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Horizon, Bright Moon, Sabre
Chapter 13 - Demon Decapitating Sabre of Heaven's Monarch
What type of sabre would be able to chop a horse in half at a blow?
No one saw it. The sabre light flew out from within the woods to the side of the road. The carriage was over a hundred meters away from it. From here, neither man nor sabre could be seen. Fu Hongxue stood guard in front of Zhuo Yuzhen and the children. His eyes were still focused on that dense, forested area. His ashen pale face was so white, it was nearly translucent.
Yan Nanfei let out a breath. He immediately asked, "Did you see that sabre?"
Fu Hongxue shook his head.
Yan Nanfei said, "But you must know what sabre that was."
Fu Hongxue nodded.
Yan Nanfei sighed. "It seems Gongzi Yu's information is extremely accurate. Miao Tianwang really has come." [Tianwang means 'Heaven's Monarch'].
Miao Tianwang's sabre would naturally be the 'Demon Decapitating Sabre of Heaven's Monarch'!
Fu Hongxue tightened his hands. He coldly said, "I'm afraid that plenty of people have come."
Just at this moment, two large wagons rolled up on each side of the road, sealing off both sides.
On top of one wagon was placed several wooden planks, upon one of which two people were playing chess. The second wagon had two people on top as well. One was trimming his nails, and the other was drinking. Each seemed to be very intent on what they were doing, and nobody so much as glanced aside.
It seemed as though Fu Hongxue and Yan Nanfei didn't see them either.
On top of the wagon to the right, there were several women seated. Some were old, some were young. Some were embroidering, others were peeling melon seeds. Some were even combing their hair. The oldest one was the Ghostly Granny. On top of the second wagon was an open wooden coffin, as well as a large copper pot which hung off a steel peg.
It was said that the largest pot in the world was Shaolin's rice-cooking pot. Shaolin had many monks who never tasted grease or oil, but worked hard all day. Naturally, the amount of rice they could eat was prodigious. If we estimate each monk as eating five bowls of rice per meal, how much rice would five hundred monks eat? How large must the cooking pot be, in order to allow all those monks to be full?
Yan Nanfei had gone to Shaolin once, just to see that pot. He was a curious man by nature.
It seemed as though the red copper pot on the car was no smaller than that of Shaolin's cooking pot. What was even stranger was that there actually was someone in the pot. With a large face, a plump head and big ears. Many scars criss crossed his forehead, dropping down from it like venomous snakes. They stretched down, all the way from his forehead to his mouth. They made his face, which looked as though it originally would seem very gentle, appear unspeakably foul and evil.
The wagons were not moving very quickly. The copper pot gently waved, almost as though the man inside were resting in a hammock.
The dark clouds went far away. The sun once more rose up, but Yan Nanfei's heart was sinking.
But he absolutely had to force himself to maintain a smile. He muttered to himself, "Unexpectedly, Duo Qingzi didn't come after all."
Fu Hongxue coldly said, "If the first strike does not land true, fully withdraw. This is the long-established rule of their Xingxiuhai sect."
Yan Nanfei's laughter seemed to become more cheerful. "Aside from him, it seems as though everyone who should come has come. Everyone who shouldn't have come, came as well."
He stared at the fatty with the scarred face in the copper pot. Smiling, he continued, "Chef Hao, why did you come as well?"
The 'vipers' on the fatty's face were wriggling. He was smiling, but his smile made his face look all the more vicious and cunning. "I came to receive the remains."
Yan Nanfei said, "What remains?"
Chef Hao said, "Any remains. I'll receive a dead horse's remains into my belly, and receive a dead man's remains into a coffin."
The wagons came to a full stop. The chess players continued to play chess, the drinker was still holding his cup, and the ladies brushing their hair continued to brush their hair.
Chef Hao laughed, "Looks like all of you will be lucky diners today. Chef Hao's 'Five Spices Horseflesh' isn't something that just anybody can taste."
Yan Nanfei said, "Your specialty dish doesn't seem to be the 'Five Spices Horseflesh'."
Chef Hao said, "It's hard to find the materials needed for my specialty dish. It's best if we just make do with the 'Five Spices Horseflesh'."
After he finished speaking those words, he hopped out of his pot and got off the wagon. If the people present hadn't witnessed it with their own eyes, they would never have imagined that a fatty who weighed several hundred jin could move so quickly and agilely.
He also had a large knife on him. A vegetable knife.
Zhuo Yuzhen couldn't help but ask, "Is Chef Hao really a good chef?"
Yan Nanfei said, "He's a sham."
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "Then why do they call him 'chef'?"
Yan Nanfei said, "Because he likes to cook, and because he uses a vegetable knife."
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "What is his specialty dish?"
Yan Nanfei said, "Flame-roasted human hearts, lightly fried human waists."
The young woodcutter had just finished vomiting. As soon as he lifted up his head, he froze. Even in his wildest dreams, he never would have imagined that this place would have suddenly become so crowded.
Today, all he had eaten was two steamed buns and a few salted vegetables. He had already thrown up everything, leaving nothing behind in his stomach. But after he took a few more glances, he began vomiting again, even more than last time.
Chef Hao brandished his knife. With a single chop, he cut off a large piece of horseflesh and horse skin, then threw it into that copper pot. He chopped downwards with his right hand, and tossed meat upwards with his right. His hands moved up and down in tandem, his movements skillful and practiced. In the twinkling of an eye, the horse was chopped into over a hundred and thirty pieces, as easily as others chop tofu.
The horseflesh was in the pot. What about the five spices?
Chef Hao wiped the blood from his sabre off on the sole of his shoes, then walked back and opened up the coffin. The coffin was filled with all sorts of ingredients, oils, salts, sauces, vinegar, fennel, aniseeds…any ingredients you could think of were in that coffin.
Chef Hao mumbled to himself, "We can use the broken, splintered carriage as kindling. By the time all the wood is burnt down, the flesh should be fully cooked."
The man who was playing chess, Yang Wuji, suddenly said, "No need to make my share too sodden and mashed. My teeth are strong."
Chef Hao said, "Daoist priests eat horse meat as well?"
Yang Wuji said, "Sometimes, I even eat human flesh, much less horseflesh."
Chef Hao laughed. "Priest, if you really want to eat human flesh, if you'll just wait a bit longer, there will be some ingredients here soon."
Yang Wuji said, "I have been waiting this entire time. I'm not impatient at all."
Chef Hao laughed loudly, then glanced at Fu Hongxue out of the corner of his eyes. "Human flesh enriches the blood. If you ate more human flesh, your face wouldn't be so pale."
While laughing, he lifted the more than three hundred jin heavy copper pot off the peg, then used the splintered wood from the crashed carriage to form a pile of firewood underneath the pot. The fire burned merrily, crackling and popping as the flames danced about.
The children began to cry again. Zhuo Yuzhen could only quietly open up her garments and feed them milk again.
Gongsun Tu, who was holding a wine cup in his hand, suddenly let out a breath. "What fair white skin."
Chef Hao laughed. "What tender flesh."
Ghostly Granny, who was cracking melon seeds, also let out a sigh. "What adorable children."
Fu Hongxue only felt his stomach contract. The blue veins began to bulge out on the hand he was holding his sabre with, as though he had already pulled the sabre out.
But Yan Nanfei pressed his hand down. In a low voice, he said, "You can't make your move now."
Of course, Fu Hongxue could also tell that now wasn't the time to move. Although these people were pretending to be leisurely, they were like a hornet's nest. As soon as they moved, the consequences would be unthinkable. But so what if they didn't move? If they continued to just waste time like this, would they really wait for them to eat horse flesh, then human flesh?
Yan Nanfei's voice dropped even lower. He suddenly asked, "Do you know Du Shiqi, 'Eight Lives and Eightfold Courage'?"
Yan Nanfei said, "Although this man isn't a great hero, in my opinion, he has a more heroic air than any 'real' hero. I already arranged for him to meet with me in the 'Heavenly Fragrance Teahouse' of the town up ahead. So long as we can find him, anything can be accomplished. I am very good friends with him."
Fu Hongxue said, "That is your business."
Yan Nanfei said, "My business is your business."
Fu Hongxue said, "I don't know him."
Yan Nanfei said, "But he knows you."
The chess players were still playing chess. Everyone was still absorbed in their own activities, and paid them no mind at all, as though they were already dead men walking.
Yan Nanfei asked again, "Are you a very reasonable person?"
Fu Hongxue said, "Sometimes I am. Other times, I'm not."
Yan Nanfei said, "Right now, are you at the point where you can't help but be reasonable?"
Fu Hongxue said, "Seems so."
Yan Nanfei asked again, "Can Zhuo Yuzhen and her child be allowed to die?"
Fu Hongxue said, "No."
Yan Nanfei let out a sigh. "As long as you can remember this, everything will be fine. Let's go."
Fu Hongxue said, "Go? Go where?"
Yan Nanfei said, "As soon as you hear me say the words, 'little doggy', take Zhuo Yuzhen and her children onto that wagon and hide them in the coffin. I'll handle everything else!"
He chuckled. "Don't forget, my skill in running for my life is the best in the world."
Fu Hongxue shut his mouth. Naturally, he understood Yan Nanfei's meaning. Right now, he had no leeway whatsoever. No matter what, he could not allow Zhuo Yuzhen and the children to fall into these people's clutches.
On the wagon where Ghostly Granny was seated, there were four other women. Aside from her, all of them were young, and all of them weren't the slightest bit unattractive.
That is to say, they were attractive. The most attractive one was combing her hair. Her long hair was both black and gleaming.
Yan Nanfei suddenly said, "I hear that all in all, Miao Tianwang has over seventy or eighty wives."
Ghostly Granny said, "He has eighty. He likes whole numbers."
Yan Nanfei said, "I hear that no matter where he goes, he'll bring four or five of his wives with him, because at any place and at any point in time, he might have need for them."
Ghostly Granny said, "He is a vigorous and energetic man. His wives are all very fortunate."
Yan Nanfei said, "Are you one of them?"
Ghostly Granny let out a sigh. "I very much want to be, but he scorns me for being too old."
Yan Nanfei said, "Who says you are old? I think you are at least ten years younger than that old granny who is brushing her hair."
Ghostly Granny laughed loudly, while the countenance of the girl brushing her hair changed. She glared hatefully at him.
Yan Nanfei grinned towards her. "Actually, you aren't very old either. Aside from Ghostly Granny, you are the youngest one here."
By now, everyone could tell that he was causing trouble on purpose. But none of them could guess what he wanted or what he was planning. Everyone who was earlier purposefully staring away from him couldn't help but send a few glances his way.
Next, he went to Chef Hao. "Aside from cutting meat and chopping vegetables, what else is this knife of yours good for?"
Chef Hao said, "It can also kill people."
The 'vipers' on his face began to wriggle again. "There's not much of a difference between using a vegetable knife to kill people or a precious bejeweled sabre to kill people."
Yan Nanfei said, "It's a little different."
Chef Hao said, "A little different?"
Yan Nanfei ignored him. Turning around, he opened the coffin, then mumbled to himself, "I didn't expect you'd even have ground onions in here. I wonder if you have any hot peppers?"
Chef Hao loudly said, "How is it different?"
Yan Nanfei still ignored him. "Ah hah, here are the peppers. Looks like this coffin really is just like a full kitchen."
Chef Hao was originally sitting, but now he rose to his feet. "Why won't you speak? What, exactly, is the difference?"
Yan Nanfei finally turned around. Smiling, he said, "I'm not sure what the difference is, exactly, either. All I know is that 'Five Spices Horseflesh' braised in soy sauce should have some hot peppers in it."
Carrying a string of peppers, he walked to the side of the copper pot. "There's pretty much nobody who dislikes spicy food. Anyone who doesn't eat spicy food is a little doggy."
Chef Hao was so furious that his face had turned white with rage. Just at this moment, the sound of a horse neighing softly could be heard.
Fu Hongxue had already carried Zhuo Yuzhen, who was holding her children, onto the wagon!
Zhuo Yuzhen placed the children in the coffin. Fu Hongxue whipped the horses, while Yan Nanfei lifted up the frame upon which the copper pot was resting.
Gongsun Tu threw away his cup and rose. He loudly shouted, "Careful!"
Before he finished saying the word, Zhuo Yuzhen also burrowed into the coffin before covering them with the lid.
With a flip of his hand, Yan Nanfei brandished about both the metal frame and the copper pot filled with boiling hot horseflesh. With a whooshing sound, he flew towards the opposite wagon!
The boiling juice splattered everywhere. The healthy horse neighed in surprise, tipping over the wagon. The pieces of boiling hot horseflesh, along with the soup, shot out from the pot like arrows. Wherever it touched flesh, it immediately produced blisters.
Covering their faces with their clothes, the people on the wagon flew to their feet.
Fu Hongxue held his sabre with his right hand while brandishing the whip with his left. He had already charged out from within the two overturned wagons!
Xiao Siwu's body was in midair. He suddenly flipped over, concentrating all of his power in his right arm.
His flying dagger was in his right hand.
By the time Yang Wuji's body straightened, he had already seized his sword as well.
Xiao Siwu's dagger had already left his hand.
This time, he didn't make a single sound at all when he threw this dagger with all his force, and it was aimed towards Fu Hongxue's back.
Although the wagons had been overturned, the space between them wasn't very wide. Fu Hongxue needed to use all of his concentration in driving the carriage, and he didn't have eyes in his back either. He had no idea at all that this lightning bolt-like dagger had shot towards his back. Even if he knew, he couldn't turn around and dodge it. Otherwise, even if he were able to avoid the dagger, he wouldn't be able to avoid the wagons up ahead!
Just at this intolerable moment, his sabre suddenly struck out from underneath his armpit. With a clanging sound, the pitch-black scabbard suddenly gave off sparks. The four-inch long flying dagger was knocked beneath the carriage.
Yang Wuji's sword left his sheath very quickly. Like a jade maiden weaving a tapestry, he attacked from the sky.
Fu Hongxue gripped the scabbard underneath his arm. He withdrew his sabre with a backhand motion. A flash of sabre light greeted the sword light.
The sabre and the sword did not actually intersect. Although the sword light was very quick, the sabre light was even quicker. Yang Wuji's sword had already just barely touched Fu Hongxue's throat. If it went in another inch, it would have taken his life. But a miserable cry was suddenly heard and fresh blood spewed about. The sky was filled with a rain of blood. An arm suddenly fell down from the sky, with a sword still tightly gripped in it. An ancient, elegant sword of Damascus steel!
When Yang Wuji's body descended, it fell straight into that boiling hot copper pot.
In his entire life, this was the best chance he would ever have of killing Fu Hongxue. This time, his sword had almost pierced Fu Hongxue's throat.
Only, he missed by an inch.
The horse neighed loudly. The wagon was already travelling forward, past the overturned wagons. A sword light as red as crimson blood appeared, blocking off the road behind them!
Fu Hongxue did not turn his head. He heard the sound of Yan Nanfei coughing. It seemed as though Yan Nanfei used all of his energy in this sword attack to cover their retreat.
He didn't dare to turn his head. He was afraid that if he did, he would stay behind and fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Yan Nanfei in this deadly battle.
Unfortunately, some people could not be allowed to die.
They definitely could not!
A cold night. A barren grave.
A carriage came to a halt in the midst of a cluster of tombs. The stars gleamed with pulses. There was no trace of life in the wild, barren graveyard.
Someone suddenly sat upright in the coffin on the cart. She had long hair and wore a cape, and her eyes were as liquid as autumn waters. Even if she was a ghost, she was definitely a beautiful female ghost. She was more than enough to mesmerize any scholar studying late at night.
Her eyes flickered about, as though she were seeking someone. She wasn't looking for a scholar. She was looking for a man with a sabre.
Where did Fu Hongxue go? Why did he leave her here alone?
Just as fear began to appear in her eyes, Fu Hongxue appeared by her side.
A fog began to arise in the barren graveyard. The fog was pallid white, as pallid as Fu Hongxue's face.
When she saw his pallid face, although Zhuo Yuzhen let out a sigh of relief, she was still very shocked. "Why did we come here?"
Fu Hongxue didn't directly respond. Instead, he asked, "What is the safest place to hide a bag of white mice?"
Zhuo Yuzhen thought for a moment, then said, "In a large heap of white rice."
Fu Hongxue asked, "What is the best place to place a coffin, if one wants to avoid it being noticed?"
Zhuo Yuzhen finally understood his meaning. Hide white rice in the middle of a pile of rice; hide a coffin in a graveyard.
But there was something she still didn't quite understand. "Why don't we go seek out Yan Nanfei and his friend, Du Shiqi?"
Fu Hongxue said, "We cannot go."
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "You don't trust him?"
Fu Hongxue said, "Someone Yan Nanfei trusts, I too trust."
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "Then why can't you go?"
Fu Hongxue said, "The 'Heavenly Fragrance Teahouse' is a large teahouse, and Du Shiqi is a famous man. If we meet with him, Gongsun Tu will find out within six hours!"
Zhuo Yuzhen let out a sigh. In a soft voice, she said, "I didn't imagine that you are even more meticulous than I am in handling matters."
Fu Hongxue evaded her gaze. From within his bosom, he withdrew a parcel wrapped in oilpaper. "This is a baked chicken I bought on the way. No need to give me any. I've already eaten."
Zhuo Yuzhen quietly accepted it. As she opened the parcel, her tears began to fall onto the chicken.
Fu Hongxue pretended to not see her tears. "I already took a look around. There's no signs of human life within two or three li, and there's nobody following us. You must take a good nap. When dawn breaks, I need you to do something for me."
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "What?"
Fu Hongxue said, "Find out where Du Shiqi sleeps at night. When I go find him, I cannot allow anyone to see me."
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "We are still going to go find him?"
Fu Hongxue nodded. "My appearance is too conspicuous. There's not many people who recognize you, and I know a few things about the art of disguise."
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "Relax. I'm not the type of weak girl who can be blown down by a gentle breeze. I can take care of myself!"
Fu Hongxue said, "Do you know how to ride horseback?"
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "A little!"
Fu Hongxue said, "Then go on horseback tomorrow morning. When you reach a place with people, immediately release this horse, then call for a carriage on the road. On the way back, you can buy a donkey."
The people of the north are vigorous and hardy. There were plenty of women who ride donkeys.
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "I will definitely be extra cautious. Only, the children…"
Fu Hongxue said, "I will take care of the children. Leave after you give them their fill of milk. Thus, you must get a good night's rest tonight."
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "And you?"
Fu Hongxue said, "No need for you to worry about me. Sometimes, I can fall asleep while I am walking!"
Zhuo Yuzhen looked at him, her eyes filled with tenderness and a cherishing look, as though there were many things she wanted to say to him.
But Fu Hongxue had already turned around, facing the dark earth, as though he had already fallen asleep.
The children had finally fallen asleep. Zhuo Yuzhen had left six hours ago.
Fu Hongxue sat in the shadow of a tomb. He stupidly stared at a tombstone in front of him. He hadn't moved in a long time.
What was he thinking about?
What type of people were buried in these tombs? How many of them were nameless heroes? How many were lonely wanderers?
If people were lonely while living, wouldn't they be even more lonely when dead?
After he died, would there be anybody to bury him? Where would he be buried?
Who can answer these questions?
Nobody!
Fu Hongxue let out a long breath. He slowly rose to his feet, and saw a donkey walk up the side of the hill.
A thin, weary donkey. An ordinary, emaciated woman.
Watching her, Fu Hongxue couldn't help but feel pride in his disguising skills.
Finally, Zhuo Yuzhen had safely returned. No one recognized her, and no one had followed her.
As soon as she saw Fu Hongxue and the children, her eyes shone. Just like every worthy mother and virtuous wife in the world, she first went over and kissed her children. Then, she took out a parcel wrapped in oilpaper. "This is the roast chicken and beef I bought at the market. No need to share it with me. I've already eaten."
Fu Hongxue quietly accepted the parcel.
Her fingertips gently brushed across his hand. His hand was ice cold.
If a person's hand was ice cold despite staying underneath a fierce sun for six hours, they must have things on their mind.
Looking at him, Zhuo Yuzhen said in a soft voice, "I know that you must have been worrying about me. So I came back as soon as I got the news."
Fu Hongxue said, "You've already find out where Du Shiqi…"
Zhuo Yuzhen interjected, "No one knows where Du Shiqi sleeps at night. Even if someone knew, they weren't willing to tell me."
Du Shiqi was definitely a person who liked making friends. Naturally, he had many friends.
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "But I overheard news about something else."
Fu Hongxue was listening!
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "Although he has many friends, he has quite a few enemies as well. The most fierce one amongst them is named Hu Kun. Everyone in the city knows that Hu Kun plans to kill Du Shiqi on the first day of the next month. In addition, it seems he is very assured of victory."
Fu Hongxue said, "It seems today is the twenty eighth."
Zhuo Yuzhen nodded. "So I thought to myself that Hu Kun must know more about Du Shiqi's movements these days than anyone else."
If you want to find information on someone, it is far better to seek out his enemies than his friends.
Fu Hongxue said, "Did you seek out Hu Kun?"
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "I did not."
She smiled, then continued. "But you can go seek him out. In fact, you can go seek him out openly and brazenly, with no need to fear Gongsun Tu and the others finding out. In fact, it might be even better if they did find out."
Her smile was warm and sweet. She looked like a warm, sweet little fox.
Fu Hongxue looked at her. He suddenly understood her meaning. Admiration immediately appeared in his eyes.
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "The largest teahouse isn't the 'Heavenly Fragrance Teahouse'. It is the 'Ascendant Immortal Teahouse'."
Fu Hongxue said, "Hu Kun often goes there?"
Zhuo Yuzhen said, "He goes there every day, almost from dawn to dusk, because he opened the 'Ascendant Immortal Teahouse'!"
After the sky darkened, Fu Hongxue left Zhuo Yuzhen and the children behind in the mountainside graveyard. How could he feel safe leaving them behind in such a ghastly, desolate, dark, terrifying place? Perhaps it was because that place was too dark, too desolate. There was definitely no one who would imagine them hiding there, and so he felt at ease.
Was he truly certain of this decision? No. But he definitely had to arrange many matters for them, so as to make sure they would live peacefully and happily. He knew that he definitely couldn't always be by their side!
No person in the world could always be by the side of another person.
No matter how long people are with one another, in the end they will separate.
If it wasn't separation caused by death, it would be separation in life.
He suddenly thought of Mingyue Xin.
He was forcing himself to be controlled this entire time, forcing himself not to think of her.
But on this unpopulated hillside, in this quiet, lonely night, the more one should not think of something, the more easy it was to think of it.
Thus, not only did he think of Mingyue Xin, he also thought of Yan Nanfei. He thought of how, when they parted, Mingyue Xin stared into his eyes. He also thought of the sound of Yan Nanfei's dry, rough coughs, and his blood red sword.
Where were they now? Were they at the ends of the world, or in a furnace?
Fu Hongxue didn't know!
He didn't even know where he was. Was he in a furnace, or at the ends of the world?
He tightly gripped his sabre. He knew that this sabre was tempered from within a furnace!
Could it be that he himself was like a sabre being tempered within a furnace?
Game of Divine Thrones - Book 10 Chapter 237 – The Death Alchemist (2)


Weeks after the delivery of her son, On-air Personalty, Toolz has opted to enjoy a night out.
The beautiful mother of one was spotted at Davido's 02 Arena concert in London looking ravishing in newly shared pictures.
Quite a number of her fans on social media were glad to see her step out to have fun, and Toolz was sure to be a show stopper as she rocked a tracksuit with African print.
In one of the photos, OAP Toolz opted to unzip the jacket to show off what she had underneath, flaunting her cleavage.


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Hugh Masekela Tribute wraps up harmonious 2018 line-up for the 19th Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Today the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) announced four new, exciting acts for their upcoming 19th edition. Leading the announcement is a timely tribute to Africa's greatest jazz icon - and long-time friend of the festival – the late Hugh Masekela. Celebrating his long history with the CTIJF, from performing at the very first festival in 2000, to his many on-stage appearances over the years, this emotional tribute, "The Boy's Doin' It" A Celebration of Hugh Masekela's Life & Music (SA), is endorsed by the Masekela family.
Concluding the 2018 line-up are emerging global artists Tank and the Bangas (USA), Masego (USA) and South Africa's own Black Motion (SA), offering a mixture of fresh and influential sounds and incredible live performances not to be missed!
CTIJF Festival Director, Billy Domingo sums up this year's line-up: "The 2018 offering encompasses the full scale of the jazz genre. This line-up showcases diverse cultures and musical styles to reveal the complexity of the music, to inspire, uplift and energise. It also presents the opportunity to indulge in a moment of quiet reflection. It's an exciting programme with something for everyone and I'm really looking forward to sharing it with our audience - loyal festinos and new visitors to the festival. This year it is only natural that we pay tribute to the great Bra Hugh, and I am especially proud of the celebration the Masekela family have put together to honour his incredible legacy."
CTIJF 2018 Final Artists Announced:
Few African musicians have captured the essence of the continent's sound as has Hugh Masekela (1939 – 2018). For 78 years, South Africa was gifted with a phenomenal innovator who impacted African jazz with a unique brass tone and storytelling style that transcended the societal divide. For CTIJF 2018, a potent line-up of some of the country's best players will present "The Boy's Doin' It" A Celebration of Hugh Masekela's Life & Music (SA), highlighting the genius of this influential trumpeter, flugelhorn-player, singer and composer. Whether he was breathing life into poignant heritage jazz or collaborating with hip young stars, this legend created timeless music which resonated with young and old. This tribute will revisit the work of this remarkable showman, showcasing his succinct lyricism. Festival goers can expect evergreens from the Masekela songbook – township anthems that carry the weight of our history but live on to inspire and convey the abundant joy of rootsy Afro fusion.
New Orleans act Tank and the Bangas (USA) has a knack for combining styles—fiery soul, deft hip hop, deep-groove R&B and subtle jazz - into one dazzling, cohesive whole that evokes the scope of New Orleans music while retaining a unique feel of its own. "It's music that can't really be put in a box," says singer/poet Tarriona "Tank" Ball. Her charisma helped the five-piece win NPR's 2017 Tiny Desk Concert Contest, plus a signing to Verve Records. Ball came up in the slam poetry scene before meeting band mates Merell Burkett (keys), Joshua Johnson (drums), Norman Spence (bass) and Albert Allenback (alto sax). Each of the band's gigs is different. "One show will feel very electronic or hip hop, and another will feel slow and vibey, and then another will just be poetry and off-the-cuff riffs," adds Johnson.
Southern swagger, Jamaican blood, with a South African name, Masego (USA) is a Gumbo of culture and creativity. His music is best described as TrapHouseJazz. Masego's journey began on YouTube. He put 10,000 hours in live looping with his saxophone, beat machine and keyboard. Masego used to rip beats from SoundCloud's future beat and house producers, added saxophone over them, then headed to Instagram to dedicate the song to a curly hair beauty from his explore page. His soulful singing and his jazzy personality coloured every track and heart and caught the attention of many producers like Kaytranada, Sounwav, and new greats like KRS-One and Medasin.
The house and hip hop rap of dance/electro duo Black Motion (SA) has seen them clinch SAMA Awards for Best Duo/Group of the Year and Best Dance Album. Smol and DJ Murder teamed up to form Black Motion in 2010. Their breakthrough came when they joined Spirit Motion and produced the hit single Banane Mavoko. Dj Oskido went on to license the song for his compilation CD Oskido's 10th Commandment. Together these musos explore the dynamism and synchronicity of their musical careers. Their album highlights have included Talking to the Drums, Fortune Teller and Ya Badimo – house music for the ancestors.
The CTIJF 2018 Full Artist Line-Up includes: Alistair Izobell (SA), Amanda Black (SA), Billy Monama: GrazRoots Project (SA), Black Motion (SA), Blinky Bill & Sibot's Afrofunk Spaceship (SA/ KENYA), Claire Phillips (SA), Corinne Bailey Rae (UK), espYoungLegend 2018 Jarrad Ricketts (SA), "The Boy's Doin' It " A Celebration of Hugh Masekela's Life & Music (SA), Incognito (UK), Jordan Rakei (NZ), Keenan Ahrends Quintet (SA), Louis Moholo-Moholo presents 5 Blokes 1 Doll (SA), MABUTA (SA), Manny Walters (SA), Masego (USA), Mi Casa (SA), Miguel Atwood-Ferguson: Suite for Ma Dukes (USA), Miles Mosley (USA), Mulatu Astatke (ETH), N8N (BEL), Nduduzo Makhathini: Inner Dimensions Collective (SA/SWISS), Nicholas Payton: Afro-Caribbean Mixtape (USA), Nicky Schrire (SA), R+R=NOW: Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin, Christian Scott, Derrick Hodge, Taylor McFerrin, Justin Tyson (USA), Sekunjalo Edujazz Band (SA), Seu Jorge presents The Life Aquatic / A Tribute to David Bowie (BRA), Sibusiso Mashiloane (SA), Simphiwe Dana (SA), Sisonke Xonti (SA), Tank and the Bangas (USA), The Feya Faku Spirit Unit (SA), The Liberation Project Acoustic Band (SA), The Louiz Banks Quartet (IND), The Settlers High School Band (SA), The Soil (SA), The Surge (South Africa/ Russia/ Slovakia/ Morocco/ USA/ Kyrgyzstan), The Vijay Iyer Sextet (USA) and Trombone Shorty (USA).
For the full CTIJF 2018 Artist Programme, visit www.capetownjazzfest.com
The 19th Cape Town International Jazz Festival takes place on 23 and 24 March 2018 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Day passes are still available at Computicket: http://bit.ly/2ziapOM
Corporate hospitality packages are available for the upcoming festival. To book your package or for more information, contact Samantha on 021 6710506 or email hospitality@espafrika.com
Rosies tickets are now on sale at Computicket. Please note, tickets for Rosies cost an additional R30 per performance. For the Rosies performance programme, please go to www.capetownjazzfest.com
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival is a water-wise event. For more information, please see our Event Water Usage Advisory: http://www.capetownjazzfest.com/water-advisory
Official sponsors of the 19th annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival are the Department of Arts and Culture, Independent Media and AYO Technology Solutions. Other sponsors include host city, City of Cape Town, Amstel, Johnny Walker and Peninsula Beverages.
Download the new CTIJF mobile app for on-the-go artist programmes, information and updates.
Available on the App Store: https://apple.co/2BFY627
Available on the Play Store: http://bit.ly/2EGMnPt
For media enquiries please contact:
Nomsa Mdhluli: Nomsa@networxpr.co.za : 071 628 6231
Esona Ndongeni: esona@networxpr.co.za : 083 875 1822
Kaz Henderson: kaz@networxpr.co.za : 082 339 1199
Or call the Networx PR office on (021) 201 1522 all hours.
Top local and international jazz artists to lead the 21st celebration of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Africa's Grandest Gathering: 21st annual celebration of jazz to take place in March 2020 - Date and Ticket Pricing announcement
Engen announces three-year partnership with the Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Jazz Fest 2019 line up concludes with GIPSY KINGS and JONATHAN BUTLER
Jam-packed Line Up for CTIJF's Free Community Concert 2019
Music Master Class makes it's way to Langa
Jazz Festival invites you to Tour the Township
CTIJF adds fifteen more eclectic artists to 2019 line-up
Jazz Festival reveals its 2019 espYoungLegend
Cape Town International Jazz Festival team mourns the passing of jazz legend Oliver 'Tuku' Mtukudzi

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Things to Do in Tunica
Things to Do in Tunica, MS
Our list of the best things to do in Tunica, Mississippi, features the top 26 nearby activities — including 6 great attractions with user approval ratings of 90% or more!
Tunica, MS has a variety of great sights and experiences nearby. Top categories include: Entertainment & Shows, Outdoor Places, Museums & Galleries, and Sights & Landmarks.
The results below include the top 17 things to do within the city of Tunica, MS , followed by 15 popular activities in nearby cities, including Tunica Resorts, Hernando, Helena and Russellville
RESET ( 118 results)
Entertainment & Shows (35)
Sights & Landmarks (10)
Casinos (15)
Theaters (10)
Music Venue (6)
Music Museums (6)
Farms & Ranches (3)
Sports Facilities/Fields (2)
Cultural Centers (2)
Children's Play Area (1)
Botanical Gardens (1)
Baseball Fields (1)
Zoos (1)
Horseback Riding (1)
Skate Parks (1)
Sports Stadiums (Professional) (1)
Sports Teams (Professional) (1)
Music Store (1)
Boat Tours (1)
Bus Tours (1)
Colleges & Universities (1)
Convention Centers (1)
Factory Tours (1)
Historic Districts (1)
Segway Tours (1)
Natural History Museums (1)
Date Ideas (101)
Memphis (37)
Tunica (16)
Germantown (12)
Clarksdale (11)
Tunica Resorts (11)
Southaven (11)
Collierville (8)
Olive Branch (5)
Hernando (2)
Russellville (1)
Sardis (1)
Showing 21-30 of 118
Blues & Legends Hall of Fame
Music Museums Tunica Resorts, MS MoreLess Info
With a focus on the history of blues, Blues & Legends Hall of Fame has a number of exhibits dedicated to the musicians from this movement. The museum traces the origin of blues out of Mississippi until present day.
River Palace Arena
Theaters Tunica Resorts, MS MoreLess Info
Featuring seating for 1,600 spectators, the River Palace Arena is a performance venue that is host to a number of events throughout the year. Variety shows, stand-up comedy, and live music concerts are among the events hosted here.
Bally's Casino Tunica
Casinos 1450 Bally's Boulevard, Tunica Resorts, MS 38664 MoreLess Info
Come to Bally's Casino Tunica for round-the-clock fun. Bally's features electric gambling machines, card tables, a comfortable wet bar, a 24-hour buffet restaurant, a dinette and a restaurant specializing in barbeque and 'comfort food.'
Bellissimo Spa & Salon
Spas 1107 Casino Center Drive, Tunica Resorts, MS MoreLess Info
At the Bellissimo Spa & Salon there are plenty of treatments and special packages, designed to rejuvenate the client's skin and body, while also relaxing its mind.
Tunica Roadhouse Casino
Casinos 1107 Casino Center Drive, Tunica Resorts, MS 38664 MoreLess Info
Roulette, table games, and slots are only a few of the games to be tried at the Tunica Roadhouse Casino. Credit is available especially to high rollers.
Casinos 13615 Old Highway 61 North, Tunica Resorts, MS 38664 MoreLess Info
The Grand Casino at Tunica Resorts is a high-energy establishment that offers all the amenities patrons need to enjoy themselves. Visitors enjoy affordable lodging in beautiful rooms and suites, 24-hour food service, large cocktails and courteous service. There is also a large indoor swimming pool and hot tub.
Ozark-St. Francis National Forests
Forests Russellville, AR MoreLess Info
The Ozark–St. Francis National Forest is a US National Forest in Arkansas. They are two separate forests: Ozark National Forest and St. Francis National Forest, each with their own differences. But together, they offer campgrounds, swimming areas, hiking trails, and streams for fishing.
Kids Quest
Child Care & Day Care 1295 Harrah's Lake Drive, Tunica Resorts, MS 38664 MoreLess Info
Adult patrons of the Tunica Resort enjoy gaming with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that their children are loving their adventure at Kids Quest. This hourly childcare provider makes it easy for babies, toddlers and small children to spend time apart from mom or dad.
Delta Cultural Center
Cultural Centers 141 Cherry Street, Helena, AR 72342 MoreLess Info
The Delta Cultural Center is a museum which aims to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Arkansas Delta region. The museum interprets the history of Delta through exhibits, and guided tours.
Cedar Hill Farm
Farms & Ranches 008 Love Road, Hernando, MS MoreLess Info
Serving as a destination for educational field trips, Cedar Hill Farm provides recreational activities on its farmland. These activities include pony rides, petting zoos, and hay rides. Groups can reserve an area of the farm for paintball games.
HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR COOL AND INTERESTING THINGS TO DO IN THE Tunica AREA?


text:
Bill Gallo July 8, 1999 4:00AM
In the summer of 1991, the best-kept state secret in China had to be the U.S. Women's Soccer Team's 2-1 World Cup win over Norway. The tournament's high scorer, Michelle Akers, booted the winning goal with just two minutes left in the final game at Guanzhou, and when time ran out, the American players leaped into an ecstatic pile on the field. They had gone undefeated in China. They had won the Cup. And they partied until their plane touched down in New York.
Exactly one reporter greeted them at JFK Airport. Two baffled travelers on the concourse asked the players if they were part of a volleyball team.
That was then; this is now. In case you've been lost in the parking lot at the monster truck races, the third World Cup tournament in women's soccer history has been under way in this country for the past three weeks, filling frenzied stadiums from Boston to Palo Alto. This Saturday, the favored U.S. team will face their old hosts, China, in a final that is expected to fill Pasadena's Rose Bowl with 95,000 shouting fans.
The American women have exploded into a major phenomenon, and Saturday's final promises to be a defining moment for women's soccer--indeed, for all women's sports--in America. Whether that moment lasts out the summer is another question.
For now, the best-case scenario is unfolding full tilt. The U.S. team--so deep that five of its rejects play for Mexico, one for Germany--has reached the finals on a stirring mixture of sheer talent and unbridled passion. Corporate sponsors that have poured $6 million into the Women's World Cup are reaping the benefits of a huge box office--32 games, 600,000 tickets sold (100,000 more than projections)--and TV ratings on ESPN and ABC that have astonished network executives. America's newfound enthusiasm for a game long perceived by the masses as a stunning bore best left to swooning Italians fond of fake death scenes could have dramatic effects--including a professional women's soccer league modeled on the WNBA and the lucrative women's golf and tennis tours.
For Madison Avenue, the attractions are even more evident. First, the women's game produces more scoring than the goal-stingy men's version: Witness all the 3-1, 4-2 and 7-1 scores in this World Cup. Second, there's Yankee star power on the field. Goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who has posted three shutouts in the tournament, is cover girl for the nation's sports sections; the hero of 1991, Akers, now age thirty, is the high scorer in this World Cup, too, with ten goals. But the real centerpiece of America's team is Mia Hamm, said to be the finest female soccer player in the world. Coast to coast, little girls chant her name, wear replicas of her No. 9 jersey and beg for her autograph.
"MIA!" the stadium placards read. "Major Inspiration to America!" A decade ago, no soccer player on the planet--male or female--could have landed a U.S. TV spot selling anything. Today Hamm, who's the daughter of a dancer and a fighter pilot, spars with basketball legend Michael Jordan ("Anything you can do, I can do better!") in an expensive ad campaign for Gatorade.
This summer, there's also a new Barbie doll on the market--dressed in soccer togs.
Does the Women's World Cup showcase mean a major breakthrough for a game that's always had problems in America? Not necessarily. "We're opening hearts, eyes and minds," says Tiffeny Milbrett, one of the heroes in last Thursday's 3-2 come-from-behind win over Germany. "But it's hard to tell if the excitement will last."
That excitement's been a long time coming--and not just for soccer. In 1972, the year federal legislation popularly known as "Title 9" first prohibited gender discrimination in school and college athletic programs, a national survey found that only 1 percent of American high school girls identified themselves as athletes. Today 43 percent do. But there are still inequities. At Wimbledon last week, the argument continued over unequal prize money in men's and women's tennis tournaments. After the U.S. Women's Ice Hockey Team won the gold medal at the Nagano Olympics, there was plenty of talk about a women's pro hockey league--but the voices have gone mysteriously silent this summer.
Meanwhile, in Pasadena, Hamm and her teammates will take home a modest $12,500 each--if they beat China in Saturday's final. At the men's World Cup in France last summer, the noticeably non-talented U.S. players got $20,000 a piece--without winning a single game.
A crowd of more than 54,000--including local fans Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton--crowded into Washington, D.C.'s Jack Kent Cooke Stadium last week to watch a quarterfinal match between the U.S. and Germany, followed by Brazil versus Nigeria. ESPN2, however, lost heart. Game two started on time, but the network preempted most of the first half--in favor of NASCAR qualifying from the super-speedway in Daytona.
Such slights are one thing; the burden of carrying social and athletic history into the 21st century is another. "Is there pressure?" Milbrett asks. "I really didn't know what pressure was until that first whistle in front of 78,000 people at Giants Stadium."
Beholding their opening World Cup opponent, Denmark, on June 19, the home-field Americans were confident but queasy. "We felt the pressure on our shoulders big-time," Milbrett admits. "For the game, for the country, for women."
In this tournament, coach Tony DiCicco's charges have had a few scary moments. A swift, willing Nigeria team got up on them 1-0 before the American talent took its toll and won 7-1. And in the first five minutes of the crucial quarterfinal in Washington, defender Brandi Chastain lost her bearings, back-passed the ball wide of U.S. goalie Briana Scurry and scored an opening goal for the German side. Trailing 2-1 in the second half, the Americans had to call up all their skill and courage just to win the game and avert a major catastrophe.
Had Chastain and company blown that one, no one would be talking significant social evolution this week. In fact, nothing short of a second World Cup title is likely to give U.S. women's soccer the big boost it craves. In contrast to America's men's team, an acknowledged also-ran with virtually no shot these days at competing with Brazil or Italy or France, the U.S. women are odds-on to win the Cup. They took home Olympic gold in 1996, and U.S. fans simply don't expect them to get beat by Germany. Or anyone else.
"That game stretched us every possible way," Hamm said. "Physically, technically, tactically and emotionally. The Germans are a very sophisticated, strong team. But we have confidence every time we go out there, because we're a veteran team. Being under pressure inspires us."
But will Hamm and company still inspire the country come September?
We lifelong tennis fans figured that the men's game was, if not dead, at least in need of intensive care--the victim of fast courts, space-age racquets and robotic serve-and-volley play. But Pete Sampras and his old pal Andre Agassi put their heads and their ground strokes together on the Fourth of July to save it, at least for now.
This is not to say that Sunday's all-American final on the lawns of Wimbledon was a classic. Sampras, a cold-eyed ripper who finally showed some emotion this time around, blew Agassi off center court in straight sets. But Andre's Lazarus act continues. Two years ago, he had fallen from his high perch (too many nights at the theater, perhaps?) and was ranked 141st in the world. This season he rose from nothingness to win the French Open and complete a rare "career Grand Slam," reach the final at Wimbledon and now say he is eagerly awaiting a big-time rematch with Pete--perhaps at the U.S. Open in late August.
Sampras's win gave him his twelfth Grand Slam title, tying the great Roy Emerson's record, and there is no reason he can't win three or four more Wimbledons before he's through. The grass perfectly suits his big serve, withering ground strokes and sharp volleys.
This renewal of the Sampras-Agassi rivalry, which was the talk of the tour in 1995 and the occasion of silence until last week, is great for the game. So were the tricks Mother Nature played in London. Rain postponed dozens of matches, but for nearly a month before the tournament, the fickle English weather remained warm and sunny, hardening the Wimbledon grass courts. This resulted in higher-bouncing balls, longer rallies and more intricate tactics--just the stuff tennis fans relish in the scintillating women's game and find sorely lacking when the high-powered men take the court.
If the lords of Wimbledon know what they're doing, they'll bake the sheer slickness out of the playing surface next year, too--even if it means crawling over every square inch with hair dryers.
Meanwhile, against all odds, the Sampras-Agassi battle is alive and well. No less than Ali-Frazier, Williams-DiMaggio or Russell-Chamberlain, it's a beautiful thing to behold.
Contact: Bill Gallo


text:
layout: page
title: Tone Productions Show
date: 2016-05-24
author: Janice Francis
tags: weekly links, java
status: published
summary: Suspendisse ullamcorper quam in nunc maximus, in sollicitudin ipsum finibus.
banner: images/banner/leisure-04.jpg
booking:
  startDate: 07/16/2017
  endDate: 07/20/2017
  ctyhocn: CMHUNHX
  groupCode: TPS
published: true
---
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* Phasellus suscipit nisi ac erat gravida mattis
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* Duis maximus massa ac tristique accumsan.

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Get your home appraised! Getting your home inspected will help rid of any problems that may arise later while trying to sell your home. This will give you a heads up on repairs, faulty structures, and anything that may need to be addressed according to local, State, and Federal law.
Price your home correctly from the start. Don't know how to do that? That's what your realtor is for. Pricing your home in the right price range will help your home sell. Many factors can be included when figuring out the value of your home in the current market.
Clean your home! Keep your home clean and ready to show. This gives the possible buyers a great impression of the house and can immensely improve your chances of selling your home sooner rather than later. Possibly hire a professional home stager to stage your home.
Plan with your realtor how to manage multiple offers. This way if the opportunity arises your realtor will know how to proceed. You can negotiate, sell at a certain dollar figure, bidding and so on.
Try not to buy a new home before you sell your current home. Many people find themselves caught paying two mortgages if their home does not sell when they expect it to. Patience is key when selling a home. If you ever find yourself paying two mortgages you may apply for a home equity loan to help pay the extra mortgage.


Well, well, well … Who knew it? ukip's latest policy on welfare was out there all the time! Basically, they aim to be tough on those in poverty and well to the right of IDS when it comes to social policy, writes John D Turner on his blog.
How do I know this? I was chatting with someone the other day about ukip's all things to all men (women know your place!) Bedroom Tax policy and I mused about where they stood on other Social Security issues. My friend sent me this link. One social policy alone kills dead the idea that ukip would really stand up for the left behind, the axing of Sure Start.
You can read the rest of the article on the John D Turner blog – and tell him I sent you!
It seems UKIP is currently trying to get as many followers/supporters as possible to flood critical websites, blogs and social media pages with propaganda, so let's all play a game of 'Count the UKIP stooges'. How many can YOU find?
It would help if once in a while you posted something that had some truth in it such as the staffordshire county council which does not as yet have a ukip member is closing these facilities at a rapid rate on the grounds they are underused, 50 have been closed already by the labour-led council.
But Barry, I did post something that had truth in it. Just because it wasn't truth that you wanted to be revealed doesn't stop it being accurate, and even if UKIP removes the plan from its manifesto commitments, it's worth people knowing that UKIP wanted it – it can help them make an informed decision.
As for Labour councils having to close these facilities, you seem to forget that our hated Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition is forcing councils to close these services. The plan there was always to deprive authorities led by other parties of cash for the service and then try to blame them for taking it away and you seem to have been fished in like a proper – well – Kipper!


If you're like me, I enjoy a visit through history to know how products were created, how they evolved and used over the years and the story of Coats & Clark families twisted in history to make quality cotton threads is a fascinating one. Let's take a closer look at the Dual Duty XP threads offered today for your sewing creativity.
Each thread has specific properties and purposes, it's important to know what they are when considering thread.
Due to Coats' continued inventiveness, innovation and dedication to quality, Dual Duty XP thread is core-spun using modern technology for consistent tension and fabulous stitches. This means that smooth, long, multi-filament fibers are tightly spun as a "core", then wrapped and twisted again with spun polyester to create a single strand. Two or more of these core-spun strands are then twisted together to make the high-strength, beautifully fray-resistant Coats thread you count on.
The General Purpose weight is exactly what you need while you're zigzagging and sewing through several layers. But, you're not always sewing Spa Slippers, so let's take a look at all 3 weights of Coats Dual Duty XP.
Coats Dual Duty XP General Purpose Thread . . . the thread you'll use most for machine and hand sewing.
Available in 114, 229 or 457 meter spools.
Easily find just the right color for your project – General Purpose 114m has the widest color range available, including Fashion Brights, Color Tints and Multi-Colors.
Perfect for all fibers and fabrics – quilting cottons, knits and wovens.
Use a size 70 to 80 needle.
Coats Dual Duty XP Fine Thread . . . the thread you'll use for sewing sheer magic.
Solves your longing for pucker-free seams in light-weight fabrics.
Strong, yet the perfect weight for lingerie, bridal, silks, organza and sheers.
Use a size 60 to 70 needle.
Coats Dual Duty XP Heavy Thread . . . the thread that makes bold, heavy stitching fabulous.
Heavier and stronger than General Purpose or Fine.
Great for creating bold accent Buttonholes, Cording and Topstitching.
The right choice for interior and exterior upholstery fabrics.
Use a size 100 to 110 needle.
Good information on threads. Thanks.
My hats off to those who have the skills to create beautiful quilts. I only use quilts not comforters, I need a mew one now, just can't afford on a fixed income.


Saturday, July 11th is the inaugural date of Brickfest, a brand new, DIY music festival hosted in the small, central Minnesota town of Foley.
Presented by Brickhouse Cinema and Grinnenbarret Media, Brickfest is a 100% free, outdoor music festival to showcase some of the best underground artists that the Minnesota (featuring a small slice of Wisconsin) has to offer.
The festival, featuring 17 bands, starts at 11 AM. Topping the bill for this years event is Insomniac, The Following, Zealot, Villain of the Story and Remo Drive.
This festival, organized almost entirely by Varrick Bruno, is a part of the "DIY Revival" that Minnesota has been experiencing. With a plethora of all-ages venues closing in the Twin Cities area, house shows have been becoming more and more prevalent in the scene.
"It's always been kind of a dream of mine to put on a big ridiculous local show," Varrick said. It looks like his big ridiculous show could not have come at a better time for Minnesota.
Covering the cost of this festival has had to come almost entirely out of Bruno's pocket, however. If you have a few bucks and would like to donate to the cause, follow this link. All proceeds go directly to funding the show.
Come show some love for the Minnesota underground Saturday, July 11th at the Brickhouse Cinema. Music starts at 11:00 AM.


Feast your eyes upon this great and comfortable vintage 90s men's windbreaker jacket in blue. Made of lightweight polyester and lined with cotton blend lining. Easy to take care of, comfortable piece with very modern and masculine vibe.


Now that we are finally heading towards autumn, it's time for fashion lovers to look at their swimwear collection and their fashion wardrobe and get ready for a refresh. But there's an even more pressing need right now. Namely, getting away for a little bit too in the October half term for that small extra dose of sunshine.
New swimwear deserves a new destination to make the most of it, so the big question should be, where to go on holiday in October half term? Well, there are a few great choices to make the most of the sun and the sea. Let's start with the closest destinations to the UK, as many of you won't want to travel far in the short time you have.
The Greek Islands would be our first recommendations. Not only are they the warmest spots in Europe in October half term, but they are pretty affordable, and if you have little ones, they tend to be safe and geared toward holidays for everyone. They have some of the most beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters in Europe, and we recommend it as a place to show off your new fashion swimwear, get a great tan and relax for a week.
Next on our list would be Cyprus. While this is also a Greek island or at least half is, it is a little different than the others. It is very Southerly and much closer to Asia than the other Greek islands, making it warmer and drier than most other destinations. Another great thing is that the island is split between Greece and Turkey, so if you prefer the type of food you enjoy or the drinks, or you speak a little of one of these languages, you might fit right into one of the two spots all on the same island. Wherever you choose to go on the island, know that its coasts are vast and the chance to sunbathe and enjoy the water is always a big plus of this island.
If you want to go somewhere a little bit out of the ordinary, a holiday destination growing in popularity is the Adriatic coast. Some of the former Yugoslav states like Croatia, Montenegro and Albania are still places many holidaymakers are sceptical about, but they really shouldn't be. Slovenia, for example, shares a border will Italy and is a stone toss away from Venice. While many don't image the Balkan nation as a holiday destination, its tiny coastline is excellent for those wanting to take a car into Trieste, the nearest Italian city, or go on a day trip to Venice. And then there is Croatia and the city of Dubrovnik. A place brought back into popularity recently for being recommended on many hidden gem travels lists and for even being the filming location for Game of Thrones. This spot is superb for getting the sun and for swimming in some of the most crystal-clear waters in Europe without any of the choppiness of the Mediterranean, thanks to it being among a cluster of islands that shield it from the higher tides. The only thing to note here is that the beaches are a little rockier, but you want to know where to go in October half term, and you like the idea of a boat trip out into deeper waters for a snorkelling trip perhaps, then making Dubrovnik your destination.
And finally, here is our more divisive recommendation. Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. If you have the time to travel further, or you reside in the Western Hemisphere, this is a great destination. It's superb for three reasons. One, it is consistently hot all year round. Two, it has some of the best beaches with almost no choppy seas thanks to it being inside a protective bay. And three, it's in the Southern hemisphere, so it means that it's warmer in the winter than the spring, making it the perfect autumn or winter retreat. If you are asking the question, where is hot in October half term, then here's your answer. This is the ultimate destination for swimwear fashion lovers too. The beaches are chock full of people showing off the best fashion from Italy, Paris, Miami, New York and London. It's known for its beach culture, and if you want a tan, some sun and a few cocktails, this is the absolute best destination.
So, when is October half term 2018? For most schools, it is 29th October to 2nd November. It's certainly the right time to prepare for a last-minute getaway.
PS. I will always recommend heading to Orlando, Florida any time of year, even for a week it is very do-able. You just need to make sure you plan well. They may not have real beaches in Central Florida, but there are several very convincing man-made beaches at the waterparks!


Nez Perce National Historical Park is composed of 38 sites spread across four states. The National Historic Park commemorates the fateful run of several hundred members of the Nez Perce tribe under Chief Joseph in the summer and fall of 1877. And the whole story came about because the American Government was simply unable and unwilling to enforce (or live up to) the provisions of several treaties they signed with the tribe.
The Nez Perce had lived in the Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana area for thousands of years. When Europeans first brought horses to North America and set them free, the Nez Perce were among the first to collect them and learn to ride. They became superior horsemen, in addition to being superior warriors. But they were a peaceful people. The Nez Perce were among the first to solicit missionaries to come into their villages and teach. When their homelands were invaded by hordes of miners and ranchers, they were patient as they attempted to get justice from the Federal government. In the end, though, they finally couldn't take any more double dealing, treachery, broken promises and outright abuse.
In June, 1877, several hundred (maybe 700 total, of which maybe 250 were warriors with the rest women and children) Nez Perce followed Chief Joseph as he tried to make his way to Canada (they were hoping to at least get decent treatment and food fit to eat from the Canadians). The US Army was in hot pursuit almost immediately. The first battle of the Nez Perce War was fought at White Bird Battlefield in Idaho. The US Cavalry lost that first engagement, suffering 60 dead in the process. However, that battle set the Nez Perce firmly on their path.
A couple weeks later there were a couple small skirmishes with Army troops near what is now Cottonwood, Idaho, then General Howard and his men crossed the Clearwater River and tried to take the Nez Perce by surprise. They failed miserably. The Nez Perce stopped for a while near Wieppe Prairie to gather food, then went over the Lolo Trail and Lolo Pass into Montana Territory. This route is now known as the "Magruder Corridor," a two-track 4WD road that separates the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness from the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
On August 9, 1877, the Army again attacked the Nez Perce. This was an early morning surprise attack at what is now known as Big Hole National Battlefield. The Army suffered 29 dead and 40 wounded but the Nez Perce lost more than 90 men, women and children during the fight, many of them still asleep in their tents when the attack began. The main party of Nez Perce narrowly escaped, leaving a contingent of warriors behind who held the military back for 24 hours while the others got away.
The tribe then traveled south and crossed the Beaverhead Mountains back into Idaho, going to Camas Meadow to harvest camas root as their people had done for hundreds of years previous. While at Camas Meadow, they stole some 200 horses and pack mules from the Army, temporarily halting their advance. Then the Nez Perce made their way into what is now Yellowstone National Park and tried to lose their followers.
A couple days later they emerged on the east side of Yellowstone and headed for the Crow Reservation. The Crows were old friends but weren't able to take the Nez Perce in without endangering themselves. So the Nez Perce turned north from there and headed for the Canadian border. They were held down a couple days at what became known as Bear Paw Battlefield when the Army stumbled across them. They fought valiantly for five days, in a place that offered them almost no cover. The last few warriors they had left fought the Army and their cannons to a standstill, then a nasty blizzard struck. At that point, Chief Joseph decided he and his people had had enough. They were 45 miles short of the border when he lay down his rifle and surrendered. As he was negotiating with the Army, several other members of the tribe slipped away in the blizzard and made it to freedom in Canada.
The fighting had lasted four months, the tribe had traveled 1,170 miles. As soon as the snow stopped falling, the tribe was loaded onto rail cars and transported to Indian Territory (Oklahoma). In 1885, they were allowed to return to their ancestral homelands and Chief Joseph died on the Colville Reservation in 1904. He was then buried in a private place, a place which now has great spiritual significance for the tribe.


In McClure v. Alexander, 2008 Ohio 1313 (Ohio Ct. App.), the Court of Appeals for the Second Appellate District of Ohio, Greene County, held that the new Statute of Repose is constitutional and affirmed its use to dismiss a homeowner's claim as time-barred.
The dispute centered around an addition to a residential home that was completed in June 1989. In 2004 —fifteen years after the project was completed— the addition had to be destroyed because of rotten walls from water damage. The homeowner sued the deceased contractor's estate for $70,000.00, alleging that the siding had been applied incorrectly and caused the water damage.
The contractor moved to dismiss the claim, arguing that Ohio's ten-year Statute of Repose barred the fifteen-year-old claims. The home owner argued that the new Statute of Repose violated the same provisions of the Ohio Constitution that the Ohio Supreme Court had previously relied on to invalidate the previous statute.
The Appeals Court responded with a detailed review of the legislative and legal history of statutes of repose in Ohio. It noted that it was "attentive" to the legislative objective behind the Statute of Repose. This objective included a desire to "balance" the rights of claimants against the rights of contractors, architects, and other construction professionals involved in construction improvements to "real property, the useful life of which may be decades long, and to thereby preclude the inherent risks of stale litigation." In other words, the legislature wanted to balance the right to recourse for one's damages against such things as the long effective life of most construction improvements, the intervening factors that may cause or contribute to damages (such as how the owner was maintaining the improvement), the passage of time, and the need to, at some point, put a definitive end on one's potential liability.
The Appeals Court's decision in this construction defects case comes on the heels of an Ohio Supreme Court decision earlier this year holding a 10-year Statute of Repose constitutional as applied in a products liability case arising out of a personal injury to a worker at a General Motors plant in Toledo, Ohio. These decisions indicate that Ohio's "new" Statute of Repose appears to have avoided the fate of its predecessor statute.
This, in turn, should give relief to the Ohio construction industry in that construction employers will finally be able to dispose of records dealing with "old projects", which were completed more than twelve years ago. (The Statute of Repose has a 'savings' clause that allows claimants an additional two years to file suit from the date they discover the alleged defect if they discover that defect within the last two years of the ten-year period.) In addition, further relief is likely in that it should reduce the risk of plaintiffs' lawyers asserting legal claims long after construction is over. That said, we still recommend to our clients that they continue to maintain their records for as long as practical. This is because, as the contractor in McClure discovered, there is still a possibility that you may have to defend a claim filed almost a dozen years after substantial completion.


ITR-1: It is the simplest form which can be filed by the taxpayer whose earning is from salary or pension or from one house property and income from other sources but the annual taxable income should not exceed Rs. 50 lakh. it should not include any income from betting, gambling etc. Now the new ITR forms need detail calculation of income from salary and house property. The Last ITR Forms haven't included this despite it was confined to only single figure. New ITR-1 Form has been withdrawn for NRIs. Additional fields for TDS as per Form 26QC deducted on rent and quoting of PAN of the tenant for such rent has also been provided. Now onwards, ITR-2 or ITR-3 is applicable to them also.
Persons who file Income tax return for the first time and are getting hesitant to enter into this system of tax, now heave a sigh of relax because he/she would not be subjected to any scrutiny in the first year unless there is a specific information available with the department.
2. ITR-2: this form is for the people who are with the income other than Profits and Gains from Business or Profession.
3. ITR-3: individuals and HUFs with the income from Income from Profits and gains from Business or Profession can fil this form. But people who are partners in a firm must file ITR-3 Form only not ITR-2.
This new ITR-4 Form seeks more information regarding the amount of secured/unsecured loans, advances, fixed assets, capital account etc. In addition, it also makes the taxpayer provide the aggregate turnover as per his/her GST Returns so as to end the wrong methods of reporting various turnovers in erstwhile sales tax and income tax returns.
5. ITR-5: is for the persons who do not lie in the category of individual, HUF, Company and persons filing ITR-7.
6. ITR-6: is for the companies who do not lie in the category those who are claiming exemption u/s 11.
Within the period of 30 days, you have to post ITR-V separately to CPC at Bengaluru as ITR is transmitted electronically without digital signature.
You have to submit ITR-V along with the relevant ITR as ITR is filed physically. Until the signed ITR-V does not reach to CPC, your return will not be considered as filed.
To eliminate the process of sending ITR-V to the centralized Processing Unit in Bangalore, the department of income tax has now started linking Aadhaar card with the PAN Card. Except Form ITR-7, all the forms are designed as annexure-less to make them amenable for electronic filing.
The new ITR Forms shall report to CGST, SGST, IGST and UTGST paid or refunded to the assessee.
Gender of the taxpayer shall not be mentioned in the forms.
If capital gain is arising on transfer of unquoted shares, so now it would be mandatory for the investors to obtain the Fair Market Value report as determined by a Merchant Banker or CA.
This article has been contributed by Sarubpreet Kaur who is a content writer with LegalRaasta. Legal Raasta is an online portal that assists companies and startups with GST registration and Tax Raahi.


PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say an 11-year-old boy was taken into custody after allegedly stealing a rental car in suburban Detroit.
The Oakland County sheriff's department says a person reported that the keys might have been left in the vehicle last Tuesday and later the vehicle was spotted at an apartment complex in Pontiac.
The car was blocked in a parking space and the boy fled on foot before deputies arrived. Deputies tracked down the boy following a foot chase.
The department says in a statement Sunday that the vehicle was damaged during the theft. The Pontiac boy was taken in for questioning.


The heart and soul of every Malmaison hotel, where iconic dishes are prepared with a modern twist and served with passion and personality, including sublime steaks, the awesome MalBurger, locally inspired blackboard specials and a mouthwatering wine list.
The restaurant in Belfast seats 60, but it's still an intimate and elegant setting. Here, they serve all of the classic Mal dishes you expect, plus a host of hearty Irish dishes that use local ingredients carefully selected and prepared with passion by Head Chef Kyle Greer. Guests can also complete their perfect meal with expertly mixed drinks in the most brilliant Belfast bar you'll ever find.
Note: Map is an approximate indication ONLY. Please contact Malmaison Brasserie for directions and precise location prior to your visit.


text:
Q: Python count records in List of Dictionary I have a list of dictionaries with format something similar to:
complete_list = [{'id': 1, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'ggg'}, {'id': 2, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'hhh'}, {'id': 3, 'mobile': '3456', 'name': 'XYZ', 'other': 'ggg'}]

and I wish to obtain unique records count based on mobile, something similar to:
[{'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'rec_count': 2}, {'mobile': '3456', 'name': 'XYZ', 'rec_count': 1}]

I am trying the following code:
unique_list = list({v.get('mobile', ''): v for v in complete_list}.values())

With this code, I am able to get the Unique records list. But don't know how to get the count as well.
Can someone please explain how this can be done?

A: If you just want to count the number of times each mobile appears, the easiest way is probably with a Counter
from collections import Counter

complete_list = [{'id': 1, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'ggg'}, {'id': 2, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'hhh'}, {'id': 3, 'mobile': '3456', 'name': 'XYZ', 'other': 'ggg'}]

mobile_count = Counter(i['mobile'] for i in complete_list)
print(mobiles)

prints
Counter({'2345': 2, '3456': 1})

Counters are a special kind of dict.  Read more here

A: You can create a list of mobiles and then loop through your unique_list to update the records as the following:
complete_list = [{'id': 1, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'ggg'},
                 {'id': 2, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'hhh'},
                 {'id': 3, 'mobile': '3456', 'name': 'XYZ', 'other': 'ggg'}]
mobiles = [x['mobile'] for x in complete_list]
unique_list = list({v.get('mobile', ''): v for v in complete_list}.values())
for elem in unique_list:
    elem['rec_count'] = mobiles.count(elem['mobile'])
print unique_list

output:
[{'mobile': '2345', 'other': 'hhh', 'rec_count': 2, 'id': 2, 'name': 'ABC'}, {'mobile': '3456', 'other': 'ggg', 'rec_count': 1, 'id': 3, 'name': 'XYZ'}]

EDIT
A more optimized way of doing this is probably using two for-loops to update the list accordingly, or create a new list:
complete_list = [{'id': 1, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'ggg'},
                 {'id': 2, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'hhh'},
                 {'id': 3, 'mobile': '3456', 'name': 'XYZ', 'other': 'ggg'}]
for i, v in enumerate(complete_list):
    rec_count = 1
    for j, v2 in enumerate(complete_list):
        if i != j and v['mobile'] == v2['mobile']:
            rec_count += 1
            del complete_list[j]
    v['rec_count'] = rec_count
print complete_list

output:
[{'mobile': '2345', 'other': 'ggg', 'rec_count': 2, 'id': 1, 'name': 'ABC'}, {'mobile': '3456', 'other': 'ggg', 'rec_count': 1, 'id': 3, 'name': 'XYZ'}]

If you want to create a new list, remove del complete_list[j] append the record to the new list at the end of the first loop

A: You should be able to get the number of elements in unique_list with len(unique_list). I believe this is the count of records you are looking for.
Another solution is to use a for loop and set math to count the number of unique mobile numbers without creating the list of unique records.
complete_list = [{'id': 1, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'ggg'},
                 {'id': 2, 'mobile': '2345', 'name': 'ABC', 'other': 'hhh'},
                 {'id': 3, 'mobile': '3456', 'name': 'XYZ', 'other': 'ggg'}]

mobile_numbers = set()
for record in complete_list:
  mobile_numbers.add(record['mobile'])

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Geelong is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. Located 23 kilometers north-east of Melbourne, Geelong has steadily progressed from a country area to a suburban city. Today, Geelong boasts of its fabulous real estates, round-the-clock connectivity and loving community. Home to historical and cultural sites and ideally showcasing the ideologies of the 21 century, Geelong is the place for all!


During the interview, presenter David Campbell asked Kourtney how Kim was doing after the traumatic incident, and while at first she seemed up for talking about it, she very quickly stopped herself. Added Kourtney: "I think we're all really still shaken up and, you know, I think she has a big, supportive family". Kendall Jenner posted her own tribute to Kim , sharing a throwback of her and Kim's other half-sister Kylie Jenner posing with Kim when they were young children.
All you need to know about the Salman Khan-Kabir Khan fight!
It's been a while that the reports of rift between Salman and Kabir have been doing the rounds. According to sources, there are a lot of creative differences between the two and they have allegedly chose to never work with each other in the future.
Steinbach said. Reaching out to Austin, user Fhyrestar says "I'm 50 percent deaf". My daughter got to pick what she wore for her school pictures. Need a little inspiration? As Austin explains on Reddit , Superman and Supergirl have always been two firm favourites of Kaylieann.
L'assassino è marito della sorella della vittima , uno svizzero di 42 anni. Il cadavere della donna si trovava in una roggia, semispolto dalla vegetazione e poco distante dal corso d'acqua. Le circostanze del decesso non sono ancora state accertate. Per il momento, infatti, la pista prevalente resta quella dell'omicidio . La vittima ha 35 anni: era vestita, ma senza documenti d'identità né giacca.
Laura Freddi e Bosco Cobos stavano lottando quando ad un certo punto si è verificato l'incidente hot . Laura Freddi non ha mai negato, dall'inizio della sua avventura al Grande Fratello Vip, di avere a casa un fidanzato che ama e che non vede l'ora di riabbracciare, eppure Leonardo finora non si è mai fatto vedere in studio.
Pokemon GO Evolution animation times have also been decreased, another small but nice bonus. With the "Pokemon Go's" update for Android (0.41.2) and for iOS (1.11.2), users can have a catch bonus. Overall, this update should be welcomed by Pokemon GO fans. Now, however, the menus update autonomously. The hype around " Pokemon Go " may have simmered down a bit but it's still one of the most played mobile games.
Mi sono spaventata moltissimo" - ha richiarato Paola Caruso che poi ha aggiunto - "Mi si era rotto un ovaio che girandosi sul proprio asse aveva fatto esplodere un follicolo. Ho iniziato a sentirmi male , dopo mezz'ora tremavo dal dolore e abbiamo chiamato un'ambulanza. Ho rischiato di perderlo ma per fortuna sono riusciti a salvarlo con un intervento .
Gemma tornerà a parlare del rapporto con Marco Firpo, che, dopo la scorsa puntata vorrebbe continuare la conoscenza, ma è spaventato dalla situazione difficile che Gemma sta vivendo e dal carattere della donna, pronta a creare sempre polemiche al punto da aver annullato l'invito a cena.
As the proud parents of four children, all that budgeting could come in handy, especially if Joanna gets her wish of having two more children. "[Chip] was like: 'It's a scam, do not call them back, ' " Joanna said. "She sounded really sweet!", she said. "That, coupled with just great employees early on who were willing to stick it out and fight with us through thick and thin, were certainly the keys to our success".
To put this another way, he was more than five times as effective as Landry Jones . Rob Gronkowski looks like his old self after battling an injury in the early part of the season, and his seven-catch, 162-yard performance in Week 6 might be proof that he's back to being the NFL's best playmaker.
Martin Garrix was named the best DJ in the world by DJ Mag Top 100 during the opening of the Amsterdam Dance Event on Wednesday. "It's weird." Garrix said in a first reaction. One spot above him at No.27 are this year's highest climbers Swanky Tunes, up 70 places and there's only two female acts in the list this year - Aussie duo NERVO, down 21 places to No.45 and Ukraine's Miss K8 up six to No.88.
Champions League: Can Cristiano Ronaldo keep the goals coming for Real Madrid?
The Polish champions were defeated hammered 5-1 after some of their fans were involved in violent clashes with police outside the stadium. Miroslav Radovic pulled one back for the Poles from the penalty spot but Marco Asensio made it 3-1 in the 37th minute with a low shot on his Champions League debut.


Our rooms are all en-suite and have private entrances. All rooms are air conditioned and equipped with a television, selected DStv channels, a bar fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, microwave oven, safe and hair dryer. Free wireless internet access. Rooms are serviced daily. Secure parking is available on site.


Read Psalm 19 and 2 Timothy 3:1-17 and pray that God will bless your time of fellowship in his Word.
How would your relationship with God be different if you had to look for his words that were scattered among all the writings of Christians throughout church history?
Have you had doubts or questions about the truthfulness and authority of any of the Bible? What caused those questions? Have you been able to resolve them? If so, how?
Since the Bible really is God's Word, that is, since God really talks to us through what is written in the Bible, what should our attitude be to listening to the Bible when it is read? When reading the Bible for ourselves? When hearing the Bible taught and preached?
According to 2 Timothy 3:1-17, why do we need God's Word? In light of these verses, how does God's Word help us with our expectations about the way the world is, and what will happen to those who seek to live a godly life?
"All Scripture is God-breathed." How does this understanding of God's Word help you to believe they are actually all you need (sufficient) to know Christ and live a holy life in a sinful world?
Has God's Word helped you to live a godly life in this world? If so, how?
What is your favourite part of Psalm 19, and why?


text:
Life as a House
Irwin Winkler
Barry Primus
John Pankow
Kim Delgado
Sam Robards
Sandra Nelson
Scotty Leavenworth
In "Life as a House," a teen-age boy tells his girlfriend he's angry at his father for tricking him into loving him. If her father had done that, he says, "You would hate him for the trick."
She replies, "Not if the trick was real."
"Life as a House" tricks us into loving it, but we don't hate it because of it. It's a film that absolutely should not work, but does because of gentle directing and stellar acting, and a general avoidance of the "you WILL cry!" techniques employed by many tearjerkers.
Kevin Kline gives an Oscar-caliber performance as George, a middle-aged architect whose life couldn't be more dysfunctional. His wife, Robin (Kristin Scott Thomas), whom he still loves, left him 10 years ago and lives across town with their Goth-rebellious son Sam (Hayden Christensen). He's just been fired. He lives in a shack by the ocean in California. Oh, and he has terminal cancer.
Before he dies, he wants to establish a bond with his estranged son by tearing down the shack and building a real house in its place. The house becomes a metaphor, of course, and George slowly rebuilds relationships with his son, his ex-wife and other people in his life.
There are several wonderful characters in the film, and some twists in their personalities that may be irrelevant but which add to the picture's overall charm. Mary Steenburgen, lovely as always, plays sexually frustrated housewife Coleen, who dated George years ago and now lives down the street from his shack. Her daughter, Alyssa (Jena Malone), begins a relationship with Sam; Sam dabbles in autoerotic asphyxiation and prostitution, egged on by his friend Josh (Ian Somerhalder), who is a piece of work in his own right.
Comparisons to "American Beauty" are obvious. This film is far more optimistic and less edgy, but has several similar plot elements: the protagonist, estranged from his wife and child, who will be dead before the film's end; a sexually active teen couple; a teen-age girl expressing attraction for her friend's father. There's a likeness in both films' 21-century family angst, too: These are not the same problems the people in "Leave It to Beaver" had. (Or if they did, they didn't discuss them quite so openly.)
I am also interested in the dichotomies of family relationships portrayed here. George says his mother was terrified of his abusive father, but more terrified of life without him. Asked why he didn't kill his father, whom he hated, he says, "I loved him too much." These are universal ideas, where we love those we are biologically attached to, even when there seems to be little reason for that love.
Apart from those few deft touches, Mark Andrus' screenplay is rather trite. It has its fair share of stock dialogue and kitchen-sink-drama situations. Right down the line, everything happens pretty much the way you'd expect it to.
And yet it works. Director Irwin Winkler doesn't force the emotions; he coaxes them gently. George's character, in particular, is droll and self-effacing, and is thankfully not one of those stoic, saintly dying people we see so often in movies. There is a great deal of humor mixed in with the drama, lightening the mood and conveying that oh-so-important feel of a film not taking itself too seriously.
Winkler has compassion for his characters, each of whom is lovable in his or her own way. Hayden Christensen — whom we will see next year playing Anakin Skywalker — is a revelation, holding his own against Kline, who is one of our most unfairly overlooked actors. It is a remarkably mediocre screenplay, made remarkably sweet by a light touch and a kindhearted attitude.
B+ (; R, frequent harsh profanity, some strong sexuality, brief non-sexual nudity, some drug use.)


Consulting: One design team. This is not scalable as the team can only handle a small amount of projects.
Review and Approve: Designs are governed based on standards and guidelines and each decision is approved by a governing body. This can lead to bottlenecks and therefore delays.
Educate and Administrate: The structure that with the greatest chance of delivery. A culture that's based on focusing on a clear vision and where everybody is responsible for a quality User Experience. Design should also move towards that vision. Instead of approval after the fact, educating the team should happen at the start of each project and a design problem is treated as a teachable moment. Feedback and new learning is quickly shared throughout the organisation.
During his session I realized that we're currently in between 2 and 3. We do share learning a quick as we can but we also require approvals still for very tactical executions. Not just food for thought, something I'm going to address immediately. Jarret's was kind enough to put a copy of his presentation online (PDF).
03.27.06 | Permalink | Comment?
Well, I didn't intent my last post to be THAT dramatic. I took a 4 month break in blogging. Not voluntarily I have to add so there wasn't much re-inventing happening. A long string of hosting issues and not enough time to deal with it was the main reason why I didn't post anything. But I'm back with a new URL Wilhelmus.ca is a bit more representative than the old WilliamsWeekly since my blog wasn't really a weekly thing anymore. It does provide me with the inspiration to rethink and re-invent (myself).


"The restaurant is a gem! Every dish is delicious, the staff is pleasant and attentive and the best part was the Accordion..." via Charlene H.
"The quality of ingredients creates so yummy flavors of Italian dishes. Always have something new on the menu. The owner..." via Cynthia L.
"New to West Portal, delicious pizzas, salads and pastas. Excellent quality and lovely atmosphere!" via Brandi T.
"First, the Fior d'Italia made us a great offer. For an additional $6 they let you turn your entrée into a four course..."
"I have been here many times. Very good Italian dinners. I like their Ravioli's or spaghetti. They have been here for as..." via Darla B.


Icinga is a fork of Nagios and is backward compatible. So, Nagios configurations, plugins and addons can all be used with Icinga. Though Icinga retains all the existing features of its predecessor, it builds on them to add many long awaited patches and features requested by the user community.
Before proceeding with this make sure you have Ubuntu 12.10 LAMP server setup.
Once the basic installation started working you need to check the documentation for more services setup.
Is there any way to make it work with cherokee instead of apache2? During the install it asks me what server I'm running, and cherokee isn't amongst the options… Trying to access the adress doesn't work unless I switch the web server… Thanks!


text:
Donald Lystra
Wisdom, no sermon
by Keith Taylor
From the October, 2013 issue
We've all heard the longing: "If I'm going to write the book(s) I need to write, I need to quit my job and get to it." Most of us never do it, but Ann Arborite Donald Lystra is living the dream. After a long and successful career as an engineer, he started writing. He found a writers' circle to support him and offer direction. He began publishing his stories in the kinds of magazines U-M's ambitious MFA students dream about appearing in. He published a lovely novel, Season of Water and Ice, with a small regional press, and it was picked as a Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan. He was awarded a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. And now he has published, Something That Feels like Truth, a collection of precise and deeply imagined short stories.
Lystra's stories often take expected strategies and turn them on their fictional heads. For instance in, "Parallel Universe," the classic American "road story" becomes a tale about an aging son who drives his ill mother from Michigan to Florida. The mother is on oxygen, and it's running out! In "The Five O'clock Train" a couple in late middle age may have stayed together longer than the limits of love allow. They return to Paris to recapture the joy of their honeymoon, but an encounter with the place where Van Gogh died instead brings their tensions to a head, and perhaps to a kind of resolution. The beautiful thing about Lystra's stories is that he never tells us if his characters find that resolution, yet the uncertainty feels right.
One of my favorites is the deceptively simple "Marseille." That tough port city in the south of France doesn't play much of a part in the story. It is just an interesting name that seems to provide an alternative to a man with an ordinary life that seems to be getting worse. The narrator works in a factory
in Saginaw, until he loses his job. It's a conversation those of us who live here can recognize: "Just before the first shift ended Sammy Niswick called me in and said that orders were way down. It was the state of the economy, he said, the goddamned economy. So they had to cut payroll. It was unfortunate but they had no choice." That language is so simple that it feels absolutely direct, almost not written but recorded. And that is the pleasure of Lystra's writing; it has an absolute clarity.
The narrator worries about telling his wife, and imagines how wonderful life must be in Marseille. He goes fishing, has coffee and cheesecake at the Empire Cafe with his wife and friends, and almost does something that might destroy his life. But he is called back to the ordinary--called back to love. Even though Lystra's readers understand that might not be the end of the question, it is at least a temporary answer. In these remarkable short stories, the action comes without drama, the wisdom without sermon or lecture.
Donald Lystra reads at Nicola's Books on October 15, at 7 p.m.
[Originally published in October, 2013.]
On October 15, 2013, Mike Fedel wrote:
Hooray for you! I'm taking small steps down a simliar path and your story is inspiring.


Different philosophies, different concepts – to give you an idea of what else is available beside the home workout programs you can find on here, we put together reviews and detailed opinions of other available exercise systems.
4-Hour Body – Tim Ferris' book claims it's possible to gain 34 lbs of muscle in 28 days.
7-Minute Workout – A circuit style that supposedly gives you the same benefits as much longer training sessions.
FST-7 And Doggcrapp – The programs put together by Hany Rambod and Dante Trudel are two of the more exotic entries in the world of workout programs.
German Volume Training – The exercise schedule made popular by Charles Poliquin emphasizes tons and tons of repetitions.
Heavy Duty – The training and workout philosophy famous bodybuilder Mike Mentzer devised, controversial and in use to this day.
p90X – The immensely popular DVD program that spans from workout plans over nutritional products to exercise equipment.
Starting Strength & Stronglifts – A comparison between the two programs Mark Rippetoe and Mehdi Hadim made famous.
Zumba Fitness – The fitness concept that combines dance moves into a workout and claims to be as much fun as having a party.