#that was the requirement last time to be seen as a scottish resident for studying

[queer-crusader]

I know I'm saving up for like. Maybe enough so I can get a wee home with a mortgage. And I'm working on clearing my student debt.

...but Edinburgh uni has a playwright master and I wanna do it

[wafflesetc]

Chapter 1, Chapter 2 - AO3

Chapter 3

Claire Beauchamp is a second year medical student. Due to many late nights with her clinicals, and studying for her pharmacology class, she’s at wits end. One Friday night she decides not to join Joe Abernathy and her other friends out at Church, their local hangout spot, but instead winds up in a dive bar close to her flat with a very nice whisky selection. In fact, one of the best one she’s ever seen. When the bartender calls her ‘Sassenach’ and pours her a double, Claire gets a feeling in her chest she’s never felt before. Nor does she realize how this bartender will change her life.

The minute the bartender released my hand he smiled softly at me and took another sip of his whisky. “Most of my friends call me Jamie, ye ken too, if ye’d like.”

I don’t think my cheeks had ever been a brighter shade of red. I nodded slowly as I took a sip of the whisky. I must have made a gesture or given some weird face because, *bartender* Jamie, I reminded myself, (he had a name!) cocked his head to the side and gave me a look of question.

“Isna a bad whisky, is it?” Jamie asked as he hopped onto the bar and slid over the counter, taking a seat next to me.

“NO.” I said rather quickly and loudly- loud enough the bartender *JAMIE* I corrected myself *again*, made a face that I couldn’t decipher as he looked at me, the question evident on his face, yet again. I took a deep breath and counted to five, trying to regroup myself. “No. It is not a bad whisky. I just have unfortunately had some tequila before coming here and… Let’s just say tequila and whisky don’t really go hand in hand.”

Jamie laughed as he took a small sip of his whisky and twirled it around in the glass. We sat in silence for a few minutes taking small sips of our drinks. Finally, after he took the last sip from his glass, he spoke.

“So, Sassenach, how was yer Friday?”

“I just told you my actual name, and yet somehow I am still a Sassenach.” I laughed. Jamie smiled and shook his head at me.

“Aye ye did tell me. Yer name is Claire, but yer my Sassenach.”

“I am your Sassenach…. That is slightly possessive of you, and you barely know me” I mused. However brave I was before was no match for the bravery I was feeling- I was even more courageous now- between tequila and whisky, I should have been playing the lottery tonight. I smiled from ear to ear and turned to look at him. My smile must have done something to him- he leaned his elbow on the bar and turned to face me, resting his head on his hand. A look of pure amusement- dare I say he was even smitten- ran across his face.

Naturally, I blushed again and looked down at the glass in my hands.

“But back to my day… It was marvelous. I got to watch a surgery today. This guy had some massive issues with the vertebrae in his back. Long story short and keeping it simple, the doctor took out the bad vertebrae and replaced it, but replacing it requires hardware which means drills and screws. God, it was awesome to watch but then the attending let me screw in one set. It was…. Euphoric.” I said as I took the last swig of my whisky. “I don’t really have a desire to go into neurosurgery or orthopedics but still, holding that drill and being in an OR all day, totally reminded me why I chose to go to medical school. Then I went to a pub with some of my classmates and called it an early night, and now I’m here. With you.”  Smooth, Beauchamp. Might as well just take him home tonight. I thought to myself as I silently held my breath.

“Ah. I see.” Jamie mused. He hopped up on the bar again and went behind the counter. As swift as a cat he had gone and grabbed a bottle of whisky and was seated next to me again. “Sounds like ye had a rather good day then.” He said as he poured me another glass.

“Yes. It was a great day. How about yours?” I asked, obviously he was in a chatty mood and being the only customer in the bar, I wanted to milk the alone time I had with him.

“Wasna so bad. I spent my morning taking care of some business. I watched my nephew for a few hours this afternoon and then opened the place at five and have been bartending since.” Jamie said as he poured himself another glass.

“You have a nephew? So let me guess— you have a brother.”  I said, swirling my cup around. I saw Jamie drop his shoulders and turn his face away from me.

“Aye. Weel, I did have a brother. He passed when he was 10 and I was 8. I do have an older sister, Jenny, and my nephew is my namesake. God help the poor lad.” Jamie said as he brought his focus back on me. “What about yer family, Sassenach?”

It was my turn to look away for a moment, but there was an honesty about this man- a truth- and I felt it odd,  I was wanting to share my whole life’s story with him and I had only known him for a total of 30 minutes.

I took a deep breath and a sip of whisky. “My parents passed away when I was a little girl. I was raised by my Uncle Lambert, who was an archeologist. He passed away when I was a freshman in college though and my grandparents were long gone before I was born. So it’s just been me, for some time now.” I said, forcing a smile on my face.

I had my arms crossed on the bar and felt his big, calloused hand as he placed it on top of mine. “I ken the feeling, I lost my mam and my da at a verra young age too. Doesna get easier at all.”

I placed my other hand on top of his and squeezed it tightly. “It doesn’t.”

I felt Jamie’s large behemoth presence as he scooted his bar stool closer to mine. I kept my hand on his and he made no effort to take his hand off mine. It felt- right, like it should always belong there, as if our hands were made to be intertwined. The easiness that came between us unsettled me in my core. 

Still, our hands stayed like that, until my phone buzzed on the counter. I let it keep ringing, not taking my eyes off Jamie’s but he finally pulled his hand from mine and picked up my phone.

“Are ye going to answer that, Sassenach?” He asked. Good god, I loved the way the word *sassenach* rolled off his tongue. Like a finely aged Scottish whisky.  I brought my focus back down to planet Earth and read the caller ID. Frank.

My stomach dropped and I lowered my head, putting my hands over my face.. Damn, did Frank sure know how to ruin a good moment.

“No.” I replied, honestly. “But I should.”

Jamie made a small Scottish sound- almost one of disgust I might have guessed- and set the phone down just below my face.

“I think ye should.” Jamie said, as he placed his large, warm, inviting hand on the small of my back. “I’ll sit here wi’ ye. Give ye some encouragement.”

I nodded as I slid the button open and carefully placed the phone to my ear.

“Hello, Frank.” I said, very short.

“Claire.” He breathed. “We need to talk.”

“We talked, Frank. Three different times over the holidays.”

“I know. But I miss you and I want to see you.”

“Frank.”

“I want to work on us. I was not the most supportive person I could hav-“

Feeling the full effects of the liquid bravery I had been consuming all night, and having an odd sense of extra courage and support from this strange man next to me, I was going to let him have it.

“I told you, I was done. We tried. For four years, Frank. We tried. And you’re the one who left, and you are the one who diminished everything I had worked so hard for…. After I supported you for years.”

“Claire, I know, I said I was sorry.”

“I believe that you are sorry, I truly do. But I also know a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I don’t miss you and I don’t miss us. It is just better this way.”

“Claire… I, we need to talk, in person.”

“I’ve said everything I needed too.”

“I’m at the bar, Joe told me where I could find you.”

I immediately hung up the phone and looked out the window to see Frank, standing outside the front door. I felt like a helpless puppy.

Frank and I had met my in my final year of high school and he was a junior at the local university. We started dating and it worked well. He was studying history at the university in Edinburgh with plans to pursue his Master’s at the same institution once he graduated with his Bachelor’s. I applied to the university to be close to him, thinking I had found the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with. When my final year of university had come around I had made the decision to apply to medical school. I hadn’t hid it from Frank-- I had told him on multiple occasions, but between his Master’s and his externship at the museum, he hadn’t been all too interested or even taken notice of my career goals. When my acceptance letter came in the mail things shifted between us. The next year, things were distant between us. I had come home one night late from the library and found him fondling around with another girl-Sandy from the museum-on my couch.

That had been the final straw to everything that had happened and I ended it right before finals, just a mere two months ago. The holidays had been very lonely, after spending 5 years with Frank and his parents, I had nowhere to go. Except God Bless Joe and Gail Abernathy. I had taken a semi-permanent residence in their guest bedroom. They treated me like family, and I was ever in their debt for surviving what had been the worst month of my life.

Jamie’s hand was still on my back and turned to look at the door, and then turned to look back at me.

“Sassenach, do ye want me to take care of…..That.” He asked as I felt his hand rub up and down my back softly. I didn’t even care if Frank saw.

“I….I don’t know.” I said honestly, as I ran my fingers through my hair. “The truth is, he’s my ex-boyfriend that cheated on me and has been trying to get back with me for almost two months. I’ve told him time and time again, it is over and it is done. I am tired of telling him no.”

Jamie let out a small chuckle and put his hand on my shoulder. “So isna a no but isna a yes.”

Whatever courage and bravery I had felt was completely zapped, I was drained. I had been going in circles with Frank for two months and the weight of that and the pressures of school were bearing to be too much. And while I was emotionally drained, I also felt strong and vulnerable in the presence of Jamie- a feeling I had never felt before. A sense of strength I had never felt before.

I shook my head and stood up. “No, I can handle him.” I said as I wiped the tears off my face.

Jamie shook his head and squared himself in front of me. “Aye. I ken ye can, but if he goes as far as touches ye, just pull on yer right ear and I will come handle the English man.”

I laughed as I touched his cheek gently brushing it with my fingers. “He’s the ‘Englishman’ and I’m ‘Sassenach’ when we’re both truthfully sassenachs…. Jamie Fraser you are one confusing man.” I said as I walked to the front door and walked outside.

I wrapped my arms around my waist as the cold Scottish air filled my lungs.

“Frank.” I stammered.

“Who is, that?” Frank ordered, pointing inside the bar. I immediately knew he was referring to Jamie.

“Jamie. The bartender at this place.” I said, simply matter of fact.

“Why did he have his hands all over you?” Frank said.  

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, counting to ten.

“Frank, I am not your property and I am not yours anymore. First off Jamie is just, a friend, and second you have no right to be possessive of me. Must I remind you, you are the one who cheated on me. And why did you find me, at nearly two am on a Friday night!” I snapped at him. I leaned against the window and could sense Jamie watching from inside the bar.

“Claire, you were not responding to any of my calls or texts. I wanted to see you, to try and reason-“

I raised my hand as to stop him- and it did shut him up.  “Frank. We’ve been through this. Multiple times. It is over. You and me. We are finished and it is nobody’s fault but your own. I am sorry that you came all this way to find me when the answer is the same.”

Frank took a small step towards me and wiped a piece of hair out of my face. “Claire.” He said softly as he took my face into his hands.

I heard the swoosh of the door as it opened and the rush of warm air at my feet.

“I’d like ye to take yer hands off the lass. I think she verra much made her intentions clear.” Jamie said in a stern Scottish voice as he appeared behind me. I could feel his large presence behind me and the warmth of his hands as he took me by the shoulders and pulled me a few feet back from Frank.  But Frank took a step forward towards me.

I felt Jamie shift  so that he was in front of me, shielding me. “I said, the lass made her intentions clear. And I would like it verra much if ye’d take yer leave now. It is getting close to closing time.”

Frank stood straight and nodded, sticking his hands in his pocket. “Alright then, goodbye, Claire.” He replied as he turned on his heel and made his way down the block.

Whatever stamina I had left was completely gone, my walls were broken and battered and I could feel the tears start to well up in my eyes. Jamie turned to look at me and wrapped me up in his arms, like a child, carrying me back inside the bar.

His breath was hot and voice soft and quiet in my ear. “Shhhhh. Rest now. No one will harm ye. I’m here.”

I took my head off his chest and looked up at him. I knew my eyes were swollen, red and puffy, but I didn’t care. I felt safe and protected. “You barely know me and look at me. I’m a basket case of emotions and my ex is stalking me.”

Jamie let out a small chuckle as he set me on the top of the bar. “Mo nighaen donn, yer safe. The prick is gone. I just have to lock up the back and then I will walk ye home.”

“You don’t have-“ I started but was stopped as he placed a single finger on my lips to keep me from responding.

“Yer right, I dinna have too. But I want to… I also want to make sure the man isna waiting for ye at yer flat. It’s the gentlemanly thing to do, is it no’?” Jamie asked as he reached in his pocket for some keys. “Stay here. I will no’ be verra long.”

I sighed and nodded in agreement as he went to the back and locked up. Jamie was gone for less than two minutes and was back at my side. He had put on his jacket and grabbed my bag, slinging it over his shoulder.

“You look incredibly ridiculous with that bag over your shoulder, if I must say so.”

Jamie laughed, making a small Scottish sound, as we exited the bar and he locked up the front.

“It’s  late and cold, and you are in luck Mr. Fraser. I am actually just around the corner.” I said as I pointed down the block.

“Isna a problem.” Jamie said.

We walked in silence all the way back to my flat. He followed quietly behind me, up the four flights of stairs as we made our way to my floor.

“403. This is me.” I said as I reached into the bag on his shoulder for my keys.

I watched as Jamie shrugged his shoulders and then stiffened for a moment.

“What is it?” I asked as I watched him glance through the corridor.

“Sassenach, I would feel much more comfortable if ye’d let me take a look through yer place. Make sure it’s safe.”

I half laughed at his comment, but stopped myself when I saw the seriousness in his eyes.

“Uh, sure, you can. But as persistent as Frank is… He is not violent. And I changed my locks after he moved out. He doesn’t even know it.”

Jamie smiled in response to my words as I slowly opened the door.

“It’s not much… But it’s clean and well, home.” I said as we walked into my flat and I closed the door behind him. I took off my jacket, hanging it on the wall  and went to take Jamie’s jacket off his shoulders. He smiled over his shoulder as he slid it off and handed it to me.

“Just wait here for a minute. Can ye do that?” Jamie said. I crossed my arms and rested my back against the front door, nodding.  “Thatsa good lass.” He croaked as he made his way through the living room.

I watched him as he inspected the kitchen, and then my bedroom. I heard the squeak of my closet door as he inspected it. A few seconds later Jamie reappeared in my living room and sat down on the couch. “Safe, Sassenach.” He said as he ran his hands through his hair, resting his head back and closing his eyes.

“Thank you, for everything tonight.” I said as I joined him on the couch.

“Tis no’a problem.” Jamie mused looking down at me. “But you and Frank?”

“We have been for a very long time.” I replied resting my head back on my couch too.

“Well, Sassenach, that is a verra good thing.” Jamie said-  but I hadn’t heard him, as I was drifting off slowly to sleep.

I woke up the next morning very confused. I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. My hair was all in my face and I smelled like a hospital still. I reached for my phone but felt a pair of jeans that wasn’t mine and realized there was a body that was not mine- nor one that I knew- next to me. I slowly pushed the hair out of my face and looked up at the ceiling- at least I was at my flat. I then turned my face up, slowly, to the gigantic body that was next to me and saw a mop of red curls and Jamie’s eyes closed, his arms wrapped around me and my head on his chest.

“Oh my god.” I whispered to myself. I looked down, luckily I was still fully clothed. “Ok, Beauchamp. Pull it together.”

I reached for my phone and say four texts from Joe.

‘LJ did you make it home safe?’

‘Lady Jane, did Frank find you. I tried to tell him not to go, but I couldn’t just leave him hanging, either. I knew you could put him in his place. Call me, Gail and I are worried.’

‘Claire if you don’t call me soon, I am going to show up at your apartment.’

‘You have thirty minutes to answer me.’

I quickly slid my phone open as I felt a small chuckle come from my side.

“Please dinna tell me ye have another ex I should have to worry about.” Jamie laughed.

I couldn’t help but laugh too.  “No. Joe and his wife Gail, are two of my best friends, and the closest thing I have to family.”

Quickly I shot Joe a text.

‘I am fine. I am safe. Will call you in a bit.’

It was all I could bring myself to type, not sure if Jamie was watching me send the message or not.

I sent the text and sat myself up right, turning to face Jamie. “I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you like that.”

Jamie stretched his arms over his head and grunted as he stood, stretching some more. *GOD he was large. and GOD he was beautiful.*

“Dinna fash, Sassenach… I didna mean to fall asleep either. I uh, think it best that I get going. I have to meet my sister Jenny for lunch in just over an hour.”

I got up to my feet and struggled to make my hair cooperate with me. “Of course.” I said as I followed him to the door. I watched as he put his jacket on and then turned to face me.

“Sassenach… I uh…. Dinna usually do things… Like this. I am sorry.” I couldn’t help but smile as he looked utterly embarrassed.

“No, no. Don’t be silly.” I said as I placed my hand on his chest. *Who was this Claire?* I thought to myself. “I don’t either, and I am so very sorry about Frank. I will have to handle that again. But, I think you helped get the message across that him and I are over.”

“The lad shoulda gotten the message the first time. Ye canna help stupid, I suppose.” Jamie said as he placed his hand over mine- the one I had placed on his chest just a moment before. I felt his muscles stiffen and saw him stand a bit straighter as he looked down at me. “Sassenach, this uh, might be a wee bit forward, but I was wondering, would ye like to join me for dinner, say tonight?”

I blushed and without missing a beat spoke softly as I looked up to meet his gaze. “Yes.”

“Och. Alright then. 8 o’clock. Be ready. I’ll come for ye here. Since I know where ye live.” Jamie said as he turned and opened the door. He took the small step into the hallway and then turned to face me. “There’s no’ getting out of it, just so ye ken.”  Jamie said, with a triumphant smile on his face as he turned and made his way down the corridor.

I closed the door, breathless, and leaned back against my doorframe. “I have a date with Jamie Fraser.” I said quietly to myself.

Who the hell was I? And what was this bartender doing to me?

[newstfionline]

Friday, October 16, 2020

Countries are hoarding food as prices rise (Bloomberg) Agricultural commodity buyers from Cairo to Islamabad have been on a shopping spree since the pandemic upended supply chains. Jordan has built up record wheat reserves while Egypt, the world’s top wheat buyer, took the unusual step of tapping international markets during its local harvest and has boosted purchases by more than 50% since April. Taiwan said it will increase strategic food stockpiles and China has been buying to feed its growing hog herd.

Solar power (The Verge) Solar has become a significantly cheaper option for new electrical generation than its rivals, with the levelized cost of electricity—basically, how much it costs to generate electricity over the lifetime of the plant—between $35 to $55 per megawatt-hour in markets like the U.S., Europe, China and India, down from $100 per megawatt-hour four years ago and $300 a decade ago. By comparison, coal ranges between $55 and $150 per megawatt-hour according to the new report from the International Energy Agency.

Snowbirds (WSJ) Every year, about a million Canadians head south for the winter to locations like Arizona and Florida in the United States to spend the winter. In March, the border was closed to tourists going in either direction, and Canadian officials have indicated they are not particularly interested in a reopening any time soon. This means that a number of people who had sworn off the winters of Canada have, instead, begun stocking up on sweaters and jackets. About 60 percent of the migratory Canadians go to Florida, according to the Canadian Snowbird Association, but this year many are looking West to British Columbia, where the winters are less harsh than the rest of the country and there are 100 year-round campgrounds and RV hookups.

Don’t worry about the wolves (CJR) A letter from the Nova Scotia government sent out to residents to warn about a pack of wolves on the loose in the province was forged by Canadian military personnel as part of a propaganda training mission that went off the rails, according to a report in the Ottawa Citizen. The letter told residents to be wary of wolves that had been reintroduced into the area by the provincial and federal governments and warned the animals were now roaming the Annapolis Valley. The letter sparked concern and questions among residents, but was later branded as “fake” by the Nova Scotia government, which didn’t know the military was behind the deception.

US jobless claims rise to 898,000 with layoffs still high (AP) The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week by the most in two months, to 898,000, a historically high number and evidence that layoffs remain a hindrance to the economy’s recovery from the pandemic recession. The economy is still roughly 10.7 million jobs short of recovering all the 22 million jobs that were lost when the pandemic struck in early spring. Confirmed coronavirus cases have been rising again nationwide in the past month, likely causing more Americans to hold back from eating out, shopping and engaging in other commerce. Across the country, applications for unemployment aid are rising while negotiations over a new stimulus package between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin remain mired in a stalemate.

U.S. gun sales soar amid pandemic, social unrest, election fears (Reuters) Andreyah Garland, a 44-year-old single mother of three daughters, bought a shotgun in May for protection in the quaint middle-class town of Fishkill, New York. She joined a new and fast-growing local gun club to learn how to shoot. Like legions of other first-time buyers who are contributing to record sales for the U.S. gun industry this year, Garland’s decision to take up arms is driven in part by disturbing news about the coronavirus pandemic, social unrest over police killings of Black people and a potentially contested election that many fear could spark violence. “With everything going on around us,” she said, “you see a need.” Surges in U.S. firearm sales have in recent decades been predictably driven by events sparking fears of impending gun-control legislation, such as the election of a Democratic president or a spate of mass shootings, federal gun background check data show. Industry experts and academics who study gun ownership say such surges came largely among the gun-industry’s core base of white, male and politically conservative customers who often already owned one or multiple guns. That market is widening this year to include a new rush of first-time buyers, including many women, minorities and politically liberal buyers who once would not have considered gun ownership, according to Reuters interviews with more than a dozen industry experts, academics and gun store owners. “People who don’t normally think about firearms are being forced to contemplate something outside their universe,” said Dan Eldridge, owner of Maxon Shooter’s Supplies and Indoor Range in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois.

EU Leaders Meet on Trade Deal as Coronavirus Surges (Foreign Policy) The leaders of the 27 European Union member states meet today in Brussels to begin a two-day summit aimed at presenting a united front in trade talks with former member Great Britain as well as aligning on the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, and Africa policy. Previously billed by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as the “deadline” for a deal to be reached between the two sides, today’s summit is unlikely to yield a concrete outcome. A draft document from EU leaders, seen by Reuters, says that progress on trade negotiations is “still not sufficient.” German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is confident a deal will eventually materialize, even if it takes until November to hammer out. “My experience is that sometimes in the last moment you will find a solution,” he told Bloomberg.

Edinburxit? (Foreign Policy) Support for Scottish independence is at its highest-ever level, according to a new Ipsos MORI poll. Among those who had made up their minds, the poll found that 58 percent of respondents would vote yes in an independence referendum, with 42 percent against. (Accounting for undecided voters, the overall figures dropped to 55 percent for independence, and 39 percent against.) The poll also highlighted the contrast in public opinion toward Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson: Two-thirds of Scots view Sturgeon positively, whereas only about one in five Scots have a positive view of Johnson.

Macron announces Paris curfew as coronavirus infections rise in France (Washington Post) French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday announced a curfew to be imposed on the Paris region and other major urban centers to curb a rapid resurgence of the novel coronavirus. The curfew will require people to stay home between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., Macron said. It will begin Saturday and last for at least four weeks. The cities included are Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Aix-en-Provence, Montpellier, Lille, Rouen and Saint-Étienne. France has seen a steady rise in new coronavirus infections since August, undermining progress made during a strict two-month lockdown in the spring. Macron also urged people to restrict gatherings to no more than six people outside their families. He acknowledged the impact of such restrictions on young people in particular. “It’s hard to be 20 in 2020,” he said.

Some European officials use virus as a cover to target Roma (AP) In Bulgaria, Roma communities were sprayed with disinfectant from crop dusters this spring as coronavirus cases surged in the country. In Slovakia, their villages were the only ones where the army conducted testing. And across Central and Eastern Europe, reports of police using excessive force against Roma spiked as officers were deployed to enforce lockdowns in their towns. Human rights activists and experts say local officials in several countries with significant Roma populations have used the pandemic to unlawfully target the minority group, which is Europe’s largest and has faced centuries of severe discrimination. With COVID-19 cases now resurging across the continent, some experts fear the repression will return, too. To make matters worse, activists say such discrimination often draws little opposition from other Europeans and the Roma are reluctant to speak about it, fearing repercussions.

Kyrgyzstan’s president steps down amid political unrest (AP) Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbai Jeenbekov announced his resignation Thursday in a bid to end the turmoil that has engulfed the Central Asian nation after a disputed parliamentary election. Jeenbekov, who has faced calls to step down from protesters and political opponents, said in a statement released by his office that holding onto power wasn’t “worth the integrity of our country and harmony in society.” Kyrgyzstan, a country of 6.5 million people located on the border with China, was plunged into chaos following an Oct. 4 vote that election officials say was swept by pro-government parties. The opposition said the election was tainted by vote-buying and other irregularities. Protesters then took over government buildings, looting some offices, and the Central Election Commission nullified the election.

Sri Lanka’s economic woes (Foreign Policy) Sri Lanka is increasingly turning to China to help it combat a worsening financial crisis and debt problem. On Sunday, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo tweeted that Beijing was considering a $500 million loan to the island country, adding mysteriously that “Haters never understand love”—likely a reference to fears that China may expect too much in return. Sri Lanka doesn’t have too many options left, given its weak credit rating. As Nikkei Asia reports, Colombo has $50.8 billion of foreign debt on its books and has required 16 bailouts from the International Monetary Fund in the last 55 years. Only Pakistan has needed more help.

Torment of the Uyghurs and human rights (Economist) This week we publish new reporting  about the persecution of the 12m members of China’s Uyghur minority at home and abroad. Even those outside the huge network of official “re-education” camps in the western region of Xinjiang have to attend indoctrination sessions. Families must watch other families, and report suspicious behaviour. Hundreds of thousands of Uyghur children may have been separated from one or both detained parents. Rules against having too many children are strictly enforced on Uyghur women; some are sterilised. In two prefectures the Uyghur birth rate fell by more than 60% between 2015 and 2018. Uyghurs abroad fear calling home lest they cause a loved one to be arrested.  This amounts to the most extensive violation today of the principle that individuals have a right to liberty and dignity simply because they are people.  Democracy and human rights are in retreat around the world. Eighty countries have regressed since the pandemic began, and only Malawi has improved.

Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey, and Syrian mercenaries (NYT) Families gathered around a refrigerated truck at a Syrian-Turkish border post, waiting earlier this month for the drivers to dispense their awful cargo: the bodies of 52 Syrian men, killed in a war 600 miles away. The dead were mercenaries, recruited by Turkish-backed militias in Syria to fight on behalf of Azerbaijan against Armenia, relatives said. They were deployed as shock troops, to claw back scraps of territory in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. “They went to break the borders,” said a cousin of Mahmoud Najjar, a 38-year-old Syrian fighter. The cousin, interviewed by telephone, said Najjar’s body in the cold truck was marked with the number 12. The deaths of Syrian fighters have raised alarms about how this decades-old conflict could now rapidly worsen as it draws in outside powers like Turkey and its rival Russia and potentially destabilizes neighbors like Iran and Georgia. Turkey has denied sending Syrian fighters to aid Azerbaijan, its longtime ally. But relatives of two fighters—Najjar and his nephew—said in interviews that monthly salaries were promised by the Turkish-supported militias and that the fighters flew to Azerbaijan from southern Turkey. In recent months, Turkey has sought to project its military might across much of its neighborhood with new vigor. Turkey’s enthusiastic backing of the Azerbaijani war effort—and provision of military assistance, including armed drones—has emboldened Azerbaijan, situating Turkey at the center of the conflict.

Two American hostages in Yemen released (Washington Post) Two Americans held hostage by Iran-backed rebels in Yemen were freed Wednesday in a surprise deal brokered by the United States. The agreement freeing Sandra Loli, an aid worker held hostage for three years, and Mikael Gidada, a businessman held for nearly a year, was only grudgingly accepted by U.S. ally Saudi Arabia, which has waged a years-long war against the Houthi rebel group in neighboring Yemen. In exchange for the Americans, nearly 300 of the rebel group’s members were returned to Yemen, where some may reenter the battlefield and prolong a conflict that has become increasingly unpopular in Washington. The fact that the deal went forward even as the Trump administration supports a Saudi-led coalition in the war suggests the importance the president has placed on the release of American hostages.

Protesters march on Nigerian parliament after army threatens to step in (Reuters) Hundreds of protesters marched to the gates of Nigeria’s parliament on Thursday, hours after the army said it was ready to step in and restore order after more than a week of demonstrations against police brutality. The protest defied a ban on mass rallies in the capital Abuja that the government said was imposed earlier on Thursday to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Protesters have staged daily marches since Wednesday last week, calling for an overhaul of police forces. Police had responded to the demonstrations with beatings, tear gas and gunfire, which human rights group Amnesty International said had killed at least 10 people. In response to the protests, the head of Nigeria’s police force on Sunday dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit that demonstrators have accused of beatings, killings and extortion. Demonstrators have called for more meaningful reforms. Protesters say they fear a new unit, whose creation to “fill the gaps” left by SARS was announced on Tuesday, was just a rebranding of the squad.

[bigyack-com]

Where the Nurse Prescribes Heroin

LONDON — Homeless drug users in Scotland will be allowed to inject pharmaceutical-grade heroin twice a day under the supervision of medical officials as part of a new program intended to reduce drug deaths and H.I.V. infection.From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, a $1.5 million facility in Glasgow that opened on Tuesday will allow a handful of drug users to receive doses of the drug alongside other treatment for their physical and psychological health, according to Glasgow City Council.The pilot project, known as heroin-assisted treatment, is the first such licensed operation in Scotland, a country that has been called the “drug death capital of the world.” It has struggled to cope with high rates of fatal drug overdoses and its worst H.I.V. outbreak in decades. The program will target those with the “most severe, longstanding and complex addiction issues,” the City Council said. It aims to reduce the risk of overdoses and the spread of viruses such as H.I.V. by prescribing diamorphine — the clinical name for pharmaceutical-grade heroin — for patients to inject in a secure clinical room under the supervision of trained medics.The clinic opened in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, after Britain’s Home Office granted it a license, and follows a similar initiative that began in Middlesbrough, England, last month.Up to 20 patients are expected to take part in the first year of Glasgow’s program, with the number set to double in the second year.“Heroin-assisted treatment is a much more clinical service aimed at getting people stable,” Andrew McAuley, a senior research fellow on substance use at Glasgow Caledonian University, said in an interview on Wednesday. “The program is a significant step forward, albeit for a very small number of people.” The program, called the Enhanced Drug Treatment Service, is intended for those who have exhausted other treatment options such as residential rehabilitation, methadone and community addiction services. It is available only to drug users already involved with the city’s team fighting addiction among homeless people. The program is not intended to be long-term, with research suggesting that clinical benefits can be seen after six weeks of treatment. It requires patients to visit the city clinic twice a day, seven days a week, a demand that may be too much for those not used to such a routine, Mr. McAuley said.“It’s a large commitment,” he said.Glasgow has ambitious plans to support its residents with drug-addiction issues, but Scottish officials say it has been hindered by Britain’s 1971 drug law. Glasgow officials have pushed for years to establish consumption spaces in the city where drug users could inject their own drugs in a safe, clean environment, but their efforts have been rebuffed by the British government. Britain’s Misuse of Drugs Act, the 1971 law, stipulates that anyone “concerned in the management of any premises” or any occupier who knowingly allows drugs to be prepared there can face prosecution. “It is still illegal to have safe consumption sites, which puts us out of sync with most Western countries,” said Mr. McAuley, whose research group will evaluate the Glasgow program. “Glasgow is arguably the most compelling case for a drug consumption site.”Austin Smith, a policy officer at Scottish Drugs Forum, a national resource of expertise on drug use issues, said, “This part of the law was to stop people opening up opium dens and was never intended to stop safe services, but that is what it does.”More than 100 supervised consumption services have been established in countries like Australia, Canada, France, Switzerland and Germany, according to the Drug Policy Alliance, a New York-based organization that campaigns to end America’s “war on drugs.” A report on Scotland’s drug problem that was released this month by the British Parliament’s Scottish Affairs Committee endorsed the treatment method. “Safe drug-consumption facilities are proven to reduce the number of drug-related deaths and can act as a gateway to further treatment,” said Pete Wishart, the committee’s chairman. “Every drug death is preventable, and these centers could play a vital role in addressing Scotland’s drug crisis.”Scotland’s drug problem has worsened in recent years, and official statistics indicate that drug-related deaths there are at a record high. Fatal drug overdoses have been highest among older users.The number of deaths directly caused by drugs has risen in Scotland almost year on year since records began in the mid-1990s. And the number has climbed drastically: to 1,187 drug-related deaths last year from 244 in 1996, according to the National Records of Scotland. Scotland’s drug death rate is nearly three times that of Britain as a whole and is the highest in the European Union.By some measures, Scotland has even surpassed — by a small margin — the United States’ rate of 217 drug-related deaths per million of the population. The number of homeless drug users with H.I.V. in Glasgow also increased in recent years, which one study attributed to the sharing of needles and other equipment. City health workers say the outbreak has still not been contained.“This challenging social issue demands innovative treatments,” the chairwoman of Glasgow’s Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Susanne Millar, said in a statement on Tuesday.“People might question why health services are spending money providing heroin for people with addictions,” she said. “The answer is we can’t afford not to.” Source link Read the full article

[burningstcrs]

STATS.

NAME: heather cristine torres FANDOM / PROJECT: alpha project SPECIES: vampire BIRTHDAY: march 22, 1905 RESIDENCE: travelling ALIGNMENT: neutral evil OCCUPATION: historian RELIGION: agnostic

AGE: 113 GENDER: cis female EYE COLOR: dark brown HAIR COLOR: dark brown HEIGHT: 5′7″ WEIGHT: 134 lbs

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: grayromantic SEXUAL ORIENTATION: heterosexual MARITAL STATUS: single OTHER: heather is open for all kinds of relationships, though she’s not actively looking for romantic relationships. if one happens to come her way, she won’t object.

RELATIONSHIPS: iris jelani, former ally. thea collins, current ally. november, current ally. petra delgado, former ally. MENTAL ABILITIES:  hypnotism, aura perception PHYSICAL ABILITIES: draw power from blood drinking, venom is toxic to werewolves, enhanced state, immortality

BIOGRAPHY.

(wip)

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES / THE ORIGINALS VERSE.

Emilia Morrison, a Scottish immigrant in the early 1900’s, met Lorenzo Torres when the second group of Pensionado students came from the Philippines in 1904. It didn’t take long before the two teens entered into a passionate affair. By the end of June 1904, Emilia was pregnant. Lorenzo was terrified by the idea of being a father, but he was extremely excited. Emilia’s family, furious at her affair, turned her out on the streets. Lorenzo took her in, and the two decided to raise the child together. Despite the pressures of his attending Yale University, he committed himself to Emilia, and they looked to conquer New Haven together.

Heather Cristine Torres was born March 5th, 1905. Emilia was overjoyed, and Lorenzo swore he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. Together, the three of them lived quite happily until Lorenzo was required to go back to the Philippines when his college career ended. Though Emilia worked constantly at the flower shop, the two soon began to fall on hard times.

Heather and Emilia scraped by for ten years. Just after Heather’s thirteenth birthday, Emilia met Horace. He was from old money, and he was infatuated with Emilia’s firey beauty. It didn’t take long for Emilia to latch onto the opportunity, and the two were married within the year.

Heather adored the rich life. She loved the gorgeous dresses, the fancy tea cups, and the instant respect she gained. Horace’s entire family doted on her, though Horace was cold to the girl he was forced to adopt out of his love for Emilia, but Heather didn’t really care. She had been without a father for ten years, and she still didn’t need one.

Three years later, Emilia died of tuberculosis. Though Heather was heartbroken, Horace was the bigger problem. He blamed her for her mother’s death. It started with verbal abuse as he screamed at her, but quickly descended to violence. She loathed him with every inch of her being, but he was the only one who could legally care for her. So, she bided her time.

When age eighteen struck, she married as quickly as she could. William was a gift from God. A rich boy starting at Yale, he was quickly captivated by this lovely girl, and they married on the night of her eighteenth birthday. He had everything she wanted: money, looks, and a house in New York, far away from her father. He even warned her that he couldn’t have children, but she didn’t mind. Why would that bother her? Kids would just get in the way.

Free for the first time, she lived extraordinarily. She supported Will as he worked towards becoming a lawyer, threw parties in New Haven and in New York, and even started studying at a college herself. She adored history, and vigerously pursued her degree. She loved her new life, and nothing would change that.

January 1st, 1927, Horace came back for her. She was sleeping off last night’s party, but he was still drunk, still furious at her for her mother’s death years before. William was out, so Horace had free range to attack her. She tried to fight, she struggled magnificently, but he just kept beating her until her bones splintered, and she was bleeding out on the floor.

William’s fury was like nothing Heather had ever seen. His eyes pooled red, and he attacked Horace, bit into his neck, and drained him dry. Her step father died then and there, but she didn’t have time to contemplate it as her husband pushed his bleeding wrist into her face.

Transition was painful, but vampirism was intoxicating. William showed her the world of vampirism, the beauty in the afterlife. They drank together, partied together, and fell in love with the world. They travelled, saw the world together, and enjoyed being “alive.” It was twenty years of fun, before hunters caught up to them. Sheer luck saved Heather, but William was not so lucky. She found his body with a stake in his heart, tossed out into a dumpster.

Turning her emotions off seemed like such an easy option. Too easy. She fought through the pain, buried herself in her history research. She became absolutely fascinated with the Originals and their story. She travelled everywhere with documented accounts of the original vampires, and for ten years, all she did was pursue their stories.

She then began compiling the information, the world’s foremost expert on the world’s first vampires. She branched out to other immortal beings as well, the sirens, the immortals known as Silas, Amara, and Qetsiyah, but her passion was always the Originals and their subtle effect on the development of the world.

Time went on and Heather found her place in the world. She always remained rich, and she reveled in it. She travelled, researched, and had fun with her time. She spoiled herself, but worked hard. She adored her life, and then rumors came along.

The Originals had been spotted in Virgina. They were stirring up trouble with some local vampires. She abandoned her current house in California and tore across the country, only to find they had moved on to New Orleans. However, that wasn’t the only living legend in Virginia. Silas himself was there, the original immortal. She dug into her research there, following him and learning more about how he functioned. She studied him and Amara until they both died, to her great dismay.

Though the doppelgangers in the town were fascinating to her, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to pursue the beings she had obsessed over for over fifty years. She left Mystic Falls, and now she’s headed to New Orleans to find those amazing historic figures she has researched for so many years.

[ezatluba]

Oysters open more widely during the new moon, though nobody knows exactly why.

Why oysters close on the full moon—and more odd lunar effects on animals

New research shows that the moon has unexpected and fascinating impacts on marine animals, from oysters to worms to plankton.

DOUGLAS MAIN

APRIL 17, 2019

A full moon is looming—and it will have a big impact on animals, especially those in the ocean.

Recent studies show that many types of animals have biological clocks finely tuned to the cycles of the moon, which drives fascinating and sometimes bizarre patterns of behavior.

Besides revealing hidden aspects of animal life, the research also has implications for better understanding the circadian clocks present in all animals, including humans. (Read more about how the moon affects life on Earth.)

The first circadian clocks evolved in the oceans, so studying them in marine animals can tell us a lot about how they evolved and how they work and interact with each other, explains Kim Last, a researcher at the Scottish Association for Marine Science.

Zooplankton

Take zooplankton. These tiny animals engage in the world’s largest migration, which takes place every night when they swim toward the surface to feed on algae. These mini-creatures are prey to a many larger animals that hunt by sight. So to avoid predation, zooplankton head for the depths at dawn.

“The predators follow them until they run out of light,” Last says. This requires an intricate circadian rhythm, usually regulated by the sun. However in the Arctic, where the winter sun cannot be seen for months on end, some zooplankton also have an internal clock that is set to the moon. Two, actually. (Find out more about circadian rhythms.)

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When the winter moon is full over the Arctic, it stays above the horizon for a handful of days (depending on latitude), and during this time, zooplankton dive to take cover from predators. But while the moon is out, it also rises and sets—and the zooplankton respond, rising and diving over the course of this cycle, which takes 24 hours and 50 minutes.

Zooplankton like this type of krill rise to the surface at night and dive during the day, but they are also impacted by light from the moon.

Oysters

Oysters, which open their shells to eat and spawn, also have a lunar rhythm, a new study shows.

In a recent experiment, French researchers carefully monitored how widely a dozen oysters opened their shells during a 3.5-month period. The team used a high-tech device that quantified the valve opening every two seconds, as described in a paper published in the journal Biology Letters.

They found that two types of oysters in Arcachon Bay in southwestern France were significantly more open during new moons and more closed when the moon was full. In addition, the oysters could tell the difference between the first quarter moon and the third quarter moon, and were significantly more open (by nearly 20 percent) at the latter.

It’s unknown why the oysters do this, though it could be due to more algae or other food being available during the new moon and as the year progresses, says study leader Damien Tran, a researcher at the University of Bordeaux.

The lunar cycle could influence food availability by its impact on the tides and thus the ocean’s currents. When the moon is full or new, it is directly in line with Earth and the sun, exerting a strong pull on the ocean and thus causing more pronounced tides, explains David Wilcockson, a marine biologist at Aberystwyth University in Wales who wasn’t part of the study.

On the other hand, when the moon is half-full, it is most out of alignment with Earth and the sun, producing so-called neap tides, which are the weakest of the tidal cycle.

The oysters’ rhythms could also have something to do with conditions favorable for mating. The moon, with its corresponding impact on tides and ocean currents, drives many types of marine organisms to mate at specific times of the month and year.

Palolo worms

For instance, oysters, corals, and many types of ocean animals breed by “broadcast spawning,” wherein they release sperm and eggs together in a precisely timed, orgiastic explosion.

Palolo worms, which live in warm ocean waters worldwide, engage in a rather extreme example of this.

South Pacific palolo worms, for example, spend most of the years feeding on organic matter on the seafloor or within coral. But in the austral spring, the rear of their bodies turn into sacks of egg or sperm.

During two days in October, these break off from the rest of the worm, and using an eyespot within, swim toward the surface—and the light of the moon. Exactly a month later, they repeat this feat in even great numbers, during the last quarter moon of November.

A pod of orcas hunts off the Norwegian coast. Orcas are specialist predators: They have finely-tuned strategies for hunting specific prey, like herring, which means they don't cope well with environmental change.

Orcas work together to "carousel hunt." Here, an orca drives herring toward the surface. Then members of the pod will bunch the herring together, giving others a chance to feed.

Southern rockhopper penguins swim toward shore in the Falkland Islands. They use their flipper-like wings to dive fast and deep in search of prey like fish and krill.

Rockhopper penguins climb a steep cliff in the Falklands. Overfishing, pollution, and other perils have dramatically reduced the population of these gregarious birds.

A large colony of Cape fur seals covers a beach near Cape Fria, Namibia. The seals are hunted en masse in Namibia for their oil and fur.

Researchers attempt to satellite tag blue whales off the coast of California. Blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, were hunted to the brink of extinction in the early 20th century. They've made only a partial recovery.

Striped mullet fish swim in a lake in Florida's Fanning Springs State Park. Mullets are a common food source for many larger species. They can thrive in both salt water and fresh water and live all over the world.

Lionfish swim over a reef in the Red Sea. Lionfish are venemous and are considered invasive species in some parts of the world, particularly the Caribbean. They've thrived there, taking the place of other species, like the grouper, that have become overfished.

Opalescant inshore squids lay more than 50,000 eggs at a time and live for six to nine months. Their rapid reproduction rate means that they're potentially positioned to evolve quickly enough to cope with perils such as plastic waste and warming waters.

Anglerfish live deep in the ocean, where there is no light. Females, like the one seen here, "host" males on their bodies. The males latch on with their teeth and are permanent parasites.

Moon jellyfish are pictured off the coast of Alaska. They don't have a respiratory system and breathe by diffusing oxygen through the translucent membranes covering their bodies.

A great white shark swims off Seal Island, in South Africa. Great whites are long-living apex predators and evolve very slowly, making them particularly susceptible to deteriorating ocean conditions due to climate change.

A great white shark catches a decoy seal, set out by researchers. The predators are often hunted for their fins and meat, and they're also caught accidentally, as bycatch in fishing nets.

Thousands of olive ridley sea turtles emerge from the sea once a month to lay eggs on Ostional Beach, in Costa Rica. Dogs, storks, and vultures frequently prey on hatchlings and eggs—as do humans.

Tourists visit Ostional Beach as turtles emerge to lay eggs. It's legal for residents of the beach community to dig up eggs to sell. The beach's management says that profits stay in the community and that less than 1 percent of the eggs laid every year are collected.

Female olive ridley sea turtles all emerge at the same time every month, usually the week before the new moon, to lay eggs. They dig out a cone-shaped hole in the sand, about a foot and a half deep, and lay their eggs inside.

Speckled sea louse

Even more ordinary behaviors may be driven by the moon as well. Consider the speckled sea louse (Eurydice pulchra).

These little guys burrow in the sand in the intertidal zone, which is covered by water at high tide, and dry when it’s low. They have an internal lunar clock wherein they are active at 12.4-hour intervals, coinciding with the tides, explains Wilcockson.

Sea lice also have a monthly cycle, and are more active during the full and new moons, with their stronger currents, and more sedate during the weak neap tide, he says. But they also have a sun-linked daily cycle: They get dark during the day to protect themselves from solar rays, and are paler at night.

Lab experiments have shown these are separate. “We could abolish the daily cycle, and leave the tidal cycles intact,” Wilcockson says.

Sand hoppers

Another underappreciated creature that lives on British beaches: sand hoppers (Talitrus saltator).

“If you disturb them during the day, they’ll migrate back up the shore and bury themselves in the sand,” Wilcockson says. “If you disturb them at night, they’ll migrate down the shore to feed on stuff that’s washing up.”

Wilcockson explains that scientists hypothesized the crustaceans use their antennae to navigate via the sun, which has been shown to be the case in monarch butterflies. In a 2016 study published in Scientific Reports, Wilcockson and colleagues removed sand hoppers’ antennae and saw how they navigated in a nighttime and daytime environment.

Contrary to expectations, the animals could navigate just find during the day without antennae—presumably using their brains (and light through their eyes). But at night, without these appendages, they were totally lost. The experiment showed sand hoppers have independent clocks tied to each heavenly body, in different parts of their body.

“Our sand hopper has a lunar clock and a solar clock in the antennae and the brain, respectively,” he adds.

[fromthedeskofelizabeththird]

If You Go Chasing Rabbits

So, a while ago, I decided that the various routes would work well as classic works of literature and because I am a masochist because Mr Darcy Jumin Han and Mr Rochester Jihyun Kim are things I need in my life, I convinced myself to write the opening of a Victorian AU. And here it is.

[PROLOGUE] <You are here

Jumin Route - Bewitched, Body and Soul - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife

Old words, and pretty, and decidedly not hers.

Areum had little time for the single men of good fortune who so commonly came to visit, which was fortunate, for they had very little time to spare for her. It was her lot in life to rise with the lark and worry only for the good china and it did not matter that her lips were plump and rosy, nor that she pinned her hair so tightly that it made the fairness of her face only more apparent. She was a maid and nothing more and if a gentleman were to look at her, he paid her no more mind than he would the drapes.

She was one of five maids with a particular focus on the whims of the daughters of her mistress, Lady Finchley, who had taken to spending more and more time in her London apartments than ever before.

In her youth, the lady of the house was a plain sort, who beguiled very few men with her face but became the belle of the ballroom regardless, for she was in possession of a sharp tongue and indelicate humour and remembered the names of everyone’s third cousins. She married a soldier in the end, who was arguably equally ugly, but had the gentlest voice of anyone Areum had ever encountered.

Their resulting daughters were beautiful but inherited none of Lord or Lady Finchley’s personal charms. Catherine, Annette, Margaret and Rebecca spent their childhoods dragging one another by the hair, smashing another’s toys to pieces, sobbing in jealousy over the pretty dress one sister was permitted to wear and they were not, only to plan for it to meet with an accident. Now that they were out of girlhood, they had, for the most part, abandoned their personal differences and sought the attentions of the ballroom, where they teamed up to drag other girls by the hair, smash the possessions of other girls to pieces, sob in jealousy at the fashionable dresses other girls were permitted to wear and, most importantly, to plot for other women to meet with accidents.

On this occasion Annette, who was the oldest and arguably most loathsome of the four, had discovered offense in the blossoming relationship between her childhood friend Effy and the handsome Dr Ingram, who hailed from the Scottish highlands and up until recently had been keeping quarters with Annette’s father, who was not only a highly experienced physician, but a kind soul and more than happy to welcome somebody new into the chaos of London’s elite.

His arrival sparked a myriad of rumours and although it could not be proven, Areum would have been willing to bet that most of them came from Annette. Annette who had laughed and laughed when Effy expressed concern at the strange man from Scotland coming to live with her family, only to fall silent at the revelation that his family had a castle. It was only a matter of time before she decided that she rather liked the idea of a castle of her own-the husband little more than a stepping stone-and at every dance afterwards, she had gone out of her way to be amiable to make a good impression upon Dr Ingram.

A pointless effort, as Effy’s latest letter was to ask advice. Since moving into his new apartments, the doctor and Effy had shared many letters and a great affection had grown between them. Effy was unsure how best to proceed, though unfortunately the same could not be said of Annette.

“Of course we’ll have to get rid of her,” she sniffed, slapping Areum’s hands away the moment the brush tugged. “The question is how.”

The question was almost entirely rhetorical, though she went so far as to pretend to think.

“I’ve got it,” she said, after one whole minute of pretend deliberation. “We shall invite her over for tea tomorrow.”

“And then?” Margaret chirruped.

“And then I shall offer her my warmest wishes, naturally.”

Catherine glanced at Margaret, who turned to Rebecca. Not one of them believed Annette truly wished Effy the best, but they were incapable of piecing together her plan from that single piece of information.

“We shall have Effy script a letter to her good doctor,” said Annette, doubtless feeling smug in being the undivided centre of attention. “A confession that she shall write by hand and send out over the afternoon post. However, before she sends it, we’ll have one of the staff replace the letter in the envelope with one of our own design. That letter shall be filled with all sorts of terrible lies.”

The sisters laughed raucously at this prospect and Areum sighed as she arranged Rebecca’s hair.

“What sort of lies, Netty?”

“Oh, I don’t know…” Annette shrugged. “That she dances naked in Soho or licked an urchin.”

“We should have her say she’s Jack the Ripper!” Catherine squealed.

“Quite,” said Annette, in the sort of tone that made her shudder. “In any case, the good doctor won’t speak to her again and she may even leave London. That fixes my problem most wonderfully, don’t you say?”

And in a way, Areum agreed. Sometimes their logic was such that even she could not find fault in it. It was certainly true that if Effy retired to her family’s estate in Sussex, she would no longer represent a threat. But Areum found herself worrying what such a strategy would mean for the maidservant who switched the notes.

The housekeeper of Lord and Lady Finchley’s London estate was a stout, red faced woman named Mrs Ridgebit, who knew the value of everything, be it a good glass of port, a leg of lamb or a six year old child. The first time they met, Mrs Ridgebit had refused to buy her at full price.

Mrs Ridgebit abided by the old fashioned divisions between serving staff and residing family and more often than not, she had no tolerance for stories about the misbehaviour of Lady Finchley’s daughters. She was not their mother and it was not her place to intervene. At best she tolerated jokes about their misdeeds in the serving quarters. Even so, she hoped that perhaps she would say something or perhaps even devise a counter plan now that there was so much on the line.

Unfortunately, she was possessed of a foul mood when Areum eventually found her in the kitchens. The same thunderous rage that seemed to have become a part of her ever since Lord Finchley’s strange behaviour of late.

In all of the time she had known him, she had never considered him pious or even remotely opinionated and very recently, she had never known him to spend an extended amount of time studying the bare bones of theology either. However, three weeks beforehand, he had called at the home of Major Gregory and returned inspired by the words of a young man he encountered in the smoking room. It seemed there was a precedent, for Major Gregory, it transpired, had also been introduced to the stranger about a week or so earlier at a dance hosted by General Hurst.

Mrs Ridgebit made it quite clear that Areum and the other maids were not to stick their noses in the master’s business, though they did not have to to pick up on the smaller details. An argument between Lord and Lady Finchley about donations to a church building effort outside of the city; an off hand description of the man's strange looks; a pamphlet she spotted while tidying the study that must have been from the group that Lord Finchley spoke of. Areum could not read in the same effortless manner as Annette or Rebecca, but she could tell that it spoke about a world without pain or suffering. She almost wished that she had not seen it, for it was stamped with the symbol of a bright green eye and brought a chill to her spine that never quite left her.

If that was what the master’s friend spoke of, however, and was the reason for him behaving so uncharacteristically of late, then Areum thought she understood. Lord Finchley lost part of his left leg during his military career and the wound had healed incorrectly, leaving him in constant discomfort. Effy’s father had prescribed a seemingly infinite supply of potions and teas in an effort to placate him, but beyond going back to France and retrieving whatever parts of his body and soul he had left behind, it seemed there was to be no miracle cure any time soon.

Very much at the last minute, Lord Finchley had decided to invite the peculiar young man for a dinner party, leaving Mrs Ridgebit the momentous task of reshuffling all prior meal arrangements.

“Unless you’ve a ham hock hidden up your skirt, girl, I’ve nothing for you!” She said, in lieu of a proper greeting. “Grab that basket.”

She had previously been occupied in a squabble with the cook and took the opportunity to point to the basket most often used for groceries. Areum hoisted it into her arms automatically, presuming that one of the kitchen maids meant to take a trip into town. However, neither the cook nor Mrs Ridgebit accepted the basket and instead it was Areum herself who received the slip of paper detailing everything missing from the larder that was required for the night’s proceedings to be a success.

“What was he thinking?” The cook sighed, shaking her head.

“I’d send one of the younger girls,” said Mrs Ridgebit, “but you’re the only one who can read.”

Areum wanted to warn her about the Annette’s plans, but all things considered, she decided it would be far more prudent to wait until after the dinner party instead. Effy was not scheduled to visit until the next day, after all and perhaps in the aftermath of everything that had taken place, everyone would be more willing to listen to her concerns.

“All right,” she said, taking the small bag of coins from Mrs Ridgebit. “I’ll make sure to be back within the hour.”

Despite her title, Mrs Ridgebit was not married and she carried few in the way of trinkets besides the silver pocket watch she wore on a chain, most often used to double check that the serving staff were working to schedule. One of the other girls said it belonged to a lover; a different girl said it was a gift from Lady Finchley upon her residence as housekeeper. Areum had a strong suspicion that the truth was a little of both.

When Mrs Ridgebit unhooked the pocket watch and passed it to Areum, the significance did not escape her and for a moment she was unable to do anything but stare at the scratches in the silver.

“Well?” Snarled Mrs Ridgebit. “Go!!”

In her haste to leave the house, she did not know how it was she remembered to pick up her shawl. Even as she arrived at town, she was in a daze. She ought not have been surprised when she bumped shoulders with a stranger, sending her shopping basket-and the rosy apples within it- tumbling to the floor.

“Oh, oh I’m so sorry!” Areum squeaked, cursing her strange state of mind and falling to her knees to pick them up.

The stranger’s top hat had fallen to the floor during the collision and if the expensive nature of his clothes were anything to go by, then he was almost certainly of quality blood. To avoid offending the man even further, Areum made a point to keep her eyes low. He had other ideas, though, and knelt down beside her to pick up one of the apples.

“I am most offended, Miss,” he said, laughing. “Here, I shall take this as my reward. Of course…”

He slipped two fingers under her chin and she had no choice but to look into his face.

“I would much rather take you to paradise.”

The first thing to grab her attentions were his eyes. They were of the same resplendent green as the stamp on Lord Finchley’s pamphlet and equally as unnerving. She found herself staring into them for far longer than was necessary and almost certainly appropriate. His hair was a bright white and shone in the sunlight, bringing to mind all manner of strange things, though she found herself thinking of the absurdly white rabbits the Finchley girls each insisted upon dressing up in ribbons and chasing around the house.

He noticed her blushing and laughed raucously, climbing to his feet and offering her a hand too. The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that the man Lord Finchley was so oddly besotted with and had captured his interests so completely with pamphlets about a world without pain was one with white hair and bright green eyes.

And for that reason alone she felt even more self conscious about staring at him.

“Thank you, sir,” she said, lowering herself into a curtsy. “Although, I...I should be going now. I’m going to be-”

At some point, though she could not gather when, he had slipped a piece of paper into her hand. A piece of paper that only confirmed her previous suspicions, for it was the same pamphlet she had discovered in Lord Finchley’s possession, only markedly more recent. Almost immediately, she looked up to ask something of the stranger, only to realise that she had missed her window of opportunity and he had already almost disappeared along the opposite street, with nothing more than the gleam of his bright hair to distinguish him at all.

For the first time, she thought she understood all of those instances that Lord Finchley had been unable to stay quiet about his looks. To say that he was unusual seemed too simple and Areum found herself suddenly curious about him. What was his name and where was he going? Was he married and of a good character? She watched his retreating back for several minutes and it was with a good deal of reluctance that she looked at Mrs Ridgebit’s watch.

As a maid, she was somewhat skilled at being seen only when she desired it. It was not difficult to follow the stranger to a shop of antiquities, her previous errand all but forgotten. She was not sure why she followed him. At first it was out of some strange and largely unwelcome desire to know his name, but later-after checking the pocket watch once and then twice and realising she was going to be late-it was the conviction that perhaps the young man might reveal something about Lord Finchley’s strange behaviour.

The antiques shop was closed for the day, though the stranger opened the front door without any effort at all and Areum lingered on a nearby corner for several minutes to wait and see what happened. Perhaps he meant to open up the store or had been on an errand of some sort, as she had. She stood there for quite some time, though, expecting him to come out with some object or another or to open up the doors to the public. He did not come out at all, though, and she knew from checking the time that five minutes had passed before she thought to check.

Oh, how she wished she had not followed him! She approached the shop and peered through the windows in search of any signs of movement, though found nothing in the end. It was as if the stranger had disappeared.

Areum considered that she still had time to go back to the house and apologise for her lateness. If she left at that very moment, she might even get the chance to think up a particularly good lie. The other girls were always complaining of long lines at the market and she had never once been dishonest. She considered it even as she reached for the door of the antiques shop and stepped inside, examining the curious items that littered every corner of the room: paintings and statues of long forgotten gods and music boxes and more. Areum might have spent hours in that room examining each single oddity were it not for the red velvet curtain that divided up the shop floor from the rest of the building.

She could hear voices behind it. More than one, discussing something in a conversational tone.

Areum pulled back the curtain, wondering if she would see the stranger on the other side…

...and behind her, the front door to the shop slammed shut.

She gasped, peering back to see what lay beyond the curtain, just in time for someone to hold a handkerchief over her face.

When Areum came to, she was sitting on a chair in a draughty room and someone held smelling salts to her nose.

“This isn’t why I became a doctor, you know,” someone said, moving the salts the moment she began to open her eyes. “She’s going to think I’m a common criminal!”

“She is a common criminal,” said someone else. “And you’re not a doctor yet.”

Someone bit into an apple.

“She’s pretty though,” they said with their mouth full.

Areum opened her eyes and took in her surroundings, as well as the people within it; all strangers to her, as it transpired. Immediately to her left, a golden haired gentleman placed the smelling salts back inside of what appeared to be a doctor’s bag, while on the right, an absurdly handsome white haired man in brightly coloured clothes carried on eating one of the apples from her basket. At the back of the room was a darker haired, stern looking man, who she guessed was the one to call her a common criminal.  

“I…” She said. “Who are you people? I have to-”

“Where is Luciel? I would have him take her to the station immediately.”

“Don’t be an ass, Jumin! We don’t know that she’s done anything wrong.”

“I agree with Zen! That seems excessive.”

The one named Zen finished off the apple he had been eating and tossed the core into the fire, before crossing the room to give her a bow, complete with many flourishes of the wrist. He was even more handsome up close and she wished that her head was not nearly so fuzzy so that she could admire him properly.

“My name is Zen,” he said. “Not my real name, mind! Barely anyone knows that!”

At the back of the room, Jumin guffawed. Zen largely ignored him, however.

“The arse over there is Jumin Han. He’s the fifth richest man in the country and owns half of Derbyshire..although I’m not sure which half. I’m sure it’s whichever half think it’s better than the other.”

Mr Han did not respond to that particular insult and Zen pointed to the doctor, who by then had finished packing away his medical supplies.

“Man with the chloroform is Yoosung Kim, which…” He frowned. “Why do you have that, anyway? You aren’t in class today.”

“Luciel said there were muggers on the streets!” Yoosung said, wide-eyed. “The last time I tried to learn self defense, my sister gave me a black eye.”

The prospect of getting mugged seemed to leave him shaken and he went back through his medical bag for the smelling salts.

“Tell me, then,” said Zen, leaning into Areum’s face and leaving her blanched from the sheer impropriety of it all. “What is your name?”

“I…” She said. “I….”

She did not answer, however, for at that moment two others entered the room. The first was a woman with light brown hair, who appeared to be in the process of noting something down in a small leather book. The other was a man with red hair, who pulled a pair of eyeglasses from his pocket the moment he stepped into the room.

“Fascinating,” he said, shoving Zen out of the way to kneel down in front of her. Meanwhile, the woman with the book walked over to show Mr Han whatever it was that she had written down.

“I checked our inventory,” she said. “Nothing is missing.”

“Hmmm,” said Mr Han. “Check it again.”

“All of it, sir?”

“All of it.”

She watched as the other woman left the room, defeated, only to gasp as the redhead kneeling before her took hold of her ankle.

“I-sir!” Areum cried out. “What are you doing?”

“That’s Luciel,” said Zen, almost sounding bored. “He’s a detective with Scotland Yard. They say he’s the best...if a bit odd.”

With a thoughtful expression, he rose to his feet and lifted her hand into his, turning it over and over in his grip. His hands were gentle and his face was familiar, even though she knew they had never met.

“Now, Luciel,” said Mr Han, “I want this woman arrested forthwith.”

“What?!” Areum gasped.

“You are a trespasser in my store,” he said. “I don't know what you intended, but-”

“I did not mean to trespass, sir! The door was open!”

Her comment caught the attentions of everyone in the room.

“Preposterous,” said Mr Han.

“Actually,” said Luciel, letting go of her hand, “I think she's telling the truth. I examined the front door with Miss Kang and we agreed that there was no sign of interference. From the looks of her I would add it's very unlikely she's a thief by profession.”

“I don't know,” said Zen. “She certainly stole my heart.”

Jumin sighed.

“From the look of her dress, she is a maid, but take note of the burns on her hands and the sheen of her shoes,” said the strange Luciel. “She is under the honest employ of a family in this area, I’d say, and most likely gained those injuries by arranging the hair of a lady, not by thievery.”

“Well then,” said Yoosung, as the woman-Miss Kang, presumably- returned. “So it's all a misunderstanding?”

“Not quite,” said Miss Kang. “What brings a lady’s maid here?”

“Oh, that's Miss Kang, Jumin’s valet,” said Zen.

“Valet?!” She said, wondering if it was proper to pass comment on the fact that a valet was almost always a man, and Miss Kang was a woman of apparently the same age as herself.

“She does raise a good point,” said Mr Han, ignoring the question. “We chose this store for the fact that no one came to visit and I doubt a lady would send one of her staff to choose an antique she had never seen.”

“I wasn't sent by anyone,” said Areum. “I was following-”

She stopped, realising that she probably should not admit to following strangers through the streets of London with a detective present. It was too late to retract it, however, so she recounted the strange behaviour of her master and the man she bumped into in the street.

“This man,” said Luciel, “did he have white hair and green eyes?”

“Yes,” said Areum. “Do you know him?”

Her answer sent a ripple throughout the room. Yoosung gasped, Zen and Miss Kang both groaned and Mr Han and Luciel sighed wholeheartedly.

“Perhaps we should explain what we do here,” said Luciel, taking a few steps towards the fireplace and peering around the enormous chair in front of it. “Perhaps you should explain this part, boss!”

Up until that point, she had not realised that, including herself, there was a seventh person in the room. The gentleman that rose out of the chair had previously been sitting so quietly and so still that she had not noticed him at all, which seemed something of an irony now that she looked upon him; he dressed as finely as Mr Han and his hair was a luminous shade, the likes of which she had never seen before.

“I am Jihyun Kim,” he said reaching a hand for her to shake, “and I apologise for this inconvenience.”

“Are you a detective?” Areum breathed, which brought a wide smile to his face.

“I…” He glanced across at Luciel. “Ah. I am not actually Luciel’s boss. I'm a photographer, actually, although slightly more importantly I am the leader of this group! A few years ago, my dearly departed and I gathered our connections to raise funds and better improve the lives of the impoverished and needy of this country.”

“That’s a noble calling,” said Areum.

“Indeed,” said Mr Kim. “We changed the lives of many, but I fear that we were never quite able to fulfill the vision my Rika had when first we started.”

“And now there’s that strange cult,” chipped in Luciel, which seemed bring a bitter taste to his mouth.

“That too.”

“For the past six months, I've been investigating a new religious order that's been gaining a surge in popularity in London’s elite,” said Luciel. “It's called Mint Eye and every story I've heard about it makes me like it even less, though I can't find a single shared detail in any of my open cases, with the exception of that white haired gentleman.”

“If he's snooping on our meetings, that must mean he's got ideas for us,” said Miss Kang.

“What if they're going to come for us next?” Yoosung cried out, burying his face in Miss Kang’s shoulder and earning a swift box to the ears in response.

Luciel sighed and took off his glasses in order to rub the bridge of his nose.

“I'll admit that... is a possibility.”

And in that moment, there was uproar. A hubbub of five different protests to the situation, which only petered down when Areum herself cried out.

“I have to leave! I need to be home for dinner tonight! That man with the white hair is going to meet with my master and the housekeeper is going to be so cross if I-”

“I am afraid that leaving is quite out of the question,” said Mr Han. “You may not have intended to rob me, but that does not mean that you are a person of moral character.”

“I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that he's right,” said Mr Kim. “If you are a spy, we cannot risk that you might pass on vital information about our group.”

She had gone from maid to thief to spy in the space of an hour and her head was still in a spin.

“I...I don't…”

“What do you suggest, Luciel? This is a rather unusual predicament,” said Mr Han.

Luciel considered his words and then nodded.

“I suggest we keep an eye on Miss…”

“Areum”

“…Miss Areum for now. We should not dismiss the facts that she has presented before us, nor that she may in fact be the person most in danger. As such, I suggest that she stays under the care of our group for the time being, with her comings and goings under constant surveillance.”

“But!” She spluttered, though nobody seemed to be listening.

“If it is to be surveillance, she is better off with you, Luciel, surely,” said Miss Kang, to which he shook his head.

“If Miss Areum truly is dishonest, we must give her every opportunity to expose herself,” he said.

“You just want to pull Mint Eye into the open!” Gasped Yoosung.

“That’s very true,” said Luciel. “Now then-”

He turned to Areum, grinning widely.

“Which of us will you be coming with?”

[tuvok42-blog]

Centennial Update, 2/15/17

Unsubscribe Forward icon Forward Centennial Update A Late Centennial Update, 15 February 2017 All, I'm afraid taxes have been getting the better of me these past two weeks. But, here I am at last with a boatload of news and such. So, on with the show. Sincerely, Andrea *~*~*~*~*~*~* Andrea Suhaka 303-770-0058 @standy *~*~*~*~*~*~* Feb. 17: Go Centennial Pilot Program Approaches Its End If you're in the Dry Creek Call 'n' Ride area, this will be your last chance. Go Centennial is a streamlined, innovative and tech-savvy approach for people to get to and from the Dry Creek Light Rail Station in Centennial. This 6-month pilot program combined a multi-modal trip-planning mobile app and a fully-subsidized ridesharing service, providing a solution to the first and last mile challenge of getting to or from transit. This pilot program tested an entirely new platform for seamless door-to-door transit planning that streamlined information across multiple transportation modes. Go Denver, the app used to book Go Centennial trips, is the first multi-modal app of its kind to feature in-app booking with Lyft. The Centennial Innovation Team (i-Team), funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, developed the Go Centennial pilot concept and led development of the implementation plan by securing private-public partnerships with Xerox, Lyft, Via Mobility and the Denver South Transportation Management Association. Go Centennial was also the first public-private partnership in the nation to fully subsidize Lyft Line rides for transit commuters, and offer multiple ways to book and pay. Through this first-of-its-kind pilot, Centennial has been seen as one of the most innovative cities in the country. In 4 1/2 months, more than 900 rides have been provided to more than 100 Centennial residents, employees and visitors. Upon completion, the City will be developing a final report for the program which is anticipated to be available in April. “This pilot program allowed Centennial to be a model of innovation. Overall I consider the program a success and hope others continue to seek solutions to the first and last mile challenge and helping people get from point A to B easily, when using transit,” says Centennial Mayor Cathy Noon. Andrea: I certainly took advantage of it for 11 trips to and from the light rail. ******************************************** Feb. 23: The Road Ahead 2017, Mobility-on-Demand Transportation Solutions, a Denver TMA (Transportation Management Assoc.) and regional partner of Denver South, will be hosting its 13th annual seminar, the Road Ahead, on Feb 23 at the University of Denver. This year's event will explore how on-demand mobility is poised to revolutionize the transportation landscape. The Keynote Panel includes Emily Castor, Director of Transportation Policy, Lyft; Matthew George, CEO, BRIDJ, and Driverless Car Revolution author, Rutt Bridges. In addition, the event will feature a local panel of experts including Councilwoman Mary Beth Susman; RTD General Manager, Dave Genova; Denver's Director of Transportation & Mobility, Crissy Fanganello; and Cherry Creek Shopping Center General Manager, Nick LeMasters. Register today to secure your spot. About the Event What: The Road Ahead 2017:Mobility on-demand. An annual seminar featuring keynote panel presentations, and a panel of local experts, to explore how the proliferation of mobile technology has awakened interest in deman-responsive transportation alternative. Who: Over 300 attendees including: local & regional officials; state & federal government representatives; and public & private sector participants, including developers & business leaders. When: Thurs., Feb. 23, 8-11:15am (Buffet breakfast at 7:30am) Where: Univ. of Denver, Driscoll Ballroom, 2000 E Asbury Ave, Denver, 80210 ******************************************** I'm not sure how many of you know... Feb. 24: Opening of the R Light Rail Line The is the light rail that will run from Lincoln Ave. to Peoria and I-70. I think it will be taking over the the name of the H line. R is for Aurora. (huh?) I'm not sure on which date they will discontinue to the bus to DIA. You're expected to take the R Line to the pick up the A Line and continue to the airport. ******************************************** March 3: Arc of Arapahoe & Douglas Annual Meeting, 5:45-9pm, Lone Tree Golf Club & Hotel, 9808 Sunningdale Blvd., Lone Tree, 80124. RSVP required for dinner to Pam or 303-220-9228. Click here for event details. ******************************************** March 7: Application deadline for Centennial Youth Achievement Awards If you know a Centennial high school student who makes a positive contribution or has made a significant impact to the community, the Centennial Youth Commission would like to acknowledge them. This year, 6 high school students will be recognized for demonstrating exceptional leadership with a $500 award contributed by SAFEbuilt Colorado and the Centennial Youth Commission. To enter the Youth Achievement Award program, the following requirements must be met: 1. The applicant’s legal residence is located in the City of Centennial at the time of application and at the time of presentation of award. 2. The applicant must be a high school student. 3. The applicant has made a significant impact on or contribution to the City of Centennial and/or its residents. 4. The applicant’s qualifying project or qualifying actions identified in the application were conducted within 24 months prior to the date that the application is received. 5. The City of Centennial must receive all required application materials including adult recommendations by 5 pm on Tues., March 7, 2017. To complete the application, the applicant should: 1. Completely answer each page of the application and submit to the Centennial Youth Commission by March 7, 2017. 2. Write an essay of no more than 500 words describing, in detail, the positive impact that was made to the community. 3. Provide a letter of recommendation from an adult (non-relative) who can speak to the student’s character and community involvement. The recommendation letter must be included with the application prior to the March 7 deadline. 2017 Youth Achievement Award Application (PDF) ******************************************** March 9, Storm Spotters Training, Cherry Creek Schools Instructional Support Facility, 5416 S Riviera Wy, doors open at 6pm. Free ArapCo Amateur Radio Emergency Service presents Scott Entrekin, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service Denver/Boulder Whether you want to be a certified Spotter or just have an interest Colorado weather, please, join us. For more information email. Andrea: I've attended this training twice and enjoyed every minute of it! ******************************************** March 11 or 12: Urban Farming Course, ArapCo CSU-Extension, 6934 S. Lima St., #B, Centennial 80112; cost $125 includes lunch & Program materials Arapahoe County (ArapCo) CSU-Extension offering urban farming course Urban farming continues to increase in popularity in and around Arapahoe County with more residents growing crops and produce in their backyards. Many dream of starting an urban farm business, which requires an understanding of trends, resources and risks. Arapahoe County CSU-Extension and Guidestone Colorado, in partnership with the Colorado Building Farmers Program are offering a vision course for aspiring urban farmers. The two day course will include information on current trends, resources, case studies of successful urban farms and provide the framework for participants to begin strategic business planning. Attendees will learn tips and strategies to start or grow an urban farm. Current urban agriculture research in Colorado will be shared, along with true stories from experienced farmers. Sunday also will include a tour of Colorado Aquaponics Dahlia Greenhouse. For more information and to RSVP, contact Danielle Ardrey or call 303-738-7977. Learn more about Arapahoe County CSU-Extension. ******************************************** March 18: Children's Advisory Network Event, Hosted by the Douglas County Parenting Coalition, Douglas County Fairgrounds, Castle Rock, 11am-2pm Popcorn! Prizes! Games! Entertainment! Most importantly, kids will receive free vision, hearing, motor, & speech testing. While kids are playing games, eating carnival food, winning prizes, and having fun grownups will actually be checking out vision, hearing, speech and more. Families will have access to hundreds of dollars worth of free diagnostic services. ******************************************** March 22: Speak Up for Kids Day, 8am-4pm, Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1370 Grant St., Denver. Presented by Colorado Children’s Campaign, Clayton Early Learning and Children’s Hospital Colorado, Speak Up for Kids brings together child advocates from across Colorado to learn about effective advocacy and policy issues facing the Colorado legislature and to put their skills into action by speaking up with legislators at the Colorado State Capitol. Since its inception in 2012, Speak Up for Kids has trained nearly 500 people who care about Colorado kids to make their voices heard on important policy issues that affect kids and families. ******************************************** March 23: District 2 meeting at Koelbel Library, in The Forum, 6:30-8:30pm (I think). I'm not completely sure of the program but everyone is invited. ******************************************** Consumer Advisory Warning, Online Daters - Your Sweetheart Could be a Fake When it comes to matters of the heart, the ability to spot deception in a potential mate is critical, especially when searching for a love interest online. Launched in 1995, internet dating sites have become an acceptable means of bringing together like-minded partners, and participation is rapidly growing among older adults. While it’s true that ‘virtual’ encounters have resulted in many successful match-ups, charlatans are known to troll online dating sites in the interest of luring unsuspecting victims into handing over cash. The following are popular “come-ons” and other red herrings to be on the look-out for to help ‘flush out” an imposter: ♦ A “suitor” who professes to be a soul-mate after only a very brief courtship, and enchants the victim with affirmations of love, yet makes excuses as to why he/she can’t meet. To disguise their identity, charlatans often insist on conversing online, instead of through video chat or phone; ♦ Writing and grammar of the “suitor” is well below the standards of his/her self-proclaimed occupation and education level; ♦ After several months of courting, “suitor” may share an emotional hardship story, then unexpectedly ask victim for a large sum of cash. Or, victim may be asked to open an on-line bank account in his/her name so that money for their long-awaited “union” can be safely deposited. In truth, the money may be ‘hot” or stolen, and could implicate the victim in a money-laundering scheme. ♦ Having successfully gained the victim’s love and trust, charlatan may sweet-talk victim into sharing sexually explicit photos, then turn around and extort the victim for money by threatening to post the photos online. If these very nasty ploys sound like scripts, they most likely are, and are shared by crooks linked to various criminal networks operating outside of the United States. Prevention: ♦ Use only paid, membership-based dating sites. Fraudsters aren’t inclined to “pay to play”, and unfortunately they don’t need to, since many online dating sites provide the service for free. ♦ Check the safety policies on the site. Are background checks conducted on all users? ♦ Stick to active users within your local area. If the relationship heats up, you have a greater chance of meeting face to face. Also, consider doing your own research by entering the name through a search engine to see what pops up. ♦ If you suspect you’ve been taken in a scam through on an online dating site, report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. For more information on the psychology behind dating site scams, visit the Colorado Attorney General. This advisory comes from the 18th Judicial District. Protection Line-720-874-8547 ******************************************** April 5: Online Virtual Career Fair for Transportation Professionals 9am-3pm MST. Please go here for more information. ******************************************** Via Twitter, @NextAvenue: Tax Advice for Disorganized Taxpayers ******************************************** Arapahoe Reconstruction Report - February 2017 Arapahoe/I-25 Project The I-25 and Arapahoe Road Interchange Reconstruction project team made substantial progress in 2016. Some of these major accomplishments include: completed two out of three phases of I-25 bridge construction, removed the old I-25 bridge crossing Arapahoe Road, completed multiple utility relocations, conducted retaining wall work and improved access to businesses in the northeast quadrant by opening the new South Alton Way. While the project team has made significant progress to date, a substantial amount of construction remains, especially on Arapahoe Road. The rate of progress over the next couple of months is dependent on weather and the unpredictable amount of snowfall in early spring. Remaining key elements of construction: • Various activities related to the final phase of the I-25 bridge • Noise wall construction along Arapahoe Rd and Yosemite St • Retaining wall work on the south side of Arapahoe Rd • Various utility relocations • Constructing the new eastbound (EB) Arapahoe Rd lanes and shifting traffic to the new alignment • Various I-25 ramp closures for new pavement construction • Bridge aesthetics including monument and terrace wall installation • Shifting SB I-25 traffic onto the new bridge • Building permanent I-25 median barrier • Final top coating of asphalt on I-25 • Final landscaping • Permanent lighting and traffic signals Project completion date anticipated summer 2018. We encourage you to watch for regular construction update emails for the most up-to-date information. If you haven't already, please sign up by emailing. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* I-25 Final Bridge Pier Cap and Girder Set Complete The weekend of Jan. 20, the I-25 & Arapahoe Reconstruction project team set the final bridge pier cap (seen above) and girders for the I-25 bridge crossing Arapahoe Rd. Pier caps are usually poured onsite before the girders are set. For this project, however, the pier caps were actually transferred from a pre-cast facility and then placed. During 3 phases of bridge construction, a total of 74 girders (structural beams that support the bridge deck) were set. ******************************************** Just in case we have some Apple Watch wearers out there Via Twitter, @chartier: One of my recent favorite Apple Watch uses: toggling client work timers with Hours. More here. ******************************************** Via Twitter, @aplaceformom: What to Do With Your Parent's Pet ******************************************** Uber hires NASA aircraft engineer to help develop flying cars at Uber Elevate Uber is making moves to expand the scope of its flying car experiment - the company just hired NASA engineer Mark Moore, who worked at the federal agency as an advanced aircraft engineer and basically kickstarted the current interest in vertical take-off and landing craft for short-haul urban flight with a 2010 paper on the feasibility of the helicopter-like vehicles. Moore will act as Director of Engineering at UberElevate, which is what the ride-hailing company calls its exploration of airborne on-demand drives. Hiring Moore on came after the NASA veteran consulted on Uber's recent white paper on VTOL craft, according to Bloomberg. The engineer was impressed by Uber's work on the subject, and saw a chance to make the vision he'd originally articulated years ago into something real, in a reasonable time scale. Moore said that key to his decision to join Uber was that the company seemed to have a practical business case for making a flying commuter transit service real - and nothing would ever get done without market motivation behind the vision. Uber has articulated its vision for "on-demand aviation" as networks of small vehicles that can take off and land vertically, are powered by electric sources, and have ranges of between 50 and 100 miles on a single charge. The ultimate goal is to have these operate autonomously, summoned via an app on a passenger's phone, but in the near-term Moore tells Bloomberg that we'll probably see a bunch of competing designs hit the field that operate well but with human pilots for now. VTOL are a pursuit of other companies, too, including two startup funded by Google's Larry Page, and commercial aviation giant Airbus, which is exploring similar territory to Uber with its own Vahana project. The appeal of the service is not only the ability to ease congestion and bypass ground traffic, but also to eventually achieve cost efficiencies that could make VTOL taxis more profitable over the long-term. Uber's Elevate is far from offering us actual on-demand airborne taxis service, but Uber is serious about pursuing the tech, and will look to host a summit of those interested in the field to help coordinate efforts to achieve practical VTOL transit sometime early this year. Uber Head of Product for Advanced Programs Nikhil Goel provided the following comment to TechCrunch regarding Moore's hiring: "Uber continues to see its role as a catalyst to the growing developing VTOL ecosystem. We're excited to have Mark join us to work with companies and stakeholders as we continue to explore the use case described in our white paper." Posted on 2/6/17 to TechCrunch by Darrell Etherington ******************************************** Gone in a Moment On those dark, chilly mornings that greet you during winter, there’s nothing nicer than stepping into a warm vehicle. Unless, of course, if that vehicle’s gone missing. Colorado’s Unattended Vehicle Law (C.R.S. 42-4-1206, page 45) strives to keep owners' vehicles from the hands of opportunistic thieves by making it illegal to leave a vehicle running with the keys in it. You may know it as the "Puffer Law." Those who have a car with a remote ignition switch are allowed to warm their car, provided the driver keeps the keyless start fob far enough away from the car that it cannot be moved. While the state law classifies a puffer car as a Class B traffic misdemeanor for the person who left the vehicle “to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key from the ignition and effectively setting the brake thereon” (CDOT), local law enforcement varies in how it carries out the law. Your best bet is to get familiar with your local city ordinances and state laws--and to not leave your car running unattended. In late January, three puffer cars in Lakewood were stolen in one morning. In early December, three were stolen overnight in Aurora. Four were also stolen in a three-day period in Denver. ******************************************** Centennial Establishes FiberWorks and Fiber Commission The implementation of the City of Centennial's Fiber Master Plan is underway. As the City constructs its fiber backbone and continues to develop partnership opportunities, City Council has created a Fiber Commission to oversee Centennial FiberWorks, a program to implement the City’s fiber backbone. This backbone will connect and complete the City’s underground infrastructure, connecting to key City sites and other community anchor institutions. This backbone will enable both existing and new broadband providers to tie into the new infrastructure with the goal of providing better and more competitive choices and services for consumers. Centennial FiberWorks and the Fiber Commission will continue efficient and cost-effective planning, construction, operation and management of the City's fiber optic infrastructure. FiberWorks is formed as an operational department of the City and serves as a publicly-owned business operation. The continuing construction, use, maintenance, and extension of the City’s fiber optic infrastructure falls under the purview of FiberWorks. The Commission provides policy direction, management and day-to-day oversight of FiberWorks. Users of FiberWorks will be both public and private entities with expectations for quick turnarounds on key issues involving engineering, planning, and potential partnerships. As contemplated, FiberWorks will be a function that differs from typical City operations in that it requires high levels of expertise and knowledge of the current and evolving telecommunications landscape. This five-person Fiber Commission includes three City Council Members; Mayor Pro Tem and Fiber Commission Chair C.J. Whelan, District 4 Council Member and Fiber Commission Vice-Chair Stephanie Piko and District 3 Council Member Ken Lucas. Two Centennial residents will be appointed by the Commission in the next eight months. Council Members are selected by fellow Council Members to serve on the Commission. “Since 2014, the three of us have served on the City’s Fiber Subcommittee to provide policy direction on next steps for constructing the City’s fiber backbone. The creation of this Fiber Commission allows continuity of knowledge already in place. It is the best outcome to balance the desires of City Council oversight while maintaining the technical knowledge of this group,” says Fiber Commission Chair Charles “C.J.” Whelan, Vice-Chair Stephanie Piko and Council Member Ken Lucas, in a joint statement. “We look forward to being a part of improving technological efficiency and sustainability throughout the City, enhancing opportunities for current and future businesses.“ ******************************************** Scam Alert! Recently, ACSO (ArapCo Sheriff's Office) has received reports of a phone scam that has been making the rounds again. In each instance, the suspect identifies himself as Sgt. Brown with ACSO and tells the victim there is a warrant for his or her arrest, usually because of missing jury duty or court. He may even give bogus citation or case numbers. He then demands the victim stay on the phone and not tell anyone about the warrants, and asks for payment via pre-paid gift cards. After the payment is given by phone, he requests that they meet him at ACSO's headquarters. A similar scam was circulating in Dec. A suspect would call, saying they were in an accident with the victim's loved one and they would hold them until they received money. For more information on this scam. If you have received one of these calls or think you may have been the victim of a scam, please call us at (303) 795-4711. ******************************************** There's still some winter left in the season Via Twitter, @ArapahoeSO: Winter Driving Tips: Plan, Protect & Prevent. Details in our newsletter. ******************************************** Job seekers see higher earnings after using Arapahoe/Douglas Works! People using the Workforce Center in their job search earned an average $15,800 more per year than those who did not.… Read on ******************************************** Road Usage Charge Pilot Program Welcome to ‘What’s up with RUCPP’ – a monthly newsletter series to keep you in the loop about the Colorado Road Usage Charge Pilot Program, or Colorado RUCPP for short. How did we get here? Whether on your daily commute or quick trip to the grocery store, safe and reliable roads are an essential part of our lives. Coloradans fund maintenance and improvements of our roads through a per-gallon gas tax at the pump. Next time you fill up at the pump, consider this: $1 in 2016 is worth approx. 56.5% less than it was in 1991 – the last time Colorado raised the gas tax rate. What else do you remember about 1991? The outdated gas tax and the rise of fuel efficient vehicles leave us with an estimated shortfall of $25B over the next 25 years! That's why we're exploring options like a road usage charge to fund future road maintenance and improvements. Where did we start? With a study! CDOT launched the Colorado RUCPP in Dec 2016 with, 103 drivers, from nearly 30 different counties—representing drivers from all parts of the state. Each participant chose one of 3 mileage reporting options: • Odometer reading • Non-GPS enabled • GPS enabled What happens next? Their participation will help CDOT evaluate exactly how a road usage charge program would work for passenger vehicles in Colorado. When the program ends in April 2017, we will summarize our findings and recommendations in a report we'll share with you later this summer. How can you get involved? Stay tuned for more information about Colorado's road funding and the Colorado RUCPP throughout the course of the 4-month pilot! Want more information about the Colorado RUCPP? Check out RUCPP for details. Follow us on Facebook for more updates on road funding. ******************************************** Colorado Department of Transportation C-470 Express Lanes Update What: Centennial Trail Relocation When: Starting end of February 2017 Where: Centennial Trail, various locations between Lucent & Quebec Details: Segments of the Centennial Trail will be relocating adjacent to the original trail due to C-470 Express Lanes project construction. The trail will remain open with detour signage and flaggers to direct when necessary. We appreciate your caution and patience during this time. Safety Reminder: CDOT would like to remind C-470 motorists of Colorado’s Move-It Law, a joint effort between CDOT & law enforcement agencies to encourage motorists to follow a state law requiring drivers involved in minor accidents on Interstates to move their vehicle immediately out of traffic to a safe location. The insurance industry also encourages compliance with the Move It law, reassuring drivers there will still be a full investigation of the crash to determine fault. “Many people are apprehensive about moving their vehicle after an accident, worried they’re jeopardizing their insurance coverage,” says Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association. “However, when it comes to safety, the industry fully supports taking actions that reduces potential hazards to drivers, first and foremost.” Construction activities are weather dependent and schedule is subject to change. For current road and weather conditions call 5-1-1 or visit cotrip. Find a smarter commute. Visit here. ******************************************** Changes to Parking Regulations for Commercial Vehicles City Council recently approved making changes to parking regulations for commercial vehicles. The changes are a result of multiple complaints about commercial vehicles parking on private residential property and on public streets overnight, including an instance where a commercial business was operating entirely within the public right-of-way with no other physical presence within Centennial. New regulations include: • Restricting commercial vehicle parking on public streets from 9pm until 4am in non-residential neighborhoods but providing an exception up to a 24 hours if the vehicle is temporarily disabled. Overnight parking of a commercial vehicle on a residential street remains prohibited between 7pm and 7am • Prohibiting the loading or unloading of car carrier trailers on public streets in Centennial with the exception of local or collector roadways within an area bounded by Dayton St on the west, Revere Pky on the east, Costilla Ave & Briarwood Ave on the south, and Peakview Ave & Racine Cir on the north. This is intended to limit the loading and unloading of car carrier trailers to a small geographic area in close proximity to the existing auto dealerships within the City. • Continuing the City's parking prohibition of certain commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods, generally those vehicles that weigh over 10,000 lbs. and tow trucks, except when parked in a fully enclosed structure, or a garage. Please note: In most cases, work vehicles that are driven home from a place of employment to a residence are not subject to the new regulations. It is not Council's intent to regulate those types of vehicles, nor was it their intent to go after home-based businesses who use their personal vehicle for business purposes, such as a Mary Kay distributor. ******************************************** Arapahoe County 4-H still accepting new members for program year There is still time to join Arapahoe County 4-H and participate in the 2017 Arapahoe County Fair. Youth ages 5 to 18 are invited to enroll by April 1 to enter a project like cooking, photography, cats or dogs into the County Fair July 27-30. The program offers more than 60 general, home economics and animal project areas for youth ages 5 to 18. A project involves learning a new skill over several weeks or months through hands-on learning. Some of the County’s most popular projects are shooting sports, cake decorating, clothing construction, rabbits and dogs. Llamas and alpacas are a new animal project this year. Small animals including poultry can be raised in most cities and give 4-H youth who live in urban settings the opportunity to learn about raising animals. Cats are another new animal project and the cat project caps off with a Cat Show at the County Fairgrounds July 22. 4-H also offers numerous STEM projects, such as robotics and rocketry. Children under the age of 8 participate in the Cloverbud project, where they learn about a variety of topics and have fun in a noncompetitive setting. Arapahoe County 4-H members are invited to show their completed projects at the Arapahoe County Fair each July and top exhibitors have the opportunity to show at the Colorado State Fair. The County also hosts optional contests throughout the year, such as cake decorating, speech demonstrations, creative cooks and a talent show. 4-H youth also participate in community service projects, fundraisers, conferences and camps that help to grow their leadership skills. Currently, there are more than 300 members in Arapahoe County’s 4-H program. Youth are welcome to join one of the 14 local clubs from Littleton to Deer Trail, or start a new club with a group of friends and an adult volunteer. Clubs fill up fast and may not be accepting members close to the April deadline.
For more information or to receive a list of current 4-H clubs, please call the 4-H Office at Arapahoe County CSU-Extension at 303-730-1920 or visit here. The annual fee for new members is $50, which includes any number of projects with curriculum. The fee for Cloverbuds is $40 and the volunteer fee is $5. Enrollment is open until April 1, 2017. ******************************************** OK, I'm stopping. There's more news that I've left out! I'm sorry I can't figure out how to make the links. Andrea (standy@ecentral.com 6864 S Ulster Cir Centennial CO 80112

[biofunmy]

Where the Nurse Prescribes Heroin

LONDON — Homeless drug users in Scotland will be allowed to inject pharmaceutical-grade heroin twice a day under the supervision of medical officials as part of a new program intended to reduce drug deaths and H.I.V. infection.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, a $1.5 million facility in Glasgow that opened on Tuesday will allow a handful of drug users to receive doses of the drug alongside other treatment for their physical and psychological health, according to Glasgow City Council.

The pilot project, known as heroin-assisted treatment, is the first such licensed operation in Scotland, a country that has been called the “drug death capital of the world.” It has struggled to cope with high rates of fatal drug overdoses and its worst H.I.V. outbreak in decades.

The program will target those with the “most severe, longstanding and complex addiction issues,” the City Council said.

It aims to reduce the risk of overdoses and the spread of viruses such as H.I.V. by prescribing diamorphine — the clinical name for pharmaceutical-grade heroin — for patients to inject in a secure clinical room under the supervision of trained medics.

The clinic opened in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, after Britain’s Home Office granted it a license, and follows a similar initiative that began in Middlesbrough, England, last month.

Up to 20 patients are expected to take part in the first year of Glasgow’s program, with the number set to double in the second year.

“Heroin-assisted treatment is a much more clinical service aimed at getting people stable,” Andrew McAuley, a senior research fellow on substance use at Glasgow Caledonian University, said in an interview on Wednesday. “The program is a significant step forward, albeit for a very small number of people.”

The program, called the Enhanced Drug Treatment Service, is intended for those who have exhausted other treatment options such as residential rehabilitation, methadone and community addiction services. It is available only to drug users already involved with the city’s team fighting addiction among homeless people.

The program is not intended to be long-term, with research suggesting that clinical benefits can be seen after six weeks of treatment.

It requires patients to visit the city clinic twice a day, seven days a week, a demand that may be too much for those not used to such a routine, Mr. McAuley said.

“It’s a large commitment,” he said.

Glasgow has ambitious plans to support its residents with drug-addiction issues, but Scottish officials say it has been hindered by Britain’s 1971 drug law.

Glasgow officials have pushed for years to establish consumption spaces in the city where drug users could inject their own drugs in a safe, clean environment, but their efforts have been rebuffed by the British government.

Britain’s Misuse of Drugs Act, the 1971 law, stipulates that anyone “concerned in the management of any premises” or any occupier who knowingly allows drugs to be prepared there can face prosecution.

“It is still illegal to have safe consumption sites, which puts us out of sync with most Western countries,” said Mr. McAuley, whose research group will evaluate the Glasgow program. “Glasgow is arguably the most compelling case for a drug consumption site.”

Austin Smith, a policy officer at Scottish Drugs Forum, a national resource of expertise on drug use issues, said, “This part of the law was to stop people opening up opium dens and was never intended to stop safe services, but that is what it does.”

More than 100 supervised consumption services have been established in countries like Australia, Canada, France, Switzerland and Germany, according to the Drug Policy Alliance, a New York-based organization that campaigns to end America’s “war on drugs.”

A report on Scotland’s drug problem that was released this month by the British Parliament’s Scottish Affairs Committee endorsed the treatment method.

“Safe drug-consumption facilities are proven to reduce the number of drug-related deaths and can act as a gateway to further treatment,” said Pete Wishart, the committee’s chairman. “Every drug death is preventable, and these centers could play a vital role in addressing Scotland’s drug crisis.”

Scotland’s drug problem has worsened in recent years, and official statistics indicate that drug-related deaths there are at a record high. Fatal drug overdoses have been highest among older users.

The number of deaths directly caused by drugs has risen in Scotland almost year on year since records began in the mid-1990s. And the number has climbed drastically: to 1,187 drug-related deaths last year from 244 in 1996, according to the National Records of Scotland.

Scotland’s drug death rate is nearly three times that of Britain as a whole and is the highest in the European Union.

By some measures, Scotland has even surpassed — by a small margin — the United States’ rate of 217 drug-related deaths per million of the population.

The number of homeless drug users with H.I.V. in Glasgow also increased in recent years, which one study attributed to the sharing of needles and other equipment. City health workers say the outbreak has still not been contained.

“This challenging social issue demands innovative treatments,” the chairwoman of Glasgow’s Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Susanne Millar, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“People might question why health services are spending money providing heroin for people with addictions,” she said. “The answer is we can’t afford not to.”

Sahred From Source link Science

from WordPress http://bit.ly/37KWphu via IFTTT

[dine-on-nervine]

1. Would you have sex with the last person you text messaged? I have had sex with the last person I messaged.

2. You talked to an ex today, correct? Nope.

3. Have you taken someones virginity? This has happened twice.

4. Is trust a big issue for you? Without it, what do you have?

5. Did you hang out with the person you like recently? It’s bveen a week as of yesterday since I’ve seen her.

6. What are you excited for? Seeing her and my folks (together!) in two weeks.

7. What happened tonight? Tonight is still several hours away so I don’t have an answer.

8. Do you think it’s disgusting when girls get really wasted? I think it’s disgusting when anyone gets really wasted.

9. Is confidence cute? Hella.

10. What is the last beverage you had? Icewater.

11. How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust? One for sure, several gets a “mostly”.

12. Do you own a pair of skinny jeans? Nooo, straight male here.

13. What are you gonna do Saturday night? Yesterday was Saturday and I did nothing at all.

14. What are you going to spend money on next? Gas up the car for the week.

15. Are you going out with the last person you kissed? Yes, yes I am, thank you for asking, I most certainly am.

16. Do you think you’ll change in the next 3 months? What defects or deficiencies do you see you want me to address?

17. Who do you feel most comfortable talking to about anything? Wayne.

18. The last time you felt broken? Hmm, it’s been awhile, so let’s say last year.

19. Have you had sex today? Only with myself.

20. Are you starting to realize anything? This survey was a straight list of 92 questions, and I have had to highlight, bold, and enter on everything. That takes a lot of work.

21. Are you in a good mood? I am. I haven’t had to face customers yet.

22. Would you ever want to swim with sharks? As a resident of the top of the food chain, I don’t see why I’d want to.

23. Are your eyes the same color as your dad’s? Nope, he’s got blue eyes. Also, adopted.

24. What do you want right this second? Not sure I want anything at this moment but more time.

25. What would you say if the person you love/like kissed another girl/boy? Honestly depends upon who it is. Context matters.

26. Is your current hair color your natural hair color? Yes.

27. Would you be able to date someone who doesn’t make you laugh? It’d never get that far.

28. What was the last thing that made you laugh? http://www.blacktwittercomedy.com/post/175671888939

29. Do you really, truly miss someone right now? Really and for true.

30. Does everyone deserve a second chance? Some things are too egregious.

31. Honestly, do you hate the last boy you were talking to? I think I said hello to the guy in the next room, so ... not hate but really have no liking for. I was awaken this morning by several minutes of retching in the bathroom by his sorry ass. The fuck did he eat, Friday’s pizza which is still on top of the stove on Sunday?

32. Does the person you have feelings for right now, know you do? She’s been apprised of the situation and reacts accordingly.

33. Are you one of those people who never drinks soda? I wish I were. But I’m one of those people who loves sugar and caffiene.

34. Listening to? No music right now, just the usual chip fans (not really hearing the tinnitus right now) and the bike bell when I get a new text.

35. Do you ever write in pencil anymore? Whenever the thing I want to write may require correction.

36. Do you know where the last person you kissed is? She’s texted a minute ago so it appears to be at home (or for a couple more hours) doing some reading/research/Tumblring.

37. Do you believe in love at first sight? This happens.

38. Who did you last call? Days ago called Cara to leave a message with some information.

39. Who was the last person you danced with? Geez, that was a couple years ago... AnnaMae at a casino.

40. Why did you kiss the last person you kissed? Because she’s magically delicious and I had to leave her shack.

41. When was the last time you ate a cupcake? Some time in the last week someone brought a tray.

42. Did you hug/kiss one of your parents today? They live 4.5 hours away so no. Gimme a crack at it on the 19th.

43. Ever embarrass yourself in front of a crush? This is more the rule than the exception.

44. Do you tan in the nude? I do though I haven’t purposely tanned in years.

45. If you could, would you take back your last kiss? No, I’d multiply it.

46. Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night? Other than myself, no. I did send a lengthy text (basically a book review) right before I went to sleep so that might in a way qualify.

47. Who was the last person to call you? Cara. Was hoping it’d be work to ask me in this morning but...

48. Do you sing in the shower? I really try not to.

49. Do you dance in the car? When the groove hits me. But I mostly play classical in the car, so I might be playing air-piano/harpsichord or air-violin.

50. Ever used a bow and arrow? Yes, archery is cool. My aim isn’t too bad.

51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? Gee wow, the 1990s.

52. Do you think musicals are cheesy? By and large.

53. Is Christmas stressful? By and large.

54. Ever eat a pierogi? Yes, I am sure I have. And peroshkis too.

55. Favorite type of fruit pie? Cherry.

56. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? Bra fitter for a midrange department store.

57. Do you believe in ghosts? Spirits exist but they do not wear sheets.

58. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Frequently.

59. Take a vitamin daily? Nope.

60. Wear slippers? Nope.

61. Wear a bath robe? Nope. I own one but haven’t put it on in years.

62. What do you wear to bed? Not a stitch.

63. First concert? Freedom Jam

64. Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? Target. Fewer freaks in front of and behind the register.

65. Nike or Adidas? They’re shoes.

66. Cheetos Or Fritos? Fritos since I don’t eat Cheetos.

67. Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? Peanuts. Sunflower seeds give me flashbacks from summer camp.

68. Favorite Taylor Swift song? There’s more than one, when it comes right down to it?

69. Ever take dance lessons? Nope.

70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? Pharmacy tech. Pill pusher.

71. Can you curl your tongue? Yes, I can.

72. Ever won a spelling bee? Yes, I have.

73. Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Once. Because I was getting out of a situation that made me suicidal.

74. What is your favorite book? I don’t have one.

75. Do you study better with or without music? With, and it has to be something that can fade to the background like classical or Muzak.

76. Regularly burn incense? Yeah.

77. Ever been in love? Boy howdy, have I!

78. Who would you like to see in concert? Depeche Mode for my 5th time. Just not playing ‘Spirit’.

79. What was the last concert you saw? Not sure if it was Depeche Mode or Blue Man Group.

80. Hot tea or cold tea? Good either way. Need some hot Scottish breakfast right now.

81. Tea or coffee? Tea.

82. Favorite type of cookie? Chocolate chip, peanut butter, toffee, but I will eat pretty much anything.

83. Can you swim well? I swim pretty okay, just out of practice.

84. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? Yes.

85. Are you patient? I try to be.

86. DJ or band, at a wedding? DJ so the music will be worthwhile.

87. Ever won a contest? Just did that the other day.

88. Ever have plastic surgery? Nah, I’m staying my natural imperfect self.

89. Which are better black or green olives? Depends upon what you’re doing with them. I prefer green olives.

90. Opinions on sex before marriage? Right before the ceremony could be fun. Oh wait. Yes, please, you shouldn’t buy the loaf before you’ve tasted the slices.

91. Best room for a fireplace? One where you can have a chimney. Livingroom is great, and I’ve seen houses with them in the bedrooms but that’s pretty posh.

92. Do you want to get married Eventually maybe.

Why’d you stop short of 100?

[michaelapeace-blog]

How you can Make Meaningful Wedding celebration Wishes

There is actually the main thing that females unintentionally perform when they reside in that informal outdating stage that triggers this WITHDRAWAL FEEDBACK inside of a guy. It is actually an evident simple fact that when our experts slept last night we were no longer conscious of the affairs in our surroundings and that suggests that whenever death comes taking at the door, no Jupiter in the world can easily quit that off doing its own work and that is the reason our company need to all of do our greatest to guarantee that our team make very a significant effect in the lives from whoever comes our way and also, no doubt, is the spirit of human quiet co-existence. Funny quotes are actually great for utilizing as the laugh line of a joke, however they are actually also capable to lighten your day as you deal with the truth or even incongruity of just what was actually mentioned. The adage behind the creation of these life quotes is actually to stimulate and also influence mankind on the pathway of excellence. Today, there many resources on the web permitting you making your gift even more useful and also momentous by offering you with assortment from christmas introductions sayings that can be included in addition to your presents. You would certainly be actually much much better off using your social networking sites existence to assist your social network attempts, where you could form purposeful link with a smaller sized group from targeted individuals. Short operations could seem like the type of trait males would be into as well as girls will just accept. Certainly, this assumes that joy and happiness is actually in some way totally associated with making one's life purposeful. Significant Elegance's 30-day promotional promotion is actually $29.99 with a refund promise. There are actually pair of principal elements of meaningful communication: the stage and communication. Yet the fact is, if you would like to have relevant relationships, you've reached want to permit go from your program and truly focus in on one more. When pair of folks fall for one another they experience one of the most stunning feeling in the world. What is actually certainly not relevant use digital case history maintaining are actually the disputes, alarms, and also finger pointing at those proposing the upcoming legislation. Purposeful marketing links brands with a beneficial goal to boost the quality of life. You should know, however, that regardless of whether you find especially good funny quotes to contribute to your pep talk, a lot of your viewers members are going to just certainly not identify the quote as amusing. In order to keep customers as well as develop a sustainable business, you should keep in touch with people in a purposeful means. Include new, free of cost web information to your internet site such as latest write-ups, internet resources, and also prices quote with a single item from code! The everyday usages of words in our typical vernacular are actually flags, signals or indicators from our overall mood. Medicaid EHR Incentive Program- Entitled experts and also entitled medical centers might certify if they espouse, apply, upgrade or show up the meaningful use of professional Electronic Health and wellness Report innovation in the 1st year of their engagement, as well as continue manifesting it in the adhering to years from involvement as well. X-mas was commemorated through giving presents like cigarette less heavies, expensive ash holders, as well as festive cartons of one's preferred brand. In case you have any kind of concerns with regards to exactly where as well as the way to employ yellow pages advert bike (perderunos--pesos.info), you possibly can call us at our own web site. Some of the reasons being actually that you can easily carve or even stamp a personal declaration or even details on such bangles if you like or your initials, or even some other symbols (like center or even various other various shapes and sizes) or phrase which could be of usefulness to you. The observing tips are going to surely help you when driving to starting a purposeful relationship with a brand-new girl from your goals. Recent CMS updates to the Meaningful Use demands have actually simplified the center as well as menu steps to 10 objectives, along with one or several steps every purpose. But that is actually changing as customers start to demand that brand names take an even more transformational task in our lives as well as the issues that are relevant to us. This is actually not to mention you must keep secrets off the girl you have loved, or are actually seeking to have a significant relationship with. School-age children start valuing managed play - including introduced rhymes as well as tunes, games along with rules, relays and various other physical activities, sporting activities and also jobs that they could achieve over a particular amount of time. The brain scans indicated that this adjustment-- off meaningless to purposeful-- seemed generated through LSD following up on specific receptors as well as constructs in the brain, inning accordance with the research study. A. Bob would like to know if the fat loss for his team on the chocolate-only diet plan is rep of weight reduction in a sizable population from middle-aged men. Offering a truly distinct instructor present isn't really as challenging as this appears if you stop thinking of gifts as traits," and also instead consider exactly what may be significant to the teacher's lifestyle. Some companies have managed to break devoid of their industry limitations that exist in sectors such as monetary companies as well as power, as well as present trustworthy, meaningful advertising and marketing techniques. Couple of seen that the circumstance in which terms run depends on the private meanings from these terms. To reside a really relevant lifestyle indicates that you know the numerous aspects that create you 'You' and also you value as well as appreciation that you are actually and all that you have become. Ultimately for job to become meaningful you should look at it in a wider circumstance to see that you are making a payment to society in its entirety. This variation does not restrict the volume from phrases or even kind of phrases, but merely the amount from syllables. Relevant make use of appears to be everything about documenting that the medical doctor is actually performing whatever essential to make certain the patient is being actually managed all at once person as well as certainly not simply for his or her presenting problem. Quotes targeted at undermining, or making fun of an individual's physical characteristics, beliefs or vantages should never be actually utilized, as they produce the quoter look hateful as well as little as opposed to amusing. But when they appeared within, neither could uncover exactly what was relevant for them. Using particular words and rejecting to make use of others is actually an indicator that political correctness like all social patterns that gain complete approval, may be made use of in deceiving, self indulgent as well as hazardous ways. 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