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Danger awaits Link at the end of every dungeon in The Legend of Zelda series. After facing off against minions and deadly traps, the player will be forced to match wits and weapons with a powerful boss monster. These usually make for some of the most interesting and exciting parts of the game. The time has come for us to give the awesome Zelda boss monsters their due.
There will be no entries on this list from Breath of the Wild, even though several of its boss monsters would certainly qualify for a position. As of the time of writing, the game is still fairly new. Breath of the Wild is a game that is best played fresh, so we will not spoil any of its surprises here.
We are here today to celebrate the monsters that gave Link the most challenging and exciting battles of all. From the powerful sorcerer of A Link to the Past, to the darkness that awaits you in Ocarina of Time.
Here are the 15 Best Boss Battles In The Legend of Zelda!
14 Agahnim
The Legend of Zelda series is fond of scenarios that start with the villain having already won. Ganon has all but destroyed Hyrule in the first Zelda title. When the Wind Waker begins, all of Hyrule has already been flooded, as part of a desperate attempt to stop Ganondorf.
In A Link to the Past, the evil wizard Agahnim has already taken over the kingdom of Hyrule, and most people aren't even aware. Ganon decided to go for a more subtle approach this time around, and he possessed the body of a powerful sorcerer to use for his own ends. Aganhim caused natural disasters and then pretended to fix them, in order to get close to the King of Hyrule. By the time Link first lifts a sword, Agahnim has already taken over Hyrule Castle.
Link must battle Agahnim at two different points in the game. Agahnim is the first in a long line of Zelda bosses that require you to reflect the enemy's own attacks back at them. This is a lot more difficult the second time around, as Agahnim will create illusionary copies of himself. It is up to the player to work out which version of Agahnim that they have to attack.
13 Phantom Ganon
When Ocarina of Time was first being developed, there were many different ways that Nintendo was going to go about making their first 3D Zelda game. One of the initial ideas was for the game to be set in a castle that would act as a hub world. The castle would be filled with magical portraits, which would allow Link to travel to other locations. This was the same concept that was used in Super Mario 64, though it would eventually be abandoned in Ocarina of Time. The only remaining aspect of this initial idea occurs during the Phantom Ganon boss battle.
Once Link reaches the end of the Forest Temple, you will see a circular room that is filled with portraits. Link must do battle against Phantom Ganon, who can leap out from the portraits on his steed, and attack the player.
The Phantom Ganon battle is one of timing. You have to be ready to fire an arrow at him when he rides out of a picture, and then reflect his own beams of magic back at him. Once he is down on the ground, Link is free to wail on Phantom Ganon's head.
12 Veran
After the Pokémon series successfully released two versions of the same game on the Game Boy, Nintendo decided to try the same with The Legend of Zelda. While there are few differences between Pokémon Red & Blue, the two Oracle titles are separate games that are meant to be played together. You can't even face Ganon until you reach the end of your second playthrough.
In place of Ganon, each game had its own antagonist. In The Oracle of Ages, this was Veran. The final confrontation with Veran starts with her mind in possession of Queen Ambi's body. You must first work out how to purge Veran's spirit from the Queen. Once revealed, Veran will transform into a monster that resembles a fairy. In order to make the battle trickier, she will also summon a group of Dark Links, who will mimic all of the player's moves.
Once Veran's fairy body is defeated, she will pull a Final Fantasy end boss move, and will keep shifting between different monstrous forms. Veran will change into a turtle that crashes into the ground, a deadly giant spider, and a huge bee that carries her original face. Link must defeat all five forms of Veran in one battle, without respite.
11 Vaati
While Ganon is the chief villain of the Zelda franchise, there have been other recurring villains throughout the series. The Wind Mage Vaati appeared across several different Zelda titles and may return to torment Hyrule once more in the future.
Vaati appears in Fours Swords, Four Swords Adventures, and The Minish Cap. He plays the biggest role in The Minish Cap, as that is the title that most resembled a traditional Zelda game. In The Minish Cap, Vaati is the wayward apprentice of Ezlo the Sage. He becomes corrupted by his desire to gain power and begins sealing away parts of Hyrule.
One of the main gameplay gimmicks in The Minish Cap involves Link transforming into a tiny form. This is necessary during the final battle, as you need to enter Vaati's body and destroy him within. It's kind of like the opposite of Fantastic Voyage, with Link killing Vaati from the inside out.
Gleeok is one of the bosses of the original Legend of Zelda game. It is a huge two-headed dragon, that Link must behead twice in order to kill. Should you play the Second Quest of the game, then you will encounter three and four-headed variants of Gleeok.
The best battle against Gleeok happens in Phantom Hourglass. This time, its heads are now elementally color coded, as it has a blue head (that breathes ice) and a red head (that spits out fireballs). Unlike in the first game, you cannot just run up and stab Gleeok in its faces. Link and Gleeok are separated by a room full of water during this battle. In order to fight Gleeok, Link has to use his grappling hook weapon to create rope barriers that will reflect its attacks back against it. As the battle progresses, the whole arena will be flooded. This will force Link to create a tightrope, upon which he must stand if he is to continue the fight.
10 Gohma
Giant spiders are one of the most generic and overused video game bosses of all time. It doesn't matter what setting the game is using, as a giant spider could be around every corner. You could be playing a fantasy, science fiction, survival horror, first-person shooter, strategy, stealth, or an adventure game, it doesn't matter, the spiders will be around somewhere.
To the lucky people who had the chance to play Ocarina of Time upon its release, the battle against a giant spider also happened to be one of the most awesome moments in the series. What better way to introduce the player to the world of 3D Zelda bosses than with Gohma.
Parasitic Armored Arachnid: Gohma is a huge spider monster, with a red and green eye in its center. You must tackle this behemoth as it scuttles around the arena and descends upon you from the ceiling. While not the most challenging boss in the game, Gohma leaves a hell of a first impression on the player.
9 Façade
Most boss battles in the Legend of Zelda series take place in rooms. That makes sense - where else is the fight going to take place?
Façade from Link's Awakening is a unique boss, in that it is the room you are fighting in.
When you enter Façade's chamber, it seems like it is just an empty room. As the battle begins, two black eyes and a huge mouth open up in the center of the floor. Façade then proceeds to throw the floor tiles at you, followed by the pots that adorn the arena. Once it is has run out of pieces to fling from its body, it will start opening and closing holes in the ground. The fight turns into a running battle, as Link must try and hurt Façade's face with bombs, as he constantly flees from the pits that keep appearing on the floor. As the player, you cannot relax for a second during this fight.
8 Majora
It's fair to say that Majora's Mask is the scariest game in the Zelda series. The concept alone is horrifying. Link is given a few days to stop the moon from crashing to the ground and wiping out all life in Termina. In order to do so, Link is forced to don the faces of fallen heroes, which transforms him into different races in a highly disturbing way.
Ganon may be an asshole, but at least he wants to rule the world, and not destroy it. Skull Kid is a being that has been so corrupted by chaos, that it seeks nothing but destruction and death.
The final fight against Majora is the freakiest battle in the entire series. The Majora Incarnation form alone is horrifying. It has spindly limbs (not unlike the ReDeads from Ocarina of Time), and it prances around the room whilst doing a disturbing dance. For a brief moment, the Zelda series turns into the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Link must do battle against one of the gods of chaos itself. It's like Nyarlathotep itself has come to wage war on the existence of Termina.
7 Puppet Ganon
The Wind Waker received abuse from Nintendo fans when it was first revealed, as fans did not like the cell shaded graphics that were being used for the game. Little did they know, that the graphics of Wind Waker would hold up better than almost every other game in the series. The Wind Waker has since found new appreciation from the gaming public and has seen an HD remake on the Wii U.
One of the downsides of Wind Waker's cartoonish graphics is the effect that it had on Ganondorf. He went from being imposing in Ocarina of Time to looking kind of dorky in Wind Waker. Luckily for us, he isn't the only form of Ganon that you get to meet in the game.
Puppet Ganon is a giant monstrous doll, that dances lifelessly around the arena. Link has to cut its strings and hit it with light arrows, in order to defeat it. There is something unnerving about how Puppet Ganon moves around, and attacks like a machine. It is certainly a more impressive foe than the actual Ganondorf turned out to be.
6 Ghirahim
One of the main selling points of Skyward Sword was its use of the Wii MotionPlus accessory. While the Wiimote was essentially a glorified wireless mouse, the MotionPlus promised a controller that would react to the fine movements of your hand. When it came to Skyward Sword, Link would hold his weapon in the same way that you were holding the Wiimote. This was intended to make the gameplay more exciting. Sadly, it didn't always work as intended, and you were often forced to pause the game in order to sync the controller with the system.
When Skyward Sword's controls worked, the game was actually a lot of fun. This can be best seen in the various confrontations with Ghirahim throughout the game. As an opponent of similar size and stature to Link, Ghirahim required a level of finesse and strategy that most other bosses in the game lacked. If there was any justification for the use of the MotionPlus in Skyward Sword, it was the measured strikes and counters that were needed to take down Ghirahim.
5 Stallord
Everything about the Twilit Fossil Stallord battle is epic. It is the high point of Twilight Princess and it is one of the most amazing fights in the whole Zelda series.
While most Zelda boss battles take place within a dungeon chamber, the fight against Stallord takes place within a massive sand pit. Stallord starts out as a huge set of monster bones, before being reanimated and set upon Link. As the battle progresses, the skeletons of dead warriors rise from the pit and attack Link.
At first, it might seem like you have to get up close and personal with Stallord, in order to stab him with your sword. What makes this battle unique is the fact that you need to use the Spinner item in order to complete it. The Spinner is like a mixture between a skateboard and a drill. Link has to ram the Spinner into Stallord's bones, which culminates in a chase scene. Whilst riding on the Spinner, Link must outrun Stallord's floating head, and crush it into dust.
4 Yuga Ganon
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds manages to be both a 2D and a 3D Zelda title at the same time. While the game is mainly played from the usual top-down perspective, Link now has the ability to transform into a painting, which allows you to see the world from a closer viewpoint.
Link's ability to turn into graffiti is one of the main gimmicks of the game, and it is something you will be forced to do on many occasions. It isn't until the final battle of the game that you will face another being that can also turn into artwork. The main antagonist of A Link Between Worlds is an evil sorcerer, named Yuga. Link gains the power to turn into a drawing from Yuga (by accident), which is also an ability that Yuga possesses.
During the final battle of the game, Yuga will draw on the powers of Ganon, and become Yuga Ganon. In this fight, Yuga will also transform into a picture. This means that Link is forced to battle against him in both the 2nd and 3rd dimensions.
3 Dark Dragon
One of the least popular Zelda titles is the second game in the series, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. One of the many reasons for this dislike is due to the fact that the game switched to a side-on perspective, rather than the top-down view that was used in the previous Zelda title.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons proved that the series could utilise the horizontal perspective in interesting ways. This is true for the fight against the Dark Dragon, which is the end boss of the game (unless you played Oracle of Ages first, in which case there are more battles to come).
Once General Onox assumes his true form, he transforms into a huge dragon. The player needs to use all of their skill in this fight, as the Dark Dragon may be the most difficult battle in the series. You have to jump onto its hands when they are near the ground, in order to leap into the air and strike the gem on its head. This is a lot easier said than done, as Dark Dragon has a wide range of breath attacks, all of which will restrict your movement. The player has to always be mindful of where they move, lest they become trapped and are unable to counterattack.
2 Ganon
Those who played Ocarina of Time for the first time may have been dissapointed by the initial appearance of Ganondorf. In the previous games, Ganon was a huge pig monster that dwarfed Link in size. When Ganondorf first appears, he looks like a regular bad guy.
When you reach the final encounter with Ganondorf at the end of the game, you must face off against his human form. After reflecting his attacks back at him and hitting him with some light arrows, Ganondorf will fade away. Now that their greatest foe has been vanquished, Link must flee the crumbling castle with Princess Zelda.
Ganondorf is not finished, however. Once everyone is outside the castle, Ganondorf will use the power of the Triforce to transform himself into the Ganon form that we are familiar with. Link must battle against the huge pig monster form of Ganon, that is lit only by the strikes of thunder. This starts one of the most epic fights in the series, as Link must combine his efforts with Navi and Princess Zelda, in order to defeat his greatest foe.
1 Dark Link
One of the greatest challenges for the developers of Ocarina of Time was working out how to do sword fighting in a 3D environment. They eventually used the Z-Target system, which allows you to lock on to an enemy by holding the Z button. This changes Link's movement so that he now focuses on the enemy.
Despite coming up with an ingenious and effective method of combat in a 3D world, Ocarina of Time didn't really make the most of it. The game rarely threw another weapon user at you. As such, Link was mainly stuck fighting monsters that posed little challenge.
The big exception to this is the battle against Dark Link. This evil reflection of the protagonist is so awesome that he manages to elevate the awful Water Temple dungeon with his mere presence.
Dark Link possesses many of Link's attacks and has ways of countering your actions in battle. While it is possible to cheese through Dark Link with the use of items (mainly Din's Fire), the player will be doing themselves a disservice by not taking him on the old fashioned way. The battle against Dark Link is a truly special moment in the series, and it should be savoured instead of spoiled. Working out Dark Link's weaknesses is still one of the most satisfying moments in the series. The only thing bad thing about the battle is the fact that it ends, and you have to return to the Water Temple.


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Sinking Ships
Caulky Tarroon
"The Captain said so, got it?"
The Captain's Cabin Girl is slight and young. She smiles smugly as she carries food about the ship but knows better than to talk to anyone.
'Caulky' Tarroon is the Captain's Cabin Girl. She carries food from the Galley to his Cabin each night to feed him and the other Officers. She doesn't say much but her grin indicates that she's better than you.

subset: commoncrawl


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Buy a Home
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Buying A Home
It may sound cliché that buying a house is the biggest investment people will make in their lives, but for most, it's true. Finding the right agent is as important as finding the right home. Here is why your broker search stops here.
RSVP does not believe in "selling" buyers a house, but rather finding the right fit to suit your needs. There are times when we will discourage our clients from buying a particular house. You will see through our low-pressure approach, we will tour until we find a house that makes you say, "I have to have it." Once we find the perfect house for you, our negotiating skills coupled with our desire to get you the best value will assist you in achieving your goal.
Here is what you can expect when working with RSVP to purchase your next home:


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Reverse osmosis (RO) is a proven membrane technology for seawater desalination. Although the cost of RO desalinated water has been significantly reduced, it still remains fairly high, as compared to other drinking water sources, mainly due to the high operating pressures required (typically 800-1000 psi). LBWD had recently introduced a patent-pending dual-staged nanofiltration (NF) process as a potentially lower-energy alternative to the traditional RO desalination process. The novel NF process desalts seawater by treating the permeate from the first stage with a second NF stage in order to produce finished water with salinity levels lower than drinking water standards. The primary goal of this novel desalination system is to reduce energy consumption to as low as possible while producing potable water at an acceptable recovery rate.
The Long Beach Water Department, EE&T, Inc., and the University of Nevada (UNR), Reno are engaged on an 18-month long project to better understand and optimize this technology. The UNR focus in this research project is on the theoretical basis for the dual NF concept and includes membrane characterization and bench-scale membrane performance. The objectives of this project are to evaluate three NF membranes for their permeate water flux and ion rejection for both single salt feed water solutions as well as for synthetic seawater solutions. This data will provide the basis for a predictive model and allow the formation of a selection protocol to evaluate possible candidate NF membranes.


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Whoa. Now that was a intellectual reset button hitting if there ever was one.
From July 31 to August 5 I attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians (LIAL) in Boston. It was a one-week, intensive, immersive course not so much on how to be a leader but how to think like a leader and how to understand a little more about the leadership process.
Not solely aimed academic library leadership per se, but more broadly about leadership situated in an academic environment. In other words, it was about people who happen to be librarians leading academic institutions that happen to be libraries.
I was joined by about 100 fellow library leaders and aspiring library leaders. A fantastic class of people willing to explore and willing to stretch and learn.
First of all, the leadership theory that gave shape to the entire week. It was based on our textbook, Reframing Academic Leadership by Lee G. Bolman and Joan V. Gallos.
It really quite a good book with both practical and theoretical approaches to leadership that I find quite interesting. What's really useful is that is situates the challenges of leadership within the unique environment of collegial academic governance, the demands of research/teaching/service and a tenured professoriat/librarian complement. It's well worth reading. And with the incredible opportunity of having Joan Gallos on the faculty, the ideas really came to life during the Institute.
The basic premise is that there are four views or frames of academic leadership.
- Structural. Really about rational analysis, organizing tasks, making rules and enforcing policies. Being efficient. As you can imagine, a big one among academic library leaders.
- Political. This one is about networking, negotiating, bargaining, advocating, resolving conflicts and allocating resources.
- Human Resource. The main theme here is organization as family. It's about serving, coaching, caring, attending to people, motivation, relationships, needs, skills.
- Symbolic. It's about leading by example. The leaser as thinker, artist, "prophet." The core skills are building faith and shared meaning, seeing possibilities, creating a common vision, meaning-making, identity. What we might call "thought leadership."
I found it very revealing to see my own actions and the actions of those around me in light of those different lenses.
The structure of the Institute on a daily basis was quite straightforward. Each day began with a meeting of our small group of eight fellow participants. After that, we did a session, usually a case study, before lunch and one or two after lunch until the late afternoon. Lunches were catered at a nearby campus restaurant. We also had opportunities for campus tours and of the Widener Library.
Some impressions.
- Teaching 1.0. Trust me on this one. No one was absent-mindedly checking their watches or Facebook during this institute. (Or at least not very much 😉
First of all, it must be said that the faculty for LIAL is absolutely stellar: Joe Zolner, Joan Gallos, Jim Honan, Maureen Sullivan, Chris Dede and Lisa Lahey.
And each and every one of them delivered a wonderful traditional classroom experience. Like I titled this section: Teaching 1.0. Even the session on Education 2.0 was very Teaching 1.0. Curious, ironic, whatever. It worked. Forceful, dynamic professors, engaged students, terrific case study material, well chosen and well paced interactive and group study elements, immersive self-study and homework. That traditional classroom experience worked in many ways because of all the factors above, but I did find it curiously heartening that even in this hyper-connected Internet age there's still a way to make something so traditional so powerful.
Even down to feeling like an undergrad again, getting down to a few hours of homework a night, books open, music blaring, drink by my side. In fact, a curious lesson from all this was reminding myself how people study again. It's not staring at one screen, reading one document. It's multi-document, flipping back and forth, quickly switching from one to another: book, binder, photocopies, laptop/tablet screen not in competition with each other but all complimentary. Which is a lesson to be kept in mind when talking about the death of paper textbooks.
All the faculty were terrific, as I said. But there were also very diverse in their styles. Each unique from Joe Zolner's hilarious ramblings to Joan Gallos' jazzy improvisations to Jim Honan's intensity. I found them inspirational in the sense I could see elements of my own teaching style in each of them and ways to improve what I do. And I imagine most of the other participants had the same experience. In fact, for a while after LIAL I often found myself breaking into Joe Zolner impressions whenever I was explaining things to people.
- Small Groups FTW! Purposefully selected to maximize different axes of diversity, we spent an hour or so at the start of each day talking about what we'd learned, exploring leadership or professional issues, supporting each other and talking about each others various professional and career choices. In other words, a very supportive and nurturing way to start the day. I found this particular aspect of the institute one of the most powerful as it really focused on our relationships with each other, what we can learn from each other and on the relationships that will carry us forward beyond LIAL.
In fact, much of the institute was focused on getting us talking with each other. Virtually every session involved sharing and discussing with one of our neighbours (Hi Tracey, Hi Joy!), working on our individual cases with another small group or getting together at one of our self-organized lunchtime Affinity Groups to talk about various professional issues like open access, outreach, IL or international issues.
- Wet Dog Syndrome. One of the things we were warned about was getting back to our institutions all revved up, eager to get to the leading and changing and transforming and framing everything left right and center. And pissing everyone off all around us with our new-found enthusiasm. The message was definitely to pick our spots and be patient. To look at the long term, to take advantage of and create opportunities for leadership across all the various frames. The best opportunities aren't necessarily the ones that will jump out at you in mid-August. Words to live by.
- The power of a tech holiday. Looking at my twitter account, it seems that I did not tweet one single time between July 31 and August 9. Not even an RT. I also barely read my email or checked in on Friendfeed. And I totally forgot G+ even existed. I was just too damn busy and too damn engrossed.
Was my focus perfect? Not quite. But I did manage pretty well and I have to say I found the experience both enriching and enlightening. I did my readings, focused on and participated in class discussions, engaged my classmates at every opportunity.
- What happens at LIAL stays at LIAL. One of the most important things about an intensive workshop like this one is that the participants feel safe. One of the first things we all agreed to (with a mass thumbs up sign) was that we would respect each other's right to explore, share and learn without fearing that our words would come back to haunt us. As a result, I think people were pretty frank and honest about their experiences, both in the classroom and in the various small group settings.
- Framing what I do. One of the really great aspects of LIAL is that it gets you to really deeply think about what you do. Both what you hope you do well and what you know you can do better.
Luckily there was something I think I'm doing well that I was able to see in a clearer light. Both in my blogging activities and on campus I now realize what I'm attempting to do is much higher level leadership that I was thinking about before. When I organize tweetups or make sure I attend Departmental or Faculty Council meetings or campus social media working groups, what I'm really doing is exercising political frame leadership on my campus. I'm forging networks, creating alliances, making connections that all benefit the work that I do individually, that my department does and that the whole library does. When I go to Science Online or the CEEA conference, when I sit on ebook conference panels with science writers, when I give presentations on social media to various campus constituencies, I'm being a symbolic leader by making a case for what libraries and librarians can do.
And here on this blog, when I advocate for librarians to blog in faculty networks, to go to non-librarian conferences, to be stealthy, well, once again what I'm attempting to do is be a symbolic leader. I'm trying to make a case to librarians that we should be more outward-looking. It's actually kind of cool to see myself as a leader in those frames. And it's something that I know is important both for my organization and my profession. I was a nice feeling and we definitely should all get the occasional little ego boost about the work we do.
- A slight complaint. We were sent the Bolman/Gallos book well in advance of the institute as well as the reading for the first day and a half of the sessions. Which was great. However, when we arrived the first thing they did practically was give us huge binders with the readings and case studies for the next few days.
There was so much of it that to really absorb the articles and especially some quite long case studies could easily be a couple of hours of readings a night. While it was a bit of a (welcome/deserved) shock to the system to feel like a swamped undergrad again, I do feel that the scale of the readings was a bit counter-productive. Solitary readings I can do anywhere. Exchanging ideas and interacting with so many of the best and brightest of the library field? That's priceless. I could definitely feel both in myself and among the others a bit of a hesitancy to socialize too much in the evenings or even during lunch.
Thursday evening after the clambake (yes, the closing event is a clambake) was the only time that I think people felt really free to stay out really late since there were no readings due Friday. And maybe a bit the Wednesday evening "beer affinity group" meeting but even that broke up fairly early.
- And finally. Joe Zolner FTW! As the Educational Chair of LIAL, it was clear that in many ways this was his show. While obviously a truly collaborative effort on the parts of the absolutely stellar staff and all the other faculty, it was pretty clear that it was Joe's really quite amazing leadership on all frames (from structural all the way through to symbolic) that animated the program. He definitely seemed like the type of leader who would rather deflect much the credit onto others, but in the end I think he deserves a lot of the credit for the shape of the program and the family feeling amongst the participants.
And it was no accident that he was at the front of the class both in the first session of the Institute and the very last. His passion, flair and good humour really set the tone from the very first moment. And his earnestness and profound love of the mission of higher education hit the right note at the end, sending all of us out on a mission to change the world of academic libraries.
Whoa. Long post.
To summarize, LIAL was an amazing experience that many, if not most, academic librarians would benefit from at some point in their career. Leadership isn't just about having a title, it's also about leading by example and definitely it's also about creating the connections and building the context your institution needs to thrive in a challenging world.
And anybody can do that.
Update 2011.08.24: I should have mentioned that the dates for the 2012 edition of LIAL have already been set: August 5-10.


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This is a one-of-a-kind spell that is designed to ignite your love affair with that special person.
Read carefully the following to see if this spell is for you:
The person you love vacillates between wanting to be with you and vanishing from your life.
The two of you "know" you are right for each other but one of you is afraid to commit. Guess who that is?
You are tired, frustrated, and disappointed that this relationship is currently stalled, and you are afraid it may dissolve.
You need something to happen ASAP to cement your relationship.
If the above resonates with you, the Love Accelerator spell could provide the motivation to get this person to commit to you.
Are you tired of being second best?
Are you humiliated, upset, and angry that you are not receiving the attention and love you so deserve?
Is it time that your lover wakes up and tells you how much they love you?
Order this spell, if:
You need to take action immediately and not wait a second longer to turn this relationship around on a dime.
You love this person but need to set them straight and be obedient to your wishes.
You want to be the great love of your lover's life.
And you want it to happen ASAP!
If you answered yes to the above, you have come to the right place.
The Make Me Your Great Love! spell is designed to elevate you to the most important status in your lover's eyes.


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Reports: Florida teen confirmed as first known human case of Keystone virus
Reports: Florida teen confirmed as first known human case of Keystone virus
A 16-year-old in north central Florida has been confirmed as the first known case of a human being infected with the Keystone virus, according to researchers from the University of Florida.
The teen sought medical help after coming down with a fever and a severe rash in August 2016, NPR reported.
At the time, doctors were not able to diagnose his symptoms and kept running into dead ends.
The case has opened doors for ways to test humans to see if they have the disease, which is a cousin to the Zika-spreading Aedes aegypti.
According to WebMD, the Keystone virus was first identified in 1964 and was found among animals along the U.S. coastal region from Texas to Chesapeake Bay.


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Pea and bean net is a plastic square mesh to support garden peas, sweet peas and runner beans.
For strong vertical and horizontal support of beans and peas and other climbing plants, this green, diamond mesh will flex and stretch into the size and shape required. It is ideal for climbers that will twine around the net, such as runner beans and sweet peas. Fix it against a wall or fence, or suspend between posts. It is rot-proof and can be re-used. Please be assured that it is a kind of strong and durable plant support net.
The features are as follows:
• Ideal for climbing plants that will twine around the net, such as runner beans and sweet peas.
• Can be used vertically between poles, on long pergolas and against walls for all climbing plants.
• Strong and durable plant support net.


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For a detailed listing and description of courses being offered at South Carleton next year, go to South Carleton's Student Course Guide.
Certain courses require that additional forms be completed in order for a student to register. Instructions and application forms for those courses may be downloaded below. These must be submitted to Guidance.
Register for your courses using Career Cruising. Read the instructions! Registration will begin in February 2018.
Once course selection is completed, print the Sign Off sheet (3 pages). This must be signed by a parent and handed in to Guidance by TBD.
Guidance counsellors will be holding information sessions with all grade 9 - 11 classes February 2018. These are the presentations that students are being shown:
Grade 9 Presentation
Grade 10 Presentation
Grade 11 Presentation
For information on the Grade 10 Literacy Test:
Link Crew
Online Course Contract
Peer Tutoring (GPP3O)
Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Program, including House Construction
South Carleton offers a wide variety of courses in all subjects. Informed course selection is key to being prepared for life after high school, whether that includes work, apprenticeship in a trade, college, or university. The following resources may be helpful as you make these decisions. You may also consult your teachers and guidance counsellor for advice.
Math Pathways
Science Pathways
SHSM Overview and Pathways
Technology Pathways
The OCDSB Secondary School Course Guide includes descriptions of all courses offered in all schools in the Board, as well as general information related to course selection.
Secondary School Course Guide Postcard
The OCDSB offers International Languages through Continuing Education. Students register for the IL Program through Career Cruising.
Instructions for registering for the International Languages Program
Course Codes for ILP
Any grade 12 student wishing to return to South Carleton for a victory lap must complete this form and return it to Guidance by Date to be determined


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WESTAMPTON TWP., Pa. (WPVI) --One person was killed in a crash in Westampton Township, Burlington County.
It happened around 4:30 a.m. Sunday on Route 541.
Police say the driver of a car lost control, ran off the road, and struck a guardrail, causing the vehicle to overturn.
The drive was ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene.
Police are trying to determine what led to the deadly accident.
The driver's identity has not yet been released.


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If you are in any doubt about the action you should take or the contents of this website or the invitation document ( the "Invitation Document"), you should contact your professional adviser who is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") to conduct investment business and who specialises in advising on investments in shares, bonds and other securities, including unlisted securities.
The contents of this website and the Invitation Document constitutes an invitation to subscribe for bonds ("Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds") in Prindiville PLC ("the "Company") on the terms and conditions set out in the Invitation Document.
Investors should not subscribe for any of the Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds referred to in these web pages or the Invitation Document, except on the basis of the information published in the Invitation Document and the instrument dated 01/11/2016 constituting the Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds of the Company (the "Instrument") set out on page 31 of the Invitation Document.
Your attention is particularly drawn to the "Risk Factors" which are set out on page 20 of the Invitation Document. Prospective investors should consider carefully whether an investment in the Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds is suitable for them in the light of their personal circumstances. Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds are an unsecured debt of the Company and they may not be a suitable investment for all. Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds are not transferable or negotiable on the capital markets and no application is to be made for the Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds to be admitted to listing or trading on any market.
Investment in an unquoted security of this nature, being an illiquid investment, is speculative, involving a degree of risk. Other than in exceptional circumstances, it will not be possible to sell or realise Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds before they mature or to obtain reliable information about the risks to which they are exposed.
The Asset-Backed Prindiville Bond is an unsecured debt of the Company and there is no certainty that the, will be able to repay them.
This section of the website, which is a financial promotion for the purposes of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 ("FSMA"), is issued by the Company which accepts responsibility for the information contained herein. This website has been approved as a financial promotion for UK publication by NCM Fund Services Ltd ("NCM"), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. NCM is registered on the Financial Conduct Authority's Register with registered number 183732. NCM is acting exclusively for the Company in connection with the issue of The Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds for promotion to the limited class of persons listed in FCA COBS Rule 4.7.7 (being (a) certified as a "high net worth investor"; (b) certified as a "sophisticated investor"; (c) self-certified as a "sophisticated investor" or (d) certified as a "restricted investor". NCM will not regard any other person as its customer or be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to customers of NCM or for advising any such person in relation to the issue of Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds. Applications should only be made on the basis of the Invitation and Instrument.
This website and the Invitation Document do not constitute an offer of transferable securities to the public and accordingly do not constitute a prospectus to which the Prospectus Rules of the FCA apply. Therefore this website, the Invitation Document and the Instrument have not been approved by the FCA or any other regulatory body.
You should ensure that you have read and understood all of the Invitation Document before applying for Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds. If you are in any doubt as to the contents of this website or the Invitation Document, or whether subscribing for Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds is a suitable investment for you, you should seek your own independent advice from an appropriately qualified financial adviser authorised under the FSMA and who specialises in advising on the acquisition of unlisted securities.
By completing the prospective Investor Categorisation section and Questionnaire prior to having been supplied or otherwise given access to this Invitation Document you have confirmed that you are one of the category of persons (a) to (d) above and are permitted to receive the Invitation Document and apply for the Asset-Backed Prindiville Bonds.
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How appealing does this look? Maybe it isn't if you're a healthy person. The fast food industry does anything possible when it comes to selling their products. They will go to great lengths to promote their products to ensure the business gains and maintains consumers. It's a tad unfortunate that when you order a burger, it never looks like it does in the ad.
It likely took hours of Photoshop and planning to get his photo looking print ready. As students, it's important for us to be media literate and recognize when we are being misled due to marketing tactics. The designer made the burger look great by touching up the colors and rounding out the edges. It's literally a perfect burger with minor imperfections.
The real versus fake image reminds me of doing our creative brief. It looks like someone took the real burger and re-worked it in Photoshop. The intended message is one to create brand and product consistency. Every store we go to, we should be able to order the same thing. Photoshop allows for the product to look appealing and visual in order to gain sales and consumerism.


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iCarly 2: iJoin the Click!
Published by
Developed by
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DescriptioniCarly 2: iJoin the Click! puts the player in the iCarly world along with Carly, Sam, Freddie, Spencer and all of their friends and foes. Based on the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards winner TV series, the player has the opportunity to help iCarly become the most-watched show on the Internet.
Carly and Sam are two teenage girls who decide to start their own Internet show with the help of their current technician and friend Freddie, but starting an Internet show is a lot of work and the competition is tough. They need help to get from rock bottom to the top, which is where the player comes into play. By befriending the iCarly crew and everyone else, the player will have to find ways to attract as many viewers as possible from episode to episode until iCarly becomes the most-watched show of the Internet.
iCarly 2: iJoin the Click!'s game-play is a cross-over between Animal Crossing and The Sims with some RPG elements. The game is a single player adventure in a simulated real-life social environment, to attract viewers, the player must gain a good reputation with NPCs and by finding all sorts of useful items throughout the iCarly world.
Promo Images
Alternate Titles
- "iCarly 2: Ab in die Klicke!" -- German title
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Contributed to by Marc-André Laliberté (12)
Nintendo DS Credits
Associate Producer:
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Supreme Court Review-Preview-Overview
An up-to-date outline of Supreme Court criminal cases
is available here. It covers pending cert grants and decisions from the past and current Terms. Other "cites" of interest are available here.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Boyle v. United States: Not much structure needed for RICO
The Supreme Court held that an association-in-fact enterprise under RICO, 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c), must have a "structure," but it need not be, as Boyle sought the jury to be instructed in his bank robberies case, "an ascertainable structure beyond that inherent in the pattern of racketeering activity in which it engages." The "structure" contemplated by the RICO statute has three features: a purpose, relationships among the associates, and longevity sufficient to permit the associates to pursue the enterprise's purpose. The Court rejected Boyle's argument the structure required additional features, such as a hierarchical structure or a chain of command. The Court also rejected the argument that its construction would create a merger of the RICO § 1962(c) crime with other federal offenses, pointing out that, in relation to conspiracy, it demands "much more" than proof of a "brief" agreement.
Posted by Paul M. Rashkind at 6/08/2009 03:19:00 PM
Monday, June 01, 2009
Bobby v. Bies: No Double Jeopardy bar on mental capacity in death cases
A State court's determination that a defendant's mental retardation was a mitigating factor in the penalty phase of a capital case does not trigger Double Jeopardy issue preclusion, and foreclose the question whether, in the wake of the subsequently-decided decision in Atkins v. Virginia, the defendant is ineligible for the death penalty because he is mentally retarded.
Posted by Paul M. Rashkind at 6/01/2009 03:17:00 PM
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Montejo v. Lousiana: Michigan v. Jackson overruled leaving an interrogation free-for-all
An inculpatory statement given by a defendant to police after the court ordered the appointment of counsel may be introduced at trial as evidence against him. In so holding, the Court overruled Michigan v. Jackson, which presumed that a waiver of the right to counsel was invalid once counsel was appointed at arraignment, and did not require the defendant to invoke the right to counsel. The Court explained that the protections of Miranda, Edwards and Minnick v. Mississippi, sufficed to protect defendants against police badgering that induced them to waive the right to counsel. Under Miranda, the suspect must be advised of his right to counsel. Under Edwards, once a defendant has invoked the right to counsel, interrogation must stop. Under Minnick, no subsequent interrogation may take place until counsel is present. These protections meant that Michigan v. Jackson's additional prophylactic layer would not be justified by the additional costs of invalidating confessions and letting criminals go free. The Court noted that, on remand, Montejo would be free to argue that he had made a clear assertion of the right to counsel prior to interrogation, and that the subsequent interrogation therefore violated Edwards v. Arizona. Montejo would also be free to argue that any waiver was involuntary because it was based on misrepresentations by police as to whether he was appointed a lawyer.
Posted by Paul M. Rashkind at 5/26/2009 03:13:00 PM
Abuelhawa v. United States: Drug Telephone Counts Punish Sales Not Purchases
Whether the use of a telephone to buy drugs for personal use "facilitates" the commission of a drug "felony," in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(b), on the theory that the crime facilitated by the buyer is not his purchase of drugs for personal use (a misdemeanor), but is the seller's distribution of the drugs to him (a felony). The Court answered in the negative, holding that using a telephone to make a misdemeanor drug purchase does not "facilitat[e]" felony drug distribution in violation of §843(b). Stopping with the plain meaning of "facilitate" here would ignore the rule that because statutes are not read as a collection of isolated phrases, "[a] word in a statute may or may not extend to the outer limits of its definitional possibilities." Dolan v. Postal Service, 546 U. S. 481. Here it does not.
Posted by Paul M. Rashkind at 5/26/2009 03:07:00 PM
Monday, May 04, 2009
Flores-Figueroa v. United States: "Knowingly" applies to all elements of aggravated identity theft law
The federal aggravated identity theft statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1), prescribes a mandatory two-year term of imprisonment for any person who, "during and in relation to" certain other specified crimes, "knowingly transfers, possesses, or uses, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person." Flores-Figueroa, a Mexican native, worked at a steel plant in East Moline, Ill. He was accused of using a phony Social Security card and a phony alien registration card. The two numbers on those cards had been assigned to someone else; he argued that the enhanced mandatory minimum sentence contained in § 1028A(a)(1) did not apply to him because he used the documents without knowing the numbers were actual numbers assigned to another person. He was convicted and sentenced to 75 months in prison, including a consecutive 24 month enhancement required 1029A(a)(1). The Eighth Circuit Court upheld the sentence, concluding that it was not necessary to show that Flores-Figueroa knew he was using another person's identifying information. In an opinion by Justice Breyer, the Supreme Court reversed, 9-0, holding that ordinary English grammar suggests that the term "knowingly" applies to all of the statutory elements. The court rejected the government's focus on what the words necessarily imply (that is -- "John knowingly threw away the homework of his sister" does not necessarily imply that John knew the homework belonged to the sister) in favor of a test that looks at the words would ordinarily imply (that is -- that John knew whose homework it was). It then noted that in criminal law, courts typically apply the required mens rea to every element in the statute. The Court rejected the government's legislative history argument without commenting on whether the statutory language was ambiguous. It rejected the government's argument about the difficulty of proving such knowledge by reference to the "classic" identity theft case, which in the Court's opinion involves using someone's information to get access to their bank account or credit card. Finally, the Court found that "concerns about practical enforceability are insufficient to outweigh the clarity of the [statutory] text." Justice Scalia (joined by Justice Thomas) concurred in part and in the judgment, taking issue with the Court's statement that courts typically apply the mens rea to all elements of a criminal statute. He pointed out that he hasn't canvassed all the cases so didn't know if that was true and that he was not prepared to say that it should be true. He also disagreed with the Court's legislative history discussion: "[t]he statute's text is clear, and I would reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeals on that ground alone." Justice Alito also concurred in part and in the judgment, because he felt that the Court's point about ordinary English usage was overstated and that context was always the paramount indicator of meaning. He noted that the language used in criminal statutes is often formulated differently from ordinary speech. Justice Alito would start with a general presumption that the specified mens rea applies to all of the elements of the offense, but would also recognize that there are instances where context may rebut the presumption. He would not join any part of the opinion that "may be read to adopt an inflexible rule of construction that can rarely be overcome by contextual features pointing to a contrary meaning." The case resolves a circuit split, and overrules contrary precedent in the Fourth, Eighth, and Eleventh circuits. Its reasoning can also be used to renew challenges to other statutes in which courts have not applied the mens rea to all of the elements. Justice Alito's concurrence offers the following examples: 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a)(knowingly transporting an individual under the age of 18 with the intent that the person engage in criminal sexual activity, where courts have not required proof that the defendant knew the person's age); 21 U.S.C. § 861(a)(1)(knowingly enticing a person under the age of 18 to violate drug laws, where courts have not required proof that the defendant knew the person's age); 8 U.S.C. § 1327 (knowingly assisting an alien who is ineligible to enter the US because s/he has been convicted of an aggravated felony, where courts do not require proof that the defendant knew the alien had been convicted of an aggravated felony). [Adapted from summary by Sara Noonan].
Posted by Paul M. Rashkind at 5/04/2009 10:17:00 AM
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Dean v. United States: Accidental discharge sufficient for 924(c) sentencing enhancement
Dean's gun accidentally discharged during a bank robbery, but no one was harmed. Dean was convicted of conspiring to commit a bank robbery and discharging a firearm during an armed robbery. Because the firearm was "discharged" during the robbery, he was sentenced pursuant to 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) to a 10-year mandatory minimum prison term. He appealed, contending that the discharge was accidental, and that 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) requires proof that the defendant intended to discharge the firearm. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed, holding that no proof of intent is required. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that § 924(c)(1)(A)(iii) requires no separate proof of intent. The 10-year mandatory minimum applies if a gun is discharged in the course of a violent or drug trafficking crime, whether on purpose or by accident.
Posted by Paul M. Rashkind at 4/29/2009 03:23:00 PM
Kansas v. Ventris: Exclusionary rule unnecessary to protect against Sixth Amendment violation through jailhouse snitch
Ventris was charged with murder and other crimes. The state planted another defendant in his cell as a "human listening device," even though Ventris' right to counsel had attached. Predictably, Ventris made incriminating statements to his cellmate. The state later conceded that it violated Ventris' Sixth Amendment right to counsel when it surreptitiously planted the snitch in Ventris' jail cell. The state was prohibited from using the confession in its case-in-chief, but was allowed to use it to impeach Ventris' own testimony at trial. Kansas held that such use was impermissible under the federal exclusionary rule and conceded that it had violated Ventris' Sixth Amendment rights. The Supreme Court held 7-2 that this violation did not require exclusion of the informant's testimony when offered for purposes of impeachment, reasoning that the Sixth Amendment violation occurred when the uncounseled interrogation was conducted, not at trial The question whether to exclude the statement at trial was a separate question, involving the "remedy" for the violation. The Court concluded that the interest in exclusion was outweighed by the need to prevent perjury and the integrity of the trial process. The Court found little appreciable police deterrence would occur as a result of exclusion because police, if they opted to obtain uncounseled statements, could not likely anticipate that the defendant would testify at trial, and would testify inconsistently with the prior uncounseled statement. Ominously, the Court refused to confirm Kansas's concession of a Sixth Amendment violation, opening a wide door in future cases for the state or federal government to argue that no constitutional violation occurs where police obtain a voluntary statement by way of a jailhouse snitch.
Posted by Paul M. Rashkind at 4/29/2009 12:23:00 PM
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Cone v. Bell: No defaults in habeas despite state court holdings to contrary
After the State discredited Cone's defense that he killed two people while suffering from acute psychosis caused by drug addiction, he was convicted and sentenced to death. The Tennessee Supreme Court affirmed on direct appeal and the state courts denied postconviction relief. Later, in a second petition for state postconviction relief, Cone raised the claim that the State had violated Brady v. Maryland by suppressing witness statements and police reports that would have corroborated his insanity defense and bolstered his case in mitigation of the death penalty. The state postconviction court denied him a hearing on the ground that the Brady claim had been previously determined, either on direct appeal or in earlier collateral proceedings. The state court of appeals affirmed. Cone filed a petition for a federal writ of habeas corpus, which was denied on two grounds, (1) The Brady claim was procedurally barred because the state courts' disposition rested on adequate and independent state grounds that Cone had waived it by failing to present his claim in state court; (2) Even if he had not defaulted the claim, it would fail on its merits because none of the withheld evidence would have cast doubt on his guilt. The Sixth Circuit agreed with second point, but considered itself barred from reaching the claim's merits because the state courts had ruled the claim previously determined or waived under state law. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the state courts' rejection of Cone's Brady claim does not rest on a ground that bars federal review. Neither of the State's asserted justifications for such a bar–that the claim was decided by the State Supreme Court on direct review or that Cone had waived it by never properly raising it in state court–provides an independent and adequate state ground for denying review of Cone's federal claim. The state court's denial of the Brady claim on the ground it had been previously determined in state court rested on a false premise: Cone had not presented the claim in earlier proceedings and, consequently, the state courts had not passed on it. The Sixth Circuit's rejection of the claim as procedurally defaulted because it had been twice presented to the Tennessee courts was thus erroneous. The Supreme Court found unpersuasive the State's alternative argument that federal review is barred because the Brady claim was properly dismissed by the state courts as waived. Those courts held only that the claim had been previously determined, and the Supreme Court would not second-guess their judgment. Because the claim was properly preserved and exhausted in state court, it is not defaulted. Although the Court did not believe that the withheld evidence sustained Cone's insanity defense at the guilt phase, it did hold the lower federal courts failed to adequately consider whether the withheld documents were material to Cone's sentence. Both the quantity and quality of the suppressed evidence lend support to Cone's trial position that he habitually used excessive amounts of drugs, that his addiction affected his behavior during the murders, and that the State's contrary arguments were false and misleading. Because the suppressed evidence might have been material to the jury's assessment of the proper punishment, a full review of that evidence and its effect on the sentencing verdict is warranted.
Posted by Paul M. Rashkind at 4/28/2009 01:40:00 PM
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Arizona v. Gant: Restricting searches of recently occupied vehicles
Police officers went to a house suspected of being used for narcotics activity. One officer knocked on the door, and Rodney Gant answered the officer's knock on the door. The officers asked to speak with the homeowner, but Gant told them that the owner was not at home and would not return until later that day. Gant gave the officers information about his identity. The officers left and ran a records check on Gant and discovered that his license was suspended and that he had an outstanding warrant for driving with a suspended license. The officers returned to the house that evening, finding two individuals outside the house. After investigation, they were arrested. While the officers were handcuffing the individuals and placing them in patrol cars, Gant drove up in his car and parked in the driveway. One officer summoned Gant as he got out of his car, and Gant walked approximately 8-12 feet toward the officer. The officer told Gant that he was under arrest for driving with a suspended license, handcuffed him, and placed him in a patrol car. Officers then searched the passenger compartment of Gant's car and found a plastic baggie containing cocaine. Gant was charged with one count of possession of a narcotic drug for sale and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. The Arizona trial court denied his motion to suppress the evidence, and he was convicted of drug offenses. The state Supreme Court reversed, distinguishing New York v. Belton, 453 U. S. 454–which held that police may search the passenger compartment of a vehicle and any containers therein as a contemporaneous incident of a recent occupant's lawful arrest–on the ground that it concerned the scope of a search incident to arrest but did not answer the question whether officers may conduct such a search once the scene has been secured. Because Chimel v. California, 395 U.S. 752 , requires that a search incident to arrest be justified by either (a) the interest in officer safety or (b) the interest in preserving evidence, and the circumstances of Gant's arrest implicated neither of those interests, the state Supreme Court found the search unreasonable. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed, holding that police may search the passenger compartment of a vehicle incident to a recent occupant's arrest only if it is reasonable to believe that the arrestee might access the vehicle at the time of the search or that the vehicle contains evidence of the offense of arrest. Warrantless searches "are per se unreasonable," "subject only to a few specifically established and well-delineated exceptions." Katz v. United States, 389 U. S. 347 . The exception for a search incident to a lawful arrest applies only to "the area from within which [an arrestee] might gain possession of a weapon or destructible evidence." Chimel, 395 U. S., at 763. The Court rejected a broad reading of Belton that would permit a vehicle search incident to a recent occupant's arrest even if there were no possibility the arrestee could gain access to the vehicle at the time of the search. The safety and evidentiary justifications underlying Chimel's exception authorize a vehicle search only when there is a reasonable possibility of such access. Although it does not follow from Chimel, circumstances unique to the automobile context also justify a search incident to a lawful arrest when it is "reasonable to believe evidence relevant to the crime of arrest might be found in the vehicle." Thornton v. United States, 541 U. S. 615 (Scalia, J., concurring in judgment). Neither Chimel's reaching-distance rule nor Thornton's allowance for evidentiary searches authorized the search in this case. In contrast to Belton, which involved a single officer confronted with four unsecured arrestees, five officers handcuffed and secured Gant and the two other suspects in separate patrol cars before the search began. Gant clearly could not have accessed his car at the time of the search. An evidentiary basis for the search was also lacking. Belton and Thornton were both arrested for drug offenses, but Gant was arrested for driving with a suspended license–an offense for which police could not reasonably expect to find evidence in Gant's car. The search in this case was therefore unreasonable. In the end the Court was unpersuaded by the State's argument that an expansive reading of Belton correctly balances law enforcement interests with an arrestee's limited privacy interest in his vehicle. The Court found that the state seriously undervalues the privacy interests at stake, and it exaggerates both the clarity provided by a broad reading of Belton and its importance to law enforcement interests. A narrow reading of Belton and Thornton, together with the Court's other Fourth Amendment decisions, e.g., Michigan v. Long, 463 U. S. 103 , and United States v. Ross, 456 U. S. 798, permit an officer to search a vehicle when safety or evidentiary concerns demand. Finally the court held that stare decisis does not require adherence to a broad reading of Belton, because 28 years of experience has proved that the assumption underpinning that case is unfounded, authorizing "myriad unconstitutional searches."
Posted by Paul M. Rashkind at 4/21/2009 01:12:00 PM
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As for me, well, I am what you would call a 'retrieving agent'... I guess there are not many career choices when you are a kleptomaniac, but at least I enjoy doing what I am hired for. Most of the time at least!
My name is Kilhian Branch, even though back then I wasn't married. I remember how it all started, the events are still so clear in my mind...
"You do realize the place has a security team? I can easily make it unnoticed by the guards, but you have to take the alarm down. Can you take care of the cameras too?"
I was far enough from the entrance not to appear suspiscous right away, but I did not feel like being spotted so easily just because I was standing there staring at the heavily guarded house. That was not part of the plan, even if it wasn't impossible for me to take care of.
"Just a second, I am working on it!"
Even though she was at home and I couldn't see her, I could hear how excited she sounded while accessing the security server. She has a thing for hacking, and I don't know why but she seems to enjoy it. It's in her blood, kinda like stealing is in mine.
"This won't be much of a challenge..."
"Next time I will make sure to request the job to be a 'challenge' for you. Maybe a break in into one of the most secured bank of the city? Or maybe you would rather the casino..."
The client had forgotten to mention the target was a bit paranoid. I could see at least two guards near the main entrance of the building, and I could hear another two patrolling on the terrace above me.
"Come on Litia..." Just a whisper, barely loud enough for her to hear me.
"It's done. If there is someone monitoring the camera feeds they won't see anything. You should also be able to get through the lock without raising any alarm either."
The green haired girl wasn't watching her screen anymore, her part was done, which didn't make it any easier for her. "I will keep listening, in case you need my help along the way."
The garden's part wasn't as heavily guarded or even considered to be a problem, probably because it was behind the wall. The lights had been turned off for the night in this area, making it safe for me to keep an eye on the men while they could barely see me. Protected from their view by a second wall I quietly jumped down, careful not to step on the flowers or leave any trace behind me.
"I'm inside the walls, still in the gardens though. If there is no one to guard the back entrance I should be past the backdoor in a minute." I had spent hours studying the layout of the property, I knew where I was able to enter and exit the building. I just had to stay unnoticed and everything would go according to plan. Though did you notice? Things rarely go according to the way you carefully planned them.
Litia felt more tensed actually when she had nothing left to do but wait. I could hear her pacing around in her room. Those microphones really work perfectly... I focused on my destination, she wasn't in any kind of danger in the house, but I would soon be if I kept letting my thoughts drift away.
I crouched near the corner for a minute, listening to the quiet sounds of the night. This house was on the outside of the already small town, very peaceful place. With a sigh I stood up and carefully looked around the corner. You can never be cautious enough in this job.
The area around the swimming pool seemed to be deserted, even if the guards could still see me from the terrace, there wasn't enough lights. If I was silent enough, they wouldn't even know I was there. Without a noise I made my way to the door, picking the lock so I could get in.
"I made it to the living room." I stood at the door a moment, letting my eyes get used to the darkness of the room. This was the biggest room in this building, and the bedrooms being in another part I could be almost certain I wouldn't encounter one of the owners at this time of the night. Though with my luck they might stay up late...
I could hear her walk back to the desk to study the layout before she spoke. "You should be next to the stairs, but be careful I think I saw there should be a guard patrolling the ground floor."
"I will be gone before they even pass by~" You have to believe in your luck and provoke it sometimes. Some people call it playing with the fire I believe. I just call it life.
My eyes were getting accustomed to the dark, making it easier for me to move around.
"I have found the library. The security cards we are looking for are supposed to be hidden here." Or so the client said. If it wasn't, I was getting out of here anyway, I wasn't going to start turning the place around with guards all over the place...
"Let's see... I think I see it." I had to be fast and out before one of the patrol would decide to be too curious. It's a good way to get promoted out of this boring job, but it can be quite dangerous. For both sides! I do not carry a gun... Not that I can't fire one, I am actually quite a good shot, I just dislike them. Things can become messy really fast if you face a cowboy~
"It should be in this one. What book did she say it was hidden in?"
Litia checked the details on the papers in front of her "It should be in 'The Republic' from Platon."
"It's there, in middle of more philosophy books." I went through the pages and here it was, in between two chapters. "Sorry Platon, I am borrowing those. You have been dead for so long I doubt you will need them anyway~"
"All of this for security cards... I guess the customer knows what they are used for. They look like they were specially made." I bit my lips, wondering once more if it was such a good idea to give this to the client. But the pay was good, and we needed the money. Girl has to make a living... but it doesn't mean I don't have ethics. "I will be out in a minute."
I sneaked outside through the balcony this time, standing still on a beam just long enough to make sure the guards on the terrace hadn't seen me before jumping down. Time to get back to my bike and get away from this place!
The garden was still as dark and empty, and jumping above the wall again was the safer way to get out of the 'danger zone'. "Bye guys~" None of the guards had sensed my presence, and it would probably be a while before someone checked on those cards. That would depend on my mysterious client's activities of course...
"I will be home soon. Call the client and tell her to meet us at Las Bebidas Cantina in an hour for the delivery as requested. It should give us enough time to get changed and maybe buy a drink before she arrives." She would probably send her secretary instead, I had never met directly with her and her voice was disguised. Not much on the trusting side...
As I started the bike Litia stopped the communication, getting on the phone to set up the meeting.
The ride home did not take too long, but I was glad to see the lights of the city. "Home sweet home" I whispered, a slight grin on my lips. I guess I'm not much of a countrygirl. Don't get me wrong, I do not mind going there for vacations, but living here... it might be a bit harder for me to make a living there.
Litia was already changed. Some decent clothes, a bit of make up and I and we drove to the bar on our bikes. It was already almost 2 in the morning, the place would be opened for another two hours before we would have to leave. Hopefully enough time for us to make the delivery.
"Meh~ Let's sit at the counter, it's close to the entrance and I need to see her coming in." My partner following me without a word, I let my eyes wander around the room. Even though it was late and a week day, there was still a decent amount of customers.
The barmaid came to our side to take our order, her male counterpart keeping an eye on the room. I had never seen this woman here before, her body was litterally covered with tattoos. "A 'Rockin' Roller' for me." She smiled to me before turning to Litia who added "Just a Simi Cola for me, thanks." The woman walked away to prepare the drinks.
The green haired girl leaned closer towards me and I could see she was excited by something. "Have you seen that three of the members of the Underworld band are here?"
It was one of the most famous bands playing in town at the moment. They were all born and raised here, which also added to their popularity. "Maybe you should go ask for an autograph~" I teased her.
I had no idea who was on the stage though. She might be one of the regular singers performing in this bar, but it was our first time here. Mine at least. She had a nice voice, even if the loud music from the speakers was covering most of it. Few people on the dance floor, it's getting late after all, most people are in bed. They don't know what they are missing...
"Have you been to an Underworld concert at the stadium before?" I could see her eyes glisten, or maybe it was the lights reflecting, this bar had multicolor bulbs all over the place. I like dark places when I go out, comes with the job, I would rather not be seen too much if I could avoid it.
Litia smiled and nodded "I have been there once, a long time ago though. I hear they have new songs ready for the next concert..."
The singer paused for a second, waiting for the next music to start. The boys cheering up next to her brought a smile on her face and she waved at them while performing again. They probably had more than a beer, but at least they seemed to genuinely enjoy the show.
The entrance door opening caught my attention and I slowly stood up, recognizing the damn secretary. "You should go dance while I handle this, I will try and make this quick and then we can go home. At least you can get some fun~"
She glanced to see who had come for the cards and smiled, playing with her Simi Cola bottle. "Fine, I will wait for you on the dance floor. I really cannot stand her..."
She grinned, walking away "Don't let her get on your nerves~"
"Gee, I will try missy!" I shook my head laughing, heading to the entrance where the client's secretary was waiting, staring directly at us. I always dislike to deal with her, but hopefully this will be the last time we have to. I am not even sure I would like to work for them anymore, I like to know what I am doing or who I am doing it for.
The tone of her voice was like her personality, cold. Even when she smiled, there was something about her that... I don't know, I can't tell you exactly how I felt about her. "Are you sure this was the best place to recover your cards?"
She shrugged "Would you rather had this meeting in a deserted park in the middle of the night?".
Sure, waiting in a park does look suspiscious, but I was feeling uncomfortable, as if someone was observing us.
Usually I am not too curious about why I am hired to grab something, but this made me feel uncomfortable somehow. Playing with the security cards I tried my luck, casually looking away from her "What are those for?"
"Nothing that concerns you."
I could have guessed... I made up my mind and gave her the cards, hoping I would not regret this later. She took off, and I knew I would be paid tomorrow as usual.
Walking towards the dance floor, my eyes stopped for a second on a tall blond male. I wasn't sure but it felt like he had been studying me. It was used to male watching me, this just felt... different I guess. I kept going, looking for Litia.
She was there, trying to dance almost stuck in between a couple of lovers who didn't seem to notice anyone around them and one of the excited guys who was trying to get her attention... Time to go get her out of there and go home to rest, we deserved it. Plus I had too much on my mind to enjoy partying tonight.
Without a single glance to the male trying to dance with her, the green haired woman turned to me smiling. I talked close to her ear so she could hear me, theis part of the bar being really noisy. "It's done, we should go back home."
We stood there for a minute, our attention on the singer. The evening had been long, and if it wasn't for the loud music, her voice was pushing me to dance. Knowing that the bars around here were hiring performers often for the same day once a week, there was a high probability we could listen to her again another time.
Walking out I still had that feeling that someone was watching over me... Strange and unusual feeling actually, I would have to be careful in the next couple of days, but it was probably nothing... I need to sleep!
We rode our bikes home, Litia behind me. I could have waited for her but I needed the speed, it's a kind of urge I have sometimes... I needed to clear my mind so that I could think clearly again.
We were sharing a small house in a 'quiet' district of Los Aniegos. It's all we could afford at that time, but it's all we needed back then. The neighbors weren't too curious, even if they were too friendly for me sometimes, but I guess you can't really throw them out when they visit, it's not considered a 'polite' thing to do.
As I sat down on the living room couch, the cat came to play with my shoe, begging for some attention while trying to remind me I hadn't been home too much lately. Lost in my thoughts I didn't react until Litia came behind me. "You do not look as happy as usual when a job is finished" she commented, quietly leaning into the couch.
I stared blankly at the wall for a minute but I couldn't put my finger on it. "It's just a feeling I have. I am not sure if we should have taken this job."
"They would have hired someone else, it wasn't that difficult for an organised team. Some are even more... expeditive. Do you think we will get in trouble for it?" She didn't sound worried, which made me realized I wasn't either, just bothered.
"If trouble comes, we will deal with it..."
At the same time, somewhere else in town a tired woman was joining her own partner at a coffee terrace. She sat next to him on an empty chair. "Your contact in the Bloom's staff was right, the secretary did come to collect the cards." After spending several hours in Las Bebidas Cantina to wait for an exchange that might or not happen, she just wanted to go home.
The male casually looked around, the place was almost deserted now and the few people still around didn't seem to pay any attention to them. "Who made the delivery?"
She slowly shook her head "No one we know of, maybe a new player in town. We will have to keep an eye on her, I got some pictures with my phone but it's probabbly not the best quality."
"Just what we needed..." He sighed, feeling sore himself after staying so long inactive. "Let's call it a night and see what will happen now. I will see you at the office."
Direct link to Chapter two


text:
1 Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth I call to you,
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I;
3 for you are my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.
4 Let me abide in your tent forever,
find refuge under the shelter of your wings.Selah
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6 Prolong the life of the king;
may his years endure to all generations!
7 May he be enthroned forever before God;
appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!
8 So I will always sing praises to your name,
as I pay my vows day after day.
1 For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall never be shaken.
3 How long will you assail a person,
will you batter your victim, all of you,
as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.
They take pleasure in falsehood;
they bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse.Selah
5 For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.Selah
9 Those of low estate are but a breath,
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no confidence in extortion,
and set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
11 Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12 and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all
according to their work.
1 Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
let those who hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
let the wicked perish before God.
3 But let the righteous be joyful;
let them exult before God;
let them be jubilant with joy.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds[a]—
his name is the Lord—
be exultant before him.
5 Father of orphans and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
6 God gives the desolate a home to live in;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a parched land.
7 O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,Selah
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
you restored your heritage when it languished;
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
11 The Lord gives the command;
great is the company of those[b] who bore the tidings:
12 "The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!"
The women at home divide the spoil,
13 though they stay among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with green gold.
14 When the Almighty[c] scattered kings there,
snow fell on Zalmon.
15 O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God desired for his abode,
where the Lord will reside forever?
17 With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands,
the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.[d]
18 You ascended the high mount,
leading captives in your train
and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord God's abiding there.
19 Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation.Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
21 But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.
22 The Lord said,
"I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 so that you may bathe[e] your feet in blood,
so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe."
24 Your solemn processions are seen,[f] O God,
the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them girls playing tambourines:
26 "Bless God in the great congregation,
the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!"
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in a body,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28 Summon your might, O God;
show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample[g] under foot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.[h]
31 Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
let Ethiopia[i] hasten to stretch out its hands to God.
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
sing praises to the Lord,Selah
33 O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel;
and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God in his[j] sanctuary,
the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!
21 The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Now Sarah said, "God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." 7 And she said, "Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
8 The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac.[a] 10 So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac." 11 The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. 13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring." 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, "Do not let me look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him." 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18 of whom he had been told, "It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you." 19 He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead—and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, "bowing in worship over the top of his staff." 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial.[a]
41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


text:
Hi, everyone! Happy Independence Day!
I finally moved out of sober living last weekend -- 18 months (almost to the day) after I moved in, for what I planned would be a month or two. I've been looking for an apartment for a couple months, and getting kind of discouraged. I needed a place near my 5-year-old son's school (he starts kindergarten in the fall -- he graduated from preschool in a cap and gown a few weeks ago), where he could have his own room, in an area I felt safe with my son, that I could afford. I was starting to define "near school" rather loosely, becoming willing to sleep in the living room so he could have his room, and stretching my definition of "affordable."
Then, a couple weeks ago, I saw an ad for a place in the perfect location, a two-bedroom, and a rent at least $250 a month below market. I filled out the application, and I got it. My son is thrilled, he just loves it. He's very excited he can stay overnight with daddy. The place is perfect -- it even has drapes and a dishwasher.
I pray frequently, I'm a real 11th-Stepper. Normally I pray for knowledge of God's will for me, and the willingness and ability to carry it out. Last week, though, my prayer was, "God, give me the apartment." And, wow, He answered the prayer. I took it to be that my desire was aligned with God's purpose. Nevertheless, when I couldn't remember if there was a refrigerator, on my way to sign the lease I prayed, "God, let there be a refrigerator." Guess what -- there's a fridge! I shared this with the guys at my Friday group, and said that now I was praying that the cable company had left the service on, and that I would be able to pull internet service from an unsecured wireless network. The guys suggested I may be pushing it... (Although I'm willing to make the argument that cable companies are part of Satan's dominion and therefore God wouldn't mind me pirating service. I'm no theologian, but it makes sense to me.)
Seriously, though, it does seem miraculous, that this great apartment appears at a ridiculously low price, and falls in my lap, seemingly just so I could have the right place to live and take care of my son.
In the last 18 months I've struggled to get my work life back on track, struggled financially, struggled to be a good father, struggled to get along with my estranged wife. Sometimes it seemed I didn't have the resources to make it through the week. Maybe the gift God gave me in this struggling is recognizing that He gives me everything He needs me to have.
So I don't look at this miracle as a special favor from God, or some sort of reward for being such a great guy. I consider it something God needs me to have. He has His own reasons for providing me with what I want. I believe that God needs me to provide a good home for my son, for starters. I'm sure there are additional, less obvious, reasons that will unfold and become clear if I am willing to keep my eyes, mind and heart open to them.
At the sober living I was at, every new guy who moves in writes an essay which he reads at his first weekly house meeting. The topic is, on one side of the paper, "What I Can Do For the House," and on the other side, "What the House Can Do For Me." I don't remember much of what I wrote a year and a half ago, but I do remember my expectations were way off target from what actually happened. So, as I left the house, I wrote about what I actually did for the house and what the house actually did for me:
What I Did For the House
What the House Did For Me
- I made my bed every morning.
- I signed in and out every day.
- I observed the curfew.
- I did my chores.
- When I did not do my chore and didn't have someone cover me, I paid the fine.
- I cleaned up after myself.
- I paid my rent in full and on time.
- I served as house secretary.
- I attended the weekly house meeting, and called the manager beforehand if I couldn't be there.
- I tried to make each new man feel welcome, at home, accepted, and respected.
- I tried to be a good friend: encouraging guys when they were having a hard time, celebrating their successes, sharing the journey of recovery, and enjoying our times together as house brothers.
- I tried to be considerate and respectful of every man in the house.
- I stayed clean and sober.
- It gave me an affordable place to live when I arrived in LA broke, jobless, and knowing only a few people.
- It gave me friendships with men I love and admire greatly.
- It gave me structure, discipline and accountability.
- It showed me how to serve others.
- It showed me how I'm the one who benefits the most when I serve others.
- It taught me not to judge anyone by their appearance, circumstances or experiences -- only by the content of their character.
- I learned that when I find out about a man's age, drug of choice, criminal record, ethnicity, material well-being, job, tattoos, haircut, clothing, experience in recovery, or length of sobriety/clean time, I have found out nothing of importance about him, nothing relevant to anything. I know nothing about a man until I see how he treats his fellows -- then I know everything about him that I need to know.
- It showed me how small and insignificant my own problems and my own plans are.
- It showed me in rich detail what addiction, relapse and recovery really are.
- It made me believe in miracles.
- I was accepted and loved by my brothers just as I am. I could take off my mask.
- It showed me that God is doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves -- and that God chooses to use each of us as His instrument to help all of us -- and all of us as His instrument to help each of us.
- I stayed clean and sober.


text:
The view from nowhere
12th June 2017 - NEW SITE UNDER DEVELOPMENT!
From Dublin's river Liffey
to Belfast's Lagan Valley
Nicholas Caffrey looked down at the wet, November streets of Dublin, the capital city of Ireland, and made a decision. It started a chain of events that he could not have forseen.
It was the end of the year 1776, and America had declared its independence from Britain.
The modest building, No. 3, Usher's Quay, where it all started.
click for larger image
Site Created 14/07/2002; updated 12/06/2017
This site is dedicated to the welfare of all living beings


text:
A special meeting of the top council of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) will discuss a plan for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down in June 2009, various news reports (including Malaysiakini) said on Thursday.
This speculation was further strengthened when news leaked that Abdullah and Najib were huddled in a meeting at the Prime Minister Office in Putrajaya Thursday morning, which was neither denied nor confirned by Najib when met by newsmen later in the day and was only willing to say, "I always meet the Prime Minister".
There is also speculation that the December polls would be postponed to June 2009 to ensure a smooth transfer of power and minimise internal politicking. "We are expecting something positive to come out tomorrow at the meeting," a party insider told Bernama.
Abdullah had previously said he would step down in 2010 in favour of his deputy Najib Razak. UMNO is the leading party in Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and its supreme council is holding a special meeting on Friday, Najib told a news conference earlier in the day.


text:
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