text:
«OOC» Fray says, "Getting started! Please page anything that should be logged to Fraylog and anything else to Fray."
«OOC» Fray says, "First thing: who do you get jobs from? Because you're about to get one, shockingly."
«OOC» Savannah says, "Karin Curtis, R1 Fixer"
«Game» Backup to offline storage commencing. Game may freeze for a bit…
«OOC» Fray says, "Okay, one second while you get your information."
You paged Laura with 'You receive a call from Chad, who sounds excited. "I've got a job lined up for you, but the Johnson's in a hurry and you have to move fast. He says to meet him at…" and he rattles off the time and place. The time is soon, and the place is a small restaurant, Angie's, in the UCAS Sector. "Oh, one more thing," Chad says. "The J sounded a little… flustered. Not sure what to expect, but he's not as put together as most. But I did my homework, and he's got a solid shadowscene rep."'.
From afar, Laura accepts the info from Chad and tells him she will head to the meeting location right now.
You paged Savannah with 'Karin gives you a call. "Hey, omae. If you're looking for work, I've got an opportunity for you. A Johnson I know's putting out an urgent call. He didn't sound picky. Actually, he sounded frazzled and rushed. I'd be worried, but he's played straight every time I've dealt with him so far. Place is Angie's, in the UCAS…" She gives you the address and a time that's only in an hour.'.
Laura closes up her pocsec as she's laying in the bed in the back of her GMC-Bulldog Stepvan with Dash (her puppy) and then gets up and starts getting dressed to head to the address Chad McDonald (her fixer contact) just gave her. It takes her about ten minutes because she uses one of her 'showers in a can' to freshen up and brushes out her hair before getting in the drivers seat and heading to the meet location (Angie's restaurant). As the drives to the meet she makes sure her two small drones are fully charged (or are charging on the way).
KC's call wakes Savannah from a light doze after her hike and work. She'll take the call and listen, agreeing quickly to the terms and hanging up. The proud owner of not too much, it won't take the auburn haired elf long to get ready and get going, taking public transport to get to the meet, paying extra to get their quickly.
Laura makes sure to park a good block away from the target location and she only brings with her for protection her dart pistol in its concealed holster under her armored jacket. The more nasty pistol she leaves locked in her van. Dash is left in the van after she lets him out to do his business nearby and she lets the small space-heater continue to maintain a good temperature for the puppy inside. Hefting her backpack over her shoulders she locks up the van and walks the remainder to Angie's restaurant.
Angie's is an old establishment, a real brick and mortar steakhouse overshadowed by its towering modern neighbors. The inside is dark-paneled and oozes the sense of old money. THe menus don't even have anything but real food, at prices that no doubt keep the riffraff away.
The instructions sent you to a private room in the back, and that room contains one portly, middle-aged elven man in a somewhat rumpled business suit. He is leaning back at the end of a table, tapping at a pocket secretary with one hand and poking at a small device on the table with the other. Two stony-faced, square-jawed men stand about half a meter behind him on either side, obvious muscle.
Laura pages: What time of day is it?
Fretting as the minutes tick away, Savannah nevertheless makes it with a few minutes to spare, quickly making sure she doesn't look too rushed in her compact. That done, she'll make her way into Angie's, curiously peering around as she makes her way to the aforementioned private room in the back.
«Plot» Fray says, "The current time is, in fact, the current time: 4:30 in the afternoon."
Laura adjusts her sunglasses on her face as she spots the Restaurant. Standing at the curb and waiting for the light to turn so she can cross the street. When the light changes she crosses the streeet with an eye out for lurking people that might be undercover LoneStar or such security personel. If things look clear she heads into the restaurant and towards teh private back room where she was instructed the meeting would take place.
When the two of you arrive, you are shortly followed in by Fray, dressed in his suit and with the mess of this morning cleaned up. As soon as he closes the door behind him, the man at the table leaps to his feet and clasps his hands behind him. "Okay, everyone's here, good," the man says in surprisingly deep and resonant voice for his thin frame and moderate height. He runs a hand through his short black hair and looks around.
"There is a problem, and it needs solving immediately. I need you to enter a facility, destroy all research samples, and introduce a virus to destroy data. It must be done tonight. I can assure you that security is uncommonly light tonight," he gives you all a tense smile, "but not nonexistent. I would very much prefer to have the, uh, secondary damage kept to a minimum, and I hear that's something you do. Before I say more, is this acceptable so far?"
Oh, the ninja from earlier, and the woman with the dog. What a small world! Savannah nods soberly to Mr. Johnson, one hand leaning against the back of a chair as she does so, perhaps for balance. She'll add out loud, "So far this seems well within what I am comfortable with, yes."
Laura listens to the Johnson explain the 50,000 foot view of the mission and nods slowly as she considers the seeming needs of such a job. She nods her approval to the Johnson, "Yes Sir, the specifications so far are acceptable."
Laura tugs one of her gloves up tighter on her wrist before she crosses her arms over her chest casually.
Fray nods and folds his arms across his chest. "Okay. Details?"
The Johnson sits back down and steeples his fingers. "Go ahead and take seats if you'd like. Or not." He glances back down at his PocSec. "Yes. The facility in question is a development lab owned by MCT. It's a small facility just outside Denver, and we…" he coughs. "We would like its work shut down. They've been in drugs development and… no, it's not important. Third floor research labs. I need the samples destroyed, I need the data purged, and I need the researchers…" he closes his eyes briefly, then opens them again. "Well. I need them convinced that this is not a healthy line of inquiry."
One of the guards shifts minutely, scuffing his booted foot against the floor. "Oh! That's not a, um, I guess just try to be… scary?" the Johnson finishes, not sounding terribly sure of himself. "Don't hurt them, though. They're not…" he sighs and pulls a trio of chips from his pocket. "Here. I have a basic layout of the facility, with the location of the relevant equipment highlighted. Just be thorough. Questions?"
Taking a seat once it is offered, Savannah listens and concentrates on the words, working to not fidget or distract the man. She nods about the drugs and the data, though looks doubtful about that part of it. When convincing the researchers is mentioned her brow furrows, glancing to the guard at the foot scuff and the Johnson's new remarks. Her gaze finally rests on the trio of chips before she looks back up to Mr. Johnson, a smile crossing her face, "So, just scare them then but do not hurt them?" She seems to be clarifying.
At the Johnson's suggestion to take a seat she does; to play nice. She removes her backpack and places it on the floor beside the chair she pulls out and then eases down into the chair casually and listens to the Johnson give out some more details. She looks calm and casual up until the point about convincing researches and then she looks a bit on edge. When clarification that this isn't going to be a wetwork or kidnapping children sort of a job she gets back to the casual participant posture. Laura appears appreciative of Savannah's voice question of the Johnson.
"Rough persuasion is not my area of expertise." The elf says, frowning. "Mitsuhama is good at keeping knowledge compartmentalized among junior scientists. Do what you can. The priority is the records and products themselves."
Laura questions calmly, "You then are not requesting or expecting us to track down possible avenues outside this facility where copies of the data may be stored? Say in personal homes of researchers, off-site secure locations and the like? Only dealing with the samples and data at this specific site.. correct?"
Once her question is answered Savannah stays quiet, glancing to Laura as she speaks and then to Mr. Johnson for any possible answer. She seems satisfied thus far, the momentary confusion gone.
The Johnson seems surprised for a moment. "Ah. No. Policy forbids the researchers from taking work home. Although you should make sure they don't have anything on chips or personal devices around the labs. It's all by hand, no network."
Laura nods slowly at the Johnsons inforamation and attempts to look satisfied with what she's heard so far.
Almost apologetically, Savannah raises her hand a bit and asks, "I think, then, there is only one last piece of information that seems to be missing, Sir."
Fray grins from where he is still leaning against the wall, having no dwarf-sized options for chairs "I hope she means the pay. If not, I mean the pay."
Chuckling quietly, Savannah nods to the ninja dwarf's comment.
The Johnson nods. "Of course, of course. I can offer some 20,000 in total, divided as you see fit." He looks away and up. "While this may seem low for the alacrity required, I believe the… temporarily reduced security will compensate."
Before saying anything, Savannah looks to Fray and Laura. She doesn't seem to have any problem with the number quoted, but they might.
Laura's visual clues may reveal she looks indecisive on the amount of payment being adequate.
Fray stands and shrugs. "Half up front. It's standard, especially when you're lowballing."
The Johnson's smooth elven brows furrow but he nods curtly and retrieves a certified credstick. "Half. Is that all?"
"I think that about covers it. Chips, money, and the job done by tonight. Do you have a way for us to reach you once we are through?" Savannah's tone is polite, as if inquiring about his health.
"The contacts who put us in touch know how to reach me," Mr. J says. "Let them know. Any one of them. Oh, and by tonight, I mean before midnight. So that there are no misunderstandings," he adds, baring his teeth in a very rough facsimile of a smile.
"Of course. Midnight local time, and send information through those who contacted us. Seems reasonable and sensible." Savannah looks to the others and reaches for her copy of the information on chip, starting to rise. "With that done, we should probably get going so this can be done."
Fray nods, swipes one of the map chips, and slots it in his own PocSec. "Let's take advantage of the time we have and get planning and moving."
Laura reaches over and picks up her backpack, going slow so the 'muscle' doesn't freak out. She stands up slow and shoulders her pack before taking her copy of the datachip off the table and palming it.
«Plot» Fray says, "The maps, when you look at them, aren't technical floor plans. They're also not obviously for public consumption. They show floors and rooms, but that's about it. The rooms are given brief labels by purpose: Reception, security office, bathrooms, elevators. And, of course, Labs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. It's a five-floor building."
Laura pages: Does it look like the J and his goons are staying in the room? Or are they going to vacate and leave it for us to use it for planning?
Once the team has left Angie's and had a chance to go over the maps, Savannah will suggest they start heading that way since it is outside of Denver. Once out there they can look over the place and make sure that the bill of goods they were sold hasn't changed.
Laura offers her van as the means of transportation to the target site…. she does this offering when eavesdropping ears aren't around.. be that in the room after the Johnson leaves or after the trio leave and are outside on their own.
"Sounds good to me," Fray says. "You set up to smuggle things? It'll cost me a little more than I'd like to spend to get guns out of the city in a rush. 'M I the only one who has to pick up gear?"
Waving a hand, Savannah says, "I rented a hotel room for the night over here and have a few things there, although just really clothes and a jacket. I don't have any guns to smuggle out," she'll explain.
Laura keeps her voice down as the three are outside chatting together, "Not covertly designed smuggling compartments, no. But the bench seats have space under them. If the van's going to get searched though, they're going to find whatever we try and hide in it."
Laura offers, "I don't need to go anywhere for additional items; unless we can stop by somewhere and pick up a couple boxes of gel ammo, that'd be nice."
Savannah seems fine with stopping for ammo, though she doesn't need any. Snacks, however, would not go unappreciated.
«Plot» Fray says, "In the interests of skipping the minutiae, necessary goods with trivial prices are acquired, the guards seem uninteresed in a van carrying people out of the city during rush hour, and the team gets on the road uneventfully."
You paged Savannah with 'On the road, you get another call from KC. "Did you take the job?"'.
From afar, Savannah will answer and says "Yes, I did. It seemed legit to me, although the Johnson was a little skiddish and confused."
You paged Savannah with 'KC sounds amused. "He's not the only one who's confused. I got another offer, and took it on your behalf. Pay was lousy, but get this. Mr. J wanted to hire runners for an immediate job. Breaking in and thoroughly wiping data. You'll never guess where.'.
Savannah pages: The same out of the way facility?"
Laura is in the drivers seat of the van.
Dash, a little puppy is under the workbench of the van on his cushion resting.
Van details can be seen at: http://denvershadowrunlaura.wordpress.com/lauradouglas/lauras-van/
Laura's RCD is out of her pack now and on the dash clipped into a device to hold it in place. From it a white goes into a datajack on the dash and also a thin wire goes up to her head. A monitor/display is pulled up on the RCD on the dash that is plugged into her pocsec for an interface with the device. As she talks a synthesized british female voice speaks over the RCD intercom.
Two boxes of gel ammo are now in Laura's pack (money to be deducted from her playerplot profits).
The datachip she was given she has in the pocsec and the display monitor on the dashboard on the RCD is scrolling through the data as she's driving.
You paged Savannah with ''You are absolutely correct,' she says. 'I could have just taken the money, but I thought you should know something isn't quite right. I will forward your share of the additional funds when you report success.''.
Savannah pages: Wow, this is a weird run. Alright, well, thank you so much for your call!" Savannah will hang up after that.
Sitting in the back of the van, Savannah will finish a phone call as they make their trip and call out, "Guys, you will /not/ believe this. My fixer just called to tell me that another Mr. J wants some runners for an immediate job to break in and thoroughly wipe some data at this place." She looks confused and amused at the same time, spreading her hands. "Is that odd or is it me?"
Fray laughs from where he sits, awkwardly cross-legged, in the back seat. "Appreciate you sharing the news, chummer. I'll take that job too! Weird, but is there anything we can do? Might as well say now that this duffel bag's full of guns under all the more legal toys. That's pretty much what I do best. Not figuring out what J's are thinking."
In the back of the van lifting up one of the bench seats reveals a porta-potty, another reveals neatly folded clothing, another MRE's, another bottles of water, another various not-so-health snacks such as doritoes, granola bars, pop-tarts and the like.
From the RCD Voice, "What if we show up at our target and there are four teams there for the same job?"
"Then I imagine we'll be very crowded in there!" Savannah chuckles and shakes her head, "We've got two jobs .. if there are that many more out there it should prove to be an interesting night. Best we can do I guess is do our job and hope that anyone else taking the job is on board for that as well."
Laura continues driving(Rigging) the van out towards the target location, "There are no notes about security, cameras, fencing, etc. When we get closer I can fly one of my drones out for a quick peek but because of this fast dead-line it's going to not be as thurough and completely of a recon as I pride myself on normally doing."
"I can probably help somewhat with that as well." Savannah adds to that, "Of course, mostly it'd be checking for any sort of magical protections on the facility or wandering folk." She glances to any windows thoughtfully.
"Bettert than nothing," Fray says. "And I think we're pretty much here."
It has taken about 20 minutes on the highway to reach the facility, an unprepossessing slab of plascrete just past the off-ramp into some forgettable suburb. The whole place is surrounded by a ten foot fence, and not much can be seen through it from a distance. There's a single large gate spanning the road with the MCT logo emblazoned above it and a small guard post beside it.
Laura starts recording outside video/radar/lowlight/rangefinder data on the facility as they are driving past it.
RCD Voice, "I'll find a place nearby out of view to park."
Peering out the window, Savannah considers the road and the facility beyond, looking to the guard shack and then the fence. "Exciting. So far things look like what we've been told."
«Plot» Fray says, "It's not hard. Just past the facility there's a small strip mall, and the Wednesday evening crowd leaves plenty of space free."
RCD Voice: My skills are moderately okay with a pistol. I will be carrying a Steyr TMP Machine pistol with gel rounds in one clip and ex-ex rounds in another clip. I am okay at electronics and computer work but not decking type computer work. If I lose my gun I'm in trouble, I'm only a brown belt in Aikido and I'm as stealthy as a cow in a china shop to be honest… Just so you know what you can and can't expect out of me. I specialize in recon with small drones… but shortly I hope to have a drone with a mounted gun.. but I don't have that yet."
Laura pulls the van into the strip mall and parks over by the garbage dumpsters out of the way.
Dash stays tucked away under the workbench, nervous around the new people.
Murmuring in counterpoint to the mechanical voice from Laura's RCD, Savannah remarks, "I don't have a gun, but we aren't supposted to need one so that is moot. My strengths lie in dismissing spirits and seeing into the astral plane, as well as spiritual recon." She shrugs a bit at that and says, "Not always the most helpful skills, but at least you don't have to worry about me fireballing you."
RCD: Ghostly chuckle.
"Until we're on-site I'm not much good," Fray admits as he fishes through his backpack and comes out with a set of thick goggles that he settles on his head. "I'll leave it to you two to do the peeking and snooping before we go in."
Laura opens her eyes and takes a moment to get her bearings after the van comes to a stop. She unzips her pack and starts putting gell rounds in one of the long machine pistol clips and also takes the pistol out and puts it in the concealed hoslter under her armored jacket; putting the dart pistol at the small of her back in its concealed holster. A clip of ex-ex ammo she puts inside her jacket on the right breast side in an inside pocket/sleave to hold it in place.
Now talking through her voice and not the RCD, "My name is LooLoo by the way, my professional name anyway," she offers to the group and then looks to Savannah, "I won't move the van until you're back from astral snooping. But I'll send out my Nightengale drone now to get a looksee… is that good with everyone?"
Fray nods. "Sounds good to me. I'm Fray. I'll shake your hand when you're not busy."
Nodding to Laura, Savannah indicates herself and says, "Sunshine." Outside of her clothing and an armoured longcoat she doesn't seem to be armed in any way. She'll dig in a pocket for a few things and says, "Thank for for that," in regard to not moving the van. She closes her eyes a moment, tilting her head before speaking quietly, "Blossom. Donella." Extending her hand, the elven woman whistles softly and opens her eyes, beckoning to the astral plane for two of her friends.
«Plot» Savannah says, "Summoning two Force 2 Watchers"
«Plot» Fray says, "Roll it."
«Auto-Judge[]» Savannah (#1218) rolls Conjuring vs TN 2 for "Summoning Force 2 Watcher #1":
1 2 5 9 10 = 4 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Savannah (#1218) rolls Conjuring vs TN 2 for "Summoning Force 2 Watcher #2":
1 2 4 4 5 = 4 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Savannah (#1218) rolls Charisma vs TN 3 for "Reducing lifespan to 1 hour #1":
1 2 2 2 2 4 5 10 = 3 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Savannah (#1218) rolls Charisma vs TN 3 for "Reducing lifespan to 1 hour #2":
1 1 4 4 5 5 5 5 = 6 Successes
«Plot» Savannah says, "No drain, two F2 watchers for 1 hour"
«Plot» Fray says, "BG count is 0 out here. There's not much to a mall parking lot. Okay, what are they doing? Laura, feel free to let me know what you're rigging, too."
«Plot» Savannah says, "I will command the Watchers to check out the outside of the building but do not enter. Look for wards and living creatures the size of a dog or larger and return to me"
Laura seems to enjoy having the dwarf in the van and takes comfort from his manly confidence as she's still wrapping up her tasks.
After guns and ammo are in place, Laura unzips one of the pouches on her backpack to reveal it is a custom made container for a small drone. The british blonde lady takes the small bird robot out and places it on the dash next to a cup holder and just leaves it laying there.
When Sunshine starts her mojo, Laura closes her eyes again and leans back in her seat.
Laura warms up the subscribers list and quickly links the Nightengale bird drone to her RCD.
The Nightengale bird drone starts to shimmer slightly and the metalic look of it wavers and then real feathers seem to grow over its metal skin until it sits up and starts grooming itself. It has turned from a metal looking robot into a real looking bird in all visual means. Even a small chirp and warbling call from its mouth as it opens seems genuine in every regard.
The vans passenger door window rolls down three inches and the Nightengale bird flutters up to perch on the windows ledge and then leans forward and takes to the sky, flying towards the target facility.
Savannah leans forward, whispering to the creations only she can see. She'll reach into a pocket and come out with a honey stick, dropping several sticky bits of the liquid into her hands as she speaks intently, telling the spirits what is expected of them. The honey vanishes from her hand as if never existing as she raises her hand to release the Watchers on their way.
RCD: The monitor is split into equal sections and is showing the view from the small bird drone. One section is radar, one section is low-light, one section is lowlight with an overlay of rangefinder readings from the drone to the items like a military plane HUD display. The last section is just standard video with no modifications.
Laura activates audio/visual recording from the Nightengale into her RCD memory.
«Plot» Fray says, "The watchers depart and return rapidly. They report no wards and two creatures larger than a dog outside, then hover attentively."
Laura pages: Rigging Nightengale directly.. using Intelligence for Perception instead of drones sensor rating.
«Auto-Judge[]» Fray (#2959) rolls 5 for "Scary stuff.":
2 3 4 9 9
Eyes bright with anticipation, the auburn haired elven conjurer considers the inside of the van and then the facility that they have to penetrate, adding quietly, "Well, at least there will be people around to hide in if things go badly."
The spirits return quickly, their high-pitched voices excitedly relating information to her, which she passes along with a little hm, "No wards on the building, and two larger than dog sized creatures patroling the outside." That accomplished, she'll offer a dismissal to the beings, sending them back to the warmth of their own plane and away from the gravity of the Real.
«Plot» Fray says, "The drone moves much more slowly than the spirits, of course, but on wings it's still only a matter of minutes to reach the MCT facility. From a birds-eye view, the place is just as ugly as it was from a distance. The fence surrounds a parking garage that connects to the windowless gray slab of plascrete that houses the target."
Laura flies the Nightengale towards the parking garage, seeking a route of entrance or a place of observation; and just gathering as much data as she can manage from a fly-around. Laura intends to circumvent the entire building and examine the rooftop as well.
Laura also keeps an eye on security measures, cameras and sensors if she can spot them.
Laura pages: Want me to roll any of my security skills? Or perception?
«Plot» Fray says, "Sensors test."
Laura pages: +roll 1 for sensors? Or +roll perception since I'm jacked in?
«Plot» Fray says, "Let's say base TN 5 for cameras, no vision mod for dusk with low-light."
«Auto-Judge[]» Laura (#893) rolls Intelligence vs TN 5:
2 2 3 3 3 4 10 21 = 2 Successes
«Plot» Fray says, "The nightingale's flyover reveals little externally. There are cameras on the main gate, the front door, and the garage entrance. These appear to be the only ways into the facility except for roof access next to a helipad. There's nothing watching the roof, but it's five floors above the ground."
Huh? (Type "help" for help.)
«Plot» Fray says, "The nightingale can also pick out a pair of guards at the post by the front gate."
Laura's Nightengale zooms in on items of interest (rooftop access, guards at front gate, camera locations) on the RCD monitor display.
Once the fly-over recon has wrapped up, Laura instructs her bird to return to the van.
Laura opens her eyes and lets her Nightengale drone start flying back on its own, "Wish I had a silent helicopter," she says with a grin.
«Auto-Judge[]» Fray (#2959) rolls 5 for "Totally innocuous.":
3 5 5 5 11
«OOC» Fray says, "Okay, carry on."
Savannah waits quietly while LooLoo does her rigger thing, watching out the window in case of any changes out there. Fray is here in case things go bad, in case things need a physical touch. She's done what she can for the moment; now they wait to go in.
Laura looks back to the two with her, "Please tell me our plan isn't to ram the front gate with my van," she says with a painful grin.
"That sounds like a bad idea, I think. I mean .. it would be pretty loud?" Savannah isn't clear that it is a joke or not, glancing between the two.
Laura pages: What is the surrounding fence made out of? Description before made me think you couldn't see 'through' the fence.. so not chainlink.
"Definitely not the plan, Loo," Fray announces decisively. "Pick a better one. I'm going to set up." He drags his duffel bag out from the storage compartment and starts fussing over equipment. He settles a helmet firmly over his head, slides pistols into holsters that he straps on, and fusses over an assault rifle.
Laura pages: How tall is the fence?
You paged Laura with 'Sorry! The fence is about 3 meters tall.'.
Laura pages: Can the fence be seen through? or is it solid?
You paged Laura with 'It's a thick mesh. You could see through it if you got right up next to it, but not from more than about a meter away.'.
Laura offers her voice carefully into the planning, "I've got an idea…. Most of the security is focused on the front street with the two guards and the camera at the gate. A camera at the front entrance and a camera at the parking garage entrance. No others. The fencing is thick mesh and hard to see through unless you get up close to it. I suggest I keep the lights off on the van.. drive around from the back to near from the rear… park the van right against the outside of the fence and we use the van to hop over the fence at the rear of the building where they don't seem to be paying attention."
RCD: Laura points out on the monitor from the video that the fence is only about 9 feet tall.. 1 foot higher than the height of the van.
Nodding soberly, Savannah leans forward to look at the monitor. "Alright. So over the fence and then to the building and inside. Can either of you handle the locks? For that matter, can either of you do the virus bit with the research?"
«Plot» Fray says, "In case I didn't make it clear, the virus was included on the chips with the maps. Someone with the training could make sure it's a good virus for the job, or it could just be trusted to the J."
«OOC» Savannah nods
Laura considers Sunshines words, "I can replace hard drives and memory chips and even soilder in wires.. but coding I'm clueless on. But I think the datachips he gave us have a virus that all we have to do is plug it into their network and the program will launch automatically and do it's job without any real skill on our own."
Laura lightly pouts, "I as of yet have not purchased an electronics kit to bypass maglocks. I know how; but I don't have the tools."
"You are two steps ahead of me, then. I can turn on my computer, if I have enough time. Maybe." She laughs a little and shrugs, "Well, I am not THAT bad, but still." Savannah glances to the ninja dwarf with all the guns.
"Don't look at me!" Fray says. "I can get on the 'trix, and that's about it. Code's beyond me." He reaches into a pocket and pulls out something like an elongated egg that he tosses to Laura. "Here, Loo. Multitool. Figure you're probably better than me with the technical stuff, running around with drones."
Laura smiles as she fumbles about and then picks up the multi-tool, "Thanks Fray.. The money from this job is going to buying me an electroncis kit.. top of my list," she says as she blushes a bit feeling like a fool.
Laura chats on the plan, "So.. we can get over the fence.. get to the parking garage and there is a camera there," she pauses and pulls out a pull-over mask for her face and puts it in her jacket pocket, "Depending on the number of cars in the garage we can have a good idea of how many people are in the building. It's only like what?… A bit after 5pm… any workers I'd think will be leaving in the next couple hours. We can sit tight and let as many of them leave as possible and also let it get as dark outside as possible."
Nodding along with the plan, Savannah says, "That seems workable to me. Let as many people get out of here as we can, then we won't have to deal with any of them. And then we slip in and do the deed, slip back out before there is a problem."
Laura nods to Savanah, "We have approximately 6+ hours before the deadline. I'm totally good with leaving a one or two hour window. Let the guards get lazy and tired, let the people inside think it's another humdrum nightshift."
«Plot» Fray says, "You can easily keep an eye on the road with drones and watchers."
Laura uses the pocsec link with the RCD to use the larger RCD monitor with her pocsec/matrix surfing. Using the pocsec she brings up road maps and topomaps and starts planning a good 3-4 alternate routes away from here and back towards the city and two routes out into the wilds for a SHTF option.
Laura's Nightengale drone lands on the edge of the window and flits inside to land on the dashboard. It hops over to a little docking station on the dash and plugs it's tail-feathers in to recharge.
Apparently satisfied with his loadout, Fray settles back to wait. "Okay. we can give them until eight. Later than that makes me nervous about deadlines. Plan's to go over the fence by van, then what? You have a good way to take out the security? Oh, yeah, and before I forget, we should settle on a comm channel." He names the settings and sets his microtranceiver appropriately.
Sinking back into her seat, Savannah will stay quiet for the most part outside of rechecking her work with the occasional small sprite. There isn't much else she can do: she doesn't have guns to take apart and put back together or whatever it is that runners do in this situation. She looks at Fray and erms, "I, um, haven't replaced my comm yet. It got fried on my last run when we went into a sewer."
«Game» Backup to offline storage commencing. Game may freeze for a bit…
"Uh…" the dwarf seems at a loss. "Stick with someone, then. And whisper very quietly?"
"Will do, boss." Savannah nods gravely.
«Plot» Fray says, "Hours crawl past. A few dozen cars and a pair of motorcycles depart, and a single pulls in from the highway. The sun goes down and widely-spaced lights atop the fence turn on."
Laura listens to the obviously more experienced Fray and considers his comments, "I don't have a commlink; I'll have to stay close to you guys… so don't lose me okay?" she asks with a grin. But deep inside she feels like a fool for again not having some piece of expensive gear that everyone seems to know they need. She tries to offer some sort of help, "I can flood the frequencies with my RCD to probably overload nearby cameras with static to let us slip past. It's an electronics warfare trick that riggers do." Laura looks a bit happier with life when she finds out Sunshine doesn't have a commlink thing either.
Laura inquires, "I can send the Nightengale back in and have it fly inside the parking garage if you want. Check out the maglocks so I can see what brands they are and what company installed them. I can probably find their schematics online while we're waiting and study up on them. It would save time and refresh my mind on exactly how to bypass the specific kind they are using.. hopefully increasing my chances of success."
«Plot» Fray says, "During the wait, sensors again, TN 3 if you're willing to get close to the cameras. You can enter the garage's wide open door, but you can only get the drone in the way cars do, under the watchful camera's eye."
Blinking owlishly at what sounded like a lot of techspeak. "Ummm. That sounds good, sure. I have no idea what that means, but if it helps you then by all means."
Savannah says.
«Auto-Judge[]» Laura (#893) rolls Intelligence vs TN 3:
1 2 3 4 4 5 5 8 = 6 Successes
«Plot» Fray says, "Are you sending the nightingale into the garage?"
«Auto-Judge[]» Fray (#2959) rolls 4 for "The walls have eyes! They're called cameras.":
2 3 5 14
«Plot» Fray says, "There's no immediate, obvious response to the drone. The cameras are, unsurprisingly, in-house MCT-4V700 Overwatch models. There aren't official schematics online, of course, but it's not hard to find shadowtalk about specific quirks in the casing and wiring. Take -1 TN for tests to mess with them."
«Plot» Fray says, "The garage at eight o'clock has four motorcycles and ten cars left. At least a few people are in late."
Laura perches her Nightengale right on top of the maglock and preens herself (the bird), coos a few times and examines the casing and pad while it's cleaning itself. After a good two minutes; it takes to the air flapping and heading off to safety. She has the drone fly away from the van and then circle around and come back the long way on its return.
RCD: Entire drone flight is displayed on the monitor; including audio feed.
«Plot» Fray says, "Anything else before rolling in and getting to work?"
Savannah amuses herself watching the bird cam, but doesn't understand most of the lock stuff. She'll busy herself in the last minutes before they get ready to leave for the job braiding her hair and tucking it up beneath a cap, pulling out a hankerchief to use as a mask.
«OOC» Savannah is set
Laura considers, "I think we should drive off; stop at a gas station away from here and all use the restroom before we come back. We don't want to approach the back fence from here; but find a back road or residential road that we can hop the curb and head through the field or alley with the lights off slowly and carefully."
When the bird returns and starts recharging, Laura puts her hair in a ponytail and pulls on some close fitting leather gloves.
«Plot» Fray says, "I'd ask for a drive test, but it's too trivial to bother, even in the dark. It's hard to go to a gas station, circle around, and get off the road unseen. The ground is uneven, but not so bad that the van can't make its way around to the far side of the fence."
«OOC» Fray says, "Not necessary. I'd rather get inside!"
As soon as the engine stops running, Fray jumps out, swings his backpack on and slings his rifle over it, leaving his hand free to hold a pistol with a protruding silencer. "Okay. Last call for brilliant plans. Loo, security's your job. I don't know anythin about magic, so…" the dwarf wiggles his fingers in the air and shrugs. "Light or not, let's try not to tangle with security."
Laura is sure to get the van in the darkest place she can manage between the widely-spaced fence lighting and she puts her drone back in her backpack. Laura takes her RCD and puts it into the longer pouch of the backpack and leaves the wire magnetically attached to the side of her head before putting her backpack on and getting out of the van. "I'll try the electronic warfare trick on the camera when we're about to get within its field of view.. we want to be quick though once I do it.. get past where its looking so I can stop jamming the frequencies.. or it will get very suspicious and they might as well have just seen us anyway."
Laura pulls out the black hood from her pocket and pulls it carefully over her head to line up the eye holes.
Taking a few deep breaths, Savannah moves to follow fray. She nods in agreement about not tangling with security. She whispers, "No brilliant plans on my part, I am afraid to say. Get inside, get up some stairs, get rid of the stuff?" She's not carrying much other than a few pouches under her jacket; the better to run perhaps.
Laura pages: Do you want me to roll any of my Security procedures, security procedures background, Security systems, security systems background? Would Electrical Engineering (7) help as an assisting skill with the maglock and/or the electronics warfare roll?
Laura pages: Oh.. and Electronics Background skill also.
«OOC» Savannah has about that as well.
You paged Laura with 'I'll say electrical engineering as comp dice for physical work. Nothing for the warfare roll.'.
Laura pages: okay
Laura prepares to van climb up the back bumper.
Even before she's climbing up, Laura is wondering how they're going to get back over the fence.. bah.. one step at a time.
With a quick close of her eyes, Savannah checks the magical ties to the various friends that are currently residing on their own plane. She opens her eyes and nods, prepared to go about the job they have, letting the others get up and over the fence even as she prepares to follow.
«Auto-Judge[]» Fray (#2959) rolls 5 vs TN 10 for "2 to see van, +4 for not obvious, +4 for distance and angles=TN 10.":
1 1 1 2 3 = 0 Successes
«Plot» Fray says, "Whenever you're ready for camera trickery!"
«OOC» Fray says, "Hold on a sec."
«OOC» Fray says, "I will assume basic competence!"
Laura offers quietly to her companions, "Over the fence.. across the open space to the back of the parking garage.. inch up to the edge to where the camera is close to viewing us.. then electronics jamming and we run for it to get past the camera.. sound good still?"
«Plot» Fray says, "I believe you roll ECM's Flux against TN 4 and the cameras roll Flu against the ECM rating. I think Electronics Warfare is the comp dice for the roll."
«Plot» Fray says, "If that's wrong and you know, fix it or we'll live with that."
Savannah nods quietly, keeping silent for now to preserve what little professionalism she is supposted to have. Inside, she curses herself for the lack of a comm system and a few other things, promising to fix that when she gets a chance.
"That sounds good to me," Fray whispers back, his voice a low hiss. "We'll try to stick to the shadows and hope the guards aren't paying much attention to what's behind them."
Fray also takes the time to knot a stealth rope around the mesh at the top of the fence. It'll make things easier on the return trip, especially if that trip's at a dead run.
Laura smiles under her mask at having Fray along to save them.
«OOC» Fray says, "Then you have the knowledge but not the equipment for electronics warfare."
«Plot» Fray says, "Stealth rolls from everyone and then a pose of moving across the twenty meters of dead grass to the front door!"
«Auto-Judge[]» Savannah (#1218) rolls Stealth for "Oh please oh please oh please":
1 3
«Auto-Judge[]» Savannah (#1218) rolls Stealth for "Oh please oh please oh please, karma reroll":
1 4
«OOC» Savannah says, "bah. I stay"
«Auto-Judge[]» Laura (#893) rolls Stealth:
«Auto-Judge[]» Fray (#2959) rolls Stealth:
1 2 4 4 4
«OOC» Fray says, "The dice have spoken. We are Four."
Laura climbs up the van and takes in a few breaths as she calms her nerves and then works her way over the fence, down the fast-rope knots to the ground and then triest to crouch low as she makes for the back of the parking garage.
It's just a simple hop onto the roof of the van and then over the fence. Once she hits the ground with a flex of her knees, Savannah starts towards the building with an inward wince every single step of the way, all too aware of how loud she is, how she isn't hiding the right way, of the lights and the moon and the stars. She fully expects to hear screams any second.
Fray follows on stubby dwarven legs. There just isn't much cover. He darts from shadow to shadow as best he can, but mostly hopes no one bothers to turn and look at the running runners.
«Auto-Judge[]» Fray (#2959) rolls 5 vs TN 10 for "Guards, +4 minimal light with low-light, +2 behind their backs.":
1 4 4 5 14 = 1 Success
Laura slips up against the back of the parking garage, her chest heaving as she breaths and she zips up the secure armored jacket up close around her neck with her gloved hand.
Laura waits until the others are up very close to her and whispers with a frown, "I just remembered, never installed that ECM hardware in my RCD.. can't jam the camera after all."
«Auto-Judge[]» Fray (#2959) rolls 5 vs TN 10 for "Guards KP:1":
1 3 3 5 8 = 0 Successes
Blinking at the change in news and trying very hard to become one with the night, Savannah whispers, "Uh oh?" She chances a look towards the guards and then back to the building, growing more worried as they pause.
The sharp-eared hear one of the guards call out something indistinct, maybe a name. The rising end makes it sound more like a question than anything else, and no further reaction is forthcoming as the team waits with bated breath essentially in the open.
Laura reaches around to the small of her back and pulls out her dart pistol (very quiet gun) and makes sure the open palm of her gloves links up the smartlink-2 properly.
Laura crouches for support and raises her gun and points it at the corner of the building about chest height to where if someone walked around the corner she'd be prepared to squeeze off a round from a crouched and more secure position for accuracy.. she waits…
Savannah definately lets the other two have the go on this one, staying out of sight if she can and letting the other bodies shield hers. She does, however, quietly gather at the astral threads in her mind, drawing her concentration around what options might be the best.
"Well…" Fray whispers after a minute ticks by without any disturbance. "I don't think they're coming. Got any other ideas for the camera? We could shoot it out, of course, but that's barely better than just walking in." The dwarf lets his pistol fall back to his side, although he remains pressed against the side of the building.
Laura lowers her dart pistol after it seems obvious they're not getting ambushed any time soon and she considers then Fray's words, "Perhaps start a fire off grounds at the strip mall so that any security guy focuses the camera over there out of human curisoity factor.. then we slip in while he's using the camera to check out the fire?"
«Game» Backup to offline storage commencing. Game may freeze for a bit…
Laura teases a whisper towarsd Sunshine, "Wish you had that fireball now eh?" she grins as a joke.
Snorting softly, Savannah shakes her head and whispers back, "Invisibility might be a better choice." She looks to the camera to see if she can see it and which way it is pointed.
Laura looks impressed with the idea of magic being able to turn a person invisible.
Laura unzips her jacket slightly and pulls out her sunglasses and puts them on. Sort of a funny thing with the face mask on and carefully pushing the ear bits of the glasses through the eye holds and back along her head to hook over her ears.. but once in place she activates the low-light feature on the glasses.
The camera is a fixed, wide-angle lense above the sliding double doors that grant entry into the building. It probably gets a view from the door to the gate and not much else.
"I don't think a fire will move the camera. It looks like it will see us trying to get into the door more than coming up to it. Other than this door, what else is there? The roof?" Savannah's whisper barely carries, her eyes searching for other ways in.
Laura hmms quietly but frustration can be heard in her british accent, "If they spot us on the cam we can forget unlocking the keypad. The security person viewing the camera will just lock down all the doors and no matter what we do we won't be able to unlock the door."
Laura nods, "The roof is the least secure access.. other than it's five stories up.. which by physical location makes it one of the most secure."
Laura looks to Fray and grins under her mask, "You don't have another rope and a grappling hook do you love?" she asks in a whisper.
"I can't climb five stories," Fray grumbles very quietly. "And I don't think I could get a grapple up like that." He tilts his head back and stares up at the roof through his opaque visor, then tilts his head back down. "Levitation would do it. I guess I can try."
Looking upwards, Savannah considers a five story climb in the dark and doing it quietly. She looks to the ninja vegetable destroyer as Laura questions him, nodding to his remark regarding levitation. "If you have a grapple, I can make sure it hits the roof and is tight." She reaches out with her mind, calling out to one of her friends far away.
The dwarf follows the wall of the building back around to the far side from the gate. "Might as well do it privately, right?" he says as he rummages through his backpack until he gets out the grapple gun. "Ready when you are."
Nodding, Savannah whispers to herself and reaches out as if taking a hand, "Ariel, attend me." The wind blows briefly around the woman, her hair thankfully secure as she is kissed by a breeze. She'll indicate the grapple the dwarf has and intones, "Please assist my friend here in securing that on the roof." She'll make a twisting motion with her hand, the wind dying down and becoming more diffuse.
Laura seems impressed for like the 8th time tonight by the dwarf as he produces a grapple gun and actually turns the crazy idea into an actual plan. Laura moves along with Fray and Sunshine to the more isolated location for the grapple gun attempt. She looks up the long distance and starts to question if she's got the strength to make such a climb.
«Plot» Savannah says, "Expending 1 service from F3 Air Elemental to use Psychokinesis to help make the grapple connect and secure"
«OOC» Fray says, "Start with =."
«Auto-Judge[]» Savannah (#1218) uses 1 of item 4: Services for Force 3 Air Elemental from Services (#1242).
Laura draws her dart pistol out again and puts her back to the wall as she waits.. and mostly listens and watches the corners of the building.
Laura glances occassionally at Sunshine, awe and respect for the spirit lady.
Fray tilts the gun upward and fires. The grapple blows off course, then swerves back. Just when it looks like it will fall short, it suddenly shoots up another two meters, then settles gently onto the edge of the roof. Shaking his head, the dwarf nods to Savannah. "Thanks, omae." He clips a harness onto the line. "Won't be fun, but it shouldn't be hard to make it up. The harness'll lock if you fall."
You say ""
«OOC» Fray says, "Featureless block!"
The wind returns to surround Savannah for a moment before fading again as the conjurer releases her hold, allowing the spirit to return to the other side of the Veil and someplace more comfortable and less full of land. She'll nod to Fray with a smile and a short curtsey, "My pleasure," she whispers.
«Plot» Fray says, "Having had this discussion before and come to no consensus. I'll call it Athletics, TN 4 to climb a rope, -2 with gear, +2 for it being really far. Base time is 10 muntes (I have no idea if that is reasonable), and you take a box of stun from strain and the full 10 minutes for failing. Reasonable?"
«OOC» Savannah says, "Sounds fine to me"
«Plot» Fray will go up last to make sure no one uses the harness wrong, falls, flips upside-down, and then falls out of the harness.
«OOC» Fray says, "Sadly, this actually happens."
«Auto-Judge[]» Savannah (#1218) rolls Athletics vs TN 4 for "Climbing test, base time 10 minutes, please dont let me fall and die":
3 5 11 = 2 Successes
«OOC» Fray says, "No death today! Pose your spider-like scampering."
Well, Savannah may not have most runner gear and is missing a radio, but she's at least reasonably strong and has been out in the woods climbing a lot. She checks the harness and starts up the building, working to keep the grunts of effort quiet as she scampers up the side without much actual trouble.
«OOC» Fray says, "Defaulting to Body at +4. Do you have any other athletic-ish skills?"
«OOC» Fray says, "…Not really. Okay, roll for 8. And next time, send the drones instead!"
«Auto-Judge[]» Laura (#893) rolls Body vs TN 8 for "I'm gunna die.":
4 5 5 = 0 Successes
«OOC» Fray says, "If by die you mean L stun, then yes."
«OOC» Fray says, "If you're standing on that, pose your torturous ascent."
Laura waits until the harness is lowered back down to her and with shaking hands of nervousness she puts the dart pistol away and then puts the harness on. With Fray's help she gets the harness attached to the rope again with the locking cam device and tries to climb. She makes it about 2 floors up and then gets stuck. All her might and ability to climb and all she manages to do is slip upside down a moment, panic and slam back into the building hard… and very very quietly cries.
Fray raises his visor and peers up, his goggled eyes, but anything he says is too quiet to hear without augmentation. He paces anxiously in tight circles at the coiled base of the rope.
«OOC» Fray says, "Do you have a way to communicate through drones?"
Savannah looks over the ledge to see what has happened, wincing as the rigger bounces off the wall.
Laura wraps her legs around the rope above her to stabilize herself out of sheer luck rather than knowing what she's doing. Her face is turning red under the mask and she's feeling like her head is swelling because of all the blood. It takes her a good minute to get enough nerve to reach up on the rope between her knees and pull herself upright and then rest again for another entire minute before trying to climb back down.
«Plot» Fray says, "That, at least, you can manage without incident. Gravity's on your side."
Laura, after considerable time manages to get back down to the ground and is visibly shaking from exhaustion and nerves.
"Hey. Are you okay there?" Fray asks. "Going to try again?" Through the glasses you can see that the muscles in his jaws are bunched and his lips thinned. ""We have to move."
Savannah keeps an eye on their surroundings, staying low to keep from being seen by random people or weather balloons or Goodness knows what. She glances over to Fray and then back around the roof, the shadows holding secrets.
Laura's british accent warbles from under her mask as she whispers, very emotional, "I don't think I can do it Fray…. I really don't… Um.. I can get back to the van and rig my bird and Gremlin drone from there though. The gremlin can even pick maglocks and such with the multitool; it's got tiny little hands for tasks.. and I could use the bird and Gremlin inside to scout ahead and make sure hallways and rooms are clear before you come in?" She really seems to be trying to convince herself she's worth having on this job now.
Fray nods. "Makes sense, really. Don't sweat not being a gymnast. You can save us all from the comfort of your van." He gives Laura a tense grin. "And crash the gate if we really need rescuing."
Leaning over the ledge, Savannah gives Laura a thumbs up and a wave. "You did fine. Get your bird and thingy up here and we'll get this done!"
Laura nods and seems to grow a hairs-width of courage again and then pulls off her backpack and takes out her gremlin and nightengale drone and puts them on the ground nearby, "When I get to the van I'll have the Nightengale carry the gremlin up to the roof access," she then hands Fray back his multi-tool.
Laura smiles wide under the mask at Sunshine's encouragement and then shoulders her pack for the way back to the van.. feeling better now that she has such great people to work with.
«Auto-Judge[]» Fray (#2959) rolls Athletics vs TN 4:
2 3 3 4 8 = 2 Successes
Fray hooks himself in and hauls himself up. There's no particular art to it: he just grabs on, pulls, moves his other arm up, and does it again mechanically for five minutes until he crests the edge of the roof, where he takes a minute to catch his breath before hauling the rope up behind him, coiling it, and stowing it away. "Rather not leave an obvious sign we were here," he whispers.


text:
My requirement is follow:
When a user uploads an image to a project it keeps the size of the file that the user sent. Sometimes, most of the times, that size is too large and causes delay when opening the project.
The system should create 3 images based on the original: a thumbnail, normal and large.
Thumbnailmax-width: 100px;max-height: 100px;
Normalmax-width: 250px;max-height: 250px;
Largemax-width: 680px;max-height: 680px;
On the project's show page, it should show the Normal version, if the user clicks on the image it should show the Large version.
How should I achieve this?
Please advice.
Thanks and Regards,
Suraj Borade
There is an extension called ImageEdit with Resize server-side logic.
For project's show page, you can use Lightbox Image built-in component.
Hope it helps.
Many thanks Harlin.
It is really really helpful.
Best Regards,
Hi Harlin
The ImageEdit extension is not in the forge. Would you be willing to share it ?
Believe this is what you are looking for:
This can do it too:
Bilal Haniff wrote:
I realize ImageEdit is an Integration Studio extension, not sure where I got it.
But you can use also Image Toolbox / Image Utilities as Justin suggested.
That worked for me. Thanks for the reply
The ImageEdit extension is part of the Profile Utils component
Something I have learned about this, is that resizing images in the DB is a mess.
What ends up happening is that you really MUST retain the original no matter what. Why? Because today you think that 200x200 is right, then tomorrow you want 300x300. So you either need to have the original or you need to try to upsize the things you downsized to 200x200, and that will look awful.
Then, a few months later, you will find a place where you want 100x100, or 200x150 cropped, or something like that.
To make it worse, now you have a problem where every deployment that has new image sizes need to either have a way to transform and store the images BEFORE the deployment where the new size is needed, be able to resize/store on the fly if needed, or put up with missing images until a post-deployment resize timer creates all of the images in the new size.
And what happens then? No you are storing many, many copies of the image in the database.
A year later, you try to understand why your DB is taking up 500 GB and your hosting provider wants to charge you a fortune for that space, and when you investigate you discover that 80% of your DB storage space is images.
No no no... there are much better alternatives!
* Store the images in S3 and pull them as-needed.
* Use a service like Cloudinary (which is a SUPER easy integration, and has a huge number of transformations you can apply with almost no effort) to host the images/do transformations/etc.
Bottom line: as soon as I hear "let's resize the images and put them in the DB" I promise that someone is making a mistake. Speaking as someone who has made this mistake myself, and regretted it.
For P10 mobile app, I gladly present my new Image Utils Mobile component in Forge:
Resize (while maintaining aspect ratio), Crop, and Identify width/height of image binary data.
All works client-side, before sending image to server...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
New compliance partnership at MCE
MCE Insurance, the UK's Number One provider of motorbike insurance have teamed up with RWA group, a market-leading provider of FSA compliance and regulation consultancy in a move designed to ensure continued compliance excellence at the Northamptonshire-based brokers. This new tie-up comes as MCE announce the appointment of Michelle Kelly into the position of Compliance Manager. Michelle has been with MCE for over a decade and in the industry for over eighteen years. Matt Duck, HR Manager commented; "Michelle was the natural choice for the job. Her insurance expertise, industry experience and impeccable track record for making change happen will ensure that she makes a success of this exciting new career opportunity."
RWA group already maintain relationships with insurance companies such as Aviva and will work alongside Michelle in her new role to ensure that the title sponsors of the MCE British Superbike Series stay at the cutting edge of all compliance related matters. Michelle said of her new appointment: "At MCE, we are all acutely aware of how important it is to be compliant in all that we do. We are keen however, not to just tick boxes but to remain firmly on the front foot and to help the core MCE business adapt to the changing trends in the world of compliance."
30.01.2012 - MCE Insurance News


text:
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By Joseph Fewsmith
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Goldman, Sowing the Seeds of Democracy in China. ), China's Establishment Intellectuals. Chen Fong-ching and Jin Guantao, From Youthful Manuscripts to River Elegy. P1: SJT 9780521866934int CUUK1178/Fewsmith 12 9780521866934 June 4, 2008 21:24 China since Tiananmen general secretary Jiang Zemin was a graduate of Shanghai's famous technical institute, Jiaotong University, while Premier Zhu Rongji was a graduate of the even better known Qinghua University. Today, both Party head Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao are graduates of Qinghua University.
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text:
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Every garden begins with a shovel, which is why it's one of the first tools gardeners purchase when they start planting shrubs, building beds and making pathways across their home's landscape. If you're searching for a new shovel, spade and fork for your gardening endeavors, consider our quality selection at Garden Goods Direct, which features tools trusted by our nursery experts and approved by Woodie.
Types of Shovels, Spades and Forks for Sale
While spades come in similar designs, there are several types of shovels for gardening, including:
- Edging: Creates definitive edges for gardens and helps separate perennials when dividing them
- Pointed, Round or Square Digger: Cuts through the soil to make planting holes or remove plants for transplanting
- Flat: Scoops up soil and mulch with ease for transfer to and from wheelbarrows
- Trench: Produces shallow trenches for planting, as well as for running power, such as to a pond garden
Different types of forks are also available for purchase, including:
- Garden: Removes patches of compacted soil
- Digging: Harvests root vegetables with ease and without damage, letting you enjoy your produce
- Border: Offers service to gardens too small for garden shovels
- Compost: Stacks and turns compost piles with a sharp set of tines
As you'll find, you can buy lawn spades, shovels and forks with a variety of handle types, such as wood, steel and fiberglass.
Why Use Shovels, Spades and Forks?
If you've worked without the assistance of a shovel, spade or fork, you know how helpful they can be when gardening. These are essential tools for gardeners, like trowels, loppers and rakes, because they reduce your labor and make your experience gardening that much more enjoyable. When you're able to create planting holes, edge gardens and aerate soil with minimal effort, it lets you provide even better care to your plants.
Tips for Choosing the Right Type of Shovel, Spade or Fork
When you're shopping for your shovels, spades and forks, our nursery experts recommend asking yourself the following questions:
- How will you use the shovel, spade or fork?
- What material do you prefer for your tools?
- Is there a preferred handle length for your fork, spade or shovel?
How to Use Shovels, Spades and Forks
With shovels, spades and forks in your gardening shed, you can do so much, such as:
- Create raised gardens, patios, borders, pathways and more
- Harvest root vegetables, like potatoes
- Move mulch, soil, compost and more
- Rotate soil and mix-in soil amendments and fertilizers
- Make holes for new trees, shrubs and flowers
- Uncover roots for removal with loppers and picks
If you live in an area with severe winters, you can even use your square digger shovels for breaking sheets of ice.
Buy Shovels, Spades and Forks From Garden Goods Direct Today
Beginning your landscaping adventures and stocking your garden shed, is a thrilling journey. At Garden Goods Direct, our nursery experts are excited to help you begin your gardening endeavors, which is why we offer a variety of Woodie-approved shovels, spades and forks for sale, along with expert advice from our passionate team.
Buy your garden spades, forks and shovels today at the leading online garden center in America!


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Chalk up another milestone for the American craft beer industry.
According to the Brewers Association, craft brewers reached 11 percent volume share in 2014, marking the first time they've reached a double-digit share of the marketplace.
That's up from 7.8 percent market share the previous year, with the category likely seeing a boost from the trade group's decision to expand the definition of a small or craft brewer.
It defines craft brewers as small, meaning they produce volume of about 3 percent of U.S. annual sales; independent, or less than 25 percent owned or controlled by a noncraft brewer; and traditional, meaning the majority of its alcohol volume comes from beer with traditional ingredients.


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Here is the list of books that have been quoted from in this blog in the order that they've appeared. Search on this blog for the title of a book to find the quotes from it.
*Denotes books books that I have not read or only partially read. The quotes from these books were either quoted by other bloggers or were in books I picked up and read a little from while at Adoration.
And now without further adieu…
The Book List
The Faith Explained by Leo J. Trese
Confessions of a Mega Church Pastor by Allen Hunt
Seeking Spiritual Direction by Fr. Thomas Dubay
A Biblical Walk Through the Mass by Edward Sri
The Diary of St. Faustina
Three To Get Married by Fulton Sheen
Catholicism by Fr. Robert Barron
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis
Navarre Bible – New Testament: Compact Edition
*The Holy Souls "Viva Padre Pio" by Fr. Alessio Parente
Book of Saints for Catholic Children: 96 Illustrated Stories by Fr. Daniel Lord
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael E. Gaitley
*This is My Body This is My Blood: Miracles of the Eucharist Book II by Bob and Penny Lord
*The Ratzinger Report: An Exclusive Interview on the State of the Church by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)
May Crowning, Mass, and Merton And Other Reasons I Love Being Catholic by Liz Kelly
Jesus Shock by Peter Kreeft
*Tweet Inspirations by Mark Hart
Reasons to Believe: How to Understand, Explain, and Defend the Catholic Faith by Scott Hahn
Surprised By Truth, edited by Patrick Madrid
The Way by St. Josemaria Escriva
*Holding Jesus: Reflections on Mary the Mother of God by Alfred McBride
Thomas Aquinas in 50 Pages by Dr. Taylor Marshall
No Greater Love by Mother Teresa
*Praying in the Presence of Our Lord by Fr. Benedict Groeschel
*The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila
*Bless This Mess by Jo Carr and Imogene Sorley
Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux
*The Latin Letters of C.S. Lewis by C.S. Lewis and Fr. Giovanni Calabria
Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life by Elizabeth Scalia
*Called to Be Holy by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan
God Wants You Happy by Fr. Jonathan Morris
The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis De Montfort
Good News About Sex and Marriage by Christopher West
Crossing the Threshold of Hope by Pope John Paul II
*Divine Intimacy by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen
A Father Who Keeps His Promises by Scott Hahn
Love and Responsibility by Karol Wojtyla (Saint John Paul II)
Prayer Primer: Igniting a Fire Within by Fr. Thomas Dubay
Deus Caritas Est (God is Love) by Pope Benedict XVI
Something Other Than God by Jennifer Fulwiler
Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating
The Way of Serenity by Fr. Jonathan Morris
For Immediate Assistance, Pray the Memorare by Fr. Francis Hoffman
8 Days and Virtue: A Spiritual Memoir and Prose Poem by Andrew McNabb
Gay and Catholic by Eve Tushnet
The Game With Minutes by Frank Laubach
*Characters of the Passion by Fulton Sheen
Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) by Pope Francis
Finding Light in the Darkness: A Journey through the Stations of the Cross by Fr. Dan Farley
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
*What I Saw in America by G.K. Chesterton
The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton
Into Your Hands, Father: Abandoning Ourselves to the God Who Loves Us by Wilfrid Stinissen
*Communism and the Conscience of the West by Fulton J. Sheen
Healing the Family Tree by Dr. Kenneth McAll
Happy are You Poor: The Simple Life and Spiritual Freedom by Fr. Thomas DuBay
Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics by Ross Douthat
Hungry Souls: Supernatural Visits, Messages, and Warnings from Purgatory by Gerard J.M van den Aardweg
Purgatory: Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints by Fr. F.X. Schouppe, S.J.
The Vatican Prophecies: Investigating Supernatual Signs, Apparitions, and Miracles in the Modern Age by John Thavis
Saint: Why I Should Be Canonized Right Away by Lino Rulli
Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen
*Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert
Life Under Compulsion: Ten Ways to Destroy the Humanity of Your Child by Anthony Esolen
Victory Over Vice by Venerable Fulton Sheen
The Wild Orchid by Sigrid Undset
*The Catholic Church and Conversion by G.K. Chesterton
*The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton
Old Errors and New Labels by Fulton J. Sheen
The Burning Bush by Sigrid Undset
In Heaven We'll Meet Again by Francois Rene Blot
On Conscience by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)
Time for God by Fr. Jacques Philippe
Real Music: A Guide to the Timeless Hymns of the Church by Anthony Esolen
I Burned For Your Peace: Augustine's Confessions Unpacked by Peter Kreeft
Between Heaven and Hell: A Dialogue Somewhere Beyond Death with John F. Kennedy, C.S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley by Peter Kreeft
*The Human Person According to John Paul II by J. Brian Bransfield
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
How to Be Holy by Peter Kreeft
The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise by Robert Cardinal Sarah


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While you may have had a negative car buying experience before, history doesn't have to repeat itself. It's about time you take in some information that helps you get the best deal. You don't need to settle for whatever you are given.
Financing needs to be in place before you arrive on the lot. One of the reasons it takes the dealer so long is that they have to check your credit and find a lender. If you already have an approved loan, it will move much quicker.
During negotiations, concentrate on the total price instead of the monthly price. The monthly price can be changed to suit your needs, but the overall price will still be very high. Don't forget to check that before you sign on the dotted line. It is a better idea to concentrate on getting a great deal on the final vehicle price, including the financing. Then you can determine what the monthly payment will be.
Make sure your financing is in order prior to shopping for a car. This can be achieved at your local credit union or your preferred bank. You might get a better deal through your bank than through the dealer.
A mechanic of your choosing should always inspect a used vehicle prior to purchase. If the seller or dealer declines, take your business elsewhere. A good mechanic can provide an impartial opinion regarding any problems with the vehicle, such as signs that the car has been wrecked or submerged in flood water.
Know what kind of truck or car you want before going to a lot. Research is important to give you all of the possible details that you need. This can also help you become aware of the prices to expect on a particular vehicle, making it less likely that you will be taken advantage of by a fast-talking salesperson.
When you are ready to purchase a new vehicle, know your budget prior to visiting the dealer. If you are shopping for a car, never exceed your budget. You will be the one paying the payments, not them.
Bring someone along on your car shopping day. This person can provide another perspective, which can help you make the best decision. Ask your significant other, a friend, or even one of your parents.
Test Drive
Have conversations with those you know about what they might know personally. Do they like the car they have? Would they rather have a different model? Have they heard anything interesting from their friends and family? This is a great way to get a lay of the land before you begin your car shopping.
Be sure to take a car for a test drive before buying it. Even if you've test driven something similar, make sure to test drive the car you're looking at now. You may find something slightly off, or even a hidden defect.
As you shop for a vehicle, make certain you find one with high safety ratings and options. Anti-lock brakes are an absolute must for any car. Airbags are also crucial, and your vehicle can never have too many. You're going to be spending lots of time inside this vehicle, so be sure that it is safe.
Safety features are essential for any car. You cannot do without anti-lock brakes, also referred to as ABS. Your new car should also have airbags for every passenger. This vehicle will be responsible for keeping you safe in case of an accident, so it is very important.
Do not talk about trade-ins, down payments or incentives until after you have a firm price on the car you want. They should come out of the lowest price available. You are sure to do better if you negotiate the price first, then throw in the other factors.
Don't go car shopping by yourself unless you are certain you have excellent sales resistance. Bring someone else with you for negotiations and to ask questions you may forget to ask. Tell your companion your priorities and budget goals in advance of your trip.
Try your luck online. There are millions of cars being sold online. Prior to visiting a dealership, make sure you know as much as possible about the cars that interest you. Online sources feature information on ratings, resell value, and other things.
If you own a fairly expensive car, avoid driving that car to the dealership when you are car shopping. This type of car will cause the dealership to ignore any low offers you make, unless of course the car is one you are planning on trading.
Try and purchase your vehicle towards the month's end. Everyone has a quota to meet each month. At month's end, quotas may not have been met yet, and under-performing salesmen will be eager to negotiate.
The prospect of buying a new car can be simultaneously exciting and daunting. Before you even need to leave your home, you can do some shopping around by checking out some comparison websites. Many online sites offer side-by-side comparisons and other features to guide you through the selection process. Doing so reduces viable options, saving you money and time.
Consider checking out local auto shows to find out what's available. They have all different makes and models together in one building. You can also gain insights from folks who know cars well. When you leave an auto show, you will have a better idea of what kind of car to explore further.
Check out an auto show to help figure out what makes and models would be good for you. This provides you with a rare chance to compare different makes and models at the same place, side-by-side. You can talk to the experts on hand as well. When you leave an auto show, you will have a better idea of what kind of car to explore further.
Do not be so free in giving out your SSN. Many dealerships will try to get this information from you early in the game, and they will run your credit. Having multiple dealerships check your credit will have a negative effect on your score. Wait until you have a sure deal before you fill out the part of the application that requires the Social Security number.
Don't give out a social security number too quickly; be cautious. A lot of dealerships will ask you for this information so that they can run your credit. You should not let multiple dealers run your credit. Be positive that you have a solid deal waiting to go before you provide your SSN and other information.
Don't divulge your trade-in car immediately. Never tell the salesperson right away what you have for a trade in. Disclosing early will allow the dealer to alter the deal on the car.
Request that the dealer allow you to have the car inspected by a mechanic. Use a mechanic you can trust. Never use the mechanic the dealer suggests. He should tell you both if it's a good deal and whether it is ready to be driven.
Take the time to inspect the vehicles you are interested in. Look for any scratches or dented areas around the car's exterior. Check the interior area for upholstery tears and carpet stains. Keep in mind that whenever you sign the contract, the car belongs to you. So any rips, tears, scratches or dents are your to keep.
Do not reveal that you have a trade-in right off the bat. Only reveal this after the negotiation process is complete. If you disclose too early, the dealer can use the trade-in against you and give you a poor deal on your new car to make up for the trade-in.
Always avoid signing As-Is warranties. These type of warranties are always a bad idea. Any competent dealer will offer warranties that cover a 30 to 90 day time frame. If your transmission goes out, or the engine after driving away, you have to pay for the repairs.
The best deals can be found online. You do not even have to go to the dealership until you are sure. Try looking at Craigslist, eBay, or the local classifieds. That way, you can make a fair deal without pressure.
The job of a dealer is to maximize their profits. That's a given, but don't forget that while negotiating. Beware of all the extra stuff that they try to add onto a sale. Even a sweet deal of a car can rise up in price fast.
Dealerships and sales people are different. Although car dealers possess a reputation for pushy salesmanship, this tactic is becoming increasingly unpopular. If you are more careful with a buyer this time, they are likely to come back and buy again. If your salesperson is pushy, just leave. There are a lot of salespeople that will be eager to work with you.
If your salesman consults with the manager and then they come back, they can go lower. Make another offer and once they give the manager this, he will make the lowest available offer. They want the deal to be done quickly, so they should be at their lowest price at that point.
Check out car prices online, both in your city and in nearby cities. Some cities will offer better prices and a nearby location may not be the most suitable dealership. Also, price trends are something to consider when buying a car.
Take your time when you are going through the car shopping process. Dealers always try to make it seem like they need to sell that vehicle now and act like it won't be there later. Don't get trapped with this method. The vast majority of the time, you can still utilize special promotions in the future, regardless of what the salesman says.
If your salesman consults with the manager and then they come back, they can go lower. Give them another counteroffer and when they give that one to the manager, you'll know the next offer is the lowest. They want a reasonably quick deal, so that should be their lowest price.
Maintain flexibility when car shopping. Look at major dealers–these all usually have the types of vehicles you may be interested in. For example, you can get a compact car from all three of these major dealers. If you spend some time comparing prices and features, you should be able to get the best value for your dollar.
When you think about what kind of vehicle you're getting, figure out what you're using it for. A car with better fuel economy will suit you well if you have a long highway commute. By thinking of how you will use your car, you can ensure your new car will fit your driving.
Ask friends, family and colleagues about what dealerships they like and have used. See if they give their recommendation. Ask them about service they've received and how many repairs the vehicle has needed. If you are recommeneded to a dealership a few times, go there.
You need to know how to finance your car. This will help you figure out exactly how much money you can spend, so you can focus your search on cars within your budget. Do not let offers that do not correspond to your budget distract you and do not let a salesperson talk you into purchasing a vehicle you cannot afford by offering you low monthly payments.
You should be able to get your vehicle appriased, and if not, you should find the "blue book value" instead. You can get a discount on the price of your new vehicle by trading in your old one, but only when you know the value of your old vehicle. By having this knowledge you will know if your salesman offers an unrealistic price for your trade-in.
The next time you go car shopping, will you feel more confident? If you use all the tips you learned here, you should. You shouldn't be overwhelmed and just go along with what someone tells you. You are aware of what you need to do to get the best deal.
Begin price negotiations at wholesale or invoice pricing. You can find this value online. A fair price is the invoice price or just a bit more. Once you have reached a bottom line price, then discuss special incentives and financing. This is the best way to make sure you are really getting a good deal on your car purchase.


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|Grand Parade, Brighton
Ben, aged in his 40s, insists that the worker at the hostel refused to allow him into the building so that he could sleep in his room - something which has never happened before. He was told that he was no longer welcome at the hostel, yet he maintains that he was not given any valid reason for this being the case.
Having been refused entry into the hostel, where he has been resident for around 6 months, he became angry and visibly upset by the actions of the worker. Due to his behaviour upon hearing that he was no longer welcome, he was then arrested by Sussex Police and spent 14 hours in Hollingbury Police Station only to be released on bail. The Brighton man awaits a decision from Sussex Police as to whether he is guilty of anything, or not. In the meantime, however, the man is homeless.
He was refused entry to the hostel and was told that he had spat deliberately at one of the workers. He maintains that this allegation is without substance and that it is false, claiming that the CCTV would show any evidence of such an action on his part. The man has been made homeless by the hostel, and he alleges that the hostel worker did not fetch him any clothes, food, or even his sleeping bag, from his room, so that he could keep warm at night.
He alleges that this is the second time in a year that this has happened to him. The last time it occurred was at New Steine Mews and he was evicted in winter. Again, he was arrested, only to be found innocent of any crime. Still, however, despite his innocence, the hostel kept by their decision to evict him, even though the police found no reason to take any action, to prosecute or follow up the allegation. He was left, once more, in deep winter, to survive in the cold with no duvet, sleeping bag or any of his belongings.


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We have recently been to a fantastic wedding, a very good friend of mine and Emmy's Godmother. While searching for wedding gift ideas I was thinking back to my own wedding and fondly remembering getting my young bridesmaids a little personalised keepsake to remember the day by.
Personalised gifts do not have to cost a lot and are a great way of remembering a special day, event or of displaying a cute message.
I was asked if Emmy would like an engraved Silver plated Heart Trinket box to keep her special items in and jumped at the change at it is a perfect size for keeping her silver necklace and pendants in.
These trinket boxes can be engraved with up to 4 lines of writing and can say whatever you like.
I thought long and hard about what to have written on Emmy's and finally decided upon:


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Wanted, twelve stories of defectors
Text: Nancy Porsia – Photos: Ugo Lucio Borga
Soon it will be published by LaVanguardia and Tyzden
Mustafa was in Al Qusayr when, in April, Bashar forces attacked the village, killing dozens of people. He was behind one of the regime's tanks and he knew personally some of the men who killed. . Then Mustafa decided to leave the Army. But the terror of any potential retaliation against his family kept him in the ranks of Bashar for other two months. Then off to Lebanon where he met dozens of former comrades. All together, everyone with own AK 47 received from the Army, passed in Turkey to set their tyrants on the wrong track. From there they got back Syria in order to fight their war, but on the other side. The right one eventually, as they say today.
Available here and at Parallelo Zero site


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Firs Hotel & Restaurant
83 Bedford Road
Tel: +44 (0)1462 422322
The Firs Hotel Hitchin is located on the Bedford Road (A600) with easy access to A1M (J8) and M1 (J10). Stevenage is only 5 miles away, Luton 9 miles, Letchworth and Henlow only 4 miles.
The hotel is just ten minutes walk away from Hitchin town centre where you will find a cosmopolitan range of restaurants, cafes and unique shops as well as familiar high street brands.
Excellent parking is provided free at the rear of the hotel.
Broadband is available for guests use in the public areas and is provided free of charge.
Multi Channel Television is available in all bedrooms.
Hitchin is an excellent focal point for visiting the area. Hitchin is within easy reach of Knebworth Park and House, Woburn Abbey, Whipsnade Zoo and Old Warden.


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Hello Portal Peeps! Gail here today with a thing. I actually wasn't sure where this was going or what to call it. Too big for a postcard. No canvas involved. Then I realised a few pieces of thin magnetic sheet on the back and I would have a mega fridge magnet, guaranteed to make me smile if I was having one of those days.....
Yep, happy fridge art, using the wonderful Tabby Cat from Carmen's Veranda. And in keeping with our current challenge there needed to be some NUMBERS!!
I started by stamping Lost Coast Designs Grunge Border 3" using Colorbox Autumn ink pad. This has three ink colours on it. Well, it did have!! Might have blended them a bit together now LOL. I stamped the border twice to get the ruler detail in the middle of my panel. If you haven't checked out the World of Borders section in the Lost Coast catalogue you really should pop over. So many beautiful designs starting at $1!! Yep, really. Definitely worth a visit. This one is 3" wide and 8" long!! Huge!!!! Not a dollar unfortunately, but very reasonably priced LOL.
I cut the piece of the panel I wanted to use and stamped the Like a Trainwreck sentiment from Carmen's Veranda. I was feeling grungy and very orange so I actually started by stamping with orange ink and embossing with orange powder. Unfortunately it didn't really pop, so I stamped again with blue ink and embossed with black powder!! Not sure why I mixed all those colours but I quite like the grungy blurry shadowy effect. I embossed a piece of orange card with Cuttlebug Ruler Embossing folder and highlighted with orange ink
I stamped Tabby Cat with blue ink on some DCWV cloud patterned paper and fussy cut. I gave her a neon pink nose and glossy accents on those big sad eyes.
Since someone had mentioned glitter I want a little crazy with the tangerine glitter glue. I have glitter glue in many fabulous flavours!! A piece of magnetic sheet on the back and Tabby Cat can take pride of place on the fridge.
Thanks for dropping by. I hope you feel inspired to make a stamped anything with Numbers and join the fun with our current challenge.
And don't forget the Tip Your Hat event is also in full swing, so if you have a hatty make you can link that up as well until the 14th of September. Double fun here at the Portal!!


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Super Luxury Jewelry Models, Super Luxury Jewelry Models Games, Play Super Luxury Jewelry Models Games
very complicated stories. We are experienced journalists. My feeling Radio Has anyone called here before? Not once. Not in three weeks. Well, shall I answer it? Tell them it's a wrong number. Yes? No I don't. Okay. Thank you. Asked if I wanted turndown service and she said the "do not disturb" sign was off the door. So? Do we wait or go on our own? Look, I said from the beginning that how you publish is your business and I trust you. The only thing I ask is you study the data and you be responsible. No names. No specifics. Anything ongoing that's critical, you don't release. Just stick to the issue of mass surveillance, and let the people decide. You have our word on that, but that's not the question. We have to ask Radio Right now the White House is arranging a conference call between Janine and the intelligence services. Now that's gonna happen in a few hours. Let's at least wait for that. See what they say to her. I say we pause a moment. Yeah, I think we should reassemble in this room after the call takes place. So that's around midnight; be noon in New York. Alright. I'll take another pass at the PRISM story in the meantime. We'll be in our hotel room if you need us, okay? You mind, maybe we take a break from that? For a second. Yes, sorry. You wanna take a look? Might make you feel better. It's not recording, just on standby. When did this start for you? Not wanting your photo taken? Uh, probably in Japan. Remember every time a camera pointed at me, it was Radio I couldn't breathe. Why was that? I probably spent too much time looking at other people through cameras. Japan was your first NSA job, right? Yeah, well as a contractor; Dell. I had a lot of access. Why'd you go back after Geneva? Because of the money, and because I wanted to live in Japan. And because of Obama, actually. You know, I thought things were gonna get better with him. I was wrong. YOKOTA AIR BASE, TOKYO What was it like there? Well, the first part of my day, I was building this round-the-clock backup system called Epic Shelter.
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A fun twist on the classic snow globe... LEAVES! The perfect activity for the fall season.
June 8, 2018
APPLETON, WI (June 8, 2018) – Pacon Corporation, a portfolio company of private equity firm Mason Wells, announced today that it was acquired by F.I.L.A. (Fabbrica Italiana Lapis ed Affini S.p.A.), an Italian industrial enterprise.
Jim Schmitz, Pacon's current President...
Read more … F.I.L.A. ACQUIRES PACON CORPORATION
Durable White plastic round trays with 10 paint wells. Pack of 10 trays.
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Makonde - Society
|More information on any aspect of Makonde society would be most welcome.
|In this page:
Family and Marriage
Politically, a Makonde village is an independent unit, with few ties to other villages or to the Makonde community as a whole. Each village has its hereditary chief, but there is no overall Makonde ruler. The headman is advised by a council of elders.
This simple self-contained social structure, together with the relative geographical isolation of the Makonde in Mozambique, gave rise to a strong sense of ethnic identity, which has persisted to the present day, even in the small Kenyan community. Here in Kenya, relations with the neighbouring Taita and Taveta people are good, and although there has been a limited amount of intermarrying (with Taita living down in the plains), they have as far as I can tell kept their original identity almost completely intact.
More information on Makonde religion and beliefs would be most welcome
Despite having been in contact with Muslim traders for centuries, few Makonde converted to Islam, and instead still practice their original religion (in fact, the Muslim presence in East Africa has invariably been tolerant of other beliefs, in abrupt contrast to the 'spiritual warfare' waged by Christian missionaries).
Their beliefs centre around the veneration of ancestors, who can cause both evil if neglected, and can help in bring rain in times of drought.
Family and Marriage
In keeping their creation myth, the Makonde reckon descent matrilineally. The myth possibly also points to to a formerly matriarchal society, and even today motherhood is considered quasi-sacred, and honoured as a cult. Traditionally, when men went alone on journeys, they would carry a female figure with them for protection.
Polygyny is common; the first marriage necessitates paying a brideprice to the bride's family.


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The Niche Fashion Trend That's About to Blow Up
You're probably no stranger to the lace-up trend. Throughout the decades we've watched this slightly sensual detail make its way onto dresses, jackets, and the like with nods to '70s influences as well as punk rock and goth culture. We first spotted its arrival back onto the style scene in 2014 when brands were putting laces onto blouses and bodysuits. And though this hasn't completely vanished, there's a new iteration we've spotted in recent months that we suspect is about to take hold. It's somewhere between whipstitch and corsetry laces, but whatever you want to call it, it's doing it for us—big time.
For the F/W 16 runways, Proenza Schouler definitely led the charge with its beautifully constructed dresses and sweaters held together by thick laces. However, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez weren't alone. Labels like DKNY, Fendi, and 3.1 Phillip Lim also debuted the detail on the catwalk. And as goes most trend's life cycle, it's now bubbling up in street style and on the market.
See below to check out the trend, and then shop it if you want to test it out.
X marks the spot.
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This orange 3.1 Phillip Lim coat has us embracing our autumnal color palettes.
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Canadian model Winnie Harlow stepped out during New York Fashion Week in this bright red DKNY dress.
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We'd layer a tissue turtleneck underneath this F/W 16 Fendi dress.
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A coat worth doing a double take for.
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Tome's take on this trend felt more literal on this curve-hugging bustier.
An outerwear item with flowing laces looks magical when you whisk around.
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Rihanna's Fenty by Puma collection unveiled the coolest sweatshirt with subtle lace detailing on front.
Wear this silky skirt with a denim jacket worn as a shirt and moto boots.
The laces take this sweater to another level.
How luxe is that whipstitch detailing?
The perfect party pants, if you ask us.
Business in the front, party in the back.
Wear now with blue jeans and later with a turtleneck underneath and roomy wool trousers.
Subtle, stylish, and seasonless.
A slight shoulder detail to make your dress extra special.
Love trends like this? Check out more of our favorites in our fashion trends section.