text:
Irina Korzun's Memoirs (in Russian)
Part I Chapter 1
to Chapter 1
Chapter 1 (in Russian)
MY ROOTS
My father, Vyacheslav Karlovich Korzun, was born on September 15, 1879, in the city of Lankaran in Azerbaijan where his parents lived for a while. He was orphaned at the age of seven; his father, Karl Fomich Korzun, died of tuberculosis in 1886 at the age of 35 (see link to a short official biography and death certificate), followed in 1887 by his mother, Elizaveta Fedorovna (nee Kinert). The boy was placed in an orphanage but was soon taken in by his mother's brother, Aleksandr Fedorovich Kinert, who lived in St. Petersburg (see certificate of orphan status and a birth and baptismal certificate). He and his wife, Avgustina Kinert (nee Tiedemann), raised my father as their own son. I do not know how old my father was when he first came into the Kinert family, but I do know that they treated him with the same parental affection as they did their own two children: a son, Vladimir (Volodya), and his younger sister, Valeria (Valya). The boys, who were about 10 years apart, were close, and both adored their sister. I do not know where Volodya went to university but my father graduated in 1901 from the Kronstadt School of Naval Engineering with a degree in mechanical engineering. That same year, he enlisted aboard the battleship Tsesarevich where he served as chief mechanic during the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905 and until the year 1906. As for his sister Valya, she must have been a remarkable person; she certainly was a beauty. I can still see a picture of her, taken perhaps in a garden, braiding her thick hair and smiling slightly into the camera.
I know a bit more about my mother's family. Her father, General (I think) Vassily Gubkin, served at the imperial residence of Tsarskoye Selo as provincial governor ("gubernator") or some sort of top military official, and the whole family lived there. My grandmother, Olga Gubkina, was the mother of a large family: five children, of whom my mother was the eldest. The first three turned out smart, handsome and healthy, but the good genes failed in the two younger kids. Number four, a daughter, Marina, was born almost deaf; the youngest son Vassily (Vasya), was slow-witted, lazy, and given to petty thievery. Soon after the birth of the last child my grandfather died, leaving Olga Vladimirovna alone with five children. The family lived in poverty, and my mother, as the eldest – who had by then finished high school ("gymnazia") with a gold medal and was fluent in French – went out to work. She secured a job as a teacher at the "nanny school" of Tsarskoe Selo. The school trained young ladies to be nannies to children of rich and noble families, a position that required a nanny to possess a good education and fluency in French. The school had a good reputation, and my mother was well-regarded there. At one point she was even invited to tutor the Russian imperial princesses, the two youngest I believe, although I do not know how long this lasted. I know virtually no details because by the time I was growing up these things were too dangerous to share with children, who might inadvertently talk about our "counter-revolutionary" connections around the wrong people.
Nor do I know where and how my parents first met. The Gubkins and Kinerts may have already known each other, because the two brothers married the two sisters: Vyacheslav (my father) chose the eldest, Sophia (my mother) while Vladimir married her sister Maria. We kids called them Uncle Volodya and Aunt Manya.
Number three, Mikhail (Misha) Gubkin, fought in WWI and was captured. Nothing was known about him for a long time. Later they learned that he had married a French woman and settled in France; I do not think they had any children. I remember that in the late 1920's, Uncle Misha's sister-in-law, an actress, came to Moscow. My mother went somewhere to meet her and then told my father things about their lives that were also not meant for kids' ears. I only know that Uncle Misha did well in France. I knew so little about him that I was able, with a clear conscience, to say "none" to the ominous questions on all sorts of official government forms asking about relatives abroad.
Sister Marina was younger than my mother and about 6 years older than Vasya. She was not able to take care of herself and was looked after by her mother, my grandmother Olga. Grandmother and Marina lived with us throughout our time in St. Petersburg. I know nothing about her schooling; most likely, she was educated at home. She was highly literate, read a lot, loved poetry. Unlike my brother and I, she was fairly decent in French. Her speech was slurred, as is common in deaf people, and it was difficult to talk to her, but she longed for human interaction with someone other than grandmother. I remember visiting her regularly, though not frequently, during our time in Leningrad (1926-1930), and she tried to interest me in poetry. She told me to read Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. I honestly tried but found it then to be quite beyond me.
Brother Vasya was mostly passed over in silence in our family. Evidently, he had gotten involved with a criminal gang and spent much of his life in jail. I also remember him coming to visit in the late 1920's. My parents and grandmother Olga received him warmly and held several family councils on ways of finding him a job. He took part in these discussions and stayed for about ten days, disappearing as abruptly as he had appeared, along with all of my mother's family jewels and other valuables. Now they held a family council on whether to report him to the police. Family feeling prevailed; the jewels, after all, were just things. He would most likely end up in jail again but let this happen without our help.
My mother had other relatives: the Khudyakovs and the Kavelins. The Khudyakovs were wealthy, owned landed estates, but during the revolution they were destined to live out in reverse that line in the Communist anthem The Internationale that says that "we have been nought, we shall be all": they became "nought." The only one of them whom I knew well was my mother's cousin, or nephew perhaps, Sergey Kavelin.
He was much younger than my mother, graduated with some sort of technical degree and in 1932 lived in Moscow and often came to our house. When I was applying to the Moscow Power Engineering Institute (MPEI), he helped me prepare for the entrance examination in math. I saw him often during that time, and we became quite friendly. I called him informally by his first name, Serezha. Serezha was married to a lady journalist and had a son. They soon left Moscow and divorced fairly quickly. Then Serezha disappeared from my life for a long time and surfaced again right before my mother's death in 1971, but more on that later.
I seem to remember that Serezha was close to the Khudyakovs and maybe even related to them, but back then, in the 1930's, I never tried to find out. That is my personality; I have always been reluctant to pry into people's affairs unless they volunteered information that seemed to open the door to questions. I also never gossiped; school friends called me a "drain" (water flows in but never out). And in general, all my life I have disliked asking questions, however trivial. Even when I am looking for a street or a house, I would rather spend more time searching by trial and error than ask people for directions. Lately, I have mellowed a bit in this regard, but now it is too late; I have no one left to ask about the things in my past that I would like to know.
I know even less about my father's side of the family. As I have mentioned, the two Kinert boys, Vyacheslav and Vladimir, married the two Gubkin girls, Sophia and Maria. The two families were very close. Each had two children: my parents had me and brother Oleg, eighteen months apart; Uncle Volodya and Aunt Manya had a daughter, Astea, who was older than Oleg, and a son, Alik, who was younger than me.
Astea is an unusual name. The story behind it, as my mother told Oleg and me, is that Aunt Manya desperately wanted a girl and was eagerly looking forward to her birth. When her dream finally came true and she had a beautiful baby girl, Aunt Manya started looking for a name worthy of her long-awaited little princess. I do not remember where she finally found it (I doubt that she had consulted the Orthodox calendar of saints), but she convinced everyone that there was indeed a St. Astea, and the baby was christened accordingly. Later it transpired that there was a male "St. Astee", whose name in the Russian genitive case reads "[of] Astea" -- Aunt Manya, in her haste, did not notice that.
The families seemed destined to remain close for many years to come, but the revolution decreed otherwise. Right before the revolution, my family lived in Kolpino (30 km from St. Petersburg) while Uncle Volodya's family lived in St. Petersburg. My father was chief engineer at the Izhorsky heavy equipment manufacturing plant. We lived on the Semi-Circular Canal, and my mother later remembered this as a happy time. Oleg and I were born there. I was born on June 27, 1914 (according to the modern calendar). The delivery was difficult, and I was born with a large, bluish-purple mark covering half my face that the doctors said was probably a birth mark. Everyone was aghast – poor little girl, she will have a tough time going through life looking like this. My mother, desperate to "save" her child, made a vow to make the pilgrimage from Kolpino to St. Petersburg on foot as soon as she had recovered from giving birth. She fulfilled her vow, and the ugly stain disappeared from my face some time later.
Shortly before the revolution our family moved to Tsaritsyn (now Volgograd). From 1913 through 1918 my father was the technical director of the Tsaritsyn gun foundry. After the revolution, life went on as usual for a short while and the foundry continued operations, but tensions increased with the start of the civil war. Rumors flew that a large White force under General Krasnov was approaching Tsaritsyn; that the Red Army was retreating on all fronts; that the Whites were about to take the city; that they dealt brutally with Red sympathizers. The foundry was thrown into chaos. Most of the workers supported the Reds while the loyalties of most of the management lay with the Whites. This was the time to make a choice: those who were on the side of the Red revolution should flee at once; those who were prepared to serve under the Whites might perhaps risk staying in town. Most of my father's management colleagues took that risk and stayed – some believing that the White Guard would win and the days of the Bolsheviks were numbered, and some, out of the traditional Russian belief that "it'll be all right somehow" and they could escape the notice of either the Reds or the Whites.
My father chose flight. Well in advance of the approach of the Whites he left for Moscow, having first made arrangements for the evacuation of the family. Our most valuable possessions were entrusted for safekeeping to our closest friends that were staying in the city, and even more importantly, my father arranged for my mother and the children to travel with the family of a worker that he knew well. The worker's family would take us to a pre-arranged port on the Volga river where my father would meet us and make further travel arrangements. Evidently, in the autumn of 1918 the fall of Tsaritsyn was expected from one day to the next, because our departure was abrupt. Incidentally, that is perhaps my first independent childhood memory. The night is dark; a boat, perhaps a barge, is docked at the river, and the crew is literally shoving all the passengers in (down into the hold?), helter-skelter, adults on top of children, and lots of baggage. Then: my mother, in pitch darkness, is putting Oleg and me down to sleep in that hold on top of some bags. That is all I remember of our trip from Tsaritsyn to Moscow.
I have always assumed that we had steamed down the Volga to a port that was still free of the Whites and met my father there. Now, while writing these words, something in these early memories began to puzzle me. If we were fleeing toward Moscow we would have had to travel up the Volga, but I clearly remember approaching a small town and moving downstream. I picked up The Road to Calvary, a classic novel by Aleksey Tolstoy, since I remembered a scene where two characters (Telegin and Dasha) meet in 1918 in one of the cities on the lower Volga occupied by the Whites. I learned that, when the Whites were preparing their attack on Tsaritsyn, they already held the downstream city of Saratov and a few smaller towns (detachments of the Czechoslovak Legion were stationed in Saratov).
Turning to a geography atlas, I studied the Volga and its cities and towns on the map and saw a town named Akhtubinsk located 60 km south (downstream) of Tsaritsyn, although it stood not on Volga but on another river, Akhtuba, which flows parallel to the Volga and joins it 15 km above Tsaritsyn. Now, Akhtuba was a word imprinted on my memory from childhood, when I heard my parents tell the story of our escape to friends and relatives. Although I retained nothing except that name, I always had the feeling that Oleg and I had been to Akhtuba. Now I understand that in late summer or perhaps early autumn of 1918, my mother, carrying us children and a bare minimum of baggage, with the help of kind strangers was able to travel first up the Volga and then down the Akhtuba river to the port of Akhtuba where my father was waiting. The rest of our journey must have been uneventful because I do not remember any more stories about it. As far as I know, the Whites tried several times to take Tsaritsyn but ultimately failed.
The last episode in the saga of our escape from Tsaritsyn took place much later, although I do not remember when. I think this was during our time in Moscow, a relatively peaceful period. The people who had taken our valuables for safekeeping before our flight from Tsaritsyn sent word (probably with someone who traveled to Russia on business) that they had settled in some foreign country and were anxious to return my parents' property to them – at least its monetary value if not the actual things. We had only a few days to respond. I clearly remember my parents discussing this – they may even have included us children in the discussion – looking for ways to receive this money, quite a large sum for us then, without getting in trouble with the authorities. They came to a unanimous decision not to tempt fate. It was only money; safety was more important. That was the end of that story.
Now let me turn again to the Kinert family. I do not know where Uncle Volodya's family spent the years we lived in Tsaritsyn. I assume they lived in St. Petersburg (then called Petrograd) and were there when the revolution broke out. I do remember that very soon after our flight from Tsaritsyn my father settled us in an obscure village somewhere in the Kostroma province (although I could be mistaken), where my mother took in Astea, the oldest daughter of Uncle Volodya and Aunt Manya, in addition to the two of us. That was a time of danger and scarcity in Moscow. My father, who had never lived in Moscow before (he had come to Tsaritsyn from Kolpino (near St. Petersburg), faced the difficult task of finding a job and a home for our family. Naturally, it was better that we stay in the village for a while so that we could be safe and he could devote himself to his task. So why did we take in Astea? If, as I think, Uncle Volodya's family was in Petrograd all that time, very likely they were experiencing hardship and persecution from the new regime. Was Uncle Volodya in opposition, was his family in hiding? Was their son Alik too young to travel?
I do not know how long we stayed in the village. I have retained only scattered images of that life, all of them either inside a peasant cottage ("izba") or set in winter time. For instance, I remember my mother learning to light the Russian stove. Some woman, probably a neighbor, brought in some firewood, and soon the fire was crackling merrily while the woman showed my mother how to make bread, sliding several loaves into the hot stove on a great wooden peel. She did everything quickly and cheerfully, and we three kids could not take our eyes off her.
I also remember my mother trying unsuccessfully to light that stove by herself; I see her seated in front of it, bent down low and covering her face with her hands. Afterwards my mother, not without a certain pride, told us that not only did she finally learn to manage the stove, bake excellent bread and cook our meals in it, but she was able in turn to teach the neighbor to make a delicious cake out of the scant minimum of available ingredients.
There is a family story about Astea and the cake. My mother made that cake one day (possibly for Oleg's birthday) so we children could have a party. The three of us ate all we could, put away the rest of the cake for tomorrow, and went to bed. Oleg and I went to sleep but Astea tossed and turned in bed while my mother went around finishing some chores, of which there never was any shortage. Suddenly Astea sat up in bed and asked in a plaintive voice: "Aunt Sonya, are you saving that cake?" It took a moment for my mother to understand that Astea simply wanted more cake! This became a family joke: when one of us wanted some specific food that was not on the table, we would ask my mother: "Are you saving [this]?" It sounded especially funny coming from my father and always elicited a chuckle.
I also remember the constant trying on of clothes which my mother was always sewing for one of the children out of old curtains. She even managed to make a beautiful winter coat for Astea, who must have arrived not dressed for winter. She sewed by hand and was better at pattern-making than at finishing seams, so that her creations looked good but often came apart at the seam and required frequent repairs.
The only thing I remember of our natural surroundings is a pond, frozen solid. We loved to sled down to it on pieces of wood.
My last memory is of a retreating armed force passing through the village. The villagers lined the streets praying to God that the soldiers would pass through without stopping, but the kids were overjoyed to see the beautiful horses, gleaming heavy guns with their gun crews riding behind. The villagers said that these were the remnants of a recently routed uprising from somewhere to the south of us. Most of them indeed passed straight through but one gun crew stayed overnight with a wealthy family almost directly across the street from us. They left early the next morning, and later on there was an explosion: the soldiers had left behind a hand grenade or some sort of makeshift mine. Unfortunately, a child was the first to find it. He was blown to bits, and another member of the family was gravely injured. My mother was horrified; our safe hiding place turned out not to be safe at all, and soon after that, my father took us all to Moscow.
I will write about our life in Moscow in the next chapter but now let me mention Uncle Volodya's visit that may have taken place right around that time. Very likely Uncle Volodya came to get Astea and have a serious talk with my father.
Uncle Volodya had decided to leave Bolshevik Russia. He saw no place for himself in it and devised a plan to take his family out across the Finnish border. I remember this conversation that lasted long into the evening, followed by a sleepless night for my parents. They discussed all possible outcomes for Russia's future, and Uncle Volodya rejected them all. Despite his arguments, my father said that he saw no place for himself outside Russia, would never leave voluntarily and hoped to make a life in his native country whatever the circumstances might be. My mother agreed with him, and Uncle Volodya said good-bye and left – forever, as it turned out. A few days later we received word that they had crossed the border safely and were in Finland. I never heard of them again; at least, my parents never told Oleg and me anything, even if they heard something – perhaps to shield us from problems with official government forms.
This is how we lost our closest and dearest relatives. Many years later, during perestroika, I wondered about the Kinerts and thought about taking a trip to Finland to see what I could find out, but in the end I never went. I did not know where to begin; they could well have moved to another country, and even if they had stayed, only Astea and her brother would still be alive, and Astea could have married and changed her last name, and I was not sure of her brother's name or date of birth. So now I have no relatives on either my father's or my mother's side. All gone.
I have mentioned Uncle Volodya's younger sister, Valya, whose picture I liked to look at in my parents' photo album. She came to stay with us for about three days during our second stay in Moscow (I think) on her way to Petrograd from the Caucases where she had been part of a scientific expedition to Khevsureti – the only woman there. She was brimming with impressions and told us about the fascinating life of the Khevsur people and their mountain stronghold of Shatili, an ancient fortress. Her stories came back to me later when I visited this amazing part of Georgia with my friends. Valya asked me what clothes I wanted most to have, and I said that I wanted a white beret. She took me right away to the torgsin and bought me a beautiful beret and a pair of red shoes.
My brother Oleg lived with Valya for about two years when he was a university student in St. Petersburg (then called Leningrad). I do not know how he ended up in Leningrad – I think he must have enrolled somewhere when our family lived in Leningrad before my father's first arrest.
Valya was an interesting person, out of the ordinary, and her family was far from ordinary. She married a well-known and well-respected lawyer, Dmitry Ilminsky – I saw him once or twice. He was a dry, reserved, not very sociable man who reminded me of the husband in Anna Karenina. He seemed a poor match to Valya, who was bright, explosive and used to attracting universal admiration. Dmitry had a younger brother, Nikolay, who lived with them. Nikolay fell hard for Valya. He tried to move away but came backagain, and in the end Valya fell in love with him. This was an odd household: Valya remained officially married to Dmitry but lived as the wife of Nikolay, and this is how things stood before WWII.
After the war I came to Leningrad from Chelyabinsk with my colleague and closest friend, Lusya Pinchuk. We came on an extended business trip and had lots of time. One day I decided to try and find out what happened to Valya, and Lusya and I went to Valya's old address, which I remembered well: 2, Vassilyevsky Island, 1st line. I knew that now, after the war and the blockade, other people were probably there but we had to start somewhere. A strange woman opened the door but as soon as I said that I was looking for Valeria Ilminsky she invited us in. She turned out to be the sister of Dmitry and Nikolay of whom I knew almost nothing while she knew my father and Oleg and had even heard quite a bit about me. We sat in a spacious apartment very typical of Leningrad, filled with massive old furniture. It was a long conversation, rambling and very sad. Maria served us tea and talked and talked. Evidently, she was glad that there still was someone in the world who was interested in the fate that befell her loved ones – a tragic fate, typical of Leningrad. Nikolay died on the battlefront, but not right away: he came to visit a couple of times, bringing food and helping in any way he could. Dmitry died in the blockade. Valya fell ill but was smuggled out of Leningrad, through the blockade, along with Maria, and the two of them lived together in the Ural region until the end of the war, then returned to Leningrad. I do not remember what illness finally claimed her life but it was not related to the starvation of the blockade.
Maria and I lost contact for many years but in the 1970's, when I was already living permanently in Moscow, she suddenly called me on the phone. She was temporarily in Moscow and found me, not without some trouble. When we met she told me that, while packing for a move to another apartment, she found some things that had belonged to my father, remembered my visit and decided to get those things to me. I told her that I traveled to Leningrad often and would come and see her. We gave each other our addresses but even before my first trip to Leningrad I received in the mail the collected works of Aleksandr Herzen, with my father's signature on each volume. I made two trips and came back to Moscow with a painting that had always hung in my father's home (it now hangs in my older son's home), a massive porcelain table lamp, an album with my father's pictures and postcards from the Russo-Japanese war, and some papers and photographs. From then on, I visited Maria every time I went to Leningrad. I learned that Valya and she had grown very close during Valya's last years, and that Valya had told her a lot about her life and childhood. I begged her to remember and tell me everything, and she promised but said that she needed time to get her thoughts and memories together. Then I started coming to St. Petersburg only once a year, and one of those years I found Maria very ill and attended by a woman who told me it was cancer. When I came the next time, she was gone.


Pain. We talk about it a lot. What it feels like, what causes it, and how to treat it. But let's change it up this week and talk about pleasure instead. Many of these articles will be irrelevant to our readers since not everyone who reads this (I assume someone out there does) will experience frostbite, Achilles heel ruptures, or osteoarthritis. But everyone has the capacity to feel pleasure.
Give them a good scrub. A quick rinse in the shower is usually all people do for their feet to clean them. Take some extra time and give your feet a good scrub. Get all the way in between each toe, remove dirt from under the nail, and revel in the squeaky clean feeling your feet will have for the next few hours.
Give yourself a pedicure. Make sure your little piggies look nice with a quick clip or file. If you're feeling fancy you can even add a coat of polish. No need to go to a salon and spend big money when you can do it yourself.
Take a walk barefoot. Go outside and squish your toes in the grass or some sand. Concentrate on the feeling of the ground under your feet. Sometimes just appreciating nature and letting it soak in can bring you a smile.
Get a foot rub. While it's one thing to rub your own feet when they are tired or sore, it's an entirely different thing to get a foot rub just for fun. Doing it yourself is ok, but if you can bribe someone else into massaging your feet, all the better.
Give them a rest! We talk about RICE and elevation as a way to reduce swelling and promote healing. Why not elevate them just for fun? Grab a super squishy pillow and prop them up for a quick snooze. Your feet will thank you.
Your feet will thank you if you pamper them every once in a while so don't be shy to give your feet some pleasure. After all, your strongest support deserves a break now and then.


When I saw this recipe in last month's Bon Appetit, I knew I had to make it. Isn't it beautiful, the purple cabbage with the purple chive flowers? It came at a perfect time, too, just as I was preparing to give a whole talk on cabbage at the Naked Food Fair! Yeah, I know, I'm a vegetable nerd.
I'm a big believer in getting a little char on all the cabbage-family vegetables - it brings out their incredible sweet, nutty, umami flavors. This recipe takes it to the extreme, and it really is fantastic. The basic idea is you throw a half a cabbage in the pan and let it cook undisturbed so that it gets almost burned, while basting it with butter.
They are well known to help reduce cholesterol - the fiber in cabbage can bind up bile acids, which are synthesized from cholesterol in the body, allowing them to be excreted and thus lowering overall cholesterol. Steaming actually makes the fiber better able to do this.
Some of the phytochemicals in cabbage-family vegetables are actually being seriously studied for its cancer-prevention properties. A compound called 3,3-diindolylmethane may help mitigate damage caused by radiation treatment. Compounds called glucosinolates are converted to isothiocyanates in your body, with the help of myrosinase enzymes. Raw cabbage has the maximum amount of these compounds, but steaming is not too bad. Cutting the cabbage and letting it sit a few minutes allows the myrosinase enzymes to begin their work.
They have tons of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds too. Anthocyanin in red cabbage is a great example. And a substance called kaempferol in broccoli and kale may lessen the impact of allergens.
So, this recipe is actually kind of the best of both worlds - you get the deep browning that develops great flavor, but the rest of the cabbage just basically steams.
Cut the cabbage in half through the core. Save one half for something else, or if you're really skilled, double the rest of the ingredients, get another pan, and do two at once.
Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high. Set the cabbage in the pan, cut side down, and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes. Don't worry if it looks burned!
Add the butter and baste for 10 minutes (pour spoonfuls of it over top of the cabbage to help cook the top). Don't worry if the butter looks really really brown. Check to see if it is done by poking a skewer or a knife all the way through - if it goes in easily, it's done. If not, keep basting for another few minutes. Crumble the kombu and baste a few times more. Cut in half and serve on two plates, drizzled with some of the brown butter and sprinkled with chives.


In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the FBI was ordered to reorganize itself from a law enforcement agency to a national security organization. The transformation and the lessons it imparts are documented in a study by Ranjay Gulati, Ryan L. Raffaelli, and Jan W. Rivkin.
It is hard to imagine a more difficult and tragic trial by fire for a new leader. On September 4, 2001, Robert Mueller started his new job as the sixth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A mere week later, on September 11, al-Qaeda terrorists carried out a massive coordinated attack on the United States, killing nearly 3,000 people with four hijacked airliners—and throwing the FBI's structure and identity into question.
Since its founding in 1908, the organization had focused primarily on solving domestic crimes and bringing criminals to justice. But in the wake of 9/11, President George W. Bush expanded the FBI's mission with a single question for Mueller: What was the FBI doing to prevent the next terrorist attack? And just like that, the brand-new director of the FBI had to figure out how to transform the organization from a law enforcement agency to a national security organization that not only solved crimes but also prevented attacks.
Mueller's major challenge was also a major learning opportunity for a group of scholars, including Rivkin, who had spent their academic careers studying organizational design and organizational identity.
A comprehensive study of the FBI's transformation resulted in the paper Does "What We Do"Make Us "Who We Are"? Organizational Design and Identity Change at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, co-written by HBS colleagues Ranjay Gulati, the Jaime and Josefina Chua Tiampo Professor of Business Administration and head of the Organizational Behavior unit; Ryan L. Raffaelli, an assistant professor in the Organizational Behavior unit; and Rivkin, the Bruce V. Rauner Professor of Business Administration in the Strategy unit and Senior Associate Dean for Research.
Whereas organizational design is concerned with how tasks are prioritized, structured, and coordinated across individuals ("what we do"), organizational identity is defined by the central, distinct, and enduring elements that give meaning and provide purpose to an organization ("who we are").
Drawing on 138 interviews with FBI officials and an analysis of 45 congressional testimonies from 2001 to 2013, the paper details the ways in which design change and identity change interacted during the FBI's unexpected—and largely successful—transformation.
Broadly, the researchers show that the FBI dealt with hammering out the "what we do" aspect of organizational change for years before really addressing the "who we are" part.
Academically, the paper stands out because it addresses both design change and identity change. In the past, scholars have tended to study those things independently.
Prior research on organizational design indicates the FBI could have handled the situation in one of three ways: One, Director Mueller could have immediately created two separate organizational units, one for law enforcement and one for domestic intelligence, seeking what scholars call "structural ambidexterity." Two, the FBI could have pursued "contextual ambidexterity" wherein senior management establishes simultaneous structures and processes for frontline employees to balance both missions. Three, it could have simply rejected the new national security mandate.
In reality, it didn't play out in any of those ways. "Nothing in prior theory led us to expect what we observed—in essence, structural ambidexterity followed by contextual ambidexterity," the researchers write.
As for identity, prior research would predict a period of confusion immediately after 9/11, followed by the emergence of a clearer sense of "who we are." Instead, "we observed the rapid emergence of two clear but distinct identities, a subsequent period of identity ambiguity, and eventually a new, unified identity," they write.
Before 9/11, the FBI had a fairly decentralized design, owing to the local nature of most crimes. The Bureau operated 56 field offices in major cities, each focused on solving local crimes and each ran relatively autonomously. An "office-of-origin" system allowed the field office that started an investigation to stay with the case even if it expanded into other cities. "Headquarters provided only light-handed advisory coordination across offices," the researchers write.
At the outset of a change effort, management often does not know what design and identity an organization needs. Instead, it must discover the right design and identity through experimentation.
Both design change and identity change require management attention, which is a limited resource. So changing both at once and quickly is hard.
An organization's design is often more flexible than its identity, in the sense that design can be changed faster and mandated more easily by top leadership. As a result, an organization called on to change rapidly, because of an external crisis, is likely to adjust its design first and then act to bring its identity into alignment with its new design and its altered environment.
When the researchers met with Mueller in 2009, he explained that the organizational transformation occurred in three stages: triage (immediately responding to the 9/11 attacks), search (forming a plan to tackle national security without foregoing law enforcement), and, finally, crystallization (institutionalizing new systems and behaviors toward a new identity).
In May 2002, Mueller issued a list of the FBI's new top 10 priorities. No. 1: protect the United States from terrorist attack. For terrorism cases, he nixed the office-of-origin system, mandating instead that headquarters would oversee and coordinate these cases with field offices from the top down.
Many countries maintain two separate entities for law enforcement and national security: The United Kingdom has Scotland Yard and MI5, for example, and Canada has the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. (The Central Intelligence Agency in the United States operates primarily outside the country.) But for the FBI, juggling both missions simultaneously enabled better access to information from local law enforcement officers and newly jailed criminals.
To the surprise of the researchers, FBI agents did not seem to fixate on redefining their professional identity during the triage phase, in spite of the new mission thrust upon them. Rather, they focused on the all-consuming task of finding ways to thwart terrorists while also enforcing laws. With missions like that, who had time for an identity crisis?
After the initial triage phase, the FBI realized the need to improve its threat analysis function; after all, law enforcement agents were not trained to recognize a new wave of threats. To that end, in 2003, Mueller created the Directorate of Intelligence, which established a Field Intelligence Group (FIG) and new security analysts at each of the FBI's field offices.
That didn't sit well with some old-guard law enforcers, who didn't take kindly to sharing both an office and a mission with a bunch of computer geeks.
In 2005, under pressure from a presidential task force, the Bureau established two separate branches—a national security branch and a criminal branch—both reporting to headquarters. "The organizational design ensured that decision-making authority remained firmly at the top of the FBI," the researchers write.
In the final stages of the FBI's transformation, the paper explains, Mueller focused on truly integrating intelligence into FBI operations, in terms of both design and identity. This involved establishing a strategy management system based in part on best practices that had been successful in the corporate world: He and his team implemented the balanced scorecard performance management system (created by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton [Harvard DBA 1973]), and launched a Strategic Execution Team to help the FIGs manage the balance between crime prevention and law enforcement.
Mueller also finally started to home in on the identity issue. He talked about the FBI not in terms of law enforcement and/or national security, but in terms of "threat-based, intelligence-led national security" that encompassed both missions.
The FBI still has work to do in its quest to become a full-fledged national security organization. A March 2015 report by the 9/11 Review Commission praised the FBI for some of its integration efforts, but questioned the practical applicability of others. "The FBI division-level strategic plans are useful as management tools, but they are not uniformly threat-based nor do they align with a needed corporate strategic plan for the Bureau that would allocate resources against current and emerging national security threats," the report said.
But there's no question that the organization has successfully prevented multiple attacks since 9/11. The FBI has posted a 10-year list of highlights titled Major Terrorism Preventions, Disruptions, and Investigations, which includes the killing of Usama bin Laden.
While the paper focuses on the most extreme example of reacting to an external shock, the findings may hold value for any manager dealing with change in the face of outside forces—starting with the question of how to balance attention between design and identity. There are numerous historical and current examples of companies forced to face the external shocks of disruptive innovators or shifts in consumer demand.
Raffaelli mentions that many Swiss mechanical watch companies had to redefine their identity after quartz battery-powered watches nearly rendered them obsolete. Similarly, Gulati references Kodak (which failed to react quickly enough to the public demand for digital photography—even though its own researchers played a role in inventing the technology) and automakers like Ford (which are currently dealing with an evolving view of transportation needs).
Gulati also notes some wartime parallels between the FBI's mission shift in 2001 and Harvard Business School's mission shift during World War II. From 1943 until the end of the war, HBS completely suspended the MBA program in order to devote itself to the training of Army and Navy personnel.


text:
e² — двухдисковый альбом-сборник итальянского певца и композитора Эроса Рамаццотти, выпущенный в Европе и Латинской Америке 26 октября 2007 года. В издании были опубликованы лучшие песни Рамаццотти.

Об альбоме
e² его четырнадцатый по счёту альбом (включая концертные и сборники), и его второй сборник лучших хитов после Eros 1997 года.

Первый сингл из альбома — «Non siamo soli» — представляет собой вокальный дуэт с латиноамериканским певцом Рики Мартином.

Список композиций

Диск первый
Первый диск содержит четыре новые песни и четырнадцать ремастированных хитов.

Диск второй
Второй диск состоит из семнадцати хитов, исполненных в дуэте с другими популярными исполнителями.

DVD

DVD-издание было выпущено в Италии. На диске содержалось тринадцать избранных видеоклипов.

Позиции в чартах

Примечания

Ссылки
 Официальный сайт Эроса Рамаццотти

Поп-альбомы
Альбомы Италии
Сборники 2007 года
Двойные альбомы
Альбомы Эроса Рамазотти

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
ADATA Launches the SC685 External Solid State Drive
VENDOR: ADATA WEB: www.adata.com
Taipei, Taiwan – ADATA Technology (Taiwan Stock Exchange: 3260.TWO), a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, and mobile accessories is pleased to announce the launch of the ADATA SC685 external solid state drive (SSD). Featuring a compact and slim form factor, the ADATA SC685 external solid state drive is as small as they come. Despite its portable size, it's big on capacity and will transfer and backup data in no time.
Best of Both Worlds – Compact and Fast
The SC685 weighs only 35g and is as thin as a smartphone at 9.5mm thin. Its slim card-like form factor slips easily into back pockets or bags for hassle-free mobility. Despite its portable form factor the SC685 is up to 6.6 times[i] faster than your typical external hard drive, giving users exceptionally speedy data transfers and backups. With this performance, users can transfer a 10GB 4K movie in just 20 seconds. The SC685 comes with 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, or 2TB capacities to meet the needs of different users. What's more, users can use their SC685 with peace of mind knowing that it comes backed by a 3-year warranty.
Great Usability
The SC685 utilizes a USB-C connector, which is reversible. There's no annoying up or down like with traditional USB connectors. No guessing, just plug it in the first time, every time. Users can plug n' play with Windows, Mac OS, and Android, and move content seamlessly between devices without limitations. Whether for work or enjoyment, the SC685 empowers users with simple connectivity. Also, users can use it with game consoles for speeding up loading times.
Exact availability of the ADATA SC685 SSD may vary by region. To find out about availability and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest ADATA office or retailer via www.adata.com.
[i] Based on comparisons conducted by ADATA in a laboratory environment. These results were achieved with a PC that supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 and with UASP driver installed. Actual speed may vary depending on the host hardware and software configurations.
adata, ADATA SC685, SSD

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Research news (13)
Pharmacy Practice (3)
(-) Carolyn M. Brown, Ph.D., FAPhA (2)
(-) Diane B. Ginsburg, Ph.D., M.S., R.Ph., FASHP (2)
(-) Lucas G. Hill, Pharm.D., BCACP (2)
(-) M. Lynn Crismon, Pharm.D., FCCP, DABCP, BCPP (1)
(-) Robert O. (Bill) Williams III, Ph.D. (3)
Michael Johnsrud, Ph.D., R.Ph. (1)
Skyller Walkes, Ph.D. (6)
PhARM Program (1)
(-) Nick Nobel (18)
Alyssa Trudeau (4)
(-) Nick Nobel
(-) Carolyn M. Brown, Ph.D., FAPhA
(-) Diane B. Ginsburg, Ph.D., M.S., R.Ph., FASHP
(-) Lucas G. Hill, Pharm.D., BCACP
(-) M. Lynn Crismon, Pharm.D., FCCP, DABCP, BCPP
(-) Robert O. (Bill) Williams III, Ph.D.
UT Pharmacy Earns Highest Residency Match Rate in Texas
Pharmacy schools across the country completed their 2022 Phase I and Phase II residency matches for new or upcoming graduates of their Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) programs. The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy placed in the top ten of all pharmacy schools in the nation, and number one in Texas.
Opioid Use Disorder Paper Earns ACCP Award
A paper from UT College of Pharmacy researchers was awarded the 2021 Outstanding Paper of the Year from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Ambulatory Care Practice Research Network. The paper investigates the availability of buprenorphine and naloxone in Texas to treat opioid use disorder.
Nixon and Hill Earn Faculty Promotions
Two of the College of Pharmacy's distinguished faculty were recently promoted due to their outstanding accomplishments in research, outreach and education. Dr. Kimberly Nixon of the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology will assume the rank of professor and Dr. Lucas G. Hill of the Division of Pharmacy Practice will become a clinical associate professor.
Ginsburg Appointed to Leadership Texas
Dr. Diane Ginsburg has been accepted into the Leadership Texas 2021 class by Leadership Women, Inc. She will represent The University of Texas at Austin during Leadership Texas sessions through November 2021.
Live Subject Testing Shows Promising Delivery Method for COVID-19 Antiviral Treatment
Live subject testing results from the Williams Lab show that dry powder inhalation could be a potent and effective delivery method of the antiviral remdesivir to treat patients affected by COVID-19.


text:
Fiction > Modern & contemporary fiction
Scabby Queen (Hardback)
Kirstin Innes (author)
We can order this from the publisher
Usually dispatched within 10 working days
Sweeping across five tumultuous decades in British politics, from the miners' strike to Brexit, Scabby Queen is a tantalising portrait of a woman who defies the norm.
Three days before her fifty-first birthday, Clio Campbell - one-hit-wonder, political activist, life-long-love and one-night-stand - kills herself in her friend Ruth's spare bedroom. And, as practical as she is, Ruth doesn't know what to do. Or how to feel. Because knowing and loving Clio Campbell was never straightforward.
To Neil, she was his great unrequited love. He'd known it since their days on picket lines as teenagers. Now she's a sentence in his email inbox: Remember me well.
The media had loved her as a sexy young starlet, but laughed her off as a ranting spinster as she aged. But with news of her suicide, Clio Campbell is transformed into a posthumous heroine for politically chaotic times.
Stretching over five decades, taking in the miners' strikes to Brexit and beyond; hopping between a tiny Scottish island, a Brixton anarchist squat, the bloody Genoa G8 protests, the poll tax riots and Top of the Pops, Scabby Queen is a portrait of a woman who refuses to compromise, told by her friends and lovers, enemies and fans.
As word spreads of what Clio has done, half a century of memories, of pain and of joy are wrenched to the surface. Those who loved her, those who hated her, and those that felt both ways at once, are forced to ask one question: Who was Clio Campbell?
'Kirstin Innes has written a fat, firecracker of a book, revolving around the suicide of Clio Campbell, a Glasgow chanteuse, whose story emerges through the voices of friends, acquaintances, enemies and journalists with space to fill. It's about women and silence, oddballs and adventurers and stupid mistakes; about 'no need to worry about me' Scottishness and 'getting by' as practised by every culture on earth. Best of all, it's about joy and hope and the pressing need to seize the day while one can.' - Janice Galloway, author of The Trick Is to Keep Breathing
'Scabby Queen is a life and death struggle of a book: wounded, angry, beautiful, righteous, beaten and triumphant' - A. L. Kennedy, author of Serious Sweet
'Totally immersive and gloriously polyphonic' - Sophie Mackintosh, author of The Water Cure
'A hugely ambitious novel that fulfils the promise of Kirstin Innes' debut Fishnet and then some. You won't forget Clio Campbell, but Scabby Queen's punch also comes from the sophisticated, nuanced way Innes undermines simplistic biographical takes ... Full of heart and dirt, fire and fury, Scabby Queen positively crackles with tension and drama throughout' - Rodge Glass, author of Bring Me the Head of Ryan Giggs
'A blistering firecracker ... succeeds in building a singular vision of our political moment and how we got here. I didn't want it to end' - Gavin Francis, author of Shapeshifters
'It is insightful, sharp, beautifully written and so immersive I feel bereft now it is over ... An unforgettable book' - Catherine Simpson, author of When I Had a Little Sister
'A warm, gritty, capacious take on the endearing theme of the fallen star. Irresistible' - Leila Aboulel, author of Elsewhere, Home
'Absolutely marvellous. Big-hearted without being sentimental, complex without being tricksy and full of the kind of living, breathing characters you feel you've known forever. You'll love it' - Mat Osman, bassist of Suede
Mrs England
Stacey Halls
No One Is Talking About This
Eight Detectives
Alex Pavesi
"Many loves and lives of Clio Campbell...."
One hit wonder Clio Campbell in her 50s is found death in her friends house, the verdict is suicide. Who was she ? The story told through people who knew her, weaves through past and present giving a real portrait of... More
Emine at Bromley
"Scabby Queen"
I think this book may well be like Marmite. Your other reviewers obviously love it, but I hated it. My husband bought it for me on the recommendation of a colleague who reads loads and loads of novels, maybe I... More
Sandra Zijlstra-Shaw
"A gorgeous novel"
Scabby Queen is a beautiful patchwork of a book, told from multiple points of view and in multiple ways, covering a period of fifty years. It's a maze, a kind of intellectual (and emotional) pinball machine,... More
Blue Book Balloon


This privacy notice covers the personal data of the BPSU clinical respondents who contribute to the BPSU epidemiology system. This privacy notice does not cover the use of clinical data or the legal grounds for processing it.
Privacy details on the clinical data collected by the study teams is available on the specific study web pages and corresponding Patient Information Leaflets.
We are the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU), based at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), 5-11 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8SH (telephone: +44 (0)20 7092 6000).
The BPSU was formed in 1986 to faciltate the epidemiological surveillance of rare paediatric conditions and events across the UK and Ireland. It has three partners, the RCPCH, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Public Health England. They are known as the data controllers and are the organisations responsible for ensuring your data is properly managed. The BPSU also receives support from the Royal College of Physicians Ireland. Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity also contributes financially to the activity.
For those clinicians contributing to the BPSU 'report system', the following details are held: name; hospital address; trust / NHS email and an alternative email; paediatric specialty; monthly response rates; and case conditions reported.
Through the 'electronic report card', BPSU collect a monthly report from 'reporting clinicians' as to whether or not they have seen a case for a condition that we are carrying out surveillance for; comments from 'reporting clinicians' to be used to update their contact details, eg retirement or change of email or of work address.
All information is supplied by the clinician. New clinicians to be included on the system are identified via the Certification of Completion of Training lists and via Advisory Appointments Committee as supplied by the RCPCH training and governance divisions. We will initially contact all new clinicians on the 'reporting system' as it is in the public interest to inform them about the BPSU 'reporting card' which enables us to collect information on a number of rare or uncommon disorders. Reporting clinicians can opt out of receiving the 'reporting card' at any time.
Notification of 'case reports' are sent to the respective 'research team' so they can communicate with you and collect further data on the 'case report'. The information passed to the 'research team' is name; hospital address; and trust/NHS email or alternative email. Please note all BPSU facilitated studies have the appropriate ethics and governance requirements, further information on these approvals can be found on the respective study web pages. Confirmation of a case is then conveyed back to the BPSU from the 'research teams'. The BPSU holds no clinical details whatsoever on the case.
Collated 'regional response rates' and 'case reports' are published in an annual report. No identifiable information is communicated in this process.
All information is held in the strictest confidence as outlined in the BPSU's Confidentiality Advisory Group and Public Benefits Privacy Panel approvals.
The BPSU will never publish raw data. When publishing, any data that could be used to identify you will be removed or changed and only anonymised data will presented.
Under GDPR you have certain rights in regards to the data we hold about you. You can ask us to delete your personal data (called a right to be forgotten), change any inaccuracies, restrict what we use your personal data for or ask us to stop processing your personal data. You can also request that the data we hold about you is given back to you or given to another service provider in a commonly used format. This is called data portability. You are entitled to ask for a copy of the data we hold about you as well. However, there are some restrictions which apply to these requests, such as if we have an overriding legal obligation to keep the data.
To find out more about your rights visit the ICO website or to make a request contact the Data Protection Officer: information.governance@rcpch.ac.uk or write to the Information Governance Manager, RCPCH, 5-11 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8SH.
In accordance with Data Protection Legislation, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from you and we have measures in place to ensure your data is securely and safely stored.
You have the right to complain to the ICO if you have concerns about the way your personal data is being handled: casework@ico.org.uk.
We will only retain your information for as long as you consent or we will retain it for 20 years until the data is reviewed for permanent preservation for historical research purposes, in line with current MRC guidance . As soon as you withdraw consent we shall suppress your details.
For further information on the BPSU you can contact the BPSU scientific coordinator by telephone: +44 (0)20 7092 6173) or email: bpsu@rcpch.ac.uk.
The BPSU information governance is overseen by RCPCH Data Protection Officer is contactable via emailing: information.governance@rcpch.ac.uk.


Cats Spotted Leopard Beautiful Gorgeous Noy Pesach Full Hd Animal Wallpapers ~ Cats for HD 16:9 High Definition 1080p 900p 720p Wide 16:10 5:3 Widescreen WUXGA WXGA WGA Standard 4:3 5:4 Fullscreen UXGA SXGA Other 3:2 DVGA HVGA Mobile VGA WVGA iPhone iPad PSP Mobile Phone QVGA PocketPC GPS WQVGA Smartphone HVGA iPod Zune HD 640x480. 1024x576. 320x480. 640x360. 768x480. 800x600. 960x720. 960x600. 480x360. 1024x768. 854x480. 320x240. 1024x640. 384x240. 960x540.


When I traced this session and parsed the authentication headers it seems to be there is one colo inside their password. For example - from the user end the request would be coming as testuser:pass:word. Due to multiple colons in the Authentication header, I think the decoding fails at the APIGEE end. Is there any way we can handle this situation in a betterway?
Hmmm that sounds like a bug in the BasicAuthentication policy. I will raise a defect on your behalf.
And then the JS logic would split that decoded thing into a maximum of 2 strings.
Message Template is a new feature and is not available in older versions on OPDK.
Are you working on SaaS or OPDK? If OPDK which version?
I think Message Template feature is available from 4.19.01 OPDK release.
I've pushed the fix for this bug, thanks for reporting it. It will be released... as soon as we have a release vehicle.


Oklahoma Connection | Sanger came to Oklahoma City as a high school teacher around 1890.
Dr. Sanger's husband, Fenton M. and their son, Fenton A. were also physicians, and the family practiced medicine together in Oklahoma City.
Dr. Winnie Monroney Sanger grew up in Illinois and taught in Oklahoma City around 1890 before graduating with a philosophy degree from Scarritt College in Missouri in 1898. She received a degree in medicine from Washburn College, now the University of Kansas, completed graduate courses at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, and began her medical practice in Oklahoma City in 1904. She was the medical inspector for Oklahoma City Public Schools (1918-1923) and served as medical advisor to women at Oklahoma State University. She was also the secretary of the Territorial Teachers' Association and president of the Oklahoma Women's Medical Auxiliary.


Display Cabinet : Modern Shallow Lower Cabinets Kitchen Base Cabinets With Deep Drawers Kitchen Cabinet Dimensions Pdf Reduced Depth Cabinets Deep Kitchen Wall Cabinets. Awesome Deep Base Cabinets. Contemporary Inch Deep Wall Cabinets. Deep Cabinet. Base Cabinet.
By Bi5MiLl4hRunamuckfestival. Display Cabinet. At Monday, March 04th 2019, 01:00:00 AM.


For this list, we're looking at the best arcade games of the decade in terms of popularity, critical acclaim, longevity, and the impact they've made on the video gaming medium. We're focusing on games that saw popularity primarily in the arcades so while there was indeed a port of Super Mario Bros for coin-op use, you won't find it here.
For those who wanted to feel like they were in their very own monster movie, "Rampage" allowed them that pleasure, as the player controls various monsters as they tear cities apart, stop the national guard and eat people. The game was fun due to the sheer amount of adversaries, including helicopters, tanks, and police cars, and for the Destructive cites. It could also support up to three players at once, allowing your friends to join in on the mayhem and adding to the fun.
Bubble Bobble was a game that was so popular at the time, that even with multiple ports across dozens of systems, the Arcade game remains the definitive version. In the game, up to two players control baby dragons Bub and Bob as they travel through stages defeating all the enemies by bursting them inside bubbles. Its success led to many sequels and spawned a whole series of copycats; from Snow Bros to Tumblepop. It is also notable for being one of the first games with different endings depending on if a 2nd player was present. Get use to that music though.
While not nearly as successful as later iterations from the famous plumber, "Mario Bros." is known for giving the hero of Donkey Kong the name "Mario," as beforehand he had been known as "Jumpman". In the game, both Mario and Luigi battle creatures in the sewers, but unlike later games where Mario can famously jump on enemies, they can only be flipped onto their backs and kicked away. While it had the unfortunate timing of being released during the infamous Video Game Crash, It wasn't long before Mario and his friends were taking over the world.
"Dig Dug," like many famous arcade games, was a Japanese creation before being imported overseas. The game has a simple enough concept in that the player, controlling the titular hero, has to eliminate monsters underground by inflating them to death or by dropping rocks on them. The game was praised for its fun concept, and unpredictable nature as enemies could travel through the dirt to ambush the player, not to mention is really easy for the game's walking tune to get stuck in your head.
One of the most beloved video game characters in the golden age era, Q*Bert became a pop culture phenomenon in the early-1980s. Q*Bert is controlled by the player, and the goal is to change the colours of cubes in a seemingly 3D pyramid, all while avoiding enemies and obstacles. The character became extremely popular, appearing on merchandise like lunch boxes, and even receiving his own animated television show. Praised for its unique gameplay and the stellar audio/visual production values, most of Q*Bert's popularity could also be attributed to his potty mouth.
Considered to be one of the first multiplayer dungeon crawl games, "Gauntlet" appeased both fantasy lovers and general gamers looking for a fun time. The game could hold up to four players at once, and had a chose between four different fantastical characters, each with their own skills and weaknesses, an obvious influence on the RPG games of today. Praised for its very compelling level design, and exciting fantasy-based gameplay, and forever segmenting it's legacy as a pioneer for gaming today.
A sequel to the successful 1979 game "Galaxian," "Galaga" introduced a few new features to the well-established formula, creating a bigger and even better game. New to the sequel was the ability for players to become captured by the boss Galaga via his tractor beam. Hot off the heel's of Space Invaders, Galaga's success lead to many copycats looking to get in on the Shoot 'em up craze, and with it's legacy still being felt today, Galaga earns its spot in gaming history.
If "Frogger" did one thing right, it was changing its name from "Highway Crossing Frog." Considered a classic from the golden age of arcade games, "Frogger" has been played by pretty much everyone. The player controls a frog as it makes its way across a road and river, avoiding an array of fatal obstacles. "Frogger" was a sensation, becoming one of the most popular arcade games of the 80s, and when the game made a transition to home consoles it sold twenty million copies. Still enjoyed today in its various ports and remakes, "Frogger" will always be a video gaming icon.
Created by famous video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, "Donkey Kong" was Nintendo's first breakout hit, and it soon became one of the most influential and popular video games of all time. "Donkey Kong" introduced both the titular villain and Mario, whom as we mentioned earlier was known as Jumpman. It was praised for its challenging and exciting platforming gameplay, and is known as an early example of the now-famous genre. Spawning numerous sequels, spin offs, and even inspiring a whole documentary movie, "Donkey Kong" was a major influence in video gaming and a pop culture marvel.
Before we look at our most influential top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Pac Man may be one of the most popular video game characters of all time, but it's his wife that not only has the better game, but the best Arcade game of the era. The goal of these games, as we're sure you know, is to get the Pac's to eats dots while traversing a maze and avoiding the famed ghosts. However what sets the Misses ahead, is that her game has multiple mazes, forcing the player to quickly change and adapt new strategies as they progress. Because of these new mazes, the game is still incredibly fun to play today as is was more than 30 years ago, making it our easy pick for #1.
Do you agree with our list? What arcade game from the 80s do you consider the best? For more crowd pleasing top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com.


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UMIDIGI COMMUNITY-UMIDIGI F1 Play-UMIDIGI F1 Play V1.0_20190412 ROM - SPFT release - Powered by Discuz!
Flash tool operation is recommended to experienced users only. If you are not yet an experienced flash tool user, please carefully read the flash tool tutorial before proceeding, and strictly follow each instruction.
never format the flash chip of your device or you instantly lose your warranty!
UMIDIGI F1 Play receives all updates automatically via FOTA method. You need this tool only in case of emergency (if you've bricked your phone), if you want to apply a clean install or if you want to clear all root access and custom recovery to make your phone able to receive FOTA updates again. Moreover, flashing with SPFT is the only option to repair (replace) damaged system software.
Here's an optional solution to start the flashing process on your UMIDIGI F1 Play if the standard method doesn't work.
1. Connect your UMIDIGI F1 Play to USB.


text:
Feeling the Pull - A Look At Pull by Anne Riley.
On my book shelf at home, sits a title I bought a few years ago called "The Clearing". It was written by Alabama based author Anne Riley who, at the time, released the novel herself and it made waves back in 2011 - 12 as an exciting YA entry filled with suspense, action, engaging characters.
Having sought to pursue a publishing deal with an established house, Anne Riley spent the next few years working diligently on her writing and her pitches - all the while raising a young family and forging a career as a teacher. Now, all that hard work has paid off and I write this on the eve of Anne's debut release for Spencer Hill Press - an equally exciting YA actioner called Pull.
(image credit: Spencer Hill Press).
From the cover notes;
Rosie Clayton witnesses a mugging on her first night in London—and then the scene rewinds itself.
She finds herself standing in the same place again, with the mugging happening just like before, except this time a stranger steps in and stops it. There's no way the same incident can have two outcomes. Rosie thinks she's losing her mind, until just a few days later, the stranger saves her.
The stranger, Albert, and his band of misfit crime-fighters, have the special ability to Pull, which allows them to rewind just enough time to undo a recent event. Someone is hunting Albert and his crew– and now that Rosie's been seen with them, she's a target too. Rosie is left with no choice but to trust Albert to keep her safe.
As Rosie learns more about this unbelievable ability and the people – if you can call them that – who want them dead, she discovers that the group's desire for her blood might be more than mere coincidence. Each step into this magical side of London introduces Rosie to a family history that she never knew existed, and dangerous forces that could unravel her world in an instant.
Her family may be the reason they're all being hunted—and she may be the only one who can figure out how to save them. Sure, between the lot of them, they have a few shots to get it right. The thing about Pulling, though, is you have to be alive to do it.
(image credit: Anne Riley).
With its London setting and its exploration of the other worldly abilities that Anne Riley has bestowed on her cast, Pull promises fans of taut, YA fiction - and broader science fiction - a unique and refreshing thrill ride. Anne Riley's immediately accessible style, her attention to crisp and quick fire dialogue and her skill at world building. In the run up to the release of the novel, Anne Riley's commissioned a trailer that typifies all the great things I have come to know about her style and, in the context of generating a buzz for this release, it hits a home run.
In addition to the trailer, take a look at this very cool interview Anne put together in support of the novel.
I really like Anne Riley and I think that Pull has the potential to be a major success for her. It's well deserved. Having followed Anne for several years now, she strikes me as an author who is really passionate about her work - and her work ethic. In Pull, she has crafted something really special.
Pull is available everywhere from 2.2.2016.
Visit Anne Riley here.
Tweet with Anne Riley here.
Purchase Pull here.
Posted by DeanfromAustralia at 7:10 PM
Labels: #deanfromaustralia, Alabama, Anne Riley, Dean Mayes, Dr Who, Humans, London, Love, Pull, Spencer Hill Press, time travel, YA, young adult fiction
Rachel.
At The Fringe with Alice Fraser's The Resistance.
Garry Lyon & The "Mental Illness" Defence.
The Recipient - International Teaser Trailer.
Harvest Day - A Look At Summer Harvest by Georgina...


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Home Contact Us About NICSM
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The Institute NICSM
NICSM is one of the premier institutes of education in Gujarat. NICSM is fast emerging as one of the important centers in the area of computer education and research in the northern part of Gujarat. Since its inception in 2001, NICSM has made a tremendous growth. The campus lush with green surroundings, pollution free and serene environment which is ideally suited for academic activity. Located on a 42-acre lush green environment, the architecture and design of the institute captures the imagination of the viewer.
Sarva Vidyalaya Kelavani Mandal Campus, Kadi – more than 90 years old Kelavani Mandal, has been a constant source of inspiration for the student fraternity. Founder of SVKM, Kadi – Shri Chhaganbha was praised by Father of Nation – Mahatma Gandhi for his contribution towards education and upliftment of rural children for their education. In its remarkable history of the nurturing educational institutes, the SVKM trust has in last couple of years paved a new path by establishing professional and higher educational institute.
We are blessed with dedicated faculty and staff committed to helping students learn, grow and contribute to the communities in which they live and serve. Besides the excellent environmental conditions best suited for the academic studies the campus also possesses certain very precious assets in the form of very knowledgeable and hardworking faculty, excellent and well maintained library, a well maintained computer lab providing access to students and staff, a very spacious and well-equipped conference hall and auditorium, and most importantly and of great significance is the culture of its students who are enthusiastic and goal oriented.
The institute offers a unique blend of theory and practice which help the students to assimilate the subjects thoroughly. The laboratories help in giving the students a chance to implement the theoretical concepts that they have studied in academic. The students are given thorough knowledge about the technological advances with all the practical exposure. All this provides a suitable and favorable environment for imparting quality education to meet the challenges of contemporary industry and ever changing technological demands.
Sports itself is an integral part of campus life along with academics. The institute is committed in creating a caring environment to cultivate education for professional life. The culturally vibrant campus atmosphere reflects the diversity of the student population who come from all over the country. NICSM has a clearly focused mission of producing self-reliant and capable young professionals.
A considerable number of its alumni are occupying position of high responsibility in reputed organizations. Department of Training and Placement, headed by a Professor & assisted by a faculty member, maintains a close liaison with industries and other potential employers for the purpose of arranging practical training for the students and their possible placement through campus selection.
The institute is committed to the idea that the students are equipped with a wide range of professional skills to cater to the very demanding needs of the industry. Under the leadership and vision of the chairman Shri Vallabhbahi M. Patel, the campus has registered a phenomenal progress. Those who aim excellence in technology and corporate world will certainly be allured by the opportunities in this campus.
Interactive AudioVisual Learning (IAVL) is a dynamic branch of computer-assisted instruction that adds the dimensions of sight and sound to programmed learning. The power of audiovisual media to present complex concepts is coupled with the capabilities of a computer to analyze a learner's response to questions and then to direct the flow of information.
The audiovisual class rooms are well equipped with LCD-Multimedia projector, color television, VCR, computers with multimedia kit, projectors and internet, intranet facility. there is a facility of DTH link in order to provide various online educational programs to the students, the institute has audio visual class room and provides e-learning facility though BISAG.
The IAVL format appears to be well accepted by learners and has been shown to be an efficient means of teaching.
Gaining access to resources is one significant advantage of attending college. Computer labs, however, are a critical resource that nearly everyone in the student body may utilize at some point during college.
It is the endeavor of institute to provide full time computer facility to the students so that they can cope up with the vibrant trends in IT industry, The institute has 3 computer labs with well equipped infrastructure. The institute is having around 200 high-end configuration with Core i7 processor, 4GB of RAM and Graphics Card computers. The Institute provides 1:1 ratio of students and computers. The computer laboratory is well equipped with genuine softwares. The institute has full pack of educational softwares of IBM.
Wireless networking is so common that some of its original benefits may have been forgotten. But it's not so long ago that networking computers meant running cables between them, and offices, homes and schools became cluttered messes of blue and yellow cables. Wi-Fi freed networks from these tethers and allowed for roaming network connections. This convenient jump forward isn't without its complications and disadvantages, especially with large-scale networks like those on college campuses.
The institute Campus Wi-fi is based on the Wireless IEEE 802.11n standards. It provides High speed Wi-Fi coverage across the campus, Indoor and outdoor, up to 2Mbps. The Wi-Fi network is Hacking-resistant and provides secure connectivity. It also has integration with Campus E-learning tools.
One of the architectural delights of the institute is its Seminar Hall. It has a sitting capacity of 200 and is well equipped with Presentation Tools, Sound Systems, Audio and Video recording systems, Stage & Dias etc. Basic intension behind building and maintaining Seminar Hall is to provide stage to the students during their study. Here they get chance to represent themselves which is need of the field towards which they are progressing.
Institute uses Seminar Hall to arrange Expert Lectures, Paper Presentation and Conferences, In-house Techno-Cultural Events, Expert's Meetings, Inter-college interactive meetings etc. Students are free to access hall and related resources to arrange inter-class competitions, CSI activities, discussion sessions, internal project submission and project presentations practice etc.
College libraries have a lot to offer students, yet most only head into the library when they have to research a paper or want a quiet place to study come test time.
The role of library is to provide access to the information resources required by members of the NICSM for research learning and teaching. There is a wealth of material to support learning and an research; Many resources are accessible from off-campus via the Internet.
The Institution offers to its student an array of the richest computerized central library facilities. There are about 11000 books and titles of well-known national and foreign publications. Library has live subscription of 31 national and international journals. 18 national and international magazines and more than 1000 CDs and DVDs.
Institute offers Meeting room equipped with Presentation tools and offers conditioned environment, where Institutional staff and students can arrange meetings and discussions.
The College Canteen is a large spacious area, with a view of greenery all around, and a variety of refreshments and meals available. It tends to be the most popular place on campus, not only for physical refreshment but also for student bonding, discussions and even work on assignments and projects.
Campus runs Food Court offering fresh and hygienic food. Canteen is not just the place where you go to eat. Especially in colleges and institutes of education this place is an open arena for debate, argumentative sessions on different issues, cracking gossips, kidding and having loads of fun with cutlets, burgers, tea, coffee and coke in between as gap fillers. College canteens build up an ambience of rendezvous where you would love to spend all day with pals keeping away all hassles of mundane living.
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Q: How can I develop a predictive model based on predictions from various linear regression models? I am working on a problem at work that has presented some difficulty.  I've included a very generalized example to demonstrate the problem I'm dealing with.
In this case, let's say I am looking at data for several companies (companies A, B and C) from the past several years, and developing models for each that predict the sales revenue based upon an industry quality score (the only feature in consideration).  The 3 companies I've analyzed vary significantly in their size and quality scores.
The problem is that I want to use the predictions for the models I created to then be able to project what the revenue would be for Company D (currently scoring around 2), if it were to acheive a quality score of 10.
Here is the code I've used to set up the problem:
import numpy as np
import matplotlib as mpl
from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
from sklearn.linear_model import LinearRegression

company_a = np.array([
    [0.8, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 1.2, 0.5, 0.9, 1.5, 1.2],
    [3, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 2]])

company_b = np.array([
    [14.5, 15.3, 15.1, 18.7, 18.2, 19.2, 17.8, 22.0, 22.8, 24.1],
    [4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6]])

company_c = np.array([
    [7.4, 5.6, 5.2, 6.7, 7.1, 5.9, 8.2, 7.8, 7.9, 11.2],
    [7, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 7, 8, 10]])

company_d = np.array([[23.0],[2]])

companies = {"company_a": (company_a, "b"), "company_b": (company_b, "r"), "company_c": (company_c, "g"), "company_d": (company_d, "k")}

def plot_companies(data, clr):
    lin_reg = LinearRegression()
    X = data[1].reshape(-1, 1)
    y = data[0].reshape(-1, 1)
    try:
        lin_reg.fit(X, y)
        y_predict = lin_reg.predict(X)
        plt.plot(X, y, clr + ".")
        plt.plot(X, y_predict, clr + "-", alpha=0.3)
    except:
        plt.plot(X, y, clr + ".")

for key, value in companies.items():
    plot_companies(value[0], value[1])
plt.xlabel("Industry Quality Score", fontsize=12)
plt.ylabel("Revenue (millions of dollars)", fontsize=12)
plt.show()

Plot of data points and linear models
Assuming the Company D currently has a rank of 2 and has 23M in revenue, how could I use the 3 linear models for the other companies to project Company D's revenue if it were to acheive a quality score of 10?

A: Your plot shows that there is no general linear relationship with revenue and quality: it depends on the company you are looking at.
So the answer is you can't say anything about a new company just knowing it's quality score.
However the relationship looks indeed roughly linear for each company individually.
By the way isn't your measure of quality taking revenues as input ? In that case that would explain straightforwardly that the regression works.
As for estimating the revenue of a new company with known quality, if you're have one point (quality, revenue)  you can just say that revenue is going to be higher when quality is 10.
If you have 2 points you can draw a line, and if you have nothing then it's not ppssible.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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6aa7805 Martin Schlather 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC version 1.1.8 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC
a3c58bc Martin Schlather 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC version 1.0.15 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC
9df6a40 Martin Schlather 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC version 1.0.14 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC
cfc74af Martin Schlather 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC version 1.0.13 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC
1154179 Martin Schlather 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC version 1.0.12 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC
b81724e Martin Schlather 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC version 1.0.8 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC
270c4ba Martin Schlather 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC version 1.0.4 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC
73fcfdf Martin Schlather 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC version 1.0.0 08 August 1977, 00:00:00 UTC


text:
Foul play ruled out in Larnaca burned body
Larnaca police rule out criminal activity in connection with a foreign man's burned body
Larnaca police rule out criminal activity in connection with a foreign man's charred remains in an open field
Larnaca police have ruled out foul play in the death of an unknown male, whose burned body was found in an open field on Sunday evening.
(Click here for an update to the story)
According to Cyprus News Agency, police have ruled out criminal activity following the discovery of a burned body in a field in Softades, Kivisili village in Larnaca district.
Initial reports said the body was found to be tied up while police said they determined during the course of the investigation that there were no signs of criminal activity
The body was discovered Sunday evening when authorities were notified about a fire in an open field. Police also got involved after a burned body was spotted next to a hay ball along a coastal road in Larnaca district.
According to Kathimerini Cyprus, the male corpse is believed to belong to a foreign male, while DNA tests have been ordered to identify the body. Initial reports said the body was found to be tied up while police said they determined during the course of the investigation that there were no signs of criminal activity.
Larnaca police spokesperson Charalambos Zachariou said on Sunday night that it was "too premature to say anything" about the case.
"I can only confirm that the body was found under suspicious circumstances," Zachariou said.
Asked by reporters whether a suspicious vehicle was located which possibly could have transported the dead body to the field, Zachariou said "at this stage we cannot say anything beyond what I have already stated."
A post mortem was scheduled for Monday morning.
Burned body found in Larnaca
Cyprus | Larnaca | police | fire | death | burned body | charred remains | Kivisili | Zachariou
Rain hangs around for a while
Police renew efforts in search for Sierra


text:
Dodos Livres
Darkness-brutal-the-dark-cycle-book-1 Free Download eBook in PDF and EPUB. You can find writing review for Darkness-brutal-the-dark-cycle-book-1 and get all the book for free.
Darkness Brutal
Author: Rachel A. Marks
Publisher: Skyscape
Format Type: PDF, Mobi
Size: 25,68 MB
Download: 636
Read Online: 918
Aidan O Linn s childhood ended the night he saw a demon kill his mother and mark his sister, Ava, with Darkness. Since then, every three years the demons have returned to try to claim her. Living in the gritty, forgotten corners of Los Angeles, Aidan has managed to protect his sister, but he knows that even his powers to fight demons and speak dead languages won t keep her safe for much longer. In desperation, Aidan seeks out the help of Sid, the enigmatic leader of a group of teens who run LA Paranormal, an Internet reality show that fights demons and ghosts. In their company, Aidan believes he s finally found a haven for Ava. But when he meets Kara, a broken girl who can spin a hypnotic web of passionate energy, he awakens powers he didn t know he had?and unleashes a new era of war between the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness. With the fate of humanity in his hands, can Aidan keep the Darkness at bay and accept his brilliant, terrifying destiny?"
Darkness Fair
Publisher: Amazon Children's Publishing
Format Type: PDF, Kindle
Against the backdrop of an ancient battle between the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness, Aidan struggles to control the newly awakened and enigmatic powers that seem to be his only hope for rescuing Ava, his little sister, trapped somewhere beyond the Veil. As he gravitates to Kara, the beguiling and dangerously unstable girl who helped him realize his abilities, a terrible mistake of fate is revealed that points him back toward Rebecca, whose role is becoming more critical to the battle. And no matter what his heart wants, it might be too late to stop the pieces already in motion. Without knowing the sacrifices that will be required of them, Aidan and his motley crew of friends--each with their own role to play--must face the demon threat head-on. They're the only ones keeping the growing army of Darkness at bay, and if they fail, the future of humanity could be lost.
Darkness Savage
Publisher: Dark Cycle
Format Type: PDF
Read Online: 1155
The fate of humanity hangs in the balance as Aidan faces a crushing choice: give in to the demands of the forces of Darkness in order to save his sister, Ava, or fight on the side of good and risk losing her forever. With so much at stake and so little time, Aidan rushes to finish assembling a team of Lights, other teens whose special abilities are linked to his own. Meanwhile, Rebecca discovers that she's more than just a normal teen and that the power awakening inside her may be stronger than she ever could have imagined. As the city plunges into chaos and Aidan doubts his plan of attack, Rebecca's newfound gift may tip the scale in the wrong direction. In this thrilling final installment of the Dark Cycle series, will Aidan find the help he needs to release the world from Darkness's grip? Or will he lose everything he's been desperately trying to save, including his soul?
The Desert Spear Book Two of The Demon Cycle
Author: Peter V. Brett
Publisher: Del Rey
BONUS: Now with twenty pages of bonus material, including an exclusive interview with Peter V. Brett, and an excerpt from Peter V. Brett's The Daylight War. The sun is setting on humanity. The night now belongs to voracious demons that prey upon a dwindling population forced to cower behind half-forgotten symbols of power. Legends tell of a Deliverer: a general who once bound all mankind into a single force that defeated the demons. But is the return of the Deliverer just another myth? Perhaps not. Out of the desert rides Ahmann Jardir, who has forged the desert tribes into a demon-killing army. He has proclaimed himself Shar'Dama Ka, the Deliverer, and he carries ancient weapons—a spear and a crown—that give credence to his claim. But the Northerners claim their own Deliverer: the Warded Man, a dark, forbidding figure. Once, the Shar'Dama Ka and the Warded Man were friends. Now they are fierce adversaries. Yet as old allegiances are tested and fresh alliances forged, all are unaware of the appearance of a new breed of demon, more intelligent—and deadly—than any that have come before. Look for Peter V. Brett's complete Demon Cycle: THE WARDED MAN | THE DESERT SPEAR | THE DAYLIGHT WAR | THE SKULL THRONE | THE CORE
The Demon Cycle 4 Book Bundle
One of the most exciting new sagas in epic fantasy, The Demon Cycle became a phenomenon with readers and launched the brilliant career of New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett. With the popularity of this groundbreaking tale of demons and destiny growing with each book, now is the time to catch up from the beginning with the first four novels in one convenient ebook bundle: THE WARDED MAN THE DESERT SPEAR THE DAYLIGHT WAR THE SKULL THRONE As darkness falls after sunset, the corelings rise—demons who possess supernatural powers and burn with a consuming hatred of humanity. For hundreds of years the demons have terrorized the night, slowly culling the human herd that shelters behind magical wards—symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile. It was not always this way. Once, men and women battled the corelings on equal terms, but those days are gone. Night by night the demons grow stronger, while human numbers dwindle under their relentless assault. Now, with hope for the future fading, three young survivors of vicious demon attacks will do the unthinkable, stepping beyond the crumbling safety of the wards to risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Arlen Bales will pay any price, embrace any sacrifice, for freedom, and his grim journey will take him beyond the bounds of human power. Crippled by the demons that killed his parents, Rojer Inn seeks solace in music, only to discover that his instrument can be a weapon as well as a refuge. Wanting to cure the sick and injured, Leesha Paper overcomes great hardship to become a guardian of old world science, learning that what heals can also harm. Together, they will stand against the night. Praise for The Demon Cycle "There is much to admire in Peter Brett's writing, and his concept is brilliant. There's action and suspense all the way."—Terry Brooks, on The Warded Man "[A] fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable dark fantasy."—The Miami Herald, on The Warded Man "Inspired, compelling, and totally addictive: the most significant and cinematic fantasy epic since The Lord of the Rings."—Paul W. S. Anderson, director of Resident Evil: Afterlife "Peter V. Brett is one of my favorite new authors."—New York Times bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss "Fans of epic fantasy in the tradition of Robert Jordan and George R. R. Martin will enjoy the arrival of a strong voice in multivolume epic fantasy."—Library Journal "[Brett is] at the top of his game."—Tor.com, on The Daylight War
Fire and Bone
Format Type: PDF, ePub, Mobi
In Hollywood's underworld of demigods, druids, and ancient bonds, one girl has a dangerous future. Sage is eighteen, down on her luck, and struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles. Everything changes the night she's invited to a party--one that turns out to be a trap. Thrust into a magical world hidden within the City of Angels, Sage discovers that she's the daughter of a Celtic goddess, with powers that are only in their infancy. Now that she is of age, she's asked to pledge her service to one of the five deities, all keen on winning her favor by any means possible. She has to admit that she's tempted--especially when this new life comes with spells, Hollywood glam, and a bodyguard with secrets of his own. Not to mention a prince whose proposal could boost her rank in the Otherworld. As loyalties shift, and as the two men vie for her attention, Sage tries to figure out whom to trust in a realm she doesn't understand. One thing is for sure: the trap she's in has bigger claws than she thought. And it's going to take a lot more than magic for this Celtic demigoddess to make it out alive.
Joris of the Rock
Author: Leslie Barringer
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Format Type: PDF, ePub, Docs
This marvelous fantasy sequel to Gerfalcon features many of the same characters. The outlaw known as Joris of the Rock has become directly involved in the civil war that will determine the future of the Kingdom of Neustria. Only his bastard son, Juhel, can stand in his way! Grand adventure set in a mythical version of medieval France.
The Spikatur Cycle
Author: Alan Burt Akers
Publisher: Bladud Books
Format Type: PDF, Docs
Four hundred light years from Earth, Kregen is a marvelous world, peopled by wonderful beings, filled with light and clamor and furor of life lived to the hilt. But Kregen has its darker side, where horror and terror bind innocent people, where sorceries rend reason, where injustice denies light. The Spikatur Cycle brings Prescot closer to the realization of many of his dreams. He is determined to do what he feels is laid upon him; but he finds it is not so easy, particularly when the Empress Delia and his comrades are determined to keep him out of trouble. But, he is Dray Prescot, Lord of Strombor and Krozair of Zy, and that canny old leem hunter will not be prevented from buckling up the brave old scarlet breechclout and hurtling off beneath the Moons of Kregen into fresh headlong adventure with a sword in his fist... The marvelous adventures of Dray Prescot on Kregen, the world of wonders that orbits the twin suns of Antares in Scorpio, have become a science fiction saga to rival and perhaps surpass the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and others of the heroic fantasy band. Beasts of Antares: Dray Prescot, lone Earthman, once a pawn of cosmic powers, rallies the warriors of Vallia for a final stand against the foes that encircle them. Then, in an act of true Prescot bravado, undertakes single handed to rescue three old friends from slavery in a distant land. The beasts of Antares are many and terrifying, but Prescot does not belong to the faint hearted and he will need every ounce of courage this time! Rebel of Antares: At last Prescot has come in sight of his goal to overthrow the slavers and their evil empires, that he shares with the Star Lords. On the island kingdom of Hyrklana his course now seems clear: overthrow its decadent queen, lead a rebellion against the cruel Arena, and free the princess who is its rightful ruler. It is a hard task, but for Dray Prescot, against whom sorcerers and swordsmen have contended, it is the only course he could follow. Legions of Antares: For too long the iron legions of the evil empress of Hamal have devastated the neighboring lands and islands of Kregen. Dray Prescot has battled Empress Thyliss all the way, and at long last finds himself nearing the end of his long campaign. Gathering about himself old allies and former enemies, Dray prepares to challenge the empress at the very doors of her capital city, until he discovers that she is about to spring her secret weapon: the super-science of the mad wizard of Loh. Allies of Antares: Dray Prescot has made himself into a rallying point of strength on Kregen. Now, after the worst war between the humanoid lands has finally concluded, Prescot again confronts the Star Lords, only to learn that the hard won peace is just a transition to a great hemispheric invasion that was even then raiding over the horizon. This book contains a glossary of the Spikatur cycle.
Call of the Kings Book Three of the Venefical Progressions
Author: Chris Page
Publisher: Strategic Book Publishing
The French and English kings are at war, the Viking invaders are still causing mayhem in Wessex, and local warlords battle to gain a foothold in any way they can. Twilight, the now old veneficus of Wessex, finds his replacement in Tara, a curly red-haired little girl from Ireland with special powers. As Twilight trains Tara in the enchantments amidst the conflict and strife, he must also maintain the crucial venefical presence at Stonehenge and Avebury. But while the old veneficus and his young novice attempt to deal with weak monarchs, a flesh-eating sorceress and three deviate and particularly evil Francian venefici, the Duke of Normandy makes his move and invades England. As the flames of conflict engulf the land, the immortal Tara unexpectedly finds romance with a powerful Francian veneficus named Virgile. Together they try and bring peace while Twilight visits Rome, Constantinople and Baghdad in his investigation of the other great Holy War brewing in the East between Saracens and Christians. The epic saga continues as the battle rages on in book three of the Venefical Progressions series.
The Saint s Rise
Author: Michael John Grist
Publisher: Michael John Grist
No heroes endure... Three thousand years ago the world fell into darkness, when the great black mouth of the Rot ravaged the land. Across the glorious library city of Aradabar its dark tongues hammered down, leveling the glass towers of learning and entombing the bookyards in a thick blanket of lava. Only a single child survived the devastation; an infant with a prophecy carved into his skin, promising the rise of a hero powerful enough to slay the Rot for good. Now that child is a young man, beginning to question the meaning of his many scars… Now those scars are hunted by a jealous King, ruler of a brutal industrial city, where a thousand bizarre castes toil away like slaves… Now a dark beast is watching, an Unforgiven, seeking to fulfill a promise made long ago… And now the Rot has returned, its great black mouth gaping large in the sky, bringing chaos and fear to a world where no heroes endure… The first book in The Ignifer Cycle, a new epic fantasy series.
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Doctor Who: A Brief History of Time Lords
Deadly Healthcare
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4 godziny by zostac mistrzem nie tylko w kuchni
El sueño de Chocolate (Spanish Edition)
Student's Book 1
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Composite Materials Fabrication Handbook #1
Casualties of Time
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Anywhere You Are: A Return to Briarwood Novel
Breguet 1050 Alize
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Stomp, Dinosaur, Stomp!
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