text:
So the another post so soon? surely this rotund Hobbit has far too much time upon his hairy hands!
Well, as hinted upon in yesterday's morning's coffee break posting, I have embellished my plot with a new compost bay which is sure to be the envy of plot holders across the site, nay the country, including the Italian mafia whom seem to own more plots than are surely healthy for just one family on the site and they always seem to be in perpetual conflict with one or more other allotmenters. I've had one brush with the elder son and leader elect of this bunch of carrot dealing Italians but more of that in a tad. Back to the reason that my stubby little fingers itched to write this post.
You may remember in my earlier enthusiasm that I hastily erected a compost bay at which my hairy chest puffed out (steady ladies) with pride and a sense of achievement enveloped me......
...... Oh sad mis-guided fool that I was way back then in those long weeks gone by. Surely the smothered sniggering as t'other allotmenters detoured from their route to the wood chipping pile to cast furtive yet knowing glances at my hastily erected bay should have alerted me to the underlying current of derision my wonky rotten compost bay arose in them. But now with days of experience underpinning my efforts, and a logical, engineering head, I have produced what only can be described as composting sex! Just feast your eyes upon this hot little number.....
The frame is made from hardwood, yes you heard correctly, hardwood pallets squared off the within two millimetres and levelled to the same precision, oh yes not forgetting the double helix galvanised screws used to secure it Ooohh. To this galvanised mesh, I won't be belittling the bay by calling it chicken mesh, was carefully and securely attached with individuall and bespoke fencing staples, do I really need to mentioned that these too are galvanised? I think not. The voids, now formed by the delectable combination of galvanised mesh and hardwood pallets, were then filled with some oh sweet smelling hay which was kindly donated by Shaun, he who punches cows, Thackaberry. The purpose of which is to improve the insulation of the bay yet at the same time cleverly allowing a flow of fresh air to percolate through my composting love material which also has the additional benefit of being an attraction for numerous wee beasties. Like I said, pure composting filth....go on you know you want one!
As for the rest of plot 2a? well some wildflowers are beginning to make an appearance with four different types so far brightening up the ground between the cider trees.....
|Buttercup....Original resident
|Dandelion---original resident
Admittedly the cowslips and bluebells are there only by my intervention but the buttercups and dandelions are locals now able the breath after my initial strimming. As well as the wildflowers the two original cider trees have benefited from being released from the raspberry canes strangling hold and may just reward my efforts with enough fruit to produce 2a's first cider crop this autumn....
Oh almost forgot as I was helping out on Caroline's plot next door I came across what I think is a hazel bush which has now been transplanted to my orchard, if you know for certain what this bush is please don't be behind the door and put me right.....
There are also signs of wee beasties finding plot 2a a possible abode....
|Birds yet to be observed..
|A lady checks me out...
|I've decided to call my feline observer..General Woundwort
Future plans include a second compost bay, that is if I can stand any more ecstasy, raised beds, I've identified two crops, asparagus and strawberries, as must haves, the introduction of a wood pile/nettle corner, a worm farm, a small watering hole for beasties and of course a shed.
Oh and finally I suppose I should tell about my brush with the allotment mafioso. As I was sweating and cursing over my gorgeous compost bay I felt a dark presence looming over my shoulder, looking around I was confronted by the swarthy form of Aldo, mafioso leader elect. The conversation went something akin to this.......
Aldo... What you doing?
Moi... Screwing.
Aldo... No no, about your weedy plot?
Moi... I thought it was quite strong myself.
Aldo...(looking perplexed) Your weeds, when you kill them?
Moi... I'm not.
Aldo... You must spray them!
Moi... I must not (indignantly), anyway I have no weeds.
Aldo...(authority now oozing) I will spray them!
Moi... You can bugger off and see to your own allotment sunshine.
Aldo... The seeds will spread.
Moi.... Buy a hoe
Aldo...(becoming quite red) why you want weeds.
Moi... I don't, I want wildflowers to attract beasties to then pollinate me cider trees.
Aldo... Your weeds will blight my plots, I spray them.
Moi...(with warm fatherly smile) I have 10 gallons of Paraquat savy?....you spray my quarter plot I spray all your plots.
Aldo... (long and thoughtful pause, in which you could see the wheels turn) Will you tell your beasties to pollinate my plots too.....please?
Enough said.
Where ever you are take good care, till next time.

subset: commoncrawl


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Where was I? Oh yeah....Aaaah, manis and pedis. They're mahvelous.
We walked in and were led to these big, comfy massage chairs with jacuzzi pedicure tubs attached. So, I'm wondering to myself..."how can I get one of these things for my studio"? It would sort of be like those "man cave" chairs I've seen where guys take an easy chair and insert a mini fridge and built-in toilet...except this would be SOoooooo much more refined, and practical. It could prolong my crafting sessions by...DAYS, maybe even WEEKS. I like the massage chair/jacuzzi foot combo thing, but pedis take a long time and after awhile, I did start to feel like a lump of bread dough.
Here are our pretty toes:
And here are our lovely hands:
No matter how hard I try, I cannot picture my husband getting this done. I've decided this truly is an activity that requires one to possess two X chromosomes in order to enjoy.


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#2 Jane Says ... We're the United Nations of Touring
The team of guides at Jane's SG Tours doesn't just talk about Singapore's cultural diversity, they embody it. A melting pot of nationalities and circuitous family journeys, Jane's guides represent Singapore's fascinating ethnic fabric in all its various and glorious permutations.
"Its blend of people and culture is what makes Singapore so special," Jane says.
Shanti Bhattacharya was born and raised in Singapore, but went on to live all over the world, including Moscow and Paris. She's fluent in English, French, and Russian, and guides in all three — and she also speaks Bengali and Malay. We wonder what language she dreams in!
Min Xie from Shanghai, one of Jane's Mandarin-speaking guides who mostly guides visitors from China, is also fluent in English and German, having lived in Berlin for eight years and is working towards her German-language guiding certification.
Pavla Schneuwly grew up in the Czech Republic and came to Singapore at 22 to study Mandarin. The rest is history! Pavla speaks English, French, Mandarin, and Czech, and leads tours on many subjects including one of her favorites, architecture.
Long-time Singapore resident and Australian native Bruce Bird speaks and guides in Australian and English ;), while Singaporean Jimmy Sim has been around the block many times, guiding for more than 40 years in English and Malay.
Nature guides Wan Ling and Ed Lim can talk flora and fauna in multiple tongues — Wan Ling in English, Mandarin and Cantonese, and even in a bit of Japanese, and Ed, in English and German, having lived in Berlin. He also knows some Malay and Thai.
Catalina Tong effortlessly moves between English, French, and Cantonese, and her Mandarin is pretty good too. Catalina has spent half her life in Singapore and half abroad.
Food lover Alice Goh guides many of Jane's Foodie Adventures with a stew of language skills at her disposal — Mandarin and several local dialects, including Teochew, Hokkien, and Cantonese. Super multi-lingual Gek Lee was born in the Jalan Besar neighbourhood and grew up in nearby Little India. She's fluent in English, Mandarin, Teochew, Hokkien, and Cantonese, and even speaks a few words of Tamil learned from childhood friends.
Betty Wee lived in Israel for four years and is a retiree with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Jane's youngest guide, Darren Goh, is equally as passionate about Singapore culture and history as Betty. He's finishing up his geography degree at NUS and speaks English, Chinese, and a smidgen of Malay; learning Spanish is on his to-do list.
Yeonsil Bang and Chong Eun Baik are both from Korea and guide tours in Korean — they also speak English and Singlish!
Jane was born in the UK, and has lived most of her life elsewhere, including stints in the US and nearly 20 in Singapore. It's not surprising she can converse in several languages including Spanish and French, and a smattering of Portuguese, Italian and Malay — and even a few words of Welsh (she is half Scottish, half Welsh).
"Confusion sometimes arises when Betty and Pavla are out together guiding," Jane says with a chuckle. "Betty looks like she could speak Mandarin, but is in fact Peranakan and only knows a bit of Chinese, while Pavla from the Czech Republic is fluent. Caucasians speaking Asian languages, and Asians speaking European languages — I love it! It blows people's minds and challenges preconceived notions," Jane adds, more than a bit proud of her team's linguistic prowess. "It's a wonderful testament to what Singapore is all about."
All of Jane's guides are Singapore Tourist Board (STB) licensed and those guiding in multiple languages have had to take the STB guide test in each tongue — an impressive linguistic feat!
Well done! Or maybe we should say … bravo, 布拉沃, bien joué, よくやった, gut gemacht, bien hecho, výborně, bagus, 잘 했어, bem feito, отлично сработано, and molto bene!
Read more about Jane's team of guides here.


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Agent Aika
|Agent Aika
Cover of Agent Aika Trial 1
|Action, adventure, science fiction
|Original video animation
|Directed by
|Katsuhiko Nishijima
|Produced by
|Kazuhiko Ikeguchi
|Written by
|Kenichi Kanemaki
|Music by
|Jun'ichi Kanezaki
|Studio Fantasia
|Licensed by
|April 25, 1997 – April 25, 1999
|30 minutes
|7 + Special
|AIKa TRIAL 0
|Written by
|Ayumi Konomichi
|Published by
|Wani Books
|Comic GUM
|Original run
|1998 – 1999
Agent Aika (Japanese: アイカ Hepburn: Aika, stylized AIKa) is an adventure anime OVA series produced by Studio Fantasia, and directed by Katsuhiko Nishijima. The series follows Aika Sumeragi, a salvager for hire who gets caught up in a plot for world domination. The series was released in Japan from 1997-1999. The anime was initially licensed by Central Park Media, but was later licensed by Bandai Entertainment. The series is well known for its copious amounts of fan service, specifically the camera angles on panties of the many female characters that populate the show.[1][2] On April 25, 2007 the first volume of the three-part prequel OVA AIKa R-16: Virgin Mission, detailing Aika's time when she was 16 years old, was released in Japan. A remastered version of the original series was released also, along with a special live-action edition of Agent Aika. In 2009 the OVA AIKa ZERO with 19-year-old Aika was released.
Following a catastrophic earthquake twenty years prior, Tokyo, along with most of the world, has sunk into the ocean during a large-scale land subsidence. Aika Sumeragi is a salvage agent, a person who digs up submerged artifacts from the cities below. She works for a small company run by Gozo Aida, and takes on fairly dangerous jobs. In the first story, she and Gozo's daughter Rion, search for material called the Lagu. However they are captured by Rudolf Hagen, an effeminate but over-sexed man who wants to use the Lagu to transform the world, destroying its inhabitants, and replacing them with an army of young women called the Delmo Corporation who will carry his progeny. Alongside Rudolf is his obsessive sister Neena Hagen, who is jealous of Aika when Rudolf desires to have Aika for himself. Aika has a special bustier that, when activated, transforms into a battle bikini that gives her extraordinary fighting powers. Following the defeat of the Hagens, the Delmo Corporation girls seek other methods to foil Aika in episodic stories.
- Aika Sumeragi (皇 藍華 Sumeragi Aika)[3]
- Voiced by: Rei Sakuma (Japanese); Debbie Rabbai (English)[4][5]
- The title character is a 26-year-old salvaging agent with blonde hair and typically a red business dress.[3] The cover of the English video describes her as "sexy, suave, and sophisticated, but she's no bimbo. She's a martial arts expert and a jet fighter pilot with the body of a supermodel. She's Aika, and she's one of the best secret agents in the business."[2] Her parents were scientists and made her a test subject of their experiments until the global earthquakes, after which she is looked after by Gozo Aida, who trains her in art of salvaging.[6] She possesses a bustier made out of ultranate (オルタネートメタル), which transforms her into a dark-skinned and blue-haired woman with extraordinary strength and resilience.[6]
- Rion Aida (相田 りおん, Aida Rion)[3]
- Voiced by: Hiroko Konishi (Japanese); Purva (English)[5]
- She is Aika's teenage glasses-wearing partner and the daughter of her boss.[3][6] She hopes to continue in the family business.[5] She admires Aika,[1] and strives to seek for a big treasure.[7]
- Gozo Aida (相田 郷造 Aida Gōzo)[3]
- Voiced by: Akio Ōtsuka (Japanese); Tristan Goddard (English)[5]
- Rion's father is the head of a small search and salvage operation called the K.K. Corporation (also known as K2). He was an active industrial spy, but rode on the chance of the catastrophic earthquake and entered the salvaging business.[7] He prefers to hold onto the old ways of offering the best service for the cheapest price.
- Gusto Turbulence (ガスト・タービュランス Gasuto Tābyuransu)[3]
- Voiced by: Jūrōta Kosugi (Japanese); Alvaro J. Gonzalez (English)[5]
- The son of a company president, he strives to be independent, working as a salvager. He likes Aika a lot and regularly asks her out only to be refused. However, he sometimes ends up in the right place to win the bounty from Aika.[6]
- B.A. Bandora (バ・バンドラ)[3]
- Voiced by: Hisako Kyōda (Japanese); Mina Sands (English)[5]
- Gusto's partner is a veteran salvager who sports a pink mohawk, and handles the vehicles from tanks to harrier aircraft and spacecraft.
- Maypia Alexymetalia (メイピア・アルキメタリア Meipia Arukimetaria)[3]
- Voiced by: Sakiko Tamagawa (Japanese); Rachael Lillis (Ep. 7) (English)[3]
- She is a "Class A" secret agent employed by the government to retrieve information on Lagu by infiltrating Hagen's army dressed as a Black Delmo. She even carries her own business cards. She runs into Rion, who ends up following her. After having been abandoned by her employers and her subsequent rescue by Aika and her friends, she went freelance. She reappears in the final episode, where she joins Rion and friends in their assault on the Delmo base.[5] Maypia had red hair. Her iconic outfit is her Black Delmo uniform, which she wears a skintight black dress with white around the collar and a red ribbon, with white thigh-high socks, white panties and black high heels.
- Shuntaro Michikusa (道草 旬太郎 Michikusa Shuntaro)[3]
- Voiced by: Masaya Onosaka (Japanese); Jeffery Gimble (English)[5]
- Michikusa is introduced in the second story of the original series as a young salvager working under Gozo.[3] Cute-looking but totally air-headed, he sometimes dresses in Delmo staff uniforms when available. He tries to cheer Rion up by role-playing a kappa doll[3][7] with a squeaky voice, but this usually annoys her and earns him frequent beatings.[5][8]
The Delmo Corps, also referred as the Delmogeny (デルモゲニィ Derumogenii),[9] is a group of pretty ladies headed by Rudolf Hagen who serve as his private army and to propagate his genetic material once he wipes out humanity from the Earth. Some of them work ordinary jobs like guides and waitresses, but they mainly act in espionage activities. Following Hagen's defeat in the first half of the series, the Delmogeny continue to function with the goals of capturing Aika and studying her special powers. They wear various colored uniforms from lowest-rank black to the highest-rank white,[9] although, for the most part, they wear the same color white panties.[7]
- Rudolf Hagen (ルドルフ・ハーゲン Rudorufu Hāgen)[9]
- Voiced by: Kaneto Shiozawa (Japanese); Scott Cargle (English)
- Hagen is the evil mastermind in the first story. He was contracted by the military to find the Lagu, but desires it for his own reasons. He believes that Lagu is something the Earth produced to destroy the humanity that polluted it. He plans to repopulate the Earth with his own progeny which includes his Delmo staff.[10] It is later revealed that Hagen was born as a genetically altered test tube baby, in the process he received superior genes. Because of that he yearns for superior women to impart the genes to his next generation.[9]
- Neena Hagen (ネーナ・ハーゲン Nēna Hāgen)[9]
- Voiced by: Atsuko Tanaka (Japanese); Suzanne Savoy (English)
- Rudolf's sister. She loves her big brother dearly and even sleeps in the nude with him, and dislikes Aika for "seducing" him. A sadistic character with an unstable mood, she walks around in her bare essentials and has the black Delmos punished for failure. She later receives from Rudolf an ultranate panty which allows her to transform to a powered-up form. However, when the device goes out of control, she degenerates into the shape of a blob. She then embraces and engulfs her brother as they are thrown into outer space.[10]
- The Black Delmo (黒デルモ Kuroderumo) are the infantry class who carry out simple missions.[9] They include: an unnamed leader (Voiced by: Kumiko Nishihara) with short purple hair with curled ends; Kana (かな) (Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki) who has pixie-cut black hair who drove Bianca's car in Operation Golden Apple; Misaki (みさき) (Voiced by: Kaori Tagami) who has short brunette hair; Yuki (ゆき) (Voiced by: Yumiko Suzuki), who has shoulder-length crimson hair; Sae (さえ) (Voiced by: Kanako Mitsuhashi), who has short dark blue hair.
- The White Delmo (ホワイトデルモ Howaitoderumo) serve as the officers in the group.[9] Its commander (Voiced by: Yuko Nagashima (Japanese); Mary Anne Towne (English)) is a beautiful green-haired woman. After Hagen's demise she takes over and seeks revenge on Aika and her entourage. However, after their defeat in the final episode of the original series, she tells the group to stay away from Aika so they can regroup and plan revenge for some future time. Others in the White Delmo include: an adjutant Voiced by: Akiko Hiramatsu (Japanese); Rachael Lillis (English) with short dark-blue hair who is the second-in-command and the commander's lover;[8] Nina Esuko (ニナ エスコ) Voiced by: Akemi Okamura, who was in charge of the air base in Operation Silver Wild Grapevine.
- The Golden Delmo (ゴールデンデルモ Gōruden derumo) serve on special operations.[9] Its leader is Bianca (ビアンカ Bianka), (Voiced by: Minami Takayama (Japanese); Wendy Talker (English)), who, in episode 5, tries to humiliate Aika by using a woman disguised as a man to toy with her feelings, and then to capture her alive. She uses a retractable sleeve-blade in melee combat and has a hidden flame thrower on her right arm.[11] Ria Petoriyacowa (リエ・ペトリヤコワ Rie Petoriyakowa) (Voiced by: Ikue Ohtani (Japanese); Tara Jayne (English)) is a young operative with long black hair in Operation Silver Wild Grapevine who tries to study Aika and how she fights. She pretends to be the conductor of the physical examination in episode 6, but after her disguise is foiled, she continues to gather Aika's fighting data by sending her underlings against her and then taping the entire battle.[8] Other golden-clad girls mentioned by name include: Sania (サニア) Voiced by: Miki Nagasawa, who uses a grenade pistol; Tonia (トニア) (Voiced by: Kikuko Inoue), who uses clawed gauntlets.
- The Blue Delmo (青デルモ Aoderumo) are the elite infantry class.[9] They carry weapons such as the Sturmgewehr 45 assault rifle and perform duties such as piloting or defending the ship against intruders. Its leader (Voiced by: Yuri Shiratori) has short reddish-brown hair. Some of the characters named in the series include: Valarie (ヴァレリー Varerī) (Voiced by: Shiho Niiyama (Japanese); P.M. Lewis (English)), who disguised herself as Pierre Valimore (ピエール・ヴァリモール Piēru Varimōru), a pretty boy to seduce Aika in episode 5. Catherine (キャサリン Kyasarin) (Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki) appears twice in the series. When Hagen was ending to give directions, she was standing guard with her partner, but she is easily knocked out by the grid that falls on the head, which was kicked by Maypia, after an error of companions, Maypia and Rion end up falling on top of Catherine. Later she was taking care of Rion during her captivity in Rudolph's space ship. However, Rion easily defeated her and took her uniform. She has short wavy blonde hair.
- The Pink Delmo (ピンクデルモ Pinkuderumo) serve as mechanics and engineers aboard the ships and vehicles.[9] Its leader is Suzie (スージ Sūji) (Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki), who has short brunette hair and appears in multiple episodes Others include: Vivian (ビビアン Bibian) (Voiced by: Kanako Mitsuhashi), who also has short brunette hair; Liz (リズ Rizu) (Voiced by: Yumiko Suzuki), who has shoulder-length olive hair; Betty (ベティ Beti) (Voiced by: Junko Takeuchi), who has pixie-cut brunette hair.
The first four episodes were released from April 25, 1997 to January 25, 1998. The opening theme for the first four episodes was "Silent City", performed by Mari Sasaki, and the closing theme was "More Natural" by Hiroko Konishi. Each episode is numbered as a Trial.
The next three episodes were released from August 25, 1998 to April 25, 1999. The animation was redone to include the new characters such as Michikusa. The opening theme was "Manatsu no Seiza" (真夏の星座) by Mink, and the closing theme was "Dance with Me Tonight" by Punky Fruites.
Episode list[edit]
|Original release date
|"Beautiful Agent"
(Japanese: 美しきエージェント)
|April 25, 1997
|"Naked Mission"
(Japanese: NAKED MISSION)
|June 25, 1997
|"Takeoff Position"
(Japanese: TAKE OFF POSITION)
|September 25, 1997
|"A Flower Blooming in Space"
(Japanese: 宇宙に咲く華)
|January 25, 1998
|"The Golden Delmo Operation"
(Japanese: 黄金のデルモ作戦)
|August 25, 1998
|"Delmo Operation: White Silver"
(Japanese: 白銀のデルモ作戦)
|December 18, 1998
|"Break the Decisive Battle! Delmo Base!"
(Japanese: 決戦突入! デルモ基地!!)
|April 25, 1999
|"Special Trial"
(Japanese: Special TRIAL)
|May 25, 1998
In reviewing the first volume, Chris Beveridge on Mania.com wrote that he had to put his brain in a certain mode, likening the experience to watching Dumb and Dumber where "Instead of idiot humor we're watching this for the sheer amount of fanservice." with its "four gajillion panty shots" and that it was a "great deal of mindless fun".[7] He described Michikusa as "a waifish goofy ass boy who serves only one purpose: to be on screen and take time away from panty shots."[13]
Stig Hogset of THEM Anime Reviews wrote that the show should have been a guilty pleasure but ends up being more of an overdose: "EVERY action scene seems to end up with unconscious females lying with their butts poking up into the air." He called the villains the creepiest he has ever seen, but recommended the show only to those with a panty or ass fetish.[2] The Anime News Network reviewer wrote that "It's as if someone tried to make the most perverted anime they could without anyone actually being in any sexual situations. (Okay, so there are some.)", later adding that "The dub is weak and mistimed, and some of the minor characters just plain can't act." and recommended that the viewer watch titles from the company's Anime 18 productions instead.[1] Todd Douglass Jr. of DVD Talk likened Aika's transformation to that in Cutie Honey and called the series the "epitome of guilty pleasure anime". He found the show to be solid-looking with fantastic animation and character design. With regards to the audio, he thought the Japanese cast did a much better job with the material than the English cast, writing that the latter was "particularly bland and it didn't maintain the necessary spark for this kind of show."[6]
- ^ a b c "Agent Aika - VHS1 - Lace in Space". Anime News Network.
- ^ a b c Hogset, Stig. "THEM Anime Reviews 4.0 - Agent Aika". THEM Anime Reviews.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l AIKa characters. Studio Fantasia and Bandai Visual. Archived from the original on January 22, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-04-23.
- ^ "Naked Mission". Agent Aika. Episode 1.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Agent Aika, episode 7
- ^ a b c d e Douglass Jr., Todd (March 18, 2008). "Agent Aika: Anime Legends : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". DVD Talk.
- ^ a b c d e Beveridge, Chris. "Agent Aika Vol. #1: Naked Missions". Mania.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012.
- ^ a b c Agent Aika episode 6
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Chara & Mecha - Page 2". Aika Official Site (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2007-01-22.
- ^ a b Agent Aika episodes 1–4
- ^ Agent Aika episode 5
- ^ http://www.aika-zero.com/series.html
- ^ Beveridge, Chris (May 8, 2001). "Agent Aika Vol. #2: Final Battle". Mania.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-16.
External links[edit]
- Agent Aika (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- 1997 anime OVAs
- Manga series
- 1998 manga
- Action anime and manga
- Adventure anime and manga
- Bandai Entertainment anime titles
- Central Park Media
- Anime with original screenplays
- Espionage in anime and manga
- Ecchi anime and manga
- Post-apocalyptic anime and manga
- Science fiction anime and manga
- Wani Books manga
- Seinen manga
- Studio Fantasia


text:
Academic Advising
Advising Services: Supporting Student Success
The Advising Services program serves as a clearinghouse for academic advising information and is a point of contact where new and continuing students receive help in finding their way to the appropriate college and department advisors. Advising Services is also a center for delivery of development programs on academic advising for faculty and staff advisors. Advising Services staff can assist student considering a change of major and consult with advisors and students who have questions regarding general education requirements.


text:
Monday, February 25, 2008
Growing Up 1970s Style
Like most Filipino children growing up during the Martial Law years under the Marcos regime, I grew up a complacent child, learned early proper discipline, and enjoyed afternoons watching Sesame Street, a beloved program which is sometimes cut to give way to an impromptu Marcos speech. Back then, we as children understood what was authority, and we know how to keep quiet whenever someone older than us has something important today.
Although our family disliked Marcos, we respected his authority, and my father forbade us to say anything against Marcos. My father knew that Marcos was a powerful man and we understood it. It would be inviting trouble to say anything against the dictator. Everyone seemed to be spying on everyone.
Right now I see how many children become so unruly that their parents become so frustrated disciplining them. I should say that I was still fortunate growing up as I did, respecting authority. Perhaps Marcos wasn't really so bad. Certainly he did a lot of bad things, but the discipline that he instilled in the minds of the people is admirable.
Nowadays, children are not so afraid of authorities. They have learned the word freedom, which is very dangerous. They hurl threats to authorities, to teachers, to parents. You spank a child to discipline and you can end up being sued in the Bantay Bata. These children will eventually grow up and then their own children will do the same to them. That is because they were not as disciplined as we were during our time. And so they just passed what they learned in childhood to their own children.
The new media of the internet and home videos contribute to the current degeneration of today's children. Some parents let their children use the internet not knowing that a lot of hazardous things are in store for their children to learn. Children today kill each other all over the internet, in dangerous games like Ragnarok, Diablo, and the like. In between they can watch porno, which is all over the internet. There is one Filipino eight-year old child discovered by his parents masturbating in front of the computer screen, watching hentai. Apparently, his favorite anime hero, Goku (of Dragonball Z) was featured in the movie having sex with Sailor Moon! Parents should be careful of giving their child gifts of laptops, cellphone, and mp4 as these can easily be downloaded with sex movies.
Back in the 1970s, our family owned a black and white TV set called Zenith. It had dial knobs to change channels and volumes. On afternoons we watch Speedy Gonzales, Sesame Street, and endless reruns of black and white old Tagalog movies. On evenings we watch Wild Wild West, Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky and Hutch, the Incredible Hulk and Charlie's Angels. I later learned that these series were all filmed in color and the reason why they appear black and white was that our TV was black and white...
The closest thing that I can ever come up to watching porno was when Gloria Diaz starred in the movie Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa, and it was shown on TV, and even the scene when she didn't have a bra was cut. To my dismay. All our neighbors were flocking to our house because we were one of the few who happened to own a TV set in the entire neighborhood.
I remember curfew. No one was allowed to loiter in the streets from 12 am to 4 am. From that time on you can secretly look from the window through a small opening of the curtains, and you see a very quiet neighborhood. Every barrio was like a ghost town. Even the stray dogs were herded into the city pound. The vagrants had to stay out of the streets. The result was that the crime was lessened. Everyone was afraid of Marcos.
Now, I still think I'm fortunate growing up in the Martial Law years. It was a relatively peaceful time. And we respect our elders.
It was the 1970s, and I miss those times.
4 comments:
- Charmilicious Riza said...
Haha, I remember those days...thanks for writing about it, it made me reminisce with my own childhood memories, lol.
- amie said...
Dear sir Dennis, hello po, this is amihan ruiz and patty joven of ADMU. we have a project on comics archiving and preservation in the philippines under our cultural heritage calss under dr. zialcita. we found your blog through gerry allaguilan's site. we've already established contact with him and we hoping that we could get your email so as to ask you about the state of preserving filipino komiks today.
(and ganda po ng blog niyo! so far, kayo na po yung isa sa pinaka informative sources namin. medyo kulang talaga po kasi ang written material on Komiks in general. sana padayon lang.)
our email is firstname.lastname@example.com and email@example.com.
hoping for your favorable response,
amie and patty
- Dennis Villegas said...
dear amie,
you can contact me at 09087275818.
- lucas griego said...
Thanks for the fascinating blog on Pinoy comics and on the personal memories of a different time. Very informative and entertaining to read about how the Philippines was in years gone by.
It's really only with the advent of the internet that much of the rest of the world has been able to actually see the Filipino tradition of comic book making. Some very, very talented artists.
Though your site and others who have posted history and art I came to realize that many of the comics I grew up with as a kid in the US were actually pencilled or worked on by Filipino artists who had emigrated to the US.
Thanks once again for taking the time to write your blog. It's appreciated!
Best regards,
Lucas Griego


text:
So septembers almost here...I am super excited to stay with in my goal and not over spend! So I have some money saving tips and ideas for you guys that may help if your thinking about couponing!
MOney saving tips-
1- make your own cleaners...they work just as well and are WAY cheaper! The recipe i like is 1/4 cup vinagar and a few drops of your favorite dishsoap! You can find other good recipes at http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/homemadehouseholdcleaners.htm
2- use half the recommened amount of laundry detergent in the wash...yes your clothes will still be clean and they will still smell great! I PROMISE!
3- cut you dryer sheets in half ...again i promise your clothes will still smell great and be static free. another good one is but liquid fabric softner pour it into a container that has a lid but 2 sponges throw them in the tub and sqeeze them out and throw them in your dryer this will last a long time!
4- turn your water heater down a few notches you'll see a difference
5- instead of running your ac all the time open some windows and turn some fans on occonially espically right now the weather hasn't been as hot.
6- use your towels more then once...just make sure to hang them up so they can dry
7- wear your pj's more then once...unless your swaeting like crazy you should be abl;e to wear them 2 nights and this really cuts down on your laundry load i also try to waer my pants 2 times before washing them as well
8- EAT AT HOME!!! make and plan your own meals this will save you a bundle and it is healthier for you too! so before you shop write down 10 meals you will make and check to what ingredients you have and need and keep them in the house that way your not running to the store every day to get on item i also am a huge fan of sub one ingredient for another so if you don't have one thing use something else...there are lots of websites that tell you good things to substiute with.
Ok so now onto couponing
So if your new to it start slow it can be confusing espcially because every store has there own rules about coupons so if you have qestions ask them and always remeber if you have store coupons as well as manufacter coupons have them scan the manfactuers on first them then the store ones other wise ther register will beep and it will be a big mess!
to start off with couponing just get one sunday paper then work from there also print some coupons online and most people get the red plum in your mail box on tues...ya you know that pile of adds that you toss away...well you throwing away money if you don't pull your coupons out before you toss it!
Ok there are a few methods to couponing the clipless..this when you get your coupons you write the date on the front and then only clip the coupons you know your going to use because maybe a certain item is on sale...this is an ok method but, you tend to miss out on deals and heres why...some deals and sales aren't always addvertised so you get to the store and see something on a good sale and realize you have a coupon for it but, it at home...it can be a total bummer! espically when it is an amazing deal like this one....i went to the store i didn't need dish saop but, i had all my coupons with me anyway and i saw there was some dawn dish soap on sale for 1.69 and i had a coupon for 1.50 off dish soap...and bam .19 cents for some dishsaop you can't beat it!
ok ok so your probably saying so how should I carry my coupons well there are several techniques one is just throw them in an envoplope again the problem with this one is you can only carry so many and envoples tend to tear easily 2) carry themin one of those ( can't thinkof the name) things that have the differnt files in them....expanding file??? they come in all different sizes i would suggest the smaller ones this is a goood technique because you can seperate your coupons in catagories so if your at the store you see an item on sale and you know you have a coupon for it you can go right to that catagorie and find it...I did this method for a long time i did like it but, i found as became more serious and was getting more coupons it was buldging and i felt like I was always going threw a pile of coupons soI switched to the binder method...I feeel it is the best method for serious couponers. Basically the binder method is just that you have a binder( you can get them for about 10...but, with all the back to school stuff going on right now you could wait a few weeks and they are going to clearance out and you could snag one for CHEAP!) so you have your binder then you purchase a few packs of base ball card holders the clear one in the base ball sxection(usually by the registers) these will hold your coupons so basically you divide your binder in to sections like...beauty, health, condiments ect and then you put coupons in those sections that match your catagory so then when your ready to go shoppong you can make a list and then just flip threw your pages and clearly see your coupons...pull out the ones you know you want to use and put them in a different section of your binder and then as you shop and you grab the items you going to buy throw the coupons in and envoplpe or your pocket so you can have them ready at the register... I personallly pick a line that has a person or 2 in front of me so i have time to get my stuff up there before they start scanning so you can watch them scan to make sure every thing is scanning at the correct price and so when they scan my coupon i can watch this key because sometimes they miss one or it doesn't scan correctly don't let them bully you just ask for a manager to come and help they can usually fix the problem....and rember that you are actually helping the store by using coupons...yep thats what i said when you use a coupon they sent them in to the manufacter and the manufacters pays them the face v aule pluse around 13 cents so they are banking off of you using coupons...so if you get a snotty cashier remind them of that!
ok now of to the next thing in couponing...prices before you buy decide what your willing to pay for a certain item like tooth paste i personally will only pay .25 to .75 cents for it and i stock up on it when it's on sale and I have multiple coupns for it. this is wear multiple coupon subscrptions come into play example.. if you are a family of 3 2 subs will do a family of 4 3 will do and so on I personally only get 3 but, it is what ever you feel works for you! so you have 3 to 5 coupons for crest for let's say .75 cents off and it is on sale this week for lets say 1.50 take away .75 and wa la .75 cents a tube and stock up that way when you run out you don't have to pay full price ok so Cereal the most i will pay is 1.25 for the good kinds not the crap again stock up ok so maybe you don't need 15 boxes but it stays good for a year i am sure you will use it up before then and again if you have 5 extra boxes on hand you will never pay full price for it when it's not on sale and you don't have coupons! ok so if your worried about cost on the subcriptions I promise you savings from your first trip will more then pay for your subscrptions and there are bloggers out there that have worked very hard to get reduced prices a good one is utah deal diva check her out http://www.utahdealdiva.com/ . so you get it you decide a price that you are willing to pay for certain items and stick to your guns on it also don't be...umm how do i say this don't be a brand brat try new thing differnt brands don't only buy one brand if you have a coupon for a good deal on one brand of toilet paper but, maybe it's not your favorite kind try the other you might be suprised and like it!
DON'T MINDLESSLY SHOP.... if it's not on your list and you don't really need resist the need to throw it in your cart and buy it put it back...you'll live I promise!
ok so thats all I can think of for now!!! have a good one!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Septembers almost here!
So septembers almost here...I am super excited to stay with in my goal and not over spend! So I have some money saving tips and ideas for you guys that may help if your thinking about couponing!
Posted by Jessica at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
So recently I became a couponer well i have been using them for quite a while but, not seriously just when I would see a coupon for something i knew i was going to buy I would use it...but, recently i have gotten really serious about it and saving money so i decided for the month of sept i am only going to spend 160...yep for the whole month...thats 40 bucks a week for everything I WILL post pics of my recipts and write a weekly post on how I am doing i really want to do this and not go over so i am going to be being very careful on what we buy and decide before I put it in the cart I will ask my self...Is this a want or a need? wish me luck and I'll let you know how it goes!!!
Posted by Jessica at 9:59 AM 2 comments
Yikes it's been awhile...what have we been up to??? Well we have had a very eventful summer we went to lake powell for the 4th of july witch was really fun the kids had a blast and loved the water, we have been going to our local swimming pool a TON we have had one play date after the next, we have been to parades carnivals and the salt lake county fair, the drive inns, and bowling...it has been lots of fun but, also exhasting!!! I am really ready for school to be back in session... Kendrick starts on the 24th and Caleb start kindegarten on the 30th my babies are growing up on me to fast! I will post pics soon!!! or you can look at my facebook page all my pics are there!
Posted by Jessica at 9:54 AM 0 comments


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Of course they do as its true ... As long as there's is some sensible dieting and exercise
Of course they do as its true ... As long as there's is some sensible dieting and exercise
Getting to the Summit is Optional, Returning home is mandatory
Life begins at 155mph
I eat to full several times a day, plus snacks, but over 90% of what I eat is fresh produce prepared at home. I eat some snacks, usually once a day, but even then I box clever, for example, I've just had a feed of guacamole (home made) and saltine crackers. I had manju for my mid-afternoon snack. However, I eat unrefined carbs in every meal, and lots of them, and I'm the same weight I was when I was in my late-teens/early 20s.
The problem with portion control diets is their unsustainability. Once you hit your desired weight, what next? You're in a pickle. You can't go back to eating the portions you used to. You can't eat less than that because you'll be hungry too often, putting you at risk of returning to the old habits. Therefore, a change to a sustainable diet is necessary, one that satisfies you in terms of nutrition, satiation and taste, and for that, you need to learn to cook.
Here's one of the best articles on processed foods I've ever read. It takes a while, but it's absolutely worth the time.
Yamaha Vino 50cc (Sold), Honda Transalp 400V (Sold), Honda CB400 Super Bol D'or (Sold), Yamaha Serow XT225WE (Sold), 2005 Beta Rev 3 (Current) 2015 Yamaha Serow XT250 (Current)
I never eat to te point l feel full...there should be always a little "space" in the stomach ..
This is interesting too..
Many diet books advise people to chew slowly so they will feel full after eating less food than if they ate quickly. As we explain in the current issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter, eating slowly doesn't always work, but when it does, the reason has as much to do with the brain as with the gut.
Scientists have known for some time that a full stomach is only part of what causes someone to feel satisfied after a meal; the brain must also receive a series of signals from digestive hormones secreted by the gastrointestinal tract.
Stretch receptors in the stomach are activated as it fills with food or water; these signal the brain directly through the vagus nerve that connects gut and brainstem. Hormonal signals are released as partially digested food enters the small intestine. One example is cholecystokinin (CCK), released by the intestines in response to food consumed during a meal. Another hormone, leptin, produced by fat cells, is an adiposity signal that communicates with the brain about long-range needs and satiety, based on the body's energy stores. Research suggests that leptin amplifies the CCK signals, to enhance the feeling of fullness. Other research suggests that leptin also interacts with the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain to produce a feeling of pleasure after eating. The theory is that, by eating too quickly, people may not give this intricate hormonal cross-talk system enough time to work.
Of course, as anyone who has tried eating slowly in order to lose weight can attest, it's not quite that simple. People who are obese, for example, may suffer from leptin resistance, meaning that they are less responsive to satiety or pleasure signals from this hormone. People are also sensitive to cues in the environment — such as the alluring smell of chocolate chip cookies or the sight of a juicy burger — that can trigger the desire to eat.
Appetite is complex, and dieting is a challenge. Even so, people who are trying to lose weight may want to start by chewing more slowly. In that way, they allow themselves enough time to experience pleasure and satiety.
Yamaha Vino 50cc (Sold), Honda Transalp 400V (Sold), Honda CB400 Super Bol D'or (Sold), Yamaha Serow XT225WE (Sold), 2005 Beta Rev 3 (Current) 2015 Yamaha Serow XT250 (Current)
Weight loss is such a funny subject, a lot of people are worse at thinking - talking about it than politics even.
Roughly 18 months ago I started a plan that lead me to losing roughly 40lb over about 8 months, most of which I still kept off (all bar 3 or 4lb). As good as it is that's not the point of the story though...
Several people men mostly in the office asked how I did it, I been quite singular in how I went about this as I wanted to know for myself what exactly was causing the weight loss so I modified nothing in my exercise or eating other than following the plan.
Typically when I explained what I'd done people either didn't believe me outright or made up some other reason as to why it was happening I'd say that was about 2/3 of people. That after they'd gone out of their way to ask me how I did it. So WTF did they bother asking?
Some people actually did get inspired enough to do what I'd said and it actually worked for them too. But again that's not the main point, the point is people come over all irrational on the subject, its quite entertaining when the answers really are so simple from a physical if not a mental point of view.
Anyway good luck to you all on your weight and fitness goals, no matter how you get there. That is unless you're gagging yourself with a spoon, in that case go see a doctor.
Yeah, there is something slightly insane about food that gets people easily into diet wars.
Interestingly (to me), sports science has come up with a great deal of useful information over the last 20 years. Approaches that were mere hypothesis until recently have finally become backed by science while mountains of fluff have finally been discarded. The result is that weight management (loss, gain, maintenance) has been turned from an art to, literally, a science. Nowadays we have far more than the means to play with a measure on the scale. We can also determine and dictate where the loss/gain comes from (adipose tissue, muscle, bone, etc). And that's only the beginning. We can now use diet to efficiently support a multitude of performance scenarios (an incredibly useful asset on its own) as well as pursue the rather elusive goal of body recomposition (a dream come true, really).


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**Time between novels will vary. I don't always wait a full day between books (sometimes it's only an hour), but sometimes I find myself waiting as long as a week between.**
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Quick Tip!
**Time between novels will vary. I don't always wait a full day between books (sometimes it's only an hour), but sometimes I find myself waiting as long as a week between.**
3 comments:
- Joe Menta said...
Ha! I don't think I'm capable of waiting a full day between books. I always start one the next day. Though I agree with you in principle... I DO like to mull over a completed book for a few hours before starting another one (whether it's a book or an audiobook). That's why I never start a new book or audio the same day I finish one. But finishing a book on a Monday and now starting another until Wednesday? I don't think I have the discipline for that.
Anyway, I also like to sit through all the closing credits of movies, to give myself a few minutes to digest the film I just watched.
- October 26, 2011 at 12:36 PM
- HilyBee said...
It depends for me. Sometimes I can start a new book less than an hour after finishing one. But most times I wait until the next day or even a full day in between. I just think about them too much! haha. But I agree.. waiting a full day is very difficult 95% of the time. :) Thank you for your thoughts!
- October 26, 2011 at 3:20 PM
- TinyDreamer said...
I definitely find that a small waiting period between books (whether it be a few minutes, hours or even a day or two) helps a lot to prepre you for the next adventure. This especially important, to me at least, to do so if I hated the book... Take The Catcher in the Rye for example, I didn't exactly hate the book just Holdon lol I complained the entire time I read it. But, I had to finish it I had started it...plus it was a class requirement. I didn't read for a month after that book lol true story.
When I was younger I would read mulitple books during any giving time. Without the wait period I learned "the hard way" definitely ,made for some messed up dreams. I would have dreams that would combine characters from books like Harry Potter and blood and Chocolate (which I highly recommend).
- October 27, 2011 at 9:32 AM


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Nearly six in 10 of those siding with Mitt Romney in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll say their vote is primarily "against" President Obama not in favor of the former Massachusetts governor, a testament to how much of Romney's support is built on opposition to the current occupant of the White House.
By contrast, about three-quarters of Obama's supporters are voting affirmatively "for" the president.
Romney's support numbers are similar to those of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (D) in 2004 and Obama's support numbers mirror those of President George W. Bush in his bid for a second term. The 2004 contest was close, but ultimately the "Bush protest" vote was not enough to put Kerry on top.
It remains to be seen whether voting against Obama rather than for Romney will be enough to pave the challenger's path to victory. Even among top Republicans, however, there's an acknowledgment that Romney's greatest strength among many voters is simply that he isn't Obama.
"The American people probably aren't going to fall in love with Mitt Romney," said House Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) during a West Virginia fundraiser last week.


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Open Data Barometer 2015 Report
The World Wide Web Foundation (WWWF) delivers its second global report card on open government, championing the worldwide right to information. As some countries leap ahead from the 2013 report, others fall further behind, while some maintain steady progress. The report doesn't just give out grades, though. It also provides information needed for the world's officials and citizens to create, "a genuine revolution in the transparency and performance of governments."
What Is Open Data?
Defined as, "data from governments, made available for anyone to access, use, and share," the concept of open data seems like an obvious winner, and straightforward to implement. But as the Open Data Barometer 2015 shows, obstacles abound. From corruption to lack of literacy to simple stagnation, open data workers around the planet struggle to make progress.
While daunting, these hurdles also signal the promise and full meaning of open data. As the report shows, from legal reform in tiny municipalities and federal governments alike, to burgeoning equal access and broader entrepreneurial opportunity, open data means freedom.
Going Local
The Open Data Barometer 2015 stresses the need to fan out, beyond not only federal governments, but also past state and provincial agencies. The report shows, "political impacts from open data are greater in countries that have city-level open data activities." Everyday citizens, in everyday municipalities, need to be empowered with open data.
"To maximise impact, open data needs go local," the report mandates. Action and access at the municipal level are key success factors, with needed steps of, "contextualizing open data tools and approaches to local needs.
Private Isn't Public
The report tackles privacy concerns head-on. Along with open data progress, the Open Data Barometer scrutinizes data privacy laws in each nation it evaluates. "By definition, open data should not include private data," the report states, and emphasizes, "any restrictions on distribution go against the re-usability terms of open data."
The point of open data is to empower citizens, not to abuse their privacy, the WWWF contends. Its report cites the need to link, "open data regulations and laws designed to increase transparency," with laws necessary for privacy protection. "Even with these frameworks in place," the report notes, some datasets pose too great a risk for abuse, and, "cannot be 'open by default'."
Grade Check: 86 Countries
The WWWF's detailed evaluation of, "86 countries, representing a wide range of political, social, and economic circumstances," results in four tiers of open data progress – or lack thereof: high capacity, emerging & advancing, capacity constrained, and one-sided initiatives.
Some results are expected: the UK rates as a high capacity nation, while Malaysia doesn't. However, why is Jordan assigned to "capacity constrained"? How did Germany slide backward from its 2013 ranking? The report digs deep into the hows and whys of the countries' performances, offering crucial, actionable insights in each category.
Next Steps
"There is no single 'best practice' for delivering an open data initiative," explains the report. Instead, "continued innovation and evaluation is needed to find best-fit approaches," since countries, communities, datasets, and goals differ widely.
Some needs are clear and consistent across user groups, though. For example, the report discusses the Open Contracting Data Standard, and confirms, "work is needed in the open data field to establish and develop other standards." Other common needs include, "a clear, unambiguous license statement," for all open datasets. The WWWF also points to basic data housekeeping, highlighting the need for "timeliness and sustainability": reliable, well-organized data is a must-have for accountability and entrepreneurship.
Download the Data
The WWWF welcomes all to its data, and its invitation to download could double as a rallying vision for the future of all datasets, everywhere: "All the data underlying this report is available for further analysis and re-use," says the WWWF. "We encourage you to explore, reuse, and remix the data."
[Editor's note: This post is the first in a series of articles about the Open Data Barometer 2015. In future posts, we'll highlight other findings from the report, including changes from the 2013 report to the 2015 report, and much, much more.]


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Following four days of witness testimony and two days of jury deliberation at his retrial, Terrell Johnson was acquitted of all
Jurors were taken to the street in Hazelwood to see that bushes and the gate McBryde testified to hiding in as the murder took place. McBryde's testimony was torn to shreds when she was unable to identify exactly which bushes she was hiding in.
The owner of the gate Mcbryde insisted she went through on the night of the murder testified on Monday that it was impossible since the gate has been locked for thirty years and she had dogs at the time.
Victim's mother changes testimony
The only other witness that placed Johnson at the scene was the victim's mother, Barbara Robinson. She came forward last week claiming to identify Terrell Johnson, Harold Cabbagestock, and Dorian Moorefield as the men who walked past her house three times before her daughter was murdered. In 1994 she testified repeatedly "I didn't see no faces…I did not recognize them…we were talking, and I didn't pay them no attention".
When approached with her previous statements Barbara Robinson claimed "that's what it says in those transcripts, but I didn't say that…You can only say so much. Now I'm telling it like it is"
"I think that she's a hurt mom and she wants justice and she doesn't care if it's the right one or not," said Johnson's wife Saundra Colemackamey.
"I think she should focus on the people who were supposed to help her- who were supposed to protect her daughter but didn't- like the police," Colemackamey concluded.
Jenkins stated his sympathy for Barbara Robinson in his closing statement, "No one should ever have to bury their children…but she doesn't know who those guys were. She didn't know then, and she doesn't know now".
Johnson released into arms of his family
Crowds of family, friends, and reporters greeted Terrell Johnson when he was released yesterday evening from the Allegheny County Jail.
Johnson turned down a plea deal that would have sent him free two years ago in exchange for his confession to the murder of Verna Robinson, "Because I didn't do it. I ain't got no regrets".
Johnson pointed to members of the Point Park Innocence Institute, "That's my family right there. They never gave up. I appreciate it all. They did everything that I needed them to".
Johnson hugged all of his family who has been fighting for his innocence since his wrongful conviction in 1994 including his wife Saundra and his granddaughter.
"All these people came together because of it," said Johnson.
Defense Attorney Turahn Jenkins hugged Johnson's family, as they thanked him for his hard work on Johnson's case.
"It's over. He waited a long time for this- too long," said Jenkins.
Johnson is excited to see old friends again, "My first stop is Hazelwood. Back Home".


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Several of our players were requesting HMG Ifrits at the traders.
So I opened config.cpp in the mission file and added the HMG Ifrit under the normal Ifrit, like this:
class Exile_Car_Ifrit { quality = 1; price = 5000; };
class O_MRAP_02_F { quality = 1; price = 9000; };
I then found the items[] array for Class Cars and added the HMT Ifrit classname as the final entry... with no comma.
The trader sold the car to the players just fine... but for some reason, after a restart, the Ifrits started exploding. (Didn't try selling it or selling cargo.)
How do I prevent this please?
- 1


text:
An Alaskan Cruise offers a wonderful glimpse of coastal Alaska with its dramatic mountain scenery, tidewater glaciers and wildlife. Whales, seals, sea lions, Orcas, sea otters, mountain goats,
brown and black bears, puffins, kittiwakes and murres are commonly seen during the summer months.
The adventure also has the advantage of comfortable accommodations during inclement weather as well as naturalists on board to guide passengers through the sights along the way.
Alaska is America's last great true frontier, an unspoiled wilderness of glimmering glaciers, abundant forests, towering mountains, exotic wildlife, and waterfront communities. An Alaska cruise, simply put, is a once in a lifetime, dream vacation.


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I want to thank everyone for using my software and visiting my site. I enjoy making programs that people use, its a real hobby that offers satisfaction like nothing else.
I plan on updating this site eventually, it may very well be that I will have software to sell licenses to (in the $5 to $25 range) so my time spent on programming is more justified. I would love programming to be more than a hobby for me, but it isn't, and this the reality of things.
I will not be making any current freeware into shareware. Nothing that is now free will suddenly become pay software. The software I will sell will be separate from the popular software I offer free. I will likely incorporate a donate now button inside of the software and on the website besides the option to purchase tech support.
Even earning a few dollars per hour (literally) for my effort would justify spending some spare time on programming. Having decent license sales or donations would motivate me to put even more time into updates and new apps. However I understand the web is primarily a place of free things, and people are reluctant to spend on software.
But the fact is I have a child, wife, and family to dedicate 'spare' time to. After them, 'spare' time must go towards things that can (at least potentially) help to support them.
~ Davis
Donate Now (via PayPal)


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Suhy, Silvergold & Alvarado - Tessellations
New Jersey based jazz rock power trio Suhy, Silvergold & Alvarado have released an amazing album of eclectic tunes that speak to my instrumentalist heart. Yes, this is ostensibly a metal site, but interestingly guitarist Ray Suhy has been playing rock and metal for years, including playing with East Of The Wall (I've mentioned before how this band seems to be some sort of musical nexus, with the various members of having seeded other bands I've raved about on this site) for a few. The man has chops. His playing is deft and confident, belying the years spent studying the finesse and creativity of masters like Coltrane. He can comp like a champ - Special Cadence is a wonderful seven minute jazz excursion that had me practically smelling the smoke-filled club it evokes - then turn around and rip like a demon - Temporal Landrons recalls the melodic shred of Shawn Lane without letting homage veer into soulless mimicry.
Rolando Alvarado's bass work is masterful, be it the satisfying timbre of plucking the double bass through jazzy tunes like Special Cadence, or the nimble rhythymic understructure he weaves like a spider on tracks like Malachite Dream. The East of the Wall connection here is his avant-metal trio El Drugstore, which featured guitarist Kevin Conway and drummer Seth Rheam, both of the former.
Which brings us to the most amazing member of all, drummer Alex Silvergold, who after only playing drums for the last 7 years is merely [a jaw-dropping] 16 years old. Be it his youth, his extraordinary dedication - or both, his high-energy playing is most impressive. I don't doubt many will be monitoring his career which probably won't even begin slowing down 'til maybe around 2065 (Crimeny!).
The Bottom Line: This New Jersey-based jazz-rock trio is jam-packed with talent and promise. The creative force of its virtuosi is evident on a debut many would hope to achieve just once in their entire careers. This is the real deal, folks.
- Genghis can't stop watching these guys jam on YouTube...


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In announcing his decision Wednesday to step down as chief of the Los Angeles Police Department and reenter the private sector, William J. Bratton turned a spotlight on the firm that has hired him.
Altegrity is a company with several thousand employees and a significant presence in a secretive industry that, among other things, provides businesses and government agencies with intelligence-gathering and other investigative services. Bratton will head up a new subsidiary of the company called Altegrity Security Consulting, which will consult with local governments, primarily in developing and conflict-ridden countries, to help build and improve police forces.
In making the move, Bratton reunites with Michael Cherkasky, a man he first met two decades ago when Bratton was in the midst of a burgeoning career in policing and Cherkasky was a prosecutor in New York City.
Cherkasky, who runs Altegrity and lured Bratton to the new job, is very familiar with what Bratton brings to the table. Before becoming LAPD chief, he worked as a consultant for Cherkasky in a similar role to the one he will now assume. He also worked with the team of consultants that Cherkasky had assembled to monitor the LAPD for the U.S. Department of Justice as part of a consent decree forced on the department after the Rampart corruption scandal. As LAPD chief, Bratton went on to work closely with Cherkasky, who remained the lead monitor overseeing the LAPD until the decree was terminated last month.


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When I was young I wanted to be an explorer, to traverse the dark places of earth and see things that no one else had ever seen. Unfortunately, I was a boy during the 1990s and early 2000s; a time of rising technological innovations the likes of GPS and satellite imaging. What's the point of traveling to remote locations when you can simple go there in the comfort of your own home via Google earth? In short, I left my dream of exploration and adventure behind and delved into the seemingly bottomless mass of obscure metal instead.
Many years later, Shadow Kingdom Records sends me a piece of gold, a re-release of an utterly obscure and forgotten band from Italy with the enigmatic moniker: Run After To. Naturally I was intrigued. The band formed in 1983, released a demo entitled "Gjinn and Djinn" in 1985, a self-titled EP in 1988 and then, disappeared. After decades of neglect, these two recordings have been re-mastered and paired together for one hell of a listening experience.
But before I get ahead of myself with the accolades I must admit, I was not completely sold on Run After To. The first three songs, though better produced and containing a show of greater musicianship then the following six tracks, came across as cheesy. These three tracks make up the bands 1988 self-titled EP and sound less like the proto doom I was expecting and more like an 80's soft metal band the likes of Metal Church, with the added embarrassment of some truly schlocky keyboard sections and vocals delivered with eyebrow raising half-heartedness.
To be fair, the Run After To EP is not all bad. In fact, there are some real standout performances, particularly in the bass lines which bring to mind the finessed noodlings of Geezer Butler and Martin Swaney. The opening track, "Who Cries for the Children" in particular has some spectacular riffing while the EP's 12 minute closer "My Name is Man" has one hell of an extended solo. All in all however, I wasn't exactly looking forward to the remaining six songs luckily I forged on.
Once "Gjinn and Djinn" kicked off with "Occultism" I was enthralled. Here was the music I was expecting: dark, heavy, and containing more riffs then you can shake a stick at. This is Proto Doom at its best containing the melodic edge of NWOBHM, whilst still dishing out punishingly heavy riffs. As far as its production value goes, "Gjinn and Djinn" is much rawer then "Run After To" but this does little to dampen its effect on the listener, in fact in some ways it enhances the experience.
To be honest, after listening to "Occultism" (a song Paul Chain covered in his 1984 Violet Theatre EP, Detaching from Satan), "Walking on the Rainbow" and the impossibly heavy "Visions" I am now convinced that the "Gjinn and Djinn" demo belongs next to the other standout recordings in a time when Doom Metal was just being born. This includes; Pentagram's "Relentless" Witchfinder General's "Death Penalty" and Candlemass's "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus."
After years of listening to strange and unheard of bands the genre of so-called "Pop Music" makes little sense to me now. How can radio friendly music that is heard everywhere across the globe challenge the listener? How can a person be satisfied in simply turning a knob on their radio and have instant music? "Run After To" is all but unknown, save for those looking for something truly obscure. It is satisfying knowing that bands like this exist and are just waiting to be discovered.
words by Brendan E. Butler


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The last leg of our movie shoot was taking place in the country North of Montreal. For 8 days, we were staying at my father's farm with no internet but a snow mobile and mini put game to keep us entertained! We had a reduced team for this part of the shoot and so some days I had to play sound girl on top of being assistant director, clap girl and script girl (and craft department). It was busy but very organic in a way, we were shooting most days with only Alexander, our lead actor and finished the shoot with Mark Krupa, who played his father, at a fancy hotel in the suburbs. The shoot was the absolute best time of my life but it was so hectic! It totally confirmed that I am a workaholic and that I thrive when pushed to the limit. I'm glad I get a few days off in our new place now and I already look forward to the next time my cast and crew will be reunited, hopefully for my birthday in April and then at our world premiere (in Venise, Toronto or..?). I love them so much, they have a special place in my heart forever ♥
Thank you so much everyone for following our movie making adventure, I'll be posting soon a special You're the Boss Apple Sauce on the steps to take to accomplishing your dreams when you lead a creative career, can't wait to share what I have learned in the past years!
Have a creative and inspiring week-end everyone!
Virginie ♥


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em9softball said …
Hey guys! You should read my fanfic, it will be awesome! It's called Fears, tell me what you think about it! Posted over a year ago
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What's up MBC fans! Are you a fan of the couple Danny and Cathy? Lucky you, I just created a Danny and Cathy club. If any of you are interested in the club just search MBC Danny and Cathy. It's new so there isn't a lot to expect but if you're a fan (like me) then you'll love it! You can add anything you want and become a fan! Thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it as well. If you have any problems you can give me a message and I'll help you as soon as possible. Thank you and I hope to see you as a fan! =D
Is mbc still on?. If it ain't on any more I think were really sad all of us fans can fight for the show to come back on.. My only wish in the hole wide world is to bring a new caracter to come on named Mary she would have purple hair and a purple outfit ..she would be cathys half human cousin and her hair would change what ever her mood is . Sad blue .happy rainbow.mad black . Embarrasd green. In love pink .. Danny would have a major crush on her and she would like him too but she new he likes her but he doesn't no she likes him ... If mbc is still on could u please make my wish come true
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Cathy has arrived on Earth and is going to school. On her way, she meets three people. Did she ever expect that one of them would be her future lover? DannyxCathy SamxChris
I dont know the name of the song or can find it. knows someone the name of the song?
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Property strategy
A clear property strategy is an essential part of your business plan; if your property portfolio is fit for purpose, you control costs and enhance profitability.There are two pillars to any property strategy:
- cost and particularly the proportionality of cost to turnover, and
- fitness for purpose
So, the pertinent questions to ask yourself are:
- Do you, as a business, regularly review your premises requirement?
- Do you have an idea about how the size, shape and dynamics of your business will change over the next few years?
We have both personal and professional experience to help you undertake such a review: strategic changes in our own business over the course of 10 years have concentrated our resources into two regional centres rather than 12 offices sprawled across the south east. The result?
- considerable savings in terms of hard property costs (rent, rates, maintenance)
- significant savings in the size and structure of the facilities team
- more effective, productive workflows and better communications
- a property portfolio that reflects where the business is now, and its needs going forward
Property can be one of the trickiest costs to manage as most property holding structures are pretty inflexible. However there are opportunities in the current market (such as re-gearing a lease) that can help you achieve your business goals.
If you need help to plan your organisation's property strategy and make it work for you, you can call on our property services partners. There are never going to be any easy answers, but the combination of their skills, connections in the market and a better understanding of your business could help to answer some questions about what your business needs from its property, and how to make it happen.
For more information on undertaking a property strategy review and to start a conversation on how we can help you, please contact Chris Worthington, Partner, Property Services.