get is from Madam Eve herself.
Darling, I'd rather not send my pets to sniff out your poor dear mother. She's hardly got your vigor and charm. But even an old dog can beg if taught.
Come visit, honey, and make this easy on yourself and your dam.
I drop the phone, shaking.
When I catch my breath, I try calling Mom.
There's no answer.
I was just getting off shift at midnight. I handed over the new till to Kelsey, a cute transwoman who always wore iconic rock band shirts. I pocketed my tips.
"Jordan, dear, I'd like to speak with you a moment," Madam Eve said.
My fingers itched to grab my lighter. I craved a smoke. The ivory case engraved with my dad's initials was more than just a light. It was my protection; he hadn't been carrying it—he'd quit on my birthday—when he died. I thought that if he had, he'd have come home.
I knew I was screwed, but I kept my smile fixed as I stepped around her wolfhounds and stopped by her throne. "Madam?"
Her hand stroked the bigger dog's head. The hound shivered under her touch, its tail tucked beneath its haunches. "Genevieve tells me you haven't been paying back your...tab."
I tugged my button-up shirt collar. Fuck. "Money's a little tight right now, Madam." I tried to laugh. It failed. "What with—"
She lifted an index finger, and the entire bar went silent. The air was hot, thick, like a living thing that coiled around my throat.
I struggled to breathe and not panic.
"My dear, I'm a lenient woman." Madam Eve indulged me with a raised eyebrow. It made my stomach cramp. "Tell me, can you have your payments made by dawn?"
No. I was broke. I'd used my paycheck to scrape by on rent and groceries, sending my mom a tiny stipend via her bank account as I did every month to help her out, and...the rest went to the house's coffers. A hole that got ever deeper.
My brother didn't know Mom was struggling. She'd demanded I not tell him. He had his own family now. We could get by. We always had.
"Of course, Madam."
Her nod was nearly imperceptible. She sipped lies like fine champagne. "Marvelous, my dear. Come back in six hours, then, and we'll settle the books. I do like to make my ledgers neat before the solstice."
I nodded, jerky as a broken marionette.
Everyone in the bar who knew me—most of the regulars, Kelsey, the bouncer (and ex-girlfriend) Carlotta, the hounds who I'd known once upon a time as Meryl and Mara—averted their eyes. Everyone knew.
I couldn't repay what I owed. And I couldn't run—where do you go in a world where there's nowhere to hide?
By dawn, I'd be either dead or transformed into one of Madam Eve's pets.
Everyone knew. Especially the Summer Lady herself.
Outside, hands shaking as I lit my last cigarette, I remembered Mirdonna's business card in my back pocket.
"If it's fueled by sympathetic magic," I asked her over dinner (smoked salmon with roasted asparagus and on a bed of jasmine rice), "Where does the energy come from?"
"People," Mirdonna said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I chased my food down with a delicate white wine. "You mean...me?"
"No. One is not enough. Not even two." She sighed. We sat across from each other in her parlor.
Outside, the wind raged and hurled snow in blistering curtains against unbreakable glass. "I tried that, in the beginning. I thought two who loved me would suffice. But they did not, in the end, truly love me. So I've gathered others. The desperate, the altruistic. They must come willingly, and when I ask, give me what I need."
I lit up. She didn't care if I smoked. It wasn't my health that she needed.
She smiled, but it had a shadow of sadness—the first regret I had seen in her. "It won't hurt. I can ensure that much."
I nodded. "How soon is it operational?"
"When the last of my hearts is ready," she said.
In the end, wasn't it better to die knowing I might have changed the world?
Mirdonna's machine isn't ready.
I don't know where she's gone. No one else but me here in the tower, except for the containment pods.
I need something to bargain with, to pay off my debts, or my mother will become collateral.
There's a cot, a space heater, and an electric kettle and microwave atop a small fridge in one corner of the lab. Food, instant cocoa, tea bags, coffee. The bathroom is across the short hall, buttoned by featureless steel doors.
I have a proper bedroom—lush, maroon and orange curtains across unopening windows, a vaulted ceiling, a rosewood armoire, a king sized bed so soft I thought I might melt if I touch it. Plenty of outlets for charging my laptop and phone. No internet, though the cell reception is excellent for being in the middle of the arctic.
Mirdonna doesn't answer her cell.
I almost call Jacob, but I've deleted his contact from my phone. I know the number. It hasn't changed in years. I don't want him involved. He deserves his happiness. He can't help me or Mom anyway.
There's one room I'm not allowed inside: Mirdonna's private office.
We've fucked in her bedroom, all plain white velvet and therapeutic pillows and the walls decorated only with a single painting of Madam Eve. There's nothing in there, beyond her scent and the memory of orgasms.
The office isn't locked.
She simply told me, "Don't," pointed at the door, and strode past it when she gave me the initial tour.
I look for cameras, any sigils on the threshold that spells death to anyone who opens that white oak door.
Will she be angry? What can she do that Madam Eve won't?
I've already promised her my heart.
Fuck the rules.
I open the door and step inside.
There's nothing in the circular room except a pedestal with three crystal globes.
Inside each is a slow-beating heart.
I suck in my breath. The room is like ice. The air burns my skin. I take a step, and frost crunches under my foot. The carpet is frozen chenille.
"Have you no respect?" Mirdonna says behind me.
I whirl around. "You—"
"You are not supposed to come here." Her eyes are flecked with winter lightning. "Do you think you're the only one I need? I should destroy you."
I glare at her, sudden fury overwhelming me. "So what's to fucking stop you? You could have anyone you want. Anyone in the world! Why me?"
"Because you belonged to my sister," Mirdonna says.
"Yeah, and I will again if I don't pay her off. She's coming after my mother."
"And what, darling, do you think would happen if you gave her back our brothers or myself?" She sweeps past me and lays a finger on the center crystal. "She will just let your mother return to whatever squalor she lives in? That the Summer Lady will not simply take you and make you watch what she does to your family?"
Panic settles sour in my gut. I crave a smoke but I'm out. My lighter's all that's left in my pocket.
She's right. I know it like I know how much I've fucked up.
"Then what do I do?"
When the Winter Lady left the bar, I dumped her untouched cider into the carefully marked drain that went back to the garden.
Even if it wouldn't have cost me my job, I didn't dare contaminate the municipal drainage. Who knew what would grow from the pipes if I did?
"If they're sisters," I said to Desmondelda, one of the regulars who was freer with her words than most, "where's spring and autumn?" I meant it half as a joke. Elements like Mirdonna and Eve were never isolated.
Desmondelda chuckled. Her nails tatted against the polished counter. "Those boys? Pretty sure Madam Eve and Lady Winter skinned them and used them for rugs long ago. No one's ever seen 'em."
I laughed, as was expected, and refilled Des's beer.
"Finish what we've begun," Mirdonna says. "Your mother's fate is decided regardless."
My knees wobble and I sink to the floor. I can't feel anything.
I know. I know. As soon as I got that text, I understood.
I'm a fool if I pretend there's hope left.
"I thought they would be enough." Mirdonna lifts the two crystals, turning them in her hands, then flings them to the floor. "But no. My brothers have never loved me. They tried to take my power when I told them my plan. So I took theirs instead."
I laugh, bitter. "So you already failed once."
Ice flares along her skin until it becomes long talons on her nails. Her hand hesitates just shy of seizing my throat.
"Do you dare accuse me?"
"It's true, isn't it?" Numb, I get to my feet. I brush her hand aside, incautious. "Is the third one yours?" I nod at the crystal heart still on the pedestal.
She sighs, but the ice fades from her hand. "It is."
I want to pull her close, tell her I'm sorry for what she endured.
But she wants no pity, and I'm so tired I don't know how much more I want to feel.
I look up into her eyes. "Tell me one thing. The people who offered to help. Do you feel anything for them?"
Can you still love?
She looks away, her jaw muscles bunching. "It's not necessary. Their devotion is all that matters."
"Magic is a conduit. It flows both ways. If you don't care about them—hell, maybe it only takes one to spark the spell, like a fuse. But if you don't love any of them in return, it won't work."
Her rage dims. Her flesh isn't as cold as I once thought.
"And you, Jordan? Do you love me?"
She tilts her head back, slow, as if the bones in her neck are melting snow.
"Fear you, respect you, desire you, sure." I won't lie. "But I don't love you. Not yet."
She crosses her arms, pushing me back a step. "My sister is coming for you, and she will learn what I have created. She will want to destroy my work."
I wish I had told my mother goodbye before I followed Mirdonna. I wish I had the backbone to stay, to face Madam Eve alone.
I'm so sorry, Mom.
I shut my eyes against burning tears.
"Is my mom dead?"
"Not yet." Her tone is cool, clipped. "My sister will not waste her so easily."
I nod. I've wondered, since I came here, why there is no one else in the tower not enclosed in glass. Is it because Mirdonna has put all her power, all her skill and magic and will into the machine? She has no soldiers left. She has no army to combat her sister.
She cannot save my mother—but perhaps I can.
I take a deep breath.
"I have an idea."
There's a winding catwalk that connects all the containment chambers. Each has a name.
I look into each tank, into each face. None of the sacrifices see me. But I study them. I memorize their names.
I wonder who they are. Who they love, what they are giving up. What they want. What regrets they still have.
I make myself watch them until I'm raw, devastated. They're all going to die.
Ninety-nine human beings out of billions. Each an individual. Each a universe—starstuff, souls, history, memory, passion, dreams. I still have enough of a heart to mourn them. To feel empathy.
That is the purpose of the machine, after all.
"Jacob, it's me. Yeah. Is that dinner invitation still open?"
Jacob looks at me through the anesthetic haze. His mouth forms soundless words inside the containment tank.
"Hi, little brother." I speak into the mic from the control room.
He'll hear. The containment tank is equipped with speakers that have, until now, played soft, soothing playlists of spring rain and loons, water lapping against sandy shores, delicate wind instruments guiding thoughts through peaceful melodies.
"I wanted to tell you Carol's just fine. Your baby's healthy and due to be born next week, right on schedule."
Jacob's eyes focus. He's suspended at the top of the pyramid of bodies. I only want him to see my face, in the end.
Below him are the ninety-nine who've offered their hearts to Mirdonna. Interlinked with needles and tubes, electric primers strapped over ribcages. Dreaming, I hope, of a new world.
"Dinner was nice," I continue. "I'm glad we had a chance to get together."
Carol told me they were having a baby girl. The name they'd picked out: Jaclyn Rose.
"Pretty," I said.
Carol laughed. "Your mom's name and mine combined. I think it's perfect."
I'd brought a bottle of Mirdonna's favorite vintage wine. As soon as Jacob passed out, while Carol was in the bathroom, I carried him out to the chopper.
I'm stronger than I look.
Jacob blinks, now, focusing on my voice.
"Remember that time we built a snow fort on Mrs. Kelroy's vegetable garden to protect it from invading lava monsters?" I ask. "Mom got so mad, even if Mrs. Kelroy thought it was hilarious and brought us hot chocolate with marshmallows to drink in our fort."
Tears drip down his face. He mouths words again, but I can't hear.
"It's one of the few good memories I still have, Jake."
Outside, in the wild arctic, I hear Madam Eve's huntresses.
I see them on the security cams: They've shifted into bears, foxes, wolves, elk. Some of the women ride snowmobiles, winter coats flapping about their shoulders like capes. Madam Eve is with them, running bare-legged across the snow like a living flame. A stream of boiling water flows behind her steps.
Mirdonna is on the roof, shaping the last threads of steel and living membrane to carry the Empathy across the world.
"It was the day Dad..." I take a breath. "The day he was murdered. I know Mom told us it was an accident. Christmas Eve, and some asshole just walked up to him in the street, high as fuck, and shot him for kicks."
Jacob shuts his eyes.
"That's the kind of world we have right now. Random violence. Grief. And I know. I know. I'm taking you away from Carol and your daughter. I'm sorry, Jacob. But they'll be okay. Because tomorrow... no one will want to kill. No one will want to hurt each other."
Mom will live. She'll walk away from Madam Eve. Everyone who's bound to the Summer Lady will be free.
"We'll be okay. Your baby's going to grow up not having to be terrified that if she looks at a guy wrong, he'll kill her. Your wife won't have to get catcalled and harassed on her way to work or out for a jog. Mom won't get her teeth knocked out by a drunk boyfriend."
I turn off the security feeds.
Madam Eve and her huntresses won't get here in time. And if they do...it won't matter.
"I couldn't have done this without your help, Jake. Goodbye," I tell my brother. "I love you."
Inside the control room, it's dim and cold. Snow flurries buzz down from the opened roof. The flowering antenna and dishes are positioned. Mirdonna glides down the ladder and stands next to me.
"I don't know what to do when this is over," Mirdonna says, her fingers poised above the launch button.
When she presses it, all the empathy and life force will multiply and bloom like a great tidal wave. It will ripple through the atmosphere, airborne, and infect everyone who breathes.
We don't know if it will change the unborn—like Carol's daughter—but we can hope. Perhaps, if brought up in a world where pain and hurt are not necessary, children will learn without being neutered by the machine.
"We'll figure it out," I say, and she smiles.
The countdown begins: ten, nine, eight...
Engines hum. Power floods the circuitry and the transmitters begin to glow.
The ninety-nine bodies convulse as needles pierce their hearts, leeching out life energy and blood into the tubes winding into the converters.
Seven, six, five.
Mirdonna takes a breath. She looks up at the stormy sky, the snow crusting her lashes.
"Tomorrow," she says. "Tomorrow..."
I grab her wrist. Mirdonna turns her head, slow, predatory. Her eyes meet mine.
The needles pierce Jacob's heart.
The status bar on our screen is at ninety-nine percent.
"He's my brother."
She nods.
Mirdonna pulls her arm back; I let her go.
Jacob's eyes close for the last time.
One-hundred percent.
I press the button for a new world.
first published in ABSOLUTE POWER: Tales of Queer Villainy, ed by Erica Friedman (December 2016)
(c) 2016 by Merc Rustad
SFFH author who likes dinosaurs, monsters, robots, and tea. Writes words, sometimes.


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Reported July 30
Archaeologists discovered a stone sarcophagus in Zülpich, Germany. Inside were the remains of a woman and her beauty tools. sarcophagus dates back to the third century, AD. Read more from Forbes.
Reported July 31
A U.S. veteran discovered the grave of a sixth-century Saxon soldier buried with a sword, spear and knife in Salisbury Plain, England, near Stonehenge. Archaeologists quickly worked to excavate the ancient remains, because the area near the discovery site is threatened by an overpopulation of badgers. Read more of the strange truth from Life Science and stream After Stonehenge on passport for a limited time.
Reported July 31
New developments and preservation techniques have allowed scientists and archaeologists to construct an idea of what Ancient Greek music may have sounded like. The results are haunting. Read and hear more from Phys.org.
This day: August 2
On August 2, 218 BCE, the Carthaginian army, led by Hannibal Barca, defeated the larger Roman army in the Battle of Cannae. Read more from HISTORY, and stream Hannibal in the Alps on Passport for a limited time.
Reported August 7
Romanian and German archaeologists have discovered a prehistoric fortress dating back as far as 3,400 years in western Romania. Researchers believe the fortress could have been built by Thracian tribes in the Neolithic period. Excavation efforts in the area began in 2009. Read more from AP.


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Shahnaz Begum had thought of herself as just another resident of Mundwad Village who had lived with her now-retired army-man husband in various parts of India while he served the nation, and who would now live out the rest of her life in her village, hopefully in peace, and certainly in anonymity. But that was before CherYsh did a Skills Mapping exercise in her village and discovered, quite by chance, that she had expertise in 'Khila Work' – a tapestry technique using nail and board to weave strips and squares. A Class-10 educated woman, Shahnaz did not think of this as any kind of skill, just a little hobby to keep herself cheerfully engaged and to produce squares and rectangles using leftover wool.
It took a lot of persuading on the part of CherYsh to make her believe that she had a skill that could be used to her advantage, that she could go beyond using leftover yarn to make scrappy squares and weave smart and stylish shawls and stoles instead, and that she could engage with other women and train them in the same skill.
Starting with a small advance of Rs.10,000 /- as well as design , marketing and packaging inputs from from CherYsh, today, Shahnaz has trained 20 women and more are waiting in line. She manages a small Khila Shawl Production Unit, shawls and stoles are being made to order, and her unit currently has an order of more than 100. The cost of each shawl is in the range of Rs.1,100 /-, excluding courier charges. This is now one of the flagship projects of CherYsh Haliyal Karakushala Kendra, an attempt at promoting social entrepreneurship that will hopefully grow and flourish.
For orders, contact : Shantha.P .Doddamani :+91 9740338053 / Renu Mukunda: +91 8277021705


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I have a number of questions regarding lines in Mappoint.
I have no trouble drawing them from the points I want (programmically), but I do not want the user to have the ability to move and or delete them.
I really would like to create "something like a read only" line.
In addition, is there any way to know which line the user has selected? For instance Program draws a line between Milw and Chicago. Program draws another line from Miami to Orlando. User clicks on the Orlando line, in VB how do I know?


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What are 5 things that you love to do? Five things that fuel you with excitement or passion or relaxation or joy or a strong feeling of comfort. It takes some minutes to think about, doesn't it? It certainly did for me. I was so used to not having much time for myself, that when I realized I now had an abundance of time to spend on me, I had no idea what to do. My first day of staying at home, but no longer a stay at home mom because all my kids were now in full-time school, was soooo boring! I did some cleaning, exercise, made myself some breakfast, responded to a few emails, and then I just sat on the couch with no idea what to do next. I eventually turned on the tv, but if you know anything about daytime television, then you know that didn't have much to offer. After a few days of this, I realized I couldn't keep this up. I needed to remember things that I love and things that interest me, outside of being a mom and raising kids. And I did, I remembered 5 things that I love to do:
1.) Read
2) Write
3.) Learn
4.) Work towards something/create
5.) Spend time with Jesus
Maybe you're a mom, at home during the day without kids like myself; or maybe you're a mom with little ones tugging at your feet all day long; or just maybe, you're a full-time working mom. No matter where you find yourself as a mother today, chances are you've long forgotten about those pastimes that you used to spend hours enjoying. It's time to make room for those again. Even if it's just five minutes a day. So, let me ask you again, what are 5 things that you love to do?


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Latin for "the world's scent," Odorem Mundi is a Stockholm based brand founded by two fragrance enthusiasts who came together over the idea of creating high quality scents that are also nature friendly. Crude is a brisk and lively composition, with raw and robust notes of citrus, juniper and tonka bean in warm conversation with vanilla and juniper berries. Sociable and easy to wear, the scent feels equally at home on a forest trail as it does at your next boardroom meeting.
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text:
I remember being captivated by Sony for its somewhat different style from the rest when I was looking for a job. It was a time when flat-tube WEGA TVs and PlayStation® dominated the market. Being greatly attracted to Sony, a company that has been encouraging its employees to exert their skills and work with vigor since its establishment, I joined Sony EMCS Corporation at its Ichinomiya Tech.
My first job involved manufacturing technologies for producing consumer TVs and professional-use monitors, after which I was transferred to product design to handle the designing of CRT and rear projection TVs. At the time I had opportunities to work with overseas facilities and design departments, having to travel overseas several times and each time for one month to provide support for introducing new TV models. After that I became keen to move overseas on assignment whenever an opportunity arose.
After I was transferred to the TV Design Division at Sony's headquarters, I told my superior that I would like to move overseas on assignment whenever there was an opportunity. My desire was fulfilled sometime afterwards when I was assigned to develop in Malaysia the production of the models I had designed in Japan.
Now I work with our local Malaysian staff on designing new TVs. The team is made up of 2 Japanese managers and the rest of the staff is Malaysian people. The most important job for me is the training and education of the local staff in our team. I feel it is vital to make the utmost effort to train our local staff and improve their skills and motivation.
It gives me the greatest joy when I see our Malaysian team members, whom we have been working with for several years now, achieve results beyond our expectations. Since the time I was a product designer in Japan, I have been always proud of myself when a product model I have designed is released to the world. Now, in addition to the achievement, I also feel the joy and a sense of accomplishment in fostering people as I see the team members I have raised also achieving. With my heart set on achieving the goal I have since I came to Malaysia to work-which is "to create a strong design team with Japanese standard," I feel a great sense of reward everyday as I work.
It goes without saying that the national character and mentality of the local Malaysian staff greatly differ from that of the Japanese. Even the term "Malaysian" encompasses a mixture of ethnic people with Malay, Chinese, and Indian backgrounds, making it truly a world of diversity.
The most important thing beyond communicating with the local staff who have diversified backgrounds is to explain everything clearly to obtain their understanding and consent before going ahead to do anything. Many things that are tacitly understood among the Japanese often need to be explained here. While this can be difficult and cumbersome at times, it is also enjoyable if seen from a different perspective. And as obvious as it may be, I feel the importance of building a good relationship with our team members through small details, such as stopping what I am doing to pay attention to whoever is talking to me.
Living abroad means having contact with and accepting different cultures and customs. In terms of work, I have to pay attention to religious rules and etiquette, as well as the different ways of thinking according to different races of people-things that I would otherwise pay little attention to in Japan. It has been nearly three years since my transfer to Malaysia and after about one year of being here, I was able to understand in depth such cultural differences. It is because I began having personal interactions with the Malaysian people, which has allowed me to deepen my understanding of the history and cultures of this country.
From working with people of various backgrounds I have learned that new values can be created when I directly face the different characters and senses of values inherent of the people. Sometimes this may mean confrontations of different opinions, but this is important, because teamwork cannot be established if everyone keeps their mouth shut and gives up on communicating with each other. Precisely because our team is comprised of members with a diversity of cultures, it is important to think that it is normal that we cannot understand one another. Therefore I try to explain things in detail and make sure the workplace environment is such that everyone can communicate sufficiently. As a result of such effort, I believe the entire team including myself is able to grow through mutual earning and absorbing of good points. I think it is wonderful that new perspectives and ideas can be created through encountering people with different senses of values.
I think Sony's company culture is probably what has been the best thing about working here for me, particularly the fact that even large projects are assigned to me regardless of age hierarchy, as long as I am willing to give it a go. In retrospect, I think I was very impudent in my youth, but my superiors and people around me always watched over me with kindness and I have been truly blessed to have the opportunities I have had for all kinds of challenges. I am truly grateful for the working environment where my opinions are heard and my impudence accepted. As a TV designer, my future goal will be to come up with pioneering new concepts for TV design, and as I work toward realizing that goal, I will keep at taking up new challenges.


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30 days in France, Italy and Switzerland with 3 kids - advice please
We are planning a trip to France this summer arriving at the end of June. We have 3 kids who will be 7, 7, and 9 when we go. It will be our first visit to France so we want to see a variety of things. We are flying in to Paris and were thinking of staying there 5 days to see the sights (Eiffel tower, Louvre, Notre dame, catacombs, Versailles, boat ride on the Seine) and then were thinking of heading down to the Loire valley to see some of the castles like Chambord, Chennonceau ans Clos Luce. Planning to rent a car and spend maybe 3 days in that region. We wanted to visit the Puy du Fou park to the west after that (maybe 2 days there) and Mont St. Michel for a day. So I've basically thought about the first 9-10 days of our trip and the route we want to take for that.
After that I'm trying to figure out the best places to go. I'd love some help with the rest of our itinerary. We would love to visit some cute villages and do some some family hikes maybe do some bike rides. My husband would love to spend a week on the south coast of France and maybe visit Cinque terre as well. We would love to see some of Switzerland and maybe pop over to Venice for a few days. We would prefer to stay in the same place for a couple of days since we don't like to move around too much. We like a relaxing trip, not too crazily rushed, where we can still see a lot of sites but not overwhelm the kids or ourselves too much.
Some of the other things that interest me, sorry if I jump around a lot:
-I've read about a train ride from Chamonix to Montenvers and a cable car ride to the Mer de glace glacier
-a glass tops train that takes you through the mountains near Switzerland (or in Switzerland, not sure)
-I remember visiting le Chateau de Chillon in Switzerland when I was a kid and I loved it, wouldn't mind taking the kids there
- visiting some of the caves with prehistoric art
- Seeing some of the roman-style ruins in Nimes
- Walking through some cute villages
- enjoying the beaches along the south coast
- visiting old castles
Can you please let me know where you suggest going.
Wherever you go, be sure to take advantage of the French car buy back lease plan--just be sure to keep it for at least 17 days and drop it in France as well. I would get a van with that gang plus luggage.
I would be sure to include Luzern in your options but Venice will be hot and crowded in July. Have fun !
I suggest you fly into Paris and out of Venice. I would not suggest leasing a car, since you probably don't need one for 17 days in France and can take trains the rest of the way, through Switzlerland and Italy.
I would drop the idea of visiting le Cinque Terre and instead consider a route that heads up to the French Alps after the Cote d'Azur, drop off the car in Chamonix, and then take trains through Switzlerland, and down to Venice.
Hi 3greatkids,
sandralist's advice is exactly right, imo. You certainly don't need a car in Switzerland (it can actually be a handicap), and flying open jaw will save you time & money.
I believe the glass-topped train you are referring to is the first class/VIP seating on the Golden Pass:
It runs between the Jungfrau region and Montreux, where of course the Chillon castle is. Montreux is a great place to end your Swiss visit because the train connection onward to Venice are great; there are direct trains that take 6h for the trip.
So, for your Swiss portion, you could spend time in the Jungfrau region, then take the Golden Pass to Montreux for a night or two, then continue to Venice.
Have fun as you plan!
You'll have a great trip. I might mention that as breathtakingly beautiful that adults find the Swiss Alps, kids your age may get "caught up" quickly on "isn't that just a gorgeous mountain view".
They might be able to ski one day--our kids did in Zermatt in June.
Have you considered Normandy for a portion of your trip since you are including MSM?
You could leave for a tour of Normandy, the Loire, see Versailles and even Chartres, to Paris. Then head south or to Switzerland.
You have a nice length of time to see a lot, but not move "too" much.
SWiTZERLAND WITH CHILDREN
As public transport is rather expensive in Switzerland, study carefully the sites about Swiss Pass, Swiss Flexipass and Swiss half fare card: http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/Tick...l?&L=2#s_h_f_c
Check the Swiss Travel System Family Card
The Swiss Travel System Family Card is issued at no cost to parents who wish to take along their children under the age of 16 at no cost. Please note that at least one parent has to travel with the child/ren.
Some ideas:
historic steamboats on Lake Geneva:
Swiss Vapeur Park Le Bouveret:
Signal de Bougy:
Menhirs at Yverdon
Blonay-Chamby historic railway:
Chillon castle:
Gruyeres castle, cheese diary and chocolate factory:
Chatelard-Emosson (Mont Blanc area):
Entirely walled city of Murten:
Medieval city of Bern:
Swiss Village Park Ballenberg:
Lugano and Swissminiatur:
Seewen in the Jura close to Basel:
Rhine Falls Adventure Park
Furka steam train
You may have a look at
We spent six weeks in France and Italy with out three kids (ages 3,8,10). Our goal for the trip was to experience life in these two countries rather than trying to "see it all". Kids want to visit the markets and buy food, eat ice cream, swim, ride bikes, and explore little towns. My advice is slow down. Enjoy the small things. Don't over plan or over schedule. Just BE. You will be happy you didn't drag them from historical site to museum day after day.
Our itinerary was:
Two weeks in a house in the Luberon (S. France) in a town called Goult. Off the tourist path and very small. Great base to explore towns like Gordes, Bonnieux, Rousillon, etc. we went biking, walking, shopping, cooked local food.
Drive to Tuscany - one night stop along the way
Two weeks in Montepulciano, Tuscany. Stayed at the most amazing child friendly place. Sant''Antonio Country Resort. Had our own two bedroom self contained apartment on a beautiful property five minutes from town. Lots of fabulous day trips to towns, hot springs, hikes, markets. We even had a family cooking lesson in our apartment!
Dropped the car in Venice, Rented an apartment for four days. Having an apartment where we could escape the insanity of the crowds made Venice soooo enjoyable, it was nice to be able to have breakfast at home before heading out for the morning. Kids need down time. We often came home for a break midday as well.
Flew to Paris, Rented an apartment in St Germain for a week. Paris is an adventure with kids. You have to balance your expectations as adults with what kids can actually handle. We had a lot of picnics at the fabulous parks around Paris, did an amazing private family bike tour which was one of the highlights of the entire trip.
If you want any specific ideas for any place just let me know. We loved everything about the pace of the trip and the places we saw.
Just a word of caution regarding the Swiss portion of your planned trip; Switzerland has suddenly become quite a bit more expensive than it already was! The Swiss stopped propping up the Euro a few days ago and the Swiss Franc suddenly jumped up to as much as 30% against the Euro. It seems to have stabilized at around (only) 15% - 20% up, but if money has anything to do with your planning you should at least factor the rate change into your decision process.
By all means pay attention to currency rates, but how the Swiss Franc is doing relative to the euro is also a feature of how cheap the euro is right now relative to almost all other currencies, including the dollar, and is likely to fall even further -- or even pass out of existence by the time you go!
People have often been fixated on the "high cost" of visiting Switzlerand, but if you plan with a budget in mind, a trip to Switzerland can cost less than a trip to London, Amsterdam, Scandanavia and many parts of Italy.
|All times are GMT -8. The time now is 05:26 AM.


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Don't Get Burned by Bad Service
Another significant problem drivers face is finding a shop that offers quality service. How often have you visited a mechanic, only to have the same problems pop up soon after driving off of their lot? Without the benefit of personal experience, it's tough to know which repair shops are genuinely trustworthy.
A shoddy windshield replacement is a significant hazard. Your windshield does more than keep you and your passengers safe from flying objects and unpleasant weather conditions. The glass forms an integral part of the structural integrity of your vehicle. In a collision accident or rollover, an improperly installed windshield could contribute to excessive cabin damage. You and your passengers may sustain more severe injuries than necessary.
With an average of 20 years of professional experience, the technicians at Horizon Auto Glass and Tint have the knowledge and skill to repair or replace your windshield to factory standards. We are so sure of the quality of services that we offer an unprecedented nationwide warranty on all parts and services. How can we be so confident in our windshield repair services?
Our qualifications and comprehensive warranty mean you can trust Horizon Auto Glass and Tint to provide a safe and reliable windshield replacement.
You Are More Than a Number
Finally, many Albuquerque drivers don't prioritize their windshield replacement because they don't have the time. Between work, domestic obligations, and other time commitments, it can be almost impossible to find the time to sit in a waiting room.
The demands of modern life also mean that going without your vehicle for any length of time is a big deal. There aren't many people who can afford to miss work or call off their other responsibilities while their vehicle is being serviced. Often, vehicle repair shops seem to function with little compassion for this commonly known fact. Instead of taking your personal issues into account, these shops demand that you comply with their limited service hours and options. Any attempts to find a reasonable compromise can be met with lackluster customer service that makes you feel like you're more of a bother than a valued client.
This dismissive attitude can leave you feeling like nothing more than a source of income. At Horizon Auto Glass and Tint, however, your positive experience is one of our primary goals. In addition to superior technical skills, we offer customer service options that make your windshield replacement even more comfortable.
As a local business, we understand the importance of customer experience. This drives the entire Horizon Auto Glass and Tint staff to strive to make every interaction positive, pain-free, and convenient for our Albuquerque customers.
Don't Put Off Your Windshield Repairs, Call Horizon Auto Glass and Tint Instead
With our unmatched nationwide warranty, convenient service options, and personalized service, there's no reason to sacrifice your safety. Call Horizon Auto Glass and Tint today to learn how easy it is to get your windshield replacement done.
Disclaimer: Blogs and articles are for educational purposes only and to give a general understanding of window repair, replacement, and tenting. The information presented may not reflect the most current standards or materials used. Please contact us if you have any questions related to the services we offer.
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Horizon Auto Glass & Tint serves clients in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho.


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Entrepreneurial Student In Bhutan Won His Majesty's Scholarship And Aims To Recycle Old Shoes
Even if Tashi Tshewang gets a scholarship to study in a government college or abroad, he will continue to repair shoes and modify them to earn some pocket money.
By Tshering Dorji | Kuensel
Buying a pair of decent shoe is an expensive affair for Tashi Tshewang's family, a class 12 student of Desi High School in Thimphu. He was shattered when he found out that he could not qualify for a government school two years ago.
Working hard to secure a scholarship for further studies and acquiring a seat in the civil service was his only dream. That, to him, is the only way he can repay his parents who has worked hard to pay his school expenses.
Family background of Tashi Tshewang
His parents separated when he was little. As a kid, he saw his stepfather repair shoes. Tashi Tshewang learned the trade from him.
"I like playing football but I couldn't afford a pair of boots. So I made a boot out of torn shoes and proudly wore them," he said.
Today, this idea of making shoes has earned him two years' of scholarship from His Majesty The King. He came in second at the Student Business Seedling (SBS) programme initiated by the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) following a Royal Command.
Source: Facebook/Desi-High-School
His Majesty The King visited Desi High School on March 1 and commanded the RMA to organise a competition for business ideas. The RMA on March 2 visited the school and came up with the SBS programme.
Aims of the Student Business Seedling (SBS) programme
The objective is to encourage creativity and innovation and to introduce students to the idea of entrepreneurship and self-employment as a viable alternative to limited public sector employment.
A total of 154 students participated in the programme, out of which 23 were selected to undergo a four-month training programme involving a design thinking workshop. In addition, there are also field visits to local entrepreneurs and businesses.
The students were also able to interact with mentors and attend a boot camp on basic entrepreneurship and on writing business proposals. The 23 students spent their summer vacation in July preparing their business proposals and prototypes.
"Students were confident. Most of them eloquently presented their pitches in Dzongkha," the RMA governor, Dasho Penjore, said.
"People look down if you run a small business. Now we know that everything you do contributes to nation building," Tashi Tshewang said.
Entrepreneurship as an alternative gateway to employment in Bhutan
"I was concerned that my education would end if I don't earn a full scholarship to a government college. But now, even if I don't qualify, I am ready to start my own business."
Even then, this programme does not end here for Tashi Tshewang. Even if he gets a scholarship to study in a government college or abroad, he will continue to repair shoes and modify them to earn some pocket money.
In future, he plans to gather shoes that are thrown away as garbage and reutilise the components to produce a different brand of shoes.
"I have started this and I have to end it," he said.
This article first appeared in Kuensel and has been edited for the Daily Bhutan.


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Preoperative Planning
- Preoperative clearance from your primary care provider is required for all surgical patients. Medical Clearance and documentation must be obtained within 30 days of your surgery. Please see below under "Preoperative Clearance by Primary Care Provider" for more detail.
- Generally, Dr. LaPrade recommends staying in the Twin Cities for 5 to 10 days after surgery. This varies depending upon the procedure(s) you undergo. This allows time for our team to monitor your progress, modify medications, and answer all questions. In addition, you will be scheduled for physical therapy daily at Twin Cities Orthopedics Physical Therapy and/orTraining Haus.
- You are required to arrange a ride home to your accommodations the same day of surgery
- Discontinue eating and/or drinking after midnight the night before your surgery. This includes no water, coffee, mints or gum. You may brush your teeth on the morning of surgery.
- Please discontinue any medications prior to your surgery, unless otherwise indicated by your primary care physician.
- Please avoid all anti-inflammatory NSAIDs (ex. Ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.) and aspirin 7 days prior to your surgery to reduce chance of excessive bleeding that can occur on these medications. Tylenol can be taken.
- If you are a smoker, it is highly encouraged to discontinue any tobacco use 6 weeks minimum prior to surgery. Smoking not only increases your risk of infection, but also delays bone growth and soft tissue healing.
Preoperative Visit
A completed Preoperative History & Physical form is required prior to undergoing surgery along with the Patient Acknowledgment In-Network Benefit Verification form. Please download and work with your primary care physician to have these forms completed prior to surgery. If the forms are not received prior to 48 hours from your scheduled surgery, your surgery will be cancelled for a future date. Completed forms must be faxed to the surgery center directly ( fax number at the top of each form).
- Eagan Patients: Download Preoperative History & Physical Form
- Crosstown Surgery Center Patients: Download Preoperative History & Physical Form
- Fairview Southdale Patients: Download Preoperative History & Physical Form
- Download Patient Acknowledgment In-Network Benefit Verification
Do I need to quit smoking prior to surgery?
We encourage all tobacco users to quit 6 weeks prior to surgery. Tobacco use not only increases your risk for infection, but also delays bone growth and soft tissue healing. It is also highly important to remain tobacco-free for a minimum of 6 months after surgery to increase your chances of success post operatively.
How do I obtain braces, crutches, and other durable medical equipment (DME)?
Twin Cities Orthopedics has a DME department available M-F from 8-5.
Details regarding the duration you are to wear your brace will be discussed at your initial physical therapy visit the morning after your surgery. Any required postoperative braces or crutches will be fitted and provided any time prior to surgery. If you have any issues with your equipment, the DME department will help you with any adjustments you may need.
How soon do I start physical therapy?
All surgical patients will attend a 7:00am Physical Therapy (PT) and post-operative rounding visit the day after surgery at the Twin Cities Orthopedics (TCO) Eagan-Viking Lakes location (PT clinic – 1st/ground floor). During this visit, the PT team will initiate post-operative physical therapy care and educate the patient and caregiver on the post-operative protocol and early precautions. Patients will also meet with the physician team to change surgical dressings and inspect the incisions, learn about the details of the surgical procedure, and discuss any questions or concerns.
After this time, your physical therapist will schedule you with 3-5 sessions per week with specific exercises for you to perform daily at home. Your physical therapy protocol will detail what specific activities you can perform at different time frames during your rehab. Follow these instructions carefully and DO NOT ADVANCE or let your Physical Therapist advance your protocol beyond the normal time frames unless directed so by Dr. LaPrade.
Surgical patients from out of town will attend PT visits 1 time/day throughout the duration of their stay, including Saturdays as needed. There is no PT on Sundays. Patients are welcome to stay in the Twin Cities for early post-operative care up to 2 weeks following the surgery (longer if indicated by MD). The ongoing frequency and duration of physical therapy care following surgery will vary per the details of the surgical procedure(s). Our therapy team will communicate with our patients' local PT clinics for ongoing care recommendations upon return home. It is important to follow the specific guidelines and restrictions set out by Dr. LaPrade to maximize your post-surgical recovery.
Instructions for Physical Therapy (PT) scheduling after your knee surgery with Dr. LaPrade
How do I get FMLA/ Short-Term Disability paperwork completed?
If you need FMLA (Family & Medical Leave Act) or Short-Term Disability paperwork completed, the two forms (with links on the PreOperative webpage) should be completed and brought in with any required forms to your preoperative visit. Paperwork is completed after your surgery by Chris Armstrong, PA-C firstname.lastname@example.com