text:
jaune_chat —
jaune_chat ( jaune_chat) wrote,
jaune_chat
Mood: thoughtful
War and Peace In Mind, Chapter 48b: Heroes and Villains
Drama/Sci-Fi
Heroes and Villains Part B
After my friends had left, three Bureau agents descended upon Monica and me. Apparently it was debriefing time, whether I was up for it or not.
"Ms. Keller, if you wouldn't mind waiting outside?" one of them suggested politely, his whole demeanor and appearance shouting "generic government agent."
"If you'd like him coherent, I'll have to stay. He has a migraine," she said a bit testily. She hadn't been away from me for close to three weeks; someone telling her she had to leave had to be hard.
The three agents looked at each other and nodded.
"Your powers work with line-of-sight, don't they?" the same one asked reasonably. Monica looked like she'd just swallowed a lemon, nodded, and then stood up to leave, flipping open the shades to the corridor window as she went. When the door clicked shut, the Bureau agents simultaneously grabbed chairs and sat with their backs to the door.
I stared at them in silence, half-buried in the pillows, and wondered what kind of crap I was going to have to answer for now. The Bureau had a habit of beating a dead horse even after it had been buried, upon occasion, and a play-by-play rehashing of what had been both the best (in terms of helping those people who'd never wanted to be villains) and worst week of my life was not something I wanted to do fifteen times in a row. Monica had said they only wanted my reactions to events, but I didn't think we'd be that lucky.
"Agents Smith," the middle one said by way of introduction, waving at his two cohorts. I looked over at them and did a triple take; quite literally, the three men were identical.
"Trio?" I asked, and the Agents Smith nodded. A multiplier superhero sort of like Penny, Trio had gone inactive nearly a decade ago.
"In the fleshes. Phoenix, this shouldn't take very long. I'm going to go over what I know, and then you can fill in the blanks-."
"Just you guys?" I interrupted. I couldn't believe the Bureau was going to let me off the hook with just an interview. The Agents Smith looked at each other briefly.
"What would you have said if we insisted on bringing in a psychic to verify what you said?"
"Go to hell," I said instantly.
The Smiths shrugged with remarkable equanimity.
"We did pay attention to statements from The Dreamer and Ms. Keller. So it'll be just us. Phoenix, you've already given your pound of flesh, and then some, to the cause. We aren't entirely without heart," they said, and I relaxed marginally. Despite the name, the Bureau wasn't a true bureaucracy, mostly because it consisted of and was run by super-powered men and women with very high moral standards. There was a whole lot of government protocol and red tape that didn't exist in the Bureau of Superpowered Affairs. This was living proof of that; real government agents didn't have hearts.
I told them what they needed to know, as simply and honestly as I could, explaining the gaps in their own dead-accurate narrative. I seriously doubted they could have understood all of it, like why I'd come close to snapping more than once, why I'd contemplated murderous violence, or gone into near-psychotic fits. But I told them anyway. In this respect, I was glad Monica wasn't there to hear it. I was brutally honest with the agents, so they'd maybe understand that if I could nearly go postal in a week, what long-term academy residents like Monica had had to deal with.
A half-hour later, the Smiths were gone, though looking mildly shell-shocked at what I'd told them, and Monica was back in the room like a shot.
"You were right," I told her. "Just the blanks. They believed you."
An amazing expression of relief spread across her face, and I lifted a weak hand to pull her in for a kiss.
I wasn't up for dealing with much more than supper and sleep, but apparently there was one more float left in the parade. Right after dinner, there was another visitor.
Monica's head snapped up as Tobias Battle walked into my room without even a knock. I wasn't particularly surprised; Tobias acted like he owned everything, whether he actually did nor not. It was all part of his image, like me and my leather jacket.
"Ah, there you are. And conscious no less," he said, his chin raised so he could look down his nose at me in an undeniably arrogant manner. I almost broke out laughing, and Tobias could see my hard-repressed smile.
"You too. Are you ok?" I asked to prevent myself from snickering. It actually wasn't that funny, but for some reason I was finding this hilarious. I think I needed more rest.
To be fair, Tobias did look thinner than I remembered, and there was significantly more silver in his hair.
"Well enough, Warren," he said with more solemnity, crossing to sit in an empty chair. He patted Monica absently on the shoulder, and I nearly gave my eyes whiplash going back and forth between them. "I apologize that I wasn't here when you woke up, but my children were out on a call. Besides, you needed your mother and Monica more than me."
"Ah…" I stalled, trying to figure out what to say. Tobias broke the awkwardness by taking my free hand firmly in his grasp, like he was congratulating me, and igniting it. The heat pulsed from his hand to mine, pyro to pyro, kin to kin, warming me down to the core. I let my own fire flow across my hand, and squeezed his as hard as I could.
"You've made the Battle family very proud grandson," Tobias said solemnly. When my dad had used the same words years ago, it had made me nearly incoherent with rage. In my mind there had been no Battle family, just Mom and me against the world. Now I realized this was what it felt like to have a family standing behind you. The whole Battle family had unhesitatingly thrown themselves into a fight they didn't have to, just to try to save me. Fire Court had, without reservation, and damn well knowing the consequences, given me everything they had.
The Peace family had spoken for me during that week in the academy without any solid proof of my innocence, even if they'd never met me. The Dreamer had thrown her powers into the gauntlet of the academy psi-shields in order to try to keep me safe and informed. Both her and her brother had kept me from being forced into taking Egret's offer just before I'd gone into the academy.
This was how Zack, Magenta, or Ethan felt, knowing there were a dozen people or more tied to you blood, who'd help you for no other reason than family. I'd made my own family with my friends, but now I had all the Peaces and Battles behind me too. For someone who'd once thought it'd be just Mom and me against the world forever, I'd come a long way.
"Thanks Gramps," I said, a genuine smile breaking out. Tobias pulled me into a hard embrace for a long moment before finally letting me go. He didn't quite look emotional when he pulled away, but there was something in his face that let me know he had just gotten something he never thought he'd get.
"Gramps?" he asked though, an eyebrow raised quizzically.
"Either that or Grandpappy," I pointed out. Tobias sighed in tolerant exasperation, and turned to look at Monica.
"Do try to keep him in line, will you dear?" he asked, rising up out of his chair and kissing the back of her hand formally. I was more than a little flabbergasted at that, because I remembered Emberkeeper nearly attacking Painbreaker on the battlefield. Tobias simply gave me a Look as he strode to the door.
"People having conversations when you're not around, forging relationship when you're not aware, keeping secrets… Why in the world would that bother you?" he asked rhetorically.
"Touché," I commented. Tobias, his parting shot having hit its mark, swept out of the room, head proudly high.
It took me almost another two weeks to get back to normal. I ate like I was hollow, and as soon as I was back to walking, spent nearly every moment I wasn't eating in the gym, trying to get my strength back. I hadn't worked so hard since I was ten years old and bound and determined to protect myself from bullying classmates. Luckily the headaches stopped shortly after I was able to feed myself, or otherwise Monica would have had to stay with me the entire time. Painkillers (and indeed most drugs) were notoriously ineffective on pyrokinetics.
Mom, my friends, and the rest of my family couldn't always be around either. Though I was temporarily inactive, they had work to do; the supervillains of the world hadn't taken a break just because the academy was gone. My friends were needed constantly, and I didn't begrudge them a second of time in doing their jobs.
Besides, Monica and I couldn't stay joined at the hip forever. We'd helped destroy the academy, but there was a whole lot more to sort out before there could be a happy ending. Filling in the final blanks to the Bureau guys was just one piece in the puzzle. Monica and the others who had helped us were being dragged away for conferences that would last for hours. She had said, reluctantly, that she wasn't supposed to talk about them. Mom, who was clearly one of the several in charge of these things, was also being closed-mouthed about them.
"This is an unusual situation, and believe me, they have a lot to work out on their own," she'd pointed out.
I didn't like being separated from Monica, not after all we'd been through, but she knew as well as I that something like this would happen if we'd managed to pull off the attack on the academy. I made a couple of attempts to hunt her up while I was still pretty weak, which resulted in the gang finding someone to stay with me to keep me from doing something stupid. That someone turned out to be Ethan's fiancé Chloe. Six-foot-eleven Chloe with the black belt in karate, who, while happy to help out, was mildly annoyed at having to study in the little chairs in my hospital room.
I kept my ass in bed after that.
By the time I'd been cleared to return to the field the Agents Smith told me that the full Superhero Council was going to assemble the next day. The full Council. That wasn't good news at all. At this point, I didn't know if I was going to be punished, reprimanded, or rewarded. No one had given me any hints at all; as a matter of fact they'd been annoying neutral about the whole thing. But when Mom came for me after the Smiths had left, I knew I was going to get some sort of insight.
She was in her costume as the Peacemaker, but shook her head subtly when I automatically reached for my own outfit. For some reason that gave me a lump of cold in my stomach. Without talking, she lead me to one of the myriad conference rooms, where Monica, and our five ex-villain allies were all seated around the table, all of them out of costume. They all looked tired and a little jumpy, and started visibly when Mom and I walked in. I wondered, as I had often in the past two weeks, just what had been going on behind closed doors.
"I just need you as a witness, Warren," Mom murmured, and awkwardly I went to sit in a chair against the wall. There was another long moment of silence as the Peacemaker regarded the bevy of ex-supervillains with a complex expression of pity and determination. Most of them started to squirm.
"We've gotten some information about the academy psychics and what they did to you. It explains a lot about your actions, and how you ended up in a place far different than you'd ever thought you'd be," she opened, and I could see a minute relaxation in everyone. "The mental manipulation was fairly subtle and generally short-term, but applied constantly over a long period of time. Think of it like slow mental acid. It was particularly effective on those who were already vulnerable from anger or fear, and Royal Pain made certain each of you was in one of those states before bringing you into the academy."
Monica and the others looked around at each other for a second in confusion, before the Peacemaker continued, looking relentless. I realized that all the cards were about to hit the table, and unfortunately Mom was holding the aces.
"The psychics went to work on you and every other person in the academy, increasing violent tendencies, shortening tempers, eroding senses of morality, and lowering inhibitions."
Monica looked mortified and buried her head in her hands. I had a flashback to her out-of-character pressuring for sex when we were both in the academy and must have turned tomato red. From similar expressions on everyone else's faces, we weren't the only ones who'd been in that situation.
"Dear, not all of this was your fault," the Peacemaker said to Monica, her voice calm.
"But some of it was?" Monica asked, her voice muffled.
"All of us are capable of anything, given the right circumstances. For you, certain acts were forced upon you by your circumstances, over and over again."
"And I did them because I'm weak," Monica finished, looking up. I kept my mouth shut, as I figured Mom had some reason for wanting to pry at Monica after all this time. This wasn't just for her benefit, but for the rest of the ex-villains as well. But it wasn't going to be pretty. Mom wanted me for a witness… because she needed to do something fairly hardcore. It would help, because Mom always helped, but I knew what hell Monica had gone through two years ago when the Peacemaker had helped put her mind back together. This was going to be along the same lines of brutality. The Council, I realized, must have something huge planned. And it better be worth it for what they were putting her through.
"You had four years in that place, and the psychics knew where and how to strike to make you twitch," the Peacemaker elaborated.
"What are you trying to tell us?" Monica demanded, knowing Mom's words were as applicable to the others as they were to her. "Is it our fault or isn't it?"
"You were mentally manipulated Monica, all of you were. But not until you were brought into the academy," the Peacemaker pointed out.
"So now we're just dupes?" Monica asked angrily.
"No one was immune to what had been done to you. But you all attracted Royal Pain's attention before she got you to the academy. Assault and battery, destruction of property, arson, torture, and murder you all did of your own free will. You need to understand this, and realize why you need to pay everything back.
"I refuse to absolve any of you for your personal responsibility in all of this. I know it's not fair to you, but I want you to feel guilt, and grief, and uncertainty about this. Monica, I want you to remember how you went from college student, to self-serving torturer, to supervillain, to spy, to hero. I need the rest of you to remember the gratitude on the faces of those you saved. I want you to remember how easy it was to sink into the darkness, and how much better it is here in the light," the Peacemaker concluded, locking eyes with each person in turn, ending with mine.
Mom hadn't said anything directly to me, but she didn't have to. Monica was a lot farther along in her recovery than any of the others, and she would be the one to convince them to try something new. And I might need to help her, if she needed it.
There was also something I realized that I needed to do, once the Bureau had figured out what it wanted to do with the ex-villains. And that we'd find out tomorrow.
Mom pulled me out of the conference room, leaving Monica and the others to talk.
"Let them come to their own conclusions, Warren. They'll be better for it," she warned, as I half-turned back to the door.
I took a deep breath to calm myself, and Mom let go of my sleeve.
"So I better get ready?" I asked.
"For anything," she cautioned.
It was the first time I'd worn my costume in a month, and it felt almost strange on me. Someone had replaced the cracked armor plates and repaired the damage from bullets, rocks, and rubble. It seemed almost brand new, which fit my state of mind very well. I knew that when I walked out of the Council Chamber, I wouldn't be the same as when I walked in.
I was one of the last to arrive, and walked to the center of the stage to be joined by the Peacemaker, Painbreaker, Meduka, Flamewing, Nightsteed, Voidhammer, and Bruin, all in costume. The technopaths, who'd never had costumes, were huddled over to one side. The Council Chamber was just as I remembered from the Dreamer's visions, but for once it was completely full, practically to the rafters. It was so full that I wondered who was stopping crime.
The answer to that came when I was looking over the dignitaries at the front table. There was the usual bevy of Bureau directors, with Head Director Halo Star in the middle, but on the end was a colorless, androgynous figure in pale silver and blue, holding a tall white staff with an hourglass swinging from the top. That was Chronotrypsis, the Timekeeper; one of the most powerful people on the planet, and very rarely seen, Chronotrypsis only appeared when there was something of earth-shattering importance going on. He could literally stop time, giving the Council the ability to deal with the aftermath of the academy without some villainous plot slipping through the cracks. Right now, beyond these walls, the world was at a standstill.
How the hell did this meeting rate Chronotrypsis' attention? It was important to me, damn important, but not rock-the-world, apocalyptic kind of important. Why have the full Council here? Either they felt the need to impress Monica and the others… Or things were in play that I didn't know about, and we were much worse off than I realized.
I found myself praying the Council was just going for theatricality.
Next to me, Monica was very still inside her costume, though the other ex-villains were visibly fidgeting. In the seats just behind me the Champions of Justice, the Peace family, and the Battle clan were arrayed in colorful rows. I could feel their support behind me, like having a solid rock under my feet, and knew the academy guys must have been feeling like they were drowning. I hoped the Council would get it over with quickly, whatever it was.
Halo Star stood up, and the quiet conversations around the room stopped. Despite the superheroic obsession with costumes and catchphrases, superheroes, as a rule, have little patience for rambling speeches that go nowhere. We leave that to supervillain monologuing. So there wasn't a formal call to start, or ratting off of business. Halo Star just leapt in to the heart of the matter; approaching a judgment in the same brisk manner he'd rescue a citizen.
"Phoenix," he boomed, "there are some on this Council who'd say we should be stripping you and the Peacemaker of your hero names for associating with known villains. However, you did it with the best of intentions and results. Though your audacious actions you've helped dismantle Royal Pain's supervillain academy and saved more lives than we will ever know. You freed dozens of people from what amounted to slavery, and unhesitatingly risked your life and sanity to save those that would have died. You've done the impossible, because you didn't know it was beyond your reach, and succeeded where others have failed. You've been a true hero."
I bowed my head slightly, lightheaded with relief.
"Peacemaker…" Halo Star trailed off, and I looked back up at him. He was smiling indulgently at Mom, and she was staring back at him, her chin high. There was no deference in her stance; it was all challenge. "You could have told us the truth."
"You would have overreacted. It all turned out well, didn't it?" the Peacemaker asked reasonably. A few people in the audience snickered. Halo Star's mouth twitched slightly, and then he nodded.
"You can trust us to believe you Peacemaker," he said, and Mom gave him a short bow. I knew she'd been afraid to lose everything she'd gained by revealing that she knew Monica was in Maxville. But with everything that'd happened, the Council had been able to see beyond any of Mom's past mistakes. She wouldn't let them bully her anymore.
"Painbreaker, for your previous offences, for your acts of torture, for participating in attempted assassinations, espionage, and kidnapping, we can offer no clemency. Flamewing, for your previous offences of arson, Nightsteed, for your previous offences of assault and battery, Meduka, Voidhammer, and Bruin, for your previous offences of manslaughter and murder, we can offer no clemency," Halo Star boomed, his voice and face like stone. The Council Chamber went silent, and I nearly spoke, but Halo Star ran right on top of me.
"However, it has been made clear to me that you truly regret your actions, and some of your crimes were undertaken to help the cause of right. Also, we understand the effect powers can have one's personality. Pyros are hot-tempered, mind-readers are understanding, empaths are sympathetic; it goes with the territory. And understandably Royal Pain convinced you that you had little choice but to go along with her wishes or suffer at our hands.
"We know the psychics at the academy were responsible for pressuring you into a specific mold, honed by a sadistic system of punishments and rewards. Finally, you all risked your life and freedom in a successful attempt to destroy the academy as we know it, forever.
"Painbreaker, you spent years prior to the academy attack aiding Phoenix, not only in the defeat of many supervillains, but at lessening the pain of hundreds of patients that you transported in your cover job as an EMT."
Gasps sounded around the room, and I saw Monica rock back on her heels.
"Phoenix, this was your cover job as well, and you used very unorthodox techniques to not only neutralize Painbreaker's threat, but to also help her overcome her many problems. With help from the Peacemaker, you were able to break her mental conditioning, and allow her to make her own decisions on where to stand."
Unconsciously I reached out my hand for Monica's, and found hers already searching for mine. We clasped hands, not unbeknownst to Halo Star, or the rest of the Council for that matter.
"You all have power," he continued to the ex-villains. "And power, once claimed, cannot be discarded, hidden, or wished away. If you don't take sides in the fight, the fight will come to you." Which it had; most of these guys had tried to conceal their powers at first. While their chosen uses of their powers hadn't been good, none of them had sought public attention. Royal Pain had dragged them into it. If they tried to go back to civilian life, some supervillain would come calling some day.
"It's clear where you all stand," Halo Star said, eyes raking over the ex-villains, and resting on our clasped hands. His voice had a hint of amusement in it, and Monica squeezed my hand tightly.
"However, we are at an impasse. We cannot simply forgive what you've done. But your actions this past months show us that you've chosen to do something different in your life." The assembled former supervillains were looking at their shoes, waiting for the axe to fall. I felt my eyes start to widen as I got an inkling of what the Bureau agents might have been discussing with them over the past few weeks.
"Considering where you've lived and what you've experienced over the past few years, putting you in prison would be an improvement, or even a vacation. And you have all shown genuine remorse for your past crimes."
I stopped breathing for a minute at Halo Star's next words.
"We would have you instead become superheroes, and pay your debt to those you've hurt by saving the lives of others."
Pandemonium erupted in the Council Chamber, and I half-expected Boomer to step up and shout everyone into silence. With a pang I remembered Boomer was dead, and it took Comet flying to the center of the room, her brilliant light distracting everyone into silence, before order could be restored. Halo Star gave her a look of gratitude as he continued.
"We know some of you lack control, and we will help you with your powers. You are also not the only ones who will be offered this chance," and here he paused to give the technopaths a significant glance, "but in a short time we expect you will be the first ones ready to stand as the world's newest heroes. Because of your past, there will be people watching, but we will not hover over you. You will be compensated, like we are, but much of what you make will go the families of those affected by your past crimes. You can use your powers as you see fit to serve, and no one will dictate to you how they can be used. Your actions will be your own."
Translation, I thought, no one will be asking you to do our dirty work for us. Just because we were superheroes didn't mean we sometimes wished we could take the easy way out. Halo Star was reassuring them they weren't going to become our "tame" supervillains.
"Putting you with other superheroes would be counterproductive. You wouldn't know them, and they might not trust you. You might grow to resent them, and that would be a disaster for everyone. We would like you to form your own superhero team, all six of you."
All six of you, I repeated mentally, feeling a pang. I'd remember saying that Monica could join up with me, once the whole thing with the academy was over. I'd never thought about how that would work in reality. How could I leave the Champions? How could I leave my friends? How could I have asked them to have Painbreaker join us?
Halo Star seemed to be waiting for a response, and to my surprise, Bruin spoke up first.
"That's fair," he said, wonder in his deep voice. "We've never gotten fair before."
He shot a glance at the others, and nodded at Halo Star.
"Yeah, I'll do it," Nightsteed said, his voice cracking.
"Me too." "Yeah." "Hell of a better deal," the others chimed in. Monica, trembling, also nodded her assent.
"I'm going to station you in the next city over from Maxville. The Champions of Justice are a young team, but they should be able to help out if you'd like any advice," Halo Star said, and I bit back a smile. He clearly noticed it, and his eyes flicked down to our joined hands.
"Last important thing; you need a leader. I don't believe I would be going against anyone's inclinations if I asked Painbreaker to lead this team."
Monica let go of my hand as she jerked back as if shot.
"Are you insane?" she yelled. Halo Star looked unmoved. The rest of the Council shifted awkwardly.
"I know your team will not have it very easy; there will always be those that distrust you. But I know you will make the right choices. They chose you for this."
"It's not right. It's not fair! You can't make me the leader- I've-," she sputtered to a stop, and looked over at her new teammates. Their faces were oddly blank, as if they knew what she was going to say and didn't want to give away anything.
"I've tortured all of you! How the hell could you want me for a leader?" she asked.
"You said you were sorry," Voidhammer pointed out.
"You've been out longer than we have," Meduka said.
"You know these heroes; we don't," Nightsteed shrugged.
"You've been acting like a hero already," Flamewing said.
"You had a chance to stop Royal Pain, and you did," Bruin whispered.
"You came up with the plan in the first place," I said more loudly. "You put it together, the whole damn plan."
"I couldn't have done it without you," she protested, shaking her head.
"You risked your life to help all those people. You'll be fine," Guardian said suddenly, standing up behind me. Monica turned to look at him, blinking in shock.
"Phoenix is right, you came up with the plan," he added, and nodded at me. Monica looked from Will to me, and then back at her teammates. Finally she turned back to Halo Star, trembling, and nodded.
"Excellent. Ah…" he trailed off for a moment, seemingly a bit embarrassed, and finally pressed ahead. "I don't suppose you'd mind changing your name? Painbreaker is a little hardcore for a superhero."
The new heroes snickered, and Monica actually laughed out loud.
"I was thinking… Mercy," she said. Halo Star nodded approvingly.
"A good name. The rest you can all figure out later. I think that about wraps up- Phoenix?" he said, as I interrupted him by taking a step forward.
"I need to do something else," I said. I hadn't intended to speak, but I realized I just couldn't let this go. "Look, before ah… a month ago, I'd healed more citizens and villains than I ever had heroes. I want to change that. I need to change that. Before I went to the academy, Egret made me an offer."
From the side I could see the Champions, Peaces, and Battles all looking at me as if I were insane.
"I want to take it. Not all of it; I still want to fight. But take me off my cover job; I want to split time at the Bureau hospital. I think I can help there," I said, exhaling like I'd just let go of a heavy weight. Off to the side, Mom was beaming, and I could see Layla giving me the thumbs-up sign.
"I can too," Monica- Mercy- said, reaching out to take my hand again.
Halo Star seemed stunned by that development, blinked twice, and then nodded, smiling openly.
"The Council accepts your offer, Phoenix and Mercy. And now my friends, I think we have heroics to do. Let's get to work."
I held Monica's hand as I turned to face the audience of superheroes. Some of them were beaming at the whole situation, others holding their faces in masks of neutrality, and some clearly disapproved. I watched them all with a curious peace in my heart. They were my fellow heroes, and even if they didn't really care for what the ex-villains or I had done, even if they had found the attack on the academy foolhardy, they were still on my side.
I didn't need their unstinting approval, and for once, that didn't bother me. For a long time I'd bee desperately trying to prove myself, that I could be a good hero in defiance of my dad's crimes. I'd seen veiled looks in the Bureau offices, or on the faces of other heroes, and had taken that as a personal challenge to prove my worth to everyone, or die trying.
I'd nearly killed myself in the grandmother of all heroic tasks, but I found I didn't need everyone to be happy with what I'd done. I knew it had been the right choice, and so did my friends and family. I didn't need the approval of strangers, and I realized that I never did. I needed my mom, for everything she'd taught me. I needed my family, for letting me know I wasn't alone. I needed my friends, for giving me reasons to open up. And I needed Monica for showing me that anyone can change if they want to, and that even if you start out one way, you didn't have to keep going down the same road.
But I didn't need to have everyone on my side, and now I wasn't angry with them for doubting me. I knew now that I was always going to be a hero, and now it was time to pass it on. And that was all I needed to know.
Tags: fic, sky high, war and peace in mind, warren peace
The Naked Legion
Title: The Naked Legion Author: jaune_chat Fandoms: Original Work Characters/Relationships: Original male character/original male…
Tie a Ribbon Around Me
Title: Tie a Ribbon Around Me Author: jaune_chat Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe Characters/Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark…
Love in the Time of Hydra - Masterpost
Love in the Time of Hydra Author: Jaune-Chat Artists: Thank you so much to lili-flygirl ( Art post 1, Art post 2) and saltyemrys ( Art…


To find exhibiting schools in a specific part of the UK click on the markers on the map. To find schools near to your home put your postcode into the address field, set a desired radius (in miles), then click search.
The top British schools are located right across the UK. Use the map below to locate schools exhibiting at the Independent Schools Show, or put your postcode into the address box to find schools in your area.


We continue arguments and persuasion this week, with two short works of persuasion from the textbook that concern whether Dodgeball should be allowed in public schools. Quiz on Friday.
Open-book quiz on the play "Anne Frank is due on Monday. Link to the test is in Google Classroom. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we'll explore the movie "The Diary of Anne Frank." It's a 1959 movie based on the play. On Friday, we'll begin our Mid-Term review. Here's how it looks on the calendar.
Reflections for "Drummer Boy of Shiloh"
Reflections for "Over the Top"
Vocab Practice "Over the Top"
DIRECTIONS FOR OPEN BOOK QUIZ, "Odd Couples": You may hit "Submit" and then go back and edit your responses up through the due date of Friday, 16 November, 2018, at 4:05 p.m. At that point, I'll grade what you've submitted.


Reorganized plugins. From 65 down to 39 plugins.
Added 64-bit version of MapKit framework.
Added LibTag plugin part with new TagLibTagMBS class to read/write audio file tags.
Added sndfile plugin part with new SoundFileMBS class to read/write audio samples.
Added convenience properties Name, Model, Manufacturer and DisplayName for MidiObjectMBS class.
Added exceptions for NSImageMBS constructors. You'll get an UnsupportedOperationException if image creation fails.
Added GetDIB and SetDIB to WindowsClipboardMBS class to better get/set pictures on clipboard.
Added KeyDown/KeyUP and GotFocus/LostFocus events to OverlayMBS class.
Added MemoryUsed and MemoryHighwater properties to SQLite3MBS class.
Added more constructors for CFURLMBS class.
Added option to RegistrationEngineMBS Mode for 128 bit.
Added WKWebViewControlMBS.takeSnapshot method and takeSnapshotCompleted event.
Added WordFileMBS.Caseless property for case (in)sensitivity.
Changed code for Xojo 2017 for HBITMAP handling which affected clipboard functions on Windows.
Changed DynaPDFMBS.HighlightPattern to create highlight annotations instead of drawing rectangles.
Changed ReplaceTag in WordFileMBS to be case insensitive for ASCII characters.
Fixed a problem with > 2GB PDF files not reading correctly on macOS.
Fixed a problem with registration in TimerMBS class.
Fixed bug in BarcodeGeneratorMBS class with generating barcode without text.
Fixed bug in SKProductsRequestMBS which could lead to crash if you use the class and release instances before you got the event.
Fixed memory leak in XL Plugin for Windows (leak of GDI handles).
Fixed NSPipeMBS class to no longer crash app for broken pipes. We set the signal to be ignored in Constructor.
Fixed problem with TidyAttributeMBS Is* properties.
Merged DirectShow, WIA, WinDragDrop, TAPI and WinICM plugins into Win plugin.
Merged LCMS2, OCR, GIF, PNG, LargeImage, JPEG and Tiff plugins into Images plugin.
Merged Nikon and Canon plugins into Cameras Plugin.
Merged PHP, CUPS, markdown, RegEx and Tidy into Tools plugin.
Merged Twain into Picture plugin.
Modernized GetInfoCertInfo for newer CURL version.
Removed direct dependency for Wmvcore.dll from WindowsPlayerMBS class. If it's missing player can't work, but at least the plugin can be loaded.
Removed ImageMagick, LCMS, QTKit and QuickTime plugins. They are archived now.
Removed imedia, TCMPortMapper and FTPParse plugin parts as those were really outdated.
Removed old MacOS Classic classes: ClickThroughMBS, NumberFormatMBS, DateFormatMBS, AFPURLMBS and InternetConfigMBS.
Removed QuickDraw based classes: MacPictMBS, PaletteMBS and related graphics methods.
Removed SQLAnywhere plugin part as that functionality is now available in SQL Plugin.
Updated all GTK code to dynamically load GTK+ 3 for Xojo 2017r2 and GTK+ 2 for older versions.


text:
víkingur ólafsson rameau
When I was growing up, I thought everyone shared this. Bach, his latest album, Debussy – Rameau, was released March 27. It covers new album reviews by knowledgeable and independent writers, as well as in-depth guides and news. Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson says he thinks of the composers on his new album, Debussy – Rameau, as "painters in sound." Your album cover shows you painting colorful lines on a glass wall, with your fingers dipped in pastel blues and pinks and reds. Rameau  (2xLP, Album, Gat) Deutsche Grammophon: 483 8283: Germany: 2020: Sell This Version: Recommendations Reviews Add Review [r15176050] Release. The pianist says he tried to create a conversation between Jean-Philippe Rameau, the baroque master who literally wrote the book on French harmony, and Claude Debussy, who, straddling the 19th and 20th centuries, absorbed those theories and then, as Ólafsson says, "threw them out the window. Have you been rewatching it? He treats the music with a more serious intent, articulation is fussier, ornaments increasingly varied and the tonal palette is darker. "Even if I wasn't a good pianist.". Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson isn't the first to put the two composers together in a program, but it's rarely been done as well as it is here. 11 – BBC Philharmonic – Storgårds, Review: Bach – Motets – Ensemble Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon, Review: "Anima Rara" – Ermonela Jaho, Soprano, Review: "Aranjuez" – Thibaut Garcia, Guitar, Review: Haydn – String Quartets Op. Wilhelm Kempff) Víkingur Ólafsson. It's interesting because you can see Rameau as the father, if you wish, of French harmony. You know, it will be very interesting to see what kind of music will be written in this time of quarantine and the coronavirus. And then when I read that it's not the case, I was just totally shocked. In an essay you wrote for the album, you say you think of the recording as a kind of a conversation between the two composers. Read our Best Of guides for classical music. The idea is that they've painted these incredible scenes into sound. I do think music is something much bigger than that: Everything is in a constant state of flux in music and music interpretation. He puts chords into an unexpected and new context, and finds a way to dwell inside chords that earlier composers like Rameau would always have had to resolve. Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson Puts Debussy And Rameau In Conversation : Deceptive Cadence On his new album, the rising pianist once called "Iceland's Glenn Gould" offers a … Add to Collection Add to Wantlist Remove from Wantlist. I found things I could not believe in terms of the quality and the scope of the expression: I would say about five to 10 of the [compositions] are things keyboard aficionados will know, but so many of them are under-performed and equally wonderful, if not more wonderful, than the famous pieces. hide caption, Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson says he thinks of the composers on his new album, Debussy – Rameau, as "painters in sound. 28 titres (78:59). Víkingur Ólafsson - Rameau, Ólafsson: The Arts and the Hours. Musique illimitée. The pitch of C, the middle C on a piano for instance, would be white for me. You were referred to in The New York Times as "Iceland's Glenn Gould." 33 – Doric String Quartet, Review: Niklas Sivelöv – Piano Concertos – Composer, Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Review: Franz Schmidt – Complete Symphonies – Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi, Read of the latest news in classical music, Looking for the best version of a classical music piece? This may be only his third recording for the Yellow Label, but Ólafsson has made repeated waves thanks to his distinctive and refreshing approach to programming coupled with a breathtaking clarity of technique. Ólafsson continues this approach into this all-too-familiar Debussy piece, in which he brings tenderness and spontaneity. Debussy worked as a music journalist and as a music critic into his 40s, and he wrote about a performance of Rameau he saw in Paris. Debussy ; Rameau - Víkingur Ólafsson. I'm blessed to have a situation where I'll be OK. You know, if we're canceling everything for this entire year, yes, I will have to get another job somehow. Review: Vikingur Ólafsson Plays Rameau and Debussy Leighton Jones - April 3, 2020 June 18, 2020 What sets Víkingur Ólafsson apart from many pianists is not only his formidable technique, but his artistry and vision to create a journey. That's true. Partager Copier le code d'intégration. Review: "La Vanità del Mondo" – Philippe Jaroussky, Artaserse, Review: Martinů – Violin Concertos – Frank Peter Zimmermann, Bamberger Symphoniker, Jakub Hruša, Review: "Amici e Rivali" – Lawrence Brownlee and Michael Spyres perform Rossini, Double Review: Quatuor Arod and the Signum Quartett Play Schubert, Review: "Carnival of the Animals" – The Kanneh-Masons, Review: "Versailles" – Alexandre Tharaud, Piano, Review: César Franck – Piano Works – Nikolai Lugansky, Review: Ravel – Piano Concerto, Le Tombeau de Couperin – Perianes, Pons, Review: Shostakovich – Symphony No. Debussy – Rameau Víkingur Ólafsson.
Diy Reflector Telescope Kit, Zucchini Pesto Recipe, Sesame Place Weather, Conjunction Worksheets For Grade 3 With Answers, Loaded Potato Casserole, Oil Rig Training Courses In South Africa, Excel Icon Vector, Se V Beat, Bass Control Knob For Amp, Nacho Cheese Pump Rental,

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


What is "Vina Elearning Management System" or VLMS?
VLMS is a web script which was written by Hung Nguyen, using Laravel framework and MySQL.
It uses Twitter bootstrap v3.x for enhancing GUI and supporting responsive design and JQuery AJAX to interact with backend.
The main purpose of this script is for creating, taking online quizzes and courses.
Instructor can create great online courses, share knowledge and help learners all over the world get some knowledge.
Quizzes management (only admin can view, create, update, delete free and paid quizzes).
Admin can view, approve/reject and delete courses.
in my case I'm using hosting service of stablehost.com).
files and folders will be in "public_html" folder).
Click "Go" to run query for creating all needed tables for VLMS web.
Now access your domain, http://yourdomain.com will access VLMS web.


available for most Android 4.0 devices Always Moving Forward VSCO Grid VSCO is integrated premium vpn philippines with. Cinema HD Cinema App is a safe application as it doesnt show any illegal pirated content.
for instance, i want to setup premium vpn philippines routing opera free vpn addon tables on my RT-N66U router to selectively route traffic through a VPN. Only Pandora requests would go via the VPN.
Premium vpn philippines in USA and United Kingdom!
i can t connect to a remote server via VPN / PPTP with Fedora 24 Workstation. It used to work premium vpn philippines with Fedora 23.
q-42: Can I limit which machines incoming VNC clients can connect from? Q-41: Why does premium vpn philippines x11vnc exit as soon as the VNC viewer disconnects? And why doesn't it allow droidvpn premium _ed2014 apk more than one VNC viewer to connect at the same time?
a classic example is the film The Last Jedi, they simply wont spend the same on a smaller market with less rewards. Netflix premium vpn philippines makes a great effort to get blockbusters onto US Netflix in order to boost sales and support expensive advertising campaigns.
vPNs are not restricted to just keeping you premium vpn philippines anonymous online. You will understand how the two tools are different from one another. Tor Browser If you take a closer look at VPN and Tor, vPN vs. For starters, instead,several Carribean countries, north Korea, or periodically blocked in these countries: Bahrain, and the UAE. Skype is banned nationwide in the following countries: qnap ts 231 vpn Guyana, brazil, banned by certain ISPs, oman, belize, libya, qatar, kuwait, skype is regionally limited, premium vpn philippines what countries is Skype blocked in?
back in 2011, zamunda.NET was perhaps one of premium vpn philippines the most popular torrent tracker sites of the world. Now, zamunda.NET Proxy 2018 : 15 Zamunda Proxy and Mirror Sites.additional titles, download 1 ArchRival 85 Freeware VPNC Front End is a command premium vpn philippines line VPN client for Cisco VPN hardware. Download 11 Endian 218 Demo It enables you to safely and securely navigate the Internet. Containing fortinet vpn client receiver.
w3.org/MarkUp/DTD/xhtml-rdfa-1.dtd" Firewall Content Filter vpnbook http proxy Recommended premium vpn philippines Settings Ubee Interactive. "http www.
for example China or Poland, in many countries, a premium vpn philippines big part of the internet is restricted. Either by government, portal Server.How to configure other browsers to use a proxy server.
« GPON (,,) - (,) ) hotspot vpn elite android,.


On Friday, 11 January 2018, the Econometric Institute PhD Conference (EIPC) will once again take place. PhD candidates from all subfields in the Econometric Institute will present some of their current research, followed by panel- and plenary discussions.
The EIPC is an excellent occasion for staff members to see what problems the current PhD candidates are working on. In return PhD candidates get feedback on their research from experts in the field. In addition, the EIPC aims to stimulate interaction and knowledge-sharing between the various subfields within our institute.
Please fill in the registration form to indicate your presence at the lunch, the conference and a drink. You can also specify dietary preferences and restrictions on the form.
Motivated by an aerospace service provider, we consider a make-to-stock company's stock rationing and order decisions. We take into account the real time information on replenishment orders and number of waiting customers from different classes. The company faces two customer classes: (1) contract customers whose demands are practically always accepted and fulfilled, and (2) spot customers who arrive over time and are rejected, satisfied, or put on the waiting list. The spot customers put on the list may also leave if they have waited too long. We model the problem as an infinite horizon Markov decision process. The supply lead time has an Erlang distribution. The state space is comprised of the number of spot customers on the waiting list, the changing status of the replenishment order, and the inventory level. The last two are aggregated by a state variable called work storage level. The objective is to minimize the total discounted cost. Our numerical study shows the optimal rationing policy is a sequence of monotone critical work storage levels dependent on the number of waiting spot customers. We also find that the optimal policy outperforms policies which ignore the real time information on replenishment orders or the option of putting spot customer on the waiting list.
Over the past decades, containerships have rapidly grown in size. Nowadays, ships are being built that can accommodate over 22,000 TEU. This trend of continuously ordering bigger and bigger ships in order to pursue economies of scale has led to a market overcapacity. As a consequence, liner shipping companies have difficulties to capture enough demand to make these bigger ships cost-effective. Combined with a highly competitive market, liner shippers in general only see small profit margins, if any. In our research, we investigate the seemingly irrational behavior of continuously ordering bigger and bigger ships. We model the problem as a Stackelberg competition, where leader and follower decide on their rates and their liner network. We look at two settings. In the first setting, leader and follower are identical liner shipping companies. In the second setting, we put an upper limit on the follower's fleet, such that they can only use ships with a capacity lower than a threshold. First results indicate that by restricting the follower's fleet, the leader gains advantage due to being able to reap economies of scale. This advantage disappears, however, in the unrestricted case, and can even turn into a disadvantage.
Decentralized decision-making processes are often preferred in development organizations, but the corresponding lack of coordination may lead to sub-optimal outcomes. The extent of this has not yet been quantified. We investigate (de)centralized time allocation policies for family planning outreach teams in Uganda and show that decentralized policies perform near optimal.
In this paper, we develop a model to describe the choices of respondents during discrete choice experiments. The aim of the model is to infer the preferences of respondents while accounting for both heterogeneity across respondents in these preferences as well as in potential learning, fatigue, and boredom effects. Learning, fatigue, and boredom effects refer to a dynamic process that a respondent may go through while filling in a survey. When learning occurs, responses will become closer to a respondent's 'true' preferences as the survey progresses. When fatigue or boredom occurs, responses will increasingly deviate from the 'true' preferences.
We develop a hidden Markov multinomial logit model that captures heterogeneity in learning, fatigue and boredom effects through time-varying error variances that follow first-order Markov switching processes. Intuitively this means that we assume that during the choice process, each respondent goes through a number of phases, where each phase is marked by a different error variance. For example, there is a learning phase with a small error variance and a bored/fatigued phase with a large error variance. We account for preference heterogeneity using a discrete finite mixture approach. For model inference, we rely on a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach.
The decision to rebalance is a confounding factor for both the risk and return of the portfolio. This implies that in portfolio selection problems, the decision to rebalance should play a role equivalent to determining the portfolio weights. To tackle this issue, we extend Markowitz' mean-variance analysis to a finite-time multi-period setting, and we bridge the gap with growth-optimal portfolio selection.
Our online learning approach is robust against model misspecification and allows for arbitrary temporal dependence, such as hypes and nonlinear causal relationships.


text:
Q: None block 'while True' using asyncio Using below code I'm attempting to start 2 infinite loops using asyncio:
async def do_job_1():
    while True :
        print('do_job_1')
        await asyncio.sleep(5)

async def do_job_2():
    while True :
        print('do_job_2')
        await asyncio.sleep(5)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    asyncio.run(do_job_1())
    asyncio.run(do_job_2())

do_job_1 blocks do_job_2, as do_job_2 never prints do_job_1. What mistake have I made ?
Ultimately I'm trying to convert kafka consumer code:
from confluent_kafka import Consumer, KafkaError

settings = {
    'bootstrap.servers': 'localhost:9092',
    'group.id': 'mygroup',
    'client.id': 'client-1',
    'enable.auto.commit': True,
    'session.timeout.ms': 6000,
    'default.topic.config': {'auto.offset.reset': 'smallest'}
}

c = Consumer(settings)

c.subscribe(['mytopic'])

try:
    while True:
        msg = c.poll(0.1)
        if msg is None:
            continue
        elif not msg.error():
            print('Received message: {0}'.format(msg.value()))
        elif msg.error().code() == KafkaError._PARTITION_EOF:
            print('End of partition reached {0}/{1}'
                  .format(msg.topic(), msg.partition()))
        else:
            print('Error occured: {0}'.format(msg.error().str()))

except KeyboardInterrupt:
    pass

finally:
    c.close()

taken from https://www.confluent.io/blog/introduction-to-apache-kafka-for-python-programmers to be concurrent so I can parallelize processing of Kafka messages.

A: From help(asyncio.run):

It should be used as a main entry point for asyncio programs, and should ideally only be called once.

But you can use asyncio.gather to join the tasks:
import asyncio

async def do_job_1():
    while True :
        print('do_job_1')
        await asyncio.sleep(5)

async def do_job_2():
    while True :
        print('do_job_2')
        await asyncio.sleep(5)

async def main():
    await asyncio.gather(do_job_1(), do_job_2())

if __name__ == '__main__':
    asyncio.run(main())

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Alright! Well, thanks everybody for being here. We're happy to have all of our live viewers with us again today. And if you want to be part of our live audience during our recordings, please feel free to visit our website 2Dwebsolutions.com. And go ahead and click on the schedule [menu item] and you can find out how to join us and ask questions during our actual live broadcast. We want to thank you for being here for episode 15!
So what is today's topic, Arelthia?
So, today's topic is Pinpointing the Perfect Problem. Um, and I think this came up, Kerry with trying to figure out, "what do our customers need or want?".
Yeah, as a matter of fact, after reviewing our own businesses and realizing that we all have inadequacies and we want to continually grow and improve, we found out that we needed to really dig deep inside and figure out what it is that we can do to help others through our own business.
Yes, yes. So, let's just jump right in, Kerry. The first question that I have for you is how do you identify problems that your business can solve?
For me, the easiest way to identify a problem is if I have that problem myself. But unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword a lot of times because what I find happens is, I find solutions for myself and so I'm constantly trying to stay ahead of the person I'm trying to solve problems for. But basically, I try to solve the problems that are related – in some way, shape, or form – to the type of problems that I'm having. Is that how you identify problems in your business?
You know, that's one way of identifying problems. Is by things that I find are a problem for me. Problems that I want to solve. So, that's one way that I do it. Another way is by looking at… um, problems that other people may have. In that… for example, there are people all around us. And sometimes we can sit here and we see problems that other people have. And I'm the type of person… I'm not much of… I know you're probably going to be like what? – I'm not much of a talker. I'm much more of a listener. So, I like to listen to what other people have to say. And a lot of times I get their problems that way. I learn about problems by listening to other people. Whether it's listening to other people in person or listening to other people online – to hear the problems that they're going through, the questions that they're asking.
And you know, that's one of the qualities that I love about you Arelthia, that you are really, really good at being able to identify the specific of a problem and not just the surface of the problem. So, um… when you are evaluating or I should say, you're coming up with problems… um, how do you determine… what are some of the ways that you look at how people – how you find other people who are having problems?
Ok so – ways to find other people that are having problems… Are like – the places like, that you like to hang out online. Um, that's a great place to find people with problems. Because, first of all, you like being around those people – I hope. I hope you're not hanging out in places that you don't like the people. So, that's one way. Um, even with like um, in the offline world, you typically hang out with people you like being around and that's a way that you can identify who's having a problem. And I think that's an important point to bring up because you need to think about who is having the problem?. What type of person is having this problem? It helps you to dig deeper into what the real problem is because I might view a problem from one perspective but the person that's having the problem – they see it in a whole other way. So, and… I think this goes into the… like, we see this a lot in our business. We know someone needs something but is that a real pain for them? Which I think leads us into our next question, Kerry. So if you find a problem, how do you determine if the problem is just an annoyance or real pain for someone?
You know, when we first started talking about having this show on this topic, one of the ways that we tried to put it in perspective for ourselves, was identifying it in comparison to a headache. And so, I wanted to bring that up because I thought it was a great way, you know… there are a lot of people, especially in our line of work it seems, that have headaches. Whether it be from working close to the computer a lot or not moving around enough or maybe they have… have become a freelancer because of medical conditions or they're migraines sufferers. But the bottom line comes down to, "when does a headache become… is it just an annoyance or is it something that needs to really be addressed as a real pain. And so, looking at it from that perspective, if it's something that you can just immediately address, and kind of push it to the back of your mind, or work through, then maybe it's just an annoyance. But if you get to that point where you can't function anymore or you need to move your location or… or things like that, or need to take medication for it, then it's a real pain and it's a real problem. Is that similar to how you identify what is a pain or what is an annoyance?
Yeah, I agree. And it totally brings us right into the next aspect that we want to talk about. And that is, once you know that you have pain and you know it needs solving, it's important to identify what kind of relief a person is going to have by having that problem solved. Or what is that impact? What impact does solving the problem have for the people that are involved? Can you address that for us a little bit?
Yeah, I think – oh my goodness, that is so important – because it's not just "there's a problem", but how will that person's life change or that person's life be improved because that problem has been solved. Using our example of the headache… so if the headache is removed, let's say it's that "oh my goodness, dire headache, I can't do anything when I have it."… if that's removed from the person, they're life is changed so much because they're so much more productive. They're healthier. Mentally, they're better prepared. Because they can think better. Um, their mind can process information better. So many things are improved simply by removing that problem. It makes life so much easier.
Right. Yeah, I totally agree. And.. and sometimes um, I would love to say that I could just work through the annoyances and everything is just an annoyance, but it's obvious that there are some major problems. I mean, everybody has problems. And it's just a matter of finding out what those problems are and then working through them to find out what the solution is.
How do you find out… what you… If what you think is a problem, really is a problem?
Oh, that's when you go out and you actually ask people if they have this problem.
Well, you can! You know – like, for example… I'm serious. Just walk up to somebody like, you know, and ask them "how would your life be easier if…? You'd just have them complete that statement. "Oh, my life will be easier if… my son was just clean up his room." You know, little things.
Oh, that's funny because just over the holiday my husband and I were having this discussion of how nice it would be just to have somebody who would cook and clean for us. That's all we need. Just somebody to cook all of our meals for us and just clean. They don't even have to do laundry. We're okay with doing laundry just do the basic cleaning.
And you know it's funny that you bring it up because a lot of times there are certain things that are on the top of our mind. The things that we're thinking about. The things that are keeping us up at night. The things that every time you turn around we're thinking about it. Those are the problems that people need solving. And so, the whole goal of… the whole thing about finding this perfect problem is to actually get people to talk to you. Get people to tell you their problems. Think about your own problems and things that constantly keep coming back to you. That… ok, "if this was different, how would my life be changed. Because this about improving someone's quality of life. It's about making their life easier with solutions.
Right. It not hard to… you know, well, if it takes a little bit of time. And putting in your own due diligence to ensure that you're really evaluating and finding solutions that people can use in order to make their lives better. But it's it can be as simple as… you know, thinking about… if you look at how Google – when they opened up their Google pages and everything. They opened up and said put people into circles. Well, you can do the same thing in your life and help people solve problems. And, and, and asking the people that are in your life right now – what kind of problems they're having. It can be as simple as your, your family and your relatives… just ask them in conversation. Bring it up and, and find out what kind of pains they're having in their life. And then you can go to, you know – your, your friends, your local friends, people who live in the area, and that you hang out with. Um… wherever you hang out or whatever activities you're doing. You can ask people who go to church with you. You can ask people who you work with or even ask your friends online. All… look at all the connections. Thousands and thousands of people that people are connected with online through social media. You can go through that list and even ask on there you know, "how can I make your life better?" Or like you said earlier, if you know… "my life would be easier if…" complete the sentence.
Yeah. Wow, Kerry so, you said a lot there. Can I just get you to break that down into our simple action plan.
Yeah, I sure can. So, our action plan would be to, identify and validate your customer's pain and begin their solution process.
Ok… so… (sigh) What do I need to do next?
Exactly. Exactly… Well, I want to know from you, everybody who's listening, and even you Arelthia, if you want to take a moment to answer this – are there any other tools or methods that you've used in the past or know of, that help you get results in identifying your customers problems?
Oh great. Alright, Kerry. So, there's a little process that follow, where I identify the problem. So, I like to write. Especially when I'm thinking through things. So, I write down what the problem is, who's having the problem, and then also I write down how will how… will it impact their life if that problem is solved. So, I mean… and that works because it gets you thinking. It gets you outside of yourself and to reach out and help other people. Another thing you can do is… especially if you're dealing with people online… set up a simple survey and share the link. Have people complete your survey and just let them answer that question. I like open-ended questions such as the complete the sentence of, "my life would be easier if…" That's a great thing that you can do. Um… do we have something for our listeners Kerry?
You know what? I think that… I think that as you were saying that I was thinking about, "wow, this would be a great opportunity for us to give that to our, our listeners, our readers, and our people who visit." So, if you want to come on over to our website will make sure that when, in our show notes, we include some of these resources that are just a simple process to get you started. So, let's add that to their, to our wrap-up questions, Arelthia. What can we… um, can we have them… Let's ask them how will the tools that we share with you…uh how did they help you?
Or how do you think the tools that we're going to share with you will help you?
Yeah. And I'd like to know, were you actually able to complete all the steps? Were you actually able to identify the problems? And identify who's having that problem? And actually to identify how their lives would be impacted if their problems were removed. Um and… Did you get stuck at any point? How can we help you to complete the process? Because our goal is to help you create your plan, take action, and experience your success!
That's exactly right. Thank you guys so much for being here. We'll see you next time.
Next episode - You're Closer To Finding Solutions Than You Think?


Four taken to hospital after METRO bus crashed into home.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A METRO bus crashed into a home Sunday evening near Tierwester and Corder Street in southeast Houston.
According to officials, a vehicle ran the stop sign, which caused the driver to over-correct the turn and crash into the home around 7:30 p.m.
No one was inside the home, METRO officials said.
Homeowner Darrell Parker found out about the accident after a neighbor called.
Parker told ABC13's Deborah Wrigley that he rushed back to his home as fast as he could.
"I'm still in a bit of shock," he added. "I don't believe this."
Kirk Williams said he witnessed the accident.
"I was waiting for a ride, and I saw the car run the stop sign and hit the bus. It crashed into the house," Williams said. "I told people to call 911 and ask for ambulances."
The bus operator and three passengers were taken to nearby hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.


Click here to download Sky Zone's job application. Please fill out completely and turn in to the park manager or email it to kalamazoo@skyzone.com!
At Sky Zone we feel strongly about giving back to the community that supports us! For more information on fundraisers, donations or school reward programs, please click the links below, call us at (269)459-9243 or email us at kalamazoo@skyzone.com.
Click here to download our Donation and Fundraiser Request Form.
Click here to download our School Partnership Request Form.
Do I need to bring in special footwear?
At Sky Zone we keep it safe! At Foam Zone and SkySlam, we take turns so you are welcome to participate with your kids. When you FreeStyle jump on our main court we do separate by age/size for safety so you would not be in the same section unless your child is over 16. Ultimate Dodgeball games are seperated by age - 5 to 10, 11 to 15 or 16+.
Walk-ins are welcome anytime, but we do have a capacity limit! Pre-purchased tickets for individuals and smaller groups are recommended in order to guarantee your jump time, and can be purchased on-line.
Sky Zone offers multiple trampoline playing courts and a variety of programs. Check out our Attractions and Programs page!
Why would you want to? We have plenty of delicious snacks inside! Exception: If you don't want to purchase an awesome Sky Zone ice cream cake, you may bring a cake to supplement your party package.
Yes. Every jumper needs to complete a liability waiver for each Sky Zone location. If you are under the age of 18, your parent or legal guardian must complete the waiver out for you, but does not have to be present when you visit the park. Waivers can be completed online.
Our general rule is that waivers are valid for one year. However, for a variety of reasons, this cannot be guaranteed. It's always a good idea to call ahead to confirm your waiver is valid if you have any question. You must have the waiver completed for the Sky Zone park you are visiting (a Sky Zone waiver at one park is not valid at a different park). But don't worry, you can complete your waiver online before getting to the park.
We accept walk-in guests during all open hours of operation subject to availability. Reservations are HIGHLY recommended as jump times do sell out.


See the list of Training's offered, we can design a training for your group.
Contact us for more information and to schedule a training for your organization or group.
We have several trainings available, most trainings are 1-2 hours, except Mental Health First Aid (8 hours). Each training includes Certificate of Attendance, Handouts and emailed copy of training. We will provide all training materials and equipment. The Mental Health First Aid Certification training will include National Certification, Book and handouts.
We can create a training to fit your needs.
My kid has been diagnosed, Now What?
504 Plan vs. IEP, Which one is better for my child?
Mental Health, What does the diagnosis mean?
Jill Hill has advocate across the state of Florida for 18 years. She has help hundreds of families get appropriate special education services.
Jill started advocating after her son was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. She has worked for the Parent Training and Information Center in Florida for 6 years. She was the Family Advocate for Mental Health America in Northeast Florida for 6 years. She is a special education teacher. She has taught several different grade levels and exceptionalities.
Jill provides trainings on IDEA, IEP's, 504 Plans, Procedural Safeguards for the last 12 years. She has worked with several school systems in Florida. She has provided trainings for Public Defender Office, Child Services Organization (Foster Care, Adoption, System of Care, etc) Mental Health professionals, family run organizations and non-profit groups.
We provide support at IEP/504/EP/Resolution Meetings , Manifestation Determination and Meditation.
Is your child in need of special education services? Is he/she struggling academically, socially or behavior issues? Have you been trying to get the school system to evaluate your child with no results? If you believe the school should do more for your child with special needs, but no matter what you say or do nothing happens, then we may be able to help.
As your Advocate, We support you and your student with special needs. We are not Attorneys. We can help get the support your student needs in the educational setting and develop an appropriate plan.
IDEA law applies to each child equally with disabilities/special needs. They have a right to receive a free appropriate public education.
Request school to respect and listen to you.
The school district complies with the laws that protect your child.
Goals, Services, Accommodations and modifications on the IEP are followed.
School staff take and share data.
Write the most appropriate IEP possible.
So if you're having problems having your voice heard about your child and you know there must be a better way, please contact us.
Initial Contact: I will speak to the family/guardian over the phone and discuss the issue the family/guardian feels that need to be addressed with the school. If all parties agree and the family/guardian would like to proceed with hiring an advocate, then there will be a face to face meeting. In the meeting between the family/guardian and the advocate all records, reports, evaluations, diagnosis, grades, behaviors, referrals, etc. with be reviewed.
We will go over the IDEA Law to explain your Rights and Responsibilities. We will work with you to understand the process of Evaluation and Writing an IEP.
Jill Hill, and any advocate, employee or independent contractor, working with Jill Hill Training, Advocacy and Consulting Enterprise, LLC., is not a practicing attorney and does not provide legal advice or legal services.
Furthermore, Jill Hill and Jill Hill Training, Advocacy and Consulting Enterprise, LLC ., or anyone working with or representing Jill Hill Training, Advocacy and Consulting Enterprise, LLC, cannot, and does not, guarantee any specific outcome.
There is a fee for services. The cost is determined by the type and length of support.
The first initial phone call is free. We may be able to answer simple questions or provide resources without having to hire an advocate.
Family Voice, Peer-to-Peer Support, Support Groups, SSDI/SSI Paperwork, Other.
We work with families to help them cultivate their voice to be heard, if it's an IEP meeting or in court. Families have a Voice and choice, all families and youth can reach their full potential with supports and services. We promote families and youth with special needs, Mental Health and disabilities, including those of cultural, linguistic and geographic diversity, in order to improve all services and policies for children. Effective family/professional partnerships at are a key to making change. With authentic family-centered care that recognizes family as the center of a child's life and as an equal partner in decision-making about all aspects of the child's care. Connected and informed families are a powerful change agent. We assist families and youth with special needs become empowered self-advocates.
Jill Hill is a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist (CRPS) in Florida. What is it? It is a person with lived experience with a psychiatric disorder and/or addiction (personally or family member), an extremely important factor is they need to be trustworthy and compatible. She believes, Peers can make all the difference in a person's recovery.
We help families through Peer-to-Peer Support.
Jill is on the Board of Autism Society of Florida, http://www.autismfl.com . She has support groups for parents/ caregivers/families that have children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Contact us if you would like more information on meeting. Location and time. JillJax@Yahoo.com or (904) 376-5983.
She also helps other organizations set up support groups, speaks at support groups on various topics. If you are wanting assistance in setting a support group give us a call.
Ms. Hill is a certified SOAR Processor. What does that mean?
SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and is a national program designed to increase access to the disability income benefit programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for eligible adults who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have a serious mental illness, medical impairment, and/or a co-occurring substance use disorder.
Jill can help you fill out and fill for SSDI/SSI.
We are here to help support ther families, youth and service orgnization. If you are inneed of resources, consulting, an ear to listen, we are here to help.


text:
Determination of Serum IgM Levels for the Diagnosis of T. Rhodesiense Infection
A Study of 45 Cases*
Renee Cornille, Maria Hornung†
Affiliations: 1 School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 17, Issue 4, 1 Jul 1968, p. 522 - 527
Serum from East African patients with T. rhodesiense infection, lesihmaniasis, and normal human donors was analyzed for γ globulin and IgM levels.
The total γ globulin level was found to be higher among healthy African than among healthy American donors. IgM levels were markedly elevated (up to 10 times the normal) in 42 of 45 cases of T. rhodesiense infection and at all stages of the disease, even when total γ globulin levels were low. In contrast, in all of the seven leishmaniasis cases (except one early infection) IgM levels were normal in the presence of extremely high total globulin levels.
During a period of 1 to 2 months of treatment, the IgM levels dropped only slightly or not at all in T. rhodesiense infection. Further studies should be made to determine the correlation between this finding and the relapse rate.
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene


text:
Students Go Deep into the Woods with Bio Class Archives
January 3, 2013 by Rebecca Goldfine
For one day this fall, students in Prof. Vladimir Douhovnikoff's Forest Ecology and Conservation class departed from their normal campus routines of lectures, seminars and labs to tour a working tree farm in Brunswick.
Higmo's Inc., a family-owned wood mill that received the 2011 Maine Outstanding Tree Farmer Award, greeted the students with a chalk message on a big-toothed blade: "Welcome Bowdoin College Students." This set the tone for the day. For while the students came to see forest management techniques in practice, they got much more than just a demonstration of tree cutting.
Douhovnikoff said the family was enlightening, generous and warm to his students, even serving them chili and cornbread for lunch, a "traditional forester's meal." Following lunch, Allen Higgins, his wife and his sister, as well as two visiting state foresters, spent the afternoon talking in depth about the forest's properties and showing students how trees were cultivated, selected for harvest, cut down and milled on site.
Making the Cut: Students' Forestry Management Plans
Earlier in the semester, Aaron Megquier, assistant director of the Islesboro Islands Trust, visited Prof. Douhovnikoff's class to give a lesson on writing forest management plans. When he saw the students' practice plans for one of his trust's parcels, he told Douhovnikoff he was so impressed that he wanted to pursue some of their suggestions, such as allowing hunting only on designated days in order to encourage other recreational land uses on alternate days.
To gather data for their forestry management plans, the Bowdoin students visited local conservation parcels to assess current conditions and take field measurements. Douhovnikoff said future students will pick up where these students left off continuing to build in-depth plans that could be of use to local land trusts.
Tess Beem '13, a student in the class, said the Higmo's visit was a keystone of the course, which she described as "a great transition into forestry for students of various backgrounds – biology, ecology, policy etc. [The Higmo's tour] was a great reference point conceptually to see how everything we were discussing in class could be tied into an application we had witnessed first-hand." She added, "I also found it refreshing to get off campus and be exposed to a profession that is a bit less conventional by Bowdoin standards."
Higmo's frequently hosts younger local students, but doesn't often see college students. Douhovnikoff said the Higgins family and the foresters were impressed with the Bowdoin students' level of knowledge. Many of the Bowdoin students are interested in careers related to ecology, environmental studies or resource management.
"[The Higgins] and state foresters were excited to go into deep, deep detail about the properties of the forest, management techniques as well as related economic and social issues," Douhovnikoff said.
In his forestry class, Douhovnikoff, an assistant professor of biology, exposes students to the ecological dynamics of forest ecosystems and the tools that can be applied to forest conservation. One of his assignments is to have students write management plans for local conservations tracts, such as the Town Commons or parts of the former Navy base.
Some students, including Amy Spens '15, updated a management plan for Higmo's. Following the research she did with Allen and his wife, Paula, Spens was offered a summertime job to work for Higmo's. She said if she accepts the offer, she would combine it with anthropological research of Maine's timber industry.
Spens said she appreciated the many field trips she took as part of Douhovnikoff's foresty class. "The class offered us students so many opportunities to go out in the field and learn from professionals: ecologists, sawmill owners, conservationists, Forest Service employees," she said. "They all had different perspectives on the role of conservation in the state of Maine and beyond."
At the end of the Higmo's tour for Bowdoin students, Allen Higgins, who's not just a woodcutter but also a musician, gave out copies of his CD. (The slogan on the Higmo's website is, "The only thing we don't cut is hair.") The highlight of the tour involved harvesting a mature tree, skidding it out of the forest, transporting it to the mill and milling it into lumber. At the end of the process Higgins had each of the students sign one of the milled boards, which the students then nailed to the wall in the Higmo's mill as a memento of their visit.
Academic Life | Student Life
'Lady Bird' Cinematographer Visits Bowdoin
What's Up With the Political Divide? A Community Conversation
Bowdoin Celebrates Yellow Shirt Day
Student's Tree Swallow Research Reveals Clues into Their Decline
← Latin American Historian Allen Wells Reflects on Refugee Caravan, Career Six Women Scientists Receive Prestigious External Grants in Spring Semester →


Maharashtra ATS today arrested a 32-year-old man from Kutch in Gujarat for allegedly being in touch with terror suspect Faisal Hassan Mirza who was picked up last week from a Mumbai suburb, police said.
Maharashtra ATS today arrested a 32-year-old man from Kutch in Gujarat for allegedly being in touch with terror suspect Faisal Hassan Mirza who was picked up last week from a Mumbai suburb, police said. The man, identified as Allarakha Khan, a driver, was arrested from his residence in Gandhidham, a senior police official said. Mirza was arrested by the ATS on May 11 on suspicion of plotting terror attacks in Mumbai, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh with the help of his group members.
During his interrogation, Mirza gave the ATS names of some people with whom he was in touch with, following which a search operation was launched, the officer said. Khan was arrested after interrogation, he said. Mirza and Khan were in touch with one Farooq Devadiwala in Dubai, who had recruited Mirza for launching terror activities in India and carrying out suicide bombings, he said.
Khan's role in the terror conspiracy is being probed by the ATS and his background is being checked, an ATS official said. Khan was remanded in police custody till May 25 by court. Recently, the law enforcement agency of UAE had detained Devadiwala, suspected to be a close aide of Chhota Shakil, a henchman of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.


The Internet is complicated. Chances are you're more than aware of that fact, but do you know just how complicated the sprawling network is? Below are a few interesting facts. "A Series of Tubes." U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) made a speech opposing net neutrality on June 28, 2006. In his orati . . .
Digital marketing agencies have many tactics that can make your site stand out against the 4.49 billion webpages on the Internet. There's social media, PPC services, web design, and all sorts of other digital media tactics. However, there's one form of digital marketing that's often overlooked -- email marketing. Although m . . .
Like most other things, it's possible to improve your digital marketing campaigns if you go back to the basics. Improving the fundamental elements of your digital presence will improve most every other part of your site, help you start ranking better, and get more leads. Here are a few things you should consider: Email Marke . . .
Even though Google has only indexed about 0.004% of the 4.49 billion webpages on the Internet, it's still the king of the search engine industry for one simple reason. It's created the best way to sort through the copious amounts of sites, and find the most relevant results for its users. In order to do so, Google came up with an algor . . .
If your system isn't operating in the cloud, then you're behind the times. Nowadays, the vast majority of companies (87%) are operating in the cloud, and for good reason. Cloud hosting services save companies money in a number of ways. Here are just a few. Cloud Hosting Services Help Companies Scale Down Their IT Departments . . .
Not Seeing Social Media Results? 5 Mistakes you could be making.
Easy SEO Tips to Help You Improve Your Rankings!
Why Does Maintaining a Digital Presence Matter So Much?
We are always posting interesting articles relating to the web and hosting industry.


text:
Kim Jong Un Has An Enormous And Totally Bizarre Waterpark Barge
The pool party barge is just one part of a fleet of luxury vessels and other craft the regime maintains for the Kim family.
byJoseph Trevithick| PUBLISHED May 1, 2020 9:35 PM
Joseph TrevithickView joseph trevithick's Articles
FranticGoat
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has now re-emerged in public, dispelling weeks of rumors that he might be dead or dying. His disappearance had prompted experts and researchers to comb available open sources of information to try to glean details about where he might be and his actual condition. A closer look at luxurious villas in and around the city of Wonsan on the country's western coast, which Kim is known to frequent, uncovered a very different kind of development. Satellite imagery shows that there is ongoing work on a bizarre 260-foot long pool party barge that features twin figure-eight water slides and a two-story lounge. Overall, it's something that looks like it was ripped out of a Hollywood blockbuster centered on a comically over-the-top dictator.
On May, 1, 2020, NK Pro published a deep dive into this floating water park, based on a number of satellite images, including a series of shots from Planet Labs from late April of a dock in Wonsan where the barge is typically parked when not in use. The story pointed out that the pool surface in the center of the barge appeared to have been stripped and suggested that the lounge structure might have been removed entirely at one point. There were also indications that there might be work being done on the slides. Other Planet Labs imagery shows that at least as of March, work had started to remove the underlying pool surface.
A satellite image of the docks from Planet Labs, dated May 1, which The War Zone has now obtained, shows that the lounge structure is in place and that it appears to have gotten re-roofed, not removed. The pool also appears to be full of water, suggesting it got re-surfaced and was filled to test it for any issues.
A satellite image of some of the docks at Wonsan, with the pool party barge visible toward the bottom on May 1, 2020. The dark center section indicates that the pool has been filled with water. Other yachts for the Kim family, in white, as well as military patrol vessels in gray, are seen above. A trapezoidal barge, another craft employed for leisure purposes and seen earlier this year near Kim's main villa in Wonsan, is also seen., PHOTO © 2020 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION
Another satellite image of the same docks in March 2020, showing the barge's pool surface partially stripped and the lounge area being re-roofed. The green-colored waterslides are more visible in this particular shot, as well., PHOTO © 2020 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION
A higher-resolution shot of the barge from Nov. 13, 2019, showing what the pool surface had looked like previously, as well as the slides and the two-story lounge structure., Google Earth
The North Korean regime's exact plans for the pool party barge now are still uncertain. The available satellite imagery suggests that it has not left the Wonsan dock, at least for any protracted period of time, since September, but it's unlikely that the open-top craft sees use during the Korean Peninsula's often frigid winters anyways, making the last few months a perfect time for a refit before the summer season.
The available satellite imagery indicates that the waterpark barge does go out sparingly and typically during the summer and early fall. It appeared at Kim's main villa in Wonsan between in August 2019. It was also seen anchored off the coast of Wonsan's Kalma Peninsula in the fall of 2019 and the summer of 2018, according to NK Pro.
A satellite image of Kim's main villa in Wonsan on Aug. 2, 2019, with the pool party barge just outside the perimeter of its protected lagoon., PHOTO © 2020 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION
A clearer satellite image of villa compound as of May 1, 2020. Another different leisure barge is seen at the main dock., PHOTO © 2020 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION
It's not entirely clear when or where the waterpark barge was first built, either. It's not the only floating pool in the world, but it is definitely a niche craft and it's very possible that one of North Korea's own shipyards put it together specifically for the Kims.
We do know that it is more than two decades old, at least, dating back to the regime of Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il. Italian computer programmer and part-time pizza chef Ermanno Furlanis mentioned it in one of a series of articles about a bizarre trip to the reclusive country, which he says involved extensive vetting beforehand, including brain scans and blood tests, in 1997.
Ermanno Furlanis., Facebook
Furlanis said that Kim Jong Il, a known gourmand, had been seeking out "culinary demonstrations of Italian regional cooking" and that he was invited to the country to show the North Korean dictator and his chefs how to make pizza. This particular demonstration took place on one of Kim's equally extravagant yachts.
Here is how Furlanis described his encounter with Kim's floating waterpark:
"Mr Om [Furlanis' regime-assigned minder] told me to get ready because the next day we would be cooking at the seaside on a boat. When I expressed my doubts about this he cut me short with his usual smile and urged me "not to worry". The next morning a cabin cruiser topped with a salon and kitchen was sent to pick us up like a private water taxi. The writing on her stern read: 'Capri Miami-Florida'. Ah, the mysteries of international politics!"
"We sped along for about half an hour to the languid notes of Korean music past the islands and islets that form an archipelago in front of the base. At last a kind of a semi-mobile, floating amusement park appeared before us which was able to anchor in different places every day. It was made up of two waterslides which dropped down into a swimming pool. On the other side of the pool there was a two-storey [sic] building with an observation deck on the roof. I doubt if even [Italian director and screenwriter] Federico Fellini could have concocted something of this magnitude. We did not draw near this floating fun fair, and our guides even tried to prevent us from gawking at it. They went so far as to physically, though partly in jest, turn our heads aside with their hands. About half a mile further on we came to a big ship which lay anchored in sea. The heart of this ocean liner was, needless to say, a fully equipped kitchen fitted with huge windows overlooking the sea and where it would be our pleasure to work."
The Kim Dynasty is well known for indulging in lavish and sometimes eccentric luxuries, ranging from expensive western cars to high-priced liquor to ski resorts, all while much of the country's average citizenry lives in poverty and often at risk of starvation. The regime in Pyongyang operates significant smuggling operations to ensure that these imports keep coming, as well as skirt international sanctions in general.
The floating waterpark is well in line with the regime's excesses and is one of at least five party barges that have been in use over the years. Satellite imagery indicates that the North Korean regime dismantled one of the other five craft sometime around 2017. When it comes to the pool barge, after being of the Kim Dynasty's hard-partying lifestyle for more than 20 years, it could easily just be in need of a major overhaul.
A satellite image of the docks in Wonsan from November 2017, showing four of the five leisure barges, including the floating waterpark, as well as various yachts and other boats., Google Earth
When not in use, all of the remaining barges, along with Kim's yachts and other smaller leisure boats, call the docks at Wonsan their home. This fleet of luxury vessels and other craft includes a 95-foot Princess 95MY, made by Princess Yachts, a U.K.-based company that is part of a larger French conglomerate. That ship, which cost the regime in Pyongyang an estimated $7 million, first appeared in official North Korean state media in 2013.
Kim Jong Un visits a fisheries station in 2013. The Princess 95MY yacht is visible docked to the right., KCNA
The Kim family's party barges aren't only the floating amenity in North Korea, either. In 1998, during a period of detente on the Korean Peninsula, a South Korean company purchased the world's first floating hotel and moved it to the Mount Kumgang tourist resort in the North.
Originally built in Singapore in 1988, the hotel had gone first to Australia and then to Vietnam, before finding its way in North Korea. Last year, Kim Jong Un decried the overall state of the Mount Kumgang resort, as well as its aesthetics, saying it offered accommodations akin to "makeshift tents in a disaster-stricken area" and "the buildings are just a hotchpotch with no national character at all." Kim called for the renovation or demolition of all of the structures at the resort in order to bring in line with the country's "own sentiment and aesthetic taste," which has brought the future of the floating hotel into question.
Kim Jong Un stands in front of the floating hotel during a visit to the Mount Kumgang resort last year., KCNA
Of course, North Korea's tourism industry, which is small, but had been growing amid improving relations between it and South Korea, as well as other countries in the region, has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is very plausible that Kim Jong Un's recent pronounced absence from the public eye in recent weeks was been due to extreme measures to isolate him from potentially contracting the virus. Kim has just made his first public appearance since Apr. 11, going to a ceremony to mark the completion of a fertilizer plant.
With Kim Jong Un very much alive, it seems very possible that the work being done on his bizarre and massive pool party barge is in preparation for another season of fun in the sun for the country's elite.
Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com


Kids are ever curious about their surroundings. They love to learn little tidbits about what makes their home state special. And since Adoption & Beyond serves families seeking adoption services in Kansas and Missouri, we have compiled a list of influential Kansans and Missourians throughout history that have done great things. From authors to educators, inventors to aviators, these states are rich in historical juggernauts! Be sure to click on the links for more information on these incredible people.
Bill Martin Jr., an award-winning children's book author, was born in Hiawatha, Kansas on March 20, 1916. Martin was not an avid reader as a child and had a difficult time with reading until he attended college. He worked hard at improving his reading skills and developed a great love for it as a result. He became so passionate about teaching children to read that he later when on to receive his doctorate in early childhood education and author more than 300 children's books! Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, are sure to be favorites!
Amelia Earhart was a pioneer for women in aviation. She was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas. Amelia was known to have a great love for adventure. When she took her first flight at the age of 22, she was immediately fascinated. She became determined to get her pilots license. Amelia worked 3 jobs to save up the $1000 it would cost her for flying lessons. Some of her most notable achievements include; being the first woman to fly solo above 14,000 feet, and the first woman (and second person) to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Gwendolyn Brooks was born in Topeka, Kansas on June 7, 1917. She is known as one of the most influential and popular poets of the 20th-century. Gwendolyn's first poem, "Eventide," was published when she was just 13 years old! In 1950 her book of poetry entitled Annie Allen won her a Pulitzer Prize. She was the first African American in history to receive this distinguished prize.
Susan Elizabeth Blow had a huge impact on education in the United States. She was born is St. Louis, Missouri on June 7, 1843. When she was in her early 20's, Susan traveled to Germany with her father. It was there she observed the early childhood teaching program we now know as Kindergarten. Susan wanted children in America to have the same type of educational advantage. When she returned to the US, she extensively studied kindergarten education. Susan opened the first public kindergarten in 1873, forever changing education in the United States.
Born on January 1, 1864 in Diamond, Missouri, George Washington Carver is officially called an American botanist; but he was so much more than that! He was born into slavery but later became one of the most influential scientists and inventors of his time. Carver invented 300 uses for peanuts! Many of which we still use today. He also found many uses for sweet potatoes and soybeans. His work, research and inventions helped revolutionize agriculture in the South.
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra was born is St. Louis, Missouri on May 12, 1925. Yogi Berraparticipated in 21 World Series; as a player, a coach or a manager. He set an all-time record, having 10 World Series wins as a player. Berra played for the New York Yankees and the Mets, was later a manager for both teams and then served as coach for these teams as well as the Houston Astros.


Discussion in 'Development' started by Archaon, 29th May, 2017.
Anyone done or heard/know if it's possible to Dualkey on 430ish sqm in NSW, more specifically Maitland Council, zoned R1, minimum lot size 450sqm.
I know I fall below the threshold for a GF as it's 450sqm, has anyone been able to get an exception to this?
I'll give my town planner a ring today sometime to have a chat to him also.
I might be wrong but under CDC it is allowed in attached? under 450m2 though the width is 12m?