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2017 Competition Winners
2017 Winning Entries
First Prize, Best Short Story
By Hew Jones
All day he spent alone in the cell, fermenting in a haze of frustration and despair. No breeze blew through the slits they called windows and the view outside was bracketed by the cold reality of the bars. Even the Complete Works of Shakespeare could offer no escape; the fictional worlds created through words soon dissolved to sand. He could only feel the pain of losing the past, knowing what was would never… ever come again. He had lived a life which was the epitome of Freedom; traveling the world, experiencing things of awe and rapture, knowing no boundaries but the ever-changing horizon. Now all that was gone. It was no longer a reality but a shadow in the mind – a mere memory that would always reach out to touch him, but which was in itself untouchable.
It was true what they said: you really don't know what you have until it's gone; the value of something is only truly known in its absence. Why did he have to learn this the hard way?
The Judge was not to blame. Nor was the Jury. No, the man where all his blame and anger lay stood in the cell – he just had to look into the mirror. The smudgy plastic-glass was an emblem of self-loathing. But there was something else in the background, a presence that hovered malign. It was a black smudge on the blotchy reflection, moving in a zigzag path that defied sense or meaning. In shock and confusion he turned around, glimpsing a yellow-black striped fly – the archetypal colours of the Wasp Nation. It instantly cast a wave of revulsion and fear into his thoughts and there was good reason for this…
One of his earliest memories was sitting on a patch of grass playing with a toy elephant; it must have been when he was very young, as crawling came easier than walking. The experience was vivid; he had felt a sudden flash of stabbing pain centered on his palm and remembered watching in surprise as a yellow-black thing, which seemed huge, took a spiraling path into the sky. He must have screamed the park empty after that!
Since that first wasp sting he had several more, usually on the beach. Wasps seemed to be attracted to him; always home in on his skin, picking him out from a crowd. For many years, the mere sight of one sent him running. If one was in the same room, he could not return until it had left. Many times he had sprinted over fields, up hills and into the sea, just to escape an encounter from the yellow-black 'devil insect'.
The wasp in the cell behaved exactly as he expected. It advanced straight towards him, like a razor blade wielded by some sadistic enemy. Quickly he backed away and reached for a spray bottle – creating a wall of water droplets that stopped the wasp in its advance. He did not relent in casting down a net of spray, which sent the wasp in a chaotic descent to the floor. The weight of the water clung to its glistening body as its wings beat an angry drumming rhythm on the floor. With only the briefest hesitation, he brought a newspaper crashing down on the would-be stinger. Spot on target.
He was pleased to see the impact had killed the insect out-right, rather than see it twitching in the last stages of death. In recent years, he had learnt a maturity that almost eroded this irrational phobia of wasps. Many times he had even gone out of his way not to kill them; choosing instead to trap them in glasses and then release them outside. Unfortunately, on one of these occasions he remembered the ungrateful creature came back to sting him, whilst many others had tried. Even as a child, he had once saved a wasp from drowning in a puddle, thinking such an act of 'altruism' would result in a 'truce' from the Wasp Nation. But they declared their warlike intentions by sending their saved warrior back to sting him.
Now he was alone and back to the predicament he started with. In prison, the minutes become seconds and the days become weeks; it was like becoming caught in a temporal vortex where everything passes so slowly, so predictably. Monday was Tuesday. Tuesday was Wednesday… and so forth. A day was distinguished by what happened, which generally wasn't much. Enforced confinement can lead down two roads – one can stagnate like a swamp or burn like a forest fire. Today he was burning. By the time it reached mid-afternoon, he felt like smashing his fists into the wall or shoulder barging the metal door. A restlessness rose up within, further building on his resentment against the system and all who worked for it.
As if to herald a penultimate explosion, the second visitor arrived. This time it was the sound that betrayed it; an angry, inflamed buzzing that declared which species it belonged to. This wasp was hovering around the pillow on the bed against the wall. He reached for the spray bottle behind the chair and turned round to find… the wasp was gone!
He nudged at the pillow, but even this did not arouse the hidden insect's wrath. He tentatively lifted it and flung it aside, but the wasp was not there. The creature was not under the sheets, the bed, on the floor, the walls, in his shoes, on the ceiling… it had vanished. He was certain the wasp could not have exited via the window; how could it, at a seconds notice? These things were not like bullets, which proceeded in a straight line from A to B; unless, of course, they were in an attack dive.
He remembered how this same situation had happened years before. A wasp had entered his room, then suddenly vanished when he turned away to get a glass to trap it. He thought it had left, but in the early hours of the next morning he awoke to a silky, spidery sensation on his left cheek. A light brush brought a nightmarish horror to life – it was the wasp. Incredibly he managed to avoid its sting back then, but there were several near misses where it dive-bombed the sheets and chased him as he leapt up and ran out the room. They were crafty, patient and relentless creatures.
So he placed the chair against the locked door, with the spray can ready in one hand, and waited. 'I know you're here somewhere', he said to the invisible companion, 'I'll get you eventually`. But soon he had to return to Shakespeare, trying not to lose vigilance for his surroundings as he plunged back into another past. For hours he read and waited.
There was no buzzing, no dark-zigzagging blob of wrathful yellow and black. A man of logic and reason would reach the conclusion that the wasp had left, taking an approach akin to Occam's Razor; that 'when you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth'. But something deep inside him, a remnant of that primal instinct we humans never quite lose, told him the wasp was still in the cell. It was ready. It was waiting. It wanted vengeance. Maybe the insect he killed earlier was a close relative. Maybe one of them was a Queen (they certainly both looked big enough) and the new arrival had come to punish his High Treason. In either case, the thing was smart.
'The Watch' may have gone on much longer, if not for the lyrics of a song playing somewhere in an adjacent cell. 'No one knows what its like', they went, 'to be the bad man… to be the sad man'. The words captured his attention like a lighthouse beacon on a stormy night. For a moment he came close to some revelation; a wide-reaching Truth that explained so much, and yet said so little.
No one knows what its like to be… the criminal, the suicide, the madman – the wasp. No-one took the time to really understand wasps, did they? Everyone despised them or ignored them at best. They were little miniature threats buzzing around, beyond any control or predictability. That was everything society hated. But really, what were wasps but living creatures, with their own life and a purpose that went beyond human understanding? Remove the sting from a wasp and you get a colorful fly – suddenly all the hatred and fear towards these creatures evaporates.
He realized then that it didn't matter if he got stung. He wouldn't be particularly bothered even if one of his fingers was snipped off. Sure, it would hurt as hell, but the pain would not be half as much as the pain of imprisonment – being cut off from all he lived for.
That night he slept in no fear of the wasp. When he saw it the next morning, he felt only surprise – and watched with a smile as it did a few circuits round the walls and flew out the window. He found himself actually wanting it to return, for now he was more alone without it.
Second Prize, Best Short Story
The Bloody Pyramid
By Natalie Cooke
Monday. The infuriating sun had chosen to take up its throne after a lazy weekend absence. The office was hot, stifling. Angry drivers blasted their horns in the traffic outside. I had just received an important call that had implications for one of the biggest deals the firm was undertaking. Two giant corporations were fighting over the corpse of a bankrupt retailer and we were supposed to be the intermediary… the arbiter, more like. My colleagues sweated and itched – not just because of the heat. Shirts were like armour, solidified by the pressures within. No-one dared to loosen their ties or bring back iced soft drinks from lunch. To do so would be risking the wrath of the building's resident tyrant – the veritable King among sadists.
Some said he was in his fifties, others in his forties. With ink-black hair that never gave a hint of white, it was hard to tell. There were just enough wrinkles in his face to confound the estimates. Hard eyes gazed in perpetual condemnation between a thin, pointy nose. He was big, but not fat. Imposing, but not tall. His hands were bare of any rings or jewellery, although a secretary once claimed he wore a ring. There was only one thing for certain about him: he had the final say. As CEO of Dynamix Solutions, he had the power to hire and fire; the ability to direct all operations – and the ruthlessness of Mussolini. In my three years of working at the firm, I had never once heard a kind word spoken about him. Yet he maintained a loose network of minions who acted as informers and mobile surveillance units. Say something 'out of line' in the cafeteria and he'd know about it. Dare to be lax in the dress code and he'd soon appear over your shoulder – a shadowless figure under the strips of luminescent lights. The skill – or magic – to move like a panther at night was something he used with devastating affect.
It was after concluding the phone call when I was called into his office. The secretary who informed me of this was a petite blonde called Lucy, who I had dated a few months ago. I asked her what the CEO wanted to see me about, but she didn't know. He was always calling people into his office, for one reason or another – usually to criticise or slave-drive them towards more 'outcomes', which was his term for performance. I walked up to the frosted-glass door, with his name centred in the middle and etched in bold black letters:-
E. Alworth, CEO.
I knocked politely and waited for the well-known gravelly voice to respond. Sometimes he did, sometimes he didn't – in both cases, you were meant to enter. Those who waited too long outside after knocking could risk coming face to face with him on the threshold. That was never a good… 'outcome'. But if you went in too quickly, you risked interrupting him. So it was really a no-win situation. Consequently, I knocked three times, waited three seconds (taking three deep breaths) and entered.
'Ah, Crosberg,' the man himself said, 'take a seat.'
Sitting behind a long metallic desk, his silhouette was framed by a large window. A low, straight-backed chair was positioned before him. The only other furniture was a filing cabinet and wardrobe at opposite sides of the room. There were no pictures hanging on the walls, only an array of certificates and awards – all proclaiming his achievements. On the desk was a computer and two folders, along with a few stationary items. There was also the pyramid. Nobody failed to notice that damned thing.
Sitting down in the dreaded chair, I found my eyes drawn, once again, to the pyramid's sparkling apex. It was only about five inches high, but because of its position in the centre of the desk it demanded attention. The sides appeared to be made of gold, with a precious stone – quite possibly a diamond – set into the top. This was the paperweight of an emperor or sultan, not the CEO of a middling financial firm. But in this era business was the empire that drove the world… and CEOs were its kings.
He looked down at me and I refocused my attention to his probing eyes.
'Is there a problem, Mr Alworth?'
I had to say something. Any attempt at small talk would be regarded as wasting time. To ignore the disapproving look in his eyes would be akin to walking straight into the path of a bus – a double-decker, at that. My thoughts immediately went to what work I had done recently. Phone calls, estimates, reports, database compiling….
Unable to find any fault in that, I waited for him to respond.
Tick, tock, tick, tock… I almost glanced around to see where the clock was.
Finally, Alworth broke into my anxiety. 'It's never been easy to tell valued employees like yourself,' he began.
Immediately my heart sank. No, to be exact, it was like being punched in the face. Or hit by that bus. After all I had done, all the work I put in, this bastard was firing me! Of course, he never used that word. 'Redundant' was the term he used. Too many costs, not enough fees, escalating tax, the firm had to cut back. Blah, blah, blah…
I had never heard him talk so much. But after the first sentence, his words passed over me like smouldering leaves on an Autumnal breeze. I must have sat there too long in silence because he looked at me with a worried expression.
I could almost see a dim outline of genuine concern in his hard, hazel eyes as he asked 'Are you alright?'
A pin was pushed through me. Like a balloon, I suddenly relinquished all the hoarded anger, bitterness and frustration that had been building for so long.
'Am I alright?' I shouted.
'You fat, greedy bastard! You think I don't know how much you get paid each year. How about giving me some of that cushy bonus you got last month? I've worked my guts out for you and this firm and all I get is pay cuts… and now this!'
I suddenly realised I was standing up, my hands on the desk, spraying spittle into his face. His expression had changed to something I found hard to register: fear.
But even that did not cool my burning anger. A flash of light drew my eyes down, back to the glittering pyramid, which seemed to grin back at me like a mocking symbol of inanimate value. I reached out and grabbed it, feeling the heavy weight in my right hand – cold, like a wedge of glacial ice.
Then I threw it at the window.
For a moment time seemed to be suspended, caught in the snares of a phantom giant. But with the sound of smashing glass, it crashed back down with frightful momentum. A rush of air funnelled through the room, reuniting me with reason.
I blinked.
Mr Alworth was still in his chair. His eyes were open, staring right at me in fixed coldness. Breathing death.
'Mr Alworth, Sir?'
He still sat there motionless.
Small chips of glass were scattered on the desk and floor, sparkling like gems on a black dress. A gust of wind swept through the jagged opening in the window left by the paperweight and a spider-web network of spreading veins reached into the four corners. It was inconceivable that such a tiny object could make such a large hole.
Behind me, the door opened with a bang.
Lucy was standing there with a wide-mouthed expression. She rushed over to the CEO and stared at me in shock.
'What happened?' she gasped.
With leaden feet, I went around the desk. And then I saw it.
A triangular shard of glass was sticking out of his neck. Ruby-tinged stains were spreading along his collar, dripping onto the carpet. I fought back a wave of nausea, tasting the bitter vomit in the back of my throat.
By now Lucy had seen the glass shard. She let forth a piercing scream, which rose above the shrieking wind and ululated across the urban sky.
Third Prize, Best Short Story
The Island I Want to Return To
By Amanda Neat
Turquoise waves crashed over the bow with each paddle into the wind as I rounded the northern cape of Nananuira Island. The ocean met the surrounding horizon in a patio of rising white crests, each wave pushed back and flurried like a stream of tiny pearls. No floating shades gave contrast to the hues of blue because the sky was devoid of clouds. Only the line of palms backing off from the rocks gave an indication of a realm which was deeper – not to mention the sea itself, whose unknown depths were always… Below.
As the kayak came closer to the shore, the coral reef formed a visible barrier of breaking surf – a danger zone to be avoided. Once more, I paddled into the north-eastern wind.
Ahead, far ahead, there was only the vast Pacific Ocean.
The island was one of many, less than five miles from the mainland of Fiji. Rectangular in shape, it was about four miles in length, but circumnavigating it was more like a distance of fourteen, due to the rocky outcrops and reefs.
When I rounded the northern cape, the forceful wind became an ally rather than a foe, thrusting the kayak onto the backs of rolling waves. Speeding past two sandy coves, I spotted a third one and paddled crossways into the wind, trying to manoeuvre into an avenue devoid of coral.
Due to the cove facing south and being sheltered, it was an easy landing place. Navigating past the break with its maze of coral outcroppings was not difficult. You could gaze down into the sea as the colours of the bottom took shape; a darting school of rainbow-scaled fish, the fernlike form of blue starfish, and the shadowy presence of patrolling barracudas.
I heaved the kayak up the beach, away from the reach of the waves, and sat beneath a leaning tree. Only birds had imprinted their tiny feet on the white sand, patterned here and there by coral pieces and shiny stones which glittered under the overhead sun. The line of palm trees was a peaceful place; providing a spot to eat and rest, with the music of the gentle surf nearby. A few little crabs scurried across the marks in the sand made by the kayak, uplifting their claws like proud flags as they ascended each ridge.
After a while I set off again south.
The island had one main settlement used by fishermen and visitors; with a few huts, a school, church and a jetty with some boats. On this side the southern mainland could be seen, along with a smaller island to the west. Locals waved as I passed the village, with its silver-flashing roofs paying testament to a good day's catch. They used to dry some fish on the roofs in order to sell to the mainland, making enough money to buy food and clothes.
There was never a frown or fear among the people of the island; most Fijians were noted for their friendliness. What other life could be better – living simply in nature, away from crowds and polluted, 'civilized' towns? This place surely lived up to the depiction of an island paradise – with its natural beauty, unspoilt seclusion and happy population.
But humans were always seeking to explore, going beyond familiar horizons, often returning to their home only to find it irreversibly changed. Few of the young people chose to stay on their small island, instead going to the mainland to find a new life – to make their mark on the world.
On one level or another, we are all travelers; our nature taking us to places we will always remember, and also some we would rather forget…
[AUTHORS NOTE: And today those same islands now have tons of plastic wash up on the beaches, with pollutants from an oil refinery killing the fish; for the first time there are people without jobs, and the coral is heavily bleached. What virus is this that is sweeping our world?
It is the virus or parasite of capitalist mankind.]
2016 Competition Winners
2016 Winning Entries
First Prize, Best Short Story
The Rescue
By Joao Rousa
Meal times are the kindest clocks. They divide the day, help keep us focused. We are fed two times a day and each one of us can't wait to get our plate, even though the taste of the food leaves much to be desired. How I long for a thick juicy steak!
Anyway, let me introduce myself. I'm Benny, as the name and picture on my 'room' door states. Of course, it's really just an extra-big cage. I've been here 2 years now and I'm not sure when I'm getting out.
Right opposite used to be my palaces room, he got out yesterday, lucky geezer. Now a new ones in there, pining away. His cheap coat looks like its been through plenty of homeless nights. When exercise time comes he's going to wish he died younger than he is now. Just look at those eyes!
We've all been through pain, both outside and in here: betrayed, made to fight for our lives, chased down like monsters, kicked down and called names until nothing seems to matter. Sleep away your days, I try to tell him. Because in here sleep is the only escape.
When I dream I am always running, from what, I can never remember. There are trees and fields, mountains and rivers. I can taste the air, so fresh and cool, carrying with it the many scents of life. They say we are descended from a simpler race, no, a stronger and more noble tribe. Some of the ones here bear their features: a proud brow, piercing brown eyes, strong legs, chest and shoulders. They walk more slowly, pacing their rooms night and day, perhaps dreaming the same dreams. Running.
A bell sounds. Here it is: exercise time. The new one looks up. I don't bother smiling.
One by one, the doors open. The guard on duty today never says anything but bad words. He's the sort that finds power and strength only in attacking those who can't fight back, and if they do well, lets just say things can get a lot worse.
Out into the sun, across the pavement, onto the grass, in a rush and swirl of bodies and faces. The fence keeps us from going very far. I look around and see the familiar gangs getting together, playing their dim-witted games. My spot, as always, remains unoccupied. It's in the shade, out of the way. This is where I sit and watch and wait.
The newcomer zooms out, his head low. One look at the main gang seals his fate. They close in, faces fixed in the same twisted snarls. I blink and he's down. After about half a minute they let him be. Probably in his toes that seemed more like a day. Coat torn, blood streaking his nose, he looks even worse than before. And he's slinking over in my direction.
I consider flashing the evil smile that ensures I'm left alone, but his eyes make me reconsider. He sits nearby, licking his wounds. He's a runt, a weakling; how he had the guts to stare at one of the Bigs is beyond me. Still, he's learnt now. In here we all learn the hard way.
In my younger days I used to fight with the best of them. I used to roll in fields of gold, ruling a kingdom that seemed everlasting. No one dared look into my eyes, for fear of the fire that burned within. I was an athlete, an expert at pleasing who needed to be pleased.
That's all gone now. I've got nothing to show for my former wealth, all my friends have left, even my family have disowned me. All for being too stupid and too proud.
Let me tell you another thing about this place. After a while, for the long-termers who no longer have any place in society, you are led away by ghosts. Not to freedom but to death. Yes, and Benny's time is coming soon. Part of me wants it, and yet a part of me doesn't.
Exercise time is over. Back to my cage.
I sit, watch, yawn, sleep.
Again the snowy fields stretch away to a setting sun. Running. I feel the others beside me, breathing hard, hearts pumping in synchrony, legs kicking white. We can sing to the moon, if only to catch the echoes of tomorrow. Something lies ahead; nothing lies behind. There is
More noise. It's particularly vigorous this time, which can only mean one thing, a visitor has arrived.
I can see her now as I can't refrain from joining the cacophony. She's got long auburn hair, a kind face. I can't believe she's looking at me, can barely contain my excitement.
That ones got a history, as the stupid guard beside her says, it's been here too long.
She smiles at me "Oh please let it be so".
I'll take him, she says, if only to make him happy.
Yes, yes, yes!
Are you sure? There's a better Retriever over here.
No. I'm certain.
* * *
Out of the cage, along the corridor, enduring the envy of his former companions, Benny leaves for good. The woman beside him strokes his coat and says good words. He is happier than he can ever remember, with a great big doggy smile that will last the rest of his days.
Second Prize, Best Short Story
Carriage 12
By Laura Cao
The train was already packed when I boarded. Hot and sweaty bodies were at every corner of Carriage 12, the air inside was damp and humid even though almost all the windows were open. Still, it was better than the 33-degree scorching heat outside. Who knew the weather in July could be this oven-like, especially as it's England? I hurried forward, phone and ticket in one hand and a small travelling bag in the other. Thank goodness I had a sitting ticket! I would never be able to last standing for the whole journey home, which was five long and tiring hours.
Pushing past a crowd of chatting ladies, I found my seat, stuffed my bag into the overhead storage unit and plonked down on the soft fabric, giving a contented sigh. I was absolutely exhausted, having just taken a two-hour bus ride to the station and been in line for the train for what seemed like hours. Turning on my phone, I texted my best friend.
On the train! So tired, can't wait to get home x
I watched the other passengers as we all waited for the train to leave the platform. Beside me was a burly man, most likely in his mid-forties, tucking into a huge chicken salad sandwich dripping with ketchup and what looked like mayonnaise or cheese sauce. Next to the wrapper was a large container holding a sizeable portion of rich and creamy chocolate cake. A few other passengers gave him looks of disgust but he was completely oblivious to their stares. He saw me eyeing the cake, though, and pulled it towards himself protectively.
Opposite me, separated by a small wooden foldup table, was a woman engrossed in the book she was reading. Maybe also in her mid-forties, she looked like those posh people probably still stuck in the early twentieth century, with immaculate hair tucked under a vintage hat and wearing a long floral dress. Next to her sat an elderly man with snowy hair and soft wrinkled skin. He was asleep and snoring softly, head leaning against the window.
I leaned back on my seat, closing my eyes. I was finally going home for the holidays. Being a first year student at university money didn't come very easily so I was forced to work the night shift at a local diner, a job I will be ecstatic to quit. It was tiring work and had a meagre salary.
Sorry! Sorry, excuse me. Sorry, sorry. I opened my eyes to see a blustering woman stumbling down the aisle of the carriage. With two big suitcases by her side, a handbag and a cup of coffee, she was bumping into every possible person she could while apologizing profusely.
Bloody hell, I thought to myself. What a klutz.
Pillock, Sandwich Guy mumbled beside me while chewing vigorously, globs of god-knows-what-sauce dribbling down from the corners of him mouth. I was confused as to what he meant so I did a quick search on Google: Pillock, a stupid person.
How mean. But also true.
The carriage doors closed and the train lurched suddenly. Pillock stumbled forwards and some of her steaming coffee spilt onto the table in from of me and leaked over onto my phone. I pulled it back in horror.
Oh my god, I am so sorry! She exclaimed. She tried to dab the coffee from the table and my phone but backed away when I gave her a dirty stare, a warning to stay away. Fumbling through the back pocket of my jeans I managed to find a piece of clean tissue and began scrubbing furiously. Those kind of people irritated me a lot, the ones who were unorganised and unprepared and caused trouble for other people. I glanced at Pillock again. She was trying to lift both her suitcases up to the overhead storage, grunting and gasping as she pushed them inside. No one was making any move to help her, everyone was probably still huffy about their toes being squashed flat under the weight of her luggage.
After her cases eventually made it into storage, she gave a sigh of relief, took a look at her ticket and stood still for the first time after boarding the train. The intercom then sounded, Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Chiltern Railways. Please have your tickets ready for our ticket attendants who will be coming over to check them shortly. Have a great journey and thank you for travelling with Chiltern Railways.
Ticket in hand, I waited for the attendant to reach Carriage 12. A soft buzz of conversation spread throughout the second-class coach as everyone scrabbled around for their own tickets. The Elderly Man was also awake and was searching feebly for his own ticket. He gave weak grunts here and there as he did so, prompting Twentieth Century Woman to offer her assistance, which he gladly accepted. Sandwich Guy was now tucking into his massive slab of cake, giving me suspicious glances once every now and then.
There was a hushed, indistinct murmur from everyone as the ticketing attendant arrived. I wanted to be over with it as soon as possible, I was very tired and sleepy and I could fall asleep as soon as I closed my eyes. Hopefully Pillock or Sandwich Guy wouldn't interrupt me. Elderly Man fell asleep again and Twentieth Century Woman's head was stuck back into her book. I looked up at Pillock, sandwiched between a young woman and a tall framed man, both who had their backs to her. She shifted from one foot to the other, looking uncomfortable. I felt a bit sorry for her since her suitcases did all look really heavy.
Ma'am, can I see your ticket please? Pillock turned around to face the ticket attendant. Oh yes, here. The attendant took a look. Ma'am, do you know you have a sitting ticket? 29. That was where Elderly Man was sitting.
Oh yes, Pillock replied. She lowered her voice a bit. I just thought that the old man looked very tired, he probably won'tbe able to stand the whole way so I let him sleep there. It's okay, I can stand. Healthy as a horse, I am. The attendant smiled and moved on. Twentieth Century Woman handed in her ticket swiftly without even looking up from her book. Elderly Man woke up and gave his too.
I have a standing ticket, he told the attendant in a gentle, wheezy voice. I'm just sitting here to rest for a moment, when the person comes I'll give the seat to them.
I gave mine and Sandwich Guy also handed in his chocolate-and-ketchup-stained ticket.
I was surprised, frankly. About Pillock, I mean. I guess you can't judge a book by its cover right? What made me feel so guilty is that I myself probably wouldn't have given that old man my seat, I would've just thought about my own needs.
I nudged Pillock. Hey, I smiled, if you get too tired you can sit here for a while. She looked surprised. Oh no dear, that's fine, she said, chuckling. I stood up. No, I insist.
She beamed at me broadly and sat down. We introduced ourselves and started chatting.
Meanwhile Sandwich Man rummaged through his travel bag, took out a bumper pack of crisps and started munching. The noise of his loud, crunching chewing and appreciative murmuring filled the whole of Carriage 12.
Third Prize, Best Short Story
Desperate Drive
How could he grip the wheel so lightly, yet still be able to see into the mist that haunted us? Whenever I felt threatened, whether in times of strife or uncertainty, my grip involuntarily tightened. It was an inherited instinct, perhaps a genetic one, but it entirely escaped his behaviour, as if he was more relaxed in danger. Maybe there was some internal battle raging inside that calm exterior, or maybe it was just that bottle he thought I did not know about, stashed beneath the seat.
[Anita's story is too long to include here but we invite all those wishing to see the full version to email: firstname.lastname@example.com to receive a free copy]


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Former BIS official criticizes central bank 'guidance' on interest rates
9:27p ET Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Dear Friend of GATA and Gold:
In the second part of his interview with the Cobden Center's Sean Corrigan and Max Rangeley, former Bank for International Settlements official William R. White criticizes what has come to pass for transparency in Western central banking -- "guidance" about likely changes in interest rates, which, White says, promotes financial speculation. If only transparency in central banking constituted full disclosure of the interventions central banks already are undertaking in the markets. Part 2 of the interview is posted at Hinde Capital's Internet site here:
CHRIS POWELL, Secretary/Treasurer
Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee Inc.
Silver mining stock report comes with 1-ounce silver round
Future Money Trends is offering a special 18-page silver mining stock report about how to profit with the monetary and industrial metal, and it comes with a free 1-ounce silver round. Proceeds from the report's sales are shared with the Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee to support its efforts to expose manipulation in the monetary metals markets. To learn about this report, please visit:
Support GATA by purchasing recordings of the proceedings of the 2014 New Orleans Investment Conference:
Or by purchasing DVDs of GATA's London conference in August 2011 or GATA's Dawson City conference in August 2006:
Or by purchasing a colorful GATA T-shirt:
Or a colorful poster of GATA's full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal on January 31, 2009:
Help keep GATA going
GATA is a civil rights and educational organization based in the United States and tax-exempt under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Its e-mail dispatches are free, and you can subscribe at:
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January 7, 2017
Robert Hunt
"I have been playing woodwinds for over 40 years and Will Keifer is the real deal. He is honest, and a good repairman . In a day and age where big chain stores rule, Will is a refreshing antidote . I play professionally and would trust any of my horns to him."
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"This gentleman is so helpful and reasonably priced! He sold his us a great ukulele and when my daughter broke the strings ( by accident she is 7 ) he replaced them fast and at a great price! I would recommend him to anyone, if you need an instrument I highly recommend you go check him out! Honest and courteous goes a long way nowadays!! Thanks for being a great businessman!!!"
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DOOM Born Like This
Published Apr 20, 2009The metal-faced rap hermit has finally emerged with some new/old material after a few years of head scratching "live appearances," featuring mask-wearing impostors, and time spent honing his production skills, providing wacko beats for new BFF Ghostface. On his latest offering, Doom (he's officially dropped the MF) cooks up a fresh slab of weirdo rap that even has Radiohead's Thom Yorke jumping on his jock. While Doom handles the bulk of production, tracks like "Gazillion Ear" see Doom at his best, spitting multi-syllables over a mesmerizing J Dilla soundscape that changes direction three times. "Ballskin," produced by Jake One, is a tease at just 1:31, but Doom uses his time efficiently over the beat, which is reminiscent of his collaboration with De La Soul on "Rock Cocaine Flow." Other "how good is this!?" tracks are "Yessir," featuring some vicious couplets from Raekwon, and the melancholy "That's That," which has Doom trying out his strained singing voice. If there are any bones to pick, it's the fact that Ghostface duet "Angelz" has been around for a few years, and we've all heard Dilla's "Lightworks" a thousand times (however there's nothing wrong with that!) With Born Like This, Doom has birthed an album that begs for repeated listens and firmly repositions him atop the underground rap heap. (Lex)


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A brief description is available by clicking on each program. Go to the Schedule of Programs to see what is currently being offered.
• Confined Space Entry
• Crew Leader (Basic Foreman Leadership Skills)
• Field Engineering programs
• Plan Reading program
The foreman plays a key role on the operation of a construction company. The foreman of the first line of management on the job and is responsible for supervising workers on an effective and efficient manner. Once a construction worker is promoted to foreman, the foreman then becomes involved with managing people.This 12-hour course provides the person who is considering becoming a foreman, with knowledge of the Basic Construction Leadership Skills. Course will include: Intro to Supervision; Effective Communication; Motivation; Problem Solving and Decision-Making; Cost Awareness; Control and Resource Control.
Plan Reading for Commercial Construction
This 12-hour course is geared towards field employees who would like to expand their knowledge in the fundamentals of plan reading. This course will introduce students to types of Lines, Symbols, Abbreviations, Views, Elevations and the Title Block. A segment of the program will be devoted to use of the scale and hands on use of a basic set of commercial blueprints. It will cover the Design Construction Process and Understanding M.E.P.'s
Andover | Canton | Chatham | Franklin | Holyoke Medford | North Adams | Plymouth Springfield | Taunton | Westfield
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Springfield Technical Community College Massasoit Community College | Penn Foster
The Massachusetts Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABCMA) is the largest
construction trade association in the Commonwealth, representing over 480 local general
contractor, subcontractor, supplier and associate companies. These companies employ more
than 22,000 workers throughout Massachusetts.
100 Unicorn Park Drive, Suite 2
Woburn, MA 01801


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Beautifully BLUE crystal drawer knob on a chrome zinc plate.
A mirror at the inner base of the knob causes a stunning reflection of light through the crystal.
These beautiful crystal knobs are available in 30mm and 40mm only(approx); all the metal part are zinc alloy.
Accepting small quantity order if have many in stock. :)
We can also make the colored knobs, but the MOQ for colored ones would be 500pcs at least. and sometimes we may have some colored ones instock. will put the colored ones on-line here if we have it in stock. Inquires are always wee.
Packaging Details
If you would like to pay by PayPal, you can pay to our PayPal account: firstname.lastname@example.com and email us. Please email us the name of the product, the quantity and other product attributes. The email address is firstname.lastname@example.com. No matter how many goods you buy in one order, the freight you need to pay is only 15 dollars
1. WORLDWIDE SHIPPING. (Except some countries and APO/FPO)
100% Money Back Guarantee on each item. Please contact us within 24 hours upon your receipt of the items. A full refund including shipping will be rendered in the event that the item is not as described. The refund will be rendered once the item has been sent back in original condition.
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by Mary Swindlehurst
Date Added: 06/04/2017
Love my new shoes, perfect!Prompt, delivery, exchange and exactly what I wanted, no hassle many thanks for my great shoes!
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars]
by David Rushen Basingstoke, GB
Date Added: 06/04/2017
06 January 2012 <br/> Excellent servce from design to delivery I wanted a personalised mouse mat, not 50 or a 100, just one - 'tshirtstudio' let me do this. The design process was simple and straightforward, the communication with the customer first class and delivery excellent. Will definitely use again.
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars]
by Tom Gaffney
Date Added: 06/04/2017
Great price and fast delivery Great prices for sale items and really quick free delivery.
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars]
by HILARY CRUICKSHANK
Date Added: 06/04/2017
Great service and easy returnsThe website was easy to use and the prices were really reasonable. Kit arrived when they said it would. Needed to return an item and with click and collect it couldn't have been easier.
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars]
by BECKY MAGEE
Date Added: 06/04/2017
Good value and quick delivery.Had an e-mail from Barrington advertising 3 for 2 offer. Bought my husband 3 jumpers for work in a PE dept. There were some colours sold out otherwise we would have bought more. Delivery arrived super quick and jumpers were exactly what was advertised.
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars]
by Helena Denholm
Date Added: 06/04/2017
Great stock, easy to use site, good on price and fast proffessional service.I was firstly pleased to find a website dedicated to wellies but also one so good on price. Authentic stock, speedy delivery, well packaged and as a result I would highly recommend this site
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars]
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Scales N Tails west has a decent selection and that is the ONLY thing I ever buy from that store. Their T collection is maintained by a bug club member and is pretty well taken care of. The rest of...
Type: Posts; User: figgy4
Scales N Tails west has a decent selection and that is the ONLY thing I ever buy from that store. Their T collection is maintained by a bug club member and is pretty well taken care of. The rest of...
Haha, well, it's a good thing you're strong, man!
An RI @ Scales N Tails NO WAY GET OUT!!!
Are you wanting to get a baby and raise it up or do you want to get something already grown? Reptillian Paradise has a beautiful Grammastola pulchripes for sale very resonable price. They also have...
This WAS a beautiful H mac at the south Scales and Tails store one of many dead tarantulas I have encountered there. I spotted it and Cindy told the owner, "You have a dead spider over here". Time...
Just an FYI if any of you have not heard Marguerite Jane Schultz: 1922 - 2011 passed away on Friday October 21, 2011 She is the co-author of The Tarantula Keepers Guide. :(
Sure thing.
Don't be too hard on yourself, I made an error that resulted in a few scorpions death and it made me feel like total crap. I learned a very valuable lesson from that experience but there was nothing...
It's really amazing what happens when you just sit and watch. I couldn't agree more on what this guy writes. I was impressed with the simplistic approach he has taken to "knowing" your animals. ...
Hello and Welcome :)
Yeah, just replied to it.
I like it, plus the tattoo on my *** wouldn't make much sense if you changed it now! M.H.B.C. = My Huge Butt Cramp, Make Hot Butt Clinches, My happy butt cheeks...yeah better leave it alone.
That's funny. I have a sissy boy as well. My B. vagans acts real interested but will not do the deed.
Well since this turned into a gimmie thread : I would really like a rootbeer float a three egg ham and cheese omlette and a beautiful 6" female regalis. Did you get all that?
Good resource - http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/search
Grammastola is the cat of the Tarantula world they do what they want when they want!
Check it out if you like :) Thanks for the support.
Tropic of Night - Grueber - fun read great characters
False Memory - Dean Koontz - just twisted and wrong
The Eyes of the Dragon - Stephen King - fun read curl up in a blanket and enjoy story...
Easy and in this order:
1. Bengal cat named Karma
2. Dumeril Boa named Simone
3. Avicularia versicolor named B.B. King
4. Albino Kahl line boa named Bella
5. Avicularia sp. Peru Purple...
I will get to volunteer as much as I would like to or that time will allow. Docent is the term and that is what I am hoping to be as well. I wish CMZ was closer because that is where I would rather...
So this weekend was my training on my way to be a Denver Zoo volunteer. The training was very basic about policy and procedure and who is who. They made it very clear that we are not there to...
Pardon my lack of knowledge how do I know she is mature or big enough? I do not know this species very well.


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The communicated personal data are intended for Le Relais du Montagny and are necessary to contact you. You have a right of access, rectification, erasure, portability, restriction, objection and withdrawal of consent at any time. And you have the right to make a complaint with a supervisory authority and organise what will happen to your data after your death. You may exercise those rights by writing to route de Chalon 12 - 71390 BUXY, or to the following electronic address contact[a]lerelaisdumontagny[.]fr. You might be asked a proof of your identity. We keep your data during the contact period and during the legal time period for purposes of proof and conflict management.


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Cavema Fishing (Pty) Ltd. offers fresh sea frozen horse mackerel, harvested and processed in the South Atlantic Ocean. Our product is the healthy and affordable choice of protein to millions of people around the world.
The horse mackerel is produced on modern pelagic trawlers employing the latest and most technologically advanced ammonia based refrigeration equipment. Our rigorous technological process ensures that the captured fish is immediately pre-chilled in refrigerated sea water tanks at temperatures below -1oC. Within hours, it is frozen and stored in the refrigerated holds of the ship, thereby guaranteeing that the fish is freshly frozen and the cold chain is maintained at all times.
Our Product - Fresh Sea Frozen Horse Mackerel
Our Promise - Affordable and Healthy choice
All produced frozen fish is marketed via the established trading channels of Cavema Fishing (Pty) Ltd. The company has two well established brands, VECAMAR and OSHONGO and jointly all final product is being sold under these brands.


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Arsene Wenger has expressed his opinion that the current Arsenal side are capable of beating defending Champions Barcelona in the Champions League (via Arsenal.com). The Gunners have been drawn to face the Catalan side in the Round of 16 in a repeat of the 2011 quarter-finals, and the manager believes that the team have a 'good chance' of going through this time around.
Back in 2011, Arsenal were eliminated in controversial circumstances as we lost 3-1 at the Nou Camp after winning 2-1 at the Emirates. Robin van Persie was sent off for striking the ball milliseconds after the whistle had been blown for offside, and the Gunners never managed to recover. Since then, the team has undergone a large number of changes in personnel, and although we have failed to progress beyond the Round of 16 in the past five years, Wenger thinks this might be the chance we are looking for.
Addressing the press conference today, he said, "We are more mature [than we were in 2011]. We played against Barcelona with top teams, but very inexperienced and very young. Barcelona were in full power but we still managed to beat them and it was always very tight.
"We have never been beaten [comprehensively] and we were sometimes unlucky as well. That is in our minds. That is deep in my body as well. I do not forget that. We have a chance, an opportunity to put things right, and we'll focus on that.
"We are playing against a team that have the trophy and are the best team in Europe and I think we have a good chance to go through. It is a difficult challenge but an exciting one as well.
The first leg will be played in February, and Arsenal will be hoping to have key players like Francis Coquelin and Alexis Sanchez back in the side by then. Sanchez and Mesut Ozil in particular will be very important, since both have large amounts of experience with Barcelona. Provided that we manage to maintain our current form until then, we are certainly a much more capable looking and balanced side (our troubles in the group stage notwithstanding).
Don't Miss:
- 'Maybe it was a mistake' admits Arsene Wenger on missed Arsenal signing
- Arsenal are among '20 clubs' keen to sign 12 goal striker in the new year
- Willian reveals he has been left 'frustrated' by his start at Arsenal
However, Barcelona themselves are an extremely formidable opponent. They have the confidence and experience of defending champions, and their front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar is frightening to say the least. The Catalans have also become a much more direct outfit compared to their days under Pep Guardiola, and are much faster and more efficient on the attack than ever before.
Arsenal transfer news
It will not be an easy fixture by any means, and winning may ultimately prove to be beyond Arsenal's grasp. However, we certainly have the quality to give them a run for their money, and our performance against Bayern Munich this season showed that we can dethrone anyone on a good day. Whatever the ultimate result, we will certainly get to see two great games of football at the very least.


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Luxury Futon Mattress by Otis Bed
- Product Type: Mattresses
- Manufacturer: Otis Bed
- Warranty: 10 Years
- Thickness: 8 Inch
- Mattress Construction: Foam, Fiber
- Size: Chair, Eastern King, Full, Love Ottoman, Loveseat, Ottoman, Queen, Queen Ottoman, Queen Split, Twin, Twin Ottoman, Twin Split
- Batting: Firm, Soft
- Mattress Type: Futon Mattress
- Origin: USA
- For use with Bi-Fold Frame or Platform Bed. No need to specify use. They are constructed the same.
- 8" thickness (14" of overstuffed goods compressed to fit inside a 8" border).
- 6" of convoluted 2 pound high density foam.
- Topped with 5" of polyester fiber batting creating a plush sitting or sleeping surface.
- Offers Soft comfort level on one side, and Medium-Firm on the other side.
- Layers of Flame Retardant Rayon insures compliance with Federal Flammability Standard 16 CFR Part 1633.
- 100% polyester fabric (cream color) that breaths, stays cool and comfortable, and repels moisture.
- Flip design. We call it 'Dual Comfort'. Tape edge directed up provides a medium firm feel.
- Machine tufting reduces the thickness of the mattress to lock in its good look and feel.
- Tape edge process insures a proper fit and finish of the mattress cover.
- A pair of Otis Bed Grip Strips are highly recommended when used on a Bi-fold frame.
- Compression packaged in a FedEx-able carton.
- Durability: 10-12+ Years, designed for everyday use.
- 10 Year Limited Warranty against manufacturers defects.
- Custom sizes are available.
- Twin (39" x 75")
- Full (54" x 75")
- Queen (60" x 80")
- King (78" x 80")
- Cot (30" x 75")
- Chair (28" x 54")
- Ottoman (28" x 21")
- Twin Split (39" x 54")
- Twin Ottoman (39" x 21")
- Loveseat (54" x 54")
- Love Ottoman (54" x 21")
Mattress Making Principle
For a mattress to retain its shape and comfort level the materials it is filled with must be able to retain their shape and supportive character.
Why More Foam Than Cotton Is Critical
Simply put, foam is able to retain its shape and feel when repeatedly compressed while cotton fibre does not. Foam is a flexible solid that will come back to its original shape after being compressed time after time. Cotton batting is not a unified whole, but an arrangement of individual fibers. Once the fibers are compressed together there is nothing to bring them back to their original, separate locations when the weight is removed. This fact results in cotton batting becoming thinner and harder wherever it is being compressed on a regular basis.
We trust the materials that go into each of our mattresses. so much so, that each mattress is compressed and packaged in a box 1/4th its size. Our mattresses are filled with comfortable materials that retain their shape for years. The way we package it proves it.


text: La Vie Claire Shop gluten free in Grenoble 2.0 / 5 based on 1 customer reviews 38, Cours Berriat 38000 Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes France +33-476471858 http://www.lavieclaire.com Ambience Service Variety Meals Call Add to favourites Directions Share Mail Facebook Twitter Print Write a review About La Vie Claire At La Vie Claire gluten-free shopping is no problem at all: customers can enjoy a reliable and great-tasting range of products. People with gluten intolerance will find shopping easy at La Vie Claire: gluten-free products are clearly marked and easy to find. Any products that contain gluten indicate this in the list of ingredients. At La Vie Claire, people with coeliac disease need not make any compromises in taste. Claim this place Flag as inappropriate Should not be on On the Go Does not offer glute free products Inappropriate content or spam Suggest an edit Translate 0 Photos and videos 1 Reviews Write a review Show comments


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Thinkpad's Get Color and Style, Say it Ain't So?!?!
by Ray the Geek on Jan.07, 2010, under Technology
CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is being held in Las Vegas this week as you may know. CES always shows a lot of promise for the future of Consumer Electronics but usually avoids the humdrum of business systems. I've tried for several years to convince my boss Simon to let me go to CES since many of the new technologies like cell phones and computer peripherals shown at CES will usually winding up in the corporate environment eventually but Simon does not buy that, he thinks sending me to CES in Vegas is like sending a kid into a candy store to buy milk.
Lenovo has to played on both sides of the fence, consumer and business, unlike its predecessor IBM. Lenovo was usually reserved using the flash of color and style in the ThinkPad line in keeping with the tradition of the ThinkPad being the premiere business line of laptops in the industry. But that looks like it is all about to change.
Lenovo has added 2 new lines of ThinkPad systems, X100e and Edge, which added something Thinkpad laptops have been lacking, pizzazz! Gone is the traditional monochromatic rubberized graphite colored chassis and they have been replaced with shiny vivid colors!
The first new colorful model is the X100e which comes in Midnight Black or Heatwave Red, 11.6″ HD Widescreen, sub 3 lbs Ultra Portable laptop not netbook because it has a real processor and HD graphics. The X100e has AMD Athlon NEO processor at 1.6GHz, 1.8″ 5400 RPM hard drives like the T400s, M780G with ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics, UltraNav with new multi-touch pad similar to the T400s, Thinkpad wifi and Wireless WAN upgradability starting at $450. The X100e does seem to lack the rugged multi alloy/polymer frame typical of the X series systems so I doubt it has the reliability normally associated with the ThinkPad X models.
The ThinkPad Edge is the other colorful low cost ThinkPad targeted at cost conscious small to mid-sized business. Sporting 3 different colors, Midnight Black glossy, Midnight Black matt and Heatwave Red glossy, the Edge had a typically uncharacteristic silver trim that really seems to set the system apart form the other ThinkPad line. The Edge has an almost iPhonesque style glossy screen which unfortunately is not touch screen. THe Edge does sport redesigned ThinkPad keyboard and UltraNav with new multi-touch pad similar to the T400s. The Edge also comes with AMD Althon processor (Turion X2 1.6GHz), 7200 RPM HD, ATI Radeon HD 3200 IPG 128MB video, 13.3 " HD Glare 1366×768 display, up to 7.8 hour battery and WWAN upgradable starting at under $600.
What this shows me is Lenovo is willing to bring cool styling to the table in the ThinkPad line to combat Acer, HP, Dell and Apple in wooing the hip, younger and more tech savvy corporations. But my only concern in do so is they may dilute the quality of ThinkPad name in the process but I hope this is not the case. The ThinkPad has always been the leader in quality laptops in the industry and at the company I work for I made sure we exclusivly use ThinkPads which is why we have a less than 1% failure rate on our laptops in the first three years!
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England played Germany to a 2-2 draw on Sunday evening, setting up a first-place match between themselves and the United States on Wednesday. The two teams traded goals throughout the match and either team could have come away with a victory, but as English manager Phil Neville said in the press conference, it was a "fair reflection" of the match because his team "had no belief in the first half."
A pair of quick strikes
The first goal of the match came for Germany in the 17th minute of the match. The ball was played into the box and the Germans had four distinct shots on goal, but all of them were denied. It wasn't until an English defender tried to clear the ball that her kick was blocked by the foot of Hasret Kayikçi into the back of the net. Germany probably should have been able to put away one of the previous shots, but they definitely deserved this goal.
England came back with a vengeance and pushed forward on attack just after play restarted. A testing shot was taken from the outside of the box, and it probably wouldn't have found the goal if it hadn't been interfered with. The German defense blocked the ball and it rolled right out above the box. England's Ellen White was in the perfect position to take a hard shot on goal, and the defense deflected the ball past Almuth Schult. Unlike the German goal, this goal did not feel imminently deserved but it knotted up the scoreline.
Luck swings for and against Germany
The second half started out with Germany on the front foot. While the English defense had been strong at defusing German atacks to this point, the ball found it's way inside Siobhan Chamberlain's box after a German shot. Chamberlain turned and kicked the ball to clear it, but it hit the back of defender Millie Bright's calf and deflected back into the goal. Despite picking up the own goal, it probably wasn't Bright's fault. Germany took the 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute.
The next chunk of gameplay saw a series of substitutions by both teams, but they were also plagued by taking too many touches on attack. It felt like any time Germany or England found some open space they would dribble until it closed instead of taking a shot or sending a pass. It left the game feeling slow despite being mostly wide open.
It was the 73rd minute when the German fortune turned. A long, looping ball was played over the German defense to Ellen White, who streaked down the field all alone with the ball. The German defenders lifted their hands and gestured offsides, but the flag was kept down. It probably was offside, but that doesn't change the fact that Schult retreated into her goal and White easily beat her. The complaining continued, but the goal would stand and tie the game at two goals apiece.
Both sides made a series of substitutions, but the attacks continued to flounder. Germany and England were each a bit disappointed with the performance. Germany certainly thinks they were wronged on the non-call when White scored the second goal. Germany also had the better of shots and possession through the game. England, on the other hand, certainly feels that the own goal wasn't deserved. Head coach Neville mentioned that he was extremely disappointed by the performance of his team in the first half. In all, the game probably ended as it should, with neither side living up to their fullest potential.


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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.-- Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA) Executive Director John Hall has been on the job less than three months and this week he told his Board of Commissioners that if he had to issue a report card on the public housing entity's performance in Marion County, it would be a failing grade across the board.
"Straight Fs unfortunately," Hall said. "The agency is not in a good position with our program management, with our financial management, and now it's with our vacancies, it's just all the way across the board."
Hall was brought to Indianapolis from Wichita, Kansas, to take over an agency that had languished under longtime Executive Director Rufus "Bud" Meyers as IHA was the target of stinging audits from the State Board of Accounts and findings of financial mismanagement, potential federal oversight, slumping occupancy rates, overdue maintenance work orders, rising crime and questionable spending.
"I knew that the agency had a lot of challenges but I was also aware that there is always more to the story but this level is a little bit mind blowing," said Hall who regularly meets with staff from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to uncover problems and chart solutions to stave off receivership. "We meet monthly and in those meeting I am constantly saying, 'Just give me a little more time.' They understand the depth of the issues. This is not a one or two years in the making."
In his first 90 days on the job, Hall learned that his staff had a 97 percent failure rate when it came to administering the Section 8 housing program, didn't know that 100 of its apartments were vacant at a time of record low occupancy rates, had an untapped $23 million reserve which could have housed applicants who have waited years, even a decade or more, to receive assistance and had fallen months behind on simply cleaning apartments to be readied for new tenants.
And then the floodwaters came.
When IndyGo Red Line construction outside of IHA headquarters in the 1900 block of North Meridian Street cut off water last week it set off a flood of the agency's offices, forcing Hall to offer his staff a chance to take a vacation day or volunteer to relocate to one of the IHA's apartment complexes to help beleaguered managers straighten out their neglected file systems where tenants records often disappear in a maze of incomprehensible red tape.
"When our office shut down, staff were clearly given options to go to some of our other sites that could use the help," said Hall, "and we had one person go to another site and that one person was a temporary staff person. And that was management and non-management employees who did that.
"It actually was indicative of the level of commitment that we have when we have straight Fs."
Last month Hall told his Board that he was giving IHA's Section 8 staff an opportunity to be retrained on procedures and tested for proficiency after its nearly 100 percent competency failure rate.
Hall said some of the agency's employees will be fired as he remakes IHA.
"That's a very good assumption and expectation," he said. "If I look at the agency as a whole, I have been a bit appalled with some of the lack of commitment that I've seen."
This week Hall signaled his opposition from IHA's sister agency, Insight Development, to get into the home mortgage business and sent staff back to the drawing board to come up with a new plan for financing $265,000 in repairs to a faulty breaker box at Lugar Tower.
Hall determined that managers at 16 Park, Beechwood Garden and Hawthorne Place have received Unsatisfactory Management and Occupancy Reviews while system wide IHA is struggling to reach 90 percent occupancy while its federal guidelines and budget call for 97 percent occupancy.
"Last month we reported we had 225 vacant units, it's down to 192 or so, and we're working to turn those units around so we can go through our wait list and get people into housing," he said. "We're making a really big push this week to get units turned around and give people the keys to the units because June 1st is on Saturday and we report our numbers on the first of each month.
"Nothing is going in our favor," Hall said, noting that every day he uncovers new examples of mismanagement or financial irregularities. "Nothing is giving us a break. So we were notified last month that we were having a HUD inspection two days before it happened. We were also advised that we were having a management occupancy review in July that we failed it last year so with that comes a lot of work to make sure that we pass it this year."
Bud Meyer's retirement last summer coincided with CBS4's ongoing investigation into IHA operations and Mayor Hogsett's commitment to go outside the agency and conduct a nationwide search for the new executive director.
Hall said he is regularly on the phone with Deputy Mayor Jeff Bennett to advise the Hogsett Administration of the pitfalls he finds at the housing agency on a daily basis.
"I'm on the hot line as soon as I know something, they know it," he said. "They're hopeful that we'll get to the bottom of everything. I've told people since I got here that every day I discover something new and I just want to get to the bottom of the discovery so I can start to move forward."
While IMPD continued to comb the Hawthorne community today for clues in the killing of D'Angelo Settles Monday night during a shooting that began on agency property and officers are keeping an eye on the 2900 block of West Walnut Street where a baby was punched in the face and shots have been fired this week in an ongoing internal dispute that has followed one IHA family from the east side to the west side, Hall can point to an overall 16 percent drop in crime at agency properties when compared to a year ago.
"That's really working in collaboration with IMPD and installing surveillance cameras that actually work. I think at one time we had 74 cameras that were just for show and weren't operational and functional and now we have the ability to go back and help the police in their investigations," he said while acknowledging, "we need to do a better job of screening our applicants. That starts with us."


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401 Ohio Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19805 $204,900
Interior Sq. Ft: 1,950
Acreage: 0.14
Age:90 years
Cape Cod
Mobile#: 2500
Subdivision: Brookland Terrace
Visit this home virtually: http://www.vht.com/434104075/IDXS - Rarely available in the quaint and quiet community of Brookland Terrace is a 3 bedroom/2 bath cape with 2 driveways and a single car car-port. One of the original homes (rumored to be the first) built by the developer, this charming, spacious (nearly 1900 sq ft) home has been maintained by the current owner for over 3 decades. There is ample space inside with a lovely formal living room, and dining room with a built-in corner cabinet; an enormous front to back family room and a bedroom/office on the main level. The kitchen was updated in 2019 with new backsplash and laminate counter tops. It has an eat in area as well as plenty of space for additional pantry storage. Two bedrooms upstairs, each with a deep closet under the eaves. Original hardwoods run throughout. The upstairs bathroom is large enough for an amazing amount of storage, or could be plumbed for an upstairs laundry. Extend the season on the enclosed front porch which spans the width of the house. New upgrades include brand new roof, LVT flooring in family room (water proof.) water heater, newer ac condensing unit. Additional updates were made to the front door, 2nd floor hall bath vanity and flooring, and main level bath. The property has a newer hvac system. Most windows including the two family room skylights have also been replaced. Outside, enjoy the nice sized, level rear yard, surrounded with maintenance free, white vinyl privacy fencing. Loved and cared for over many years, the owner is selling "as-is" and will not make repairs. However, for buyer's peace of mind, a one year 2-10 Home Buyer Warranty is included with the sale.
Dining Room: 14 X 11 - Main
Family Room: 31 X 12 - Main
Kitchen: 13 X 11 - Main
Kitchen: 11 X 8 - Main
Bedroom 1: 13 X 10 - Upper 1
Bedroom 2: 13 X 12 - Upper 1
Bathroom 1: Main
Bathroom 2: 11 X 7 - Upper 1
Home Assoc: No
Condo Assoc: No
Basement: Y
Pool: No Pool
Elem. School: Marbrook
Heat Pump - Gas BackUp, Wall Unit Heating, Electric, Natural Gas, Central A/C, Electric, Hot Water - Natural Gas, Public Water, Public Sewer, 150 Amps
Attached Carport, Driveway, Attached Carport Spaces #: 1;
Unfinished Basement, Ceramic Tile Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
Asphalt Roof, Flat Roof, Asbestos Exterior, Steel Siding, Enclosed Porch/Deck, Porch(es), Other, Street Lights
Corner Lot, Privacy Fence
Select a school from the following list. Schools are grouped by school type.
The schools on this list are selected by their proximity of up to 5 miles to the property address. Proximity does not guarantee enrollment eligibility. Please contact the school directly for more information on enrollment requirements.
* If there are more than 5 schools of any type within a close proximity, click on the button to see additional schools of that type near the search address.
Public Elementary (29 schools)
Public Middle (11 schools)
|Gateway Lab School
|Gateway Lab School
|0.64 mi
|Odyssey Charter School
|Odyssey Charter School
|1.8 mi
|Stanton Middle School
|Red Clay Consolidated School District
|2.37 mi
|Bayard Middle School
|Christina School District
|2.73 mi
|duPont (Alexis I.) Middle School
|Red Clay Consolidated School District
|2.8 mi
|Skyline Middle School
|Red Clay Consolidated School District
|3.63 mi
|First State School
|Red Clay Consolidated School District
|3.95 mi
|Meadowood Program
|Red Clay Consolidated School District
|4.13 mi
|Great Oaks Charter School
|Great Oaks Charter School
|4.2 mi
|McCullough (Calvin R. ) Middle School
|Colonial School District
|New Castle
|4.51 mi
|Read (George) Middle School
|Colonial School District
|New Castle
|4.83 mi
Public High (15 schools)
Private (22 schools)
© 2020 LiveBy. All Rights Reserved.
This report is a detailed community overview for Wilmington (19805), Delaware.
Community Quick Facts
- Average travel time to work for people in this community: 21
- Average salary of people in this community: $40,472
Community Summary
- Population Density (ppl / mile): 7,460
- Household Size (ppl): 2.59
- Households w/ Children: 66%
Housing Inventory
- Owned: 8,218 (46.6%)
- Rented: 6,869 (39.0%)
- Vacant: 2,544 (14.4%)
- Total: 17,631
Population Demographics
The population of the community broken down by age group. The numbers at the top of each bar indicate the number of people in the age bracket below.
Climate and Weather
The Temperature chart displays average high and low values for January and July, and is designed to provide an indication of both seasonal and daily temperature variability. The Weather Risk Index indicates the calculated risk of each type of weather event occurring in the future. This risk is based on historical localized storm events and weather patterns. The national average for each type of weather event equals a score of 100, so a score of 200 would represent twice the risk as the national average, and a score of 50 would represent half the risk of the national average.
Highest Level of Education Attained
- Less than 9th Grade: 6.6%
- Some High School: 10.5%
- High School Graduate: 38.9%
- Some College: 17.3%
- Associate Degree: 6.0%
- Bachelor's Degree: 12.8%
- Graduate Degree: 7.9%
Income by dollar range
Median Income: $42,418
Fair Market Rents
The Fair Market Rents show average gross rent estimates based on figures provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
- Studio: $676
- One Bedroom: $793
- Two Bedroom: $997
- Three Bedroom: $1,187
- Four Bedroom: $1,350
© 2020 LiveBy. All Rights Reserved.
Contact Information
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Listing Courtesy of:
The data relating to real estate for sale on this website appears in part through the BRIGHT Internet Data Exchange program, a voluntary cooperative exchange of property listing data between licensed real estate brokerage firms in which Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate participates, and is provided by BRIGHT through a licensing agreement. The information provided by this website is for the personal, non-commercial use of consumers and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.
Information Deemed Reliable But Not Guaranteed.
Copyright BRIGHT, All Rights Reserved
Listing data as of 10/20/2020.


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The 100 Season 3 Episode 11 Review: NevermoreCaralynn Lippo at . Updated at .
So, I'm pretty sure we just watched Lindsey Morgan's Emmy reel.
The 100 Season 3 Episode 11 was a fantastic installment that felt much more intimate and "vintage The 100" than the show has been lately.
Don't get me wrong: While the world-building of the past two seasons has been great and has made the show into the burgeoning epic that it is, the trade-off is that we have less opportunity for these closer, one-on-one moments with our original group of delinquents.
"Nevermore" felt more like an episode from The 100's first season than its third.
Thematically and structurally, it's really similar to The 100 Season 1 Episode 7, "Contents Under Pressure," the one where there's a storm, everyone is confined to the dropship, and Clarke needs to communicate via radio with her mother on the Ark to save Finn's life.
And that's really not to disparage the third season, despite its handful of weaker-than-average storylines (here's lookin' at you, Pike!).
Notably, this installment is on a much smaller scale, focusing on far fewer characters and involving less scene changes and cuts. Everyone is fully focused on saving Raven and, for the most part, they're confined to Niylah's home while attempting to free her from ALIE's control.
This gives us the perfect opportunity for lots of what I like to call "clearing the air" scenes. Basically, it's a breather from the action (to a degree!) that allows the characters to delve into the interior, the psychological landscape, while they're all hyper-focused on a common goal.
ALIE, controlling Raven, essentially aired out all of the group's dirty laundry. She had Raven really goad the group; in particular, Clarke, Jasper, and Bellamy got the worst of it.
This gave Lindsey Morgan so much golden material to work with, and she absolutely nailed all of it.
She flipped back and forth seamlessly between portraying ALIE, ALIE-impersonating-Raven, and just Raven, going from badass to absolutely psychotic, from viciously violent to quietly sinister and ruthless, within a blink of the eye. Really remarkably work.
It's hard to pick which of the many Raven scenes in this installment was the best. It was just an incredible array of facial, vocal, and physical acting. Raven was basically Reagan in The Exorcist. ALIE is essentially the devil in a red dress, so it fits anyway.
Real talk: I almost burst into stress tears when Raven dislocated her shoulder and starting gnawing at her own arm to try to break free of the restraints the group had put her in. Jasper looked appropriately horrified at that moment.
The set-up scenario for their confinement to Niylah's home was very smart as well. In essence: Raven being clued in to her surroundings and figuring out where she was would inevitably lead ALIE right to the group, since ALIE was fully in control of Raven's mind. For that reason, they needed to remain in once place.
The tension arising from this set-up was fantastic, and the staging and camera-work were really well-done too, whenever ALIE would appear suddenly in the frame, within Raven's line of sight, as Raven desperately swung her head around looking for context clues about her location.
Erica Cerra (as ALIE) did some amazing acting off of Lindsey Morgan. A few of the looks that they threw at one another were great, like when Clarke produced the second AI in an attempt to distract ALIE and allow the group to pin Raven down.
Raven had so many searing monologues and biting one-liners that I eventually lost count. The two best were probably her solo rants to Clarke and to Bellamy.
Everywhere you go, death follows. You always want to save everyone. What you don't realize is you're the one we need saving from. Wells is dead because you couldn't see Charlotte was a basket case. Finn is dead because you broke his heart and then put a knife into it. Hell, I bet you got Lexa killed, too.Raven [to Clarke]
You might as well have just shoved Aurora out of the airlock yourself. Do you think she'd be proud of you now? For the kind of leader you've become? Or would she see the truth like the rest of us do? That you're a follower. Clarke's been back for one day and you're already taking orders. The good little knight by his queen's side. Too bad you were never that devoted to Gina.Raven [to Bellamy]
Damn. Absolutely horrifying and riveting. I was definitely not expecting ALIE to bring up Wells and Charlotte, for one. That was totally out of left field, and the show has not addressed any guilt on Clarke's part for that death in ages.
ALIE was going straight for the jugular. It was interesting to see that Clarke finally broke when Raven brought up Lexa's recent death, and the mention of her father put her over the edge and caused her to lose it. This fits; if she'd had the biggest reaction over Finn, well, that would have just been weird.
Also interesting: Bellamy didn't actually break at all during Raven's rant to him. On a closer character analysis, I would hypothesize that this is because she isn't saying anything at all to Bellamy that Bellamy hasn't already thought about himself.
The dude has a lot of self-hatred over his past mistakes, it's pretty clear. And I'm talking pre-Grounder massacre, which obviously ranks higher than the word "mistake." I'm talking about his mother's death, shooting Jaha, stealing and chucking Raven's radio.
As this was going on, the group was attempting to keep from Niylah the fact that Bellamy was directly involved in the massacre that took the life of Niylah's father. ALIE is nothing if not incredibly intelligent and manipulative, and she got lucky when Niylah overheard about Bellamy's involvement in the massacre and stormed into the room.
We know now that ALIE was able to recognize Niylah and pinpoint her home's location because Hannah, Monty's mother, had been there with Kane, Bellamy, and the others when they were searching for Clarke at the beginning of the season. At some unseen point, ALIE got Hannah.
After all of the deaths in the past several weeks, I was still somehow fully unprepared for yet another one today. I didn't particularly care for Hannah, but I love Monty, so the fact that he was forced to fatally shoot his mother was horrific.
Christopher Larkin gets the runner up award for best acting in this installment, just behind Lindsey Morgan.
He played all the beats of Monty's grief perfectly, and he managed to realistically convey all of those feelings in an abbreviated timeline – obviously, since they were in the midst of saving Raven's life, he was forced to bottle up his horror and sadness.
Monty trying to assure himself that his mother was already gone, unable to be saved by the time he shot her, as a speechless Octavia just looked at him not knowing what to say, was one of the best scenes in this installment.
Even more distressing: when he later saw Clarke save Raven and realized that his own mother could have been recovered. Absolutely brutal.
The fact that Monty killed his own mother to save Octavia was also a great way to underscore what Monty had brought up to Octavia earlier.
Monty: Octavia, we're your people. We were sent down together. We survive together.
Octavia: Lincoln was my people. I'm not Trikru, I'm not Skaikru. I'm nothing.
Monty: You're one of the hundred.
Octavia: Not anymore.
Octavia had a great (if abbrevited) emotional arc over the course of "Nevermore."
I expected (and was dreading) that they'd go the "lone wolf" route with Octavia in the aftermath of Lincoln's death. Her swift realization that Monty was right, that the 100 survives together, was unexpected and satisfying, as was her decision to remain with the group to defeat ALIE.
And it was all thanks to Monty saving her life at the expense of his mother's. It's weird; this turn of events is at once incredibly dark and incredibly heart-warming.
By the end, Octavia has come to accept that she's part of the group (despite her deep-seated continuous anger at Bellamy), echoing Monty's words right back to him when she called for the group to use the second AI to take down ALIE –
Then let's stop her. We survive together.Octavia
Meanwhile, Bellarke moments happened. Well, not like that.
Bellamy and Clarke have been separated for basically the entire season, except for that really intense reunion scene shortly after Pike's massacre.
Somehow, despite all that's happened between them, they appeared to pick up right where they'd left off. They complement each other so well, working together as leaders. Bellamy is so much less of a doofus when he's with Clarke, and he trusts her implicitly (when Pike isn't fogging up his brain, at least).
Perhaps most importantly, the moments between the two didn't come off as fan service or unrealistic, either. The show's made pretty clear so far that Bellamy and Clarke are there for one another, and support one another, despite any mistakes or horrible things they've each done in the fight to protect their people.
I don't think anything explicitly romantic will happen between Clarke and Bellamy this season. I'm sure Clarke won't even begin to move on from Lexa until, probably, mid-season next year.
I mean, just look at her face when she stops Jasper from destroying that second AI and tell me your heart didn't break for her. Lexa is still at the forefront of her mind and will be for awhile.
Bellarke, if the show ever fully goes there, will be the slowest of the slow-burn romances.
Bellamy: What do you do when you realize you might not be the good guy?
Clarke: Maybe there are no good guys.
And that, right there, is the thesis statement of the entire series. Of course it would've been stated in a conversation between Clarke and Bellamy; they know better than anyone, at this point, that gallant, moralistic heroism simply does not work in this world.
Once Clarke had her "brain blast" moment and realized that she should be able to cut the destroyed ALIE chip out of Raven, she did it and Raven recovered almost instantly.
She informed everyone that ALIE could be defeated using the second AI chip, and that's the game plan now.
Unfortunately, ALIE knew this would happen so she, too, has adjusted her game plan accordingly – kill Clarke and her group instead of converting them and bringing them into the City of Light.
Other thoughts:
- Poor Niylah. They barged into her home and then got it overrun with crazed AI-controlled Sky People so she had to flee. AND her father died. This girl is not having a good go of it.
- I love Sinclair's devotion to and love for Raven. I especially loved his concern that they'd be frying her brain and, even more, the fact that everyone was unanimously sure that Raven wouldn't have brought up a plan if the side effect meant her brain being destroyed.
- I really, really liked this installment but one thing is sticking out for me: Why couldn't the group just use the rover's battery to begin with? I get that, plot-wise, Monty needed a reason to go to the dropship so he could fight and kill his mother, but logically it's a little flummoxing.
- Jasper is nowhere near ready being able to forgive Clarke for her actions art Mount Weather. Despite that, the whole "clear the air" aspect of the majority of these scenes made it so that he's unlikely to actively snip at Clarke as much anymore. He got a lot (or maybe all of it) out of his system.
- For a minute, I really thought Clarke would implant the second AI in Raven. When the destroyed ALIE chip began oozing out of Raven, her blood did look black...
- I think this probably goes down as the single most hypocritical/most lacking in self-awareness line of the series –
You were hurting and you lashed out, because that's what you do. There are consequences, Bell. People get hurt. People die. Your people. Monroe's dead. Lincoln is dead.Octavia
What did you think of "Nevermore"? Chime in and let us know your thoughts by commenting below and be sure to relive Lindsey Morgan's glorious performance by watching The 100 online right here at TV Fanatic anytime!
Caralynn Lippo is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.


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Nowadays, there are insurance agencies out there that are able to help out on individuals that are deemed as persons with disabilities. Having that said, being a participant of these said prospects is not that easy to achieve in the process. Perhaps one of the vital factors that needs to be emphasized in this situation is that of the proper management to be done on the funding of the participants themselves.
Once approved, you are set to embark on a wide array of processes that could either set you up for success or otherwise, if you permit it to be. To conquer such uncertainties in its course, then you better invest in a professional plan manager that could give you all the advice's and steps that you could take in order to get the most out of these insurance agencies to begin with. This way, accessibility to funding would very much be a convenience for you to partake on in the long run. At the end of the day, not much stress would be bestowed on you, as the support that you want for your day to day struggles would all be provided thanks to such professionals from the get go. Just remember to take all of these things in all seriousness, as management of funds is not a laughing matter for you to simply brush off to your plan manager.
With proper Ndis planning and management done to these insurance prospects, then your life would be much more easier to keep up to your very own preference. Eventually, you would not have to make a big fuss out of the barriers or obstacles that could potentially put you at a standstill at that particular moment of your life. Perhaps only the minor problems are the things that you need to take into account that may range from that of the vitality of extra administration and even time constraint standards to keep up in the long run.
For the most part, participants in the situation are given the utmost power to select the funding management system that they most likely prefer to their very own perspective. You are not oblige to pay the other party for your insurance needs, as the plan manager could very much take care of that for you. Get yourself the right match as having the most capable one for the job could set you for a right future ahead of you. An essential thing to do is to make some viable research beforehand as doing so could put you at a good path to achieve your intentions and goals at the end of the day.


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The Platewarmer uses minimum of energy due to the grid design of the heating element and provides a practical way to heat 3-12 plates in less time than it takes to cook a meal, leaving room in your oven for the cooking. To use the Plate Warmer, simply place up to 4 plates in each fold and switch on.
Electric Plate Warmers are thermostatically controlled to keep the plates at the ideal temperature to serve hot food whilst leaving the outer edges safe to handle and are a safe and easy alternative to heating up plates in the oven. The Electric Plate Warmer can be personalised with your own bespoke logo and/or design colour.
Below image as reference:
Electric Plate Warmer
Electric Plate Warmers, Electric Dish Warmer, Plate Warmers for Home, Electric Warming Plate
Ningbo Makeheat Electrical Appliance Co., Ltd , http://www.makeheat.net


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Just a little thing I found, If you know anyone getting married real quick or having a big b-day party...tell them, this is a fantastic deal! I remember going to a few weddings and events there...always wonderful and perfect! My favorite is the bubbling red pond...(Koi fish)
The Lodge Skaneateles, New York
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External surfacing » Addastone TP » Case Studies » Yaa Centre
Contractor True Grip Ltd
True Grip Ltd, an approved Addagrip contractor, installed 6mm Terracotta, Rhine Gold and Carbon Addaset at a depth of 18mm, creating the eye-catching and precise layout. To create a seamless finish to the surfaced area, a 6-10mm Rhine Gold Addastone TP was selected for the tree pit areas.
Matthew Baker of Foster Wilson Architects was the project architect and the design is based on a Ghanaian fabric.
The Yaa Centre provides a platform initiating, supporting and developing cultural and educational arts benefiting diverse communities.


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Whenever it gets to the end of the year, one of the hardest things I have to do when it comes to work is compile a list of my favourite albums of the year for the various magazines I write for. It's difficult for many reasons. One is that it's practically impossible to create a hierarchy of albums – to say that this one if better than that one which is better than that one and so on.
Depending on mood, weather, time of day and all sorts of other immeasurable factors, the impact certain albums have on me constantly changes. One day, I may prefer Artist A to Artist B, the next, Artist E might take the top spot. The second difficulty is that, much as I'd like to, I don't hear every album that's released. So there are always bound to be glaring omissions by a worthy contender for the simple reason that I didn't get a copy or – and this is even more crucial, perhaps – it's not my kind of thing. There are plenty of acclaimed albums that I can't stand, just as there are plenty of critically lambasted albums that I love. So really, what I base it on is a very non-clinical, non-professional approach.
Shred this
My end of year lists tend to comprise the albums I keep (or kept) going back to. And the top spot this year was undoubtedly Superchunk's Majesty Shredding. Years ago, two of its members formed Merge Records, which recently gave us Arcade Fire, who have since far eclipsed Superchunk, but it was their first record in nine years and it was utterly worth the wait. After that, I'd probably say American Slang by The Gaslight Anthem, which saw the New Jersey band shed the Springsteen tag heaped on them by lazy journalists and create something that was both theirs and of the time as it was steeped in the mystique of rock'n'roll. Speaking of Bruce Springsteen, the deluxe remastered version of Darkness On The Edge Of Town, complete with two discs of previously unheard songs from those sessions, was simply mind-blowing, and just as relevant today as it was in 1978. Straight Lines, who I mentioned in one of my previous columns, hit big with the sharp, spiky punk of Persistence In This Game, while harbinger of doom Jaz Coleman lead notorious UK post-punks Killing Joke to deliver a terrifying, Yeatsian vision of an apocalyptic future with 'Absolute Dissent'.
Danger! Mouse
Elsewhere, Scottish troupe Frightened Rabbit proved themselves less than timid with a stunning third record, The Winter Of Mixed Drinks, and producer du jour Dangermouse resurrected the recently deceased Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse for a hauntingly beautiful collaborative album called, appropriately, 'Dark Night Of The Soul'. Surfer Blood's debut album, Astro Coast took Beach Boys-esque '60s pop and added a dose of feedback-dominated nihilism to the equation, to make one of the best pop records of the year, while Avi Buffalo stunned with their self-titled debut album, which somehow managed to capture the shimmering hope and sadness of youth with its gorgeous, summery, sunny songs. All of which brings me to the 10th record. But you know what…I can't choose. Because there are still so many worth mentioning. So, if you want to add to the list with your choice, feel free to do so!
Mischa Pearlman is a music journalist living in London, who writes for a bunch of music magazines such as The Fly, Kerrang!, Clash, Record Collector and Alternative Press. He does this purely for the love and less frequently for the money, and is always hoping to fall in love with his next favourite band so he can tell you about it.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to the all-access pass for the Cayman Compass.


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Sampler or Travel Pack - Nourishe Skincare Hydrating Face Oil 10 ml, Face Cream 30 ml, Face Scrub 30ml, Cleansing Oil 10 ml
- Availability:
- In Stock
- Product Code:
- Nourishe Skincare
- Brand:
- Nourishe Skincare
Our philosophy is simple - effective results with medicinal herbs that have been used successfully for centuries. These products are handcrafted with love in small batches using all natural ingredients including medicinal herbs and essential oils to ensure your skin is soothed, moisturised and beautified.
Made in New Zealand
Nourishe Face Cream 30ml
This face cream is handcrafted using medicinal herbs and essential oils to soften, moisturise, balance and stimulate healthy skin growth, helps prevent wrinkles and evens out uneven skin pigmentation.
Suitable for all skin types.
Apply to clean skin morning and night. Keep cool out of direct sunlight.
Ingredients: Water, coconut triglycerides (caprylic/capric triglyceride), cetearyl alcohol, vegetable glycerine, glyceral stearate, organic jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis), sodium stearoyl glutamate, meadowfoam seed oil (Limnanthes alba), organic shea butter (Butyrospermum parkii), organic cocoa butter (Theobroma cacao), comfrey (Symphytum officinale), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Calendula (Calendula officinalis), vitamin E, evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis), benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid (ecocert approved preservative), essential oils of ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata var.), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), frankincense (Boswellia ssp.), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens).
Nourishe Hydrating Face Oil 10ml
This face oil is handcrafted with love to ensure the most effective results for hydrating and healing your skin, soothing and softening, helping reduce the appearance of scars, promote new skin growth and creating a healthy glow.
Directions: Apply to clean skin under daily moisturiser or as night treatment.
Keep cool and out of direct sunlight.
Ingredients: Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis) herbal infusion of gotu kola (Centella asiatica) and St John(Daucus carota), rosehip oil (Rosa rubignosa), vitamin E, essential oils of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), frankincense (Boswellia ssp), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) rose (Rosa damascene).
Nourishe Cleansing Oil 10ml
This face cleansing oil is handcrafted to cleanse, soften, hydrate and soothe your skin. Suitable for all skin types.
Directions: Use a couple of drops, massaging into the face in circular motions, heat a cloth in warm water and steam the oil off the face and Decolletage. Follow with the hydrating face oil and/or Face cream. For daily use, for all skin types.
Keep cool and out of direct sunlight.
Ingredients: Sunflower Oil (Helianthus annus), Meadowfoam seed oil (Limnanthes alba, Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia Chinensis), Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) Neroli (Citrus aurantium var.amara), frankincense (Boswellia ssp), Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum, Vitamin E (tocopherol)


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Current Newswire:
Ubuntu's Shuttleworth Creates Controversy with OpenStack Summit Vancouver KeynoteMay 22, 2018, 23:00 (0 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Sean Michael Kerner)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The OpenStack Foundation is facing a bit of drama and controversy as it deals with issues related to a keynote delivered by Ubuntu Linux founder, Mark Shuttleworth at the OpenStack Summit here on May 21.
Typically the OpenStack Foundation posts videos of all its session online within 24 hours, but with the Shuttleworth keynote, the video was apparently posted and then promptly removed. During his keynote, Shuttleworth took direct aim at his OpenStack competitor Red Hat, which apparently made some people in the OpenStack Summit community uncomfortable.
Related Stories:


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