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Written by Victoria Caruso-Davis Friday, 01 January 2010 00:00Despite narrowly passing a 2.5 percent home energy tax earlier this year, the Nassau County legislature last week voted 13-5 in favor of repealing it. During a meeting Dec. 21, the 19-member legislature voted 13-5 in favor of eliminating the tax; Republican Nassau County Executive-elect Edward Mangano, who currently represents the 17th District, was not present for the meeting and therefore did not vote.
The home energy tax, approved by the legislature in February and implemented in June, was imposed on all residential home energy sources – including LIPA electric usage, oil, natural gas, steam services and even coal, propane and firewood.
Republican legislators were opposed to the tax since initially proposed but earlier this year the 10-member Democratic majority approved it. As a result, Republicans, specifically Mangano, promised elimination of the tax once in office and, as of Jan. 1, the GOP will have an 11-8 majority.
At last week's meeting, five of the county's 10 Democrats – Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside) and David Mejias (D-Farmingdale), who both lost their re-election bids this November, along with re-elected Legislators Joseph Scannell, Wayne Wink and Dave Denenberg – joined with Republicans and voted in favor of repealing the tax; party mates Judy Jacobs (16th L.D.), Judi Bosworth (10th L.D.), Kevan Abrahams (1st L.D.), Roger Corbin (2nd L.D.) and Diane Yatauro (18th L.D.), the current presiding officer, however, stuck to their guns and voted against the repeal.
"Repealing the energy tax was a Republican initiative and a cornerstone of my campaign," said Mangano. "I intend to stand by the promise to repeal the energy tax and look forward to doing so responsibly. My financial team will address this through a collective and thoughtful process."
Legislator Richard Nicolello (R-9th L.D.) was among the members of the Republican caucus who initially voted against the energy tax and voted for the repeal. The legislator believes the tax unfairly hurt taxpayers during hard economic times. "No taxes increases are good in the economic climate we're in, but this one, in particular, was regressive and offensive simply because of the fact that home energy is something everybody has to use," said Nicolello.
According to Legislator Norma Gonsalves (R-13th L.D.), the tax was unfair and unjust in that it "not only impacted on those who could least afford to pay the 2.5 percent tax on all sources of energy, but to all residents finding it difficult during these economic times to pay their existing taxes and the high cost of living in Nassau." She added, "The voters spoke and we listened."
It is believed that some $18 million was generated between June and December and it was anticipated that the energy tax would have generated nearly $40 million in 2010 alone. This much-needed revenue is, according to proponents, why the energy tax remains as necessary today as it was when it was initially proposed.
While Presiding Officer Yatauro could not be reached for comment at press time, Legislator Bosworth told Anton Community Newspapers that "the energy tax represented one of the options County Executive [Tom] Suozzi proposed to address the current fiscal crisis … This was an emergency measure that was enacted only in response to the decline in county revenue caused by the recent worldwide financial decline."
The legislator added that the energy tax was the responsible thing to do some months ago as was voting against repealing it. "It was a necessary and painful step to take … [but] there has not been enough of a change in the economy to say it is no longer necessary which is why I [voted] against repealing the tax," said Legislator Bosworth. "This measure was one that made our fiscal outlook better in a very challenging fiscal time."
Legislator Gonsalves, however, assures taxpayers that there are means in which to fill the budget gap without affecting our quality of life. "Nassau must return to the place where we can afford to raise our families and enjoy the quality of life our residents deserve," she said.
The Port News asked our Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink to comment on the repeal. He wrote the following:
"During the depths of our nation's recession, we were presented with a $130 million projected deficit which needed immediate attention. At the time we enacted an unpleasant but necessary sales tax on energy which, combined with landmark labor concessions, dramatic spending cuts, and federal stimulus monies maintained the fiscal integrity of our county. While the energy tax was a small portion of the solution, it was clearly a significant concern for the taxpayers not only in my district but throughout Nassau County.
"Our residents have spoken and I am pleased to have sponsored the ordinance repealing the energy tax, providing some measure of relief to our already burdened taxpayers. This initiative, coupled with my passage of a no tax increase 2010 budget was intended to acknowledge that all residents of Nassau County are under extreme financial pressure and we in government need to heed their calls for relief in any manner we can provide.
The incoming county executive has targeted $40 million worth of spending cuts to offset this loss of revenue and I look forward to working with him to ensure that the county will continue to provide the services that our residents have earned while identifying non-essential spending for elimination."
The Port News asked Legislator Wink to elaborate on where the cuts would come from. He first noted that all spending reductions will be determined by the county executive. He then advised that in the past, the county executive elect has proposed; spending cuts to appointed positions, reduced expenses across all departments, cuts from contingency and reductions to funded but vacant positions.
(Jackie Pierangelo contributed to this story.)


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Building Relationships with your Instructors: Benefits
You have read how to build a relationship with your instructor, but now you are asking why? Here are a few reasons why it is important to build strong relationships with your instructor.
- Knowing that you have an instructor that will take time to help you personally will make class and the rest of your schooling less overwhelming.
- If you are struggling with particular concepts your instructor can become a resource for further understanding of that material.
- You have an experienced individual that is willing to look over your assignments for revisions before you turn them in (just make sure you allow them plenty of time before the due date).
- Your instructor may reflect on your determination to succeed when calculating grades, which could have the potential to impact you positively.
- They can help you get involved with organizations on campus as well as in the community to make the most of your college experience and prepare you for your future job. They may directly know of organizations and community volunteer opportunities that can enhance your experience and resume.
- Instructors offer valuable career information and future job tips for your field.
- Building a relationship with an instructor has a means of turning into a natural mentor to guide you and give you pertinent advice for your current situation and the future.
- Having a professional relationship with an instructor will alleviate some of the stress that comes when asking for a letter of recommendation or reference.
- Expanding your professional network is another positive reason to build a relationship with an instructor. This network will prove to be beneficial whether you are looking for a job now or in the future.
- Along with growing your professional network, you may be getting ready to graduate and are on the job search. Your instructor may know someone that is hiring and can connect or recommend you to that person or company, which will boost your candidacy.
This list is not all-inclusive of the many benefits that come from building relationships with your instructors, but it gives a good base. Get to know your professors to make the most of your college experience and to advance your future career!

subset: commoncrawl


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Exec to run company's worldwide theatrical sales, operations
Mega-screen exhib Imax has tapped Mark Welton as prexy of Imax theaters for which he'll run the company's worldwide theatrical sales and operations.Welton most recently served as Imax's exec VP of corporate and digital development and theater operations. In his new role, Welton will develop and execute strategies to further the exhib's growth and extend its brand in the entertainment-technology space. He'll head up the company's Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario. "Mark has a proven track record of achievement within Imax," said CEO Richard Gelfond, to whom Welton will report.
Follow @Variety on Twitter for breaking news, reviews and more


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Ok well there are some strange gem choices. Hit plus stamina isnt bad so much but would have been better to get def plus stam, you have all three jc jems being non stam.........two for defence and one for strength. Also attack power plus stam gem.
Basically would say use def plus stam for yellow, dodge/agility plus stam in reds. 24 stam in blue. Socket bonuses sometimes worth losing for stam gems.
Would probably sacrifice the +6 dodge in chest for two stam gems.
Legs should be a 24 stam for sure in the blue slot and dump the attack power gem.
Belt doesnt need you to use up a jc jem, replace with 24 stam.
Helm should simply be the 24 stam with the meta. The armour meta is prob better unless you got a huge amt of block.
Chest would be better as 275 health or else if you want def to make requirements (so you can make those jc jems into stam).
Would prob use the jc gem in red of legs with 24 stam in blue. Either that or go for double jc gems in the ruby hare but think you'd be better forget the bonus there, double stamina gem and use the jc elsewhere, maybe in chest.
It's a pity to lose stam socket bonus of hare but the weigh up is 48 stam vs 12+12+9=33 stam plus 8+8=16 dodge/agility for total of 49 stats vs the 48, depends on how you value avoidance vs eh really. And by not using the jc up you can put in the chest.
Also change the attack power on bracers for stamina.
Feet the ench is ok but tuskarrs vitality is better lose a little hp but gain a big runspeed gain which can be wipe saver.


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Please call today to schedule a complimentary consultation with one Aesthetica's medical estheticians.


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Today's blog entry comes from Unknown Territory artist-in-resident Jacob Rivkin.
The project I'm currently working on is a version of a compass that uses GPS, two stepper motors, a magnetometer (digital compass), hall effect sensors, and an arduino. This compass, however, doesn't point to North. Instead, it points to both the closest mountain and the closest body of water, giving the user the choice of where to go. Or where not to go. This piece is inspired by a question I was asked often growing up. "Are you someone who goes to the mountains or someone who goes to the water?" Mountains and water represent two ideas that are very different for me. To go to the mountains is to seek solitude, or quiet thought, or a place of protection because you can see off into the distance. To go to the water is to go to an area of trade, communication, a source of life where people and animals congregate. Having this choice of where to go based on what it might say about you as a person or your current state of thinking, with special regard to the landscape, is a central element of the piece.
I want this piece to be able to be used without relying on wifi, internet, or phone service – so I have hard-coded the positions of the 15 largest bodies of water and the 15 highest points of elevation in Pennsylvania into the software. Since the beginning of September it's been really exciting to overcome both programming and hardware boundaries. Including:
Using Two Dimensional Arrays in Arduino IDE (and keeping them as floats with six decimal places!).
Comparing distances of coordinates and finding the one that was the shortest distance to your current location (via the GPS).
Learning to use stepper motors and how to make them responsive to changes in degrees from the GPS when the course to the specific distance shifts.
Figuring out that the GPS doesn't know where your north is – so utilizing a magnetometer to find 0 degrees.
Realizing that Stepper Motors don't have brains – so they also don't know where North is. This meant I had to figure out a system where once the magnetometer discovered North – it would tell the Stepper Motors to rotate until their pointer was pointing the in the same direction as North. The way I am doing this is by using a pointer that has magnets embedded in it and a hall effect sensor. Hall effect sensors detect magnetic fields, so when a magnet passes over it – the state of the sensor goes from HIGH to LOW. So the code I am using says that once the pointer is over the hall effect sensor, it activates LOW, and the motor stops moving, and North is set.
I have this all preliminarily set up with a working prototype. The end piece will be housed in a suitcase and also result in a video piece of it being used in the woods in Northern PA.


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Top 10 Reasons Guys Love the Holidays
Every year I read a swamps worth of articles kvetching about the holiday season and all the problems it causes, but I think the holidays are magical.
By Aaron Traister
1. The Weather
Dont get me wrong, I love wearing next to nothing from the end of May to the end of August. But the minute the calendar says September, I start wearing a heavy coat and boots, because Im willing it to become the holiday season when the world is crisp and cold and clear. I love jackets, and boots make me, like, 4 ft. taller. My beard gets crazy, my skin gets wind and sun burnt, and I look like a lion in winter. Also, falling leaves and first snows are magical. Thats right, Im a dude, and I acknowledge that I find colorful foliage and frozen water to be MAGICAL. My inner child can beat up your inner child because Ive nurtured it and made it strong by using descriptive words like MAGICAL.


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Browse All Accessories
Browse Accessories For Your Phone
Latest Headlines
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Top Accessories
New In the Store
Latest Forum Posts
- FYI Verizon owners about 18 sec ago by derekfaircloth 0
- Wifi Slow on Galaxy S5 - Strange Problem, Please Help about 1 min ago by Airman1947 15
- Any launch phrase! about 1 min ago by quietlybrilliant 11
- Post your bugs/quirks/annoyances with the tablet about 1 min ago by Turbo Brian 41
- Unroot/Factory Restore Verizon Note 3 WITHOUT Tripping Knox? about 1 min ago by Sharpnd152 0


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The BBC's What if…? series looked at how we will all live in the future – from cars to technology and global politics. My producer Peter Bowes and I were curious to explore the human body of the 21st century. This installment looks at the latest science and thinking in our quest to live longer, healthier lives. Will living to 130, without suffering from major diseases, in our latter years, become a reality?
Camera & Editor
Bryan Darling
Sony PMW-320K
Sony PMW-EX1


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Poulenc: The Complete Songs
4CDs for the price of 3CDA68021/4
Poulenc: The Complete Songs, Vol. 2
SIGCD263 Download only Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
Poulenc: Voyage à Paris
Helios (Hyperion's budget label)CDH55366
No 1: Le présent Si tu veux je te donnerai
author of text
from Apollinaire's collection Il y a of 1925
Track 1 on CDA68021/4 CD1 [0'58] 4CDs for the price of 3
No 2: Chanson Les myrtilles sont pour la dame
author of text
1925; from Il y a
Track 2 on CDA68021/4 CD1 [0'46] 4CDs for the price of 3
No 3: Hier Hier, c'est ce chapeau fané
author of text
from Apollinaire's collection Il y a of 1925
Track 3 on CDA68021/4 CD1 [2'02] 4CDs for the price of 3
Each of the songs introduces a type of mélodie that would later come to be considered generically typical of the composer; perhaps this is why Poulenc wrote in JdmM in connection with this work that with Apollinaire he had at last found his 'true melodic style'. Le présent has an accompaniment that doubles the voice and hurtles through the staves like a miniature storm, the hands an octave apart throughout—inspired, surely, by the 'wind across the graves' of the last movement (also a Presto) of Chopin's B flat minor Piano Sonata. This is one of Poulenc's innumerable moments as a musical magpie. Chanson is also a moto perpetuo, more populist than the first song. This is a vintage piece of so-called 'leg Poulenc' with its echoes of the music-hall and the madcap gaiety of the 1920s. Poulenc wrote that he considered it a counting song in the manner of 'Am–stram–gram–pic et pic et colégram'. Hier is eloquent and touching, prophesying the long sinuous vocal lines, accompanied by flowing quaver chords, for which this composer was to become justly famous. It is the first of his songs where Poulenc permits the shadow of a slow and nostalgic popular style to influence the mood of a deeply serious song. He manages to do this without cheapening his music; rather is it enriched with a nostalgia for 'yesterday' that seems especially French, in fact uniquely Parisian, especially for the British or American listener. While he composed the music Poulenc admitted to thinking of the operetta and musical star Yvonne Printemps, and of an interior painted by Vuillard. 'If you think carefully of the words you are saying', he advised in JdmM, 'the colour will come of itself.' The set as a whole is dedicated to the Comtesse Jean de Polignac, daughter of the great couturier Jeanne Lanvin, and better known as Marie-Blanche de Polignac, a fine soprano in her own right. Perhaps that is what made Poulenc think of Vuillard, who painted both Lanvin and her beautiful daughter.
from notes by Graham Johnson © 2013


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Are you looking for a way to amuse friends, kill time, or make an original greeting? JibJab.com is a right place for you! On this website you can do unimaginable things – put your face on another body and make it dance! JibJab has dozens of ready video templates, so the output will definitely surprise you! Let's explore what miracles it lets perform.
JibJab.com is probably one of the most elaborate websites helping to fuse human heads to animated bodies. The resource became popular due to 2004 presidential election video which featured the candidates singing a parody of "This Land Is Your Land" song. Since then, election has become a favorite topic on JibJab.
The good
The resource offers a vast majority of topics for your funny video: upcoming holidays (now Halloween is trending), birthday or wedding greetings, movie spoofs, sports, dances, Star Wars, and much more. All the templates are nicely designed and thoroughly thought-out.
The bad
It's paid. To get your ready video, you have to register a premium account which costs $1/month. There are some free templates, but they are very few.
Still, if you got interested, you may start with a free template (they come first in the category and are marked with a red stripe).
Making a funny video with JibJab is fast and easy. Just follow these steps:
1. Choose a template
Go to the category that interests you and filter the items by "video". Each template has a detailed description and may be previewed. To choose a template, just click "Personalize" on the template preview.
2. Personalize the video
Find a successful photo of you, your friend, or any other person who you would like to feature in the video and upload it. You may also use Facebook photos for this purpose or take iPhone selfie with the best selfie apps. The tool automatically recognizes a head and crops it. All you need is to zoom and rotate it, fine-tune contours, and position the mouth, so that your video character could speak.
3. Put face on the video
When you saved a face, just drag-'n-drop it onto the video character. If you chose a template that requires several characters, make sure you uploaded all needed faces, or use JibJab. heads collection. Click "Done".
4. Add a message (optional)
If you're going to send the resulted video as e-card, consider adding a greeting to your friend.
And if JibJab editor doesn't match your purposes, check other online services for making e-cadrs and invitations.
5. Share your video
After your video is ready, you may download it to your PC or iPhone, email it to friend (free), send to Facebook (free), or upload to YouTube.


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SPNI / BirdLife in Israel
Do you know what Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Swift and Cetti's Warbler have in common?
Close Window
All photos are copyrighted by BirdLife and/or its contributing
photographers and may not be reproduced or exploited in any fashion without
permission from BirdLife. Where specific permission for media use has been
given, please use the appropriate credit.


text: I have to say that this absolutely vital to securing your information. It dosn't matter how much you keep under lock and key--if you do not check and vet your partners thoughly then people you don't directly control will have access to their information--and they don't care about your business. Always, always, limit your partners access to that which is immediately necessary and make certain all access expires within a day.


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Weather Links
Humidity 80%
Winds 4.6mph
Sponsored by: Arceneaux Ford
Humidity 80%
Winds 4.6mph
Apr 8, 2013 1:30 PM by Ian Auzenne
Today is Keiosha Felix's sixteenth birthday, but the teen remains missing nearly one year after her disappearance. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office will hold a media briefing Wednesday morning at 11:00 to update the case's status. The teenager disappeared from her aunt's house in Duson last April 30. Officials say the press conference will include information from all law enforcement agencies involved in the search for Felix.
» There are multiple updates to this story. Please click here to get the latest information.
2 hours ago


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Filter by:
Content type:
Stage 1&2
Stage 2&3
Stage 3&4
Stage 4&5
Challenge level:
Can you find a relationship between the number of dots on the
circle and the number of steps that will ensure that all points are
A game in which players take it in turns to choose a number. Can you block your opponent?
A game for two people, or play online. Given a target number, say 23, and a range of numbers to choose from, say 1-4, players take it in turns to add to the running total to hit their target.
Make a line of green and a line of yellow rods so that the lines
differ in length by one (a white rod)
Here is a machine with four coloured lights. Can you develop a strategy to work out the rules controlling each light?
Find some examples of pairs of numbers such that their sum is a
factor of their product. eg. 4 + 12 = 16 and 4 × 12 = 48 and
16 is a factor of 48.
A game that tests your understanding of remainders.
What can you say about the values of n that make $7^n + 3^n$ a multiple of 10? Are there other pairs of integers between 1 and 10 which have similar properties?
List any 3 numbers. It is always possible to find a subset of
adjacent numbers that add up to a multiple of 3. Can you explain
why and prove it?
Find a cuboid (with edges of integer values) that has a surface
area of exactly 100 square units. Is there more than one? Can you
find them all?
Imagine we have four bags containing a large number of 1s, 4s, 7s and 10s. What numbers can we make?
Given the products of diagonally opposite cells - can you complete this Sudoku?
Given the products of adjacent cells, can you complete this Sudoku?
Rectangles are considered different if they vary in size or have different locations. How many different rectangles can be drawn on a chessboard?
A three digit number abc is always divisible by 7 when 2a+3b+c is divisible by 7. Why?
For this challenge, you'll need to play Got It! Can you explain the strategy for winning this game with any target?
Follow this recipe for sieving numbers and see what interesting patterns emerge.
Choose any 3 digits and make a 6 digit number by repeating the 3
digits in the same order (e.g. 594594). Explain why whatever digits
you choose the number will always be divisible by 7, 11 and 13.
How many integers between 1 and 1200 are NOT multiples of any of
the numbers 2, 3 or 5?
Ben passed a third of his counters to Jack, Jack passed a quarter
of his counters to Emma and Emma passed a fifth of her counters to
Ben. After this they all had the same number of counters.
The clues for this Sudoku are the product of the numbers in adjacent squares.
What is the remainder when 2^2002 is divided by 7? What happens
with different powers of 2?
Find some triples of whole numbers a, b and c such that a^2 + b^2 + c^2 is a multiple of 4. Is it necessarily the case that a, b and c must all be even? If so, can you explain why?
A mathematician goes into a supermarket and buys four items. Using
a calculator she multiplies the cost instead of adding them. How
can her answer be the same as the total at the till?
Take any pair of numbers, say 9 and 14. Take the larger number,
fourteen, and count up in 14s. Then divide each of those values by
the 9, and look at the remainders.
This package contains a collection of problems from the NRICH
website that could be suitable for students who have a good
understanding of Factors and Multiples and who feel ready to take
on some. . . .
What is the smallest number with exactly 14 divisors?
Make a set of numbers that use all the digits from 1 to 9, once and
once only. Add them up. The result is divisible by 9. Add each of
the digits in the new number. What is their sum? Now try some. . . .
A collection of resources to support work on Factors and Multiples at Secondary level.
The puzzle can be solved by finding the values of the unknown digits (all indicated by asterisks) in the squares of the $9\times9$ grid.
Data is sent in chunks of two different sizes - a yellow chunk has
5 characters and a blue chunk has 9 characters. A data slot of size
31 cannot be exactly filled with a combination of yellow and. . . .
I put eggs into a basket in groups of 7 and noticed that I could
easily have divided them into piles of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 and always
have one left over. How many eggs were in the basket?
Do you know a quick way to check if a number is a multiple of two? How about three, four or six?
A challenge that requires you to apply your knowledge of the
properties of numbers. Can you fill all the squares on the board?
What is the smallest number of answers you need to reveal in order
to work out the missing headers?
Take any two digit number, for example 58. What do you have to do to reverse the order of the digits? Can you find a rule for reversing the order of digits for any two digit number?
Can you find a way to identify times tables after they have been shifted up?
Which pairs of cogs let the coloured tooth touch every tooth on the
other cog? Which pairs do not let this happen? Why?
Here is a Sudoku with a difference! Use information about lowest common multiples to help you solve it.
Play the divisibility game to create numbers in which the first two digits make a number divisible by 2, the first three digits make a number divisible by 3...
Some 4 digit numbers can be written as the product of a 3 digit
number and a 2 digit number using the digits 1 to 9 each once and
only once. The number 4396 can be written as just such a product.
Can. . . .
You are given the Lowest Common Multiples of sets of digits. Find
the digits and then solve the Sudoku.
A student in a maths class was trying to get some information from
her teacher. She was given some clues and then the teacher ended by
saying, "Well, how old are they?"
Can you work out what size grid you need to read our secret message?
Have you seen this way of doing multiplication ?
Substitution and Transposition all in one! How fiendish can these codes get?
Find the frequency distribution for ordinary English, and use it to help you crack the code.
Imagine we have four bags containing numbers from a sequence. What numbers can we make now?
The number 8888...88M9999...99 is divisible by 7 and it starts with
the digit 8 repeated 50 times and ends with the digit 9 repeated 50
times. What is the value of the digit M?
The number 12 = 2^2 � 3 has 6 factors. What is the smallest natural number with exactly 36 factors?


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Granitzer, P. and Rumpf, K. and Roca, A. G. and Morales, M. P. and Poelt, P. and Albu, M. (2009) Investigation of a Mesoporous Silicon Based Ferromagnetic Nanocomposite. Nanoscale Research Letters, 5 (2). pp. 374-378.
A semiconductor/metal nanocomposite is composed of a porosified silicon wafer and embedded ferromagnetic nanostructures. The obtained hybrid system possesses the electronic properties of silicon together with the magnetic properties of the incorporated ferromagnetic metal. On the one hand, a transition metal is electrochemically deposited from a metal salt solution into the nanostructured silicon skeleton, on the other hand magnetic particles of a few nanometres in size, fabricated in solution, are incorporated by immersion. The electrochemically deposited nanostructures can be tuned in size, shape and their spatial distribution by the process parameters, and thus specimens with desired ferromagnetic properties can be fabricated. Using magnetite nanoparticles for infiltration into porous silicon is of interest not only because of the magnetic properties of the composite material due to the possible modification of the ferromagnetic/superparamagnetic transition but also because of the biocompatibility of the system caused by the low toxicity of both materials. Thus, it is a promising candidate for biomedical applications as drug delivery or biomedical targeting.
|Item Type:
|Uncontrolled Keywords:
|Porous silicon - Nanocomposite - Magnetic nanoparticles
|Physical Science > Nanophysics
Physical Science > Nanoelectronics
Physical Science > Nanomagnetics
|ID Code:
|Deposited By:
|Lesley Tobin
|Deposited On:
|22 Mar 2010 14:12
|Last Modified:
|22 Mar 2010 14:12
Repository Staff Only: item control page


text:
November 26, 2014
April 9, 2014
HOPEWELL, Va. (AP) - A bio-energy plant in Hopewell completed in 2010 but never opened has found new life.
Governor Terry McAuliffe announced Wednesday Vireol Bio Energy LLC will invest $26.2 million to begin production at the plant, creating 70 jobs.
The plant had been destined to be dismantled and shipped to England.
The company will produce ethanol from corn, barley and other small grains. The governor's office says it will be the largest ethanol plant on the East Coast.
Besides Vireol's investment in the plant, it will also purchase more than $100 million of grain from Virginia producers over the next three years, according to the governor's office. That totals nearly 22 million bushels of grain.
Osage Bio Energy completed the plant but decided to abandon it because of unfavorable market conditions.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
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Glazed Cranberry Sweet Potato Bread
The Sweet Potato Festival Committee of Vardaman, Mississippi shared this recipe starring their crop. Slices of the moist bread topped with an orange glaze make a sweet snack to enjoy anytime.
32 Servings
Prep: 15 min. Bake: 50 min. + cooling
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-2/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 can (14 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
2/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, pie spice,
baking powder and salt. In another large bowl, combine the eggs,
sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and oil. Stir into dry ingredients
just until moistened. Fold in pecans.
Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for
55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes
© Taste of Home 2014
2 of 2
Glazed Cranberry Sweet Potato Bread
Directions (continued)
out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire
racks to cool completely. In a small bowl, combine the glaze
ingredients until smooth; drizzle over cooled loaves. Yield: 2
loaves (16 servings each).
Nutritional Facts:
1 serving (2 slices) equals 216 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 27 mg cholesterol, 161 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.
© Taste of Home 2014


text:
When stuff melts and splunges out your head.
My brain melted and sploonged out my ear.
от Kenji and Dagger 29 юли 2003
A pouring of thought into a blog entry. Almost always annoyingly narcissistic and worthless in nature.
"We went to blogger.com to read the latest sploonges from the emo kids."
от Digital Signal X 08 август 2006


text:
B&B closing September 12, 2014.
You are invited to enjoy the hospitality of the Farm House B & B. The Farm House was built at the turn of the century, late Victorian period. The Farm House B&B has been restored for comfort, relaxation, and casual enjoyment. You will be staying on a working farm with beef cows, calves, dairy heifers, chickens, ducks, peacocks, llamas, cats, and our dog, HJ, your official greeter. Gathering the eggs, fishing in the farm pond, walking, running, biking, or picnicking on the 6 mile nature trail running through our 11 acre vineyard, tasting our Farm House Wines in the Engelbrecht Family Winery, and shopping in the wine/gift all part of the Farm House experience. The Farm House Breakfast offers a full-course farmers' breakfast with locally grown products.


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The full text of original documents, in the form that they were first written or made.
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War loan assessments for the City parishes of All Hallows Honey Lane and St Mary le Bow. Produced by the IHR/Birkbeck/Cambridge 'People in Place' project (2003-6).
Derek Keene, Peter Earle, Craig Spence and Janet Barnes
The assessments raised for this tax raised by Parliament to fund King William's European warfare. It was produced by the 'Metropolitan London in the 1690s' project, based at the CMH.
People in Place project
Transcribed assessments for the Marriage Duty of 1695, for the City of London parishes of St Botolph Aldgate, St Mary le Bow, St Martin Ironmonger Lane, All Hallows Honey Lane and St Mary Colechurch. Produced by the IHR/Birkbeck/Cambridge 'People in Place' project (2003-6).
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text:
Mick and Jean O'Shea still claiming disability benefit 6 YEARS after £10m Lottery win | Mail Online
I think you better apologise dont you. You should at least check your facts before making offensive posts.
Mick and Jean O'Shea still claiming disability benefit 6 YEARS after £10m Lottery win | Mail Online
I think you better apologise dont you. You should at least check your facts before making offensive posts.
Well Wedgee, I had to deal with the CSA for years and it nearly drove me crazy, so I know how you feel. You've been given some great advice, particularly from Mark, I think it was Mark, on the previous page. I would add to it though and say make sure you keep safe any letters that you have received from them, you might need them for evidence later and also don't necessarily believe what they tell you. Sometimes they lie and sometimes they just don't know how to answer you and try to fob you off. I think it's vital to get to the CAB and speak to them.
Best of luck, let us know how you get on. I think it's important that people who have experience of using the system spread the word about how dreadful and unfit for purpose it is because there are plenty of people out there who despite paying for it, have no idea how bad it really is
I am currently at week five without a payment of any sort.
I have done everything the DWP has asked of me and still they say that payment is denied.
Lucky for me I know a shoplifter who sorted me some cheap food to get through this weekend. I wouldn't normally resort to this but had no choice.
The absolutely laughable system is currently buckling under the weight of government mismanagement I believe. When you call the DWP these days you actually connect to a call center populated by people who have absolutely no power to help you with your claim. All they do is offer a call back service. These call backs never happen . So you call the call center again and they obstruct you for a while, then organise a call back that never happens. It is all designed to make the system inaccessible to the claimant in any meaningful fashion.
Evidence is there but ignored by most media.
Nurse makes heartfelt apology after Atos forced her to trick disabled people out of benefits - Daily Record
Royal Marine Aaron Moon Who Lost Leg In Afghanistan Has Benefits Cut After Atos Test
Aaron Moon was assessed by a nurse who didn't even know the meaning of the word amputation.I WOULD LAUGH IF IT WASN'T SO TRAGIC.
Never debate or argue with an Idiot........they will bring you down to their level
then beat you on experience....
The most frustrating part is that you often can't get to these people, you speak to a different person everytime, they all tell you something different and no one's really interested in helping you.
What now? My GP agrees with my assessment that I am not fit for full time work. The DWP "medical professional" (actually an administrative nurse, whatever that is ) says otherwise. What do I do next ? I can pay no bills at the moment, utility bills are stacking up and there is not much hope of any help anytime soon.
Any one got any ideas?
Write a letter to this nurse and the company who runs this for the DWP, copy to DWP and your MP threatening to sue, and make a criminal complaints to the local Police that said 'Nurse' does not hold a license to to practice medicine as a qualified MD (qualified Medical Doctor). Send it First Class Recorded Deliver marked 'URGENT' - There - Job Jobbed.
1, the discussion was about people claiming benefits that dont need to, so the frequency is utterly irrelevant.
2, you had know idea about this story as the order of your posts prove
You must be joking right?
You're logic is that Flembo's argument fails and is a filthy lie, not because these millionaires are taking benfits, but because its per month not per week.
Wow, pure genius.


text:
A systematic review of the evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of insomnia concludes that current evidence is insufficient to support its use in this condition. The authors examined the major biomedical and...
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text:
Casual Friday: New from Simple Shoes
One of the best footwear acquisitions I've made so far this year was a pair of these hi-top sneakers from Simple Shoes: I've been wearing them on every possible occasion I can get away with going casual, and they've fast become my go-to trainers.
Why am I getting so excited about a pair of fairly ordinary-looking basketball shoes you may well ask? Well first off these are no ordinary shoes: unlike Converse and the like they are not made from canvas, which makes them waterproof and strong. But what they are made from is also a point of interest: the materials come from recycled tyres, with thick, soft organic cotton laces.
This makes them not only practical, durable and protective in the rain, it makes them quite wonderfully green, too. It's a brilliant use of recycled products, and we're tickled by the way the markings on the bottoms of the soles have been made to look like tyre treads. People always seem to notice there's something different about these shoes, and I get loads of compliments while wearing them!
£65 from Simple Shoes


text:
Updated: August 8, 2013 10:16AM
PHOENIX (AP) — Margaret Pellegrini, one of the original Munchkins from the 1939 classic movie "The Wizard of Oz," has died. She was 89.
Pellegrini suffered a stroke Monday at her Glendale, Ariz., home and died Wednesday at a Phoenix-area hospital.
Her death was confirmed by Ted Bulthaup, a Woodridge resident who owns the Hollywood Blvd. Cinema theater in Woodridge and the Hollywood Palms theater in Naperville where Pellegrini and other Munchkins have made special appearances. He says he learned of it from Pellegrini's relatives.
With her death, only two of the original 124 Munchkins in the movie are still alive.
Pellegrini was a guest speaker at grade schools across the Phoenix metropolitan area for many years. The Arizona Republic reports she usually appeared in costume and told stories about her time as a Munchkin. She also talked about the movie's moral lessons.


text:
- Academics
- Admission
- Career + Alumni
- Life at SCAD
- About SCAD
Several tour options are available in Savannah, Atlanta and Hong Kong to help you see why SCAD is the university for creative careers.
Our virtual tour guides are eager to show you more of our Atlanta location. Enjoy an inside look into the areas that make SCAD unique.


text:
Week 3 Nutrition: Be Pro-Produce
Vegetables should be the star of your meals with guest appearances from fruit a close second. Stephanie Middlebergs tips will help you veg out even more effectively.
To state the obvious
For on-the-go women, produce tends to take a backseat to easier to grab food like sandwiches or pizza. But there are many reasons why you shouldn't leave fruits or veggies out of your diet. Not only do they contain antioxidants that help fight against various cancers and diseases, they also help with weight control. Most important, they're high in vitamins and nutrients you need, such as lutein for eyesight, vitamin K for bone health, and iron.


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Bristol Community College (B.C.C.)
777 Elsbree St, Fall River, MA
Get Your Degree Online!
Request Information
- Admissions & Requirements
- Tuition & Fees
- Course Schedules
- Financial Aid Eligibility
- Student Services
Contact Information
General Contact
- FAFSA School Code: 002176
- Phone: (508) 678-2811
- School Homepage
Admissions Office
Financial Aid Office
School Map
Request more information about programs at Bristol Community College by clicking on the links below:
- Admissions & Requirements
- Tuition & Fees
- Programs Offered
- Course Schedules
- Financial Aid Eligibility
- Student Services
Bristol Community College, located in Fall River, Massachusetts, was founded in 1995 by the Massachusetts Board of Regional Community Colleges. The school serves over 11,000 credit seeking students per year, and over 17,000 non-credit students per year. The school offers over 100 programs of study to provide residents and students educational opportunities in their desired field of study.
Bristol Community College offers a variety of programs and courses in order to provide students with as many educational possibilities as possible. Academic programs will provide an associate degree with the ability to transfer to a four year institution upon completion. Certificate and associate degree vocational and career programs provide individuals with the opportunity to develop skills necessary to immediately enter the work force. Adult education and continuing education programs assist individuals in receiving a basic education or to fulfill requirements for recertification or licensure. Additionally, individuals are encouraged to take courses in topics they find interesting without credit.
Programs offered include:
Admissions and Financial Aid
Enrollment at Bristol Community College is open to all applicants regardless of previous education. Individuals interested in registering at BCC should complete and submit the application and prepare for their classes to begin. Financial aid is available in the form of loans, grants and scholarships. Individuals interested or in need of financial aid may contact the financial aid office for assistance. Students applying for financial aid should complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), as it will be used to determine financial aid eligibility.
If you are interested in finding a great community college in Massachusetts, please visit our profile page for Massachusetts community colleges which are organized by the percent of students successfully transferring out to a 4-year college.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The average "out of pocket" cost of attendance, after any grants and scholarships are considered, is around $4,500. In order to calculate a more accurate and detailed cost of attendance check out their cost calculator here. There is also a $10 application fee for those applying to a program. The figures listed below are for informational purposes only and do not represent current or future tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Annual tuition range:
- State Residents: $580-$690
- Out-of-State: $5,500-$6,624
- Part-time students are charged:
- State Residents: $170-$210 per credit unit
- Nonresidents: $380-$450 per credit unit
Financial Aid Details
The table below breaks down the types of financial aid, the percent of students receiving aid, and average amount of aid per student per year.
|Percent of Students
|Average Amount
|Any Financial Aid
|Receiving Grants & Scholarships
|Receiving Student Loans
Note: The estimated default rate of students taking federal student loans in 2009 was around 12%.
Admissions, Academics, & Student Services
Student Services
To support students and graduates, Bristol Community College may offer services to students like:
- Online course work available
- Night and weekend classes available
- Remedial instructional courses
- Counseling assistance
- Work study style employment
- Assisting students to find work
- Child care
Graduation & Transfer Rates
Students who attend a community college will be able to choose from a variety of programs that will lead to an associate's degree or transfer to a four year institution. The following list shows graduation and transfer-out rates for Bristol Community College compared to community colleges in Massachusetts, which can be useful for determining which community college to attend.
|Bristol County
|Graduation Rate
|Transfer-out Rate
Popular Transfer-Out Colleges & Universities
Many students from Bristol Community College may transfer-out and continue their education at the following four-year colleges & universities:
- Bridgewater State University
- University of Massachusetts - Boston
- Northeastern University
- Boston University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
- Dental Hygienist Program (more info)
- Accredited by the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation (since 1970)
- Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program (more info)
- Accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (since 1996)
- Massage Therapy & Bodywork Program (more info)
- Accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (since 2012)
- Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) Program (more info)
- Accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (since 1971)
- See a list of all associate's degree in nursing (ADN) programs in Massachusetts
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.
Get more information about the programs offered by Bristol Community College by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (Ph.D.,M.D.,...)
Agriculture Operations
- Agricultural Business and Management (C)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biotechnology (C)
Business and Marketing Studies
- Commerce (A)
- Business Administration (A)
- Business Operations Support and Secretarial Services (A)
- Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations (C)
- Information Resources Management, Cio Training (C)
- Bookkeeping (C)
- Management Information Systems and Services (C)
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (C)
- Office Management (C)
- Customer Service Support (C)
- Fashion Merchandising (C)
Communication Technology
- Communications Technologies and Support Services (C)
Communications and Journalism
- Communications (A)
Computer and Information Sciences
- Computer (A)
- Computer Programming (C)
- Computer Networking (C)
- Web Design (C)
- Computer Programming, Specific Applications (C)
- System, Networking, and Lan or Wan Management (C)
- Elementary Education (A)
- Kindergarten and Preschool Education (A)
- Education (C)
- Early Childhood Education (C)
- Engineering (A)
- Surveying Engineering (C)
Engineering Technology
- Engineering Technologies (A)
- Computer Aided Design (CAD) (C)
- Surveying Technology (C)
- Hazardous Materials Management and Waste Technology (C)
- Industrial Technology (C)
- Construction Engineering Technology (C)
- Computer Software Technology (C)
Foreign Languages and Literature
- Sign Language (A)
- Language Interpretation and Translation (C)
- Sign Language Interpretation and Translation (C)
Health and Clinical Professions
- Nursing (A)
- Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) (A)
- Dental Hygienist (A)
- Clinical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions (C)
- Medical Assistant (C)
- Massage Therapy (C)
- Medical Records Technician (A)
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (C)
- Clinical Laboratory Technician (A)
- Medical Transcription (C)
- Medical Office Administration (C)
- Radiologic Technology (C)
Interdisciplinary Studies
- Gerontology (C)
Legal Professions and Studies
- Legal Support Services (C)
Liberal Arts and Sciences
- General Studies (A)
- Liberal Arts (A)
Personal and Culinary Services
- Personal and Culinary Services (C)
- Culinary Arts (A)
Public Administration and Social Services
- Social Work (A)
- Public Administration and Social Service (C)
- Public Policy (C)
Security and Protective Services
- Law and Justice Administration (C)
- Criminal Justice (A)
- Fire Science (A)
- Fire Protection and Safety Technology (C)
Visual and Performing Arts
- Fine Studio Arts (A)
- Commercial and Advertising Art (C)
- Fine Arts and Art Studies (C)
Other Community Colleges Nearby
The list of nearby schools has been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to Bristol Community College.
- Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick, RI (18 miles away)
- Quincy College in Quincy, MA (37 miles away)
- Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson, CT (40 miles away)
- Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable, MA (40 miles away)
- Roxbury Community College in Roxbury Crossing, MA (42 miles away)


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When it comes to cult TV shows, it's impossible to watch just one episode and I'm speaking from some major experience here. That's why many Americans prefer to hold off on the week-to-week viewing schedule of yore (one new episode a week? Nonsense!) and binge-watch entire seasons of captivating TV like Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights, and Downton Abbey all at once. I mean, have you ever tried to watch just one episode of Lost? It takes insurmountable determination to avoid immediately pressing play on the next one...and then the one after that, and before you know it, whoops, there was something you two needed to do today, right? Oh well, it's too late now. Guess you'll just have to watch another episode instead.
Binge-watching shows together can be a very intimate experience. If you start The Wire together, it means you have to finish it together, watching every episode side-by-side, riding the emotional roller coaster that comes from watching Omar's exploits in Baltimore. That's where "Netflix Adultery," a term recently coined by The Cut, comes in. Think about that one time you knew your husband wouldn't be able to watch another episode of your current fix with you for three whole days, but you just had to know what happened next, so you hit play. Then, when he was finally ready to watch, you had to feign surprise at that one character's beheading but you were totally faking it. Or he might have figured it out just from loading the series on Netflix; it automatically syncs to your most recently-watched spot, broadcasting your betrayal.
Sure, it's a pretty frivolous concept that we're not at all placing on the level of actual relationship problems and real cheating, but for couples who are serious about TV and experiencing their favorite shows together, Netflix or any other streaming video service Adultery might actually raise some hackles, cause resentment, and start fights. The company even conducted a user survey about "streaming ahead" behavior and found that 28.2 million Americans have "cheated." They've cheated while their spouses lay sleeping next to them, on business trips, and even in the bathroom (for shame, people).
And don't bother with the overly dramatic reactions if you've already succumbed to temptation and watched ahead. He knows when you're faking it. So if you feel the urge to cheat (or have been a victim of streaming video adultery), try loading up one of these other popular binge-watching shows instead the next time you find yourself alone and hovering over the "next episode" button.
How I Met Your Mother
Arrested Development
The Office
House of Cards
The Walking Dead
American Horror Story
Sex and relationships take the spotlight on this blog where editors and experts weight in on the fun (and sometimes complicated) road to coupledom. Check back for news, advice, and opinions on the tricky topics all of us face.Subscribe via RSS
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The Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce sincerely appreciates all your efforts and support and taking on projects to better the community. Thank you Jim, and Karen!
The Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce extends a warm welcome and invites you to spend time in the hamlets of Oyster Bay and East Norwich so you may sample all that we have to offer.The Oyster Bay area is best-known as the site of Theodore Roosevelt's beloved Sagamore Hill Estate, now a National Park, but there are many other attractions as well; The Waterfront Center, Planting Fields Arboretum, Baily's Arboretum, Beekman Beach, Raynham Hall Museum, Art Exhibits, Youngs' Memorial Cemetery and Theodore Roosevelt Park.


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Photos and Description of this Porto Heli holiday villa
Spacious villa for up to 8, 4 bed, 4 bath, ideal for family or group of friends
Villa Kostoula is a wonderful property for a large party or family. Situated in a peaceful, pine forested, residential area. The villa is a short walk from the sea and a lovely secluded bay. It is surrounded by a private garden with swimming pool. There are wonderful views from the pool and terraces towards the pretty island of Spetses.
Two bedrooms on the upper floor and two on the ground floor. All bedrooms have shower and WC en-suite. The main living area on the upper floor opens onto a covered veranda, a perfect cool corner to enjoy lazy meals. There is a pretty and comfortably furnished living area and fully fitted kitchen and dining area.
The ground floor can be reached by an internal or external stair and comprises one double, one twin bedroom opening onto the garden and pool terrace, a further living area, kitchenette/laundry area.
Sleeps 8 in comfort.
Porto Heli: The pretty village of Porto Heli lies around the loveliest natural bay in the Peloponnese. It faces the island of Spetses and the mountains across the Argo-Saronic gulf. Easily accessible from Athens either by road or hydrofoil.
There are some excellent restaurants and tavernas in the village as well as a good variety of bars and clubs.
The sheltered bays are ideal for water sports and there are two excellent ski schools, as well as qualified tuition in wake-boarding, wind-surfing, dinghy sailing, and scuba diving.
Places to visit: In the Peloponnese you can visit many of the ancient sites of Greece, most within easy reach. These include the ancient theatre at Epidaurus, where performances are still held in the summer months. Nafplion, a very attractive town and the first capital city of Greece.It is dominated by a medieval castle. Agamemnon's palace at Mycenae and the impressive walls at Tiryns.
If you take to the sea, then the islands of Spetses, Hydra and Poros each have their own special beauty and character. There is a regular hydrofoil service from the village as well as ferries and water taxis.
When to visit: The summer months are the liveliest in the village and on the beaches. It is a wonderful area for all kinds of watersports. From water-skiing with professional coaches, slalom courses and ski-jump to sailing, windsurfing, wake boarding or just pottering along the coast in a rented boat.
For less energetic break the loveliest days for walking and exploring are in the quieter months.
Springtime the colour and variety of the wild flowers is amazing, you can walk for hours enjoying the peaceful scenery. Autumn the clarity of light is extraordinary, if you are interested in painting or exploring the ancient sights, this is the time to visit.
- Suitability:
- children welcome
- pets not allowed
- suitable for elderly or infirm
- wheelchair inaccessible
Guestbook comments from the manager
Our week is coming to an end, we are chilling out by the pool. Today was again so beautiful, sunny, hot. Nobody want to leave, the youngest of the party : Emily and Anaïs will be upset to leave back to Normandie, Grance.
The house is beautiful, very comfortahle, the view on the bay is breathtaking. Porto Heli is lovely. It is our annual family gathering (11 in total, from 18 months old to 40 years old): we would love to stay longer, a lot longer, adapt to the Greek life!


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For something that now existed for the sole purpose of terrifying the damned, Kyle had done a lot of screaming himself when he'd first arrived in Hell. And not the good kind. Not long after being turned into a demon, he'd woken from a nap to discover a fifty-foot-long, black snake-like creature curled up on the balcony. He hadn't been able to stop himself – he'd shrieked like a little girl. The monster had looked at him with pupil-less orange eyes, made a noise like an angry cat, and slithered away. Ryka's complete calm upon hearing this creature described only made Kyle feel worse.
Even more terrifying had been his first flight. "We should go visit Octavia," Ryka had suggested. "She's only a few floors below us."
Kyle had looked out over the edge of the balcony and nearly cried. It was a sheer drop of at least a hundred stories to a hard, cracked ground below. "H-how?" he'd stammered, already dreading Ryka's answer.
"Did you really just ask that? What do you think we have wings for?"
"I can't," Kyle had protested, while Ryka had pulled him onto the thick railing that surrounded the overhang.
"Sure you can. The worst that's going to happen is that you look like an idiot."
"That's bad enough."
"Suck it up," Ryka had told him, before giving him a shove. All of Hell had heard him scream. But instinct eventually kicked in and he managed to save himself the embarrassment of crashing. Although his landing was a little rough. He'd skidded to a stop, a tangled heap of wings and limbs, in Octavia's room. At least she had been polite enough not to laugh, he thought. Ryka had shown no such consideration. "At least you fuck better than you fly."
Nothing, though, had prepared him for the part of Hell that resided on the other side of those towering black mountains. Ryka had insisted on giving him a tour, and Kyle really had no choice but to go. It wasn't the sight of billions of human souls being tortured by countless scores of demons that frightened him; it was seeing Lord Satan as he appeared to the damned that made him tremble and try to hide behind Ryka. He could still clearly remember the number of times he had seen the great beast through the portal's open mouth, but those memories were almost a comfort now.
In a form that appeared to be a hideous amalgamation of all sorts of animals, some of them native only to Hell, Lucifer towered over the scene. His wings, bat-like in this form, were nearly level with the mountains' peaks. The damned wept and groveled at his feet, pleading for mercy while fire danced around them. On cloven hooves, he carelessly trod over them, straight toward where Ryka and Kyle were standing. But he had walked right past.
"He-he looks so different," Kyle said quietly, as if anyone besides Ryka could hear him over the screaming and crying.
"He can change into whatever he wants."
"I think I prefer him the other way."
"Don't let him hear you say that. He'll never leave you alone."
Time passed differently in Hell than it did on Earth. What felt like weeks to Kyle had been years in the mortal world. After all the initial shocks, he had adjusted rather well. At first, he and Ryka had been left to their own devices, which was fine with Kyle. They needed to make up for lost time. In bed, that is.
And they were frequently interrupted by the youngest demons, some of who Ryka had once worked with. It annoyed Ryka to no end, but Kyle couldn't help but think they were cute. Something about the imps' big eyes and oversized wings made them irresistible, even if their personalities didn't always match. They looked like little kids, but acted like obnoxious teenagers most of the time. Still, they were a little naïve, and could be very sweet. Ryka would kick them out so he and Kyle could be alone, and the little ones would go, looking hurt. But later they'd wake up later under a pile of young demons, all quietly snoring and cuddled close.
"You think you would have learned your lesson," Ryka had said, trying to wake up the ten little demons that had snuck in while they were asleep.
"I guess you'll have to teach me again," Kyle replied with a grin.
"Get lost, brats. We're busy."
"Again?" one yawned.
"Yup. Now, good-bye."
Two Popes, both who had been named Innocent and both who had been far from it, knelt before the Devil's obsidian throne and massaged his feet. "That feels wonderful," Lucifer sighed, leaning back in his seat. "It could only be better if Judas were here. Though I suppose someone needs to get some work done." The Popes, two of a number of morally bankrupt Holy men who served as Lucifer's personal servants, said nothing and continued their work. Even the sudden arrival of Judas, in a swirl of hot wind, didn't distract them.
"Lucifer," he greeted, his tone flat.
"My love, come have a seat." As he spoke, Lucifer began hiking up his robes. The only seat in the room was the throne, currently occupied.
Judas waited until he had them pulled up almost past his thighs to say anything. Lord Satan's invitations were difficult to ignore, but Judas forced himself to focus. "Wouldn't you rather discuss business first and get it out of the way?"
"Oh, I guess so." Never taking his eyes off Judas, Lucifer straightened in his seat. "You two, leave us."
"Yes, Your Unholiness," the Popes replied before vanishing.
Only when they were gone did Judas approach the throne. "I despise them," he muttered.
"I'm sure the feeling's mutual. Serving not only me, but also the man who betrayed Christ."
Frowning, Judas looked away. The damned, who he should have been among, despised him almost as much as the demons. They had not taken kindly to the fact that Lord Satan had turned the traitorous Judas into one of them. That after falling in love with the human sinner. And the demons had had no problem demonstrating just how much they disliked him. His gray wings, the sign of his status as a former damned soul, still bore the marks of their hatred. They were full of tears and holes left by the wicked claws of his peers.
Of course, he had been too prideful to say anything, but it had been quite obvious what was happening to him. The only thing that had stopped the harassment had been Lucifer's intervention. It had amazed Judas to see that his punishments for his children were just as harsh as those for the sinners.
"You're daydreaming. Now, what was it that was so important you felt the need to interrupt me?" His tone was cold, but Judas knew well that Lucifer really didn't mind. At least as long as he was the one that had disturbed him.
"You were looking for work for Ryka and Kyle, yes?"
"And you found something?"
He may not have been born a demon, but Judas had quickly learned to act like one. Wearing a malicious grin, he answered, "Oh, yes."
"You've piqued my interest. Why don't you come a little closer and tell me all about it."
"Of course, my Lord."
Kyle and Ryka looked back and forth between each other and Lucifer a great many times before either of them was able to form a coherent response. "Earth?" Ryka finally managed.
Smiling, Lucifer nodded. Judas stood beside the Devil's throne, his face expressionless. It had been his job to find a suitable task for Ryka and Kyle to complete together, and he had found something surprisingly quickly. Now, it bothered him a little that Kyle, at least, would be leaving Hell for a while. Having been a damned soul himself, Kyle was the only other demon who didn't look down on him, and Judas was sorry to have to lose his company so soon. Not that it would be for long.
"Yes, Earth. I'm so glad you were listening to me. Now, one of the Hell hounds …."
His first trip back to the mortal world, after what had turned out to be forty years in Hell, had been a shock for Kyle. The changes that had been happening around him while he was alive had never seemed drastic. But now it seemed a lot had changed in a very small amount of time.
"It will be different," Lucifer had warned, "but compared to Judas, you've only just left. And you and Ryka spent so long on Earth; you'll fit in much better than anyone else. Trust me." When Lord Satan had said those last words, Kyle had found it difficult to believe them. A century and a half's worth of experience had proven them true, however, and now Kyle could look back on past trips back to the mortal realm and wonder what he had been so nervous about.
Of course, as soon as he started to feel that way, Lucifer made sure to make things more difficult.
Trench coat flaring out behind him, Kyle stormed back to the hotel. Carefully avoiding bumping into other pedestrians, he checked his watch again. A low growl rumbled in his chest. Only ten minutes until the scheduled meeting time and Ryka had yet to make an appearance. And he had promised to show up at least twenty minutes early.
For being nearly eight hundred years old, Ryka still behaved like a young demon. He was irresponsible and acted only on impulse. Though, Kyle realized, he did his fair share of enabling. He had always been weak to Ryka's demands, even when they had shared the same body. And now that Ryka could accompany his requests with a pleading look, there was no way Kyle could deny him anything. And so he, a demon not even two hundred years old, catered to his partner's every whim.
The people at the hotel's front desk shot him a nervous glance as he hurried by, grumbling under his breath. He had just enough power to maintain a human disguise, but he found it increasingly difficult to act like a mortal, even though he had once been one. Most people, he had discovered, found it obvious that there was something not quite right about him.
Kyle didn't mind, not anymore. The first few times he and Ryka had been sent to work in the mortal world, it had upset him that he no longer fit in as he once had. Then he remembered that most of the time he had been human, he'd been Ryka's host and people had avoided him then, too. Besides, as long as he had Ryka, he didn't much care what anyone else thought.
Love him though he did, Kyle was still furious. How hard was it to show up on time? Especially when Ryka knew how nervous Kyle was about this particular assignment. This wasn't just checking up on another Hell hound, or getting a head start on torturing a few damned souls. This involved Heaven.
Temper growing the closer he got to their room, Kyle's growl was quite audible by the time he finally burst through the door. "Where the fuck have you been?" he snarled.
In his true demonic form, and nothing else, Ryka was leaning back against the headboard. He held a beer in one hand, and held himself even more tightly in the other. "Good timing," he greeted.
Livid, Kyle slammed the door closed behind him and stalked across the room. "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like?"
"But … I … is this the errand you had to run? You were supposed to meet me …."
"I've still got an hour," Ryka casually replied. "Well, we've got an hour. Get over here."
"We don't have an hour!"
Trying not to laugh, Ryka said, "Isn't your watch broken? It's always an hour fast, right?"
If he could have, Kyle would have curled up and died. Making this mistake once was bad enough, but this was at least the fourth time he'd done the same thing. "Sorry."
"It's okay. I know you can't get rid of it."
Like the pair of glasses that Lucifer now often wore perched on his head, the watch had preceded him to Hell. It was one of the first things he had bought with the money Ryka had won for him, but the shadow had accidentally devoured it. But a trip to the immortal world had forever impaired its ability to properly tell time. No matter how many times he reset it, it always ended up an hour ahead.
"Well …" Kyle trailed off, blushing.
"You're cute. Now come here and sit on-"
"Don't talk."
Kyle shed his clothes, and the illusion that made him look human. His trench coat, a shabby dark gray, opened into a set of leathery wings, and his tail and horns become visible once more. "You promise you won't talk, right?"
Ryka nodded.
Really, Kyle was just as spoiled as Ryka. He just would never admit it.
An afternoon romp in bed hadn't done much to dispel Kyle's worries about their rapidly approaching rendezvous with two of Heaven's messengers. "Why are you so worked up?" Ryka inquired as they strolled out of the hotel lobby and onto crowded streets. Before Kyle could answer, Ryka continued, "Oh, you've never seen an angel, have you?"
"Well, I mean, Lord Satan, but …."
"Yeah, he doesn't really count."
"Right. But then what are they like?"
A lascivious grin on his face, Ryka said, "Maybe you should've brought a change of underwear."
"Really. Mortals can't see it, but they look to us like an incubus or succubus looks to a human." That, Kyle knew, meant attractive beyond words. "Which is why they'd rather meet here than come to Hell themselves. Here, there's only two of us to harass them."
They walked on in silence for a few minutes. "Besides looks, what are they like?" Kyle asked when the crowd thinned a little.
"Are you worried? They're angels. They're not gonna kick our asses in an alley or something. Besides, we've always got a way out."
Out of habit, Kyle looked down at his feet, where a pseudo-demon did a rather convincing impression of his shadow. Since he wasn't as powerful as Ryka, the portal to Hell that had accompanied Ryka for nearly two centuries had been attached to him, just in case. "Right. And I didn't think they'd do anything like that."
"They're just … cold. Heaven's boring. The reward for not sinning is to never want again, and the angels are a lot like the saved. They have no desires. They're all just friends," he scoffed.
"No sex? Bummer. I'm glad I went to Hell."
"You and me both, stud."
In all the years he had been Ryka's host, Kyle never could have imagined things would turn out the way they had. For being such a good host, he had been saved from eternal damnation by being turned into a demon. Now he was able to spend his eternity together with Ryka. Not that it was all fun and games. Having been a human himself, and much more recently than Judas, he and Ryka were often sent back to the mortal world to run errands for the Devil.
Usually, they checked in on the thirteen Hell Hounds or nine Reapers that patrolled the realm, or tracked down sinners who couldn't seem to wait to get their punishments under way. This was the first time they'd been asked to do something as important as make an exchange with angels. Kyle wasn't sure if he was more worried about the meeting itself, or about Ryka's behavior.
"How do souls end up in the wrong place, anyhow?" Kyle asked. They were supposed to be sending a mistakenly saved soul to Hell, and making sure one of the former damned reached his place in Heaven.
"There's a really fine line between sinner and saved. And sometimes it's hard to tell which way the scale is tipping, it's so close. But once the soul gets to wherever, it's more obvious. If a soul ends up in Hell and it shouldn't be there, it's like it never really feels fear or pain. And a damned soul in Heaven is paranoid, always waiting for its punishment to begin."
He stopped talking again when the restaurant they were meeting at came into view. It seemed a mundane place for such a meeting, but Kyle and Ryka had been told many times by Lucifer not to stand out too much. And if they listened to no one else, they listened to Lucifer.
"We can't do the actual exchange here, so we should invite them back to our room," Ryka whispered.
Kyle was about to scold him, but his words caught in his throat. Seated primly in the restaurant's waiting area were the two most beautiful creatures, aside from Lucifer, that Kyle had ever set his eyes on. They both seemed to glow with a radiant white light, and Kyle knew right away that was what a real halo looked like. A man and a woman, both with silvery hair and pale blue eyes, looked back at him. But he was too busy trying to remember to breathe to notice their reaction to him.
"Told ya, didn't I?" Ryka said, giving Kyle a shove toward the angels. They stood as one, and inclined their heads slightly toward the pair of demons advancing toward them. "Maybe we should hurry up and get a table before you get any more excited than you already are."
"You're one to talk," Kyle spit back.
If the angels heard their discussion, they ignored it. The woman, wearing a smile that made Kyle's heart pound against his rib cage, stopped right in front of him. "I'm Muribelle, and this is Quinn."
"Uh, hi," he managed. "I'm Kyle. And that's Ryka. Let's sit. Please."
Muribelle laughed, a sound like the chiming of a hundred tiny bells, and agreed. She and Quinn, who had yet to speak, led the way, and Kyle hung back a little with Ryka. "So, what exactly are we supposed to do?" he asked.
"Just meet for now. We'll work out the details and do the actual exchange later."
"This seems really shady."
"That's how it always goes, I guess."
They arrived at their table before Kyle had a chance to inquire further about the details of the transaction. Not until they had ordered their drinks and meals did Quinn finally speak. "You were a human," he said, staring at Kyle.
Kyle wasn't sure exactly how to take the angel's sudden remark. He had been a demon long enough to develop a dangerously short temper, and his first instinct was to think of the statement as some sort of insult. But he noticed Muribelle staring at him in fascination, and realized they were more intrigued than anything else. "I was."
"It's very rare for mortals to be given immortal bodies like that. You must have done something quite incredible to please Lucifer," Muribelle said.
Unable to stop himself, Ryka burst out laughing. Kyle shook his head, but couldn't stop himself from smirking just a little. "Don't even say it," he mumbled. He was quite sure the angels didn't want to hear that pleasing Lucifer was Judas's job.
Somehow, Ryka pulled himself together long enough to ask about their actual mission. This seemed to be Quinn's area of expertise, and he promptly replied, "We'll meet again tomorrow at eleven p.m., in that park across the street." Ryka and Kyle both glanced over their shoulders to the spot Quinn motioned toward. Even during the day, the park looked deserted. Kyle hoped that it would be the same at night, so they could at least temporarily do away with their disguises.
"If nothing has changed by tomorrow's meeting, we can complete the transaction the following day."
"Nothing's changed?" Kyle inquired. "What would change?"
"Like if more of you were to show up, or one of us had to return to Heaven because of an emergency."
"Funny that you're suggesting we might gang up on you," Ryka interjected, a low rumbling behind his words.
Beautiful as he was, Quinn still looked quite intimidating when he was angry. It became quite obvious to Kyle that although he was an angel, he did possess one desire – to have as little to do with Hell as possible. "I never meant to suggest such a thing. Of course, one of you could be called away as well."
"We do both hope to see you again tomorrow." Kyle also understood Muribelle's purpose. She was obviously a young angel, and inexperienced, but seemed quite good at keeping Quinn focused, and making up for his cold attitude. Kyle supposed he served a similar function, keeping Ryka from completely losing his temper.
"Uh, yeah, us too." Ryka didn't appear to agree with Kyle's reassurance, but said nothing. In fact, both he and Quinn kept to themselves for the entire duration of the meal, leaving Kyle and Muribelle to struggle through some awkward small talk. Aside from immortality, it turned out angels and demons didn't have all that much in common.
As far as Kyle was concerned, they didn't make it through their meeting fast enough. He practically dragged Ryka back to their hotel. "You horny or something?" Ryka asked, grinning.
"Not really." Still, he quickly did away with all illusions and clothing once they were back in their room. Pretending to be something he no longer was had quickly become physically uncomfortable. "Well …."
"Give me a sec. These fucking boots-" Ryka's tirade against his footwear was cut short by the sudden appearance on the wall of a swirling black vortex. "Ah, shit."
He would never have said it out loud, but Kyle was thinking the same thing. They only knew one creature capable of opening such a portal at will. "I'm not interrupting, am I?" Lucifer said by way of greeting as he stepped into the mortal world. More surprising than his sudden visit was the fact that he wasn't alone.
Clinging to him, with claws tearing into Lucifer's usually perfect robes, was an imp. And Kyle didn't need to see the young demon's face to know who it was. "Jinx."
Huge eyes brimming with tears, the imp leapt into Kyle's open arms. "He's been a wreck without you, Kyle."
"He's not staying," Ryka asserted, before either of them could suggest otherwise. Babysitting the youngest demons was part of Kyle's job when they were in Hell. And they easily took up most of his time. It was the trips they took to the mortal world that allowed them time alone together.
"Just the night," Lord Satan told him. Ryka wanted to argue, but knew better. "I'm sure he'll sleep the whole time, and you know what a sound sleeper he is. It'll be like he's not even here."
Neither Kyle nor Ryka had a chance to ask when exactly he was coming back to retrieve Jinx before Lucifer walked back through the portal, which closed behind him. "He's not sleeping in the bed with us."
"I didn't say he was. Go ask the front desk for a cot or something. And get him some clothes, too, if you can."
Grumbling the whole way, Ryka did as Kyle asked. When he returned to the room, cot and shopping bag in hand, Jinx was standing on the bed, wings open so Kyle could examine them. Although he found the bratty imp almost unbearably annoying, it still wasn't easy to look at what the other demons had done to him.
Only twenty years old and the size of a four-year-old human boy, and without any power to speak of, Jinx was an easy target for his peers. He was a full-blooded demon, created by Satan just as they had been, but they treated him worse than even Judas had been treated. Tears and holes made his wings nearly unusable, and his tiny body was covered with scars. He didn't have the strength needed to diminish them, and even so, wounds inflicted by other immortals were nearly always permanent to some degree.
"Why don't you fight back?" Jinx didn't answer Ryka's question, but Ryka wasn't too offended. The only one he ever spoke to was Kyle, and even then he didn't say much. "You know, stud, you're quite the pushover."
Kyle smiled and brushed a lock of Jinx's dark, tightly curled hair out of his face. The imp snuggled against his chest, purring quietly. "I know. But he looks so much like you did the first time we met. I can't help it."
"Kid, hurry up and go to bed. I'm going to do unspeakable things to your beloved Kyle."
As promised, Jinx slept peacefully the entire night. Kyle was sure the entire building crashing down around him wouldn't have been enough to rouse the little demon. With some embarrassment, he realized that that's probably exactly what it had sounded like the night before. Though of course even the youngest demons understood those things.
"He still asleep?" Ryka asked with a yawn, finally stirring awake next to him.
"Looks like it. Hey, Jinx?" There was no answer. "Yup. Smoke?"
They finished their cigarettes in silence, watching Jinx sleep. Quietly, Kyle said, "I don't understand why he doesn't fight back. He's too nice."
"Funny thing for you to be saying."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't think I've seen you get really pissed off even once since we got our own bodies back. Maybe if Jinx saw you lose your temper, he'd realize it was okay for him to do the same."
Kyle didn't know what to say to that. As usual, Ryka made a valid point. Jinx was always with him, and what kind of example was he setting?
"Don't beat yourself up over it. He'll figure it out eventually."
Too late, Kyle thought. The guilt got to him enough that he convinced Ryka to stay with him and Jinx the entire day. Once an hour, they ordered room service, always insisting a different person deliver it. A fresh victim each time made for a more satisfying meal, at least Kyle and Ryka thought so. But Jinx just watched blankly as one person after another fled the room, most in tears. All Kyle could hope was that he was at least absorbing some of their negative energy. They had no way of telling, since he refused to try and start a fire, even after Ryka repeatedly assured him no one would mind if the hotel burned down.
So preoccupied were they with caring for Jinx that they nearly forgot about their upcoming meeting with the angels. "I have the feeling Lord Satan's not coming back for him," Ryka growled. "Asshole."
"They'll be pissed if we bring him, though, right?"
"Yeah. And then we'll just proving that Quinn bastard right."
But if the angels knew about Jinx's arrival, they never mentioned it. The four met only long enough to set up a meeting for the same time and place for the following night. For that, Kyle was glad. He wasn't comfortable leaving Jinx alone.
So it wasn't easy for Ryka to convince him to leave Jinx again the following evening so they could out to eat before their final meeting with Quinn and Muribelle. With time to spare before the exchange, they headed back to the hotel bar. "I'm going to go up and make sure he's still sleeping," Kyle said, unable to stop himself from worrying. The unusual pace of time in the mortal world seemed to have exhausted Jinx, and they hadn't even been able to wake him long enough to let him know they were going out. "Order me something good, okay?"
"Sure thing."
Kyle left Ryka alone at the bar, something else that made him a little nervous, and started for their room. He stepped up to the door, listening for any sign that Jinx might finally be awake. But he heard nothing. "Come on, sleepyhead, time to get up," he announced, stepping into the room. There was no reply, and it didn't take any searching for him to realize why. Jinx was gone.
"Fucking brat. Now I know why Lord Satan dumped him on us." When Kyle had told Ryka that Jinx was missing, the older demon hadn't seemed surprised. "He probably went looking for you."
That had led them to investigate the park where they would shortly be completing their transaction with the angels. The thought that Jinx might reach them before he and Ryka did was almost as upsetting as the thought of the astoundingly defenseless little imp all alone in a crowded city.
Their hunt didn't take long. The smell of Jinx's fear brought them to a dark corner of the park. In a rare show of reason, Ryka suggested they check the situation out first before interfering. From behind a row of unkempt shrubs, Kyle and Ryka watched to see if Jinx would finally stick up for himself.
Since he didn't have much power to speak of, Jinx hadn't been able to disguise himself in any way, and therefore stood out quite obviously. Kyle imagined that it hadn't taken him long to attract the crowd of twenty or so people that now had him surrounded. He growled as they closed in on him, but the sound was far from threatening.
Murmurs of "What is he?" and "Who could we sell him to?" were easily audible to Kyle, and he felt an angry rumbling start to reverberate in his chest. But Ryka held him back, frustrating Kyle even more.
"Wait and see what he does. I think he's getting pissed."
Given that this was Jinx they were talking about, Kyle didn't know what he had been expecting. The group had moved in a little closer, and a few brave individuals had reached out to grab the imp. Then the red light of demon fire had lit up the scene, and most of the mob backed away.
But regardless of the flames that now engulfed Jinx's arms and wings, some of his would-be kidnappers refused to give up. He was just too good of a prize. Flinching away from the fire, two men managed to grab his arms and force him to the ground. In his panic, he lost control of his power, and the flames went out.
And then Kyle watched with growing rage as the crowd moved back in. Two people held down each limb, and two stood on each of his wings, keeping him completely immobilized. Even in the dim light, Kyle could see the tears streaming down Jinx's cheeks, and it sickened him to see the imp struggling in vain against his captors. To have mere mortals so easily overpower him was obviously just too much for the little demon.
When one of the people stepped on his tail, and Jinx let out a high-pitched shriek, Kyle felt his entire body go rigid. Something in him snapped. With a roar that echoed on and on through the night, Kyle burst into the clearing, eyes blazing and claws at the ready. "Cowards!" he shouted, grabbing the first person that tried to run by him and easily snapping his neck.
Their hate and greed now turned to terror, the mob scrambled to avoid Kyle, but he was far too quick and far too angry to let any of them escape unscathed. And those that did manage to escape with their lives didn't make it too far. Ryka waited a little way down the path, eager to deal a final, fatal blow to any who dared think they deserved to live after tormenting one of his kind. Being able to eviscerate the half dozen mortals that came his way more than made up for having to babysit Jinx.
When no one else tried to pass him, and the sounds of the massacre in the clearing seemed to have stopped, Ryka started back toward Kyle. He found his partner on his knees in the middle of a pile of corpses, panting. Jinx was crawling toward him, looking at once astonished and relieved. "Kyle!" he cried.
After taking a few deep breaths, Kyle pulled Jinx into his arms. His growl quickly subsided to a purr as Jinx snuggled close. Smiling, Ryka sat down next to them, opening his wings to shield them from view, should anyone dare to follow the trail of gore back to its origin.
Looking suddenly exhausted, Kyle leaned into him. "Shit."
"Fun, huh?"
"It felt so good," Kyle admitted. It shamed him a little to say it, but the truth was undeniable. The elation he had experienced tearing into human flesh had been incredible. And although he was not only surrounded by blood but covered it, he didn't feel sick at all. Quite the opposite, actually.
"Almost as good as sex, right?" Ryka teased, taking Jinx from Kyle's arms and setting him down. Kyle squirmed and made some noise that sounded like an affirmative. He dropped his gaze to the ground, but out of the corner of his eye, saw Ryka gently pushing Jinx toward the shelter of some nearby trees. He felt bad, but he was uncomfortable. Finally, he understood why Ryka had always been so predisposed to violence. "Need a hand?"
Embarrassed, Kyle shrugged.
"You're covered in entrails, but you're still more worried about getting caught fucking in a public place? Really, stud, lighten up."
This time, Kyle's response was a loud hiss. But Ryka wasn't deterred.
"Kyle, that was the sexiest thing I've ever seen. And you know, if you're still pissed, I'm more than happy to let you take it out on me."
If he hadn't already been close to succumbing to Ryka's will, hearing the demon use his name easily made up his mind. Ryka still rarely used it, and paired with the lusty grin he now wore, Kyle had no choice but to give in. Briefly, he recalled that they still had to meet with Muribelle and Quinn. But as he watched Ryka strip off his red-stained jeans and then flatten his wings in a show of submission, the only thought that could be spared for the duo from Heaven was: Angels be damned.
With his desire at least temporarily satisfied and Jinx once again safely in his care, Kyle walked with Ryka to the place where they were meeting the angels. As the pair came into view, Kyle slowed his pace, allowing himself to fall a few steps behind Ryka. Not that it did anything to stop Quinn and Muribelle from immediately noticing Jinx, who had one of Kyle's hands enclosed tightly in both of his.
Muribelle didn't seem too bothered by the imp's presence, but Kyle couldn't help but notice how upset Quinn had become. "What is that?" the angel asked, in no way hiding his annoyance.
Since Quinn didn't bother to mask his emotions, Kyle thought it best not to hide his, either. Reaching deep within himself, and thinking about how much he wouldn't mind seeing Quinn burn along with Jinx's attackers, Kyle growled. The sound worked its way up from the ground beneath his feet, and his fury amplified it into something truly unholy.
"You might consider choosing your words more carefully," Ryka suggested, looking smug. It made him proud to see Kyle finally acting like a real demon, and he thought again that maybe getting stuck with Jinx hadn't been such a bad thing.
"Let's just get this over with so we can go home," Kyle said through clenched teeth.
But as powerless as Jinx was, he was still demon enough that Quinn refused. "This is the kind of change I mentioned the other day. He has to go."
"I'm not leaving him alone!" Kyle roared. "Look what they did to him." As gently as he could, he opened up one of Jinx's wings. Shoe prints were still clearly visible against the black membrane.
Muribelle looked concerned, and Kyle was sure she was about to try to convince Quinn to just go on with the plan, but Quinn spoke before she could even get a word out. "Terrible as it may be, this still voids our deal. Sorry." Then, much more quietly, as if he thought Kyle might not hear, continued, "And I expected so much more from him, having been a human once."
Somehow, Kyle controlled himself. His claws were digging deep trenches in his own palms, and his blood spattered like hot oil as it hit cold pavement. But although he kept a lid on his anger, Jinx had apparently had enough.
This time, his growl was much louder and much deeper. He left Kyle's side and stalked toward the angels, stopping next to Ryka. But what might have appeared at least somewhat intimidating to mortals had no such effect on the angels. Quinn looked more than a little annoyed, and Muribelle actually smiled. Kyle was about to start telling her off when she spoke. "You know, he looks just like you."
"Who?" Ryka and Kyle asked in unison, sounding equally baffled.
"Both of you," Muribelle answered with a giggle.
The two demons looked at each, down at Jinx, then at each other once more. "Could he really be …?" Kyle started, his anger now completely forgotten.
"You'd be amazed what he can do. And that explains why Jinx is such a wimp."
"Fuck you."
"No. What I want is to finish this bullshit job so we can get out of here. And I'm not leaving Jinx alone, so you better just suck it up and do what you have to do," Kyle said, glaring at Quinn.
Muribelle shot her partner a pleading look, and Quinn finally gave in. "Fine."
Just as Kyle's shadow reared up behind him, mouth open and flames licking its jaws, Quinn's halo expanded in a burst of white light. For all the time and effort they'd put into setting this up, Kyle thought the exchange itself was a little anticlimactic. The two souls darted by each other before finding their appropriate homes, with no help from either angels or demons. It seemed their only purpose had been to bring the gates to the immortal worlds.
"You're kidding me," Kyle said. Quinn's halo was already back to a subtle glow, and he could feel his shadow settling back to a reasonable size. "That was it?"
"Yup," Ryka answered, picking up Jinx and starting toward the hotel.
"Sorry. At least it's over with, right?"
"Yeah. I need a drink."
"Me, too. What about you, Jinx?"
There was no answer, and when Ryka checked, he found that the imp was already fast asleep.
None of the three demons noticed when the portal appeared on the wall. They had long ago fallen asleep, with Jinx nestled against Kyle's side, and one of Ryka's wings covering them both.
"Mission accomplished, hm?" Lucifer said quietly. With a start, Jinx awoke and looked up him, the sleep not entirely gone from his eyes. "Poor little thing. Don't worry, those mean people are all waiting to see you again. Want to come play?"
Nodding slowly, Jinx extricated himself from Kyle's embrace and slipped onto the floor, landing noiselessly next to the bed. He reached out a hand, and Lucifer took it. "I made fire this time," the imp told him, wearing a proud smile.
"I saw. That's even better than Kyle's done so far."
"But he's stronger," Jinx asserted, offended that Lord Satan was implying that something was wrong with Kyle.
"He is. You'll be strong one day, too. Now go on, Judas is waiting for you." Maybe because Kyle was so sympathetic towards him, Jinx also thought fondly of Judas. Without another look back, he stepped through the portal.
Lucifer lingered for a moment, fixing his gaze on Ryka long enough to wake him. "What?"
"Tell Kyle I took him home, so he doesn't worry."
"What about us?"
"I'll be back tomorrow."
"That's what you said about Jinx, and that was two fucking days ago."
"Oh, was it? Hm. Well, enjoy."
Before Ryka could reply, Lucifer was gone, and the portal was closing up. Next to him, Kyle slowly opened his eyes. "Something happen?" he ask, not yet noticing that Jinx was gone.
"Jinx finally got picked up. And he'll be back for us tomorrow."
"Isn't that what-?"
"Oh." For a moment, Kyle considered going back to sleep. At least until he felt Ryka's hand sliding down his back. "So, it could be a few days, then?"
"I like that."
"Me, too, stud."